# Things you can't believe ever existed **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 4, 2013, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-cant-believe-ever-existed/646095 "2013-01-04T19:34:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2013, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-cant-believe-ever-existed/646095/81 "2013-01-06T14:51:33Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > OK Doc. How is mono spread, and I’m pretty sure I don’t have HSV. You got some splainin’ to do. It got labelled “the kissing disease” because the virus does appear in saliva. But population studies don’t show much of a link between episodic swapping spit with an infected individual and coming down with the infection oneself. Transmission isn’t fully understood, but it seems one is at highest risk if one is living with an infected individual long-term, even if they aren’t intimate. People with the infection often shed the virus for a year, or more, and don’t tend to have symptoms most of the time they are shedding it. Also, over 90% of adults are positive for HSV I antibodies, even though 75% of them never have an outbreak (that they’ve noticed, anyway). They got exposed long ago, and somehow manage to keep the virus suppressed. But once you’ve got antibodies in your system to HSV, that means HSV will always be in your system. ---
**Author:** ![campp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@campp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/campp)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2013, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-cant-believe-ever-existed/646095/82 "2013-01-06T15:07:49Z")
I had a 1948 Chevy pickup for awhile, and was amazed to learn they were not factory equipped with turn signals yet. Mine had two aftermarket cans screwed onto the fenders, and a cast aluminum aftermarket turn signal gizmo that bolted to any steering column. ---
**Author:** ![Tethered\_Kite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a5b964/32.png) [@Tethered\_Kite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tethered_Kite)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2013, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-cant-believe-ever-existed/646095/83 "2013-01-06T15:16:46Z")
> [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](#): > > **Kissing booths** - Hold up. I pay you a nickel and I get to kiss you on the lips? And from the distaff perspective: I want to kiss any old stranger for a nickel? 😃 Chastity belts. Must have been a nightmare from several perspectives. Corsetting. My grandma had a sixteen-inch waist and died of stomach cancer. **Qadgop** will have to fill us in on whether there’s a connection but the family thought so. Suicide clutches on motorcycles. ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2013, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-cant-believe-ever-existed/646095/84 "2013-01-06T15:22:02Z")
> [@simster](#): > > You just made an indian cry on TV. Or at least [an Italian-American](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iron_Eyes_Cody) portraying an Indian. ---
**Author:** ![simster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/simster/32/1047_2.png) [@simster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/simster)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2013, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-cant-believe-ever-existed/646095/85 "2013-01-06T15:49:12Z")
> [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](#): > > Or at least [an Italian-American](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iron_Eyes_Cody) portraying an Indian. wow - you learn something new everyday! ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2013, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-cant-believe-ever-existed/646095/86 "2013-01-06T18:03:26Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > It got labelled “the kissing disease” because the virus does appear in saliva. But population studies don’t show much of a link between episodic swapping spit with an infected individual and coming down with the infection oneself. Transmission isn’t fully understood, but it seems one is at highest risk if one is living with an infected individual long-term, even if they aren’t intimate. People with the infection often shed the virus for a year, or more, and don’t tend to have symptoms most of the time they are shedding it. > > Also, over 90% of adults are positive for HSV I antibodies, even though 75% of them never have an outbreak (that they’ve noticed, anyway). They got exposed long ago, and somehow manage to keep the virus suppressed. But once you’ve got antibodies in your system to HSV, that means HSV will always be in your system. On the other hand, from six days ago: [Kissing Really Does Spread Mono, Study Finds](http://vitals.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/12/31/16269617-kissing-really-does-spread-mono-study-finds?lite). ---
**Author:** ![Simple\_Linctus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Simple\_Linctus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simple_Linctus)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2013, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-cant-believe-ever-existed/646095/87 "2013-01-06T18:19:24Z")
> [@tellyworth](#): > > The [Lobotomobile](http://lisawallerrogers.wordpress.com/2009/01/16/266/). Unfortunately, there \*\*currently \*\*exist lethal injection vans in China. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2013, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-cant-believe-ever-existed/646095/88 "2013-01-06T19:12:53Z")
[Doctors (and Santa!) endorsing cigarettes](http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/07/business/media/07adco.html?_r=0) ---
**Author:** ![Filbert](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/filbert/32/3433_2.png) [@Filbert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Filbert)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2013, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-cant-believe-ever-existed/646095/89 "2013-01-06T19:40:51Z")
My car doesn’t have cup holders- and neither did any of my parents’ cars before their current one. My ‘I can’t believe it’ has to be the [Paedophile Information Exchange](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paedophile_Information_Exchange). ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2013, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-cant-believe-ever-existed/646095/90 "2013-01-06T19:44:47Z")
> [@Seanette](#): > > A&W’s folded into the Yum group lately. Yum! Brands actually sold A&W last year. A&W Canada has been a separate entity from the US A&W since 1972, and is currently a completely independent entity, which probably partially explains the difference I noted above (750 locations in Canada, vs 1200 worldwide (per wiki) for the original company). ---
**Author:** ![Seanette](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/seanette/32/9139_2.png) [@Seanette](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Seanette)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2013, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-cant-believe-ever-existed/646095/91 "2013-01-06T19:48:52Z")
Hadn’t heard about that sale. Thanks for the info. (The hybrid KFC/A&W restaurants are still around, though. (smile)) ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2013, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-cant-believe-ever-existed/646095/92 "2013-01-06T21:08:10Z")
> [@Superhal](#): > > Oh, another one I can’t believe: gold prices. When I got married in 2000, I bought a bunch of bracelets and jewelry for my fiancee because it was so cheap. I think it was something like $200 per troy ounce (currently $1700 average through 2012.) I paid like $100 for my wedding band, so it might be worth like 1k today, roughly a 900% increase. I bought my first gold coin in the early 70s. Gold was $44 per ounce, and was legally prevented from changing. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2013, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-cant-believe-ever-existed/646095/93 "2013-01-06T21:14:07Z")
[Hoop skirts](https://www.google.com/search?q=hoop+skirts&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&channel=np&um=1&ie=UTF-8&hl=en&tbm=isch&source=og&sa=N&tab=wi&ei=g-jpULnPMZTRqAGbiICAAQ&biw=988&bih=1033&sei=iOjpUKzSPMqprQGck4GIAQ). Invented, I’m sure, by a sadistic misogynist. Seriously, how did women take care of their “bodily functions” in those things? ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2013, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-cant-believe-ever-existed/646095/94 "2013-01-06T21:34:29Z")
> [@DMark](#): > > remember those first pop top cans where the top came OFF the can and you would toss them anywhere? No fun for bare foot kids. Toss them? No, you dropped the pop-top into the can - and then you drank the soda. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2013, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-cant-believe-ever-existed/646095/95 "2013-01-06T21:48:11Z")
> [@BrotherCadfael](#): > > On the other hand, from six days ago: [Kissing Really Does Spread Mono, Study Finds](http://vitals.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/12/31/16269617-kissing-really-does-spread-mono-study-finds?lite). That’s the thing with medicine. They told me in med school that 50% of the stuff they were teaching me would be shown to be wrong. And that they didn’t know which 50%. ---
**Author:** ![Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a88e4f/32.png) [@Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Digital_is_the_new_Analog)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2013, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-cant-believe-ever-existed/646095/96 "2013-01-06T23:50:58Z")
> [@DMark](#): > > Pogo sticks! Oh the joy of holding on to a metal pipe with a huge spring at the bottom and little places for your feet, bouncing really high one or two times until perhaps you didn’t land quite correctly on that cement sidewalk - who saw that coming? While leaving my house today, I drove past a local kid walking by the side of the road, carrying a pogo stick. Apparently they still exist. -D/a ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2013, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-cant-believe-ever-existed/646095/97 "2013-01-07T00:04:43Z")
> [@DMark](#): > > Pogo sticks! Oh the joy of holding on to a metal pipe with a huge spring at the bottom and little places for your feet, bouncing really high one or two times until perhaps you didn’t land quite correctly on that cement sidewalk - who saw that coming? How about [unicycles](https://www.google.com/search?q=unicycle&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&channel=np&um=1&ie=UTF-8&hl=en&tbm=isch&source=og&sa=N&tab=wi&ei=WxDqUOSmPI_OqwH1hIFo&biw=988&bih=1033&sei=ZBDqUMqJL8bHqAGk5oC4BQ)? How the hell do you get on or off? I don’t recall ever seeing one, outside a circus. ---
**Author:** ![Filbert](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/filbert/32/3433_2.png) [@Filbert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Filbert)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2013, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-cant-believe-ever-existed/646095/98 "2013-01-07T00:15:07Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > How about [unicycles](https://www.google.com/search?q=unicycle&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&channel=np&um=1&ie=UTF-8&hl=en&tbm=isch&source=og&sa=N&tab=wi&ei=WxDqUOSmPI_OqwH1hIFo&biw=988&bih=1033&sei=ZBDqUMqJL8bHqAGk5oC4BQ)? How the hell do you get on or off? I don’t recall ever seeing one, outside a circus. Very easily. It’s staying on that’s the problem. There’s a unicycle hockey team that practices pretty close to my house- people don’t even comment on unicyclists round here any more… Leads to lots of fun discussions about whether they have to stay on the street like bikes, or are they allowed on the pavements. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2013, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-cant-believe-ever-existed/646095/99 "2013-01-07T00:17:31Z")
Hey, here’s another laughable product. The Mr. Popeil [egg scrambler](http://www.popeilfamilystore.com/egg.html). It scrambles the egg while still in the shell. And then all you have to worry about is cleaning the damned thing properly so you don’t poison yourself the next time you scramble an egg. ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2013, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-cant-believe-ever-existed/646095/100 "2013-01-07T00:26:05Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > How about [unicycles](https://www.google.com/search?q=unicycle&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&channel=np&um=1&ie=UTF-8&hl=en&tbm=isch&source=og&sa=N&tab=wi&ei=WxDqUOSmPI_OqwH1hIFo&biw=988&bih=1033&sei=ZBDqUMqJL8bHqAGk5oC4BQ)? How the hell do you get on or off? I don’t recall ever seeing one, outside a circus. I knew a guy who commuted to work on one. Right into the Financial District. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-cant-believe-ever-existed/646095.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-cant-believe-ever-existed/646095.md?page=6)