# Things you're shocked to find out some people don't know. **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 10, 2010, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-youre-shocked-to-find-out-some-people-dont-know/524353 "2010-01-10T02:44:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 17
**Author:** ![Rack-a-Bones](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/77aa72/32.png) [@Rack-a-Bones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rack-a-Bones)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2010, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-youre-shocked-to-find-out-some-people-dont-know/524353/321 "2010-01-19T00:54:22Z")
> [@PaleAndTragic](#): > > We have a friend who is married to real winner. When a group of us were playing a game she honestly had no idea what the San Andreas Fault was and asked if it was new!!! I wish I could say those were the stupidest words ever to come out of her mouth, yet sadly I would be lying. Well to be fair that is somewhat regional. I grew up in San Andreas. Any time I tell someone that, no matter what their intelligence level, I’ll always get “Is that where the fault is?” ---
**Author:** ![Waenara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/50afbb/32.png) [@Waenara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Waenara)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2010, 5:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-youre-shocked-to-find-out-some-people-dont-know/524353/322 "2010-01-19T05:09:30Z")
> [@smaje1](#): > > One thing I couldn’t forgive was a med student who didn’t understand diabetets. While recovering at a well-known Chicago hospital after I got my appendix out, I told the intern I needed to check my blood sugar and give myself some insulin. She told me that because I couldn’t eat anything, I didn’t need insulin. I tried to explain to her that as a type 1 diabetic, I would always need insulin, even if I couldn’t eat. She didn’t buy it. My mother “kidnapped” me from that hospital 12 hours after my surgery so I could come home with her and receive some life-sustaining insulin. Forgive me, but I don’t think I understand. I’m a second year nursing student, and we’ve covered diabetes somewhat in classes. If you’re diabetic and npo (no food by mouth) you’re at risk of hypoglycemia, especially if you take your regular insulin when npo. I’m not saying you absolutely _don’t_ need insulin - in class we’ve learned that in such a situation your blood sugar levels should be monitored and insulin may or may not be needed, and that a diabetic patient’s “regular” insulin dose _should not_ be given as normal if they are npo and their blood sugar levels are low or normal - in that case we’d probably consult the physician. Were you on a saline IV, or a D5W IV (dextrose 5% in water), or something else that might elevate your blood sugar? I don’t think I agree with your statement that (my emphasis added) “you **always** need insulin, even if I couldn’t eat.” I’d agree that you _might_ need insulin when you can’t eat, but it would depend on your current blood sugar level. ---
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2010, 7:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-youre-shocked-to-find-out-some-people-dont-know/524353/323 "2010-01-19T07:46:44Z")
> [@smaje1](#): > > I went to Catholic school until I hit junior high. One day when I was in 6th grade, I asked a friend what she was doing Friday night. > > “Oh, I have to go to temple.” > “What’s temple?” > “It’s like church, but for Jewish people.” > “What’s Jewish?” > > It’s true - I didn’t know what “Jewish” meant. I’m sure I’d heard the word before, but I didn’t know it was a religion. I didn’t even realize that other religions EXISTED. I thought Catholicism was the only way to go. Heh, I used to have that conversation so often back in middle/high school : - What are you doing on Wednesday afternoon ? - Got to go to temple for catechism ☹ - Temple ? I didn’t know you were Jewish - I’m not. I’m protestant. - What’s that ?!\* - It’s like Catholic, only without the latin and the pageantry. - Ooooh, so you go to church ? - Yes. No. Temple. (French) Protestants call it temple. - But I thought you said you were Christian ? - I am. - So you go to church ! - We call it temple. - But it’s a church, right ? - . . . - Remember, papists did a splendid job of evicting or murdering French protestants, way back when. We’re not really common here. ---
**Author:** ![EpicNonsense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c37758/32.png) [@EpicNonsense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EpicNonsense)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2010, 11:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-youre-shocked-to-find-out-some-people-dont-know/524353/324 "2010-01-19T11:46:29Z")
Constantly find myself explaining what ‘memes’ are to people I know who are avid web users. But not just the definition, the actual memes themselves. “What’s a rickroll?” “LOLcat?” “2Girls1Cup?”… Just amazes me at how much internet culture web users are missing out on by never stepping outside of their normal routine of only checking emails or Facebook. One of the reasons some of my humor and puns don’t appeal to many anymore, I suppose. I sometimes feel like I’m from another planet when I talk to people who don’t use the internet or know nothing much about it… I suppose I sort of am, in a way. ---
**Author:** ![Martini\_Enfield](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/martini_enfield/32/11123_2.png) [@Martini\_Enfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martini_Enfield)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2010, 11:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-youre-shocked-to-find-out-some-people-dont-know/524353/325 "2010-01-19T11:58:15Z")
> [@EpicNonsense](#): > > Constantly find myself explaining what ‘memes’ are to people I know who are avid web users. But not just the definition, the actual memes themselves. “What’s a rickroll?” “LOLcat?” “2Girls1Cup?”… > > Just amazes me at how much internet culture web users are missing out on by never stepping outside of their normal routine of only checking emails or Facebook. One of the reasons some of my humor and puns don’t appeal to many anymore, I suppose. > > I sometimes feel like I’m from another planet when I talk to people who don’t use the internet or know nothing much about it… I suppose I sort of am, in a way. I’m frequently surprised by how many people in my age group _do_ get internet culture references… It’s a surprisingly useful icebreaker (depending on the group). And even Mum knows what a Lolcat is. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2010, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-youre-shocked-to-find-out-some-people-dont-know/524353/326 "2010-01-19T13:17:07Z")
> [@smaje1](#): > > It’s true - I didn’t know what “Jewish” meant. I’m sure I’d heard the word before, but I didn’t know it was a religion. I didn’t even realize that other religions EXISTED. I thought Catholicism was the only way to go. When I was a kid, I thought Bingo was a religion because that’s what it said on the big sign in front of the church down the street. ---
**Author:** ![interface2x](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c0e974/32.png) [@interface2x](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/interface2x)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2010, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-youre-shocked-to-find-out-some-people-dont-know/524353/327 "2010-01-19T14:16:36Z")
> [@Rack-a-Bones](#): > > Well to be fair that is somewhat regional. I grew up in San Andreas. Any time I tell someone that, no matter what their intelligence level, I’ll always get “Is that where the fault is?” So how often do people there say “I live there, but it’s not my fault!” ? ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2010, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-youre-shocked-to-find-out-some-people-dont-know/524353/328 "2010-01-19T14:30:59Z")
> [@Dung\_Beetle](#): > > When I was a kid, I thought Bingo was a religion because that’s what it said on the big sign in front of the church down the street. Well, there are tons of old people there, and lots of praying. ---
**Author:** ![The\_wind\_of\_my\_soul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecc23a/32.png) [@The\_wind\_of\_my\_soul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_wind_of_my_soul)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2010, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-youre-shocked-to-find-out-some-people-dont-know/524353/329 "2010-01-19T15:03:56Z")
My friend: “Guess what I just learned in my [college] astronomy class.” Me: “What?” My friend: “The sun rises in the East and sets in the West.” Me: \ “You JUST learned that?” [SIZE=“1”]All right, he was my boyfriend.[/SIZE] ---
**Author:** ![Small\_Hen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ad7895/32.png) [@Small\_Hen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Small_Hen)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2010, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-youre-shocked-to-find-out-some-people-dont-know/524353/330 "2010-01-19T17:31:55Z")
I took a US history course at a junior college when I was 18. We spent a week covering the Civil war, and were about to take the Essay test. The question: “What were the major reasons for the outcome of the war?” A not so bright girl across from me leaned over and whispered, “Pst! Who won?” I told her the South, then felt bad about it and told her the truth. Not like she had a chance in hell anyway, but… Young people not knowing older stars doesn’t strike me as odd, but last week, I mentioned to my 21 year old sister that me and my older sister were going to watch “Less than Zero,” because I was on a Robert Downey Jr kick, and did she want to join us? She looked at me blankly for a moment, and said…“Robert Downey…I know that name, what was he in?” This was a week or two after we’d gone to see Sherlock Holmes together. That gave me a little pause. ---
**Author:** ![smaje1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e47774/32.png) [@smaje1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smaje1)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2010, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-youre-shocked-to-find-out-some-people-dont-know/524353/331 "2010-01-19T23:02:48Z")
> [@Waenara](#): > > Forgive me, but I don’t think I understand. I’m a second year nursing student, and we’ve covered diabetes somewhat in classes. > > If you’re diabetic and npo (no food by mouth) you’re at risk of hypoglycemia, especially if you take your regular insulin when npo. I’m not saying you absolutely _don’t_ need insulin - in class we’ve learned that in such a situation your blood sugar levels should be monitored and insulin may or may not be needed, and that a diabetic patient’s “regular” insulin dose _should not_ be given as normal if they are npo and their blood sugar levels are low or normal - in that case we’d probably consult the physician. Were you on a saline IV, or a D5W IV (dextrose 5% in water), or something else that might elevate your blood sugar? > > I don’t think I agree with your statement that (my emphasis added) “you **always** need insulin, even if I couldn’t eat.” I’d agree that you _might_ need insulin when you can’t eat, but it would depend on your current blood sugar level. It sounds like you’re learning it right! Blood sugar should be carefully monitored and insulin given if necessary. But this intern didn’t believe it was at all necessary and she completely wrote me off. If she had asked my doctor, perhaps he/she would have told her the right thing to do. But she wasn’t about to do that, and THAT is what scared my mom (a retired RN) so bad. The intern was adamant that I would not need any insulin at all until I could eat. I think they took my blood sugar once in the 12 or so hours I was in the hospital (I test myself 5 or more times a day). I’m currently on Lantus insulin, which is a slow-release type of insulin. It keeps my blood sugar steady for 24 hours. I also take a fast-acting insulin, which effects my blood sugar immediately. If I was not eating, I would likely forgo the fast-acting insulin and take a lower does of the Lantus… which is exactly what I did when my mom brought me home. The diabetes health care I’ve received from non-diabetes-specialists is disheartening. I’ve met nurses and doctors alike who didn’t know the difference between type 1 and type 2. And I hold true to my belief about being stranded on a desert island. If I was sipwrecked and ended up on some little island in the middle of nowhere without any insulin, I’d be in a coma in a week. Even if I didn’t eat anything. Even if I spent my entire time jogging laps around the island. No insulin = dead. Which would suck, especially if I’m stranded on that desert island with a hottie. Good luck with your studies! I think nursing is a wonderful profession, and I’m amazed by those who dedicate their lives to medicine. ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2010, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-youre-shocked-to-find-out-some-people-dont-know/524353/332 "2010-01-19T23:30:14Z")
This was a few years ago, but we were sitting around reading the Sunday paper en famille and my late-teen aged brother was reading an article. “Sali,” sez he, “this guy was charged with soh-doh-mee. What does soh-doh-mee mean?” :rolleyes: Uh, that would be in the butt, Bro! ---
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2010, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-youre-shocked-to-find-out-some-people-dont-know/524353/333 "2010-01-19T23:50:47Z")
> [@salinqmind](#): > > This was a few years ago, but we were sitting around reading the Sunday paper en famille and my late-teen aged brother was reading an article. “Sali,” sez he, “this guy was charged with soh-doh-mee. What does soh-doh-mee mean?” :rolleyes: > > Uh, that would be in the butt, Bro! Not necessarily. Some older laws use the word to refer to any non-married carnal relationship, or any non vaginal sex act (i.e. fellatio counts as sodomy sometimes). ---
**Author:** ![Waenara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/50afbb/32.png) [@Waenara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Waenara)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2010, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-youre-shocked-to-find-out-some-people-dont-know/524353/334 "2010-01-20T01:10:32Z")
> [@smaje1](#): > > IThe diabetes health care I’ve received from non-diabetes-specialists is disheartening. I’ve met nurses and doctors alike who didn’t know the difference between type 1 and type 2. Thanks for the clarification! It is indeed scary what some healthcare professionals don’t know or have forgotten that is very basic and important. I’ve only been in clinical placements for a short time, but I’ve run across hospital staff who have (what seems to me to be) glaring gaps in their basic knowledge, or just being incurious in general. I had nurses supervising me who when I asked they couldn’t tell me what their patient’s admitting diagnosis was and they couldn’t be bothered to look it up, or they had no idea why their patient was taking a particular medication. Scary, since they’re personally liable for every medication and dose they give. If the doctor or pharmacy made an error and the nurse doesn’t catch it, they’re _all_ liable - you can’t pass the buck up the chain. ---
**Author:** ![Lunchy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Lunchy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lunchy)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2010, 11:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-youre-shocked-to-find-out-some-people-dont-know/524353/335 "2010-01-20T11:53:59Z")
My female cousin who was 31 at the time, didn’t know how to put gas in her car!!! ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2010, 12:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-youre-shocked-to-find-out-some-people-dont-know/524353/336 "2010-01-20T12:42:34Z")
Pepper Mill was substitute teaching yesterday, and one of the girls (middle school) asked her what time it was. Pepper showed her her (analog) wristwatch. You can figure out the rest – the girl had no idea how to read the time on a non-digital watch. Well, I told her (when she told me about this) it’s a Teaching Moment – and you’re a Teacher. Which is when I got a lecture about the Right Times and the Wrong Times for doing things. And when you’re riding herd on a big noisy group not in a classroom is apparently not a Good Time to do this. ---
**Author:** ![SciFiSam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/47e85d/32.png) [@SciFiSam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SciFiSam)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2010, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-youre-shocked-to-find-out-some-people-dont-know/524353/337 "2010-01-20T16:31:15Z")
> [@Kobal2](#): > > Heh, I used to have that conversation so often back in middle/high school : > > - What are you doing on Wednesday afternoon ? > - Got to go to temple for catechism ☹ > - Temple ? I didn’t know you were Jewish > - I’m not. I’m protestant. > - What’s that ?!\* > - It’s like Catholic, only without the latin and the pageantry. > - Ooooh, so you go to church ? > - Yes. No. Temple. (French) Protestants call it temple. > - But I thought you said you were Christian ? > - I am. > - So you go to church ! > - We call it temple. > - But it’s a church, right ? > - . . . > > - Remember, papists did a splendid job of evicting or murdering French protestants, way back when. We’re not really common here. That’s interesting. I’m protestant by background too, and we _always_ say church, not temple. ‘Protestants call it temple’ isn’t true without the French bit. Are you sure it’s true for all kinds of French protestantism, even? There’s a French protestant church in central London, too, and that says ‘church’ outside, not temple, and I’ve never come across the word temple when reading about Huguenots. > [@Dung\_Beetle](#): > > When I was a kid, I thought Bingo was a religion because that’s what it said on the big sign in front of the church down the street. 😃 When I was a kid I thought my denomination was COV. Once I was asked to spell the actual words out, and hazarded a guess at Church of Victoria. Turned out that, all my life, I’d simply been mishearing ‘C of E’ because nobody ever says ‘Church of England’ in full. I was ten years old and didn’t know my own religion. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2010, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-youre-shocked-to-find-out-some-people-dont-know/524353/338 "2010-01-20T16:51:31Z")
The Baptist Church on Tremont Street in Boston is the Tremont Temple: [http://www.tremonttemple.com/](http://www.tremonttemple.com/) The Seventh Day Adventists in Boston have a Temple, too. [http://www.bostontemple-sda.org/](http://www.bostontemple-sda.org/) So do the Mormons (out in Belmont, actually), but that’s their standard terminology. ---
**Author:** ![Anne\_Neville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Anne\_Neville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anne_Neville)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2010, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-youre-shocked-to-find-out-some-people-dont-know/524353/339 "2010-01-20T17:00:54Z")
> [@PaleAndTragic](#): > > We have a friend who is married to real winner. When a group of us were playing a game she honestly had no idea what the San Andreas Fault was and asked if it was new!!! Geologically, it is, IIRC. Of course, that means “a few million years old”. ---
**Author:** ![vivalostwages](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d07c76/32.png) [@vivalostwages](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vivalostwages)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2010, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-youre-shocked-to-find-out-some-people-dont-know/524353/340 "2010-01-20T17:05:35Z")
> [@Lunchy](#): > > My female cousin who was 31 at the time, didn’t know how to put gas in her car!!! I have a friend who is nearly 46 and does not seem to know how to add oil to her car or how to check the oil level. :eek: [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-youre-shocked-to-find-out-some-people-dont-know/524353.md?page=16) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-youre-shocked-to-find-out-some-people-dont-know/524353.md?page=18)