# 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:** 19\ **Page:** 25
**Author:** ![Shot\_From\_Guns](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ccd318/32.png) [@Shot\_From\_Guns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shot_From_Guns)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2010, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-youre-shocked-to-find-out-some-people-dont-know/524353/481 "2010-01-29T19:01:29Z")
> [@MitzeKatze](#): > > I tried googling for “full service gas station” You’re a braver man than I. I’d expect to get back results for things like Candy’s “Full Service” “Gas” Station, Where Your Gas Isn’t the Only Thing We Pump. ---
**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 29, 2010, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-youre-shocked-to-find-out-some-people-dont-know/524353/482 "2010-01-29T20:06:20Z")
> [@Shot\_From\_Guns](#): > > You’re a braver man than I. I’d expect to get back results for things like Candy’s “Full Service” “Gas” Station, Where Your Gas Isn’t the Only Thing We Pump. Well I Googled a number of variations of that… hey someone had to right… and didn’t find anything remotely risque. I’m kind of disappointed. ---
**Author:** ![MitzeKatze](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ad7895/32.png) [@MitzeKatze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MitzeKatze)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2010, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-youre-shocked-to-find-out-some-people-dont-know/524353/483 "2010-01-29T20:20:18Z")
> [@Shot\_From\_Guns](#): > > You’re a braver man than I. I’d expect to get back results for things like Candy’s “Full Service” “Gas” Station, Where Your Gas Isn’t the Only Thing We Pump. LOL I am not sure it is bravery as much as serious naivete. 😉 I am a google-aholic so I will search for whatever descriptive words come to mind, and I have been quite surprised by what words can instantly lead to the most…ummm…interesting results. During one conversation at home, I started to google to find a data point, and I caught myself only seconds before hitting the search button after realizing that was running a search for the keywords “kiddie porn” _shudder_ So, not really bravery as much as irresponsibility. I probably shouldn’t be trusted with a search engine. 🙂 ---
**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 29, 2010, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-youre-shocked-to-find-out-some-people-dont-know/524353/484 "2010-01-29T20:49:38Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > … > Pretty much everyone I know (including myself) was shocked to find out that he wasn’t already dead. > … I only knew he was among the living because I was following the trial regarding the “sequel” last year. While I respect Salingers’s right to protect his work, I think the decision to ban the book was flawed… but that is another thread. ---
**Author:** ![Shamozzle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shamozzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shamozzle)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2010, 9:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-youre-shocked-to-find-out-some-people-dont-know/524353/485 "2010-01-30T09:54:51Z")
> [@Saintly\_Loser](#): > > Two things. > > Years ago I worked with a guy who did not know that Ireland (the island) was split into two separate states, one independent and one part of Great Britain. I know tons of people who wouldn’t know this. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![kittenblue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ba8739/32.png) [@kittenblue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kittenblue)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2010, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-youre-shocked-to-find-out-some-people-dont-know/524353/486 "2010-01-30T14:39:11Z")
> [@Harvey\_The\_Heavy](#): > > Yeah, the whole pop culture disparity with some of my younger co-workers just kills me sometimes. I couldn’t believe it when some of them had never even heard of the movie _Escape From New York_. That’s one I assume everyone on earth has seen. They can’t believe that I, a 40 year old unmarried male with no kids, haven’t seen _Twilight_. I’m 52, I’ve never seen _Escape From New York_ and I couldn’t tell you the plot…except for, you know, the need to escape from New York part. I was surprised by an 18-year-old roommate of mine in college who didn’t know how to crack open an egg. ---
**Author:** ![Chicagojeff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b19c9b/32.png) [@Chicagojeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chicagojeff)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2010, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-youre-shocked-to-find-out-some-people-dont-know/524353/487 "2010-01-30T15:02:21Z")
i can easily beat live aid… i can pull up band aid and name off of those too… but when the latest grammy’s come on i’ll be asking my daughter who’s that… etc lol… At roll cal my sgt made the joke… Beuhler… beuhler… beuhler… only guys over 33 were laughing… the young guys were like wtf?? ---
**Author:** ![Chicagojeff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b19c9b/32.png) [@Chicagojeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chicagojeff)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2010, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-youre-shocked-to-find-out-some-people-dont-know/524353/488 "2010-01-30T15:08:24Z")
> [@Saintly\_Loser](#): > > Two things. > > Years ago I worked with a guy who did not know that Ireland (the island) was split into two separate states, one independent and one part of Great Britain. > > Some years after that, I encountered a woman who did not know that B.C. dates ran backwards, i.e., that the year 375 was earlier than the year 125. She must have had a truly peculiar notion of history. If she had any notion of history at all. That reminds me of this infamous you tube clip of the View.. wow.. the look on Whoopi Goldberg’s face is priceless.. [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ckb0Pwfpkbc&feature=related](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ckb0Pwfpkbc&feature=related) ---
**Author:** ![kittenblue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ba8739/32.png) [@kittenblue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kittenblue)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2010, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-youre-shocked-to-find-out-some-people-dont-know/524353/489 "2010-01-30T15:08:38Z")
> [@Koxinga](#): > > Especially with the stations that allow you to swipe your card at the pump, it’s actually faster to pump your own gas than to tell Gomer and Goober what you want, wait for them to finish pumping, come back to your window for payment and then run inside to the cash register to make change for your twenty. And even if you come up with time and motion studies saying in some cases it isn’t faster, it _feels_ like it’s faster 'cause you’re in control of the process. I thought the majority of the profit at gas stations these days is from the bottle of pop and the candy bar you buy when you go inside to pay. ---
**Author:** ![Chicagojeff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b19c9b/32.png) [@Chicagojeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chicagojeff)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2010, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-youre-shocked-to-find-out-some-people-dont-know/524353/490 "2010-01-30T15:31:03Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > Speaking of time zones . . . I once had a friend who thought people in different time zones actually lived at different times. E.g. he thought that you couldn’t have a phone conversation with on 20-east ..someone in a different time zone, because you’d have to wait hours for their response. Otherwise you’d be answering their questions before they were asked. > > Yes, I have known some mind-numbingly stupid people over the years. i have to tell this old joke.., two alabama state troopers are chasing a guy on 20 east.. the bad guy crosses the state line into georgia , the first trooper slams on his brakes.. the second trooper locks up his brakes to keep from hitting his partner.. the second trooper asks the first.. “why in hell did you stop??” the first trooper says.. he’s in georgia.. he’s an hour away from us… ---
**Author:** ![Kevbo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e47774/32.png) [@Kevbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kevbo)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2010, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-youre-shocked-to-find-out-some-people-dont-know/524353/491 "2010-01-30T17:00:17Z")
> [@Santos\_L\_Halper](#): > > A few years ago I caught an episode of Password on the Gameshow Network that had a strange moment. Not long ago I was watching the modern version of PW. The contestant was giving clues to Craig Ferguson. The word was “Dallas” Contestant: Texas CF: State Contestant: Capital CF(without hesitation):Austin I can’t remember where it went after that, but CF never did get that word, and the contestant was acting like he was an idiot, but hey I guess you can’t expect a Scotsman to be up on American Geography. CF was reasonably polite but did look at her a bit askance when told the answer. ---
**Author:** ![vivalostwages](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d07c76/32.png) [@vivalostwages](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vivalostwages)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2010, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-youre-shocked-to-find-out-some-people-dont-know/524353/492 "2010-01-30T17:19:26Z")
I run into many people who have no concept of how eBay works, especially if you’re a seller. Them: But what if you don’t get as much as you wanted for the item? Me: I set a minimum price. Them: Doesn’t the shipping cost you a lot of your own pocket? Me: The buyer has to pay for that before I ship anything–the same way it works when you buy something from a catalog or online or whatever and have it delivered. Them: What if they don’t pay and you’ve already sent the item? Me: They have to pay before I send it. Them: What if they don’t pay? Me: Then I don’t send the item. ---
**Author:** ![Kevbo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e47774/32.png) [@Kevbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kevbo)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2010, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-youre-shocked-to-find-out-some-people-dont-know/524353/493 "2010-01-30T17:48:56Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > There’s an urban myth that the term five-o comes from the Mark III Ford Mustang 5.0, which was popular with cops in the eighties, but it’s not true. When the show started, in the 70s, they would have been 302s anyway. No American of that era would specify a car engine’s displacement in metric units unless it was a foreign car. ---
**Author:** ![Chicagojeff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b19c9b/32.png) [@Chicagojeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chicagojeff)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2010, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-youre-shocked-to-find-out-some-people-dont-know/524353/494 "2010-01-30T18:02:33Z")
> [@Kevbo](#): > > When the show started, in the 70s, they would have been 302s anyway. No American of that era would specify a car engine’s displacement in metric units unless it was a foreign car. nAHH hawaii five oh is the answer on that. as also the reference to 12?? adam 12 the old cop show.. ---
**Author:** ![Lok](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e8c25b/32.png) [@Lok](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lok)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2010, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-youre-shocked-to-find-out-some-people-dont-know/524353/495 "2010-01-30T18:21:05Z")
> [@Kevbo](#): > > Not long ago I was watching the modern version of PW. The contestant was giving clues to Craig Ferguson. The word was “Dallas” > > Contestant: Texas > CF: State > Contestant: Capital > CF(without hesitation):Austin > > I can’t remember where it went after that, but CF never did get that word, and the contestant was acting like he was an idiot, but hey I guess you can’t expect a Scotsman to be up on American Geography. CF was reasonably polite but did look at her a bit askance when told the answer. I hope I am getting wooshed here, but the reason Craig Ferguson very quickly answered Austin was because that is the capital of Texas. That is also why Craig was looking at her the way he did. While you probably shouldn’t expect the aferage Scot to know American geography, one that has taken the citizenship test and became a citizen of the US will, since state capitals are on the test. ---
**Author:** ![Kaio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c68b51/32.png) [@Kaio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kaio)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2010, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-youre-shocked-to-find-out-some-people-dont-know/524353/496 "2010-01-30T18:37:53Z")
> [@kittenblue](#): > > I was surprised by an 18-year-old roommate of mine in college who didn’t know how to crack open an egg. That reminds me of a friend of mine freshman year of college who claimed she “didn’t know how” to make a PB&J sandwich. I say “claimed” because I’m quite sure she could have figured it out if I hadn’t told her. Her main point was that she’d never done it herself so didn’t know if the PB&J were both supposed to be spread on the same slice of bread or what; and while I prefer to put the PB on one slice, jelly on the other, and then squish together, the world won’t come to an end if it’s done differently, y’know? ---
**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2010, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-youre-shocked-to-find-out-some-people-dont-know/524353/497 "2010-01-30T18:41:17Z")
> [@Lok](#): > > I hope I am getting wooshed here, but the reason Craig Ferguson very quickly answered Austin was because that is the capital of Texas… Yeah, Kevbo is indicating the _contestant_ was an idiot (I hope). ---
**Author:** ![Kaio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c68b51/32.png) [@Kaio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kaio)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2010, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-youre-shocked-to-find-out-some-people-dont-know/524353/498 "2010-01-30T18:46:13Z")
That’s what I got from it: the contestant was an idiot because she thought CF was an idiot, when he was actually correct and she was not. ---
**Author:** ![Lok](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e8c25b/32.png) [@Lok](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lok)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2010, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-youre-shocked-to-find-out-some-people-dont-know/524353/499 "2010-01-30T19:29:18Z")
That was what I was thinking originally, but his comments about Craig made me wonder. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-youre-shocked-to-find-out-some-people-dont-know/524353.md?page=24)