# Unimportant questions you really, really want to know **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 17, 2013, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unimportant-questions-you-really-really-want-to-know/666473 "2013-08-17T03:17:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![installLSC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/54ee81/32.png) [@installLSC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/installLSC)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2013, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unimportant-questions-you-really-really-want-to-know/666473/1 "2013-08-17T03:17:57Z")
Have you ever had a minor unanswered question, though not even remotely important, you really wish you knew the answer to? For example, I’ve always wondered why western radio/TV stations start with “K” while eastern ones start with “W”. Why were those specific letters chosen? Even Cecil didn’t know the answer. ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2013, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unimportant-questions-you-really-really-want-to-know/666473/2 "2013-08-17T03:21:52Z")
Why are clowns supposed to be fun for kids? Garish makeup, loud noises, exaggerated gestures… yeah, kids love that from a stranger. Seriously, wtf ---
**Author:** ![california\_jobcase](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9d8465/32.png) [@california\_jobcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/california_jobcase)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2013, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unimportant-questions-you-really-really-want-to-know/666473/3 "2013-08-17T03:27:49Z")
Is a hamburger patty a Patrick or a Patricia? ---
**Author:** ![pope\_hentai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ee59a6/32.png) [@pope\_hentai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pope_hentai)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2013, 5:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unimportant-questions-you-really-really-want-to-know/666473/4 "2013-08-17T05:30:59Z")
Why are there so many people that hate clowns? ---
**Author:** ![Peanuthead](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peanuthead/32/360_2.png) [@Peanuthead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peanuthead)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2013, 6:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unimportant-questions-you-really-really-want-to-know/666473/5 "2013-08-17T06:19:53Z")
> [@california\_jobcase](#): > > Is a hamburger patty a Patrick or a Patricia? If it’s a hamburger _patty_ it’s Patricia. Patrick would be a _paddy_. ---
**Author:** ![Gagundathar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a183cd/32.png) [@Gagundathar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gagundathar)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2013, 6:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unimportant-questions-you-really-really-want-to-know/666473/6 "2013-08-17T06:31:43Z")
I am reminded of something my close and personal friend Jack Handy told me when I was watching him on the TV. > [@](#): > > I have always had an irrational fear of clowns… it may have had something to do with that time when, as a child we went to the circus and a clown killed my father … ---
**Author:** ![chappachula](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d2c977/32.png) [@chappachula](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chappachula)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2013, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unimportant-questions-you-really-really-want-to-know/666473/7 "2013-08-17T14:15:45Z")
> [@installLSC](#): > > I’ve always wondered why western radio/TV stations start with “K” while eastern ones start with “W”. Why were those specific letters chosen? Even Cecil didn’t know the answer. Well, there’s this thing called google. And when I typed in “why do radio sta” , it automatically filled in the rest for me: [“why do radio stations start with k”](http://mentalfloss.com/article/29669/why-do-some-radio-stations-begin-k-and-others-w) ---
**Author:** ![aNewLeaf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ac91a4/32.png) [@aNewLeaf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aNewLeaf)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2013, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unimportant-questions-you-really-really-want-to-know/666473/8 "2013-08-17T14:18:29Z")
> [@chappachula](#): > > Well, there’s this thing called google. > And when I typed in “why do radio sta” , it automatically filled in the rest for me: > [“why do radio stations start with k”](http://mentalfloss.com/article/29669/why-do-some-radio-stations-begin-k-and-others-w) Why those specific letters? is the question which has not been answered. (My guess: they can’t be mistaken for each other visually or audibly) ---
**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:** [August 17, 2013, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unimportant-questions-you-really-really-want-to-know/666473/9 "2013-08-17T14:37:25Z")
> [@Peanuthead](#): > > If it’s a hamburger _patty_ it’s Patricia. Patrick would be a _paddy_. But those two are pronounced pretty much the same in many American dialects. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2013, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unimportant-questions-you-really-really-want-to-know/666473/10 "2013-08-17T14:56:10Z")
Why are nicknames so weird? Let’s start with Patrick: why is it Pat or Paddy? Why not Pad/Paddy or Pat/Patty? Who was the first weisenheimer who came up with Peg for Margaret? Who got Dick out of Richard? Why does fridge have a d when refrigerator doesn’t? ---
**Author:** ![LeeshaJoy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e8cbc/32.png) [@LeeshaJoy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LeeshaJoy)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2013, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unimportant-questions-you-really-really-want-to-know/666473/11 "2013-08-17T15:18:07Z")
Is there a Braille equivalent of sheet music or do blind musicians have to play by ear? ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2013, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unimportant-questions-you-really-really-want-to-know/666473/12 "2013-08-17T16:37:23Z")
> [@NoClueBoy](#): > > Why are clowns supposed to be fun for kids? Garish makeup, loud noises, exaggerated gestures… yeah, kids love that from a stranger. Seriously, wtf There’s probably a lot more that can be said about clowns, but I’ll just point out that the things you mention are exactly what you want when you’re sitting in one of the back rows at the circus, when subtlety would be wasted. ---
**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:** [August 17, 2013, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unimportant-questions-you-really-really-want-to-know/666473/13 "2013-08-17T17:02:11Z")
Who does the speaking part in the song “We Are Normal”? It sounds like Bill Murray but that’s really unlikely. ---
**Author:** ![Slithy\_Tove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slithy_tove/32/18248_2.png) [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2013, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unimportant-questions-you-really-really-want-to-know/666473/14 "2013-08-17T17:57:12Z")
I’m on solid ground with mosey, but I can’t tell between traipse, sashay and galavant. ---
**Author:** ![drewtwo99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d07c76/32.png) [@drewtwo99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewtwo99)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2013, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unimportant-questions-you-really-really-want-to-know/666473/15 "2013-08-17T18:26:48Z")
> [@Slithy\_Tove](#): > > I’m on solid ground with mosey, but I can’t tell between traipse, sashay and galavant. This is a good one! And where does sauntering and jaunting fit into this? ---
**Author:** ![want2befree](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/3e96dc/32.png) [@want2befree](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/want2befree)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2013, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unimportant-questions-you-really-really-want-to-know/666473/16 "2013-08-17T19:01:01Z")
Why does Max hold a camera on Catfish: The TV Show? (asked in another thread, never got satisfactory answer) How do radio DJs know just how exactly long to talk before the lyrics start on a song? ---
**Author:** ![chacoguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/50afbb/32.png) [@chacoguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chacoguy)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2013, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unimportant-questions-you-really-really-want-to-know/666473/17 "2013-08-17T19:35:43Z")
Is Goofy a dog or a person? ---
**Author:** ![Slithy\_Tove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slithy_tove/32/18248_2.png) [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2013, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unimportant-questions-you-really-really-want-to-know/666473/18 "2013-08-17T19:42:33Z")
> [@want2befree](#): > > How do radio DJs know just how exactly long to talk before the lyrics start on a song? It’s called “hitting the post,” a skill the just acquire. That instrumental intro is called the bridge: hope you don’t like it for itself. ---
**Author:** ![Don\_t\_Panic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/don_t_panic/32/398_2.png) [@Don\_t\_Panic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_t_Panic)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2013, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unimportant-questions-you-really-really-want-to-know/666473/19 "2013-08-17T19:46:48Z")
> [@LeeshaJoy](#): > > Is there a Braille equivalent of sheet music [Yes.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Braille_music) [And stuff like this.](http://thelineofbestfit.com/news/latest-news/new-software-programs-help-blind-musicians-read-and-write-sheet-music-130526) ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2013, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unimportant-questions-you-really-really-want-to-know/666473/20 "2013-08-17T20:16:31Z")
> [@Slithy\_Tove](#): > > It’s called “hitting the post,” a skill the just acquire. That instrumental intro is called the bridge: hope you don’t like it for itself. That’s new to me. Here’s [Wikipedia’s definition of bridge](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bridge_(music)): > [@](#): > > In music, especially western popular music, a bridge is a contrasting section that prepares for the return of the original material section. Here’s mine (at least for today): where’s that Renaissance palace-looking place where the video to TMBG’s “Birdhouse in Your Soul” was filmed inside of? (Here’s the [YouTube](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bridge_(music)); you first see it at about 20 seconds in.) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unimportant-questions-you-really-really-want-to-know/666473.md?page=2)