# 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:** 2
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2013, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unimportant-questions-you-really-really-want-to-know/666473/21 "2013-08-17T20:29:11Z")
Flammable. Inflammable. Not opposites. Why is that? ---
**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, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unimportant-questions-you-really-really-want-to-know/666473/22 "2013-08-17T20:50:15Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > 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. Which is understandable. But who started the thing with those same visible from a mile actors being upclose and personal at kids parties? I think it’s no wonder many adults have at least some lingering subconscious antipathy towards clowns if they had to endure those outrageousnouses (new word!) at their 4th birthday party. ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2013, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unimportant-questions-you-really-really-want-to-know/666473/23 "2013-08-17T21:28:27Z")
> [@installLSC](#): > > 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. > [@aNewLeaf](#): > > 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) nations of the world got together and made a treaty agreeing on who got what letters and how nations would cooperate their radio systems to not interfere with one another. radio signals cross national borders so it has always been an international issue. the USA could use K, W, N, AA to AL ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2013, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unimportant-questions-you-really-really-want-to-know/666473/24 "2013-08-17T22:36:12Z")
> [@Slithy\_Tove](#): > > I’m on solid ground with mosey, but I can’t tell between traipse, sashay and galavant. Traipsing is a bit like skipping, whereas galavanting is more of a full-body bounce. Sashaying, OTOH, involves more hip movement. ---
**Author:** ![DMark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@DMark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMark)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2013, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unimportant-questions-you-really-really-want-to-know/666473/25 "2013-08-17T22:44:00Z")
Why does it feel good when your flesh explodes? Popping pimples ---
**Author:** ![gracer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8e7dd6/32.png) [@gracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gracer)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2013, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unimportant-questions-you-really-really-want-to-know/666473/26 "2013-08-17T23:36:33Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > Traipsing is a bit like skipping, whereas galavanting is more of a full-body bounce. Sashaying, OTOH, involves more hip movement. Nawww, I agree with galavanting and sashaying, but traipsing is far too tired for any skipping. Traipsing is the gait for being dragged along on endless shopping trips. ---
**Author:** ![pkbites](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pkbites/32/204_2.png) [@pkbites](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pkbites)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2013, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unimportant-questions-you-really-really-want-to-know/666473/27 "2013-08-17T23:50:13Z")
> [@chacoguy](#): > > Is Goofy a dog or a person? He’s a dawg. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2013, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unimportant-questions-you-really-really-want-to-know/666473/28 "2013-08-18T00:13:31Z")
> [@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. When I was in radio the records had an indication about how long the introduction was. You’d hit the switch and watch the clock count off the time. There was also backtiming – having the song end just as the news feed began. In that case, you’d know the time of the song and talk, making sure you hit the switch just at the right moment on the clock. ---
**Author:** ![Crawlspace](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Crawlspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crawlspace)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2013, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unimportant-questions-you-really-really-want-to-know/666473/29 "2013-08-18T00:34:54Z")
> [@chacoguy](#): > > Is Goofy a dog or a person? [He’s his own best friend.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kJ26RApuQJo) ---
**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 18, 2013, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unimportant-questions-you-really-really-want-to-know/666473/30 "2013-08-18T01:14:08Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > When I was in radio the records had an indication about how long the introduction was. You’d hit the switch and watch the clock count off the time. None of that fancy stuff for us on shipboard [AFRTS](http://afrts.dodmedia.osd.mil/) ---
**Author:** ![EmilyG](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/emilyg/32/364_2.png) [@EmilyG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EmilyG)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2013, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unimportant-questions-you-really-really-want-to-know/666473/31 "2013-08-18T02:38:36Z")
> [@LeeshaJoy](#): > > Is there a Braille equivalent of sheet music or do blind musicians have to play by ear? Yes there’s a Braille equivalent, invented by Louis Braille himself, who was a musician. ---
**Author:** ![drewtwo99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d07c76/32.png) [@drewtwo99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewtwo99)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2013, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unimportant-questions-you-really-really-want-to-know/666473/32 "2013-08-18T03:53:31Z")
> [@gracer](#): > > Nawww, I agree with galavanting and sashaying, but traipsing is far too tired for any skipping. Traipsing is the gait for being dragged along on endless shopping trips. Ok but what about sauntering, meandering, milling and shambling then??? ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2013, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unimportant-questions-you-really-really-want-to-know/666473/33 "2013-08-18T04:39:13Z")
How many of those extras in the backgrounds of old movies are dead now? :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2013, 5:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unimportant-questions-you-really-really-want-to-know/666473/34 "2013-08-18T05:10:59Z")
[ul] [li]Why is there air?[/li][li]Is it faster to New York than by plane?[/li][li]How can you be at two places at once if you are not anywhere at all?[/li][li]If a deaf person has to go to court, is it still called a hearing?[/li][li]Why do they use sterilized needles for death by lethal injection?[/li][/ul] ---
**Author:** ![Tastes\_of\_Chocolate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tastes_of_chocolate/32/3232_2.png) [@Tastes\_of\_Chocolate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tastes_of_Chocolate)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2013, 8:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unimportant-questions-you-really-really-want-to-know/666473/35 "2013-08-18T08:11:15Z")
> [@drewtwo99](#): > > Ok but what about sauntering, meandering, milling and shambling then??? Saunter is slow, like you are walking home from someplace, in no hurry, on a beautiful day. Meandering involves less of a straight line. You meander from exhibit to exhibit in a museum. Milling doesn’t actually involve going anywhere. Think cocktail party. Shambling is what zombies do, or people before their first cup of coffee. And sashaying definitely involves lot of hips and possibly a hooped skirt. ---
**Author:** ![campp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@campp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/campp)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2013, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unimportant-questions-you-really-really-want-to-know/666473/36 "2013-08-18T12:59:52Z")
Why do Cellphone Parking Lots at airports have specially designated handicapped spaces? 😕 ---
**Author:** ![Lsura](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7993a0/32.png) [@Lsura](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lsura)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2013, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unimportant-questions-you-really-really-want-to-know/666473/37 "2013-08-18T13:59:10Z")
> [@campp](#): > > Why do Cellphone Parking Lots at airports have specially designated handicapped spaces? 😕 Why wouldn’t they? A handicapped person could be picking someone up or someone could be picking up a handicapped person. In either case, they could need additional maneuvering space for a larger vehicle, such as a van with a lift. ---
**Author:** ![Lsura](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7993a0/32.png) [@Lsura](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lsura)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2013, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unimportant-questions-you-really-really-want-to-know/666473/38 "2013-08-18T14:01:20Z")
> [@RTFirefly](#): > > That’s new to me. Here’s [Wikipedia’s definition of bridge](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bridge_(music)): 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.) I don’t know, but your second link was a repeat of the first. [This one](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NhjSzjoU7OQ&feature=player_detailpage&t=21) will take you to 21 seconds into the video. ---
**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:** [August 18, 2013, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unimportant-questions-you-really-really-want-to-know/666473/39 "2013-08-18T14:05:46Z")
how many pinches in a smidge? what the fuck is a smidge anyway? ---
**Author:** ![Scruples](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8491ac/32.png) [@Scruples](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scruples)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2013, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unimportant-questions-you-really-really-want-to-know/666473/40 "2013-08-18T17:13:50Z")
Do parents keep actual photo albums anymore, or is everything just kept in their i-phones and various SD cards or thumb-drives or on the cloud or their computers? Do they print photos so they will have hard copies? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unimportant-questions-you-really-really-want-to-know/666473.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unimportant-questions-you-really-really-want-to-know/666473.md?page=3)