# Wait, that's real? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 2, 2012, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wait-thats-real/608103 "2012-01-02T01:59:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2012, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wait-thats-real/608103/101 "2012-01-03T21:56:43Z")
OH! I’ve mentioned this before but I was in my 20s when I realized the shadowy laboratory in _Mrs. Frisbee and the Rats of NIMH_ is the super-secret National Institute of Mental Health. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Cartooniverse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cartooniverse/32/3084_2.png) [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2012, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wait-thats-real/608103/102 "2012-01-03T22:01:29Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > The name of the bar – _Korova_ Milk Bar – is Russian for “cow”, in keeping with Burgess’ Russian-influenced future slang. [The Nadsat Dictionary from the novel by Anthony Burgess](http://soomka.com/nadsat.html). ---
**Author:** ![chizzuk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e36b37/32.png) [@chizzuk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chizzuk)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2012, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wait-thats-real/608103/103 "2012-01-04T00:30:29Z")
This is really embarrassing because I harbored this belief until about 2 weeks ago, but. . .laser fingerprint scanners. I thought they were more of the fancy unrealistic crime-solving machines on CSI. Imagine my surprise, 2 weeks ago, when I went down to the DC police department for fingerprinting for a job and they had one. And apparently they’re quite standard. And aren’t there consumer laptops with fingerprint scanners as an added security measure for logins? I’m dumb. ---
**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2012, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wait-thats-real/608103/104 "2012-01-04T02:37:59Z")
> [@Tess](#): > > For years I thought “Poindexter” was a made up name to indicate someone was a nerd. . . Now, you gave me a Felix the Cat flashback, there. ---
**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 4, 2012, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wait-thats-real/608103/105 "2012-01-04T02:41:28Z")
There really is an Engelbert Humperdinck. He’s not a running gag made up by stand-up comedians. He’s not a 13th century Flemish botanist or anything of the sort, either. And he \*chose \*that name for himself. ---
**Author:** ![Nobody](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/94ad74/32.png) [@Nobody](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nobody)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2012, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wait-thats-real/608103/106 "2012-01-04T02:42:30Z")
> [@chizzuk](#): > > This is really embarrassing because I harbored this belief until about 2 weeks ago, but. . .laser fingerprint scanners. I thought they were more of the fancy unrealistic crime-solving machines on CSI. > > Imagine my surprise, 2 weeks ago, when I went down to the DC police department for fingerprinting for a job and they had one. And apparently they’re quite standard. And aren’t there consumer laptops with fingerprint scanners as an added security measure for logins? I’m dumb. At my job in 2005 or 2006 we switched from time cards to a biometric system to “punch in and out” of work. We had fingerprints made of all our fingers, using ink, and those were scanned into the system, so to punch in or out we would put our right index finger (we could use any finger but that was the finger they preferred we use) and punch in our employee number. ---
**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:** [January 4, 2012, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wait-thats-real/608103/107 "2012-01-04T02:48:49Z")
> [@Kobal2](#): > > There really is an Engelbert Humperdinck. He’s not a running gag made up by stand-up comedians. He’s not a 13th century Flemish botanist or anything of the sort, either. And he \*chose \*that name for himself. Oh, it’s worse than that. There are \*two \*Engelbert Humberdincks. The other one is a dead German [composer](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Engelbert_Humperdinck). ---
**Author:** ![Zakalwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zakalwe/32/270_2.png) [@Zakalwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zakalwe)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2012, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wait-thats-real/608103/108 "2012-01-04T02:59:06Z")
> [@DeweyDecibel](#): > > There was an episode of 30 Rock in which Tina Fey dated a guy who wanted to see a really terrible sounding movie - Hot Tub Time Machine. I thought that title was so ridiculous that it was an obvious parody of bad films; even a bit over the top as a parody. > > Real movie, with John Cusack. And actually a damn funny one if you’re, oh say, 38-48 years old. ---
**Author:** ![VOW](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/vow/32/3043_2.png) [@VOW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VOW)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2012, 4:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wait-thats-real/608103/109 "2012-01-04T04:41:40Z")
Hey! I’ve got a PILE of Engelbert albums! I love the guy! I remember Poindexter being the dud guy on a board game called “Mystery Date.” I’ve even got the commercial jingle bouncing around in the cobwebby parts of my brain. ~VOW ---
**Author:** ![LAV25](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/97f17d/32.png) [@LAV25](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LAV25)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2012, 4:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wait-thats-real/608103/110 "2012-01-04T04:59:49Z")
I’ll see your Englebert Humperdinkle and raise you a Fyvush Finkel. Also, mostly due to the sources that I first heard of them from, I assumed for _years_ that the Council on Foreign Relations and the Trilateral Commission were fairy tales told to scare the young Rand Pauls of the world. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2012, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wait-thats-real/608103/111 "2012-01-04T05:01:07Z")
I first saw the band name “Death Cab for Cutie” in an Onion article and, for a couple years, assumed it was a made-up name for the story. Who knew, eh? ---
**Author:** ![Scissorjack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c67d28/32.png) [@Scissorjack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scissorjack)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2012, 5:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wait-thats-real/608103/112 "2012-01-04T05:09:12Z")
> [@Shakester](#): > > Here in Australia corner shops are generally referred to as Milk Bars. I’m pretty sure it’s a relic of the temperance movement. No idea why the term ended up applied to small general shops, though. There were even [Milk Bar Cowboys.](http://www.teara.govt.nz/en/city-children-and-youth/4/2) ---
**Author:** ![moejoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de053/32.png) [@moejoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/moejoe)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2012, 5:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wait-thats-real/608103/113 "2012-01-04T05:09:54Z")
> [@VOW](#): > > Hey! I’ve got a PILE of Engelbert albums! I love the guy! > > I remember Poindexter being the dud guy on a board game called “Mystery Date.” I’ve even got the commercial jingle bouncing around in the cobwebby parts of my brain. > ~VOW Open the door for your Ahhh Mystery Date! ---
**Author:** ![Shakester](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shakester/32/437_2.png) [@Shakester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shakester)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2012, 5:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wait-thats-real/608103/114 "2012-01-04T05:33:38Z")
> [@Hello\_Again](#): > > I’ve also noticed that not only is the usage different, but British people almost cannot grok that the term spaz is completely uncoupled from the concept of Cerebal Palsy. Most Americans have never heard the term “Spastic” (noun) as a term for someone with cerebal palsy. If you need a word for non-US English speakers, try “Commonwealth”, which includes Australia, New Zealand, Canada, India, South Africa, and (as far as I know) all of the native English-speaking countries except the USA. [Commonwealth of Nations](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commonwealth_of_Nations). You’ll find that most Commonwealth people outside the UK - and that’s many times more people than there are in the entire USA - do not like to be referred to as “British”. ---
**Author:** ![voguevixen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5ac83/32.png) [@voguevixen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/voguevixen)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2012, 7:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wait-thats-real/608103/115 "2012-01-04T07:32:48Z")
> [@moejoe](#): > > Open the door for your > > Ahhh > > Mystery Date! [Mystery Date for bears](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=89V0jyGCPZw&feature=colike) ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2012, 8:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wait-thats-real/608103/116 "2012-01-04T08:11:40Z")
> [@voguevixen](#): > > The one single only thing I regret about being childless by choice is the opportunity to name someone Poindexter. > > I was of course introduced to it via: [Barbie, Queen of the Prom](http://www.amazon.com/Barbie-Game-Queen-Prom/dp/B000IZYB7A), which for some reason my mom had been hoarding for 30 years. > > Though he was supposedly the “dud” (as opposed to the “dream”) both my 100% straight brother and I agreed that Poindexter was the hottest date. Another hijack: I still have my [Barbie, Queen of the Prom](http://www.amazon.com/Barbie-Game-Queen-Prom/dp/B000IZYB7A) game. ---
**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 4, 2012, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wait-thats-real/608103/117 "2012-01-04T13:01:36Z")
Watching old Disney cartoons when I was younger, I’d see the name Ub Iwerks in the credits. Obviously, this was a made-up name for some other animator. Nope. Not only was Ub Iwerks a real person, it was actually the real name he was born with. (Barring a little spelling adjustment - it was originally Ubbe Iwwerks.) ---
**Author:** ![Snarky\_Kong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a183cd/32.png) [@Snarky\_Kong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snarky_Kong)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2012, 1:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wait-thats-real/608103/118 "2012-01-04T13:05:04Z")
> [@Shakester](#): > > If you need a word for non-US English speakers, try “Commonwealth”, which includes Australia, New Zealand, Canada, India, South Africa, and (as far as I know) all of the native English-speaking countries except the USA. > > [Commonwealth of Nations](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commonwealth_of_Nations). > > You’ll find that most Commonwealth people outside the UK - and that’s many times more people than there are in the entire USA - do not like to be referred to as “British”. Maybe he’s not familiar with them and so was only refering specifically to the British. Find something else to get upset about. ---
**Author:** ![Pai325](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Pai325](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pai325)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2012, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wait-thats-real/608103/119 "2012-01-04T13:50:16Z")
[QUOTE=VOW;14630788 I remember Poindexter being the dud guy on a board game called “Mystery Date.” I’ve even got the commercial jingle bouncing around in the cobwebby parts of my brain. ~VOW[/QUOTE] that’s exactly how I remember Poindexter. I think Mystery Date predates Barbie Queen of the Prom by 10 years or so. ---
**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:** [January 4, 2012, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wait-thats-real/608103/120 "2012-01-04T14:32:29Z")
There really is a song / poem by Robert Burns with the unfortunate title [Cock Up Your Beaver](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=caq63ZHO0Og). [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wait-thats-real/608103.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wait-thats-real/608103.md?page=7)