# What thread on the Dope most surprised you with its responses? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 3, 2010, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-thread-on-the-dope-most-surprised-you-with-its-responses/523533 "2010-01-03T20:10:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2010, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-thread-on-the-dope-most-surprised-you-with-its-responses/523533/101 "2010-01-06T20:28:56Z")
Please keep the baby stuff out of this thread so it doesn’t get closed. The original topic is actually interesting. My answer to the OP is probably quite different: The thread where I found out most people on the Dope prefer their meat (what I consider) undercooked. And, for some reason, I still get shocked and mad every time a thread starts in IMHO or MPSIMS and becomes a debate or pitting. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2010, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-thread-on-the-dope-most-surprised-you-with-its-responses/523533/102 "2010-01-06T20:35:24Z")
> [@WOOKINPANUB](#): > > There have been at least two threads that I can remember where many people revealed that they don’t know how to handwrite. Some said they learned it at one time but simply never use it due to computers or that they prefer to print but some said they literally don’t know how to do it. First I was saddened at the state of the education system. Then I was depressed by the fact that I must be older than dirt:( When you say _handwrite_, do you mean _write in cursive_? Because while I can recall threads in which persons have claimed to be unable to do the latter, I cannot remember anyone ever speaking of an utter inability to use pen/pencil and paper. To the age issue: I’m 40, and I think writing in cursive is all but useless. The increase is speed is not balanced by the frequent reduction in legibility. ---
**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 6, 2010, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-thread-on-the-dope-most-surprised-you-with-its-responses/523533/103 "2010-01-06T20:36:32Z")
I presume the phrase “prefer to print” means he’s talking about writing in cursive. ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2010, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-thread-on-the-dope-most-surprised-you-with-its-responses/523533/104 "2010-01-06T20:39:46Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > When you say _handwrite_, do you mean _write in cursive_? Because while I can recall threads in which persons have claimed to be unable to do the latter, I cannot remember anyone ever speaking of an utter inability to use pen/pencil and paper. _shudder_ Oddly enough, this pertains to the topic. I recall a thread on the meaning of handwriting and was flummoxed at the number of people who were ready to kill and die for the idea that handwriting is different from printing and printing is not a type of handwriting. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2010, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-thread-on-the-dope-most-surprised-you-with-its-responses/523533/105 "2010-01-06T20:45:08Z")
> [@Bosstone](#): > > _shudder_ Given that it’s me, I feel obliged to assure you that my next sentence is not meant snarkily or sarcastically. What, exactly, were you shuddering at? ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2010, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-thread-on-the-dope-most-surprised-you-with-its-responses/523533/106 "2010-01-06T20:46:18Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > Given that it’s me, I feel obliged to assure you that my next sentence is not meant snarkily or sarcastically. What, exactly, were you shuddering at? I thought the rest of the post answered that. You reminded me of the rather ugly thread I mentioned concerned “handwriting” versus “cursive.” ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2010, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-thread-on-the-dope-most-surprised-you-with-its-responses/523533/107 "2010-01-07T00:42:14Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > Please keep the baby stuff out of this thread so it doesn’t get closed. The original topic is actually interesting. > > My answer to the OP is probably quite different: The thread where I found out most people on the Dope prefer their meat (what I consider) undercooked. > > And, for some reason, I still get shocked and mad every time a thread starts in IMHO or MPSIMS and becomes a debate or pitting. Some people have a hard time following easy instructions([see post #76, for example)](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=11959848&postcount=74). [Official Moderator Warning]Either people can stop rehashing old arguments, or I can hand out a fistful of Official Warnings and/or close this thread.[/Official Moderator Warning] ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2010, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-thread-on-the-dope-most-surprised-you-with-its-responses/523533/108 "2010-01-07T00:44:36Z")
The meat one kind of surprised me, too - logically, you would think that people wouldn’t care how other people eat their meat, but for some reason we feel a strong need to judge other people (probably because we’re human 🙂 ). ---
**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 7, 2010, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-thread-on-the-dope-most-surprised-you-with-its-responses/523533/109 "2010-01-07T04:38:19Z")
That one was a bit weird, though - the rare/blue steak eaters judged the medium/well done eaters, but the latter group didn’t seem to judge the former. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2010, 4:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-thread-on-the-dope-most-surprised-you-with-its-responses/523533/110 "2010-01-07T04:49:26Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > Some people have a hard time following easy instructions([see post #76, for example)](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=11959848&postcount=74). [Official Moderator Warning]Either people can stop rehashing old arguments, or I can hand out a fistful of Official Warnings and/or close this thread.[/Official Moderator Warning] I’m honestly surprised almost everytime a Moderator steps in with a warning. One minute I’m scrolling through the posts, then boom, someone gets an official moderator warning. ---
**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 7, 2010, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-thread-on-the-dope-most-surprised-you-with-its-responses/523533/111 "2010-01-07T04:50:43Z")
Perhaps you should use the page down key instead. ---
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanub/32/132_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUB)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2010, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-thread-on-the-dope-most-surprised-you-with-its-responses/523533/112 "2010-01-07T14:39:23Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > When you say _handwrite_, do you mean _write in cursive_? Because while I can recall threads in which persons have claimed to be unable to do the latter, I cannot remember anyone ever speaking of an utter inability to use pen/pencil and paper. > > To the age issue: I’m 40, and I think writing in cursive is all but useless. The increase is speed is not balanced by the frequent reduction in legibility. Yeah, I mean cursive. Don’t know where I picked up the notion, but in my mind"handwriting" = cursive. I don’t recall the teachers using the word “cursive” until many years after I learned how to do it. Or were you just trying to be funny? ---
**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 7, 2010, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-thread-on-the-dope-most-surprised-you-with-its-responses/523533/113 "2010-01-07T15:20:22Z")
Which part of your body do you use to print? ---
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanub/32/132_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUB)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2010, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-thread-on-the-dope-most-surprised-you-with-its-responses/523533/114 "2010-01-07T15:37:01Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > Which part of your body do you use to print? Hello. . . \*foot \*prints!? :rolleyes:😃 I always just called printing “printing” and cursive was “writing” . Not saying it’s right; just 'splaining my misguided self. ---
**Author:** ![Philster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/13edae/32.png) [@Philster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Philster)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2010, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-thread-on-the-dope-most-surprised-you-with-its-responses/523533/115 "2010-01-07T16:04:15Z")
One thread’s responses that always bothered/surprised me was the discussion on pan-and-scan versus letterbox format for movies shown on TV (via videotape, etc). This was before wide-screen TVs were ubiquitous. Someone was pitting the pan-and-scan technique that is used when a movie goes from wide-screen to a square TV format. Pan-and-scan is where the whole camera shot doesn’t fit on the old CRT TV screens, so the scene pans back and forth between actors or whatever to show you everything that doesn’t fit. Essentially, the TV viewer isn’t seeing many (all?) scenes/shots as they appeared on the big screen in a theater. Some find the letterbox format quite delightful in solving the whole problem, except that some don’t like the black/unused spaced along the top and bottom of the screen. Some posters would chime in to say that the didn’t like letterbox and they would admit that they didn’t care and weren’t bothered by the pan-and-scan, but the movie aficionados were upset, and seemed personally insulted that some posters has a disdain for letterbox! ---
**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 7, 2010, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-thread-on-the-dope-most-surprised-you-with-its-responses/523533/116 "2010-01-07T16:54:21Z")
> [@WOOKINPANUB](#): > > Hello. . . \*foot \*prints!? :rolleyes:😃 > > I always just called printing “printing” and cursive was “writing” . Not saying it’s right; just 'splaining my misguided self. What would you call writing that isn’t print or cursive , then? 😕 ---
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanub/32/132_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUB)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2010, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-thread-on-the-dope-most-surprised-you-with-its-responses/523533/117 "2010-01-07T17:29:26Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > What would you call writing that isn’t print or cursive , then? 😕 Sorry to be a dolt, but I’m not sure I understand your question. [If you’re making letters](http://www.aophomeschooling.com/media/images/products/WR8111_L.jpg) like the ones in the top half I’d say you were printing, the bottom, cursive. (Well, I apparently incorrectly refer to it as just writing or handwriting but you get the gist). I’m not sure what else there is, unless we’re getting into technicalities like calligraphy or hieroglyphics or something(?) ---
**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 7, 2010, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-thread-on-the-dope-most-surprised-you-with-its-responses/523533/118 "2010-01-07T18:16:34Z")
Letters that aren’t printed and aren’t connected - like the way most people would write, say, a shopping list. ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2010, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-thread-on-the-dope-most-surprised-you-with-its-responses/523533/119 "2010-01-07T18:19:19Z")
Wait, how can there be writing that’s not printed or cursive? Isn’t printing just writing normal non connected letters? ---
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanub/32/132_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUB)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2010, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-thread-on-the-dope-most-surprised-you-with-its-responses/523533/120 "2010-01-07T18:34:12Z")
I had not thought of that combination, **Really Not All That Bright**. I’ve never done nor seen anyone do it. Is that your usual style? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-thread-on-the-dope-most-surprised-you-with-its-responses/523533.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-thread-on-the-dope-most-surprised-you-with-its-responses/523533.md?page=7)