# What's up? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [July 20, 2010, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up/547355 "2010-07-20T15:50:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![gang\_green](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/f07891/32.png) [@gang\_green](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gang_green)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2010, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up/547355/1 "2010-07-20T15:50:07Z")
As I sit at my desk, day after day, people are always asking me, “what’s up?” I am ashamed to admit that I don’t know. Can anyone help me? Do you know what’s up? ---
**Author:** ![DragonAsh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/db5fbb/32.png) [@DragonAsh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DragonAsh)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2010, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up/547355/2 "2010-07-20T15:58:29Z")
Not much. Occasionally nothing much. If you’re in Minnesota, the correct reply is to mumble something back and mention how hot it is, to which the other person must correctly respond in code, that it’s not the heat it’s the humidity. ---
**Author:** ![Mooch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7bcc69/32.png) [@Mooch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mooch)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2010, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up/547355/3 "2010-07-20T16:07:24Z")
Look down and say “not me”. Or, if you don’t want to get fired you can respond with “what’s happening”. That puts the anus on them! ---
**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2010, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up/547355/4 "2010-07-20T16:11:18Z")
Point to a map and show them [Svalbard](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Svalbard). Then say, compared to where we are now Svalbard is UP on the map. That is unless you are at the North Pole. Then you can tell them how a lot of people can live in Svalbard. That’s right, for example if you’re an American and you can find a job there, you can go and live there. Then you can suggest that instead of bothering you with inane questions they can move to Svalbard _…Life is not hard in Svalbard…Forget all your cares…And dance with the polar bears…_ ---
**Author:** ![Mooch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7bcc69/32.png) [@Mooch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mooch)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2010, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up/547355/5 "2010-07-20T16:13:06Z")
Onus, dammit. ---
**Author:** ![Ellen\_Cherry](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellen_cherry/32/3600_2.png) [@Ellen\_Cherry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellen_Cherry)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2010, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up/547355/6 "2010-07-20T16:23:16Z")
Moving thread from IMHO to MPSIMS. _— Ellen_ ---
**Author:** ![DragonAsh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/db5fbb/32.png) [@DragonAsh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DragonAsh)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2010, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up/547355/7 "2010-07-20T16:25:20Z")
> [@Mooch](#): > > Onus, dammit. Well, your original quote does have a much more interesting mental image attached to it… ---
**Author:** ![Wile\_E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c37758/32.png) [@Wile\_E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wile_E)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2010, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up/547355/8 "2010-07-20T16:36:25Z")
The sky. The national debt. The temperature. Take your pick, any are bound to bring on a delightful conversation.\* \*No, not really. ---
**Author:** ![Asimovian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asimovian/32/172_2.png) [@Asimovian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asimovian)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2010, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up/547355/9 "2010-07-20T16:39:36Z")
“Pixar film. Well done. You ought to check it out!” ---
**Author:** ![Chicken\_Fingers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Chicken\_Fingers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chicken_Fingers)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2010, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up/547355/10 "2010-07-20T16:48:31Z")
You can always answer the question with a question. “What’s the word?” ---
**Author:** ![Bam\_Boo\_Gut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8c91f0/32.png) [@Bam\_Boo\_Gut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bam_Boo_Gut)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2010, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up/547355/11 "2010-07-20T16:52:43Z")
> [@Chicken\_Fingers](#): > > You can always answer the question with a question. > “What’s the word?” The word is up. Sigh. ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2010, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up/547355/12 "2010-07-20T17:03:33Z")
> [@Mooch](#): > > Onus, dammit. I think it was better with anus. > [@Mooch](#): > > Or, if you don’t want to get fired you can respond with “what’s happening”. That puts the anus on them! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![gang\_green](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/f07891/32.png) [@gang\_green](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gang_green)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2010, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up/547355/13 "2010-07-20T17:12:12Z")
I would rather not put my anus on anyone here. It smacks of a closeness I don’t wish to encourage. ---
**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:** [July 20, 2010, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up/547355/14 "2010-07-20T17:36:00Z")
Nothing much, my man. You need a little panache. ETA: But watch where you put the anus. ---
**Author:** ![Mooch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7bcc69/32.png) [@Mooch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mooch)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2010, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up/547355/15 "2010-07-20T18:40:17Z")
> [@Cat\_Whisperer](#): > > … > ETA: But watch where you put the anus. Real funny, coming from a cat. Cats put their anuses on EVERYTHING. ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2010, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up/547355/16 "2010-07-20T18:51:53Z")
Cats up, that’s what. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2010, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up/547355/17 "2010-07-20T18:54:00Z")
This thread makes me think of my favorite line from _L.A. Confidential_: > [@](#): > > “How’s it hangin’?” > “Down around my ankles.” Of course, the second line is spoken by Danny DeVito, so it may not say much. ---
**Author:** ![Rigamarole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/77aa72/32.png) [@Rigamarole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rigamarole)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2010, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up/547355/18 "2010-07-20T18:56:49Z")
> [@Chicken\_Fingers](#): > > You can always answer the question with a question. > “What’s the word?” > [@Bam\_Boo\_Gut](#): > > The word is up. Sigh. I was under the impression that the bird is the word. ---
**Author:** ![M.Constant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3ab097/32.png) [@M.Constant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/M.Constant)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2010, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up/547355/19 "2010-07-20T19:11:46Z")
The negative gradient of gravity ---
**Author:** ![Mooch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7bcc69/32.png) [@Mooch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mooch)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2010, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up/547355/20 "2010-07-20T19:13:47Z")
Mass awareness of a certain avian variety. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up/547355.md?page=2)