What daft things have dawned on you later in life?

[russ_a]

I had always wondered why you would be electrocuted if you stuck a metal fork in a toaster but could place a metal fork on a electric hob ring and the fork would just get hot!

It was so obvious when someone explained it to me!

[breadvan]

When very young, my dad told me sheep had shorter legs on one side so they could stand on the side of a hill. I was waaaaaay too old when I found out this wasn't true.

[breadvan]

Oh, another one -

When young, our house used the word 'poh-bot' for a st. Can you possibly image what happen when I stuck my hand up in junior school and asked to go for a 'poh-bot'?

[Cliftonite]

.
I was lied to about Father Christmas.

I now know for a fact that he cannot possibly get down people's chimneys!

[ATTAK Z]

I'm more intelligent than 98% of the community

[mybrainhurts]

One becomes an old fart with alarming rapidity.

[snood]

breadvan said:

When very young, my dad told me sheep had shorter legs on one side so they could stand on the side of a hill. I was waaaaaay too old when I found out this wasn't true.

Did he not explain the difference between clockwise sheep (short legs on the right side) and anticlockwise sheep? Works with haggis too.

[mybrainhurts]

snood said:

breadvan said:

When very young, my dad told me sheep had shorter legs on one side so they could stand on the side of a hill. I was waaaaaay too old when I found out this wasn't true.

Did he not explain the difference between clockwise sheep (short legs on the right side) and anticlockwise sheep? Works with haggis too.

I used to think everybody shagged sheep. Took ages to realise it was only the Welsh.

[davhill]

mybrainhurts said:

I used to think everybody shagged sheep. Took ages to realise it was only the Welsh.

Nah, it's just that the Welsh get caught. Welly boots with straps are the dead giveaway.

[gizlaroc]

Mum used to say 'stop telling tales' and I used to think she meant I was lying, not till I found my self saying it to my daughter did it click.

[mph1977]

Asterix said:

Always surprises me how many people don't know what 'CC' & 'BCC' mean when sending an email.

i'm trying to think of something which uses actual carbon paper these days apart from Controlled Drug requisitions in Hospital ...

like kids today don't know why the save icon is the shape it is ( representation of a 3.5 in not-so-floppy), or why you 'dial' a telephone number

Edited by mph1977 on Friday 17th October 01:49

[toohuge]

mph1977 said:

i'm trying to think of something which uses actual carbon paper these days apart from Controlled Drug requisitions in Hospital ...

like kids today don't know why the save icon is the shape it is ( representation of a 3.5 in not-so-floppy), or why you 'dial' a telephone number

Edited by mph1977 on Friday 17th October 01:49

Receipt books still have carbon sheets in

[THX]

Trailhead said:

I find thinking about this terrifying!! Life is passing me by of late.

I didn't sign up to this?!

FUUUUUUUUUCK!!!

[vescaegg]

Pierce Brosnan doesn't have a messed up mouth.

[Captainawesome]

That although I thought I had fked up and a few people told me I had I've actually just partied for a decade and come out the other side with everything all okay. Do what you want you're a long time dead.

Oh and most people are untrustworthy s.

[Chris Type R]

Magog said:

You know the way that the little lip on the end of a tape measure slides up and down, that's to correct for when you're measuring the inside or the outside of something...

That's very interesting - could even feature on QI if the participants were likely to know what one was.

There's all sorts of stuff here, which should be taught as life-skills - http://diy.blogoverflow.com/2011/12/secrets-of-the...

Edited by Chris Type R on Friday 17th October 08:42

[Ari]

Eric The Camel said:

Hong Kong Phooey's cat Spot.

Took me a while...

Go on..?

[Morningside]

Ari said:

Eric The Camel said:

Hong Kong Phooey's cat Spot.

Took me a while...

Go on..?

I think Data on TNG also does the same joke with his cat.

[Chris Type R]

olly22n said:

That is what it means, isn't it?

I think it's closer to meaning "stop grassing on yer mates".

As in "stop being a tattletale" - http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/tattletale

Edited by Chris Type R on Friday 17th October 09:59

[WinstonWolf]

snood said:

breadvan said:

When very young, my dad told me sheep had shorter legs on one side so they could stand on the side of a hill. I was waaaaaay too old when I found out this wasn't true.

Did he not explain the difference between clockwise sheep (short legs on the right side) and anticlockwise sheep? Works with haggis too.

He's not entirely wrong, I have an uphill and a downhill leg. I'm fine going round hills anti-clockwise but if I try it clockwise I just roll down the hill