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Original poster

OMG I'm thick as mince

447 replies

OopsInamechangedagain · 21/12/2018 20:43

I was just doing an online trivia quiz and one of the answers mentioned that zebra crossings are so-called because the black and white stripes resemble a zebra's coat. I can't believe that not once in my 40-odd years on this planet did I twig the connection!

What else have I missed...? Confused

OP posts:
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JellieEllie · 21/12/2018 22:51

Only just learnt that the alphabet song and twinkle twinkle little star are the same tune. I made my friend sing one and I sang the other just to be certain.

Haggisfish · 21/12/2018 22:51

And dfoad with twattish commebts about idiots!! I’m possibly one of the most ‘intelligent’ people you are likely to meet. Doesn’t stop me having daft moments.

ChesterGreySideboard · 21/12/2018 22:51

Also, that the numbers on a toaster aren't actually the strength of heat it will kick out but actually number of minutes until it pops the toast back up

That’s not true.

1Redacted1 · 21/12/2018 22:52

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Haggisfish · 21/12/2018 22:54

Berk!!Shock

diddl · 21/12/2018 22:56

I wonder how well know the Berk one is?

I used to think that it mean don't be silly/daft.

BlancheM · 21/12/2018 22:56

Knitted well I never! 😂 I will have to remember that instead of just pressing both buttons

MrsDeanWinchester75 · 21/12/2018 22:57

I found out on MN that seaweed from the Chinese is actually cabbage, I was gutted, I thought I was being so adventurous eating seaweed.

Cyw2018 · 21/12/2018 22:57

I grew up thinking that peacocks were native to the UK (I think I was late teens when I find out they weren't).

The local stately home had them they used to wonder wild around the town centre, so it was just logical really.

BestIsWest · 21/12/2018 23:00

I realised only recently that the Bowie album Aladdin Sane is a pun on A Lad Insane.

TheHorseOnSeventhAvenue · 21/12/2018 23:05

I love cryptic crosswords and wordplay but took me forever to get 'Pat the Dog' or 'Sean the Sheep'!

diddl · 21/12/2018 23:07

" Aladdin Sane is a pun on A Lad Insane"

Which brings us back to Adam Ant!

Going back to the Berk one-I say Berkeley as Bark... & would have heard perhaps saidBlush berk as birk, so not have connected it with Berkeley Hunt iyswim.

RareVintage · 21/12/2018 23:11

I only found out this week that 'The Cold War' wasn't called that because it gets a bit nippy in Russia. Confused

Onecutefox · 21/12/2018 23:11

When you wear down your nail file if you peel it back there’s a fresh one underneath!

No way! ShockBlush Will check tomorrow!

DeepanKrispanEven · 21/12/2018 23:13

Does anyone else remember Adam Adamant?

Bowlofbabelfish · 21/12/2018 23:14

Sorry, just had an epic present wrapping sesh. A rebus is a word puzzle.

This only occurred to me as it was the answer to a cryptic crossword clue in the Scotsman and the author was referenced in the clue. Massive doh moment, even though I knew what the word meant, It’s funny how you don’t connect stuff sometimes. I bet there’s loads of stuff like that I’m oblivious to.

Bowlofbabelfish · 21/12/2018 23:15

I’m also going to time my toaster tomorrow in the interests of science. I shall report back

JillScarlet · 21/12/2018 23:15

Watching University Challenge, I always used to wonder how they got them into the top layer of seats.

Then last night they showed a wide shot of the studio....

I won’t be appearing on it, obv.

Summerisdone · 21/12/2018 23:17

I only learnt this year that Washington the state is NOT where Washington DC is, but it is in actual fact on the other side of the USA... it was my 15 yr old sister who taught me this, and I was so convinced she didn't know what she was talking about that I googled it to be proven wrong Blush

CheshireSplat · 21/12/2018 23:17

ShadyLady I'm sure the Beatles were called the Beatle's because Buddy Holly had the Crickets. It was a tribute. But the spelling change from beetles to Beatles, you're probably right.

And I'd never cottoned onto "alphabet" - alpha beta. Whoops!

diddl · 21/12/2018 23:17

"Does anyone else remember Adam Adamant?"

Vaguely-I think that Hadleigh was more my era!

Bowlofbabelfish · 21/12/2018 23:23

I won’t be appearing on it, obv.

If it makes you feel any better, two out of the four members of the team I knew who went on it thought that too Grin

usernametaken · 21/12/2018 23:23

The petrol pump symbol on your car's dashboard has an arrow to one side, it indicates which side your petrol cap is.

Summerisdone · 21/12/2018 23:24

Oh my favourite 'duh' moment wasn't me but was my sister; when she was 21/22 her flatmate offered her some tomato and basil pasta and she said "no thanks, I couldn't bring myself to eat Fox"
Cue a few confused faces from all of her flat mates, until they asked her wtf she was talking about and it turned out she thought basil was fox meat because Basil Brush was a foxGrin

AlanThePig · 21/12/2018 23:33

Remember phoenix nights? Only years later when I said the name of the DJ Ray Von out loud did it twig.

I was in the middle of BM at the time and DH was in hysterics. I'm a bit slow on the uptake sometimes

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