# Feeling Really Dumb!



## MrsLMB (Apr 23, 2011)

I've just joined this forum this evening and I keep seeing something over and over that I don't understand.

Can someone please tell me what  TNT means?

I am sure I will be having one of those DUH moments when I find out.

Thanks for not laughing too hard


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## PrincessFiona60 (Apr 23, 2011)

MrsLMB said:


> I've just joined this forum this evening and I keep seeing something over and over that I don't understand.
> 
> Can someone please tell me what TNT means?
> 
> ...


 

LOL!  TNT = Tried 'N True or DYNOMITE!!!!


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## MrsLMB (Apr 23, 2011)

See .. I told you I would have a DUH moment !!  

Thank you ... now the cloud of mystery is gone


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## PrincessFiona60 (Apr 23, 2011)

MrsLMB said:


> See .. I told you I would have a DUH moment !!
> 
> Thank you ... now the cloud of mystery is gone


 
You are very Welcome!

That wasn't dumb, it would have been dumb if you hadn't asked!


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## Dawgluver (Apr 23, 2011)

MrsLMB said:
			
		

> I've just joined this forum this evening and I keep seeing something over and over that I don't understand.
> 
> Can someone please tell me what  TNT means?
> 
> ...


Don't feel stupid!
I did a "pardon my ignorance" (PMI) and asked similar questions, am thinking Taxlady posted FAQ from the original website.  Very helpful.  Since I use IPad, we don't see all the stuff on the regular site.

Everyone makes you feel welcome, and all have a strangely bizarre sense of humor which I love!  Welcome!


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## Barbara L (Apr 23, 2011)

Dawgluver said:


> Don't feel stupid!
> I did a "pardon my ignorance" (PMI) and asked similar questions, am thinking Taxlady posted FAQ from the original website.  Very helpful.  Since I use IPad, we don't see all the stuff on the regular site.
> 
> Everyone makes you feel welcome, and all have a strangely bizarre sense of humor which I love!  Welcome!



 ¿ʇɐႡʇ ʎɐs noʎ sәʞɐɯ ʇɐႡʍ ¿sn ¿ɹoɯnႡ ɟo әsuәs әɹɹɐz!q


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## Zhizara (Apr 23, 2011)

Strangely bizarre sense of humor?  I like that. Thanks, Dawglover.


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## Dawgluver (Apr 23, 2011)

Barbara L said:
			
		

> ¿ʇɐႡʇ ʎɐs noʎ sәʞɐɯ ʇɐႡʍ ¿sn ¿ɹoɯnႡ ɟo әsuәs әɹɹɐz!q



I am thinking that's Arabic.


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## PrincessFiona60 (Apr 23, 2011)

Dawgluver said:


> I am thinking that's Arabic.


 
Actually, I think it's a cry for help.


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## Barbara L (Apr 23, 2011)

Dawgluver said:


> I am thinking that's Arabic.


 Nah, you just have to stand on your head to read it.


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## kadesma (Apr 23, 2011)

Barbara L said:


> Nah, you just have to stand on your head to read it.


Forget you toots I'm  lost on my feet
kades


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## Andy M. (Apr 23, 2011)

Barbara L said:


> ¿ʇɐႡʇ ʎɐs noʎ sәʞɐɯ ʇɐႡʍ ¿sn ¿ɹoɯnႡ ɟo әsuәs әɹɹɐz!q




So, what do you do, turn your computer upside down and type???


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## taxlady (Apr 23, 2011)

Barbara L said:


> Nah, you just have to stand on your head to read it.



I turned the laptop sideways. No standing my head for me right now.


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## Dawgluver (Apr 23, 2011)

Barbara L said:
			
		

> Nah, you just have to stand on your head to read it.



I stick by my strangely bizarre sense of humor comment.  You all are my kind of peeps.  BTW, Happy Easter!


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## Claire (Apr 23, 2011)

I agree with Fiona; the only dumb question is the one you don't ask.


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## spork (Apr 23, 2011)

I spin 180 degrees every time I log into DC.
Welcome, LMB!  It'll all fall into place if you join in the fun.


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## Barbara L (Apr 23, 2011)

Andy M. said:


> So, what do you do, turn your computer upside down and type???


Of course!



Claire said:


> I agree with Fiona; the only dumb question is the one you don't ask.


I don't know. What about the 4th grader who, when I was teaching about Ferdinand Magellan and how he died in the Philippines in 1521, asked (in all seriousness), "Is he still dead?"


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## Andy M. (Apr 23, 2011)

Barbara L said:


> Of course!
> 
> 
> I don't know. What about the 4th grader who, when I was teaching about Ferdinand Magellan and how he died in the Philippines in 1521, asked (in all seriousness), "Is he still dead?"



You should have answered, "I don't know, that was before I was born."


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## spork (Apr 23, 2011)

I would've smacked him upside the head for his stupid question, but we have Moderators and Admins to prevent that sort of thing.


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## Barbara L (Apr 24, 2011)

spork said:


> I would've smacked him upside the head for his stupid question, but we have Moderators and Admins to prevent that sort of thing.


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## Selkie (Apr 24, 2011)

You're making me dizzy!!!


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## Zhizara (Apr 24, 2011)

Where's Alix?  I want to remind her that my participle is still dangling.


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## LindaLou (Apr 24, 2011)

I think somehow I got a little lost in this one-LOL!  But I was wondering the about the TNT too so I am glad you asked.


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## Zhizara (Apr 24, 2011)

Sorry, LindaLou.  We do get silly sometimes.  That's what's neat about DC.  Sometimes you get TNT recipes that have all the kinks ironed out already.


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## Somebunny (Apr 24, 2011)

Barbara L said:
			
		

> ¿ʇɐႡʇ ʎɐs noʎ sәʞɐɯ ʇɐႡʍ ¿sn ¿ɹoɯnႡ ɟo әsuәs әɹɹɐz!q



Lol! Okay..... This is funnier than some might think.....I mostly use my IPhone and am able to flip it upside down and side to side.  Problem is........the "smart phone" knows this and compensates, so I could "flip" all day and still not get this right side up.  Dawgluver will have the same issue with the IPad, I believe! Rofl!!!


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## LindaZ (Apr 24, 2011)

MrsLMB said:


> I've just joined this forum this evening and I keep seeing something over and over that I don't understand.
> 
> Can someone please tell me what TNT means?
> 
> ...


 
Don't feel bad, when I started I saw the initials DH and thought it meant, "dumb husband." Now I know it's "DEAR husband." - 

Welcome, this is a fun site.


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## Dawgluver (Apr 24, 2011)

LindaZ said:
			
		

> Don't feel bad, when I started I saw the initials DH and thought it meant, "dumb husband." Now I know it's "DEAR husband." -
> 
> Welcome, this is a fun site.



You mean it's NOT "dumb husband"?  To think I've been using DH all this time...


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## LindaZ (Apr 24, 2011)

Dawgluver said:


> You mean it's NOT "dumb husband"? To think I've been using DH all this time...


 
I think it's just a point of perspective -


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## Claire (Apr 24, 2011)

Oh, lord, you have me confused.  But I sympathize.  The first time I stayed in a really new home I was house-sitting for friends in Scottsdale.  I began to realize the house was smarter than I am.  Fridge with icemaker.  Two separate A/C units, a pool with a self-cleaning vacuum cleaner.  Automatic sprinkler system with something like a half-dozen zones.  Things were always turning on and off and we were wondering what in hades was going on.  

Now I trust my electronics to a friend who comes by and knows we need basics.  My cell phone is a cheap tracfone that I buy minute by minute, and have not figured out how to retrieve voice mail (my sis set it up but I really cannot remember how to get the alpha to the numerical for my code.  A thief could extract any messages long before I could).  My computer needs to be very basic.  Ironically, when we first started on the electronics, I could completely set up a computer and all of our entertainment systems.  I could scan and copy and send.  Now, ten years later, I can't even print something.  Every advance leaves me more and more and more stupid.


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## Sprout (Apr 26, 2011)

For the first couple months I was on the site I frequently had to Google acronyms I saw here. Now it's only occasional.


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## FrankZ (Apr 26, 2011)

LindaZ said:


> Don't feel bad, when I started I saw the initials DH and thought it meant, "dumb husband." Now I know it's "DEAR husband." -




Well.... :


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## Sir_Loin_of_Beef (Apr 26, 2011)

Claire said:


> I agree with Fiona; the only dumb question is the one you don't ask.


 

I've always found that the only dumb questions were those asked by really dumb people.

Stupid is forever. Ignorance can be fixed.


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## Barbara L (Apr 26, 2011)

Claire said:


> ...Now, ten years later, I can't even print something.  Every advance leaves me more and more and more stupid.


This reminds me of college. The further I went in college, the more I realized I didn't know.

I know what you mean about today's technology taking off like it is. Just about the time you almost figure something out, it changes.


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## Andy M. (Apr 26, 2011)

Barbara L said:


> This reminds me of college. The further I went in college, the more I realized I didn't know.
> 
> I know what you mean about today's technology taking off like it is. Just about the time you almost figure something out, it changes.




I guess we're all most comfortable with the technology we grew up with.  

My 4 YO grandson has no problem picking up my cell phone and takng pictures with it.  Today, while talking to SO on my cell, he calmly switched it to speaker phone and set it on the counter while continuing the conversation.


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## Barbara L (Apr 26, 2011)

Andy M. said:


> I guess we're all most comfortable with the technology we grew up with.
> 
> My 4 YO grandson has no problem picking up my cell phone and takng pictures with it.  Today, while talking to SO on my cell, he calmly switched it to speaker phone and set it on the counter while continuing the conversation.


Actually James and I are both pretty technology savvy, but I can assure you neither of us will ever be in any danger of wearing our thumbs out texting.  We both know how to text, but it is a long, arduous process!


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## Andy M. (Apr 26, 2011)

Barbara L said:


> Actually James and I are both pretty technology savvy, but I can assure you neither of us will ever be in any danger of wearing our thumbs out texting.  We both know how to text, but it is a long, arduous process!




Me too.  I still get hung up on proper capitalization, punctuation and proper English so texting makes me crazy.


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## Barbara L (Apr 26, 2011)

Andy M. said:


> Me too.  I still get hung up on proper capitalization, punctuation and proper English so texting makes me crazy.


I have the same hang-up. I don't like all lowercase (or all uppercase), and I am not a big fan of abbreviations, so that makes texting more challenging! And don't get me started on punctuation!


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## taxlady (Apr 26, 2011)

My phone has predictive typing, so it would take me longer to type abbreviations, than just spell it out.


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## Dawgluver (Apr 26, 2011)

taxlady said:
			
		

> My phone has predictive typing, so it would take me longer to type abbreviations, than just spell it out.



Just trying to type " ' em" instead of "them"  and getting "Em" for a half hour, I gave up arguing.  They have minds of their own.


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## taxlady (Apr 26, 2011)

Dawgluver said:


> Just trying to type " ' em" instead of "them"  and getting "Em" for a half hour, I gave up arguing.  They have minds of their own.



I know how to turn off the predictive typing.


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## Dawgluver (Apr 26, 2011)

taxlady said:
			
		

> I know how to turn off the predictive typing.



"Outwit, Outplay, Outlast".  I subscribe to "Survivor Mode.".  Was trying to beat the little sucker at it's own game.  

Most times, I like predictive typing.


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## spork (Apr 26, 2011)

I'm deathly afraid that technology will one day soon make the refrigerator also so complex that I won't be able to figure out how to open it.


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## vitauta (Jul 30, 2011)

this is probably not the right thread where to pose my dumb question, but it's the first one (dumb thread) i came across. this comes up every once in a while, and i think i know the answer, but not the science behind it.  when i use close or out of date milk to use it up in a recipe, am i buying more time for this, now chemically altered, milk?  or am i in danger of contaminating the dish i am adding it to, by drastically shorting this new dish's shelf-life too?


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## dcSaute (Jul 30, 2011)

use by / sell by  / best buy . . .  dates are the manufacturer's / producers / <whatever> estimate of when the product quality will decline to a consumer unacceptable level.

an unopened carton of milk is not good on (day -1) and lethally poisonous on (day +1)
just doesn't work that way.

dairy products (and many others...) are at risk once the package/container is opened.  bacteria from the environment can enter the previously 'controlled' and/or 'sterile' environment.

milk and cream are pretty dang easy to judge - if it smells bad and/or is gloppy, throw it out.
it is not at all impossible to have an opened milk container go bad _days_ before it "expires"

cheese - I like to keep a number of varieties on hand.  I keep the original wrapper on the cheese and I'm always trying to avoid touching the cheese I'm not cutting off and scarfing down.... bacterial from the hands/fingers gets on cheese and bingo - day or three, got mold there.....right there!

"dry goods" - well, they get stale.

meats - anything ground up should indeed be used by its date - or as soon as possible, frozen.
for example, the interior of a roast is "sterile" in terms of the usual &common nasty bacteria - e-coli, etc.  the _exterior_ is a different issue - that's what gets "contaminated" - grind everything up into a nice bloody mass, the (potentially contaminated) exterior is now mixed all through the interior.


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## vitauta (Jul 30, 2011)

thanks, dcsaute--good to know about needing to avoid transferring bacteria from my hands to the cheese, by touching it.  i now know why chunks of my perfectly good cheese became suddenly, inexplicably taken over by blue mold--won't happen again....


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## Fabiabi (Jul 31, 2011)

Don't worry i'm equally as clueless when it comes to these new acronyms. I consider myself to still be quite young, I feel sorry for older people living in this age. They must wonder what the hell is going on.


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## purple.alien.giraffe (Jul 31, 2011)

Barbara L said:


> ¿ʇɐႡʇ ʎɐs noʎ sәʞɐɯ ʇɐႡʍ ¿sn ¿ɹoɯnႡ ɟo әsuәs әɹɹɐz!q



Is it bad that I could read that without standing on my head almost as quickly as I can read normal text? Also, because I'm too tired and lazy to speculate, test, search, etc. how did you do that and would I be able to rewrite my signatures like that? Because, um, you know, they need to be weirder...



Claire said:


> I agree with Fiona; the only dumb question is the one you don't ask.



I wish I could agree with this but I used to work tech support ("My son put his peanut butter sandwich in the cdrom tray and now the cd's stick in it. Is this normal?") ...  And in my current job I've had to deal with tech support (Me: Hi, I'm calling about a server that is not getting power. Them: Well are you able to turn it on?)...


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## PrincessFiona60 (Jul 31, 2011)

purple.alien.giraffe said:


> Is it bad that I could read that without standing on my head almost as quickly as I can read normal text? Also, because I'm too tired and lazy to speculate, test, search, etc. how did you do that and would I be able to rewrite my signatures like that? Because, um, you know, they need to be weirder...
> 
> 
> 
> I wish I could agree with this but I used to work tech support ("My son put his peanut butter sandwich in the cdrom tray and now the cd's stick in it. Is this normal?") ...  And in my current job I've had to deal with tech support (Me: Hi, I'm calling about a server that is not getting power. Them: Well are you able to turn it on?)...



I see Tech Support as a completely different animal, same with most customer questions and I'm one of those customers that can ask some real doozies.


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## purple.alien.giraffe (Jul 31, 2011)

PrincessFiona60 said:


> I see Tech Support as a completely different animal, same with most customer questions and I'm one of those customers that can ask some real doozies.



Lol. I could discuss it more but it would have to go in the "Venting" thread. I'll just summarize by saying that "stupid" questions, in my experience, come from three sources:

Those who honestly don't know and don't have any experience with what they are asking about. I'm cool with these questions, have all the patience in the world.

Those who are just genuinely having difficulty learning about whatever they're asking about. Again, I'm cool with these because I know the person is trying and I really fight any impatience or frustration answering these because I know different people have different talents.

Those who are mentally lazy. Sure, anyone can have a mentally lazy moment or just a general "duh" moment from not thinking before asking, but then there are the ones who never want to think for themselves. These people ask the questions that I consider true stupid questions and they drive me crazy!


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## PrincessFiona60 (Jul 31, 2011)

purple.alien.giraffe said:


> Lol. I could discuss it more but it would have to go in the "Venting" thread. I'll just summarize by saying that "stupid" questions, in my experience, come from three sources:
> 
> Those who honestly don't know and don't have any experience with what they are asking about. I'm cool with these questions, have all the patience in the world.
> 
> ...



Dad was a Service Engineer for Mass Spectrometers and equipment like that.  He got to go to New Orleans, San Francisco, Boston and other locales to plug in equipment, flip a switch, unstick a key on a keyboard...


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## Pierogi Princess (Jul 31, 2011)

Thanks for asking, I learned something today also.


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## spork (Aug 1, 2011)

There's only one type of dumb question in my book... a disingenuous one.  One whose answer was meant to be ignored in the first place.  Sometimes, it's easily recognized as a blatantly obvious leading question.  Meant for the questioner to disrespect the answer and argue for what he/she believes the answer should be.

It's okay, however, if the questioner ignores my reply because it was I who gave a dumb answer.


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## Claire (Aug 1, 2011)

I used to be an electronics repairman on B-52s, KC-135s and HH somethings (can't remember) in the Air Force.  Tempers get very short in North Dakota towards the end of winter, especially if you have to work on the flight line where there is nothing to block the wind.  We'd get service calls where we had to go out to the aircraft just before takeoff because NOTHING was working.  I don't know how it works now (I was 19 at the time, I'm 56 now, do the math), but much pilot/nav equipment was sound cued.  I was afraid of my shadow (the only woman working on the flight line), but the guys just loved to sneak up behind and already tempermental pilot or navigator and turn the volume on the headsets, really, really high!  

I believe most questions aren't stupid, but do agree on spork's disingenious comment, when someone is manipulating you by pretending to be unknowledgeable, be it from trying to trip you up or people who pretend ignorance to play up to someone of the opposite sex or get out of work, or in the above case, just plain mental laziness.


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## dcSaute (Aug 1, 2011)

the dumbest classification for a question is the one where 

question is asked, good / sound / reasonable / appropriate answers /advice given, but all suggestions are deemed not acceptable by the questioner.

the onliest more worser situation is where the questioner, having rejected all ideas and suggestions, returns to demand more answers-to-be-rejected-out-of-hand.


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## purple.alien.giraffe (Aug 1, 2011)

spork said:


> There's only one type of dumb question in my  book... a disingenuous one.  One whose answer was meant to be ignored in  the first place.  Sometimes, it's easily recognized as a blatantly  obvious leading question.  Meant for the questioner to disrespect the  answer and argue for what he/she believes the answer should be.
> 
> It's okay, however, if the questioner ignores my reply because it was I who gave a dumb answer.





Claire said:


> I believe most questions aren't stupid, but do agree on spork's  disingenious comment, when someone is manipulating you by pretending to  be unknowledgeable, be it from trying to trip you up or people who  pretend ignorance to play up to someone of the opposite sex or get out  of work, or in the above case, just plain mental laziness.





dcSaute said:


> the dumbest classification for a question is the one where
> 
> question is asked, good / sound / reasonable / appropriate answers /advice given, but all suggestions are deemed not acceptable by the questioner.
> 
> the onliest more worser situation is where the questioner, having rejected all ideas and suggestions, returns to demand more answers-to-be-rejected-out-of-hand.



Fortunately, the only one of these I've run into very often is the mental laziness one. The few times I've run into the others though, "frshin rfin urgin grrrrrrrrrrr, I'd bite you if it wasn't a health hazard. For me." 

I'm also fortunate that most of my current customers will go out of their way to help me get their stuff fixed and are very appreciative of my efforts. They're pretty cool people in general and are just so happy that they're not being forgotten about on thirds that I could ask them to stand on their heads and sing the hokey pokey and if it would help, they'd do it. Seriously, I got told this by one of my customers. Laughed so hard I had to pee when the call was done. It totally made my night.


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