Gaps In Your Knowledge

[mca]

What gaps in your knowledge are there? Things you were wrong about, don't know or didn't know?

To my eternal shame I only found out last week that Mumbai was the new name for Bombay. I'd assumed they were 2 different cities in India.

For many years I thought Brunei was in the Middle East.

[onnut]

I did not know that about Mumbai and Bombay either.

[angiud]

Madras-Chennai?

Kolkata - Calcutta

[bifftastic]

I didn't know that people didn't know about Mumbai/Bombay.

Seriously though, gaps in my knowledge that annoy me;

I didn't learn enough French or German, I can (or used to be able to) hold a fairly reasonable conversation in French, used to own a property there and had to deal with utility companies and all that kind of stuff, but never really nailed down the language, so i get stuck with past tenses and I'm sure my grammar is bad. Same with German. I love languages but am too lazy to follow it through and study them properly. I hereby resolve to study the Thai language in a more fulfilling way.

Sometimes I regret not learning about mechanical things and look on enviously when others replace shock absorbers or tinker with engines, then I think '<deleted> it, who wants skinned knuckles and semi-permanent oil stains all over your hands?'

[ignis]

Some how as you get older you learn more things, I find I often watch Nat Geo and History on TV

Being mad about motor racing all formulas and having watch F1 for years, learnt something new on Friday. a fill gap program between practices was a F1 Races History of 1953, and one driver up in the top 3 was the Prince of Thailand, in this program they talked a lot about the Prince... Sure new the other drivers names but had no idea that the Prince of Thailand was a F1 driver. he raced and won many races between 1936 and 1954... Likewise had no idea the Prince of Thailand lived in the UK and died in London in 1985

As they say your never to old to learn something new everyday.... Of course the other problem as you get older is one cannot remember 1/2 of all this new Knowledge

[robblok]

I have no gaps in my knowledge i am all knowing and once they crucified my son for the sins of all you bad expats.. or was that in an other time.. hmmmm.

I always find out new things about many things i still work and taxes seem to always change and i seem to find new things about them all the time. Other then that i learn a lot about training and other things in life. I mean if you like reading you will keep on developing yourself on any field you like (problem is you have to like it) if you dont like what you need to learn it will be real hard.

[Bottlerocket]

I just learned for the first time that when you are attracted to a woman it is considered not only unacceptable, but uncouth, to hump her leg. I guess the times they are a changing.

Edited May 9, 2010 by Bottlerocket

[Ulysses G.]

In Alabama or West Virginia is is considered to be very polite.

[Crossy]

Madras - Chennai?

Kolkata - Calcutta

Indeed, and now Bangalore has become Bengaluru

Probably a few more too, removing the last vestiges of British influence.

Ordering a Chicken Chennai isn't quite the same as a Chicken Madras

Embarrassing 'didn't know', for some unknown reason I didn't connect the Whacky Races character 'Pat Pending' with patent applications until I was in my 30s

[toptuan]

The ultimate shame: I didn't know pickles came from cucumbers until I was in college. Must admit, had never seen a pickle tree up to that point.

[mca]

Embarrassing 'didn't know', for some unknown reason I didn't connect the Whacky Races character 'Pat Pending' with patent applications until I was in my 30s

What was the defining moment when you thought " Aha I get it now" Crossy?

Sincere apologies to members from these countries but if I was on " Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?" and the question came up " What is the capital city of New Zealand/Canada?" from the 4 options given it would be time for me to phone a friend.

Which is rather disconcerting when you consider for some unexplainable reason I know the capital of Comoros is Moroni and the capital of Turkmenistan is Ashgabat.

[mca]

The ultimate shame: I didn't know pickles came from cucumbers until I was in college. Must admit, had never seen a pickle tree up to that point.

You're in good company mate. For years I didn't realise that raisins were dried grapes.

[garyh]

Some how as you get older you learn more things, I find I often watch Nat Geo and History on TV

Being mad about motor racing all formulas and having watch F1 for years, learnt something new on Friday. a fill gap program between practices was a F1 Races History of 1953, and one driver up in the top 3 was the Prince of Thailand, in this program they talked a lot about the Prince... Sure new the other drivers names but had no idea that the Prince of Thailand was a F1 driver. he raced and won many races between 1936 and 1954... Likewise had no idea the Prince of Thailand lived in the UK and died in London in 1985

As they say your never to old to learn something new everyday.... Of course the other problem as you get older is one cannot remember 1/2 of all this new Knowledge

Won't be discussed on here as the powers that be will delete any mention of the Thai Royal family.

[sanook2me]

For over 20 years singing..

singing ....West Virginia mine tomorrow

correct lyric...West Virginia mountain momma......

I actually prefer my lyrics as they fit and make more sense to me

learning on TVisa that One night in Bangkok is from the musical chess and not me and my friends first year living here

[wintermute]

So do you brain trusts know that ketchup comes from tomatoes or that mustard comes from a seed?

[Jingthing]

It took me until last year to realize Cornish pasty is pronounced this way

http://www.oxfordadvancedlearnersdictionar...y/cornish-pasty

and not pay-stee

I think a common American error but still embarrassing.

[daoyai]

I didn't know that a thread with nothing to do with Thailand could last so long.

[Crossy]

I didn't know that a thread with nothing to do with Thailand could last so long.

Aw, somebody had to spoil our fun, I'll have to move it to the Pub now

Actually I think it's doing rather well at demonstrating the intelligence and education level of our members (myself included).

[mccw]

my knowledge is the gaps in my not knowing everything

Edited May 9, 2010 by mccw

[PeaceBlondie]

I didn't know pickles came cucumbers until 18.

I hopped off a fancy bus at San Cristobal de Las Casas, with a gaggle of tourists. The girls, Mayas from the Tzotziles (350,000 strong), sold key chains for ten pesos. I surprised them by naming jun, chib, 'oxib, ending with their native word for five. The girls howled and agreed to be sell me for five. Then I entertained them with a imitation of a monkey.

I did not know until age 62 that the oldest pacifist religion was not Buddhism, but Jewish.

[Thaddeus]

The gaps in my knowledge are so wide that stuff I do know keeps falling through them

[toptuan]

The ultimate shame: I didn't know pickles came from cucumbers until I was in college. Must admit, had never seen a pickle tree up to that point.

You're in good company mate. For years I didn't realise that raisins were dried grapes.

They are???

[mccw]

The ultimate shame: I didn't know pickles came from cucumbers until I was in college. Must admit, had never seen a pickle tree up to that point.

how many cucumber trees have you seen?

[bkkjames]

When I was young I thought boxing day was sports related.

[Spiny]

For many years I used to think "feat" on CDs etc was the name of a music group

[mccw]

For many years I used to think "feat" on CDs etc was the name of a music group

i also used to think various artist was the name of a band

[zzdocxx]

And I just recently figured out why the cartoon character Pepe LePew was a skunk.

Did you guys get that?

[bkkjames]

And I just recently figured out why the cartoon character Pepe LePew was a skunk.

Did you guys get that?

Yes but I am not French.

[Jim's_a_Thai_Fox]

When I was little I could see a fire station clock tower that I thought was Big Ben... I lived in Leicester at the time.... bless.

[IanForbes]

I was always good at geography and pretty good at history, but I was totally innocent about culture in Asia until I came to Thailand 14 years ago. And, it's been an ongoing learning process ever since. I've certainly learned a lot in those 14 years and all I can say is... "vive la différence"

I always have an encyclopedia nearby and it helps to bring things into perspective when I see something in the news.

But, after reading what I just wrote, I didn't really answer the OP's question... What was I wrong about? I guess it was believing what my Christian upbringing told me was right and wrong. I've certainly learned a lot about bigotry and hypocrisy.

Edited May 11, 2010 by IanForbes