Skip to main content

Boneheaded Questions

In this episode, Bonehead Questions . . .



It’s been said, “There are no stupid questions,” right . . . ? You be the judge.


Here’s one, "If electricity comes from electrons, does morality come from morons?”

My recent retail experience at a Home Improvement Center I've heard more than my share of stupid questions. Admittedly, all those years of teaching, I gave people the benefit of the doubt. Repeatedly, I made it clear that there were no stupid questions. As an educator, you quickly realize the link between information and applied learning is closely tied to questions and one’s self-image.


But in these times of “I want it now” and “I’m the victim” that doesn’t seem to apply. Especially when it comes to dealing with the public and really cretinous questions.


During my four year retail transition, I was introduced to some really stubborn and ignorant Do-It-Yourself (DIY) folks trying to save a buck that asks really boneheaded questions.


You see, implementing a skill requires patience, specialized knowledge, dedication, concentration, practice, and lastly having the courage to ask those questions that were the result of simply not having the right experience.


Let’s call him lucky customer #13 - Thirteen enters the store with a frazzled expression on his face, a dirty, sweaty, torn tee shirt, and his smartphone (with a shattered screen) in hand.


“I’ve been hammering up floor tile. I need to remove glue from the concrete. There’s a tool you guys have, I’ve seen on your website. How much?”


That’s a valid question, don’t you think?


My response, “Yes, we have a coating removal tool that will do the job. It requires you to use a floor polisher. Have you ever used one?”


“No - but on my way in I watched the YouTube Video on how to run that machine. Looks pretty easy, I’ll take it.”


“Would you like a demo first?”


“No way, I’m in a big hurry and need to finish this project.”


“Ok, this machine requires a light touch, don’t try to muscle it, if you run into any problems just give us a call.”


30 minutes later the phone rings.


Customer is now furious. “How in the hell are you supposed to control this piece a shit! The cords too long. It jumps all over the room. There are now three large holes in my walls trying to control this crazy thing. (Bonehead question) What are you going to do about fixing my walls?”


What can you say? “I suggest you return the machine and call a contractor.” (Bonehead!)


Customer number two enters Tool Rental staring intently at his iPhone. Looks up for a split second then back to his phone, “Do you guys have a welder?”


“Absolutely, what are you trying to weld?’


“I need to attach a piece of metal to a fencepost. (Bonehead question) What will that look like?”


I’ll admit I had to pause - then ask. “Have you ever used a welder?”


“Nope. It can’t be that difficult. Can’t you teach me?”


Not really. (Bonehead!)


As you can see from these two examples people really do ask stupid questions.


By the way, "If space is a vacuum, who changes the bag?"


Any questions . . . ?


This is Patrick Ball, thanks for listening. See you in the next episode.

Labels:

Comments

Anonymous said…
I expect fresh commentary....when will this come forth?
September 15, 2020 at 11:33 AM
Post a Comment

Most Popular of All Time

Back to School (Without the Triple Lindy)

I hadn’t set foot inside a public library in over thirty years. Last Saturday, when I walked through the sliding doors of the modern County of San Diego branch on Eucalyptus Avenue in Vista, my eyes instinctively scanned the floor for the familiar, comforting sight of varnished oak cabinets and brass pull-handles. Nothing . No card catalog. No little wooden drawers. No rows of index cards typed by someone who presumably had beautiful penmanship and a pension. I walked up to the front desk, looked the librarian dead in the eye, and asked with complete earnestness: "Where’s the card catalog?" She didn’t laugh, though she had every right to. Instead, she offered a warm, dry smile: "We magically had the computer digest it." And just like that, I was enrolled. Not the Rodney Dangerfield kind of back-to-school. No diving board, no loud blazer, no campus party, and thankfully, no need to convince anyone I belonged there. Just an overdue reminder that while I was busy with ...
Post a Comment
Read more

The AI Debate Was Settled in 1954

In this episode, what a 70-year-old sci-fi mystery teaches us. Welcome back to On the Fly. I’ve been looking for a clear way to explain how we should be handling Artificial Intelligence today. I finally found the answer hidden in a book I just finished. The twist? It was written more than seventy years ago. Isaac Asimov's The Caves of Steel was published in 1954, when a computer filled an entire room, consumed enough electricity to dim the neighborhood, and had roughly the computing power of today's microwave. Yet Asimov set his story nearly 3,000 years in the future—a world where humanity lives in sprawling enclosed cities (New York) and depends on advanced technology for nearly every aspect of daily life. The remarkable part isn't how much of the technology he imagined. It's how accurately he predicted us. In Asimov's future, society struggles with the introduction of highly sophisticated humanoid robots powered by "positronic brains." Naturally, a lou...
Post a Comment
Read more

From Mailbox to Microphone

In this episode, catching up with Sierra . What happens when you combine a little imagination, modern digital tools, and the willingness to make a glorious, muddy mess? You get our guest’s latest project. I’m Patrick Ball. Welcome back to On the Fly . Today, we are diving into the world of native plants and guerrilla gardening with twelve-year-old creator Sierra. After watching her impressive, self-produced tutorial on how to make ‘Seed Balls,’ I had to know how she did it. It’s incredibly inspiring to watch Sierra evolve from a young artist wielding crayons and stationery into a savvy digital creator. She’s writing scripts, mastering voiceovers, and editing—all to make a positive, green impact on her local community. “She shoots, she scores, and she’s here to tell us all about it.” Please welcome Sierra to On the Fly ! Let’s get into it. Audio interview . . . For more blog posts showcasing Sierra’s talents, see: The Mailbox Surprise . . . and The Summer Surprise I’m Patrick Ball. Sta...
Post a Comment
Read more

Beyond Facts-The Deep Dive

✨ In this episode, Beyond Facts: Reimagining School–in the Age of AI . . .   This week's podcast is a bit different; it's another example of how Artificial Intelligence (AI) can offer tools to creatively enhance your analytical presentation of information. We took this week's blog and copied it into Gemini with the question, “If a story is to work, it must, on some level, create an illusion of escape and also achieve a goal simultaneously. Does this apply to my blog post that follows?” What's created is not just an analysis of the writing, but an AI-generated discussion produced “On the Fly” - Enjoy! Did you know that the word "school" comes from the ancient Greek word scholē , which originally meant "leisure"? Not a rigid schedule or droning lectures filled with "facts," but free time for thinking and conversation. To the Greeks, learning happened best when life slowed down—when you had room to reflect, to ask questions, and to wrestle ...
4 comments
Read more