Mass assumed stupidity
My wife's family are a very clever lot, erudite and intelligent to a human. However, when I first met them all I was struck by some "agreed non-facts" that they took as gospel. The two that come to mind are:

1. Calling the flamboyant pianist and lady-d'un-certain-age's man "Liber Archie". As though the Liber bit was an honorific. I imagine it would have translated as Free Archie, like Free Willie (he probably would have).

2. The well-known anagram "A man, a plan, a caravan", which would be brought up whenever anagrams were discussed (surprisingly often) and they'd all nod sagely, as if to say, "Yep, that's an anagram all right, ticks all the boxes!"

Funny thing is, they thought I was a bit slow because I didn't "know" these things.

[edit]
I still don't.

s/anagram/palindrome/g
(snopesthetruth, Thu 27 Nov 2008, 13:21, 6 replies)

An anagram of what?
... or did you mean a palindrome?

:o)

although it IS an anagram of

Anal Panama Caravan...
( Humpty Dumpty was Pushed Is unaware of having any limits., Thu 27 Nov 2008, 13:27, closed)

Is that not m'colleague's point?
That these people were talking bollocks?

It's not a palindrome either, is it?
( Monty Boyce, My cheese game is strong, Thu 27 Nov 2008, 13:35, closed)

No it isn't a palindrome...
nottattall.. :D

Apolly-G's for missing the point M'lud.
( Humpty Dumpty was Pushed Is unaware of having any limits., Thu 27 Nov 2008, 13:38, closed)

I don't really get it either.
Apparently this is a palindrome though:

A man, a plan, a canoe, pasta, heros, rajahs, a coloratura, maps, snipe, percale, macaroni, a gag, a banana bag, a tan, a tag, a banana bag again (or a camel), a crepe, pins, Spam, a rut, a Rolo, cash, a jar, sore hats, a peon, a canal – Panama!

People with faaaaar too much time on their hands!
(flimflam_machine, Thu 27 Nov 2008, 14:02, closed)

*mind boggles*
Actually having initially been secretly impressed by the complexity of said 'drome, this has now turned to scornful derision at the inclusion of 'heros'.

Unless that's a Greek island I've not heard of it's not a word.

Hey check out my palindrome:

srefojrg grjofers

KERRRAZZY!
( Monty Boyce, My cheese game is strong, Thu 27 Nov 2008, 14:14, closed)

D'oh!
Yes, I meant palindrome. Or rather, they did.

It is an anagram, of course. I'm the sort of guy who laughs at people misusing pathetic for bathetic and things like that, so I had a solecism coming. Take that, me!
(snopesthetruth, Thu 27 Nov 2008, 15:07, closed)