Skip to main content
Who First Called Portland the “Plumber’s Butt of America”?
If your brain-dead co-workers didn’t make it up, who did? For once, we actually know.
Do Warm Golf Balls Go Farther Than Cold Ones?
Golf science is like early Christianity, with competing sects all disagreeing on obscure points of doctrine and perennially accusing each other of heresy.
Are Americans Shrinking?
Is our physical stature waning along with our moral authority in the world?
Does Reviving Someone With Narcan Open the Reviver to Legal Liability?
You’re not a medical professional, and thus are not bound by legal and ethical standards.
Do Doctors Not Wear White Coats Anymore?
The coats increasingly seem to be products of a bygone era.
Dr. Know’s Prescriptions for Portland in 2026
“Take six of these and call me in the morning.”
Why Do Airlines Tell Passengers to Open the Window Shades Before Landing?
Oh, plenty of people know why we’re required to open those shades on takeoff and landing—the problem is that all their answers are different.
Is There Some Kind of Meme About Letting the Sun Shine on Your Butthole?
"Is there some kind of fad or meme going around about how letting the sun shine on your butthole is supposed to be good for you? I saw a recent TikTok about it, but I can’t tell if it’s real or a spoof."
Will Eating Raw Pork Actually Kill You?
Trichinosis has been eradicated from the farmed pork supply. But not from bears.
When Will Requirements for Portland Candidates Be Upgraded to Weed Out Unqualified Goofballs?
A reader asks: “When will requirements to qualify to run for Portland City Council or Multnomah County commissioner be upgraded to weed out unqualified goofballs before an election starts?” Dr. Know answers.