Did you know tomatoes are really fruit? Of course you did

We're almost to the point of the year when people consistently say a thing that everyone knows, but the person saying it acts as if they're the keeper of the truth: "Well, September and October are the nicest months of the year here."

I think the same thing every time: Of course they are. Because September and October are the nicest month everywhere in the northern hemisphere.

Does hearing something I already know irritate me? No. It amuses me because it's one of several things that people frequently say as if they are the only ones who know it when in fact, everyone knows these things.

Want examples? Good, because I've got them.

With the acknowledgement that I may be leaving some out, here are eight more things that people say, ignoring the fact that everybody already knows them.

• "We only use 10 percent of our brain." We've all heard this and we all believe it, even though it's not true. According to scientists, the amount of our brain that we use varies. It's obviously not 100 percent, but who thinks we use 100 percent? We all think we use 10 percent, although we apparently think others don't use their 10 percent to "know" this.

• "Jesus wasn't born on Dec. 25." This is often an attempt to blow the minds of the faithful and convince them that Christianity is untrue. However, I don't know any Christians for whom Dec. 25 being Jesus' actual birth date is a deal-breaker.  Most know that Dec. 25 was a pagan holiday that Christians co-opted and most believe the actual date of Jesus' birth doesn't matter.

• "There's no Bible verse that says, 'God helps those who help themselves.'" Unlike the previous "fact," this is sometimes said by people of faith. If you've read the Bible you know this isn't in there. "God helps those who help themselves" was apparently first said by English political theorist Algernon Sidney (thanks, Google). There is no book of Algernon in the Bible.

• "The San Francisco earthquake killed fewer people than the fire after it." I knew this in third grade. Of course, the earthquake was the cause of the fire, but still . . . this gets said as if the person is breaking the Watergate story. We all already know this. If you didn't know this, you're using less than 10 percent of your brain.

• "Tomatoes are actually fruit." Really? Who knew this, other than everyone. Of course, I dispute this "fact" (my definition of "fruit" is "something that can go on a fruit salad"), but to act like it's new knowledge is funny.

• "Abraham Lincoln was actually a Republican." This not-so-mind-blowing fact is usually said to convince the listeners that the Republican Party hasn't embraced racism as a way to divide the country and win elections for the past 50 years. Maybe I should add the word "allegedly" to the previous sentence.

• "You know, the real nutrients in potatoes are in the skin." This was said to me so often during my childhood that I embraced it. I don't know that it's true, but I know that everyone in my generation thinks it's true and thinks they're the only ones who know it.

• "Muscle weighs more than fat." This one, like the brain statistic, is also untrue because a pound of muscle and a pound of fat both weigh exactly 1 pound. What people mean when they say this is that a weight increase is due to them adding muscle, not fat. Which, based on my history of observing people who say this, often seems untrue.

I could go on, but it's almost September. And around here, September and October are the nicest months of the year. If you don't believe me, ask Abraham Lincoln. He was a Republican, who ate tomatoes . . . a fruit!

Reach Brad Stanhope at bradstanhope@hotmail.com.