# In My Humble Opinion **URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/c/in-my-humble-opinion/14.md?page=283 [Latest](https://boards.straightdope.com/latest.md) · [Categories](https://boards.straightdope.com/categories.md) · [Tags](https://boards.straightdope.com/tags.md) **Page:** 284 --- ## [Where are you buying your Christmas cards from this year?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-are-you-buying-your-christmas-cards-from-this-year/927240)
**Author:** [@ekedolphin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ekedolphin)\ **Replies:** 3\ **Last updated:** [December 14, 2020, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-are-you-buying-your-christmas-cards-from-this-year/927240 "2020-12-14T22:39:04Z")
I have about 15 people I’m mailing out cards to, and this year I’m doing something special and not buying from a retail store, but from the makers of one of my favorite webcomics, the OzFoxes. The FoxWeb Cat-alog The o… --- ## [The Ten Commandments & a Menorah](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ten-commandments-a-menorah/927832)
**Author:** [@TRC4941](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TRC4941)\ **Replies:** 16\ **Last updated:** [December 14, 2020, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ten-commandments-a-menorah/927832 "2020-12-14T16:15:47Z")
About 16 years ago the Civil Liberties Union filed a lawsuit with our fair city to force the removal of a granite Ten Commandments display from the lawn of City Hall. It had been donated by a youth group in 1957. The mon… --- ## [Your Christmas tree light hanging method?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-christmas-tree-light-hanging-method/927922)
**Author:** [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Replies:** 5\ **Last updated:** [December 14, 2020, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-christmas-tree-light-hanging-method/927922 "2020-12-14T16:11:38Z")
Hanging lights on the Christmas tree. Where do you start? How do you go from there? How many strings do you use? Do you start at the top and spiral down? Start at the bottom and spiral up? Do you just hang near the end… --- ## [2020 Time Person of the Year: Is there any debate?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2020-time-person-of-the-year-is-there-any-debate/855194)
**Author:** [@russian\_heel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/russian_heel)\ **Replies:** 143\ **Last updated:** [December 14, 2020, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2020-time-person-of-the-year-is-there-any-debate/855194 "2020-12-14T15:25:02Z")
To me it is obviously George Floyd. OK who is in second place? Nominations: Dr. Fauci Joe Biden Mitt Romney General Mattis --- ## [What exactly qualifies as blackface? What forms are offensive and why?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-exactly-qualifies-as-blackface-what-forms-are-offensive-and-why/828848)
**Author:** [@Littleman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Littleman)\ **Replies:** 435\ **Last updated:** [December 13, 2020, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-exactly-qualifies-as-blackface-what-forms-are-offensive-and-why/828848 "2020-12-13T16:48:54Z")
I understand the stereotyping associated with the old minstrel shows and why the strictly defined blackface as a genre was so racist but I’m struggling to understand how examples like these qualify as blackface or why th… --- ## [Chicago renters' rights: non-smoking building](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chicago-renters-rights-non-smoking-building/927927)
**Author:** [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Replies:** 11\ **Last updated:** [December 13, 2020, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chicago-renters-rights-non-smoking-building/927927 "2020-12-13T14:43:00Z")
I rent an apartment in what is ostensibly a smoke free building. The lease mentions this explicitly. My downstairs neighbor smokes inside, and the smoke enters my apartment somehow. Cracks, vents, who knows. It disturbs … --- ## [Why is pessimism considered the same as not \*wanting\* to win?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-pessimism-considered-the-same-as-not-wanting-to-win/927929)
**Author:** [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Replies:** 12\ **Last updated:** [December 13, 2020, 6:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-pessimism-considered-the-same-as-not-wanting-to-win/927929 "2020-12-13T06:41:35Z")
Whether it’s voters, or sports fans, I’ve noticed that if someone says “I don’t think we will win,” he or she will usually then get blasted by people who accuse him/her of not wanting to win, or in fact actually being fr… --- ## [What percentage of revolutions actually improve things?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-percentage-of-revolutions-actually-improve-things/927402)
**Author:** [@DemonTree](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DemonTree)\ **Replies:** 73\ **Last updated:** [December 13, 2020, 5:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-percentage-of-revolutions-actually-improve-things/927402 "2020-12-13T05:59:39Z")
I’m thinking the American revolution turned out pretty well. The French, not so much. Several of the ‘Arab Spring’ movements seem to have made things worse. Can we decide which were on balance improvements and what the p… --- ## [Another "what is it?"](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-what-is-it/927938)
**Author:** [@John\_Bredin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Bredin)\ **Replies:** 9\ **Last updated:** [December 13, 2020, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-what-is-it/927938 "2020-12-13T04:38:19Z")
So this morning I was watching trains on a live webcam when something or someone unusual got off the train. Here’s the video. Go to 11:57:40 and pay attention to the open door closest to the camera. Who or what gets of… --- ## [Anyone work with nuclear weapons?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-work-with-nuclear-weapons/927382)
**Author:** [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Replies:** 49\ **Last updated:** [December 13, 2020, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-work-with-nuclear-weapons/927382 "2020-12-13T01:16:01Z")
In a plane , silo, sub , etc? I wonder what kind of extra rules they have? Now or in the past. Know a guy who was Air Force and he had to go into silos to check radios. They had a long list and it was common t… --- ## [Who is the most famous non-fictional Belgian? (updated)](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-most-famous-non-fictional-belgian-updated/924651)
**Author:** [@DaphneBlack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DaphneBlack)\ **Replies:** 96\ **Last updated:** [December 12, 2020, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-most-famous-non-fictional-belgian-updated/924651 "2020-12-12T21:20:21Z")
I posted this question 6 years ago but after running it by my Fb circle this year again I thought it was time for a renewed look at this important question for our time. The most famous Belgians, of course, are two famo… --- ## [Older cat suddenly starts smelling bad and is far more lethagic, is it close to dying?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/older-cat-suddenly-starts-smelling-bad-and-is-far-more-lethagic-is-it-close-to-dying/927361)
**Author:** [@Asuka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asuka)\ **Replies:** 28\ **Last updated:** [December 12, 2020, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/older-cat-suddenly-starts-smelling-bad-and-is-far-more-lethagic-is-it-close-to-dying/927361 "2020-12-12T20:29:52Z")
My 12 year old cat who even last week was still fairly active and was fully able to jump onto my bed has suddenly become incredibly lethargic, refusing to move from her cat bed for the past two days and she now smells ba… --- ## [Can you identify this metal?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-identify-this-metal/927854)
**Author:** [@Roderick\_Femm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roderick_Femm)\ **Replies:** 7\ **Last updated:** [December 12, 2020, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-identify-this-metal/927854 "2020-12-12T15:02:38Z")
The case of an old machinist’s tool chest is covered with this metal, which in its turn is covered with years’ worth of dirt and possibly corrosion and rust. The photos show one side of the “door” of the chest, partially… --- ## [Is this instance of the word 'girls' hate speech?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-instance-of-the-word-girls-hate-speech/927239)
**Author:** [@Max\_S](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_S)\ **Replies:** 119\ **Last updated:** [December 11, 2020, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-instance-of-the-word-girls-hate-speech/927239 "2020-12-11T19:42:29Z")
I was catching up on my notifications when I saw this in ATMB, quoted from some other topic as an example of hate speech: poll ~Max --- ## [Is listening to people talk about their tattoos the most boring topic ever at public events?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-listening-to-people-talk-about-their-tattoos-the-most-boring-topic-ever-at-public-events/926768)
**Author:** [@Asuka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asuka)\ **Replies:** 65\ **Last updated:** [December 11, 2020, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-listening-to-people-talk-about-their-tattoos-the-most-boring-topic-ever-at-public-events/926768 "2020-12-11T18:42:41Z")
Whenever I’m at a party or public function and someone in the group points out someone’s tattoos and asks them about it, that to me in the most banal conversation because it inevitably results in said person related the … --- ## [Slippery slope vs the Ratchet Effect](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slippery-slope-vs-the-ratchet-effect/926703)
**Author:** [@FigNorton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FigNorton)\ **Replies:** 30\ **Last updated:** [December 11, 2020, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slippery-slope-vs-the-ratchet-effect/926703 "2020-12-11T18:20:38Z")
So, I’m not a fan of “logical fallacies” calls being used as a debate tactic in general. But one that bugs me most is “slippery slope”. I think slippery slopes happen, both for good and ill. I think the studied concept o… --- ## [5 year old not displaying handedness and potential learning delay](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/5-year-old-not-displaying-handedness-and-potential-learning-delay/927662)
**Author:** [@sitchensis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sitchensis)\ **Replies:** 19\ **Last updated:** [December 11, 2020, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/5-year-old-not-displaying-handedness-and-potential-learning-delay/927662 "2020-12-11T15:20:17Z")
My son is 5. He has yet to really display a true handedness. We’ve known for a while and have been watching but mostly letting nature take it’s course. Now we are looking at kindergarten in 9 months and realizing that h… --- ## [Towing a vehicle (Toad) behind an RV](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/towing-a-vehicle-toad-behind-an-rv/927764)
**Author:** [@Stana\_Claus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stana_Claus)\ **Replies:** 7\ **Last updated:** [December 11, 2020, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/towing-a-vehicle-toad-behind-an-rv/927764 "2020-12-11T13:25:47Z")
Spinoff from this thread. One of the recommendations was to use a Class A or Class C RV and tow a smaller vehicle (called a Toad in RV lingo) for local transportation after setting up camp. But way back in the days whe… --- ## [Will airline prices go up if the vaccine is wide-spread? Will the vaccine be mandatory?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-airline-prices-go-up-if-the-vaccine-is-wide-spread-will-the-vaccine-be-mandatory/927545)
**Author:** [@dummygladhands71](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dummygladhands71)\ **Replies:** 11\ **Last updated:** [December 11, 2020, 6:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-airline-prices-go-up-if-the-vaccine-is-wide-spread-will-the-vaccine-be-mandatory/927545 "2020-12-11T06:06:39Z")
So it’s me, with 3 vouchers for COVID cancelled trips. Now I am being urged to book my flights for the same events rescheduled in 2021 because “the prices will go up once the vaccine is widespread, buy now!!” And in you… --- ## [How do you think Covid would have played out pre-internet?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-think-covid-would-have-played-out-pre-internet/927716)
**Author:** [@Quintas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quintas)\ **Replies:** 5\ **Last updated:** [December 10, 2020, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-think-covid-would-have-played-out-pre-internet/927716 "2020-12-10T18:53:58Z")
Maybe not even pre internet, just pre widespread broadband and the software to facilitate working at home.(I know there are still lots of people unable to work at home) But if this had happened in say 1995. I’ve been a… --- ## [Planning to Buy a Car on Carvana.com](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/planning-to-buy-a-car-on-carvana-com/925630)
**Author:** [@mandala](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mandala)\ **Replies:** 20\ **Last updated:** [December 10, 2020, 10:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/planning-to-buy-a-car-on-carvana-com/925630 "2020-12-10T10:51:12Z")
I am planning to buy a car on Carvana.com. It will be a Nissan Altima, Platinum trim. There are many choices on Carvana, including a few intriguing ones I want your opinion about. So basically, the used Platinum trim Alt… --- ## [Have there been any examples of frivolous lawsuits that somehow won?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-there-been-any-examples-of-frivolous-lawsuits-that-somehow-won/926884)
**Author:** [@Asuka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asuka)\ **Replies:** 9\ **Last updated:** [December 10, 2020, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-there-been-any-examples-of-frivolous-lawsuits-that-somehow-won/926884 "2020-12-10T01:37:45Z")
I know frivolous seems to entail they were impossible to actually win but I’m curious if it has happened. I’m looking more for cases that were actually frivolous than cases on their face seemed frivolous to the layman (T… --- ## [Opinion on Asian Customs](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/opinion-on-asian-customs/925652)
**Author:** [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Replies:** 140\ **Last updated:** [December 9, 2020, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/opinion-on-asian-customs/925652 "2020-12-09T23:20:09Z")
I was browsing in the bookstore yesterday and picked up a delightful book by Yang Liu - a graphic artist who lives in Berlin. It was called Man Meets Woman and cleverly, hilariously underscores gender differences. She … --- ## [Insect eggs on garden greens?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/insect-eggs-on-garden-greens/927578)
**Author:** [@Orville\_mogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Orville_mogul)\ **Replies:** 8\ **Last updated:** [December 9, 2020, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/insect-eggs-on-garden-greens/927578 "2020-12-09T21:32:44Z")
Summer 2020 is already a distant memory and we have taken out the last of the plants from the vegetable garden. All that is left is the kale. Last year this served us all though the winter into the spring. This year I h… --- ## [When did hitting your wife cease to be "a thing"? (anglosphere-specific question)](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-hitting-your-wife-cease-to-be-a-thing-anglosphere-specific-question/924491)
**Author:** [@themapleleaf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/themapleleaf)\ **Replies:** 51\ **Last updated:** [December 9, 2020, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-hitting-your-wife-cease-to-be-a-thing-anglosphere-specific-question/924491 "2020-12-09T20:36:14Z")
One of the various (and arguably most significant) achievements of the womens’ liberation movement is the fact that physical domination of one’s wife, including by means of corporal punishment and other physical attacks,… --- ## [Is my water softener working?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-my-water-softener-working/926040)
**Author:** [@Orville\_mogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Orville_mogul)\ **Replies:** 9\ **Last updated:** [December 9, 2020, 11:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-my-water-softener-working/926040 "2020-12-09T11:59:25Z")
We have a water softener in our house (ion exchange) to soften our rather hard drinking water (we live near a limestone mountain range). The softened water is for the hot water only. However I have noticed that we still … --- ## [Dopers with parents of opposite politics/religion......how did they do it?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dopers-with-parents-of-opposite-politics-religion-how-did-they-do-it/927314)
**Author:** [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Replies:** 10\ **Last updated:** [December 9, 2020, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dopers-with-parents-of-opposite-politics-religion-how-did-they-do-it/927314 "2020-12-09T03:11:20Z")
My parents are/were carbon copies of each other in politics and religious views. They may have disagreed on other things, but in these two aspects they were identical. For Dopers who grew up with opposite parents (maybe… --- ## [Tell me about fifth wheels](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-fifth-wheels/926737)
**Author:** [@lobotomyboy63](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lobotomyboy63)\ **Replies:** 61\ **Last updated:** [December 9, 2020, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-fifth-wheels/926737 "2020-12-09T00:22:19Z")
Mrs. L and I hope to take a break from work sometime in the next few years. If all goes to plan we’ll get a truck, pull a trailer and explore. I was thinking about a camper, maybe 20 feet long and connecting at the bum… --- ## [Home fitness: Peloton or The Mirror. Any opinions?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/home-fitness-peloton-or-the-mirror-any-opinions/927247)
**Author:** [@Icarus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Icarus)\ **Replies:** 11\ **Last updated:** [December 8, 2020, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/home-fitness-peloton-or-the-mirror-any-opinions/927247 "2020-12-08T20:43:55Z")
I’m thinking of getting my spouse a trendy interactive home fitness thingy for Christmas. Our kid out east just got a Peloton bike, so there is some heightened enthusiasm for such things in our house. I’ve heard my spo… --- ## [In your experience how close to full grown is a 5-month-old kitten?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-your-experience-how-close-to-full-grown-is-a-5-month-old-kitten/927150)
**Author:** [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Replies:** 10\ **Last updated:** [December 8, 2020, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-your-experience-how-close-to-full-grown-is-a-5-month-old-kitten/927150 "2020-12-08T20:00:12Z")
I’m getting a little confused about how big Poe is going to be. He’s a Maine Coon kitten, and will be five months old tomorrow. This picture is 3 weeks old - I mostly have blurry more recent photos because he’s an activ… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/c/in-my-humble-opinion/14.md?page=282) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/c/in-my-humble-opinion/14.md?page=284)