# In My Humble Opinion **URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/c/in-my-humble-opinion/14.md?page=757 [Latest](https://boards.straightdope.com/latest.md) · [Categories](https://boards.straightdope.com/categories.md) · [Tags](https://boards.straightdope.com/tags.md) **Page:** 758 --- ## [Tell me what you know about Ethiopia](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-what-you-know-about-ethiopia/752811)
**Author:** [@jtur88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jtur88)\ **Replies:** 0\ **Last updated:** [April 21, 2016, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-what-you-know-about-ethiopia/752811 "2016-04-21T13:49:24Z")
I’ll be in Ethiopia for three weeks in Aug-Sept. I haven’t been to Africa in decades, and Ethiopia is very different, culturally and historically, from “Africa”, so what should I expect? I have age (77) and disability … --- ## [Areas of your life where you have failed to be a functioning adult](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/areas-of-your-life-where-you-have-failed-to-be-a-functioning-adult/751261)
**Author:** [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Replies:** 134\ **Last updated:** [April 21, 2016, 1:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/areas-of-your-life-where-you-have-failed-to-be-a-functioning-adult/751261 "2016-04-21T13:03:17Z")
Tools. Most men I know-- my dad, step dad, uncles, etc.-- know exactly where their tools are at all times. Before you can get the second syllable of “hammer” out, they’ll have one in your hand. If someone within a 20 mil… --- ## [Your parent's political affiliation](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-parents-political-affiliation/752535)
**Author:** [@installLSC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/installLSC)\ **Replies:** 42\ **Last updated:** [April 21, 2016, 8:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-parents-political-affiliation/752535 "2016-04-21T08:18:24Z")
I was recently reading a book at the local library on voting patterns, and one book claimed people’s political preferences were usually influenced by their parents. Is this true in your experience? What were your paren… --- ## [Best of the Best (SDMB version)](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-best-sdmb-version/752792)
**Author:** [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Replies:** 3\ **Last updated:** [April 21, 2016, 7:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-best-sdmb-version/752792 "2016-04-21T07:16:20Z")
Given that i started a thread about my least favorite dopers here, I thought it apropos to start one about my favorite dopers. A name can be on here for myriad reasons but overall they make the board a better place for … --- ## [Do you pick up stuff with your feet?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-pick-up-stuff-with-your-feet/752343)
**Author:** [@scabpicker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scabpicker)\ **Replies:** 36\ **Last updated:** [April 21, 2016, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-pick-up-stuff-with-your-feet/752343 "2016-04-21T03:40:05Z")
When I drop things smaller than a beer can, and I’m barefoot, I do. I can pick up things the size of a beer can with my feet, but that’s more work than bending over and grabbing it with my hands. Lighters, hats, anythin… --- ## [Advice for visiting Las Vegas](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advice-for-visiting-las-vegas/752648)
**Author:** [@F.Pu-du-he-pa-as](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/F.Pu-du-he-pa-as)\ **Replies:** 11\ **Last updated:** [April 21, 2016, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advice-for-visiting-las-vegas/752648 "2016-04-21T03:39:55Z")
I’m going to be passing through Las Vegas this summer-- I’m flying into the airport and have an afternoon and evening to kill before one of my friends picks me up and we strike out for the wilderness. I figured I would … --- ## [Teeth and throat pain](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/teeth-and-throat-pain/752730)
**Author:** [@JakeRS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JakeRS)\ **Replies:** 7\ **Last updated:** [April 21, 2016, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/teeth-and-throat-pain/752730 "2016-04-21T02:41:11Z")
So for a few days now I have this weird pain, first it was a sharp pain in all lower teeth on the right side and it was happening only at night when I wanted to sleep (as far as I understood, that’s because the teeth are… --- ## [What are the motivations behind Creationism?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-motivations-behind-creationism/752566)
**Author:** [@MichaelEmouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MichaelEmouse)\ **Replies:** 54\ **Last updated:** [April 21, 2016, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-motivations-behind-creationism/752566 "2016-04-21T02:33:54Z")
Whether it’s psychological, sociological or political motivations, what motivates some religious believers to adhere to Creationism, especially the more preposterous elements like the earth being less than 10 000 years o… --- ## [C 130J crash caused by goggles case blocking controls](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/c-130j-crash-caused-by-goggles-case-blocking-controls/752662)
**Author:** [@Philster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Philster)\ **Replies:** 26\ **Last updated:** [April 21, 2016, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/c-130j-crash-caused-by-goggles-case-blocking-controls/752662 "2016-04-21T02:26:41Z")
I just need the resident aviation experts to chime in with opinions, or expressions of various forms. “The blocking of the flight controls during loading operations is a non-standard procedure,” the report said, “as s… --- ## [How dangerous was your high school?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-dangerous-was-your-high-school/752511)
**Author:** [@Urbanredneck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Urbanredneck)\ **Replies:** 78\ **Last updated:** [April 21, 2016, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-dangerous-was-your-high-school/752511 "2016-04-21T01:53:41Z")
In terms of student violence, how dangerous was your high school? If so what city and time period? Did you have to join a gang for protection? Did you ever bring a weapon to school for protection? --- ## [Advice with work leave of absence](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advice-with-work-leave-of-absence/752592)
**Author:** [@Infovore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Infovore)\ **Replies:** 25\ **Last updated:** [April 21, 2016, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advice-with-work-leave-of-absence/752592 "2016-04-21T00:17:23Z")
My company (which I’ve been working at for coming up on 17 years) has a policy where employees can take unpaid leaves of absence. They don’t guarantee you’ll get your exact job back (or even necessarily a job back, if it… --- ## [Did My Clutch Just Go to Auto Heaven?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-my-clutch-just-go-to-auto-heaven/752600)
**Author:** [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Replies:** 12\ **Last updated:** [April 20, 2016, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-my-clutch-just-go-to-auto-heaven/752600 "2016-04-20T23:52:48Z")
1904 Honda Accord 5-speed. 175,00 miles. Original clutch. Sitting at light, in neutral, light turns, I push clutch pedal down to floor and it goes-CLANK and makes metallic sound and feels weird. I push it in again an… --- ## [Our favorite internet cats](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/our-favorite-internet-cats/752637)
**Author:** [@Don\_t\_Panic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_t_Panic)\ **Replies:** 11\ **Last updated:** [April 20, 2016, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/our-favorite-internet-cats/752637 "2016-04-20T19:37:29Z")
Remember the video from a while back with the lady who saved a kitten from being run over in the middle of an intersection? That clip got a bazillion views, but it doesn’t seem like a whole lot of people are following th… --- ## [Does torture "work?" (poll for Debates thread)](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-torture-work-poll-for-debates-thread/752617)
**Author:** [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Replies:** 57\ **Last updated:** [April 20, 2016, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-torture-work-poll-for-debates-thread/752617 "2016-04-20T19:14:34Z")
Since it’s not possible to post a thread in GD, and since the opinions in the “Torture Doesn’t Work” thread in GD were all over the place, I decided to start a thread here that is just for polling, not really for debatin… --- ## [Why does my back hurt so much?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-my-back-hurt-so-much/752641)
**Author:** [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Replies:** 23\ **Last updated:** [April 20, 2016, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-my-back-hurt-so-much/752641 "2016-04-20T16:25:59Z")
Okay, I guess that’s a dumb question: my back hurts because I’m out of shape, when I was in better shape I only ran and never did much strength work, because I have a toddler who is rapidly getting heavier, because our T… --- ## [Credit card hackers...](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/credit-card-hackers/752664)
**Author:** [@pohjonen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pohjonen)\ **Replies:** 5\ **Last updated:** [April 20, 2016, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/credit-card-hackers/752664 "2016-04-20T16:03:03Z")
Someone got my credit card number somehow and I’m trying to figure out where. I’m not one of those people who uses one for everything, so there aren’t many opportunities to get it stolen. Do the thieves go on an immediat… --- ## [Should I upgrade to Windows 10?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-upgrade-to-windows-10/742371)
**Author:** [@race\_to\_the\_bottom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/race_to_the_bottom)\ **Replies:** 44\ **Last updated:** [April 20, 2016, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-upgrade-to-windows-10/742371 "2016-04-20T14:35:51Z")
We are currently running 7 and are happy. --- ## [Do people really faint from getting bad news?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-really-faint-from-getting-bad-news/692299)
**Author:** [@LC\_Strawhouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LC_Strawhouse)\ **Replies:** 44\ **Last updated:** [April 20, 2016, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-really-faint-from-getting-bad-news/692299 "2016-04-20T13:51:17Z")
I’ve never heard first hand of anyone doing this. Is it actually important to tell people to “sit down”? I’d heard somewhere that fainting during conversation was a Victorian affectation because it was supposed to be a… --- ## [Art as an aid to healing, especially from grief](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/art-as-an-aid-to-healing-especially-from-grief/750129)
**Author:** [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Replies:** 18\ **Last updated:** [April 20, 2016, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/art-as-an-aid-to-healing-especially-from-grief/750129 "2016-04-20T13:23:57Z")
I have a couple of people in my life who have suffered the loss of someone very close, one from a violent accident, the other from a late diagnosis of a brain tumor. Both people have been artists all of their lives. The… --- ## [Can a man releaes semen before ejaculation](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-man-releaes-semen-before-ejaculation/651820)
**Author:** [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Replies:** 18\ **Last updated:** [March 4, 2013, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-man-releaes-semen-before-ejaculation/651820 "2013-03-04T21:57:10Z")
I’m asking for a friend, Joey Joe Joe jr Shabadoo. So if a normal orgasm is a feeling of pleasure and the release of a large amount of semen, what it is where a person can maintain activity for an extended period of time… --- ## [Recommend me a laptop](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-a-laptop/752687)
**Author:** [@iamthewalrus\_3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamthewalrus_3)\ **Replies:** 1\ **Last updated:** [April 20, 2016, 6:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-a-laptop/752687 "2016-04-20T06:47:39Z")
My current laptop is a 2012 Macbook Air. It actually serves my needs pretty well, but is starting to show signs of impending failure. Everything’s backed up, so I’ll probably just wait for it to totally die before replac… --- ## [Should we believe what psychological studies say when their reliablity is so weak?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-we-believe-what-psychological-studies-say-when-their-reliablity-is-so-weak/752434)
**Author:** [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Replies:** 20\ **Last updated:** [April 20, 2016, 5:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-we-believe-what-psychological-studies-say-when-their-reliablity-is-so-weak/752434 "2016-04-20T05:31:40Z")
I ask because of this. One of the pillars of scientific credibility is the ability to reproduce results. If you can’t do that how seriously should the conclusions of the study be taken? A huge amount of money and effor… --- ## [You win the lottery. Which of these activities do you most enjoy?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-win-the-lottery-which-of-these-activities-do-you-most-enjoy/752568)
**Author:** [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Replies:** 38\ **Last updated:** [April 20, 2016, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-win-the-lottery-which-of-these-activities-do-you-most-enjoy/752568 "2016-04-20T02:43:22Z")
Take it that you’ve a life-altering sum – say $100 million – in a state requiring that winners accept their fortune publicly; thus everybody and his brother is gonna know. It seems to me that this will allow you to engag… --- ## [Support groups.](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/support-groups/752605)
**Author:** [@CCitizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CCitizen)\ **Replies:** 26\ **Last updated:** [April 20, 2016, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/support-groups/752605 "2016-04-20T00:24:36Z")
Most people here consider CCitizen to be somewhat strange and few understand his struggles. The same applies to most forums I have been on since '98. In '02 CCitizen found support groups. On one hand most people there… --- ## [damaged guard rail](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damaged-guard-rail/752622)
**Author:** [@turk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/turk)\ **Replies:** 8\ **Last updated:** [April 19, 2016, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damaged-guard-rail/752622 "2016-04-19T21:45:09Z")
I often see signs on the side of the highway saying ‘damaged guard rail ahead’. So, I should … ? --- ## [Is this story \[regarding meeting Jesus\] real?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-story-regarding-meeting-jesus-real/752437)
**Author:** [@protoboard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/protoboard)\ **Replies:** 52\ **Last updated:** [April 19, 2016, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-story-regarding-meeting-jesus-real/752437 "2016-04-19T21:02:43Z")
http://jesus-in-person.blogspot.com/ The details sound pretty convincing, like the nickel-sized wounds (consistent with what we know about the nails used in crucifixion!), but of course it is an extraordinary claim, eve… --- ## [Poll: Basketball Contest - 3 Shots in 60 Seconds for a Prize](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-basketball-contest-3-shots-in-60-seconds-for-a-prize/752320)
**Author:** [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Replies:** 13\ **Last updated:** [April 19, 2016, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-basketball-contest-3-shots-in-60-seconds-for-a-prize/752320 "2016-04-19T20:27:55Z")
If there was a basketball contest and, in order to win a nice prize that you really want, you had to make a foul shot, a 3-point shot, and a half court shot all in 60 seconds, what is the best way to do it to maximize yo… --- ## [If a motivational speaker cites Steve Jobs & Ayn Rand as inspirational leaders is that an issue?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-a-motivational-speaker-cites-steve-jobs-ayn-rand-as-inspirational-leaders-is-that-an-issue/752579)
**Author:** [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Replies:** 14\ **Last updated:** [April 19, 2016, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-a-motivational-speaker-cites-steve-jobs-ayn-rand-as-inspirational-leaders-is-that-an-issue/752579 "2016-04-19T19:14:55Z")
Darren Hardy is a motivational speaker and management has arranged for us to listen to his video presentations. As these kinds of speakers go he is very polished has a good many excellent points re focusing on your busi… --- ## [How accurate is greatschools.org?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-accurate-is-greatschools-org/644048)
**Author:** [@pbbth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pbbth)\ **Replies:** 12\ **Last updated:** [April 19, 2016, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-accurate-is-greatschools-org/644048 "2016-04-19T17:22:56Z")
My husband and I have been researching schools for when the baby gets older and everyone we’ve talked to has said that greatschools.org is the place to go to find out whether a school is going to be acceptable for your c… --- ## [Best shape for dry dog food bowl](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-shape-for-dry-dog-food-bowl/749394)
**Author:** [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Replies:** 27\ **Last updated:** [April 19, 2016, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-shape-for-dry-dog-food-bowl/749394 "2016-04-19T16:24:16Z")
I have two dogs, one large and one medium, and I’m looking for suggestions about the ideal bowl shape to keep them from throwing their crunchies all over the kitchen floor. I was using the standard dog dish shape(not th… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/c/in-my-humble-opinion/14.md?page=756) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/c/in-my-humble-opinion/14.md?page=758)