# Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share **URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/c/miscellaneous-and-personal-stuff-i-must-share/10.md?page=1155 [Latest](https://boards.straightdope.com/latest.md) · [Categories](https://boards.straightdope.com/categories.md) · [Tags](https://boards.straightdope.com/tags.md) **Page:** 1156 --- ## [Got a call at work from a "student" interviewing IT professionals as an "assignment". Scam?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/got-a-call-at-work-from-a-student-interviewing-it-professionals-as-an-assignment-scam/616040)
**Author:** [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Replies:** 40\ **Last updated:** [March 22, 2012, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/got-a-call-at-work-from-a-student-interviewing-it-professionals-as-an-assignment-scam/616040 "2012-03-22T18:03:20Z")
Our receptionist transferred the call to me, apparently he asked to speak to someone in IT. He said that he was a college student and that his professor had given him an assignment to talk to some IT professionals about … --- ## [Deceptively easy math word problems for high school kids](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deceptively-easy-math-word-problems-for-high-school-kids/611563)
**Author:** [@batsto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/batsto)\ **Replies:** 170\ **Last updated:** [March 22, 2012, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deceptively-easy-math-word-problems-for-high-school-kids/611563 "2012-03-22T16:58:18Z")
Anyone know any tricky word problems that a high school kid could be easily fooled by? I’m not looking for difficult math, but rather problems where the wording misleads the student. For example, this one gets a surpris… --- ## [My baby girl is six months old. How is that possible!?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-baby-girl-is-six-months-old-how-is-that-possible/616475)
**Author:** [@Nefarious\_Chipmunk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nefarious_Chipmunk)\ **Replies:** 14\ **Last updated:** [March 22, 2012, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-baby-girl-is-six-months-old-how-is-that-possible/616475 "2012-03-22T15:05:57Z")
It seems like just yesterday that I was posting asking for advice about what to do when she was born and now she is already sitting up on her own and eating grownup food. How did this happen!? Look how big she is! Ple… --- ## [Retail "structures"](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/retail-structures/615849)
**Author:** [@Wheelz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wheelz)\ **Replies:** 38\ **Last updated:** [March 22, 2012, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/retail-structures/615849 "2012-03-22T14:08:19Z")
I can go to a Hut and buy sunglasses, then head over to a Shack for a new radio. When I’m done I can have some pizza at a different Hut, or maybe if I’m craving pancakes I’ll go to a House. What else? --- ## [Skeleton found in attic of Michigan home - is there recent news of this?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/skeleton-found-in-attic-of-michigan-home-is-there-recent-news-of-this/616392)
**Author:** [@X.L.Lent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/X.L.Lent)\ **Replies:** 4\ **Last updated:** [March 22, 2012, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/skeleton-found-in-attic-of-michigan-home-is-there-recent-news-of-this/616392 "2012-03-22T13:50:36Z")
I read this story when it first came out and have heard nothing since. A family discovered a skeleton under the floor of their attic. Link to story here. Apparently, the bones have been there for many decades. It looks… --- ## [My angry letter to Marco Rubio](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-angry-letter-to-marco-rubio/616473)
**Author:** [@Scholar\_Beardpig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scholar_Beardpig)\ **Replies:** 7\ **Last updated:** [March 22, 2012, 10:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-angry-letter-to-marco-rubio/616473 "2012-03-22T10:22:43Z")
(I composed this to my senator, Marco Rubio, after I saw the segment on Thursday’s episode of The Daily Show about UNESCO. I write him a lot of letters; I hope his letter-reading staff gets a kick out of them.) Again w… --- ## [Weird - a dream found my iPod](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-a-dream-found-my-ipod/616474)
**Author:** [@GameHat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GameHat)\ **Replies:** 2\ **Last updated:** [March 22, 2012, 5:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-a-dream-found-my-ipod/616474 "2012-03-22T05:56:58Z")
It’s a running joke (deserved) among my friends: I just cannot keep an iPod. I destroy them all. My iPod history; spoilered to shorten: Anyways, I’m on my 5th ipod here since 2004. I’ve destroyed all previous. And… --- ## [Vancouver BC with child. What to do? What to do?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vancouver-bc-with-child-what-to-do-what-to-do/616398)
**Author:** [@Oly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oly)\ **Replies:** 7\ **Last updated:** [March 22, 2012, 5:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vancouver-bc-with-child-what-to-do-what-to-do/616398 "2012-03-22T05:21:18Z")
Going there for a few days with the missus and 5 year old. Suggestions for what we (as in the little princess and I) can do so the missus can do…whatever it is that she does when we’re not around? --- ## [Do other languages have the equivalent of a "come to Jesus" talk?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-other-languages-have-the-equivalent-of-a-come-to-jesus-talk/616360)
**Author:** [@PandaBear77](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PandaBear77)\ **Replies:** 33\ **Last updated:** [March 22, 2012, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-other-languages-have-the-equivalent-of-a-come-to-jesus-talk/616360 "2012-03-22T03:11:00Z")
So like … do people in India sit down their friends or family for a “come to Ganesh” talk? It doesn’t have to invoke a deity, of course … I wonder though that most languages probably have some kind of expression that de… --- ## [Inventions you've come up with.](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inventions-youve-come-up-with/614943)
**Author:** [@stpauler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stpauler)\ **Replies:** 72\ **Last updated:** [March 21, 2012, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inventions-youve-come-up-with/614943 "2012-03-21T21:28:25Z")
I am an armchair inventor from time to time, aren’t we all? Watching shows like Dragon’s Den/Shark Tank make me realize that I’ll never want to spend that much time or money on a project that just might recoup the amount… --- ## [I will be having a telephone interview!](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-will-be-having-a-telephone-interview/615744)
**Author:** [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Replies:** 28\ **Last updated:** [March 21, 2012, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-will-be-having-a-telephone-interview/615744 "2012-03-21T19:33:09Z")
I will be having a telephone interview tomorrow with this company in Toronto that I really want to work with… technical writer for a place that makes ebook readers… I really wanted to talk to someone there and ask questi… --- ## [Yeah so that happened.](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yeah-so-that-happened/616309)
**Author:** [@jackdavinci](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackdavinci)\ **Replies:** 28\ **Last updated:** [March 21, 2012, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yeah-so-that-happened/616309 "2012-03-21T19:25:07Z")
We had relatives visiting this weekend and they were staying at my Aunt Lily’s house. Everyone was getting together for a birthday party there. It was a new house I hadn’t been to before so I got a little lost when the … --- ## [Shameless self-promotion](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shameless-self-promotion/616341)
**Author:** [@cainxinth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cainxinth)\ **Replies:** 5\ **Last updated:** [March 21, 2012, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shameless-self-promotion/616341 "2012-03-21T18:27:06Z")
Just an idea, but it would be nice if there was a place where people could post and discuss their blogs. --- ## [How to play a practical joke on a squirrel](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-play-a-practical-joke-on-a-squirrel/616285)
**Author:** [@Jenaroph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jenaroph)\ **Replies:** 29\ **Last updated:** [March 21, 2012, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-play-a-practical-joke-on-a-squirrel/616285 "2012-03-21T18:02:42Z")
We took advantage of the warm weather today to start work on the balcony outside the kitchen door. It’s something close to 40 years old, and while solidly built and still ostensibly safe, it needs work. We have grey squi… --- ## [Isaac Asimov predicts the Internet](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/isaac-asimov-predicts-the-internet/616154)
**Author:** [@rbroome](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rbroome)\ **Replies:** 16\ **Last updated:** [March 21, 2012, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/isaac-asimov-predicts-the-internet/616154 "2012-03-21T16:45:31Z")
I am rereading Dr. Asimov’s “The Complete Stories”- a collection of Asimov’s short stories. One story quite surprised me: “All the Troubles of the World” written in 1958. The story revolves around the largest industry in… --- ## [How's Your Town's War of 1812 Bicentennial Celebration Going?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hows-your-towns-war-of-1812-bicentennial-celebration-going/616252)
**Author:** [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Replies:** 24\ **Last updated:** [March 21, 2012, 6:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hows-your-towns-war-of-1812-bicentennial-celebration-going/616252 "2012-03-21T06:43:07Z")
I volnteered to serve as my town’s 1812 War Commoration Coordinator-but nobody seems interested. Is your town doing anything? --- ## [Online Sellers Offering Bargains - Why?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/online-sellers-offering-bargains-why/615435)
**Author:** [@GreenElf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreenElf)\ **Replies:** 9\ **Last updated:** [March 21, 2012, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/online-sellers-offering-bargains-why/615435 "2012-03-21T02:56:54Z")
Why do you think some online sellers offer bargains that are too good to be true? Are there really some saints out there, or do they all just not have a clue? I ordered a dirt cheap copy of an out-of-print card deck. May… --- ## [Ciudado! Las Llamas!](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ciudado-las-llamas/616338)
**Author:** [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Replies:** 14\ **Last updated:** [March 21, 2012, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ciudado-las-llamas/616338 "2012-03-21T02:30:28Z")
True Story, swear to pasta. Last summer I was “swimming” with my “friends” in a “tributary of the Amazon River.” A good time was being had by all, there were no “piranhas” in sight, the “water” was “cool” and a delight… --- ## [Save $58K on $145K watch on Amazon. Read the feedback. They are priceless!](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/save-58k-on-145k-watch-on-amazon-read-the-feedback-they-are-priceless/614410)
**Author:** [@I\_Know\_Nothing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_Know_Nothing)\ **Replies:** 50\ **Last updated:** [March 20, 2012, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/save-58k-on-145k-watch-on-amazon-read-the-feedback-they-are-priceless/614410 "2012-03-20T23:36:12Z")
Someone linked to this on jeepforums and just thought I’d share this little gem here. The reviews are hilarious. A few little excerpts: “I wasn’t going to buy this watch, but then I noticed Amazon had it with $58,000 … --- ## [Ask the girl doing in-vitro fertilization (IVF)](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-girl-doing-in-vitro-fertilization-ivf/610512)
**Author:** [@EmAnJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EmAnJ)\ **Replies:** 182\ **Last updated:** [March 20, 2012, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-girl-doing-in-vitro-fertilization-ivf/610512 "2012-03-20T21:31:26Z")
I have previously done an Ask the girl doing intrauterine insemination thread, however the IUI’s obviously never worked. We also have had Ask the guy whose wife just went through in-vitro fertilization. I am sure there … --- ## [Had my first-ever experience looking at engagement rings!](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/had-my-first-ever-experience-looking-at-engagement-rings/616320)
**Author:** [@xanthous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xanthous)\ **Replies:** 2\ **Last updated:** [March 20, 2012, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/had-my-first-ever-experience-looking-at-engagement-rings/616320 "2012-03-20T15:29:46Z")
BF and I have been talking about getting married in the next year or so and it feels good and right to both of us, but he’s too scared to try and pick a ring on his own, so we went out for our first adventure in window s… --- ## [You know you should've chosen another skiing guide when...](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-know-you-shouldve-chosen-another-skiing-guide-when/616292)
**Author:** [@Norse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Norse)\ **Replies:** 0\ **Last updated:** [March 20, 2012, 6:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-know-you-shouldve-chosen-another-skiing-guide-when/616292 "2012-03-20T06:46:48Z")
he takes you up on a mountain whose name means “the deadly mountain” in the local language, during avalanche season, under conditions when all the locals stay the hell away from that area, and he sends you down a slope w… --- ## [Direct Air pulls the plug](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/direct-air-pulls-the-plug/616121)
**Author:** [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Replies:** 9\ **Last updated:** [March 20, 2012, 5:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/direct-air-pulls-the-plug/616121 "2012-03-20T05:54:53Z")
I was catching up on family news and the subject of Direct Air’s bankruptcy came up. (My brother had tickets for an upcoming flight via them.) Apparently the announcement that they were going out of business was sudden.… --- ## [What is "gay face"?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-gay-face/616217)
**Author:** [@grude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grude)\ **Replies:** 19\ **Last updated:** [March 20, 2012, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-gay-face/616217 "2012-03-20T02:42:54Z")
So I was reading about Jason Russell masturbating in public and people in the comments imply he is actually gay and has a “gay face”. So the dude I dunno looks like a aspiring actor and is definitely in shape, so what t… --- ## [Match Day!](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/match-day/616004)
**Author:** [@audiobottle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/audiobottle)\ **Replies:** 27\ **Last updated:** [March 20, 2012, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/match-day/616004 "2012-03-20T01:34:43Z")
It’s Match Day today! This is the day that 4th year medical students all over the country find out where they will be going for residency. It’s a pretty huge day, and each school has their own traditions/celebrations. My… --- ## [We wanna be Pirates not corporate drones!](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-wanna-be-pirates-not-corporate-drones/615900)
**Author:** [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Replies:** 15\ **Last updated:** [March 19, 2012, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-wanna-be-pirates-not-corporate-drones/615900 "2012-03-19T18:47:18Z")
There was this charmingly weird Pirate themed bar in Silver Spring that I guess didn’t make much money, so they went on a show that makes over bars. The show turned them into a corporate themed bar (?) with fake cubicle… --- ## [An Anti-Pit: WhyNot is Awesome](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-anti-pit-whynot-is-awesome/615751)
**Author:** [@Dr.Drake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Drake)\ **Replies:** 40\ **Last updated:** [March 19, 2012, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-anti-pit-whynot-is-awesome/615751 "2012-03-19T13:17:27Z")
I was reading the pit and came across another brilliant post by WhyNot (this one). I learn a lot here, and there are other posters of whom I’m a fan, but nobody else has such a consistently good balance of specific knowl… --- ## [This guy's face creeps me the hell out](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-guys-face-creeps-me-the-hell-out/608683)
**Author:** [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Replies:** 76\ **Last updated:** [March 19, 2012, 12:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-guys-face-creeps-me-the-hell-out/608683 "2012-03-19T12:17:02Z")
Robert Filner may be a great guy and a fantastic congressman, but - at least in his official portrait - he gives me the heebie-jeebies. I think if they decide to bring back the Joker in future Batman movies, this guy sh… --- ## [Encyclopedia Britannica stops printing](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/encyclopedia-britannica-stops-printing/615708)
**Author:** [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)\ **Replies:** 54\ **Last updated:** [March 19, 2012, 11:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/encyclopedia-britannica-stops-printing/615708 "2012-03-19T11:52:25Z")
There will be no more printed editions of the Encyclopedia Britannica. Henceforth, it will be online only. Only 8,000 sets were sold of the final 2010 edition. Top sales were in 1990, when they sold 120,000. I’m surp… --- ## [Neutrinos break speed of light](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neutrinos-break-speed-of-light/597267)
**Author:** [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Replies:** 82\ **Last updated:** [March 19, 2012, 9:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neutrinos-break-speed-of-light/597267 "2012-03-19T09:01:57Z")
According to this Reuters article, so say scientists. They shot neutrinos from CERN near Geneva to Gran Sasso Italy and the particles traveled the distance 60 nanoseconds faster than light would have. Kinda interesting,… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/c/miscellaneous-and-personal-stuff-i-must-share/10.md?page=1154) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/c/miscellaneous-and-personal-stuff-i-must-share/10.md?page=1156)