# Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share **URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/c/miscellaneous-and-personal-stuff-i-must-share/10.md?page=957 [Latest](https://boards.straightdope.com/latest.md) · [Categories](https://boards.straightdope.com/categories.md) · [Tags](https://boards.straightdope.com/tags.md) **Page:** 958 --- ## [I'm goin' on a(n antique) plane ride!](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-goin-on-a-n-antique-plane-ride/662852)
**Author:** [@LawMonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LawMonkey)\ **Replies:** 12\ **Last updated:** [July 15, 2013, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-goin-on-a-n-antique-plane-ride/662852 "2013-07-15T14:59:13Z")
Earlier this evening, I had to run out to Target to pick up a few things. For some reason, Stephen Fry (my GPS) decided I ought to go to a rather distant Target. As it turned out, Mr. Fry had my best interests at heart… --- ## [The hot and soggy MMP](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hot-and-soggy-mmp/662929)
**Author:** [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Replies:** 370\ **Last updated:** [July 15, 2013, 11:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hot-and-soggy-mmp/662929 "2013-07-15T11:17:29Z")
Isn’t this quite the summer? Extremes in heat and rain all over the place - some getting both! That’s all I’ve got - just a random observation. So tell us all something random. Maybe this week’s theme can be conversa… --- ## [India Will STOP Its Telegram Service](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/india-will-stop-its-telegram-service/663368)
**Author:** [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Replies:** 17\ **Last updated:** [July 15, 2013, 11:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/india-will-stop-its-telegram-service/663368 "2013-07-15T11:10:25Z")
And it’s the last one in the world apparently, or at least the last major one. The last telegram will be sent on Monday. Stories here and here. “… young lovers sent them to tell their folks that they had eloped.” I can … --- ## [Cicada Invasion Update](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cicada-invasion-update/663499)
**Author:** [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Replies:** 2\ **Last updated:** [July 15, 2013, 7:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cicada-invasion-update/663499 "2013-07-15T07:30:07Z")
I just had a walk in the woods…I heard a few lonely cicadas…buzzing away. This was supposed to be a massive crop-what happened? I seem to remember hearing many more of these when I was a kid-are these insects in declin… --- ## ["Take the Impossible “Literacy” Test Louisiana Gave Black Voters in the 1960s"](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/take-the-impossible-literacy-test-louisiana-gave-black-voters-in-the-1960s/663439)
**Author:** [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Replies:** 41\ **Last updated:** [July 15, 2013, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/take-the-impossible-literacy-test-louisiana-gave-black-voters-in-the-1960s/663439 "2013-07-15T00:13:01Z")
This is amazing. The level of cynical corruption inherent in this test is stunning. The test is doable if you are reasonably well educated and read quickly, but imagine someone without an elementary school education bei… --- ## [Until Tomorrow I'm Stepping Back From The Keyboard](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/until-tomorrow-im-stepping-back-from-the-keyboard/663369)
**Author:** [@Zeke\_N.Destroi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeke_N.Destroi)\ **Replies:** 30\ **Last updated:** [July 14, 2013, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/until-tomorrow-im-stepping-back-from-the-keyboard/663369 "2013-07-14T16:19:39Z")
if this is the wrong place to post then please move it to where it belongs Apologies to all whom I’m currently engaged in discussion with but I must withdraw for the night. Bachus is interfering with coherency and I’m … --- ## [Zimmerman-Martin Trial - The Verdict is in!](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zimmerman-martin-trial-the-verdict-is-in/663445)
**Author:** [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Replies:** 50\ **Last updated:** [July 14, 2013, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zimmerman-martin-trial-the-verdict-is-in/663445 "2013-07-14T14:14:59Z")
Here it comes … (watching CNN) Not Guilty! --- ## ["Russia says it will arrest openly-gay tourists"](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-says-it-will-arrest-openly-gay-tourists/663326)
**Author:** [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Replies:** 53\ **Last updated:** [July 14, 2013, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-says-it-will-arrest-openly-gay-tourists/663326 "2013-07-14T13:57:52Z")
Link This could cause problems for visiting athletes during the '14 Winter Olympics in Sochi. Meanwhile, the Brazilians are courting gay tourists for the '14 World Cup and the '16 Summer Olympics… --- ## [What was the last river you crossed?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-last-river-you-crossed/662273)
**Author:** [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Replies:** 173\ **Last updated:** [July 14, 2013, 12:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-last-river-you-crossed/662273 "2013-07-14T12:52:36Z")
For purposes of this discussion, your river may be real or imagined, geographic or metaphoric. I’ll start things off with the Guadalupe River. I drive or ride over it on my bike almost every day. It’s a rather sad excu… --- ## [Pronunciationbook theories](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronunciationbook-theories/663448)
**Author:** [@DaveBfd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DaveBfd)\ **Replies:** 1\ **Last updated:** [July 14, 2013, 9:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronunciationbook-theories/663448 "2013-07-14T09:34:03Z")
So there is this youtube channel called pronunciation book that pronounces words for people, such as Audi or Haute Couture. A while ago he started uploading odd videos and switched to phrases, such as Colours. Now, he … --- ## [Parliamentary democracy in action ... Aussie style](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/parliamentary-democracy-in-action-aussie-style/544228)
**Author:** [@penultima\_thule](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/penultima_thule)\ **Replies:** 160\ **Last updated:** [July 14, 2013, 4:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/parliamentary-democracy-in-action-aussie-style/544228 "2013-07-14T04:59:53Z")
There’s a reasonable chance that tomorrow Australia will have a new Prime Minister, and it’s first female leader since Federation at the start of last century. Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard locked in leadership talks Th… --- ## [Baby Wigs - vanity starts early these days.](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baby-wigs-vanity-starts-early-these-days/663374)
**Author:** [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Replies:** 5\ **Last updated:** [July 14, 2013, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baby-wigs-vanity-starts-early-these-days/663374 "2013-07-14T03:46:26Z")
Whats next? Baby makeup and high heels? Seems a bit silly to me. But people are buying these things. --- ## [CSIRO radio telescope detects 4 high intensity, 1ms bursts 11B LY away](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/csiro-radio-telescope-detects-4-high-intensity-1ms-bursts-11b-ly-away/663443)
**Author:** [@deltasigma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/deltasigma)\ **Replies:** 2\ **Last updated:** [July 14, 2013, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/csiro-radio-telescope-detects-4-high-intensity-1ms-bursts-11b-ly-away/663443 "2013-07-14T03:39:12Z")
This is pretty exciting since there may be one of these occurring every 10 seconds and they can put out as much energy in one millisecond as the sun does in 300,000 years. It’s especially so since no one has any idea wha… --- ## [She really \_\_\_\_\_\_\_s my \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_!](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/she-really-_______s-my-_________/663298)
**Author:** [@drewtwo99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewtwo99)\ **Replies:** 13\ **Last updated:** [July 14, 2013, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/she-really-_______s-my-_________/663298 "2013-07-14T01:37:35Z")
What’s your favorite way to say you really like someone, of the following form: She really butters my biscuit! He really bakes my potato! She really Rogers my Hammerstein! …now it’s your turn! --- ## [Just for fun...xkcd](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-for-fun-xkcd/663437)
**Author:** [@Qwakkeddup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qwakkeddup)\ **Replies:** 5\ **Last updated:** [July 14, 2013, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-for-fun-xkcd/663437 "2013-07-14T00:54:38Z")
On a whim, I scanned it. --- ## [Cool photo- airplane propeller strobe effect](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cool-photo-airplane-propeller-strobe-effect/663400)
**Author:** [@Bumbershoot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bumbershoot)\ **Replies:** 6\ **Last updated:** [July 13, 2013, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cool-photo-airplane-propeller-strobe-effect/663400 "2013-07-13T22:34:37Z")
A friend of mine is a pilot (he flies a King Air 350). A few days ago he took this photo which I thought was pretty cool. I asked if I could post it here and he said yes. So here it is! --- ## [I just had to say goodbye to my dog...](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-had-to-say-goodbye-to-my-dog/663395)
**Author:** [@Charley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Charley)\ **Replies:** 4\ **Last updated:** [July 13, 2013, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-had-to-say-goodbye-to-my-dog/663395 "2013-07-13T22:01:41Z")
I know we have a lot of threads on similar lines, but I just had to say goodbye to my lovely 6 year old Henry, the stupidest, softest and friendliest chocolate labrador in the world. I posted a couple of months ago aski… --- ## [Lawyer Dopers: Is there something to be said for brevity?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lawyer-dopers-is-there-something-to-be-said-for-brevity/658535)
**Author:** [@UltraVires](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UltraVires)\ **Replies:** 30\ **Last updated:** [July 13, 2013, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lawyer-dopers-is-there-something-to-be-said-for-brevity/658535 "2013-07-13T15:18:59Z")
As some of you know, I will be a lawyer later this year. I’ve had experience in the courts and seen some long briefs and heard long arguments. IMHO, judges and especially juries don’t want to hear the kitchen sink type… --- ## [This is a weird, weird, weird, weird Kickstarter campaign](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-a-weird-weird-weird-weird-kickstarter-campaign/663300)
**Author:** [@stpauler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stpauler)\ **Replies:** 13\ **Last updated:** [July 13, 2013, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-a-weird-weird-weird-weird-kickstarter-campaign/663300 "2013-07-13T14:39:47Z")
OK, adjust your thinking belts as this one is going to hurt your brain. It’s the Dominoker Game. What should be just another innocuous game, turns into this mathematical insanity sidled up to a pyramid scheme. Don’t take… --- ## [Question about British English and some lack of "the" and "a"?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-british-english-and-some-lack-of-the-and-a/661734)
**Author:** [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Replies:** 98\ **Last updated:** [July 13, 2013, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-british-english-and-some-lack-of-the-and-a/661734 "2013-07-13T14:16:55Z")
So I’ve come across a certain construction of sentences by British English writers that jumped out at me as an American reader, phrases like “he just got out of hospital” and “she’s going to university.” I realize (just… --- ## [How the HELL do I stop Firefox's frequent CPU spikes?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-the-hell-do-i-stop-firefoxs-frequent-cpu-spikes/663108)
**Author:** [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Replies:** 20\ **Last updated:** [July 13, 2013, 9:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-the-hell-do-i-stop-firefoxs-frequent-cpu-spikes/663108 "2013-07-13T09:56:02Z")
As far as I can tell, I’m not doing anything that would cause it to suddenly use 90%+ CPU (from 8-12%) every 30 seconds or so. My CPU usage graph looks like the goddamn stock market, and I’m really getting tired of it. … --- ## [Gay men will try to give blood Friday to protest federal ban on such donations](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gay-men-will-try-to-give-blood-friday-to-protest-federal-ban-on-such-donations/663263)
**Author:** [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Replies:** 42\ **Last updated:** [July 13, 2013, 7:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gay-men-will-try-to-give-blood-friday-to-protest-federal-ban-on-such-donations/663263 "2013-07-13T07:35:03Z")
"Gay men plan to offer to donate their blood in Des Moines Friday, but they expect to be turned away. The downtown LifeServe Blood Center is among 53 sites nationally to be targeted for a “gay blood drive.” The effort i… --- ## [Twister inventer passes away](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/twister-inventer-passes-away/663276)
**Author:** [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Replies:** 7\ **Last updated:** [July 13, 2013, 5:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/twister-inventer-passes-away/663276 "2013-07-13T05:46:04Z")
From here: --- ## [Come on rain, you can do it. Reallyl you can come down!](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/come-on-rain-you-can-do-it-reallyl-you-can-come-down/663189)
**Author:** [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Replies:** 32\ **Last updated:** [July 13, 2013, 5:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/come-on-rain-you-can-do-it-reallyl-you-can-come-down/663189 "2013-07-13T05:22:58Z")
Things are already getting bad here in Arkansas. We’ve had unusually mild weather the past 2 weeks, but no rain in 6 weeks. Yard is starting to get some brown patches. If you really, really want to make it rain. First… --- ## [My dad just started a vegan diet, and it's charmingly funny](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-dad-just-started-a-vegan-diet-and-its-charmingly-funny/663202)
**Author:** [@GameHat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GameHat)\ **Replies:** 43\ **Last updated:** [July 13, 2013, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-dad-just-started-a-vegan-diet-and-its-charmingly-funny/663202 "2013-07-13T02:20:37Z")
…not because of the vegan part, he just is so amazed by this “new” trend and has never heard of anything like this before. Speaking with him two days back: "Oh! Mom and I are trying this new diet! What’s it called…ve… --- ## [NJ Transit bus driver accused of lewd act](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nj-transit-bus-driver-accused-of-lewd-act/663379)
**Author:** [@ducati](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ducati)\ **Replies:** 1\ **Last updated:** [July 13, 2013, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nj-transit-bus-driver-accused-of-lewd-act/663379 "2013-07-13T02:12:10Z")
This wacky masturbating bus driver gives new meaning to the term “Driving Through the Lincoln Tunnel”. Or maybe invents it. “Excuse me driver - I’d like to get off now!” “Yeah? Me too!” --- ## [Come in here and brag about your kids !!!](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/come-in-here-and-brag-about-your-kids/656474)
**Author:** [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)\ **Replies:** 51\ **Last updated:** [July 13, 2013, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/come-in-here-and-brag-about-your-kids/656474 "2013-07-13T01:53:31Z")
Kids. Step Kids. Grand Kids. What have you. Here’s the place to just plain gush. Let it out !! Share it all. I’m having a hell of a lovely week kids-wise. My son is now Airman Son of Toons. Graduated from Basic Militar… --- ## [Heron in a tree](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heron-in-a-tree/663271)
**Author:** [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Replies:** 15\ **Last updated:** [July 12, 2013, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heron-in-a-tree/663271 "2013-07-12T22:16:29Z")
Great Blue Heron, I presume; since that’s what they say lives up this way. We were sitting on the patio, and I saw the bird fly over. We heard something in a tree, and I assumed it was a crow or a squirrel or something… --- ## [Stand Your Ground: Man innocent of killing wife's lover](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stand-your-ground-man-innocent-of-killing-wifes-lover/659787)
**Author:** [@PoorYorick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PoorYorick)\ **Replies:** 43\ **Last updated:** [July 12, 2013, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stand-your-ground-man-innocent-of-killing-wifes-lover/659787 "2013-07-12T22:12:50Z")
One of the more imaginitive successful uses of the Stand Your Ground law here in Florida was reported today in the Tampa Bay Times where a man was found innocent of killing his wife’s lover. He awoke to find them having … --- ## [Happy 50th birthyear, Doper class of '63!](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-50th-birthyear-doper-class-of-63/662562)
**Author:** [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Replies:** 19\ **Last updated:** [July 12, 2013, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-50th-birthyear-doper-class-of-63/662562 "2013-07-12T21:18:01Z")
Yeah, that’s right I’m talking to you, applebetty, artemis, Batsinma Belfry, beagledave, Blue Mood, Bosda Di’Chi of Tricor, brujaja, Count Blucher, crowmanyclouds, Doctor Jackson, dwyr, Ellen Cherry, Fiddle Peghead, grav… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/c/miscellaneous-and-personal-stuff-i-must-share/10.md?page=956) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/c/miscellaneous-and-personal-stuff-i-must-share/10.md?page=958)