# Latest **URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/latest.md?page=1116&state=tracking [Latest](https://boards.straightdope.com/latest.md) · [Categories](https://boards.straightdope.com/categories.md) · [Tags](https://boards.straightdope.com/tags.md) **Page:** 1117 --- ## [Minority rule](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/minority-rule/965068)
**Author:** [@Roger\_That](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roger_That)\ **Replies:** 17\ **Last updated:** [May 25, 2022, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/minority-rule/965068 "2022-05-25T21:12:27Z")
At the risk of being obvious, it seems to me that it is little noted how connected attempts at minority rule in the U.S. are to the shifts in demographics. I mean, people have connected them, but not nearly enough nor fl… --- ## [What is a "combination" in train lingo speak?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-combination-in-train-lingo-speak/965040)
**Author:** [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Replies:** 13\ **Last updated:** [May 25, 2022, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-combination-in-train-lingo-speak/965040 "2022-05-25T20:41:55Z")
I listened to The Wabash Cannonball yesterday. It includes these words: What is a “combination”, as used in this context? --- ## [Is name, rank and serial number really something only given by POW in movies?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-name-rank-and-serial-number-really-something-only-given-by-pow-in-movies/964548)
**Author:** [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Replies:** 22\ **Last updated:** [May 25, 2022, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-name-rank-and-serial-number-really-something-only-given-by-pow-in-movies/964548 "2022-05-25T19:06:14Z")
This guy on Quora who appears to have been a German Army conscript and later a mercenary in the various Balkan wars says. I saw my share of captured enemy soldiers, but I never saw anyone reciting his name, rank or num… --- ## [Creative Vandalism](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/creative-vandalism/961774)
**Author:** [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Replies:** 51\ **Last updated:** [May 25, 2022, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/creative-vandalism/961774 "2022-05-25T18:03:23Z")
This set of creatively vandalized signs made me chuckle. Can you think of any good ones you’ve seen? --- ## [Game Suggestions 2022](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-suggestions-2022/964931)
**Author:** [@Llord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Llord)\ **Replies:** 7\ **Last updated:** [May 25, 2022, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-suggestions-2022/964931 "2022-05-25T17:51:01Z")
Been in a real slump the last couple years when it comes to games. I can like the look of a game but may never buy it or if I do I only then play it a handful of times before I lose the desire to play, not that its the g… --- ## [What is a mutual fund?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-mutual-fund/236272)
**Author:** [@Carlos619](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carlos619)\ **Replies:** 8\ **Last updated:** [May 25, 2022, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-mutual-fund/236272 "2022-05-25T17:09:03Z")
All I know is that they are a pool of stocks that people invest in. I’m trying to figure out how a mutual fund is managed. Who oversees the capital coming in and out of the fund. How are taxes involved? THANKS --- ## [Interesting conversation last night: water bills and broad assumptions](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/interesting-conversation-last-night-water-bills-and-broad-assumptions/965085)
**Author:** [@HoneyBadgerDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HoneyBadgerDC)\ **Replies:** 8\ **Last updated:** [May 25, 2022, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/interesting-conversation-last-night-water-bills-and-broad-assumptions/965085 "2022-05-25T16:31:18Z")
Last night a friend mentioned to me that he hadn’t watered at all last month but his water bill remained the same. My first response was to try and figure out how the extra water might have been used, his first response … --- ## [The Hygiene Hypothesis - Is there a deliberate treatment?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hygiene-hypothesis-is-there-a-deliberate-treatment/965026)
**Author:** [@Bonum\_Legatum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bonum_Legatum)\ **Replies:** 7\ **Last updated:** [May 25, 2022, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hygiene-hypothesis-is-there-a-deliberate-treatment/965026 "2022-05-25T15:34:03Z")
This article mentions the Hygiene Hypothesis: "There is evidence that having an overly clean environment might contribute to allergies and susceptibility to infections.: Taking this to it’s logical conclusion (I hate… --- ## [What happens when oil is release from the strategic oil reserve?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-when-oil-is-release-from-the-strategic-oil-reserve/964974)
**Author:** [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Replies:** 18\ **Last updated:** [May 25, 2022, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-when-oil-is-release-from-the-strategic-oil-reserve/964974 "2022-05-25T15:16:11Z")
I’ve been googling for a while and I can’t find the answer to what I want to know, so… Ok, so the president authorizes a release from the strategic oil reserve, say a million gallons a day. What happens to the oil? What… --- ## [Some people don't like the taste of beer](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-people-dont-like-the-taste-of-beer/964633)
**Author:** [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Replies:** 132\ **Last updated:** [May 25, 2022, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-people-dont-like-the-taste-of-beer/964633 "2022-05-25T15:10:05Z")
I’m one of them. I have managed to drink it on some social occasions, and sometimes to excess, but never enjoyed it. I wonder if it’s a cilantro/soap genetic sort of thing, because I know so many who love it, and apparen… --- ## [So you want to build an Orlan-10 drone](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-you-want-to-build-an-orlan-10-drone/965037)
**Author:** [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Replies:** 13\ **Last updated:** [May 25, 2022, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-you-want-to-build-an-orlan-10-drone/965037 "2022-05-25T15:08:12Z")
Ukrainians have famously taken apart a Russian Orlan-10 UAV, revealing it’s made of off-the-shelf, non-Russian, consumer components. The contractor charged as much as $120,000. The Ukrainians said they could build it f… --- ## [They Grow Up So Fast #31246843 - Sophia's College Tour](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/they-grow-up-so-fast-31246843-sophias-college-tour/835748)
**Author:** [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Replies:** 51\ **Last updated:** [May 25, 2022, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/they-grow-up-so-fast-31246843-sophias-college-tour/835748 "2022-05-25T13:01:34Z")
So, my baby girl is in NYC touring colleges, with quite an itinerary set up for her next 11 days: Fordham St John’s (NYC) Hofstra Adelphi NYU (Tisch School of Arts) Rutgers (New Brunswick campus) So, why school in… --- ## [Questions regarding differences between a French collège and a British public secondary school](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questions-regarding-differences-between-a-french-college-and-a-british-public-secondary-school/964983)
**Author:** [@Octagon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Octagon)\ **Replies:** 4\ **Last updated:** [May 25, 2022, 12:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questions-regarding-differences-between-a-french-college-and-a-british-public-secondary-school/964983 "2022-05-25T12:34:04Z")
Is it true that collège students (13-14 year-olds) specialise in subjects earlier than in British public secondary schools at the same age? Is there far more rigorous testing in a French collège than in equivalent grades… --- ## [Popular sayings that break or reverse the original meaning](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/popular-sayings-that-break-or-reverse-the-original-meaning/964322)
**Author:** [@Mijin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mijin)\ **Replies:** 48\ **Last updated:** [May 25, 2022, 12:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/popular-sayings-that-break-or-reverse-the-original-meaning/964322 "2022-05-25T12:03:26Z")
Yes it’s one of those threads where we get to feel smug for knowing a thing (until someone here corrects us :wink: ) “The exception that proves the rule” Popular meaning: ? That sometimes the best example of a rule is … --- ## [Facebook is the worst. Thinking about getting rid of it](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/facebook-is-the-worst-thinking-about-getting-rid-of-it/962354)
**Author:** [@MyFootsZZZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MyFootsZZZ)\ **Replies:** 84\ **Last updated:** [May 25, 2022, 11:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/facebook-is-the-worst-thinking-about-getting-rid-of-it/962354 "2022-05-25T11:20:52Z")
I’ve been reported countless times. Last one was for saying: “Yeah. Most men suck.” Yet, whenever I report someone, they get off saying some vile shit. I’ve also been repeated for being sarcastic, and meaning the opposit… --- ## [Crossword-making software - is there such a thing?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crossword-making-software-is-there-such-a-thing/964921)
**Author:** [@TwoCarrotSnowman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TwoCarrotSnowman)\ **Replies:** 6\ **Last updated:** [May 25, 2022, 5:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crossword-making-software-is-there-such-a-thing/964921 "2022-05-25T05:42:07Z")
I’ve got an upcoming family holiday in a few days. It’s popped into my head that it might be fun to create a crossword, with clues based on family lore (example: “thing that Dad fell into in France, (5)”. DITCH). I recko… --- ## [The Excel text date to numerical date task](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-excel-text-date-to-numerical-date-task/964965)
**Author:** [@penultima\_thule](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/penultima_thule)\ **Replies:** 7\ **Last updated:** [May 25, 2022, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-excel-text-date-to-numerical-date-task/964965 "2022-05-25T03:16:12Z")
Calling the Excel gurus. You have been given a table of data in Excel, extracted from a text source, thousands of rows. One column is a date. It’s displayed as say dd/mm/yyy. It could be '16/10/2016 or '6/06/2016 or '6… --- ## [People who abbreviate their first name…](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-abbreviate-their-first-name/963281)
**Author:** [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackknifed_Juggernaut)\ **Replies:** 84\ **Last updated:** [May 25, 2022, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-abbreviate-their-first-name/963281 "2022-05-25T02:51:24Z")
…and use their full middle name. T. Boone Pickens is one that immediately comes to mind. Why? I get that they may not like their first name, simply prefer their middle name, or use it to avoid confusion with someone e… --- ## [New glitch in the right-side thread scroll bar?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-glitch-in-the-right-side-thread-scroll-bar/964425)
**Author:** [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Replies:** 1\ **Last updated:** [May 25, 2022, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-glitch-in-the-right-side-thread-scroll-bar/964425 "2022-05-25T02:46:23Z")
I’m seeing a glitch in the right-side scroll bar. It’s happened several times, but I’ve only noticed it recently. Background: When viewing a thread, the scroll bar that appears to the right of the thread shows with th… --- ## [Kaiju growth and development (need answer fast)](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kaiju-growth-and-development-need-answer-fast/964954)
**Author:** [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Replies:** 15\ **Last updated:** [May 25, 2022, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kaiju-growth-and-development-need-answer-fast/964954 "2022-05-25T00:14:32Z")
I’m writing a quiz for my Algebra II class, and I promised one of my students that there’d be a kaiju-related question on it. But I just realized that I don’t have the relevant information to write the question. What I… --- ## [Sheila in Australian, Bird in British: Equivalent of Broad or Chick in American?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sheila-in-australian-bird-in-british-equivalent-of-broad-or-chick-in-american/964151)
**Author:** [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Replies:** 40\ **Last updated:** [May 24, 2022, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sheila-in-australian-bird-in-british-equivalent-of-broad-or-chick-in-american/964151 "2022-05-24T23:17:52Z")
Is it insulting, however mildly, to refer to women as “Sheilas” in Australia, or “Birds” in British, the way “Chick” or “Broad” or whatever is insulting in US English? --- ## [Poor quality thread splitting and confusing moderation](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poor-quality-thread-splitting-and-confusing-moderation/965023)
**Author:** [@Martin\_Hyde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martin_Hyde)\ **Replies:** 8\ **Last updated:** [May 24, 2022, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poor-quality-thread-splitting-and-confusing-moderation/965023 "2022-05-24T22:31:59Z")
This thread: I use Roundup - In My Humble Opinion (IMHO) - Straight Dope Message Board created as a split from this: Is fairly poor / terrible moderation. OP (who is a mod), asks about how to weed eat some patio pave… --- ## [Is drug induced osteopenia likely to resolve if you stop the drug?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-drug-induced-osteopenia-likely-to-resolve-if-you-stop-the-drug/963478)
**Author:** [@Napier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Napier)\ **Replies:** 13\ **Last updated:** [May 24, 2022, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-drug-induced-osteopenia-likely-to-resolve-if-you-stop-the-drug/963478 "2022-05-24T22:10:51Z")
A friend has osteopenia (low bone density) said to be the result of a drug she’s been taking for several years but will soon stop. I’m hopeful this will resolve once she’s off the drug, and furthermore gets specific trea… --- ## [Threshing the Stanford Prison Experiment: What really happened?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/threshing-the-stanford-prison-experiment-what-really-happened/965025)
**Author:** [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Replies:** 2\ **Last updated:** [May 24, 2022, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/threshing-the-stanford-prison-experiment-what-really-happened/965025 "2022-05-24T21:59:27Z")
Wheat Actual experience, accurate results, and reasonable conclusions vs. Chaff False reporting, actual fraud, and what/how conclusions were arrived at. --- ## [New Top Gun: Maverick Trailer](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-top-gun-maverick-trailer/961915)
**Author:** [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Replies:** 14\ **Last updated:** [May 24, 2022, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-top-gun-maverick-trailer/961915 "2022-05-24T21:09:09Z")
He’s maverick’ier than a herd of horses! The flying again looks amazing. Do we think it will be a huge hit? And will they play “Danger Zone”? And beach volleyball is still a thing. --- ## [Boarding an F4U Corsair](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boarding-an-f4u-corsair/931639)
**Author:** [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Replies:** 74\ **Last updated:** [May 24, 2022, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boarding-an-f4u-corsair/931639 "2022-05-24T20:09:39Z")
This image shows a pilot about to board an F4U Corsair. https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/49/Major\_Weissenberger\_prepares\_to\_take\_off\_in\_a\_Vought\_F4U\_Corsair%2C\_WWII\_(22415511978).jpg You can see that th… --- ## [They call it the world wide web, but it's still more like the American-wide web](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/they-call-it-the-world-wide-web-but-its-still-more-like-the-american-wide-web/195478)
**Author:** [@A\_Random\_Geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/A_Random_Geek)\ **Replies:** 25\ **Last updated:** [May 24, 2022, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/they-call-it-the-world-wide-web-but-its-still-more-like-the-american-wide-web/195478 "2022-05-24T19:38:37Z")
I got the urge for this rant trying to use Yahoo’s PayDirect service (which is supposed to be a good alternative if you don’t like PayPal). Of course, it is impossible for me to use this service, because my credit card … --- ## [Should you give your baby a unique name?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-you-give-your-baby-a-unique-name/959017)
**Author:** [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Replies:** 213\ **Last updated:** [May 24, 2022, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-you-give-your-baby-a-unique-name/959017 "2022-05-24T19:25:38Z")
Based on this Atlantic article, wondering if it is better to give your child a name which is common and accepted, or unique and will cause them to standout, with the good and bad that entails? --- ## [If a fly married a mouse, which do you consider to be the most disgusting choice?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-a-fly-married-a-mouse-which-do-you-consider-to-be-the-most-disgusting-choice/964907)
**Author:** [@Asuka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asuka)\ **Replies:** 35\ **Last updated:** [May 24, 2022, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-a-fly-married-a-mouse-which-do-you-consider-to-be-the-most-disgusting-choice/964907 "2022-05-24T18:59:16Z")
poll Who got the shorter end of the stick there, the fly for marrying the mouse or the mouse for marrying the fly? I’d just say “Which is more disgusting to you a fly or a mouse?” to make it simpler but I think you real… --- ## [What are these deposits that ants (?) leave on my bathroom sink?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-these-deposits-that-ants-leave-on-my-bathroom-sink/964932)
**Author:** [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Replies:** 3\ **Last updated:** [May 24, 2022, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-these-deposits-that-ants-leave-on-my-bathroom-sink/964932 "2022-05-24T14:30:34Z")
Recently, piles of little brown flakes have started appearing on my bathroom sink I have sometimes seen an ant, occasionally two, never more than two, crawling around my sink so I assume they are depositing them. I wa… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/latest.md?page=1115&state=tracking) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/latest.md?page=1117&state=tracking)