# Latest **URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/latest.md?page=1387 [Latest](https://boards.straightdope.com/latest.md) · [Categories](https://boards.straightdope.com/categories.md) · [Tags](https://boards.straightdope.com/tags.md) **Page:** 1388 --- ## [I Pit UltraVires](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-ultravires/944477)
**Author:** [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Replies:** 136\ **Last updated:** [July 25, 2021, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-ultravires/944477 "2021-07-25T14:27:28Z")
Ultra Vires is a vile human being and a waste of oxygen Why is this decades-long racist troll still permitted to post here? --- ## [Should there be a lower age limit/minimum age for participation in the Olympics?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-there-be-a-lower-age-limit-minimum-age-for-participation-in-the-olympics/947204)
**Author:** [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Replies:** 25\ **Last updated:** [July 25, 2021, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-there-be-a-lower-age-limit-minimum-age-for-participation-in-the-olympics/947204 "2021-07-25T14:06:21Z")
I’m not watching the Olympics (I think it should have been called off), but this headline grabbed my attention: This seems nuts to me. Why not an 8-year old? Or a 5-year old? I would like to see the Olympics limited t… --- ## [Joe Biden's Presidency after Six Months](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/joe-bidens-presidency-after-six-months/946980)
**Author:** [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Replies:** 20\ **Last updated:** [July 25, 2021, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/joe-bidens-presidency-after-six-months/946980 "2021-07-25T13:57:18Z")
Joe Biden has just completed the first six months of his Presidency. While I think most of us agree it was overwhelmingly better than any six months of Trump’s Presidency, does anyone have any other comments? I think t… --- ## [Explain this please ( behavior of a ball in water)](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-this-please-behavior-of-a-ball-in-water/946789)
**Author:** [@turtlescanfly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/turtlescanfly)\ **Replies:** 6\ **Last updated:** [July 25, 2021, 10:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-this-please-behavior-of-a-ball-in-water/946789 "2021-07-25T10:41:23Z")
So I was at the pool today with my daughter. She had brought along a rubber inflatable ball, about 4" across, that we were tossing back and forth. At one point I said " Watch this!" And pushed the ball as far under the w… --- ## [Why does grapefruit interfere with certain medications?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-grapefruit-interfere-with-certain-medications/947169)
**Author:** [@ekedolphin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ekedolphin)\ **Replies:** 23\ **Last updated:** [July 25, 2021, 10:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-grapefruit-interfere-with-certain-medications/947169 "2021-07-25T10:32:19Z")
I’m on a medication that basically makes grapefruits toxic to me-- eating one could cause the level of the medication in my system to spike to about 600%, enough to kill me. (I really wonder why the doctor never mention… --- ## [Document Management - age of a document](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/document-management-age-of-a-document/947107)
**Author:** [@Ficer67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ficer67)\ **Replies:** 15\ **Last updated:** [July 25, 2021, 8:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/document-management-age-of-a-document/947107 "2021-07-25T08:25:00Z")
Is there any kind of ink, or other substance, that can be used to identify the age of a paper document? Please do not tell me just to write the date on the page. I do that already, and of course it can be forged. I am… --- ## [Chicago folks, what’s up with Lake Michigan?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chicago-folks-what-s-up-with-lake-michigan/947205)
**Author:** [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Replies:** 8\ **Last updated:** [July 25, 2021, 5:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chicago-folks-what-s-up-with-lake-michigan/947205 "2021-07-25T05:03:01Z")
There was a front page article on July 11 in the New York Times which mentioned something I did not see earlier, or ever in the Canadian media. It was a four page, well illustrated article discussing Chicago and Lake Mi… --- ## [Estimating water evaporation rate from a swimming pool](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/estimating-water-evaporation-rate-from-a-swimming-pool/947207)
**Author:** [@Precambrianmollusc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Precambrianmollusc)\ **Replies:** 9\ **Last updated:** [July 25, 2021, 4:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/estimating-water-evaporation-rate-from-a-swimming-pool/947207 "2021-07-25T04:41:14Z")
I have pool and I am not 100% sure if the filtration system has an underground leak on the suction side or I am just losing lots of water to evaporation. I can do a bunch of tests with switching the pump off and measur… --- ## [MLB: June 2021](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-june-2021/943367)
**Author:** [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Replies:** 278\ **Last updated:** [July 19, 2021, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-june-2021/943367 "2021-07-19T13:38:39Z")
New month, new thread. It’s been a most interesting season so far and Covid appears to be in the rear view window as far as the MLB schedule goes. That’s good because the weather last weekend was awful enough to cause a … --- ## [Recommend a jazz song for me to play on guitar](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-jazz-song-for-me-to-play-on-guitar/947227)
**Author:** [@Mike\_Mabes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mike_Mabes)\ **Replies:** 4\ **Last updated:** [July 25, 2021, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-jazz-song-for-me-to-play-on-guitar/947227 "2021-07-25T01:52:38Z")
I’m a intermediate player, have played only acoustic until a few months ago. My electric is a Fender Special Edition FMT, I’ve heard it called a Les Paul in a Fender body. I’m looking for something sort of mellow, no r… --- ## [Is there a new change/cash shortage going on?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-new-change-cash-shortage-going-on/947203)
**Author:** [@StarvingButStrong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StarvingButStrong)\ **Replies:** 16\ **Last updated:** [July 25, 2021, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-new-change-cash-shortage-going-on/947203 "2021-07-25T01:27:38Z")
For the past few weeks the local McDonald’s has had a sign posted before the first window (the one you pay at) asking for people to use exact change if possible. Yesterday they upped that to having the guy at the sign/g… --- ## [Treating a possibly broken pinkie toe](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/treating-a-possibly-broken-pinkie-toe/947153)
**Author:** [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Replies:** 8\ **Last updated:** [July 25, 2021, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/treating-a-possibly-broken-pinkie-toe/947153 "2021-07-25T01:11:59Z")
It’s been two weeks since I stubbed my pinky toe, and it still hurts like a sumbitch. And it’s red. Would there be any point in seeing a doctor about it? It’s not like they could put it in a cast, and I can’t take most p… --- ## [What exactly is the cause of various covid waves/spikes in cases](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-exactly-is-the-cause-of-various-covid-waves-spikes-in-cases/947147)
**Author:** [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Replies:** 6\ **Last updated:** [July 24, 2021, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-exactly-is-the-cause-of-various-covid-waves-spikes-in-cases/947147 "2021-07-24T23:27:58Z")
Looking at that, there’s been about 5 waves of covid in the US. First one was when the virus first started, then it dipped (probably due to lockdowns). Then it jumped again in July, then dipped again. Then it jumped … --- ## [How do you determine how much you tip?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-determine-how-much-you-tip/946857)
**Author:** [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Replies:** 53\ **Last updated:** [July 24, 2021, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-determine-how-much-you-tip/946857 "2021-07-24T23:17:49Z")
This thread is for those who leave tips for service - please don’t threadshit with comments about how you refuse to tip, etc. There have been plenty of threads about that over the years. I’m more interested in any tippi… --- ## [American High Speed Rail is a Terrible Idea](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-high-speed-rail-is-a-terrible-idea/939404)
**Author:** [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Replies:** 458\ **Last updated:** [July 24, 2021, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-high-speed-rail-is-a-terrible-idea/939404 "2021-07-24T22:28:22Z")
Let’s talk about this new push for high speed rail. Let me state this straight out: If you care about global warming, you should oppose plans to criss-cross the country with high speed rail. There is a myth out there … --- ## [Thread on viability of Electric Cars](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thread-on-viability-of-electric-cars/938612)
**Author:** [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Replies:** 148\ **Last updated:** [July 24, 2021, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thread-on-viability-of-electric-cars/938612 "2021-07-24T22:05:41Z")
There is no doubt in my mind that, aside from range everything else about an electric car is a better engineering solution than gas. Just the fact that a gas engine needs to be oversized and hooked to a complex transmi… --- ## [Products you had low expectations for but then fell in love with](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/products-you-had-low-expectations-for-but-then-fell-in-love-with/943007)
**Author:** [@Nars\_Glinley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nars_Glinley)\ **Replies:** 145\ **Last updated:** [July 24, 2021, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/products-you-had-low-expectations-for-but-then-fell-in-love-with/943007 "2021-07-24T21:33:17Z")
I’ve had a Black & Decker Bullseye laser leveler/stud finder lying around for over a year collecting dust and I finally opened it to hang stuff in my fi room. I am in love with the thing. It makes leveling stuff on the w… --- ## [Now that's an apology](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-thats-an-apology/946854)
**Author:** [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Replies:** 47\ **Last updated:** [July 24, 2021, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-thats-an-apology/946854 "2021-07-24T21:31:02Z")
We’ve had many threads about bad apologies: Why don’t apologists–you know–apologize? Non-Apology Apologies and why they don’t help a goddamn thing etc. Well, today the composer of the 2021 Olympics opening ceremony m… --- ## [Probability that a deck of cards is tampered](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/probability-that-a-deck-of-cards-is-tampered/946559)
**Author:** [@am77494](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/am77494)\ **Replies:** 65\ **Last updated:** [July 24, 2021, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/probability-that-a-deck-of-cards-is-tampered/946559 "2021-07-24T21:30:44Z")
Suppose I have a deck of cards that is tampered by removing one red card and replacing it with a black card from another deck. So we have 25 red cards and 27 black cards. Now the deck is well shuffled and one card is dr… --- ## [A new (to me) look at obesity](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-new-to-me-look-at-obesity/947167)
**Author:** [@Bootb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bootb)\ **Replies:** 7\ **Last updated:** [July 24, 2021, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-new-to-me-look-at-obesity/947167 "2021-07-24T21:30:22Z")
I found a reprint of this article suggested to me by a link while I was browsing something else. The original article is about 8 years old, so in one sense it’s not exactly new information. But much of it was new to me… --- ## [Ethically, if you find something of great value at a garage sale, should you inform the seller or quietly pay and take the item?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ethically-if-you-find-something-of-great-value-at-a-garage-sale-should-you-inform-the-seller-or-quietly-pay-and-take-the-item/946747)
**Author:** [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Replies:** 101\ **Last updated:** [July 24, 2021, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ethically-if-you-find-something-of-great-value-at-a-garage-sale-should-you-inform-the-seller-or-quietly-pay-and-take-the-item/946747 "2021-07-24T20:52:05Z")
(This may be better for GD…not sure…mods feel free to move.) Imagine you are at a garage sale and you see something that you KNOW is worth a great deal of money. Not a few hundred dollars but more like millions of doll… --- ## [Would Someone Please Explain What This Symbol Means](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-someone-please-explain-what-this-symbol-means/946738)
**Author:** [@shh1313](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shh1313)\ **Replies:** 47\ **Last updated:** [July 24, 2021, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-someone-please-explain-what-this-symbol-means/946738 "2021-07-24T20:49:42Z")
:arrow\_right: ’ :arrow\_left: I have never encountered this before. I checked the certificate (valid), I used Brave Browser this time, 3rd party cookies are blocked, HTTPS is enabled, encryption is enabled … --- ## [Other places to discuss politics and other controversial topics?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/other-places-to-discuss-politics-and-other-controversial-topics/947219)
**Author:** [@Heffalump\_and\_Roo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Heffalump_and_Roo)\ **Replies:** 1\ **Last updated:** [July 24, 2021, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/other-places-to-discuss-politics-and-other-controversial-topics/947219 "2021-07-24T20:39:01Z")
I am no longer comfortable discussing politics and other controversial subjects here, because discussions tend to get polarized and sometimes political discussions lead to posters calling each other names in the pit. Can… --- ## [How to teach kids about the interior angle sum of a triangle (and math in general)](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-teach-kids-about-the-interior-angle-sum-of-a-triangle-and-math-in-general/947206)
**Author:** [@naita](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/naita)\ **Replies:** 10\ **Last updated:** [July 24, 2021, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-teach-kids-about-the-interior-angle-sum-of-a-triangle-and-math-in-general/947206 "2021-07-24T19:48:49Z")
I find the interior angle sum of the triangle fascinating, because it’s such a basic concept, and still alien to a lot of “not math” people. In my experience, which I admit is limited, it is often introduced, at least th… --- ## [WTH is the Straight Dope in regards to pistachios and the Keto diet?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wth-is-the-straight-dope-in-regards-to-pistachios-and-the-keto-diet/947138)
**Author:** [@pkbites](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pkbites)\ **Replies:** 18\ **Last updated:** [July 24, 2021, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wth-is-the-straight-dope-in-regards-to-pistachios-and-the-keto-diet/947138 "2021-07-24T19:43:33Z")
Info on the web is all over the place. One site says "These nuts are a must-have on a ketogenic diet". while another site says "Sorry to break the news… pistachios aren’t keto" WTH? I bought a 1 ounce bag of shelled pi… --- ## [What's the residual oxygen concentration in a jar candle, after a flame out?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-residual-oxygen-concentration-in-a-jar-candle-after-a-flame-out/947119)
**Author:** [@am77494](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/am77494)\ **Replies:** 13\ **Last updated:** [July 24, 2021, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-residual-oxygen-concentration-in-a-jar-candle-after-a-flame-out/947119 "2021-07-24T18:40:50Z")
Consider a typical jar candle with a nice flame. The lid is closed, and the flame goes out, because there is no oxygen to sustain combustion. At approximately what Oxygen level, does the flame go out ? Air has 21% oxyge… --- ## [Skimming through a business/management/self help book - what do you look for?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/skimming-through-a-business-management-self-help-book-what-do-you-look-for/947172)
**Author:** [@blabbermeister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blabbermeister)\ **Replies:** 1\ **Last updated:** [July 24, 2021, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/skimming-through-a-business-management-self-help-book-what-do-you-look-for/947172 "2021-07-24T16:20:25Z")
Suppose you just have a minute to decide whether you want to buy the book, so you skim through the pages really fast. Maybe there’s a whole shelf full of these books at an airport bookstore and you’re passing time. Wha… --- ## [Can an American with a 40 year old DUI in America, visit Canada?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-an-american-with-a-40-year-old-dui-in-america-visit-canada/943054)
**Author:** [@not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/not_what_you_d_expect)\ **Replies:** 75\ **Last updated:** [July 24, 2021, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-an-american-with-a-40-year-old-dui-in-america-visit-canada/943054 "2021-07-24T16:03:31Z")
See the title, please. I’ve volunteered to get this information for someone after bragging about the SDMB. I know you guys won’t let me down. Thanks in advance. --- ## [Why is there a coin shortage?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-a-coin-shortage/920626)
**Author:** [@breakneck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/breakneck)\ **Replies:** 20\ **Last updated:** [July 24, 2021, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-a-coin-shortage/920626 "2021-07-24T15:25:55Z")
Why is there a coin shortage? where are they all going to ? is some nut hoarding all of them? have the mints discontinued minting them ? why ? --- ## [Student tells teacher why she is wrong](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/student-tells-teacher-why-she-is-wrong/947188)
**Author:** [@shh1313](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shh1313)\ **Replies:** 5\ **Last updated:** [July 24, 2021, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/student-tells-teacher-why-she-is-wrong/947188 "2021-07-24T13:39:31Z")
This student tells his teacher why her method of teaching is wrong. I agree with him. What do you think? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/latest.md?page=1386) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/latest.md?page=1388)