# Latest **URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/latest.md?page=1602 [Latest](https://boards.straightdope.com/latest.md) · [Categories](https://boards.straightdope.com/categories.md) · [Tags](https://boards.straightdope.com/tags.md) **Page:** 1603 --- ## [Linking to a Google search result that is a PDF, specifically on my phone](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/linking-to-a-google-search-result-that-is-a-pdf-specifically-on-my-phone/928970)
**Author:** [@Ruken](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruken)\ **Replies:** 2\ **Last updated:** [December 27, 2020, 4:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/linking-to-a-google-search-result-that-is-a-pdf-specifically-on-my-phone/928970 "2020-12-27T04:57:31Z")
URLs for Google search results are lengthy and messy. I think it’s best to link to the actual destination for a variety of reasons. And I vaguely recall a mod voicing a similar preference (although please correct me if I… --- ## [Do you re-gift?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-re-gift/928361)
**Author:** [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Replies:** 17\ **Last updated:** [December 27, 2020, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-re-gift/928361 "2020-12-27T04:36:46Z")
At Christmas/holiday time or other times of the year? I do. I confess I am an unrepentant and shameless re-gifter. Don’t get me wrong-- I love prezzies! I love the idea of them, the anticipation of them, and the receivi… --- ## [Warning to Bansksiaman \[changed to modnote\]](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/warning-to-bansksiaman-changed-to-modnote/928988)
**Author:** [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Replies:** 21\ **Last updated:** [December 27, 2020, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/warning-to-bansksiaman-changed-to-modnote/928988 "2020-12-27T02:57:51Z")
Just for my own assurance - did you actually complete Intelligence 101? When you say ‘Army’ do you mean the ones with uniforms and guns or were you in the Kiss Army \[not that there’s anything wrong with that\]? Are you u… --- ## [New grocery store branch - Does the food get moved?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-grocery-store-branch-does-the-food-get-moved/928980)
**Author:** [@leswax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/leswax)\ **Replies:** 2\ **Last updated:** [December 27, 2020, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-grocery-store-branch-does-the-food-get-moved/928980 "2020-12-27T00:40:38Z")
A local grocery store chain is opening a new store across the street from an existing one. What will they do with the food in the existing store? Are there companies that specialize in optimizing this sort of inventory m… --- ## [The FDA seized my Canadian prescriptions](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-fda-seized-my-canadian-prescriptions/927366)
**Author:** [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)\ **Replies:** 7\ **Last updated:** [December 27, 2020, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-fda-seized-my-canadian-prescriptions/927366 "2020-12-27T00:12:47Z")
Hi. I’ve been ordering a drug I should take post prostate surgery from a Canadian pharmacy for almost three years. It is 1/3 or less the price that US pharmacies charge. Today I learned the US FDA seized my latest order;… --- ## [Reflections on a very odd year](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reflections-on-a-very-odd-year/928914)
**Author:** [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Replies:** 5\ **Last updated:** [December 26, 2020, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reflections-on-a-very-odd-year/928914 "2020-12-26T23:22:28Z")
Mrs Piper and I suddenly realised that the last time we had friends in for an evening was when we invited the students in for a pre-Christmas dinner, early in December 2019. It was a lovely evening, good guests, nice ro… --- ## [What is the fastest sorting algorithm](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-fastest-sorting-algorithm/928966)
**Author:** [@Danger\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Danger_Man)\ **Replies:** 6\ **Last updated:** [December 26, 2020, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-fastest-sorting-algorithm/928966 "2020-12-26T23:09:56Z")
I read that Quick Sort was the fastest in the average case. I am assuming on a random set of numbers if would be the fastest on average. Is this proven to be the fastest algorithm? In what cases would other algorithms b… --- ## [Traditional Mexican peasant clothing](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/traditional-mexican-peasant-clothing/928672)
**Author:** [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Replies:** 5\ **Last updated:** [December 26, 2020, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/traditional-mexican-peasant-clothing/928672 "2020-12-26T22:35:56Z")
What is the name of the white pajama-like clothing associated with Mexicans around the late 19th- early 20th century? --- ## [Boxing Day!](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boxing-day/928965)
**Author:** [@DrFidelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrFidelius)\ **Replies:** 5\ **Last updated:** [December 26, 2020, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boxing-day/928965 "2020-12-26T22:29:42Z")
It’s Boxing Day! Be sure to rotate your spoons and put out some tuna salad for Gef the Talking Mongoose! What are your family traditions? --- ## ["Watching" a thread, emails sent to me have odd title for one poster](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watching-a-thread-emails-sent-to-me-have-odd-title-for-one-poster/928907)
**Author:** [@Roderick\_Femm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roderick_Femm)\ **Replies:** 4\ **Last updated:** [December 26, 2020, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watching-a-thread-emails-sent-to-me-have-odd-title-for-one-poster/928907 "2020-12-26T22:00:05Z")
In the American Parents pit thread of which I was the OP, and which I am still “watching” so I get sent email notices for all the posts, the emails for one poster all have an apparently unrelated title: “Not censoring Na… --- ## [What is the rule on spoilers? Is there a time limit?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-rule-on-spoilers-is-there-a-time-limit/928942)
**Author:** [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Replies:** 27\ **Last updated:** [December 26, 2020, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-rule-on-spoilers-is-there-a-time-limit/928942 "2020-12-26T21:59:56Z")
I saw a recent thread here on “The Professional” which prominently noted SPOILERS in the title. That movie was made 26(ish) years ago. Surely there has to be a time limit in spoilers. Right? --- ## [Trump Not Pre-Pardoning Inner circle due to 5th Amendment?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-not-pre-pardoning-inner-circle-due-to-5th-amendment/928967)
**Author:** [@GMANCANADA](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GMANCANADA)\ **Replies:** 22\ **Last updated:** [December 26, 2020, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-not-pre-pardoning-inner-circle-due-to-5th-amendment/928967 "2020-12-26T21:22:49Z")
I was watching an interview on CNN a couple days ago regarding Trump’s flurry of pardons for his previously convicted team members. The subject then came up about whether Trump would “pre-pardon” his inner circle \[i.e.:… --- ## [Boxing Day Relaxation!](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boxing-day-relaxation/928977)
**Author:** [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Replies:** 0\ **Last updated:** [December 26, 2020, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boxing-day-relaxation/928977 "2020-12-26T19:37:53Z")
Turkey soup on the hob. No obligations. Definitely not going to any Boxing Day sales! Just the post-Christmas relax. --- ## [I just got deer insurance for my car](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-got-deer-insurance-for-my-car/926546)
**Author:** [@Mike\_Mabes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mike_Mabes)\ **Replies:** 49\ **Last updated:** [December 26, 2020, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-got-deer-insurance-for-my-car/926546 "2020-12-26T19:52:24Z")
I’m living in a town now where there are a fair amount of deer out at night, even in the middle of town in residentital areas. And they all seem to know what they are doing, as my Mom said, they are walking around like t… --- ## [Hooray for Amazon](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hooray-for-amazon/927587)
**Author:** [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Replies:** 27\ **Last updated:** [December 26, 2020, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hooray-for-amazon/927587 "2020-12-26T18:54:09Z")
In some ways I hate Amazon but they have been life savers during the pandemic. My wife ordered some books (dead tree variety). Last Tuesday at 6:30 PM, she got an email from–Let’s call it “Fly by night delivery service… --- ## [Solve the Middle East](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/solve-the-middle-east/926934)
**Author:** [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Replies:** 122\ **Last updated:** [December 26, 2020, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/solve-the-middle-east/926934 "2020-12-26T18:49:33Z")
The more time passes, the more the conflicts in the Middle East seem intractable. If you were writing a novel that began with the Middle East as it is today, and ended with a state of permanent peace in the region, how … --- ## [Does recursive uncertainty exist?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-recursive-uncertainty-exist/928840)
**Author:** [@Shalmanese](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shalmanese)\ **Replies:** 9\ **Last updated:** [December 26, 2020, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-recursive-uncertainty-exist/928840 "2020-12-26T18:42:01Z")
Let’s say I have a object where I’m uncertain about it’s temperature, but I can model it as a bell curve where the mean is 50C with a std dev of 10C. OK, fine, that’s simple enough, I can visualize that as like, a probab… --- ## [Characters from Wisconsin (in shows not set there)](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/characters-from-wisconsin-in-shows-not-set-there/928823)
**Author:** [@N9IWP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/N9IWP)\ **Replies:** 45\ **Last updated:** [December 26, 2020, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/characters-from-wisconsin-in-shows-not-set-there/928823 "2020-12-26T18:39:20Z")
Watching reruns of “Crossing Jordan” ther was an episode where Woody heads back to Kewaunee, Wi (he does not pronounce it the way a person from Wisconsin would). Anyhow, since I am from Wisconsin I make note when charact… --- ## [That giant iceberg](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-giant-iceberg/928662)
**Author:** [@pjd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pjd)\ **Replies:** 44\ **Last updated:** [December 26, 2020, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-giant-iceberg/928662 "2020-12-26T18:30:39Z")
…that’s floatin’ round the south atlantic, (you know, this one) Why can’t i see it on google maps (satellite view, obvs) ? --- ## [Does every Western democracy split along a liberal vs. conservative line?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-every-western-democracy-split-along-a-liberal-vs-conservative-line/928903)
**Author:** [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Replies:** 8\ **Last updated:** [December 26, 2020, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-every-western-democracy-split-along-a-liberal-vs-conservative-line/928903 "2020-12-26T18:02:35Z")
Is it the case that with every Western democracy, you broadly see two camps, one of which is generally regarded as the more liberal side and the other as the more conservative side? (the exact definition of liberal and … --- ## [Win10 - upgrade to Pro?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/win10-upgrade-to-pro/928402)
**Author:** [@3AxisCtrl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/3AxisCtrl)\ **Replies:** 7\ **Last updated:** [December 26, 2020, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/win10-upgrade-to-pro/928402 "2020-12-26T17:49:10Z")
I’m at the end of an … interesting few weeks, kicked off when my Win10 PC suddenly died (would not turn on or show any sign of hardware life). Fortunately, I had decent backups. I’m now up, running and reasonably happy … --- ## [Getting copies of old Polish vital records?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-copies-of-old-polish-vital-records/926402)
**Author:** [@Eva\_Luna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eva_Luna)\ **Replies:** 12\ **Last updated:** [December 26, 2020, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-copies-of-old-polish-vital-records/926402 "2020-12-26T17:17:52Z")
So I finally caved and subscribed to Ancestry.com, and last night I found the record of my great-grandmother’s initial arrival in the U.S. in 1907 with the oldest few kids. Which confirmed what I had long suspected her l… --- ## [Merit, Branding, Perception, and Experimentation](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/merit-branding-perception-and-experimentation/928665)
**Author:** [@MortSahlFan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MortSahlFan)\ **Replies:** 4\ **Last updated:** [December 26, 2020, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/merit-branding-perception-and-experimentation/928665 "2020-12-26T15:33:25Z")
I’m getting the impression that one is validated before you even see them. First off, if someone is introduced to millions of people, they’ll probably acquire an instant fan base, and that opportunity might have nothing … --- ## [Who would expect Speaker Kevin McCarthy?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-expect-speaker-kevin-mccarthy/928911)
**Author:** [@Bubbles\_2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bubbles_2000)\ **Replies:** 8\ **Last updated:** [December 26, 2020, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-expect-speaker-kevin-mccarthy/928911 "2020-12-26T15:05:21Z")
Merry Christmas to all, or Happy Holidays. Who would have expected California Rep. Kevin McCarthy as a potential House Speaker in 2023 or beyond? He doesn’t seem to have the skills needed to garner attention like Gingr… --- ## [Russians hack many US government systems](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russians-hack-many-us-government-systems/928023)
**Author:** [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Replies:** 69\ **Last updated:** [December 26, 2020, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russians-hack-many-us-government-systems/928023 "2020-12-26T15:05:12Z")
Solar Winds has an office nearby and this is probably really bad news for them to get more contracts with feds. --- ## [Superluminal information transfer](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/superluminal-information-transfer/928688)
**Author:** [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Replies:** 75\ **Last updated:** [December 26, 2020, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/superluminal-information-transfer/928688 "2020-12-26T14:57:23Z")
I had always read that you cannot use entangled quantum states to transfer information, certainly not faster than light. This article claims otherwise: The summary paragraph reads: Please tell me it’s wrong. --- ## [Simulating eggnog (permanently) in a glass...ideas?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simulating-eggnog-permanently-in-a-glass-ideas/928964)
**Author:** [@ZonexandScout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZonexandScout)\ **Replies:** 1\ **Last updated:** [December 26, 2020, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simulating-eggnog-permanently-in-a-glass-ideas/928964 "2020-12-26T14:52:58Z")
I’m a fan of National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation. My wife found me a reasonable facsimile of the Wally World moose mug that Cousin Eddie uses in the movie. It is real glass, not plastic. I would like to make it look… --- ## [Odd clearings on Google Maps](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/odd-clearings-on-google-maps/928780)
**Author:** [@mixdenny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mixdenny)\ **Replies:** 7\ **Last updated:** [December 26, 2020, 11:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/odd-clearings-on-google-maps/928780 "2020-12-26T11:17:47Z")
Each feature is about 300 x 400 feet. They look like identical gravel lots each with some structure in one corner. If you zoom out there are at least a dozen of them in theiss remote area of Columbiana County OH . The ro… --- ## [Fuck YouTube's ads](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-youtubes-ads/927941)
**Author:** [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Replies:** 50\ **Last updated:** [December 26, 2020, 8:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-youtubes-ads/927941 "2020-12-26T08:07:34Z")
For fuck’s sake, there’s no need for a fucking ad every 45 seconds! I don’t need a fucking 6 second ad before every 30 second video and I don’t need you interrupting a 2 minute video after 45 seconds with a 15 second ad… --- ## [Question for Electrician](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-electrician/928203)
**Author:** [@Dante](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dante)\ **Replies:** 5\ **Last updated:** [December 17, 2020, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-electrician/928203 "2020-12-17T00:12:08Z")
My power went out recently, and while we were waiting for it to come back on, I switched on the gas fireplace. In that instant I was sure it wasn’t going to work, but lo and behold, the fireplace came on. And I was able… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/latest.md?page=1601) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/latest.md?page=1603)