# Latest **URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/latest.md?page=1622 [Latest](https://boards.straightdope.com/latest.md) · [Categories](https://boards.straightdope.com/categories.md) · [Tags](https://boards.straightdope.com/tags.md) **Page:** 1623 --- ## [Letters to Santa reveal the toll the pandemic is taking on kids](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/letters-to-santa-reveal-the-toll-the-pandemic-is-taking-on-kids/927660)
**Author:** [@Max\_S](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_S)\ **Replies:** 0\ **Last updated:** [December 9, 2020, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/letters-to-santa-reveal-the-toll-the-pandemic-is-taking-on-kids/927660 "2020-12-09T18:59:06Z")
Aw. :frowning: I didn’t know Operation Santa was a thing. I think that’s great. ~Max --- ## [Slow Surface Pro](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slow-surface-pro/926718)
**Author:** [@bob\_2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bob_2)\ **Replies:** 10\ **Last updated:** [December 9, 2020, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slow-surface-pro/926718 "2020-12-09T18:58:49Z")
I have a 3yo Surface Pro 5 that is now running so slowly that it is almost unusable. The batteries have died, but I can live with that and plug it in, but in spite of some extensive searches I have been unable to detect… --- ## [What good news have you recently received?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-good-news-have-you-recently-received/927645)
**Author:** [@Hilary\_Algar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hilary_Algar)\ **Replies:** 9\ **Last updated:** [December 9, 2020, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-good-news-have-you-recently-received/927645 "2020-12-09T18:52:45Z")
Yesterday, I received an email from Stubhub® which indicated that I would soon be receiving a full refund for two tickets for an “in-person” event that had been scheduled for June of this year but was subsequently cancel… --- ## [What does the Pringles guy's body look like? \[possibly NSFW\]](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-the-pringles-guys-body-look-like-possibly-nsfw/927627)
**Author:** [@Heffalump\_and\_Roo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Heffalump_and_Roo)\ **Replies:** 6\ **Last updated:** [December 9, 2020, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-the-pringles-guys-body-look-like-possibly-nsfw/927627 "2020-12-09T18:24:49Z")
John Oliver did a special web segment asking the question what the Pringle’s guy’s (person’s) body looks like and the back story for why he’s asking. \[possibly NSFW video\] Oliver issued a challenge to Pri… --- ## [Another Old Timer checking in](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-old-timer-checking-in/927232)
**Author:** [@Tristan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tristan)\ **Replies:** 29\ **Last updated:** [December 9, 2020, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-old-timer-checking-in/927232 "2020-12-09T18:22:25Z")
Not sure what counts as old timer any more, tbh. Hi! I’m Tristan. I was a regular poster for quite a while, having joined in 2000. I apparently missed being a 99er by a hair. Dang it. I hosted a truly awful dopefes… --- ## [NFL 2020: Week 13](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-2020-week-13/927116)
**Author:** [@Hamlet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hamlet)\ **Replies:** 107\ **Last updated:** [December 9, 2020, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-2020-week-13/927116 "2020-12-09T18:09:47Z")
Well, the NFL was bound and determined to have a Ravens/Steelers game, and they got it. Sure it was a shitshow, with bad play on both sides, but it was a game. Now to see about the potential Covid fallout. In other news… --- ## [Shower caddy made to fit over square pipe?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shower-caddy-made-to-fit-over-square-pipe/927612)
**Author:** [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Replies:** 7\ **Last updated:** [December 9, 2020, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shower-caddy-made-to-fit-over-square-pipe/927612 "2020-12-09T17:41:51Z")
The shower pipe in the condo we moved into a year ago is a square, just about one inch. All the “over the pipe” caddies I can find are made for round pipes. Whatever I google seems to come up with quite ordinary caddie… --- ## [Wanna Buy an S?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wanna-buy-an-s/913438)
**Author:** [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Replies:** 8\ **Last updated:** [December 9, 2020, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wanna-buy-an-s/913438 "2020-12-09T17:27:44Z")
Shhhhhhh. An S. You can use it to make lots of words. Like sunshine. Or starlight. --- ## [Gillian Anderson in terrible in "The Crown"](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gillian-anderson-in-terrible-in-the-crown/926880)
**Author:** [@Aji\_de\_Gallina](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aji_de_Gallina)\ **Replies:** 42\ **Last updated:** [December 9, 2020, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gillian-anderson-in-terrible-in-the-crown/926880 "2020-12-09T17:03:49Z")
Every time she’s on screen it feels like she drew the short straw and got stuck with Margaret Thatcher. When I see her it feels like she’s thinking “fuck, I have to play this woman again, I hate her”. She’s woody and tot… --- ## [Which cell carrier has a particular phone number](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-cell-carrier-has-a-particular-phone-number/927260)
**Author:** [@OldGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OldGuy)\ **Replies:** 15\ **Last updated:** [December 9, 2020, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-cell-carrier-has-a-particular-phone-number/927260 "2020-12-09T16:51:02Z")
I’m trying to figure out which carrier might have a particular number. I realize numbers are now portable so it could have been moved, but perhaps I can figure out which cell carrier originally was assigned a particular… --- ## [What are our numbers telling us](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-our-numbers-telling-us/927322)
**Author:** [@HoneyBadgerDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HoneyBadgerDC)\ **Replies:** 37\ **Last updated:** [December 9, 2020, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-our-numbers-telling-us/927322 "2020-12-09T16:06:12Z")
Deaths and hospitalizations seem to be about the only somewhat solid statistics we have to work with when projecting infection rates in the general population. We know the vast majority of cases go un-diagnosed but is is… --- ## [Why is reddit creating new accounts for me?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-reddit-creating-new-accounts-for-me/927649)
**Author:** [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Replies:** 1\ **Last updated:** [December 9, 2020, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-reddit-creating-new-accounts-for-me/927649 "2020-12-09T15:41:16Z")
I have a reddit account already. That being said about 6 weeks ago I clicked on a link that sent me to reddit. Note I did not know the link would do that. After that I got spammed by Reddit updates to the email linked… --- ## [Plumbing question: vent, shower drain, trap location](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/plumbing-question-vent-shower-drain-trap-location/927592)
**Author:** [@toadspittle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/toadspittle)\ **Replies:** 8\ **Last updated:** [December 9, 2020, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/plumbing-question-vent-shower-drain-trap-location/927592 "2020-12-09T15:14:01Z")
We bought and renovated our house two years ago. It was a near-total gut job. One thing we did was remove a gross jacuzzi tub from the master bath and replace it with a large walk-in shower. We’ve lately noticed an inte… --- ## [Covidwise contact tracing app - yea or nay?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covidwise-contact-tracing-app-yea-or-nay/917410)
**Author:** [@Typo\_Knig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Knig)\ **Replies:** 11\ **Last updated:** [December 9, 2020, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covidwise-contact-tracing-app-yea-or-nay/917410 "2020-12-09T13:01:35Z")
Virginia has announced an exposure notification app called covidwise, based on Google and Apple’s approach. The privacy design looks pretty good, but I don’t have time to dive deeply. Any thoughts or experience from SDMB… --- ## [Is my water softener working?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-my-water-softener-working/926040)
**Author:** [@Orville\_mogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Orville_mogul)\ **Replies:** 9\ **Last updated:** [December 9, 2020, 11:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-my-water-softener-working/926040 "2020-12-09T11:59:25Z")
We have a water softener in our house (ion exchange) to soften our rather hard drinking water (we live near a limestone mountain range). The softened water is for the hot water only. However I have noticed that we still … --- ## [Dick head stepdad](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dick-head-stepdad/927588)
**Author:** [@meep1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/meep1)\ **Replies:** 5\ **Last updated:** [December 9, 2020, 6:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dick-head-stepdad/927588 "2020-12-09T06:36:01Z")
so tell me why are you so rude. i fucking hate you. why did you bamboozle my mother into marring you? you are as shity as the worst shit somebody has taken. so why stepdad? why the fuck do you come and ruin my day? why? --- ## [Do you send or receive Christmas cards?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-send-or-receive-christmas-cards/927211)
**Author:** [@RollOutTheBarrel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RollOutTheBarrel)\ **Replies:** 44\ **Last updated:** [December 9, 2020, 6:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-send-or-receive-christmas-cards/927211 "2020-12-09T06:06:45Z")
My mom has a huge list of people she exchanges Christmas cards with, some of whom she hasn’t actually seen in decades. She includes a Christmas letter reflecting on the year with some of the cards. I, on the other hand, … --- ## [Highest Numbered Street in US?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/highest-numbered-street-in-us/61479)
**Author:** [@Hometownboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hometownboy)\ **Replies:** 34\ **Last updated:** [December 9, 2020, 5:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/highest-numbered-street-in-us/61479 "2020-12-09T05:19:53Z")
The nearest moderate size city to me is Portland, Oregon, which goes up to approximately 257th Street, which led me to wonder. Then I did a Google search and found midwestern towns with 1300th Street, etc. I suspect tha… --- ## [What is your favorite animated short?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-animated-short/927248)
**Author:** [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Replies:** 60\ **Last updated:** [December 9, 2020, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-animated-short/927248 "2020-12-09T04:31:36Z")
NOT “animation shorts”-please don’t post pictures of your Batman Underoos. :grin: I first saw this one at a Spike and Mike’s Sick and Twisted Festival of Animation many years ago. Don Hertzfeldt’s “Rejected” REJECTED… --- ## [Supreme Court rejects Pennsylvania election case](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/supreme-court-rejects-pennsylvania-election-case/927609)
**Author:** [@Wheelz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wheelz)\ **Replies:** 16\ **Last updated:** [December 9, 2020, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/supreme-court-rejects-pennsylvania-election-case/927609 "2020-12-09T03:40:23Z")
One sentence: “The application for injunctive relief presented to Justice Alito and by him referred to the Court is denied.” Not surprising, but it feels like a final sigh of relief. --- ## [Dopers with parents of opposite politics/religion......how did they do it?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dopers-with-parents-of-opposite-politics-religion-how-did-they-do-it/927314)
**Author:** [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Replies:** 10\ **Last updated:** [December 9, 2020, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dopers-with-parents-of-opposite-politics-religion-how-did-they-do-it/927314 "2020-12-09T03:11:20Z")
My parents are/were carbon copies of each other in politics and religious views. They may have disagreed on other things, but in these two aspects they were identical. For Dopers who grew up with opposite parents (maybe… --- ## [Is there a tradition of locking the audience in the Bayreuth theater during the Ring des Nibelungen performance?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-tradition-of-locking-the-audience-in-the-bayreuth-theater-during-the-ring-des-nibelungen-performance/927269)
**Author:** [@Octagon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Octagon)\ **Replies:** 8\ **Last updated:** [December 9, 2020, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-tradition-of-locking-the-audience-in-the-bayreuth-theater-during-the-ring-des-nibelungen-performance/927269 "2020-12-09T02:56:43Z")
Is there a tradition of locking the audience in the Bayreuth theater during the Ring des Nibelungen performance? I had read it somewhere. I was wondering if the tradition ever existed, and if so, is it still practiced t… --- ## [Warner Brothers to stream all 2021 releases on HBO Max same day as in theaters](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/warner-brothers-to-stream-all-2021-releases-on-hbo-max-same-day-as-in-theaters/927396)
**Author:** [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Replies:** 8\ **Last updated:** [December 9, 2020, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/warner-brothers-to-stream-all-2021-releases-on-hbo-max-same-day-as-in-theaters/927396 "2020-12-09T01:23:33Z")
This is a couple days old, but Warner Brothers Studios has announced it will make all of their 2021 releases available on HBO Max the same day they are released in theaters. This includes such releases as Tom and Jerry a… --- ## [Canadians help stranded military family drive to Alaska](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadians-help-stranded-military-family-drive-to-alaska/927525)
**Author:** [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Replies:** 4\ **Last updated:** [December 9, 2020, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadians-help-stranded-military-family-drive-to-alaska/927525 "2020-12-09T01:10:09Z")
Covid restrictions make it very difficult for people to enter and drive through Canada to Alaska. This lady and her kids trip (to meet her husband stationed in Alaska) was delayed waiting for the necessary paperwork fro… --- ## [Why did the Camel die out in the wild?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-the-camel-die-out-in-the-wild/927577)
**Author:** [@Babale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Babale)\ **Replies:** 29\ **Last updated:** [December 9, 2020, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-the-camel-die-out-in-the-wild/927577 "2020-12-09T01:07:06Z")
As I understand it, there are three species of camel. The Dromedary comes from Somalia/Ethiopia; the Bactrians from Asia; and in fact there were two distinct types of Bactrian camels which had split 1 million years ago, … --- ## [Who else is working on a vaccine?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-else-is-working-on-a-vaccine/925780)
**Author:** [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Replies:** 7\ **Last updated:** [December 9, 2020, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-else-is-working-on-a-vaccine/925780 "2020-12-09T00:37:37Z")
Apart from Russia and the US, which other countries are actually working to develop a coronavirus vaccine? --- ## [Kindle Fire HD power-down crashes when I plug in a charger](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kindle-fire-hd-power-down-crashes-when-i-plug-in-a-charger/927608)
**Author:** [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Replies:** 1\ **Last updated:** [December 9, 2020, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kindle-fire-hd-power-down-crashes-when-i-plug-in-a-charger/927608 "2020-12-09T00:36:34Z")
Is there a hardware failure mode where the device shuts down if you plug it in? I have tried four different working chargers and it does the same thing every time. If I plug it in powered on, it immediately powers down a… --- ## [Has any major church/denomination blamed COVID on God's judgement?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-any-major-church-denomination-blamed-covid-on-gods-judgement/924597)
**Author:** [@Deeg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Deeg)\ **Replies:** 8\ **Last updated:** [December 9, 2020, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-any-major-church-denomination-blamed-covid-on-gods-judgement/924597 "2020-12-09T00:27:24Z")
I often see fundamental churches blaming a catastrophe on God’s wrath over something, usually abortion or the gay. I haven’t noticed it for COVID; have I just missed it? Because to me the most obvious source of God’s w… --- ## [Tell me about fifth wheels](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-fifth-wheels/926737)
**Author:** [@lobotomyboy63](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lobotomyboy63)\ **Replies:** 61\ **Last updated:** [December 9, 2020, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-fifth-wheels/926737 "2020-12-09T00:22:19Z")
Mrs. L and I hope to take a break from work sometime in the next few years. If all goes to plan we’ll get a truck, pull a trailer and explore. I was thinking about a camper, maybe 20 feet long and connecting at the bum… --- ## [Funny political moments](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/funny-political-moments/927590)
**Author:** [@Lantern2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lantern2)\ **Replies:** 2\ **Last updated:** [December 9, 2020, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/funny-political-moments/927590 "2020-12-09T00:21:17Z")
Rule: They have to be actual political moments. No political comedy including speeches by politicians which are primarily comedy like the White House Correspondents Dinner. Here are a couple I like: Bill Clinton’s 1988… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/latest.md?page=1621) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/latest.md?page=1623)