# Latest **URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/latest.md?page=1943 [Latest](https://boards.straightdope.com/latest.md) · [Categories](https://boards.straightdope.com/categories.md) · [Tags](https://boards.straightdope.com/tags.md) **Page:** 1944 --- ## [Any positive side effects from all of this isolation?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-positive-side-effects-from-all-of-this-isolation/850851)
**Author:** [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Replies:** 29\ **Last updated:** [April 3, 2020, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-positive-side-effects-from-all-of-this-isolation/850851 "2020-04-03T15:56:28Z")
Are there any statistics showing any positive effects as a result of all of the quarantining and social distancing? Reduction in car accidents/fatalities Reduction in spread of other communicable diseases (e.g., flu) W… --- ## [Black hole lensing. Finding black holes.](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-hole-lensing-finding-black-holes/850720)
**Author:** [@Kedikat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kedikat)\ **Replies:** 13\ **Last updated:** [April 3, 2020, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-hole-lensing-finding-black-holes/850720 "2020-04-03T15:49:23Z")
A few questions to another question. Does clearly visible black hole lensing happen only if we happen to be at the focal point of what it is lensing. Similar to the usual optical scheme? Does black hole lensing also in… --- ## [Bill Withers RIP](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-withers-rip/850966)
**Author:** [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Replies:** 4\ **Last updated:** [April 3, 2020, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-withers-rip/850966 "2020-04-03T15:17:17Z")
Died at 81. He stopped making music in 1985. Won 3 Grammys --- ## [Fire alarms and the virus.....](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fire-alarms-and-the-virus/850952)
**Author:** [@Mark\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mark_Finn)\ **Replies:** 2\ **Last updated:** [April 3, 2020, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fire-alarms-and-the-virus/850952 "2020-04-03T15:04:35Z")
I live on the 7th floor of a 12-storey high-rise. Probably 500-600 people live in the building. Last night - the fire alarm went off. Normally - I would take the stairs and gather with everyone else in the lobby (and ma… --- ## [What type of stuffing do I use for a couch?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-type-of-stuffing-do-i-use-for-a-couch/850787)
**Author:** [@UltraVires](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UltraVires)\ **Replies:** 19\ **Last updated:** [April 3, 2020, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-type-of-stuffing-do-i-use-for-a-couch/850787 "2020-04-03T14:55:19Z")
I have a favorite TV watching couch that has seen it’s better days. I can afford a new couch, but I like this one (and if you help me out, the wife might not make me get rid of it). It needs new stuffing. I guess what… --- ## [Trump now pushing for $2 trillion infrastructure bill](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-now-pushing-for-2-trillion-infrastructure-bill/850754)
**Author:** [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Replies:** 13\ **Last updated:** [April 3, 2020, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-now-pushing-for-2-trillion-infrastructure-bill/850754 "2020-04-03T14:11:34Z")
In the close wake of Congress having passed a $2 trillion coronavirus relief/stimulus bill, Trump is now pushing for action on another $2 trillion bill, this time the long-discussed move to overhaul American infrastructu… --- ## [California gives up High Speed Rail project, why is the US a failure and laughing stock?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/california-gives-up-high-speed-rail-project-why-is-the-us-a-failure-and-laughing-stock/829549)
**Author:** [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Replies:** 277\ **Last updated:** [April 3, 2020, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/california-gives-up-high-speed-rail-project-why-is-the-us-a-failure-and-laughing-stock/829549 "2020-04-03T14:11:33Z")
This is just flat out embarrassing. 20 Countries world wide has high speed rail. The US fails? WTH has happened to this country? We can’t pull off a large scale engineering project anymore? Can we accept being 2nd rate … --- ## [Why the wide variance in symptom severity with COVID-19?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-wide-variance-in-symptom-severity-with-covid-19/850949)
**Author:** [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\ **Replies:** 2\ **Last updated:** [April 3, 2020, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-wide-variance-in-symptom-severity-with-covid-19/850949 "2020-04-03T14:08:30Z")
So originally the working theory was that the virus overwhelmingly targets older people and people with underlying health conditions. This is still mostly true, but more and more relatively young people with apparently n… --- ## [What color is Venus?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-color-is-venus/850812)
**Author:** [@K364](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/K364)\ **Replies:** 17\ **Last updated:** [April 3, 2020, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-color-is-venus/850812 "2020-04-03T14:01:05Z")
This page here says “April’s night skies bring brightness to dark times. At dusk, Venus will burn with stunning intensity (at magnitude -4.5) in the western sky. Even with the unaided eye, the planet’s characteristic sul… --- ## [Gym balls. No, not like Tennis Elbows.](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gym-balls-no-not-like-tennis-elbows/285776)
**Author:** [@Tabby\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tabby_Cat)\ **Replies:** 20\ **Last updated:** [January 21, 2005, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gym-balls-no-not-like-tennis-elbows/285776 "2005-01-21T15:57:06Z")
Do you have one? What are they good for? Are they good at it? I’ve heard a lot about these gym balls, and how they are supposed to help “improve your posture” and “flexibility” and “areobic exercise” and I can’t for the… --- ## [Advice sought about my cleaning lady re COVID](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advice-sought-about-my-cleaning-lady-re-covid/850113)
**Author:** [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Replies:** 38\ **Last updated:** [April 3, 2020, 1:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advice-sought-about-my-cleaning-lady-re-covid/850113 "2020-04-03T13:14:06Z")
I have a woman “Mary Lou” (not her name) who comes to clean every other Monday. I’m 71 and live alone in a pretty small house. She’s been coming for nine years. Her next day would be a Mar 30, week from today. Should I l… --- ## [Error correction: audio CDs vs. CD-ROMs](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/error-correction-audio-cds-vs-cd-roms/850735)
**Author:** [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Replies:** 8\ **Last updated:** [April 3, 2020, 12:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/error-correction-audio-cds-vs-cd-roms/850735 "2020-04-03T12:36:09Z")
ISTR reading somewhere recently that audio CDs and CD-ROMs are encoded differently, such that CD-ROMs are more resistant to (or more able to correct) read errors. Is this true? If so, how is it done, and why isn’t it d… --- ## [When did this musical phenomenon begin?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-this-musical-phenomenon-begin/805206)
**Author:** [@pianodave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pianodave)\ **Replies:** 42\ **Last updated:** [April 3, 2020, 11:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-this-musical-phenomenon-begin/805206 "2020-04-03T11:55:55Z")
Hi SD, I am curious as to what the first song was that popularized this musical characteristic. It’s fairly recent. It’s a phenomenon where the very end of the song consists of the music stopping and the vocalist cont… --- ## [Security increased for Anrhony Fauci due to threats.](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/security-increased-for-anrhony-fauci-due-to-threats/850872)
**Author:** [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Replies:** 18\ **Last updated:** [April 3, 2020, 11:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/security-increased-for-anrhony-fauci-due-to-threats/850872 "2020-04-03T11:50:05Z")
I guess this was predictable. It’s like a damned cult. Is any other country facing this kind of resistance to health measures? --- ## [Cricket Tour Matches](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cricket-tour-matches/818059)
**Author:** [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackknifed_Juggernaut)\ **Replies:** 6\ **Last updated:** [April 3, 2020, 11:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cricket-tour-matches/818059 "2020-04-03T11:43:31Z")
I noticed that when a national cricket team goes on a tour of another nation, the visiting team plays a few tour matches with some of the local clubs or junior teams, outside of the slate of T20’s, ODI’S and test matches… --- ## [Which is bigger for England: 1966 Football World Cup or 2019 Cricket World Cup?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-is-bigger-for-england-1966-football-world-cup-or-2019-cricket-world-cup/837115)
**Author:** [@russian\_heel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/russian_heel)\ **Replies:** 35\ **Last updated:** [April 3, 2020, 11:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-is-bigger-for-england-1966-football-world-cup-or-2019-cricket-world-cup/837115 "2020-04-03T11:43:04Z")
Asking this knowing I’m guessing 1/2 the posters here were probably born after 1966. I’m going to guess the 2019 win was more dramatic, but 1966 meant more since football is a bigger sport worldwide and England all but … --- ## [Youtube autogenerated "Author" and "Composer"](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youtube-autogenerated-author-and-composer/850921)
**Author:** [@Melbourne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Melbourne)\ **Replies:** 1\ **Last updated:** [April 3, 2020, 10:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youtube-autogenerated-author-and-composer/850921 "2020-04-03T10:08:42Z")
I’ve been listening to my favorites, the radical left-wing lesbian country and western duo, the Topp Twins. They’ve never really been aligned with the Big Music business, and don’t have much of a YouYube presence. So a … --- ## [How is this mess impacting you financially, and what steps are you taking?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-this-mess-impacting-you-financially-and-what-steps-are-you-taking/850634)
**Author:** [@OldOlds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OldOlds)\ **Replies:** 44\ **Last updated:** [April 3, 2020, 6:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-this-mess-impacting-you-financially-and-what-steps-are-you-taking/850634 "2020-04-03T06:50:54Z")
Have your finances been impacted by this? Yet? What do you anticipate? What are you doing, either proactively or reactively? So far, my wife an I are still employed and not seeing any impact to income. We’re both in ph… --- ## [How can they build houses in the rain?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-they-build-houses-in-the-rain/850683)
**Author:** [@dolphinboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dolphinboy)\ **Replies:** 16\ **Last updated:** [April 3, 2020, 6:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-they-build-houses-in-the-rain/850683 "2020-04-03T06:33:37Z")
I live in Montana, and home building slows down during the winter as you might imagine, but it still goes on. As the snow turns to sleet, and the sleet turns to rain, they continue construction. Sometimes they will thro… --- ## [Covid-19 and unemployment benefits](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covid-19-and-unemployment-benefits/850807)
**Author:** [@Enola\_Straight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enola_Straight)\ **Replies:** 5\ **Last updated:** [April 3, 2020, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covid-19-and-unemployment-benefits/850807 "2020-04-03T05:01:04Z")
As an Atlantic City Casino worker, I have been out of work for a few weeks now. I see and hear the urgent advice all around me to file for Unemployment Benefits. BUT… On my last day of work I was told that, although I… --- ## [Musicians are out of work and struggling now.](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/musicians-are-out-of-work-and-struggling-now/850849)
**Author:** [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Replies:** 9\ **Last updated:** [April 3, 2020, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/musicians-are-out-of-work-and-struggling-now/850849 "2020-04-03T04:38:12Z")
Seems like everyone is out of work or knows someone out of work. Most working musicians don’t make a lot of money. Only a few “stars” rake in the big $$$$. Caylee Hammack and her band is one example. They have a record… --- ## [George Soros Throws Down Against Bush](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-soros-throws-down-against-bush/212728)
**Author:** [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Replies:** 69\ **Last updated:** [April 3, 2020, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-soros-throws-down-against-bush/212728 "2020-04-03T04:33:42Z")
So George Soros apparently dislikes the president A lot. He’s committing a decent chunk of change towards the defeat of GWB in the upcoming election. And he’s using his contacts and experience garnered through his eff… --- ## [Better song? Imagine or Heal the World](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/better-song-imagine-or-heal-the-world/850107)
**Author:** [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Replies:** 27\ **Last updated:** [April 3, 2020, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/better-song-imagine-or-heal-the-world/850107 "2020-04-03T03:40:28Z")
Simply put, which cheesy song that is overused is actually better? I think it is clearly “Heal the World” by Michael Jackson. In fact, it is no contest. Imagine is a stupid song that only seems to have meaning the first… --- ## [Arrested Development VS Veep](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arrested-development-vs-veep/850873)
**Author:** [@2Bits](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/2Bits)\ **Replies:** 19\ **Last updated:** [April 3, 2020, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arrested-development-vs-veep/850873 "2020-04-03T03:30:32Z")
Two well-acted, super “intelligent” sitcoms with biting wit and morally-challenged characters. Why do I love Arrested Development (particularly the first three seasons) and mostly loath Veep? --- ## [Did you later change your mind about who was the bad guy in your parents' divorce?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-later-change-your-mind-about-who-was-the-bad-guy-in-your-parents-divorce/850573)
**Author:** [@carlotta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carlotta)\ **Replies:** 21\ **Last updated:** [April 3, 2020, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-later-change-your-mind-about-who-was-the-bad-guy-in-your-parents-divorce/850573 "2020-04-03T03:00:19Z")
I’m the supportive bystander to a friend’s divorce. It’s so clear to me that her husband is emotionally abusive. He’s mean, critical, contemptuous and there’s no behavior on her part that can evoke nicer behavior on hi… --- ## [Uh, you might want to rephrase that.](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uh-you-might-want-to-rephrase-that/850833)
**Author:** [@Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malleus_Incus_Stapes)\ **Replies:** 1\ **Last updated:** [April 3, 2020, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uh-you-might-want-to-rephrase-that/850833 "2020-04-03T02:29:32Z")
The radio host was talking about his upcoming special something-or-other about thanking healthcare workers. He said that in times like this, we all need to be positive. No, Mr. Duran, I’m preeeetty sure that at this tim… --- ## [question about hand sanitizer effectiveness](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-hand-sanitizer-effectiveness/850919)
**Author:** [@nightshadea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nightshadea)\ **Replies:** 3\ **Last updated:** [April 3, 2020, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-hand-sanitizer-effectiveness/850919 "2020-04-03T02:06:36Z")
Ok with the COVID-19 thing going on hand sanitizer is at a premium and impossible to get But my question is this … I can’t remember exactly why but about 4 or 5 years ago there was another sickness which brought such … --- ## [Trump/Hitler Quote Trick](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-hitler-quote-trick/850860)
**Author:** [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Replies:** 8\ **Last updated:** [April 3, 2020, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-hitler-quote-trick/850860 "2020-04-03T01:53:16Z")
I remember during the last election a reporter (or similar occupation) asking Trump supporters if they agreed with a quoted speech/statement. IIRC they were led to believe the words were Trump’s, but in fact were Hitler… --- ## [Why do they feel we'll have a vaccine in 12-18 months when there is no HIV vaccine after 35 years?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-they-feel-well-have-a-vaccine-in-12-18-months-when-there-is-no-hiv-vaccine-after-35-years/850896)
**Author:** [@Quintas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quintas)\ **Replies:** 19\ **Last updated:** [April 3, 2020, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-they-feel-well-have-a-vaccine-in-12-18-months-when-there-is-no-hiv-vaccine-after-35-years/850896 "2020-04-03T01:23:38Z")
Is HIV just an unusually strange or difficult virus to develop a vaccine for? Or is it possible there will be NO vaccine for Covid-19? --- ## [Why did it take us so long to invent flying in balloons?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-it-take-us-so-long-to-invent-flying-in-balloons/850298)
**Author:** [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Replies:** 105\ **Last updated:** [April 3, 2020, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-it-take-us-so-long-to-invent-flying-in-balloons/850298 "2020-04-03T00:50:54Z")
I was reading a book on the history of technology and the author pointed out that a balloon is an incredibly simple invention. We had the basic technology that would have allowed us to make a balloon capable of carrying … [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/latest.md?page=1942) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/latest.md?page=1944)