# Latest **URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/latest.md?page=290&state=muted [Latest](https://boards.straightdope.com/latest.md) · [Categories](https://boards.straightdope.com/categories.md) · [Tags](https://boards.straightdope.com/tags.md) **Page:** 291 --- ## [Making and sending an important encrypted document to someone](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/making-and-sending-an-important-encrypted-document-to-someone/1020234)
**Author:** [@dolphinboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dolphinboy)\ **Replies:** 28\ **Last updated:** [June 29, 2025, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/making-and-sending-an-important-encrypted-document-to-someone/1020234 "2025-06-29T21:55:13Z")
I believe there is a factual answer, but mods are free to move this if they think there’s a better place for it. I live alone in Montana, over 1,600 miles away from my only daughter in Oklahoma. While I don’t expect to … --- ## [I Forget How Old I Am](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-forget-how-old-i-am/1019771)
**Author:** [@knavette57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/knavette57)\ **Replies:** 56\ **Last updated:** [June 29, 2025, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-forget-how-old-i-am/1019771 "2025-06-29T18:23:59Z")
I am a very healthy 67 year old woman (no chronic health issues, low blood pressure, etc). My mind is still clear, though I think too fast and cannot always keep up as I did in my youth. I have all my financial house i… --- ## [What's with PETA](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-peta/1019874)
**Author:** [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Replies:** 31\ **Last updated:** [June 29, 2025, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-peta/1019874 "2025-06-29T17:56:57Z")
For the past couple months, we’ve been getting two or three solicitations a week from them. I have never been enamored with them anyway since I am not vegan and it would seem hypocritical to pretend to support them. Bu… --- ## [Nina the Cat: Small, but Mighty (has pix)](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nina-the-cat-small-but-mighty-has-pix/1012724)
**Author:** [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Replies:** 29\ **Last updated:** [June 29, 2025, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nina-the-cat-small-but-mighty-has-pix/1012724 "2025-06-29T17:27:13Z")
We have a new cat! The boychik really wanted a black cat, and since I’ve kinda wanted another cat too, for Chanukah, we went to the shelter and adopted Selina Kyle Maccaby, Nina for short (or Ninotchka, for very short, … --- ## [CT Scan Reveals Very High Calcium Around My Heart. Serious or Meh?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ct-scan-reveals-very-high-calcium-around-my-heart-serious-or-meh/1016200)
**Author:** [@Si\_Amigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Si_Amigo)\ **Replies:** 65\ **Last updated:** [June 29, 2025, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ct-scan-reveals-very-high-calcium-around-my-heart-serious-or-meh/1016200 "2025-06-29T16:11:20Z")
OK, to start with you are not my doctor and I am not seeking specific medical advice. I have a doctor and he is out on vacation until next week, so I’d like to understand my condition more before we discuss. So as part… --- ## [Q about Drawstring Pants](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/q-about-drawstring-pants/1020114)
**Author:** [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Replies:** 31\ **Last updated:** [June 29, 2025, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/q-about-drawstring-pants/1020114 "2025-06-29T15:40:20Z")
I bought some drawstring pants with my family tartan on it, with the intention of wearing them with a blazer and an Oxford shirt. The drawstring kind of ruined the look, so I took it out, intending to use suspenders or a… --- ## [What is your favourite “B-movie”?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favourite-b-movie/1019489)
**Author:** [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Replies:** 161\ **Last updated:** [June 29, 2025, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favourite-b-movie/1019489 "2025-06-29T15:12:24Z")
Something does not need to have any redeeming qualities to strike your fancy and be worth watching more than once. Junk food is more popular than bean salad. So what is your favourite “B-movie”, defined as you wish?. A… --- ## [We got an unwanted kitten (owner was found)](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-got-an-unwanted-kitten-owner-was-found/1020113)
**Author:** [@Author\_Balk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Author_Balk)\ **Replies:** 15\ **Last updated:** [June 29, 2025, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-got-an-unwanted-kitten-owner-was-found/1020113 "2025-06-29T14:18:27Z")
At about 5:30 yesterday I found a very small kitten In the driveway (in a rural area). It seems too young to survive outside - and it’s hot. I would think mommy should be taking care of it. It has a crusty eye and didn’t… --- ## [Please explain stocks to me](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-explain-stocks-to-me/1019932)
**Author:** [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Replies:** 44\ **Last updated:** [June 29, 2025, 7:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-explain-stocks-to-me/1019932 "2025-06-29T07:31:17Z")
I am today years old (53) and I have only the most vague idea of how the stock market works. Let’s say I need $500k to get Homie’s Widgets up and running. So I sell one thousand shares at $5 per. In its first year of op… --- ## [I'm a woman who doesn't like being called "guy"](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-a-woman-who-doesnt-like-being-called-guy/1015683)
**Author:** [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Replies:** 369\ **Last updated:** [June 29, 2025, 5:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-a-woman-who-doesnt-like-being-called-guy/1015683 "2025-06-29T05:29:32Z")
Over in the BBQ “What were you THINKING?” thread has been a lengthy debate over whether it’s OK to call women “guys.” The mods want us to start a whole new thread when it gets like that, so here we are. Many times when … --- ## [Cancer treatments that are just plain odd](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cancer-treatments-that-are-just-plain-odd/1020212)
**Author:** [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Replies:** 20\ **Last updated:** [June 29, 2025, 4:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cancer-treatments-that-are-just-plain-odd/1020212 "2025-06-29T04:59:34Z")
What would you say to a family member or friend who says they’re seriously foregoing approved treatment and instead, taking Ivermectin? --- ## [Champlain Towers South in Miami has caved in {2021-06-24}](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/champlain-towers-south-in-miami-has-caved-in-2021-06-24/944931)
**Author:** [@not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/not_what_you_d_expect)\ **Replies:** 712\ **Last updated:** [June 29, 2025, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/champlain-towers-south-in-miami-has-caved-in-2021-06-24/944931 "2025-06-29T03:21:00Z")
This sounds like it could be awful. Part of Champlain Towers South, located on Collins Avenue in Surfside, Florida, caved in just after 1 a.m. on Thursday. At least eight people have been taken to hospital, ABC7 repor… --- ## [Arsonist sets fire on the Seoul Subway system](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arsonist-sets-fire-on-the-seoul-subway-system/1019044)
**Author:** [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Replies:** 4\ **Last updated:** [June 29, 2025, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arsonist-sets-fire-on-the-seoul-subway-system/1019044 "2025-06-29T01:15:58Z")
From Chosun Ilbo: The arsonist was caught. FYI, in 2003, an arsonist set fire in the Daegu subway system. --- ## [Putting glasses read the terrain and plot the correct putt direction](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/putting-glasses-read-the-terrain-and-plot-the-correct-putt-direction/1020237)
**Author:** [@mixdenny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mixdenny)\ **Replies:** 3\ **Last updated:** [June 29, 2025, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/putting-glasses-read-the-terrain-and-plot-the-correct-putt-direction/1020237 "2025-06-29T00:28:20Z")
Hey, maybe I can finally make a putt! --- ## [Costco Food Court](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/costco-food-court/1019955)
**Author:** [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Replies:** 76\ **Last updated:** [June 28, 2025, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/costco-food-court/1019955 "2025-06-28T23:53:43Z")
Costco will always sell $1.50 hot dogs (with drink) and cheap rotisserie chicken. If people are buying hundreds of dollars worth of stuff, losing money on a couple of popular items that make customers happy is a no-brai… --- ## [RIP Bobby Sherman](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-bobby-sherman/1020097)
**Author:** [@2\_More\_Bits](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/2_More_Bits)\ **Replies:** 32\ **Last updated:** [June 28, 2025, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-bobby-sherman/1020097 "2025-06-28T23:48:00Z")
He apparently earned seven gold singles, one platinum single, and five gold albums. I don’t even think of him as a music performer. --- ## [Are there two versions of the Beach Boys "All Summer Long?"](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-two-versions-of-the-beach-boys-all-summer-long/915653)
**Author:** [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Replies:** 18\ **Last updated:** [June 28, 2025, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-two-versions-of-the-beach-boys-all-summer-long/915653 "2025-06-28T19:59:52Z")
I used to think the lyrics were “remember when you spilt Coke allover your blouse.” Then I heard it as “milk allover.” Now I swear I heard it as Coke again. Is one of these songs the BBC required to be changed for produ… --- ## [How much did World War Two speed global warming?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-did-world-war-two-speed-global-warming/1020211)
**Author:** [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Replies:** 9\ **Last updated:** [June 28, 2025, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-did-world-war-two-speed-global-warming/1020211 "2025-06-28T16:56:58Z")
Vast fleets of oil-burning warships. Plus freighters to support them. Diesel powered tanks. Thousand Plane bombing missions. Carried out by multi-engined bombers, burning high test. Burning? We burned whole cities ! Th… --- ## [Modern drugs from herbalist plants](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modern-drugs-from-herbalist-plants/1019939)
**Author:** [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Replies:** 35\ **Last updated:** [June 28, 2025, 9:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modern-drugs-from-herbalist-plants/1019939 "2025-06-28T09:40:12Z")
I’m looking for examples of medical drugs derived from plants that were part of traditional medicine or herbalist lore. That is, at least one traditional herbalist used a certain plant or extract of one to treat a set of… --- ## [Tiny spheres of vacuum](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tiny-spheres-of-vacuum/1020185)
**Author:** [@Pleonast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pleonast)\ **Replies:** 28\ **Last updated:** [June 28, 2025, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tiny-spheres-of-vacuum/1020185 "2025-06-28T03:51:12Z")
Continuing the discussion from ­xkcd thread: Is it possible to make a tiny glass sphere strong enough to hold a vacuum? Would it have enough buoyancy to float in water? In air? What about other materials, like titaniu… --- ## [Four years at my job - time to ponder my next career move](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/four-years-at-my-job-time-to-ponder-my-next-career-move/1019070)
**Author:** [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Replies:** 56\ **Last updated:** [June 28, 2025, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/four-years-at-my-job-time-to-ponder-my-next-career-move/1019070 "2025-06-28T03:34:41Z")
For reference, here is a series of posts I’ve created about the ups and downs of my job over the past 4 years: New job going so well it has me concerned Job still going well after almost 2 years…still concerned And no… --- ## [Damn, Walgreens, Fix Your Online Vaccine Booking System!](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-walgreens-fix-your-online-vaccine-booking-system/1019963)
**Author:** [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Replies:** 17\ **Last updated:** [June 28, 2025, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-walgreens-fix-your-online-vaccine-booking-system/1019963 "2025-06-28T00:49:51Z")
We (me and allthegood) are going to be participating in Berkshire Music Festival for the first time, in July. Standing in close proximity to 140 other singers from all over, inhaling and exhaling very deeply, sharing ai… --- ## [Does practice or sleep make perfect?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-practice-or-sleep-make-perfect/1020164)
**Author:** [@dolphinboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dolphinboy)\ **Replies:** 12\ **Last updated:** [June 28, 2025, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-practice-or-sleep-make-perfect/1020164 "2025-06-28T00:35:35Z")
We’ve all heard the phrase, “practice makes perfect”. Sometimes, I’ll pick up my acoustic guitar and try to play a song I memorized years ago. I get halfway through and then forget the chord sequence. I’ll pull out the s… --- ## [Should a Large General U.S. University Offer Study in Foreign Languages, Linguistics?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-a-large-general-u-s-university-offer-study-in-foreign-languages-linguistics/988582)
**Author:** [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Replies:** 125\ **Last updated:** [June 28, 2025, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-a-large-general-u-s-university-offer-study-in-foreign-languages-linguistics/988582 "2025-06-28T00:18:43Z")
I think the immediate response of the substantial majority of people reading this (including myself) are going to say “Yes, obviously. Why are you even bringing up the question PastTense?” Because it turns out that West… --- ## ["Outrageous"-- 6-episode BritBox series about the Mitford sisters (spoilers mandatory)](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/outrageous-6-episode-britbox-series-about-the-mitford-sisters-spoilers-mandatory/1020163)
**Author:** [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Replies:** 9\ **Last updated:** [June 27, 2025, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/outrageous-6-episode-britbox-series-about-the-mitford-sisters-spoilers-mandatory/1020163 "2025-06-27T23:31:18Z")
Episodes appearing each week. Week of June 23rd, episode 3. Think of Downton Abbey reimagined by Salvador Dali. :face\_with\_spiral\_eyes: The family has a heavy-duty aristocratic pedigree: The family traces its origins… --- ## [What the heck is this (picture included)](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-heck-is-this-picture-included/1020121)
**Author:** [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Replies:** 43\ **Last updated:** [June 27, 2025, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-heck-is-this-picture-included/1020121 "2025-06-27T23:13:44Z")
Never seen anything like it. We bought a house. 5 years old. There are three of these pipes that are not quite coming out of the wall. Two inside, one outside. Two of them are not far from a gas stove. One is outside on… --- ## [Why did some lowercase "S"s printed in the past look like a defaced "f"?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-some-lowercase-s-s-printed-in-the-past-look-like-a-defaced-f/1019918)
**Author:** [@themapleleaf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/themapleleaf)\ **Replies:** 46\ **Last updated:** [June 27, 2025, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-some-lowercase-s-s-printed-in-the-past-look-like-a-defaced-f/1019918 "2025-06-27T22:20:04Z")
Anyone familiar with printed works from the past (up to sometime in the 19th century) will surely have noticed that it used to be common, at least in works printed using Roman font, to have two kinds of lowercase “S”, on… --- ## [Lalo Schifrin has died at 93. (Composer of the Mission Impossible theme !)](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lalo-schifrin-has-died-at-93-composer-of-the-mission-impossible-theme/1020196)
**Author:** [@pjd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pjd)\ **Replies:** 14\ **Last updated:** [June 27, 2025, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lalo-schifrin-has-died-at-93-composer-of-the-mission-impossible-theme/1020196 "2025-06-27T21:24:18Z")
His list of credits is pretty impressive :- Dark Intruder (1965) Cool Hand Luke (1967) Bullitt (1968) The Fox (1967) Where Angels Go, Trouble Follows (1968) Che! (1969) Kelly’s Heroes (1970) Dirty Harry (1971) … --- ## [Ways in which you are annoyingly pedantic](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ways-in-which-you-are-annoyingly-pedantic/999676)
**Author:** [@teelabrown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/teelabrown)\ **Replies:** 303\ **Last updated:** [June 27, 2025, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ways-in-which-you-are-annoyingly-pedantic/999676 "2025-06-27T21:17:07Z")
I like to be literal, but sometimes I take it too far. Like this: It’s cold, so I put on a jacket. Someone comes by and asks “Are you cold?” To which I truthfully say no. “So why’d you put on a jacket?” “I was cold … --- ## [Are theses scams? In what way?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-theses-scams-in-what-way/1020173)
**Author:** [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Replies:** 13\ **Last updated:** [June 27, 2025, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-theses-scams-in-what-way/1020173 "2025-06-27T19:13:29Z")
I get this kind of email maybe twice or three times every week. I cannot figure what they are trying to do. They will say: Dear Seldin: We are very impressed by your web site and would like to order some of your prod… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/latest.md?page=289&state=muted) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/latest.md?page=291&state=muted)