# Latest **URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/latest.md?page=301&state=tracking [Latest](https://boards.straightdope.com/latest.md) · [Categories](https://boards.straightdope.com/categories.md) · [Tags](https://boards.straightdope.com/tags.md) **Page:** 302 --- ## [Krugman interviews history professor and SF author Ada Palmer](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/krugman-interviews-history-professor-and-sf-author-ada-palmer/1019353)
**Author:** [@Measure\_for\_Measure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Measure_for_Measure)\ **Replies:** 4\ **Last updated:** [June 9, 2025, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/krugman-interviews-history-professor-and-sf-author-ada-palmer/1019353 "2025-06-09T16:03:41Z")
Palmer has a new book out Inventing the Renaissance, about how the Renaissance is not a well-defined era so much as a PR effort by various historians and powers that want to associate themselves with awesome art, sculptu… --- ## [(Old) Toss it on the grill in the MMP](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-toss-it-on-the-grill-in-the-mmp/1019101)
**Author:** [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Replies:** 323\ **Last updated:** [June 9, 2025, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-toss-it-on-the-grill-in-the-mmp/1019101 "2025-06-09T14:35:41Z")
When I was a kid, having hamburgers from the back yard grill was a great treat. We didn’t just have a rickety grill - ours was a massive brick structure with a chimney and everything! Our back patio had a sassafras plant… --- ## [Heads of state visiting the White House, who decides and arranges it? take 2](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heads-of-state-visiting-the-white-house-who-decides-and-arranges-it-take-2/1019349)
**Author:** [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Replies:** 3\ **Last updated:** [June 9, 2025, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heads-of-state-visiting-the-white-house-who-decides-and-arranges-it-take-2/1019349 "2025-06-09T14:16:07Z")
Tried a thread for this in FQ but it got locked, so moving to P&E: When a foreign head of state visits the White House, who initiates, approves and arranges it? Is it the USA who requests and invites the foreign leader,… --- ## [No longer a rumor. ‘Twin Peaks’ Returns As Showtime Limited Series \[merged threads, edited title\]](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-longer-a-rumor-twin-peaks-returns-as-showtime-limited-series-merged-threads-edited-title/700342)
**Author:** [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Replies:** 75\ **Last updated:** [June 9, 2025, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-longer-a-rumor-twin-peaks-returns-as-showtime-limited-series-merged-threads-edited-title/700342 "2025-06-09T13:59:52Z")
http://www.nerdist.com/2014/10/david-lynch-and-mark-frost-tease-twin-peaks-return-on-twittter/ Laura did tell Cooper ”I’ll see you again in 25 years”. Knowing how his fans hang on every word of every rumor of a possib… --- ## [Buddy, Friend, Confidant](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buddy-friend-confidant/1019321)
**Author:** [@DaveUnknown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DaveUnknown)\ **Replies:** 28\ **Last updated:** [June 9, 2025, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buddy-friend-confidant/1019321 "2025-06-09T13:48:46Z")
My (ex)brother in law used to talk about a “buddy” that had something, or a “buddy” that knew someone. I have a “friend” (or friends) that I like being around, that also know things ,and I like being around. I have “pa… --- ## [Another bike post (brake question)](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-bike-post-brake-question/1019340)
**Author:** [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Replies:** 18\ **Last updated:** [June 9, 2025, 7:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-bike-post-brake-question/1019340 "2025-06-09T07:23:13Z")
So, rear brakes are squealing. They do it only when applied almost fully. If I just tap the brake to slow a little, it doesn’t make a noise; they do it only when applied fully, or almost fully, whether I get there slowly… --- ## [Convection toaster oven recommendations](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/convection-toaster-oven-recommendations/1018633)
**Author:** [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Replies:** 6\ **Last updated:** [June 9, 2025, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/convection-toaster-oven-recommendations/1018633 "2025-06-09T02:11:48Z")
I bought a Euro-Pro 6-slice convection toaster oven a decade or so ago. It’s grungy and one of the door pins is broken or missing, but it still works great. What I like about it is that it has mechanical controls. The… --- ## [Missouri probes false screwworm press release](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/missouri-probes-false-screwworm-press-release/1019324)
**Author:** [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Replies:** 6\ **Last updated:** [June 9, 2025, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/missouri-probes-false-screwworm-press-release/1019324 "2025-06-09T01:56:12Z")
I think it’s pretty obvious that this was some kind of stock-manipulation scheme. Literally fake news! It’s always scary that a single piece of false information can have such a big impact. https://www.reuters.com/worl… --- ## [Roman Villa as Modern House?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roman-villa-as-modern-house/486211)
**Author:** [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Replies:** 25\ **Last updated:** [June 9, 2025, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roman-villa-as-modern-house/486211 "2025-06-09T01:56:09Z")
Could I bild a modern house, in the style of an ancient Roman villa? How much would such a house cot to construct-would it be comfortable? I like the idea of the atrium, but having it open to the sky would not be a good … --- ## [What is in this photograph of a coal-fired power plant?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-in-this-photograph-of-a-coal-fired-power-plant/1019293)
**Author:** [@leswax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/leswax)\ **Replies:** 18\ **Last updated:** [June 9, 2025, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-in-this-photograph-of-a-coal-fired-power-plant/1019293 "2025-06-09T01:54:00Z")
In this NY Times article, the wire service photo in the thumbnail shows a concrete structure splitting the water channel in two. My best guess is this is a loop of cooling water, with the building in the foreground housi… --- ## [Annoying - Hearthstone (game) couldn't finish one game today](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/annoying-hearthstone-game-couldnt-finish-one-game-today/1019348)
**Author:** [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\ **Replies:** 3\ **Last updated:** [June 9, 2025, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/annoying-hearthstone-game-couldnt-finish-one-game-today/1019348 "2025-06-09T01:44:07Z")
Hearthstone has been freezing in the middle of games for months. Today I started more than a dozen games and it disconnected from all of them before the end. Is anyone else having this problem? Is anyone still playing H… --- ## [What’s with the wrong captions in AI-generated videos?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-s-with-the-wrong-captions-in-ai-generated-videos/1019295)
**Author:** [@Schnitte](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Schnitte)\ **Replies:** 11\ **Last updated:** [June 9, 2025, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-s-with-the-wrong-captions-in-ai-generated-videos/1019295 "2025-06-09T01:08:59Z")
My social media feeds are full of videos that people generated with text-to-video models such as Google’s Veo3. The visuals are stunningly good now, but in many cases the captions of what the characters are saying are wr… --- ## [Resolved: The States should enact legislation enabling the impoundment of Federal taxes](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/resolved-the-states-should-enact-legislation-enabling-the-impoundment-of-federal-taxes/1015126)
**Author:** [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Replies:** 37\ **Last updated:** [June 8, 2025, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/resolved-the-states-should-enact-legislation-enabling-the-impoundment-of-federal-taxes/1015126 "2025-06-08T22:52:50Z")
Let’s assume, for example, that the Federal government decides to end Medicaid and all educational programs. Currently, the way that both Medicaid and these programs are funded is that the IRS taxes various entities (in… --- ## [Do blue jays attack other birds?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-blue-jays-attack-other-birds/1019271)
**Author:** [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Replies:** 29\ **Last updated:** [June 8, 2025, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-blue-jays-attack-other-birds/1019271 "2025-06-08T22:26:53Z")
Out my window I saw a blue jay attack a baby sparrow. Just before I reached it, the jay picked up and then dropped the baby, possibly because I was getting close. Why would it do this? Hunger? --- ## [Weird Lineups Of Sports Teams you've seen people rep](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-lineups-of-sports-teams-youve-seen-people-rep/1019288)
**Author:** [@Asuka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asuka)\ **Replies:** 6\ **Last updated:** [June 8, 2025, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-lineups-of-sports-teams-youve-seen-people-rep/1019288 "2025-06-08T22:00:54Z")
Weird is entirely subjective. Inspired by driving behind a car today with stickers for the Kansas City Chiefs New York Mets Anaheim Ducks So three different sports, and each team is in a major city on both coasts and… --- ## [North Korean Internet Suffers Outage](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/north-korean-internet-suffers-outage/1019294)
**Author:** [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Replies:** 13\ **Last updated:** [June 8, 2025, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/north-korean-internet-suffers-outage/1019294 "2025-06-08T21:26:47Z")
North Korea internet hit by a major outage, analyst says --- ## [Startup company busted for secretly using humans to do its "AI"](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/startup-company-busted-for-secretly-using-humans-to-do-its-ai/1019287)
**Author:** [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Replies:** 10\ **Last updated:** [June 8, 2025, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/startup-company-busted-for-secretly-using-humans-to-do-its-ai/1019287 "2025-06-08T21:18:21Z")
Thought this was a pretty funny “man bites dog” situation. Lately people/companies are causing small scandals by using AI to do their work for them, but these guys flipped the script by starting an AI service that was ac… --- ## [Luigi Mangione something something Morality something something Billionaires](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/luigi-mangione-something-something-morality-something-something-billionaires/1019285)
**Author:** [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Replies:** 131\ **Last updated:** [June 8, 2025, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/luigi-mangione-something-something-morality-something-something-billionaires/1019285 "2025-06-08T21:09:04Z")
Here’s a very straightforward example of (almost certain) bad faith posting from DT: She selectively quotes me to make me appear unhinged and “extremist”, completely leaving out the critical context that the people I’… --- ## [Bringing back manufacturing jobs -- why would this not work?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bringing-back-manufacturing-jobs-why-would-this-not-work/676025)
**Author:** [@Billy-o](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Billy-o)\ **Replies:** 128\ **Last updated:** [June 8, 2025, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bringing-back-manufacturing-jobs-why-would-this-not-work/676025 "2025-06-08T17:58:22Z")
I’m not terribly well educated in economics, so I’d welcome any comments on why this suggestion would be impractical or ill-advised. As several recent threads in GD and the Pit have noted, the number of unemployed in th… --- ## [Why are people still making vertical videos?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-people-still-making-vertical-videos/1012252)
**Author:** [@seven\_bacon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/seven_bacon)\ **Replies:** 56\ **Last updated:** [June 8, 2025, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-people-still-making-vertical-videos/1012252 "2025-06-08T15:52:04Z")
Smartphones have been part of our lives for almost a decade-and-a-half now. What is going on inside the minds of people still insist on holding the phone vertically while recording a video? --- ## [Is there a "Like" button at SDMB? The Discobot tutorial thinks there is, but I don't see it](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-like-button-at-sdmb-the-discobot-tutorial-thinks-there-is-but-i-dont-see-it/996287)
**Author:** [@dewbiedoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dewbiedoo)\ **Replies:** 51\ **Last updated:** [January 23, 2024, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-like-button-at-sdmb-the-discobot-tutorial-thinks-there-is-but-i-dont-see-it/996287 "2024-01-23T20:16:15Z")
I’m happy enough to find a place without the like feature (meaning I can take or leave), but I’m stuck on the tutorial because I don’t see any like buttons, but the Discobot keeps insisting that I do a test “Like” of its… --- ## [In this board I have noticed it says to like but I don't see a like button?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-this-board-i-have-noticed-it-says-to-like-but-i-dont-see-a-like-button/1016919)
**Author:** [@melaniethewitch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/melaniethewitch)\ **Replies:** 24\ **Last updated:** [June 3, 2025, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-this-board-i-have-noticed-it-says-to-like-but-i-dont-see-a-like-button/1016919 "2025-06-03T22:52:19Z")
is there any way to obtain the like button////// --- ## [Contradictions in Forgotten Realms - An esoteric discussion](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/contradictions-in-forgotten-realms-an-esoteric-discussion/1019319)
**Author:** [@vislor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vislor)\ **Replies:** 6\ **Last updated:** [June 8, 2025, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/contradictions-in-forgotten-realms-an-esoteric-discussion/1019319 "2025-06-08T15:39:12Z")
I am talking with @Miller about FR but it is on the OotS thread and this is getting long enough, that I think it it deserves its own thread. Link to OotS: Order of the Stick book 7 discussion thread - #2458 by Miller … --- ## [For the love of God, use landscape mode when making videos, people!](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-the-love-of-god-use-landscape-mode-when-making-videos-people/851850)
**Author:** [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\ **Replies:** 20\ **Last updated:** [April 16, 2020, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-the-love-of-god-use-landscape-mode-when-making-videos-people/851850 "2020-04-16T23:01:09Z")
OK, I realize this is about as mundane and pointless as it gets in times like these, but this is a pet peeve of mine that kind of drives me nuts. I’ve had morning news shows playing in the background while I work at hom… --- ## [Best Decision Your Parents Made](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-decision-your-parents-made/1019016)
**Author:** [@Cheesesteak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheesesteak)\ **Replies:** 50\ **Last updated:** [June 8, 2025, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-decision-your-parents-made/1019016 "2025-06-08T14:45:17Z")
We have a thread about the worst mistakes your parents made, I thought we should also have a space for the good things your parents have done, when they absolutely got it right. Mine is incident based. At the time I was… --- ## [Canadian defence policy and the Group of 7](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadian-defence-policy-and-the-group-of-7/1019231)
**Author:** [@Kropotkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kropotkin)\ **Replies:** 10\ **Last updated:** [June 8, 2025, 9:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadian-defence-policy-and-the-group-of-7/1019231 "2025-06-08T09:15:47Z")
Pundits Greg Pollock and Imran Bayoumi have an article titled “A Canadian defense buildup could restart a beautiful friendship” in the WaPo today. It ends “But if the prime minister can put Canada on a credible path to m… --- ## [Guitar Players: I need a little help](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guitar-players-i-need-a-little-help/1019015)
**Author:** [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackknifed_Juggernaut)\ **Replies:** 18\ **Last updated:** [June 8, 2025, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guitar-players-i-need-a-little-help/1019015 "2025-06-08T03:28:15Z")
I’m trying to play this song. At the 1:49 mark, he plays a normal D chort, but then raises his pinky to the 2nd string of the 4th fret. I can’t make that stretch quite yet, so wondering if there’s a good easier alterna… --- ## [Stewartville Star - AI online news site?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stewartville-star-ai-online-news-site/1019315)
**Author:** [@motu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/motu)\ **Replies:** 1\ **Last updated:** [June 8, 2025, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stewartville-star-ai-online-news-site/1019315 "2025-06-08T02:19:07Z")
Looks like it was a legit local newspaper, started in 1891. They were online until 2022. They only have three authors of their articles that do not cite or link any other news providers. No articles about Stewart… --- ## [Were you a hippie? Why'd you stop?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-you-a-hippie-whyd-you-stop/1019230)
**Author:** [@Ulfreida](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ulfreida)\ **Replies:** 65\ **Last updated:** [June 8, 2025, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-you-a-hippie-whyd-you-stop/1019230 "2025-06-08T02:06:07Z")
This question is for people who were young in the era when hippies were not a lifestyle but a movement. People who weren’t there tend, I’ve noticed, to lump all hippies into one undifferentiated lump, but at the time th… --- ## [The Phenomenon: What is it?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-phenomenon-what-is-it/1018583)
**Author:** [@Ryan\_Liam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ryan_Liam)\ **Replies:** 410\ **Last updated:** [June 8, 2025, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-phenomenon-what-is-it/1018583 "2025-06-08T01:32:20Z")
If we take seriously Jacques Vallée’s proposition that the Phenomenon is not only real but may act as a kind of information system—adapting itself to culture and belief—then what kind of reality are we dealing with? Is i… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/latest.md?page=300&state=tracking) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/latest.md?page=302&state=tracking)