# Latest **URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/latest.md?page=374&state=tracking [Latest](https://boards.straightdope.com/latest.md) · [Categories](https://boards.straightdope.com/categories.md) · [Tags](https://boards.straightdope.com/tags.md) **Page:** 375 --- ## [Shogun on FX](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shogun-on-fx/998188)
**Author:** [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Replies:** 182\ **Last updated:** [February 14, 2025, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shogun-on-fx/998188 "2025-02-14T17:26:15Z")
So FX is coming out today with a huge budget adaptation of “Shogun,” the James Clavell novel, last adapted in 1980. “Shogun” is absolutely my favorite book of all time and it’s not close. I’m not saying it’s the GREATE… --- ## [Guess the event from the date and place](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guess-the-event-from-the-date-and-place/1008741)
**Author:** [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Replies:** 74\ **Last updated:** [February 14, 2025, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guess-the-event-from-the-date-and-place/1008741 "2025-02-14T16:23:52Z")
Continuing the discussion from Anyone remember a Trivia game: Guess the event from the date and place?: The rules are simple. I name a date and an approximate location, you guess what famous event occurred there and the… --- ## [Acupuncture for lower back pain?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acupuncture-for-lower-back-pain/1013690)
**Author:** [@GailForce](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GailForce)\ **Replies:** 147\ **Last updated:** [February 14, 2025, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acupuncture-for-lower-back-pain/1013690 "2025-02-14T15:32:21Z")
I’m not a believer in woo of any kind, and particularly not a believer in non-western medicine, but I’m desperate. A friend has urged me to try acupuncture to relieve the constant ache in my lower back after as little a… --- ## [South Africa cuts off trade with the US?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-africa-cuts-off-trade-with-the-us/1014292)
**Author:** [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Replies:** 7\ **Last updated:** [February 14, 2025, 6:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-africa-cuts-off-trade-with-the-us/1014292 "2025-02-14T06:26:04Z")
Is this true? I’ve only seen it in one news source, the Maravi Post, a news outlet in Malawi, not South Africa. Paging @MrDibble and @scudsucker --- ## [Programming languages you learned or once used, but are now rarely encountered](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/programming-languages-you-learned-or-once-used-but-are-now-rarely-encountered/1013640)
**Author:** [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Replies:** 138\ **Last updated:** [February 14, 2025, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/programming-languages-you-learned-or-once-used-but-are-now-rarely-encountered/1013640 "2025-02-14T04:20:22Z")
There was a thread on this topic back in 2010 (link), but it only garnered four replies. So I decided to start a new one. Back in college (late 1980s) I had to learn Fortran 77, Pascal, and C as part of the EE curriculu… --- ## ["Have you fallen in the last 3 months?" How do athletes answer that question?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-fallen-in-the-last-3-months-how-do-athletes-answer-that-question/1014200)
**Author:** [@ekedolphin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ekedolphin)\ **Replies:** 27\ **Last updated:** [February 14, 2025, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-fallen-in-the-last-3-months-how-do-athletes-answer-that-question/1014200 "2025-02-14T03:10:11Z")
It occurs to me that recently whenever I’ve been to the doctor’s office, they’ve asked me if I’ve fallen in the last 3 months. How do athletes, like basketball and football players, answer this question? --- ## [Health Tracker Suggestions](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/health-tracker-suggestions/1013926)
**Author:** [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Replies:** 14\ **Last updated:** [February 14, 2025, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/health-tracker-suggestions/1013926 "2025-02-14T01:19:49Z")
My Fitbit is dying after years of loyal, reliable service. I would automatically buy a new Fitbit except for one thing. Fitbit moved all of their health dashboard services to a mobile app and removed it from the web. … --- ## [New Superbowl ads](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-superbowl-ads/1014153)
**Author:** [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Replies:** 5\ **Last updated:** [February 14, 2025, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-superbowl-ads/1014153 "2025-02-14T01:12:56Z")
This year the crop was okay. The big winner to us were the sloths for Bud Light. My wife cracked up over the sloth grocery cashier. The Stich ad was cute, and the Harrison F–d :grinning: commercial was really well don… --- ## [Costco Hearing Aid Tests: What are the "U" lines?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/costco-hearing-aid-tests-what-are-the-u-lines/1014284)
**Author:** [@Reply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reply)\ **Replies:** 2\ **Last updated:** [February 14, 2025, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/costco-hearing-aid-tests-what-are-the-u-lines/1014284 "2025-02-14T00:46:33Z")
A few years ago, I took a hearing test from Costco to see if I needed hearing aids: The top lines are clear enough (level of hearing loss, by left/right ear, through air o… --- ## [When is the earliest date military technology transfer by time travel should work?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-is-the-earliest-date-military-technology-transfer-by-time-travel-should-work/1014080)
**Author:** [@griffin1977](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/griffin1977)\ **Replies:** 34\ **Last updated:** [February 14, 2025, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-is-the-earliest-date-military-technology-transfer-by-time-travel-should-work/1014080 "2025-02-14T00:33:04Z")
So one of the (IMO rather silly) counterfactuals that comes up is the “what if a time travelling SEAL team fought a roman legion” or “what if a F-16 travelled back to WW2”? My take is it would change very little, some pe… --- ## [Is there an alternative to truthfinder to do background checks that charges per check instead of per month](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-an-alternative-to-truthfinder-to-do-background-checks-that-charges-per-check-instead-of-per-month/1014289)
**Author:** [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Replies:** 0\ **Last updated:** [February 14, 2025, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-an-alternative-to-truthfinder-to-do-background-checks-that-charges-per-check-instead-of-per-month/1014289 "2025-02-14T00:03:43Z")
Truthfinder is a good website to do background checks, but they charge a flat fee a month and you get unlimited checks with that. Is there a website that has the same information, but maybe only charges $1 or $2 per che… --- ## [My Time Machine](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-time-machine/1014279)
**Author:** [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Replies:** 9\ **Last updated:** [February 13, 2025, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-time-machine/1014279 "2025-02-13T21:21:27Z")
Choose: Go back in historic times as you are? Or… Go back to a younger you, as you were then? Decisions, decisions… --- ## [First Canadian passport application: checking with guarantor/references?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-canadian-passport-application-checking-with-guarantor-references/1014150)
**Author:** [@Eva\_Luna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eva_Luna)\ **Replies:** 11\ **Last updated:** [February 13, 2025, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-canadian-passport-application-checking-with-guarantor-references/1014150 "2025-02-13T18:39:15Z")
I just applied for my first Canadian passport last week, and the tracking number is now showing in the system. Having been a U.S. citizen only until less than 2 weeks ago, the whole concept of needing a guarantor and ref… --- ## [Bingo - there was a farmer…](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bingo-there-was-a-farmer/1014259)
**Author:** [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Replies:** 3\ **Last updated:** [February 13, 2025, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bingo-there-was-a-farmer/1014259 "2025-02-13T16:16:25Z")
There was a farmer had a dog, And Bingo was his name-o. B-I-N-G-O B-I-N-G-O B-I-N-G-O And Bingo was his name-o. Was the dog’s name Bingo? Or the was it the farmer’s name? Hmmm… --- ## [Best Way to Use Madras Curry Powder](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-way-to-use-madras-curry-powder/1014266)
**Author:** [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Replies:** 9\ **Last updated:** [February 13, 2025, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-way-to-use-madras-curry-powder/1014266 "2025-02-13T15:59:39Z")
I got a jar of “Madras Curry Powder” for Xmas and have finally started using it. My current technique is to heat up a few tablespoons of olive oil and cook a big heaping spoonful of powder in that for a minute or two be… --- ## [Who were some early "famous" people (not kings or queens, etc)?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-were-some-early-famous-people-not-kings-or-queens-etc/1014054)
**Author:** [@mixdenny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mixdenny)\ **Replies:** 85\ **Last updated:** [February 13, 2025, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-were-some-early-famous-people-not-kings-or-queens-etc/1014054 "2025-02-13T13:23:25Z")
How widely would early troubadours, for instance, have been popular? I’m sure locally known singers or lute players existed but who was known across England, or France or whatever? Did people travel to hear Socrates spea… --- ## [How does Trump today compare with Putin's ascendancy? How will the US tomorrow resemble Russia today?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-trump-today-compare-with-putins-ascendancy-how-will-the-us-tomorrow-resemble-russia-today/1014233)
**Author:** [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Replies:** 15\ **Last updated:** [February 13, 2025, 12:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-trump-today-compare-with-putins-ascendancy-how-will-the-us-tomorrow-resemble-russia-today/1014233 "2025-02-13T12:50:27Z")
This is inspired by a comment in one of the many other threads suggesting that America appears on a path which could result in America being ruled by an autocrat and oligarchs a la Russia under Putin. I was surprised th… --- ## [Why is the car sales profession so sleazy?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-car-sales-profession-so-sleazy/1013958)
**Author:** [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Replies:** 95\ **Last updated:** [February 13, 2025, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-car-sales-profession-so-sleazy/1013958 "2025-02-13T03:52:03Z")
What is unique about car sales that seems to create a breeding ground for pathogens? It’s not that cars are one of the most expensive things you’ll ever buy, because real estate is not this sleazy. It’s not that people… --- ## [Trump's funeral playlist](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-funeral-playlist/1013319)
**Author:** [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Replies:** 70\ **Last updated:** [February 13, 2025, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-funeral-playlist/1013319 "2025-02-13T03:02:09Z")
Love him or hate him, he’s not going to be around forever. What music should be played at his funeral? Thank You Very Much Get Happy The latter is more for the mourners celebrants audience attendees, but Trump undoub… --- ## [Naming decades: The twenties](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/naming-decades-the-twenties/1014235)
**Author:** [@DaveRaver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DaveRaver)\ **Replies:** 13\ **Last updated:** [February 12, 2025, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/naming-decades-the-twenties/1014235 "2025-02-12T22:22:47Z")
I find it interesting that when someone refers to “The Twenties”, they are more likely to be referring to the 1920s than our current decade. Since we never came up with a catchy word for the past two decades, did we jus… --- ## [Where do you go for advice and discussion?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-you-go-for-advice-and-discussion/1014242)
**Author:** [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Replies:** 3\ **Last updated:** [February 12, 2025, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-you-go-for-advice-and-discussion/1014242 "2025-02-12T22:01:06Z")
My other thread sparked thought on advice in general and its sources. Where and to whom do you turn when you’re unsure and want advice, or just need to discuss/vent whatever is on your mind? This could be an individual,… --- ## [OMGosh, FFOTUS just announced US to sponsor ethnic cleansing in Gaza](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/omgosh-ffotus-just-announced-us-to-sponsor-ethnic-cleansing-in-gaza/1013898)
**Author:** [@Kitten\_Mitten](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kitten_Mitten)\ **Replies:** 203\ **Last updated:** [February 12, 2025, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/omgosh-ffotus-just-announced-us-to-sponsor-ethnic-cleansing-in-gaza/1013898 "2025-02-12T21:33:57Z")
At first I was just surprised when he said that Oct 7 would have never happened if he had been president, he actually said it twice. But then he said the US will occupy Gaza, move out all the Palestinians to a number of… --- ## [How to profit on currency devaluation?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-profit-on-currency-devaluation/1014144)
**Author:** [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Replies:** 11\ **Last updated:** [February 12, 2025, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-profit-on-currency-devaluation/1014144 "2025-02-12T21:24:47Z")
Let’s imagine that I’m an unrestrictable God-Emperor of the USA with a goal to accomplish three things: Devalue the currency, to undo decades of trade deficit and bring US wages into parity with Southeast Asia and ther… --- ## [Still go to heaven, but \_\_ for all eternity](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/still-go-to-heaven-but-for-all-eternity/1014151)
**Author:** [@purplehorseshoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehorseshoe)\ **Replies:** 15\ **Last updated:** [February 12, 2025, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/still-go-to-heaven-but-for-all-eternity/1014151 "2025-02-12T20:45:31Z")
This popped into my head during an idle moment at work - so it may not be original - but I seem to recall reading or dreaming up a story prompt or Tumblr convo or something, around the lines of what should happen to some… --- ## [What kung-fu movie has a scene where a guy takes a shuriken to the eye in a forest?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kung-fu-movie-has-a-scene-where-a-guy-takes-a-shuriken-to-the-eye-in-a-forest/304490)
**Author:** [@Cagey\_Drifter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cagey_Drifter)\ **Replies:** 8\ **Last updated:** [February 12, 2025, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kung-fu-movie-has-a-scene-where-a-guy-takes-a-shuriken-to-the-eye-in-a-forest/304490 "2025-02-12T20:43:21Z")
One of my earliest memories of TV is of a scene in a kung fu-- or kung fu style-- movie where some people are fighting in a forest and then one guy takes a shuriken in the eye. This is followed by the man who was hit emi… --- ## [Access: what could be causing error importing data into a calculation field?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/access-what-could-be-causing-error-importing-data-into-a-calculation-field/1014186)
**Author:** [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Replies:** 14\ **Last updated:** [February 12, 2025, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/access-what-could-be-causing-error-importing-data-into-a-calculation-field/1014186 "2025-02-12T20:39:44Z")
I have an Access table, originally designed to get populated by manual input from a form. It has some fields that auto-populate without needing the person filling out the form to fill in that information: the fiscal ye… --- ## [I called Representative Gary Palmer's Office](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-called-representative-gary-palmers-office/1014172)
**Author:** [@OldOlds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OldOlds)\ **Replies:** 10\ **Last updated:** [February 12, 2025, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-called-representative-gary-palmers-office/1014172 "2025-02-12T19:45:39Z")
I called and expressed my concern that even if we support Trump’s aims, we have to make sure that Congress maintains its role as an equal branch of government and that we need to respect things like the power of the purs… --- ## [Article claims that Elon Musk's Cybertruck far more likely to catch fire than the Ford Pinto](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/article-claims-that-elon-musks-cybertruck-far-more-likely-to-catch-fire-than-the-ford-pinto/1014164)
**Author:** [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Replies:** 16\ **Last updated:** [February 12, 2025, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/article-claims-that-elon-musks-cybertruck-far-more-likely-to-catch-fire-than-the-ford-pinto/1014164 "2025-02-12T17:09:38Z")
I thought about putting this in the Musk thread, but I haven’t opened it, abnd it’s got over a thousand entries. So I started this. Stumbled across this this morning: --- ## [Brownies! The dessert kind, not the girl scouts in training](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brownies-the-dessert-kind-not-the-girl-scouts-in-training/1014023)
**Author:** [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Replies:** 56\ **Last updated:** [February 12, 2025, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brownies-the-dessert-kind-not-the-girl-scouts-in-training/1014023 "2025-02-12T15:19:31Z")
This should be pretty straighforward. Nuts or no nuts? If nuts, what kind? Chocolate chips, M&Ms, Reeses, nothing? Frosted or not? Inside piece or edge? Box mix or made from scratch? Anything else? My choices: Pr… --- ## [Have there been any remastered episodes of The Avengers from seasons 1--3?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-there-been-any-remastered-episodes-of-the-avengers-from-seasons-1-3/1004180)
**Author:** [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Replies:** 11\ **Last updated:** [February 12, 2025, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-there-been-any-remastered-episodes-of-the-avengers-from-seasons-1-3/1004180 "2025-02-12T15:10:52Z")
I’ve been watching these in the afternoon on CHCH the last couple of weeks. I realize that the series was recorded live in the studio almost 65 years ago, but the sound and (sometimes) the images are so bad, I have trou… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/latest.md?page=373&state=tracking) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/latest.md?page=375&state=tracking)