# Latest **URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/latest.md?page=392&state=watching [Latest](https://boards.straightdope.com/latest.md) · [Categories](https://boards.straightdope.com/categories.md) · [Tags](https://boards.straightdope.com/tags.md) **Page:** 393 --- ## [Elementary school music](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elementary-school-music/1012712)
**Author:** [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Replies:** 63\ **Last updated:** [January 18, 2025, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elementary-school-music/1012712 "2025-01-18T15:38:09Z")
In elementary school, we always had a music segment in our classes. My 5th grade teacher was Mr. Hyatt. He played guitar (and was a SCUBA diver, and was a pretty cool guy – he’d be 85 years old now, if he’s still aliv… --- ## [Twin actors from movies and TV](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/twin-actors-from-movies-and-tv/1013047)
**Author:** [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Replies:** 57\ **Last updated:** [January 18, 2025, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/twin-actors-from-movies-and-tv/1013047 "2025-01-18T15:31:41Z")
Continuing the discussion from Tell us an interesting random fact you stumbled across (Part 2): Both twins not necessarily actors. This started with a reference to Ann B. Davis (Alice on the Brady Bunch) who had a twin… --- ## [How intimidating is Hong Kong for the foreign tourist?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-intimidating-is-hong-kong-for-the-foreign-tourist/1013084)
**Author:** [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Replies:** 9\ **Last updated:** [January 18, 2025, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-intimidating-is-hong-kong-for-the-foreign-tourist/1013084 "2025-01-18T15:31:22Z")
My wife and I will be taking a cruise soon, from Hong Kong to Tokyo. Our plan is to get into HK a day early, to provide a buffer in the event of air travel snafus. So if all goes well, we’ll have a free day on our own … --- ## [R.I.P. David Lynch](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/r-i-p-david-lynch/1013049)
**Author:** [@veryfrank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/veryfrank)\ **Replies:** 70\ **Last updated:** [January 18, 2025, 7:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/r-i-p-david-lynch/1013049 "2025-01-18T07:44:07Z")
Passed away at the age of 78. He was one of my favorite directors for sure. Twin Peaks was absolutely iconic to me when I was in high school. There was no other mind like his in Hollywood. --- ## [Cost of EV charging stations](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cost-of-ev-charging-stations/1013025)
**Author:** [@mixdenny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mixdenny)\ **Replies:** 12\ **Last updated:** [January 18, 2025, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cost-of-ev-charging-stations/1013025 "2025-01-18T04:53:42Z")
Just some information. Ohio received $14.1 million to build up to 360 stations in NW Ohio. That comes out to about $40,000 each. The stations will primarily be in 4 of Ohio’s 88 counties. --- ## [The huge power plant in Moss Landing, CA is on fire {2025-01-17}](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-huge-power-plant-in-moss-landing-ca-is-on-fire-2025-01-17/1013072)
**Author:** [@teelabrown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/teelabrown)\ **Replies:** 38\ **Last updated:** [January 18, 2025, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-huge-power-plant-in-moss-landing-ca-is-on-fire-2025-01-17/1013072 "2025-01-18T03:43:41Z")
The plant now has a lithium battery energy storage area, and that’s what’s on fire. Everyone nearby is advised to evacuate because of toxic smoke from the fire. That place is right next door to Elkhorn Slough, which is… --- ## [Tell me about Canadian personal investment accounts](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-canadian-personal-investment-accounts/1013080)
**Author:** [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackknifed_Juggernaut)\ **Replies:** 5\ **Last updated:** [January 18, 2025, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-canadian-personal-investment-accounts/1013080 "2025-01-18T03:06:07Z")
My kids live in Ontario and want to begin personal investing with some money that I sent them. I’m going to help them with their investing decisions, but am first trying to understand the options. One mentioned a “TFSA… --- ## [Tinned cod roe](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tinned-cod-roe/1013076)
**Author:** [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Replies:** 8\ **Last updated:** [January 17, 2025, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tinned-cod-roe/1013076 "2025-01-17T22:20:42Z")
I enjoy trying unusual (to me) canned/tinned food, and I find myself in possession of a few tins of cod roe (John West brand). How should I eat it? --- ## [The next page in the book of AI evolution is here, powered by GPT 3.5, and I am very, nay, extremely impressed](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-next-page-in-the-book-of-ai-evolution-is-here-powered-by-gpt-3-5-and-i-am-very-nay-extremely-impressed/975945)
**Author:** [@Gozu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gozu)\ **Replies:** 1615\ **Last updated:** [January 17, 2025, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-next-page-in-the-book-of-ai-evolution-is-here-powered-by-gpt-3-5-and-i-am-very-nay-extremely-impressed/975945 "2025-01-17T21:56:49Z")
Hi dopers. I used the word page in the topic deliberately because this thread is about an amazing text-based AI. You can try it yourself by making a free account at chat.openai.com. Here are some of my prompts. You can … --- ## [Huntington's Disease - Math and Biology](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/huntingtons-disease-math-and-biology/626498)
**Author:** [@IceQube](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IceQube)\ **Replies:** 36\ **Last updated:** [January 17, 2025, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/huntingtons-disease-math-and-biology/626498 "2025-01-17T21:32:19Z")
Huntington’s is autosomal dominant. Therefore, the genotypes for someone affected by Huntington’s would be either \*\*Hh \*\*or hh. So if I were to cross someone affected by Huntington’s with someone unaffected, the possib… --- ## ["The American Civil War wasn't about slavery because slavery didn't actually exist in the South"](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-american-civil-war-wasnt-about-slavery-because-slavery-didnt-actually-exist-in-the-south/1013037)
**Author:** [@Asuka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asuka)\ **Replies:** 57\ **Last updated:** [January 17, 2025, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-american-civil-war-wasnt-about-slavery-because-slavery-didnt-actually-exist-in-the-south/1013037 "2025-01-17T19:36:08Z")
I remember seeing this quote a year ago in one of those “In defense of the Confederacy” books but I didn’t bother to actually read what they meant. I know even on the SDMB I’ve seen people semantically argue that slaver… --- ## [Man, people are weird about CASH](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-people-are-weird-about-cash/1012591)
**Author:** [@MW\_Degen\_Gamblr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MW_Degen_Gamblr)\ **Replies:** 194\ **Last updated:** [January 17, 2025, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-people-are-weird-about-cash/1012591 "2025-01-17T18:19:33Z")
As a MWDG I deal with cash often. It ends up in the bank of course. But theres gap times I have cash on my body. And occasionally I pay for things with that cash. But whenever people see cash fucking money they act like … --- ## ["Drip...drip...drip"](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drip-drip-drip/1013042)
**Author:** [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Replies:** 19\ **Last updated:** [January 17, 2025, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drip-drip-drip/1013042 "2025-01-17T17:56:30Z")
Lack of water pressure is one of trump’s major grievances, but I don’t think he ever specified which of his properties was afflicted. Rather than fix the problem, he cries about it for years, at his fucking rallies, and … --- ## [Creating a sea in Australia](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/creating-a-sea-in-australia/918059)
**Author:** [@PlaceboTarget](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PlaceboTarget)\ **Replies:** 90\ **Last updated:** [January 17, 2025, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/creating-a-sea-in-australia/918059 "2025-01-17T17:55:20Z")
I’ve just read that early explorers believed that there was a sea in the middle of the Land Down Under. A sea was never found there, but I wonder how difficult it would be to create one. Australia is the lowest continen… --- ## [Cookie thread for the holidays](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cookie-thread-for-the-holidays/1010444)
**Author:** [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Replies:** 57\ **Last updated:** [January 17, 2025, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cookie-thread-for-the-holidays/1010444 "2025-01-17T17:35:14Z")
In last week’s MMP, towards the end, cookies and the holidays past and present were getting a lot of mention. I thought about tossing in some of my favorites but didn’t want to put them in a thread that was not CS and a… --- ## [Minced beef vs. ground beef](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/minced-beef-vs-ground-beef/1012326)
**Author:** [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Replies:** 128\ **Last updated:** [January 17, 2025, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/minced-beef-vs-ground-beef/1012326 "2025-01-17T16:44:13Z")
A yahoo on Yahoo is insisting ground beef and minced beef are different things. I can see his point; but in England, what we (USians) call ‘ground beef’ is called ‘minced beef’ there. So UK Dopers: Do you see a differ… --- ## [The value of the things](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-value-of-the-things/1012878)
**Author:** [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Replies:** 43\ **Last updated:** [January 17, 2025, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-value-of-the-things/1012878 "2025-01-17T16:35:55Z")
My MIL died recently – she was 93, nearly blind, and mostly sad, having lost her husband of 74 years 2 years earlier. Much of the time in her last weeks was spent sorting her things – jewelry, old kitchen items, clothing… --- ## [Again with the missing Antarctic Monster Truck](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/again-with-the-missing-antarctic-monster-truck/1012744)
**Author:** [@EnolaStraight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EnolaStraight)\ **Replies:** 10\ **Last updated:** [January 17, 2025, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/again-with-the-missing-antarctic-monster-truck/1012744 "2025-01-17T13:25:21Z")
Rather than necromancing this old thread: Where’s the Antarctic Monster-Truck? - Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share - Straight Dope Message Board the Snow Cruiser! What Happened to the Antarctic Snow Cruise… --- ## [How does UPS Surepost work?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-ups-surepost-work/1012526)
**Author:** [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\ **Replies:** 21\ **Last updated:** [January 17, 2025, 11:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-ups-surepost-work/1012526 "2025-01-17T11:06:48Z")
I was talking about this in another thread: I ordered something from Etsy, supposed to be a Christmas present for a friend, first “held up”, then “lost”, then “returned to sender”. Because they needed a street address, n… --- ## [Please tell me: why did I buy crispy jalapeños on Amazon?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-tell-me-why-did-i-buy-crispy-jalapenos-on-amazon/1012511)
**Author:** [@CairoCarol](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CairoCarol)\ **Replies:** 21\ **Last updated:** [January 17, 2025, 5:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-tell-me-why-did-i-buy-crispy-jalapenos-on-amazon/1012511 "2025-01-17T05:11:44Z")
So I just got a helpful notice from Amazon, telling me that some crispy jalapeños I ordered several weeks ago have finally shipped. Apparently I ordered them at least a month ago. In the meantime I had forgotten all abo… --- ## [Exercise, heart rate & beta blockers](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/exercise-heart-rate-beta-blockers/1012590)
**Author:** [@WalterBishop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WalterBishop)\ **Replies:** 11\ **Last updated:** [January 17, 2025, 4:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/exercise-heart-rate-beta-blockers/1012590 "2025-01-17T04:46:16Z")
So, I’m out of shape and I recently started using an exercise bike. I’d pedal for about 20 minutes and my heart rate would go up to about 130ish. Trouble is, I also have a bit of a panic attack problem. I spoke to my do… --- ## [New Wallace and Gromit](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-wallace-and-gromit/1011267)
**Author:** [@MindsEye\_Watering](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MindsEye_Watering)\ **Replies:** 18\ **Last updated:** [January 17, 2025, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-wallace-and-gromit/1011267 "2025-01-17T04:30:15Z")
New Wallace and Gromit coming to Netflix January 3, 2025. “Vengeance Most Fowl” Trailer here. --- ## [What is "Granary-Style Bread" called in the USA?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-granary-style-bread-called-in-the-usa/1013022)
**Author:** [@I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_Love_Me_Vol.I)\ **Replies:** 59\ **Last updated:** [January 17, 2025, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-granary-style-bread-called-in-the-usa/1013022 "2025-01-17T03:45:12Z")
I am trying to make a British cheese & onion sandwich. I think I know how I want to do the filling but I also need to get the bread. My understanding is that a classic cheese and onion sandwich is on something called gra… --- ## [WTF is a wahwah brush?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-is-a-wahwah-brush/1012668)
**Author:** [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Replies:** 3\ **Last updated:** [January 17, 2025, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-is-a-wahwah-brush/1012668 "2025-01-17T03:44:46Z")
In a movie titled All I Wanna Do (1998, set in the early 1960s) some of the girls start using the phrase “up your ziggy with a wahwah brush”. Until tonight I assumed that it was a nonesense phrase made up for the movie. … --- ## [I feel cheated! No Vader story from Disney+](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-feel-cheated-no-vader-story-from-disney/1013052)
**Author:** [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Replies:** 11\ **Last updated:** [January 17, 2025, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-feel-cheated-no-vader-story-from-disney/1013052 "2025-01-17T02:35:01Z")
Saw these promotions for the new Vader origin movie: Teaser Trailer Dude! Admiral Thrawn counseling Vader? Bleeding a khyber crystal? Darth Vader saying , “F Anakin.” This is the best thing from the franchise sinc… --- ## [Does your optometrist make glasses?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-your-optometrist-make-glasses/1012975)
**Author:** [@Nars\_Glinley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nars_Glinley)\ **Replies:** 32\ **Last updated:** [January 17, 2025, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-your-optometrist-make-glasses/1012975 "2025-01-17T02:17:40Z")
I went to the optometrist for the first time in (mumble mumble) years and was quite shocked after and had selected the frames that I wanted that I was asked if I wanted to wait 20 - 25 minutes for them to make the glasse… --- ## [Pete Hegseth Confirmation hearing](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pete-hegseth-confirmation-hearing/1012964)
**Author:** [@Horatius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatius)\ **Replies:** 105\ **Last updated:** [January 17, 2025, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pete-hegseth-confirmation-hearing/1012964 "2025-01-17T01:55:45Z")
I didn’t see a thread for this yet. I’m listening in. The Republican chair pretty much announced that he was going to ignore all the negative reports about him, and believe everything positive. I proposed the unit “Gae… --- ## [How to Stymie a Corp. from Using AI to Read and Answer My Email](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-stymie-a-corp-from-using-ai-to-read-and-answer-my-email/1012889)
**Author:** [@I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_Love_Me_Vol.I)\ **Replies:** 31\ **Last updated:** [January 17, 2025, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-stymie-a-corp-from-using-ai-to-read-and-answer-my-email/1012889 "2025-01-17T01:14:30Z")
Is there any way to write a business email (e.g. a letter of complaint to a heath insurance company) such that the receiver of the email can not easily (or hopefully, not at all) use AI to read and compose a reply to it? … --- ## [(South Asian) Indians in the US celebrating Christmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-asian-indians-in-the-us-celebrating-christmas/1011923)
**Author:** [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Replies:** 26\ **Last updated:** [January 17, 2025, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-asian-indians-in-the-us-celebrating-christmas/1011923 "2025-01-17T00:25:33Z")
On a TV show I watch, an Indian family celebrated Christmas. The show doesn’t address whether or not the family is Christian. Do (South Asian) Indians in the US celebrate Christmas strictly as a cultural holiday? Do a s… --- ## [alt-Facebook?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alt-facebook/1013045)
**Author:** [@Roderick\_Femm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roderick_Femm)\ **Replies:** 14\ **Last updated:** [January 17, 2025, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alt-facebook/1013045 "2025-01-17T00:14:31Z")
I belong to a Facebook group that is also an actual mostly-local group of people who meet. It’s a private group connected to a hobby, and one of the two admins has to let you in. The number of FB members is quite large c… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/latest.md?page=391&state=watching) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/latest.md?page=393&state=watching)