# Latest **URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/latest.md?page=514&state=tracking [Latest](https://boards.straightdope.com/latest.md) · [Categories](https://boards.straightdope.com/categories.md) · [Tags](https://boards.straightdope.com/tags.md) **Page:** 515 --- ## ["Master and Margarita" by Bulgakov - thoughts?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/master-and-margarita-by-bulgakov-thoughts/1004734)
**Author:** [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Replies:** 13\ **Last updated:** [July 26, 2024, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/master-and-margarita-by-bulgakov-thoughts/1004734 "2024-07-26T04:10:25Z")
Inna asked me to read this (it’s her favorite novel) and I’m on Chapter 3. It’s interesting, but I’m not really understanding it. Anyone else read this? My edition is non-annotated, which might be part and parcel of my … --- ## [What non-policy issues would you like Kamala Harris to work on?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-non-policy-issues-would-you-like-kamala-harris-to-work-on/1004786)
**Author:** [@MyFootsZZZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MyFootsZZZ)\ **Replies:** 21\ **Last updated:** [July 26, 2024, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-non-policy-issues-would-you-like-kamala-harris-to-work-on/1004786 "2024-07-26T01:26:17Z")
So, as a guy with a soft voice, I understand the struggles of being interrupted, talked-over, and having difficulty being loud and heard by everyone you’re addressing. It’s poopy. So, as a result of this, I (try to) say … --- ## [Best way to separate pages](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-way-to-separate-pages/1004722)
**Author:** [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Replies:** 6\ **Last updated:** [July 26, 2024, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-way-to-separate-pages/1004722 "2024-07-26T01:16:46Z")
I have a book whose pages are stuck together. Cheap paper. Not very valuable to anyone but curious me. Any one know of a way? --- ## [If you could magically eliminate one thing from earth…](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-magically-eliminate-one-thing-from-earth/1004357)
**Author:** [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Replies:** 170\ **Last updated:** [July 26, 2024, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-magically-eliminate-one-thing-from-earth/1004357 "2024-07-26T00:56:49Z")
To make it better, what would it be? This can be a bit like the Twilight Zone world. You might not realize the consequences of your choice until it’s too late. So feel free to play devils advocate. So what would you ma… --- ## [Do AI-powered writing assistants like ChatGPT or Grammarly "scrape" their clients' creative content?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-ai-powered-writing-assistants-like-chatgpt-or-grammarly-scrape-their-clients-creative-content/1004738)
**Author:** [@Caribbean\_cruiser](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Caribbean_cruiser)\ **Replies:** 4\ **Last updated:** [July 25, 2024, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-ai-powered-writing-assistants-like-chatgpt-or-grammarly-scrape-their-clients-creative-content/1004738 "2024-07-25T22:48:08Z")
I’ve resorted to ChatGPT for simple fact-checking now and then (with uneven results), but I have major concerns about feeding any of my creative or professional content into generative AI writing assistants such as GPT, … --- ## [When did national news switch from "negro" to "black"?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-national-news-switch-from-negro-to-black/1004679)
**Author:** [@Stoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stoid)\ **Replies:** 13\ **Last updated:** [July 25, 2024, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-national-news-switch-from-negro-to-black/1004679 "2024-07-25T22:10:40Z")
I’m watching a fictional program taking place in 1966. It shows a news report referring to "blacks"and “black” businesses. I was around in 1966, and even though I was only eight years old, I was very aware of the civil … --- ## [Is 'Student Driver' code for something?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-student-driver-code-for-something/1000931)
**Author:** [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Replies:** 63\ **Last updated:** [July 25, 2024, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-student-driver-code-for-something/1000931 "2024-07-25T21:41:50Z")
I have seen bumper stickers cropping up in Colorado saying “Student Driver”. Not only are the drivers clearly not a student driver, even if they were, why put a bumper sticker on your car. If you are really teaching yo… --- ## [Identify 1970s horror movie with three stories](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-1970s-horror-movie-with-three-stories/1004784)
**Author:** [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\ **Replies:** 8\ **Last updated:** [July 25, 2024, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-1970s-horror-movie-with-three-stories/1004784 "2024-07-25T21:40:19Z")
In the 1970s (or maybe the very early 1980s), I caught a movie on TV. It told three unrelated (or very loosely related) horror tales, the only one of which I remember involved a curse from a Roma woman against the teena… --- ## [When you were a kid, what was your local "horror movie" show?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-you-were-a-kid-what-was-your-local-horror-movie-show/1003821)
**Author:** [@aurora\_maire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aurora_maire)\ **Replies:** 105\ **Last updated:** [July 25, 2024, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-you-were-a-kid-what-was-your-local-horror-movie-show/1003821 "2024-07-25T20:28:45Z")
In the Mid-South, it was Fantastic Features. It ran from 1967 to 1972 with Monster of Ceremony, vampire Savid. (Played by Winston Davis. Savid is Davis backward.) I remember watching this on Saturdays at 6 p.m. and bei… --- ## [What the hell is so attractive about fascism?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-so-attractive-about-fascism/1003701)
**Author:** [@MyFootsZZZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MyFootsZZZ)\ **Replies:** 115\ **Last updated:** [July 25, 2024, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-so-attractive-about-fascism/1003701 "2024-07-25T20:21:35Z")
I don’t remember anyone ever telling me anything about fascism that’s has not been in a negative light, my whole life, until recently. What’s the draw? Do they not understand the consequences? --- ## [In which ways, if any, does Harris hold different views than Biden?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-which-ways-if-any-does-harris-hold-different-views-than-biden/1004748)
**Author:** [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Replies:** 9\ **Last updated:** [July 25, 2024, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-which-ways-if-any-does-harris-hold-different-views-than-biden/1004748 "2024-07-25T20:15:33Z")
Let’s assume Kamala wins in November. Is there any policy or stance in which she has been known to differ from Biden in any way, or is it going to be pretty much Biden 2.0 for four or eight years? Taxes, religion, Ukra… --- ## [Russian economist dies after falling from window](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russian-economist-dies-after-falling-from-window/1004756)
**Author:** [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Replies:** 12\ **Last updated:** [July 25, 2024, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russian-economist-dies-after-falling-from-window/1004756 "2024-07-25T20:12:37Z")
It apparently didn’t have anything to do with Ukraine. Just a lady falling to her death. Nothing suspicious here. Happens all the time (in Russia). Or maybe it really was an accident. --- ## [Three days in Banff/Lake Louise](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/three-days-in-banff-lake-louise/1003853)
**Author:** [@commasense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/commasense)\ **Replies:** 18\ **Last updated:** [July 25, 2024, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/three-days-in-banff-lake-louise/1003853 "2024-07-25T19:12:33Z")
In two weeks, my wife and I (63 and 68, respectively) will have about three and a half days in the Banff/Lake Louise area. Our first day we have reservations for the Hop-on Hop-off bus that will get us to Moraine Lake fo… --- ## [Why AI-generated summaries are not to be trusted](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-ai-generated-summaries-are-not-to-be-trusted/1003682)
**Author:** [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Replies:** 30\ **Last updated:** [July 25, 2024, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-ai-generated-summaries-are-not-to-be-trusted/1003682 "2024-07-25T18:46:47Z")
Parse this AI statement, served up at the top of my Google results (it also has nothing to do with the question I posed, which was “European cities at the same latitude as Portland, Oregon”): Although cities can be on … --- ## [American Ninja Warrior](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-ninja-warrior/694839)
**Author:** [@BeepKillBeep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BeepKillBeep)\ **Replies:** 925\ **Last updated:** [July 25, 2024, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-ninja-warrior/694839 "2024-07-25T18:25:12Z")
Any other fans of this show? I love watching the athleticism. It is a very different type of athletics than you normally get to see. A very cool mix of parkour, rock climbing and gymnastics. The big thing I like about … --- ## [Breaking news - huge outage/interruption created by Crowdstrike problem (July 2024)](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-huge-outage-interruption-created-by-crowdstrike-problem-july-2024/1004454)
**Author:** [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Replies:** 100\ **Last updated:** [July 25, 2024, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-huge-outage-interruption-created-by-crowdstrike-problem-july-2024/1004454 "2024-07-25T17:28:11Z")
Sys admins all over the world are having (or are about to have) a very bad Friday and a very long weekend. The short (preliminary) version is that it looks like Crowdstrike (whose software is supposed to detect and … --- ## [The Watergate's been bugged](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-watergates-been-bugged/1004772)
**Author:** [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Replies:** 7\ **Last updated:** [July 25, 2024, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-watergates-been-bugged/1004772 "2024-07-25T17:19:46Z")
https://wapo.st/4cSkAvD It’s not showing up as a OneBox in the preview for some reason. But it’s a gift link to a WaPo article titled “Maggots, crickets released at Watergate Hotel in protest of Netanyahu visit”. --- ## [Tell us an interesting random fact you stumbled across (Part 1)](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674)
**Author:** [@lobotomyboy63](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lobotomyboy63)\ **Replies:** 9998\ **Last updated:** [July 25, 2024, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674 "2024-07-25T15:05:38Z")
I suspect many dopers are interested in lots of far-flung concepts and disciplines beyond what the daily grind demands. As an hommage to liberal arts education and pop culture and that spirit of lifelong learning, give … --- ## [I bought some guanciale. Now what?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-bought-some-guanciale-now-what/1004385)
**Author:** [@teelabrown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/teelabrown)\ **Replies:** 12\ **Last updated:** [July 25, 2024, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-bought-some-guanciale-now-what/1004385 "2024-07-25T13:18:09Z")
We went to Eataly several days ago for a pizza lunch, and at their market I bought a few shrink-wrapped slices of guanciale (Italian hog jowl bacon). I know folks use it for pasta sauces, but I’ve never before cooked wi… --- ## [Showers with half a door... why?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/showers-with-half-a-door-why/1004733)
**Author:** [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Replies:** 44\ **Last updated:** [July 25, 2024, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/showers-with-half-a-door-why/1004733 "2024-07-25T13:11:05Z")
This was our shower in the Henri hotel in Vienna: This isn’t the first time I’ve seen this, but I wonder what the thinking is? Especially with the hand-held shower head, every time w… --- ## [Moissanite and carborundum--what's the difference?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moissanite-and-carborundum-whats-the-difference/143428)
**Author:** [@don\_willard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_willard)\ **Replies:** 5\ **Last updated:** [July 25, 2024, 6:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moissanite-and-carborundum-whats-the-difference/143428 "2024-07-25T06:11:06Z")
Is the crystal structure of diamond, ie., the tetrahedron with a atom at each point of the tetrahedron found in silicon carbide and if so, does each tetrahedron have two carbon atoms and two silicon atoms, for instance, … --- ## [John Mayall Dead at 90](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-mayall-dead-at-90/1004719)
**Author:** [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\ **Replies:** 12\ **Last updated:** [July 25, 2024, 5:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-mayall-dead-at-90/1004719 "2024-07-25T05:58:18Z")
John Mayall, founder and constant member of The Bluesbreakers and mentor to numerous rock and blues legends, is dead: https://www.washingtonpost.com/obituaries/2024/07/23/john-mayall-blues-dead/ Stranger --- ## [Emotional dysregulation - unable to control vs unwilling](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/emotional-dysregulation-unable-to-control-vs-unwilling/1004319)
**Author:** [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Replies:** 57\ **Last updated:** [July 25, 2024, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/emotional-dysregulation-unable-to-control-vs-unwilling/1004319 "2024-07-25T02:52:18Z")
When mental health professionals describe/diagnose emotional dysregulation, how do they distinguish between people who are incapable of regulating their emotions, as opposed to people who have not been taught to/do not t… --- ## [Can anyone explain to me the different kinds of scientific papers and what they mean](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anyone-explain-to-me-the-different-kinds-of-scientific-papers-and-what-they-mean/1004524)
**Author:** [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Replies:** 10\ **Last updated:** [July 25, 2024, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anyone-explain-to-me-the-different-kinds-of-scientific-papers-and-what-they-mean/1004524 "2024-07-25T02:17:08Z")
I’m seeing contradictory info online. Also I’m not talking about areas of research, more the scope of papers. Examples would be like Papers that conduct original research papers that try to replicate previous researc… --- ## [MS File Explorer: Way to resize the font display?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ms-file-explorer-way-to-resize-the-font-display/998771)
**Author:** [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Replies:** 16\ **Last updated:** [July 25, 2024, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ms-file-explorer-way-to-resize-the-font-display/998771 "2024-07-25T02:05:17Z")
I’ve got a new monitor at work, and the font for File Explorer is very small. I have to squint. Is there a way to embiggen it? --- ## [Walk Me Through Buying an Amazon Fire tablet](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/walk-me-through-buying-an-amazon-fire-tablet/1004705)
**Author:** [@Paul\_was\_in\_Saudi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_was_in_Saudi)\ **Replies:** 20\ **Last updated:** [July 25, 2024, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/walk-me-through-buying-an-amazon-fire-tablet/1004705 "2024-07-25T01:06:24Z")
I am online now. I do not want to screw this up. I need to purchase a 10’’ Amazon Fire tablet (and an Otterbox case). My wife wants the sort that takes a telephone SIM card and connects to the Intertube much as a teleph… --- ## [Instead of Kamala Harris](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/instead-of-kamala-harris/1004728)
**Author:** [@EnolaStraight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EnolaStraight)\ **Replies:** 53\ **Last updated:** [July 24, 2024, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/instead-of-kamala-harris/1004728 "2024-07-24T23:41:34Z")
…who would you rather see run for President? I would vote for Ed Rendell in a heartbeat. Ed Rendell - Wikipedia Successful Philadelphia Mayor, successful Pennsylvania Governor. I certainly remember no downside to his… --- ## [CBS Poll from Sunday on Kamala Harris & NPR poll July 22, 2024](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cbs-poll-from-sunday-on-kamala-harris-npr-poll-july-22-2024/1004702)
**Author:** [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Replies:** 34\ **Last updated:** [July 24, 2024, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cbs-poll-from-sunday-on-kamala-harris-npr-poll-july-22-2024/1004702 "2024-07-24T23:23:07Z")
Just released. Note this was before Biden’s withdrawal. Then, today, this was released: --- ## [Things famous actors do today that they never did before](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-famous-actors-do-today-that-they-never-did-before/854935)
**Author:** [@Limmin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Limmin)\ **Replies:** 40\ **Last updated:** [July 24, 2024, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-famous-actors-do-today-that-they-never-did-before/854935 "2024-07-24T22:56:24Z")
Bad thread title. I suspect this has been discussed before, but yikes, how do you search for it? Maybe y’all can help. But I digress. Lately, I’ve been a little surprised by two developments engaged in by famous acto… --- ## [Kamala Harris - born 1964](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kamala-harris-born-1964/1004645)
**Author:** [@Tatterdemalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tatterdemalion)\ **Replies:** 22\ **Last updated:** [July 24, 2024, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kamala-harris-born-1964/1004645 "2024-07-24T22:26:17Z")
Kamala Harris, if elected, will be the first president who is younger than me, and I am going to start collecting Social Security later this year. I remember when Barrack Obama was elected. He is slightly older than me.… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/latest.md?page=513&state=tracking) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/latest.md?page=515&state=tracking)