# Latest **URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/latest.md?page=786 [Latest](https://boards.straightdope.com/latest.md) · [Categories](https://boards.straightdope.com/categories.md) · [Tags](https://boards.straightdope.com/tags.md) **Page:** 787 --- ## [Is pretending to be stupid in film, etc kinda like Blackface?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-pretending-to-be-stupid-in-film-etc-kinda-like-blackface/979351)
**Author:** [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Replies:** 59\ **Last updated:** [July 11, 2023, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-pretending-to-be-stupid-in-film-etc-kinda-like-blackface/979351 "2023-07-11T18:36:14Z")
Okay, one thing I hate is film, tv etc, where someone pretends to be stupid. Dumb and Dumber (which did have a few funny moments, due to the stars, but the sequel was pure cringe, and of course, Philomena Cunk. We conde… --- ## [When was a good time to live in Russia? Was there one?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-was-a-good-time-to-live-in-russia-was-there-one/986061)
**Author:** [@Palo\_Verde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Palo_Verde)\ **Replies:** 48\ **Last updated:** [July 11, 2023, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-was-a-good-time-to-live-in-russia-was-there-one/986061 "2023-07-11T17:35:53Z")
In discussing the events of today with my daughter, she said, “I guess it’s a bad time to be living in Russia?” Which lead to a discussion of whether there ever was a good time to live in Russia. When was the best time t… --- ## [Toyota Auto A/C repair question](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/toyota-auto-a-c-repair-question/986874)
**Author:** [@Fir\_na\_tine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fir_na_tine)\ **Replies:** 5\ **Last updated:** [July 11, 2023, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/toyota-auto-a-c-repair-question/986874 "2023-07-11T17:27:56Z")
2012 Toyota. A/C stopped working. Service center says we need to recharge the system $300.00, Did not fix the problem, brought it back to service center and now being told it’s the compressor. $1,500. Not being a me… --- ## [What’s Trump’s Trial Strategy?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-s-trump-s-trial-strategy/986060)
**Author:** [@slicedalone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slicedalone)\ **Replies:** 129\ **Last updated:** [July 11, 2023, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-s-trump-s-trial-strategy/986060 "2023-07-11T17:02:52Z")
Not specific to any one case, but in general, I think he’s conceding that he will be found guilty of committing at least one felony, and very likely more, and that he will have little to no basis for a winning appeal whe… --- ## [Things you loved as a kid that you now think are terrible](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-loved-as-a-kid-that-you-now-think-are-terrible/985857)
**Author:** [@Cheesesteak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheesesteak)\ **Replies:** 195\ **Last updated:** [July 11, 2023, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-loved-as-a-kid-that-you-now-think-are-terrible/985857 "2023-07-11T14:52:18Z")
This is a companion thread to the things you still like, but now it’s things that are objectively awful and you struggle to understand what you liked about them originally. This is NOT the thread for things you’ve natur… --- ## [Free dive to bottom of Mariana Trench, yes or no?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-dive-to-bottom-of-mariana-trench-yes-or-no/915442)
**Author:** [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Replies:** 62\ **Last updated:** [July 11, 2023, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-dive-to-bottom-of-mariana-trench-yes-or-no/915442 "2023-07-11T14:27:10Z")
This is so mundane it belongs more in MPSIMS, but IMHO is more the place for polling. Say you are the lucky sweepstake winner of a free submarine dive to the bottom of the Mariana Trench, in a mini-submersible like the … --- ## [What's the best way to clean tape residue off metal (aluminum, I think)?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-way-to-clean-tape-residue-off-metal-aluminum-i-think/986578)
**Author:** [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Replies:** 37\ **Last updated:** [July 11, 2023, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-way-to-clean-tape-residue-off-metal-aluminum-i-think/986578 "2023-07-11T13:58:26Z")
We have an old cat door that we can’t use, because the slider opening in our house is about one inch too short for it to fit. We last used it in our old apartment, where the building had settled a bit and the slider o… --- ## [Things I learned watching a Love Boat marathon](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-i-learned-watching-a-love-boat-marathon/986823)
**Author:** [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\ **Replies:** 24\ **Last updated:** [July 11, 2023, 11:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-i-learned-watching-a-love-boat-marathon/986823 "2023-07-11T11:46:14Z")
An entire cruise ship can be run with a crew of 5 - a Captain, a cruise director, a gopher, a doctor, and, of course, a bartender. Lots of aging former stars and D-list TV actors went on cruises very often in the late 7… --- ## [Can my camera be saved? (It got wet)](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-my-camera-be-saved-it-got-wet/986872)
**Author:** [@WildaBeast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WildaBeast)\ **Replies:** 3\ **Last updated:** [July 11, 2023, 11:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-my-camera-be-saved-it-got-wet/986872 "2023-07-11T11:03:00Z")
I brought my DSLR camera with me to Ireland last week. As I guess is kind of typical of weather in the British Isles, I got caught in a rain shower, and as a result the camera got wet. Now the camera will not turn on. … --- ## [Recommend LED fixture to replace 48" fluorescent tube](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-led-fixture-to-replace-48-fluorescent-tube/986825)
**Author:** [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Replies:** 11\ **Last updated:** [July 11, 2023, 10:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-led-fixture-to-replace-48-fluorescent-tube/986825 "2023-07-11T10:46:30Z")
In my bathroom I have two fixtures that each have one 48" fluorescent tube. I am tired of replacing them and properly disposing of the burned-out ones. What kind of LED fixtures would work here? I replaced a couple of cl… --- ## [Tell me about taking care of plants in the office](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-taking-care-of-plants-in-the-office/984830)
**Author:** [@Johnny\_Bravo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Bravo)\ **Replies:** 17\ **Last updated:** [June 8, 2023, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-taking-care-of-plants-in-the-office/984830 "2023-06-08T18:31:51Z")
I have a window! With sills! So I’ve gotten some plants and am desperately trying to not murder them. The window faces west and gets lots of light but the office itself stays pretty cool throughout the day. I’ve already… --- ## [Bad, bad, bad, Great, mighty and Powerful Oz..er..um I mean Cece? Knock,knock! You home?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-bad-bad-great-mighty-and-powerful-oz-er-um-i-mean-cece-knock-knock-you-home/986759)
**Author:** [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Replies:** 24\ **Last updated:** [July 11, 2023, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-bad-bad-great-mighty-and-powerful-oz-er-um-i-mean-cece-knock-knock-you-home/986759 "2023-07-11T01:49:57Z")
Beck needs to know. If I came skipping down a yellow road, in a goofy dress and a couple losers and a flea bitten dog in tow, would you help me get home? Or could I just stay in Emera…wherever you are? Need answer fas… --- ## [Describe a comedy as a tragedy (or a tragedy as a comedy) after guessing the previous one](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/describe-a-comedy-as-a-tragedy-or-a-tragedy-as-a-comedy-after-guessing-the-previous-one/986826)
**Author:** [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\ **Replies:** 3\ **Last updated:** [July 11, 2023, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/describe-a-comedy-as-a-tragedy-or-a-tragedy-as-a-comedy-after-guessing-the-previous-one/986826 "2023-07-11T01:45:09Z")
I’ll start off with an easy one: A down on his luck bus driver with a violent temper wastes his time on ridiculous get-rich-quick schemes while constantly threatening to beat his long-suffering wife. --- ## [Finger Lakes meetup July 2023?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finger-lakes-meetup-july-2023/986318)
**Author:** [@thorny\_locust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thorny_locust)\ **Replies:** 30\ **Last updated:** [July 11, 2023, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finger-lakes-meetup-july-2023/986318 "2023-07-11T01:27:58Z")
@penultima\_thule has been travelling through the USA (thread here: Diary of a Wandering Thule ), and will be coming through the Finger Lakes area. We’ve been discussing a possible meetup, maybe at a brewery @Paintcharge … --- ## [Dude! Where are my songs? (Apple Music on MacBook)](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dude-where-are-my-songs-apple-music-on-macbook/986564)
**Author:** [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Replies:** 35\ **Last updated:** [July 11, 2023, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dude-where-are-my-songs-apple-music-on-macbook/986564 "2023-07-11T01:00:31Z")
I was going to post some lyrics from an obscure song, or at least the song’s title and artist, in response to someone else’s post. I wanted to ensure I had the right song, so I opened Apple Music to play myself a snippe… --- ## [What's wrong with my iPhone (cellular coverage problem)](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-wrong-with-my-iphone-cellular-coverage-problem/986824)
**Author:** [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Replies:** 6\ **Last updated:** [July 10, 2023, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-wrong-with-my-iphone-cellular-coverage-problem/986824 "2023-07-10T21:32:25Z")
A recurring issue with my phone, where it gets no bars in areas where I know there’s coverage. My wife and I are on the same plan, same carrier; standing next to me she has 2 bars on her phone and I have none. (If it m… --- ## [Best way to vapor-seal existing concrete basement floor](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-way-to-vapor-seal-existing-concrete-basement-floor/986778)
**Author:** [@wallewek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wallewek)\ **Replies:** 6\ **Last updated:** [July 10, 2023, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-way-to-vapor-seal-existing-concrete-basement-floor/986778 "2023-07-10T20:53:54Z")
Our house has an addition with a concrete basement floor slab. The concrete is of poor quality, and appears to be somewhat porous to air. I want to seal it for proper sub-floor radon removal. It seems to me some sort … --- ## [Certain points of club meeting/parliamentary procedure in Germany, familiar or not in English-speaking contries?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/certain-points-of-club-meeting-parliamentary-procedure-in-germany-familiar-or-not-in-english-speaking-contries/986808)
**Author:** [@Mops](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mops)\ **Replies:** 10\ **Last updated:** [July 10, 2023, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/certain-points-of-club-meeting-parliamentary-procedure-in-germany-familiar-or-not-in-english-speaking-contries/986808 "2023-07-10T19:46:34Z")
There are some procedural usages that I have encountered in club, party meetings, party conferences, local government sessions in Germany in the last 3-4 decades that I am curious whether these are also encountered in En… --- ## [Why does Google image search suck so much dick?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-google-image-search-suck-so-much-dick/986565)
**Author:** [@cjackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cjackson)\ **Replies:** 31\ **Last updated:** [July 10, 2023, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-google-image-search-suck-so-much-dick/986565 "2023-07-10T18:31:50Z")
Seriously! First they take away the view image button, but you could still right click to view the image. Now the motherfuckers have taken that away, so when you right click to view the image you instead get the crappy l… --- ## [Question about scientology](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-scientology/986399)
**Author:** [@slicedalone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slicedalone)\ **Replies:** 28\ **Last updated:** [July 10, 2023, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-scientology/986399 "2023-07-10T18:28:49Z")
As I understand it, which isn’t much, Scientology has a hold over its celebrity members (and others) in part by eliciting confessions in the early going about shameful things they’ve done, and then uses those confessions… --- ## [Buck Moon 2023](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buck-moon-2023/986569)
**Author:** [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Replies:** 11\ **Last updated:** [July 10, 2023, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buck-moon-2023/986569 "2023-07-10T18:14:20Z")
Here’s my photo of the full moon a couple of nights ago. working with a nearly drained camera battery, I couldn’t take all of the time and care I would have wished, but all in all I’m pleased. … --- ## [What’s happening to the Ukrainian front line during the Russian pseudo coup?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-s-happening-to-the-ukrainian-front-line-during-the-russian-pseudo-coup/986034)
**Author:** [@Saffer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saffer)\ **Replies:** 75\ **Last updated:** [July 10, 2023, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-s-happening-to-the-ukrainian-front-line-during-the-russian-pseudo-coup/986034 "2023-07-10T17:29:12Z")
All the news coverage I have seen seems to focus on the coup itself. --- ## [Aerosol geo-engineering without the acid](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aerosol-geo-engineering-without-the-acid/986863)
**Author:** [@Grey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grey)\ **Replies:** 1\ **Last updated:** [July 10, 2023, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aerosol-geo-engineering-without-the-acid/986863 "2023-07-10T16:37:29Z")
With geo-engineering (leaving aside the wisdom of doing it) a key approach would be the distribution of aerosols in the upper atmosphere. The primary candidate seems to be sulphur compounds like SO\[sub\]2\[/sub\], or H\[sub\]… --- ## [‘Simple’ things that are surprisingly difficult](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simple-things-that-are-surprisingly-difficult/986404)
**Author:** [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\ **Replies:** 109\ **Last updated:** [July 10, 2023, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simple-things-that-are-surprisingly-difficult/986404 "2023-07-10T15:51:39Z")
I grocery shop on Saturdays. Today I’m about to run out but I feel a bit peckish, and you’re not supposed to grocery shop hungry, right? So I think, there’s some leftover rotisserie chicken in the fridge— I’ll make a qui… --- ## [Ocean formation on primeval Earth](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ocean-formation-on-primeval-earth/986795)
**Author:** [@EnolaStraight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EnolaStraight)\ **Replies:** 17\ **Last updated:** [July 10, 2023, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ocean-formation-on-primeval-earth/986795 "2023-07-10T15:41:06Z")
Our Earth, 3/4 of the surface covered by often miles-deep saltwater was, once upon a time, waterless. I make the modest assumption that our planet acquired it’s water via cometary bombardment billions of years ago. Unl… --- ## [Cecil's new columns will "be posted here each week"?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cecils-new-columns-will-be-posted-here-each-week/986790)
**Author:** [@CC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CC)\ **Replies:** 3\ **Last updated:** [July 10, 2023, 12:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cecils-new-columns-will-be-posted-here-each-week/986790 "2023-07-10T12:37:11Z")
I’ll be darned if I can find any columns after 6/6. Where are Cecil’s new columns? --- ## [Is it possible that there are an infinite number of universes?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-possible-that-there-are-an-infinite-number-of-universes/985802)
**Author:** [@Nars\_Glinley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nars_Glinley)\ **Replies:** 100\ **Last updated:** [July 10, 2023, 9:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-possible-that-there-are-an-infinite-number-of-universes/985802 "2023-07-10T09:53:44Z")
If so, does that mean that there has always been an infinite number of them? --- ## [Michael Flynn's Shining City on the Hill - For Christians Only](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/michael-flynns-shining-city-on-the-hill-for-christians-only/954397)
**Author:** [@ParallelLines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParallelLines)\ **Replies:** 511\ **Last updated:** [July 10, 2023, 9:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/michael-flynns-shining-city-on-the-hill-for-christians-only/954397 "2023-07-10T09:38:00Z")
This is a P&E sort of story, but considering the information included, it was bound to end up in the Pit, and probably with cause. The CNN article that prompted the thread - https://www.cnn.com/2021/11/14/opinions/mich… --- ## [Twitter - why do we need it?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/twitter-why-do-we-need-it/986665)
**Author:** [@Knighted\_Vorpal\_Sword](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knighted_Vorpal_Sword)\ **Replies:** 75\ **Last updated:** [July 10, 2023, 6:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/twitter-why-do-we-need-it/986665 "2023-07-10T06:53:01Z")
I’ve been thinking about this for some time - why does the world need Twitter? I admit I have a Twitter account. (It’s only on my laptop, not on my phone.) I look at it maybe twice a year. I don’t follow any celebrities… --- ## [Mexican street corn](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mexican-street-corn/986705)
**Author:** [@MikeF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MikeF)\ **Replies:** 14\ **Last updated:** [July 10, 2023, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mexican-street-corn/986705 "2023-07-10T00:45:31Z")
I just found out about this stuff and am thinking about making some this weekend but I have a question - is the corn supposed to be warm or hot when served or is room temperature appropriate? The YouTube videos I’ve see… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/latest.md?page=785) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/latest.md?page=787)