# (Old) How often do you change passwords - a secure MMP

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-how-often-do-you-change-passwords-a-secure-mmp/1031803>\
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\
**Tags:** mmp\
**Created:** [July 20, 2026, 11:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-how-often-do-you-change-passwords-a-secure-mmp/1031803 "2026-07-20T11:24:35Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 20\
**Page:** 3

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**Author:** ![dogbutler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dogbutler/32/428_2.png) [@dogbutler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dogbutler)\
**Post date:** [July 21, 2026, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-how-often-do-you-change-passwords-a-secure-mmp/1031803/41 "2026-07-21T02:14:07Z")

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> [@Misnomer](#):
>
> I hauled the biiiig trash can from the garage to the curb, came back inside, and bought a Jaguar.

😻 💯

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**Author:** ![missred](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/missred/32/14096_2.png) [@missred](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/missred)\
**Post date:** [July 21, 2026, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-how-often-do-you-change-passwords-a-secure-mmp/1031803/42 "2026-07-21T02:40:52Z")

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Nelson has quit favoring his leg after giving him the other half carprofen and baying him most of the day. : breathes sigh of relief:

On the desktop front, I seem to have picked up a virus, so I’ll be hitting Staples again this week.

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**Author:** ![Mollie\_Magill](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mollie_magill/32/20882_2.png) [@Mollie\_Magill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mollie_Magill)\
**Post date:** [July 21, 2026, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-how-often-do-you-change-passwords-a-secure-mmp/1031803/43 "2026-07-21T02:46:10Z")

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> [@Misnomer](#):
>
> I do like it, but I’m really not one for having live plants/flowers in the house so I’m thinking that I’ll take it to the office

Fuuuuuuuck!!!

I didn’t water **Mrs Magill’s** orchids.

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. I hope I didn’t kill them.

Okay, they’re still green. I’ve put the requisite number of ice cubes on each one.

I have a black thumb for indoor plants.

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**Author:** ![dogbutler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dogbutler/32/428_2.png) [@dogbutler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dogbutler)\
**Post date:** [July 21, 2026, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-how-often-do-you-change-passwords-a-secure-mmp/1031803/44 "2026-07-21T02:49:56Z")

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> [@missred](#):
>
> On the desktop front, I seem to have picked up a virus, so I’ll be hitting Staples again this week.

[![](https://64.media.tumblr.com/0656b2dc9f0c6d0170ca84dd677ed00d/055d9d3db3de0728-9d/s540x810/b314a3990c53164a15bde8e469c508dfc5018288.jpg) ](https://64.media.tumblr.com/0656b2dc9f0c6d0170ca84dd677ed00d/055d9d3db3de0728-9d/s540x810/b314a3990c53164a15bde8e469c508dfc5018288.jpg)

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**Author:** ![rocking\_chair](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocking_chair/32/2918_2.png) [@rocking\_chair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rocking_chair)\
**Post date:** [July 21, 2026, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-how-often-do-you-change-passwords-a-secure-mmp/1031803/45 "2026-07-21T03:05:04Z")

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I’ve got the beginning of a sore throat. Started this afternoon. Hopefully, it is an allergy thing and not a cold thing.

No other symptoms, so far.

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**Author:** ![Seanette](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/seanette/32/9139_2.png) [@Seanette](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Seanette)\
**Post date:** [July 21, 2026, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-how-often-do-you-change-passwords-a-secure-mmp/1031803/46 "2026-07-21T03:07:15Z")

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> [@Mollie\_Magill](#):
>
> I have a black thumb for indoor plants.

So do I. If there were a houseplant Humane Society, I would be permanently banned from adoptions.

I do fine keeping pets healthy and (I think) at least content with their lives. Pets, however, will COMMUNICATE when they need something. I have vocal cats with NO qualms about yelling at me to fix something they find unsatisfactory, and they’re fond of such tactics as playing hockey with an empty metal water bowl on hard floors. They’re especially fond of doing this in the middle of the night.

Plants do not communicate. They just sit there and suffer at me, and wind up blending into the household scenery to the point that I stop noticing them unless something calls my attention to them. Also, a lot of houseplants are toxic to cats and my current two are orange. Utterly lovable, not exactly furry Einsteins.

I prefer the cats. They’re a lot more cuddleable and have personalities.

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**Author:** ![Mollie\_Magill](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mollie_magill/32/20882_2.png) [@Mollie\_Magill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mollie_Magill)\
**Post date:** [July 21, 2026, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-how-often-do-you-change-passwords-a-secure-mmp/1031803/47 "2026-07-21T03:20:23Z")

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> [@Seanette](#):
>
> Plants do not communicate. They just sit there and suffer at me, and wind up blending into the household scenery to the point that I stop noticing them unless something calls my attention to them.

My ex-wife gave me some sort of unkillable house plant, which I proceeded to kill, no matter how many cans she threw at me.

Of course, she never figured out why the cats preferred me.

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**Author:** ![Seanette](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/seanette/32/9139_2.png) [@Seanette](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Seanette)\
**Post date:** [July 21, 2026, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-how-often-do-you-change-passwords-a-secure-mmp/1031803/48 "2026-07-21T03:26:49Z")

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I once killed a cactus without assistance from whatever pet(s) were in the family at the time. Pretty sure I managed to kill it by forgetting to do anything about care, just like any other plant I’ve tried to keep.

The so-called “unkillable plants”? Pfffft. I’ve done in samples of a lot of them. I’ve given up on plants.

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**Author:** ![Paintcharge](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/paintcharge/32/7946_2.png) [@Paintcharge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paintcharge)\
**Post date:** [July 21, 2026, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-how-often-do-you-change-passwords-a-secure-mmp/1031803/49 "2026-07-21T03:39:47Z")

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Ms Peach is most unimpressed with me going back to work after a week off. She’s been extra wiggles and spaz ever since I got home.

I used to be good at the keeping green things alive, but that seems to have gone away. I can barely keep a philodendron alive now, it used to be taking over the entire corner of the living room.

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**Author:** ![nelliebly](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nelliebly/32/5422_2.png) [@nelliebly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nelliebly)\
**Post date:** [July 21, 2026, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-how-often-do-you-change-passwords-a-secure-mmp/1031803/50 "2026-07-21T03:51:18Z")

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I’m going to try to type this quickly before I have to leave again. Life is a three-ring circus, and I have a one-ring mind.

Passwords. I keep 'em on a document, but they’re encoded, such as “George’s birth year + street address when I married.”

I’ve recovered from a difficult eye issue I had last week. Level 8 pain, so hard to concentrate or talk, and it felt like something in there. Hardly slept but got an appointment the next afternoon. It turned out to be a stitch that had worked its way to the corneal surface, where it caused inflammation. Cut, yank, and done. I’m on higher doses of steroid eyedrops for a few days yet so I don’t reject it.

> [@dogbutler](#):
>
> I changed all my passwords to “Kenny”, so all I have are Kenny logins.

My daughter is…getting by. She applies for several jobs every day, but it’s a tough market in a dog-eat-dog world (which my little-kid self thought was doggy-dog world, much friendlier). I don’t know what to do. Between apps, she’s working on the divorce decree.

My elderly neighbor is struggling, but things are looking up. Her daughter said she’d come down for the post-op period. We’ll see if she really does. And another friend gave me a book with excellent resources from the Council on Aging. The big holdup now is that she has to get her A1C down or no surgery, and her doc prescribed Ozempic tabs, which have been on backorder for weeks.

I am currently dog-sitting Sir Charles Mellow of Mellowton, except he was far from mellow yesterday: he chewed his rugged leash in two in literally 2 minutes, then decapitated a Santa dog toy. Remind me to stay on his good side. I walk him 4 times a day, two of them with Max. They’re easy except for continually French braiding their leashes.

Yesterday I volunteered to accompany a friend to drop off some items at the home of her druggie daughter who lives with a violent druggie boyfriend. It was a stealth mission. My main job was to video in case she got attacked. The stuff she left was for her grandson, who…You know what? It’s too depressing. Let’s move on.

Did I mention that my upstairs neighbor complained that my bedroom ceiling fan is too loud? It whirrs like a ceiling fan, but she said it buzzed loudly. She had her hearing aids out, too. So now I can’t run it–I could, but I’d feel guilty–and it’s going to be 93 tomorrow and my portable AC isn’t working. Maintenance is supposed to come and listen when they come to fix my washer, which has been broken for 16 days. I have a key to the empty downstairs apt., so I’ve been schlepping laundry down there.

> [@swampbear](#):
>
> the possibility of rain/tstorms/apocalypse around five p.m.

That reminds me. A town near my old Wyoming stomping grounds recently got 4.25 inches of rain in ONE HOUR. Average annual rainfall is 9 inches. Hard to imagine.

Glad you got the little kiddles fed, **Swampy**.

> [@purplehorseshoe](#):
>
> it had that perfect fairy tale shape

. What a lovely and evocative description!

> [@Taters](#):
>
> Speaking of the surgery, it’s scheduled for this surgery

Did you mean this Thursday? Whenever it is, I hope it goes well. As for bending over, wait until you try to get on undies and socks.

> [@dogbutler](#):
>
> I changed all my passwords to “Kenny”, so all I have are Kenny logins.

Jasper Bradley: That’s a paddlin’.

> [@The\_Stainless\_Steel\_Rat](#):
>
> I doubt I’m going to like what I see on the scale today

The trick is to subtract 2 pounds for water retention, then factor in the combined weight of fingernails, hair that’s grown since last weigh-in, vestiges of toothpaste, and air remaining in your lungs, and round up th e total to 5 pounds.

Not done yet, but someone furry is demanding the last walk of the day.

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**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\
**Post date:** [July 21, 2026, 7:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-how-often-do-you-change-passwords-a-secure-mmp/1031803/51 "2026-07-21T07:35:01Z")

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I am using passwords randomly generated by LastPass for any site where I care about someone signing in as me. I don’t know what they are. There is no point in changing any secure password unless you believe it is compromised.  
In fact , the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) recommended that organizations cease forced changes some time ago: [Passwords: Is Your Organization Still Following Outdated Guidance?](https://cyberunit.com/insights/nist-password-guidelines-2026-update/)

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**Author:** ![dogbutler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dogbutler/32/428_2.png) [@dogbutler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dogbutler)\
**Post date:** [July 21, 2026, 8:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-how-often-do-you-change-passwords-a-secure-mmp/1031803/52 "2026-07-21T08:07:03Z")

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Up, caffeinated, and sheveled. Off to heave. It’s 71 degrees Ferret Height(21.667 Centipedes).

{{{{ **nellie** }}}}

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**Author:** ![Filbert](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/filbert/32/3433_2.png) [@Filbert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Filbert)\
**Post date:** [July 21, 2026, 8:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-how-often-do-you-change-passwords-a-secure-mmp/1031803/53 "2026-07-21T08:09:04Z")

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> [@Misnomer](#):
>
> I’m thinking that I’ll take it to the office tomorrow and put it on my windowsill.

Pothos prefer to not be in bright light, so windowsills aren’t good for them, unless maybe if it’s a north facing one or one that never gets any real sun. Putting them about a meter away from the window is a decent rule of thumb, further would be OK.

For watering, it’s a lot easier to kill by overwatering than under. If it gets left in soggy compost too long, the roots will rot. Unfortunately, the symptoms of overwatering are wilting and yellowing and can look just like _under_watering, so people often then water more to try fix it. Instead of watering once a week, think of it as checking if it needs water once a week.

It’s really hard to underwater orchids **Mollie** - t I’m assuming they’re phaleonopsis, because there are gazillions but they’re the commonest and that’s what you’ll get the ice cube advice on the label for\[1\]- they can go weeks and weeks without watering, months in winter.

Am up, shortly to head in. I would rather head back to bed, but it is what it is…

* * *

1. the concept of using ice cubes is heavily disputed in the orchid growing community, if you ever need to start a fight at an orchid conference

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**Author:** ![scareyfaerie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scareyfaerie/32/3135_2.png) [@scareyfaerie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scareyfaerie)\
**Post date:** [July 21, 2026, 10:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-how-often-do-you-change-passwords-a-secure-mmp/1031803/54 "2026-07-21T10:50:57Z")

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Morning, mumpers! It’s currently 21c/70f with a predicted high of 26c/78f and mostly sunny. Weather app says “Calm your fucking tits, it’s not that fucking bad outside.”

**{{{{{Sticky Buns}}}}}**

> [@Seanette](#):
>
> I prefer the cats. They’re a lot more cuddleable and have personalities.

I’m the same - I’ve had houseplants and never been able to keep them alive for long. I often buy cut flowers just for a bit of colour, but I totally fail when it comes to being responsible for a green living thing.

**{{{{{nellie}}}}}**

Nothing much exciting to add from yesterday, we got home and I did lots of stuff, had pizza for dinner and I had an early night because I was tired from a busy weekend having fun, and a long hot drive home. Didn’t sleep too badly and I was up before the alarm went off to tend to the needs of cats.

I started off with a nice cool bath, and a hairwash, so at least I’m presentable now. Off to the supermarket in a few minutes for the lunchtime grocery run, I had to prepare campus food for the rest of the week, and I’m off to the gym this evening. 'im indoors has pulled some mac 'n cheese out of the freezer so that will be tonight’s dinner. Other than that, I have irk to catch up on.

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**Author:** ![swampbear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/swampbear/32/467_2.png) [@swampbear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/swampbear)\
**Post date:** [July 21, 2026, 11:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-how-often-do-you-change-passwords-a-secure-mmp/1031803/55 "2026-07-21T11:31:57Z")

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Good Mornin’ Y’all! Up and caffeinatin’. _YAWN_ I was a slugabed until seven a.m.! 🛌 'Tis 75 Amurrkin out and mostly sunny with a predicted high of 87 with the possibility of rain around two p.m. and then cloudy the rest of the day. It’s laundry day. I shall try to contain myself. There will also be the requisite RDOS sloth until it’s time to head over to the church house to feed the little knee knibblers. 'Twill be burgers and dawgs tonight.

Now I need more caffeine and to feed rumbly tummy. Then, onward into the piles of laundry! Rah,

Happy Tuesday Y’all!

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**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\
**Post date:** [July 21, 2026, 11:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-how-often-do-you-change-passwords-a-secure-mmp/1031803/56 "2026-07-21T11:51:40Z")

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> [@The\_Stainless\_Steel\_Rat](#):
>
> I’d really like to drive a full-size one once.

Someone needs to come up with a vacation spot full of the kinds of vehicles in this category: “I’d love to drive that!” - I expect it’d be full of guys saying _TAKE MY MONEY!!!_

Similar to this [kind of place](https://heavymetalplayground.com/) but with high end cars that most folks can’t afford. Oh, look, [there’s one near me.](https://www.sunsetautoclub.com/experiences.html) We’ll see if I can afford a special b-day gift for **FCD**. (ETA: $495 for half an hour??? Ummmmm…)

> [@Mollie\_Magill](#):
>
> unkillable house plant,

Everyone tells me how hardy jade plants are. Not in my house. I nearly killed one, then took it to my mom to bring it back to life, after which I really did kill it. Which sux because I love jades. But other plants seem to do well in my house. Who knows??

**nellie** - sweetie, you just can’t catch a break, can you? And your upstairs neighbor sounds like a real… um… treat.

Today starts with 74 Ferrets and the sky just opened, tho before it did, I got outside to clean up the torn up roll of landscape fabric that a certain canine pulled out of the cart and dragged across the yard last night - while we were home!! And **FCD** seems to think we can leave him home alone while we go to a movie. Yeah, right. He’s not Higgs. He won’t just chill if we’re away. But I can’t convince him if that.

Anyway, precip is forecast on and off all day. What’s to be done? Dunno. What happens will happen. Into the unknown!! Tho I will continue working on my Book of the Dead.

Happy Tuesday!

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**Author:** ![The\_Stainless\_Steel\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_stainless_steel_rat/32/5727_2.png) [@The\_Stainless\_Steel\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Stainless_Steel_Rat)\
**Post date:** [July 21, 2026, 12:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-how-often-do-you-change-passwords-a-secure-mmp/1031803/57 "2026-07-21T12:28:14Z")

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> [@nelliebly](#):
>
> The trick is to subtract 2 pounds for water retention, then factor in the combined weight of fingernails, hair that’s grown since last weigh-in, vestiges of toothpaste, and air remaining in your lungs, and round up th e total to 5 pounds.

Thanks for the suggestions, **Nellie** , but even doing it after exercising and in my birthday suit, I still gained about 4.5lbs for the trip (too many muffins and several hotels I stayed at had an automatic pancake maker at the breakfast buffet…). Am working on both my conditioning and my calorie count this week and see what happens…

**{{{{nellie}}}}** , we all have crosses to bear, yours sound extraordinarily weighty right now.

I have no plants in my house, I learned long ago that they and goldfish to do survive long depending on me.

Have the car appointment this morning at 9am, will leave in about an hour, hopefully it’ll be a fairly quick visit. Got my July vacation pics up on Facebook if your interested. Already 80F at 7:30am heading for the mid-90’s, so staying in the AC is my primary focus for the day. Have a good one all.

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**Author:** ![Kitten\_Mitten](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b782af/32.png) [@Kitten\_Mitten](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kitten_Mitten)\
**Post date:** [July 21, 2026, 12:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-how-often-do-you-change-passwords-a-secure-mmp/1031803/58 "2026-07-21T12:38:34Z")

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Good Twos, Toos, Tuesday (3rd times the charm)

Had a very nice 4 days with Bella. She was picked up about 9:45pm on daughter’s way home from NYC. Today I need to do cold water laundry then Hubs & I are going to the noon showing of Odysseus. Tuesday is OG discount day.

Yesterday the air quality had moderated so Bella and I were able to walk to work then back home again. Today its back into the Unhealthy for sensitive groups zone at 131 but is forecasted to slowly be reducing to moderate by 2pm.

One of the guys was not in Friday nor again yesterday. When the manager texted him to inquire if he was ok, the response was that they were putting their son into hospice. Heck. So manager asked me what we could do for co-worker when the time comes. I didn’t have any good suggestions, they were more of what would be good for a woman co-worker. So, I asked one of the other guys who had been friends with the guy for a long time. He suggested planting a tree with a plaque in honor of the son. I think this idea is a keeper.

> [@dogbutler](#):
>
> Getting mooned isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.

One time Hubs and I were driving back from Florida and a car of male collegiate Easter breakers passed us, got in front of us, slowed down and the next thing I knew I saw 3 bare butts in the rear window ahead of us. Then they zoomed off.

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**Author:** ![SuntanLotion](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suntanlotion/32/16165_2.png) [@SuntanLotion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SuntanLotion)\
**Post date:** [July 21, 2026, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-how-often-do-you-change-passwords-a-secure-mmp/1031803/59 "2026-07-21T13:38:51Z")

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I’ve been wearing anklet socks and yesterday must’ve walked through something as theres a rash on my ankle.  
It was thundering this morn; its rare it happens early in the day.  
Another round predicted at noon.  
Peanut butter sandwich for brunch.

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**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\
**Post date:** [July 21, 2026, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-how-often-do-you-change-passwords-a-secure-mmp/1031803/60 "2026-07-21T13:46:25Z")

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Okay, it’s Tuesday, and we have a bit of rain and fog. I counted 74 ferrets in the yard, I think. It’s hard to count those scampering critters.

My legs are talking to me this morning, and I don’t like that tone of voice one bit.

My eyes feel tired and gritty.

The lower corner of my screen has a pic of a cookie, with the words Cookie Preference. Three, please.

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