# What became ubiquitous then went away in your lifetime? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 10, 2026, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-became-ubiquitous-then-went-away-in-your-lifetime/1029180 "2026-04-10T22:01:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 26
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2026, 11:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-became-ubiquitous-then-went-away-in-your-lifetime/1029180/501 "2026-05-28T11:49:50Z")
Although war simulation has a long history, hexagonal grid and square grid games both pretty much started out in the 1950s. I know I was playing them with my friends in the 1960s, and they used both square an hex grids and cardboard counters. They did become big in the 1970s through the 1990s, but I got the impression that D&D -style games were taking over from the war-based games we used to play. Computer games did take up a lot of the interest, but I still see plenty of hex-grid and cardboard or plastic counter games at the cience fiction conventions I go to – they’re not dead, by any means. ---
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2026, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-became-ubiquitous-then-went-away-in-your-lifetime/1029180/502 "2026-05-28T15:41:55Z")
I remember racquetball becoming very popular in the late 1970s, and racquetball courts couldn’t be built fast enough. Now it appears many courts have been repurposed. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2026, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-became-ubiquitous-then-went-away-in-your-lifetime/1029180/503 "2026-05-28T16:53:46Z")
I agree, and lament this. I loved playing racquetball. I think it was the first solo sport I wasn’t immediately awful at, and I played it for years, until all the local racquetball courts closed. Now, of course, I’m looking into pickleball, but it ain’t the same. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2026, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-became-ubiquitous-then-went-away-in-your-lifetime/1029180/504 "2026-05-28T17:15:42Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > Although war simulation has a long history, hexagonal grid and square grid games both pretty much started out in the 1950s. I know I was playing them with my friends in the 1960s, and they used both square an hex grids and cardboard counters. They did become big in the 1970s through the 1990s, but I got the impression that D&D -style games were taking over from the war-based games we used to play. Computer games did take up a lot of the interest, but I still see plenty of hex-grid and cardboard or plastic counter games at the cience fiction conventions I go to – they’re not dead, by any means. Yes, Dungeons & Dragons and other role-playing games were growing as a hobby around the same period. There are still plenty of physical games around but most of them are tabletop boardgames not hex-and-counter wargames. Hex-and-counter wargames still exist but only is the sense that video rental stores still exist. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2026, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-became-ubiquitous-then-went-away-in-your-lifetime/1029180/505 "2026-05-28T17:29:48Z")
Yeah, there is at maximum one hex and counter wargames I see being created every year, and the average is actually lower than that. Part of it is I run in the board gaming community as opposed to the war gaming community so perhaps there are still ones being created that I am not aware of. You occasionally see them but in two very specific contexts. Occasionally there is a new one as a 4x space exploration game, but I don’t like that since they have more than 2 players so it’s even more prone to political maneuvering than the average board game since war is a pretty blunt and powerful instrument should you decide to gang up on someone. The other space is if it is in the Memoir 44 series. Memoir 44 is a great game: simple yet deep due to dividing the battlefield into 3 sectors, and some cards can only be applied to certain sectors so it feels like you are managing flanks and subordinate commands with the chances and vagaries that come with it. And it’s one side against another side so there isn’t politicking going on. And you can even do mutiplayer with one overall commander for each side who gives out the order cards to their subordinates who then actually do their attacks. But the variants of the game feel the same, even the fantasy based BattleLore. I’m up for some new hex and counter wargames that play with different mechanics, nice as the Memoir mechanics are. EDIT: There’s also Scythe which _seems_ like it should be a hex based wargame, but is more like a non-war resource competition game. ---
**Author:** ![ricepad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b38774/32.png) [@ricepad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ricepad)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2026, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-became-ubiquitous-then-went-away-in-your-lifetime/1029180/506 "2026-05-30T18:23:58Z")
Brunch buffets. Brunch as a meal is still a thing (or can be) at home, but it seemed like brunch buffets got huge in the '80s and remained big for about a decade. So many mid-level restaurants had buffet brunches. I remember the Elk’s Club (or was it the Lions? Moose? One of those animal-based service clubs) had a pretty great brunch in Long Beach, CA for a few years. I haven’t seen a brunch buffet in probably 15 years that wasn’t at my in-laws retirement community. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2026, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-became-ubiquitous-then-went-away-in-your-lifetime/1029180/507 "2026-05-30T18:29:04Z")
> [@ricepad](#): > > I haven’t seen a brunch buffet in probably 15 years that wasn’t at my in-laws retirement community. There are a couple of hotels which I stay at for gaming conventions which feature brunch buffets, but I agree, they aren’t common anymore. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2026, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-became-ubiquitous-then-went-away-in-your-lifetime/1029180/508 "2026-05-30T18:58:00Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > There are a couple of hotels which I stay at for gaming conventions which feature brunch buffets, but I agree, they aren’t common anymore. Yeah they are going to the ‘Continenental’ breackfast so you can get a bit and hit the road. ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2026, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-became-ubiquitous-then-went-away-in-your-lifetime/1029180/509 "2026-05-31T00:06:40Z")
Hey, La Quinta has waffles! ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2026, 11:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-became-ubiquitous-then-went-away-in-your-lifetime/1029180/510 "2026-05-31T11:37:45Z")
Heh, yeah. I’ve thought about getting one of those waffle makers for home. ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2026, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-became-ubiquitous-then-went-away-in-your-lifetime/1029180/511 "2026-05-31T18:23:56Z")
[Billy Bass](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Mouth_Billy_Bass). When they came out, they were stacked in the aisles at Dillard. They were gone within a year. ---
**Author:** ![TokyoBayer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tokyobayer/32/13989_2.png) [@TokyoBayer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TokyoBayer)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2026, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-became-ubiquitous-then-went-away-in-your-lifetime/1029180/512 "2026-05-31T21:52:57Z")
I’m not familiar with it, but it sounds like a quick fad like pet rocks, etc., and then not for this thread. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2026, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-became-ubiquitous-then-went-away-in-your-lifetime/1029180/513 "2026-05-31T21:56:52Z")
> [@TokyoBayer](#): > > I’m not familiar with it, but it sounds like a quick fad like pet rocks, etc., It was. It was essentially a gag gift: it looks like a bass fish mounted on a plaque (like a fishing trophy), but when a button is pushed (or a motion sensor is triggered), its head and tail start to move, and it sings; there were several versions which sang different songs. [![](https://20627419.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/20627419/The%20Hustle/Assets/Images/619268056-billy.webp?width=600&height=443&name=619268056-billy.webp) ](https://20627419.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/20627419/The%20Hustle/Assets/Images/619268056-billy.webp?width=600&height=443&name=619268056-billy.webp) > **[How a robotic singing fish made $100m in one year](https://thehustle.co/big-mouth-billy-bass-story)** > > In a world of few hits and constant misses, how did Big Mouth Bass, a singing robotic fish, become one of the most iconic gag gifts in history? ---
**Author:** ![TokyoBayer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tokyobayer/32/13989_2.png) [@TokyoBayer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TokyoBayer)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2026, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-became-ubiquitous-then-went-away-in-your-lifetime/1029180/514 "2026-05-31T22:33:34Z")
Ok, I was in Japan and missed it. It’s definitely not for this thread. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2026, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-became-ubiquitous-then-went-away-in-your-lifetime/1029180/515 "2026-06-01T00:23:19Z")
Do bikes still come with drop handlebars anymore? I assume racing bikes still do, but they seemed to be everywhere when ten speed bikes were a new thing, then disappeared maybe ten years later, 1990-ish. Same with those mousetrap-style carriers. Though maybe I don’t pay attention, I’m not a bike guy. ---
**Author:** ![Mighty\_Mouse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mighty_mouse/32/7776_2.png) [@Mighty\_Mouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mighty_Mouse)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2026, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-became-ubiquitous-then-went-away-in-your-lifetime/1029180/516 "2026-06-01T00:39:00Z")
I’m a bike guy. But only for the last 15 years or so. You can get aftermarket bike cargo racks, but I haven’t seen the mousetrap style. People use a kind of saddlebag that goes over the cargo rack. I just use a small backpack if I’m biking to the store for a couple of items. There is a raging debate on whether drop handlebars are good or bad for your back. You can certainly buy a bike with drop handlebars very easily. ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2026, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-became-ubiquitous-then-went-away-in-your-lifetime/1029180/517 "2026-06-02T21:46:45Z")
How about ape-hanger handlebars on bicycles? I see them on motorcycles but bicycles not so much anymore. [![](https://hbbcinc.com/cdn/shop/files/6af4fcce-stretch_custom_alley.jpg?v=1731221452) ](https://hbbcinc.com/cdn/shop/files/6af4fcce-stretch_custom_alley.jpg?v=1731221452) ---
**Author:** ![Moriarty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/moriarty/32/49_2.png) [@Moriarty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moriarty)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2026, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-became-ubiquitous-then-went-away-in-your-lifetime/1029180/518 "2026-06-04T14:47:09Z")
Screen savers. There was a time when computer monitors couldn’t be left idle too long or something would fuck up the monitor. > **[Screen burn-in](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Screen_burn-in)** > > Screen burn-in, image burn-in, ghost image, or shadow image, is a permanent discoloration of areas on an electronic visual display such as a cathode-ray tube (CRT) or organic light-emitting diode (OLED) in a computer monitor or television set. It is caused by cumulative non-uniform use of the screen. > Newer liquid-crystal displays (LCDs) may suffer from a phenomenon called image persistence instead, which is not permanent. > One way to combat screen burn-in was the use of screensavers, which wou... So programs arose to project something that generated activity on the screen. Usually it was basic patterns or shapes, but some were quite cool. My favorite was called “bad dog” - it depicted a dog who would run around and create a mess on your desktop screen (he’d knock over the garbage can, or dig holes and chew exposed wires) At some point, screens didn’t need to keep a moving picture, and you don’t see screen savers anymore. ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2026, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-became-ubiquitous-then-went-away-in-your-lifetime/1029180/519 "2026-06-04T15:00:26Z")
> [@Moriarty](#): > > At some point, screens didn’t need to keep a moving picture, and you don’t see screen savers anymore. That point was the change from CRT to LCD screens. ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2026, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-became-ubiquitous-then-went-away-in-your-lifetime/1029180/520 "2026-06-04T15:09:02Z")
Is _that_ what the flying toasters was all about? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-became-ubiquitous-then-went-away-in-your-lifetime/1029180.md?page=25) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-became-ubiquitous-then-went-away-in-your-lifetime/1029180.md?page=27)