# Factual Questions **URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/c/factual-questions/9.md?page=1009 [Latest](https://boards.straightdope.com/latest.md) · [Categories](https://boards.straightdope.com/categories.md) · [Tags](https://boards.straightdope.com/tags.md) **Page:** 1010 --- ## [Tailor/Dressmaker term](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tailor-dressmaker-term/736425)
**Author:** [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Replies:** 8\ **Last updated:** [November 7, 2015, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tailor-dressmaker-term/736425 "2015-11-07T20:08:39Z")
When a garment has a long zipper, like a jacket or dress, it is often hidden behind two tiny collapsed tubes of fabric running the length of the zipper. Is there a simple term for this? --- ## [Chance of Survival](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chance-of-survival/736869)
**Author:** [@Potestas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Potestas)\ **Replies:** 3\ **Last updated:** [November 7, 2015, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chance-of-survival/736869 "2015-11-07T19:30:34Z")
Fair warning, the link/video could be described as disturbing to view: - YouTube My question: Is it a foregone conclusion that the guy is dead after falling? 2). Falling from a cruise ship like that, would you be pushe… --- ## [How difficult a machining project?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-difficult-a-machining-project/736903)
**Author:** [@HoneyBadgerDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HoneyBadgerDC)\ **Replies:** 12\ **Last updated:** [November 7, 2015, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-difficult-a-machining-project/736903 "2015-11-07T18:43:29Z")
If I were to ask a machinest to bore out some 1" long pieces of brass tubing fron an id of .060 to .010, od is .125. Would this be fairly simple an inexpensive? --- ## [Why did the Pilgrims leave in September?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-the-pilgrims-leave-in-september/736852)
**Author:** [@Gedd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gedd)\ **Replies:** 4\ **Last updated:** [November 7, 2015, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-the-pilgrims-leave-in-september/736852 "2015-11-07T17:10:07Z")
They had to have had an idea of how long the trip was and what the climate where they were settling was going to be, why not leave in the spring so there was food when they got there? --- ## [PayPal Scam Call?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paypal-scam-call/736711)
**Author:** [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Replies:** 15\ **Last updated:** [November 7, 2015, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paypal-scam-call/736711 "2015-11-07T15:55:15Z")
I got a call last night. AFAICT it was a robo-call, but it purported to be from PayPal saying I was going to be charged a fee on my PayPal account if I didnt’ - click - at that point I hung up. I am 95% sure it was a s… --- ## [In pre agricultural human civilizations, was it common to live past age 40](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-pre-agricultural-human-civilizations-was-it-common-to-live-past-age-40/736770)
**Author:** [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Replies:** 10\ **Last updated:** [November 7, 2015, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-pre-agricultural-human-civilizations-was-it-common-to-live-past-age-40/736770 "2015-11-07T14:07:22Z")
I saw a couple of survival curves hereand here which both seem to imply that few people lived past age 40 before agriculture. About 15-20% of births would survive to age 30 and about 5% would survive to age 40. Is that … --- ## [Could a well equipped infantry beat afvs?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-a-well-equipped-infantry-beat-afvs/736190)
**Author:** [@JakeRS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JakeRS)\ **Replies:** 22\ **Last updated:** [November 7, 2015, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-a-well-equipped-infantry-beat-afvs/736190 "2015-11-07T13:55:45Z")
Let’s say that a country with a relatively good equipment (but nothing too flashy), that has for example 200 tanks and 300 IFV’S and 10 mil. people and another country of the same area size, but a little more people, may… --- ## [Purpose of "Broken Bar" Character -- "|"](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/purpose-of-broken-bar-character/237458)
**Author:** [@gregongie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gregongie)\ **Replies:** 68\ **Last updated:** [November 7, 2015, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/purpose-of-broken-bar-character/237458 "2015-11-07T13:42:16Z")
It’s in the shift position on the backslash key, idly minding its own business, but the only time I’ve used it was as “or” in programming. Regardless, this hardly seems to warrant a whole new character. Is there a bett… --- ## [Freeway Traffic and Mixed Nuts](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/freeway-traffic-and-mixed-nuts/736779)
**Author:** [@DorkVader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DorkVader)\ **Replies:** 7\ **Last updated:** [November 7, 2015, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/freeway-traffic-and-mixed-nuts/736779 "2015-11-07T13:36:58Z")
This question occurred to me while driving on the freeway today. In a freely moving flow of traffic consisting of a mix of vehicles from motorcycles all the way up to tractor-trailers, it seems that the smaller the vehi… --- ## [Can refugees become become economic migrants?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-refugees-become-become-economic-migrants/736890)
**Author:** [@HIP134227](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HIP134227)\ **Replies:** 3\ **Last updated:** [November 7, 2015, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-refugees-become-become-economic-migrants/736890 "2015-11-07T13:26:20Z")
Ok, so many people are arriving in Europe. Of course a considerable amount of them are legitimate refugees, which means that the EU is legally obliged to help them. But if they’re economic migrants then the EU is NOT leg… --- ## [what is this vest from Serpico called](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-vest-from-serpico-called/736829)
**Author:** [@Sigene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigene)\ **Replies:** 7\ **Last updated:** [November 7, 2015, 10:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-vest-from-serpico-called/736829 "2015-11-07T10:26:43Z")
its the second to the last image here: https://www.mangotstyle.com/the-style-of-serpico/ They call it a ‘poncho’, but I’ve heard it called a ‘serape’. I have one from that era and I’ve never really known what to call … --- ## [How can I make my computer stop speaking FrenchÉ](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-make-my-computer-stop-speaking-frenche/736596)
**Author:** [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Replies:** 23\ **Last updated:** [November 7, 2015, 9:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-make-my-computer-stop-speaking-frenche/736596 "2015-11-07T09:12:50Z")
Recently, my computer has decided that I speak French. Pressing the apostrophe key gets me an accent grave. Pressing another key gets me an accent acute. I do not want French accents, as I write and post in English. … --- ## [Did Japan print stamps for India in WWII?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-japan-print-stamps-for-india-in-wwii/736863)
**Author:** [@Professor\_Thascales](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Professor_Thascales)\ **Replies:** 2\ **Last updated:** [November 7, 2015, 8:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-japan-print-stamps-for-india-in-wwii/736863 "2015-11-07T08:57:45Z")
Someone I know told me that, during World War II, the Japanese government printed stamps for India–planning to use them there after conquering it. Does anyone know if that’s correct? And if it is, do stamp collectors co… --- ## [How Were The Standard Brick Dimensions Arrived At?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-were-the-standard-brick-dimensions-arrived-at/736800)
**Author:** [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Replies:** 17\ **Last updated:** [November 7, 2015, 7:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-were-the-standard-brick-dimensions-arrived-at/736800 "2015-11-07T07:43:08Z")
Did they use liner programming? A brick should be easily handled (not too heavy), and small enough so that it can be fired quickly. the Romans used a thinner style brick; i imagine that this was to make them easier to f… --- ## [How were the great pyramids built?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-were-the-great-pyramids-built/736868)
**Author:** [@cladking](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cladking)\ **Replies:** 3\ **Last updated:** [November 7, 2015, 7:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-were-the-great-pyramids-built/736868 "2015-11-07T07:18:41Z")
Of course we all know it was ramps but I’m curious why no one is concerned that even the word “ramp” isn’t attested from the great pyramid building era. I won’t even bore you with my own theory but why does the vacuum o… --- ## [Why did Britain give up Canada?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-britain-give-up-canada/735152)
**Author:** [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Replies:** 55\ **Last updated:** [November 7, 2015, 6:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-britain-give-up-canada/735152 "2015-11-07T06:49:44Z")
This thread Voluntary Accession - Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports - Straight Dope Message Board reminds me of the fact that less than 100 years after fighting a batte with France and less than 90 after fighting the colonie… --- ## [What happened to the Vietnamese written language?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happened-to-the-vietnamese-written-language/736682)
**Author:** [@Mangosteen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangosteen)\ **Replies:** 21\ **Last updated:** [November 7, 2015, 5:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happened-to-the-vietnamese-written-language/736682 "2015-11-07T05:44:25Z")
Vietnam’s neighbors: Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Burma all continue to use their native script. Vietnam uses “English” letters. Vietnam must have had their own writing system at some point. Why and when did they change… --- ## [Is this sentence violating a specific grammatical rule?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-sentence-violating-a-specific-grammatical-rule/736838)
**Author:** [@brujaja](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brujaja)\ **Replies:** 16\ **Last updated:** [November 7, 2015, 5:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-sentence-violating-a-specific-grammatical-rule/736838 "2015-11-07T05:20:46Z")
I found this sentence in a book I was reading. In it, the author used “would’ve” in a way that you never would use it when speaking: “I knew it’d be a popular excursion, so Lili and the system techs would’ve plenty of … --- ## [Worst air fighter ever?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-air-fighter-ever/679130)
**Author:** [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Replies:** 59\ **Last updated:** [November 7, 2015, 5:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-air-fighter-ever/679130 "2015-11-07T05:13:23Z")
Brewster F2A Lavochkin-Gorbunov-Gudkov LaGG-3 Century Series (F-101, F-102, F-104, F-105) MiG-23 These are taken from a brief even-to-me-stupidish post here. Better people on this board, for sure, to chip in. If you wa… --- ## [Male vs. female size disparity](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/male-vs-female-size-disparity/736837)
**Author:** [@MikeF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MikeF)\ **Replies:** 9\ **Last updated:** [November 7, 2015, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/male-vs-female-size-disparity/736837 "2015-11-07T03:52:32Z")
I was in coastal North Carolina a few weeks ago and noticed that there were these huge spiders in correspondingly huge webs. A little Googling leads me to believe that they were banana spiders. Upon closer inspection it… --- ## [Waiting for the oil light?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/waiting-for-the-oil-light/715000)
**Author:** [@Mangosteen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangosteen)\ **Replies:** 51\ **Last updated:** [November 7, 2015, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/waiting-for-the-oil-light/715000 "2015-11-07T01:45:30Z")
My sister in law lives nearby. Her husband does not live with her (long story). I try to look after her sometimes. Recently I asked about her older Toyota Avalon and if she checks the oil stick between oil changes. The … --- ## [Why are educated people more likely to be married, and vice-versa?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-educated-people-more-likely-to-be-married-and-vice-versa/736308)
**Author:** [@TheUser](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheUser)\ **Replies:** 51\ **Last updated:** [November 7, 2015, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-educated-people-more-likely-to-be-married-and-vice-versa/736308 "2015-11-07T01:00:33Z")
I was reading about the so-called “Marriage Gap” whereby uneducated people, particularly women, forego marriage, and the opposite is true for educated people, especially women: they are more likely to be married. But wh… --- ## [Air locks and saving air in Mars habitats and vehicles](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/air-locks-and-saving-air-in-mars-habitats-and-vehicles/736771)
**Author:** [@commasense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/commasense)\ **Replies:** 3\ **Last updated:** [November 7, 2015, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/air-locks-and-saving-air-in-mars-habitats-and-vehicles/736771 "2015-11-07T00:54:09Z")
This OP is inspired by the film The Martian, but I think it belongs here in GQ because I’m asking about how this problem would be solved in the real world. In the film, the astronaut goes in and out of the habitat and t… --- ## [Economics of Train Length](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/economics-of-train-length/736777)
**Author:** [@Ornery\_Bob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ornery_Bob)\ **Replies:** 52\ **Last updated:** [November 7, 2015, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/economics-of-train-length/736777 "2015-11-07T00:05:40Z")
My route home from work takes me down a street with a train crossing that gets a fair amount of container train traffic. Some of them are amazingly long even though I suspect they’re essentially “local” traffic (I live n… --- ## [Factual Question about Breaking Bad: Blue Meth?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/factual-question-about-breaking-bad-blue-meth/736746)
**Author:** [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\ **Replies:** 34\ **Last updated:** [November 6, 2015, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/factual-question-about-breaking-bad-blue-meth/736746 "2015-11-06T19:39:13Z")
In the TV series Breaking Bad, Walter White finds a chemistry work-around for not having to use the hard-to-come-by pseudoephedrine as a precursor, but instead uses methylamine in his high-volume recipe for methamphetami… --- ## [Atmosphere in the I.S.S.?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atmosphere-in-the-i-s-s/736786)
**Author:** [@Ranger\_Jeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranger_Jeff)\ **Replies:** 9\ **Last updated:** [November 6, 2015, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atmosphere-in-the-i-s-s/736786 "2015-11-06T19:33:43Z")
This thread asking about air locks and saving air on a Martian base got me wondering again about this and I didn’t want to clutter up that thread. What are they breathing on the I.S.S.? NASA, since Mercury, preferred a … --- ## [Cysticercosis from pork or not ?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cysticercosis-from-pork-or-not/736752)
**Author:** [@MrQwertyasd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrQwertyasd)\ **Replies:** 8\ **Last updated:** [November 6, 2015, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cysticercosis-from-pork-or-not/736752 "2015-11-06T17:32:44Z")
The CDC says you can’t get cysticercosis from eating pork http://www.cdc.gov/parasites/cysticercosis/gen\_info/faqs.html But multiple other sources say you can What’s the truth here ? --- ## [Why strange symbols for punctuation?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-strange-symbols-for-punctuation/736814)
**Author:** [@Gary\_T](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_T)\ **Replies:** 7\ **Last updated:** [November 6, 2015, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-strange-symbols-for-punctuation/736814 "2015-11-06T17:27:42Z")
I was reading something online where ‚Äô appeared where there clearly should have been an apostrophe. I have a vague understanding that this might happen due to some sort of format mismatch, but I have two questions: W… --- ## [Were regular payments distributed to the holders of CDOs?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-regular-payments-distributed-to-the-holders-of-cdos/736762)
**Author:** [@sweeteviljesus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sweeteviljesus)\ **Replies:** 3\ **Last updated:** [November 6, 2015, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-regular-payments-distributed-to-the-holders-of-cdos/736762 "2015-11-06T16:01:06Z")
Does the owner of a collateralized debt obligation receive regular payments or just a lump sum at maturity? When I pay my mortgage payment, does some portion of that get passed along to the debt holder? Thanks, Rob --- ## [Shipping costs on the Transcontinental Railroad before the Panama Canal.](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shipping-costs-on-the-transcontinental-railroad-before-the-panama-canal/736775)
**Author:** [@chacoguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chacoguy)\ **Replies:** 4\ **Last updated:** [November 6, 2015, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shipping-costs-on-the-transcontinental-railroad-before-the-panama-canal/736775 "2015-11-06T15:07:28Z")
Were goods ever regularly transported via rail from Europe to Asia across North America? I know that lots of humans used it to migrate, but was it ever a practical alternative to sailing the whole way? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/c/factual-questions/9.md?page=1008) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/c/factual-questions/9.md?page=1010)