# Factual Questions **URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/c/factual-questions/9.md?page=1079 [Latest](https://boards.straightdope.com/latest.md) · [Categories](https://boards.straightdope.com/categories.md) · [Tags](https://boards.straightdope.com/tags.md) **Page:** 1080 --- ## [Electrical: Splicing of household appliance cords](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electrical-splicing-of-household-appliance-cords/725057)
**Author:** [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Replies:** 20\ **Last updated:** [July 17, 2015, 8:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electrical-splicing-of-household-appliance-cords/725057 "2015-07-17T08:48:48Z")
I stayed in a rental house last week that had a lamp with its electrical cord spliced to an extension cord, using screw caps and covered with electrical tape. I know that connections of cable in the walls have to be in j… --- ## [How does waterboarding work, in exact detail?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-waterboarding-work-in-exact-detail/599014)
**Author:** [@isaiahrobinson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/isaiahrobinson)\ **Replies:** 21\ **Last updated:** [July 17, 2015, 4:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-waterboarding-work-in-exact-detail/599014 "2015-07-17T04:52:42Z")
I’ve heard all of the descriptions of it, and I’ve seen demonstration videos of it. I know the concept is that the victim lies on their back, has a cloth wrapped round their face, and then water is poured onto the cloth.… --- ## [Can a President veto a declaration of war?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-president-veto-a-declaration-of-war/578423)
**Author:** [@UltraVires](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UltraVires)\ **Replies:** 24\ **Last updated:** [July 17, 2015, 4:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-president-veto-a-declaration-of-war/578423 "2015-07-17T04:24:59Z")
Let’s say that tomorrow, Congress decides that its time to go to war against, say, those sneaky Canadians. A declaration of war passes both houses of Congress, but Obama vetoes it. Can he do this? As a follow up, let’… --- ## [How did the Asiatics gain upper hand over Caucasians on the steppe](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-the-asiatics-gain-upper-hand-over-caucasians-on-the-steppe/725312)
**Author:** [@sonder999](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sonder999)\ **Replies:** 8\ **Last updated:** [July 17, 2015, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-the-asiatics-gain-upper-hand-over-caucasians-on-the-steppe/725312 "2015-07-17T04:11:03Z")
The history of the great steppe stretching from mongolian plateau all the way to western poland is basically a history of mongolians (the Asian people) pushing westwards, while the Causasians, in particular the Indo-Euro… --- ## [Salt Brine Manufacturing Question](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/salt-brine-manufacturing-question/725159)
**Author:** [@lalaith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lalaith)\ **Replies:** 5\ **Last updated:** [July 17, 2015, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/salt-brine-manufacturing-question/725159 "2015-07-17T03:27:26Z")
I had a question about the large scale brine to salt manufacturing process. (It’s for a piece I’m writing.) Does this process generate a lot of waste water? I don’t mean the water that’s evaporated off to make the salt… --- ## [Question about Marine Boot Camp](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-marine-boot-camp/724968)
**Author:** [@keilahm96](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/keilahm96)\ **Replies:** 17\ **Last updated:** [July 17, 2015, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-marine-boot-camp/724968 "2015-07-17T02:42:08Z")
My fiance is currently in Boot Camp in San Diego, and in my last letter he said that he was allowed to print off a picture of me. I don’t know where he would have gotten a picture to print off, unless he was allowed on f… --- ## [Reverse Veto?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reverse-veto/725211)
**Author:** [@Jinx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jinx)\ **Replies:** 38\ **Last updated:** [July 17, 2015, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reverse-veto/725211 "2015-07-17T01:28:04Z")
Was I taught wrong in school after all these years? If Congress votes against this Iran deal, the President can veto a “NO” vote??? Have the rules changed? I thought if Congress votes “NO”, a proposal DIES! The Presid… --- ## [Smart TV question](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smart-tv-question/725363)
**Author:** [@Southern\_Yankee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Southern_Yankee)\ **Replies:** 3\ **Last updated:** [July 17, 2015, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smart-tv-question/725363 "2015-07-17T01:01:37Z")
I have an older Panasonic Smart TV (TC-P42S30.) I have it connected to my home network via ethernet cable. Pandora works very well on it, but the menu system for Amazon is so sluggish that I rarely use it. The lag betwee… --- ## [Meaning of Uranus's 98-degree tilt?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meaning-of-uranuss-98-degree-tilt/725285)
**Author:** [@Ponch8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponch8)\ **Replies:** 20\ **Last updated:** [July 17, 2015, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meaning-of-uranuss-98-degree-tilt/725285 "2015-07-17T00:17:39Z")
Websites such as this one say that Uranus’s axis is tilted 98 degrees, as compared to Earth’s tilt of 23 degrees. What I don’t understand is how it can be any more than 90 degrees (i.e., one pole pointing directly at th… --- ## [E-Cigarette how-to explained, please?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/e-cigarette-how-to-explained-please/723346)
**Author:** [@Face\_Intentionally\_Left\_Blank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Face_Intentionally_Left_Blank)\ **Replies:** 17\ **Last updated:** [July 16, 2015, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/e-cigarette-how-to-explained-please/723346 "2015-07-16T23:26:53Z")
We finally got my elderly mother to give up her 50-year, 2-pack-a-day habit a few years back. I got her some Joyetech 510 automatic batteries, those little heating elements (atomizers?) that screw onto the battery, and … --- ## [Not Many Craters on Pluto and Charon](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-many-craters-on-pluto-and-charon/725265)
**Author:** [@whc.03grady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whc.03grady)\ **Replies:** 23\ **Last updated:** [July 16, 2015, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-many-craters-on-pluto-and-charon/725265 "2015-07-16T22:21:02Z")
There’s been a lot of wonderment and rethinking going on about how Pluto and Charon appear to have far fewer impact craters than one might expect. Early hypothesis say this suggests their surfaces are young. But I don’t… --- ## [Was burning trash once common in suburban American homes?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-burning-trash-once-common-in-suburban-american-homes/725096)
**Author:** [@gracefulfatsheba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gracefulfatsheba)\ **Replies:** 71\ **Last updated:** [July 16, 2015, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-burning-trash-once-common-in-suburban-american-homes/725096 "2015-07-16T22:10:38Z")
I was watching an episode of “My Three Sons” today from 1960. The father repeatedly instructs his son to remember to burn the trash. It seems to be part of their Monday routine. They briefly show the trash in question an… --- ## [Amazon.com Rewards Visa Card from Chase - What's the catch?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazon-com-rewards-visa-card-from-chase-whats-the-catch/665278)
**Author:** [@Peanuthead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peanuthead)\ **Replies:** 71\ **Last updated:** [July 16, 2015, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazon-com-rewards-visa-card-from-chase-whats-the-catch/665278 "2015-07-16T21:42:06Z")
I want to buy about $109 worth of merchandise from Amazon. At the checkout they are offering me $50 off my purchase if I sign up for this card. Sounds pretty good to me. Of course when something sounds that good it’s us… --- ## [Greece: Where Di The Money Go?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greece-where-di-the-money-go/725092)
**Author:** [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Replies:** 34\ **Last updated:** [July 16, 2015, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greece-where-di-the-money-go/725092 "2015-07-16T21:15:20Z")
Greece is in debt to the tune of about 380 billion euros. it is reasonable to ask where the money went. Suppose we assume that most of the money was used to pay government employee salaries, and also finance stuff like… --- ## [Pigeons](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pigeons/725337)
**Author:** [@Crowslot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crowslot)\ **Replies:** 3\ **Last updated:** [July 16, 2015, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pigeons/725337 "2015-07-16T20:46:49Z")
Where did pigeons roost before Barns/Buildings were erected? I’ve never seen one in a tree. --- ## [Are there any poisonous flying bugs in the U.S.?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-poisonous-flying-bugs-in-the-u-s/725175)
**Author:** [@wolfman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfman)\ **Replies:** 13\ **Last updated:** [July 16, 2015, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-poisonous-flying-bugs-in-the-u-s/725175 "2015-07-16T20:35:22Z")
So I was out for a walk the other day around dusk, and as happens from time to time a bug I never saw flew in my mouth, and of course ended up stuck in my throat. After the appropriate 45 seconds of hacking, gagging, and… --- ## [Scrambled fighters communicating with target during an intercept](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scrambled-fighters-communicating-with-target-during-an-intercept/725290)
**Author:** [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Replies:** 5\ **Last updated:** [July 16, 2015, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scrambled-fighters-communicating-with-target-during-an-intercept/725290 "2015-07-16T13:39:35Z")
When fighter jets are scrambled to intercept a suspicious aircraft, and give orders/warnings to that aircraft using radio, how do they know which frequency/channel the target aircraft’s receiver is using? Or do the figh… --- ## [Pentaquarks](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pentaquarks/185783)
**Author:** [@Chowmein](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chowmein)\ **Replies:** 10\ **Last updated:** [July 16, 2015, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pentaquarks/185783 "2015-07-16T04:05:49Z")
I read an article about how scientists have discovered evidence of pentaquarks. The article was a bit too “advanced” for me to understand, so I hope someone here can shed some light on the situation. What exactly is a … --- ## [Flashblock whitelist - how to set it for yahoo news](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flashblock-whitelist-how-to-set-it-for-yahoo-news/725267)
**Author:** [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Replies:** 5\ **Last updated:** [July 16, 2015, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flashblock-whitelist-how-to-set-it-for-yahoo-news/725267 "2015-07-16T03:26:48Z")
usually the flashblock white list has wildcards \*.youtube.com that won’t work with news.yahoo.com I don’t want all of yahoo running flash \*.yahoo.com That would grant Flash to all of yahoo? tried adding this to the… --- ## [What principle is this? "Finding one implies more"](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-principle-is-this-finding-one-implies-more/725093)
**Author:** [@Sailboat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sailboat)\ **Replies:** 31\ **Last updated:** [July 16, 2015, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-principle-is-this-finding-one-implies-more/725093 "2015-07-16T00:45:17Z")
I am looking for the name of a scientific or statistical principle or term of art that codifies whar I will loosely phrase “if you find one instance when you first look, the odds are there are many.” In other words, it… --- ## [Two questions about orbits: guns and gravity](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-questions-about-orbits-guns-and-gravity/725174)
**Author:** [@brossa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brossa)\ **Replies:** 10\ **Last updated:** [July 16, 2015, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-questions-about-orbits-guns-and-gravity/725174 "2015-07-16T00:21:26Z")
First question: assuming no atmospheric drag, can you use a gun type launcher at the surface to put an inert satellite into a closed orbit that does not intersect the planet’s surface once per orbit? The scenario is diff… --- ## [svchost suddenly gobbling up huge amounts of memory](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/svchost-suddenly-gobbling-up-huge-amounts-of-memory/725188)
**Author:** [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Replies:** 7\ **Last updated:** [July 16, 2015, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/svchost-suddenly-gobbling-up-huge-amounts-of-memory/725188 "2015-07-16T00:12:55Z")
Windows 7 Home Premium, SP 1 A couple of weeks ago svchost started consuming a lot of memory after the system had been running a while. Right now, for example, it’s using over 8G out of 16G of physical memory. All is go… --- ## [WiFi & Routers: Furthest device slows entire network](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wifi-routers-furthest-device-slows-entire-network/725204)
**Author:** [@RearEchelon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RearEchelon)\ **Replies:** 10\ **Last updated:** [July 16, 2015, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wifi-routers-furthest-device-slows-entire-network/725204 "2015-07-16T00:05:56Z")
I live in an apartment with two other people. My router is as central as I can get it and is about 6’ off the floor on a shelf. My roommate’s computer that’s furthest from the router stays offline every day until about 7… --- ## ["Felony to open a mailbox"](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/felony-to-open-a-mailbox/724643)
**Author:** [@Habeed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Habeed)\ **Replies:** 22\ **Last updated:** [July 15, 2015, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/felony-to-open-a-mailbox/724643 "2015-07-15T22:32:50Z")
Hypothetical question : Let’s suppose that I was going through my mail and found a letter addressed to an immediately adjacent neighbor. Basically, the mailman transposed the last 2 digits or something when he sorted th… --- ## [Poop study](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poop-study/725260)
**Author:** [@HoneyBadgerDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HoneyBadgerDC)\ **Replies:** 2\ **Last updated:** [July 15, 2015, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poop-study/725260 "2015-07-15T22:18:33Z")
I was wondering if a serious study has ever been made to use poop as some kind of barometer of emotional states. My diet has changed very little over the years but I can draw a strong correlation to periods in my life an… --- ## ["U.S. Supreme Court says No License Necessary To Drive Automobile On Public Highways..." -Srsly?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-supreme-court-says-no-license-necessary-to-drive-automobile-on-public-highways-srsly/724818)
**Author:** [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Replies:** 56\ **Last updated:** [July 15, 2015, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-supreme-court-says-no-license-necessary-to-drive-automobile-on-public-highways-srsly/724818 "2015-07-15T21:59:54Z")
My brother just posted this article on Facebook, and while I’m sure it’s one of those crazy legal “loopholes” that people who like to think income tax is invalid try to take advantage of…what’s up with it? I can’t immedi… --- ## [Credit score question](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/credit-score-question/725220)
**Author:** [@Kron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kron)\ **Replies:** 7\ **Last updated:** [July 15, 2015, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/credit-score-question/725220 "2015-07-15T21:39:06Z")
Does anybody know what would be most beneficial for raising a credit score- paying off 5 collection accounts or one judgment? Obviously I intend to pay off everything, but I will be coming into some unexpected money sho… --- ## [How do they transmit data from deep space to Earth?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-they-transmit-data-from-deep-space-to-earth/725184)
**Author:** [@dgrdfd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dgrdfd)\ **Replies:** 14\ **Last updated:** [July 15, 2015, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-they-transmit-data-from-deep-space-to-earth/725184 "2015-07-15T20:55:31Z")
Would you need just gigantic antennas and very high power transmitters? I get worse cell reception in buildings under bridges etc. how can these radio wave travel hundreds of millions of miles through asteroids and vario… --- ## [Are pest control companies allowed to do this?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-pest-control-companies-allowed-to-do-this/725242)
**Author:** [@edwardcoast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/edwardcoast)\ **Replies:** 11\ **Last updated:** [July 15, 2015, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-pest-control-companies-allowed-to-do-this/725242 "2015-07-15T20:40:55Z")
I was talking with a pest control company employee who told me how he quit another pest control company because of their practice of gassing animals they captured in those have-a-heart type traps. He said he was asked by… --- ## [I can't plug in my new vintage console stereo!](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cant-plug-in-my-new-vintage-console-stereo/649540)
**Author:** [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Replies:** 123\ **Last updated:** [July 15, 2015, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cant-plug-in-my-new-vintage-console-stereo/649540 "2015-07-15T19:58:58Z")
Possibly I am a young dumbass who doesn’t know how to plug old things into the wall. We were so excited to get this awesome console stereo - it’s a Blaupunkt we-think-Arkansas of some model. It came… very packed. Pall… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/c/factual-questions/9.md?page=1078) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/c/factual-questions/9.md?page=1080)