# Factual Questions **URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/c/factual-questions/9.md?page=1170 [Latest](https://boards.straightdope.com/latest.md) · [Categories](https://boards.straightdope.com/categories.md) · [Tags](https://boards.straightdope.com/tags.md) **Page:** 1171 --- ## [Dolmens in New England? Really?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dolmens-in-new-england-really/562203)
**Author:** [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Replies:** 17\ **Last updated:** [February 14, 2015, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dolmens-in-new-england-really/562203 "2015-02-14T00:35:21Z")
The late Harvard prof. Dr. Barry Fell was a biologist-but devoted much of his life to investigating claims that Bronze-Age europeans visisted and traded with North America. In his book “America BC” he shows pictures of … --- ## [Car headlight dimmers and logic- strangers?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-headlight-dimmers-and-logic-strangers/712457)
**Author:** [@Beelzebubba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beelzebubba)\ **Replies:** 17\ **Last updated:** [February 13, 2015, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-headlight-dimmers-and-logic-strangers/712457 "2015-02-13T23:58:43Z")
I’ve been driving (legally) for about 25 years now. For the first 16 of those years, I was a die-hard Honda/Acura fan and had no less than 11 of their vehicles. Especially in the 80s, Honda seemed to do everything in t… --- ## [How would one break a mattress "accidentally"?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-one-break-a-mattress-accidentally/712444)
**Author:** [@Artemis\_Tardis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Artemis_Tardis)\ **Replies:** 9\ **Last updated:** [February 13, 2015, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-one-break-a-mattress-accidentally/712444 "2015-02-13T23:43:27Z")
Let’s say that hypothetically the land lord of an apartment building provided his tenants with a mattress. They can not afford a new one, so this comes in handy. It is written on the contract that the land lord will prov… --- ## [What are the brass bars on this gun prototype?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-brass-bars-on-this-gun-prototype/712610)
**Author:** [@dstarfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dstarfire)\ **Replies:** 5\ **Last updated:** [February 13, 2015, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-brass-bars-on-this-gun-prototype/712610 "2015-02-13T23:40:25Z")
I’m hoping somebody can explain the odd-looking parts of this gun. Specifically: \[ol\] \[li\]what are the brass bar sections you see just behind the trigger grip and the forward grip?\[/li\]\[li\] Why did they put notches … --- ## [Is it me, or does shower water go from "too hot" to "too cold" in a very small range?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-me-or-does-shower-water-go-from-too-hot-to-too-cold-in-a-very-small-range/619383)
**Author:** [@AaronX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AaronX)\ **Replies:** 35\ **Last updated:** [February 13, 2015, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-me-or-does-shower-water-go-from-too-hot-to-too-cold-in-a-very-small-range/619383 "2015-02-13T22:13:52Z")
I find it hard to adjust the water temperature to what I like. Is it because: a) I have a very small range of preferred temperature, or b) Most of the water temperature change occurs over a small adjustment? If it’s (… --- ## [Sound files on Samsung Galaxy 3](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sound-files-on-samsung-galaxy-3/712608)
**Author:** [@CastleAnthrax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CastleAnthrax)\ **Replies:** 0\ **Last updated:** [February 13, 2015, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sound-files-on-samsung-galaxy-3/712608 "2015-02-13T21:16:09Z")
My old phone stopped charging, so I got a replacement of the same model, the 3s. I tried to put the same ringtones on, and it’s telling me that .wav files are not supported on this device. They were yesterday! Do I reall… --- ## [Triskaideka vs. Dekatreís](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/triskaideka-vs-dekatreis/712570)
**Author:** [@bienville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bienville)\ **Replies:** 3\ **Last updated:** [February 13, 2015, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/triskaideka-vs-dekatreis/712570 "2015-02-13T18:50:39Z")
Triskaidekaphobia is the fear of the number 13. Paraskevidekatriaphobia is the fear of Friday the 13th. Why isn’t the fear of Friday the 13th “Paraskevitriskaidekaphobia”? What determines the appropriateness of “Tri… --- ## [Is the GMC commerical with a sub real or faked?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-gmc-commerical-with-a-sub-real-or-faked/712416)
**Author:** [@dstarfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dstarfire)\ **Replies:** 38\ **Last updated:** [February 13, 2015, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-gmc-commerical-with-a-sub-real-or-faked/712416 "2015-02-13T16:31:52Z")
Here’s the relevant commercial: - YouTube . Basically, they show a submarine’s tower breaching the ice, then a truck drives into the shot, apparently within a few dozen yards of the sub\*. Is/could this segment be real?… --- ## [Help with Sumproduct formula with multiple criteria](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-sumproduct-formula-with-multiple-criteria/712533)
**Author:** [@Airangel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airangel)\ **Replies:** 4\ **Last updated:** [February 13, 2015, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-sumproduct-formula-with-multiple-criteria/712533 "2015-02-13T15:10:23Z")
Hello, I am new to this so hopefully I get this sent right… I am trying to calculate all 4 x 8 Brick types sold for the month of November (i.e. 4 x 8 BRICK and 4 x 8 20BRICK). In my example data below there were 10, 15 … --- ## [Why are the edges of stains the hardest to get out?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-the-edges-of-stains-the-hardest-to-get-out/712375)
**Author:** [@trapezoidal\_jellyfish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/trapezoidal_jellyfish)\ **Replies:** 8\ **Last updated:** [February 13, 2015, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-the-edges-of-stains-the-hardest-to-get-out/712375 "2015-02-13T15:06:53Z")
The thread title basically says it all. How come the edges of stains seem to be the most tenacious? --- ## [Question about insults/obscenities](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-insults-obscenities/712284)
**Author:** [@installLSC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/installLSC)\ **Replies:** 30\ **Last updated:** [February 13, 2015, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-insults-obscenities/712284 "2015-02-13T14:18:01Z")
I was musing about obscenities both English and in other languages, and thought that most obscenities involve either: –suggestions one’s mother is promiscuous –suggestions that one is a homosexual –urination/defacatio… --- ## [How many vaccines can safely be administered in one day?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-vaccines-can-safely-be-administered-in-one-day/712108)
**Author:** [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Replies:** 46\ **Last updated:** [February 13, 2015, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-vaccines-can-safely-be-administered-in-one-day/712108 "2015-02-13T14:04:54Z")
Let’s say that someone received many, many, many different vaccination injections in one day. Obviously, this would be an unwise thing to do, but let’s say it happened. What would be the effect on his body? Would his im… --- ## [Soldiers waging war out of uniform - Geneva Convention violation?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soldiers-waging-war-out-of-uniform-geneva-convention-violation/712486)
**Author:** [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Replies:** 12\ **Last updated:** [February 13, 2015, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soldiers-waging-war-out-of-uniform-geneva-convention-violation/712486 "2015-02-13T13:51:53Z")
My understanding is that soldiers engaged in war must be wearing identifying clothing and badges, and that to perform war tasks or act as a soldier while wearing civilian clothing is a major violation of the Geneva Conve… --- ## [Scientology and Science](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scientology-and-science/712327)
**Author:** [@regginbrow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/regginbrow)\ **Replies:** 25\ **Last updated:** [February 13, 2015, 12:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scientology-and-science/712327 "2015-02-13T12:41:24Z")
Anybody know how Scientology reconciles their creation story with actual science/evidence? I recently read the book Going Clear: Scientology, Hollywood, and the Prison of Belief, and I was struck by how ridiculous the e… --- ## [Removing multiple audio tracks from an AVI video file](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/removing-multiple-audio-tracks-from-an-avi-video-file/378394)
**Author:** [@Jayrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jayrot)\ **Replies:** 3\ **Last updated:** [February 13, 2015, 10:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/removing-multiple-audio-tracks-from-an-avi-video-file/378394 "2015-02-13T10:30:10Z")
So I’ve got a whole bunch of .avi video files that have multiple audio tracks (english, foreign language, commentary, etc.). Unfortunately, the media center program that I use with my TV doesn’t have an easy way to switc… --- ## [Secret religious documents / teachings / rituals which have NOT leaked?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/secret-religious-documents-teachings-rituals-which-have-not-leaked/712381)
**Author:** [@Steken](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steken)\ **Replies:** 15\ **Last updated:** [February 13, 2015, 10:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/secret-religious-documents-teachings-rituals-which-have-not-leaked/712381 "2015-02-13T10:00:28Z")
Spin-off from this thread. In that one, I almost wrote like so: In this thread, I thought we might expand this question to all religions, as well as to include not just written documents, but also orally transmitted t… --- ## [Attn all pedants: 1868 Punctuation question](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attn-all-pedants-1868-punctuation-question/712317)
**Author:** [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Replies:** 16\ **Last updated:** [February 13, 2015, 8:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attn-all-pedants-1868-punctuation-question/712317 "2015-02-13T08:03:44Z")
This is a question only a pedant could love, but what better place to bring it? I have always been super-conscious of punctuation and spelling mistakes, especially extra spaces. With proportional spacing, sometimes tho… --- ## [How do I translate this lottery odds analogy, mathematically?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-translate-this-lottery-odds-analogy-mathematically/712454)
**Author:** [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Replies:** 3\ **Last updated:** [February 13, 2015, 7:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-translate-this-lottery-odds-analogy-mathematically/712454 "2015-02-13T07:29:07Z")
The half billion Powerball jackpot got me thinking about this. “Give me two bucks and guess a number between one and 175,223,510. If you guess right, I’ll give you half a billion dollars.” Simple. But how do I extend… --- ## [Can a person be charged with possession if the material is no longer in his possession?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-person-be-charged-with-possession-if-the-material-is-no-longer-in-his-possession/712065)
**Author:** [@CC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CC)\ **Replies:** 17\ **Last updated:** [February 13, 2015, 6:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-person-be-charged-with-possession-if-the-material-is-no-longer-in-his-possession/712065 "2015-02-13T06:51:39Z")
From a case here in Illinois - suppose two guys rob a guy of his marijuana, take his money, and shoot him. Suppose he lives and the cops are able to catch the bad guys. They charge the guys with robbery and attempted m… --- ## [Hot and cold water mix for the shower.](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hot-and-cold-water-mix-for-the-shower/712437)
**Author:** [@Dwcrisp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dwcrisp)\ **Replies:** 4\ **Last updated:** [February 12, 2015, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hot-and-cold-water-mix-for-the-shower/712437 "2015-02-12T18:10:06Z")
Anyone ever ran into this? I turn the hot water knob on and then just barely turn the cold water knob on and the water goes (all cold instantly). --- ## [Is the electrostatics concept of ‘Charge’ a reality or a myth?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-electrostatics-concept-of-charge-a-reality-or-a-myth/709842)
**Author:** [@RTCPhysics](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTCPhysics)\ **Replies:** 76\ **Last updated:** [February 13, 2015, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-electrostatics-concept-of-charge-a-reality-or-a-myth/709842 "2015-02-13T04:06:59Z")
I‘ve never been completely convinced about the concept of ‘electric charge’ in Physics, despite the key role that it plays in both electrostatics and nuclear physics. So I’ve put together this article, which aims to list… --- ## [What was the actual procedure for getting BBS service in early 1988?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-actual-procedure-for-getting-bbs-service-in-early-1988/711479)
**Author:** [@Anise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anise)\ **Replies:** 75\ **Last updated:** [February 13, 2015, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-actual-procedure-for-getting-bbs-service-in-early-1988/711479 "2015-02-13T02:05:58Z")
Hey all, So…in my nonfiction book, I’m writing about the way that my grandpa had BBS service through Compuserv brought into the house in early 1988. This was in Minneapolis, and Compuserv had been advertising in the St… --- ## [Civil suits over death threats online?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/civil-suits-over-death-threats-online/712474)
**Author:** [@wevets](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wevets)\ **Replies:** 3\ **Last updated:** [February 13, 2015, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/civil-suits-over-death-threats-online/712474 "2015-02-13T00:35:56Z")
I was thinking about the popularity of issuing death threats online, and what remedies there might be. Making death threats is illegal, but even where the threatening person’s real identity is known, law enforcement and… --- ## [Did Einstein Cheat to Finish His Work?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-einstein-cheat-to-finish-his-work/712442)
**Author:** [@Jinx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jinx)\ **Replies:** 8\ **Last updated:** [February 13, 2015, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-einstein-cheat-to-finish-his-work/712442 "2015-02-13T00:00:16Z")
I’ve never been clear on this point: I understand Einstein tried to find some unified theory that connects what physicists consider the four forces of the universe: weak force, strong force, electromagnetic force, and g… --- ## [What language is this man speaking to his pet hummingbird?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-language-is-this-man-speaking-to-his-pet-hummingbird/712471)
**Author:** [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Replies:** 15\ **Last updated:** [February 12, 2015, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-language-is-this-man-speaking-to-his-pet-hummingbird/712471 "2015-02-12T23:59:35Z")
See subject. And a summary, if possible? It’s kind of magical somehow. --- ## [Americans: Please explain the concept of a TV network to me](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-please-explain-the-concept-of-a-tv-network-to-me/712257)
**Author:** [@Schnitte](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Schnitte)\ **Replies:** 63\ **Last updated:** [February 12, 2015, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-please-explain-the-concept-of-a-tv-network-to-me/712257 "2015-02-12T23:27:01Z")
This may seem like an extremely basic question to an American, but from a European perspective it appears somewhat odd. European countries have a large number of TV stations, some of them public - either tax-funded or fu… --- ## [Cleaning icky "film" on interior car windows?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleaning-icky-film-on-interior-car-windows/712456)
**Author:** [@Beelzebubba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beelzebubba)\ **Replies:** 11\ **Last updated:** [February 12, 2015, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleaning-icky-film-on-interior-car-windows/712456 "2015-02-12T23:16:31Z")
I have a situation…I mean, a friend of mine who is utterly disgusting when it comes to cleaning his car has a situation, yeah… My ‘friend’ has a car that is about 9yrs old and in pretty good condition overall. But the … --- ## [Philadelphia Cream Cheese](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/philadelphia-cream-cheese/52464)
**Author:** [@funneefarmer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/funneefarmer)\ **Replies:** 8\ **Last updated:** [February 12, 2015, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/philadelphia-cream-cheese/52464 "2015-02-12T23:11:28Z")
From Philadelphia Brand Faq Q: What is the history of PHILADELPHIA cream cheese? When was it first introduced? What is the connection to the city of PHILADELPHIA? A: Cream cheese was invented in the United States in 18… --- ## [How did Alabama Supreme court justice Roy Moore get "reinvested" as Chief Justice?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-alabama-supreme-court-justice-roy-moore-get-reinvested-as-chief-justice/712505)
**Author:** [@Habeed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Habeed)\ **Replies:** 3\ **Last updated:** [February 12, 2015, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-alabama-supreme-court-justice-roy-moore-get-reinvested-as-chief-justice/712505 "2015-02-12T23:04:15Z")
So, Roy Moore, in 2003, lost his position as Chief Justice of the Alabama Supreme Court due to an ethics violation. He refused to obey a lawful federal ruling. (he stated it was due to religious grounds). In 2013 the … --- ## [Blue Lotus and Kratom Tea](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blue-lotus-and-kratom-tea/712518)
**Author:** [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Replies:** 0\ **Last updated:** [February 12, 2015, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blue-lotus-and-kratom-tea/712518 "2015-02-12T23:03:24Z")
I read someone is giving their SO some Blue Lotus and Kratom Tea for V-Day. I never heard of it (Googled and found it’s ‘relaxing’). Have you ever drunk Blue Lotus Tea and what happened? How about Kratom? I ask becau… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/c/factual-questions/9.md?page=1169) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/c/factual-questions/9.md?page=1171)