# Factual Questions **URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/c/factual-questions/9.md?page=149 [Latest](https://boards.straightdope.com/latest.md) · [Categories](https://boards.straightdope.com/categories.md) · [Tags](https://boards.straightdope.com/tags.md) **Page:** 150 --- ## [What does EAS mean on towed vehicles?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-eas-mean-on-towed-vehicles/982692)
**Author:** [@ekedolphin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ekedolphin)\ **Replies:** 3\ **Last updated:** [April 16, 2023, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-eas-mean-on-towed-vehicles/982692 "2023-04-16T02:54:29Z")
Today I saw two cars on the back of a tow truck that had the letters EAS spray painted on the back windshields. What does that mean in this context? --- ## [A basic question about John McCain, POW](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-basic-question-about-john-mccain-pow/982705)
**Author:** [@slicedalone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slicedalone)\ **Replies:** 23\ **Last updated:** [April 15, 2023, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-basic-question-about-john-mccain-pow/982705 "2023-04-15T20:17:31Z")
One thing I’ve never quite understood was how McCain was able to refuse release as a POW. I get it that he took the noble stance of telling his captors “No,” when they offered to release him early as a propaganda tool (t… --- ## ["Kilz" primer (paint) - need answer moderately soon](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kilz-primer-paint-need-answer-moderately-soon/982622)
**Author:** [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Replies:** 18\ **Last updated:** [April 15, 2023, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kilz-primer-paint-need-answer-moderately-soon/982622 "2023-04-15T16:18:33Z")
I am cleaning up and painting a corner basement storage room. I am using Kilz mold & mildew resistant primer on both walls and floor. I have grey concrete paint that will go over the primer on the floor but would like to… --- ## [Is it effective to put down your car windows in hot weather?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-effective-to-put-down-your-car-windows-in-hot-weather/982669)
**Author:** [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Replies:** 44\ **Last updated:** [April 15, 2023, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-effective-to-put-down-your-car-windows-in-hot-weather/982669 "2023-04-15T14:58:58Z")
I’ve always heard that you should do this to cool down the vehicle prior to getting in it-presumably to let out hot air? Does this work or is it a bit of “common knowledge” that’s untrue or misunderstood? --- ## [Do all cats belong to a breed?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-all-cats-belong-to-a-breed/982523)
**Author:** [@themapleleaf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/themapleleaf)\ **Replies:** 40\ **Last updated:** [April 15, 2023, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-all-cats-belong-to-a-breed/982523 "2023-04-15T14:35:40Z")
Dogs apparently all belong to a breed, and there appear to be about a zillion of them. If a dog is a mix, then we call them a mutt, mongrel, mixed breed, etc. Yet the same doesn’t seem to hold true of cats. While there … --- ## [Organisms camoflauged for some visual systems but not others?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/organisms-camoflauged-for-some-visual-systems-but-not-others/492563)
**Author:** [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\ **Replies:** 22\ **Last updated:** [April 15, 2023, 8:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/organisms-camoflauged-for-some-visual-systems-but-not-others/492563 "2023-04-15T08:11:50Z")
I could paint two regions in a way that makes them appear to be the same color from the point of view of an organism that sees only black and white, but not from the point of view of some organisms that see colors. Are t… --- ## [Dasvidaniya - "You would never say it to someone you're going to kill"](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dasvidaniya-you-would-never-say-it-to-someone-youre-going-to-kill/982492)
**Author:** [@Asuka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asuka)\ **Replies:** 16\ **Last updated:** [April 15, 2023, 5:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dasvidaniya-you-would-never-say-it-to-someone-youre-going-to-kill/982492 "2023-04-15T05:16:50Z")
I was watching the John Wick movies and people say Dasvidaniya to each other a lot (owing to the fact Wick is Belarusian and deals with a lot of similar people). I know it basically means “Until we meet again” and is for… --- ## [Can a thick strand of hair be cut with a glass mirror shard like in "Tangled"?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-thick-strand-of-hair-be-cut-with-a-glass-mirror-shard-like-in-tangled/982655)
**Author:** [@ekedolphin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ekedolphin)\ **Replies:** 5\ **Last updated:** [April 14, 2023, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-thick-strand-of-hair-be-cut-with-a-glass-mirror-shard-like-in-tangled/982655 "2023-04-14T23:29:45Z")
At the end of Disney’s Tangled, spoiler alert for a 13-year-old movie, Flynn uses a large mirror shard to cut Rapunzel’s hair to a much, much shorter length, down to about a quarter of the way down her neck, and not enti… --- ## [Printing email address in Word document](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/printing-email-address-in-word-document/982673)
**Author:** [@mixdenny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mixdenny)\ **Replies:** 2\ **Last updated:** [April 14, 2023, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/printing-email-address-in-word-document/982673 "2023-04-14T16:09:13Z")
I need to send a letter which includes an email address. The address is highlighted on the Word doc and it does not print out on the hard copy. It does show up on the preview. Word 2003 if that matters. --- ## [Are all airports federal territory?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-all-airports-federal-territory/982659)
**Author:** [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Replies:** 9\ **Last updated:** [April 14, 2023, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-all-airports-federal-territory/982659 "2023-04-14T14:23:09Z")
Say Austin airport in Texas, Reagan airport in Washington DC, etc. Are they the jurisdiction of their local states/regional governments, or of federal laws? Like, if something happened at an airport, does local state/ci… --- ## [How to decide between Treasury Bonds, CD Notes, etc?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-decide-between-treasury-bonds-cd-notes-etc/980470)
**Author:** [@FriarTed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FriarTed)\ **Replies:** 29\ **Last updated:** [April 14, 2023, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-decide-between-treasury-bonds-cd-notes-etc/980470 "2023-04-14T03:19:45Z")
A friend has recently come into some money and is trying to figure out where to put it both for security and the best return available. All I’ve done is put money into my work 401K and stock purchases, so I have no insig… --- ## [How do 911 operators handle an overwhelming number of calls?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-911-operators-handle-an-overwhelming-number-of-calls/982528)
**Author:** [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Replies:** 30\ **Last updated:** [April 14, 2023, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-911-operators-handle-an-overwhelming-number-of-calls/982528 "2023-04-14T00:47:38Z")
The reporting of the recent mass shootings reminded me of a question I’ve had for a long time. “Your call is important to us” may be the most commonly heard phrase in modern life, used and repeated ad nauseam when you a… --- ## [The Space Needle's Nuts](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-space-needles-nuts/379015)
**Author:** [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Replies:** 50\ **Last updated:** [April 13, 2023, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-space-needles-nuts/379015 "2023-04-13T15:44:28Z")
I seem to recall from a visit to Seattle’s Space Needle that the building appears to be held to its foundation by some really big nuts. Six if I recall correctly. Are these for real? Could I wreak havoc on the needle … --- ## [What am I not getting about the fourier transform?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-am-i-not-getting-about-the-fourier-transform/981877)
**Author:** [@Saffer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saffer)\ **Replies:** 33\ **Last updated:** [April 13, 2023, 5:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-am-i-not-getting-about-the-fourier-transform/981877 "2023-04-13T05:47:36Z")
I am almost middle aged no so don’t think this is homework! I recently saw a YouTube video on a related topic and wanted to test my understanding. To do so I want to decompose the sequence (1, 2, 3, 4) into sine waves. H… --- ## [Sealed bids and collusion](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sealed-bids-and-collusion/981785)
**Author:** [@Cheesesteak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheesesteak)\ **Replies:** 24\ **Last updated:** [April 13, 2023, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sealed-bids-and-collusion/981785 "2023-04-13T02:39:30Z")
Lawyer types, hoping to get your take on a situation. It’s a real case but completely past tense so there is no issue about future legality/illegality. The situation is a sealed bid contract for a municipality. The pote… --- ## [Tibet custom](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tibet-custom/982478)
**Author:** [@Eric1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eric1)\ **Replies:** 6\ **Last updated:** [April 13, 2023, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tibet-custom/982478 "2023-04-13T00:31:23Z")
Is the following a Tibet custom? The Dalai Lama was in front of a crowd video-taped when he told some kid to “suck my tongue.” It’s in the NBC.com News articles right now. I hope the cultural context was right from Tibet… --- ## [Alvin Bragg sues Jim Jordan. What does "sue" mean in this context?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alvin-bragg-sues-jim-jordan-what-does-sue-mean-in-this-context/982564)
**Author:** [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Replies:** 3\ **Last updated:** [April 12, 2023, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alvin-bragg-sues-jim-jordan-what-does-sue-mean-in-this-context/982564 "2023-04-12T23:48:48Z")
To me, “sue” means to get money from. But I’m sure that’s not the case here. Does this just mean Bragg wants a Federal judge to tell Jordan to stop it? --- ## [What medical reason for this question before a prenatal untrasound?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-medical-reason-for-this-question-before-a-prenatal-untrasound/982593)
**Author:** [@ChockFullOfHeadyGoodness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ChockFullOfHeadyGoodness)\ **Replies:** 1\ **Last updated:** [April 12, 2023, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-medical-reason-for-this-question-before-a-prenatal-untrasound/982593 "2023-04-12T21:27:23Z")
Back in 1999, when my wife was pregnant with our first child, we went in for an ultrasound. Most of the questions had an obvious medical reason, but one left me stumped. Just remembered it today. The questions that made… --- ## [What would've happened if the astronaut who stayed in the Apollo command module died?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-wouldve-happened-if-the-astronaut-who-stayed-in-the-apollo-command-module-died/982483)
**Author:** [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Replies:** 25\ **Last updated:** [April 12, 2023, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-wouldve-happened-if-the-astronaut-who-stayed-in-the-apollo-command-module-died/982483 "2023-04-12T16:17:33Z")
During Apollo missions only two astronauts actualy landed on the Moon while the 3rd remained in the command module in lunar orbit. If the 3rd astronaut died or became unresponsive would the other 2 astronauts still have … --- ## [Font question: MS Reference Speciality](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/font-question-ms-reference-speciality/982550)
**Author:** [@Ferris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferris)\ **Replies:** 2\ **Last updated:** [April 12, 2023, 4:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/font-question-ms-reference-speciality/982550 "2023-04-12T04:54:55Z")
This font contains quite a few symbols that have me baffled as to their use. There are plenty of sensible fractions of the 1/n type, as well as two-thirds, seven-eighths, etc. But amongst those, I also find oddities li… --- ## [Exporting Lotsa Emails from Outlook to Text or Excel](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/exporting-lotsa-emails-from-outlook-to-text-or-excel/982524)
**Author:** [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Replies:** 5\ **Last updated:** [April 11, 2023, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/exporting-lotsa-emails-from-outlook-to-text-or-excel/982524 "2023-04-11T20:42:01Z")
There’s a low-priority task at work where we get emails that contain data that should eventually be saved out as individual reports and saved in folders named for the associated client. No one’s been doing them so I’ve … --- ## [Did electrical appliances and items regularly explode in the past?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-electrical-appliances-and-items-regularly-explode-in-the-past/452587)
**Author:** [@elmwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elmwood)\ **Replies:** 40\ **Last updated:** [April 11, 2023, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-electrical-appliances-and-items-regularly-explode-in-the-past/452587 "2023-04-11T19:46:56Z")
Many senior citizens I’ve met are obsessed about turning every electrical item off when they step away from it for more than a few minutes – lamps, televisions, you name it. I’ve met some older people who unplug EVERYTH… --- ## [Can one raise an objection to this in court?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-one-raise-an-objection-to-this-in-court/982392)
**Author:** [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Replies:** 23\ **Last updated:** [April 11, 2023, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-one-raise-an-objection-to-this-in-court/982392 "2023-04-11T19:00:53Z")
When the opposing party makes a statement that relies on faulty terminology or otherwise miscategorizing something in an attempt to establish their argument on a false foundation. For example, referring to weasels as “ro… --- ## [What is the difference between a machine gun and a cannon? (looking at WWII plane weapons but no need to limit it)](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-difference-between-a-machine-gun-and-a-cannon-looking-at-wwii-plane-weapons-but-no-need-to-limit-it/982350)
**Author:** [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Replies:** 24\ **Last updated:** [April 11, 2023, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-difference-between-a-machine-gun-and-a-cannon-looking-at-wwii-plane-weapons-but-no-need-to-limit-it/982350 "2023-04-11T13:54:51Z")
I was reading the Wiki page on the WWII Mitsubishi A6M Zero. On the page (linked above) it says: Armament was to consist of two 20 mm cannons, two 7.7 mm (.303 in) machine guns… Is a cannon just a bigger gun? Why m… --- ## [HP Omen X 17t Gaming Laptop 17 problem](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hp-omen-x-17t-gaming-laptop-17-problem/982508)
**Author:** [@FriarTed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FriarTed)\ **Replies:** 0\ **Last updated:** [April 11, 2023, 12:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hp-omen-x-17t-gaming-laptop-17-problem/982508 "2023-04-11T12:38:19Z")
My friend has a HP Omen X 17t Gaming Laptop 17. She’ll be running Skyrim and TM says her CPU gets up to about 46% and Memory about 56%. Sometimes she’ll be running Youtube instead and they are both pretty low. When she’… --- ## [What does the white indicate on this map](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-the-white-indicate-on-this-map/982421)
**Author:** [@Beesnest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beesnest)\ **Replies:** 22\ **Last updated:** [April 11, 2023, 5:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-the-white-indicate-on-this-map/982421 "2023-04-11T05:46:39Z")
I can’t find a legend for this. Desert? Mountains? here be dragons? --- ## [April 31 on legal papers](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/april-31-on-legal-papers/982226)
**Author:** [@SuntanLotion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SuntanLotion)\ **Replies:** 10\ **Last updated:** [April 11, 2023, 4:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/april-31-on-legal-papers/982226 "2023-04-11T04:00:07Z")
If someone signed a legal document and put a fake date on it, does that invalidate it? --- ## [How many warships did the British have at the end of WWII?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-warships-did-the-british-have-at-the-end-of-wwii/916552)
**Author:** [@cjackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cjackson)\ **Replies:** 37\ **Last updated:** [April 10, 2023, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-warships-did-the-british-have-at-the-end-of-wwii/916552 "2023-04-10T22:37:31Z")
And how many of each type of ship did they have? How did they compare with the US navy? --- ## [Help me with the two-kids probability problem](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-with-the-two-kids-probability-problem/981895)
**Author:** [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Replies:** 117\ **Last updated:** [April 10, 2023, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-with-the-two-kids-probability-problem/981895 "2023-04-10T22:08:10Z")
First, there’s a closely-related problem whose solution I understand. Then, there’s the two-kids problem which makes me furious at math in general. Can you help me? CLOSELY RELATED PROBLEM: I make three pairs of cards.… --- ## [Is breathing "poo air" bad for you?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-breathing-poo-air-bad-for-you/982422)
**Author:** [@mixdenny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mixdenny)\ **Replies:** 11\ **Last updated:** [April 10, 2023, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-breathing-poo-air-bad-for-you/982422 "2023-04-10T01:51:11Z")
The other day our large dog couldn’t wakes us near morning and had to poo in the house. The stench was grotesque. I turned on the kitchen and bath vent fans and opened windows while we cleaned up. Is that disgusting air … [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/c/factual-questions/9.md?page=148) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/c/factual-questions/9.md?page=150)