# Factual Questions **URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/c/factual-questions/9.md?page=228 [Latest](https://boards.straightdope.com/latest.md) · [Categories](https://boards.straightdope.com/categories.md) · [Tags](https://boards.straightdope.com/tags.md) **Page:** 229 --- ## [Do gangsters and thugs etc. commonly take target practice?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-gangsters-and-thugs-etc-commonly-take-target-practice/958684)
**Author:** [@SpacemanSpiff\_II](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpacemanSpiff_II)\ **Replies:** 56\ **Last updated:** [February 3, 2022, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-gangsters-and-thugs-etc-commonly-take-target-practice/958684 "2022-02-03T21:06:56Z")
I’m thinking of some made member of the Gambinos, mostly doing this or that mob business but ocasionally the Big Boss tells him you gotta take out so-and-so. Or perhaps a member of the Crips, running the drug business bu… --- ## [My daughter's homework question (math/trigonometry)](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-daughters-homework-question-math-trigonometry/958756)
**Author:** [@Kron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kron)\ **Replies:** 40\ **Last updated:** [February 3, 2022, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-daughters-homework-question-math-trigonometry/958756 "2022-02-03T16:48:49Z")
I was assisting my daughter with some homework; and on entering the answers online (they use some form of online homework app) it said that her answer was incorrect. I’m really not sure how my answer was marked as inco… --- ## [Need Tranlastion Help- I Think He's Shouting In Japanese](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-tranlastion-help-i-think-hes-shouting-in-japanese/958817)
**Author:** [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Replies:** 4\ **Last updated:** [February 3, 2022, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-tranlastion-help-i-think-hes-shouting-in-japanese/958817 "2022-02-03T01:57:51Z")
The video is loud. I’ve had this alarm clock for years now. Since he’s a samurai, I assume it’s Japanese. If anybody could translate I’d be very greatful. The link is completely work safe (though loud). It just wouldn… --- ## [Steam trains](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steam-trains/944265)
**Author:** [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Replies:** 10\ **Last updated:** [February 2, 2022, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steam-trains/944265 "2022-02-02T17:24:47Z")
I’ve noticed that on a lot old stream trains there is bell looking device on top of the smokestack. Does it serve a purpose, or is it decorative? --- ## [Bitcoin Mining - Crippling Power Generation](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bitcoin-mining-crippling-power-generation/958511)
**Author:** [@PozhanPop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PozhanPop)\ **Replies:** 33\ **Last updated:** [February 2, 2022, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bitcoin-mining-crippling-power-generation/958511 "2022-02-02T16:28:54Z")
I was reading an article about the colossal power consumption of mining rigs that is crippling power generation in several countries and the amount of e-waste generated. Did this constant and massive drawing of power res… --- ## [How do lit gas burners on railroad tracks not set car tires on fire?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-lit-gas-burners-on-railroad-tracks-not-set-car-tires-on-fire/958669)
**Author:** [@ekedolphin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ekedolphin)\ **Replies:** 11\ **Last updated:** [February 2, 2022, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-lit-gas-burners-on-railroad-tracks-not-set-car-tires-on-fire/958669 "2022-02-02T15:02:08Z")
In Chicago, certain areas of the train tracks are lit on fire with gas-powered pumps to keep the movable parts of the switches from freezing in winter. How do they do this at intersections and prevent car tires from b… --- ## [Getting a Message to a Prisoner](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-a-message-to-a-prisoner/958634)
**Author:** [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Replies:** 12\ **Last updated:** [February 2, 2022, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-a-message-to-a-prisoner/958634 "2022-02-02T14:10:37Z")
My dad is dying, his brother is doing life. I think that Uncle Jeff deserves to know that his brother is dying, but I’m not any list of approved people whom he can contact – I doubt there’s any such list, as the entire f… --- ## [Steam locomotive question](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steam-locomotive-question/246775)
**Author:** [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Replies:** 8\ **Last updated:** [February 2, 2022, 9:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steam-locomotive-question/246775 "2022-02-02T09:01:02Z")
Tonight my 22 month old pointed to a part on a steam locomotive in a picture book and said: “Mmmm?” which translates as “say the word for what I am pointing to, Daddy” And I realised I didn’t know. Well, there goes my … --- ## [Any statistics available on how many people get married every year during natural disasters? (Spoilers for Disney's Encanto listed)](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-statistics-available-on-how-many-people-get-married-every-year-during-natural-disasters-spoilers-for-disneys-encanto-listed/957806)
**Author:** [@ekedolphin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ekedolphin)\ **Replies:** 2\ **Last updated:** [February 2, 2022, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-statistics-available-on-how-many-people-get-married-every-year-during-natural-disasters-spoilers-for-disneys-encanto-listed/957806 "2022-02-02T00:19:52Z")
This question popped into my head when I was listening to “We Don’t Talk About Bruno” from Disney’s Encanto for the 150th time. This caused me to think: How many people per year get married during natural disasters l… --- ## [Can AWS Lambda really be used to host a website instead of an EC2?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-aws-lambda-really-be-used-to-host-a-website-instead-of-an-ec2/957781)
**Author:** [@edwardcoast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/edwardcoast)\ **Replies:** 2\ **Last updated:** [February 2, 2022, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-aws-lambda-really-be-used-to-host-a-website-instead-of-an-ec2/957781 "2022-02-02T00:05:12Z")
I’ve been building and hosting websites for clients for years now. I do this with a CMS and host it in different places including AWS’s EC2. I’ve been reading for years now about using AWS Lambda and have seen some hint … --- ## [Shipping delays and perishable goods](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shipping-delays-and-perishable-goods/956870)
**Author:** [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Replies:** 4\ **Last updated:** [February 1, 2022, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shipping-delays-and-perishable-goods/956870 "2022-02-01T22:26:55Z")
I’ve heard news stories about the many delays in shipping, with supposedly a hundred or more container ships waiting to unload at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach (and similar delays at other ports). And then furt… --- ## [Are Olympic athletes protected from local law?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-olympic-athletes-protected-from-local-law/958746)
**Author:** [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Replies:** 5\ **Last updated:** [February 1, 2022, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-olympic-athletes-protected-from-local-law/958746 "2022-02-01T19:40:07Z")
Was watching a report that Olympic athletes are being advised by their various countries to not talk about or discuss or protest against things like the ongoing genocide that’s been happening in China (or any of the othe… --- ## [Couple of gift tax questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/couple-of-gift-tax-questions/958678)
**Author:** [@pkbites](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pkbites)\ **Replies:** 8\ **Last updated:** [February 1, 2022, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/couple-of-gift-tax-questions/958678 "2022-02-01T16:44:00Z")
Let’s say you have a friend who is dying and will not see the end of the year. He has no children, no spouse/ex-spouse or any other family, and really no assets. He lives in a rented apartment and drives an eleven year o… --- ## [Apartment walls and hanging pictures](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apartment-walls-and-hanging-pictures/958600)
**Author:** [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Replies:** 40\ **Last updated:** [February 1, 2022, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apartment-walls-and-hanging-pictures/958600 "2022-02-01T03:16:54Z")
Kind of a dumb question but I’ve never lived in an apartment and my son just moved into one – a regular high-rise type building. He’s trying to hang pictures and failing – apparently the nails are not going in and getti… --- ## [Getting access to a US regional park from neighboring house](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-access-to-a-us-regional-park-from-neighboring-house/958598)
**Author:** [@griffin1977](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/griffin1977)\ **Replies:** 27\ **Last updated:** [February 1, 2022, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-access-to-a-us-regional-park-from-neighboring-house/958598 "2022-02-01T02:20:30Z")
So while hiking in Northern California (and I think here in Maryland) I’ve seen houses directly abutting a regional park, and similar parks, that have a gate in their back fence that opens up into the park, giving their … --- ## [Exercises for strong but flat abs](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/exercises-for-strong-but-flat-abs/958702)
**Author:** [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Replies:** 4\ **Last updated:** [February 1, 2022, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/exercises-for-strong-but-flat-abs/958702 "2022-02-01T01:26:05Z")
I do abs exercises on a couple of different machines that basically do a crunch motion, but loaded with weights. I have very strong abs (no visible six-pack but who cares), but my midsection protrudes a bit. This is not … --- ## [Hebrew translation help](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hebrew-translation-help/958387)
**Author:** [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Replies:** 25\ **Last updated:** [January 31, 2022, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hebrew-translation-help/958387 "2022-01-31T20:17:58Z")
I’m crating a fictional character (for a D&D game, if it matters), and I want his name to be a word from a religious language meaning “Bountiful”, or something along those lines. So I figured that I’d use the Hebrew wor… --- ## [Abc news on the west coast...the weather](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abc-news-on-the-west-coast-the-weather/958648)
**Author:** [@Sigene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigene)\ **Replies:** 8\ **Last updated:** [January 31, 2022, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abc-news-on-the-west-coast-the-weather/958648 "2022-01-31T19:49:58Z")
I’m being specific to ABC nightly news and the weather segment they usually have. Frankly, I’m annoyed that it is so east coast centric. Iowa can be getting hammered and they just mention it in passing in favor of how t… --- ## [What’s up with airlines and 5g?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-s-up-with-airlines-and-5g/957991)
**Author:** [@Unintentionally\_Blank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Unintentionally_Blank)\ **Replies:** 57\ **Last updated:** [January 31, 2022, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-s-up-with-airlines-and-5g/957991 "2022-01-31T18:56:55Z")
Way back in ancient history, Airlines prohibited the use of Cellphones out of the fear they’d affect the pilots instruments…part of it was that the planes were much older than the technology, and after time it came out t… --- ## [New sailing / navigation inventions of the 1400s](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-sailing-navigation-inventions-of-the-1400s/958521)
**Author:** [@batsto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/batsto)\ **Replies:** 53\ **Last updated:** [January 31, 2022, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-sailing-navigation-inventions-of-the-1400s/958521 "2022-01-31T15:04:01Z")
Every time I read about the age of exploration, it’s always mentioned that there were numerous ‘advances in sailing and navigation’ that made it possible, but they never elaborate on what those things were or how they he… --- ## [Anne Frank betrayer possibly found. How did AI work in this case?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anne-frank-betrayer-possibly-found-how-did-ai-work-in-this-case/958020)
**Author:** [@gkster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gkster)\ **Replies:** 37\ **Last updated:** [January 31, 2022, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anne-frank-betrayer-possibly-found-how-did-ai-work-in-this-case/958020 "2022-01-31T13:32:19Z")
Mods, feel free to move to another category if this Q isn’t factual enough After 5 years of work, a cold case investigation has come up with a name that they think is backed by strong circumstantial evidence: “Arnold v… --- ## [Florida Hard Freeze](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/florida-hard-freeze/958646)
**Author:** [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Replies:** 25\ **Last updated:** [January 31, 2022, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/florida-hard-freeze/958646 "2022-01-31T03:56:25Z")
Central Florida here: The house we’re renting has well water and tonight we’re getting the first hard freeze since we moved in 2-1/2 years ago. Being a child of the suburbs, I’m not sure what to leave dripping or not. Th… --- ## [Can a higher frequency EM signal encode more information?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-higher-frequency-em-signal-encode-more-information/958653)
**Author:** [@Cardinal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cardinal)\ **Replies:** 23\ **Last updated:** [January 31, 2022, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-higher-frequency-em-signal-encode-more-information/958653 "2022-01-31T02:09:17Z")
I’ve heard a couple times that a GHz signal can encode more information than a 100 MHz signal. My contention was that a photon is identical to any other except for the frequency/wavelength, and so an antenna can only not… --- ## [How to screen capture on a PC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-screen-capture-on-a-pc/958575)
**Author:** [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Replies:** 30\ **Last updated:** [January 29, 2022, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-screen-capture-on-a-pc/958575 "2022-01-29T22:42:25Z")
(I hope this is the right forum) Our work uses PC computers so I’m not as familiar with this stuff. I’m a Mac person. On my Mac, if I need to capture a portion of a photo that’s on my screen, I can press shift+command+4… --- ## [Why do I sometime hiccup while smoking](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-i-sometime-hiccup-while-smoking/146156)
**Author:** [@Jplacer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jplacer)\ **Replies:** 13\ **Last updated:** [January 29, 2022, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-i-sometime-hiccup-while-smoking/146156 "2022-01-29T20:56:29Z")
I am a smoker (I know it is a terrible habit) Sometimes, when I smoke outside and it’s cold out, I will hiccup after each drag. I don’t hiccup before or smoke or after, just after I inhale smoke. Any idea why this hap… --- ## [Is the phrase 'friendly litigation' used by GOP Senator Josh Hawley a standard phrase?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-phrase-friendly-litigation-used-by-gop-senator-josh-hawley-a-standard-phrase/942170)
**Author:** [@Octagon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Octagon)\ **Replies:** 12\ **Last updated:** [January 29, 2022, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-phrase-friendly-litigation-used-by-gop-senator-josh-hawley-a-standard-phrase/942170 "2022-01-29T18:18:30Z")
Sen. Josh Hawley Scorches Alejandro Mayorkas Is the phrase ‘friendly litigation’ (4.59 min into the video) used by GOP Senator Josh Hawley in an exchange with Alejandro Mayorkas (Secretary of Homeland Secu… --- ## [Terminating A Prisoner's Visitation Rights](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terminating-a-prisoners-visitation-rights/958633)
**Author:** [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Replies:** 0\ **Last updated:** [January 29, 2022, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terminating-a-prisoners-visitation-rights/958633 "2022-01-29T16:16:36Z")
It appears that Warren Jeffs was/still is running his cult from prison, at least in part by giving his brothers orders during their visits (cite). Can prison officials just … not allow him to visit his brothers any more?… --- ## [Home thermostats](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/home-thermostats/958276)
**Author:** [@Jerry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jerry)\ **Replies:** 11\ **Last updated:** [January 29, 2022, 12:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/home-thermostats/958276 "2022-01-29T12:45:11Z")
My Honeywell thermostat has on/off and circulate. I also have electrostatic filters that the manual says they are only operable after 10-15 minutes of the fan running. Is the circulate mode compatible with the circulate… --- ## [Trespassing](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trespassing/629055)
**Author:** [@IceQube](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IceQube)\ **Replies:** 136\ **Last updated:** [January 29, 2022, 12:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trespassing/629055 "2022-01-29T12:28:30Z")
My house is on the corner of a block. Cars LOVE to mow over my grass and my driveway to make right turns, thereby bypassing stalled cars waiting for the green light. Can I legally put tire spikes on my grass to discoura… --- ## [Fusing A/C compressor control leads](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fusing-a-c-compressor-control-leads/958536)
**Author:** [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Replies:** 15\ **Last updated:** [January 29, 2022, 6:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fusing-a-c-compressor-control-leads/958536 "2022-01-29T06:16:33Z")
Twice a rat has gotten into the garage and chewed the control wires that go to the outside compressor, destroying a transformer. I’m thinking that if I put in line fuses on the wires, the rat would blow a fuse. I could r… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/c/factual-questions/9.md?page=227) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/c/factual-questions/9.md?page=229)