# Factual Questions **URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/c/factual-questions/9.md?page=265 [Latest](https://boards.straightdope.com/latest.md) · [Categories](https://boards.straightdope.com/categories.md) · [Tags](https://boards.straightdope.com/tags.md) **Page:** 266 --- ## [Why were the Bezos and Branson space flights so short?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-were-the-bezos-and-branson-space-flights-so-short/946918)
**Author:** [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackknifed_Juggernaut)\ **Replies:** 55\ **Last updated:** [July 27, 2021, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-were-the-bezos-and-branson-space-flights-so-short/946918 "2021-07-27T23:59:00Z")
If you’re going that far, and at zero gravity, why not take few laps around the earth? --- ## [A question about highway driving](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-highway-driving/947156)
**Author:** [@Dodgy\_Dude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dodgy_Dude)\ **Replies:** 40\ **Last updated:** [July 27, 2021, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-highway-driving/947156 "2021-07-27T19:00:58Z")
Three cars driving side-by-side on a three-lane highway. Car A is in the left lane. Car B is in the center lane. Car C is in the right lane. Car A starts to drift out of his lane. Car B, trying to avoid contact with Car… --- ## [Solar engines using highly expandable gases](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/solar-engines-using-highly-expandable-gases/947332)
**Author:** [@HoneyBadgerDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HoneyBadgerDC)\ **Replies:** 10\ **Last updated:** [July 27, 2021, 11:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/solar-engines-using-highly-expandable-gases/947332 "2021-07-27T11:43:24Z")
Has there been any work done in this area past or present? A simple example would be freon gas heated by the sun and then the pressure used to lift weights that would drive generators as it came back down. No intake or e… --- ## [Murder or Self Defense](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/murder-or-self-defense/947142)
**Author:** [@turtlescanfly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/turtlescanfly)\ **Replies:** 41\ **Last updated:** [July 27, 2021, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/murder-or-self-defense/947142 "2021-07-27T00:04:29Z")
Consider this scenario: A robber breaks into what he believes to be an unoccupied house. He is interrupted by the homeowner while rifling through the silver in the kitchen. The homeowner, incensed at the intrusion, grab… --- ## [Are field commissions a thing?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-field-commissions-a-thing/946751)
**Author:** [@psychonaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychonaut)\ **Replies:** 78\ **Last updated:** [July 26, 2021, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-field-commissions-a-thing/946751 "2021-07-26T23:26:12Z")
The Star Trek universe contains many instances of what I’ll call “field commissions”: that is, when the commander of a vessel provisionally appoints someone from outside the service to the role of a commissioned officer.… --- ## [If blood pressure checking causes very intense pain, does that affect readings?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-blood-pressure-checking-causes-very-intense-pain-does-that-affect-readings/548409)
**Author:** [@Stoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stoid)\ **Replies:** 29\ **Last updated:** [July 26, 2021, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-blood-pressure-checking-causes-very-intense-pain-does-that-affect-readings/548409 "2021-07-26T22:13:08Z")
I assume that it is because of my weight, and the fact that my upper arms are heavy and soft, but I find having my blood pressure checked VERY VERY painful 9 out of ten times. I think something is being pinched, but it’… --- ## [Why does penicillin require such a painful jab with a huge needle?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-penicillin-require-such-a-painful-jab-with-a-huge-needle/947178)
**Author:** [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Replies:** 11\ **Last updated:** [July 26, 2021, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-penicillin-require-such-a-painful-jab-with-a-huge-needle/947178 "2021-07-26T18:28:54Z")
I assume there’s a reason that a shot of penicillin is so awful and getting my flu jab or Covid jab is absolutely nothing and painless. --- ## [Knock, knock, knockin' on the president's door](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/knock-knock-knockin-on-the-presidents-door/947272)
**Author:** [@psychonaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychonaut)\ **Replies:** 7\ **Last updated:** [July 26, 2021, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/knock-knock-knockin-on-the-presidents-door/947272 "2021-07-26T15:17:54Z")
In which countries is it (still) possible for members of the public to walk right up to the door of the official residence of the head of state or head of government? To be clear, I’m talking about the actual door to th… --- ## [Would you get an ice-cream headache from drinking a cold bottle of booze in a sauna?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-get-an-ice-cream-headache-from-drinking-a-cold-bottle-of-booze-in-a-sauna/947220)
**Author:** [@ekedolphin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ekedolphin)\ **Replies:** 10\ **Last updated:** [July 26, 2021, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-get-an-ice-cream-headache-from-drinking-a-cold-bottle-of-booze-in-a-sauna/947220 "2021-07-26T14:54:59Z")
Would the dramatic temperature difference between what you’re drinking and the temperature of your skin, cause an ice-cream headache or any unusual side effects? --- ## ["BLM protestors were given up to 15 years in jail over last year's protests"](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blm-protestors-were-given-up-to-15-years-in-jail-over-last-years-protests/946849)
**Author:** [@Asuka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asuka)\ **Replies:** 24\ **Last updated:** [July 26, 2021, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blm-protestors-were-given-up-to-15-years-in-jail-over-last-years-protests/946849 "2021-07-26T01:14:10Z")
Related to current events and the recent sentencing of 6-8 months for a Capitol Rioter, the immediate knee-jerk response I saw was people claiming that BLM or ANTIFA related rioters in 2020 were sentenced from 3 to 15 ye… --- ## [How to get all the PC files into iCloud? Drag or copy MyDocuments\\\* into iCloud\>Documents?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-get-all-the-pc-files-into-icloud-drag-or-copy-mydocuments-into-icloud-documents/947257)
**Author:** [@Napier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Napier)\ **Replies:** 5\ **Last updated:** [July 25, 2021, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-get-all-the-pc-files-into-icloud-drag-or-copy-mydocuments-into-icloud-documents/947257 "2021-07-25T20:11:54Z")
OK, there’s a step here I’m not picturing. I bought Ms. Napier her first Mac, a Mini. She’s been PC all along. I want to use iCloud to get all her PC content available on the Mac, and give her all the overlap time she wa… --- ## [How far back down the evolutionary tree did ‘playing’ evolve?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-far-back-down-the-evolutionary-tree-did-playing-evolve/946712)
**Author:** [@kevlaw](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kevlaw)\ **Replies:** 10\ **Last updated:** [July 25, 2021, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-far-back-down-the-evolutionary-tree-did-playing-evolve/946712 "2021-07-25T17:40:07Z")
Inspired by this thread, I’m curious who else in the animal kingdom is having fun. I assume all mammals enjoy play. Do fish? Some parrots of my acquaintance like to play. Did they learn to play independently? Did th… --- ## [Explain this please ( behavior of a ball in water)](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-this-please-behavior-of-a-ball-in-water/946789)
**Author:** [@turtlescanfly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/turtlescanfly)\ **Replies:** 6\ **Last updated:** [July 25, 2021, 10:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-this-please-behavior-of-a-ball-in-water/946789 "2021-07-25T10:41:23Z")
So I was at the pool today with my daughter. She had brought along a rubber inflatable ball, about 4" across, that we were tossing back and forth. At one point I said " Watch this!" And pushed the ball as far under the w… --- ## [Why does grapefruit interfere with certain medications?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-grapefruit-interfere-with-certain-medications/947169)
**Author:** [@ekedolphin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ekedolphin)\ **Replies:** 23\ **Last updated:** [July 25, 2021, 10:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-grapefruit-interfere-with-certain-medications/947169 "2021-07-25T10:32:19Z")
I’m on a medication that basically makes grapefruits toxic to me-- eating one could cause the level of the medication in my system to spike to about 600%, enough to kill me. (I really wonder why the doctor never mention… --- ## [Document Management - age of a document](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/document-management-age-of-a-document/947107)
**Author:** [@Ficer67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ficer67)\ **Replies:** 15\ **Last updated:** [July 25, 2021, 8:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/document-management-age-of-a-document/947107 "2021-07-25T08:25:00Z")
Is there any kind of ink, or other substance, that can be used to identify the age of a paper document? Please do not tell me just to write the date on the page. I do that already, and of course it can be forged. I am… --- ## [Estimating water evaporation rate from a swimming pool](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/estimating-water-evaporation-rate-from-a-swimming-pool/947207)
**Author:** [@Precambrianmollusc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Precambrianmollusc)\ **Replies:** 9\ **Last updated:** [July 25, 2021, 4:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/estimating-water-evaporation-rate-from-a-swimming-pool/947207 "2021-07-25T04:41:14Z")
I have pool and I am not 100% sure if the filtration system has an underground leak on the suction side or I am just losing lots of water to evaporation. I can do a bunch of tests with switching the pump off and measur… --- ## [Probability that a deck of cards is tampered](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/probability-that-a-deck-of-cards-is-tampered/946559)
**Author:** [@am77494](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/am77494)\ **Replies:** 65\ **Last updated:** [July 24, 2021, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/probability-that-a-deck-of-cards-is-tampered/946559 "2021-07-24T21:30:44Z")
Suppose I have a deck of cards that is tampered by removing one red card and replacing it with a black card from another deck. So we have 25 red cards and 27 black cards. Now the deck is well shuffled and one card is dr… --- ## [WTH is the Straight Dope in regards to pistachios and the Keto diet?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wth-is-the-straight-dope-in-regards-to-pistachios-and-the-keto-diet/947138)
**Author:** [@pkbites](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pkbites)\ **Replies:** 18\ **Last updated:** [July 24, 2021, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wth-is-the-straight-dope-in-regards-to-pistachios-and-the-keto-diet/947138 "2021-07-24T19:43:33Z")
Info on the web is all over the place. One site says "These nuts are a must-have on a ketogenic diet". while another site says "Sorry to break the news… pistachios aren’t keto" WTH? I bought a 1 ounce bag of shelled pi… --- ## [What's the residual oxygen concentration in a jar candle, after a flame out?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-residual-oxygen-concentration-in-a-jar-candle-after-a-flame-out/947119)
**Author:** [@am77494](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/am77494)\ **Replies:** 13\ **Last updated:** [July 24, 2021, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-residual-oxygen-concentration-in-a-jar-candle-after-a-flame-out/947119 "2021-07-24T18:40:50Z")
Consider a typical jar candle with a nice flame. The lid is closed, and the flame goes out, because there is no oxygen to sustain combustion. At approximately what Oxygen level, does the flame go out ? Air has 21% oxyge… --- ## [Can an American with a 40 year old DUI in America, visit Canada?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-an-american-with-a-40-year-old-dui-in-america-visit-canada/943054)
**Author:** [@not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/not_what_you_d_expect)\ **Replies:** 75\ **Last updated:** [July 24, 2021, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-an-american-with-a-40-year-old-dui-in-america-visit-canada/943054 "2021-07-24T16:03:31Z")
See the title, please. I’ve volunteered to get this information for someone after bragging about the SDMB. I know you guys won’t let me down. Thanks in advance. --- ## [Why is there a coin shortage?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-a-coin-shortage/920626)
**Author:** [@breakneck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/breakneck)\ **Replies:** 20\ **Last updated:** [July 24, 2021, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-a-coin-shortage/920626 "2021-07-24T15:25:55Z")
Why is there a coin shortage? where are they all going to ? is some nut hoarding all of them? have the mints discontinued minting them ? why ? --- ## [inhaling prozac?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inhaling-prozac/42845)
**Author:** [@Sapphire\_Bullet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sapphire_Bullet)\ **Replies:** 11\ **Last updated:** [July 24, 2021, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inhaling-prozac/42845 "2021-07-24T02:15:12Z")
What would happen if you were to break open a prozac (or any anti-depressant, for that matter) capsule and inhale the contents? I’m inclined to think that it would just enter your bloodstream faster, making it take effec… --- ## [Can you ID the (military?) uniform in this antique photo?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-id-the-military-uniform-in-this-antique-photo/947088)
**Author:** [@nelliebly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nelliebly)\ **Replies:** 8\ **Last updated:** [July 24, 2021, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-id-the-military-uniform-in-this-antique-photo/947088 "2021-07-24T01:13:29Z")
Someone I know found this old photo among their stuff. I’m intrigued by the subject’s uniform and am hoping someone here can recognize it or steer me to a site that could help me figure it out. (Google image search was n… --- ## [Is Google listening to my conversations?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-google-listening-to-my-conversations/946591)
**Author:** [@obbn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/obbn)\ **Replies:** 56\ **Last updated:** [July 23, 2021, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-google-listening-to-my-conversations/946591 "2021-07-23T23:55:31Z")
Hello Everyone, Puts on tinfoil hat I’ve heard people mention it, but always blew it off. The other night my wife and I were having a conversation about our dog and his itchy skin. My cell phone (Samsung A21) was on … --- ## [Converting potential energy to electricity](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/converting-potential-energy-to-electricity/947140)
**Author:** [@HoneyBadgerDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HoneyBadgerDC)\ **Replies:** 9\ **Last updated:** [July 23, 2021, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/converting-potential-energy-to-electricity/947140 "2021-07-23T18:06:32Z")
This is not homework, I am just curious and don’t know the math. If I had a tower 100 feet tall how much weight would I have to raise to the top of the tower to produce 1 KW of electricity? Just say 50%.efficiency. --- ## [Are condo board members legally liable for structural collapse? (See: Champlain Towers in Florida which collapsed)](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-condo-board-members-legally-liable-for-structural-collapse-see-champlain-towers-in-florida-which-collapsed/946606)
**Author:** [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Replies:** 19\ **Last updated:** [July 23, 2021, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-condo-board-members-legally-liable-for-structural-collapse-see-champlain-towers-in-florida-which-collapsed/946606 "2021-07-23T17:51:28Z")
Condos have a governing body which is responsible for the maintenance and care of the building. Champlain Towers in Florida collapsed. Are the board members liable for that (to some degree)? I get they have a lot of l… --- ## [Pegasus and iPhone zero-click attacks](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pegasus-and-iphone-zero-click-attacks/946974)
**Author:** [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Replies:** 7\ **Last updated:** [July 23, 2021, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pegasus-and-iphone-zero-click-attacks/946974 "2021-07-23T17:39:53Z")
In a Washington Post article about the Pegasus spyware, they say: How can this infect a phone merely by sending a message? I expect this may be highly protected information but surely there are experts with educated gu… --- ## [What is the I.O.U.W.?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-i-o-u-w/947114)
**Author:** [@Regallag\_The\_Axe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Regallag_The_Axe)\ **Replies:** 8\ **Last updated:** [July 23, 2021, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-i-o-u-w/947114 "2021-07-23T03:58:10Z")
I recently came across a document about one of my ancestors that mentions his membership in an organization called “the I.O.U.W.” IOUW is abbreviated as if any reader would understand it, but we 2021 people don’t know wh… --- ## [What is this (19th century pioneer) machine?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-19th-century-pioneer-machine/946836)
**Author:** [@iamthewalrus\_3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamthewalrus_3)\ **Replies:** 8\ **Last updated:** [July 23, 2021, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-19th-century-pioneer-machine/946836 "2021-07-23T00:44:40Z")
I was in Omaha this weekend, and there’s a park downtown with a large sculpture of a wagon train going across the park. The wagons have things like plows and scythes and axes and shovels attached, and also…this thing. T… --- ## [Theoretically, what diseases could we get rid of if the whole world locked down for 2 weeks?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theoretically-what-diseases-could-we-get-rid-of-if-the-whole-world-locked-down-for-2-weeks/946532)
**Author:** [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Replies:** 14\ **Last updated:** [July 23, 2021, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theoretically-what-diseases-could-we-get-rid-of-if-the-whole-world-locked-down-for-2-weeks/946532 "2021-07-23T00:36:28Z")
Something I read got me thinking about this. Assume absolute lockdown and perfect human behavior. We’d definitely put a dent in COVID, for sure, but what other nasty communicable diseases would go extinct during this per… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/c/factual-questions/9.md?page=264) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/c/factual-questions/9.md?page=266)