# Factual Questions **URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/c/factual-questions/9.md?page=322 [Latest](https://boards.straightdope.com/latest.md) · [Categories](https://boards.straightdope.com/categories.md) · [Tags](https://boards.straightdope.com/tags.md) **Page:** 323 --- ## [Black Hole Math Question](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-hole-math-question/923977)
**Author:** [@Babale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Babale)\ **Replies:** 34\ **Last updated:** [October 29, 2020, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-hole-math-question/923977 "2020-10-29T13:51:04Z")
Here’s one for all you physicists out there. Let’s say I have this handwavey “make tiny black holes and prevent them from evaporating in a burst of hawking radiation” tech, which I borrowed from a passing alien. I also… --- ## [Setting up a VPN](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/setting-up-a-vpn/352078)
**Author:** [@SiouxChief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SiouxChief)\ **Replies:** 5\ **Last updated:** [April 11, 2006, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/setting-up-a-vpn/352078 "2006-04-11T15:16:00Z")
I need to set up an always-on site-to-site VPN between two offices so that the second office can access all servers at the first office, and vice versa. Secondarily, it would be nice to be able to connect to either offi… --- ## [Editing RAW files: How to restore the original?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/editing-raw-files-how-to-restore-the-original/921915)
**Author:** [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Replies:** 4\ **Last updated:** [October 2, 2020, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/editing-raw-files-how-to-restore-the-original/921915 "2020-10-02T14:48:44Z")
I used Adobe Photoshop Elements. I edit RAW files from my Canon 7D. When Adobe apps edit a RAW file they generate an XMP that stores the edits externally, rather than changing the actual RAW file. But then when I open th… --- ## [Is there a name for this brassy vocal sound?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-name-for-this-brassy-vocal-sound/538445)
**Author:** [@thirdname](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thirdname)\ **Replies:** 10\ **Last updated:** [October 29, 2020, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-name-for-this-brassy-vocal-sound/538445 "2020-10-29T01:26:50Z")
Sometimes a singer will sort of grunt and make a sound that resembles a trombone or something like that. This isn’t the best example because it’s short, but Bjork does this at 2:59 and 3:03. Is there a name for this? … --- ## [Why did my doggie lick the air when I scratched her tail?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-my-doggie-lick-the-air-when-i-scratched-her-tail/924142)
**Author:** [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Replies:** 3\ **Last updated:** [October 28, 2020, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-my-doggie-lick-the-air-when-i-scratched-her-tail/924142 "2020-10-28T23:48:10Z")
I’ve been missing my doggie, who has been dead for more than 15 years now. One thing I recalled is something she would do very frequently. When she was lying down and indicating that she wanted to be scratched, when I g… --- ## [Another wiring question: could I splice a neutral wire from a power socket for the SMART light switch?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-wiring-question-could-i-splice-a-neutral-wire-from-a-power-socket-for-the-smart-light-switch/923654)
**Author:** [@garysoh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garysoh)\ **Replies:** 18\ **Last updated:** [October 28, 2020, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-wiring-question-could-i-splice-a-neutral-wire-from-a-power-socket-for-the-smart-light-switch/923654 "2020-10-28T23:42:23Z")
The power socket is just next to the light switch. As with most people, the light switch does not have a neutral wire. Could I just splice the neutral from the adjacent (literally just next to it) for the light switch … --- ## [Do All Animals Get An Adjective? (e.g. feline, bovine, canine...)](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-all-animals-get-an-adjective-e-g-feline-bovine-canine/447180)
**Author:** [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Replies:** 63\ **Last updated:** [October 28, 2020, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-all-animals-get-an-adjective-e-g-feline-bovine-canine/447180 "2020-10-28T17:49:40Z")
Many animals have an adjective attached to them that means “like this animal.” For instance, if someone exhibited a grace you would associate with a cat, you might call it “feline.” A man of extremely impressive size a… --- ## [What is the source for the recently popular Mark Twain quote.](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-source-for-the-recently-popular-mark-twain-quote/580562)
**Author:** [@WarmNPrickly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WarmNPrickly)\ **Replies:** 28\ **Last updated:** [October 28, 2020, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-source-for-the-recently-popular-mark-twain-quote/580562 "2020-10-28T16:43:29Z")
“I’ve never wished a man dead, but I have read some obituaries with great pleasure.” - Mark Twain Ever since Sunday, I have seen this quote attributed to Mark Twain. I’m unable to find an original source for it. One p… --- ## [Pneumatic formula?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pneumatic-formula/924045)
**Author:** [@HoneyBadgerDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HoneyBadgerDC)\ **Replies:** 8\ **Last updated:** [October 28, 2020, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pneumatic-formula/924045 "2020-10-28T16:04:57Z")
Not sure how I could state the formula so I will just give the problem. Suppose I have a pneumatic cyl and piston with a 24" stroke, say the cyl is 4" ID. I am trying to figure out a way to calculate the size of a relie… --- ## [How much money does a TV network in a swing state make in an election?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-money-does-a-tv-network-in-a-swing-state-make-in-an-election/924074)
**Author:** [@Fiendish\_Astronaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiendish_Astronaut)\ **Replies:** 2\ **Last updated:** [October 28, 2020, 8:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-money-does-a-tv-network-in-a-swing-state-make-in-an-election/924074 "2020-10-28T08:57:50Z")
Just looking at the election spending in the swing states is insane. How does this skew the media landscape and are there networks who make all their profit during election time (like a store that only makes its profits … --- ## [Using reflexive pronouns after mentioning a group to which you belong](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/using-reflexive-pronouns-after-mentioning-a-group-to-which-you-belong/924051)
**Author:** [@CardboardBoxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CardboardBoxx)\ **Replies:** 14\ **Last updated:** [October 28, 2020, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/using-reflexive-pronouns-after-mentioning-a-group-to-which-you-belong/924051 "2020-10-28T03:37:06Z")
First to head this off at the pass: I know that some people believe that grammar is arbitrary or is constantly changing so roll with it whatever. This is not the thread to discuss this. Assume I’m on the red team. “Me… --- ## [Weird fonts, boldface, and italics in email subject lines?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-fonts-boldface-and-italics-in-email-subject-lines/924043)
**Author:** [@Tripler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tripler)\ **Replies:** 4\ **Last updated:** [October 28, 2020, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-fonts-boldface-and-italics-in-email-subject-lines/924043 "2020-10-28T02:47:58Z")
I have a Hotmail account, and I have been noticing over the course of a year or so, a lot of emails coming into my Hotmail inbox have some funky font characteristics in the subject line. Normally, these go to the Junk E… --- ## [Do animals with longer than average tails](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-animals-with-longer-than-average-tails/923729)
**Author:** [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Replies:** 8\ **Last updated:** [October 27, 2020, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-animals-with-longer-than-average-tails/923729 "2020-10-27T23:54:37Z")
…have more vertebrae than typical for their species, or longer than typical vertebrae? --- ## [What are these weird holes near Area 51?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-these-weird-holes-near-area-51/923896)
**Author:** [@therealhoax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/therealhoax)\ **Replies:** 32\ **Last updated:** [October 27, 2020, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-these-weird-holes-near-area-51/923896 "2020-10-27T16:58:34Z")
In these screenshots I took from Google Maps you can see they seem to open and close. I’ve seen conspiracy theory types claim they are secret tunnel entrances. I don’t believe that but they are odd. They are Southwest… --- ## [Explain this bizarre ISP behavior](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-this-bizarre-isp-behavior/923843)
**Author:** [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Replies:** 16\ **Last updated:** [October 27, 2020, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-this-bizarre-isp-behavior/923843 "2020-10-27T15:38:15Z")
The ISP is Xfinity. I don’t own the account, my landlord does. About 7 a.m., trying to access a large number of internet sites returns an error that the internet is down. But not all. The straightdope does not, thankful… --- ## [ISBN-scanning home inventory system?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/isbn-scanning-home-inventory-system/923827)
**Author:** [@xanthous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xanthous)\ **Replies:** 27\ **Last updated:** [October 27, 2020, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/isbn-scanning-home-inventory-system/923827 "2020-10-27T15:18:46Z")
We have a freezer full of stuff, and I have a manual written list (using a list app) for keeping track of it all. Due to the manual nature of it we only use it for keeping track of meat/seafood, and it has its pros/cons. … --- ## [Could a US president use an executive order to ban direct-to-consumer advertising?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-a-us-president-use-an-executive-order-to-ban-direct-to-consumer-advertising/840812)
**Author:** [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Replies:** 19\ **Last updated:** [October 27, 2020, 6:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-a-us-president-use-an-executive-order-to-ban-direct-to-consumer-advertising/840812 "2020-10-27T06:38:04Z")
That I’m aware of the US and New Zealand are the only countries where direct-to-consumer TV advertising of pharmaceuticals, of a prescription kind anyway, are legal. In the US pharmaceutical companies spend a lot more mo… --- ## [Clearing space on C drive](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clearing-space-on-c-drive/923697)
**Author:** [@Gary\_T](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_T)\ **Replies:** 25\ **Last updated:** [October 26, 2020, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clearing-space-on-c-drive/923697 "2020-10-26T23:01:15Z")
I’ve gotten the warning that I’m very low on disc space. It shows 120mb free out of 111gb. I’ve googled to find what to do but it hasn’t really helped. Many of the procedures say go \[this folder\] and do something, but th… --- ## ["Doctor", not "the doctor"](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-not-the-doctor/923427)
**Author:** [@E-DUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-DUB)\ **Replies:** 63\ **Last updated:** [October 26, 2020, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-not-the-doctor/923427 "2020-10-26T23:00:19Z")
I’ve noticed this at my dentist, at the vet, and at other medical offices. The support staff refers to the doctor as “doctor” rather than “the doctor”, as in “Let’s see what doctor has to say about that.” Is there some… --- ## [2019 Subaru Outback 12V, Amps, Wattage, and Power Invertor](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2019-subaru-outback-12v-amps-wattage-and-power-invertor/923651)
**Author:** [@Madam\_Librarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Madam_Librarian)\ **Replies:** 16\ **Last updated:** [October 26, 2020, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2019-subaru-outback-12v-amps-wattage-and-power-invertor/923651 "2020-10-26T22:28:03Z")
Hello! I thought I could figure this out, but I need some help. I’ve purchased a 150w power invertor to run some LED lights (I’ve calculated I only need about 60w) through the cigarette lighter 12v power socket. I thou… --- ## [Why do indexes have "see..." instead of just giving the page number](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-indexes-have-see-instead-of-just-giving-the-page-number/922939)
**Author:** [@Buck\_Godot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buck_Godot)\ **Replies:** 40\ **Last updated:** [October 26, 2020, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-indexes-have-see-instead-of-just-giving-the-page-number/922939 "2020-10-26T20:08:43Z")
Often times when I look up things in an index I see something like the following Green beans see Beans, Green I then have to flip back to the category of Beans and go down to Green and find that its on page 27. Why d… --- ## [How can you check Gmail without altering your phone's setup?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-you-check-gmail-without-altering-your-phones-setup/923904)
**Author:** [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Replies:** 6\ **Last updated:** [October 26, 2020, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-you-check-gmail-without-altering-your-phones-setup/923904 "2020-10-26T18:10:46Z")
My mom was away from home and her pc. She wanted to login and check her email on my Android phone. Everytime I opened Chrome and Gmail sign in, it automatically loaded my Gmail. I don’t want to permanently add my mom’s … --- ## [Global helium shortage](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/global-helium-shortage/923423)
**Author:** [@Cardigan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cardigan)\ **Replies:** 82\ **Last updated:** [October 26, 2020, 12:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/global-helium-shortage/923423 "2020-10-26T12:05:12Z")
Several years ago I recall hearing about how there was (is) a worldwide shortage of helium gas. I’d always heard that helium is the second most common element in the universe. Apparently not on earth, though. My question… --- ## [What are these strange holes near Area 51?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-these-strange-holes-near-area-51/923895)
**Author:** [@90lbwuss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/90lbwuss)\ **Replies:** 0\ **Last updated:** [October 26, 2020, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-these-strange-holes-near-area-51/923895 "2020-10-26T02:59:02Z")
(topic withdrawn by author, will be automatically deleted in 876000 hours unless flagged) --- ## [Max File Size for Excel Spreadsheet?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/max-file-size-for-excel-spreadsheet/923602)
**Author:** [@Ptolomy57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ptolomy57)\ **Replies:** 15\ **Last updated:** [October 26, 2020, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/max-file-size-for-excel-spreadsheet/923602 "2020-10-26T00:59:17Z")
My program manager wants a comprehensive spreadsheet to track all aspects of a program, ie: the kitchen sink. This includes the embedding of pdf files in the spreadsheet, although I have not personally seen this done (ot… --- ## [Question about the Speyer Diet of 1529](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-the-speyer-diet-of-1529/923881)
**Author:** [@Octagon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Octagon)\ **Replies:** 2\ **Last updated:** [October 26, 2020, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-the-speyer-diet-of-1529/923881 "2020-10-26T00:58:02Z")
Did five or as other sources (eg. Wikipedia) six princes and 14 Imperial Free Cities protest the ban on Martin Luther declared by the Diet of Worms after Luther’s trial in 1521? I have read quite a few sources from some… --- ## [Did Martin Luther walk from Wittenberg to Worms?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-martin-luther-walk-from-wittenberg-to-worms/923776)
**Author:** [@Octagon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Octagon)\ **Replies:** 5\ **Last updated:** [October 26, 2020, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-martin-luther-walk-from-wittenberg-to-worms/923776 "2020-10-26T00:01:49Z")
Did Martin Luther walk from Wittenberg to Worms ? I haven’t been able to find any information specifying how to travelled to the Diet of Worms in 1521. --- ## [What is the name of the profession of creating factories/production lines?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-name-of-the-profession-of-creating-factories-production-lines/922944)
**Author:** [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Replies:** 44\ **Last updated:** [October 25, 2020, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-name-of-the-profession-of-creating-factories-production-lines/922944 "2020-10-25T22:21:28Z")
I’m fascinated by production lines, where stuff goes in one end and new stuff comes out the other end. I’m familiar with the engineering that goes in to inventing each machine, and the computer programming that goes in t… --- ## [Do Xiaomi phones like Redmi Note 9, etc., have the Google Play store?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-xiaomi-phones-like-redmi-note-9-etc-have-the-google-play-store/923785)
**Author:** [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Replies:** 3\ **Last updated:** [October 25, 2020, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-xiaomi-phones-like-redmi-note-9-etc-have-the-google-play-store/923785 "2020-10-25T18:22:39Z")
My wife’s phone is heading towards forced obsolescence. It’s a Huawei Honor 6X. We have had nothing but positive experiences with Huawei, but with them losing Google Apps and Google Play Store, it pretty much is not an o… --- ## [Are there any humans whose remains are not on Earth?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-humans-whose-remains-are-not-on-earth/923660)
**Author:** [@Schnitte](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Schnitte)\ **Replies:** 34\ **Last updated:** [October 25, 2020, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-humans-whose-remains-are-not-on-earth/923660 "2020-10-25T13:18:52Z")
The question is inspired by this article discussing an iconic photo of the Apollo 11 lunar lander on its way back to the orbital rendezvous with the command module; Earth is rising in the background. It claims that the p… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/c/factual-questions/9.md?page=321) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/c/factual-questions/9.md?page=323)