# Factual Questions **URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/c/factual-questions/9.md?page=329 [Latest](https://boards.straightdope.com/latest.md) · [Categories](https://boards.straightdope.com/categories.md) · [Tags](https://boards.straightdope.com/tags.md) **Page:** 330 --- ## [Spinoza quote "Stop praying and punching yourself in the chest!" - accurate?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spinoza-quote-stop-praying-and-punching-yourself-in-the-chest-accurate/921591)
**Author:** [@zoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoid)\ **Replies:** 3\ **Last updated:** [September 26, 2020, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spinoza-quote-stop-praying-and-punching-yourself-in-the-chest-accurate/921591 "2020-09-26T23:36:55Z")
There’s a long quite going around attributed to Baruch Spinoza that, at least to me doesn’t sound like Spinoza - here’s a longer snippet… God would have said: Stop praying and punching yourself in the chest! What I wa… --- ## [Question about Zillow.com/Trulia.com](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-zillow-com-trulia-com/921615)
**Author:** [@deutschebag](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/deutschebag)\ **Replies:** 1\ **Last updated:** [September 26, 2020, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-zillow-com-trulia-com/921615 "2020-09-26T21:04:20Z")
I bought a house a few years back from a person who had another house (his primary house) several towns away. After the transaction concluded back in 2017, the house was listed as “recently sold” on Zillow: Real Estate,… --- ## [Intervals of a Function](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/intervals-of-a-function/921325)
**Author:** [@Ptolomy57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ptolomy57)\ **Replies:** 13\ **Last updated:** [September 26, 2020, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/intervals-of-a-function/921325 "2020-09-26T14:06:55Z")
Simple question, but my son has a good argument: How do you answer his question? Suppose you had the line y=x and you are asked to express the interval in which x is positive. I would merely say without a doubt that 0 \> … --- ## [Li-ion energy storage: 4 hour limit](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/li-ion-energy-storage-4-hour-limit/921580)
**Author:** [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Replies:** 1\ **Last updated:** [September 26, 2020, 11:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/li-ion-energy-storage-4-hour-limit/921580 "2020-09-26T11:50:59Z")
I read a fair amount (OK, actually a lot) of stuff about renewable energy and related topics. One thing that I frequently encounter is that grid-scale Li-ion batteries have a limit of 4 hours of use. Or charge or somethi… --- ## ["This Coupon is worth 1/20 of 1 cent." Does anyone actually redeem coupons for cash?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-coupon-is-worth-1-20-of-1-cent-does-anyone-actually-redeem-coupons-for-cash/473817)
**Author:** [@shallora](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shallora)\ **Replies:** 5\ **Last updated:** [November 22, 2008, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-coupon-is-worth-1-20-of-1-cent-does-anyone-actually-redeem-coupons-for-cash/473817 "2008-11-22T03:02:10Z")
I got a coupon in the mail from retailer X the other day. “Special 20% off all purchases of $200 or more by Dec. 31” See reverse side for details. So I actually read the details on back. And at the end it said: “This … --- ## [Amazon scam I'm not familiar with](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazon-scam-im-not-familiar-with/921062)
**Author:** [@Polarity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polarity)\ **Replies:** 11\ **Last updated:** [September 26, 2020, 9:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazon-scam-im-not-familiar-with/921062 "2020-09-26T09:08:38Z")
Can anyone provide clarification on this? Any experience? A week ago my wife got an email saying her amazon order had shipped. It was about 50 dollars worth of hair clips. She never placed this order. When she checked “… --- ## [Bus-sized asteroid strikes earth -- effects?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bus-sized-asteroid-strikes-earth-effects/921440)
**Author:** [@gytalf2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gytalf2000)\ **Replies:** 19\ **Last updated:** [September 26, 2020, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bus-sized-asteroid-strikes-earth-effects/921440 "2020-09-26T02:43:56Z")
If an asteroid was roughly the size of a bus at the time it impacted the earth’s surface, what would be the effect? Let’s say it struck a good-sized city. What would that be like? --- ## [579 characters for a Facebook link?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/579-characters-for-a-facebook-link/921517)
**Author:** [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Replies:** 3\ **Last updated:** [September 25, 2020, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/579-characters-for-a-facebook-link/921517 "2020-09-25T22:18:05Z")
Remember when a short URL was worth a battle and millions of dollars? My wife sent me a Facebook link that contained 579 characters, more than 500 of them nothing but hex garbage. What is their purpose? I assume they’r… --- ## [How does a Hispanic person answer the Race question on the 2020 US Census form?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-a-hispanic-person-answer-the-race-question-on-the-2020-us-census-form/921463)
**Author:** [@jebert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jebert)\ **Replies:** 14\ **Last updated:** [September 25, 2020, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-a-hispanic-person-answer-the-race-question-on-the-2020-us-census-form/921463 "2020-09-25T16:43:35Z")
The US Census form asks an ethnicity question: Hispanic OR Non-Hispanic. It then asks a race question: White OR Black/African American OR American Indian/Alaskan Native OR 7 Asian categories OR 4 Pacific Islander categ… --- ## [Does inhaled pumice turn into concrete in the lungs?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-inhaled-pumice-turn-into-concrete-in-the-lungs/921327)
**Author:** [@Octagon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Octagon)\ **Replies:** 13\ **Last updated:** [September 25, 2020, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-inhaled-pumice-turn-into-concrete-in-the-lungs/921327 "2020-09-25T15:08:49Z")
Does inhaled pumice turn into concrete in the lungs? I remember hearing the narrator of a film on the eruption of Tambora state that inhaled pumice/pumicite formed concrete in the lungs. I could not find any such statem… --- ## [What's with all the dilapidated/abandonded buildings in Los Angeles?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-all-the-dilapidated-abandonded-buildings-in-los-angeles/921281)
**Author:** [@Asuka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asuka)\ **Replies:** 29\ **Last updated:** [September 25, 2020, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-all-the-dilapidated-abandonded-buildings-in-los-angeles/921281 "2020-09-25T13:34:44Z")
Driving through Los Angeles all the time (though I don’t live there, but I travel to it often enough for family/event) it’s shocking to see the amount of dilapidated commercial buildings or even commercial buildings that… --- ## [Checks mailed by the bank](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/checks-mailed-by-the-bank/921333)
**Author:** [@Fotheringay-Phipps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fotheringay-Phipps)\ **Replies:** 9\ **Last updated:** [September 25, 2020, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/checks-mailed-by-the-bank/921333 "2020-09-25T02:04:00Z")
I know BOA has this but I assume other banks do too. Basically, you can tell the bank to pay so-and-so such-and-such amount, and if they have some sort of banking arrangement with that person or entity, then they transfe… --- ## [Can mars ever be the closest planet to the earth?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-mars-ever-be-the-closest-planet-to-the-earth/921272)
**Author:** [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)\ **Replies:** 14\ **Last updated:** [September 24, 2020, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-mars-ever-be-the-closest-planet-to-the-earth/921272 "2020-09-24T18:14:17Z")
Both Venus and Mercury can be the closest planet depending on the orbit (Mercury is actually the closer for longer one, though Venus gets closest). But can Mars ever be the closest? --- ## [Flag Origami](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flag-origami/921208)
**Author:** [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Replies:** 8\ **Last updated:** [September 24, 2020, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flag-origami/921208 "2020-09-24T14:03:51Z")
Which countries have a specific method for folding their national flag and what are those methods? --- ## [Using Zoom and CPU power](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/using-zoom-and-cpu-power/920774)
**Author:** [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)\ **Replies:** 13\ **Last updated:** [September 24, 2020, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/using-zoom-and-cpu-power/920774 "2020-09-24T13:45:57Z")
I use a Mac Mini late 2012. 2.3 GHz Intel Core i7. 16 GB 1333 MHz DDR3 RAM. Does just fine for what I need. That said, when using Zoom, it does not have the video card “crunch” to fully embed an artificial background. … --- ## [Information about a company wanted](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/information-about-a-company-wanted/921397)
**Author:** [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Replies:** 2\ **Last updated:** [September 24, 2020, 9:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/information-about-a-company-wanted/921397 "2020-09-24T09:58:48Z")
I’m looking for info on a company called Sparbi, address, address 400 w Peachtree Street NW, Atlanta, GA. When did it come into existence, what do people say about it etc. --- ## [What causes people to toss and turn while trying to fall asleep?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-causes-people-to-toss-and-turn-while-trying-to-fall-asleep/921200)
**Author:** [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Replies:** 11\ **Last updated:** [September 24, 2020, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-causes-people-to-toss-and-turn-while-trying-to-fall-asleep/921200 "2020-09-24T00:15:26Z")
This turned out to be too hard to google because most articles about “tossing and turning” are actually about insomnia, so they answer why do people have insomnia. I know why I have insomnia. I have ADHD and a huge perc… --- ## [Challenger disaster question about O-rings](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/challenger-disaster-question-about-o-rings/921240)
**Author:** [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Replies:** 32\ **Last updated:** [September 23, 2020, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/challenger-disaster-question-about-o-rings/921240 "2020-09-23T23:35:14Z")
Watching the new documentary on Netflix ., I have to ask DId no one think to test the O-rings response to cold weather in the decade and a half between the authorization of the Shuttle in 1972 and the Challenger flight?… --- ## [Differences between lying in Honor, In State and In Repose](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/differences-between-lying-in-honor-in-state-and-in-repose/921305)
**Author:** [@Si\_Amigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Si_Amigo)\ **Replies:** 13\ **Last updated:** [September 23, 2020, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/differences-between-lying-in-honor-in-state-and-in-repose/921305 "2020-09-23T20:21:51Z")
I was just watching Good Morning America and they mentioned that RGB would be lying in State at the Supreme Court and then taken to the House where she would be lying in Repose. They also mentioned that Rosa Parks laid … --- ## [Viewmaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/viewmaster/921218)
**Author:** [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Replies:** 8\ **Last updated:** [September 23, 2020, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/viewmaster/921218 "2020-09-23T15:52:43Z")
Is there a list available of every Viewmaster disc? I would like to know how many movies, cartoons and tv series have been depicted on those discs. --- ## [What is the logo on this t-shirt Paul Walker wore in 2 Fast 2 Furious?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-logo-on-this-t-shirt-paul-walker-wore-in-2-fast-2-furious/921035)
**Author:** [@Aeschines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aeschines)\ **Replies:** 16\ **Last updated:** [September 23, 2020, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-logo-on-this-t-shirt-paul-walker-wore-in-2-fast-2-furious/921035 "2020-09-23T15:44:13Z")
Pic: My google-fu was unable to tell me what company/thing this logo is for. Anybody know? Thanks! --- ## [What are mules and donkeys good for?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-mules-and-donkeys-good-for/920144)
**Author:** [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Replies:** 94\ **Last updated:** [September 23, 2020, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-mules-and-donkeys-good-for/920144 "2020-09-23T14:08:21Z")
I sort of know the difference between a mule, a donkey and an ass, but am under the impression that mules and donkeys don’t occur in nature and are the deliberate product of breeders. Are there farm tasks where a smaller… --- ## [Presidential authority to ban TikTok](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/presidential-authority-to-ban-tiktok/921002)
**Author:** [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Replies:** 2\ **Last updated:** [September 19, 2020, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/presidential-authority-to-ban-tiktok/921002 "2020-09-19T16:33:00Z")
What is the legal authority by which the president can order private companies to stop offering a particular product? All indications are that they will comply but what penalties could they face if they didn’t, by author… --- ## [How much developable land is left in the US?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-developable-land-is-left-in-the-us/921144)
**Author:** [@Ashtura](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ashtura)\ **Replies:** 26\ **Last updated:** [September 23, 2020, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-developable-land-is-left-in-the-us/921144 "2020-09-23T04:07:17Z")
I have observed flying over the US, that there are seemingly endless swaths of… nothing. No signs of any human development whatsoever. I’m going to keep “developable” opened ended. Basically land that could be used fo… --- ## [Is there a way to do closed captioning in video conferencing applications?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-do-closed-captioning-in-video-conferencing-applications/921265)
**Author:** [@DoctorPurple](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DoctorPurple)\ **Replies:** 2\ **Last updated:** [September 22, 2020, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-do-closed-captioning-in-video-conferencing-applications/921265 "2020-09-22T23:42:43Z")
Is there a way to do closed captioning in video conferencing applications? I’m looking for a way to turn on (live) closed captioning in a video conferencing application. Does anybody know of such a feature in any video… --- ## [How to pronounce the name of Holger Martin, German professor, 1942-2016](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-pronounce-the-name-of-holger-martin-german-professor-1942-2016/921141)
**Author:** [@Napier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Napier)\ **Replies:** 11\ **Last updated:** [September 22, 2020, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-pronounce-the-name-of-holger-martin-german-professor-1942-2016/921141 "2020-09-22T17:45:39Z")
How should I pronounce the name “Holger” be pronounced? Holger Martin was a German engineering professor who lived 1942-2016. Would the “g” be hard or soft? Is the rest of the pronunciation as we American English speake… --- ## [General Aviation: Retrofitting An Old Model With Modern Avionics](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/general-aviation-retrofitting-an-old-model-with-modern-avionics/921084)
**Author:** [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Replies:** 8\ **Last updated:** [September 22, 2020, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/general-aviation-retrofitting-an-old-model-with-modern-avionics/921084 "2020-09-22T00:04:42Z")
In this video, a couple is flying a Cessna 310, a model that went out of production in 1980. However, the avionics on this machine are obviously 21st Century - witness the touch-screen whatever in the middle of his dashb… --- ## [Poker odds question #](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poker-odds-question/921106)
**Author:** [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Replies:** 9\ **Last updated:** [September 21, 2020, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poker-odds-question/921106 "2020-09-21T22:34:12Z")
I just played in an online Texas Hold’em tournament. An extraordinary event happened. In the space of four consecutive hands, I got pocket aces three times. What are the odds against this? What are the odds of this … --- ## [Car Seat Physics](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-seat-physics/921036)
**Author:** [@Surreal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Surreal)\ **Replies:** 9\ **Last updated:** [September 21, 2020, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-seat-physics/921036 "2020-09-21T20:39:37Z")
As I understand it, in the US it is advised that children weighing less than 40 lbs should be seated in a rear-facing car seat and those weighing less than 22 lbs must always be placed in a rear-facing car seat. However,… --- ## [Last known surviving Nazi Party member?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/last-known-surviving-nazi-party-member/920222)
**Author:** [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Replies:** 3\ **Last updated:** [September 21, 2020, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/last-known-surviving-nazi-party-member/920222 "2020-09-21T18:57:37Z")
It’s been 75 years since Hitler ate a bullet; even members of the Hitler Youth and League of German Girls are over 80. When did the last full fledged member of the Nazi Party die (or is one still alive)? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/c/factual-questions/9.md?page=328) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/c/factual-questions/9.md?page=330)