# Factual Questions **URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/c/factual-questions/9.md?page=372 [Latest](https://boards.straightdope.com/latest.md) · [Categories](https://boards.straightdope.com/categories.md) · [Tags](https://boards.straightdope.com/tags.md) **Page:** 373 --- ## [German question](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/german-question/848859)
**Author:** [@davidmich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidmich)\ **Replies:** 19\ **Last updated:** [April 17, 2020, 12:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/german-question/848859 "2020-04-17T12:06:52Z")
Hi Ich stellte den Stuhl auf den Boden vor die Tür/vor der Tür. Does the accusative case still apply to vor…Tür or only to aux…Boden? What is the rule when it comes to sequences of prepositional phrasing? I’m actively… --- ## [Calculating return on investment for investing partial loan amount?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/calculating-return-on-investment-for-investing-partial-loan-amount/806592)
**Author:** [@numcle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/numcle)\ **Replies:** 5\ **Last updated:** [January 14, 2018, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/calculating-return-on-investment-for-investing-partial-loan-amount/806592 "2018-01-14T18:50:13Z")
Let us say someone has $4000 in credit card dept. This person gets an unsecured personal loan with the following terms: Principal: $5000 Interest rate: 10% Number payments: 36 Payments: $161.34 Total interest paid o… --- ## [Do modern American Christian churches have official positions on the salvation of Jews?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-modern-american-christian-churches-have-official-positions-on-the-salvation-of-jews/826015)
**Author:** [@brossa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brossa)\ **Replies:** 85\ **Last updated:** [April 17, 2020, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-modern-american-christian-churches-have-official-positions-on-the-salvation-of-jews/826015 "2020-04-17T03:39:01Z")
Belief in Jesus as the son of God and part of the Trinity seems to be a prerequisite for eternal salvation in most Christian faiths. On the face of it, this would seem to exclude Jews, who do not share that belief. Histo… --- ## [Woman on Maury claimed her two year old son has a huge penis... Is that physically possible?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-on-maury-claimed-her-two-year-old-son-has-a-huge-penis-is-that-physically-possible/851876)
**Author:** [@Asuka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asuka)\ **Replies:** 16\ **Last updated:** [April 16, 2020, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-on-maury-claimed-her-two-year-old-son-has-a-huge-penis-is-that-physically-possible/851876 "2020-04-16T22:57:40Z")
In quarantine watching the trashiness of trashy TV Maury doing one of his “You’re Not the Father!” segments. The segment started off normal enough, woman with two year old child wanting to do a paternity test on a man sh… --- ## [Math Question on Unemployment Insurance](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/math-question-on-unemployment-insurance/851941)
**Author:** [@gdave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gdave)\ **Replies:** 2\ **Last updated:** [April 16, 2020, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/math-question-on-unemployment-insurance/851941 "2020-04-16T22:16:54Z")
I’m trying to de-convolute my state’s unemployment insurance benefit policies, and I’m not quite able to wrap my head around the necessary math. In my state, the weekly benefit is effectively half of your average pay ov… --- ## [Chernobyl/RBMK Design: Why were the Soviets so reluctant to fix?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chernobyl-rbmk-design-why-were-the-soviets-so-reluctant-to-fix/851811)
**Author:** [@smiling\_bandit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smiling_bandit)\ **Replies:** 7\ **Last updated:** [April 16, 2020, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chernobyl-rbmk-design-why-were-the-soviets-so-reluctant-to-fix/851811 "2020-04-16T16:20:01Z")
I apologize if I have misinformation, but after watching Chernobyl and doing no more research than a few web searches, it seems that the late Soviet Union was weirdly fixated on NOT fixing the RBMK reactor design. This w… --- ## [Water filter issue](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/water-filter-issue/851892)
**Author:** [@markn\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/markn_1)\ **Replies:** 2\ **Last updated:** [April 16, 2020, 11:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/water-filter-issue/851892 "2020-04-16T11:11:31Z")
I have an under sink reverse osmosis water filter like this. My cold water line has a tee that sends one side to the cold faucet and the other side to the inlet of the filter. It goes through 5 filters: sediment filter, … --- ## [Looking for a German word/expression](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-german-word-expression/851906)
**Author:** [@davidmich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidmich)\ **Replies:** 4\ **Last updated:** [April 16, 2020, 11:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-german-word-expression/851906 "2020-04-16T11:03:45Z")
Hi How do you express melted tire thread tracks. I’ve read police reports in German. I’ve only found Reifenspuren. But what about melted rubber/tire thread tracks? I look forward to your feedback. --- ## [Why can't Congress prevent Trump from adding his name to the memo line of the stimulus checks?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-congress-prevent-trump-from-adding-his-name-to-the-memo-line-of-the-stimulus-checks/851888)
**Author:** [@davidmich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidmich)\ **Replies:** 9\ **Last updated:** [April 16, 2020, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-congress-prevent-trump-from-adding-his-name-to-the-memo-line-of-the-stimulus-checks/851888 "2020-04-16T03:33:56Z")
Hi Why can’t Congress prevent Trump from adding his name to the memo line of the stimulus checks? I have’t read anything to state why Trump can’t be prevented from doing so? I look forward to your feedback. --- ## [Access to criminal backgrounds in Ontario](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/access-to-criminal-backgrounds-in-ontario/851795)
**Author:** [@blood63](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blood63)\ **Replies:** 9\ **Last updated:** [April 15, 2020, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/access-to-criminal-backgrounds-in-ontario/851795 "2020-04-15T21:46:26Z")
Who has access to criminal background information in Ontario? Here and in most places, criminal court proceedings are usually public and I or anyone can sit in. Why then is it difficult to obtain trial transcripts or a… --- ## [Do instacart returns get charged to the driver?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-instacart-returns-get-charged-to-the-driver/851868)
**Author:** [@Damuri\_Ajashi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Damuri_Ajashi)\ **Replies:** 1\ **Last updated:** [April 15, 2020, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-instacart-returns-get-charged-to-the-driver/851868 "2020-04-15T20:20:46Z")
I just got a Costco delivery and I received regula milk instead of lactaid. I specified that I do not want a replacement if lactaid was not available. I reported the discrepancy and they gave me a refund. This got me … --- ## [How are Pakistan - Bangladesh relations?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-are-pakistan-bangladesh-relations/851679)
**Author:** [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Replies:** 5\ **Last updated:** [April 15, 2020, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-are-pakistan-bangladesh-relations/851679 "2020-04-15T16:20:35Z")
It’s been about 40 years since East Pakistan broke away from West Pakistan to become Bangladesh. How are relations between the two countries now? Deep freeze? Two countries in same region so they have to work together… --- ## [Design of Lawnmowers](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/design-of-lawnmowers/851701)
**Author:** [@Temporary\_Name](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Temporary_Name)\ **Replies:** 15\ **Last updated:** [April 15, 2020, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/design-of-lawnmowers/851701 "2020-04-15T15:59:09Z")
Design of Lawnmowers: Having to go from a twenty-two inch cutting deck to a nineteen inch cutting deck recently, I started to wonder why standard size for walk behind mowers is roughly two feet. For some it might be ge… --- ## [Animals "Recognizing" footprints](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/animals-recognizing-footprints/851849)
**Author:** [@Sdowiat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sdowiat)\ **Replies:** 2\ **Last updated:** [April 15, 2020, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/animals-recognizing-footprints/851849 "2020-04-15T13:07:47Z")
Do you know of ANY animal who can recognize a footprint ( without smell ) for what it is and know that it means some type of animal has gone that way? I don’t know of any… and that seems odd to me. I would think that… --- ## [how common is knowing a great-great grandparent?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-common-is-knowing-a-great-great-grandparent/549786)
**Author:** [@rogerbox](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rogerbox)\ **Replies:** 57\ **Last updated:** [April 15, 2020, 12:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-common-is-knowing-a-great-great-grandparent/549786 "2020-04-15T12:22:40Z")
I remember my great great grandma when I was a little boy. At one time i lived with my grandmother, her mother, and her mother’s mother all at the same time. The reason I ask, is because sometimes I have gotten that, p… --- ## [How hard is it to install a new garage door lifter?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-hard-is-it-to-install-a-new-garage-door-lifter/824723)
**Author:** [@wolfman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfman)\ **Replies:** 18\ **Last updated:** [November 21, 2018, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-hard-is-it-to-install-a-new-garage-door-lifter/824723 "2018-11-21T20:08:42Z")
My garage door is FUBARed I guess. It started being really flighty a couple months ago. Stopping decent randomly and going back up. It got worse and worse until it wouldn’t go down at all. The the LED on the beam started… --- ## [The business equivalent of PubMed?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-business-equivalent-of-pubmed/851749)
**Author:** [@WaitThatShouldntWork](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WaitThatShouldntWork)\ **Replies:** 9\ **Last updated:** [April 15, 2020, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-business-equivalent-of-pubmed/851749 "2020-04-15T04:10:17Z")
I’m trying to create an automated reasoning system and need a load of documents to text mine and build a dataset. There is ample reliable sources In medicine - PubMed for example, but I’m struggling to find the equivila… --- ## [How often, and for what positions, are there elections in various countries?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-and-for-what-positions-are-there-elections-in-various-countries/851757)
**Author:** [@naita](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/naita)\ **Replies:** 19\ **Last updated:** [April 15, 2020, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-and-for-what-positions-are-there-elections-in-various-countries/851757 "2020-04-15T04:04:31Z")
Currently I can only vote absentee in Norwegian national elections, but when I lived in Norway I could vote twice in every four year period. Once for a party list for parliament (with the ability to modify the list, whi… --- ## [Found this on my land.](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/found-this-on-my-land/851726)
**Author:** [@Kitwick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kitwick)\ **Replies:** 14\ **Last updated:** [April 15, 2020, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/found-this-on-my-land/851726 "2020-04-15T03:53:44Z")
https://i.ibb.co/FwT4RSG/20200413-160259.jpg So I found this plant on my land back behind my barn that is really old and wondering if it is what I think it is --- ## [Quick tax question: IRA contributions...](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-tax-question-ira-contributions/851667)
**Author:** [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Replies:** 16\ **Last updated:** [April 15, 2020, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-tax-question-ira-contributions/851667 "2020-04-15T03:49:56Z")
TurboTax (and various websites) are telling me I can reduce my taxes owed by contributing to my IRA. But money for both a traditional and Roth IRA are already deducted from my paycheck every two weeks, and I’m fairly su… --- ## [Question about using Tab Groups in Chrome.](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-using-tab-groups-in-chrome/851720)
**Author:** [@dougrb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dougrb)\ **Replies:** 6\ **Last updated:** [April 15, 2020, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-using-tab-groups-in-chrome/851720 "2020-04-15T02:05:18Z")
I have five weather related tabs that I added to a tab group called “Weather”. The five tabs are still on the tab bar along with an extra tab called Weather. Didn’t reduce clutter like articles I have read said. Now, if … --- ## [If I were small enough to stand on a virus...](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-i-were-small-enough-to-stand-on-a-virus/851776)
**Author:** [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Replies:** 18\ **Last updated:** [April 14, 2020, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-i-were-small-enough-to-stand-on-a-virus/851776 "2020-04-14T22:22:36Z")
Let’s get small. So small we could stand on the surface of one of them COVID19 viruses and be as tall as one of the spiky things. Can I see individual atoms yet, or do I have to get really small for that? --- ## [Black bar repeatedly appears on screen](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-bar-repeatedly-appears-on-screen/851659)
**Author:** [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Replies:** 6\ **Last updated:** [April 14, 2020, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-bar-repeatedly-appears-on-screen/851659 "2020-04-14T21:38:22Z")
I periodically get a black bar on my screen. As you can see, it is included in a screen capture so it is not a problem in the monitor. It always happens in the same place. It clears if I do a reboot, or sometimes will ju… --- ## [Why hasn't the gap between regular & premium shrank as gas prices have dropped?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-the-gap-between-regular-premium-shrank-as-gas-prices-have-dropped/851584)
**Author:** [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Replies:** 30\ **Last updated:** [April 14, 2020, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-the-gap-between-regular-premium-shrank-as-gas-prices-have-dropped/851584 "2020-04-14T19:46:42Z")
The local gaps \[N Florida\] have tended to be +30 for Plus, another +30 for Premium, if not more. But that was back when regular was going for 2.59 or so. FF to the massive drop in crude prices recently, leading to regu… --- ## [I have to restart my iPhone to make it play through car aux port. Suggestions?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-to-restart-my-iphone-to-make-it-play-through-car-aux-port-suggestions/851645)
**Author:** [@Quintas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quintas)\ **Replies:** 8\ **Last updated:** [April 14, 2020, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-to-restart-my-iphone-to-make-it-play-through-car-aux-port-suggestions/851645 "2020-04-14T18:08:04Z")
I have an iPhone XS. My car stereo an aux port. I bought one of those lightening to aux cables. If my phone is already on and I plug in, music just keeps playing through the phone speaker. If I restart the phone whi… --- ## [Why are chyrons so often full of errors?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-chyrons-so-often-full-of-errors/851697)
**Author:** [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Replies:** 15\ **Last updated:** [April 14, 2020, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-chyrons-so-often-full-of-errors/851697 "2020-04-14T16:14:13Z")
I notice it mostly with the local news, but any chyrons or banners along the bottom of the screen seem prone to misspellings, bad grammar, and typos. Is there some reason for this? --- ## [\[When did people first connect sex and\] reproduction](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-people-first-connect-sex-and-reproduction/851435)
**Author:** [@Dana\_Scully](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dana_Scully)\ **Replies:** 39\ **Last updated:** [April 14, 2020, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-people-first-connect-sex-and-reproduction/851435 "2020-04-14T15:47:22Z")
when did humanity figure out that sex caused babies? --- ## [This check may not be cashed at a check cashing agency or money service business](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-check-may-not-be-cashed-at-a-check-cashing-agency-or-money-service-business/851462)
**Author:** [@WildaBeast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WildaBeast)\ **Replies:** 19\ **Last updated:** [April 14, 2020, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-check-may-not-be-cashed-at-a-check-cashing-agency-or-money-service-business/851462 "2020-04-14T15:34:16Z")
Yesterday I got a check in the mail from a class action settlement (I used to own a car that was affected by the Takata airbag recall; it was related to that). The check contains the disclaimer in the title – “This chec… --- ## [Increased Testing and Mathematical Models in Epidemiology](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/increased-testing-and-mathematical-models-in-epidemiology/851770)
**Author:** [@Ynnad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ynnad)\ **Replies:** 2\ **Last updated:** [April 14, 2020, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/increased-testing-and-mathematical-models-in-epidemiology/851770 "2020-04-14T15:28:20Z")
I went to sleep last night reading an undergraduate textbook on differential equations. Throughout the book, the author did a very good job showing how differential equations can be very useful in creating mathematical … --- ## [Legal consequences of “unknown” cause of death](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legal-consequences-of-unknown-cause-of-death/851638)
**Author:** [@pendgwen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pendgwen)\ **Replies:** 15\ **Last updated:** [April 14, 2020, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legal-consequences-of-unknown-cause-of-death/851638 "2020-04-14T14:50:16Z")
This question stems from a situation I encountered in my professional life. Briefly, a man was brought to the Emergency Department, already pulseless, I worked on him for long enough to determine that further resuscitat… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/c/factual-questions/9.md?page=371) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/c/factual-questions/9.md?page=373)