# Factual Questions **URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/c/factual-questions/9.md?page=436 [Latest](https://boards.straightdope.com/latest.md) · [Categories](https://boards.straightdope.com/categories.md) · [Tags](https://boards.straightdope.com/tags.md) **Page:** 437 --- ## [Ulam's Spiral: Has it been explained or not?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ulams-spiral-has-it-been-explained-or-not/316757)
**Author:** [@Sequent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sequent)\ **Replies:** 40\ **Last updated:** [August 15, 2005, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ulams-spiral-has-it-been-explained-or-not/316757 "2005-08-15T18:24:36Z")
Regarding Ulam’s Spiral: http://mathworld.wolfram.com/PrimeSpiral.html OK, first off, yes, we’ve done this before. But I’ve yet to discern any concensus, and rather than resurrect the old thread, I’m asking the question… --- ## [How do land loans work?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-land-loans-work/838677)
**Author:** [@shellofmyformerself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shellofmyformerself)\ **Replies:** 10\ **Last updated:** [August 17, 2019, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-land-loans-work/838677 "2019-08-17T14:16:29Z")
I’m looking at purchasing a plot of land. I don’t want to/can’t afford to build a home on it right now but plan on building at a later time (when my daughter graduates from college and is “off the payroll” so to speak). … --- ## [Meaning of Flooring](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meaning-of-flooring/838738)
**Author:** [@dhricenak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dhricenak)\ **Replies:** 18\ **Last updated:** [August 17, 2019, 10:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meaning-of-flooring/838738 "2019-08-17T10:34:24Z")
I work for a company that manufactures consumer appliances. Recently we were told in an employee app that weekend overtime was scheduled because the company was “flooring new products.” I assume this was supposed to me… --- ## [Data on what % of people are sex offenders?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/data-on-what-of-people-are-sex-offenders/838583)
**Author:** [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Replies:** 28\ **Last updated:** [August 17, 2019, 9:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/data-on-what-of-people-are-sex-offenders/838583 "2019-08-17T09:28:54Z")
There are all kinds of stats on how many people are victims of sex crimes (although they are all estimates, since getting a true count is impossible, and sex crimes are very often unreported,) but are there any stats/est… --- ## [Who gets my $$ when I make a bank transfer?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-gets-my-when-i-make-a-bank-transfer/838692)
**Author:** [@kambuckta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kambuckta)\ **Replies:** 11\ **Last updated:** [August 17, 2019, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-gets-my-when-i-make-a-bank-transfer/838692 "2019-08-17T02:59:13Z")
Righto, so I’m overseas at the moment and wanting to transfer funds from my regular account into a Citi account 'cos there’s no fees with Citi for withdrawing from an ATM. So anyways, the funds disappear from my regular… --- ## [Can anyone ID this caterpillar?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anyone-id-this-caterpillar/838726)
**Author:** [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Replies:** 9\ **Last updated:** [August 17, 2019, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anyone-id-this-caterpillar/838726 "2019-08-17T01:44:30Z")
A couple of nights ago I was sitting in my yard under a patio umbrella during a heavy rain reading on my phone when I noticed a small (less than one inch) caterpillar on one of my fingers. I carefully peeled it off (it w… --- ## [Are there savings accounts that only allow you to borrow money from it (e.g 401k loan)?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-savings-accounts-that-only-allow-you-to-borrow-money-from-it-e-g-401k-loan/838263)
**Author:** [@filmore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/filmore)\ **Replies:** 27\ **Last updated:** [August 17, 2019, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-savings-accounts-that-only-allow-you-to-borrow-money-from-it-e-g-401k-loan/838263 "2019-08-17T01:35:47Z")
I was thinking a good way to have an emergency-only savings account is to have one which you could only borrow from and have to pay back as a loan. A similar kind of thing is a 401k account. This retirement savings accou… --- ## [What is an inverted yield curve?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-an-inverted-yield-curve/838708)
**Author:** [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Replies:** 32\ **Last updated:** [August 17, 2019, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-an-inverted-yield-curve/838708 "2019-08-17T00:05:22Z")
And why do economists think it’s a precursor to a recession? --- ## [Mesa Verde Artifacts-Finland](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mesa-verde-artifacts-finland/838760)
**Author:** [@SanDiegoTim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanDiegoTim)\ **Replies:** 4\ **Last updated:** [August 16, 2019, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mesa-verde-artifacts-finland/838760 "2019-08-16T23:59:38Z")
Has there ever been an attempt to get the Mesa Verde artifacts back to the U. S. from the National Museum of Finland? --- ## [How is manning a road race (5ks and the like) considered in the police community?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-manning-a-road-race-5ks-and-the-like-considered-in-the-police-community/838745)
**Author:** [@Sir\_T-Cups](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_T-Cups)\ **Replies:** 6\ **Last updated:** [August 16, 2019, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-manning-a-road-race-5ks-and-the-like-considered-in-the-police-community/838745 "2019-08-16T21:22:46Z")
Me and Mrs. Cups often run road races and there is always a number of police around. Usually they’re blocking off the route from general traffic, but we see them doing other things too. How is this job considered in the … --- ## [Take a sip from a mug. See that little drop? What is that?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/take-a-sip-from-a-mug-see-that-little-drop-what-is-that/838513)
**Author:** [@brujaja](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brujaja)\ **Replies:** 25\ **Last updated:** [August 16, 2019, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/take-a-sip-from-a-mug-see-that-little-drop-what-is-that/838513 "2019-08-16T20:55:42Z")
I hate to do this to you all, but I have to know. Okay, so I have a mug of coffee. Nice and hot and delicious. I take a sip of the coffee. When I take my lips away from the mug, there is a little drop of coffee on the o… --- ## [Does human hair grow like grass?"](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-human-hair-grow-like-grass/838732)
**Author:** [@Nippless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nippless)\ **Replies:** 4\ **Last updated:** [August 16, 2019, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-human-hair-grow-like-grass/838732 "2019-08-16T16:45:02Z")
Sorry if this is a dumb question. So when you mow a lawn, the blades of grass are sheared and have a flat cross section. Yet when it comes time to mow again, they have tapered ends. How does this happen? And does human h… --- ## [Gravity on Io](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gravity-on-io/838425)
**Author:** [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Replies:** 29\ **Last updated:** [August 16, 2019, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gravity-on-io/838425 "2019-08-16T16:18:20Z")
Jupiter’s moon Io is tidally locked. It always has the same side facing Jupiter as it orbits. Does this mean that when you are on the “light” side of Io, the gravity is less than the far side since you are being slight… --- ## [Which Trump administration policies won't the next administration be able to undo?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-trump-administration-policies-wont-the-next-administration-be-able-to-undo/838616)
**Author:** [@Running\_with\_Scissors](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Running_with_Scissors)\ **Replies:** 10\ **Last updated:** [August 16, 2019, 12:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-trump-administration-policies-wont-the-next-administration-be-able-to-undo/838616 "2019-08-16T12:14:42Z")
Donald Trump has apparently made it his mission to undo almost all of the Obama-era policies. Are there any of these policies (or any new policies) that can’t be undone or redone by the next administration? There are obv… --- ## [Compare differences in non-Word documents?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/compare-differences-in-non-word-documents/468915)
**Author:** [@cornflakes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cornflakes)\ **Replies:** 6\ **Last updated:** [October 22, 2008, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/compare-differences-in-non-word-documents/468915 "2008-10-22T00:13:51Z")
Well, the title says it all. I have two versions of a legal document that I need to compare. What I’d like to do is remove all formatting (maybe to rich text) and run some sort of app that will highlight the parts that… --- ## [How Is Legionnaire's Disease Contracted?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-legionnaires-disease-contracted/838584)
**Author:** [@Jinx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jinx)\ **Replies:** 19\ **Last updated:** [August 16, 2019, 5:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-legionnaires-disease-contracted/838584 "2019-08-16T05:25:24Z")
Maybe I’ve been misinformed all these years, but I always heard Legionnaire’s disease is spread via the water of a facility’s air conditioning system. But, this does not make sense because the system (known as a hydronic… --- ## [why so few descendants of US presidents?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-so-few-descendants-of-us-presidents/838511)
**Author:** [@curwin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/curwin)\ **Replies:** 44\ **Last updated:** [August 16, 2019, 5:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-so-few-descendants-of-us-presidents/838511 "2019-08-16T05:20:22Z")
I admit that I haven’t done detailed research into this. But it seems strange to me that there seem to be far fewer descendants of US presidents than I would expect. I do a lot of genealogical research into my own famil… --- ## [Claiming a Body](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/claiming-a-body/838691)
**Author:** [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Replies:** 10\ **Last updated:** [August 16, 2019, 5:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/claiming-a-body/838691 "2019-08-16T05:15:19Z")
Jeffery Epstein died without any obvious family. His body was claimed by an associate. How do you think this played out? You figure there some sort of pre-need authorization? In addition what if there was no paperwork?… --- ## [What's the practical ground load limit for a tank?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-practical-ground-load-limit-for-a-tank/838712)
**Author:** [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Replies:** 2\ **Last updated:** [August 15, 2019, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-practical-ground-load-limit-for-a-tank/838712 "2019-08-15T23:51:50Z")
What do tank designers consider the practical limit to how many pounds per square foot of tread a tank can have before it will be too limited in the terrain it can cross to be useful? Even the tanks of WW2 were bedeviled… --- ## [English language question](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-language-question/818046)
**Author:** [@AWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AWB)\ **Replies:** 28\ **Last updated:** [August 15, 2019, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-language-question/818046 "2019-08-15T23:31:03Z")
A few years ago, I drove a 2007 Ford Focus station wagon. My wife drove a 2008 Ford Focus sedan. Collectively, would you say we owned Foci or Focuses? --- ## [Did my cheap little phone get hacked or what?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-my-cheap-little-phone-get-hacked-or-what/838563)
**Author:** [@pkbites](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pkbites)\ **Replies:** 20\ **Last updated:** [August 15, 2019, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-my-cheap-little-phone-get-hacked-or-what/838563 "2019-08-15T22:10:37Z")
I have an LG 441G cell phone. (Yes I have a flip phone. Get over yourself. I don’t know why everyone has a conniption over what kind of phone I have. I can call the past on this thing!) Anyway, I’ve had it for a couple … --- ## [Anyone know much about how DISH equipment works?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-know-much-about-how-dish-equipment-works/838639)
**Author:** [@Drum\_God](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drum_God)\ **Replies:** 23\ **Last updated:** [August 15, 2019, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-know-much-about-how-dish-equipment-works/838639 "2019-08-15T21:19:07Z")
First off, I’m not asking for repair advice. The repair has already been made, but the tech said some things that don’t make much sense to me. The dish antenna is attached to the roof and coax cables descend down the w… --- ## [Carbon Taxes: where does the money go?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/carbon-taxes-where-does-the-money-go/838596)
**Author:** [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Replies:** 16\ **Last updated:** [August 15, 2019, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/carbon-taxes-where-does-the-money-go/838596 "2019-08-15T20:45:43Z")
If taxes on emitting carbon dioxide are enacted (primarily I presume to make burning fossil fuels more expensive and therefore alternatives more competitive), what is the money used for? If it’s to mitigate the effects o… --- ## [Why don't (the roots of) tree stumps put up new shoots?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-the-roots-of-tree-stumps-put-up-new-shoots/838655)
**Author:** [@Fotheringay-Phipps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fotheringay-Phipps)\ **Replies:** 7\ **Last updated:** [August 15, 2019, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-the-roots-of-tree-stumps-put-up-new-shoots/838655 "2019-08-15T19:39:01Z")
At least not commonly (I have a vague recollection that I may have seen something like this but it’s certainly uncommon at least). My next door neighbor has a big locust type tree which overhangs my yard, and it drops d… --- ## [Microsoft Word indexing: easier in a previous version?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-word-indexing-easier-in-a-previous-version/838672)
**Author:** [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Replies:** 2\ **Last updated:** [August 15, 2019, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-word-indexing-easier-in-a-previous-version/838672 "2019-08-15T19:31:51Z")
I’ve never really put the index-generating ability of MS Word to use, but having taught various versions of it over the years, I’ve known it was a feature for a long time (possibly as far back as Word 6 for Windows). I … --- ## [What is the antonym idiom of "Low Hanging Fruit"?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-antonym-idiom-of-low-hanging-fruit/838623)
**Author:** [@Ashtura](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ashtura)\ **Replies:** 46\ **Last updated:** [August 15, 2019, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-antonym-idiom-of-low-hanging-fruit/838623 "2019-08-15T16:41:45Z")
What would be the opposite of this term, as an idiom? Obviously “High hanging fruit” would be the literal opposite, but no one says this. --- ## [How much mass is needed to have a booming footstep?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-mass-is-needed-to-have-a-booming-footstep/838095)
**Author:** [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Replies:** 20\ **Last updated:** [August 15, 2019, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-mass-is-needed-to-have-a-booming-footstep/838095 "2019-08-15T14:10:04Z")
In kaiju movies and really anything with a huge being, you’ll get the thunderous sound of their footsteps along with maybe things moving and car alarms going off. How large do you have to be for the sound of your steps t… --- ## [A few questions about nuclear EMP](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-few-questions-about-nuclear-emp/838689)
**Author:** [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Replies:** 3\ **Last updated:** [August 15, 2019, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-few-questions-about-nuclear-emp/838689 "2019-08-15T13:25:44Z")
In the wake of a nuclear EMP attack, what sort of equipment would be needed to get power grids and electricity back up and running again? What do the repairs involve? Is it possible for a nuclear weapon to emit ve… --- ## [A little computer help re: Java Runtime Environment](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-little-computer-help-re-java-runtime-environment/838280)
**Author:** [@Roderick\_Femm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roderick_Femm)\ **Replies:** 8\ **Last updated:** [August 15, 2019, 8:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-little-computer-help-re-java-runtime-environment/838280 "2019-08-15T08:36:05Z")
I want to use Open Office Base to create a small database application for myself at home. This is a standalone program, it does not run in a browser. It requires Java Runtime Environment to function. I am on Windows 8.1. … --- ## [Can bats fly from the ground?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-bats-fly-from-the-ground/838300)
**Author:** [@steveisoverthere](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/steveisoverthere)\ **Replies:** 20\ **Last updated:** [August 15, 2019, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-bats-fly-from-the-ground/838300 "2019-08-15T00:35:13Z")
My sister said she saw a bat on the ground in our driveway and when she got closer to it, it took off in the air and flew past her. I told her it was probably a bird, because I thought bats need to drop off from a high p… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/c/factual-questions/9.md?page=435) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/c/factual-questions/9.md?page=437)