# Factual Questions **URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/c/factual-questions/9.md?page=473 [Latest](https://boards.straightdope.com/latest.md) · [Categories](https://boards.straightdope.com/categories.md) · [Tags](https://boards.straightdope.com/tags.md) **Page:** 474 --- ## [How do online video games prevent lag times?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-online-video-games-prevent-lag-times/832577)
**Author:** [@blood63](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blood63)\ **Replies:** 7\ **Last updated:** [April 15, 2019, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-online-video-games-prevent-lag-times/832577 "2019-04-15T15:59:56Z")
Assume that I am playing Fortnite with a friend in Australia. This signals from our controllers must travel some distance to a central server then back again to our screen. We are ten of thousands of kilometers apart a… --- ## [What can be done to avoid freezer burn?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-can-be-done-to-avoid-freezer-burn/832390)
**Author:** [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Replies:** 51\ **Last updated:** [April 15, 2019, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-can-be-done-to-avoid-freezer-burn/832390 "2019-04-15T15:38:00Z")
I understand any meat will freezer burn if left for 6 months or more. I was very irritated last night. Found a quarter sized (coin) area of freezer burn on ground meat that’s only been in there six weeks. Another packa… --- ## [Why Are Gas Prices Skyrocketing This Time?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-gas-prices-skyrocketing-this-time/832425)
**Author:** [@Jinx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jinx)\ **Replies:** 21\ **Last updated:** [April 15, 2019, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-gas-prices-skyrocketing-this-time/832425 "2019-04-15T15:11:09Z")
{Admin Disclaimer: If there is no factual answer, please move to the “Opinions” forum.} Ok, so if you have not noticed gas prices are soaring! :eek: We got trouble in Venezula that seemed to coincide with rising gas pr… --- ## [What goes in must come out? \[A question about poo\]](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-goes-in-must-come-out-a-question-about-poo/832447)
**Author:** [@Walken\_After\_Midnight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walken_After_Midnight)\ **Replies:** 28\ **Last updated:** [April 15, 2019, 12:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-goes-in-must-come-out-a-question-about-poo/832447 "2019-04-15T12:43:22Z")
A person typically eats around three meals a day. According to the internet, a normal frequency of pooing is anywhere from three times a day to three times a week. It is clear that there is a disparity in volume between… --- ## [why is there laser barcode scanner but no general purpose laser 2d scanner?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-laser-barcode-scanner-but-no-general-purpose-laser-2d-scanner/586805)
**Author:** [@code\_grey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/code_grey)\ **Replies:** 7\ **Last updated:** [June 26, 2011, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-laser-barcode-scanner-but-no-general-purpose-laser-2d-scanner/586805 "2011-06-26T18:26:50Z")
wikipedia article on Image scanner - Wikipedia discusses “charged coupled device”, “contact image sensor” and high resolution digital cameras as dominant technologies in modern scanners. The word “laser” is not mentioned… --- ## [Can EU citizens live in Norway and Switzerland?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-eu-citizens-live-in-norway-and-switzerland/832435)
**Author:** [@JakeRS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JakeRS)\ **Replies:** 17\ **Last updated:** [April 15, 2019, 9:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-eu-citizens-live-in-norway-and-switzerland/832435 "2019-04-15T09:26:17Z")
EU citizens can live in any other country of EU (except UK and Ireland) without visa’s, basically as if it’s a single country, they can travel anywhere they want, work anywhere they want and live anywhere they want for a… --- ## [Does anywhere have laxer gun laws than the US?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anywhere-have-laxer-gun-laws-than-the-us/832498)
**Author:** [@griffin1977](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/griffin1977)\ **Replies:** 24\ **Last updated:** [April 15, 2019, 6:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anywhere-have-laxer-gun-laws-than-the-us/832498 "2019-04-15T06:02:04Z")
So the US has famously lax gun laws, as viewed from the rest of the “western” world. But it does have some, automatic weapons for example are effectively banned (the details are complicated) Does any country have laxer… --- ## [Mower blade, clockwise or counterclockwise](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mower-blade-clockwise-or-counterclockwise/655757)
**Author:** [@dauerbach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dauerbach)\ **Replies:** 29\ **Last updated:** [April 15, 2019, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mower-blade-clockwise-or-counterclockwise/655757 "2019-04-15T01:42:46Z")
So this is a question that I have asked and had answered previously, but yesterday three people failed to get the blade off a troy-bilt 42 inch riding mower. Just so I know for sure which way I should be turning. The m… --- ## [Annoying ambiguous Android audio anomaly.](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/annoying-ambiguous-android-audio-anomaly/832480)
**Author:** [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Replies:** 2\ **Last updated:** [April 15, 2019, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/annoying-ambiguous-android-audio-anomaly/832480 "2019-04-15T00:51:04Z")
I keep around a small stack of old Android phones that I use for various things in Airplane mode or have for spares if needed. A couple of days ago a cousin ran across an LG K7 4G K330 that she had replaced and left unus… --- ## [Half your car across the line when the traffic light turns red](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/half-your-car-across-the-line-when-the-traffic-light-turns-red/832314)
**Author:** [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Replies:** 49\ **Last updated:** [April 14, 2019, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/half-your-car-across-the-line-when-the-traffic-light-turns-red/832314 "2019-04-14T22:19:51Z")
Wonder if this is akin to illegal-forward-pass in football: If your car is halfway across the line when the intersection light goes from yellow to red, are you guilty of running the red light or not? (Asking because I… --- ## [Is there a limit to how much light can be redshifted?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-limit-to-how-much-light-can-be-redshifted/832517)
**Author:** [@keeganst94](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/keeganst94)\ **Replies:** 6\ **Last updated:** [April 14, 2019, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-limit-to-how-much-light-can-be-redshifted/832517 "2019-04-14T20:49:36Z")
The recent black hole picture got me thinking about gravitational redshifting of light emitted near the event horizon, or in other extreme circumstances. Is there a fundamental limit to how much light can be red-shifted?… --- ## [Are there any programs that will interpret Gregg shorthand on a tablet computer?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-programs-that-will-interpret-gregg-shorthand-on-a-tablet-computer/832551)
**Author:** [@StarvingButStrong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StarvingButStrong)\ **Replies:** 0\ **Last updated:** [April 14, 2019, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-programs-that-will-interpret-gregg-shorthand-on-a-tablet-computer/832551 "2019-04-14T20:38:07Z")
I know there are lots of programs that at least try to convert handwriting to text, but are there any that can take pen input on a pressure sensitive screen in shorthand and convert it to text for you? (Preferably Gregg,… --- ## [Quality Keyboard and Spills](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quality-keyboard-and-spills/832544)
**Author:** [@molten](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/molten)\ **Replies:** 2\ **Last updated:** [April 14, 2019, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quality-keyboard-and-spills/832544 "2019-04-14T19:17:45Z")
I’d like to get a quality mechanical keyboard with the ‘MX Switch’ thing, but there is no question it will get something spilled on it. My laptop keyboard has a low profile, and I got a silicone cover to protect it, how… --- ## [Liberating my Kindle Fire](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liberating-my-kindle-fire/832436)
**Author:** [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Replies:** 10\ **Last updated:** [April 14, 2019, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liberating-my-kindle-fire/832436 "2019-04-14T18:03:58Z")
My company gave me a large Apple iPad for work. I have mastered it, but I do not like the intrusive nature of the Apple IOS, nor its cost. I did some poking around. Without a doubt your best buy in a tablet computer is … --- ## [Is Britain also planning on leaving the Council of Europe?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-britain-also-planning-on-leaving-the-council-of-europe/832479)
**Author:** [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Replies:** 18\ **Last updated:** [April 14, 2019, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-britain-also-planning-on-leaving-the-council-of-europe/832479 "2019-04-14T16:11:49Z")
I know that it’s a separate institution from the EU, but it is Britain’s membership in the Council of Europe which gives the European Court of Human Rights jurisdiction over the British courts and government. Is withdra… --- ## [If everyone in the U.S. consumed only enough calories to maintain a "healthy" weight...](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-everyone-in-the-u-s-consumed-only-enough-calories-to-maintain-a-healthy-weight/832448)
**Author:** [@2Bits](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/2Bits)\ **Replies:** 23\ **Last updated:** [April 14, 2019, 5:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-everyone-in-the-u-s-consumed-only-enough-calories-to-maintain-a-healthy-weight/832448 "2019-04-14T05:56:32Z")
…what sort of hit would our economy take? --- ## [What was the chain of command in descending order of the French Admiralty/Military](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-chain-of-command-in-descending-order-of-the-french-admiralty-military/832468)
**Author:** [@davidmich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidmich)\ **Replies:** 2\ **Last updated:** [April 13, 2019, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-chain-of-command-in-descending-order-of-the-french-admiralty-military/832468 "2019-04-13T15:17:31Z")
Hi I’m looking for the names in descending order of authority in the French Admiralty/Military during the American Revolution? I’m confused about who exactly General George Washington dealt with on an equal footing. Who… --- ## [Can you do spectroscopy on (water) Ice?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-do-spectroscopy-on-water-ice/832428)
**Author:** [@Melbourne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Melbourne)\ **Replies:** 8\ **Last updated:** [April 13, 2019, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-do-spectroscopy-on-water-ice/832428 "2019-04-13T14:26:12Z")
I can still remember what the twin lines of the H2 spectrum looked like, because in physics 101 we used an old fashioned spectroscope and could actually see them. Is there some technique that would allow you to actually… --- ## [If King Charles III Tried To Assert Power, What Would Happen?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-king-charles-iii-tried-to-assert-power-what-would-happen/832175)
**Author:** [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Replies:** 48\ **Last updated:** [April 13, 2019, 11:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-king-charles-iii-tried-to-assert-power-what-would-happen/832175 "2019-04-13T11:17:44Z")
Let’s say that King Charles III (or whatever name he takes) decides that being a figurehead isn’t for him, and he actually wants to do some real kinging, like his predecessors did centuries ago. He starts small: there s… --- ## [Can individual states determine what is required to be on a ballot for US president in their state?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-individual-states-determine-what-is-required-to-be-on-a-ballot-for-us-president-in-their-state/832456)
**Author:** [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Replies:** 8\ **Last updated:** [April 13, 2019, 4:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-individual-states-determine-what-is-required-to-be-on-a-ballot-for-us-president-in-their-state/832456 "2019-04-13T04:34:26Z")
Illinois is in the process of trying to pass a law which says any candidate for president must publicly release the last five years of their federal tax returns if that want a spot on the ballot. Illinois is not alone, 1… --- ## [SAS software: how to programmatically retrieve the name of the SAS program code file?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sas-software-how-to-programmatically-retrieve-the-name-of-the-sas-program-code-file/832455)
**Author:** [@Napier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Napier)\ **Replies:** 2\ **Last updated:** [April 13, 2019, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sas-software-how-to-programmatically-retrieve-the-name-of-the-sas-program-code-file/832455 "2019-04-13T00:07:26Z")
I want my SAS program to retrieve the filename associated with the SAS code I am currently running. That name is in the system somewhere – it’s displayed in the top border of the Program Editor window. It’s, what, a syst… --- ## [Contributions to global warming by country](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/contributions-to-global-warming-by-country/832467)
**Author:** [@KarlGauss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGauss)\ **Replies:** 3\ **Last updated:** [April 12, 2019, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/contributions-to-global-warming-by-country/832467 "2019-04-12T23:54:25Z")
Do we have good estimates of each country’s contribution to global warming? How much could one country subvert the efforts of the rest of a unified world? Could, say, one industrialized nation, whether by its apathy or … --- ## [Is NASA's Kelly twin study of people living in Space flawed?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-nasas-kelly-twin-study-of-people-living-in-space-flawed/832442)
**Author:** [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Replies:** 23\ **Last updated:** [April 12, 2019, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-nasas-kelly-twin-study-of-people-living-in-space-flawed/832442 "2019-04-12T21:53:46Z")
Mods There should be a GQ answer based on The Scientific Method. NASA’s Kelly twin study of people living in Space is very interesting. Appears to have invaluable information for medical research. But, both men have li… --- ## [Cyclone storms... anything new?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cyclone-storms-anything-new/832451)
**Author:** [@Try2B\_Comprehensive](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Try2B_Comprehensive)\ **Replies:** 1\ **Last updated:** [April 12, 2019, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cyclone-storms-anything-new/832451 "2019-04-12T20:34:22Z")
I don’t recall there being massive cyclone storms that deluge and flood a dozen states at a time, but then again I have not watched a lot of Weather Channel over the past two decades, and simply may have missed it. There… --- ## [Inorganic Foods / Low-Carbon Diet](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inorganic-foods-low-carbon-diet/832433)
**Author:** [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Replies:** 14\ **Last updated:** [April 12, 2019, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inorganic-foods-low-carbon-diet/832433 "2019-04-12T20:12:29Z")
Both of the terms in the title are in use for different purposes than I mean, so let me define them for this thread: Inorganic Foods: Foods that do not contain the carbon atom. Low-Carbon Diet: A diet that is low in ca… --- ## [Could this become an oxbow lake?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-this-become-an-oxbow-lake/832265)
**Author:** [@SlackerInc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SlackerInc)\ **Replies:** 21\ **Last updated:** [April 12, 2019, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-this-become-an-oxbow-lake/832265 "2019-04-12T14:44:55Z")
The map sure makes it look like it “wants” to be, as did the fact that where the waters split around this newly created island, the branch going across the road appeared faster to my eye. Or does regular maintenance of … --- ## [That first picture up close of a black hole: what are seeing (the bright stuff)?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-first-picture-up-close-of-a-black-hole-what-are-seeing-the-bright-stuff/832377)
**Author:** [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Replies:** 18\ **Last updated:** [April 12, 2019, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-first-picture-up-close-of-a-black-hole-what-are-seeing-the-bright-stuff/832377 "2019-04-12T14:23:33Z")
See query. So many radio astronomy images are false colored from their gathered spectra, naturally enough, to simulate visible light frequencies. In this will-be-forever iconic image, what are we looking at stuck to (?… --- ## [What's with women crossing their legs while standing?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-women-crossing-their-legs-while-standing/832294)
**Author:** [@Cuckoorex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cuckoorex)\ **Replies:** 21\ **Last updated:** [April 12, 2019, 12:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-women-crossing-their-legs-while-standing/832294 "2019-04-12T12:18:11Z")
I see this a lot, especially with younger women. They’ll be standing, waiting for their latte or paying for groceries or whatever, and they’ll have their legs kind of crossed, so left foot is crossed over to the right or… --- ## [Question about number of seats in House of Representatives](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-number-of-seats-in-house-of-representatives/832322)
**Author:** [@KidCharlemagne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KidCharlemagne)\ **Replies:** 44\ **Last updated:** [April 12, 2019, 11:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-number-of-seats-in-house-of-representatives/832322 "2019-04-12T11:55:07Z")
I was just reading an article about the electoral college and came across this: I don’t understand the last sentence. I thought HoR seats are reapportioned after every census - so what creates a ceiling? --- ## [What is "A beer and a bump"?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-beer-and-a-bump/181597)
**Author:** [@RedDawgEsq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RedDawgEsq)\ **Replies:** 27\ **Last updated:** [April 12, 2019, 9:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-beer-and-a-bump/181597 "2019-04-12T09:46:20Z")
Heard this the other day and something in the dark recesses of the old grey matter made me think it’s the practice of putting a shot glass of whiskey at the bottom of a beer mug. You chug the beer and get the whiskey “bu… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/c/factual-questions/9.md?page=472) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/c/factual-questions/9.md?page=474)