# Factual Questions **URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/c/factual-questions/9.md?page=501 [Latest](https://boards.straightdope.com/latest.md) · [Categories](https://boards.straightdope.com/categories.md) · [Tags](https://boards.straightdope.com/tags.md) **Page:** 502 --- ## [Is the "Alaskan FBI SWAT fail" video actually of a police raid?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-alaskan-fbi-swat-fail-video-actually-of-a-police-raid/827611)
**Author:** [@griffin1977](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/griffin1977)\ **Replies:** 9\ **Last updated:** [January 12, 2019, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-alaskan-fbi-swat-fail-video-actually-of-a-police-raid/827611 "2019-01-12T15:25:31Z")
This “SWAT fail” video has been making the rounds, usually labelled “Alaskan FBI SWAT raid”. But seems a but suspect to me, not because the cops couldn’t be that crap during a raid(hey they avoided setting fire to any… --- ## [Why doesn't “A a a a a Very Good Song” work for me?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-doesnt-a-a-a-a-a-very-good-song-work-for-me/827618)
**Author:** [@2Bits](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/2Bits)\ **Replies:** 16\ **Last updated:** [January 12, 2019, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-doesnt-a-a-a-a-a-very-good-song-work-for-me/827618 "2019-01-12T14:59:18Z")
When I plug my iPod into my car it instantly starts blasting the alphabetically first song. The epitome of a “first world problem” perhaps but I (and many others apparently) find it terribly annoying and so someone devel… --- ## [If humans didn't exist, would fossil fuels slowly accumulate until no CO2 was left?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-humans-didnt-exist-would-fossil-fuels-slowly-accumulate-until-no-co2-was-left/827607)
**Author:** [@Shalmanese](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shalmanese)\ **Replies:** 6\ **Last updated:** [January 12, 2019, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-humans-didnt-exist-would-fossil-fuels-slowly-accumulate-until-no-co2-was-left/827607 "2019-01-12T00:59:10Z")
Assuming the earth never developed intelligent life capable of actively extracting fossil fuels and burning them back into CO2. Is the amount of carbon locked as as fossil fuels steadily increasing over time or does it r… --- ## [Suspected of cheating/too lucky at a Vegas casino : does the movie cliche every happen?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suspected-of-cheating-too-lucky-at-a-vegas-casino-does-the-movie-cliche-every-happen/727753)
**Author:** [@Habeed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Habeed)\ **Replies:** 70\ **Last updated:** [January 11, 2019, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suspected-of-cheating-too-lucky-at-a-vegas-casino-does-the-movie-cliche-every-happen/727753 "2019-01-11T23:02:38Z")
The movie cliche, the protagonists of the film use their rain man powers/time travel knowledge/magical luck to win too much money at a casino. They get dragged into a back office - it’s always small, has a desk with a c… --- ## [Why is Sinai sometimes pronounced with 3 syllables?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-sinai-sometimes-pronounced-with-3-syllables/703308)
**Author:** [@hibernicus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hibernicus)\ **Replies:** 35\ **Last updated:** [January 11, 2019, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-sinai-sometimes-pronounced-with-3-syllables/703308 "2019-01-11T20:20:05Z")
I was watching the BBC programme The Story of the Jews and I noticed that the presenter, Simon Schama consistently pronounces Sinai as /saɪnɪaɪ/ (sounds like “signy-eye” instead of “sign-eye”). Does this reflect an auth… --- ## [Brexit chaos at the ports: why is this a problem now, but was not a problem before the EU?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brexit-chaos-at-the-ports-why-is-this-a-problem-now-but-was-not-a-problem-before-the-eu/827260)
**Author:** [@chappachula](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chappachula)\ **Replies:** 221\ **Last updated:** [January 11, 2019, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brexit-chaos-at-the-ports-why-is-this-a-problem-now-but-was-not-a-problem-before-the-eu/827260 "2019-01-11T20:07:26Z")
Brexit is going to cause chaos, and there is genuine reason to be concerned about shortages of food drugs and everything else , due to the delays at the border and customs inspections. But it wasn’t long ago that the Eu… --- ## [Coral death](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coral-death/827590)
**Author:** [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Replies:** 2\ **Last updated:** [January 11, 2019, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coral-death/827590 "2019-01-11T17:49:39Z")
Various articles declare that some 25% of coral has died from warming oceans. I cannot determine if that is 25% of particular species, or 25% of all species. --- ## [Searching for deceased person's life insurance policies](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/searching-for-deceased-persons-life-insurance-policies/827550)
**Author:** [@rainy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rainy)\ **Replies:** 10\ **Last updated:** [January 11, 2019, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/searching-for-deceased-persons-life-insurance-policies/827550 "2019-01-11T16:29:35Z")
After someone dies, is there any way to find out if they had any life insurance policies. I mean other than sorting through mountains of paperwork saved (or perhaps just not disposed of) that dates back decades. Is the… --- ## [Clearance lights on larger vehicles](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clearance-lights-on-larger-vehicles/827524)
**Author:** [@rainy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rainy)\ **Replies:** 9\ **Last updated:** [January 11, 2019, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clearance-lights-on-larger-vehicles/827524 "2019-01-11T16:14:14Z")
So the raindrops noticed a truck, probably a 1 ton or 2 ton, on the way to school yesterday with its clearance lights on and asked why it had all those lights all over it. The best I could come up with is that you often… --- ## [What exactly is a "no thumb safety?"](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-exactly-is-a-no-thumb-safety/827538)
**Author:** [@Gary\_T](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_T)\ **Replies:** 18\ **Last updated:** [January 11, 2019, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-exactly-is-a-no-thumb-safety/827538 "2019-01-11T14:50:53Z")
In reading a little about various handguns, I see some claim to have (a) no thumb safety. Just what does that mean? I get the sense that it doesn’t imply no safety at all, but rather that the safety mechanism(s) don’t in… --- ## [Firefox: seeing bookmarks in new tab?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firefox-seeing-bookmarks-in-new-tab/827527)
**Author:** [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Replies:** 6\ **Last updated:** [January 11, 2019, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firefox-seeing-bookmarks-in-new-tab/827527 "2019-01-11T14:25:50Z")
It used to be that when I opened a new tab in Firefox, one of the options was to open the bookmarks page. Suddenly, this option is gone. Any way to get it back? Or should I just switch to chrome? --- ## [Does a media clip decide the size of the player window?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-a-media-clip-decide-the-size-of-the-player-window/827575)
**Author:** [@drad\_dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drad_dog)\ **Replies:** 1\ **Last updated:** [January 11, 2019, 9:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-a-media-clip-decide-the-size-of-the-player-window/827575 "2019-01-11T09:27:44Z")
If so how do you change it? I notice that some mpegs just roll one to the next and leave the window consistent. But some seem to control and make changes to the sizing, which you dont want if you have multiple stuff op… --- ## [Does "True" Computer multi-tasking exist?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-true-computer-multi-tasking-exist/827281)
**Author:** [@GMANCANADA](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GMANCANADA)\ **Replies:** 70\ **Last updated:** [January 11, 2019, 7:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-true-computer-multi-tasking-exist/827281 "2019-01-11T07:09:49Z")
My son is taking computer science in high school. We were discussing whether computers could multi-task. He said “according to his teacher” that computer multi-tasking was a myth and no computers currently do or have eve… --- ## [An English Language Question](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-english-language-question/827338)
**Author:** [@Steven\_Estes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steven_Estes)\ **Replies:** 29\ **Last updated:** [January 11, 2019, 5:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-english-language-question/827338 "2019-01-11T05:41:59Z")
Betty and Andy are going to Paris before Carol and I. Andy is going to Paris before me. 1 seems correct because what is implied s “before Carol and I go to Paris”. 2 seems correct because the objective (I) follows the… --- ## [Can brain lesions be seen with MRIs?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-brain-lesions-be-seen-with-mris/827491)
**Author:** [@Zyada](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zyada)\ **Replies:** 9\ **Last updated:** [January 11, 2019, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-brain-lesions-be-seen-with-mris/827491 "2019-01-11T04:35:54Z")
I’m wondering if lesions in the brain can be seen with non-invasive technologies like MRIs, or if you have to cut the brain open to see them. And if MRIs work, what limitations do they have. This is (mostly) in the “ju… --- ## [Question about absolute zero](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-absolute-zero/827344)
**Author:** [@Steven\_Estes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steven_Estes)\ **Replies:** 37\ **Last updated:** [January 11, 2019, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-absolute-zero/827344 "2019-01-11T02:08:47Z")
Absolute zero, minus 273.15 Centigrade, is the temperature at which particle motion, and the heat that such motion represents, comes to a stop.d Is there anything special about minus 273.15 centigrade (other than that i… --- ## [Refresh my memory on fscanf (C programming)](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/refresh-my-memory-on-fscanf-c-programming/827489)
**Author:** [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Replies:** 15\ **Last updated:** [January 10, 2019, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/refresh-my-memory-on-fscanf-c-programming/827489 "2019-01-10T23:46:59Z")
I’m sorry to ask such a trivial question, but it’s been a long time since I’ve done any file-input programming, and a longer time since my programming classes. I have a program I’m writing in C, which is reading input f… --- ## [Bra Gun](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bra-gun/756689)
**Author:** [@Potestas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Potestas)\ **Replies:** 62\ **Last updated:** [January 10, 2019, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bra-gun/756689 "2019-01-10T20:52:44Z")
So I just watched a film that had bras that could shoot bullets at attackers. Does such a thing exist in real life? How difficult would it be to make a bra gun (that shoots bullets out of both nipple places on the bra… --- ## [How to make facebook post with white letters on colored background](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-make-facebook-post-with-white-letters-on-colored-background/827483)
**Author:** [@Gary\_T](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_T)\ **Replies:** 4\ **Last updated:** [January 10, 2019, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-make-facebook-post-with-white-letters-on-colored-background/827483 "2019-01-10T20:37:42Z")
I see some facebook posts with a large colored rectangle and the (large) text in white. How is that done? --- ## [MailChimp Question](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mailchimp-question/827539)
**Author:** [@dolphinboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dolphinboy)\ **Replies:** 1\ **Last updated:** [January 10, 2019, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mailchimp-question/827539 "2019-01-10T18:29:23Z")
I have been using MailChimp for free for a few years now and have a list with scores of email addresses on it I use every few months. Last month my cell phone number changed and now it tries to send a two-factor authenti… --- ## [So smart cars know the speed limit?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-smart-cars-know-the-speed-limit/827498)
**Author:** [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Replies:** 20\ **Last updated:** [January 10, 2019, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-smart-cars-know-the-speed-limit/827498 "2019-01-10T17:49:47Z")
Over the holidays, I was riding with my mother. She got herself a brand new Prius. On the dashboard, I noticed an icon with the posted speed limit. My question is: Where is the car getting this information? Is it embe… --- ## [Dump trucks: blanket denials of responsibility in bad faith](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dump-trucks-blanket-denials-of-responsibility-in-bad-faith/827366)
**Author:** [@EdelweissPirate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EdelweissPirate)\ **Replies:** 30\ **Last updated:** [January 10, 2019, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dump-trucks-blanket-denials-of-responsibility-in-bad-faith/827366 "2019-01-10T17:09:46Z")
N.B.: This question pertains primarily to US law. It’s been pretty well-established in the past on this board (and many other places) that when dump trucks display stickers suggesting they’re not liable for broken winds… --- ## [Does 'Return to Sender' work for unsolicited mail?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-return-to-sender-work-for-unsolicited-mail/827497)
**Author:** [@dolphinboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dolphinboy)\ **Replies:** 3\ **Last updated:** [January 10, 2019, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-return-to-sender-work-for-unsolicited-mail/827497 "2019-01-10T16:42:28Z")
I was reading about how to refuse unsolicited mail through the USPS and found an article that said that instead of ‘Return to Sender’ you have to write ‘Refused’ on any unopened piece of mail you don’t want and then put … --- ## [Can a website detect a closing tab?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-website-detect-a-closing-tab/827418)
**Author:** [@OldGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OldGuy)\ **Replies:** 18\ **Last updated:** [January 10, 2019, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-website-detect-a-closing-tab/827418 "2019-01-10T15:54:47Z")
Often I click on a video link to see something, and I’m met with an ad first. If I’m not that interested, I usually close the tab or browser. Can the hosting site detect that I’ve done so and possibly infer that the ad … --- ## [Germans and Americans who think they clean their forests?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/germans-and-americans-who-think-they-clean-their-forests/826820)
**Author:** [@ric62](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ric62)\ **Replies:** 56\ **Last updated:** [January 10, 2019, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/germans-and-americans-who-think-they-clean-their-forests/826820 "2019-01-10T15:50:55Z")
Where do Americans get the idea that Germany doesn’t have forest fires because they go out and rake their forests clean? ( I think I smell a fox!) Can anyone find a link or article from actual Germans think about going o… --- ## [Why do the wings on a banked plane have different angles of attack?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-the-wings-on-a-banked-plane-have-different-angles-of-attack/827283)
**Author:** [@dstarfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dstarfire)\ **Replies:** 24\ **Last updated:** [January 10, 2019, 6:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-the-wings-on-a-banked-plane-have-different-angles-of-attack/827283 "2019-01-10T06:46:19Z")
On a mentour pilot video the host said that when a plane is banking (i.e. rolling) the wing upwards wing has a different angle of attack than the lower wing and this causes the plane to want to roll even further. He expl… --- ## [Allergy to lobster but no other shellfish?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/allergy-to-lobster-but-no-other-shellfish/827387)
**Author:** [@EmbarrassingDad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EmbarrassingDad)\ **Replies:** 17\ **Last updated:** [January 10, 2019, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/allergy-to-lobster-but-no-other-shellfish/827387 "2019-01-10T03:36:48Z")
My 12yo daughter is reporting a slight allergy to lobster, mostly mild skin flushing and irritation. But she still loves crab and shrimp. Is this possible, how common is it, and can I safely give her other shellfish? --- ## [What are the facts about activity at the U.S./Mexico border?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-facts-about-activity-at-the-u-s-mexico-border/827437)
**Author:** [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Replies:** 15\ **Last updated:** [January 10, 2019, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-facts-about-activity-at-the-u-s-mexico-border/827437 "2019-01-10T02:48:13Z")
Although I am anti-wall, and have quoted statistics that show that there is not a significant threat to national security from people crossing our southern border, sometimes I will see something that gives me pause, like… --- ## [What's a typical range for air conditioned air temperature coming out of the vents?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-typical-range-for-air-conditioned-air-temperature-coming-out-of-the-vents/827367)
**Author:** [@Napier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Napier)\ **Replies:** 10\ **Last updated:** [January 9, 2019, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-typical-range-for-air-conditioned-air-temperature-coming-out-of-the-vents/827367 "2019-01-09T23:56:28Z")
In my office it’s coming out of the vents at 32.7 F. The vents are overhead and a plume of frigid air keeps falling down my back. My office is in a factory and we use enough energy that the air conditioning even runs dur… --- ## ["Forming a government" in a parliamentary system](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/forming-a-government-in-a-parliamentary-system/826554)
**Author:** [@Chessic\_Sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chessic_Sense)\ **Replies:** 187\ **Last updated:** [January 9, 2019, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/forming-a-government-in-a-parliamentary-system/826554 "2019-01-09T23:41:13Z")
I’ve studied parliamentary systems in formal settings, informal settings, and through news of current events, but there’s always been this one hole in my understanding of their operation - forming the government. It’s b… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/c/factual-questions/9.md?page=500) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/c/factual-questions/9.md?page=502)