# Factual Questions **URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/c/factual-questions/9.md?page=593 [Latest](https://boards.straightdope.com/latest.md) · [Categories](https://boards.straightdope.com/categories.md) · [Tags](https://boards.straightdope.com/tags.md) **Page:** 594 --- ## [Is this Hamas "film through a sniper scope" real?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-hamas-film-through-a-sniper-scope-real/812774)
**Author:** [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Replies:** 8\ **Last updated:** [April 21, 2018, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-hamas-film-through-a-sniper-scope-real/812774 "2018-04-21T13:48:17Z")
See subject (scroll to find vid). Is it even possible? --- ## [Tomahawk Cruise Missiles](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tomahawk-cruise-missiles/812439)
**Author:** [@GMANCANADA](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GMANCANADA)\ **Replies:** 68\ **Last updated:** [April 21, 2018, 5:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tomahawk-cruise-missiles/812439 "2018-04-21T05:39:49Z")
I was just reading on CNN.com about the Tomahawk missiles that US fired into Syria. They mentioned this is the US “go-to” missiles for this type of strike and these were the same type of missiles they used in the 1991 G… --- ## [Is there an App that identifies bird songs?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-an-app-that-identifies-bird-songs/812787)
**Author:** [@harmonicamoon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/harmonicamoon)\ **Replies:** 8\ **Last updated:** [April 21, 2018, 5:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-an-app-that-identifies-bird-songs/812787 "2018-04-21T05:38:05Z")
We have lots of birds here. Due to the vegetation it is difficult to see the singer. It would be great to have an App like Shzam that would identify the bird with name and a photo. Does such an App exist? --- ## [Blocking calls on cell](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blocking-calls-on-cell/812743)
**Author:** [@Sveltington](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sveltington)\ **Replies:** 8\ **Last updated:** [April 21, 2018, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blocking-calls-on-cell/812743 "2018-04-21T04:28:01Z")
I blocked a caller on my cell a week or so ago. They can still leave voice mail. WTF. I wanted them to get a message advising I blocked them. Am I doing something wrong? --- ## [What do devs get out of totally free apps/games?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-devs-get-out-of-totally-free-apps-games/812771)
**Author:** [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Replies:** 9\ **Last updated:** [April 21, 2018, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-devs-get-out-of-totally-free-apps-games/812771 "2018-04-21T03:32:22Z")
On the Apple App Store, as well as the Android Store I’m sure, there are a number of legitimately totally free apps and games. Free to download, free to use/play, no in-app purchases, no ads whatsoever. They’re relativ… --- ## [What 3 in 1 flag did I see (US/Confederate)?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-3-in-1-flag-did-i-see-us-confederate/812741)
**Author:** [@Omega\_Glory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omega_Glory)\ **Replies:** 13\ **Last updated:** [April 21, 2018, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-3-in-1-flag-did-i-see-us-confederate/812741 "2018-04-21T03:17:36Z")
I saw it in NY on a passing pickup truck. 1/3 of the flag was the US flag, 1/3 was the Confederate flag. The other third is a mystery. Something blue and white. --- ## [Who was the first member of the US Congress to become a father while in office?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-the-first-member-of-the-us-congress-to-become-a-father-while-in-office/812839)
**Author:** [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Replies:** 2\ **Last updated:** [April 21, 2018, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-the-first-member-of-the-us-congress-to-become-a-father-while-in-office/812839 "2018-04-21T02:57:22Z")
Out of curiosity who was the first member of each House to become a father while in office? What about the Congress of the Confederation and the Continental Congress? --- ## [Free Android app for Wi-Fi calls?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-android-app-for-wi-fi-calls/812828)
**Author:** [@duffer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/duffer)\ **Replies:** 3\ **Last updated:** [April 21, 2018, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-android-app-for-wi-fi-calls/812828 "2018-04-21T00:24:05Z")
So I’m in a bit a a bind. Long story short lost my job, got evicted and phone service is suspended. I’m staying with a friend for a few days, she has Wi-Fi but that doesn’t do much to help take calls from potential jobs.… --- ## [Explain to me how selling on eBay works](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-to-me-how-selling-on-ebay-works/812594)
**Author:** [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Replies:** 12\ **Last updated:** [April 20, 2018, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-to-me-how-selling-on-ebay-works/812594 "2018-04-20T23:42:26Z")
It’s been a long LONG time since I sold anything on eBay. In fact my old account was blown out and I have to start over. I have a couple of questions. 1 Fees: eBay charges a 10% fee off the top and it seems like Pay… --- ## [Lines, line segments, and rays](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lines-line-segments-and-rays/812711)
**Author:** [@Enola\_Straight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enola_Straight)\ **Replies:** 28\ **Last updated:** [April 20, 2018, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lines-line-segments-and-rays/812711 "2018-04-20T23:30:58Z")
I remember from my geometry class as a child the lesson regarding these three mathematical constructs: A line stretches both ways to infinity. A line segment is finite…a definite beginning and a definite end. A ray be… --- ## [Outsourced legal experts in US law](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/outsourced-legal-experts-in-us-law/812674)
**Author:** [@alterego](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alterego)\ **Replies:** 20\ **Last updated:** [April 20, 2018, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/outsourced-legal-experts-in-us-law/812674 "2018-04-20T20:06:08Z")
We’ve all heard of outsourcing, but the law? In an interview Sasha Baron Cohen mentioned that for a scene in Ali-G he had an expert in state law (Arkansas?) who was actually a guy living in India, on standby. This sound… --- ## [There is no 'date rape' drug that works in some of the ways reported is there?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/there-is-no-date-rape-drug-that-works-in-some-of-the-ways-reported-is-there/710895)
**Author:** [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Replies:** 128\ **Last updated:** [April 20, 2018, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/there-is-no-date-rape-drug-that-works-in-some-of-the-ways-reported-is-there/710895 "2018-04-20T19:38:48Z")
I know everyone is tired of hearing about the Bill Cosby accusations and has their mind made up one way or the other. However, this is a factual question that applies not only to these cases but to similar ones. I don’t … --- ## [How come TV commercials for medications now refer to the doctor as "she".](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-come-tv-commercials-for-medications-now-refer-to-the-doctor-as-she/812182)
**Author:** [@Steven\_Estes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steven_Estes)\ **Replies:** 50\ **Last updated:** [April 20, 2018, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-come-tv-commercials-for-medications-now-refer-to-the-doctor-as-she/812182 "2018-04-20T19:10:33Z")
How come TV commercials for medications now refer to the doctor as “she”. I have noticed this in recent years. I can think of a number of possible reasons, but none is entirely plausible. Any idea? --- ## [Fastest rate at which the human body can possibly burn calories (per second, per minute)](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fastest-rate-at-which-the-human-body-can-possibly-burn-calories-per-second-per-minute/812663)
**Author:** [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Replies:** 59\ **Last updated:** [April 20, 2018, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fastest-rate-at-which-the-human-body-can-possibly-burn-calories-per-second-per-minute/812663 "2018-04-20T18:07:14Z")
My WAG is that Olympic swimming - like Michael Phelps going for the gold in the pool - is the most intense calorie-burning activity a human body can possibly engage in, during the few minutes that it’s going on. Does an … --- ## [Can a person claim, "unclaimed" media/artwork](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-person-claim-unclaimed-media-artwork/812481)
**Author:** [@Mrdeals](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mrdeals)\ **Replies:** 52\ **Last updated:** [April 20, 2018, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-person-claim-unclaimed-media-artwork/812481 "2018-04-20T17:21:54Z")
I think this has a factual answer. A few different scenarios: Scenario #1 (actually happened to me); My bid won a collection of original artwork from an estate sale. About 50 beautiful landscape oil paintings (possibl… --- ## [Has an animal ever stopped its rampage because it met a human that had treated it well?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-an-animal-ever-stopped-its-rampage-because-it-met-a-human-that-had-treated-it-well/812669)
**Author:** [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Replies:** 14\ **Last updated:** [April 20, 2018, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-an-animal-ever-stopped-its-rampage-because-it-met-a-human-that-had-treated-it-well/812669 "2018-04-20T17:03:13Z")
Are there any documented incidents of an animal going on a rampage only to stop and calm down when met by a human that had treated it kindly? I.e. it knew that human was a friend. I’m particularly thinking of elephants … --- ## [Do washing and drying machines need to cool down or rest between loads?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-washing-and-drying-machines-need-to-cool-down-or-rest-between-loads/812689)
**Author:** [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Replies:** 13\ **Last updated:** [April 20, 2018, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-washing-and-drying-machines-need-to-cool-down-or-rest-between-loads/812689 "2018-04-20T14:55:56Z")
Say one is running multiple loads through the washer and dryer all in one day - a truly big quantity, 4 or 5 loads in one day. Are there components in the washer or dryer that get hot, or need some form of rest or coolin… --- ## [What percentage of Indian's speak fluent English?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-percentage-of-indians-speak-fluent-english/812540)
**Author:** [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Replies:** 28\ **Last updated:** [April 20, 2018, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-percentage-of-indians-speak-fluent-english/812540 "2018-04-20T14:49:03Z")
I was watching this video on YouTube discussing English in India (you don’t have to watch the video). One thing that struck me was what the people being interviewed though was the percentage of ‘fluent’ English speakers… --- ## [Calculating current](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/calculating-current/812725)
**Author:** [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Replies:** 4\ **Last updated:** [April 20, 2018, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/calculating-current/812725 "2018-04-20T14:21:40Z")
I have a magnet of known strength in gauss and a certain distance r from a conductor and spin the magnet in a circle around the conductor. What determines how much current will pass through the conductor? Speed of the … --- ## [A hot bath burns 140 calories an hour? Heat shock proteins?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-hot-bath-burns-140-calories-an-hour-heat-shock-proteins/812652)
**Author:** [@nelliebly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nelliebly)\ **Replies:** 13\ **Last updated:** [April 20, 2018, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-hot-bath-burns-140-calories-an-hour-heat-shock-proteins/812652 "2018-04-20T13:53:37Z")
A recent study found that an hour-long hot bath burns “around 140 calories.” The study was tiny (14 men), but that, of course, didn’t keep it from being widely reported. According to one of the study’s authors, writing i… --- ## [Genetically Inherited Characteristics: Average, Even Distribution, or Bipolar Distribution?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/genetically-inherited-characteristics-average-even-distribution-or-bipolar-distribution/812705)
**Author:** [@Fotheringay-Phipps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fotheringay-Phipps)\ **Replies:** 12\ **Last updated:** [April 20, 2018, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/genetically-inherited-characteristics-average-even-distribution-or-bipolar-distribution/812705 "2018-04-20T13:11:12Z")
My question is about children of parents who are different in some way, and how that works out for the children’s characteristics to the extent that they inherit this genetically from the parents. (Meaning, I’m aware tha… --- ## [Chrome seems to be holding bookmarks hostage?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chrome-seems-to-be-holding-bookmarks-hostage/812685)
**Author:** [@brujaja](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brujaja)\ **Replies:** 14\ **Last updated:** [April 20, 2018, 8:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chrome-seems-to-be-holding-bookmarks-hostage/812685 "2018-04-20T08:52:22Z")
One of my clients apparently got some malware somewhere. He pays for a help-desk-type service, and they wound up installing a paid version of Windows Defender which restored function, but completely changed all of his se… --- ## [My area overrun with chain drugstores: how do they stay in business?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-area-overrun-with-chain-drugstores-how-do-they-stay-in-business/812040)
**Author:** [@Jennshark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jennshark)\ **Replies:** 45\ **Last updated:** [April 20, 2018, 7:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-area-overrun-with-chain-drugstores-how-do-they-stay-in-business/812040 "2018-04-20T07:45:55Z")
A ginormous Walgreens opened a mile away from me last week. We now have: -Rite Aid: one is 1.4 miles away, the other 9/10 mile. -CVS: one is 9/10, across street from RiteAid. Other is 1.5 miles. -New Walgreens is 1 mi… --- ## [Being disrespectful during White House Press conferences](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/being-disrespectful-during-white-house-press-conferences/812624)
**Author:** [@Uniqueorn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uniqueorn)\ **Replies:** 24\ **Last updated:** [April 20, 2018, 6:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/being-disrespectful-during-white-house-press-conferences/812624 "2018-04-20T06:36:26Z")
Is there any kind of penalty for acting disrespectfully (laughing, leaving the room, shouting “liar”) during WH press conferences, other than possibly being told not to attend any future ones? --- ## [How is it possible to be a client of an attorney and not pay an attorney?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-it-possible-to-be-a-client-of-an-attorney-and-not-pay-an-attorney/812585)
**Author:** [@davidmich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidmich)\ **Replies:** 25\ **Last updated:** [April 20, 2018, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-it-possible-to-be-a-client-of-an-attorney-and-not-pay-an-attorney/812585 "2018-04-20T05:01:57Z")
Hi, I happened to hear on CNN’s Anderson Cooper show one expert commentator Anne Milgram ( former federal prosecutor) say that it was possible to be a client of an attorney and not pay that attorney? How does that wor… --- ## [General notion for positive third derivative](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/general-notion-for-positive-third-derivative/812723)
**Author:** [@OldGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OldGuy)\ **Replies:** 11\ **Last updated:** [April 20, 2018, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/general-notion-for-positive-third-derivative/812723 "2018-04-20T02:58:49Z")
Help me fill the blank in the sentence below. For functions of one variable: If an increasing function is differentiable, it has a positive first derivative. If a convex function is twice differentiable, it has a posi… --- ## [Can Donald Trump personally fire the people involved in the southern district NY investigation](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-donald-trump-personally-fire-the-people-involved-in-the-southern-district-ny-investigation/812658)
**Author:** [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Replies:** 16\ **Last updated:** [April 19, 2018, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-donald-trump-personally-fire-the-people-involved-in-the-southern-district-ny-investigation/812658 "2018-04-19T21:57:33Z")
I’ve heard he cannot, but that doesn’t make sense to me. Can’t Trump just start firing people who work for the southern district in New York until they stop doing the investigation into Cohen? He got rid of Preet Bharara… --- ## [Dual charging a Galaxy S8](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dual-charging-a-galaxy-s8/812667)
**Author:** [@duffer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/duffer)\ **Replies:** 9\ **Last updated:** [April 19, 2018, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dual-charging-a-galaxy-s8/812667 "2018-04-19T20:30:38Z")
I have a wireless disc charger for my Galaxy S8. For some reason when I connect it to the factory wired charger it most often gives me a slow-charging warning, though not always. No idea why. Anyway, it led me to wonder,… --- ## [Who are are safer & better driver - Men vs Women?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-are-safer-better-driver-men-vs-women/812215)
**Author:** [@Doughbag](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doughbag)\ **Replies:** 38\ **Last updated:** [April 19, 2018, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-are-safer-better-driver-men-vs-women/812215 "2018-04-19T20:08:02Z")
Got in a discussion about safe driving with a friend of mine where he stated that women of having more accidents and blamed them for being the actual cause for the male drivers to have accidents. Reasons mentioned for t… --- ## [Pray as a legal term](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pray-as-a-legal-term/812362)
**Author:** [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Replies:** 19\ **Last updated:** [April 19, 2018, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pray-as-a-legal-term/812362 "2018-04-19T18:49:34Z")
I just had to sign a document because my father’s original will was lost. The lawyer has a copy of the will and she wrote “we pray the court accepts this copy for probate” Is it common to say “pray” rather than “ask?”… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/c/factual-questions/9.md?page=592) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/c/factual-questions/9.md?page=594)