# Factual Questions **URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/c/factual-questions/9.md?page=619 [Latest](https://boards.straightdope.com/latest.md) · [Categories](https://boards.straightdope.com/categories.md) · [Tags](https://boards.straightdope.com/tags.md) **Page:** 620 --- ## [Anyone read Kymer or Laos?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-read-kymer-or-laos/808897)
**Author:** [@mixdenny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mixdenny)\ **Replies:** 0\ **Last updated:** [February 15, 2018, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-read-kymer-or-laos/808897 "2018-02-15T21:12:33Z")
We picked up a new package of Siang Pure Oil, a Thai company. On the back is a scratch-off ticket to win a motorcycle, I guess. But the writing is not Thai according to my wife. She thought it was Laotian, and looking ar… --- ## [Seeing An Atom? What's the SD?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seeing-an-atom-whats-the-sd/808877)
**Author:** [@Jinx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jinx)\ **Replies:** 8\ **Last updated:** [February 15, 2018, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seeing-an-atom-whats-the-sd/808877 "2018-02-15T19:51:43Z")
According to this BGR.com article (also carried by Yahoo.com), a photographer allegedly photographed a Strontium atom held in suspended animation between two electrodes supposedly exciting the atom causing it to glow. if… --- ## [MS OneNote – Display Notebook Name on Task Bar](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ms-onenote-display-notebook-name-on-task-bar/808841)
**Author:** [@zoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoid)\ **Replies:** 2\ **Last updated:** [February 15, 2018, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ms-onenote-display-notebook-name-on-task-bar/808841 "2018-02-15T17:51:00Z")
When I have several notebooks open in OneNote, hovering over the icon in the task bar shows each notebook but it displays the name of the page the notebook is open to as opposed to the name of the notebook itself. This … --- ## [Where does pharmaceutical testosterone come from?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-does-pharmaceutical-testosterone-come-from/636880)
**Author:** [@obbn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/obbn)\ **Replies:** 26\ **Last updated:** [February 15, 2018, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-does-pharmaceutical-testosterone-come-from/636880 "2018-02-15T14:56:19Z")
Hello Again Everyone, I might of asked this question before, but I can’t remember. I was just reading the other active thread about testosterone, which I am currently on as my body quit producing it due to chronic use o… --- ## [A Question for Cecil \[Are eggs essential for vaccine production?\]](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-for-cecil-are-eggs-essential-for-vaccine-production/808745)
**Author:** [@DonLehner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DonLehner)\ **Replies:** 4\ **Last updated:** [February 15, 2018, 6:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-for-cecil-are-eggs-essential-for-vaccine-production/808745 "2018-02-15T06:59:24Z")
If there were no eggs available for production of influenza/other crucial vaccines , would there then be worldwide epidemics as a result ? --- ## [Legally printing money](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legally-printing-money/808787)
**Author:** [@Mrdeals](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mrdeals)\ **Replies:** 11\ **Last updated:** [February 15, 2018, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legally-printing-money/808787 "2018-02-15T02:19:15Z")
I read the book “Rich Dad Poor Dad” when I was as 15. I remember a quote from rich dad: “There is a way to legally print money, and that is by owning a public ally traded company” Is this really true? If Steve Bezos di… --- ## [Was Amundsen's cable to Scott in English?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-amundsens-cable-to-scott-in-english/808319)
**Author:** [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Replies:** 11\ **Last updated:** [February 15, 2018, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-amundsens-cable-to-scott-in-english/808319 "2018-02-15T01:58:18Z")
Recorded to history as : “Beg leave to inform you Fram proceeding Antarctic. Amundsen.” Did Amundsen speak English, and was the cable in English. Seems an odd choice of words for a native speaker. Amundsen himself ma… --- ## [WordPerfect Office X8 now playing the big gorilla! HELP.](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordperfect-office-x8-now-playing-the-big-gorilla-help/808754)
**Author:** [@jsfx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsfx)\ **Replies:** 4\ **Last updated:** [February 14, 2018, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordperfect-office-x8-now-playing-the-big-gorilla-help/808754 "2018-02-14T21:56:30Z")
Upon “upgrading” to WP Office X8 (from 7), I now cannot open any Excel or Word file (double clicking the file), without Quattro Pro or Word respectively opening the file instead. In doing so, convoluting the formatting … --- ## [Serengeti Great Migration](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/serengeti-great-migration/808797)
**Author:** [@Fotheringay-Phipps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fotheringay-Phipps)\ **Replies:** 12\ **Last updated:** [February 14, 2018, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/serengeti-great-migration/808797 "2018-02-14T20:08:24Z")
See e.g. here. One of the great natural wonders of the world (especially where the herds pour across the Mara River, getting attacked by crocs - much about this on YouTube). Couple of questions: Why is it that these … --- ## [Can I buy longer lugs for my electrical sub panel?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-buy-longer-lugs-for-my-electrical-sub-panel/808660)
**Author:** [@PhilAck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PhilAck)\ **Replies:** 15\ **Last updated:** [February 14, 2018, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-buy-longer-lugs-for-my-electrical-sub-panel/808660 "2018-02-14T19:21:15Z")
I have a Square D sub panel that appears to have room for additional breakers but the lugs in the panel do not extend down far enough. Can I buy longer lugs and replace the ones that are in there? There is a label that… --- ## [Who owns Mars?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-owns-mars/808574)
**Author:** [@Walken\_After\_Midnight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walken_After_Midnight)\ **Replies:** 65\ **Last updated:** [February 14, 2018, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-owns-mars/808574 "2018-02-14T18:35:11Z")
What are the rules regarding the founding of colonies on Mars? If Elon Musk decided to build a colony or city on Mars, would he need anyone’s permission first? If not, and he built a colony, would he be able to lay claim… --- ## [Tying up the 4WD viscous fan for crossing waters?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tying-up-the-4wd-viscous-fan-for-crossing-waters/808817)
**Author:** [@Loyuod](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loyuod)\ **Replies:** 5\ **Last updated:** [February 14, 2018, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tying-up-the-4wd-viscous-fan-for-crossing-waters/808817 "2018-02-14T18:19:28Z")
All I know is if you have a viscous fan you can tie it up during a crossing which reduces damages to radiator core. How can a dummie know is the fan is viscous? If it is viscous is the fan going to just snap the tie? O… --- ## [Home filming with smoke machine, fire Dept false alarm?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/home-filming-with-smoke-machine-fire-dept-false-alarm/808791)
**Author:** [@BobBitchin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobBitchin)\ **Replies:** 15\ **Last updated:** [February 14, 2018, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/home-filming-with-smoke-machine-fire-dept-false-alarm/808791 "2018-02-14T14:31:38Z")
Hi guys, I have what I think is an interesting question. I may want to do some video recording at home, including a smoke machine. It would be just a home video, no commerce, no schedule, just fuckin around. How do I … --- ## [Is "Lady's Maid" actually a profession any more?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-ladys-maid-actually-a-profession-any-more/808698)
**Author:** [@StarvingButStrong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StarvingButStrong)\ **Replies:** 13\ **Last updated:** [February 14, 2018, 12:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-ladys-maid-actually-a-profession-any-more/808698 "2018-02-14T12:17:34Z")
At least, in first world countries? I’ve heard mention of some wealthy people having assistants, secretaries, butlers, valets, gardeners, chauffeurs, housekeepers, and general house maids – heck, personal pilots, why no… --- ## [Thermodynamic Entropy](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thermodynamic-entropy/808665)
**Author:** [@Enola\_Straight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enola_Straight)\ **Replies:** 15\ **Last updated:** [February 14, 2018, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thermodynamic-entropy/808665 "2018-02-14T04:18:01Z")
Entropy…the process where order decays into chaos. The universe, as a whole, goes from a state of higher order to a state of higher entropy. Now, some small section of the universe for a time can assemble some order, b… --- ## [Excel summing question](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/excel-summing-question/808774)
**Author:** [@mixdenny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mixdenny)\ **Replies:** 6\ **Last updated:** [February 14, 2018, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/excel-summing-question/808774 "2018-02-14T01:22:44Z")
It;s been a long time since I used Excel (v.2003) and these are probably easy questions. I have columns for sums and differences between various cells. Those data cells will be filled in every week as data is availabl… --- ## [How did the storage lockers at bus depots etc. work?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-the-storage-lockers-at-bus-depots-etc-work/807949)
**Author:** [@StarvingButStrong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StarvingButStrong)\ **Replies:** 47\ **Last updated:** [February 13, 2018, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-the-storage-lockers-at-bus-depots-etc-work/807949 "2018-02-13T22:21:01Z")
Back in days of old, they had areas with grids of storage lockers in places like bus and train stations and airports and so on. I’ve vague memories of noticing them when we were seeing my dad off on business trips, but h… --- ## [Is "chlorinated chicken" something that Americans worry about?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-chlorinated-chicken-something-that-americans-worry-about/808685)
**Author:** [@Ximenean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ximenean)\ **Replies:** 20\ **Last updated:** [February 13, 2018, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-chlorinated-chicken-something-that-americans-worry-about/808685 "2018-02-13T20:01:57Z")
In the ongoing Brexit debate, one point that seems to repeatedly come up is that the UK might have to be open to lower quality food imports from other countries. The favoured example of this is chlorinated chicken from t… --- ## [Purifying the same air hundrds of times - bad for air purifier?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/purifying-the-same-air-hundrds-of-times-bad-for-air-purifier/808756)
**Author:** [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Replies:** 6\ **Last updated:** [February 13, 2018, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/purifying-the-same-air-hundrds-of-times-bad-for-air-purifier/808756 "2018-02-13T19:39:02Z")
I bought a rather powerful air purifier and put it in a small room and had it set to run. Quite a few hours later, it occurred to me (as I woke up from sleep) that by closing the room door, this meant that the purifier h… --- ## [What makes sebum so sticky?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-makes-sebum-so-sticky/808736)
**Author:** [@Contemplation](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Contemplation)\ **Replies:** 1\ **Last updated:** [February 13, 2018, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-makes-sebum-so-sticky/808736 "2018-02-13T19:38:44Z")
Sebum, not semen. Its the stuff that makes hair greasy, yet without it hair would be dull and brittle. Its composed of oils, fatty acids, wax esters, squalene and other things. But what component of sebum actually make… --- ## [Would skyscrapers survive rising sea levels?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-skyscrapers-survive-rising-sea-levels/782423)
**Author:** [@dofe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dofe)\ **Replies:** 58\ **Last updated:** [February 13, 2018, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-skyscrapers-survive-rising-sea-levels/782423 "2018-02-13T19:26:24Z")
Inspired by this excerpt from a story of a future NYC flooded by rising water levels. Assuming that water floods the underground and first floors of a skyscraper, what changes (if any) are needed for it to remain functio… --- ## [Why don't children learn to talk to pets?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-children-learn-to-talk-to-pets/808562)
**Author:** [@jtur88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jtur88)\ **Replies:** 38\ **Last updated:** [February 13, 2018, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-children-learn-to-talk-to-pets/808562 "2018-02-13T19:00:59Z")
If very small children invariably and perfectly learn the verbal communication of their parents, including clicks and what not, why don’t they also intuitively learn the language of their household pets, in other words, … --- ## [Descending Maxwell Montes](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/descending-maxwell-montes/808593)
**Author:** [@k9bfriender](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/k9bfriender)\ **Replies:** 8\ **Last updated:** [February 13, 2018, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/descending-maxwell-montes/808593 "2018-02-13T14:25:04Z")
The tallest mountain on Venus is Maxwell Montes, soaring 11 kilometers above the mean ground level. There have been some thoughts that if we were to return to Venus with a new probe, this would be a good location, as the… --- ## [I'm here to comfort you. There there.](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-here-to-comfort-you-there-there/808709)
**Author:** [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Replies:** 8\ **Last updated:** [February 13, 2018, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-here-to-comfort-you-there-there/808709 "2018-02-13T14:00:09Z")
It was a Simpsons scene, with Rev. Lovejoy and Bart, but they didn’t originate it of course. Of all words in the English language, what makes "there there "supposedly comforting words? --- ## [Charging a lot of devices on laptop at once; does it surpass the laptop battery tolerance level?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/charging-a-lot-of-devices-on-laptop-at-once-does-it-surpass-the-laptop-battery-tolerance-level/808624)
**Author:** [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Replies:** 7\ **Last updated:** [February 13, 2018, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/charging-a-lot-of-devices-on-laptop-at-once-does-it-surpass-the-laptop-battery-tolerance-level/808624 "2018-02-13T13:20:14Z")
So I wonder if, if you charge several power-hungry devices all on a laptop computer at once (i.e., two smartphones and a Bluetooth headphone; the laptop being plugged into a power socket itself,) if that might surpass th… --- ## [Wireless security scare](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wireless-security-scare/808743)
**Author:** [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Replies:** 15\ **Last updated:** [February 13, 2018, 10:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wireless-security-scare/808743 "2018-02-13T10:26:56Z")
I was watching TV on Roku connected to a wireless network\* when I got a notification that a Samsung device was trying to cast to my TV. I don’t own a Samsung device. 4 Options were to allow it or block it, and once or pe… --- ## [How to find out the last time that a city had a certain minimum temperature?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-find-out-the-last-time-that-a-city-had-a-certain-minimum-temperature/808708)
**Author:** [@Anise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anise)\ **Replies:** 7\ **Last updated:** [February 13, 2018, 6:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-find-out-the-last-time-that-a-city-had-a-certain-minimum-temperature/808708 "2018-02-13T06:54:59Z")
Hey all, So here’s the background. I was talking to my sister about growing zones, and we had an argument over whether or not Portland (OR) should be Zone 9. (It actually is 8b/9a-- the disagreement was over whether or … --- ## [Why do animals fear humans?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-animals-fear-humans/236073)
**Author:** [@Catalyst](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Catalyst)\ **Replies:** 29\ **Last updated:** [February 13, 2018, 5:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-animals-fear-humans/236073 "2018-02-13T05:40:52Z")
Sure, if I were a wild animal, I’d keep my distance, but I know about guns and pepper spray and sadistic young males. What motivates wild animals to keep their distance from us? The only thing I can think of is that, a… --- ## [Do tetanus shots really last exactly 10 years?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-tetanus-shots-really-last-exactly-10-years/808704)
**Author:** [@Mdcastle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mdcastle)\ **Replies:** 6\ **Last updated:** [February 13, 2018, 5:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-tetanus-shots-really-last-exactly-10-years/808704 "2018-02-13T05:25:51Z")
As opposed to 9 years or 11 years or whatever or did someone just decide that was a nice round number? If you’re supposed to have one if you’re injured after 5 years, why not just have everyone get one every 5 years rat… --- ## [Automobile 'Performance Chips': real deal or snake oil?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/automobile-performance-chips-real-deal-or-snake-oil/584750)
**Author:** [@Winston\_Smith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Winston_Smith)\ **Replies:** 33\ **Last updated:** [June 12, 2011, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/automobile-performance-chips-real-deal-or-snake-oil/584750 "2011-06-12T02:16:07Z")
I found an ad telling me that for $69.95 I can purchase a performance chip that will increase my horsepower (by up to 60%), increase my gas mileage (by 4-7 mpg) and lower my emissions. Seems like a good deal, AND it come… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/c/factual-questions/9.md?page=618) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/c/factual-questions/9.md?page=620)