# Factual Questions **URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/c/factual-questions/9.md?page=674 [Latest](https://boards.straightdope.com/latest.md) · [Categories](https://boards.straightdope.com/categories.md) · [Tags](https://boards.straightdope.com/tags.md) **Page:** 675 --- ## [\-284 degrees longitude?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/284-degrees-longitude/796232)
**Author:** [@Napier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Napier)\ **Replies:** 16\ **Last updated:** [September 17, 2017, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/284-degrees-longitude/796232 "2017-09-17T20:00:10Z")
One of my GPS receivers writes my longitude as -284 degrees. I live between New York and Washington and I think the receiver should say either -76 or 284, not -284. It’s as if it is expressing westness twice, which makes… --- ## [The Q in LGTBQ](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-q-in-lgtbq/796396)
**Author:** [@Greathouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Greathouse)\ **Replies:** 45\ **Last updated:** [September 17, 2017, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-q-in-lgtbq/796396 "2017-09-17T19:26:08Z")
As I understand it, the letters in LGBTQ stand for: L = Lesbian (women who are sexually attracted to other women) G = Gay (people who are sexually attracted to other people of the same sex) B = Bisexual (people who ar… --- ## [First responders - volunteers vs paid](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-responders-volunteers-vs-paid/796317)
**Author:** [@cantara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cantara)\ **Replies:** 9\ **Last updated:** [September 17, 2017, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-responders-volunteers-vs-paid/796317 "2017-09-17T19:01:21Z")
I have a couple of questions regarding first responders to disaster situations. Who are those who get paid? Obviously not volunteers, neighbours and good samaritans. (police, fire, paramedics, doctors, nurses, coast … --- ## [Why a buckle on a hat?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-a-buckle-on-a-hat/645788)
**Author:** [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Replies:** 25\ **Last updated:** [September 17, 2017, 11:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-a-buckle-on-a-hat/645788 "2017-09-17T11:05:37Z")
It’s a US Thanksgiving meme - pilgrims wearing tophats with a buckle on them. Why a buckle on a hat? --- ## [British English vs. U.S. English - film vs. movie](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-english-vs-u-s-english-film-vs-movie/349267)
**Author:** [@Ea\_calendula](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ea_calendula)\ **Replies:** 43\ **Last updated:** [September 17, 2017, 6:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-english-vs-u-s-english-film-vs-movie/349267 "2017-09-17T06:17:33Z")
When I write English I prefer to stick with one convention of spelling and grammer, and as I learned British English in school I’m using that - even though I sometimes get confused by reading so much U.S. English on the… --- ## [Bizarre USB charging issue](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bizarre-usb-charging-issue/796449)
**Author:** [@obbn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/obbn)\ **Replies:** 3\ **Last updated:** [September 17, 2017, 4:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bizarre-usb-charging-issue/796449 "2017-09-17T04:52:43Z")
Hello Everyone, I have an E cigarette that I occasionally use when I feel the need for some nicotine. To charge it I have several chargers available, both house and car. Each charger has a charger that plugs into either… --- ## [Question about historical hurricane names](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-historical-hurricane-names/796496)
**Author:** [@boffking](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/boffking)\ **Replies:** 2\ **Last updated:** [September 17, 2017, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-historical-hurricane-names/796496 "2017-09-17T01:59:11Z")
Hurricanes were once named for the place they made landfall such as the 1900 Galveston hurricane. What if a hurricane made multiple landfalls? Hurricane Irma recently made landfall on Barbuda, Sint Maarten, Cuba, and F… --- ## [One extra dimension?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-extra-dimension/796401)
**Author:** [@Enola\_Straight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enola_Straight)\ **Replies:** 4\ **Last updated:** [September 16, 2017, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-extra-dimension/796401 "2017-09-16T22:59:53Z")
The complex plane…a real number line and an imaginary number line perpendicular…was found to calculate rotation of a two dimensional object. Rotating a three dimensional object with a three dimensional complex framework… --- ## [Spam numbers way up?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spam-numbers-way-up/796368)
**Author:** [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Replies:** 9\ **Last updated:** [September 16, 2017, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spam-numbers-way-up/796368 "2017-09-16T22:11:00Z")
In the last few weeks my spam has gone up by a factor of around 10x. I use yahoo email and it is going into the spam bucket. Anyone else notice this ? I check spam bucket since sometimes real mail ends up there . --- ## [110v rated electric blanket on 220v](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/110v-rated-electric-blanket-on-220v/796475)
**Author:** [@am77494](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/am77494)\ **Replies:** 8\ **Last updated:** [September 16, 2017, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/110v-rated-electric-blanket-on-220v/796475 "2017-09-16T20:45:42Z")
I have had good success with using 110v rated electric devices (purely resistive devices like incandescent light bulbs, incandescent string lights etc) in foreign countries where the voltage is 220V and 50/60 Hz frequenc… --- ## [Traveling at the speed of light. Please demolish suggested method](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/traveling-at-the-speed-of-light-please-demolish-suggested-method/796391)
**Author:** [@aldiboronti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aldiboronti)\ **Replies:** 76\ **Last updated:** [September 16, 2017, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/traveling-at-the-speed-of-light-please-demolish-suggested-method/796391 "2017-09-16T16:50:24Z")
I know practically zip about science so I’m absolutely positive there’s a huge hole in my thinking on this. I understand that it is impossible for people to accelerate to light speed as it would take infinite energy to a… --- ## [How difficult is it to distinguish a thermonuclear explosions? (NK's "still not clear" one, e.g.)](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-difficult-is-it-to-distinguish-a-thermonuclear-explosions-nks-still-not-clear-one-e-g/796370)
**Author:** [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Replies:** 9\ **Last updated:** [September 16, 2017, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-difficult-is-it-to-distinguish-a-thermonuclear-explosions-nks-still-not-clear-one-e-g/796370 "2017-09-16T14:40:57Z")
See query. Decades ago it was announced upon first news of a bang that India had thermonuclear as opposed to fission. It seems to me unbelievable that we (one, if one is the Pentagon) can be in doubt about that; the poli… --- ## [Converting or interpretting survey coordinates](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/converting-or-interpretting-survey-coordinates/796194)
**Author:** [@Disheavel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Disheavel)\ **Replies:** 8\ **Last updated:** [September 16, 2017, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/converting-or-interpretting-survey-coordinates/796194 "2017-09-16T04:22:46Z")
In looking at this survey here for a platted out mountain community, can anyone help me understand how to interpret the final page’s list of coordinates? Using circle or Lot 1: N 12 475.97 E 12 454.53 How do I pars… --- ## [Is there an Equalizer for my sound card on my Mac?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-an-equalizer-for-my-sound-card-on-my-mac/796394)
**Author:** [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)\ **Replies:** 7\ **Last updated:** [September 15, 2017, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-an-equalizer-for-my-sound-card-on-my-mac/796394 "2017-09-15T22:52:43Z")
I’m using a 2011 era Mac Mini, running OSX Sierra 10.12.6 . I’ve always wanted a simple sound tweaking panel for my headsets/ speakers. I can’t find one. System Preferences allows for L/R balance only. Am I missing so… --- ## [Is there a version of "Godwin's Law" in Europe?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-version-of-godwins-law-in-europe/796425)
**Author:** [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Replies:** 9\ **Last updated:** [September 15, 2017, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-version-of-godwins-law-in-europe/796425 "2017-09-15T22:37:12Z")
Is “Godwin’s Law” or a version of it invoked in Europe if someone brings up Hitler comparisons in situations that are not validly related or comparable to Nazism/Hitler? --- ## [where do cereal crumbs come from?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-cereal-crumbs-come-from/715852)
**Author:** [@Orville\_mogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Orville_mogul)\ **Replies:** 26\ **Last updated:** [September 15, 2017, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-cereal-crumbs-come-from/715852 "2017-09-15T22:04:21Z")
I look forward to my bowl of bran flakes each morning as a healthy start to my day. But what I hate is getting to the bottom of the box and encountering the crumb zone, that layer of powdered cereal that sometimes repres… --- ## [German Vehicles at Museum of Automotive and Technology in Warsaw Poland](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/german-vehicles-at-museum-of-automotive-and-technology-in-warsaw-poland/796247)
**Author:** [@SHARKBITEATTACK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SHARKBITEATTACK)\ **Replies:** 8\ **Last updated:** [September 15, 2017, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/german-vehicles-at-museum-of-automotive-and-technology-in-warsaw-poland/796247 "2017-09-15T14:25:44Z")
I visited the Museum of Automotive and Technology while in Warsaw Poland a few weeks ago and too my suprise they had a Panzer IV a post war Polish T-34 and some other Nazi German Armored Vehicles. I was really thrown off… --- ## [Cryptocurrency Purchasing/Selling](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cryptocurrency-purchasing-selling/788995)
**Author:** [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Replies:** 12\ **Last updated:** [September 15, 2017, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cryptocurrency-purchasing-selling/788995 "2017-09-15T14:04:44Z")
Buying and selling cryptocurrency (e.g., Bitcoin, Ethereum, Ripple, etc.) doesn’t seem to be hard to do. There are plenty of websites that allow for it. Kraken seems to be the one, at the moment, with the best history (a… --- ## [How do subscription movie theater services make money?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-subscription-movie-theater-services-make-money/796290)
**Author:** [@Reply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reply)\ **Replies:** 14\ **Last updated:** [September 15, 2017, 6:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-subscription-movie-theater-services-make-money/796290 "2017-09-15T06:43:29Z")
Last month, the service MoviePass reduced its pricing to $10/mo, under which you can watch all the movies you want (including new releases, but not 3D or IMAX) at the movie theater. They just mail you a debit card and fo… --- ## [Facebook: Adding names to photos](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/facebook-adding-names-to-photos/796237)
**Author:** [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Replies:** 10\ **Last updated:** [September 14, 2017, 10:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/facebook-adding-names-to-photos/796237 "2017-09-14T10:31:05Z")
I posted a bunch of photos I shot at an aunt’s 90th birthday last year. Facebook tagged many of the people with their names, but those who are not on FB have ‘Type any name’ when I hover over some faces. So I attempted… --- ## [Percentage of shares owned = over 100%? (Stock Question)](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/percentage-of-shares-owned-over-100-stock-question/796377)
**Author:** [@Mrdeals](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mrdeals)\ **Replies:** 4\ **Last updated:** [September 15, 2017, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/percentage-of-shares-owned-over-100-stock-question/796377 "2017-09-15T03:19:59Z")
On Scottrade, you can view a stocks “insider” activity. Generally there is a breakdown of who owns the stock; insiders, financial institutions, banks, etc. Then a percentage of total amount of shares owned, usually les… --- ## [What's the point of the Newton/apple story?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-point-of-the-newton-apple-story/796256)
**Author:** [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Replies:** 42\ **Last updated:** [September 15, 2017, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-point-of-the-newton-apple-story/796256 "2017-09-15T00:34:46Z")
It’s always been presented as if he’s the first person to ever notice things fall straight down. --- ## [Can BMI results be skewed by really large breasts?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-bmi-results-be-skewed-by-really-large-breasts/796071)
**Author:** [@Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malleus_Incus_Stapes)\ **Replies:** 35\ **Last updated:** [September 15, 2017, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-bmi-results-be-skewed-by-really-large-breasts/796071 "2017-09-15T00:30:30Z")
I know that BMI is a one-size-fits-all measurement and doesn’t account for things like above-average muscle mass and the like. What about women cursed with truly back-breaking amounts of boobage? Can someone end up marke… --- ## [Cost of replacement Vagus Nerve Stimulator magnet?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cost-of-replacement-vagus-nerve-stimulator-magnet/796342)
**Author:** [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Replies:** 3\ **Last updated:** [September 14, 2017, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cost-of-replacement-vagus-nerve-stimulator-magnet/796342 "2017-09-14T22:11:00Z")
No, not the $20-30,000 cost for an implant in one’s body. I mean the magnet that you wear on your wrist. You can see it in this guy’s video. He’s holding one. I am asking because I was issued one as an emergency backup… --- ## [Why are there so many old suburbans?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-so-many-old-suburbans/796152)
**Author:** [@Contemplation](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Contemplation)\ **Replies:** 19\ **Last updated:** [September 14, 2017, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-so-many-old-suburbans/796152 "2017-09-14T20:54:40Z")
Why are there so many 90s and early 2000s Chevy Suburbans/ GMC Yukons still rolling around in 2017? I don’t see as many old cars of other makes in particular, but for some reason people won’t let go of these things. --- ## [Flat Screen TVs without HD](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flat-screen-tvs-without-hd/796098)
**Author:** [@drad\_dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drad_dog)\ **Replies:** 68\ **Last updated:** [September 14, 2017, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flat-screen-tvs-without-hd/796098 "2017-09-14T20:10:24Z")
Is it true that they look like crap because they were made for HD use. I just got a (LG) TV as a gift, but I don’t like the look as much as my old tube set. Absolute garbage. Is this just a lousy TV or are all flat scre… --- ## [Looking for an accurate time zone map.](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-an-accurate-time-zone-map/796277)
**Author:** [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Replies:** 10\ **Last updated:** [September 14, 2017, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-an-accurate-time-zone-map/796277 "2017-09-14T19:42:21Z")
My Google wizardly is failing me. I easily find generic time zone maps. https://goo.gl/images/qyA6KK I can’t get Google maps to show specific details. Which towns are on each side of a time zone. I put in “US Time Zo… --- ## [Cheetah Mobile software](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheetah-mobile-software/796337)
**Author:** [@Rick\_Kitchen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick_Kitchen)\ **Replies:** 0\ **Last updated:** [September 14, 2017, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheetah-mobile-software/796337 "2017-09-14T18:50:50Z")
The US government has banned federal contractors from using Kaspersky virus protection on all computers due to Kaspersky’s alleged connections to the Russian government. My question is, is there any connection between … --- ## [Trying to identify this character](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trying-to-identify-this-character/796278)
**Author:** [@grrandy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grrandy)\ **Replies:** 4\ **Last updated:** [September 14, 2017, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trying-to-identify-this-character/796278 "2017-09-14T18:16:10Z")
This character is vaguely familiar to me, but I just can’t place it. I keep thinking it’s either a vintage comic book character or a vintage logo for some product/brand, but that’s as far as I get! https://i.imgur.com/i… --- ## [Does The Technology Exist To Allow TV Users To Opt Out Of Network Affiliates' Severe Weather Reports](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-technology-exist-to-allow-tv-users-to-opt-out-of-network-affiliates-severe-weather-reports/781203)
**Author:** [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Replies:** 18\ **Last updated:** [September 14, 2017, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-technology-exist-to-allow-tv-users-to-opt-out-of-network-affiliates-severe-weather-reports/781203 "2017-09-14T18:04:31Z")
…and other interruptions? On my satellite, all of my network stations are St. Louis network affiliates. Those affiliates’ viewing areas all extend into huge swaths of southern Illinois; some of the counties served are a… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/c/factual-questions/9.md?page=673) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/c/factual-questions/9.md?page=675)