# Factual Questions **URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/c/factual-questions/9.md?page=80 [Latest](https://boards.straightdope.com/latest.md) · [Categories](https://boards.straightdope.com/categories.md) · [Tags](https://boards.straightdope.com/tags.md) **Page:** 81 --- ## [Is 'Student Driver' code for something?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-student-driver-code-for-something/1000931)
**Author:** [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Replies:** 63\ **Last updated:** [July 25, 2024, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-student-driver-code-for-something/1000931 "2024-07-25T21:41:50Z")
I have seen bumper stickers cropping up in Colorado saying “Student Driver”. Not only are the drivers clearly not a student driver, even if they were, why put a bumper sticker on your car. If you are really teaching yo… --- ## [Moissanite and carborundum--what's the difference?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moissanite-and-carborundum-whats-the-difference/143428)
**Author:** [@don\_willard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_willard)\ **Replies:** 5\ **Last updated:** [July 25, 2024, 6:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moissanite-and-carborundum-whats-the-difference/143428 "2024-07-25T06:11:06Z")
Is the crystal structure of diamond, ie., the tetrahedron with a atom at each point of the tetrahedron found in silicon carbide and if so, does each tetrahedron have two carbon atoms and two silicon atoms, for instance, … --- ## [Can anyone explain to me the different kinds of scientific papers and what they mean](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anyone-explain-to-me-the-different-kinds-of-scientific-papers-and-what-they-mean/1004524)
**Author:** [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Replies:** 10\ **Last updated:** [July 25, 2024, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anyone-explain-to-me-the-different-kinds-of-scientific-papers-and-what-they-mean/1004524 "2024-07-25T02:17:08Z")
I’m seeing contradictory info online. Also I’m not talking about areas of research, more the scope of papers. Examples would be like Papers that conduct original research papers that try to replicate previous researc… --- ## [MS File Explorer: Way to resize the font display?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ms-file-explorer-way-to-resize-the-font-display/998771)
**Author:** [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Replies:** 16\ **Last updated:** [July 25, 2024, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ms-file-explorer-way-to-resize-the-font-display/998771 "2024-07-25T02:05:17Z")
I’ve got a new monitor at work, and the font for File Explorer is very small. I have to squint. Is there a way to embiggen it? --- ## [Pharmaceutical drug rep collectibles?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pharmaceutical-drug-rep-collectibles/1004518)
**Author:** [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Replies:** 23\ **Last updated:** [July 24, 2024, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pharmaceutical-drug-rep-collectibles/1004518 "2024-07-24T17:19:15Z")
Hopefully some of the medical people here will have some insight on this. Apparently (I don’t know about it first hand) drug company salesmen travel from doctor’s office to doctor’s office trying to convince doctors to p… --- ## [What would happen if gravity was lessened by 10%](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-happen-if-gravity-was-lessened-by-10/1004575)
**Author:** [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Replies:** 44\ **Last updated:** [July 24, 2024, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-happen-if-gravity-was-lessened-by-10/1004575 "2024-07-24T13:31:58Z")
Stolen (with permission) from @Moriarty. What would be the effects if gravity on Earth was lessened by 10%…besides having to rewrite basketball rules and regs, of course? --- ## [RF information density in an urban environment?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rf-information-density-in-an-urban-environment/1004526)
**Author:** [@xtenkfarpl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xtenkfarpl)\ **Replies:** 18\ **Last updated:** [July 24, 2024, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rf-information-density-in-an-urban-environment/1004526 "2024-07-24T12:59:29Z")
Just an idle thought: it occurred to me that anywhere in a modern city there are probably several WiFi networks within range. Several cell phone (mobile, for UK readers) networks. Then you could pick up quite a few AM … --- ## [Question about a possible business expense](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-a-possible-business-expense/1004730)
**Author:** [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Replies:** 8\ **Last updated:** [July 24, 2024, 12:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-a-possible-business-expense/1004730 "2024-07-24T12:05:07Z")
If you buy nylons for the sole purpose of masking your face during robberies, can you deduct them as a business expense? --- ## [High schools and gun clubs](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/high-schools-and-gun-clubs/1004327)
**Author:** [@2\_More\_Bits](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/2_More_Bits)\ **Replies:** 40\ **Last updated:** [July 24, 2024, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/high-schools-and-gun-clubs/1004327 "2024-07-24T01:49:26Z")
Is it common for high schools (or junior high schools) to have gun clubs/ rifle clubs? Are they generally “officially sanctioned” by the school districts? I never heard of such a thing at the suburban public school I at… --- ## [TV diagonal measurement](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-diagonal-measurement/1004406)
**Author:** [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Replies:** 92\ **Last updated:** [July 24, 2024, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-diagonal-measurement/1004406 "2024-07-24T01:30:09Z")
I’m sure we’ve all seen memes where people complain their televisions are smaller than advertised, because they measure the width instead of the diagonal length. Big laughs at people who don’t know that TV screens are m… --- ## [Relativity: Even if an hour on Planet X is ten years on Planet Earth, don't events happen equally fast?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/relativity-even-if-an-hour-on-planet-x-is-ten-years-on-planet-earth-dont-events-happen-equally-fast/1004700)
**Author:** [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Replies:** 21\ **Last updated:** [July 24, 2024, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/relativity-even-if-an-hour-on-planet-x-is-ten-years-on-planet-earth-dont-events-happen-equally-fast/1004700 "2024-07-24T01:02:27Z")
Re: movies like Interstellar Suppose that on Planet X, one hour there is equivalent to 10 years on Planet Earth. But certain events, as a matter of practicality, must still be the equivalent in Earth-time, right? It’s … --- ## [Is Your Roku Working?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-your-roku-working/1004508)
**Author:** [@Paul\_was\_in\_Saudi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_was_in_Saudi)\ **Replies:** 19\ **Last updated:** [July 23, 2024, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-your-roku-working/1004508 "2024-07-23T18:39:20Z")
Roku is some sort of TV thing. You plug a USB sort of device into the side of your TV and it gets TV. I am not too educated on how it works. I am having an odd problem since this morning. No picture. The sound is just f… --- ## [What is this French interjection? Sounds like "oura"?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-french-interjection-sounds-like-oura/1004606)
**Author:** [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Replies:** 9\ **Last updated:** [July 23, 2024, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-french-interjection-sounds-like-oura/1004606 "2024-07-23T15:54:56Z")
At 1:04 the woman sings something that sounds like “Oura!” between bars of her clarinetist’s solo. Is this similar to the French expression “Allez!”? --- ## [Calculating % alcohol when adding simple syrup](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/calculating-alcohol-when-adding-simple-syrup/1004567)
**Author:** [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Replies:** 15\ **Last updated:** [July 23, 2024, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/calculating-alcohol-when-adding-simple-syrup/1004567 "2024-07-23T14:37:46Z")
I have 1.75 liters of 100 proof vodka with zest of 28 lemons in it that has been steeping for six weeks. I am going to add simple syrup to make limoncello. My target is 30% alcohol. Do I calculate the amount of simple sy… --- ## [Need some help with a trigonometry problem](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-some-help-with-a-trigonometry-problem/965526)
**Author:** [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Replies:** 104\ **Last updated:** [July 23, 2024, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-some-help-with-a-trigonometry-problem/965526 "2024-07-23T03:45:13Z")
A while ago, I found an old textbook at a used bookstore, Vector Mechanics for Engineers (Statics). It’s old; there’s an actual 5.25" floppy disk inside the back cover. I studied a fair bit of Physics and Math back in … --- ## [Ad Blocker Not Working](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ad-blocker-not-working/1004599)
**Author:** [@OldOlds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OldOlds)\ **Replies:** 8\ **Last updated:** [July 22, 2024, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ad-blocker-not-working/1004599 "2024-07-22T14:00:48Z")
Hi Everyone All of a sudden, over the last few days, I am getting ads everywhere. I am using chrome and adblock plus. It is turned on. I tried searching for a thread on this here, and found nothing. I also tried search… --- ## [When did AIDS become a manageable disease?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-aids-become-a-manageable-disease/1004070)
**Author:** [@Quintas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quintas)\ **Replies:** 31\ **Last updated:** [July 22, 2024, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-aids-become-a-manageable-disease/1004070 "2024-07-22T00:28:37Z")
I started wondering because I was watching a clip of Brian May discussing the last days of Freddie Mercury. I looked up that Freddie died in November 1991 and also Magic Johnson announced that he was HIV positive in Nov… --- ## [Color Blindness in One Eye](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/color-blindness-in-one-eye/1003849)
**Author:** [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Replies:** 20\ **Last updated:** [July 21, 2024, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/color-blindness-in-one-eye/1003849 "2024-07-21T23:33:45Z")
Is it possible? I was watching an episode of Ink Masters and one of the artists claimed to be “partially colorblind.” That sounds like a cop out - I think is just straight up color blind - but made me wonder if it’s pos… --- ## [A I and the rights to an actors image](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-i-and-the-rights-to-an-actors-image/1004504)
**Author:** [@furryman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furryman)\ **Replies:** 5\ **Last updated:** [July 21, 2024, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-i-and-the-rights-to-an-actors-image/1004504 "2024-07-21T20:39:29Z")
It occurred to me that books about famous TV series have been around for decades and usually feature photos or paintings of the actors in the show. Is this part of the actors contract or is this basically a silent unders… --- ## [Could Japan have invaded Australia?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-japan-have-invaded-australia/1004375)
**Author:** [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Replies:** 19\ **Last updated:** [July 21, 2024, 12:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-japan-have-invaded-australia/1004375 "2024-07-21T12:27:24Z")
I’m not suggesting they could have successfully kept any territory, but was a landing and even a short-term occupation of some part of the country plausible, or was it logistically impossible? I seem to recall reading th… --- ## [Why can’t an echocardiogram detect narrowed/clogged arteries?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-can-t-an-echocardiogram-detect-narrowed-clogged-arteries/1004486)
**Author:** [@WalterBishop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WalterBishop)\ **Replies:** 4\ **Last updated:** [July 21, 2024, 5:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-can-t-an-echocardiogram-detect-narrowed-clogged-arteries/1004486 "2024-07-21T05:44:16Z")
I had an echo recently and was surprised when I read that an echocardiogram can’t detect narrowed/clogged arteries. Why not? If the echo can detect the arteries themselves, why can’t they detect if they’re stuffed full o… --- ## [What might cause a delayed a/c start in a jeep?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-might-cause-a-delayed-a-c-start-in-a-jeep/1004498)
**Author:** [@Saffer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saffer)\ **Replies:** 21\ **Last updated:** [July 21, 2024, 5:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-might-cause-a-delayed-a-c-start-in-a-jeep/1004498 "2024-07-21T05:31:56Z")
I have an oldish wrangler from 2012 which has been through a lot. I use it for off roading. It has seen many repairs and modifications, some from before I owned it. Whenever I start it, it takes a couple of minutes for t… --- ## [Question about a (probably) hung restore to a laptop SSD](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-a-probably-hung-restore-to-a-laptop-ssd/1004481)
**Author:** [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Replies:** 1\ **Last updated:** [July 20, 2024, 12:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-a-probably-hung-restore-to-a-laptop-ssd/1004481 "2024-07-20T12:21:58Z")
I’m trying to do a restore to a friend’s laptop who spilled some water on it. The laptop went dead for awhile but then seemed to recover but Windows couldn’t boot properly and boot repair failed. So I’m doing a full res… --- ## [Why is there a statue of an iron in Romania?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-a-statue-of-an-iron-in-romania/1004468)
**Author:** [@furryman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furryman)\ **Replies:** 7\ **Last updated:** [July 20, 2024, 11:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-a-statue-of-an-iron-in-romania/1004468 "2024-07-20T11:33:55Z")
Featured at the beginning of this video: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/E4qbQKB1SbQ?feature=share --- ## [Can e-readers generally do email?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-e-readers-generally-do-email/1004437)
**Author:** [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Replies:** 10\ **Last updated:** [July 19, 2024, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-e-readers-generally-do-email/1004437 "2024-07-19T14:46:11Z")
I reading a fiction book in which one of the characters uses an e-reader to send and receive e-mails. Is this generally possible? Say for a Kindle, although the novel doesn’t specify. My e-reader, a Kobo, certainly ca… --- ## [Is there any difference between these 2 laptops?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-difference-between-these-2-laptops/1004372)
**Author:** [@colinfred](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/colinfred)\ **Replies:** 8\ **Last updated:** [July 19, 2024, 7:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-difference-between-these-2-laptops/1004372 "2024-07-19T07:09:41Z")
So, it’s Amazon Prime day and I was thinking I might get a laptop. I had interest in this one jumper 14 inch laptop, FHD IPS Display, 256GB SSD 12GB LPDDR4 Laptop, Quad-Core Celeron J4105, USB 3.0, 2.4/5G WiFi, Bluetoot… --- ## [If there was a gap between North and South America, and Columbus managed to miss both, how much trouble would he have been in?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-there-was-a-gap-between-north-and-south-america-and-columbus-managed-to-miss-both-how-much-trouble-would-he-have-been-in/1003915)
**Author:** [@Zyada](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zyada)\ **Replies:** 75\ **Last updated:** [July 19, 2024, 5:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-there-was-a-gap-between-north-and-south-america-and-columbus-managed-to-miss-both-how-much-trouble-would-he-have-been-in/1003915 "2024-07-19T05:22:11Z")
Say that there was a big enough gap between the two continents that Columbus somehow missed land, and proceeded across the Pacific. Would he have made it to Asia? Or would everyone have starved? --- ## [What really happened at Port Chicago?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-really-happened-at-port-chicago/40834)
**Author:** [@Shiva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shiva)\ **Replies:** 20\ **Last updated:** [July 18, 2024, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-really-happened-at-port-chicago/40834 "2024-07-18T22:13:11Z")
On the evening of July 17th, 1944 a huge explosion destroyed a US Navy munitions loading facility in Port Chicago, California killing 320 men. Some people contend it was the America’s first nuclear weapon that accidenta… --- ## [Bow and arrows question](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bow-and-arrows-question/1004401)
**Author:** [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Replies:** 12\ **Last updated:** [July 18, 2024, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bow-and-arrows-question/1004401 "2024-07-18T16:30:20Z")
The ancient problem was how to construct a bow that was both elastic and strong using only available natural materials. A lot of ingenuity went into bow design. But recently I saw a video for what seems like a clever sol… --- ## [Lost Phone — What to do without Authenticator App?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-phone-what-to-do-without-authenticator-app/1004376)
**Author:** [@ASanders](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ASanders)\ **Replies:** 16\ **Last updated:** [July 17, 2024, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-phone-what-to-do-without-authenticator-app/1004376 "2024-07-17T21:01:36Z")
According to Find My Phone, my device is somewhere in my house. We can’t hear it ringing but since it’s not out in the wild I’m not panicking yet. Then I remembered 2FA. I am wondering what people do in such a case when … [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/c/factual-questions/9.md?page=79) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/c/factual-questions/9.md?page=81)