# Factual Questions **URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/c/factual-questions/9.md?page=940 [Latest](https://boards.straightdope.com/latest.md) · [Categories](https://boards.straightdope.com/categories.md) · [Tags](https://boards.straightdope.com/tags.md) **Page:** 941 --- ## [Japanese Sovereignty](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japanese-sovereignty/747936)
**Author:** [@drewder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewder)\ **Replies:** 38\ **Last updated:** [March 7, 2016, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japanese-sovereignty/747936 "2016-03-07T16:46:28Z")
At the end of WWII the Japanese unconditionally surrendered to the American Government. At that moment Japan had no sovereignty or control over their territory as time went on the Americans slowly returned most of their … --- ## [Magnifying glass in pyrography--variables?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/magnifying-glass-in-pyrography-variables/747675)
**Author:** [@Hovawart](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hovawart)\ **Replies:** 13\ **Last updated:** [March 7, 2016, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/magnifying-glass-in-pyrography-variables/747675 "2016-03-07T16:40:00Z")
I stumbled across the work of late British artist Roger Ackling, who used a handheld magnifying glass to create pyrography on found wood. My question is: Does the shape, thickness, type of glass, or other variables affec… --- ## [Is this official CIA photo caption (A-12) wrong?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-official-cia-photo-caption-a-12-wrong/572347)
**Author:** [@Hermitian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hermitian)\ **Replies:** 9\ **Last updated:** [March 7, 2016, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-official-cia-photo-caption-a-12-wrong/572347 "2016-03-07T16:16:55Z")
The CIA has an official photo account on Flickr. On the 8th page, they have several photos of the A-12 on their grounds. The caption on the pictures say “No piloted operational jet aircraft has ever flown faster or hig… --- ## [Any feminine names that became masculine?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-feminine-names-that-became-masculine/498193)
**Author:** [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Replies:** 70\ **Last updated:** [March 7, 2016, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-feminine-names-that-became-masculine/498193 "2016-03-07T15:44:18Z")
The English language is full of names that started out masculine and became feminine or unisex. Cameron Vivian Evelyn Jaime Alexis etc. Are there any examples of the opposite, feminine or unisex names that are now… --- ## [Is a name change public record?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-a-name-change-public-record/280107)
**Author:** [@alterego](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alterego)\ **Replies:** 15\ **Last updated:** [March 7, 2016, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-a-name-change-public-record/280107 "2016-03-07T15:35:57Z")
You can’t search for the word ‘name’ because it’s too common. Anyways, is a name change public record? Is the occurence in court public record but not the new name? How’s that work? --- ## [What is wrong with my lightbulbs?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-wrong-with-my-lightbulbs/747493)
**Author:** [@Orville\_mogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Orville_mogul)\ **Replies:** 13\ **Last updated:** [March 7, 2016, 12:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-wrong-with-my-lightbulbs/747493 "2016-03-07T12:40:45Z")
I have been noticing for quite a while that light bulbs in my apartment are burning out frequently, and I am now wondering if there is a larger problem. For example, the hood over my kitchen stove uses four small G4 halo… --- ## [Question about Jimmy Carter's melanoma diagnosis](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-jimmy-carters-melanoma-diagnosis/728349)
**Author:** [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Replies:** 22\ **Last updated:** [March 7, 2016, 5:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-jimmy-carters-melanoma-diagnosis/728349 "2016-03-07T05:44:27Z")
I haven’t seen the press conference, so this might have been covered, but. . . As I understand it, melanoma, while commonly called a type of ‘skin cancer’ is really a cancer arising in the pigmentation cells, not the c… --- ## [What's the longest distance any airplane has ever taxied/traveled on land?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-longest-distance-any-airplane-has-ever-taxied-traveled-on-land/747895)
**Author:** [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Replies:** 19\ **Last updated:** [March 7, 2016, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-longest-distance-any-airplane-has-ever-taxied-traveled-on-land/747895 "2016-03-07T03:50:53Z")
See subject query. Yes, that thoroughly inane one. What GQ was invented for. --- ## [How many medical procedures are there](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-medical-procedures-are-there/747835)
**Author:** [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Replies:** 27\ **Last updated:** [March 7, 2016, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-medical-procedures-are-there/747835 "2016-03-07T01:42:40Z")
I heard Atul Gawande say that modern medicine has about 6000 drugs, 2500 surgeries and 1500 non surgical procedures they can do. Are these accurate numbers? They sound low, at least the non surgical procedures. --- ## [Why have gas prices gone up recently](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-have-gas-prices-gone-up-recently/748032)
**Author:** [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Replies:** 26\ **Last updated:** [March 7, 2016, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-have-gas-prices-gone-up-recently/748032 "2016-03-07T01:30:04Z")
Up until a month ago, gasoline prices were declining and hit a low of about $1.27/gallon. Then they started rising again and are now around $1.90/gallon. What caused the price spike? Was it the cost of crude, the cost o… --- ## [Presidential primaries in Puerto Rico?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/presidential-primaries-in-puerto-rico/747911)
**Author:** [@bomberswarm2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bomberswarm2)\ **Replies:** 13\ **Last updated:** [March 7, 2016, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/presidential-primaries-in-puerto-rico/747911 "2016-03-07T01:12:06Z")
I was looking through results, and it showed that Puerto Rico voted on a primary? How can they vote for a nominee if they aren’t a U.S state, and therefore can’t vote? --- ## [How can I train my dog to stop whining/crying when she's left alone?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-train-my-dog-to-stop-whining-crying-when-shes-left-alone/257222)
**Author:** [@Stainz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stainz)\ **Replies:** 31\ **Last updated:** [July 30, 2004, 10:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-train-my-dog-to-stop-whining-crying-when-shes-left-alone/257222 "2004-07-30T10:49:01Z")
About 6 weeks ago we brought a border collie into our home. She’s a year and a half old and is great in many ways. But … when she is left alone at any new place, she barks and cries and howls and whines and will even s… --- ## [Universe Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/universe-questions/747966)
**Author:** [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackknifed_Juggernaut)\ **Replies:** 15\ **Last updated:** [March 6, 2016, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/universe-questions/747966 "2016-03-06T21:43:34Z")
I just read an article that says that the Hubble telescope has “seen” a galaxy about 13.2 billion light years away. The Hubble is obviously seeing it as it looked that far back (about 600 million years after the Big Ban… --- ## [My garage door opener works up, but not down](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-garage-door-opener-works-up-but-not-down/439097)
**Author:** [@happywaffle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/happywaffle)\ **Replies:** 31\ **Last updated:** [March 6, 2016, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-garage-door-opener-works-up-but-not-down/439097 "2016-03-06T20:22:35Z")
Morning folks, I’m finally getting around to futzing with our new home’s garage door opener, which was advertised as non-functional when we bought the house. But it’s non-functional in a very unusual way: it will go up … --- ## [IRS and identity theft](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/irs-and-identity-theft/748136)
**Author:** [@dauerbach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dauerbach)\ **Replies:** 1\ **Last updated:** [March 6, 2016, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/irs-and-identity-theft/748136 "2016-03-06T19:23:17Z")
I just received a 5071C letter from the IRS confirming that someone had used my name and SS to request a refund. I have not yet filed my taxes so this was definitely some type of identity theft attempt. So good, it got… --- ## [take apart weapons](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/take-apart-weapons/748033)
**Author:** [@stosh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stosh)\ **Replies:** 9\ **Last updated:** [March 6, 2016, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/take-apart-weapons/748033 "2016-03-06T17:38:18Z")
You often see in movies that a person takes a weapon from a briefcase or whatever and puts it together and makes an damn near impossible shot. Can this be done with out sighting in the rifle. --- ## [Which POWs were/are typically treated the worst?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-pows-were-are-typically-treated-the-worst/747240)
**Author:** [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Replies:** 24\ **Last updated:** [March 6, 2016, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-pows-were-are-typically-treated-the-worst/747240 "2016-03-06T17:19:09Z")
This is a historical \*and \*contemporary modern-day question. More than one person has commented that flamethrower operators were probably treated the most brutally when/if captured by the enemy. What about downed bombe… --- ## [Is it still possible to download WNYC/NPR shows as .mp3s to listen with my mobile phone?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-still-possible-to-download-wnyc-npr-shows-as-mp3s-to-listen-with-my-mobile-phone/748098)
**Author:** [@StanielMarsh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StanielMarsh)\ **Replies:** 1\ **Last updated:** [March 6, 2016, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-still-possible-to-download-wnyc-npr-shows-as-mp3s-to-listen-with-my-mobile-phone/748098 "2016-03-06T16:20:51Z")
I used to be able to download the whole show as an .mp3 file but now I can’t, am I not doing this right? --- ## [Egoist vs. narcissist vs. ...?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/egoist-vs-narcissist-vs/748063)
**Author:** [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Replies:** 6\ **Last updated:** [March 6, 2016, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/egoist-vs-narcissist-vs/748063 "2016-03-06T16:14:00Z")
So what about someone who has a large ego, but who is not ‘bothered about adoration, affirmation, love, applause, admiration and attention’? What if he likes his relationships with others, and is happy in his life? Pe… --- ## [International snail letter "Not deliverable as addressed"...](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/international-snail-letter-not-deliverable-as-addressed/748100)
**Author:** [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Replies:** 10\ **Last updated:** [March 6, 2016, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/international-snail-letter-not-deliverable-as-addressed/748100 "2016-03-06T15:57:47Z")
I ma nd the date stamp on the rejection sticker is March 2, only three days ago. The full text of the sticker reads as follows: NIXIE 913 4C 1 … --- ## [First 100 Callers and another radio question](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-100-callers-and-another-radio-question/748114)
**Author:** [@pianodave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pianodave)\ **Replies:** 1\ **Last updated:** [March 6, 2016, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-100-callers-and-another-radio-question/748114 "2016-03-06T15:50:50Z")
Hi SD, I’ve always wondered if companies that advertise and say the first 20 or 30 or 100 callers get something special are telling the truth? Are they prepared to provide that “special gift” to everybody, or literally… --- ## [Electrical Question - Voltage Even when Switch is Off](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electrical-question-voltage-even-when-switch-is-off/465521)
**Author:** [@Una\_Persson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Una_Persson)\ **Replies:** 38\ **Last updated:** [March 6, 2016, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electrical-question-voltage-even-when-switch-is-off/465521 "2016-03-06T15:03:53Z")
I have a wall outlet controlled by a switch on the wall. Today I noticed that when the switch is on, the outlet reads 122VAC. When the switch is off, it reads 40-42VAC. Um…keeping in mind I’m going to call an electrician… --- ## [How can lifestyle factors like smoking take 10+ years off life expectancy](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-lifestyle-factors-like-smoking-take-10-years-off-life-expectancy/747980)
**Author:** [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Replies:** 14\ **Last updated:** [March 6, 2016, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-lifestyle-factors-like-smoking-take-10-years-off-life-expectancy/747980 "2016-03-06T14:13:16Z")
It is my understanding that curing all forms of cancer will add 3 years to life expectancy. Curing all forms of vascular disease would add something like 7. Doing both would add about 8-9 due to some redundancy. When pe… --- ## [The science of ringing rocks - what causes the ringing sound ?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-science-of-ringing-rocks-what-causes-the-ringing-sound/747933)
**Author:** [@am77494](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/am77494)\ **Replies:** 8\ **Last updated:** [March 6, 2016, 11:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-science-of-ringing-rocks-what-causes-the-ringing-sound/747933 "2016-03-06T11:56:58Z")
I came across this youtube video where the subject rocks are shown. The guy on the video claims that the sound is due to the high amount of Iron in them, which Wikipedia says its not. Here is the wikipedia link. I can … --- ## [Using physiological formulas is it possible to calculate the absolute limits of human strength?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/using-physiological-formulas-is-it-possible-to-calculate-the-absolute-limits-of-human-strength/748097)
**Author:** [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Replies:** 0\ **Last updated:** [March 6, 2016, 6:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/using-physiological-formulas-is-it-possible-to-calculate-the-absolute-limits-of-human-strength/748097 "2016-03-06T06:16:42Z")
A human being’s body is a leverage machine. Using what we know about human physiology regarding muscle types and density, tendon attachment points, bone density and strength etc etc is it possible to calculate and envelo… --- ## [Breathlessness and being "fit"](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breathlessness-and-being-fit/747908)
**Author:** [@JohnClay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnClay)\ **Replies:** 20\ **Last updated:** [March 6, 2016, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breathlessness-and-being-fit/747908 "2016-03-06T00:28:15Z")
Hi apparently being breathless means that you don’t have enough oxygen in your blood… if you got more oxygen in your blood either with an oxygen mask or maybe having it pumped into your blood, would you never get breathl… --- ## [Two q's on Windows file-handling.](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-qs-on-windows-file-handling/748020)
**Author:** [@polistra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/polistra)\ **Replies:** 1\ **Last updated:** [March 6, 2016, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-qs-on-windows-file-handling/748020 "2016-03-06T00:10:26Z")
These probably don’t have the desired answers, but might as well try here… (1) I’ve used several of those File X-tender type programs, but none of them can connect a modern file-open dlg to older (win98-era) executables… --- ## [Losing man boob fat while not getting droopy](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/losing-man-boob-fat-while-not-getting-droopy/747984)
**Author:** [@JohnClay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnClay)\ **Replies:** 9\ **Last updated:** [March 5, 2016, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/losing-man-boob-fat-while-not-getting-droopy/747984 "2016-03-05T23:23:38Z")
Hi is there anything that can be done when trying to lose man boob fat to prevent them from becoming droopy when the fat is lost? I want them to be perky. (maybe even surgery is a possibility…) --- ## [Has the corpse of that pretty blonde Texas girl been found yet?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-the-corpse-of-that-pretty-blonde-texas-girl-been-found-yet/747958)
**Author:** [@Waltzes\_with\_Cacti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Waltzes_with_Cacti)\ **Replies:** 8\ **Last updated:** [March 5, 2016, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-the-corpse-of-that-pretty-blonde-texas-girl-been-found-yet/747958 "2016-03-05T21:56:20Z")
Has the corpse of that pretty blonde Texas girl been found yet? --- ## [Works of fiction as open-source intelligence? (3 Days of the Condor)](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/works-of-fiction-as-open-source-intelligence-3-days-of-the-condor/747986)
**Author:** [@Donnerwetter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Donnerwetter)\ **Replies:** 8\ **Last updated:** [March 5, 2016, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/works-of-fiction-as-open-source-intelligence-3-days-of-the-condor/747986 "2016-03-05T19:32:20Z")
In the 1975 political thriller “Three Days of the Condor”, the protagonist Joseph Turner (played by Robert Redford) works in a clandestine office in New York City, which fronts as the “American Literary Historical Societ… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/c/factual-questions/9.md?page=939) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/c/factual-questions/9.md?page=941)