# Factual Questions **URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/c/factual-questions/9.md?page=979 [Latest](https://boards.straightdope.com/latest.md) · [Categories](https://boards.straightdope.com/categories.md) · [Tags](https://boards.straightdope.com/tags.md) **Page:** 980 --- ## [Seeking an "Atlas of Mathematical Curves"](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seeking-an-atlas-of-mathematical-curves/741592)
**Author:** [@Napier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Napier)\ **Replies:** 13\ **Last updated:** [December 30, 2015, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seeking-an-atlas-of-mathematical-curves/741592 "2015-12-30T16:14:51Z")
I want a picture book of what zillions of different mathematical curves look like. OK, OK, everybody get in line and take turns explaining to me why this is a dumb thing to want. Yes, of course it depends on too many co… --- ## [Science, the brain, and singing...](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/science-the-brain-and-singing/741720)
**Author:** [@Stoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stoid)\ **Replies:** 9\ **Last updated:** [December 30, 2015, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/science-the-brain-and-singing/741720 "2015-12-30T15:34:01Z")
Has science does much study on how singing ability works? My presumption, based on what I know about the brain from a pretty strong interest leading me to quite a bit of “pop culture” science education about it, supporte… --- ## [How is this knife block constructed?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-this-knife-block-constructed/741686)
**Author:** [@iamthewalrus\_3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamthewalrus_3)\ **Replies:** 9\ **Last updated:** [December 30, 2015, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-this-knife-block-constructed/741686 "2015-12-30T15:30:43Z")
Picture here. I have a knife block. It’s some mass-produced thing. The block of wood has been constructed by laminating thinner strips of wood running horizontally. Slots have been cut vertically, for the knives to go i… --- ## [Comfort Women: True or False?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comfort-women-true-or-false/93507)
**Author:** [@bebegirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bebegirl)\ **Replies:** 26\ **Last updated:** [December 30, 2015, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comfort-women-true-or-false/93507 "2015-12-30T14:19:16Z")
I’m a Canadian english teacher in Seoul, Korea. I’ve been teaching english in asia for about 5 years now. 3 years in Tokyo, Japan and 2 years in Seoul, Korea. The people here are very nice, I love their culture, I love t… --- ## [another THINK coming](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-think-coming/249779)
**Author:** [@tim314](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tim314)\ **Replies:** 100\ **Last updated:** [December 30, 2015, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-think-coming/249779 "2015-12-30T13:23:26Z")
I often hear the expression “You’ve got another thing coming.” However, I’m fairly convinced that the correct expression is “You’ve got another THINK coming.” The expression is a deliberately ungrammatical way of sayin… --- ## [Animal Domestication and Breeding; Cats](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/animal-domestication-and-breeding-cats/741463)
**Author:** [@DorkVader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DorkVader)\ **Replies:** 25\ **Last updated:** [December 30, 2015, 7:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/animal-domestication-and-breeding-cats/741463 "2015-12-30T07:04:15Z")
I’m curious to know if there are, or have been, any attempts to bring into existence miniature versions of the Big Cats (lions tigers etc.) Either through selective breeding of the actual species themselves or by select… --- ## [Home Refinance Question](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/home-refinance-question/741685)
**Author:** [@yorick73](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yorick73)\ **Replies:** 3\ **Last updated:** [December 30, 2015, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/home-refinance-question/741685 "2015-12-30T02:48:31Z")
I currently have an FHA mortgage on my home at 4.5% that I purchased in 2010. Of course FHA mortgages at that time come with mortgage insurance that must be paid until LTV reaches 78% (I think) of the purchased value. … --- ## [Musical instruments going flat/sharp when played too loud](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/musical-instruments-going-flat-sharp-when-played-too-loud/741639)
**Author:** [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Replies:** 5\ **Last updated:** [December 30, 2015, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/musical-instruments-going-flat-sharp-when-played-too-loud/741639 "2015-12-30T02:04:09Z")
Stringed instruments tend to go sharp (the frequency increases) when the string is plucked too hard. This is easily explained by physics: \[ul\]\[li\]for relatively small lateral displacements, the tension in the string do… --- ## [Explain old-time naval timekeeping (Aubrey/Maturin)](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-old-time-naval-timekeeping-aubrey-maturin/740536)
**Author:** [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)\ **Replies:** 90\ **Last updated:** [December 30, 2015, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-old-time-naval-timekeeping-aubrey-maturin/740536 "2015-12-30T01:33:28Z")
As a reader of the Aubrey/Maturin novels, I have begun to develop a sense of how the sails and the rigging in a Napoleonic-era British naval ship worked. I am still quite confused by the timekeeping and the daily schedu… --- ## [Does English (or other languages) have multiple words for aunt/uncle?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-english-or-other-languages-have-multiple-words-for-aunt-uncle/741521)
**Author:** [@Lubricious\_Integument](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lubricious_Integument)\ **Replies:** 41\ **Last updated:** [December 30, 2015, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-english-or-other-languages-have-multiple-words-for-aunt-uncle/741521 "2015-12-30T00:24:45Z")
My sister’s kids and my wife’s sister’s kids are my nieces and nephews. I am an uncle to each of them. In one case I am a blood relative (0th cousin once removed) and in the other case unrelated (although in reality a d… --- ## [Weren't there two Tamir Rice videos?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/werent-there-two-tamir-rice-videos/741687)
**Author:** [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\ **Replies:** 0\ **Last updated:** [December 29, 2015, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/werent-there-two-tamir-rice-videos/741687 "2015-12-29T23:39:06Z")
I remember a video showing the Tamir Rice shooting that showed the police car’s approach as from the bottom of the screen towards the top of the screen, with Tamir facing leftwards toward them. Then I remember a new vide… --- ## [Can teardrops kill antibiotics?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-teardrops-kill-antibiotics/741373)
**Author:** [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Replies:** 9\ **Last updated:** [December 29, 2015, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-teardrops-kill-antibiotics/741373 "2015-12-29T23:14:08Z")
Lysozyme in eye tears can kill bacteria - but can it kill antibiotics that get in the eyes? Specifically, \*\*not \*\*antibiotics meant to be put in the eyes - I’m sure those are customized for the eyes. --- ## [Is there a name for this fallacy/reasoning?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-name-for-this-fallacy-reasoning/741571)
**Author:** [@iceiso](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iceiso)\ **Replies:** 19\ **Last updated:** [December 29, 2015, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-name-for-this-fallacy-reasoning/741571 "2015-12-29T23:07:13Z")
Let’s take the effect of driving on air pollution. In the real world, Person A never drives a car since it contributes to air pollution. Now, put Person A in a hypothetical world where he is the owner of the only car i… --- ## [E Coli Question](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/e-coli-question/741645)
**Author:** [@botsgotme](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/botsgotme)\ **Replies:** 10\ **Last updated:** [December 29, 2015, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/e-coli-question/741645 "2015-12-29T20:23:40Z")
Suppose I buy some beef, to make a stew with. This meat is contaminated with the E coli bacteria-the kind that made those people sick at Chipotle. I put my ingredients in a pressure cooker, and bring it to the boiling po… --- ## [How do plants sense it's warm out (cf. winter temp weirdness)?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-plants-sense-its-warm-out-cf-winter-temp-weirdness/741472)
**Author:** [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Replies:** 10\ **Last updated:** [December 29, 2015, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-plants-sense-its-warm-out-cf-winter-temp-weirdness/741472 "2015-12-29T20:21:50Z")
In this freaky warm weather recently in the East Coast I’ve noticed little sort of buds on plant and bushes and trees, and read about “you get one shot to bloom” sort of thing. Not only now, but in general: how do these… --- ## [Playing loud music on laptop or smartphone = vibration damage?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/playing-loud-music-on-laptop-or-smartphone-vibration-damage/741672)
**Author:** [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Replies:** 0\ **Last updated:** [December 29, 2015, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/playing-loud-music-on-laptop-or-smartphone-vibration-damage/741672 "2015-12-29T19:57:03Z")
I sometimes play music on my laptop speakers so loudly that the computer has vibration-resonance tremors. Is this damaging the sensitive electronics inside? What about loud music on a smartphone? --- ## [The word, handicap, verb, noun and also ??](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-word-handicap-verb-noun-and-also/741653)
**Author:** [@CC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CC)\ **Replies:** 2\ **Last updated:** [December 29, 2015, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-word-handicap-verb-noun-and-also/741653 "2015-12-29T18:42:07Z")
On a sign, Handicap Accessible refers to, say, a parking space. As it functions, I guess the word, Handicap, would have to be considered an adverb. It modifies or clarifies Accessible, which itself describes the parkin… --- ## [Vehicles on the side of the road in Tennessee and Georgia](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vehicles-on-the-side-of-the-road-in-tennessee-and-georgia/741595)
**Author:** [@wellanuff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wellanuff)\ **Replies:** 8\ **Last updated:** [December 29, 2015, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vehicles-on-the-side-of-the-road-in-tennessee-and-georgia/741595 "2015-12-29T17:54:55Z")
Drove down I-24 and I-75 last week, and noticed what seemed to be a relatively large number of vehicles on the side of the road, frequently with the dayglo orange or green stickers that I assume say “Move this vehicle wi… --- ## [Any source for real world amount of PGPR in candy?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-source-for-real-world-amount-of-pgpr-in-candy/741594)
**Author:** [@Stoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stoid)\ **Replies:** 7\ **Last updated:** [December 29, 2015, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-source-for-real-world-amount-of-pgpr-in-candy/741594 "2015-12-29T17:20:05Z")
I just learned about PGPR. I wrote to Hershey’s to ask for some idea of how much is in a typical Reeses cup… they wrote back with the same stuff they have on their website, which boils down to: hey, it’s safe. We don’t … --- ## [What benign concepts can be said to have originated in Nazi Germany?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-benign-concepts-can-be-said-to-have-originated-in-nazi-germany/741451)
**Author:** [@davidmich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidmich)\ **Replies:** 26\ **Last updated:** [December 29, 2015, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-benign-concepts-can-be-said-to-have-originated-in-nazi-germany/741451 "2015-12-29T16:49:50Z")
Hi, I’m aware that the Olympic torch relay in the prelude to an Olympic event is of Nazi origin. I also read somewhere that the Eurovision Song contest was Goebbels’s idea or at least has its origins in Nazi Germany(not… --- ## [Roof truss spacing in new home construction](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roof-truss-spacing-in-new-home-construction/280253)
**Author:** [@robby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robby)\ **Replies:** 13\ **Last updated:** [December 29, 2015, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roof-truss-spacing-in-new-home-construction/280253 "2015-12-29T13:39:04Z")
I’m having a new house built here in Connecticut. The builder plans to use 2" x 4" roof trusses spaced 24" on-center. I understand this is pretty typical. Should I have the builder decrease the spacing to 19.2", or eve… --- ## [New strongest material](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-strongest-material/741378)
**Author:** [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Replies:** 9\ **Last updated:** [December 29, 2015, 12:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-strongest-material/741378 "2015-12-29T12:28:18Z")
A press release from UCLA says they’ve found a material (a mixture of magnesium-zinc alloy and silicon carbide nanoparticles) that has the highest specific strength and specific modulus (stiffness to weight ratio) of any… --- ## [Cats and dogs don't suck?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cats-and-dogs-dont-suck/741116)
**Author:** [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Replies:** 11\ **Last updated:** [December 29, 2015, 10:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cats-and-dogs-dont-suck/741116 "2015-12-29T10:55:50Z")
See hed. According to this, APS -67th Annual Meeting of the APS Division of Fluid Dynamics - Event - How dogs drink water, they can’t, because of “incomplete cheeks.” (Press release and stills from test: http://phys.org… --- ## [Expanding or compressing points on a data series](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/expanding-or-compressing-points-on-a-data-series/741460)
**Author:** [@Mdcastle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mdcastle)\ **Replies:** 15\ **Last updated:** [December 29, 2015, 8:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/expanding-or-compressing-points-on-a-data-series/741460 "2015-12-29T08:53:06Z")
I have a couple of sets of data. (Illumination levels of street lighting installations over one block.) Some sets have 30 values, some have 35, etc. The X value needs to be the same for all sets. How do I reduce or expan… --- ## [Is there humor in the Bible?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-humor-in-the-bible/740514)
**Author:** [@davidmich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidmich)\ **Replies:** 61\ **Last updated:** [December 29, 2015, 5:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-humor-in-the-bible/740514 "2015-12-29T05:16:34Z")
Hi I’m interested in finding instances of humor in the Old and New Testaments. I remember listening to a BBC program years ago on the topic but I can’t remember any details about now. I would like to know if God or Jesu… --- ## [Movie out of sync](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-out-of-sync/741621)
**Author:** [@drad\_dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drad_dog)\ **Replies:** 2\ **Last updated:** [December 29, 2015, 4:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-out-of-sync/741621 "2015-12-29T04:57:01Z")
When a movie you have downloaded is out of sync is this a permanent problem or isn’t there some kind of fix I heard about and forget now? --- ## [Burning an aluminum can in the fireplace"](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/burning-an-aluminum-can-in-the-fireplace/648575)
**Author:** [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Replies:** 16\ **Last updated:** [December 29, 2015, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/burning-an-aluminum-can-in-the-fireplace/648575 "2015-12-29T04:45:11Z")
Is it true that burning an aluminum can in the fireplace gets rid of creosote, and thus helps to prevent a chimney fire? --- ## [iPod Help please](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ipod-help-please/741611)
**Author:** [@Zakalwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zakalwe)\ **Replies:** 1\ **Last updated:** [December 29, 2015, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ipod-help-please/741611 "2015-12-29T04:38:34Z")
My son’s iPod still has a now invalid email address as it’s iCloud account. I also have “Find my iPod” (FMi) installed. When I try to logout of iCloud to reset the account, it’s blocked by FMi. Apple suggest temporaril… --- ## [Help changing boot drive order](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-changing-boot-drive-order/741555)
**Author:** [@MichaelEmouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MichaelEmouse)\ **Replies:** 9\ **Last updated:** [December 29, 2015, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-changing-boot-drive-order/741555 "2015-12-29T01:57:54Z")
My PC has three drives: An SSD on which I installed Windows 10, an HDD on which Windows 7 was installed and a a hybrid drive on which no OS was installed although it is formatted. Right now, the HDD with Windows 7 is pr… --- ## [FM Antenna to improve crappy radio](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fm-antenna-to-improve-crappy-radio/741534)
**Author:** [@ZurBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZurBob)\ **Replies:** 4\ **Last updated:** [December 29, 2015, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fm-antenna-to-improve-crappy-radio/741534 "2015-12-29T01:30:40Z")
99% of radios don’t have antenna input jacks. I live in an area that necessitates an external antenna for decent FM reception. What can I do? I have a 30 foot tower that can be utilized, but impedance matching is a myst… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/c/factual-questions/9.md?page=978) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/c/factual-questions/9.md?page=980)