# Factual Questions **URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/c/factual-questions/9.md?page=986 [Latest](https://boards.straightdope.com/latest.md) · [Categories](https://boards.straightdope.com/categories.md) · [Tags](https://boards.straightdope.com/tags.md) **Page:** 987 --- ## [Geometry question](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/geometry-question/740729)
**Author:** [@Anny\_Middon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anny_Middon)\ **Replies:** 9\ **Last updated:** [December 18, 2015, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/geometry-question/740729 "2015-12-18T01:14:00Z")
I want to make some Christmas ornaments out of old Christmas cards. The basis for the ornaments is circles that are folded and glued together, and I want to make a template to help with the folding. The template would … --- ## [Can I Increase The Audio Sensitivity On This Laser?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-increase-the-audio-sensitivity-on-this-laser/740389)
**Author:** [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Replies:** 3\ **Last updated:** [December 17, 2015, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-increase-the-audio-sensitivity-on-this-laser/740389 "2015-12-17T22:31:21Z")
I recently bought a Fireball Laser Light Show at a flea market. When I got it home, I found that it worked except that it only responded to extremely loud noises or taps on the housing. I was wondering if there was some … --- ## [Question about the urge to urinate; or, gotta pee gotta pee gotta pee ... I can wait.](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-the-urge-to-urinate-or-gotta-pee-gotta-pee-gotta-pee-i-can-wait/740470)
**Author:** [@Interrobang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Interrobang)\ **Replies:** 13\ **Last updated:** [December 17, 2015, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-the-urge-to-urinate-or-gotta-pee-gotta-pee-gotta-pee-i-can-wait/740470 "2015-12-17T20:57:28Z")
Physiology question. If you’re like me, you pee sometimes. Also if you’re like me, sometimes you really have to pee, because for whatever reason you didn’t space out your bathroom trips. Often, when this happens, feel… --- ## [Adobe Acrobat problem](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adobe-acrobat-problem/740640)
**Author:** [@dougie\_monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dougie_monty)\ **Replies:** 8\ **Last updated:** [December 17, 2015, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adobe-acrobat-problem/740640 "2015-12-17T17:14:23Z")
I had a pdf file sent to me via e-mail. When I tried to open it to print it out (a manual for a space heater; referring to another GQ thread), I got a “Fatal Error” notice on the screen, reading, “Acrobat failed to load … --- ## [Verizon installed cellular antennas on the roof of my apartment building, directly above my apartmen](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/verizon-installed-cellular-antennas-on-the-roof-of-my-apartment-building-directly-above-my-apartmen/740234)
**Author:** [@Harorld](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harorld)\ **Replies:** 35\ **Last updated:** [December 17, 2015, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/verizon-installed-cellular-antennas-on-the-roof-of-my-apartment-building-directly-above-my-apartmen/740234 "2015-12-17T16:57:02Z")
My wife and I moved into our current apartment last summer (We live in NYC). Soon after moving in (we live on the top floor of a seven story building) Verizon installed cellular antennas on the roof, directly above our a… --- ## [Salt in shotgun shells](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/salt-in-shotgun-shells/740576)
**Author:** [@janeslogin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/janeslogin)\ **Replies:** 23\ **Last updated:** [December 17, 2015, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/salt-in-shotgun-shells/740576 "2015-12-17T16:54:10Z")
Old timers in rural areas would joke and boast and spin stories about putting rock salt in shotgun shells for a nonlethal deterrent weapon. Was this in fact done? Why would riot control people not use it instead of bean… --- ## [Smoke and Mirrors](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smoke-and-mirrors/740693)
**Author:** [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Replies:** 2\ **Last updated:** [December 17, 2015, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smoke-and-mirrors/740693 "2015-12-17T16:29:13Z")
Just what illusions actually used smoke and mirrors? --- ## [Excel macro question -- copying an irregular block of data](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/excel-macro-question-copying-an-irregular-block-of-data/740628)
**Author:** [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Replies:** 12\ **Last updated:** [December 17, 2015, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/excel-macro-question-copying-an-irregular-block-of-data/740628 "2015-12-17T16:15:05Z")
I’ve had excellent results in the past, coming here for “how do I do this…” questions on Excel VBA. Hope you guys can come through one more time. I’m creating a macro that will copy a block of data from tab A to tab B.… --- ## [Has The ACLU Ever Complained About This? (Fire Dept. Crosses)?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-the-aclu-ever-complained-about-this-fire-dept-crosses/740525)
**Author:** [@botsgotme](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/botsgotme)\ **Replies:** 37\ **Last updated:** [December 17, 2015, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-the-aclu-ever-complained-about-this-fire-dept-crosses/740525 "2015-12-17T15:17:15Z")
For some historical reason, Fire Departments in the USA use the Swiss Cross (equal length arms) as their symbol-it appears on their badges, etc.). Given the ACLU’s aversion to any hint of religious symbolism, have they … --- ## [Paragraph Justification in Word 2016](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paragraph-justification-in-word-2016/740680)
**Author:** [@Keeve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Keeve)\ **Replies:** 6\ **Last updated:** [December 17, 2015, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paragraph-justification-in-word-2016/740680 "2015-12-17T15:09:37Z")
In every version of MS Word that I’ve ever used, one’s choice of how to justify a paragraph (left, center, right, full) only affects the horizontal position of each word within a line. It has never affected which line a … --- ## [In the USA what is the balance to impeachment?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-usa-what-is-the-balance-to-impeachment/740168)
**Author:** [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Replies:** 109\ **Last updated:** [December 17, 2015, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-usa-what-is-the-balance-to-impeachment/740168 "2015-12-17T14:44:21Z")
As I understand it, the President and Supreme Court Justices can be impeached. But what happens to those who impeach after the impeachment fails? Are they disbarred? Is there no penalty at all? Please let’s keep this GQ… --- ## [Cash from a credit card?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cash-from-a-credit-card/592773)
**Author:** [@Sigene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigene)\ **Replies:** 24\ **Last updated:** [August 17, 2011, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cash-from-a-credit-card/592773 "2011-08-17T22:19:32Z")
Ok so I’m sure this is a stupid question. … well maybe an ignorant question, so that’s why I’m here How do you get actual cash and charge it to your credit card? Do you go to a bank and say…Here’s my credit card, I nee… --- ## [Why did my credit score go down?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-my-credit-score-go-down/740519)
**Author:** [@pkbites](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pkbites)\ **Replies:** 12\ **Last updated:** [December 17, 2015, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-my-credit-score-go-down/740519 "2015-12-17T13:45:51Z")
Other than paying down my car loan principal and being almost a year ahead on it, absolutely nothing else has changed. No new credit cards, no late payments, loans, job loss, etc… Nothing. Yet over the last 3 months my … --- ## [Extradition between US states re death penalty](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/extradition-between-us-states-re-death-penalty/740656)
**Author:** [@aldiboronti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aldiboronti)\ **Replies:** 5\ **Last updated:** [December 17, 2015, 9:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/extradition-between-us-states-re-death-penalty/740656 "2015-12-17T09:18:13Z")
Do non-death penalty US states ever refuse extradition to death penalty states, as countries without capital punishment like Canada won’t extradite to the US unless the death penalty is taken off the table? --- ## [Changing health insurance through marketplace](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/changing-health-insurance-through-marketplace/740639)
**Author:** [@wellanuff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wellanuff)\ **Replies:** 2\ **Last updated:** [December 17, 2015, 8:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/changing-health-insurance-through-marketplace/740639 "2015-12-17T08:13:01Z")
Here’s the situation: Current health insurance was obtained through the health insurance marketplace two years ago Set up automatic monthly drafting of payments from checking account to company A at that time Ha… --- ## [Embedding image makes Outlook invite too large](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/embedding-image-makes-outlook-invite-too-large/638965)
**Author:** [@Petrichord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Petrichord)\ **Replies:** 9\ **Last updated:** [December 17, 2015, 6:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/embedding-image-makes-outlook-invite-too-large/638965 "2015-12-17T06:50:45Z")
Sorry, terribly specific Outlook question here. (I guess this is an odd question to post, but Google has failed me. Solution? Ask Dopers!) The setup: Windows XP/Windows 7 (tried on both systems), Outlook 2007 The s… --- ## [One for the SDMB, & Likely Unca Cecil--About Borgias](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-for-the-sdmb-likely-unca-cecil-about-borgias/740644)
**Author:** [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Replies:** 5\ **Last updated:** [December 17, 2015, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-for-the-sdmb-likely-unca-cecil-about-borgias/740644 "2015-12-17T04:30:06Z")
Hail To Thee, Oh Mighty Font Of Celestial Wisdom & Part-Time Yo-Yo Demonstrator! The Borgias were one of the most influential families of the Renaissance. Some chose Popes. Others were Popes. And others were patrons of … --- ## [Firefox: Getting rid of Facebook popup notifications that appear while you are using other programs](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firefox-getting-rid-of-facebook-popup-notifications-that-appear-while-you-are-using-other-programs/740501)
**Author:** [@Aeschines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aeschines)\ **Replies:** 12\ **Last updated:** [December 17, 2015, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/firefox-getting-rid-of-facebook-popup-notifications-that-appear-while-you-are-using-other-programs/740501 "2015-12-17T04:20:04Z")
Facebook made a new “beneficial change” the other day, and I can’t find anything online on how to remove it. Basically, now if say you are in MS Word and someone sends you a message in FB, a little thing pops up on your … --- ## [MS Excel-find row # containing text](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ms-excel-find-row-containing-text/547411)
**Author:** [@rbroome](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rbroome)\ **Replies:** 8\ **Last updated:** [December 17, 2015, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ms-excel-find-row-containing-text/547411 "2015-12-17T04:18:15Z")
I have an Excel spreadsheet page that contains a text string in a certain row. I know the column, but the row can change. I need a non-VBA method of searching through the page and finding the row # of the row containing… --- ## [How do metalloids, cermets and metal matrix composites reflect light?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-metalloids-cermets-and-metal-matrix-composites-reflect-light/740465)
**Author:** [@MichaelEmouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MichaelEmouse)\ **Replies:** 21\ **Last updated:** [December 17, 2015, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-metalloids-cermets-and-metal-matrix-composites-reflect-light/740465 "2015-12-17T03:32:03Z")
Metals don’t have diffuse reflection, only specular reflection. I’m wondering about the light reflection and refraction properties of materials that are in-between being metals and non-metals. I understand that you can’t… --- ## [Bike light battery connectors... and the batteries (18650 Li-Ion)](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bike-light-battery-connectors-and-the-batteries-18650-li-ion/740648)
**Author:** [@Stoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stoid)\ **Replies:** 4\ **Last updated:** [December 17, 2015, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bike-light-battery-connectors-and-the-batteries-18650-li-ion/740648 "2015-12-17T02:29:07Z")
I was going to try to solder bike light batteries I have that died simply because the wires broke, but that got too dicey for a clueless person like me. I have several bike lights by different manufacturers. They all ha… --- ## [Food in freezer looks like a Winter Wonderland](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/food-in-freezer-looks-like-a-winter-wonderland/740653)
**Author:** [@cncdad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cncdad)\ **Replies:** 5\ **Last updated:** [December 17, 2015, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/food-in-freezer-looks-like-a-winter-wonderland/740653 "2015-12-17T02:22:19Z")
SD, I have a 4 month old refrigerator and all has been well until I opened the freezer tonight and all the food now looks like it was hit with a winter ice storm https://www.flickr.com/gp/138720705@N05/09XC42 Hopefully… --- ## [Diagnose our dying fridge](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diagnose-our-dying-fridge/692832)
**Author:** [@Eva\_Luna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eva_Luna)\ **Replies:** 27\ **Last updated:** [December 17, 2015, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diagnose-our-dying-fridge/692832 "2015-12-17T00:49:11Z")
Out of the blue yesterday morning, it started leaking water onto the kitchen floor. It’s working, but not very well - the fridge is colder than the kitchen, but not by a whole lot, and everything in the freezer was mostl… --- ## [Car crashes into giant block of foam](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-crashes-into-giant-block-of-foam/740584)
**Author:** [@WF\_Tomba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WF_Tomba)\ **Replies:** 19\ **Last updated:** [December 16, 2015, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-crashes-into-giant-block-of-foam/740584 "2015-12-16T22:40:09Z")
Suppose a car going about 100 km/h hits a 20-meter-thick block of mattress foam. What happens to the car? --- ## [US-Canada Border St. Lawrence River](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-canada-border-st-lawrence-river/740340)
**Author:** [@bananamber](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bananamber)\ **Replies:** 50\ **Last updated:** [December 16, 2015, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-canada-border-st-lawrence-river/740340 "2015-12-16T21:20:31Z")
What is the reason that the US border doesn’t entirely follow the St. Lawrence River from Lake Ontario to the Gulf? Why does it go inland at Cornwall? And why did Quebec get that little strip of land that vaguely looks l… --- ## [How can I get a separate number and a separate set of contacts on one phone?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-get-a-separate-number-and-a-separate-set-of-contacts-on-one-phone/740608)
**Author:** [@Lakai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lakai)\ **Replies:** 2\ **Last updated:** [December 16, 2015, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-get-a-separate-number-and-a-separate-set-of-contacts-on-one-phone/740608 "2015-12-16T18:20:53Z")
What I am looking for is a service that has the following: A second number A database of contacts that’s separate from my current list of contacts The ability to see who is calling using the second number Is there any… --- ## [Is it possible to induce hibernation in humans?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-possible-to-induce-hibernation-in-humans/740567)
**Author:** [@Spankenstein89](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spankenstein89)\ **Replies:** 15\ **Last updated:** [December 16, 2015, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-possible-to-induce-hibernation-in-humans/740567 "2015-12-16T17:11:16Z")
I’d like to skip the whole Christmas season. --- ## [Why does my monitor keep losing text?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-my-monitor-keep-losing-text/740392)
**Author:** [@SCAdian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SCAdian)\ **Replies:** 5\ **Last updated:** [December 16, 2015, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-my-monitor-keep-losing-text/740392 "2015-12-16T16:58:47Z")
Sometimes when I’m reading here I’ll go from one page to another, and find that all italic text on the new page is gone - there are appropriately sized blanks where the words should be, but the only easy way to find out … --- ## [The Canadians and Juno beach on D-day.](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-canadians-and-juno-beach-on-d-day/740594)
**Author:** [@chacoguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chacoguy)\ **Replies:** 4\ **Last updated:** [December 16, 2015, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-canadians-and-juno-beach-on-d-day/740594 "2015-12-16T15:58:19Z")
Map of beaches. Why did they put the Canadians in between two British Divisions? That seems like it would make command and logistics needlessly complicated. Wouldn’t it make more sense to position them in between the B… --- ## [Italian Police Uniforms? Fashion Houses](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/italian-police-uniforms-fashion-houses/740600)
**Author:** [@botsgotme](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/botsgotme)\ **Replies:** 5\ **Last updated:** [December 16, 2015, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/italian-police-uniforms-fashion-houses/740600 "2015-12-16T15:12:29Z")
A while ago, the Italian National Police (Carabinieri) decided to solicit ideas for new uniforms, from major Italian fashion houses…my question, did anything come of this? Has any military ever consulted fashion design… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/c/factual-questions/9.md?page=985) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/c/factual-questions/9.md?page=987)