# Factual Questions **URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/c/factual-questions/9.md?page=99 [Latest](https://boards.straightdope.com/latest.md) · [Categories](https://boards.straightdope.com/categories.md) · [Tags](https://boards.straightdope.com/tags.md) **Page:** 100 --- ## [Vintage (French?) car ID](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vintage-french-car-id/998420)
**Author:** [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Replies:** 11\ **Last updated:** [March 5, 2024, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vintage-french-car-id/998420 "2024-03-05T02:13:57Z")
We’re watching the last episode of Monsieur Spade. There is a sporty-looking, pale yellow, coupé. The character opens the trunk (boot), and the lid is hinged on the left side. I could not make out a badge. Any ideas … --- ## [The law for people born on leap days](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-law-for-people-born-on-leap-days/998274)
**Author:** [@Schnitte](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Schnitte)\ **Replies:** 32\ **Last updated:** [March 4, 2024, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-law-for-people-born-on-leap-days/998274 "2024-03-04T23:31:00Z")
Are there legal provisions governing when people born on a leap day, i.e. February 29, complete a year of their life? Suppose a child is born today. When will this person become of full age legally? Logically, it must be… --- ## [Nuclear fission / fusion?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nuclear-fission-fusion/996046)
**Author:** [@HoneyBadgerDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HoneyBadgerDC)\ **Replies:** 65\ **Last updated:** [March 4, 2024, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nuclear-fission-fusion/996046 "2024-03-04T21:58:38Z")
Did scientists have a rough idea of how much energy would be produced when the theory was developed? --- ## [Who's responsible for this new Section 8 law in California](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-responsible-for-this-new-section-8-law-in-california/998257)
**Author:** [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Replies:** 21\ **Last updated:** [March 3, 2024, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-responsible-for-this-new-section-8-law-in-california/998257 "2024-03-03T23:46:55Z")
(I put this here because it has a factual answer - if it needs to be in Politics, feel free to move) I’m in property management here in California. It’s a largish company and I’m the only Liberal in the office. Everyone… --- ## [Mark Levin broach](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mark-levin-broach/998383)
**Author:** [@n5tp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/n5tp)\ **Replies:** 2\ **Last updated:** [March 3, 2024, 12:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mark-levin-broach/998383 "2024-03-03T12:57:57Z")
Can someone tell me what broach Mark Levin is wearing on his right side lapel tonight? \[image|604x50(upload://dzd0TxdbUDLmol6ltlTMVSoc9iw.jpeg) --- ## [Earliest "forgot to go to class dream" reference](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/earliest-forgot-to-go-to-class-dream-reference/996165)
**Author:** [@sciurophobic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sciurophobic)\ **Replies:** 36\ **Last updated:** [March 3, 2024, 12:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/earliest-forgot-to-go-to-class-dream-reference/996165 "2024-03-03T12:39:54Z")
Most of us have had variations of that dream. Forgot to go to class all semester, never studied, can’t find the class, etc. What’s the earliest recorded reference to these dreams? I couldn’t find any mention of it in Fr… --- ## [Strategies for Exercising Stock Options](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strategies-for-exercising-stock-options/998179)
**Author:** [@OldOlds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OldOlds)\ **Replies:** 29\ **Last updated:** [March 2, 2024, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strategies-for-exercising-stock-options/998179 "2024-03-02T19:40:15Z")
I feel like there was a time when I could have done this, but I’m just getting lost. If one has a number of stock option grants, all at different strike prices, what’s the most efficient way to exercise them. I’m using … --- ## [Question on consenting to a vehicle search](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-on-consenting-to-a-vehicle-search/998363)
**Author:** [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Replies:** 1\ **Last updated:** [March 2, 2024, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-on-consenting-to-a-vehicle-search/998363 "2024-03-02T17:08:31Z")
I saw one video where the officer told the suspect they had a warrant for their truck and were going to search it. Of course it would be easier if they had the key otherwise they’d have to tow it and find another way to… --- ## [People who raise poultry: How can you tell which birds are no longer laying eggs, especially if you have a sizable flock?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-raise-poultry-how-can-you-tell-which-birds-are-no-longer-laying-eggs-especially-if-you-have-a-sizable-flock/998211)
**Author:** [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Replies:** 14\ **Last updated:** [March 2, 2024, 12:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-raise-poultry-how-can-you-tell-which-birds-are-no-longer-laying-eggs-especially-if-you-have-a-sizable-flock/998211 "2024-03-02T12:39:49Z")
I’m curious. I know that most egg producers, whether backyard or otherwise, want to cull the non-laying hens. I can understand how a factory farm could figure it out, but a backyard breeder? Explain how, please and th… --- ## [What the heck is "There are no forests"?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-heck-is-there-are-no-forests/774050)
**Author:** [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Replies:** 33\ **Last updated:** [March 2, 2024, 7:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-heck-is-there-are-no-forests/774050 "2024-03-02T07:11:56Z")
I gather it’s some sort of young earth/flat earth woo, but I don’t feel like sitting through 90-minute YouTube videos to satisfy five minutes’ worth of curiosity. --- ## [Can service be restored to old pay phones?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-service-be-restored-to-old-pay-phones/997995)
**Author:** [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Replies:** 30\ **Last updated:** [March 2, 2024, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-service-be-restored-to-old-pay-phones/997995 "2024-03-02T03:17:25Z")
The brewery down the beach has an old phone booth out front. They said, ‘We do want to restore it but I don’t know if service will ever be restored.’ The statement is unclear as to whether they can have it restored, or… --- ## [Obama v McConnell in the Merrick Garland incident](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-v-mcconnell-in-the-merrick-garland-incident/998280)
**Author:** [@CC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CC)\ **Replies:** 13\ **Last updated:** [March 1, 2024, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-v-mcconnell-in-the-merrick-garland-incident/998280 "2024-03-01T22:45:47Z")
Maybe this is better posted in great debates, but I’m actually looking for something that would be considered a factual answer. When McConnell stonewalled the nomination of Garland for the SCOTUS, he did it by refusing … --- ## [Who sets the schedule for SCOTUS oral arguments?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-sets-the-schedule-for-scotus-oral-arguments/998299)
**Author:** [@Oly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oly)\ **Replies:** 1\ **Last updated:** [March 1, 2024, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-sets-the-schedule-for-scotus-oral-arguments/998299 "2024-03-01T14:06:54Z")
Obviously in reference to the Trump immunity case, but I’m not looking to discuss that. As I understand it, it takes 4 of the 9 justices to decide to hear a case, but after that, who decides when oral arguments occur? Re… --- ## [Black-Scholes Option Pricing](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-scholes-option-pricing/481641)
**Author:** [@Humble\_Servant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Humble_Servant)\ **Replies:** 11\ **Last updated:** [March 1, 2024, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-scholes-option-pricing/481641 "2024-03-01T03:13:43Z")
I have a couple of points on Cecil’s most amusing (“let a professional help you out,” indeed) column on a couple (fission and Chicago School economics) of the glorious achievements of UofC affiliates (http://chicago.stra… --- ## [Dueling Your Mirror Image](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dueling-your-mirror-image/997751)
**Author:** [@BeepKillBeep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BeepKillBeep)\ **Replies:** 13\ **Last updated:** [February 29, 2024, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dueling-your-mirror-image/997751 "2024-02-29T23:30:07Z")
Suppose you are three meters away from your mirror image self. Your doppelganger does everything that you do. And you’ve decided you must kill them. It takes light 1/100,000,000th of a second for the light to reach your… --- ## [Do any religious sects denounce in vitro fertilization? (IVF)](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-any-religious-sects-denounce-in-vitro-fertilization-ivf/998013)
**Author:** [@Measure\_for\_Measure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Measure_for_Measure)\ **Replies:** 20\ **Last updated:** [February 29, 2024, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-any-religious-sects-denounce-in-vitro-fertilization-ivf/998013 "2024-02-29T17:44:30Z")
I understand that IVF often results in the death of blastocysts, or at least embryos that are never implanted into any womb. So if you believe that destroying a fertilized egg is murder, you presumably wouldn’t want to u… --- ## [Look into my/your/her/sb eye... but which eye?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/look-into-my-your-her-sb-eye-but-which-eye/998054)
**Author:** [@longtry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/longtry)\ **Replies:** 17\ **Last updated:** [February 29, 2024, 11:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/look-into-my-your-her-sb-eye-but-which-eye/998054 "2024-02-29T11:01:46Z")
I have a theory. Whichever side our dominant eye is, we tend to look at that eye of our interlocutor. For example, mine is left eye, and I mostly look at their left eye (on the right of the picture, from my POV) - thus t… --- ## [Enforcing Laws at the Border](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/enforcing-laws-at-the-border/996825)
**Author:** [@OldOlds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OldOlds)\ **Replies:** 28\ **Last updated:** [February 29, 2024, 8:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/enforcing-laws-at-the-border/996825 "2024-02-29T08:20:22Z")
I’m looking for a factual answer to this. There is an oft-repeated claim on the right that no border deal or reform is needed, they just need the current administration to enforce the laws we have. They make vague claim… --- ## [Are state employees always required by sunshine law to have their name publicly listed for transparency?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-state-employees-always-required-by-sunshine-law-to-have-their-name-publicly-listed-for-transparency/998126)
**Author:** [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Replies:** 18\ **Last updated:** [February 29, 2024, 7:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-state-employees-always-required-by-sunshine-law-to-have-their-name-publicly-listed-for-transparency/998126 "2024-02-29T07:40:12Z")
Was just given a job offer for an administrative role at a university (public university in Maryland.) I’ve seen before that California university employees (and most if not all public employees in Texas) always have th… --- ## [Computer video question](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-video-question/998071)
**Author:** [@MikeF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MikeF)\ **Replies:** 8\ **Last updated:** [February 29, 2024, 7:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-video-question/998071 "2024-02-29T07:19:34Z")
I like to look at Imgur from time time to time. When you go to the page, there are many “thumbnails”(?) visible and you can scroll down to see more. As I scroll down, eventually the places where the thumbnails will be be… --- ## [When did live audiences start whooping instead of just applauding?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-live-audiences-start-whooping-instead-of-just-applauding/997770)
**Author:** [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.Q.Switcheroo)\ **Replies:** 17\ **Last updated:** [February 29, 2024, 6:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-live-audiences-start-whooping-instead-of-just-applauding/997770 "2024-02-29T06:48:57Z")
I recently came across a question the “No Stupid Questions” subreddit that I’ve also wondered about: I’ve noticed in old concert footage —specifically Elvis in the’50s and John Denver in the early ’70s—that the audienc… --- ## [Yoyo question](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yoyo-question/998043)
**Author:** [@Gateway](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gateway)\ **Replies:** 27\ **Last updated:** [February 29, 2024, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yoyo-question/998043 "2024-02-29T01:55:18Z")
Hi, thank you for your time. I am interested in getting into yoyoing and I encountered (what I think is) a problem. I went to the store and bought a cheapo, like 5 dollars or something. The issue I am having with it is … --- ## [Jumping from 10,000 ft](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jumping-from-10-000-ft/998118)
**Author:** [@HoneyBadgerDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HoneyBadgerDC)\ **Replies:** 33\ **Last updated:** [February 28, 2024, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jumping-from-10-000-ft/998118 "2024-02-28T19:22:08Z")
If I were to jump from an altitude of 10,000 ft and streamline my body for maximum speed I read that I might reach about 220 mph. Would that be enough speed to generate sufficient lift if I were to change my body positio… --- ## [Can pets “catch” a yawn from a human?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-pets-catch-a-yawn-from-a-human/997499)
**Author:** [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Replies:** 23\ **Last updated:** [February 28, 2024, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-pets-catch-a-yawn-from-a-human/997499 "2024-02-28T14:57:06Z")
We’ve all yawned after seeing another person also yawn. Can a cat or dog likewise be influenced to yawn, or is it strictly a human thing? --- ## [elephant shrew??](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elephant-shrew/71640)
**Author:** [@mescalito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mescalito)\ **Replies:** 9\ **Last updated:** [February 28, 2024, 12:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elephant-shrew/71640 "2024-02-28T12:27:26Z")
did you know the elephant shrew never closes it’s eyes true or false? did you know rats can’t be sick… true or false?? did you know there’s no proper name for the back of the knees? true or false? --- ## [Abbreviations or suffixes for linear measurements](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abbreviations-or-suffixes-for-linear-measurements/998053)
**Author:** [@Ranger\_Jeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranger_Jeff)\ **Replies:** 15\ **Last updated:** [February 27, 2024, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abbreviations-or-suffixes-for-linear-measurements/998053 "2024-02-27T22:29:35Z")
For writing or typing distances in metric we use m (meter), or cm, mm, km. For English (I guess) distances we use " for inches and ’ for feet. Is there a symbol or suffix for our friend the Smoot? --- ## [What might have caused circles on my patio?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-might-have-caused-circles-on-my-patio/998176)
**Author:** [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Replies:** 5\ **Last updated:** [February 27, 2024, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-might-have-caused-circles-on-my-patio/998176 "2024-02-27T17:56:33Z")
This morning we woke to see some circles on our patio, and have no idea what might have caused them. I actually took pictures - I’ll see if I can figure out how to host and attach them. We live west of Chicago. Yester… --- ## [Threats in court](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/threats-in-court/998070)
**Author:** [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Replies:** 31\ **Last updated:** [February 27, 2024, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/threats-in-court/998070 "2024-02-27T16:14:28Z")
What happens if a defendant is crazy/stupid enough to threaten the jury or judge with retribution if they convict? Would that automatically be a mistrial? If so, what prevents that stunt being done again? --- ## [What if I put my workout on shuffle mode?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-i-put-my-workout-on-shuffle-mode/998147)
**Author:** [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Replies:** 1\ **Last updated:** [February 27, 2024, 7:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-i-put-my-workout-on-shuffle-mode/998147 "2024-02-27T07:22:59Z")
There are obvious reasons why an exercise routine concentrates on specific areas of the body each time: it’s easier to remember, and there seems to be common sense benefits to exercising a muscle for X minutes at once ra… --- ## [Help with Chase Pay Over Time calculations](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-chase-pay-over-time-calculations/998109)
**Author:** [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Replies:** 7\ **Last updated:** [February 27, 2024, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-chase-pay-over-time-calculations/998109 "2024-02-27T03:13:59Z")
To start, this is just a math question. I know how credit cards work and I have paid my cards off in full each month for 20-some years. A unique debt situation has occurred for me, with my dog needing knee replacement th… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/c/factual-questions/9.md?page=98) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/c/factual-questions/9.md?page=100)