# \#factual **URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/tag/factual/34.md [Latest](https://boards.straightdope.com/latest.md) · [Categories](https://boards.straightdope.com/categories.md) · [Tags](https://boards.straightdope.com/tags.md) --- ## [Outside of the US, do championship-winning sports teams get invited to visit the Head of State](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/outside-of-the-us-do-championship-winning-sports-teams-get-invited-to-visit-the-head-of-state/1028282)
**Author:** [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Replies:** 10\ **Last updated:** [April 5, 2026, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/outside-of-the-us-do-championship-winning-sports-teams-get-invited-to-visit-the-head-of-state/1028282 "2026-04-05T19:41:07Z")
Like if Arsenal win the Premier League, should they expect an invitation from King Charles III to enjoy a few pints at Balmoral? --- ## [During the NCAA Tournament (aka March Madness) how do the players continue their schooling?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/during-the-ncaa-tournament-aka-march-madness-how-do-the-players-continue-their-schooling/1028496)
**Author:** [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Replies:** 30\ **Last updated:** [March 18, 2026, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/during-the-ncaa-tournament-aka-march-madness-how-do-the-players-continue-their-schooling/1028496 "2026-03-18T21:45:31Z")
In theory all the players in college sports are first meant to get an education and second play the sport. These days I think most know it is the reverse but, nevertheless, they are still students and still meant to tak… --- ## [Driving linguistic factors and language "loss"(?)](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/driving-linguistic-factors-and-language-loss/1027415)
**Author:** [@APackof19menthols](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/APackof19menthols)\ **Replies:** 56\ **Last updated:** [February 12, 2026, 6:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/driving-linguistic-factors-and-language-loss/1027415 "2026-02-12T06:25:49Z")
A lot of things affect our speech, and obviously we can all say “the internet” right, but I think there has to be something else right? Think about this: plurals. These days “women” has become both a plural and a singu… --- ## [A FQ about the Comey indictment](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-fq-about-the-comey-indictment/1023415)
**Author:** [@Nars\_Glinley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nars_Glinley)\ **Replies:** 21\ **Last updated:** [September 29, 2025, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-fq-about-the-comey-indictment/1023415 "2025-09-29T14:50:12Z")
Former FBI Director James Comey has been indicted by the Justice Department for lying to Congress and obstruction of justice. The original prosecutor declined to seek the indictment and was summarily fired and replaced … --- ## [What happens if a state National Guard refuses to be federalized?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-if-a-state-national-guard-refuses-to-be-federalized/1023075)
**Author:** [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Replies:** 9\ **Last updated:** [September 16, 2025, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-if-a-state-national-guard-refuses-to-be-federalized/1023075 "2025-09-16T21:22:38Z")
How exactly does the President activate National Guard units? Does the order go from POTUS to the Secretary of Defense to the state Governor to the state Adjutant-General and so on down the line? At what point can an off… --- ## [What happens if the President-Elect becomes incapacitated before Inauguration Day](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-if-the-president-elect-becomes-incapacitated-before-inauguration-day/1012689)
**Author:** [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Replies:** 10\ **Last updated:** [January 8, 2025, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-if-the-president-elect-becomes-incapacitated-before-inauguration-day/1012689 "2025-01-08T23:55:16Z")
What happens if the President-Elect becomes incapacitated and isn’t able to take the oath of office on Inauguration Day? Is it the 20th Amendment, 25th Amendment, or both that would apply? Would the Vice-President-Elect … --- ## [How many members of Congress before we need a new chamber?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-members-of-congress-before-we-need-a-new-chamber/1010527)
**Author:** [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Replies:** 19\ **Last updated:** [November 30, 2024, 7:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-members-of-congress-before-we-need-a-new-chamber/1010527 "2024-11-30T07:42:20Z")
If the US House of of Representatives were to be increased in size how many members could the current chamber be remodeled to fit before an entirely new chamber would need to be built? Or even a new Capitol? --- ## [How do deer catch covid?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-deer-catch-covid/959457)
**Author:** [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Replies:** 34\ **Last updated:** [March 29, 2022, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-deer-catch-covid/959457 "2022-03-29T20:43:37Z")
I’ve read lots of articles about deer having covid in north America. Here’s one: I haven’t seen any that say how they catch it, or spread it, however. Maybe that’s not known, yet. But it seems odd. We are told it’s no… --- ## [Judge rules against school mask mandates, Chicago Public Schools to ignore order?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/judge-rules-against-school-mask-mandates-chicago-public-schools-to-ignore-order/958998)
**Author:** [@D\_Anconia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Anconia)\ **Replies:** 43\ **Last updated:** [February 22, 2022, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/judge-rules-against-school-mask-mandates-chicago-public-schools-to-ignore-order/958998 "2022-02-22T19:03:23Z")
An Illinois state judge has issued a restraining order barring schools from enforcing mask mandates, however the Chicago Public Schools (CPS) issued a statement that their masking policies will not change. Can any legal… --- ## [Ivermectin question](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ivermectin-question/958741)
**Author:** [@WalterBishop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WalterBishop)\ **Replies:** 22\ **Last updated:** [February 5, 2022, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ivermectin-question/958741 "2022-02-05T15:28:20Z")
According to this article, a Japanese pharmaceutical company has found that Ivermectin has an “anti-viral effect” against COVID-19 in non-clinical research. Originally, the article said Ivermectin was “effective” agains… --- ## [Theoretical election results](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theoretical-election-results/955502)
**Author:** [@MikeF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MikeF)\ **Replies:** 5\ **Last updated:** [December 5, 2021, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theoretical-election-results/955502 "2021-12-05T14:39:35Z")
This may have been answered somewhere else but I’ll ask again. If every register voter voted strictly for their party candidates the 2022 and 2024 elections, what would the make up of congress (both houses) be? --- ## [SARS-CoV-2 Variants and Mask Effectiveness (Factual)](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sars-cov-2-variants-and-mask-effectiveness-factual/946102)
**Author:** [@Tfletch1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tfletch1)\ **Replies:** 30\ **Last updated:** [August 1, 2021, 1:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sars-cov-2-variants-and-mask-effectiveness-factual/946102 "2021-08-01T13:10:35Z")
In this thread, @puzzlegal, @ThelmaLou, @Jay\_Z, and I were discussing the robustness in protection of masks against the new Delta variant. I started this thread to avoid hijacking that one. The question is, does the hig… --- ## [Vaccine refuser data thread](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vaccine-refuser-data-thread/929542)
**Author:** [@Treppenwitz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Treppenwitz)\ **Replies:** 277\ **Last updated:** [May 6, 2021, 12:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vaccine-refuser-data-thread/929542 "2021-05-06T12:30:32Z")
As vaccines roll out, I guess the number of refusers is going to become a pretty hot topic; so I started this thread as a place to log data on (and consequences of) refusal. As of today I could find no live data describ… --- ## [What ever happened to that money the Gates foundation was supposed to be giving out?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-ever-happened-to-that-money-the-gates-foundation-was-supposed-to-be-giving-out/941256)
**Author:** [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Replies:** 4\ **Last updated:** [May 3, 2021, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-ever-happened-to-that-money-the-gates-foundation-was-supposed-to-be-giving-out/941256 "2021-05-03T02:05:44Z")
Back in 2020, we heard a lot about how the Gates foundation was going to help us get vaccines faster. Pre-funding plants, that sort of thing. Speaking at the Paris Peace Forum today, Melinda Gates will commit an addi… --- ## [What is the current state of domestic air travel? (Fact-based answers, please)](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-current-state-of-domestic-air-travel-fact-based-answers-please/849774)
**Author:** [@Roderick\_Femm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roderick_Femm)\ **Replies:** 20\ **Last updated:** [April 28, 2021, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-current-state-of-domestic-air-travel-fact-based-answers-please/849774 "2021-04-28T14:44:08Z")
Asking for fact-based answers, based on something you know from a reliable source. Cites welcome. I have heard a lot about people and businesses curtailing unnecessary travel, but I have not heard anything about domesti… --- ## [When will the Pfizer and Moderna vaccine get full FDA approval?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-will-the-pfizer-and-moderna-vaccine-get-full-fda-approval/940811)
**Author:** [@r3bdr355](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/r3bdr355)\ **Replies:** 1\ **Last updated:** [April 26, 2021, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-will-the-pfizer-and-moderna-vaccine-get-full-fda-approval/940811 "2021-04-26T21:46:33Z")
So my Attorney General just announced that Virginia colleges and universities can legally mandate that all students and staff get vaccinated from COVID-19: Virginia official: Colleges can tell students to get vaccines - … --- ## [How immune am I?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-immune-am-i/939691)
**Author:** [@Do\_Not\_Taunt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Do_Not_Taunt)\ **Replies:** 11\ **Last updated:** [April 11, 2021, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-immune-am-i/939691 "2021-04-11T19:38:57Z")
So basic immunology question here: I got my first shot of Pfizer on Monday, so let’s say 96 hours ago. For simplicity, let’s ignore the 21-day second shot, and define 100% immunity as being the most immune I’m going to … --- ## [Long Covid](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/long-covid/938760)
**Author:** [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Replies:** 23\ **Last updated:** [April 1, 2021, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/long-covid/938760 "2021-04-01T19:33:40Z")
I’m looking for data on the odds of developing long covid. Preferably something by age and sex. But really, I’d appreciate any sense of how common (or uncommon) it is. --- ## [Vaccine, infection, and spreading COVID](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vaccine-infection-and-spreading-covid/931224)
**Author:** [@RitterSport](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RitterSport)\ **Replies:** 4\ **Last updated:** [January 22, 2021, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vaccine-infection-and-spreading-covid/931224 "2021-01-22T20:05:48Z")
I’ve read here and elsewhere that there’s no evidence that being vaccinated will prevent you from getting infected and spreading the novel coronavirus. I understand that to mean that no one really knows if that can happ…