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<#> why doesn't an optical mouse work on a glass table? <#> Optical mice use an LED and a camera to rapidly capture images of the surface beneath the mouse. The infomation from the camera is analyzed by a DSP (Digital Signal Processor) and used to detect imperfections in the underlying surface and determine motion. Some materials, such as glass, mirrors or other very shiny, uniform surfaces interfere with the ability of the DSP to accurately analyze the surface beneath the mouse. Since glass is transparent and very uniform, the mouse is unable to pick up enough imperfections in the underlying surface to determine motion. Mirrored surfaces are also a problem, since they constantly reflect back the same image, causing the DSP not to recognize motion properly. When the system is unable to see surface changes associated with movement, the mouse will not work properly. <#> What is the best off-road motorcycle trail ? <#> i hear that the mojave road is amazing! search for it online. <#> What is Trans Fat? How to reduce that? <#> Trans fats occur in manufactured foods during the process of partial hydrogenation, when hydrogen gas is bubbled through vegetable oil to increase shelf life and stabilize the original polyunsatured oil. The resulting fat is similar to saturated fat, which raises "bad" LDL cholesterol and can lead to clogged arteries and heart disease. Until very recently, food labels were not required to list trans fats, and this health risk remained hidden to consumers. In early July, FDA regulations changed, and food labels will soon begin identifying trans fat content in processed foods. <#> How many planes Fedex has? <#> according to the www.fedex.com web site: Air Fleet 670 aircraft, including: 47 Airbus A300-600s 17 Boeing DC10-30s 62 Airbus A310-200/300s 36 Boeing MD10-10s 2 ATR 72s 5 Boeing MD10-30s 29 ATR 42s 57 Boeing MD11s 18 Boeing 727-100s 10 Cessna 208As 94 Boeing 727-200s 246 Cessna 208Bs 30 Boeing DC10-10s 17 Fokker F-27s

<#> In the san francisco bay area, does it make sense to rent or buy ? <#> renting vs buying depends on your goals. generally thinking is that buying is better b/c the payments that would go into the rent start building equity in your home. the govt also incentivizes you to buy by making your property tax payments and mortgage interest payments tax deductible. having said that current housing status in the bay area is such that housing cost to purchase is relatively high and rental prices (compared to ownership cost) are relatively low (relative to the rest of the country). it makes lese sense to buy vs. other places. bottom line you should base your decision on whether you think the market will keep going up or not. the other numbers tend to even out, the main gain or loss in buying comes from appreciation/depreciation. <#> What's the best way to clean a keyboard? <#> There are commercial kits available, but a can of compressed air, a lint-free cloth or wipes, mild dishwashing liquid, and a vacuum cleaner with a soft brush are all you really need for a basic cleaning. After turning off your computer and unplugging your keyboard, gently shake the keyboard upside down over some newspaper to dislodge loose crumbs and particles. Use the can of compressed air to blow a stream of air between the keys. Dampen a lint-free cloth with a diluted solution of dishwashing liquid and water to wipe down the keys. Use the vacuum cleaner brush attachment to suck away any remaining dirt or debris. If you have a membrane-type keyboard (it doesn't have a spring under each key) and the keys are truly grungy, you can remove the keys with a small screwdriver and use cotton swabs and 90% isopropyl alcohol to get it sparkling clean. If you are still feeling industrious, next you can tackle cleaning your mouse. Of course, if cleaning your keyboard seems a truly undesirable task, you can always buy a new one for around $20.

<#> Why do people blush when they are embarrassed? <#> from ask yahoo... http://ask.yahoo.com/ask/20040113.html <<Blushing is a unique blend of evolutionary and social behavior. It's an involuntary reaction of the sympathetic nervous system, which is responsible for our "fight or flight" response, but blushing is solely triggered by social cues. People generally blush when they're feeling embarrassed, scared, or stressed. As a result of the "fight or flight" response, the capillaries that carry blood to the skin widen, and the increased blood flow lends the face, as well as sometimes the chest, neck, or even the body or legs, a reddened color. Excessive facial blushing, or erythrophobia, is caused by overactivity of the sympathetic nervous system. The condition can cause a lot of psychological duress and has engendered several support groups. It's common knowledge that animals don't blush. So while there are some evolutionary cues behind blushing, it's also linked to something uniquely human -- moral consciousness.>> <#> Is Lin Qingxia (aka Brigitte Lin) "the most beautiful woman in Chinese cinema?" <#> Well. Everyone has different definition on what 'beauty' is. I like Lin Qingxia, but I think many girls are prettier than she was. (She is more than 40 years old now). If "Lin Qingxia" is the most beautiful woman in the Chinese cinema, the most handsome man in Chinese cinema should be "Chin Han" because they always made movies together. However, A male movie star once was asked his girlfriend in real life or the girlfriend in movie is more beautiful. He gave a very good answer: "I think my mother is the most beautiful woman in the world." :) <#> What is the origin of "foobar"? <#> Not sure if this is the origin, but I think it was popularized in the 1989 film "Tango & Cash". After Tango, played by Sylvester Stallone, and Cash, portrayed by Kurt Russell, were thrown into jail and setup in a failed jailbreak attempt, the bad guy Yves Perret (Jack Pallance) locked them in the boiler room with a bunch of felons Tango & Cash had put in jail. Prior to unleashing a can of whoop-ass, their conversation was as follows: Gabriel Cash: I don't know about you, but I have an aversion to getting F.U.B.A.R... Ray Tango: What's F.U.B.A.R.? Gabriel Cash: Fucked-Up Beyond All Recognition.

<#> How the human species evolved? <#> A tough question as it overlaps science and theology. Since you asked "how the human species evolved?" I'll assume you're interested in the scientific approach to the answer. The current theory holds that Homo sapiens evolved from Hominid ancestors over the course of millions of years through a process called natural selection. Natural selection is the weeding and advancement of species variants over time based on the fit in that species' then current environments. The pressures for "fit" are competitive (with each other, with other tribes, and with other animals) and environmental (weather, terrain, availability of food, etc.). These factors all contributed to the development of our higher brain, which we now use to evolve as a global collective through communication & technology. <#> Who said the statement below and what does it mean? <#> That is kind of a tricky little quote. Sometimes placing it in context can help. This is a quote from Ralph Waldo Emerson's essay "Self Reliance," which discourages basing one's opinions and actions on common opinion in favor of self-trust (see the full essay at http://www.emersoncentral.com/selfreliance.htm). I think the point of this quote is that it's very desireable to have one's own original thoughts and opinions, and to live by them. It's easier to live by one's own convictions and not be persuaded by others when in isolation (that's the "independence of solitude"). However, not so special to isolate oneself from others in order to attain this ideal. Because it's difficult to live by one's own thoughts and opinions while being a part of society, it's something only a "finished man" can truly do. Also, in the essay, Emerson refers to being childlike - unselfish, non-judgmental, open-minded, uncynical, unhesitant - as something to admire. So I think that's where the seemingly misplaced "perfect sweetness" comes in. When a man can remain pure of heart while living in the harsh world and also keeping and living by his own ideals. What do you think? <#> How do I find an out of print book? <#> There are several websites that you can find rare or out of print books. A couple would be alibris.com or abebooks.com. These sites list books by booksellers all over the country and some internationally.

<#> What are some tips on finding a good mortgage broker? <#> the most basic thing is to have someone you have a decent amount of trust for. someone recommended by a friend etc. the things you have to look for are: 1. top priority is seeing that the broker can actually get your loan on time. many deals fall through b/c the broker cannot get the deal through on time and has less control than the original lender 2. secondary priority is to see that they have access to competitive rates. not all brokers have access to all sources and rates, although most of them will be similar. 3. you need to see that the broker is someone you trust to get you the best rate regardless of how much money they make off the transaction. <#> what's the best way to create a bootable windos/dos CD? <#> Well, the best way is to look at whatever program you have for burning CDs and see if it has an option to create a bootable CD. If you can't find it, or use Windows itself to burn CDs, then it's a little more complicated. Note: If you find that booting from CD doesn't work, you may have to adjust your BIOS setting to allow your machine to boot from CD. If you want to boot to windows: the easiest way is probably to go here: http://www.nu2.nu/bootcd/ and download a utility that will do it for you. There are instructions there depending on what type of boot you want. If you don't trust using a third party utility, Microsoft has some instructions here: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/167685/EN-US/ . This process is not very straightforward though. If you just need to get into your filesystem and poke around, you might consider booting a different OS. For example, http://www.freedos.org/ (FreeDOS) and http://www.knoppix.net/ (Knoppix Linux) may do what you want. For these, you can download ISO images and burn bootable CDs.

<#> what is the reason for the increasing divorce percentage in the western world? <#> IMO... our lives are much more complex than our equivalents from 50 years ago and thus it's more likely for married people to grow in different directions over time (values, needs, etc.). Add to that how easy and acceptable it is to get a divorce, and how quick we are to dispose of things that we no longer want, and you get an increasing percentage. I wouldn't be surprised if in the not too distant future the average length of a marriage drops to ~5 years and the average number of marriages per person increases to 2+. A parallel to consider: how many different circles of friends do you have and how often have you joined new ones and left others behind over your life? (grade school, high school, college, jobs, etc.). We are a nomadic species. :) <#> What is an "imaginary number"? <#> Imaginary numbers are numbers than when squared equal a negative number, as in i^2 = -1, where i is the imaginary number. You'll also often see them represented as i = ?-1 (that's the square root of -1). Don't be confused by the poorly chosen name - imaginary numbers do indeed exist and are used in advanced math, such as in the physics of electromagnetic fields. The analogy that Wikipedia uses is a good one - just like you don't need the concept of fractions to count stones, it doesn't mean that fractions don't exist. :) <#> Faxing a pizza <#> We're pretty far away from being able to beam anything in the way that you are describing. There are some experiments where splitting entangled electrons allows us to observe some interesting 'action at a distance' effects, but the amount of data that would need to be stored to transmit something with as many atoms as a pizza is incredible. Also, such an operation would require nano-assemblers that could interpret such data an reassemble the pizza from the info provided. <#> What are good sources to find out about new gospel artists? <#> CCM Magazine or their online website will give you information on up and coming artists in the Christian Music field.

<#> space missions <#> You also need to consider the economic effects of funding basic research. The moon missions of the 60's inspired an entire generation and helped to move many kids toward careers in science and engineering. As a result, the US was well poised to take advantage of the huge boom in information technology in the last few decades. The net effect of these engineers in the workforce could be see has a pretty impressive return on investment for the cost of those missions. <#> How a black hole is formed? <#> The current scientific theory holds that black holes are formed when stars of sufficient mass (about 3x the mass of our Sun) reach the end of their life and collapse down into a singularity, which is, in essence, an infinitely small point with a huge amount of gravity - gravity so powerful that not even light can escape it's pull if it gets too close. It is also thought that black holes can be formed from smaller masses if external energy/pressure is exerted to squeeze the mass into a singularity. Not sure if there's any direct experimental evidence of creation, but there is evidence that they exist. Cosmologists use several different methods to detect blacks holes, such as by looking for light being bent and/or disappearing as it travels from remote stars towards us, and also by looking for bursts of x-rays that are given off as matter is sucked into the back hole and destroyed. Fun fact: current evidence and theory suggests that the center of the Milky Way is a giant black hole that was formed as the densly packed stars in the center collapsed and sucked each other in. <#> Heavy water <#> Heavy water is like regular water except that instead of two hydrogen atoms and an oxygen atom (H20) it has two deuterium atoms and an oxygen atom (D20). Deuterium is a hydrogen atom with an extra neutron. Water is used in nuclear reactors to moderate the reaction speed, and to absorb heat. Nuclear fission starts by giving off neutrons that create a chain reaction. Any water around it absorbs those neutrons (becoming heavy water) and slows the reaction. If heavy water is used instead of regular hydrogen water, the neutrons are not absorbed. This means that less pure nuclear material can be used to sustain a reaction. For example unrefined uranium, which is much less expensive, can be used instead of enriched uranium. <#> When will Her Majesty be released in Dvd format? <#> It's already available in Australia, if your DVD player can handle PAL:

<#> Is a transponder required to fly in class C airspace? <#> the answer is that you must have a transponder in order to fly in a class C airspace. <#> How to get rid of a beehive? <#> Call an area apiarist. They should be able to help you and would most likely remove them at no charge in exchange for the hive. The bees have value and they now belong to you. <#> Nice apartment building near SBC Park? <#> I can't tell you which of the many are best, but I can tell you about one I lived in briefly. I lived for a month in the Avalon at 4th and King. I was put up there as a corporate apartment. While it was fine, it was relatively expensive, and the rooms were small. It also had one of those rooms that served as kitchen, dining room and living room all in one. I'm not fond of these kinds of rooms, which are particularly American. The smell of cooking, people watching TV, people eating -- these all seem like activities that should be separated from one another. Call me old fashioned. The Avalon had a big gym, however, which was very good, and concierge service, which was very convenient. Most of them were very friendly. One concierge even hugged me when we left and said she was going to miss me! Also convenient was its proximity to the Caltrain, the Safeway across the street and the Starbucks. But if you crave culture, this ain't it: everything is a chain store nearby. So depending on your budget, your need for convenience and culture, and your tolerance for small rooms and/or omnirooms, it may suit you.

<#> What are world's 3 smallest nations? <#> 1. The Vatican City in central Rome ranks as the smallest nation of the world. It measures 0.17 square miles. 2. Monaco. 3. San Marino. How did they manage to become countries? 1. The political freedom of the Vatican is guaranteed and protected by Italy. It concordat between the Holy See and the kingdom of Italy signed in 1929 in the Lateran Palace, Rome, by Cardinal Gasparri for Pius XI and by Benito Mussolini for Victor Emmanuel III. 2. Monaco came under French protection in 1861. However from 1911, when the first constitution was promulgated, the prince of Monaco was an absolute ruler. 3. According to tradition, Marino, a Christian stonecutter from Dalmatia, took refuge (4th cent) on Mt. Titano, the chief geographical feature of present-day San Marino. By the mid-5th cent., a community was formed; because of its relatively inaccessible location and its poverty, it has succeeded, with a few brief interruptions, in maintaining its independence. In 1631 its independence was recognized by the papacy. <#> What is the best riddle that you know? <#> If you were standing in front of a door, one leading to heaven and one leading to hell, neither of which are labeled, and guarding that door is a guard, one who always lies and one who always tells the truth, but you don't know who's who, what question would you ask to definitively know which one is the door to heaven versus hell. answer: "what would the other guard say that you would say is the door to heaven (hell)?" then you know the opposite door is the door to heaven (hell) <#> Economics of running a restaurant? <#> 90% of restaurants fail in their first year of existence. A 10% profit level for a restaurant is considered a success. The average revenue and net income is hard to define without knowing the food concept and what type of liquor license the establishment will have: just beer and wine license or full bar license? Will the restaurant depend heavily on take out food orders or mostly dining within? The hours are very long 12 to 15 hours a day if yo will be serving lunch and dinner.

<#> Why do gas stations mix ethanol into gas? <#> Right. Fuel additives are helpful for reduction of emissions, although they are not always economical. For the most part, the US congress has subsidized the creation of ethanol, which tends to be a net cost unless created from waste agricultural products. Another substance that has the same anti-emissions properties as ethanol is MTBE. There has been a lot of press about MTBE recently due to its tendency to pollute groundwater. <#> Why we are not using the sea waves to generate electricity? <#> Same reason solar power isn't more popular despite lots of sunshine: with current technology the cost per kwh is still much higher than for power generated with fossil fuels. As fossil fuel prices rise and technology improves so-called "alternative" energy sources become more cost effective, but the crossover point still appears to be several years in the future. Forcing expensive alternative technologies on the market before they are economically viable simply raises electricity prices for homeowners--this is part of the reason CA electric rates were so far above the national average in the 1990's, opening the door for Enron and like to make their ill-fated arbitrage plays... <#> Why doesn't the NBA implement a minor leagues? <#> The NBA does have minor leagues - they're called the CBA, and the International leagues. :) Seriously - because viewers seem to value explosiveness over efficiency, I think we're seeing a major shift in the average age of NBA players towards young athletes that are quicker, high-flying and more resilient to injury. I wouldn't be surprised at all if by the end of this decade the average age of the league allstars is well under 25. <#> What's the longest english word without a vowel in it? <#> The longest word without a vowel is Rhythm. It is referenced on below web site where you can find more fun facts.

<#> Formula1 car <#> Let me break it down- Engine- 3 liter V10. Approximately 900+ hp, 19,000 rpm. The engine weighs about 200 lbs. It spins so fast that metal valve springs can't keep, the springs are pneumatic. Brakes- The better your brakes, the later you can brake and thus you can spend more time going fast. These are carbon fiber and take 3 months to make. They heat up to around 1500 F in use and can be seen glowing. The wheels are limited to 13 inches in order to limit braking capability. As they are, the driver experiences 4 G's of decelerating load under heavy braking. An average person would black out in an F1 car. Aerodynamics- Surprisingly, drag is not the critical factor, downforce is. These cars have very high coefficients of drag, due to the open wheels and spoilers. The downforce is created by aero devices which are basically inverted aeroplane wings, which push the car to the ground under speed. It is because of the dependence on these devices that F1 cars have a difficult time passing, once the cars enter the dirty air behind another racer, downforce drops dramatically and so does the car's ability to corner quickly. Traction control- the cars generate so much power that the throttle is computer controlled to keep the tires from spinning. The governing body (the FIA) wants to make this illegal but right now it is not feasible because it is merely software in the engine management systems, and it is not feasible to decompile these systems to find illegal code. Transmisison- The cars utilize computer controlled sequential manual transmissions. The computers manage the throttle and clutch to pull off perfect shifts in one tenth of a second. All the driver does is pull a lever. The clutch is only used from a standstill and is engaged from a lever on the steering wheel. What doesn't make the cars fast- Tires- The tires are grooved to limit traction. If the drivers were allowed to run slicks, the traction and G loading would be so high that drivers would black out and possibly crash. Starting in 2005, they also must last the entire race. Wheels- Size limited to prevent the installation of overlarge brakes which would also push the drivers beyond the limits of human physiology Brakes- As stated earlier, size limited. Also, no ABS at all (outlawed in 1994).

<#> how was Einstein's General Relativity theory proven ? <#> First, I would never say that a theory has been proven. There may be a lot of evidence that supports a theory, and as a result it may no longer be on the list of theories that are being challenged, but theories are always theories and should always be open to adjustment by new evidence. A good theory is just a collection of hypothesis, experiments and deductions that survives repeated challenge and can therefore be used to predict untested outcomes. Now to your question (sorry for the tangent)... I think that most physicists consider Arthur Eddington's observations of the bending of light during the 1919 solar eclipse as the first solid evidence to support Einstein's theory of General Relativity. Einstein's theory predicted that gravitational fields would bend light, and Eddington's measurements supported that prediction, thus making it the first empirical data to support the theory. <#> Can someone tell me what happened in Buffy's series finale? <#> The gang makes an attack on the First's army, aided by Willow, who performs a powerful spell to imbue all of the Potentials with Slayer powers. Meanwhile, wearing the amulet that Angel brought, Spike becomes the decisive factor in the victory, and Sunnydale is eradicated. Buffy and the gang look back on what's left of Sunnydale, deciding what to do next... --but more importantly, there will no longer be any slaying in Sunnydale, or is that Sunnyvale... <#> How does a person live his whole life with the notion of impending death <#> It's called denial... <#> how does a helicopter fly <#> A helicopter gets its power from rotors or blades. When its rotors are spinning, a helicopter doesn't look much like an airplane. But the rotor blades have an airfoil shape like the wings of an airplane. So as the rotors turn, air flows more quickly over the tops of the blades than it does below. This creates enough lift for flight. <#> Why would Big Ten keep its name inspite of adding a 11th school? <#> i would think to keep the "brand" recognition and the history of the Big Ten. the conference has invested a lot in building the Big Ten name as well as any merchandising and corporate sponsorship.

<#> How effective is massage in relieving stress? <#> Massage is good for relieving stress if you find the right kind of you. One of the most popular massages is Swedish massage. Light to medium pressure is applied with long, soothing strokes. Sometimes stress can cause muscle pain. Deep tissue massage can be tailored to the person's need. Aromatherapy massage makes use of the therapeutic effect of essential oil combined with a relaxing massage. Warm stone massage has become very popular in the past few years. Reflexology is a special form of foot massage. It may take a few trials to find the right kind of massage for you. Once you find it, it can help maintain good physical health and stress reduction. <#> Is there a good reference for California Landlord-Tenant Law? <#> Check out "California Tenants: A Guide to Residential Tenants' and Landloards' Rights and Responsibilities" (listed as a reference below) from the department of Consumer Affairs. <#> Triangular distribution random function <#> check out this site: http://mathworld.wolfram.com/TriangularDistribution.html <#> Capturing light in a container <#> So the answer to your specific question is 'no'. The problem is that if the container shines, it means that light and energy is being lost and will eventually run out. There are materials that will glow for a long time due to radioactive decay or via chemical processes, but all of these are using up their 'fuel' in the process and will eventually run out. Some radioactive substances have a pretty long half-life and will appear to glow steadily without much decay over the scale of a human lifetime. Now, to get more generalized... it is possible to trap light in a container that doesn't shine. Scientists have been able to free light in its place using supercooled clouds of sodium which are naturally opaque, but can temporarily transmit light when altered via a laser beam. If the laser is shut off, a light beam that is passing through the cloud will be temporarily frozen in place. Australian scientists have recently been able to extend this interaction to be nearly as long as a second. Once the laser is reintroduced the beam is recovered and continues on its way. Now all this is a little debatable, since the photons actually get temporarily swallowed up by the material. The photons that come out afterwards have the same configuration and quantum state as what went in, but whether they are exactly the same photons is more of a question for philosophy than for physics.

<#> When will Google buy Yahoo? <#> Their respective market caps are too close for this to ever happen. Interestingly, many reporters, analysts and tech pundits that I talk to think that the supposed competition between Google and Yahoo is fallacious, and that they are very different companies with very different strategies. Google's true competitor is often seen as being Microsoft, not Yahoo. This would support your claim that they are complementary. <#> Do animals have feelings? <#> It's clear that humans and animals (especially those close to us in the evolutionary tree), share similar chemical responses in their brain when faced with highly emotional situations. Whether it be fear, contentment, mating urges, we have a lot of analogous mechanisms going on. On this basis alone, there is a pretty strong argument that animals have feelings. One possible counter-argument, however, is based on the definition that for certain chemical responses to be called feelings, that the being in question needs to have a conscious awareness of their state. With this defition, it becomes much harder to say whether animals experience feelings in the same conscious manner even though the neurochemical signatures are similar. My opinion is that this definition based on conscious understanding is a little specious, as it's based on an ongoing desire by some to try to define humans out of the context of the natural world... and to claim that we are categorically better than the other animals. If the neurochemical basis for consciousness is ever discovered we'll be able to quickly check which animals have this, and I suspect we'll find that many are conscious. If this is so, then their feelings will be as real as human ones in all senses. <#> Is Trigonometry considered high school or college level math? <#> In the US, Trig is normally considered as a high school level course, however, it is not a required course to graduate. I believe Algebra is the highest of the high school math courses that are required for graduation, although some schools may still only require Geometry. In the US the typical sequence for math courses is Pre-Algebra, Geometry, Algebra, Trigonometry and then Calculus (which is usually taken at the high school level as Pre-Calculus, but may also be taken as full "AP" Calculus, where the "AP" stands for "Advanced Placement" and means that the student can get University-level credit for that course when they go to College).

<#> Why is there often a mirror in an elevator? <#> The purpose is functional, but it's psychological rather than mechanical. Here's an explanation, from: http://www.slyasafox.com/book/book_33.html "In the early industrial age, buildings began to spring up all over the east coast. Many of these new buildings were taller than anything ever built before and most had elevators. As buildings got taller and taller, more people began to use elevators. Elevators in those days were pretty darn slow. People were constantly complaining about how slow the elevators were. Elevator companies were challenged with this problem and came up with the typical problem statement elevators move too slow. So they went off to design elevators that were faster and safer, but at the time it was very expensive to do so. Several companies went off and running to build a safer and faster elevator, and one elevator company proposed a different problem statement. They may have had a different name for the approach, but they were using the fundamentals of the ?est problem statement tool. One engineer said, I think our elevator speeds are just fine, people are crazy. Then an engineer proposed that they work on a different problem statement. He proposed that the problem was people think elevators move to slow. He inserted two words people think into the problem statement which allowed the design team to approach the problem from a completely different angle and thus a whole new set of ideas. Instead of concentrating on larger motors, slicker pulley designs and such, they concentrated on the passenger in the elevator. When they looked at the problem from this angle, the ideas started to snowball. Is it really too slow? Why do they think it is slow? How can we distract them? How can we make it more comfortable? Are customers scared of heights? This lead to some first hand customer research. They found that a lot of people thought the elevators were a lot slower then they actually were. They also discovered that people had an exaggerated sense of time because they had nothing to do but stare at the wall and think about the safety of the elevator being suspended in the air, and preoccupied with the fear of falling. t room for additional equipment of any sort, so they brainstormed on that. This lead to the idea of mirrors in elevators so people would think about something else besides danger. Was their hair combed properly? Did her makeup look okay? By installing mirrors in the elevators, people became distracted and were no longer preoccupied with the fear of falling. On a follow up survey, customers commented how much faster the new elevators were even though the speed was exactly the same. The elevator design itself had not changed at all."

<#> Can someone explain the theory of e=mc2? <#> In general it means that in a very high speed (also apply for low speed but hard to measure) , a Mass turns into Energy and vise versa. The conversion rate is C2 (C square). <#> Why can Bush get away with misinforming us about intelligence, then use that as reason for war? <#> Because the American public is more willing to forgive presidents that don't project themselves as smarter then them. Its similar to how Oliver North and the Irancontra scandal in the 80's did not affect Reagan's popularity, but how Clinton's "lies" about Monica almost resulted in impeachment. In a way, this may be Bush's genius, that he understands what lies Americans are willing to accept, and not accept. <#> where did term "tie the knot" come from? <#> Bed frames used to be sprung with rope. To make a marriage bed you needed to 'tie the knot' <#> How can the Chicago Cubs break their curse? <#> Do what the Red Sox did. Fire the coach from last year, trade your best player, and get a long haired guy to bat 1st. <#> What's the cheapest source for ordering DVDs from Asia? <#> I don't know if this is the cheapest option, but I use the site YesAsia http://us.yesasia.com/en/index.aspx for my Asian DVD & CD needs. You often have a choice of region format, and its cheaper than buying it in some store. <#> Why are there 5 rings in the Olympics symbol? <#> The 5 rings were introduced at the the 1920 games in antwerp games. The rings included at least one color from the flag of every participating country. <#> What is the over/under for wins by the 49ers this season? <#> At Tradesports.com the contract has been set at the 49ers getting more than 4.5 wins, and it's trading at slightly less than even odds for that. 4-12 seems a good guess. <#> What was James Bond's wife's name? <#> In the movies, James Bond gets Married at the end of "On Her Majesty's Secret Service", but unfortunately his wife dies very soon thereafter when the bad guys shoot her while trying to gun down James. Her name was "Contessa Teresa 'Tracy' Di Vicenzo Bond", she was played by Diana Rigg. I've never read the books, so I don't know if he every married in the books.

<#> How do I take my money out of 401k without penalty? <#> You can withdraw the money for childrens higher education. Details: Higher education expenses. Even if you are under age 59�, if you paid expenses for higher education during the year, part (or all) of any distribution may not be subject to the 10% additional tax. The part not subject to the tax is generally the amount that is not more than the qualified higher education expenses (defined later) for the year for education furnished at an eligible educational institution (defined later). The education must be for you, your spouse, or the children or grandchildren of you or your spouse. <#> What are the rules around who can throw the ball in football? <#> As long as a player is behind the line of scrimmage , they can throw the ball. So to answer your question, anyone can throw the ball. <#> What is the history of seeing eye dogs? <#> here is an article that I've found:"Long before there was ever an established guide dog program was developed, dogs have been aiding the blind. A wooden plaque from the Middle Ages portrays a dog leading a blind man with a leash. The first actual attempt to train dogs to aid the blind was made in 1780 at Les Quinze-Vingts hospital for the blind, in Paris. In 1788, Josef Riesinger of Vienna was able to train a dog so well that people often doubted that he was blind!..." <#> If I lose lots of money in stock in one year, can I carry the negative capital gain forward? <#> You can keep dumping every year upto a net loss of $3,000.00 <#> What are the steps required to edit, publish and distribute a book? <#> Publishing a book is a lot of hardwork. It takes 2 years sometimes for first timers. See URL below for broad steps. Steps differ based on what kind of books one would try publishing. <#> When can a common man fly to moon? <#> Virgin Galactic is offering this "as soon as 2008" for the low price of 100 million USD. Realistically, it will probably take more than a few years to ramp up tourist missions to the moon, especially if no one is signing up... <#> Condo/townhouse pricing in San Jose, CA <#> I recently came across a site that offers some pricing information for the silicon valley: <#> How does the Pope get his name? <#> He selects it himself.

<#> How long does take a space craft to get from the Earth to the Moon? <#> It depends on what you are sending. The Apollo missions were the last set of *manned* missions to the moon, and here is the travel time: Launched: 16 July 1969 UT 13:32:00 (09:32:00 a.m. EDT) Landed on Moon: 20 July 1969 UT 20:17:40 (04:17:40 p.m. EDT) It took about 4 days to get there. Rocket technology has not change too much since then so you can expect that getting people to the moon at this point would take about the same amount of time. If you are dealing with a non-human payload, you may be able to cut down time, both because it is likely lighter, and because you don't need to worry as much about damaging G-forces. I've included a link that has the history of all missions to the moon, manned and unmanned. <#> At what level are math olympiads held for Kids? <#> The official math olympiad competition is really more for high school students and the organization (math assocn of america) hosts a number of competitions that determine whether students will qualify to take the math olympaid tests. The org also hosts a number of other competition for other students from jr. high and below but those are separate. <#> Can anyone list the short name of the common names? <#> Al - Albert, Alfred, Alan Bob - Robert Beth - Elizabeth Bill(y) - William Cathy - Catherine Chris - Christopher Deb(bie) - Deborah, Debra Dick(y)(ie) - Richard Don(nie)(y) - Donald Dom - Domenic, Dominic Ed(die)(dy) - Edward Fred(dy)(die) - Frederick Jim(my)(mie) - James Joe(y) - Joseph Kate - Katherine Kim - Kimberl(e)y Larry - Lawrence Liz - Elizabeth Maggie(y) - Margaret Margy(ie) - Margaret Matt(y)(ie) - Matthew Mike - Michael Nick - Nicholas Peggy - Margaret Phil - Phillip/Philip Pete - Peter Rick(y) - Richard Ray - Raymond Ron(ny)(ie) - Ronald, Veronica Steve - Steven, Stephen Tina - Christina Tim(my) - Timothy Tom(my) - Thomas Tory(ie) - Victoria Will(ie)(y) - William Vic - Victor Vin(nie)(ny) - Vincent Val - Valerie <#> Do all professional athletes do steroids now? <#> I would say a good majority are, but the question is whether the steroid is considered a performance enhancing steroid or not. Andro was legal while Mark McGuire was using it, but subsequently banned. BALCO was reported to manufacture steroids that are desgined to avoid being detected during testing.

<#> Why is Dick a shortened version of the name Richard? <#> There doesn't seem to be a consensus on this. From http://www.searchforancestors.com/surnames/origin/d/dick.php: "It may come from the Dutch Dyck, a bank or dike, a bulwark thrown up in the Low Countries against the sea or rivers to prevent inundation." According to http://www.mybirthcare.com/favorites/M/English/meaning.asp?name=Dick "Rhyming nickname from medieval times. Richard 'strong ruler' was shortened to Rick then rhymed to Dick." I trust "The Straight Dope" in all things, and according to them, over the years "Dick" has meant "a riding whip, an apron, abbreviation for "dictionary," a policeman, a declaration, and (of course), the penis." http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/mspotteddick.html <#> How do you know if you're in love? <#> In my experience you just know. It's a long term feeling of always wanting to share each new experience with the other person in order to make them happy, to laugh or to know what they think about it. It's jonesing to call even though you just got off an hour long phone call with them. It's knowing that being with them makes you a better person. It's all of the above and much more. <#> what is the cause for headaches <#> There are several possible causes for headaches. According to a Chiropractor friend of mine, dehydration is a major cause. For example, too many Margaritas one night can leave you seriously dehydrated, hung over and with a headache the next day. Other causes are stress, allergies, etc. Dr. Hoffman's reference below explains some of these in detail. <#> Why didn't anyone send more buses to the Superdome earlier? <#> I don't have an article, but I was listening to NPR last night, and the commentator was saying the evacuation was really bungled due to an organization and communication problem. No one took charge and said, hey I'm running the show, get 2000 buses and send them down, because no one felt they were in charge. FEMA, State & local police, National Guard, all were not sure what the other guys were doing and so waited for overall direction, which never really came. <#> What is the best YMU-compatible mp3 player out there? <#> You should definitely check out Creative's new Zen Vision. I don't have that model (it's new), but I have the Creative Zen Micro and like it a lot.

<#> what are gamma ray bursts? <#> The source of Gamma Ray bursts is currently unknown. They are a surprising phenomenon because gamma rays are so powerful that very few events could cause them. They have also only been recently discovered by projects like the Compton Gamma Ray Observatory, and appear to be coming from all directions, not just in the galactic plane. This would indicate a phenomenon that has extra-galactic origins... for example, activity inside of an active galactic nuclei, or quasars. Because they happen at random intervals, abd are ephemeral (often just a few seconds), and the "scopes" used to capture them are not tightly directional, we don't have any instruments currently that can figure out exactly what they are. For now that means, the best we can do is hypothesize based on what cosmic events we believe are of the appropriate magnitude to tigger gamma rays. <#> Why's watching Television so addictive? <#> I'd say that TV is more popular than books because it is multimedia and much more closely matches how we normally take in information. TV is video and audio. You can see and hear it and thus more information can be squeezed into a short amount of time while also giving a much richer experience. Next time you're watching TV, consider how much you would have to write just to completely describe a single frame. Last, TV is also much easier because it's a passive medium. Reading requires your brain to work harder to both read the words and then interpret them into visuals. TV is already visual and can be watched with much less focus & energy. <#> What is the origin of the name 'Soccer'? <#> In the early days of this game, an association was set up in England to codify the rules. The game was sometimes referred to as "association football," probably to distinguish it from other variations. "association" was abbreviated to "assoc.," so the game was nicknamed "soccer." Since the term "football" was already used in the U.S. to describe a different game, the name "soccer" stuck here. <#> What's the capital city of Bolivia? <#> Sucre is the legal capital, though the government sits in La Paz

<#> Why is it so foggy in San Francisco? <#> It isn't as foggy as you might think. Spring and Fall are quite temperate, and San Francisco is renowned for it's "Indian Summer" in September. However, Mark Twain had a point when he said "The coldest Winter I ever spent was Summer in San Francisco." This is because the warm air from inland (where it gets quite hot in the Summer) clashes with the cold air from the surrounding Pacific Ocean and the SF Bay. When that happens, fog forms. Further explanation from http://kids.earth.nasa.gov: "At night, the ground surface cools by radiating heat to space. Air near the ground cools to the dew point temperature, causing water in the air to condense." Sure it's cold, but fog can be quite beautiful and atmospheric. Just look at the pictures on http://www.goldengatephoto.com/sanfran/thefogrollsin.html Lovely! <#> Why does it seem that most of the diets don't work on over weight people? <#> I think that the main reason is that obese people should be treated as drug addict. The main problem is that both obese and drug addicts have habits that causing them to either eat or do drug. Both of them also have physical addiction that needed to be treated accordingly. Only after facing those two major factors it will be the time for diets. Another major issue is that the society actually unknowingly supports obesity; let me give you an example- today in the US, an obese person can claim disability and get welfare. By that, the government actually encourages obesity. Why would someone even try to get better? Authorities should condition those allowances: if you lose weight over a specified period you will continue getting it. If you did not lose weight you lose the allowance. We should always keep in mind that obesity costs a lot more then just the allowance that the obese person gets. There is the health costs, taxes lost and so on. I say- do what you can to leave healthy life, and don?t give up <#> Which car and house insurance company is recommended in California? <#> Costco gives some of the best rates. The service is very good, too. There was this time when I couldn't start my car. Since it's a certain European car, it couldn't be jumpstarted by a friend's car. Only a tow truck had enough power to jumpstart it. I called the Costco auto assitance. Not only did they send a tow truck quickly, but they also called to follow up on whether the problem was fixed or not. Highly recommend it!

<#> how do Elephants communicate? <#> There make very low frequency sounds that we cannot hear. They also make sounds that we do hear and it is because they what other animals to hear it. <#> How come the usage of alternate power generators is not more prevalent in a state like Californi <#> California electricity is generated by several sources, including hydroelectric, wind, geothermal and nuclear (in addition to the more traditional natural gas). The question is why these other sources aren't used more, and the answer is that historically, they've either been more expensive or have environmental risks of their own (esp. for nuclear). As petroleum and natural gas sources start to get used up, and world demand for energy increases, the cost of electricity from natural gas will go up and the other sources will become more cost effective and more prevalent. Incidentally, solar power is another source used in California, but it's provided by individuals, not power companies. If your house has solar power and you have the right equipment, you can sell your surplus electricity to the power company and your electric meter will literally run backward. <#> Why is water transparent? <#> Water is transparent cause it was meant to be like that. <#> Why do all zippers have "YKK" on them? <#> ykk is a big manufacturer of zippers

<#> When do you use a semicolon instead of a colon? <#> While historically the use of the semicolon and colon were similar, modern usage seems to be diverging, with semicolons indicating breaks slightly stronger than commas and colons introducing lists and explanations. Semicolons have always been used in a manner very similar to commas, but with greater "weight." That is, the semicolon introduces greater breaks in the sentence, dividing clauses which are longer and more independent, while commas are reserved for short pauses and for separating lists of short items. Continuing up the continuum, colons are "weightier" than semicolons, but less so than periods. They introduce a break which is longer or more important than that introduced by semicolons, but not as final as periods. Colons separate clauses which can stand as independent sentences grammatically, while semicolons can also be used for non-sentential clauses. However, in modern writing the colon is rarely used in this role as glorified semicolon. The colon has developed a specific semantics as a break separating an introduction from an explanation. For example, the colon is used after the salutation in formal letters. It is used to introduce quotes, separating the source from the quoted text. A colon is used to introduce a list, included bulleted lists. A colon is used to separate the parts in a multipart title, such as "Reading Lolita in Tehran: A Memoir in Books" or "Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap...And Others Don't". <#> Why do people amputate dogs tail? <#> There are a couple of reasons why this was done a few decades ago. Dogs with curved tails are known to be chasing flies and fleas that got on their tails. Owners of the dogs found this a nuisance that all of a sudden a dog would keep chasing its tail for several hours in a week. Due to this dogs forgot their "job" which was to guard sheep, or pull carts, etc. Secondly, certain dogs go very wild if we pull their tails, even if its done playfully. They simply get mad at you, bite you or even kill you, if you are small. Since little children always found it playful to pull the tails of the dogs and this meant a potential danger to their lives, the owners cut their tails short. Ever thought of the word CUR-TAIL? :-)

<#> How come stars are generally round? <#> Largely because of the massive amounts of gravitational force involved. A sphere is the only sustainable shape when talking about forces of that magnitude. Stars are incredibly dense towards their core, and over billions of years the matter will coalesce in a sphere like shape. <#> What is the best relational database? <#> Define "best". Oracle is like a BMW. Expensive but has all the fixings. But not everyone needs a BMW. MySQL is like a VW Beetle (the old model). Its cheap, and gets you where you need to go. But you have to tweak it to suit your needs. <#> Why do we yawn? <#> Found an interesting article on this... Yawning is a unique breathing act, which is different from the usual practice of breathing. During yawning, the mouth involuntarily opens due to the spasm of mastoid muscles. These spasms, without your permission, force you to take a deep breath. It also involves many other muscles of your body, such as abdominal muscles. Lung ventilation increases, sending oxygen to the brain. Extra blood is pushed from the liver and spleen to the brain stem. During yawning, intellectual activity stops and for a moment we cannot think. We usually start yawning when we are very tired, before sleep, when we are too excited, or extremely serious. There is a yawn center in our brain that makes this act a reflex like coughing or swallowing. The yawning reflex is very contagious, forcing people to imitate it. This phenomenon even has a fancy name: alolomimea. Yawning can be easily conditioned to become a bad habit. If you fight the urge to yawn, it will return in a similar situation. Yawning is what your body develops to get a ?time out? to recharge for a brief moment. It is a signal that we are running out of gas, it is a signal to rest. This is a great compensatory mechanism, without which we would drop into sleep suddenly without warning, as in patients with narcolepsy. <#> Which cat has the largest variety of prey? <#> In Africa, a pride of lions (male: ~400 lbs, female: ~280 lbs) pretty regularly hunt wildebeest (440-600 lbs), although they usually go after the sick or young ones. Occasionally, they can take down a giraffe (2420-4250 lbs), but this doesn't happen often. Elephants (11,000 lbs) and rhinos (2500 lbs) are just a little dangerous to be bothered. In Asia, tigers can take down a water buffalo (1800-2600 lbs), although again, they usually go for the sick or young ones. These are the cats with the largest prey.

<#> Why can I see myself in a mirror? <#> When a mirror is hit by particles of light called photons, it reflects the photons back to us. When photons hit a smooth surface like a mirror, they bounce back off of the mirror at roughly the same angle at which they hit the object, creating a reflection that looks the same. <#> Where is the best place to cycle in San Francisco? <#> Around the Embarcadero and into the Presidio, then aound Ocean Beach and back through GG Park. <#> where is the best place to look for love? <#> It might be easy to use the internet- there are many good matching web sites that can help <#> what is the number one formula one car? <#> The McLaren MP4-20 is considered to be the strongest car. When it doesn't break down it beats the Renault handily. The Renault is the best balance this year between performance and reliability. I think the vast majority of F1 journalists consider the McLaren to be the strongest car, even the Renault F1 team admits that McLaren's car is better. <#> Number one formula one driver? <#> Depends on your question. Kimi Raikkonen won more races than FA in the 2005 season, and many, including myself, believe him to be the best. Michael Schumacher has won an unprecedented seven world driving championships and has shown no signs of losing the edge (his car this year was handicapped by tire rules and their supplier). He also has by far the most wins of any racing driver for all of time. Fernando Alonso Diaz is the champion for 2005 but all signs pointed to a heated battle for 2006. But as the WDC, he does get to wear the #1 on his car for the 2006 season. <#> Why do I Sound Different When I Hear My Own Voice? <#> Specifically, "when you speak you hear yourself not only through your ears, but also through the bones and tissues of your head (i.e., internally)". <#> What type of fresh-cut Christmas tree lasts the longest? <#> Fir trees. Their more expensive but it's really worth because it lasts longer. <#> what are the base colors? <#> There are two kinds of primary colors: those you get by combining light (these are called "additive") and those you get by mixing pigments (these are called "subtractive"). As many computer users know, the additive colors are red, green, and blue. Traditionally, the subtractive colors were red, yellow, and blue. But more technically, they are magenta, yellow, and cyan (a kind of blue).

<#> Who is Earth-2 Superman and how is he different from regular Superman? <#> It's relatively simple. Back in 1961, DC Comics revealed that all of their Golden Age (c. 1939-1945) characters had lived on a different Earth from their Silver Age (c. 1956-1970) characters. Some characters (Batman, Robin, Wonder Woman) were virtually the same on each Earth, while others (The Flash, Green Lantern, the Atom) were radically different. Earth 2's Superman was slightly less powerful than Earth 1's, mostly adhering to the classic "Faster than a speeding bullet, more powerful than a locomotive, able to leap tall buildings in a single bound" description. Earth 1's Superman could travel faster than light, juggle planets, and had a host of super powers including super-breath, super-ventriloquism, and super-hypnotism. Earth 2's Superman eventually married Lois Lane and became the editor of the Daily Star before (temporarily) disappearing in 1985's "Crisis on Infinite Earths." Earth 1's Superman finished his adventures in Alan Moore's "Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow?," a two-parter than wrapped up and resolved some 30 years of continuity. Both Supermen were supplanted by John Byrne's 1985 reboot of the character, which was intended to simplify that continuity and start over from scratch. Earth 2's Superman has reappeared twice since "Crisis;" once in 1999's "Kingdom Come," and most recently in 2005's "Infinite Crisis." What his role is in this maxiseries is undetermined as of this writing. Earth 1's Superman has yet to reappear, but longtime fans can always hope.

<#> How do you become a judge on the Supreme Court? <#> There are nine seats on the United States Supreme Court. You must be nominated by the President of the United States, and confirmed by a majority in the U.S. Senate. Justices are appointed for life (except in cases of retirement or impeachment). It is not necessary for that person to have experience as a judge (George W. Bush's nomination of Harriet Miers http://news.search.yahoo.com/news/search?ei=UTF-8&fl=0&fr=slv5-&p=harriet+miers+%22supreme+court%22 is not the first time a non-judge has been nominated), just a solid legal mind. Generally when a President chooses a nominee, he will look for someone whose ideals and worldview match his own. Gerald Ford famously did not make an idealogical choice when he appointed John Paul Stevens (http://www.supremecourthistory.org/04_library/subs_volumes/04_c11_f.html) and in subsequent years was rather disappointed at some of Stevens' decisions. There is a lot more information at the official Supreme Court site: http://www.supremecourtus.gov/ <#> What is the oldest evidence of life? <#> Some evidence of photosynthesis was found on rocks in Greenland dating from 3.7 billion years ago. Danish researchers reached that conclusion analyzing the relative abundance of uranium and thorium in some rocks, and the high abundance of uranium in those suggests that there was oxygen present. Their conclusion was that microorganisms like present day cyanobacteria were converting sunlight to chemical energy through oxygen-producing photosynthesis. <#> Where did the band, The Dismemberment Plan, get their name from? <#> Straight from Travis Morrison (singer and guitarist) himself: "It?s from the movie Groundhog Day. There?s a guy who chases after Bill Murray and tries to keep selling him different types of insurance and 'the dismemberment plan' was one of them. It just stuck." In another interview, Morrison admits that when you're young, you think things are incredibly funny when, in reality, they're not THAT funny. Considering all the nicknames they earned, I think it was a rather witty, catchy band name. Best, k.

<#> What does 'zig' refer to in the All Your Base clip? <#> the enigmatic and poorly translated introduction to the American port of Zero Wing is equal parts confusing and hilarious. what in the world could a &quot;zig&quot; be? well, it would seem that the word &quot;zig,&quot; unfortunately, is not yet another perplexing term lost in translation. according to sites actually dedicated to reviewing the game in spite of its connections to the &quot;all your base are belong to us&quot; phenomena, the word &quot;zig&quot; is actually a made up name for the fighter plane you pilot throughout the game. think &quot;x-wing&quot; and you're on the right track. &quot;Take off every zig!!&quot; likely meant that every zig fighter needed to take off to battle the mysteriously robotic villian of the game, known only as &quot;Cats.&quot; <#> What is the best way to learn chinese? <#> The best way is to be born in china :D <#> Why is it considered unlucky to open an umbrella indoors? <#> Possibly because African royalty used umbrellas as protection from the sun, and opening one in the shade was considered an insult to the sun god. Opening it indoors was also taboo. <#> What is the name of the second US astronaut to land on the moon? <#> Edwin Eugene (Buzz) Aldrin Jr "On July 20, 1969, Aldrin became the second human being to set foot on the moon. He was joined Neil Armstrong on the surface for two hours of ceremonies and moon rock collecting." <#> Which singer has the largest number of records <#> I think that it is Bruce Springsteen <#> What animal laid the largest eggs? <#> Eggs are laid by birds and cold-blooded reptiles. The largest eggs by far were laid by dinosaurs. <#> Can water be hotter then 100 Celsius degrees? <#> I've found a nice web page that support the first answer <#> Why do we only drink eggnog during Christmas? <#> Eggnog is a popular wintertime drink. We do not serve eggnog only during Christmas. It is also popular on New Year's day and some serve it on Thanksgiving.

<#> What's a good home based business? <#> I would recommend starting with something you enjoy, find a wholesale supplier or make the goods/services yourself, and setup a store with eBay. This is really quick and easy (AKA: cheap) to start. If you don't know exactly what you want to do it is a good way to see how it will work without a huge investment. If you are successful in that marketplace you can take it to the next level and expand into a more traditional business model with less risk! Try playing around with writing a business plan and see what your risk and financial tolerance is. The link below is a good tool for planning a new eBay business, I would recommend you check this out first! <#> what is a tag, and why is it being hailed by some people as the greatest thing since sliced bread? <#> Tags are like post-it notes that readers of the content leave behind for other readers. They give clues to the context and meaning beyond a simple description. They're like finding notes in a text book scribbled by a previous owner. You can usually gain insight into the material based on those notes. Now imagine there is a cross-reference of all those post-its and margin notes. More than one person can add their own post-it. You can easily find the most popular "post-its" thanks to an index of all of them. This is where the real power of tagging lies-- in the weight and meaning these agreed-upon notes give. Of course, context is everything. Next time you're together, show her MyWeb2.0 and del.icio.us in action. Show her how the information is sliced and diced-- most recent, most popular, most frequently used tags. I find my parents only get these new paradigms when I show them to them in context.

<#> What is the maximum number of identical stones so that after a look-alike is added...? <#> The answer is 9 stones (or maybe more). After adding a look-alike to 9 stones, there will be 10. Name them ABCDEFGHIJ. "ABC<DEF" means "the stones ABC as a group weigh less than the stones DEF." Weighing 1. Weigh ABC vs. DEF. If ABC<DEF: --Weighing 2. Weigh ABC vs. GHI. ----If ABC<GHI, the look-alike must be light and among ABC. ----Weighing 3. Weigh A vs. B. ------If A<B, the look-alike is A. ------If A=B, the look-alike is C. ------If A>B, the look-alike is B. ----If ABC=GHI, the look-alike must be heavy and among DEF. ----Weighing 3. Weigh D vs. E. ------If D<E, the look-alike is E. ------If D=E, the look-alike is F. ------If D>E, the look-alike is D. If ABC=DEF, the look-alike must be among GHIJ. --Weighing 2. Weigh G vs. H. ----If G=H, the look-alike candidates are I and J. ----Otherwise, the look-alike candidates are G and H. ----Weighing 3. Weigh one of the two candidates against A. ------If they differ in weight, the look-alike is that candidate, otherwise it is the other candidate. If ABC>DEF: --Weighing 2. Weigh ABC vs. GHI. ----If ABC>GHI, the look-alike must be heavy and among ABC. ----Weighing 3. Weigh A vs. B. ------If A<B, the look-alike is B. ------If A=B, the look-alike is C. ------If A>B, the look-alike is A. ----If ABC=GHI, the look-alike must be light and among DEF. ----Weighing 3. Weigh D vs. E. ------If D<E, the look-alike is D. ------If D=E, the look-alike is F. ------If D>E, the look-alike is E. <#> Does anyone know any Lutheran Church in or nearby Phoenix? <#> Take your pick: Evangelical Lutheran Church-Grand Canyon Synod 4423 N 24th St # 400, Phoenix, AZ (602) 957-3223 American Ev Lutheran Church 1830 W Glenrosa Ave, Phoenix, AZ (602) 265-2527 Christ the Redeemer Lutheran Church 8801 N 43rd Ave, Phoenix, AZ (623) 934-3286 Lutheran Church of the Master 2340 W Cactus Rd, Phoenix, AZ (602) 997-7439 Good Shepherd Lutheran Church 3040 N 7th Ave, Phoenix, AZ (602) 265-7130 Bethel Lutheran Church 7310 N 27th Ave, Phoenix, AZ (602) 995-0629 Prayer Garden 9849 N 40th St, Phoenix, AZ (602) 996-4040 Ahwatukee Health Resources 11002 S 48th St, Phoenix, AZ (480) 893-3137 Mount of Olives Lutheran Church 3546 E Thomas Rd, Phoenix, AZ (602) 956-1620 Westridge Lutheran Church 8444 W Encanto Blvd, Phoenix, AZ (623) 849-4327 <#> What movie did Joe Pesci describe kids as "YUTS"? <#> It was from the movie My Cousin Vinny when they were in the courtroom.

<#> Can you imagine seeing more colors? <#> Try this one, NO colors, that would be freaky. everything just black or white, no "in-betweens"! <#> Who is the world's highest paid actress? <#> Cameron Diaz briefly surpassed Julia Roberts in 2004, but Julia is back on top: <#> Can you recommend a good preschool with childcare around New York? <#> You don't specify-- do you mean around Manhattan? The Urban Baby message boards are a good and very active source of information: http://newyork.urbanbaby.com/community/messageboards_main.html I also like the GoCityKids site: http://www.gocitykids.com/?area=197 I'd recommend contacting moms in your area for recommendations, and touring schools that are near your home. (GCK can help you find one in your neighborhood.) Here's a nationwide roundup of childcare websites: http://www.babycenter.com/refcap/baby/babychildcare/6104.html <#> What does "xoxo" stand for? <#> Hugs and kisses. <#> Does echinacea really help prevent colds? <#> Well, there appears to be some controvery about this. While some people swear by the stuff, others say that it has no real effect on overcoming a cold. Here are some links, one of which is from a National Institute of Health study. I hope these help you decide whether to head to the health store or not. <#> What is the largest city in the world? <#> Other lists I've seen count that 28 mm figure as Tokyo/Yokohama, sprawling outside the city proper. This list of top ten most populous *urban areas* (the city proper) puts Tokyo at #10: 1. Seoul 10.2 million 2. Sao Paulo 10 million 3. Mumbai 9.9 million 4. Jakarta 9.37 million 5. Karachi 9.3 million 6. Moscow 8.29 million 7. Istanbul 8.26 million 8. Mexico City 8.23 million 9. Shanghai 8.2 million 10. Tokyo 8.1 million

<#> What are the effects of parental favoritism? <#> From my personal experience, I've seen parental favoritism cause lifetime effects. My mom's brother was the favorite- she was the least favored. 50 years later, she still struggles with feeling inadequate and has a hard time trusting people. Because of this, she has a hard time maintaining friendships and family relationships. My grandmother and her sister were treated differently by my great-grandfather. My grandmother was treated as the most special. Her sister was expected to do chores, take care of the family etc. She ended up being the dependable, reliable one because she developed her independence. She also never forgave her father or her sister for their unfair treatment. My grandmother grew up needing others to take care of her. This is a pattern I've seen. Those that are favored end up developing few of their skills and talents. Many times they grow up becoming more concerned about pleasing other people. And many times they don't know how to take care of themselves. Those that are disfavored can become strongly independent, but they may also have weaknesses in their ability to trust others and form lasting relationships. What is true is that favoritism has an unhealthy emotional impact on all children, whether favored or not. A good book that deals with this subject is The Emotional Incest Syndrome : What to do When a Parent's Love Rules Your Life, by Dr. Patricia Love. <#> what is the biggest number in the world? <#> infinity and for those people.. infinity + 1, infinity x infinity and infinity ^ infinity <#> How did Calvin and Hobbes meet? <#> In the very first strip, Hobbes is caught by Calvin in a tiger trap that is baited with a Tuna fish sandwich. From that strip on, they know each other, so that's probably the best description of how they met. <#> where can i find a women's basketball league to join? <#> One good resource is to find a local pick-up game that accepts women, and then ask the players if there are any local leagues. Try http://www.hoopsfinder.com. <#> What is the best place to get guitar lessons in the South Bay Area? <#> It's really according to what you are looking for. Certain teachers specialize in acoustic vs. electric (for example). Your best bet is to place a request on a service such as Click For Lessons that will show you several teacher bios and let you decide for yourself. <#> What is the boot-shaped country found in Southern Europe? <#> You must be referring to Italy. ...Hope that's what you're looking for! Best, k.

<#> What is the only state in the US whose governor has no veto power? <#> North Carolina. <#> Which soccer team has won the most European club championships? <#> Real Madrid has won 9 titles, followed by 6 for AC Milan and 5 for Liverpool. <#> Where can I find information about Superlatives? <#> If you want to answer a question like "What is the tallest mountain on earth?" Ask Jeeves (www.ask.com) is a good place to start. You can also perform an advanced search on Yahoo! or Google, putting the phrase in quotes like this "What ist he tallest mountain on earth?" Of course, Q&A can help you, too! <#> Why do we get tickled when somebody tickles us and we don't when we tickle ourselves? <#> When we tickle ourselves, our mind knows in advance that is supposed to happen. So we develop some sort of a defence to counter the effect of the tickle. When somebody else tickles us suddenly our body is not prepared for that change of state. Even if u hit urself (not too hard) it pains lesser than when some body else hits u suddenly. <#> Why are the San Francisco 49er's Sucking so Bad Again? <#> 1. Poor drafting. Between 2000-2006, the 49ers drafted 55 players. Only 8 starters on offense from all of those draft classes combined, and only four at the 'skill positions' (Barlow, Lloyd, Battle and Smith). 2. Injuries: 9 guys on IR, including starting Center, starting T, starting FS and SS, starting LB and starting TE. 3. Four different starting QBs this season. 4. Barlow not a difference maker/elite back. His 3.3 yards per carry are actually worse than last year! 5. Unimaginative play calling (other than first game of season). 6. 49ers lead the league by a wide margin in number of series that go 3-and-out. This leaves the defense vulnerable.

<#> what is the temperature on the sun and how to calculate the lost of heat per distance from it? <#> You might not have intended it, but your question is a lot more complex than you might have thought. It turns out that the temperature of the sun is a function of how deep into the sun you are, with the surface temperature being about 6000 Kelvins. To make things even more complicated, the Corona of the sun (which extends in all directions around the sun beyond the surface) is actually 1,000,000 Kelvins. This fact is well established, but further research is required to understand *why* there is such a huge difference in temperature between the two. Now for the second part of your question: The light intensity of the sun drops off as the inverse square of your distance from the sun. The "heat" is another thing entirely, because heat is defined as the average kinetic energy of particles, and photons don't count strictly in that definition. There are particles that come from the sun in the form of solar wind, and around the region of the Earth, they have a "temperature" around 1000k. <#> Who is going to pick up Terrell Owens after he comes off suspension? <#> It's hard to imagine Terrell in the same locker room with Keyshawn Johnson (Dallas) or Michael Vick (Atlanta). The Denver Broncos are more likely to pick him up. <#> Should T.O. be allowed to play for Eagles or any other team this season? <#> He deserves the punishment he's been given. Let him sit it out this year (and still get paid a ridculous sum of money) and maybe that will set him straight. Great player, I agree, but calling your teammates out on a regular basis isn't cool. The Eagles did what was right. <#> What does it take to be a teacher? <#> The wisdom of Solomon, the patience of Job, the soul of Ghandi, the heart of Mother Theresa and lots of aspirin, coffee and Malox. <#> What does 4 8 15 16 23 42 _really_ mean? <#> Don't know yet, but lots of wild theories and mathematical approaches being tried (some, via http://myweb2.search.yahoo.com/search?p=4%208%2015%2016%2023%2042): http://www.d.kth.se/~dicander/lost.html http://www.4815162342.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=3 <#> looking for a good spa in the SF bay area <#> Nob Hill Spa downstairs from the Huntington Hotel. They offer couples massages, and have spa cuisine available next to their lovely pool.

<#> who should I start this week in fantasy football? Delhomme @BUF or Brooks @NYJ? <#> Both teams have good passing d and both match ups are on the road. Delhomme has a better #1 receiver in Smith although Horn is healthy and is pretty good in his own right but Brooks has the better #2 receiver in Stallworth so that balances it out a little. Neither is a great option and it's a tough call so I think you gotta go with the guy who's performed better so far this year which is Delhomme. You might want to check the waiver and see if somebody like McMahon - the new Philly QB is available as he's got a nice matchup this week and could be better than your two current options. <#> What are the options for volleyball leagues in the south bay and SF? <#> I would try IVL (http://www.ivlinc.com/) or City Beach (http://www.citybeach.com/sports/sports_volleyball.htm) <#> Why was the Passion of Christ a controversial movie? <#> Jewish people were concerned that the movie would fuel antisemitism. A concerned Rabbi Eugene Korn previewed the film before it came out and made the following statement, "We are deeply concerned that the film, if released in its present form, will fuel the hatred, bigotry and anti-Semitism that many responsible churches have worked hard to repudiate." Another controversial aspect of the movie was its graphically violent depiction of Jesus' crucifixation. Some Christians were upset that the movie choose to focus on Jesus' violent death rather than other Biblical themes like the resurrection and his life experiences valuing messages of love, tolerance, and redemption. <#> how can I recover the security key for my Yahoo! account? <#> Yahoo! Help You can get a new password, a Yahoo! ID reminder, or both. Visit the Sign-in Problems page (http://edit.yahoo.com/config/eval_forgot_pw?new=1&.done=&.src=&partner=&.intl=us) and supply some basic verification information, such as your birthday and the ZIP or postal code you provided when you registered. Make sure to provide the same information you gave during registration or when you last updated your account. Without the correct verification information, you will not be able to obtain a new password. You can obtain any other information with Customer Care.

<#> I'm new to road biking and need a bike under $1000. What frame and parts do you recommend? <#> I'd agree with TaraN's answer. Take the time to really find what you want. Take a lot of extended test rides. You might find that aluminum might be too harsh for you, in which case you might find that steel or carbon might be more comfortable. That's just one example. Lots of test rides will give you a feel for how the various bikes at a given price point can handle very differently. Without getting into too much tech-speak, you might find that one bike handles a bit more twitchy than another. Think of the difference as driving a Mini Cooper versus a basic sedan. Some bikes are set up more for racing, where you'll get a quicker handling bike, whereas others will handle a bit more laid back. Parts wise, you'll find the same component offerings on many of the manufacturers out there for a given price point, as TaraN pointed out. You'll most likely be getting a bike with Shimano componenets, with perhaps a mix of some of the manufacturer's own branded components (for example, Trek outfits their bikes with a lot of Bontrager componentry). Focus on the overall ride of the bike. For a $1000, you can get a lot of bike. Wade at The Spokesman in downtown Santa Cruz is a GREAT guy - very helpful, and yes, very patient. He's very knowledgeable and will set you up right. Also in that same category, I'd highly recommend seeing Vance Sprock over at Cupertino Bike Shop. He's just like Wade - he'll set you up right. Good luck!

<#> Is there a place where I can see graphs of U.S. National Budget allocations for the last few years? <#> You can find tables (not graphs) of the US National Budget allocations since the 1940's in a single PDF: http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/budget/fy2006/pdf/hist.pdf If you have your heart set on looking graphs, you can find several from the website for the US House of Representatives Budget Committee: http://www.house.gov/budget/chartsgraphs.htm You can also see various budget, deficit and spending statistics, some graphed over time, on the Public Agenda website: http://www.publicagenda.org/issues/factfiles.cfm?issue_type=federal_budget And if you want to really veg-out with numbers, try the Financial Management Service's website (they're a part of the US Treasury Department). They provide reports (in PDF and XLS files) on the receipts, outlays and balances of the US Federal Government. I particularly like the reports on this page: http://fms.treas.gov/annualreport/index.html Hope this helps! <#> Who said "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder"? <#> Plato quoted it: "Remember how in that communion only, beholding beauty with the eye of the mind, he will be enabled to bring forth, not images of beauty, but realities (for he has hold not of an image but of a reality), and bringing forth and nourishing true virtue to become the friend of God and be immortal, if mortal man may." N.B.: "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder." <#> Why doesn't college football have a playoff system? <#> - The bowls came first and have to be dislodged - The bowl organizers control larges amounts of money. Some of these monies are given to participating universities and their conferences. Bowl organizers do not want to risk lossing this money. And universities who frequent bowls want to be assured of still receiving the big bucks before switching. Hence bowl organizers are generally against playoffs and univerisities are only luke warm supporters. - Universities like to believe their players are really students (some actually are) and not semi-professional atheletes, so they limit the number of games per year. Playing a game takes a lot of the players time preparing and practicing. Also due the physical nature of the game, players need several days to recovery. This limits games to about one every 5 days or so (about one a week). A playoff system would require the two teams meeting for the championship to play and additional 2-4 games depending on the number of teams allowed to participate in the playoffs.

<#> What kind of guitar is that? <#> Can't answer your question exactly, but it looks an awful lot like a Gibson archtop or a Gretsch. You can poke around either of their websites to see guitars that look pretty similar to the one in the picture. There are particular models of Gibson & Gretsch that have the diagonal bridge piece that appears in the movie -- Gretsch calls it a "chromatic tailpiece". I didn't see that Gibson had a particular name for their version but they definitely have guitars sporting that same shape. The one thing I'll agree with you about is that unless it's an anachronism (a modern guitar that doesn't belong in the time period depicted in the movie), it's not an electric guitar -- you can clearly see there's no obvious "soapbar" pickup like there would be on an archtop electric guitar (there are sneaky mics/pickups in acoustic guitars today, but I can't believe that was available then). <#> What is a good entry-level road bike to purchase? <#> For $1500, you're starting to get out of the "entry-level" stage. I have a Trek 1000 and absolutely love it. I've used it for century rides, triathlons and duathlons no problem. The Trek 1000 was about $900 CDN. The only difference in the bikes up to the $1500 range is the shifters are usually a little better (they don't stretch as easily, which makes shifting cleaner for longer). The weight and wheels are basically the same. If you want to trim 30 sec off your race time, you might consider the more expensive bikes. But, you should be an elite athlete to really notice the difference. I'd go for a $1000 bike and spend the rest on pumps (road and home), spare tires, some nice cycling clothes, tools and a bike computer. Maybe even a trainer for home use. <#> Who holds the single season rushing yards in NFL? <#> While it is true that Eric Dickerson holds the single season *total* rushing yards record, he accomplished this in a 16-game season. On the other hand, O.J. Simpson is the only player in NFL history to break the 2,000 yard barrier in a single 14-game season. O.J. Simpson gained 143 yards per game in his record-breaking season, while Dickerson only gained 131 yards per game in his. So, the answer depends on whether you are interested in total yards or yards per game. <#> Should US computer programmers be worried about outsourcing trend to India and other countries? <#> Yes, not any time soon, but expect the trend to increase as companies find ways to reduce costs. Get into management and your job will be saved.

<#> If light travels faster than sound, then why do we hear sound first and then see picture when we turn on TV ? <#> In most cases, the television needs to 'warm-up' its cathode ray tube before it can start to display an image on the screen. The audio coils require much less charging time and can start to emit sound sooner than we can see the image on the television. <#> What is the minimum GPA to get into colleges? <#> Yeah u can get in to college . A 3.0 is really good my friend. I understand what you are going through.. Then www.gradschool.com is a good source <#> How do I write a resume? <#> resume writing can be tricky because not only is it important to be detailed when describing skills and work experience, but it is also advantageous to balance this with brevity. be concise and to the point while packing your resume full of key information that presents your strengths as a candidate for employment. keep it simple, and make sure that formatting doesn't take away from a neatly streamlined and cogent resume. below is a link to hotjobs' resume tips, which i found extremely helpful in this process. <#> How long is the wall of china? <#> The Wall stretches over a formidable 6,350 km (3,946 miles), from Shanhai Pass on the Bohai Gulf in the east, at the limit between China proper and Manchuria, to Lop Nur in the southeastern portion of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. <#> Where can I find help about an inventor or invention? <#> Wikipedia has a list of inventors and invention. Also, about.com has a list of famous inventors. <#> What should I look for when buying a laptop? What is the best brand and what's reliable? <#> Weight and dimensions are important if you're planning to travel with the laptop. Get something with at least 512 mb of RAM, built-in wireless, and CD/DVD burner. Dell is a good brand, and has an easy to use site where you can build a custom laptop.

<#> Who is the most famous woman athlete of all time? <#> Historically I believe it would be Babe Didrikson Zaharias, who was a golfer and olympic track star. Answers.com's bio says: " Mildred 'Babe' Didrikson Zaharias was voted the outstanding woman athlete of the century in a 1950 Associated Press poll. Though she gained her greatest professional fame as a golfer, she rivalled Jim Thorpe in her remarkable ability to excel at nearly any sport. She began as a basketball All-American, then won two track and field golds at the 1932 Olympics. Next she turned professional and began touring the country, exhibiting her prowess in track, swimming, tennis, baseball, and even billiards. In 1935 Zaharias took up golf and excelled at that, too, winning 82 tournaments in a 20-year career. She was only 42 when she died of cancer in 1956." <#> Could a very powerful directional microphone pickup sounds from the past? <#> In a sense, any microphone is picking up sounds from the past, due to the speed of sound. This is similar to what you mentioned with radio telescopes. The main differences are 1) velocity -- light moves at about 1 foot per nanosecond while sound moves around 1 foot per 1/1000 second, and 2) that sound moving though a medium diffuses quite rapidly. Something really loud, like thunder, you might hear from 20-30 seconds away. For normal, everyday sounds, the delay won't be more than maybe a few tenths of a second. <#> What should I offer for Xmas to my grand'ma ? <#> How active is she? If she's confined or in a nursing home, keep it simple. Make her a photo album or frame a favorite picture. Bring her a favorite treat that she can't get on her own. If she can get around, experiences are better than things. Take her to a play or an outdoor concert or to a museum exhibition. If she has a favorite kind of food, treat her to a special meal. The best gift you can give your grandma is time with you! Visit as often as you can, and promise to do so on a regular basis. <#> is there a good art school in the San Francisco bay area? <#> I visited the SF Art Institute a few years ago with my brother, who was considering an art school for his undergrad work, and we were pretty impressed with the student work and facilities. http://www.sanfranciscoart.edu/ <#> What is a motherboard? <#> from the American Heritage Dictionary: it is "The main board of a computer, usually containing the circuitry for the central processing unit, keyboard, and monitor and often having slots for accepting additional circuitry."

<#> What was the first currency ever used? <#> The earliest form of currency used was large stones that could be used to get food and meat in exchange - this was during the stone age. Before this there was a barter of goods (so i am not considering it currency) Large stones which were round were considered more valuable since they were more difficult to obtain The first recorded accounts of currency date back to 2000 BCE and silver or metal tokens were used to represent a stored value of grain. Also these were useful to ensure that a shipment of commodities arrived with the same goods that were shipped Paper money was used in the 18th century, but only in the late 18th and through the 19th century was a central monetary authority created in various states that had a virtual monopoly of creating bank-notes that had to be accepted as legal tender everywhere (Prior to this, the one accepting payments could refuse the payment if it was not in a currency which had been predetermined before the loan or in general use: Note gold and silver were widely used as legal tender) <#> Where can I get ideas for our science project? <#> My daughter gets her science project ideas from infoplease.com. She loves this site. <#> what are the materials that can be used to produce laser beam? <#> Materials that form an inverse energy distribution? Not quite. There are three basic components for getting a laser to work. First, one needs an excitation source (pumping source) such as a flashlamp, an electrical spark, etc. Second, one needs a material (the gain medium) which can exhibit what's known as population inversion - the capacity for a material to raise the electron energy level from the lower to the upper energy states. Nearly all materials will exhibit this behavior with some more efficiently than others. Finally, one needs to direct the stimulated energy by using a resonator. There are many combinations of pump sources, lasing materials and optical configurations depending on the intended use. There are solid state (ruby, Nd:YAG), gas (nitrogen, helium-neon) and semiconductor (gallium-arsenide) lasers that come in a variety of wavelengths (colors) to choose from, again, depending on what you want to do with it. Just a little bit of background: My degree is in Physics, and I've been working in the lasers and electro-optics field for the past 10+ years. You can see what my graduate lab at SDSU looked like at: http://www.equationlab.com/mtp/quantumblog/about.html

<#> What is the difference between software and hardware? <#> Hardware is the physical componentry of a computer system. Memory chips, mice, monitors, and keyboards are all hardware. Software is the information stored on the computer, so programs and data are considered to be software. Basically, if you can email it to someone, it's software. <#> What is the Arizona river that flows into the Colorado? <#> Gila River <#> Is there any proven evidence that Mars at some point in the past had microscopic life? <#> The answer to your question is no. There is no absolutely definitive evidence to date. We do have very strong evidence that significant amounts of water once existed on the Martian surface, and some recent results show that Martian water may still exist below ground, and under heavy packs of ice. There are many scientists who believe that Mars once had a thicker atmosphere, which would have made it a considerably wetter and warmer place. Given this, and the ability for solar system bodies to seed each other via ejecta from large impacts, Mars could very possibly have been seeded by Earth or vice versa many billions of years ago. Still, we're not sure if life exists or every existed there. The most recent chapter was the recent discovery of methane there. Methane can be created by non-biological processes, but we have not observed the right conditions for this on Mars. Another possible explanation would be a biological origin for the gas, potentially from colonies of microscopic organisms in the soil. Given our current rate of deepening understanding, we will likely solve this mystery sometime in the next 50 years, but as of now we simply don't have enough evidence to constitute "proof" <#> should i trade Baron Davis and Joe Johnson for Allen Iverson? <#> Whenever you can trade 2 good players for 1 superstar player, it is a steal! Because now it will open up another slot on your active roster and now you can play your other good player that's always in your bench. But if you don't have depth, I wouldn't pull the trade trigger. <#> What does "ZIP code" stand for? <#> ZIP is an acronym for Zone Improvement Plan, proposed in 1944 by Robert Moon, a postal employee, and finally implemented in 1963.

<#> What is programming? <#> Programming is instructing a computer to do something for you with the help of a programming language. The role of a programming language can be described in two ways: 1. Technical: It is a means for instructing a Computer to perform Tasks 2. Conceptual: It is a framework within which we organize our ideas about things and processes. According to the last statement, in programming we deal with two kind of things: * data, representing objects'' we want to manipulate * procedures, i.e. descriptions'' or rules'' that define how to manipulate data. According to Abelson and Sussman ([ABELSON, 1985, 4,]) ...we should pay particular attention to the means that the language provides for combinign simple ideas to form more complex ideas. Every language has three mechanisms for accomplishing this: primitive expressions, which represent the simplest entities with which the language is concerned means of combination, by which compound expressions are built from simple ones, and means of abstraction, by which compound objects can be named and manipulated as units.'' A programming lanugage should both provide means to describe primitive data and procedures and means to combine and abstract those into more complex ones. The distinction between data and procedures is not that clear cut. In many programming languages, procedures can be passed as data (to be applied to real'' data) and sometimes processed like ordinary'' data. Conversely ordinary'' data can be turned into procedures by an evaluation mechanism. <#> What is the oldest magazine that is still in circulation? <#> Arguably, The Scots Magazine, published first in 1739. <#> Do you really need 8 hours of sleep every night? <#> i've heard several times that the amount of sleep each individual requires is based on a number of factors, some of which include age, weight, and even diet. everyone has different schedules, and each one is independent to one another depending on their own individual health. i'm not one to set an example, but i average anywhere from 5-7 hours of sleep on a regular basis. sometimes my body requires more, sometimes less, but it seems to balance out and i never feel as though i'm suffering from lack, or over abundance, of sleep. i've included a yahoo! health article to help shed light on some of your own personal sleep habits.

<#> If God is both all loving and all powerful, how can he/she/it allow suffering to exist? <#> Frankly, the answers thus far show a complete lack of understanding of basic theodicy and even the Christian Bible. Assuming that ? as a Christian ? you buy into Job?s tale as at least allegorical, then there is acknowledgement that you cannot know the mind of G-d. To attempt to do so is itself blasphemous. To attempt know the mind of G-d is to be G-d, yet we are admonished when G-d responds to Job, not with an explanation for Job's suffering but rather with a question: Where was Job when G-d created the world? And it was said: Job 40 1 � And Jehovah answered Job and said: 2 Shall a reprover contend with the Almighty? He who reproves God, let him answer it. 3 Then Job answered Jehovah and said: 4 Behold, I am vile! What shall I answer You? I will put my hand to my mouth. 5 Once I have spoken, but I will not answer; yea, twice, but I will go no further. 6 � And Jehovah answered Job out of the tempest and said: 7 Now gird up your loins like a man, and I will question you; and you make Me to know. 8 Will you also set aside My judgment; will you condemn Me so that you may be justified? 9 And have you an arm like God; or can you thunder with a voice like His? 10 Adorn yourself with majesty now, and with grandeur, and clothe yourself with glory and honor; 11 pour forth the outbursts of your anger; yea, look on everyone who is proud, and bring him down low; 12 look on everyone who is proud, and humble him, and trample the wicked in their place; 13 hide them in the dust together; bind their faces in darkness. Know that to contend to know G-d is to set yourself above him. A previous answer blasphemed: ?G-d desires that we do not suffer, but as a result of the choices men made we have suffering.? And also: ?But there is a plan to alleviate the suffering. And that is through redemption.? Lies. And ?John 3:16??! I think that means ?go Broncos.? An alternative explanation is the easy one: there is no G-d. You either believe that, or you blaspheme in the attempt to understand Him. <#> Where can you donate an old encyclopedia set? <#> Any public Library should be able to accept your donation. If you are in the Bay area, Sunnyvale Public Library is the best library to donate.. <#> What does LASER stand for? <#> LASER is an acronym for Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation

<#> Is there another cure for headaches besides taking pain killers? <#> If you would like to cure headaches naturally, try to take a lime, cut it into half and rub it on your forehead. The throbbing will go away. This worked for me. <#> Would it seriously affect my chances of getting into college if I don't have a high SAT score? <#> Unfortunately, the answer is "Maybe". If you are trying to get into a top tier school with very selective admissions, then a low SAT/ACT score is virutally a "kiss of death". However, if you are looking at most state univerisities, then a low SAT/ACT score is not too bad. You may have to take a few remedial courses. MOST IMPORTANT!! A low SAT/ACT score WILL NOT stop you from going to college. And, in the long run, it really doesn't matter very much where you get your undergraduate degree (as long as the college/university is "regionally accredited"). For example, a degree in education from ANY regionally NCATE accredited school will get you hired as a teacher. An engineering degree from ANY ABET accredited school will get you hired as an engineer. Enjoy <#> What's the market share of GM and Ford together in the USA? <#> From this article: http://www.detnews.com/2005/autosinsider/0511/04/A01-369542.htm "Their [U.S. automakers] combined share of the U.S. market shrank to a new low of 52.4 percent last month from 57 percent a year ago and 70 percent in 1999 when American consumers were snapping up light trucks and SUVs." It fluctuates more than you would think, but right now (a 7-year low) it is a little over 50% <#> Why do we get hiccups? <#> Hiccups are sudden, involuntary contractions of the diaphragm muscle. As the muscle contracts repeatedly, the opening between your vocal cords snaps shut to check the inflow of air and makes the hiccup sound. Irritation of the nerves that extend from the neck to the chest can cause hiccups. Although associated with a variety of ailments (some can be serious such as pneumonia or when harmful substances build up in the blood for example from kidney failure), hiccups are not serious and have no clear reason for occurring.

<#> What are the best ways to incentivise people to answer questions here? <#> I think that, though counterintuitive, one of the most effective ways was to limit the number of questions a user can answer per day. A casual user will still answer the 11th question the next day, and more hard-core users will try to answer as many questions as allowed. For this to work, the limit has to be pretty small, at least starting out, so that it is reasonably easy for someone with other commitments to achieve it. Setting a small limit also requires users to choose which questions they most want to answer, which increases the likelihood that their answers will be useful. When more answers are useful, it increases the usefulness of the service, which in turn "incentivizes" people to answer questions. And by placing a premium on the number of questions a user can answer per unit time, the likelihood that the user will throw him/herself into it full-throttle but then quickly become bored is also decreased. See my answer to the question, "Why am I only allowed to answer 10 questions a day here?": http://answers.yahoo.com/question/?qid=1005120801767 On the issue of the term "incentivize"--it is shameless corporate-speak, but it describes an impersonal, profit-oriented process. To attempt to use softer language to describe something that is inherently cold, calculating, and opportunistic (though not necessarily bad or wrong) would constitute euphemism, and would be both misleading and dangerous. <#> Does anyone have a recommendation for a good CPA who charges reasonable fees in Indianapolis? <#> i have used Dunbar,Cook and Shepard and the accountant was very good.As far as the "reasonable"part goes,they may have been a bit more than someone down the street,but if they are thorough and save you money-it's worth it ,isn't it? <#> Can you recommend a good credit union located in St. Louis? <#> I joined Meridian (recently merged with Anheuser Busch Credit Union) and have been very happy. Financed two cars, have two credit cards, and a personal loan from them. Very easy to do business with and great rates. <#> What bowl game will Penn State be going to? What's the best way to get tickets? <#> The 'Joe Paterno' Retirement Bowl to be held some place in Florida.

<#> How many U.S. states are named after kings or queens? <#> Things get a little sticky in the counting process here. See, the Virginias were one until 1863, so do we count them as one or two? Officially there was only one Virginia to name at the time, but I think we're looking to count how many states are named after kings or queens today, in the here and now, right? So the number I think you're looking for is 7! Georgia - Latin or English - After King George II of England Louisiana - French - After King Louis XIV of France Maryland - English - After Queen Henrietta Maria of England North Carolina - Latin - After King Charles II of England South Carolina - Latin - After King Charles II of England Virginia - Latin or English - The virgin country (or country of the virgin), after Queen Elizabeth I of England West Virginia - Latin or English - The western transmontane, counties of Virginia. See Virginia, above. Unless, of course, we want to squeeze New York in there too, because it was named after the Duke of York, who later became the King of England... James II, see. I'll leave that one up to you. Best, k. <#> Should cell phones and PDAs be allowed in school? Why or why not? <#> I don't think Cell Phones and PDAs should be allowed since students may spend lot of time playing with (and showing off) the cool features of these gadgets. Also, some features can be misused (eg. camera phones). For communicating during emergency situations, I am sure school phones can be used. <#> How do you bring up the salary subject during an interview if the interviewer didn't bring it up? <#> Large companies usually have an HR person coordinating the interview for the hiring manager. In such a situation, its better to bring up the question with the HR person. After the first round of interviews, if you are being called back for further interviews, then I think this is a good time to bring it up with the recruiter. If there is no recruiter involved, then in my opinion you should not bring up the compensation question till you get the sense that you are being seriously considered. The exception in my mind is that if you are trying to make some decisions/choices while interviewing for multiple positions then you can candidly bring it up after your first interview is done.

<#> What is Indie genre? <#> The basic answer is indie (or independent) music is music that is released on smaller labels that operate independently from the mainstream music business. But more often "indie" refers to a specific genre of contemporary music that is based on combining aesthetics of classic rock, punk, garage and art rock. I first heard the term indie rock starting to get used in the late 80s to early 90s to describe the music that was popular on college radio stations at the time. I don't think the definition has changed much since then, but the types of music that fit in this umbrella have become more diverse, both in style and popularity. <#> Why do human have five fingers and five toes? <#> According to a column that I read written by Jo�l Carbonnel, "Nature has never been able to count above five." A researcher has discovered that when the limbs have more than five digits they become distorted into a bow-legged shape which seriously interferes with normal walking or running. http://www.positivehealth.com/permit/Articles/Regular/joel74.htm <#> What is the difference betwen a close knit family and extended family? <#> A close knit family is simply a family that is close--it could apply to a nuclear family (mom, dad, kids) or extended family (cousins, uncles, grandparents). An extended family describes a family unit that extends beyond mom, dad, and kids to include cousins, uncles/aunts, and grandparents. <#> Who had the shortest celebrity marriage? <#> Well, if you overlook one tiny but technical detail (Zsa Zsa Gabor was still married to husband #7) then Mrs. Gabor's marriage to husband #8 was shorter than Britney's. Britney's was 48 hours, while Mrs. Gabor's was just a day. <#> How can I stop getting junk mail? <#> Here is a useful link: http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/alerts/optoutalrt.htm <#> Why do men wear neckties? <#> I believe it originated in Croatia sometime in the middle ages where it was primarily worn by men to show allegiance to their King. It seems to have gained popularity in France where the French form for Croatia resulted in them being called 'cravat'. Details in the article. <#> Where is the nearest US post office in Se 5th Ave, Portland? <#> 204 SW 5th AVE Portland, OR 97204-1897 Phone: (800) ASK-USPS Fax: (503) 294-7892 1020 SE 7th AVE Portland, OR 97214-9998 Phone: (800) ASK-USPS Fax: (503) 231-8715

<#> Why do people have the bird, turkey for thanksgiving? <#> It is believed that the pilgrims and indians shared wild turkey and venison on the original Thanksgiving. Turkey's "Americanness" was established by Benjamin Franklin, who had advocated for the turkey, not the bald eagle, becoming the national bird. <#> How can I record audio directly from the browser to the web server? <#> Userplane has an audio/video recorder that will do that - you can check it out at http://www.userplane.com/apps/videoRecorder.cfm <#> Why do we celebrate Christmas eve? <#> It has become a tradition in some countries. <#> Is there a way in MS Excel to have a cell be equal to multiple cells? e.g.= D3 and D5, where d3 & 5 are words? <#> Use the CONCATENATE function, with one of the arguments being ", " The formula you end up with should look something like this: =CONCATENATE(D3,", ",D5) <#> Can you give me tips on how to get over an ex? <#> Surround yourself with friends, family, people who love you. Go on a trip to clear your head. It doesn't have to be expensive, just go camping with some pals or take a day trip to a beautiful outdoor spot. Take up a new hobby. Now is the perfect time to start doing something you didn't have time for before. Exercise. Read humorous and uplifting books (NO romance novels!). Go to the movies (NO sequels to movies you saw with your ex!). Buy fresh fruits and vegetables and make a delicious homecooked meal for your best friends. Get out in the world, get some fresh air, stretch your legs. Take some time to get to know yourself and figure out what you want in life. Whatever you do, DON'T wallow in self-pity at home. DON'T get drunk and call your ex! DON'T write your ex emails begging to take you back. DON'T hang out in front of your ex's house hoping to bump into him/her. DON'T jump into another relationship right away. <#> Which TV show got higher ratings? <#> The finale of "M*A*S*H": '"Dallas," by the way, delivered an amazing 53.3 rating and 76 share with its "Who Shot JR?" wrap-up in 1980. It ranks as the No. 2 show of all time, behind only the 1983 series finale of "MASH" (60.2/77).' <#> Who played Will's dad on Will and Grace? <#> Sydney Pollack played Will's dad. <#> Why are handicapped bathroom stalls always built at the end of the restroom? <#> Presumably because they tend to be longer/bigger to accommodate extra space, and the most efficient place to put a larger stall is at the end of the room. (It would be in the way if it were in the middle.)

<#> Who said "Do, or do not. There is no 'try'"? <#> Yoda said that in Star Wars. <#> How should I act on a date? <#> Some fundamentals for men: talk 30-40% and let her talk the rest of the time. Open doors, pick up the tab, and make eye contact. One big mistake I see guys make, and one that I made back in my dating days, is making the date seem more like an interview. Sure, you want to get to know the person, but that doesn't have to be crammed into one night of Q&A. Make an effort to strike up casual conversation, and talk about things that are in the moment. Remember, people evaluate how much they like or dislike you based upon the quality of the experience they have in your presence. If you are able to show people a good time, they will be attracted to you. If you make people feel like they are interviewing for a job, they will not be so keen on another date. (Watch any episode of Blind Date to find out what NOT to do.) <#> How many countries and territories are there in the world? <#> There are 193 countries in the world. http://geography.about.com/library/misc/blnationalcapitals.htm There are 61 territories and 6 disputed territories. http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0762461.html <#> How far is it to the moon? <#> Mean Distance of Moon from Earth - 238,712 mi (384,400 km) Greatest Distance of Moon from Earth (Apogee) - 252,586 mi (406,740 km) Shortest Distance of Moon from Earth (Perigee) - 221,331 mi (356,410 km) <#> What language gave us the words Kimono and Futon? <#> Japanese. <#> What is the best LCD monitor 19"-25"? <#> The answer to this question changes from day to day. Dell flatscreens have a good reputation. If you stay away from the very biggest screens (25" for example) you can save a lot of money. SharkeyExtreme (www.sharkeyextreme.com) recommends 17" LCDs for the most savings (~ $250). If you want something a little bigger, they suggest the Dell Ultrasharp 2005FPW 20.1" LCD. I got one of those myself and it's gorgeous. I checked www.shopper.com and found one for $518. <#> What state has its capital at Hartford? <#> Connecticut <#> What song that was played whenever they showed the dancing baby on Alley McBeal? <#> Hooked On A Feeling written by Mark James <#> What does RSVP stand for? <#> RSVP is the abbreviation of French r�pondez s'il vous pla�t - please reply. <#> Where's a good place to buy a skirt for beneath the Christmas tree? <#> Target has a great selection. You can get plain red felt for $4.99, or a variety of more elaborate ones for a lot more. As always, Target is a great choice!

<#> Public transportation options in Los Angeles? <#> Los Angeles does have a public transit system, including the Metro Red Line and other light rail. However, if you want to get around without a car, you'll have to budget significant time (and I mean significant) to catch connections and lines. Plus, if you miss a connection you can get stranded (I have many times). Not recommended unless you're on the main bus or rail lines. Check the MTA site for more info on transportation routes. Also call their help number--their operators can tell you if a line is particularly problematic! <#> What does RSS means ? <#> It means Really Simple Syndication or Rich Site Summary. Dave Winer has a claim to the paternity. <#> What do you think of the Maury Povich Show? <#> it's cool - much better than sally jesse. plus connie is hot. <#> How come it seems like Lottery winners are always the ones that buy tickets in low income areas.? <#> I would put it down to psychology. People who feel they are well-off feel no need to participate in the lottery programs. While those who feel they are less than well off think "Why not bet a buck or two on the chance to make a few million?". It would seem to make sense to me. addition: Yes Matt - agreed. I just didn't state it as eloquently. Feeling 'no need to participate' is as you say related to education, and those well off tend to have a better education. <#> which was the best national team ever in a FIFA World Cup? <#> Brazil 1970

<#> How do I protect myself from credit card scam? <#> If you dont want to pay for the services such as bank of america here are a couple of things you can do to reduce your chances of your identity being stolen 1. shred all your mail 2. By law, you can request 1 copy of your credit history every year from each of the three credit history companies at www.annualcreditreport.com I suggest you stagger your requests to each of them i.e. request experian first then 4 months later request another report from transunion, and another 4 months later from equifax. this way you get a free report every 4 months. 3. dispute anything that is wrong (most common: credit cards forget to tell the credit history guys that you closed your account or paid all your loans in full) 4. when online, try to use virtual credit numbers to make the purchases. this facility is available for citicard customers, and maybe amex. the virtual numbers are good only for 1 use, and useless after that. so if someone steals that, it is useless. 5. when buying something offline, save your receipts, and make sure your statement is accurate. (a favourite scam is to charge maybe 50cents on a statement, that way you dont notice it, but a scammer who charges 10,000 card owners 50cents a month can make $5000 a month no sweat -- and you dont even realize it) 6. also dont forget to shread any credit card solicitations you dont plan to use. <#> When did women start competing in sports? <#> I'm sure it would be impossible to pin down the first competitive women's athletic event in the world. A couple of milestones, though: 1921: Monte Carlo hosts "the first true international meeting for women... Five countries were represented in eleven events" 1928: Women's events are first included in the Olympics <#> How much do sound cards cost? <#> Sound cards vary depending on their quality. They also vary in price by how many channels they support, I.E. Some only support 5.1 surround, and others can handle 7.1. They generally vary in price from $50 - $200. NewEgg has great deals on computer hardware. I recommend buying from them, and you can browse through their products and read reviews of people who have purchased them. http://www.newegg.com/ProductSort/Category.asp?Category=36 <#> What do I need to open PDF files? <#> You need Adobe Acrobat Reader: http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readermain.html

<#> Does anyone know a good tutoring service for k-12 around Philadelphia? <#> Please try http://www.TutorVista.com for high-quality tutoring for K-12 and College students. We offer UNLIMITED tutoring hours in all subjects for only $99.99 a month! The tutoring is done over the Internet. It is one-on-one tutoring, one tutor per student. You can try it FREE - two hours of tutoring to try it for yourself! Visit http://www.TutorVista.com or call 866-735-0516 (toll-free) <#> What is the difference between quote and quotation? <#> From About.com: "To quote means to repeat the exact words of another with the acknowledgement of the source. A quotation is a phrase or a sentence from a book or a speech that reflects the author's profound thoughts." <#> What are the qualities that a good friend should have? <#> kind, honest, loyal, respectful, etc. A good friend should treat friends the way he/she wants to be treated. He/she must keep must know how to keep promises. He/she must listen when a friend is talking. He/she must know how to share. He/she must be considerate. <#> Can you recommend a residential real estate appraisal firm around Kansas? <#> I have a trusted real estate agent that could definitely recommend you to a great one. email her at [email protected] and tell her jill and steve sent you <#> What are the best single tracks for Mt. biking in the bay area? <#> Here are my favorite mountain bike trails in the Bay Area: -Upper Stevens Creek which hooks up to the Montbello Preserve in the Cupertino/Saratoga Foothills -St. Joseph's Hill in Los Gatos -Fort Ord / Laguana Seca near Montery -Wilder Ranch in Santa Cruz -Nisene Marks in Santa Cruz -Fremont Older in Cupertino/Saratoga <#> What building housed the first elevator? <#> Haughwout Building in NYC 1857 <#> What does "folksonomy" mean? <#> Folksonomy is a word formed from a combination of "folk" and "taxonomy". It's a recently developed concept of the general public categorizing information according to what's most useful for the masses, and is considered in opposition to the sometimes more formal classification systems created by an entity such as the Library of Congress or Yahoo!. Folksonomies are often implemented using tags. An advantage of tags over a hierarchical taxonomy is that it's easy to apply multiple tags to a single item, rather than having to decide which category to place the item in.

<#> Are Wireless Networks Secure? <#> Unfortunately, no computer network is truly secure. It's always theoretically possible for eavesdroppers to view or "snoop" the traffic on any network, and it's often possible to add or "inject" unwelcome traffic as well. However, some networks are built and managed much more securely than others. For both wired and wireless networks alike, the real question to answer becomes - is it secure enough? Wireless networks add an extra level of security complexity compared to wired networks. Whereas wired networks send electrical signals or pulses of light through cable, wireless radio signals propogate through the air and are naturally easier to intercept. Signals from most wireless LANs (WLANs) pass through exterior walls and into nearby streets or parking lots. Network engineers and other technology experts have closely scrutinized wireless network security because of the open-air nature of wireless communications. The practice of wardriving, for example, exposed the vulnerabilities of home WLANs and accelerated the pace of security technology advances in home wireless equipment. Overall, conventional wisdom holds that wireless networks are now "secure enough" to use in the vast majority of homes, and many businesses. Security features like 128-bit WEP and WPA can scramble or "encrypt" network traffic so that its contents can not easily be deciphered by snoopers. Likewise, wireless routers and access points (APs) incorporate access control features such as MAC address filtering that deny network requests from unwanted clients. Obviously every home or business must determine for themselves the level of risk they are comfortable in taking when implementing a wireless network. The better a wireless network is administered, the more secure it becomes. However, the only truly secure network is the one never built!

<#> Is it legal to publicly rate medical doctors? <#> NOT LEGAL ADVICE: As long as you make it clear that you are offering your opinion, then your ratings will be protected by the US Constitution's 1st Amendment protection for free speech. (You are in the US, right?) If you falsely or misleadingly indicate that your rankings are based on something other than your opinion, then there may be liability for libel or even fraud. However, if the rankings are based on some criteria other than your opinion, and you are explicit about the basis for the rankings and truthful about the results, you are similarly protected. Shouldn't be a difference for medical or mechanical rankings. But, keep in mind that if people rely on your endorsement and then something goes wrong, they may seek to hold you liable. The best protection against this is to be explicit about your sources (opinion, etc.) and have a lawyer advise you. Good luck! <#> When is Jojo going to the shop? <#> Why don't you ALL go to the shop and stop stealing from my survivors "end of the world" kit of food!!! <#> What makes a teacher want to leave their profession? <#> It seems like a lot of factors contribute to teacher attrition (leaving the profession). But apparently new teachers are most likely to abandon ship. According to a 1986 survey, more than 2/3 of all beginning teachers will have left during their first four years of teaching and 40-50% of them will leave during the first seven years of their career. (Huling-Austin, 1986). These are some factors likely most likely to affect the attrition of new teachers: 1) Beginning teachers are unable to cope with teaching problems like discipline, difficulties with parents, and lack of sufficient or appropriate teaching materials. 2) Beginners are often given the most difficult teaching assignments. 3) Novice teachers often receive little or no support after leaving the university and find that their teacher education programs ill-prepared them for the realities of teaching. Other factors, such as salary, affect attrition rates, but perhaps the fact that beginning teachers lack adequate support and resources to handle such a large responsibility (basically parenting your students) is where the responsbility lies.

<#> How do I tone my butt? What's the best exercise for butts? <#> Where do you live? I have been taking a class called "Core Fusion" for almost a year now, and it has been the most effective thing I've done in terms of toning my body up (all over, not just butt). It is offered at Exhale Spa, which has locations in Boston, New York, Chicago, Venice (CA) and Santa Monica - and I believe they'll be opening up a Dallas location in 2006. If you are not near an Exhale, yoga has a lot of postures that will help you tone your butt muscles (maybe check out a local gym or studio?). So does Pilates (which I'm not really a fan of - I find it boring). There are also the old "standbys" of squats and lunges (you can get added benefit by integrating props or machines - i.e. do the lunges or squats on the Smith Machine - the one that has the bar with adjustable weights that you square on the back of your shoulders while doing the exercises, or stand with your back to the wall, place a physioball behind you and roll it up and down the wall with your back as you squat). One important thing to remember about squats and lunges is not to let your knees go forward of your ankles - that puts a lot of strain on your knees and sets you up for unpleasant injuries. If you go to the gym, some of the weight machines they should have can be effective butt toners - like the leg/hamstring curl machines. <#> Can I use 26" mountain bike rims for my cyclocross-frame bike? <#> The 26" wheels won't work. They're slightly smaller in diameter than a 700c wheel?that's what cyclocross frames are built to take. Back in the late 80's/early 90's you could get clamp-on cantilever brake mounts from Moots, but I don't know that they make those anymore. And regardless, if you were to do that, you'd also be dropping the overall height of your bike. This in turn would mean that your bottom bracket would also be lower to the ground. That's counterproductive in terms of cyclocross applications, where you want a higher bottom bracket than you would on a road bike (for clearence issues). There's some good general information on equipment on Dave Carr's Cross Page (listed below). Good luck! <#> how many members does the German Bundestag consist of? <#> Regularly the German Bundestag has 598 members. However there can be additional seats called 'Ueberhangmandate'. Currently the German Bundestag has 614 members.

<#> How can I find the state symbols for a state? <#> I listed two sites. The other site provides you info about the state, each state's map and state symbols. <#> How many words with 10 letters are there in the US dictionary? <#> SCOWL (Spell Checker Oriented Word Lists) has about 70,000 10-letter words total. If we limit it to the "large" subset recommended for spellchecking in the U.S., it's about 20,000 10-letter words. If we then remove proper names, capitalized words, abbreviations, contractions, and possessives, it's about 14,000 words (from "abandoning" to "zygodactyl"). Scrabble dictionaries usually have considerably fewer 10-letter words, because they remove words that can't be formed in normal gameplay. The one I have lists about 50 10-letter words. <#> What is the origin of the word "cop"? <#> "So policemen are just those who catch or apprehend criminals, a worthy occupation. And a copper is someone who seizes, a usage first recorded in Britain in 1846." - thus we have the word "cop" <#> Which country is most corrupt? <#> # 1 most corrupt is Haiti, followed by Bangladesh, Nigeria, Myanmar, Chad. Among the least corrupt are Finland, New Zealand, Denmark and Iceland. <#> Where can I find a not-for-profit humane society in Denver? <#> Mile High Humane Society is non profit. They are located at 11470 York St, Northglenn, CO. <#> What should I have in my disaster emergency kit stored out side my house? <#> it's probably not a bad idea to stock up on the following: flashlight, battery powered radio (and batteries), non-perishable food (i.e. canned food and juices), non-electric can opener, bottled water, medications (both non-prescription and prescription if taking any regularly), first aid kit, paper plates, cups, and plastic utensils, toothbrushes, toothpaste, comb, brush, contact lens supplies, and feminine hygiene supplies, plastic garbage bags and ties, change of clothes and shoes, and an extra pair of prescription glasses if needed. the red cross offers a checklist for an emergency kit, the link is below.

<#> Which part-time MBA program will add value to a software developer with 15 years experience? <#> Wow. There are some pretty negative answers in this thread. Pick a good program. Pick a highly rated program. The brand *is* part of the value of an MBA, and frankly, the lower rated programs aren't that much cheaper. Here in the Bay Area, Haas (Berkeley) has a great ranking (top 5 in part time rankings, recently been in the top 10 for full time). I am currently a student at Haas (in the PT program), and I can't understand why people would pick a different program in this region. Stanford, unfortunately, doesn't have a part time program. I agree with the previous poster who said you need to have an idea what you want out of it. Go in with a plan on how you're going to get value from the MBA, and just from being a student. I'm amazed at the access I get just by being an MBA student. It opens a lot of doors. But you need to be very goal directed to get this value. I can't agree with the person who said networking in a PT program isn't good. As a current PT student, I have an *amazing* network of rising stars at a number of bay area companies, right now. Comparing notes with some co-workers who are recent graduates from the FT programs at Wharton, Stanford, Columbia, it's clear that my network is broader, more active, and more useful right now than their networks. So - to your actual question. If you are in the Bay Area, pick Berkeley (I'm biased, obviously). Really, you can gain a lot of value from any part time MBA program. But talk to people, figure out how *you* can gain value from an MBA, and then go from there.

<#> Are humans still evolving? <#> Evolution is ever-present as always. You could argue it's rate is a function of environment change. So to answer what's driving human evolution you need to look at the human environment as part of the equation. Extreme evolution happens when an organism's environment changes and it cannot escape it. As a previous post mentioned, humans now have the ability to easily move around the world and escape a 'bad' environment. So evolution may indeed have slowed, but it is not dead. Some cataclysmic change affecting the whole planet, if it doesn't kill the species completely, will certainly speed up the evolutionary process when you compare the human race a few generations either side of said event. Given that evolution is the result of genetic mutation/favoritism during sexual reproduction are we seeing those more desirable for sex setting the evolutionary path while environment change is minimized by our ability to control it or escape it? Is average height an example of this? It would certainly seem that humans are growing taller on average, and what western (cultural bias) woman does not want a tall mate for example. It should be noted however that who we think is desirable for sex is very culturally dependent and may not lead to the best long-term (breeding) prospects for an individual conceived to those parents. <#> What is the United States' annual homeland security budget? <#> Fiscal year 2004 total budget authority: $35.6 Billion FY '05: $38.5B FY '06: $41.1B <#> what is a double layer DVD burner? <#> Movie DVDs you buy in the store can contain up to 8.5 gigabytes of data. This is because they are pressed (as opposed to burned) dual-layer DVDs (also called DVD-9). The recordable DVD+-Rs that have been on the market for a while a single-layer DVD-5s and can store up to 4.7 gigabytes. This disrepency is why programs that copy movie DVDs need to compress the DVD content after unencrypting it before they can be burned to a normal DVD. Recently new DVD burners and media were introduced that allowed people to burn DVD-9 DVDs reasonably affordably. So a double-layer DVD burner is one that is capable of burning 8.5 gigabyte DVD-9 format DVDs. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dvd#Technical_information

<#> Does anyone know a good apartment rental agency around Washington DC? <#> I've had personal experience with Archstone apartments and Summit (just bought by Camden) apartments in the past two years. While neither one is stellar, both were acceptable. Both of these were in the Northern Virginia area - bedroom communities for D.C. Best of luck apartment hunting! The housing market around here is absolutely insane. <#> How do you negotiate a job offer? <#> At the point you have a job offer, you are in the best position to negotiate. This is because they have already spent the money to get all the way through the recruiting process, and if they were to start again from scratch it might cost them an additional 20-50k to bring a different candidate into the position. Add to this the cost to the project of having an unfilled position for a longer period than expected, and you'll find there is a pretty large margin for you to negotiate where their net costs will be lower if they acquiese to your requests. The other factor is the overall job market. In today's market, where employment is picking up in many sectors you're in a good spot to negotiate. Now the right place to phrase things is to describe competitive offers (hopefully you'll have some) in terms of their relative advantage. If one of your alternative offers pays more, you can allude to this vaguely. Even if they do not, you can allude to the relative advantages (the types of challenge, the convience of the commute etc). This will create a more competitive landscape where your potential employer feels like they need to overcome other offers (and not that you are simply greedy and would like more cash). Unless the potential employer has really lowballed you (i.e. you are well below industry averages for your area), you should shoot for a modest counter-proposal of 5-15%. Put this out there with clear timelines for when they need to respond, and other forms you might accept (signing bonus, trading-up level/rank, etc). You should stay professional throughout the process, even if your offer is rejected. Employers know that this is the right time to bring these things up, so don't worry about burning bridges by putting a request out there at this stage. Ok. Hope that helps!

<#> Is there anywhere that rents UMD movies for PSP? <#> GameFly.com rents both PSP movies and games. (They're in seperate categories if you don't see them right away.) I've been a customer for about a year, and I think their selection and customer service are both stellar. Ship times seem a little longer than Netflix, and pricing is higher (for good reason). I love the packaging (in addition to the Netflix style paper envelopes there's a hard cardboard shield) and I've never received a defective game. The pre-owned purchase program is also a nice touch. <#> Who to start on defense this week? <#> I would go Pittsburg. Polamalu is almost guaranteed at least 2 interceptions against Palmer. <#> What was the name of King Arthur's sword? <#> Excalibur <#> Will there be a third kill bill? <#> there have been widespread rumors about Tarantino's desire to revisit the character of the Bride in a third installment. most of these stemmed from an interview published in Entertainment Weekly, in which Quentin expressed his desire to revisit the Bride in 15 years: "The star will be Vernita Green's (Vivica A. Fox's) daughter, Nikki (Ambrosia Kelley). I've already got the whole mythology: Sofie Fatale (Julie Dreyfus) will get all of Bill's money. She'll raise Nikki, who'll take on The Bride," he says. "Nikki deserves her revenge every bit as much as The Bride deserved hers. I might even shoot a couple of scenes for it now so I can get the actresses while they're this age." Tarantino's idea is an excellent one, and in tune with the ambitious nature of the Kill Bill project itself. however, it is important to note that Tarantino is well known for announcing interest in projects that could never see the light of day, so there is no certainty that this will come about. <#> Which player led the USA Basketball team (original Dream Team) in scoring in the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona? <#> Charles Barkley with 144 points (18.0 avg). <#> Why are blueberries so good for your health? <#> Blueberries are high in anti-oxidants. Also, they are low in saturated fat, cholesterol and sodium. They are a good source of dietary fiber, vitamins C and K and manganese.

<#> What is the meaning behind the song "the reflex" by Duran Duran? <#> From the sourced website: "The Reflex", Duran Duran I, being a HUGE Duran Duran fan, can shed some light on this song. Back in the 80's when I had the word book for the album and meanings, this song simply was about a person being on stage, forgetting words and making them up as he went along. Take for instance "I'm on a ride and I want to get off/but they won't slow down around the bout, I sold the Renoir and the tv set/don't want to be around when this gets out". Hope this can shed some light that not all Duran Duran songs are about sex. <#> As a novice runner, how many weeks/months do I need to properly train for a marathon? <#> The answer, of course, varies for each individual depending on how fit you are, how often do you train and what your goals are. If you are very aggressive, you can do it in 28 weeks. Start by walking, slowly, for a mile. Two days later, walk 1.5 miles. Every other day, increase the distance by half a mile until you get to 3 miles. Rest your muscles on the "off" day. Hold that distance on Tuesday and Thursday, while increasing by one additional mile on your weekend session (either Sat or Sun). Once the long walk reaches 10 miles you can cut the distance in half every other weekend, increasing the long one by 2 miles each time. When the long one gets to 18 miles, you can do it every third weekend, covering 8-9 miles on the "short" weekends. After about the third week of training, insert a one min jog into your runs, after 4 min of walking. If this feels fine after 2 weeks, drop to 3walk/1jog. After 3 more weeks, drop to 2-1. If all goes well after another 3 weeks or so you could go to 1-1 during the week, and 2walk/1jog on the long run. Find the ratio that works best for you, that will leave you feeling strong at the end, and recovering fast from these long ones. The pace for all of these should be very, very slow. <#> Which religion is the right one? <#> None. There is no God. Religion is a primitive attempt at understanding how the world works. It has been completely replaced by the Scientific Method, which is the greatest discovery of all time. There is no more evidence for the existence of God than there is for the existence of leprechauns. Better to spend our time enjoying our wonderful world and helping our fellow beings instead of arguing about which brand of imaginary supernatural friend is the "right one".

<#> How can I cure my hiccups? <#> This is to expand on another person's answer, which was correct but missing some important steps or explanation. This cure is a bonafide medical and scientific cure. The get rid of hiccups, you must deprive oxygen from the muscle that is causing hiccups. No oxygen to that muscle, it can't burn energy, no energy, no hiccups. So what needs to be done is to simulate DROWNING. We must trick the body to think it is drowning. This will cause it to divert oxygen from unimportant parts of the body, like that muscle causing hiccups, to more important parts like the heart, the brain, the organs, etc. So...take a glass of water, slowly exhale. Pinch your nose. Take about 5 or 6 sips of water (or more until you can't take it any longer) from the glass...making sure you are taking in WATER ONLY. Do NOT sip any air along with the water. Stop. Hold your breath for a few seconds, and inhale slowly. The hiccups should disappear. If not repeat. I have found this works 90% of the time. It only fails to work if there really is something stuck in your throat that really needs to be expelled by hiccups or coughing, or drinking lots of water. <#> Why do Canadians Celebrate Thanks giving? <#> Canadians celebrate Thanksgiving on the 2nd Monday of October. "The farmers in Europe held celebrations at harvest time. They filled a curved goat's horn with fruit and grain to give thanks for their good fortune and the abundance of food. They brought this tradition when they came to Canada. During the American Revolution, Americans who remained loyal to England moved to Canada where they brought the customs and practices of the American Thanksgiving to Canada." More information about the history of Canadian Thanksgiving: http://www.geocities.com/ouravonlea/canadian-thanksgiving.html

<#> What is Visual Basic? <#> Visual Basic is a programming language and software development environment created by Microsoft in the 1990s primarily to make it easy for developers to create client applications on Windows. It featured an way to easily create graphical user interfaces by drawing windows and controls on the screen, and an event-driven paradigm that made it easy to attach code to meaningful events in the lifetime of an application (such as a button click). The language was adapted to the Web with a variant called VBScript, and embedded into Microsoft Office and other applications with another variant called Visual Basic for Applications (VBA). Around the time of Windows 98's release, it became possible to create scripts written in VBScript to run on the Windows desktop. In 2000 Microsoft introduced a new unified framework for software development called .NET. At that time Visual Basic was thoroughly revised and renamed to Visual Basic .NET. This version of the language added some capabilities, but dropped others, and was incompatible with previous versions of the language, leading some to complain that it should be been released as a separate language with a different name. Still, a great deal of Visual Basic code is in use today and large numbers of developers still use it to create client applications, Web apps, script, and macros embedded in other applications such as Microsoft Excel. <#> What's your definition of Web 2.0? <#> The best article I've read on the subject is in the link below. In summary, the article cites the following 7 factors common to Web 2.0: * Services, not packaged software, with cost-effective scalability * Control over unique, hard-to-recreate data sources that get richer as more people use them * Trusting users as co-developers * Harnessing collective intelligence * Leveraging the long tail through customer self-service * Software above the level of a single device * Lightweight user interfaces, development models, AND business models <#> Should the A's trade Zito this off-season? <#> IMHO, the A's will be traded Zito this off-season or in the middle of next season. The "Money-ball" philosophy has been working for them and they will continue. Trading Zito will also get them some good young players too.

<#> Should high schools offer classes on SAT for all? <#> I'd say yes, all high schools should offer SAT test prep. The main two reasons: 1) Workers 18 and over with a bachelor?s degree earn an average of $51,206 a year, while those with a high school diploma earn $27,915. (U.S. Census Bureau). Basically, college grads earn twice as much money as high school grads. This increased income provides more security, support to raise a family, and the means for furthering ones education. 2) College grads have access to better jobs as many jobs require a college degree. <#> which is the more powerful crime family - the corleone's or the soprano's? <#> The Corleones are more powerful, hands down. and for one reason, alone: The Sopranos don't have the muscle to take out the heads of all five crime families in one swoop and live to tell about it, including the big man in Vegas and take over his operation. The Corleons are a much bigger organization with a wider network. Head to head war, Corleones (GF1) vs. Sopranos (S1): Vito (or Michael) Corleone vs. Tony Soprano Sonny vs. Christopher Clemenza vs. Silvio Tessio vs. Paulie Fredo vs. Big Pussy Barzini vs. Junior and Kay vs. Carmela :-)

<#> Why are the Dutch so tall? <#> As a dutchman, and someone who's 6'4" I should be able to answer this one. Specifically though there actually has been a fair amount of research around this, the average height of the dutch are indeed abover average and I've heard claims of it being "the tallest nation in the world". The average dutchman is about 6'1" (4" taller than the avg american) Research shows it to be a combo of genetics, disease prevention, diet (dairy, etc.) , average wealth & wellbeing, as well as the psychosocial wellbeing.. all affecting height. So to summarize: drink your milk, get your shots, be happy and grow grow grow..oh and a bit of genetics. From a research report: Genetic factors are evident in marked regional differences between the north and the south of the Netherlands. In the north, boys are on average 50 mm taller and girls 20 mm taller. The populations are relatively stable, and Frisians are genetically more Scandinavian, whereas Limburgers have southern European roots. However, although boys in Turkish and Moroccan immigrant groups are about 95 mm shorter than ethnic Dutch, they are taller than in their countries of origin. Researchers point to the increase over the past 30 years in the amount of protein in the diets of the Dutch, the world's highest consumers of dairy products. Miranda Fredriks, one of the researchers in the recent study, emphasised other health and hygiene factors as well as diet--for example, the Netherlands has a 95% vaccination rate among children. Lastly it's the healthcare system and wealth, every dutch person has access to the healthcare system and overall the dutch are fairly well off to being with. It's been shown that wealth has a direct impact on height.. <#> Any great, top quality language schools in Dallas? <#> no <#> Where can I find help about a war? <#> For a general article about war, check out http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War. You can search more specifically there as well. <#> Should the Sharks trade Evgeni Nabokov? <#> In short, no. If they trade him now they will see minimal returns on a trade. They are dealing from a weak position. Should Nolan Schaefer get a shot? Yes. Nabokov should be given a chance to rest, start Nolan for a couple of games and then get him back in there. I believe he will be able to snap out of this funk, but trading him now would be the absolute worst time for them to trade him in terms of what they could get in return.

<#> Can animals really predict earthquakes? <#> There was a PBS program 'Nature', just aired a couple of weeks ago, about whether animals can predict nature disasters like earthquakes and tsunamis. Whether animals can predict earthquakes is not conclusive. But there's a scientist in Berkeley (forgot his name) claimed he had predicted earthquakes accurately in the last few decades. What he used was simply newspaper ads on missing pets. He said normally you'd see about 10-15 missing pets ads, but before earthquakes, the missing pets ads would increase. His theory is contraversial, but it's worth a try. You may want to test that theory. The program also mentioned about the terrible tsunami in Asia over a year ago. It mentioned none of the animals got harmed since they 'knew' the waves were coming and escaped from the disaster. One theory is that animals can hear low frequency sound from beneath the earth, like grinding sound of moving rocks. Anyway, you'll find some interesting programs on PBS stations. <#> Who wrote the screen play for "The Big Lebowski"? <#> The Coen brothers: Ethan and Joel. Joel also directed the movie. And together, they've written other off-beat films like "Fargo", "O Brother, Where Art Thou?" and more. <#> Where can I get antivirus software if I don't have it installed? <#> You should either get AVG Free or AntiVir Personal Edition (also free). Both of them are excellent and easy to use. <#> Is there a dictionary for slang words? <#> Here are some resources: http://www.urbandictionary.com/ http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/children/kidtalk.mspx What's really popular now is "leet speak", which you can read about here: http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=leet+speak&r=f w00t <#> What is your favorite quotation by a famous author? <#> "I disagree with what you say, but to the death I will defend your right to say it." -Voltaire <#> when did the Titanic sink? <#> At 02:20 am on April 15th, 1912, the "unsinkable" Titanic slipped into the sea and began its descent to the ocean floor. <#> Is it important to send a thank you note after an interview? <#> It is a nice touch, even in a casual workplace, to get the business cards of people you interview with, and send them a quick email thank you note. Although it will not sway the decision of that particular job, if there's another job that the person knows about, they will remember you and have your email in their inbox to contact you about it. Just be brief, and don't make it sound like a form letter.

<#> how google and "evil" relate? <#> Their motto is "Don't be evil", in response to Microsoft's reputation as "The Evil Empire". <#> What was Earvin "Magic" Johnson's nickname as a youngster in Michigan, before he came to be known as Magic? <#> His neighbors used to call him Junior or June Bug. <#> will golden state warriors make it to the playoffs this year ? <#> No they won't. There are too many better teams in front of them in the Western Conference. Likely locks for the West include San Antonio, Houston, Dallas, Phoenix, Denver, Seattle. Which leaves the Warriors battling for the last 2 spots against LAL, Memphis and Sacramento - all of which are better teams. <#> I have a desktop with a 82845 GL Intel integrated video card 64MB w/ no AGP slot. Should I upgrade via PCI? <#> Most onboard video for PC desktop motherboards are far short of performance for even a PCI-only card. For the Intel 845 chipset, having a dedicated PCI video card can definitely improve your performance, especially for 3D games. <#> How can I find the dhcp server on Linux ? <#> There are a number of different DHCP clients that run on Linux. Use the command "ps ax" to try to determine what processes are running that might have something to do with your ethernet interface. DHCPCD is a popular one. Look to /etc/dhcpc for any files that might be there. PUMP is also a frequent program in use by some versions of RedHat Linux. Run "pump -i eth0 --status" assuming your ethernet interface is eth0 DHCLIENT -- run "locate dhclient.leases" and look into that file if you see that process running. <#> What are the best places for downhill skateboarding in California? <#> the streets of san francisco --amazing views, a lot of stamina, cool cafes to stop by... <#> What is the difference between permutations and combinations? <#> Permutation Suppose we want to find the number of ways to arrange the three letters in the word CAT in different two-letter groups where CA is different from AC and there are no repeated letters. Because order matters, we're finding the number of permutations of size 2 that can be taken from a set of size 3. This is often written 3_P_2. We can list them as: CA CT AC AT TC TA Combination When we want to find the number of combinations of size 2 without repeated letters that can be made from the three letters in the word CAT, order doesn't matter; AT is the same as TA. We can write out the three combinations of size two that can be taken from this set of size three: CA CT AT

<#> What does "buck naked" mean? <#> Dating from the 1920's the expression buck naked commonly means completely or totally naked or without a "stitch" (as opposed to partially naked). Synonyms include "bare naked", "buck-arse naked", and "butt naked" (also spelled, facetiously, "butt nekkid"). In the South, "buck naked" or "butt naked" means not in your house, out looking for trouble on Saturday night and wearing no clothes. <#> Who is the best soccer player in the world? Accordingly to FIFA and accordingly to general audience? <#> the last (2004) FIFA best player of the world is Ronaldinho (playing at barcelona, don't confuse with Ronaldo, playing at Real Madrid). Read the official FIFA interview with him at http://www.fifa.com/en/mens/awards/gala.html Also, TODAY (november 28, 2005), Ronaldinho is going to receive the "Ballon D'Or" (golden ball), prize created by the french magazine French Football --http://www.francefootball.fr/ -- in 1956 to distinguish the best player of the european leagues. The complete list of winners of this prize is at: http://www.francefootball.fr/FF/ballon_or/index_bo.html Now, the general audience... this is tough, since there are many players that could be the best at any time (henry, lampard, ronaldo, ronaldinho, zidane -getting older, though-, kak�, eto'o, ...). But truth is that, at this moment of the season, Ronaldinho is one step above the rest, and playing in the current best team (barcelona) helps him a lot. <#> How many answers does a typical Q&A question get? <#> Well... being that people get 'points' for answering questions, I'm sure there will be a lot of 'filler' questions going into this one, so I'd guess you'll get 50 in here, but about 4 or 5 on average. <#> Will there ever be another figure in rock that comes even close to Jimi Hendrix? <#> In terms of guitar-playing chops, what about Eddie Van Halen, Eric Clapton, Carlos Santana? In terms of showmanship, what about Iggy Pop, Mick Jagger, Bono? In terms of cool guy who died way too young, what about Kurt Cobain?

<#> In the quest for dazzling teeth, how harmful are teeth whitening strips? <#> Depends on your teeth. I used Crest Whitestrips for a time, and they worked really well (I definitely noticed a difference in the whiteness of my teeth). However, they irritated my gums to the point where my dentist told me to stop using them and they made my teeth super sensitive to cold and hot (i.e. eating ice cream or drinking tea was painful). I've never done the laser whitening/Brite Smile, but I've seen those treatments work wonders for folks who have (they are not cheap though). I would advise trying the strips (making sure to abide by the time guidelines) - you will like the effects of them (they do really work) and if they don't bother your teeth/gums, you should be able to continue use. <#> Can someone *simply* explain what a stock "short" is? <#> Shorting a stock (or selling short) ideally works like this: When you think a stock is going to go down... 1. You borrow shares of stock you don't own, typically from your broker. 2. You sell those shares at today's price. 3. You wait for the stock to go down. 4. You buy the same number of shares back at a lower price. 5. You return the borrowed shares. 6. You pocket the difference between the buying and selling price. Steps 1 & 5 are actually done automatically when you issue a short sale order with a broker. The advantage of shorting is that you can make money when stocks are going down. (With a normal stock purchases, you only make money if the stock goes up.) The disadvantage is that in theory, you could lose an unlimited amount of money. For example, if the stock goes up to five times its original value, you've just lost four times your investment. (With a regular stock purchase, the most you can lose is the amount you originally invested.)

<#> Is there a cure for malaria? <#> There are several means of successfully treating malaria if contracted, yet malaria is still one of the leading causes of preventable death in the developing world. The reason is that most of these people are too poor to afford even basic preventative measures like bednets (which keeps malarial misquitoes from biting children in their sleep). Bednets are important step to reducing the impact of malaria, because it is much more expensive to treat malaria once it is contracted than it is to prevent it via bednets, removing standing water, etc. There are some efforts to find cheaper alternative treatments as well, including one promising one that comes from Chinese herbal medicine. http://archives.cnn.com/2002/WORLD/asiapcf/east/11/26/health.malaria/ I've also attached a CDC (center for disease control) article that describes some of the anti-malarial drugs currently being used. <#> Which came first, the chicken or the egg? <#> 1. Dinosaurs laid eggs millions of years ago. 2. Chickens weren't around millions of years ago. 3. Therefore, eggs came first. 4. Later, egg-laying birds evolved into chickens. <#> Any learning center that offers Personalized tutoring programs in Portland? <#> The answer above is a great idea. Of course, this will only work if you don't mind non-person to person tutoring. I would contact your local high schools and see if there are any tutors that will tutor your kid. It might help both the high school student (elective credit) and your kid (because young kids look up to high school students). Newspapers are always advertising people looking for work such as nannies, care-takers, and yes...even tutors. I would try the high schools first. Here are a list of tutorint centers in the Portland area: http://www.anysubject.com/portland-tutors.asp http://portland.craigslist.com/lss/ http://www.mindsinmotiontutoring.com/ <#> How do I find out how much RAM my computer has? <#> If you are on a Windows machine: Right click on the "My Computer" icon and choose the menu Item "Properties". Click on the "General" tab and you should see the amount RAM on the window If you are on a Macintosh running OS X: Click on the Apple menu in the upper left hand corner. Choose "About This Mac" and you will get a window that shows you how much RAM you have.

<#> What does Sarbaines Oxley compliant mean? <#> The Sarbanes-Oxley act was sponsored by Senator Paul Sarbanes and Representative Michael Oxley, and is a response to the auditing scandals surrounding Enron, WorldCom, and others. Essentially it aims to protect investors by requiring public companies to adhere to certain standards around auditor independence, information integrity, and greater financial disclosure. From an IT perspective S-Ox compliance revolves around preserving information and ensuring that the systems that maintain financial records are capturing all the correct data. Of course, S-Ox compliance can be rather complex and counterintuitive, so there are plenty of consultants who earn a living by making companies S-Ox compliant, as it is a requirement for all public companies. <#> Is there a public place in bay area where one can stay late till 1 am and do home work or read. ? <#> when I was in college denny's always worked for me. 1 soda and all night of refills(same for coffee). <#> Are expensive urethane golf balls e.g. Titleist Pro V1 worth it for the normal club golfer? <#> I find that it does. The Pro V1 for me is the best ball out there in terms of providing durability, distance and control. I've also used Nike and Top Flight and always come back to the Pro V1. But, the real answer is how the ball reacts to your swing and game. I recommend playing a few rounds with different brands. <#> Do you have a recommendation for a clean, quiet and decent apartment complex in Vegas? <#> It depends on where you want to move. I lived in Crystal Creek at Warm Springs, Henderson, NV 89014 Very affordable and the place is pretty decent. <#> What is the meaning of life? <#> Well, from wich perspective do you look at it? In my opinion, physical reality incarnations are done for the purpouse of spiritual growth..."body is a car, soul is a driver, YOU". Aside from that, I believe all is devine, in other words, all is god, source, as some say it. I also believe that each seek's to reunite with source... :) Take Care, Love and Light

<#> What is the difference between dating and in a relationship? <#> The difference is the level of commitment. "Dating" connotes a casual thing, not necessarily exclusive. When a person says "I'm dating Bill" instead of "Bill is my boyfriend", you can probably guess the relationship is relatively new and no commitment has been made. When you've decided you're in a relationship, you'll probably start referring to one another as boyfriend/girlfriend. You'll introduce each other to your close friends and family. You'll likely spend a LOT of time together, and may take it for granted that you'll see each other certain nights and weekends. Depending on your lifestyle, you may agree to make your relationship exclusive and stop seeing other people. If you're uncomfortable discussing taking things to "the next level" you're probably just dating, and not quite ready for a relationship. <#> Where can I find a list of important events from a year in history? <#> The link below would take you to a list of important events. <#> Why in the House of Commons does the P.M. often say "I refer the hon. gentleman to the answer I gave earlier"? <#> Another reason is that the P.M.'s responses are scripted in advance, where at all possible. Questions from the House--especially from the opposition--are designed to get him off his game and distract him from the prepared text, in the hope of making him look bad. (A similar game is played by many television correspondents: "If the interviewee gives a pat answer, ask the question ten more times. Play only the most emotive response.") By referring the questioner back to the earlier, prepared answer, the P.M. short-circuits this tactic. Stilted, but effective. <#> How to get rid of stretch marks after pregnancy? <#> One word: Strivectin. And, its been reappropriated by the pretty people as a fantastic facial wrinkle cream. Everyone I know swears by it. Banish the stretch marks and forego the Preparation-H. All at the same time. :-) <#> Why is SAT important? <#> Most colleges and universities use your SAT score as a factor in determining admissions. While it may be possible to get a waiver in some cases, your chances at consideration are much greater if you take the SAT. Another reason to take the SAT is for financial aid consideration. Grants and scholarships, especially those run by the school or private organizations, often take SAT scores along with grade point average into account.

<#> Why do people love Oprah? <#> Because she personifies the classic Cinderella story and the American dream. She overcame poverty and abuse to become a huge tv success. She's also very charismatic...and she likes to give stuff away. <#> Can I view everything on the Internet via the wireless network? <#> Yes...you can :) <#> Is there an English equivalent for the male firstname "Reinhard"? <#> According to this page in the French wikipedia, Reinhard comes from Regin + Hard (strong advice as you mention) http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_de_Renart Interestingly, the page goes on to say that the word "renard" (French for "fox") comes from Reinhard! Reinhard was the name of the fox (originally "goupil" in French) in a famous story "Reynard the fox", but due to the popularity of the fox character, the French name for fox became "renard" instead of "goupil". "Reinhard : Voir Renard pour le sens. Le nom est port� en Alsace-Lorraine. Variantes : Reinhardt, Reinhart, Reinharth, Reinard, Reinardt, Reinartz, Reinert, Reinertz." "Renard, Renart Nom de personne d'origine germanique, Raginhard (ragin = conseil + hard = dur). Faut-il le rappeler, le nom commun renard est au d�part un pr�nom, et c'est la popularit� du goupil, nomm� Renart dans le c�l�bre roman m�di�val, qui en a fait peu � peu un nom commun." The English version has less information regarding the names: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reynard So you can just ask people to call you "Fox". :-) <#> what is the most popular programming laguage in use today? <#> This is a tough one, and no doubt a potential debate point in most cases. I would really doubt that C# has any real future. Java, on the other hand, is written in C. Most modern development platforms have a foundation in C. If this question is to choose a language path for school, I think either Java or C is fine. Though I would say that you will become a better programmer if you have a more detailed understanding of what is "under the hood". In that case C (and a bit of assembly isn't bad to at least take a look at). The more higher-level you go, the less you can ultimately do.

<#> What are the odds of life on another planet? <#> Answers to this question can vary greatly, but a good framework to think about it is the Drake Equation. Developed by Frank Drake and Carl Sagan, it runs through some of the key factors that will effect the viability of life on other planets. As we learn more about extrasolar planets and astrobiology, we are getting better limits on some of the parameters in the equation, but especially when it comes to the terms where we look for intelligent life that can last long enough to contact other species, we have very little data to go on. So when it comes down to the last few terms you need to take it all with a grain of salt. If you are simply talking about life, I think recent discoveries have made the likelihood very high. The discovery of many extrasolar planets including some that are closer to Earth size means that there are specific places we can point to where life may have formed or be forming. Even in stranger systems that feature planets several times Jupiter's mass, it is possible that a terrestrial satellite of such a large planet could harbor the right conditions for life. It's a fun thing to work through the Drake equation yourself. Since the last few terms are more subjective (at least until we get more data), it's fun to play with it and see where you stand. The best guess that scientists have put forward right now is: N = 10 � 0.5 � 2 � 0.33 � 1�10-7 � 0.01 � 67 = 2.211�10-7 = 0.0000002211 where N is the number of intelligent extraterrestrial civilizations that might come to communicate with us in a year. To get the number of planets that reach a point of harboring life (not intelligent) in a year, we just take the first 4 terms: 10 � 0.5 � 2 � 0.33 = 3.3 So about 3.3 new planets reach the point where life forms per year.

<#> What is your opinion on online dating? <#> It works. I met my bf of almost 3 years through online dating. That doesn't mean I didn't meet alot of incompatible people. I used online dating on and off for about a year before I met him. Online dating is just another way to meet people, but it shouldn't be the only way you meet people. If you're banking on it working, it probably won't because you've invested too much emotionally and your expectations will colour your experience. It works when you stop hoping each person you meet will be the one and instead, decide to just have fun with the experience, regardless of the outcome. Yes, even a bad date can be fun. Think of the anecdotes you can share with your friends. I find it takes a few weeks to get a feel for how things work. Then, it's up and down for awhile depending on who you come into contact with. When it doesn't feel fun anymore, TAKE A BREAK. Come back in a few months. Change your profile to reflect how you're feeling. It's important that you feel good about yourself or you won't attract the people you want because who wants to be with someone who's down on themselves? Online dating is really a reflection of how you're feeling. When you feel good about yourself, your online experience improves. When you feel bad, it tends to be a not so good experience. I was about to pull my dating profile because I found I was meeting lots of people through offline methods. However, my friend pointed out that it wasn't costing me anything (financially or emotionally) if I just left my profile up. I thought she made a good point, so I decided to rewrite my profile one last time and put it out there. When I rewrote it this time, I stopped caring about what other people would think about what I wrote or how they might judge me. Instead, I wrote a profile that reflected exactly how I felt and who I was at that moment. And then, I started to meet interesting people. Shortly thereafter, I met my bf and things have been going well since. <#> Why do shoes have heels? Feet were designed flat...? <#> Initially it was for practical reasons. Heels were added to shoes around the 1500s to keep horsemen's feet from slipping from the stirrups. Eventually, it became fashionable to wear heels.

<#> Should I fly back to Sunnyvale (from WI) for the Year end party? Is it worth it?I'? <#> Whether any party would be worthy flying cross-country for is definitely up to you, but as far as company parties go, I think Yahoo's are tops. They go all out in so many ways. The bands are impressively big (for a party) like this year's Earth, Wind, and Fire (http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:aq6jtr59klox), there is a huge variety of food and alcohol (including ice sculpture martini luges), and lots of other activities (gambling, full-body video games). But despite all that, your enjoyment will probably be determined more by how much you enjoy being around your co-workers (if they're going), your date, and/or how long you can enjoy gambling/dancing. The last two parties really really impressed me, but I enjoyed the second one much more because my date and I shared a great enthusiasm for the party and dancing. It doesn't look like last year's photos links work anymore :( <#> If your co-worker has a white head thats ready to pop should you be able to go over there and pop it for him? <#> Yes, but you have to clean up the mess. <#> How can I tell if the moon is waxing or waning? <#> For those who live in the Northern Hemisphere: The Moon is waxing or waning based on whether the right side of the Moon is dark or light. The Moon's lighted area increases over time from right to left. A good diagram of this can be found at: http://www.astro.umd.edu/education/astro/moon/waxing.gif For those who live in the Southern Hemisphere the effect is the opposite. More details can be found at: http://www.astro.umd.edu/education/astro/moon/phases.html <#> What do you call the 4-stringed Hawaiian instrument which looks like a little guitar? <#> The ukulele, or uke, is a fretted string instrument. It's a smaller, four-stringed version of the guitar. In the early 20th century, the instrument's name was often rendered as "ukelele", a spelling still used in Great Britain. The Hawai'ian spelling 'ukulele is also sometimes seen. <#> What are the Seven Sisters schools? Are they considered as good colleges? <#> The seven sister schools are Smith, Vassar, Wellesley, Bryn Mawr, Mount Holyoke, Radcliffe and Barnard. Indeed, they are considered excellent colleges, I attended two of them myself!

<#> why does the bird flu considered to be such a frightening disease? <#> The 1918, 1957 and and 1968 flu pandemics can be traced back to bird flu mutating with human virus. These pandemics killed scores of people. The panic also stems from the fact that there is no vaccine for H5N1 virus, the bird flu that is currently affecting Asia. Like last year, vaccines for "regular" human flu are in short supply as well. Under normal circumstances, when the flu hits you're just feverish, achey and fatigued for a few days. When the flu strikes more vulnerable people, like the elderly and very young babies, it can cause respiratory problems and even kill them. <#> What can be done to lower the dropout rate in High Schools? <#> To curb the dropout rate, the National Dropout Prevention Center advocates the "implementation of alternative strategies based on the principle of continuous improvement, in place of policies supporting student grade retention". In other words, the organization believes that the qualifier of a meaningful education shouldn't solely be based on grades, but on individual performance. Each learner begins at a different level emotionally, socially, and cognitively, and behaviorally. And because all of these factors play a role in learning, the same standard shouldn't apply to every student. The NDPC thinks that more dropouts could be prevented if each child was assessed as an invidividual and their progress was weighed on their individual needs, not based against every other student. One of the best educational strategies they recommend is service-learning. This is a theory based on the connection of hands-on experience and academic learning that also incorporates service to the community. Many learners have shown they can grasp concepts better and have greater success through experiential learning instead of the traditional textbook/lecture/text based learning. hope this helps!

<#> What is paraphrasing? <#> Paraphrasing is when you put someone else's ideas in your own words. It's not just rewriting a paragraph or changing a few words. From the webs ite below: Paraphrasing is: *your own rendition of essential information and ideas expressed by someone else, presented in a new form. *one legitimate way (when accompanied by accurate documentation) to borrow from a source. *a more detailed restatement than a summary, which focuses concisely on a single main idea. Be careful about taking a sentence and only changing a few words in it--some plagarism detecting software will catch that and call it plagarism. <#> how can i watch soccer on tv in California? <#> Your best bet is to look at soccertv.com which has the schedule. The channels you want are: Fox Soccer channel (Premiership, bundesliga and Italian Serie A) Setanta (Chelsea TV and Champions League) Gol (SPanish and Latam Soccer) These are all available via Directv If you want to go to a pub the best is Mad dog in the fog in San Francisco, Fibbar Magees in Sunnyvale is good for lunch time champions league games. <#> what is the system for ranking foosball players and how does it work? <#> Too complicated to summarize here, please read article linked below. <#> Why do filipinos eat with their bare hands? <#> Filipinos aren't the only cluture group who do so, and it makes historic sense: homo sapiens had hands long before tools and spoons were "invented". <#> Wireless router setup? <#> Few things to look for: 1. Do you have cable or dsl or dial connection? 2. Earlier when you did not have the router, were you entering the login/password to connect to internet? If so, you have to configure your cable/dsl modem to host the login/password. For SBC DSL modem you can do it by http://192.168.1.0/ and there is a option available in "advanced configuration" to do that. 3. Did you connect the ethernet cable from the cable/dsl modem to the WAN port of the router? 4. Are you getting the Dynamic IP assigned by the router? Check it by Start->Run->Cmd->ipconfig. It should show you some IP address like 192.168.1.x. 5. Run the following command in the command window (start->Run->cmd) ping www.yahoo.com Hope this helps. <#> How many albums does an artist have to sell to get a gold or platinum record? <#> In the US, the threshold for gold is half a million, the threshold for platinum is one million. So an album that goes "triple platinum" has sold 3 million+ copies.

<#> Who sailed from Spain around the tip of S. America & across the Pacific Ocean to the Phils.? <#> Ferdinand Magellan was dubbed the "discoverer" of the Philippines after he landed on the island of Homonhon, near Samar, on March 17, 1521. He claimed the islands in the name of King Philip II of Spain and named them Felipinas, the Philippines. He was later killed in Mactan Island of Cebu in a clash with native warriors led by a chieftain named Lapu-lapu. <#> When was Archie comics published? <#> It was first published in November of 1939 by MLJ Magazines.

<#> How can we improve the quality of the teachers in high schools? <#> hi, This question is of particular interest to me because I have been interested in education reform for some time. I'm a believer that the quality of education has a lot to do with the quality of the teachers. To have quality teachers, many different initiatives should be put into place. There are several areas to focus on improving teachers: 1) preparation and credentialing- some states have focused on improving teacher education programs and raising the passing score on qualifying exams like the PRAXIS. 2) induction and retention- it's well known that the teaching profession has a high burnout rate. it's not suprising. they're essentially expected to raise our society's children and many times spend more time when them than the parents do. that's why some states have instituted better support programs for new teachers. assigning each new teacher a teacher-mentor and having a supportive adminstration that encourages teacher autonomy and professional development are a few ways to help retain new teachers. 3) professional development- states should encourage the professional development of their teachers. this doesn't just mean that they raise the expectations for the classes they take, it means that they tie these developments to compensation as well. one way in which states have given teachers incentives to grow professionally is by instituting national board certification programs. a teacher who passes this test gets a raise as well as the privelege of teaching in any other state w/o additional requirements. 4) accountability- it's a problem when non-performing teachers are allowed to stay because of tenure. while it's important to ensure teacher accountability, it seems that some states see this area as a panacea for generating good teachers. it's not. the other factors are equally important, if not more so. to weed out deadbeats, you just have to nurture a better teaching staff. 5) fair compensation- obviously, this is very important. hope this helps?

<#> what was Hitchcock best movie? <#> Generally, film geeks tend to come down in favor of Vertigo or Notorious, but the previously mentioned North By Northwest gets a lot of votes, too. Notorious is usually cited by European critics because of the amazing work by both Cary Grant and Ingrid Bergman, plus it is the film that introduced the concept of the McGuffin. Essentially, this is the plot device that everything seems to be hinging upon while the story is doing something else (much sneakier) in the background. In Notorious, the McGuffin is (are) the wine bottles full of uranium. I tend to think that Vertigo is his best because it's just so damn unbelievable and over-the-top but he still pulls it off. Jimmy Stewart was never better in his whole career and the cinematography, music and mood is just amazing. Other (not yet mentioned) great Hitchcock films that you must see would be: 1. Early Period: The Thirty-Nine Steps (1939), The Lady Vanishes, Strangers on a Train 2. Middle-Period: The Trouble with Harry (very funny), Suspicion, Rebecca 3. Later: Rear Window, and Psycho (of course) <#> How are animals classified? <#> Below is the taxonomy used by zoologists to classify animals. Hope that helps. <#> When to start / have mammograms? <#> The National Cancer Institute recommends that women in their 40s and older should have mammograms every 1 to 2 years. Women who are at higher than average risk of breast cancer should talk with their health care providers about whether to have mammograms before age 40 and how often to have them. For more infomation about screening mammogram and diagnostic mammogram, pls check the source. <#> who was the first man to climb all the 8.000 m mountains in the world? <#> Reinhold Messner <#> How can i run a regression in Excel? <#> First load the add-in: Tools > Add-Ins > Analysis Tool Pack then find it: Tools > Data Analysis & Choose Regression If you need any more help mail me. <#> If you were asked to plan the "perfect weekend" for a guy, what would you include? <#> Sporting event Golf Gambling Beer Cheeseburgers Any and all of the above with his buddies.

<#> How is it that different countries have come up with different styles of electrical socket pins? <#> Practical: As there are multiple very-incompatible voltages in use (110v, 220v), it's a good idea to not have the same plugs. Somebody will inevitably plug in the wrong device, and putting a 110v device on 220v can be pretty nasty. Dual voltage devices which are popular today (largely due to power semiconductors which make them inexpensive), didn't exist when plugs were designed! Political: Many ex-colonies of Britain were trying to shake off British influence as far as possible, which probably was a factor in picking different system for power device standards, among others. <#> Should I rent or buy? <#> It depends on what you mean by "save a lot of money". If you are trying to save money over a period of time, it depends. Over the long haul you might save money by buying, since you'll end up owning the property and could sell it and recover your investment. You might even make money by buying if you live in an area where the property value is likely to go up over the period of time you might live there. If you're trying to save money on a monthly basis, renting is usually cheaper, unless a) you might rent out one or more rooms, thus off-setting your out-of-pocket monthly expenses, or b) you can afford to put down a large down-payment. Living in a high-cost area myself, I say "buy" if you can afford it. If nothing else you can go to town on decorating or remodeling, something you can't usually do when you rent. <#> how many zip codes in the us ? <#> According to the USPS: "The United States Postal Service� does not keep a firm record of how many ZIP Codes are currently in use, but the number is greater than 42,000." <#> What did Nate "Tiny" Archibald do in the 1972-73 NBA season that no one had done before or since? <#> He lead the league in both scoring and assists in a single season. <#> Are there good surf spots on India's coast? <#> You can surf in the beaches of Goa. http://www.indianbeachesportal.com/goa%2Dbeaches/

<#> What can you say to someone on their deathbed to help put their mind at ease? <#> It really depends on the beliefs of the individual. If they are religious, talk to them about their beliefs about the afterlife. If they are worried about how their actions in life may affect their disposition after death, recall for them (if possible) their good works and deeds. If they believe in God, remind them of the principles of divine forgiveness. If they're not religious, ask them about their beliefs. Reassure them of their impact on your life. If you're there at their bedside, I assume they've touched you somewhat, somehow. This is not a time to hold a grudge. If you have a disagreement with them, try to forgive. Remember you will have to live with yourself after the other person is gone. Let them know you will remember them fondly. Recall good times with them to help ease their pain. <#> Why is the sky blue? <#> The sky is blue due to atmospheric scattering of blue light. Blue photons are the most energetic of the visible light photos, and interact more with the atmosphere as a result. To be clear, all colors get scattered, it s just that blue is affected the most because of it is more energetic. A related effect happens around sunset. At this time of day, sunlight needs to travel through significantly more air to reach your eyes. The length of air is so long that nearly all the blue and green is scattered away before it reaches you. All that is left is yellows, oranges and reds, some of which reaches your eyes, and the rest scattered in the sky within your view. <#> best place to meet guys in the bay area? <#> yah, for a sampling of tech guys, visit the northbound mountain view caltrain stop at about 5:20 one afternoon. you'll be giddy when you see you're completely surrounded by cute, intelligent, mostly available men. (disclaimer: this party accepts no liability for the accuracy of above statements if customer isn't completely satisfied with her experience) 1015 Folsom danceclub is where i met mine. I'm not sure it could work twice though. :) <#> How do I end a date with a girl I'm not interested in? <#> It's best to be honest. She'll appreciate you not wasting her time. <#> Who is Helena in the song Helena by My Chemical Romance? <#> Lead singer and bassist, Gerard and Mikey Way's grandmother. <#> Is Thanksgiving only celebrated in the United States? <#> No, Canadians have Thanksgiving too.

<#> How to fight graft and corruption? <#> If it is in a corporation, there are special laws to grant you whistleblower status, and you can move into this role under a degree of legal protection from retribution. If it is in a government, then it can be very difficult depending on the nature of the government. Dictatorships are notorious for systemic corruption, and there is little that can be done without coup or significant intervention (or perhaps populist uprising, although you'd be risking your life). In a democracy, the corruption is of a softer sort, and you may be able to counter-act it via a public interest campaign, or story presented to the news media. Now if the graft and corruption is within your own heart... that's a real toughie. It requires a degree of personal strength and conviction to ideals which extend beyond your person. I think all human beings have the capacity for such strength and compassion, but it requires a willingness to make the hard choices both for yourself and your community. <#> What company built a brewery in a major league baseball stadium? <#> Coors http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coors_Field <#> Do you have a recommendation for a quiet and decent apartment complex around Houston? <#> Take a look on Barker Cypress Rd. there are a few places that looks like a place you would call home. the rent would you from $750.00 to $1,100 <#> How can I tell if my software includes spyware or adware? <#> You can't be sure if you dont read the source code or disassemble the software, so you basically have to trust the vendor. For additional security its recommended to scan your PC with scanners like AdAware ( http://www.lavasoft.com/software/adaware/ ). This still wont give 100% security, because this program can only find most Spyware, but not all. <#> What are the most popular blogging tools? <#> I have a lot of friends that use Xanga, and they have tons of features that make them very popular. I know that Yahoo 360 has a new service avaliable but I haven't use it yet. I have, however, read the Yahoo Answers Team 360 Blog and it seems to be alright.

<#> What is the best checking account balancing interest and service? <#> It depends on the level of service you are looking for. For example, is internet access good enough for you, or do you prefer a bank with local branches? For me, Etrade offers the ease of online access but reasonable interest. On the other hand, Citi bank has many local branches but low or no interet in checking. The best site that helps you to compare interest offers is www.bankrate.com. It also rates the reputation of the bank. Once you select the interest level and reputation level that you like, come back here and ask if people have good/bad experiences with that bank. Hope this helps. <#> What site can I go to to find out how many seconds are in a year? <#> 1 day = 24 hours x 60 mins x 60 secs = 86,400 secs 1 year = 365 days = 365 x 86,400 = 31,536,000 secs <#> What was the last Hanna-Barbera prime-time cartoon series? And what year did it air? <#> Actually, my guess is that it would be "Wait Till Your Father Gets Home" which was a kind of cross between "All in the Family" and "The Flintstones." I still remember the catchy theme song. It aired in 1972. <#> Explanation for correlated wave function collapse at a distance (Quantum Mechanics)? <#> An equally valid question would be "what is the mechanism that causes WF_A to collapse when it is measured?" The schroedinger equation does not predict collapse as a result of any interaction, so it is outside the theory taught in undergraduate classes. There is no accepted theory (or in my opinion, any reasonable theory at all) as to why measurement causes a selection of a single eigenvalue out some non-eigenstate. The idea that measurement on one object has ramifications on another object seems more mysterious, but it's not fundamentally different than the idea that measurement causes collapse in the first place. You won't find a satisfying answer. <#> If you were on the world's biggest island, where would you be? <#> You'd be on Greenland in the North Atlantic. Its area is 839,999 sq. mi. or 2,175,597 sq. km.

<#> how many mountains in the world are 8.000 m (26k feet) or more? <#> 14: Everest / 8850m / Tibet/Nepal K2 / 8611m / China/Kashmir Kanchenjunga / 8586m / India/Nepal Lhotse / 8516m / China/Nepal Makalu / 8463m / Tibet/Nepal Cho Oyu / 8201m / Tibet/Nepal Dhaulagiri / 8167m / Nepal Manaslu / 8156m / Nepal Nanga Parbat / 8125m / Kashmir Annapurna / 8091m / Nepal Gasherbrum I / 8068m / China/Kashmir Broad Peak / 8047m / China/Kashmir Gasherbrum II / 8035m / China/Kashmir Shishapangma / 8027m / Tibet <#> What does being loyal to a friend mean? <#> A loyal friend is someone who can keep secrets and promises. Someone who will not hurt your feelings but will be honest with you. <#> In the six nations, why is 'prize' for the team that does not win a single game called "wooden spoon"? <#> It possibly came from the Cambridge University tradition of giving a large wooden spoon to the student who scored lowest on final exams. No wooden spoons were given after 1909 at Cambridge, when the scores for exams started being read in alphabetical rather than score order. One theory is that early on in the Six Nations, many of the players were from Cambridge and carried on the wooden spoon tradition after it no longer was a part of university life. <#> Where do babies come from? <#> I guess it's because I'm not a parent, but I don't understand why you can't tell your son where babies actually come from? Don't you know? <#> Can you recommend a good preschool with childcare around Philly? <#> I 100% recommend Summit Children's Progam. They are at 6757 Greene Street Philadelphia 19119. (It's Mount Airy, one block off Lincoln Drive) Their number is 215-848-4451. They have a well-structured instructional program. My three-year has been with them for a year and she already knows how to write her name and count to 15 in spanish. Every morning she is excited about going to school and seeing her friends. We found Summit through our pediatrician. You can also visit Child Care Aware's website. They have good information about locating quality child care in your community. Good luck. Sharmil McKee www.mckeelegal.com <#> What do you think is the single most important event of a High Schooler's life? <#> I think it's receiving your college acceptance letters. It's a reflection of the fruits of your labor.

<#> What ever happened to Ask Jeeves??? Was those questions answered by real people also? <#> Ask Jeeves is still around. They recently renamed it as ask.com. It has been recently bought by InterActiveCorp which also owns match.com. AFAIK Ask Jeeves questions are not answered by real people. There are sure some editotial stuff on its database. <#> Do women expect a kiss on the first date? <#> It depends on the girl, the date, and how much you like each other. Just go with the flow and do what feels right. And don't think about it too much. <#> Why is the voltage ratinging always a multiple of 11 ? <#> 110 Volts is nominal and may vary when measured by a voltmeter. That said, power is supplied using sets of three separate parallel wires that you can see up on most power poles. The very high voltage there is stepped down using a transformer to supply most houses and businesses with a usable lower voltage. The voltage between any one of the three wires to ground in a house is 110 Volts for example to light a light bulb. The voltage between any two wires is 220 Volts and is used for example to power a clothes dryer or kitchen range. Houses do not use all three wires. A machine shop may power a large motor by connecting all three wires (in a delta or Y configuration) to obtain 440 Volts. Therefore the progression of 110, 220, and 440 Volts stems from the use of single, two and three-phase wiring circuits. Electrical power is conducted cross-country at very high voltages using high tension lines strung in sets of three wires or phases which produces the multiple of 11 you mention. Incidentally there may be an additional single wire above all the rest to arrest lightning strikes.

<#> What's the best prog. language to learn? What's the easiest to get into? <#> If you want to make a career on computer science or engineering, take C++/C and nothing else at first. Other languages -- like Java -- will hide several key concepts that are very important to have an understanding. Later you should also learn at least half a dozen other languages, including some assembly , lisp (or other functional language, like haske?), prolog and a scripting language. If you are just casually learning a programming language, the best will depend on what you want to do: For web pages, you should learn a little bit of HTML, javascript and then PHP. Don't try to learn all of them at first, just enough to get you first pages going, and then learn as you need. If you want to do some data manipulation, or simple calculations, or windows in the unix (linux) world, learn python. Finally, if you want to play with windows in MS Windows, learn VisualBasic. Most important: after you choose a language to learn, be curious, try out stuff, and you'll learn in no time at all ;) <#> How do bowlers get reverse swing in cricket? <#> Reverse swing is an art invented by former Pakistani fast bowler Sarfaraz Nawaz, followed by Imran Khan, Waseem Akram and Waqar Younis. A new cricket ball has shine on both sides. When the ball gets older the shine disappears and the amount of swing is decreased. In reverse swing the bowler keeps one side of the ball shining and one rough. Due to air friction the rough side resists the air and the ball moves towards the shining side having less friction on that side. So it will allways move towards the direction of the shine. Waqar younis had the habbit of hiding the ball from batsman before its delivery. So that the batsman keeps guessing the direction of the swing. <#> What's the Hacker's Diet? <#> I have not tried it, but from what I have read, it emphasizes that weight loss/control is a simple measure of burning more calories than you take in. It's available online for reading (http://www.fourmilab.to/hackdiet/www/hackdietf.html). I also found a blog of someone who tried it (http://www.metagrrrl.com/metagrrrl/2004/08/progress_on_the.html). Good luck! <#> if a plane was on some type of treadmill that detects speed, will it ever take off? <#> If the plane is on a treadmill like the ones we run on at the gym, then it won't really be 'going' anywhere and will not take off because no air is passing by the wings to generate lift. I think you might have to clarify this one further...