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.  \nSince 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.


i hear that the mojave road is amazing!<br />\nsearch for it online.


I heard that tras fat is bad for the body.  Why is that? Where can we find it in our daily food?

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. \nUntil 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.


I heard that it is the largest airline in the world

according to the www.fedex.com web site:\nAir Fleet
\n
\n670 aircraft, including:
\n47 Airbus A300-600s  17 Boeing DC10-30s
\n62 Airbus A310-200/300s  36 Boeing MD10-10s
\n2 ATR 72s  5 Boeing MD10-30s
\n29 ATR 42s  57 Boeing MD11s
\n18 Boeing 727-100s  10 Cessna 208As
\n94 Boeing 727-200s  246 Cessna 208Bs
\n30 Boeing DC10-10s  17 Fokker F-27s


the prices of rent and the price of buying does not make sense to me, mostly the rent will not cover the mortgage . Is it better to rent a house or to buy?

renting vs buying depends on your goals. <br />\ngenerally 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.\nhaving 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.\nbottom 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.


I have very small stuff stuck under my keyboard and it prevents it to from working. What will be the be\nst way to clean it?

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. \nAfter turning off your computer and unplugging your keyboard, gently shake the keyboard upside down over some newspaper to dislodge loose crumbs and particles. \nUse the can of compressed air to blow a stream of air between the keys. \nDampen a lint-free cloth with a diluted solution of dishwashing liquid and water to wipe down the keys. \nUse the vacuum cleaner brush attachment to suck away any remaining dirt or debris. <br />\nIf 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. \nOf 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...\nhttp://ask.yahoo.com/ask/20040113.html\n<<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. <br />\nPeople 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. \nExcessive 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. \nIt'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.>>


This is according to Stephen Chow (http://www.hkentreview.com/2005/features/kfh/kfhprem.html). Is it true? Who is the best-looking male star? Did they make any movies together?

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). \nIf "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.\nHowever, 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."  :)


I want to know the meaning of the word and how to explain to my friends.

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:\nGabriel Cash: I don't know about you, but I have an aversion to getting F.U.B.A.R...\nRay Tango: What's F.U.B.A.R.?\nGabriel Cash: Fucked-Up Beyond All Recognition.


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.\nThe 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.


Can someone help me with understanding someone else's wisdom, please?

" It is very easy in the world to live by the opinion of the world. It is very easy in solitude to be self-centered. But the finished man is he who in the midst of the crowd keeps with perfect sweetness the independence of solitude. "

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). \nI 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. \nWhat do you think?


When I was a kid I remember seeing a book that was like an yearbook of all newspapers published by the Times during WW II. Each of the years is compiled into a different book.
It gave one a very uniqie perspecitev into the UK druing the war, and even had advertisements from thaat time.
Anybody out there know how to track such books?

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.\nthe things you have to look for are:
\n1. 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
\n2. 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.
\n3. 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.


i don't use floppies any more and need to boot from something other than my hard disk

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.\nNote: 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.\nIf 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.\nIf 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.\nIf 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 most common parameter that causing couples to separate

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.\nI 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+.\nA 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", and how is it treated in algebra equations?

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).\nDon'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. :)


would we be able to fax a pizza in the future? How far are we from creating a machine that can beam people from one place to another?

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.


Is there a site that focuses primarily on gospel?

CCM Magazine or their online website will give you information on up and coming artists in the Christian Music field.


Why are we spending so much money on space when we do not have a decent health insurance to all the public?

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.


I would like to know how a black hole can possibly be formed. Are there any experimental evidence of such creation?

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.\nNot 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.\nFun 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.


what is the role that heavy water plays in the nuclear explosion process?

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.\nWater 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.


Her Majesty was a movie in limited release early in 2005.  I am interested in getting a copy of it in dvd format upon release.

It's already available in Australia, if your DVD player can handle PAL:


I've heard that it may not be for some aircraft.  What are the rules?

the answer is that you must have a transponder in order to fly in a class C airspace.


Who can tell me how to get rid of a beehive with out getting stung?

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.


Any recommendations for a nice apartment building in SF generally in the SBC Park area?

I can't tell you which of the many are best, but I can tell you about one I lived in briefly.\nI 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.  \nThe 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.\nSo depending on your budget, your need for convenience and culture, and your tolerance for small rooms and/or omnirooms, it may suit you.


i.e.
which is the smallest nation?
which is the next one in size?
and then the next one?

How did they manage to become countries?

1. The Vatican City in central Rome ranks as the smallest nation of the world. It measures 0.17 square miles.
\n2. Monaco.
\n3. San Marino.\nHow did they manage to become countries?
\n1. 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.
\n2. Monaco came under French protection in 1861. However from 1911, when the first constitution was promulgated, the prince of Monaco was an absolute ruler.
\n3. 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.


I'm trying to have a library of the best riddles that people encountered. So a good riddle would be a riddle that has no ugly tricks in it- pure logic answer – no tricks, no funky solutions.

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.\nanswer: "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)


Running a restaurant looks like hard work and long hours.

What percentage of restaurants are profitable?  And what is the average revenue and net income of a small 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.\nAnother 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.


Giving that it is a clean and safe energy, and that almost all the time there are waves, why we are not using that to generate power

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.\nForcing 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...


I don't want to see any more High School kids on the court, shooting airballs and missing defensive assignments.

The NBA does have minor leagues - they're called the CBA, and the International leagues. :)\nSeriously - 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.


and what does that word mean if it's not a common word.

The longest word without a vowel is Rhythm.\nIt is referenced on below web site where you can find more fun facts.


Let me break it down-\nEngine- 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.\nBrakes- 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.\nAerodynamics- 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.\nTraction 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.\nTransmisison- 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. \nWhat doesn't make the cars fast-\nTires- 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.\nWheels- Size limited to prevent the installation of overlarge brakes which would also push the drivers beyond the limits of human physiology\nBrakes- As stated earlier, size limited.  Also, no ABS at all (outlawed in 1994).


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.\nNow 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.


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...\n--but more importantly, there will no longer be any slaying in Sunnydale, or is that Sunnyvale....


Just a philosophical question, nothing more.


this is a miracle- I always wanted to learn to fly one of those. Can someone explain how can it get airborne?

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.


[colleges & univs]

Upto 1980s and early 90s, Big Ten conference had only 10 schools. But then somehow it was decided to add PSU as the 11th Big-Ten school.

Any thoughts/insight on why the name of the conference not changed?

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. \nOne 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.\nIt 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.


I want to know what is required of landlords and tenants in California.

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.


How can I calculate a random number in a Triangular distribution random function? Is there a java packa\nged somewhere which does it?

check out this site:\nhttp://mathworld.wolfram.com/TriangularDistribution.html


Can we capture light in a container? Will it run and shine forever? What kind of internal material we should use in order to do that?

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.\nSome radioactive substances have a pretty long half-life and will appear to glow steadily without much decay over the scale of a human lifetime.\nNow, 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.\nOnce 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.


The two businesses are very complementary in terms of strengths and weaknesses. Do we want to beat ourselves up competing with each other for resources and market share, or unite to beat MSFT?

Their respective market caps are too close for this to ever happen.\nInterestingly, 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.


can an animal feel regrets , compassion, sad, fear etc?

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.\nOne 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.\nMy 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.  \nIf 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.


I never took trig. Is it the level after calculus?

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.\nIn 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).


The purpose is functional, but it's psychological rather than mechanical.\n\nHere's an explanation, from: http://www.slyasafox.com/book/book_33.html\n\n"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. \n\nElevator 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. \n\nThen 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.\n\nWhen 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?\n\nThis 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. \n\n\nThey 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. \n\nt 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?\n\nBy 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." \n\n


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 and then using 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.


what's the origin of the notion of marriage as "tying the knot?"

Bed frames used to be sprung with rope. To make a marriage bed you needed to 'tie the knot'


The lovable Cubs need to win the big one!

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
\nhttp://us.yesasia.com/en/index.aspx
\nfor my Asian DVD & CD needs.  You often have a choice of region format, and its cheaper than buying it in some store.


What does it represent?  I heard few theories about it but not sure what is the correct one

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.


How many wins do you guys think the 49ers will get this year?  What is a good number?

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.


I seem to be having my temporary memory lapse and can't seem to be recollecting my deceased wife's name. Can someone help?

-- 007

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.\nI've never read the books, so I don't know if he every married in the books.


If I change a job, and roll my 401k into an IRA, can I then take money out of the IRA to fund my childrens education without the penalty?

You can withdraw the money for childrens higher education. Details:<br />\nHigher education expenses.   Even if you are under age 59½, 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.


Usually it is the quarterback, but during an option play it can be someone else.  Can anyone throw the ball if they are behind the line of scrimmage?  Or are there just a few players who are allowed to?

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.


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!..."


How does that work and how many years can I carry forward?

You can keep dumping every year upto a net loss of $3,000.00


I have a book that Ive being writing for sometime now, and I think that I would like to try and publish it

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.


My realtor wants to list the craters on the MLS listings.

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...


What is the average price for a condo/townhouse in San Jose

I recently came across a site that offers some pricing information for the silicon valley:


<br>There are many different names. Who decide what will be the next Pope's name?


astronomy. I would like to know how many days hours, or weeks it would take to get to the Moon from Earth.

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:\nLaunched: 16 July 1969 UT 13:32:00 (09:32:00 a.m. EDT)<br />\nLanded on Moon: 20 July 1969 UT 20:17:40 (04:17:40 p.m. EDT)\nIt 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.\nIf 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.\nI've included a link that has the history of all missions to the moon, manned and unmanned.


Do math olympiads begin at Elementary level or at Middle or at High school?

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.\nThe org also hosts a number of other competition for other students from jr. high and below but those are separate.


For examples,

Bill = William,
Dick = Ricard

Al - Albert, Alfred, Alan
\nBob - Robert
\nBeth - Elizabeth
\nBill(y) - William
\nCathy - Catherine
\nChris - Christopher
\nDeb(bie) - Deborah, Debra
\nDick(y)(ie) - Richard
\nDon(nie)(y) - Donald
\nDom - Domenic, Dominic
\nEd(die)(dy) - Edward
\nFred(dy)(die) - Frederick
\nJim(my)(mie) - James
\nJoe(y) - Joseph
\nKate - Katherine
\nKim - Kimberl(e)y
\nLarry - Lawrence
\nLiz - Elizabeth
\nMaggie(y) - Margaret
\nMargy(ie) - Margaret
\nMatt(y)(ie) - Matthew
\nMike - Michael
\nNick - Nicholas
\nPeggy - Margaret
\nPhil - Phillip/Philip
\nPete - Peter
\nRick(y) - Richard
\nRay - Raymond
\nRon(ny)(ie) - Ronald, Veronica
\nSteve - Steven, Stephen
\nTina - Christina
\nTim(my) - Timothy
\nTom(my) - Thomas
\nTory(ie) - Victoria
\nWill(ie)(y) - William
\nVic - Victor
\nVin(nie)(ny) - Vincent
\nVal - Valerie


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.


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.


i have a really bad one now so wondering

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.\nOther causes are stress, allergies, etc. Dr. Hoffman's reference below explains some of these in detail.


The whole Katrina/New Orleans thing has been bungled on so many different levels it boggles the mind. But one issue, in particular, simply blows me away every time I think about it:

Why did it take so long to send buses to get folks out of the Superdome and Convention Center?!

We move 50-60,000 people out of stadiums literally every day in America. And given the road to the Superdome remained open, at least as I understand it, I simply can't comprehend why 2000 buses weren't sent to New Orleans within 1-2 days.

While that may seem like a lot of buses, it's not much more than the number of school buses and public buses in most major cities. So why weren't all buses in cities commandered and sent into action as "rescue vehicles".

Does anyone have a cite to an article that specifically addresses that issue?

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.


I have an iPod photo 30GB but am considering selling it to switch to Yahoo! Music Unlimited.  Any recommendations on the best players that are compatible with the subscription service YMU?  Looking for similar 30GB capacity.  Color and ability to capture / show digital photos like the iPod photo would be desirable features.

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.


i heard about those, but have just a vague understanding about them.

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.\nThis would indicate a phenomenon that has extra-galactic origins... for example, activity inside of an active galactic nuclei, or quasars.\nBecause 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.


Whereas reading books isn't in general (no doubt there are some avid readers but  I am talking about the majority).

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.\nLast, 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.


The rest of the world call this game 'football', which is self explanatory...

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."\nSince the term "football" was already used in the U.S. to describe a different game, the name "soccer" stuck here.


Just catching up with the latest geography.

[expecting an email notification when this question expires]

Sucre is the legal capital, though the government sits in La Paz


And with which one you had a bad experience?

Costco gives some of the best rates. \nThe 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!


One would expect that it would be of an interest of states to have alternate resources.

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.\nIncidentally, 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.


What is the reason that some types of dog are considered to be better off with out their 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.\nSecondly, 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. \nEver thought of the word CUR-TAIL? :-)


re there any square stars in the galaxy?

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.


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.


Found an interesting article on this...\nYawning 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. \nThere 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. \nThis is a great compensatory mechanism, without which we would drop into sleep suddenly without warning, as in patients with narcolepsy.


Why do i sound different when I listen to my own voice on the answering machine or tape recorder?

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)".


Those few colors that you can create all the rest of the colors out of their mix

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).


Why are there two Supermen and why is one older than the other?

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.  \nEarth 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.\nEarth 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.


What are the necessary qualifications and the process to get on the high 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).\nIt 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
\nis 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)
\nand in subsequent years was rather disappointed at some of Stevens' decisions. \nThere is a lot more information at the official Supreme Court site: http://www.supremecourtus.gov/


You all remember that "All Your Base Are Belong to Us" internet phenomenon from early 2000.  I recently saw it again and read the game transcript.  What could the (poor) Japanese-English translator possibly have been trying to communicate with the word "Zig"?

Cats: You have no chance to survive make your time.
Cats: HA HA HA HA ....
Captain: Take off every 'zig' !!
Captain: You know what you doing.
Captain: Move 'zig'.
Captain: For great justice.

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 "zig" be? well, it would seem that the word "zig," 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 "all your base are belong to us" phenomena, the word "zig" is actually a made up name for the fighter plane you pilot throughout the game. think "x-wing" and you're on the right track.<br />\n"Take off every zig!!" likely meant that every zig fighter needed to take off to battle the mysteriously robotic villian of the game, known only as "Cats."


Do those Pimsleur cds really work? any other recommendation?


i've been using tags in products such as delicious, my web 2.0, and flickr...but how do i explain the significance of tagging to somebody like my mom?  what does it all mean?

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. \n\nNow 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.\n\nOf 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.


... you will need to scale them at most three times to identify the look-alike one.  Note that you don't know if the look-alike stone is lighter or heavier than the rest.

The answer is 9 stones (or maybe more). \n\nAfter adding a look-alike to 9 stones, there will be 10. Name them ABCDEFGHIJ.\n\n"ABC<DEF" means "the stones ABC as a group weigh less than the stones DEF."\n\nWeighing 1. Weigh ABC vs. DEF.\n\nIf ABC<DEF:\n--Weighing 2. Weigh ABC vs. GHI.\n----If ABC<GHI, the look-alike must be light and among ABC.\n----Weighing 3. Weigh A vs. B.\n------If A<B, the look-alike is A.\n------If A=B, the look-alike is C.\n------If A>B, the look-alike is B.\n----If ABC=GHI, the look-alike must be heavy and among DEF.\n----Weighing 3. Weigh D vs. E.\n------If D<E, the look-alike is E.\n------If D=E, the look-alike is F.\n------If D>E, the look-alike is D.\n\nIf ABC=DEF, the look-alike must be among GHIJ.\n--Weighing 2. Weigh G vs. H.\n----If G=H, the look-alike candidates are I and J.\n----Otherwise, the look-alike candidates are G and H.\n----Weighing 3. Weigh one of the two candidates against A.\n------If they differ in weight, the look-alike is that candidate, otherwise it is the other candidate.\n\nIf ABC>DEF:\n--Weighing 2. Weigh ABC vs. GHI.\n----If ABC>GHI, the look-alike must be heavy and among ABC.\n----Weighing 3. Weigh A vs. B.\n------If A<B, the look-alike is B.\n------If A=B, the look-alike is C.\n------If A>B, the look-alike is A.\n----If ABC=GHI, the look-alike must be light and among DEF.\n----Weighing 3. Weigh D vs. E.\n------If D<E, the look-alike is D.\n------If D=E, the look-alike is F.\n------If D>E, the look-alike is E.


No, you can't!  I mean, what would they look like?  It's crazy!  I want to be able to see more colors, more than infra-red and ultra-violet; I'm not talking about those invisible colors, I'm talkin REAL colors!  Wouldn't it be cool if you woke up tomorrow and you could see more colors?  A brand new color... you could call it "murple" so "purple" would be easier to rhyme.  What would it look like?  I mean... green kinda looks like blue... orange kinda looks like yellow... murple kinda looks like red?  Who knows?  Kinda mind-boggling, isn't it?  :)

Try this one, NO colors, that would be freaky. everything just black or white, no "in-betweens"!


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.  \nHere 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 larget city in terms of the population and density?

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:\n\n1. Seoul 10.2 million \n2. Sao Paulo 10 million\n3. Mumbai 9.9 million\n4. Jakarta 9.37 million\n5. Karachi 9.3 million\n6. Moscow 8.29 million\n7. Istanbul 8.26 million\n8. Mexico City 8.23 million\n9. Shanghai 8.2 million\n10. Tokyo 8.1 million


Looking for a great instructor and relatively affordable price. I have no experience but have a desire to learn.

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.


that is, Champions League or European Cup competitions...

Real Madrid has won 9 titles, followed by 6 for AC Milan and 5 for Liverpool.


I need to find answers to questions such as what is the biggest...? What's the tallest...? What is the fastest...?, etc.

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!


What's up with the team again?  Offensive line? Coaching?

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).\n\n2.  Injuries:  9 guys on IR, including starting Center, starting T, starting FS and SS, starting LB and starting TE.\n\n3.  Four different starting QBs this season.\n\n4.  Barlow not a difference maker/elite back.  His 3.3 yards per carry are actually worse than last year!\n\n5.  Unimaginative play calling (other than first game of season).\n\n6.  49ers lead the league by a wide margin in number of series that go 3-and-out.  This leaves the defense vulnerable.


So, what will be the distance from the sun that makes it reasonable to look for life?

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.\n\nThis fact is well established, but further research is required to understand *why* there is such a huge difference in temperature between the two.\n\nNow for the second part of your question:\n\nThe 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.\n\nThere 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.


I think Atlanta or Dallas are strong candidates, especially as they make a push towards the playoffs.

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.


What do you think it means? I know its showing up alot on the TV show Lost, so what is it and why do you think it's everywhere on the show?

Don't know yet, but lots of wild theories and mathematical approaches being tried (some, via\nhttp://myweb2.search.yahoo.com/search?p=4%208%2015%2016%2023%2042):\n\nhttp://www.d.kth.se/~dicander/lost.html\n\nhttp://www.4815162342.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=3


Prefer Indoor Men's 6s - A/AA competitive league or\na coed, somewhat competitive league (B/BB)

I would try IVL (http://www.ivlinc.com/) or City Beach (http://www.citybeach.com/sports/sports_volleyball.htm)


I had a hard time trying to figure out what my security key was. I don't even remember ever having one.

Yahoo! Help\n\nYou 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. \nMake 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. \n\nYou can obtain any other information with Customer Care.


Every year sportswriters and fans complain about how unfair the BCS is, so what's preventing the various conferences from a playoff system?

- The bowls came first and have to be dislodged\n\n- 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.\n\n- 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 Joaquin Phoenix playing in the "Germany" scenes in Walk the Line?  You can see the one I mean at about 30 seconds and 50 seconds (the hangar and the music store) in the trailer on Yahoo! Movies.\n\nIt doesn't appear to have a standard sound hole, just two curved openings on either side of the strings.  It's almost like an archtop, but I can't believe it's an electric; that seems out of character and you never see him with an amp.\n\nBonus points, where can I buy one?

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.\n\nThe 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).


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. \n\nIf 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. \n\nI'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.


I don't know what the minimum GPA is to get into colleges. If my GPA isn't that high will I still get in? I don't want to go to a community college though.

Yeah u can get in to college . A 3.0 is really good my friend. I understand what you are going through..\n\n   Then www.gradschool.com is a good source


Historically I believe it would be  Babe Didrikson Zaharias, who was a golfer and olympic track star.\n\nAnswers.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."


In much the same way that a a radio telescope 'sees' past events, 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.\n\nThe 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.


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 are the differences between the those beams?

Materials that form an inverse energy distribution?  Not quite.\n\nThere 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.\n\nThere 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.\n\nJust 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


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"


my league has PT, RB, AS, ST, BL, 3s, TO, FG%, FT%\n\nshould i give up Baron and Joe for The Answer and a scrub? or for Elton Brand and a scrub?

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.


I've also heard that it's bad to sleep more than 10 hours a 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.
\ni'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.
\ni've included a yahoo! health article to help shed light on some of your own personal sleep habits.


Please, none of those "it's beyond our understanding" answers.  I want some real answers here!

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?\n\nAnd it was said:\nJob 40 \n1 ¶ And Jehovah answered Job and said:\n2 Shall a reprover contend with the Almighty? He who reproves God, let him answer it.\n3 Then Job answered Jehovah and said:\n4 Behold, I am vile! What shall I answer You? I will put my hand to my mouth.\n5 Once I have spoken, but I will not answer; yea, twice, but I will go no further.\n6 ¶ And Jehovah answered Job out of the tempest and said:\n7 Now gird up your loins like a man, and I will question you; and you make Me to know.\n8 Will you also set aside My judgment; will you condemn Me so that you may be justified?\n9 And have you an arm like God; or can you thunder with a voice like His?\n10 Adorn yourself with majesty now, and with grandeur, and clothe yourself with glory and honor;\n11 pour forth the outbursts of your anger; yea, look on everyone who is proud, and bring him down low;\n12 look on everyone who is proud, and humble him, and trample the wicked in their place;\n13 hide them in the dust together; bind their faces in darkness.\n\nKnow that to contend to know G-d is to set yourself above him.\n\nA previous answer blasphemed: “G-d desires that we do not suffer, but as a result of the choices men made we have suffering.”\n\nAnd also: “But there is a plan to alleviate the suffering. And that is through redemption.”\n\nLies.  \n\nAnd “John 3:16”?!  I think that means “go Broncos.”\n\nAn alternative explanation is the easy one:  there is no G-d.  You either believe that, or you blaspheme in the attempt to understand Him.


Appeal to their ego? wallets? sense of belonging? or something else?

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.\n\nSee my answer to the question, "Why am I only allowed to answer 10 questions a day here?":\n\nhttp://answers.yahoo.com/question/?qid=1005120801767\n\nOn 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.


Nikki Hilton's and Renee Zellwegger's super-short marriages this year got me thinking-- which celebrity had the shortest marriage of all time?

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. \n\nBritney's was 48 hours, while Mrs. Gabor's was just a day.


I'm sick of all the pre-approved credit card solicitations, etc....

Here is a useful link:  http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/alerts/optoutalrt.htm


It is believed that the pilgrims and indians shared wild turkey and venison on the original Thanksgiving. \n\nTurkey's "Americanness" was established by Benjamin Franklin, who had advocated for the turkey, not the bald eagle, becoming the national bird.


For a podcasting application, I'd like my web server to be able to receive audio straight from the browser. Something like a "Push to talk" button. It seems it's possible to do this with Flash. Is there any other way?\n\nWith Flash, do I need to buy a Macromedia server licence, or are there alternatives to have Flash on the browser talk to my server?

Userplane has an audio/video recorder that will do that - you can check it out at http://www.userplane.com/apps/videoRecorder.cfm


I'm trying to make a cell that has a list of other cells.  e.g. I want my cell to say "[d4's value], [d5's value]"\n\nCan I do that?  Right now when I try, Excel spits out the "#value" error.  Can you help?

Use the CONCATENATE function, with one of the arguments being ", "\n\nThe formula you end up with should look something like this:\n=CONCATENATE(D3,", ",D5)


"Who Shot J.R.?" on Dallas or the finale of "M*A*S*H"?

The finale of "M*A*S*H":\n\n'"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).'


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.)


Don't want to go overboard on budget or features. Just want something better than a 17" monitor to work and play with.\n\nMore interested in quality, performance, ease of use.

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.\n\nSharkeyExtreme (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.


Walgreen's had two ugly ones to choose from. Any place have a better selection of skirts to lay down 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!


I know "nobody walks in L.A." but what if you don't have a car? What are my options for getting around L.A. by bus or other public transit?

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!


Pure luck or Government's way of trying to balance the rich and the poor.

I would put it down to psychology.\n\nPeople 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?". \n\nIt would seem to make sense to me.\n\naddition: 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.


Maps, web-sites and tips are most welcome...

Here are my favorite mountain bike trails in the Bay Area:\n\n-Upper Stevens Creek which hooks up to the Montbello Preserve in the Cupertino/Saratoga Foothills\n-St. Joseph's Hill in Los Gatos\n-Fort Ord / Laguana Seca near Montery\n-Wilder Ranch in Santa Cruz\n-Nisene Marks in Santa Cruz\n-Fremont Older in Cupertino/Saratoga


In the US and other countries.\n\ne.g. could I create a web site where I say that I rate Doctor X 70/100 and Doctor Y 75/100, without any other explanation?\n\nWhat if I do provide an explanation?\n\nWhat if I rated mechanics instead of medical doctors?

NOT LEGAL ADVICE:\nAs 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?)  \n\nIf 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.  \n\nShouldn'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.\n\nGood luck!


Jojo never goes to the shop, and if she does, she never gets me anything. Why is that?

Why don't you ALL go to the shop and stop stealing from my survivors "end of the world" kit of food!!!


It's my first time building a bike from scratch and I found some wheels I really like but I was told that they aare 26" rims and not the standard 700c clinchers I think I need. Would it still be compatible with my aluminum cyclocross frame?

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).\n\nThere's some good general information on equipment on Dave Carr's Cross Page (listed below). Good luck!


Since FIMA is estimating that the next big disaster will be a more then 7.0 earthquake in CA.

Just a reminder that on Aug 2001 they have predicted 3 disaster scenarios:
First: terror attack on NYC
Second: a 5.0 category hurricane in New Orleans
Third: a more then 7.0 earthquake in California

We are down to the third one……

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.<br />\nthe red cross offers a checklist for an emergency kit, the link is below.


Seems the vast majority of humans live long enough to procreate.  Is natural selection dead (or sleepy)?  If not, what are the attributes that are being selected for/against in humans these days?

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.\n\nGiven 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?\n\nIs 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.


Should I go with Pittsburgh or New England?

I would go Pittsburg. Polamalu is almost guaranteed at least 2 interceptions against Palmer.


On September 21, 1991, USA Basketball announced the\n"Dream Team" for the 1992 Olympics. Charles Barkley,\nLarry Bird, Patrick Ewing, Magic Johnson, Michael\nJordan, Karl Malone, Chris Mullin, Scottie Pippen,\nDavid Robinson and John Stockton were named. Christian\nLaettner and Clyde Drexler were later added. Which\nplayer led the team in scoring at the Barcelona Games?

Charles Barkley with 144 points (18.0 avg).


I lived in Canada for a year and when ever I asked a Canadian why they celebrated thanksgiving (I understand why Americans do, but not canadians!) they didnt know either... so if you do know - let me know!

Canadians celebrate Thanksgiving on the 2nd Monday of October.\n\n"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.\n\nDuring 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."\n\nMore information about the history of Canadian Thanksgiving:\n\nhttp://www.geocities.com/ouravonlea/canadian-thanksgiving.html


It seems to mean different things and different technologies to different people.

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:\n\n* Services, not packaged software, with cost-effective scalability\n* Control over unique, hard-to-recreate data sources that get richer as more people use them\n* Trusting users as co-developers\n* Harnessing collective intelligence\n* Leveraging the long tail through customer self-service\n* Software above the level of a single device\n* Lightweight user interfaces, development models, AND business models


With Harden's oblique seeming like Hudson part deux..\nCan Billy dare trade Zito this year?\nPart 2 of the question If Zito is not traded, will he be signed next year and beyond or allowed to to enter free agency after 2006?

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.


assuming of course they were in power in new york and new jersey, respectively, at the same time instead of decades apart. and i'll choose your answer as the best one if you can match up members of each family who'd go head to head if they went to war.

The Corleones are more powerful, hands down.\n\nand 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.\n\nHead to head war, \nCorleones (GF1) vs. Sopranos (S1):\nVito (or Michael) Corleone vs. Tony Soprano\nSonny vs. Christopher\nClemenza vs. Silvio\nTessio vs. Paulie\nFredo vs. Big Pussy\nBarzini vs. Junior\nand Kay vs. Carmela :-)


why do people talk about google as "evil" (or "not evil")? Where does this relationship come from?

Their motto is "Don't be evil", in response to Microsoft's reputation as "The Evil Empire".


I'm concerned that upgrading via a PCI card will not be any better.  Any advice would be appreciated.

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.


dhcp server from where my interface got the lease 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.\n\nDHCPCD is a popular one.  Look to /etc/dhcpc for any files that might be there.\n\nPUMP is also a frequent program in use by some versions of RedHat Linux.  Run "pump -i eth0 --status" assuming your ethernet interface is eth0\n\nDHCLIENT -- run "locate dhclient.leases" and look into that file if you see that process running.


downhill skateboarding is aka slope style skateboarding.

the streets of san francisco --amazing views, a lot of stamina, cool cafes to stop by...


Permutation\nSuppose 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.\n\nBecause 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:\n\n      CA   CT   AC   AT   TC   TA\n\nCombination\nWhen 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:\n\n      CA   CT   AT


I see many firms advertising that they assist with "Sarbaines Oxley compliance".  Can you explain the legislation and who is affected?  How does one become "Sarbaines Oxley compliant"?

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.\n\nFrom 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.


If you don't have a handicap higher lower than 10 or are playing super hard and fast greens does it make a difference in performance to use exepnsive 2,3 or 4 layer urethane golf balls instead of cheaper ones?

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.


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


Whenever I'm visiting Peets and order a speciality coffee, I'm asked for my firstname, for which I do not know the English equivalent (I'm currently using "Ryan". "Reggie" turned out to be a disaster!).\n\nAccording to Wikipedia, the name "Reinhard" is composed of the ancient Germanic words "ragina" ('advice') and "harti" ('hard', 'strong'), meaning: "strong in giving advice" = "the knowledgeable".\n\nOh, so a great name for "Yahoo! Q&A" could also be "Yahoo! Reinhard"?!

According to this page in the French wikipedia, Reinhard comes from Regin + Hard (strong advice as you mention)\n\nhttp://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_de_Renart\n\nInterestingly, 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".\n\n"Reinhard  : Voir Renard pour le sens. Le nom est porté en Alsace-Lorraine. Variantes : Reinhardt, Reinhart, Reinharth, Reinard, Reinardt, Reinartz, Reinert, Reinertz."\n\n"Renard, Renart   Nom de personne d'origine germanique, Raginhard (ragin = conseil + hard = dur). Faut-il le rappeler, le nom commun renard est au départ un prénom, et c'est la popularité du goupil, nommé Renart dans le célèbre roman médiéval, qui en a fait peu à peu un nom commun."\n\nThe English version has less information regarding the names:\n\nhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reynard\n\nSo you can just ask people to call you "Fox". :-)


I'm working remotely right now and I was wondering if it would be worth it to fly back to check in with all things Y! and attend the Year End Party. For people who've been there before, is it worth it?

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.\n\nThey 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).  \n\nBut 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.\n\nThe 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.\n\nIt doesn't look like last year's photos links work anymore :(


I seem that the entire world is dealing with it- what makes it different then other epidemic diseases?

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.\nUnder 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.


would love to be able to watch games from Europe...

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.


I tried configuring and setting up my wirelesss router which I bought from CompUSA but it won't let me get online even though it detects my IP address and shows a strong wireless connection. What could be the problem?

Few things to look for:\n\n1. Do you have cable or dsl or dial connection?\n2. 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.\n3. Did you connect the ethernet cable from the cable/dsl modem to the \n    WAN port of the router?\n4. 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.\n5. Run the following command in the command window (start->Run->cmd)\n       ping www.yahoo.com\n\nHope this helps.