Answerbag: Aminor's answers

Answer to Is hdsquaver actually used frequently as shorthand for hemidemisemiquaver?

Mon, 03 Jul 2006 09:32:18 -0700

Is hdsquaver actually used frequently as shorthand for hemidemisemiquaver?

I've never seen it, but that doesn't prove it doesn't happen. If it does, though, it's likely to be in older writing, particularly older British writing (or texts translated from European languages), which is the only place you find quavers and their progeny to begin with. Modernly, the system of...

Answer to Is there any research being done about using cannabis as a biomass fuel?

Mon, 20 Feb 2006 19:40:30 -0800

Is there any research being done about using cannabis as a biomass fuel?

Interesting idea. One pictures a steep drop in violent crime but big spikes in junk food consumption downwind of the generating plants.

Answer to In order to make passenger airships safe and more practical again, what would it take to invent a gas lighter than helium, but non-explosive?

Mon, 20 Feb 2006 19:38:39 -0800

In order to make passenger airships safe and more practical again, what would it take to invent a gas lighter than helium, but non-explosive?

The answer from Anonymous effectively treats the problems with "invent a gas," but the real issue here is that the gas isn't the problem. Helium works just fine. (Come to that, hydrogen worked just fine if you were careful. The Hindenburg seized the public imagination to an...

Answer to How possible is it to "beam up" a person like they do on Star Trek?

Mon, 20 Feb 2006 19:24:52 -0800

How possible is it to "beam up" a person like they do on Star Trek?

Not at all, and extremely unlikely ever to become so. Even with the wildest assumptions about inventions to come, the math is daunting -- and the inventions would have to be really off the wall before there's even anything to talk about. Scientific American did an article on the problems a...

Answer to How much longer will it take before humans actually create transporter technology?

Mon, 20 Feb 2006 19:19:47 -0800

How much longer will it take before humans actually create transporter technology?

If you mean a la Star Trek, actually move an existent thing by some sort of wave or particle transmission like radio or television, nobody knows. The odds are that it will never happen because of inherent physics limitations. However, it is possible to, in effect, fax a real object, that is,...

Answer to What is the hardest classical piece for an orchestra to play?

Tue, 07 Feb 2006 10:24:42 -0800

What is the hardest classical piece for an orchestra to play?

If you mean what specific piece, there's really no answer -- no one work that's dreaded by everyone. Experienced professional musicians are just too good. But there's a general answer: the one that's furthest from what they're used to. Usually that will mean something...

Answer to Are there any adhesive materials that can be used as a homing device?

Mon, 06 Feb 2006 07:41:55 -0800

Are there any adhesive materials that can be used as a homing device?

If "homing" means retracting or recovering, I can't think of any. But if a light in the window is a homing device at night, then so would any glow-in-the-dark or highly reflective adhesive be. There probably are some.

Answer to What would happen if Answerbag ripped and answers spilled out all over the floor?

Mon, 06 Feb 2006 07:30:02 -0800

What would happen if Answerbag ripped and answers spilled out all over the floor?

We'd be busily looking for questions in a world ruled by Alex Trebek.

Answer to Do illiterate people get the full effect of alphabet soup?

Mon, 06 Feb 2006 07:20:51 -0800

Do illiterate people get the full effect of alphabet soup?

Waiter, threre's a typo in my soup!

Answer to If masochists like to torture themselves, wouldn't they do it best by not torturing themselves? And if so, aren't we all masochists?

Mon, 06 Feb 2006 07:17:28 -0800

If masochists like to torture themselves, wouldn't they do it best by not torturing themselves? And if so, aren't we all masochists?

Ancient joke: Masochist: "Beat me!" Sadist: "No."

Answer to How come it's bad to drink before you eat? Or isn't it?

Mon, 06 Feb 2006 07:14:24 -0800

How come it's bad to drink before you eat? Or isn't it?

If you mean booze, it depends. More than a little alcohol beforehand will make the actual quality of the food progressively irrelevant, though how your enjoyment is affected, if at all, is personal to you. The assumption underlying the traditional aperitif is that for most people, one or too...

Answer to Why do women seem to be naturally more gifted at playing Minesweeper?

Mon, 06 Feb 2006 06:53:09 -0800

Why do women seem to be naturally more gifted at playing Minesweeper?

This is one of those questions, one of many, where the correct response is to step back a pace and inquire whether the assumed premise is true. Is there a scrap of anything like real evidence that women are or are not better at playing Minesweeper? Note that I'm asking whether there's...

Answer to If you ate pasta and antipasta at the same time, would you still be hungry?

Mon, 06 Feb 2006 06:44:14 -0800

If you ate pasta and antipasta at the same time, would you still be hungry?

No, but you'd disppear.

Answer to My cat eats mice. Does that mean that I should try one too?

Mon, 06 Feb 2006 06:42:13 -0800

My cat eats mice. Does that mean that I should try one too?

As a survey of the answers reveals, it's not clear whether you're asking whether you could safely eat mice, given that your cat does (would it make a reliable taster), whether you could live on mice if required (would they nourish you as they do the cat), or whether it would be sensible...

Answer to Why do people hate lawyers so much?

Fri, 23 Dec 2005 00:46:53 -0800

Why do people hate lawyers so much?

It's often a case of wanting to kill the messenger. Everyone has a personal, interior notion of what his or her legal rights are, what they're entitled to do or not do, what the law is about various things, etc. -- a more or less highly elaborated picture of their legal position...

Answer to Do extraterrestrials have any protection under the law?

Thu, 28 Jul 2005 23:12:08 -0700

Do extraterrestrials have any protection under the law?

There's a 1996 (I think) book by Professor Christopher D. Stone (of USC) called "Should Trees Have Standing?" the standing in question being legal standing to assert rights. He considers the issues and, as I recall, ends up suggesting that natural objects, perhaps nature itself,...

Answer to How can I stop my dog from pulling on her leash when we walk?

Thu, 28 Jul 2005 23:02:50 -0700

How can I stop my dog from pulling on her leash when we walk?

I agree about pincer collars -- they work because the dog doesn't like the feeling, but they're much less dangerous than the dog driving its windpipe against a continuous collar, especially something hard. By the way, the one time, years ago, when we actually took dogs to obedience...

Answer to Where can I find an authentic-looking adult-sized space suit?

Thu, 14 Jul 2005 16:51:58 -0700

Where can I find an authentic-looking adult-sized space suit?

Try some company that deals in old movie props. (I'm presuming that "authentic-looking" means you don't need a real one.)

Answer to How long would it take radio signals to travel from Earth to Venus and back?

Thu, 14 Jul 2005 16:27:40 -0700

How long would it take radio signals to travel from Earth to Venus and back?

Depends where they are in their respective orbits. Since Earth averages about 93 million miles from the Sun and Venus averages about 67 million miles, the distance between them could vary from (approximately) 26 to 160 million miles. Pick a distance, divide by the speed of light (roughly 186,000...

Answer to If traditional Chinese medicine is so effective, why is life expectancy in China lower than in countries like Germany, Switzerland or the US?

Thu, 14 Jul 2005 16:05:00 -0700

If traditional Chinese medicine is so effective, why is life expectancy in China lower than in countries like Germany, Switzerland or the US?

First of all, the Chinese use what we think of as "Western" medicine extensively -- the idea that once you're in China it's all herbs and poultices is a silly stereotype. Second, if you made a list of factors that determine national life expectancy, local philosophy of...

Answer to Is it true that using a cell phone while at a gas station can cause an explosion?

Thu, 14 Jul 2005 15:50:33 -0700

Is it true that using a cell phone while at a gas station can cause an explosion?

I'm not usually sympathetic to using TV as a reference source, but Myth Busters did a pretty thorough job on this. In the course of debunking it, they created what should have been a highly flammable, enclosed atmosphere, seriously degraded the interior wiring of a cell phone to make it as...

Answer to I heard that when you're stopped, you should shift to neutral from drive to increase the life of the engine and keep it cool. Is this true?

Mon, 11 Jul 2005 20:07:24 -0700

I heard that when you're stopped, you should shift to neutral from drive to increase the life of the engine and keep it cool. Is this true?

You don't say whether you're in an automatic or stick shift. If the latter, yes, don't sit there with the clutch pedal depressed, shift to neutral and let the pedal up. It won't make any difference to the engine, but it will save the throwout bearings in the clutch. In an...

Answer to What is laminar flow?

Sat, 09 Jul 2005 15:58:57 -0700

What is laminar flow?

Laminar flow is important stuff in more fields and more fluids than one would at first guess. Laminar flow of any fluid agrees roughly with our instinctive sense of "smooth," non-turbulent flow; flow free of swirls, eddies, back currents, or other disturbances. David Hedrick's...

Answer to What does the 'viscosity' of a fluid mean?

Sat, 09 Jul 2005 15:11:39 -0700

What does the 'viscosity' of a fluid mean?

Viscosity is indeed a fluid's tendency to resist flow, as noted correctly in the other answers posted, and the notion agrees with our everyday experience that some things flow easily, some not. But our experience isn't all there is, and viscosity is only half of what's important...

Answer to Will storing batteries in the freezer extend their life?

Thu, 07 Jul 2005 16:18:59 -0700

Will storing batteries in the freezer extend their life?

No. Some of the confusion may arise from news about supercooled circuits, etc. The general rule is that cold is the friend of circuits, which profit from improved cooling (and a big drop in resistance if it gets REALLY cold), but the enemy of batteries, which depend on chemical reactions that...

Answer to What exactly does a conductor do in an orchestra?

Thu, 07 Jul 2005 15:57:14 -0700

What exactly does a conductor do in an orchestra?

The conductor's primary job is to conceive a certain vision of a musical work, based on knowledge, experience, and his or her own artistic sense, and then to lead, command, cajole, instruct, drive, beg, badger, enlighten, tease, frighten, inspire -- whatever it takes, depending on personal...

Answer to Do public defenders work for the accused, or the court in which they work?

Sun, 03 Jul 2005 21:29:38 -0700

Do public defenders work for the accused, or the court in which they work?

They're usually paid by some public jurisdiction, but they "work for" the accused in the sense that he or she is the client, with all that implies as to ethical obligations, including best efforts, confidentiality, etc. They are in some sense "officers of the court," but...

Answer to How can I build a system that is ultra-quiet?

Sun, 03 Jul 2005 21:22:37 -0700

How can I build a system that is ultra-quiet?

Water cooled systems are markedly cooler than regular, in-case cooling fans. They use larger, slower turning fans. They are a little complicated to set up, but everything comes in a kit with instructions. You probably would want to be comfortable opening your case and switching some things...

Answer to Are law enforcement officials ever obligated to inform a suspect of evidence they may have against them?

Thu, 30 Jun 2005 07:14:19 -0700

Are law enforcement officials ever obligated to inform a suspect of evidence they may have against them?

"[E]ver obligated"? Yes, they certainly are. If you are headed to trial for some crime, you are entitled to know, in advance, everything the prosecution thinks it has on you, AND any evidence they have that tends to contradict your guilt ("exculpatory" evidence). The trouble...

Answer to What is the difference between subject matter jurisdiction and personal matter jurisdiction?

Thu, 30 Jun 2005 06:41:55 -0700

What is the difference between subject matter jurisdiction and personal matter jurisdiction?

Personal jurisdiction means jurisdiction over the persons involved in the lawsuit, whether natural persons, corporations, or whatever, essentially the power to bring the parties before the court and bind them with its decisions. Subject matter jurisdiction is just what it sounds like --...

Answer to What is the difference between a creole and a dialect?

Thu, 30 Jun 2005 06:14:49 -0700

What is the difference between a creole and a dialect?

A creole is a language formed from the conjunction of two others, as the creole from French and various African languages in Louisiana (where a fairly stable group of mixed-race people are known as Creoles). A dialect is a local variant of one language, commonly geographic, which may range from...

Answer to I've heard that you need at least a 3 foot mirror to see your whole body. Is this true, and why?

Thu, 30 Jun 2005 05:41:34 -0700

I've heard that you need at least a 3 foot mirror to see your whole body. Is this true, and why?

Quirkie is correct. To check it, look at your head in a mirror, close enough that you can reach the mirror. Carefully put a mark (or a strip of tape or something) at the reflections of some distinguishable points near the top and bottom of your head (maybe hairline and point of chin or...

Answer to If a colorblind person wore color-tinted eyeglass lenses, would they notice?

Thu, 30 Jun 2005 05:34:57 -0700

If a colorblind person wore color-tinted eyeglass lenses, would they notice?

I once saw an exhibit at the Exploratorium (in San Francisco) in which an eyeglass-like frame held two pieces of glass of unlike colors. It was supposed to enable someone colorblind, or partially so, to see color differences, if not actual colors. I don't know how it was supposed to work. I...

Answer to Why, when a wheel is spinning fast, does it sometimes appear to be turning slowly in the opposite direction?

Thu, 30 Jun 2005 05:22:09 -0700

Why, when a wheel is spinning fast, does it sometimes appear to be turning slowly in the opposite direction?

The effect requires "pulsing" of the light, or some of the light, coming from the moving object, agreed, but it doesn't need a strobe light or the like. It can be seen in ordinary daylight under a variety of circumstances. The spokes of wire wheels will reflect a flash of light at...

Answer to Why do mirrors reflect images backwards (left to right), but not up and down?

Thu, 30 Jun 2005 05:12:39 -0700

Why do mirrors reflect images backwards (left to right), but not up and down?

They don't reverse left and right -- that's why they confuse us. We face an image of ourselves and automatically reverse left and right mentally, trying to compensate for what looks like the 180 degree in the direction the image is facing. But the mirror reflects back exactly what it...

Answer to Who "invented" the weekend and why?

Thu, 30 Jun 2005 04:52:12 -0700

Who "invented" the weekend and why?

A day (or partial day) for religious observance is very old. From colonial times in this country it was commonly Sunday, presumably because of the European background of most of those who came here (or who came voluntarily, anyway). But the half day off on Saturday, and then all of Saturday off,...

Answer to How can the light from a galaxy possibly tell us whether it is approaching or receding? The speed of receipt is not supposed to be affected by the speed of the sender. If it was, the effect would be a change of frequency. But it is!

Tue, 21 Jun 2005 20:27:30 -0700

How can the light from a galaxy possibly tell us whether it is approaching or receding? The speed of receipt is not supposed to be affected by the speed of the sender. If it was, the effect would be a change of frequency. But it is!

The speed of receipt is indeed affected and there is indeed a change of frequency, resulting in a "red shift," which gives us information about the speed at which something is receding from us. It's frequently described as a Doppler effect, similar to what happens when a train...

Answer to My stomach hurts, but I don't have diarrhea, and I'm not hungry. What should I do?

Tue, 21 Jun 2005 19:21:49 -0700

My stomach hurts, but I don't have diarrhea, and I'm not hungry. What should I do?

First of all, take nothing by mouth. No food, no over-the-counter medicines, no more water than required to moisten your mouth. If the pain persists (or has persisted) 24 hours, CALL YOUR DOCTOR. If you don't have a doctor, find one. Go to an emergency room if necessary. What you describe...

Answer to Is it true that a hospital won't try as hard to save someone who has signed up to be an organ donor?

Tue, 21 Jun 2005 19:15:58 -0700

Is it true that a hospital won't try as hard to save someone who has signed up to be an organ donor?

KCTrey's answer was quite a bit more balanced and thoughtful than the comments it drew would leave you to believe. Yeah, anybody referring to anything on TV when ostensibly talking about reality is offputting, but leave that and real questions remain. It's understandable that we would...

Answer to can you tell me some voice training techniques and how to devolp your on style

Mon, 20 Jun 2005 04:56:13 -0700

can you tell me some voice training techniques and how to devolp your on style

The thing is, there's no effective way to describe voice technique without being there to demonstrate and listen to what the other person is doing. You can do it all right, and at great length in very many words, but there's absolutely no guarantee -- hell, there isn't even much...

Answer to How much can smoking change your singing voice?

Mon, 20 Jun 2005 04:37:32 -0700

How much can smoking change your singing voice?

How much? Well, it can kill you -- that would be a fairly serious effect. Short of that, there are a lot of ways it can affect your voice, none of them good. Overall, the question is exactly the same as how much can smoking affect your life? And you probably know the answer to that. If...

Answer to what does each of the music dots (do re mi fa sol la si do) represent????? how do you play piano when you have a music sheet???

Mon, 20 Jun 2005 04:33:20 -0700

what does each of the music dots (do re mi fa sol la si do) represent????? how do you play piano when you have a music sheet???

It's a little hard to make out what you're asking. If by "music dots" you mean the notes as printed, each stands for a different pitch -- a "note" -- and indicates when and how and how long it's to be played. If (since you mention the solfege syllables)...

Answer to I have a horse fetish, but no horses. Where can I find a willing horse and a willing owner?

Thu, 16 Jun 2005 23:09:40 -0700

I have a horse fetish, but no horses. Where can I find a willing horse and a willing owner?

A "willing" horse?!?

Answer to Do guys really like girl-on-girl action?

Thu, 16 Jun 2005 23:05:44 -0700

Do guys really like girl-on-girl action?

The marketing people apparently think so.

Answer to How does one cure an addiction to sex?

Thu, 16 Jun 2005 23:01:14 -0700

How does one cure an addiction to sex?

Merry Walker clearly meant to say "it's NOT about sex"; (emphasis added).

Answer to Why is it that white women often seem to prefer black men, while black women often seem to prefer white men?

Thu, 16 Jun 2005 22:53:51 -0700

Why is it that white women often seem to prefer black men, while black women often seem to prefer white men?

There's a name for the logical fallacy here, but I can't recall it. In law, it's what's called "assuming a fact not in evidence." That is, "Why is it . . .?" has to be preceded by "Is it true that . . .?" Got any real evidence (I'm not...

Answer to Is there such a thing as a nymphomaniac?

Thu, 16 Jun 2005 22:46:52 -0700

Is there such a thing as a nymphomaniac?

Don't confuse being a nymphomaniac with being addicted to sex. I haven't checked the DSM lately, but in standard psychiatric parlance a while back, nymphomania was characterized by an inability to climax. The quality of apparently boundless desire resulted from desperate repeated...

Answer to Generally speaking, is it true that men desire sex more than women?

Thu, 16 Jun 2005 22:40:58 -0700

Generally speaking, is it true that men desire sex more than women?

What use would it be to know?

Answer to A term that has started showing up among the porno spams I receive is �MILF�. What does this term mean?

Thu, 16 Jun 2005 22:38:01 -0700

A term that has started showing up among the porno spams I receive is �MILF�. What does this term mean?

Acronym, not anagram (the latter is rearrangement of the letters of a word to make a different word).

Answer to I'm 18, and sometimes I feel an extremely deep desire to have sex with my 14 year old sister. What should I do?

Thu, 16 Jun 2005 22:33:35 -0700

I'm 18, and sometimes I feel an extremely deep desire to have sex with my 14 year old sister. What should I do?

You don't say if you're her sister or brother, but it doesn't really matter, though it's potentially more physically dangerous in the latter case. The age spread is too great. And why, I hear you say, should that matter? Well, the time will come when a four-year spread between...

Answer to I discovered recently that my nieces have frequently been performing oral sex on each other. They are 14 and 11 years old. I was told this is normal 'exploration' behavior, and not really incest...is this truly normal?

Thu, 16 Jun 2005 22:18:22 -0700

I discovered recently that my nieces have frequently been performing oral sex on each other. They are 14 and 11 years old. I was told this is normal 'exploration' behavior, and not really incest...is this truly normal?

Hard to say what's normal; it's probably not as rare as we would imagine, given that a fair amount of same-sex physical experimentation is not unusual. It seems to be a way of exploring without the risks of involving an other-sex partner. Query whether there is any such thing as...

Answer to What is "escape velocity"?

Thu, 16 Jun 2005 17:52:41 -0700

What is "escape velocity"?

Nothing ever escapes from gravity, any gravity. It's the literal truth that you're feeling the gravitational influence of Pluto right now, and it's also sensing you -- though not very much. So what really happens when something gets into orbit? You probably know that a bullet...

Answer to Who is Wodehouse?

Wed, 15 Jun 2005 05:42:43 -0700

Who is Wodehouse?

Pelham Grenville Wodehouse is one of those writers it's very hard to describe to someone who hasn't yet read him. That is, after you've said he wrote humorous novels about upper-class Englishmen between the wars, what do you do? Just pile on the adjectives about how funny he was?...

Answer to How is electricity generated?

Wed, 15 Jun 2005 04:00:13 -0700

How is electricity generated?

All current generation involves moving a magnetic field across a wire, in real life a coil of wire, the more turns the better, and all the mechanical ways of doing it noted in the earlier answers are ways of creating and sustaining circular motion for the purpose. But there is no rule that the...

Answer to What is the General Theory of Relativity?

Tue, 14 Jun 2005 20:39:31 -0700

What is the General Theory of Relativity?

One of the best sources if you're really interested in this stuff is Einstein himself, not his papers, but his book on relativity (1916 I think), written for a general audience. He's a very clear, intelligible writer, and the math is down to the bare minimum (and what there is you can...

Answer to Could a person being converted into energy and reconverted back into matter survive the process? (barring the 2nd law of thermodynamics)

Tue, 14 Jun 2005 20:20:37 -0700

Could a person being converted into energy and reconverted back into matter survive the process? (barring the 2nd law of thermodynamics)

Scientific American once ran a short piece on the possibilities of a teleporter (soory, I can't find the reference). The verdict was that regardless of the technology used, the math is seriously daunting. So many atoms, so little time.

Answer to Which will keep you drier, running in the rain or walking?

Tue, 14 Jun 2005 19:40:13 -0700

Which will keep you drier, running in the rain or walking?

Yow! Check this out: http://www.actsofvolition.com/archives/2004/october/amathphysics

Answer to If a hole was punctured in a pressurised space vessel, at what speed would the air escape the vessel?

Tue, 14 Jun 2005 19:06:03 -0700

If a hole was punctured in a pressurised space vessel, at what speed would the air escape the vessel?

Depends on how highly pressurized the vessel was; the rate at which air was actually lost would also depend on the size of the hole, and would be greatest at the beginning and slow as pressure in the vessel decreased. A pinhole puncture might give a lot of time for a response -- might even...

Answer to If a buoy is anchored to the ocean floor with a chain, and the water level rises above the buoy, will the force put on the chain increase with the depth of the buoy?

Tue, 14 Jun 2005 18:59:20 -0700

If a buoy is anchored to the ocean floor with a chain, and the water level rises above the buoy, will the force put on the chain increase with the depth of the buoy?

After it's completely submerged, no. Although water pressure increases with depth, what we call buoyancy is the result of the difference in water pressure between the top of a submerged object and the bottom, and this difference remains the same. (Thus submarines have to deal with the fact...

Answer to Is there any difference between prayer and worship?

Tue, 14 Jun 2005 18:35:07 -0700

Is there any difference between prayer and worship?

To my non-theological ear, prayer sounds more specific: petitionary prayer, prayer of thanksgiving, etc. Worship sounds more general, like participation in ceremony or ritual affirming the attitude or state of mind of the worshipper at that moment, his or her relationship to the entity...

Answer to How do you pronounce the word, "ghoti?"

Tue, 14 Jun 2005 18:22:08 -0700

How do you pronounce the word, "ghoti?"

Like the name of a marine animal that rhymes with "dish," of course. This very old gag for highlighting the oddities of modern English pronunication depends on the sound of "gh" in "rough," the sound of "o" in "women," and the sound of...

Answer to What can be done about someone who is spreading vicious rumors about me that are untrue?

Tue, 14 Jun 2005 05:55:45 -0700

What can be done about someone who is spreading vicious rumors about me that are untrue?

Here's a very brief description of the two main areas of law you should perhaps be looking at, but first there is an important . . . CAVEAT: Any legal advice acquired through a channel such as this should be regarded as For Amusement Only. If you're describing an actually existent...

Answer to How do you patent an invention?

Tue, 14 Jun 2005 04:25:18 -0700

How do you patent an invention?

If you have to choose between do-it-yourself abdominal surgery and attempting to patent your own invention, take the surgery. Patent law is arguably the most esoteric, convoluted, intuition-defying law there is -- and to begin with, it exists in a world of specialized lingo all its own that uses...

Answer to Are the names of lawsuits always italicized or is it only after they have occurred?

Tue, 14 Jun 2005 04:13:47 -0700

Are the names of lawsuits always italicized or is it only after they have occurred?

Huh? Until they've occurred they don't exist. Or do you mean after they're filed but before . . . . ? Never mind. This really isn't a legal question, but a writing style question, albeit a somewhat specialized one. Any publisher with occasion to publish on legal subjects...

Answer to What constitutes "substantial evidence"?

Tue, 14 Jun 2005 03:55:50 -0700

What constitutes "substantial evidence"?

There are a bunch of citations for this phrase; a search for "substantial evidence" (with the quote marks) will probably bring more than you want. Most of the explanations are of the "magic language" variety -- what the law does when real definition is impossible. Credible,...

Answer to Do rights holders get royalties each time a video is rented, or just when a video rental store purchases a copy?

Tue, 14 Jun 2005 03:29:59 -0700

Do rights holders get royalties each time a video is rented, or just when a video rental store purchases a copy?

If the store purchased a copy, the rights of the copyright holder in that copy ended, except of course the right to prevent further copying. The question is whether Blockbuster, e.g., buys outright, or rents copies as an agent for the studio (somewhat analogous to a movie house). I believe (but...

Answer to What does it mean to sing in your "head voice"?

Mon, 13 Jun 2005 20:16:59 -0700

What does it mean to sing in your "head voice"?

Will everybody please stop calling head voice "falsetto"! Head voice may be anywhere from the top fifth or sixth of one's range to the top octave or more, depending on who you are; there's nothing false about it (that is, it is not the singing equivalent of the spoken falsetto...

Answer to Will a sundial work if it is located on the equator?

Sun, 12 Jun 2005 06:34:43 -0700

Will a sundial work if it is located on the equator?

Sure, it will work anywhere if properly installed and aligned. You can even get small, portable ones -- pocketsize, with a peg or unfolding piece or something for the gnomon (the thing that casts a shadow). If you know where north is it will tell the time, or if you know the time it will indicate...

Answer to Why do we have Daylight Saving Time?

Sun, 12 Jun 2005 06:16:08 -0700

Why do we have Daylight Saving Time?

First of all, let's get clear that daylight saving time doesn't increase or decrease the length of a day or the amount of sunlight, and neither will anything else human beings do. What it does is shifts our schedule against the daylight, having exactly the same effect as if we all...

Answer to In Toronto more afternoon than morning daylight is gained as winter progresses and the reverse is true in the summer. Why wouldn't there be an equal amount of morning and afternoon daylight gained/lost in both seasons?

Sun, 12 Jun 2005 05:19:46 -0700

In Toronto more afternoon than morning daylight is gained as winter progresses and the reverse is true in the summer. Why wouldn't there be an equal amount of morning and afternoon daylight gained/lost in both seasons?

I'm glad somebody else is wondering about this! I happened to notice it in a tide book last year as we were nearing the winter solstice and it worried me -- I was afraid the sun had gotten out of adjustment. Unfortunately it didn't worry me enough for me to research it, but here's...

Answer to On what dates of the month - 1st, 2nd, 31st etc. - are most people born?

Sun, 12 Jun 2005 04:31:00 -0700

On what dates of the month - 1st, 2nd, 31st etc. - are most people born?

Good question, and it can only be answered by counting. We can calculate the distribution if births are randomly distributed -- but are they? This is one of those questions where there's a strong temptation to assume randomness so as to move the problem from being a messy human question to...

Answer to Is listening to music while working more focusing or distracting?

Sun, 12 Jun 2005 03:29:55 -0700

Is listening to music while working more focusing or distracting?

It largely depends on what music means to you generally. Some of us will never be able to not pay at least a modicum of attention to any music within hearing -- and will be annoyed by it if it doesn't repay that attention.

Answer to Are public schools allowed to teach creationism?

Sun, 12 Jun 2005 03:13:15 -0700

Are public schools allowed to teach creationism?

Allowed by whom? Are you under the impression that there's some overarching national authority that decides what public schools teach? There isn't. Public education is a state matter, and each state decides curricula, selects textbooks, sets criteria for teachers and tries to figure out...

Answer to In aviation, what does "cruise" mean, and is it possible for a Boeing 747 to cruise at just 1000 ft?

Sat, 11 Jun 2005 14:29:15 -0700

In aviation, what does "cruise" mean, and is it possible for a Boeing 747 to cruise at just 1000 ft?

To "cruise" means in aviation about what it means to other forms of transportation, to establish an en route speed that is a reasonable compromise of economy, wear and tear on an engine, and the desire to get where you're going. For a car (and I suppose for a locomotive) that...

Answer to What are the three pedals on a piano used for?

Sat, 11 Jun 2005 13:57:48 -0700

What are the three pedals on a piano used for?

If you find pianos interesting generally, take a look at Arthur Loesser's "Men, Women and Pianos, a Social History," which describes the history of mechanisms from the earliest to Steinway, etc., but is really about what pianos have meant to people and how they've functioned...

Answer to Who determined that those are the standard frequencies of notes? Couldn't someone make up notes with different values that, as long as they are proper multiples, would sound as musical as the "normal" notes?

Sat, 11 Jun 2005 13:46:17 -0700

Who determined that those are the standard frequencies of notes? Couldn't someone make up notes with different values that, as long as they are proper multiples, would sound as musical as the "normal" notes?

This is a very interesting, extremely non-simple question. EEBaum's answer to the question about exact frequencies of notes could very well have gone here. There's also a very readable little book that traces the history of musical tones and their arrangement into scales, from...

Answer to Is the term "went missing" proper English?

Sat, 11 Jun 2005 13:28:04 -0700

Is the term "went missing" proper English?

It's accepted British vernacular, and congenial to Americans on the lookout for useful idioms. (Compare the occurrence in American and British English of the Australian to "go walkabout." )

Answer to When discussing multiple occurrences, such as accidents, attacks, or robberies, is it necessary to point out that they are "separate"?

Sat, 11 Jun 2005 13:19:44 -0700

When discussing multiple occurrences, such as accidents, attacks, or robberies, is it necessary to point out that they are "separate"?

Don't know what you mean by necessary, but in some circumstances it might have some legal significance. Whether two accidents were linked in some way, one perhaps leading to the other, might matter to your insurer. Whether one robbery, or other crime, was connected in some fashion to another...

Answer to Why does oil create a rainbow film when mixed with water?

Fri, 10 Jun 2005 19:47:48 -0700

Why does oil create a rainbow film when mixed with water?

[Sorry this is so long, but the way the question was expressed suggested that some background might be helpful. If it's not, if this starts too basic, skip down five paragraphs (to "Now, back to your driveway . . . ")]. First of all, oil doesn't mix with water, it lies on...

Answer to Do the wrestlers in professional wrestling get hurt?

Thu, 09 Jun 2005 22:04:38 -0700

Do the wrestlers in professional wrestling get hurt?

Yeah, there was one of those mini-documentaries on TV once in which the guy went and hung around at rehearsals, talked to the performers and so on. The message he came back with was that in the old days, when there was some attempt made to pretend it was all for real (the Gorgeous George era),...

Answer to Will men and women ever be able to compete as equals in a sports? Or are mens' and womens' physiques so different that this will never be possible?

Thu, 09 Jun 2005 21:47:57 -0700

Will men and women ever be able to compete as equals in a sports? Or are mens' and womens' physiques so different that this will never be possible?

I believe the US National aerobatic championships are non-gender specific, and Patty Wagstaff is a perennial winner in the unlimited category, which is extremely demanding, both mentally and physically. Internationally, the FAI World Grand Prix of aerobatics is definitely non-gender classified....

Answer to What are the 4 families of musical instruments?

Thu, 09 Jun 2005 20:43:57 -0700

What are the 4 families of musical instruments?

[Sorry this is so long -- the topic is interesting.] Arguably there are only three, classified by how one makes the noise: scraping, blowing, hitting. We get four by subdividing blowing, the wind instruments, into woodwinds and brasses, on aesthetic and historical grounds rather than physics....

Answer to What is 6/8 in the key signature mean?

Thu, 09 Jun 2005 18:06:59 -0700

What is 6/8 in the key signature mean?

Not what you'd think. Mathematically, it should mean that there are six beats to a bar and an eighth note gets one beat, but that's not true. 6/8 time, unless it's extremely slow, is always felt and conducted as two beats per bar, each consisting of a three-note group -- like a...

Answer to In music, why do they have cut-time when they can just write the music in common time?

Thu, 09 Jun 2005 15:55:12 -0700

In music, why do they have cut-time when they can just write the music in common time?

It has to do with the difference between rhythm and pulsation, between the count and the beat. Cut time looks at first glance like 4/4, but it's really 2/2, felt and conducted in two beats per measure, not four, because of the tempo and the assignment of single pulsations to half notes....

Answer to If you have no natural musical talent, but you want to learn play an instrument, which instrument would be a good one to start learning on?

Thu, 09 Jun 2005 15:34:55 -0700

If you have no natural musical talent, but you want to learn play an instrument, which instrument would be a good one to start learning on?

If you have any chance of access to a piano I'd start there, as being the easiest on which to learn about music generally (what's loosely called "theory") at the same time as learning to play. If you were to sit down and try to design a teaching device that would make scales,...

Answer to Where does the piccolo play aside from in an orchestra?

Thu, 09 Jun 2005 14:43:50 -0700

Where does the piccolo play aside from in an orchestra?

They play anywhere there is a full woodwind section, most notably in concert or marching bands. Particularly the latter, since piccolo notes are high enough to carry even when outdoors and surrounded by brass instruments. Once upon a time piccolos constituted marching music by themselves, as fife...

Answer to What is the key of Db? How many keys are there?

Thu, 09 Jun 2005 14:24:01 -0700

What is the key of Db? How many keys are there?

Basically there are fourteen major keys -- seven sharp keys (ranging from one sharp, G major, through seven sharps, C# major) and seven flat keys (ditto, from F to Cb). Each key defines a scale that has the same underlying form, but starts on a different note -- essentially the key signature...

Answer to How is religion helpful to society?

Thu, 09 Jun 2005 13:37:41 -0700

How is religion helpful to society?

"The religions of the ancient world were all regarded by the people as equally true, by the philosophers as equally false, and by the magistrates as equally useful." (Alas, can't remember where I read that. Gibbon? Sounds like him.)

Answer to Will non-strenuous exercise (ten push ups or so) help build muscle or burn fat, or is intensity the key?

Thu, 09 Jun 2005 13:23:01 -0700

Will non-strenuous exercise (ten push ups or so) help build muscle or burn fat, or is intensity the key?

Relatively non-strenuous exercise is far the best at the beginning of an exercise regime -- less dangerous and much more likely to be continued. Any exercise will help some, but of course the benefits are proportional to the effort -- the key is not intensity but repetition and perseverance, with...

Answer to I bought a pile of prints (copies of Dutch painters like Van Gogh) can I frame them and resell them without breaking any copyright laws?

Thu, 09 Jun 2005 03:55:53 -0700

I bought a pile of prints (copies of Dutch painters like Van Gogh) can I frame them and resell them without breaking any copyright laws?

If you couldn't, how could any retail market in prints exist? [Post-Scoundral:] Sigh. It seemed that a glance around at all the book stores, video stores and libraries would make the answer plain. That's what I get for going against my nature and trying to be brief. OK, there is...

Answer to I purchased a CD recorded by the Clevelend Symphony of Beethoven's 9th Symphony. This music is clearly in the public domain with respect to the composition. Can I legally play this CD in my restaurant without paying royalties though?

Thu, 09 Jun 2005 03:51:27 -0700

I purchased a CD recorded by the Clevelend Symphony of Beethoven's 9th Symphony. This music is clearly in the public domain with respect to the composition. Can I legally play this CD in my restaurant without paying royalties though?

Be careful! It's 3:30 a.m. and I don't have citations to hand, but would bet heavily that --use of music as background in a commercial setting is a commercial use, even if there is no direct advertising or charge made for listening; --while the Ninth may be in the public domain, a...

Answer to Can a contract be made by passive non-denial? For example, "by not saying 'no,' you agree to these terms"?

Thu, 09 Jun 2005 03:29:18 -0700

Can a contract be made by passive non-denial? For example, "by not saying 'no,' you agree to these terms"?

As between private parties not already in a contractual relationship, generally no; contracts require a meeting of minds and can't be created unilaterally by the type of language you describe. However, there are a lot of exceptions in business relationships coming under the Uniform...

Answer to When doing my boyfriend's contracts, I sign his name and then "By:" and my initials. He's okay with this, but is it legal?

Thu, 09 Jun 2005 03:21:59 -0700

When doing my boyfriend's contracts, I sign his name and then "By:" and my initials. He's okay with this, but is it legal?

Generally speaking you're OK. There's nothing inherently illegal about signing the name of another if it's with permission and there's no illegal intent being effected (and the specific practice you describe is commonplace in business settings).

Answer to What are some inexpensive ways to soundproof a room?

Thu, 09 Jun 2005 03:10:59 -0700

What are some inexpensive ways to soundproof a room?

Odd-size blocks of foam, some not small, are frequently available in places (like futon stores) that use and cut a lot of foam. If possible, glue in preference to nailing -- the nail, which is solid, transmits vibration into the wall, which is what you're trying to avoid. Incidentally, if...

Answer to Why do people put blinders on horses?

Thu, 09 Jun 2005 02:54:41 -0700

Why do people put blinders on horses?

And the site of most frequent use: race tracks, because some horses don't react well to the sight of horses beside or just behind them. Incidentally, it's supposedly true that if they're blindfolded, horses can be managed in situations that would otherwise panic them, like stable...

Answer to Are there any words in the English language that end in the letter V?

Thu, 09 Jun 2005 02:44:28 -0700

Are there any words in the English language that end in the letter V?

And "shiv" for a stabbing blade, particularly one converted from something else, American and I thought British, but it's unknown to the OED.

Answer to What are some words that have multiple, opposite meanings?

Thu, 09 Jun 2005 02:36:30 -0700

What are some words that have multiple, opposite meanings?

I've read repeatedly that "flammable" was created in relatively modern times to avoid confusion with "inflammable," which looks deceptive because of the negating "in-". And indeed inflammable is older, 1605 according to the OED. And yet flammable has quotations...

Answer to Can the word "abdicate" be used in reference to privileges, as well as responsibilities?

Thu, 09 Jun 2005 02:18:24 -0700

Can the word "abdicate" be used in reference to privileges, as well as responsibilities?

There's no distinction. One abdicates (from the Latin abdicare, to renounce) a position, commonly a throne, or powers or rights, and everything connected with it is left behind, both responsibilities and privileges (which is so spelled). And it's always non-standard, unexpected -- we...

Answer to Does 'an' precede a word beginning with 'h'? Or is it 'a'?

Thu, 09 Jun 2005 02:08:45 -0700

Does 'an' precede a word beginning with 'h'? Or is it 'a'?

And that is I believe the rule: "a" before an aspirated "h," "an" before silent "h" because it will be followed by a vowel. Which means the treatment of "herb" depends on how you say it, but "history" will always take "a,"...

Answer to How can I increase my vocabulary within a week?

Thu, 09 Jun 2005 02:01:34 -0700

How can I increase my vocabulary within a week?

The fun way is to read P.G. Wodehouse.