Answerbag: d5kenn's answers

Answer to Which species of birds can talk? Just parrots? Which are most talkative?

Sat, 06 Sep 2003 03:21:16 -0700

Which species of birds can talk? Just parrots? Which are most talkative?

Parakeets, cockatoos, cockatiels and a few other species can be trained to speak, though the most talkative ones I've seen are the classical parrots.

Answer to If I should win the lottery, how much of the money do I actually get to keep...after taxes?

Sat, 06 Sep 2003 03:11:19 -0700

If I should win the lottery, how much of the money do I actually get to keep...after taxes?

Not accounting for inflation over the payout period, it depends on the federal and state tax rates charged. Federal is ~25-28%, state varies from 4-8% IIRC. In general, the rule of thumb is that you get more than half and less than two-thirds.

Answer to What resolution should I take pictures in if I want to print them at 8" x 10"?

Sat, 06 Sep 2003 02:54:16 -0700

What resolution should I take pictures in if I want to print them at 8" x 10"?

This depends on how picky you are about quality. Most serious photographers would accept 300dpi full-color images as "better-than-print" quality for 35mm film. At 8x10, this would be a little over 7 megapixels, or 3000x2400. Note that this is not the same as the...

Answer to How do I avoid red-eye in my pictures?

Sat, 06 Sep 2003 02:46:03 -0700

How do I avoid red-eye in my pictures?

The best way to avoid red-eye is to have the flash as far away from the lens as possible. If you can mount an external flash onto the flash bracket, use that instead of a built-in or pop-up flash. Similarly, you can use bounce mode to make the light fall on the subject at a different...

Answer to What variety of poker is easiest for beginners to learn?

Sat, 06 Sep 2003 02:23:04 -0700

What variety of poker is easiest for beginners to learn?

While 5-card draw is probably the easiest to deal with simply due to the fewer number of cards, it's not commonly played anymore. 5-card draw is what we all learned as kids, and if you don't take the intricacies of betting and playing for money into account, Texas Hold'em is also...

Answer to How can I tell if the odometer on a used car has been turned back?

Sat, 06 Sep 2003 02:08:24 -0700

How can I tell if the odometer on a used car has been turned back?

Digital odometers are by no means tamper-proof. Many DOs store the mileage on a memory device in the actual gauge cluster in the dash. Depending on model, it can cost as little as $100 to buy a used cluster (with varying milage) and replace the existing one. This is also for all practical...

Answer to Where can I find a replacement chip (ECU) for my car to improve its performance? Will it void my warranty?

Sat, 06 Sep 2003 01:56:03 -0700

Where can I find a replacement chip (ECU) for my car to improve its performance? Will it void my warranty?

Which chip you're looking for depends on what kind of car you have. The best way to find information is probably to seek out an enthuiast forum on the net - one is pretty much guaranteed to exist for your car, whether it's a old Firebird, Ford Probe, or Nissan Skyline. They'll have...

Answer to My tire's size is "225/45 R16". What does all that mean?

Tue, 02 Sep 2003 16:55:08 -0700

My tire's size is "225/45 R16". What does all that mean?

225 is the width of the tire in millimeters. 45 is the ratio of the shoulder height to width. The smaller the number, the lower the "profile" of the tires. I believe R simply denotes radial construction. 16 is the diameter of the wheel in inches. It's what people are...

Answer to What's the difference between true north and magnetic north?

Sun, 31 Aug 2003 01:05:40 -0700

What's the difference between true north and magnetic north?

Magnetic north is the aggregate direction that metallic particles in the earth's crust have frozen into shortly after emerging from mid-Oceanic ridges. The problem is, once frozen, the crust is still prone to plate tectonics and continental drift, which over time have shifted its composite...

Answer to How does the IRS determine whom they will audit?

Fri, 08 Aug 2003 17:48:33 -0700

How does the IRS determine whom they will audit?

There is really no practical way for us as taxpayers to tell. Of course, many audit files are ones that are red-flagged by computers due to discrepencies in reporting on the forms, or severely out-of-range values for income/deductions, etc. Even an honest mistake by your employer on FICA...

Answer to How were German u-boats able to sneak out of the Mediterranean Sea, past British listening stations at the Strait of Gibraltar?

Thu, 07 Aug 2003 10:38:39 -0700

How were German u-boats able to sneak out of the Mediterranean Sea, past British listening stations at the Strait of Gibraltar?

Another answer to this question has to do with the physics of thermohaline circulation. The Atlantic Ocean on average contains roughly 34-36ppt of "salt" to water (it's not salt when in solution, but that's beside the point). The enclosed, shallow Medterranean sea on the...

Answer to How often should I change my oil?

Thu, 31 Jul 2003 17:43:11 -0700

How often should I change my oil?

Many newer cars running fully synthetic oil really do not need to be changed every 3000 miles. 5000 or 6000 or even more may be just fine, depending on the type of driving you do. Some people even say that synthetic oil lubricates better after several thousand miles of use. The best way to...

Answer to What is the oldest known age of oceanic basalt?

Thu, 31 Jul 2003 17:20:51 -0700

What is the oldest known age of oceanic basalt?

Roughly 200-300MY. Basalt, which is denser than continental granite, sinks into the mantle at oceanic abysses and is formed anew at mid-oceanic ridges. Granite floats atop the basalt and is not reabsorbed into the earth -- and as a result, is much older on average.

Answer to Do those big, noisy mufflers I see on all the Civics actually improve performance?

Thu, 31 Jul 2003 16:47:32 -0700

Do those big, noisy mufflers I see on all the Civics actually improve performance?

Assuming nothing else has changed on the car, then depending on the design, the answer varies from "slight but negligible" to "it actually hurts performance." Normally aspirated cars do benefit from a specific range of exhaust velocity in order to achieve a scavenging effect...

Answer to Is it harder to maintain a saltwater aquarium than a fresh water aquarium?

Thu, 31 Jul 2003 16:32:51 -0700

Is it harder to maintain a saltwater aquarium than a fresh water aquarium?

If you want it to be beautiful, then truthfully there is more effort involved. However, I have a 10-gallon nanotank which I haven't cleaned or performed a water change on in 4 months (being lazy), and everything is surviving, if not thriving. It will take some concerted effort to nurse...

Answer to When grilling a steak, how can you tell when it's rare, medium, or well done?

Thu, 31 Jul 2003 16:27:36 -0700

When grilling a steak, how can you tell when it's rare, medium, or well done?

A foolproof way to tell is to buy a probe thermometer. Stick it into the middle part of the steak and pull it off the flame when the center is about 138-143*F for medium rare. Depending on the size of the steak, there will be some heat carryover even after it's off the fire, so let it...