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In Barbara Tuchman's book, The Guns of August, she decribes a funeral in the first chapter. For what is the funeral and/or death a metaphor? The funeral is for Queen Victoria. This was the last time that so many of the monarchs of Europe (many of whom were related through blood or marriage) came together at one time at one place. Tuchman also points out that many of the problems that led up to the start of World War I were perceived as the biggest family dispute of all time.

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How would an aircraft carrier be made to allow jumbo jets to take off and land on them, and how would jumbo jets need to be modified to do this? There are two issues with your questions. First, there would have to be major modifications to any aircrft carier to be able to handle an aircraft that large. Secondly, there would have to be extensive modifications, perhaps prohibitive modifications, to make it possible for an airplane that large to operate off a carrier. The first issue is the carrier itself. In most cases, the maximum...

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Can you predict human behavior with 100% certainty? No. You mightt be able to come up with some high probability with certain actions, but it isn't likely that you would ever be able to make any prediction with that level of certainty. The issue is 100% certainty. Since humans (at least theoretically) have the ability to make decisions based on teh input they receive, it would not be possible to predict all human behavior with 100%...

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Why does a can of soda explode in the freezer? It's because of the change in temperature which causes a change in pressure, volume or both. This expansion of the volume and the change in the pressure are greater than what the container can retain, hence the explosion. The technical formula is (P1*V1)/T1 = (P2*V2)/T2 P = Pressure V = Volume T = Temperature The change in the temperature causes a change in...

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Who makes more money, a Full-Bird Colonel, or a Four-Star General? The General makes more then the Colonel. A Colonel is classified as an 0-6. The General is classified as an 0-10. The pay grade is higher for the General. The grades for officers are: 0-1 Second Lieutenant 0-2 First Lieutenant 0-3 Captain 0-4 Major 0-5 Lieutenant Colonel 0-6 Colonel 0-7 Briagadier General 0-8 Major General 0-9 Lieutenant General 0-10...

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When you have a 9mm bullet, what is the measurement referring to? A 9mm would be the width of the bullet. The standard length of a 9mm handgun is 19 mm. So, if you purchase a box of ammunition, it would show 9x19mm on the end of the box. The 9mm also comes in a 17mm length and a 23 mm length. But a 9mm is most commonly a 9x19 and is 9mm wide and 19mm long. Also, I noticed a comment from CannedHam regarding another variant of the 9 mm. CannedHam is...

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What does the "caliber" of a gun mean? The caibler is the diameter of the cartridge, although it is a general description as opposed to a specific definition. Calibers are generally described as either .45 or .357, which represents their diameter in inches (so a .45 is 45/100ths of an inch) or it could be in millimeters (as in a 7.72 mm or a 9 mm). With rifles, you see the same general method of stating the caliber, such as a...

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What is the fastest way to reload a revolver? Go to the local gun shop and purchase a speed loader for your specific model. There are two major types. One type has a level on the top of the speed loader, which you twist as soon as you line up the cartridges into the cylinder. The other type is a spring mechanism and you line up the first couple of cartidges and then push the rest of the loader across the cylinders. Regardless of which...

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Vehicles registered in Wisconsin are not required to carry insurance, so can a Minnesota officer charge someone from Wisconsin for not having car insurance? Yes. The rules of engagement state that the home team calls the rules. If you are driving in Minnesota, you have to follow Missesota law. Generally, state governments hold that "ignorance of the law is no excuse." You need to be aware of, and follow, the laws that are in place wherever you are. I would check the specific citation on your ticket. In some states, it is a...

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In NY, is it legal for a 17 year old to date a 30 year old? Can parents intervene in this relationship at all? Without getting into an issue of whether it is proper for a 17 year ond to date a 30 year old, it is legal in New York. There is no specific prohibition on dating. Intercourse, however, would constitute rape, unless the 17 year old had been declared an emancipated minor in the state courts. If the 30 year old allowed to 17 year old to drink alcohol or be around drugs, the 30 year old should,...

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Does John Kerry plan to run for president again? He hasn't officially made any announcements, but he is doing a lot of traveling to key states for the early primaries and he is acquiring a large war chest to be able to pay for it. He is mentioned as a likely candidate, right next to Hillary Clinton, but he won'd make any announcements one way or the other until after the 2006 mid-term elections. Much of his time right now is...

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Which battle was the turning point of the Civil War? I would agree that the Siege of Vicksburg was probably the main truning point of the Civil War. One of the objectives of Lee's march into Pennsylvania was to threaten the U.S. Capital, hopefully putting pressure on the Administration to pull Ulysses Grant from the Siege of Vicksburg. The Battle of Gettysburg was a major battle, but that loss to the South as well as the fall of...

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Who is considered to be the father of modern tank warfare? I believe that Guderian is the correct answer to the specific question. However, I will add a few other tidbits to the subject. Winston Churchill was one of the earliest supporters of the tank, having pushed for them extensivley during World War I. George Patton deployed tanks in World War I and spent a portion of the inter-war years working out tank tactics in the deserts of California...

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How many people were killed in the Nazi concentration camps? There are a number of estimates of the number of victims of the holocaust. Most of the sources agree that it was more than 6 million people. Every method that can be imagined was utilized at one point in time or another. Firing squads were used, but the SS felt that the costs of bullets was too high to be efficient. They tried poison gases, including Zyklon-B, which is a very effective...

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What was the typical daily schedule in a concentration camp? When I was a kid, I lived in Belgium for a number of years and I had the honor of getting to know several survivors very well. During the years I lived there, I was able to visit a number of the camps in Eastern Europe. They told me that the camps were divided into two major classifications. The first was the work camp, where the prisoners would be forced into slave labor and worked 14 to...

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Why was this such a difficult war? My father served four tours in Viet Nam and served four combat tours in Korea. He explained the basic problem with both wars as follows: You can't win a political war with military might. The U.S. Government wasn't thrilled with the South leader, Diem, but they preferred him to the government of North Viet Nam. In the early days, the U.S. Government still accepted the...

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There are cruise ships for tourists; why no cruise submarines? There have been discussions about building a tourist submarine, but no company has been willing to invest the money to build one. The majority of people would not want to spend their vacation in a completely sealed environment. The thinking is that the vactioner would want to see outside, which would mean portholes and other viewing ports, which would become technologically impossible even if...

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Why do the divers rinse off after every dive even though they will be diving again soon? In addition to getting the chlorine off their uniforms, they want to get it off their skin and hair. After a while, jumping in an out of a chlorine pool can cause skin problems and really dry out your hair.

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What is the playoff format for women's softball at the Olympics? At present, there won't be any format for the next Olympics, as it was voted out for the 2008 Olympics in China. Before that time, there was round robin play to get to the best teams, who then started into an elimination round. At present, they are trying to bring it back, most likely for the 2012 Olympics. It would require a major change in thinking to have softball back in the...

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They say you never forget how to ride a bicycle. Is the same true of riding a tricycle? You can forget how to ride a tricycle. The biggest difference between a bicycle and a tricycle is that you don't lean into the turns on a tricycle. If you do, you tend to lose control of the tricycle and you may overturn the tricycle.

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What are good brands of engines for R/C model planes? If you are a beginner, you should look at the Cox .049 series. They are pretty cheap and they can take a lot of abuse. They are powerful enough to handle small to medium sized aircraft, which is what you are looking for in a beginning mode. If you get past the beginner stage, you might want to spend some time in the hobby shop and talk to the sales guys about what you want to do. They are...

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Which pilot holds the record for shooting down the most enemy planes in World War 2 (and ever)? The correct answer to the question is Erich Hartman, who ended the war with 352 air-to-air victories, mostly against the Russians. After the war, he spent almost 10 years as a prisoner of war (held by the Russians) before he was eventually released and allowed to go home. He later re-joined the German Air Force (Luftwaffe) and continued to fly for many years. There were several German...

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What were the contents of the 1919 Versailles peace treaty? I would also strongly recommend a book called "Paris 1919" by MacMillan and Holbrooke. They discuss the results of the Peace Treaty, as well as the background about how the decisions were made to include each provision of the treaty. A particulaly interesting portion of the book deals with the Balkan States, as well as the area that is now Iraq and Iran. The book discusses the...

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Which incident was the main cause for World War 1? The assassination of Arch Duke Franz Ferdinand was merely the lighting of the fuse on a powderkeg that had been growing for years. Each of the parties in the war were trying to maintain their position with regard to colonies throughout the world, their role as maritime powers, and trying to make themselves the dominant power in that part of the world. You need to look at the...

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What kind of R/C airplane is most appropriate for a beginner? The best thing to start with is a model airplane that is designed to crash and can be repaired easily. If you have never used an R/C aircraft before, you might want to start cheaply and decide how far you want to go. During your early days with R/C work, you had better plan on cracking the plane up a few times before you get the hang of it. That being said, don't spend too much on the...

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I'm in the process of buying a gun. What's the difference in a DAO, decocker only, or manual safety? If you have never owned a gun before, I would strongly recommend that you go to a shooting range, preferably one that has a gun shop associated with it, and look into taking a basic class on guns, and shoot several different kinds of guns, before you make a choice. One of the problems that you have to address is wheel gun (revolver) versus automatic. Once you make that decision, you have to...

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Is it possible to own a .50 BMG rifle in the UK and if so, does it require a special variation on a normal firearms certificate? At the present time, it is not possible to legally own a .50 BMG in the UK. It does not fit any of the classifications of "sporting guns" that are permitted in the UK at this time. Last year, there was a move in Parliment to modify some of the draconian gun laws throughout the UK, but there wasn't enough support from wither Labour or the Conservatives to get anything through....

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What is the standard for a toy which has never been opened in its box? Does the tape have to be intact? A dedicated collector will require that the original seal (which could be some type of specialized tape, badge or sticker) be complete and undamaged. When you see gradings on the item, it may say "never unsealed" or it may say "never opened" and these are two differnt grades for valuing the package. Most toy manufacturers have a standard way of sealing the box. Some even...

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Are US Navy Seals considered the most highly trained of the US armed forces? The Seals are a specialized breed of warriors that are probably the best trained for their type of warfare. In the Army, the Rangers are specialized, as are the Green Berets, and you could argue that the Delta teams are the most highly trained. Each has its role in the combat sceme of things. I was in the Air Force and the Air Commandos were the elite combat team. But, some of their...

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Why did the Chicago Seven riot? The Chicago Seven were charged with inciting to riot. The goal of the Chicago Seven was to disrupt the 1968 Democratic Convention which was held in Chicago. The riots gained national attention because the convention and all of the riots were shown on live TV. The timing of political thought in 1968 was pretty radical. MLK had been assassinated, Bobby Kennedy was assassinated and the...

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What does it mean for a President to be impeached? Two Presidents have been impeached (Andrew Johonson and Bill Clinton) but no Presdident has been removed from office through the trial that is required after the impeachment. Andrew Johnson avoided being removed from office by only one vote. Clinton had a much wider margin. There were articles of impeachment started against Richard Nixon, but he resigned from office when he was told by...

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Why would Saddam Hussein choose an American lawyer, for example, Ramsey Clarke, to be on his defense team? Ramsey Clark volunteered to represent Sadaam and Sadaam's legal team thought that it was a good idea. Ramsey Clark is a former Secretary of State and a very severe critic of the U.S. Government. He made his offer because he believes that the U.S. is partly to blame for the Sadaam problem becasue we supported him in the Iran Iraq war and we have allowed him to do a number of things that...

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Where can I find factual information that links Jews to the economic collapse of Germany prior to World War Two? The problem is the concept of "factual information" that provides the links. There really isn't any. If you want to see what Hitler set forth as his proof (which was nothing more than propaganda), you might go and read Mein Kampf, which Hitler wrote while in prison.

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Is it appropriate for an American citizen who has never served in the military, to render a military style hand salute (right hand to the brow) to the American Flag as it passes in a parade? If the individual is retired military or separated from service after completing their military obligation, it is appropriate for the individual to salute. If the civilian has no military background, they should refrain from saluting. My friends from the service find ourselves saluting when we see one of our superiors from our military days, and that is appropriate. I also find that I...

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What is the proper way to address an envelope to retired military personnel for a social party? For purposes of an invitation, it should be addressed as: Colonel & Mrs. John Smith. You do not need to add a notation that they are retired. They earned the rank and they are entitled to be acknowledged by that rank. On the return envelope, the retired individual should use the return label Colonel (ret.) and Mrs. John Smith. It is not a huge issue if they fail to use the...

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How does a Canadian civilian address a retired Lt. Col. from the U.S. Air Force? If you are speaking to him/her, you should address them as Colonel. Most of the time, the retired officer will then tell you that you can call him/her by their first name. But it is a nice gesture to acknowledge their rank. I also call a Colonel as "Dad." But all of my friends address him as "Colonel" even though he has told them to use his name. While there is no...

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Where does the term Jarhead come from? If you go to Boston and take a tour of the USS Constitution (Old Ironsides), the sailors who man the warship tell the tale of the origin of the term "jarhead." According to the sailors, most of the Marines were quite a bit taller than the sailors on the ships. When they were below the decks, the ceiling of the areas was lower than most people would like. The sailors, being...

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In what way did the American Revolution influence the French Revolution? The American Revolution, at least in the mind-set of the French around that time, allowed the citizens to throw out an opressive monarch and his government and establish a republican form of government. Radicals in France believed that they could also throw off an opressive monarchy and establish a government for the people rather tha staying with a monarchy that failed to serve anyone except...

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What is the legal procedure if someone sentenced to death is proven innocent after execution? There is not absolute answer to this question. If the individual was convicted of the crime and executed, his or her case is closed. There is no national standard that requires that the case be reopened or that any other action be taken. In some cases, the Governor, at the request of the family or the attorneys, can issue a pardon for the deceased individual, but there is no specific rule...

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How difficult would it be to travel to Europe and Southeast Asia speaking only English? You should not have any trouble throughout Europe with language issues. Most of the younger generations in Europe learned English as a second language and they are eager to practice whenever they can. The remote parts of some countries were a little more difficult, but only because the younger generations have moved (or commute) to the cities. You might get a bit of a shock from some of...

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Do you need a separate driver's license to drive in Europe if you have a US license ? In most countries, a US driver's license is sufficient. Over the past few years, I have rented cars in England, Belgium and France without any problems. Since the European countries have joined the EU, that should apply throught Europe. My brother rented a car in Japan with his US driver's license, and that also worked out fine. They wouldn't let him rent a car in China, so...

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What is the proper procedure when the Star Spangled Banner is played, but not announced beforehand? The proper thing to do is to stand and remain standing until the National Anthem is finished. This rule applies to all situations. If you are overseas and they break into their National Anthem, it is still appropriate to stand and honor the anthem. You can have your objections to something that your country, or their country, may have done, but the proper thing to do is to show respect...

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I have a 1997 Hot Wheels Special Edition Convention Car signed by the designer and a Hot Wheels rep. Only two cars were made. Is it worth anything? If you get in touch with a Hot Wheels collector, you may find that it has some serious value. You might want to go to the bookstore and look in the collectibles section. There are price guides for Hot Wheels cars. You should check for the limited runs and prototypes to get an idea of the value of your find. You might even find a specific reference in the guide, as some of the guides are...

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Who has the world's largest collection of any type of one item? It depends on the type of collection. Malcom Forbes had one of the largest collections of toy soldiers in the world. He bought a museum in Morocco to display his collection. After he died, he ordered that his collection be broken up (except for the portion that the Forbes family/foundation wanted to keep). The auction was handled by Christie's auction houses in both London and New York...

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Do collectible magazines sell better if they are complete, or cover-only? It depends on the person doing the collecting. Generally, a serious collector of the subject of the magazine (whether the magazine is about sports cards, dolls, toy soldiers or whatever) will want the entire magazine. They will use the magazine as a reference tool for their hobby. I collect toy soldiers and I have magazines going back thirty years or more. I use them as a reference guide or...

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What is a parasite fighter? The Air Force was more successful with the modification of an F-84 as a parasite fighter. It was used successfully in test drops and could be recovered by the "mother ship." But, the bombers entire bomb bay had to be removed to be able to handle the parasite fighter, thereby making the bomber useless in its main role as it served mainly as an airborne aircraft carrier for the...