Answerbag: bbumgarner's answers

Answer to If I plant a single seed from an apple, will an apple tree grow?

Tue, 07 Nov 2006 10:43:11 -0800

If I plant a single seed from an apple, will an apple tree grow?

Depends on the environment within which the seed was stored, the species of the parent trees, wether the seed was viable in the first place, and the environment within which it was planted. Apple trees do propagate via seeds, so there is a chance -- a highly variable chance -- that it will...

Answer to Do MP3 players weigh more the more songs you put on them?

Mon, 23 Oct 2006 21:07:01 -0700

Do MP3 players weigh more the more songs you put on them?

No -- won't weigh any different. There is no weight involved in writing data to a hard drive or flash drive. For a hard drive, storing a song is merely aligning molecules differently using magnets. Kinda like flipping coins heads or tails, the weight doesn't change. For a flash...

Answer to What's the best way to avoid having a car audio/video system stolen?

Sun, 22 Oct 2006 12:04:14 -0700

What's the best way to avoid having a car audio/video system stolen?

"Don't buy one". Actually, that isn't as flip of an answer as one might think. My solution has been to spend $$ on a good set of speakers installed such that they look like factory models (i.e. no flashy logos anywhere) combined with a decent amplifier tucked away out of...

Answer to How do I go about reading binary?

Fri, 20 Oct 2006 23:40:09 -0700

How do I go about reading binary?

Need more detail. What are you trying to read? .... file? network? device? memory? What format is it in? ...raw? .... image? ... .sound? ... some proprietary format? What operating system and programming environment are you targeting? Without this information, it is impossible to...

Answer to If I were to shove a grenade down toilet would crap start flying everywhere a few seconds later?

Fri, 20 Oct 2006 23:34:37 -0700

If I were to shove a grenade down toilet would crap start flying everywhere a few seconds later?

Not beyond whatever crap was left in the toilet itself. Toilets generally flush by gravity action (except for specialized toilets that use suction). That is, the sewer lines aren't full of high pressured crap ready to explode out of the toilet once it is removed from its mounting, by...

Answer to Does getting bit by a turtle hurt?

Fri, 20 Oct 2006 22:43:14 -0700

Does getting bit by a turtle hurt?

Yup. Hurts like hell, but the level of hell is determined by the size and species of the turtle or tortoise. And, as a commenter pointed out, where you get bitten. Turtles and tortoises have beak like mouths and generally eat by ripping chunks of fruits, veggies, and just about anything...

Answer to My iPod Video skips and doesn't play all the songs. What's wrong with it?

Wed, 18 Oct 2006 11:09:59 -0700

My iPod Video skips and doesn't play all the songs. What's wrong with it?

It sounds like the hard drive is failing. That whenever the unit goes to read more music and buffer it, the drive isn't responding quickly enough. If it is under warranty, call applecare or visit an apple store. If it is not under warranty, take it to an applestore anyway and see if...

Answer to Is it possible to turn fresh water fish into salt water fish, if you gradually acclimatised them?

Wed, 18 Oct 2006 09:33:31 -0700

Is it possible to turn fresh water fish into salt water fish, if you gradually acclimatised them?

Assumption: The question does not mention a specific species, therefore the question is asking about freshwater fish, in general. No. You cannot turn any random fresh water fish into a salt water fish. You cannot turn a salt water fish into a fresh water fish. Each species of fish has a...

Answer to How does a generator work?

Wed, 11 Oct 2006 09:05:38 -0700

How does a generator work?

It depends on the type of generator. But, for the sake of brevity, let us consider a diesel generator. The typical diesel generator is simply a diesel engine -- sometimes a common engine such as a tractor motor -- that drives a device very similar to a car alternator. An alternator works...

Answer to What's the most hydrating drink to drink when having spicy food?

Tue, 10 Oct 2006 14:02:23 -0700

What's the most hydrating drink to drink when having spicy food?

The question really doesn't make sense. Rehydration and spicy food have nothing in common; if you need to rehydrate, then water or some random sports drink or whatever will work well (thought he sports drinks claims are often not really truthful). If you want to squelch the spice, then...

Answer to What are the adverse affects of fertilizers on people?

Mon, 09 Oct 2006 02:41:00 -0700

What are the adverse affects of fertilizers on people?

Fertilizers are compounds given to plants to promote growth, including stimulating general growth and fertilizers designed to augment one particular phase of growth. In other words, the term "fertilizers" refers to a HUGE range of substances, carriers, and means of distribution. As...

Answer to What natural flavors in ice cream contain alcohol?

Sat, 07 Oct 2006 18:06:29 -0700

What natural flavors in ice cream contain alcohol?

Well... Rum Raisin comes to mind. :) But you asked about NATURAL flavors. Just about any fruit can be fermented -- really just about anything with sugar can be fermented. And many of the "all natural" food production methods use alcohol as a part of the process, some of which may...

Answer to If the bags on the emergency oxygen masks on commercial airliners don't inflate when oxygen is flowing, why have them?

Sat, 30 Sep 2006 08:37:13 -0700

If the bags on the emergency oxygen masks on commercial airliners don't inflate when oxygen is flowing, why have them?

Humans don't consume oxygen at a constant rate. You breathe in, then exhale. The bags act as a buffer such that the oxygen delivery system doesn't either waste oxygen when you are exhaling or have to have a complex set of regulators to manage inhaling vs. exhaling (like scuba diving...

Answer to What goes good with crab legs?

Wed, 20 Sep 2006 20:25:46 -0700

What goes good with crab legs?

Butter. Or combine the crab meat with some kind of breading type stuff, wrap it in bacon and bake it. Or combine the crab with butter, toss it in a blender, then use the result to dip artichoke leaves or drizzle over corn. Or baste steaks with crab/butter as you grill them.

Answer to I have an oval scored white pill with a G on each side and an MF 3 on the opposite side of the pill. What is it?

Sun, 17 Sep 2006 17:22:58 -0700

I have an oval scored white pill with a G on each side and an MF 3 on the opposite side of the pill. What is it?

That particular visual description does not come up in any of the standard online pill identification databases / searches. Toss the pill in the trash, it could be anything from an anti-depressant to a depressant to something to control diabetes to heart drugs.

Answer to I found two pills: one say Yocon 53 and the other says Dan 5576. the are both white. what are these?

Sun, 17 Sep 2006 17:16:23 -0700

I found two pills: one say Yocon 53 and the other says Dan 5576. the are both white. what are these?

According to: http://www.muschealth.com/cds/CPDrugIdentifier.aspx The Yocon 53 is a YOHIMBINE tablet. It is commonly used to treat male erectile dysfunction. The Dan 5576 doesn't come up in any common search. Did you get the numbers correct? As always, check with your doctor...

Answer to In Malcolm in the Middle, during the opening credits there is a split second of an anime character's face, who smiles. What anime is shown in this scene?

Sun, 17 Sep 2006 10:08:19 -0700

In Malcolm in the Middle, during the opening credits there is a split second of an anime character's face, who smiles. What anime is shown in this scene?

From wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malcolm_in_the_Middle#Opening_titles_and_music Grinning anime boy in rain: Shiogami from anime Nazca Nazca: http://anidb.info/perl-bin/animedb.pl?adb.search=nazca&show=animelist

Answer to Why is it so impossible to log onto the internet to "quickly check my email" without spending the next two hours doing useless stuff online?

Sun, 17 Sep 2006 09:18:11 -0700

Why is it so impossible to log onto the internet to "quickly check my email" without spending the next two hours doing useless stuff online?

One of the answers would be "answerbag and sites like it". There are just too many damned useful, interesting, funny, thought provoking bits of information out there and much of it starts in your email; a quick link to a funny picture leads to dozens of others, a snippet of a news...

Answer to Do any animals or fish have a "built-in" light source so they can see in the dark?

Sat, 16 Sep 2006 09:47:47 -0700

Do any animals or fish have a "built-in" light source so they can see in the dark?

WHile it is true that a number of the creatures in the deep deep sea have built-in light sources (Hungry Guy's answer is correct), these light sources are typically not used for general vision purposes. Like a firefly, the lights are often used to find potential mates....

Answer to What's the best way to capture water streams shot by squirt guns on film?

Wed, 06 Sep 2006 10:52:30 -0700

What's the best way to capture water streams shot by squirt guns on film?

First, do you want to catch a stream of water or do you want to catch the individual droplets? In any case, the trick is lighting. You will need to experiment with the angle of lighting -- both angle of lighting relative to the water stream and relative to your camera....

Answer to How can I get my website to come up on a search engine?

Fri, 16 Jun 2006 11:40:06 -0700

How can I get my website to come up on a search engine?

Paying money to have your site "submitted to search engines" is a complete waste. Any decent search engine has a page for adding your URL and there are only 2 or 3 search sites that most of the users on the net ever use with Google dominating the industry. For example, you can...

Answer to Should rejection letters discourage you from pursuing a fiction writing career?

Sat, 01 Apr 2006 08:46:50 -0800

Should rejection letters discourage you from pursuing a fiction writing career?

If the letter also gives reasons as to why you should avoid such a career, then -- sure -- while a bit discouraging, such criticism can be quite valuable. A writing career is rife with rejection. Get used to it. Just don't let it get you down. No, really. Opinions on writing are...

Answer to What is it like to be in a fraternity?

Sun, 12 Feb 2006 22:29:11 -0800

What is it like to be in a fraternity?

Depends entirely on the fraternity. Some haze. Some do not. Some take academics seriously. Some exist solely to party. Some encourage really nasty things like encouraging date rape and/or other forms of evil behavior, vandalism, etc... Others go to great lengths to install a great sense...

Answer to Does playing a computer game too much eventually wear out the computer?

Tue, 27 Dec 2005 10:43:38 -0800

Does playing a computer game too much eventually wear out the computer?

In short: Not really. Or, at least, not enough to worry about. More detail: If you are playing a modern computer game that is really pushing the limits of your computer's capabilities, then it will make the computer run considerably hotter than when you are not playing games. Heat...

Answer to I keep hearing about Web 2.0. What is that?

Sat, 22 Oct 2005 11:14:38 -0700

I keep hearing about Web 2.0. What is that?

It is largely a marketing label applied to a set of technologies and development styles that have been used more and more often over the past few years. In particular, things like Google maps and Flickr's organizr (yes, that is the right spelling) use technologies often associated with...

Answer to How do I know that Jesus and God are real?

Sun, 02 Oct 2005 17:36:49 -0700

How do I know that Jesus and God are real?

Short answer: you cannot "know" that Jesus/God are real. You can only believe that they are real. Most religions -- certainly, Catholicism/Christianity, Judaism and Hinduism -- are built upon their followers willingness to accept the tenets of the religion without proof that it is...

Answer to Is there any proof that Jesus was a real person?

Sun, 02 Oct 2005 09:30:27 -0700

Is there any proof that Jesus was a real person?

I would delete my answer if I could. Two reasons: First, Silent Serenity answered the question much better than I. Secondly, the raters of these answers are incapable of separating faith from fact to the point that it is impossible to comment intelligently on this subject.

Answer to Which profession is more dishonest, being a lawyer or a politician?

Sat, 01 Oct 2005 10:50:57 -0700

Which profession is more dishonest, being a lawyer or a politician?

Neither are dishonest professions, in and of themselves, it is merely the choices of those involved as to how they conduct themselves. Many politicians start their career as lawyers. Given that there are many more lawyers than politicians, it is likely that there is a higher number of...

Answer to What is the difference between an "oil rig" and "oil platform"?

Sat, 01 Oct 2005 10:48:42 -0700

What is the difference between an "oil rig" and "oil platform"?

According to the dictionary, the only difference is that an "Oil Platform" is specifically designed as a stable base built upon a seabed to provide services/support for an oil well. An "oil rig" is any "structure with equipment for drilling and servicing an oil...

Answer to What is a good beer for a beginner drinker who hates the bitter taste?

Sat, 01 Oct 2005 10:46:18 -0700

What is a good beer for a beginner drinker who hates the bitter taste?

I was in the same boat. I liked beer, but didn't like the bitter part. So, I drank beer over ice with lemon in it. Actually quite refreshing. Start with a Corona, Red Stripe or other relatively "lite" beer and go from there. If you like Ginger Beer (which is a non-alcoholic...

Answer to How do I upgrade the storage amount on an iPod?

Sun, 22 May 2005 08:58:39 -0700

How do I upgrade the storage amount on an iPod?

iPods do generally use standard hard drives and there are third party companies that will upgrade the hard drive. In general, it is more expensive to upgrade the iPod's capacity than it is to purchase a higher capacity iPod in the first place. Obviously, if you already have the iPod,...

Answer to If an iPod can play WAV files, does that mean I can upload normal music CDs?

Sun, 22 May 2005 08:56:41 -0700

If an iPod can play WAV files, does that mean I can upload normal music CDs?

WAV is lossless. MP3 and AAC is lossy -- that is, you lose some amount of sound quality when compressed to those formats. You lose more quality with lower bitrates (higher compression). WAV and AIFF are both lossless. That is, the quality of a WAV file will be exactly the same as the bits...

Answer to I heard that iPods tend to break in about 2 years. Is this true?

Sun, 22 May 2005 08:53:01 -0700

I heard that iPods tend to break in about 2 years. Is this true?

Various third parties will happily install a battery for you at considerably less cost than Apple charges. http://www.ipodbatteryfaq.com/#2 Personally, I have one of the original 5GB iPods -- several years old now -- that is still working fine with the original battery.

Answer to Can I put real coral in a fresh water fish tank without killing the fish?

Sat, 21 May 2005 10:10:53 -0700

Can I put real coral in a fresh water fish tank without killing the fish?

If the coral is living, it will quickly die in fresh water. Coral requires a very specific ocean like environment to survive. I was wrong. Coral is composed of Calcium Carbonate and it will change the chemical balance in a freshwater tank unless properly neutralized. Don't do it. Get...

Answer to What sort of cameras are used to take photos of planets, galaxies, and other celestial bodies? Where are the cameras available from and who actually takes the pictures

Sat, 21 May 2005 10:09:13 -0700

What sort of cameras are used to take photos of planets, galaxies, and other celestial bodies? Where are the cameras available from and who actually takes the pictures

Any kind of a camera can be used to take pictures of the night sky. It is all a matter of the type of telescope used and the interface between the telescope and the camera. For the moon, I have seen wonderful photos that were taken with nothing more than a digital SLR camera on a tripod with...

Answer to A raccoon gets into my trash every night. What can I do to get rid of it?

Fri, 01 Apr 2005 08:57:09 -0800

A raccoon gets into my trash every night. What can I do to get rid of it?

Try pouring a bit of bleach on top of the trash. It is quite effective at repelling dogs and will likely work for racoons, too. Of course, investing in secure trash cans will work, too.

Answer to Is there ever a third gender in any of the flora or fauna of the Earth?

Fri, 01 Apr 2005 08:55:38 -0800

Is there ever a third gender in any of the flora or fauna of the Earth?

I'm not exactly sure you would call it a "gender" in the traditional male/female sense, but various species of fungus will have 4 or more "genders" or "sexes". Fungus-- mushrooms-- can generally reproduce both asexually and sexually. During sexual...

Answer to How do you become a lifeguard?

Thu, 24 Mar 2005 09:22:19 -0800

How do you become a lifeguard?

You also need to be a demonstrably strong swimmer. As well, you will typically need basic first aid training, including CPR. Most communities have some kind of agency, club or business that teaches swim lessons. The lessons are typically divided up into levels that you advance through as...

Answer to When writing a letter to appeal a college admissions decision, should the letter be concise or long and heartfelt?

Thu, 24 Mar 2005 09:18:43 -0800

When writing a letter to appeal a college admissions decision, should the letter be concise or long and heartfelt?

It should be concise, professional in style and heartfelt. Your goal is to persuade the reader to re-evaluate their decision. You want to convey in a factual and professional manner exactly why you feel their decision is flawed, yet you need to also create an emotional bond with the reader...

Answer to Is there an adapter that will let me connect an IDE HD of my old PC to the USB port of my new laptop so that I can easily copy files from HD to HD?

Wed, 09 Mar 2005 20:23:09 -0800

Is there an adapter that will let me connect an IDE HD of my old PC to the USB port of my new laptop so that I can easily copy files from HD to HD?

http://froogle.google.com/froogle?q=usb+eide+adaptor&cat=1370 Note that USB cannot directly power a 3.5" hard drive. So, you will need an adaptor and a power supply. Actually, you can just use the old PC's power supply. Take the drive out of the PC, connect the power cable...

Answer to How can I make my skill stop machine take quarters instead of tokens?

Wed, 09 Mar 2005 08:32:31 -0800

How can I make my skill stop machine take quarters instead of tokens?

Had to look up "Skill Stop machine". It is basically a slot machine with 3 reels and 3 buttons that stop the reels, hence the "skill" part of the equation. Also called "Pachislo". Many companies advertise that such a machine can be converted to accept quarters....

Answer to When I turn on my PS2, the screen rolls, it's in black and white, and there is no sound, until it has warmed up for about 45 minutes. What could be wrong?

Sun, 06 Mar 2005 11:23:53 -0800

When I turn on my PS2, the screen rolls, it's in black and white, and there is no sound, until it has warmed up for about 45 minutes. What could be wrong?

This is typically caused by a broken connection -- a cold solder joint, most often -- in other the TV or the PS2. As the system or TV warms up, the metal in the connections swell and the previously loose connection is now tight. It is very likely that the video connector on one side or the...

Answer to Can a PS2 be played on a Mac laptop?

Sun, 06 Mar 2005 10:02:39 -0800

Can a PS2 be played on a Mac laptop?

Assuming that the question really is: "Can a PS2 game be played on a Mac laptop?" In short, no. While emulating a PS1 is possible on modern computing hardware, emulating a PS2 is not yet possible. It simply requires too much CPU power on the emulating machine-- on the Mac...

Answer to If you were to seal a container of water, with no air left inside, and you were to heat it, how high could the temperature go, and what would happen?

Sun, 06 Mar 2005 09:57:07 -0800

If you were to seal a container of water, with no air left inside, and you were to heat it, how high could the temperature go, and what would happen?

It depends entirely on how strong of a container you were to seal the water into. The boiling point of water is determined by pressure, generally air pressure because water is generally boiled in the open air. This is why a pot of water boils at a slightly lower temperature at a high altitude...

Answer to What could cause ejaculate to be quite yellowish in appearance?

Sun, 06 Mar 2005 09:41:51 -0800

What could cause ejaculate to be quite yellowish in appearance?

Your diet and/or an infection can cause this. It may be normal or it may be serious. If it is worrisome, go see a doctor.

Answer to When I play games on my PS2 the sound level is normal, but I have to turn the volume on my TV all the way up to hear a DVD. Why is this?

Sun, 06 Mar 2005 09:40:27 -0800

When I play games on my PS2 the sound level is normal, but I have to turn the volume on my TV all the way up to hear a DVD. Why is this?

Because the output level of your PS2 and DVD player are not the same. This could be for many reasons. First, the PS2 does have a configuration option for changing the output volume. Turn on the PS2 without a game in it and you can change the volume level in a configuration menu. Given...

Answer to If there was an undersea earthquake in the Gulf of Mexico, would a tsunami result?

Sun, 06 Mar 2005 09:32:11 -0800

If there was an undersea earthquake in the Gulf of Mexico, would a tsunami result?

There is no absolute answer to this question. An earthquake in any coastal or oceanic region might cause a tsunami or it might not. It entirely depends on the kind of motion caused by the earthquake. A tsunami requires that a massive displacement of water. In the case of the recent asian...

Answer to Do colors affect people's behavior?

Sun, 06 Mar 2005 09:24:27 -0800

Do colors affect people's behavior?

In short, yes. As with all things that apply to human emotions, each individual will react in an individual fashion and that reaction may change over time. In other words, there is no absolute answer that applies to all people. For example, there is "drunk tank pink" that is...

Answer to Is it true that if every person in the world jumped in unison, it would cause a massive worldwide earthquake?

Sat, 02 Oct 2004 09:58:42 -0700

Is it true that if every person in the world jumped in unison, it would cause a massive worldwide earthquake?

The amount of energy required to trigger a quake, even a quake on the verge of already happening, is way more than would be generated by every human jumping at once all over the planet. It would require everyone to jump in one spot to have a hope of generating enough energy and, even then, it...

Answer to What is a lemon zester and how do you use it?

Thu, 30 Sep 2004 21:27:40 -0700

What is a lemon zester and how do you use it?

Lemon zest -- as indicated above -- is the yellow part of the peel on the outside of a lemon. It has an intense lemon/citrus flavor with very little bitterness. The bitterness is primarily found in the white part of the lemon. A lemon zester is a tool for removing the zest of a lemon. The...

Answer to What is the highest mountain in the lower 48 states of the USA?

Thu, 30 Sep 2004 11:07:48 -0700

What is the highest mountain in the lower 48 states of the USA?

To expand with, what I found to be, an incredibly interesting resource: http://americasroof.com/fourteeners.shtml Contains a list of all of the peaks in North America that are over 14,000 feet. There are many peaks in Alaska that are taller than Whitney, but-- obviously-- Alaska is not in...

Answer to Will the Xbox 2 be able to play Xbox games?

Sat, 18 Sep 2004 17:18:24 -0700

Will the Xbox 2 be able to play Xbox games?

Until Microsoft releases official specifications, there is no way to definitively answer this question. Actually, until Microsoft ships the Xbox 2, any announced specifications may change. With that said, the Xbox 2 does have a radically different architecture and, as such, building in...

Answer to Why is there a worm in some tequila bottles?

Mon, 13 Sep 2004 22:44:04 -0700

Why is there a worm in some tequila bottles?

To expand just slightly: it is illegal for a bottle of liquor to bear the name "Tequila" and also contain a worm. The liquor will generally be called "Mezcal", instead. Total marketing gimick.

Answer to Is there any way I can increase my chances of winning the lottery?

Mon, 13 Sep 2004 22:41:26 -0700

Is there any way I can increase my chances of winning the lottery?

Unless there is corruption, Lottery drawings are intended to be completely and totally random. Typically, numbered balls are put into a drum or blown by air and balls are picked one at a time. End result; totally random draws. Given that the draws are truly random, analyzing past history...

Answer to Do boats have brakes?

Thu, 29 Jul 2004 10:39:11 -0700

Do boats have brakes?

Assuming small to medium sized motor boats in this answer. Not brakes, per se, but boats do have the ability to actively slow down. Most boat motors have a reverse that can be used at any time. A fast moving boat slows rapidly once the throttle is released. But it will drift for a long...

Answer to What are "sea legs"?

Wed, 28 Jul 2004 01:06:37 -0700

What are "sea legs"?

The boat answer: "Sea legs" refers to a medicine used to prevent or lessen sea sickness. It is an antihistamine that blocks receptors in the "vomiting center" of the brain, thus preventing the most unfortunate symptom of sea or motion sickness. This is the food answer...

Answer to Do divining rods really work? If so, how?

Mon, 26 Jul 2004 21:51:25 -0700

Do divining rods really work? If so, how?

As previously stated, there isn't any scientific evidence indicating that dowsing or the use of divining rods works in any kind of a useful or predictable fashion. However, there is one particular situation in which a divining rod will actually show some correlation to reality that is...

Answer to Is it possible to use a Tivo without a phone line?

Tue, 20 Jul 2004 10:09:34 -0700

Is it possible to use a Tivo without a phone line?

If you have a TiVo series 2 (or DSS TiVO w/USB port), then you can use a USB<->Ethernet or USB<->802.11 adaptor to connect your TiVO to your existing Internet connection. My TiVo was struck by lightning and it fried the modem. By using a USB<->802.11 adaptor, my TiVo now...