Answerbag: Graendal's answers

Answer to I have a DVD player in my computer. How can I "freeze" an image in the movie, and save that image to my computer?

Fri, 17 Feb 2006 13:13:34 -0800

I have a DVD player in my computer. How can I "freeze" an image in the movie, and save that image to my computer?

Since the PrintScreen function doesn't normally work for video captures, you're best bet is using a third-party screen recorder application, such as Snapshot or Bullent's Screen Recorder. These programs will run in the background, and whenever the hotkey is pressed (CTRL-S in...

Answer to Where can I get free software to burn DVDs?

Fri, 17 Feb 2006 12:47:23 -0800

Where can I get free software to burn DVDs?

If you are looking for the software to simply burn a dvd, your best bet is to browse to http://www.download.com or http://www.hotfiles.com (ZDNet) and download a freeware/shareware application (such as Burn4Free), or simply use the software that came with your burner (usually RecordNow). If...

Answer to How can I find out how much RAM I have in my computer, and what operating system version I am using?

Fri, 17 Feb 2006 12:38:52 -0800

How can I find out how much RAM I have in my computer, and what operating system version I am using?

As a shortcut, if you right-click on the My Computer icon on your desktop and select Properties, it will bring you directly to the System Properties screen, bypassing the need to open the control panel.

Answer to What are the Official Rules to play American Football?

Thu, 11 Nov 2004 14:05:34 -0800

What are the Official Rules to play American Football?

Well...to be completely honest there is no way I am typing them all out here. For a good link to the basics of the game (sorry...not many of the 'obscure' rules here), go here - http://www.nfl.com/fans/rules/ If you want the official rules though, I'd suggest purchasing the...

Answer to Will Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas come out for the Xbox?

Mon, 01 Nov 2004 14:01:22 -0800

Will Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas come out for the Xbox?

UPDATE: GTA San Andreas is scheduled for release on June 7th, 2005 on the Xbox. -- Original message from November 2004 follows: -- This is a tough question to answer, but after checking a variety of sources (including Rockstar Games), here's what I've been able to piece...

Answer to Where does the legend of werewolves come from?

Mon, 01 Nov 2004 13:23:26 -0800

Where does the legend of werewolves come from?

Also know as Lycanthropy, the word comes from the Greek lykoi, "wolf", and anthropos, "man". The legend of the werewolf is one of the most ancient and wide spread. Stories of werewolves can be found as far back as history has been written. These shape-shifter myths can be...

Answer to What happened to John Walker Lindh, the "American Taliban"?

Mon, 01 Nov 2004 10:57:13 -0800

What happened to John Walker Lindh, the "American Taliban"?

John Walker Lindh, after pleading guilty in July 2002, received a 20-year prison sentence for aiding the Taliban. As of the end of September 2004, his lawyers were requesting a reduction in his sentence, saying that he was "a good american" and that he never hurt anyone or carried...

Answer to Have the Red Sox ever won a World Series? If so, in what years?

Mon, 25 Oct 2004 10:14:37 -0700

Have the Red Sox ever won a World Series? If so, in what years?

They sure have. 1903 vs Pittsburgh 1912 vs New York Giants 1915 vs Philadelpiha 1916 vs Brooklyn Robins 1918 vs Chicago Cubs 2004 vs St. Louis Cardinals They actually made it to world series in 1986 after squeeking by California 4 games to 3, but lost to the Mets in 7 games. 2004...

Answer to I hear New Yorkers are going to Canada for flu shots. Is this safe?

Mon, 25 Oct 2004 10:06:43 -0700

I hear New Yorkers are going to Canada for flu shots. Is this safe?

Sure is! One question - Why wouldn't it be? Is there some huge genetic difference between Americans and Canadians? I think not. The only reason I can see that people would believe it's not safe is because the U.S. Government has told everyone that it's not. Now why would...

Answer to What is NDTV?

Thu, 21 Oct 2004 13:32:01 -0700

What is NDTV?

As far as I know, NDTV stands only for 'New Delhi Television'. I do not believe NDTV is a format, such as HDTV, SDTV, or EDTV.

Answer to How many species of spider are there?

Thu, 21 Oct 2004 13:17:55 -0700

How many species of spider are there?

According to National Geographic, there are over 37,000 different species of spiders, and new species are still being discovered. All of these species can produce silk, but only about 1/2 of them use the silk to spin webs. The other half use them for various things - to wrap prey or eggs;...

Answer to What are the dimensions of a volleyball court and net?

Thu, 21 Oct 2004 13:14:48 -0700

What are the dimensions of a volleyball court and net?

From the USA Volleyball Rule Book... -- CEILING HEIGHT The playing space is free from any obstructions to a height of 7 m (23') from the playing surface. PLAYING COURT The playing court measures 18 m x 9 m (59' x 29'6"). CENTER LINE The axis of the center line...

Answer to Why is the speed of sound named "Mach 1"?

Mon, 18 Oct 2004 16:01:07 -0700

Why is the speed of sound named "Mach 1"?

MACH is calulated as follows: MACH # = Speed of Object / Speed of Sound Therefore, the only time Mach can equal 1 is when the speed of the object is exactly the speed of sound. To learn more about how MACH is calculated, go here - http://www.grc.nasa.gov/WWW/K-12/airplane/mach.html ...

Answer to In a domed stadium, what happens if a fly ball strikes part of the roof?

Mon, 18 Oct 2004 15:50:03 -0700

In a domed stadium, what happens if a fly ball strikes part of the roof?

The rule is generally as follows: If a batted ball strikes the roof, it shall be judged Fair or Foul based on where it strikes the ground after hitting the roof. If caught by a fielder, the player is out and base-runners may advance at their own risk. There are some exceptions to this...

Answer to Who invented the hovercraft, and when?

Mon, 18 Oct 2004 15:39:58 -0700

Who invented the hovercraft, and when?

Sir Christopher Sydney Cockerell (1910-1999) was the British engineer who invented the Hovercraft. He began testing his ideas for a vehicle that moved atop a cushion of air in 1955. His first Hovercraft prototype, the SR.N1, was launched in the spring of 1959 and only weeks later crossed...

Answer to What's the superstition behind a black cat crossing your path?

Mon, 18 Oct 2004 15:33:29 -0700

What's the superstition behind a black cat crossing your path?

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Answer to What's the superstition behind "knocking on wood"?

Mon, 18 Oct 2004 14:49:26 -0700

What's the superstition behind "knocking on wood"?

To touch wood is a superstition action to ward off any evil consequences, say of untimely boasting; it can also be a charm to bring good luck. The origin is quite unknown, though some writers have pointed to pre-Christian rituals involving the spirits of sacred trees such as the oak, ash,...

Answer to Who exactly was Achilles and how did he become a hero?

Mon, 18 Oct 2004 14:45:04 -0700

Who exactly was Achilles and how did he become a hero?

There is also a second story as to how Achilles became 'immortal'... Thetis held the young Achilles by the heel and dipped him in the river Styx; everything the sacred waters touched became invulnerable, but the heel remained dry and therefore unprotected. For more info, or a...

Answer to What kind of file has a db extension?

Fri, 15 Oct 2004 13:50:56 -0700

What kind of file has a db extension?

The .DB extension is used for databases and are not specific to any one application. For example...Windows Media Player keeps a .DB file of the Library, Adobe keeps a DB of Fonts, etc. Microsoft Access sotres files as .MDB, which are specific to that application.

Answer to Who invented the deck of playing cards and when?

Thu, 14 Oct 2004 12:44:16 -0700

Who invented the deck of playing cards and when?

That's a great question. I searched for a good while on this one, but no one seems to know WHO invented them. If anyone can find the answer for this, please let me know! As for when they were invented, I found the results were nearly as obscure. Some scholars indicate that playing...

Answer to Which is better - EDTV or HDTV?

Thu, 14 Oct 2004 12:21:45 -0700

Which is better - EDTV or HDTV?

EDTV is a MAJOR step forward in the industry, altough for some reason the TV companies are struggling to get everything speced to HDTV. So why is that? To go thru all the details on here would be quite lengthy, but here's a great link that discusses the differences of SDTV (Standard),...

Answer to What are the most-spoken languages in Africa?

Thu, 14 Oct 2004 12:07:54 -0700

What are the most-spoken languages in Africa?

More than 1,000 different languages are spoken in Africa. Although most countries in Eastern and Southern Africa have adopted colonial European languages for official government business, most people speak indigenous or local languages. In Namibia, for example, people may speak English,...

Answer to What is Vin Diesel's height and weight?

Thu, 14 Oct 2004 09:38:44 -0700

What is Vin Diesel's height and weight?

He's actually only 6'1" and about 225 lbs. He did add some muscle weight for his more recent roles though, so it's tough to get an exact answer.

Answer to How long should a flag remain at half mast after a tragedy or the death of an important person?

Thu, 14 Oct 2004 08:25:58 -0700

How long should a flag remain at half mast after a tragedy or the death of an important person?

The below rules apply to the Amercian Flag only. Rules vary from country to country. -- The flag, when flown at half-staff, should be first hoisted to the peak for an instant and then lowered to the half-staff position. The flag should be again raised to the peak before it is lowered for the...

Answer to What is the highest rating of IQ ever recorded?

Tue, 12 Oct 2004 06:22:41 -0700

What is the highest rating of IQ ever recorded?

Although everyone thinks it's Steven Hawking with an IQ or slightly over 200, it's actually Marilyn vos Savant with and IQ of 228. Please be sure to note however, that results can very from test to test and from day to day. There is no set way to measure intelligence as there are...

Answer to Is there a good method to learn to count cards in your head (since using a notepad or other aid is cheating and will get you kicked out of the casino)?

Thu, 07 Oct 2004 14:19:27 -0700

Is there a good method to learn to count cards in your head (since using a notepad or other aid is cheating and will get you kicked out of the casino)?

There are a variety of different systems that are used to count cards, but below is the most common method. All cards in the deck are assigned a value as follows: 2 thru 6 = +1 7-9 = 0 10-Ace = -1 When the desk is shuffled, the count is reset to 0. This is where you start counting. ...