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Forum: Questions and Answers

A place for factual questions and Ask the Expert threads.

  1. 8-bit music: how?

    I've done similar to 8-bit , or 'chip music' as it's also known, by putting a riff/melody etc into a cellphone, then putting it through a big speaker, then processing the sound further. Is there an easier way to compose stuff in 8-bit style?

    Started by Trojan Man‎, 29 Oct 2010 12:52 AM
    • Replies: 1
    • Views: 5,173
    29 Oct 2010 03:32 AM Go to last post
  2. Why does metal bend, but not wood?

    This is probably some atom based answer involving molecules and yes I am aware that if you treat wood carefully you can get it to bend. But in general if I pick up a spoon I can bend it, if I pick up a pencil, it gets snapped in half. Why is...

    Started by CatInASuit‎, 26 Oct 2010 07:41 AM
    • Replies: 5
    • Views: 11,510
    28 Oct 2010 07:57 AM Go to last post
  3. Explain spam to me

    While it doesn't take much investment to send out massive amounts of emails, the potential for being fined for sending spam seems like it should be some sort of deterrent for an act which, as near as I can tell, has little benefit to it. I can...

    Started by Zuul‎, 26 Oct 2010 12:24 PM
    • Replies: 3
    • Views: 4,932
    27 Oct 2010 01:37 AM Go to last post
  4. Experience with window "security film"?

    My house has what is referred to around here as a "daylight basement", which, in case that's a regional term, means the basement isn't actually sunken very far into the ground (maybe 3 feet), and as a result can (and does) have large windows at...

    Started by McNutty‎, 19 Oct 2010 04:01 PM
    • Replies: 4
    • Views: 11,125
    24 Oct 2010 09:58 AM Go to last post
  5. What do they do with leftover canteen food?

    It was quiet in the canteen today, but a lot of food was waiting to be served. What happens to canteen food if it is not served that day?

    Started by CatInASuit‎, 04 Oct 2010 06:45 AM
    • Replies: 5
    • Views: 6,415
    15 Oct 2010 06:44 PM Go to last post
  6. Welcome to the YouTube Partnership Program.

    I've just received this in my email box, and I was hoping one of you might be able to explain the thinking behind it. Dear CJOKUSAP, Your video crap footage of nazi rally in manchester might be eligible for the YouTube Partnership Program,...

    Started by ivan astikov‎, 12 Oct 2010 10:41 AM
    • Replies: 2
    • Views: 3,072
    12 Oct 2010 10:47 AM Go to last post
  7. How many arms does the average Hindu have?

    Because I would estimate that it is less than half the number the average Hindu God has. Does anyone here know anything about Indian religion? I always found the trope of multi-armed depictions of all their various Gods interesting, but I don't...

    Started by Exy‎, 08 Jul 2010 10:22 PM
    • Replies: 11
    • Views: 7,129
    27 Sep 2010 10:27 PM Go to last post
  8. idle question about brick walls

    Why do most brick walls have rows of half-length bricks? They're usually there every five or six rows -- instead of normal-length bricks, they're half as long. I was thinking they might be a way to use up ends of bricks left over from cutting them...

    Started by Exy‎, 14 Sep 2010 02:18 PM
    • Replies: 6
    • Views: 2,922
    14 Sep 2010 04:10 PM Go to last post
  9. Okay, what is this UVB-76 business about?

    There'a a bit of a flutter on the web about this weird signal that is being transmitted from somewhere in Russia, and I was hoping the voices of reason on here might take a stab at what's going on. Listen here It's only 2mins+, if you can put...

    Started by ivan astikov‎, 04 Sep 2010 01:29 PM
    • Replies: 2
    • Views: 1,920
    05 Sep 2010 02:52 AM Go to last post
  10. cats and hairballs

    So cats just cough up hairballs, right? I mean, my cat gets all hocky and chokey and looks a little like he is possessed but eventually he's going to hock the thing up right? My wife gets worried that he's going to choke to death and my opinion is...

    Started by four fried chickens‎, 02 Sep 2010 12:17 AM
    • Replies: 7
    • Views: 3,926
    02 Sep 2010 02:58 PM Go to last post
  11. What's happening in this video of a meteorite hitting Earth?

    You may have seen this police dash-cam video of a meteor landing somewhere around Edmonton, Canada, which seems to show the meteor "burning up" more as it gets closer to the ground. I was under the impression that most of the friction and burning...

    Started by ivan astikov‎, 15 Aug 2010 06:34 AM
    • Replies: 6
    • Views: 3,107
    01 Sep 2010 11:42 PM Go to last post
  12. Why is passive aggression linked to motherhood?

    I'm not being sexist or mom hating. I'm being serious here. What is it about becoming a mother that suddenly pushes women into being passive aggressive? Is it some cultural thing wherein they feel powerless and this is the only way they can...

    Started by Nrblex‎, 17 Aug 2010 07:59 PM
    • Replies: 4
    • Views: 2,148
    18 Aug 2010 03:22 AM Go to last post
  13. What do "Walk/Don't Walk" signals actually do?

    I was crossing the street today, and my kid had to of course push the button for the "Walk" signal. If I'm alone, I normally wouldn't bother, cause I just cross when the light is green. So I was wondering, is there any info the walk signal gives...

    Started by Sarahfeena‎, 10 Aug 2010 10:40 AM
    • Replies: 13
    • Views: 14,186
    11 Aug 2010 05:10 PM Go to last post
  14. The first toy figure in space

    This question was inspired by a recent Neatorama post on Toy Story trivia. (15 years :o ) There you can read the following about Buzz Lightyear: NASA likes him, too – on May 31, 2008, a Buzz accompanied the real-life astronauts of the space...

    Started by Feirefiz‎, 19 Jul 2010 11:23 AM
    • Replies: 3
    • Views: 3,198
    08 Aug 2010 02:18 AM Go to last post
  15. What's the best free HTML web page making software?

    I want to make a simple website, some photos and some links, I have some experience with HTML but would like a WYSIWYG editor.

    Started by The Original An Gadaí‎, 15 Jul 2010 04:21 PM
    • Replies: 8
    • Views: 2,857
    03 Aug 2010 12:59 AM Go to last post
  16. What is the glow-in-the-darkingest glow-in-the-dark material?

    Related question: what is the blacklight-fluorescingest blacklight-fluorescent material? Hippies and partygoers, please advise? Caveat: this information is intended for a Halloween decoration project, so any recommended material or product...

    Started by terrifel‎, 13 Jun 2010 04:59 PM
    • Replies: 7
    • Views: 12,767
    31 Jul 2010 09:28 AM Go to last post
  17. What the shit is up with fans?

    We need an "idle questions" forum because I know no one's gonna give me a satisfactory answer to this. But why when you turn a fan on, is the first click for "High" and then next "Medium" and last "low"? Is there some plausible reason for them...

    Started by Exy‎, 21 Jul 2010 11:58 PM
    • Replies: 11
    • Views: 3,908
    26 Jul 2010 08:53 AM Go to last post
  18. How does a Camera add 10lbs

    One of the reasons given why all the Hollywood starlets are so thin is because the Camera adds 10lbs so, although looking thin IRL, they actually look normal on the screen. How does the Camera add 10lbs and how long has it been like this?

    Started by CatInASuit‎, 20 Jul 2010 07:17 AM
    • Replies: 4
    • Views: 2,246
    20 Jul 2010 03:07 PM Go to last post
  19. Are household radon kits a rip off and why?

    * OtakuLoki thinks that household radon kits are the biggest rip off since phrenology. I was wondering why Loki said that about the Radon kits. Specifically I was wondering if he thought they don't do the job or if the danger is over-rated? ...

    Started by What Exit?‎, 25 Jun 2010 03:07 PM
    • Replies: 1
    • Views: 1,982
    30 Jun 2010 06:23 PM Go to last post
  20. Extra spacing problem

    All of a sudden, when I'm typing on my home computer and hit the "space" bar, either I get no space at all, or about five spaces. Happens in every program. It's annoying the heck out of me. Same...

    Started by Rube E. Tewesday‎, 19 Jun 2010 10:57 AM
    • Replies: 9
    • Views: 2,673
    24 Jun 2010 10:39 AM Go to last post
  21. Are there any Jewish groups seeking or working toward rebuilding the Temple?

    I know a lot of the more crazy strains of Christianity are big on the reconstruction of the Temple, and so if some pseudo-Jewish group like Jews for Jesus is trying, it doesn't count. Are there any Jews seeking to rebuild the Temple and, then,...

    Started by Exy‎, 21 Jun 2010 07:10 PM
    • Replies: 4
    • Views: 2,333
    23 Jun 2010 07:21 AM Go to last post
  22. So what exactly was the "barefoot and pregnant" bit about anyway?

    Just that, I posted something about it in chat just now and have no good clue what it actually meant or was in reference to. Anyone know? BTW: Silly answers and debate is fine by me on this one.

    Started by What Exit?‎, 10 Jun 2010 02:08 PM
    • Replies: 7
    • Views: 2,652
    12 Jun 2010 12:20 AM Go to last post
  23. Theoretical question about being arrested.

    Ok, so the idea is that a person is say pulled over by the cops and has no ID on them, and refuses to give a name. The cops would of course take the person into custody and fingerprint them, but say the person had never been arrested before, had...

    Started by Cluricaun‎, 10 May 2010 08:44 AM
    • Replies: 11
    • Views: 4,056
    08 Jun 2010 05:53 AM Go to last post
  24. How do I find the product key for a pre-installed version of Microsoft Works?

    Hi. I bought a new computer, it came with various programs pre-installed, including Microsoft Works. When I open Microsoft Works it asks me for the product key, which it says I should be able to find on the CD case, or among the download...

    Started by Laughing Lagomorph‎, 22 May 2010 02:22 PM
    • Replies: 5
    • Views: 5,660
    05 Jun 2010 12:42 AM Go to last post
  25. Ask the Baseball Coach

    I've been coaching baseball now for 24 years (holy shit, that's a long time) and I'm always happy to impart some info to people who are looking to pick my brains. So ask away! Here's a freebie: You see a lot of pros these days hitting with their...

    Started by dread pirate jimbo‎, 28 Sep 2009 01:52 PM
    2 Pages
    1 2
    • Replies: 54
    • Views: 13,442
    13 May 2010 06:31 PM Go to last post
  26. JPG Size and Avatar Question

    I'm not so computer savvy, so bear with me. I have several avatars I would like to put in rotation, but Mellophant tells me they are too big and that I have to manually downsize them. I'm on a MacBook. I have no idea how to downsize them. Can anyone...

    Started by eleanorigby‎, 02 May 2010 06:00 PM
    • Replies: 5
    • Views: 3,259
    05 May 2010 07:50 PM Go to last post
  27. What are some excellent Fire Fox and Google Chrome Add-ons and why?

    Just what the title says list your add-ons, what browser and why you like it.

    Started by What Exit?‎, 24 Apr 2010 08:12 PM
    • Replies: 8
    • Views: 4,008
    26 Apr 2010 11:22 PM Go to last post
  28. Really stupid question about cleaning suits

    Like many other men in their twenties without a proper job I own exactly one dark gray suit for weddings, funerals and everything else that might require one. Now it is almost a defining characteristic of a 'nice' suit that you can't wash it in...

    Started by Feirefiz‎, 28 Mar 2010 05:32 PM
    • Replies: 6
    • Views: 3,017
    23 Apr 2010 11:56 AM Go to last post
  29. Multiple officials killed traveling together

    I'm sure everybody has heard of the plane crash in Russia that killed a staggering number of Polish officials. You frequently hear about policies stating that certain members of governments or royal families aren't allowed to travel together -...

    Started by Feirefiz‎, 12 Apr 2010 04:30 AM
    • Replies: 5
    • Views: 2,301
    12 Apr 2010 10:49 AM Go to last post
  30. Honey, I've Shrunk the Computer...

    Or, more precisely, the computer shrunk itself sometime overnight. I have a HP Laptop someone gave me, no instruction manual with it. When I shut down last night before bed, everything was just fine. This morning, I booted it up and EVERYTHING on...

    Started by PapSett‎, 04 Apr 2010 07:32 AM
    • Replies: 7
    • Views: 2,663
    05 Apr 2010 06:18 AM Go to last post
  31. Questions about a hypothetical hybrid

    I'm working on a story that involves two species of the same genus that can interbreed, but it is rare and difficult. The Panthera hybrids are similar to what I'm thinking about, particularly the way in which imprinted genes lead to ligers being...

    Started by Zuul‎, 02 Apr 2010 09:44 AM
    • Replies: 2
    • Views: 2,155
    02 Apr 2010 01:07 PM Go to last post
  32. Ask the Transsexual(s)

    I'd done a thread like this back before this become Mellophant and I thought I'd start a new one for the Ask the Expert forum. I know I'm not the only trans* person on the board, though, so I figured I'd keep the focus on this one less on me and...

    Started by Nrblex‎, 27 Nov 2009 02:07 PM
    • Replies: 39
    • Views: 7,737
    02 Apr 2010 11:13 AM Go to last post
  33. Why do supermarkets play such depressing music?

    The other night I heard what must be the most depressing song about masturbation ever, The Carpenters' "Solitaire", while looking for cheap sunglasses in Rite-Aid. Which got me to wondering why grocery stores play sad songs. Is it just me? Are...

    Started by parzival‎, 07 Mar 2010 02:28 AM
    • Replies: 13
    • Views: 19,184
    02 Apr 2010 10:52 AM Go to last post
  34. Where will the sun be setting next?

    About 5 yrs ago, when I used to cycle along a particular route regularly, it came to my attention that the sun used to set directly at the end of a certain road. Fast forward to the present, and the sun is setting at the end of a different road....

    Started by ivan astikov‎, 26 Mar 2010 03:46 PM
    • Replies: 6
    • Views: 3,401
    31 Mar 2010 04:17 PM Go to last post
  35. A superficial survey of philosophy

    I don't really know much about philosophy except for the usual bits and pieces that you pick up inevitably. Now I would like know more about it. Of course I realize that it would take many years to gain actual in-depth knowledge. Depth isn't all...

    Started by Feirefiz‎, 11 Mar 2010 05:07 PM
    • Replies: 10
    • Views: 3,323
    29 Mar 2010 04:49 PM Go to last post
  36. Civilian inventions used in war

    This had briefly come up in chat, but we didn't discuss it much, alas. I was thinking about inventions and innovations that started out in the civilian sector, but ended up being picked up by the military. One example that immediately comes to...

    Started by Zuul‎, 27 Mar 2010 09:13 AM
    • Replies: 11
    • Views: 7,238
    27 Mar 2010 10:07 AM Go to last post
  37. Why aren't more people posting on mellophant?

    Well, huh, yeah, why not????? We're not evil people here, well most of us aren't. Start posting and thread starting you shower. :sci:

    Started by The Original An Gadaí‎, 02 Dec 2009 04:51 PM
    2 Pages
    1 2
    • Replies: 76
    • Views: 17,721
    27 Mar 2010 08:59 AM Go to last post
  38. Don't be out on the moors tonight.

    It's bound to take your life.There's a bad moon on the rise. What are moors? Currently I'm reading a book which takes place in Yorkshire. The characters are all walking along the moors. Or driving across the moors to other villages. In...

    Started by Glazer‎, 25 Mar 2010 08:11 PM
    • Replies: 11
    • Views: 5,130
    26 Mar 2010 02:06 PM Go to last post
  39. The Federal Reserve: Screwing Ourselves?

    I know very little about how this works, so bear with me here. This is going to be hyper over simplified, but... The Fed lends money to certain banks that, in turn, lend money to other banks and people and businesses...and whomever needs ...

    Started by Oliveloaf‎, 02 Mar 2010 05:38 PM
    • Replies: 9
    • Views: 3,450
    22 Mar 2010 06:54 PM Go to last post
  40. Tanning Beds, and Vitamin D Deficiency

    Since normally, vitamin D is supposed to be generated by solar exposure on the skin, I wonder if the local tanning salon could be used to make up the exposure that those of us here in Rochester don't really get? I'd be really reluctant to use...

    Started by OtakuLoki‎, 17 Mar 2010 08:37 AM
    • Replies: 6
    • Views: 2,159
    17 Mar 2010 09:41 AM Go to last post
  41. MS Word for Mac madness

    Out of nowhere, the formatting has been altered on my word documents. Normally, single spaced lines look as they should. Now, a single spaced line document is double- or at least 1.5 spaces. It's maddening. I've poked through every menu and can NOT...

    Started by Cartooniverse‎, 13 Mar 2010 11:36 AM
    • Replies: 2
    • Views: 1,730
    14 Mar 2010 01:48 AM Go to last post
  42. Mapping the universe query.

    Say the entire known universe could be enclosed in a box the equivalent of 100 cubic sections long, by 60 deep, and 60 high - which of these "cubes" would the Milky Way galaxy be in??

    Started by ivan astikov‎, 08 Mar 2010 03:44 PM
    • Replies: 9
    • Views: 3,523
    10 Mar 2010 08:02 PM Go to last post
  43. Ask the ghostwriter

    For reasons that should be obvious, I can't reveal the names of authors whose work I've ghosted. Other than that, ask away!

    Started by Raymond Onion‎, 24 Nov 2009 11:01 AM
    • Replies: 15
    • Views: 3,434
    07 Mar 2010 08:25 PM Go to last post
  44. American words not understood outside the US

    I'm interested in finding some words where the US meaning is generally not understood outside the US. One example is "biscuit". English speakers generally understand what "cookies" and "crackers" are, and they use "biscuits" to refer to them...

    Started by Giles‎, 23 Mar 2009 11:17 AM
    3 Pages
    1 2 3
    • Replies: 125
    • Views: 21,098
    06 Mar 2010 07:43 PM Go to last post
  45. Do any Afghani's ever get blown up by these "roadside IED's"?

    I'm thinking that it either never happens to the Afghani's working with the allied forces, or they don't get reported because they are worth less than British or American soldiers.

    Started by ivan astikov‎, 14 Feb 2010 03:01 PM
    • Replies: 20
    • Views: 4,402
    02 Mar 2010 06:41 AM Go to last post
  46. How are the world's airlines faring since 9/11?

    Has there been any drop-off in passengers since the events of that day, either Stateside or worldwide? Or, on a slightly related slant - has there been any lessening in the popularity of high-rise office space? Dagnabbit! This should have...

    Started by ivan astikov‎, 31 Dec 2009 07:48 AM
    • Replies: 9
    • Views: 2,781
    01 Mar 2010 07:51 PM Go to last post
  47. Are most male Olympic figure skaters gay? (AIB hairdresser thread)

    AIB this thread, and the Olympics, of course. It's a commonly held stereotype that male figure skaters are gay, but does flamboyance on the ice necessarily mean flamboyance off of it? I don't think so, but my WAG is that there's a higher...

    Started by elmwood‎, 17 Feb 2010 01:22 AM
    • Replies: 5
    • Views: 13,013
    01 Mar 2010 01:25 PM Go to last post
  48. Ask the firearms enthusiast

    I don’t claim to be a firearms expert, as this is a subject that can attract the most detail obsessed people on earth, of which I am not one, but I do consider myself to have a pretty decent working knowledge of many aspects of the firearms world. ...

    Started by Cluricaun‎, 10 Sep 2009 08:45 AM
    • Replies: 32
    • Views: 6,398
    01 Mar 2010 06:53 AM Go to last post
  49. Do people in real life have dance offs?

    Other than groups of friends that is, have you ever seen a group of strangers partake in a dance off?

    Started by The Original An Gadaí‎, 28 Feb 2010 06:34 PM
    • Replies: 6
    • Views: 4,978
    01 Mar 2010 04:30 AM Go to last post
  50. Did drivers' licenses use to indicate whether or not the driver wore glasses?

    I have this impression that at one point in history your license used to say if you wore glasses -- I suppose so the cops could ticket someone for failing to wear them. I know they don't put that on drivers' licenses anymore, at least not in...

    Started by Exy‎, 08 Feb 2010 11:29 AM
    • Replies: 19
    • Views: 8,213
    28 Feb 2010 05:40 PM Go to last post

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