Posts for Saturday, June 23, 2007

Question #37156 posted on 06/23/2007 3:01 a.m.

Comments

Health

Q:

Dear Sir Flatulence, inre Board Question #37045,

There are a lot (and trust me, I mean a LOT) of things that can cause gas. Broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, brussel sprouts, and foods with a lot of fat can cause it too. Then you have more sinister causes, like lactose intolerance, Celiac disease, or IBS. And it can just come from drinking carbonated drinks, chewing gum, or swallowing air when you eat.

There are lots of ways to reduce gas, and simethicone (Gas-X) is only a very, very temporary fix. I recommend keeping a food diary and use it to keep track of what and when you eat, also the severity of the gas you have. http://www.gicare.com/pated/edtgs12.htm is a good guide of how to approach reducing various sorts of gaseous emissions. If those methods don't help, it could be one of the more sinister causes. Going to a doctor wouldn't hurt (much).

; , who rather misses the days when there wasn't a comma on the bottom.

Question #37149 posted on 06/23/2007 3:01 a.m.

Comments

Q:

Dear 100 Hour Board,

I just wanted to dispell some myths regarding the response to board question Board Question #37046.

To the questioner, you should definitely get a macbook. First, you can run Windows if you should actually need to (although I don't know why you would). As Mac OS X is built on a BSD Unix kernel, nearly all "open source" software run on it. I honestly have yet to find anything useful in my career that runs on Linux that won't run on OS X. As for Windows, there is almost always a good or better alternative on the Mac for any useful software that runs on Windows (except games, but I don't consider them useful). Furthermore, all the development tools from the Linux environment run on Mac OS X. In fact when you install the development tools (which come free with the OS) you get python, ruby, gcc, sed, ed, emacs, vi, and all the unix command line tools installed ready to go. No configuration, no setup, it just works. And as the X windowing system runs natively on the Mac you can run a whole myriad of other Linux software that has not yet been ported to the Mac if you can compile them yourselve.

But if you're not into that, there is a software project called Fink, and one called darwin ports, that works on getting useful Linux tools ported to Mac. I have yet to find a tool I needed that one of these programs didn't have.

I am not sure what Castle in the Sky's experience was with installing Java, but I don't see why anyone would have a problem as it comes in the development tools package I mentioned above. You also have access to XCode which is Mac OS X's IDE and it is very good, including a very nice interface to the GDB debugger. You can also run ddd if you like.

I TA'd for ECEN 324 for 1.5 years and there is no reason you couldn't use a Mac if you wanted. Also, you may be interested that most of the professors in the CS dept. use Macs now and in fact they have a lab entirely composed of Mac minis.

I disagree with Castle in the Sky about your life being easier with a Windows machine. The members of my lab who run Windows Vista, absolutely hate it from a developer's standpoint. The time you will save from the ease of use of a Mac coupled with things that really do "just work" will more than account for any issues with compatibility (which I don't believe exist anyway).

I had a Windows XP laptop during my computer engineering undergrad, and for my MS I got a power book. I hated trying to work on Windows, because I felt like I was always trying to coerce it to do what I wanted. Not so with the Mac. I have not regretted it for one instance, and in fact my life has been dramatically easier as I no longer have to fight with viri, worms, malware, constant updates, etc. that exist on a Windows platform.

For further discussion feel free to email me at bradjusmath@mail.ru.

- BS computer engineering, MS electrical engineering

Question #37147 posted on 06/23/2007 3:01 a.m.

Comments

Q:

Dear 100 Board,

In response to (^37046), I have to strongly disagree with Castle in the Sky's assessment of using a Mac in CS classes. The only thing I have not been able to do so far in the CS classes I have taken is compile the CS240 Chess game since it used some Linux graphics packages (which means it doesn't work on Windows either). Mac OS X is Unix based (and it is going to become an ever more standard version of Unix when Leopard is released), and I really can't see there ever being a good argument for using a Windows machine for CS over a Unix derivative based machine. With great projects like Fink, you can install basically any software you can find on a Linux machine.

As for installing Java on a Mac being not as fun, I guess I am not really sure what that means, unless it is referring to the fact that it is extremely simple on a Mac, thus taking all of the fun out of it. There was the issue of Apple not updating OS X 10.3 to Java 2, which is a problem if you are taking CS142, but that is obviously not an issue now since everything is updated in OS X 10.4.

As for the need for having Windows, unless you need a non-crippled Exchange client (Thanks BYU OIT for choosing to break standard protocols and use proprietary Microsoft junk) or if you are going to be playing games (who has time for that anyway...), I can't think of too many arguments for it.

- bismark, wondering where Yellow and his brand new Macbook are to back him up on this

Question #37093 posted on 06/23/2007 3:01 a.m.

Music

Q:

Dear 100 Hour Board,

My friends and I love to sing in the car as we head places and I was wondering if anyone had any good songs that are fun to sing in groups. We especially like songs that are upbeat and have multiple parts. Ex: Hey Mickey you're so fine, Build me up buttercup, mambo number five, etc. We love old songs, but they have to have a fun feel to them as well. Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated!

- Sing Along

A: Dear Saffron,

I think "Goodbye Earl" by the Dixie Chicks is great for your purposes.

-Kicks and Giggles

A: Dear SA,

"Swing Low, Sweet Chariot."

-Olympus

Question #37092 posted on 06/23/2007 3:01 a.m.

Random

Board - Writers

Q:

Dear Hobbes,

Is there a prize for "Most Obscure Source?" If not, then why are you trying to win it?

Yours Truly,
Eponine

A: Dear Eponine~

I can't go one more day of not answering. But don't you fret, Mademoiselle Eponine, I don't feel any pain. Failing to get the Most Obscure Source Award can hardly hurt me now. You've written me a question, that's all I need to know.

The award was never mine to have. Why regret what cannot be? "Most Obscure Source" are words the editor will never say, not to me, not to me.

And now I'm all alone again, nowhere to turn, no one to go to. But now the hundred-hour mark for this question is near, and I can make-believe it's here. In the darkness, the trees are full of starlight, and all I see is the Award and me forever and forever.

And I know it's only in my mind, that Optimus Prime won it, and not I. And although I know that he deserved it, still I say, there's a way for me. I want it, but when the night is over, it is gone. Without it, the world around me changes; the trees are bare and everywhere the streets are full of strangers.

I want it, but every day I'm learning that all my life I've only been pretending. Without me, the Board will go on working, a Board that's full of Obscure Sources that i could never fiiiiiiiind!

I want it... I want it... I want it... but only on my own.

*Bows to a wildly cheering crowd*

~Hobbes

PS. As for the "Absolutely greatest pseudonym" award, at the end of the day you get it for the name Eponine.

Editor's Choice

A: Dear Hobbes,

Wait, what? I won an award? Sweet.

-=Optimus Prime=-

Question #37091 posted on 06/23/2007 3:01 a.m.

LDS - Doctrine

Q:

Dear 100 Hour Board,

Where does the rumor come from that there will be no technology right before the 2nd coming and during the Millennium? Is it true?

- My name here

A: Dear Castle in the Sky,

I've never heard of it. No, it's not doctrine and it's not true.

Just as a fun counter (also NOT doctrine) Elder McConkie in Mormon Doctrine said that (paraphrasing) "it may be only the power of the priesthood that will protect us from the nuclear war that is sure to come [before the 2nd coming]." Nuclear technology implies that there will be technology.

-Castle in the Sky

Question #37089 posted on 06/23/2007 3:01 a.m.

Health - Diets

Food & Drink

Q:

Dear 100 Hour Board,

Why is it called 2% milk?

- An eight cow woman

A: Dear eight cow woman,

Because it is only 2% as good as whole milk.

-Tangerine

A: Dear Mahana,

The percentage after milk (2%, 1%, etc.) refers to the percentage of the milk made up of fat. Whole milk contains 3.6% fat on average.

—Laser Jock

Question #37088 posted on 06/23/2007 3:01 a.m.

Questions about Guys

Q:

Dear 100 Hour Board,

If I am in "hot pursuit" of a certain male in my ward, what is an appropriate, not creepy, way to pursue him hotly?

-Female on the Prowl

A: Dear In Pursuit,

Really simple: flirt! If he flirts back, flirt more! Eventually there will be kissing.

Ok, that's not the best advice. Look, if you really like a guy, if you are interested in him: SHOW INTEREST! What does he do? Why does he do it? What about him? Ask him. Spend time with him. See if he shows interest back. If he doesn't care about your life, chances are it's not going to work.

Also, try to make yourself available and solo so he can have the courage and TIMING to make a move. It's very awkward to ask a girl out in front of her roommates or friends.

-Castle in the Sky

A: My dear,

I think Castle left out the most important part of being in hot pursuit: be hot.

- The Defenestrator

A: Dear,

When I put the same question (well, with a few minuscule variations, since it was for me and not for you,) to my friends, one of my pseudo-brothers recommends money, food, and [immodest] clothing.

Frankly, I can't see a single thing wrong with this formula. How I failed to see it, I'll never understand. Soon, though, every boy, EVERY BOY IN THE WHOLE WORLD CAN BE MINE!

-songs of inexperience

A: Dear,

I can't help but think of the outfits that female superheroes tend to wear--leather catsuits with enormous high heels. Definitely a hot pursuit.

Honestly, I'd just do the usual thing. Try to look nice, be interested and interesting, try not to over or underdo it. Difficult, but not impossible.

-Uffish Thought

Question #37087 posted on 06/23/2007 3:01 a.m.

LDS - Scriptures

Statistics

Q:

Dear 100 Hour Board,

What are the longest/shortest verse in each of the standard works?

- Curious

A: Dear Our biggest fan,

This looked like an interesting question, so I thought I'd give it a go. The first thing I did was get in touch with Optimistic., since he answered a somewhat similar question in Board Question #21651. However, his method of cutting and pasting each chapter into Word didn't seem suitable for the entire standard works.

One thing did come from that discussion, though—we briefly brought up the idea of writing a program to find the longest and shortest verses. This fired up my imagination, and I got to work.

A number of hours later, I have a program that goes through each of the standard works and finds the longest and shortest verse. Since you didn't specify if you were counting words or characters, I did both. (For my purposes, a character is only a letter—not spaces or anything else.) Personally, I think that characters are more important.

And now, the moment you've been waiting for: the longest and shortest verses in each of the standard works, using the official LDS version of each:

Bible
Longest: Esth. 8:9 — 90 words, 426 characters
Shortest: John 11:35 — 2 words, 9 characters; there was one other verse with two words

Old Testament
Longest: same as above
Shortest: 1 Chron.1:25 — 3 words, 12 characters; there were thirty-five other verses with only three words

New Testament
Longest: Rev. 20:4 — 68 words, 284 characters
Shortest: same as above

Book of Mormon
Longest: tie between Alma 60:16, with 577 characters (but 136 words), and 3 Nephi 12:1, with 142 words (but 576 characters)
Shortest: Alma 18:27 — 4 words, 12 characters; three other verses also only had four words

Doctrine and Covenants
Longest: tie between D&C 128:18, with 906 characters (but 209 words), and D&C 132:19, with 214 words (but 892 characters)
Shortest: tie between D&C 88:36, with 24 characters (but 6 words), and D&C 19 verses 11 and 12, each of which have 5 words (but 33 characters)

Pearl of Great Price
Longest: JS-H 1:28* — 211 words, 931 characters
Shortest: JS-M 1:24 — 6 words, 24 characters

*Originally I found that the longest verse was in the endnote to Joseph Smith—History, containing Oliver Cowdery's account of Joseph's history. It was the last verse, beginning "I shall not attempt to paint to you..." (275 words, 1192 characters). However, since I wasn't sure if that should count as a verse, I re-ran the program without that endnote and got JS-H 1:28 instead.

Just for fun, I also figured the average number of words per verse, characters per verse, and characters per word in each of the standard works:

words characters characters/word
Bible 25.39 103.59 4.08
Old Testament 26.32 107.29 4.08
New Testament 22.67 92.83 4.09
Book of Mormon 40.46 168.22 4.16
Doctrine and Covenants 30.43 127.89 4.20
Pearl of Great Price 41.54 169.78 4.09

Hmm, it looks like there are some pretty big variations in the average words/characters per verse, but the number of characters per word is remarkably stable.

So, there you go. That was an interesting, albeit random, project. Hopefully that will help you as much as the extra little programming experience will help me.

—Laser Jock

Editor's Choice

Question #37086 posted on 06/23/2007 3:01 a.m.

Language & Linguistics

Q:

Dear 100 Hour Board,

Any ideas on how I can keep up a fairly rare foreign langauge over the summer?

Yours Truly,
Eponine

A: Dear Eponine,

Not saying which language makes it a little more difficult, here are my suggestions:

1) Reading something in that language (Reader's Digest or the Book of Mormon perhaps?)
2) Speaking the language daily
3) Singing/Listening to music

-Castle in the Sky

A: Dear Eponine,

1. Find a penpal on MyLanguageExchange.com.
2. Read newspaper articles or blogs in the language.
3. Read (or write) Wikipedia articles in the language.

Like Castle in the Sky said, this would be easier if we knew what the language was, but those are my general suggestions.

- Katya

Question #37085 posted on 06/23/2007 3:01 a.m.

Relationships - Family

Holidays

Q:

Dear 100 Hour Board,

What did you do for your fathers for father's day?

Yours Truly,
Eponine

A: Dear Eponine,

I wrote a blog post about fathers. (I would also have called him, but he had to work, so I asked my mom to wish him a happy Father's Day for me.)

- Katya

A: Dear,

Nothing, being a shockingly irresponsible daughter. But he called me, and we laughed and talked for a long time, anyway.

-Uffish Thought

A: My dear,

I wrote him a nice letter. He liked it.

- The Defenestrator

A: Dear Eponine

I remembered to call him (with the help of a prompting from the future Mrs. Master). It actually wasn't Father's Day anymore where I'm at when I called, but it still was for him.

-Humble Master

Question #37084 posted on 06/23/2007 3:01 a.m.

Strange Things People Do

Q:

Dear 100 Hour Board,

When I was a kid I loved to alphabetize my family's movie collection. Only when I was a kid... I don't do it anymore... I promise...

What are your strange OCD tendencies?

Yours Truly,
Eponine

A: Dear Ethel,

I definitely have to alphabetize my movies, and the DVDs need to be organized separately from the VHSs. The books on my bookshelf must also be alphabetized by authors' last name and the books I have read get put upside-down. If someone takes something out and puts it back wrong I got NUTS.

I also have off days if I don't hit the windchime outside our door on my way by when I leave in the morning and when I come back in the afternoons. It's a necessary part of my day.

-Kicks and Giggles

A: Dear Eponine

I alphabetize my DVDs (but its really pretty necessary if I ever want to find a specific DVD (I have a lot of DVDs)). But other than that, I don't have much in the way of OCD tendencies.

-Humble Master

A: Dear Eponine,

When I was 11 or so, I wrote a paper about different possible ways to organize my family's movie collection.

Also, you've got to take a look at Board Question #22318.

-Tangerine

A: Dear ep,

That's not OCD. The alphabet is easy! I don't know why so many people have such a hard time putting my movies back in order. We used to switch two of them just to see if my old roommate noticed (she always did). She was pretty big on it. That's where I learned it.

Also, my closet is coordinated by color, shade of color and length of sleeve.

Also, the dishes and the bathroom sinks have to be clean.

The end.

-Olympus

Question #37082 posted on 06/23/2007 3:01 a.m.

BYU - Honor Code

Q:

Dear Boardies,

I was at a Stake activity the other day, and they had a cotton candy machine. This reminded me of that time back in High School when, for part of a summer, I was a carnie and ran the cotton candy machine. I also got to thinking about my friend, [Lacey]. She was the bearded lady in our freakshow. She loved it. If she came to BYU, would the Honor Code office make her shave her beard off?

MustacheBoy, who misses free snowcones for lunch.

A: Dear Boy Wonder,

I doubt it. The Dress and Grooming section of the Honor Code is explicitly divided by gender. The standards for women are:

A clean and well-cared-for appearance should be maintained. Clothing is inappropriate when it is sleeveless, strapless, backless, or revealing; has slits above the knee; or is form fitting. Dresses, skirts, and shorts must be knee length or longer. Hairstyles should be clean and neat, avoiding extremes in styles and colors. Excessive ear piercing (more than one per ear) and all other body piercing are not acceptable. Shoes should be worn in all public campus areas.

The only points of contention would be that a beard is either an "extreme" hairstyle, is not a "clean and neat" hairstyle, or doesn't provide a "well-cared-for appearance". With proper trimming, however, I believe a female beard falls well within the bounds of the Honor Code.

-=Optimus Prime=-

Question #37081 posted on 06/23/2007 3:01 a.m.

Health - Wellness/Exercise

Q:

Dear 100 Hour Board,

sometimes when I exercise my hands swell up. Why would this happen?

-the pope

A: Dear Holy See, batman,

I always assumed it was the swinging motion of your arms pushing blood into the fingers, but apparently it's more complicated than that and even the Mayo Clinic "isn't clear" why it happens. Most sites mention arm swinging and electrolyte imbalance as the most probable causes. My theory is that your hands are seeing all the effort you're putting into exercise and they're swelling with pride.

The good news is that it's probably not anything you're doing wrong and no one really considers it a danger to your health.

-=Optimus Prime=-

Question #37080 posted on 06/23/2007 3:01 a.m.

Money/Finance

Relationships - Wedding Prep.

Q:

Dear 100 Hour Board,

Okay, so I will preface this question by saying that I'm not currently in a relationship. Nevertheless, I think that I should be saving money for a wedding ring, and realized that I have no idea how much they cost. Rather than enter into some mall jewelery store and get mobbed by sales floor personnel, I thought that I would be easier to ask the all-knowing 100 Hour Board. Thus the (potentially controversial) question: Approximately how much should I expect to spend on a wedding ring?

- Inquiring Mind

A: Dearest Inquiring Mind,

There is no correct answer to this question, of course. A wedding ring can cost anywhere from $0 to $1,000,000+ depending on your tastes, her tastes, where you buy the ring, the quality and size of the diamond(s), the metal, whether you get a wedding band, etc.

For regular old guys like you and me, however, I would expect your final costs to be somewhere between $1000 and $3000. I suppose that makes my guess an average of $2000. This site says the average cost in America is $3500-$4000. In any case, you'd better start saving!

Sincerely,

Old Bald Guy

Question #37079 posted on 06/23/2007 3:01 a.m.

Games - Computer/Video Games

Q:

Dear 100 Hour Board,

i recently just got a brand new wii!!!! and i wanna know a good game i should buy for it . also i have another question. is it okay to play first person shooters being lds? as in medal of honor , call of duty , and games like that? i've been thinking about it a lot. is it right to be breaking one of the commandments "for pretend" .

_person the third_

A: Dear 3rd person,

I haven't played any of these but I think these look interesting:

The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
WarioWare: Smooth Moves
Super Paper Mario
Excite Truck
Bring Brain Academy
Rayman's Raving Rabbits

Also, I'd like to suggest Trauma Center: Second Opinion because, though I hated the game Operation, Trauma Center on the DS was just amazing. I am a real doctor! ... or maybe not.

As far as "is it right to play first person shooters being lds?" Here's the church doctrine (from "For the Strength of Youth"):

Entertainment and the Media

"If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things" (Articles of Faith 1:13).

Whatever you read, listen to, or look at has an effect on you. Therefore, choose only entertainment and media that uplift you. Good entertainment will help you to have good thoughts and make righteous choices. It will allow you to enjoy yourself without losing the Spirit of the Lord.

While much entertainment is good, some of it can lead you away from righteous living. Offensive material is often found in web sites, concerts, movies, music, videocassettes, DVDs, books, magazines, pictures, and other media. Satan uses such entertainment to deceive you by making what is wrong and evil look normal and exciting. It can mislead you into thinking that everyone is doing things that are wrong.

Do not attend, view, or participate in entertainment that is vulgar, immoral, violent, or pornographic in any way. Do not participate in entertainment that in any way presents immorality or violent behavior as acceptable.

Pornography in all its forms is especially dangerous and addictive. What may begin as a curious indulgence can become a destructive habit that takes control of your life. It can lead you to sexual transgression and even criminal behavior. Pornography is a poison that weakens your self-control, changes the way you see others, causes you to lose the guidance of the Spirit, and can even affect your ability to have a normal relationship with your future spouse. If you encounter pornography, turn away from it immediately.

Depictions of violence often glamorize vicious behavior. They offend the Spirit and make you less able to respond to others in a sensitive, caring way. They contradict the Savior's message of love for one another.

Have the courage to walk out of a movie or video party, turn off a computer or television, change a radio station, or put down a magazine if what is being presented does not meet Heavenly Father's standards. Do these things even if others do not. Let your friends and family know that you are committed to keeping God's standards. You have the gift of the Holy Ghost, which will give you strength and help you make good choices."

"16 For behold, the Spirit of Christ is given to every man, that he may know good from evil; wherefore, I show unto you the way to judge; for every thing which inviteth to do good, and to persuade to believe in Christ, is sent forth by the power and gift of Christ; wherefore ye may know with a perfect knowledge it is of God. "

(and the rest: Moroni 7:12—19)

I stopped playing video games for my own personal reasons: I can get addicted to them quite easily and I find that they aren't very satisfying (though I love the epic story lines and the melodramatic events). Still, while I think that some first person shooters are acceptable (Rayman Rabbit's cowboy minigame involving shooting bunnies with plungers for example), they are becoming less and less so.

With increased power (Crytek 2, id Tech 5, Unreal Engine) and a more and more desensitized consumer market, games are becoming more and more graphic and violent. A good example of this trend is found in "Manhunt 2": a game that is so disgustingly graphic and violent it was rated "Adults Only" and has been banned already by Sony and Nintendo.

My advice: choose something that you would feel comfortable playing in front of everyone and that, were they to want to play or watch, they would feel comfortable as well.

-Castle in the Sky

A: Dear,

Mario Kart. And invite me. I claim Babies Luigi and Mario, so I can get the chain chomp. ...chompchompchompchompchompchompchomp....

-Uffish Thought

Question #37077 posted on 06/23/2007 3:01 a.m.

Food & Drink

Q:

Dear 100 Hour Board,

I have recently started making smoothies for myself and my room mates, and I have run into a bit of a problem. I want to avoid adding extra sugar to them, but they often end up being fairly tart. What are some of the sweetest fruit that I can add to counter tartness?

Oh, on the same subject, any hints on how to pit cherries easily so that they, too, may be added?

- Fredjikrang

ps. Roomates or room mates?

A: Dear Krang,

I make smoothies all the time and I've never run into a tartness problem. I use mostly berries, bananas, and peaches.

I wouldn't worry about the fruit. Instead, try adding additional ingredients. My formula for success is to use a combination of fruit, ice, fruit sherbet, and juices (apple, orange, Sobe). There's rarely a bad batch with those ingredients.

-=Optimus Prime=-

A: Dear Fredji,

Roommates.

Let's take a page from the book of the smoothie king, Jamba Juice. Their "all-fruit" smoothies contain no added sugar yet they have no problem maintaining the desired sweetness. I don't think there's really a trick to it - they use 100% fruit juice of varying flavors, crushed ice, and flash-frozen strawberries, bananas, mangoes, peaches, and raspberries. That's it. Their other smoothies do contain a variety of yogurts, sherbets, and sorbets, but those aren't necessary. So perhaps some of these fruits will solve your problem.

As far as cherry-pitting goes, I found the following tip at this site:

Martha Stewart uses a large paper clip and pushes the pit from the stem end through the bottom, pulling the stem out. If you want the stem left on, push the pit from the bottom. You'll need to partially straighten the clip so you have a straight point to work with. You may want to try the pitting on both ends to see which works best for you. I personally have also had some success using a metal skewer with fairly decent results. Even a crocheting needle might work.

May your smoothies be sweet.

-krebscout

A: My dear,

To answer the question you didn't ask: yes, you should include wheat germ in your smoothies! Not only does it add a little needed fiber, but it also gives a nice texture. Mmmmm!

- The Defenestrator

A: Dear Fred

Add yogurt (it makes smoothies smooth).

-Humble Master

Question #37076 posted on 06/23/2007 3:01 a.m.

Board - Writers

Q:

Dear 100 Hour Board and Team HAT,

What effect do you think that having half of team HAT leave to do an in depth investigation on Welsh kisses will have on the answers that the board in general, and team HAT in specific, provides?

- Fredjikrang

A: Dear Fredjikrang~

Precisely what you'd think, I imagine. To say that Team HAT is devastated would be an understatement, because we are destroyed. At the time of this writing, Tangerine is flying somewhere between Utah and another major metropolitan area in the USA where it is apparently possible to purchase great pizza, although I've never had opportunity to find out for myself. She promised she's try to write an answer to you from said metropolitan area, but we'll see if she actually manages it.

So, in other words, how will it affect our answers? There won't be any more from Team HAT, at least not for a very long time, because there is no Team HAT. So I guess at this point it falls upon me to find a new team member or just be contented to go lone-wolfing for awhile.

~Hobbes

PS. Looks like Tangerine didn't hit this question. Oh well.

Question #37075 posted on 06/23/2007 3:01 a.m.

Relationships - Roommates

Board - Writers

Q:

Dear 100 Hour Board,

So, I have a roommate problem. I LOVE living with the guy, and we get along great. I have even stayed in an apartment that I otherwise hate just to keep on living with him. But there are storm clouds on the horizon. It's because...

He refuses to clean the bedroom. Now, I'm not a neat freak, but I would like a clean room at least once a semester. I've asked, nagged, and extracted promises out of him to clean his stuff, but it's all been futile. What can I do to get this "anonymous male roommate" to actually fulfill the promises he's made to me and organize his stuff?

- JAC's roommate

A: Dear roommate of mine,

Grrr...I'll get to it. In fact I might try to clean the room before this question posts.

-Just Another Cassio
...reminding you that he can clean and organize but has really just left his room an unorganized mess.

A: My dear,

You could ask a Board question about it!...oh...you already did. Good job!

Or, you could search the archives. Maybe something like "roommate clean." Hey, wait! Since you already followed my first suggestion, how 'bout I go ahead and just include the link to my second suggestion!

Now you'll have so much to read that you won't even notice his messy stuff!

You're welcome.

- The Defenestrator

Question #37074 posted on 06/23/2007 3:01 a.m.

Board - Writers

Q:

Dear 100 Hour Board,

What in your most recently developed pet peeve? For instance, I have recently become annoyed at everyone's (everyone being juice manufacturers in this instance) obsession with vitamin C! I mean, I had some grape juice the other day that advertised 130% of your daily requirement! It is added to orange juice, apple juice, grape juice, everything!

So, yeah, what have you recently become annoyed with?

- Fredjikrang

A: Dear F...g,

Splenda. It's disgusting and it's everywhere. Ice cream, sodas, and yogurts are no longer safe to eat without seeing the packaging first. Just eat less junk, people, and you can have real sugar!

-=Optimus Prime=-

A: Dear Fredjikrang,

Most recently, poor software design. For instance, at my current job I enter the hours I work on my employer's web site. I was expecting to enter them the way you usually enter time—in the hours:minutes format. But no—it has to be in decimals. (As in, the other day I worked 6.42 hours, not 6:25.) Who on this planet reckons in decimal time? Do you have a decimal watch? And how hard would it be to write the program to accept hours:minutes input instead? (As someone who programs at work, I'll answer that: pathetically easy.)

And then if you put in one extra decimal place (6.417, which is closer to 25/60), it doesn't just cut off the extra digit or round it up. Instead it refuses to accept the hours and informs you that you did it wrong: you can only have two places after the decimal. And so on and so forth. With an extra 15 minutes of programming (if they were slow) they could have made the software so much easier to use. Instead I have to use a spreadsheet to convert all my time to a decimal equivalent.

Oh, and the kicker to all this: they don't tell you any of these rules until after you do it "wrong." Then they pop up an error message like it's my fault they're lazy programmers that defy all the normal conventions, and can only handle one rigid format for entering time.

If you want a little more insight into the whole issue, check out Why Software Sucks ... And What You Can Do About It, by David Platt. The BYU library has it. I will warn you that he occasionally doesn't watch his language. The book is well-written, entertaining, and he has the background to write intelligently about software design.

Thanks for letting me rant.

—Laser Jock

A: Dear Freddy,

This has been a pet peeve of mine for awhile, but it's recently been amped up: I hate it when people put apostrophes in every stupid word that has an "s" on the end! "Bring the kid's!" should prompt people to say, "Bring the kids' what?" but instead, people are all, "Oh, I'll bring my children to this event!"

Grrr. (I'm gritting my teeth.)

Nike

Question #37072 posted on 06/23/2007 3:01 a.m.

Folklore - Rumors/Myths

Science

Q:

Dear 100 Hour Board,

Is glass a liquid or a solid? I have heard good arguments both ways

-orange juice

A: Dear OJ,

The line between physical states may be a little blurred, but the simplest answer is that it's a solid. I'd like to refer you to two excellent web sites I found about glass: "Glass: Liquid or Solid -- Science vs. an Urban Legend" and "Is glass liquid or solid?"

I'll mention one of the persistent myths: very old glass is thicker at the bottom, which is evidence that glass will flow very, very slowly. However, this has never been found to be true. Let me rephrase that: scientists have looked into the oldest glass they know of (from the 1st century AD, for instance), and have found no evidence that it has flowed.

Thanks for letting me look into this a bit more. I remember hearing it was a liquid, but I had a physics professor who spent part of a class period talking about the reasons it's a solid. Now I feel a lot more comfortable with that.

—Laser Jock

Question #37071 posted on 06/23/2007 3:01 a.m.

Board

Q:

Dear 100 Hour Board,

Didn't you use to be the 24 hour baord?

Have you seen a decrease on questions on the 24 hour board with the rise in popularity of search engines such as google, ask.com, and yahoo answers?

Do you answer questions that do not directly apply to BYU?

A: Dear,

No, we didn't.

We were born after the advent of Google and all that. And we've seen nothing like a decrease in questions, except for when we shut down for a while.

Yes, we do.

-Uffish Thought

Question #37066 posted on 06/23/2007 3:01 a.m.

Food & Drink

Health - Wellness/Exercise

Q:

Dear 100 Hour Board,

While we were at the Creamery for Muffin Monday, we remembered the Seinfeld episode where Elaine Bennis fails her drug test due to a large intake of the seemingly harmless poppy seed. This promptly brought about the question as to how many poppy seed muffins it takes to fail a drug test. So. . . How many?

- BYU Independent Study
Data Entry Department

A: Dear entire department,

(To the tune of Twinkle/ABC...)

With a phrase like "poppy seed",
Current writers you don't need.
Type it in the searching field,
And it no time it will yield,
Archived questions that, you see,
Make less po'm writing for me!

Board Question #13246
Board Question #30270
Board Question #26920
Board Question #27283

-=Optimus Prime=-

Question #37065 posted on 06/23/2007 3:01 a.m.

World - Random

Q:

Dear 100 Hour Board,

I was in Amman, Jordan today and saw this ginourmous flag. You have never seen a flag this big. (Unless, of course, you've been to Amman.) It was massive. My tour guide said it is probably the biggest flag in the world. Is that true? And how big is it?

- JC

A: Dear Jaycee,

According to Guinness and his Book of World Records, the biggest flag in the world is the Superflag, that measures 255x505 feet and can cover a significant portion of Hoover Dam.

I believe the flag you're talking about sits atop the Raghadan Flagpole (seen here in Google Maps and a closer picture here). The pole is about 416 feet tall, and this site says the flag is 80 meters² (about 861 ft²). While this may be the biggest flag to fly the normal way on a flagpole (from what I can tell), it pales in sheer size to the 113,625 ft² Superflag.

-=Optimus Prime=-

Question #37060 posted on 06/23/2007 3:01 a.m.

BYU

Q:

Dear 100 Hour Board,

I've never been at BYU for summer term, so I don't know how the parking restrictions differ from fall/winter as far as what non-"Y" lots I can park in. Which lot will get me closest to the Wilk?

Many thanks,
Sweets and Joy.

A: Dear Sweets and Joy,

If you have a Y-Lot sticker then you should be able to park in G-Lots around campus. I believe that the closest one to the Wilk would be the one that is over where the visitor parking is if you go behind the visitor parking and the A-Lot then you should find it.
Happy parking!

~Krishna

Question #37059 posted on 06/23/2007 3:01 a.m.

Travel - International

Q:

Dear 100 Hour Board,

What are some great, legitimate, volunteer programs going on in France for the next year? I'm looking to stay anytime between 1 month and 6, and I'll have a little over $2000 to spend on the whole venture. I'm hoping for a time after March and before Fall semester '08. Any ideas?

- Moi

A: Dear Moi,

First I would like to tell you that there are excellent places on BYU campus where you could go ask about volunteer opportunities in places like France. However, since I am not currently in the Provo area I did a nice little internet search and came up with the following:

- This website gives information about volunteer maintenance work that you can do in France.
- This is an excellent volunteer website that gives you lots of options for where and when you volunteer and it is affordable.
- Magic Hospital - would be a fun opportunity and I believe there is one located in France.
- And finally, this website has another list of short term volunteer opportunities in other countries (including France).

-I found a website that was recommended to me by a good friend for volunteer opportunities that you might want to check out (which you can find here ) but this site doesn't have any opportunities in France.

You should check it out! I am glad that you want to volunteer and help out in the world so I hope that you find something that interests you.

~Krishna

Question #37025 posted on 06/23/2007 3:01 a.m.

Science

Q:

Dear 100 Hour Board,

Someone want to explain quarks to me? I know they're sub-sub-atomic particles, so don't just blow me off with that sort of answer. Really explain them. Tell me what spin means. Tell me what it means that they have +1/3 and -2/3 charges. Tell me why they picked names like "charm" and "strange" to describe their "flavors." (Where do scientists get these names, anyway?) I read through the Wikipedia article and couldn't understand much of anything.

You know I wouldn't ask unless it took some time to find. I know how to do my research, friends.

- I Am A Wicked Child.

A: Dear Stepsister,

Hah. Thanks for the Calvin and Hobbes link. :)

I'll do the best I can. However, it's kind of hard to explain all that much: quarks are so small that they're very different from what we're used to seeing around us. Our everyday intuition just doesn't work for the incredibly small.

Quarks are, as you pointed out, particles that make up sub-atomic particles. They come in groups of two or three; they have never been seen by themselves.

What does it mean that they have fractional charges, like +2/3 or -1/3? Researchers found this out from looking at particles with known charges and known numbers of quarks. For instance, the neutron and the proton have charges of 0 and 1, and three quarks each. The total charge of the quarks had to add up to an integer value, and the only way to make that work with all the particles was if the quarks had fractional charges. For instance, a neutron has one up quark (+2/3) and two down quarks (-1/3 each), which add up to zero, the charge of a neutron. A proton is made up of two up quarks and one down quark. So, the quarks just have 1/3 or 2/3 as much charge as a proton.

The property of spin, referring to sub-atomic particles, does not mean that the particle is physically spinning like a top. Rather, it refers to the angular momentum that the particle has. (An explanation of angular momentum would take too long for this already-lengthy answer, but you can visit the Wikipedia article on it or ask your local friendly physicist/physics major for help.)

Most of the rest of the properties you mentioned are pretty much the same way. The various flavors of quarks and their properties have no corresponding ideas in the macroscopic world. They're just labels given to distinguish between the different quarks. It's hard to get a better handle on them without some amount of quantum physics. If you take physics 222 you'll get into it a bit, but even then there's a lot that doesn't really get explained. So don't feel left out if it doesn't all make sense. Quantum physics is just weird, to quote my physics 222 professor's introduction to the class. :)

—Laser Jock

Question #37078 posted on 06/23/2007 midnight

Relationships - Friends

Q:

Dear 100 Hour Board,

How do I be cool?

- bunky

A: Dear b,

1. Do anything that has something to do with "school."
2. Annoy your roommates' sensitivities and checkbooks by cranking the a/c.

-Olympus

A: My dear,

Be like me.

- The Defenestrator

A: Dear bunky,

Do be use good grammar.

-glib

A: Dear bunky

Follow these ten easy steps (don't deviate one bit):

1. Go and get an application to work at Arby's.
2. Fill out the application.
3. Turn the application in to the manager.
4. Answer the phone when the manager calls you to set up an interview.
5. Write down the date and time of the interview.
6. Go to the interview.
7. Do not make a fool of yourself.
8. Accept the offered job.
9. Go to work on your first day.
10. Lock yourself in the walk in freezer.

-Humble Master

A: Dear bunky,

See also Board Question #2250, Board Question #16415, and Board Question #16682.

- the librarian