Posts for Tuesday, May 20, 2008 | The 100 Hour Board

Question #45176 posted on 05/20/2008 3:40 a.m.

Q:

Dear 100 Hour Board,

I'm assuming you've all heard about the Color Code (by Taylor Hartman). I also know it's waaay overemphasized and pretty cliche by this point...but , just the same, I wondered what colors you all were? In case you don't know what I'm talking about, or you don't know your color, you can go here: http://beta.thecolorcode.com/

-Blue/white

A: Dear Leonard of Quirm,

I'm blue. Almost completely. No yellow at all.

I could swear I've answered this question before...

-Azriel

A: Dear you,

I'm really blue too. A little white, and a sliver of yellow, and no red.

-Cognoscente

A: Dear blite,

I'm split between red and blue, a little heavier on the red. A little white, no yellow.

-habiba

A: Dear B/W,

See Board Question #34509, Board Question #26710, Board Question #38480, Board Question #28249, and Board Question #10467. Last time I took it I was Red/Yellow, but that was almost two years ago... gee, have I really been writing that long?

JUST FOR YOU, I took the test again (okay, that's a lie. I wanted to see if my answers would change over time). 55.8% Red, still, and a quarter something, and an eighth of the other two, it looks like. But, I don't really remember what I was like as a child... but I think most children are impatient and obnoxious, so I went with that.

-Whistler

A: Dear Whistler,

Thank you for proving to me that I have, in fact, answered this before. I feel a lot less like Dory now, even though I am, in truth, a natural blue?

-Az

A: Dear true cougar,

I took the test you linked to and came out 63% white. The description fits me pretty well, but I think there's a lot in the other 37% that isn't taken into account here. (The other values just show -"--%" for me.)

I prefer the Peircean scheme referenced in the archives (Board Question #9482). Instead of power, intimacy, peace and fun, it uses truth/knowledge (blue), ideas/sponteneity (yellow), and action (red) and their combinations. Instead of focusing on motivation, it focuses on what you do in a social environment, which is actually useful. I'm a solid purple on that scale, as you should be able to tell from my responses. While I do find personal satisfaction from being at Hartman white peace, what other people get is my Peircean purple with some occasional green.

-=Optimus Prime=-

A: Dear B/W~

I'm very much yellow, with an equal fraction of both blue and red and no white to speak of.

~Hobbes

A: Dear asker,

I'm 44% yellow, and the rest is probably a 1-1-1.5 ratio between the other colors. Peircian, I'm a solid orange, though I float back and forth between the yellow and red ranges quite a bit and in some social situations act pretty green.

-Olympus

A: Dear pale blue,

I've done this before, but didn't get a percentage, so I figured I'd do the link you provided (to their beta version). I'm still red (47.7%). The other colors aren't identified on the pie chart (because hey, I'm only doing the free version), but from reading the descriptions of the other colors, I'm almost positive that the one that's a small sliver is yellow (5-10%), while blue and white are each around 20-25%.

In case anyone cares about other systems of classifying personalities, I'm a green with purple streaks in the Peircean system (which I like very much), and a solid INTJ in the Meyers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI).

In case you want to learn a bit more about Peircean semiotics, you can search the archives (be sure to spell "Peirce" with the e before the i), or you can ask here—there are a couple of us who are enthusiastic about it (though Katya is the resident expert).

—Laser Jock

Question #45171 posted on 05/20/2008 3:40 a.m.

Sports

Health - Wellness/Exercise

Q:

Dear 100 Hour Board,

I am looking for a running group. I want to run. I like running. A lot. so much I'm going to run the Park City Marathon.
I want to run with people.
But I do not live in Park City.
I am living in San Diego.
California, that is.

My problem is that I do not have a car. I cannot run with groups that live far from my house. More than 2 miles is far, well, not really compared to 26.2 miles, but I want to run with people, not to people.
I want to know if there are any running groups that meet near Kearny Mesa High School. I want to run 6 days a week, not on Sundays.

Thank you for your kind consideration of my plight.

- Sweaty and Solitaire

A: Dear Sweaty,

Hey! Check it out! The San Diego Running Meetup Group! They have 566 members, and you could make it 567.

-habiba

Question #45170 posted on 05/20/2008 3:40 a.m.

Legal (law) - Law Enforcement

Q:

Dear 100 Hour Board,

Okay, I was driving through Idaho on Mother's Day and a cop pulled me over and gave me a ticket for going 16 miles over the speed limit. This ticket is $140! Here's the thing though: I rarely speed at all and I've never gotten a ticket before. And I was actually only going three miles (maaaaaybe 4) over the speed limit. I admit that three or four miles over the speed limit is still speeding, but I think the cost would be a bit less if the ticket were accurate. And so I'd like to deny this ticket. So I have two questions. One-how do I go about denying this ticket? The ticket says I can deny it through the mail and they'll send me a court date (in which I would have to drive all the way back to Idaho), but I'm going out of town soon, so I'm worried that I won't be around for it. Also, what is the likelihood that I can get out of paying this ticket? Do you have any suggestions or ideas or know anyone who has gotten out of a ticket in Idaho? Okay, I know that's three. But thanks.

- the tortoise

A: Dear sounds more like the hare to me,

Here is the official Idaho code on traffic infractions (down towards the bottom). You can deny it through the mail and if you can't make the court date they give you, call and ask for a continuance. Make sure that you dress professionally and bring a copy of your squeaky clean driving record. Depending on where you got the ticket, keep in mind that the cop is fairly likely to show up in court. They get paid overtime. I hate to damper your hopes but if the ticket was written up for 16 over and you didn't discuss that with the officer when he wrote it up, it doesn't seem too plausible that you were only going 3 or 4 over. I know a few people who have gotten out of tickets, but I know a whole lot more that have paid them. Just keep in mind when you deny that if you end up having to pay the ticket, you'll also lose gas money and a significant amount of time. There's some risk involved.

Good luck.

-habiba

Question #45168 posted on 05/20/2008 3:40 a.m.

Entertainment - Television

Q:

Dear Rating Pending and 100 hour Board Writers

I was reading the archives and I noticed that RP cringed in one of the questions that many in this generation will not know of the spoon battle cry in the Tick. I was unable to find in the archive an answer as to why it is the Tick's battle cry, but I was wondering if it is properly explained here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rcm-J7lQT3w
If something is missing, can you please explain it?
Thank you.

- Likes to shout out the word Spoon sometimes.

A: Dear don't we all?,

....nope, that's pretty much it.

Man, I love the Tick.

-Claudio

Question #45167 posted on 05/20/2008 3:40 a.m.

Language & Linguistics - Etymology

Q:

Dear 100 Hour Board,

So, I watched David Archuleta recently on American Idol and he sang a song by Chris Brown called "With You". (see the music video here ---> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OqumjziPTzk) I've heard it on the radio before. Anyways, the first few words are "I miss you boo, I wanna see you boo". Well...I thought it said...something other than "boo". Anyways, I can't figure out what is a boo or who is boo?

- Lava Lamp

A: Dear Wall E.,

Maybe "boo" is just a term of affection? A nickname? Sort of like how Sully calls the little girl on Monsters Inc. "Boo..."

-Polly Esther

A: Dear retro trendy,

From the Urban Dictionary:

Boo is a term that is derived from the French word beau meaning beautiful. In 18th century England it meant an admirer, usually male. It made it's way into Afro-Caribean language perhaps through the French colonisation of some Caribbean islands.

It can also be used as a slang term for marijuana.

-=Optimus Prime=-

A: Dear George,

Also please refer to the song "My Boo" by Usher featuring Alicia Keys.

-Kicks and Giggles

Question #45166 posted on 05/20/2008 3:40 a.m.

Utah

Q:

Dear 100 Hour Board,

A friend has had to drive near the Oquirrh Mountains near Magna for work for the past few days and he was wondering what the C on the mountains stood for. We both tried Google and couldn't find anything on, but we speculate it may be copper due to Copper Hills High School and the Kennecott Copper Mine.
He says is along Highway 111 before it hits the copper mine, in the foot hills of Magna. Can any of you help us out with this to find out what the C stands for? Thank you.

- Jazzy J.

A: Dear Jazzy J.,

The C stands for Copperton, a small town built near the base of the Kennecott Copper Mine. And in the interest of adding another sentence to this answer, you can read more about hillside letters on Wikipedia.

-Yellow

Question #45165 posted on 05/20/2008 3:40 a.m.

Computers - Hardware

Q:

Dear 100 Hour Board,
I am shopping for a birthday present for a friend. One thing I know she wants is a cordless keyboard/mouse combo (as in a keyboard and a mouse, not those keyboards that have a tracker ball or touch pad on them for the mouse) for her work computer. The operating system of this computer is Linux. Is there anything that I need to know/watch out for while shopping for this item for a Linux computer? Do any of you have any recommendations?
- Much obliged

A: Dear much,

I have a Logitech set that works great under Ubuntu Linux. I can't remember the exact name of the set, but that probably doesn't matter, I've had it since 2003. All of my media buttons work automatically (very important to me), as well as the main auxiliary buttons such as: "My Home", "Search", "Email". The other extra buttons don't work without doing extra setup, but I don't bother because I never use them.

Doing a quick Google search I wasn't able to find a comprehensive list of sure-to-work equipment, but as long as you buy something mainstream it will most likely work without any extra setup. At work I have a Microsoft keyboard, which has full functionality if you do some messing, but the important stuff works out-of-the-box.

I'd just recommend getting a Logitech set (based on my experience) and it will likely, mostly work perfectly from the start.

As far as Linux specific, if it just needs to function as a regular old keyboard and mouse then it shouldn't ever matter what it is or who makes it, the interfaces of the keyboard and mouse were standardized ages ago (pretty tough to fix a driver problem with your keyboard without a working keyboard). So it's only the extras that you need to worry about.

-Curious Physics Minor

Question #45163 posted on 05/20/2008 3:40 a.m.

Computers - Internet (general)

Q:

Dear 100 Hour Board,

My friend who is on a mission's Facebook story showed up on my mini-feed (Elder So-and-so is now friends with Who's-her-name), so I went into his account and saw that, in addition to new friends, he added an application. I don't think he's the kind of guy who would break this rule against Facebook, but then again, who knows? I don't think it's his sister either, but it could be. I do know that the application he added had been sitting in his "inbox" (for lack of a better word) for quite a while.

My question is this: does Facebook, after a period of inactivity, go through and add the applications and requests pending? Or does a person have to be behind it?

- Trying to get rid of Facebook myself

A: Dear getting rid of,

I had some friend requests that stayed that way for my whole mission. I don't think they can edit your account for you. That would be creepy and weird if they could.

If there is a missionary on Facebook, tell them to knock it off. They have better things to do.

-habiba

A: Dear Trying,

I know quite a few people get someone else to take care of their e-mail and Facebook while they're on their mission (usually either a family member or close friend). Of course, some missionaries do also break the rules. However, I'd recommend giving him the benefit of the doubt and not jumping to any conclusions about his obedience.

—Laser Jock

Question #45162 posted on 05/20/2008 3:40 a.m.

Entertainment - Movies

Q:

Dear -=Optimus Prime=-,

Assuming you're the real Optimus Prime and not some cheap imitation, I have a question for you regarding the end of the Transformers movie.

At the very end of the movie you give a speech where you say that you and all the other autobots will make the earth your new home. My question is: how many autobots are there? Is this going to be one of those things where you and a few autofriends settle in a remote, uninhabited part of the world, or is this one of those "millions of pilgrims show up and take over the place" kind of settlements?

Because if you're going to segregate us into tiny reservations 'for our own good' I'd at least like to know about it (btw, the Native American reservations can't get much smaller, so you'll probably want to take that into account).

Also, is there some weird Autobot religion you're going to try to convert us to? I'm not trying to be disrespectful, oh benevolent robot overlords, I'm just trying to prepare for your invasion- er, I mean, settlement. Robots rule!

- John Q. Human

A: Dear Denzel,

Oh you heard that? I was kind of just talking to myself. And I was all kinds of distracted by those kids making out on top of Bumblebee (awkward!) so I couldn't concentrate. But yeah, more Autobots should be coming.

I honestly don't know how many Autobots are left on Cybertron, but I think there are enough to form an Autobot City on Earth. Of course, this will put you all in great danger since the Decepticons will likely wage some more huge battles with us. It would probably make more sense to settle on Mars or even the moon, but that wouldn't make for a very compelling sequel, so Earth it is. We'll try not to squash you.

As for religion, no, we won't try to convert you. We don't even really have a religion anymore now that the Autobot Matrix of Leadership (*cough* Allspark *cough*), the only thing left of our creator, Primus, was destroyed. Some autobots believe the Quintessons made us, or course, but nobody's really into worshiping them either.

I'm glad you're willing to work with us. Remember, "we don't harm humans". If anything, you get to hang out in Autobot City and play with exo-suits. It'll all work out well in the end, you'll see.

-=Optimus Prime=-

A: Dear puny human,

Just be grateful there's no such thing as Autobot Smallpox.

-Cognoscente

Question #45161 posted on 05/20/2008 3:40 a.m.

Random

Board - Writers - What's your favorite

Q:

Dear 100 Hour Board,

I know this is really random and plain but what is your favorite subject!!!
- A-Z

A: Dear A-Z,

I have two. Recess and lunch.

-habiba

A: Dear Keli,

History (like archeology kind of history), photography, and religion. I could probably think of a few more, but my brain doesn't want to think that hard about school when I'm not in it.

-Azriel

A: Dear A-Z!!!,

You seem very excited to ask this!!! My favorite subjects are chemistry!!! And rock and roll!!!

-Claudio!!!

A: Dear A-Zed,

Linguistics, Information science, or whatever language I've just started learning.

- Katya

A: Dear alphazed,

I like all my serfs equally.

-=Optimus Prime=-

A: Dear alphabeticist,

Anything science-related, especially physics. Also, I love to read, though I prefer to do so on my own terms, without the structured analysis that literature classes tend to emphasize.

—Laser Jock

Question #45159 posted on 05/20/2008 3:40 a.m.

LDS - LDS Music

Music - LDS Music

Music - Lyrics

Q:

Dear 100 Hour Board,

Can I just say you guys are awesome? You guys are awesome.

Anyway, I had a question about a song sung by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir called, "Bound for the Promised Land" (posted here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AmpVkocKipI).

I was able to find and/or transcribe the lyrics for the first three verses but the fourth verse has some lyrics that were er- confusing to say the least.

The first three verses are:

On Jordan's stormy banks I stand
And cast a wishful eye
To Canaan's fair and happy land,
Where my possesions lie.

There generous fruits that never fail
On trees immortal grow;
There rocks and hills and brooks and vales
With milk and honey flow.

Chorus
Chorus

O the transporting rapt'rous scene
That rises to my sight;
Sweet fields arrayed in living green
And rivers of Delight.

Then the fourth verse sounds like this (starting at 1 minute, 29 seconds if you're watching the video posted above):

When shall I see some happy face
and be forever blessed
When shall I see my mother's face
and in his bosom rest

Now, um... knowing the Tabernacle Choir as well as I do (which isn't very much) I'm sure they aren't saying what I think I'm hearing...Any suggestions about what the real lyrics are?

- Confused

A: Dear Confused,

According to this website the song was part of the famous Heavenly Highway Hymns. Like most hymns, it has likely been rearranged many times and has had the words tweaked just as many. The aforementioned version says When shall I see my Father's face, And in His bosom rest? I love the imagery. Do you remember being a little kid and being held against your dad's chest? How warm and safe it felt? Magical. Of course this refers to our Heavenly Father, who holds us like that right now with the Spirit and will one day hold us physically. Beautiful.

-habiba

A: Dear Confused,

I listened to my copy of the song on their "Spirit of America" album, and it does sound like they're saying "mother's" and "his". The only explanation I can come up with is that 'his' refers not to 'mother' but either to some aforementioned male character, or to an implied father figure. Especially in the ancient Israelite culture implied in the song, a mother and a father would generally come hand in hand; it may simply be assumed that 'his' refers to the implied husband of 'my mother.'

Odd, I know, but I can't escape the conclusion that your hearing is not faulty.

-Yellow

Question #45157 posted on 05/20/2008 3:40 a.m.

Fashion/Style - Clothing

Q:

Dear 100 Hour Board,

It seems Levi's has ceased making 567s, which is men's loose boot cut. What's the closest they make now to that style?

- Much obliged

A: Dear Obliged,

Well, it seems you're a bit out of luck if you're insistent on the boot cut. The only boot cut jeans I could find were either normal or slim fit. As such, I would say you would probably enjoy the new 549, which sounds like a comfy and loose fit.

-Claudio

Question #45156 posted on 05/20/2008 3:40 a.m.

Language & Linguistics - English Usage/Grammar

Q:

Dear 100 Hour Board,

Which sentence is correct?

"That idiot George Bush vetoed the bill."
or
"That idiot, George Bush, vetored the bill."

Context obviously is crucial, so let's just say George Bush has already been mentioned/introduced in the article. Or would that make a difference?

- Much obliged

A: Dear Much ~

Well, I'm pretty sure "vetored" isn't a word.

~ Dragon Lady

A: Dear Much,

Actually, I kind of like "vetored." It sounds like it would come from the same dialect as "warshed."

However, assuming that "vetored" is just a typo, they're both correct, but they have different syntactic structures.

In the first sentence, "idiot" is functioning as an adjective which modifies "George Bush." To illustrate this, you can replace that word with other words which are definitely adjectives, such as "tall" or "crunchy":

That tall George Bush vetoed the bill.
That crunchy George Bush vetoed the bill.

In the same sentence, "that" is functioning as a pronominal adjective (or a determiner, depending on your school of thought) which modifies "George Bush." You can illustrate this by taking out "idiot" to see if the sentence still makes sense.

That George Bush vetoed the bill.

(If you a student of the X-bar theory of syntax, I suppose you could argue that "George Bush" is actually modifying "that," but I don't really want to go there right now and it's irrelevant to my argument.)

In the second sentence, "idiot" is functioning as a noun, "George Bush" is a parenthetical comment which refers to "idiot," and "that" is a pronominal adjective which modifies "idiot."

You can test that "idiot" is functioning as a noun by replacing it with other nouns:

That jerk, George Bush, vetoed the bill.
That Republican, George Bush, vetoed the bill.

You can also test that "George Bush" is modifying "idiot" by removing it from the sentence to see if it still makes sense:

That idiot vetoed the bill.
That jerk vetoed the bill.
That Republican vetoed the bill.

However, you can't replace "idiot" with the adjectives from the first example:

*That tall vetoed the bill.
*That crunchy vetoed the bill.

So. Same sentence, different parsing, both correct.

However, I'm going to put on my prescriptivist hat (dusty from lack of use) and say that the second one is more correct than the first, or at least more formal. There are two reasons for this.

First, "that" doesn't usually modify proper names, because "that" is used to disambiguate multiple items and a proper name is generally disambiguation enough.

So, "That kid picked my tulips" is more formal sounding than "That Billy Perkins picked my tulips!"

Second, in formal writing, "idiotic" is the adjectival form of "idiot." So "My idiotic boyfriend is obsessed with Drew Barrymore" is more formal than "My neighbor's idiot dog always chases the cars on our street."

- Katya

Question #45155 posted on 05/20/2008 3:40 a.m.

Literature

Board - Writers - What's your favorite

Q:

Dear 100 Hour Board,

what are you favorite fiction novels?

-just started a book club

A: Dear good luck with that,

Harry Potter!

- Niffler

A: Dear just ~

Series
- Harry Potter
- Kingdom and the Crown
- Faith of our Fathers
- Tennis Shoes Among the Nephites
- House of Israel
- Children of the Promise
- The Promised Land (except the third book never came out and it doesn't look promising that it ever will.)

(Yes, I'm a sucker for LDS historical fiction. So sue me.)

Books
- To Kill a Mockingbird
- Pride and Prejudice
- Summer of the Monkeys
- Savior and the Serpent
- Anne of Green Gables

~ Dragon Lady

A: Dear book club,

My latest fascination is Paulo Coelho. I haven't read one I haven't liked yet.

-habiba

A: Dear Edward d'Eath,

Any and all Discworld novels (like you haven't noticed yet... honestly). I think Pratchett is my hero and that I want to be just like him when I grow up. Without the annoying and tragic Alzheimer's bit. Also like Diana Wynne Jones.

Go to, my friend. Happy reading.

-Azriel

A: Dear just~

Check out the Mistborn series by Brandon Sanderson. Really really good fantasy.

~Hobbes

A: Dear just started,

I just finished reading We by Yevgeny Zamyatin, which was good. My favorite novels are mostly classics, and a lot of them are probably too long (The Brothers Karamazov) or too scandalous (Lolita) to read in a casual book club. At the moment, I recommend Chekhov's short stories, or short novels if you must have a novel. Vonnegut's and Salinger's books are always hits with me as well.

-Whistler

A: Dear George,

Just a note, your question is redundant. There is no such thing as a nonfiction novel. It would be sufficient to ask "what are your favorite novels?"

To answer your question, my favorites include (but are not limited to) the following:

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut
Tender Mercies by Rosellen Brown
Gilead by Marilyn Robinson
Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro

-Kicks and Giggles

A: Dear bookworm,

I love the historic fiction of Gary Jennings. The books are very long, very violent, very sexual, and very epic... but if you're down for that and up for a challenge, they're amazing and very well researched. For Aztec, he spent time in Central America learning cultures and languages, For Journeyer he followed the trail of Marco Polo through Asia, and for Raptor (the story of the Ostrogoths' conquest of the Roman Empire in the 500s as told from the perspective of a hermaphrodite of all people) he spent time in Eastern Europe studying ancient Christianity.

I like 'em. If they sound interesting, check them out.

-Cognoscente

A: Dear Started,

My all-time favorite author is Isaac Asimov, and I'd recommend nearly anything he wrote. In particular, I love his Robot series (which is where I started on his books), along with his many, many short stories. His Foundation series is also superb. I, Robot and The Bicentennial Man are a couple other really good books. (I've never seen the movies and have no idea how close they are, but don't judge the books based on them.) I could go on, but those are some good ones to start with.

I like most books by Orson Scott Card; his Ender and Ender's Shadow series are some of my favorites, though other books have also been discussed.

A few of the classics I've enjoyed include The Return of the Native (Thomas Hardy); The Scarlet Letter (Nathaniel Hawthorne); most books by Mark Twain (The Prince and the Pauper comes to mind, along with his Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn books); The Scarlet Pimpernel (Baroness Orczy); The Three Musketeers (Alexandre Dumas); and Cyrano de Bergerac (Edmond Rostand). Dickens' Great Expectations is also quite good, and I enjoyed a number of Edgar Allen Poe's short stories.

And of course, I'd suggest pretty much anything by C. S. Lewis (especially the Narnia books) or J. R. R. Tolkien (especially The Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings trilogy).

Good luck!

—Laser Jock

Question #45154 posted on 05/20/2008 3:40 a.m.

Science - Ecology

Q:

Dear 100 Hour Board,

Smelfric and I were recently on the backside of Y-mount, and we saw some interesting soil formations, and couldn't come up with a single reasonable explanation for their existence. So, I come now to you, oh mighty Board, for help in satiating my curiosity. (Shocking, I know. ;-) )

They were long, branching mounds that had been built on the top of the last years grass. (Meaning that they had either been built during the winter under the snow, or were built very quickly and very recently during the short periods of melt.) They were about 1.5-2" tall and about twice that wide (like a tube that had been cut in half and laid on the ground.) We broke one open, and there was no noticeable tunnel inside of the above ground formation. You can see a picture of them here: http://fredjikrang.petfish.net/board/snurfals.jpg

So what in the world made these tunnels/mounds?

Thanks!

- Fredjikrang

A: Dear Freddy,

Jokes on you, they're not soil formations. They're tunnel worm poop.

-habiba

A: Dear Fredjikrang,

They look quite like gopher tunnels to me. We've seen them in my parent's backyard for a number of years. You may not have seen tunnels in there, but since such tunnels are made of loose soil, they can easily collapse.

-Yellow

Question #45152 posted on 05/20/2008 3:40 a.m.

BYU - Athletics

Sports - Athletics

BYU - Culture

Q:

Dear 100 Hour Board,

My friends and I were looking around the site and I was wondering, how did BYU come up with their school colors? I mean, is there a story behind it?

- horseback riding champ

A: Dear harry the horse,

You can find some of the history in Board Question #9879 and Board Question #32333, but it doesn't look like there's any interesting story behind it other than that President Cluff decided BYU should have school colors.

-=Optimus Prime=-

Question #45150 posted on 05/20/2008 3:40 a.m.

Hypotheticals

Q:

Dear 100 Hour Board,

Say you took a normal pool and somehow bought enough Jello packs to turn it all into that gelatin goodness. If someone jumped into the deep end of the pool, would they become suspended like fruit, or would they sink to the bottom? How much would this cost if a 20x40 ft pool were available?

-xkcd 150

A: Dear delightfully funny comic,

A 20x40 pool that slopes from 5 to 10 feet holds 6000 cubic feet of water, or 10,368,000 cubic inches. Your standard Jello packet makes about 117 cubic inches, so you would need 88,616 packets to make an entire pool of Jello. At $0.50 a pop it would cost you $44,307, excluding sales tax. This web site calculates for a bigger pool and even has a Jello-pool recipe!

As for jumping in, I don't think you'd make it to the bottom. I've pencil-jumped into 8 foot deep snow and never made it to the bottom, and I'm guessing you wouldn't make it any farther in Jello. I thought about trying it in our pool, but I don't have $44,000 to buy the Jello and I don't think management would like it. It also probably depends on how firm you make your Jello...slightly runny or Jiggler style. If I ever get to jump into a large body of Jello, I'll let you know for sure.

-habiba

A: Dear xkcd,

For a similar question not quite as awesomely answered, to which the author is seriously reconsidering her answer, see Board Question #31910.

-Whistler

Question #45148 posted on 05/20/2008 3:40 a.m.

Music - Vocal

Q:

Dear 100 Hour Board,

I'm a junior in high school. My voice teacher (who has a PhD in Music/Voice Performance) has trained me in a more "classical" style. Now I'm interested in Musical Theatre at my high school, and my theatre teacher wants me to learn how to "belt." I asked my voice teacher to teach me how to belt, and her definition of belt is singing loudly in either chest, head, or mixed voice. This conflicts with my theatre teachers definition, which is singing in chest voice with tension in the throat, as long as it doesn't hurt. (My voice teacher is the president of the no-tension-in-throat club.) I'm really confused, because I forgot how to sing with tension in my throat, because of what my voice teacher has taught me. So, how do I get tension back in my throat, and how do I teach myself to belt "theatre style?"

- Idina Menzel wannabe

A: Dear Idina,

I'm guessing that your voice teacher is a much better expert on singing than your theater teacher. She also probably knows much better how to project your voice without destroying your vocal cords. I'd stick with her advice. Maybe if you explain to her that you want to learn to sing like you're on Broadway (not just 'belt') she'll be able to help you better.

-habiba

Question #45146 posted on 05/20/2008 3:40 a.m.

LDS - Prophets & General Authorities

Quotes/Speeches

Q:

Dear 100 Hour Board,

So I read this amazing quote from Elder Holland and I wanted to know when or where he said it. Well basically I want to know for sure that he did say it being as I have used it for a few different lessons I've given recently. So if you could give me any background on it I would love you forever. (All google comes up with is the link to the blog I found it on...)

Here it is:
"Of course there are all the ways that we already know: praying, studying the scriptures, etc. But the best way to really know our Savior Jesus Christ is by our Suffering. We need to embrace those great moments of suffering because that is when we truly get to know Him. Often we would say to Heavenly Father: 'Let this cup pass from me', however, this cup does not pass from us and we must drink it but this is the time we will come to know the Savior more than any other time of our life. God loves a broken heart maybemore than anything else in this world. When it is hard and there is sorrow that is your Gethsemane. We are all willing to pray and read the scriptures but we are not all willing to suffer of to let our loved ones suffer. But we must go through all that to understand and to really know our Savior, we become more compassionate and then we are more inclined to help other because we know how they feel."

- Here I go spreading false doctrine again...

A: Dear you,

Well, lds.org doesn't seem to be familiar with the quote, which means that it's probably not official. Perhaps it came from the transcriber's note in a smaller meeting or something similar. You could always contact the blogger and ask them where it came from.

Elder Holland has said some similar things. Perhaps the most similar is Missionary Work and the Atonement, which most missionaries know well.

-habiba

A: Dear Spreading,

I did some extensive searching on GospeLink, and using various combinations of phrases and words, I found nothing. Google was also no help, even using moderately broad searches that shouldn't have depended on the specific phrasing. Basically, this all just backs up habiba's conclusion that it was never officially published. It's quite possible it came from a smaller meeting, as she suggested, but the only way to know for sure is to ask the blogger for a source.

—Laser Jock

Question #45144 posted on 05/20/2008 3:40 a.m.

Language & Linguistics - Etymology

Q:

Dear 100 Hour Board,

This is totally random, but a question popped into my head the other day and I thought I'd turn to the collective resources of the Board to see if there's an answer:

Do the words "Boadicea" and "bodacious" have any links etymologically? Or, do they come from completely different sources and just sound a bit alike?

- the surprisingly rebellious librarian

A: Dear surprisingly lazy librarian,

The OED (which comes highly recommended for the etymologically curious and is free through BYU's library website) says bodacious is basically American slang, "Perhaps a variant of Engl. dial. boldacious, a combination of bold and audacious."

Boadicea, according to Wikipedia, is more properly written Boudica, derived from a Proto-Celtic word for victory.

Thus, they have nothing to do with each other. They just sound a bit alike.

-=Optimus Prime=-

Question #45143 posted on 05/20/2008 3:40 a.m.

Entertainment - Movies

Q:

Dear HHB,

Opinion on <A HREF="http://www.apple.com/trailers/sony/baghead/"">Baghead</A>?

Brief

A: Dear Sendivoge,

It's not one I'll be seeing. Also, personally, the acting looks terrible.

-Azriel

A: Dear Boxer or,

You know...it just seemed kind of lame. First off, a movie about people trying to write a movie is just a little too meta for me. Secondly...comedy...murder...the two genres don't often cross well (at least not when the murder is taken seriously and "oooooooh, it's scary!").

Yeah...I don't think I would see it.

-Claudio

A: Dear George,

I agree with Azriel and Claudio. From the mouths of three witnesses.

-Kicks and Giggles

Question #45142 posted on 05/20/2008 3:40 a.m.

Health - Pregnancy

Q:

Dear 100 Hour Board,

My husband and I are planning to start trying to get pregnant next month. We have planned pretty much everything we can to this point but had a recent bump in the road. I was told I need to get my wisdom teeth out ASAP and our insurance all starts June 1. If our planning goes as...planned... it is possible we may get pregnant early in the month which is about the same time I would be having my wisdom teeth removed. They are impacted and so I'll need to be put under and go through the pain med recovery. My concern is whether or not this will affect fertility or even a bitty baby. I spoke with a nurse in the health center who said there shouldn't be any problems but I'm just looking for a second or more opinions.

- Want to be a Mommy

A: Dear Future Mommy,

You spoke to a nurse, eh? Sounds like a pretty reliable source of information to me. Neither I nor the Board are qualified to give you any opinion on this. If you are still looking for more opinions, talk with whoever is taking out your wisdom teeth. Also, I strongly suggest you speak with the doctor or midwife you will be seeing throughout your pregnancy.

- steen

Question #45139 posted on 05/20/2008 3:40 a.m.

Art

Q:

Dear 100 Hour Board,

Is there a place online where i can find the painting of a pregnant Mary being lead by Joseph while she is on top of a donkey? I think Mary has red hair, and she appears very young, and there is a flock of sheep in the painting. I know it was the cover of the Christmas Ensign, I think it was December of 2000, but I'm not sure about that.

A: Dear whoever claimed this question ~

I assume you mean this painting?

The name of the painting is Journey to Bethlehem by Joseph Brickey. You can also see it on his web page (and probably buy a better print, to boot).

Funny anecdote about this painting. While Brother and I were at the Garden Tomb in Jerusalem, we spotted this painting on a card. Curious, we went over and looked at it. No, it wasn't this painting, it was a photograph! Considering how much easier it is to paint a photograph than to set up a photograph based on a painting, we are pretty sure that Joseph Brickey "borrowed" this scene from someone else. It is a quite fantastic picture, however. Painting or photograph.

~ Dragon Lady

Question #45138 posted on 05/20/2008 3:40 a.m.

Questions about Guys

Q:

Dear 100 Hour Board,

I have (had, I guess, since he moved downstairs) a roommate that has a certain... creepy demeanor towards girls. I've seen him a couple times on campus cornering girls and the politely annoyed, highly uncomfortable or completely terrified looks on the poor girls' faces. I've had a few female friends who've met him tell me how much he creeped them out, that he comes on way too strong etc, doesn't respect personal space, and will hit on just about anyone, even if they're married and very obviously pregnant (true story). Recently, however, I've met and heard of several people who have had no previous connection to my apartment or my ward, but know his exploits well.
I guess giving his name on the internet wouldn't be fully prudent, so I'll give what descriptors I can, so you know who I'm talking about. He's from Kenya, is at least 30 and (when talking to girls at least) has the most unsettling smile you've ever seen. I'm pretty sure Foreman knows of him, so if you need more info, he might be able to give you more specifics.
The question at the root of all this is just how widely is he known? Has he attained full notoriety across BYU campus? Is he a celebrity among creepy guys? How many of the female board writers have been personally predated (verb form of predator?) by him?

Diemer

A: Dear Diemer ~

I have no knowledge of your roommate. I have no personal experience with him, nor have I heard any stories about him. So I guess he has not received full notoriety quite yet. I do know of a couple of other guys that fit the bill and are quite well known, but none are from Kenya. Sorry, my friend.

~ Dragon Lady

A: Dear Doc Pseudopolis,

Haven't seen him nor heard of him, but unless someone comes up to me and shakes my hand non-stop and stands no more than 6 inches from my face (true story- still gives me the shudders) or follows me to my apartment, I'm usually very unaware of creepy. It's a blessing. And a curse.

-Azriel

A: Dear Na₂,

I've...never met him or heard of him. Then again, I'm not a creepy guy, so perhaps that's why he doesn't have celebrity status to me. And yes, the OED confirms that your use of predate is correct, though I'd say that preyed upon would be a bit more commonly used.

—Laser Jock

A: Dear Diemer,

I may have met this person. Whoever it was, he started a conversation and then was asked for my phone number. He wanted a cell number, but luckily I didn't have a cell phone. Uh... it was awkward. I wouldn't say creepy though.

-Whistler

Question #45136 posted on 05/20/2008 3:40 a.m.

Advertising

Entertainment - Television

Q:

Dear 100 Hour Board,

Why are tv programs so much quieter than commercials? I have to strain to hear the dialogue (which is spelled correctly; what dictionary do you use?) and then my ears are lambasted with junk I don't want to listen to. It's really obnoxious.

-star calendar

A: Dear Saffron,

It's for when you get up during the commercial breaks to go to the kitchen for a snack. If they program the commercials to be louder, you'll still hear the advertising and be sucked in to consume. Those tricky advertisers...

-Kicks and Giggles

A: Dear star ~

You would probably quite enjoy the book, "When Do Fish Sleep? And Other Imponderables of Everyday Life." by David Feldman. It actually answers your question and many others you had never even thought to ask, such as, Why does my gas gauge go down faster at the end of the tank? It's a fantastic book.

~ Dragon Lady

Question #45113 posted on 05/20/2008 3:40 a.m.

Language & Linguistics

Q:

Dear 100 Hour Board,

My friend on a mission in Mozambique included a phrase in Portuguese that I don't understand - Ja era! Can I get some help translating this? Google failed me in finding an adequate Portuguese/English dictionary.

Many thanks,

Press One for English

A: Dear Lilith Tempscire,

As the friend of a friend put it, "Literally it means, 'it already was' but the application indicates that something is over, done with, or finished. If something is 'Ja era' it means that it is gone."

For my favorite text translator, go here. Babel Fish is awesome, dood, and pretty accurate, to boot.

-Azriel

Question #44902 posted on 05/20/2008 3:40 a.m.

BYU - Campus (physical) - Buildings

Q:

Dear 100 Hour Board,

I have worked in the Erying Science Center for the past two years and love the displays. There used to be a display of dinosaurs (raptors or something) in the main entrance. Then, about a year ago, the display was changed to a large bull (with huge horns!) being attacked by three (or so) smaller cats, with one of them about to get gored. It was only on display for a VERY short period (maybe a month at the most). Now, the display has again two smaller predators chasing a large horse creature. Why was the big horned bull display up for such a short time- it was so cool looking and it also looked like it took a long time to set up. It also seemed like the raptors were there forever (since my freshman year in 2002), and all of a sudden it was changed twice in a short period of time! Does BYU also just cycle through all their fossilized bones that the museum by the football stadium finds/stores? Who decides what and how to set up these displays? Help me find the answers 100-hour board!
- A fossilized enthusiast

A: Dear enthusiast~

After a long and arduous search which eventually led me to the Earth Science Museum of little renown (across from the stadium), I finally found you an answer.

The same people at said museum informed me that the displays in the ESC are generally on loan from other facilities for a limited period of time, which explains both the finite term of their stay and the somewhat erratic differences in how long each exhibit is up there.

As always, the 100 Hour Board comes to the rescue.

~Hobbes

Question #44697 posted on 05/20/2008 3:40 a.m.

LDS - Missionaries

Q:

Dear 100 Hour Board,

What is the smallest mission in the world--both in terms of number of missionaries and area? The largest? How about the one with the most/fewest sister missionaries? Senior missionaries?

--Sorry for asking so many questions in one question, but they're all sort of kind of related...

A: Dear Sorry,

For the largest mission by area, see Board Question #24394.

- Katya

A: Dear Related to a mission ?,

I am afraid I could not find solid numbers to back up my answers, but I realize that the mission field is in constant flux, so it is improbable to keep something like that up-to-date.

Area-wise, Wikipedia's got your answer. Largest goes to Guam or Hong Kong, whichever way you want to look at it. Smallest falls to the Utah Salt Lake Temple Square Mission (10 acres), and I would guess that the next smallest would be the New York South Mission. (It's just Long Island).

As for Sister Missionaries, I'd say that the Temple Square Mission wins again, as it has only Sister and Senior Missionaries. The Salt Lake City (Family History Mission) employs (can I use that word?) primarily Senior Couples with a few exceptions. There are a number of missions that have neither Sister nor Senior Missionaries, and although supposedly a list was posted in the archives, I have yet to find it.

Without stirring abroad
One can know the whole world;
Without looking out the window
One can see the way of heaven.
The further one goes
The less one knows. (XLVII, 1-6)

-Tao

Question #45218 posted on 05/20/2008 3:01 a.m.

Comments

LDS - Missionaries

Q:

Dear Craig Jessop and some of the 100 Hour Board,

With regards to question Board Question #45120. While it is true that your mission will be different from my own it was not different from that of Hobbes (yes Hobbes, some of us do know who you are regardless of your death squad). Consequently I can only add one thing from what Hobbes said: Do not be afraid to open your mouth. I cannot stress this enough, and I do not mean just wandering the streets of NY with your mouth gapping. Talk to everyone! Follow even the smallest promptings to talk to those in your path. Your words may not have any impact on their life at that moment or perhaps ever, but know that you will touch some of their lives and especially your own.

I also second habiba, play handball! Help those of us "ghetto-serving" (I mean that with love too) RMs promote handball here in Provo when you get back.

- Former Big Apple Elder

Question #45212 posted on 05/20/2008 3:01 a.m.

Comments

LDS - LDS Music

Music - LDS Music

Q:

Dear 100 Hour Board,

About Board Question #44969, it aired on ABC 4 and the reporter was Barbara Smith. Sorry, I don't know when it aired.

- Twister of Fate

A: Dear Twister,

Well, that would explain why KSL never returned my email . . . Thanks!

- Katya

Question #45210 posted on 05/20/2008 3:01 a.m.

Comments

Food & Drink

Q:

Dear steen,

Cheddar is, in fact, an English cheese

- Bob Joe

Question #45202 posted on 05/20/2008 3:01 a.m.

Comments

Food & Drink - Cooking

Q:

Dear 100 Hour Board and Moojuice,

A comment on Board Question #45105, as a person with Celiac's, you can get all different kinds of flours, but you do not want to use just one. Substituting rice flour (for example) for wheat flour makes cake super dense and super dry, a little gross even for those of us with Celiac's. Try getting a gluten-free cake mix (available at all whole foods/organic foods stores, and even my regular corner grocery), or try a gluten-free flour mix that is meant to be used as a substitute for wheat flour. My fav is Arrowhead Mills Gluten Free All Purpose Baking Mix.

-GF!

Question #45192 posted on 05/20/2008 3:01 a.m.

Comments

Food & Drink - Cooking

Medical/Body

Q:

Dear 100 Hour Board and Moojoose,

A comment about Board Question #45105:
I know three people with celiac disease, and they also can't eat rye, barley, or oats, because I guess those also contain some form of gluten (I had no idea they did until I met my gluten-free friends). So don't make them oatmeal cookies or rye bread or anything like that.

- Nerd Girl

Question #45175 posted on 05/20/2008 3:01 a.m.

Entertainment - Movies

Q:

Dear 100 Hour Board,

I got really confused while watching the newer War of the Worlds movie. Before the giant robot is attacking the city near the beginning, all electronic devices in the city stop working (house lights, cars, etc). Then, like 2 minutes later, there's a random guy that is video recording the robot. The movie even takes the time to zoom in on the screen of the camera, to show that it was taping footage of the giant robot. How could this video camera possibly be working? I find it odd, because they had just barely established that nothing electronic works at all in the entire city. Am I missing something?

- C

A: Dear C,

According to IMDb, many people regard it as a goof. However, some people have pointed out that it might be a special alien weapon that the TV reporter only thinks is an EMP, so it might function differently from human devices. (Or it might be a special Hollywood EMP that doesn't disable a device if you need it to work for cinematic purposes.)

- Katya

Question #45172 posted on 05/20/2008 3:01 a.m.

LDS - Missionaries

Q:

Dear 100 Hour Board,

I have two "man-friends" out on missions right now, and I miss them both terribly. I write one and email the other, but, of course, contact is never as frequent as I would like, and they're still, you know, in other countries.

I'm so glad they're serving right now, don't get me wrong, but it'll be another year before either of them gets back. It feels like they've been gone FOREVER, and next summer seems ages away. Lately my pining... it's just been bothering me.

So, my question is basically this: How do I get over myself and just deal until summer '09? How do I convince God to grant me a little more patience?

Thanks.

- The Whiner

A: Dear Whiner,

To start with, the second half of the mission goes by a lot more quickly than the first, so don't be thinking that this next year is going to drag on as long as the first one has.

Second, I'd suggest planning some kind of giant craft or art project for them as a welcome home present. Knit each of them a hat and a scarf. Or a blanket. (This is an even better idea if you don't know how to knit.) Copy out their favorite scripture in calligraphy and have it framed. Or copy out the entire Bible and illuminate it. (Again, even better if you don't know calligraphy.) Find some kind of huge project that you have to get done before they come home, and the time will fly.

- Katya, who needs to knit one scarf, two hats, and a lobster by the end of the year

A: Dear Whiner~

Save up your money and go surprise-visit them on their missions, duh.

~Hobbes

Question #45137 posted on 05/20/2008 3:01 a.m.

Music - Bands/Artists

Q:

Dear 100 Hour Board,

The arrangement by Kurt Bestor of "Come to My Garden" found on the MoTab CD "Showtime" has a beginning that sounds... familiar. Actually, it is very familiar. I've heard it before and I know where. Is Kurt Bestor LDS and was this intentional? I think it'd be cool if it were.

- Craig Jessop

A: Dear Craig Jessop,

The most recent conclusive information I was able to find (from six years ago) says that yes, Kurt Bestor is LDS. That makes me think the familiar beginning you're talking about was also intentional. Hm, maybe I should check out that CD...I have a lot of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir's music, but not all.

—Laser Jock