By the Beads

Q: Dear 100 HB:How do you use an abacus?Signed,Calculator ChallengedA: Dear Antiquity Minded MathematicianThe 100 HB did not know how to use an abacus before this question, and it did take some time to understand the fundamentals of abaci usage. First off, abacus is a Middle English version of a Latin word abax (calculating table). But it is thought...

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On the First Day of Christmas...Nothing

Q: Hrb:I am a newly devoted reader to your sage page so if this inquisition has been posed before I beg your forgiveness. Tis the season to be jolly so I thought I would ask a question about Christmas. Why is it I never get what I want? Yours truly From a blue blue christmas gift guy!!!A: Dear Recipient of the Anthracite Stocking Stuffer:It's tough when you don't get what it is you want. Buck up kid. It'll happen. So let's look at the issues involved with not getting what you wanted from Santa.You're...

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Have Your Cake and Eat it Too

Q: Dear 100 HRB,Can one be geeky AND cool? Regards,Looking for BalanceA: Dear Inquisitor,This is a difficult juxtaposition you inquire about. We know plenty of just geeky people, generally the pejorative term for intelligent people. They are intellectually enlightened scientists, mathematicians, and yes even geeky car mechanics (like those who can...

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Application #1

Well. The 100 Hour Board has caught up some on posted questions, and any inquiries are again open to the general public. The last round was quite good - or answerable (don't know which quality is better). But in the light of requests for help I post the first of many (hopefully) applications. I post it for your review.Name: Michael Gary ScottSex: That’s...

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Clean-up on Aisle 8

Q: Dear 100-hour board:like it or love it, Walmart seems to be everywhere you turn here in America. Advocates say that it is a great American model of, "make it cheaper, get it sooner" big business that not only helps lower the cost of living for us all - but brings revenue to foreign countries and creates jobs. The Walmart haters crowd often counters with the charge that Walmart destroys American business, and exploits foreign (Chinese) workers. So here is the big question: is Walmart a net good...

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Inside Out

Q: Dear 100 Hour Board:Apparently, that is some sort of really cool inside joke, Scoreboards. [In reference to the post "Pedal Your Way to Taxes")Which leads to the question, how do inside jokes differ from any other jokes? Just because two people know it rather than 3 or more?Please explain to me the difference.Sincerely,The ButtA: Dear Butt of the JokeInside jokes are not numerically specified. In-jokes are only identified by requiring a priori information in order to understand the humor. The...

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And All That Gunk

Q: Dear 100hr board,What the heck is the gunk that I have to constantly clean out of my roller-ball type computer mouse? It gums up on the wheels inside and is a pain to deal with, but what is it?Signed,GunkophobicA: Dear Frequent Cleaner of the Mouse GunkThere is a definitive term for the 'gunk' you find in your mouse, what I can gather I've seen...

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Board Update

Attention all avid 100 Hour Board Readers;Seeing as I'm in the shadow of the Rockies in a beautiful resort, with limited connectivity, I have a back log of questions. The 100 Hour Board will answer these within the allocated promised board, but new submittals are temporarily closed until future notice (not long I'm sure).Additionally, the 100 Hour Board is seeking applications for new members capable of handling the demanding responsibilities associated with sagedom.Qualifications include:Must be...

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Pedal Your Way to Taxes

Q: Dear Big-Brother 100 Hour BoardWhy in the world is the US bicycling hall of fame located in Bridgewater, NJ? Better make a visit!Yours,Love to Bike 80 Miles a DayA: Dear Biker BabeThe United States Bicycling Hall of Fame was until recently located in Bridgewater, NJ. It is not necessarily an official Hall of Fame, although it receives some acceptance by the cycling community and sponsorships. In fact there is a Cycling Hall of Fame in Westminster, Co - although they are of no relation. You'd...

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All that Colour

Q: Dear I-Know-You'll-Always-Be-Smarter-Than-Me-100-Hour-Board, I've read that trees use energy to change the pigment of their leaves in the fall. So, why bother? If this is truly a Darwinian world what possible evolution breakthrough could possible make trees benefit from this? And was there a time when the trees didn't change the pigment of their...

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Holy World Wide Web Batman

Q: Dear 100 Hour Board:wow... quick response this time! Here is another one:assuming that one has limitless financial assets and no need to attend to any responsibilities (family, jobs, meal preparation) is there any feasible or possible way for someone to finish the internet up to this point in time before dying?Regards,Triple B - aka "Too Much Time...

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