Question of the Day

Why is it when you ask someone to marry you that you get down on one knee?

We presume this tradition grew out of the bent knee being a sign of submission and supplication. You'll see this gesture often in some of the great works of art. One bends one's knee when being received by royalty, as well as during spiritual communication with God in church, for example. The bent knee is the suitor's demonstration to his bride-to-be of his submission, supplication, and loyalty.

Last 7 Days

Wednesday, February 8, 2012

Does the Garden of Eden still exist?

If the Garden of Eden still exists, no one knows where. The Bible says a river ran from Eden and separated into four rivers: Pishon, Gihon, Tigris, and Euphrates. The latter two still exist, and speculation places the first two in the same region -- ancient Mesopotamia ("between the rivers"), or what is currently known as Iraq, just north of the Persian Gulf.

Tuesday, February 7, 2012

What is beyond space?

Space is understood as being four-dimensional -- finite, but without borders or an edge. Here's a three-dimensional example: One can travel on the surface of Earth as long as one wants, never finding a boundary or edge, and yet Earth is finite. Some astronomers think that our universe is not alone, that there may be zillions of other universes that began with a big bang, will last for billions of years, and then will disappear.

Monday, February 6, 2012

How can you stop ice cubes from sticking to the tray?

Coat your ice cube tray with vegetable oil spray before filling with water. This may help a little if you have stubborn trays or stubborn ice.

Sunday, February 5, 2012

I've heard of cirrocumulus clouds, but don't know how to recognize them. Can you explain?

Cirrocumulus clouds are loosely packed sheets of small, white cloud segments at altitudes of 18,000 to 20,000 feet or more. They form what some call a "mackerel sky," resembling scales on a fish. The clouds may consist of ice crystals or water droplets or both. Their patchy appearance is caused by vertical air currents at the cloud level, indicating a lack of stability and a possible approaching storm.

Saturday, February 4, 2012

Where can I find information about Curacao, including the language spoken there?

The people of Curacao, at the base of the Caribbean Sea, descend from more than 50 ethnic groups. The native language, Papiamento, is a creole mixture of Dutch, Portuguese, Spanish, English, French, African, and Arawak Indian. For more information, try this Web site: www.curacao-tourism.com.

Friday, February 3, 2012

What is a fresh gale, used to describe wind forces at sea?

This is a standard phrase used to differentiate wind speeds to help in navigation. Fresh gales are winds of 34 to 40 knots, which produce moderately high waves of great length. Next in severity is the strong gale, which are winds of 41 to 47 knots. These create high waves and rolling seas.

Thursday, February 2, 2012

How often has the groundhog really predicted the coming of spring?

According to researchers, the groundhog has accurately predicted the coming of spring only 39 percent of the time.