Category: Life

Is Mexican food in America authentic? Even as close to the border as we are in San Diego, most Mexican food served in the U.S. is far from authentic or traditional. Even fajitas are a Tex-Mex invention (offered to tourists in Mexico now because so many Americans associate fajitas as authentic). How has Mexican food…

How do you find the p-value from a test statistic and sample size? If your test statistic is positive, first find the probability that Z is greater than your test statistic (look up your test statistic on the Z-table, find its corresponding probability, and subtract it from one). Then double this result to get the…

Why are hedgehogs so popular? With their pointy noses and porcupine-like quills, the Lilliputian pets have seen a spike in popularity in recent years due in part to the prevalence of websites such as Cute Emergency and Instagram accounts like @biddythehedgehog that affectionately refer to them as “hedgies.” … Can you get a hedgehog as…

How do you validate a trend line? Not every chart makes it possible to draw a valid trendline. You need at least two connecting points, preferably uninterrupted by reaction high or low price moves to call a price move a trendline, and more to the point, to use trendlines to spot a trend. How do…

How do I make my dog less anxious around other dogs? Try introducing your dog to one stimulant at a time. If other dogs stimulate anxiousness, start with just one other dog at a time, specifically one you trust. Do promote positive association with other dogs. With the other dog at a distance, try feeding…

Is the juice from poison ivy contagious? Good news: poison ivy rashes are not contagious. You will get a rash from poison ivy only if you come into contact with urushiol oil, which is the plant oil in poison ivy that triggers the rash. In addition, a poison ivy rash, even one with open blisters,…

Is financial engineering the same as quantitative finance? Quant is often taken to mean “financial quant”, in which case it is similar to financial engineer. The difference is that it is possible to be a theoretical quant, or a quant in only one specialized niche in finance, while “financial engineer” usually implies a practitioner with…

Why shear stress distribution is parabolic? When shear load is applied, the impact of the shearing stress throughout the rectangular cross-section of the beam occurs. The distribution of shearing stress on the cross-section of the beam represents a parabolic curve where the maximum shearing stress occurs at the neutral axis of the beam. Does shear…

What is an interesting fact about a mosquito? There are about 2,700 species of mosquito. There are 176 species in the United States. The average mosquito weighs about 2.5 milligrams. The average mosquito takes in about 5-millionths of a liter of blood during feeding. Can mosquitoes think? When humans and other animals breathe, they exhale…

Why are doctors against a gluten-free diet? If you’re diagnosed with celiac disease, you’ll have to stay on a gluten-free diet even after you feel well because eating gluten can damage the small intestine, cause nutrient deficiencies and malnutrition, keep the immune system from working properly, and make it hard for the body to fight…