The Question

Shaun,

So this might be a dumb question, but I’m asking anyway. Your heart pumps the blood, your liver cleans the blood (I think), your veins & arteries are little blood tubes – what organ in the body actually MAKES the blood? Where does it COME from?

I also have a followup question regarding my earlier Smith-College-water one. When I take a shower at Smith and let my hair dry naturally, it dries in perfect, smooth, shiny ringlets. When I take a shower at home and let my hair dry naturally, it dries in frizzy, kinky, uncooperative curls. But the water at home has been softened, filtered, cleansed, etc., while the water at Smith smells funny and is certainly nothing special. I use the same shampoo both places. Is bad/hard water good for my hair? Or is it just good for my hair’s appearance? Or is my hair just CRAZY?

Your sister,

Meghan.

Comment by Meghan McQuaid — 1/11/2005 @ 6:54 pm

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The Question

Shaun,
I was recently driving back to Northborough from Rochester, NY after the holidays when a thought hit me. After rubbing the bruise the thought gave me I began to think. Say one person in a car crosses the MA border from NY on I-90 and beeps his/her horn. The next person closest to them on I-90 then beeps there horn in some sort of automotive relay race. This continues for however long it takes until “The Beep” reaches Boston. Now stemming from this thought I had several quandries; 1: How long would it take “The Beep” to reach Boston from the Ma/NY border? 2: How many cars would it take to necsesitate “The Beep”? and finally 3: Would the fact that the cars are all moving towards boston speed up “The Beep” in any measurable amount?
Hope you had a good holiday shaun and i can’t wait to hear your answer!

K

Comment by Kurt — 12/30/2004 @ 1:42 pm

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The Question

Dear Shaun,
During the upcoming holiday season, I would like to impress my lady friend by whipping up a culinary masterpiece
utilizing the under-appreciated Cadbury Cream Egg.
Can you give me any suggestions for recipes that would tickle my gal’s fancy?

Thanks,
Tim

Comment by Tim — 10/28/2004 @ 1:18 pm

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The Question

McAnswers McQuaid,

Since you are clearly an expert peanutologist, perhaps you can help me with a problem I encountered in lab recently. For ecology lab, my group was feeding different nuts to squirrels (optimal foraging experiment) and we counted the number of nuts taken in certain amounts of time. Then we realized … we had no idea what the definition of “one peanut” is! Is one peanut the edible ball in the shell, or the entire encased nut? Keep in mind, that the occasional whole peanut can have one or two (and sometimes three!) edible pieces inside of it.

Baffled Becky
Melbourne, FL

Comment by Becky — 10/27/2004 @ 12:26 am

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The Question

When will we get a movie review out of Alicia?

Comment by Kurt — 10/26/2004 @ 2:55 pm

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The Question

Shaun,

Approximately 1 mile west of Exit 10 on the Massachusetts Turnpike (westbound) is a Pepperidge Farm delivery truck. It is located roughly 100 yards from the highway, behind a chain link fence. This truck is there every day, all day. At night, it has interior lights and often has smoke rising from a smokestack of some kind. There appears to be laundry hanging on a clothesline, as well.

I called the State Police to investigate this sighting, which has been part of my commute for over a year now. The first office to hear my question immediately hung up on me. I called a second time, explained that I am not pranking the police, and again asked the question. This new office gave me a very quick, “We’re sending someone out.” and hung up on me.

The conspiracy theorist in me wants to say that the truck is part of an elaborate spy network set up in part by the MA State Police. Is anybody actually living in this truck? Is it on private land, as it sits just beyond the fence?

My curiosity is now in your hands. Treat it well.

Thanks,
Troy

Comment by Troy — 10/26/2004 @ 2:34 pm

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The Question

Dear Shaun,

The rebuilding of the World Trade Center took center stage in the media for a while during the architecture contest. However, after the winner was chosen all media relating to the new memorial disappeared.

my questions are: How is the construction going? when is it suppose to be completed? are there any pictures online?

curious,
mike d.

Comment by mike d — 10/7/2004 @ 1:16 pm

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The Question

Dear Nobody’s Tougher Than Shaun,

I enjoy cooking and was just wondering—what is the origin of the falafel? Also, what exactly does it mean “to blave” and why, oh why, does Keanu Reeves have such an uncool name in The Matrix? After all, a movie hero should have a much more awesome name than “Neil”!

Comment by Karen — 10/3/2004 @ 11:02 am

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