themikejonas

http://i.imgur.com/Pwfle4l.jpg

Used to be that if I put a search term in quotes (e.g. "blue cat"), searching through Y!A would yield me the questions (and answers) that would have that exact two-word phrase (which I can then sort by date, relevance, etc). Nowadays, whether I put the phrase in quotes or not (or use common search techniques like using the plus sign and using "and"), the search will give me results that contain either of those terms (e.g. a truckload of questions with "blue" in them mixed with a truckload with "cat" in them).

Is there any way to search for an exact two-word phrase the way I used to be able to do?

...not by actually sampling the other song's recording, but by quoting parts of the other song's lyric into their own for a line or two, just as a reference/homage. So this would exclude quasi-remakes like Puff Daddy's "I'll Be Missing You" or that recent Black Eyed Peas song that take choruses of other songs wholesale, or songs that merely make mention of the titles of other songs.

Thanks in advance!

I've had a 3GS for going on three years, but my friend just upgraded to an iPhone 5 and handed down his iPhone 4 to me so I wouldn't be that far behind. I know I'll need to cut down my SIM to a MicroSIM form factor with a special tool, so I can pop it in the iPhone 4, but is that basically all there is to it (in addition to all the restoring/resyncing stuff I'll need to do with iTunes)? Or is there a need to deal with our wireless carrier (we're both AT&T) either to apprise them of the switch in hardware or for required technical assistance in the process?

Does anyone have a rundown of which (if any) presidential candidates in (recent) history selected their most prominent rival in the primaries as their running mate in the general election (e.g., hypothetically, if Romney selects Santorum, or if Obama had picked Hillary in '08)? And which ones (if any) managed to win?

Has the show ever established what day of the week and time TGS airs? I gather it's a late night show, but does TGS take the place of SNL (Saturday nights at 11:30 pm) in the fictional universe of 30 Rock?

Here in the U.S., the general public doesn't know much about him other than as one of the recurring correspondents on Jay Leno's "Tonight Show," where I've found him to be quite likable and funny (especially compared to the cheesy, condescending, smarmy Leno). But from what I've gathered there seems to be a negative attitude towards him by some people from his native Australia. How exactly is he perceived there, and if it's something negative, what is it about him or what has he done that engenders this perception of him?

Thanks in advance.

In a discussion in another forum, some acquaintances and I made note of the fact that actress Andrea Anders has had an unfortunate track record: she keeps getting cast as a principal character in sitcoms that get cancelled within two seasons ("Joey," "The Class," "Better off Ted," "Mr. Sunshine"), the TV equivalent of box office poison. Her "Mr. Sunshine" co-star Matthew Perry had a similar problem before "Friends" came along, and since "Friends" seems to be back to the old pattern of failed comebacks. I guess Joanna Garcia almost qualifies, but "Reba" had a healthy seven-year run.

Are there any other actors you guys know of who seem to always show up as leads in new series, only to have those series axed prematurely?

I've never taken a ride on L.A. County's Metrolink train system. I know this is an odd question, but when it stops at a station along its route, how long does it wait there before it sets off again? Is it just a few seconds (like a subway train), or does it provide a minute or two for passengers to get off or get on?

Thanks in advance!

Is there a one- or two-word term that means the difference between 100% and the given percentage? For example, given 83%, is there a mathematical term for 17%? Kind of like how 45 degrees would be the "supplementary angle" to a 135-degree angle. A character on a TV show recently called it the "inverse," which is technically not correct.

Seriously, though, what theories are there regarding the evolutionary advantage of having the reproductive organs so close in proximity to/integrated with the waste elimination mechanism in vertebrates? I was pondering this myself recently and other than the abdominal muscles and other muscles in that area being handy in forcing out what needs to be forced out in those departments, I couldn't really come up with a good reason...

At the school where I work, there are two separate networks performing different functions: one to handle district communication (let's call this the district network) and one for the general school population to use. Whenever we have a user that needs access to both networks, we've usually just had to assign them two different computers, one to access each network (cluttering up their workspace), or have them physically switch ethernet cables between one network's drop and the other. Is there a way to put two network cards in a computer so that it's part of both networks simultaneously, and, more importantly, assign clients/applications to specifically utilize one network rather than the other (e.g., logging on the school's Windows domain, web browsing and email would be over the "general" network, while certain financial and database applications would work over the district network)?

Thanks in advance.

Small apartment, single guy with a techie lifestyle and tastes that lean a little too IKEA-ey. I'm having trouble with making a particular corner of my apartment "interesting" enough for people to gravitate towards it when I have a bunch of friends over. It's what's supposed to be the eating nook of the place--an extension of the kitchen, linoleum floor, five-foot window overlooking the street outside (but usually with curtains closed for privacy), I'd say no more than 7' by 7'--kitchen to the north, white wall to the south, window to the east, living room to the west. There's a table, nothing fancy, black with silver legs, rectangular, about 4 by 3, a pair of equally spartan chairs.

Any tips to what I can put there (like on the table or on the wall) to make it more people-friendly, without making it look too, um, "girly" (i.e., a vase of living flowers is not the answer)? I'd also rather not buy new furniture, but I guess I could paint the table a friendlier color...

I'm trying to figure out how large a segment of the 360 owner population plans to get the $200 HD-DVD drive for their system. Is the relatively low price (compared to $500+ for HD-DVD standalone players and $1K for Blu-Ray players, PS3 notwithstanding) enough to tempt 360 users to jump into the high-def movie market?

Also, if anyone can link me to an existing poll on a gaming website that asks a similar question, I'd appreciate it greatly.

I've recently upgraded from my 27" CRT with rabbit ears to a 50" 1080p DLP. But considering that I've just sunk a good chunk of money into this leviathan, where can I get the best HD entertainment bang for my (remaining) buck--DirecTV HD, Time Warner Cable's HD programming, or an HD-DVD player (Blu-Ray's out because the player costs twice as much...and HD-DVD seems to have more of the titles I'd enjoy)? I'd also figure in the factor that I've got a large DVD collection--would an HD-DVD player's upconversion really improve my experience?

My writing partner and I are working on a pitch and pilot script for a proposed TV series, but for some reason the "right" title just hasn't come to us. I'm hoping some inspiration might strike by throwing this question out there to you guys.

Basically the show is "The Paper Chase" meets broadcast journalism--young people in the broadcast journalism program at their school who produce a weekly newscast. The personal lives of the students and their mentor/teacher figure significantly in the storylines, but what drives the show is the broadcast journalism aspect--ethics, controversial issues that they have to cover, their general struggles at school. It's not like the almost-requisite episode of most teenybopper shows where the kids make a newscast; it's a bit more serious of an approach (though of course, there are going to be light moments along the way).

So, any suggestions for a title for the show? Ideally it should convey the whole "broadcast journalism" thing.

The ads and offers always seem to avoid letting a potential customer calculate a specific "real" price, and we all know that with all the additional charges they tack on that it's not really the dollar amount they put on those ads. So, to those of you with Dish Network or Direct TV, how much does your actual monthly bill come out to (and feel free to indicate what type of plan you have, for comparison)?

I'm a writer working on a pitch and pilot script for a more realistic, down-to-earth teen drama, and the inevitable comparisons to the Degrassi series keep coming up. Now, I've viewed a handful of episodes from different eras of the franchise, and there's some quality about it, that I can't seem to put my finger on, that doesn't ring true. I don't think it's the fact that it's Canadian. The actors don't all seem "too pretty," I wouldn't call the show overly melodramatic, and the show is certainly bolder at tackling issues than the common WB/Fox teen sudser. So, on paper, that's what my partners and I are trying to do (other than the Canadian part). But still, there's something "afterschoolspecialey" about it that I'm trying to avoid for my project, and if I could just articulate what it is, I could make a better case for how and why the show I'm working on would be different. Anyone know what I'm talking about and have some insight as to what's unappealing about Degrassi?