Mr Ed

I've noticed that I can buy an external battery for charging my smartphone independently of an electric source. I'm wondering if this external battery will tend to lose its charge after a period of not using it?

It appears that stress is a factor in increasing our bad cholesterol level. My question is, why is that? How does it do it?

It's a Toshiba, Windows 7. Recently, it was taking an hour or more just to turn on or off, and programs were pretty much frozen. We had it cleaned out and restored the Windows 7 program. However now, whenever she turns it on or off there is a long rigmarole of configuring. Over a thousand things to reconfigure! Is something wrong with the system, or with the hard disk?

For instance, if while in one Central American country you changed dollars into that country's currency, then traveled to another country, would you be able to use the currency of the first country?

We are moving to where there is a well with quite hard water. We have a water filter. We are not interested in having kidney problems. Should we go ahead with the filter, or would we be wiser to use bottled water (which I prefer not to use due to environmental concerns)

Someone recently told me that it is better to run te battery of a laptop down to its limit before recharging it the first time. Sounds strange to me. Is it true?

I'm quite aware my question may sound ignorant - but if I were knowledgeable on the subject, I wouldn't have to ask!

We want to stop using plastic as much as possible, but have been used to feeezing food in plastic bags. Can we change to glass?

Three of the questions that I've answered on R&S this evening have been deleted for not following community guidelines. All three were perfectly legitimate questions, although in each case something was expressed that someone may have disagreed with. Is some nut going through all the questions and reporting every one that he doesn't like? It seems that YA will automatically delete reported questions. I hope if you are given notice that a question of yours is unacceptable that you will contest it.

I would appreciate info with sources. Thank you

who basically parrots the opinion of the questioner? Why bother asking the question then?

Whether I use Windows media, or Real player, when I pass a recording from my digital recorder to the computer, and then try and listen to it, it makes the weird sound of having recorded at too high a speed. It's not because of the computer - the same happens when I pass the recording to a cassette player. If I listen from my digital recorder the sound is fine. However I would like to have it on my computer - is there some way of adapting the speed? Note: The recording is not music - just ordinary talk, as in conference.

I've been having high blood pressure the last few days, haven't had a chance to see a doctor yet - but I still need carbs. What do you suggest I eat?

Candle wax melted onto my wife's gloves - a couple of months ago. They've been in the wash since then - my wife didn't notice the wax right away. Now she's been trying to remove it, and is not succeeding. Any suggestions?

(By the way I can't even find "bulgur" in the dictionary - hopefully somebody out there knows what I'm talking about!)

Is it because they don't want to admit there is a lower class? Or is it just that they are not important? Are they considered to be unwanted scum - the sooner they starve to death the better? I see this both in Canada and the USA, and it bothers me. Maybe there is a good reason for it, but it can sure look like the poorer class has absolutely no importance.

Don't say it's because Christians/atheists are silly - the silly questions and comments come from all sides of the various issues.

I don't know if I'm getting snobbish, but I'm starting to avoid the section now, going more into the language.section. At least people seem to want to actually ask for and/or give information there.

Since I moved to a new city 2 years ago, I tried to hook up my netgear wireless router, but can't get the signal on my laptop. All the necessary lights are on, showing the connections are correct.

It used to work perfectly in my former home. I called Netgear for help, but they told me since it was no longer under guarantee, they could or would not help me, even with advice! Since both computers have been cleaned up and reformatted since then, I thought of trying again tonight, but I still get the same result - or non-result.

Any ideas?

get ten points? Do they really think that will motivate people to answer more? To me it is a real turn-off, because it sounds so silly. All questions are worth 10 points to the best answer.

Banana plantation workers are paid about $5 per day. Several times a day, the plantations are sprayed with pesticides while the workers are present. That means cancer, and in the case of pregnant women, it often means babies born with deformities.

How can we act to put a stop to this horror?

Bananas are my favourite food (not referring to my present avatar) - but I don't think I can eat another banana unless it is fair trade.