I was trying to buy a plane ticket online and bumped into something called the DHS TRIP. I once had some problems at airport security when the TSA people found a match for my name on one of their watch lists, and understand it's a way for me to avoid that problem in the future, but can you explain how it works, Dave?

My sister gave me an NPR "radio bookmark" but I have no idea what it is or how to use it other than that it's a USB drive with two big numbered buttons on it. What is it and how do I use this radio bookmark thumb drive gizmo, Dave?

My Mom's already talking about the Christmas holidays, even though it's the summer. This year, she tells me, she really wants us to get a Twelfth Night Cake. Um, Dave, what on Earth is a Twelfth Night Cake?

I'm watching Foyle's War, a TV series from the UK, and in the episode I just saw, there was a farmer who said to a policeman that a plot of land had been in his family since the "doomsday book was written". What the heck is a doomsday book? [ed note: it's not called the "doomsday book", but rather the "domesday book", but I'll get into that in a minute]

I've been talking to my Dad about how he got started in the journalism business and he keeps talking about being part of the 'fifth column" as a rebellious reporter and how important the "fourth estate" is in a free and democratic society. What the heck is he talking about?

Dave, kind of far afield, but my sister's about to have the bank foreclose on her home and she's freaking out. Are there ANY alternatives she can explore, or should I just rearrange my basement so she can stay with me?

It's New Years eve and my friends and I are debating: how many time zones are there on Earth? I say that there can't be more than 24 time zones, but my buddy says there are more. Seems like that'd define how many times New Year is celebrated each year.

I'm anxious: I just received an email from Runescape saying that I needed to validate my account credentials. It says "We have information regarding you attemping to buy or sell your Runescape account. This is against the Terms of Use you agreed to when you created your account." What's up? I haven't done that!

I just got an email offering to sell me some "alluvial gold dust" and have no idea what that is. Can you tell me whether it has any value on the market and if so, roughly what it's worth?

I was reading an article in Variety and came across this sentence: "It's good for the stars to be in tentpole movies. And [Keanu] Reeves seems to be good casting for the alien Klaatu; he has an ethereal stillness to him that works in the footage..." What exactly is a tentpole movie?

I follow your awesome Twitter movie news and trivia channel @FilmBuzz and figured you'd know the answer to this question: How can I find out how much money a movie, like, say, Eragon, made in the theater?

What are the best sites to visit to learn about the history of holidays like Independence Day, Halloween, Thanksgiving, etc? For that matter, when did people start celebrating Independence Day? In 1777?

I've heard that you are a big film aficionado and I'm wondering, what sites do you read and where do you talk about films? Also, do you ever write movie reviews for your local newspaper, the Daily Camera?

As a subscriber to Comcast digital cable I gained a goofy little cable box and a big, complicated remote control. I can handle the remote, but would really like to have it control my Sony TV in addition to the cable box. How the heck do I program it?

I was browsing the juvenile fiction area of the public library earlier today and was pretty confused to see copies of The Chronicles of Narnia's book "Prince Caspian" (the basis of the upcoming movie of the same name) listed both as book #2 and book #4 of the series. What the heck? Which is correct?

Dave, every time I go into the electronics store I have the same sudden anxiety attack about buying a new device: should I also buy the extended service warranty from the store? The salespeople are quite convincing, but I can't help but be skeptical about the whole deal. What's your opinion?

My teacher wants me to figure out how they calculate a stock index and my Dad said that the Dow Jones average is easiest to figure out. Can you tell me how they calculate the DJIA, please?

I've been hearing a lot about High Dynamic Range (HDR) in the digital photography forums, but I don't understand what it is or why I should care. Yet, people who are talking about it sound very enthusiastic. Can you explain what it is and why I should care bout it?

My wife and I have a bet: she says that Bruce Springsteen's iconic Born in the USA has been used in more films than Elvis Presley's Love Me Tender. I think she's wacked. Can you settle our bet?

I'm trying to figure out the thicket of terminology and buzzwords surrounding modern television sets and am stymied about one thing: what's the difference between an HD-capable and HD-ready HDTV?

My Dad is trying to convince me that it was former US president Ronald Reagan who created the GPS satellite network that powers all the nifty handheld GPS navigational devices we have nowadays. I think he's full of it. What's the truth?

Okay, so I'm pretty hep to the 24th of December being Christmas Eve, and the 25th being Christmas Day, celebrating the birth of baby Jesus, but what's with the violence of boxing day on the 26th? Is that just post-Christmas stress release or something? Or is it a holiday invented by retailers to help sell their extra inventory?

Now that I have a fancy new high definition HD TV set, I'd like to get some HD programming for it, but loath the cable company so I want to sign up for a satellite service. The question is, which should I choose, Dish Network or DirecTV?

Dave - I really want to do the right thing and start being more environmentally responsible, so, what can we do to be more "Green"??

p.s. - We just got married, have an older home, and really don't have the money to go out and buy new energy efficient technology and appliances.

I've been trying to expand my horizon in the world of movies and keep bumping into films I haven't heard about that are "straight to video". What does that mean?

Having just eaten a huge turkey dinner for Thanksgiving, I'm sitting lazily by my computer and wondering why turkey always makes me sleepy. I've heard that there's something called triptofan (tryptofan? tryptophan?) in turkey that does this, but I'm skeptical. What's the scoop, Dave?

What's going on? I have a fancy new LG BH100 Blu-Ray high-def video player and when I finally got my hands on Fantastic Four: The Rise of the Silver Surfer I was aghast to find that it just didn't work at all. All the other Blu-Ray DVDs I have work fine, but that one is rejected by the player and I never even see the top menu. What the heck is wrong?

I can't sit down for dinner without having my phone ring a half-dozen times with stupid junk calls. From carpet to refinancing my mortgage, holiday discounts to drugs, if someone's trying to sell it via telemarketer, they seem to think I'm a good target. How can I stop these calls?

I don't get it, Dave. I get reams of lame, idiotic spam email and occasionally read through them to see what offers are being made, and they're just so incredibly dumb that I can't imagine that ANYone would ever respond. So why do they send 'em?

Hi, I have a problem I have misplaced the cover of my Redbox DVD movie rental to return it to the box and now I am stuck with the movie and I would like to return it so how can I do this?? Please tell me what to do?

My pal told me that "proof" on alcoholic beverages was twice the percentage of alcohol in the drink, but someone else told me it's more complicated than that. Who is right? Also, while I'm asking, what percentage of gold is an 18K chain?

Not to sound like I'm not a patriotic American or anything, but given all that was going on during the revolutionary war and such, what actually happened on July 4, 1776 that causes us to commemorate that day rather than any other day in the history and birth of our country?

I know that it's probably crude, but I keep getting spam talking about "milf" and have no idea what it means. Can you enlighten me?

I'm inspired by the tattoo that Angelina Jolie got recently that has the latitude and longitude of where each of her four babies was born. That's cool. How do I figure out the lat/long of the hospital where my own baby was born so I can do the same thing?

Dave, in my film class we're supposed to write an essay about movies that address the dangers and problems with overly homogeneous, uniform cultures where there's huge pressure to conform to group behaviors. I'm kind of stuck for what movies to focus upon. Since I know you're a movie fan, do you have any suggestions?

I'm flying to Spain in a few weeks and then am going to be traveling throughout Europe and the European Community for about two months thereafter, without a specific schedule. Problem is, I don't want to be completely out of touch with everyone here in the USA. Is there a company that rents phones?

It's the first day of the new year and I'm trying to figure out what the song "old lang sine" [sic] is about and why it's a traditional song to celebrate the beginning of the new year. Can ya help a guy out? [ed note: It's Auld Lang Syne, actually, but I'll get into that in a sec.]

Not to ask a daft question, Dave, but why do films have ratings like "G" and "PG" and such? What happened before there were ratings, and what's the future of ratings, given that extremely violent movies often get lax ratings when compared to non-violent films with nudity?

My (Catholic) Mom told me this afternoon that the Pope had declared that there's a patron saint of the Internet and that it's St. Isidore of Seville? What the heck? Can this be true, and if so, what's the story on St. Isidore and why is he (?) the patron saint of our online world?

Can you help me settle a bet? A friend of mine has bet me that there are more than a hundred recorded versions of the song Fly Me to The Moon, but I think they're in the twilight zone. I mean, there's no way that's the case, even if it's super-popular, which it isn't. But we're stumped: how do you answer this sort of question?

Probably out of your area of expertise, Dave, but can you tell me where Halloween comes from? I have heard that it's a pagan holiday, that it's satanic, that it was originally like the Mexican Dia de los Muertos, and that it's just a crass commercial event. What's the truth, oh great one?

Help me settle a bet, please! Is there any way to figure out how many films have used Disneyland in California as a set or location? I know that there have been millions of TV shows (especially on the ABC network, but that's another story) but have no idea how to figure out an actual number. Ideas?

I'm pregnant and for months have been looking at different online baby name sites trying to figure out the top 100 baby names, top boy's names, top girl's names and so on. It's amazing how many weird and offbeat names the various sites have, but even then, I have to admit I'm skeptical that they really have both the names and their meanings right. So, Dave, what are the top baby names in the United States and where can I find out their meanings?

I'm confused by all the news that's been going back and forth in the world of astronomy: is my favorite planet, Pluto, still considered a planet and part of our solar system, or not?

I'm thinking about buying a high-def DVD player to enjoy the capabilities of my new TV, but I'm pretty baffled about whether I should purchase a Blu-ray or HD-DVD player. What's the difference between them and which do you think is going to emerge as the predominant player?

Dave, do you know anything about Japanese comic books or "Manga"? An IM pal of mine has been trying to convince me to buy some of his hentai, which he says is an "adult" form of manga, but he gets all upset when I ask him about the stories in his books. So am I the only clueless person on the planet? What is Hentai?

This might sound like some wild conspiracy theory, but I'm looking at my music collection and it sure seems like most of them have exactly 12 tracks, no more, no less. Is there some marketing reason this would be the case, or am I witness to some great conspiracy? :-)

I've just started watching NASCAR racing and first off, wonder if you're a fan too. More importantly, I'm completely baffled by how they pick out winners after the races and at the end of the racing season. Can you tell me how their point system works please?

Hey Dave! A drinking buddy of mine told me that I could test out of some of my college classes, save a ton of money on tuition and get out of school faster. I’m going to Florida International University and would love to graduate faster while saving some dough, but I'm skeptical about this. Is this really true, and if so, how do I go about finding out what courses I can test out of and doing just that?

I've started watching the FIFA World Cup 2006 matches and the games are already exciting and well worth watching, but I'm a bit surprised by the soccer ball they're using. What the heck is it?

You seem to travel quite a bit, Dave, so I thought perhaps you could help me with some tips on how to plan a visit to Africa? I've been to most of the continents and really want to explore the African wilderness before it's all ruined by developers and commercial ventures, not necessarily a safari, just traveling to get a sense of the place and its peoples. Too far off the beaten track for Ask Dave Taylor?

This may be a bit off the beaten track for you, Dave, but I'm contemplating renting a house for our annual family vacation but really don't have a clue how to proceed. Can you offer any advice on how to rent a vacation home or holiday home? Thanks!

Other than an excuse to sell Mexican beers and be reminded of the colors of the Mexican flag, what actually IS the reason for the May 5 holiday that we celebrate in the United States and, I presume, they celebrate south of the border too?

This is a kinda weird query, but I have received a number of spam messages advertising something called Hoodia or Hoodia Gordonii, saying that it's a weight loss ingredient featured on "60 Minutes". What the heck is Hoodia and was it really featured on the news show, and if so, what did they conclude? (and as I sent this, I got another note, subject "As seen on CBS 60 Minutes - Hoodia Gordonii")

Just wondering how many different versions of CSI there are. I know that in Australia we get 3 versions, CSI, CSI: Miami and CSI: New York. So just wondering how many other ones there are.

As if we don't have enough to be worried about with the avian flu, I just read that there's a small mumps epidemic sweeping through the midwest this summer? What the heck? What is mumps, how is it transmitted and do I really need to worry about it?

I found your site and REALLY hope that you can answer my question. Some days ago on the TV news I found out that Jessica Simpson (her organization) helps children with their face defects by making them plastic surgery. So I wanted to know who has the real chance to use this help. The matter is that I'm from different country and I need plastic surgery on my face, but my family doesn't have such amount of money. Could you give me information about this organization or better (if it's possible) her or the organization's e-mail, so I could ask them my question personally. PLEASE HELP ME. IT'S SO IMPORTANT FOR ME THANKS A LOT

Okay, I'm fed up. Every morning I open up my mailbox just to find rabid hate mail from people. Not spam, just people who don't like what I write on various discussion forums or on mailing lists. WTF? I can understand disagreeing with people and even getting upset, but why can't people focus on what I'm saying rather than attacking me? And, finally, what's your advice: should I "flame on" and attack them back or just delete their messages and grumble to myself about it?

Dave, this is a bit offbeat, but i want to know how do i go about buying a house. can you help me out?

I am a HUGEEEEE fan of Jessica Simpson, and for some time now i have tried to buy things from her clothing line but i dont know where to go. Could you please help me find out store locations and websites. I googled it but the only things that comes up is ebay and other sites but they are not telling me where to go. i want to go to a store and try on things before i buy them. it may seem silly to you but it is important to me.

Is Kevin Eldon a member of the band Kraftwerk or an actor? I have a bet with a pal and we're just not sure. Many thanks for your assistance, oh wise guru!

Hey Dave, can you tell me how old do you have to be to use the acne treatment PROACTIV? I've heard great things about it, but I fear that at 14 I'm too young and would rather have real facts than try to argue with my dad about it, yknow?

I just heard about Disneyland adding a new train, the first in fifty years or something? What are the names of the different train engines at Disneyland and what's the new train called?

Dave, whats the difference between buying you two cups of chai, or your wife and you one each? I'm talking about the "Buy Dave A Chai" page on your site, of course.

A couple of my friends have gone bonkers over this new Japanese numbers puzzle called Sudoku. I've looked at a couple of them, however, and just don't see how to do it. Can you offer me some sort of starting point?

"rewards for doing good"- grades/college (and high school). I know there are pros and cons on this, however at this point I am committed and am going to move ahead with a program. I think you can help me make it better based on the seasoned experience of other people who have done this and the changes they would make.

I have used this process for grades-elementary school, for reading, and for learning classmates names with my children when they were younger and it provided great benefits to them. Now I want to apply it with grades for a Junior in High school and sophomore in college (note: they are already excellent, I just want to FURTHER encourage that.

Similarly, again I am committed. My oldest has for some time had an interest in "investing". I've told him I'd give him some money to "learn with" (probably in the stock market). I've been thinking start small, like $1,000 or $2,000. What are some smart rules that would both motivate and serve him (and our family)?

Regarding satellite radio, which is the better service, XM or Sirius? How do the channels compare?

Dave, I have the most basic question of the season for you to tackle: Is Santa real or not?

I've been hearing from people about how gift cards from businesses can easily be scammed, but I just don't see how that can be done. I mean, they're not activated until you buy them, and then they're just stored-value cards, right? Can you explain?

I've entered the Leadership Development Program in my County. It's a 'slim' version of Ben Franklin's Junta. Do you know if there is a specific publication on the Junta and its work? (Franklin has always been my hero -- and I'd like to be involved in the upcoming celebration of his birth but have as yet found no avenue to do so.)

Dave, I've got a bit of a dilemma. My son is applying for college and his writing skills aren't, well, that great. I'm a writer and I'm finding it quite difficult not to get involved with his admission essay! What's your opinion on this? Do you think I should help him, or let him do the best he can and hope for the best?

I just read that Pfizers new drug Exubera (where do they come up with these weird names anyway?) has been approved by an FDA Panel and is expected to gain full FDA approval. What is Exubera and why are diabetics so interested in this new drug?

Alright, so today's the 28th anniversary of the death of Elvis Presley. What I have never figured out is: why is he considered the "king" of rock 'n roll when there have been so many better rockers since then? What's your opinion?

I'm getting increasingly paranoid each day I read in the paper about thousands of credit cards stolen from one place, merchants being ripped off by false transactions, and criminals dumpster diving then selling credit information for a few bucks to criminal networks. How can I make sure I'm not a victim?

What are some of the best online libraries where we can read books online for free, especially reference books? For instance, I'm interested in looking up the rules of gin rummy according to Hoyle.

Dave, I just bumped into a kind of fraud called "shoplisting". What is it and how to merchants avoid being ripped off by shoplisters?

Dave, I have enjoyed the Harry Potter books and movies, but a pal just told me that there are actually Harry Potter conferences, where people talk quite seriously about the world of Harry Potter, magic, Hogwarts, and so on. I can't believe it. Tell me it isn't so. Or is it?

Dave, I won't say I'm desperate, but I'm certainly frustrated. I signed up for a couple of dating / matchmaking sites to expand the pool of potential men to date and I spend lots of time fiddling with my match.com profile, but I still don't get much of any email and have only been out on two or three dates in months. How can I be more successful with online dating?

Dave, I am thinking about taking a course online through University of Phoenix, but I am concerned about the testing process. Truthfully, I test horribly because I always feel time is evading me and I am under pressure. My aunt recommended looking into UoP to earn my degree because this would take some of the classroom pressure off.

Dave, you have tons of different articles on this site, really a pretty staggering amount of information. Out of all the hundreds of articles, what are the most popular? How many articles do you have right now anyway? And why don't you charge for this fabulous tech support service?

My husband has a Sony DVD Recorder RDR-GX3, he is transferring Video films onto DVD discs, he is using DVD-R discs, when he tries to play them back on other DVD's they won't play. Can you tell me if this is a problem with the DVD or the the discs that he is using.

Hi Dave. I really love what you're doing with your AskDaveTaylor Web site and find it an amazing source of valuable and interesting information. Great job! However, unless you are completely omniscient, I imagine that you must get many more questions than you can actually answer, so I'd like to find out if I can help out? I know Windows pretty well and enjoy doing online research too.

Dave, at the end of your Extended Service Contracts: pro-business, anti-consumer article, you said "with the extended service contract for my Toyota Prius, if you are convinced that you want to buy the warranty, shop around and find the best price: you have an entire year after purchase to extend the warranty and certainly don't need to be pressured into it by a salesperson at the point of purchase."

We are looking for the best price on this extended warranty and are wondering where you found the best price? Is the dealer where the car was purchased bound to honor a warranty that was purchased elsewhere?

Dave, I want a DVD player that plays PAL DVDs on a regular NTSC TV. My dear brother bought me a Philips dvp642; we popped in a DVD he had bought me from amazon.de and it wouldn't work. Somebody had mentioned a cyberhome dvd player they had gotten at Fry's for around $50, but it doesn't seem to exist. How can I make the present DVD player work or do I need extra parts or a different TV. Help!!

The first use of computers for research should be learning how to find books at the library. Second, students should learn how to use physical encyclopedias and online encyclopedias. Third, students should be introduced to online periodical indexes. The use of search engines should be the last "skill" to be introduced and should be combined with a discussion of the commercial underpinnings of the system and the various ways that results are manipulated.

You seem to be pretty deep in the world of search engines and online research. Do you agree with what I'm saying?