Does sending more data to my phone actually cost my carrier more money?

They did spend more energy, although that's a very small cost.  What you did is consume a greater share of the bandwidth. Building bandwidth capacity is very expensive. In order to keep up with increases in average data usage by all customers, they have to spend tons of money.

When a multi-billion dollar transaction occurs between two companies, how are the funds transferred/managed?

Typically by Wire Transfer.  Wire Transfers, unlike checks or regular electronic bank payments (known as ACH transactions in the US), are irrevocable once final -- even in the case of fraud. (That is, if someone authorized to make a wire transfer makes one, even if defrauded or illegally embezzling funds, the accountholder are still liable for the payment. If someone at the bank who isn't authorized to make a wire transfer illegally makes one, the accountholder is not liable.)

The idea is that businesses need finality when they receive payments, they can't just have money disappear from their accounts like if a "chargeback" or "stop payment" is done. If a wire transfer is made and you need your money back, you have to sue the recipient -- you can't just ask the bank to reverse the charge. For transactions between businesses, it's assumed that the need for finality outweighs the fraud protections that checks and nonwire electronic payments provide. (In the US, wire transfers are rarely used by consumers. Also why scamsters try to get you to wire money to them - people wrongly assume that wire transfers have the same protections as consumer payment systems.)

Source: The Uniform Commercial Code Article 4A.

How do ships keep time when traveling?

They use the same principle as countries that move the clocks forward or back in the middle of the night for Daylight Saving. Ships move relatively slowly so that helps for a start. Even going quickly across timezones, the ship's time would only need to be reset at most every other night. The crew will know that their local time is going to change before they go on watch. Some sentries will get lucky and have an overnight watch that's an hour shorter, some an hour longer. As the ship moves around, they can decide whether or not they need to tweak their time accordingly.

On submarines, it's common to switch to your destination time zone shortly after you leave the pier. Doesn't really matter, since the sun doesn't really affect us except when we come up once or twice a day en route, reporting sunrise/sunset at odd times until it eventually adjusts as we get closer.

What is RAM, Video RAM and Dedicated RAM etc and what are their difference?

RAM is fast, short-term memory.

It's quick - the whole point of using it is that you can throw information into it and take information out of it really fast and efficiently.

This makes it ideal for applications where being able to access information quickly important.

But it sucks for long term storage - when your computer shuts down, the RAM isn't designed to hold onto data. Long-term data storage toes to the Hard Drive.

Most RAM is dedicated RAM. Video RAM (often referred to as GDDR) is just RAM, but specifically designed for use with a video card.

In between Dedicated RAM and Video RAM sits Shared RAM - meaning that part of your RAM that is normally used for the system, is used instead by the video card. This is usually used with integrated systems, and is slightly better than nothing at all, but still not as good as a video card.

Dedicated	Shared	Video
RAM is only used by the system	RAM is shared between System and Video Card	RAM is only used by the video card
In most systems, can be easily upgraded	In most systems, can be easily upgraded, but the amount that can be 'shared' is limited by the Integrated Card	Not easily upgraded, usually what you buy is what you get
Usually referred to as DDR RAM. DDR4 is the newest standard.	Ditto	Usually referred to as GDDR RAM. GDDR5 is the newest standard

When you lose weight, where does it go?

When you burn fat, your body is combining the fat molecules with oxygen to convert it into water, carbon dioxide, and energy. You then breathe out the CO2, and sweat/pee out the water.

Why do shows use laugh tracks?

Laughter is 'contagious'. Hearing laughter makes you think something is funny.

Why the US has the highest total health expenditure (PPP) per capita

US spends 7,400$ per capita per annum for health-care, being the most expensive system in the world, seconded by Norway paying 4,300$ per year. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Health_system#International_comparisons[1] )

US has the highest spending in terms of %-of GDP in the world as well.

Generally, it is argued that one of the reasons the US system is so expensive, is because of - "all the middlemen" if you want. Before a person can see a doctor for treatment, a system of "payers" (i.e. the insurance companies) have to verify that you are eligble for treatment, that they will pay for it, and that you are indeed sick. At the same time, the providers can be private companies (or associations of doctors) who are, besides making you well, interested in making money.

These two incitaments are argued to create an effective market, where you get what you need, at the cheapest price (The effective market theory). However, what is argued, with respect to the expensive health care system in the US, is that another incentive (that of profits) trumphs the effective-market effect. In other words:

1) The payors are not interested in paying for your health care unless you really need it, leading to postponement of early-detection and preventive heath care, which means in turn, that most diseases are not treated before its 'too late and too expensive'. As an example: its better to identify and prevent futher development of say Diabetes, than wait until people have gangrene and need surgery to have toes removed, then training and asissted livign. This leads to too little prevention and too little treatment of people without proper insurance.

2) The doctors are not interested in 'just' treating you, they are interested in making money, which means 'overservicing' you. a light example is you getting medication when you dont need it (think of getting penicilun when you have the flu.. it doesnt work, but you might be prescribed it anyways; or getting 3 kinds of painkillers when you really only need one). Worst case; you will receive surgery when you dont need it, in order for the doctor to make more money in his/her private company (story sample:http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/06/18/unnecessary-surgery-usa-today-investigation/2435009/[2])

In countries with single-payer (the state) healthcare systems, where the doctors are public or semi-privately owned, the market might be less effective (i.e. they pay more for a drug than they need to) but on the other hand, they wont' get the two abovementioned drawbacks, meaning it might seem more 'bureaucratic' that the state runs it, but it is in fact, more cost-effective and less risky to patients and citizens. Preventive medication and early identification is at the focus of a single-payor system, whereas profits and high-cost/high-margin treatments are the focus of a multi-payor (insurance-paid) system.

From Wikipedia - estiamte of savings is 350 billion or roughly 10% of the total federal budget (incl. army).

An analysis of the bill by Physicians for a National Health Program estimated the immediate savings at $350 billion per year.[21] Others have estimated a long-term savings amounting to 40% of all national health expenditures due to preventative health care.[22] Preventative care can save several hundreds of billions of dollars per year in the U.S., because for example cancer patients are more likely to be diagnosed at Stage I where curative treatment is typically a few outpatient visits, instead of at Stage III or later in an emergency room where treatment can involve years of hospitalization and is often terminal.[23] Recent enactments of single-payer systems within individual states, such as in Vermont in 2011, may serve as living models supporting federal single-payer coverage.[24]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Single-payer_health_care#United_States

What's the difference between a disease, a disorder and a syndrome?

• SYNDROME: this term is applied to a constellation of symptoms that occur together or co-vary over time. The term carries no direct implications in terms of underlying pathology.
• DISORDER: like a syndrome, refers to a cluster of symptoms, but the concept includes the idea that the set of symptoms is not accounted for by a more pervasive condition. There is no implication of cause or origin.
• DISEASE: a disorder where the underlying cause or origin is known.

If one day we have the biggest earthquake/rift under Pacific Ocean and somehow create a new continent, what is the legal process of claiming an ownership?

There's no real treaty for this.

It's not entirely hypothetical. We are in a time where discovering things of great value to multiple parties in International Waters is plausible. Undersea mining... oil/nat gas fields that could never be mapped or drilled before are becoming more plausible to exploit.

Also similar, the arctic was pointless to claim before, so no one argued claims to it. Now, it's got some value and promise of ever-increasing value and lots of countries are arguing ownership.

Space exploration, too.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Law_of_the_Sea_Convention[1]

Exclusive economic zones extend 200NM from the low-water mark on the shore.

In International Waters, the seabed floor is "controlled" by International Seabed Authority[2] , but it's kind of a joke. It's a small body which meets infrequently and doesn't carry a lot of authority. The US wants the ISA dropped.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_heritage_of_mankind[3]

Is the principle that says the Moon cannot be claimed or exploited by any one country. That really wouldn't hold up if something of significant commercial value showed up there.

Common Heritage of Mankind definitely wouldn't hold if a new, usable continent showed up.

Basically a clusterfuck. I expect the following:

1. We made the first landing there and own the whole thing
2. No, a fisherman of your nationality, not your government, landed there first. Actually we landed there 2 days before that you just didn't hear about it. Basically it will be a claim no one respects, except for the person claiming the flag-planting.
3. Country A is closest point to a shore, we own the whole thing.
4. No, Country B owns the half facing its country
5. We should all divide it up to ALL COUNTRIES EQUALLY based on existing country size (hurray Russia)
6. No, we should divide it up based on population (hurray China)
7. Most countries: well when we say "divide it up", we don't actually want to USE it and have territory next to you. We'll SELL our claim to another country. So, like, the US or Russia or China should just give us a boatload of $$$ to ALL these little guys who never set foot on the place, just because they exist.
8. Some minority offended in the past: Native Americans should occupy it since you took our country. It's a new Jewish homeland, it's Zion but we never really knew what that meant until now.

On point #7... let's say someone finds a way to get a valuable resource off the Moon. But only one country has the tech to TAKE it. Maybe it's such a specific product only that country can even use it. Still, other countries would demand payment for their rights to it. Not necessarily cash, they would more likely use it as a political pawn- "if you want to mine the lunar regolith for Helium-III to make fuel to go to Mars, then China demands you recognize our rightful claim to the Diaoyu Islands and we will not stop you." "But you don't have any interest or ability to mine that Helium-III!" "And you have no interest in colonizing the Diaoyu Islands, nor does Japan. So back China's claim and that works out nicely." Then Japan backs off and says "well we WERE going to greenlight your Moon-mining plan because it made sense, but now we see that's a mistake. No, WE will block it unless Diaoyu/Senkaku Islands are recognized as JAPAN'S claim!"

Why is earths core molten? What keeps it warm? Where does the energy for the heat come from?

Only the Outer Core is molten, the Inner Core is solid. There are several contributing factors that keep the Outer Core liquid…

The first is primordial heat which is the heat produced by the accretion of the Earth as billions of tiny pieces crashed into one another, their gravitational energy was converted to heat;

The second is that there are radioactive isotopes dissolved in the Core which are continuing to produce energy. There isn't much agreement on which isotopes they are however as uranium and thorium are most common in the Crust rather than at depth;

Then there is energy released by the gradual unmixing of the Earth with the dense Core separating from the rocky material;

There is also an enormous amount of energy being released by the gradual crystallization of the Inner Core;

And finally, you have tidal energy released by the interaction.

The core remains hot because the overlying 2900km or so of solid rock in the Mantle is an incredible insulator.