We've all been impressed with the amount of knowledge that's been expressed on these boards. Knowledge on a huge array of topics by a huge array of people. And sometimes I've thought of a question for which I've always wondered the answer....

So, ask anything you want here. I, sure as sh*t, won't have the answer.... but someone will! I'll go first to see if I can get the ball rolling...

What's the point with "bail"? I don't understand.

A crime is committed, a person is arrested, but...what? We're willing to let them go free for awhile if they pony up some cash? Whether that bail is set high or low, isn't it still going to be the rich guy who gets out of jail for awhile and the poor guy who is stuck there?

Presumed innocent until proved otherwise (a difficult premise to swallow when the culprit is caught in flagrante)

Yep, the more money one has, the more likely one will be able to make bail.

Good morning, Marcus! I hope you're back in bed after being up so early. I'm about to breakfast down and crawl back in myself.

Well, I understand "presumed innocent", but then why not let EVERY non-threatening person back out until trial as a matter of policy. How come it seems arbitrary and financially based?

Back to bed? No way!

I've been getting up at 5AM and walking (almost) every morning! (You're not likely to see too many posts from me after 10PM, though!)

It's just that there has to be motivation to come back for trial. Money is the closest thing to a one-size-fits-all motivator. Bail amounts vary based on the circumstances, and it's not always an option, depending on the risk of flight. At least, according to Law & Order.

OK, I've got one. If a solid dissolves in a liquid, does the volume of the liquid change? My canonical example is sugar cubes in coffee. If the sugar cubes are in the mug, then the coffee is poured over them, does the total volume of stuff in the mug change as the cubes dissolve?

Post deleted by me so as to not take away from Ken's question.

Ken, I'd say as the sugar cube becomes saturated with coffee, the total volume in the cup decreases, since there are pockets of air in the sugar cube being displaced by the coffee. Once the point of saturation is reached, My guess is the volume decrease yet again when the sugar dissolves out of it's solid form into a liquid solution. I'm willing to bet the coffee-water-sugar solution can pack more molecules in a tighter space than the crystallized sugar cube.

I have no proof of this.

That was pretty much what I was thinking, but I'm usually thinking it when I'm half asleep. Much as I am now.

If you are travelling the speed of light, then turn on your headlights, what happens?

The headlights turn on like normal. The speed of light is constant relative to the observer.