20 QUESTIONS

A W suppporter holds his breath

Yet again, I'd like to tap into your collective vast knowledge and ask 20 questions to which I am curious to know the answer. I apologize in advance for my naivete, ignorance, ineptitude, or selfishness in asking them.

Note: The questions in green have been answered and the questions in orange have been partially answered in the comments.

1. When you type "failure" into Google, why does Google's search engine list the official biography of George W. Bush first? Is there any explanation other than some employee at Google having a sense of humor?
   


2. A pregnant friend of a friend was recently told that her baby was a girl because the doctor could see her daughter's labia in the Ultrasound. Could this be true, or is the doctor avoiding phallocentric terminology and simply saying that she can't see a penis?
   


3. Apparently, you can't kill yourself by holding your breath. Why not?
   


4. If Rastafarians believe that heaven (or Zion) is in Ethiopia, why don't they all move there?
   


5. How or why did Shawn Carter come up with the name Jay-Z?
   


6. If you were to tan nude for a week, would the pale parts of your body eventually catch up to the darker parts? In other words, do the lighter parts of your skin tan faster?
   


7. Speaking of tanning, do you get darker when it's 90 degrees and sunny -- as opposed to 70 degrees and sunny? Assume that you're at the exact same location on earth, with only a difference in temperature.
   


8. Why do some men shiver when they urinate?
   


9. What is the meaning of the phrase "dumps like a truck" (from Sisqo's "Thong Song")?
   


10. Why do so many cultures use salt to ward off evil spirits?
    


11. Was Diana Ross consciously trying to create a gay pride anthem when she released "I'm Coming Out"?
    


12. In Blackjack (using standard Vegas rules), when, if ever, does it make sense to "surrender"?
    


13. What is Vin Diesel's racial or ethnic background?
    


14. Why are six out of seven gynecologists men?
    


15. In the song "New Jack Swing," Wrecks-N-Effect gives shouts out to a series of artists. When they say "Boy George," are they talking about the lead singer of Culture Club?
    


16. I've heard that parents should hold off vaccines for their newborn baby for two years -- or at least spread them out -- to avoid autism. Is there scientific evidence that shows that the number of autistic children is rising because of vaccinations?
    


17. Why doesn't Netflix include adult films in its library, given that they stand to gain millions of dollars in business? Is it because X-rated films might taint their image? Fear of boycotts? Or is it because it might be illegal to distribute "obscene" material to certain states?
    


18. If the overwhelming majority of people in Puerto Rico want to join the union, what's the argument against making Puerto Rico the 51st state - other than Republicans not wanting a potentially Democratic-leaning state?
    


19. If a musician covers a Billy Joel song in concert, does Billy Joel get any money? (Assume the musician doesn't record the song, cut a live album, or sell the concert footage as a DVD, etc.) Perhaps the more appropriate question: Is Billy Joel supposed to get any money?
    


20. Finally, here's the question that I still have yet to obtain a definitive answer: is the ability to whistle a genetic trait? If not, is it possible that certain people have a harder time whistling because of genetic traits (e.g., they cannot roll their tongue)?

--Junichi