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= June 28 =
{{Wikipedia:Reference desk archive/Science/2006 June 28}}
= June 29 =
{{Wikipedia:Reference desk archive/Science/2006 June 29}}
= June 30 =
{{Wikipedia:Reference desk archive/Science/2006 June 30}}
= July 1 =
= August 12 =
== Japanese Giant Flying Squirrels ==
== What is this species of bean? ==
I'm not sure this is the right place to go, but if you look at the article on Japanese Giant Flying Squirrels, it says that during reproduction, the male produces a "coitus plug" after ejaculation which apparently is a sticky protein substance that blocks the female's vagina. I haven't been able to find this on google, so I'm wondering if this is an instance of vandalism, or if it is indeed true. (And if it is true, I suppose my next question would be whether other species of capable of this.) --[[User:Jinnentonik|Jinnentonik]] 23:19, 1 July 2006 (UTC)
:The article [[Japanese Giant Flying Squirrel]] appears to be based on [[:ja:ムササビ]], which doesn't cite sources either. I'll hit it with a cleanup tag and see what shakes out. [[User:Melchoir|Melchoir]] 00:22, 2 July 2006 (UTC)
[[File:Speckled butterbeans 2025.jpg|right|thumb|100px|Speckled butterbeans]]
It's not vandalism. Squirrels and many other rodents employ them; some non-rodents as well. More often called vaginal plug, sometimes copulation plug. [http://www.biology-online.org/dictionary/Vaginal_plug] There seem also to be human sex toys and such with similar names. -[[User:R. S. Shaw|R. S. Shaw]] 21:59, 2 July 2006 (UTC)
These are called "speckled butterbeans" and they are discussed in [[lima bean]]. However, the article says that lima beans grow in the eastern US in "Delaware and the mid-Atlantic". These are from farther south. Their taste is quite different from what are known as lima beans. What species are they? [[User:Bubba73|Bubba73]] <sup>[[User talk:Bubba73|You talkin' to me?]]</sup> 19:40, 12 August 2025 (UTC)
:Hey Bubba: lima beans originate from meso-America and the Andes (hence the name), but were apparently domesticated independently at least twice, and there are numerous different cultivars today. However, they are all constitute a single species (''Phaseolus lunatus''), and I suspect most varieties would grow quite well throughout most of the Southern U.S., considering their original geographic/ecological distribution. Indeed, lima bean article contains a picture of speckled butterbeans which indicates the specimens in question were grown in the state of Georgia. So the article's description of their horticulture in the U.S. might just not be exhaustive and precise enough. But yes, despite the difference in morphology/appearance and taste from those that may be more familiar to you, these are also lima beans. ''[[User:Snow Rise|<b style="color:#19a0fd;">S</b><b style="color:#66c0fd">n</b><b style="color:#99d5fe;">o</b><b style="color:#b2dffe;">w</b><b style="color:#B27EB2;">Rise</b>]][[User talk:Snow Rise|<sup><b style="color:#d4143a"> let's rap</b></sup>]]'' 23:22, 12 August 2025 (UTC)
== Smokescreen - how can I make one? ==
::Oh look: they somewhat match the color scheme of my signature. Very aesthetically pleasing coincidence. :) ''[[User:Snow Rise|<b style="color:#19a0fd;">S</b><b style="color:#66c0fd">n</b><b style="color:#99d5fe;">o</b><b style="color:#b2dffe;">w</b><b style="color:#B27EB2;">Rise</b>]][[User talk:Snow Rise|<sup><b style="color:#d4143a"> let's rap</b></sup>]]'' 23:24, 12 August 2025 (UTC)
::: Thanks, they are so different in looks and taste (and growing region) that I didn't think they were the same species. The photo of speckled butterbeans in the [[lima bean]] article is mine. I put it there years ago because I found "speckled butterbeans" mentioned in that article. [[User:Bubba73|Bubba73]] <sup>[[User talk:Bubba73|You talkin' to me?]]</sup> 00:41, 13 August 2025 (UTC)
I recently got into the sport of airsoft, which is a game with guns that shoot plastic bullets and with scenarios similar to real combat, and I decided to become a sniper. Being a sniper, a smokescreen would make getting in and out of buildings or around enemy airsofters much easier. Now, I'd like to know if there is any substance, no matter what state of matter, that will form smoke when put under flame or mixed with another substance. I would prefer powder or liquid, because they would be a lot easier to control, as gas would have to be bottled and kept under pressure and such, but I'll take any answer. Also, this substance, when turned to smoke, must be ''completely'' safe to humans. I can understand that breathing anything other than oxygen isn't good, but I'm talking about things like puking or bleeding or long-term side-effects like Alzheimer's Disease and cancer and the like, because I will be running through this smoke almost every time I deploy it, and I ''definately'' wouldn't want to hurt anyone else who breathes it.
::::The beans shown above are variegated, but I wouldn't call them "speckled", unlike those in the photo in [[Lima bean]]. Several of the beans above, in particular the reddish ones, have noticeable fans of streaks, not seen in most bean varieties. I see a similar pattern in [https://rohrerseeds.com/cdn/shop/files/ChristmasPoleLimaBean_2032x1350.jpg?v=1710433634 these lima beans]. Different varieties of ''Phaseolus vulgaris'' do taste differently, so I expect this can also be the case for different varieties of ''Phaseolus lunatus''. ​‑‑[[User talk:Lambiam#top|Lambiam]] 10:15, 13 August 2025 (UTC)
:Keep in mind most all bean varieties are developed from just a handful species, and that varietal differences can be huge.
-Jacob
:As a point of reference, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, and kale are all ''[[Brassica oleracea]]''. [[User:SemanticMantis|SemanticMantis]] ([[User talk:SemanticMantis|talk]]) 16:54, 13 August 2025 (UTC)
:I'm not sure I understand, are you going on some sort of [[snipe hunt]]? also pure O<small>2</small> is corrosive, there's plenty of inert elements in the atmosphere to buffer it--[[User:71.249.29.10|71.249.29.10]] 01:07, 1 July 2006 (UTC)
::Kale too? I didn't realize. Hey Semanto-Manto: good to see you--I wasn't sure we would again! ''[[User:Snow Rise|<b style="color:#19a0fd;">S</b><b style="color:#66c0fd">n</b><b style="color:#99d5fe;">o</b><b style="color:#b2dffe;">w</b><b style="color:#B27EB2;">Rise</b>]][[User talk:Snow Rise|<sup><b style="color:#d4143a"> let's rap</b></sup>]]'' 21:37, 13 August 2025 (UTC)
:::Yep, and collards and kohlrabi too! ''[[Brassica rapa]]'' also has many distinct culinary varieties, from turnips to bok choi to rapeseed. I did take a break for a while but I have my professor hat back on and I plan to hang out around here a bit more. Good to see you too :) [[User:SemanticMantis|SemanticMantis]] ([[User talk:SemanticMantis|talk]]) 00:03, 14 August 2025 (UTC)
::::I've heard grumblings that some of the cultivars of ''Brassica oleracea'' and ''Brassica rapa'' might have some genetic input from other species. <span style="font-family: Cambria;"> [[User:Abductive|<span style="color: teal;">'''Abductive'''</span>]] ([[User talk:Abductive|reasoning]])</span> 18:46, 14 August 2025 (UTC)
= August 13 =
::Where did you get that O<small>2</small> is corrosive? O<small>2</small> is [[Oxygen toxicity|toxic]] at very high concentrations, but that's why most oxygen for human consumption is mixed with nitrogen or helium (in different amounts). --[[User:ColourBurst|ColourBurst]] 07:34, 1 July 2006 (UTC)
== How to start making cellular automata ==
:Try reading the article [[smoke bomb]]. It states very clearly what is mixed to make smoke in real smoke bombs (which smell like burnt marshmellows, but are not, to my knowledge, toxic). --[[User:Kainaw|Kainaw]] <small><sup>[[User_talk:Kainaw|(talk)]]</sup></small> 01:20, 1 July 2006 (UTC)
:I don't want to put up a [[Smoke-screen]], but I guess Jacob does - [[User:Johntex|'''Johntex''']]\<sup>[[User_talk:Johntex|talk]]</sup> 02:04, 1 July 2006 (UTC)
What's the way to get into cellular automata? What's a good book to read with interesting "case studies?" I'm interested in things like varied fields with rules diversified within that create conditions for filtering and longevity of items. Neural automata within classical fields. User manipulation to make attractor conditions or simple destruction of items. Fun stuff like that. A glossary of terms would be a help too. Thank you.
[[User:Gongula Spring|Gongula Spring]] ([[User talk:Gongula Spring|talk]]) 19:00, 13 August 2025 (UTC)
:Are you talking about [[Cellular automaton]]? ←[[User:Baseball Bugs|Baseball Bugs]] <sup>''[[User talk:Baseball Bugs|What's up, Doc?]]''</sup> [[Special:Contributions/Baseball_Bugs|carrots]]→ 20:58, 13 August 2025 (UTC)
:We can give you better direction if you tell us a little about where you're starting from. Do you know any programming already, and if so, what languages?
:On balance, Netlogo is a good system for cellular automata and other similar types of simulation and modeling. See eg [here](https://ccl.northwestern.edu/netlogo/models/CA1DElementary) [[User:SemanticMantis|SemanticMantis]] ([[User talk:SemanticMantis|talk]]) 00:13, 14 August 2025 (UTC)
::I can't say I haven't tried programming before, but I can confidently deny any proficiency. [[User:Gongula Spring|Gongula Spring]] ([[User talk:Gongula Spring|talk]]) 00:47, 14 August 2025 (UTC)
:::Rather a deep dive, Wolfram's ''[[A New Kind of Science]]'' can be read for free as an [https://www.wolframscience.com/nks/ e-book]. Linear (one-dimensional) cellular automata, which include the [[Turing machine]]s, are introduced on page 24, while two-dimensional cellular automata make their first appearance on page 170. ​‑‑[[User talk:Lambiam#top|Lambiam]] 02:07, 14 August 2025 (UTC)
::::Our article on [[Conway's Game of Life]] gives a good overview of one of the first such programs. I remember coding that up in machine code on a [[ZX81]], which was how I first became interested in computing. [[User:Michael D. Turnbull|Mike Turnbull]] ([[User talk:Michael D. Turnbull|talk]]) 19:11, 15 August 2025 (UTC)
::::Thanks! And wow, Wolfram writes interesting, doesn't he? I can stand the arrogance, but not the repetition. I found this recent paper on longevity: https://arxiv.org/abs/2507.12306
::::[[User:Gongula Spring|Gongula Spring]] ([[User talk:Gongula Spring|talk]]) 19:20, 15 August 2025 (UTC)
= August 14 =
:[[Dry Ice]] makes a fair amount of smoke when mixed with water. Neither of the two is harmful aswell. [[User:Philc_0780|<font color="Green">Philc</font>]] <sub>[[User talk:Philc_0780|T]]</sub><sup>[[User:Philc 0780/Esperanza|E]]</sup><sub>[[Special:contributions/Philc_0780|C]]</sub><sup>[[User:Philc_0780/Improve me|I]]</sup> 02:05, 1 July 2006 (UTC)
::Byut dry ice has to be kept cold. I wouldn't have thought it would be very easy to transport. [[User:Theresa knott|Theresa Knott]] | [[User talk:Theresa knott|Taste the Korn]] 07:42, 1 July 2006 (UTC)
:Fire work suppliers will sell 'smoke grenades'. [[User:Trollderella|Trollderella]] 15:20, 5 July 2006 (UTC)
== Why wasn't snow always visible on analogue TV? ==
== annulation of auditory communication incorporating instrumental or vocal tones in a structured and continuous manner? ==
How long can you listen to the same piece of music loop non-stop before you become insane, ...clinically?--[[User:71.249.29.10|71.249.29.10]] 02:49, 1 July 2006 (UTC)
*PS, this is a serious question--[[User:71.249.29.10|71.249.29.10]] 02:49, 1 July 2006 (UTC)
[[File:FREE real VHS static.webm|right|250px]] If you tuned an analogue TV to any channel which didn't have a station transmitting on it, you would see [[Noise (video)|snow]] and hear white noise. This was because you were picking up the omnipresent background noise, from such sources as dying stars.
:I don't believe there is any single point at which every person will suddenly snap from sane to insane. However, you can read a lot about the effects of using music as torture. Just google for "music torture". I escpecially loved an article read that stated Marines used Barney's "I Love You" song as torture in Desert Storm. --[[User:Kainaw|Kainaw]] <small><sup>[[User_talk:Kainaw|(talk)]]</sup></small> 03:01, 1 July 2006 (UTC)
All very well, but why weren't the pattern and the noise imposed over every broadcast channel? If it's just that the signal from the transmitter was louder than the background noise, why wasn't the background noise grey? [[User:Marnanel|Marnanel]] ([[User talk:Marnanel|talk]]) 13:38, 14 August 2025 (UTC)
::If the song's by Whitney Houston, the time's about 25 seconds. For Crazy Frog, it's only 20. [[User:Grutness|Grutness]]...''<small><font color="#008822">[[User_talk:Grutness|wha?]]</font></small>'' 13:38, 1 July 2006 (UTC)
:[[Automatic gain control]] turned the gain to maximum in the absence of a signal [[User:Catslash|catslash]] ([[User talk:Catslash|talk]]) 13:48, 14 August 2025 (UTC)
== Boric acid level of toxicity ==
:The signal to noise ratio is massive in a properly tuned TV or radio. That background noise is multiple orders of magnitude lower in amplitude than the broadcast signal being beamed at high power from nearby.
:Edit: Btw, TV snow is the exact same phenomenon as static on a radio that's not tuned to a station or is moving out of range. That gain that that [[User:catslash|catslash]] mentions is a technique used to ensure the radio doesn't change in volume as you receive more or less of the signal due to distance. If you've ever heard a radio station gradually growing staticky as you drive out of range, that's what's going on -- it's amplifying the signal, and the noise with it, until all you can hear is the noise. We just don't tend to gradually move out of range of TV stations. -- [[User:Avocado|Avocado]] ([[User talk:Avocado|talk]]) 13:51, 14 August 2025 (UTC)
I've heard that Boric acid is no more toxic than table salt. Is this true? Can I consume as much Boric acid as I do table salt without ill effects? <small> ...[[User:Pce3@ij.net|IMHO]] ([[User talk:Pce3@ij.net|Talk]])</small> 02:50, 1 July 2006 (UTC)
::Noise radiation from star sources and the CMB (Cosmic Background Noise) are detectable by sensitive radioastronomy antennas with ultra-low noise amplifiers. Domestic analog TVs are quite incapable of displaying such noise. Describing the off-program "snow" display as interstellar in origin is a common "lie to children". What one is actually seeing is thermal noise generated in the TVs own input circuit that greatly exceeds any supposed signal from space. <!-- Template:Unsigned IP --><small class="autosigned">— Preceding [[Wikipedia:Signatures|unsigned]] comment added by [[Special:Contributions/2A02:FE1:4088:5E00:454:9CE8:B297:115F|2A02:FE1:4088:5E00:454:9CE8:B297:115F]] ([[User talk:2A02:FE1:4088:5E00:454:9CE8:B297:115F#top|talk]]) 08:40, 16 August 2025 (UTC)</small> <!--Autosigned by SineBot-->
*[http://www.jtbaker.com/msds/englishhtml/b3696.htm I'm thinking NO] ''investigated as a mutagen, tumorigen, reproductive effector. May impair fertility. May cause harm to the unborn child'', at least not if you're planning on having children with the correct number of chromosomes, hey, but at least it's not a carcinogen--[[User:71.249.29.10|71.249.29.10]] 02:56, 1 July 2006 (UTC)
:::Over here tv stations kept transmitters off during the day and if TV was turned on it was Cosmic Noise audible with dots very fine small dancing dots and TV technicians used to asses the quality of TV reception to be after few hours , it was always correct .Tv sets were CRT, B & W . [[User:Dr chifti|Dr chifti]] ([[User talk:Dr chifti|talk]]) 05:25, 26 August 2025 (UTC)
= August 15 =
::WOW! The above link says that only 5 grams is fatal. What is the lethal dose of table salt? if it is greater then I need to find the article I saw this in and delete the heck out of it. <small> ...[[User:Pce3@ij.net|IMHO]] ([[User talk:Pce3@ij.net|Talk]])</small> 04:01, 1 July 2006 (UTC)
:::I'd answer that, but [http://www.jtbaker.com/msds/englishhtml/s3338.htm table salt] doesn't seem to have a lethal dose (: --[[User:71.249.29.10|71.249.29.10]] 04:22, 1 July 2006 (UTC)
::::Yes it does - it says "Toxicological Information Oral rat LD50: 3000 mg/kg". So, for rats, 0.3% of their body weight in salt was the [[LD50]] Also, on the corresponding [http://www.jtbaker.com/msds/englishhtml/B3696.htm Granular Boric Acid] MSDS, it says "Oral rat LD50: 2660 mg/kg", which as you can see is indeed slightly less. So, at least for rats, granular Boric Acid is in fact slightly more poisonous. Although, for all we know, that's within experimental error, so it's safe to say they are of similar toxicity. For the record, i'd like to say that the rat LD50 is a abhorrent disgusting violation of animal rights and basic human decency, and should be banned. Now that i'm done citing it. -- [[User:18.239.6.57|18.239.6.57]] 04:50, 1 July 2006 (UTC)
:::::Oh well practically everything is fatal if you [http://www.jtbaker.com/msds/englishhtml/w0600.htm consume enough of it] per body weight, techincally it still doesn't have a lethal dose, and for the record I don't think I've ever heard anyone object to the idea of an LD50 before, would you prefer they test human subjects? or simply deregulate all potentially hazardous compounds?--[[User:71.249.29.10|71.249.29.10]] 05:07, 1 July 2006 (UTC)
::::::Haha. You're confusing the issue with drug testing, a very different issue which I will not write about right now. Basically, for dubious benefit to mankind, god knows how many thousands of rats and other mammals are subjected to long, painful deaths to find out the LD50 of each chemical via inhalation, injection, ingestion, etc. I mean how many rats needed to be tortured to death to tell us the LD50 of '''table salt'''??!! It's a sick, sick way to do research.
::::::And what does it tell us? How much of that chemical it takes to kill ''rats'' 50% of the time. Note, rats, not humans - in fact studies like [http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=MImg&_imagekey=B6TCP-3X3K8KK-1B-1&_cdi=5176&_user=501045&_orig=browse&_coverDate=08%2F10%2F1999&_sk=999869995&view=c&wchp=dGLbVzz-zSkWz&md5=2bf460844738a558bd49ace96c353cef&ie=/sdarticle.pdf this one] seem to indicate that animal assays are in many cases less reliable than other methods like in vitro assays using human cell lines. Don't assume it's necessary just because everybody does it. For a long time not so long ago 'leeching' was the gold standard in western medicine for most ailments, so let's not get too cocky about our traditions, mmm? --[[User:Bmk|Bmk]] 06:55, 1 July 2006 (UTC)
::::::LD50 is controversial, and not just with a fringe. [[LD50]] indicates that some major international bodies (like the OECD) have taken steps to reduce its use. The article could use more discussion of this (e.g. coverage of their reasoning and any scientific background to their announcement). [[User:Notinasnaid|Notinasnaid]] 07:41, 1 July 2006 (UTC)
:::::::Animal assays are always somewhat controversial, but objecting to them on the basis of a misguided sense of animal rights is a bad reason to oppose them. It is far better for everyone—including animals—that humans have a good knowledge of how toxic things are. In the end it leads to a lot less suffering all around, such as when humans spend huge amounts of money to clean out toxic leaks into animal habitats. If you want to cry about mistreated animals, consider focusing on bigger targets like [[factory farming]] and cosmetics testing and things which appeal to human gluttony and vanity. Medical research on rats is probably one of the ''last'' things a responsible animal rights movement should target, when they honestly have nothing left to do. --[[User:Fastfission|Fastfission]] 22:00, 1 July 2006 (UTC)
== pregnancies ==
:The way government contracts work is probably the reason behind this method of research. It starts with a lab that tests pesticides on rats to determine the effectiveness of each one. Then somebody says well how about table salt? If I used enough of it could I use it to kill rats? (This is not a fictitious question since I know a fast food restaurant where rats set up camp in every possible piece of dirt they could find and it is alleged that some of the employees succeeded in killing them by using salt in various ways.) Then the government put up for bid a contract to test table salt for toxicity and lethality and guess who is the lowest bidder? You got it. The company that already test pesticides on rats. Why do you think there is such a great demand for illegal immigrants and why the government seems to be looking the other way? We have lots of situations where being the lowest bidder only works one way. That's no White upper class banker in that photo giving the guinea pig the dose. Its probably some guy from Cuba who found his way here through Mexico. Cubans use to be cannibals. Maybe such research has provided them with an alternate source of food. <small> ...[[User:Pce3@ij.net|IMHO]] ([[User talk:Pce3@ij.net|Talk]])</small> 07:44, 1 July 2006 (UTC)
{{collapse top|title=Trolling. [[User:-insert valid name here-|-insert valid name here-]] ([[User talk:-insert valid name here-|talk]]) 21:07, 15 August 2025 (UTC)}}
== hydrogen sulfide, sulfur and ammonia in pond ==
which appropriate discussion website can i talk about pregnancies because i am a student ashley researching pregnancies?([[Special:Contributions/117.202.165.2|117.202.165.2]] ([[User talk:117.202.165.2|talk]]) 18:45, 15 August 2025 (UTC)
:Probably best just to use a search engine to find suitable sites. For example [https://www.reddit.com/r/pregnant/ reddit] or [https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/pregnancy Mumsnet]. [[User:Michael D. Turnbull|Mike Turnbull]] ([[User talk:Michael D. Turnbull|talk]]) 19:02, 15 August 2025 (UTC)
Hi, I have a chemistry question. I have a whole pile of leaves in my small pond. I read somewhere that bacteria create hydrogen sulfide when they eat the leaves. But I remember reading about sulfur and ammonia can also be in the pond. Where does sulfur and ammonia come from? The bacteria eating the leaves? Or the leaves themselves?
:Last time, you said your name was Lisa.[https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Wikipedia:Reference_desk/Science&diff=prev&oldid=1305786495] You need to get your trolling stories straight. ←[[User:Baseball Bugs|Baseball Bugs]] <sup>''[[User talk:Baseball Bugs|What's up, Doc?]]''</sup> [[Special:Contributions/Baseball_Bugs|carrots]]→ 19:12, 15 August 2025 (UTC)
The leaves are all black. And when I tried to remove the leaves, I saw some brown stuff swirling in the pond. It looked like dirt. I think the brown stuff came from the leaves. Any idea what it might be? Bacteria or little pieces of leaves? If anyone has any ideas, let me know. Thanks Sorry for all the questions, but I can't find a good answer. -[[User:Starionwolf|Starionwolf]] 05:38, 1 July 2006 (UTC)
::i do not know any lisa. did you check my ip address because there are tons of students researching pregnancies obviously?([[Special:Contributions/117.202.165.2|117.202.165.2]] ([[User talk:117.202.165.2|talk]]) 19:27, 15 August 2025 (UTC)).
:::You don't know any Ashley either. ←[[User:Baseball Bugs|Baseball Bugs]] <sup>''[[User talk:Baseball Bugs|What's up, Doc?]]''</sup> [[Special:Contributions/Baseball_Bugs|carrots]]→ 19:45, 15 August 2025 (UTC)
::::angry 😡 i do not like your accusations i am ashley leave me alone.
::::by the way, i am visiting india.
::::where can i discuss indian films online?([[Special:Contributions/117.202.165.2|117.202.165.2]] ([[User talk:117.202.165.2|talk]]) 20:07, 15 August 2025 (UTC)).
[[File:DoNotFeedTroll.svg]] <!-- Template:Unsigned --><small class="autosigned">— Preceding [[Wikipedia:Signatures|unsigned]] comment added by [[User:Baseball Bugs|Baseball Bugs]] ([[User talk:Baseball Bugs#top|talk]] • [[Special:Contributions/Baseball Bugs|contribs]]) 20:28, 15 August 2025 (UTC)</small> <!--Autosigned by SineBot-->
:''The amino acids cysteine and methionine contain [[sulfur]], as do all polypeptides, proteins, and enzymes which contain these amino acids. This makes sulfur a necessary component of all living cells.''
:''Some forms of bacteria use hydrogen sulfide (H2S) in the place of water as the electron donor in a primitive photosynthesis-like process. ''
So...normally I would respect the close box and the call of a regular colleague make a troll call, but in this case I think it is worth asking: are we sure this is not someone very young and/or from a culture where discussion of reliable facts about reproductive health is taboo or restricted enough that they felt awkward asking these questions without a cover story? what exactly was asked, last time? ''[[User:Snow Rise|<b style="color:#19a0fd;">S</b><b style="color:#66c0fd">n</b><b style="color:#99d5fe;">o</b><b style="color:#b2dffe;">w</b><b style="color:#B27EB2;">Rise</b>]][[User talk:Snow Rise|<sup><b style="color:#d4143a"> let's rap</b></sup>]]'' 09:27, 16 August 2025 (UTC)
:So there is sulfur in the leaves and bacteria, as well as in the water to begin with. The sulfur for that hydrogen sulfide probably comes largely from the breakdown of the leaves. Ammonia is a molecule composed of hydrogen and nitrogen, and is made by bacteria that live on plant roots, so that probably comes from the leaves, and is just released by the breakdown of the leaves. [[User:Crazywolf|Crazywolf]] 06:56, 1 July 2006 (UTC)
:The user is a long-standing troll who always gets around to griping about some TV show and some plot line about pregnancy. His geolocate could indicate anywhere in the world, as he is presumably using a VPN tool to accomplish that bit of fakery. ←[[User:Baseball Bugs|Baseball Bugs]] <sup>''[[User talk:Baseball Bugs|What's up, Doc?]]''</sup> [[Special:Contributions/Baseball_Bugs|carrots]]→ 10:28, 16 August 2025 (UTC)
::Ok, thanks for the extra context, Bugs: feel free to manually erase my inquiry and your own post, if you think that is the best approach to [[WP:DENY]] in this instance. ''[[User:Snow Rise|<b style="color:#19a0fd;">S</b><b style="color:#66c0fd">n</b><b style="color:#99d5fe;">o</b><b style="color:#b2dffe;">w</b><b style="color:#B27EB2;">Rise</b>]][[User talk:Snow Rise|<sup><b style="color:#d4143a"> let's rap</b></sup>]]'' 11:10, 16 August 2025 (UTC)
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= August 17 =
::Thanks for the informative answer. I didn't know that the plants have sulfur and bacteria. I don't remember reading or studying anything about sulfur in plants. Thanks for taking the time to answer my question. I couldn't find a good answer online. I'll go read about ammonia and amino acids now. Bye --[[User:Starionwolf|Starionwolf]] 03:19, 2 July 2006 (UTC)
== Learningflocking Java.and threshold ==
[[Boids]] provokes a question:
Well I just happened to visit Sun Microsystems wesbiste (maybe JAVA.COM, dont remember exactly), and they were offering their "compiler" or whatever it is called, which is used for writing java programs. So I wanted to know is it true that they are giving it for free? And secondly, what should I download if I want to learn Java. I have some ebooks, so I jsut want to try out those codes, like "hello world" programs and other simple things. So where should I write those codes? Thank You.
Each boid adjusts its position and velocity to those of (I guess) its N nearest neighbors; and/or those within a distance R. Does varying N or R make the behavior resemble that of different real bird species? [[User:Tamfang|—Tamfang]] ([[User talk:Tamfang|talk]]) 03:04, 17 August 2025 (UTC)
:You will indeed need a compiler. There are many available ones, and I think most of them are free. The one I would recommend which is widely used is Eclipse, which can be downloaded [http://www.eclipse.org/downloads/ here]. Eclipse is a nice open source project that made a great java compiler.
:Because of the peculiarities of the way the [[Java programming language]] works, you will also need the java runtime environment, which can be downloaded here, although you may already have it on your machine. You can download eclipse first, and it will tell you if you have it or not. If not, it can be found via the eclipse site [http://download.eclipse.org/eclipse/downloads/drops/R-3.2-200606291905//java-runtimes.html here] (pick the one appropriate for your machine).
:As for learning java, there are gazillions of online and book references - not sure what to recommend here. Perhaps someone knows of a nice one? Once you get the hang of the basics, the best reference available is the [http://java.sun.com/j2se/1.5.0/docs/api/ official Java API from Sun] - it's a listing and detailed description of all the routines in the Sun library. Have fun - it's a great language (and to the rest of you, for goodness sake let's be civilized and not start a C vs java war here) --[[User:Bmk|Bmk]] 06:22, 1 July 2006 (UTC)
:With the AI's assistance, I found this article [https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3324025/ Statistical Mechanics for Natural Flocks of Birds] that states, based on field data, "...interactions are ruled by topological rather than metric distance." Boid models must account for these and other factors. [[User:Modocc|Modocc]] ([[User talk:Modocc|talk]]) 19:12, 17 August 2025 (UTC)
:For tutorial I'd recommend Sun's own online tutorial, there is a "Tutorials" at [http://java.sun.com/ java.sun.com]. A "getting started" tutorial shows what to download, how to write the "hello world" program. For help there are the [http://forum.java.sun.com/ Java forums], drop in at "New To Java" with any questions you have. [[User:Weregerbil|Weregerbil]] 08:17, 1 July 2006 (UTC)
:The Introduction section of the paper describing the boid model<sup>[https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/37401.37406]</sup> contains this passage:
::As said above you will need both a compiler and a runtime. Both are available from several sources, some are free, some cost money. Writing Java codes is mostly a matter of writing a source code file, compiling it, and running it under the Java runtime. A source code file is simply a text file, you can write it in any text editor. Then you need to compile and run it. Example:
::"The success and validity of these simulations is difficult to measure objectively. They do seem to agree well with certain criteria and some statistical properties of natural flocks and schools which have been reported by the zoological and behavioral sciences. Perhaps more significantly, many people who view these animated flocks immediately recognize them as a representation of a natural flock, and find them similarly delightful to watch."
:::''(you type in this Java code in a text file:)''
:In the Conclusion section, the author writes:
public class Test {
::"The animations showing simulated flocks built from this model seem to correspond to the observer's intuitive notion of what constitutes 'flock-like motion.' However it is difficult to objectively measure how valid these simulations are."
public static void main(String[] args) {
:Furthermore, in the description of the model, we read:
System.out.println("Hello world!");
::"The flock model presented here is actually a better model of a school or a herd than a flock [of birds]."
}
:In particular, it appears that natural birds look further ahead than artificial boids, perceiving the approach of a 'manoeuvre wave' and anticipating its arrival.<sup>[https://www.nature.com/articles/309344a0]</sup> So there is no claim, express or implied, that this is a valid model for flocking behaviour, but merely that it looks convincingly similar. It is not a scientific article about animal behaviour but a technological article about a difficult aspect of [[Computer-generated imagery|CGI]].
}
:While there have been a few studies on the properties of actual biological flocks, these seem to have been with respect, each time, to a single species, reporting the observations in a non-standardized way that makes comparisons of different species almost impossible. How well turning the N and R knobs make the boid-model simulation resemble the natural flocking behaviour of different flocking bird species will depend on the subjective judgement of observers familiar with these specific behaviours. ​‑‑[[User talk:Lambiam#top|Lambiam]] 09:47, 18 August 2025 (UTC)
:::''javac Test.java''
:::''java Test''
:::Hello world!
[[User:JIP|<font color="#CC0000">J</font><font color="#00CC00">I</font><font color="#0000CC">P</font>]] | [[User talk:JIP|Talk]] 14:15, 1 July 2006 (UTC)
Thanks both! [[User:Tamfang|—Tamfang]] ([[User talk:Tamfang|talk]]) 23:43, 21 August 2025 (UTC)
== key steps to do any project ==
= August 19 =
Like, i am given a project to find out the reasons for the "work in process"(WIP) of your department...i work in a packaging industry..we make packagings of paper and board like cartons of milk..etc..now i have to do this project quickly and accuratly...so i need some guidelines..that on wat steps i follow so that i can complete my project in least time and accuratly.
== Is the speed of light constant, when measured by a '''remote inertial''' observer, who '''non-locally''' measures a photon traveling a long way in a '''curved''' vacuum? ==
hi, i have given a science project and i need help from u people...i need some data about what are the basic steps to do any project..or simply how to do a project...kindly helpme out!
I'm asking, because our article [[speed of light]] states confusingly: {{tq|'''"In non-inertial frames of reference (gravitationally curved spacetime or accelerated reference frames)'''...the speed of light can differ from c when measured from a remote frame of reference".}} This sentence seems to ignore the situation I'm asking about, when the remote observer's frame of reference is '''inertial''', but the spacetime the light travels through is '''curved'''. [[User:HOTmag|HOTmag]] ([[User talk:HOTmag|talk]]) 08:32, 19 August 2025 (UTC)
:That's pretty hard to say generally about any project. If you're talking about an [[experiment]] in the sense of the [[scientific method]], there's a decent article there. I'd say a good set of basic steps are, determine the goal of a project, determine the steps you will need to achieve the goal, then follow the steps. Perhaps you want something more specific? --[[User:Bmk|Bmk]] 07:28, 1 July 2006 (UTC)
:The length traveled by a photo should be the path length as measured along its curved trajectory, a geodesic of the manifold that is spacetime. I am not sure how you propose the stationary observer is going to measure this. It is in fact not even clear how to ''define'' the path length (in the mathematical model of [[curved spacetime]], a [[Lorentzian manifold]]) with respect to a ''given'', fixed frame of reference. [[Inertial frames of reference]] are useful in special relativity, when objects not acted upon by a force travel in straight lines. Space curvature means that there are no "straight lines", so the inertial model for establishing a reference frame breaks down. ​‑‑[[User talk:Lambiam#top|Lambiam]] 14:07, 19 August 2025 (UTC)
::A [[project]] is a set of planned activities that aims to achieve certain goals or deliver certain products/results (and do so within a certain timeframe). It is '''not''' something that you do routinely or on a recurring basis. Formal [[project management]] is necessary for large or complex projects that: involve many people and/or resources, extend over a long period of time, have many complex dependencies, and/or involve many uncertainties. Because each project, by definition, has some unique aspects and is non-routine, its successful execution requires more than procedures and workflows that handle routine activites.
::Let's assume we (as inertial observers) see a photon travel near the sun in a curved trajectory. Do you claim we can't use any tool (e.g. a telescope or whatever) for measuring the length of this photon's curved trajectory? [[User:HOTmag|HOTmag]] ([[User talk:HOTmag|talk]]) 15:59, 19 August 2025 (UTC)
:::We can detect only photons that arrive at our ___location. If a remote photon interacts with something else in such a way as to cause emission of another photon in our direction, we can detect the resulting photon but we're not directly observing the trajectory of the initial one.
:::Saying "what if as remote observers we see a photon travel near the sun" is like saying "what if as fans watching a soccer match from 10 miles away, we get hit by the ball on its way from the players foot to the goal". A remote observer can't observe a photon's trajectory. -- [[User:Avocado|Avocado]] ([[User talk:Avocado|talk]]) 17:49, 19 August 2025 (UTC)
::::So what does the quote (from Wikipedia) in my original post mean, about when c is "measured from a remote frame of reference"? Doesn't the measurement of c made by a remote observer, mean measuring the ratio between, the photon's trajectory measured by that remote observer, and the time it takes the photon to travel this trajectory - when this time is measured by that remote observer? [[User:HOTmag|HOTmag]] ([[User talk:HOTmag|talk]]) 18:29, 19 August 2025 (UTC)
:::::I'm not a physicist nor the person who wrote the article. I would assume that we can know the time of the photon's origin based on whatever caused it to be emitted also having other effects (gravitational waves, other photons, etc) that reach us directly. And that we can measure the time of the photon's arrival at another point based on the effects of its arrival (reflected or re-emitted light, for instance) that reach us directly. And that we can thus measure the time elapsed between departure and arrival and deduce its speed. But we can't observe its trajectory, only infer it. -- [[User:Avocado|Avocado]] ([[User talk:Avocado|talk]]) 20:15, 19 August 2025 (UTC)
::::::Please note that the condition of "local measurement" (as opposed to "non-local" one) is a well known requirement for the speed of light to be constant. I've asked whether the requirement of locallity of measurement is also needed when the observer's frame of referenece is inertial. [[User:HOTmag|HOTmag]] ([[User talk:HOTmag|talk]]) 06:47, 20 August 2025 (UTC)
:You can imagine that you have a torch in your hand and point it towards a remote black hole. The light from the torch will travel in the direction of the event horizons but will never cross it (from the point of view of an external inertial observer). This effectively means that the speed of light becomes zero in the vicinity of the horizon. However the proper speed of light will remain ''c'' of course. [[User:Ruslik0|Ruslik]]_[[User Talk:Ruslik0|<span style="color:red">Zero</span>]] 20:33, 19 August 2025 (UTC)
::When a photon is approaching a black hole, both the distance traveled by the photon, and the time it takes the photon to travel that distance, approach infinity (from the inertial observer's viewpoint), so the "effective" velocity becomes meaningless rather than "zero". [[User:HOTmag|HOTmag]] ([[User talk:HOTmag|talk]]) 06:47, 20 August 2025 (UTC)
:::Sorry, but the distance cannot become infinite because it is a known quantity. Indeed, you can measure the distance to the black hole and its mass and then calculate the distance to the horizon from the observer.
::Project management involves analyzing the problem, breaking down the overall project into a set of tasks, identifying dependencies among different tasks and on external factors, estimating the time and resources needed for each task, scheduling each task (taking into account dependencies and resource availability), obtaining and assigning resources to each task, tracking the progress of each task, identifying and assessing any significant risks, contigency planning, and periodically reviewing progress and risks to re-adjust plans/schedules.
:::Actually there is no need to use black holes at all. You can put a mirror on the Earth's surface and direct the laser beam at it from a remote ___location in space. Then since you know the distance and can measure the time when the reflected signal comes back you can calculate the speed by dividing the first quantity by the second. The result will be that the (apparent) speed of light is less than ''c''. [[User:Ruslik0|Ruslik]]_[[User Talk:Ruslik0|<span style="color:red">Zero</span>]] 10:39, 20 August 2025 (UTC)
::Complex projects often require [[Project management software|tool support]]. Small projects many not require very formal project management, but planning and perodic reviews to stay on top of things are still important. See [[Project management]].--[[User:72.78.101.61|72.78.101.61]] 14:06, 1 July 2006 (UTC)
::::I can see some practical issues with measuring the distance to a black hole. And also some theoretical issues. ​‑‑[[User talk:Lambiam#top|Lambiam]] 16:53, 20 August 2025 (UTC)
:::::Any black hole is just a mass. You need only to measure the orbital parameters of test particles moving around it. [[User:Ruslik0|Ruslik]]_[[User Talk:Ruslik0|<span style="color:red">Zero</span>]] 17:34, 20 August 2025 (UTC)
::This is far from the first time I have been exposed to these facts, but this concept still breaks my brain a little. I think it's on account of how we utilize the notion of an observer from an outside frame of reference as an abstraction. Obviously, in terms actual empirical observation at this point, the photon is completely red-shifted and has no chance of ever escaping. So it can't ever be directly observed. And yet we regard it as being unable to ever being able to be observed to have crossed the event horizon. Can someone help me with the structural distinction here? Because obviously if we had a photon's trajectory bent around the gravity well of a black hole (or any mass), we could observe it only by directly interacting with it by intercepting it somewhere along its path. So what do we mean when we talk about observation in an instance that is not in any scenario actually physically possible? ''[[User:Snow Rise|<b style="color:#19a0fd;">S</b><b style="color:#66c0fd">n</b><b style="color:#99d5fe;">o</b><b style="color:#b2dffe;">w</b><b style="color:#B27EB2;">Rise</b>]][[User talk:Snow Rise|<sup><b style="color:#d4143a"> let's rap</b></sup>]]'' 06:44, 24 August 2025 (UTC)
:::Just a small remark: '''<span style="color: red">"red-shifted"</span>''' (as you say), only when it tries to ''escape'' a black hole, but here we are talking about a photon ''approaching'' a black hole, so it's '''<span style="color: blue">blue-shifted</span>'''. [[Special:Contributions/2A06:C701:745A:B800:B559:3320:A4F4:C460|2A06:C701:745A:B800:B559:3320:A4F4:C460]] ([[User talk:2A06:C701:745A:B800:B559:3320:A4F4:C460|talk]]) 10:22, 24 August 2025 (UTC)
:::Regardless of their colour (frequency), photons can only be directly observed when they hit the observer. This was already pointed out above by Avocado. They can only be observed, directly or indirectly, when they are detected by some detector, which means in quantum terminology that they are "[[Measurement in quantum mechanics|measure]]d". Measurement of a photon means a change in a macroscopic system (a [[photoreceptor cell]] in the observer's eye, a [[photographic plate]] or [[photographic film|film]], a [[photodetector]], ...) as the result of an interaction with that system. Unless the measuring system is close to where the photon is, the probability of an interaction taking place is vanishingly small. ​‑‑[[User talk:Lambiam#top|Lambiam]] 12:05, 24 August 2025 (UTC)
::::Do you claim, any measurement (e.g. by a telescope or whatever) of the length of a photon's curved trajectory - whether near the sun - or in any phenomenon of gravitational lensing, is a local measurement? [[User:HOTmag|HOTmag]] ([[User talk:HOTmag|talk]]) 13:11, 24 August 2025 (UTC)
:::::Does [[Principle of locality]] help? {The poster formerly known as 87.81.230.195} [[Special:Contributions/90.210.150.115|90.210.150.115]] ([[User talk:90.210.150.115|talk]]) 18:03, 24 August 2025 (UTC)
::::I think you've mis-interpeted my inquiry here, {{u|Lambiam}}. As it happens, I'm a bit of an expert in visual cognition, and so very familiar with the physics/biophysics of photoreceptive media. That's not the part I am struggling to fix in my mind here. My epistemological confusion about the terminology is this: since a photon trapped at the event horizon never escapes to interact with such a medium, what do we mean when we talk about "observation" when, for example {{u|Ruslik0}} says {{tq|The light from the torch will travel in the direction of the event horizons but will never cross it (from the point of view of an external inertial observer).}}? Is it a conceptual conceit/misnomer for describing the relation of the frames of reference? If so, can you think of a thought experiment that would explain those interactions in such a way that accounts for the fact that, as a strictly empirical and ontological matter, no observation at a distance can be made? Maybe Ruslik0 just mixed their metaphors and terminology a bit? If not, I'm super confused as to what the act of observation means in that description. ''[[User:Snow Rise|<b style="color:#19a0fd;">S</b><b style="color:#66c0fd">n</b><b style="color:#99d5fe;">o</b><b style="color:#b2dffe;">w</b><b style="color:#B27EB2;">Rise</b>]][[User talk:Snow Rise|<sup><b style="color:#d4143a"> let's rap</b></sup>]]'' 22:10, 24 August 2025 (UTC)
:::::You are right, I misunderstood the essence of your post. My reaction was triggered by the statement connecting our inability to observe the photon to its colour, which is I think essentially correct – in the model its wavelength tends to zero as it approaches the event horizon – but irrelevant. Scenario's of a photon traveling to an event horizon can be described that conform to a mathematical model of GR, such as [[Schwarzschild metric|Schwarzschild's exact solution to Einstein's equations]]. Such descriptions need a frame of reference, preferably one that in the limit, away from the mass, is an inertial frame. I too think the wording of these scenario's is sometimes confused. The scenario may include an observer for which this frame is stationary who can observe phenomena as predicted by the model, which in real life would validate the model. But such observation can only be through information that reaches them from afar, such as transmitted by electromagnetic waves. An astronaut approaching the event horizon might broadcast a livestream witness report that reaches the observer, but a photon can do no such thing. The models do not allow an observer to observe the unfolding of the scenario with regard to the traveling photon, so describing the scenario in terms of observations is confused. ​‑‑[[User talk:Lambiam#top|Lambiam]] 23:58, 24 August 2025 (UTC)
:::::What I actually meant is [[shapiro time delay]], which can be interpreted as slowing of light in presence of a gravitational field. [[User:Ruslik0|Ruslik]]_[[User Talk:Ruslik0|<span style="color:red">Zero</span>]] 20:33, 25 August 2025 (UTC)
= August 26 =
:If you tell us what in general you are doing your project over, your question would be much easier to answer. [[User:Crazywolf|Crazywolf]]
== Pharmacology ==
:I always use the [[Feynman Problem-Solving Algothirm]]: 1) Identify the problem 2)Think really hard 3)Write down the answer. — <tt>[[User:Mac_Davis/Esperanza|<font color="green">'''The'''</font>]]</tt> '''[[User:Mac Davis|<span style="font-family:Times;color:navy;cursor:crosshair;"><em><font color=#006600>Mac Davis</font></em></span>]]]''' ⌇☢ [[User talk:Mac Davis|ญƛ.]] 15:23, 2 July 2006 (UTC)
A friend once mentioned a book similar to an Encyclopedia, describing background events behind the development of many well known medicines . Please inform if a similar book can be found and how to "custom search" at any of the sites of WIKI for such a book .
== natural plutonium ==
Thnx [[User:Dr chifti|Dr chifti]] ([[User talk:Dr chifti|talk]]) 05:05, 26 August 2025 (UTC)
:You might find such a work used as one of the many references for the article [[History of medicine]], athough what you describe would be a [[Tertiary source]] (like Wikipedia itself) rather than a [[Secondary source]] which Wikipedia prefers for article sources.
What is the reason plutonium is not created naturally in the universe? <small> ...[[User:Pce3@ij.net|IMHO]] ([[User talk:Pce3@ij.net|Talk]])</small> 07:53, 1 July 2006 (UTC)
:Searching Wikipedia for the term "Encyclopedia of pharmacology" led me to the article ''[[Pharmacology Research & Perspectives]]'' whch uses as its reference 4 ''The Sage Encyclopedia of Pharmacology and Society'' – see that article for its bibilographical details. {The poster formerly known as 87.81.230.195} [[Special:Contributions/90.210.150.115|90.210.150.115]] ([[User talk:90.210.150.115|talk]]) 08:04, 26 August 2025 (UTC)
:It is created in [[supernova]] explosions (where almost everything heavier than iron is created). Some [[plutonium]] isotopes have such short [[half life]]s that any deposits in Earth's crust have long since decayed into other substances; that's why we don't have [[plutonium mine]]s. Check out the lead paragraph of [[plutonium]] for one isotope that is just stable enough to exist in tiny quantities. Every 80 million years there is half less of it. [[User:Weregerbil|Weregerbil]] 08:02, 1 July 2006 (UTC)
::So the answer is because there is no permanently ''stable'' form of it like there is for iron or lead? <small> ...[[User:Pce3@ij.net|IMHO]] ([[User talk:Pce3@ij.net|Talk]])</small> 08:17, 1 July 2006 (UTC)
:::Plutonium gets created just like lead, but plutonium is radioactive and goes away given enough time. Atom by atom it splits into other elements. While lead is stable and sticks around. Occasionally a big star explodes in a supernova, creating a fresh batch of plutonium, which then starts decaying. The section "Supernovae as a source of heavy elements" in [[supernova]] describes that process, even specifically mentions plutonium. [[User:Weregerbil|Weregerbil]] 09:08, 1 July 2006 (UTC)
:::It's not quite that simple. The various isotopes of [[uranium]] aren't stable either, but uranium-235 and particularly uranium-238 have extremely long half-lives. The [[radioactive decay]] of uranium (primarily U-235) results in various [[decay product]]s, notably [[radium]] and [[radon]]. Any radium deposited in the gas cloud from supernovae disappeared billions of years ago; uranium decay is where all the stuff presently on Earth comes from. However, you're not going to get plutonium that way, as it is heavier than uranium.
:::About 2 billion years ago, some plutonium was naturally created on Earth; see [[natural nuclear fission reactor]]. --[[User:Robert Merkel|Robert Merkel]] 09:21, 1 July 2006 (UTC)
::::WOW! Thanks greatly for sharing this article. Its facinating to think that God had already tested a fission reactor long before he invented man. Wonder what else God has done that we don't know about? <small> ...[[User:Pce3@ij.net|IMHO]] ([[User talk:Pce3@ij.net|Talk]])</small> 13:49, 1 July 2006 (UTC)
:::::Well, he created something called religion to glorify himself, fooling people into thinking that he's perfect and all-powerful. He also created something called the Bible, to hide the true origin of Earth, life, and the univserse. --[[User:Bowlhover|Bowlhover]] 14:57, 1 July 2006 (UTC)
::::::Well at least you belive in Him even though you disagree with His methods. <small> ...[[User:Pce3@ij.net|IMHO]] ([[User talk:Pce3@ij.net|Talk]])</small> 23:35, 1 July 2006 (UTC)
:::::::Well, no, I don't believe in him. --[[User:Bowlhover|Bowlhover]] 18:30, 2 July 2006 (UTC)
:::::Why would God need to "test" a fission reactor? Surely if you believe in a God which could create the universe and man you can believe that he doesn't need to run "experiments" to find out something as banal (and human-centric) as whether or not nuclear fission could be utilized to generate energy under controlled circumstances. Give your God a little more credit than that! --[[User:Fastfission|Fastfission]] 15:18, 1 July 2006 (UTC)
::::::As I understand it the Bible says that God created the heavens and the Earth and at some point decided that it was good which leads to the question of whether or not he could have concluded that it was bad and hence did not know until after he created whether it might be either one. Maybe His creation of nuclear fission was for the same reason, i.e., to decide whether it was good or bad. <small> ...[[User:Pce3@ij.net|IMHO]] ([[User talk:Pce3@ij.net|Talk]])</small> 23:35, 1 July 2006 (UTC)
:::::::Are you suggesting that, 2 billion years ago, God changed the laws of physics to make nuclear fission possible? If so, there's no evidence that the laws of physics ever changed. --[[User:Bowlhover|Bowlhover]] 18:30, 2 July 2006 (UTC)
::::::::Surely God is as least as intelligent as [[Enrico Fermi]], and could figure out without actual experimentation that something would or would not work. In any case, God, of the Judeo-Christian-Muslim variety, is all-knowing and presumably does not need to do anything in order to increase his own knowledge. While I understand the temptation to ascribe even the mundane to God, it strikes me as rather silly and inconsistent with the otherwise transcendent attributes usually ascribed to Him. --[[User:Fastfission|Fastfission]] 01:25, 3 July 2006 (UTC)
::::::"Excuse me....excuse me.... what does God need with a starship?" -James T. Kirk --[[User:Bmk|Bmk]] 17:54, 1 July 2006 (UTC)
::::::Could we avoid another round of theist-atheist bickering, please? --[[User:Robert Merkel|Robert Merkel]] 04:04, 2 July 2006 (UTC)
:::::::This question has nothing to do with the existence or non-existence of God—all of those involved are actually advocating a more generously "theistic" reading of the situation—one which recognizes that God doesn't need to run science experiments. --[[User:Fastfission|Fastfission]] 01:25, 3 July 2006 (UTC)
I did not mean for this question to turn into a debate about [[God]] since the humanities desk is quite ready to handle debates like that but I will say now that the topic has been pressed that in terms of technology or science that [[God]] is the only entity '''''by definition''''' possessing the ability to reduce an infinite number of logical equations having an infinite number of variables and an infinite number of states to minimum form instantaneously. Further comments and discussion about [[God]] can be moved to the humanities desk. <small> ...[[User:Pce3@ij.net|IMHO]] ([[User talk:Pce3@ij.net|Talk]])</small> 05:13, 3 July 2006 (UTC)
== conservation ==
hi
i require some fairly brief information on the general methods of conservation.
not very detailed or specific to an area.
would you please furnish me with the different mothods of land, water , air and forest convervation.
i have tried to locate it on wikipedia but i'v allways found some " conservation ethic" which i havnt found to be quite what i wanted.
i would me very thankfull if you would heed to my requist as soon as your convinience allows.
thankin you,
- Tulika
:see [[sustainable agriculture]] for a start, though that article has neutrality issues. --[[User:Robert Merkel|Robert Merkel]] 09:21, 1 July 2006 (UTC)
:Sorry, this isn't a Do-Your-Homework-For-You.com =D --[[User:Mboverload|mboverload]][[Special:Emailuser/Mboverload|<font color="red">@</font>]] 09:29, 1 July 2006 (UTC)
OK, here are "general methods of conservation, not detailed or specific":
*To conserve land, don't build on it, plant in it, or dump toxic waste in it.
*To conserve water, don't take it for irrigation and don't dump waste in it.
*To conserve air, reduce smoke, vehicle exhaust and other chemical emissions. And breathe less.
*To conserve forest, don't cut it down. Use corncobs and computers instead of toilet paper, books and newspapers.
Now go save your corner of the planet. [[User:Alteripse|alteripse]] 14:04, 1 July 2006 (UTC)
:Conservation is disputed in being a good way of "saving the environment" I might add. — <tt>[[User:Mac_Davis/Esperanza|<font color="green">'''The'''</font>]]</tt> '''[[User:Mac Davis|<span style="font-family:Times;color:navy;cursor:crosshair;"><em><font color=#006600>Mac Davis</font></em></span>]]]''' ⌇☢ [[User talk:Mac Davis|ญƛ.]] 15:29, 2 July 2006 (UTC)
::Would you care to support that statement? As I understand it, since conservation is shorthand for 'conserving the environment in a livable condition for the maximum variety of life', to say anyone considers it incompatible with 'saving' the environment seems to require some sources or cogent arguments. [[User:Skittle|Skittle]] 16:08, 2 July 2006 (UTC)
:::The way I understand it, ''conservation'' is different from ''preservation''. Conservation is an active and goal-directed process, while preservation seeks to eliminate all human activity. Personally I think conservation is generally more workable and realistic. --[[User:Ginkgo100|Ginkgo100]] <sup>[[User talk:Ginkgo100|''talk'']] · [[Special:Contributions/Ginkgo100|''contribs'']]</sup> 21:12, 2 July 2006 (UTC)
== Heart -Stoppers ==
Hello! I'm often amazed by the people who claim to arrest their heart-beat,temporarily,by some extraordinary means.I have seen a few people,
on TV,performing this stunt(shown on some really reputed channels);
even E.C.G records verified the cardiac-arrest.Now,my question is :
How can a man have CONTROL over his INVOLUNTARY MUSCLE ? Is it 'Mind
Over Matter'? Thanks, [[User:Pupunwiki|Pupunwiki]] 10:26, 1 July 2006 (UTC)
:There could be no absolutely involuntary muscles. Heart-beat is somehow controlled by brain -- some unconscious part of it. May be, arresting heart-beat is possible by some technique, e.g. meditation or what, allowing control over subconsciousness? [[User:Ellol|ellol]] 10:34, 1 July 2006 (UTC)
::Not really. Read [[heart]], [[cardiac pacemaker]], [[autonomic nervous system]], and [[artificial pacemaker]]. As for stopping the heart, I'm very skeptical. --'''[[User:Kjoonlee|Kjoon]]'''[[User talk:Kjoonlee|lee]] 12:58, 1 July 2006 (UTC)
::It is quite easy to slow your heart rate by using a combination of meditation and breathing techniques (I used to regularly slow my heart beat to about 45-50 bpm before exams to relax myself), and I'm sure that if you trained yourself enough you could lower the rate to some quite impressively slow rates. But zero? I'm skeptical about that too. [[User:Grutness|Grutness]]...''<small><font color="#008822">[[User_talk:Grutness|wha?]]</font></small>'' 13:36, 1 July 2006 (UTC)
:::Technically, the only way for your 'heart rate' to slow to zero or for your heart to 'stop' is for it to never beat again - if it doesn't beat for a while, then starts beating again, it's just slowed down a lot, not stopped. Since with no training at all it's possible for most people to slow their heartrate considerably as Grutness said, I wouldn't be surprised that with a lifetime of training a person could do something more impressive. --[[User:Bmk|Bmk]] 17:57, 1 July 2006 (UTC)
: Its simple really to stop your heart. Just hire a team of professional henchmen and get them beat the hell outta ya to within an inch of your life. BTW, before you do this have the paramedics stand by. If this is done perfectly your heart will stop for a while until the paramedis rush and revive you with a few high voltage electric shocks. And *wallah!!* you have a new World Record in Heart Stopping!! (Someone had a take a shot at it! ;-) [[User:Jayant412|Jayant,]][[WP:EA|<font color="green">17 Years,</font>]][[User_talk:Jayant412|<font color="red"> India</font>]] • [[Special:Contributions/Jayant412|contribs]] 20:43, 1 July 2006 (UTC)
::To follow the style of the question: NO, You DO NOT have CONTROL over INVOLUNTARY MUSCLE. (OK, earphones off now...) A few aspects of the activity of involutary muscles may be modified by psychological techniques, but that is not the same as controlling the muscle contraction itself. To take the heart example: A person has no voluntary control of the [[cardiac muscle]] as such, only partial and indirect control of the rate of discharge of specialised [[pacemaker]] cells, which in turn determines the rate or cardiac activation, and very indirectly and unpredictably of the strength and rate of contraction via [[autonomic nervous system]] tone - in the latter case intrinsic [[Frank-Starling law of the heart|Starling mechanisms]] would override any "voluntary" element. One cannot selectively or voluntarily control which part of the heart muscle contracts, how much of it contracts, in what sequence it contracts, how strongly it contracts, or when and how it relaxes. Once a cardiac cycle has started, the strength and rate of muscle contraction is automatic, dependent on factors not willfully determined. As far as I am able to determine, the cardiac cycle cannot be voluntarily contained to the point of death - unless you happen to suffer a [[Myocardial infarction|heart attack]] or [[stroke]] due to low blood pressure or low blood flow, which would be unpredictable. I asked two anesthesiologists, they seem to feel that a [[Vagus_nerve|vagal]] arrest of more than 6 seconds during surgery should be treated, though [http://cardiacsurgery.ctsnetbooks.org/cgi/content/full/2/2003/401/F1?ck=nck this figure] from a book on cardiac surgery suggests that less than 4 minutes of circulatory arrest at 37°C usually does not cause brain damage. You cannot equate a learned and partial control of autonomic nervous activity with voluntary control of heart muscle, since it bears not even even a remote resemblance to voluntary skeletal muscle control. --[[User:Seejyb|Seejyb]] 10:41, 2 July 2006 (UTC)
:::Simple answer: It's a magic trick. and doesn't involve any 'real magic.'.
:::This is often used as a display of mind over matter' or 'psychic ability' or similar where the 'magician' will be able to change the strength of their pulse in different parts of their body, going so far as to have the pulse going in one hand, and completely stopped in other hand - and all this checked and verified by real doctors or nurses taking the pulse (who are invariably amazed)
::: ***SPOILER WARNING***
::: ***SPOILER WARNING***
::: ***SPOILER WARNING***
:::This trick is done very simply by concealing a rubber ball or rolled up sock in the armpit of each arm. By squeezing it harder or softer with the armpit it will press against an artery in your arm, causing the blood flow, and therefore the pulse, to weaken or strengthen. It's incredibly simple, basically self working, and any child could do it, yet it has been used to wow audiences by some top 'psychics'. Just goes to show, often the simplest things are the most effective! --[[User:Noodhoog|Noodhoog]] 15:40, 6 July 2006 (UTC)
::::Me again. This is a bit off topic, but I just thought I'd add a quick justification for the reveal above. Normally I wouldn't dream of revealing the method behind a magic trick, but this one is a particular favourite of con-artists, frauds, and charlatans. That is, those who claim to have actual magical/pychic powers and abuse their audiences by pretending to contact dead relatives, hawking their merchandise, and so on. I have absolutely no problem with (and indeed great respect for) the highly skilled magicians who make no fradulent claims to supernatural ability, and openly admit they are entertainers who use lots of clever techniques to produce the effects they do. --[[User:Noodhoog|Noodhoog]] 15:50, 6 July 2006 (UTC)
== Automatic WMA to MP3 Converter? ==
I have a large mix of .wma files and .mp3 files on my computer, but don't know which are which without going through a huge caffufle. Is there are program that will search a folder or drive that I tell it to, converting wmas to mp3s as it goes? --[[User:Username132|Username132]] ([[User talk:Username132|talk]]) 12:07, 1 July 2006 (UTC)
:Why is it hard to tell which is which? Can't you tell just by looking in Windows Explorer? [[User:Notinasnaid|Notinasnaid]] 12:32, 1 July 2006 (UTC)
::It's ''hard'' because we're talking about 50.8 GB of music and I have a life (albeit not much of one) outside of audio conversion! --[[User:Username132|Username132]] ([[User talk:Username132|talk]]) 16:43, 2 July 2006 (UTC)
::Sort them ''By Type'' in Windows Explorer, or use the Windows Search function to find all WMA files. (For a converter, I'd search for [http://www.google.com/search?q=convert+wma+mp3 convert wma mp3]). –[[User:Mysid|Mysid]]<sup><font color="#ffa500">[[User talk:Mysid|(t)]]</font></sup> 12:39, 1 July 2006 (UTC)
:::Or use a search program, like Windows search, and type for your search term "*.wma" to find the wma files or "*.mp3" to find the mp3 files.--[[User:Bmk|Bmk]] 18:10, 1 July 2006 (UTC)
:[[Transcode|Transcoding]] of lossy audio is evil. Avoid it at all costs! I'm sure there's a better solution to your problem than transcoding. Why do you want to do it? --'''[[User:Kjoonlee|Kjoon]]'''[[User talk:Kjoonlee|lee]] 12:47, 1 July 2006 (UTC)
::Thanks. I wont bother now... --[[User:Username132|Username132]] ([[User talk:Username132|talk]]) 16:43, 2 July 2006 (UTC)
::At least the question wasn't how to convert WMA to Ogg Vorbis. Then I'd be worried that someone would try to upload those crappy files to Wikipedia. —[[User:Keenan Pepper|Keenan Pepper]] 18:43, 1 July 2006 (UTC)
::It's suprisingly hard to find free audio converters on Google. You have to have the social equivalent of "knowing someone" to find a good one. Try this on for size: http://winlame.sourceforge.net/ --[[User:Russoc4|Russoc4]] 15:09, 8 July 2006 (UTC)
== Muay Thai shin conditioning ==
On [[Muay Thai]]'s shin conditioning method (or how to kill your nerves):
* http://members.aol.com/ThaiRing/faqs.html
: ''long ago before the availability of pads and bags, Thai boxers kicked banana trees. The texture of a banana tree is rubbery and is softer than a person's shin.''
I am not going to train myself to be the next [[Tony Jaa]]. My only question is: How long can a [[banana]] tree survive if people kick it every day ... -- [[User:Toytoy|Toytoy]] 13:13, 1 July 2006 (UTC)
Two days, eight hours, and seven minutes.
== Dreaming in colors ==
What's with dreaming in colors? A lot of people seem to take for granted, at least as I can see in the media, that the "normal" way of dreaming is dreaming in black and white... I find that quite strange, as I have always dreamt in color. What's your experience? Is it actually that normal dreaming in black and white? [[User:GTubio|GTubio]] 13:36, 1 July 2006 (UTC)
:Isn't it portrayed as black and white or with wavy edges in media, to make it obvious that it is a dream scene. [[User:Philc_0780|<font color="Green">Philc</font>]] <sub>[[User talk:Philc_0780|T]]</sub><sup>[[User:Philc 0780/Esperanza|E]]</sup><sub>[[Special:contributions/Philc_0780|C]]</sub><sup>[[User:Philc_0780/Improve me|I]]</sup> 14:02, 1 July 2006 (UTC)
:: I've always dreamt in colour. Though, the most unusual thing about my dreams is that I can not remember what colours the people and things were in my dream, even if I can remember the entire dream (which is very rare!), how much ever I wack my brain, I cant remember the specific colours of things in my dreams. Most unusual......or is it? [[User:Jayant412|Jayant,]][[WP:EA|<font color="green">17 Years,</font>]][[User_talk:Jayant412|<font color="red"> India</font>]] • [[Special:Contributions/Jayant412|contribs]] 20:33, 1 July 2006 (UTC)
::: I think its normal, I think its almost impossible to recall anything in your dreams that you didnt make specific note of while you were having them, so you can remember the events, storyline, things that effected and people you interacted with, as it was brought to your attention. Or atleast thats what I find, though I think it may be completely different for some people, particlarly people with things like photographic memory. [[User:Philc_0780|<font color="Green">Philc</font>]] <sub>[[User talk:Philc_0780|T]]</sub><sup>[[User:Philc 0780/Esperanza|E]]</sup><sub>[[Special:contributions/Philc_0780|C]]</sub><sup>[[User:Philc_0780/Improve me|I]]</sup> 21:14, 1 July 2006 (UTC)
:There was a recent discussion on physicsforums to if blind people can dream in color. [http://physicsforums.com/showthread.php?t=120268] — <tt>[[User:Mac_Davis/Esperanza|<font color="green">'''The'''</font>]]</tt> '''[[User:Mac Davis|<span style="font-family:Times;color:navy;cursor:crosshair;"><em><font color=#006600>Mac Davis</font></em></span>]]]''' ⌇☢ [[User talk:Mac Davis|ญƛ.]] 15:32, 2 July 2006 (UTC)
: And how would you know a dream was in colour, unless you specifically dream about a colour detail--as it happeded, I had a dream once where I noticed the colour of something. But we generally don't specifically dream about colour. I have a feeling that even the notion of black & white dreaming was meaningless until the invention of photography filled the world with monochrome images. I have a related question: Has anyone seen any reference, dating from '''before the invention of photography''', discussing whether we dream in black and white?
::My mother said that after we got a colour tv in the sixties, she dreamt in colour for the first time. I suppose it's just that she was aware of the colours in her dreams for the first time.
::Human eyes have separate receptors for colour and light-intensity (ie black and white). So the notion of black and white was not introduced by photography. [[User:DirkvdM|DirkvdM]] 09:45, 3 July 2006 (UTC)
== methanol added in a tank of gas in car - Ratio ==
I need a ratio thats safe?
How does methanol work in a car.
:If your car isn't designed for methanol, then don't put methanol in it. You don't say what you're trying to achieve, anyway.
If aluminum is incompatible with methanol what does that mean.
:From [[Methanol]]:
::One of the drawbacks of methanol as a fuel is its [[corrosion|corrosivity]] to some metals, including [[aluminium]]. Methanol, although only a weak acid, attacks the oxide coating that normally protects the aluminium from corrosion:
:::6CH<sub>3</sub>OH + 2Al → 2Al<sup>3+</sup> + 6CH<sub>3</sub>O<sup>−</sup> + 3H<sub>2</sub>
::The resulting [[methoxide]] salts are soluble in methanol, so the corrosion continues until the metal is eaten away.
:In other words, methanol eats away aluminum until there's nothing left.
How does octane levels work
:See [[Octane rating]]. —[[User:Keenan Pepper|Keenan Pepper]] 18:32, 1 July 2006 (UTC)
:Maybe you are refering to [[ethanol]]? See [[E85]] and [[flexible-fuel vehicle]] as well. --[[User:Russoc4|Russoc4]] 15:26, 8 July 2006 (UTC)
== What's in this cardboard box? ==
I found [http://72.136.70.187/IMG_3481_reduced_size.JPG this cardboard box] ([http://72.136.70.187/IMG_3481.JPG full size image]) near the entrance to a park. I think the person who put it there wanted people to believe it's a bomb. (Of course, if you take a closer look, you'll see that it can't be a bomb--there's no room for the explosives and no batteries.)
Anyone know what it actually is? I think it may be a radio (with the orange, rectangular object at the bottom right of the plastic casing being its antenna). --[[User:Bowlhover|Bowlhover]] 14:20, 1 July 2006 (UTC)
:My guess is a radio too, or maybe just a speaker (though it has a lot of electronics to be just a speaker). - [[User:Dammit|Dammit]] 14:39, 1 July 2006 (UTC)
::Yeah, it looks like a radio built to look like one of those really old tombstone-shaped radios. --[[User:Bmk|Bmk]] 18:00, 1 July 2006 (UTC)
:If they wanted it to look like a bomb, they did a pretty poor job. Why would a bomb have a speaker? And what if nobody bothered to plug in the cord? --[[User:Ginkgo100|Ginkgo100]] <sup>[[User talk:Ginkgo100|''talk'']] · [[Special:Contributions/Ginkgo100|''contribs'']]</sup> 20:47, 1 July 2006 (UTC)
::I agree. I think they didn't want to fool the police. They just wanted to scare people who freak out upon seeing wires in a cardboard box. --[[User:Bowlhover|Bowlhover]] 17:37, 2 July 2006 (UTC)
:::I think it's just garbage being analyzed by someone with an over-active imagination. —[[User:BradleyEE|Bradley]] 07:05, 3 July 2006 (UTC)
::::How much imagination is needed to identify a radio as a radio, like I did? None. I was just curious. I never said the radio is a bomb, nor that it bears the slightest resemblance to a bomb. I was just curious as to why someone would disassemble a radio, put it in a box, and put the box beside a path that leads to a park. Of course I know it's just garbage, except that it wasn't put in (or anywhere near) a garbage can. --[[User:Bowlhover|Bowlhover]] 19:42, 3 July 2006 (UTC)
The antenna of this radio is the [[ferrite rod]] - wound round with the various coils that you can see. It is most likely a [[medium wave]] [[receiver]].--[[User:G N Frykman|G N Frykman]] 20:54, 1 July 2006 (UTC)
:The world is going nuts. People now see bombs in harmless piles of rubbish. Well, one could call the abundance of waste an ecological time bomb, but that's something different. :) [[User:DirkvdM|DirkvdM]] 09:49, 3 July 2006 (UTC)
== Want to know about scientific experiments proving anything related to supernatural. ==
Any one?
No. In such a case this "supernatural" will just turn out to be natural and real. (It happened many times in the history of science, e.g. "stones falling from the sky" were considered ridiculous by French Academy of Sciences one time.) This raises the question, whether supernatural "phenomena" should at all be investigated by means of science — perfectly shown in "With morning comes Mistfall" story by [[George R.R. Martin]].<br>
[[User:Ellol|ellol]] 17:57, 1 July 2006 (UTC)
:I'd have to say that if a scientific experiment demonstrates the existence of a phenomenon, then it is not supernatural - it is natural. The first sentence of our [[supernatural]] article gives a good definition. I guess there are plenty of instances where phenomena which were attributed to supernatural causes have been explained via the scientific method. For instance lightning used to be God's weapon of choice, now it's known to be caused by electric potential differences. [[St. Elmo's fire]] is another neat one (which is actually related to lighning) that science has explained. There are lots. --[[User:Bmk|Bmk]] 18:02, 1 July 2006 (UTC)
::Some physics experiments appeared to violate the very reliable Newtonian laws. The result was the development of quantum mechanics, not a declaration that the experiments showed something supernatural. The best science can say about the supernatural is there is currently no known scientific explanation. I believe in certain spiritual things including miracles, but science is not designed to investigate them. That said, you could visit [http://www.cbc.ca/news/background/catholicism/sainthood.html this site], which explains the Catholic process of verifying miracles for potential saints, as well as the Dec. 8 entry at [http://hinessight.blogs.com/church_of_the_churchless/miracles/index.html this site], which is quite skeptical of miracles altogether. --[[User:Ginkgo100|Ginkgo100]] <sup>[[User talk:Ginkgo100|''talk'']] · [[Special:Contributions/Ginkgo100|''contribs'']]</sup> 02:47, 3 July 2006 (UTC)
:If you had a person who could, with no apparent external apparatus, at will violate various scientific laws which are known to be fairly reliable—conservation of energy and mass, for example—it would be a semi-persuasive argument for the possibility of a supernatural. If under intense and open scrutiny no explanation for these controlled violations could be discovered, then perhaps one could conclude that science couldn't explain it, and that it may lie outside of the realm of "natural" explanation. There have certainly been no phenomena of that sort subjected to such scrutiny, though—almost all claims to the supernatural today are vague, anecdotal, and specifically reject being looked at under controlled circumstances, an almost sure sign of them being snake oil of one sort of another. --[[User:Fastfission|Fastfission]] 19:41, 1 July 2006 (UTC)
Well, as implied above supernatural usually implies soemthing beyond or in contradiction of scienice. Perhaps a more apt word would be "paranormal", which usually describes unexplained phenomena from U.F.O.s to ghosts. --[[User:Kronos-X|Kronos-X]] 14:04, 1 July 2006 (PTC)
::As they said above, once science has confirmed and studied it, it isn't considered "supernatural", no matter how weird it is. There have, however, been a number of things that seemed "supernatural", or even nonexistent, at one time that have since been studied extensively, like the examples above. Some things I'm still waiting for: telepathy, telekinesis, lycanthropy, immortality. Nothing I know of has confirmed the possibility of these things, but I'm optimistic. [[User:Black Carrot|Black Carrot]] 15:49, 3 July 2006 (UTC)
::BTW, you may be interested in the work of [[James Randi]]. [[User:Black Carrot|Black Carrot]] 15:52, 3 July 2006 (UTC)
For astrology/occult-type things (in the sense of disproving them), see [[Forer effect]] and a few of the links on that page.
Being a Christian (myself), I think you might find it difficult to find studies (i.e., in journals) about miracles, mostly because one doesn't know they are going to happen before the fact. There are cases, though, where a certain medical condition is recorded by a doctor over a period of time, the person gets healed, then tested again, and so a healing can be shown retrospectively. But you can't really look for miracles under experimental conditions. [[User:BenC7|BenC7]] 02:47, 5 July 2006 (UTC)
:I think many scientists have a really tough time coming to grips with the concept of the supernatural. Their basic position is that everything that can be observed by humans must, ultimately, have a rational explanation. Even if we can't quite explain it now, one day we will be able to, it's only a question of time. What seems to be outside their thinking is the possibility of some event that is inherently outside the laws of physics - not only the laws as we currently understand them but beyond physics entirely, and for all time. The concept that an observed phenomenon might never be explained by science is anathema. Many other scientists are deeply religious; even many non-religious ones believe the only possible explanation for the universe is a Supreme Being who created it out of absolutely nothing. It's a logical certainty that contains a scientific impossibility. No wonder it's been driving thinkers nuts forever, and will always do so. [[User:JackofOz|JackofOz]] 03:36, 5 July 2006 (UTC)
== Wild and crazy idea... ==
[[LD50]] is an article about toxicology that refers to the amount of a substance that will kill 50% of the population. The idea is that knowing the amount of a substance having a 50/50 change of death is a good guide to the lethality of the substance. How about instead of determining the LD50 dose a lab were to determine the dosage curve from 0 to 100 percent, which would of course include the LD50 amount but also the amounts for minimum and maximum lethality as well as the theoretical and emperical amounts that lie in between? Or am I missing something here? Can these other amounts already be computed from the LD50 amount? <small> ...[[User:Pce3@ij.net|IMHO]] ([[User talk:Pce3@ij.net|Talk]])</small> 23:23, 1 July 2006 (UTC)
::Yes, you again, missed something. Either you missed to read the whole article that you just quoted, i.e. [[LD50]], or you did not understand it. [[User:130.94.134.166|130.94.134.166]] 23:34, 1 July 2006 (UTC)
:::My point is that even though there are a wide variety of other measurements there appears to be no single method of including all in one presentation or display such as a "curve of death" might provide. Likewise there seems to be no way of also including the various routes a toxin may take to do the job as well as the time and many other relevant factors. Not that the laymen needs to have a comprehensive chart that give a good overall idea of how dangereous a substance is but then some laymen do stuff like make laws and tot stuff for people and would like to have a comprehensive idea whithout being required to first attain a Phd. But then now that I think about it I'd rather have a Phd than a comprehensive chart. <small> ...[[User:Pce3@ij.net|IMHO]] ([[User talk:Pce3@ij.net|Talk]])</small> 23:50, 1 July 2006 (UTC)
::::Why the bloody hell do you feel you have the right delete my posts, its the reference desk, not your user page you ass. [[User:Philc_0780|<font color="Green">Philc</font>]] <sub>[[User talk:Philc_0780|T]]</sub><sup>[[User:Philc 0780/Esperanza|E]]</sup><sub>[[Special:contributions/Philc_0780|C]]</sub><sup>[[User:Philc_0780/Improve me|I]]</sup> 01:42, 2 July 2006 (UTC)
:::::What in the world are you talking about? Nobody's deleted anything here; calm down. [[User:Melchoir|Melchoir]] 01:49, 2 July 2006 (UTC)
::::And my answer is, there probably is, but then you have to administer multiple tests to get enough data to plot an entire graph (rather than one data point). And its a graph its simple, theres not going to be an article on it, or any papers for you to look at, because its a graph. Where-as LD50 needs explanation, as it is not self-explanitory. My point is, maybe your curve of death is used, what proof do you have that it is not, what proof do you need that it isn't. [[User:Philc_0780|<font color="Green">Philc</font>]] <sub>[[User talk:Philc_0780|T]]</sub><sup>[[User:Philc 0780/Esperanza|E]]</sup><sub>[[Special:contributions/Philc_0780|C]]</sub><sup>[[User:Philc_0780/Improve me|I]]</sup> 01:47, 2 July 2006 (UTC)
:I guess if you have a particularly simple mathematical model for how a substance kills, then it might be possible to calculate the entire curve from one measurement. But in general, it isn't possible, and I'm sure labs take all kinds of data points that aren't described in a Wikipedia article. [[User:Melchoir|Melchoir]] 00:07, 2 July 2006 (UTC)
Also User Philic please consider what happens to the LD50 tests that result in a 27/75 life to death ratio instead of a 50/50 life and death ratio that are simply thrown away becasue they are not 50/50 whereas a LDzero to LD100 percent curve would have a place to put all of that unused data instead of throwing it away (BTW I am afraid to ask what the heck you are talking about in regard to anyone deleting your messages. Maybe if you are going have a little tody before bedtime it would be best to stay off the wiki.) <small> ...[[User:Pce3@ij.net|IMHO]] ([[User talk:Pce3@ij.net|Talk]])</small> 02:17, 2 July 2006 (UTC)
:Generating the entire toxicity-response curve requires far more data than finding the LD<sub>50</sub>, which means that many more animals must be killed. Also, for many applications, it is more useful to have a few key statistics rather than the entire set of data. Nevertheless, toxicity-response curves are sometimes used. For an example of what one looks like see page six of [http://jada.ada.org/cgi/reprint/130/1/47.pdf this PDF], for instance. — [[User:Knowledge Seeker|Knowledge Seeker]] [[User talk:Knowledge Seeker|দ]] 06:44, 2 July 2006 (UTC)
::That was the reason for my question above. If there are no deviations in the curvature then say only three measures (LD1, LD50 and LD99) would seem to suffice but since there are other factors besides dose or amount like method of intake, etc. it would seem now that a complete database is needed for each toxin so that one can plug in values like weight and dose and type of intake, etc., i.e., all of the relative factors that effect the toxicity for a particular item instead of several values, curves or charts. <small> ...[[User:Pce3@ij.net|IMHO]] ([[User talk:Pce3@ij.net|Talk]])</small> 15:07, 2 July 2006 (UTC)
*An LD50 value is the dosage of a chemical that kills 50% of the test population of animals. The idea is that scientists can use these values to calculate a lethal dose for humans based on body mass without actually killing any people in the process. - [[User:MacGyverMagic|Mgm]]|[[User talk:MacGyverMagic|<sup>(talk)</sup>]] 08:18, 3 July 2006 (UTC)
== Is rolling tobacco healthier than regular cigarettes? ==
This seems to be an oft-quoted 'fact'. Anyone know if it's true that smoking rolling tobacco causes less damage to the lungs than pack cigarettes? I've heard it mentioned that it's better for you because it contains less additives. No propaganda please. --[[User:84.68.140.72|84.68.140.72]] 23:55, 1 July 2006 (UTC)
*Well, it's certainly the case that a rolling tobacco with fewer or no additives (and it's not the case that all rolling tobacco fits that description) won't cause harm from the additives that aren't there. On the other hand, are the additives more or less harmful than the tobacco that the additives are displacing? And what's the degree of difference? Is it, like, pack cigarets have a 40% chance of giving you cancer and rolling tobacco has 39%? Or is it more like .01% and .095%? But this is kinda like asking how much a yacht costs (if you have to ask, you can't afford it). --[[User:Jpgordon|jpgordon]][[User talk:Jpgordon|∇∆∇∆]] 00:02, 2 July 2006 (UTC)
::I do know that if I smoke 20 regular cigarettes over the course of an evening, I will wake up with a sore throat, nasty taste in my mouth and a cough the next morning. If I smoke 20 rollups, I feel fine. The only reason I can think of is that there is something in the packet cigarettes that doesn't agree with me. --[[User:84.68.140.72|84.68.140.72]] 00:08, 2 July 2006 (UTC)
:::Certainly. And some cigs are WAY worse than others in that regard. But that doesn't mean the rollups are healthier -- it could also just mean that the toxic effects don't show as quickly. It could be argued that pack cigs are statistically better for you, as they are more noxious and more likely to make you quit sooner. --[[User:Jpgordon|jpgordon]][[User talk:Jpgordon|∇∆∇∆]] 03:06, 2 July 2006 (UTC)
:Also, one cigarette is not unhealthy. Its the many you smoke that has been known to be bad for your lungs. — <tt>[[User:Mac_Davis/Esperanza|<font color="green">'''The'''</font>]]</tt> '''[[User:Mac Davis|<span style="font-family:Times;color:navy;cursor:crosshair;"><em><font color=#006600>Mac Davis</font></em></span>]]]''' ⌇☢ [[User talk:Mac Davis|ญƛ.]] 15:39, 2 July 2006 (UTC)
::I always thought even one cigarette is unhealthy. Even the tobacco companies tell us "there's no such thing as a safe cigarette." I suppose you're unlikely to suffer any serious or long-term effects from a single cigarette, but that doesn't necessarily make it "not unhealthy." --[[User:Ginkgo100|Ginkgo100]] <sup>[[User talk:Ginkgo100|''talk'']] · [[Special:Contributions/Ginkgo100|''contribs'']]</sup> 21:17, 2 July 2006 (UTC)
:Also, note that hand-rolled cigarettes are unlikely to include any sort of filter to remove some of the nasties (not that a filter stops a lot of nasties, but some of them). Unless you regularly buy filters to add to your cigarettes? And Mac, I'd say one cigarette ''is'' bad for you (you're inhaling smoke for one thing, plus the other stuff), it's just unlikely to kill you by itself. [[User:Skittle|Skittle]] 15:56, 2 July 2006 (UTC)
::Well, everything is relative. The exhaust fumes of a car passing by won't be very unhealthy. Living next to a busy road is. That's a bit obvious, isn't it? [[User:DirkvdM|DirkvdM]] 10:15, 3 July 2006 (UTC)
== bah ==
I just loaded a page with advertising by google, and for the first time ever I get a '''google video based popup add''', what the hell? I think they're getting a little carried away with these things--[[User:71.249.29.10|71.249.29.10]] 00:05, 2 July 2006 (UTC)
:Get [[Firefox]] and add the extension [[Adblock]]. Easily block any and all Google ads. Now, someone say there's some way to trick IE/Opera/Safari/MyWickedCoolWebBrowser into blocking Google ads too. --[[User:Kainaw|Kainaw]] <small><sup>[[User_talk:Kainaw|(talk)]]</sup></small> 00:45, 2 July 2006 (UTC)
::Hmmm... Donate lots of mone to Google so they don't need any more ads (which brings up: "They're very greedy, all that money and they ''still'' advertise.") and then continue to use the same browser only without ads. :-) <font color="#007FFF">[[User:Kilo-Lima|Iola]]</font>'''[[User:Kilo-Lima/Esperanza|<font color="#50C878">k</font>]]'''<font color="#007FFF">[[User:Kilo-Lima|ana]]</font>|<sup><font color="orange">[[User talk:Kilo-Lima|T]]</font></sup> 15:19, 2 July 2006 (UTC)
:::Sounds fishy to me. --[[User:Mboverload|mboverload]][[Special:Emailuser/Mboverload|<font color="red">@</font>]] 22:29, 2 July 2006 (UTC)
:::''Donate'' to Google? They are not non-profit—they are trying to make money, as much as possible! They'd take your money, thank you, and happily continue business as usual. It isn't greed, it's how you run a business. --[[User:Fastfission|Fastfission]]
::::Their revenue is $7.14 Billion. If I gave you that, would you ever work again?! :) <font color="#007FFF">[[User:Kilo-Lima|Iola]]</font>'''[[User:Kilo-Lima/Esperanza|<font color="#50C878">k</font>]]'''<font color="#007FFF">[[User:Kilo-Lima|ana]]</font>|<sup><font color="orange">[[User talk:Kilo-Lima|T]]</font></sup> 15:21, 4 July 2006 (UTC)
'''that wasn't from Google!''' it was from a third party just embedding a google video. Scumbags. Google doesn't do what you state, and they have probably already banned the advertisers who misrepresented their popup as Google's.
= July 2 =
== Palm Beetles vs Cock Roaches ==
I live in the Cochella Valley in California. We have thousands of Palm Trees. We frquently see large, brown bugs that I think are cockroaches but other people say they are Palm Beetles. Can anybody tell me if those two different creatures are so similar that they could be confused. The ones I see are 1-2 inches in length, reddish brown. They seem to be ubiquitous in this area.
:I live in South Carolina. We have cockroaches and palmetto bugs. I ''assume'' that your palm beetles are our palmetto bugs. The big difference: palmetto bugs can fly. Other than that, they are both roaches. --[[User:Kainaw|Kainaw]] <small><sup>[[User_talk:Kainaw|(talk)]]</sup></small> 00:43, 2 July 2006 (UTC)
::The [[American cockroach]] is also known as a palmetto bug and it can fly.
:I tried searching for "palm beetles," but all I can find are palm-boring beetles. --'''[[User:Kjoonlee|Kjoon]]'''[[User talk:Kjoonlee|lee]] 08:09, 2 July 2006 (UTC)
If it is a beetle, it will probably have a hard, opaque pair of forewings. See [[Beetle]]. [[User:BenC7|BenC7]] 02:55, 5 July 2006 (UTC)
== Rate of fall and heat ==
Why does a feather fall as teh same rate as a lead orb? I know air resistance kicks in for the feather, but if we exclude that, what is actually happening to the falls?
Also, why does everything radiates heat without necessary moving?
:Your second question might be answered by [[Thermal radiation]]. As for the first, could you clarify what you mean by excluding air resistance? Do you mean, perhaps, why they fall at the same rate in a vacuum? [[User:Melchoir|Melchoir]] 02:42, 2 July 2006 (UTC)
:''(after edit conflict)''
:For motion (an object falling), you should read [[Newton's laws of motion]], especially the second law: ''The rate of change of the momentum of a body is directly proportional to the net force acting on it.'' Note: it does not include the weight/mass of the body, just the force acting on it. Gravity is gravity. It doesn't matter if the body is a feather or lead orb. Of course, air resistance acts in opposition to gravity on a feather, so that would slow the fall of the feather. However, in a vacuum, the feather and lead orb fall at the same rate.
:For the second question, "everything" doesn't radiate "heat". However, "most things" radiate some form of "electromagnetic radiation". It is a byproduct of the [[conservation of energy]]. What you see as heat is just a long chain reaction of chemical processes all acting and reacting to one another. --[[User:Kainaw|Kainaw]] <small><sup>[[User_talk:Kainaw|(talk)]]</sup></small> 02:43, 2 July 2006 (UTC)
::Your assertion that force does not include the mass of the object being acted upon is incorrect. The acceleration of the object is inversely proportional to its mass—the less an object weighs the greater its acceleration for a given force. Gravity (as we experience it on Earth) works as basically a constant accleration to objects, independent of their mass. Consequently, the force due to gravity, which we call weight, is greater for more massive objects—this is how a spring scale works. The real equation can be found in the [[gravity]] article. Note that the mass of the Earth and the distance between the centers of mass is in the equation, but that works out to be a constant in our experience as their Earth is ''so'' massive and ''so'' spherical. The lead weight and the feather, even though they have different masses, experience the same accelerations independent of their mass. When you bring in air resistance, you have to calculate the sum of the forces acting on the bodies and force due to gravity is greater for the heavier object and it falls faster even if the objects have the same aerodynamics. —[[User:BradleyEE|Bradley]] 06:49, 3 July 2006 (UTC)
:::Thanks. Next time I see Newton, I'll tell him his second law of motion is wrong. --[[User:Kainaw|Kainaw]] <small><sup>[[User_talk:Kainaw|(talk)]]</sup></small> 13:16, 3 July 2006 (UTC)
::::As you quote, Newton's second law refers to the momentum of the object. We understand momentum as being composed of the ''mass'' of the object and its ''velocity'' or are you making some pedantic argument as to the composition of [[spacetime]]? —[[User:BradleyEE|Bradley]] 19:59, 3 July 2006 (UTC)
:::::Please feel free to change Newton's second law. You'll probably win a Nobel. He was obviously wrong when he stated: "The rate of change of the momentum of a body is directly proportional to the net force acting on it, and the direction of the change in momentum takes place in the direction of the net force." Apparently, he should have said, "The rate of change of the momentum of a body is directly proportional to the net force acting on it and inversly proportional to the mass of the body." Therefore, a lead orb will fall faster than a feather in a vacuum because a lead orb has more mass. Right? Or - does Newton's second law omit the mass of the body as a cause of change? No, that can't be it. --[[User:Kainaw|Kainaw]] <small><sup>[[User_talk:Kainaw|(talk)]]</sup></small> 00:03, 4 July 2006 (UTC)
::::::Newton's second law doesn't mention gravity. Gravity '''does not''' apply the same ''force'' to the lead as it does to the feather. Gravity applies the same ''acceleration'' to each object. Force and acceleration are different, but they are related to each other by a factor, which is... wait for it... '''MASS'''. If you apply the same ''force'' to each object, their ''momentums'' will change exactly as Newton describes in his second law, but the heavier object will be ''accelerated'' to a lesser degree and its ''velocity'' will then, consequently, change to a lesser degree.
::::::An example: if a 5 [[newton|N]] ''force'' is applied to a 10 [[kilogram|kg]] object, it will undergo an ''acceleration'' of 0.5 [[meter|m]]/[[second|s]]². If a 5 N ''force'' is applied to a 1 kg object, it will undergo an ''acceleration'' of 5 m/s².
::::::The mass of an object is why when you push a car it doesn't move as quickly as when you push a bike for the same expenditure of force. You apparently think mass is a useless and antiquated phenomenon—perhaps you were hit in the head with a feather. —[[User:BradleyEE|Bradley]] 16:40, 5 July 2006 (UTC)
:''(after another edit conflict)''
:While you are waiting for someone to answer the first question try reading [[Black body]] to get an answer to your second question. <small> ...[[User:Pce3@ij.net|IMHO]] ([[User talk:Pce3@ij.net|Talk]])</small> 02:46, 2 July 2006 (UTC)
Regarding your first question, if you drop a lead ball and a feather in a vacuum container (ie with no air or gas in it), both objects would fall at exactly the same rate. - [[User:Cybergoth|Cybergoth]] 01:09, 3 July 2006 (UTC)
:And this experiment (with a feather and a hammer being dropped) was performed by the astronauts of [[Apollo 15]] on the Moon. You can [http://www1.jsc.nasa.gov/er/seh/feather.html download the video from NASA], which is highly recommended, since it's trippy as all hell to watch. --[[User:ByeByeBaby|ByeByeBaby]] 11:41, 4 July 2006 (UTC)
::It's pretty easy to simulate on Earth as well. Get a piece of tissue paper and two books of equal weight and dimensions.
::*Drop the two books at the same time.
::*Drop one book and one piece of tissue at the same time.
::*Put the tissue on top of one book, and drop the book.
::How fast did the tissue fall in the third case? As fast as the book. --'''[[User:Kjoonlee|Kjoon]]'''[[User talk:Kjoonlee|lee]] 15:11, 5 July 2006 (UTC)
== [[Root beer float]] foam ==
I'm wondering if anyone knows exactly why root bear floats foam so much. On [[Talk:Root beer float]], there are a few statements saying that it is because of the [[yucca]] extract added to the root beer. But what I'm wondering is why the foaming is exacerbated in the presence of [[Ice Cream]]. I would naturally assume that there is some kind of chemical reaction between the Ice Cream and some specific ingredient in the root beer, possibly the yucca, or something else. Just as an example, I can pour about 10 oz of root beer into a 16 oz (approximately) glass before the foam runs over the top. When I add even a teaspoon of ice cream however, I can only pour in about 2 oz of root beer before I have foam all over the place. Can anyone elaborate?
:First, note that the yucca extract is a foaming agent - added specifically to create foam. Initially, root beer meant "sasparilla root beer". I believe the FDA labeled sasparilla root a carcinogen. So, yucca was used as a replacement. Now, on to ice cream. Cream has a lot of protein in it. Also, it normally has some sort of gumming agent to make it sticky. Both of those lower the surface tension of the root beer. With lower surface tension, the carbination escapes easier. When carbination escapes, the foaming agent foams. So, adding ice cream makes it easier for root beer to foam. --[[User:Kainaw|Kainaw]] <small><sup>[[User_talk:Kainaw|(talk)]]</sup></small> 03:42, 2 July 2006 (UTC)
:::Yucca is present only as a foaming agent. Sasparilla in [[root beer]] was replaced by artificial flavoring. [[User:Rmhermen|Rmhermen]] 21:31, 5 July 2006 (UTC)
::I would also imagine that the protein in the cream acts to stabilise the foam that is produced (you know that when you add icecream the foam/scum stays), so the foam will build up higher as it isn't popping as quickly. I don't know exactly why proteins such as that found in cream act to stabilise foams, but they do. Someone probably has an answer. [[User:Skittle|Skittle]] 15:49, 2 July 2006 (UTC)
:::Thanks for the info. I was going to ask about that next. I too noticed that the foam tends to stay around longer with the Ice Cream and it's is usually somewhat sticky and gummy after it dries up a bit so I was guessing that this had something to do with the proteins or the gumming agent becoming incorporated into the foam. -- [[User:Nebular110|Nebular110]] 17:14, 2 July 2006 (UTC) (sorry, forgot to sign the original question)
:::: Also note that microscopic bubbles act as "nucleation sites" for forming visible bubbles ...and ice cream contains zillions of bubbles. If you pour root beer into milk, you only get brown milk. But if you pour rootbeer onto ice cream, you get a gigantic explosion of foam. (Also try pouring rootbeer into whipped cream. Same effect: the microscopic bubbles in the whipped cream create a huge foam blast.) --[[User:Wjbeaty|Wjbeaty]] 01:50, 4 July 2006 (UTC)
:This description is a physical process and should not be confused with a chemical reaction which it is not. [[User:Rmhermen|Rmhermen]] 21:31, 5 July 2006 (UTC)
== Enlarged stomach lymph nodes ==
What is the cause of enlarged abdominal, right side, lymph nodes? What can it be?
:Lymphadenopathy has an almost countless number of causes. It's not clear what you mean by abdominal lymph nodes (intra-abdominal nodes would be detected on CT scan or MRI or other imaging: could you mean inguinal nodes?) In any case, no one here can tell you the cause of any particular person's [[lymphadenopathy]]; that person needs to find out the likely causes from their physician. There are lots of factors to consider, including the person's age, the size and texture and appearance of the nodes, medical history, etc. - [[User:Nunh-huh|Nunh-huh]] 03:59, 2 July 2006 (UTC)
:As always, you should first speak to a licensed medical professional, and you should NOT use any other source such as this reference desk as a primary source of information about your health. That being said, the article on [[lymph nodes]] describes how lymph nodes can become enlarged during the immune response to an infection. But are you sure (i assume you're talking about yourself here) that you're feeling your 'lymph node' on your stomach? I don't think they're very big... perhaps it's something else? --[[User:Bmk|Bmk]] 04:03, 2 July 2006 (UTC)
== Simple carbohydrates ==
I'm trying to list all the molecules with formula C<sub>n</sub>H<sub>2n</sub>O<sub>n</sub> and figure out what they're like, e.g. what would happen to you if you ate them. The only CH<sub>2</sub>O is [[formaldehyde]], a well known poison. For C<sub>2</sub>H<sub>4</sub>O<sub>2</sub>, there's [[acetic acid]], well known as [[vinegar]], and another one, which I kept searching for by the names of ''2-hydroxyacetaldehyde'', ''2-hydroxyethanal'', ''2-oxoethanol'', and even ''1,2-ethenediol'' (its [[tautomer]]), but after a while I figured out it's called [[glycolaldehyde]]. So, we have an article on it, but it's not very good, and doesn't answer my questions. What would happen to you if you drank glycolaldehyde? (I assume it's a liquid because it forms hydrogen bonds like ethanol.) Does it taste sweet? Is it poisonous? —[[User:Keenan Pepper|Keenan Pepper]] 05:18, 2 July 2006 (UTC)
The only other C<sub>2</sub>H<sub>4</sub>O<sub>2</sub> isomer I can think of is [[methyl formate]], which isn't too good for you. Have I missed any? —[[User:Keenan Pepper|Keenan Pepper]] 05:41, 2 July 2006 (UTC)
:::Formaldehyde doesn't follow the structure C<sub>n</sub>H<sub>2n</sub>O<sub>2</sub>. The last one has an extra oxygen atom. - [[User:MacGyverMagic|Mgm]]|[[User talk:MacGyverMagic|<sup>(talk)</sup>]] 08:12, 3 July 2006 (UTC)
::::I assume he meant C<sub>n</sub>H<sub>2n</sub>O<sub>n</sub> (and have changed it accordingly above). —[[User:Ilmari Karonen|Ilmari Karonen]] <small>([[User talk:Ilmari Karonen|talk]])</small> 15:18, 3 July 2006 (UTC)
:Interesting topic. I assume you're not counting tautomers; otherwise you'd be including 1,1-ethenediol as well (and counting both ''cis'' and ''trans'' forms of 1,2-ethendiol). The only other thing I can think of is to ditch the double bond and use a ring. I have no idea how stable they'd be, but if cyclobutane's stable, maybe these would be too. My organic chemistry's far too rusty to permit guessing at the nomenclature, but something like -CH<sub>2</sub>-O-CH<sub>2</sub>-O- (ends joined to make a ring) might be possible. — [[User:Knowledge Seeker|Knowledge Seeker]] [[User talk:Knowledge Seeker|দ]] 06:20, 2 July 2006 (UTC)
::The IUPAC name would be ''1,3-dioxacyclobutane'', and apparently it's also called ''1,3-dioxetane''. —[[User:Keenan Pepper|Keenan Pepper]] 15:41, 2 July 2006 (UTC)
::1,1-ethenediol would be the [[enol]] form of [[acetic acid]] (and also the hydrate of [[ketene]]). I rather doubt it's particularly stable. [[google:1,1-ethenediol|Google]] suggests it does occur an an intermediate in some reactions. —[[User:Ilmari Karonen|Ilmari Karonen]] <small>([[User talk:Ilmari Karonen|talk]])</small> 15:18, 3 July 2006 (UTC)
::Glycoaldehyde is very poisonous. It is the metabolite of ethylene glycol that leads to the latter's toxicity. The treatment of anti-freeze poisoning is to prevent the formation of glycoaldehyde by supplying an alternative substrate for alcohol dehydrogenase, saturating the enzyme using either ethanol or fomepizole. If you drank glycoaldehyde there is no treatment other than dialysis that would stop the toxicity. --[[User:Seejyb|Seejyb]] Oops, that's glyco'''l'''aldehyde --[[User:Seejyb|Seejyb]] 21:11, 2 July 2006 (UTC)
:::Thanks. So wait... if you accidentally drink antifreeze, you're less likely to get poisoned if you drink a lot of booze afterwards? =P —[[User:Keenan Pepper|Keenan Pepper]] 23:09, 2 July 2006 (UTC)
:::: yep, thats even a medically recognised treatment for ethylene glycol poisioning. although they inject it iv so you don't have a choice of flavour... (http://www.aafp.org/afp/20020901/807.html) [[User:Xcomradex|Xcomradex]] 04:08, 3 July 2006 (UTC)
:::: If you're interested, ethanol treatment is also standard for methanol poisoning. [[User:TenOfAllTrades|TenOfAllTrades]]([[User_talk:TenOfAllTrades|talk]]) 16:11, 3 July 2006 (UTC)
::If we're talking rings (which we should, since that's how most typical carbohydrates often exist), how about 1,2-dioxacyclobutane (dioxetane) for C<sub>2</sub>H<sub>4</sub>O<sub>2</sub>? I'm not sure if that specific compound is known experimentally, but compounds containing a -C-C-O-O- ring are, and are the basis for [[chemiluminescence]]. [[User:DMacks|DMacks]] 05:12, 6 July 2006 (UTC)
== Nuclear Reaction ==
When a nuclear bomb is set off how much of its mass is turned into light?
:Depends on the size doesnt it. [[User:Philc_0780|<font color="Green">Philc</font>]] <sub>[[User talk:Philc_0780|T]]</sub><sup>[[User:Philc 0780/Esperanza|E]]</sup><sub>[[Special:contributions/Philc_0780|C]]</sub><sup>[[User:Philc_0780/Improve me|I]]</sup> 12:03, 2 July 2006 (UTC)
:: No, it doesn't: it's apparently a percentage of the overall energetic output. Philc, [[effects of nuclear explosions]] may be a good page for you. Happy reading! – [[User:ClockworkSoul|Clockwork]][[User_talk:ClockworkSoul|<b>Soul</b>]] 14:09, 2 July 2006 (UTC)
:The amount of light depends on what kind of bomb, what materials are in it and how enriched they are, and mass. — <tt>[[User:Mac_Davis/Esperanza|<font color="green">'''The'''</font>]]</tt> '''[[User:Mac Davis|<span style="font-family:Times;color:navy;cursor:crosshair;"><em><font color=#006600>Mac Davis</font></em></span>]]]''' ⌇☢ [[User talk:Mac Davis|ญƛ.]] 15:43, 2 July 2006 (UTC)
Is there a way to make a nuclear explosion 100 percent effecent. For example no radiation and all the mass being directly converted into energy as light or heat?
:No, there isn't. When a neutron strikes a [[uranium-235]] or plutonium-239 atom, gamma photons will always be released. Energy is also released in the form of kinetic energy--from the fission products, the [[neutrino]]s, and the neutrons. (Light, by the way, ''is'' radiation.) --[[User:Bowlhover|Bowlhover]] 17:32, 2 July 2006 (UTC)
::I think the original asker could benefit from reading over the article on [[nuclear fission]]. However, the question is valid - how much of the mass of the original uranium is turned into EM energy? In the 'average' fission reaction (there are many possible paths for a U-235 fission), around 21 MeV of energy are released in the form of gamma rays [http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/nucene/u235chn.html#c3] Now we can pull out or handy E=mc2 calculator, and find that the rest mass of U-235 in MeV is about 220 GeV. Therefore just about about 0.01% of the energy in a U235 fission event is converted to light. Of course, the temperatures generated in the shockwave convert a lot more energy into light, but that's way harder to calculate. Also, as someone mentioned above, a nuclear bomb is not 100% efficient, but it's around that figure for the entire mass of the uranium. --[[User:Bmk|Bmk]] 20:22, 2 July 2006 (UTC)
:::Bmk, why is a nuclear bomb around 100% efficient? The person who asked whether a 100%-efficient bomb is possible, defined efficient as "no [non-light] radiation and all the mass being directly converted into energy as light or heat". Nuclear bombs produce much less light and heat than they do gamma rays, so they're no where near 100% efficient.
:::That said, I think that an efficient nuclear bomb should be one does the most destruction per gram of mass. This depends mostly on how much fission/fusion material is in the bomb, and how much of that material actually undergoes fission/fusion before the bomb is destroyed. (In the bombs dropped on Japan in 1945, for example, only 1.4% and 14% of the uranium/plutonium in the bombs actually underwent fission.) --[[User:Bowlhover|Bowlhover]] 01:25, 3 July 2006 (UTC)
::::Bowlhover - sorry - this was an error of poor wording. What I meant to say was "a nuclear bomb does not use 100% of the mass of uranium it started with, but probably nearly 100%, so the percent of Uranium mass turned into gamma rays for the entire bomb is still nearly 0.01%. Sorry for the confusion --[[User:Bmk|Bmk]] 21:02, 3 July 2006 (UTC)
:::Changing the subject, Bmk found out that 0.01% of an uranium-235 atom's mass is converted into gamma rays, but how much of the mass is converted into visible light? We cannot see gamma rays, so they can't be considered as light. --[[User:Bowlhover|Bowlhover]] 01:25, 3 July 2006 (UTC)
::It is not the U-235 that is being converted into energy, it is just the [[binding energy]] which gets released during the fission. I think people get this pretty confused. When U-235 fissions it turns into a two fission products, a few neutrons, and some gamma rays. If you add up the mass in all of the constituent components, you'll find it is slightly less than it was when they were together; the "missing mass" here is the mass which has been turned into energy. This is explained at our article on [[E=mc2]]. Efficiency in bomb design is calculated by how much of it material fissions, not how much of it is converted into energy (they are not unrelated numbers, but the percentages are ''very'' different—a bomb in which 20% of the material fissions is not the same thing as saying that 20% of it is converted into energy). --[[User:Fastfission|Fastfission]] 01:16, 3 July 2006 (UTC)
:::True, but since the mass attributable to binding energy in U-235 IS part of the mass of the U-235, it is still appropriate to calculate the amount of mass which has been transformed into electromagnetic radiation. The original question had nothing to do with bomb efficiency, just the amount of mass changed into light. And for those who disputed the usage of light, I was using it to refer to any EM radiation, but i concede that 'light' technically only refers to that in the visible spectrum. If the original question was meant to refer only to visible light, then I have no idea what the answer is - i think you'd just have to take measurements during an actual explosion. The thermodynamics are probably too difficult to address analytically. --[[User:Bmk|Bmk]] 21:06, 3 July 2006 (UTC)
Thank You all for your answers as far as 100 percent efficent nuclear bomb I am actually talking about the reaction I strongly disagree with the use of nuclear technology in wepons.
== Stupid question ==
Can/will anyone recommend (free and win32) tools for backing up CD/DVDs as ISO's, authoring CD/DVDs, and mounting ISOs as virtual drives?--[[User:Frenchman113|Frenchman113 ]] [[User talk:Frenchman113|on wheels!]] 13:50, 2 July 2006 (UTC)
:[[Alcohol 120%]]? [[User:Philc_0780|<font color="Green">Philc</font>]] <sub>[[User talk:Philc_0780|T]]</sub><sup>[[User:Philc 0780/Esperanza|E]]</sup><sub>[[Special:contributions/Philc_0780|C]]</sub><sup>[[User:Philc_0780/Improve me|I]]</sup> 13:52, 2 July 2006 (UTC)
::not free?--[[User:Frenchman113|Frenchman113 ]] [[User talk:Frenchman113|on wheels!]] 14:28, 2 July 2006 (UTC)
May be I should have made this more clear. They don't have to be one program. I'm looking for a set of utilities that does the above.--[[User:Frenchman113|Frenchman113 ]] [[User talk:Frenchman113|on wheels!]] 14:30, 2 July 2006 (UTC)
:[[Daemon tools]] I got for free, that mounts all image files (.ISOs .bins etc) [[User:Philc_0780|<font color="Green">Philc</font>]] <sub>[[User talk:Philc_0780|T]]</sub><sup>[[User:Philc 0780/Esperanza|E]]</sup><sub>[[Special:contributions/Philc_0780|C]]</sub><sup>[[User:Philc_0780/Improve me|I]]</sup> 14:52, 2 July 2006 (UTC)
:Alcohol 120% is free if you use [[BitTorrent]]. — <tt>[[User:Mac_Davis/Esperanza|<font color="green">'''The'''</font>]]</tt> '''[[User:Mac Davis|<span style="font-family:Times;color:navy;cursor:crosshair;"><em><font color=#006600>Mac Davis</font></em></span>]]]''' ⌇☢ [[User talk:Mac Davis|ญƛ.]] 15:42, 2 July 2006 (UTC)
::Well, two things. The cracks don't seem to work. It's easy to get a virus this way. And I have dial-up, so no BT.--[[User:Frenchman113|Frenchman113 ]] [[User talk:Frenchman113|on wheels!]] 16:20, 2 July 2006 (UTC)
All this leaves is a good program to generate ISOs. After a lot of googling, I still can't find one that's both free and win32. I've got CDBurnerXP Pro for burning and DAEMON Tools for mounting images. Unfortunately, neither one can create ISO images.--[[User:Frenchman113|Frenchman113 ]] [[User talk:Frenchman113|on wheels!]] 20:37, 2 July 2006 (UTC)
:::If you need it for a one-off, just get Alcohol 120 trial version. [[User:Philc_0780|<font color="Green">Philc</font>]] <sub>[[User talk:Philc_0780|T]]</sub><sup>[[User:Philc 0780/Esperanza|E]]</sup><sub>[[Special:contributions/Philc_0780|C]]</sub><sup>[[User:Philc_0780/Improve me|I]]</sup> 21:11, 2 July 2006 (UTC)
::DeepBurner (Free version now at v1.7?). From the help file: "''If you want to create an ISO image, choose "Create data CD/DVD" after you start the program, then click next. In the next window choose "No multisession" and click "next". Now you can drag and drop files from the explorer window (right) to the Data-CD layout (left). After you added all files and folders to the layout that you need, click on "Burn Disk" at the left side. Instead of "Burn" choose "Save ISO" now. The last thing you have to do now, is to choose the ___location and name of your image-file.''" Combine with Daemon tools as you have. When removing Daemon, you sometimes have to use a few tricks to get all the drivers cleanly removed, but that is not difficult (i.e. ask again). --[[User:Seejyb|Seejyb]] 06:43, 3 July 2006 (UTC)
:::Interesting, but I was actually thinking of something to extract iso images from CDs, CDburnerXP can turn normal files into ISOs too.--[[User:Frenchman113|Frenchman113 ]] [[User talk:Frenchman113|on wheels!]] 12:53, 3 July 2006 (UTC)
== A question about Bubble Sort ==
Hello,
I just read the theory of bubble sort, and tried to implement it. But not too sure if the results are right. I mean, the number of steps taken to reach the final results is right or wrong, thats what i am confused about. So if anyone could run this code, see the results and comment whether its right or not. Its written in C.
At the end of the execution, it displays the the steps used in sorting in an ordered way, and indicates those values which have been sorted from previous step in yellow color.
<pre>
#include<stdio.h>
#include<conio.h>
void main()
{
int orig[25],orig2[25];
int i,j,n,temp,m,step=0;
int compary[25],var,change=0,change_count=0;
clrscr();
printf("how many elements : ");
scanf("%d",&n);
for(i=0;i<n;i++)
{
printf("enter number %d : ",i+1);
scanf("%d",&orig[i]);
orig2[i]=orig[i];
compary[i]=orig[i];
}
clrscr();
textcolor(WHITE);
cprintf("step 0 : ");
for(m=0;m<n;m++)
cprintf("%3d ",orig[m]);
cprintf(" (original)");
printf("\n---------------------------------\n");
for(i=0;i<n;i++)
{
for(j=0;j<n-1;j++)
{
step++;
printf("step %2d : ",step);
if( orig[j] > orig[j+1] )
{
temp=orig[j];
orig[j]=orig[j+1];
orig[j+1]=temp;
}
for(m=0;m<n;m++)
{
if( orig[m]!=compary[m] )
{
textcolor(YELLOW);
cprintf("%3d ",orig[m]);
}
else
{
textcolor(WHITE);
cprintf("%3d ",orig[m]);
}
}
printf("\n");
for(var=0;var<n;var++)
compary[var]=orig[var];
}
}
getch();
}
</pre>
:This didn't even compile for me until I removed all the "conio.h" stuff. What is that anyway, some Windows thing? Also, main() should return int, not void. Your algorithm seems correct but inefficient: there's no need to go all the way to the end of the list every time, because after the first pass the last element is definitely the greatest. The number of swaps should keep getting shorter and shorter by one until there are no more swaps to be made. See what I mean? —[[User:Keenan Pepper|Keenan Pepper]] 15:51, 2 July 2006 (UTC)
::*An interesting aside here is that MS VC++ v6 will not compile without a void main. <small> ...[[User:Pce3@ij.net|IMHO]] ([[User talk:Pce3@ij.net|Talk]])</small> 17:37, 2 July 2006 (UTC)
::<code>conio.h</code> is a MS-DOS thing (its equivalent in the POSIX world would be [[curses (programming library)|curses]]). --[[User:CesarB|cesarb]] 03:40, 3 July 2006 (UTC)
well,i reformatted the code. the code is definitely right, nothing wrong in it. And also, the number of times it runs is high bcoz to display the numbers in different colors. But is the end result correct in terms of steps required?
:How do you know it's "definitely right"? [http://users.aber.ac.uk/auj/voidmain.shtml void main is wrong.] The number of steps is not correct, there are about twice as many as there need to be, as I explained. —[[User:Keenan Pepper|Keenan Pepper]] 16:33, 2 July 2006 (UTC)
Each iteration of the "j" loop is going too far. It should say <code>for(j=0;j<n-1'''-i''';j++)</code>. You're doing exactly twice as many iterations of the inner loop as you need to. -[[User:Jpgordon|jpgordon]][[User talk:Jpgordon|∇∆∇∆]] 16:37, 2 July 2006 (UTC)
:Depending upon what it is you have to sort and how fast you need it sorted you might want to look at a recently published sort that is up for peer review on the Wikia Acadenic Publishing site (a commercial wiki site owned by Jimbo). Its at [http://academia.wikia.com/wiki/Check_sort Check sort description]. Both C++ and Visual Basic code are listed. <small> ...[[User:Pce3@ij.net|IMHO]] ([[User talk:Pce3@ij.net|Talk]])</small> 17:24, 2 July 2006 (UTC)
Ok, I read all of your comments and advice. So then I googled for C programs on bubble sort. I found around 3 on the first page itself. I ran all of those programs. I tested all of those on the following sequence of numbers : 44,33,55,22,11. And for all of those, the number of swaps required was 8. In my above code also, number of steps required is 8. Then I re-wrote the above code, wihout colors and all that. But still I wrote it such a way that, after every increment in variable j, the result is shown. And the number of steps through which the outer loop runs is 20, for my programs, and must be same for those googled programs also bcoz they also have same logic. So the end result is the same in any case : 8 swaps. I just happened to display every single step in the result table, which actually is taking place. So I think the above code is correct. But still, I put my new code below, which follows same principle, but doesnt display swapped numbers in colors. I hope I have got it right this time!
<pre>
#include<stdio.h>
#include<conio.h>
void main()
{
int orig[20];
int i,j,temp,swap=0,n,m,step=0;
clrscr();
printf("Number of data : ");
scanf("%d",&n);
for(i=0;i<n;i++)
{
printf("enter number %d : ",i+1);
scanf("%d",&orig[i] );
}
clrscr();
printf("step 0 : ");
for(i=0;i<n;i++)
printf("%3d ",orig[i]);
printf(" (original array)\n");
for(i=0;i<n;i++)
{
for(j=0;j<n-1;j++)
{
step++;
if(orig[j]>orig[j+1])
{
temp=orig[j];
orig[j]=orig[j+1];
orig[j+1]=temp;
swap++;
}//end of if()
printf("step %3d: ",step);
for(m=0;m<n;m++)
printf("%3d ",orig[m]);
printf("\n");
}//end of j loop
}//end of outermost i loop
printf("\n\n-------------------------\n");
printf("NUMBER OF SWAPS : %d",swap);
getch();
}//end of main
</pre>
If there are any further corrections or advice, please tell, I am eager to learn more. Thank You.
*You're still doing twice as many iterations of the inner "j" loop than you need to. The first time through the "i" loop, element [n-1] -- the last element in the array -- is guaranteed to the largest. So you never need to look at it again; the inner loop can be one shorter. After the second iteration, the second to last element is guaranteed to be second largest. And so on. So, as I said before, the inner loop needs to be
for(j=0;j<n-1<font color=red>'''''-i'''''</font>;j++)
:Certainly you will get the correct results -- but that's easy; the trick in sorting is to get the correct results efficiently. The bubble sort is inherently inefficient, but you're making it worse. --[[User:Jpgordon|jpgordon]][[User talk:Jpgordon|∇∆∇∆]] 21:52, 2 July 2006 (UTC)
:If you need speed and efficiency use the Check or the Rapid sort. <small> ...[[User:Pce3@ij.net|IMHO]] ([[User talk:Pce3@ij.net|Talk]])</small> 01:18, 3 July 2006 (UTC)
::If you need speed and efficiency, '''use the sorting function in your language's built-in library'''. There's no need to reinvent the wheel. —[[User:Keenan Pepper|Keenan Pepper]] 01:40, 3 July 2006 (UTC)
:::Yeah, but you don't learn anything that way. Bubble sort is a good start because (a) it's easy to implement, and (b) it's way inefficient, hence good to learn from. --[[User:Jpgordon|jpgordon]][[User talk:Jpgordon|∇∆∇∆]] 02:47, 3 July 2006 (UTC)
::If you need speed and efficiency, try [[introsort]] (the sorting function in your language's built-in library is probably either [[quicksort]] or [[introsort]]). --[[User:CesarB|cesarb]] 03:40, 3 July 2006 (UTC)
Well thank you everyone for your useful tips and suggestions. Just one last question about bubble sort. I think that even if all the entered numbers (say n) for sorting are already sorted, even then bubble sort would traverse through the array (n-1 times). So if I entered 1,2,3,4,5 then also the sort would traverse 5-1=4 times through the array. Am I right?
And yes, I changed the for loops of the algorithm as
<pre>
for(i=0;i<n-1;i++)
for(j=0;j<n-1-i;j++)
</pre>
So now I think I have a better algorithm than previous two versions. And yes, some of you had mentioned me to use qsort or other inbuilt functions, but actually I wanted to try these algorithms out because I had never done so previously. Though I have been programmin in C as a student, but still these things were quite new to me, so I thought why not try these out myself. Thank you all of you anyway once again. Bye.
== metaboloites ==
My question is simple : do lidocaine metabolites in any way similar to cocaine metabolites, and couls an urine test for cocaine result positive after massive intake of injected lidocaine at the dentist?
Sincerely {{unsigned|85.139.118.130}} 16:25, 2 July 2006
They are both in the chemical class of [[alkaloid]]s, as are many other commonly and uncommonly used druges, but legally reliable drug tests for cocaine are specific for cocaine and do not react to lidocaine. [[User:Alteripse|alteripse]] 16:59, 2 July 2006 (UTC)
Erowid.org has the following to say about cocaine and the various other -caines. ''"In spite of the similarity in names, these drugs are not very closely related chemically to cocaine. They aren't even all chemically related to each other."''
:Don't forget, however, not to eat a significant amount of [[poppy]] seeds before a drug test. --[[User:Ginkgo100|Ginkgo100]] <sup>[[User talk:Ginkgo100|''talk'']] · [[Special:Contributions/Ginkgo100|''contribs'']]</sup> 21:22, 2 July 2006 (UTC)
== Nice Looking Carnivorous Plants ==
Can anyone recommend some carnivorous plants that are effective at removing flies (i.e. not a bulbous venus fly trap) and the look like you'd actually want them in your garden (i.e. not a bulbous venus fly trap). I've been to the carnivour plants article, but there aren't many pictures... isn't there a plant with a long white flower thing in which the fly enters and dies? --[[User:Username132|Username132]] ([[User talk:Username132|talk]]) 16:48, 2 July 2006 (UTC)
*This [http://www.sarracenia.com/faq.html Carnivorous Plants FAQ] might be useful. --[[User:Jpgordon|jpgordon]][[User talk:Jpgordon|∇∆∇∆]] 16:57, 2 July 2006 (UTC)
:Link to the [http://www.google.com/imghp?hl=en&tab=wi&q= Google image search page] and enter carnivorous or the name of the plant you want to see. <small> ...[[User:Pce3@ij.net|IMHO]] ([[User talk:Pce3@ij.net|Talk]])</small> 18:03, 2 July 2006 (UTC)
::What you can grow will largely depend on your climate, but [[Pyrethrum]] is a natural insecticide. I somehow doubt any number of plants will significantly reduce the number of flies around, as they "eat" very few of them.--[[User:Shantavira|Shantavira]] 19:57, 2 July 2006 (UTC)
:My completely non-expert view: exterminating flying insects and cool plants that occasionally eat the odd fly are completely different things. A fly eating plant is a very slow thing; if you have a real fly infestation you'll need an unreasonably large number of venus fly traps to make even the tiniest dent in the problem. [[User:Weregerbil|Weregerbil]] 21:05, 2 July 2006 (UTC)
Your average carnivorous plant will only grow in a [[wetland]], so you may need to put it in a special pot, rather than plant it in the soil (unless your soil has a low level of nitrogen. [[User:Emmett5|Emmett5]] 03:03, 3 July 2006 (UTC)
== [[Budgerigar]] behaviour question ==
When my budgie goes to sleep at night, instead of sleeping on one of her perches, she climbs up the bars to the very top right corner of the cage, wedges herself in there, tucks her head into her back and dozes off. Anyone know why she might be doing this? She is otherwise a healthy little bird. --[[User:Kurt Shaped Box|Kurt Shaped Box]] 19:24, 2 July 2006 (UTC)
:Because she finds it comfortable, I'd imagine. However, consider than budgies nest in holes and often like enclosed spaces; maybe that is why she feels more comfortable that way. The head-tucking is very common for sleeping birds. --[[User:Ginkgo100|Ginkgo100]] <sup>[[User talk:Ginkgo100|''talk'']] · [[Special:Contributions/Ginkgo100|''contribs'']]</sup> 21:24, 2 July 2006 (UTC)
:I sometimes do that (except that I don't have any bars in my bed). :) [[User:DirkvdM|DirkvdM]] 11:12, 3 July 2006 (UTC)
::Don't knock it till you've tried it. :) [[User:Zoe]]|[[User talk:Zoe|<sup>(talk)</sup>]] 01:53, 4 July 2006 (UTC)
==Coloration==
So, I've got a pair of Sony Professional MDR-7506s on, and I read on the internet "there is not the smallest bit of coloration." After reading [[coloration]], I have the question to ask: "If I have some ageing speakers, will they produce more coloration? I've got two Bose speakers that are 15 years old, will they produce more coloration than they did than when I bought them? -- [[User:Mac_Davis]]
:I've wondered this as well. I have 16-year-old Ohm speakers that I'd like to sell. I went online and found out that I need to buy new cones for them because the old ones would have too much coloration by now. From memory, the Ohm site said that the cardboard cone becomes brittle over time. Eventually, it will crack. I considered buying new speakers for them, but that is too much work, so I still have the huge things taking up room in my closet until I make a trip to Goodwill. --[[User:Kainaw|Kainaw]] <small><sup>[[User_talk:Kainaw|(talk)]]</sup></small> 22:04, 2 July 2006 (UTC)
= July 3 =
== Gauge Theory ==
When editing a page, as I did on gauge theory, how do you save the change? Denis Lieberman (''email address removed'')
:There should be three grey buttons below the text box labaled "Save Page", "Show Preview", and "Show Changes". Click on "Save Page". --[[User:Kainaw|Kainaw]] <small><sup>[[User_talk:Kainaw|(talk)]]</sup></small> 00:27, 3 July 2006 (UTC)
::Hmmm how did they manage to save this page? <font color="#007FFF">[[User:Kilo-Lima|Iola]]</font>'''[[User:Kilo-Lima/Esperanza|<font color="#50C878">k</font>]]'''<font color="#007FFF">[[User:Kilo-Lima|ana]]</font>|<sup><font color="orange">[[User talk:Kilo-Lima|T]]</font></sup> 12:43, 3 July 2006 (UTC)
== Nice Looking Carnivorous Pants ==
The above question got me thinking, what sort of trousers ''are'' carnivorous?--[[User:205.188.116.74|205.188.116.74]] 01:30, 3 July 2006 (UTC)
*To suggest that trousers can be carnivorous leads into the realm of [[fantasy]] and [[science fiction]]. There is currently no kind of fabric, that we know of, that has the ability to "eat" (in a very broad sense of the word) meat, let alone humans. However, with the addition of a hot liquid, a fabric can become dangerous to the skin, causing deep burns (and, in a sense, "eating" it). A medical professional is a better person to see concerning such a matter. --[[User:Jb-adder|JB Adder]] | [[User talk:Jb-adder|Talk]] 06:41, 3 July 2006 (UTC)
:Hmm, beaten to it. Well, I propose that if one's legs are being simultaneously swallowed by a pair of snakes, the snakes might collectively be referred to as Carnivorous Pants, with the added bonus that the "carnivorous" bit is being demonstrated. Depending on the kind of snake, they might even be Nice Looking! Downside: the wearer is probably already dead, and the snakes aren't going to be happy about the geometric and topological difficulties in their future.
:Speaking of which, how is it that we don't have an article on [[snakeskin]]? [[User:Melchoir|Melchoir]] 06:56, 3 July 2006 (UTC)
::We don't have one on [[roof rack]] either. Wikipedia is crazy like that... --[[User:Username132|Username132]] ([[User talk:Username132|talk]]), <font colour="red">UK or Netherlands</font> 19:32, 3 July 2006 (UTC)
::We don't have an article on [[eelskin]], either, but we do have one on [[moleskin]]. [[User:Zoe]]|[[User talk:Zoe|<sup>(talk)</sup>]] 01:56, 4 July 2006 (UTC)
: What if they're trouser snakes? [[User:EdC|EdC]] 14:53, 3 July 2006 (UTC)
::I guess I walked right into that one. [[User:Melchoir|Melchoir]] 18:52, 3 July 2006 (UTC)
== RGB conversion to wavelength ==
Is the a formula or simple computer code for converting an RGB value such as #F0F0F0 to wavelength? <small> ...[[User:Pce3@ij.net|IMHO]] ([[User talk:Pce3@ij.net|Talk]])</small> 02:22, 3 July 2006 (UTC)
*yes, since F0 F0 F0 is just a string of numbers, in [[Hexadecimal|hex]], specifically 240 240 240, which is why colors are [http://www.yvg.com/twrs/RGBConverter.html designated by 255 possible RGB color values], once you match that against a specific color you can just convert it to a wavelength using an ordinary [[Visible spectrum|visible light]] reference table like you might find in a freshman visible light spectroscopy book--[[User:205.188.116.74|205.188.116.74]] 02:44, 3 July 2006 (UTC)
:I'm looking for a conversion formula or computer code that will do the conversion or generate the table rather than for the conversion table itself. <small> ...[[User:Pce3@ij.net|IMHO]] ([[User talk:Pce3@ij.net|Talk]])</small> 02:48, 3 July 2006 (UTC)
::No such thing, using your example, F0F0F0 is 3 different colors, red, green, and blue, the resulting color isn't any one wavelength, just an overlap between the big 3--[[User:205.188.116.74|205.188.116.74]] 02:53, 3 July 2006 (UTC)
::(edit conflict) I wouldn't call the task a "conversion", though, since turning an RGB value into a wavelength loses saturation and brightness information, and for #F0F0F0 (light gray) it fails altogether. Also, it depends on which [[RGB color space]] one uses, so there won't be a universally correct formula. [[User:Melchoir|Melchoir]] 02:53, 3 July 2006 (UTC)
[[Image:Color space conversion.PNG|thumb|center]]<br clear="all"/>
:::I've found several programs that will convert wavelength to RGB I'm just looking for one that does the conversion the other way around. <small> ...[[User:Pce3@ij.net|IMHO]] ([[User talk:Pce3@ij.net|Talk]])</small> 04:56, 3 July 2006 (UTC)
:::*[http://durc.tcd.ie/~dennehym/rgb.cgi] <small> ...[[User:Pce3@ij.net|IMHO]] ([[User talk:Pce3@ij.net|Talk]])</small> 06:15, 3 July 2006 (UTC)
:In general, your request is not possible. Many of the colors that humans can percieve are actually the result of combining multiple wavelengths of light, and consequently can't be represented by a single wavelength. [[User:Dragons flight|Dragons flight]] 05:00, 3 July 2006 (UTC)
::You must have a keyboard to press any keys. <small> ...[[User:Pce3@ij.net|IMHO]] ([[User talk:Pce3@ij.net|Talk]])</small> 05:38, 3 July 2006 (UTC)
::In fact, the simplest example of that is [[white]]. What's the wavelength of white? --[[User:CesarB|cesarb]] 05:53, 3 July 2006 (UTC)
:::Even if you press all of the keys at one time you still need the keys. <small> ...[[User:Pce3@ij.net|IMHO]] ([[User talk:Pce3@ij.net|Talk]])</small> 05:58, 3 July 2006 (UTC)
:::*If wavelength is a hangup for you then how about degrees Kelvin. <small> ...[[User:Pce3@ij.net|IMHO]] ([[User talk:Pce3@ij.net|Talk]])</small> 06:07, 3 July 2006 (UTC)
:::*Such as may be seen at: [http://www.3drender.com/glossary/colortemp.htm] <small> ...[[User:Pce3@ij.net|IMHO]] ([[User talk:Pce3@ij.net|Talk]])</small> 06:09, 3 July 2006 (UTC)
:::::Most perceptual colors don't correspond to a unique temperature either. Also, colors that occur as combinations of wavelengths don't do so uniquely as the same percieved color can usually be constructed from many different wavelength combinations. If you haven't done so, might I suggest you look at [[color]] and [[color vision]]. [[User:Dragons flight|Dragons flight]] 06:16, 3 July 2006 (UTC)
[[Image:Spectrum4websiteEval.png|center]]<br clear="all"/>
[[Image:Computerspectrum.png|center]]<br clear="all"/>
:::::*Yes I have done that previously. If you look closely at the image you will see that there is a one to one relationship between RGB values and the combined RGB color vales but that they are out of sync with the visible spectrum above and require a conversion formula to be synchronized with the wavelength spectrum. A synchronization formula if you will. <small> ...[[User:Pce3@ij.net|IMHO]] ([[User talk:Pce3@ij.net|Talk]])</small> 06:43, 3 July 2006 (UTC)
:::::::Ummm, you do know that when you monitor / TV is given an RGB value (x,y,z) it basically just takes x amount of some red wavelength, y amount of some green and z amount of some blue. The actual wavelengths used depend on the device. However, if you percieve the same color in any medium other than a monitor / tv, you will almost never find that it is composed of the same wavelengths. [[User:Dragons flight|Dragons flight]] 07:02, 3 July 2006 (UTC)
::Perhaps you could start by first converting the color to another color space. I'd suggest [[HSV color space|HSV]], so you could easily discard the saturation (S) and brightness (V) values that can't be described as a wavelength. Then the only problem is to convert hue into wavelength. Actually, the hue wheel looks quite spectrumish to me. –[[User:Mysid|Mysid]]<sup><font color="#ffa500">[[User talk:Mysid|(t)]]</font></sup> 06:56, 3 July 2006 (UTC)
:::As a comment on your spectrum image: The "spectrum" in the image is not exactly the spectrum of wavelengths from low to high, but seems to contain changes in brightness as well. See [[visible spectrum]]. –[[User:Mysid|Mysid]]<sup><font color="#ffa500">[[User talk:Mysid|(t)]]</font></sup> 07:00, 3 July 2006 (UTC)
::::Actually you are right. I was thinking "spectrum" where I should have been thinking "combined RGB." However, what i am looking for is a formula to convert "combined RGB" to wavelength or Kelvin. <small> ...[[User:Pce3@ij.net|IMHO]] ([[User talk:Pce3@ij.net|Talk]])</small> 07:13, 3 July 2006 (UTC)
:Perhaps we're beating dead horses at this point, but see also [[Magenta]]. [[User:Melchoir|Melchoir]] 07:05, 3 July 2006 (UTC)
::Not a dead horse. I've seen a comparison color band chart (although the above chart is admittedly not it) that does a similar compare for both Kelvin and wavelength. I know the conversion formula is out there somewhere. <small> ...[[User:Pce3@ij.net|IMHO]] ([[User talk:Pce3@ij.net|Talk]])</small> 07:13, 3 July 2006 (UTC)
:::Have you already [http://www.google.com/search?q=rgb+wavelength+conversion googled]? I found a PDF called [http://www.cs.utah.edu/~bes/papers/color/paper.pdf An RGB to Spectrum Conversion for Reflectances], Dan Bruton's [http://www.midnightkite.com/color.html Color Science] site, and many others. I also found out that the [[CIE 1931 color space|CIE chromaticity diagram]] could be useful in these conversions. –[[User:Mysid|Mysid]]<sup><font color="#ffa500">[[User talk:Mysid|(t)]]</font></sup> 07:38, 3 July 2006 (UTC)
::::Yes I've seen the Fortran program but I sold my Fortran compiler well over a year ago. I've got C++, (and therefore .asm) and Visual Basic capability only. <small> ...[[User:Pce3@ij.net|IMHO]] ([[User talk:Pce3@ij.net|Talk]])</small> 07:46, 3 July 2006 (UTC)
:::::You might want to try [[gfortran]] or [[g95]], which are both free. --[[User:CesarB|cesarb]] 15:35, 3 July 2006 (UTC)
::::*I've used the color diagram in the CIE 1931 color space in a VB picture to get the RGB color values by mousing over but the program is hanging for some reason and stopped working. Perhaps if I can get it working again I can create a table to do use for the conversion. <small> ...[[User:Pce3@ij.net|IMHO]] ([[User talk:Pce3@ij.net|Talk]])</small> 07:50, 3 July 2006 (UTC)
:::::*''Which'' RGB? RGB is a recipe, not a color; unless you define what you mean by "red", "green" and "blue", it's meaningless. See [[absolute color space]]. [[User:Notinasnaid|Notinasnaid]] 07:56, 3 July 2006 (UTC)
::::::That's the purpose of doing the conversion. Suppose for instance I have an International Color Consortium reference color diagram and a camera hooked up to my computer but with the only option of conversion to RGB by the camera. Once I have an image file I can then get the operating system's designation for each RGB value and then sync the values with those on the chart I have read in. Ideally the chart would have a companion floppy disk with all of the values and a program to do the conversion for me by scanning the image file since it knows what the values on the chart are supposed to be and can convert the ones assigned by the operating system. But I don't have such a chart or program yet and so that is what I am looking for. In the mean time I'm trying to do this the hard way by converting the RGB values my operating system assigns to images for which absolute RGB values have been assigned. <small> ...[[User:Pce3@ij.net|IMHO]] ([[User talk:Pce3@ij.net|Talk]])</small> 08:11, 3 July 2006 (UTC)
:::::::I don't think you'll find many decent cameras now that just return "RGB". You are much more likely to find a camera that returns a particular, and documented, color space like [[Adobe RGB]] or [[sRGB]] (mine has a switch to choose which one of these two). Converting to another color space is then just a matter of using the ICC profile corresponding to the camera. [[User:Notinasnaid|Notinasnaid]] 08:19, 3 July 2006 (UTC)
My Camera only has vividness options of standard, vivid, black & white, Sepia and Cyanotype with no Adobe or sRGB options. Therefore I actually have to use a standard color swath by holding it up to the monitor and trying to read embeded test under a variety of conditions until what I see on the monitor is what I see on the swath. What is actually being calibrated are my own eys rather than the equipment so that when I say I see ICC red you know exactly what color I am seeing so long as you have done the same thing. <small> ...[[User:Pce3@ij.net|IMHO]] ([[User talk:Pce3@ij.net|Talk]])</small> 08:55, 3 July 2006 (UTC)
:What is the camera? If it has fixed sRGB or Adobe RGB you won't see options, but that doesn't mean it isn't using a standard color space. [[User:Notinasnaid|Notinasnaid]] 08:57, 3 July 2006 (UTC)
::The camera I am using for macro shots right now is a Nikon Coolpix 4800. However, I have other reasons for wanting to do a conversion from RGB whether in a standard color space or not. <small> ...[[User:Pce3@ij.net|IMHO]] ([[User talk:Pce3@ij.net|Talk]])</small> 09:09, 3 July 2006 (UTC)
:Ok... I hope it's already clear that while you can usually convert a wavelength to a particular RGB space, the reverse is ''not'' true. What might help is a set of RGB profiles, one for each image setting, if the camera isn't a fixed space. Anyway, you might find [http://www.imaging-resource.com/PRODS/CP4800/CP48IMATEST.HTM] interesting. [[User:Notinasnaid|Notinasnaid]] 09:22, 3 July 2006 (UTC)
:: ummm... Seems like it would be possible to convert each of the primary colors independently of the other primary colors to a wavelength which is all I need to do. <small> ...[[User:Pce3@ij.net|IMHO]] ([[User talk:Pce3@ij.net|Talk]])</small> 10:50, 3 July 2006 (UTC)
:Certainly, any color could be converted to ''three'' separate wavelengths and intensities. But that's really implicit, it's the same as discovering the color space. The color space defines the primaries (R,G,B) and each of these has a fixed wavelength. The color itself is a mixture of primaries with intensities; so every color will have the same three wavelengths. Maybe we're talking at cross purposes; it seems to me you want to match colors, so what you need is the ICC profile for the color space of the camera data. It seems to me that finding wavelengths is a red herring in this process, though I don't know the internals of the analytical process of calibrating a set of samples into a profile. [[User:Notinasnaid|Notinasnaid]] 11:20, 3 July 2006 (UTC)
=== Further discussion ===
Well lets just say that knowing the wavelengths of each primary color that is displayed on my monitor and how far it deviates from the standard wavelength for that primary color will satisfy my curiousity as to how far off my monitor (and system and camera and scanner and the files created by others) is from the actual primary colors that nature provides for me to see. <small> ...[[User:Pce3@ij.net|IMHO]] ([[User talk:Pce3@ij.net|Talk]])</small> 16:17, 3 July 2006 (UTC)
:Well, you aren't going to be able to use an algorithm to determine what wavelengths your monitor produces. Perhaps you should look at your monitor through a [[spectroscope]]. —[[User:Bkell|Bkell]] ([[User talk:Bkell|talk]]) 02:02, 4 July 2006 (UTC)
::If you want to mix colors and you know the wavelength of the primary colors then the resulting color will be the result of a mixture of the primary colors dependent upon the intensity of each right? Thus the wavelength of the resulting color can be determined if the wavelength of the primary colors are known and the intensity of each primary color that makes up the resulting color. Or is this just bunk and I need to get a refund from school for the cost of my textbooks? <small> ...[[User:Pce3@ij.net|IMHO]] ([[User talk:Pce3@ij.net|Talk]])</small> 11:17, 4 July 2006 (UTC)
:That information is implicit in the ICC profile for your monitor. You seem to be intent on recreating a very, very complicated wheel, whose full details I don't pretend to understand. But there are well established practical tools for people who want to match color between their devices. To start with, look for a profile for your monitor from the manufacturer. [[User:Notinasnaid|Notinasnaid]]
::I've heard that there a color transparencies you can get through which you can view the output of your monitor which will then tell you the offset in wavelength or whatever. Is this not true? <small> ...[[User:Pce3@ij.net|IMHO]] ([[User talk:Pce3@ij.net|Talk]])</small> 11:17, 4 July 2006 (UTC)
:That may be possible. Done one color at a time it sounds plausible. But what would you do with the information? There is no "standard" set of primaries for monitors, so what would you compare against? That's why getting an ICC profile seems to me to be the way to go, since that defines what the primaries are, and color management software can then (given accurately profiled color data) display it accurately. [[User:Notinasnaid|Notinasnaid]] 20:04, 4 July 2006 (UTC)
:By the way, I don't present working with profiles as an easy alternative. You may find plenty of challenges there. I just think you are more likely to end up where you want to be. [[User:Notinasnaid|Notinasnaid]] 07:17, 5 July 2006 (UTC)
::This article and program may be of interest to you. http://www.fourmilab.ch/documents/specrend/ "Colour Rendering of Spectra"
by John Walker --[[User:GangofOne|GangofOne]] 06:19, 8 July 2006 (UTC)
== Evolution of intelligent species ==
I heard somewhere that a major factor in the evolution of intelligent species is the use of tools, which requires dextrous hands or limbs of some kind. This is why humans evolved from tree-dwelling apes (they had dextrous hands, because they needed to grab branches).
Does this mean that, among intelligent alien species (assuming they exist), they would all be descended from animals that had dextrous limbs (for tree-climbing or worm-digging or whatever)? Would it be unlikely, or even impossible, to find a sentient bird-like species or sentient steppe grazers? [[User:Battle Ape|Battle Ape]] 06:01, 3 July 2006 (UTC)
* Despite our own (very limited) experience here on Earth, which suggests that "intelligent" species would be very likely to have evolved some means by which they may manipulate tools, to speculate beyond that would be completely meaningless. We have no idea what may or may not be out there in the universe, and evolution has an uncanny knack for surprising us. – [[User:ClockworkSoul|Clockwork]][[User_talk:ClockworkSoul|<b>Soul</b>]] 06:14, 3 July 2006 (UTC)
**Let's face it, the most "intelligent" species we know of on Earth aren't all equipped with dextrous hands. [[Dolphin]]s certainly aren't, and parrots such as [[kea]] use their beaks. [[Octopus|Octopodes/octopuses/octopi]] are also pretty smart - though not up to human standards (he says egotistically) - and their limbs are far more dextrous than ours. Manual dexterity is highly correlated with intelligence, but it isn't an absolute 1:1 correlation. [[User:Grutness|Grutness]]...''<small><font color="#008822">[[User_talk:Grutness|wha?]]</font></small>'' 07:38, 3 July 2006 (UTC)
:they may have developed from creatures that learned to manipulate objects using only the power of their minds...
:they may have developed from creatures that have no requirement of physicality
:it's all speculation... --[[User:Dweller|Dweller]] 11:17, 3 July 2006 (UTC)
:Intelligence needs something to work on. So it needs input. It would also need to experiment (what happens if I do this?) so it'll need actuators as well as sensors. Which ones it has determines how it perceives reality and what kind of intelligence it has. All life has sensors an actuators (else it wouldn't be alive), so all life is intelligent. It's just that we value our type of intelligence the most. So you're really asking what it takes to develop an intelligence like ours. The same type of sensors and actuators, I assume. So the more something is intelligent according to our standards, the more it will be like us, I suppose. [[User:DirkvdM|DirkvdM]] 11:37, 3 July 2006 (UTC)
:The simple answer is we really don't know how intelligence evolved, or even what intelligence is. But one theory I thought was intriguing was that it was due to the development of the language faculty as a mechanism for modelling reality, allowing humans to think about things independently of stimulus. [[User:Peter Grey|Peter Grey]] 01:47, 4 July 2006 (UTC)
::An extremely common misconception, that language evolved before intellignece. How can you talk if you have nothing to talk about? [[User:DirkvdM|DirkvdM]] 10:47, 4 July 2006 (UTC)
:::Language is thinking - talking came later. [[User:Peter Grey|Peter Grey]] 13:32, 4 July 2006 (UTC)
::::''How can you talk if you have nothing to talk about?'' You clearly don't listen to much talkback radio, do you Dirk? :) [[User:Grutness|Grutness]]...''<small><font color="#008822">[[User_talk:Grutness|wha?]]</font></small>'' 14:01, 4 July 2006 (UTC)
:::::I can proudly say I never even heard of the term. Anyway, I don't even have a radio. [[User:DirkvdM|DirkvdM]] 15:35, 4 July 2006 (UTC)
::::"Language is thinking". An interresting concept. Do you mean people talked to themselves before they talked to others? :) [[User:DirkvdM|DirkvdM]] 15:38, 4 July 2006 (UTC)
:::Language is a mechanism for modelling reality. (According to [[Derek Bickerton|some]]; like intelligence, we're not completely sure what exactly it is.) People had to be thinking the same idea before one could communicate it to another. Once language also became used for communication, ''Homo sapiens'' could share intelligence, which is really what set us apart from the other animals. [[User:Peter Grey|Peter Grey]] 19:41, 4 July 2006 (UTC)
It's all very interesting, but the questioner asked about an ''alien'' species. An alien species may have developed in quite different ways than those on this planet. But then again, it might not.
Btw, several species of bird can "talk". Whether they are "intelligent" or not, I have no idea, but [[User:DirkvdM|DirkvdM]], I believe the point [[User:Grutness|Grutness]] was trying to make is that the average parrot is probably capable of conversation several notches more intelligent than callers to some talk radio shows. --[[User:Dweller|Dweller]] 19:49, 4 July 2006 (UTC)
:An alien species and tools. Again, we're not really sure how intelligence came about, so it's hard to say. Maybe intelligence was a desperate last resort for a species that didn't fit its niche very well. [[User:Peter Grey|Peter Grey]] 23:57, 4 July 2006 (UTC)
== Antimatter ==
How do Antimatter and Matter Annihilate in a 100 percent perfect mass to energy conversion?
:You might find something by reading the articles [[annihilation]] and [[antiparticle#Particle-antiparticle annihilation]]. –[[User:Mysid|Mysid]]<sup><font color="#ffa500">[[User talk:Mysid|(t)]]</font></sup> 06:49, 3 July 2006 (UTC)
== Time cause of motion? ==
Hi everyone,
Here is my question: can time be considered as the cause of motion?
:This should probably be kept at [[Wikipedia:Reference desk/Humanities]]; please don't double-post. [[User:Melchoir|Melchoir]] 07:56, 3 July 2006 (UTC)
:According to the theory of relativity, time is just a component of 4-dimensional vector of spacetime. See also, [[Metric tensor (general relativity)]]. [[User:62.63.84.118|62.63.84.118]] 09:51, 3 July 2006 (UTC)
:The answer to your question, or more fundamentally, whether there is an answer to your question at all, depends critically on what you mean by "the cause of motion". Exactly what does it mean for something to be "the cause of motion"?--[[User:72.78.101.61|72.78.101.61]] 04:17, 4 July 2006 (UTC)
By motion I mean motion of macro and micro-elements, that is, objects, atoms and particles...
By cause, I mean the cause of all causes, the cause that allows causality itself...
In other words, can time be considered as a fundamental force ?
Am I clear?
:Consider a very simple processor receiving a tiny amount of data, doing a couple of operations on it, and writing it back out. Over the course of these operations it takes on 8 states. The final state includes that it is ready to write out the answer. Now, you could represent the eight states on eight sheets of paper and flip through them. Each state also has a causative effect on the next one: the next one "follows" from it based on the laws of physics and the design of the processor. Now time is "what keeps everything from happening all at once". If you didn't have time, you could still represent all eight states, and the causative effect each has on the next one, in much the same way as I can represent the fibonacci sequence in a single line:<br>1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34...<br>Now, I could have written a javascript program to flash the successive values over time: instead, I wrote them on a single line. Does the fact that as you're looking at them they're "all there" instead of appearing one after another mean that I'm not following the definition of the series? Of course not. Likewise, time is not necessary for a causative relationship between two things. Indeed, mathematically, there's no reason that anything "caused" by something else must happen later, and not at the same time. So, I do not think that conflating time with causality is useful or productive. [[User:82.131.187.36|82.131.187.36]] 09:09, 4 July 2006 (UTC).
==Quantify heat effect==
At my work because it is so hot (32°C and above) we've got the message that we're allowed to remove our ties (lucky us). Does anyone have any idea how much difference this will make in cooling us down/reducing effects of the heat? I don't think it'll have a great deal of effect but does anyone know if there is are any actual numbers or data on this? [[User:AllanHainey|AllanHainey]] 07:47, 3 July 2006 (UTC)
:Last summer in Japan there was a campaign encouraging people to go to work without a tie, so the airconditioning could be set lower. This apparently resulted in a 0,08% saving on energy. Not a lot, but every bit helps and if it's so simple and comfortable why not do it? It may also need some startup time, letting people get used to the idea of turning the airco down. Also relevant here is how much of the energy consumption in Japan is gobbled up by ariconditioning. This was to be followed up with a campaign encouraging people to go to work in a sweater last winter. Don't know about the result of that.
::I prefer to wear nothing but a [[Speedo]] to work myself. :-) [[User:StuRat|StuRat]] 20:55, 9 July 2006 (UTC)
:Also, when my father worked in Curaçao, office workers were allowed to not put on a tie if they wore a specific type of shirt with some frills down the front. That was in the fifties, so I don't know if they still have that rule. [[User:DirkvdM|DirkvdM]] 11:49, 3 July 2006 (UTC)
::Frills down the front ? So how long was your dad a bartender in a gay night club, anyway ? :-) [[User:StuRat|StuRat]] 20:55, 9 July 2006 (UTC)
:Wouldn't it be a little hard to quantify? There would be personal characteristics to take into consideration, such as the size and weight of the person, thickness of their shirt, chest hair (?) etc. At least you could pull the top of your shirt in and out to get the air circulating; I suppose this would change the results also. [[User:BenC7|BenC7]] 03:10, 5 July 2006 (UTC)
:What about a motorised necktie that does that for you? Personalised airco! [[User:DirkvdM|DirkvdM]] 05:36, 5 July 2006 (UTC)
:You might want to check with your workplace health and safety representative about that. In many jurisdictions, offices at 32°C is a health issue and a breach of regulations. You may even have a legal right not to go to work under these conditions.--[[User:JLdesAlpins|JLdesAlpins]] 12:45, 5 July 2006 (UTC)
::"many jurisdictions"? Since this happens a lot here, I have to ask - are you talking specifically about the US? I can't imagine such a rule existing here in the Netherlands. Would be nice, though because social security is making me do forced labour for no pay and the temperature there might very well be over 32 C. It's just that I would feel like a wimp complaining about that. [[User:DirkvdM|DirkvdM]] 18:35, 5 July 2006 (UTC)
:::High heat is a well known health hazard, especially for individuals with medical conditions such as heart or respiratory issues. Now, how legally "high" is too high is a matter of local regulations. There has to be provisions for workers' protection against heat-related hazards in the Arbowet[http://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arbowet]. If you feel that your workplace is unsafe (I mean "not safe", not "not comfortable"), then you have to have recourse... I hope.--[[User:JLdesAlpins|JLdesAlpins]] 22:36, 6 July 2006 (UTC)
::::That temp is high enough to be quite miserable, and lower productivity dramatically, but probably not enough to be dangerous (unless the relative humidity is near 100%). I suggest removing that tie (good for a degree or two), wearing a short sleeved shirt, pointing plenty of fans directly at yourself, and drinking lots of ice cold drinks. I would probably go even further and bring dry ice in with me in a cooler, but then I'm a nut. [[User:StuRat|StuRat]] 20:51, 9 July 2006 (UTC)
== bilogy ==
how does cockcoach survive even in the presence of nuclear rays?
:This has been discussed before, see ''[[Wikipedia:Reference desk archive/Science/May 2006#Cockroaches surviving nuclear explosions?|Cockroaches surviving nuclear explosions?]]'' in the archive. This link proved to be useful: [http://www.abc.net.au/science/k2/moments/s1567313.htm Great Moments in Science: Cockroaches & Radiation]. –[[User:Mysid|Mysid]]<sup><font color="#ffa500">[[User talk:Mysid|(t)]]</font></sup> 12:24, 3 July 2006 (UTC)
:We do too. Radioactivity is all around us. It's just that, as with everything, too much of it is unhealthy. And what is too much depends on your fysiology. And for insects that is different. [[User:DirkvdM|DirkvdM]] 10:54, 4 July 2006 (UTC)
::[[Physiology]], Dirk? ;-) — [[User:QuantumEleven|Quantum]]<i>[[User_talk:QuantumEleven|Eleven]]</i> 13:30, 4 July 2006 (UTC)
:::Oops. Well, at least I didn't ask a question about the science of bile (see header). :) [[User:DirkvdM|DirkvdM]] 14:02, 4 July 2006 (UTC)
== Physics, Maths and Mathematical Physics ==
''Dumb question from a non-scientist Alert'' Are "Physics", "Mathematics" and "Mathematical Physics" 1, 2 or 3 different disciplines? Thanks in advance for your tolerance. --[[User:Dweller|Dweller]] 11:52, 3 July 2006 (UTC)
:[[Physics]] and [[mathematics]] are clearly two different disciplines, though physics uses mathematics extensively. [[Mathematical physics]] is a subfield of [[theoretical physics]], but a person with affinity to [[applied physics]] will probably tell you it has more to do more with mathematics than with physics. [[User:Conscious|Conscious]] 13:42, 3 July 2006 (UTC)
::Interesting. At [[Talk:Polymath#Einstein - not a polymath]] it's been suggested that discounting any musical skills Einstein had, he does not qualify as a polymath because either Physics and Maths are one subject or, putting the same argument into a different terminology, because he was "only" (!) a genius in the field of "Mathematical physics". So you might go along with the latter argument, that he was outstanding in a single field that was a subfield of theoretical physics, or would you shoot that particular argument down in flames? --[[User:Dweller|Dweller]] 15:00, 3 July 2006 (UTC)
:::Physics and Math are certainly considered two separate subjects (physicists are generally ''not'' mathematicians and vice versa, even if physics use mathematics and mathematicians can use physics). As for whether doing both makes you a polymath or not, it seems like a pretty strange and subjective question to me, more about disiciplinary infighting than any hard criteria. Einstein was not, however, a mathematician by any stretch of the imagination, which would make him solidly a physicist in my book, and so by this strange definition of polymath, he would not be one (''assuming'' you discount the musical skills, which seems a rather arbitrary move to me). --[[User:Fastfission|Fastfission]] 02:35, 4 July 2006 (UTC)
::::Excellent answer. I agree that dismissing musical skills is a nonsense, but I wanted to get a scientist's view on the Physics/Maths issue, without music blurring the argument. --[[User:Dweller|Dweller]] 19:38, 4 July 2006 (UTC)
== TEREPHTALYLIDENEDICAMPHOR SULFONIC ACID ==
Hello dear people I would like to know what this compound is
and for what it is used
furthermore I would like to know which companies produce this product
kindest regards
RT
:See [[Mexoryl]]. An [[UV]]-absorbing chemical in [[sunscreen]]s, patent held by L'Oréal. [[User:Femto|Femto]] 12:15, 3 July 2006 (UTC)
RT,it's a good way to attract one's attention, but, you may not be so lucky next time.PLEASE, be POLITE to your fellow-users(this is a request,not an advice).Thanks,[[User:Pupunwiki|Pupunwiki]] 15:25, 4 July 2006 (UTC)
Being polite, I mean, don't write all in CAPS, unless absolutely necessary.Thanks again,[[User:Pupunwiki|Pupunwiki]] 15:28, 4 July 2006 (UTC)
== human science ==
what causes discomfort when our buttocks sweat excessively when we sit ? --[[User:59.93.0.78|59.93.0.78]] 12:20, 3 July 2006 (UTC)
:The articles on [[buttock]]s and [[sweat]] may help you. Of the top of my head I wouldn't know as I have air conditioning.--[[User:Frenchman113|Frenchman113 ]] [[User talk:Frenchman113|on wheels!]] 13:04, 3 July 2006 (UTC)
::I guess you're talking about ''your'' buttocks when ''you'' sit (rather than include the rest of us in your problem). The discomfort is caused by the [[sweat]] not evaporating in order to cool you down, which is what it's for. It then irritates the skin because the skin cannot breathe. On another level, the discomfort is caused by such things as plastic chairs and nylon pants. See [[sweating]].--[[User:Shantavira|Shantavira]] 13:12, 3 July 2006 (UTC)
== Open proxy ==
How do you determine from an IP address (or whatever) if someone is coming from an open proxy? Thanks, <font color="#007FFF">[[User:Kilo-Lima|Iola]]</font>'''[[User:Kilo-Lima/Esperanza|<font color="#50C878">k</font>]]'''<font color="#007FFF">[[User:Kilo-Lima|ana]]</font>|<sup><font color="orange">[[User talk:Kilo-Lima|T]]</font></sup> 13:29, 3 July 2006 (UTC)
:Contact the owners of the proxy and see if they will tell you the address of the person using it. The whole point of the proxy is to keep information like that from passing through. --[[User:Kainaw|Kainaw]] <small><sup>[[User_talk:Kainaw|(talk)]]</sup></small> 13:49, 3 July 2006 (UTC)
:Proxycheck is a tool that can do it. [http://www.corpit.ru/mjt/proxycheck.html] My guess is that you just try to connect to a proxy. If you succeed, it's open. [[User:Conscious|Conscious]] 13:58, 3 July 2006 (UTC)
::I believe that either I'm confused about the question or this answer. I read the question as: "I want the IP address of a person connecting to my computer|server through a proxy." This answer appears to be "Proxycheck will tell you if an IP address has an open email proxy on it." Perhaps I just need to take more Excedrin. My headache is so bad now that my eye's are twitching and the words are getting all fuzzy. --[[User:Kainaw|Kainaw]] <small><sup>[[User_talk:Kainaw|(talk)]]</sup></small> 14:03, 3 July 2006 (UTC)
:::I interpret it as: "Given an IP address, how do I determine if it's the address of an open proxy?" The answer, in general, is that you can't; however, there are several ways that can work in some cases:
:::*Check if it's listed on public lists of open proxies, including [[DNSBL]]s, or is listed as part of a proxy network such as [[Tor (anonymity network)|Tor]].
:::*Try to use it as a proxy. Note that there are many different ''kinds'' of [[proxy server]]s, including [[HTTP]], [[SOCKS]] and CGI proxies. You will also need to guess the port (or, for CGI proxies, the URL), which may require running a [[port scan]].
:::*Check for telltale signs in the connection coming from the address. Well-behaved HTTP proxies often add certain headers, such as "Via" and "X-Forwarded-For", to requests. While the contents of such headers may not always be trustworthy, their presence is a good indicator that the IP may be a proxy. Also, some common CGI proxies have a known bug where every apostrophe and backslash in form submissions is prefixed with a backslash.
:::—[[User:Ilmari Karonen|Ilmari Karonen]] <small>([[User talk:Ilmari Karonen|talk]])</small> 14:51, 3 July 2006 (UTC)
== Chiropractors (title added) ==
Is there objective evidence that chiropractors work? If so, what is it? <small>—The preceding [[Wikipedia:Sign your posts on talk pages|unsigned]] comment was added by [[User:206.162.181.34|206.162.181.34]] ([[User talk:206.162.181.34|talk]] • [[Special:Contributions/206.162.181.34|contribs]]) {{{2|}}}.</small>
:I know a chiropractor and he works. I'm not sure how hard though. --[[User:Dweller|Dweller]] 14:55, 3 July 2006 (UTC)
There are many people who feel better after [[chiropractic|chiropractors]] have manipulated their spines. The reasons chiropractic is only rarely integrated into standard care is that (1) their principal theories of disease and health have been inconsistent with scientific medicine and (2) many of them have rejected many aspects of scientific medicine. There are exceptions to both generalizations but they are exceptions. [[User:Alteripse|alteripse]] 15:31, 3 July 2006 (UTC)
== The use of the unit 'mole' ==
The eternal question... What is the use of the mole? One hydrogen atom weighs 1.67x10^(-24) grams, one gram of hydrogen contains 6.022x10^23 atoms, as does x grams of the xth atom. This amount of atoms weighs 1.67x10^(-24) x 6.022x10^23 = 1.005674 grams. Why complicate things by introducing the mole? Isn't the mole the same as Avogadro's number? [[User:Jack Daw|Jack Daw]] 14:31, 3 July 2006 (UTC)
:A mole is the same as Avogadro's number, but "a mole of hydrogen" is easier to say than "Avogadro's number of hydrogen molecules". —[[User:Keenan Pepper|Keenan Pepper]] 14:32, 3 July 2006 (UTC)
::Yep - just for convenience.
::Plus it allows you to do all sorts of geeky puns like guaca-mole. --[[User:Fastfission|Fastfission]] 16:39, 3 July 2006 (UTC)
:Well there you go... Is a mole of hydrogen the same quantity as a mole of carbon, or is a mole of carbon 12x Avogadro? [[User:Jack Daw|Jack Daw]] 17:12, 3 July 2006 (UTC)
::A mole of anything is Avogardo's number of whatever it happens to be. So a mole of hydrogen contains the same amount of molecules as a mole of carbon. –[[User:Mysid|Mysid]]<sup><font color="#ffa500">[[User talk:Mysid|(t)]]</font></sup> 17:14, 3 July 2006 (UTC)
:::A mole is a certain number of items (6.022 * 10^23). A mole of hydrogen is a certain number of hydrogen atoms (or molecules) and a mole of carbon is a certain number of carbon molecules. It has nothing to do with weight, size, volume, or any other quantities. Just a number. Exactly like the unit "dozen". You could have a dozen hydrogen atoms, or a mole of hydrogen atoms. Just instead of 12, 6 * 10^23.
:::Ugh. Please, ''number of molecules'', '''not''' ''amount of molecules''. That really gets on my nerves, especially in cases like this where the difference is crucial. —[[User:Keenan Pepper|Keenan Pepper]] 20:22, 3 July 2006 (UTC)
:A mole is a number, Avogadro's number is the name of that number. --[[User:Yanwen|Yanwen]] 17:21, 3 July 2006 (UTC)
:So then x moles of any given molcule is simply Avogadro's number * all atoms in the molecule; for example 5 moles of glucose C6H12O6 is 5 * (6+12+6) * Avogadro = 7.2264x10^25 ?
And what does grams/mole mean? That is, when is it a relevant concept, what calculations result in something becoming "grams per mole"? I am so stupid... [[User:Jack Daw|Jack Daw]] 19:37, 3 July 2006 (UTC)
::Not stupid, just new to the idea. The unit "grams per mole" is a measure of how many grams (a unit of mass) are in a single mole of a particular item - it is a property of the item. It's also known as the "molar mass", i.e. the mass of one mole. For instance, one could say, hydrogen atoms are about 1 gram/mol, meaning that a mole of hydrogen atoms (6 * 10^23 of them) weighs 1 gram. Hydrogen molecules (which have two atoms in each molecule), on the other hand, are about 2 gram/mol; since each molecule weighs twice as much as the atom, a mole of molecules weighs twice as much as a mole of atoms. Thus, its "molar mass" is twice as big. It's a similar to the unit "pounds per dozen" - you could say eggs are 1.3 pounds/dozen, meaning 12 eggs weighs 1.3 pounds. Note: mol is the abbreviation for mole, and technically gram is not a unit of weight, but let's not nitpick.
:Jack, it seems you might be thinking a mole is (always) a number of atoms. It's not. A mole is just a number of "things". The things could be atoms, or could be molecules.
:Saying a mole of ''"any given molcule is simply Avogadro's number * all atoms in the molecule"'' seems to be an attempt to convert into atoms. There's no conversion to be done. A mole of a given molecule is simply Avogadro's number of those molecules. There is no need to reference the atoms in the given molecule in order to call the number a mole.
:You originally asked: why use it? It's actually for convenience for questions like: "If I have 12 grams of carbon, how many grams of hydrogen will it combine with to form methane?" -[[User:R. S. Shaw|R. S. Shaw]] 05:54, 4 July 2006 (UTC)
::Right, and what is the answer? Could you show me the "chemical math" for calculating that please? [[User:Jack Daw|Jack Daw]] 13:18, 4 July 2006 (UTC)
*To expand on that say for example you are electrolysing water. 2H<sub>2</sub>0 --> 2H<sub>2</sub> + O<sub>2</sub>. So 2 moles of water will fall apart into 2 moles of hydrogen gas and 1 mole of oxygen gas. Knowing how many molecules are involved in a reaction makes calculating the resulting masses a lot easier. All you have the know is the substances' [[molar mass]]. - [[User:MacGyverMagic|Mgm]]|[[User talk:MacGyverMagic|<sup>(talk)</sup>]] 07:42, 4 July 2006 (UTC)
**So is the above the same as saying 2 water molecules fall apart to 2 hydrogen atoms and 2 oxygen atoms? [[User:Jack Daw|Jack Daw]] 13:18, 4 July 2006 (UTC)
***No. One molecule of water decomposes to two atoms of hydrogen and one atom of oxygen. To relate that to moles, one mole of water will decompose into two moles of hydrogen (because of the two hydrogens on the molecule) and one mole of oxygen. [[User:Scienda|Scienda]] 17:44, 4 July 2006 (UTC)
***To be more explicit, the formula 2H<sub>2</sub>0 --> 2H<sub>2</sub> + O<sub>2</sub> says that 2 molecules of water (H<sub>2</sub>0) become 2 molecules of hydrogen (H<sub>2</sub>) and <s>2 molecules</s> 1 molecule of oxygen (O<sub>2</sub>). The subscripts say how many atoms are in each molecule, so there are, for example, 2 hydrogen atoms (H) in each hydrogen molecule (H<sub>2</sub>).
***That formula describes what happens at the molecular level. Moles are handy at our more normal scale. The usefulness of the mole is that a formula like the one just given can be directly interpreted in units of moles instead of molecules: 2 moles of water give 2 moles of hydrogen plus <s>2 moles</s> 1 mole of oxygen. Looking up the weight (mass) of a mole of H<sub>2</sub> as 2 grams, and of O<sub>2</sub> as 32 grams, you find that for every 4 grams of hydrogen you get, you'll get <s>64</s> 32 grams of oxygen. Check out the [[Mole (unit)#Utility of moles|Utility of moles section of Mole]]. -[[User:R. S. Shaw|R. S. Shaw]] 19:49, 4 July 2006 (UTC)
I realized today that the amu is the inverse of Avogadro's number, so I thought maybe the mole is useful in this fashion. "One u is the weight of one hydrogen atom, which is 1.66x10^(-24) grams. How many hydrogen atoms, then, are contained in one gram of hydrogen atoms? The answer, is (1.66x10^(-24))^(-1) hydrogen atoms." Is it in this correlation it's useful? Anywho, would I be unable to pass college chemistry without understanding the concept of moles? [[User:81.233.224.235|81.233.224.235]] 21:14, 4 July 2006 (UTC) <- [[User:Jack Daw|Jack Daw]] 21:15, 4 July 2006 (UTC)
:You would probably find it very difficult. Don't try. As someone said earlier, it's just a number, like "dozen". [[User:BenC7|BenC7]] 03:20, 5 July 2006 (UTC)
::Well I just don't get it, could you give me an example of a chemical calculation where the number mole is crucial? Why can't I just use a few grams of this and a couple grams of that? Where's the starting point? If I'm thinking, What would happen if I put these two elements together and add some heat?, where do moles come into the picture? [[User:Jack Daw|Jack Daw]] 16:23, 5 July 2006 (UTC)
::Take a look at [[Mole_%28unit%29#Example_calculation]]. In a chemical reaction, you normally want to use just the right amount of the reactants, not a large surplus of one or the other, because the reactants may be expensive, or the remaining surplus reactant may be toxic, or you just have to then isolate the product from the surplus reactant. You might also get further reactions taking place between the surplus reactant and the desired product. Say you have a formula of:
:::2X + Y -> X<sub>2</sub>Y
::You want to mix two moles of X with one mole of Y to get one mole of the product. This is not the same as mixing 2 g of X with 1 g of Y, because the molar mass of X and Y will be different. To put it in different words, 2 g of X will have <math>2 \over {molar\ mass\ of\ X}</math> moles of X, and you want half as many moles of Y, so you need <math>{{moles\ of\ X} \over 2} \times {molar\ mass\ of\ Y}</math> g of Y to match your 2 g of X.-[[User talk:gadfium|gadfium]] 23:44, 5 July 2006 (UTC)
''Could you give me an example of a chemical calculation where the number mole is crucial?'' OK. Let's say, hypothetically, that we want lead (Pb) to react with elemental oxygen (O) to form lead oxide (PbO). If we had one gram of lead and one gram of oxygen, does that mean that there is the same number of atoms of lead as the number of atoms of oxygen? No. Why? Lead is heavy (big), oxygen is light (small). One gram of lead might contain (to use round figures) 10 trillion lead atoms. But one gram of oxygen might contain, say, 300 trillion oxygen atoms, because oxygen is small and light. In other words, one gram of oxygen contains more atoms than one gram of lead.
Now, instead of saying '10 trillion atoms' and '300 trillion atoms' of a particular substance, it's more conventient to say, '0.9 moles' of this, or '0.005 moles' of that, where one mole is about 602300000000000000000000 atoms (or molecules).
So - if you say, "I will mix 1g of lead with 1g of oxygen", you will have left over oxygen, because there are more oxygen atoms in 1g of oxygen than there are lead atoms in 1g of lead. You have to mix 602300000000000000000000 (one mole) of atoms of lead with 602300000000000000000000 (one mole) of atoms of oxygen. So you might need, say, 1g of lead, but only 0.1g of oxygen.
Still don't get it? Think of atoms/molecules like polystyrene balls. Large ones would be heavier than smaller ones. If I had 602300000000000000000000 large balls, it is going to weigh a lot more than the same number of small balls.
(Before I get chemistry people picking out errors, note that the figures above are deliberately oversimplified - I have skimmed over some details to try to explain the concept as simply as possible.)
Hope this helps! [[User:BenC7|BenC7]] 01:25, 6 July 2006 (UTC)
:Yeah I got it now, finally... THANK YOU ALL FOR THE HELP! [[User:Jack Daw|Jack Daw]] 02:10, 6 July 2006 (UTC)
== Cost of GPS? ==
Once you've bought and installed TomTom Mobile for a mobile phone, do you then have to pay further data charges to TomTom or the phone network? --[[User:Username132|Username132]] ([[User talk:Username132|talk]]) 15:27, 3 July 2006 (UTC)
:Using GPS is free, it won't cause any additional costs. –[[User:Mysid|Mysid]]<sup><font color="#ffa500">[[User talk:Mysid|(t)]]</font></sup> 16:49, 3 July 2006 (UTC)
::I'm not that sure about those additional services that TomTom might offer, though. –[[User:Mysid|Mysid]]<sup><font color="#ffa500">[[User talk:Mysid|(t)]]</font></sup> 16:52, 3 July 2006 (UTC)
== How is polyethene prepared? ==
Please tell me how is Poly Ethene prepared and please provide with it the '''required equations''' also.
Thank you.
S.Nanda
:See [[polyethylene]]. The article has list of production methods for different polyethylene types. [[User:Conscious|Conscious]] 17:37, 3 July 2006 (UTC)
== hawkings new theory ==
can anyone explain what stephen hawking's new theory states?--[[User:219.91.153.254|219.91.153.254]] 17:19, 3 July 2006 (UTC)kaushal
:Are you talking about [[Hawking evaporation]] or something more recent? [[User:Conscious|Conscious]] 17:35, 3 July 2006 (UTC)
::I think recent puts anything worked out in the seventies out! [[User:Philc_0780|<font color="Green">Philc</font>]] <sub>[[User talk:Philc_0780|T]]</sub><sup>[[User:Philc 0780/Esperanza|E]]</sup><sub>[[Special:contributions/Philc_0780|C]]</sub><sup>[[User:Philc_0780/Improve me|I]]</sup> 22:51, 3 July 2006 (UTC)
:::The anonymous user may be asking about Hawking's recent (2004) reversal on his views about [[black holes]], which is well explained in [[Steven Hawking|his article]], as well as at [[Thorne_Hawking_Preskill_bet]], and, of course, at [[Hawking radiation]], as Conscious has hinted. [[User:Freshgavin|<font size="-2" color="white" style="background:blue"> freshofftheufo</font>]][[User_talk:Freshgavin|<font size="-2" color="blue">ΓΛĿЌ </font>]] 04:26, 4 July 2006 (UTC)
== Site archiving software? ==
I'd like to be able to point a program at a website and download all of its content, including graphics and HTML and stylesheets and so forth. Googling "site archiving software" or "download website software" and so forth doesn't work well (it gets confused with the "archive" pages that almost all sites have). So I'm hoping someone will know of one off hand. This is a one-time archival job, not anything that needs to run regularly. Something that worked on ''either'' Windows XP or Mac OS X would be great. Linux solutions ''might'' work if I can figure out how to implement them from OS X's terminal but I'm less comfortable with this option at this point. Many thanks. --[[User:Fastfission|Fastfission]] 17:30, 3 July 2006 (UTC)
:How about [[HTTrack]]? --[[User:Bowlhover|Bowlhover]] 17:45, 3 July 2006 (UTC)
::HTTrack is good, but it needs careful handling - there really aren't many good fire-and-forget archiving programs AIUI. The best way to do it is talk nicely to the website maintainer... [[User:Shimgray|Shimgray]] | [[User talk:Shimgray|talk]] | 18:54, 3 July 2006 (UTC)
: [[Wget]] is the standard for recursive download. There's GNOME and Windows GUIs, but you can use it from the command line on pretty much any OS. [[User:EdC|EdC]] 19:53, 3 July 2006 (UTC)
::Awesome, one of these should work for me. Thanks. There are just a few websites that I find useful/interesting with very finalized content that I'd like to have a personal archive of in case they ever go down (and I don't trust the waybackmachine to necessarily get all of the files). --[[User:Fastfission|Fastfission]] 02:29, 4 July 2006 (UTC)
Teleport Pro is a very good software which you might find useful
- Nikhilthemacho
:But it isn't free. [[User:DirkvdM|DirkvdM]] 11:02, 4 July 2006 (UTC)
== internet privacy ==
Can one's ISP service, such as Comcast, have the ability to see your online activities through the eyes of your monitor without your expressed consent? what I mean, is access your computer and see exactly what you are doing at any given moment and time?
:Seeing exactly what is on your desktop - no, not necessarily. If you are using Windows and have been dumb enough to install tons of spyware on your computer, then they can exploit the spyware to see what is on your desktop, steal your passwords, and use your computer for whatever they want to do. What they can easily see is every packet of information that goes between your computer and the internet, which is why you want to make sure all secret stuff is done with encryption (such as using https for your online banking instead of http). --[[User:Kainaw|Kainaw]] <small><sup>[[User_talk:Kainaw|(talk)]]</sup></small> 18:29, 3 July 2006 (UTC)
:The stuff that is not encrypted they can see. They probably can't access it legally, but I am not completely sure. --[[User:Proficient|Proficient]] 11:11, 5 July 2006 (UTC)
:ISPs can passively "see" every unencrypted action and transaction you perform on you PC that involved your internet connection. (Passively means here that they do not need to breach the security of your machine to do so). Anything that is performed locally to your machine can only be "seen" by your ISP via a security vulnerability.--[[User:JLdesAlpins|JLdesAlpins]] 12:38, 5 July 2006 (UTC)
::However, any party with [[TEMPEST]] capabilities can literally see your desktop from hundreds of yards away without leaving any clue of their surveillance activities.--[[User:JLdesAlpins|JLdesAlpins]] 12:38, 5 July 2006 (UTC)
== how to speed up the download speed using router ==
what are fowarding ports & what are the other things that are benefical while using a router. And want to know how configure advancily a router currently i am using linksys WRT54g router, i am using it, i configured it any how but i want know with each menus in it what i can doin configure process.
:Believe me that your router manual is a better resource than we are. That's the truth. --[[User:Mboverload|mboverload]][[Special:Emailuser/Mboverload|<font color="red">@</font>]] 19:38, 3 July 2006 (UTC)
:To my knowledge forwarding ports are only useful if you are using Torrent programs. If that's what you want to set up, do a Google search for "torrent port forwarding linksys" and it should give you some tips. --[[User:Fastfission|Fastfission]] 02:27, 4 July 2006 (UTC)
:You can't arbitrarily increase your connection speed. Your ISP would definitely not like it if that were possible. However, if you're not getting the speed that your ISP advertised, you may want to tweak your TCPIP settings with something like TCP optimizer (google for it). If you're using bittorrent, your ISP may be traffic shaping you, in which case you would want to use encryption. If it's not any of those, then you're pretty much screwed. Forwarding ports is just a method to allow incoming connections on them (if your router has a firewall).--[[User:Frenchman113|Frenchman113 ]] [[User talk:Frenchman113|on wheels!]] 13:44, 4 July 2006 (UTC)
::It depends what you mean by "increase your connection speed". You ''can'' optimize the way your router works with certain types of p2p programs (such as with port forwarding), which won't increase your connection speed, but ''will'' result in much faster downloads by better using the bandwidth you already have available. --[[User:Fastfission|Fastfission]] 14:14, 4 July 2006 (UTC)
:Just a note, [[uncapping]] is illegal. --[[User:Proficient|Proficient]] 11:12, 5 July 2006 (UTC)
== claims ==
Are claims? A)Nondebatable B)Factual C)Values D)Religious E)All the above. I can seem to find the answer,please HELP!!!
:Is this question about the meaning of the word ''claim''? In that case it belongs on the [[Wikipedia:Reference desk/Language|language desk]], but I'll answer it anyway. Claims are always debatable; if they were nondebatable they'd be definitions or self-evident facts or something. Anyone can claim whatever they want, so claims don't have to be factual. Claims are not always values, in fact I find it hard to think of a claim that's also a value. Maybe moral claims like "murder is never excusable" are values. Clearly some claims are religious and some are not. So I'd say "none of the above". —[[User:Keenan Pepper|Keenan Pepper]] 21:11, 3 July 2006 (UTC)
:I feel it is important to note that in logic, factual claims are not facts. A fact is something that is true ("Wikipedia is a website"). A factual claim is something that it may somehow be possible to prove true or false ("There is life on Pluto"). It is not opinion ("Kainaw is stupid"). So, a statement that is blatantly false can be a factual claim - just a false one. --[[User:Kainaw|Kainaw]] <small><sup>[[User_talk:Kainaw|(talk)]]</sup></small> 00:54, 4 July 2006 (UTC)
::That's a good point. I was thinking of ''factual'' as a synonym for ''true'', but in this case it probably means "of the nature of a fact", so that must the answer. —[[User:Keenan Pepper|Keenan Pepper]] 01:08, 4 July 2006 (UTC)
== Ramjets- how do they get to the operating speed? ==
Hi,
I have read several different and rather educational texts concerning the operation of ramjets in aircraft and missles. What I cannot understand, however, is how a 'plane such as the Lockheed SR 71 Blackbird can initially climb to speeds high enough for the operation of the ramjets to become functional.
I am led to understand that the operation of ramjets requires a speed high enough to render the compression of a turbine redundant. That I can follow without much trouble, but if the Blackbird only carries ramjets then how can it attain such speeds in the first place? I have examined articles on the aircraft and the engines, but nothing seems to fill in these gaps. I can make the leap from ramjets to scramjets, and pulse jets to pulse detonation wave engines, but all I can find on early ramjet design suggests that rockets are needed to propel the Blackbird to ramjet speed (or damn good turbofans) and I can't seem to find this information.
As I'm writing a story concerning the advances in this area, any explanation on this would be most gratefully received.
:for the [[sr-71]], the engines were [[Pratt & Whitney J58]]'s, which are a hybrid turbojet/ramjet engine. at low speed the necessary thrust comes from the turbojet section, at higher speeds the ramjet begins to contribute more and more thrust. check the engine page for more details. [[User:Xcomradex|Xcomradex]] 23:20, 3 July 2006 (UTC) 23:18, 3 July 2006 (UTC)
:(edit conflict) Some ramjet craft piggyback off of other aeroplanes and drop into a dive after they're released until they gain enough speed for the ramjets to function correctly. Obviously this doesnt apply to the SR-71 though. [[User:Philc_0780|<font color="Green">Philc</font>]] <sub>[[User talk:Philc_0780|T]]</sub><sup>[[User:Philc 0780/Esperanza|E]]</sup><sub>[[Special:contributions/Philc_0780|C]]</sub><sup>[[User:Philc_0780/Improve me|I]]</sup> 23:21, 3 July 2006 (UTC)
::There's an article about the [[Bomarc]] missile system: Although it doesn't go into much technical details, the missile had two stages. The first stage was a solid-rocket booster that propelled the second stage up to a velocity where the second stage ramjet engines were able to operate.
:::You are right - ramjet-powered vehicles always need another way of accelerating to the speeds where their ramjet would work. Either they have another set of engines (or a hybrid solution like the [[SR-71]]), or they are attached to another vehicle which accelerates them to the appropriate speed and then detaches. — [[User:QuantumEleven|Quantum]]<i>[[User_talk:QuantumEleven|Eleven]]</i> 13:16, 4 July 2006 (UTC)
= July 4 =
== International Time Bureau / Bureau International de l'Heure ==
I am a little confused by some of the references to the "International Time Bureau"/"Bureau International de l'Heure" in the following articles:
*[[Paris Observatory]]—says the Observatory "is home to the International Time Bureau".
*[[International Astronomical Union]]—says the IAU was founded in 1919 as a merger of several projects including the International Time Bureau.
*[[International Atomic Time#History]]—says the "Bureau International de l'Heure" was superseded by the BIPM and IERS, but doesn't say when.
*[[International Bureau of Weights and Measures]] (BIPM)—says nothing about maintaining time standards.
*[[International Earth Rotation and Reference Systems Service]] (IERS)—mentions time standards but no explicit reference to "International Time Bureau".
So my question is, Does the International Time Bureau exist today, as a subdivision of the IERS perhaps? If so, that should be mentioned in the IERS article; if not, it should be made clear at [[BIH]] that the organization no longer exists. Also the [[Paris Observatory]] article should be clarified on that point. I should also note that a handful of other articles have redlinks either to "Bureau International de l'Heure"[http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Whatlinkshere&target=Bureau_International_de_l%27Heure] or "International Time Bureau"[http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Whatlinkshere&target=International_Time_Bureau]. --[[User:Mathew5000|Mathew5000]] 04:13, 4 July 2006 (UTC)
:Interesting question.
:*The BIPM website mentions: ''The realization and dissemination of the international time scales is the responsibility of the Time Section of the BIPM. International Atomic Time (TAI) is the uniform time scale; ... Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) is an atomic time scale derived from TAI'' But that doesn't solve the complete problem yet, at least we know who keeps the time now.
:*[http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2000ASPC..208..175G] looks interesting and is probably very creditable. It mentions that the BIH began it's work in 1912 and was dissolved in 1987. In that year it's work was taken over by two organisations: the BIPM and the new IERS.
:*As far as I can tell from the BIPM website, the relation between the IAU and the BIPM seems to be that some of the previous definitions of the second as established by the IAU were "copied" by the BIPM.
:*<strike>I still have no idea how the BIH relates to the IAU.</strike> The BIH was the executive body for the IAU's International Commission of Time.
:I've created an article on the BIH which (hopefully correctly) adresses all of the above. -- [[User:Koffieyahoo|Koffieyahoo]] 02:16, 5 July 2006 (UTC)
::Thanks very much, Koffieyahoo; nicely done. The paper by Guinot mentions the Federation of Astronomical and Geophysical Services. That organization seems to have changed its name to the [[Federation of Astronomical and Geophysical Data Analysis Services]] [http://www2.kms.dk/fags/index.html] but it retained the same acronym. In my view, Wikipedia absolutely needs an article on a scientific organization called [[FAGS]]. --[[User:Mathew5000|Mathew5000]] 02:58, 5 July 2006 (UTC)
== Tugs approach and estimated force (kN) for the contact. ==
When approaching tug landing area or berths, what is the normal safe speed = force(kN)?
Some of the answers might contained in BS 6349 under fender design. Can anybody point out if 0.2 m/s is acceptable? If so can somebody pls re-direct me to relevant documentation as proof.(Azwahid)
== Clams ==
Are Clams A)Biodegradable B)Edible C)Tasty D)Sentient E)All of the above. I would appreciate an answer!
:See [[Clam]]. –[[User:Mysid|Mysid]]<sup><font color="#ffa500">[[User talk:Mysid|(t)]]</font></sup> 06:33, 4 July 2006 (UTC)
Considering clam shells survive for millions of years, I don't think so. --[[User:Mboverload|mboverload]][[Special:Emailuser/Mboverload|<font color="red">@</font>]] 07:38, 4 July 2006 (UTC)
:Clams are certainly edible (not the shell though) and can be very tasty! The organism inside is completely biodegradeable, but the shell can last astronomically long times without being disintegrated. '''<font size="1" color="#FF0000" face="Verdana" style="text-decoration: overline underline">[[user:adam the atom|•USER•]]</font><font size="1" color="#000000" face="Verdana" style="text-decoration: overline underline">ADAM THE ATOM</font><font size="1" color="#FF0000" face="Verdana" style="text-decoration: overline underline">[[user talk:adam the atom|•TALK•]]</font>''' 08:35, 4 July 2006 (UTC)
::And yes, they are sentient creatures. –[[User:Mysid|Mysid]]<sup><font color="#ffa500">[[User talk:Mysid|(t)]]</font></sup> 08:56, 4 July 2006 (UTC)
:This gets my vote for the Reference Desk question of the day. For anyone not getting it, see also [[#claims]].-[[User talk:gadfium|gadfium]] 09:19, 4 July 2006 (UTC)
== Confused about Java. ==
Hello, I installed the J2SDK 1.4 which is the Software Development Kit of JAVA version 1.4. I am new to java, and have some ebooks about it. So I thought why not cut-paste some simple code from these books and try them out. So after installation, I get a "JAVA WEB START" icon on my desktop. After opening it, nowhere could I find "regions" where I could write code or compile them or build them. It doesnt have anything !! So then I installed Netbeans 5.0. After its installation, I copied the code to the window in Netbeans, which opened up after I selected "file" and "new project". But there also, it says "build failed". I cant understand why is this happening. The program I was copying was nothing but the most simple one about "hello world !". But still it didnt work. Some help from you guys out there. Thank You. - Nikhilthemacho
:Check out [http://java.sun.com/docs/books/tutorial/index.html the Java Tutorial]. The "Getting Started" section has step-by-step instructions. The [http://forum.java.sun.com/ Java Forums] is also a good place to ask for help with Java. [[User:Weregerbil|Weregerbil]] 11:18, 4 July 2006 (UTC)
::If you look up to July 1 on this reference desk (sorry, don't know how to put a link for it), I explained a similar thing to someone else. You won't need netbeans until after you get the basics of java down. I guess J2SDK is Sun's compiler/runtime bundle, but I don't use it, and i don't know how. The good news is, now you already have the java virtual machine installed, which you need. Next, I would recommend that you go download [[http://www.eclipse.org/downloads/ Eclipse]], which is a great, free compiler for java. Download that, and you should be ready to go. When it starts, up, you can allow it to use a default workspace (which is where all the Java program files you create will be stored), skip the "new user" dialogue (or read it if you like), and go to file=>new project, then file=>new class, and you should be ready to start coding "hello world to your heart's desire. Have fun --[[User:Bmk|Bmk]] 13:57, 4 July 2006 (UTC)
== Locking WinXP screen ==
Is there a way to lock the screen in Windows XP such that someone who tries to unlock it does NOT know who is currently logged in? (By default they can see a message that says "Only <i>User</i> or an administrator can unlock this computer.") '''<font size="1" color="#FF0000" face="Verdana" style="text-decoration: overline underline">[[user:adam the atom|•USER•]]</font><font size="1" color="#000000" face="Verdana" style="text-decoration: overline underline">ADAM THE ATOM</font><font size="1" color="#FF0000" face="Verdana" style="text-decoration: overline underline">[[user talk:adam the atom|•TALK•]]</font>''' 08:33, 4 July 2006 (UTC)
:I use WIndows Key + L to lock. Then it comes up the welcome screen and lists the users accounts. I have two. So, the one that I am already listed in comes up the amount of programs I am running and if I have an unread mail message. It doesn't say who is actually logged in. <font color="#007FFF">[[User:Kilo-Lima|Iola]]</font>'''[[User:Kilo-Lima/Esperanza|<font color="#50C878">k</font>]]'''<font color="#007FFF">[[User:Kilo-Lima|ana]]</font>|<sup><font color="orange">[[User talk:Kilo-Lima|T]]</font></sup> 12:35, 4 July 2006 (UTC)
:You could log off with the welcome screen disabled. Google is your friend.--[[User:Frenchman113|Frenchman113 ]] [[User talk:Frenchman113|on wheels!]] 13:46, 4 July 2006 (UTC)
== Sex ==
If a boy and girl have sex and boy pulls out penis before ejaculation will girl be pregnant?--[[User:203.124.2.16|203.124.2.16]] 08:50, 4 July 2006 (UTC)
:Possibly. It's unreliable, and not a recommended birth control method. See [[coitus interruptus]]. –[[User:Mysid|Mysid]]<sup><font color="#ffa500">[[User talk:Mysid|(t)]]</font></sup> 08:54, 4 July 2006 (UTC)
*Pre-ejaculate can contain semen too, so you could impregnate the girl before actually having an orgasm. - [[User:MacGyverMagic|Mgm]]|[[User talk:MacGyverMagic|<sup>(talk)</sup>]] 21:36, 4 July 2006 (UTC)
:: Perhaps you mean [[Spermatozoon|sperm]]? That is the important thing here. -- [[User:Rangek|Rangek]] 21:56, 4 July 2006 (UTC)
:Sometimes. --[[User:Proficient|Proficient]] 11:14, 5 July 2006 (UTC)
:Mom? Is that you? - [[User:Nunh-huh|Nunh-huh]] 04:30, 6 July 2006 (UTC)
It's much, much safer than ejaculating inside, but you still have a very small chance of getting her pregnant. Advice: Use a condom and you get to stay inside =D --[[User:Mboverload|mboverload]][[Special:Emailuser/Mboverload|<font color="red">@</font>]] 07:49, 7 July 2006 (UTC)
== Equation versus date of Big Bang ==
If I have an equation that can be used to measure the age of a physical item beyond the moment of the Big Bang is the equation in error or the date of the Big Bang? <small> ...[[User:Pce3@ij.net|IMHO]] ([[User talk:Pce3@ij.net|Talk]])</small> 10:31, 4 July 2006 (UTC)
:It could be either; it would require further investigation. That's how science works. -- [[User:SCZenz|SCZenz]] 10:36, 4 July 2006 (UTC)
::What I am asking is if it is reasonable to use an eqation capable of measuring age older than the Big Bang and if so then doesn't that in itself put the time since the Big Bang in doubt? <small> ...[[User:Pce3@ij.net|IMHO]] ([[User talk:Pce3@ij.net|Talk]])</small> 10:57, 4 July 2006 (UTC)
:::As SCZenz says, it could be either. However, I would put my bet heavily on the side of there being some missing factor in your equation that if accounted for would bring things back into line -- the error bars on [[age of the universe|the time since the Big Bang]] are now fairly narrow (13.7 +/- 0.2 bn years according to the [[WMAP]] guys). In the past they were rather large -- there was a time at which astronomers and cosmologists faced exactly the situation you describe -- the then-preferred age of the universe (based on the then-preferred value of the [[Hubble constant]]) was lower than the observed age of the oldest [[globular cluster]]s. However, that value of the Hubble constant was considerably off, and there is no longer a contradiction.
:::Given that the current figure for the age of the universe is based on a large set of cosmological observations, finding something indisputably older -- particularly if it was by a significant multiple -- would probably cause severe problems for the models used to interpret those observations.
:::So, enlighten us: are you talking hypothetically, or do you have an example? --[[User:Bth|Bth]] 11:31, 4 July 2006 (UTC)
::::If P reaches zero then the value of '''''t''''' would be infinite (or at least greater than the time since the Big Bang) which would suggest a lower limit of <math> P = 1.25 * 10^{-9}\ </math> where <math> P = \frac {D}{\exp {\left({t * \lambda }\right)}-1} </math> such that the value of '''''t''''' in the equation <math> t = \frac{1}{\lambda} {\times} {\ln \left(1+\frac{D}{P}\right)} </math> does not exceed the amount of time since the Big Bang or approximately 16(?) billion years. <small> ...[[User:Pce3@ij.net|IMHO]] ([[User talk:Pce3@ij.net|Talk]])</small> 12:16, 4 July 2006 (UTC)
:::::Gosh, I don'tk now what P is for, of course. But if you're confident in that equation and in the age of the universe, then that ''does'' give you a lower limit on P. No problem. -- [[User:SCZenz|SCZenz]] 12:54, 4 July 2006 (UTC)
::::::P is the number of grains of sand in the top bulb and D the number in the bottom bulb. The range of t is from the Big Bang to the current date whatever it is such that the top bulb (P) is full at the Big Bang and empty on the current date while the bottom bulb (D) is empty at the Big Bang and full on the current date whatever it is. P therefore must be zero on the current date rather than any fraction greater than zero. Devise an equation. <small> ...[[User:Pce3@ij.net|IMHO]] ([[User talk:Pce3@ij.net|Talk]])</small> 18:02, 4 July 2006 (UTC)
:Anyone can throw together an equation that can do that, just with just about all of them they'd be wrong, so basically you have to look at the equation. If its carbon dating or something, its wrong, because no carbon in the solar system is older than the star that preceeded the sun. [[User:Philc_0780|<font color="Green">Philc</font>]] <sub>[[User talk:Philc_0780|T]]</sub><sup>[[User:Philc 0780/Esperanza|E]]</sup><sub>[[Special:contributions/Philc_0780|C]]</sub><sup>[[User:Philc_0780/Improve me|I]]</sup> 12:07, 4 July 2006 (UTC)
::Can you suggest an equation that would allow P to equal zero without the caveat of requiring forgiviness of an "infinite ratio" or divide by zero error? <small> ...[[User:Pce3@ij.net|IMHO]] ([[User talk:Pce3@ij.net|Talk]])</small> 12:50, 4 July 2006 (UTC)
:::Half-life or decay calculations are just a model for a physical phenomenon; they aren't the phenomenon itself. As with the application of any mathematical model, the user must be mindful of its limits. It's impossible to build safety or sanity checks into every equation that are proof against every possible misuse or misinterpretation. (Note that redesigning these equations for a Wikipedia article would be a violation of the [[WP:NOR|policy barring original research]] anyway.) [[User:TenOfAllTrades|TenOfAllTrades]]([[User_talk:TenOfAllTrades|talk]]) 12:58, 4 July 2006 (UTC)
::::In that case there should be a Wikipedia policy requiring each article to post the size of the grain of salt that should accompany the article. <small> ...[[User:Pce3@ij.net|IMHO]] ([[User talk:Pce3@ij.net|Talk]])</small> 13:50, 4 July 2006 (UTC)
:::::Already done. See the link to [[Wikipedia:General disclaimer]] which appears on every page. [[User:TenOfAllTrades|TenOfAllTrades]]([[User_talk:TenOfAllTrades|talk]]) 18:54, 4 July 2006 (UTC)
::::::In this case clarifications, points of dispute and questions of validity should not be excluded from an article especially by referencing the WP:NOR policy and yet failing to cite the WP:NPOV policy by anyone especially by administrators. Such clarifications, points of dispute and questions of validity should in fact be encouraged as a matter of article validation and enhancement. Otherwise this grain of salt should be displayed constantly in non-scrolling red all caps on every page. <small> ...[[User:Pce3@ij.net|IMHO]] ([[User talk:Pce3@ij.net|Talk]])</small> 03:02, 5 July 2006 (UTC)
::::::*Also allow me to observe that deleting articles instead of editing them is a sign of ignorance or of something far worse. <small> ...[[User:Pce3@ij.net|IMHO]] ([[User talk:Pce3@ij.net|Talk]])</small> 08:17, 5 July 2006 (UTC)
== Alternative To Drive Belts? ==
I just burned my 457th drive belt on our vacuum cleaner (the dog lead got caught around the rotary brush and I couldn't switch it off in time). I'm fed up of changing drive belts all the time. It's a stupid way to transmit motion. Isn't there a more robbust way of transmitting such motion while cutting the motor in the event that the load gets too large?
Also the article [[stall]], is all about aeroplanes and doesn't tell me what mechanism is used to stall a car engine when appropriate. --[[User:Username132|Username132]] ([[User talk:Username132|talk]]), <font colour="red">UK or Netherlands</font> 10:39, 4 July 2006 (UTC)
:I've used several vacuum cleaners in my life and never noticed a drive belt. You also talk of a 'rotatry brush'. Do you have some special kind of vaccum cleaner? [[User:DirkvdM|DirkvdM]] 11:10, 4 July 2006 (UTC)
::Yes, I guess it depends on what kind you've got. Mine is an upright, so it has a sort of brush-cylinder type thing, which rotates around very quickly, beating the carpet so dust and stuff gets sucked up. The drive belt is the connection between the motor and the rotary brush - it's just a big thick peice of rubber. If the rotary brush gets jammed (e.g. by getting tangled up in a dog lead), then the electric motor keeps turning against a peice of rubber which isn't moving and the friction causes a plume of black smoke to eminate from the innards, indicating the demise of another drive belt. --[[User:Username132|Username132]] ([[User talk:Username132|talk]]), <font colour="red">UK or Netherlands</font> 11:21, 4 July 2006 (UTC)
:::Having <s>gears</s> cogs and a [[clutch]] might be a better method of transmission; if the brush gets stuck, the clutch just slips harmlessly. It will burn out after a while, but can generally take more punishment that a drive belt. <font style="color:#FF7000">'''s'''murrayinch</font>[[WP:EA|<font style="color:green">'''''e'''''</font>]]<font style="color:#FF7000">ster<sup>([[User:Smurrayinchester|User]]), ([[User talk:Smurrayinchester|Talk]])</sup></font> 14:06, 4 July 2006 (UTC)
::::smurrayinchester, would that be a clutch with manual transmission? I know vacuum cleaners as fairly simple things, but this is turning into quite an elaborate machine. [[User:DirkvdM|DirkvdM]] 14:10, 4 July 2006 (UTC)
:::After edit conflict:
:::Ah, so it's the rotatry brush that gets driven by the belt. Couldn't you use the machine without the rotary brush? More to the point of your question, the only alternative I know to a belt drive (in turntables) is direct drive. If that gets stuck the enigne dies and there is no repairing it. So I suppose the manufacturer knew about the problem (which of course they didn't tell you about). [[User:DirkvdM|DirkvdM]] 14:10, 4 July 2006 (UTC)
::::Indeed, I could still use the machine via the hose but it's not as effective and it's a lot more effort because I've got to hold the hoover upright (it'll fall over otherwise) in one hand and operate the hose with the other. A right kafuffle... --[[User:Username132|Username132]] ([[User talk:Username132|talk]]), <font colour="red">UK or Netherlands</font> 14:50, 4 July 2006 (UTC)
:::::Just a simple friction disc, like that found in a lawnmower if the blade gets stuck. When I say gears, I don't mean adjustable gears like a car, just a simple cog transmission. <font style="color:#FF7000">'''s'''murrayinch</font>[[WP:EA|<font style="color:green">'''''e'''''</font>]]<font style="color:#FF7000">ster<sup>([[User:Smurrayinchester|User]]), ([[User talk:Smurrayinchester|Talk]])</sup></font> 14:15, 4 July 2006 (UTC)
::::::A good design would cut the power and illuminate a warning light when it detected that the rotary brush had stopped rotating. --[[User:Username132|Username132]] ([[User talk:Username132|talk]]), <font colour="red">UK or Netherlands</font> 14:50, 4 July 2006 (UTC)
:Couldn't you just you direct drive, or cogs or something, but just use a resistor to limit the power to the motor, so its not strong enough to do any damage? [[User:Philc_0780|<font color="Green">Philc</font>]] <sub>[[User talk:Philc_0780|T]]</sub><sup>[[User:Philc 0780/Esperanza|E]]</sup><sub>[[Special:contributions/Philc_0780|C]]</sub><sup>[[User:Philc_0780/Improve me|I]]</sup> 14:55, 4 July 2006 (UTC)
::Then you run the risk of burning out the motor, with three possible results; you get it fixed for the cost of a new vacuum cleaner, you get a replacement with the extended warranty that cost the same as a new vacuum cleaner, or you get a new vacuum cleaner for the cost of a new vacuum cleaner. <font style="color:#FF7000">'''s'''murrayinch</font>[[WP:EA|<font style="color:green">'''''e'''''</font>]]<font style="color:#FF7000">ster<sup>([[User:Smurrayinchester|User]]), ([[User talk:Smurrayinchester|Talk]])</sup></font> 15:13, 4 July 2006 (UTC)
:::Hmm, I think this might be going somewhere. Maybe you should get a new vacu.. neh, that'll never work. [[User:Philc_0780|<font color="Green">Philc</font>]] <sub>[[User talk:Philc_0780|T]]</sub><sup>[[User:Philc 0780/Esperanza|E]]</sup><sub>[[Special:contributions/Philc_0780|C]]</sub><sup>[[User:Philc_0780/Improve me|I]]</sup> 18:20, 4 July 2006 (UTC)
:::I would have thought a new dog (or even better, a cat) might be a better solution.-[[User talk:gadfium|gadfium]] 20:52, 4 July 2006 (UTC)
== dog health ==
Do dogs have temporary "baby teeth" that naturally fall out? If not, what are the health implications of a chipped tooth in a 6 month old golden retriever?
:Yes-- dogs have a set of 28 deciduous (baby, primary) teeth which eventually exfoliate (fall out) and make way for the 42 "permanent" teeth. The process of primary tooth loss occurs between the ages of 14 and 30 weeks.--[[User:Markitos76|Mark Bornfeld DDS]] 12:28, 4 July 2006 (UTC)
::And if you really care about its health, make sure the lead doesn't get stuck in the rotating brush, sucking the dog into the vacuum cleaner. :) [[User:DirkvdM|DirkvdM]] 14:13, 4 July 2006 (UTC)
:To answer the second part of your question, since a tooth in a six month old dog would be a permanent tooth, a fracture could be a concern. If there is exposure of the [[pulp (tooth)|pulp]], that could lead to infection, and it is painful. An examination by your veterinarian and possibly an X-ray is necessary to determine if there is pulp exposure. If there is and the fracture is recent (within two weeks in a puppy, usually), then a pulpectomy and possibly a capping can be performed. This is usually done only if the tooth is considered to be "important", i.e. one of the canine teeth or carnassial teeth (upper fourth premolar or lower first molar). If the fracture is older or it is a smaller tooth, it is usually just extracted. If there is no pulp exposure, than you really don't have to worry about it. --[[User:Joelmills|Joelmills]] 23:32, 4 July 2006 (UTC)
:Indeed. As a veterinarian. --[[User:Proficient|Proficient]] 11:16, 5 July 2006 (UTC)
== biotechnology ==
How many retrovirus gene are scooped out while construting the retroviral vector?
:It depends on the vector and the method. [[User:Alteripse|alteripse]] 13:32, 4 July 2006 (UTC)
== Error analysis ==
I am measuring a shaft with a sensor that sits on the shaft as it is rotated. The sensor has four different ways of moving for the result to be valid each one is ±5°. What would the error be for the value that is effected equally by four different parameters. (If it helps the value being measured is approxiamately 34mm).
:sorry but I'm a bit confused. A picture might help . -Hank
::Hmm. I think you're asking about the [[Propagation of uncertainty]], which is where you try to determine the overall error of a measurement based on errors in each of the individual measurements that you used to get to it. The overall error will depend on whether you are adding or multiplying each of the individual measurements. The propagation of uncertainty page provides the equations to work this out, but it's a bit tricky to understand (especially without simple examples!). If you want it explained in layman's terms you'll need to provide more info. [[User:BenC7|BenC7]] 03:53, 5 July 2006 (UTC)
== Teradata ==
Give me details regarding teradata ? what it is and where it it used??
:To save yourself time and energy, please search first. See [[teradata]]. [[User:Notinasnaid|Notinasnaid]] 12:24, 4 July 2006 (UTC)
== IIS - Internet Information Services ==
Been playing around with IIS on Windows XP Professional. I've successfully created an FTP server but I can only access it using my '''intra'''net IP (192.x.y.z is always an intranet IP right?). When I type in my '''inter'''net IP address (the IP address found on www.whatismyip.com) nothing comes up. I've got my firewall disabled too. Anyone know what's up here?
Thanks,
-Hank
:If you have a intranet IP address (probably better described as a LAN IP address) then you probably have a hardware router. The IP assigned by your ISP, which you can find at www.whatismyip.com, is the address of the port on your router that is connected to your cable modem, telephone line, or the like. Your router does not have any FTP server built in, nor does it know which computer on your LAN to forward the incoming FTP request to, so the request fails. By reading the router documentation, you should be able to overcome this problem. However, many ISPs that serve home users prohibit operating this kind of server. [[User:Gerry Ashton|Gerry Ashton]] 16:16, 4 July 2006 (UTC)
:ah thanks. I did an "IP Passthrough" on my modem/router so the internet IP just goes straight on to my PC. Thanks. -Hank
== DVD copy prevention ==
I understand that DVDs are encrypted with CSS, which prevents them from being played on systems that don't have a valid player key, but what is it that prevents me from copying the DVD with the copy prevention still on it? Even if the disc is encrypted, shouldn't it still be possible to make copies of the encrypted data?--[[User:Frenchman113|Frenchman113 ]] [[User talk:Frenchman113|on wheels!]] 15:34, 4 July 2006 (UTC)
:There are two hurdles. There is a "hidden area" on a disk. When a program asks a DVD drive to read the hidden area it asks the program to authenticate itself. The authentication key is secret so you can't get at the hidden data. Unless you license a key, or crack the algorithm, (see [[DeCSS]]), or have a drive that can circumvent the authentication (which may be illegal to sell in some countries).
:The second problem is that regular blank disks also have the hidden area burned out so it can't be written. Blanks with writable hidden areas are used by DVD factories but aren't sold to consumers. See [http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~dst/DeCSS/Kesden/index.html] and [http://answers.google.com/answers/threadview?id=348912]. [[User:Weregerbil|Weregerbil]] 18:35, 4 July 2006 (UTC)
As an unrelated question, I've noticed that using VLC to play DVDs results in choppy video. Is this a problem with libdvdcss, my 3GHz Pentium 4, or my 8x DVD drive?--[[User:Frenchman113|Frenchman113 ]] [[User talk:Frenchman113|on wheels!]] 15:34, 4 July 2006 (UTC)
== Possible to network with 56k modems? ==
Is it possible to connect two computers through their 56k modems? --[[User:Username132|Username132]] ([[User talk:Username132|talk]]), <font colour="red">UK or Netherlands</font> 15:59, 4 July 2006 (UTC)
:Yes. Most windows systems are pre-installed with a program called "Hyperterminal" which allows you to connect two computers by modem. Go to
:Start->All Programs->Accessories->Communications->Hyperterminal
:-Hank
::(edit conflict -- here's some more info on wikipedia:) Yes; you can get [[terminal emulator|terminal emulation programs]] (such as [[HyperTerminal]]), set computer A up to auto-answer any incoming call, then have computer B dial up the phone number that A is on. The terminal emulators use protocols like [[XMODEM]] and [[ZMODEM]]. All modems and operating systems used to come with basic terminal emulation software, but I don't know if they still do. --[[User:Amcbride|Allen]] 16:23, 4 July 2006 (UTC)
:Depends what you mean. No, if you mean directly connecting them by putting a phone cable directly between the two modems, then it's not trivial to get the computers to talk as there's no dialtone or proper line signal. It might be possible however. [[AT command]] ATX3 will ignore the dialtone. But if you mean dialing one up from the other, then yes. You can even have one computer host a [[Point-to-Point Protocol|PPP]] session so they can be connected with [[TCP/IP]]. —[[User:Pengo|Pengo]] 23:48, 4 July 2006 (UTC)
it '''is''' trivial, I've done it, you're looking for [[null modem]] software. a null modem connection is a direct line between two computers' modems without going through a wall (no dialtone).
:Um, no. A [[null modem]] cable is used to connect two computer together through their serial ports—no modems are used in this case—read the article. You might try a Google search on "dry" lines as they are called, which are unpowered copper lines. I believe it's still the case that the modems will not connect at 56k, but 33.6k instead. ISPs used to need special equipment to receive 56k connections—the modems themselves were not capable of it, but I haven't looked into it in a long while with the availability of DSL. —[[User:BradleyEE|Bradley]] 15:49, 5 July 2006 (UTC)
::There is an option to "Ignore dial tone before dialing" as well; however, we would need to know your exact intent to provide a better solution. [[User:Freebytes|Freebytes]] 16:02, 8 July 2006 (UTC)
== power regulators ==
does the common ceiling fan consume more power when run at full speed than at slower speeds?
:Apparently so. Here's a quote from Chris Calwell and Noah Horowitz, in "Home Energy Magazine Online" (Jan-Feb 2001), which seems to be an Argonne National Laboratory publication of some sort:
::''The motors in ceiling fans typically consume about 60 to 100 watts at high speed, 20 to 40 watts at medium speed, and 10 to 15 watts at low speed.''
:For some reason I can't actually load the [http://hem.dis.anl.gov/eehem/01/010113.html original page] right now, but here's a Google cache of it [http://72.14.209.104/search?q=cache:N65F6aL2toAJ:hem.dis.anl.gov/eehem/01/010113.html+ceiling+fan+watts&hl=en&gl=us&ct=clnk&cd=3&client=safari]. --[[User:Amcbride|Allen]] 17:36, 4 July 2006 (UTC)
== conductivity ==
can anyone answer why is copper more conductive than aluminium from their structure point of view.also it's chemical characteristics?
:In general, unreactive metals like silver and gold tend to be better conductors than those at the other end of the [[reactivity series]]. [[Aluminum]] is a very reactive metal (though in normal conditions it doesn't seem reactive because it forms a protective oxide coating), so its [[resistivity]] is higher than [[copper]]'s. I can't give you a more specific explanation without getting into the theory of [[valence band]]s and [[conduction band]]s (which I'm not even sure how to apply to this case myself =P). —[[User:Keenan Pepper|Keenan Pepper]] 19:38, 4 July 2006 (UTC)
::I also can't answer the question properly but here's some background info
::# both [[copper]] and [[aluminium]]'s atoms are laid out in a [[face centred cubic]] arrangement so there is little difference here other than spacing
::# their electronic structures are however different. If you have a [[VRML]] plugin you can see some nice models of their [[fermi surface]]s here [http://www.phys.ufl.edu/fermisurface/vrml2_big/Cu.wrl] and here [http://www.phys.ufl.edu/fermisurface/vrml2_big/Al.wrl]
::It is probably easier to think of the conductivity in terms of the [[Drude model]] anyway which has an equation about halfway down relating conductivity to density of electrons, time between collisions (i.e. [[phonon]] scattering) and [[effective mass]]. All of these are probably different in Cu and Al. Hope this helps. [[User:JMiall|JMiall]] 20:17, 4 July 2006 (UTC)
== Stereo speakers ==
I had stereo speakers, but one of them stopped working and now some sound is impossible to hear due to speaker panning. How can I solve that problem? I've tried setting balance in winamp to just one speaker but didn't work.
:Yeah, changing the balance just changes the levels to the two stereo channels; it doesn't put any signal from one channel into the other. I don't use winamp, but if it has an option to play the sound in "mono", that should work (that way, both the stereo signals would be mixed into one, which would be put through both speakers equally). Or if you don't have a mono option in the software, you could use audio adapters, like the kind that Radio Shack sells. You would probably need at least a miniplug adapter with a stereo male end and a mono female end. You could probably plug right into that. If that didn't work, plugging another adapter, with a mono male end and a stereo female end, into the back of the first adapter, and then plugging the speakers into that, should work. This is all assuming you have typical computer speakers. --[[User:Amcbride|Allen]] 18:02, 4 July 2006 (UTC)
== What age bracket rarely leaves a fingerprint? ==
What age bracket rarely leaves a fingerprint? Why?
:[[Fingerprint | Fingerprints]] are developed while the person is still in the womb (3 months after conception I think). Therefore it would be reasonable to assume that all age brackets leave fingerprints (unless you count unborn babies and long dead and decayed people) --[[User:80.229.152.246|80.229.152.246]] 19:39, 4 July 2006 (UTC)
:This sounds distinctly like a homework or pub quiz question. If the former, check your textbook and notes. If the latter, you cheat you! Maybe the age bracket that doesn't touch anything with their hands? :-) [[User:Skittle|Skittle]] 20:26, 4 July 2006 (UTC)
*I've seen toe and earprints used to catch criminals so not touching with your hands will still leave prints. But yeah, most people leave fingerprints unless they purposely try to hide them. Perhaps you meant to ask about the age of criminals that don't leave fingerprints? In that case numbers are skewed. Only the ones that get caught through other means can ever be asked their age. - [[User:MacGyverMagic|Mgm]]|[[User talk:MacGyverMagic|<sup>(talk)</sup>]] 21:31, 4 July 2006 (UTC)
:Side note: age brackets don't leave fingerprints, they don't have fingers like people do. - [[User:MacGyverMagic|Mgm]]|[[User talk:MacGyverMagic|<sup>(talk)</sup>]] 21:33, 4 July 2006 (UTC)
The 85-90 year old age bracket rarely leaves fingerprints, because they are so dried out (like a prune) that there is no oil to be left behind. However, after 90 decay sets in and usually flakes of skin are left everywhere they touch, and also a smell of fermaldahyde. No, I'm kidding. No idea what the answer might be. Sorry. [[User:82.131.189.247|82.131.189.247]] 08:02, 5 July 2006 (UTC).
== Recycling CDs ==
Can CDs be recycled for their plastic? (no-one wants to hear about your arts and crafts ideas) --[[User:Username132|Username132]] ([[User talk:Username132|talk]]), <font colour="red">UK or Netherlands</font> 18:59, 4 July 2006 (UTC)
:Theoretically they could be, but it's not profitable. [[Plastic recycling]] in general is disappointing in practice, and only certain polymers ([[polyethylene terephthalate|PET]], [[polyethylene|PE]], [[polyvinyl chloride|PVC]]) are worthwhile to recycle. [[Polycarbonate]] isn't one of them, as far as I know. —[[User:Keenan Pepper|Keenan Pepper]] 19:25, 4 July 2006 (UTC)
::...On the other hand, [[google:polycarbonate+recycling|some websites]] claim to be able to do it, so maybe the situation isn't as bleak as I thought. —[[User:Keenan Pepper|Keenan Pepper]] 19:30, 4 July 2006 (UTC)
:They can also be recycled as beermats or coasters. [[User:AllanHainey|AllanHainey]] 13:21, 5 July 2006 (UTC)
::That's a different one of the three ''R''s: Reduce, '''Reuse''', Recycle. —[[User:Keenan Pepper|Keenan Pepper]] 19:30, 5 July 2006 (UTC)
:::Not to mention that I don't want 50 ugly coasters... --[[User:Username132|Username132]] ([[User talk:Username132|talk]]), <font colour="red">UK or Netherlands</font> 22:36, 5 July 2006 (UTC)
== Economics -- why are unions necessary? ==
I've approached economics mostly from a game-theoretic point of view, and I'm having trouble understanding some things that happen "in the real world". It seems like corporations fail without workers, and workers fail without corporations, so I would expect that jobs and workers would both form free markets, and be priced "fairly" or rationally or whatever. But then it seems like workers consistently get screwed over unless they form into [[trade union]]s and things. Why do corporations have "more power" in the relationship than workers do? Does the free market price jobs fairly? If so, why do we want a minimum wage or unions or anything? -- Creidieki 19:40, 4 July 2006 (UTC)
:You're mixing economics and the real world - what did you expect? The free market, where parties have unequal bargaining power, does not price jobs fairly. Large entities, whether corporations or unions, distort free market relationships. A sufficiently large corporation has more bargaining power than an individual worker; a union, which is simply an artificial monopoly, sometimes has more bargaining power than a corporation. Hence labour relations are typically highly regulated and not left entirely to market forces. [[User:Peter Grey|Peter Grey]] 19:51, 4 July 2006 (UTC)
::And even without large corporations or unions, a lot of people would disagree over whether free-market wages would be "fair" in the human-rights sense of the word. Just glancing at it for the first time, it looks like we have a fairly decent (though completely unsourced) article on [[Labour economics]]. --[[User:Amcbride|Allen]] 19:55, 4 July 2006 (UTC)
:If there are more people wanting jobs, that there are jobs, people are forced to accept a low wage, or they may lose there job to someone who has no wage (no job), who doesnt care how low it is, because its better than nothing. So basically the demand for jobs brings down the wage, because workers will still wok for it. Supply and demand really, the more people want it, the more you can screw them out of it. But if there is a union, then it becomes such an inconvenience to the company (it shuts down) to upset the union, that it tries not to. However if the workers become to tyrannical with their power, it may be easier for the company to sack the lot of them. [[User:Philc_0780|<font color="Green">Philc</font>]] <sub>[[User talk:Philc_0780|T]]</sub><sup>[[User:Philc 0780/Esperanza|E]]</sup><sub>[[Special:contributions/Philc_0780|C]]</sub><sup>[[User:Philc_0780/Improve me|I]]</sup> 20:35, 4 July 2006 (UTC)
: I think the problem comes down to "friction". It sucks to change jobs for a worker much more than it usually hurts a company to loose a worker. This makes the barrier to "take this jobs and shove it" quite high, leading to depressed wages. [[User:Rangek|Rangek]] 22:03, 4 July 2006 (UTC)
:The labour market should indeed be a two way thing, but it isn't. There's those who seek work and those who want it. If the twain don't meet, it's the potential workers who get blamed. Why? Because you can pinpoint them. You can't pinpoint a company and say "why don't you employ this guy? Shame on you, we'll punish you." Or could you? And how would you determine the punishment then? The free market mechanism doesn't work here.
:Actually, companies ''do'' get punished when they create jobs for which there are not enough workers. They'll go out of business. This ensures that there will always be more workers than vacancies, which, through the free market mechanism, makes sure the wages stay low. I suppose the reason for this is that the number of (potential) workers (the number of people) is given. The number of companies isn't. It should adapt to the number of workers, but it doesn't. [[User:DirkvdM|DirkvdM]] 06:02, 5 July 2006 (UTC)
"Economics -- why are unions necessary" is the same question as "Politics -- why are electorates necessary". The answer, of course, is that if everyone knows everyone (for example, there are thirty to fifty people only) electorates and unions are not really necessary, and neither are union negotiations or the political run-around associated with elections etc. Certainly career politicians, just as union leaders, aren't really necessary. As you get beyond that problems start to arise. I think a good question for you to ask is "When union organizers are murdered, whose interests are served"?
::The real reason unions are necessary is that without them, the table is not in fact balanced - each single worker needs the company way more than the company needs a single worker. The bargaining table consists of a giant corporation versus a single employee. If you have a large business employing hundreds or thousands of workers, and the workers are unorganized, then the business has no trouble exploiting each individual worker for unfair hours and low wages; the company can simply fire an individual employee if they resist, thus making an example for the rest of them. However, if the workers organize, and form a union, ''then'' the table is balanced; the corporation must deal fairly with the workers as a union, or face the consequences of the loss of the entire workforce.
:::The table ''might'' be balanced, or the union might exploit its bargaining power no different from any other monopoly, so it's a balance only in a very crude sense. But there don't seem to be any better ideas. [[User:Peter Grey|Peter Grey]] 23:04, 5 July 2006 (UTC)
Let me give you an example, which happened only a few years ago to a British company I worked for. It was taken over by an American company, who agreed as part of the takeover conditions not to fire any of the workers. However very shortly after the takeover they did in fact fire many workers, without cause. When the workers complained their reposnse was simply "we can afford lawyers and you can't, so tough". At this point enter the union who said "actually we can afford lawyers and we will fight you". Since the company didn't actually have a legacl case they backed down. Without a union there would simply have been no-one able to afford to call them. [[User:DJ Clayworth|DJ Clayworth]] 16:53, 6 July 2006 (UTC)
== Difference between Anatomy and Physiology ==
I am about to begin a degree in University related to Biology and 2 of the subjects I am considering are Physiology and Anatomy and the articles on the university website regarding these subjects arent very detailed. The descriptions pretty much describe them as similar or the same so can anyone explain what the difference is between the 2? Thanks
:See our articles on the relevant topics: [[Anatomy]] and [[Physiology]]. --[[User:Antifamilymang|George]] 23:05, 4 July 2006 (UTC)
:Anatomy is to Physiology as Form is to Function. - [[User:Nunh-huh|Nunh-huh]] 04:19, 6 July 2006 (UTC)
=="Surrology"==
Referenced on CSI:, what exactly is "surrology"? Google keeps thinking I mean urology, but this is not the case. I assume I am spelling it wrong. It has something to do with blood. Thanks, <font color="#007FFF">[[User:Kilo-Lima|Iola]]</font>'''[[User:Kilo-Lima/Esperanza|<font color="#50C878">k</font>]]'''<font color="#007FFF">[[User:Kilo-Lima|ana]]</font>|<sup><font color="orange">[[User talk:Kilo-Lima|T]]</font></sup> 20:50, 4 July 2006 (UTC)
:Try [[serology]].-[[User talk:gadfium|gadfium]] 20:56, 4 July 2006 (UTC)
== Leg alignment ==
How does leg alignment affect snow skiing?--[[User:67.134.173.222|67.134.173.222]] 21:38, 4 July 2006 (UTC)Kimwal--[[User:67.134.173.222|67.134.173.222]] 21:38, 4 July 2006 (UTC)
:I would assume that if both of your legs are aligned correctly, you will produce more productive results when skiing, as opposed to being misshapen. --[[User:Proficient|Proficient]] 11:22, 5 July 2006 (UTC)
== meteorologists? ==
How quickly do you think a weatherman would lose his job if he tried to suggest that changes in daily weather cycles were permanent and man made? "''In todays weather, it's raining, so you better get the ark because man made global rain is going to kill us all''" He'd be laughed off the air, so why do left leaners and other alarmists have to campaign so hard for global warming? Wasn't the going theory in the 70s global COOLing? what happned to that? or killer bats? killer flus? vaccinations? cancer? AIDS? all the bull that the MSM wants you to get all worked up about?---[[Image:Flag of the United States.svg|20px]][[United States|<font color=red>'''Am'''-</font>]][[User_talk:Lpisot|<font color=blue>'''j'''</font><font color=red>4<sup>th</sup></font>]] 22:08, 4 July 2006 (UTC)
:Suitly emphazi your posts, please. [[User:128.197.81.223|128.197.81.223]] 23:06, 4 July 2006 (UTC)
::Say what?--[[User:152.163.100.74|152.163.100.74]] 03:13, 5 July 2006 (UTC)
:::[[Suitly emphazi]]. It's a wiki ref desk in joke. [[User:DirkvdM|DirkvdM]] 06:22, 5 July 2006 (UTC)
::::[[Men who have sex with men|MSM]]? [[User:DirkvdM|DirkvdM]] 06:22, 5 July 2006 (UTC)
:Your question is a jumble. I'll ignore the last bits because I don't see the relevance (or do you mean 'left wing and all that bullshit'?). If a weatherman would say what you suggest he would deserve to get sacked. But even if he'd say that "today's weather is a result of climate change" he'd be talking bull because that is about the [[climate]], which isn't the same as [[weather]]. Climate is about averages. Like saying "the Dutch are on average taller than Belgians, this guy is Dutch, so he must be taller than that guy who is Belgian" is nonsense. Also, you speak of global warming, which is just one possible outcome of [[climate change]]. Overall, it's the most likely outcome. But there is also the possibility that the [[North Atlantic Current]] will come to a standstill because of the melting polar cap, which would plunge Europe (and then the northern hemispere and then the world?) into an ice-age.
:The thing is we don't know what we're messing with. We've hardly got any insight in how climate works. The only reason that we know that there will be some effect is because what we are doing (such as doubling the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere) is so immense that it would be odd if there were no effect. [[User:DirkvdM|DirkvdM]] 06:22, 5 July 2006 (UTC)
Yeah, man - it's a good thing that whole [[cancer]] thing didn't pan out. Or [[HIV]] - I'll bet sub-Saharan Africa sure is glad that turned out to be a leftist hoax. Haha! And remember that left-leaner who said we could use [[vaccination]] to stop the [[polio]] epidemic? Oh man, that was a whopper. Next they'll be saying deforestation kills trees. Seriously, though - turn off the TV, stop watching Bill O'Reilly, and read some of the wikipedia links I made above. And to the rest of you, sorry, i really shouldn't feed the trolls. --[[User:Bmk|Bmk]] 13:22, 5 July 2006 (UTC)
Only on Fox would a weatherman get fired for mentioning Global warming as a fact. Everywhere else it would cause a stir if they said the opposite. [[User:DJ Clayworth|DJ Clayworth]] 16:47, 6 July 2006 (UTC)
:In a similar vein, [http://www.journalnet.com/articles/2005/09/23/news/local/news05.txt this Idaho weatherman]quit his job to pursue researching his theory that the Yakuza used a contraband Russian weather-control device to cause hurricane Katrina. Although all the reports I can now find state he quit, I recall that at the time his dismissal was not so clear-cut and it seemed likely that the station management asked him to leave (and take his looney theories with him).
== computers ==
two questions 1) while troubleshooting my pc to find out why windows live messenger wont use the sharded folder i found my hard was FAT32 but msn needs NTFS, it suggests converting the system and explaisn how, i was wondering what kind of risks are there, what advantges are there and are there any disadvantages? (i'm runnign windows XP) 2) other than consulting manuals is there anywhere on my computer that shows how much power my moniter/tower box is using or does any1 now any software i can get to see the power consumption?--[[User:Colsmeghead|Colsmeghead]] 22:35, 4 July 2006 (UTC)
:[http://www.theeldergeek.com/ntfs_or_fat32_file_system.htm This] is a useful article. --[[User:Antifamilymang|George]] 23:03, 4 July 2006 (UTC)
:The disadvantage is that [[NTFS]] is a proprietary, complex and undocumented format, making it difficult for third-parties to create utilities or operating systems that use it properly, and leading to [[lock-in]] (probably MSN's motivation for requiring you to change). This may lead to problems if you have trouble with your drive and need to recovery tools, or if you wish to change to [[Linux]] in the future and still use your old data easily. You cannot easily change back to FAT32. The advantage is that NTFS is a modern filesystem, and performance may be improved. —[[User:Pengo|Pengo]] 23:07, 4 July 2006 (UTC)
::I believe that [[gaim]] can connect to windows messenger service. [[User:Jon513|Jon513]] 12:55, 7 July 2006 (UTC)
== Giant Ape Removal? ==
Hey there's this giant ape climbing up the side of a large building carrying Fay Wray in one hand, we don't really want that sort of thing in this neighborhood, can anyone think of a good way to remove a giant ape fromt the side of a building?--[[User:64.12.116.74|64.12.116.74]] 22:21, 4 July 2006 (UTC)
:You're not alone, [[King Kong|New York had a similar problem]] - have you tried Bi-planes mounted with machine guns? [[User:Benbread|-Benbread]] 22:45, 4 July 2006 (UTC)
::Ummm, call [[Bob Newhart]]? - [[User:Cybergoth|Cybergoth]] 22:47, 4 July 2006 (UTC)
:::Telling the dude in the suit to sort his life out? [[User:Philc_0780|<font color="Green">Philc</font>]] <sub>[[User talk:Philc_0780|T]]</sub><sup>[[User:Philc 0780/Esperanza|E]]</sup><sub>[[Special:contributions/Philc_0780|C]]</sub><sup>[[User:Philc_0780/Improve me|I]]</sup> 22:55, 4 July 2006 (UTC)
::::Spraying the ape with a fire hose? On the second thought, let's just wait for God to sort it out. --[[User:Bowlhover|Bowlhover]] 23:13, 4 July 2006 (UTC)
:Hakuna matata, you needn't do anything. As a previous editor pointed out, New York once had the same problem. In that case they deployed airplanes, but it was unnecessary. "[I]t wasn't the airplanes. It was Beauty killed the Beast." Since your big ape has Fay Wray, you can expect the same result. --[[User:Antifamilymang|George]] 23:02, 4 July 2006 (UTC)
That's kind of gross - Fay Wray is dead, you know.
:You could always try bringing in [[Godzilla]] but things tend to get messy when giant monsters fight in a city. Just ask any resident of Tokyo! --[[User:Noodhoog|Noodhoog]] 15:25, 6 July 2006 (UTC)
== Bird in Dubbo ==
Can anyone identify this bird?
[[Image:Dubbo bird Pengo.jpg|thumb|center|Bird seen in [[Dubbo]]]]
Thanks —[[User:Pengo|Pengo]] 23:09, 4 July 2006 (UTC)
:The bird is cute, but I'm sure that doesn't help. :P --[[User:Proficient|Proficient]] 11:23, 5 July 2006 (UTC)
:: It is an [[Apostle_bird]]--—[[User:E!|E!]] ''17:00, 11 July 2006 (AEST)''
== Windows Media Player security vulnerabilities ==
A while back there was some big thing about all of the security vulnerabilities of Windows Media player playing video. So I decided that I'd not play video files. So, now I have changed my mind, a few years on. Are there any risks with playing files that have been downloaded? If so, what are they? I've been to the Cert website, but they don't seem to show any long-term vulnerabilities. Thanks.
[[User:Mjm1964|Mjm1964]] 23:36, 4 July 2006 (UTC)
:If you update your media player, it removes the vulnerabilities. Most major vulnerabilities for any program are remedied in the next update. [[User:Crazywolf|Crazywolf]] 08:00, 5 July 2006 (UTC)
*Don't forget [[Windows Update]]. It doesn't help if you update the player and leave a massive gap in Windows itself. Note that Windows Media Player 10 doesn't paly nicely with Windows 98. - [[User:MacGyverMagic|Mgm]]|[[User talk:MacGyverMagic|<sup>(talk)</sup>]] 12:54, 5 July 2006 (UTC)
= July 5 =
== How did the mammalian ear evolve? ==
And what did it actually evolve from? [[Ear]] doesn't provide that information. Much help appreciated ! [[User:Xhin|Xhin]] 00:04, 5 July 2006 (UTC)
:ISTR that the bones of the ear evolved from the structures in gills - the following [http://www.google.co.nz/search?hl=en&ie=ISO-8859-1&q=ear+bones+gills&btnG=Google+Search&meta= google search] reveals many possible references for that. [[User:Grutness|Grutness]]...''<small><font color="#008822">[[User_talk:Grutness|wha?]]</font></small>'' 01:08, 5 July 2006 (UTC)
:The talk.origins archive has an excellent article [http://www.talkorigins.org/faqs/comdesc/section1.html#morphological_intermediates_ex2] that happens to mention the development of the mammalian ear from the reptile jaw bones. —[[User:BradleyEE|Bradley]] 15:07, 5 July 2006 (UTC)
== Camellia Sinensis growth area ==
Does [[Camellia Sinensis]] grow well in the Pacific Northwest of the United States? In particular I'm referring to area that falls in gardening zone 8. [[User:Jumbo Snails|Jumbo Snails]] 00:36, 5 July 2006 (UTC)
:Probably not - as the article says, it is cultivated "in tropical and subtropical regions". -[[User:R. S. Shaw|R. S. Shaw]] 07:33, 9 July 2006 (UTC)
== Being a biology searcher ==
Hi!
I'd like to know: what's the salary of a biology searcher?
Also, in which specialisation in biology should one go if he wants to do research in complexity/emergence, i.e. the kind of work Stuart Kauffman is doing?
Thanks!
: Salaries for biological researchers in academia tend to be pretty low until one reaches the level of professor. Lets assume you are talking about the USA. The during your PhD training you may receive a salary of around $25,000. This will be for between 4 and 7 years. Then, as a post doctoral researcher you may receive a salary of something like $31,000 to $45,000 depending on experience, field and ___location [http://postdocs.stanford.edu/handbook/salary.html] [http://www.the-aps.org/careers/careers1/Postdoc/psalary.htm] [http://www.grad.uiowa.edu/Postdoc/Salary.asp]. 2006 NIH guidlines are slightly higher ($37,000-$51,000 [http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-06-026.html]), but not everyone has caught up to them yet. This period may last from 3-7 years.
:After that, if you are talented and lucky enough, you may become an assistant professor. In this stage salaries can vary greatly but you may start on something like $50,000 all the way up to $100,000. After you earn tenure and become a full professor, your salary can rocket. I know a few Prof's who are on well over $250,000 basic salary, not including various industrial and commercial interests which may double that again.
:In terms of [[Stuart Kauffman]]'s research. Well, the very nature of complex systems means you can tackle it from may different perpectives. Perhaps evolutionary biology, genetics or molecular biology might be a good place start. '''[[User:Rockpocket|<font color="green">Rockpock</font>]]<font color="black">e</font>[[User_talk:Rockpocket|<font color="green">t</font>]]''' 01:24, 5 July 2006 (UTC)
:(edit conflict)
:Biology researcher? Most work in academic or corporate settings. Salaries tend to vary by level of training and by setting (and enormously by country of course). In the US, you can work in a lab with a BS in many different sciences and typical salaries are maybe $30-80,000. Corporate labs can be higher and independent research institutes somewhere in between. To do original research (rather than carry out someone else's projects) and run a lab, you usually need a PhD in one of many different sciences. As your academic standing increases and your research prospers you earn more, but few full professors have base salaries above the $80-180,000 range. There are rare exceptions where someone invents something and becomes rich or becomes a biotech entrepreneur and becomes rich but most biological researchers don't get rich.
Kauffman is an example of someone who does research that crosses several scientific disciplines so his original degree or training is not so important. If you want to head in that direction, start with a lot of math, chemistry, and biology, take more of the stuff you find most interesting, and when you get to university look for opportunities to work (courses, independent study, or even part-time employment) in the labs of the people doing the research that attracts you. By late university you should be developing the contacts that get you into graduate school and a lab or research group doing what you want. That is the typical roadmap. Good luck. [[User:Alteripse|alteripse]] 01:30, 5 July 2006 (UTC)
== a compound ==
Can someone identify the compound before the reaction and after the reaction?
http://www.umit.maine.edu/~miljkovic/S295E7C69.-1/compound.jpg?WasRead=1
Thank you!
[[User:130.111.240.124|130.111.240.124]] 02:23, 5 July 2006 (UTC)
:Repeat after me: "I will do my own homework". -- [[User:Koffieyahoo|Koffieyahoo]] 04:49, 5 July 2006 (UTC)
::"I will do my own homework". [[User:DirkvdM|DirkvdM]] 06:26, 5 July 2006 (UTC)
::"Koffieyahoo will do his own homework". I don't think I did that right... [[User:128.197.81.223|128.197.81.223]] 16:18, 5 July 2006 (UTC)
== Computer Hardware ==
1. Why do computers fail less frequently than copy machines and printers?
2. Do large computers such as mainframes and supercomputers have a future?
:Computers fail less frequently than copy machines and printers? News to me. If you're talking about jamming, mechanical parts can jam, purely electronic parts can't, but it's entirely possible for a computer's fans to jam, and the computer itself to overheat. There are safeguards in place to prevent this, however. --[[User:ColourBurst|ColourBurst]] 03:03, 5 July 2006 (UTC)
::Sounds like homework to me. [[User:BenC7|BenC7]]
:::The fewer moving parts something has, the longer it is likely to go without maintenance. (That's hardware maintenance of course. The software is much more fragile.) My PC is seven years old and has only had a fan replaced. But we call the maintenance man to attend to the photocopier every few weeks. --[[User:Shantavira|Shantavira]] 06:24, 5 July 2006 (UTC)
:Mainframes are the future I think. If everyone has a computer that uses just a tiny fraction of its computing power, then why not use one computer for a whole block? The savings would be so enormous that you could easily hire a professional to run it for you, so you wouldn't need to worry about installing software (just ask the guy and the whole block will be able to use it) or safeguarding against viruses and stuff. Actually, I'm surprised this is not already the standard. The concept is old, it just needs to be applied in a different environment. Of course all the software can be free because the admin knows how to use Linux and stuff.
:Let me do the math. Say an average computer user spends 100 euro per year on new computers and that 100 people decide to band together (both low estimates). That would be a saving of 10.000 euro per year. Given that the admin won't quite have a full time job doing this (yes?), that should cover his wages. In return the users get safety and save time. And money if there's more of them who would normally spend more on computers. [[User:DirkvdM|DirkvdM]] 06:46, 5 July 2006 (UTC)
::The other way to go with all the unused computing power is to harness it as a commercial commercial resource. Just pay people for the use of their computer's resources when they aren't using them, and redistribute the computing power to those that do need it. [[User:Crazywolf|Crazywolf]] 07:34, 5 July 2006 (UTC)
:The article that will probably add some specifics to your "mainframe" post is [[distributed computing]]. It would be apparently pretty hard to duplicate the computing power of the world's most powerful computer ([[Blue Gene]]) with distributed computers (assuming [[System X (computing)]] can be used as a rough calculation of TFLOPS per computer, it would probably require over 25,000 Xserver G5s to duplicate it, though I don't know if additional costs/benefits become a problem when you are talking about that many computers at once), but then again most people don't need that much computing power (most people are not using their computers to model H-bombs). --[[User:Fastfission|Fastfission]] 16:34, 5 July 2006 (UTC)
It truely depends on your definition of "failure". Is getting a virus and your email not working right a "failure"? --[[User:Mboverload|mboverload]][[Special:Emailuser/Mboverload|<font color="red">@</font>]] 02:44, 6 July 2006 (UTC)
:Frequency scaling was responsbile for the vast majority of processor peformance increases from about 1989 through the last quarter of 2004. However, heat is becoming the dominant factor in processor design. The only real solution to the heat problem is to go to multiple cores.
:Thus, the correct answer is that it depends on your defintion of supercomputer. A supercomputer is traditionally defined as being something along the lines of: a number of processors working on a problem in parallel capable of communication across a bus. A properly configured multi-core/multi-processor system is a supercomputer, and yes, they very much have a future. The real problem, though, is that parallel programming is very hard, and the vast, vast majority of code out there is sequential. [[User:Raul654|Raul654]] 02:53, 6 July 2006 (UTC)
== Business Networks and telecommunications ==
1. How can a home with internet access become a hotspot? Are there any risks in turning a home into a hotspot?
2. What are the implications of telecommunications for group work?
Please see "Do your own homework" at the top of the page. [[User:BenC7|BenC7]] 04:09, 5 July 2006 (UTC)
If you list your questions in a paragraph with added context people won't think they are homework. But as for your first question, assuming you mean hotspot in the non-commercial sense, you turn your home internet access into a hotspot by publicly listing your SSID publicly so that people can find it, and not encrypting the data that is sent over it.
There are two main risks to doing this:
#Other people can intercept and read the information that you send, unless it is encrypted. Most sensitive information that the average person sends(passwords, bank pages, etc.) is encrypted, though.
#Another person could use your network to do something illegal, and it could take a little while to explain to the police that it wasn't you who sent that virus out.
== Overpopulation ==
There are billions of people on Earth. We call this overpopulation. But what is ''over''population? There are probably other species with a higher population. But they're all smaller. One reason for the amount of people is that they're spread all over the Earth, which is fairly unique, I suppose (for a land creature). Or is it? Has there ever been a similarly sized population of animals our size in the history of life on Earth? I've once heard something about a biological rule of thumb concerning the amount of animals of a certain size that an island of a certain size can accommodate. Could this be applied to humans on Earth and what population size would be 'normal' then? [[User:DirkvdM|DirkvdM]] 07:03, 5 July 2006 (UTC)
:[[Overpopulation]] gives the standard definition and a good explanation. In general, a species is overpopulated when it's no longer increasing. In that sense, it is neither good nor bad for a species to be overpopulated, the population will simply decrease to the carrying capacity and be at equilibrium again. When we are talking about humans, though, we generally look at overpopulation as a bad thing. If population is decreasing, then more people are dying than being born, and unless there are birth control measures in place, that probably means lots of people are starving to death or killing eachother.
:But, to answer your question, you couldn't make a rule like that. It depends largely on how well adapted to it's habitat the species is, and what it eats. An herbivore or omnivore could support a much higher population density living off of plants than a carnivore could, since it relies on the population density of the herbiovores for food. And you could support a lot more sloths in an acre of rainforest than you could support horses in an acre of grassland. There simply is more food in the rainforest and the sloths use it much more efficiently. As for which animals would have the highest kilogram per sq km, I would go with ants or sloths, but that would be a wild guess.
:But you couldn't use that logic to decide on a normal human population. The carrying capacity of Earth for humans is obviously higher than our current population, and that carrying capacity goes up quickly as technology advances and spreads to developing nations. The only problem with that is that our actions that damage the environment are reducing the carrying capacity of the planet at the same time. [[User:Crazywolf|Crazywolf]] 07:29, 5 July 2006 (UTC)
::We could say that there is overpopulation of humans on earth because the population of humans, as a whole, doesn't have sufficient food/clean water/sanitation. You could argue that is a resource allocation issue but the allocation of food/water isn't going to change dramatically to the benefit of those starving/in drought/dying of poor sanitation throughout the world so I'd say its overpopulation. [[User:AllanHainey|AllanHainey]] 13:33, 5 July 2006 (UTC)
:::Right, I was sort of asking about the 'natural' maximum, but when it comes to humans, 'natural' is something different. Also in the sense of birth control measures (although they don't have to be measures - people can just not be bothered to have kids, like what is happening in rich countries such as in Europe). I now understand there are two types of overpopulation. The official one being "when there is no more population increase". But long before that, things will start to get unpleasant, and a more 'humane' definition would be based on that. It's just a very ill-defined limit. As it gets more crowded, we'll adapt more.
:::Thanks for helping me get this a bit more straight in my head. [[User:DirkvdM|DirkvdM]] 18:12, 5 July 2006 (UTC)
:: It's not at all clear that "the carrying capacity of Earth for humans is obviously higher than our current population". I assume you say that because you're thinking that the population can't exceed the carrying capacity, but that's not true: it can, but it will eventually crash. (Imagine, for example, graphs of cyclic populations rising far above the carrying capacity, like those [http://maps.unomaha.edu/Maher/linked/week3/day8.html here].) Estimates of the human carrying capacity of Earth in a long-term, sustainable mode range from well under a billion to many trillions. For an excellent overview, see Cohen, ''How Many People Can the Earth Support?''. [[User:Bikeable|bikeable]] [[User talk:Bikeable|(talk)]] 19:38, 5 July 2006 (UTC)
:::I actually based it on the fact that the rate of population growth is still increasing, and that my(limitted) knowledge of agriculture and natural resources tells me that we can support the world population long term once technology spreads a bit. I understand the cyclical nature of population, but assume that it must be controlled by the fact that some of the derivatives of the equation must become negative as we cross the carrying capacity. I only really considered the third derivative(the rate of increase of the rate of population growth) in my original statement. And I was considering the numerical increase, not the percentage increase, which may not be the best way to look at it. Also, the fourth derivative is obviously negative from the data, which implies that we have indeed passed the carrying capacity. However, the UN stated that this increase is driven by a decrease in birth rate, rather than an increase of death rate, so this might be driven by initiatives to increase the use of birth control rather than a decrease in food availability. So that avenue isn't really that fruitful. After thinking about it in more detail, I admit that it's quite possible that we are past the carrying capacity of the Earth. [[User:Crazywolf|Crazywolf]] 23:44, 5 July 2006 (UTC)
::::Also, I'm not implying that because I don't think we are past the population capacity, we shouldn't try and limit population growth. Decreasing the total population will leave a larger share of natural resources for each person, even if we could support a higher population with them. Widespread replacement level fertility would benefit everyone, even if there isn't an imminent catastrophe. [[User:Crazywolf|Crazywolf]] 23:58, 5 July 2006 (UTC)
::For a certain population ''and a given standard of living'', there would be a certain maximum stable population. The concept of overpopulation is important because if the carrying capacity is exceeded, the consequent reduction in population will almost certainly be very unpleasant. [[User:Peter Grey|Peter Grey]] 23:10, 5 July 2006 (UTC)
:::As I meant to say above, being at the stable maximum can be unpleasant too. That just means that enough people ''survive'' to keep the population stable. It doesn't mean they're having much fun. [[User:DirkvdM|DirkvdM]] 09:05, 6 July 2006 (UTC)
I'm probably rehashing what's been said about, but.. Since [[industrialization]], we no longer seem to have a hard maximum limit to the human population, or at least we haven't noticeably reached it.. as the human population continues to grow. We have, however, possibly reached the limit for a human population to live [[sustainably]]. The [[ecological footprint]] of humans is ever growing, and we're eating into [[nature's capital]]. The Earth cannot sustain the current human population with its current energy needs — We can see this in the loss of species (2 or 3 a day, say some estimates) and with the [[peak oil]] production being reached, and the massive increase in carbon dioxide and other green house gases in our atmosphere. That said, humans ultimately do not face a problem with finite resources, only with finite thinking. —[[User:Pengo|Pengo]] 09:52, 6 July 2006 (UTC)
==Cramp==
Is Cramp A)Unpleasant B)Noisy C)Useful D)A program E)All of the above. I would appreciate an answer!
:[[The Cramps]] is b)noisy, http://cramp.wcc.hawaii.edu/Overview/ is useful, [[cramp]] is A and C [[User:Crazywolf|Crazywolf]] 08:52, 5 July 2006 (UTC)
:Isn't this too subjective to have a definite answer? --[[User:Proficient|Proficient]] 11:26, 5 July 2006 (UTC)
*[[The Cramp Twins]] are both unpleasant and noisy. What is it with these questions? Can't you just simply look up the meaning in a dictionary and pick the answers for yourself? - [[User:MacGyverMagic|Mgm]]|[[User talk:MacGyverMagic|<sup>(talk)</sup>]] 12:51, 5 July 2006 (UTC)
*Not another [[Wikipedia:Reference desk/Science#Clams|Clams]]/[[Wikipedia:Reference desk/Science#Claims|Claims]] post. This should go on RD running jokes. <font style="color:#5500BB">'''s'''murrayinch</font>[[WP:EA|<font style="color:green">'''''e'''''</font>]]<font style="color:#5500BB">ster<sup>([[User:Smurrayinchester|User]]), ([[User talk:Smurrayinchester|Talk]])</sup></font> 14:34, 5 July 2006 (UTC)
== bacteria ==
please anybody tell me the answer and explain it...
[1]a bacterium doubles every 20 days.two such bacteria are kept in a space ship and sent away for 1000 earth days.the speed of the ship is 0.9950c.the number of bacteria found after completion of 1000 days are....
[1]128 [2]58 [3]28 [4]64
--[[User:203.109.89.194|203.109.89.194]] 08:55, 5 July 2006 (UTC)hima
:First you have to work out how many days will elapse on the space ship. Since it's travelling close to the speed of light, this will be less than the number of days on Earth. That's the hard part, but presumably you have a formula which will let you calculate it. Once you have this number (call it x days), the number of bacteria can be calculated by working out how many doublings there will be. I think this is <math>2^{1+x/20}</math>. Which part of this confuses you?-[[User talk:gadfium|gadfium]] 09:08, 5 July 2006 (UTC)
:See [[Special relativity]], but the formulae must be T/Gamma, i.e. T*sqrt(1-(v/c)^2) [[User:Ellol|ellol]]
:Another HW question?! --[[User:Yanwen|Yanwen]] 19:34, 5 July 2006 (UTC)
thx for ur reply....ive got the answer....there is a formula to calculate..the number of
bacteria after certain period of time using logarithms....u can get that in bacterial growth curve...thks a lot for reply--hima 09:47, 11 July 2006 (UTC)hima
== neuronal and glial vulnerabilities. ==
i would like information, that is written in words i can understand, on neuronal and glial vulnerabilities as i am having major back surgery on 26.07.06 and this is one of the things that can go wrong as part of a CSF Leak. So far the Doctors have not been forthcoming.
:I would only get major surgery from a doctor that is forthcoming. --[[User:Rajah|Rajah]] 02:29, 6 July 2006 (UTC)
==RGB value of Tyrian Purple==
[[Tyrian purple]] was the highly prized, ultra-expensive Phoenician dye associated with royalty. But what exactly DOES it look like? Would I be correct in calling it "Royal Purple" and adding a picture of that color to the Tyrian Purple article? --[[User:Alecmconroy|Alecmconroy]] 10:45, 5 July 2006 (UTC)
:Under a new proposal under discussion at [[Wikipedia talk:WikiProject Color]] Wikipedia would only contain RGB values if they were from a suitable published standard; you will, however, find a lot of articles at the moment that just have someone's made up (unsourced) idea of what a color looks like in RGB. I don't recommend doing this. A real world photo of something that is agreed to be that color might be an alternative. [[User:Notinasnaid|Notinasnaid]] 10:51, 5 July 2006 (UTC)
:A RGB value is hard to find (I'm still looking), but an example of the color is shown on [http://titus213.com/PDF/Mystery%20Babylon%20-%20Clothed%20in%20Red,%20White,%20and%20Purple.pdf this pdf]. It's apparently a very dark purple, and not especially vivid to my eyes. Oh, and it's ''not'' royal purple. – [[User:ClockworkSoul|Clockwork]][[User_talk:ClockworkSoul|<b>Soul</b>]] 12:07, 5 July 2006 (UTC)
::The RGB of the purple in the PDF is #330065 --[[User:Kainaw|Kainaw]] <small><sup>[[User_talk:Kainaw|(talk)]]</sup></small> 14:09, 5 July 2006 (UTC)
::I found this on, of all places, [http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Tyrian_purple Wiktionary]. There it is listed as #A8516E, and gives an example
:::<table><tr><td>Tyrian purple colour: </td><td bgcolor="#A8516E" width="80"> </td></tr></table>
::Hope this helps! – [[User:ClockworkSoul|Clockwork]][[User_talk:ClockworkSoul|<b>Soul</b>]] 12:12, 5 July 2006 (UTC)
:Though of course Wictionary isn't a valid source... I would not recommend putting this into Wikipedia, it's only going to be wiped out in time if it is not an RGB standard... [[User:Notinasnaid|Notinasnaid]] 12:17, 5 July 2006 (UTC)
With all due respect, I do not believe the above <b><font color="#A8516E"> color </font></b> is quite right for the Phoenician Murex-snail-shell dye (I have seen actual material dyed as such). I believe the correct color is more blue-ish. Of course, computer coloration can be misleading as we all have different monitors, brightness/contrast settings, and ambient lighting! I recommend you avoid mentioning an RGB value unless you have a cited source. [[User:Nimur|Nimur]] 20:59, 5 July 2006 (UTC)
:Well, first and foremost, I just want to know the answer. I've been hearing about Tyrian Purple for years, but I realized I don't have the first clue what it actually looks like. Nimur, could you pick a value that seems right to you, if you've actually seen it? As for the RGB thing-- couldn't we show a swatch and say "approximately, more or less, a guess at what the color is"? I mean-- it's going to be different for every viewer- but not THAT different. Definnitely picking one RGB value and saying THIS IS tyrian purple-- that'd be bad. But what's wrong with showing a rough approximating and labeling it as such. --[[User:Alecmconroy|Alecmconroy]] 03:48, 6 July 2006 (UTC)
::You should sort of give up on the idea that Tyrian Purple (or any complex color produced by a biological dye) can be adequately represented as a single RGB value. Tyrian purple ranged from blue to purple, and varied as the result of the particular mollusk species used, how long its hypobranchial glands were dried, and the concentration of the dye, as well as its interaction with the (usually silk) fabric. You might be interested in the article [http://www.modernmicroscopy.com/main.asp?article=28 here], which contains spectra of both organic and synthesized Tyrian purple (on the second page of the article). In terms of results (and therefore expense), in increasing order of desirability, one would use [[woad]], [[indigo]], or [[Tyrian purple]]. In the middle ages, dyers were limited to particular colors (you would get your blue fabric from one shop, and your red from another). Whole books are written about this sort of thing! - [[User:Nunh-huh|Nunh-huh]] 04:10, 6 July 2006 (UTC)
This particular dye is based on the [[Murex trunculus]]. There are some Jews who believe that this related to the dye used to make a blue string in a ritual garment called [[Tzitzit]]. While the exact tradition to how to make the dye was lost over the exile, some have tried to recreate the dye. The dye is purple, but becomes a dark blue after being exposed to sunlit. Here is the full analysis of [http://www.chriscooksey.demon.co.uk/tyrian/dbispec.html 6,6-dibromoindigo] the chemical the makes the color. Of course an RGB value does not tell you what the color is, but how it would be perceive by a human, see [[Color vision]]. [[User:Jon513|Jon513]] 12:53, 7 July 2006 (UTC)
:[http://www.kremer-pigmente.de/foto36015.htm This web page] has some photos of the stuff. According to Paintshop Pro, the average RGB value of the top photo is about #7F467E, which looks like this:
:::<table><tr><td>Tyrian purple colour: </td><td bgcolor="#7F467E" width="80"> </td></tr></table> --[[User:Heron|Heron]] 21:24, 7 July 2006 (UTC)
== Command to delete files in Windows / DOS ==
Is there a command or utility on DOS/Windows to delete the files older than a certain number of days? -- [[User:Wikicheng|Wikicheng]] 11:23, 5 July 2006 (UTC)
*You could do a search on a specific date in Windows and then delete everything with a certain date, but remember to be careful not to include important documents or system files (Windows and important dll files tend to be older than a certain number of days) in such a search. In my opinion it's best to personally check if something is deleteable. If you have determined it is, you can sort items by date and select all files older than a specific amount of time. - [[User:MacGyverMagic|Mgm]]|[[User talk:MacGyverMagic|<sup>(talk)</sup>]] 12:48, 5 July 2006 (UTC)
I want to run this as a scheduled batch job, without manual intervention. I remember a (Norton?) utility calls ''xdel.exe'' (named after xcopy) which I think offered some flexibility than the dumb ''del'' or ''erase'' command. I am looking for something like xdel. -- [[User:Wikicheng|Wikicheng]] 13:12, 5 July 2006 (UTC)
:Not exactly answering the question, but there are great utilities (ARJ, JAR, and others) to backup files past a certain date (with option to remove the originals) ; then just delete the resulting archive. (Not the most efficient, no, but easy.) [[User:Peter Grey|Peter Grey]] 23:17, 5 July 2006 (UTC)
:: I'd install [[Cygwin]] and use [[Find (Unix)|find]], run as a [[cron]] job. [[User:EdC|EdC]] 23:39, 5 July 2006 (UTC)
== GLOBAL POSITIONING SYSTEM (GPS) ==
'''Bold text'''HELLO EVERONE.
I AM PREPARING A SEMINAR ON GNSS WITH A CASE STUDY ON GPS. PLEASE ANYONE WITH A RELEVANT INFO ON ALL ABOUT GNSS/GPS CAN HELP ME. IT MAY BE A LINK TO A PRESENTATION ON THE TOPIC, OR A BOOK, OR A LIBRARY, OR ANY REFERNCE WHATSOEVER.
I WILL BE VERY GLAD TO HEAR FROM ANYONE.
MY THANKS TO ALL.--[[User:Akanchawa|Akanchawa]] 11:49, 5 July 2006 (UTC)
:DONT TYPE IN ALL CAPITALS!!!! It's the equivalent of shouting. [[User:Philc_0780|<font color="Green">Philc</font>]] <sub>[[User talk:Philc_0780|T]]</sub><sup>[[User:Philc 0780/Esperanza|E]]</sup><sub>[[Special:contributions/Philc_0780|C]]</sub><sup>[[User:Philc_0780/Improve me|I]]</sup> 11:57, 5 July 2006 (UTC)
::Maybe s/he is wearing headphones and needs to type louder. [[User:BenC7|BenC7]]
You should try the wikipedia articles - [[GPS]] and [[GNSS]]. --[[User:Bmk|Bmk]] 13:33, 5 July 2006 (UTC)
== Mutagenic but not a carcinogen? ==
Due to lack of knowledge on my part I've come into contact with Sodium Azide and DAPI (both in highly diluted wash solutions). Due to the low quantities involved and the short exposure times my fellow co-workers in the lab don't think much of it. So I'm not stressing out much right now (have become somewhat wiser though).
What I'm wondering however is how both these subtances, both of which have been used for years, can be flagged as a mutagen but not as a carcinogen? I always assumed that being mutagenic and being a carcinogen is the same?
Places like Pubmed and google give very few answers.
*edit I always thought that cancer was caused, among other things, by mutations in the genome. So aren't all mutagens possibly carcinogenic?
*edit 2 Ah yes I understand now. It's like SodiumAzide and seeds? Sodium Azide is proven to be highly mutagenic to plant seeds but I can't find anything about Sodium Azide's mutagenic affect on humans. Same kind of story about DAPI it's quite impossible to find anything related to human studies. I find this very odd because DAPI is a very much used dye in many biological labs. You'd think they do some proper testing on it before letting it be used en mass. Accidents do happen..
*[[Mutagenic]] means the substance causes mutations in your genetic material. [[Carcinogenic]] means it causes [[cancer]]s. While mutations can result in illness not all of them cause cancer. - [[User:MacGyverMagic|Mgm]]|[[User talk:MacGyverMagic|<sup>(talk)</sup>]] 12:44, 5 July 2006 (UTC)
Yes - a mutation simply means the genetic code of a cell has been altered. In order for a chemical to be a carcinogen, it must cause mutations that cause atypical uncontrolled cell division. Some good articles too look up are [[oncogene]] and [[carcinogenesis]]. --[[User:Bmk|Bmk]] 13:36, 5 July 2006 (UTC)
Both answers are sort of, but not quite correct. A substance is mutagenic when it induces mutations in an in vitro test system, not in you. In other words, a substance labeled mutagenic has not necessarily been found to cause mutations in real people. A carcinogenic substance can cause cancer in a laboratory animal model, but only a very few substances are clearly proven human carcinogens. This may sound like nitpicking but in some contexts these distinctions are enormously significant. [[User:Alteripse|alteripse]] 22:03, 5 July 2006 (UTC)
== 2 Minutes 15 Seconds Until the Next Beat of Heart ==
Nasa shuttle program manager Wayne Hale says yesterday, about foam particles falling off during take-off, that "''Two minutes, 15 seconds is our bingo time. Anytime after that, we're not worried.''" [http://www.cnn.com/2006/TECH/space/07/05/shuttle.launch/index.html] Why 2m15s?--[[User:JLdesAlpins|JLdesAlpins]] 12:09, 5 July 2006 (UTC)
:At that point, the atmosphere is too thin for the foam to cause a serious impact. In detail: Without air, there's no air resistance on the foam. So, there is nothing to push the foam downward and into the shuttle. When the foam comes off, it floats along with whole shuttle for a while and then goes of on a happy course all its own. --[[User:Kainaw|Kainaw]] <small><sup>[[User_talk:Kainaw|(talk)]]</sup></small> 13:18, 5 July 2006 (UTC)
::That is what I was thinking at first, but something else in that same CNN article made me wonder about that: "''The shuttle reached the lower limits of space a little over five minutes into the flight''". Isn't it at the lower limits of space where air density becomes negligeable? If so, then air resistance, especially at the shuttle's high velocity, should still be a factor after 2min15s until 5min. Your thoughts?--[[User:JLdesAlpins|JLdesAlpins]] 15:41, 5 July 2006 (UTC)
:::See [[Karman line]]. --[[User:CesarB|cesarb]] 17:27, 5 July 2006 (UTC)
:::I didn't say that there was no atmosphere. I said it was too thin to cause a ''serious impact''. I shouldn't have mentioned "no air resistance". The air resistance is so low that particles falling off don't accellerate much. --[[User:Kainaw|Kainaw]] <small><sup>[[User_talk:Kainaw|(talk)]]</sup></small> 17:34, 5 July 2006 (UTC)
== Molecular biology vs Cellular biology vs Biochemistry ==
Hello!
Could someone tell me what the difference is between these divisions of biology/chemistry, on the point of view of the jobs?
Thanks!
:Did you check [[molecular biology]], [[cellular biology]], and [[biochemistry]]? --[[User:Kainaw|Kainaw]] <small><sup>[[User_talk:Kainaw|(talk)]]</sup></small> 14:06, 5 July 2006 (UTC)
:: Their names describe what field is of particular interest: [[molecular biology]] studies life on molecular level, cellular biol. deals with overall life cycle of a cell, interaction of many cell in an organism and with external environment, while [[biochemistry]] is concered with chemical changes within a system (let say an organism). However, since all three are concerned with an organism in general, though on different levels, they tend to overlap a lot. For example, biochemist will focus heavily on enzymes (biological catalysts), their mechanism of action, kinetics, thermodynamics, etc. Molecular biologist, will focus on the same enzyme, but will be more interested towards its function in the given situation, i.e. how many bases in a DNA strand restriction enzyme (cutter) recognizes, where will it cut, etc. The three overlap a lot, especially with technological advances, and you can not study one without the other two. As far as jobs go, experience you had previosly in a lab setting is very important, since various techniques are used in all three. In biochemistry and mol. biology you may not encounter so frequenty for example cell fractionation as in cell biology, but we'll employ many many times extractions, purifications, [[Amplified fragment length polymorphism|AFLP]]s, [[RFLP]]s, [[PCR]], etc. Hope this somewhat helps..
[[User:Svetlana Miljkovic|Svetlana Miljkovic]] 14:24, 5 July 2006 (UTC)
== Heart stops when sneezing ==
Hi,
I heard the heart stops when someone sneezes... Is it true??
Thanks!
:Yes. [http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=1006040311813] <font color="#007FFF">[[User:Kilo-Lima|Iola]]</font>'''[[User:Kilo-Lima/Esperanza|<font color="#50C878">k</font>]]'''<font color="#007FFF">[[User:Kilo-Lima|ana]]</font>|<sup><font color="orange">[[User talk:Kilo-Lima|T]]</font></sup> 14:12, 5 July 2006 (UTC)
:::That's not really a very reliable source... - [[User:MacGyverMagic|Mgm]]|[[User talk:MacGyverMagic|<sup>(talk)</sup>]] 07:52, 6 July 2006 (UTC)
:No. [http://www.madsci.org/posts/archives/mar98/890925984.An.r.html] [[User:David Sneek|David Sneek]] 14:14, 5 July 2006 (UTC)
::Cool. I never knew "bless you" stands for "God bless you" (I've never heard anyone using the latter phrase before). I thought they were just nonsense words people got into the habit of saying. --[[User:Bowlhover|Bowlhover]] 17:55, 5 July 2006 (UTC)
:::Do you know why people say "God bless you" after someone sneezes? Because sneezing was a sign of infection with the bubonic plague, and in medieval Europe, if you got the Bubonic plague, you would die. So, if you sneezed, you were probably going to die soon, so people would ask God to bless you so you would go to heaven!
::::Please, stop telling these bad "jokes" to me. (If you truly believe what you said, can you provide a citation?) --[[User:Bowlhover|Bowlhover]] 23:11, 5 July 2006 (UTC)
::::According to the links Iolakana and David Sneek gave, as well as [http://www.snopes.com/language/phrases/blessyou.asp], nobody really knows why people say "bless you" after someone sneezes. --[[User:Bowlhover|Bowlhover]] 23:14, 5 July 2006 (UTC)
:The only relation I can imagine to be remotely true is a relation between sneezing increasing blood pressure and the heart slowing down to correct for it. That isn't a stopping of the heart though. {{signed|Kainaw}}
I heard that the reason for the "God bless you" was that people used to think that sneezing was the soul trying to leave the body. Cite: Someone in my family... -Agito
:I've always thought it was interesting that the words "bless you" (english), "à tes souhaits" (french), and "gesundheit" (german) sound like the sound of a person sneezing. I don't think there's any significance, but still it's interesting. --[[User:WhiteDragon|WhiteDragon]] 14:41, 7 July 2006 (UTC)
The guy that said the thing with the bubonic plague, thats the correct belief from europe. The guy that said "soul coming out when sneezing" thats also a correct belief, from Rome. -PitchBlack
== Entropy ==
I read that entropy is not what we learn at school/uni, i.e. the amount of disorder of a system, but how much one ignores about that system. Could someone explain this to me?
Also about entropy, how is it possible that its total sum in a closed system or the universe always tends to raise? It seems strange in this case that everything is not getting uniform... But it must be a false vision of it that I have!?
Thanks a lot!
:Entropy is not related to "disorder" as much as to "degrees of freedom" and probability. Entropy is the number of microstates that count as the same macrostate. For example, say you flip a bunch of coins and count up the numbers of heads and tails. You don't care which of the coins are heads and which are tails, just the total number. Then the outcome of half heads and half tails could really be many different outcomes, depending on which specific ones are heads and which are tails, but the outcome of all heads could only be one specific outcome. Therefore we say that the entropy of the half heads, half tails outcome is greater. The positions of particles in a gas is analogous. There are many different ways the particles could be distributed evenly, and much fewer ways they could all be gathered in a corner, so we say the even distribution has more entropy. Does that make sense? —[[User:Keenan Pepper|Keenan Pepper]] 16:16, 5 July 2006 (UTC)
Mmh yes it makes sense, but I still don't understand why the global entropy of universe is always going up :) --Max
:: What if I only count whether they're all the same? (all heads or all tails) In this case, do ten (or whatever) coins have 1 bit of entropy? (either all the same or not all the same)? Likewise in this case does a single coin flipped have ZERO entropy? [[User:82.131.188.84|82.131.188.84]] 20:26, 6 July 2006 (UTC) (not the poster)
:::The entropy isn't the information you pay attention to, it's the information you neglect. If you flip ten coins and only pay attention to whether they're all the same, then the entropy of the "same" state is one bit and the entropy of the "different" state is a little less than ten bits. I think... —[[User:Keenan Pepper|Keenan Pepper]] 03:32, 8 July 2006 (UTC)
== pruning calamnodin trees ==
when my small calamondin tree flowers then the small fruits appear, should i take some of them off, leaving only a few to grow? it seems like there are tons of the little fruits!
thank you so much,
karen
:I am not familiar with this variety of tree, so my answer may be incorrect. But in general, when a plant produces a large number of fruits, you ''may'' get better size by culling some of the fruits, so the plant can pump all its energy into the remaining fruits. Google may be able to help you with more specific information on culturing this plant. --[[User:Ginkgo100|Ginkgo100]] <sup>[[User talk:Ginkgo100|''talk'']] · [[Special:Contributions/Ginkgo100|''contribs'']]</sup> 01:05, 6 July 2006 (UTC)
== Does stainless steel absorb odors? ==
Can anyone tell me if stainless steel (used in a dishwasher)absorbs odors? We are having trouble with a foul smell coming from our dishwasher and have had Sears service techs out 3 times, and finally a plumber. The plumber told us the problem "could" be the stainless steel has picked up an odor from the dirty dishes? We are skeptical about this. We feel, if this was the case the odor would remain constant but, the odor increases the more days it sits before being run again.
Thanks for your help,
--[[User:142.231.69.102|142.231.69.102]] 16:29, 5 July 2006 (UTC)
:Something caught in the drain, and rotting, seems the most likely to me. [[User:Philc_0780|<font color="Green">Philc</font>]] <sub>[[User talk:Philc_0780|T]]</sub><sup>[[User:Philc 0780/Esperanza|E]]</sup><sub>[[Special:contributions/Philc_0780|C]]</sub><sup>[[User:Philc_0780/Improve me|I]]</sup> 17:20, 5 July 2006 (UTC)
:Try running the dishwasher empty and see if the smell continues. It could be that it is not draining entirely and dirty water is being left behind where you can't see it. An empty run would flush it clean (hopefully). The solution may be to just run your dishes regularly and if you plan not to, then run an empty load to clean it out. —[[User:BradleyEE|Bradley]] 18:35, 5 July 2006 (UTC)
:Stainless steel ''removes'' odour, as demonstrated by [[Stainless steel soap]]s. -<font color="#FF0000">[[User:Obli|O]]</font>[[User:Obli|bli]] ([[User_talk:Obli|Talk]])<small><sup>[[WP:TALK|?]]</sup></small> 18:38, 5 July 2006 (UTC)
:It's nature's way of punishing you for using such a filthy polluting machine. :) [[User:DirkvdM|DirkvdM]] 18:57, 5 July 2006 (UTC)
I suggest a dead mouse is in the dishwasher, not in the sealed waterproof portion, but rather in the part with the motor. [[User:StuRat|StuRat]] 00:15, 9 July 2006 (UTC)
==Sunburned skin coming off==
When I have burned my skin in the sun, after a few days when it has stopped hurting, the outernmost layer of the skin starts coming off so strongly that I can pull it off in large strips, completely painlessly. The skin layer is very thin (thinner than regular paper), white in colour, semi-transparent and extremely soft. I think this is entirely normal, but what is causing this? [[User:JIP|<font color="#CC0000">J</font><font color="#00CC00">I</font><font color="#0000CC">P</font>]] | [[User talk:JIP|Talk]] 17:05, 5 July 2006 (UTC)
:Peeling, caused by [[sunburn]]. The article explains more. [[User:Philc_0780|<font color="Green">Philc</font>]] <sub>[[User talk:Philc_0780|T]]</sub><sup>[[User:Philc 0780/Esperanza|E]]</sup><sub>[[Special:contributions/Philc_0780|C]]</sub><sup>[[User:Philc_0780/Improve me|I]]</sup> 17:19, 5 July 2006 (UTC)
:I had this, and is not painful, as well as quite disgusting. It eventually goes away, so not to worry. <font color="#007FFF">[[User:Kilo-Lima|Iola]]</font>'''[[User:Kilo-Lima/Esperanza|<font color="#50C878">k</font>]]'''<font color="#007FFF">[[User:Kilo-Lima|ana]]</font>|<sup><font color="orange">[[User talk:Kilo-Lima|T]]</font></sup> 17:46, 5 July 2006 (UTC)
:You can smooth it out with a moisturizing cream if you want to make it less visible, but as Kilo-Lima said, it goes away. -<font color="#FF0000">[[User:Obli|O]]</font>[[User:Obli|bli]] ([[User_talk:Obli|Talk]])<small><sup>[[WP:TALK|?]]</sup></small> 18:40, 5 July 2006 (UTC)
::I hate putting moisturising cream on it, the little flakes just get caught in the cream and stick to you, and the cram go's all gritty because of this, its horrible. [[User:Philc_0780|<font color="Green">Philc</font>]] <sub>[[User talk:Philc_0780|T]]</sub><sup>[[User:Philc 0780/Esperanza|E]]</sup><sub>[[Special:contributions/Philc_0780|C]]</sub><sup>[[User:Philc_0780/Improve me|I]]</sup> 20:06, 5 July 2006 (UTC)
:It may be worth noting that getting sunburned is said to increase the risk of [[skin cancer]]. So it isn't just a question of getting sore and getting better, necessarily. [[User:Notinasnaid|Notinasnaid]] 21:14, 5 July 2006 (UTC)
::The article only explained that the UV radiation causes changes in the skin cells' DNA, causing them to die. Does this directly cause peeling, or what causes the cells to disconnect from the healthy cells underneath? And is the layer of skin only one cell thick? A single skin cell would be completely invisible to the naked eye, but I imagine that if there's many thousands of them, they're visible even if they're in the form of a flat layer. [[User:JIP|<font color="#CC0000">J</font><font color="#00CC00">I</font><font color="#0000CC">P</font>]] | [[User talk:JIP|Talk]] 21:38, 5 July 2006 (UTC)
I am suddenly reminded of [[Austin Powers: Goldmember]], in which the villian, Goldmember, is constantly peeling off pieces of his dried skin and collecting it in a little container. Funny. Disgusting. In fact, here is a quote:
*'''Goldmember:''' (while pulling a piece of skin off himself) Oh yes yes yes, this is a keeper!
- [[User:R_Lee_E|R_Lee_E]] [[Image:Flag of the United States.svg|25px]] ([http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User_talk:R_Lee_E talk], [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:Contributions/R_Lee_E contribs]) 04:26, 6 July 2006 (UTC)
== Video CDs ==
I just got The Matrix trilogy off of BitTorrent. Each of the three are 700mb each. How can I burn them onto CDs so that I can watch them using my DVD player rather than having to watch the .avi's exclusivly on my computer? --[[User:Russoc4|Russoc4]] 17:52, 5 July 2006 (UTC)
:I've used a combination of mencoder and VCDimager. See: [http://www.mplayerhq.hu/DOCS/HTML/en/menc-feat-vcd-dvd.html Using MEncoder to create VCD/SVCD/DVD-compliant files] and [http://www.vcdimager.org/ www.vcdimager.com]. –[[User:Mysid|Mysid]]<sup><font color="#ffa500">[[User talk:Mysid|(t)]]</font></sup> 19:29, 5 July 2006 (UTC)
:Convert them to mpeg with a program such as Nero. By the way, downloading movies from Bittorent is illegal. --[[User:Proficient|Proficient]] 09:30, 6 July 2006 (UTC)
::Transcoding lossily encoded files is evil. Not to mention stupid.--[[User:Frenchman113|Frenchman113 ]] [[User talk:Frenchman113|on wheels!]] 13:35, 8 July 2006 (UTC)
:Unless he (/she) paid for them. -- [[User:Mac_Davis]]
::It's not illegal if you don't get caught.--[[User:Frenchman113|Frenchman113 ]] [[User talk:Frenchman113|on wheels!]] 13:37, 8 July 2006 (UTC)
:Or is in a country where it is legal. [[User:Jon513|Jon513]] 12:34, 7 July 2006 (UTC)
== Clamps ==
Are clamps A)Metal B)Small C)Liquid D)A tool E)An electronic. I would appreciate an answer!
:[http://www.answers.com/clamps&r=67 A tool]. Strange question... -<font color="#FF0000">[[User:Obli|O]]</font>[[User:Obli|bli]] ([[User_talk:Obli|Talk]])<small><sup>[[WP:TALK|?]]</sup></small> 18:43, 5 July 2006 (UTC)
::Groan... See [[#claims]], [[#Clams]] and [[#Cramp]]. <font style="color:#5500BB">'''s'''murrayinch</font>[[WP:EA|<font style="color:green">'''''e'''''</font>]]<font style="color:#5500BB">ster<sup>([[User:Smurrayinchester|User]]), ([[User talk:Smurrayinchester|Talk]])</sup></font> 19:08, 5 July 2006 (UTC)
Are these the English homework questions disguised as valid science ref. desk questions? May be we can expect scale, skill, skull, school etc in the next questions?--[[User:Wikicheng|Wikicheng]] 03:56, 6 July 2006 (UTC)
== steam catapult ==
--[[User:Kkishappy@btinternet.com|Kkishappy@btinternet.com]] 18:38, 5 July 2006 (UTC)please help. who invented the steam catapult?i know they were used on aircraft carriers to launch the 'plane from the ship BUT i am certain they were first used to launch the V1 rockets (doodlebugs)during WW2. --[[User:Kkishappy@btinternet.com|Kkishappy@btinternet.com]] 18:38, 5 July 2006 (UTC)tina
:Have you checked our article on [[steam catapult]]s? Our article on the [[V-1 flying bomb]] doesn't specifically mention the technology used by the launch ramp, but it appears to predate the development of the modern steam catapult. — [[User:Lomn|Lomn]] | [[User talk:Lomn|Talk]] 19:38, 5 July 2006 (UTC)
==Technical Term for Nasally Voice?==
Is there a technical and/or medical term for a nasally or congested sounding voice (ie [[Billy Joe Armstrong]]'s voice)? [[User:HamillianActor|HamillianActor]] 18:45, 5 July 2006 (UTC)
:I've heard it called [[Adenoid]]al.--[[User:Anchoress|Anchoress]] 18:48, 5 July 2006 (UTC)
:The sounds in language produced nasally are called [[Nasal consonant]]s -<font color="#FF0000">[[User:Obli|O]]</font>[[User:Obli|bli]] ([[User_talk:Obli|Talk]])<small><sup>[[WP:TALK|?]]</sup></small> 18:49, 5 July 2006 (UTC)
::Vowels can be [[Nasalization|nasalized]] and become [[nasal vowel]]s. Just listen to a French person saying ''enfant'' or compare the pronunciation of "tackle" and "mangle" carefully. --'''[[User:Kjoonlee|Kjoon]]'''[[User talk:Kjoonlee|lee]] 17:11, 6 July 2006 (UTC)
The technical term is actually "denasalized speech", which you can quickly prove by blocking air and sound flow from your nose with your fingers. Congestion or large adenoids do the same thing. [[User:Alteripse|alteripse]] 01:28, 7 July 2006 (UTC)
== Need sources for [[Battery electric vehicle]] ==
Greetings, esteemed reference desk helpers!
Editors on [[Battery electric vehicle]] are trying to get it in shape for Featured Article status by June 21st when the ''[[Who Killed the Electric Car?]]'' movie opens. We have two pesky {{tl|citation needed}}s which I hope you can help resolve:
* (A) Are there any known instances of people replacing batteries in an electric vehicle as an alternative to recharging? Are there any "automatic" (robotic?) systems which do this?
* (B) Is there a source for the statement that the "greater cost of lithium and zinc air batteries has discouraged their use in commercial vehicles"?
Thanks for the extra eyes on this. [[User:AnAccount2|AnAccount2]] 19:42, 5 July 2006 (UTC)
: It sounds like A is gonna be a doozy. I'll check through some catalogs when I get home tonight to try to get some commercial costs for B - you may find [http://www.digikey.com] or Newark Electronics as a starting place to look for industrial battery prices (I don't know if they sell electric-car batteries but they sell nearly everything else!) [[User:Nimur|Nimur]] 21:04, 5 July 2006 (UTC)
::I sure wouldn't be swapping the batteries in current mass-produced electric vehicles. I'm sure there's one or two somewhere that have batteries a normal human could lift. The common cars have batteries that would require an industrial robot to remove and replace on a regular basis. For reference, the battery backup for my computer weighs over 100 pounds and would barely get a car rolling, let alone run it at 55mph for at least 3 hours. The better viable option would be a removable trunk. You back into an open slot on a charger and remove the trunk. Then, using some batter that doesn't remove, pull forward and back onto the charged up spare trunk. --[[User:Kainaw|Kainaw]] <small><sup>[[User_talk:Kainaw|(talk)]]</sup></small> 00:16, 6 July 2006 (UTC)
== Safety of the Space Shuttle ==
Ever since the Columbia accident, both [[Space Shuttle]] missions since ([[STS-114]] and [[STS-121]]) have been dogged by problems with the foam insulation. But it seems to me that these problems only show up because they're ''looking'' for them: in other words, problems were had with foam insulation before Columbia, they just weren't looked for. Is it a case of problems with foam have been there all along and were only noticed after the Columbia accident, or is it actually a problem that's only recently appeared and happens very rarely, hence the delays experienced in the last two missions (because there is a high probability that these events are fatal, as opposed to a common event which sometimes causes problems)? Thanks, sorry that my question is a bit rambling. [[User:Sum0|Sum0]] 21:34, 5 July 2006 (UTC)
:It's a long-term deal that's only recently become a concern (due to the loss of ''Columbia''). Similarly, tiles from the underside of the shuttle are missing after every re-entry. It's expected behavior and no big deal currently, but you can bet that if a shuttle were lost due to previously-normal tile loss (and if the program weren't then immediately cancelled), the tile issue would move to the forefront much as tank foam has. — [[User:Lomn|Lomn]] | [[User talk:Lomn|Talk]] 21:58, 5 July 2006 (UTC)
:The problem was only made prominent by the loss of ''Columbia.'' I believe. --[[User:Proficient|Proficient]] 09:32, 6 July 2006 (UTC)
:: I heard on the tv (on the FOX news to be precise) that peices of foam will fall off during every lift-off and that there was no way to prevent that from happening. Atleast thats what I think he said. Can anyone confirm that? [[User:Jayant412|Jayant,]][[WP:EA|<font color="green">17 Years,</font>]][[User_talk:Jayant412|<font color="red"> India</font>]] • [[Special:Contributions/Jayant412|contribs]] 13:24, 6 July 2006 (UTC)
:::I don't have a link, but yes, that's correct. What NASA has been spending so much time on is preventing the foam from falling off in pieces large enough to do damage. As I understand it, the pre-launch cracks in foam are a concern because (warning: invented numbers ahead) a 10 cm crack might let a damaging 10 cm chunk of foam fall off when normal non-damaging foam pieces are no bigger than 5 cm. — [[User:Lomn|Lomn]] | [[User talk:Lomn|Talk]] 16:23, 6 July 2006 (UTC)
:If you check out [http://caib.nasa.gov/news/report/pdf/vol1/full/caib_report_volume1.pdf the official report] (11M PDF) on page 127, you'll see a chart of all of the "lower surface damage" events during all of the Shuttle flights. It also indicates the flights that had foam come off of the bipod ramp (the source of the fatal foam on the Columbia). Seven times, including STS-107. In fact, all of Chapter 6 is pretty enlightening when it comes to chronic Shuttle launch problems. -- [[User:Plutor|Plutor]] 17:00, 7 July 2006 (UTC)
==[[Evolution of the horse]]==
I've always wondered why horses have hooves instead of toes and how they evolved? [[:Image:Horseevolution.png|This image]] is really helpful, it shows me how the foot began with five toes, then the other four toes kind of dissapeared overtime. I was pretty sure that in evolution, things don't just disappear (or do they?). My question is, shouldn't modern horses' feet still have remnants of those other four toes? Maybe they're in the form of small bones in the leg, or maybe cartilage? --[[User: Jonathan W|Jonathan]] <sup>[[User talk:Jonathan W|talk]]</sup> 22:29, 5 July 2006 (UTC)
:You are correct. Things rarely just "disappear" in evolution, and some horses will (very rarely) have three toes. One main hoof, and two smaller ones. I think. I'm sure I read that somewhere. Humans, likewise, have hands adapted from fins which have a lot more than 5 "fingers", and [[polydactyly]] at birth is quite common in humans (1 in 400 i think?)
::Actually, the number of digits in the [[tetrapod]] limb stabilized at five shortly after the first tetrapods evolved. [[Polydactyly]] involving more than five digits almost always involves a "repeat" thrown in. That is, one of the five ancestral digits was accidentally repeated. This is different from the case of three toed horses, in which presumably the suppression of two of the ancestral digits failed. --[[User:Ginkgo100|Ginkgo100]] <sup>[[User talk:Ginkgo100|''talk'']] · [[Special:Contributions/Ginkgo100|''contribs'']]</sup> 01:11, 6 July 2006 (UTC)
:: It's mentioned at [[Evolution of the horse#Toes]], for one. [[User:EdC|EdC]] 23:51, 5 July 2006 (UTC)
:They dont dissapear often, my biology textbook (which I've now handed back) had diagrams which showed that just about all vertabrated have the same arm/fore-leg/wing bones, just in different places, and occasionally different structures, things were through evolution elongated, shifted about, shortened, re-shapen, and all manner of things, but ususally the same bones were there. [[User:Philc_0780|<font color="Green">Philc</font>]] <sub>[[User talk:Philc_0780|T]]</sub><sup>[[User:Philc 0780/Esperanza|E]]</sup><sub>[[Special:contributions/Philc_0780|C]]</sub><sup>[[User:Philc_0780/Improve me|I]]</sup> 00:33, 6 July 2006 (UTC)
Thanks for all the answers, you answered my question. I took a closer look at [[:Image:Horseevolution.png|this image]] and appearantly the other four digits have shifted upwards and become these tiny bones at the top of the foot. Thanks for all the answers, though! I thought the [[polydactyly]] article was interesing. --[[User: Jonathan W|Jonathan]] <sup>[[User talk:Jonathan W|talk]]</sup> 03:20, 6 July 2006 (UTC)
:Interestinh how in the skeletal structure it shows the evolution of feet to hooves, yet, in the diagrams, they all clearly have hooves. [[User:Philc_0780|<font color="Green">Philc</font>]] <sub>[[User talk:Philc_0780|T]]</sub><sup>[[User:Philc 0780/Esperanza|E]]</sup><sub>[[Special:contributions/Philc_0780|C]]</sub><sup>[[User:Philc_0780/Improve me|I]]</sup> 21:32, 6 July 2006 (UTC)
::That's because they're horses. Horses have hooves. --[[User:Mboverload|mboverload]][[Special:Emailuser/Mboverload|<font color="red">@</font>]] 22:00, 6 July 2006 (UTC)
:::Maybe you should atleast have a look at [[:Image:Horseevolution.png|the picture]] before making an ass out of yourself. The picture shows the evolution of horses from having '''feet''' to having '''hooves'''. Yet all the diagrams, including those of the diagrams of the ancient horses that have feet, have hooves. [[User:Philc_0780|<font color="Green">Philc</font>]] <sub>[[User talk:Philc_0780|T]]</sub><sup>[[User:Philc 0780/Esperanza|E]]</sup><sub>[[Special:contributions/Philc_0780|C]]</sub><sup>[[User:Philc_0780/Improve me|I]]</sup> 20:36, 7 July 2006 (UTC)
::::Ah, Philc, amiable as ever. [[User:Black Carrot|Black Carrot]] 18:11, 9 July 2006 (UTC)
::::They have hooves, but still have more than one toe. I assume it would be like [[tapirs]] "All tapirs have oval, white-tipped ears, rounded, protruding rear ends with stubby tails, and splayed, '''hoofed toes, with four toes on the front feet''' and three on the hind feet, which help them walk on muddy and soft ground." [[User:Skittle|Skittle]] 19:05, 9 July 2006 (UTC)
== Colostrum Production ==
I am wondering if colostrum is ONLY produced during pregnancy? Can your body produce Colostrum when you're not pregnant? If you have previously given birth,(over 18months) can you still have the production of Colostrum?
Deidre--[[User:209.172.121.91|209.172.121.91]] 23:00, 5 July 2006 (UTC)
*I'm pretty sure it is only produced during pregnancy. I suspect you could stimulate colostrum production with the right hormone mixture but I don't know if that has happened or not. I have never read anything which indicated that colostrum was a one-time deal; if you have multiple births, you can probably have multiple instances of colostrum production. --[[User:Fastfission|Fastfission]] 23:14, 5 July 2006 (UTC)
*Hmm. I wonder if some forms of the pill can cause this: it is supposed to simulate pregnancy to fool the menstrual cycle - it's feasible at least that this could be a side-effect of it. [[User:Grutness|Grutness]]...''<small><font color="#008822">[[User_talk:Grutness|wha?]]</font></small>'' 03:28, 7 July 2006 (UTC)
== Substantial Revision of a Stub ==
Dear Sci Dept.,
I would like to propose a substnatial revision to the stub: Hedgpethia. As a stub, it
only has some taxonomic reference, which was probably given as a group, but there
are at least two meaning s of the world.
1: Hedgpethia. A specific genus of pychnogonids with several species listed in the taxonomic literature. The genus Hedgpethia honors the noted marien biologist, Joel Walker Hedgpeth (1911- ), who was the editor of the 4th edition of "Between Pacific Tides" by Edward F. Ricketts and Jack Calvin, published by Stanford University Press.
2: Hedgpethia: Refers to the scientifc and literary heritage of Joel Walker hedgpeth (1911- ), who published many professional paers on the Pychnogonida (sea spiders), several popular works in marine and coastal biology, and several political and poetical works under the pseudonymn, Jerome Tichenor. This body of work, along with his noteworthy editing of "Between Pacific Tides, 4th edition, published by Stanford University Press, is referred to as Hedgpethia. See also Richard Astro. See also Edward F. (Ed) Ricketts.
Ed: Anyway, as a new registrant I had trouble getting this into the record. You can e-mail me directly about revisions if I have not covered things,
Have Patience,
Randy Smith (Randall W. Smith
Portland State Universty
either: (emails removed to prevent spam)
{{unsigned|Smithran}}
:There should be no trouble with editing an article. Click on 'edit', make the changes, and click on save. You don't even have to register to edit existing articles. --[[User:Kainaw|Kainaw]] <small><sup>[[User_talk:Kainaw|(talk)]]</sup></small> 00:10, 6 July 2006 (UTC)
::And try to mention your sources as much as possible. Wikipedia is already big. Now it's trying to improve its verifiability. [[User:DirkvdM|DirkvdM]] 09:25, 6 July 2006 (UTC)
== Combustion of the atmosphere ==
At what temperature/heat/I don't know the precise term would the Earths atmosphere burn off?
How can this heat/temp... be theoretically reached?
-Agito
:[[Earth's atmosphere#Composition|Earth's atmosphere]] is mostly made up of nitrogen (78%) and oxygen (21%), neither of which is flammable. So Earth's atmosphere cannot possibly "burn off". --[[User:Bowlhover|Bowlhover]] 00:46, 6 July 2006 (UTC)
: Before the invention of the [[Haber-Bosch process]] nitrogen fertilizer was made through the "Birkeland process", pioneered by the company Norsk Hydro. Nitrogen oxides were prepared from air in a light arc. TTBOMK the process is endothermic. To answer your question, it is possible to burn nitrogen, but is will only do so at very high temparatures (2000 °C) and the reaction is not self-sustaining. 00:54, 6 July 2006 (UTC)
::Scientists briefly had the idea in 1945 that if you heated the atmosphere enough, the nitrogen in the the air would undergo a nuclear reaction in which two nitrogen atoms would form a carbon and an oxygen atom with the release of energy, and that this would cause other nearby nitrogen atoms to do the same. This would lead to a chain reaction that ignited the entire atmosphere of earth. However, it was quickly shown that this was unlikely, and nuclear weapons failed to ignite the atmosphere despite reaching temperatures at the center of tens of millions of degrees. So if it could happen, it would require a nuclear reaction and temperatures above the tens of millions of degrees. [[User:Crazywolf|Crazywolf]] 01:06, 6 July 2006 (UTC)
Alright, thanks for trying. Not that any of you could change the laws of physics. Or could you... -Agito
:Who knows. Maybe God is a Wikipedian too. :) [[User:DirkvdM|DirkvdM]] 09:27, 6 July 2006 (UTC)
::If he is, I'm sure he's too busy with vandal patrol to go mucking about with physics :) --[[User:Silvaran|Silvaran]] 17:36, 6 July 2006 (UTC)
:::Ha! I've found him! Turns out he's a bit of a vandal himself: [[User:God]] has been blocked! :) [[User:DirkvdM|DirkvdM]] 19:14, 6 July 2006 (UTC)
== Folder protecting ==
How can I protect my folders in a pc so that nobody can open or see or modify it without knowing the password?
:I assume you mean under windows. In that case, set up an account with a password, and put the folders in that person's documents and settings folder. [[User:Crazywolf|Crazywolf]] 01:17, 6 July 2006 (UTC)
::Or you could put the contents in a compressed (ZIP) folder and password protect that, if you don't want to use multiple XP accounts. —<span style="font: small-caps 14px times; color: red;">[[User:Mets501|Mets<small>501</small>]] ([[User_talk:mets501|talk]])</span> 02:27, 6 July 2006 (UTC)
*What if you don't have Windows XP? You couldn't open more XP accounts if you wanted. Perhaps it would be helpful to the questioner if someone gave an alternative for other Windows versions (or Mac systems for that matter). - [[User:MacGyverMagic|Mgm]]|[[User talk:MacGyverMagic|<sup>(talk)</sup>]] 07:47, 6 July 2006 (UTC)
YOUR SOLUTION: [[Truecrypt]] - bow down before your encryption god. --[[User:Mboverload|mboverload]][[Special:Emailuser/Mboverload|<font color="red">@</font>]] 07:50, 6 July 2006 (UTC)
:There are a lot of freeware utilities on google. If safety is ''really'' an issue, you can put them on a DVD/CD then hide it. Because files can still be decrypted with the proper algorithm. --[[User:Proficient|Proficient]] 09:34, 6 July 2006 (UTC)
::And the password, which with any complexity would take hundreds of years to crack. But yes, if they can't find it, they can't crack it (good advice). BTW: Truecrypt is compeltely opensource, and is the only thing I would trust with my security. Closed sourced encryption software? No thanks! --[[User:Mboverload|mboverload]][[Special:Emailuser/Mboverload|<font color="red">@</font>]] 11:22, 6 July 2006 (UTC)
:::Truecrypt also allows you to create "fake" hidden files, so that you have deniability if you are forced to give up your password if someone guesses it. And there is no known way to tell whether you've done this. [[User:Crazywolf|Crazywolf]] 21:20, 6 July 2006 (UTC)
:If you decide to password protect in a user account in XP, be warned that if Vista was installed pn a separate partition on the hard drive, the vista user would be able to access the "protected" files. I did it myself with my own documents using Vista to get into XP documents without password. It seems that Vista can change the fle security settings without authentication, which seems highly suspect to me. So, I'd reccommend using some freeware utility. [[User:Martinp23|Martinp23]] 13:23, 6 July 2006 (UTC)
== Ugandan Space Program [http://www.time.com/time/time100/worstideas.html] ==
According to Time Magazine, the Ugandan Space Program was one of the worst ideas of the 20th century. I have searched for it, but can find no records of the Ugandan Space Program. Did it ever really exist? [[User:71.31.146.217|71.31.146.217]] 02:47, 6 July 2006 (UTC)
:A fairly extensive database search turns up nothing. The only connection I can find betwen Uganda and space is that a few meteorites fell on a town in Uganda in 1993 or so. It sounds interesting, though, doesn't it? If you want to find out more, your best bet would be to call up Time magazine and stay on the line until you get a real person who can forward you to a person who can forward you to a person who might know. My guess, though, would be that it was more of an in-joke by someon on the Time staff. [[User:Zafiroblue05|zafiroblue05]] | [[User talk:Zafiroblue05|Talk]] 06:11, 6 July 2006 (UTC)
::As a follow-up, you may be interested in [http://www.saao.ac.za/~wgssa/as6/simon.html this] and [http://www.newvision.co.ug/D/120/12/444673 this]. (The guy in the second article was born in educated in the US; the first article is further proof that a space program is a little bit out of Uganda's reach.) [[User:Zafiroblue05|zafiroblue05]] | [[User talk:Zafiroblue05|Talk]] 06:17, 6 July 2006 (UTC)
::Finally, there's [http://www.un.org/events/unispace3/speeches/20uga.htm this]. Ugandans may be as interested in space as anyone else, but I find it highly unlikely that they ever had anything that anyone could (even unreasonably) call a "space program." [[User:Zafiroblue05|zafiroblue05]] | [[User talk:Zafiroblue05|Talk]] 06:20, 6 July 2006 (UTC)
: [[Uganda]] is on [[Earth]]. Earth is in [[space]]. Uganda is in space. ...
: I think you may call every Ugandan male person a space man. ... -- [[User:Toytoy|Toytoy]] 06:10, 6 July 2006 (UTC)
::And they're probably stardust too.
:::Probably!~ unless there are any pure hydrogen/helium ugandans out there, definately! [[User:Philc_0780|<font color="Green">Philc</font>]] <sub>[[User talk:Philc_0780|T]]</sub><sup>[[User:Philc 0780/Esperanza|E]]</sup><sub>[[Special:contributions/Philc_0780|C]]</sub><sup>[[User:Philc_0780/Improve me|I]]</sup> 14:45, 6 July 2006 (UTC)
::But seriously, we associate space programs with wads of money, but much of that goes into research, more than the actual building of the spaceship (can anyone quantify this?). A country like Uganda would probably have the money to do the latter (and it's in a good position for a launch - at the equator). All that is needed is someone with a bright idea. The big contest between the US and the USSR was really between two scientists - for the US [[Werner von Braun]], the inventor of the [[V2]] rockets, who went for the single-rocket design and [[Sergey Korolyov]] who successfully went for the more complicated multi-rocket design (until he died in 1960, which gave the US the chance to catch up 10 years later). It is not inconceivable that someone would look all this over and say "hold on, .... " (you fill in the dots and get famous). And why shouldn't that have been a Ugandan? Chances will be lower (fewer people with less technical education I imagine), but that doesn't make it impossible. The point is it takes just one brilliant mind. [[User:DirkvdM|DirkvdM]] 09:45, 6 July 2006 (UTC)
:Come on Dirk. A brilliant mind by itself is writing science fiction. A brilliant mind needs a billion doctors and a hundred engineers and technicians to get into space. [[User:Alteripse|alteripse]] 10:47, 6 July 2006 (UTC)
::I wasn't being clear. I meant someone could come up with a simple solution that wouldn't need all the expensive research, just off-the-shelf stuff. Could still be possible. I'll startt thinking right now .... :) [[User:DirkvdM|DirkvdM]] 19:19, 6 July 2006 (UTC)
:Was it perhaps Uganda that was demanding other countries pay rent for using their "air space" for geosynchronous satellites? I think they had threatened they would remove unauthorized geosynchronous satellites. —[[User:BradleyEE|Bradley]] 17:06, 6 July 2006 (UTC)
::"Remove"? How? They're not going to shoot them down! [[User:Zafiroblue05|zafiroblue05]] | [[User talk:Zafiroblue05|Talk]] 05:18, 7 July 2006 (UTC)
== So who's the parasite? ==
Anyone know what tree parasite this is? --[[User:Jpgordon|jpgordon]][[User talk:Jpgordon|∇∆∇∆]] 02:55, 6 July 2006 (UTC)[[Image:Tree parasite.jpg|300px]]
:Can we have a hint? (Where was the image taken, what season, etc.?) Or is this a contest? :D [[User:TenOfAllTrades|TenOfAllTrades]]([[User_talk:TenOfAllTrades|talk]]) 03:04, 6 July 2006 (UTC)
::[[Kernville, California]], July 4, 7am. --[[User:Jpgordon|jpgordon]][[User talk:Jpgordon|∇∆∇∆]] 07:35, 6 July 2006 (UTC)
:A [[Mistletoe]]? -<font color="#FF0000">[[User:Obli|O]]</font>[[User:Obli|bli]] ([[User_talk:Obli|Talk]])<small><sup>[[WP:TALK|?]]</sup></small> 08:10, 6 July 2006 (UTC)
::Could be, but I've not found a mistletoe pic that looks like it. But there are lots of species of mistletoe. --[[User:Jpgordon|jpgordon]][[User talk:Jpgordon|∇∆∇∆]] 15:00, 6 July 2006 (UTC)
::It looks quite similar to the Juniper Mistletoe that is quite common here in northern Arizona. I don't know if it is also found in southern california or not though. Here is a picture (not very good) of juniper mistletoe:[http://www.forestryimages.org/browse/detail.cfm?imgnum=1442097] Do you know what kind of tree the parasite is attached to? It's clearly not a juniper but there is a similar species called the Dwarf Mistletoe that feeds on some varieties of [[spruce]] and [[pine]] trees. --[[User:Nebular110|Nebular110]] 18:36, 6 July 2006 (UTC)
:::It's an Italian Pine. (For some reason someone out here wasn't satisfied with the vast numbers of Grey and Jeffrey pines around here, and decided to decorate our property with Italians.) --[[User:Jpgordon|jpgordon]][[User talk:Jpgordon|∇∆∇∆]] 02:45, 7 July 2006 (UTC)
::::I can't find anything about a tree called Italian Pine. Do you perhaps mean [[Italian stone pine]]? --[[User:Nebular110|Nebular110]] 04:50, 7 July 2006 (UTC)
:::::I'm not really sure! I just know what people around here call it. Our tree guy will be here next week, and I'll find out more. But the parasite does look like the dwarf mistletoe. Once it's verified, I think I'll stick that pic on the Mistletoe article. --[[User:Jpgordon|jpgordon]][[User talk:Jpgordon|∇∆∇∆]] 13:58, 7 July 2006 (UTC)
::::::A-ha! Turns out that it's a local name -- perhaps so local it's just my wife and her friends using it -- for the [[Aleppo Pine]]. --[[User:Jpgordon|jpgordon]][[User talk:Jpgordon|∇∆∇∆]] 15:28, 7 July 2006 (UTC)
:::::: A little research showed that dwarf mistletoe is fairly common on Aleppo pines. So that's a possibility. Being the nerd that I am, I would be interested to know what the tree guy says. Let me know when you find out! --[[User:Nebular110|Nebular110]] 15:38, 7 July 2006 (UTC)
:::::::Will do! (And as it happens, the full local name is "Goddamn Italian pines"; our friends up here tend to be quite biased against non-native plants.) --[[User:Jpgordon|jpgordon]][[User talk:Jpgordon|∇∆∇∆]] 20:07, 7 July 2006 (UTC)
== Genital herpes/warts? ==
I am 15 years old and have never had any genital sexual contact whatsoever. I have sore-like blisters on the base of my penis (on the under side), they dont have that "cauliflour-cluster" look to them. Could I have genital herpes? I don't know how I could have gotten it. Thank you in advance.
:Disclaimer: I'm not a doctor, and even if I were I wouldn't dispense medical advice online.
: First, if you've had no sexual contact of any sort, it's unlikely to be an STD. Some STDs can be transmitted via oral or anal sex, though, so if you've engaged in those it could be.
:That said, there are several conditions that can cause your symptoms. See, for instance, [http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/003221.htm this Medline article]. The only way to find out what's going on is to see your doctor. It may be embarassing for you, but I assure you your doctor has seen far worse. Make an appointment soon. --[[User:Antifamilymang|George]] 03:51, 6 July 2006 (UTC)
:Could you? Possibly. You could also have [[pearly penile papules]]. You could have [[Behçet's syndrome]]. You could have a lot of things that don't involve sexual contact. You doctor would know the difference between them. - [[User:Nunh-huh|Nunh-huh]] 03:55, 6 July 2006 (UTC)
:Maybe you just rubbed or scratched it too much. You don't get herpes or warts (HPV) from toilet seats, so I'd not worry about that. Doctors can be good though, they are professionals and life will be easier if you just bite the bullet and get used to talking to them. —[[User:BradleyEE|Bradley]] 05:17, 6 July 2006 (UTC)
::You may feel embarassed, but doctors see this kind of thing '''MULTIPLE TIMES A DAY'''. It's nothing to be ashamed of asking about and they would be more than happy to answer you. They know what it felt like to be a teenager, and they want to help out. --[[User:Mboverload|mboverload]][[Special:Emailuser/Mboverload|<font color="red">@</font>]] 05:48, 6 July 2006 (UTC)
:::I agree. There's no reason to be embarrassed whatsoever in front of your doctor. If you're too embarrassed to phone up/ask your parents to book an appointment about this particular problem, just claim it's for something else - stomach aches or something non-serious but which you want to have checked out. When I had a problem in that area a while ago, I didn't want to tell my parents all the details, so I just claimed I was suffering from loss of appetite and stomach aches and explained all the details to my doctor instead. Turned out fine. [[User:Sum0|Sum0]] 16:12, 6 July 2006 (UTC)
::::I advise keeping it a complete secret, and hoping it goes away. That will never, ever go wrong. [[User:Black Carrot|Black Carrot]] 19:19, 6 July 2006 (UTC)
:::::Black Carrot, be careful, [[sarcasm]] can often be lost online. [[User:Jon513|Jon513]] 12:30, 7 July 2006 (UTC)
you most likely have pearly papules. theyre very common, even i have them. my question is do you feel pain? or is there any other unusual things you see/feel? -[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:PitchBlack PitchBlack]
== testosterone and interstitial cells ==
How does a testosterone injection effect the bodies own production of testosterone?--[[User:141.151.172.161|141.151.172.161]] 07:01, 6 July 2006 (UTC)
:Check [[testosterone]] and you will find out that (a) the effect varies enormously by age and sex of the recipient, and (b) few of the effects involve the interstitial cells. [[User:Alteripse|alteripse]] 10:34, 6 July 2006 (UTC)
== CAN I DRAW GRAPHS IN MICROSOFT WORD? ==
'''thanx my problem has been solved..by following ur steps!!!.'''
i need help! i have data in word and to transfer it to excel is a hectic job coz data in word is in tabular form but when i copy it and try to paste it in excel it pastes all data either in a single row or single column so can i draw graph in word not in excel?
:You can try this: Copy the table from Word to a text file. Then try to open the text file in excel. It opens up a Text Import Wizard. Choose ''delimited'' and choose ''tab'' as the delimiter. This should open up the file in excel in a neat format. (You may need to fiddle around with some scattered cells, if the delimiting is not proper). Use this excel sheet to draw your graph.--[[User:Wikicheng|Wikicheng]] 11:03, 6 July 2006 (UTC)
your idea is perfect for my problem but kindly explain a little bit more ..i m having problem doing this..thanx (unsigned comment moved to the end; it was at the start where it would be missed).
:I have created a powerpoint presentation with step by step screenshots for this. But I am not sure where I can upload it so that you can download. I looked into the ''Upload file'' page but I think it applies to image files. What do I do with my ppt file? Can someone help me?--[[User:Wikicheng|Wikicheng]] 12:59, 6 July 2006 (UTC)
::Wow, that's very helpful. E-mail would probably be the easiest, if the user has e-mail enabled. — [[User:Knowledge Seeker|Knowledge Seeker]] [[User talk:Knowledge Seeker|দ]] 15:04, 6 July 2006 (UTC)
It depends on what you mean by tabular form;
*If you mean that the data is already in a table, you don't need to do the above - it just has to do with the way that you highlight your data in Word. You need to highlight the ''cells only'', and not the table as a whole. To do this, click in the top left cell when the arrow turns to a small, diagonally-pointing black arrow, and drag over the whole table to the last cell, being careful not to go outside the table. Hit copy, go into Excel. Don't highlight any cells in excel, just push paste on the cell that you want to be the starting cell.
*If the data is separated by tabs, then yes you would need to do what Wikicheng said.[[User:BenC7|BenC7]] 02:40, 7 July 2006 (UTC)
== Fixpoints On Cars - What Is A Fixpoint? ==
If I want a Ford Fiesta, I can get a 5 door hatchback with or without a 'fixpoint' - what is a 'fixpoint'? --[[User:Username132|Username132]] ([[User talk:Username132|talk]]), <font colour="red">UK or Netherlands</font> 10:35, 6 July 2006 (UTC)
:[http://images.google.com.au/images?hs=1O8&hl=en&client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&q=fixpoint%20&btnG=Search&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wi] I think it's something to do with a roof rack. – [[User:Albinomonkey|AlbinoMonkey]] <sup>([[User talk:Albinomonkey|Talk]])</sup> 13:04, 6 July 2006 (UTC)
:Indeed. It's like a bar attached to the car, a ''fixed point.'' --[[User:Proficient|Proficient]] 16:20, 6 July 2006 (UTC)
::I don't understand - is it something you attach the roof rack to? You make it sound like a permenant roof rack but there is a website [http://www.roofracks.co.uk/main/thule_framset.htm] that sells roof racks and lists cars with 'fixpoints'. If it's something you fix the roof rack to, how do you fix a roof rack to a car with nothing to fix the roof rack to?
::My problem is that I have roof rack bars from a Fiesta and I want to affix them to a Corsa (which I wont have access to until I'm 6 hours from home (in Harwich)). The website I checked recommended the SAME roof rack bars for both cars so long as the 'fixpoint' option is selected for each car. From this I can deduce that the bars will fit the Corsa, so long as both cars were of the 'fixpoint' category. Thus, I ask again; 'what is a fixpoint'? --[[User:Username132|Username132]] ([[User talk:Username132|talk]]), <font colour="red">UK or Netherlands</font> 19:26, 6 July 2006 (UTC)
:::According to [http://www.roofrackshop.com/roof_rack_FAQs.asp#4], <i>"A Fixpoint is a recessed, roof mounted, fixture point on a vehicle which normally comprises of a threaded hole or metal profile. Fixpoints are generally concealed by lift up covers, slide back covers or plastic plugs."</i>.
:::I gather it is the place where you attach roof rack bars to your car, so you will definitely need a fixpoint if you want the bars. Apparently they come with different threads (ie where you screw a screw into), but since the website lists the same roof rack, I guess the fixpoint on the Fiesta and the Corsa have the same size/thread. I'd suggest you just give Thule or whoever a call to make sure though. – [[User:Albinomonkey|AlbinoMonkey]] <sup>([[User talk:Albinomonkey|Talk]])</sup> 03:15, 7 July 2006 (UTC)
== NANO ==
WHAT YOU MEAN BY NANO?
Tiny, usually. Don't yell. [[User:Alteripse|alteripse]] 10:44, 6 July 2006 (UTC)
:If you wish to know what something means, you can write it in the search box. See [[nano]]. –[[User:Mysid|Mysid]]<sup><font color="#ffa500">[[User talk:Mysid|(t)]]</font></sup> 10:58, 6 July 2006 (UTC)
:It means extremely small. But I've also seen it used to mean [[nanotechnology]], which is "the science and technology of building electronic circuits and devices from single atoms and molecules." --[[User:Proficient|Proficient]] 16:22, 6 July 2006 (UTC)
:When used in a technical context it refers to things done in the scale of nanometers (one-billionth of a meter). Which is pretty tiny. --[[User:Fastfission|Fastfission]] 17:39, 6 July 2006 (UTC)
:[[Nano (text editor)|Nano]] is also a text editor. --[[User:Kainaw|Kainaw]] <small><sup>[[User_talk:Kainaw|(talk)]]</sup></small> 18:03, 6 July 2006 (UTC)
::According to my dad, when he and his friends used to play [[spades]] they called it "nano" when they were betting zero. [[User:Black Carrot|Black Carrot]] 19:14, 6 July 2006 (UTC)
:Come on guys, this is an [[SI]] thing, so it's simple. Nano is a prefix that means 10<sup>−9</sup> (or one-billionth). These prefixes can be used for any unit of measurement, including the metre, so you get namometre (nm). Which led to the simplified meaning 'very small' (just as mega and giga got to mean 'very big') and all the rest followed from that. Except maybe for the "Na-Nu Na-Nu" in [[Mork and Mindy]]. [[User:DirkvdM|DirkvdM]] 19:29, 6 July 2006 (UTC)
::That's not necessarily the entire cause and effect, since I believe (if [[University Challenge]] is to be believed) that 'nano' itself comes from a word meaning 'dwarf' in Greek (?), hence was chosen as a word that meant 'very small'. So a bit of feedback in the evolution of the word (I was going to write 'linguistic evolution', but last time I did that I got a snide reply from an anon). [[User:Skittle|Skittle]] 18:44, 9 July 2006 (UTC)
:It's an [[iPod]]. --[[User:LarryMac|LarryMac]] 19:43, 6 July 2006 (UTC)
== Shipping a hard drive (with data) safely ==
I'm going to be sending a hard drive full of data from the UK to the US fairly soon. Obviously, I'll package it well to protect against physical damage, but what are the chances of data loss due to being X-rayed, or whatever else they do with parcels sent between countries, and are there any recommendations for protecting against data loss?
Thanks, --[[User:Noodhoog|Noodhoog]] 15:20, 6 July 2006 (UTC)
:It appears not, [http://www.dpchallenge.com/forum.php?action=read&FORUM_THREAD_ID=258655]. <font color="#007FFF">[[User:Kilo-Lima|Iola]]</font>'''[[User:Kilo-Lima/Esperanza|<font color="#50C878">k</font>]]'''<font color="#007FFF">[[User:Kilo-Lima|ana]]</font>|<sup><font color="orange">[[User talk:Kilo-Lima|T]]</font></sup> 16:08, 6 July 2006 (UTC)
:I've had computers (laptops), cameras, etc. scanned without the cases and nothing has happened to them in airports. It should be safe. But just to be absolutely sure, make sure that you back-up the information that you are going to send in the hard drive so that in the rare circumstance that the data does get corrupted, you can have the data safely with you to perhaps re-send or something along those lines. --[[User:Proficient|Proficient]] 16:24, 6 July 2006 (UTC)
:X-rays will have no effect on your electronics. I would be much more concerned about the likely physical handling that your drive will receive. If there's anything important on the drive, make sure you have a backup in a safe ___location. [[User:TenOfAllTrades|TenOfAllTrades]]([[User_talk:TenOfAllTrades|talk]]) 17:55, 6 July 2006 (UTC)
:If it's important enough to be on a hard disk it's important enough to have a backup, whether you send it somewhere or not. Actually, now that you send it, you should make a backup of the backup, although some say you should have that in the first place, so now you should make a backup of the backup of the backup. Unless you already have that, but then it's better to be safe than sorry. Also, you should preferably have your backups on different media and in different locations. But if the hd arrives in the US safely you'll have one in a differnt continent. Lucky you.
:Anyway, one extra precaution might be to put it in one of those special hd-bags (which it came in probably). I'm not sure what they protect against, though. Probably electric discharge. But they'll be shipped in those for a reason, I suppose. [[User:DirkvdM|DirkvdM]] 19:33, 6 July 2006 (UTC)
:I would suggest surrounding it tightly with several layers of bubble wrap, and putting that in a somewhat rigid container(the box it came in) filled with packing peanuts or bubblewrap. That always seemed to work for throwing eggs off of buildings. I would then surround that with conductive wire mesh, to protect it from magnetic damage and electro-magnetic pulses, and put it in a large, securely locked combination safe packed tightly with trained attack dogs. Actually, just the first part should work. [[User:Crazywolf|Crazywolf]] 20:28, 6 July 2006 (UTC)
::Thanks for the replies folks.. I fully intend to keep a backup at home, so if anything happens on the way I can just send another copy, but it seems most of the concerns are with physical damage, so I'll just make sure it's well protected and hope for the best :) --[[User:Noodhoog|Noodhoog]] 21:22, 6 July 2006 (UTC)
If there is a way for you to "park" the hard drive, I would do that, too. [[User:StuRat|StuRat]] 00:29, 7 July 2006 (UTC)
:I suppose that the modern drives have 'auto park' and hence no need to worry about parking (moving the heads to a safe area, away from the data)--[[User:Wikicheng|Wikicheng]] 04:19, 7 July 2006 (UTC)
::I ship a lot of drives for work, and we use something similar to this[http://www.casesbypelican.com/hdrives.htm] case, with the drive in an anti-static bag first. --[[User:WhiteDragon|WhiteDragon]] 14:56, 7 July 2006 (UTC)
== University and career prospects ==
I'm at the age where I'm going to have to start thinking about choosing a university for next year and a subject, so I'm looking for some advice. My plans seem a little ambitious, so I'm trying to find out if they're plausible. Basically, my plan is to get a degree in medicine, which at the university I'm looking at gives me two years in another subject of my choice (which I think will be Biological Sciences or Genetics), and spend x years as a doctor in a field connected with genetics or biology. Then I'd like to get a job in biology research, hopefully genetics, and/or get a degree in Biological Sciences or Genetics. Finally, if all goes well, I'd love to join the [[ESA#Astronaut_Corps|ESA Astronaut Corps]] or whatever they have then, although obviously that's a long way off.
So is this over-stretching myself, or plausible? Is it sensible for me to work as a doctor and then suddenly become a scientist? Should I just concentrate on being one or the other? Thanks. [[User:Sum0|Sum0]] 16:28, 6 July 2006 (UTC)
: Hello, Sum0. From your user page, i'm assuming you are talking about the British educational system. In some UK universities you can get a combined [[BSc]] in a biological science and a [[Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery|Medicinæ Baccalaureus]], this may be your best bet if you wish to be a medical doctor who engages in research. Afterwards, you would still probably have to do an [[Doctor of medicine|Medicinæ Doctor]], so you have a research qualification (as, unlike US MDs, most British medical degrees do not have research components and thus are not "proper" doctorates). Medical doctors without a research degree (such as a [[PhD]] or MD) rarely do significant research in the UK. However, if you simply wished to work as a research technician then you could do so with a BSc, but you would be very over qualified for such a job if you were already a medical doctor. Elsewhere, particularly the US, you can do a combined postgraduate PhD/MD degree. As for joining the Astronaut Corp - if that is your dream then you should aim for it (though i would advise making sure you fit the physical and health requirements, as it would be very disappointing to structure your entire education towards that only to fail on something that is outwith your control). My only advice would be to be wary of planning out your life too strictly, many people change their career plans after the attend university, when they learn that they do not enjoy their chosen subject as much as they thought they might. I happen to have experience of both medicine and genetics research in the UK (though not of the Astronaut Corps!), so feel free to drop a not on my talk page if you would like a more specific answer to anything. '''[[User:Rockpocket|<font color="green">Rockpock</font>]]<font color="black">e</font>[[User_talk:Rockpocket|<font color="green">t</font>]]''' 18:09, 6 July 2006 (UTC)
::Thank you, that's very helpful. I agree about not planning out my life too strictly: this plan is just something I'm considering, and it's going to take a lot of thought before I settle on anything. You sound like the one to ask if I have any questions, which I'm sure I will! [[User:Sum0|Sum0]] 18:59, 6 July 2006 (UTC)
== PDF page transformations in Linux ==
I'd like to take a regular 8.5x11in (WxH) PDF document and print it:
* Double-sided/duplex
* 2 document pages per physical page
* Each page individually foldable to make a booklet
Here's the idea...
* Take pages 1, 2, 3 and 4.
* Scale them to 5.5x8.5.
* Arrange 2 and 3 side-by-side, left to right.
* Print this on landscape letter (11x8.5).
* Do the same with 1 and 4, printing on the other side.
Now when we fold the landscape sheet along a vertical fold, we end up with a booklet, that when opened naturally, looks like a 4-page booklet with the pages in the proper order. Page 1 on the front, 4 on the back, and 2-3 on the inside.
Do this 100 more times and stack the booklet, and you have yourself a book.
I thought it might be simpler to transform the original PDF document with a few command-line (Linux--Ubuntu Dapper, specifically) utils first, then manually run it off a few pages at a time to see how things turn out.
Any ideas? --[[User:Silvaran|Silvaran]] 17:30, 6 July 2006 (UTC)
:I could imagine a very complicated way of doing this with a combination of [[ImageMagick]] (rasterize PDF pages) and [[PDFLib]] (position them in a new document), but it would probably require using a scripting medium as well (i.e. [[PHP]], which can work with both of those). Not sure if that is too complicated for your purposes or not. --[[User:Fastfission|Fastfission]] 17:35, 6 July 2006 (UTC)
:Also, I don't know about Linux, but you could probably make Adobe Reader output pages like that to the printer (or to postscript?) with its options under its print menu. If I were doing this on a Windows machine that's probably what I'd try first — see if I could get it to print to a postscript file and then convert that back to PDF. --[[User:Fastfission|Fastfission]] 17:37, 6 July 2006 (UTC)
::Convert it to PostScript using <code>pdf2ps</code>, and use <code>psnup</code>, which is in psutils, to rearrange the pages. I tried the same on a 220-page book myself, but couldn't get it to work. Instead, I familiarized myself with PostScript and wrote a rearranging script myself. I don't recommend it to anyone... –[[User:Mysid|Mysid]]<sup><font color="#ffa500">[[User talk:Mysid|(t)]]</font></sup> 19:51, 6 July 2006 (UTC)
Got it:
* Use pdfjam (package name in Ubuntu, anyways): "pdfnup source.pdf --pages 2,3,4,1 --outfile output.pdf"
* Print page 1 of output.pdf
* Re-feed the paper into the printer so it prints on the other side
* Print page 2 of output.pdf
* Fold the page with the fold on the left side, and the lowest-numbered page is on the "front".
I wrote a script to pipe everything to two different PDFs, print the first PDF, re-feed the printed sheets to the printer, and (because of the way the pages come out of and go into the printer), print the second PDF backwards.
Fold each page individually, stack them, then bind :). --[[User:Silvaran|Silvaran]] 20:40, 6 July 2006 (UTC)
== Bug identification ==
<gallery>
Image:Mystery bug1.JPG
Image:Mystery bug2.jpg
Image:Mystery bug3.jpg
Image:Mystery bug4.jpg
</gallery>
I found this little bug today, its camouflage led me to believe it was an old leaf until it moved. One of its wings is partly crooked, it sems like an injury, considering the other wing isn't crooked. The pictures are taken in Sweden and the bug is about 15 mm long. Any ideas on which species (of moth?) it is? -<font color="#FF0000">[[User:Obli|O]]</font>[[User:Obli|bli]] ([[User_talk:Obli|Talk]])<small><sup>[[WP:TALK|?]]</sup></small> 19:33, 6 July 2006 (UTC)
:I can't see too well, but the crooked wing looks like one that hasn't yet fully inflated after the insect (or 'bug' as you rudely call it) was 'born' out of a [[pupa]]. What it is, I haven't a clue, though. [[User:DirkvdM|DirkvdM]] 19:44, 6 July 2006 (UTC)
::I've uploaded a better image of the wings, but what you say makes sense. -<font color="#FF0000">[[User:Obli|O]]</font>[[User:Obli|bli]] ([[User_talk:Obli|Talk]])<small><sup>[[WP:TALK|?]]</sup></small> 19:50, 6 July 2006 (UTC)
:I think it looks like a [[moth]], or possibly a moth larva. <font color="#007FFF">[[User:Kilo-Lima|Iola]]</font>'''[[User:Kilo-Lima/Esperanza|<font color="#50C878">k</font>]]'''<font color="#007FFF">[[User:Kilo-Lima|ana]]</font>|<sup><font color="orange">[[User talk:Kilo-Lima|T]]</font></sup> 21:03, 6 July 2006 (UTC)
:It's an [[olethreutidae|olethreutid]] moth with malformed wings. Not uncommon. Peace, [[User:Dyanega|Dyanega]] 03:31, 7 July 2006 (UTC)
== Iontophoresis Device ==
How would one set about building an iontophoresis device?
:Carefully? [[Iontophoresis]] isn't really something that you want to be experimenting with at home without medical supervision. (Any time you start mucking about with stuff that makes good electrical contact with the body you need to be ''very'' careful.) [[User:TenOfAllTrades|TenOfAllTrades]]([[User_talk:TenOfAllTrades|talk]]) 22:56, 6 July 2006 (UTC)
== Recover Hard Drive Table Information From Previously "Mounted" Drive ==
I have three hard drives in my computer, connected to IDE1 Primary and Secondary, and IDE2 Primary.
The bootable drive (Seagate 200GB) is partitioned into 20GB (boot) and 160GB (data).
There are two drives I use for media, a Seagate 400GB and a WD 200GB.
I reinstalled Windows XP onto the 20GB boot partition and then SP1 so that I could accurately manage 137GB+ drives. Unfortunately, things didn't return (obviously) as they were before.
I previously had mounted the the WD 200GB (a drive for media) into a directory on the 400GB, effectively making it a "600 GB hdd". Now, however, the old 'mounted' WD 200GB drive isn't being properly recognized in Windows. It recognizes there is indeed a drive, but it appears as a blank, raw drive with no filesystem. All other drives (and partitions) are accurately displayed.
I used data recovery tools on the drive to see if my data had gone missing--it isn't, it's still intact. This leads me to believe (through my very ignorant knowledge of hard drives) that the tables which control filesystems are incorrect on the drive, possibly/probably due to it being 'mounted' in a hard drive directory previously. I've tried to Google for an answer here, but no luck, so I beg your assistance. I've tried the drive on multiple cables and IDE1/2 and master/slave, but no luck, Windows always fails to properly handle this one drive.
I refuse (unless that become my ONLY option) to let ChkDsk run its course on start up, as I've had it corrupt data on hard drives in the past when in similar situations. I think I need to force Windows to read this drive as the NTFS system it is.. but how? Or how to rebuild that table?
(I'm also aware that I could always buy a new HDD to copy the data to through a recovery program, but financially that isn't a good solution.)
If you need any other information, I will provide it ASAP. Thank you for your time!
--[[User:67.82.24.34|67.82.24.34]] 02:30, 7 July 2006 (UTC)MCS
:I'd need some more information to be any help. Here are some basic questions to make sure I understand whats what:
:* When you say you "mounted the the WD 200GB into a directory on the 400GB", how and what exactly did you do.
:* What system were the drives working under, when they worked? XP? XP SP1? NT? 2000? ...?
:* Basically, I need more understanding what's gone on. This is what I need, in summary:
:*# How were they set up when it worked, and what system were you running?
:*# How did they appear in Windows and under Disk management?
:*# What filing systems were you using (FAT32/NTFS) for each partition?
:*# What ''exactly'' did you do, or change?
:*# What works and what doesn't work now, after changing it?
:*# What have you tried to do, to fix or diagnose it, so far?
:Answer those and I'll try to help you through it. Luck! [[user:FT2|FT2]] <sup><span style="font-style:italic">([[User_talk:FT2|Talk]] | [[Special:Emailuser/FT2|email]])</span></sup> 20:48, 8 July 2006 (UTC)
== PHP developing environment ==
I'm looking for a good (free) PHP developing environment. Any one got a suggestion? [[User:Oskar Sigvardsson|Oskar]] 03:48, 7 July 2006 (UTC)
: I use the [[Eclipse IDE]] for Java work, but it is also compatible with PHP after a [free] plug-in is downloaded. I've found it nice, so that may be a good starting point. [[User:Titoxd|Tito]][[Wikipedia:Esperanza|<span style="color:#008000;">xd</span>]]<sup>([[User talk:Titoxd|?!?]])</sup> 03:52, 7 July 2006 (UTC)
:I use [[Notepad++]] in windows and [[Kate (text editor)|Kate]] in linux. [[User:Jon513|Jon513]] 12:24, 7 July 2006 (UTC)
::I also use [[Kate (text editor)|Kate]] in [[KDE]] and [[Nano (text editor)|Nano]] when I only have a shell. --[[User:Kainaw|Kainaw]] <small><sup>[[User_talk:Kainaw|(talk)]]</sup></small> 16:34, 7 July 2006 (UTC)
:I use [[TextWrangler]] on Mac OS X. It's awesome. --[[User:Fastfission|Fastfission]] 16:31, 7 July 2006 (UTC)
== Excel sheet to powerpoint ==
how to fit the excel sheet in power point slide?..i m getting lots of problems doing this.
:You have already asked this question on the miscellaneous reference desk. Please do not double post. Your question has been answered over there. <font color="#007FFF">[[User:Kilo-Lima|Iola]]</font>'''[[User:Kilo-Lima/Esperanza|<font color="#50C878">k</font>]]'''<font color="#007FFF">[[User:Kilo-Lima|ana]]</font>|<sup><font color="orange">[[User talk:Kilo-Lima|T]]</font></sup> 10:45, 7 July 2006 (UTC)
== Anti Gravity ==
Is it possible to achieve an anti gravitational effect on earth excluding the sensation aquired by allowing a plane to freefall. --[[User:74.136.8.13|74.136.8.13]] 05:36, 7 July 2006 (UTC)Anton
*monkey--[[User:152.163.100.74|152.163.100.74]] 05:50, 7 July 2006 (UTC)
:I'm not certain what you mean by an "anti-gravitational effect", but we feel gravity when we're in contact with the ground or some solid object in contact with the ground. People in free fall (whether it be onboard an orbiting satellite, in a malfunctioning plane, or on an amusement park ride) will experience weightlessness. — [[User:Knowledge Seeker|Knowledge Seeker]] [[User talk:Knowledge Seeker|দ]] 05:56, 7 July 2006 (UTC)
::You can achieve the ''effect'' of [[anti-gravity]], but not anti-gravity itself. If you don't fancy the [[Vomit Comet]], you could always ride a [[roller coaster]], which is the same sensation but over a much shorter period of time, or [[sky diving]]. [[Scuba diving]] provides a similar sensation.--[[User:Shantavira|Shantavira]] 06:06, 7 July 2006 (UTC)
::You could also sit yourself on some super powerful magnets, and make it appear as if you are defying gravity, but arguably that's no more anti-gravitational than sitting on the seat in your car. [[User:Freshgavin|<font size="-2" color="white" style="background:blue"> freshofftheufo</font>]][[User_talk:Freshgavin|<font size="-2" color="blue">ΓΛĿЌ </font>]] 06:18, 7 July 2006 (UTC)
there's a company that used to make anti-gravity pads, but they went out of fashion about the same time red/blue 3-D theaters did. [[User:82.131.188.167|82.131.188.167]] 06:20, 7 July 2006 (UTC).
::[Edit conflict.. grrr] I suppose you mean [[weightlessness]]. As Knowledge Seeker mentioned, you feel the weight when there is gravity acting on you ''and'' when there is something obstructing your ''fall'' towards the object that is attracting you. When there is nothing to obstruct your fall, you actually move freely (fall) towards the object and also experience weightlessness. So in effect, whenever you fall towards earth, (in a plane, in a freefalling lift, jump from a height etc) you experience weightlessness. An exception to this could be [[Lagrange_point]]s. I thought that these are the points in space where the gravities of two bodies cancel each other but the article seems to suggest some deeper meaning. I am not qualified enough to explain these Lagrange_points --[[User:Wikicheng|Wikicheng]] 06:24, 7 July 2006 (UTC)
:::You've got the Lagrangian points basically right, though they're really not an exception. As you mention, you feel weight when there is gravity acting on you; at Lagrangian points, the net force of gravity is zero, so naturally an entity there would experience weightlessness. — [[User:Knowledge Seeker|Knowledge Seeker]] [[User talk:Knowledge Seeker|দ]] 07:33, 7 July 2006 (UTC)
::::Technically you are not weightless in freefall, weight is mass x gravity, you still have a mass, there is definately gravity, otherwise you wouldn't be falling. [[User:Philc_0780|<font color="Green">Philc</font>]] <sub>[[User talk:Philc_0780|T]]</sub><sup>[[User:Philc 0780/Esperanza|E]]</sup><sub>[[Special:contributions/Philc_0780|C]]</sub><sup>[[User:Philc_0780/Improve me|I]]</sup> 13:52, 7 July 2006 (UTC)
::I expected ''one'' Lagrange point for a set of two bodies, somewhere in the middle where the gravitational pulls cancel each other. I was surprised to find 5 LPs and that too, not between the bodies!. I may need to read it properly to understand how --[[User:Wikicheng|Wikicheng]] 08:19, 7 July 2006 (UTC)
::Now I read it. I am wrong in saying that the gravitational pulls cancel each other at the LPs. But nevertheless, you do experience weightlessness at those points. --[[User:Wikicheng|Wikicheng]] 08:53, 7 July 2006 (UTC)
:::Yes, I simplified it a bit too much; gravity does not necessarily cancel out at the Lagrangain points. I suppose the more accurate statement would be that an object at one of the Lagrangian points or at any other point in space would experience weightlessness, since as you point out there's nothing obstructing its path. It's just that the path at the Lagrangian points (or in orbit around Earth, etc.) is relatively stable an an object there won't soon arrive at a collision. — [[User:Knowledge Seeker|Knowledge Seeker]] [[User talk:Knowledge Seeker|দ]] 09:09, 7 July 2006 (UTC)
Oh ye of little faith. Who are we to say we will never achieve a device capable of "anti-gravity"? As per the reader's questions, which seems to pertain to current technology, the answer is yes - the buoyancy force provides an excellent anti-gravitational experience; just jump in the ocean with a scuba tank, and eventually you will descend to a depth at which you are the same density as the water. At that point, gravity will be cancelled out. If you're looking for something which actually "blocks" the gravitational field, the answer is, not yet. --[[User:Bmk|Bmk]] 16:49, 7 July 2006 (UTC)
:In the case of immersion, would there not still be the effect of gravity making a difference in fluid pressures and distribution inside the body? --[[User:Seejyb|Seejyb]] 19:31, 7 July 2006 (UTC)
::You're right - it isn't exactly like the absence of gravity, but some of the effect of the gradient of gravity is eliminated because there is also a gradient of water density; i.e. gravitational potential decreases downward, but buoyancy increases. In any case, I agree with Seejyb - it won't be exactly like weightlessness, but similar. I know NASA sends astronauts into big pools in spacesuits to simulate zero-G working conditions. --[[User:Bmk|Bmk]] 00:08, 8 July 2006 (UTC)
Sounds like what the question is asking is whether gravity is polar like a magnet which to the best of our current knowledge it is not. But who knows what the case might be with anti-matter. Instead of particles attracting maybe anti-matter particles push each other away. <small> ...[[User:Pce3@ij.net|IMHO]] ([[User talk:Pce3@ij.net|Talk]])</small> 20:07, 7 July 2006 (UTC)
:See [[gravitational interaction of antimatter]]. --[[User:CesarB|cesarb]] 23:38, 7 July 2006 (UTC)
::Forget about calculating Langrange points. Take up [[yogic flying]], then you can help create [[world peace]] at the same time ;-) --[[User:Shantavira|Shantavira]] 09:08, 8 July 2006 (UTC)
i've heard that sleeping straight is good for health means on back...but sleeping opposite with your front facing downward is bad for health...how true is this????
== sleeping ==
my question is "is there any rules exist for sleeping?"...means how to sleep?...wat are the ways to take most relaxing sleep?{{unsigned|80.247.152.121}}
:I suggest you read our very comprehensive article about [[sleep]], then come back here if you have further questions.--[[User:Shantavira|Shantavira]] 09:44, 7 July 2006 (UTC)
::I think it will help to sleep better if one stop thinking about "rules" for sleeping when going to bed.--[[User:Vsion|Vsion]] 22:49, 8 July 2006 (UTC)
:Generally, at the time you're trying to sleep, I find there's little you can do if you can't sleep. It's something that your body just does, and it's hard to force. Overall, making sure you go to bed at the same time every night, are relaxed (warm baths and warm uncaffeinated drinks can help, as can relaxing music), the right temperature and in calm surroundings. Block as much light from entering your room as possible. Try to quieten your mind, keep it from racing. Chanting/repeating some calming phrase in your head and concentrating on it can help. (For example, some prayer or pattern of prayer from your religion, some relatively long poem or [[nursery rhyme]] that you are very familiar with). If you are having trouble sleeping, and this lasts a long time, you might want to visit a doctor and ask his advice. [[User:Skittle|Skittle]] 18:35, 9 July 2006 (UTC)
::As Skittle said, try making yourself as comfortable as possible. Don't worry if you can't fall asleep--if you worry, it'll be even harder to sleep. Also, strangely enough, I fall asleep quicker if there is an intense light being reflected onto my eyelids (for example, in a sunny afternoon when the Sun is not shining directly into my window). --[[User:Bowlhover|Bowlhover]] 04:38, 10 July 2006 (UTC)
== Electrolysis ==
Im sure that there is a simple answer to the question but not to ask is a greater ignorance than to not know. Would it be possible to create a divice that splits water (electrolysis)underwater and guides the bubbles into a tube to be used to breath underwater? Perhaps there is a problem with breathing pure oxygen.
:Actually that's what submarines do - that's why they can stay underwater for years (problem is the food doesn't last that long) --[[User:Mboverload|mboverload]][[Special:Emailuser/Mboverload|<font color="red">@</font>]] 06:53, 7 July 2006 (UTC)
::But it requires a lot of energy so don't count on using it in a diving suit. -[[User:MacGyverMagic|Mgm]]|[[User talk:MacGyverMagic|<sup>(talk)</sup>]] 07:31, 7 July 2006 (UTC)
:::Indeed. Very large amounts --[[User:Mboverload|mboverload]][[Special:Emailuser/Mboverload|<font color="red">@</font>]]
::::'''FROM THE SUBMARINE ARTICLE''' --[[User:Mboverload|mboverload]][[Special:Emailuser/Mboverload|<font color="red">@</font>]] 09:43, 7 July 2006 (UTC)
::::''With [[Nuclear reactor|nuclear power]], submarines can remain submerged for months at a time. Diesel submarines must periodically resurface or [[snorkel]] to recharge their [[battery (electricity)|batteries]]. Most modern military submarines are able to generate [[oxygen]] for their crew by [[electrolysis]] of water. Atmosphere control equipment includes a CO<sub>2</sub> scrubber, which uses a catalyst to remove the gas from air and diffuse it into waste pumped overboard. A machine that uses a catalyst to convert carbon monoxide into carbon dioxide (removed by the CO<sub>2</sub> scrubber) and bonds hydrogen produced from the ship's storage battery with oxygen in the atmosphere to produce water, also found its use. An atmosphere monitoring system samples the air from different areas of the ship for nitrogen, oxygen, hydrogen, R12 and R114 refrigerant, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, and others. Poisonous gases are removed, and oxygen is replenished by use of an oxygen bank located in a main ballast tank. Some heavier submarines have two oxygen bleed stations (forward and aft). The oxygen in the air is sometimes kept a few percent less than atmospheric concentration to reduce fire danger. ''
:There is a problem with breathing pure oxygen, but seeing as when you breathe you don't use up any of the other compunds, or molecules in the air, you can re-use them. So as long as you start with a bit, its ok. [[User:Philc_0780|<font color="Green">Philc</font>]] <sub>[[User talk:Philc_0780|T]]</sub><sup>[[User:Philc 0780/Esperanza|E]]</sup><sub>[[Special:contributions/Philc_0780|C]]</sub><sup>[[User:Philc_0780/Improve me|I]]</sup> 13:48, 7 July 2006 (UTC)
'''don't forget [[rebreather]]''' article! [[User:82.131.184.144|82.131.184.144]] 15:51, 7 July 2006 (UTC).
== Two Wikipedia Pages ==
There are two pages on wikipedia I have found in the past and can't seem to find anymore.
*List of most edited wikipedia articles
*List of the longest wikipedia articles
Any help? --[[User:Russoc4|Russoc4]] 14:32, 7 July 2006 (UTC)
:Try [[Special:Specialpages]].<br>[[User:Slumgum|<span style="border:1px solid black;color:black; padding:1px;background:white">''''' SLUMGUM '''''</span>]][[User talk:Slumgum|<span style="border:1px solid silver;color:gray; padding:1px;background:silver">'''''<small> yap </small>'''''</span>]][[Special:Contributions/Slumgum|<span style="border:1px solid silver;color:silver; padding:1px;background:gray">'''''<small> stalk </small>'''''</span>]] 14:41, 7 July 2006 (UTC)
:See also the offline reports at [[Wikipedia:Maintenance#Reports]]. --[[User:CesarB|cesarb]] 15:37, 7 July 2006 (UTC)
::Muchas gracias. --[[User:Russoc4|Russoc4]] 17:08, 7 July 2006 (UTC)
:::Many such pages can no longer exist due to software upgrades. //[[User:Aeæ|Ae]]:[[User_talk:Aeæ|æ]] 03:21, 8 July 2006 (UTC)
: As to the original question, the direct links would be [[Special:Mostrevisions]] and [[Special:Longpages]]. [[User:Titoxd|Tito]][[Wikipedia:Esperanza|<span style="color:#008000;">xd</span>]]<sup>([[User talk:Titoxd|?!?]])</sup> 03:36, 8 July 2006 (UTC)
== energy band ==
why energy levels are parabolide in shape in E-K diagrams?
Sorry, not sure what you mean. Please be much more specific and clear. Are you perhaps talking about the potential of a quantum harmonic oscillator? That's the only thing that rings a bell, but i'd rather not spend time answering without clarification. --[[User:Bmk|Bmk]] 19:37, 7 July 2006 (UTC)
== windows on ships ==
hi,
in the UK we have this guy called stelios someone. anyway he runs a low cost airline (easy jet) in europe and last year launched a similar concept for cruises (called, easily enough, easy cruise). anyway, the cabins in this ship dont have windows -he claims this way he can reduce his costs. i cant actually believe this but neither can i see any other advantage in not having windows. is having windows (by which i mean the small circular port hole things, not vast great french windows looking out on to the horizon) expensive? if so, why?
thanks [[User:201.32.177.211|201.32.177.211]] 18:33, 7 July 2006 (UTC)
:Offhand guess - his ships are cheap because they're converted freighters, and one of the ways to keep a conversion cheap would be to not add windows. But I really don't know. [[User:Shimgray|Shimgray]] | [[User talk:Shimgray|talk]] | 18:53, 7 July 2006 (UTC)
::According to our [[EasyCruise|article]], ''The cabins offer a simple bed and bathroom: most do not have windows (although that is changing to make all the rooms have windows)''. I suspect he charges less because he can carry more passengers by having more cabins (since they don't all have to be along the sides of the ship). Perhaps the extra cabins are going to have windows onto the corridor rather than onto the sea? [[User:Henry Flower|Henry]][[User talk:Henry Flower|<sup>Flower</sup>]] 19:18, 7 July 2006 (UTC)
:I don't understand why it is difficult to understand that not adding windows is cheaper than buying windows, cutting holes in the ship, mounting the new windows, and then sealing them. If you don't add windows, there's no cost. If you do add windows, there is the cost of supplies and labor. --[[User:Kainaw|Kainaw]] <small><sup>[[User_talk:Kainaw|(talk)]]</sup></small> 19:34, 7 July 2006 (UTC)
:: I got three lettors for you: T, C, and O. Total Cost <small>of</small> Ownership. TCO. Just Google. [[User:82.131.184.144|82.131.184.144]] 22:36, 7 July 2006 (UTC).
:I know that windows in the hull of a ship are round because square ones tear at the corners. But maybe round ones also weaken the hull, making it necessary to make it heavier or something. But even local reinforcements will add to the cost and if you offer travel at dirt cheap prices you need to cut every corner.
:By the way, imagine ships not having to pay taxes on fuel, like airplanes. Airlines would go out of business in a massive way. But that's a different issue. [[User:DirkvdM|DirkvdM]] 19:40, 7 July 2006 (UTC)
::This is rather offtopic, but I strongly doubt it. Commuting by ship had largely died by the 1960's; plane travel was much, much more expensive then than it is now. In any case, you can buy a New York-London return plane ticket for 500 USD; even using a 40 knot ship and assuming Plymouth as a departure point rather than London, it still takes 72 hours to do New York-Plymouth. Feeding somebody half-decent food for six days (return) costs at least 150 USD or so. If you assume 20 USD per night for the cabin, that's another 120 USD. So that's 270 USD, conservatively, before we've even moved the ship anywhere. So, at a maximum, we're going to save in the order of 200-250 USD by taking the ship, at the cost of six days on the ship against one day (total) on the plane. Most international travellers earn considerably more than 250 USD per week. --[[User:Robert Merkel|Robert Merkel]] 03:52, 8 July 2006 (UTC)
:::Two things. One, you're talking about Europe-US. Those are the cheapest airfares around, I believe. In stead, try the Caribbean. Two, after the 60's, a new phenomenon arose, the budget traveller. There's loads of (mostly young) people around these days who have a fair bit of money (compared to the 50's), though not too much (compared to holiday making families) and loads of time. On a half year trip a few days on a boat won't make that much of a difference. And you don't get jet lagged. And it's not cramped. And you get to meet other budget travellers. And ehm, on international waters, so ... tax free alcohol?
:::I've been a budget traveller for several years, so I know what I'm talking about. A 300 euro trip to the Caribbean? Yeah man, cool! In Indonesia they've got these island-hopping [[Pelni]] ships that are a real cool way to travel and meet people. I suppose the 'meeting people' thing is the most important. Along with the price. [[User:DirkvdM|DirkvdM]] 08:49, 8 July 2006 (UTC)
:::Ah, I've checked their website [http://www.easycruise.com/faqs/AboutUs.asp] and after starting in Europe, their next destination is ... the Caribbean. I had thought of this myself years ago, but I lack both the money and the entrepreneurial instinct to set something like this up. However, I could try applying for a job with them. Doing this trip and getting paid for it! How cool is that? Of course, I'll have to work too. Bummer! :) [[User:DirkvdM|DirkvdM]] 09:02, 8 July 2006 (UTC)
== ANCIENT BEER ==
I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT ANCIENT PEOPLE WHO MADE BEER DIED FROM ITS USE. IT HAS BEEN EXPLAINED TO ME THAT THE PROCESS THEY USED DID NOT FILTER OUT IMPURITIES THAT MAY HAVE MADE THE BEER TOXIC. IS THIS TRUE? {{unsigned|164.156.127.28}}
:Please stop yelling (using all caps). There is no mention of death by impurities in [[history of beer]], but it is rather silly to think that beer didn't have impurities or go bad long before refridgeration. --[[User:Kainaw|Kainaw]] <small><sup>[[User_talk:Kainaw|(talk)]]</sup></small> 19:31, 7 July 2006 (UTC)
::There is some truth behind that. Before the introduction of [[hops]] other bitter herbs were used to flavor and preserve beer, some of which were indeed toxic in large quantities. The keyword here is [[gruit]]. One must also remember that in former times people would consume large quantities of beer because it had been boiled and thus was safer than water. [[User:Dr Zak|Dr Zak]] 20:07, 7 July 2006 (UTC)
::On a related point, my understanding is during days of yore, because beer is fermented, weak beer/wine was actually used as the common drinking liquid instead of water, which would often harbor microorganisms that would cause illness. So while deaths may have come from beer impurities (and don't forget [[ethanol]] itself is toxic in large amounts, like everything), probably beer saved more lives (or at least delayed deaths) more than it took. [[User:128.197.81.223|128.197.81.223]] 21:56, 7 July 2006 (UTC)
:No pathogenic (disease-causing) microorganisms can survive in beer. Therefore, beer (filtered or not) is not toxic, except in the case of alcohol poisoning, unless toxic substances are added (a la [[User:Dr Zak|Dr Zak]]'s herbs). In fact, homebrewers regularly consume unfiltered beer, and some styles such as hefeweizen are sold commercially without filtration. --[[User:Ginkgo100|Ginkgo100]] <sup>[[User talk:Ginkgo100|''talk'']] · [[Special:Contributions/Ginkgo100|''contribs'']]</sup> 03:49, 8 July 2006 (UTC)
::Another point that I should mention -- beer brewers are ''very'' careful to keep all equipment and wort (unfermented beer) as sanitary and microorganism-free as possible. However, the consequences of bacterial contamination are not potentially toxic, just potentially ruinous to the flavor of beer. Brewers of [[lambic beer]] are an exception; they encourage the growth of wild bacteria and yeasts. --[[User:Ginkgo100|Ginkgo100]] <sup>[[User talk:Ginkgo100|''talk'']] · [[Special:Contributions/Ginkgo100|''contribs'']]</sup> 03:52, 8 July 2006 (UTC)
== Agent Orange ==
What chemicals does 2,4,5,T break down to? 2,4,5,T is one half of Agent Orange.
:[[Burkholderia cepacia]] can break down 2,4,5,T in the chain shown here [http://umbbd.msi.umn.edu/2,4,5-t/2,4,5-t_map.html]. This [http://www.springerlink.com/(2fmuus55sredf3rdmkmfje45)/app/home/contribution.asp?referrer=parent&backto=issue,27,29;journal,206,383;linkingpublicationresults,1:100457,1] abstract claims that 2,4,5,T was broken down by non-adapted sediment microorganisms first into 2,5-Dichlorohydroquinone (as in the previous link) but then into 3-chlorophenol and phenol (but notably without apparent 2,4,5-trichlorophenol as an intermediate, unlike as in the first link). It is thus likely that the intermediates and end products vary from organism to organism, but it appears some steps are common, at least in the information from the two links above. As to what it breaks down to on its own, I do not know. [[User:128.197.81.223|128.197.81.223]] 22:07, 7 July 2006 (UTC)
According to [http://www.pubmedcentral.gov/pagerender.fcgi?artid=242519&pageindex=1 this] article about a selectively bred organism, Pseudomonas Cepacia, which readily breaks down 2,4,5-T, 2,4,5-T is very recalcitrant to spontaneous degradation, and are usually slowly broken down by natural soil bacteria. However, I did finally find an article [http://www.inchem.org/documents/jmpr/jmpmono/v079pr40.htm here from "Inchem"] that seems to deal significantly with the spontaneous (non-biological) breakdown of 2,4,5-T. To summarize, the article seems to say that when it travels through biological pathways, i.e. bacteria, the intermediates vary widely, but the end products are mostly carbon dioxide, inorganic chlorides, and water. However when 2,4,5-T is broken down through photolysis, i.e. sunlight, the end product is 2,4,5-trichlorophenol. This product will not be detected often because it is more easily metabolized than 2,4,5-T.
It may also be of interest that during the manufacture of 2,4,5-T, some amount of 2,3,7,8 tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) is also produced. If the reaction is carefully temperature-controlled, TCDD levels can be minimized. TCDD is (according to [[2,4,5-Trichlorophenoxyacetic acid|our article]] and [http://www.pesticideinfo.org/Detail_Chemical.jsp?Rec_Id=PC35857#Toxicity this]) a serious human and environmental toxin, although it is not a breakdown product of 2,4,5-T, just a byproduct of synthesis. --[[User:Bmk|Bmk]] 05:50, 8 July 2006 (UTC)
== How was metal mined in the middle ages? ==
I mean, I know they didn't have the technology to mine massive amounts. Where were metal deposits found and how were they mined? Much help appreciated! [[User:162.40.192.43|162.40.192.43]] 02:48, 8 July 2006 (UTC)
:We have a few articles that may be of interest to you - foremost is [[smelting]], a nice article which is really the answer to your question. Basically, most metals are found in nature as [[Ore|ores]] (another good article listing the common mineable ore forms of metals). Ores are just bodies of rock containing metals. Usually in ores the metals are trapped as oxides or sulfides, meaning they have been [[oxidized]] and are now salts. In order to extract them, they must be reduced, meaning something must remove the oxygen or sulfur or whatever has oxidized it and take away the extra electrons so it is a neutral metal again. This is accomplished with a reducing agent, which in ancient times would have been charcoal.
:A miner would find rocks containing the ore, for instance [[hematite]], the ore from which iron can be extracted, by the characteristics of the rocks, or by the characteristics of the places in which it is often found. He would probably break up the rocks into gravel or powder, then put it under a wood fire, probably in the bottom where there is little atmospheric oxygen. The carbon in the charcoal, when heated in the fire, would reduce the hematite (Fe2O3) into iron metal (in the case of oxides like hematite the carbon would be oxidized and turn into carbon dioxide). He would then probably wash the ashes and little bits of iron metal would be left behind. Once he had enough metal, he could melt them into a bar, make a nice sword, and smite all the poor souls who were still using wooden spears.
:If you were looking for more specifics about the actual mining of the ores, there is some information about this in the articles about the [[Bronze Age]] and the [[Iron Age]]. Hope this helps, and everyone else keep me honest - make sure that was accurate. --[[User:Bmk|Bmk]] 04:48, 8 July 2006 (UTC)
:The Middle Ages (I am assuming you in Europe) just carried on from Roman mining(see [http://www.unc.edu/~duncan/personal/roman_mining/deep-vein_mining.htm Roman Deep-vein Mining] by Lynne Cohen Duncan on the University of North Carolina website). "Finding" was by seeing the ore or metal above ground (and remained so until modern geological techniques changed things - ''when was that?''). The technique itself was still opencast (surface excavation) and deep-vein mining (tunnels), as in Roman times, with minor improvements in ways of mechanically managing water and ore. From the University of Nevada site: [http://www.unr.edu/sb204/geology/middleag.html Copper in the Middle Ages and Renaissance]. Also [http://www.minelinks.com/alluvial/goldMedieval.html Gold in the middle ages], by Rafal Swiecki. This page on [http://www.engr.sjsu.edu/pabacker/history/middle.htm Technology in the Middle Ages History of Technology], from the Department of Aviation and Technology at San Jose State University, gives information and good links. Interesting for me was the info that [[Saxon]] (German) miners were apparently "in demand all over Europe, leading to German terms being common in mining" (''I'd like to know more about that too'') and that the status of miners changed from that of [[serfs]] to [[freemen]] / [[artisan]]s. The external links given have references to contemporary medieval writings on the subject, but these would be more difficult to come by. --[[User:Seejyb|Seejyb]] 13:26, 8 July 2006 (UTC)
== Want to learn more about Ozone Generators ==
I searched for information both here and on the web without success. I am interested in building an ozone generator. I do not want to build the small units built by pot growers but instead, the larger units used for shock treatments of homes for odor control. Something in the 14,000 mg/hr range.
I know the internal workings but am having difficulty with creating the corona discharge. I would like to build a tube designed corona discharge instead of the plate type. I attempted to buy replacement tubes from ozone generator manufacturers without success.
My questions to you good people are as follows:
Does anyone have plans for a high output ozone machine that includes how to build each part (Obviously the corona discharge tube)?
Does anyone know where I can obtain such info?
I attempted to search the patent office for them (my favorite search ___location) but have not had any luck finding anything. The commercial ozone generator sales companies guard their secrets and fight with each other but none will tell you anything and it is quite frustrating.
My reason for all of this is I want to start a business with the ozone machines but have a lot more satisfaction making them than buying them (and it is usually cheaper). I would be just as happy finding a source for the corona discharge tubes that I could purchase.
When you are not sure what to do, ask people wiser than yourself. So, I'm asking.
Thanks
--[[User:Diabolic.Insidious|Diabolic]] 04:21, 8 July 2006 (UTC)
:This is very specialized and very dangerous (high voltage). You probably won't get much help here, sorry. --[[User:Zeizmic|Zeizmic]] 15:11, 8 July 2006 (UTC)
:[http://www.emanator.demon.co.uk/bigclive/ozone.htm bigclive] looks like the kind of guy who could advise you. [http://www.emanator.demon.co.uk/bigclive/ This page] has his an email address. --[[User:Seejyb|Seejyb]] 20:00, 8 July 2006 (UTC)
== Lightning rod ==
I live in an area where the occurance of lightning is frequent. Although my dwelling is surrounded by electrical poles and large oak trees and other houses about 1 out of 3 rain storms will produce a lightning bolt that hits the main 4 inch cast iron vent pipe coming out of the roof from the bathroom wet wall. The burst must jump to the water lines in the wall because the lines are immediately filled with calcium and rust build up on the inside of the pipe which clog the faucet filters and produce very brown to dark black water which must be flushed from the lines for up to 15 minutes. Would installation of lightning rods near the vent on the roof prevent this from happening or has lightning picked my house and my main vent as its eternal grounding buddy? <small> ...[[User:Pce3@ij.net|IMHO]] ([[User talk:Pce3@ij.net|Talk]])</small> 10:15, 8 July 2006 (UTC)
:Well that's exactly what [[lightning rod]]s are for, so as long as it is well grounded and extends well above the top of the pipe, it should do the trick. Incidentally, as flying aircraft are not grounded, why are they sometimes struck by lightning? I would guess because they just happen to get in the way...--[[User:Shantavira|Shantavira]] 12:45, 8 July 2006 (UTC)
:Alternatively, could you replace the iron pipe with plastic?--[[User:Shantavira|Shantavira]] 12:59, 8 July 2006 (UTC)
::*Only at unreasonable expense although both water and sewer have long since been replaced with plastic between the house and the street. <small> ...[[User:Pce3@ij.net|IMHO]] ([[User talk:Pce3@ij.net|Talk]])</small> 15:00, 8 July 2006 (UTC)
:::A lightning rod would probably not prevent strikes, but would divert the strikes so most of the current does not flow through the water pipes. Another advantage would be that the ligntning conductors would be designed to make sure no fire starts; with the water and sewage pipes, it's just a matter of luck that nothing more serious than dirty water has happened. The lightning protection system should of course be installed by a licensed contractor. [[User:Gerry Ashton|Gerry Ashton]] 19:43, 8 July 2006 (UTC)
== Half life of common medications ==
Is there a list of in the body half life for various off-the-shelf medications such as aspirin? <small> ...[[User:Pce3@ij.net|IMHO]] ([[User talk:Pce3@ij.net|Talk]])</small> 11:10, 8 July 2006 (UTC)
No easily accessible list, but if you google "generic name pharmacokinetics" (e.g. acetylsalicylic acid pharmacokinetics) and you will get links and refs (e.g. PMID 11837380). I am not sure what you will do with the data, as the primary use for half life data is for interpreting blood levels of a drug (for the drugs we monitor by blood level) drawn at a known time after dosing. [[User:Alteripse|alteripse]] 11:40, 8 July 2006 (UTC)
::*Actually I'm looking for parity data based on time from oral intake that can be adjusted for weight, medical condition etc. since such information might not only help consumers have a better feel for dosage, etc. but also might serve as a diagnostic tool in terms of observable half life deviation from normal, i.e., interval before return of pain or other symptoms, etc. <small> ...[[User:Pce3@ij.net|IMHO]] ([[User talk:Pce3@ij.net|Talk]])</small> 14:57, 8 July 2006 (UTC)
:From practical experience with the difficulties doctors and nurses have with using pharmacokinetic data, I have a pessimistic suspicion that you could put random numbers in your tables and outcomes would be indistinguishable. I think that's why there ''are'' no consumer tables. For example, are you interested in drug level half-life or biological effect half-life or average duration of effect or FDA-approved dosing interval instructions? After single doses, or steady states? Duration of effect does not bear the same mathematical relationship to either blood level or biological effect half-life for every drug. Finally, you picked one of the worst possible example drugs: duration of analgesic effects are notorious for being dependent on far more variables than drug half-life. You are proposing a thesis project for a Pharm. D. degree-- make sure you get credit for it. [[User:Alteripse|alteripse]] 19:46, 8 July 2006 (UTC)
== Effect of radiation on water ==
Can electromagnetic radiation (photons from lasers), Gamma, Alpha, or Beta radiation separate molecules of water into their constituent parts of hydrogen and oxygen in a manner that does not render water or its constituents radioactive? <small> ...[[User:Pce3@ij.net|IMHO]] ([[User talk:Pce3@ij.net|Talk]])</small> 15:27, 8 July 2006 (UTC)
*Do we get to use a catalyst? --[[User:Jpgordon|jpgordon]]<sup><small>[[User talk:Jpgordon|∇∆∇∆]]</small></sup> 15:42, 8 July 2006 (UTC)
::''Not if it requires that I take time off from work.'' <small> ...[[User:Pce3@ij.net|IMHO]] ([[User talk:Pce3@ij.net|Talk]])</small> 15:43, 8 July 2006 (UTC)
:Sure, ionizing radiation (alpha, beta, and gamma) can ionize water. Not "photons from lasers", though, unless it's a gamma ray laser. It's a terribly inefficient method of separating water into hydrogen and oxygen, though. Most of the ion pairs just recombine immediately. —[[User:Keenan Pepper|Keenan Pepper]] 16:10, 8 July 2006 (UTC)
::So then its not like I could somehow use nuclear waste to generate hydrogen for fuel and oxygen to breath? <small> ...[[User:Pce3@ij.net|IMHO]] ([[User talk:Pce3@ij.net|Talk]])</small> 17:27, 8 July 2006 (UTC)
:::You could possibly use the waste to generate heat (Hydrogen + Oxygen is exothermic), which could produce steam, drive a turbine, and then split some other water by electrolysis, but I doubt all but the highest level waste would produce more than a tiny bit of heat. <font style="color:#BBBB00">'''s'''murrayinch</font>[[WP:EA|<font style="color:green">'''''e'''''</font>]]<font style="color:#BBBB00">ster<sup>([[User:Smurrayinchester|User]]), ([[User talk:Smurrayinchester|Talk]])</sup></font> 17:37, 8 July 2006 (UTC)
:Note that gamma radiation is a high energy form of EM radiation, not a separate phenomenon. --[[User:Bmk|Bmk]] 18:15, 8 July 2006 (UTC)
::Side point: "So then its not like I could somehow use nuclear waste to generate hydrogen for fuel and oxygen to breath?" With the water you split you will not be able to use H as fuel AND breath the O, because the O is needed to burn the H. One or the other. --[[User:GangofOne|GangofOne]] 22:12, 8 July 2006 (UTC)
:::Well, you could, in that excess oxygen exists in the atmosphere, so you can burn the hydrogen in air. That leaves the oxygen available for use in SCUBA tanks running [[trimix]], for example. [[User:StuRat|StuRat]] 22:55, 8 July 2006 (UTC)
:::That's not a side point, that was IMHO's point it seems. And Keenan already said it would be way too inefficient. Think about it. The energy could at most be that amount of energy in the radiation and if that were anything substantial it would be way too dangerous. Not that it isn't, but it takes just a little bit of energy do lethal damage to living tissue. [[User:DirkvdM|DirkvdM]] 08:57, 9 July 2006 (UTC)
== microbiology ==
how does a cell make a membrane protein, from dna to mature protein?
:Please don't ask entire homework questions (I'm guessing this is a homework question, though i may be wrong). I can't answer the question for you, but you might find some information at [[membrane protein]] or by searching google. [[User:Benbread|-Benbread]] 18:55, 8 July 2006 (UTC)
*You probably want to read the article on [[Protein biosynthesis]]. - [[User:MacGyverMagic|Mgm]]|[[User talk:MacGyverMagic|<sup>(talk)</sup>]] 21:45, 8 July 2006 (UTC)
*an incredibly broad question, imo too broad to be homework. you want [[transcription]], [[translation]], [[translocon]], [[endoplasmic reticulum]], [[golgi apparatus]], [[secretion]], [[cell membrane]], [[integral membrane protein]]. a lot of work there, enjoy. [[User:Xcomradex|Xcomradex]] 22:44, 10 July 2006 (UTC)
=July 8=
==Chest hair==
Why do I only have a single spot, about 5 cm by 5 cm, on my the left side of my chest that keeps growing chest hair? It's bugging the hell out of me. I want either a completely hairless chest or a chest that grows hair in a larger, symmetrical area. What can I do about this? [[User:JIP|<font color="#CC0000">J</font><font color="#00CC00">I</font><font color="#0000CC">P</font>]] | [[User talk:JIP|Talk]] 19:07, 8 July 2006 (UTC)
:It just happens that way at times. I suggest shaving it until it comes in more evenly, especially if you are a woman. :-) [[User:StuRat|StuRat]] 22:50, 8 July 2006 (UTC)
::lol, that's so mean Stu =D --[[User:Mboverload|mboverload]][[Special:Emailuser/Mboverload|<font color="red">@</font>]] 23:32, 8 July 2006 (UTC)
::He is lucky Stu answered first. I would have diagnosed him with unilateral pectoral hypotrichosis (or hypertrichosis, depending on which side he wants to consider normal), recommended unilateral depilation (or unilateral minoxidil) and charged him $200. [[User:Alteripse|alteripse]] 04:39, 9 July 2006 (UTC)
::: Gee, no Wikipedian discount? [[User:Titoxd|Tito]][[Wikipedia:Esperanza|<span style="color:#008000;">xd</span>]]<sup>([[User talk:Titoxd|?!?]])</sup> 05:16, 9 July 2006 (UTC)
::::That ''is'' the discounted fee. [[User:Alteripse|alteripse]] 12:46, 9 July 2006 (UTC)
::Some people have traces of a third nipple that shows up as a small patch of hair on the side of the chest. [[User:TheSPY|TheSPY]] 17:13, 9 July 2006 (UTC)
:::No, hair grows around nipples (i.e., periareolar), not on them. [[Accessory nipple]]s are not the same as hair patches-- they are usually reddish bumps along the [[milk line]]. [[User:Alteripse|alteripse]] 17:45, 9 July 2006 (UTC)
== hyperterminal ==
Hi, I'm interested in writing a program in Python/C++/VB 6.0 that people can connect to over the internet with Hyperterimal or another similar client. Wondering where to start...
I would like the program to accept commands from Hyperterminal, process them, and send back a result (eventually I hope to make a working, albeit very simple [[MUD]])
Thanks, -Kyle
:There are many ways. But why not start by experimenting with "telnet"? On the server machine, write some shell scripts or other programs that return stuff, then connect to that machine remotely and invoke those scripts. --[[User:GangofOne|GangofOne]] 22:19, 8 July 2006 (UTC)
::yes, that might be a good starting point. Thanks,-Kyle
:One thing to keep in mind is that, regarding the server, the simplest solution isn't the best. When supporting only a single client, a simple server can just accept a connection over a socket and wait for input from the client, then execute input when it arrives and send back the results of its processing. When multiple clients come into the picture, however, the server can't wait on a single client: you need to be a bit more clever and have it, e.g., cycle through each connected socket, buffering any input until it finds a newline character, then executing that particular client's command and continuing cycling. Likely you can find example code online to do this sort of thing. [[User:128.197.81.223|128.197.81.223]] 23:21, 8 July 2006 (UTC)
== Hatred between gulls and magpies ==
I've seen this happen a few times - gulls and magpies seem to have a mutual dislike of each other. Today I observed a magpie and a lesser black-backed gull stood on opposite sides of the roof, eying each other up aggressively. The magpie was chattering angrily, while the gull was giving it an icy stare and lowering its head to the ground as though to attack (as they do). Neither would back down and it ended up with both birds running headlong at each other and a session of squabbling, biting and flapping. The fight went on for a good minute or so.
This is not the first time I've seen this sort of thing happen. As well as individual fights, I've seen groups of magpies attacking groups of gulls, groups of gulls attacking groups of magpies, groups of magpies hassling lone gull fledgelings, groups of gulls hassling lone magpie fledgelings, both species chasing each other in flight, etc.
Anyone know why this occurs?
For the record (before anyone starts one of those 'who would win in a fight?' threads), the magpie came out on top. It seemed to have slightly faster reflexes and managed to evade most of the gull's pecks, whilst managing to inflict enough of its own to eventually cause the larger bird to lose its nerve. --[[User:Kurt Shaped Box|Kurt Shaped Box]] 22:32, 8 July 2006 (UTC)
:Kurt, I see you still have nothing but gulls on that diseased brain of yours...time to administer electroshock therapy...'''BZZZZZZT'''. There, is that any better ? [[User:StuRat|StuRat]] 22:44, 8 July 2006 (UTC)
::Hey! I mentioned magpies too! C'mon - it was too cool not to mention... ;) --[[User:Kurt Shaped Box|Kurt Shaped Box]] 22:52, 8 July 2006 (UTC)
:::I carefully positioned the electrodes to preserve the magpie portion of your brain, at least until that becomes a fetish and requires a second round of electroshock therapy. :-) [[User:StuRat|StuRat]] 22:59, 8 July 2006 (UTC)
::::Awwwww! Just answer the question willya? The suspense is killin' me... ;) --[[User:Kurt Shaped Box|Kurt Shaped Box]] 23:24, 8 July 2006 (UTC)
Any warfare, either within a species or between species, is likely to be over competition for a scarce resource (assuming neither preys on the other). Perhaps they are in competition over food, nesting places, etc. ? [[User:StuRat|StuRat]] 23:33, 8 July 2006 (UTC)
::Thanks, dude. :) I've just been thinking about it now. Both species are known to eat the eggs of other birds from time to time, though it would take a *very* brave predator to attempt a raid on the nests of either of these species. I suppose that magpies do occasionally steal gull eggs and vice versa - which I suppose could go some way explain it. When both species come into contact, there is nearly always an instant agressive response, so perhaps they do perceive each other as a threat. --[[User:Kurt Shaped Box|Kurt Shaped Box]] 23:43, 8 July 2006 (UTC)
:::Also, aren't [[magpie]]s notorious thieves ? Perhaps they steal nesting material from the gulls. [[User:StuRat|StuRat]] 23:48, 8 July 2006 (UTC)
::::On a couple of occasions, I've seen them trying sneak up and steal (i.e. pluck) feathers from sleeping gulls, much in the same way as they have been known to pull fur from cats and dogs to line their nests. This annoys the gulls, as I'm sure you can imgaine (I cannot personally understand why they take such risks with species more than capable of killing them). --[[User:Kurt Shaped Box|Kurt Shaped Box]] 00:00, 9 July 2006 (UTC)
:::::OK, we have more than enough reasons for gulls to hate magpies, I suggest the gulls attack and this causes the same response from the magpies. [[User:StuRat|StuRat]] 00:21, 9 July 2006 (UTC)
::::I suppose magpies are called thieves by humans because they like shiny things, just like humans do (very much so, if you look at silver prices). If they would just 'steal' branches for their nests we wouldn't call them thieves because we don't give a <s>Stu</s>rat's arse about branches. [[User:DirkvdM|DirkvdM]] 09:17, 9 July 2006 (UTC)
:::::I call anything that takes possessions of another animal a thief. I suppose one could argue for theft from a plant, as well, but since dead, fallen branches are typically used for nests, that certainly isn't theft. In the case of magpies, stealing fur and feathers currently attached to cats and birds most definitely counts as theft, and I don't blame those animals at all for being rather upset over it, even ignoring the pain. [[User:StuRat|StuRat]] 16:55, 9 July 2006 (UTC)
::::::Can you be called a thief if you don't know you are one? Something like the difference between murder and manslaughter. The intention also counts. How can a magpie know that a ring belongs to someone? I don't mean that animals don't know the concept of possession (else they'd be perfect commies :) ) but do they even know that the house they find it in is someone's possession? It's just a (fancy) cave that some other bipedal creature also frequents. For inhabitants of a house, we use most parts of it very infrequently, compared to other animals' 'homes' (nests, from a magpie's perspective). [[User:DirkvdM|DirkvdM]] 08:48, 10 July 2006 (UTC)
:I've got a view of a fair bit of feathered wildlife from my window and noticed that coots are also incredibly aggressive. They attack anything that comes near them (except for swans - they're not ''that'' stupid). They even attack their own young. I suppose a lot of birds do that to tell them to go live on their own, but the coots are really aggressive, pecking their heads hard and chasing them for a long time to do so. Once some ducklings came close to a coot, which started an attack but was stopped by a very brave duck mother. I was impressed (and so was the coot). Don't mess with a mother! [[User:DirkvdM|DirkvdM]] 09:17, 9 July 2006 (UTC)
::There's a really horrific scene in [[David Attenborough]]'s "Life of Birds" series in which parent coots systematically harass, attack and kill several of their own chicks. This apparently happens once they've decided which ones are the strongest and most likely to survive - the others are thus a drain on resources and expendable. I know that nature is 'red in tooth and claw (and beak)' but I was really distressed by it. --[[User:Kurt Shaped Box|Kurt Shaped Box]] 11:08, 9 July 2006 (UTC)
:Hey, I like magpies, so I'll comment on the gull question too. I wouln't anthropomorphize these birds to the point of describing them as harboring hatred or holding grudges. However, territoriality based on competition (both are scavengers, after all) is a probable reason for the behaviors. I see it with songbirds, too -- for example, starlings chasing robins. --[[User:Ginkgo100|Ginkgo100]] <sup>[[User talk:Ginkgo100|''talk'']] · [[Special:Contributions/Ginkgo100|''contribs'']]</sup> 20:45, 9 July 2006 (UTC)
::Further to the above, my freezer broke down yesterday and I ended up with a couple of loaves of soggy bread, which I threw out for the birds this afternoon. One of the local black-backed gulls was sat on the roof opposite, keeping an eye on the bread but showing no interest in eating it (as far as I know, gulls don't particularly like bread and will only eat it if they're hungry and there is no other food around). A couple of magpies flew down and started to eat, at which point the gull suddenly became *very* interested and started attacking the magpies. It swooped down, deliberately crashed into one of the birds and tried to bite its throat. The typical struggle, flapping, bickering and aerial chase followed, though this time gull and magpie were grappling with their beaks in mid-air, which was quite interesting to observe. You've gotta love gull logic - "This food is mine. The fact that I don't want or need it does not alter the fact that it is mine. Those that attempt to take what is mine are my enemies. I must attack my enemies". It seems almost human... ;) --[[User:Kurt Shaped Box|Kurt Shaped Box]] 23:59, 9 July 2006 (UTC)
:::I have this really interesting image of a little shed on a tiny island completely covered in gull feces owned by a tiny shriveled old Britain that has fed the resident gull population for so long that they have permanently taken up residence in his chimney and are starting to get possesive about who get's to be the "master's pet". [[User:Freshgavin|<font size="-2" color="white" style="background:blue"> freshofftheufo</font>]][[User_talk:Freshgavin|<font size="-2" color="blue">ΓΛĿЌ </font>]] 05:20, 10 July 2006 (UTC)
I lived the first two decades of my life in a building that had birch trees on one side and a somewhat lower building on the other. We regularly had crows or magpies nesting in the trees and gulls nesting on the roof of the adjacent building. Over the years, I made a couple of observations that seemed to hold almost always:
#On the side with the trees, we'd have a pair of either crows ''or'' magpies, but not both. They'd compete over the same nest, which got rebuilt year after year, and one species or the other would win. Often the losing couple would try to build a nest in a nearby tree, but they rarely succeeded in raising chicks; either they'd be chased away while trying to build a second nest too close to first one, or they'd choose a less suitable place for their nest and have it destroyed by wind, squirrels, humans and/or other birds.
#On top of the adjacent building, there'd be one gull nest, usually of herring gulls. Sometimes the smaller common gulls or black-headed gulls would try to build a nest at the other end of the roof; the herring gulls would drive them off or kill them. I never saw more than one herring gull nest on the same roof, although there usually was another one on top of ''our'' building.
#The gulls did harrass the corvids, and vice versa. Usually the gulls seemed to have air superiority, but the crows and magpies had one major advantage; they were safe in the trees, where the gulls couldn't safely follow them. So the gulls and the corvids would coexist, if grudgingly.
All in all, I got the distinct impression that, when nesting sites are not too crowded, both gulls and corvids tend to avoid nesting too close to others of their own species, and will go to considerable efforts to drive away any other species which they percieve as competitors. Of course, this has to be conditional behavior; gulls nesting in crowded island colonies certainly can't affort such luxury, if they want to nest at all. —[[User:Ilmari Karonen|Ilmari Karonen]] <small>([[User talk:Ilmari Karonen|talk]])</small> 22:08, 10 July 2006 (UTC)
== MUD with largest player base ==
google searches have failed me. I'm looking for a list of the current largest MUD's on the net.
If http://www.topmudsites.com/ is to be believed, then
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aardwolf_MUD
is one of the largest?
Thanks, -Kyle
== Wattage ==
How many watts is 120V 60Hz AC at 0.45 amps? What is the formula to solve such problems? Thanks. - [[User:MSTCrow|MSTCrow]] 23:57, 8 July 2006 (UTC)
: see [[Power (physics)]] and [[Electric power]] --[[User:GangofOne|GangofOne]] 00:15, 9 July 2006 (UTC)
::So it appears to be 54 watts, if I'm doing this correctly. - [[User:MSTCrow|MSTCrow]] 18:07, 9 July 2006 (UTC)
:::Yes, assuming a purely resistive phase factor (which in fact you have to or else there isn't enough information in the question). [[User:Arbitrary username|Arbitrary username]] 22:06, 9 July 2006 (UTC)
memorize WAV (like "hi!") Watts = Amps * Volts. WAV. You have to have to have to memorize that. Hey there! wav.
==Hatred between gulls and moonpies==
The above question inspired me, how can ''anyone'' hate a marshmallow filled dessert? They're just so delicious, it boggles the mind--[[User:152.163.100.74|152.163.100.74]] 01:04, 9 July 2006 (UTC)
:I blame the Jews. --[[User:Antifamilymang|George]] 01:06, 9 July 2006 (UTC)
::Well, I am a Jew, and the idea of a marshmallow filled dessert sounds pretty gross to me. - [[User:MSTCrow|MSTCrow]] 01:11, 9 July 2006 (UTC)
:Moonpies? Try a [[pavlova|pav]] instead. BTW, what is it with gulls and [[Maglev train|maglevs]]? [[User:Grutness|Grutness]]...''<small><font color="#008822">[[User_talk:Grutness|wha?]]</font></small>'' 01:51, 9 July 2006 (UTC)
::I think it's the gulls and [[magneto]]s that are the real enemies. [[User:Zoe]]|[[User talk:Zoe|<sup>(talk)</sup>]] 03:07, 9 July 2006 (UTC)
:Useful advice: If a gull won't eat it, you probably shouldn't be eating it yourself. --[[User:Kurt Shaped Box|Kurt Shaped Box]] 10:55, 9 July 2006 (UTC)
== What's the best.. ? ==
Whast's the best place/method on the internet to find lots and lots of free high quality pr0n?--[[User:Question1|Question1]] 02:57, 9 July 2006 (UTC)
:I'll give you a hint: it has nothing to do with the Wikipedia reference desk. Sorry. —[[User:Keenan Pepper|Keenan Pepper]] 03:14, 9 July 2006 (UTC)
:: LOL - but you have to give him credit - he tried to ask it in sort of a scientific-sounding way. --[[User:Bmk|Bmk]] 03:34, 9 July 2006 (UTC)
:If you're using Google Image, did you remember to turn SafeSearch off? That step is key. —[[User:Keenan Pepper|Keenan Pepper]] 05:29, 9 July 2006 (UTC)
:There's even a [[pron]] redirect. I thought it was a [[taipow]] (no, no redirect for that). [[User:DirkvdM|DirkvdM]] 09:24, 9 July 2006 (UTC)
:[http://www.google.com www.google.com] -- [[User:Koffieyahoo|Koffieyahoo]] 01:45, 10 July 2006 (UTC)
go to www.discretesex.com or www.jonsvids.com =) many many free videos that lead to sites with even more free videos =))) -[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:PitchBlack PitchBlack]
== Running MAC apps on a Windows box ==
Is there any way to run simple, terminal programs written for the MAC on a pc? Is there a virtual machine, or a compability layer or an emulator or anything? [[User:Oskar Sigvardsson|Oskar]] 06:43, 9 July 2006 (UTC)
:I'm confused. The title says Mac apps, the question refers to terminal scripts. Which is it? OS 9 or OS X? If OS X, terminal scripts are sh or bash scripts. bash can be run on Windows (somehow I assume you are not using Linux) if you get Cygwin. Or maybe I misunderstand your question, what is it you want to run? There exists an OLD Mac 7 emulator, "Executor"... --[[User:GangofOne|GangofOne]] 07:33, 9 July 2006 (UTC)
:The new Macs are 80x86 based, so they're pc's in a sense, but that's probably not what you meant. [[User:DirkvdM|DirkvdM]] 09:27, 9 July 2006 (UTC)
== Physics ==
This IS a homework question, but id really appreciate if someone could explain HOW to do it (I've looked in the textbook and can't find the appropriate method)
'A runner, starting from rest, speedsup uniformly to a velocity of 6.0 m/s in 4.0 s. continues at this velocity for another 10s. and then slows down to a stop in 2.0s Draw the velocity time graph for the runner (done that) and determine how far the runner has travelled (This is the part I'm stuck with). Help is appreciated as i do need to study for the exam tomorrow. Thank you in advance.
:Break the calculation into the three parts, each of which has a different acceleration (in one case, the acceleration is zero). Use s = u . t + (1/2) . a . t<sup>2</sup> (can't remember what formula this is, but you should have been taught it more recently than I was; it's one of a set of three). In fact, this formula makes more sense if you realise that your task could also be expressed as "give the area under the graph", but I don't remember being taught that. [[User:Notinasnaid|Notinasnaid]] 07:50, 9 July 2006 (UTC)
:Ah found it. See [[Equation of motion#classic version]]. The first three of the "classic" equations shown are so important you will be expected to remember them and use them during any exam. [[User:Notinasnaid|Notinasnaid]] 07:57, 9 July 2006 (UTC)
Ok I think I understand now thanks all.
:you have a graph of velocity vs. time, so just take the area under the graph. Just look at the units, m/s * s = m. That's visually what the mathematics/calculus is doing. -Kyle
== Hallucination ==
What is the specific name of hallucinatory effect of seeing animal or other creatures heads on a person (drug influenced or otherwise){{unsigned|70.69.221.200}}
:The closest I can find in the [[OED]] is ''zo'oscopy: a species of hallucination in which imaginary animal forms are seen.''--[[User:Shantavira|Shantavira]] 14:45, 9 July 2006 (UTC)
::What a wonderful word. That's why I love the OED. Perhaps you could use this as the basis for a more fantastical neologism, like ''monstroscopy''; or a more specific neologism, like ''zoocephaloscopy'': a hallucination in which animal heads are seen; more specific yet, ''circumcorporeal zoocephaloscopy'': hallucination in which animal heads appear around a body—pretty close, eh? [[User:Bhumiya|Bhumiya]] ([[User talk:Bhumiya|said]]/[[Special:Contributions/Bhumiya|done]]) 23:07, 9 July 2006 (UTC)
::Or even ''chimeroscopy'', that of seeing hybrid creatures, perhaps. [[User:ConMan|Confusing Manifestation]] 01:17, 10 July 2006 (UTC)
== Does twisting add strength? ==
Is a twisted structure stronger than a non-twisted structure of the same basic shape? If built from the same materials, on the same scale, would [[Fordham Spire|this]] be stronger than [[Empire State Building|this]]? I have a special fondness for spiral architecture and I was wondering if there's any actual advantage in it. Intuitively, I would think so, but I'm no architect. Thanks! [[User:Bhumiya|Bhumiya]] ([[User talk:Bhumiya|said]]/[[Special:Contributions/Bhumiya|done]]) 15:05, 9 July 2006 (UTC)
:You seem to be talking about compression strength, so I would say no. There might be an advantage in making wind load more consistent, by not presenting a single flat surface which can act as a sail, but I suspect the cost savings of making a rectangular box would allow for enough overdesign to compensate for this. Spiral shapes do help in ropes under tension, to secure the strands together and ensure that the force is distributed evenly to the strands. In architecture, however, I suspect it's purely for aesthetics. [[User:StuRat|StuRat]] 17:05, 9 July 2006 (UTC)
[[Image:Crooked_Spire.jpg|thumb|right|Chesterfield spire]].
::Not sure it's stronger for it, but you might like to see this famous example of twisting. The folk stories of "how" this happened are charming ([[Chesterfield]]). --[[User:Dweller|Dweller]] 10:25, 10 July 2006 (UTC)
{{clear}}
== Laptops needing harddrives ==
Why do laptops still use harddrives? Would miniSD's allow for a more compact design and eliminate the point of failure that is inherent in spinning drives?
:For some applications – some portable music players come to mind – the durability and lower power requirements of solid-state storage do make that option more attractive. However, the price per gigabyte of storage is still much higher for solid state memory compared to spinning hard disks. A hundred gigabyte solid-state drive would cost thousands of dollars. [[User:TenOfAllTrades|TenOfAllTrades]]([[User_talk:TenOfAllTrades|talk]]) 16:21, 9 July 2006 (UTC)
I think you're right, and shortly we may start to see laptops without hard drives. We may eventually see the same thing in desktop computers, but the weight and size of hard drives is less of an issue there, and cost is more of an issue, so it may take a while. The heat and noise of hard drives is also a negative which will be fixed by going to SD cards. [[User:StuRat|StuRat]] 17:10, 9 July 2006 (UTC)
:Most hard drives have a data transfer rate much higher than even the fastest SD cards, if I'm not mistaken. [[User:Sum0|Sum0]] 17:31, 9 July 2006 (UTC)
The reason is a limitation on [[miniSD]] and related technologies: they all use [[flash memory]], which has a ''limited'' number of write cycles. Unless you are using an operating system designed to be used on flash memory, the repeated use (for instance, virtual memory, temporary files, and atime updates) will wear it down too quickly. A hard disk drive can be written to many more times than flash memory (and, in fact, the main factor on wearing it down would be either the bearings failing or [[stiction]]). Some modern systems are being designed with flash memory in mind; for instance, the [[OLPC]] project laptops (see [[$100 laptop]]). --[[User:CesarB|cesarb]] 18:01, 9 July 2006 (UTC)
:Write cycle limits are a problem but they are improving all the time. They are also getting better at fault tolerance so they will continue to work without interruption as cells go bad. Price per GB is also improving constantly. Samsung is working on viable solid state disks for small laptops and tablet PCs, as seen in this somewhat dated article [http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20050524-4939.html|at Arstechnica]. The key benefits to solid state disks are high g-force tolerance (translated: drop-proof) and low energy consumption (around 5% of platter type disks). In short, they aren't out yet but be on the lookout for this technology, it has the potential to dramatically improve portable computing.
== Bumblebee stings ==
I'm puzzled by the evolution of this.
Since the use of the sting kills the bee, surely the first bees to develop this mutation should by definition have not survived to pass on the advantage? --[[User:Dweller|Dweller]] 19:14, 9 July 2006 (UTC)
:Worker bees, the ones most likely to sting, never reproduce anyway. See: [[honeybee life cycle]] and [[bee sting]]. [[User:Dragons flight|Dragons flight]] 19:21, 9 July 2006 (UTC)
::Then how have they evolved at all? --[[User:Dweller|Dweller]] 19:48, 9 July 2006 (UTC)
:::There is only one breeding female per hive, [[queen bee|the queen]]. Most of her children are infertile worker bees that do the grunt work and protect the hive. So basically, the queen evolved the ability to create an army of sterile slaves to protect her own genetic heritage. [[User:Dragons flight|Dragons flight]] 19:57, 9 July 2006 (UTC)
::::I think you misunderstood my (second) question. Since the workers cannot breed, how do they evolve? --[[User:Dweller|Dweller]] 20:07, 9 July 2006 (UTC)
:::::'<i>They</i>' don't, they're all the same species, but the Queen that produces more effective worker bees, is more likely to live long enough to reproduce, where as a queen that produces ineffective worker bees, isn't as likely to live long enough to reproduce--[[User:71.249.9.254|71.249.9.254]] 20:13, 9 July 2006 (UTC)
::::From what I remember from the article, the use of the sting only kills when used against mammals, not other bees, wasps, etc. [[User:Emmett5|Emmett5]] 20:15, 9 July 2006 (UTC)
:(bringing it back here) Not sure I buy that... a tiny freaky mutation in an individual might help its survival and therefore "protect" the mutation. But this individual is hardly going to make much of an impact on the survival chances of the queen. --[[User:Dweller|Dweller]] 20:21, 9 July 2006 (UTC)
::Because queens make the workers, mutations in her can allow her to create more effective workers. Hence workers evolve through evolution in the queen. [[User:Dragons flight|Dragons flight]] 20:25, 9 July 2006 (UTC)
:Evolutionarily speaking, you can think of a hive as a single organism. The worker bees are like legs or organs of the queen, except they are physically distinct. It's sort of like asking why a [[macrophage]] (white blood cell) engulfs foreign bacteria, when doing so is fatal to the macrophage. It's not autonomous; it's part of its organism (i.e. you). Likewise, a worker bee is part of the hive organism because it does not reproduce. This idea taken to its extreme is called the [[gene-centered view of evolution]]. --[[User:Ginkgo100|Ginkgo100]] <sup>[[User talk:Ginkgo100|''talk'']] · [[Special:Contributions/Ginkgo100|''contribs'']]</sup> 20:54, 9 July 2006 (UTC)
::The fact that queen bees have smooth stingers and can sting mammals more than once without dying supports this view. The queen has evolved to survive, while the workers have evolved to be useful to the queen. [[User:Crazywolf|Crazywolf]] 21:06, 9 July 2006 (UTC)
1. I'm not even sure bumblebee bees have hives.
2. Honey bees' stingers can repeatedly sting another insect, so I would imagine that most threats to bees come from other predatory and/or thieving (of their honey) insects, so it didn't make much sense to bother if the occassional bee happens to come across a mammal with much tougher and elastic skin and ends up kiling itself. - [[User:MSTCrow|MSTCrow]] 21:34, 9 July 2006 (UTC)
:1. Bumblebees do have hives, but they are small and do not resemble the honeycomb hives of honey bees.
:2. '''Bumblebees'''' stingers are the smooth ones. Honeybees do have barbed stingers. And while honeybees are able to sting other instects in certain circumstances withuot dying, they have many predators which are not insects, see the predator section of [[honeybee]].
:It seems that the bumblebees evolved in a more individualistic fashion, what with their non-self-lethal attacks and ability to mate with non-queen females, and the honeybees evolved more as an organism, as described above.[[User:Tuckerekcut|Tuckerekcut]] 01:37, 10 July 2006 (UTC)
:: If i remember correctly, Dawkins' ''[[The Selfish Gene]]'' makes a very elegant explanation for how hive communities evolve and why it makes evolutionary sense ([[gene-centered view of evolution|from a gene-centered perspective]]) for drones and workers to sacrifice themselves for the good of the Queen. '''[[User:Rockpocket|<font color="green">Rockpock</font>]]<font color="black">e</font>[[User_talk:Rockpocket|<font color="green">t</font>]]''' 04:54, 10 July 2006 (UTC)
== Spinach ==
How come eating raw [[spinach]] makes my teeth feel funny? Does it have some kind of [[astringent]]? —[[User:Keenan Pepper|Keenan Pepper]] 20:39, 9 July 2006 (UTC)
:Not sure if this is the reason, but spinach does contain [[oxalic acid]]. --[[User:Ginkgo100|Ginkgo100]] <sup>[[User talk:Ginkgo100|''talk'']] · [[Special:Contributions/Ginkgo100|''contribs'']]</sup> 20:59, 9 July 2006 (UTC)
::Yes, the blame is usually put either directly on [[oxalic acid]] which supposedly slightly etches the surface of the teeth, or the gritty texture is attributed to [[oxalate]] crystals leaching out of the damaged plant cells. [[User:Femto|Femto]] 21:10, 9 July 2006 (UTC)
:::Cool, I know what that is. Thanks! —[[User:Keenan Pepper|Keenan Pepper]] 21:47, 9 July 2006 (UTC)
::::So, in a way, it's bad to eat spinach because it etches your teeth? [[User:Dismas|Dismas]]|[[User talk:Dismas|<sup>(talk)</sup>]] 01:44, 10 July 2006 (UTC)
:::::Just swallow it without chewing. Or get someone else to chew it for you. [[User:Freshgavin|<font size="-2" color="white" style="background:blue"> freshofftheufo</font>]][[User_talk:Freshgavin|<font size="-2" color="blue">ΓΛĿЌ </font>]] 05:02, 10 July 2006 (UTC)
::::::Such as a cooking pot. Note he was talking about ''raw'' spinach. I'm not sure if that is healthy to eat anyway. [[User:DirkvdM|DirkvdM]] 09:01, 10 July 2006 (UTC)
:Is this anything like the funny feeling I get on my teeth when I eat a pear? (which is why I don't) [[User:DirkvdM|DirkvdM]] 09:01, 10 July 2006 (UTC)
:I get that feeling whenever I eat barbed wire. --[[User:Dweller|Dweller]] 10:17, 10 July 2006 (UTC)
== sun-oriented structures ==
i am currently building a labyrinth based on thee design of the labyrinth at chartre cathedral. one aspect of the design is the suggestion by one author, richard "feather" anderson i believe, that the entrance should be oriented to face the rising sun at the summer solstice. i would appreciate help in determining the significance and meaning of the eastern orientation and whether there are other examples.
thank you for your consideration and attention.
bruce haggerstone
:As stated in the instructions, please don't put your e-mail address on this page. That's begging for spam. --[[User:Antifamilymang|George]] 22:45, 9 July 2006 (UTC)
== Leaders in thinking ==
I'm building the [[List of thinking-related topics]], and I'm working on the "Leaders in thinking" section. I'm trying to find major scholars, researchers, and experts on thinking to add to the list. The emphasis is on thinking skills. So far I've found the following:
=== The list ===
{{col-start}}
{{col-break}}
* [[Aaron T. Beck]]
* [[Edward de Bono]]
* [[Tony Buzan]]
* [[Noam Chomsky]]
{{col-break}}
* [[Albert Ellis]]
* [[Howard Gardner]]
* [[Douglas Hofstadter]]
{{col-break}}
* [[Marvin Minsky]]
* [[Baruch Spinoza]]
* [[Robert Sternberg]]
{{col-end}}
Who else belongs on this list?
I'd appreciate any additions to this list. Thanks.
--[[User:Transhumanist|Transhumanist]] 00:46, 10 July 2006 (UTC)
:[[Alan Turing]]? Or is this just living people? —[[User:Keenan Pepper|Keenan Pepper]] 01:00, 10 July 2006 (UTC)
::[[Ayn Rand]] and [[Objectivism]]? Or am I not really seeing what you're getting at? [[User:Dismas|Dismas]]|[[User talk:Dismas|<sup>(talk)</sup>]] 01:40, 10 July 2006 (UTC)
Isn't "Experts on thinking" a little ambiguous? Perhaps you need to define the type of people that you want a little more tightly, eg. "Experts in human intelligence" or "Experts in cognitive psychology" etc. [[User:BenC7|BenC7]] 04:03, 10 July 2006 (UTC)
:I'd be tempted to add [[Richard Feynman]], though this does seem to be a living-only list (otherwise there are a LOT of big names missing). [[User:Grutness|Grutness]]...''<small><font color="#008822">[[User_talk:Grutness|wha?]]</font></small>'' 07:04, 10 July 2006 (UTC)
This seems a very neat idea for an article, although I'm not sure how you'd objectively qualify who belongs and who doesnt other than opinion. Maybe "List of leaders in thinking" and categorize it by field, since for each field one can probably identify respected "leaders". Look up the article or categories on [[genius]] which links to some well known thinkers, or look up [[:category:philosophers]]? What'd heklp is if you define better what you are considering. [[user:FT2|FT2]] <sup><span style="font-style:italic">([[User_talk:FT2|Talk]] | [[Special:Emailuser/FT2|email]])</span></sup> 13:13, 10 July 2006 (UTC)
== Dodgy dreams... ==
Hi,
Sometimes when I am sleeping, I would be startled by the thought that I am tripping up in the stairs and my legs will involuntarily kick in respond to the thought. Then I would wake up.
Strangely this "dream" generates no image, i.e. I can not actually see stairs as I am having the thought of tripping up.
Can anyone explain why this happens and how can I stop having it?
--[[User:Inkybutton|inky]] 03:50, 10 July 2006 (UTC)
:I think this is called [[clonus]], though the description in the WP article seems a bit different. My experience is not quite the same as yours; I usually have a dream that I remember at least a little bit of, and there's the sensation of falling and then of impact (I feel the impact in my whole body, not just my legs). As to how to stop it I have no idea; maybe just knowing that it's a common experience, and harmless (as far as I know), might put you at ease about it. --[[User:Trovatore|Trovatore]] 04:29, 10 July 2006 (UTC)
::There seems to be a more specific article at [[hypnic jerk]]. --[[User:Trovatore|Trovatore]] 04:35, 10 July 2006 (UTC)
::: Who you calling a jerk? ;) '''[[User:Rockpocket|<font color="green">Rockpock</font>]]<font color="black">e</font>[[User_talk:Rockpocket|<font color="green">t</font>]]''' 04:48, 10 July 2006 (UTC)
::::Thanks for that Trovatore! --[[User:Inkybutton|inky]] 06:44, 10 July 2006 (UTC)
== Difference between solstice and the coldest/warmest average daily temperatures ==
Why is there a lag time between the winter/summer [[solstice]] and the coldest/warmest average daily temperatures? For example, the [[winter solstice]] is on June 21 for the [[southern hemisphere]], but the coldest part of the year in my city ([[Melbourne, Australia]]) is in July. Similarly, the [[summer solstice]] is in December, but the warmest part of the year is in Jan/Feb. ''See [http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/averages/tables/cw_086071.shtml here] for average Melbourne temperatures.'' -- [[User:E!]] 04:31, 10 July 2006 (UTC)
:I think it's a matter of the [[thermal mass]] of the earth and water of the locality absorbing (or giving up) the heat over weeks which causes the time lag. Although the most heat may arrive from the sun at the summer solstice, it is the combination of that and the heat that is already stored in the locality which will determine the temperature experienced. (Of course there's atmospheric and oceanic mixing and many other factors involved.) I see a parallel with the general experience that a day's high temperature is typically closer to 3pm than to noon. -[[User:R. S. Shaw|R. S. Shaw]] 04:56, 10 July 2006 (UTC)
:The date of maximum/minimum sunlight corresponds to the highest/lowest average '''equilibrium''' temperature. However, it takes time to reach this equilibrium, as has been said in Shaw's post. See the [[seasonal lag]] page - User: Nightvid
::Thanks to you both. The [[seasonal lag]] page is exactly what I was after. -- [[User:E!|E!]] 21:00, 11 July 2006 (AEST)
== Gosh Numbers ==
Wikiscientists, if you are interested, please help determine this [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Articles_for_deletion/Gosh_Numbers afd discussion about Gosh Numbers]. Thanks! [[User:Bwithh|Bwithh]] 04:38, 10 July 2006 (UTC)
== Theoretical basis of miniaturization ==
Miniaturizing or enlarging object (or people) is a common theme in science fiction. Is anyone aware any theoretical framework which could accomplish this (not the actual machinery, but the physical processes involved)? The individual atoms and molecules would probably all have to be miniaturized, but I am not sure how this could be accomplished. I searched Wikipedia a bit and found [[Resizing (fiction)]], which doesn't really help. My quantum mechanics is quite rusty; I am not sure if electrons or quarks have radii in any sense that would need to be reduced. One problem one might run into would be violations of Heisnberg's uncertainty principle, though perhaps it would not apply or would be modified under different physics. In Isaac Asimov's ''Fantastic Voyage II'', I believe the explanation behind the miniaturization was that Planck's constant was reduced as well, which would solve that problem. I really can't recall the format of electron wavefunctions, but I don't believe that reducing Planck's constant would size of the wavefunction (that is, the distance from the nucleus). Is there a term that one could vary to change the wavefunction in this matter? How about the electron mass? Presumably the quark and electron masses would all have to be decreased as well, otherwise you'd end up with a very dense object. Actually, maybe that would allow escape from the uncertainly principle. I lack any quantum-mechanical knowledge of the structure of nuclei, so I have no idea what would be involved in shrinking inter-quark distances to decrease the size of the protons and neutrons or what would be involved in decreasing the nucleus itself. Presumably, too, charge would be decreased too, right? Actually maybe that could provide the suitable modification to the electron wavefunctions? If anyone has any thoughts, please share. If this doesn't make sense, just ask me, and I'll be glad to clarify. — [[User:Knowledge Seeker|Knowledge Seeker]] [[User talk:Knowledge Seeker|দ]] 07:45, 10 July 2006 (UTC)
*There really is no theoretical basis for this; it makes no more sense than the idea that, exposed to radiation, an entire organism would mutate, or that if you're bitten by a radioactive spider you get mysterious spider powers. It just makes for good storytelling. [[User:Notinasnaid|Notinasnaid]] 07:49, 10 July 2006 (UTC)
**Ah, you're correct, but you might be misunderstanding my point. While of course one would not expect that a bite from a radioactive spider could rewrite genes in a concerted fashion throughout an organism, it is certainly plausible that someone with an altered genome, perhaps as part of ''in vitro'' fertilization, could have abilities normal humans don't have. I'm not interested in the mechanics behind any of the stories involving miniaturization, but rather if it is possible from a theoretical standpoint. Or are you saying that you don't think it's possible under any circumstances? — [[User:Knowledge Seeker|Knowledge Seeker]] [[User talk:Knowledge Seeker|দ]] 08:12, 10 July 2006 (UTC)
:In a [[Farscape]] episode, someone who had been miniaturised observed that this was impossible. Either everything was reduced down to the molecular scale, meaning she shouldn't be able to breathe normal air (the molecules wouldn't be able to interact) or the molecules remained the same size, in which there would be just a fraction of them, which would have meant that she had just a tiny brain, insufficient to think this through the way she did. [[User:DirkvdM|DirkvdM]] 09:14, 10 July 2006 (UTC)
::It may have been impossible in the episode, though I'm not talking about a specific science fiction work's portrayal of miniaturization. Interactions with the rest of the universe are problematic, and probably would depend on the putative physics involved. But the air problem isn't a barrier to miniaturizing a bookshelf, for instance, or a human in a space suit. right? In ''Fantastic Voyage II'' it was a submarine-type vehicle with an onboard life-support system. — [[User:Knowledge Seeker|Knowledge Seeker]] [[User talk:Knowledge Seeker|দ]] 09:25, 10 July 2006 (UTC)
:The problem with miniturization is that although people and objects look "big" on a macro scale, they are in fact comprized of billions of molecular level processes, and molecular physics is based upon universal forces and laws which are dependent upon scale. Thus, to shrink a person to 1/10 of their size, you have to remove 90% of their "contents". Since it's not obvious how individual processes like [[protein folding]] and [[synapse]] gaps could be "shrunk", and the balance between forces such as [[electromagnetic force]], [[weak force]] and [[strong force]] and quantum interactions, vary according to scale, it's not clear if these molecules could be shrunk by any process. So you'd have to remove 90% of them instead. Remove 90% of the molecules in the brain? Would people's [[cognition]] not vary? So... see the problem? [[user:FT2|FT2]] <sup><span style="font-style:italic">([[User_talk:FT2|Talk]] | [[Special:Emailuser/FT2|email]])</span></sup> 13:21, 10 July 2006 (UTC)
::Of course I see the problem; it looks to me like you're just re-expressing my question.I am trying to explore ways in which the electromagnetic force and such could be modified. Of course it's not clear if molecules could be shrunk, but I'm wondering if anyone can think of a consistent quantum-mechanical framework for this; that's the whole point. Why are you suggesting removing molecules? That has nothing to do with miniaturization. If I chop a block of wood in half, I haven't shrunk the wood, just cut out part of it. — [[User:Knowledge Seeker|Knowledge Seeker]] [[User talk:Knowledge Seeker|দ]] 16:17, 10 July 2006 (UTC)
:::He not only re-expressed your question but also part of my answer (you cheat, you! :) ), the point of which was that if you ''don't'' do this by miniaturising the molecules (and quarks and what have you), you're left with less space, so fewer molecules for the brain. But you ''do'' mean to miniaturise the molecules. You solved the lung-interaction by limiting it to objects or putting any person in some container. But then there would still be a contact layer somewhere (unless you miniaturise the entire universe) and that should have some strange effects. Can't think of which, though. [[User:DirkvdM|DirkvdM]] 19:03, 10 July 2006 (UTC)
:The size of an object is not based on the size of it's particles, but rather the strength of the forces they exert on eachother. You could just place a coefficient next to every distance or displacement variable in every physics equations. If you made that coefficient 2, then the person would shrink to half their height. There is plenty of room between the atomic particles for them to get closer together if the repulsive electromagnetic forces got weaker and the attractive ones stronger. I don't know anything about the strong and weak nuclear forces, but it's simple algebra that any equation can be scaled in this manner. [[User:Crazywolf|Crazywolf]] 21:44, 10 July 2006 (UTC)
:Obligatory Futurama quote: "Oh my no, that would require extremely tiny atoms. Have priced those lately? I'm not made of money, leave me alone!" —[[User:Keenan Pepper|Keenan Pepper]] 22:42, 10 July 2006 (UTC)
::Thanks for all the answers, and I hope I didn't come across snippy earlier. Yeah, DirkvdM and others, I think that science fiction traditionally ignores the problematic interaction between miniaturized and normal-sized matter, though without a theoretical framework, it's difficult to predict how such interactions might occur. Of course, the way the miniaturized people were able to breath air in ''Honey, I Shrunk the Kids'' (or the dog eat an enlarged snack) is quite implausible. In ''Fantastic Voyage II', I believe there was a miniaturization field around the ship; it was transparent to light certainly, and not impermeable--occasionally an RBC would contact it too forcefull and become miniaturized. I wonder, too, how gravity would affect such matter. Or energy, too. Would the gaps in electron energy levels be less? Perhaps visible light would appear blue-shifted to miniaturized people. In any case, this speculation is getting too extreme even for me, so I'll stop. Thanks again. — [[User:Knowledge Seeker|Knowledge Seeker]] [[User talk:Knowledge Seeker|দ]] 06:55, 11 July 2006 (UTC)
There is one other means for shrinking.. though its highly theoretical and unsure if it "counts"...
Space-time itself is flexible. A procedure that flexed space-time itself, might solve the problem. Theres some big speculation on this in [[cosmology]] and the [[Big Bang]]. basically, the question is, is the universe expanding, or is space-time expanding. The former would be matter and energy moving into places it wasnt, the latter would be the fabric of space-time changing to create the illusion of space and time, in a limited bubble. Don't know if that helps. [[user:FT2|FT2]] <sup><span style="font-style:italic">([[User_talk:FT2|Talk]] | [[Special:Emailuser/FT2|email]])</span></sup> 13:15, 11 July 2006 (UTC)
== ionic equation ==
Homework question-again im interested in HOW to do it.
HCl+ KOH -------> H2O+KCl
Now i am supposed to write an ionic equation for this. The problem is that KCl is soluble in water, and water is obviously a liquid. Im at a bit of a loss as to how to write an ionic equation without having any precipates.
*Believe it or not, without precipitates, you actually get more ionic substances. If it's soluble in water, it falls apart into ions. Take a look at [[ionic equation]] and see which form you need to use. - [[User:131.211.210.10|131.211.210.10]] 08:17, 10 July 2006 (UTC)
So i take that the (unbalanced) ionic equation would be H+ + Cl- + K+ + Cl- -------> 2H+ O- + K+ + Cl- ?
What happened to the hydroxyl ion on the reactant side? You've got double chloride ions. And you should write water on the right as a molecule - H2O. It's a [[neutralization reaction]]. Even if you did want to write water as three dissociated ions, the oxygen would have a charge of -2, not -1. But it's best to write it as H2O. The K+ + Cl- on the right side is correct, though. --[[User:Bmk|Bmk]] 13:21, 10 July 2006 (UTC)
Do the instructions say to write a '''full''' ionic equation or a '''net''' ionic equation? A net ionic equation does not include [[spectator ion]]s. —[[User:Keenan Pepper|Keenan Pepper]] 22:44, 10 July 2006 (UTC)
Split up the left hand side into its component parts. You end up with two ionic equations: K+ + Cl- --> KCl and H+ + OH- --> H2O. It is not useful to write them all completely dissociated as you have done above, as it doesn't actually tell the reader what happened. [[User:BenC7|BenC7]] 01:07, 11 July 2006 (UTC)
== Is there an infinite nature to the universe? ==
As we all know scientists have dated the "universe" to approximately 13.7 billion years old. But is it possible that nothingness is a phase of universal creation, and state that it has existed infinitely rather then arbitrary 13.7 billion years? If not, is there a acceptable name by which the inexistance of the universe should be called?--[[User:Magmafox|John Brown]] 09:54, 10 July 2006 (UTC)
soooo...what was BEFORE the creation of the universe? how were the gases and rocks (creation of bigbang?) there in the first place? what about before the gases and rocks. if there was absolutely nothing at one time in the universe, how did it get created at all? sorry about not answering the question :) -[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:PitchBlack PitchBlack]
:There are currently no falsifiable hypotheses about what existed before the "big bang". So if you want to pick a name for whatever, if anything, came before, it's up to you :). --[[User:Bmk|Bmk]] 13:24, 10 July 2006 (UTC)
::I like to call it "Bernard". --[[User:Dweller|Dweller]] 15:09, 10 July 2006 (UTC)
:The common counter is that, with the Big Bang, [[time]] was also created. Thus, the question "What happened before the Big Bang?" is meaningless, as there was no before. --[[User:GTubio|GTubio]] 00:04, 11 July 2006 (UTC)
::I think that more proper than saying "time was created" at the big bang, it would be to say that the directionality of time (it ''passes'', rather than just extending like 'normal' dimensions) is a direct consequence of the traumatic past event it points away from. This would mean that time would lose its timelike quality again at some point in the "future". The more you think about it, the more it appears that the universe is a vacuum fluctuation; meaning we just borrowed some energy to imagine we exist before we have to hand it back :) [[User:Dbachmann|dab]] <small>[[User_talk:Dbachmann|('''ᛏ''')]]</small> 01:01, 11 July 2006 (UTC)
== So, how clever are magpies in comparison to gulls? ==
While I'm sure that both species are near the top of the tree when it comes to avian intelligence, which one is the most intelligent? Has there ever been any studies on this sort of thing? Magpies certainly look smarter on the surface to me. Their look and mannerisms seem to suggest quick-wittedness and curiosity, though I know this might not nescessarily be the case. Likewise, a gull's 'thuggish' look and mannerisms make it look less smart than it probably is. I mean, they have humans pretty much sussed out, don't they? Anyone have more info? The thread above has got me thinking. --[[User:84.66.226.181|84.66.226.181]] 11:20, 10 July 2006 (UTC)
:Magpies are members of the [[crow]] family, which are widely acknowledged to be exceptionally intelligent. See [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/4286965.stm this link,] for example. When there is food on my lawn, magpies have the sense to come down and eat it while the gulls merely circle noisily overhead.--[[User:Shantavira|Shantavira]] 17:29, 10 July 2006 (UTC)
::I've noticed that gulls are very wary of large piles of food dropped by humans. They tend to fly around or perch nearby for a while to see what happens - they like to wait for one bird to take the plunge and go first. If nothing bad happens to him/her, the rest of the gulls pile in to feed. A sign of intelligence (c'mon - would you trust a human to give you something for nothing?) or an example of herd-mentality stupidity? You decide. :) --[[User:Kurt Shaped Box|Kurt Shaped Box]] 19:31, 10 July 2006 (UTC)
:WRT the intelligence of gulls, I was once told an anecdote by a friend who works at the local landfill site. Apparently, every six months or so, the local council decides to 'do something about the gulls' at the tip, so the men with guns are dispatched to 'thin the herd'. According to him, the gulls understand the concept of 'gun' very well indeed and will flee as soon as the hunters appear. What was really interesting about this story was that the gulls apparently know the difference between rifles and shotguns (presumably after seeing several of their fellows being shot down over the years). If they see a shotgun, they take off en-masse into the air and fly as high as possible, out of the range of the pellets. If the men have rifles, the gulls panic and get out of the area as quickly as possible, keeping low to the ground, flying at high speed and zig-zagging, as though they know how to throw off their aim. I've never seen this at first hand but it's certainly an interesting observation, if accurate... --[[User:Kurt Shaped Box|Kurt Shaped Box]] 20:01, 10 July 2006 (UTC)
We seriously need to start a separate "Gull" reference desk :) --[[User:Bmk|Bmk]] 21:25, 10 July 2006 (UTC)
I was watching a baseball game the other day which started at 2 PM local time, although the games usually start at 1 PM. When the games are over, the gulls swoop down to pick through all of the garbage left behind. They showed up an hour before the end of the game, apparently totally confused by the late start time. Apparently, they carry wristwatches. :) [[User:Zoe]]|[[User talk:Zoe|<sup>(talk)</sup>]] 02:35, 11 July 2006 (UTC)
== Whats my groggy feeling after stretching? ==
sometimes, when i get a really good stretch (standing up, arms high up) i get a really groggy and tired feeling over my body for maybe 15 seconds. i dont really know why this happens. probably the best guess i can come up with, is that while stretching all those muscles, chemicals are released to relax you? or probably relax the muscle? somebody please clear this up for me. -[[User:PitchBlack|PitchBlack]]
:This is my guess, but I always assumed it is because it takes a while for the heart to start pumping fast enough to accomadate the active state you have just entered suddenly, and time for the pressure to psread arround the body. [[User:Philc_0780|<font color="Green">Philc</font>]] <sub>[[User talk:Philc_0780|T]]</sub><sup>[[User:Philc 0780/Esperanza|E]]</sup><sub>[[Special:contributions/Philc_0780|C]]</sub><sup>[[User:Philc_0780/Improve me|I]]</sup> 17:09, 10 July 2006 (UTC)
:: It's called [[orthostatic hypotension]]. [[User:BaseballBaby|<font color="darkblue">'''Baseball,Baby!'''</font>]] [[User talk:BaseballBaby|<font color="red"><sup>''balls''</sup></font>]]<font color="darkblue"><sup>•</sup></font>[[Special:Contributions/BaseballBaby|<font color="red"><sup>''strikes''</sup></font>]] 03:05, 11 July 2006 (UTC)
== Disabled Task Manager ==
Someone (or more likely, something) has disabled the task manager in my Windows system. How can I restore it? Thanks. <small>—The preceding [[Wikipedia:Sign your posts on talk pages|unsigned]] comment was added by [[User:85.50.38.173|85.50.38.173]] ([[User talk:85.50.38.173|talk]] • [[Special:Contributions/85.50.38.173|contribs]]) 14:27, July 10, 2006 (UTC).</small>
:Your box has been rooted. Run a [[Ad-aware|spyware]] and a [[AVG anti-virus|virus scan]]. If that does not work, reformat and install [[Ubuntu]]. <small>—The preceding [[Wikipedia:Sign your posts on talk pages|unsigned]] comment was added by [[User:207.75.179.101|207.75.179.101]] ([[User talk:207.75.179.101|talk]] • [[Special:Contributions/207.75.179.101|contribs]]) 14:43, July 10, 2006 (UTC).</small>
::Could you be a little more precise? What happens when you right-click on the taskbar and select "Task Manager"? On a shared/office machine, the administrator can disable task manager for users of this machine - could that be the case? If you are using a standalone machine, as the above user said, first check for spyware/viruses, some of them disable task manager to make it harder to get rid of them. If that's not the problem, try the procedure on this page: [http://www.windowsnetworking.com/kbase/WindowsTips/WindowsXP/UserTips/Customization/EnableDisableTaskManagerinWindowsXPHomePro.html] (for Windows XP). Googling your problem also yields some results: [http://www.google.co.uk/search?q=Task%20Manager%20disabled]. Good luck! — [[User:QuantumEleven|Quantum]]<i>[[User_talk:QuantumEleven|Eleven]]</i> 13:21, 10 July 2006 (UTC)
:A lot of networked computers have the task manager disabled to disallow tampering. --[[User:Proficient|Proficient]] 16:40, 10 July 2006 (UTC)
== can the fruit conduct electricity? ==
If it is so, why is that so?
Fruit conducts electricity because it is basically a fleshy bag of electrolyte solution; that is, water with salts dissolved in it (and a bunch of other stuff). It conducts because the charged ions are free to move and carry current. If you connect fruit to an electrical circuit, instead of free electrons, free ions take over in the fruit as the moving charges. See [[electrolyte]] for more info. Also, I think in some cases the non-liquid parts of fruit are responsible for conduction; I imagine orange peel for example is not a great insulator - it probably has significant conductivity. --[[User:Bmk|Bmk]] 13:28, 10 July 2006 (UTC)
:You can make a single-cell [[Voltaic pile]] from an orange, by just attaching copper and zinc electrodes. The voltage will be enough to light a small lightbulb if you wire it up. Also works with sweet potato. Works best with cooked and unpeeled sweet potato. --'''[[User:Kjoonlee|Kjoon]]'''[[User talk:Kjoonlee|lee]] 17:49, 10 July 2006 (UTC)
::Just a note - the "orange battery" is a result of another phenomenon - [[redox]] reactions. --[[User:Bmk|Bmk]] 18:27, 10 July 2006 (UTC)
:Acidic fruits such as oranges are much better conductors than non-acidic ones such as melons. --[[User:Ginkgo100|Ginkgo100]] <sup>[[User talk:Ginkgo100|''talk'']] · [[Special:Contributions/Ginkgo100|''contribs'']]</sup> 22:42, 10 July 2006 (UTC)
::The reason cooked sweet potato is better than raw sweet potato is because the cell walls get ruptured after cooking, leading to more electrolyte and more current. I wonder if anyone's tried with cooked orange. --'''[[User:Kjoonlee|Kjoon]]'''[[User talk:Kjoonlee|lee]] 06:12, 11 July 2006 (UTC)
::Barbara Zalat and Jonathan Frutt did a thesis on this. They found that the best demonstration of this so-called Frutt-Zalat effect is obtained by mixing up some apples, bananas, oranges and melon, sprinkling with 0.1 molar cinnamon and clove mix, and attaching a car battery to it. Stand well back and ensure someone else takes the blame, as if you do this without due skill and preparation it will cause a minature black hole to be created as a byproduct :) [[user:FT2|FT2]] <sup><span style="font-style:italic">([[User_talk:FT2|Talk]] | [[Special:Emailuser/FT2|email]])</span></sup> 14:41, 11 July 2006 (UTC)
== Deflating tyres ==
At a gas/petrol station, there is a machine to inflate/deflate car tyres, and ensure they are at the correct pressure. While using such a machine the other day, I noticed among the many instructions one which I couldn't immediately explain: "do not deflate hot tyres". This had me somewhat puzzled - why not? — [[User:QuantumEleven|Quantum]]<i>[[User_talk:QuantumEleven|Eleven]]</i> 13:15, 10 July 2006 (UTC)
:See the [[combined gas law]] for a quantitative explanation. Basically, when tyres get hot, the pressure inside the tyre increases despite there being the same mass of air in there. The pressure on the placard is intended to indicate the correct pressure when the tyres are cold. --[[User:Robert Merkel|Robert Merkel]] 13:41, 10 July 2006 (UTC)
::Right - so if you deflate tires while they are hot, then when they cool down - if it rains or something, then they will deflate further to below a safe pressure, and you could lose control of the car. --[[User:198.125.178.207|198.125.178.207]] 14:10, 10 July 2006 (UTC)
== Rename files using VB .NET 2003 ==
I need to write a program in VB .NET 2003 to search through a folder (and all its subfolders) and rename all the files ending in .mov to .txt. How do I go about doing that? Thanks, [[User:86.41.166.192|86.41.166.192]] 15:21, 10 July 2006 (UTC)
:First maybe take a look at some of the file system functions here [http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/library/en-us/dnvs05/html/VBFusionIO.asp] that you can use to play with and select paths. You can find some sample code to get lists of subdirectories or files here [http://www.vbexplorer.com/VBExplorer/tips/src07.htm]. Then you'll want to use the rename function [http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/608h8bda.aspx]. That should be a good start. [[User:128.197.81.223|128.197.81.223]] 17:14, 10 July 2006 (UTC)
== Observable Ray of Light ==
I often find that while observing an isolated source of light I can see what appear to be rays or concentrated beams which are not directly incident on the eye. i.e I appear to see straight lines of light emerging from the source in divergent directions but only ones which point in directions at an angle from my frame of reference . Could someone explain this phenomenon.
:[[Lens flare]] basically? [[User:128.197.81.223|128.197.81.223]] 17:16, 10 July 2006 (UTC)
I think what you are seeing are indeed rays of light, or rather the photons in the rays that are scattered. Basically, when a light source emits light in all directions, the emitted photons propagate along radial rays. However, when the source emits into a molecular medium like air, some photons are scattered. Therefore, if there is some isolated ray, such as one from the sun through a hole in the clouds or from a flashlight, you are seeing photons that were originally traveling along the ray, but then hit an air molecule or particle in the air and were scattered into your direction. --[[User:Bmk|Bmk]] 18:10, 10 July 2006 (UTC)
:You seem to be referring to [[Rayleigh scattering]], which does indeed occur, but is very likely not to be what is going on here. Part of what you're seeing may come from diffraction caused by your eyelashes. While you didn't specify, I imagine this most often occurs with a bright light source in otherwise darkness. I maintain that my analogy to lens flares is probably also somewhat correct: There are multiple surfaces in your eye off which the incoming light may be reflected, which could cause the effect that you are describing (or perhaps would only cause a hazy sphere around the light, but I expect you see that too). Here [http://www.amasci.com/amateur/eyeself.txt] is a bit o' text on a related phenomenon. [[User:128.197.81.223|128.197.81.223]] 21:56, 10 July 2006 (UTC)
::You may be right about other optical effects - I'm not entirely sure what the effect is that the question refers too. I thought it meant the phenomenon of seeing a flashlight beam which is not directed at the observer's eye. Just to clarify what I was saying, the '''only''' way for photons from a light ray which is not directed at the observer's eye to reach the observer's eye (and therefore be seen) is for them to be scattered from the medium through which the ray is travelling. If a ray is travelling near an observer but not on an intersecting path, and it is not scattered from its medium (for instance if the medium is vacuum), the observer will not observe it at all. That is essentially why space looks black when you're in space. --[[User:Bmk|Bmk]] 22:05, 10 July 2006 (UTC)
== unknown pain ==
Dear sir/madam,
My husband is a diabetes patient and he is not under medication. For nearly a year he is suffering from pain on the right side of his body below the chest region. We couldn't guess the cause for the pain. I doubt whether his kidney is getting affected. Kindly help me with some possible suggestions.
Thanking you.
Anu
:It is possible that someone on this reference desk can give you useful information, but it should be noted beforehand that any information here is '''not''' a substitute for a licensed medical professional's care; you should see a doctor if you can. I hope you find a solution that can help your husband --[[User:Bmk|Bmk]] 21:11, 10 July 2006 (UTC)
:: I'm an [[registered nurse|RN]], and I second the opinion that your husband should see a physician and that my comment here is not a substitute for that advice. However, upper right quadrant abdominal pain is likely a sign of either [[cholecystitis]], which is inflammation of the [[gallbladder]], or [[cholelithiasis]], which is [[gallstones]]. Does the pain get worse after he eats, especially when the meal is fatty? If so, the gallbladder is probably the origin of the pain. A kidney infection would likely produce right flank pain, in his back, not in the front.
:: It won't get better on its own, and complications are possible if left untreated. Please take your husband to see a physician as soon as possible, because he may need [[surgery]]. Good luck. [[User:BaseballBaby|<font color="darkblue">'''Baseball,Baby!'''</font>]] [[User talk:BaseballBaby|<font color="red"><sup>''balls''</sup></font>]]<font color="darkblue"><sup>•</sup></font>[[Special:Contributions/BaseballBaby|<font color="red"><sup>''strikes''</sup></font>]] 03:16, 11 July 2006 (UTC)
== How many time it takes for a dog carcass to decompose ==
How many time it takes for a dog carcass to decompose? My problem is the following: I have buried my deceased boxer in a field about one year ago, however, the field needs to be ploughed. Is there any change of disintering the dog's carcass? [[User:Mário|Mário]] 20:49, 10 July 2006 (UTC)
:Unfortunately, there are many variables that can affect the decay time for your dog. You can look at [[decomposition]] if you'd like. It says there that decay time underground is about 8 times slower than decay time on the surface. In my opinion, your dog's skeleton will certainly still be there, but i would guess that most of the soft tissue is gone by now, especially if you live in a warm climate. If you live somewhere colder, there's a chance decomposition is still taking place. --[[User:Bmk|Bmk]] 21:07, 10 July 2006 (UTC)
::Yes, I live in Portugal, it's warm here. In 2005 a severe drought affected the country, but 2006 has been a rainy year, if that matters. [[User:Mário|Mário]] 21:55, 10 July 2006 (UTC)
:::I don't know much about it, except from seeing deer carcasses in the forest, but my guess is there isn't much left except bones. And I think rain would speed the process. Someone else might have a better/more educated guess, though. --[[User:Bmk|Bmk]] 22:00, 10 July 2006 (UTC)
::::Corpses in a bog can mummify to a [[Bog body]]. It hardly decomposes there partly because there isn't enough oxygen for it. If the field has been ploughed before, not too long ago, that would have loosened the ground and let air in, which would help the decomposition. [[User:DirkvdM|DirkvdM]] 06:17, 11 July 2006 (UTC)
== Quicktime DAT/IDX files ==
I have an old CD-ROM with a lot of Quicktime media stored in a pair of files called VAULT.DAT and VAULT.IDX. Is there any way to extract individual video files from these files? I've tried Googling around but not found much which was helpful. --[[User:Fastfission|Fastfission]] 21:42, 10 July 2006 (UTC)
:It might be that the quicktime files are stored in a database which comprises .dat (the data) and .idx (database index) files. You may be able to find some software to access them, but I can't recommend one offhand. If the database is a B-Tree of the proper format, this [http://sourceforge.net/projects/tpbtreefiler] might help you. [[User:128.197.81.223|128.197.81.223]] 22:03, 10 July 2006 (UTC)
== water supply for trees in urban environments ==
The rainfall in urban areas is generally diverted to the storm-water system, and never reaches the soil. The trees in the cities are usually growing from relatively small openings in the concrete - much smaller than the footprint of the tree's root system. How do urban trees get the necessary water? Is their root system/physiology different than their "natural" counterparts'?
--
Nikola [[User:69.5.153.125|69.5.153.125]] 23:47, 10 July 2006 (UTC)
:A quick search didn't yeild an answer to your question, but [[Urban Forestry#Challenges of Urban Forestry|Urban Forestry]] lists lack of water as one of the possible challenges of urban forrestry, so your question seems a valid one. A solution probably has to be found on a ___location by ___location basis. Some possible solutions would be to pick a species of tree that can survive with little water, position the tree so that it recieves runnoff water from buildings or the storm water systems, or to simply water the trees regularly. [[User:Crazywolf|Crazywolf]] 00:56, 11 July 2006 (UTC)
== Electrochemistry ==
Would it be possible/useful to stick a strip of magnesium to an unpainted part of a regular car body to protect it from rusting (i.e., as a [[sacrificial anode]])? [[User:BenC7|BenC7]] 01:13, 11 July 2006 (UTC)
:According to the [[rust#rust prevention|rust]] article, this would only work if you put the magnesium in an area where it was in contact with both the steel that was being corroded and the water that was doing to corroding. The [[cathodic protection]] article implies that this would be a bit complicated, though, as you would have to make sure that the electrochemical potential of the sacrificial anodes is sufficient to eleminate the [[electrochemical potential]] of the steel body of the car when they interact with water. [[Galvanize|Galvanizing]] the steel or covering it with paint is probably easier. [[User:Crazywolf|Crazywolf]] 02:19, 11 July 2006 (UTC)
::Right - any spots where water is touching the car, but is not connected by water to the magnesium is not affected by the presence of the magnesium. --[[User:Bmk|Bmk]] 02:57, 11 July 2006 (UTC)
:::I understand what Crazywolf is saying about the potential differences. But Bmk, the water is obviously the water in the atmosphere. This would mean that you can only use a sacrificial anode where it is partially immersed in water and not, say, on a steel beam sitting in your backyard. Are you sure about this? I have a feeling it is just due to the potential difference, as you can purchase electronic devices for your car that provide it with an overall negative electric charge, which is what the sacrificial anode does. And the device is not in contact with the atmosphere. (I hope I am saying that clearly enough.) [[User:BenC7|BenC7]] 10:17, 11 July 2006 (UTC)
::::Good point. However, the metal gets "protection" because a potential-diff is placed across a molecular thin film between the layer of water and the metal. This e-field is so high that it halts the electrochemical reactions in that layer. The e-field in that has a staggeringly huge value, like volts per picometer. To create a similarly high surface-field in humid air with no complete circuit, the car would have to be charged to unattainably high voltage with respect to ground (WAY higher than teravolts.)--[[User:Wjbeaty|Wjbeaty]] 16:10, 11 July 2006 (UTC)
*Didn't they use [[zink]] on ships. Off the top of my head, that's a lot cheaper than magnesium. - [[User:MacGyverMagic|Mgm]]|[[User talk:MacGyverMagic|<sup>(talk)</sup>]] 08:15, 11 July 2006 (UTC)
::Yeah, there are a few metals that you can use for a sacrificial anode. I had no particular reason for picking magnesium. I just saw this thing on telly where a guy (chemist) used a pencil sharpener, which he said was mostly made of magnesium, to protect a long, thin wire that was suspended on floats out at sea. I wondered what the difference was between that wire and a car -- otherwise I'm sure we would all have sacrificial anodes on our car that we would replace every now and then. So I was basically looking for the reason why we don't do that. [[User:BenC7|BenC7]] 10:17, 11 July 2006 (UTC)
== Diet problem ==
Does anyone here know the real solution of the diet problem, how to meet all your nutritional needs and spend as little as possible? Since supplements such as Ensure use added vitamins and minerals as sources rather than whole foods, it appears that the micronutrients must be very cheap. We need water (essentially free), calories, ess. amino acids, ess. fatty acids, and micronutrients. The cheapest source of calories is probably something like unprocessed soybean oil, which also meets fatty acid needs, at around 30¢ per 2000 kcal.
Protein probably costs a minimum of around 20¢ for daily requirement (if from soybeans bought in bulk - my calculation). So 50¢ per day of macronutrients, what for micronutrients? -User: Nightvid
:not that simple. for one, soy protein (along with most plant protein) doesn't have the right amino acid composition to be a complete dietary protein source, to do the same thing you'd need to substitute something derived from animals (BSA or whey protein?) or maybe fungi (somesort of mushroom?). fungi would also help with the micronutrients too. [[User:Xcomradex|Xcomradex]] 03:33, 11 July 2006 (UTC)
:I'm thinking [[plankton]]. —[[User:Keenan Pepper|Keenan Pepper]] 03:41, 11 July 2006 (UTC)
::Mmmm...no need to resort to animals for protein or anything else. There are millions of vegetarians to attest to that; they're all healthier than everyone else, anyways. I'd say the cheapest and healthiest way to solve "the diet problem" is to eat real food. Where do you think the supplement industry people get most of their vitamins and whatnot? Mostly extracts from plants or animals - just with more processing. Much better to go straight to the source and skip the inevitable denaturing and factory-grade chemicals.
::Eat whole grains, lots of vegetables, especially nice dark green ones, and you'll be fine. Maybe a B-12 pill once in a while (or just don't wash your vegetables; B-12 is produced in soil bacteria. The reason meat eaters don't need extra B-12 is because they eat animals who spend their time licking each others' crap). If you have to, have some meat on holidays. Some periodic fish intake isn't unhealthy, but watch out for that nasty mercury and lead that tends to build up - yum!
::Being vegetarian is very cheap; just take a look at the menu at a restaurant once in a while. The meat options are often a good 150% more expensive than the vegetarian ones. Meat eaters are paying for 10 or 20 times more vegetables than vegetarians, in the form of animal feed. It's not a new, or radical idea. Just people don't like to give up their greasy burgers and slabs of steak - heart disease apparently is yummy, after all.
::As a side note, there have been studies (i'm too lazy to look up links) about how long people can survive on potatoes, olive oil, and water - a long time. Potatoes are a very complete food - lots of stuff packed in there, especially if you eat the skin (the olive oil was for extra calories). --[[User:Bmk|Bmk]] 04:15, 11 July 2006 (UTC)
:::I felt bad saying all that without any backup, so here's a link to the [http://www.pcrm.org/ Physician's Committee for Responsible Medicine]. And here are their very illuminating [http://www.pcrm.org/health/veginfo/faq.html FAQs about vegetarianism]. Just to quote from the FAQ "How can I get enough protein?", entitled "The protein myth". "A variety of grains, legumes, and vegetables can also provide all of the essential amino acids our bodies require." Also, "With the traditional Western diet, the average American consumes about double the protein her or his body needs." Keep reading downward - a lot of good oldfashioned scientific myth debunking on that page. --[[User:Bmk|Bmk]] 04:32, 11 July 2006 (UTC)
: key word: ''variety'' of legumes, grains etc. a single vegetable source isn't enough, where as meat is a one-stop shop. not that i'm knocking vegeterianism, i'm just pointing out if you want a single source it has to be meat, or meat-like (fungi, or plankton... good call keenan). no doubt it will still be cheaper to buy multiple vegetables than one meat. [[User:Xcomradex|Xcomradex]] 04:52, 11 July 2006 (UTC)
:::Bmk, vegetarians healthier than everyone else? I once attended a [[rainbow gathering]] (for about a month), where all food was vegetarian. And I saw some people there who didn't look too healthy, one even with a malnutrition-potbelly. The effect it had on me was that I got a bladder infection because of all the sugar in the fruit. It took me over a year to get rid of it. Maybe you can live a healthy vegetarian life if you're very careful about your diet (as a vegetarian you have to be), but your statement is definitely not true. [[User:DirkvdM|DirkvdM]] 06:32, 11 July 2006 (UTC)
*Yeah, those supplement manufacturers make pretty good profits. Go to the source and you're already off much cheaper. Supplements and vitamins are not a good replacement for real food (vegetarian or not). - [[User:MacGyverMagic|Mgm]]|[[User talk:MacGyverMagic|<sup>(talk)</sup>]] 08:12, 11 July 2006 (UTC)
I think you all are missing the point. The question asked how to spend as little as possible, not how to eat healthy foods and lose weight. It's a much more interesting question than the ubiquitous question that you are all answering. Right. To throw in my answer, I would add that there are a number of AA supplements out there that you could easlily use. The ones that bodybuilders use are pretty expensive, but I have also fun into a soy-sauce-looking bottle in a chinese food store simply called "AMINO ACID SAUCE" (no joke!) that was pretty cheap and contained all of the essential AAs. The full entourage of vitamins and minerals do appear to be available in knock-off brand supplements.
:I have looked up the AA composition, and soy protein does have ALL the essential AA's in it-it's 60% bioavailable based on the limiting AA, so it is still a very cheap way of getting all your AA's. What I'm really trying to figure out is the micronutrients, since the macronutrients are relatively simple. -User: Nightvid
::A few people mentioned that plankton and fungi are "meat-like". How are they related to meat? I'd also like to say without any ill will that DirkvdM's anecdote about his personal bladder problems do not strike me as a convincing argument about the benefits of a vegetarian diet. More convincing would be a study, like the [http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=10479226 Oxford Vegetarian Study]. Apologies for sidetracking the question --[[User:Bmk|Bmk]] 15:42, 11 July 2006 (UTC)
== Mooon craters. ==
Is the moon still being hit by meteorites or has this activity now ceased? If these 'strikes" still take place have astronomers ever witnessed such an event and how frequently do they happen?
[[User:Sabaco|Sabaco]] 04:25, 11 July 2006 (UTC)
: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moon#Meteor_impact_on_the_Moon
: fyi, thirty seconds searching wikipedia would have saved you thirty minutes waiting for an answer
: [[User:Xcomradex|Xcomradex]] 04:57, 11 July 2006 (UTC)
== leitz edinger projection apparatus. ==
Does anyone have information on a leitz edinger projection apparatus.
:Bold and CAPS text make you look stupid, and I'm sure you don't want that so I fixed your question for you. I '''felt lucky''' with Google and I found [http://www.google.co.jp/search?hl=ja&q=leitz+edinger&btnG=Google+%E6%A4%9C%E7%B4%A2&lr= quite a bit] of information. Unless, of course, ''you'' are Bruce Allen. [[User:Freshgavin|<font size="-2" color="white" style="background:blue"> freshofftheufo</font>]][[User_talk:Freshgavin|<font size="-2" color="blue">ΓΛĿЌ </font>]] 05:21, 11 July 2006 (UTC)
== Direction of current in the coil ==
Imagine a bar magnet moving towards a coil, with north pole nearer to the coil. Now there will be a current induced in the coil (anticlockwise, looking at the coil from the magnet's point of view). When the magnet is moved, even the south pole moves towards the coil and hence the south pole too induces some current in the coil (albeit of a lesser magnitude, due to the larger distance from the coil). Now the question is, in which direction does the SP induce the current? In other words, will the currents induced by the NP and SP aid or oppose each other?
One of the arguments is that the SP moving towards the coil induces current in a different direction than the NP moving towards the coil (like the case where a bar magnet moving towards the coil with the SP nearer to the coil would induce the current in the clockwise direction). But the other argument is that the direction of current will be the same because the direction of the line of magnetic flux is the same.
Which argument is right? --[[User:Wikicheng|Wikicheng]] 05:54, 11 July 2006 (UTC)
:You should describe more or provide a diagram of the positions of the coil and magnet, because the answer depends on the arrangement. [[Faraday's law of induction]] says that the induced current along a closed path is determined solely by the time rate of change of the magnetic [[flux]] through it. So what you must ask yourself is, what effect does the movement of each pole have on the flux through the loop? -User: Nightvid
::First of all, I think you should read a little bit about permanent magnets at [[magnet]] (not all of it - it's rather in depth). You can't treat the "north pole" and "south pole" of the magnet as "sources" of the magnetic field - they aren't. If you cut the magnet in half, you would have two north poles and two south poles. The key is the permanent dipole magnetic field that the magnet generates. You should also read [[dipole]], and look at the illustration to help you visualize. Now, the key here is Maxwell's equations, specifically [[Faraday's law of induction]] (this is also a very useful article to read).
::Faraday's law states that the closed [[line integral]] of the electric field (essentially the induced voltage around the coil) is equal to the '''negative''' change in [[magnetic flux]]. The magnetic flux is the magnetic field integrated over a surface bounded by the coil. So, if you imagine the magnetic field lines emerging from the magnet from the north end, you can see from the illustration in the dipole article that the field is stronger as you approach the magnet. So, the magnetic flux through the coil ''increases'' as the magnet approaches, meaning the voltage is induced in the ''negative direction'', which, if you consider the north pole to be pointing "up", is counterclockwise. Hope that helps! --[[User:Bmk|Bmk]] 13:30, 11 July 2006 (UTC)
:::Now that I think about the issue again, any infinite plane has magnetic flux of zero (Gauss's Law-Absence of magnetic monopoles), so what's actually happening is the magnetic field inside the magnet must be going backwards! Because the field is created by the angular momentum of the electrons, it is essentially equivalent to a giant number of atomic "solenoids", and remember that the field inside a solenoid is "backwards". Since this reverse field must balance the entire external field out to infinity, the plane integral through the loop of wire, being finite, must be "backwards" itself. -User: Nightvid
::::The n-pole induces a current, and the s-pole induces an OPPOSITE current. Why? Well, suppose we bring the n and s poles very close together (shorter magnet) and then thrust this through the coil. If the induced currents were in fact opposites, then the induction effect would be weaker. And the induction effect would go to zero if the n and s poles were superposed (in a zero-length magnet.) However, if the n and s poles induced the same polarity of current, then a zero-length magnet would create DOUBLE current, not zero current.--[[User:Wjbeaty|Wjbeaty]] 16:00, 11 July 2006 (UTC)
== please help me answer the following ==
good day. i'm doing a research on bacteria. i can not find or have a hard time finding out the following:
1. how to identify the methods in examining unstained living bacteria and its advantages.
2. discuss the methods of examining stained bacteria in a fixed preparation; in simple, differential and in special staining.
3. how to collect specimen on: blood, feces, CSF, upper respiratory tract, lower respiratory tract, in urine and in the genital tract.
thank you.±--[[User:Larry jr|Larry jr]] 07:38, 11 July 2006 (UTC)
*Erm, Larry. I removed some signatures. One of them is enough. About the question:
#I don't remember investigating living bacteria myself, but the advantages should be clear. There's things you can't investigate in death organisms.
#I'm not going to do your work for you. Every text book about microbiology will explain the methods these stainings use and how to examine them (usually with a [[microscope]]. We have a nice little article about [[differential staining]].
#Again this is something a book you're learning from should probably tell you. Try googling for "protocol collect specimens bacteria <whatever source you need to know about>". - [[User:MacGyverMagic|Mgm]]|[[User talk:MacGyverMagic|<sup>(talk)</sup>]] 08:07, 11 July 2006 (UTC)
== sepsis ==
breif backround about sepsis?
*Please write any future questions in full sentences and try searching before you ask a question. See [[sepsis]]. - [[User:MacGyverMagic|Mgm]]|[[User talk:MacGyverMagic|<sup>(talk)</sup>]] 08:08, 11 July 2006 (UTC)
== Equivalent term for BSS in UMTS world ==
What is the equivalent term for BSS (Base Station Subsystem) in the UMTS (3G) world?
== Laparoscopic excision of moderate endometriosis ==
What is a laparoscopic excision of moderate endometriosis? A friend of mine recently got that, and has generally been feeling more down than usual ever since. So I'm curious as to what this is exactly, and what it means to the person who has it done to them? [[User:Mathmo|Mathmo]] 09:04, 11 July 2006 (UTC)
:[[Endometriosis#Treatments]] and [[Laparoscopic surgery]] are good starting points. If you want more specific information, then try [http://humrep.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/18/9/1922] and [http://www.co-obgyn.com/pt/re/coobgyn/abstract.00001703-200408000-00005.htm;jsessionid=GzrQ0Bgbcs30dQ6cFsvmFwq71R6mkTR6Jv9hRQ02Y0ZQxsp16YFj!-1734750035!-949856144!8091!-1]. If you have access to a university library, you can probably get the full articles.-[[User talk:gadfium|gadfium]] 09:36, 11 July 2006 (UTC)
:AFTER EDIT CONFLICT:::Laparoscopic surgery is surgery with tiny incisions. Endometriosis is the propagation of uterine tissue in the abdominal cavity. So they performed a kind of D&C in her abdomen, scraping uterine tissue away from organs, and/or muscles, and/or whatever, without cutting her open, but rather by making tiny incisions and guiding the instruments with the use of cameras. If she is under the care of a physician and s/he knows of your friend feeling down I wouldn't worry about something serious like a slow bleed, but even laparoscopic surgery is still surgery, so she might just be recovering. Or she might be adjusting to the changes in hormone levels due to less uterine tissue? (I don't know if this is an issue, but it might be).--[[User:Anchoress|Anchoress]] 09:46, 11 July 2006 (UTC)
== holy shit ==
Is [[Unit_731|this]] real, or someone's conspiracy theory? [[User:87.97.8.96|87.97.8.96]] 13:17, 11 July 2006 (UTC)
*Based on the amount of references, I would say it's real, but you'd have to check if those sources are reliable and not written by someone with an agenda. - [[User:MacGyverMagic|Mgm]]|[[User talk:MacGyverMagic|<sup>(talk)</sup>]] 12:39, 11 July 2006 (UTC)
:I believe the general gist of it - that Imperial Japan conducted all manner of horrible experiments on Chinese prisoners - is pretty well established. Whether all of the specifics in that article are true I'm not sure. The Japanese of that period were not exactly the nicest people in the world. Try [[List of Japanese war atrocities]]. --[[User:Robert Merkel|Robert Merkel]] 12:54, 11 July 2006 (UTC)
I'm especially interested in whether these parts are just someone's conspiracy theory: {{cquote|
[...]Many experiments were performed '''without the use of [[anesthetics]]''' because it was believed that it might affect the results.
[...]
* Prisoners were '''[[amputation|amputated]] [[limb]] by limb''' to study blood loss.
* '''Arms were cut off and reattached''' to opposite sides.
* '''Limbs were''' frozen and '''sawn off.'''
* Stomachs were surgically removed and '''the [[oesophagus]] was reattached to the [[intestines]].'''
* Parts of the [[brain]], [[lungs]], [[liver]], etc. were taken out.
[...]
* Prisoners were placed into highly pressurized chambers until they died.
* [[Frostbite]] experiments were conducted on prisoners to determine how long humans can survive when exposed to extreme temperatures.
* Temperature experiments were performed to determine the relationship between temperature, burns and survival.
* Prisoners were placed into [[centrifuges]] and spun until they died.
* Animal blood was injected into humans.
[...]
}}
The above are just some statements especially suspect to me (I added the '''emphasis'''). What is the article for allegations (or convictions) at Nurenburg of Nazi criminal experimentation on Jews? [[User:87.97.8.96|87.97.8.96]] 13:17, 11 July 2006 (UTC).
:See [[Unit_731#Politicization_of_history]]. A Japanese court acknowledging the truth of the allegations is good enough for me. --[[User:Dweller|Dweller]] 13:23, 11 July 2006 (UTC)
*The Nazi experimentation article is [[Nazi human experimentation]]. --[[User:Fastfission|Fastfission]] 14:49, 11 July 2006 (UTC)
you know, nothing here [[Nazi human experimentation]] strikes me the same as "Stomachs were surgically removed and the oesophagus was reattached to the intestines" or "Arms were cut off and reattached to opposite sides." Am I missing something? (btw, thank you [[User:Dweller|Dweller]], [[User:Fastfission|Fastfission]] and also [[User:Robert Merkel|Robert Merkel]] and [[User:MacGyverMagic|Mgm]] for your answers.)15:14, 11 July 2006 (UTC).
== 302 windsor ford V8 torque specifications ==
hello im an apprentice motor mechanic and i need help rebuilding a 302 windsor but do not have the torque specs or much other info for that matter if u can help it would be greatly appretiated gibbo_22@hotmail.com.rob.
:Turns out we have a pretty nice article about windsor engines - it looks like there is a section on the 302. Look here: [[Ford Windsor engine]]. Good luck --[[User:Bmk|Bmk]] 13:43, 11 July 2006 (UTC)
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