Wikipedia:Reference desk/Miscellaneous
Get involved! Discuss the proposed guidelines, propose your own and help us reach consensus on the associated talk page, Wikipedia talk:Reference desk/guidelines.
Wikipedia:Reference desk/headercfg
April 13
Human race
Where did the human race opriginate? was it Africa? If so why aint we all black?
- Human evolution suggests Africa. Human skin color explains the variances. --Tagishsimon (talk)
- See also our articles on Out of Africa hypothesis, MC1R and SLC24A5 Rockpocket 00:20, 13 April 2007 (UTC)
(In answer to that final question,) Some poor shmuck has to be Don Imus.
Atlant 13:57, 13 April 2007 (UTC)
Two Questions.....
- Texas has a "Failure to ID" law. What are the penalties ?
- Got servere weather, maybe tornadoes expected for the Texas area, Louisiana area, Arkansas area, Oklahoma area on 4 - 13 - 07. Is there a article ? Would place one, but my ISP is acting up. 205.240.146.156 04:11, 13 April 2007 (UTC)
1. According to this document [1], an offense under Texas penal code 2004, Sec. 38.02. Failure to Identify is a Class C misdemeanor (unless you are a fugitive from justice at the time of the offense, then it is a Class B misdemeanor.) According to this document [2] "An individual adjudged guilty of a Class C misdemeanor shall be punished by a fine not to exceed $500." and "An individual adjudged guilty of a Class B misdemeanor shall be punished by: (1) a fine not to exceed $2,000; (2) confinement in jail for a term not to exceed 180 days; or (3) both such fine and confinement. " This is under "normal" circumstances and may differ according to the situation. You should seek a lawyer if this question is for anything other than general interest, as neither myself, nor Wikipedia, can offer legal advice. Rockpocket
- We generally don't create articles for temporary, relatively minor news events. You may find something on Wikinews. Wikipedia is a worldwide encyclopedia that attempts to provide encyclopedic information spanning the millennia. If a storm kills dozens and injures hundreds it may have long-term notability no matter where on Earth it strikes, but most countries have five or ten storms similar to those that hit Texas per day, and we can't have articles on all of them. --Charlene 22:27, 13 April 2007 (UTC)
heat balance
why the long wave terrestrial radiation is 120 unit where as the short wave solar radiation (insolation absorbed by the earth)is 66 unit?59.91.189.78 05:05, 13 April 2007 (UTC)
Bursting Disc
A Bursting Disc is a piece of equipment inserted in to a piping system as a safety device. How does it work? —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 213.106.233.42 (talk) 08:34, 13 April 2007 (UTC).
- There's some information at rupture disc. --Mathew5000 09:21, 13 April 2007 (UTC)
Shaving bumps
How do I prevent myself from getting itchy little red bumps on the back of my thighs from shaving? --124.180.65.230 13:03, 13 April 2007 (UTC)
- The easiest way to prevent it is, don't shave. If that isn't an option, the article on shaving has some advice. You could also google "razor burn" and follow some of those links. - Eron Talk 13:45, 13 April 2007 (UTC)
aside from the articles and tips listed: heat: get as much heat as you can on the area you are shaving, i don't mean burn yourself with a blowtorch, more use a face cloth soaked in hot water, apply to you thigh and leave for at least 5 mins, this is to soften the hair, then use shave foam/gel massage in well and 'shave with the grain' = shave the way the hair is growing, then apply after shave balm.Perry-mankster 13:50, 13 April 2007 (UTC)
- Thank you for the advice! :) --124.180.65.230 14:14, 13 April 2007 (UTC)
- What that sounds like though is that you're shaving against the hairs, and the bumps result from the fine hairs there being stuck under the skin. There are creams that help it, but the best way is to not shave the hair too short. --Wirbelwindヴィルヴェルヴィント (talk) 00:01, 14 April 2007 (UTC)
Gordie?
I've heard this (or a similarly sounding) word for someone from the northern bits of England. Is there a Wiki article on it, however it is spelt? 81.93.102.185 15:24, 13 April 2007 (UTC)
- Geordie is what you're loking for, I think :). Martinp23 15:27, 13 April 2007 (UTC)
- Cheers lots. :)) 81.93.102.185 15:38, 13 April 2007 (UTC)
- I added a redirect from gordie to geordie. since gordie had no article.Czmtzc 16:29, 13 April 2007 (UTC)
- Gordie had no article ? I wonder Howe that happened ? StuRat 19:10, 13 April 2007 (UTC)
email at Nintendo
How do i email someone at Nintendo? Do they do: first.last@nintendo.com or something else? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 75.54.61.158 (talk • contribs)
- That will certainly reach them. If it's not a recognised name the mail will probably just drop into their info@nintendo.com box. Bear in mind that they get thousands of emails a day so don't expect a response. If you can send a message via their website you are slightly more likely to get a reply.--Shantavira 19:19, 13 April 2007 (UTC)
- If you know the specific person you need to talk to - and if they aren't some mega-famous executive or something - then the email will get to them. And if the question is important and meaningful and polite - you'll get an answer too. I know lots of people at games companies who reply to appropriate email from the general public. However, the few contacts I have with Nintendo employees don't seem to follow any particular pattern - I think they probably have the policy of "if the name isn't already taken, you can have it" - so there are all sorts of 'handles' that people choose besides their names. SteveBaker 19:50, 13 April 2007 (UTC)
Magnetic Spinning Rims
Hello...
I was wondering if this was a good idea. I actually was going to put out a patent on it but my patent lawyer said the original patent covers this design. U.S. Patent 6554370. A man named David Fowlkes actually invented the original spinning rim and started the company Davin Wheels. Lets just say he is a brilliant guy with a good idea.
His rims are designed so that they spin using ball bearings. This creates a lot of friction. My idea is a totally different design that includes no ball bearings. The solution was quite simple. A spinner held in place by the opposing poles of two magnetic rim circles. A negative pole on a negative pole has no place to go besides suspended in mid-air magnetically sealed in to the rim. The only thing that it can do is spin around and around with the only friction being air.
I pitched the idea to him and got no response. I really think it is a good idea and since I can't gain money from it... I would just like to see it happen.
My question is...
Is this feasible?
Thank you, Bryan Mitchell —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 209.23.129.248 (talk) 16:59, 13 April 2007 (UTC).
- Are you talking about the decorative spinning rims on car wheels ? If so, you'd likely need to have a powerful magnetic field to overcome the vibrations and forces on the rim while driving or turning. StuRat 19:06, 13 April 2007 (UTC)
relation of industrial engineering and E.R.P ?
Dear Sir/MAdam , is there any relation ship between Industrial engineering and Enterprise Resource Planning ?
Regards RAJA. —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 220.225.87.20 (talk) 18:13, 13 April 2007 (UTC).
- ERP can and is used in industrial engineering. I wouldn't call it a relationship. See enterprise resource planning.--Shantavira 19:24, 13 April 2007 (UTC)
Shampoo
What is the difference between shampoo and real poo? —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 88.110.125.229 (talk • contribs) 15:47, 13 April 2007 (UTC)
- Much like the difference between sham reference desk questions and real ones; one cleans up misunderstandings, the other just stinks up the joint. - Eron Talk 20:03, 13 April 2007 (UTC)
- Thats one of the best replies (and put downs) I have ever seen to a silly question! Touche! 8-)
- In other words, sham questions bring real pain, while real questions are like champagne. — Michael J 20:07, 13 April 2007 (UTC)
- And another sparkling answer!
- Stop it - or I'll have to hit you with a large rock...OK - maybe a shamrock. SteveBaker 16:16, 14 April 2007 (UTC)
Moving to LA with no idea how to drive
So... I'm moving to Los Angeles in August and I don't know how to drive. I'm wondering how many hours of lessons this would take to learn (note that I am a student), how much it would roughly cost in total, and how much I would expect to spend running a cheap car in LA. Ideally, I would join a carsharing scheme, but that only seems to be just taking off in LA (Zipcar has like... 4 vehicles for whole of LA). Thanks for any advice!! —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 88.109.101.4 (talk) 21:17, 13 April 2007 (UTC).
- One thing to be aware of is that LA and suburbs are very spread out. It can take about two hours to go from one edge to the opposite side, even without any traffic. So, unless you only need to drive around a very small portion of LA, you should expect to burn a lot of gas. Gas prices there tend to run a bit above the national average, but not too bad (San Francisco is really bad). StuRat 22:19, 13 April 2007 (UTC)
- As for how long it takes to learn to drive, it very much varies from individual to individual. I don't know what the rules are in the US, but here you can practice driving in any car as long as you've got a fully licenced person with you. To keep the costs down, I'd recommend practicing with a friend or a parent as much as possible, and only go to a professional driving school when you want some pointers, and to polish up before you go for your licence.
- My younger sisters are all currently learning to drive, and one figure that gets quoted a lot is you should have at least 120 hours practice before you go for your test. So as a ballpark figure, I'd say you should expect to take at least 6 months to learn to drive an automatic, and considerably longer to learn to drive a manual. The hardest things to learn - especially in city driving - are spatial awareness and reading what other traffic is going to do, and you can only get that from experience. FiggyBee 01:16, 14 April 2007 (UTC)
- Quite honestly, pretty much *everyone* drives everywhere in LA in their own car, which is why the roads are so busy. A friend of mine recently moved here. She couldn't drive either (though has had lessons previously in Europe). She spent about $500 on lessons over about 2 months and then passed her test. The good news is that, compared to the UK (where it looks like you are from), passing your driving test in California is very easy indeed. I mean really easy, especially if you use an automatic. The bad news is that driving in LA is scary experience. The drivers are awful (which is probably because its so easy to past the test).
- When I moved here I bought a decent second hand car for $7000, though I know plenty of other people who paid between $2000 and $5000 for a one, without any problems. Because of the temperate weather here cars tend to last longer than places with cold and wet conditions. You should try and get air-conditioning as you'll be spending a long time sitting in traffic jams. Petrol (or gas) is very cheap compared to the UK, but relatively expernsive in US terms. It currently costs around $3 to $3.50 per gallon (though it fluctuates on a daily basis and between stations [3]). My car runs on about $40 worth of gas a week. Thats just for a 20 min daily commute and then moderate use at weekends. You may expect to pay a little more than that, as my commute is short by LA standards. I would think it is unlikely you would have much success with Zipcar, though some workplaces do have car-pooling programs (which are very useful, as you can use special car-pool lanes to avoid the jams). If you have more specific questions, or would like more details on neighbourhoods or anything, feel free to drop me a line at my talkpage or you can email me. Rockpocket 01:19, 14 April 2007 (UTC)
- In the UK it's standard to have between 20 and 25 hours of instructed driving before your test. I recently passed my test after 22 hours, having paid a total of £575. That's just over $1000. Also, remember you'll need insurance. If you're young, this is expensive. JoshHolloway 01:22, 14 April 2007 (UTC)
- I got my first driver's license in Massachusetts at the age of 39. I had had maybe 6 hours of instruction from my parents when I was a teenager but hadn't driven since (long story). However, I had had many years of experience bicycling in city traffic, so I understood the basics of traffic flow. I had just 6 90-minute paid driving lessons before I took, and passed, the road test for a license. The lessons were $50 each, or $300 total. If you are starting from scratch and have individual instruction, it might be more like $500. I bought a decent used car for just over $6,000 in 2001. Used-car prices have, if anything, dropped since then. If you want to save money, aim for a compact car with good gas mileage. At $3.50 a gallon with good mileage, you will spend about 10 cents a mile on gas. You should figure around $100 to $150 a month for maintenance and repairs. The killer for you as a new driver in a big city will be the insurance. I paid around $300 a month the first year that I drove. Marco polo 02:07, 14 April 2007 (UTC)
- Ah yes, I forgot about insurance. The insurance rules in California are particularly frustrating. Its very difficult to get reasonably priced car insurance if you don't have a credit record in the US. Its also near impossible to get insurance for a car you haven't bought yet (if you are not a US citizen). Its illegal to drive a purchased car off a lot without insurance, but (because its uninsured) dealers will not let you leave the car on their lot once purchased. Its a perfectly constructed Catch-22. One way around this is to buy privately, or persuade someone who is individually insured to drive your car for you, or else you prety much have no choice but to break the law for a short period. One thing you will learn very quickly is that most US rules and regulations don't take non-US citizens into account (indeed, you'll be lucky if you are allowed to take a piss without a social security number). Anyway, depending on a number of factors, insurance might cost another $20 to $100 per week. Try AAA - their agents at least seem to understand that UK is not the abbreviation for a hitherto undiscovered Midwestern state. Rockpocket 02:10, 14 April 2007 (UTC)
Rockpocket, if you think LA drivers are bad, you should try practically any other large American city. The scariest place I've ever driven is Houston (and just for comparison, I have driven in Italy). Texas drivers seem to have no notion of allowing incoming traffic to merge, and they seem to feel that the best place to drive is about a foot behind the car in front of them, even on an otherwise practically empty highway. No doubt they're just being environmentally conscious, saving fuel by letting the lead car break the wind. --Trovatore 03:18, 14 April 2007 (UTC)
- I have driven in a good number of US cities (though not Houston) and in cities on three other continents. I find many large US cities to be bad in the way you describe, but I (personally) find LA to the the worst for sheer driver idiocy and selfishness. But that may simply be because the LA sprawl results in a large volume of cars, making the number of idiot drivers greater, but the frequency unchanged. Rockpocket 03:42, 14 April 2007 (UTC)
- My sister - who is an ex-driving instructor - says that it typically takes one hour for every year of your age. Older people have a much harder time of it. SteveBaker 16:11, 14 April 2007 (UTC)
Thanks very much to everyone for their really helpful replies, especially Rockpocket's detailed thoughts. While I'm to going to learn to drive definitely, I think I'm also going to have to learn to ride a bike!
- What part of LA will you live in? I cycled on the Westside (Palms, Westwood, Brentwood) for many years; that's probably the least bad part of town to do it, but urban cycling carries its own set of challenges. You have to be at least as attentive to other drivers as you would be if you were driving a car. (Please, no one say you don't "drive" a bike; you do drive it, quite literally.) In some situations you'll be able to move faster than the cars, but these are actually kind of dangerous situations because the motorists aren't expecting it and may make sudden turns without correctly checking. --Trovatore 20:02, 14 April 2007 (UTC)
- There are buses and a light rail system in parts of the Los Angeles area, but they're only good if you live and/or work where they run. Corvus cornix 23:43, 14 April 2007 (UTC)
Thanks for the extra responses... I will be at USC... living on campus hopefully first year. not sure after that. what do people think about mopeds?
- I guess a moped would be all right for local trips around campus and in University Park, but I wouldn't, personally, recommend one for getting around the larger LA area. Consider what Trovatore said about biking then add on the additional concerns of doing it at double or treble the speeds. Rockpocket 07:34, 16 April 2007 (UTC)
April 14
Weight/ sleep
I was recently reading two articles-insomnia, and fatal familial insomnia. In the insomnia article, it said that one of the symptoms of prolonged insomnia is weight gain. However, under the stages of fatal familial insomnia, stage three is as follows. 3. Complete inability to sleep is followed by rapid loss of weight. This lasts about three months.
So, which is true? Does lack of sleep cause weight gain or weight loss? If it is different for the two disseases, then why? Cuban Cigar 00:58, 14 April 2007 (UTC)
- It could be both. That is, people with insomnia stay up and eat snacks, thus gaining weight. However, if they can't sleep at all, this eventually leads to physical deterioration, including weight loss. StuRat 01:02, 14 April 2007 (UTC)
- It's not only eating snacks. Even minor sleep deprivation has been shown to affect the - sorry, I can't remember if it's the hormones or the brain centre - that tells us when we're full. A recent study I read showed (yes, I'll go look for it) that people who slept even a little bit less than recommended (like 6.5 hours a night) were several kilos heavier than people who slept 8 or 9 hours a night. Anchoress 01:07, 14 April 2007 (UTC)
- It could also be that fatal familial insomnia has a different outcome than regular insomnia (being fatal and familial). --Charlene 05:59, 14 April 2007 (UTC)
But the total insomnia is a stage in fatal familial insomnia. I still don't see a reason why they would lose weight in one case and gain weight in another, seeing as they're both insomnia (total insomnia being a symptom of faral familial insomnia).Cuban Cigar 07:02, 14 April 2007 (UTC)
- Well, because they're symptoms of two different things, I'd say. People with no particular disease condition can have insomnia -- maybe just because they're worried about something -- and it can cause them to gain weight, or maybe it's the worry that causes the weight gain rather than the sleep loss. But no one can have total insomnia without a disease condition; it's just not possible. And the same disease condition, apparently, causes weight loss.
- Put it another way -- you could maintain complete sleeplessness for, I don't know, a week or two? by continual administration of methamphetamine. Or so I'm told. And I think you'd lose weight, because that's what meth does. Or so I'm told. --Trovatore 08:06, 14 April 2007 (UTC)
Let me give you personal experience...I was very overweight, and i had trouble sleeping, i snored, and i was very tired all day, and slept all the time. I lost 185 lbs and I don't snore, Sleep better and for 6-7 hours and am not tired during the day. So I'd say Being overweight might cause insomnia.
one more question--
Hi, I know I've asked alot of sims 2 questions recently, but this will be the last one. On the Gamecube version of sims 2 pets, i can't seem to have children. is it possible on this specific game? —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 74.211.8.100 (talk) 01:20, 14 April 2007 (UTC).
- I suggest you try the Computer Ref Desk. StuRat 02:15, 14 April 2007 (UTC)
thanks
Why are the discard racks at blackjack tables red?
I suppose it just looks nice. A google image search suggests that clear acrylic is at least as common as red. FiggyBee 02:06, 14 April 2007 (UTC)
- A result from googling "red discard rack"[4] seems to imply that a red rack makes it more difficult to count cards, but that's tenuous. --Charlene 06:04, 14 April 2007 (UTC)
- Ahh... well, makes it more difficult to identify marked cards, which is an entirely different thing from card counting. Good find! FiggyBee 06:08, 14 April 2007 (UTC)
Hollywood Physics
I don't think this really counts as people doing my homework, but I'll try asking anyway...
Does anyone have any suggestions for a TV show that has a physics flaw like unrealistic falling time, collisions, or sound that I (a high school student) can prove? It has to be realistic, ie not star trek, more like prison break. Oh and it can't be 24.
A particular scene would be extremely helpful. Thanks! —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 71.82.132.77 (talk) 03:26, 14 April 2007 (UTC).
- The most famous one was the scene in Speed where the bus jumped the gap in the road without being affected by gravity, but it's probably too well-known for you to use. (The article even comments on it.) Clarityfiend 04:53, 14 April 2007 (UTC)
- Yes that one can't be used. I'm specifically looking for a tv show so I can avoid it being too popular —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 71.82.132.77 (talk) 05:01, 14 April 2007 (UTC).
- Any TV cop show where people who are shot fly 10 feet backwards as a result would qualify. Or how about car chase scenes, like in the Dukes of Hazzard, where the car and occupants were undamaged from jumps that would total the car and kill the occupants in reality ? StuRat 05:38, 14 April 2007 (UTC)
- Wasn't there a similar car jump scene in Road Trip (film)? --Wirbelwindヴィルヴェルヴィント (talk) 05:56, 14 April 2007 (UTC)
Easy: step 1) go here; step 2) ignore all entries that do not have (TV) in the link; step 3) review all remaining entries and find one related to physics; step 4) go on to the next letter of the alphabet (if you are not yet satisfied), and start over at step 2). Repeat this until you get tired or you reach your objective. Here's one possible lead from the letter B. dr.ef.tymac 05:58, 14 April 2007 (UTC)
- I suppose the Wile E. Coyote cartoons are far too well-known for this? --Charlene 05:58, 14 April 2007 (UTC)
- Well, they are intentionally having fun with the laws of physics, like when the Road Runner is able to defy the law of gravity because, as he puts on his sign "I never studied law". StuRat 14:06, 14 April 2007 (UTC)
- Is Wile E. Coyote more realistic than Star Trek? ;) FiggyBee 06:06, 14 April 2007 (UTC)
- There is this page, but this seems like borderline cheating for your assignment. --Wirbelwindヴィルヴェルヴィント (talk) 07:29, 14 April 2007 (UTC)
- There is the scene from The Blues Brothers where the Illinois Nazi leader's car goes flying off a bridge and falls for ~10-20 second worth of screen time and eventually puts a car sized hole in the pavement. I don't know if this would help you though based on the previously mentioned shunning of films that are "too popular". Also, you may just want to go through a single episode of MacGyver. I'll bet for each episode there is at least one example that would fit your needs. Dismas|(talk) 12:30, 14 April 2007 (UTC)
- For sounds, any show that has cars racing a long a dirt road with squealing tires. Again, the Dukes of Hazzard come to mind. --LarryMac 17:04, 14 April 2007 (UTC)
Any science fiction show which lets you hear sounds in space. Corvus cornix 23:45, 14 April 2007 (UTC)
- Also, any science fiction show where deep-space battles, beams shooting into a star, etc. can be seen in real-time by observers on a nearby planet. --Charlene 20:11, 15 April 2007 (UTC)
what about those laser beans that trigger alarms, since you shouldn't be able to see them as the light isn't going directly toward your eyes. And this should be easy to test in a lab.
Font identification!
http://www.myspace.com/comm_undies
Could anyone identify the font in the posters? I think it's Helvetica, but I'm not exactly sure. AlmostCrimes 03:29, 14 April 2007 (UTC)
- Indeed, it is Helvetica Bold. — Michael J 04:24, 14 April 2007 (UTC)
F1 Racing questions
Two part question about F1 racing. During last Sunday's race, Nico Rosberg had a mechanical problem with his car and had to leave the race. Getting out of his car, he did not re-install the steering wheel, a point that the color commentators said would result in a heavy fine against his racing team. Why is that? Is there a rule that when a driver exits his car trackside he must replace the steering wheel? To what purpose?
Second question: What is or are the rule(s) governing pit stops? When a driver pits, then re-enters traffic on the track, what position does he take? That is, if a driver in first place pits, then re-enters the track behind the previously-second-place driver (who is now in first place) does he assume second place? Are the pit stops timed and is the length of the pit entrance/exit lanes set up so that a driver can usually re-enter traffic in approximately the same position that he held when he exited? 71.112.9.252 05:03, 14 April 2007 (UTC)
- Q1, the steering wheel has to be put back so the marshalls can steer the car to get it off the track.
- Q2, when a driver exits the pits they take whatever position they are now in (ie, if they are behind two other cars, they are in third place). It's usual for a driver to lose two or three places when pitting, but since everyone has to pit approximately the same number of times it evens out in the end. Pitting can be an important part of race strategy; some drivers will run with a lighter fuel load, which means they can go faster but will have to pit more often. FiggyBee 05:22, 14 April 2007 (UTC)
xbox 360 need for speed most wanted
does any one have a pic of the need for speed acheivments completed that i can grab
thanks —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 210.54.229.45 (talk) 06:58, 14 April 2007 (UTC).
Wiki Ref Desks Questions - Correct Spelling.
I'm sure this topic has been covered before but please forgive my ignorance of how to check that out. And any Wiki Purists out there, please don't jump down my throat for asking this question. I watched a movie last night that prompted me to do a bit of research afterwards. I hadn't taken particular note of the Film's title as spelled, but was frustrated when Wiki couldn't trace The Bridges of Maddiston County (Maddiston is a village near where I live in Scotland so I can perhaps be forgiven for presuming that is the generic spelling), yet, after doing an IMDB search, which correctly and promptly referred me to The Bridges of Madison County (one fewer d and no t), I found a great Wiki Article, that I would have otherwise not been able to access. If IMDB and Google can do that broader search of a mis-spelt word, why not Wiki? Thanks. —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 81.145.241.226 (talk) 10:59, 14 April 2007 (UTC).
- I don't know the answer I'm afraid, except to say that Wikipedia's search functionality is simply not as strong as Google's. However, there are other ways you could have found the article. The easiest thing would have been to have looked at the articles for Clint Eastwood and Meryl Streep (assuming you knew they were the stars of the film). Both those articles have lists of the films in which those people have starred. A quick scan of those lists would have given you the film you were looking for. --Richardrj talk email 11:30, 14 April 2007 (UTC)
- Another option would be to search on "clint eastwood" "meryl streep", which would bring up a list of results. And at the top of the list... - Eron Talk 11:47, 14 April 2007 (UTC)
- As I understand it, the code for that (mis)spelling technology that Google employs would have to be changed to fit in with the MediaWiki software that runs this site. Doing so would take at least a few programmers if they wanted it to be done anytime soon. And since the Wiki software is pretty much entirely volunteer driven, it's just not a priority to do such a large change. Also, those companies that use the code may have a copyright on it that won't allow for MediaWiki to just steal it and tweak it to their own purposes. Dismas|(talk) 13:06, 14 April 2007 (UTC)
- This question comes up on the Help Desk/Village Pump all the time, the answer is that there is in fact a spell checking feature built into the wikipedia search mechanism, however it's been disabled for a very long time because it causes too much server lag--VectorPotentialTalk 20:39, 15 April 2007 (UTC)
- As I understand it, the code for that (mis)spelling technology that Google employs would have to be changed to fit in with the MediaWiki software that runs this site. Doing so would take at least a few programmers if they wanted it to be done anytime soon. And since the Wiki software is pretty much entirely volunteer driven, it's just not a priority to do such a large change. Also, those companies that use the code may have a copyright on it that won't allow for MediaWiki to just steal it and tweak it to their own purposes. Dismas|(talk) 13:06, 14 April 2007 (UTC)
Yes, Wikipedia's search capabilities are rather pathetic. The only way misspellings can be overcome is if somebody manually enters a redirect for each and every possible misspelling. As you can imagine, that's not going to happen. The best we can do is handle some common misspellings, and British and American spellings. However, you can use Google's excellent spelling correction by typing:
"The Bridges of Maddiston County" wikipedia
In the search window. Just pick on:
Did you mean: "The Bridges of Madison County" wikipedia
and it gives you a list, with the Wikipedia article right on top. 13:57, 14 April 2007 (UTC)
- You can also force Google to return results from a single web site using the site: keyword. So a search for site:wikipedia.org Madrid returns all the pages from Wikipedia containing Madrid, sorted using Google's usual ranking. To limit the search to the English Wikipedia, use site:en.wikipedia.org Madrid. I find this trick to be rather handy. TenOfAllTrades(talk) 15:48, 14 April 2007 (UTC)
lost photos
203.40.194.223 12:21, 14 April 2007 (UTC)≥Is anyone able to advise how to retrieve deleted photos from a 64mb multimedia card. Photos were deleted from the camera's memory, Kodak DX3215, with the memory card still in the camera.
- Do you mean you deleted from the built-in memory but also have a copy on the removable memory card ? StuRat 13:47, 14 April 2007 (UTC)
- Well, if the deleted data is on the memory card, don't write anything to it. Run something like PhotoRescue or other products. Splintercellguy 16:01, 14 April 2007 (UTC)
- The file system on a typical memory card is the same as the 'FAT' file system on old fashioned MS-DOS computers. When you 'delete' a file, you are actually only markiing the file as 'unused' and allowing new photos to overwrite it. It's certainly possible to 'undelete' files on FAT filesystems on real, physical disk drives (floppy disks especially) - so it's possible that you can undelete pictures from a memory card too - but whether there is software out there to do that - I'm not sure. Have you tried plugging the this memory card into a PC with a memory card slot - and then using an 'undelete' tool of some kind? No matter what - if you want to have any chance at all to recover these photos then it's absolutely essential that you don't take any more photos using that memory card because the new photos will overwrite the ones you deleted making them utterly impossible to recover. Good luck! SteveBaker 16:03, 14 April 2007 (UTC)
Self adhesive postage stamps
Why do self adhesive postage stamps have perforations please.--88.110.118.46 13:09, 14 April 2007 (UTC)
- Are you referring to the knurled edges along the left and right sides of the stamp? I'd bet it's just to keep with the generic and stereotypical look of stamps from when they weren't self adhering. Postage stamp shows several examples of stamps and each and every one of them shows that edge. It's what people are familiar with and they equate that edge with a stamp. Even if you were to make a poster of a non-stamp image and then put that edge on it, people would most likely assume it's a large image of a stamp. They may even ask you how you got a picture of the stamp without the currency on it. Dismas|(talk) 13:14, 14 April 2007 (UTC)
- Per Dismas' remark, the knurled edges are sometimes retained to preserve a traditional 'stamp' look. Many postal services now use self-adhesive stamps that have straight edges, or even a combination of straight and knurled edges (Canada, for instance:[5]). Some have also gotten more creative in their shapes—Tonga has issued a number of fruit-shaped stamps: [6]. TenOfAllTrades(talk) 15:43, 14 April 2007 (UTC)
- The perforations are there on old-style stamps to make it easier to tear one stamp off of a sheet. With self-adhesive stamps, the sheet is held together by the backing sheet - and the stamps are pre-cut into individual stamps. So the perforations are certainly not needed anymore - if they are still there, it must be for reasons of tradition and decor. SteveBaker 15:55, 14 April 2007 (UTC)
- At least in the way they're cut in France, the "perforations" do make it easier to take a stamp off the backing paper, as there are small tabs of paper sticking out when you bend the backing paper along the line between the stamps. I dare say that this is quite useful for people whose finger movements are less than perfect (e.g., arthritis sufferers). Physchim62 (talk) 18:26, 14 April 2007 (UTC)
- Lots of answers; thanks to all.--88.110.118.46 19:17, 14 April 2007 (UTC)
- The perforations are there on old-style stamps to make it easier to tear one stamp off of a sheet. With self-adhesive stamps, the sheet is held together by the backing sheet - and the stamps are pre-cut into individual stamps. So the perforations are certainly not needed anymore - if they are still there, it must be for reasons of tradition and decor. SteveBaker 15:55, 14 April 2007 (UTC)
Polish Documentary - hard question
I am looking for a specific documentary about Poland. It is a documentary made not long after they became a member of the EU. First a man speaks about the history of Poland, they show pictures and speak about communism. Then they discuss the Economy and future. Would be very nice to have the name of this, though I have no expectations. Clq 14:58, 14 April 2007 (UTC)
- Try searching at http://imdb.com/list. Use genre:documentary and keyword:poland to get 41 results, but only a few are within the last few years. --Mathew5000 20:41, 14 April 2007 (UTC)
Laminate flooring.
I would like to put a laminate floor in my cottage kitchen, the problem is that there is no heat in the cottage in the winter in Michigan. Will that be a problem? Thank you, Loraine —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 76.110.55.252 (talk) 15:05, 14 April 2007 (UTC).
- If you're thinking about a laminate floor such as Pergo (a trademark), you can refer to their installation guide. It's a floating floor system, which means that the flooring is allowed to expand and contract as the temperature changes, and it isn't nailed or permanently affixed to the subfloor. They recommend that you leave a 1/4 inch gap around the edges to allow for expansion and contraction. (You'd want to cover that gap with a molding of some kind.) I don't know how it would work in an unheated cottage, though. In this case, you should probably call the manufacturer of the flooring that you're planning to install and ask about the suitability of the product. --Elkman (Elkspeak) 15:30, 14 April 2007 (UTC)
- Elkman's answer above is correct. but of course, that implies you should lay the laminate when the ambient temperature is cool, so that it can expand when warmer, without buckling. So, if you buy it from a centrally heated store in winter, the laminate will also be warm, and will need to be allowed to cool to the ambient temperature of the intended laying area - and that might take several days - shorter if you unpack the planks and spread them out singly all over the floor - but never never pin them or glue them down - or the floating qualities will be lost. —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 81.145.240.104 (talk) 20:37, 14 April 2007 (UTC).
Yahoo
On the Yahoo Search page, the search box says it's improved? What has improved about Yahoo?
- Lots of little things, but nothing major recently. You can read about improvements in Yahoo!'s press releases, here [7] or learn more about Yahoo! Search here [8]. Yahoo!'s "newest and coolest projects" are detailed here. [9] Rockpocket 18:32, 14 April 2007 (UTC)
Grovedale College
Does anyone know what year Grovedale College was established? I can't seem to find it in any searches. --Candy-Panda 15:27, 14 April 2007 (UTC)
- Have you tried contacting them? See http://www.grovedale.vic.edu.au/contact.htm Corvus cornix 23:48, 14 April 2007 (UTC)
landscaping
When plantations were used in the old south, the long entrance to the plantation house was often lined on both sides with trees. Upon entering the drive,it appeared that the trees could reach into infinity. What is this use of trees called?Olive07 15:52, 14 April 2007 (UTC)
- That would be an avenue, I think. - Eron Talk 16:31, 14 April 2007 (UTC)
Mail-order bride
How can I get a mail-order bride? —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 71.185.136.143 (talk) 16:28, 14 April 2007 (UTC).
- See Mail order bride as well as this Google search. Dismas|(talk) 17:47, 14 April 2007 (UTC)
IllegalyIt may be illegal based on where you live. - AMP'd 02:14, 15 April 2007 (UTC) (Edited 02:17, 15 April 2007 (UTC))
- I suppose that it may be, but the questioner's IP address suggests that he/she is in Kansas, USA, and I have not found any evidence that arranging a marriage by mail or internet is illegal in that jurisdiction. That said, I am not a lawyer and am not qualified to give a legal opinion. Marco polo 14:25, 15 April 2007 (UTC)
Marx Toy Soldiers
I am looking for a list of Marx Warriors of the World figures,hand painted(60mm size) made from the 50's and 60's. —The preceding unsigned comment was added by Mookis (talk • contribs) 16:29, 14 April 2007 (UTC).
- Have you tried ebay? Corvus cornix 23:50, 14 April 2007 (UTC)
Islands in the North West Atlantic Ocean
I'm searching for the above to answer a x word clue.
The answer is -- I think B-A--A [Where the spaces are the three missing letters]
Any help??
Thanks David Beattie 17:03, 14 April 2007 (UTC)
- Hmm... Does it have to be northwest Atlantic Ocean? I paid a visit to Crossword Solver, and the only proper names that seemed to fit were "Bahía Blanca",[10] in southeast Argentina, "Branca" [11] the name of some municipalities in Brazil, and "Braúna" the name of another municipality in Brazil. You may want to double check the other 10 or so possibilities at crossword solver, but I don't think any of them are names for islands. List of islands in the Atlantic Ocean didn't prove very fruitful either. --YbborTalkSurvey! 17:51, 14 April 2007 (UTC)
- If the first A is wrong, it's "Bahama". Compared to the entire Atlantic (Antarctica to Greenland) they're in the northwest. --Charlene 18:54, 14 April 2007 (UTC)
- If the first A is wrong, and the letter count is wrong, and the clue is wrongly in plural, it's Bermuda. jnestorius(talk) 19:41, 14 April 2007 (UTC)
- If we're talking about possible answers to innacuracies, Bahama at least satisfies two of the three leters, keeps the plural, and fits letter count. --YbborTalkSurvey! 19:46, 14 April 2007 (UTC)
- Agreed. But Bermuda does fit "North West Atlantic Ocean" better than any other island. jnestorius(talk) 21:48, 14 April 2007 (UTC)
- Try checking this page: List of islands by name (B). With a north-west Atlantic ___location, it's probably going to be associated with Canada, Iceland, or Denmark (Greenland). Anchoress 21:06, 14 April 2007 (UTC)
- Only if you see the Equator as running through the South Atlantic. In reality, anything north of the Equator and west of the mid-point is going to be in the northwest. --Charlene 17:55, 15 April 2007 (UTC)
- tghat list doesn't reveal any matching results either :( --YbborTalkSurvey! 21:46, 14 April 2007 (UTC)
- What if the question is being read wrong? I wonder what the word 'islands' is in Danish or Icelandic or Innu? Anchoress 21:50, 14 April 2007 (UTC)
- Please correct me if I'm wrong, but I can't find any island anywhere called "Bahama". The country is called the Bahamas. "Bahama" would be a back-formation. (The Beach Boys have a lot to answer for, unless I've misheard Kokomo). -- JackofOz 22:08, 14 April 2007 (UTC)
- "Bahama islands" get 337K Ghits. jnestorius(talk) 22:57, 14 April 2007 (UTC)
- Thanks. Since "Bahama Islands" is a recognised way of referring to the island group, "Bahama" might be the answer to the original question. (But there was still no reference to any single island called "Bahama"). JackofOz 23:57, 14 April 2007 (UTC)
- Of course there was no reference to a single island, the title asks for "islands in the Northwest Atlantic". 12:40, 15 April 2007 (UTC)
- Thanks. Since "Bahama Islands" is a recognised way of referring to the island group, "Bahama" might be the answer to the original question. (But there was still no reference to any single island called "Bahama"). JackofOz 23:57, 14 April 2007 (UTC)
- You're dead right. I misread the question. My apologies. JackofOz 22:15, 15 April 2007 (UTC)
urgent
Explain housing finance and housing finance in india —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 59.182.18.222 (talk) 17:21, 14 April 2007 (UTC).
Housing finance in India is largely controlled by ICICI Bank and HDFC Bank. There are other players like State Bank of India and other PSU banks who give housing loans.You should contact the representative of your nearest branch of the any of these banks I have quoted above. Remember to negotiate hard and go for a floating rate of interest.
sumal 06:20, 15 April 2007 (UTC)
Petrol lawnmower run on alcohol
Hi, My electric lawnmower's just burnt out its engine so I'm considering getting a more sturdy petrol powered one, but i'm not keen on increasing my reliance on hydrocarbon fuels so would it be possible to run it on alcohol, or alcohol with a few drops of petrol? AllanHainey 18:46, 14 April 2007 (UTC)
- You really need to check the specifications on the engine for this one. Putting in a fuel that the engine is not expecting seems to me a sure-fire way to damage the engine, if not yourself. --24.147.86.187 19:30, 14 April 2007 (UTC)
- If similar to car engines, you can run up to about 25% ethanol in a gasoline engine without modifying it. Beyond that, modifications are required. In the US, at least, ethanol is still more expensive than gasoline, so there isn't much call to do this, in any case. StuRat 03:06, 15 April 2007 (UTC)
- A lawnmower will likely have a 2-stroke engine - you'll have to add oil to the fuel to lubricate the engine - that's pretty much unavoidable and is going to keep you reliant on hydrocarbons. Ethanol in low concentrations of less than maybe 20% is OK - but when you go to 100% ethanol (as they have in Brazil for example) there are many new problems:
- Ethanol is not good for starting the engine. 100% ethanol cars have a small gasoline tank used to get the engine started - then you switch over to pure ethanol once it's warmed up.
- Ethanol rots rubber. In low concentrations (like maybe 10%) it's not a problem - but in higher concentrations you have to make sure that all of the seals and gaskets in the engine are made of some synthetic compound that resists reaction from the ethanol.
- Ethanol procduces a much more acidic residue than gasoline - and in a car engine this gets dissolved in the oil. It is necessary to have the right kind of engine oil to solve this problem or the guts of your engine will corrode that way. Quite how this translates to a two-stroke engine where there is no crankcase oil and all of the lubricant is mixed in with the fuel is anyone's guess. I have no clue.
- Ethanol conducts electricity - gasoline doesn't. In car engines, this has caused problems with electrical components that are routinely immersed in gasoline such as the fuel tank level gauge and the fuel pump. Lawnmowers don't usually have either of those things - but I suppose there might be other things I havn't thought of yet that might be implicated.
- Overall - I'd be rather surprised if you got this to work well. In my opinion, you should stick with an electric mower if you are that concerned.
- SteveBaker 06:39, 15 April 2007 (UTC)
- A lawnmower will likely have a 2-stroke engine - you'll have to add oil to the fuel to lubricate the engine - that's pretty much unavoidable and is going to keep you reliant on hydrocarbons. Ethanol in low concentrations of less than maybe 20% is OK - but when you go to 100% ethanol (as they have in Brazil for example) there are many new problems:
- At least in the United Staes, essentially all gasoline-powered lawnmowers use four-stroke-cycle engines. The Lawn-Boy brand still sells a two-stroke, but nowadays, they also sell more-usual engine designs [12]. Briggs & Stratton make most of the engines used in the application with Honda and Tecumseh making the rest.
What does it take for a sport to become part of the Olympic games?
What does it take for a sport to become part of the Olympic games? Just wondering when and if we might see sports like rugby, lacrosse or baseball. 206.188.56.88 20:52, 14 April 2007 (UTC)
- According to Olympic sports: "A sport or discipline is included in the Olympic program if the IOC determines that it is widely practiced around the world, that is, the number of countries that compete in a given sport is the indicator of the sport's prevalence. The IOC's requirements reflect participation in the Olympic Games as well — more stringent toward men (as they are represented in far higher numbers) and Summer sports (as more nations compete in the Summer Olympics). To be able to be competed at the Olympics, for instance, an event must be practiced by men in at least, fifty countries on three continents, and by women in at least thirty-five countries on three continents." --YbborTalkSurvey! 20:59, 14 April 2007 (UTC)
- But even then, TPTB in the Olympics start cracking down. Baseball is going to be eliminated because too few countries participate. Golf isn't in the Olympics even though it meets the above criteria. It's basically, whatever the people in charge get out of it. Corvus cornix 23:51, 14 April 2007 (UTC)
- There is a formal process towards becoming an Olympic sport. That used to take the form of demonstration sports that were chosen by the local organising committee, but that programme was suspended. Now the process is by recommendation of the IOC Olympic Programme Commission followed by a vote by the IOC members. The IOC voted to drop baseball and softball from the Olympic program for 2012, but rejected their replacement with karate and squash, which were selected from a short-list that included golf, roller sports and rugby sevens. These remain recognized sports however. Rockpocket 00:46, 15 April 2007 (UTC)
Did synchronized swimming actually meet the criteria ? StuRat 03:03, 15 April 2007 (UTC)
- Why wouldn't it? Because it isn't stereotypically popular with men? (Actually, it's a cheap sport to put on and to participate in, is popular in many countries, and brings in huge ratings.) --Charlene 03:38, 15 April 2007 (UTC)
- Rugby union at the Summer Olympics was been played four times between 1900 and 1924, with a total of ten teams over the four competitions. The USA are the reigning champions, which is probably why it hasn't been played since ;-) --ColinFine 15:00, 15 April 2007 (UTC)
- The qualifications seem to be rather flexible. Contract bridge made a bid for inclusion at one point. Clarityfiend 17:09, 15 April 2007 (UTC)
Sometimes the International Olympic Committee uses inclusion (or lack thereof) to make a point, whether they admit it or not. I've heard that IOC officials are eliminating baseball in part because the U.S. will not field its best players. — Michael J 23:40, 15 April 2007 (UTC)
Screenshots on the Playstation 3?
Is it possible? Яussiaп F 22:18, 14 April 2007 (UTC)
- With a PS3 SDK, or with a TV/video capture card on your PC, it should be. The latter is the practical one, unless you're a developer. -- Consumed Crustacean (talk) 22:23, 14 April 2007 (UTC)
- Okay thanks. Яussiaп F 22:35, 14 April 2007 (UTC)
camera
- For what it's worth - I believe game developers (I'm about to become one when I start my new job in a couple of weeks!) develop initially on the PC and port to the PS3 as they go because debugging software on the PC is a lot easier. Since the nVidia graphics chip in the PS3 is very similar to the ones you can get for the PC, the resulting screen shots should be pretty much identical - except perhaps for any artifacts brought about by video encoding to PAL, SECAM or NTSC or inherent in interlaced video. So my strong suspicion is that the developers capture their screenshots from the PC. For non-developers, I agree that you need a video capture card in a PC hooked up to the video output of the PS3. SteveBaker 22:44, 16 April 2007 (UTC)
Injury Questions
I've been having some debates about injuries, and I haven't come up with any good answers. Could you guys help me out?
- If someone receives an impact injury to the heart area, would doing cardiovascular activities make it better or worse?
- If someone is sore, would stretching that muscle make it better or worse?
- If someone squishes their finger in a door and it leaves a black lump, would cutting it open (to drain it out) make it better or worse?
Thanks. --JDitto 23:06, 14 April 2007 (UTC)
- These are medical questions, and as I'm sure you understand we can never give medical advice. --Charlene 03:36, 15 April 2007 (UTC)
When will Burn Notice (TV series) be on the USA Network? —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 12.18.90.101 (talk) 23:44, 14 April 2007 (UTC).
- imdb.com says "Scheduled to air mid-June 2007". Corvus cornix 23:53, 14 April 2007 (UTC)
Wiping a tape
Anyone know where the term 'wiping' in relation to erasing magnetic tapes, comes from?--88.110.28.251 23:49, 14 April 2007 (UTC)
- If you're asking who first used the word in this context, I have no idea. If you're asking why this word is used, I'd say it's a very obvious extension of existing meanings of the word. One wipes a slate clean, so one wipes a tape clean. JackofOz 23:55, 14 April 2007 (UTC)
- OED suggests that "wipe" as a verb has been used in the sense of to demagnetize a magnetic recording since at least 1900! It is clearly using the sense of word meaning "to obliterate" (i.e. "wipe out"). Also note that "wiping" was used in the sense of demagnetizing a metal ship (to avoid setting off magnetic mines, I'd imagine) in the 1940s. --24.147.86.187 12:55, 15 April 2007 (UTC)
- Though both the OED's examples before 1946 use the phrase 'wipe out', rather than the bare word 'wipe'. The 1946, 1947 and 1962 quotations are plain 'wipe', but all refer to degaussing ships. The earliest quotation which refers to 'wiping' a tape (as opposed to 'wiping out') is 1962. --ColinFine 15:16, 15 April 2007 (UTC)
- Yes when iron ships were degaussed, a coil of cable around the ship was 'wiped' up the hull to demagnetise it. Did they have magnetic sensitive mines in WW1?--88.111.70.68 20:31, 16 April 2007 (UTC)
April 15
Where is his father?
Which websites can I use to find a French citizen who is the father (50+yrs old) of the young man I am mentor to? Is there a French telephone "white pages" or another method? The only information that I have is his name and the birthdate of the child (now 26)71.139.16.254 02:18, 15 April 2007 (UTC)
- If you know where he lives, and if this is an emergency or a very serious matter (they've gone missing, for instance), you can get an international telephone operator to call the police in his hometown or city and ask them to contact the parent. All major phone companies have French-speakers to communicate with operators in France, Quebec, and other Francophone countries. --Charlene 03:36, 15 April 2007 (UTC)
- I would call the French Embassy if it's any kind of moderately serious matter - they are very supportive of French citizens living outside of France. My wife is French and has use them to help out in all manner of messy situations. You can also phone the operator and ask for international directory enquiries - if you know the name, initials and city you should be able to get a phone number at least. SteveBaker 06:29, 15 April 2007 (UTC)
Mr Clean Magic Eraser
How does a Mr Clean Magic Eraser work? It just looks like a sponge...
- Have you ever used one? From what I know, it is a sponge, but it has a cleaning agent inside so when you put water on it, the water mixed with the cleaner comes out when squeezed, cleaning up whatever it was on the surface. --JDitto 04:31, 15 April 2007 (UTC)
- And does it very well too, but too much use on emulsion paint takes it right off the wall! —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 88.110.118.46 (talk) 05:39, 15 April 2007 (UTC).
- It's actually a rather abrasive micro foam. See melamine foam. -- mattb
@ 2007-04-15T06:28Z
- It's actually a rather abrasive micro foam. See melamine foam. -- mattb
Hyperreal Religion
What is a "hyperreal religion"? 206.124.144.3 04:27, 15 April 2007 (UTC)
Music composition competitions
Hi, I’m looking for a number of national or international classical music composition competitions geared towards young composers (30 and under is fine.) It would be good if these were well regarded competitions, but anything with a monetary and/or performance prize is good. Can anyone suggest anything? The only ones I can find are the BMI prize and the ASCAP prize. Thanks for your help. S.dedalus 05:14, 15 April 2007 (UTC)
- Check out the Gaudeamus website. Competitions in April 2007, Competitions in May 2007, etc. 213.201.189.242 14:35, 15 April 2007 (UTC)
Vegetarians in prison
What happens to vegetarians in the slammer? Not that I would expect many to be there in the first place, but if they were, are there any countries in the world that would cater to their diet? Vranak
- From what I can find, in the US, policies on vegetarian, kosher or halal meals vary state-by-state and even prison-by-prison. I imagine that generally speaking, the smaller the facility the more flexible they are likely to be. Federal prisons offer vegetarian, halal and kosher options. [13]
- I would expect just the reverse, that only large facilities would have the budget to hire a vegetarian cook and/or buy vegetarian ingredients. I would expect, however, that some inmates at some large and small facilities are still likely forced to eat meat. StuRat 15:16, 15 April 2007 (UTC)
- In some countries (eg, India) a considerable percentage of the population is vegetarian, and I'd be surprised if their prison systems didn't take this into account FiggyBee 06:16, 15 April 2007 (UTC)
- Google yields many results, including a blog by a vegetarian inmate. --Mathew5000 06:42, 15 April 2007 (UTC)
wouldn't it be much easier to give everyone vegetarien food?
- Why would you not "expect many to be there in the first place"? I'm not aware that becoming a vegetarian makes one inherently more law abiding. Pretty much every jailed animal rights activist / "eco-terrorist" is vegetarian or vegan. One of their major complaints is that they suffer because they do not have access to appropriate vegetarian or vegan food and clothing. Groups like the Animal Liberation Front Supporters Group campaign to ensure their beliefs are respected. For example, Jacob Kenison who was jailed for causing $300,000 arson damage to a leather store, was apparently "being forced to wear leather work boots because he could not afford canvas shoes." Supporters are encouraged to send him money to end this cruel and unusual punishment. [14] Rockpocket 22:32, 15 April 2007 (UTC)
- That's for me to know. Vranak
Use of the word"Fellow"'
I want to ask a basic query on the usage of the word "Fellow", is it offensive to use this word in context with a person who is senior to you or is your boss. Can I speak about my boss as a good fellow?Is it correct to use the word? sumal 06:13, 15 April 2007 (UTC)
- No - It's a bit archaic - but I don't think I'd consider it offensive in any way. Perhaps a bit over-familiar with someone who is much more senior than you. SteveBaker 06:25, 15 April 2007 (UTC)
- As Steve says, "Fellow" literally means "an equal", therefore using it to refer to someone senior in the company - particularly to their face - may be seen as presumptuous or over-familiar. It is rather archaic, and used in a serious manner may strike native English speakers (especially, I'm afraid to say, if it's pronounced with an Indian accent) as amusing. FiggyBee 06:30, 15 April 2007 (UTC)
- Except in certain academic circumstances the word fellow (see wiktionary:fellow and fellow) is rarely used in modern American English. So by calling anyone a fellow, you may be seen as trying to be whimsical or theatrical. If you're in a relaxed atmosphere or toasting someone, fellow would probably be accepted. If you're writing a formal letter or in a boardroom giving a formal presentation, it might be better to go with another word. As for British English, I couldn't say if it has the same meaning. Dismas|(talk) 06:32, 15 April 2007 (UTC)
- It would certainly sound "whimsical or theatrical" in British or Australian English too. Unless you pronounce it "fella", but that's much too casual for the workplace and definitely not something you want to call your boss. FiggyBee 06:53, 15 April 2007 (UTC)
- Except in certain academic circumstances the word fellow (see wiktionary:fellow and fellow) is rarely used in modern American English. So by calling anyone a fellow, you may be seen as trying to be whimsical or theatrical. If you're in a relaxed atmosphere or toasting someone, fellow would probably be accepted. If you're writing a formal letter or in a boardroom giving a formal presentation, it might be better to go with another word. As for British English, I couldn't say if it has the same meaning. Dismas|(talk) 06:32, 15 April 2007 (UTC)
- It’s not always archaic. Especially in academic literature where referring to ones “fellow scientists” (or whatever) is perfectly acceptable. S.dedalus 07:05, 15 April 2007 (UTC)
- My university is full of fellows, both good and bad, and they are not all, well, 'fellows', if you take my meaning. Clio the Muse 07:11, 15 April 2007 (UTC)
- It’s not always archaic. Especially in academic literature where referring to ones “fellow scientists” (or whatever) is perfectly acceptable. S.dedalus 07:05, 15 April 2007 (UTC)
- Thanks, It has been most illuminating and prompt too!sumal 07:16, 15 April 2007 (UTC)
- In S.dedalus's case fellow is an adjective rather than a noun, which is a different use, and Clio's is the aforementioned "certain academic circumstances". :) FiggyBee 07:26, 15 April 2007 (UTC)
"Fellow" is also a title used by those who have been awarded a Fellowship by a British Body such as the Chartered Institute of Marketing. It confers a significant status upon the Fellow. (i.e. MInstM, FInstM.)90.9.213.232 13:45, 15 April 2007 (UTC)petitmichel
- Also be aware that, due to the movie Goodfellas, that term may now be used to refer to members of the Mafia. So, a wise guy would avoid using that term to describe Italians. StuRat 15:09, 15 April 2007 (UTC)
Problems with signing in
Good Morning:
I just created an account with no problem. I received the e-mail address confirmation. I tried to sign on but I was told the password is wrong. I tried several times. Do I have to wait a few hours?
Rob —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 66.46.77.3 (talk) 13:07, 15 April 2007 (UTC).
- Please ask at the Help desk. See also Help:Logging in for common issues. Adrian M. H. 17:57, 15 April 2007 (UTC)
US currency
I was wondering in response to the new currency being administrated by the US treasury ie. the orange 10$ bills and blue tinted 50$ bills, how much does it actually cost to design/manufacture any given dollar bill?
- (http://www.usmint.gov/faqs/circulating_coins/index.cfm?action=faq_circulating_coin#cost) for coin production costs...http://www.ustreas.gov/education/faq/currency/production.shtml is the site for currency production. I cannot find a cost per bill unfortunately. I understand the new bills should help those with poor-sight/who are illiterate to distinguish different cost bills. ny156uk 17:00, 15 April 2007 (UTC)
- A little deaper digging into the 2004 US Mint annual report notes that it costs .93¢ ro produce a penny, 4.56¢ for nickle, 3.14¢ for a dime, 7.33¢ for a quarter, 16.97¢ for a half dollar (I didn't know they still make those), and 21.14¢ for a dollar coin.
- Business week gives different numbers (probably because it uses 2006, not 2004. Costs of metals are rising): 1.23¢ for a penny [15], 5.73¢ for a nickle [16], 2.99¢ for a dime[17], 7.03¢ for a quarter[18], 15.11¢ for a half-dollar [19], and 15.89¢ for a Sackagawea [20].
- Business week notes that it costs 4¢ to produce a dollar bill, and 5.3¢ for a $5, 7.6¢ for a $10 [21], the same for a $20 [22], and $50 [23], and 6.5¢ for $100 [24] —The preceding unsigned comment was added by Ybbor (talk • contribs) 19:03, 15 April 2007 (UTC).
- The background tint will also (supposedly) be bleach-proof, which (if each bill has a different background colour) will prevent counterfeiters from using bleached $1 bills to make fake $100 bills. Apparently that's a pretty common form of counterfeiting. --Charlene 19:03, 15 April 2007 (UTC)
English bank holiday
What year did the English August bank holiday change from the beginning of the month to the end ofthe month
- Bank Holiday says that the Banking and Financial Dealings Act 1971 specified the August bank holiday to be the last Monday rather than the first. It does not explicitly say that this was when the date was changed; but since the Bank Holidays Act 1871 was still in force until that year, one presumes it must have been. --ColinFine 15:24, 15 April 2007 (UTC)
Order of New Jersey Governor
With the car crash and subsequent incapacitation of Jon Corzine, Richard Codey has become Acting Governor of New Jersey, as per the New Jersey State Constitution. Jon Corzine was elected as the 54th Governor of New Jersey. Therefore, when Corzine reassumes the governorship, will he be the 56th Governor? American Patriot 1776 17:44, 15 April 2007 (UTC)
- No, because Cody is only *acting* Governor, not actual governor. Acting governors aren't counted. In the same way, when George Bush Sr. took over as acting President when Reagan was operated on, they didn't bump the numbers up. --Charlene 17:50, 15 April 2007 (UTC)
- In some states this happens much more frequently. For example, in California, whenever the governor is out of the state, the lieutenant governor becomes governor. That would lead to some wacky numbers. --YbborTalkSurvey! 18:39, 15 April 2007 (UTC)
Silicone lubricant stain
Is there any way you can remove a silicone lubricant stain from a comforter? —The preceding unsigned comment was added by Rc251dc (talk • contribs) 17:58, 15 April 2007 (UTC).
- I'm assuming that the comforter cover is made of polycotton or cotton and is machine-washable? Silicone lube stains are difficult to remove (although silicone is not an oil, it tends to act like one in this circumstance), but some of these steps may work:
- First of all, try sprinkling baby powder or cornstarch on the stain (on both sides, if it bled through), letting it sit for at least 24 hours (in the sun, preferably) before rinsing it out in cool water.
- If that doesn't work, try spraying Dawn dishwashing liquid on the stain. Work the liquid into the stain with your fingers, then let that sit for an hour before washing with warm water and your regular detergent. Check the stain once it comes out of the washing machine. (Don't ever tumble-dry an item with a stain - the dry heat will set it.)
- If the stain is still there, try shampoo. Avoid two-in-one shampoos or dandruff shampoos for this - something like Pantene is just fine. Rub in, soak, then wash. If you have any Dawn Power Dissolver, add it to the wash cycle along with your detergent. Rinse twice in clear water if you use the Power Dissolver in the wash cycle.
- If that doesn't work, try household ammonia. Test a little on a seam to make sure the ammonia won't make the colours run. If it doesn't, then wash again with about half a cup of ammonia in the wash.
- Now if that doesn't work, your next step is to put the entire comforter through a rinse cycle with nothing but water to remove any excess ammonia. Do that before trying anything else.
- Next attempt: WD-40. Again, test it in an inconspicuous area; if it doesn't damage the fabric, apply it only to the stained area, rub it in, spray or rub in some dishwashing liquid, let it sit for half an hour, then wash.
- You can now see why I always use water-based lube despite the drawbacks: it generally doesn't stain. --Charlene 18:45, 15 April 2007 (UTC)
- I should add: if none of this works, take the comforter to your local cleaner, if it's worth it. Dry cleaning might help. Let the comforter air dry before taking it in - as I said, machine-drying a stain is the best way to make it permanent. --Charlene 18:46, 15 April 2007 (UTC)
- Thanks for all that advice! Yeah, I already threw the bottle away, I thought it would be worth trying a silicone-based lubricant for once but it's just hard not to get the stuff in your sheets. I'll try these tips out --Rc251dc 19:06, 15 April 2007 (UTC)
Wikipedians have sex? <confused/> --TotoBaggins 21:09, 15 April 2007 (UTC)
- Yes but without any other people present. See masturbation Nil Einne 22:10, 15 April 2007 (UTC)
Longest Article on Wikipedia
Is there any page which lists the longest article on Wikipedia? Just curious. If there's no statistic page for it, can someone hazard a guess? --YbborTalkSurvey! 20:37, 15 April 2007 (UTC)
- See Wikipedia:Longpages. --Mathew5000 21:02, 15 April 2007 (UTC)
- Although, if you count project pages, then the reference desk probably holds the record. In February, when RefDeskBot was down, the science desk topped 1.6 MB--VectorPotentialTalk 21:11, 15 April 2007 (UTC)
- Wow Talk:Scientists opposing the mainstream scientific assessment of global warming seems puny in comparison (was 694k but I just set it up for automatic archiving) Nil Einne 21:51, 15 April 2007 (UTC)
Why Homosexuality and not Polygamy?
In as plain and non-POV terms as I can put it: Why do issues supporting homosexuality have much more backing than those supporting polygamy even though homosexuality is condemned by the majority of the world due to the position of major religions and it therefore seems counterintuitive. —The preceding unsigned comment was added by —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 71.185.131.11 (talk) 19:17, 15 April 2007 (UTC).
- Probably because homosexuality is quite widespread whilst polygamy is not. --Tagishsimon (talk)
One possible reason is that polygamy more often takes the form of polygyny than polyandry, leading to a lack of available women, which in turn causes social instability. Homosexuality, on the other hand, has no such effect, as long as there are equal numbers of male and female homosexuals. Another reason is that children more often result from polygamy, and some people don't like seeing children exposed to "deviant lifestyles". StuRat 22:27, 15 April 2007 (UTC)
- Polygyny also remains strongly associated with more traditional 'ideals' of the place of men and women in society (it doesn't have to be, but it is). Such 'ideals' are controversial nowadays as they are regarded as unfair and discriminatory. Nil Einne 22:47, 15 April 2007 (UTC)
(N.B. I actually wrote this earlier before the question was removed. However I decided not to post it after it began to appear 71. was soapboxing. I'm posting now but don't care if this is removed). Christian and Jewish religious leaders nowadays on the whole condemn polygamy. Many Muslim religious leaders in predominantly Muslim countries don't but polygamy is legal to some degree in many such countries while homosexuality is not. (There is opposition to polygamy in many Muslim countries however). Also, there are almost definitely many more homosexual people then polygamists in most Western countries were advocacy is most advanced. So it doesn't seem counterintuative to me... Nil Einne 22:42, 15 April 2007 (UTC)
Another reason is that homosexuality is a sexual orientation, while polygamy is not. Crypticfirefly 22:51, 15 April 2007 (UTC)
- This reminds me of the time someone tried to argue bisexuals should be allowed to marry two people (a male and a female). Some people just don't understand sexual orientation sadly... Nil Einne 22:53, 15 April 2007 (UTC)
Maybe because homosexuals and their friends and families have been more successful in contemporary Western cultures in making a persuasive argument for marriage rights. This has not always been the case; there have been cultures where polygyny was legal but homosexual acts were not. If you think there should be a stronger pro-polygamy lobby in your country, you are free to contribute to one. -FisherQueen (Talk) 23:03, 15 April 2007 (UTC)
- The difference between homosexuality and polygamy is that homosexuality doesn't hurt anyone, but polygamy -- that is, the kind of polygamy that would get someone arrested -- usually does. In the polygamous sects of the North American West, there is such a premium on women that girls are often forced into marriage in adolescence, and men who get on the bad side of the community leader get banished. There's a big difference between the crime of bigamy and the social phenomenon of "swinging." While you can't have a three-way marriage, consentual adult relationships of more than two partners are not illegal. What is illegal is forcing girls into polygamous marriages or marrying someone else behind your first spouse's back. That's the only kind of polygamy that might get prosecuted in the U.S. -- Mwalcoff 23:33, 15 April 2007 (UTC)
So I want to travel to Somaliland
Can you help me find a cheap route? Assume I will be flying out of Los Angeles or San Francisco. What would be the cheapest combination of flights? I'm willing to travel overland from another country, or even preferably take a boat ride from Yemen. Thanks. 128.54.76.78 23:31, 15 April 2007 (UTC)
- I can't guarantee it's the cheapest, but here's a round-trip flight from LAX to Djibouti, Djibouti (JIB) for US$1599: [25]. You would need to arrange ground transportation from there. I didn't find any flights directly to HGA, Somaliland. StuRat 00:41, 16 April 2007 (UTC)
- A round-trip flight from LAX to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia costs a bit more, at US$1943: [26]. You would need to arrange ground transportation from there. StuRat 01:08, 16 April 2007 (UTC)
- A round-trip flight from LAX to Aden, Yemen (ADE) costs a bit more, at US$2108: [27]. You would need to arrange a ferry to Somaliland. StuRat 00:58, 16 April 2007 (UTC)
- Unfortunately, the links I provided appear to have pointed to temporary pages which have now expired. Try going to www.orbitz.com, select "flexible dates" and go from there to get my results (or something close) again. StuRat 01:16, 16 April 2007 (UTC)