Wikipedia:Reference desk/Miscellaneous
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how tall is a hurricane?
no one has ever said how tall a hurricane is. so, in laymens terms, how tall are they usually? 64.12.116.73 22:48, 4 October 2005 (UTC) karen in florida
- Oh, about 5 foot seven--Armen Schrikken 00:44, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
- From this, I'd say that's about 18 km (11 miles) [1] — Lomn | Talk / RfC 13:03, 5 October 2005 (UTC)
names of hurricanes that we skipped
how come we don't use every letter of the alphabet when we name our hurricanes? or am I missing something? 64.12.116.73 22:54, 4 October 2005 (UTC) karen in florida
- See Hurricane - Naming_of_tropical_cyclones and/or Lists of tropical cyclone names. --Tagishsimon (talk)
- Karen,
In fact, our 2005 Atlantic hurricane season shows that every name allocated between Tropical Storm Arlene and Hurricane Stan has been used so far. However, in the case of tropical storms they only received coverage in local broadcasts in contrast with Hurricanes Katrina and Rita which had extensive coverage around the world. Capitalistroadster 01:30, 5 October 2005 (UTC)
- The letters Q, U, X, Y, and Z are not used for naming hurricanes because there are too few given names that start with those letters to add to the name lists. --Metropolitan90 07:00, 5 October 2005 (UTC)
We do use most letters of the alphabet, however, some storms die out before they can make it to North America. —MESSEDROCKER (talk) 03:52, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
Location of new minister in Edmonton
I am looking for a contact for the Rev.Dave Guzzwell from Newfoundland who recently moved to Edmonton John Waller box 213 Brigus NL A0A 1K0.142.163.9.65 23:47, 4 October 2005 (UTC)
- A Google search came up with noone by that name in Edmonton. However it did appear to show that he was in the United Church. The United Church locator in Canada says that there are 27 churches in Alberta [2]. I would try sending an email or letter to each of these churches saying you are looking for Reverend Guzzwell. I suspect you will soon find him if he is there.Capitalistroadster 01:40, 5 October 2005 (UTC)
Vice President
Does a Vice Presidential selection ever need Senate approval?
- Assuming you are asking about the situation in the US, the answer to your question is: not normally, but if a Vice President dies or resigns in office the replacement must be approved by both houses of Congress. An explanation is contained contained in the article Vice President of the United States and in more detail in Twenty-fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution. --Robert Merkel 04:57, 5 October 2005 (UTC)
Dreamworks
What does "SKG" mean under the Dreamworks logo?
- See the DreamWorks article. —Wayward 05:14, 5 October 2005 (UTC)
- I'm feeling nice. Steven Spielberg, Jeffrey Katzenberg and David Geffen. Brian Schlosser42 15:25, 5 October 2005 (UTC)
WP awards
Is there a page where I can see all the various barnstars and such that are bandied about or do you have to just learn them by seeing them on various user pages? Qaz (talk) 07:55, 5 October 2005 (UTC)
- Start with Wikipedia:Barnstar and see if that gives you what you're looking for. Dismas|(talk) 08:13, 5 October 2005 (UTC)
Wikipedia Reference Desk
Skim reading through this page, a lot of the questions appear to be poorly phrased, meaning less or could be solved simply by reading the article. Just out of curiousity, what percentage of the questions on this page are well enough written to answer properly? (I know I am probably opening a can of worms, here!) smurrayinchester(User), (Talk) 09:00, 5 October 2005 (UTC)
- I don't know any exact numbers but I'm afraid the percentage of worthwile questions is too low. - Mgm|(talk) 09:55, 5 October 2005 (UTC)
On a related note, it appears that the regularly recurring ALLCAPS questions (in spite of clear instructions on top of this page) frequently are asked by South Asians / Indians. Is this some cultural thing? Are ALLCAPS texts common in India, or is this connected with unfamiliarity with the Latin alphabet, which would make capital letters easier to read (because they are learned first)? 130.60.142.65 10:35, 5 October 2005 (UTC)
- Hindi at least, and I'm assuming any script language does not have a distinction between upper and lower case. To them it's not something they're likely to think much about. As for people asking poorly phrased questions and not reading the instructions, I think that's just the breaks for how the reference desk in a wide open Wiki is going to go. Ask for clarification, provide as much detail as you feel like, and don't sweat it. Otherwise provide as many links to our articles as possible and call it even. - Taxman Talk 14:24, 5 October 2005 (UTC)
I have never seen a response when clarification to the question is requested. And only once did I spot a thank you to an answered question. Perhaps, ppl post and forget. lots of issues | leave me a message 12:25, 5 October 2005 (UTC)
- I think there may still be an assumption that the question has to fit entirely in the small title box. I also sense that a lot of people lose their question once they've asked it. Is there a way we can make things easier for unfamiliar users? --bodnotbod 00:03, 6 October 2005 (UTC)
Another thing I've noticed is that the Help Desk seems to get more misc questions than the reference desk! I suppose no-one reads the messages about which desk to use, multiple postings, ALLCAPS etc. What might work is if questions could be given sub-pages, with this page becoming a list of question titles. It would help people track their question, and shorten this very long page. It's a pain putting the desk in a watchlist, since everytime anyone changes any question, the watchlist comes up with a new entry. Therefore, it is very rare to find that the flagged change is the one to your question. smurrayinchester(User), (Talk) 09:58, 7 October 2005 (UTC)
- Y"all might also like to visit the Talk page on this (click on discussion very top of this page), and perhaps contribute to some threads there. AlMac|(talk) 16:27, 8 October 2005 (UTC)
- Is there a way we can make things easier for unfamiliar users?
- One thing I would like to see in the future ... after the person has entered their question, up pops a link that they are invited to cut & paste, or place in favorite places. This is link to THEIR question so they can check back in a few hours, or a day or two to see if anyone has answered it. The accompanying text would say that because of the large number of people posting questions, it can be difficult for you to locate your question, and its answers, so here is a link to make it easy. Hopefully the link would still work (redirect) after the content has been archived. AlMac|(talk) 16:44, 8 October 2005 (UTC)
Canadian terminology
Okay, this is a weird one.
I'm currently writing a good chunk of fairly formal text about Canada, focusing on differences between certain aspects of the provinces and territories. This, sadly, entails writing "provinces and territories" a lot, which gets rather annoying for the reader (not to mention the writer!). Is there a one-word term used to describe these - "regions", say? Several sources seem to used "provinces" as a catch-all, but that seems to be asking for confusion. Shimgray | talk | 11:31, 5 October 2005 (UTC)
- Not weird at all. Since it is a formal paper, you have an option of defining any terminology you might use for clarity. For the purposes of this paper, the term "regions" or "regions of Canada" will denote both the formal provincial and territorial jurisdictions of Canada. Where necessary, the terms "provinces" and "territories" will be used for further clarity where any distinction between the two is necessary. --216.191.200.1 14:26, 5 October 2005 (UTC)
- I really only run with it for a couple of paragraphs and then it becomes readable again - it doesn't seem worth defining terms for just those, but I guess I can stick a footnote in (it's formal, yes, but I don't want to make it sound too turgid) - the differences are between individual regions rather than "provinces v. territories". I really just wanted to know if there was a standard term, since it's generally preferable to use that (and you never know when the reader will turn out to speak Canadian!) Shimgray | talk | 14:34, 5 October 2005 (UTC)
- Most Canadians would, I think, use 'Regions of Canada' to mean groups of provinces, such as Atlantic Canada. You might want to say that you will use provinces to include territories unless otherwise specified. Of course as long as you define your meaning it won't matter. DJ Clayworth 14:45, 5 October 2005 (UTC)
- I'm Canadian and I've never encountered a term which refers to "provinces and territories" while growing up. The meaning has always been unambiguous based on the context. --216.191.200.1 14:49, 5 October 2005 (UTC)
- Perhaps you could say, "The term 'provinces' in this document refers to both provinces and territories unless otherwise noted." The US Code sometimes uses a similar trick with the District of Columbia, saying that for the purposes of a particular statute, the term "state" includes DC. -- Mwalcoff 02:57, 6 October 2005 (UTC)
- The best example of this definition I've yet run across, incidentally, is the New Jersey legal code:
- State. The word "State" extends to and includes any State, territory or possession of the United States, the District of Columbia and the Canal Zone. (1:1-2)
- I can't help but feel they should get around probably to fixing that bit one day... Shimgray | talk | 14:03, 6 October 2005 (UTC)
- The best example of this definition I've yet run across, incidentally, is the New Jersey legal code:
From the Help desk
Hey everyone. An anonymous user User_talk:164.83.99.83 posted this header at the help desk:
"florida/what is florida's major attractionand landmark"
Maybe you Wikipedians can help out and decipher what question is being asked? Thanks for your help, and have an excellent day! --216.191.200.1 14:17, 5 October 2005 (UTC)
- I'm pretty sure that Florida's most popular tourist attraction is the Walt Disney World Resort. --Metropolitan90 14:23, 5 October 2005 (UTC)
Nicknames
Why is William called Bill and Richard called Dick?
- William shortens to Will changes to Bill (or -> Willy -> Billy).
- Richard is a little more complex; it was originally pronounced with a bit of a k as Ricard (Ric-hard rather than Rich-ard). This shortened to Ric(k) easily, and then to Dick.
- Consider also Robert -> Rob -> Bob, for another example of the same thing. Shimgray | talk |
I think the hard part of the question is why the initial consonants changed, since that doesn't happen when most names are converted to diminutives or familiars. I don't know the answer to that. alteripse 15:28, 5 October 2005 (UTC)
- William already changed - previously Guilliame ("gwu-" to "wih-"), so it's not that far-fetched. I believe there's a term for this, but IANALinguist. Shimgray | talk | 16:05, 5 October 2005 (UTC)
- The Rick -> Dick is just an alveolar approximant becoming a voiced alveolar plosive, so the only difference between the two initial sounds is the manner of articulation. Will -> Bill makes some sense too as /w/ (Labial-velar approximant) and /b/ (Voiced bilabial plosive) are very similar (only slightly different manners of articulation and slightly different places of articulation). — Laura Scudder | Talk 21:36, 5 October 2005 (UTC)
http://www.critchley.ca/Images/Unknown%20Building.jpg what is this
Help
- It sure looks like that's the Golden Gate Bridge off to the left, and the scenery in the background sure looks like Marin and Tiburon. So that would suggest it's the state prison at Alcatraz, and indeed it looks to me like the main cell block there. -- Finlay McWalter | Talk 15:35, 5 October 2005 (UTC)
- On looking further at some maps, it's not the cellblock. It's a building on the west of the island, which this map seems to say is the "new infirmary building". -- Finlay McWalter | Talk 15:46, 5 October 2005 (UTC)
Trucks killer
the movie with emilio estavez killer trucks what is it? ADD IT TO WIKIPEDIA [[ ]]
what IS IT?
The film is Maximum Overdrive, based on the Stephen King short story Trucks; King also directed the film. android79 16:05, 5 October 2005 (UTC)
fleece gem
on a fleece there is a gem on the zipper like its crystal silver with black anyone know? --169.244.143.115 16:50, 5 October 2005 (UTC)
- If you're asking what the "gem" is made of, it's probably polymethyl methacrylate (perspex). Shantavira 18:25, 5 October 2005 (UTC)
PLAYS
IS THERE ANY HISTORICAL BASIS FOR HAMLET
Hamlet might be able to tell you, and if this is for a homework assignment, I suggest you not type it in ALL CAPS. android79 18:58, 5 October 2005 (UTC)
- Our Hamlet (legend) discusses the possible historical origins of the character in depth. Capitalistroadster 04:55, 6 October 2005 (UTC)
COMEDY
WHAT ARE THE NAMES OF THE THREE STOOGES
- Larry, Moe, Curly, Shemp... uh, et al. See Three Stooges. Frencheigh 19:21, 5 October 2005 (UTC)
- You left off Curly Joe. User:Zoe|(talk) 05:54, 9 October 2005 (UTC)
leather
We have a pretty good article on Leather. Go read it and come back if you have any question the article doesn't answer. - Mgm|(talk) 21:01, 5 October 2005 (UTC)
Dungeons and dragons
Very interesting that you have knoledge of the whole colection of dungeons and dragons cartoon series... Where could i GET THE WHOLE COLLECTION OF IT ?
- Amazon.com? Dismas|(talk) 20:24, 5 October 2005 (UTC)
how important was america in bringing an end to the first world war
(no question apart from title)
As far as I can determine from the World War I article, the war was primarily a European one. The United States didn't play much of a role in it. The War was ended after the signing of the Armistice and the Treaty of Versailles (the latter was never officially ratified by the US). They're biggest involvement was that they declared war on Austria-Hungary on December 7, 1917. So I'd say they added to the war continuing rather than it ending. - Mgm|(talk) 21:10, 5 October 2005 (UTC)
- If nothing else, the US contributed a psychological edge to the Allied Powers simply by virtue of the manpower at hand. Germany decided that continuing the war was fruitless (as opposed to World War II, where it was outright overrun) and this no doubt played *some* role in altering the balance of power. — Lomn | Talk / RfC 21:40, 5 October 2005 (UTC)
- There was the manpower issue. Germany, England and France were pretty much "bled white" - they had lost most of a generation in the trenches and fought one-another to a stand-still. America was able to mobilise huge manpower resources, and even though many of them arrived at the front badly trained and badly equipped, they tipped the balance of power. Once America entered the war it was just a matter of time before Germany surrendered. Guettarda 23:02, 5 October 2005 (UTC)
- To be more exact, the U.S. did more than declare war on Austria-Hungary (and they declared war on Germany before that). At the end of the war the U.S. had 2 million soldiers deployed in Europe and had taken 360,300 casualties including 116,516 deaths. Rmhermen 14:05, 6 October 2005 (UTC)
- I believe that the supply of material by the US to the other Allies was also significant. DJ Clayworth 15:58, 6 October 2005 (UTC)
music
who are echo and the bunnymen
Food
Are the tops of carrots and parsnips edible?22:15, 5 October 2005 (UTC)~
- Yes. They aren't poisonous and they do have some nutritional value, but they don't taste very good either. Parsnip leaves are only edible when they're young, I think. Both can cause extreme sensitivity to sunlight in some people. —Charles P. (Mirv) 22:41, 5 October 2005 (UTC)
Mysterious Wicca Wikipedia Connection
When I think Wiki as in the Pedia, I think of Wicca as in witchcraftia. Is there a bizzare twist in linkeage? The founder of the wikiP-society heritage? Like a worship of Mother Nature to a worship of Motherboard--Internet Horde?
(*It may be silly of me to think there's a link, and even more so silly to try to botch my question in a pseudo-poem)
- Wiki is a word, Hawaiian I believe. It's been some time since I've read that article. Dismas|(talk) 22:25, 5 October 2005 (UTC)
- Uh-oh. This rumored connection is growing in popularity. See WP:RD/L. Superm401 | Talk 22:51, 5 October 2005 (UTC)
I promise you that if there were the vaguest whiff of wicca connection here, most of us would be out of here before you could say whatever the inane thing they say is. alteripse 23:00, 5 October 2005 (UTC)
- I, for one, am offended at such a response. Why would you possibly say such a thing? User:Zoe|(talk) 05:56, 9 October 2005 (UTC)
Why would I say such a thing? Because I think it is what would happen if such a connection were revealed or formed. What do you think would happen if we found out it was funded or sponsored by the mormon church, the unification church, or some islamic sect? alteripse 06:05, 9 October 2005 (UTC)
Wiki, or WikiWiki, is a Hawaiian word, meaning "quick". Wiki software is supposedly quick because of how fast someone can correct things. There are no connections to Wicca. —MESSEDROCKER (talk) 03:57, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
USD100,000 note
Dear sir,
Please can you enlighten me the wordings of the notes, I could not read all the words.front and back.Pls enlarge it.
Many thanks Tin LONDON E-mail :<removed>
- Please see the entry on Large denomination bills in U.S. currency. Dismas|(talk) 23:02, 5 October 2005 (UTC)
Hamsterball on Xbox Live Arcade: Multiplayer levels, where to find "secret areas".
I need help finding the "secret areas" used for unlocking multiplayer deathmatch levels in the game Hamsterball. Post the areas you found here, first the level, then where to find it. Please help I'm addicted to this game but I can't find the multiplayer levels, I found one accidentally but can't find any others.
Expert: This happens after the second set of strong fans. You go down a ramp towards the camera, then go down another ramp away from the camera, but before you go down that second ramp, run off the corner with your hamster/hamsterball, in the middle of the two ramps, and you should float on a grey square with a lock on it. Roll over the little grey square and it will turn red, unlocking the multiplayer deathmatch level "Expert".
Note: You must be playing a tournament on normal or frenzied mode to even be able to see the square, if not, you're just waisting your time. ( Then again, everyone that plays this game is sort of just waisting their time. )
A list of Postmasters
I found a site sometime ago about the first Postmaster in Dibble, OK and now I lost it does anyone know where I might look?
Gas Mileage
If i lose weight, will i get better gas mileage on my car?
- Yes, you will, but the difference will likely be so small as to be hardly noticeable. Say the typical automobile weighs about 3300 pounds (an SUV will be much heavier, a minicar like a Ford Focus will be somewhat lighter). Now let's say you weigh 180 pounds now and 150 pounds after your weight-loss program. The difference in the mass of the car with you in it will have gone from 3480 to 3450 pounds, a difference of less than 1%. And, of course, the wind resistance of the vehicle is unaffected by your weight loss. Of course, the greater the weight loss, the bigger the difference; if you lost 200 lbs you may well make a noticeable difference to your car's economy.
- Some simple ways to improve your car's mileage can be found all over the internet, for instance here. A really easy one that many people simply don't do is check your tires regularly to make sure that they are at the correct pressure.
- Note that if you walk or ride a bicycle instead of driving you can help yourself to lose weight *and* save on fuel bills :)--Robert Merkel 03:50, 6 October 2005 (UTC)
London's doubledecker
Why is the doubledecker in London red?
- Our Buses in London is quite detailed but doesn't discuss this. The article on the famous Routemaster doubledecker bus doesn't explain either or our article on Double-decker bus. I will put something on the talk page. Capitalistroadster 05:05, 6 October 2005 (UTC)
- I doubt whether there is a specific reason apart from the fact that it's a corporate colour (early London tube trains were also red). In attracting customers, buses work best if they're brightly coloured. Shantavira 08:33, 6 October 2005 (UTC)
- It's all for identity. In fact, one of the conditions of getting a London Bus franchise is that at least 80% of the bus must be red. 09:37, 6 October 2005 (UTC)
what is an alter ego?
Alter = "other", ego = "I" (literally "other I", in latin). See alter ego ☢ Kieff | Talk 04:01, 6 October 2005 (UTC)
Put Wikipedia Search on my page
How do i put a wikipedia search function on my webpage? I saw some webpage before with forms to type in a search, and pressing the search will take them directly to the corresponding wikipedia page. Thanks in advance
- Here's a code you can use. At Wikipedia:Banners and buttons there's images you can use with it. - Mgm|(talk) 08:23, 6 October 2005 (UTC)
<form action="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:Search" id="searchform"> <table style="background-color : #000000; float : right;"> <tr><td><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org">Wikipedia</a> search:<br /></td></tr> <tr><td><input accesskey="f" type="text" name="search" id="searchInput" /><br /></td></tr> <tr><td><input value="Go" type="submit" name="go" class="searchButton" /> <input value="Search" type="submit" name="fulltext" class="searchButton" /></td></tr> </table> </form>
- Or if you're looking for a "bookmark" try this link. --hydnjo talk 20:56, 6 October 2005 (UTC)
Coldest average sea touching the UK
I need to know what sea, that touches the United Kingdom, has the lowest average temperature. I have tried to figure out this question for the past two weeks without any luck.
Thank you!
Nicole
Cold Temperature
It is possible to Die instantly when it gets down to certain temperature?
- I would have thought not. Ittakes time for the heat to leave your body. As the outside temperature get's lower, that time will shorten, but it'll never go to zero. Theresa Knott (a tenth stroke) 04:54, 6 October 2005 (UTC)
- If you see process of freezing of human body from the movie "Day after tomorrow", chances are it's grossly over-dramatized. The human body has the average temperature of 36 celcius. Now consider this, if you take a glass of lukewarm water, and put it immedietely in freezer and close it for 3 minutes. Does the water freezes immedietly? No. So same goes to the human body.
- But in The Day After Tomorrow, it was far colder than 0°C ... I don't have the DVD to hand to check it, cause I'm in work, but it was something like -150°C, due to atmospheric inversion or somesuch. That would freeze you pretty darn quickly. Proto t c 08:46, 6 October 2005 (UTC)
- Well, yes, if it is cold enough, but really, it would have to be very, very cold, far colder than any temperatures you're likely to find outside of a lab or a sci-fi movie.
- The lowest temperature you could possibly get is Absolute zero - 273*C (and even this is not actually possible) and surely even that would take time to reach vital organs. Robmods 18:32, 7 October 2005 (UTC)
- Of course, at such low temps the air would all be liquid and would "boil" as your body temp heated it. This would greatly increase the speed at which your temp was lowered. I would say loss of conciousness would be immediate and death within seconds, as the brain froze. StuRat 10:56, 10 October 2005 (UTC)
- However, if the air was boiling, the Leidenfrost effect might reduce the speed of heat transfer. --WhiteDragon 19:31, 11 October 2005 (UTC)
- I believe this article from another website will be adequate enough to address this issue ONCE AND FOR ALL. http://www.intuitor.com/moviephysics/dayAft.htm
- Yes, you can die if you are not adequately heated (with a fire or coat or anything similar) and it's very cold - we're talking below zero Fahrenheit. See hypothermia. —MESSEDROCKER (talk) 04:01, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
Which are the most popular brands wine
- I think you'll have to be more specific to get a useful answer. The most popular in which country? (Tastes vary) And do you mean by grape variety or by region? We have several articles on wine so you will might find what you are looking for there. Shantavira 08:51, 6 October 2005 (UTC)
The Great Lakes
Is it possible for ocean-borne freighters to reach ports (such as Chicago) on the Great Lakes? I recall that in colonial times, ships went up a river to reach them or something, but I wouldn't think that was possible with modern super-freighters. So, is there access between the Atlantic and the lakes, or are ships manufactured at the lakes trapped within them forever?
- Our Great Lakes article explains that the Great Lakes became accessible from the ocean once the St Lawrence Seaway started operating in the 19th century. However, some vessels are restricted due to not being able to fit through the locks. Capitalistroadster 06:41, 6 October 2005 (UTC)
- Lake freighter talks about lock sizes and ocean, seaway, and laker dimensions a bit. In short: Most ocean-going freighters are too large for the Seaway, as are some lake freighters, but many lakers are built to Seawaymax size specifically in order to traverse the St. Lawrence. — File:Ontario trillium sig.pngmendel ☎ 16:29, 6 October 2005 (UTC)
- Indeed they can (here is an example of a regular Great Lakes-Netherlands run). The zebra mussels infesting the Great Lakes came from the bilges of ocean-going ships. Crypticfirefly 23:28, 9 October 2005 (UTC)
12th anniversary
what is the another name for 12th annversary, e.g 75 years is called platinum anniversary?
- According to this website it's silk (or possibly agate). Shantavira 08:42, 6 October 2005 (UTC)
paistan's services sector
sir i want to know the numerical information about the services sector of paistan. im not finding the right topic can u plz help me?
- I assume you mean Pakistan, you could start there. AllanHainey 12:20, 6 October 2005 (UTC)
- Our Economy of Pakistan article should provide some information as well. Capitalistroadster 06:48, 7 October 2005 (UTC)
Rugby/American Football
Which is more dangerous? American Football has harder tackles, but Rugby has less body armour? smurrayinchester(User), (Talk) 09:43, 6 October 2005 (UTC)
- Not an answer, but some thoughts:
- When you say "dangerous" what precisely do you mean. Risk of "injury"? Risk of "serious" injury for some definition of serious? Risk of death?
- American football has a far greater differentiation between player roles than rugby does; my meagre understanding of American football suggests that punt kickers and quarterbacks are rarely tackled and thus are at comparatively little risk of contact injury. So averages are probably a somewhat misleading comparison.
- There's two forms of rugby, rugby union and rugby league, with significantly different rules.
- Do you mean at elite level, or lower standards of play?
- American football is played at elite level only in the US, Canada and, to a small extent, in a couple of European countries. Rugby is played at an elite level in members of the British Commonwealth (with the notable exception of Canada), France, Argentina, and maybe Italy. I imagine most comparative studies of sports injuries are conducted at a national level - I know there's one annually done in Australia - and so it's going to be difficult to find a study that has information for both American football and rugby.
- Who cares? Everybody knows that, in the words of a famous song around my parts, "when you line them up together, the footy wins hands down." ;-) --Robert Merkel 10:50, 6 October 2005 (UTC)
- A bit of a correction. Quarterbacks are actually tackled somewhat often. Any player who holds the ball can expect to be tackled at some point, even punters, theoretically. Kickers and offensive linemen rarely if ever hold the ball and do not get tackled; however, many offensive linemen get injured while blocking defensive linemen and get their legs caught in unnatural positions, and it seems that more and more kickers are pulling muscles these days. Defensive players rarely get tackled either, unless they intercept a pass or recover a fumble; because they make most of the tackles, however, they do suffer from their share of injuries. --Maxamegalon2000 14:08, 6 October 2005 (UTC)
- Rugby has no body armour apart from the wee rubber head protectors some wear (nothing like a helmet though) so I'd say there is greater risk of injury playing rugby. I'm not sure that American Football necessarily has harder tackles either, although they may need to be harder to knock someone off his feet while encased in all that padding. AllanHainey 12:16, 6 October 2005 (UTC)
- I can recall a couple of cases of people dying (through neck/spinal injury) in rugby league. This rarely occurs, and these cases were at the ameteur level. That meets my defintion of dangerous, do people die in American football? --Commander Keane 12:47, 6 October 2005 (UTC)
- American football was very dangerous (too many people dying) until Theodore Roosevelt insisted that the universities the game was being played at changed the rules. This led to the creation of the NCAA. Deaths from injuries sustained during gameplay have been pretty much eliminated by now, although this last preseason a member of the San Francisco 49ers died from a heart ailment, and a few years ago, Korey Stringer died from heat stroke, causing a league-wide concern with praticing in high temperatures. I can't even remember any players becoming really seriously paralyzed recently; even that one Detroit Lion stunned everybody by walking up to a podium at a press conference. I'm sure someone can remember more names that I am. --Maxamegalon2000 14:08, 6 October 2005 (UTC)
The Detroit Lions player that was paralyzed was Mike Utley. In the early 90's an LSU football player died from complications of paralyzation a few years after his injury. A handful of other NFL and Collegiate American Football players have also been paralyzed at least temporarily in the alst 10 years. one name I remember is Dennis Byrd who had a movie (Rise and Walk) made about his ordeal. -Drdisque 16:47, 6 October 2005 (UTC)
- This article (admittedly from the NFL's own website) says that (American) football is substantially more likely than other youth recreational activities to cause minor injuries but not much more likely to cause serious injuries. I doubt rugby was one of the other activities, since few people in American play rugby. Football, especially played at the professional level, is, a very brutal sport, however. Literally every player on an NFL team (except maybe the placekicker and the emergency quarterback) suffers some degree of injury during the year, and people who play pro football for several years often wind up with big health problems when they retire. -- Mwalcoff 23:48, 6 October 2005 (UTC)
- The other thing is that rugby players (both codes) are on the fields all the time and all rugby players play in both offence and defence. A former school friend died playing rugby league in the early 1980s. Capitalistroadster 04:25, 10 October 2005 (UTC)
ESKIMO X'S
Do eskimos (or to use a more p.c term- inuits) always kiss with their noses??? And if they do, do you think maybe they find this boring. They can't seriously spend a long time kissing in this way or their noses would go sore... Skooky 10:24, 6 October 2005 (UTC) 10:12, 6 October 2005 (UTC)
- The eskimo 'kissing' is actually just a greeting (not sure whether it is actually real though or made up) not a courtship activity. AllanHainey 12:19, 6 October 2005 (UTC)
Really? So they kiss like we do i guess then... Skooky 13:47, 6 October 2005 (UTC)
- Inuit greet each other by pressing faces, possibly because gloved hands make handshakes difficult, in arctic conditions, the face is the only exposed body part.
fluffyness
My friends hannah has beautiful curly hair but she thinks it always goes frizzy. does anyone know what she should do with it? is there any products she could use. ps. my friend laura thinks she has boring straight hair but it is also very beautiful. however, she would also like to know what to do with it. any suggestions for a style of cut etc? To make a point to this and actually ask a question- what is better; curly hair or straight hair??? Skooky 10:22, 6 October 2005 (UTC)
- That is an awkward question. Hair types are not "better" in any sense besides the opinion of the person judging the hair in question. Some people might like pubic hair for their scalps; can you tell such people which is "better" based on your fashion sense? Perhaps you should ask yourself "What does she prefer?" or find a new shampoo that reduces frizzles in the hair if that bothers her. Remember, however, that curly hair is a genetic trait and although there are cosmetic "remedies", it is her body's follicles that will always generate new hair (made of protein) from cysteine's sulfide bonds. Be very cautious of what you put into your or anyone else's hair, however, because hair can be damaged (hair splitting) from the improper use of hair straighteners or any hair products for that matter. Of particular note is the statement you added, saying that she has "beautiful curly hair". Why change that? People have done this over and over again; the Japanese hair straightening procedure was all the rage a few years ago. Now, people are turning back to curly. Go figure.
Long story short: Don't place your hair type at the whim of some fads or a group of bemused internet wikipedians; be natural and be yourself.--Screwball23 00:32, 17 October 2005 (UTC)
For the curly hair a good thing is john frieda's Frizzease. Put a dollop about a quarter size on wet hair and put through and let dry natural. For the straight hair short cuts are great. Look at Keira Knightley in the movie Dominoe - thats a good cut.
- No, King Arthur! THAT's good hair!
- I believe the movie in question is spelled Domino. --Maxamegalon2000 21:24, 6 October 2005 (UTC)
- Forget the movies, just look at Keira... Nightly... She could be wearing a burlap sack and she would still look good. Dismas|(talk) 22:10, 6 October 2005 (UTC)
Have you considered consulting one of the teen magazines, or maybe Cleo, Cosmopolitan, Marie Claire, Vogueor Harper's Bazaar? They tend to be far better informed on this kind of thing than the regulars here. If you still need help, maybe your friend should consult a good hairdresser - it's their job to help people choose a hair style that suits their face, body, and personality. --Robert Merkel 08:04, 7 October 2005 (UTC)
How Many Submersible Water Pumps Are Sold In New York State Every Month?
I am looking for verifiable data on the sales of submersible water pumps sold in New York State every year
thank you
- Well, I doubt that there are any collated records of pump sales by state, since many private companies most likely sell these, and probably do not publish their records. You might get some indication by figuring out who the largest retailers of pumps are, and hoping that they are publicly traded, then figuring out their annual turnover in submersible pumps from published records. Frankly, it's going to be difficult. If you wanted to let us know why you want this information, there may be some easier way to get what you need.
Disaster prediction in the USA?
Some people predicted the New Orleans disaster - is there anyone who is doing systematic analysis of the likelihood of different disasters (natural, manmade etc) in the USA by ___location, probability, probable impact etc? Thanks!
- In theory that should probably be FEMA, shouldn't it? DJ Clayworth 15:47, 6 October 2005 (UTC)
- Yes, although God help us if it is, but I can't find anything on their site about it. I am sure there must be others, but cannot find them... Thanks.
- Insurance companies, surely? I bet there is a direct relation between the premiums they charge and their assessment of the likelihood of disaster.--Fangz 16:46, 6 October 2005 (UTC)
- Probably, but I bet they don't publish the info, also, there are a lot of other factors like cost of property, crime etc.
- There are many organizations, government, academic, research, profit, non-profits, that do this kind of analysis within the different areas of risk
- Weather prediction
- I think this is getting to be extremely accurate. They have a storm track, predicting where something will strike the coastline. They may be off by a few miles, and a few hours, but if you evacuate a few days before it hits, you will be Ok. The people in trouble are those who wait until a day or two before it hits, because all of them end up in a humongous traffic jam.
- Earthquake prediction
- I think the state of art here is that all they can do is show where there is some probability of an earthquake occurring, not really when the next one will strike.
- Low risk stuff where risk is not zero, such as Super volcano or giant rock from space hit Planet Earth
- Outside threats to National Security
- I think the government is slowly managing to do a better job in managing the information, as we can see from current news about the New York Subway system for example. It came out in the 9/11 investigations, that in the daily intellibence briefings to the President, there was a warning that a terrorist attack by bin Laden's organization was imminent in the USA, directed against the air transportation industry, but somehow no one got around to telling the FAA about this.
- New kinds of malware
- Weather prediction
- If you get to the references that talk about various disasters such as Hurricane Katrina there are links to some of these places, and they link to each other.
AlMac|(talk) 16:38, 8 October 2005 (UTC)
game of 11/25/34
Dear Sir or Madame; I have a picture with signatures from 11/25/34 game between the Americans and the Japanese. Its copyright date is 1976 by Flash Back Pictures, Inc. I am wondered how to find out its value, how many were produced, etc. Any information you can provide me would be greatly appreciated. Sincerely, Judy
- You probably need to see an appraiser. You didn't specify what kind of game, either, which isn't that helpful. If it is copyright 1976, you'd want to ask whether or not it is an original or not, which likely matters a lot in assessing the value of it. You'd have to give us more information if we were to get any information on this -- I have almost no idea what you are describing. --Fastfission 19:30, 7 October 2005 (UTC)
legal requierements
What are the legal requirements to start a business in jamaica.
- A good place to start might be the Jamaica Business Development Center [3]
Bank of England 10 Shillings
I have a Bank of England 10 Shillings note. I wanted to know if it can be dated by the serial number.
Thank you,Bobby.
- The quickest way to get a rough date is to look at the picture on the front - if it shows Britannia it's 1928-60, if the Queen 1960-70. You can also date to a few years by the signature of the Chief Cashier - Bank of England has a list of the cashiers with their dates - this should be good enough for most purposes. I assume they can be dated by serial number, but don't have any references to hand telling me what the number sequences are - perhaps try a good library for a banknotes-collector book? Shimgray | talk | 16:53, 6 October 2005 (UTC)
Good B*rger
What fictional Florida city is "Good B*rger" set in?
- This has been asked already in the last week. Please check previous elsewhere on this page or the other Reference desk pages linked at the top of this page. DJ Clayworth 15:32, 6 October 2005 (UTC)
It's not on this page, or any of the other subject pages - any idea where it is? Good B*rger does not say either, nor does the IMD.
It's basically astroturfing. Way too many questions about one movie. Lets do the google association thing and make sure that everywhere it says Good Burger, it also says astroturfing. :) - Taxman Talk 17:49, 6 October 2005 (UTC)
- OK, but what town is it?
- It may not be astroturfing, since like you said, it's 8 years old. Also, the original question was never answered. Perhaps the original asker wasn't quite entirely familiar with the question asking process. Of course, I'm just playing Devil's advocate, but I do think that we could give it the benefit of the doubt. Since google hasn't turned up anything, I would have to guess that perhaps it is not mentioned. I'm not planning to watch the movie to try to find out, but maybe if someone has access to the script they could read it... --WhiteDragon 20:33, 11 October 2005 (UTC)
- Good B*rger is eight years old? Why would anyone want to astroturf it? Unless a DVD is coming out. If we're going to do the google association, let's associate it to "crappiest movie of all time". Hey, there's a start. DJ Clayworth 17:50, 7 October 2005 (UTC)
I promised to delete this question if it came up again, but since others have responded, I have resorted to bowdlerizing the title. User:Zoe|(talk) 06:00, 9 October 2005 (UTC)
population census of Middletown, California
Hello:
I'm curious about the number of tourists Middletown, California sees as any given time during the year, particularly during the summer months. I'm also intersted (if you even have these statistics), the number of medical clinics in the Middletown area and the number of doctors that serve the Middletown area.
Would you happen to have this information?
Just in case you are able to answer the above questions, please send your reply to: <deleted>
Thank you,
Ulin Sargeant
- My suggestion would be to check with the Middletown town offices or chamber of commerce. They may have the information that you seek. Dismas|(talk) 20:35, 6 October 2005 (UTC)
Fictional Locations in Soap Operas
Can you give me a list of fictional Florida locations in soap operas?
- Probably not, I really doubt that anyone has indexed them in this way... List of fictional places and List of soap operas might be good places to start though.
- Most soap opera towns don't really belong to any particular state, though there has been a trend to do so lately. But the only place I can think of in Florida that was the setting of a soap opera is Flamingo Road. User:Zoe|(talk) 06:02, 9 October 2005 (UTC)
Two black mute insane sisters
I heard some kind of article on the net a couple of years ago which stuck with me. It was about two black sisters who did not speak to anyone but each other for all of their lives. eventually they went to live in a hospital until one sister died and the other finally started talking to people and wrote a book about her and her sisters experiences. This is not a movie but a real life thing. Do you know anything about it?
- The BBC made a docudrama about them, which is much as you describe - except I don't think they were actually insane (just a bit weird). I think the belief was they did talk all the time, but only to one another. I can't really remember their names either, but I can confirm you didn't imagine it. I'm almost certain the two were English. -- Finlay McWalter | Talk 18:07, 6 October 2005 (UTC)
- I think this is another instance (they're neither black nor british) but there was a film, Poto and Cabengo, made about twin sisters Ginny (Virginia) and Grace Kennedy, twin sisters who shared an invented language. Just in case it sparks a remembrance. (other terms to search "autonomous languages of twins" - This article claims that 40% of twins have them.) - Nunh-huh 22:55, 6 October 2005 (UTC)
- June and Jennifer Gibbons. It truely boggles my gourd but wikipedia does seem to have everything. MeltBanana 23:08, 7 October 2005 (UTC)
Name of spider
(no question)
- Which spider? - Mgm|(talk) 19:53, 6 October 2005 (UTC)
- One spider was named Charlotte. — File:Ontario trillium sig.pngmendel ☎ 16:26, 7 October 2005 (UTC)
- Incy-Wincy Spider? smurrayinchester(User), (Talk) 19:51, 7 October 2005 (UTC)
- Shelob. User:Zoe|(talk) 06:03, 9 October 2005 (UTC)
Please let me know the meaning of these words:
Hi, this is related to business issues but i did find out how i could ask questions there so i put here. maybe you could let know that too. anyway pls let me know the meaning of the following acronyms which are used in a business quotation:(these are related to bank and LC and shipping phrases. this is all the help that i can give)
rgds, eve
- Many acronyms have several meanings. You may find this link helpful. --hydnjo talk 20:31, 6 October 2005 (UTC)
Food in scotland
What do people in scotland have for breakfast lunch and dinner?
- Usually food. Other times, haggis. - Nunh-huh 22:17, 6 October 2005 (UTC)
- Today, for breakfast lunch and dinner I had a pizza. Admittedly, I only got up at two in the afternoon. Yesterday, I had some pasta and then fish and chips. I can't remember the last time I actually ate breakfast. Shimgray | talk | 22:23, 6 October 2005 (UTC)
- One would start the day with a deep-fried Mars bar, for lunch one would have an Arbroath Smokie washed down with Irn-Bru, and then one would try to catch sufficient haggis for tea. If a more varied diet is required, see Scottish cuisine. --Gareth Hughes 22:50, 6 October 2005 (UTC)
- Probably the same as most people in the UK or USA, with a few regional variations, we don't all eat haggis regularly, though I do have porridge for breakfast & drink Irn-Bru. AllanHainey 07:17, 7 October 2005 (UTC)
- But don't forget the deep frying! Shimgray | talk | 11:38, 7 October 2005 (UTC)
- Isn't Scotch whisky considered "food"? --hydnjo talk 16:32, 7 October 2005 (UTC)
- Of course not - water isn't food! (Beer, now, the beer is food...) Shimgray | talk | 17:03, 7 October 2005 (UTC)
- How does the haggis hunt work these days, now that hunting with hounds is banned? -- AJR | Talk 01:44, 9 October 2005 (UTC)
- Haggis hunting is now permitted only with specially approved haggis nets. As I'm sure you're already aware, however, they're easy enough to catch anyway oweing to the fact they have one leg much shorter than the others, and hence run in circles around the bases of mountains. All you need to do is wait for them to come back round and scoop 'em up. Noodhoog 15:15, 11 October 2005 (UTC)
please help me locate relevant law
Hello,
I have searched your online files and cannot seem to find the specific material I am seeking. I have combed the intellectual property sections and links to it that you have and still need some help. If you can tell me where to look this would be wonderfu.
I am trying to get at two things:
1) non-profit employees' rights to use their own work-products, specifically writing and research.
2) restrictions on directors of non-profits in using what employees write and putting their own names on it as the authors of it.
3) restrictions non-profits put on employees in the conflict of interest area, keeping those employees from speaking and publishing on material that they develop a) outside of that non-profit b) within that non-profit c) both outside and within that non-profit at the same time
In all cases mentioned above, the work of the non-profit is in the social issues area and is publically funded by the state of california.
Thanks, bbbb
- I think you're going to need to make a trip to your local law library. They are usually accessible to the public for short bits of research and the reference librarian can help direct you to relevant laws. You'll have to figure out if it is a state issue or a federal one. Other than that you would need to consult a qualified IP attorney. - Taxman Talk 13:32, 7 October 2005 (UTC)
- Everything depends on the exact law and where you are, and I am now a lawyer, but:
- I expect that non-profit companies function much the same as for-profit companies with regard to ownership. If you did some work, research or programming or writing, as part of your employment then the company owns the products. They can choose whether or not you can use it.
- Again because you did the work for the company, they can publish your work as their work and not name you as author. Naming a director as author might be more tricky; you'd need a lawyer for that.
- No opinion.
- Actually, #1 only applies if the work is actually work for hire. A basic rule might be: did you sign any official contract or agreement before you started working? If you did, look at that first and see what it says. If you didn't, the odds are you aren't legally bound to anything, though you might want to make sure there was no implicit understanding otherwise. More problematic than IP law in this case will be non-profit law -- I don't know if it risks putting the non-profit status of the organization in danger if you use your time on it to develop things that you later use in for-profit enterprise. But I have no idea on that for sure. You might try checking whatever federal or state law gives the particular organization its not-for-profit tax status. --Fastfission 19:15, 7 October 2005 (UTC)
- Another aspect of # 1 is if you were working and not being paid, like in some volunteer capacity, and you created something of value for that organization, can you then, legally use the same work effort product to help some other similar organization?
- Generally if you were paid to do some work, then the work belongs to the person who paid for the work to be done, not to the person who did the work. There may be some exceptions for some professions, but they better have some contract in writing specifically stating that they have ownership rights to their work product that is an exception to the general rule of it being owned by the organization that paid for the work to be done. AlMac|(talk) 04:35, 8 October 2005 (UTC)
- With respect to # 2, there are some professional standards, that may not be formal legislative rules, but rather controlled by the professional associations. Like in academia, if you are caught doing plagarism, you get an educational death sentence, you are now black listed from any further opportunities for more education or employment in higher education, because plagarism is the worst crime there, because it is about the only crime that higher education can punish people for doing.
- There are similar standards in the news business ... if a reporter or writer is found to have generated material that was not written by them, but swiped from someone else, or ghost written by someone else, then that person is black listed from that profession for all time.
- There have also been law suits alleging theft of intellectual property.
- So # 2 is really a civil matter not a criminal matter. The injured party needs to be able to prove that plagarism occurred.
- With respect to # 3 this varies greatly by profession, for example suppose you were an engineer, and you invented stuff on your own time outside the employer. The employer can legitimately argue that your work product, even produced using time and resources outside the work place, is the property of the employer, because they are paying you for your intellectual energy, and you are not allowed to have a second job, unless there is some contract with the primary employer to that effect.
AlMac|(talk) 04:41, 8 October 2005 (UTC)
Llamas
What is a pack of Llama called?
- I don't believe there's a special collective noun for llamas. Herd and flock are the usual terms for other groups of large domesticated herbivores, though. —Charles P. (Mirv) 01:29, 7 October 2005 (UTC)
- "Herd of" seems most popular on Google - 750ish hits verus 200 or so for "flock of" and "pack of". Shimgray | talk | 01:44, 7 October 2005 (UTC)
DVD Box set
Is there any news or information about "Joey" season 1 possibly coming out on DVD?
- This just in: Hell freezes over. - Nunh-huh 01:40, 7 October 2005 (UTC)
- It apparently already is on sale in the UK see [4]. According to this article in the DVD Times, it went on sale in the UK in July [5]. Whether hell froze over is unknown at the time of writing. :>). Capitalistroadster 07:21, 7 October 2005 (UTC)
- It is most assuredly a frigid day in hell. Next: Joey: The Musical - Nunh-huh 23:27, 7 October 2005 (UTC)
What do cows eat?
Do cows eat only grass? Feel free to answer.... Tanx....♥'Hot Flip'
- No. Cows eat grass but also are fed grain and silage. Dismas|(talk) 03:19, 7 October 2005 (UTC)
- Mad cow disease is spread when cows eat bits of other cows.
- Oh, come on. Mad Cow Disease is the most overrated disease ever. Our article states 158 people in the world have contracted the disease. The world population is about six and a half billion people. It's not even worth mentioning. Garrett Albright 16:44, 7 October 2005 (UTC)
- In Australia cows used to eat Meat and bone meal, but that is now illegal due to the risk of Mad cow disease, so maybe it is worth mentioning. While I'm here, is it true that in Japan you can scan in the barcode from a peice of beef in the supermarket with a mobile phone and recieve the animal's picture/name? --Commander Keane 17:09, 7 October 2005 (UTC)
- What the hell? No… Garrett Albright 01:28, 8 October 2005 (UTC)
- In Australia cows used to eat Meat and bone meal, but that is now illegal due to the risk of Mad cow disease, so maybe it is worth mentioning. While I'm here, is it true that in Japan you can scan in the barcode from a peice of beef in the supermarket with a mobile phone and recieve the animal's picture/name? --Commander Keane 17:09, 7 October 2005 (UTC)
- Oh, come on. Mad Cow Disease is the most overrated disease ever. Our article states 158 people in the world have contracted the disease. The world population is about six and a half billion people. It's not even worth mentioning. Garrett Albright 16:44, 7 October 2005 (UTC)
- Mad cow disease is spread when cows eat bits of other cows.
wel...♥Hot F.L.I.P. egen....tanx fo ol d anzers....i totally looked it up...n like most of ya'lls anzers wer d same....n for wutever that dude that just sed bout scanning barcodes from a piece of meat n wutever da hell uder stupid tings came after dat.....wut da hell were u tinking riting that stupid S**T down?! u aktually blieve dat iz tru?!!!.....anywayz, if u/sum1 got more interestin info. bout wut cows eat......type away.....
- Oh, God. Please write in English. That was horrible. Garrett Albright 15:51, 9 October 2005 (UTC)
Like i wanted YOUR opinion about my writing?! but whatever..........."Dad!" Hot F.L.I.P.
- Back to the question, cows will also eat some types of leaves and most fruit. In New Zealand (and no doubt other places) some farmers plant brassica, swedes and turnips for winter feed.Lisiate 02:24, 10 October 2005 (UTC)
- That reminds me that cattle can eat saltbush. Also, I'm not convinced that my comment on mobile phones getting the picture of a cow in the supermarket was incorrect, the Japanese mobile phone culture article says that some Japanese phones can read barcodes, and Australian cows are electronically tagged with the unique info of the cow, so look out for it Garrett. --Commander Keane 09:18, 10 October 2005 (UTC)
- It's certainly true that they can read barcodes (or, more specifically, so-called 2D barcodes) and access web sites from addresses stored in those codes, but I've yet to see such a code on meat. And if you think about it, it's not practical in the sense that the meat might come from more than one animal, especially if it's ground beef. I'll keep an eye out, but after six months of going to grocery stores in Japan I've yet to see something like that. Garrett Albright 17:27, 10 October 2005 (UTC)
Wow!....You know Commandar Keane?.... I guess "mobile phones getting the picture of a certain cow using barcodes" is really not that impossible. I mean, with all the futuristic technologies that people have created and set forth...who knows?...I might get to buy one of these things at Best Buy in 2010.....♥F.L.I.P...
- I agree you couldn't get a photo for ground beef, but I would imagine the supermarket would only fork out for the photo system for high priced cuts of meat, which come from a single animal.--Commander Keane 10:44, 11 October 2005 (UTC)
hmmm... ♥hot f.l.i.p.
Franklin D. Roosevelt and African Americans
- See Franklin D. Roosevelt and African American. Specifically, our article on Roosevelt has an article on Civil Rights which discusses the topic in some depth. Capitalistroadster 07:26, 7 October 2005 (UTC)
Brooklyn woman hospital
i need the entire address
- I tried a google search but can't find a hospital called "Brooklyn Women's Hospital". Well, I did find a few results for a hospital that was called that back in the 50's and 60's but nothing current. Is that the name? If you have the exact name, a google search would find it for you quicker than coming here and waiting for one of us to tell you. Dismas|(talk) 13:29, 7 October 2005 (UTC)
Guavas
Hello! I wonder if someone can advise me about how to look after about 150 guava seedlings, from 6"-12" tall, and any ideas about what to do with the surplus, there is obviously a slight problem with space for the developing orchard! If I keep potting them on until they are a manageable height, then pinch out the growing tips would that limit their growth? The books say they will fruit within 2-4 years, given that I provide the right temperatures can I hope for fruit? Then, there is the slightly smaller problem, (in that there are only 100 of them)of mystery plants from Cyprus, evergreen leaves, reminiscent of carob trees but the germination rate was too high. My mumblings about a tropical area in the garden with undersoil heating and winter protection fall on deaf ears!! Then there's the morning glory which escaped through the conservatory roof and was last seen heading for the sky at a rate of knots, am I really going to have to wrap the whole of the back of the house in bubble wrap? You probably realise that I'm squeamish about killing things, epecially since I grew and raised them, so the obvious answers such as "Pull them up!" don't apply. Trivial, in the light of the world situation, I know, but it's my little bit of it. Thank you195.93.21.36 11:22, 7 October 2005 (UTC)
wormen's issues in 1955
What were the women's issues in 1955. I would have been six then and need to know for my granddaughters Girl Scout project. Thank you for your time and effort. <e-mail address removed>
- Considering I hadn't been born yet I don't know but as a suggestion you can try starting your research at feminism and go from there. Dismas|(talk) 13:19, 7 October 2005 (UTC)
- Also, history of feminism might be helpful. However, there are some differences in the issues depending on where you were living in 1955. --Gareth Hughes 16:10, 7 October 2005 (UTC)
- It was also depend on what your economic and racial status was. The issues of a poor African American woman would likely be very different from those of an upper class white woman (as is the case now). --Fastfission 19:10, 7 October 2005 (UTC)
WHY?????
Why do grown up men rape and murder innocent children?
- Why does anyone rape and murder anyone? There are no easy answers. But generally someone who commits a crime this heinous (that is, to innocent children) has a form of mental illness, or is somehow otherwise able to justify their actions. Garrett Albright 16:39, 7 October 2005 (UTC)
Unfortunately the mental illness explanation is simply a tautology, as is evident when stripped to its essentials: "only a mentally ill person would do that, therefore anyone who does that is mentally ill." If you look for other evidence of mental illness besides raping other people (of any sex or age), the majority have none. It is sadly within the repertoire of "normal" human behaviors and is better understood as evil than ill. alteripse 19:58, 7 October 2005 (UTC)
- Just as some people don't like blaming mental illness on every bad thing as it is often empty of meaning and inaccurate I dislike applying evil to all that is bad. There are frequently understandable reasons for seemingly evil actions although it does not make them less unpleasant. Child sexual abuse is often a continuing problem; if you are abused as a child you may go on to abuse or it is a misguided attempt to recapture a person's own lost youth. The murder is probably an ill-concieved attempt to hide evidence. MeltBanana 23:22, 7 October 2005 (UTC)
Following is respectful disagreement. You are free to use another word than evil, though it is the traditional one applied when a human being deliberately chooses to cause this type of harm to another, especially as a direct and personal interaction. I would offer two perspectives that do not support your view. First, around the world today and for most of recorded history, rape and killing of women and children occurs frequently in a setting of ethnic conflict or social enforcement, not as an aberrant and solitary behavior. Obviously in such cases, it is not accurate to say that raping and killing women and children is universally condemned, because groups of people do it and justify it. I contend that such group behavior even more deserves the label of evil than of illness. My second objection to your argument is that it deprives the perpetrator of the assumption of moral agency and responsibility. No matter what word you prefer over evil, one of the principal differences between calling these acts evil and calling them sick is whether you think the perpetrator can be held morally and criminally responsible. How can you possibly advocate simple vengeful punishment for someone who did this from an illness? How many hospitals, physicians, or therapists are claiming to be able to cure this behavior? Do you believe them? Finally, what are the implications of your absolution for our treatment of children who have been sexually abused? Do we then hang a "watch him" sign around his neck? Should we forbid him contact with children when he gets older, or is he, like a dog, allowed one bite? Because if a high proportion of sexually abused children grow up to be abusers, your argument is strong, but it also justifies pre-emptive measures. On the other hand, if only a small proportion of abused children grow up to be abusers and vast majority do not, your argument has poor explanatory power and does not counter the moral agency assumption. Which way do you want it? alteripse 00:01, 8 October 2005 (UTC)
- Well I was not actually denying the presence of evil; although many people do. I was simply trying to offer reasons as the initial question asks. As there is no evil gene, evil flu or and the devil is not usually available for comment the answer pople do bad things because they are evil is as unhelpfull as they are ill. Athough is does not have the added problem of insulting the mentally ill. MeltBanana 00:14, 8 October 2005 (UTC)
Although we may not have hugely different opinions, I think there are at least three advantages to retaining the term and concept of evil in this context. First, as you mention, it reduces the temptation to frame such behavior in illness terms or other justifications. Second, it connects the person contemplating it to the millennia of previous human attempts to understand and deal with this type of behavior. Third, it unequivocally affirms condemnation. Also (I just caught this)-- I did not explain that such acts were done because of evil, which of course is no explanation. Rather, that attempts to explain this behavior were in my opinion the same as attempts to understand evil behavior, not sick behavior. alteripse 00:43, 8 October 2005 (UTC)
- OK I will not attribute your long and unfocused answer to evil, just to being involved in a edit war somewhere and being unable to calm down. Why would you ask and how would I answer "How can you possibly advocate simple vengeful punishment for someone who did this from an illness?" you must be evil. I'm not trying to chuck out the term and concept of evil—I don't believe I have the power—I am just trying to suggest that it is often used simply as a four letter word and does not answer anything. Comparing one event to another in the past is instructive but to put it in a category with every bad deed for millenia is far from informative. BTW I hate a lot of Wiki categories as well. MeltBanana 01:13, 8 October 2005 (UTC)
This is an ill-tempered response to a polite, patient, and logically argued disagreement, which was focused precisely on what you said. I was paying you the respect of assuming you could debate an assertion logically and recognize a rhetorical question. My assumption was apparently incorrect and I offended you. Sorry. alteripse 12:22, 8 October 2005 (UTC)
"Why do grown up men rape and murder innocent children?" Answer: See Aggression. WAS 4.250 08:40, 10 October 2005 (UTC)
- criminial psychology might help, if we had an article on it.... Trollderella 18:18, 11 October 2005 (UTC)
- There's a little bit at Criminal psychology. --Sum0 21:54, 15 October 2005 (UTC)
Hartsfield Jackson Atlanta International
does the airport "hartsfield jackson atlanta international"own any other companys
The airport is owned by the City of Atlanta and I believe that is the only airport they own. -Drdisque 17:05, 7 October 2005 (UTC)
Non-Ministerial Departments in the UK
Is the list at Departments of the United Kingdom Government complete?--213.18.248.23 12:46, 7 October 2005 (UTC)
- No, I should look at the rather longer list at Public bodies and task forces of the UK government... Physchim62 01:20, 9 October 2005 (UTC)
- The Public bodies and task forces of the UK government list contains a lot of quangos which aren't really departments. AllanHainey 11:35, 10 October 2005 (UTC)
University Fencing Club Uniforms
I have a photo of three men taken in Bresslau circa 1939. The men are in Fencing Uniforms and I would like to establish where these uniforms were used (also who the men are)
Peter
- Your best bet may be to contact the historical society in Breslau, if they have one-- I believe the city has been renamed Wroclaw. According to the Wroclaw article, there was a "All-German Festival of Sports & Gymnastics" there in 1938, with a link to a website about it. That website or the folks who created it might also be of help. Crypticfirefly 04:02, 10 October 2005 (UTC)
Website Templates
I need some templates for my website (i am designing in dreamweaver) I need some that are blogesce but still give you almost complete control over the site Thanks in advance. _Mythicallava_
- You are not going to be able to set up a blog with merely a Dreamweaver template. You'll need some sort of weblog software running on the server that you want to host your blog. If you are unfamiliar with this, your best bet might be to go with a service like LiveJournal or Xanga, which will host the blog and do all the technical stuff for you, while also giving you a good deal of options as to the design of your blog. Garrett Albright 16:36, 7 October 2005 (UTC)
sandove? and other things
What is sandove? What animal is the fastest under water? --Sandove89 17:34, 7 October 2005 (UTC)
The otter? --Sandove89 19:19, 7 October 2005 (UTC)
- Sailfish is possibly the fastest fish at about 93Km/h. Although probably somekind of diving sea-birds maybe quicker at initial contact with water. Gannets apparantly hit the water at 100Km/h although they will obviously slow down very quickly while diving.Majts 02:16, 8 October 2005 (UTC)
OTAK
what is it? --Sandove89 19:32, 7 October 2005 (UTC)
- An Architecture firm specializing in transportation, growth management, and urban design? [6] Majts 02:30, 8 October 2005 (UTC)
"otak" is an indonesian word for "brain"
- Otaks are little furry creatures in Ursula Le Guin's Earthsea book series. — JIP | Talk 11:53, 16 October 2005 (UTC)
- OTAR could conceivably be abbreviated to OTAK... Ojw 13:30, 16 October 2005 (UTC)
Wars
Can a country Bomb both sides if it doesn't agree with either side of a war?
- Who said there are any rules when it comes to war? Dismas|(talk) 18:46, 7 October 2005 (UTC)
- No doubt a country could do this, but it doesn't make much sense to do so. Usually it would make sense to fight only one at a time, even if it mean temporarily co-operating with an enemy. The War of the Triple Alliance is the closest I can think of this actually happening, though that was rather different. -- Bob Mellish 18:52, 7 October 2005 (UTC)
- Only if they really wanted to personally have war declared against them as well. There have been times though when "peacekeeping" efforts have been used, of course, by, say, the UN, whereby they occupy a ___location to keep sides from fighting with one another. --Fastfission 19:07, 7 October 2005 (UTC)
- Very often, war involves a lot of emotions on all involved parties. Thus it is often not easily possible to generally agree or disagree with one or another side of a war. From a standpoint of International law, I would see the situation you are describing as a war of country 3 on both countries 1 and 2, individually. That is, country 3 leads two wars simultaniusly, and those two wars have nothing in common (from the viewpoint of country 3).
- The question of "can" is hard - I believe most modern Jurists would say that wars cannot be startet arbitrarily; rather, they should be legitimized by the United Nations. However, a small minority of the world disagrees and holds the believe (as was common until the 20th century), that a sovereign and independet nations has a right to start wars for whatever reason it may deem legitimate.
- Greetings,
- --Florian Prischl 19:15, 7 October 2005 (UTC)
Three-sided wars are rather rare. In the later stages of World War II in Eastern Europe there were several three-sided struggles between Nazi Germany, the Soviet Union, and some third parties caught in the middle, for example the Polish Armia Krajowa and the anti-communist Russian Liberation Army. In Yugoslavia there was fighting between the Chetniks, Partisans and Nazi Germany (though maybe not at the same time?). In China there was a 3-sided war in the 1940s between the Kuomingtang, the Communist Party of China and the Empire of Japan. Gdr 20:29, 7 October 2005 (UTC)
- I recognize that the word terrorist is politically incorrect on Wikipedia, but I not know what other word to use instead. It would appear to me that they are attacking EVERY NATION ON THE PLANET that they can get to.
- For example the recent attacks in Bali, which is part of Indonesia which is the largest Muslim nation in the world. AlMac|(talk) 16:54, 8 October 2005 (UTC)
- But the inhabitants of Bali itself are mostly (90%) Hindu and the main target of the bombings is the tourist trade so you can't really characterise it as an attack on an Islamic population.Lisiate 23:19, 10 October 2005 (UTC)
- I recognize that the word terrorist is politically incorrect on Wikipedia, but I not know what other word to use instead. It would appear to me that they are attacking EVERY NATION ON THE PLANET that they can get to.
- As a side point, inaccuracies in night bombing during WWII ocassionally led to aircraft accidently attacking cities in the wrong country. The most famous 3 sided battle would probably be the battles of the Three Kingdoms--Fangz 18:59, 8 October 2005 (UTC)
Tariff codes
Hi,
i am looking for a link for Harmonized System Tariff codes to find out what are the different codes for different prodcuts. Any idea?
eqbal
- Our article on the Harmonized System, which will take you to a listing here. –Hajor 20:04, 7 October 2005 (UTC)
Locating patents
I have a U.S. patent application number from the 1940s -- "533,378" (applied for on 4/29/1944). How can I tell if it was actually granted and what number it was assigned? The US patent website doesn't seem to go back that far, so I assume there is some other standard reference for this sort of thing. --Fastfission 19:08, 7 October 2005 (UTC)
- You are correct that there is such a reference, it is called the "Official gazette of the United States Patent Office." It is published every Tuesday and lists the patents issued that week with an example claim. You should be able to find the back issue you need at a Federal depository library. Crypticfirefly 05:45, 9 October 2005 (UTC)
corniela guest
There's a stub article about her at Cornelia Guest. --Metropolitan90 02:19, 8 October 2005 (UTC)
black people
why get mean
- Do you mean, "Why do black people get mean?" If so, then please continue reading. The reason a person of African heritage would get enraged is the same reason why anyone of any other culture gets angry. The black people you have probably encountered were very defensive, and that's okay. Chances are, they are defensive due to poverty, or previous experience. Don't let that one person give you a view of how an entire race is: race is not a factor in one's behavior. People act differently, and their race has nothing to do with it. See stereotype. —MESSEDROCKER (talk) 04:18, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
this is NOT complaint, but rather, a complement...i would just like to give a big shout out to the author of this article for using, as his example, the heinous criminal ' Nelson Muntz'...very funny stuff! S, Edina, MN.
- The person in question who added this content is Scott Sanchez. Perhaps you would like to leave a note on his talk page? ♥purplefeltangel (talk) ♥ (contribs) 23:01, 7 October 2005 (UTC)
Common Pheasant
What is the life span of the common pheasant?
- Google seems to think about 18 years, although that sounds like quite a long time to me. Bear in mind that animals live far longer in captivity than they do in the wild.--inksT 01:34, 8 October 2005 (UTC)
Advertising campaigns
Wikipedia has a list of commercial failures, but is there a similar list or article about huge commercial successes, and if not, does anyone know where I can find a similar list online? This is purely out of interest/ curiosity. ♥purplefeltangel (talk) ♥ (contribs) 21:45, 7 October 2005 (UTC)
- FTSE 100 Index? Ojw 11:39, 8 October 2005 (UTC)
- Hum, no. I'm talking about specific products. ♥purplefeltangel (talk) ♥ (contribs) 20:16, 8 October 2005 (UTC)
I don't understand
why did you block me? what does this mean? caught doing what?--Archive13 23:24, 7 October 2005 (UTC)
- The above message relates to a misunderstanding caused by a vandal. See here for more information. Thanks. --Canderson7 00:08, 8 October 2005 (UTC)
birds
what is the most common bird in england?--84.68.202.84 23:44, 7 October 2005 (UTC)
- The number one result from a Google search [7] gives a BBC report compiling the top 20 most commonly sited birds in the UK in 2005 [8] No 1 is Wood Pigeon. Although this is a UK survey I would bet that this result would apply to England as well as it would most likely provide the great majority of the sample. Majts 01:18, 8 October 2005 (UTC)
- Yes, the wood pigeon recently overtook the chaffinch. Incidentally, the commonest bird in the world is the chicken. Shantavira 11:19, 14 October 2005 (UTC)
e-commerce
Yes, I agree. E-commerce indeed. ♥purplefeltangel (talk) ♥ (contribs) 01:29, 8 October 2005 (UTC)
Roman Empire
What were the classes of Roman society?
See the article Ancient Rome. —Wayward 05:02, 8 October 2005 (UTC)
Green Llama
I was wondering who created the green llama, I remember seeing him on albinoblacksheep like a year ago and until recently it seems he is everywhere. Who created it? --Ice Jedi5
Hmm...
What happends if a unstoppable force, say... Juggernaut, the Marvel Comics one ran in to a unmoveable force, like Blob, from Marvel Comics? >_>
- Since Juggernaut is unstoppable, he presumably has infinite momentum, which means either mass or velocity must be infinite. Since velocity can never be greater than the speed of light, he must have infinite mass, which would require infinite energy to move (there is not this much energy in the universe!). Since Blob is unmoveable, he must have infinite inertia, and therefore also infinite mass, and thus infinite density. Since neither of these are possible, unfortunately it must remain comic book physics. (Incidently, the article Blob (comics) states that Juggernaut can move Blob even when he increases his weight!) smurrayinchester(User), (Talk) 09:34, 8 October 2005 (UTC)
See our article on the irresistible force paradox. Gdr 11:30, 8 October 2005 (UTC)
Do trees have souls?
After all, they do contain living cells.-
- Depends what you define a soul as it seems very much open to interpretation depending on your belief system. If you believe a soul is a spirit that emerges from organisms that contain living cells then yes. Being a pastafarian I personally believe that there is no such thing as a soul but many will disagree. Majts 07:33, 8 October 2005 (UTC)
- Many religions associate souls with consciousness or free will. Most people believe non-animals - or even non-humans, to have neither, they do not believe trees to have souls. A large variety of ancient faiths would beg to differ, of course.--Fangz 18:54, 8 October 2005 (UTC)
- And do rubber trees have rubber souls ? LOL StuRat 11:31, 10 October 2005 (UTC)
- As there is no empirical evidence for the existence of souls in anything, then the answer would have to be that all signs point to no. Despite this, however, many people, cultures, and religious believe in the existence of souls, so I guess it would really come down to individual views. Some think that only humans have souls, as they are somehow special or chosen. Some think that only animas, but not plants, have souls.. and some think that absolutely everything - animals, plants, rocks, the lot - have souls.
- Finally, I would have to question Majts above - as a pastafarian if you don't have a soul, how do you get to the beer volcano and stripper factor? ;) Noodhoog 15:27, 11 October 2005 (UTC)
WBC Booster
I know there are drugs that some athletes take to increase their red blood cell count, but are there any drugs that increase your white blood cells to help your body fight a sickness?
Yes. G-CSF and GM-CSF are sometimes used in treatment of immunosuppressed people - such as people who don't have enough white blood cells - for example, when chemotherapy for cancer has reduced their white blood cell count. They are generally not used in infections in people with normal immune function. - Nunh-huh 07:36, 8 October 2005 (UTC)
Stock Quote
Does anyone know the stock quote for Roche Pharmaceuticals? (www.rocheusa.com) I cant find it anywhere, I looked on the web site and I even did a search for it by name with yahoo stocks. Thanks
- From the Wikipedia article Hoffmann-La Roche it appears that Roche Pharmaceuticals could belong to Roche Holding AG, which is listed in on the SWX Swiss Exchange, ticker ROC.S. --Commander Keane 09:00, 8 October 2005 (UTC)
- There are three listings on NASDAQ: ROCHE HLDG AG DIV RT, RHHVF; ROCHE HLDG LTD, RHHBY; ROCHE HLDGS AG BEARE, RHHBF. —Wayward 09:22, 8 October 2005 (UTC)
Boosting HP without a turbo/super charger
I was watching this show and they had a 1.8L Acura Integra that had 240HP. They said it didnt have a supercharger or a turbo and without NOS. How did they get so much power out of the engine when the stock HP rating is so much less?
There are many specific ways, but most include raising the Compression ratio along with a larger Intake manifold and Throttle body and more agressive Camshafts. -Drdisque 03:43, 9 October 2005 (UTC)
- This kind of modifications push the point at which maximum torque is achieved higher up the rev range, thus increasing maximum power (power is torque times revs). Obviously, increasing the maximum RPM an engine does puts additional strain on the components. So, for such a high-powered small motor, it's quite likely that it's been fitted with moving bits (pistons, camshafts, valves, valve springs, and so on) made out of higher-quality alloys so that the damn thing doesn't fly apart. Engine life is also probably somewhat shorter than a stock one, too.
- Honda is, however, noted for getting lots of power out of their motors, even stock. The Honda S2000 gets 240 HP out of a stock 2.0 litre naturally aspirated motor, using variable valve timing to ensure the thing is reasonably tractable at slower engine speeds. --Robert Merkel 03:06, 10 October 2005 (UTC)
CAN COCKROACH USE AS SOURCE OF ENERGY FOR FLASHLIGHT
No. David Sneek 09:20, 8 October 2005 (UTC)
Why do men sexually abused as children sexually abuse theirs?
--anon
- It's complicated -- typically, victims of abuse follow one of two tracks - the become crusaders against abuse, or they become abusers themselves. See cycle of abuse →Raul654 11:53, 8 October 2005 (UTC)
- As noted in the earlier debate on this page; it is far from inevitable that an abused person will become an abuser. Reasons for it could be: belief that it is normal behaviour, attempts to exact revenge or trying to re-live traumatic event. MeltBanana 12:56, 8 October 2005 (UTC)
Madness (UK Band)
I would like to know if the band had any success in Australia. Did any singles or Albums chart here as I cannot discover the answer to those questions anywhere.
- Yes, they did. My recollection is that "It Must Be Love", "House of Fun" and "Driving in my Car" all went top 10 in Australia in 1982. Capitalistroadster 04:48, 10 October 2005 (UTC)
THE AMERICAN CIVIL WAR
HOW LONG DID THE Battle of Fredericksburg LAST ON THE LAST DAY.
They were still fighting at sunset of the 13th, apparently, so "all day"? They stayed around on the 14th, then left on 15th-16th [9] First shots would have been 11 December 1862. [10] Ojw 14:48, 8 October 2005 (UTC)
rooster/chickens
this may sound dumb,but a co-worker said that a rooster`s testis are located under their wing while I disagree.....can you help ? thanks
Everyone knows a rooster's "testis" are located under their chin, duh.
- They are inside the body near the spine. As to whether or not you consider this "under their wings" is up to your own interpretation. Considering a chicken's wings (when drawn in to their body) cover most of their body, it's really a matter of semantics. Dismas|(talk) 21:51, 8 October 2005 (UTC)
LIFE
ARE THERE ANY CITIES THAT HAVE EXISTED SINCE PRE-HISTORIC TIMES
- According to Plato the city of Atlantis was lost 11,000 years ago which certainly qualifies as pre-history. Ignoring myths though, the serious answer is that what we define "pre-history" is the age before writing was recorded. As the very first written records also tend to date at about the same time as the very first cities about 6000 years ago. Many believe that mankind's ability to record written records was the main factor in forming civilisation and cities. Therefore the first cities coincide with the ending of the period that we call pre-history. So the short answer is no. Majts 16:30, 8 October 2005 (UTC)
- Several cities in the Middle East, e.g. Damascus and Jericho, have been settled since, approximately, the invention of agriculture. I don't think the Neolithic settlements can be counted as cities, but they were there. —Charles P. (Mirv) 16:43, 8 October 2005 (UTC)
- Damascus is, I believe, thought to be the oldest continually settled ___location in the world, though much of this is conjecture - historical records only really begin for the site maybe three thousand years back, but it could well have been continually inhabited for about ten to twelve thousand. A lot of cities you'd expect to be remarkably ancient are surprisingly modern - Cairo is younger than London! Shimgray | talk | 00:02, 9 October 2005 (UTC)
Existed as a city, as a town, or simply as an inhabited place? Jericho is probably a contender for longest town at the same site, and dates back before historical records. For several large cities, it is likely that the area was inhabited before historical records: this is likely true of Athens, Rome, Paris, London, and many others. In fact any old city without a historical record of its founding meets the definition of being a "pre-historic" settlement before it was a "historic" town. So the short answer, is many. alteripse 17:19, 9 October 2005 (UTC)
what is the name for a code of beliefs or doctrine?
(no question other than the title)
- Depends on context but dogma , religion and philosophy could all be perfectly reasonable answers to this question Majts 16:45, 8 October 2005 (UTC)
- or creed or credo. - Nunh-huh 17:37, 8 October 2005 (UTC)
BOOKS BOOKS BOOKS
WHAT ARE THE TEN GREATEST BOOKS EVER WRITTEN.
You might get better satisfaction visting a public library. Because then you not have to deal with the computer interface challenges that lead you to be repeating the same question over and over and over again. AlMac|(talk) 17:01, 8 October 2005 (UTC)
- "Great" is in eyes of beholder. I personally believe one of the greatest is the invention of the encyclopaedia. AlMac|(talk) 17:03, 8 October 2005 (UTC)
- Some documents, strictly speaking, are not books, but I think so great as to be worth mentioning, like a nation's constitution. AlMac|(talk) 17:04, 8 October 2005 (UTC)
We do have an article called Big Read with details of some national polls for the ten "best loved" books as opposed to great ones. Majts 18:30, 8 October 2005 (UTC)
- In case you didn't know those national polls where done in the United Kingdom. Please remember this is an international project, Majts. When you talk about national things please specify which country you're talking about. Still, it's a good suggestion. - Mgm|(talk) 20:02, 8 October 2005 (UTC)
- If you actually read the article those national polls were in the UK, Germany and Hungary which define international in my book Majts 20:15, 8 October 2005 (UTC)
- I think on the "Humanities" question page (or maybe it's this one?) there's a list of the top bestselling books of all time. ♥purplefeltangel (talk) ♥ (contribs) 20:38, 8 October 2005 (UTC)
The important question here is probably: "According to whom?". However, you might be interested in taking a look at the article Western canon, for a discussion of some influential opinions on the subject. Oh, and turn off your capslock, please. / Alarm 20:54, 8 October 2005 (UTC)
BMW owners
How many people in south Africa own the new 760li BMW. AKA .V12
2364
NOT DRACULA
BESIDES DRACULA WHAT ARE THE NAMES OF THE BOOKS WRITTEN BY BRAM STOKER.
See Bram Stoker for a list of his works, and turn off your capslock please. —Charles P. (Mirv) 18:35, 8 October 2005 (UTC)
food in atlanta, ga
Anyone know some good food in midtown, Atlanta? $20 or less would be nice.
for visitors, I frequently recommend the Park Tavern (500 10th St NE, Atlanta, 30309). If you like sushi, Ru San (1529 Piedmont Ave NE, Atlanta, 30324) is very good and has great prices, If you require a place in the hart of midtown, I'd suggest The Vortex (fancy burgers) (878 Peachtree St NE # 4, Atlanta, 30309) or Joe's On Juniper (1049 Juniper St NE, Atlanta, 30309) (most of the waitstaff is pretty gay there if you don't like that sort of thing, but midtown as a whole is rather gay). -Drdisque 03:33, 9 October 2005 (UTC)
REMEMBER THE ALAMO
DID THE UNITED STATES OR ANY OTHER EUROPEAN NATIONS BANKROLL THE Texas Revolution.
It was such a low budget operation that it bankrolled itself in the early stages. The US army completed the final stages of separation. The Europeans didn't have much role in this one. alteripse 05:55, 9 October 2005 (UTC)
- The United States is not a European nation. We're on a seperate continent. (Yes, I'm picking nits). Dismas|(talk) 14:56, 9 October 2005 (UTC)
- If Texas had remained independent, would they be the only ones stuck with our incumbent shrub? alteripse 17:05, 9 October 2005 (UTC)
- No, since the family is from Connecticut. User:Zoe|(talk) 20:03, 9 October 2005 (UTC)
KILLER
WHAT WAS THE FIRST Sniper rifle
- The first modern firearm snipers may have been trained in 16th century Japan as a type of ninja or shinobi. They were supposedly trained to cover retreating armies. The sniper would lay in concealed ambush until an officer of the advancing army came into his firing range. There are several confirmed records of such attempts. Most were unsuccessful; the rifles used were of large caliber, but also of poor accuracy. Despite this, one of Japan's most famous warlords, Takeda Shingen, is reported to have been fatally wounded by a sniper's bullet. Sniper
Miami, Florida
Do you know any fictional Miami, Florida neighborhoods?
- You could make one up yourself, see our article on fiction Majts 19:39, 8 October 2005 (UTC)
- See Wikipedia's article about Vice City, " a fictional city in the Grand Theft Auto series that is loosely based on Miami, Florida." They have a listing of fictional Miami neighborhoods there. --Kewp (t) 10:06, 9 October 2005 (UTC)
higgins
are the higgins boats from worldwar 2 still in use by the army.
Mountains
What countries inthe caribbean have:-a)Fold mountains b)Volcanic mountains?--72.27.28.49 21:48, 8 October 2005 (UTC)
- Do your own homework, please. ♥purplefeltangel (talk) ♥ (contribs) 00:57, 9 October 2005 (UTC)
- Wikipedia has quite a nice coverage on mountains. Just drop by articles on different Caribbean countries and see if you can track down the mountains in the area to determine what kind they are. - Mgm|(talk) 11:11, 9 October 2005 (UTC)
12 O' Clock High staring Robert Lancing - the series
Good Evening:
I am having difficulty locating information, regarding the availability of T.V. series reproductions for purchase, from the 60's T.V. series 12 O' Clock High starring Robert Lansing.I believe there were 78 episodes.
I have contacted TCM Broadcasting and the History Channel, with no results. Some of the segments are still being aired, but mostly in Canada.
Would sincerely appreciate any information that you would be able to provide. I am deeply interested in the historic aspect of the Mighty Eight Air Force, and have been spending much time in researching this topic.
Regards, Paul M. Anderson Ed.D, Ph.D. ( Retired ) Rockledge, Florida
- E-bay may be your friend here, there seems to be alot of (unofficial) 12' Clock High tapes & DVDs available for sale there. Link [11]Alternatively post at imdb.com on the 12 O'clock High message boards Link [12] Majts 01:35, 9 October 2005 (UTC)
A bet about storms
I want to bet US$100 that they will run out of names for storms this year and will have to use Greek letters. Where do I go to place this bet?
- A strange question - I'd say "find your friendly local bookie and ask them if they'll offer odds", but in the US I don't believe they have such things. Have a look around some of the online betting sites? I vaguely recall there being some that let you post original bets... Shimgray | talk | 23:47, 8 October 2005 (UTC)
- Bet against one of your nerd friends. ♥purplefeltangel (talk) ♥ (contribs) 01:09, 9 October 2005 (UTC)
- Since only storms with severe effects like Hurricane Katrina ahve their name retired, there's enough names that can be reused. I don't think making such a bet is a smart idea. Try reading our article on hurricanes and their naming conventions. - Mgm|(talk) 11:13, 9 October 2005 (UTC)
- I don't think they meant "have the name retired" - rather, there's an alphabetical list of names every year, one starting with A, the next with B, and so on. (Some letters are skipped, so there's only about 20). If they go through all of these in one year - ie, more than twenty storms - they don't start again at A but rather go on to Tropical Storm Alpha, Hurricane Beta, and so on. Shimgray | talk | 17:13, 9 October 2005 (UTC)
what was the time of sunset in Raymond, Hampshire, on october 17, 2000?
(no further question)
- You can get this info from this link [13] if you put the right numbers in. Raymond, NH seems to be roughly longitude E71.2, latitude N43.0, which gives the answer for Tuesday 17 October 2000 as 17:30 Majts 01:22, 9 October 2005 (UTC)
what is the most edited article on Wikipedia?
- George W Bush with over 16200 edits. A full ranking can be found at the bottom of link:[14] Majts 02:16, 9 October 2005 (UTC)
- As a follow up I just did a quick word count on that article and it weighs in at a pretty impressive 11,700 words or there abouts. Which means that the article has about 1.5 edits for every single word in the article. That's insane. Majts 02:30, 9 October 2005 (UTC)
- Have you excluded the vandalism and reverts? :) --inksT 04:51, 9 October 2005 (UTC)
- If you exclude the vandalism and reverts, then the George W Bush article has had 3 edits ;) Ojw 13:36, 9 October 2005 (UTC)
- If you'd exclude all vandals there wouldn't be a GWB, nor an article on him. :) I sure don't beat about the Bush, do I? DirkvdM 09:53, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
- Anyone else find it interesting that a user's talk page has more edits that the talk page of the Main Page? :) Dismas|(talk) 04:07, 10 October 2005 (UTC)
Why is it so hard to get a decent man?! (I need one!!!)
hi every 1.....is it just me or are all the nice (of course has 2 b hot also!)guys out in the world dying out...y? y? y?!...also, wile im typing this...do u guyz know any good science fair projects that i can do? it has 2 be a "not stupid" project, like "Which battery will last the longest?" or "can you make an egg flaot?"... ♥Hot F.l.i.p.
- At the extreme ends of the scale, "nice" and "hot" are mutally exclusive. Also, what level science fair? And how long have you got to do it? Alphax τεχ 02:12, 9 October 2005 (UTC)
- For your science fair, measure how many people read the directions (almost no one) and is that fixable.
- example this page
- example ... FTC director recent testimony to US Congress about spyware ... a buyer contract included instructions how to claim a $ 1,000.00 reward to first customer to read the contract. 3,000 people downloaded the software before anyone claimed the reward.
AlMac|(talk) 02:28, 9 October 2005 (UTC)
- Maybe you can do a project on the etymology of the word "flaot". I've never heard of it before you used it up there in your question. Karmafist 02:37, 9 October 2005 (UTC)
- Why not combine your two questions into a science fair project. Ask a few hundred 40 year-olds what proportion of guys were "nice" in their day, and then ask a few hundred of your friends what proportion of guys are "nice" today. Ask your stats teacher to help you evaluate the data. Viola! Novel science fair project, and you answer your own question :)--inksT 04:50, 9 October 2005 (UTC)
- The ability to spell and communicate ideas clearly have always been attributes that I've looked for in a significant other. I also think I'm a not unattractive guy who prefers to be nice rather than mean. Dismas|(talk) 14:38, 9 October 2005 (UTC)
- Why not combine your two questions into a science fair project. Ask a few hundred 40 year-olds what proportion of guys were "nice" in their day, and then ask a few hundred of your friends what proportion of guys are "nice" today. Ask your stats teacher to help you evaluate the data. Viola! Novel science fair project, and you answer your own question :)--inksT 04:50, 9 October 2005 (UTC)
um yeah....these science projects are great...but can u guys like specify the procedures n what things i might need.....and "Alphax"....it has 2 b (8th grade) gifted level...u c, my teacher bugs us about how we/I need to have a really good scaience fair project and a "not too complicated and not too simple" project..."you really have to understand what your doing /tryin to find out"...stupd Byotch!, i'm not really sure on what to do...maybe something that envolves chemical change...like what wiil happen if you heat up baking soda...oh my gosh im so stressed out about this!! pleez help me!!! and hey Dismas i think i know what your tryin to say but...what are you trin to say? ♥Hot F.L.I.P.
- Flip, Inkypaws is right. What he is suggesting would be a very good science fair project, if you do it properly (and that means coming up with a proper experimental design and doing the stats correctly). Here's another random suggestion; measure the radon levels in some interesting places (your home, your friend's home, your school) and find out how much risk this poses to people's health. If you want to be provocative, compare the risk to a) the risk of dying from a nuclear plant accident, and b) the risk of dying in a terrorist attack. Good luck with your man-hunting, and here's a tip on behalf of the friends of the reference desk the world over - nerds can be hot too ;) --Robert Merkel 03:23, 10 October 2005 (UTC)
- Flip, what I meant was that using "u" in place of "you" or "2 b" in place of "to be" is unattractive to me. As well as using the word "like" as you have demonstrated in the first line of your reply. You aren't talking to a group of your teenage peers here. You are talking to a number of people, some possibly younger, many probably older than yourself. You are looking for intelligent replies to your questions. So why not conduct yourself with a little bit more professionalism and maturity. If I put "2 b" or "l8r" or any of that SMS shorthand in an e-mail to my superiors at work I would never be taken seriously and more than likely passed up for promotions, etc. Therefore, any woman that conducted herself like you have would be passed over by me without any thought of a first date. Even if she looked like Jodie Foster or Natalie Portman. Both of which are highly intelligent, lovely, and to my knowledge, very mature women. And the likes of Paris Hilton and Jessica Simpson are two of the least attractive women on the planet. One because she has the maturity of a 12 year old and the other because she doesn't know if "Chicken of the Sea" is chicken or tuna. That is what I was saying. I'm lucky though, I've found an excellent woman which can be just as hard or harder as finding a "decent" man from what I'm told.Dismas|(talk) 04:22, 10 October 2005 (UTC)
I volunteer as a nice man for you to get. Provided you're a woman yourself. — JIP | Talk 08:04, 10 October 2005 (UTC)
- Do you have any idea where nice men hang out?
- In Church groups?
- In volunteer groups, like Big Brother, the Red Cross
- So you join such groups and get both fulfillment doing good work, and build relationships with nice men
- Do you have any idea where hot men hang out?
- Are the two lists mutually exclusive?
- Do the statistics vary with age? In other words, where should a nice teenage girl go to find a nice or hot guy, but still be safe? Substitute other female ages ... is the answer different at college age, mature age, etc. ?
- I am now over age 60 ... a co-worker who is about age 20 asked me some questions about relationships, and I loaned him the book Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus to help him see what it was he was having trouble understanding. Later he thanked me profusely because when he told some potential girlfriends about this book he was reading, he found out it was a turn on for them to find out he had this interest. I told him that was NOT the reason I loaned him the book. There is important stuff in there that you need to understand for a relationship to be long term satisfactory.
- If your science fair project includes asking hundreds of people of various ages about their experiences locating and keeping desirable significant others, include another question
- WHERE did they locate this person ... include this for both the desirable and undesirable that way you can build statistics on each type of ___location ... the odds of a good match, and the odds of getting burned
- If you going to ask hundreds of people, you also have to think HOW you going to conduct it so as to get A LOT of different people, a cross-section of community, yet do it in such a way that YOU are safe while you meeting lots of people, many of them strangers
- you also need to avoid one that could be embarrassing if either teacher or other students ask questions about it, like the opposite sex.
- I did a science project once in which my father provided me with some condoms to do it, and it was really interesting to find out that they can leak, which I now suspect my father wanted me to find out on my own before I used one for what they intended for ... but when my teacher (a woman) started asking questions about how did I figure this or that out, I was too embarrassed to communicate effectively
AlMac|(talk) 10:17, 10 October 2005 (UTC)
- If you interested in living dangerously, there are all kinds of dating services like in the newspaper, or check the yellow pages. AlMac|(talk) 06:36, 11 October 2005 (UTC)
why the sky is blue?
- Raman scattering.Geni 02:49, 9 October 2005 (UTC)
- No, it's Rayleigh scattering - this is a must-know for quiz bowl -- :) →Raul654 02:52, 9 October 2005 (UTC)
Places to live
What is the point of unincorporated villages if the post office doesn't use them for a mailing address?
Often the village has its own zoning board or village council that makes many decisions for the village rather than the county. -Drdisque 03:47, 9 October 2005 (UTC)
- You'll have to be more specific. What state/country are you talking about? -- Mwalcoff 04:43, 9 October 2005 (UTC)
BRITSH ROMANTICISM, URGENT!!!
Hello, i need something about british/english romanticism. In wikipedia, you have romanticism, and representatives of british romanticism. Where can i find something about romanticism in G.B.?Please help, it's urgent. croatia
- Here are some links that may be helpful. David Sneek 09:58, 9 October 2005 (UTC)
deleting contributions
is it possible for any wiki member to completely remove his contributions such as photos and articles?
- No, I'm afraid it isn't. Once you've agreed to licence something under the GFDL, it's licenced that way permanently and irrevocably. -- Finlay McWalter | Talk 11:45, 9 October 2005 (UTC)
- However, a Crtierion for speedy deletion is "Any page which is requested for deletion by the original author, provided the author reasonably explains that it was created by mistake, and the page was edited only by its author", so you could go through and speedy tag the things you want removed, assuming you are the sole author. --Commander Keane 13:17, 9 October 2005 (UTC)
- The key phrase is "by mistake". Unfortunately some people try to invoke this clause when they really mean "someone changed my article in a way I don't like" or "I've decided to leave wikipedia, and I want to erase myself from it", which isn't att all what is meant by "mistake". The standard for what constitutes a "mistake" is (or should be) very high. -- Finlay McWalter | Talk 13:30, 9 October 2005 (UTC)
The ECU coin.
I have been searching the internet, via Google for the current price of the Ecu coins, ie. 1 ecu, 5 ecu and 10ecu coins, which I believe are composed of nickel, copper and silver. How much of each metal - I don't know. This was to be the new european money, but was thrown out in favour of the Euro. I cannot find anything on the internet, even coin companies who have websites, there is nothing mentioned about the Ecu, ie. buying and selling prices. Please help me find a suitable website with the above information or a contact number which I can use. Thank you.
- According to our article on the euro, "The European Currency Unit was an accounting unit used by the EU, based on the currencies of the member states; it was not a currency in its own right." So there were no coins or bank notes. It was not a currency that you could use to buy groceries in any country, although bonds were issued in ECU, I believe. They would have paid interest in another currency, however. Ground Zero | t 12:43, 9 October 2005 (UTC)
- Some countries put out commemorative ecu coins in the years running up to the euro: Ireland, Belgium. See also: pattern coins. Do the ones you've got indicate a country? –Hajor 15:18, 9 October 2005 (UTC)
- We do have an article on the European Currency Unit (no "the" in the title). Garrett Albright 15:52, 9 October 2005 (UTC)
Overlined p
I'm trying to write a transliteration in Syriac, and one of the traditional characters is a letter p with a line over it, to signify that its sound is softened. Unicode doesn't seem to have a single character for it (if you do find it, please let me know). What would be the combining diacritic? Thanks. --Gareth Hughes 14:11, 9 October 2005 (UTC)
- It isn't ideal, but you can sorta hack it in CSS: P -- Finlay McWalter | Talk 15:05, 9 October 2005 (UTC)
Orientation of Earth
How was it determined that the right way to view a map was to have north as the Top? Why don't we view earth the other way, i.e. south side being up.
- Historical accident. In Europe, it used to be that maps were drawn with Jerusalem at the centre and East at the top (the T and O maps) - North at the top became established by, oh, the fourteenth century. I suspect, though I don't know, that this was driven by compasses always pointing North, making it the dominant direction. Shimgray | talk | 16:47, 9 October 2005 (UTC)
- Compasses point South just as much as they point North. DirkvdM 10:03, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
- The other reason that the dominant direction is north is because Northern Hemisphere ancients would have used the North Star for navigating. If civilisation had started in the Southern Hemisphere I would wager that maps would be the other way up. Check out some Upside Down maps to see how strange they look to us.
- But these reasons don't explain why the dominant direction should be at the top. It seems arbitrary and even reflects in our language as "top" is always considered to take precedence over "bottom". Same reason that nearly all writing scripts ever created go from top to bottom, although there have been rare exceptions. I suspect some kind of ancient sub-conscious instinct effects the way our perception orientates abstractions. Majts 17:56, 9 October 2005 (UTC)
- Well, when you drop an object, it starts at the "top" and moves toward the "bottom," does it not? Seems rather natural to me. Garrett Albright 17:20, 10 October 2005 (UTC)
- But that's 3D space, how does that relate to our 2D representation of it? Wouldn't it be an argument for orientating the other way round as the direction of travel is always towards the "south" or "bottom" ? Majts 17:55, 10 October 2005 (UTC)
- Well, I wasn't talking about the maps so much with that as I was about "top" taking precedence over "bottom" linguistically. Garrett Albright 19:48, 12 October 2005 (UTC)
- This predates humans. Dominant dogs will stand tall while submissive dogs lie on their backs to make themselves seem small. Thus the "top dog" doesn't see the apparently much smaller dog as a threat, and leaves it alone. In humans, having an elevation advantage in a battle frequently led to victory, hence the "king of the hill" game. It is only natural, then, that Europeans, thinking themselves "superior" put themselves on top of the map. StuRat 21:03, 12 October 2005 (UTC)
- If the north-orientation (note that 'orient' means east, by the way) started in the 14th century, then the maps probably didn't include much of Africa yet, so Europe would simply have been at the centre. I'm talking European maps now. Did other cultures make maps? And if so, how were they oriented? DirkvdM 10:03, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
- The remarkable Kangnido map, made by the Koreans in 1402, is oriented northerly. I believe other maps by the Koreans and Chinese from that time were northern-oriented as well. Garrett Albright 07:34, 14 October 2005 (UTC)
- If the north-orientation (note that 'orient' means east, by the way) started in the 14th century, then the maps probably didn't include much of Africa yet, so Europe would simply have been at the centre. I'm talking European maps now. Did other cultures make maps? And if so, how were they oriented? DirkvdM 10:03, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
origin of "The earth isn't dying, it's being killed" quote
does anyone know where this origins? "The earth isn't dying - it's being killed. And those that are killing it have names and addresses" It looks a lot like this is something originally said by Utah Phillips but I've also read it as said as far back as by Leo Tolstoy. I don't know in what sense or what work any of them have written it (if Tolstoy has) and it's quite possible "Utah" quoted someone else...
- As far as I have seen this quote always attributed to Utah Phillips. Maybe you should contact him or his webmaster to see if they will help. Interestingly this quote is the motto of the radical environmental defense movement Earth First! an organisation that the Unabomber Theodore Kaczynski had several associations with. It looks like he took the quote a little too literally. Majts 20:07, 9 October 2005 (UTC)
Shakira's Next CD
Which one of Shakira's songs will be in English?
- Why not try asking on the Shakira talk page? The people who watch the article and its talk page would probably know... and care. Dismas|(talk) 02:23, 10 October 2005 (UTC)
- Her new album is called Oral Fixation 2 and all of the songs will be in English. The first single Don't Bother has just been released and the album will be released in November according to our Shakira article. Given the success of her last English album, I suspect plenty of people care. Capitalistroadster 05:02, 10 October 2005 (UTC)
Scientific Name
What is the scientific name of the antifreeze sap present in Pine Trees?
:Their sap contains sugar that have antifreeze protein. It's from these complex sugars that we obtain Pine syrup, although maple syrup from maple sap is more popular. Majts 22:02, 9 October 2005 (UTC)
- Nitpick. The sugar doesn't contain the protein. The sap contains both. alteripse 23:39, 9 October 2005 (UTC)
- That's more than a nitpick, that's a fundamental blunder by me in my understanding of biology. Of course sugar cannot "contain" a protein, so I have struck out my answer. I have always thought that the sugar that was the key ingredient for preventing freezing, but can't find any sources either way to confirm it. Majts 02:06, 10 October 2005 (UTC)
- I believe you're right about the sugar being the main antifreeze ingredient. If you put a bottle of apple cider in the freezer, the water portion will freeze, leaving a sugary "sap" unfrozen. Be sure to drink a glass of apple cider before this experiment so it won't overflow when it expands due to freezing. StuRat 21:09, 12 October 2005 (UTC)
- The freezing point of any solution is decreased by the addition of more solute (osmolar depression); higher concentrations of sugar cause more depression of the freezing point. see [15]. - Nunh-huh 04:04, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
The next in line
If first is the worst, second is the best, and third is the terd, what would 4th be?
We always said that "Third is the nerd with the hairy chest" we also said that "fourth goes up north" but that isn't really much of a criticism or compliment. I grew up in Michigan and "up north" generally referred to the northern portion of the Lower Penninsula. -Drdisque 00:01, 10 October 2005 (UTC)
RELIGION
WHAT IS THE OLDEST CHURCH IN THE UNITED STATES.
- Do you mean oldest church building, oldest denomination or oldest congregation? The answer will probably be a Roman Catholic one in the Spanish South. Rmhermen 23:13, 9 October 2005 (UTC)
- If that's what we're after, there's one in Santa Fe, New Mexico, that has a very good claim (oldest structure continuously used as such, since 1610). –Hajor 01:02, 10 October 2005 (UTC)
- Ooh!! Ooh!! But let's not forget the St. Joan of Arc Chapel, built in France even earlier than that and then shipped to Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (I can't be typing this more than 100 yards from it right now.) --Maxamegalon2000 13:55, 10 October 2005 (UTC)
Trilobites
What are trilobites and when did they first appear? This has been bugging me all week, do you have an answer? 204.60.216.184 21:07, 9 October 2005 (UTC)
Well, if you are in the US it depends on what kind of school you attend, and what the preferred reference point is for timing that sort of thing: either (A) at the beginning of the Cambrian period about 542 millions years ago, or (B) on the 5th day of creation. See trilobite. alteripse 21:43, 9 October 2005 (UTC)
Ravioli, pierogi, and gyoza
What is the generic term for ravioli, pierogi, and gyoza? Also, there is some overlap here, isn't there?
- They're all stuffed pasta. As for overlap, it's usually pretty plain based on who's doing the cooking. There are certainly recipes that use gyoza wrappers with, say, traditional or non-traditional Italian fillings. - Nunh-huh 01:13, 10 October 2005 (UTC)
GOD BLESS THE ACLU
ARE THERE ANY BOOKS ABOUT THE ACLU.
Largest city without a rail station?
I can't decide whether this is technology-related, and therefore Science, or society-related, and therefore Humanities. So it's going here in Miscellaneous! Anyway, question as per the subject line: what is the world's most populous city without at least one railway station providing a passenger service, excluding light rail and metro systems?
Calgary (pop. 1.037m) is the largest city I could find quickly that has no such service (though it does have a light rail network); that must surely have a good claim for being the largest city in the Western world without an intercity train service (though please do tell me if there's a larger one), but what about in other parts of the globe? Loganberry (Talk) 00:35, 10 October 2005 (UTC)
- No passenger trains to or from Mexico City since privatization in the late 90s. Nice metro and some very busy bus stations, though. –Hajor 01:19, 10 October 2005 (UTC)
- Thank you. I must admit that I hadn't even considered that a relatively advanced country like Mexico would have effectively abandoned intercity rail travel, but it just goes to show. And now I come to think of it, Freetown is slightly larger than Calgary, and Sierra Leone doesn't really have a rail network, so that's another very large city with no trains. Loganberry (Talk) 12:36, 10 October 2005 (UTC)
- Economic development has little to do with it. Several large American cities, including Las Vegas, Columbus and Nashville, lack train service. Several others have only one train a day in each direction, or even less service than that. In North America, governments decided to invest in highways rather than rails, and people usually live too far apart for rail travel to be attractive. Outside of the Northeast, few Americans ever travel by train. Before I went to Europe, the longest train trip I had ever been on was from Baltimore-Washington Airport to Union Station in DC! -- Mwalcoff 02:58, 12 October 2005 (UTC)
- Distinct lack of poetry in the governmental soul. It came on the heels of a time of massive investment in Mexico's road network, both public and private: gorgeous new toll highways that private motorists largely couldn't afford (and most of those private roads have since been baled out by public funds). With an intensely road-focused transportation policy like that, running the passenger trains into the ground and finally doing away with them must have seemed logical. Going by train was always slower than taking a bus, even before the highway upgrades, but it was significantly cheaper, too: an important consideration for a lot of passengers. –Hajor 17:41, 10 October 2005 (UTC)
- I had been going to suggest Singapore, but it turns out it's got a single line out connecting it to Kuala Lumpur and thence the world. Hong Kong doesn't seem to have an intercity rail link according to our article, which surprises me - perhaps it's just not mentioned, or one hasn't been built since reunification. Shimgray | talk | 12:46, 10 October 2005 (UTC)
- The Columbia Encyclopedia has this to say: "Hong Kong's rail link with the mainland is by the Kowloon-Guangzhou Railway." So it looks as though the Wikipedia article just doesn't mention it. Loganberry (Talk) 00:28, 11 October 2005 (UTC)
Six degrees of separation with websites
I'm looking for a website similar to the Oracle of Bacon but that finds paths (and gives the length) between two URLs. Anyone knows of anything of the sort? ☢ Kieff | Talk 01:02, 10 October 2005 (UTC)
- This might well be a bit too resource-intensive to be practical. The problem is an instance of the shortest path problem for a directed graph; as noted, Dijkstra's algorithm is the fastest non-heuristic way to solve that. If you assume we have m web pages, and n links between them, the worst-case performance of Dijkstra's algorithm is proportional to . Given that m and n are both very large numbers, the standard algorithmic attack may be very expensive. Now, the performance in practice depends on the topology of the graph of the web; and this has been studied fairly extensively; see this summary for an introduction (this might give you an idea about the *average* separation of URL's). I'm not sure how Dijkstra's algorithm performs on this sort of graph; in any case, you could probably use some A* search heuristics to speed the process up. But, in any case, this doesn't look like the sort of thing you can code up in Perl in a spare half hour on any handy internet-connected box. --Robert Merkel 02:07, 10 October 2005 (UTC)
- I would have thought that nearly all URL's have only 2 degrees of separation with Google's index in the middle? Majts 02:18, 10 October 2005 (UTC)
- Restrict the question to statically-generated pages, maybe, or specifically exclude search engines? --Robert Merkel 08:01, 10 October 2005 (UTC)
- There's always Six degrees of Wikipedia. --Commander Keane 08:37, 10 October 2005 (UTC)
- Well, I was expecting that running a webcrawler with a few exclusions would be good enough. Hyperlink networks are far more complex than imdb or Wikipedia, but if search engines can crawl the web they could gather the data for that, I'd suppose, so hence my curiosity. ☢ Kieff | Talk 00:00, 11 October 2005 (UTC)
"What qualities an you bring to this organization?"
This question or its variants, "What can you offer us?", "There's 100 guys applying for this job and smarter, more creative, motivated, etc. what can you offer me?", etc. is a staple of any competitive interview for anything. How does one master this question?
lots of issues | leave me a message 01:07, 10 October 2005 (UTC)
- In general, do your homework, get your best idea of what they are really looking for, and use the opportunity to sell those aspects of your personality, experience, and qualifications that make you well suited to the position. That's fairly standard advice.
- Now, a little bit of personal opinion. In response to the second variation of the question, I'd be tempted to add a coda, "Given that, if after this interview you conclude that there are 100 other applicants who are better suited to this job than I am, by all means hire them instead of me.". In my view, if they've bothered to interview you, clearly there must have been something in your resume that made them think you were one of the best people for the position. And, personally, I think an employer asking such a question is trying to test whether you have confidence in yourself and your suitability for the position, and so showing a bit of confidence in one's own merits is the appropriate response. But then, maybe I'm just an arrogant SOB. --Robert Merkel 02:33, 10 October 2005 (UTC)
- I usually hand the interviewer a packet of photos and say "do the other 100 applicants have the negatives for these pictures of you in compromising positions with assorted farm animals ?"
re 16 y/olds
what the hell man if they are comin at you , means they want somthin ,more better you look after them and care for them ,than they get on the street uh?
So what are you talking about? teenagers? assault? Homelessness?adoption? street children? why don't you try asking again.
Worse, linguistic entropy. alteripse 03:01, 10 October 2005 (UTC)
Supreme Court cases
How can a current Supreme court justice turn over a case that was already decided, such as Roe V. Wade?
- See Precedent WAS 4.250 09:02, 10 October 2005 (UTC)
- A justice can't overturn a case, but a majority vote of the Supreme Court can. User:Zoe|(talk) 03:37, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
- Well, no, they cannot just decide to re-visit an old case. A new case (with a similar issue) must be brought before them and accepted. Then they can deal with it in a way that may reverse a previous decision. --Blainster 19:16, 15 October 2005 (UTC)
Hurricanes in Europe
Hurricane Vince is heading towards Europe, How often does Europe get hit with Hurricanes?
- According to Wikipedia's article about hurricanes, most so-called "Hurricanes" that hit Europe are in fact extratropical cyclones. "When a tropical cyclone reaches higher latitudes or passes over land, it may merge with weather fronts or develop into a frontal cyclone, also called extratropical cyclone. In the Atlantic ocean, such tropical-derived cyclones of higher latitudes can be violent and may occasionally remain at hurricane-force wind speeds when they reach Europe as a European windstorm." (See European windstorm for a list of notable European windstorms). Sometimes these storms originate as tropical cyclones (hurricanes), sometimes not.--Kewp (t) 05:44, 10 October 2005 (UTC)
bloodclotting
Why would a ten year old girl who just started her menstral 2 months ago have such heavy monthly bleeding and blood clots during her cycle? what is tha a sign of?
- Uh... Puberty? ☢ Kieff | Talk 04:01, 10 October 2005 (UTC)
The explanation is likely one of the following four things.
- Prolonged estrogen and anovulation. The first couple of menstrual periods after menarche are often heavy. Many girls do not ovulate for some of the early cycles. Before menarche the endometrium has had a couple of years of rising estrogen levels to make it thick, and the mechanism of menstrual bleeding is somewhat different in ovulatory and anovulatory cycles. After a few months, the menstrual periods are likely to get lighter, especially after ovulation begins.
- Perception. A little bit of blood goes a long way. Count the days and count the number of pads used. Your doctor can tell you whether the actual number is unusual.
- Normal but above average. Some girls have heavier flow than others. This may be normal for her even if heavier than average.
- Coagulopathy (abnormal blood clotting). A small percentage of girls discover when they start having menses that they have a mild blood clotting disorder like Von Willebrand's disease. This type of problem causes heavy menstrual bleeding, and may cause problems after surgery or a major injury, but might never have come to attention before menarche. Your doctor can order blood tests to check the clotting if this seems likely.
The first possibility is by far the most likely. If the bleeding stops in less than 9 days, and most of those days she uses less than 10 pads I would recommend waiting a couple more months to see if the problem takes care of itself. It probably will. (On the other hand, this is just free advice based on some guesses; if the flow is a lot heavier than that or she is having other symptoms, have your doctor check a CBC to be sure she is not losing too much blood). There are simple things that can be done to stop a period if there is a dangerous amount of blood loss. alteripse 04:08, 10 October 2005 (UTC)
- Interesting bit on the coagulopathy, though, never heard of such a thing. Can it actually risk the girl on causing severe blood loss? ☢ Kieff | Talk 10:15, 10 October 2005 (UTC)
Rarely. If harm is actually caused by heavy periods, it is usually iron deficiency, not exsanguination. alteripse 11:27, 10 October 2005 (UTC)
"OK"
What do the letters in OK (as on "yeah, OK") stand for?
- It is a short form of Okay. Capitalistroadster 05:06, 10 October 2005 (UTC)
- No, "okay" is probably expansion of "OK", as best as anyone can tell. See the Old Kinderhook and Oll Korrect explanations in Okay. — File:Ontario trillium sig.pngmendel ☎ 23:38, 10 October 2005 (UTC)
I've never been game enough to try, so can someone tell me, what happens when you put a living thing in the microwave (anything, from plants, to bugs, to cats). Any first-hand data? --Ballchef 06:07, 10 October 2005 (UTC)
- It would heat up until it dies; microwaves can also damage eyes, apparently. One women was charged with murdering her infant child by putting it in the microwave, though whether the death was from running out of air, or heatstroke, is not clear. Aren't you glad you asked? :/--Robert Merkel 07:58, 10 October 2005 (UTC)
- Other than killing them, the result is the same thing as happens to nonliving things. The microwaves cause certain parts to heat up, causing thawing, cooking, killing, and sometimes explosions or fire. Micowaving metal can create sparks. Things with a skin surrounding something wet need to be punctured before microwaving so they don't explode. This includes eggs, potatoes, sausage and mice. WAS 4.250 09:12, 10 October 2005 (UTC)
- That "mice" bit made me shudder. You never did that experiment, did you? ☢ Kieff | Talk 10:10, 10 October 2005 (UTC)
- At the risk of sounding cruel, if have an anecdote to share. During my crazed, insect killing adolescence, I read in The Straight Dope of killing roaches in microwaves. As our riverside home was infested periodically with ghastly american cockroaches (aka 'Waterbugs'), I recreated the experiment. A single adult roach died in less than 5 seconds at high power. At 30 seconds, it's abdomen swelled to nearly the rupturing point, presumably from steam pressure, but by that point the beast was long expired. I have since ceased killing arthropods, by electrical or another means, and frequently escort wandering spiders and beetles out of my apartment to live their nasty little lives in the bucolic splendor of the side yard. Brian Schlosser42 15:24, 10 October 2005 (UTC)
- That "mice" bit made me shudder. You never did that experiment, did you? ☢ Kieff | Talk 10:10, 10 October 2005 (UTC)
- I used to use the microwave to kill insects for my bug collection. It worked best if you put a cup of water in, too, or too much heat would concentrate on them and they would scorch. StuRat 17:10, 10 October 2005 (UTC)
- I think this was covered in the 1998 movie Urban Legend. And Snopes has a few pages (see this or this for a couple of related urban legends). It's a rather grisly way to be killed, don't you think? --Dynamite Eleven 16:58, 11 October 2005 (UTC)
Ides of March
Can someone please tell me what Day of the week was ides of March 44 BC (ie. 15th March 44 BC). This was the day on which Julius Ceaser was murdered
To the extent that we can tell, Tuesday. Julius Caesar was actually assassinated on Tuesday 14 March 44 BC in the Julian Calendar (see that article). It's uncertain enough that it would be good not to be too insistent<g>. - Nunh-huh 07:40, 10 October 2005 (UTC)
The Romans still had an eight day week at the time, with a market day every eighth day. They expressed the day of the week as "x days before market day" unless it was a designated holiday or feast. So any attempt to convert the date into our equivalent 7 day week is fairly meaningless. Majts 08:42, 10 October 2005 (UTC)
- so, as a follow-up question, how far back can we meaningfully assign weekdays? 09:54, 11 October 2005 (UTC)
writing in all capitals
why do people write their questions in all capitals? it says right at the top of the page that you should not write questions in all capitals. is it some form of rebellion or are they just stupid? — JIP | Talk 08:58, 10 October 2005 (UTC)
- Apparently some languages don't differentiate between regular and capital letters, but I expect most of those questions are a result of people failing to read the instructions to begin with. Hence the homework questions and people not using headers AND text explaining the question's context, etc, etc. - Mgm|(talk) 09:13, 10 October 2005 (UTC)
- I vote we shoot down all such questions on sight --Ballchef 09:19, 10 October 2005 (UTC)
- I disagree since most seem to be legitimate questions. The user probably just doesn't know any better. As to the original question, I don't know. But if you figure it out, there may be a lot of money in it for you from any software company you can think of. :) Dismas|(talk) 09:41, 10 October 2005 (UTC)
- I vote we shoot down all such questions on sight --Ballchef 09:19, 10 October 2005 (UTC)
- I would urge tolerance, since this is a method used by people with low vision to make their text more readable (so they can see what they wrote). There are other methods to enlarge the font, but they may be unable to do so. StuRat 17:03, 10 October 2005 (UTC)
- In that scenario, do you think they can read the answer? You might want to add something to the up top, that no one reads, that if someone SAYS they have an eyesight problem, the answer COULD be placed on their talk page, using extra large font size. AlMac|(talk) 21:04, 10 October 2005 (UTC)
- True, I have nothing against capital letters, but I don't like the non-sensical stuff, or doing homework for them, or arrogant writing (like what i wrote above). --Ballchef 23:54, 10 October 2005 (UTC)
- I've heard people use it to disguise their inability to correctly capitalise sentances. More likely, it is an attempt to draw attention to their question amongst the many on this page. Sometimes it may be lack of proficency with the computer - e.g. not knowing how to turn off CAPS LOCK, more of a problem than you might think for new users. This particulaly applies to the young, since older people have capitalisation more ingrained, and so find it more important. Plain laziness is a possibility, and hardware that cannot use lower case, or makes it difficult to change, such as mobile phones or handheld devices. Finally, although this may not apply here, some software requires the use of CAPS LOCK for correct operation. Although it is unlikely for a web browser, using another application with all capitals, particularly if it is a commonly used application, may make you loathe to ever turn off CAPS LOCK or even notice when you are using it inappropriately. For a real world example of the last situation, my wife works all due using pension-related financial software (designed for ye olden days) which requires all entries in upper case. I believe lower case characters simply do not register. So to prevent errors when using this application, she rarely turns off CAPS LOCK, even when using another application such as an email client. That's probably more information than anyone wanted. akaDruid 10:30, 12 October 2005 (UTC)
Also note that many industries use caps. Draftsmen have traditionally used all caps in many cases, as they reproduce better when copied. FORTRAN and BASIC programmers traditionally used all caps, too, although this has reduced in recent times. Labels for file folders and signs are frequently all caps, too. Many people may just feel that case is a silly thing to worry about, as the case of a word rarely changes it's meaning. These people are just as likely to use all lowercase:
- I'M GOING TO NEW YORK.
- I'm going to New York.
- i'm going to new york.
StuRat 15:47, 14 October 2005 (UTC)
what is dry gin ?
what is meant when gin or other types of alcohol are referred to as being dry or extra dry ? eg dry gin,dry martini etc. thanks regards, Dr. Manish
Dry refers mainly to alcohol content but is also a component of flavor. "Drier" in a simple sense means less water, more alcohol. alteripse 14:30, 10 October 2005 (UTC)
- It also refers to the lack of residual sugar after fermentation. This is particularly important in undistilled drinks (see Sweetness of wine). --Gareth Hughes 15:30, 10 October 2005 (UTC)
- For wine, the terms sec, double sec, and triple sec also mean dry, dryer, and dryest. StuRat 16:59, 10 October 2005 (UTC)
Apparent movement of the planet Venus
Venus has an almost perfectly circular orbit. It was mentioned by Dan Brown in his book The Da Vinci Code that in an eight year cycle, this planet discribes a perfect five pointed star as observed from the Earth!! I would like confirmation from any astronomical observatory, or a reliable refernce work in the Wikipedia. Thank you very much Tau Paulus
- Our article on Venus doesn't say, but its references may still be helpful for you to find further information. You can also try contacting User:Worldtraveller who appears to be our resident astronomy/space expert. - Mgm|(talk) 18:45, 10 October 2005 (UTC)
- Try The Da Vinci Code for a start. There are some comments later in the article. DJ Clayworth 17:58, 11 October 2005 (UTC)
- Look, this is obviously false, if it's been cited correctly from the novel here (I don't remember that passage offhand).
- Imagine yourself on the outer ring of a merry-go-round (carousel) making one rotation every 15 seconds, with an inner ring that rotates faster, rotating every 10 seconds. Ignore the whirling landscape and fix your eyes on the inner ring. What do you see? You see it rotating in a circle every 30 seconds [which is how long it takes to "lap" you -- 1/(1/10-1/15)]. Well, the motion of Venus as seen from the Earth is the same -- we see it complete a circle around the Sun every 1.6 years [the length of time it takes to lap the Earth].
- The number 1.6 there is exact, because Earth and Venus are in resonance and 13 Venus years = 8 Earth years. This means Venus laps the Earth 5 times (13-8) in every 8 Earth years, and that's presumably where Brown got the number 5 from, to tie it to the pentacle. But the idea that two circular motions around the same center (and for this purpose both orbits are near enough to circular) could produce a star-shaped result is just silly.
- Of course, when I say that the resultant motion of Venus is circular, that's a 3-dimensional view. We actually see it from the Earth as moving in a line at various speeds over the spherical surface of the sky, because of our edge-on perspective to the circle. But that line essentially forms a simple back-and-forth motion if you view the sky as attached to the Sun and rotating with it; and if you don't, it wraps around the Earth every day like a ball of string around a core, just like the path of the Sun itself. It still doesn't form anything like a pentacle.
- By the way, I loved the book as entertainment.
- --Anonymous, 02:30 UTC, October 12, 2005
- I can't picture this well enough, but assuming the orbits of Venus and Earth are not in the same plane (which is very likely), then every time Venus passes the Earth it is at a different inclination until, the 5th time, after 8 years, they've gone 'full circle' and it appears at the same inclination again. Now if you don't take the measurement at the exact right time every passage you could get five points that form a pentagram (or a pentagram if you connect them in a somewhat more complicated way). This is not a very clear explanation, sorry. DirkvdM 13:30, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
- I assume the last comment meant to say "pentagon (or a pentagram if you connect them in a somewhat more complicated way)." StuRat 16:03, 14 October 2005 (UTC)
- Yes, of course, sloppy. DirkvdM 13:55, 15 October 2005 (UTC)
A hypothetical question
Let's say a commercial flight is headed from Los Angeles to Sydney. Somewhere in the last five hours of the flight it runs into a storm and disappears without a trace. Air traffic controllers in Sydney (and any Pacific islands in the area like Fiji or New Caledonia) can't contact it.
Now, let's say that the same plane appeared in the skies 24 hours later, exactly where it had disappared - still en route to Australia. Of course, it should have crashed long ago by running out of fuel. Not to mention, where has it been for the last day?
The pilots make contact with Sydney's airport and inform traffic controllers that as they headed into the storm, they lost consciousness, along with everyone else on the plane. Then they reawoke to find that it was the next day, and they were in the exact same spot. They request permission to continue and land at Sydney.
What do the air traffic guys in charge at Sydney airport say?
- "Strewth." Proto t c 14:56, 10 October 2005 (UTC)
- "Everything happens for a reason." --Maxamegalon2000 15:10, 10 October 2005 (UTC)
- "Did you get Lost?" smurrayinchester(User), (Talk) 15:32, 10 October 2005 (UTC)
- "...but it happened" Brian Schlosser42 15:37, 10 October 2005 (UTC)
- The major problem would be that most flights are daily at the same time - so somewhere in the vicinity is the next day's flight, assuming it wasn't cancelled as a result of the disappearance - as both are using the same callsigns, it's possible no-one notices straight away. The pilots blank out briefly, then come around, and unless they deliberately check the date they'll just think there was something weird for a second, since the plane will still be in the same state and outside will apparently be the same conditions.
- Leaving this aside, the controllers in Sydney would get the plane down somewhere - possibly diverting it to a nearby island, if they're concerned about fuel issues - and then try and figure out what the hell went on. It's really the only sensible thing to do - if you have a plane that isn't where it should be, where the pilots report occasionally blacking out, and may suddenly do crazy things, you get it on the ground as the first order of business. They'd have some very interesting questions to ask afterwards, mind... Shimgray | talk | 15:33, 10 October 2005 (UTC)
- I'd start whistling the theme song from the Twilight Zone, but I'm not an air traffic controller (...be greatful). RJFJR 16:17, 10 October 2005 (UTC)
- They think nothing of it since they just crossed the international date line? Dismas|(talk) 20:37, 10 October 2005 (UTC)
- Obviously, terrorists have hijacked the plane, killed the passengers, landed it somewhere, refueled it, filled the cabin and cargo with explosives, and intend to crash it into the Sydney Opera House. The air traffic controllers would act concerned and buy some time. Several minutes later, F/A-18s of the RAAF slip into position behind the suspicious aircraft and blow it out of the sky.--inksT 21:54, 10 October 2005 (UTC)
- Would they really do that straight away? Wouldn't they order it to land at a military base, and THEN shoot it down if it didn't comply?
- I'd imagine the Men in Black would swoop in, deneuralise the crew and passengers, then discover what sent the plane forward in time to use for doomsday weapons and other such tools... smurrayinchester(User), (Talk), (Recent Contrib) 14:50, 11 October 2005 (UTC)
- Don't be such a wiseass, I'm writing a story for my high school English class based on John Wyndham's The Midwich Cuckoos. I did stipulate that it was a hypothetical question...
- You should have said that in your question you would have had better answers. If a plane suddenly appeared where it isn't meant to be the Australian authorities would almost certainly treat the incident as if it was a hijack. Assuming the plane had enough fuel and complied with instructions, the the Australian Air Force would escort it to a pre-designated emergency airport. If it was the UK it would be Stanstead Airport, but I don't know what Australia's contingency plans are. Obviously if the plane didn't comply then it would have a very good chance of being shot down these days. Majts 05:13, 12 October 2005 (UTC)
- Don't be such a wiseass, I'm writing a story for my high school English class based on John Wyndham's The Midwich Cuckoos. I did stipulate that it was a hypothetical question...
- I'd imagine the Men in Black would swoop in, deneuralise the crew and passengers, then discover what sent the plane forward in time to use for doomsday weapons and other such tools... smurrayinchester(User), (Talk), (Recent Contrib) 14:50, 11 October 2005 (UTC)
- Would they really do that straight away? Wouldn't they order it to land at a military base, and THEN shoot it down if it didn't comply?
- Obviously, terrorists have hijacked the plane, killed the passengers, landed it somewhere, refueled it, filled the cabin and cargo with explosives, and intend to crash it into the Sydney Opera House. The air traffic controllers would act concerned and buy some time. Several minutes later, F/A-18s of the RAAF slip into position behind the suspicious aircraft and blow it out of the sky.--inksT 21:54, 10 October 2005 (UTC)
- They think nothing of it since they just crossed the international date line? Dismas|(talk) 20:37, 10 October 2005 (UTC)
Name Changes
Throughout history, many folks have changed their names for many different reasons, many different causes, many different religions, etc. Through the legal system of these United States of America, can one get away from certain contracts that hold a person liable for however terms or agreements/?, like a Loophole of quits, a freedom button if you will. Abort/Restart? Sort of the case with Prince Vs. Record Label when changed to that symbol 'The Artist Formerly known as...'(my keyboard doesn't have his symbol on the number pad, maybe the up-to-date keyboards from Minnesota should have the ESC button shift option for Princes symbol:)). ? A sort of ACT OF GOD clause., in that said persons said religion?
v ^ =
P.S. and by the way, Big ups to my Peeps at WikiP for being so patient with the masses., and also I do think this is the next biggest thing since GOOGLE to come from Al Gore's Internet. I think this is a great outlet for Truth., however wherever there is Truth, the enemy lurks., and the enemy will use the edit button to bemuddle the kids. But, "...And the Truth Shall Set You Free...," so we're not scared.
American name changes are governed by state laws. Most if not all, explicitly forbid changing names for fraudulent purposes. In other words, you can't get out a contract by changing your name. Contracts are holy here. alteripse 17:47, 10 October 2005 (UTC)
- Al Gore did NOT invent the internet.
- The US military did, long before Al Gore was a household name.
- Al Gore promoted its growth in many places where it already existed.
- and {perhaps) coined some cool phraseology like information superhighway to redefine what it was capable of.
- Basically the Democratic contribution here was to lobby for government funds to make sure that poorer people could get benefits from what had previously been a toy for the upper middle class and rich folks, and that we could try to apply US technology to help make USA more competitive in the world, which kind of backfired because other nations also applied stuff at Internet speed, such as making it possible for off-shore outsourcing of jobs via telecommuting, thus hurting much of the Democratic base. AlMac|(talk) 21:17, 10 October 2005 (UTC).
- Yes, I agree entirely, by doing so, Al Gore actually created the latest economic ressecion, which is why nothing related to job growth, or the economy is George Bush's fault, I finally understand, thanks for enlightening me--Armen Schrikken 00:42, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
Wikipedia video clip on editing
I was once shown a video clip on how fast users respond to vandalism on a Wikipedia. The clip was about 5-10 minutes, and has a person talking in the background. Does anyone know the link to this video clip?--66.2.141.12 17:19, 10 October 2005 (UTC)Larysa
it's on the heavy metal umlaut article, see here. 17:24, 10 October 2005 (UTC)
- Attack of the Show's website had a link to a similar video a while back... I think the video involved the edit history of the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake article or something like that. Pretty interesting, although I don't know if the video still exists or not. --Dynamite Eleven 01:58, 12 October 2005 (UTC)
the first bank in kerala
- I believe it is Nedungadi Bank founded, in the year 1899, by Appu Nedungadi. It merged with the Punjab National Bank two years ago. Appu Nedungadi also authored Kundalatha, one of the earliest novels in Malayalam. Tintin 18:17, 10 October 2005 (UTC)
Linspire
I am seriously considering getting Linspire, however I have a question, if I use the Live CD version, would I still be able to use my Windows Xp and also how does the live CD work, and is Linspire any good?
John
- Yeah I think that's the point. The Live CD version just boot from the CD-ROM, so if you remove the CD from the drive your computer will boot XP as usual. However I'm not sure Linspire will be eable to access your hard drive if it's using the NTFS file system, so you might need to create a partition that use the Fat32 file system if you want to install any Linux software permanently that's not included on the CD, or if you want to share files between the two OSes. As for how good it is I'm not sure, never tried it. I've read some good things though. It's good for Linux newbies at least because you get support and it's very easy to install and use compared to the more "serious" distributions. Hardcore Linux gurus might consider it too "dumbed down" for theyr tates, but aside from the fact that you have to pay for it it should be good enough for your average desktop usage. You can get free Linux distributions that do most of the stuff Linspire does too though. But you'll have to download the Cd image file, burn the CD's and download and install additional software yourself. --Sherool 20:27, 10 October 2005 (UTC)
- From what I learned from it I get the vague idea that Linspire tries to become the microsoft of Linuxworld. I believe you have to keep on buying stuff after you've bought the OS - a typical Windows problem (if you do it legally) that other distro's don't have. About the previous posting. You can use the live cd to try it out, but that will be very slow, so eventually you'll have to install it on a hard disk. The file system (such as ntfs and fat, which are both microsoft systems) is not a property of the hard disk as Sherool appears to suggest, but the way files are accessed on a partition and that is in the case of Windows usually determined by the os. With Linux you can use just about any fs (except ntfs, which is a bit problematic at the moment). For the partition on which you install Linux you need to use a native fs (such as Reiser) and for the data-partitions that wuold also be best. In that case the data will be 'safe' from Windows (viruses!) because it can't access it. But if you want both os's to access that data fat is the usual choice. Or ntfs, but accessing that with Linux is still problematic, as I said. The free distros need what Sheroo says, but if you pay for them you get an enormous amount of software with it, which can be installed directly, saving you a lot of work - and that for a fractio of the price that, in the case of Windows, you'd have to pay for just the OS. DirkvdM 13:54, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
What is credit risk?
(header only by questioner)
There are probably different kinds of credit risks.
- A rule of thumb ... Banks love to loan you money, unless you really need it.
- The bank wants some assurance that they will get the money back, with interest, so they need proof that you have assets or income to cover the loan.
- No such evidence, then no such loan.
- The bank wants some assurance that they will get the money back, with interest, so they need proof that you have assets or income to cover the loan.
AlMac|(talk) 21:24, 10 October 2005 (UTC)
DVD Recorders
What kind of features should i be looking for when i buy a DVD recorder?
- The biggest feature differential is whether it has a hard disk built in, making it a personal video recorder. With a PVR, you can do all sorts of cool things - most notably, record continuously while you watch so that if you miss something, you can replay it. Beyond that, you might like to read the DVD recorder article to get some ideas.
- Frankly, if you have the cash, and are at all technically adept (or know somebody who is), I'd build a system using an appropriate PC and MythTV; it's a hell of a lot more powerful than anything the consumer electronics companies are prepared to sell you. --Robert Merkel 00:49, 11 October 2005 (UTC)
You forgot to mention whether you want a 'standalone' machine (just for films I believe) or one for the computer. The latter is a lot cheaper and more versatile (can store any data), but requires more work. DirkvdM 13:59, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
CONSTRUCTION
How long would it take to build a bridge from long island to mexico.
- Do you mind
- Post your question ONCE only?
- If you make a keying error, such as not capitalizing the name of a country like Mexico, FIX it where you originally posted the question, instead of reposting with that correction.
- Use a subject title that is a bit more descriptive of your question.
- Now as for your specific question, the answer is that if you are talking Long Island New York then it will NEVER get built, because there is no incentive for anyone to finance such a project.
- Take a look at a map of North America.
AlMac|(talk) 21:28, 10 October 2005 (UTC)
Considering there is already a land route between those two places, there is no need for such a bridge to be built (since it would have to cross a large portion of the continental US anyway). Google Local says that it would take approx 39 hours to drive from Levittown, NY (a city on long island) to Laredo, TX (the closest major city on the US-MEX border I could think of) -Drdisque 16:19, 11 October 2005 (UTC)
- I believe this person is trying, and failing I might add, to be funny, and is probably cracking a joke, about the number of improverished hispanic communities in certian parts of LI--Armen Schrikken 00:33, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
- To clarify my statement further, despite the common belief that LI is populated by 99% spoiled upper middle class WASPS, there are actually many low income areas, where the residents can't actually afford to move anywhere else, and essentially stay in perminant endentured servitude to their land lords, until such time as they can pay off their debts, a bit like the post civil war, deep south, not that I'm drawing any comparisons--Armen Schrikken 00:36, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
sports
WHAT IS THE WORLDS MOST DANGEROUS SPORT.
- I've heard (but have no corroborating evidence) that it is Aussie_rules football.--inksT 21:58, 10 October 2005 (UTC)
- Extreme ironing :)
- You might like to check our articles on Category:Extreme sports ☢ Kieff | Talk 22:24, 10 October 2005 (UTC)
- Checking out Extreme sports would help you find a list of the likely candidates. BASE jumping] would be a likely candidate in my view. Capitalistroadster 02:10, 11 October 2005 (UTC)
- Hmmm. I think it's debatable whether BASE jumping is a sport or a hobby, just as we don't generally class skydiving or Scuba diving as sports. How do you keep score for BASE jumping - number of jumps completed thus far, weighted for altitude, perhaps? :) --inksT 02:21, 11 October 2005 (UTC)
- Our Extreme sport classifies both skydiving and Base jumping as sport. According to our sport article which defines sport as "A sport consists of a physical activity or skill carried out with a recreational purpose: for competition, for self-enjoyment, to attain excellence, for the development of a skill, or some combination of these. A sport has physical activity, side by side competition, and a scoring system." Our BASE jumping states that BASE jumpers aim to achieve at least one jump from a Building, Antennae or tower, Span or bridge and Earth (a cliff normally). Skydiving has regular world championships using style and accuracy as criteria for judgement. As well, Auto racing and Boxing are possible contenders Capitalistroadster 04:53, 11 October 2005 (UTC)
- I've heard that skiing is the most dangerous sport, probably in terms of the sheer number of injuries caused. It probably scores over BASE jumping because of the number of participents. I've no evidence tho :) akaDruid 10:00, 12 October 2005 (UTC)
- I'm told that more casualties result from fishing than any other sport. Which really illustrates an important principle, that you have have consider the number of people participating when you figure out how dangerous a sport is. DJ Clayworth 20:51, 12 October 2005 (UTC)
- I would expect it to be Cave diving, although people who actually do that disagree. Ojw 19:14, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
I venture that motorcycle racing kills more competitors than any other sport.--Eye 20:34, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
BAD BOOKS VERY BADD
What are the ten worst selling books of all time.
- I'd suspect that a few thousand books get published but don't sell any copy at all, especially if these are by unknown of first time authors. The best way to answer your question, I suppose, would be to use the amount of money invested on printing, publishing and marketing, which are data I have no clue how to find. ☢ Kieff | Talk 22:17, 10 October 2005 (UTC)
- Even worse are the ones that get published by vanity presses but don't sell any copies at all, because they're funded by the author and not the publisher. Receiving no royalties is one thing, but losing significant money on your own book is another thing entirely! I suspect there are thousands of such books. — File:Ontario trillium sig.pngmendel ☎ 23:27, 10 October 2005 (UTC)
- Actually, despite the bad press they get (groan) self publishing is an appropriate avenue to get some types of books out there, especially niche market books that would not be cost effective for a major publisher. Family histories, local reciepes, local history etc are all types of books for which self publishing can be a good avenue. Trollderella 16:14, 11 October 2005 (UTC)
In 2001 these were the 10 worst selling titles on Amazon.com:
1. "Mastering Management: Your Single-Source Guide to Becoming a Master of Management," various authors.
2. "Side Trip," Katie King. (Audio book).
3. "The Winthrop Papers," Vol. VII of papers of Massachusetts governor John Winthrop, published by the Massachusetts Historical Society.
4. "Michael the Magnificent," Phyliss Simpson, children's book published in 1967.
5. "Principal's Handbook: Current Issues in School Law," by William E. Camp, Julie K. Underwood and Mary Jane Connelly.
6. "Review, Latin American Literature and Arts, 41: Contemporary Latin American Literature/Photography."
7. "Fort Pulaski, National Monument, Georgia (National Park Service Handbook No. 18)."
8. "Introduction to 20th Century Architecture," by Polly Powell and Lucy Peel.
9. "2000 NCAA Ice Hockey Rules and Interpretations," compiled by Paul J. Duffy.
10. "Cream of Wheat Advertising Art," by Dave Stivers.
lots of issues | leave me a message 23:54, 10 October 2005 (UTC)
- By golly, I've been looking for a book on cream of wheat advertising art! And I've always wanted to master my management so I could become a master of management, too! Garrett Albright 19:42, 12 October 2005 (UTC)
I LOVE ALL DVDS.
HOW MANY DVDS ARE SOLD IN THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY EVERY YEAR.
- That's really an absurd question, I mean, seriously, what are the parameters of this experiment? Do, for instance, street vendors selling bootleg DVDs count as sales? If so, you're never going to find your answer, street vendors keep terrible records, also, they take forever to cash a personal check, even after you give them your social security number, pin number, and account number, I'm still waiting for that damn check to clear, oh well, luckily I gave him my home address and date of birth, in case he needs to contact me to give me my money--Armen Schrikken 00:29, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
- This would be rather hard to track down to say the least. If you could track down sales data from all the movie distributors then you could maybe figure out a rough figure. Although I doubt they break it down by state. Also, please turn your caps lock off. Dismas|(talk) 02:40, 11 October 2005 (UTC)
OSHA offices
~~How many Occupational Safety and Health Administration(OSHA) offices are there in the U.S? Thanks alot68.197.6.37
- Their website lists number of inspectors, not offices. It might be faster and more accurate to just call your local office and ask?--inksT 01:22, 11 October 2005 (UTC)
Double Standard
If a Boyish girl is called a Tomboy, why is a girlish boy called gay? - (unsigned)
- "Sissy" is a more specific word for an "effeminate" male. "Gay" has other more specific meanings. Generally, calling a boy girlish, sissy, or gay would be considered an attack, impolite, and not particularly admirable. People who use epithets like that have a somewhat more constricted view of sex roles than does the rest of modern society. So the answer to your question is "a girlish boy is called gay by someone who wants to hurt him". - Nunh-huh 02:08, 11 October 2005 (UTC)
- "Boysish" girls can be called less charitable things, like "butch" or "dyke" or "lesbian". Also note that there is a change with the age of the person in question. Boys are expected to be rather "girlish" until puberty, with no body hair, high voices, undeveloped muscles, tendency to cry, etc. StuRat 17:58, 11 October 2005 (UTC)
- May be a British term, but the closest male equivalent to "tomboy" for a "girlish boy" I can think of is "nancy-boy". Canley 06:55, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
The Rock early stage names
Hi,
Just wanna know why The Rock (entertainer) used Pidlaoan Rock as one of his stage names?
Thanks.
Our article on Dwayne Johnson is silent on this issue other than noting he used the name. He has an autobiography The Rock Says published in 2000. I will crosspost this question on his discussion page. Capitalistroadster 03:10, 11 October 2005 (UTC)
HELP!
How do you get out of the "Just Friends" Rut? I can't gamble with this relationship though she's one of my best friends.
- Aaah, the eternal question of "nice guys" everywhere. Don't worry, there's approximately one million theories about what to do in this situation. You can find some of them by searching for '"just friends" rut" on Google like this. --Robert Merkel 04:04, 11 October 2005 (UTC)
Housing
If you have an Air tight house that's about 1500 square feet, how long would it take before all the air ran out, assuming someone didn't leave and breathed normally.
- You need to know the volume of the house, not just it's area, i.e. how high the ceilings are. Secondly the air will not run out, nor will the oxygen, but what you will die of is carbon dioxide poisoning, from all the air that you breath out. This was what nearly killed the crew of Apollo 13 on their return to Earth. Here is all the information you need from Google Answers to work out your answer. Majts 04:35, 11 October 2005 (UTC)
leather boot lining problem
I have a pair of leather boots that have a sticky lining and would like to know if there is anything I can do to solve this problem?Please help me with this problem.Bannava 04:29, 11 October 2005 (UTC)anon
Talcum powder or Baby powder should fix it. If the boots are stinky, you may want to get some powder specially made to make footwear not stinky. In the US, I know Dr. Scholl's sells such a powder. -Drdisque 16:16, 11 October 2005 (UTC)
What is a"virus Chancellor"?
if any one knows the answer please answer.
Perhaps, just perhaps, you have been misinformed. Do you mean vice-chancellor? --Ballchef 08:34, 11 October 2005 (UTC)
- The author of this (202.56.221.202 (talk · contribs) feels so strongly about the issue that they wanted to ask a question again which was already answered... by themselves... when they first posted it. They also seem to have been involved with the George Giri astroturfing mentioned on the talk page. Lovely. Shimgray | talk | 12:18, 11 October 2005 (UTC)
SCARLETT
I LOOK UP YOUR NEW BOOKS FOR YEAR 1991 AND DID NOT SEE NOVEL SCARLETT A SEQUEL TO GONE WITH THE WIND BY MARGARET MITCHELL
- Our 1991 in literature article does now. Thanks for the tip. Capitalistroadster 04:58, 11 October 2005 (UTC)
Better Degree
under current economics condiions, is it better to read for a bachelors degree in information technology or economics and management
- Depends on which country you are from. Different economies are in different states. In Australia, the economy is quite strong while in Germany, the economy is in deep depression. Capitalistroadster 06:01, 11 October 2005 (UTC)
- Germany's economy may be growing rather slowly (0.7% expected this year, 1.1% forecast for 2006 [16]), but it's not in a deep depression. David Sneek 07:40, 11 October 2005 (UTC)
- However, in general, employment conditions in the IT industry are a lot better than people believe, if not as good as they were in those hazy crazy days of the late 1990's. However, in the English-speaking world at least, the really hot jobs at the moment include things like nursing (in fact, any medicine-related field), and mining engineering. But by the time you finish your degree who knows what the situation will be? --Robert Merkel 22:52, 11 October 2005 (UTC)
40-45
Are you drinkin with me Jesus?!?
The Christian messiah Jesus can't drink with you as according to scripture, he is in heaven, and if you don't believe that, then he is surely thoroughly decomposed by now. However, there are likely millions of spanish speaking men named Jesus and one of them may happen to be drinking with you. -Drdisque 16:14, 11 October 2005 (UTC)
- You should try out Judaism for a little while, we get to drink with the prophet Elijah (no, not the guy from the LOTR movies) on passover, of course he just drinks air, since he isn't really there, he's symbolism, but if he were there, he'd be having a glass of whine, if by whine you mean air, and of course we don't technically drink with him, just leave the last drink for him, or course he's not any more real than that Jesus guy, so it doesn't matter too much--Armen Schrikken 00:24, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
- I don't know if he reads Wikipedia that often, either. smurrayinchester(User), (Talk), (Recent Contrib) 16:30, 14 October 2005 (UTC)
Hurricane Katrina
What was the final death toll of Hurricane Katrina?
- From Hurricane Katrina: "The official death toll now stands at 1,242" ☢ Kieff | Talk 08:43, 11 October 2005 (UTC)
- That article also has an entire section devoted to the death toll. Hurricane_Katrina#Death_toll_.28summary.29 - Mgm|(talk) 08:49, 11 October 2005 (UTC)
Plagarism?
I've recently been accused of plagarism on a paper i wrote, one which where i used wikipedia as my main source. Considering i used much of this website i cited wikipedia as a whole. Is there anyway I can search this website for a specific idea or something which i could have unknowingly plagerized? Accused passage is....
"This situation seems to be most accurately described as a culture clash. Regardless of similarities, it seems that these three strange bedfellows, native Americans, Africans and Europeans have an overwhelming propensity towards violence, hatred and malice."
If this looks slightly similar to any other page you happen to know of i would appreciate your imput. Im sorry if this isnt the best place to ask this kind of question, i couldnt really find anywhere better
--fred
Please see the post below. I got myself all flummoxed!
- See Wikipedia:Citing Wikipedia on how to reference the particular article you used. - Mgm|(talk) 16:46, 11 October 2005 (UTC)
I hope we can let you off the plagiarism hook here because I hope that wasn't a direct quote from one of our history articles. It is so bad in so many ways (outdated racist views, bad history, bad social science, factually wrong, mangled metaphor, revolting writing style...) that it shouldn't have been allowed to stand as written in any imaginable encyclopedia article. I will go so far as to doubt that anyone who could write such a sentence would have anything worthwhile to offer wikipedia. alteripse 17:51, 11 October 2005 (UTC)
Deciphering substitution codes
I was wondering if anybody could help me decipher what I believe to be a substitution code? This is the information I have:-
Ciphertext: UGEFXYPWMB
The key word could be either dennis, zebra, doug or yak. There is a strong possibilty that it may be something different but I'm not sure.
If anyone can help me out, I'd be very grateful!
Thanks!
86.131.122.31 14:49, 11 October 2005 (UTC)
- I'll have a crack at it. In the mean time, try reading this page, to get an idea on how to solve it. - Mgm|(talk) 16:59, 11 October 2005 (UTC)
- The usual way of doing a keyword-based substitution cypher is to put the keyword followed by the remaining alphabet:
ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ ZEBRACDFGHIJKLMNOPQSTUVWXY
then map letters between the two lines (either up or down, you have a choice). However, "DENNIS" can't be a keyword (can't have repeated letters). Using this method, either way, neither "DENIS", "ZEBRA", "DOUG", or "YAK" produce anything intelligible with your cyphertext. Any other keywords you could try, or other methods that might be used? --Bob Mellish 17:47, 11 October 2005 (UTC)
- Substituting 2 letters at a time with the 5x5 grid from the above link doesn't produce anything legible either. - Mgm|(talk) 18:03, 11 October 2005 (UTC)
What is being described above is a traditional caesar cypher. I wrote a quick python script to do the caeser decyphering for some given keyword and cyphertext:
>>> def transform (txt, word):
start = ["a", "b", "c", "d", "e", "f", "g", "h", "i", "j", "k", "l", "m", "n", "o", "p", "q", "r", "s", "t", "u", "v", "w", "x", "y", "z"]
for a in range (0, len(word)):
start.remove(word[a])
trans = list (word)
while (len(start)>0):
trans.append(start[0])
del start [0]
start = ["a", "b", "c", "d", "e", "f", "g", "h", "i", "j", "k", "l", "m", "n", "o", "p", "q", "r", "s", "t", "u", "v", "w", "x", "y", "z"]
ret = ""
lst = list (txt)
while (len(lst) > 0):
ret += trans[start.index(lst[0])]
del lst[0]
return ret
>>> q = "UGEFXYPWMB".swapcase()
>>> q
'ugefxypwmb'
>>> transform(q, "zebra")
>>> transform(q, "doug")
'tcabxynwko'
>>> transform(q, "yak")
'tecdwxovla'
Clearly, it is not a caeser cypher using those three words. →Raul654 05:35, 12 October 2005 (UTC)
- Just a terminology nitpick, but a Caesar cipher uses a cyclically-shifted alphabet. The above is a general monoalphabetic simple substitution cipher using an alphabet derived from a keyword. ;-) But assuming that none of the keywords work in the well-known scheme described above, it's probably not possible to decipher the ciphertext using a general approach to solving, simply because there's so many plausible plaintexts (see Unicity distance). — Matt Crypto 13:08, 15 October 2005 (UTC)
- Hey you guys, is there any way to show the code (above) without the "leading space" which causes the irritating wide page. <pre> and <nowiki> doesn't seem to do it. --hydnjo talk 02:04, 16 October 2005 (UTC)
bubba crosby and chef
are they okay after last nights collision? 216.220.231.226 15:37, 11 October 2005 (UTC) Bubba and chef collided against the wall and at first it looked like bubba got the worst when his head got crushed against the wall but chef went down hard and stayed down. bubba got up and grabbed the ball. 216.220.231.226 15:44, 11 October 2005 (UTC)
- It helps to provide a little more context (say, New York Yankees or Major League Baseball), but from the box score[17], both stayed in the game, so I'd expect no injuries of importance. The lack of articles specifically covering the collision would seem to indicate the same. Also, Gary Sheffield's name is more correctly abbreviated Sheff. — Lomn | Talk / RfC 16:11, 11 October 2005 (UTC)
10 Types of Internet Abuese Such as "Pirating, Copyright infrengment"
What are 10 types of technology abuses? thanks in advance, i need this ASAP.
Lordned 16:21, 11 October 2005 (UTC)
Do your own homework. android79 16:26, 11 October 2005 (UTC)
Homework! o_O.... This isnt homework. I can ask a question to learn things without it being called homework??
Lordned 16:33, 11 October 2005 (UTC)
You wouldn't need exactly 10 things, and need them ASAP, if this weren't part of a homework assignment. android79 16:36, 11 October 2005 (UTC)
I just need to know what some are. That way i can research them. I just want to know. Not have to know.
Lordned 16:39, 11 October 2005 (UTC)
- I tend to agree with Android -- this has all the hallmarks -- but you might start with the copyright infringement of software and see where that leads. — Lomn | Talk / RfC 16:56, 11 October 2005 (UTC)
- You might not want to include Piracy in your list though, unless there's some connection between plundering ships and copying software that you'd like to tell us about... Ojw 20:03, 11 October 2005 (UTC)
- I was going to make a joke about barratry here, but on reading that article I find it has a non-admiralty meaning - "the act or practice of bringing repeated legal actions solely to harass", which perfectly sums up an abuse common on the internet! Shimgray | talk | 20:20, 11 October 2005 (UTC)
- Before I found this place,
- Your examples are of bad stuff that typical users of the Internet might do. There's also bad stuff done by people who everyone thinks are criminals except them, and people who are not criminals just incompetent, like in business or web site design.
AlMac|(talk) 02:19, 12 October 2005 (UTC)
- Piracy. It's becoming a big problem with wooden legs, eye patches, and parrots all over the place. Arr matey!
- Hax0rz. They jack into the matrix and upload virus coeds to steal your megahurtz!
- Truth. The interweb is so widespread the gubmint can no longer hide the truth about the secret psychic illuminati dolphin moonbase project
- But by far the worst offence, the one that'll really have the FBI kicking in your door at 6 AM....
- People trying to get Wikipedians to do their homework for them
Question my brother has posed me!
My brother has posed me the following question which I don't even understand. It is this - '3 targets, 617.17/05/43. Can anybody help with this?
Many thanks.
- 17/05/43 looks like a date to me - May 17, 1943. What happened then? From 1943:
- May 17 - World War II: Surviving RAF Dam Busters return.
- May 17 - The United States Army contracts with the University of Pennsylvania's Moore School to develop the ENIAC.
- The key there is the first one - the "Dam Busters" were a popular name for a single set of attacks on German dams carried out by the RAF. (You may recall the film). The unit involved was No. 617 Squadron RAF, the attacks were codenamed Operation Chastise - and they were carried out on three major dams, in the early morning of May 17th. (Because some aircraft were diverted to secondary targets, four dams were actually attacked, but the plan targeted three). This looks rather like an answer to your brother's question... three targets, by 617, on 17/05/43. Shimgray | talk | 16:47, 11 October 2005 (UTC)
- Good one ! Tintin 22:34, 11 October 2005 (UTC)
- Blimey, that was impressive Shimgray! --Noodhoog 15:16, 12 October 2005 (UTC)
Looking for a specific word
What is the word for a contraption used in the olden days to hold a single person, usually somebody rich and powerful? It's got handles a the ends or corners, and servants hold them; it's big enough so that the person inside can lay down. It's also usually identified with the Middle East. --Merovingian (t) (c) 17:30, 11 October 2005 (UTC)
- Thank you very much! The article refers to litter, which was exactly what I needed. --Merovingian (t) (c) 17:55, 11 October 2005 (UTC)
- You're quite welcome. StuRat 23:37, 11 October 2005 (UTC)
- Or (IMO better) palanquin, which refers to a rather more general class of lacky-portable peoplemover. -- Finlay McWalter | Talk 00:39, 12 October 2005 (UTC)
BADGER MINES IN ONTARIO
- Badgers are not mined -- they are hunted. Would you care to clarify your question? Ground Zero | t 19:23, 11 October 2005 (UTC)
- hum, badger mines, that sounds like a rather cartoonish way to deal with badgers, I think someone's been watching a bit too much Cadyshack, or perhaps we're thinking of the wrong type of mine, maybe Badger Mines, are really mines, where badgers are extracted from the earth, then refined for their presous metals--Armen Schrikken 00:13, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
- Lots of ignorant people in the world who name their places after some local scenery that won't be around forever, instead of based on what the place does, or the people who do it, such as
- [Badger Mine http://www.shullsburg.com/mine/mine.htm in Wisconsin] which mined lead.
- Badger Mine in Missouri which mined lead
- and lots more such mines around the USA
- Hmm, perhaps in historical times Badger (which we know today as an animal) was another name for Lead (as in the metal)?
- Here is info on the Badger Mine in Ontario & it looks like what it mined was silver. So what was the question again?
AlMac|(talk) 19:19, 15 October 2005 (UTC)
House of leaves: A movie?
How come they have not made the novel House of Leaves into a movie? Its perfect for a blair witchy kind of film and it was on the bestseller list. Any ideas?
- Either no one with connections suggested it to a film studio or there's no one with a screenplay yet. If those are covered, it's likely a problem with finding funding for the project. Getting something made into a movie is quite complicated and can take a very long time. For example: Anthony Horowitz sold the rights to film Alex Rider way back, but only now the 6th book is out have they started filming. - Mgm|(talk) 18:26, 11 October 2005 (UTC)
Bank vs Banc
What's the deal with BofA's "Bank of America" and then "Banc of America Securities"?
- I don't know about BoA, but I used to work at a bank called Great Southern Bank. The bank was owned by a corporation called Great Southern Bancorp. I don't know why the name was different, except to perhaps distinguish it for purposes of SEC filings, etc.--WhiteDragon 21:23, 11 October 2005 (UTC)
- It may be that Banc of America Securities is a securities company, not a bank. Similarly, Great Southern Bancorp is a holding company, not a bank. The SEC may prohibit a company that is not a bank from using that word in its name. How about "I Can't Believe It's Not a Banc, Inc."? Ground Zero | t 21:26, 11 October 2005 (UTC)
- I think you are exactly correct. There are specific rules about what kinds of business may or may not use "Bank", "Savings Bank", "Savings and Loan", "Credit Union" etc. so probably by calling it Banc they avoid that limitation while still seeming close to their brand name. --WhiteDragon 21:36, 11 October 2005 (UTC)
- And see Banc for what may be a POV description of the use of the term. --jpgordon∇∆∇∆ 00:35, 12 October 2005 (UTC)
Film Formats
Instead of TV programming moving to widescreen, why wouldn't the film industry move to normal size film?
- I'm not in either industry but just a guess would be that a wider screen would have the psychological effect of bringing you into the presentation. You can be "wrapped" in the action. Just a guess though. Dismas|(talk) 21:17, 11 October 2005 (UTC)
- Back in the pre-tv days, films (for the most part) were in what we would think of today as "TV Format", that is, an aspect ratio of around 1.33:1. With the invention of TV the movie studios, who were seeing falling sales for the first time, were eager to find something different to offer audiences to lure them back to the theatres. Thus, wide screen was popularized as something audiences could not see in their homes. Now, with the growing popularity of widescreen, hi-def TVs and home theatres, the studios are desperate to find another gimmick to keep the public's butts in $9 a pop seats and out of living rooms. Changing back to a narrower aspect ratio is unlikely to be an option. Brian Schlosser42 17:37, 12 October 2005 (UTC)
The novel "The Crib"
There was a horror novel by that name that concerned this crib made of the wood where jesus was crucified and was killing little children. It was a fascinating fiction horror. I cant find it anywhere and cant even find it in out of print. Am I dreaming about this book or is it real?
Three movies that I cant get out of mind.
I used to watch the saturday afternoon movie show and they had these hooror movies that were great. I am looking for three.
One-Dont know the title but remember there was huge mushroom cloud in the beginning and then sometime later there is a woman who hears a churchbell only to find out its a skeleton hanging on the pulley. The last thing I remember is she has a baby who dies.
Two-A girl goes to find her father on a bus in the forest which is attacked by creatures. She gets to the house and it seems like there is vampires there. at the end she is in a hayloft with a guy and bites him on the neck.
Three- All I remember about this movie is that it had zombies with dark circles for eyes. One of them gets run over and stands up and some normal people put one in some sort of tank and examine it.
Help me find these movies!
- Movies two and three don't sound familiar, but the first movie sounds a bit like Threads, a British moc-doc about a nuclear war, with the mushroom cloud and the stillborn baby. Have you tried the one of the general discussion groups at IMDb? Brian Schlosser42 17:47, 12 October 2005 (UTC)
The first one is not Threads as it was made in 1985 and I saw this when I was young and it couldnt be later than 1980 but it seemed to be in black and white so it may have been earlier than the 70's.
EUROPES OLDEST CITIES
What are the ten oldest cities in Europe.
- That depends on whether you want places that are still occupied, and how big a place has to be to be a city. --Gareth Hughes 20:34, 11 October 2005 (UTC)
- I suspect that most of the candidates would be in Italy and Greece. Corinth for example was founded about 6000 BC. Capitalistroadster 01:04, 12 October 2005 (UTC)
- The problem with dating the foundings of cities in the "Old World" is that their dates of settlement are vague and not easily verifiable, often pre-dating reliable record-keeping. For example, the "traditional" (mythical) date of the founding of Rome was, as every schoolboy knows, 753 B.C. However, archealogical evidence has shown that the site of Rome has been settled since around about 1000 B.C. I hope that helps.Shelburne Kismaayo 23:54, 12 October 2005 (UTC)
NORTH AMERICAN CITIES
What is the oldest city in THE UNITED STATES.
- See Gareth's request for clarification above, please. While Jamestown, Virginia is the oldest successful colony in the present-day United States, it may not meet city criteria. — Lomn | Talk / RfC 21:17, 11 October 2005 (UTC)
- Jamestown's the oldest English-settled colony: St. Augustine, Florida, predates it and Santa Fe, New Mexico, matches it. It all depends on the asker's definition of "city", of course, but I'm rooting for Acoma Pueblo. –Hajor 21:54, 11 October 2005 (UTC)
- Excellent point, I knew I was forgetting something. :)
- Jamestown's the oldest English-settled colony: St. Augustine, Florida, predates it and Santa Fe, New Mexico, matches it. It all depends on the asker's definition of "city", of course, but I'm rooting for Acoma Pueblo. –Hajor 21:54, 11 October 2005 (UTC)
- Remember that most of the territory that is now the USA, was conquered by the Spanish long before the English colonists overran the area perhaps 200 years later, so the Spanish probably started some settlements which have evolved into cities today, like Los Angeles perhaps.
- "Most"? "Conquered"? Plus, don't count places in California. The first Spanish settlement in California was San Diego, and it wasn't settled till 1776. User:Zoe|(talk) 03:52, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
- Your title is NORTH AMERICAN while the question is USA ... If you include non-USA in North America, perhaps there was a Vikings settlement which grew into a modern city.
- I think most American Indians were nomadic tribes without fixed villages, but I wonder if any exceptions might have made sufficient peace with the palefaces, that any of their villages grew into modern day communities.
AlMac|(talk) 02:26, 12 October 2005 (UTC)
- One of the oldest cities in North America would be Mexico City which was Tenochtitlan under the Aztecs and was believed to be one of the largest cities in the world when the Spanish conquered the Aztecs. It was founded in 1325. Cempoala was settled 1,500 years before the Spanish arrived and is eight kilometres from Veracruz, Veracruz so Veracruz might be a contender. I suspect that the oldest city in North America is somewhere in Central America. I doubt if any of the Viking settlements became cities. The only Viking settlement to be found in Vinland was at L'Anse aux Meadows in Newfoundland. Capitalistroadster 04:55, 12 October 2005 (UTC)
- The oldest European-founded city in the western hemisphere is Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. The oldest English settlement that eventually grew into a large "city" is definately Boston, Massachusetts (founded in 1620). Shelburne Kismaayo 23:47, 12 October 2005 (UTC)
Cardinal players
My father, Robert N. Samel, played for the St. Louis Cardinals in the 1940's. I am trying to find any info or stats on him and I don't know where to start. Can you help?--68.119.254.190 20:55, 11 October 2005 (UTC)pam benson
- One place would be [18] but going through the 1940s, I don't see anyone of that name playing for the Cardinals. And a Player Search for "Robert Samel" doesn't find him. You might want to check the spelling/team. Perhaps he played for a Cardinal's associated minor league team? (The site doesn't include rookies or minor leaguers). For $5 you could have him looked up in the minor league data base. - Nunh-huh 21:59, 11 October 2005 (UTC)
You do mean the Baseball St. Louis Cardinals, right? The Arizona Cardinals of the NFL played in St. Louis from 1960 to 1987. During the 1940's the franchise was located in Chicago.
THE OLDEST COUNTRY
What is the world's oldest country?
- Depends entirely how you define "country". In many ways you can argue no modern country is older than about four centuries; however, as a unified nation, a good bet would perhaps be China. Shimgray | talk | 22:48, 11 October 2005 (UTC)
- Assyria was there before Egypt. Before Assyria, the nation-states of Babylon and Samuria were in existence. I believe Ur is thought to be the first nation-state, but it was more of a city. --Screwball23 02:29, 17 October 2005 (UTC)
- Would Egypt be older than China, or does it not count if the people of the area not have a continuous same kind of government since the days of the Pyramids? AlMac|(talk) 02:31, 12 October 2005 (UTC)
- China hasn't had the same kind of Government being ruled by Mongols, indigenous dynasties of Emperors, the Nationalists and the Communists over the millenia. China and Egypt are the most likely contenders. Capitalistroadster 04:57, 12 October 2005 (UTC)
- I'm going to have to go with China, Egypt's borders move around too much, think WWII, OTE, Greek and Roman empires just to name a few, oh and Byzantium, Egypt kept getting swallowed up by larger countires, where as China's pretty much always been China, give or take a few miles--Armen Schrikken 00:09, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
- If by "oldest country", you mean "first unified state large enough to be impressive on a map", it's definitely Egypt. Egypt is just much older as a unified state than China (since 3100 BC). China has had more continuity of governance over the centuries, and been less subject to "foreign" rule (but it depends on how you define that), but Egypt even under non-native rule has never stopped existing as a distinct organizational and cultural enitity.--Pharos 10:58, 16 October 2005 (UTC)
SMALL PLACES
What are the ten smallest countries in the world.
- Answer here:[19]--inksT 21:44, 11 October 2005 (UTC)
- Or at microstates. Ojw
LOTR
I hear the lord of the rings is an anagory to worldwars one and two what proof do historians have to support this.
- I assume you're meanining "allegory". In literature (or anything other than math) there is no way of proving anything. The most common way LOTR is compared to WWII is something like:
- Sauron (Mordor) is Germany
- Saruman (Isengard) is the USSR
- Gondor, Rohan, etc. are the western powers (i.e. the U.S., Britain, etc.)
- The Ring of Power one of the advanced weapons of war, possibly a nuclear bomb.
- However, it should be noted that "Tolkien did repeatedly insist that his works were not an allegory of any kind". This topic is brought up in LOTR#The_books. --Borbrav 22:57, 11 October 2005 (UTC)
In fact, Tolkien loathed allegory as a literary device. For more on the inspiration for LoTR and Tolkien's other works, I highly recommend JRR Tolkien: Author of the Century by Tom Shippey. android79 00:33, 12 October 2005 (UTC)
- Notably, if LotR were a strict allegory and we go with the ring is a superweapon (the most logical conclusion), then Boromir would have won out and used it. The Allies didn't exactly spare military measures at any point. — Lomn | Talk / RfC 05:42, 12 October 2005 (UTC)
THE HURRICANE KATRINA OF EUROPE...
Has a hurricane ever hit a city in Europe like Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans?
- No. For various reasons, Europe isn't exposed to hurricanes - which tend to form off Africa and travel westwards - in the same way as America. However, there have been natural disasters resulting in flooding and major loss of life; see for example the North Sea flood of 1953, the Bristol Channel floods, 1607, the Vajont Dam disaster, the Santorini eruption, or the 1755 Lisbon earthquake. Shimgray | talk | 22:41, 11 October 2005 (UTC)
- Specifically, Europe doesn't get tropical cyclones. But see that article for "extratropical cyclones". Nowhere near as strong as Katrina. --jpgordon∇∆∇∆ 00:33, 12 October 2005 (UTC)
- Hurricane Vince made landfall in Spain this very week while still a tropical storm. This seems to be unprecedented, at least since proper records began to be kept: our article on Vince says that "Vince is the first tropical cyclone on record to have made landfall on the Iberian Peninsula". As also mentioned in the article, it was also noteworthy for forming over seas considerably cooler than would be expected for tropical storm formation. Loganberry (Talk) 22:33, 12 October 2005 (UTC)
- Also, they're not called hurricanes in that particular hemisphere, also, India pretty much gets hammered by some of the most severe tropical cyclones around, year after year, same region too, unfortuantly quite far below sea level, or course that's more Eur-asia, than European, per se--Armen Schrikken 00:04, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
- Hurricanes in the Eastern Hemisphere spin in exactly the same direction as in the Western Hemisphere; the Greenwich Meridian is an arbitrary division and weather pays it no heed. What matters is which side of the Equator they're on - so that the rare South Atlantic tropical cyclones do indeed spin in the opposite direction. Since Europe (like India, in fact) is in the Northern Hemisphere, a hurricane hitting that continent (as Vince did) spins the same way as any other North Atlantic hurricane. (NB: It's per se, not "per say".) 81.159.56.103 00:39, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
georgia
What is georgias main source of income for any year
- Georgia as in the U.S. state or Georgia as in the country? Dismas|(talk) 23:25, 11 October 2005 (UTC)
USA USA USA
What are the ten greatest ANTI-WAR MOVIES of all time.
Best one I know is Johnny Got His Gun from the novel by Dalton Trumbo. What others, fellow editors? alteripse 23:42, 11 October 2005 (UTC)
- Let's see. Paths of Glory. All Quiet on the Western Front. Grand Illusion. Dr. Strangelove. On the Beach. --jpgordon∇∆∇∆ 00:26, 12 October 2005 (UTC)
- I found this list - though I've only seen, er, two of them and I wouldn't have called one anti-war. The other is Dr. Strangelove, which for some reason I'm loath to call anti-war - it's strongly anti-MAD, yes, but it doesn't address war so much as it specifically addresses the Cold War, if that makes sense. Shimgray | talk | 00:26, 12 October 2005 (UTC)
- Full metal jacket of course. --Ballchef 01:25, 12 October 2005 (UTC)
- Easy Rider and (believe it or not) Patton (Patton is unique in that it was billed both as an anti-war and a pro-war movie). →Raul654 01:30, 12 October 2005 (UTC)
- M_A_S_H & Catch-22 are worth a mention Majts 01:49, 12 October 2005 (UTC)
- Platoon surely — File:Ontario trillium sig.pngmendel ☎ 18:11, 12 October 2005 (UTC)
- Strangelove will probably go down in history as the greatest anti-war-war movie, you might also want to try Duck Soup, especially if you're a fan of MASH, a few of the jokes may seem farmiliar--Armen Schrikken 00:01, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
A-T-L-A-N-T-A
What is the main source of income for both Georgia the state and Georgia the country?
- If you follow the link to Georgia (country) you'll see a section on the economy with a link to another article by the name of Economy of Georgia. That should help you on your research. Dismas|(talk) 00:51, 12 October 2005 (UTC)
- Well, after they fell into the ocean, it was a little hard for everyone to find work, all that sea water and all, so they pretty much sold exclusive rights to their story to Homer, who went around telling everyone about them for a margianal fee, more recently, as a loophole has been found in acint greek copyright law, the rights have been picked up by the scifichannel, they plan to pay the Atlanains millions for the right to tell their story, oh and something about aliens and a flying city, of course those might have been raelians, not aliens, you never know with these cable channels--Armen Schrikken 23:58, 12 October 2005 (UTC)
wikipedia
See Eureka which literally translates to "I am in a state of having found it" Majts 01:22, 12 October 2005 (UTC)
Skydiving jerks
Guys, I've got a question about slang.
One of my friends is a skydiver, and I was recently asking him and a couple of his friends a question about what they do, and one of them jokingly called me a wuffo. What's a wuffo guys? Do I need to go punch this guy in the face?
- urbandictionary.com is great at this sort of slang question; see this page. Basically, it's somebody who doesn't understand skydiving. They may be venturing into jerk territory using deliberately obscure slang in front of you, but it wasn't a violent insult. --Robert Merkel 02:53, 12 October 2005 (UTC)
giraffes
How do giraffes sleep - standing up or lying down? --Helen harty 02:02, 12 October 2005 (UTC)Helen Harty
- They lie down to sun themselves, so it seems reasonable they might sleep that way as well. - Nunh-huh 02:06, 12 October 2005 (UTC)
- I'm not so sure, at Taronga Zoo their quarters are very tall, I always thought this was so they could sleep with out getting stiff necks. Plus, don't a lot of other four legged animals sleep standing? --Ballchef 06:26, 12 October 2005 (UTC)
- They never sleep, like sharks they swim around in the ocean all night with smaller fish latching onto them for food--Armen Schrikken 23:54, 12 October 2005 (UTC)
- I'm not so sure, at Taronga Zoo their quarters are very tall, I always thought this was so they could sleep with out getting stiff necks. Plus, don't a lot of other four legged animals sleep standing? --Ballchef 06:26, 12 October 2005 (UTC)
- I remember someone telling me they sleep standing and lie their necks down on the ground as far as they can. I can't vouch for the validity of that information, though. - 131.211.51.34 08:24, 12 October 2005 (UTC)
Order of British Empire medals
are the medals made of pure gold and silver or are they only plated in gold and silver ? R. Eaton
- I don't think our article on the Order of the British Empire article addresses that issue. I will place your question on the talk page. On the Royal Family page on the OBE a gilt medal is shown but that is an historical medal for the period 1917-37 see [20]. Capitalistroadster 05:12, 12 October 2005 (UTC)
- Given the high price of gold, the number of medals given out each year & the fact that there hasn't been any outcry in the press in the UK about the cost of OBE's (though there has been about other issues related to them) then I'd say that they would have to be gold & silver plated. AllanHainey 07:29, 12 October 2005 (UTC)
Accounting
What is the history of FASB Statement No. 87 which was issued in 1987
HYDROGIN AS A FUEL SOURCE??
You can put stuff other than gas in your cars, or only certain cars?
Well Hydrogen is 2/3 of water, so, like, cars that hve engines that are 1/3 water mixed in like air and gasoline. Cause like human are 80% water so we use hydrogen and not gasoline, and most cars are like 8%, but if the car is 20% or more water then it can run on hydrogen?
Is thish true if so what for boats?? THis is what my friend told me in chimistry
Is it all al/l like this for baots?
- You're over simplifying, while hydrogen is 2/3s of the atoms in water, it's hardly that signifigant a percentage by mass ~ 2:18, in favor of oxygen by mass, and one presumes that whilest dealing with combustion of fuel sources, one would use molar quantaties, thus, it is not 2/3 of water--Armen Schrikken 23:52, 12 October 2005 (UTC)
- Hydrogen is only partially useful as a fuel source -- you have to spend more energy in separating the hydrogen from water than you get out of burning it. It can be used as a vehicle fuel but you can't run an economy on it. Haikupoet 03:49, 12 October 2005 (UTC)
- There are two kinds of energy sources, either a ready source of energy (such as fossil fuels, solar, tidal, wind, geothermal, and nuclear power) or a temporary way to store energy (like a battery or flywheel). Hydrogen is not a ready source of energy, since we don't find large quantities of it readily available as we do with petroleum. However, it can be used as a temporary way to store energy, similar to batteries. Note that other temporary energy storage methods also require more energy to go in than we get out. They also tend to lose energy over time. Hydrogen may have advantages over batteries (which contain materials toxic to the environment) and flywheels (which can't hold much energy). Hydrogen can be "burnt" either in a traditional internal combustion engine (modified for the purpose) or in a fuel cell engine which produces electricity to drive an electric vehicle. StuRat 15:55, 12 October 2005 (UTC)
- I think the question was whether hydrogen could be used in a normal, gasoline-burning car. The simple answer is no, you need special technology, like a hydrogen fuel cell for the car to operate off of hydrogen. --Borbrav 05:34, 12 October 2005 (UTC)
- It's not super-difficult to modify a conventional engine to run on hydrogen; a great example is this hydrogen powered postie bike. The big question is whether it makes any economic or environmental sense to do so; with present technology the answer is probably "no". --Robert Merkel 00:29, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
Wikimedia Ownership
Iss Wikpedia a private property of James Wales? Or is it a partnership or corporation? I was thinking if it is a corporation can we buy shares (publicy traded?) If it is, I have been tihnking about me, Maoririder and Pumpie (and maybe SuperDude115) pooling our cappital and buying Mr. Wales controlling shares in Wikipedia and then we will basically own the thing and run it how we want has anyone else though of it? Thank you Obrigaao.Wiki brah 04:04, 12 October 2005 (UTC)
- Wikipedia is owned by the Wikimedia Foundation, which is a non-profit 501(c)(3) corporation. So this plan is a non-starter. —Charles P. (Mirv) 04:20, 12 October 2005 (UTC)
- Define "Wikipedia" please. The name Wikipedia is trademarked, and belongs to the Wikimedia foundation (a chartered, non-profit, federal and state registered 501(c)(3). The servers that host Wikipedia also belong to the foundation. The copyright for the text (and most of the media files) hosted thereon is retained by each individual contributor, each of whom agree to license their contributions under the GFDL when they click "save this page". →Raul654 04:41, 12 October 2005 (UTC)
- Last time I check Wikipedia had not only servers in Florida but also squids in Amsterdam, France and Asia. I doubt you'd even have enough money to buy all servers that need to be running to to keep up and active. - 131.211.51.34 08:28, 12 October 2005 (UTC)
Wikipedia Liability
If Wikipedia is privately owned by Mr. Wales does it have liability limits if it gets sued for something? Is Mr. Wales risking his other assets in the event of a lawshuit? If it is a partnership or corporation does it havea stated liability limit? Does it have insurance? Who is the insurer? Does anyone know?? With all the talk of "legal threats" on here we should find out dont you thinnk?Wiki brah 04:04, 12 October 2005 (UTC)
- As stated above it is owned by the Wikimedia Foundation, founded as non-profit corporation. I am sure that the links of the bottom of the page would provide more information. Capitalistroadster 05:36, 12 October 2005 (UTC)
- Considering $4000 of the Wikimedia foundation's 2005 budget is allocated to "Legal expenses & Insurance", I think its safe to say that they do have liability insurance. -Drdisque 16:08, 12 October 2005 (UTC)
Wikipedia Assets
Does Wikimedia make money? Does it own anything else under the Wikipeida umbrella? If so, how much momney is it worth? Does it have liabilities? How does it make money? I know a lot of it is in grants, but who gives the grants? And how much? Do you think one day Mr. Wales will sell advert space on Wikipedia to make money? How much will that cost? Will he charge by the article or charge more for "popular" articles? And if he does open it up as a revenue-producer, will he change the policies of wikipeida to makke it more "advertiser friendly"? has anyone thougght of this thank you??Wiki brah 04:04, 12 October 2005 (UTC)
- Wikimedia:Budget and m:Category:Wikimedia finances should answer most of your questions. Regarding profit-making measures like ads: they are not going to happen unless the entire Board of Trustees goes completely insane. Even if that were to happen, it would almost certainly cause a fork which would take most of the active contributors with it. —Charles P. (Mirv) 04:38, 12 October 2005 (UTC)
- An old essay [[21]] by Jimmy W. states that ads were considered, and may still be, as long they are tasteful and not influential on the content. --Ballchef 06:32, 12 October 2005 (UTC)
- It might be useful to put that into context. The mere consideration of ads (even back then) caused a massive outcry from the contributors, and the spanish wikipedia went so far as to fork entirely (which is why they are prepetually the biggest laggard in the articles/native speakers metric) →Raul654 06:39, 12 October 2005 (UTC)
- So today are ads totally out of the question? surely wikipedia can't live off donations forever, can it? --Ballchef 01:39, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
- It might be useful to put that into context. The mere consideration of ads (even back then) caused a massive outcry from the contributors, and the spanish wikipedia went so far as to fork entirely (which is why they are prepetually the biggest laggard in the articles/native speakers metric) →Raul654 06:39, 12 October 2005 (UTC)
- An old essay [[21]] by Jimmy W. states that ads were considered, and may still be, as long they are tasteful and not influential on the content. --Ballchef 06:32, 12 October 2005 (UTC)
- Why couldn't it? I'm surprised how many people haven't heard of Wikipedia yet (here in the Netherlands, which is one of the most active countries in Wikipedia). If it survives now and the number of people will grow, there will be more potential contributors, both to content and financially, with the two probably growing hand in hand because the bigger Wikipedia gets, the more interresting it will become to more and more people. Of course the required hardware will also increase with usage, but there's probably still room for efficiency with growth (what's that called again?). Suppose that in the end 100 million people will use Wikipedia (10% of the western world - a very conservative estimate), who on average donate a euro per year. That would make for quite a budget, wouldn't it? Over a hundredfold the present budget. That's the beauty of information in the information age. Once you have it, distribution is almost free of cost (realtively speaking). Compare Google answers. There you have to pay 2,5 dollar per answer. If there are enough people who are willing to pay that, then surely this should work too. DirkvdM 17:05, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
Would you reccommend buying this guitar?
I would like to learn guitar,and was wondering if anyone had any ideas about a guitar that's cheep and good for a begginner. I found this one http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B0002F79YS/qid=1129091132/sr=8-1/ref=pd_bbs_1/102-7498656-1924927?v=glance&n=507846
I was wondering if anyone thinks that's ok for a begginner... And anything else i need to know about guitars for begginners (maybe a place to but a good set of lessons) Lordned 04:34, 12 October 2005 (UTC)
- Lordned,
Perhaps Guitar for Dummies might be a good place to start see [22]. Capitalistroadster 05:38, 12 October 2005 (UTC)
- If you're looking for an electric guitar, Ibanez guitars are excellent for beginners. If you are looking for a cheap acoustic guitar, then it really doesn't matter which brand you buy, all the cheap ones are pretty much the same. The brand only makes a difference if you're spending a little more. As a beginner, though, you may want to consider making sure the guitar neck has the dots on it (to make it easier to locate the correct fret). Look in your local telephone directory, or contact your local college for guitar lessons. Your local college may be able to put you in touch with a private tutor. Proto t c 13:00, 12 October 2005 (UTC)
Local College? I dont think we have one. I'm looking for a acustic guitar, and if i get it from amazon how do i see the spots on the neck/
- From the reviews, this one doesn't look half bad -- the reviewers provide comparisons with other low-end starter guitars, and this one comes out well. One thing to consider, though, is the size of the instrument. Dreadnaught guitars (like this one) are the largest, and smaller hands will have problems with them. The same company makes this little one, more suited for smaller players. Cheap guitars are WAY better than they were a couple decades ago; cheap no longer necessarily means lousy; back then, you get a low-end Mexican guitar and you're lucky if it sounds better than a wind-up kid's toy; but now there's a trend toward real quality among the Chinese guitar makers. --jpgordon∇∆∇∆ 16:20, 12 October 2005 (UTC)
Would it be sutible for a 5'1" kid with normal sized hands? Tnx. Lordned
- That one has dots on the neck. It's perhaps a bit big, but you'll grow into it. For that price it's probably pretty bad, but a better guitar will not make you a better guitarist, so who cares. As to learning:
- You're already doing the smart thing getting an acoustic first. An acoustic will help you build strong fingers and good ears.
- You're fingers are going to blister (although ignore Ted Nugent - when they bleed it's time to stop), but stick with it and soon you'll have calluses.
- Get someone (a real live human being, not a record or a website) to teach you how to tune the thing. This is the #1 reason beginners give up - they let the guitar go out of tune (which happens all by itself) and they fail to properly retune it - so everything sounds horrible and they think they're crap and quit. If this is the only guitar lesson you can afford to pay for (although any guitarist can teach you this, ideally for free) then it's worth the money.
- Buy an E tuning fork. That way your guitar is in tune with the music you're going to be playing to.
- Play every day, for at least 30 minutes. Play something different every other day too.
- Find some music you like, that sounds easy, and search for the chords for it on google. If it looks easy (only a few chords, and one with simple sounding names) look the chords up on the internet (millions of places have chordbooks online for free). Learn them, and try to play along with a recording.
- Later, learn a major scale, a minor scale, and the blues scale. You'll soon figure out that almost everything is written in one of these; once you figure out which (and what the "tonic" is) you'll be able to play along to almost anything.
- An important part of being a musician is listening to, and playing, far more stuff than "normal" people do. Listen to everything; blues, heavy-metal, rock, flamenco, classical, folks, pop, african, polka, country, mexican, arabic. Try to copy everything
- Stick with it, but don't work so hard that it's no fun any more. If it's not fun, you're not learning anything.
- -- Finlay McWalter | Talk 23:05, 12 October 2005 (UTC)
I found a tunning for at school, and havent a clue how to tell what type it is. Any way to tell...? Thanks for the advise... Would you reccomend a eletric tunner later on? And ummm (what was it i was going to say??) Grr i cant think of it... Lordned 23:37, 12 October 2005 (UTC)
- Go here for an excellent tuning helper. Click in the string name at the top and make your guitar sound like that. Be careful that you're not an octave away like the difference between the E on the left and the E on the right. Good luck and try puttin' your hurtin' fingers in cold (ice) water for a while to make them feel better. And do start with an acoustic guitar otherwise you're cheating. --hydnjo talk 00:47, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
- A tuning fork will generally have a letter (C, E,A♭, etc.) written on it. If it doesn't, it's not much use to anyone. If you had a bit more musical knowledge you could tune the guitar to any tuning fork, but for now an E is the easiest one. Once you've learned to tune the guitar from a fork won't need (and probably won't trust) an electric tuner. -- Finlay McWalter | Talk 12:22, 14 October 2005 (UTC)
I haven't read the other answers, but the most important thing for a beginner is to have a guitar that can be tuned well. You'd be surprised how many impure guitars there are. Every individual guitar is different. If all the guitars in a series are good then a specific one will also be, but lacking such info you'd better not buy without having someone knowledgeable with a good hearing (those are also spread thin) test it. DirkvdM 17:16, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
school
What website can I visit to sign up for the SAT's for a high school?
- I don't know much about US education, but out SAT article point us to http://www.collegeboard.com/testing/. Have fun! --Gareth Hughes 11:46, 12 October 2005 (UTC)
- Most schools in the US will sign high school students up for one of the two college entrance exams used there, either the SAT or ACT. StuRat 15:30, 12 October 2005 (UTC)
Open Systems IT- Information Technology
Hello to All, First i want to thank Wikipedia website for alowing me to post the question this is my first time i'm posting a question if there were any mistakes.. No Hard feelings..
1) What is a open systems with regards to Information Technology(IT) ? 2) If I have been given a training on Open systems will there be a good prospects ? 3) what is scope of open systems in next 5 years in India and Abroad countries ? 4) what are all the areas i should be knowing to be well versed in Open systems ?
Regards, Bhasker C.
- Our Open system (computing) article is a good place for a definition and to search for more information. Capitalistroadster 05:58, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
- A philosophical question you have to ask yourself is to reconcile:
- 99% of computer systems (hardware and software) aquisition seems to be driven by seeking the lowest purchase price, even when this is harmful to operating cost.
- Open Systems purchase pricing is microscopic compared to Commercial and Proprietory Systems.
- Open Systems have been around, under one name or another for decades.
- 99% of the enterprises in the world are on commercial or proprietory systems.
- So, if aquisition decisions are made on basis of low cost, and open is lowest cost, how come its market share is so low? I think this is a combination of:
- Commercial and Proprietory have the capital to do more effective marketing.
- A lot of people are scared of the operating overhead for Open Systems.
AlMac|(talk) 19:24, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
Ruffle, Co. Durham
Where is or was, a village called Ruffle in County Durham, UK?
- No, I can't find any mention. There's a Rufford in Lancashire, and a Rufforth in York. --Gareth Hughes 14:10, 12 October 2005 (UTC)
Armed police in the UK
Apart from PSNI, would it be possible for a UK police service to move towards arming all of its officers under current law, or is there a statutory restriction on the numbers of armed officers? --Gareth Hughes 14:54, 12 October 2005 (UTC)
- See the article British police under "Use of firearms" for more information. The issue has been put to the vote by the Police Federation of England and Wales several times, and their members have categorically voted against routine arming. It is possible as I don't think there is a statutory reason or restriction, and the Nottingham Police did introduce routine firearms for patrolling officers in 2001. -- Canley 06:43, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
Freeway / Highway Overpass
Where and when was the first one built?
- According to this article "Boston's subway (underground) was the first in the United States". I'm still working to get above ground. --hydnjo talk 00:25, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
- Well, that doesn't quite qualify as a highway overpass :) . Considering that the first highways were built in Germany under Hitler and that it is unlikely that they let them cut through the contryside without a means to get across the first Overpasses will probably have been built there too. DirkvdM 17:21, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
SMS.ac
All help on their site focusses on members, but does anyone know how one can stop unwanted messages from them when you're not a member? I don't feel like encouraging my sister to reply to the messages. She might end up having to pay for them otherwise. Is anyone around here knowledgeable about this "service"? - Mgm|(talk) 16:01, 12 October 2005 (UTC)
- If you go to their website, hit terms, enter your country, and after the tarrif they show a number you can text STOP ALL to, which they say stops you getting messages. -- Finlay McWalter | Talk 22:22, 12 October 2005 (UTC)
- They say. Yeah right. I don't know about this site, but I assume you mean you recieve spam. Never ever react to spam. I'm only troubled by one spamming company (liquidtreat - on spam per week on average), probably because I always adhered to that rule. Once you react they know your address is real and you'll never get rid of them. DirkvdM 17:24, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
where do gorillas live?
(no question)
- According to our Gorilla article, "the forests of central Africa". Oh, and zoos too I guess.--Commander Keane 17:01, 12 October 2005 (UTC)
- Gorillas, being fairly large, spend most of their time on the ground. They could climb low branches of large trees, but can't go onto smaller branches high in the tree canopy like smaller primates. StuRat 20:51, 12 October 2005 (UTC)
- you should also point out, that among the smaller primates, bonobos and chimps, while looking almost identical, have totally different habitation preferences --Armen Schrikken 23:44, 12 October 2005 (UTC)
- In general, larger primates, like gorillas, humans, and apes, live on the ground, while smaller primates, like monkeys and lemurs, live in the tree canopy, but there are exceptions. StuRat 04:55, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
- Do you sometimes wonder if the questioner ever comes back for an answer to the question. I do but I don't care. Answering is still fun! --hydnjo talk 00:15, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
- Yea, I do. A thanks would be nice so we know they got, and are satisfied with, the answer. StuRat 04:55, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
- What? No "wherever they want"? - Nunh-huh 05:03, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
Naruto
You say that there are "currently" about 154 episodes of the anime Naruto. So that means that it is still continuing over in Japan and has not ended? You also say that the manga is still "currently" at volume something. Is the manga still continuing over in Japan?
216.125.152.244 16:33, 12 October 2005 (UTC)Kitsune Hi
- Talk:Naruto would probably be the best place to ask, but from what I've heard, Naruto is still being serialized in manga, and that the animated version is indeed still in production. Great, another jillion-episode anime series that goes on for hundreds of episodes after it jumps the shark. That's what the world needs. Garrett Albright 19:23, 12 October 2005 (UTC)
Time in the UK
What UK government department is responsible for time? As in, who decides what day we change to British Summer Time?--TheDoctor10 (talk|email) 16:45, 12 October 2005 (UTC)
- According to that article, it was Parliament through various acts, but now governed by the Summer Time Order 2002, which essentially means it's declared by the Crown. Shimgray | talk | 17:14, 12 October 2005 (UTC)
- Parliament would have to decide if we changed the date of British Summertime (I believe someone raised a Private Members Bill on this last year sometime but it never got off the ground. AllanHainey 07:57, 14 October 2005 (UTC)
Parliament is just a rubber stamp here. Directive 2000/84/EC of the European Parliament set the dates of summertime; the Summer Time Order 2002 only implemented it. Power to implement so-called "Double summertime" (putting the clocks two hours forward instead of one) was also abolished by the 2002 Order. --Tony SidawayTalk 08:23, 14 October 2005 (UTC)
Number 10 can of tomatoes
What is the weight of a number 10 can of tomatoes? Specifically, how much does the tomato content weigh in a number 10 can of tomatoes?
- Usually such a weight is mentioned as a netto weight on the can itself. The can itself is never included in that number. Alternatively, you could buy one and empty it's contents and weigh them. - Mgm|(talk) 21:51, 12 October 2005 (UTC)
- A number 10 (#10) can of anything (including tomatoes) usually contains about 3 quarts according to this. This is a volume measure so the weight would differ from one product to another. I don't think that the designation is intended to specify the weight but rather the volume of the product contained. --hydnjo talk 23:40, 12 October 2005 (UTC)
- Is this a commonly used, industry-standard system? Clearly we need an article on U.S. grocery can sizes. –Hajor 12:49, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
THE HURRICANE KATRINA OF NEW YORK
Could a hurricane hit NEW YORK like HURRICANE KATRINA hit NEW ORLEANS
- Please don't post in all capital letters, it's considered shouting and rude. Anyway, it's very unlikely that a major hurricane (category 3+) would reach New York or new England at that strength; however, hurricanes are known to move that far north. This happens most frequently as they become extratropical, though an 1893 hurricane went directly over Manhattan Island. See hurricane and its associated articles for more details. — Lomn | Talk / RfC 21:34, 12 October 2005 (UTC)
The likelihood of such an event is very minimal. Strong hurricanes (category 3 and above) require very warm water to maintain their strength and the water that far north, even during a warm summer isn't warm enough. However, Category 1 and 2 Hurricanes can and have hit locations that far north and caused significant problems. See the article on Hurricanes for mor information. Also, New York is not built below sea level so it could never flood like New Orleans did. -Drdisque 21:34, 12 October 2005 (UTC)
- How about that 1938 hurricane that hit NYC in 1938? also, please restate your question, for some odd reason it looks like you're asking a hurricane to hit NY, that's not very polite, please don't use all UPPER CASE LETTERS while addressing a hurricane on the internet, Hurricanes have feelings too you know?--Armen Schrikken 23:49, 12 October 2005 (UTC)
- Look at 1821 Norfolk and Long Island Hurricane. It seems like it was a category 3, although evidence is lacking due to weather equipment of the early 1800s. Also, note that 1821 was a strange year for weather (there was a large volcano erruption) and that most of NYC is above sea-level -- making the flooding of New Orleans virtually impossible in the city. --Quasipalm 19:43, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
There has been some talk about this recently in the city. If a large hurricane (like a 3, which seems to be the largest reasonable size) were to hit New York City, Lower Manhattan, Coney Island, the Rockaways, and much of Staten Island could all face severe flooding, and there are plans for a potential evacuation of these areas.--Pharos 09:39, 16 October 2005 (UTC)
Children's Myths
How do children wish upon a star ?
- Generally, children look at a star, close their eyes, and make a wish of some sort. Frequent wishes are either material possessions like ponies or unexpectedly deep requests such as an end to world hunger. — Lomn | Talk / RfC 21:40, 12 October 2005 (UTC)
- This one comes with music! --hydnjo talk 23:34, 12 October 2005 (UTC)
- I've no idea where it comes from (quite possibly a Disney movie, or similar), but I remember hearing a rhyme to be said to the first star you see at dusk that goes something like:
- "Star light, star bright, first star I see tonight, I hope you may, I hope you might, grant this wish I wish tonight"
- --Noodhoog 00:37, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
- Our Pinocchio (1940 movie) article states that the song referred to was "When You Wish Upon A Star" credited to Jiminy Cricket and sung by Cliff Edwards. It won an Academy Award for Best Song. Capitalistroadster 02:02, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
Unanswered point
In the game of basketball, what is an unanswered point?207.215.38.5
If when a team scores "X unanswered points" it simply means they've scored X points in a row without the other team scoring. -Drdisque 22:34, 12 October 2005 (UTC)
- This is not unique to basketball, by the way. The same phrase is commonly used in American football and is rendered as unanswered runs in baseball, among others. — Lomn | Talk / RfC 03:27, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
- So there is no such thing as an unanswered point because there is always more than one of them. DirkvdM 17:46, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
- So there is no such thing as an unanswered point because there is always more than one of them. DirkvdM 17:46, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
- So there is no such thing as an unanswered point because there is always more than one of them. DirkvdM 17:46, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
- And that's a hattrick. :) DirkvdM 17:46, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
the greatest writers who ever lived.
did any magazine produce a list of the ten greatest authors who ever lived.if so who was on the list.
- Do you mean any magazine ever? --hydnjo talk 23:30, 12 October 2005 (UTC)
- Well, there's probably such a list. But my vote goes to Edgar Allan Poe. ☢ Kieff | Talk 01:08, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
- For all ten? --hydnjo talk 01:43, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
- .... And why the hell not? ;) ☢ Kieff | Talk 04:47, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
- Well, there's probably such a list. But my vote goes to Edgar Allan Poe. ☢ Kieff | Talk 01:08, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
Woodpeckers
How long does it take a woodpecker to make a hole in a tree?
- Well, the're not really trying to make a hole in the tree. If that happens, it's a side-effect of the reasons described in the Woodpecker article. --hydnjo talk 23:26, 12 October 2005 (UTC)
- Woodpecker: George Washington's less publicized prosthesis.
Madrid train Bombing
Where can I get the names of the victims of the Madrid train bombings
- If you go here (Cadena Ser) and hover your mouse over each of the black ribbons, you will get the names of 180 of the victims.-- Arwel 00:58, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
- That is so excellent. Each ribbon... well, each ribbon. --hydnjo talk 01:41, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
indictment
- Perhaps your answer is at Indictment!--hydnjo talk 01:46, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
see indictment. --Ballchef 01:50, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
the Human Stain
see The Human Stain (spoiler warning also). --Ballchef 01:50, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
The Game (A book)
see The Game (book). zing! --Ballchef 01:50, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
Benjamin Franklin True Patriot Act
This article has information about the act http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benjamin_Franklin_True_Patriot_Act . What im looking for is an article about what the congress did with the bill, it has a brief statment about this at the top but not an article, would be greatly appriciated if someone could find me the source of that statement. Thanks
- According to Thomas, this Bill has been referred to Committee and not re-emerged [23]. I doubt if it will currently. BTW, do US bills not passed by the next Congressional election lapse. Capitalistroadster 02:07, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
- A close reading of our Bill (proposed law) article suggests that the Bill either never made it out of Committee or was dropped. Capitalistroadster 02:44, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
Chinese Food Containers?
like the ones that soup come in, are they microwavable?--Talk to the yam 02:25, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
- You could have answered the question you know--Talk to the yam 02:41, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
The paperboard ones are microwaveable, the styrofoam ones warp if you leave them in too long, so keep an eye on them. Please be a bit more patient than 18 minutes, remember, questions are answered by real volunteer people. -Drdisque 03:17, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
- Chinese food containers are sometimes held together with metal, which is not microwaveable, so check for that. I hope your soup didn't get too cold ! StuRat 03:24, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
- Imagine the future of internet-enabled household appliances... you could just hold up an item to your microwave, it would automatically take an image, post it to wikipedia's reference desk with a question asking how long it takes to cook and what type of wine to drink with it... Ojw 17:50, 14 October 2005 (UTC)
Orb Weaver
I have a spider in my house it looks like an Orb weaver with a fluer de lis on his back, his abdomen is a bright red color the fleur de lis is a tan color his legs are brown and red striped if you could let me know the name of this spider it would be helpful. THANK YOU
- It sounds like an orb weaver to me. Does it look like this one ?
- Or like the ones at Orb-weaver spider. DirkvdM 17:52, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
Buying DVD's
Is there a standard period time between when a Movie is Released and when it's available to buy it as Previously Viewed instead of new?
- No. Popular movies will have more of a delay, as long as they can keep theatres full. Unpopular movies may go to DVD quickly, in some cases even skipping the theatres entirely (the notrious "straight to video" movies). StuRat 03:27, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
- However, 3 months is typical. There is an experiment currently underway to offer simultaneous movie and DVD releases for select shows. The theory is that the amount this saves by advertising both at once will be more than it costs in lost movie sales. StuRat 13:50, 16 October 2005 (UTC)
YUM YUM YUM
What is a refried bean? Why do they have to fry it twice?
- They don't. Refried beans are fried once. - Nunh-huh 03:55, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
- It's a kind of bean paste common in Mexican cooking. StuRat 03:58, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
- Our article on Refried beans or frijoles refitos explains: "The re- in refrito doesn't mean "again", as in the beans being fried again and again, as is a common misconception. Instead, re- is a kind of intensifier, meaning the beans are fried strongly or very well." Capitalistroadster 05:09, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
Roman Numerals
How do you write 0 in Roman Numerals!?
- see Roman numerals. You don't. There's no symbol for zero. You use the word "nullae" if you have need of the concept of zero. - Nunh-huh 03:40, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
- The concept of zero as an actual number came along after the Roman Empire. It still isn't universally accepted today. Imagine asking how many years old a baby is and getting the answer "zero". StuRat 03:55, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
- Of course, Roman numerals were used long after there was no Roman Empire. The use of this system of notation was an impediment to the very useful notion of zero as a number. - Nunh-huh 03:58, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
- The concept of a zero isn't even 'universally' accepted in Wikipedia. See [[24]]. DirkvdM 12:42, 14 October 2005 (UTC)
Feet
Is there a special name for teh tops of your feet?
- I call mine "George" and "Mabel". The top of one foot is its "dorsum"; more than one dorsum are "dorsa". - Nunh-huh 03:49, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
GOOD QUESTION
Why do we say "a pair of pants" when there is only one article of clothing involved?
- see here. Also note that when medieval folk dressed, they would indeed don a pair of pants (the legs were separate, and were held up by being attached to an undergarment). So when the expression originated, it was accurate. - Nunh-huh 03:44, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
- Our Pants article states it is a plurale tantum and gives an explanation of the word's origin. Capitalistroadster 05:22, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
- Incidentally, "pants" (along with "scissors" and similar words) are torturous for many English as a second language learners. Garrett Albright 07:25, 14 October 2005 (UTC)
- What is up with this recurring question-asker who uses non sequitur all-caps subject lines and questions which are valid but totally unrelated to each other? Silly question I suppose. --Sum0 23:07, 15 October 2005 (UTC)
teflon TIME
If nothing ever sticks to TEFLON, how do they make TEFLON stick to the pan?
- Things do stick to teflon. Food just sticks to it a bit less than other materials. StuRat 03:50, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
- see here for particulars. - Nunh-huh 03:53, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
- Our Teflon article states "PTFE has the lowest coefficient of friction of any known solid material. It is used as a non-stick coating for pans and other cookware." Capitalistroadster 06:02, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
The rock.
If God can do anything, can he make a rock so big he can't lift it?
- I've heard this question before. If he can make the rock, then he is not all-powerful because he can't lift it, but if he can make it and can't lift it, then he is also not all-powerful, thus damaging the image of (I'm assuming the christian god) god. If you were not religious, you could argue that this proves god is a false idol, but if I were religious I would say that God could do it, he just doesn't want to. --Ballchef 03:51, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
I'm assuming that if he could make it that he could also make a long enough lever and a place to stand. -Drdisque 04:48, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
The relevant article is Omnipotence paradox. --cesarb 04:56, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
I have heard one response to this question that goes as follows: of course God can make a rock too massive for him to move it. It's just that he's not that stupid! Qaz (talk) 05:24, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
- Actually, I never saw this as a paradox. The way I interpret it, if he did created a rock he couldn't lift, he'd obviously be giving up his omnipotence, which is, of course, perfectly within his powers. ☢ Kieff | Talk 08:23, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
- You could call that the Superman II option. Majts 09:21, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
- There's a wee bit in the Bible that goes like this: "God's foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and God's weakness is stronger than human strength" (I Corinthians 1.25 if you want to check up on it). In fact, I beleive, this suggests an answer to the omnipotence paradox — God has created the immovable rock, and that is human free will. In fact I would say that the Bible teaches that God chooses to lay aside omnipotence in favour of love repeatedly. The creation (I am no creationist) is an example of God limiting self omnipotence, and the creation of humanity in God's image even more so. Ultimately, as a Christian, I see the cross of Christ as the ultimate divine choice for vulnerable love above complete omnipotence. Tune in next week for the sermon on human depravity and the fires of hell! --Gareth Hughes 12:15, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
Lots of answers, but here is a different one. This is an example of a semantic paradox. It is created by a linguistic operation but does not reflect a real world operation or situation. All of the resolutions involve intellectual manipulations of definitions. Sometimes pondering such a paradox gives you insight into other problems, but essentially there is no right answer that can be confirmed by reality testing. It is in the same class of conundra on which the scholastic philosophers expended so much effort, now often caricatured as debates over how many angels can dance on the head of a pin (since angels take up no physical space but the point has not space either. See Ludwig Wittgenstein. alteripse 16:04, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
kenmore dryer
Can you show me the wiring diagram for a kenmore dryer?205.188.116.131 03:42, 13 October 2005 (UTC) Email removed
- which model number ? StuRat 03:48, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
- Emily,
I have removed your e-mail so that you don't get spam and because no emails will be sent anyway. The answer will hopefully be provided here.
Capitalistroadster 05:34, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
Can Anyone Explain This Strange Effect?
You first have to try this.Point your index finger at your forehead.Move the finger very close to it towards the center right above your nose,but stop just short of touching your forehead.Do not move your finger for a while keeping it as steady as you can.You begin to get a strange sensation of pain or weight or a tingling sensation.Can anyone explain this strange effect?This effect continues to last even if we shut our eyes. Are we interfering with the brain waves or something?
By Asim.
- Well, Asim, I'm not sure what you did exactly, but if you are trying too hard to focus on something out of range at the far edge of your range of view, you are trying to use your peripheral vision. Now, if you were to were to try hard and really focus on something in detail out there with your peripheral vision, you might be straining your eyes because that type of vision is actually very weak.--Screwball23 00:43, 17 October 2005 (UTC)
- yu hu, or, it could be that your eyes are trying to focus on the finger you're holding 3 inches from your face, and you're just giving yourself a migrane, I think your brain waves are safe from fingering--152.163.100.73 04:51, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
- I want you to do this. Close your eyes and think about spiders. Think about them crawling all over your body. If you're the type that will get freaked out about this sort of thing, you'll probably feel real sensations of tingling or itchyness or the like. This is similar to your finger experiment and it's completely normal. You might call it "anticipated touch," which as far as our brain is concerned is very close to the real thing. I'm not sure where on Wikipedia this may be talked about, but if I have time I'll look. You might try asking at Talk:Neuroscience. However, i'm certain it has nothing to do with "brain wave interference" or any other such nonsense. --Quasipalm 19:34, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
- Get somebody else to do the same thing to you - put their finger right near your forehead but not touching it.
- Close your eyes, and have them either do it, or not do it several times, without telling you whether they are doing it or not - they must behave in exactly the same way each time (this is very important). Do you still feel the sensation when the finger is there? What about when it isn't?
- What you will find is that you lose all correlation between the finger being present and the odd sensation. Instead it turns out the sensation is present only when you THINK the finger is there, regardless of whether it actually is or not. It's a fun experiment to try sometime --Noodhoog 03:33, 14 October 2005 (UTC)
Computers and Investment Analysts
Does anyone know what particular computer skills an investment analyst/advisor needs to know... what sort of program knowledge is considered essential education?
It depends what you plan on doing, but Microsoft Excel programming skills would be the bare minimum and knowledge of Eviews and/or SAS would be very beneficial. - Drdisque 06:32, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
You need to know any application in addition to the application software, because there is so much fraud and incompetence out there. If you do not know the application, then you can fall victim to technology abuse that does not do the application properly. This applies to any computer usage.
People who work the investment analyst/advisor profession would probably know what skills best enhance it, such as rapid access to SEC and stock market specifics, research tools for analysing the financial reports of publically traded companies. That is to say great internet and data mining skills. AlMac|(talk) 19:33, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
- I would think the ability to use a spreadsheet and a word processing program would be critical. StuRat 13:58, 16 October 2005 (UTC)
Investigating officers in Scotland
I need to know who could be referred to as an "investigating officer" in the Scottish legal system. I assume the police investigators, but am not sure. There may be another legal position that I cannot find out about. --AShaw
- Initially the police officers do the investigation then their information is passed to the Procurator Fiscal to decide whether to prosecute or not, they also continue the investigation if they decide to prosecute & direct the police in what to look into. They are, very roughly, analagous to the USA District Attorney. AllanHainey 08:13, 14 October 2005 (UTC)
triangle sea
I want know,where is the triangle sea? is in atlantic?or pacibic?
- I think you want the Bermuda Triangle, which is in the Atlantic (and overlaps the Sargasso Sea) — Lomn | Talk / RfC 14:16, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
Porn stars
Have female porn stars usually had breast implants? — JIP | Talk 14:45, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
- Depends on your definition of "usually", I would think. Quite a few of the ones who work though the bigger porn film companies like Vivid Video do have them. Although many of the "amateur" porn stars don't. One example I can think of is Melissa Ashley. The amatuers seem to target the fans of "natural" women. Dismas|(talk) 15:39, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
- That's what I thought. A man who has only seen naked women on porn sites but not in real life might get a wrong impression of women. — JIP | Talk 16:06, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
- I'm not sure what you were looking for by asking but I suppose but a man can also see women, clothed of course, in public and realize that not all women have breast implants, have long legs, have blond hair, or whatever other mainstream idea of beauty would have him believe. If that's what you were getting at. If a man were to step back from the porn sites and look at things, including the women around him at work/school/the grocery store/etc., then he'd most likely realize that women come in all shapes and sizes. The ones that he may see on the internet are not exactly some definition of "all women" or even "most women". Then the same man could look at the numbers. The number of women in the porn industry, including the women who are considered "amateurs" just taking pictures of themselves or having voyeuristic husbands take them, would probably only number in the thousands. While the population of just one large city is at least one million. Taking half that number, the other half males, then he'd see the women he sees on porn sites is a miniscule fraction of the total number of women in that city alone, not to mention the whole world. In the end, as my father used to say, "it takes all kinds to make the world go 'round." Dismas|(talk) 16:20, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
- That's what I thought. A man who has only seen naked women on porn sites but not in real life might get a wrong impression of women. — JIP | Talk 16:06, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
- A woman who has only seen naked men on porn sites but not in real life might get a wrong impression of men. Anyway, who doesn't see men (or women) in real life? Hermits? Garrett Albright 07:20, 14 October 2005 (UTC)
- RTS\MMORPG addicts might forget what they look like. ☢ Kieff | Talk 07:30, 14 October 2005 (UTC)
incredible but true
according to your wonderful article about animal farm the western nations sent soliders to overthrow the communists how could this happen when most of them were involved in world-war-one. (preceding unsigned comment by 68.160.198.39 (talk · contribs) 15:40, 13 October 2005)
- See Russian Civil War. Several Western powers intervened on the side of the White forces, a fact which is (according to James Loewen in Lies My Teacher Told Me) not often taught in the average American high school history class. —Charles P. (Mirv) 15:52, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
- I believe that the British Expeditionary Forces played a part, as well. Hmm, we could use an article there. StuRat 14:15, 16 October 2005 (UTC)
Medical journals
I have to do a report on penguins. I need 10 medical journals as references. But since medical journals usually give me diseases or sicknesses, is there a good online medical journal site you would recommend? (preceding unsigned comment by 68.197.6.37 (talk · contribs) 15:40, 13 October 2005)
- You have to cite ten medical journals in a report about penguins? That strikes me as bizarre. But anwway, if you are a college/university student, your school library should have extensive online access to medical journals. For example my school library offers this: http://gateway.lib.uiowa.edu/refsubject-results.asp?subj=26 (but you need to be a student here to use most of it). If you are a junior high / high school student, you will probably have to go to your nearest college or university library. Taco Deposit | Talk-o to Taco 16:04, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
- Ovid is a good online database of medical journals if you have access to a good university library. If not, you can try http://www.freemedicaljournals.com/ or the Public Library of Science journals. The web sites of medical libraries (McGill's and Harvard's for example) often have lists of journals, but again access is generally not free. —Charles P. (Mirv) 16:06, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
- Or perhaps you want pepsins?? Shantavira 18:44, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
I thought he must mistaken so I ran "penguin" in pubmed, and got hundreds of hits. In the first couple of pages there were all these cool reports about attaching wing cameras to penguins, microphones to record their sound environment, and limb accelerometers to analyze diving angles. If I were a penguin I would feel left out if some scientist didn't fit me up with my own gadget. alteripse 21:21, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
Animal ethics
It is said that a spirit/soul is only inhabited in beings. Does "beings" refer to humans or to living beings in general such as animals... as we all know, humans are mammals which refers to animals too. I've also heard that animals don't have a spirit/soul. How come religion says humans have spirit/soul being biologically animals and animals such as dogs, cats, fishes and all others don't?
- I don't know that you can make the blanket statement that "religion says" that humans have souls and animals don't. I know that Mormonism, the religion in which I was raised, teaches that animals have spirits. Taco Deposit | Talk-o to Taco 16:27, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
- You're asking for a very objective answer to a very subjective question. You may as well ask if an all powerful god exists. Each religion is going to have its own view on this. Some people may even say that there is no such thing as a soul. Dismas|(talk) 19:07, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
- Different religions (and different religious people) will have different ideas about the "souls" of animals. For example, some versions of reincarnation not only believe that animals have souls, but that all of our souls come from the souls of animals. However, if you're looking for a scientific answer, you might look at Self-awareness, Sentience#Animal rights, and Consciousness#Functions of consciousness, which says ""We generally agree that our fellow human beings are conscious and that lower life forms such as bacteria are not. Many of us attribute consciousness to higher-order animals such as dolphins and primates; academic research is investigating which rather than whether animals are conscious." Here's a link to an advocacy group: http://www.animalsentience.com/ Good luck. --Quasipalm 19:15, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
- You're asking for a very objective answer to a very subjective question. You may as well ask if an all powerful god exists. Each religion is going to have its own view on this. Some people may even say that there is no such thing as a soul. Dismas|(talk) 19:07, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
- You may also be interested in the answers to a similar question on whether trees have souls --Noodhoog 03:37, 14 October 2005 (UTC)
I need a name please
I am trying to remember the name of a person I met that was an assistant to the Secreatry of Education either in the early 90's or in maybe 1989. I beleive his name was either Michael Alexander or Micahel Williams, can you clarify this? THanks
- It would help to know what country you are talking about here. DJ Clayworth 17:08, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
- Actually, even more specific than that. Political entities well below the national level have Secretaries of Education. So, exactly which SecEd? Exactly what type of assistant (a secretary, aide, Assistant Secretary of Education)? And, unless it's an ASE, be prepared for an utter lack of records as to who interned for a Secretary over 15 years ago. — Lomn | Talk / RfC 17:11, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
searching
what are the three most popular search engines.
- Number one, by far, is Google. It has become synonymous with a search engine. As for the other two, I don't know specifically, but Yahoo!, MSN search and Altavista must rank pretty high. — JIP | Talk 17:04, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
- According to Nielsen: Google, Yahoo, and MSN. Details here. — File:Ontario trillium sig.pngmendel ☎ 17:18, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
ulitimate fighting for women.
iam (I am) sure you have heard of the ulitimate fighting championships(.) what (What) i (I) would like to know is (if) are there any ulitimate fighting championships for women(?).
- Looking over Ultimate Fighting Championship it appears there is not. You may ask this question on Talk:Ultimate Fighting Championship and see if you get a response. --Quasipalm 20:33, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
- This site claims that REMIX Women's World Fighting Championship is equivalent. [25] As yet, we do not have an article on that event. I will place a message on the talk page of the Ultimate Fighting Championships to check that it is. Capitalistroadster 02:47, 14 October 2005 (UTC)
the dracula orchid
is the dracula orchid named for the ficitional vampire.
- Dracula (orchid) says "The strange name "Dracula" is derived from the Latin : little dragon, referring to the strange aspect of the two long spurs of the sepals." Since Dracula is the genus name, and such names are usually (but not always) Latin, it's probably right. —Charles P. (Mirv) 20:16, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
- [26], [27], and [28] confirm this—though the last one reminds me that -ula is a feminine diminutive, while the word draco is masculine. . .so maybe whoever named it did have the vampire in mind. (That, or he just didn't know, or else knew but didn't care.) —Charles P. (Mirv) 21:01, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
- And actually, the Latin name of tarragon is Artemisia dracunculus, which also means little dragon, and furthermore matches the diminutive form of other masculine nouns ending in o, e.g. leo (leunculus) and homo (homunculus). Curious. . .
unknown animals
Birds [29] [30] [31] [32] Animals [33]--Bluejays2006 17:49, 13 October 2005 (UTC) Fruits [34] [35] [36] Maine [37]
![[29]](http://www.mccullagh.org/db9/10d-5/unknown-bird.jpg){kind=link}
![[30]](http://photos1.blogger.com/img/143/999/1024/unknown%20bird.jpg){kind=link}
![[31]](http://mishami.image.pbase.com/v3/03/495903/2/45760724.Bird.jpg){kind=link}
![[32]](http://www.shoarns.com/Unknown%20bird%20-%20Cincinnatti%20Zoo%20-%20D%20Byrd.jpg){kind=link}
![[33]](http://star.pst.qub.ac.uk/~scb/graphics/13_13.JPG){kind=link}
![[34]](http://www.weymouthtech.com/CR/Miscellaneous/L_Unknown_Fruit.jpg){kind=link}
![[35]](http://www.wildaboutbritain.co.uk/gallery/files/1/6/unknown_fruit.jpg){kind=link}
![[36]](http://www.davestravelcorner.com/photos/fruit/UnknownFruitIV.jpg){kind=link}
![[37]](https://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~drowles/images/unknown.jpg){kind=link}
- Cleaned up layout -- Garrett Albright 07:16, 14 October 2005 (UTC)
Drug seeking behavior
I would like a simple definition of "drug seeking" please respond to [personal email] Thank you for your consideration
- [38] says: "Drug-seeking behavior" is a widely used, although poorly defined term that refers to a patient's manipulative, demanding behavior to obtain medication. The patient may imply that the only possible solution to a medical problem is a prescription of a controlled (addictive) medication." ...
- I've removed your email address since you probably don't want to get a ton of spam, and have also removed your second, redundant request. --Quasipalm 19:07, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
The aafp link above is an excellent synopsis. I am curious as whether this is a recognized phenomenon in other countries with different drug laws, or this just an American problem? Also see [39] for an hilarious dramatization of one type of drug seeking behavior. alteripse 01:00, 14 October 2005 (UTC)
- Well, Australia's laws are only a little more tolerant than the US, but "doctor-shopping" is a well-known practice in Australia. --Robert Merkel 05:36, 14 October 2005 (UTC)
- We have an article on Doctor shopping even though it is currently no more than a dictionary definition. I will see if can put Request for expansion tag on it. Capitalistroadster 07:21, 14 October 2005 (UTC)
Slavery
Were slaves in ancient Rome trated better and given more citizen rights than slaves in the early United States and other European colonies, or is that just a myth? — JIP | Talk 19:22, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
- I think it'd be hard to do an empirical analysis given the vast time difference and the lack of clear records of slavery 2000 years ago. But see Ancient Rome and Slavery in the ancient Mediterranean#Slavery in Rome. And here are a few links that might help you:
- If you find some great information out there -- please consider adding it to Wikipedia. --Quasipalm 20:29, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
- It's hard to say. Slaves in Rome had the same rights as slaves in the U.S.—none—and were sometimes subject to even harsher laws: slaves in the U.S. often couldn't give evidence in court at all, while Roman slaves could, but always under torture; if an American slave killed his owner, he might not even get a trial, but if a Roman slave killed his owner, every other slave in the household was executed. (This also indicates how greatly the Romans feared slave rebellions.) However, many slaves in ancient Rome had valuable skills (e.g. as doctors, teachers, scribes, etc.), and so had a better lot than the average field or mine slave—while in the U.S., house slaves certainly existed, but literacy and education for slaves was actively discouraged. Romans did tend to free their slaves more often than slaveowners in the U.S.; a freed slave had fewer legal rights, but his children were full and equal citizens, and his descendants could and did rise to equestrian or even senatorial rank.
- One particularly nasty feature of slavery in the U.S. and other European colonies that was absent from the Roman system was the systematic and pervasive racism that survives even today, though slavery itself is long-gone. See Noble savage for an explanation of this. The Romans needed no justification beyond the fact that someone had been captured in war, or sold by his parents, or accumulated debts that he could not repay; Romans could be enslaved just like anyone else. Freedmen had fewer legal rights, and their children might be looked down on by the descendants of older Roman families, but there was never anything like the Black Codes or the Jim Crow laws. —Charles P. (Mirv) 22:06, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
COUNTIES IN THE UNITED STATES
WHERE CAN I FIND A LIST OF COUNTIES BY REGION IN EACH STATE IN THE UNITED STATES?
- Category:Lists of U.S. counties would be a good place to start. Also try the Census Bureau, which has both lists and maps. —Charles P. (Mirv) 20:21, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
origin and definition of "falcon" and sport of "falconing"
Please tell me the origin and definition of "falcon" and sport of "falconing."
Filming Soap Operas In Fictional Locations
I want to film a soap opera called "Guilty Of Love" in the fictional city of Pine Valley Shores, Florida. How would I do that?
- Hire a cast, buy a camcorder, write a screenplay, build some props, and go to town! However, valley and Florida don't really go hand in hand; I'd rethink that city title—not that soaps need to pay attention to minor details like logic. — Lomn | Talk / RfC 22:02, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
- If I remember correctly, Florida is the flattest state in terms of the difference between the lowest elevation and the highest. So yeah, "valley" probably wouldn't be used to describe much in Florida. Dismas|(talk) 00:53, 14 October 2005 (UTC)
- If you're filming outdoor scenes, particularly ones involving any sort of violence, you should notify local authorities or police to make sure no one overreacts to what's going on. I'm not sure what local laws may be about filming of passersby - there may be privacy issues. When the New Zealand film Sleeping Dogs was shot, there was a scene where the hero runs down Queen Street, Auckland (a very busy main shopping street) pursued by armed cops; there must have been at least hundreds of spectators (who the actors had to dodge), but fortunately no one tried to be a hero.-gadfium 02:06, 14 October 2005 (UTC)
- If you have any friends who own offices, farms etc. they might let you do some filming there, for cheap, realistic locations. If you're really lucky, there might be a small no-through road like a cul-de-sac nearby where the locals don't mind you doing some filming away from traffic. smurrayinchester(User), (Talk), (Recent Contrib) 16:17, 14 October 2005 (UTC)
where did Struthers lake SK get its name
Start here and take some of the links for an adventure that may lead to its origins. --hydnjo talk 03:48, 14 October 2005 (UTC)
directions from philadelphia international airport to us court house doylestown pa
Have a look at maps.google.com Shimgray | talk | 22:29, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
Doylestown is basically directly north of Philly and the airport is directly south. Although 611 goes straight through town to Doylestown, see below for cautions. I would recommend you go around to the west, then north, then north east, or around to the east, then north, then northwest. In terms of traffic and ease of finding the exits and turns, I would probably take the western route, which is roughly:
- out of the airport take interstate 95 south (a few miles, about 3 exits) until you see the signs for 476 north turning off to the north;
- take 476 straight north about 5-10 miles (maybe 6 exits) until you get to the Pa turnpike (interstate 276 east);
- take 276 east about 5 miles (about 3 exits) to the exit for highway 611 N (Horsham);
- go north maybe 5 miles until you get to Doylestown;
- 611 N goes straight through Doylestown and I suspect the courthouse is on that road in the center of town.
Caution: it does look from the map that you could take 611 N from just east of the airport straight north through downtown Philly and on to Doylestown, but traffic by that route is awful, it goes straight through N Philly areas that are "less than scenic", and it doesnt show well on the map but at the northern edge of philly there is a fork and short discontinuity where it is easy to lose your way trying to stay on 611. alteripse 00:53, 14 October 2005 (UTC)
how do i delete my account?
yeah, i have too many accounts from all these sites and i decided to just cancel them. I dont know how to do it for Wikipeida, though. Could someone help me out?
- For problems with Wikipedia itself, try asking at the Help Desk. That being said, there is no way to cancel a Wikipedia account at this time. Hermione1980 23:19, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
- Yeah, this is the Wikipedia:Reference desk, (WP:RD). Yeah, try posting this question at the Wikipedia:Help desk, (WP:HD). --hydnjo talk 03:23, 14 October 2005 (UTC)
city of stories
are there any cities named for ficitional characters.
- The city of Flin Flon, Manitoba in Canada is named after the lead character (Josiah Flintabattey Flonatin) in a paperback novel, The Sunless City by J.E. Preston Muddock. If you include ancient mythology in your definition of fiction, then I imagine there would be many more, such as Athens in Greece. Canley 00:23, 14 October 2005 (UTC)
- If you count gods as fictional, there are many. Dismas|(talk) 00:51, 14 October 2005 (UTC)
- Are there a lot of swingers in Tarzana ? StuRat 14:27, 16 October 2005 (UTC)
volcanoes
is it possible for every volcano in the world to irreupt at the same time.
- No, because some are extinct. Superm401 | Talk 01:11, 14 October 2005 (UTC)
- Somehow, I don't think that's the only reason:) Ornil 03:01, 14 October 2005 (UTC)
- No, in fact there's a 1/100 probability. Superm401 | Talk 03:08, 14 October 2005 (UTC)
- I would hope the probability is much higher than 1 in 100. :>) Our Volcano article is worth a look in general. Capitalistroadster 03:33, 14 October 2005 (UTC)
- No, in fact there's a 1/100 probability. Superm401 | Talk 03:08, 14 October 2005 (UTC)
- Somehow, I don't think that's the only reason:) Ornil 03:01, 14 October 2005 (UTC)
- Erupt at the same time simultaneously as in synchronized swimming? 1 in 100, I don't think so. Much less probable I think (without facts or credentials) --hydnjo talk 03:38, 14 October 2005 (UTC)
- Actually, I just thought the question was so stupid it deserved two stupid answers. Superm401 | Talk 03:42, 14 October 2005 (UTC)
- Erupt at the same time simultaneously as in synchronized swimming? 1 in 100, I don't think so. Much less probable I think (without facts or credentials) --hydnjo talk 03:38, 14 October 2005 (UTC)
- Maybe during the end times if you listen to the ID crowd. Qaz (talk) 03:42, 14 October 2005 (UTC)
- Pardon my ignorance but who is the "ID crowd"? --hydnjo talk 03:52, 14 October 2005 (UTC)
- Sorry for using an abbreviation without explanation. I was refering to Intelligent design. Qaz (talk) 04:09, 14 October 2005 (UTC)
- Well of course the "puppet master" (if there was one) could make all things possible. I didn't realize that this discussion was going there. That (from that perspective) would change my answers to many other questions as well (Oh well, 1/100 probabilility is right on or whatever). --hydnjo talk 04:47, 14 October 2005 (UTC)
- That depends on what you mean by 'at the same time' (is a partial overlap good enough or do they have to start at the same time) and whether the eruption of one can affect the eruption of another. If not there will be a calculable answer (which shouldn't be too difficult if you know the chance of eruption of every volcano on Earth). In other words, yes. There is, for example, a chance that if I walk into a wall I will pass through it. That has something to do with quantumphysics or such (this is a vague memory). I don't advise you to try this until it works because the chance of it happening is infinitely small. DirkvdM 13:06, 14 October 2005 (UTC)
- From our article volcano, it seems that most of Earth's volcanoes are formed from subduction, where one of the Earth's plates pushes up agaisnt its neighbour and then goes under. The process causing this subduction is convection, which takes energy (I'm guessing lots). So, for every volcano to errupt at the same time, you'd need a shed load of energy, possibly more energy than exits to do this. Also, can all the plates be moved at the same time to create the subduction required? I imagine while some plates move into a positon to allow the subduction to occur, they stop others from doing so, meaning that not all volcanoes can erupt at once. Finally, I don't really know much about volcanoes. What I've talked about might be total crap, but since none of the other responses talked about volcanoes I hope that's ok. --Commander Keane 14:26, 14 October 2005 (UTC)
hot chicks
ok guys i'm gonna throw down in a-town this weekend (atl,ga) where are all the girls at
- I hear you can get some pretty good chicken at KFC. android79 03:32, 14 October 2005 (UTC)
- Ckicks are pretty much available at your local Blue Seal store year 'round but they're much more lively in springtime. --hydnjo talk 03:41, 14 October 2005 (UTC)
Call the Atlanta tourism centre, and ask the exactly same question. they'll help ya out. --Ballchef 03:56, 14 October 2005 (UTC)
- Or put you in touch with a taxi driver who will (for a price of course) help ya out. --hydnjo talk 04:04, 14 October 2005 (UTC)
- Just for practice, try it out in your own hometown. It'll be safer and an education. After you have developed your expertise near home (with its support contingencies) then by all means venture out. But if you're asking this question from a position of unfamiliarity in new surroundings then be prepared to be skinned alive. --hydnjo talk 04:16, 14 October 2005 (UTC)
so what's the deal with airline food?
seriously pepeople
- I dunno, never been on an airplane trip. If you're willing to pay me a ticket I can find out for you. ☢ Kieff | Talk 04:27, 14 October 2005 (UTC)
- seriously (Seriously) pepeople (people).
- The deal is that airline food is not intended to be a substitute for a night on the town at a four star restaurant. If you are looking for restaurant food then go to a restaurant. If you're on an airline flight and they offer food (as a courtesy) then go on and try it and, if it's not to your liking then don't eat it. The "deal" is that it is available, you don't have to eat it. Heck, bring your own sandwich along if it bothers you that much. geesh. --hydnjo talk 04:32, 14 October 2005 (UTC)
- seriously (Seriously) pepeople (people).
- Since when did Jerry Seinfeld start posting at Wikipedia? Garrett Albright 07:10, 14 October 2005 (UTC)
- Haha. Brilliant. ☢ Kieff | Talk 07:27, 14 October 2005 (UTC)
- I knew it would be here somewhere...Airline meal. Sorry Kieff, you'll have to buy your own ticket. Nice try though.--Commander Keane 11:27, 14 October 2005 (UTC)
- Hey, instead of whining about bad airline food, go on some planes that offer good food!!! Try Iran Air. Their service is not all that good and the planes are pretty old, but the food is the best airline food I have ever had!
--Aytakin 01:14, 15 October 2005 (UTC)
- Of course that would require flying to Iran, which many people have no reason to, or aren't even allowed to do. -Drdisque 02:38, 15 October 2005 (UTC)
Airline food is of limited quality for the following reasons:
- It must be prepared hours in advance, on the ground, as no food preparation area would fit on the plane.
- It can only be heated by microwave oven, as any other heat source would be dangerous.
- It can't be anything which might risk adverse reactions in the passengers. Foods which might cause diarrhea or flatulence must be avoided, such as a very spicy chili.
- Only very limited customization of orders can be allowed. For example, a choice of salad dressings may be allowed, but a choice of salad ingredients is less feasable.
- It must fit into a small space. Crackers, for example, take up less space than rolls, so are preferred.
Given these constraints, a fairly bland meal is to be expected. One option some airlines allow is for passengers to bring their own meals, ordered from restaurants near the airport gate, just prepared in time for the plane to leave, and eaten from insulated styrofoam containers. This option is particularly encouraged by budget airlines which don't offer meal service. StuRat 18:46, 15 October 2005 (UTC)
- Of course, non-microwave methods of cooking food aren't inherently dangerous. For example, sailing yachts manage to use proper galleys with gas burners, water basins, etc. in a similarly weight-limited, enclosed space that regularly tips from side-to-side and gets constantly buffeted (arguably more unstable than most airliners). The difference would seem to be (a) boats have chefs rather than air stewardesses to do the cooking, and (b) proper food doesn't seem to be as important to air passengers as it is to sailors. Ojw 13:51, 16 October 2005 (UTC)
- I disagree. Having an open flame onboard an airplane in flight is far more dangerous. Smoke from a fire onboard a pressurized aircraft can't be vented by opening windows like on a yacht. Space and weight are also more critical onboard planes, as water is dense enough to support some rather heavy equipment onboard a yacht. The specific fuel cost per pound per hour is also higher onboard a plane, making weight more of a financial concern. Those onboard a yacht are probably willing to spend more per person for meals than typical airline passengers. A better comparison might have been between yachts and Concorde flights, at least until they were recently discontinued. I don't know, were meals aboard the Concorde better ? I would bet they were. StuRat 14:39, 16 October 2005 (UTC)
bored
guys i'm bored give me something to do and it better be fun or i'll kick your ass
- You don't live in Uberlândia, Minas Gerais, so don't think you know the meaning of the word "bored". ☢ Kieff | Talk 04:31, 14 October 2005 (UTC)
- Perhaps you should have addressed your inquiry to Gals instead of guys. --hydnjo talk 04:35, 14 October 2005 (UTC)
- Why gals instead of guys? I think you're assuming the questioner is (a) male and (b) heterosexual. Maybe the anonymous questioner (whoever he or she is) prefers guys. Guys are more fun anyway. Come round to my place sometime and I'll prove it to you. JackofOz 05:12, 14 October 2005 (UTC)
- Or for something that will really surprise you go to this secret place. It'll surprise and excite you almost every time that you click on it. It works for guys and gals, heterosexual and homosexual, young and old, bored and excited, short and tall, etc. and etc. --hydnjo talk 05:01, 14 October 2005 (UTC)
- Actually, he could just as well be assuming the questioner is (a) female and (b) homosexual. — JIP | Talk 10:22, 16 October 2005 (UTC)
- Why gals instead of guys? I think you're assuming the questioner is (a) male and (b) heterosexual. Maybe the anonymous questioner (whoever he or she is) prefers guys. Guys are more fun anyway. Come round to my place sometime and I'll prove it to you. JackofOz 05:12, 14 October 2005 (UTC)
- Perhaps you should have addressed your inquiry to Gals instead of guys. --hydnjo talk 04:35, 14 October 2005 (UTC)
This is fun, do this: --Ballchef 05:29, 14 October 2005 (UTC)
You can help improve the articles listed below! This list updates frequently, so check back here for more tasks to try. (See Wikipedia:Maintenance or the Task Center for further information.)
Help counter systemic bias by creating new articles on important women.
Help improve popular pages, especially those of low quality.
- Why does this remind me of being a kid and whining "I'm booooored!!!" and my Mom saying, "Well, if your bored, I've got something for you to do. You can start by cleaning up that pigsty of a room..." Brian Schlosser42 18:59, 14 October 2005 (UTC)
- Or the similar "Why are you crying ? You got no call to cry. Shut up now or I'll slap you upside the head and give you something to cry about !". StuRat 18:01, 15 October 2005 (UTC)
- Wait until you're grown up and your father is saying "Clean up that pigsty of an apartment"... — JIP | Talk 17:25, 16 October 2005 (UTC)
cricket insect
how do i catch a cricket in a very small room keeping mum awake most of night thankyou ,
Dorothy --211.27.77.223 06:44, 14 October 2005 (UTC)
- That's not very nice.
- But, you could try placing a container over the cricket then sliding a card underneath, flipping the container over and then quickly placing the lid over the top. Dysprosia 06:50, 14 October 2005 (UTC)
- Maybe the ___location of the cricket is unknown. Sometimes I get the noises (maybe it's a cricket) and when I head to that corner of the room the noises get louder but I can't find where the insect is. When I tap on the wall the noise stops. How do you draw out a hidding cricket?--Commander Keane 10:16, 14 October 2005 (UTC)
- Get another cricket? Shantavira 11:21, 14 October 2005 (UTC)
- Oh, so the cricket's already there? The cricket could be outside, potentially, sometimes it's easy to hear things outside even from inside. Otherwise one could try baiting the room. Dysprosia 12:58, 14 October 2005 (UTC)
I've used the same method to kill both crickets and mice, both of which hide and go silent when lights are turned on or they hear movement. (I believe roaches are the same, though, fortunately, I haven't had those.) Neither one is very bright, so think you've left after the light goes out and the room goes silent. So, just wait by the light switch until they come out and start making noise, then turn the lights on and kill them (or capture them if you're in a humane mood, which wasn't me after being kept up half the night). If the light switch is too far from their ___location, a bright electric flashlight could be used instead. StuRat 15:14, 14 October 2005 (UTC)
I just saw you said "mum" instead of "mom", so that mean's you're likely not American, in which case it may be an "electric torch" instead of a flashlight. StuRat 15:30, 14 October 2005 (UTC)
- Or even just torch, as we don't use non-electric ones much anymore... Ojw 17:21, 14 October 2005 (UTC)
- We'd best not have any Brit's carry the Olympic flame the, using a flashlight would take a lot of the drama out of the whole event. StuRat 17:55, 15 October 2005 (UTC)
- You mean that people outside the US don't all squat in caves and eat antelope roasted over greasy fires? You have electricity and everything? I never learned that in school, so I'm leary...does the Defense Department know about this? Brian Schlosser42 19:03, 14 October 2005 (UTC)
or you can do what I did when I had a cricket in the room, spray the baseboards with pesticides and find the dead cricket the next day. -Drdisque 02:36, 15 October 2005 (UTC)
Or you could leave the cricket be, rename yourself Buddy Holly and start a band. DirkvdM 10:01, 15 October 2005 (UTC)
When a snake bites someone...
...what does it do next? Does it just keep the fangs in there, or does it let go and slither away, or does the person being bitten go into a state of panic and personally rip it off?
- Normally, the snake will try to get away quickly afterwards, to make sure that the victim (who will probably be really mad) doesn't throttle it, stamp on it or otherwise kill it. smurrayinchester(User), (Talk), (Recent Contrib) 16:09, 14 October 2005 (UTC)
- Incidentally, the only reason a snake will bite you is because it is afraid of you in the first place. You're too big to eat (unless we're talking about huge anacondas that will squeeze you to death instead of biting you anyway). Garrett Albright 16:26, 14 October 2005 (UTC)
- Of course, a person can scare a snake without meaning to do so, by walking too close or stepping on a snake they don't see. The snake may then bite and release and try to get away. Then again, it might not bite. I once rode my bicycle over an apparent green garden hose draped across a sidewalk, only to notice it slither away in pain. If it had tried to bite, it might have given me a flat tire, LOL. StuRat 16:42, 14 October 2005 (UTC)
- As it happens, there is a particular type of puncture called a snake bite, but it's caused by hitting a sharp edge with a flat tyre, giving two holes in the innertube which look like a snake bite... Ojw 17:17, 14 October 2005 (UTC)
- I have been bitten by a snake (a non-poisonous Black Rat Snake), which was irked by being run over with a bike and didn't appreciate my attempts to move it out of harm's way (the ingrate!). It didn't slither away, but that might have been due to injury; it did coil up and hiss until I threw my shirt over it and shoved it off the path. —Charles P. (Mirv) 19:29, 14 October 2005 (UTC)
- I heard of someone who was bitten by a snake that was on top of her when she was asleep. Why would a snake move onto/over someone if they're afraid enough of that person to bite? For warmth? DirkvdM 10:51, 15 October 2005 (UTC)
- Yes. Snakes, being cold-blooded, like to hang out in warm spots. Probably, the snake didn't know that she was actually something alive and dangerous in the first place, so it slithered around and found a nice spot to rest. During the time of American westward expansion, explorers, cowboys, and others who slept outside would sometimes wake up to find that they were sharing a sleeping bag with a rattlesnake. The only thing you can do when that happens is to stay as still as possible and wait for the snake to slither out on its own volition; if you move and freak the snake out, it'll bite ya. Garrett Albright 16:51, 15 October 2005 (UTC)
Using Casablanca photos for non profit funraising theme
I work for a national non-profit organization and we want to use the photo of bogart and bergman for the invitation to go with the Casablanca theme. How do I find out who owns the rights and if I am able to use it.````
- It's either owned by Warner Brothers or they'll know who does own it. I guess you should call their media relations people. -- Finlay McWalter | Talk 19:01, 14 October 2005 (UTC)
Which is more effective -General Vs. Broad Non-Profit Mission for an emerging non-profit ?
Is it more effective for an emerging non-profit to address a specific public policy niche or can general themes be effective?
Are there examples of non-profits with very broad objectives, such as helping all women (just an illustration)that are succeeding?
We have spent so much time thinking about this issue, and now have to find a great, good, ok or true example of failure to be able to assess our own effectiveness.
I appreciate this extraordinary web page and service. Thank you, and if I am directed to reading material or sites, I will check them out.
Have spent about 15 hours thinking about this and reading. I need more fine-tuned guidance.
--70.89.38.161 19:15, 14 October 2005 (UTC)
- I don't know anything about the topic, but if you're a small upstart group I would suggest finding an area that isn't being addressed by the large non-profits. You would probably want to consider something much more specific than helping all women; for example, maybe you would help women in business, or with child care, or legal aid, or the arts, in some way you think they need help and are not being helped now. Perhaps you could be a bit more specific about where you're coming from. Who is forming this group and why? What people or area do you hope to be serving?--Pharos 10:14, 16 October 2005 (UTC)
What's that song?
What is the song that plays during Brainiac: Science Abuse's 'I can do science, me!' section. The lyrics are #Uh, yeah, I am a scientist/I'm gonna live on science alone# smurrayinchester(User), (Talk), (Recent Contrib) 21:02, 14 October 2005 (UTC)
- The Dandy Warhols' "I Am A Scientist" -- Finlay McWalter | Talk 21:15, 14 October 2005 (UTC)
what is rain
where does rain come from and where does it go.
Rain is water drops that condense from clouds. Rain normally flows into a river and then back into the ocean, being a part of the water cycle. --Borbrav 21:23, 14 October 2005 (UTC)
- http://www.groundwater.org/kc/watercyclefillin.html has a graphic you might find helpful --Quasipalm 23:26, 14 October 2005 (UTC)
What is Muscle Reading?
In short: muscle reading is mind reading using the muscles. In long: sounds like a pseudoscience where a person tries to read another person's mind by paying attention to subconscious muscle reflexes. Here's a page I found using Google: [40]
- "Muscle reading is similar to telepathy or mind reading. Muscle readers generally work with an audience. It is the unconscious movement of a member of the audience whose hands they hold that guide the performer in giving dates of coins, combinations of safes, ___location of hidden objects, etc."
It appears it can also refer to a method of study that helps you keep focused on your reading material. [41] --Quasipalm 23:39, 14 October 2005 (UTC)
scarlett scarlett scarlett
i`ve read margreat mitchells gone with the wind but i didn`t have a chance to read the sequel since i don`t have enough money to buy it from amazon.com or any other shopping website could tell me howit ends.please
- The butler did it, but it turns out that he's an android too. Eventually the zombies break down the door and try to fight Karl Rove. In the end, Rodan wins, and the world is safe for democracy and Saudi oil. // Mr s puppet 22:52, 14 October 2005 (UTC)
- I can't tell you offhand but you may well find a copy in your local library and be able to read it yourself. You may even be able to arrange for an interlibrary loan if it isn't. Somehow, I don't believe the version of the ending provided by Mr Puppet is accurate. :>) Capitalistroadster 07:39, 16 October 2005 (UTC)
Rocky VI
In "Rocky VI", If Mr. T and Dolph Lundgren make cameo appearances, what will their characters do in the movie?
- Nothing specific has been announced, but since Rocky is going to be back for one last fight, they might be the coach of his opponent or assistant coach to Rocky, or even more simply friends who remember the past. --Aytakin 01:10, 15 October 2005 (UTC)
Lewis 30 cal. machine gun
Hello,
I'm looking for pictures of a Lewis 30 cal. machine used in WWI on a British SE 5 A or pictures of this machine gun that was mounted on WWI aircraft.
Thanks Ed C.
- Google Images is useful for this kind of search. Here's what I turned up: [42]. The second photograph shows what you're looking for, I think. —Charles P. (Mirv) 00:35, 15 October 2005 (UTC)
Furry sexual practices
Are furries (generally) aroused by or attracted to real animals? Is beastiality any more prevalent amongst furries than amongst the general population? Is there furry porn, and is it professional or amateur? I have looked at your articles on furry and yiffing, but they weren't helpful. 147.9.162.249 01:18, 15 October 2005 (UTC)
- Well, if you have looked at our articles about furries and yiffing you pretty much have our collective insight about the subject. Posting the question here however, may indeed bring some additional points from users that may have felt uncomfortable about putting their views in the articles. --hydnjo talk 01:42, 15 October 2005 (UTC)
- Very little scientific research is spent on human sexuality, so much so, that Kinsey's research still seems relevant today. So the quantity of research on whether people dressing up in costume rabbit suits are more sexually deviant than anyone else is going to be about zero. Perhaps if you studied the relevant academic fields you could pursue a career in making these breakthroughs in human enquiry. My hunch would be this would be a waste though - they probably just like dressing up Majts 01:57, 15 October 2005 (UTC)
- Most furries are not attracted by actual animals, in much the same way that most people who are into bondage would find being tied up and beaten and such all that much fun if it were happening "for real." You will always find exceptions to the rule, but generally furries are just into non-mainstream sexual activities with other humans.
- There is furry porn; generally, it is drawn art, but sometimes it's photos of humans which have been manipulated to give them more animal-like characteristics. Furries tend to classify furry porn depending on how human versus how animal the character looks, so an 80/20 image might be a human with a tail and cat ears, whereas a 20/80 image might be almost entirely like an animal, but still stand up on hind legs and (if the image features it) have human-like genitalia. Like most offbeat porn, it is almost entirely amateur.
- Of course, this is assuming that you are speaking of furries in the sexual sense, as opposed to just someone who likes to pretend they are an animal but never take the fantasy into the sexual realm. These non-sexual furries probably actually represent the majority, but since the sexual ones are more noticeable and disturbing, us "mundanes" (non-furries) tend to assume it is entirely sexual.
- Oh my God, why do I know all this? Garrett Albright 16:46, 15 October 2005 (UTC)
- You, you, you... --hydnjo talk 02:43, 16 October 2005 (UTC)
- I keep up with the sex research literature pretty well (I'm a grad student who's doing that sort of stuff), and I can tell you that there is almost certainly no known answer to your question on furries and beastiality. Research on furry sexuality is not common, it being a fairly recent fetish to come to public attention, and real research on beastiality is also uncommon (though you can find a great deal of pontificating on the subject among the more theoretically-focused writers). Unfortunately, I don't see a lot of hope for getting your question answered anytime soon: There are so few furverts and so few zoophiles that it would take a gargantuan survey to get good data about people who are both.
- My personal suspicion is that furverts might be marginally more likely to have experienced sex with a non-human at least once, just because they're more open to the sexual aspects of non-humans. This is very different from saying that there are more zoophiles in the furry community though. Our best evidence suggests that most sex between humans and non-humans is not carried out by zoophiles but by, for example, teenage boys who live in isolated rural areas and who use farm animals as a sexual outlet on occasion. There might be more zoophiles among furries, but I wouldn't venture to make such a statement myself; zoophilia is extremely poorly understood. George 21:27, 15 October 2005 (UTC)
What was the original ending intended for Fever Pitch?
Under the sub-heading "Trivia" in the article on the 2005 movie Fever Pitch, there is the information that the film's ending was rewritten several times to incorporate the fact that the Red Sox, the sports team fetured in the film, actually were baseball's champions in the season the story portrays. The love story juxtaposed so well with the actual events of the 2004 playoffs (e.g., after believing their relationship is over, the couple finally fall in love once in for all just as the Red Sox begin their improbable comeback after losing the first three games of their playoff series against the Yankees) that it seems hard to imagine this could have been the same movie if it hadn't been set against the events that really took place in October 2004. What was originally planned as the movie's ending--with both the love story and the events surrounding the baseball team?
Question about Danny Ketch/Ghost Rider
In the bio on Ghost Rider, it states that Danny Ketch died. I was wondering how this happened and what comic book this event took place.
Who was Rex Hamilton?
In the opening credits of the US comedy show "Police Squad!" one of the jokes was "and starring Rex Hamilton as Abraham Lincoln" who then starts having a gunfight presumably with John Wilkes Booth. I've never understood this joke, can you tell me why it's funny? thanks Majts 07:53, 15 October 2005 (UTC)
- Rex Hamilton was nobody in particular. The joke is that it's a non sequitur. I'm not sure anyone can explain Police Squad!. It's one of the prototype examples of a kind of surrealist humour that uses a lot of non sequiturs to keep the mood. Unfortunately, this brand of humour grows old quite quickly, and its entertainment value is considerably enhanced by the consumption of alcohol and/or marijuana. It was popular briefly in the late 70s and early 80s, but with the neo-Puritanism of the Reagan years, especially with regard to drug use, it lost its allure. Rent a DVD of Police Squad! and score a yourself dime bag. Smoke the latter and then watch the former and I promise you will see the humour in it. --Diderot 11:22, 15 October 2005 (UTC)
- Uh… Wikipedia:Medical disclaimer. Or something. Garrett Albright 16:35, 15 October 2005 (UTC)
- Thanks for the answer and I thought Police Squad! was hilarious without needing medicinal aid to enjoy it. So it seems the joke is nothing more than the juxtaposition of having a Abraham Lincoln in the cast of series about a Police squad. It was mainly just the name Rex Hamilton that has always bugged me - I mean the name *sounds* like a cheesy movie stars name, and I always thought he was famous, so was very surprised that he didn't have a Wikipedia article. Majts 20:51, 15 October 2005 (UTC)
- I suspect it may have also been a play on words with Rex Harrison being a famous actor. Capitalistroadster 05:21, 16 October 2005 (UTC)
THE MERCHANT MARINES
WHAT IS A MERCHANT MARINE.
- The merchant marine is a term meaning the Merchant Navy - the commercial, as opposed to military, shipping industry of a country. Shimgray | talk | 15:04, 15 October 2005 (UTC)
Family History
Dear Administrator:
- I am preparing a history of my Grandfather's life. His application for US citizenship listed as his place of birth Severine, Austria (12/02/1888). Would you be able to help me?
Sincerely, William Koss
- e-mail address removed, to protect William from some spam, also sub-heading inserted
- random people answer questions here, not just Wiki administrators, like at a library help desk. Are you referring to your paternal grandfather whose surname probably Koss, or your materal grandfather (father of your mother) with different surname? Depending on when your grandfather actually left Austria (which would have been before the application for US citizenship, depending on the residency rules in history), you may be able to get at some records of the Austrian government. AlMac|(talk) 19:49, 15 October 2005 (UTC)
- Are you trying to locate Severine? An Austrian gazetteer would help. (Actually, in 1888 it would be Austria-Hungary) Unfortunately I can't find one online; for some maps, look at this and this and this. Other links that may help: [43], [44], and [45]. - Nunh-huh 02:23, 16 October 2005 (UTC)
Cardboard Coffins - Can they be used for burial in the USA?
Is there any law against burying a human in a cardboard box? (in the United States of America) I heard that some people are buying cardboard boxes and then the whole family decorates it together. But I wouldn't want to be cremated but instead buried in the cardboard box. Is that okay? Thanks
(email removed: questions are answered here, and leaving your email may lead to spam)
See the Federal Trade Commission's So you're buying a funeral? page. Before there was federal regulation, people would get ripped off by funeral directors who lied to them, telling them they were required to purchase embalming and/or espensive coffins. For "direct burial" or "direct cremation", you certainly can get by with a plain wooden box; I imagine it would take some rather hefty cardboard to transport a body in. Nonetheless, "For those who choose a direct cremation without a viewing or other ceremony where the body is present, the funeral provider must offer an inexpensive unfinished wood box or alternative container, a non-metal enclosure - pressboard, cardboard or canvas - that is cremated with the body." Funeral homes are required to use the container you purchase, and you don't have to purchase it from them. I think a pine box might be a better bet than cardboard for burial, though. And cemeteries can still require a "grave liner", so the answer to your question depends on the answer to "burying a human where?". (The image of a family decorating a cardboard box to bury someone in is odd to me. I keep thinking of gluing little macaroni shells to it and spray painting it gold.... I mean...what's the decoration for? But to each his own.) Hope the link helps. - Nunh-huh 02:00, 16 October 2005 (UTC)
Superhuman abilities
How does one go about gaining superhuman abilities? I'm thinking of cybernetic implants and possibly genetic manipulation. Any ideas? For preference, I'd rather not go insane and become a supervillian. 84.69.7.16 19:06, 15 October 2005 (UTC)
- Read Science Fiction. Reality not yet caught up with what you asking for. Now perhaps you might be able to see that your kids have superior genes to those that you have, but you probably die of old age before this working. If you have plenty money, you could have self frozen after death, and take your chances you not get broken up for spare parts. AlMac|(talk) 19:52, 15 October 2005 (UTC)
- Well, you can wear devices to give you some such abilities, like a night vision scope to allow you to see in the dark. There is a functional rocket pack, too, although it is quite dangerous and only gives you 30 seconds of flight at a time. Satellite communications thru an earpiece and microphone, maybe tied to a GPS unit, would also be doable. "Bullet proof" (really bullet resistant) clothing is available. A parabolic microphone would give you "superhuman hearing". The superhuman strength part isn't technologically available yet, although eventually a robotic superskeleton may provide such abilities. Under current technology, the loss of speed and flexibility would make any increase in strength too expensive. StuRat 20:19, 15 October 2005 (UTC)
How to unjam a US Military M4 assault rifle.
If I am using a US Military M4A1 or M4A2 assault rifle and I an loaded with a 30-round clip, and after I fire about 5 rounds it jams. How do I unjam my gun?
- I've spent a few hours at the firing range with the M4. in a computer game This page on operating an M16 might help. I hope this isn't an urgent question. --Sum0 22:52, 15 October 2005 (UTC)
military music
What is the opposite term for a reveille? I mean, the reveille is a bugle sort of sound that happens early in the morning; what is the corresponding sound called that is played at night?
Bold text taps \ˈtaps\ noun plural but singular or plural in construction [probably alteration of earlier taptoo tattoo — more at tattoo] (1824)
- the last bugle call at night blown as a signal that lights are to be put out; also : a similar call blown at military funerals and memorial services
Merriam-Webster, I. (1996, c1993). Merriam-Webster's collegiate dictionary. (10th ed.). Springfield, Mass., U.S.A.: Merriam-Webster.
- At U.S. military bases, I believe they play "Retreat" when they lower the flag at the end of the day. —Wayward Talk 23:43, 15 October 2005 (UTC)
Rolls Royce
Hello: After reading the history on the Rolls Royce car, I did not see any reference to the Rolls Royce Silver Spur,or the last model year the car was built by Rolls Royce/ Bentley before the take over by BMW. I would be very interested in this additional history.
Thank you very much,
Russell Di Giallorenzo (email address removed --hydnjo talk 02:39, 16 October 2005 (UTC))
- The best way to note errors and omissions to a specific article is either fix it yourself or add a comment the discussion page of that article, in this case Talk:Rolls Royce. --Robert Merkel 22:44, 16 October 2005 (UTC)
Political Party Links
Which political party in the United States is the Liberal Democratic Party of Japan most like? --66.173.50.80 22:13, 15 October 2005 (UTC)
- The Liberal Democratic Party of Japan is a conservative party, so the easy answer would be the Republican Party. They also believe in maintaining a strong Self-Defense Force (military), privatization (the Diet of Japan recently passed legislation that would privatize the postal system), and low taxes. However, that's not to say they are exactly on par with the Republicans; in fact, I would say that in practice (as opposed to mere ideology), they are in fact further right than the Repubs are today. Garrett Albright 03:59, 16 October 2005 (UTC)
- I'm not an expert, but Liberal Democratic Party (Japan) says it is "a right-wing conservative party that favors free market economic policies" -- so I'm guessing the Republican Party (United States). (However, the Democratic Party (United States) favors free market economic policies most often too. What is "liberal" in America can often to "conservative" in other countries.) As far as social issues, I'm not sure. --Quasipalm 03:58, 16 October 2005 (UTC)
- Why on earth would you want to know that? It would be an extremely crude and therefore meaningless indicator. The winner-take-all type of democracy (if you can call it that) in the US means that there will in the end (and indeed now are) only two parties of any importance, which are barely distinguishable from each other. DirkvdM 09:28, 16 October 2005 (UTC)
foliage
is there a name for foliage or blossoms which have withered but not fallen off
- Yeah, springtime in New England. Just kidding about the name but Oak foliage in these parts drop about half before winter and half in the early spring. Never thought there might be a name for it though. --hydnjo talk 02:22, 16 October 2005 (UTC)
charges for full service gas stations
I am disabled and cannot pump my own gas. I go to a station that has self service and full service. I pay $1.00 or more a gallon for full service. A while back, I read that the state of Ca. does not allow stations to charge either 10 cents or 10 percent, I'm not sure which, more for full service. Is this true?
Jody Dupont
- As long as there is a message prominently in view that describes the cost for full-service then that cost can be applied. In that case find another gas station. If there is no sign then you're getting ripped-off. In that case, have a police vehicle follow you in for your next fill-up. That should be interesting. With regard to your disability, Under California law, all gasoline retailers must provide fueling assistance to the disabled at self-serve prices. Exceptions include stations with a single employee. --hydnjo talk 01:33, 16 October 2005 (UTC)
- You'd save a lot of money by moving to Oregon. Not only is gas cheaper there than in California, but state law dictates that one cannot pump their own gas. That doesn't mean all stations are full-service (they won't clean your windshield and such), but it does mean that they pump gas for you, and don't charge you more for it. Garrett Albright 03:52, 16 October 2005 (UTC)
- Or New Jersey for that matter. Self-service isn't allowed there either. But I wouldn't recommed moving. That seems a drastic step for a disabled person in your situation which is already covered by your own state law. Find a largish gas station with more than one attendant and you will get gasoline at self-serve prices. Personally, I'd go for the police escort though just to make a statement for others in your circumstances. ;-) --hydnjo talk 04:03, 16 October 2005 (UTC)
who?>
Who is the company who published your encyclopedia and wrote it? When was it published?
- I'm writing it right now so to speak and so are you. Also, it is being published as you read this. As for the company, well this may help. --hydnjo talk 01:40, 16 October 2005 (UTC)
- For info on how to cite Wikipedia as a source for your paper or project, see the notice at the top of the page and the page before this one. But then you knew that was there because you read the instructions before asking, right? Dismas|(talk) 02:45, 16 October 2005 (UTC)
- I'm gonna plagiarize that response at some future time. It deserves to be repeated. --hydnjo talk 03:00, 16 October 2005 (UTC)
Postage
moved from WP:HD hydnjo talk 03:31, 16 October 2005 (UTC)
I am new guy of La Crosse,WI. I mail a parcel weight about 3pounds with priority . I want to know how much I will pay the charge?
Thank you!
- That depends on the zip code of the destination. Dismas|(talk) 03:13, 16 October 2005 (UTC)
- Also there would extra charges for insurance and delivery confirmation. These charges are small compared to the original parcel charge for priority (2-3 day) service. There is also a "next day" service available at considerable extra cost. This site has lots of information if you don't mind plowing through the typical burocratic baloney. My advice, go for the least expensive option unless there are special circumstances. It's reliable these days. For a little more money go to your local UPS office. They have an excellent record for on time delivery. --hydnjo talk 03:31, 16 October 2005 (UTC)
- Here's a direct link to the USPS postage calculator. —Wayward Talk 04:21, 16 October 2005 (UTC)
- OK then, using that resource, how much postage would be required send a 2.1 ounce first class letter from you to me at Zip code 03028 (if you knew that it was 2.1 ounces in the first place)? --hydnjo talk 05:23, 16 October 2005 (UTC)
What country? (Yes, I already guessed, but I'm just being obnoxious - is everyone in the world supposed to know what 'La Crosse,WI' means?) DirkvdM 09:31, 16 October 2005 (UTC)
- Yes. Everyone, everywhere should know all 50 of the U.S. States names and abbreviations. As well as who our Presidents have had extra-marital affairs with. We're America and have an ego bigger than the planet itself. :^) George W. Bush|(talk) 10:01, 16 October 2005 (UTC)
Hello
Which band/s in history has one a diamond award. I know Bon Jovi is one. Linda
Linda,
This List of Diamond Award Winners from the RIAA [46] lists all diamond award winners from the Eagles greatest hits which had sold 28 million down to Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers whose Greatest Hits album has sold 10 million as at 2003. The Beatles were awarded their sixth Diamond Award in May for the #1 album being their sixth see [47]. so the RIAA need to update their page. These awards are for US sales only. It suggests we need a Diamond Award article so I will add it to the Requested Articles. Capitalistroadster 05:49, 16 October 2005 (UTC)
text vs. texted
As far as 21st century techie jargon goes...
I've always wondered what the past tense of "text" (used as a verb, referring to text messages via cell phone) would be. Example:
I texted you last night. or I text you last night.
I know it is slang anyway, but I was wondering if there was a "proper" way or at least a common way of saying it. Thanks.
- Text'd? -hydnjo talk 04:35, 16 October 2005 (UTC)
- I don't know if it's the standard but I generally say something like "Did you get my text?" or "I sent you a text".
- as a transitive verb, "to text somebody", the past tense would obviously be "texted". neologisms usually are not coined after irregular paradigms (but see ping, pang, pung). If you want it to be irregular, we could fashion it after set, i.e. text, text, text. 09:39, 16 October 2005 (UTC)
- Texted does seem to be most common, at least in my experience. Shimgray | talk | 09:46, 16 October 2005 (UTC)
European History
- Where was Napoleon born?
- Where was the general area where the 30 Years War was fought?
- Where is the Kingdom of Naples located?
- Where was the birth place of Philip II of Spain?
- Which country was the richest area of the Holy Roman Empire during the first stage of the 30 Years War?
- In what country was the Ottoman Empire located? (or conversely, what countries were in the Ottoman Empire)?
- What country's indepencence was recognized by the Peace of Westphalia?
- Where was the Council of Blood aka Blood Council aka Council of Troubles located? see Duke of Alba - — Preceding unsigned comment added by 71.138.89.45 (talk) 00:18, 16 October 2005 (UTC)
- And, is there an extra credit question? --hydnjo talk 04:33, 16 October 2005 (UTC)
- What does it say right after Do your own homework at the top of this page?
- What do we get for doing your homework for you? Dismas|(talk) 04:35, 16 October 2005 (UTC)
- I suggest you use the search box, which is on every Wikipedia page, and you'll find the answer to all or almost all of these questions really easily.-gadfium 04:37, 16 October 2005 (UTC)
- Unless of course you'ld like your homework done for you. In that case be wary of the responses that you turn in from here. There may be some well disguised funnies. ;-)
- Napoleon was born at home as were most others at that time. (etc).
--hydnjo talk 04:44, 16 October 2005 (UTC)
It seems that we have not done our homework on the blood council though... Trollderella 16:52, 17 October 2005 (UTC)
How to podcast?
I have a blog and I've recorded sounds with Audacity.What must I do next?What MP3 encoder must I use?How can I post the files?[[User:Tdxiang|Tan Ding Xiang | ☎]] 06:42, 16 October 2005 (UTC)
It doesn't matter what mp3 encoder you use. The bit rate you choose will depend on the trade off you want to make between quality and bandwidth. Your next step is to publish the file to a web server and create an rss feed. Once you have done that people can subscribe to your podcast. There are many services available to make this really easy for you , for example Odeo, libsyn and castblaster Majts 08:35, 16 October 2005 (UTC)
- Well, some MP3 encoders are better than others. I like LAME, which is free and very capable. Also, there are some shareware programs out there that'll help you streamline the process of podcast creation. Try searching your favorite shareware archive (I like MacUpdate, if you're one of my Mac-slinging bretheren) for "podcast" and see what turns up. Garrett Albright 16:31, 16 October 2005 (UTC)
Gas Used to Ripen Bananas
What is the name of the gas used to ripen bananas? Is this the same gas used to ripen other fruits and certain vegetables? What other fruits and vegetables are ripened with this gas? Is there any harmful effects on the health by eating bananas or other fruits or vegetables ripened with this gas? -- Paul Feinzimer (removed email address)
- Ethylene. See also Ethylene (plant hormone) for more information on this role. It is fairly general in its effect of ripening fruit, but not (AFAIK) vegetables. It is unlikely to have any harmful effects on human health, as the quantities left on the fruit after it has been in the air for a few hours would be miniscule. Ethylene has been used as an anaesthetic, but this would be more of a risk for workers than consumers. Physchim62 10:18, 16 October 2005 (UTC)
- Side note, I don't see why Ethylene (plant hormone) should be seperated from Ethylene. The hormone is the same substance and the Ethylene article isn't too large for the info to be included. - Mgm|(talk) 11:30, 16 October 2005 (UTC)
- Agree. It has joined the list at Wikipedia:WikiProject Chemistry/Articles to be merged. Physchim62 11:51, 16 October 2005 (UTC)
- Agreed. Also, is it really a hormone or more properly described as a catalyst ? StuRat 15:07, 16 October 2005 (UTC)
- It is a hormone. The merge is now done. Physchim62 15:10, 16 October 2005 (UTC)
- Ethylene is used to field ripen those "vegetables" which are biologically fruits like tomatoes. Rmhermen 14:57, 16 October 2005 (UTC)
- Thanks! - 131.211.51.34 08:59, 17 October 2005 (UTC)
Risks Inherent in International Business
I wanted to find out if the following risks that i know are correct or not
1- Political & Financial risk 2- Security 3- Diversification/Innovation 4- Human Resource Reliance 5- Potential Impacts on global business plan 6- Competition & Sustained Presence
if these are the risks that international businesses face, and try to overcome or contain, am trying to find out how ... ufortunately my searches are not giving me information i need, can someone please help with given me hints on how to search properly for possible ways in which international businesses use or can use to contain these risks.
thanks!
- You're probably not getting much information because those are incredibly vague terms. Try being more specific, both with us and with search engines. Also, if you want to get really serious about learning this stuff, some college-level university business courses would probably do you good. We don't seem to have an article on international business or international corporations, sadly. Garrett Albright 17:03, 16 October 2005 (UTC)
This is the Reference Desk
What are the implications of lorries in the movie Good Burger? Please answer in at least three pages and turn in your work by next Wednesday. Garrett Albright 17:03, 16 October 2005 (UTC)
1938 Chicago White Sox All Star Gold Medal
Hi Folks, I have this 1938 Gold All Star Baseball Medal that I just can't seem to find anything about?. I thought you might be able to help me out with some information on it?. I have contacted "LELANDS" And Keith wrote back and said it just might be a Minor League Medal? But didn't really know!. I have sent emails to the Major League White Sox's Organization, And they said that there was NO information about this medal in their archives, And they also think this is a Minor League Medal?. I have emailed a Jpeg to the Minor League Teams, and NO one there has ever heard of it?. I have also contacted Freddy Berowski Library Research Associate National Baseball Hall of Fame & Museum, And he said that it was very interesting! But they have nothing like it in their collection! and that I should try a Local Chicago Historic Association!. I know this is a shot in the dark, BUT I was hoping that you just might have some Information on this medal?. I have emailed Dorothy Z. Seymour, Harold Seymour's Widow, and she seemed to think that this might have been a White Sox sponsored event in which the Big League Clubs offered some sponsorship the the city leagues. Dorothy also said that you were the people that were most likely to have any information on it! I would REALLY appreciate any help you could provide me with!. I can also send you a Jpeg of this medal. Thanks, Ed. Burnett.---207.228.60.181 18:18, 16 October 2005 (UTC) This is round and is in the shape of a Baseball's sweet spot side. It has a player getting ready to swing at a pitch.
The front has "CHICAGO / BASEBALL FEDERATION / ALL STAR / 1938 / PRESENTED BY / CHICAGO / WHITE SOX".
The bottom back has a Circled N with "1/20 10K GOLD FILLED". This measures about 1 & 3/8 Inches wide and 2 & 7/8 Tall.
what is a clinka
what is a clinka
Urban dictionary suggests that it is clinging poo. Majts 20:37, 16 October 2005 (UTC)
- It could also be something left over from burning coal or smelting ore: Clinker. —Keenan Pepper 20:54, 16 October 2005 (UTC)
- A clinker is also a type of chocolate (or candy) in Australia. damn fine too. --Ballchef 04:32, 17 October 2005 (UTC)
What nation(s) do not have real estate?
In what nations would all the real estate across the nation be owned by the government, restricted from any sale as privately-owned lots of land?Screwball23 23:47, 16 October 2005 (UTC)
- North Korea would be a good guess. Capitalistroadster 05:28, 17 October 2005 (UTC)
- Perhaps not quite what you want, but I think Sealand might qualify.-gadfium 07:13, 17 October 2005 (UTC)
- The Vatican. --Diderot 07:52, 17 October 2005 (UTC)
- Cuba, I believe, and perhaps China (although the leasing arrangements in China seem like real estate in all but the name). Physchim62 09:08, 17 October 2005 (UTC)
- and of course the Antarctic, where this is imposed by international treaty. Physchim62 09:09, 17 October 2005 (UTC)
- In Cuba houses are not government owned but privately owned. However, people aren't allowed to sell their house because that might lead to accumulation of wealth. They are, however, allowed to swap houses, for which they put a sign on the door saying 'se permuta' (loosely translatable (?) as 'moving'). Not a very efficient system if you ask me (but then you didn't ask for my opinion...). I put that in the Cuba article but then it got removed. I don't know if someone has put it back again, but I've largely given up on that article, leaving it to the pitbuls. WARNING. Wikipedia articles are just as pov on (sensitive) political ssues as any other source (Internet or otherwise). Well, maybe that's an exageration because there are usually pitbuls on both sides, resulting in a mix of pov's (in stead of the intended npov). Also, with by far most editors on the English Wikipedia being from 'the west' and most of those from the US, there will also be a bias (such as anti-Castro). But then you didn't ask for this rant either, so I'll shut up now. DirkvdM 09:40, 17 October 2005 (UTC)
Bonzi Buddy
How do I install Bonzi Buddy?
- Bonzi Buddy is a scam operated by slime and astroturfed by scum. -- Finlay McWalter | Talk 22:20, 16 October 2005 (UTC)
- I would strongly advise against installing it, given that it serves no useful purpose whatsoever, installs spyware and/or malware onto your computer, and is generally considered harmful. However, if you really have a deathwish for your computer, the normal procedure would be to go to the website of whichever company provides the software (forgive me if I don't give them the benefit of naming or linking), download the installer program to your computer, and run it. At this point you will probably be interested in Wikipedia's articles on Microsoft AntiSpyware, Lavasoft Ad-Aware and Spybot - Search & Destroy --Noodhoog 05:25, 17 October 2005 (UTC)
Google redirecting
A couple of months ago, every time I typed in google.com it redirected me to google.uk. Today, when I try to go to google.com, it's redirecting me to google.de. I know this isn't a systemwide problem, but why is it happening? Any insights? Could it be an AOL problem? User:Zoe|(talk) 00:45, 17 October 2005 (UTC)
- No, Google does it on purpose. They infer your ___location from your IP and send you to the local Google service. Assuming you're really in the UK, then they intended for you to get the co.uk version. If you've not moved to Germany then it looks like their IP based geolocation code (which is never perfect) has become confused. -- Finlay McWalter | Talk 00:53, 17 October 2005 (UTC)
- I'm in California, why is Google thinking I'm in Germany? I am using AOL. User:Zoe|(talk) 01:20, 17 October 2005 (UTC)
- Probably because AOL does rather wonky things with IP address assignments and google wasn't quite managing to keep track. --fvw* 01:23, 17 October 2005 (UTC)
- When I moved to Japan, Google wanted to display for me in Japanese. Fortunately, it's pretty easy to go back to English; go to the Google Preferences page and select English for the Interface Language. Garrett Albright 03:13, 17 October 2005 (UTC)
- Psh, forget all they say. It's easier to just type in http://www.google.com/ncr . Done. ☢ Ҡieff | Talk 03:18, 17 October 2005 (UTC)
- Is it? It doesn't work for me, maybe it requires cookies? I always use http://google.com/intl/en/, which works without cookies (but doesn't stick for the same reason of course). --fvw* 03:19, 17 October 2005 (UTC)
- Yes, it needs cookies. Getting on google.com/ncr ignores whatever country you are and set the default interface to the standar english one, and shoves this information on the cookies so next time you get on you don't get redirected. ☢ Ҡieff | Talk 04:53, 17 October 2005 (UTC)
- I also get directed to the Dutch Google when I type in the url. But then I click to the English version and bookmark that and I always end up in the English Google. At least, I think that's how I did it. DirkvdM 09:44, 17 October 2005 (UTC)
- Yes, it needs cookies. Getting on google.com/ncr ignores whatever country you are and set the default interface to the standar english one, and shoves this information on the cookies so next time you get on you don't get redirected. ☢ Ҡieff | Talk 04:53, 17 October 2005 (UTC)
- Is it? It doesn't work for me, maybe it requires cookies? I always use http://google.com/intl/en/, which works without cookies (but doesn't stick for the same reason of course). --fvw* 03:19, 17 October 2005 (UTC)
Tincture of Green soap
Erica Cordoba asked this question over the help e-mail list and I am listing it here:
This might be an unusual question, but, I been curious as of why is the soap called Tincture of green when in fact the color is orange. thank you.
I am listing it here in case anyone is able to assist.
Capitalistroadster 02:44, 17 October 2005 (UTC)
- It's actually usually, though not necessarily, colored green. I don't know, but would suggest, that perhaps "green" is being used in the sense of "new, not ripened or matured", given that it's a soft soap, being incompletely saponified vegetable oil. - Nunh-huh 04:51, 17 October 2005 (UTC)
Drinking
Why does society frown upon drinking alcohol in the morning? I mean, what is the big deal?
- Good point. perhaps you need an excuse. My grandad used to have bacon and eggs for breakfast, then say "Boy that bacon was salty, i need a drink!". But anyway, why does society frown upon a lot of things, some of which are very very trivial or stupid. why can we get drunk and smoke cigarettes, but when you pull out a spliff people give you dirty looks? why can men go topless but not women? (in some countries). society is one very warped thing, but things that were frowned upon 100 years ago aren't today, so perhaps in 100 years beer will replace OJ at the breakfast table. we can only hope! --Ballchef 04:42, 17 October 2005 (UTC)
- Yuck. Orange juice is the BEST drink in existence, and beer only loses being the worse for urine. I'll be hoping NOT ☢ Ҡieff | Talk 04:51, 17 October 2005 (UTC)
- Drinking alcohol induces drowsiness, so if you drink alcohol in the morning, you'll spend the rest of the day too lazy to do anything. That's my opinion anyway. — JIP | Talk 05:17, 17 October 2005 (UTC)
- As well as being lazy, if you intend to be making descisions, driving, opertating machinery etc it's not a good idea to drink alcohol in the morning. From the article alcohol: "is known to have a depressing effect that decreases the responses of the central nervous system". So I suppose it's frowned upon because drinking in the morning limits your capacity to do a good days work (whatever society deems that to be).--Commander Keane 05:48, 17 October 2005 (UTC)
- If you drink at night, most of the time you're drunk will be while you're asleep. Superm401 | Talk 06:50, 17 October 2005 (UTC)
- Who said anything about getting drunk? Might you be from the US? I've learned that in the US alcohol consumption is often associated with getting drunk. I even once stayed in a hotel in the US where alcohol consumption was forbidden even in the room, for just this reason, but when the manager found out I was European he made an exception for me. In France it is quite normal to drink wine (quite a bit stronger than beer) during the day. And when I was picking grapes in France we even got a shot of liquor late in the afternoon. There seems to be a religious difference here, though, with catholics being a lot more loose than protestants (in the Netherlands at least). Also, a few centuries ago it was normal to drink beer all day because the water made you sick (beer gets boiled). But that was young beer, which has a very low alcohol content. DirkvdM 09:54, 17 October 2005 (UTC)
- If you drink at night, most of the time you're drunk will be while you're asleep. Superm401 | Talk 06:50, 17 October 2005 (UTC)
- As well as being lazy, if you intend to be making descisions, driving, opertating machinery etc it's not a good idea to drink alcohol in the morning. From the article alcohol: "is known to have a depressing effect that decreases the responses of the central nervous system". So I suppose it's frowned upon because drinking in the morning limits your capacity to do a good days work (whatever society deems that to be).--Commander Keane 05:48, 17 October 2005 (UTC)
It actually isn't frowned upon in all societies - I can attest to this, having travelled extensively in Eastern Europe. Trollderella 16:45, 17 October 2005 (UTC)
Rainbows
Why does the sky look lighter on one side of a rainbow?
- I suppose you mean like in this photo from the rainbow article (which doesn't seem to give the answer) and some others there as well. I've noticed this phenomenon too and assumed that it would be something psychological, with the outer colours contrasting more with a dark background. But looking at this picture that doesn't seem to be the case. One possibility is that beyond infrared we can't see anything at all, but beyond ultraviolet we have a very faint perception, resulting not in seeing a colour but more of a haze, which only becomes apparent because of the sharp contrast created in the case of a rainbow. But I doubt if that could have this effect. DirkvdM 10:11, 17 October 2005 (UTC)
- When you are looking at a rainbow you are looking at the reflection of light in the rain, so the Sun must be behind and relatively low in the sky, with the rain in front of you. On the inside of the rainbow light at all wavelengths is reflected making it look bright. On the outside of the rainbow no light is reflected (it goes over our heads), hence it looks much darker. The rainbow itself is the light bouncing back, but filtered due to refraction at wavelengths corresponding to their colors. If you want more detail of all the various effects of rainbows this site will explain Majts 13:17, 17 October 2005 (UTC)
- If you look at the diagrams at rainbow, you'll see one with showing a bunch of parallel red rays entering a raindrop. If you look at where the rays come back out, you can see a broad fan of rays coming back out at small angles (this is the brighter light "inside" the bow), with a cluster of rays at around 40-42° (this is the well-defined bow itself), and a cut-off above 42° where no rays are coming out (this is the dark area on the "outside" of the bow). Essentially, the inside of the bow is reflecting some light back from the sun into your eyes, so it looks brighter than the outside of the bow which doesn't. --Bob Mellish 16:34, 17 October 2005 (UTC)
Name origin of Bensko/Bencko
What is the origin of the surname "Bensko" or "Bencko"? I know that it is from Slovakia, but I don't know what it means or anything like that (eg, placename, occupation, etc).
Listen up: read the instructions. If you post you question at the top of the page, no-one will read it (except me, and unfortunately for you, i have no idea about what you're talking about). if, and only if you follow the instructions, the question will appear at the bottom of the page and you might get a response from the wonderful RefDesk crew. thanks. --Ballchef 06:42, 17 October 2005 (UTC)
tall building
Where is the world's tallest building that has a public observation deck that one could jump off of? That means that there is no bars, window panes, etc restraining you. I'm thinking it is the Carew Tower in Cincinnati, OH. (you can see it at www.vrcincinnati.com) Thanks.
- Please, Don't do it! --Ballchef 06:44, 17 October 2005 (UTC)
- Maybe: Don't do it!--Commander Keane 11:56, 17 October 2005 (UTC)
- Assuming you still with us, Sydney Tower opened "SkyWalk platform" today, which is 268 m above the ground (879 ft). There is just a handrail, but you are harnessed and tied onto a guide rail. To jump off, you'd need to undo the carabiner, which isn't too difficult. I'm sure it's not the highest in the world, (and ignoring the harness) its higher than this Carew Tower.--Commander Keane 16:52, 17 October 2005 (UTC)
I wanted to ask what is the theme of "The Waves" by Virginia Woolf?
- So why didn't you? (Do your own homework;see instructions at top of page). Superm401 | Talk 07:03, 17 October 2005 (UTC)
- Some cynical souls may say the theme is "Do your own homework". We have an article on The Waves by Virginia Woolf. The Literary Encyclopedia says the theme is bereavement see [48]. Capitalistroadster 07:12, 17 October 2005 (UTC) +
Sherlock Holmes
How much was Doyle paid for each episode of Hound of the Baskervilles
Unfortunately this source is unreferenced but it suggests that Strand magazine paid Conan Doyle between £480 - £620 per episode, depending on length. Majts 14:32, 17 October 2005 (UTC)
Pikachu
How did he come to be invented?
- Sadly, neither our Pikachu nor our Pokémon articles have much on the history of the little rat, but if I had to venture a guess, it would go like this: Pikachu was originally created in 1996 as one of the 151 original characters in the original Pokémon video games. When the animated series were in development, the producers were looking for a leading monster, and Pikachu, being rather cute and marketable and such, was a natural, so he got a starring role. This catapulted his popularity. Garrett Albright 15:16, 17 October 2005 (UTC)
Newspaper articles related to the first ten US Amendments
Need newpaper or court article with subjects related to First 10 Bill of Rights/
Talk Pages
What is the longest article without a talk page? smurrayinchester(User), (Talk) 15:35, 17 October 2005 (UTC)
- Special:Longpages is a list of the longest articles on Wikipedia. The first article on that page (and therefore the longest article on Wikipedia), List of places in Arkansas, does not have a talk page. Who'd'a thunk? For future reference, questions like this would be more at home on Wikipedia:Village pump. Garrett Albright 16:08, 17 October 2005 (UTC)
- How did anyone write all that in just one edit!? smurrayinchester(User), (Talk) 16:12, 17 October 2005 (UTC)
- Sorry, I just noticed it was an automatic list. smurrayinchester(User), (Talk) 16:33, 17 October 2005 (UTC)
- How did anyone write all that in just one edit!? smurrayinchester(User), (Talk) 16:12, 17 October 2005 (UTC)
Golf Holes in One
What percentage of aces are hit on par 4 holes? I know most are hit on par 3s, as many players cannot hit the ball far enough to reach the green on a par 4. Has there ever been an ace on a par 5?
There really should be a separate section for sports questions.
Labor Day
Why do people say you can't wear white after Labor day?
- In traditional upper-class east-coast North American society, white pants and shoes are regarded as summer dress, and within that custom are worn only from President's Day in the Spring (in Canada, Victoria Day) to Labo(u)r Day in late summer. If you hang around folks that subscribe to it, for example if you have been invited to a late October mid-afternoon wedding in Boston for which formal dress has been requested, then perhaps you'd care. If not, then likely you wouldn't. Sharkford 16:58, 17 October 2005 (UTC)