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October 13
TV commercial credits
Does anyone know any source for finding specific data on actors, directors, etc. for television commercials?--Fuhghettaboutit 00:45, 13 October 2006 (UTC)
- If you're talking about a database or compendium of commercials, I highly doubt it. If you're thinking of a particular ad or actor, it should be pretty easy. OTOH, since I am the Wikipedia Google Queen, I should actually check google before posting. Database of Television Commercials. Google results for 'database of television commercials'. Anchoress 00:59, 13 October 2006 (UTC)
- Thanks for the effort. I am quite the Google king myself and have found bubkis for specific actor credits for many nationally broadcast commercials. Databases such as the one you posted are not generally helpful. There must be at least a source that those in the industry use. I'm not necessarily looking for an online source. An industry book I could send away for would fit the bill.--Fuhghettaboutit 01:15, 13 October 2006 (UTC)
- The thing is (this was my original thought), I don't think they'd bother. Unlike movie directories, there would be no economic benefit to justify the work. I think the best approximation would be that talent agencies probably keep records of all the commercials their representees (is that a word?) participate in, and PR agencies probably do the same for their clients. Networks might also keep catalogues, but I doubt they'd publish them. But, I may be totally wrong. :-) Anchoress 01:24, 13 October 2006 (UTC)
- Maybe. However, think about it from an actor's perspective. Being able to cite your previous work is everything, so they'd likely want such memorialization. Also I have noticed a number of actors who appear in multiple commercials but whom I have seen nowhere else. Plus, there's huge money in commercials and actors who specialize in it. I bet it exists (but both of us are flailing in the dark). Hopefully and insider will come along and we'll both get an answer:-).--Fuhghettaboutit 02:16, 13 October 2006 (UTC)
- There is (used to be) a UK magazine called "Advertising" I think, a sister to "Computing". Not a database, but if you can find a searchable archive of that or a similar mag ("Campaign"?) you may have some luck. Also some actors have listed (passive or active voice) their ad work on IMDB. Rich Farmbrough, 11:34 19 October 2006 (GMT).
- Maybe. However, think about it from an actor's perspective. Being able to cite your previous work is everything, so they'd likely want such memorialization. Also I have noticed a number of actors who appear in multiple commercials but whom I have seen nowhere else. Plus, there's huge money in commercials and actors who specialize in it. I bet it exists (but both of us are flailing in the dark). Hopefully and insider will come along and we'll both get an answer:-).--Fuhghettaboutit 02:16, 13 October 2006 (UTC)
- The thing is (this was my original thought), I don't think they'd bother. Unlike movie directories, there would be no economic benefit to justify the work. I think the best approximation would be that talent agencies probably keep records of all the commercials their representees (is that a word?) participate in, and PR agencies probably do the same for their clients. Networks might also keep catalogues, but I doubt they'd publish them. But, I may be totally wrong. :-) Anchoress 01:24, 13 October 2006 (UTC)
- Thanks for the effort. I am quite the Google king myself and have found bubkis for specific actor credits for many nationally broadcast commercials. Databases such as the one you posted are not generally helpful. There must be at least a source that those in the industry use. I'm not necessarily looking for an online source. An industry book I could send away for would fit the bill.--Fuhghettaboutit 01:15, 13 October 2006 (UTC)
Lactic Acid Pain
I don't really understand the article on Lactic Acid where it says where the muscle pain comes from. The article states that lactic acid is not directly responsible for the pain in your muscle and states other reasons. I didn't really follow the reasons, so could someone break it down for me in simple step-by-steps on why lactic acid is related to muslce pain in sprinting and what really causes the pain? Thanks a lot. --Jamesino 00:48, 13 October 2006 (UTC)
- On an largely unrelated note: if you get lactic acid pain from drinking milk, stop drinking milk for a while. In fact, you may want to go off ice cream as well. Sooner or later you'll feel like eating ice cream again. Do not fight this urge! Eat ice cream again! Later, you'll feel like having milk again. Do not fight this urge! Drink milk again.
- I'm not going to bother providing a 'scientific explanation'. Just give your body a break from milk for a time, and you'll feel much better as a result.
- I apologize for the staggering irrelevance of this info. Chris 16:43, 16 October 2006 (UTC)
- To simplify the article's explanation, lactic acid is produced during anaerobic respiration, which produces ATP more quickly than aerobic respiration. ATP is synthesized by hydrolysis, a by-product of which is water. The buildup of the hydrogens from these newly-produced H2O molecules produces a more acidic pH, which is the cause of the pain. Generally, by the way, you'd get a faster response to this type of question by posting it on the science reference desk. -Elmer Clark 22:46, 17 October 2006 (UTC)
Most embarassing way to die?
What do you reckon, guys? What would be *the* number 1 most emarassing circumstance for your loved ones to find your dead corpse in? Death by autoerotic asphyxiation? Death during a homosexual act when they thought you were straight? Death from pushing too hard on the toilet? Brain haemorrhage during masturbation? Opinions? --Kurt Shaped Box 01:01, 13 October 2006 (UTC)
- look up the darwin awards, there full of embarassing/stupid people dying. one of my friend grndads was a finalist cause he urinated on an electric fire place and died.
- It would never happen to me personally, but being found dead with one's genitals attached to the hind end of a sheep would be pretty high up in my estimation. Electrocution due to trying to stimulate one's prostate with a cattle prod would also figure prominently. Anchoress 01:04, 13 October 2006 (UTC)
- Oh yeah, how about the guy who was fucked to death by a horse? Just remembered that one... --Kurt Shaped Box 01:08, 13 October 2006 (UTC)
- That raises a very interesting question: How many peoples prostates have you tried to stimulate using a cattle prod? BTW I thought all corpses were dead! --Light current 01:11, 13 October 2006 (UTC)
- I think Stephen Milligan died in one of the worst ways imaginable for a British Conservative party MP... (it's just hard to remember that he had a promising political career in a party just kicking off a 'Back to basics' drive when you know that he was found by his secretary, hanging from electrical flex, wearing only suspenders, with an orange segment in his mouth...) Although horse guy might be pushing him for a winner...--Mnemeson 01:14, 13 October 2006 (UTC)
- For the Americans reading this..."suspenders" in Britain means a garter belt. A frilly garter belt, in this case. (I understood he was also wearing pink satin knickers (panties for the Americans)). Charlene.fic 01:26, 13 October 2006 (UTC)
- I dont understand the orange segment bit! Any explanation?--Light current 01:18, 13 October 2006 (UTC)
- A dildo ? StuRat 01:28, 13 October 2006 (UTC)
- I don't think that anyone else did either. --Kurt Shaped Box 01:24, 13 October 2006 (UTC)
- I thought they found him with a whole satsuma in his mouth? --Kurt Shaped Box 01:24, 13 October 2006 (UTC)
- Maybe he was a fan of The Godfather. Anchoress 01:26, 13 October 2006 (UTC)
- From memory, the point of the orange segment is that it was a popular method for self administring amyl nitrite at the time. I'm not exactly sure how - I thought the idea was that you buy a small glass phial of amyl nitrite from your local sex shop, wrap the phial in some orange rind, and once all your other preparations are complete (you might not have to go as far as Stephen Milligan), bite down on the orange rind to break the phial and release the poppers. However, on checking some online sources, an alternative might be to inject a segment of orange with the amyl nitrite then chew the orange to release the vapours when ready. -- Solipsist 13:40, 13 October 2006 (UTC)
- Maybe he was a fan of The Godfather. Anchoress 01:26, 13 October 2006 (UTC)
- What about replicating a Darwin Award winner? I could cope with my relatives thinking I was some kind of perv; but I'd really prefer not to have my heirs convinced I was dumb. --Robert Merkel 01:28, 13 October 2006 (UTC)
- The guy who decided to play Russian roulette with a semi-automatic pistol [1] has got to be a contender. --Kurt Shaped Box 01:38, 13 October 2006 (UTC)
Wasn't there a woman that ended up with a womb full of mud shrimp after using a lobster to masturbate with? Then she died of an infection or something? I can't remember her name now but theres probably an article on her.
- Yes, there was. In the twisted fantasy world of the email hoax. Anchoress 01:37, 13 October 2006 (UTC)
- I was trying to post that when I got an edit conflict. You ever notice how 90% of urban legends about masturbation are about horrors that happen to women when they do so? Gee, I wonder why... --Charlene.fic 01:44, 13 October 2006 (UTC)
- Probably because most of the funny/embarassing stories about guys who have accidents whilst masturbating are true. :) --Kurt Shaped Box 01:48, 13 October 2006 (UTC)
- List of people who died in the bathroom. List of unusual deaths. User:Zoe|(talk) 01:35, 13 October 2006 (UTC)
- Per the article Nelson Rockefeller die in the saddle, so to speak, and it took a couple of hours to get him dressed before medical personnel were summoned? Not really that embarrasing. I expect that many em-bare-ass-ing demises are covered up.Edison 04:57, 13 October 2006 (UTC)
- I've heard that Stalin died because when he was in agony, no-one dared touch him for fear fo doing something wrong. This has happened to quite a few other autoritatian leaders, including some Roman emperors, I believe. DirkvdM 08:44, 13 October 2006 (UTC)
- Based on the above examples, I think Im going to go for Stephen Milligan. I mean thats pretty extreme in lots of directions at once. I can only think of one thing that could make it worse. And no, Im not going to say what (but it could involve a donkey or horse). 8-)--Light current 14:00, 13 October 2006 (UTC)
- For my grandmother, it would have been to die with a house that was less than pristine.Edison 14:29, 13 October 2006 (UTC)
- or die in a car accident with dirty underwear... --Zeizmic 15:18, 13 October 2006 (UTC)
- For my grandmother, it would have been to die with a house that was less than pristine.Edison 14:29, 13 October 2006 (UTC)
- Ah that's the one that's most embarassing for your mother! People may think she never washed 'em! 8-)--Light current 15:23, 13 October 2006 (UTC)
This one didn't make the papers, but I'd rank it up there: about ten or twelve years ago I was Rollerblading in Central Park one weekend when an ambulance and some other emergency personnel came in. This was more than the usual someone-broke-his-leg fuss so I got the skinny on the situation. Down at the southern end of the park some horse carriages offer romantic rides, usually to out-of-town tourists. Now those romantic horses produce some rather unromantic waste. This produces an organic obstacle course of sorts for everyone else who traverses the same pavement. Given that thousands of people worked out in the park, I suppose it was only a matter of time until someone slid on the stuff, hit his head against a curb, and died of the head injury. Of course you could just say this whole story is a pile of manure since I don't have a source to prove it. Durova 19:01, 13 October 2006 (UTC)
- Well thats not embarassing at all for his relatives etc. It wasnt his fault. Surely someone should only be critisiced for some thing they consciously intend to do or do do (no pun)--Light current 10:46, 14 October 2006 (UTC)
Mining claims
What is the difference between a patented mining claim and an unpatented one?
- According to this [2] you have to file a mining claim in order to eventually get a patent (applies to the US Wild wild west). I take it to mean you can pan gold on a standard claim, but if you really want to destroy all the land, you need a patent. --Zeizmic 17:00, 13 October 2006 (UTC)
Miss Washington Pic
Hello, I am the current Miss Washington USA, and I was wondering how I can change my picture on this site to a more updated one? Thank you for your time, Sincerely, Tiffany Doorn Miss Washington USA 2006
We'd all be happy to do it for you! Although Washington is a bit far for me to go with my camera ... ;) --Zeizmic 14:26, 13 October 2006 (UTC)
High quality video website?
I am looking for a website where serious people upload videos they've created. I hope to find a site much more sophisticated than YouTube. Does anyone know of such a site? Thanks for ideas. --70.231.133.238 04:53, 13 October 2006 (UTC)
- If you're at all interested in videos created within video-game settings, check out machinima.com. freshofftheufoΓΛĿЌ 06:56, 13 October 2006 (UTC)
- You're going to have to be a little more specific than "serious people" and "sophisticated". What kind of content are you looking for? Sports? Video games? Indie Films? Politics? youTube has a vast amount of content out there, some that might appeal to you, other stuff that might not(I'm guessing kids lip-syncing pop songs isn't your thing). —Mitaphane talk 09:28, 13 October 2006 (UTC)
- Yeah, there are some good stuff at YouTube (as long as the movie isn't longer than a few minutes) like old music videos and cartoons. You could try a search engine for interesting topics... 惑乱 分からん 11:16, 13 October 2006 (UTC)
- Thanks for your responses. I'll go back and explore youTube a little more, but what I'm looking for is a site where people "workshop" their videos with other people in a respectful and collegial way. The content is not so important to me, but documentaries or indie shorts ARE probably more appealing than lip-synching music videos. Thankx again.
How to post our question into mediawiki site
Hello, Any one please tell me how to post a question in midiaweki site. Thank You, Your's Friend
- Anyone (including non-registered users) can post questions on talk pages within the help section of the community portal. First click on the button at the top if you are a user, system administrator, or developer. freshofftheufoΓΛĿЌ 06:45, 13 October 2006 (UTC)
Are There Bachelor Degrees In Landscape Architecture?
Danke.100110100 07:27, 13 October 2006 (UTC)
- Google is your friend. —Mitaphane talk 07:52, 13 October 2006 (UTC)
- Danke schön.198.166.59.152 10:18, 13 October 2006 (UTC)
You already asked this if I remember correctly. I posted images of a thermometer and said something along the lines of "there are almost 100 degrees on this landscape" edit: Ah found it. Nice reply dirk I never saw that :D --frothT C 20:28, 13 October 2006 (UTC)
Distribution Centers
How would you select a ___location to build a distribution center?
- Find out where the geographical center of your customer base is, put up a building or lease one. Not a good answer for your essay question since you'd probably want something longer but I'm sure you can find more to back it up in your text book. Dismas|(talk) 09:39, 13 October 2006 (UTC)
- Seems like you would want to consider the lowest overall cost. Depending on the goods, you might want to have rail access. You must distribute the goods, so factor in putting it near the ___location from wich distribution costs will be lowest, minimizing distance to the retail locations. But the cost of the land is a variable to consider, so maybe put it in a ___location which is not at a premium. You have to have workers available who will work tirelessly at low pay and not organize to demand high pay. Edison 14:35, 13 October 2006 (UTC)
- Somewhat depends on how your product line is distributed. If quick delivery is important, then you might want to locate near an air hub of one of the major logistics companies. As Edison said, if your product will be delivered by rail, then you would want to choose a centrally located rail hub that would minimize your transport costs. If your product will be delivered by truck, which is probably the case for most products these days, then you want a central ___location close to a major highway. If your product is imported from overseas or exported overseas by ship, then locating close to a major port would make sense. In any case, you want relatively cheap land, so a declining industrial district might be sensible, particularly if it is vacant or if you can reuse the existing buildings. Marco polo 17:46, 13 October 2006 (UTC)
historical item
Hello i just do not know where to start i find myself suddenly in possesion of an unusual item and do not know how or where would be best to have it identified/explained etc . It is or appears to be a walking cane spindle like with a whole through at top presumably for a strap then various carvins such as the german nazi symboland ss also a tank skull & cross bones also the word Friesenwall 1944 .Please can anyone enlighten me or perhaps point me in the right direction i would be very grateful, Thank you for your time and trouble. Kind Regards Andrew
- Sounds like the stick a Nazi tank commander would have. Look up Panzer--Light current 13:05, 13 October 2006 (UTC)
- There's nothing about sticks in the panzer article. And nothing to suggest that others in WW2 Germany might not have had sticks. There seem to be abunch of people interested in nazi memorabilia, doubtless ranging from auction/clearance houses, to right wing idiots. I'd take some photos of it & start talking to them. (Actually, I'd probably toss it into my next bonfire, but there you go.) --Tagishsimon (talk)
- Whats that thing on the table in front of the officer? looks like the top of a stick to me! 8-)--Light current 13:51, 13 October 2006 (UTC)
- You must have a better monitor than me. or something. --Tagishsimon (talk)
- Yeah if you load photo into a viewing program and zoom in you can see that the white thing resembles a cylindrical ribbed object (probably carved ivory) like the handle of an umbrella or stick. THere also seems to be a strap attached to the top, but its very difficult to be sure about that.--Light current 17:21, 13 October 2006 (UTC)
- You must have a better monitor than me. or something. --Tagishsimon (talk)
- This babelfish translation of a German wikipedia page may explain Friesenwall 1944. --Tagishsimon (talk)
coughing and weezing? asap
What does this mean? That you have a serious cold? Cursa 14:34, 13 October 2006 (UTC) asap
- That you have a respiratory tract illness. Could be a cold or flu. Could be bronchitis (sp). Could be all sorts of other things. Could be air pollution or the inhalation of particulate matter. Always check with a Doctor if you have concerns, never rely on the interweb. --Tagishsimon (talk)
Willy on Wheels
Who was this guy and what did he do. I know he was notorious, but I can't find any records of things he has done. THL 14:40, 13 October 2006 (UTC)
Ah, thank you. THL 16:08, 13 October 2006 (UTC)
Well, that explains why there are no records. Obviously the community feels that it was necessary to remove almost all records, but that seems really outrageous to me, especially making the page histories available to Sysops only. Then again, I wasn't here when he was around, so who am I to express an opinion. THL 07:12, 14 October 2006 (UTC)
- I think that is so that no one can recreate the pages, but I may be wrong.--Light current 10:32, 14 October 2006 (UTC)
- Page histories are available to everyone. You're talking about deleted page histories. They're not available, those are deleted because they violate rules and if everyone could read those, it would defeat the use of deleting them in the first place. Blatant adverts or attacks on people that get deleted would still be visible. It would make Wikipedia a mess instead of a work in progress. You can always ask a sysop to provide you with a copy or a summary if you really need it. - 131.211.210.14 10:12, 16 October 2006 (UTC)
I just wanted to know what exactly he did. The google results gave me all of the info I need. Thanks everyone. THL 13:08, 16 October 2006 (UTC)
Credit Card Offers
I understand you can send letters to a group of organizations (US), and the credit card offers will stop. (Experian Target Marketing, Equifax Options, Trans Union Corporation, I believe.) What, exactly, are you supposed to send them? Should it just be a piece of paper saying "Stop sending stuff"? Should I include both my mailing addresses? Do I need to give them my name, social security number, some kind of proof I am who I say I am... What? Black Carrot 16:10, 13 October 2006 (UTC)
- What you would want first, is concrete proof that any of this actually works. --Zeizmic 17:02, 13 October 2006 (UTC)
- Take a look at https://www.optoutprescreen.com/ -- considering its support, I suspect it actually works. I'll let you know in a few months... --jpgordon∇∆∇∆ 17:10, 13 October 2006 (UTC)
This is exactly the site you want. I just did it myself. I was a bit hesitant to provide the info but the verisign validation shows it to be what it says it is. You can opt-out for 5 years on the site very quickly, permanent opt-out must be done by mail.--Justanother 14:14, 20 October 2006 (UTC)
- In a few months you will already know if it works? How many of those things do you get? I suppose this is a US thing. I once saw in a film that if someone gets hold of such a credit card they can start using it *there was some trick involved) and the addressee gets billed even though they never did anything. Is this true? DirkvdM 07:34, 14 October 2006 (UTC)
- I get several of those offers a week. No big deal, just work for the shredder. The addressee can get pretty badly messed up via identity theft somehow, is my guess. --jpgordon∇∆∇∆ 08:25, 14 October 2006 (UTC)
- In a few months you will already know if it works? How many of those things do you get? I suppose this is a US thing. I once saw in a film that if someone gets hold of such a credit card they can start using it *there was some trick involved) and the addressee gets billed even though they never did anything. Is this true? DirkvdM 07:34, 14 October 2006 (UTC)
- Usually the method of validation is to call them from your home phone and they'll check the incoming call number against the number they have on file for your address. So I guess you could break into their home and call, then take the card, or maybe a skilled phreaker could do it --frothT C 19:18, 14 October 2006 (UTC)
- Ah, yes, I think I recall now that in the film they rewired the phone lines or something. But this is ridiculous. If a company thinks up a spamming scheme that goes wrong, then how can they expect the person they spammed to pay for it? How can this be legally possible? DirkvdM 06:31, 15 October 2006 (UTC)
- When you make the call you agree to their terms of service (ie you'll be charged for purchases). Yeah, they make it as easy as possible to get into crushing debt --frothT C 19:43, 15 October 2006 (UTC)
- How can a phone call replace a signature? That could be anyone on the other side of the line, especially if it is not the company that makes the phone call. DirkvdM 04:09, 16 October 2006 (UTC)
- Check snopes.com first. I've heard about scams that mask as such services but actually spread the info you're trying to stop since you are a confirmed target when you respond. On my email I use filters to get rid of such offers, when I get them in paper through the mailbox, they'll go straight to the paper recycling bin. It will take a while, but eventually they'll stop because you're not useful to them. - 131.211.210.14 10:08, 16 October 2006 (UTC)
- But you are still useful to people who sell mailing lists. Rich Farmbrough, 11:46 19 October 2006 (GMT).
Problems trying to goatse
I've been trying to goatse for about a month now and am considerably more able now than before; however, I am beginning to experience pain during defecation. Any ideas on what it is? P.S. I will go to a doctor, but I still would like some advice.
- You're probably trying to do too much too soon. Rome wasn't built in a day - the Goatse Man probably took years to work his way up to that diameter. --Kurt Shaped Box 18:51, 13 October 2006 (UTC)
- Btw, to prevent such accidents to happen in the future, is there a manual at Wikibooks? @_@ 惑乱 分からん 19:02, 13 October 2006 (UTC)
For the love of God why? --frothT C 19:28, 13 October 2006 (UTC)
- Behind every legend there is a thousand followers. ☢ Ҡi∊ff⌇↯ 19:39, 13 October 2006 (UTC)
- Because they can! --Kurt Shaped Box 20:43, 13 October 2006 (UTC)
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
How much money will you have if each living person in the world gives you ONE unit of his/her own currency (dollar, euro, pound, yen, RMB, ruble, won, ...) -- Toytoy 19:42, 13 October 2006 (UTC
This is actually not as hard as it looks. Take a population estimate from a country and insert it on http://www.xe.com (my favorite) and select the country and to change it into your currency. Do this with every country (which may take a while), and then add. This is your answer. Reywas92Talk 19:55, 13 October 2006 (UTC)
- Several hundred million from america alone. Latin america and japan would probably add up to like a thousand dollars USD. EU states' money is worth a lot but I don't think they have as much population as america. not sure about china and india's currency exchange --frothT C 20:26, 13 October 2006 (UTC)
- Derail - the population of the EU is half as large again as that of the US - you would get the most money from the EU as they have the 3rd largest population and the strongest currencies (Euro and GBP). Natgoo 08:14, 14 October 2006 (UTC)
- What do you mean with "derail", "half as large" and "3rd lardest population"? Also, you might lose some of the money trying to find a good way to get rid of your millions of North Korean Won. 惑乱 分からん 12:26, 14 October 2006 (UTC)
- 'Derail ' indicates a tangent - it's a sort of a shorthand for apologising for posting something somewhat off-topic (derailing the thread). 'Half as large again' means 1.5 times as large, as in the population of the EU (~450m) is 1.5 times that of the US (~300m). Taken as a whole (which is appropriate in this context), the EU is the world's third most populous geo-socio-political entity (after China and India). Natgoo 16:05, 14 October 2006 (UTC)
- OK, I didn't know about derail, but still wonder whether "half as large again" really is correct English. It sounds rather weird to me... =S 惑乱 分からん 17:10, 14 October 2006 (UTC)
- "Half again as large" is more usual. Tesseran 02:53, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
- Not in my experience. Rich Farmbrough, 11:48 19 October 2006 (GMT).
Chess - must say check?
I can't seem to find it anywhere, is a chess player required to say check when he moves into the position? Thanks! Reywas92Talk 19:42, 13 October 2006 (UTC)
- Only one dissenting (wrong) view on the entire first page --frothT C 20:14, 13 October 2006 (UTC)
The rules of chess seem to say so. AMP'd 20:23, 13 October 2006 (UTC)
- No they don't. They actually say the opposite. Anchoress 20:29, 13 October 2006 (UTC)
- Go easy on the newbie! I was assuming that he wasn't playing professionally! AMP'd 22:00, 13 October 2006 (UTC)
- Are you the newbie? Because I was replying to you. The OP asked if it's required to say check, and the article you linked to says no, it isn't. Anchoress 22:05, 13 October 2006 (UTC)
- Yes, I am, and that was what I got out of the article on chess. Sorry.AMP'd 22:07, 13 October 2006 (UTC)
- LOL How is it being hard on you to point out that the article you linked to doesn't say what you indicated? I'm sorry if I've seemed harsh or if you took offence, but I really don't understand. Anchoress 22:13, 13 October 2006 (UTC)
- Yes, I am, and that was what I got out of the article on chess. Sorry.AMP'd 22:07, 13 October 2006 (UTC)
- Are you the newbie? Because I was replying to you. The OP asked if it's required to say check, and the article you linked to says no, it isn't. Anchoress 22:05, 13 October 2006 (UTC)
- Go easy on the newbie! I was assuming that he wasn't playing professionally! AMP'd 22:00, 13 October 2006 (UTC)
- I quote from the linked article "In informal games, it is customary to announce check when making a move that puts the opponent's king in check. However, in formal competitions this is not only unnecessary but may be considered annoying or distracting." -- SGBailey 22:39, 13 October 2006 (UTC)
- Exactly. In other words, it is not required to say 'check'. Anchoress 22:49, 13 October 2006 (UTC)
- Glad we've established what I said two hours ago --frothT C 19:12, 14 October 2006 (UTC)
- Exactly. In other words, it is not required to say 'check'. Anchoress 22:49, 13 October 2006 (UTC)
- I quote from the linked article "In informal games, it is customary to announce check when making a move that puts the opponent's king in check. However, in formal competitions this is not only unnecessary but may be considered annoying or distracting." -- SGBailey 22:39, 13 October 2006 (UTC)
Considering his asking about Chess rules on wikipedia id say its fairly certain his not in any formal competition, and therefore it would be "customary to say check". Joneleth 00:44, 14 October 2006 (UTC)
- Yeah, but look at his question. He actually italicised required. That's what he's asking. Is it required. Anchoress 02:44, 14 October 2006 (UTC)
Sidenote: speed chess (5 minutes or so each) is often played with the rule that moving the king into an attacked position isn't illegal. Nor is it required to say 'check'. So you can actually take the opponent's king. But if you fail to do so, they can then move the king out of harm's way. All this because the warnings would take too much time for speed chess (which happens to be my favourite version of the game). DirkvdM 07:39, 14 October 2006 (UTC)
- In formal tournament chess, saying "check" is not required. In a friendly "skittles" game, the rule is whatever the two players say it is (the default being that there is no such requirement). Saying "check" (and "guarde" when the Queen is attacked) went out of fashion with the advent of the chess clock in the late 19th century. B00P 09:42, 14 October 2006 (UTC)
- the warnings would take too much time for speed chess - hahahahahaha you made my day, how long could it possibly take to say "check"? LOL --WikiSlasher 12:34, 21 October 2006 (UTC)
Quotation mark usage
I am in an argument with my teacher about this. Does an individual letter in writing or a list need quotation mark around it?
I say: . . . . My teacher says:
Lunch B . . . .Lunch "B" . .(it is specifying one of the different lunch times at my school)
I earned an A on the test. . . . I earned an "A" on the test.
It says nothing about it on the article (Quotation mark), leading me to probably be right. Which is correct? Please be definite. Thanks! Reywas92Talk 19:42, 13 October 2006 (UTC)
- This is a perfect question for the language desk :) But I think you can do it either way. --frothT C 20:20, 13 October 2006 (UTC)
- Your teacher is wrong. You only need the quotation marks if you are discussing the letter as a letter. In the examples you gave, you are not actually discussing the letter itself. If teachers were all that intelligent, they would have better jobs. --Nelson Ricardo 01:19, 14 October 2006 (UTC)
- There is an implication that something unnecessarily placed in quotes is questionable. That's why it is funny to see a menu that says "Enjoy our 'fresh' salads."Edison 22:26, 14 October 2006 (UTC)
Tom Monagahan
Hi, Can you please tell me how I can reach Tom Monaghan (ie)e mail address or any other address, thank you for your help on this matter. Kind Regards Diarmuid Scullin
- Who's Tom Monagahan? We don't seem to have an article on him and you don't give us any clues as to where he lives/works/etc. So the best I could offer is trying the phone book. Dismas|(talk) 21:59, 13 October 2006 (UTC)
- Spelling counts, dearest Diarmuid. Tom Monaghan—the Domino's Pizza guy. Hyenaste (tell) 22:56, 13 October 2006 (UTC)
- If you reach him, tell him my pizza too arrived cold. TIA --LambiamTalk 00:13, 14 October 2006 (UTC)
- Tell him my pizza arrived a solid brick of grease with no distinguishable pizza features --frothT C 19:16, 14 October 2006 (UTC)
October 14th
is there some reason all the questions under October 14th have disappeared?--66.65.155.117 20:33, 14 October 2006 (UTC)
- That was odd--66.65.155.117 20:36, 14 October 2006 (UTC)
dewey decimal system
What is the dewey decimal system?
See Dewey decimal system Reywas92Talk 20:07, 13 October 2006 (UTC)
- Same answer - see Dewey decimal system B00P 09:30, 14 October 2006 (UTC)
- Didn't you ever see that episode? :) The whole arthur gang was singing about how having fun isn't hard when you've got a library card. One of the lines in the song is about the dewey decimal system. Throughout the episode D.W. demands to know who's dewey?!! A bit esoteric I guess. --frothT C 19:14, 14 October 2006 (UTC)
- Dr. Jekyll Hyde, Dr. Hyde, Hyde, Jekyll! --JDitto
- Didn't you ever see that episode? :) The whole arthur gang was singing about how having fun isn't hard when you've got a library card. One of the lines in the song is about the dewey decimal system. Throughout the episode D.W. demands to know who's dewey?!! A bit esoteric I guess. --frothT C 19:14, 14 October 2006 (UTC)
How many countries are poor and consistently getting poorer?
The heading is my question.
- Basically most countries in Africa. --69.51.87.130 20:56, 13 October 2006 (UTC)
Globalization is pretty much making all poor countries richer with the exception of various african countries because of their continious state of war between the local tribes. Joneleth 00:41, 14 October 2006 (UTC)
52 .THL 04:56, 14 October 2006 (UTC)
- Depends very much how you define 'poor'. Do you measure GDP or something more realistic like the Human Development Index? But those are about the averages. If you focus on just the poor people in a country, Human Poverty Index makes more sense (alas the article only shows rich countries). And at what level would you put 'poor'? I'm fairly sure I once saw a map on Wikipedia that answered your question, but I can't find it right now. But very roughly speaking 'most of Africa' just about covers it. DirkvdM 07:52, 14 October 2006 (UTC)
- Depends very much how you define "poor". If you compare GDP or GNP, you would not go much further than the obvious.
- For example, I think people in the U.S. are getting poorer and poorer despite of the obvious. Let's see, if you see mass transportation as important as clean water supply, many U.S. towns and even cities are without a usable mass transportation service. You may drive a car. You may buy each family member a f**king huge SUV or a military surplus M-1 main tank. You may also provide old and handicapped people free buses. These things cannot replace a mass transportation system that works.
- Many people in the U.S. are also unable to afford medical care, because of high wages for medical workers and lack of insurance coverage. Many could not afford a plumber. You can import cheap DVD players manufactured in China. You can import butchers from Mexico. But how do you import all your bus drivers, garbage collectors, chefs, florists, dentists ... from India, Yugoslavia, Gabon, Albania, ... ?
- Many children in the U.S. are unable to receive enough parental care. Either their parents are spending countless hours driving to and from work, or their parents are watching TV, or all of them are watching TV. Families could not afford to go to a show with live performers. These kids may also receive no wholesome education other than a cheap calculator that replaced basic math training.
- A great majority in the U.S. cannot afford wholesome food. Either they have too much soda or they have to eat canned and frozen food. Many do not buy beef or pork and cook at home. Most do not even go to a restaurant with a chef who really cooks. Instead, they have miserable fast food. They eat too little greens and too much fried potato and fat.
- In many places, personal safety and privacy are also becoming more difficult to obtain. In many U.S. cities and towns, jobs are more difficult to find nowadays because local business owners are closing their doors. People would drive to a far away Wal*Mart rather than walk to the main street to buy their food. As a result, more people are jobless and hopeless than ever. They may not survive a winter without strong U.S. dollar, cheap oil and dirt cheap importation from the 3rd world.
- Now tell me how many countries are getting poorer and poorer because they follow the footsteps of the U.S.? -- Toytoy 12:28, 14 October 2006 (UTC)
- If you define poverty based on a fixed set of reasonable criteria, we are getting to be poorer and poorer. For example, you may afford to watch 1000 hours of programs on TV and 50 computer graphics SciFi movies in theaters a year, but how many quality live performance shows can you see?
- You may have a zillion downloaded MP3 songs in your hard disk. Can you play an instrument such as a flute like a poor farm kid in India?
- If you change the items in your basket of goods, you may find yourselves getting richer and richer. But otherwise, you are getting poorer and poorer. For example: in the 19th century, you could walk to the shops and talk with the person behind the counter. Today, you can drive to a Wal*Mart and ... whatever. You get machines and machines but you lose yourself and friends. -- Toytoy 12:47, 14 October 2006 (UTC)
- somebody's jealous of america :) --frothT C 18:50, 14 October 2006 (UTC)
- And obviously it's not Toytoy. DirkvdM 06:39, 15 October 2006 (UTC)
- Toy-toy, your idea of 'wealth' and 'worth' etc. is your own. Mine is mine. Do not look down on my idea because you believe live-performances beat tv, or playing an instrument beats listening to one played. One man's rubbish is another's treasure. Be careful not to fall into the trap in believing your treasure is more worthy than anyone elses. ny156uk 21:01, 15 October 2006 (UTC)
- I'm pretty sure that I saw in the Economist and table which showed that almost everywhere in the world had increased its wealth. Disparity of wealth across a nation, however, will lead some to quesion wealth based purely on a whole naiton. If by poor you mean little possessions then there may be more poor than you think, if by poor you mean few of the vital requirements for life (food/water) then fewer than realised. Whilst it is extremely sad that some will have more than others, envy shouldn't be displayed at those more fortunate. A A Gill said when he visited Africa that the thing that scared him most was the laughing and flirting, and fun that children had. I believe that across the world almost everybody has benefited from global trade but many will disagree - unfortunately wikipedia doesn't have a 'debat forum' i know of so here's not really a place to detail why. In short depending on the timescales you compare (poorer than 50 years ago?) and the definition of poor, you will get different results ny156uk 09:34, 15 October 2006 (UTC)
- I have also noticed that the poorer people are, the happier they are (provided they are not starving, of course). It seems weird, but is may have something to do with the point Toytoy seems to try to make. Poverty is not just measured in physical wealth. There are also values like a good community and friendship. The basic necessities of a human are enough to eat and drink, protection against the elements, preferably good health care and good companionship. Wealth can actually get in the way of good companionship. The best example I can think of is Cuba. Cubans are possibly the happiest people I've ever met. They're not rich, but they've got enough to eat, proper drinking water, a much better health care system than other poor countries and some of the best music in the world. What else could they need? DirkvdM 04:19, 16 October 2006 (UTC)
- If Cubans are so happy, why have so many fled to Miami, often at the risk of their own lives ? As for Toytoy's diatribe on the US, food prices are quite low in the US. Healthy food is a bit more, but still quite low relative to the rest of the world. For example, bananas run around 2-3 pounds for a dollar. Live performances are free at many community theaters, schools, and parks. And what's wrong with viewing a quality live performance on TV ? StuRat 11:47, 20 October 2006 (UTC)
- Happiness is almost impossible to define, even harder to compare across nations. Surveys rarely work as cultural differences have a big effect (or is it affect?) on people's responses. Some national identities mean they will rarely say they are much more than just 'ok', others never less than 'great'.
I agree money is no guarantee of happiness, but neither is the 'simple life' - which is what many people seem to yearn for. I am sure many Cuban people are very happy, but I am also sure they have their fair share of social problems. I guess the answer is nigh on impossible. In real wealth terms someone can answer who has become more poor, but when people begin to put a value on that which is not monetary based then it becomes opinion. As Toytoy notes it could be live-performances/time with children/etc. etc. or as I tried to say it could be almost anything. I think overall happiness is a state of mind, not a state of circumstances, but said circumstances will influence how easy it is to feel happy. Good chat everybody ny156uk 07:09, 16 October 2006 (UTC)
- This is an interesting question and I have data showing that the answer is very few countries have lost per capita purchasing power over the past decade including the majority of African countries. You need to look at inflation-adjusted dollars and an excellent data source is the Real Per Capita Income table here. While a few countries have had a consistent string of decline years, the overall trend over the past decade is growth. Few countries lost more than $100 in real purchasing power though for some this was a devastating drop (the West Bank lost $1k...almost half of their 2000 purchasing power). So more the % loss of their real purchasing power in 2000 is the correct place to look. Countries that lost more than 10% during that period include Haiti (13% drop), Iraq (10%), West Bank (50%), Yemen United (40%), Cote d Ivory (10%), Liberia (22%) and Zimbabwe (33%).
- Lots of potential here for more systematic research. Also I didn't check whether they use a median or mean, which makes a significant difference.
- I think a lot of people confuse 'absolute level of poverty' with 'level of global inequality'--the first is what is important from a humanitarian perspective and the latter makes good headlines because greed (like sex) sells. Antonrojo 03:46, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
Colonization
What are the most likely candidates(places) for future colonization? --18.85.18.23 20:42, 13 October 2006 (UTC)
- On Earth or elsewhere? As far as somewhere on the Earth, basically every landmass large enough to sustain a population of people already has a population of people there. As far as off world goes, we may see colonization of the Moon or Mars within the next ~50 years but that's about it for the near future. Dismas|(talk) 21:56, 13 October 2006 (UTC)
- I would expect to see orbital colonies at about the same time as colonies on the moon. --WhiteDragon 19:42, 16 October 2006 (UTC)
- The presence of a population has never been a disincentive for colonization. --LambiamTalk 00:10, 14 October 2006 (UTC)
- I would expect to see orbital colonies at about the same time as colonies on the moon. --WhiteDragon 19:42, 16 October 2006 (UTC)
- On Earth or elsewhere? As far as somewhere on the Earth, basically every landmass large enough to sustain a population of people already has a population of people there. As far as off world goes, we may see colonization of the Moon or Mars within the next ~50 years but that's about it for the near future. Dismas|(talk) 21:56, 13 October 2006 (UTC)
- Due to global warming, areas now covered by glaciers, like northern Canada, Greenland, and Antarctica, may become habitable in the future. StuRat 00:02, 14 October 2006 (UTC)
- We can try to colonize Bikini Bottom. --LambiamTalk 00:10, 14 October 2006 (UTC)
- And lower ourselves to Krabby Patties? I'll take the moon, the Toast King and Insanity Prawn Boy live there.AMP'd 00:15, 14 October 2006 (UTC)
- Iraq? (Oops, that's present, not future.) DirkvdM 07:55, 14 October 2006 (UTC)
You'll not have much luck in colonising melted glaciers in Canada as only 2% or 200,000 sq km in the whole country. What might be more likly is that if global warming continues then more people might be tempted to move to areas that currently support only a marginal number of people. However, that would probably be a gradual mirgration north through the provinces rather than a sudden move to Nunavut/NWT/Yukon/Alaska. CambridgeBayWeather (Talk) 16:09, 14 October 2006 (UTC)
If global warming gets worse and the oceans recede, you've got a whole new waterfront to expand onto. --frothT C 19:07, 14 October 2006 (UTC)
- You've got that topsy turvy. Global warming will cause sealevels to rise and potentially inundate most of the Netherlands, Florida, Bangladesh and the Seychelles, to name just a few of the worst struck places. But a much bigger problem here is that all over the world most people live in narrow strips very close to the sea, preferable in the more fertile lowlying areas, exactly the places that would get flooded. So colonisation of other areas (with less sustainability) will become a necessity. DirkvdM 06:41, 15 October 2006 (UTC)
- Texas has a big, empty spot its western region. That could hold a lot of people, probably. A huge number of people could migrate to Africa; there is a lot of empty space there. I forget the name of it, but there was this kind of ice invented during WW2 that takes ~1000 years to melt. It is a frozen mixture of water and wood slurry. America and the UK were going to build an aircraft carrier the size of an island out of this ice for use in a future invasion of Japan. They abandoned the project because they were winning by more conventional methods, and the atom bomb was coming along nicely. They did build a scale model, and they sank it just off the coast of Canada, it has barely begun to show any signs of melting. We could use this ice to create our own islands if necessary; I don't foresee us having to colonize other planets. THL 20:21, 15 October 2006 (UTC)
- We have articles on this. Pykrete takes a long time to melt but not that long. See Project Habakkuk for more. The 1000 ton scale model took all summer to melt. Lisiate 21:33, 15 October 2006 (UTC)
- Yes it was Pykrete, thank you. Your correct, on its own the Pykrete doesn't take 1000 years to melt, but when they run coolant through it does take that long. I saw this on the History Channel a while ago. They run pipes throughout the Pykrete that run coolant. The coolant can keep the ice from melting for ~1000 years. The reason the scale model melted that quickly is that they stopped running coolant through the pipes. THL 04:08, 17 October 2006 (UTC)
Health Symbols
The symbol for low carbohydrates is a diamond with a ckeck in the middle, the symbol for low fat is a triangle with a check in the middle. What is the symbol for low calorie?
I have never seen these symbols, and Google isn't very friendly today. Perhaps this is only on the box you are looking at?AMP'd 01:53, 14 October 2006 (UTC)
- It's not exact, but the Heart Smart symbol often means low calorie. Anchoress 04:29, 14 October 2006 (UTC)
- Actually, that is low cholesterol. I don't think low calorie has a symbol, but a pentagon with a check in the middle would look awesome. THL 05:01, 14 October 2006 (UTC)
- Oh, I didn't know that lol. :-) Anchoress 05:20, 14 October 2006 (UTC)
The Goatse Man
Does anyone know if the Goatse Man ever made any money from his online fame and unusual talents? I'm guessing that there'd be a niche market for 'Goatse' branded videos, for one thing - there would be a heck of a lot of people who'd buy Goatse T-shirts too (I know I would). --Kurt Shaped Box 20:49, 13 October 2006 (UTC)
- What? And make a really big asshole of yourself? 8-)--Light current 21:54, 13 October 2006 (UTC)
- That would be the general idea. :) There has been a fair bit of unofficial Goatse merchandise over the years - but why would I want to help someone who takes credit for someone else's work get rich? --Kurt Shaped Box 22:24, 13 October 2006 (UTC)
Simplified baseball rules
I put a couple of questions on Talk:Simplified baseball rules back in June. Whilst the article is good, those questions haven't had answers added either in talk or the main article. Could someone answer them (either here or on the talk page or even the article page). If they are clear enough I'll add them into the article. Cheers. -- SGBailey 22:32, 13 October 2006 (UTC) (PS, I presume "Sport" counts as micsellaneous - I was surprised that it wasn't explicitly listed on the reference desk starter page.)
- Actually, sports are considered to be a subset of humanities. StuRat 23:45, 13 October 2006 (UTC)
What part of "History, art, politics, literature, religion, philosophy, law, music, fashion, culture, and society" includes sport? -- SGBailey 21:24, 14 October 2006 (UTC)
- The article describes both of those situations. Specifically the questions were: 1. When is a "Strike-out"? Is it after 3 failed attemnpts to hit the pitched ball? 2. "Ground-out" Is this hitting the ball whilst on the ground or hitting it in the air but so that it strikes the ground after being hit?
- 1. A strike out occurs as the result of getting three strikes. A strike is either a complete miss of the ball or hitting the ball out-of-bounds (a foul ball). Except that a foul ball cannot be the third strike. (A foul ball ball after two strikes is simply not counted for anything) 2. The batter cannot hit the ball while it is on the ground (nor would he try as it is out of the strike zone) (also I don't think that the ball can hit the ground before reaching the batter even if it returns to the strike zone.) A ground out specifically means that the hit ball lands in fair territory, a fielder then catches it either off the ground or in the air off the bounce/s and throws it to the first baseman before the runner reaches the base. Neither of those is exactly a simple explanation, though, for the article. Rmhermen 07:04, 14 October 2006 (UTC)
- The article describes both of those situations. Specifically the questions were: 1. When is a "Strike-out"? Is it after 3 failed attemnpts to hit the pitched ball? 2. "Ground-out" Is this hitting the ball whilst on the ground or hitting it in the air but so that it strikes the ground after being hit?
- The are some minor exceptions to Point 1.
- A foul ball does count as a third strike if the ball was bunted.
- A foul ball also counts as a third strike if the pitch was merely brushed by the bat without altering the trajectory greatly (a "foul tip") and the catcher catches it as if it weren't touched at all.
- It should be noted that "hitting the ball out-of-bounds (a foul ball)" if caught by a defensive player before it hits the ground, is an out. B00P 09:57, 14 October 2006 (UTC)
Thnaks all - that clears up the strikeout well for me. I remain confused about ground out - which doesn't seem to be mentioned in the main baseball article. It would appear that "hitting the ball whilst it is on the ground" is not what is meant by ground-out. So I assume it is the latter when the ball lands or bounces and is picked up from the ground or caught after the bounce and thrown to first base in time. If you can confirm that I'll bung something into the artcile about it. -- SGBailey 21:21, 14 October 2006 (UTC)
- Exactly. -- Mwalcoff 23:25, 14 October 2006 (UTC)
The Green Green Grass (BBC 1)
Hi, first of all I apologise if this is the wrong place to ask this. If anybody knows who the actress was who played the French Exchange student in tonights episode then I'd be greatful. I've already google and had a look-a-round on here but to no avail. Thanks.
Melmer 22:37, 13 October 2006 (UTC)
- Actually, TV is considered to be a subset of humanities. StuRat 23:46, 13 October 2006 (UTC)
- Have you checked the links at the bottom of the Green Green Grass article? IMDb is also a good place to look. Anchoress 23:50, 13 October 2006 (UTC)
- I hate to argue with Anchoress again already, but none of those external links told me anything about this exchange student, who apparently only appeared at the end of the episode...AMP'd 00:09, 14 October 2006 (UTC)
- I didn't say they would have the info, I just asked if s/he'd checked them. It's useful to know if s/he checked them, because undoubtedly other people will wonder. And I didn't know we were arguing before. Anchoress 02:27, 14 October 2006 (UTC)
- I hate to argue with Anchoress again already, but none of those external links told me anything about this exchange student, who apparently only appeared at the end of the episode...AMP'd 00:09, 14 October 2006 (UTC)
According to this page, Beatriz Romilly is the actress who played the French exchange student.LondonSE16 09:23, 14 October 2006 (UTC)
- Thanks alot :) Melmer 15:13, 14 October 2006 (UTC)
October 14
HOFFSTEDE STUDY
What is "Hoffstede Study"? What is its importance in International Business?
- It is to do with national culture. See Geert Hofstede. BenC7 07:17, 14 October 2006 (UTC)
news headlines in present continuous
why news headlines are written in present continous form instead of past tense? I think it's because news stories are often still happening. There are commonly headlines saying things like "Local Woman Wins First Prize in Pumpkin Growing Contest" stating things that have already happened. Ask Anchoress for her opinion.AMP'd 03:54, 14 October 2006 (UTC)
- From what I've seen, Spanish language newspapers use past tense in their headlines. User:Zoe|(talk) 04:30, 14 October 2006 (UTC)
- This seems to be largely an English-speaking phenomena. I haven't seen any Scandinavian newspapers use such headlines. Indeed, I've come to hate short, attention-begging headlines that drag things out of context. But that's O/T. :) 81.93.102.3 11:40, 14 October 2006 (UTC)
- In English-language headlines I see mainly the present simple: The New York Times: "U.S. Hits Obstacle" • "Leader of a Georgia Mosque Pleads Guilty"; The Times: "Army throws weight behind chief" • "Ministers say general was out of order". Looking at today's headlines of the German newspaper Die Welt, I see likewise mainly the present indicative for things that already happened: USA messen Radioaktivität • Aachen genießt den Moment • Agenten führen Mädchen aus Schulunterricht ab. In Le Monde, on the contrary, I find mainly (but not exclusively) the perfect tense. Apparently there is no simple rule like English versus the rest or Germanic versus Latin. --LambiamTalk 12:42, 14 October 2006 (UTC)
I suspect it's done intentionally to make the news seem more current. That is, people would rather know what is happening now that what has happened in the past. BTW, this question belongs on the Language Ref Desk. StuRat 16:52, 14 October 2006 (UTC)
Just a nit: They don't ordinarily use the present continuous, aka present progressive, tense, but just the plain old present tense. The present continuous would be where the verbs end in "ing". --Trovatore 16:58, 14 October 2006 (UTC)
What's the Average Weight?
hey I was just wondering what would be the average weight for someone in the U.S. about 5'6"-5'7"?
- According to this CDC study, the average body mass index for males 20 years and older for 1999–2002 was 27.8, which for a height of 5'6" corresponds to 172 pounds. —Keenan Pepper 07:31, 14 October 2006 (UTC)
- I am only European, and have problems with the unit lbs, but.... isn't that very fat? 81.93.102.3 11:37, 14 October 2006 (UTC)
- BMIs over 25 are considered overweight, so yes 27.8 is. At 30, they are considered 'obese'. --Mnemeson 13:08, 14 October 2006 (UTC)
- I think thats just under 80Kg, which for someone 5'6" is rather overweight. That would be a suitable mass for someone around 6' possibly taller. Englishnerd 13:10, 14 October 2006 (UTC)
what about like 15 and u weigh like 120lbs i dunno how much that is in like kg or ne thing just 120 lbs??
- Depends on your height. Hyenaste (tell) 22:10, 16 October 2006 (UTC)
5'7" hows that?
What is the Meaning of Life?
What is the meaning of life? THL 07:13, 14 October 2006 (UTC)
- Meaning of life. I believe in the view that we're just around because we havn't figured out a way to destroy ourselves yet. -- Consumed Crustacean (talk) 07:17, 14 October 2006 (UTC)
- Some great philosopher once opined that it is: "Try and be nice to people, avoid eating fat, read a good book every now and then, get some walking in, and try and live together in peace and harmony with people of all creeds and nations" and also, that people aren't wearing enough hats.--Fuhghettaboutit 08:29, 14 October 2006 (UTC)
And who told you that it has a meaning? B00P 10:01, 14 October 2006 (UTC)
I have to wonder about the seriousness of questions like this. But I will (naively?) assume that there is some degree of actual desire to know behind it. If you ask me the meaning/purpose of life is to live in relationship with God. Not God as defined by an individual ("I think God is like this"), but God as he has revealed himself through the Bible. BenC7 10:30, 14 October 2006 (UTC)
- THats oK if he exists. But if not...?--Light current 10:40, 14 October 2006 (UTC)
- And if It exists, how do we know It revealed Itself through the Bible, and not through the works of H. P. Lovecraft? As to the original question: I'd say, the meaning of your life is what you choose it to be. So choose well. --LambiamTalk 12:15, 14 October 2006 (UTC)
- Is there anything to make you think that God has revealed himself through said person's books? Has he made numerous prophecies which have subsequently been fulfulled literally and accurately? Has he performed miracles? Has his work changed billions of people's lives significantly? In fact, what book has ever done this, besides the Bible? BenC7 01:17, 15 October 2006 (UTC)
- Obvious answer. 42! Englishnerd 13:08, 14 October 2006 (UTC)
- Well if it takes 7.5 million years for the computer to come up with 42... and we are probably about 7.5 million years away from building a computer of that magnitude... i would say you have to come back and ask that question in 15 million years. Good Luck in your quest! Croat Canuck Go Leafs Go 17:51, 14 October 2006 (UTC)
Man doesn't have much of a purpose unless you bring religion into the mix. Many many philosophers (theistic and atheistic alike) have commented that life is pretty bleak without a god, though of course it takes some wading through philosophical red tape (more like red concrete thanks to voltaire and nietzsche) to come to such a position --frothT C 18:48, 14 October 2006 (UTC)
- Notice how the previous post shifts the point of the question in three ways. (1) It goes from "meaning" to "purpose." The latter implies a goal, while the former does not. (2) "Man" is being substituted for "Life." Obviously written by a believer that "Man is the measure of all things." (3) Nobody asked whether things might be "bleak." Our Poster, however, constructs his reality so that he gets his desired outcome, and answers on that basis.
- Notice how the parent post tries to look smart and intelligent while belittling the previous poster. His arguments have no merit. I will demonstrate why in three ways: (1) "What is the meaning of life" is often asked in the context of purpose. Also "meaning" is a concept very closely tied to "purpose". Meaning is often described in terms of purpose. For example "What is the meaning of spatula?" "Spatula is a word representing an object that flips eggs and pancakes". Asking what is literally the meaning of life (in a biological concept for example) is a more specialized meaning.. not to mention that this is historically an attractive place to post mystifying questions. The biological definition of life isn't considered nearly as mystifying as the purpose of life and reality. In other words, almost every time someone asks "what is the meaning of life" they really mean "describe the cosmology of the universe" though they might know that exact term. (2) I wasn't necessarily answering his question; rather I was providing follow up information that was related to the topic. Look around on this page; you'll see it's a common practice, especially with more general or controversial questions. (3) When Protagoras wrote that "man is a measure of all things," he was saying that man is ultimately the only thing in the world of value. How can you say that I obviously believe that when I just said that in fact man has little value or purpose without a god to serve? Our good Flamer therefore constructs his reality so that he gets his desired outcome, and replies on that basis. I wish I could end this with something funny but I can't think of anything that's not directly insulting... --frothT C 04:32, 15 October 2006 (UTC)
- Englishnerd has, of course, come up with the most viable answer. But for you, 41.95.
- "Many many philosophers (theistic and atheistic alike) have commented that life is pretty bleak" Yeah. It has been said that life is like a restaurant where every day you have to eat a chicken sandwich for lunch. But some days it is chicken salad, and other days it is chicken shit, and you have to eat it all the same. Then you get old, then you die. Or there is a God, and he likes you, and you get pie in the sky, bye and bye, and live happily ever after. Cheers.Edison 05:57, 15 October 2006 (UTC)
- Life is mean? Clarityfiend 06:45, 15 October 2006 (UTC)
Why does religion have to wreck everything? This was a joke, and I was hoping to get some BS answers that I could have a good laugh about, but what do I find when I return, a theological debate. The best answer I got was 41.95. Dang it religion, wasn't causing almost every war in human history enough? I'm very depressed now, I'm going to go and slit my wrists. THL 07:05, 15 October 2006 (UTC)
- A-ha, I was right! "not to mention that this is historically an attractive place to post mystifying questions [that they don't really want an answer to]" By the way if you're God how can you kill yourself? --frothT C 17:50, 15 October 2006 (UTC)
- I didn't die. I was just so depressed that I inflicted pain on myself. Also remember when I posted this comment I still had amnesia from Darwin's chair shot. That hurt, he was way stronger than he looked. THL 19:49, 15 October 2006 (UTC)
Uhh..I don't get Englishnerd's answer...is that a wikipedia inside joke? Oh well, just to add to the conversation, the Bible outdates Lovecraft's writings.--JDitto 05:22, 18 October 2006 (UTC)
what about like 15 and u weigh like 120?
THATS NOT FAIR....I ASKED THIS QUESTION BEFORE AND I GOT A 1 SENTANCE ANSWER AND THATS ALL LOL!
a band with no original members
I'm scearching the answer to the following question: which band had already no original members, when releasing the first album? that means that no original member of the band participated in the creation of the first album, they all left before the releasing, but the name of the band stayed the same. i would appreciate any help thank you in advance kat
riddle
1.what has to be false to be true?
- Q. "Are you going to answer NO to this question?" JackofOz 07:15, 16 October 2006 (UTC)
2.what is the capability of a nuke?whats all the hype bout n.korea having them.can it really destroy the world?how?
- I'm not sure if you're asking a standard riddle with a set answer, but for a lie to indeed be a lie it must be false for it to be true that it's a lie. Something like that?. As for the second, I suggest reading the articles Nuclear weapon, Nuclear warfare, Nuclear winter, etc. In short though, a nuclear bomb can have a capacity of 50 megatons, meaning that the explosion is equivalent to 50 million tons of TNT exploding and yes, enough nuclear bombs exploding can destroy the world. As for North Korea, please see 2006 North Korean nuclear test.--Fuhghettaboutit 11:24, 14 October 2006 (UTC)
- One nuke won't destroy the world, but it could do pretty serious damage to a city: Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the only cities ever to be attacked by nuclear bomb, were almost completely flattened by the blast, although isolated buildings did survive, and those bombs (Little Boy and Fat Man) were tiny by today's standards (but not by North Korean standards; the DPRK bomb was ~ 1 kiloton, which is 1/20 of the Fat Man bomb). Laïka 13:57, 14 October 2006 (UTC)
One nuke could destroy Tokyo or Seoul or Los Angeles, which sounds bad enough to me. StuRat 16:04, 14 October 2006 (UTC)
- That would be a very high-yield weapon.. are you sure about that? Think of a nuke as an unusually powerful bomb- they don't have any strange power to "destroy the world" but while a normal bomb might destroy a building, a nuke could destroy much of a city. Also there's nuclear fallout, which inhibits rebuilding and may affect surrounding areas --frothT C 19:54, 14 October 2006 (UTC)
- The center of the Greater Los Angeles is more than 100km from any point on the border of the area. The most powerful nuke the US has ever detonated is Castle Bravo, a 15 megaton yield. This page says that for a 20mt yield the maximum range for any damage at all (first degree burns on exposed skin) is 50km. --frothT C 20:09, 14 October 2006 (UTC)
- Well, StuRat didn't say "Greater LA", but LA. Speaking as a former Angeleno, Greater LA is definitely not LA. In fact not all of LA is LA (for example, the Valley is not LA). --Trovatore 21:50, 14 October 2006 (UTC)
- I believe the biggest nuke ever detonated was the Tsar Bomba. As long as the LA suburb of Woodland Hills survives (where they make porno movies), then I'm OK. :-) StuRat 23:40, 14 October 2006 (UTC)
- Tsar Bomba doesn't count it's too big for actual warfare. --frothT C 04:16, 15 October 2006 (UTC)
Any nuke could destroy the world once fired, because MAD would occur. --JDitto 05:26, 18 October 2006 (UTC)
- Or at least cause significant damage to the surface dwelling flora and fauna. Rich Farmbrough, 12:47 19 October 2006 (GMT).
Car's main shaft producing power
Why should a car's battery EVER run flat? Can't one simply fit a sort of magnet onto the shaft somewhere between the gearbox and the rear wheelshaft? (Not sure about the nomenclature for these parts)
Even if that would lessen the structural integrity of such a shaft, which is quite important of course, can't one just duplicate the solution which makes the engine shaft run the shaft of the cooling prop? Surely a lot of the potential for energy from a car can be used by fitting magnets/coils of wiring onto a part of the shaft (ANY moving shaft), and harvest the energy that 3,000-5,000 RPMs can produce? 81.93.102.3 11:35, 14 October 2006 (UTC)
- Batteries run flat when you leave the headlights on. Newer cars all have things to prevent that, which is good for me! Also, batteries more than 6 years old lose their capacity to hold charge, and many people notice that when winter starts to bite. The final problem is that the alternator rusts out (for Detroit cars) at 7 years. --Zeizmic 11:53, 14 October 2006 (UTC)
- Most cars do have generators attached to the axles, and some have regenerative brakes. However, the big problem is that any dynamo will generate massive resistance when a current is flowing. This is fine for braking, where you want to slow the wheels down, but a pain when trying to drive. Laïka 14:47, 14 October 2006 (UTC)
There isn't any problem generating electricity when the car is running (unless the charging system fails, that is). The problem is losing charge when the car is off. This happens slowly over time, which can be a problem for a car in storage. It can happen more quickly if there is an electrical short somewhere, which converts the charge into heat. StuRat 15:53, 14 October 2006 (UTC)
Also, if trying to generate electricity from some new source, try a source of energy which is currently wasted, like braking (in most cars) or excess heat from the radiator and exhaust. StuRat 15:57, 14 October 2006 (UTC)
In a dynamo like you're suggesting, energy is taken from the shaft and converted into electrical energy. You don't want energy taken from the drive shaft while you're trying to drive. --frothT C 18:41, 14 October 2006 (UTC)
- Lots of interesting responses here, but not a single one mentioning the increased fuel consumption associated with placing ANY additional energy draining device to the propulsion system??????
Energy produced by burning fuel is turned into electrical energy to re-charge the battery, by the alternator. This happens whenever the car engine is running. There's three main reasons for a "flat battery", battery failure (often due to drying out or age), electical drain when not running the engine, and failure of the charging system (alternator burn out, diode failure). I've had all three. Also I had one car where the alternator/battery did not provide enough power for radio+heater+wipers+lights. Energy is conserved, so when you turn on your radio the car slows down, or burns more fuel, albeit not noticeably. Rich Farmbrough, 12:54 19 October 2006 (GMT).
- Turning on the A/C can cause a noticeable drop in power, especially in small cars. StuRat 13:12, 21 October 2006 (UTC)
scarborough
local address
- I think there are several places called Scarborough across the world. I know about one in South Africa, for instance... 惑乱 分からん 13:48, 14 October 2006 (UTC)
Are vague questions about Scarborough Fair ? StuRat 15:43, 14 October 2006 (UTC)
I don't know where Joe Scarborough lives. User:Zoe|(talk) 21:28, 15 October 2006 (UTC)
space, empty?
is space really empty or is that a matter of opinion 205.188.117.68 14:41, 14 October 2006 (UTC)
- Well, Intergalactic space is really the closest we know of to a perfect free space, and even that contains a few hydrogen atoms. Even in a perfect free space, some virtual particles might pop in and out of existance and, if too close to a large source of gravitation, become real particles. Laïka 15:01, 14 October 2006 (UTC)
- I don't know who the source was – if someone knows, I'd appreciate hearing about it – but it was once said that the Universe is made of five things:
- nothing;
- nothing;
- nothing;
- a bit of energy; and
- a little dirty hydrogen.
- Forget the hydrogen atoms; there are gobs of neutrinos everywhere. The current estimate in our article is that there should be a few more than fifty neutrinos per cubic centimetre of space left over from the Big Bang. TenOfAllTrades(talk) 15:19, 14 October 2006 (UTC)
- Just because there's a lower concentration of mass doesn't mean we should call it nothing. What if a hydrogen atom out in interstellar space was talking to his friend and said "I heard the earth was made of Solid matter, Solid matter, Solid matter, Solid matter, and a little bit of empty space. He would be equally wrong --frothT C 19:01, 14 October 2006 (UTC)
- He might be wrong, but as a gendered hydrogen atom that could talk, he would be very, very valuable;-) --Mnemeson 00:11, 15 October 2006 (UTC)
- Just because there's a lower concentration of mass doesn't mean we should call it nothing. What if a hydrogen atom out in interstellar space was talking to his friend and said "I heard the earth was made of Solid matter, Solid matter, Solid matter, Solid matter, and a little bit of empty space. He would be equally wrong --frothT C 19:01, 14 October 2006 (UTC)
- In this context the value of a hydrogen atom is assumed to be irrelevant >:| --frothT C 04:15, 15 October 2006 (UTC)
I echo the neutrino thing. So, no space is not empty, just the things taking it up are not stuck together and are so small they are transparent. THL 11:29, 15 October 2006 (UTC)
- And then there's the seething sea of quantum foam, the vacuum fluctuation that (in the absence of aether) keeps space from not existing. --LambiamTalk 19:50, 15 October 2006 (UTC)
- I had a lengthy argument with one of my sciennce teachers about this. I was kicked out of class for a week. Funny thing was, I was right. Яussiaп F 11:50, 17 October 2006 (UTC)
Is this illegal?
A man bumped into me on the street and caused my coffee to spill. So I followed him to his apartment, and beat his skull in with a baseball bat. I want to know if it is legal for me to do this, since he violated my rights first.
- Yeah, turn yourself into the police; they can't touch you. --Zeizmic 15:05, 14 October 2006 (UTC)
- Well it probably depends on where you live. The law will probably exist in almost any place, but may not be enforced in some countries. In the US it would almost definately be prosecuted and you would probably lose for the gross over-reaction. If it was, say, tthe other way around, the man came to you to bash your skull in and you threw coffee in his face and the coffee had some infectious disease in that infected an open wound and he died, you would probably get off on self-defense. schyler 15:10, 14 October 2006 (UTC)
- I didn't kill him though.
I sure hope this is all theoretical. If it really happened, you are seriously out of control and need some anger management training immediately, and possibly some meds, too. If you won't get those things on your own, hopefully the courts will order them as a condition of your parole, once you are released from prison. StuRat 15:26, 14 October 2006 (UTC)
- Did you not think that the baseball bat thing was a trifle disproportionate to the initial minor mistake? Anyway, do you always walk down the street carrying a baseball bat? You could be arrested: its probably seen as a weapon of man destruction! 8-)--Light current 18:29, 14 October 2006 (UTC)
It's illegal in the United States and many european countries. See you in 5 years --frothT C 18:38, 14 October 2006 (UTC)
- Try 15 to 25 for felony assault. Martial Law 05:34, 15 October 2006 (UTC)
- Rich white kid who's lived most of his life in a gated community.... what do you want? --frothT C 17:48, 15 October 2006 (UTC)
It depends on the size of the baseball bat, and what brand it is. THL 11:26, 15 October 2006 (UTC)
- And whether it's wood or aluminum, and what type of wood. User:Zoe|(talk) 21:29, 15 October 2006 (UTC)
- A few words of advice - Don't drop the soap. Night, Night. Keep ya' butthole tight. -- Sturgeonman 19:13, 18 October 2006 (UTC)
fastest spring
what's the fastest spring ever?205.188.117.68 15:10, 14 October 2006 (UTC)
this page says about 800 cubic feet per second, though that's only in florida. See Spring (hydrosphere) or possibly Spring (device) or even Spring (season), which did you mean? --frothT C 18:56, 14 October 2006 (UTC)
- The big bang was pretty fast--Light current 02:26, 15 October 2006 (UTC)
- No, too hot. Definitely summer. ☢ Ҡi∊ff⌇↯ 02:38, 15 October 2006 (UTC)
- I was going to suggest 1752, but turns out the Gregorian calendar reforms took place in early September, making this the fastest summer. User:Zoe|(talk) 21:35, 15 October 2006 (UTC)
- That was in the UK and its dominions, which were relative latecomers to the Gregorian calendar. The calendar was first adopted in Italy, Spain, Poland and Portugal in October 1582, making it the fastest fall. JackofOz 07:12, 16 October 2006 (UTC)
Vandalism
Somebody vandalised Britney Spears article.
- Did they add false info, like that she has any talent ? :-) StuRat 15:29, 14 October 2006 (UTC)
- Do not upset yourself too much. Our policy concerning such acts are lengthily explained here : Wikipedia:Vandalism. And I imagine that, while we answer, some reacted and reverted to the truth : The amount of her talent, according to (1), is ... -- DLL .. T 18:23, 14 October 2006 (UTC)
Longest Professional Wrestling Match
What is the longest professional wrestling match ever? Also, what is the longest WWE Match ever? Thanks.
- Look here for some information but be aware that they are not talking about the type of wrestling that you see at the WWE or Olympic style wrestling. CambridgeBayWeather (Talk) 16:14, 14 October 2006 (UTC)
- As far as thw WWE goes, I know it was a ladder match, Shawn Michaels was in it, and it was at a Wrestlemania. See Shawn Michaels, it should be in there. THL 15:32, 15 October 2006 (UTC)
girl in whale rider.
whats she up to? --Cursa 16:41, 14 October 2006 (UTC)
- According to the Internet Movie Database Keisha Castle-Hughes is currently filming "Hey, Hey, It's Esther Blueburger". She's also pregnant. -- Arwel (talk) 17:08, 14 October 2006 (UTC)
- She's PREGNANT? SHE'S 16! -- Toytoy 12:00, 15 October 2006 (UTC)
- That's the biological reason why people enter puberty, you know... It's rather young, but we shouldn't judge her beforehand, I'd guess... 惑乱 分からん 13:34, 15 October 2006 (UTC)
- Are you kidding, she's 16! --frothT C 19:49, 15 October 2006 (UTC)
- The age of consent in New Zealand is 16 (and many other places). In many US states it would be legal as well. Don't get so huffy. --Fastfission 21:36, 15 October 2006 (UTC)
- Huff huff! --frothT C 03:24, 16 October 2006 (UTC)
- The age of consent in Sweden is 15, by the way... 惑乱 分からん 04:33, 16 October 2006 (UTC)
- And in Spain, 13. --GTubio 07:12, 16 October 2006 (UTC)
Lost
I saw the first half of season 1 and all of season 2, but I don't own a TV so could someone tell me what's going on in the 3rd season? Or at least direct me to a website with a synopsis? --frothT C 18:53, 14 October 2006 (UTC)
- Try Lostpedia. Laïka 19:10, 14 October 2006 (UTC)
- You can watch season 3 episodes online, I think on the show's website.
Two rugby union questions from an American
1. Since you get more points for a try than for a kicked goal, and there's no equivalent to "fourth down," why would a team ever kick instead of keeping the ball and going for a try?-- Mwalcoff 23:33, 14 October 2006 (UTC)
- Because kicking for goal is often an easier and more certain way of scoring points than always going for a try. Many games between even sides are won by goal kicks. When you are playing for a try you risk losing possession and scoring no points. BlueValour 01:16, 15 October 2006 (UTC)
- OK, but how does a team decide on a given possession whether to kick it or go for a try? -- Mwalcoff 04:01, 15 October 2006 (UTC)
- There's no equivalent to downs at all - play runs until the ball goes dead and a scrum, lineout, penalty or points are awarded. As Blue Valour points out it's often in the teams interest to take the 'sure' three point penalty rather than gamble on a try. Lisiate 21:45, 15 October 2006 (UTC)
- OK, let me rephrase. Let's say my team has the ball 30 yards from the goal line. How do I know whether to keep running or to drop-kick it? -- Mwalcoff 21:56, 15 October 2006 (UTC)
- Well, it would depend on how many opposing players are between you and the goal line (or just behind you). If there are few or none, you'd keep running, since your chances of scoring a try are pretty good. If there are plenty of opposing players in the way, you'd likely go for the kick. --Richardrj talk email 11:03, 16 October 2006 (UTC)
- OK, let me rephrase. Let's say my team has the ball 30 yards from the goal line. How do I know whether to keep running or to drop-kick it? -- Mwalcoff 21:56, 15 October 2006 (UTC)
- There's no equivalent to downs at all - play runs until the ball goes dead and a scrum, lineout, penalty or points are awarded. As Blue Valour points out it's often in the teams interest to take the 'sure' three point penalty rather than gamble on a try. Lisiate 21:45, 15 October 2006 (UTC)
- OK, but how does a team decide on a given possession whether to kick it or go for a try? -- Mwalcoff 04:01, 15 October 2006 (UTC)
2. Some rugby union competitions, such as the Super 14 and Air New Zealand Cup, seem to have teams assigned to territorial areas, such as provinces or regions. Does that mean that players have to play for their home territory (like in national-team competitions)? Or can teams sign players from anywhere, as with other sports? -- Mwalcoff 23:33, 14 October 2006 (UTC)
- In New Zealand players can and do move around. The provinvial system is basically an historical thing and predates the National union by a decade or so. Lisiate 21:45, 15 October 2006 (UTC)
October 15
Is it illegal?
Is it illegal to reach your hands down a woman's pants on the street if you're wearing a mask?
- Maybe not illegal, but they would probably arrest and sue you for sexual harassment, regardless if you're wearing a mask or not. bibliomaniac15 00:13, 15 October 2006 (UTC)
- It'd be illegal in most places. --Robert Merkel 00:48, 15 October 2006 (UTC)
- The mask has nothing to do with it as you well know!--Light current 02:24, 15 October 2006 (UTC)
- Its not illegal if she wants it. Otherwise, you'll go to prison and be raped for the next 40 years. THL 11:23, 15 October 2006 (UTC)
- Where I live it's illegal whether she wants it or not. Something with indecency. --LambiamTalk 13:30, 15 October 2006 (UTC) disguise
- Right, on the street. Yeah, that's illegal. Whether or not they charge you depends on how cool your mask is. THL 15:00, 15 October 2006 (UTC)
- It's assault in many jurisdictions. (If unwanted.) --jpgordon∇∆∇∆ 15:37, 15 October 2006 (UTC)
- Dress like Jushin Thunder Liger when you do it. Then you've got nothing to worry about. THL 19:12, 15 October 2006 (UTC)
- Not if they're your pants. Clarityfiend 02:30, 16 October 2006 (UTC)
- Of course! Well done for seeing thru that. Two Americans walking down the street. On is the father of the other one's son. What the Relationship?--Light current 10:20, 16 October 2006 (UTC)
- Parents of the same child. Possibly married, but not necessarily. And if married, not necessarily to each other. JackofOz 19:48, 16 October 2006 (UTC)
- Of course! Well done for seeing thru that. Two Americans walking down the street. On is the father of the other one's son. What the Relationship?--Light current 10:20, 16 October 2006 (UTC)
- Yes but the important point is: its one man and one woman. Its tempting to apply the male gender by defualt to indeterminates like 'someone', American, Russian etc.
- Still not necessarily. Mary and Bob get together and have a son, Bruno. Mary and Bob split up, and Mary marries Frank. Mary and Frank adopt Bruno. Somehow, Frank and Bob get to walk down a street together. Bob is the natural father of Frank's adopted son Bruno, and Frank is the adoptive father of Bob's natural son Bruno. JackofOz 08:42, 17 October 2006 (UTC)
- Yeerrsss....well thats the most convoluted expalantion Ive ever heard! KISS!--Light current 01:52, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
- Simple does not necessarily equate to providing the answer the questioner had in mind. I can think of at least one other correct answer too. It can be a heavy burden being a Big Picture person, but sometimes it's fun too. :) JackofOz 02:48, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
- Yeerrsss....well thats the most convoluted expalantion Ive ever heard! KISS!--Light current 01:52, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
- Still not necessarily. Mary and Bob get together and have a son, Bruno. Mary and Bob split up, and Mary marries Frank. Mary and Frank adopt Bruno. Somehow, Frank and Bob get to walk down a street together. Bob is the natural father of Frank's adopted son Bruno, and Frank is the adoptive father of Bob's natural son Bruno. JackofOz 08:42, 17 October 2006 (UTC)
- Is it illegal to reach your hands down a woman's pants.... We assume (not necessarily correctly) that the 'your' in this sentence refers to another person, probably male.--Light current 21:51, 16 October 2006 (UTC)
- Exactly! Another assumption. The pants could be in a shopping bag-- in which case I think it would be OK to rummage around inside as much as you like.! 8-))--Light current 21:55, 16 October 2006 (UTC)
- Any way, enough beating around the bush, to be on the safe side I think its better not to try it 8-)--Light current 21:59, 16 October 2006 (UTC)
Perhaps that's why he WANTED to try it---to beat around the bush! :) Lemon martini 09:56, 17 October 2006 (UTC)
- That pun should be illegal. --Charlene.fic 15:55, 18 October 2006 (UTC)
- It is! So sue me 8-)--Light current 01:49, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
- Yes, it is illegal. That can be considered sexual assault, even attempted rape. See you in 20 years, providing the other cons don't kill you. They (the other convicts) will kill convicted sexual offenders in prison. One of my kin is a Major who tells the other guards what to do. Martial Law 02:57, 21 October 2006 (UTC)
- He is a Dept. of Corrections officer who is a major. Martial Law 05:12, 21 October 2006 (UTC)
- Yes, it is illegal. That can be considered sexual assault, even attempted rape. See you in 20 years, providing the other cons don't kill you. They (the other convicts) will kill convicted sexual offenders in prison. One of my kin is a Major who tells the other guards what to do. Martial Law 02:57, 21 October 2006 (UTC)
A letter
Dear Reader,
Let the bells of randomness ring! If ignorance is bliss, then I am certainly joyful right now. You should join in on this jubilance; seriously, it very much can change your life if you think about it. Continue to read this monologue; it is very confusing; yes, it is; yes, this is, no? It may contain a very, very mysterious subliminal message. Maybe, when you read this, you can see a visible sign. I beg you to look at the moral of this; your life may be changed as a result. If you can name any trace of mystique inside this monologue, mull it over. Under these warnings, you should consider these messages. Understandably, all of this must be done with great secrecy, so sneakily should this letter be read. After reading this, I pray, you will understand. Don’t be feeble, and refuse to acknowledge this letter’s contents. I reveal all this for your amusement, therefore you should feel obligated, this is a special privilege. I hope you will unlock this code. Ring the bells, should you feel that this is your duty.
bibliomaniac15 01:12, 15 October 2006 (UTC)
- No. Vitriol 01:46, 15 October 2006 (UTC)
- When I read that, my ears started ringing. I have no idea what you are talking about, but I love how you try to confuse us. I can't understand those sentences most of the time, but nonetheless I'm not into books. =D HyenasteRing me! 04:27, 15 October 2006 (UTC)
- By the way, I'm removing one word. The word possibly really broke up the message in the seventh sentence. Seventh? Eleventh? Ha! Hyenaste (tell) 04:27, 15 October 2006 (UTC)
- I'm scared. Even though that letter clearly had no meaning, I understood it. Am I God? THL 11:21, 15 October 2006 (UTC)
- This sounds like the stuff I read in my Viagra spam e-mails. The random texts they insert to fool spambots are at most times a lot more interesting than what they advertise... 惑乱 分からん 13:12, 15 October 2006 (UTC)
- You read those? THL 19:09, 15 October 2006 (UTC)
- You don't? Hyenaste (tell) 19:42, 15 October 2006 (UTC)
- Why would I? THL 19:56, 15 October 2006 (UTC)
- I don't know, but if bibliomaniac15 doesn't return, I'm going to reveal the code. We have an article about it. Hyenaste (tell) 22:24, 17 October 2006 (UTC)
I didn't realize this was a sad occasion. (If you don't get it, read a few things by Daniel Handler.) --Grace 03:11, 18 October 2006 (UTC)
- Can you decode it for me? I'm too lazy.
Legal in US?
Is it legal to beat somebody to death with a cactus as long as you make it look like they were eating the cactus? If not, then what if you wear a mask? If it still isn't legal, what if you bring your friends?
- I'd like to vote that we delete any and all future questions that ask the legality of things that are obviously illegal, especially if the question refers to wearing a mask. All in favor? Dismas|(talk) 03:56, 15 October 2006 (UTC)
- I'm just curious- how do you beat someone with a cactus? --frothT C 04:35, 15 October 2006 (UTC)
- The same way in which porcupines have sex? Dismas|(talk) 04:56, 15 October 2006 (UTC)
- Wouldn't that defeat the object of beating them to death?
- I agree with Dismas. There's far too much crap on the misc desk; we should rv stupid questions in future. Anything that doesn't have an answer likely to be in wikipedia should be removed from the desk. Talk page discussion. Howard Train 05:07, 15 October 2006 (UTC)
- "Likely to be in Wikipedia" is a little harsh IMO. There are a number of questions asked that don't have to specifically do with an article but are legitimate. The "roaches in cold" question isn't dealt with here but there should be an answer somewhere. And the user has already done their homework by searching google first. In short, they've looked here, googled it, and are now hoping that one of us might have some knowledge which isn't already in an article. I've often heard it said that the only stupid question is the one that you already know the answer to. In the "Is this illegal..." questions, the poster should be intelligent enough to know the answer if they're intelligent enough to be able to get on the net and post here. Dismas|(talk) 05:15, 15 October 2006 (UTC)
- Alcohol is good in moderation and even a little beyond, but please refrain from posting questions when beyond moderation.Edison 06:01, 15 October 2006 (UTC)
- I've made a proposal on the talk page; the sort of question I'm really on about are those like this. Questions that don't have factual answers, dumb comments, patent nonsense and trolling. Howard Train 06:07, 15 October 2006 (UTC)
- Alcohol is good in moderation and even a little beyond, but please refrain from posting questions when beyond moderation.Edison 06:01, 15 October 2006 (UTC)
- "Likely to be in Wikipedia" is a little harsh IMO. There are a number of questions asked that don't have to specifically do with an article but are legitimate. The "roaches in cold" question isn't dealt with here but there should be an answer somewhere. And the user has already done their homework by searching google first. In short, they've looked here, googled it, and are now hoping that one of us might have some knowledge which isn't already in an article. I've often heard it said that the only stupid question is the one that you already know the answer to. In the "Is this illegal..." questions, the poster should be intelligent enough to know the answer if they're intelligent enough to be able to get on the net and post here. Dismas|(talk) 05:15, 15 October 2006 (UTC)
- We don't need a proposal for that. It's common sense. - 131.211.210.14 09:55, 16 October 2006 (UTC)
- The same way in which porcupines have sex? Dismas|(talk) 04:56, 15 October 2006 (UTC)
- The amopunt of detail in the question suggests that it refers to something that actually happenened. Either that or the questioneer is a total whacko. DirkvdM 06:49, 15 October 2006 (UTC)
- Look around, he's asked several such questions. I doubt he's still on the street if he's actually done all of this. --frothT C 17:45, 15 October 2006 (UTC)
It is only illegal if they figure out he wasn't trying to eat the cactus. Whether or not they charge you depends on:
1. How cool the mask was
2. How cool you and your friends are
- 3. (This only matters if you, your mask, and your friends are cool.) If they are pathetic loosers who would be jealous of you, your cool mask, and your cool friends. THL 07:39, 15 October 2006 (UTC)
- A woman was arrested the other day for hitting her boyfriend with their baby. User:Zoe|(talk) 21:41, 15 October 2006 (UTC)
Roaches and cold
Several sources on the web (Google) say that coldness prevents a cockroach population from increasing. Unfortunately, they never say how cold cold is. A cold day in Alabama is completely different from a cold day in Minnesota. How cold is cold when dealing with a population of cockroaches? Hyenaste (tell) 04:12, 15 October 2006 (UTC)
- Average temperature here is 44 degrees, and we never have roaches. Florida, which has an average temperature of 80-something, is the most roach-infested place I've ever seen. So yes, cold will keep their population down. --172.198.40.82 07:58, 15 October 2006 (UTC)
- Arizona has a fair roach population as well, though not as large as Florida's. THL 11:18, 15 October 2006 (UTC)
- Roaches like humidity and water. Durova 14:39, 15 October 2006 (UTC)
- They live in our very humid sewers. I wouldn't drink that water though. THL 14:41, 15 October 2006 (UTC)
They certainly can't do anything but hibernate when it's below freezing where they are. However, if they are inside a nice warm building, the outside temp shouldn't matter. The effect on their rate of reproduction relative to temperature would need to be shown on a chart, in any case. StuRat 02:46, 16 October 2006 (UTC)
History Channel's Mega Disasters
Why has'nt the History Channel done a "Mega Disaster" about alien contact ? Should there be alien contact, the whole planet could erupt into rebellion, and/or that the aliens could blow up the planet. Imagine that you're watching the news, etc. when it is announced that aliens have found us. Would that be a disaster, especially if the aliens are hostile ? They've done speculation on all other disasters, incl. what'll happen if a asteroid were to hit the planet. Why not one about aliens ? Those who are religious will assume it is the Devil, other evil comming to Earth, thus they'll revolt, while others will rebel because of the ridicule initiated to stop people from reporting UFOs, aliens as persuant to the CIA protocol, the Robertson Panel, related protocol I've found in, of all places, a issue of the Popular Mechanics magazine. It would be interesting to see what will really happen, should aliens find this planet. Will the discovery of aliens/alien contact be a disaster ? Just asking a question that would be asked eventually. Martial Law 05:27, 15 October 2006 (UTC)
- The copy of the magazine I have has a color pix of a UFO on the cover. Martial Law 05:31, 15 October 2006 (UTC)
- Doesn't the program cover only natural disasters? I wouldn't count hostile first contact as a natural disaster, but I admit it would be a nifty idea if done right. ☢ Ҡi∊ff⌇↯ 05:46, 15 October 2006 (UTC)
- Didn't you ask essentially the same question just three days ago? I don't know what makes you emphasize the notion of revolt so much. Few people have even heard of the Robertson Panel. The topic of alien invasion has been extensively covered from many angles in science fiction books and movies during the Cold War, rarely involving scenes of rebellion or revolt. --LambiamTalk 13:56, 15 October 2006 (UTC)
Yes I did. Someone else wanted to know about why the History Channel will NOT cover this matter. Martial Law 23:52, 15 October 2006 (UTC)
Why do you assume that aliens would blow up the planet? It would take far less energy just to bathe it in high-energy radiation until everything on it dies. Since we have no planetary shield, a Death Star attack is just a waste of power --frothT C 17:59, 15 October 2006 (UTC)
- I've seen info that suggests we may be a threat, due to "our"(humanity's) hostile nature. Of corse some aliens may take advantage of that and we end up as "shock troops". I have met peopel who are devoutly religious who will revolt, should there be alien contact, while others will revolt, due to being ridiculed as persuant to certain govt. protocol, and I've met these people while I was travelling all over the US. Martial Law 23:52, 15 October 2006 (UTC)
- If the planet was blocking them from something, then they would blow it up. However, I did not create life on any other planets, so no worries. THL 19:52, 15 October 2006 (UTC)
Any aliens that could travel to Earth from distant solar systems or even galaxies would be so advanced over us they would not see us as a threat, but perhaps a curiosity, at best. If we knew there were some strange ants that lived on a remote island, would we go there to kill them ? Why bother ? The only justification to go there at all would be to study them. StuRat 02:26, 16 October 2006 (UTC)
- I'm a bit late, but what you say makes sense by our logic. (Assuming they exist) we don't know their history, their development, their way of thinking, ect. We are in no position to say what they would or wouldn't do. THL 01:12, 21 October 2006 (UTC)
- Any life form to get to that stage of development must be interested in doing things which help them to survive and spread, and going across the galaxy (or to other galaxies) to kill off an insignificant species wouldn't do that. Of course, if they have religion, then they may have the same totally illogical thought processes that religion causes on Earth. Perhaps they would feel it their moral duty to kill off anyone who fails to worship their God. Then again, I doubt if any civilization with such insane religious beliefs (ours included) will survive to the stage of interstellar travel. StuRat 13:05, 21 October 2006 (UTC)
DOF Glass
What exactly is a "double old-fashioned glass", as compared to an old-fashioned glass? Is it just generally twice as large, or what? Daltonls 06:22, 15 October 2006 (UTC)
- Not twice as large, but larger according to these links: OF glass and DOF glass. Natgoo 11:43, 15 October 2006 (UTC)
- Maybe twice as thick (see double glazing). But what's the new fashion in glass, anyway? Simon A. 09:31, 15 October 2006 (UTC)
- The Old fashioned glass is a glass for a single serving or shot of whatever, like an Old Fashioned or a single wodka on the rocks. Presumably the double variant is then for a double serving or shot. --LambiamTalk 14:18, 15 October 2006 (UTC)
A game I can't find
I spent hours in front of the PC when I was younger, playing this game. It was an RTS, named "Dark ---", I can't remember the last part of the name. One could be either aliens or humans. The humans were really robotic, with all kinds of weapons and vehicles, while the aliens were all-organic, with artillery units who launched big balls of death from their behinds. The camera was situated relatively close to the ground - closer than Starcraft, anyway. There was blood in this game, with lots of fun effects when the aliens got smashed up by fire, even the humans' heads blowing straight off. There were a few really cool video snippets in between the single player game's missions - but there was also MP possibilities if I don't remember incorrectly. It might have surfaced around 1996-1999... Any help would be greatly appreciated. Maybe this goes into Humanities, I can't tell. The BASE structure, that is the HQ, was always a single platform. When enough resource was gathered, a dropship could come down, and plant a module on the platform, enabling the possibility to make Rambos or two-legged gunrobots and whatnot. 81.93.102.3 11:45, 15 October 2006 (UTC)
Lol, I know exactly what game you mean I just cant remember the bloody name of it. Joneleth 13:53, 15 October 2006 (UTC)
- For a list of games whose name starts like "Dark—", see List of computer and video games: D-H. I didn't spot one that seemed to be what you described, but have a look for yourself. I see we're lacking in historical perspective, or else the arcade game Dark Invader would have been listed. --LambiamTalk 14:08, 15 October 2006 (UTC)
- Dark Reign perhaps? Great game, I loved it back then. ☢ Ҡi∊ff⌇↯ 17:32, 15 October 2006 (UTC)
- Aw yeah, I played the demo for that dozens of times when I was like 12, and I've been casually looking for it for a couple of years. Great game :) --frothT C 17:40, 15 October 2006 (UTC)
- I eventually found it. :) Dark Colony was the game! 81.93.102.3 19:12, 15 October 2006 (UTC)
- Ah, Dark Colony... I wouldn't have remembered of it, since I never could get the damn thing to run in my computer. :P ☢ Ҡi∊ff⌇↯ 22:25, 15 October 2006 (UTC)
Linking to Wiktionary
Is it possible to link a word in a Wikipedia article to the corresponding word in Wiktionary (assuming, of course, it does exist there). (The idea is to allow the reader to make a quick check on an unusual word.) If this is possible, what is the exact syntax of the expression to be used? Honti 12:48, 15 October 2006 (UTC)
- [[wikt:word|Link]] produces Link. You could do it with other language wiktionaries too, I think, but I forgot the expression, now. 惑乱 分からん 13:05, 15 October 2006 (UTC)
- If you don't want to change the word, you can use the pipe thus: "
[[wikt:word|]]", resulting in "word". --LambiamTalk 13:16, 15 October 2006 (UTC)
- Yes you can, but remember that links to other Wikipedia articles are preferred if it's possible to make an article instead of linking to an external one and that you shouldn't go around mass-linking to Wiktionary without extensive discussion. - 131.211.210.14 09:51, 16 October 2006 (UTC)
Musical by Janov???
This is a serious question, believe it or not. In my copy of a book by Arthur Janov, The New Primal Scream (1991), there is on the first page inside the soft cover, the following: "He is concluding a musical for the stage called Scream! and is in the process of creating a film video series , The Universe of the Mind." I have been unable to find any reference to these in Wikipedia or through a Google search, but I ran across a mention of the musical some time back in an interview with Janov which I found on-line somewhere but have misplaced the link and it doesn't come up in any of my searches. Any clues would be most welcome. -GrahameKing 13:54, 15 October 2006 (UTC)
- There's a bit of weirdness. One site I found says the Celine Dion song, The Colour of My Love, comes from that musical; however, both our article and All Music Guide give the credit to Arthur Ganov, not Janov. I think those are both mistakes, though; read this interview with David Foster. --jpgordon∇∆∇∆ 15:30, 15 October 2006 (UTC)
- Well, that is very interesting! Thanks very much.-GrahameKing 21:20, 15 October 2006 (UTC)
Anyone with the DVD of The Rules of Attraction?
At 46:00, there's a trumpet solo in the background where Mr. Lance Lawson (Eric Stoltz) and Lauren (Shannyn Sossamon) are. Can anyone identify it?
Thanks.
Harwoof 13:35, 15 October 2006 (UTC)
- Does the soundtrack list offer any help? --jpgordon∇∆∇∆ 15:13, 15 October 2006 (UTC)
Can you buy The Legend Of Zelda: Majora's Mask in any store in Orlando,Florida?
Is there any place near Orlando, Florida where you can buy Majora's Mask? Please it needs to be new.The game was released in 2000.The name of the store and price would be greatly apperciated. Thank You. -Millie Ramos
- If you want to play it with an N64, you'll need to get an Expansion Pak too. If you merely want to play it, and don't matter what console it is on, and you have a GameCube, you could endeavor to find a The Legend of Zelda: Collector's Edition disc- however, it's likely not to be new. For the cartridge, try eBay or similar, but again they're likely not be new. I don't think you'll be able to get a new one at all easily. Vitriol 14:49, 15 October 2006 (UTC)
What has labelling got to do with media? On my list it says Editing Procedures: Labelling! help
- I bought this game in 2003 and I had a lot of trouble finding it. $60 for the game and $20 for the expansion pack. It's a very good game -on par with ocarina of time- so it's worth the price. I'd recommend searching ebay for the zelda collectors edition disc. It's pretty expensive (though not the $80 I payed for it) but it also includes every other zelda game up to wind waker, including link to the past which is the best zelda game IMO so yeah definately worth it. --frothT C 17:36, 15 October 2006 (UTC)
- You mean "excluding A Link to the Past" which isn't on the Collector's Edition disc, since it was released on the GBA. --jh51681 18:12, 15 October 2006 (UTC)
- Gasp you're right! :( --frothT C 18:53, 15 October 2006 (UTC)
- I got the collector's disc in the used games bin in my game shop for cheap :D I don't like Majora's Mask though; it's tricky and it's never clear what you have to do. Vitriol 21:27, 15 October 2006 (UTC)
- Well it's the only challenging zelda game besides A Link to the Past. I get all nostalgic over woodfall, I love the idea of snowhead (literally bringing spring to the area, plus the dungeon was very cool not to mention tricky), I had a great time in the gerudo fortress, hated the water temple but the bosses were great, and ikana / stone tower is some of the best that nintendo has ever done. So many amazing memories.. yeah that game was great. So many memorable areas like the deku palace, the zora concert hall, the beavers dam, the goron city, and above all clock town --frothT C 23:06, 15 October 2006 (UTC)
- I got the collector's disc in the used games bin in my game shop for cheap :D I don't like Majora's Mask though; it's tricky and it's never clear what you have to do. Vitriol 21:27, 15 October 2006 (UTC)
- Gasp you're right! :( --frothT C 18:53, 15 October 2006 (UTC)
Setting up a company in UK
Hello, I may set up my own design company in UK. I am under 18, and wouldn't require any additional money etc. What pages are good for reading up on setting up a (very) small business IN UK (ENGLAND)?
Thanks
- As an individual you can just do business (as what is called a "sole trader"). You don't need a licence or to register for VAT and you certainly don't need to incorporate (that is, to properly set up a limited company). You can even call the business something (and have premises, or advertising, or business cards or whatever in that name), so long as you make it clear that you're not really a limited company. So you could call your business "Incredible Designs", but you have to have (at least on the premises and on receipts and contracts and tax declarations) "Timmy Smith trading as Incredible Designs". Don't use "inc.", "ltd.", or "plc." in the name of your business, as they mean it really is a company. I don't know what the tax and National Insurance situation is for traders who are under 18 - call the "new business" helpline at the HMRC - http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/home.htm . And keep records of everything you take in or put out. -- Finlay McWalter | Talk 20:23, 15 October 2006 (UTC)
- I don't think you can legally run a business's financial site if you're underage/a minor. You'll probably want to get an adult in to avoid legal problems. - 131.211.210.14 09:49, 16 October 2006 (UTC)
- You can. There may be problems with gettign credit, as debts mayb not be enforcable against a minor, but anon says credit not needed. A company can be set up cheaply (<< £100), but I don't know age restrictions for shareholders. Advantage, limited liability. Finlay's advice is good. Rich Farmbrough, 13:07 19 October 2006 (GMT).
Homework
I know that the referance desk is not a place to ask homework questions. I am not doing that. I am asking a question about homework. So don't chide me for that.
I have a sizable dilema. I cannot understand my math homework. I looked in the textbook, I do not understand it there either. Everyone I know that has the same homework is not home, or will else not answer their telephone. I cannot go to my math teacher before, during, nor after school (for lack of a study hall and time). I must do this assignment, for I do not want to put a dent in my grades. What do I do? Musli Miester 20:13, 15 October 2006 (UTC)
- It's not true that you shouldn't ask homework questions here. People are (rightly) chastised for asking Wikipedia just to do their homework, but if someone asks for pointers to information on a specific topic or asks a reasonably general question, it's very likely that someone will be helpful. So asking "Factorise this quadratic equation" isn't going to work, but saying "I'm having trouble understanding how to factorise quadratic equations" is fine, and people will point you at stuff to read and non-wiki tutorials. -- Finlay McWalter | Talk 20:18, 15 October 2006 (UTC)
- Well what is the work you are tuck with? 172.201.152.4 20:21, 15 October 2006 (UTC)
- I'll give you the benefit of the doubt and assume you meant to say "stuck". :-) StuRat 23:30, 15 October 2006 (UTC)
- And remember to ask it at the math reference desk ;-) —EdGl 20:33, 15 October 2006 (UTC)
Maori Legend
Hi, When i was young i remember hearing a legend of a maori giant that had fallen in love with a maiden and had somehow died and when he died his body became part of the countryside i also remember a Picture and Photograph coming along with this legend
Can someone tell me what the name of the legend is or even better provide me with one of the pictures or the photograph
Thanks Catman503 20:59, 15 October 2006 (UTC)Catman503
- Could it be the legend of Te Mata written about here (or for a text in HTML, see here)? --LambiamTalk 21:32, 15 October 2006 (UTC)
Hedge mazes
Anyone know where to find a list of the top "n" longest hedge mazes in the world with their years of accession (planting) and dethronement. I read elsewhere that Longleat had the title from 1975 but has since been outdone. -- SGBailey 21:29, 15 October 2006 (UTC)
- From our article Maze and various other sources:
- Longleat, Warmimster, England: 2.72 km [3]
- Noah's Ark Zoo Farm, Bristol, England: with 3.2 km said to be the longest hedge maze in the world, planted 2003. [4]
- Peacemaze, Castlewellan, Northern Island: 3.15 km, planted during December 2000 [5]
- Klaas Voogds Maze, Soekershof Walkabout, Robertson, Western Cape, South Africa: 13870 m² net area, October 2001 [6]
- Wandiligong Maze, Wandiligong (near Bright), Victoria, Australia: 2 km according to a cached page of their web site [7], although you'd never say so from the image on the Ovens River page.
- I did not find a consolidated list (but did not look hard). In ant case, a Google search for [longleat peacemaze soekershof noah] gets 0 hits. --LambiamTalk 22:19, 15 October 2006 (UTC)
- This page has collected information about the "World's Largest Mazes", using also the Guinness Book of World Records 2005. It does not confine itself to hedge mazes, and I can't tell in all cases what we have. --LambiamTalk 22:32, 15 October 2006 (UTC)
- Thanks. It appears to not be a simple answer - with much of the problem being the definition of largest - path length, maze area or ... I had wanted to add a section to (or order the existing info in) hedge maze, but it looks like it will take more effort than I expected. -- SGBailey 09:45, 16 October 2006 (UTC)
Potatoes
In terms of nutritional value, do potatoes count as a Fruit and Vegetable serving or a Grains serving? Jamesino 23:19, 15 October 2006 (UTC)
- In the U.S. new Food Pyramid, potatoes are vegetable (sub-type starchy along with peas and corn) Rmhermen 00:18, 16 October 2006 (UTC)
- Looks like they were counted as vegetables under the "Four Food Groups" plan as well. Rmhermen 00:26, 16 October 2006 (UTC)
- Since starch is a complex carb, I would count them as a grain. StuRat 00:32, 16 October 2006 (UTC)
- Potatoes are starchy vegetables. -THB 12:00, 16 October 2006 (UTC)
- In practical terms I'd say it depends on whether or not they're served with the skins, since nearly all the nutrition is in the skins. It also depends on whether they're fried. Durova 15:34, 16 October 2006 (UTC)
- They aren't vegetables, but rather are tubers. Since there isn't any category on the food pyramid for tubers, that leaves open the question of where to place them. StuRat 15:42, 16 October 2006 (UTC)
- If you were wondering, potatoes do not count as one of your 5-a-day. Englishnerd 17:53, 16 October 2006 (UTC)
October 16
college basketball
what is the biggest stadium capacity for college basketball and which school has it? also, if its not the same school, which school has the largest average attendance?
- Doing a google search for "largest college basketball" had Marriott Center as the second or third result. That page says: "...would remain the nation's largest basketball-specific facility on a college campus until 1987, when the University of Tennessee opened Thompson-Boling Arena. Previously, the Cougars basketball team played at the Smith Fieldhouse." And the article for the Thompson-Boling Arena states: "In terms of seating capacity, Thompson-Boling is the largest facility ever built specifically for basketball in the United States." Dismas|(talk) 00:11, 16 October 2006 (UTC)
- As far as attendance goes, this gives date for the 2004 season. Dismas|(talk) 00:17, 16 October 2006 (UTC)
- You're assuming, of course, that the football stadiums used for the NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship don't count - probably a fair assumption, though. --Maxamegalon2000 02:32, 17 October 2006 (UTC)
- As far as attendance goes, this gives date for the 2004 season. Dismas|(talk) 00:17, 16 October 2006 (UTC)
Doléen
How do I find the town of Doléen in France, near Brest?--Filll 00:16, 16 October 2006 (UTC)
- Find the town how? Find the Doléen article? That will literally only tell you it's on the west coast of France. Or do you need lat/long coordinates? Dismas|(talk) 00:50, 16 October 2006 (UTC)
- I asked your question on the French Wikipedia reference desk (here). Maybe somebody there will know the answer. Philbert2.71828 01:25, 16 October 2006 (UTC)
- I used multimap, which has good detailed, interactive online maps of France (and the rest of Europe), searched extensively around Brest, and found nothing. I searched Doléen using their search function and got nothing. Then I tried strings similar to Doléen. The closest approximation I could find is Doëlan, a tiny village, on the coast of Brittany southwest of Clohars-Carnoët, near Quimperlé, but over 100 km from Brest. The fact that the tiny village, or hamlet, of Doëlan, is searchable in multimap, but Doléen is not, makes me suspect that "Doléen" is misspelled or has been renamed. Marco polo 02:37, 16 October 2006 (UTC)
- It is quite possible that Doléen and Doëlan are the same town. The reason is that in this part of Brittany, they do not speak Parisian French and there can be considerable differences in some words, place names, pronunciations, etc. The reason I am interested is that the first few submarine transatlantic telegraph cables went through Doléen/Doëlan I believe, but I have not established it yet to my satisfaction.--Filll 03:14, 16 October 2006 (UTC)
- Dear all, here is a translation from the french-speaking help-desk : “A friend of mine from Brest proposes Déolen, hamlet included in the town of fr:Locmaria-Plouzané, neighbouring Brest ([8]). It seems to match better and is confirmed by this book.” HaguardDuNord. The reference is a journal article: Jean-Francois Douguet, Locmaria-Plouzané: a mad dream, crossing the Atlantic Ocean, Les Cahiers de l'Iroise, no. 188, pp. 59-60 (2000). — Jérôme Borme 09:50, 16 October 2006 (UTC)
- Again from the French-speaking reference desk. More information from this document (in French). Relevant excerpt: “On the French side, the first cable, installed in 1869, was ending at the north of the fr:Goulet de Brest on a beach under the fr:Petit Minou lighthouse. In 1879, a place away from Brest was chosen to build the terminal installations. The Déolen bay at the north of Petit Minou lighthouse was chosen. However, the extension to Porthcurnow ended at fr:Brignogan to avoid a long detour around Ushant island.” — Jérôme Borme 12:40, 16 October 2006 (UTC)
- It appears that the first cable of Déolen was installed the 20 June 1869, according to an exposition about transatlantic cables presented last Febuary at Saint-Pierre and Miquelon. — Jérôme Borme 12:52, 16 October 2006 (UTC)
CSI Miami Commercial
Does anyone know the song that is played during the commercial to the episode that will air on Monday, October 16th? Deltacom1515 02:42, 16 October 2006 (UTC)
- In what country? - 131.211.210.14 09:45, 16 October 2006 (UTC)
Oh sorry, it's the US commercial. Deltacom1515 00:18, 17 October 2006 (UTC)
- Is it not just the teme tune to the series? Won't Get Fooled Again? Kilo•T 16:52, 17 October 2006 (UTC)
Notable Siblings Marrying Siblings
I’ve just been to see Hephzibah, a documentary about Hephzibah Menuhin. I knew she was married to an Australian for a time, and I knew her brother Yehudi’s first wife was also an Australian, but I didn’t know the 2 spouses were themselves brother and sister (Lindsay and Nola Nicholas). Does anyone know of other cases where notable siblings married siblings? JackofOz 05:16, 16 October 2006 (UTC)
- Thank you. It does seem to be a very rare phenomenon. JackofOz 02:50, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
Truck sales in Antananarivo?
Hi I am looking for truck sales in Anatananarivo Madagascar. I need to contact a dealer for information but not sure how to reach someone who can help. To be more specific I am look for Nissan Diesel sales.
Try this, in Mozambique: [9] -THB 12:05, 16 October 2006 (UTC)
According to the Nissan Diesel website, the distributor in Madagascar is "Ocean Trade Compagnie." The website gives a phone number to dial. You will probably need to speak French. Marco polo 19:55, 16 October 2006 (UTC)
suicide
whats the best,cheapest n least painfull way to commit suicide...not that am thinking bout it
- Trying watching the Fox News Channel. -- Consumed Crustacean (talk) 10:23, 16 October 2006 (UTC)
- Are you reccomending Fox news because they often report suicide, or is the channel really that boring? :p Яussiaп F 12:04, 16 October 2006 (UTC)
- I would hardly call that painless. User:Zoe|(talk) 18:42, 16 October 2006 (UTC)
Drowning has no pain or cost at all, except transportation to a large body of water. "Best" is subjective. -THB 12:07, 16 October 2006 (UTC)
Jumping off the top of a tall building head first is quick, cheap, and painless. Not that I would recomend any form of suicide. THL 13:03, 16 October 2006 (UTC)
- Best and most painless way is 12-gauge shotgun in the mouth (pointed upwards, of course). Click. Bang. Dead. Not cheap unless you already own a shotgun though (EDIT: DON'T DO IT!!!!). --Kurt Shaped Box 13:24, 16 October 2006 (UTC)
- Actually, shotguns are one of the worst ways to do it, since usually you've blown off your face but not your skull. Just see rotten.com once in a while. Luigi30 (Taλk) 16:28, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
Librarians have refused to stock the suicide how-to book, Final Exit, not because they object to the contents, but because nobody ever seems to return the book. :-) StuRat 15:09, 16 October 2006 (UTC)
Razors pain you.
Rivers are damp.
Acids stain you
and drugs cause cramp.
Guns aren't lawful.
Nooses give.
Gas smells awful.
You might as well live. - Dorothy Parker Durova 15:31, 16 October 2006 (UTC)
- You should probably talk to a doctor, counselor, psychologist, friend, minister, teacher or crisis hotline about your feelings and what is going on in your life if it occurs to you to ask this question, (not that you are thinking about it). Wikipedia is not the best place to seek guidance with questions of this sort. Edison 18:17, 16 October 2006 (UTC)
- Falling asleep in the snow would be painless, or so I've heard. User:Zoe|(talk) 18:42, 16 October 2006 (UTC)
- Carbon Monoxide poisoning. Just like going to sleep. 207.70.37.9 18:13, 17 October 2006 (UTC)
Wait. Rich Farmbrough, 13:11 19 October 2006 (GMT).
Ecopave
Why is it that Ecopave Australia article page was deleted recently without it being given a proper opportunity to have it descussed in the same way as Eco-cemet did? Eco-cement article page is absolutely no different to Ecopave Australia so why were we dealt with differently?? Does this mean that Wikipedia follows its own guidelines when it comes to the deletion criteria, or is this a case of bias?
Why is it that Ecopave Australia article page was deleted ruthlessly without it being given a proper opportunity to have it discussed in the same way as Eco-cement did? Eco-cementt article page is absolutely no different to Ecopave Australia so why were we dealt with differently?? Does this mean that Wikipedia follows its own guidelines when it comes to the deletion criteria, or is this a case of bias? 144.137.45.71 10:31, 16 October 2006 (UTC)
- What article is this exactly? Ecopave Australia does not seem to have ever existed. You can check who deleted it and why at Special:log. -- Consumed Crustacean (talk) 10:33, 16 October 2006 (UTC)
Exactly, our articles on Ecopave Australia were sitting fine for 2 weeks when 3 admins decided to attack it, see this link [10]
- Oh, yeah, and the place to ask this would be Wikipedia:Help desk. The Reference desk is for asking about all things not Wikipedia-related, the Help desk is for help with the Wikipedia itself. -- Consumed Crustacean (talk) 10:40, 16 October 2006 (UTC)
- It was deleted by community consensus at Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Ecopave Australia. -- Finlay McWalter | Talk 10:57, 16 October 2006 (UTC)
- Yeah, never mind me. I typo'd when I entered it into the search box, and did it properly up above. -- Consumed Crustacean (talk) 15:35, 16 October 2006 (UTC)
Starbucks
Why is Starbucks so expensive in the UK? In the US, it only costs $1.80 for a coffee; whereas in the UK it costs a little under £3 ($5.60). Thanks, 81.131.56.242 11:52, 16 October 2006 (UTC)
- Most things are more expensive in the UK than in the USA and most of continental Europe, in my experience. The answer usually given is that companies' fixed costs are higher in the UK than elsewhere. See Rip-Off Britain. --Richardrj talk email 12:31, 16 October 2006 (UTC)
- I think it's simply because people are willing to pay that amount. It's the same with a lots of products, certainly books and electronic equipment are cheaper in the US than in the UK, houses and cars are cheaper on mainland Europe, etc.--Shantavira 12:30, 16 October 2006 (UTC)
Is there much competition in the UK ? Are there any other coffee house chains ? StuRat 13:17, 16 October 2006 (UTC)
- Yes, plenty. --Richardrj talk email 13:29, 16 October 2006 (UTC)
Because that's the right price for a cup of coffee. I'm serious! If the cup is overprice then noone would buy it. If it is underprice then lots of people would buy it. It has been priced just right. If you think it's overprice then you should not buy it. 211.28.178.86 13:29, 16 October 2006 (UTC)
- What you are saying is that the price is set by the market. I agree, but this begs the question of why the market sets a different price in the UK than it does elsewhere. --Richardrj talk email 13:31, 16 October 2006 (UTC)
- Don't forget that the coffee Starbucks use comes from South America. This is the difference between a 3 or 4 day lorry journey to the US and a 2 month bulk freight to the UK. Plus, maybe the UK charges VAT on coffee and the US doesn't (I'm not sure on that one). Also, see Rip-Off Britain. Laïka 15:17, 16 October 2006 (UTC)
- I already linked to that article. --Richardrj talk email 16:13, 16 October 2006 (UTC)
- Sorry about that...silly me. Laïka 17:14, 16 October 2006 (UTC)
- I already linked to that article. --Richardrj talk email 16:13, 16 October 2006 (UTC)
- Don't forget that the coffee Starbucks use comes from South America. This is the difference between a 3 or 4 day lorry journey to the US and a 2 month bulk freight to the UK. Plus, maybe the UK charges VAT on coffee and the US doesn't (I'm not sure on that one). Also, see Rip-Off Britain. Laïka 15:17, 16 October 2006 (UTC)
One day a Starbucks tall latte will replace the Economist's Big Mac Index. This measures comparitive purchasing power. Basically, if a commodity locally-made item (used to be a loaf of bread) costs way more than anywhere else in the world, then that currency is overvalued. However, I think Starbucks is a novelty in some parts of the world. Wait until it's on every corner! --Zeizmic 17:30, 16 October 2006 (UTC)
- Could there be any taxes involved? In the United States, the only taxes on a cup of Starbucks coffee are the standard sales taxes, if any, of whatever state you happen to be in at the time. The UK, like the rest of Europe, does like to use taxation as a means of social control, after all (e.g. making gasoline/petrol cost ~$5 per gallon purely to prevent citizens from being able to afford to use much of it). --Aaron 19:31, 16 October 2006 (UTC)
- If taxes on petrol were purely social control, they would be considered a monumental failure - we pay $6/gallon because in exchange for that if I suffer a heart attack tomorrow, an ambulance will be here within 8 minutes of being called to take me to whatever treatment I need, at the end of which I wouldn't have to pay anything. Incidentally, our sales tax, which is included in the price, is 17.5%. --Mnemeson 14:18, 17 October 2006 (UTC)
- Transport costs should not be too much different between the UK and the US. In either case, it travels thousands of km by ship from South America, Africa, or Indonesia. There are no roads between the US and South America! If anything, the greater per-mile cost of truck (lorry) transport from a port in the US to an inland city 1000 km or more away would be greater than the transport cost to a UK ___location, which can't be much more than 200 km from a port. A couple of things that might contribute to the difference: 1) Wages are higher in the UK. In some parts of the US, you can pay low-skill people like Starbucks staff as little as $5.15 (£2.77) an hour (the minimum wage). Even in New York City, they are likely to make less than $10 an hour. 2) Commercial rents tend to be higher in the UK than in the US, with the exception of Manhattan. (Incidentally, I don't think that you will get much at Starbucks in New York City for $1.80.) 3. The pound sterling has been driven up relative to the dollar (and the euro) because sterling interest rates are higher. That means lots of international investors are selling dollars and buying sterling. So prices will look higher in terms of sterling than in dollars, even if their purchasing power is the same. Marco polo 20:10, 16 October 2006 (UTC)
- The National Minimum Wage in the UK is £5.35 ($10.00) an hour for 22 year olds and older, £4.45 ($8.32) for 18-21 year olds. No doubt this is a partial explanation. -- Arwel (talk) 15:15, 17 October 2006 (UTC)
- In the US price, did you include tip you're supposed to give? And the tax that for some weird reason is usually not included in the listed price in the US? DirkvdM 06:20, 17 October 2006 (UTC)
- If I walk into a Starbucks and order a paper cup filled with coffee from someone standing behind the counter, I'm supposed to tip them? –RHolton≡– 11:22, 17 October 2006 (UTC)
- I don't know, I thought that in the US you were supposed to tip just about everyone because they are underpaid. I got several nasty looks in various places and assmuned that was the reason. DirkvdM 18:59, 17 October 2006 (UTC)
- I have lived in the US most of my life, and the general rule about tipping is that you are expected to tip for table service (i.e. if there is a waiter or waitress) but not for counter service. People who work at counters will often have a jar for tips, but tipping at counters is completely optional, whereas at tables you are expected to tip unless there is a grave failure of service. People debate whether to tip 15% or 20% at tables. (I tip 20%.) Most waiters and waitresses earn most of their pay from tips, and the difference between 15% and 20% can be the difference between meager pay and decent pay. Marco polo 00:53, 18 October 2006 (UTC)
Slightly off topic, but I heard a word expert the other day on BBC Radio. He was saying that he hates Starbucks (and their ilk) for making the word "grande" mean average size. --Dweller 11:37, 17 October 2006 (UTC)
- Could this be to do with the Short cappucino? I'm not sure about the US, but Starbucks UK have a 'secret' short cappucino which is not only cheaper, but tastes better (if you like your coffee strongish).[11] Possibly, in the US, the Short is more widely advertised (could someone verify this, please). Laïka 15:19, 17 October 2006 (UTC)
- Lol. I didn't know about that! No, he meant that a "grande" coffee is actually just average sized, compared to what you'd make for yourself in your kitchen. They're kidding you that it's large. --Dweller 10:22, 18 October 2006 (UTC)
news
any news on the court case of fred boyle australia
'edit' tag
Is it my imagination, or does the 'edit' box/tag/thingy keep moving from the right to the left of the page and then back again?--Light current 14:08, 16 October 2006 (UTC)
- I know it was doing this a couple days ago. I went on IRC for the express purpose of finding out, and apparently it was some sideffect of other changes someone was doing to the Mediawiki software stuffs. The Right-to-left projects all had their edit links switched to the right (the wrong side for them) after this was "fixed", so I'd speculate that you might have seen them in the process of fixing that. Or not. -- Consumed Crustacean (talk) 15:40, 16 October 2006 (UTC)
- My question is, why the heck, then, do some of the special graphics (like the category bar) sometimes move upward in animation while I view the bottom of the page? E Liquere 03:37, 17 October 2006 (UTC)
how to open up a restaraunt
i would like to know how to open up a restaraunt. as in the steps involved and things to do before once can open up a cafe or restaraunt. as well as how to run one.
- If you buy into a franchise, then it's far easier (although potentially more expensive). If you don't have any experience running a restaurant, this would likely give you the best chance of success. The company you buy the franchise from will do a number of things for you, possibly including the following:
- Scout out a good ___location for the restaurant.
- Construct the building and furnish it with their standard decor.
- Provide food in a form suitable for cooking.
- Provide you with a menu and cooking instructions for each item.
- Provide advertising.
- Provide training for employees and management.
- Why do they do all this ? For money, of course. They will want a substantial up front payment (possibly in the millions) and may want a yearly cut of the profits, as well. If you don't have the funds for this, I suggest you start small, like a food kiosk in a mall. StuRat 15:28, 16 October 2006 (UTC)
- Work in one first,this should either give you some idea or put you off completely.I'm being serious.(82.138.214.1 16:51, 16 October 2006 (UTC))
- I agree that it would be foolish to try to open a restaurant without having worked in one so that you know what is involved. Assuming that you have worked in a restaurant, and you don't want to purchase a franchise, then you need to plan out your marketing strategy. A big part of that is ___location and decor. Think about who your customers will be and what will appeal to their taste aesthetically. Where are your customers geographically? Do they get around by taxi, on foot and by city transit, or by private car? The first answer calls for an upscale shopping district. The first two answers call for a ___location on a major commercial street with lots of foot traffic. The last answer calls for a ___location with parking on a major suburban street or highway. Once you have your concept, you need to find a suitable ___location through a (real) estate agent, negotiate a lease, and purchase all of the necessary kitchen equipment and tableware. Depending on where you are located, you may need to obtain a number of permits from your municipal and/or state/provincial government. You will then need to renovate the ___location with the appropriate decor. Part of the renovation should be an attractive exterior that will get noticed from the street, or signage if you are set back from a suburban street behind a parking lot. You need to hire a skilled kitchen staff, crucially a chef, who can present the kind of food that your clientele will want. You will also need to hire waitstaff who present the right image. Finally, you need to market your restaurant. You might want to hire a designer to work with your chef on a menu. You should then send copies of the menu and an announcement of the restaurant's opening to reviewers from local print, online, and perhaps broadcast media. You might try offering discount coupons, either to passers-by, or along with an advertisement in a local media outlet, to bring in new customers at the beginning. Then you have to hope that your plan was successful and that you draw new customers by word of mouth. Marco polo 20:23, 16 October 2006 (UTC)
- A restaurant is a very tricky business. Other alternatives for the inexperienced are to buy an existing restaurant or to become an investor in a restaurant. Durova 03:01, 17 October 2006 (UTC)
no more ghosts? ASAP Please
what song has this in it's lyrics? Thanks Heynow07 15:41, 16 October 2006 (UTC)
- Any of these? http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&q=lyrics+%22no+more+ghosts%22&btnG=Search&meta= Benbread 18:31, 16 October 2006 (UTC)
My kitten is sick
I don't think it is feline distemper, because the symptoms aren't there. The kitten started with "yucky" eyes, which eventually dried the eyes closed. Now that I can get a hold of this kitten (mama is wild!), I washed the eyes enough to get them open and put in some penicillin eye ointment. Other than being "goopy" in the eyes--and a bit underfed and underwatered from lack of sight--the kitten seems fine. I'd like to know what this might be so I can deal with it better. Any recommendations for specific medication and/or treatment would also be welcome. Thank you so much! KT
- The best advice anyone here can give you would be to take her to a vet. --Richardrj talk email 16:13, 16 October 2006 (UTC)
- Yucky eyes? Get more fresh air into the house, or allow your kitten some time outside. If you feel this would be dangerous, so is keeping your cat inside for months on end. You might not notice the steady, gradual decline of an indoor-only cat, like you would notice a cat torn apart by panthers, but it's the same effect regardless: bad.
- Fresh air will cure all sorts of maladies, but most immediately, things like eye, nose, mouth, gum, throat, lung, and skin problems.
- If you buy cat food for your cat, you may want to give it some human food too. Things like stir-fry chicken, beef, even nice soft bread. Cats can and will eat almost anything a human eats, if it's good food of course.
- If you want to make sure your cat lives longer than you, give it fresh-from-the-restaurant sushi. Cats just love fresh, raw, salmon, crab, virtually anything made by a Japanese man. Chris 19:41, 16 October 2006 (UTC)
- Have to disagree with almost everything Chris has said.See if you have a local charity which can deal with what appears to be a feral cat.(82.138.214.1 16:57, 16 October 2006 (UTC))
- Likewise, the first advice is best: take the kitten to a vet. Durova 17:29, 16 October 2006 (UTC)
- Definitely go with the vet visit. A young animal may have worms, fleas, ear mites, and any number of other problems. Edison 18:20, 16 October 2006 (UTC)
- Yes, we must keep the vets in business. If pets don't continually get sick, vets have no money coming in, then we'll have horribly sick vets instead of horribly sick kitties. Yes, disregard all my advice. Don't let your cats get a breath of fresh air. Feed them canned food, exclusively. Cats exist purely for your amusement, and to filter your air. God bless America! Chris 19:38, 16 October 2006 (UTC)
- Human food will make animals quite fat, it is not formulated for their bodies but instead for fat human bodies. Not all animal foods are equal of course (this is one area where going for a higher quality and thus usually expensive product is often a good idea) but a well-formulated animal food is much better for pets than are human scraps. Humans are allowed to make awful choices about food and nutrition when it comes to their own bodies but they shouldn't force their own lack of knowledge about nutrition onto their animals. And I am not sure that "fresh air" as the cure-all is really a claim that needs addressing. Kittens' eyes don't get goopy to the point of drying shut because of a lack of "fresh air". --Fastfission 23:36, 16 October 2006 (UTC)
- Chris, I really don't like that sarcastic reply. The mortality rate among kittens is rather high and this animal is in poor health. While fresh air is generally good it's also questionable advice to put a sick juvenile animal outdoors where it might contract an additional illness or get attacked by another animal. A less pressing priority is that cats and humans do have different dietary needs. Dry food is healthier for a cat's teeth than canned food, but the cheap dry cat food can cause kidney stones in male cats. Cats also develop their tastes in food during the first six months of life. So one decision each owner needs to make is what foods to introduce their kitten to: is it really kindness to give them human foods as treats when it means they'll either have a poor diet or smell things they want but rarely get to eat? One solution is to keep two or three different mid-priced dry foods and serve a different one each day for variety, occasionally offering treats in the form of human-quality meats or fish that aren't regular items on the household's human menu. First and foremost, have a licensed professional look at the kitten. This might be an eye infection that could cause permanent vision damage if it remains untreated. Durova 02:57, 17 October 2006 (UTC)
- Human food will make animals quite fat, it is not formulated for their bodies but instead for fat human bodies. Not all animal foods are equal of course (this is one area where going for a higher quality and thus usually expensive product is often a good idea) but a well-formulated animal food is much better for pets than are human scraps. Humans are allowed to make awful choices about food and nutrition when it comes to their own bodies but they shouldn't force their own lack of knowledge about nutrition onto their animals. And I am not sure that "fresh air" as the cure-all is really a claim that needs addressing. Kittens' eyes don't get goopy to the point of drying shut because of a lack of "fresh air". --Fastfission 23:36, 16 October 2006 (UTC)
How to contact David Gilmour of Pink floyd?
Please help,
I need your help in finding/writing to David Gilmour of Pink Floyd. I'm not happy with him at all at this point, you will have to see the DVD "Pulse" in the tune "Money" where he is singing and when it comes to the part about buying a Lear Jet he steps back away from the Mic and says to the other band members "Maybe two" with a shit eaten grin on his face. I don't know why but it has upset me with him more than I can stand and I just need to let him know for some reason.
Gary
- Well, you could try contacting him via his website, but the chances of a megastar like him reading emails sent to a website are very slim. Especially if it's the kind of message you outline, which sounds like it would be abusive. --Richardrj talk email 19:26, 16 October 2006 (UTC)
- Would it help if I pointed out that he sold a house of his and gave the proceeds to charity? I've been a Floyd fan most of my life and have no problem with the guys enjoying their money since they've probably given away more money to charity than many other celebs. They don't always make a big deal about it but they do give a lot away. Dismas|(talk) 06:47, 17 October 2006 (UTC)
- write the letter but don't send it. Jon513 13:25, 17 October 2006 (UTC)
- To me it sounds like he is just kidding around. He might not even have been serious. And how long ago was this? --Filll 13:28, 17 October 2006 (UTC)
- Ermm,irony dude!(hotclaws**== 14:11, 17 October 2006 (UTC))
A little confused?
I sorry for being so idnorent but I don't understand he reason for open editing. I was confused when I stubbled on your site and I hit edit just wondering what would happen. I typed some random useless words and you posted it. I quikly relized what I did and delated it. But my question to you is. How do you guys control all this information? Can't any one just delate everything or post anything? Maybe I still don't understand.
- Try reading about Wikipedia.
- Long story short, the thing that makes Wikipedia Wikipedia is the fact than anyone can edit it. If it wasn't editable, it would be just another boring encyclopedia that, first and foremost, rich old white men make money off of.
- Also, an article is only as important as how many people read it. So, the more people who read an article, the faster any garbage is spotted, and the faster it gets fixed. Wikipedia is self-healing. Chris 19:49, 16 October 2006 (UTC)
- Well, as I am both white and male, I find it appropriate to use that particular epithet. Much like black individuals are allowed to use the n-word.
- As to your question... who knows. Chris 22:29, 16 October 2006 (UTC)
- I believe it is because more people associate rich old white men with information technology investing. The sentence wouldn't make sense if "rich old white men" was replaced with "young black city-dwellers" or "Italians nuns". Hyenaste (tell) 23:38, 16 October 2006 (UTC)
- Also, it's based on fact. Of course encyclopedias can be owned owned by poor young blacks, but how many are? Why 'white'? Well the key word is 'rich'. Look around the world and see who have more money, whites or blacks. Do we have an article on this? Income by race? Another title perchance? DirkvdM 06:25, 17 October 2006 (UTC)
- Firstly, I didn't know this was specifically about the west. Secondly, I didn't know blacks were suposed to be percieved as not being poorer. Are you suggesting they actually aren't any poorer? Which west are you talking about then? DirkvdM 19:02, 17 October 2006 (UTC)
Brochure Templates
Does anyone know where I can find some good brochure templates at? I just need them to look good, as I will provide all of the content. I want complete control over it, not like at my brochure maker where one cannot edit it freely. Any help to find some brochure templates would be greatly appreciated. A quick Google search didn't weild any usable results. --205.213.6.3 20:05, 16 October 2006 (UTC)
- Most such templates are associated with a particular program, like MSWord, MSPublisher, PageMaker, etc. Do you have any of those? Anchoress 01:22, 17 October 2006 (UTC)
- Ahh, sorry about that. Microsoft Word and/or Open Office.org templates would be very useful and appreciated. Like I said earlier, I just need the template to be artsy or just to look good. I will supply the content and a few of the pictures. --71.98.27.234 02:43, 17 October 2006 (UTC)
Reccomendations
Quick! Reccomend comics/anime/manga that are based in actual mythology (not one made up for the purposes of the comic/anime/manga)! 64.198.112.210 20:12, 16 October 2006 (UTC)
- Marvel Comics has a series called "Thor," based on the Norse god of thunder. — Michael J 00:53, 17 October 2006 (UTC)
- Amar Chitra Katha for a non-Western example.---Sluzzelin 01:29, 17 October 2006 (UTC)
- Saiyuki (and, to a much much lesser extent, Dragonball) is based off the legend of the Journey to the West. Confusing Manifestation 02:55, 17 October 2006 (UTC)
- Sailor Moon? :)
God or god
Should the word 'god' when used of the christian deity have a capital 'G' or is it acceptable to simply write 'the christian god'? And surely there should be a set standard across all articles? The Crying Orc 22:15, 16 October 2006 (UTC)
- The usual rule for capitalization in English is that proper nouns, or names, get capitalized, while common nouns do not. In the phrase you quote above, "the Christian god," "Christian" should be capitalized, because adjectives derived from proper nouns, such as "Christ," are usually capitalized. However, "god" should not be capitalized, because the phrase is referring to one of many possible gods, the Christian god. "God" should be capitalized when it is used as the name of the Christian god. For example, "They prayed to God." But, "They prayed to the Christian god." Another example might be, "They prayed to the Roman god of the seas." When referring to that god by name, we capitalize: "They prayed to Neptune." So when the word is referring to a god as a type of thing ("the Christian god"), it is not capitalized. When the word is referring to the Jewish or Christian god by name, it is capitalized. Here is another example, which is oddly worded, but makes use of these principles: "They prayed to the Christian god, God." Marco polo 22:38, 16 October 2006 (UTC)
- Well more we don't say his name. When you are the only example of a type do you need a particular name as well? Rmhermen 00:33, 17 October 2006 (UTC)
- Marco is right. This question was asked before, and editors discussed the confusion that results from having a god named God. I remind myself that there's a guy named Guy, and a god named God. Hyenaste (tell) 23:02, 16 October 2006 (UTC)
- No, it is not acceptable either way. You must write the common noun as "g-d" and the proper name as "G-d" or you will incur His holy wrath and spend the rest of your life in eternal torment. JIP | Talk 07:43, 17 October 2006 (UTC)
- In case anyone else is in doubt, JIP was joking. --Dweller 12:13, 17 October 2006 (UTC)
Weird looking dog
My friend has this dog that he got from a foster home service thing and he doesn't know what type of breed it is. It looks more like a fox than anything and it is black and has a bushy tail, pointed ears, yellow circles around its eyes and it usually acts mildy retarded. It will charge people but stop short and then start barking at them. Anyone know what kind of dog this is? T REXspeak 23:22, 16 October 2006 (UTC)
- A Schipperke or a Lapinporokoira, or perhaps a Finnish Lapphund? Then again it could be a black Spitz or a mongrel.---Sluzzelin 23:30, 16 October 2006 (UTC)
- It looked like the Schipperke but it had shorter hair. T REXspeak 23:49, 16 October 2006 (UTC)
Light blue uniforms
Why baseball teams like Toronto Blue Jays and Kansas City Royals had to wear light blue uniforms during the 80s and what was for? Was it for road or home games?
- Those were their road uniforms. Adam Bishop 03:57, 17 October 2006 (UTC)
- And for the love of fluffy little kittens ,why did the Astros wear THAT uniform in the early 80s(hotclaws**== 14:15, 17 October 2006 (UTC))
Terrorists
Why does Al-Quaeda attack USA? If it's because they hate USA, then why do they hate USA. Jamesino 23:37, 16 October 2006 (UTC)
- Have you read Al-Quaeda, which discusses this in some detail. Primarily, they want foriegners to stop interfering, as they see it, in Muslim land and Muslim affairs. --Robert Merkel 23:55, 16 October 2006 (UTC)
- But how did it all start? Jamesino 23:58, 16 October 2006 (UTC)
- It depends on how far back you want to go. Some Islamists argue that it goes back to Christian aggression in the First Crusade, but this is probably not accurate. Relations between the Christian powers of Western Europe and the Ottoman Empire, which dominated the Muslim Middle East, were fairly peaceful by the 1800s. After the Ottoman Empire joined Germany and Austria-Hungary as one of the Central Powers in World War I, however, the victorious Allied Powers, France and Britain, occupied mainly Muslim Syria, Palestine, and Mesopotamia (Iraq), and imposed mandates, a form of colonial domination, in those territories, which lasted for more than 20 years.
- The British encouraged Jewish immigration into Palestine under the Balfour Declaration of 1917. When European Jews sought refuge in British Palestine after the Holocaust and World War II, they founded the state of Israel on territory that many Muslim Arabs felt had been taken from them. This remains a main source of grievances for Islamists, in part because Israel controls Muslim holy places in Jerusalem, the third-holiest Muslim city, and the Arab-Israeli conflict continues to this day. Many Muslims, not just Islamists, resent U.S. support for Israel, particularly in the context of Israel's occupation or domination of the mainly Muslim West Bank and Gaza Strip, Israeli's establishment of settlements in the West Bank, some of them on land confiscated from Muslim Arabs, and Israel's perceived denial of the rights of Arabs in these territories. Despite these Israeli policies, Israel is by far the largest recipient of U.S. foreign aid, receiving at least $3 billion per year from the United States. (See Israel-United States relations.)
- After World War II, Western nations and oil corporations attempted to maintain control of Middle Eastern petroleum resources. This was probably one motivation for the British- and US-backed coup that toppled the democratically elected government of Mohammed Mossadegh in Iran. During the same period, western powers formed alliances with the House of Saud, the royal family that rules Saudi Arabia, in return for access to its vast oil reserves. Within Saudi Arabia are the two holiest cities of Islam, Medina and Mecca, which all Muslims face when they pray, and which all Muslims are supposed to visit on a pilgrimage if they can. During the Gulf War, U.S. and other western troops were allowed to set up bases in Saudi Arabia. Some Islamists considered this a violation of the sanctity of the Muslim holy land.
- In 2001, al-Qaeda said that it had attacked the United States in effort to force it to give up its military deployments in the Middle East and its support for Israel. Since 2001, al-Qaeda and other Islamists have also objected to the bloody U.S. campaigns in mainly Muslim Afghanistan and Iraq.
- Every story has at least 2 sides. Marco Polo just outlined Western interference in Muslim countries in the last century. Muslims like to complain as well of the 4 relatively brief expeditions (crusades) to free a small area from Muslim conquest about 9 centuries ago. What they don't like to be reminded of is that the other 12 centuries of Islam have been characterized by nearly continuous attempts to conquer their neighbors, including multiple bloody invasions of Europe that stopped only when Europe became stronger. Is there a single country that was converted to Islam peacefully rather than at the point of a sword? Is there a single Islamic country that actually grants full freedom of religion and first-class citizen status to people of other religions? Has there ever been an Islamic country that was stronger than its neighbors but left them alone? What other religion was started by a "prophet" (pox buh) who led armies to slaughter those who resisted? It is hard to listen to Muslim complaints about the crusades or about their "peaceful" religion without being amazed at their hypocritical historical ignorance. Dalembert 02:55, 17 October 2006 (UTC)
- While Marco gave the reasons that al-Qaeda gives, I don't believe that is the true reason. They really wanted publicity to draw more recruits, and attacking the "big dog" (the only remaining superpower) is the way to get this publicity. If they had instead attacked Madagascar, there wouldn't have been much publicity at all. StuRat 04:40, 17 October 2006 (UTC)
- To paraphrase Dalembert, has there ever been a country that was significantly stronger than its neighbours but left them alone? Countries tend to bully each other around if they can. If this leads to an invasion then the locals tend to use whatever means they have to fight back. Since this is not an organised regular army and the methods are by necessity unorthodox, they're called terrorists (not because they spread terror, because orthodox organised regular armies do that too, just to a higher degree and more effectively). At the moment the top dog and therefore big bully is the USA. So it meddles in the affairs of other countries (in today's globalised world no longer just neighbouring countries). So people in those countries use whatever means they have to fight back, as they always have. If we compare the US to the toppest dog the world has ever seen, one might see Al Qaeda as today's equivalent of the Germanic hordes that sacked the Roman Empire. It's always different and yet always the same. The big difference here is that Al Qaeda is nowhere near as effective, but then revolts rarely are (so that bit is the same). But it's also true that every empire in the history of mankind has crumbled, usually within a few centuries. How old is the US? :) DirkvdM 06:49, 17 October 2006 (UTC)
- Has there ever been a country that was significantly stronger than its neighbours but left them alone? Sure. The US has left Canada alone since the War of 1812, at which point Canada wasn't yet a country, but rather a British colony. StuRat 12:41, 17 October 2006 (UTC)
- So it was British. Are you suggesting the US was significantly stronger than Britain? DirkvdM 19:09, 17 October 2006 (UTC)
- Just the opposite, the British were stronger at the time (although their ability to project that power into North America was limited). So, this is an example of a more powerful country (USA) never bothering a less powerful neighbor (Canada). The war of 1812 isn't applicable to this example for the reasons given. StuRat 21:37, 17 October 2006 (UTC)
- Eh? If the US wasn't significantly stronger, then this doesn't apply. I often disagree with you, but usually you make sense, logically speaking. This time you don't. DirkvdM 06:43, 18 October 2006 (UTC)
- OK, I will explain it slowly, just for you:
- You asked, Has there ever been a country that was significantly stronger than it's neighbors but left them alone?
- I responded that yes, there were.
- I offered the case of the US being significantly stronger than Canada (the country), but never bothering them, as an example.
- I anticipated that somebody with a weak grasp of history would then say, "The US did too attack Canada, in the War of 1812 !".
- Rather than wait for this remark, I explained, in advance, that the War of 1812 does not apply, because, at the time, the country of Canada did not exist, even though the British possessions north of the US were called Canada.
- To which I replied that, therefore, a war with Canada would have been a war with Britain, which was no significantly weaker opponent. So your counterargument doesn't apply. There was no case of a weaker neighbour. Sorry, I don't know how to say that any slower. :) DirkvdM 19:28, 18 October 2006 (UTC)
- Geez ! I am NOT talking about Canada back when it was a province of England, I am talking about Canada AFTER they gained independence. Can't you understand that ? At that point they were a weaker nation than the US, and yet the US did not attack them. Now what part of that can't you understand ? StuRat 04:00, 20 October 2006 (UTC)
- Just because nations are more warlike than peaceful doesn't mean that there can't be especially violent or agressive nations. And islam has proven time and again to be fundamentally a violent religion, which fuels (or is fueled by?) dangerous islamic governments --frothT C 05:45, 18 October 2006 (UTC)
- Ever heard a speech by a US president, calling the nation to war (they tend to do that a lot), in which they didn't refer to God? And talking about terrorism, the most famous (for a reason) terrorist group was the IRA, with a 'legal branch' in politics. Religion suck, absolutely. Like I said below, it is often used as an excuse for warfare. But don't limit that insight to islam. DirkvdM 06:43, 18 October 2006 (UTC)
- You won't here things like "we must kill these enemies of God", like you will from radical Muslims. StuRat 04:24, 20 October 2006 (UTC)
- A lot of evil was done in the name of Christianity during the crusades or whatever but a lot of evil is being done in the name of Islam today. More than any other religion right now (though the satanists are trying their best!) --frothT C 14:25, 18 October 2006 (UTC)
- I meant that the US is doing most of the evil, and God is used as a standard in speeches about plans to do that evil. Of course the first bit has about as many opponents as it has supporters. DirkvdM 19:32, 18 October 2006 (UTC)
- The US is doing most of the evil in the world ? Muslims are actively engaged in genocide against blacks in Darfur and are causing the vast majority of the deaths in Iraq. StuRat 04:40, 20 October 2006 (UTC)
- The US has only SORT OF left Canada alone. The US has military bases all over Canada. And there was that great US Presidential campaign slogan of a few years back "Fifty Four Fourty or Fight"--Filll 13:34, 17 October 2006 (UTC)
- The Oregon boundary dispute was settled peacefully with a compromise, and that was before Canada was an independent nation, in any case. StuRat 04:32, 20 October 2006 (UTC)
- I might also mention a couple of other reasons why the Islamists are upset with the US. The Islamists are upset with western culture which is not particularly respectful of Muslim values (such as Bay Watch) or for that matter even aware of Muslim values. Western media and influences pervade the world and these corrupt the youth and erode the foundation that Sharia law and Muslim morals and ethics and traditions have laid for Muslim society. I also understand that some of the more radical beliefs of the Islamists are only a couple of centuries old, such as the prohibitions against the depiction of the prophet or other people or even animals. There are many korans in museums that were commissioned and have beaUtiful paintings and artwork in them. --Filll 13:41, 17 October 2006 (UTC)
- "Because they hate our freedom." But wait: doesn't that mean they would be attacking Sweden too? Never mind.Edison 15:18, 17 October 2006 (UTC)
- Of course they dislike Sweden too, but how much impact on their world does Sweden have and represent?--Filll 15:30, 17 October 2006 (UTC)
- At the end of the day, there's only three reasons to fight: food, mates, and territory. The ideological trappings are purely symptomatic of underlying scarcities of food, mates, and territory. -- Chris 17:35, 17 October 2006 (UTC)
- I'd make that money and territory, with religion often trown in as an excuse or to mobilise people. US cultural influence can be easily blocked if a country wishes so. US military presence is a bit harder, and that is what so-called 'muslim terrorism' is all about. Territory. Their own teritory. So they returned the favour 5 years ago. DirkvdM 19:09, 17 October 2006 (UTC)
- Let's make sure we all understand what you just said, Dirk. The murder by al quaida of thousands of Americans going about their own business in their own city was justified because the rulers of Saudi Arabia and Kuwait allowed US troops to have bases to protect them from Iraq and Iran? That is some sort of moral equivalence? That is a justification for mass murder? That has to be one of the most contemptible opinions expressed here. Ever. You wouldn't dare say that face to face with most of us, you moral jackass, you contemptible excuse for civilized person. If your opinion is widely held in the Netherlands, you deserve the Muslims and you are welcome to them. Just don't express any disagreeable opinions to them: unlike the barbaric Americans you hate so much, they are likely to kill you for them. Dalembert 03:03, 18 October 2006 (UTC)
- His distasteful arguments spoke for themselves, now you've gone and ad hominemed him and made yourself seem the fool. It's like insulting the gay director of Springtime for Hitler. No offense dirk :p --frothT C 05:49, 18 October 2006 (UTC)
- Don't put any hate into my mouth. I hate US politics, not the people. And the US forces I referred to were in Iraq, not Saudi Arabia. DirkvdM 06:43, 18 October 2006 (UTC)
- Boy - am I glad that I am about to enter my 60's next year. I can see humanity in all its variety and glory imploding sooner rather than later; when in fact, there is an abundance of land, food, sexual partners, technology and freedom of speech/religion, fresh water, etc., etc. to go around everyone several times over. To me, it proves that God, Allah, Jahweh, Buddha, etc., has a great sense of humour - and all his children - us - are just the comedians. I am looking forward to the great belly laugh in the sky when my time comes; plus of course the camels and the virgins. The ladies of Manhatten and Morningside? Well Dahling, they will be doing their Pilates Classes when Armageddon comes so they will be too pre-occupied. pbuh.
I think Dirkvdm made a good point. Why attack him? One of the stated reasons for attacking the US is that it has troops stationed on "sacred" soil. It might be a sort of a ridiculous reason, but the leaders who invited and/or allowed the US to station troops there are also strongly disliked by the same people that object to the US presence. Why should his stating that be controversial? After all, the Islamists have said it over and over, if I recall.--Filll 12:50, 21 October 2006 (UTC)
Marijuana
Generally, if I smoke one regular sized joint, will I notice any severe long-term effects? eg. loss of intelligence, loss of memory, stupidity? Assuming as well, I am in a country where marijuana smoking is legal and I have never smoken it before. Jamesino 23:58, 16 October 2006 (UTC)
- You mean a single one for your entire lifetime? In that case: no, it's extremely unlikely that you will notice any severe longterm effects (unless you choose to go motorcycle racing or rock-climbing that one time you're baked e.g.). Or do you mean one regular sized joint per week, per day, per hour? In the last case I'd be more careful with my answer. Though you might not, your environment may in fact notice some changes. Finally, to quote Paracelsus, "All things are poison and nothing is without poison, only the dose permits something not to be poisonous." If you're a novice smoking with veterans, keep in mind that they, unlike you, have probably built up a considerable tolerance toward the weed. ---Sluzzelin 01:14, 17 October 2006 (UTC)
- I agree with Sluzzelin that you are very unlikely to have any bad long-term effects if you smoke a single joint, as long as you don't try to drive or do anything requiring physical coordination while you are under its effect. However, I would say more clearly that smoking joints habitually over a period of years can have severe, long-term harmful effects. If you are considering more than a single use, you might want to check out Health issues and the effects of cannabis. Marco polo 01:26, 17 October 2006 (UTC)
- Right -- one joint isn't going to harm you (unless you drive while smoking it or something). But why bother? Pot isn't addictive, but if you do like it, then you might want to try it again, and next thing you know, you're spending your hard-earned savings on dime bags and stinking up your apartment building. -- Mwalcoff 01:41, 17 October 2006 (UTC)
- I made it sound ambiguous, but I agree with Marco. More importantly, so does science. Incidentally, for almost ten years I smoked more than one regular sized joint a day on average, and, though I quit another ten years ago, my brain still feels sticky. I have always had trouble concentrating, but this stickiness is a different sensory/cognitive quality I don't seem to be able to shake off completely and I would rather do without. But this is just one individual's experience; I also know two medical doctors who smoke several joints a week and always appear lucid, alert, and witty and whose careers are thriving. As Marco said, regular consumption can (but possibly needn't) have undesired long-term effects. ---Sluzzelin 01:50, 17 October 2006 (UTC)
- o_o hopefully not surgeons --frothT C 14:22, 18 October 2006 (UTC)
- I made it sound ambiguous, but I agree with Marco. More importantly, so does science. Incidentally, for almost ten years I smoked more than one regular sized joint a day on average, and, though I quit another ten years ago, my brain still feels sticky. I have always had trouble concentrating, but this stickiness is a different sensory/cognitive quality I don't seem to be able to shake off completely and I would rather do without. But this is just one individual's experience; I also know two medical doctors who smoke several joints a week and always appear lucid, alert, and witty and whose careers are thriving. As Marco said, regular consumption can (but possibly needn't) have undesired long-term effects. ---Sluzzelin 01:50, 17 October 2006 (UTC)
- Right -- one joint isn't going to harm you (unless you drive while smoking it or something). But why bother? Pot isn't addictive, but if you do like it, then you might want to try it again, and next thing you know, you're spending your hard-earned savings on dime bags and stinking up your apartment building. -- Mwalcoff 01:41, 17 October 2006 (UTC)
No, there will be no long-term effects; the "problems" you cite will be short-term. If you're only going to smoke one joint in your life, make it a big fat one and really enjoy it. -THB 03:05, 17 October 2006 (UTC)
- Weed is a bit weird. It's not like other drugs. Of course all drugs are not like other drugs, but weed is really different. For one, tolerance can oddly work the other way around. The first tiem I smoked it was about a gramme of hasjisj. Now I smoke a gramme of marijuana (much less potent) per week. The effects also differ strongly from one person to the next. And I wouldn't be surprised if the same were true for the long term effects. But if you smoke only one joint, any effects will be negligible. The biggest effect will be having had a completely different experience, that may change your view of reality (not quite the Doors of perception, but something along those lines). There's a HUGE difference between trying something and making it a habit. Weed isn't physically addictive, but anything that is nice is potentially mentally addictive. If you mean smoking one joint per day or so, then it becomes very relevant how potent the weed is, how much of it you put in the joint (do you mix it with tobacco?) and how big the joint is. And of course whether you share it with others. If you smoke a big pure joint of Dutch quality weed per day I wouldn't be surprised if there were long term effects. In the Netherlands there is now talk of branding some Dutch weed as a hard drug because it is so incredibly potent. But, as was pointed out before, the real difference is not between hard drugs and soft drugs, but between hard use and soft use. DirkvdM 07:17, 17 October 2006 (UTC)
- WARNING! Not everyone is o-kay with weed,I have a huge paranoid reaction to it( and I know this is unusual but not unknown) and have to be careful of passive smoking round dope smokers.(hotclaws**== 14:21, 17 October 2006 (UTC))
- Go ahead and smoke all the pot you want; you may well experience memory loss, but it need not be permanent if you grow and evolve out of habitual drug use. -- Chris 17:39, 17 October 2006 (UTC)
October 17
Tigers
I want to know if a full grown tiger can kill and eat a water buffalo. I know that it takes at least 2 to 3 lions to take down a water buffalo but since the tiger hunts alone can it take down a buffalo by itself?
- Since there are only 300 lions left in one forest in water buffalo territory perhaps you are thinking of African lions eating Cape buffalo which do not live in tiger territory? Rmhermen 00:30, 17 October 2006 (UTC)
- In the film based on Max Havelaar, there is a scene of a tiger attacking a water buffalo and getting disemboweled. Of course that's a film, but the book is based on a true story and if it describes this, that sort of thing probably happened. If a tiger cna get it's jaws around the buffalo's throat, the buffalo is as good as dead, but it has to get past the horns first. So the coorect answer would probably be "yes, but it will only do so if it can't find easier food". DirkvdM 07:36, 17 October 2006 (UTC)
first college football game
In 1860's, there were two teams from New Jersey that played the first ever college football game. What schools were they?
Your answer is here. -THB 03:08, 17 October 2006 (UTC)
"Grangsvild joke article"
I was curious: does anyone know how long the Grangsvild article lasted on Wikipedia before deletion? E Liquere 03:39, 17 October 2006 (UTC)
- Looking at the records, it was created on the 27 April this year and deleted on the 2 October. Warofdreams talk 12:52, 17 October 2006 (UTC)
Help...
I accidentally stumbled across a child porno site at a web adress I will not disclose. I alerted Yahoo! and Google that thier search engines were dredging up this page, and filed an online complaint with the FBI detailing exactly when, where, and how I happened across the site. I am still disturbed by the content, so I have two questions to ask:
- Is there anything else I can do about this? Anyone I can notifiy I have not notified, any other reports I should have filed, anything along those lines?
- I am going to get in trouble for finding the site? I do not want to go to jail, and I know that possession of kiddie porn in the US is a Federal Offense, so I am concerned that I could be arrested and/or prosocuted, and I know from watching CourtTV that even though I deleted absolutlely everything regarding that site and its contents a certified comnputer guy could raise the content again easily.
I am litterally beside myself over this, to the point where I feel that even reconciliation from the church couldn't forgive me for finding this site. Anything you could recommend or suggest would be apreciated. Thanks. --The anonomous usual
- Quite frankly, that is not really going to help if the Feds really want to find out what you have been looking at previously. Besides, if it was an innocent mistake, covering his tracks shouldn't be a priority.
- If things went down as you have explained, you have nothing to worry about. No-one is going to arrest you over a single, accidental (brief, i would presume?) visit to a single kiddie porn site. For some perspective, read about Operation Ore and Operation Avalanche. These people gave credit card information to subscribe to child porn sites and, in the US, only "100 people were charged from the 35,000 US access records available". So if the US authorities don't have the resources or inclination to go after them, you have nothing to worry about.
- However, this is all assuming you are being entirely honest in your description of your situation and that the authorities have no other, related or unrelated interest in you. If there is more to it than you have explained, then who knows when they could come knocking on your door... Rockpocket 07:07, 17 October 2006 (UTC)
- I wasnt suggesting he 'cover' his tracks as a solution to (not) being traced. I was suggesting he change to Firefox so he can remove any accidentally downloaded illegal or offensive material from his machine. Anyway Firefox is much faster on WP! 8-)--Light current 07:17, 17 October 2006 (UTC)
- You're missing the point - experts can easily find what you've downloaded, Firefox or no Firefox. It's very difficult to delete files from your hard drive completely - a reformat might work, but I wouldn't know about that. --Richardrj talk email 07:22, 17 October 2006 (UTC)
- You'd have to zero your hard drive which takes hours. The real incriminating evidence though is sitting in your ISP's server farm so the only way out of it is to burn down your ISP. Go quickly before the feds get you! just kidding --frothT C 14:18, 18 October 2006 (UTC)
- Opera is even faster and more secure. Why not suggest it as well? ☢ Ҡi∊ff⌇↯ 07:24, 17 October 2006 (UTC)
- I don't think you could get into serious trouble just by accidentally entering such websites. It's not like they're tracking your internet connection at all times, waiting for you to get into a website so they can arrest you. There are serious and long investigations to pursue the real people who make child porn. So as long as you don't keep those images in your hard disk and don't pass them around, I don't think you're getting into trouble. And yes, I would recommend getting a better web browser (such as Opera or Firefox), since they can safely clear your browsing history, although, like Richardrj said, if the feds really wanted they could find this stuff anyway. ☢ Ҡi∊ff⌇↯ 07:24, 17 October 2006 (UTC)
- If you really want to see whats on your computer, there is a shareware program called rescue.exe designed to undelete files. Its quite illuminating what can be recovered.[12] 8-)--Light current 07:35, 17 October 2006 (UTC)
- Indeed, a normal removal of files really just deletes the links to them and frees the hard disk space. So the photos remain on your hard disk. But eventually, they will probably be overwritten. I'd actually advise you to keep on using the same browser for the time being, because that might be more likely to use the same hard disk space and overwrite the photos (although I am not sure - any other program might do that). The easiest way to be absolutely sure is to format the drive or partition the photos are stored on. Since that is most likely the one with your operating sustem on it, you'd have to format that, erasing the operating system. So you'll have to install it again.
- If you have a very full hard drive, defragmenting might move some files around over the deleted data --frothT C 14:20, 18 October 2006 (UTC)
- As for the chances of you getting 'caught', they're probably minute. If the files are found and you've erased them (making them inaccessible for normal use) it would have to be a rather pathetic court that would still convict you. But then again, it's a controversial subject and in the Netherlands there was even a proposal to make the visiting of sites that have a terrorist technique manual illegal. Of course the law didn't pass (the ones who proposed it obviously didn't know what they were talking about) but it is an illustration of how paranoid people can be about these things. Having said this, I once stumbled on a child porn site too, years ago, and I haven't a clue on what hard disk those photos might be now because I use many different operating systems and make backups of them regularly. Damn, you've got me worrying now. :) DirkvdM 07:53, 17 October 2006 (UTC)
- Re: doing more, the one thing you can do is to look up the name and ___location of the server being used (through WHOIS), and a) alert the host to the illegal content, which is ultimately their legal responsibility, and b) contact local authorities in the region where the content is hosted. This is the fastest way to get the content off the net. Anchoress 08:27, 17 October 2006 (UTC)
I would say you definitely did the wrong thing by reporting it. You basically told the authorities that you are in possession of child porn (on your hard drive). While I doubt that they will do anything about it, if you were running for political office against the party in charge, they might very well accuse you of possessing kiddie porn in the campaign. BTW, are you sure it was porn, and not just pics from a nudist colony ? Those would mostly be legal. As for shutting down the site, it likely is in some country with weak enforcement. If that site is shut down they will likely just open up a new site. Also, I doubt if enforcement of kiddie porn laws is much of a priority for the FBI now, considering the threat of terrorism. There might be an exception if some politician wants to show they are "tough on crime" so directs the FBI to make some easy arrests. Personally, I think the laws should be changed to ban the production and funding of kiddie porn, not the possession, to avoid your situation being illegal. StuRat 12:34, 17 October 2006 (UTC)
- Threat of terrorism? What threat of .... oh, you mean the percieved theat of terrorism. I was starting to get worried again. DirkvdM 19:14, 17 October 2006 (UTC)
- There is a lot of material on the internet about reporting child porn; Just do a google search. It is a good idea to report it to get it removed. You think that the government will go after you for just reporting it? They even set up websites and toll free lines to allow people to report it (although I might be more inclined to report it to some other entity and let them report it to the government).
- I can't offer much advice, except this:
- "Seen through the eyes of compassion, there is no one to be disliked". Even people who create and host child porn. See Hagakure for the source of this quote. -- Chris 17:41, 17 October 2006 (UTC)
If you did find it by mistake and then reported it, the chances are that IF ( and its a big IF) you end up in court or any sort of trouble with the police it will take about 5 mins for any qualified computer expert to find out that you geunienly stumbled across it whislt looking for somthing legal and above board. Your internet service provider will back you up here as they will have a record of precisly how long you were on the site and what you did. If you only looked at pictures before throwing up and didn't do any more (I.E. downloading a film and watching it)then your borwser will delete all the information about after the set period (MS Internet Explore and Mozilla Firefox defualt:30 days) I very much doubt that your situation IS illegal in the first place no matter what country you are in. Nudist colony? Children at a nudist colony? Be serrious. They are not even close, there is yawning gulf between the two. From what I understand of your situation, your in the right and you have done the honest thing by reporting it and trying to get somthing done, legally you are in a strong position. Basically you've no need to worry unless you went back for more. -- AMX 19:16, 17 October 2006 (UTC)AMX
- Yes, there are family nudist camps. And the law says that ANY possession of child porn is illegal, it really doesn't matter if it was accidental or not, the law makes no exception for that. StuRat 21:29, 17 October 2006 (UTC)
- AMX is right. You did everything you could to get rid of the site. Prosecuting you for trying to put down a kiddie porn site would make running such sites too easy. No one could report them, because they'd have to see its contents before being able to report it. If everything is as you described, I see reason you should worry. Run the site past Alexa to see if you can get details on their ISP to get it shut down. -- 131.211.210.17 11:01, 18 October 2006 (UTC)
- You have to consider the motivations of prosecutors. Many don't actually want to prevent crime, as that would put them out of business. Instead, they want to APPEAR to be working to prevent crime, at the lowest possible cost. Convicting somebody who admitted to having kiddie porn on their computer is the easiest and cheapest way to accomplish this. StuRat 16:02, 18 October 2006 (UTC)
Actually I'd say that reporting the site to the authorities immediately is among the wisest and most ethical things to do in this instance. Use whatever software the techs recommend to detect and delete any files from your computer and keep a record of the law enforcement reports. I don't think it's necessary to remove all ghostly traces of such files from your hard drive - in the very unlikely case you get accused of misconduct it's probably sufficient to prove that you alerted law enforcement and didn't collect the images for your own use. Durova 16:44, 18 October 2006 (UTC)
Fair point, StuRat, about the workings of those in power and politics, but I still don't think that such a small case will land any1 in trouble with the law. Further more as I said before, if it does go to court it will take about 5 mins for any computer professional to find out that you looked at the site , realised what it is , became horrified and reported. Somthing which will make any prosecuter look very stupid.
Hence I am willing to bet that nothing will come of it in that regard and I offer this advice to "The anonomous usual"; go to church/confessional/whatever it is you feel you need to do to be absolved and forget about it, you did the honest thing and more.
On second thoughts it might be very safe to confide in the clergy as around 60% of them are kiddie-fiddlers - thats my opinion based on current and past affairs so I am willing to retract it for libel reasons. --AMX 16:58, 18 October 2006 (UTC)AMX
- I have to agree with some of StuRat's points above - but first, let's look at the original pleas for help 1)He asks if there is anything else he can do(re notifying the authorities), and 2)Is he going to get into trouble for finding the site?) Answer 1) No, he seems to have done everything any like-minded individual could have done, and Answer 2) Yes, if his crime is discovered. The US and UK Laws on this matter have very cleverly incorporated the act of making an obscene photograph involving children as including the word 'virtual'. So once the image has been called down from the internet and seen on screen, whether deliberately or accidentally, the crime has already been committed. And no amount of deletion, overwriting or other cover-up attempts, is going to turn the clock back to a time before the crime was committed. Whether or not the crime is ever ultimately uncovered by the authorities is immaterial and irrelevant. As an aside, even if it isn't uncovered by the authorities, the crime (and the image seen in its commissioning) are stored indelibly for all time coming (before death) in his brain. So he is already suffering a life-sentence for his crime. Cruel? Unfair? Appropriate? Fitting? Deserved? Maybe. But in this particular area of the law, we have entered the Witchburning era all over again i.e. no legislator is ever going to campaign for the reconstruction of those badly drafted child crime laws under discussion here (have those Witchburning laws ever been repealed by the way?) The problem here as I see it (and so I think does StuRat) is that internet crime of the nature under discussion is always focused for wider effect on the end-user rather than the real maker/distributor. Why? Because of the indelibility of the end-user's electronic fingerprint. I believe that if the limited political, policing and prosecuting agencies were to change and apply the law and the political/prosecutorial, and judicial approach to it (fat chance), and statutorily re-define the difference between making(as in filming, videoing, recording, editing, distributing, selling, copying to other media etc. etc., as opposed to making as in seeing an offensive image on screen, those limited resources could be far more effectively used in attacking and halting this heinous and unforgiveable crime of perpetrating the commissioning of and profiteering by the production and distribution of internet (and hopefully other) child crime. But hey, what politician is at this late stage going to stand up and say that whilst watching child crime on the web is wrong, it isn't so wrong that we can now decriminalise it? I rest my case. It isn't going to happen. It seems to me that hard-drive crime is forever to be punished exceedingly severely, whilst mere hard-core crime is more easily covered and therefore more readily forgiven.
Thank You all for your suggestions. I must remember to come back here more often. With luck, my next visit will be under better circumstances. --The anonomous usual
Venom
A recent question on the science desk prompted me to think-which organism (bird insect animal fish etc) has the deadliest venom, and which venom is the most destructive to living tissue (There is a difference I believe).203.122.84.26 07:00, 17 October 2006 (UTC)
- Check out these deadly beauties for some candidates. However, its widely said that poison arrow frogs or Dendrobatidae produce the most potent neurotoxins. Batrachotoxin, produced by Phyllobates terriblis (Golden Poison Frog) is the pick of the bunch, beating curare and pufferfish toxins hands down. I'm not sure these qualify as venom, though. (edit) actually they don't - there is a difference between a poison and a venom, apparently. Rockpocket 07:15, 17 October 2006 (UTC)
- Apart from the fact there's a difference between venom and poison, there's also a difference in how either affect different people or organisms. What can be lethal to a rhino can be nothing to a human and viceversa. If you want to know what is deadliest, you need to be more specific and ask "to who?" and "in what dosage?". - 131.211.210.17 10:53, 18 October 2006 (UTC)
I'm asking about the effect on humans, and in the biggest does you can get! (Also, not specifacially looking for 'deadliest', i'm also interestied in the most 'destructive' (which can still be deadly).203.122.81.222 11:31, 18 October 2006 (UTC)
- Saw something on the discovery channel or something where there's some horned fish or snail or something that will kill you within seconds if you touch it --frothT C 14:14, 18 October 2006 (UTC)
loosening elastic waistbands
Friends, due to medical problem, i have been advised to wear loose pants. So I purchase elastic baistbanded pants. Do please suggest me as to how to loosen the elasticity in the waistband without any tailor work.Hoping to hear from u wikipedians. bye. Signed: Kutuwa.
- You can't, unless you cut the elastic. One option might be to get waist extenders, which can add an inch by supplying a button and a button hole, connected together, about an inch apart. Another option is to buy some bigger pants. StuRat 12:13, 17 October 2006 (UTC)
- THat answer sounds familiar ro me 8-)--Light current 13:27, 17 October 2006 (UTC)
- Elastic that is consistently stretched will loosen. Either stretch them manually or mount them on a form with wider dimensions than your waist. Anchoress 17:46, 17 October 2006 (UTC)
- A clarification is needed here. Say you have an elastic waist that varies from 30-40 inches (and is quite tight at 40). You can damage the elastic in many ways, like exposure to chemicals, heat, or UV light, or by over-stretching it. This will not change it to a 40-50 inch waist, but perhaps a 35-40 inch waist, with it being less tight at 40. If you manage to completely destroy the elastic, you will then just have a 40 inch waist pair of pants. There is a disadvantage that, when this happens, the elastic becomes "crunchy", which is unpleasant. You might want to remove the elastic, instead. StuRat 15:54, 18 October 2006 (UTC)
edison
i posted a question on suicide and i saw that the guy who cud understand what am actaully goin thru is edison.how can i get in touch with him?i need some advice
You post a message on his talk page: User_talk:Edison
- Most of us have gone through suicidal phases. It comes with the territory of being a thinker. If you are naturally low on serotonin, you dwell on a lot of things, some of which lead you to dark conclusions. If you are naturally high on this, you have wonderful full-colour dreams, and you are too happy to think! For most people, the difference between one state and another, is a simple little pill, which you can get from a doctor. --Zeizmic 14:35, 17 October 2006 (UTC)
- Wouldn't that make the body produce even less serotonin and thus make you an addict? If not, I'm interrested. DirkvdM 19:17, 17 October 2006 (UTC)
Sticking your hand in a Venus Flytrap
What would it feel like to put one's hand in a Venus Flytrap and trigger it so it closes on your hand. What if you left it there for a bit? Yuck! --user:amists
- It wouldn't be a problem, it might even tickle. The "spikes" that hold the fly in wouldn't hurt your hand, and the digestive juices would take hours to damage your finger. StuRat 12:02, 17 October 2006 (UTC)
Thanks stu!
- You can barely feel it at all,I've done it,the "Spikes" are not sharp.(hotclaws**== 14:26, 17 October 2006 (UTC))
- Human skin is very resistent to all sorts of injury. It's basically flexible armor. A Venus fly trap shouldn't pose any threat, if you have a healthy array of skin. Spill some concentrated hydrochloric acid on your hand and it's limitations are revealed, though. -- Chris 17:43, 17 October 2006 (UTC)
Yuck --frothT C 18:33, 17 October 2006 (UTC)
- I would suspect the digestive juices are similar in strength to the normal hydrogen peroxide solution you buy in a store. That is, you wouldn't even notice them unless they touched a cut or hangnail. StuRat 21:22, 17 October 2006 (UTC)
- I was yucking at the idea of a carnivorous plant, not particularly putting my hand in it. That's the kind of plant I'd shoot instead of prune :p --frothT C 14:07, 18 October 2006 (UTC)
- Not me. If I had a plant that would kill off any flies that got into the house, that would be a good thing. StuRat 15:42, 18 October 2006 (UTC)
Stock exchanges in India
I need the name and venue of all stock exchanging centres situated in India,so please can you provide it to me?
- Category:Stock exchanges in Asia might be of use to you. Also have a look at Economy of India#Financial institutions. By the way, next time you ask a question, please give it a title and sign your post by typing --~~~~. --Richardrj talk email 11:12, 17 October 2006 (UTC)
Maps
Why are maps so friggin' expensive? All I want is a 6X4 world map, no frame or anything else, and most of the places I look, it costs $100.00. Mongol Man 11:59, 17 October 2006 (UTC)
- I don't think they are always so expensive. National Geographic magazine regularly gives away free maps, for example. You can also do a Google image search for "world map" and find hundreds of thousands which you can print for free. If you want a nice laminated map, it might cost a bit, but shouldn't be that much. StuRat 12:06, 17 October 2006 (UTC)
The big 6-foot school maps are printed on special glossy stock, most likely laminated, and produced in small volume. This adds up to big money! --Zeizmic 12:12, 17 October 2006 (UTC)
- I just want a regular paper map, no laminated cover or anything. The problem is, my printer, like most other people's, only prints 1 sheet of paper at a time. I cannot print a single 6X4 sheet of paper. Mongol Man 15:42, 17 October 2006 (UTC)
- I think you're putting more energy into complaining than looking for online sources. This, for instance, has large maps from about £30, which is about $50 in your dodgy currency. I'm sure there are more sources. --Tagishsimon (talk)
- 6x4 what? DirkvdM 19:20, 17 October 2006 (UTC)
- I thought they meant inches, but apparently they mean feet. In that case, $100 doesn't seem so high. They can always print it out in sections and tape them together, if they really can't afford to buy one. StuRat 21:16, 17 October 2006 (UTC)
- Hey, I paid more than that for a map that was about 6 by 4 inches. :) But that was a Janssonius/Mercator map from 1624 in fine condition, and actually a very good deal, if you're into that kind of thing. It cost me almost as much just to have it framed though. But seen as an investement, it's almost free, given that I could sell it for as much or nearly as much as I bought it for. --BluePlatypus 00:31, 18 October 2006 (UTC)
In a city of any size a lithography or print shop where you could bring in the file and have them print it for you. Durova 16:35, 18 October 2006 (UTC)
After a bit of web searching, I suggest that 6x4 feet is simply somewhat larger than most people want for a world map, which raises the price. At http://www.maps.com I find a National Geographic 69x48 inch map for $44.95 US, which is better than $100, at least. At Federal Publications Inc. (in Canada) I find a range of world maps including a similar-size National Geographic map at $50 Canadian, and a 39x56 inch Michelin map at $15 Canadian. Rand McNally similarly has a range of world maps including what may be the same Michelin map at $12 US, and their own 50x32 inch one at under $5 (but folded, not rolled). --Anonymous, 01:10 UTC, October 19, 2006
Who profits from meteorites?
This article got me wondering who owns meteorites. I guess it would depend on the jurisdiction but if a meteorite was found in someone's field, would it be their's to sell? Or how are these things worked out otherwise? Dismas|(talk) 12:09, 17 October 2006 (UTC)
- Different countries have different rules. In Canada, the property owner owns the meteorite. If you leased the field with the express contract that you got to keep found meteorites, then they are yours. --Zeizmic 12:14, 17 October 2006 (UTC)
- If the stone is undergroud, in France, there's a saying that under some feet it belongs to the State. -- DLL .. T 18:55, 17 October 2006 (UTC)
GENERAL KNOWLEDGE
What is the difference between the term 'world' and 'universe'? A student of mine once asked this to me. i did reply, but i would like to know it more correctly and precisely. say with a proper definition and explanation. eager for the reply.....happy. — Preceding unsigned comment added by Sukanyatrivady (talk • contribs)
- Generally, World = Earth, Universe = everything. See World and Universe. World can mean Universe, but that's less common. Dictionary.com helps as well. -- Consumed Crustacean (talk) 13:17, 17 October 2006 (UTC)
- In some contexts the words are used interchangeably to refer to "everything material around us". In other contexts, world refers to earth and universe refers to all the known and unknown galaxies, stars, and matter in space, including our earth and solar system. alteripse 13:14, 17 October 2006 (UTC)
- An old dictionary at my grade school defined "universe" as the Milky Way Galaxy which annoyed the hell out of me. I would ask (rhetorically and only to myself), "So what the hell is all the stuff outside the Wilky Way Galaxy?Edison 15:43, 17 October 2006 (UTC)
- A small, mostly-irrelevant point: the word 'Universe' is of course formed from the word 'verse', i.e. words, language, speech.
- People love to talk about 'the universe' as if their speech places some real restrictions on what actually occurs. For the most part, I would say that such conjecture, whether by respected scientists, or respected priests, or unqualified quacks, are vain delusions at best, lies and deceit at worst. -- Chris 17:48, 17 October 2006 (UTC)
- Actually, no, it doesn't. Universe comes from the Latin universum, which, according to dictionary.com, derives from "use of neut. of ūniversus entire, all, lit., turned into one, equiv. to ūni- uni- + versus (ptp. of vertere to turn)] ". See folk etymology. User:Zoe|(talk) 02:46, 18 October 2006 (UTC)
- An interesting corollary to this is for example 'finding your place in the world' or 'for all the money in the world'. Would you use this expression if the galaxy or universe was your backyard and you are an interstellar traveller?
Women Surgeons
Once a male doctor has trained and qualified to become a surgeon he drops the title of "Doctor" in favour of "Mister" (or so seems to be the case here in Australia). I'm curious as to what general title a female surgeon goes by once reaching that same level?Intervale 13:14, 17 October 2006 (UTC)
- I believe its 'Miss' according to a programme I saw on TV about a female surgeon. OTOH, that could have been coz she wasnt married.--Light current 13:31, 17 October 2006 (UTC)
- A friend tells me that it is traditional, in the UK at least, for female surgeons to be called "Miss", whether or not they are married. Warofdreams talk 13:56, 17 October 2006 (UTC)
- Can anyone tell me why that is so? IMHO "Doctor" is a more prestigious title than "Mister" or "Miss", at least because it is an academic rank that has to be actually earned, whereas pretty much everyone can be called "Mister" or "Miss". JIP | Talk 14:35, 17 October 2006 (UTC)
- It's because, in times of yore, surgeons weren't doctors - they were barbers. The physicians (the doctors) didn't want a bunch of knifewielding nutters being confused with their scientifically-valid leechings, purgings, and potions. So physicians were Doctor but old Sweeny Todd was a Mister. Davy the Dolite 15:25, 17 October 2006 (UTC)
- I thought they were butchers! Some people say they still are! Or is that dentists?--Light current 23:52, 17 October 2006 (UTC)
- In a more modern context, it's professional one-upmanship for the surgeons to demonstrate that they're not mere drug-pedallers. Not to put too fine a point on it, but a lot of surgeons reputedly have massive egos (not entirely unjustified, mind you, given the skill and self-confidence required to do what they do). --Robert Merkel 02:45, 18 October 2006 (UTC)
- I think all persons skilled in surgery should be called 'surgeons' (as in Dental surgeon). All other medical 'doctors' should be called physicians. THe word 'doctor' I believe means a teacher.--Light current
- Worth mentioning that unless a British physician takes a doctoral degree of some kind such as M.D. or Ph.D., etc, he/she uses the medical title of Doctor as a courtey one. In those circumstances the usual double degrees awarded to medical graduates are M.B., Ch.B. (Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery). The usual qualification in the UK that would then be pursued by potential general surgeons would be FRCS (Fellow of The Royal College of Surgeons). Clearly, a budding gynaecologist would pursue a FRCG and/or FRC. Obst., but would still be addressed as surgeons i.e. Mr., Mrs., Miss, Ms. or Doctor (their choice). Dentists by the way are usually awarded a B.D.S. sometimes followed by their University as in B.D.S. (St. Andrews), and are now, though since only very recently, also allowed to be addressed as Doctor, though very few as far as I am aware, do that here in Scotland. On the separate subject of Barbers acting as surgeons, it's worth mentioning that those activities account for the traditional Red and White Barber's pole (White Bandages on a Bloody Stump). 13:50, 18 October 2006 (UTC)
Trivia
Is there a place on wikipedia that is more focused on trivia?--Filll 13:43, 17 October 2006 (UTC)
- More than the reference desk? A lot of trivia comes up here. Warofdreams talk 13:55, 17 October 2006 (UTC)
- There is a page of Lists of trivia; but Wikipedia is not a repository of trivia. Howard Train 14:02, 17 October 2006 (UTC)
Take a look at Did you know Tintin (talk) 10:58, 18 October 2006 (UTC)
Rope bridge
How are rope bridges constructed? How does one get the rope securely anchored on the other side of a gorge? The article on rope bridge (inca) does not help, thank you
- The first rope always involves some crazy guy scaling the gorge, or some way to throw and hook a rope. --Zeizmic 14:38, 17 October 2006 (UTC)
- You can attach a long string to an arrow and launch the arrow across the chasm. Then use the string to haul over the rope. If you try attaching rope to the arrow, you'll reduce its chances of making it across the gap. (Same would go for throwing a stone etc attached to string). --Dweller 15:19, 17 October 2006 (UTC)
- It would always help if the people on the other side also wanted a bridge, so they could catch the rock tied to the string which pulls the little rope which pulls the big rope. I suppose that often you could scale the heights until the gorge was a small ditch higher up and climb down until you reached the other side, or go down the slope to the bottom and climb back up from the sea or whatever on the other side, if it is infeasible to go directly down, swim the croc infested river, and up the other side.Edison 15:50, 17 October 2006 (UTC)
- Note that it makes sense to get someone with a small rope across first, with which a thicker rope can be pulled across, and with that a thicker rope still, until you've got something strong enough to walk on. I once saw some old footage of how Pygmees got such a first rope across a river. They attached a strong rope to a high branch near the river, let a guy clib a tree further away, holding the other end, and jumping from the tree, swinging to the other side. The didn't quite meassure the length right, and the guy scoured his butt (is that the right expression?). DirkvdM 19:30, 17 October 2006 (UTC)
- I don't think that is the right expression, as I have no idea what it means. StuRat 21:08, 17 October 2006 (UTC)
- Not that the former necessarily follows from the latter, but what about 'scraped his bottom', then? DirkvdM 19:34, 18 October 2006 (UTC)
- Try "fell flat on his ass". StuRat 01:25, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
- Well, he didn't (and had there been an ass, they might have sent that across). He did make it to the other side, but he had to pull in his legs but even that wasn't enough, so he, ehm, grated his behind? DirkvdM 07:13, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
I would think whale hunting harpoons, fired from a canon, would be any excellent way to get the starter rope over to the other side. StuRat 21:08, 17 October 2006 (UTC)
The question to the answer that I think you're asking is someone has to get across the hard way or else at another ___location. To put a rope bridge across a gorge, someone could climb down, swim across, and then climb up; or go 10 miles upriver and ford. -THB 22:35, 17 October 2006 (UTC)
- Or, of course, in modern times they could fly across in a helicopter and pull a rope with them. StuRat 01:13, 18 October 2006 (UTC)
- Modern navies encounter a similar challenge when they refuel at sea. The solution is to fire a "shot line" at the other vessel, which is basically a piece of string. Then people at the other side haul over the heavier piece of line (rope) attached to it. The effort is coordinated through a series of gestures with signal paddles. The Incas probably used the equivalent of a shot line attached to an arrow, which is far faster and less expensive than any of the other speculations on this thread. Durova 16:28, 18 October 2006 (UTC)
- The questioner asks how the bridge is anchored. The article says that rope cables were secured to "stone anchors" or "pylons." Presumably, these were very heavy stones set in filled-in pits on either side of the gorge. The rope cables might have been tied to these pylons but I would expect that they were probably woven around them. Marco polo 01:20, 18 October 2006 (UTC)
- I have seen them anchored to a very large tree. An alternative is to anchor it to a buried log (so it doesn't slide into the canyon" which is sometimes called a "dead man." A very big rock, which cannot possibly get moved by a bridge full of people, is another possibility.Edison 05:54, 18 October 2006 (UTC)
Latin meaning for confidence
Does anybody know the Latin derviation for the word confidence? I have searched and searched the net but cannot seem to find it! Thankyou in advance for any replies! nena :)
- [Origin: 1625–35; < L confīdere, equiv. to con- con- + fīdere to trust, akin to foedus; see confederate, fidelity], from dictionary.com --Tagishsimon (talk)
- And the path was via French confidence from Latin confidentia, meaning "(self-)confidence", which comes from the verb confidere as described above. The Language reference desk is a better spot for this kind of question. --LambiamTalk 15:59, 17 October 2006 (UTC)
Tuna Fishing
I have heard that tuna's can become quite agitatated while being caught that their blood temperature can rise so high as to spoil the surrounding flesh which can render it unfit for comsumption. This in turn, as I am told, has led to the expression "tainted tuna". Just wondering if in fact this is indeed correct and if there is some reference to these statements.
- 'Tain't so.Edison 15:51, 17 October 2006 (UTC)
- Though, tuna does have high levels of mercury. Kilo•T 17:26, 17 October 2006 (UTC)
- To measure their temperature, probably. DirkvdM 19:32, 17 October 2006 (UTC)
- I have been told by an experienced chef that this is the case with halibut; that they must be caught with care, respect, and tranquility, or else their meat is unpalatable. I wouldn't be surprised of this is the case with other fish, too. Generally, stressed-out animals produce stressed-out meat, which is probably not going to be as tender and delicious as it could be. -- Chris 17:52, 17 October 2006 (UTC)
- I've heard this with turtles in turtle soup, they must be killed quickly or something they do spoils their flavor. Then again, they boil lobsters alive, wouldn't you expect that to cause a bit of stress ? StuRat 21:03, 17 October 2006 (UTC)
- I read (Cookwise by Shirley O. Corriher ISBN 0688102298) that it is important for the meat to be in a state of rigor mortis in order for it to have the best taste (this is true for both fish as well as cows and chickens). The mood of the animal at the time of death can adversly affect the rigor mortis, and lead to worst meat. However this will not spoil the meat, it just won't taste as good. Jon513 22:03, 17 October 2006 (UTC)
But remember, that although you can tune a file system, you can't tuna fish. JIP | Talk 08:21, 18 October 2006 (UTC)
Crash test marker
What's the story of the wheel-like symbol that can be seen on this happy man? Is there a name for it? I suppose it is used for easy tracking of different points, on for example a crash dummy, during a crash test, but is there an explanation for why it looks just like it does? Is it standardized, and if so, is that with or without the black border seen on one of the marks in the picture? —Bromskloss 15:51, 17 October 2006 (UTC)
- It's used to make measurements of position from the high speed camera recordings of the crash. It is easier to measure than a finely drawn cross would be but is still measurable precisely. I don't know the name of the mark but it is probably called soemthing like a target. RJFJR 15:58, 17 October 2006 (UTC)
The pattern used to measure turbidity is very similar, by the way. —Bromskloss 16:08, 17 October 2006 (UTC)
- WP's article on crash test dummies calls them "calibration marks". ---Sluzzelin 17:21, 17 October 2006 (UTC)
- No it doesn't. The article on Crash test dummy is far more appropriate to this context :P. Howard Train 21:32, 17 October 2006 (UTC)
- LoL, that one slipped my attention, I was happy seeing a blue link (of course a purple one would have been even better). Thanks for pointing it out.---Sluzzelin 22:13, 17 October 2006 (UTC)
- No it doesn't. The article on Crash test dummy is far more appropriate to this context :P. Howard Train 21:32, 17 October 2006 (UTC)
Note that the same symbol is used to denote a center of gravity (CG) point. I suspect that they were first used on crash dummies to show CGs, but then became used to show all critical points. StuRat 21:00, 17 October 2006 (UTC)
- Ah, that's true. Didn't even think of that. —Bromskloss 22:35, 17 October 2006 (UTC)
financials
I will be doing some company financials. I was just wondering what that job entails and Is it hard to do with little or no experience?
139.142.184.65 16:51, 17 October 2006 (UTC)kk
- It depends on the size of the company. A public company would require the services of a CPA. A small sole proprietorship or partnership might be handled by a beginner with a good book. RJFJR 20:03, 17 October 2006 (UTC)
It will be difficult for you because a company that would hire someone with no experience to do their financials is likely quite lax in bookkeepping. -THB 22:32, 17 October 2006 (UTC)
FOOTBALL
Did Northern Island beet Spain the other day in a Euro 2008 qualifier. I know that Scotland beet France LOL but i think i heard that Spain was beeten by a, lets say, not so good team, as well...im i right? (also i know about England loosing to Croatia, if any one heard the joke on "have i got news for you" it was a good one LOL)--84.64.46.61 19:33, 17 October 2006 (UTC)
- I always turn bright red when somebody beets me. :-) StuRat 20:50, 17 October 2006 (UTC)
- They did beat Spain and, funny enough, this information can be found on the Northern Ireland national football team page...
They also beat Spain at the 1982 World Cup in Seville. It was a brilliant game from what I recall!Downunda 23:30, 17 October 2006 (UTC)
- You can find all the results from Euro 2008 qualifying at 2008 UEFA European Football Championship qualifying. -Elmer Clark 23:49, 17 October 2006 (UTC)
What is the longest answer to a question asked at the reference desk ever?
--84.64.46.61 19:50, 17 October 2006 (UTC)
- try querying a db dump? dab (ᛏ) 19:53, 17 October 2006 (UTC)
- WE are NOT DEAF!! Please dont shout. You may wake up some editors.--Light current 23:47, 17 October 2006 (UTC)
- Huh? Wha? DirkvdM 06:55, 18 October 2006 (UTC)
- Se! youve woken up Dirk now 8-)--Light current 12:44, 18 October 2006 (UTC)
- Well, at least we know he wasn't asleep at work, don't we ? :-) StuRat 01:10, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
- What's in our brain that makes us addicted to world records ? Pure logic should say "I don't care!". -- DLL .. T 18:55, 18 October 2006 (UTC)
- Logic cannot explain why you are interested in Wikipedia but 6 billion other people aren't. The fact is people are interested in all manner of things both tangible and intangible - otherwise this Ref Desk would not exist. Logic would say "Ignore that fact at your peril". JackofOz 20:39, 18 October 2006 (UTC)
A closed circuit where I can actively determine the amount of Hz
I am trying to find out the FPS of the eye. I need a power source, a lightbulb, some wiring, and something to control the amount of hertz by. Is there an easy way for doing this, putting the amount of Hz in the 12-30 region? That excludes manually using a dynamo and stuff, at least so far as I can see... any ideas on this? Very appreciated! 81.93.102.3 21:09, 17 October 2006 (UTC)
- Suspect you would be more likely to get a response to this over at the Science reference desk. --Richardrj talk email 21:19, 17 October 2006 (UTC)
- Assuming that by "amount of Hz" you mean the frequency; I'd suggest using an electric motor to drive something (eg a disc with a hole in it) that will obscure the lightbulb. Sit on the opposite side of this mechanism and use a rheostat to control the Hertzage. When the light stops flickering, you've got your result. Depending on what you're good at, you could alternatively write a computer program to simulate such a circuit by flashing the screen white-and-black. In pseudocode:
- 1 DRAW a big white box
- 2 WAIT n milliseconds
- 3 DRAW a big black box
- 4 WAIT n milliseconds
- 5 GOTO 1
- Make n the inverse of the frequency you want to test, multiplied by 1000. So to try 10 Hz, n should be 100 msHoward Train 21:29, 17 October 2006 (UTC)
- Just a note here, the flicker fusion threshold of the human eye is not an absolute measure, not even for the same person. It depends of several factors such as the luminosity of the light and ambient in question, where the light is being visible (the corners of the eye can perceive a much higher frequency than the center of vision), and even how tired you are. ☢ Ҡi∊ff⌇↯ 22:54, 17 October 2006 (UTC)
- Yes. No doubt that is the purpose of the questioners experiment.--Light current 23:45, 17 October 2006 (UTC)
- Build an episcotister. [13] [14] [15] Then ou can use an DC powered light. A bulb for such study must not be a large incandescent one, because of its high thermal inertia, which will prevent it from going out during the very brief periods the current is off. Tachistoscopes used dc powered fluorescent tubes with electronic controls. Neon lamps were used in the early 20th century. Today, LEDs would be a possibility, because of their quick rise time. A signal generator, square or sine wqaves over the frequency range you are interested in. plus an amplifier which covers near-dc through audio frequencies, plus LEDs of a wavelength you wish to study, should do nicely.Edison 06:05, 18 October 2006 (UTC)
Don't use your own eye if you have a family history of epilepsy, even if you've never shown symptoms :) --frothT C 14:05, 18 October 2006 (UTC)
Excitement about the Veil
I notice that in the media in the UK, there is a lot of discussion about the Muslim veil, or "nikab" (sometimes spelled niqab). Previously, France and some other European countries went through this. Living in the US, I do not think anyone would care if someone wore a veil. I see women wearing veils all the time (which I find sort of sexy, myself). No one gives it a second thought. And why should we care? (although there was a lawsuit some years back when a Florida women wanted to appear veiled in her driver's license photo, if I am not mistaken). She lost her case, and an appeal as well, I think. However, if I am not mistaken, women cannot appear veiled in driver's license or passport photos in places like Turkey or Saudi Arabia.
Why do the Europeans worry about such a ridiculous thing? Who cares if they want to be veiled? Is this evidence of some sort of societal difference between the US and Europe? --Filll 21:41, 17 October 2006 (UTC)
- It's something of a moral panic, and it's no accident that it's happening when British Labour Party politicians are jockeying for position in the wake of the forthcoming resignation of Tony Blair, with the politicians competing to see who can be the toughest. That said, in the wake of the London tube bombings (which, unlike 9-11, were conducted by home-grown terrorists) the British body-politic seems to have lost faith with its previous policy of multiculturalism. The US is generally rather better about integrating immigrants (and their children) into general society (to the detriment, one might argue, of their language and culture and tradition). The veil has become, clumsily, a rather arbitrary locus around which this discussion has condensed. So really it's not about veils at all (veils that no-one seemed bothered about a month ago, and likely won't be bothered about in a month from now). Politics in Britain (as elsewhere) has a nasty habit of hanging large and complex issues on such trivial hooks, perhaps in the vainglorious hope that if the "veil issue" can be resolved, the whole cultural relations issue (which has been a bubbling problem for ages, long before the tube bombings) might fall magically into place. A similar (and similarly daft) discussion ensued in the dying phase of the last Conservative government, when they proclaimed all the country's ills were the doings of "single mothers", spamming the welfare state with their horrid feral sprogs. This too was a serious discussion wrapped in baloney (this time about the family and crime and welfare). The fundamental point is that politicians think we're thick, and can't discuss complex matters - so they over simplify it into a brain-morsel. I have to go now, as myself and my fourteen veil-wearing ASBO-breaking children are going to spend a nice evening in drinking alcopops and watching Driller Killer which we've illegally downloaded off utube. -- Finlay McWalter | Talk 22:18, 17 October 2006 (UTC)
- Well, first: It's not really a European issue. Most European countries haven't bothered to pass any laws on the matter, and it's not really being debated all over the place either. It's worth pointing out, though, that the French position has been somewhat misrepresented, in particular in the US. To understand it, you need to understand that the French are hardliners when it comes to separation of Church and State. So the main argument of the proponents on a "veil ban" in France, weren't talking about a ban on veils specifically, but rather a ban on the wearing of all religious symbols in public schools there. (That isn't to say there wasn't racist undertones to the debate, though). But there's really no pan-European consensus on what separation of C. and S. should mean in practical terms. While most Americans would find the French position on separation overly harsh, some Europeans would find the US position overly harsh. E.g. most Scandinavians have not considered separation of Church and State as necessary for freedom of religion as the Americans and French have. -Scandinavian countries have had constitutionally guaranteed freedom of religion much longer than a constitutional separation of C&S. Norway still does not have a full separation. --BluePlatypus 00:19, 18 October 2006 (UTC)
- I must admit that I, too, fail to see why Europeans feel that it should matter to anybody but the woman choosing to wear a veil that she is wearing a veil. Why do Europeans feel that it is anybody else's business? The United States, like France, mandates separation of church and state. Yet we do not prohibit women from wearing veils in public schools or anywhere else. It is such a restriction on personal freedom. The principle, in the United States, behind separation of church and state is that no state body may establish or impose a favored religion. Allowing Muslim students to wear a veil, especially when they are in the minority, certainly does not establish or impose Islam on the other students, so long as the other students are free not to wear a veil. To an American, the French rule about veils violates the separation of church and state, because the state intervened to ban a religious symbol in a way that made members of one religion uncomfortable and forced them to violate what they saw as the tenets of their religion in order to receive a state service. Yes, I know that "all" religious symbols were banned, but somehow the only people affected by the ban seemed to be Muslims, since crucifix necklaces were ruled acceptable. While I am critical of many U.S. policies, I can't see what motivates European opposition to the veil other than bigotry and the idea that everybody must behave like the descendants of the people who lived in those countries 200 years ago. Or is there something I am missing? Marco polo 01:38, 18 October 2006 (UTC)
- See French law on secularity and conspicuous religious symbols in schools and Islamic veil controversy in France. Several points are missing in the debate here, but they're best described in the articles.---Sluzzelin 02:21, 18 October 2006 (UTC)
- Yes, that's main criticism; that the ban affects certain religions more than others. Again, I'd urge not to extrapolate a French law to all of Europe. Most of Europe do not have any similar law. Nor is it any less controversial in most of Europe, or uncontroversial in France. That said, I'd be very careful about making the argument you're making: Public schools in the USA have dress codes as well, and in my experience (having attended public schools on both continents) they're not necessarily less strict than European ones. (Or to be perfectly honest, I felt I had a lot less personal freedom in the public US schools I attended.) --BluePlatypus 02:43, 18 October 2006 (UTC)
- I must admit that I, too, fail to see why Europeans feel that it should matter to anybody but the woman choosing to wear a veil that she is wearing a veil. Why do Europeans feel that it is anybody else's business? The United States, like France, mandates separation of church and state. Yet we do not prohibit women from wearing veils in public schools or anywhere else. It is such a restriction on personal freedom. The principle, in the United States, behind separation of church and state is that no state body may establish or impose a favored religion. Allowing Muslim students to wear a veil, especially when they are in the minority, certainly does not establish or impose Islam on the other students, so long as the other students are free not to wear a veil. To an American, the French rule about veils violates the separation of church and state, because the state intervened to ban a religious symbol in a way that made members of one religion uncomfortable and forced them to violate what they saw as the tenets of their religion in order to receive a state service. Yes, I know that "all" religious symbols were banned, but somehow the only people affected by the ban seemed to be Muslims, since crucifix necklaces were ruled acceptable. While I am critical of many U.S. policies, I can't see what motivates European opposition to the veil other than bigotry and the idea that everybody must behave like the descendants of the people who lived in those countries 200 years ago. Or is there something I am missing? Marco polo 01:38, 18 October 2006 (UTC)
When I listen to the BBC debates and UK politician statements about the veil, I just have to shake my head in amazement. There are many horrendous bigoted things about the US, and a lot of things that I think the US does wrong. But worrying about a woman wearing a veil or not just seems silly. There are all kinds of speeches being made about "these people do not want to be part of our way of life...blah blah blah". It just sounds sort of comical from the perspective of someone in the US. My impression is that even the big bad ugly Americans here could care less about such silliness.--Filll 02:22, 18 October 2006 (UTC)
- If I've understood correctly, the consternation is over the full-face-except-eyes veil, not the "headscarf"-type veil. If so, perhaps folk feel uneasy speaking to eyes... (seems a little Beckettian!) It was a complaint about a veiled teacher that triggered the hubbub, wasn't it...? If so, I know I'd feel uneasy if my children were being taught by someone unwilling/unable to recognize the crucial role of facial gestures in communication... Regards, David Kernow (talk) 06:45, 18 October 2006 (UTC)
- It's not that Europeans worry about it so much. It's some Europeans and they're rather loud mouthed and the media love that kind of thing. DirkvdM 06:57, 18 October 2006 (UTC)
- It is indeed about the face-covering veils. It started because Jack Straw said that he often asks women who come to talk to him 'face to face', who are wearing such facial coverings, if they will remove them for the discussion. He says this is ever since a woman wearing a face-covering veil remarked how much it meant to be able to talk to him face-to-face. He doesn't insist on it, he asks, because he feels it helps them both if he can read their face, as they read his. After he said this, there was a lot of furore. Later, a teacher got in trouble for wearing a veil when teaching, I believe, primary school children. Others were of the view that facial expressions are very important at this age. Around the same time, a woman was suspended from her job at an airline for refusing to comply with uniform codes by tucking a cross inside her top. Since the blowing up of all this stuff, there have been attacks and unveilings. These are clearly bad. This doesn't mean there is nothing to discuss. Skittle 10:52, 18 October 2006 (UTC)
A UK point of view. Since Jack Straw said what he said I actually feel that he has said what alot of ordinary people want to say. It does seem to me that Muslim women are subjected to terrible double standards, not being allowed to show them selves and dress how they want BUT I can understand there reasons, if they chose to do it as a symbol of faith then let them, its a free country. The idea that "they come over here and do what they want and expect us to bow to their every demand and need 'becuase of their culture'" is held by very few people and most saidly of all it is popularised by the British press. --AMX 17:29, 18 October 2006 (UTC)AMX
- Before Americans get all preachy about the Europeans and their arguments over veils, let's remember that we Americans don't face the kind of issues they do. Muslims are now a huge minority in France, Germany, the UK, the Netherlands, etc., and while the vast majority are normal people just trying to make a living, enough of them are radical Islamists to make the European way of life seem threatened. Theo van Gogh was killed for insulting Islam. Ayaan Hirsi Ali has to live under armed guard. Now a French guy who wrote a newspaper column critical of Islam is in hiding. There have been dozens of honor killings among Muslims in Europe. Ilan Halimi was tortured for three weeks by a group of Muslims in France while the other Muslims in the building did nothing. So many Europeans find their way of life under siege. I think the veil is just a visible symbol of this insecurity to latch on to. And let's face it -- the veil is a very striking thing. We're not talking about a hijab here -- we're talking about black veils that cover everything but the eyes. When I first saw a woman wearing the niqab, in Prague, I was somewhat frightened. My immediate thought was that someone who would go as far as to wear that is as dedicated as a cult member and would be the kind of person who would be willing to blow people up for a cause. Then again, if this was the time of the Crusades, and I saw a nun for the first time, I might think the same thing. -- Mwalcoff 23:32, 18 October 2006 (UTC)
We are constantly told that Europe is drowning in Muslims and the US does not understand. Well a quick web search shows that Muslims form just under 3% of the UK population and over 2% of the US population. In some places, like communities in Michigan with a lot of Arab immigrants, or around Washington DC with a lot of African Americans, Muslims form a much larger fraction of the population. I live just outside DC, and I see women in Hijab or full veils constantly in the grocery and on the street. The US has not had just an occasional attack on one or two people like Europe has, but has been the target of attacks over and over for decades (Iranian embassy hostages, multiple other hostage dramas and beheadings, Lebanon barracks bombing, the Cole, the first world trade center attack in 93, 9/11 attacks, the African embassy attacks, etc). There were multiple fatwas issued by Bin Laden and others ordering all Muslims to kill Americans anywhere anytime. So I think that saying Europe has a bad situation and we do not understand is sort of a load of nonsense. However, even given that, if any politician in the US made a comment like Jack Straw did, their career would be over, as quick as you can say "macaca".--Filll 17:15, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
- Just to be sure we're clear, the discussion is purely about niqab, not hijab. You may think a veil can be pretty, but I doubt you feel that about niqab. To wear a niqab when teaching small children would seem rather threatening to me; a hair-covering veil, not at all. Skittle 22:49, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
- I'd question the figures regarding the number of Muslims in the US and UK. The US doesn't keep official stats on religion. estimates on the number of Muslims in the US range from 1 million to 7 million, with most estimates in the lower end of that spectrum. So they percentage of Muslims is probably 3 or 4 times as high in the UK as it is in the US. I've never seen a niqab in the US, but I saw them in London. And there are undoubtedly more people susceptible to radical Islamist ideology among European Muslims than there are among American Muslims. I also doubt that an American politician would get in trouble for asking women to remove their niqabs in his office. -- Mwalcoff 02:28, 20 October 2006 (UTC)
The US government might not keep official statistics on religion (although I am not so sure about that. The government keeps statistics on a lot of things). However, the figures I gave were from PRIVATE groups who made estimates for political purposes, and in the US a HUGE amount of money and effort goes into that. So the figures are probably not very far off. I have seen plenty of niqab/nikab in the US since I live in a part of the US that is probably 80% African American, and many many African Americans have converted to Islam over the last few decades. I have never seen a nikab in the UK, but I have seen them in the US. I do not think wearing a nikab while teaching small children is threatening, although I would be surprised if it happens very much, even in Saudi Arabia, considering the purposes of the nikab. An American politician might or might not get into trouble for saying something in private to a woman about her nikab, but I would not want to bet my political career on it. I can just about promise that an American politician making a statement in public like Jack Straw's would get in huge trouble, as much as if he had said something negative about Hispanics, or African Americans, or Jews, or women, or whites, or asians, or homosexuals. The political correctness police would tear the politician to shreds for that kind of comment. Just like when Jesse Jackson made a wisecrack about "hymietown". Even though it was said in private and supposedly as a joke, his career as a politician was over at that point. Done.--Filll 03:42, 20 October 2006 (UTC)
- I guarantee you that if an elementary-school in Paducah, Kentucky hired a teacher who wears a niqab, all hell would break loose. The reason we don't hear more criticism of Islam from American politicians is because Islam is not as pervasive of a presence in the US as it is in Europe, not because Americans love Islam. Remember, this is a country where Franklin Graham remains tremendously popular despite his attacks on Islam. When Ayaan Hirsi Ali was hounded out of the Netherlands, the U.S. government welcomed her to America. -- Mwalcoff 23:38, 21 October 2006 (UTC)
Freedom of religion in the US
Every time I hear about the US having "freedom of religion" and "separation of church and state", I am immediately reminded how, in practice, dominant Christianity is in that country. During the last half a century or so, mentions of God in official documents and statements have only increased, not decreased. Many US families seem to take weekly visits to the church for granted. Every time anything even remotely hints at poking fun at Christianity, picket groups arise from everywhere to oppose it. The Bush government is openly supporting Intelligent Design as a valid, scientific theory, while downplaying the theory of evolution at the same time. Why does the US differ so much in theory and in practice? JIP | Talk 11:10, 18 October 2006 (UTC)
- I suppose the U.S. could look that way from a distance. Part of what's at work here are some rather deep cultural differences between different parts of the country. By no means all Christians belong to the religious right. In fact the U.S. sees many different varieties of Christianity in common practice. Especially in urban centers, nearly every type of organized religion (Christian or otherwise) has houses of worship. Religious conservatives do tend to maintain a high profile in the media, somewhat out of proportion to their actual numbers and overall power. Durova 16:18, 18 October 2006 (UTC)
- You are right that there are a lot of religiously motivated conservative political activists in the United States and that many more U.S. Americans are religiously observant than in other developed countries. You are also correct that the Bush regime publicly espouse a religious point of view and say supportive things about religious doctrines. However, a line is drawn between officials, as individuals, espousing religious points of view and government agencies enforcing religion. The U.S. Constitution forcefully prohibits state imposition of religion, and lines have been drawn in court battles preventing the state from imposing religious viewpoints or policies based specificially on religious teachings. This is what is meant by "separation of church and state" in the U.S. context. It is different from the French concept of official secularism but arguably more protective of individual freedom. Marco polo 20:02, 18 October 2006 (UTC)
- My guess is the US has remained more religious than other Western countries because the US never had a state church. No one denomination has ever dominated America the way the Catholic Church dominated France. So we've never had any tradition of anti-clericalism. In America, if you don't like your denomination, you can always switch to another one. There's no need to get down on religion in general. -- Mwalcoff 23:06, 18 October 2006 (UTC)
- Bush may be the president, but he is also a citizen of the United States; as such, he has the same freedom of speech as everyone else. As long as he doesn't force his religious views on the government, he can say whatever he wants. THL 23:26, 18 October 2006 (UTC)
The US was founded by religious extremists of varous stripes that had been thrown out of Europe; Hugenots, Puritans, Quakers, etc. America continued to draw others that Europe was unable to stomach: Anabaptists, Doukhobors, etc. It produced a wide variety of its own extremist religions, including Mormonism, Seventh Day Adventists, Christian Scientists, Theosophy, Shakers, the Oneida Community and Scientology. It has been fertile ground for groups like the Unification Church and the Society for Krishna Consciousness. It is just in the air here, and always has been. I have my theories about why this is, but that is the way it is.--Filll 17:04, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
Dragon page problem
I am having a problem editing the page on dragons. For some reason, someone put a odd clipon link , using a misspelling of dragoness. This link leads to a interesting monologe that appears to have no actual purpose. When I go to remove this offending clip, it tells me that i am trying to remove the whole article. I feel that the link is useless, but I can't be sure that i won't ruin the page. Should I just try to delete it? --68.250.176.40 21:55, 17 October 2006 (UTC)
- Are you saying the dragon article is full of nonsense? I just reverted it back to a better version. If you ever go to a page that seems dodgy, click the "history" tab at the top of the page and click on the recent versions (indicated by date) to find a better version. Thanks for alerting me about the vandalism! Hyenaste (tell) 22:00, 17 October 2006 (UTC)
- Although the Dragon page was vandalized, I can't find anything resembling the above description on the vandalized page – no link, no dragoness, misspelled or otherwise. --LambiamTalk 15:50, 18 October 2006 (UTC)
naked baking
hi i asked ths before but someone took it off im serious where can i find pics of naked baking. naked baking is when women gather naked and bake pastries.
- If you want to be taken seriously, you will sign and date your posts. You will also learn how to spell, punctuate and form proper sentences.--Light current 23:28, 17 October 2006 (UTC)
- If you want to find anything on the Internet, including pornography that satisfies your own personal kink, search engines such as Google and Yahoo Search are your friend. Beyond that, I don't think many regular contributors to the reference desk are interested in running a pornography referral service. --Robert Merkel 02:41, 18 October 2006 (UTC)
You may be interested in http://www.bunnybunns.net/ Bunny Bunns , and her Nude Cooking Talk Show. She is a devotee of the avatar of God Adi Da. Remeber, "Safety First!". As seen in her video, she wears an apron when deep fat frying. --GangofOne 03:28, 18 October 2006 (UTC)
- Ah that would be to avoid frying the deep fat on her belly presumably? 8-)--Light current 12:49, 18 October 2006 (UTC)
Shelf life
Does anyone know the shelf life of Saki?
- Depends on how high the shelf is 8-)--Light current 23:29, 17 October 2006 (UTC)
- Well H.H. Munro is still very entertaining and readable but he is not in fashion and not so frequently read. He's had short stories published only this year although he is a bit of an acquired taste. The perfect accompaniment to his works? rice wine that stuff is always delicious. :-) MeltBanana 00:42, 18 October 2006 (UTC)
- The sake article states that most types lose the flavor in presence of light, air, and heat, and that sake is generally not aged, and is best consumed within a few months after purchase. So I guess the shelf life of most sake shouldn't exceed a few months. Of course there are exceptions, and aged sake is mentioned under Sake#Storage.---Sluzzelin 02:08, 18 October 2006 (UTC)
- "The open window" is still a fine story. See [16]Edison 06:07, 18 October 2006 (UTC)
- Ok, sorry for being daft, and I enjoyed reading Saki too, but was the questioner actually asking about the author's shelf life? If so, apologies to the original poster for misreading a typo into the question.---Sluzzelin 07:12, 18 October 2006 (UTC)
- "The open window" is still a fine story. See [16]Edison 06:07, 18 October 2006 (UTC)
Schmoo cake origin
What is the origin (city of, or whatever) of the Schmoo cake. It is a common dessert in Winnipeg, Manitoba, but when, why and how did it start?--####
Schmoos were charcters in the lil'Abner cartoon strip. Maybe that is relevant.--Filll 23:33, 17 October 2006 (UTC)
- That's Shmoo, not schmoo. :) User:Zoe|(talk) 02:50, 18 October 2006 (UTC)
As far as I know, Schmoo is a mispronounciation of s'mores. What does a Schmoo cake look like? --JDitto 05:08, 18 October 2006 (UTC)
- I don't have a flatbed scanner or I'd show you a picture of a Schmoo torte/cake from an old Five Roses cookbook I inherited from my mother. They're not like smores *at all* - smores weren't known in Western Canada at the time schmoo cake became popular in the 1900s. (I don't even know if one person in a hundred today would know what they were.)
- A schmoo cake is typically a very rich traditional nut cake. It's made in an angel food cake pan and after baking is cut into three layers. The bottom and second layer are spread with a very thick butterscotch sauce, the cake is reassembled, and the cake is covered with a thick rich icing made out of whipping cream, sugar, and usually beaten egg whites (like a meringue, but heavier).
- I just checked in my other old Canadian cookbooks - all of them have recipes for Schmoo "tortes", not cakes, except the 19th century cookbook and the cookbook from Quebec. This makes me wonder if this isn't a Central European recipe brought over to the prairies by immigrants. "Schmoo" could be a slurring of some German, Yiddish, or Slavic word. If the word "schmoo" originated in Western Canada in the 1900s, that's extremely likely.
- Anyway, it looks like an angel food cake with white icing when uncut and like a nut cake with horizontal butterscotch layers when cut.
- Here's one recipe.[17] --Charlene.fic 15:33, 18 October 2006 (UTC)
Intelligence and wealth
How much intelligence does some one need to become a millionaire? And if so, why aint I one?--Light current 23:56, 17 October 2006 (UTC)
It does if you're a contestant of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? --Agester 23:57, 17 October 2006 (UTC)
Not sure about intelligence - but the *easiest* way to become a millionaire? Marry a millionaire or be born to parents who are millionaires... :) --Kurt Shaped Box 01:06, 18 October 2006 (UTC)
- In my opinion, wealth has little relationship to intellectual capacity. As Kurt S B points out, it has a strong relationship to inheritance. As for "self-made men," they are seldom intellectuals, but often good schemers and con artists. They succeed in meeting the right people (those who have inherited money) and winning their trust (convincing them to invest). They may also have good intuitions about what will sell and how to sell it. This is a particular type of intelligence, but not the same type that is usually featured at Wikipedia. Marco polo 01:44, 18 October 2006 (UTC)
- George W. Bush has got to be a millionaire. Need I say more? You're not one because you spend too much time here! Clarityfiend 02:35, 18 October 2006 (UTC)
- Does your family have a lot of money? That may be a limiting factor.Edison 06:08, 18 October 2006 (UTC)
I suggest taking up study in economics. Or if that's too much, learn to at least differentiate between assets (money in the bank) and liabilities (time lost putting emoticons in the Wikipedia ref desk). Anyways, you don't need intelligence to be rich--you just need to create a demand for something (ex. Apple created IPods).
Plus, there is an increased amount of individuals that report that joining up with God's family leads to an increased amount of granted wishes.--JDitto 06:25, 18 October 2006 (UTC)
- Money makes money. Does anyone know of any statistics for millionaires showing their average intelligence and the average wealth of their parents? I'm sure some such study must have been done. DirkvdM 07:02, 18 October 2006 (UTC)
- A good amount of money has been made by people able to take what others have discovered and use it to their advantage. It isn't necessarily what you know, but how well you can research. THL 23:20, 18 October 2006 (UTC)
- "The Milionaire Next Door" shows that many wealthy people make (and more importantly look after) their own money. Rich Farmbrough, 13:55 19 October 2006 (GMT).
Grey teeth?
I have a strange discoloration in my teeth. This discoloration isn't really yellowish or any type of "color". It's more of a greyish than white color but the teeth that have this property isn't completely grey just maybe grey in blotches. Anyone got any info. or links to any posibilities this might be? Thanks! --Agester 23:56, 17 October 2006 (UTC)
- I couldn't really say; our article on teeth doesn't seem to mention colors at all. If you really are concerned about it, it would be wise to see your dentist about it. --71.117.44.145 01:04, 18 October 2006 (UTC)
- You know, we had listed "dentist" on the heading for this page as part of the medical/legal advice disclaimer for so long, and then some one removed it, presumably because no one ever asked for dental advice here. Maybe we need to put it back. --Maxamegalon2000 02:45, 18 October 2006 (UTC)
- Is this something that has just happened recently, or is it a chronic condition? Tooth discoloration can be the result of minerals in the drinking water. User:Zoe|(talk) 02:51, 18 October 2006 (UTC)
I don't know. I didn't think it is a problem because i have regular check ups and my teeth have been like this for a majority of my life and I was just curious one day when looking in the mirror and lowering my self-esteem watching teeth bleaching commercials and figured why my teeth didn't look like that. My dentists have never mentioned or prescribed me anything for this strange discoloration so i don't think it's malignant. (last time i saw a dentist was approx 3-4 weeks ago). In addition, i've seen several different destists in the years of my life. In response to the drinking water, i doubt that since my family and I drink from the same source and they seem to have normal teeth. --Agester 03:55, 18 October 2006 (UTC)
- Get it checked out. Seriously. One of my teeth turned blue-grey; six months later I had the most diabolical toothache, and it had to be removed. Now I have a gap in me gob, which is a handy place to hold pencils when my hands are full but looks and feels ridiculous. Howard Train 03:59, 18 October 2006 (UTC)
Well I did some extensive reading on the teeth article (i poorly skimmed it before) and came across the Dental fluorosis article and the picture there (of mild fluorosis) sortof looks almost exactly as what i was thinking of only there is more of the brighter white than the darker white on the surfaces i checked. I think that maybe what it is and believe me i will go see my dentist about this. However, like i mentioned i've had teeth like this for a large portion of my life and have been recieving regular check ups. I doubt it's anything malignant. --Agester 04:10, 18 October 2006 (UTC)
Tetracycline is said to cause teeth to be gray, especially if you got it in childhood. Othrwise wine, coffee, and cola drinks can darken teeth.Edison 06:11, 18 October 2006 (UTC)
October 18
chess rice?
Hey, I'm looking for the origin of chess where it shows this guy asking the evil emperor for the same amount of rice of the chessboard he made for him-except that the rice is supposed to be multiplied by 2 for every square. I can't find it in Wikipedia's chess pages right now...does anyone know where I can find it? Thanks. --JDitto 04:55, 18 October 2006 (UTC)
- Don't know the origin but this is the fable. And here are the Wikipedia links Ambalappuzha Sri Krishna Temple and Second Half of the Chessboard. CambridgeBayWeather (Talk) 05:30, 18 October 2006 (UTC)
Dude!!! THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU (Wow, I thought that this was widely accepted as fact, thank you for saving me from mass embarrassment!) --JDitto 05:35, 18 October 2006 (UTC)
- I've certainly heard it ascribed to Sissa who is mentioned on the Origins of chess page but the earliest written reference to the fable I can find is this in the works of Nasir al-Din Tusi illustrating population growth. MeltBanana 14:35, 18 October 2006 (UTC)
- It seems that someone deleted the whole story you mentioned from the Origins of chess page, however :( --JDitto 07:33, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
Are The Songs '8th World Wonder' & 'Wrong' By Kimberley Locke Covers?
Is '8th World Wonder' Vanessa Carlton's song but covered by Kimberley Locke? Thanks.100110100 08:04, 18 October 2006 (UTC)
Geese
Whenyou see several geese flying over you in the sign of a V does this have a meaning?
- It probably means that they are migrating, see vee formation. If you're looking for an augural interpretation, I have no clue what the meaning would be.---Sluzzelin 08:41, 18 October 2006 (UTC)
Do we have a n article on V formation?--Light current 13:42, 18 October 2006 (UTC)
When geese or any bird for that matter flies long distance in groups of more than 4 then often fly in "V" formation as it creates slip streaming for the birds behind making it much easier for them on the long haul, the air here is at the optimum turbulance for natural wings. Althought I have never observed it with my own eyes, I have seen film of the front bird slowing down so that it can take up place behind a new leader. You'd have thought that they would fly directly behind each other for this but thousands of years of eveolution, as always, have found the best method. --AMX 17:09, 18 October 2006 (UTC)AMX
qiuz using letters and numbers
hello,im doing a quiz and would like help it all relates to letters and numbers eg;88 k on a p=88keys on a piano ,101 d =101 dalmations,8d a w-t b =8days a week-the beatles.
- 5 w o a c i t s - Five wheels on a car including the spare --frothT C 14:02, 18 October 2006 (UTC)
- s w a t 7 d - Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs 惑乱 分からん 13:27, 18 October 2006 (UTC)
- 32 c i t l e – 32 capsules in the London Eye --LambiamTalk 21:16, 18 October 2006 (UTC)
- b c s 49 g f e - Bobby Charlton
shotscored 49 goals for England. Solution added by Sluzzelin, 20:39, October 18, 2006 (UTC). I'd say "scored". --LambiamTalk 20:53, 18 October 2006 (UTC) Much better, corrected. ---Sluzzelin 23:58, 18 October 2006 (UTC) - 60 p f p f s - 60 pounds fixed penalty for speeding -THB 03:25, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
- 3476 k is t d o t m - kilometres is the diameter of the moon
- 100 l t i s – 100 letter tiles in Scrabble. To be precise, in the standard English edition there are 100 tiles, but only 98 have a letter. Several other languages have 100 tiles bearing a letter; see Scrabble letter distributions. --LambiamTalk 21:12, 18 October 2006 (UTC)
- 4626 f i t s o t h b – 4626 feet is the span of the Humber Bridge --LambiamTalk 15:06, 18 October 2006 (UTC)
- 27 i t t o t c b i s – 27 is the total [value] of the coloured balls in Snooker – not counting red as a colour, that is. --LambiamTalk 20:18, 18 October 2006 (UTC)
- 1 s s f m - One small step for (a) man?---Sluzzelin 20:39, 18 October 2006 (UTC)
- 9 s i t t t – 9 squares in Tic Tac Toe --LambiamTalk 20:13, 18 October 2006 (UTC)
- 9 c i t w l - 9 contestants in the Weakest Link. Hyenaste (tell) 21:26, 18 October 2006 (UTC)
- 12 m o a r c t in g
- c w ti 235 m h - Canary Wharf Tower is 235 meters high. ---Sluzzelin 22:35, 18 October 2006 (UTC)
- a a c h 24 d - An Advent calendar has 24 days. ---Sluzzelin 22:36, 18 October 2006 (UTC)
- b w 9 s - Beethoven wrote nine symphonies Hyenaste (tell) 21:10, 18 October 2006 (UTC). So did Bruckner (if you don't count the Symphony No. 0). JackofOz 23:29, 18 October 2006 (UTC)
- j n w 18 m g c(i think this has something to do with golf) - Jack Nicklaus won 18 major golf championships –RHolton≡– 13:24, 18 October 2006 (UTC)
- p m w n 61 t p – Is it possible that "61" should be "6 i"? Then it is: Patrick McGoohan was Number Six in The Prisoner --LambiamTalk 19:51, 18 October 2006 (UTC)
- and
- 6 c i t p – Perhaps this: Six colours (or categories) in Trivial Pursuit --LambiamTalk 20:11, 18 October 2006 (UTC)
thanyou to anyone who may be able to help
- These quizzes are often based on cultural and social norms that vary from place to place, so it would be helpful to know which country you are in. It's also helpful if you sign your posts with four "tildes" (~~~~). --Dweller 10:29, 18 October 2006 (UTC)
- This sort of puzzle is called a 1Ditloid, based on the book One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich. "27 is the times of three cubed by its self" would fit, but seems so clumsy, and the maths seems iffy. Laïka 13:20, 18 October 2006 (UTC)
- I googlead for : 32 (teeth ?), 235 (uranium ?), 61 (highway ?) ... no luck. -- DLL .. T 17:23, 18 October 2006 (UTC)
- How can you be sure your answer is "correct"? 惑乱 分からん 18:30, 18 October 2006 (UTC)
- Looks like "12 m o a r c t in g" is the stumper here. Ditloid star for whoever solves it! ---Sluzzelin 09:56, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
- 12 months on a regular calendar (t-something) in Gregorian? Laïka 15:31, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
- Better than what I came up with (12 marks on a regular clock ticking in Glasgow). By the way, I think the 'in' might actually be 'i n' (following the pattern of the other ditloids placed here), in which case the last three words could be 'is not g...'.---Sluzzelin 20:28, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
- Could be something close to 12 meridian on a Reference clock ticking in Greenwich - referring to GMT - but I can't come up with a better sounding phrase/clause. Sandman30s 13:21, 20 October 2006 (UTC)
- Better than what I came up with (12 marks on a regular clock ticking in Glasgow). By the way, I think the 'in' might actually be 'i n' (following the pattern of the other ditloids placed here), in which case the last three words could be 'is not g...'.---Sluzzelin 20:28, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
- 12 months on a regular calendar (t-something) in Gregorian? Laïka 15:31, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
Easyjet Baggage/Box
My suitcase is damaged (hole). Will easyjet be likely to allow me to check a large box made from cardboard into the hold? I rang easyjet in the Netherlands and the lady said it "should be ok" but that's not reassuring. Maybe someone here would know - does it have to be a bag? --Username132 (talk) 13:44, 18 October 2006 (UTC)
- Airlines normally have a supply of stout platsic bags in which they deposit dodgy looking luggage. Meanwhile there's no a priori prejudice about cardboard boxes; it does not have to be a bag. --Tagishsimon (talk)
- I've often seen Pinoys checking in their cardboard balikbayan boxes at the check-in counter. I don't know your destination, but it wouldn't hurt to line the box with a sturdy large labelled garbage bag, in case your box gets stuck in the rain on the tarmac. --LambiamTalk 15:26, 18 October 2006 (UTC)
- Easyjet is not your normal airline. They are cheap as &^*%^$%^ and don't have a lot of extras. You would be better off calling them to check. -THB 03:07, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
- I did call them to check "and the lady said it "should be ok" but that's not reassuring." Anyway, I went with my box and they made me check it in through the 'odd sized baggage' route, but it was fine (no plastic bag though). However, I did get some people pointing at it on the baggage carousel and I got stopped by customs to ask my destination... --Username132 (talk) 15:26, 20 October 2006 (UTC)
Dung Spreader
In the UK, i was was to take a dung spreader trough a town and blast everything in sight with said dung (shops, cars, etc), what laws if any would i be breaking? Theoretical question of course, we just can't seem to determine what law this might be breaking, illegally dumping waste? Cheers :) Benbread 13:51, 18 October 2006 (UTC)
- http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/975012.stm ... answerblob
- How about vandalism ? It requires clean up, just like spray painted walls with gang signs. StuRat 15:24, 18 October 2006 (UTC)
- Probably a prosecution under the Criminal Damage Act 1971 as amended by the Crime and Disorder Act 1998. And possibly under any of the following:
- Public Health Act 1925 and Byelaws
- Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 S.25(5)
- Motorway Traffic (England and Wales) Regulations 1982 R.15(1)(b)
- Highways Act 1980 SS.137, 138, 141, 145, 148, 150-153, 155 and 156
or
- Public Order Act 1986 S.4A as added by Criminal Justice & Public Order Act 1994 Part 1 S.154
- All sorts of other public health acts --Tagishsimon (talk)
- Thanks for the answers :) Damn that was some appauling spelling on my part in that question :| Benbread 21:09, 18 October 2006 (UTC)
- Appauling = Spelling so appallingly bad that even Paul would be ashamed of it ? :-) StuRat 21:40, 18 October 2006 (UTC)
- Interestingly (?), there was some farmer who, having been refused plannig permission on a structure he had already built, took revenge in the local council by plastering the front of the the council offices with dung from his muck speader. It caused quite a stink in the town. I can't remember what he was charged with: It may have been 'shit stirring' or possibly 'Pebble dashing a building frontage without proper consent'. 8-)--Light current 02:12, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
- Oh Ive just seen the above link. Perhaps it was a Bank he was arguing with.--Light current 03:09, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
Of course, politicians would never pass a law specifically banning the dispersal of bullshit in a public area, as they would be the first to be brought up on charges. :-) StuRat 04:46, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
- No, no. If they're brought up on chargers, that would be horseshit! 8-)
--Light current 16:05, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
Question on animal horns
I have cut the horn from a male goat and now I need to know how to prepare them - take away the flesh and marrow parts and how to get rid of the smell. Where can I find such information?
- Let it dry? 惑乱 分からん 18:28, 18 October 2006 (UTC)
- Buy a “nerf” ball (soft and pliable), an ear plug (the squeeze and insert type available at most drug stores), some fish tank gravel (not sand and not very big) and some alcohol.
- Plug the mouthpiece with the earplug. Pour in enough gravel that it can be shaken easily. Plug the bell end with the nerf ball.
- Shake it hard for about 15 minutes.
- Pull out the nerf ball and empty out the gravel. Pour about a cup of alcohol in and replace the ball. Shake for about a minute.
- Pull out the ball. Pour out the alcohol. Remove the earplug. Let it dry.
- There is more information on those sites. good luck. Jon513 19:23, 18 October 2006 (UTC)
- It took about 4 reads and 15 minutes before I understood what you meant. Hyenaste (tell) 00:00, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
- There is more information on those sites. good luck. Jon513 19:23, 18 October 2006 (UTC)
- First you cut off a poor animal's horn and then you wonder what to do with it? What on Earth did you have in mind? Do you have any idea yourself? Or was the goat already dead? (That would change matters a fair bit.) DirkvdM 19:40, 18 October 2006 (UTC)
- Unless he killed it for the horn :o --frothT C 00:29, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
- Do goats shed their horns?--Light current 00:55, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
Professionals use Skin beetles. -THB 03:04, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
shau en lai
Do you know what or who shau en lai can be?
- Could you be referring to Zhou Enlai? Marco polo 19:55, 18 October 2006 (UTC)
- Do you have any other information? Language? Context? SOunds like it could be Chinese to me... 惑乱 分からん 19:56, 18 October 2006 (UTC)
In Country Music...
- Has any Country Music artist ever use the word "fuck" in any song?
72.24.89.164 22:19, 18 October 2006 (UTC)
- Probably. Mongol Man 22:39, 18 October 2006 (UTC)
- Indeed. See Nigger Fucker. -Elmer Clark 00:01, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
- Also "Go Fuck You" by Hank Williams III. --Aaron 16:49, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
- Also Gaye Delorme (I think) in his classic The Rodeo Song... 惑乱 分からん 16:20, 20 October 2006 (UTC)
Who are the characters in Cate Tiernan books?
who are the characters shown on the cover of the second book(the coven) of the wicca (sweep) series by cate tiernan— Preceding unsigned comment added by Skyathar (talk • contribs)
- The articles Cate Tiernan and Sweep (book series) might help. —EdGl 22:35, 18 October 2006 (UTC)
Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream- Birthdys and death dates
What are Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield, creators of Ben and Jerry's ice cream, birthdays? I'm pretty sure they are still living, so I don't need death date, just their brithdays. Thanks so much.
-anon
- For $10,000 in small bills in a paper bag, I can arrange for whatever death date you find most convenient. :-)
- Hah. Very cute of you to state *rolls eye playfully* but seriously. Can you someone please tell me?
- It seems to be pretty well known that Jerry's birthday is four days before Ben's, but I can't find any reference to what actual date that was. --Canley 02:09, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
facebook him
- 1951 is all I could find for Ben Cohen. :\ --Proficient 05:08, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
- I've put a call into corporate headquarters nearby, but the guy who might help was out hosting Dutch milk farmers, and you are going to have to wait. But I will get an answer for you. Mothperson cocoon 17:39, 20 October 2006 (UTC)
- Here's your answer, anon! Jerry Greenfield was born March 14, 1951, and Ben Cohen was born March 18, 1951. This comes straight from corporate headquarters. And they are both most certainly alive and well. So, like, what are you going to do with this information, I wonder? I don't think they need an ice cream cake. Although... Mothperson cocoon 17:57, 20 October 2006 (UTC)
who would win the jaguar or the corvette?
anyone? Weaseljenkins 22:37, 18 October 2006 (UTC)
- I'm not picky. I would like to win either. Hyenaste (tell) 22:39, 18 October 2006 (UTC)
how fast can a jaguar and a corvette go? --Weaseljenkins 22:50, 18 October 2006 (UTC)
- The corvette, since the jaguar can't run on its top speed for more than a few seconds. ☢ Ҡi∊ff⌇↯ 22:55, 18 October 2006 (UTC)
thanks --Weaseljenkins 22:55, 18 October 2006 (UTC)
LOL
chandler woodcock?
do you think he will win the election? --Weaseljenkins 22:59, 18 October 2006 (UTC)
- Is a woodcock related to a woodpecker ? I suppose knot. :-) StuRat 23:24, 18 October 2006 (UTC)
- How much wood could a wood-cock whack, if a wood-cock would whack wood? =S 惑乱 分からん 15:34, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
Woodpecker = George Washington's less publicized wooden prosthesis. :-) StuRat 17:21, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
when will cars fly?
when will cars fly? -- Weaseljenkins
- As soon as hover technology is feasible. ☢ Ҡi∊ff⌇↯ 23:03, 18 October 2006 (UTC)
- See future of the car as well. Hyenaste (tell) 23:04, 18 October 2006 (UTC)
- If cars flew, they would be airplanes or helicopters. -THB 02:58, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
- They already can: Supercar (TV series)--Light current 03:00, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
- When we redefine the word 'car'. DirkvdM 07:17, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
See this utterly brilliant link --Dweller 10:33, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
- It wasn't so brilliant, but I reformatted your syntax and now it's OK. Cheers. JackofOz 12:21, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
Cars will fly when we strap flying pigs to them. :-) StuRat 05:10, 20 October 2006 (UTC)
do you know the average land speed for a mini cooper?
- My grandmother's name was Wilhelmina Cooper, and her friends called her Minnie. I would say her average land speed was around 3 mph. :-) StuRat 23:22, 18 October 2006 (UTC)
Cars don't have a preset average speed. It depends on how fast you drive. Given that, it would be much more than the average water speed. -THB 02:57, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
Spookily, this is also probably answered by the link I posted in the previous question. --Dweller 10:38, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
what is the smallest inamnate object? asap
i have no clue. --Weaseljenkins 23:10, 18 October 2006 (UTC) help asap
- Are quarks or sub-protonic particles inanimate? Jamesino 23:12, 18 October 2006 (UTC)
- From our article Classical electron radius: "In fact, modern particle physics experiments indicate that the electron is a point particle, i.e. it has no size and its radius is zero." You can't get much smaller than that. This property would be shared, according to the Standard model, with other leptons – which included neutrinos – and quarks. On the other hand, theoretical physicists think that the notion of length as having physical meaning may break down below one Planck length. A radius of zero is definitely less. --LambiamTalk 08:41, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
- But according to J. H. Conway they have as much free will as we do. Rich Farmbrough, 14:05 19 October 2006 (GMT).
the higgs boson which allows matter to interact with gravity.193.115.175.247 15:13, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
Isn't the history of science a catalogue of finding ever smaller particles, smaller than was previously thought possible? Who's to say whatever's the smallest known particle now is the smallest there is or will ever be? JackofOz 02:10, 20 October 2006 (UTC)
God real or not?
Does God exist? The Ayatollah 23:11, 18 October 2006 (UTC)
That depends on your definition of God. It is also hard to answer that question from the neutral point of view. THL 23:17, 18 October 2006 (UTC)
- Nobody can see God. Nevertheless, see God. JackofOz 23:18, 18 October 2006 (UTC)
- Also see Existence of God. --Allen 23:19, 18 October 2006 (UTC)
- Nice --frothT C 00:25, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
Does it have to? ☢ Ҡi∊ff⌇↯ 00:43, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
- How about this:
- Let us have and
- Since they are opposite forces:
- But they are also complementary entities. Good cannot exist without evil and vice versa. They together form everything there is, and there can only be one of that. So we have:
- Which gives us:
- Solving that, we have:
- Therefore, God is not real, but imaginary. The same goes with the devil, ☢ Ҡi∊ff⌇↯ 00:43, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
- No, it says that "God is I". But of course only when I say it. Also note that God's sense of grammar isn't up to scratch. DirkvdM 07:28, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
- That's an interesting way of looking at things... However, I was under the impression that Faith was a matter of faith. No one (or at least no normal human being) can tell anyone God does or does not exist. Russia Moore 01:13, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
- Put that in the Mathematical jokes article. As for me, God's real. bibliomaniac15 01:42, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
- He exists in your mind, if you're a believer. And in the mind of other believers, but the problem is that that is their God, so it's a bit confusing to use the same name. Every believer has their own God in their minds, but since everyone is their mind they also are their own God. As was already mathematically proven by Kieff. Now you have a philosphical proof. Everyone is their own God, so, yes, God exists. There's just loads of them. DirkvdM 07:28, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
Ah... I believe that in Christian thought, the Devil is a fallen angel. As a fallen angel, he cannot be pure evil, but must be flawed with at least a semblance of good. Also, I believe that Christian thought says that God is stronger. So therefore your God/Devil equations would be imbalanced. Anyway, not everyone who believes in God believes in the Devil. --Dweller 10:49, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
- Ah yes. The Devil is always in the detail. 8-)--Light current 11:20, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
- You sound like Kim Beazley. He's always saying that. (lol) JackofOz 12:17, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
- Ah well, he a bloody clever bastard then (forgive the Australian language) 8-)--Light current 16:10, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
- "He a bloody clever bastard" sounds like you're trying to emulate one of the c. 20% of Australians of non-English speaking background. We are very inclusive over here, but it's ok to speak standard English too. :) JackofOz 02:05, 20 October 2006 (UTC)
just a note on his equation, instead of
it should be
as the former equation would only hold true if god and devil were 1, but the latter would hold true for any values.
The end result is still the same. Zealz 23:46, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
whats your favorite eat out? around ny asap
--Weaseljenkins 23:17, 18 October 2006 (UTC)
I don't know what the food is like around nyasap but I enjoy a good meal at the Olive Garden --frothT C 00:24, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
- I suppose I would too, if I ever got one there. --Trovatore 00:27, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
- If you enjoy eating out, and are visiting NYC, I can recommend the Time Out travel guide, or the weekly Time Out magazines for NYC. They feature restaurants for every cuisine, crowd, ___location, opening hour, and budget.---Sluzzelin 00:46, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
What is the fastest computer in the world?
- Here's a pic of the fastest computer in the world. It's circled in red --frothT C 00:22, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
- Depends on what you call a single computer. Is a multicore computer one computer? Does it have to be in a single case? If yes and no then the Internet. It's just never used to its full capacity. DirkvdM 07:34, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
October 19
White Wednesday
I can't find anything about White Wednesday. It's an American (in the south) tradition where high school students take toilet paper and roll anothers house with it in the night... It's done during Homecoming week on Wednesdays.
I finally found it.... but it really should also be called 'rolling' (as in "I'm going to roll your house tonight' or 'we are going rolling tonight.') and be associated with White Wednesday... as that's what it is.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toilet_papering
cheapest international $$$ transfer
going travelling for 1 month. just found out my credit card charges 3% on all foreign transactions.
what credit or debit or atm cards charge a lower commission? (if a flat fee is listed, assume I always withdraw $100)
Not interested in travellers checks.
Thanks. -Bobby
- Credit cards do tend to charge substantial commissions on foreign transactions. In my experience, ATMs are a better bet. Ask around at local banks in your area and find out if there is one that does not charge a fee for foreign withdrawals. Chances are that it will be a smaller, local, or regional bank, and not one of the big national corporate monsters. There is such a bank, Wainwright Bank, in Massachusetts. If you can open an account at such a bank and get an ATM card there before your trip, this would probably be your cheapest option. Marco polo 01:09, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
- What country are you in and what country or countries are you going to? Marco polo's advice is good for a United States resident going to Western Europe, but not as useful for a Canadian or Australian, or anyone visiting a less developed country.
- It'll also depend on where you're going. Some countries have very few ABMs and some have millions. In some countries ABMs charge a percentage fee per use: most Canadian ABMs have a $1.00 to $2.50 fee for each use unless you're a customer of the bank that runs them. --Charlene.fic 15:18, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
- Actually, the strategy I recommended above worked fairly well for me even in Tanzania, a country with about 4 ATM machines, two of which I used repeatedly. (The other two weren't connected to my network.) I did, however, bring some traveler's checks with me and was glad that I did when I was in towns without ATMs (though I loaded up on cash before leaving towns with ATMs). The same strategy worked flawlessly for me in Mexico, where there are linked ATMs even in small towns. Based on my research, I am planning to used this strategy in India, where ATMs seem to exist even in small towns. I think that there are few countries indeed today without ATMs. Maybe this strategy would not work if you are planning a trip to North Korea. As for the $1.00 to $2.50 (CDN) fee per transaction, it is often still preferable to using credit cards because of even larger fees and less favo(u)rable exchange rates offered by credit-card companies. The key is to withdraw as much as you are comfortable withdrawing each time you withdraw. This minimizes fees on a percentage basis. Charlene is right that some foreign banks also add a charge. Normally, there will be a display in the ATM window advising you of this charge. Try to find foreign banks that do not charge for access. In my experience, most don't. HSBC is usually a good bet, and they have branches in many countries. Marco polo 15:43, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
Sexual harassment in high school
Now, sexual harassment is a crime in all of the US. But, my question is how serious is this offense at the given age? A high school male student groping, if you will, a female peer's breasts. Just curious, no implications here. 71.250.22.208 01:31, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
- This is an interesting question as it relates to the age of responsibility of the 'groper'. If t5he groper is under 16 (ie a minor), Im not sure if it could be considered a punishable offence in the UK. Other countries may have different laws--Light current 01:39, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
Alright, to be more specific, I'm going to say 15. 71.250.22.208 01:40, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
- It's treated like any other sexual assault; in other words, as well or as poorly as is the norm for that juridsiction. In fact, regrettably, children as young as elementary school age have been indicted for sexual/indecent assault. Anchoress 01:42, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
- Sexual Offences Act may offer some insight--Light current 01:43, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
- If only I could click on it.... :) 71.250.22.208 01:47, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
- Try now. ☢ Ҡi∊ff⌇↯ 01:51, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
- Yeah thats an illegal page header (capitalisation)--Light current 01:56, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
I think the questioner was asking about the U.S. In Ohio, groping someone would probably be considered sexual imposition, a third-degree misdemeanor. A 15-year-old would probably be charged as a juvenile. However, I can tell you that when I was in school, this kind of thing went on all the time along with a lot of other stuff that is against the law, such as simple assault and menacing. -- Mwalcoff 02:14, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
- Yeah, apparently bullying is now against the law in UK, but it was rife when I went to school. How can it be stopped anyway?--Light current 02:23, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
It's assault and battery. The victim should call 911. -THB
- Not necessarily. Verbal abuse is not assualt & battery.--Light current 03:38, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
- What??? They said groping....breasts. -THB 03:48, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
- If I were to hit my work colleagues, or make fun of their physical abnormalities, I'd be fired. But when it happens in school, it's passed of as "just kids being kids." -- Mwalcoff 03:19, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
- Yes it is. But is it? Or do they need educating that it is wrong?--Light current 03:37, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
- Maybe if they're 5; not if they're 15. Anyway, school administrators are always willing to punish kids for swearing or being late for class. But they often ignore harrassment, or at least they did when I was in school. -- Mwalcoff 04:41, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
- Groping is assault, not harrassment. The groper should be arrested. But instead, he was elected Governor of California. User:Zoe|(talk) 22:19, 20 October 2006 (UTC)
blue gene
why doesn't blue gene design us some hiv inhibitors or do something useful instead of modelling how metal solidifies.
- What makes you think that's not useful? ☢ Ҡi∊ff⌇↯ 01:54, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
- If you write a program that's guaranteed to "design us some hiv inhibitors", I'm sure they'll be happy to run it. —Keenan Pepper 02:02, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
- what guarantee? Instead of using guided (but random) assay tests like the pharmaceutical industry does, just simulate it all.
Why don't you help instead of whining about it: rosetta? -THB 02:47, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
- I don't have the technical ability, therefore I'm trying to influence people--and via representative politics--policymakers who can force, via monetary incentive, those with technical ability to help. so stfu
- I don't think this is going to influence anybody. Vitriol 17:52, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
Name of essay by Mark Twain criticizing humans
I once read an excerpt from a Mark Twain essay (or was it a novel?) that criticized humans for killing more animals than they needed. He also talked about how humans are the only animal to blush and how we are actually at the bottom of the animal hierarchy. Does anyone know the name of this essay?--71.154.240.95 02:23, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
Try thedamnedhumanrace.com -THB 02:42, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
Thank you very much.71.154.240.95 20:48, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
Alcholics Anonymous and religion.
Judges in the United States have sentenced people to attend Alcoholics Anonymous meetings. As several of the twelve steps involve turning your life over to God, and acknowledging the existence of God, isn't this combining Church and State?
- Yes it does seem to be draconian. Might as well just brainwash people and be done!--Light current 02:49, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
- Alcoholics Anonymous isn't a church or an organized religion. Their def. of God is "as you understand him". -THB 02:52, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
- What if you dont understand him?--Light current 02:54, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
- Being required to attend a meeting is not the same thing as being required to fully participate in the procedures or to believe in what they teach. You can lead a horse to water etc ...... JackofOz 02:59, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
- NO. I believe you have to say that you believe in GOD etc. Otherwise they throw you out.
- I seriously dispute that. JackofOz 03:38, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
- Find a ref. Mine is quoted below.8-)--Light current 03:40, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
- Daily prayer and/or meditation, as suggested by Step 11: "Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God as we understood him, praying only for knowledge of his will for us and the power to carry that out." --Light current 03:14, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
- My understanding is they can't make you do something with a religious component, such as AA or (for juvy offenders) the Boy Scouts. But they can give you the option of doing it instead of another form of "punishment," such as a fine or jail time. -- Mwalcoff 03:17, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
- Even if the court could force a person to attend AA meetings, it can't force people to profess a belief in God if they don't have such a belief. AA meetings don't work by forcing anyone to do anything. JackofOz 03:43, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
I agree that it's a violation of the separation of Church and State, as did Penn and Teller in their episode of Bullshit! that dealt with just this topic. They also indicated that AA isn't any more effective than secular sobriety orgs. StuRat 04:39, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
- Not only that, they showed statistics indicating that AA isn't any more effective than no treatment.
At the risk of sounding like a miscreant, I was arrested for DUI about a year ago. Part of my diversion agreement (a way to keep first timers out of jail) was to attend two AA meetings. While at those meetings I was under no obligation to participate-so I didn't. I did however learn that THB is correct, it is "as you understand him." The anon who said they throw you out if you don't specifically mention God is wrong. As long as you are not disruptive they won't throw you out for anything. The whole point of the turning your life over to a higher power is to allow the alcoholic to realize they have absolutely no control over alcohol. As far as vio of church and state, I suppose it may be, but I wouldn't rely on that argument. In Oregon if you do not meet you reqs. for diversion you go to jail. Seems to me 4 hours of AA is better than 90 days in the lockup. And yes, some studies have shown that it isn't more effective than no treatment for most people, but that does not take away from the fact that is highly effective for some people. (btw I consider that arrest to be a good thing, otherwise I doubt my behavior would of changed unless something worse happened, and AA was a small part of that) Sosobra 00:18, 20 October 2006 (UTC)
wikipedia
why is it call wikipedia why not webapedia wikipedia sounds unapealing
- webapedia is unapealing too please follow the rules at the top of the page -THB 02:52, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
- "Wiki" meant "quick" in a Papua New Guinean language or something, apparently... 惑乱 分からん 03:26, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
- wiki alludes to teenage, goth "Wiccan" therefore it is unappealing.
Wiki is not an allusion to Wicca.See here: [[21]] or alternatively,read this from the same page:"Wiki Wiki" is a reduplication of "waka waka", a Hawaiian-language word for fast. The word wiki is a shorter form of wiki wiki (weekie, weekie). The word is sometimes interpreted as the backronym for "what I know is", which describes the knowledge contribution, storage and exchange function." Serenaacw 05:32, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
- I think that you need to read Wicca as it really has nothing to do with "teenage, goth". CambridgeBayWeather (Talk) 07:00, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
- Reading Wicca should also make it clear that Wicca isn't all that unappealing either. You could've found out why Wikipedia is called Wikipedia by reading the article we have on the subject. - Mgm|(talk) 08:17, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
Questioner, learn to use punctuation and write actual sentences, if you want anybody to understand you. StuRat 16:07, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
- A 'wiki' site is a site which allows antone to edit pages. so it is a wiki-encyclopeadia Englishnerd 16:56, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
- Well, please ask Antone to desist, immediately. -THB 20:43, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
bad newspapering
Why does reuters allow these sloppy number reportings?
"Some 12.6 million, or 73 percent of all adult Latin Americans living in the United States, will send a total of around $45 billion to their countries of origin this year, up from some $30 billion in 2004, the report said.
The percentage of immigrants sending money on a regular basis has increased from 61 percent in 2004 to 73 percent in 2006, said the bank, and the average amount of each remittance also grew, from $240 to $300. "
45 billion / 12.6 million = 3,571 which is not 300
3,571 / 12 = 300 meaning it's a monthly rate. why is this not made crystal clear to the reader? Why is this sloppy reporting allowed?
Please explain what is confusing to you. Did you assume that each immigrant makes one remittance a year? -THB 05:11, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
- Not all people send money monthly; some send it more often, some less often. $300 is the average amount of each remittance. Laïka 07:16, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
- I think it said that was the average among those sending money "on a regular basis". I would suspect that far more people send smaller amounts, infrequently. StuRat 16:11, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
why does bbc allow false reports ?
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_depth/6063386.stm
Look at the table at the bottom. They interviewed 27,000 people in 25 countries, likely evenly distributed becaues you need ~1000 people for good sampling. Then, they simply averaged all the 25 countries together to get their 30% support some tortue.
Then, they put out false statements like:
"Nearly a third of people worldwide back the use of torture in prisons"
This is a false statement because their poll is not weighted by country population. Israel's 48/43 is weighted equally with a 58/36 from the US with 300 million people!!! and what about the other top 10 largest countries: Brazil, Russia, Nigeria, Indonesia, China, India. what a worthless polll. it should be higher if nothing else.
Not really; they simply talk about people world wide, giving everyone an equal value. Weighting by country would mean that the opinion of an American or an Indian would be worth much less than the opinion of a Vaticanite(?) or an Andorran. Incidently, the reason that they haven't asked in many of these countries (China for example) is these tend to be countries with secretive or controlling Governments, and I'm not sure these Governments would appreciate a load of Westerners flying into their country and asking difficult questions about human rights. Laïka 07:13, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
- In general, when it comes to journalists who screw up interpreting statistical evidence, see Hanlon's razor - assume a cock-up, not a conspiracy. See this web page for some interesting discussion of the exceptionally poor understanding of statistics demonstrated by most working journalists. If you look at a lot of political blogs put together by economists and scientists, this innumeracy is one of the most consistent and strongest criticisms of the working of the news media, and to a large extent it applies across the political spectrum (though, of course, which misuse they get upset about varies greatly depending on your political outlook). --Robert Merkel 07:41, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
- First: "When did you stop beating your wife?" - Don't ask loaded questions. Second: Yeah, it's bad statistics and the article draws unwarranted conclusions. So do you. And so does every news agency in the world on every poll-based news story I've ever seen. (When did you ever hear "As of the latest poll, the change if any in approval rating remains unknown, but within statistical error!") So get over it, already. --BluePlatypus 07:43, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
- After edit conflict:
- Laika, China is on the list. And about the question, you assume they didn't adapt the number of people to the population size of the country. This anti-terrorims bullshit is driving people nuts. This is scaring me. People don't seem to realise how easily 'some torture for some reasons' can lead to 'any torture for any reason'. And they probably also assume it will never happen to themselves. People should learn a bit more about Germany in the 1930's. DirkvdM 07:49, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
- Oh, I thought he was saying "where are Brazil, Russia, Nigeria, Indonesia, China, India?", not "why isn't data properly weighted from Brazil, Russia, Nigeria, Indonesia, China, India?". My mistake, sorry. Laïka 14:57, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
QUESTION: The business world: Ocean/container shipping
What does a ship agency do? Do they simply receive freight from shippers and then pass it on to the line that they are agents for, or do they also provide some service to the ship while it is in port? Thanks. Ketsitsos--Ketsitsos 06:18, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
- It's a broad term, can mean a business doing almost anything related to shipping. Things are done differently in different ports and different shipping companies. If you're talking about a major player like Maersk, they do just about everything within one company, the actual shipping, stevedoring, port ownership and management as well as port services. In other cases and places those tasks can be split over a whole bunch of different companies. --BluePlatypus 07:18, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
- I'll be more specific: I work for a freight forwarding company (logistics, air/land/sea transport, customs clearance, etc) and they want to become an agent for a ship line. This would give us certain cost benefits, among other things. But other ship agents that I've researched seem to offer certain services to the shipping line, such as port services. Can a ship agency simply bring in and process freight for the ship line, or do they have to be prepared to offer services to the ship in return?--Ketsitsos--Ketsitsos 08:37, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
- By "ship line", do you mean a company that owns actual ships (the things that float on the ocean), or do you mean a shipping line, which is a completely different matter? A shipping line may own ships, but it also likely owns aircraft, containers, rights to ports, etc. They're different things. Charlene.fic 15:09, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
- There is a book called 'The Box - how container shipping changed the world" by, I think, M Levinson. It is apparently a superb read and would probably answer your question. Container shipping is a very amazing industry. The plugging of some random person's book aside, a firm called 'Enrico Pernis' say on their website
- "Our skilled staff are able to grant first class assistance to any kind of ship (cargo, tanker and cruise ships), and the expertise and professional commitment of the Pernis Shipping Agency is at your disposal for all technical or commercial matters, whether it is vessels, crew or cargo." Make of it what you will...ny156uk 18:09, 20 October 2006 (UTC)
Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Magazine 2006
Hey I was wondering if anybody knew when this magazine is going to be released in new zealand????
Thank you, Kieran.
- I can answer your question! Not with 100% certainty, but pretty close. The answer is, yes, probably someone does know, or at least has a pretty good idea.
- I get such a thrill out of helping people. --Trovatore 08:00, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
- ...and the only people who know for sure are the distribution dept at Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Magazine 2006. I suggest you contact them--Shantavira 08:46, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
- You could always buy it online, if you don't want to wait. --Richardrj talk email 09:44, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
- ...and the only people who know for sure are the distribution dept at Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Magazine 2006. I suggest you contact them--Shantavira 08:46, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
NY Times archived article.
I'm researching a new Wikipedia article, for which I would like to read the article described here. Is there someone out there with a NY Times subscription who can provide me with a copy? Please use the Wikipedia email system to contact me about this. - Mgm|(talk) 08:12, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
- Depending on where you live, you may be able to find a microfilm of the original printed newspaper at a public library near you (or a central library in your city). --Anonymous, 04:37 UTC, October 20.
- I live in the Netherlands. Somehow I doubt they have microfilm for US newspapers... - 131.211.210.17 09:45, 20 October 2006 (UTC)
- They offer a link to buy the article. A large public library or university library might be able to get it online, or you could request microfilm through interlibrary loan. Check with a librarian at a large library. The U.S. Library of Congress and large college libraries have foreign papers on microfilm going back a couple of hundred years, so there is likely to be a library in your country with NY Times from 1978 on microfilm. I'm not sure how to electronically send you a copyy without violating the copyright. They have to make a buck. Edison 23:56, 20 October 2006 (UTC)
- Another thought: Start the article on your sandbox or as an article, let me know the title and I can pull what you need from the article. A Sgt. Louis Vitullo at the Chicago PD had produced a standard rape kit, apparently that was a new concept, and it was used at Chicago hospitals to preserve evidence to help get convictions. There had been 1237 rapes and only 181 convictions before the rape kit was introduced.There were test tubes and swabs for sampling, bag for clothing, clippers for nails, comb for hair collection, slides with mailing boxes for smears. It took about 20 minutes to run the kit. The kits only cost $3. All this before DNA analysis was thought of.Edison 00:07, 21 October 2006 (UTC)
- They offer a link to buy the article. A large public library or university library might be able to get it online, or you could request microfilm through interlibrary loan. Check with a librarian at a large library. The U.S. Library of Congress and large college libraries have foreign papers on microfilm going back a couple of hundred years, so there is likely to be a library in your country with NY Times from 1978 on microfilm. I'm not sure how to electronically send you a copyy without violating the copyright. They have to make a buck. Edison 23:56, 20 October 2006 (UTC)
Trio Mafuà
Hi,
I need your help. I have found a very great song on one of my Café del Mar Cd's. The song is named "Quente", the Band is called "Trio Mafuà". I didn't found anything useful in the net about them. If anybody knows something about this band, maybe the name of an full album, please tell me.
Jesse
I think maybe you used the wrong spelling. Try googling "trio mafua". -THB 15:58, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
best calzone?
? --Weaseljenkins 13:49, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
- Make your own. Rich Farmbrough, 14:11 19 October 2006 (GMT).
- Oh, you didn't need that one 'ASAP?????? -THB 21:30, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
- A little cafe in the basement of the University of British Columbia Student Union Building back in the early '90s. (Alas, it was a storeroom last time I was there.) Best calzone I've ever had in my life. Sigh. Tony Fox (arf!) 22:51, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
- It entirely depends on what filling you like. The best Calzone pizza I ever ate came from the local pizza shop. - Mgm|(talk) 09:47, 20 October 2006 (UTC)
what if you drank draino?
would you have to go to the hospital? --Weaseljenkins 14:03, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
- Probably the morgue, but why don't you try it? --Charlene.fic 15:06, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
- Yeah and give us all a rest 8-(--Light current 15:16, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
- Ask this guy. Check if he still lives, however. :) Drano does contain ammonia, does it not?--JDitto 21:27, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
- Since when has plumbing been a learned discipline?--Light current 10:12, 20 October 2006 (UTC)
- What is Draino? I'm in England - Adrian Pingstone 12:26, 20 October 2006 (UTC)
- It sounds like a liquid for cleaning drains and pipes, etc. My mother had used something like that when the pipes started to get clogged up. If it is what I think it is, that's quite strong stuff... Frizzling and sizzling... 惑乱 分からん 15:45, 20 October 2006 (UTC)
- It's actually spelled Drāno. It's made out of liquid lye and sodium hypochlorite. User:Zoe|(talk) 22:25, 20 October 2006 (UTC)
- What if you cut your head off with a machete? Would it make you ill? What if you were wearing a mask at the time? Get real please!!--Light current 22:35, 20 October 2006 (UTC)
Pancakes
I realize that objectively buttermilk pancakes are only different because they contain buttermilk vs. standard milk and also they contain baking soda (according to my cook book). But subjectively, what's the difference for the consumer? I don't really notice a difference between them. Dismas|(talk) 14:06, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
butter+milk equals buttermilk --Weaseljenkins 14:08, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
- For the love of God, Butter + milk does NOT equal buttermilk. Buttermilk is cultured whey - whey is the low-fat liquid left over after they take the butter OUT of the milk. Read the label: commercial cultured buttermilk is usually 0.5 to 1% MF, like skim or 1% milk, and is far lower in fat than regular homogenized/whole milk.
- People see the word "butter" and assume without doing any research that it must be high in fat. Buttermilk is actually very good for you.
- The difference between milk pancakes and buttermilk pancakes is that buttermilk is slightly tart and gives a slightly sour taste to the pancakes. Buttermilk and soda will also make the pancakes rise higher than regular milk and baking powder will. --Charlene.fic 15:05, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
- In this recipe, the acidic buttermilk is reacting with the baking soda to create bubbles which make the batter "rise". Otherwise you would have to add another acid like vinegar to the baking soda or use baking powder which doesn't require an acid. Baking powder being a later invention people got used to the tart taste imparted by the required acids and the recipe has come down to us long after the ingredients are no longer necessary. Rmhermen 16:25, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
- I see, thank you. And yes, I was ignoring Weaseljenkins and his vandalistic edit. I'm aware what buttermilk is. Thanks again! Dismas|(talk) 16:53, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
homicide
who killed cockrobin
- Was it with a "little bow and arrow"... in the Dining Room? --Dweller 15:40, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
Dickbatman ? :-) StuRat 00:22, 20 October 2006 (UTC)
Shazra syed amir ali
Asaloelkum! Sir, Aap ki bari mehrbani hogi k muja Syed Amir Ali (Al maroof Banno kohat wale main) Khandan Kawja Ghareeb Nawaz say talq hay.Aap sab say phaly Banno kohat main tashreef lai is k bad Alighar k zila athroli tashreef lay gay is k bad hukum howa to Ajmeer ga aur wahan say Jaypur gay aur waihn per wisal farmain jaypur ky bary qabrustan may peer matka shah k baraber may mazar hay Aap ka wisal 1920~25 may howa.ziyda murdeen Alighar k zila athroli may hain Aap Banno kohat wale main k naam say mashoor hain may pakistan rehta hoo aur inki Shakseat say mtaliq mazmoon likhna chahata hoon lakin maloomat na hona ky baraber hay. Aap say darkhwasat hay inky k baray may ksi qism ki maloomat hoto azrah karm mehrbani farmain ya koyee isi jga batadain k wahn per jaker malomat hasil ki jasaky.
Faqat Derkhwasat guzar.
- Does anyone know what language this is? Maybe we could give him a link to the reference desk in the appropriate Wikipedia? Seems to be referring to Syed Ameer Ali. Marco polo 16:05, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
- Having done a little snooping around, my guess is our unknown author is from Pakistan, speaks Urdu and surfs via an Eutelsat connection. But to be sure, it would take more snooping. :-) —Bromskloss 16:42, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
- Asaloelkum to you, too! -THB 16:43, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
- If it's Urdu, this link to the Urdu wikipedia might be helpful. Skittle 21:46, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
- The writer uses the English words "Sir.. wale... main.. say... hay... say... main... is...bad...lay gay is..bad..to...say...gay...per...ky... may peer...may...hay...1920-25 may...may...wale.. main .. say .. may .. say .. ky .. hay .. say .. hay .. may ... per." There seems to be some concern about seeing gay lays in the hay in Kentucky in the 1920's. Or it could deal with Willie Mays, the "Say hey!" kid.Edison 17:36, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
- If it's Urdu, this link to the Urdu wikipedia might be helpful. Skittle 21:46, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
Public Assistance
What year did the phrase "public assistance" enter the English language?
- This would probably be better placed if it were on the Language desk instead of here. Dismas|(talk) 16:04, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
- Disagree. It's more of a sociological/historical question than a linguistic one. User:Zoe|(talk) 22:27, 20 October 2006 (UTC)
Well, fair question. I hope we can dole out an answer. :-) StuRat 16:20, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
- The first mention I found in the New York Daily Times (New York Times predecessor) in an index, searching back to 1851 was "America received from Europe private generosity and public assistance" Governor Kossuth to the Maryland legislature. Said on the Tuesday before January 15, 1852, per New York Times, Jan 15, 1852, pg. 1, "Kossuth in Maryland." This is not quite in the sense of dole or welfare. "The Central Bureau of Public Assistance" takes care of the poor in France, from the Paris correspondent of the paper,"Miscellaneous items of French intelligence." dispatch dated Nov 24, 1853, published Dec 15, 1853, pg2. So the modern use of the phrase is at least that old, although still it does not refer directly to welfare payments, mentioning only doctors appointed to take care of poor sick people in each ward.Edison 00:22, 21 October 2006 (UTC)
Which nation would best survive a nuclear war?
A full-scale, all out exchange between Russia, China, the US etc. And by "survive" I mean the highest quality of living for its inhabitants, the most intact economy following the war, most well-placed to avoid refugees etc. Out of all the nations in the world, where would you want to be?
Argentina. -THB 15:56, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
- You would want a self-sufficient, isolated island, unlikely to be targeted by nuclear weapons and far from any place that would be targeted. It should also not be at the same latitude as a potential target, as fallout generally travels East-West, not North-South. Easter Island, perhaps ? StuRat 16:02, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
- I thought about this once and considered the global circulation of air in Hadley cells and prevailing winds, and I came up with Vanuatu. However, quality of life there may not be so great, and I'm not sure how welcome an outsider would be in the societies of those islands. In terms of quality of life, a better choice might be New Zealand. The main caveat is that New Zealand is directly downwind from Australia during the southern winter, and you have to hope that neither of those two is a target. The problem with South America is that some of the fallout circling over the North Atlantic will get sucked over the Amazon Basin southward. Fallout from Asia tends to get sucked in the same way toward Australia during the southern summer, but not much farther east. Marco polo 16:23, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
- On the Beach by Neville Shute is set in Australia after a nuclear war but the fallout is coming ever closer... But as that article suggests a cloud of fallout enveloping the world is unlikely and it is the nuclear winter that will get you. Maybe an inaccessible hot spring would be the best nuclear holiday destination. MeltBanana 17:39, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
- There's a convincing little story, and it's a grim one indeed, by Frederik Pohl called "Fermi and Frost" (it won a Hugo award). It's about a full-scale nuclear exchange in the 1980s and the implications regarding the Fermi Paradox. He suggests that Iceland is best placed to survive: they have most of the facilities to produce their own heat (geothermal ... ), hydroponics, as well as a general self-sufficiency. The memorable first sentence (if I remember correctly, LOL) was, "On his ninth birthday, Jimmy got no cake." Antandrus (talk) 17:48, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
- I've always read that if there were ever to be a true full-scale nuclear war, there would be targets taken out well beyond the usual suspects (US, Russia, China, Europe, etc.). Plenty of bombs would be going off in the Southern Hemisphere as well, so that's not necessarily going to be a safe place (though it would probably be a lot better off than the North for a while).
The good thing about nuclear war is that it's a lot easier to survive than most people think, provided you're not vaporized by one of the initial blasts. If you live in a small town that wasn't deemed worth targeting, and you're prepared enough to take proper cover the immediate fallout (very roughly speaking, from the first good rain that comes along after any upwind nuking), you'll make it, and there will be plenty of habitable land left to use.
So beyond that, it becomes more a matter of understanding both natural human instinct and the remaining technological, political and industrial capabilities of any given area. Natural human instinct, of course, is to panic, go into "every man for himself" mode or, at best, to coalesce into very homogenous communities. You'd want to be in a place with few preexisting multicultural issues, as the divisions between races and religions that are currently held in check by law and basic societal structures would be highly likely to break down entirely into "us vs. them" situations. So most of Europe would be right out, and to a lesser extent Australia and New Zealand. Someplace like Japan might be excellent under such conditions, given their extremely rigid social structures and near-100% racial homogeny; other parts of Asia would be good in this area as well. But the United States would also come out pretty well in this scenario, given that our culture is more one of assimilation than multiculturalism, so racial and religious issues tend to take a back seat to "being American". Combine that with the fact that we'd still have plenty of untouched land, and it wouldn't be a bad place to start, all things considered.
After that, the main problem would be: What can we accomplish given limited resources and transporation abilities? Given that a lot of infrastructure would be destroyed, you'd need natural resources and the ability to manufacture materials. A bigger country, like the US or Russia, would have much more of both even after a nuclear war than, say, Vanuatu, which doesn't have a whole lot of either on a good day. As for an "economy", my guess is that even if you were 20 years old on the day of the nuclear war, you'd be lucky if you saw even the most basic beginnings of an economy coming back before you turned 50. For the first couple of decades, the only things that would matter would be what supplies you had on hand and what skills you had to offer. Knowing how to grow crops or repair machinery is what would count, not paper money from a barely-functioning government, or even gold. --Aaron 17:58, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
Minnesota. Hands down. Яussiaп F 18:20, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
Whoever happens to be in the ISS at the time probably --frothT C 20:55, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
- We'd better get on colonizing the Moon and Mars then(hotclaws**== 14:03, 20 October 2006 (UTC))
You just have to help please please please!!!!
I have tried this here before but to no availe. I have tried official sites and unofficial ones, search engines ect ect ect. I am looking for the chords or tabs to any and all the songs on the 1979 Joan Baez album honest lullaby. If you cant help me i will have to go to the top of something high and start shooting people please please please help me.193.115.175.247 16:02, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
Why does this person need them so badly? Vitriol 17:44, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
- Or try this. -THB 20:09, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
I am just really frustrated, as i can usaully work these things out for myself, and cant find it on the net, please, help me.
- Many musicians (or just people with an ear for music) could tell you what the chords are by listening to the music. Do you know any good musicians you could ask to help ? StuRat 16:09, 20 October 2006 (UTC)
Praying Mantis in Greece
Hello, Could you please tell me why the Praying Mantis is called the Horse of Mary in Greece and specifically Crete. Thank you W. Lennard--82.13.45.7 16:08, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
- I don't know about the Mary part, but another English word for mantis, or possibly a type of mantis, is "rear-horse", because, like horses, mantids rear up when excited. ---Sluzzelin 21:41, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
- I guess Mary, as in the Blessed Virgin Mary, refers to the mantid's hands or tarsi folded in a prayer-like position in the same way the word "praying" does in "praying mantis". I suppose the creature could be likened to a praying Mary sitting on a (sometimes rearing) horse.---Sluzzelin 21:50, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
"Mantis" IS Greek.
- ... meaning prophet or seer, true. It has the same root as -mantic or -mancy, but that hardly answers the question. Just because English borrowed from Greek, doesn't mean that Cretans don't have their own unrelated way of describing the same thing. ---Sluzzelin 23:36, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
The great Gadsby
In the book the great gadsby, How did gadsby make his money?
- By spelling his name, Gatsby, correctly ? StuRat 16:14, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
- Something unknown but perhaps a little shady. -THB 16:26, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
- I'm pretty sure the book implies he was involved in organized crime to some degree. --Fastfission 18:05, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
- I thought it was smuggling, but I don't think the book ever says clearly. The issue is not really how did he make his money, but why.--Srleffler 06:12, 20 October 2006 (UTC)
- Why does anybody make money? JackofOz
- He made his money the old-fashioned way - offset lithography. -B00P 08:01, 20 October 2006 (UTC)
I seem to recall that it was smuggling alcohol in from Canada during Prohibition ? StuRat 14:04, 20 October 2006 (UTC)
HAHA trick question... well done jackofoz, it does not say exept the old fashioned way
looking to start a small business
hey guys, im planning to invest money in a business of some sort. i would like to start something that is manegable. i have the resources...i just thought idpost somehting up here for some ideaas that you guys could give some feedaback and ideas on what one should do...just to let you know im currently residing in pakistan where im planning to start something...the ppl i will be targeting have the money and like to spend...just let youknow bout the culture here...ppl like to go out for coffee alot...they love food...since there is nothing else in this town of karachi to do...teenagers usually hang out at cofes and other eating joints where they lounge...apart from that theres nothing that one does here for one...ppl are very social...they are open to new ideas and other sorts of entertainment....i guess that about sums it up...once again any ideas or business proposals would be greatly appreciated....thanks in advance to all those who will be replying with constructive ideas...thanks guys...
Azi
Business plan should help you focus on defining a market and selecting a product or service, pricing and advertising it, etc. There are a lot of good links on that page. You should also think about what you enjoy doing. -THB 17:03, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
- Beware that, being in Pakistan, if you do anything seen as "Western", you are likely to be targeted by terrorists. StuRat 17:05, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
its actually the total opposite in Pakistan. i must say the people here are very liberal and quite open minded. whether western or not, people here are tolerant and enjoy new things. just to give you the feel of how western Pakistan is becoming, we have various franchises her including mcdonalds and pizza hut and the like...parties and raves here are a daily affair. rest assured Pakistan is nothing like the media has potrayed it to be. you will find it to be the most liberal and open minded muslim country. anyways, once again, lets not deviate from the topic at hand...once again, constructive feedback and ideas would be appreciated...thank you once again
thanks THB...much appreciated...
- So did the media just make up the part about western Pakistan being completely beyond the control of the government, but instead being under the control of local warlords, many of whom are pro-Taliban and pro-al Queda ? How about the murder of Daniel Pearl, in Karachi, 4 assassination attempts on Pervez Musharraf, and numerous bombings ? StuRat 21:51, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
- He lives in Karachi. It's a huge city. Things like that happen in NYC, too, but that's no reason not to live there or do something. -THB 22:15, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
- Yes, but to continue your comparison with the US, the US doesn't have several states controlled by warlords, hasn't had 4 assassination attempts on the current President, doesn't have a terrorist organization making it their base of worldwide operations, and doesn't have many people within the government who directly support that terrorist organization. StuRat 23:26, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
Set up an internet cafe. High speed internet connection, computers (pay by the hour), coffee and pastries for sale, newspapers and magazines to read. Couches and chairs for conversation and meeting people. There are places like that in the US. --GangofOne 00:03, 20 October 2006 (UTC)
- It would probably require a reasonably democratic (or lax) government, though... 惑乱 分からん 01:31, 20 October 2006 (UTC)
sturat i just need some postivite """"constructive"""""" feedback and ideas...please dont deviate from the topic.
- I believe my advice to avoid being targetted by Islamic extremists by opening a "Western" business is on topic, and may very well save your life. Don't, for example, buy a McDonalds franchise. StuRat 13:58, 20 October 2006 (UTC)
Forgetting how to breathe
This isn't a "Go see a doctor"-answerable question at all. ;) I have watched a few times how people can forget how to breathe. Last time, it was a young man who had slept on a table (can't have been comfortable) woke up to start panicking, not being fully able to breathe. It looked nearly like a case of astma, except that the person didn't suffer from it. In Norwegian we sometimes refer to "swallowing one's own tongue", but I don't know the origins of that. This has never happened to me - but it must be relatively widespread? What causes it? The young man survived, just to point that out. 81.93.102.3 17:37, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
It happens to me all the time. I never gave it much thought or worried about it much however. --Filll 17:39, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
- This sounds like sleep apnea. It can have serious health effects, and I'd seriously recommend that you consult a doctor. --Trovatore 17:49, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
It happens very rarely. I just wake with a start and immediately realize there is no problem and I am fine.--Filll 18:20, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
If requesting medical advice, please consider asking a doctor instead. Why would you say this isn't a 'go see a doctor' question? GO TO THE DOCTOR! Tongue swallowing is not a good description, but there are appliances which move the lower jaw forward to prevent the airway being closed off. A sleep study, {Polysomnography) can monitor breathing and oxygenation and document the nature and extent of the problem, and determine if a CPAP device corrects it. See Respiratory system, and see Apnea. Some people have many periods of non-breathing due to neurological problems, i.e. central apnea or obstructions in the airway, i.e. obstructive sleep apnea. CPAP or surgery can help, and allow them to get a good night's sleep. Uncorrected sleep apnea can reportedly increase the likelihood of heart attacks. Many people, particularly if overweight, snore and then actually stop breathing for a long time, then gasp and draw a loud breath when they wake up a little due to low oxygen level. They scare their family to death with the noise, then deny they snore. Edison 18:02, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
- Thank you for the answers, but I feel like stressing that I am not experiencing these difficulties. I WOULD, if I could, go to a doc and ask "Hey, why do these things happen?" - but I think they have better things to do. Like, take care of patients. ;) 81.93.102.3 20:45, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
- However, Filll should see a doctor. The thing about sleep apnea is that you don't remember most of the times you stop breathing, because you're not fully awake. If you notice this sort of thing happening at all, even "very rarely", that's still a reason to see a doctor. (All the more so if you have it happening "all the time", as Filll said first.) This is important! --Anon, 04:45 UTC, October 20.
Sewing Machine Problems
I took a Home & Careers class in junior high school and learned the basics of using a sewing machine, and I thought it would be like riding a bicycle... you can't ever forget... so, I bought a sewing machine and read the instructions, set up everything (like threading the machine and pinning the fabric) and was ready to go!
For some reason, the machine won't make an inch of chain stitch before running out of thread. It's not taking it from the bobbin on top, but the length I pull through the needle and set to one side. The machine's not in reverse, so what am I doing wrong? I just want to do some basic sewing and get my Halloween costume together in time for the big party. Any help would be appreciated!
- Look at the first animation here. It's a chain stich. Either your machine is not doing a chain stich or else you did not thread from the bobbin to the needle. I think. -THB 18:44, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
- And I forgot to tell you to notice that there is only one thread in a chain stitch. -THB 19:41, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
Not necessarily, a chain stitch can also include a locking thread from a spool below the needle bed. We do not know what type of machine or stitch mechanism the questionner has purchased. Perhaps he/she will provide that info. Maker/Model etc?
It was just a simple $30 machine from Brylane Home, the Sewing Wizard. I've provided a link. Thank you all for your help so far! http://www.brylanehome.com/product.aspx?PfId=82673&producttypeid=1&DeptId=7500&PurchaseType=G
I really would appreciate any and all help I can get on the matter. Thank you for your interest so far!
- I just had a look at the link you provided to the supplier of your sewing machine but didn't see any instructional guidance so unless you want to send me the airfare to your place, from mine here in Scotland, to have a look and fix it for you, I would suggest you either return it via the return instructions given in your link, or ask a local tailor/dressmaker have a look at it. Good Luck.
average rent that a high-end retailer pays for space at the Galleria Mall in Houston
What is the average cost for rent that a high-end retailer pays for space at the Galleria Mall in Houston?
- Simon property group owns the mall. Their press releases and annual reports give only averages for base rents for all their malls together. It generally works like this:
- Base rent = # of square feet X $ per square foot = $x.xx
- Percentage rent = y% X gross sales over $z.zz.
- Base rent + percentage rent = Total rent
- Usually the $x.xx and $z.zz are equal and the percentage rent is calculated on the amount of gross sales over the base rent.
- So total rent depends on how large the store is and total sales as well as the percent charged, base rate per square foot charged, and the amount exempt from percentage rent.
- Simon's average base rent for all malls in 2005 was about $35.00.
- If you assumed a store size of 20,000 sq ft, a base rent of $50.00 because it's a high end mall, 6% of sales for percentage rent, and sales of $800 per square foot, to pull figures out of the air:
- total sales would be $800 X 20,000 sf = $16,000,000
- base rent= $50 X 20,000 sf = $1,000,000
- percentage rent = 6% X ($16,000,000-$1,000,000) = $900,000
- total annual rent = $1,000,000 + $900,000 = $1,900,000
- and the total annual rent per square foot = $1,900,000/20,000 sf = $95 psf
- Note that I don't know what the square footage, likely sales, likely percent of sales, etc. are--I just pulled them from the air. Maybe someone who works in real estate can just give you an approximate $ amount. See sales per unit area for possible $psf numbers. -THB 19:36, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
Contacting people who post
I am interested in a certain part of the entry Magnolia, Seattle, WA. I would like to contact the writer of that entry in order to ask them more questions. Is there anyway i can do that?
- You can leave a message on their talk page. Click on their name, go to their page, and click on "Discuss this page." Next time they log on, they'll see something to the effect of "you've got messages". -THB 19:07, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
First you will need to go through the page history to find out who wrote the material. It might be multiple editors. StuRat 21:42, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
Choking and joking
Has anybody ever died by choking because they said "I'm choking!" but people thought that they said "I'm joking!" and didn't help them? --216.164.192.242 20:07, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
- No, because the rule in CPR is that if you can talk or make noise while choking, then you are still getting air into your lungs, so you don't die from asphyxiation. If you were going to die from choking then you couldn't say anything. -THB 20:14, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
What if they said it rght before they actually were fatally choking. --216.164.192.242 20:15, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
- Oh, I got you now. It's possible but there's no way to know for sure. If it has happened, it was likely a German tourist in an English-speaking country: see here. Apparently, linguists find dead German tourists amusing, but this sort of senseless death can be prevented by saying "Bhh". -THB 20:20, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
- One time I saw a guy choking, and so I figured it was a free-for-all killing opportunity. So I cut open his throat and pulled out the beef.
- Did you eat the beef? -THB 21:32, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
- "And then he died for real..." as a doctor taught me... =S 惑乱 分からん 21:49, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
NYC law requires a "choking poster" be placed in restaurants. Although I was taught in CPR class to ask the person if they were choking before doing the maneuver, I am not sure that they would even be able to nod if in the midst of dying. Asking might be a good thing in that you might then avoid doing a Heimlich on someone having a heart attack though it also smacks a bit of some weird PC idea like "heaven forbid I should touch another person without asking first". The poster does not mention asking.--Justanother 14:35, 20 October 2006 (UTC)
As a Red Cross licensed professional rescuer I can tell you that you are not supposed to give medical treatment without consent of the patient. Asking someone who is choking is a formality of this. It protects you from bastards who will try to sue you for bruising them or something while performing first aid. If the person is conscious you must ask for permission first. If someone is unconscious they, by law in the United States, have given implied permission for you to give medical care to the extent of your training. The person will not go from actively choking to dead. They will pass out and then slowly suffocate, thus there will probably be time to remove the obstruction and perfrom resucitative CPR after the person loses consciousness. Choking has the same effect as holding your breath, so it takes much longer to actually die than if someone were strangling you, which involves cutting off the blood supply to the brain.—WAvegetarian•(talk) 20:15, 21 October 2006 (UTC)
Hunger right after waking up
Why am I never hungry after waking up late on weekends? Is there some biological mechanism at work here? The reason I ask is that I just got up (5pm) and if I don't go to dinner now I won't eat probably until dinner tomorrow but I'm not the least bit hungry... even though I haven't eaten in 24 hours --frothT C 20:59, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
Hunger explains the biological mechanisms. Did you mean you won't eat until dinner or breakfast? -THB 21:09, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
- I meant dinner because I probably won't get up until 3 or 4 tomorrow too :) Fall break. By the way hunger says nothing about not being hungry right after waking up. Surely you experience this too? --frothT C 21:50, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
- No, I'm pretty much hungry all the time. I'm sure it has something to do with your hypothalamus, everything does. Probably boils down to being off schedule by sleeping late. The human body is very cyclical and it doesn't like to be interupted. Maybe try the same question over at the science desk. -THB 22:07, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
- Sounds to me like your metabolism is seriously awry. I'd suggest looking over the healthy eating article to see if there's any tips there that appeal to you.
- A couple years ago I was getting quite obese, unhealthy, and altogether at a loss as to how to improve my diet. When I got up in the morning, I didn't really feel hungry, but I ate regardless. I took no pleasure in food. All the traditional advice at the time proved entirely useless. Both fad diets (Atkins) and the usual nutritionist's advice (eat lots of fruits and veggies) simply did not appeal to me.
- Anyway, in January 2005, I had an epiphany: I went completely off meat. Anything with legs or wings was right off the menu. Also did away with all dairy with 'uncleaved lactose' -- which basically amounts to no milk/cream/ice-cream, but sour cream/cheese was fine. Also, I minimized trans fats, and any unnatural preservatives/color additives etc.
- It took about 18 months, but that major change in diet finally began to show. Now I'm way more energetic. I usually go to bed a little after sunset, and get up around sunrise. I enjoy food again, and I'm taking up ice hockey, mountain climbing, 10 mile walks, all stuff that was completely untenable only 2 years ago.
- Also, after about a year, I felt like having dairy again, so I'll eat things with milk in them again. Mostly gelato instead of ice cream, however, and no milk-cereal that was the cornerstone of my diet from about age 5-25.
- Hope this is of some help. I can only assume that you're not all that happy about being uninterested in food all day. -- Chris 22:13, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
- I think you need less energy to sleep than you need if you're awake and active. - Mgm|(talk) 09:54, 20 October 2006 (UTC)
What is the least number of edits that makes me an administrator?
Hi, I am Meno25. I want to be an administrator. I started contributing in Wikipedia in April 14, 2006. I have 501 edits. I have special interests in cleaning pages, categorizing uncategorized images and pages, and fixing dead-end pages. I sent this message from a public computer, so, I am not signed in.
--196.202.92.192 21:12, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
- There is no minimum number. But on the other hand most of the time people look for 1000 - 2000. Take a look at Wikipedia:Requests for adminship and see what sort of things others looking for. CambridgeBayWeather (Talk) 21:19, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
- I would personally like to see that edit count above 5000 plus at least 12 months experience. You must ask yourself why you want to be an administrator. THen write down the answers somewhere we can all see! Remember, most of the useful tasks on WP can be done without being an admin. --Light current 22:13, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
- Besides what has been written about the number of edits and the length of experience, the quality of the edits counts too. Large numbers of edits where you merely add redundant spaces and blank lines in places where they will not affect the displayed article will not qualify you to be an admin faster. In fact, it may have the reverse effect. The voters are apt to be sensitive to attempts to artificially inflate your edit count.
- Other things count too: some voters look for broad experience, editing not just articles but also talk pages, images, policy pages, etc. Many voters expect candidates for admin to fill in the Edit summary box on the vast majority of their edits. --Srleffler 23:02, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
- I would say that voters are probably also looking for someone who can find this information on their own, or at least find the correct place to ask this sort of question. --Maxamegalon2000 03:34, 20 October 2006 (UTC)
- I am Meno25. I would like to thank all the users who answered my question. The information provided here perfectly suits me. I plan to be an administrator by July 2007. By then, I will have been a user for 15 months, and will have many thousand edits.
--84.36.143.135 17:38, 20 October 2006 (UTC)
Geography
What is the term that is used to describe an area of high, flat or mainly flat land?
§ Navaeh Htrae §
Would mesa do it for you? You might also try at the language desk or the science desk, even. -THB 22:38, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
- A larger area might be called a plateau, a very large area might be the Altiplano.---Sluzzelin 22:58, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
- I think plateau is the right answer. A mesa has steep sides and that was not specified. -THB 23:04, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
Mercedes 1994 SL500
I am in need of some help on a 1994 mercedes SL 500 convertible. I am replacing the plastic windows on one and needs the installation instructions on the top. Is there a web site that I may get a pdf or something?
All though I have installed hundreds of tops in my life time, I have never installed one on this type of car. I was wondering if you would have someting on directions of such a top installation. Or any pointers you may have. Look forward to hearing from you.
If so please E-Mail to xxxxx
Sincerly
Darlene
- Sorry, I don't have the answer, but I removed your email address. See the groundrules up top. It's for your protection. -THB 23:26, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
- Your local library should have either Chilton manuals or online automotive databases with repair info. Nowimnthing 23:38, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
Who wrote Bible?
Who wrote the Bible? --Jamesino 23:22, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
- Which Bible? It's basically an anthology with multiple authors. Unless this is another trick question and you mean God. -THB 23:25, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
- Like I meant the entire Bible. And no, it is not a trick question.Jamesino 23:26, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
- A bunch of guys, some delusional, some with good intentions, others trying to push their morals unto others, etc. ☢ Ҡi∊ff⌇↯ 23:29, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
- Then: "Many people, but no one knows who they were." -THB 23:31, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
- See Books of the Bible, each of the books supposedly had a different author and there is different amounts of scholarship about the accuracy or inaccuracy of the traditional attribution of authorship. Click on each book and the first section often talks about this in great detail. Nowimnthing 23:33, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
No one knows any of the authors? Jamesino 23:33, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
- See Documentary Hypothesis, Jahwist, and The Bible and History for some more information. ---Sluzzelin 23:44, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
- You are correct in saying that no one knows as a fact any of the authors and no one has for a long time. The bible is a collection of books, some of them so old no one even knows how old they are, some of which have different versions, and to which many authors contributed. About as close as you're going to get is "Jews wrote the Old Testament and Christians wrote the New Testament." -THB 23:53, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
- Really the only thing known for sure about the authors is that there was more than one. THL 00:48, 20 October 2006 (UTC)
- I wonder whether all of the oldest writers of the New Testament were Christians rather than Jews... =S 惑乱 分からん 00:56, 20 October 2006 (UTC)
- God wrote the Bible. --84.71.11.212 01:01, 20 October 2006 (UTC)
- No, he already said it wasn't a trick question. Natas si dog. -THB 01:25, 20 October 2006 (UTC)
- Christian theology holds that God inspired the people (told people what to write) and the people wrote them down. Several of the books are self referencing- In several of the epistles Paul gives his own name. Though of course it's disputed whether there was some conspiracy or something to rewrite the bible circa 1000ad.. but to me that seems a little far-fetched. The real controversy is over the books that aren't credited, and nobody really knows the authors of those, though we can be pretty sure to varying degrees --frothT C 02:22, 20 October 2006 (UTC)
- This is a vast oversimplification. While virtually all Christians hold that some form of divine inspiration was at work in the authors of the various books of the Bible, there is nowhere near uniformity of theology on how that inspiration interacted with human agency. I can't quote numbers, but I'm fairly certain that the number of educated theologians who would agree with "God told them what to write" is less than the the number who would have a more nuanced understanding. –RHolton≡– 03:32, 20 October 2006 (UTC)
- I used a simplification because that wasnt the point of what I was trying to say and the simplicication sufficed --frothT C 05:56, 20 October 2006 (UTC)
- Some of the books of the Bible give the name of their author. Most have an author "traditionally" associated with them; the four Gospels in the New Testament are named after their supposed authors, and many of the other New Testament books are letters from various early Christian leaders to Christians in other places. Similarly, tradition attributes an author to most of the books of the Old Testament. The issue is that, viewing the Bible as a historical document subject to usual scholarly scrutiny, there is little hard evidence that many of these traditions are correct. An additional problem is that in some cases there was more than one individual with the same name. For example, the Epistle of James gives the first name of its author, but there are three or four important early Christians named James, leading to confusion about which one of them is the author of this book. (James the Just is usually considered to be the author.)--Srleffler 06:02, 20 October 2006 (UTC)
THB, most of the books in the New Testament mentions the writer of the book. This is one. So I believe you were incorrect in saying "You are correct in saying that no one knows as a fact any of the authors and no one has for a long time.". So in a way, this answers much of the original question by saying that many New Testament writers acknowledged themselves.
And Rholton, I believe theologians/people who study the Bible are more likely to believe that the Bible was inspired by God-since Paul claims this to be so in 2 Timothy 3: 16-17.--24.76.234.98 04:19, 20 October 2006 (UTC)
- The problem is in interpreting "God-breathed" --frothT C 05:58, 20 October 2006 (UTC)
- What's the problem? This is a more descriptive/poetic way of saying that it was inspired by God because it (the idea for writing) was literally breathed by God into the writer. Thus, while the initial idea came from God, the writer's interpretation makes it different-which is why the Bible is so unique. (This also proves the point that God DOES NOT suppress free will when one tries to do according to His will.) The King James version also translates this (from the greek definition) verse into "given by inspiration of God".--24.76.234.98 18:52, 20 October 2006 (UTC)
- The position of 24.76.234.98 (whom I shall call 24) is the position of a person of faith, but not of all persons of faith. Persons who do not share this person's faith in the literal truth of religious texts do not accept at face value claims made by those texts. For example, in the passage cited by 24 we have a text claiming to be written by someone named James. But we do not know the circumstances under which this passage was or was not passed down by word of mouth, written down by students or followers of the named person or by those claiming, for whatever reason, to have received a letter from the named person. We do not know the circumstances under which it was embellished or revised as it was copied onto a new piece of parchment, as the old one was crumbling, perhaps by a person who considered himself or herself "inspired by god" to add language more fitting for such a holy piece of writing. On the other hand, it might be a verbatim copy of a letter actually penned by someone named James. But, unless we have faith, we do not know. Marco polo 19:55, 20 October 2006 (UTC)
Simplifying enormously, traditional Jewish belief is that God is the author of what is known as the Pentateuch, although He got Moses to write it down for Him. The rest of what's known as the Old Testament is believed to be inspired by God, but authored by man. Generally speaking, we "know" who each author is, although one man's "know" is another man's "believe". Taking an interesting and slightly complex example, much of the book of Psalms was by King David, although parts are attributed (often in the text itself) to others, including Moses, King Solomon and even the sons of Korach. Hope that helps. --Dweller 08:02, 20 October 2006 (UTC)
The believed writers of the Bible are:
- various generations of the jews
- A babylonian exile
- unknown scribes
- some psalmists
- King Solomon
- Jesus Ben Sira
- Various (3) people called Isiah
- Jeremiah
- Baruch
- Ezekiel
- Hosea
- Joel
- Amos
- Obadiah
- Habakkuk
- Zephaniah
- Haggai
- Zechariah
- Gentile Christians
- Non-Gentile Christians
- Luke
- Paul
- Disciples of,
- James
- Peter
- John
And of course God! The bible was written a long time ago, so, obviously, not all the names are know, and some are educated guesses. Englishnerd 14:32, 20 October 2006 (UTC)
help!!!
can you please tell me a food that starts with the letters "I" "x" "q"
- Ice cream
- X--none unless you use a brand name
- Quince
-THB 23:58, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
- Well, there is "xo", a chinese sauce, but it's a Chinese word. -THB 00:02, 20 October 2006 (UTC)
- How about Xanthan gum in lots of foods, Xianbi, Xacuti, Xerosis, Xmas pudding and Xenarthra MeltBanana 01:04, 20 October 2006 (UTC)
- Damnfine job. (Except for xerosis!) -THB 01:23, 20 October 2006 (UTC)
quiche (i think its spelt like that, i thougt you spelt it like its said, cus im stupid, (kiesh) lol)
- If you're allowed to include a dish (like quiche), as opposed to a plain food, there's Imam Bayildi, a popular Turkish eggplant dish. Actually there are probably a fair number of "dishes", but singular food products are a different thing. Which are you looking for? Do they have to be in English? And if Xmas pudding is okay, there is also Xmas cake. Plus icebox cake. And idlis!!! Could you be more specific? Mothperson cocoon 15:24, 21 October 2006 (UTC)
- Quark! That German version of cottage cheese? And how could I have forgotten icing? Mothperson cocoon 20:08, 21 October 2006 (UTC)
And my niece dogs ate pan-fried ika last week (a Japanese cuttlefish-squid). Mothperson cocoon 20:13, 21 October 2006 (UTC)
- Xanthosoma. Anchoress 20:19, 21 October 2006 (UTC)
- Quesadillas. And, oh, dear - quail. Mothperson cocoon 04:45, 22 October 2006 (UTC)
- Imokake-dofu,inari-zushi, iridofu, irimame, iritsuke-dofu, irore mame, iso agé, isobe-maki. Obviously the Japanese soy foods section needs some work. Mothperson cocoon 12:46, 22 October 2006 (UTC)
October 20
Use of your image
We would like to use an image appears on your site for our client's web page. It's the image of Social Security Card. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Ssi_card.gif Is it legal to use the image on my client's web page? Do we need to purchase a usage right?
Please let me know, thanks, Akemi Allen
- I removed your email and phone number: see the rules at the top of the page. The image in question does not belong to the Wikipedia, but was created by the US Government, and its use is governed by the information given on the page you listed above. You're perfectly free to use it--you don't need anyone's permission. Probably came from the SSI website. -THB 00:27, 20 October 2006 (UTC)
- Read the copyright notice on that page: "This work is in the public ___domain in the United States because it is a work of the United States Federal Government under the terms of Title 17, Chapter 1, Section 105 of the US Code. See Copyright." So yes you can use it without asking for rights --frothT C 01:32, 20 October 2006 (UTC)
- Everything on Wikipedia is licensed under the GFDL (provided it was contributed by someone who was entitled thus to license it). So even if it weren't public ___domain, you could still use it, provided you complied with the conditions. I'm not sure what the conditions are precisely; you should read the license for that. But my understanding is, they boil down to: (1) you have to give credit, (2) you have to let anyone else use it under the same conditions, and (3) you have to tell them that (that is, point them to the GFDL). I don't think you need to GFDL-license the content on the rest of the page, but I'm not sure about that. --Trovatore 06:06, 20 October 2006 (UTC)
- I think Trovatore is clouding the issue. Forget the complexities of GDFL, if its Public Domain then you can use it, modify it, publish it or whatever without asking anyone's permission and with no need to even credit where you got it from. That's the beauty of PD - Adrian Pingstone 15:02, 20 October 2006 (UTC)
- Trovatore is also incorrect that everything is licensed as GDFL. All text is supposed to be licensed as GDFL at a minimum, but images have many different licenses, and some are unlicesed alltogether (fair use). --Fastfission 19:35, 20 October 2006 (UTC)
Legality?
Is it legal to kill somebody if they hit you first? Is it legal to kill somebody if they verbally threaten you first? If not, what if they have a weapon with them? Is it legal to act like a cop even if you're a civilian, and arrest people and stuff if you do exactly what a cop would do? If not, what if you're wearing a mask? --216.164.192.249 01:46, 20 October 2006 (UTC) --Rentwa 02:01, 20 October 2006 (UTC)
- Of those, the only two reasons I see which may be legal are:
- Self defense, if you have good reason to believe the person with the gun means to kill you.
- Citizen's arrest, if legal in your jurisdiction.
Impersonation of a police officer is generally illegal in america. --frothT C 02:17, 20 October 2006 (UTC)
- You have to talk to a lawyer, see the top of the page, and it would depend upon where it occured, anyhow, and you didn't say. Most importantly, this sort of question is an "illegal/illegal in a mask" question and should be posted on that page. Thanks. -THB 02:19, 20 October 2006 (UTC)
- I wish people would stop recommending people talk to a lawyer about every little legal question that pops into their head. It's not practical and I'm getting tired of reading responses that begin with disclaimers... --Username132 (talk) 15:19, 20 October 2006 (UTC)
- Killing someone in self defence in Scotland UK is a very narrow concept. Before that defence can be proferred to the court, the defendant must prove that every and all other avenues had first been considered and where appropriate pursued. You are looking here at options such as fleeing the scene; negotiating with your attacker; using reasonable force to resist his attack; summoning assistance by screaming for help. You must also prove that after attempting all other tactics that you were in genuine fear of losing your own life. If someone is trying to steal your purse (in Scotland) you cannot shoot him through the eye and then plead self defence. You could however plead Guilty to the charge of Murder and expect a life-sentence with a recommendation from the judge that you serve a minimum of 15 years before you could apply for parole on licence. Now down in Good 'ol Texas????????????????
- Unfortunately, in the US self-defense can be claimed if somebody "feels" threatened, which, for some nut jobs, is apparently always. The case of the Japanese kid "playing cowboy" and drawing a play gun at Halloween comes to mind. A homeowner felt threatened and shot him to death, and was then acquitted StuRat 15:31, 20 October 2006 (UTC)
- I recall a similar incident in which a British tourist who got lost in the middle of a "respectable" residential area, stopped his hired car and knocked on the glazed front door of a house that was lit up for the evening - to ask for directions. The occupier admitted afterwards that he shot and killed my countryman without opening the door and was ably assisted by being able to see his profile through the glazed door - and he successfully claimed that he was entitled to do so - in self-defence. The right to bear arms in the land of the free? You can keep it.
- And then there was the Turkish teenager on a student exchange who went up to his host family's neighbour's house at Halloween (no toy gun, nothing) and got killed. No charges. --Charlene.fic 17:22, 20 October 2006 (UTC)
- So it looks like - assuming that the questionner is American - the answer to his prime question is yes, you can. God Bless America????????????? It's amazing that their population has just this week INCREASED to over 300 million, despite the best efforts of George W. Bush; Charlton Heston; and the US National Firearms League to achieve exactly the opposite effect. They should change the anthem, "Out of my cold dead hand:", to "Over your cold dead body".
- Strange that no-one remarked on the flaw in the question "Is it legal to kill somebody if they hit you first?" What do you mean, first? You're mixing up two things. If the reverse were possible, it might not even be legal. But, sticking to something more executable, "Is it legal to hit somebody if they hit you first?" In a civilised country, no. The state has (or is supposed to have) a monopoly on violence. In a civilised country, that is. Same for killing. The state will also not hit someone for you if they hit you. Or kill them, of course. In a civilised country, that is. DirkvdM 05:30, 22 October 2006 (UTC)
Malaysian coordinates
I'm interested in knowing the precise coordinates for the following Malaysian business address:
I know almost nothing about Malaysia so I'm not sure how to get this out of something like Google Maps or Earth (entering the above doesn't get me anywhere, and Shah Alam is a pretty big place). Anybody have a clue? It should be the address of one factory. I'm not really sure which parts of the above are streets, for example, much less where I might find (in English) a way to pinpointing where the streets are on a map of Shah Alam. --Fastfission 03:40, 20 October 2006 (UTC)
- Apparently the street is Jin Belion, 15/11 identifies either the street ___location or a block on the street, the lot is like a street number, Seksyen is "Section", 15 is the section number, 40200 is the postal code. You already know the city, state, and country.
- Here's how I figured that out: see here -THB 03:50, 20 October 2006 (UTC)
- That helps a lot, I think. Thank you! --Fastfission 18:51, 20 October 2006 (UTC)
Wikilyrics?
What are the chances of a wikilyrics site being developed? I'd like to see it. Dave
- I'd say 1 in 1: http://lyricwiki.org/Main_Page ☢ Ҡi∊ff⌇↯ 05:37, 20 October 2006 (UTC)
- Wow, apparently people still have no clue about copyright. I wonder how long will it take for them to get sued. - Mgm|(talk) 10:00, 20 October 2006 (UTC)
- I also wonder about copyrights the other way around. The fact that it's a wiki seems to be no guarantee the content is open source. I wouldn't participate in something like that if they don't specificallly state it's open source. I'd just be making money for other people. Note the ads. DirkvdM 05:47, 22 October 2006 (UTC)
MARKET SYSTEM
I have to make a presentation for my school on the topic : - Market System -- a double- edged sword. I am havin problems as to what to write in it. i want to know about a few points as to how is the global market system disadvantageous. PLEASE HELP. URGENT.
- I would look under market economics to start.--Light current 10:17, 20 October 2006 (UTC)
The biggest disadvantage may be that it favors owners of companies (stockholders) over workers, which is another way of saying it takes money from the poor and gives it to the rich. The reason is that, with a global pool of potential workers, employers no longer have to pay local rates, which are almost always higher than labor prices somewhere in the world. This disadvantage could be overcome if society intentionally countered with more taxes on the rich and benefits for the poor, like universal free college education and health care. StuRat 12:02, 20 October 2006 (UTC)
- I would be weary of Sturats comments. The movement of work from one nation to another on a basis of lowering costs can ensure the future longevity of company - beneficial to all its workers and stockholders. It can benefit consumers as the cost-savings are passed onto them (at least in competitive markets). It can benefit the community they go to as it provides them with economic activity and will help build up skillsets and knowledge for use in the future and to attract/create new jobs. The advantage of global-operation is that one can look for the best value employees - just as an individual can look for the best value for their product online. There will be some firms that favour value over quality, others not.
- The good and bad of the system are down to your interpretation. The bad may be that it makes it harder for governments to control the actions of corporations. Though the good may be that it makes it harder for government to meddle into the running of a corporation. Each side can drown the other in facts and statistics, the difficult is on you to look into those and find a case you find cohesive argument that can be used to highlight your understanding of the situation. As always in politics no answer is entirely correct, no answer entirely wrong. Good luck ny156uk 17:49, 20 October 2006 (UTC)
- I know some people might be wary of my comments, but have I really made so many comments as to make people weary ? :-) StuRat 12:48, 21 October 2006 (UTC)
- Do you need to ask? 8-)--Light current 20:13, 21 October 2006 (UTC)
- I know some people might be wary of my comments, but have I really made so many comments as to make people weary ? :-) StuRat 12:48, 21 October 2006 (UTC)
- Just very briefly: The market economy is a good thing because it allows us to create more wealth (food, clothing, MP3 players...) than any other economic system we know. The main disadvantage of the market economy is that the wealth is not distributed equally among people (or countries, or whatever), because those who are good at doing what the market wants can very easily get much richer than the others. Actually, our experience with economic systems shows that in every system there tend to be few rich people and many (relatively) poor people. But since these other systems are usually not found in democracies, this is not a practical problem for the leaders in these systems, because what the many poor people want does not matter. Market economies, however, tend to be a feature of democracies, so if many people feel they do not get enough of the wealth, they make the state do something about it. This is most of what politics is about. For more info, as suggested, please see the article Market economy. For alternatives, see Economic system. Sandstein 19:27, 20 October 2006 (UTC)
- The game is more and more in the hands of the rich. Poor workers in developed countries are sometimes stockholders : both their stocks ans work may disappear if they go on buying products made in low labor prices countries. Education and high-value products are no more reserved to developed countries : they might wither quickly. Be bold! Imagine! -- DLL .. T 19:31, 20 October 2006 (UTC)
- You are looking for disadvantages; here are a few. In a democratic political system, each person (or each adult anyway) ideally has one vote. Thus each person has an equal chance (in theory) of achieving his or her desired outcome in the political process.
- In a market economic system, each economic actor (an individual person, organization, or corporation such as a bank or oil company) has influence that varies according to the financial resources that the actor can bring to bear in the market place. Thus each economic actor's chances of achieving his or her desired economic outcome is directly related to his or her net worth. This feature of the system is an advantage to large corporations and the superrich, who can outbid almost anyone else in a market transaction. However, it is a disadvantage to the vast majority, who must earn a living by competing with thousands, millions, or, with globalization, potentially billions of others to do the job. The rich corporation dispensing salaries will normally give the job to the person with the necessary skills who accepts the lowest wages. This has the effect of driving wages down globally. If a category of workers in one place begins demanding higher wages, the corporation is free to close up the shop and hire cheaper workers elsewhere. Corporations have a far greater ability to organize globally than does labor, not least because trade liberalization (outside the EU) typically allows corporations to hire labor in any country they choose but does not allow workers to seek employement in any country they choose.
- Proponents of a global market argue that it brings down prices for consumers. However, if wages for those consumers are falling simultaneously, falling prices bring no benefit. If wages are falling relative to prices, as they have been for many years in the United States, workers lose out. Those who gain are those whose income comes from the ownership or management of corporations rather than those who must work for a living. The owner class have seen their earnings soar as corporations have exploited workers to extract record profits. So for the rich and corporations, the advantages of globalization and the market system are obvious. For those who rely on wages (although they may a small amount of stock in a retirement plan), the disadvantages are clear. Marco polo 20:27, 20 October 2006 (UTC)
- Could we keep individual POVs out of the answers? THe questioner obviously has an school/college assignment problem where he needs to quote reliable sources. So lets direct him rowards some 8-) --Light current 22:11, 20 October 2006 (UTC)
- "Rowards" = The direction you row the boat ? StuRat 00:11, 21 October 2006 (UTC)
- I have only one reply to that: Rowlocks--Light current 00:29, 21 October 2006 (UTC)
- Actually, the questioner said nothing about needing to quote sources. The questioner specifically asked about disadvantages. I mentioned some. Our market economics article extensively quotes Milton Friedman, who is noted for his pro-market POV, not particularly helpful to someone looking for disadvantages of the global market. If the questioner in fact needs to quote sources, he might want to look at these comments by the Nobel-laureate economist Joseph Stiglitz, who is more critical of markets. He might also want to review our article Anti-globalization, which presents (and critiques) some of the arguments made by opponents of globalization. Marco polo 01:12, 21 October 2006 (UTC)
benefits package
on average, for an entry-level engineer in a fortune 200 corp., how much is a standard benefits package worth?
Please don't say "well, it depends on xyz..." or "well, what do you mean by benefits?"
Just give me a + or - 30% range without thinking too hyper-analytically.
Thanks.
- At the very least it depends on the country you're in and the currency you're using. If said engineer worked "on the road" they may get a business car. They might not. So there's at least 20000 euro difference there on full value (do you want it per year or month?) - Mgm|(talk) 10:03, 20 October 2006 (UTC)
- Without specifying the ___location, country, type of engineer, etc., you would be lucky to get + or -100% range. I will say the benefits cost the company somewhere around $30,000 a year, on average. Note that what the benefits cost the company is not exactly the same as what they are worth to the employee. StuRat 16:51, 20 October 2006 (UTC)
How to delete the image I uploaded?
i uploaded a wrong image into wiki. Instead of a celebrity pic, i uploaded a family picture. How do I delete it?
- This isn't the place for questions on how to use Wikipedia, that would be the Help Desk. Though to answer your question, just put the tag "{{db|reason}}" on the image page, replacing "reason" with the reason why you want it deleted. It will be deleted by an admin soon then you can upload the other image. Dismas|(talk) 11:50, 20 October 2006 (UTC)
- An easier way is to replace that pic with the one you wanted to upload. StuRat 11:52, 20 October 2006 (UTC)
- "Replace" meaning, I understand, uploading with the same name again. -- DLL .. T 19:22, 20 October 2006 (UTC)
- Which, while easy, does not actually remove the family picture from public access. If you don't want the entire world to be able to see your family picture, use the "db" method above. Otherwise it is still there for everyone to see in the image upload history. (If it is deleted, it can only be restored by admins). --Fastfission 19:29, 20 October 2006 (UTC)
- I think you can use {{db-author}} for such cases. --LambiamTalk 23:26, 20 October 2006 (UTC)
paris hilton sex tapes
who knows where i can watch one of those tapes for free.the paris hilton tapes..the home made sex tapes?— Preceding unsigned comment added by 212.49.84.4 (talk)
- Your most obvious bet would be file sharing networks. But why would you want to see that? ☢ Ҡi∊ff⌇↯ 15:03, 20 October 2006 (UTC)
- It's actually a very unimpressive tape. During sex she looks uninterested and she's too skinny to be really attractive.
- It's dark and very murky, too... 惑乱 分からん 16:27, 20 October 2006 (UTC)
- It's actually a very unimpressive tape. During sex she looks uninterested and she's too skinny to be really attractive.
kuma ?
what does kuma mean?its a kiswahil word.
- This belongs on the Language Ref Desk. StuRat 13:54, 20 October 2006 (UTC)
- Would you care to move it old chap?--Light current 00:36, 21 October 2006 (UTC)
- No, that's the responsibility of the asker, if he expects to get an answer. If we do it for them, they will never bother to put things in the right place. StuRat 11:30, 21 October 2006 (UTC)
- Quite right !--Light current 17:24, 21 October 2006 (UTC)
- But you're also supposed not to double post. Catch 22. So I'll answer it for you. It means 'vagina'. Wonder where you picked that up. DirkvdM 05:40, 22 October 2006 (UTC)
determining relevance score
Please explain how, or what parameters you use, you arrive at the 'Relevance' number that is displayed (under the various links) sometimes when there are multiple links from a search result. > Eg: "Relevance 0.4%
Thanks -p
- Our Help:Searching page does not tell. Anyway, our search engine is quite poor and the relevance is better when you try a yahoogle search. -- DLL .. T 19:19, 20 October 2006 (UTC)
Interaction with a dog.
There are many books about interpreting a dog's behaviour -- a dog licking your face is submission to you, lowering its chest to the ground and raising its hindquarters indicates playfulness, etc etc. Are there any guides to how dogs interpret human behaviour? Does my dog actually appreciate me petting his head? What would he think about the fact that I've never licked him or had him bring me food? Often my dog will lay on his side and lift one of his arms, exposing his chest to me -- what does he want me to do? He doesn't appear to react at all if I pet his chest when he does this. Pesapluvo 15:36, 20 October 2006 (UTC)
- I believe most dog training books go into great detail about how dogs interpret human communication and behavior. Realize that much of human communication and behavior is well beyond their ability to interpret, they can only handle a few basic signals. For example, sitting your dog down and discussing why he shouldn't drink from the toilet isn't nearly as effective as swatting him on the nose and yelling "NO ! BAD DOG !". StuRat 15:57, 20 October 2006 (UTC)
- I suspect that the rolling over on the back and exposing his chest is a show of submission. StuRat 16:03, 20 October 2006 (UTC)
I was jamming on guitars at my friends house, the dog was listening/sitting there. His wife came home and called the dog upstairs, my friend said noooo, he's enjoying the music, arent you bruno? and the dog nodded.
- He probably trained the dog, intentionally or not, to nod when he says something that sounds like "arentyoubruno". Try having him say, "You're a miserable good-for-nothing kur, aren't you Bruno ?", then see if he nods. StuRat 16:44, 20 October 2006 (UTC)
- Perhaps it was just one of those crazy 'nodding dogs'--Light current 17:02, 20 October 2006 (UTC)
- Um, when dogs roll over and lift their arms, THEY WANT YOU TO RUB THEIR STOMACHS! And of course he's not going to react, because you are just being a good ape. They own us. We don't own them. Maybe I shouldn't be telling you this, but you might as well get used to it. Mothperson cocoon 17:14, 20 October 2006 (UTC)
- While I don't really agree with the "they own us" sentiment (dogs, unlike cats, seem to be nothing if not creatures begging for approval and acceptance; cats don't seem to give a damn and do think that they are entitled to care from humans), the display of the chest is almost certainly both a submission activity (exposing a vulnerable part of their body) as well as a request to have it scratched (which dogs love). --Fastfission 19:32, 20 October 2006 (UTC)
- I live with dogs and cats, and I still think they both own us. Dogs are just sneakier about it. As I type right now, I am furniture (a nice warm chair with thin skin convenient for claw traction) for my principessa cat. Not much subtlety there. But if you've ever been out in your yard on a cold dark night, calling and calling your beloved dog, who has gone missing for half an hour, only to turn around and find him or her sitting behind you silently, grinning... Actually, I'm with Lambiam's theory more than I am with my own. Mothperson cocoon 15:02, 21 October 2006 (UTC)
- A human feeds a dog and the dog thinks that the human must be a god since they can provide food. On the other hand, cats get fed by humans and think that the cats must be gods since the human is the one bringing the food.
- And yes, your dog likes it when you pet him on the head because you're the alpha dog and you're bothering to show him attention. Dismas|(talk) 20:31, 20 October 2006 (UTC)
- Somehow there is this fad of viewing all human-dog relations on a one-dimensional scale of dominant to submissive, as if it's an SM relationship. From my interaction with family dogs as well as watching dogs interact I recognize nothing of these rich behavioural patterns in this "alpha dog" stuff. I've seen dogs become aggressive, but that's something else, when they were provoked or threatened. And I've seen dogs "submit", but that was clearly like a judoka slapping the floor: a signal "OK, you win". For the rest you can see almost everything you also see going on between humans. Dogs may fight for no other reason than that they can't stand each other. A dog obeys you because he or she cares for you and wants to make you happy, not because you are the "top dog". And just like you are mad every now and then with your little brother/big sister/spouse/mother/granny, or just want to be left alone, so it is also with your dog. --LambiamTalk 23:40, 20 October 2006 (UTC)
What do you know about the moscow coup attempt?
--Moscowcoupattempt 15:40, 20 October 2006 (UTC)
- He/she seems to have some identity confusion... 惑乱 分からん 15:46, 20 October 2006 (UTC)
What do you mean? --Moscowcoupattempt 15:47, 20 October 2006 (UTC)
- They mean that your user name is the same as your question. I suppose that's OK, just a little weird. StuRat 15:51, 20 October 2006 (UTC)
- I know everything about it as published and reported by the then Scottish Media.
Anything else? --Moscowcoupattempt 15:56, 20 October 2006 (UTC)
- I know our article on it is named Soviet coup attempt of 1991. StuRat 16:39, 20 October 2006 (UTC)
- The last section in David Remnick's Lenin's Tomb: The Last Days of the Soviet Empire is an excellent and exciting account of the subject. I highly recommend them if you are looking for a good synopsis (the book as a whole is wonderful as well). --Fastfission 19:33, 20 October 2006 (UTC)
Fear of sleep
A new question have you heard of do you fear sleep? --Moscowcoupattempt 15:58, 20 October 2006 (UTC)
- The term for the fear of sleep is clinophobia, if that's what you meant to ask. StuRat 16:23, 20 October 2006 (UTC)
- (I would have guessed for hypnophobia, but couldn't find any link...) 惑乱 分からん 16:26, 20 October 2006 (UTC)
- Start a new headline for new questions... Don't just ask questions at random unless you really want the answers... Sorry for joking around with you, before... 惑乱 分からん 16:10, 20 October 2006 (UTC)
Which is lighter, a feather or a moth's wing ?
What is lighter a feather or a moth's wing? --Moscowcoupattempt 16:11, 20 October 2006 (UTC)
- Feathers vary dramatically in size as do moth's wings. While, on average, I would say feathers weigh more, there are certainly also some feathers which weigh less than some moth's wings. StuRat 16:17, 20 October 2006 (UTC)
black bull stickers on cars
do you know the relevance of the black bull sticker which some people place on the rear of their car? i have seen it on many cars here in ireland and have been told that they appear in other countries also. it is not limited to any make or model of car and is not limited to any race or class of driver? is it some kind of secret society medal? or is it just a sticker with no meaning?
- Maybe they are making out that their car is "The vehicle called Black Bull used by Black Shadow in F-Zero GX."?--Shantavira 17:36, 20 October 2006 (UTC)
Student with concern
Hello, I am contacting you because I was recently told not to use information from this website when preparing reports for school. My professor told me to find more legitimate sites or books for research. I told him that in most cases I always do follow up reasearch and try not to compile information based on one resource. I also told him that I have never had a problem with bad information from your website and simply would like to continue using it for research. He told me no and that wikipedia is unreliable. This issue would not have come up but as a student I must cite my information. My question is, Should I look for information elsware do to the editing aspect of this site and can you provide a rebutt statment to change ny professors mind. Thank you
- He's right. Jimbo Wales, Wikipedia's founder says so, and that college students shouldn't be citing any encyclopedia, not just Wikipedia. A good wikipedia article will have plenty of citations to reliable sources which you can check, and which should be of a scholarly nature: cite those sources directly (assuming you've actually checked and read them yourself). A wikipedia article which doesn't cite reliable sources (which doesn't allow anyone to check its veracity) is worthless. -- Finlay McWalter | Talk 21:59, 20 October 2006 (UTC)
- Hes right. Use WP to get a general flavor of the topic and then follow the article links to lead you to primary sources which you should then READ!--Light current 22:07, 20 October 2006 (UTC)
- Wikipedia is an excellent tool for students, especially if you learn how to use it correctly. Your teacher may disallow Wikipedia as a reference (many do, pah), but that doesn't mean you shouldn't use it. I like to remember that Wikipedia is just an encyclopedia that covers an extremely broad range of subjects. You shouldn't cite an encyclopedia, but instead use references that are more specific to your topic. Most of our most accurate and cited pages are on academic topics that are likely to be useful to a student. Let's say my topic was on Teddy Roosevelt. I would go to the Theodore Roosevelt article, and read over it. I wouldn't take any notes, just read it to get a good understanding of him. But at the bottom of the page (and by bottom, I mean the last 20%), there are links to dozens of websites, a list of several printed books, and even some newspaper articles and such thrown in. These would be what I use for hard research. Why cite Wikipedia as one paltry source when I have a list of over a hundred reputable sources in my lap? Even if you chose a few at random, you'd probably have substantial material to build a satisfactory school paper. Unfortunately, there's likely nothing you can do to change your teacher's opinion of Wikipedia. Just grin and bear it, since he's the one grading the papers. Hyenaste (tell) 22:26, 20 October 2006 (UTC)
- Also, remember no source is infallable. -THB 06:47, 21 October 2006 (UTC)
- Which includes those sources that are mentioned in your sources. Wikipedia should not be used as a source not because it's unreliable but because it's an encyclopedia. Any source is unreliable. Which includes paper sources. Any nut can write a book. Let alone a web page. So you should check the background of the author (and leave it if you can't). Is there any indication they're an expert on the subject? With some publishers you can assume they did the checking for you. But even then it makes sense to use different sources, especially when it comes to the social sciences, where opinion may prevail over fact. Especially with controversial subjects. It is near impossible to find reliable information on, say, Cuba or tobacco. DirkvdM 06:06, 22 October 2006 (UTC)
weird question
I have a quesion for something that I would like to know if anyone could tell me what it is and anything about it, but I'm going to give an example, as that is the best way to explain it:
You are walking through a hallway and you all of a sudden fell as though a force is pulling your head into a violent headbanging motion. You don;t know if you actually just did it, but you feel as though you may have. You have to hold your hand on your head the rest of the time to stop this urge. Now you are walking up a stairway and you trip on the stairs. It is no big deal and you are in no way mad. You even have a nice person help you up. You come to the top happier than at the bottom, thinking about the incident. Then, all of a sudden, a random thought enters your mind of you tripping and then yelling "s***" fairly loud. This, of course, did not happen, but then you all of a sudden feel the urge to yell "s***" very loudly and you seriously believe that you just have. The urge keeps coming and unless you focus on one spot on the ground, and keep your mind focused strongly on something else, the urge keeps coming. If you look up at someone it's all of a sudden like you're being possessed to yell "s***" at them. Also, if you are walking near a (seriously, i do not mean any of this in a racist way)black guy around you;re age and you love black people but you for some reason you're mouth undergoes the possession-like urge to say things like "stupid black people" and stuff like that (that is not at all my opinion and i'm just using that phrase for the question), and like i just said, this is not at all coming from you or your thoughts. And then there's the whole possession-like thing of just calling people random horrible names. What is going on here and how can this be stopped?
Serious question, not just bs. Thanks. Temp 22:19, 20 October 2006 (UTC)
- Schizophrenia? I'm no psychologist. Hyenaste (tell) 22:29, 20 October 2006 (UTC)
- Possibly some kind of obsessive-compulsive disorder(?)... 惑乱 分からん 22:31, 20 October 2006 (UTC)
- If this is a dream: see a head doctor
- If this is not a dream: see a head doctor immediately!
--Light current 22:33, 20 October 2006 (UTC)
- Sounds a bit like coprolalia, though I have no idea if it can work exactly that way. In either case, like Light Current says, you should see a doctor. If you're feeling you're losing control to do these things, it could get serious, so the best is to see a professional. ☢ Ҡi∊ff⌇↯ 22:48, 20 October 2006 (UTC)
- Well, the urge to suddenly blurt out obscenities and targeted epithets is usually Tourette Syndrome, but if you're older than 18, I'm not sure why it would suddenly show up in you out of nowhere. In any case, Tourette's isn't a threat to your physical health. It's the feelings of headbanging and dizziness that I'm more concerned about. This is a case where you should consider all of us on Wikipedia to be idiots, and get to a doctor. --Aaron 23:08, 20 October 2006 (UTC)
- Aaron sounds spot on, but we are not qualified to give medical advice. This sounds like it could be a neurological problem. Please do not ask for medical diagnosis or advice on Wikipedia, because you know nothing about the qualifications, if any of the people answering the question. If it were me or a family member, I would see a doctor or maybe a neurologist as soon as possible.Edison 00:29, 21 October 2006 (UTC)
- "Coprolalia" is the correct medical term for the obscenity aspect of Tourette syndrome. But considering that the guy doesn't seem to completely discern between reality and fantasies, to boot, I gigure it might be a more complex problem than simply that... 惑乱 分からん 02:06, 21 October 2006 (UTC)
- Aaron sounds spot on, but we are not qualified to give medical advice. This sounds like it could be a neurological problem. Please do not ask for medical diagnosis or advice on Wikipedia, because you know nothing about the qualifications, if any of the people answering the question. If it were me or a family member, I would see a doctor or maybe a neurologist as soon as possible.Edison 00:29, 21 October 2006 (UTC)
Legality 2: The Fellowship of the Law
Is it legal to walk around a town naked? What about on your property, outside? What aboud inside your property, next to a window? If any of these are illegal, what if you're wearing a mask?--216.164.199.234 23:14, 20 October 2006 (UTC)
- Actually, it is legal to stand next to a window, inside of your property naked. Didn't see that one coming, did ya? THL 23:36, 20 October 2006 (UTC)
- There are places where you may not even smooch or consume alcohol on your own property, inside, if you can be seen from the outside. It really depends on where you are and what the local rules are. --LambiamTalk 00:01, 21 October 2006 (UTC)
- Where are we talking about? These types of laws vary from town to town. I'd say almost all towns have some form of an Indecent exposure law. Obviously, if you start walking around naked in public you will end up with a police officer who will arrest you on some law based on lewd behavior. I'm sure most places as well would legally allow nudity on private property, but once again it depends on where we are talking about. —Mitaphane talk 00:10, 21 October 2006 (UTC)
Hi, again. Thanks for signing your post but it should be on the illegal/illegal in a mask page. Besides, if you're wearing a mask, you're not naked. Duh. -THB 02:08, 21 October 2006 (UTC)
October 21
Games on the TI-84?
Are there any other games for it, besides the one with the shapes? Pacific Coast Highway {blah • Happy Halloween! • WP:NYCS} 00:30, 21 October 2006 (UTC)
You can download games, or you can make your own, just using the calculator(it's not complicated), or get ones that your friends have made. I've made minesweeper, connect four, hangman, and some other stuff.
- If you have the cable (they're like $15) you can put assembly games on your calculator. Go to the archives at [22] --frothT C 05:34, 21 October 2006 (UTC)
Military Corpmen
I am not using the following information for experiments of any form of surgery. How do US military corpsmen treat fellow soldiers if the following occurs: a bullet to the arm, a bullet to the torso, a shot-off finger? Do they, for example, inject the fallen soldiers with drugs such as morphines and surgically remove the bullets? Also, what anesthetics do US corpmen carry? Thanks --Jamesino 00:51, 21 October 2006 (UTC)
- The corpsman will render first aid to make the casualty stable enough to go to a Aid Station and/or MASH unit. They do use drugs to alleviate the pain as they stabilize the casualty for transport, be it by a land conveyance, a helicopter, boat, etc. Martial Law 03:09, 21 October 2006 (UTC)
- US MASH units have now been replaced with Combat Support Hospitals. StuRat 11:18, 21 October 2006 (UTC)
- Usually it may be morphine, but that has been replaced, to avoid creating junkies on the battlefield. Martial Law 03:11, 21 October 2006 (UTC)
What kind of drugs do they use now? What if a US Navy SEAL platoon is out on a mission and one of its members got a finger shot off and took a bullet to the arm, what does the corpsmen do in that case when they are nowhere near a hospital? Jamesino 23:42, 21 October 2006 (UTC)
manual information on Technics Compact Disc Changer SL-MC 50
Hi! I'm looking for the manual for the Technics Disc Changer SL-MC 50. They don't make this product anymore. We have one and need a manual for it.
Thanks. Bob
- Google is your friend Bob. —Mitaphane talk 03:43, 21 October 2006 (UTC)
soviet union breakdown
I was alive in 1991 but I have no idea what happened with the USSR in that year. can someone give me a very brief summary of what happened? Or link. Thanks.
- Try History of the Soviet Union (1985-1991) and please sign your posts with four tildes! Thanks. -THB 06:29, 21 October 2006 (UTC)
WP and War
Since WP has servers in South Korea, what would WP do if war breaks out. The expectation of war is real, since N. Korea may go to war real shortly. Will WP relocate these servers in the event of war ? I've been watching the situation on FOX News, CNN, other media for quite some time since the nuke test crisis started. Martial Law 03:19, 21 October 2006 (UTC)
- I'm not completely sure of the details of wikipedia's servers setup, but I'm guessing the servers in Korea are caches of the servers located in Florida, done so to minimize access time for people in the Eastern Hemisphere. If this is the case, it wouldn't take much to make another backup and place it on a server located in another stable region. —Mitaphane talk 03:52, 21 October 2006 (UTC)
- I'd suggest Japan to be WP's alternate ___location, yet still serve the Eastern Hemisphere's clientele, unless Japan goes to war to protect itself. Martial Law 04:28, 21 October 2006 (UTC)
- A alternate suggestion would be Guam. No wars, no earthquakes either. Martial Law 04:42, 21 October 2006 (UTC)
- I'd suggest Japan to be WP's alternate ___location, yet still serve the Eastern Hemisphere's clientele, unless Japan goes to war to protect itself. Martial Law 04:28, 21 October 2006 (UTC)
- WP should make a back-up and be ready to move it should war indeed comes to the Korean Peninsula. One other question, is WP monitoring the situation ? Martial Law 04:50, 21 October 2006 (UTC)
- If war does break out in that area, it's going to be so nasty that I doubt there's going to be anyplace in S. Korea to put any servers for quite some time. In any case, it's all backed up constantly; Wikipedia would simply switch the relevant ___domain names to another IP address somewhere else in Asia. Beyond that, it would be up to the various Internet backbone sites in that region to make sure anyone could actually reach S. Korean sites. --Aaron 04:57, 21 October 2006 (UTC)
- North Korea may go to war real shortly? What on Earth makes you think that? And with South Korea, with whom they are developing ever more amicable relationships? You admit you watch Fox and CNN. But you also claim to use other sources. Any reliable ones among those? Maybe I should start making bets about what will happen in world politics with people who watch Fox and CNN. I'd be a millionaire in no time. DirkvdM 06:14, 22 October 2006 (UTC)
My Own Page?
When editing my own page, is it still necassary to leave an Edit summary?. —BeefJeaunt talk
- Yes, it is. Martial Law 04:20, 21 October 2006 (UTC)
- No it isnt Martial law. We are still under civil law. 8-)--Light current 06:19, 21 October 2006 (UTC)
- Necessary in what sense, ML? It's certainly not required. Anchoress 04:24, 21 October 2006 (UTC)
- ~after edit conflict, a completely different answer to the above one! It's never necessary to leave an edit summary, but there are counters that measure summary compliance, and undiscerning people might look at poor edit summary compliance and deem it to be an editorial fault (in the case of adminship application, for instance). Anchoress 04:24, 21 October 2006 (UTC)
I always try to leave an edit summary on actual articles, but not on talk pages, my own user page, and the Ref Desk, as those comments are typically self-explanatory. This edit, for example, would just say something like "Answer", if I bothered. At some point, "talking about talking about talking" becomes silly. StuRat 10:57, 21 October 2006 (UTC)
Replacement cap for flash drive
I lost the cap to my 512MB flash drive. Where do I go to get a replacement? Will a replacement cap from, say, Lexar, work on a SanDisk drive? --Blue387 05:20, 21 October 2006 (UTC)
- Ask on the IT/Computing desk--they should know. -THB 06:25, 21 October 2006 (UTC)
- But really, would you need a cap, can't you put it in plastic foil or something, if you worry about dust? I doubt a cap would be worth its prize... 惑乱 分からん 14:20, 21 October 2006 (UTC)
- The simple intuitative answer that comes to me is contact the company that makes the product. See if you can buy a replacement from them. As far as caps that will work across difference flash drives. That depends on how the plastic is molded and shaped to fit together. —Mitaphane talk 17:18, 21 October 2006 (UTC)
more french riots
what's wrong with these people? ?
why don't they just go to school and get an education and get a decent job . why are they ambushing police? If they don't like the french system then they're free to leave. wtf is wrong with these people!?!!?
- Theyre French 8-(--Light current 06:17, 21 October 2006 (UTC)
- It ain't just in France--see Race riot. -THB 06:43, 21 October 2006 (UTC)
- The article explains why they can't get a job. It is called "racial discrimination". What is the point of getting an education if you know you won't be able to get a job? Also, what notion is this that "they're free to leave"? To where? Danmark? The United States? Will you sponsor their visa applications? --LambiamTalk 09:27, 21 October 2006 (UTC)
- Well 2005 civil unrest in France covers the event of about a year ago (maybe you have already seen this article but you never know).
- Are they French? I mean : do they have the French nationality and the right to vote? I guess not, because if that were the case France could lose its identity pretty soon.
- Lambiam, last year they killed an old retired man who tried to put out a fire and set an old lady on a bus on fire. I find it hard to sympathize.Evilbu 09:56, 21 October 2006 (UTC)
- Did I say anything to condone their behaviour? As always with riots, there are some people who riot just for their idea of fun, not much different from soccer hooligans, and many who are swept up by the mob psychology. It's always been like that except that now we have missiles and generals, which is so much more civilized. And as always, the people who suffer most from such riots are the people who live right there, in the banlieux, the vast majority of whom do not participate in or even approve of the rioting. Then the hardliners come and want "hard measures" that are completely ineffectual except that they punish the people who live there a third time, making it harder and harder for those who are working hard there to build a sense of community. The riots wouldn't be so fierce if not so many of these youngsters were bored and without purpose, and they would also not be so fierce if there wasn't a lot of justified bitterness and anger. Most of these young people were born in France. They have nowhere to go. --LambiamTalk 12:52, 21 October 2006 (UTC)
For those who aren't French citizens, I would deport them back to their country of origin, after they serve any prison sentence. They have claimed asylum because they didn't feel safe at home ? Well, they should have thought about that when they decided to go rioting, shouldn't they ? StuRat 10:37, 21 October 2006 (UTC)
- If they're citizens of France then they can move anywhere they wish in the European Community without asking or telling anyone. -THB
This shows the character of rioters:
"On Saturday, 26 May, the Live and Let Live pub, which was occupied at the time, was pelted with bricks, stones and petrol bombs."
Exactly...exactly
- It is important to understand that most of the young men responsible for the violence were born and raised in France, yet because their ancestors were not European, they are not accepted as French by French people of European origin. Unemployment is very high for French young people, in the neighborhood of 25% I think. It is much higher for young men from visible minorities because of racism. So suggesting that they just get a job ignores the fact that many of them would like to do just that but can't. Getting an education does not offer much hope of improvement. The job market is very tight for French graduates of European origin, and much tighter, again due to racism, for young men with darker skin. Leaving France for some other EU country is also not much of an option because similar forms of racism exist in most other parts of Europe. These young men are harassed from the time they reach puberty by the local police, so it is not surprising (if also not really excusable) that the police are targets for their anger. The behavior of these young men is certainly problematic, but so is the intolerant and racist French culture that produces them. Marco polo 19:16, 21 October 2006 (UTC)
- If they don't have a job but they don't starve either that means they do get some sort of minimum amount of money to survive without working. The lady whose retired husband was killed while trying to put out a fire referred to them as "those lazy bums". I can imagine that if my wife,after years of hard working (partially for people like those) and finally retiring, were killed for fun by the same people, I'd say about the same thing.Evilbu 19:22, 21 October 2006 (UTC)
- guess that's why people move to the US. you can do whatever th e fuck you want with a decent education. opportunity abounds.
I never understood the mentality that you had to find a peaceful solution to the rioting.. if someone's coming at you -a police officer- with a metal bat, shoot him in the face or at least the leg. Get a helicopter with a mounted chain gun and spray down the riot. That would dissolve it awful fast and they would get what they deserve, and it would keep innocent people from getting hurt. --frothT C 22:38, 21 October 2006 (UTC)
- um.....16th century despotism called and they want their draconian laws back...
- I'll assume that was irony, but I'm not entirely sure. Irony doesn't travel well over the Internet. Use emoticons to show how you mean something. (And maybe I should start prcatising what I preach. :) ) DirkvdM 06:28, 22 October 2006 (UTC)
- You aren't David Blunkett [23] in disguise are you, Froth? Laïka 13:37, 22 October 2006 (UTC)
Mask
Is it illegal to wear a mask? If not, then what if you're wearing a mask? And is it illegal to wear a mask if you're NOT wearing a mask? -THB 06:50, 21 October 2006 (UTC)
- Depends. Do you own a cactus and\or a baseball bat? ☢ Ҡi∊ff⌇↯ 06:59, 21 October 2006 (UTC)
- Yes and if you do, you know what you can do with them 8-)--Light current 07:53, 21 October 2006 (UTC)
Nation of Islam dress
Why do members wear red bow ties as part of a uniform?
lots of issues | leave me a message 10:21, 21 October 2006 (UTC)
- I don't know about the color (revolution ?), but I once heard Louis Farrakhan say they wore bowties because they could be lynched with regular neckties. StuRat 10:27, 21 October 2006 (UTC)
WATS THIS SONG???
Whats the first song on the video and who was it by? Video: http://video.google.co.uk/videoplay?docid=2697258554453923478&q=liverpool+fc --84.69.123.27 10:28, 21 October 2006 (UTC)
- It's "Tubthumping" by Chumbawamba. -- Finlay McWalter | Talk 10:35, 21 October 2006 (UTC)
GOOGLE EARTH
look on google earth at these coordinates: 53°50'39-North, 1°20'34-West
what happened here...builders having a bad day???
--84.69.123.27 11:40, 21 October 2006 (UTC)
- If you mean the thing that looks like an incomplete bridge - it's a tunnel. If you mean why does the road appear weirdly bendy - that's just an artifact of Google Earth's montaging different satellite photos together, the road really isn't bendy. -- Finlay McWalter | Talk 11:51, 21 October 2006 (UTC)
i would disagree with you....it cant be where the ariel imageing has been put together because if it was there would be a clear line across the surrounding land with the same 'bendyness'; and there isnt, also if there were 2 images being put together there then you would be able to see a difference between the two, and there isnt.--84.69.123.27 12:27, 21 October 2006 (UTC)
- Ariel image ? Perhaps like this: [24] :-) StuRat 12:35, 21 October 2006 (UTC)
- Finlay is correct, you are seeing an artifact where two images have been stitched together. You can't see the line very well in the rest of the image because so much of the image is fairly plain: the mottled green fields don't have many recognizable repeating features, unlike the white dashed lines on the highway. If you zoom in and pan around, you can see other evidence of the image stitching, especially to the south and west. Note on the freeway, just to the north of the 'bend' the pavement changes color along a very well-defined line. That's the line along which the images were stitched. 192.168.1.1 10:30, 21 Rocktober 2006 (PST)
- There's something more going on here than mere image stitching. Image stitching never makes sharp geometric lines like that (at least, not in my experience); it's usually a fuzzy/blurry effect. There's a pronounced one in Corinth at 37°33'42.45"N, 21°34'50.89"E which you can compare.
- I really don't think the line where the pavement changes color is an image-stich line. The pavement markings on either side of it line up too perfectly, and you would also expect to see some vehicles cut off. Look at the big white caravan towed behind the yellow minivan: I think it's right on top of where the pavement-change color would be in the northbound lanes. The pavement-change color is either real (perhaps due to the construction of that underpass), or it's a line along which the brightness of one image was abruptly adjusted.
- Similarly, if the bendiness isn't the result of "builders having a bad day" (which I agree seems unlikely), I think it must be the result of some kind of skewing or stretching of one image (perhaps to make it better line up with other images elsewhere), not directly a stitch line between two images. —Steve Summit (talk) 13:40, 22 October 2006 (UTC)
JESUS
what was his last name??? did he have one???--84.69.123.27 12:34, 21 October 2006 (UTC)
- At that time, in that culture, last names were rare. It was more common to identify yourself by your father's name or your home city or profession. In modern times, we might call him Jesus Josephson, Jesus Bettlehem, or Jesus Carpenter, I suppose. StuRat 12:40, 21 October 2006 (UTC)
- In the Bible he is often referred to as Jesus of Nazareth. (For his possible middle name, see Jesus H. Christ.) --Shantavira 14:28, 21 October 2006 (UTC)
- But Jesus H. Christ is just an Anglo-Saxon thing, anyway... =S 惑乱 分からん 23:56, 21 October 2006 (UTC)
- He'd be Jesus ben Joseph, but that would be a pretty common name. --jpgordon∇∆∇∆ 15:40, 21 October 2006 (UTC)
- Or Jesus ben God, since he identified himself as the son of God not Joseph --frothT C 22:32, 21 October 2006 (UTC)
- Wouldn't that actually be Iesus Ben Iawheh, or something? 惑乱 分からん 23:56, 21 October 2006 (UTC)
- More likely Jeshua Bar Joseph, since he spoke Aramaic. Joshua ben Joseph in Hebrew. "Jesus" is a Greek translation of his real first name. Although most people in the Middle East spoke some Greek back then (it was the lingua franca and more commonly used by the average person than Latin), I don't know if he would have even recognized the word "Jesus". The translation was probably devised after his death. --Charlene.fic 03:37, 22 October 2006 (UTC)
AV club
What is the "AV Club" (and not the supplement of the Onion)? It seems to be a common way of indicating that someone is a nerd on American TV (it's also mentioned in White & Nerdy). I'm guessing that it has something to do with Audio Visual, but can't see what kind of school club could be based around this. Laïka 13:13, 21 October 2006 (UTC)
- My guess would be audiovisual club, a group of students who work with audiovisual equipment (speakers, projectors, microphones, lights, etc.) Sorry if this answer isn't definite enough --WikiSlasher 13:46, 21 October 2006 (UTC)
- Adult Video? =S 惑乱 分からん 14:17, 21 October 2006 (UTC)
- No. WikiSlasher is correct. The kids in the 'audio visual club' are the stereotypical geeks -- but what those perpetuating the stereotype don't realize is that the AV club kids get out of class a lot to help other classes with the projectors (or, I guess, TVs nowadays), so they might be geeks, but they're having fun doing it. --jpgordon∇∆∇∆ 15:39, 21 October 2006 (UTC)
- Geeks could make a 16mm movie projector, a Public address system, or a reel-to-reel tape recorder work, and many teachers couldn't. Edison 22:06, 21 October 2006 (UTC)
Freedom Passes in London
On the Freedom Pass cards in London, there is a sillohett of a London Skyline. It goes something like - from left to right - The Houses of Parliament, Tower Bridge, the BT Tower, a building which I can't place and then London Eye. I'm wonder what it actually is between the BT Tower and the London Eye! Any ideas? Thanks in advance Loserdog3000 14:08, 21 October 2006 (UTC)
- Doesn't look right to me Loserdog3000 10:40, 22 October 2006 (UTC)
- Nor me. Not sure what it is, though. Interesting. --Richardrj talk email 13:29, 22 October 2006 (UTC)
- Doesn't look right to me Loserdog3000 10:40, 22 October 2006 (UTC)
Through rain, through sleet...through employees' apartments?
After reading about postal workers who just stash mail in their apartments or just toss it out, does the post office do any sort of checking to see if the mail gets delivered? Clarityfiend 17:24, 21 October 2006 (UTC)
- Yes they do. My pal in Edinburgh is a sorting - office manager and he tells me that every delivery route is periodically loaded with dummy letters that are physically tracked and timed to check up on the postie (postman). And severe retribution follows where evidence is discovered that mail is being withheld/disposed of/ opened/interfered with. It is after all, Her Majesty's Mail whilst it is in transit between the sender and the recipient. So yes, your concerns are taken extremely seriously in the UK.
- I know of no such actions taken in the U.S. In the latest incident of a postman not delivering mail, from what I've read in the news, it consisted mostly of junk mail. So if someone were to not recieve something that they didn't know they were getting in the first place, they'd never know it. Dismas|(talk) 18:59, 21 October 2006 (UTC)
- Yes they do. My pal in Edinburgh is a sorting - office manager and he tells me that every delivery route is periodically loaded with dummy letters that are physically tracked and timed to check up on the postie (postman). And severe retribution follows where evidence is discovered that mail is being withheld/disposed of/ opened/interfered with. It is after all, Her Majesty's Mail whilst it is in transit between the sender and the recipient. So yes, your concerns are taken extremely seriously in the UK.
- Interesting, but apparently, so-called junkmail is also monitored by The Royal Mail for 2 main reasons; 1) The customer i.e. the advertiser, has paid The Royal Mail to deliver the junkmail; and 2), The postie gets paid a per-letter/packet premium based on the number of letters/packets on his route. So it's not just a question of dumping the mail; it's also a question of fraudulently accepting money for services NOT rendered. Sure, it happens from time to time, but the questionner can still be satisfied with the answer given above.
- Im sure some customers would gladly pay not to recieve some mail like bills and junk mail.--Light current 20:07, 21 October 2006 (UTC)
- I actually enjoy getting bills, since I need something to stoke in the fireplace for warmth. :-) StuRat 21:13, 21 October 2006 (UTC)
- There is a mail verification system in the U.S. Volunteers get advance mailings that a piece of test mail will be delivered in a given time frame. They then notify the verification service what day the mail was received and in what condition, as a check against nondelivery or "curtailment" in which the carrier holds it for a time before delivering it. The volunteers are added to the junk maiil address list only for the test mailing. Edison 22:10, 21 October 2006 (UTC)
Who is this guy from - Sky News - British TV - 11pm Friday 20th October - Last Night
- Last night on Sky News they did their usual look at the Saturday (today) morning newspaper headlines, and as usual, invited 2 "celebrity" personalities to discuss their views. One guy was Mike Reid, an "ageing" British Radio and TV Disc Jockey; the other was a much younger Asian looking guy who was introduced as a "Conservative Party Activist", whose views and political astuteness were quite refreshing and well-informed. His English language diction was southern England and very well spoken. His name was something like, and I apologise for my ignorance and bad spelling, Rishi Asah. But that is my quest for help. Does anyone know his real name? Thanks. And as a rider, what on earth is a Conservative Party Activist?
- Don't have Sky, but a Conservative Party Activist is a
poor foolsorry, NPOV usually young and energetic, although demographically the Conservatives have tended to be older, this might be changing with David Cameron as leader, who go on the media/walk door to door/deliver leaflets, etc, etc, working to try to get the Tories elected. All parties have activists, the general rule of thumb is that out of the people who can be bothered to join, perhaps 10% of them will be motiviated enough to be an activist. A subset of those are the ones who go on to Party Conferences, and the like. Basically, the guy you saw is either working of volunteering for the Conservatives, trying to raise their profile on issues and persuade people to vote for them - an activist. --Mnemeson 19:41, 21 October 2006 (UTC)
- Don't have Sky, but a Conservative Party Activist is a
- Rishi Saha? if so activist means someone who keeps losing elections in Brent South MeltBanana 22:34, 21 October 2006 (UTC)
- You call them 'activists'? In Canada we call people who keep losing elections "pundits". There always seems to be one yapping on CBC Radio One no matter when you tune in. --Charlene.fic 03:42, 22 October 2006 (UTC)
- Thanks meltbanana. I had the right letters in the wrong order. But I'm not dyslexic, just pre-senile dementia. Thanks again.
european borders
is there a border checkpoint anymore between the nation-states of the EU?
- As you fly into Barcelona Airport approaching from the North-East over France, you can see the main road betweeen France and Spain quite clearly. And the traffic tailbacks of Spanish-bound cars heading towarsd Barcelona go back literally for miles as their occupants check in their documents at the numerous checkpoint cabins.
- so....the EU is far from the tight confederation model of the USA where the individual states actually trust each other?
- As you fly into Barcelona Airport approaching from the North-East over France, you can see the main road betweeen France and Spain quite clearly. And the traffic tailbacks of Spanish-bound cars heading towarsd Barcelona go back literally for miles as their occupants check in their documents at the numerous checkpoint cabins.
- You got it> But whereas the US has only 2 bordering states and are friendly with both, we in wider and ever-widening Europe have many more whose citizens all speak different languages, have different passport styles and visa documents; have different work and residence permits; use different currencies (the Euro and Sterling for instance); some of which countries themselves border with newly integrated -into-Europe states (Rumania, Bulgaria, Poland etc) and others that want to but can't just yet, that have created a disproportionate number of emigrants/immigrants between the wealthier western states and the poorer and post-communist emerging economies. And sadly (for me) a decent 70cl bottle of Whisky here in the UK costs me about £15 whereas I can buy the same brand in Spain for about £11 a Litre, and cigarettes in Spain are about 20% of the price in the UK. So the individual Governments are seriously concerned about the inbalance in reciprocal trading values caused by immigrants/travellers shifting large amounts of contraband between the member states. I believe that's the main reason why the developing United States decided to have a Federal Government in the first place? To create a "Free-State" within their own collective boundaries. Well, just wait and see. Europe will one day move to that happy position. Imagine being able to buy a litre of whisky where it is made (here in Scotland)for £11. Happy days.
- Depends on the border - I'm surprised at the report of tailbacks on France/Spain, because both of them are Schengen treaty signatories - are you sure it wasn't the Andorra border? All Schengen states (in theory at least) have passportless internal travel, so you can drive from Granada to Berlin to Bergen and then fly to Reykjavik without ever needing a passport (although you will need valid photo ID like a driving license to get on the plane at the end). Ireland and the UK have a Schengen-like agreement between themselves, but neither state is part of Schengen (neither one trusts Italy or Spain to manage their coastlines). You cross the border between France and Germany at 100kph without ever needing to slow down as the Autoroute turns into the Autobahn. --Mnemeson 19:35, 21 October
- Thanks Mnemeson. You are probably correct but we were so close to the sea I was pretty sure it was the France-Spain border. I'll keep a special look-out next time I am flying into Barcelona for a stock of cheap whisky to bring home. Is that what the Andorran's are queing for too perhaps? It's also galling to have to fly into Edinburgh Airport and show my UK Passport after having returned from Spain where I have had to show it before I got on the 'plane.
I have once crossed the border between Finland and Norway without even noticing it. And it's the border of two unions too. Finland is in the EU but Norway isn't, and Norway is in NATO but Finland isn't. JIP | Talk 07:21, 22 October 2006 (UTC)
Rucum or Rucuum Hill
I am looking for the origin of the name. It is located near Woodbury Connecticut and is noted on the U. S. Geographical Names government website. However, that website gives no information about the derivation of the name.
Thank you,
- Sorry, but even the United States Board on Geographic Names could not discover the origin of the name. See p. 13 of this pdf document. Please sign your posts using four tildes. -THB 21:32, 21 October 2006 (UTC)
I found this:
UNITED STATES BOARD ON GEOGRAPHIC NAMES, Docket 381, September 26, 2002:[25]
Rucuum Hill: summit; elevation 265 m (871 ft); located in the Town of Roxbury, 0.8 km (0.5 mi) NE of Bronson Mountain; Litchfield County, Connecticut; 41º32’00”N, 73º16’05”W; USGS map Roxbury 1:24,000; Not: Rucum Hill.
- 1. Proposal: name change to recognize the name reported to be in local usage
- 2. Map: USGS Woodbury 1:24,000
- 3. Proposer: Town of Woodbury Selectmen
- 4. Administrative area: None
- 5. Previous BGN Action: None
- 6. Names associated with feature:
- GNIS: Rucum Hill (ID 09005849/FID 210342)
- Local Usage: None found
- Published: Rucum Hill (USGS 1904/23, 1949, 1955/84)
- 7. Case Summary: This proposal would change the name of Rucum Hill, a summit in the Town of Roxbury, to Rucuum Hill. Although the summit lies just outside the boundaries of the Town of Woodbury, the Selectmen of that town submitted the change, because a recently-published map of Woodbury includes a reference to Rucuum Hill Road, which runs from Woodbury westward into Roxbury. The name Rucum Hill has appeared on U.S. Geological Survey maps since 1904, and was listed as such in Connecticut Place Names (Hughes and Allen, 1976). The latter volume indicated the origin of the name was unknown, but cited an 1859 description of “a large tract of land called Rucum”. The summit does not appear on the 1967 Litchfield County map, although Ruccum Road is shown and named.
Presumably this is what the questioner referred to. I suggest contacting the Selectmen of the Town of Woodbury, who may know more, or may be able to refer you to a local historian. --LambiamTalk 06:50, 22 October 2006 (UTC)
Post-suicide-attempt care?
This is by far the strangest question I've posted here, but I'm working on a novel, and that tends to raise some peculiar questions. I need to know what kind of care would be mandated--both medically and psychiatrically--after a sucide attempt by overdose of antidepressants. I've done some research on Google and within Wiki, but most of it seems to focus more on medium-long term care, and not what would happen immediately after the attempt. Any further (or shorter!) information would be appreciated. Thanks! -Moriane 19:16, 21 October 2006 (UTC)
- It depends on (1) the specific antidepressant used, (2) the mental state of the person after the immediate danger is past, and (3) the availability of a psychiatrist in the immediate aftermath. Check a poison center site for the risks and likelihood of unconsciousness for any specific antidepressant. After that, it will depend on the treating physician's assessment of the mental and mood state of the patient. In many cases, no psychotropic agent would be immediately restarted until a psychiatrist had seen the patient. Psychiatrists do not treat serious overdoses, and doctors who treat serious overdoses are rarely comfortable prescribing psychotropics. Commonly, the patient's original psychiatrist may not even have privileges at the hospital where the overdose is being cared for, so another might be used temporarily to determine whether the patient can be discharged or transfered to a psych ward. alteripse 19:30, 21 October 2006 (UTC)
- While the patient is in the hospital (assuming that's required), they would likly have an attendant with them at all times, just to make sure the person doesn't attempt suicide again.–RHolton≡– 10:44, 22 October 2006 (UTC)
skin cancer
do aussies and kiwis and south-south Americans have higher skin cancer rates because of their ozone hole?
- Do they have a higher rate of skin cancer? Please sign your posts with four tildes. Thanks. -THB 21:24, 21 October 2006 (UTC)
Why is British?
Why is British the dominant language on Wikipedia, even though Mr. Jim "The Man" Wales is American? Is it a rule, or is it just because there are more British here than Americans? --216.164.249.137 19:27, 21 October 2006 (UTC)
- Wouldn't you think someone named Wales would speak British English (along with Welsh) ? :-) StuRat 11:14, 22 October 2006 (UTC)
- British-English isn't necessarily the dominant language. Our manual of style says that British v. American spelling is determined either by the first editor to the article to use a word that differs between the two or by the subject of the article, i.e. Tony Blair uses British spelling while George W. Bush uses American.—WAvegetarian•(talk) 19:30, 21 October 2006 (UTC)
- Hehe, it would have been funny if the other party was there first! :-) There will of course be more chances to try that, as their respective countries get a new leader. —Bromskloss 21:31, 21 October 2006 (UTC)
- More likely it is because many of the brits are more obsessed with which set of spellings are used than the americans. I think the ratio of "guerilla spelling changes" is about 3:1 for A to B over B to A. Most Americans are bilingual enough to at least read British English and don't think it worth arguing about; apparently that may not be true of most Brits. alteripse 19:36, 21 October 2006 (UTC)
- That's not entirely fair Alteripse. I am a frequent and enthusiastic Brit. traveller to the US and despite the gargantuan size of some of your diners (people), I can always be sure to differentiate between them and a place to eat (diner).
- Well, it's good to know that some Brits have been culturally broadened. Most of us Americans are just gastronomically broadened. Next time you are in Philadelphia, give me a call and I will take you out for dinner. alteripse 20:04, 21 October 2006 (UTC)
- How many dinars to dine or eat dinner at Dinah's diner ? StuRat 21:01, 21 October 2006 (UTC)
- Perhaps the rest of the world is inclined toward British. Here in Sweden, for example, British English is taught in school. Personally, when trying to determine what flavor to adhere to, I at first said British, to myself, because I saw it as the origin of other variants (that's true, right?). I have realised, though, that that's not really a valid argument by itself, since truly sticking with the original would make me speak languages that no longer exist! Anyway, I settled (a bit vaguely) for British, just for the sake of tradition. (Wouldn't it be all to appropriate if I, through my unspeakable ignorance, was shown having used non-British language in this very comment?) —Bromskloss 21:31, 21 October 2006 (UTC)
- Yup, you used the word flavor. :D Hyenaste (tell) 22:40, 21 October 2006 (UTC)
- Actually, I don't think so. India and perhaps Hong Kong might be inclined toward British English, but I think in Japan and South Korea etc. people generally try to learn American English. Also, in Sweden, British English is taught in school, but most popular media contains American English, so I think that dialect is more common among the younger population in Sweden. (Personally, I probably know more slang, for instance, from American than British, which often baffles me.) 惑乱 分からん 23:44, 21 October 2006 (UTC)
- Can we compromise and say Wikipedia is written in Canadian English? --The Dark Side 03:01, 22 October 2006 (UTC)
- Why not, eh? --Charlene.fic 03:32, 22 October 2006 (UTC)
I'm not sure that US English deviates any more from, say, Old English or Middle English than modern British English. I also strongly object to those who call British English "International English", since US English is spoken in many places around the world, as well. StuRat 11:12, 22 October 2006 (UTC)
- To WAvegetarian, the Wikipedia:Manual of Style#National varieties of English indicates that it is not always the first person there that dictates the spelling. Even if I was to be the first person to create a United States based article I should use American English. To Alteripse, I have seen it written that it is more likly for US based publishing companies to change the spelling of British authors to reflect American usage than the other way round. In fact I have seen the British "Labour Party" spelt as "Labor Party" in US newspapers. I suspect that if you are seeing a 3:1 ratio you are probably looking at more US based articles than British based ones. I think the spelling changes is about 1:1 CambridgeBayWeather (Talk) 13:46, 22 October 2006 (UTC)
Origin of a name
Hello,
I've been trying to resolve this query that I've had for a long time. The meaning of my middle name. It's Evadney and I've never heard any-one else called this name. I've searched through so many different websites, asked my family members read books, searched my family tree to see if any-one else had been called this name. My mother has passed away and so I can't ask her and I would really appreciate it if some could help me. I'd like to know where it originated from, what does it mean. It would be greatly appreciated if some-one could help or give me a few pointers as far as where I should look for some answers. Thanking you in advanceAuroradd^^
- There used to be a character on the UK TV by that name. Perhaps it was spelt 'Evadne'. I think her last name was either Hinge or Bracket, not sure which.--Light current 19:36, 21 October 2006 (UTC)
- Well the Readers Digest Encyclopaedic Dictionary says it perhaps means "well-tamed". Possibly not what you wanted to hear but i'm sure you would not kick up a fuss. MeltBanana 22:45, 21 October 2006 (UTC)
- Did you try google? It's a misspelling of Evadne, which is a Greek name meaning 'good fortune' (as indicated by the first Evadne referred to in Lightcurrent's link above). There are a few Evadneys around; I've known three personally, who have all been from the Caribbean (two Jamaicans, one Grenadine) - is your family from the Caribbean? Natgoo 09:20, 22 October 2006 (UTC)
what's the little yellow dot to the east of switzerland
All the little dots are micro countries. The one east of Switz is Liechtenstein. alteripse 19:51, 21 October 2006 (UTC)
- oh
- Could be someone skiing in the French Alps, wearing a yellow hat. DirkvdM 06:36, 22 October 2006 (UTC)
swiss banks
what're some real life anecdotes that havel ed to the swiss bank Hollywood cliche? (this is not homework)
- Which cliché is that? It would help if you could be more specific, and please sign your posts with four tildes! -THB 21:21, 21 October 2006 (UTC)
- He's referring to the image of "bad guys" always having a secure offshore account in switzerland. See Banking in Switzerland or Offshore bank for real-life examples --frothT C 22:24, 21 October 2006 (UTC)
- Froth, how do you do that? Telepathy? -THB 09:54, 22 October 2006 (UTC)
- How does he do what? I understood what the questioner was looking for as well. I guess froth and I have seen enough Hollywood movies to just know. Dismas|(talk) 11:22, 22 October 2006 (UTC)
- Froth, how do you do that? Telepathy? -THB 09:54, 22 October 2006 (UTC)
Diversity
How can I measure diversity in an education institution.
- What kind of diversity? If you mean ethnic diversity, one way would be to compare the ethnic composition of the institution to the ethnic composition of the population from which the students, faculty, and staff are drawn. Please sign your posts by inserting four tildes after them. Thanks. -THB 21:44, 21 October 2006 (UTC)
- Diversity of topics studied? Diversity of languages spoken? Ethnic diversity? Be more specific.--The Corsair. 06:46, 22 October 2006 (UTC)
At least 5-10 years ago, diversity was an American academic codeword with a very specific meaning. It denoted having (1) a more noticeable fraction of non-white ethnic population than would have been seen at that same institution a generation earlier, (2) a much larger and more visible gay population than in the general population, and (3) a pervasive institutional intolerance for Christianity and traditional American social values. Those attributes could not be plainly stated in plain words to prospective students and families. Diversity did not refer to diversity of allowed public political or social values expression, or to a greater range of other student characteristics, such as age or family socioeconomic status or intellectual interests. Many less prestigious schools (i.e., the second-tier state universities) have higher proportions of non-white students and non-traditional students, and more actual diversity of social origin, intellectual talent, age, life experience, political attitudes, and tolerance for Christianity, but in the 1990s were less likely to tout "diversity" as one of their main defining attributes to prospective students. In recent years, as more and more US schools are claiming "diversity", the word may be losing that specific meaning.
List of PS3 Games
Is there, on this site on any other websites, a list of PS3 games, with their release dates, sorted by their release dates? On WP I can only find a regular list of games, no release dates. I want to know so I can find out what games are coming out close to the system's launch, short of the launch ttles(Because all the launch titles suck). Яussiaп F 21:21, 21 October 2006 (UTC)
- Go to their offical website. http://www.us.playstation.com/ Taida 22:26, 21 October 2006 (UTC)
Game-show buzzers
What is the best way to buzz a game show (e.g. Jeopardy!) buzzer? Is it faster to use the thumb or the index finger? --22:13, 21 October 2006 (UTC)
- Use your whole hand.Taida 22:23, 21 October 2006 (UTC)
- probably the palm --frothT C 22:23, 21 October 2006 (UTC)
- When I have watched Jeopardy )Swedish edition) on Swedish television, it seemed as the contestants used their whole palms. 惑乱 分からん 23:39, 21 October 2006 (UTC)
- What is "I held it like a pen you're about to click to extend the point and used my thumb." Didn't help. It's more the timing, waiting for the moment when the trigger goes "live". On Jeopardy, the contestants can see a series of lights that go on or off in sequence (can't remember which) which signals when you can buzz in. Clarityfiend 01:05, 22 October 2006 (UTC)
- It would depend on what kind of buzzer. "Jeopardy!" has a hand-held buzzer that you have to click with your thumb, but there are some attached right to the desk and you could hit those with your palm. Oops forgot sig. --Charlene.fic 03:29, 22 October 2006 (UTC)
- I've seen Jeopardy contestants use that same buzzer by hitting it with their palm. It was an odd two handed way of doing it and thus stuck in my memory. Dismas|(talk) 11:20, 22 October 2006 (UTC)
Loop-hole to Schrodinger's Cat Box
Hi, I'm using the following information for a casual arguement, nothing serious. Is there a loop-hole to Schrodinger's Theory of the cat in the box with poison and you couldn't really know if the cat was dead unless you open the box and observse it? For example, can you listen instead of looking or zap it with x-ray? Jamesino 23:38, 21 October 2006 (UTC)
- you're using a dictionary definition of "looking" where in this case listening and x-raying would also qualify as "looking".
- So is there a loop-hole? Could you close your eyes and ears and throw it into a volcano to guarantee its death? Jamesino 23:44, 21 October 2006 (UTC)
- well yes, you could. The paradox is the interface between discrete events (e.g. "death", or any other macroscopic events) and a probability continuum (represented by how radioactive particles decay).
- chucking the box into the volcano would be using a discrete event to ensure another physically discrete event. If you want a loophole, you'll have to read up on criticims of treating particles as probability waves.
- To be really really sure the cat is dead I recommend opening the box to check after you chucked it into the volcano. For the rest, zapping the cat with an x-ray gun sounds like a cool way to kill it. --LambiamTalk 07:10, 22 October 2006 (UTC)
- Any way of actually seeing or feeling or hearing etc etc the contents of the box is defined as "looking". And throwing the poor thing in a volcano will just get you sued by PETA.--The Corsair. 10:08, 22 October 2006 (UTC)
- Yes, I'm sure PETA would like to put Schrodinger in a box with prussic acid. StuRat 11:04, 22 October 2006 (UTC)
- Of course there is a loop-hole. It is quite obvious that you know the state of the cat. The cat is "pissed off". It is well known that after a certain period of time all cats reach the state of being pissed off. Now, if the cat is alive it has been shut up in a box for an hour and is now pissed off. If on the other hand the cat is dead it will be really pissed off. Either way it is best not to open the box as the cat will shit in your shoes. And you will not discover this state until you put your shoes on. All in all Schrodinger should have used a dog as it would just sniff your crotch and lick your face. Or vice-versa if you are lucky. CambridgeBayWeather (Talk) 13:28, 22 October 2006 (UTC)
October 22
ford mazda motors
Can I fit a mazda 3.0 Vulcan motor in my 1994 Ford Ranger.
Football
How are points awarded in a league? And how are points awarded in a tournament group stage? Can someone tell?--203.124.2.16 08:26, 22 October 2006 (UTC)
- That depends on the league and the version of football you are discussing, I gather. Skittle 11:34, 22 October 2006 (UTC)
radio code
I bought a new Dacia Logan 1.4 but I don't know How to enter the code ( Radio Code ) help me please
please tell me which fossil is this .
please tell me which fossil is this . i found it near a empty ground in jaisalmer. i am attaching picture,video of this. i have many more similar to this. i think that it is a skull of an reptile contact me by mail piyushvksoni@yahoo.co.in
- Where are the pic and video ? StuRat 11:00, 22 October 2006 (UTC)
- I think you have to contact by email so the person can send it to you. --WikiSlasher 11:30, 22 October 2006 (UTC)
cost to play one song over the radio?
how much does it cost to play the no.1 song on the charts once over the radio in Australia? Is it more to play it over internet radio? thanks for you knowledge!
1944
Can you tell me on what day did the 18/09/1944 fall.
- Monday. Dismas|(talk) 12:51, 22 October 2006 (UTC)
How do I get a job as a caretaker of a sexily luxurious hotel?
How could I get a job as a caretaker of a sexily luxurious hotel, like Jack Nicholson did in The Shining? What duties would that person have to perform? I would love to have his job.
- You need to look in the trade journals, and have experience in a variety of practical maintenance jobs, as it will mostly entail building maintenance, with possibly some janitorial work. I don't think The Overlook Hotel is very typical (most hotels can't afford to close for a season), and don't expect your accommodation to be sexily luxurious either.--Shantavira 13:57, 22 October 2006 (UTC)
I assumed the caretaker would reside in one of the hotel rooms for the season.
Investing
What are the pros and cons of investing in two competing companies such as Home Depot and Lowe's or Target and Wal-mart? Dismas|(talk) 13:38, 22 October 2006 (UTC)
- Here's one: Pro: if the two companies are an oligopoly, market share lost by one is picked up by another (thus protecting you from a loss). Con: if something happens in that companies' market that drops sales across the board (e.g. retail sales tank because of low consumer confidence). you're going to take a hit that would be twice as much as opposed to investing in 2 different companies that work in two different markets. —Mitaphane talk 14:12, 22 October 2006 (UTC)
Rush Hour 2
When I was watching Rush Hour 2, the tv. network said it contains nudity. Which part of the movie had nude scene?
- They might be refering to partial nudity (e.g. scantily clad women), because most TV networks don't show nudity during the day. If I remember, wasn't there some scene in a massage palor with skimpy dress girls? I'm betting that's what was referred to. —Mitaphane talk 13:58, 22 October 2006 (UTC)