Wikipedia:Reference desk archive/Miscellaneous/2006 September 10

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[edit] September 10

[edit] The James Bond series

After Bond 22, will there be any more James Bond movies? —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 12.18.90.7 (talk • contribs).

I would expect that any series around as long as this one, and as successful, would continue forever, or at least until a series of miserable failures. I would think it would take a world government to eliminate the need for state espionage, and even then there would still be a need to infiltrate criminal organizations (like the Mafia). Also, even if the need for espionage was completely eliminated, people may still retain a historical interest in it afterwards. StuRat 00:53, 10 September 2006 (UTC)
Now if you're asking if they currently have another movie planned, that I don't know. StuRat 00:53, 10 September 2006 (UTC)
BBC reported that Daniel Craig is signed up for at least one more movie. 1001001 04:34, 10 September 2006 (UTC)
Something that often kills a (tv) series is when one of the main actors quits (or dies or whatever). James Bond is, however, regularly someone else. People have grown to accept that, so that's one major obstruction out of the way. Dr Who is unique in that it is a tv series that has the same advantage. It actually even has a 'decent' explanation for the phenomenon. Something that could kill the Bond movies would be if someone decided to make a bunch of crap Bond ripoffs in such a way that people can no longer distinguish betweeen those and the 'real thing'. Or does someone have the rights to Bond movies? Sounds unlikely.
Actually, I think EON Productions own the legal rights to be the sole producer of James Bond movies. 惑乱 分からん 11:39, 10 September 2006 (UTC)
Strange you should mention that... there were lots of legal difficulties surrounding Kevin McClory, who essentially co-wrote Thunderball (the novel) with Ian Fleming (it was originally written as a film then adapted into a novel then adapted back again for each film). The legal difficulties involved when it all went pear-shaped were resolved by giving McClory the rights to remake Thunderball (the film) ten years after the official film; he did so, and made Never Say Never Again, which is frankly dire. Since the two companies responsible (EON and Orion Films) have since both been bought by MGM, the whole shebang is now owned and distributed by one company, so it's all locked up. Of course, the Alex Rider series has the potential to overtake Bond... Tyrhinis 10:48, 13 September 2006 (UTC)
Funny, btw, the actress playing Moneypenny and others also changed without an explanation, but not so for Q. He was the only constant factor in the series, so when John Cleese started playing him, he was presented as a replacement. Luckily, his name was obviously a pseudonym, so that could be kept the same. DirkvdM 07:00, 10 September 2006 (UTC)
I believe that Q was actually based on a real British inventor who designed all sorts of neat tools for spies in the World War 2 era (I don't know his name). One device I found particularly amusing was a rectally-inserted, single-shot zip gun..."now how do I get the guard to stare at my anus while I fire it ?" :-) StuRat 10:05, 10 September 2006 (UTC)
I wonder why Ian Fleming never chose to copy that... ;) 惑乱 分からん 11:39, 10 September 2006 (UTC)
  • The producers have been the same for all films. I'm pretty sure they bought the rights from Ian Fleming's heirs. - Mgm|(talk) 08:12, 10 September 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Boston Red Sox

i have a baseball with 28 signatures.some of the autographs include...Pete Rose,Johnny Bench,Ken Griffey,Ray Knight,Dave Tomlin,Fred Norman.can anyone tell me what year these players played together and where i could get an estimate on what if anything this ball is worth?216.234.126.184 02:06, 10 September 2006 (UTC)

Well, Rose never played for the Red Sox, so I don't know why you would think it's from the Sox. Rose, Bench, and Griffey played together with the Cincinnati Reds from '73 to '78, and Tomlin was with them in '73 and '78, so that narrows it down to those two years. All the others played with the Reds for both of those years, so by process of elimination, it had to be either '73 or '78 but without more names, we can't narrow it down anymore. Dismas|(talk) 04:40, 10 September 2006 (UTC)
Hmmm... ask an appraiser perhaps. --Proficient 09:31, 10 September 2006 (UTC)
The original poster gave me a few more names on my talk page. So I don't have to repeat myself, and in case anyone is wondering but too lazy to go looking on talk pages :-) Here's the text of my reply:

All I did was go to the articles for each of the players that you mentioned starting with Pete Rose since I knew he only played for a small number of teams. Then I just saw that each of the other players were also on the Reds during a similar time period. Just process of elimination. And now that you gave me another list, I went to the first name on that list, Doug Bair. His article says that he was on the Reds in '78 and he made his major league debut in '76. Therefore, the ball could not be from '73. It must be from '78. You could double check with the rest of the names on your list to see if they were all on the Reds during '78 but I'm fairly certain I've narrowed it down correctly. As for the worth of the ball... I'd start going to baseball card shops in your area and asking how much they'd give for it as well as how much they think it's worth. Without having seen it, I can't say whether they would give you much for it. It may just be a printed ball that the players never actually saw. Some company may have printed up thousands of them and handed them out to the first 100, 500, 1000 spectators at some game. Or someone may have worked really hard to get all the players to sign it. Either way, best wishes

After having posted that, I thought of something else. If the signatures are fairly clear, your chances of having the actual signatures on that ball, I would think, would go down. See if you follow my reasoning... If a company is going to print up a bunch of balls then they probably sit the entire team down and have them sign a blank sheet of paper. Take that paper, photograph the signature, send the photos to their printers, then print up the balls. If someone went to the Reds' stadium before one or more of the games to try and get all the signatures on that one ball then they were probably in a crowd with several other fans trying to get the players to sign things (baseball cards, balls, hats, shirts, etc.). The players would probably just scribble their names on the items since they had so many fans waiting and only a limited amount of time before the game to sign stuff. Therefore, the signatures would be more illegible. Just a thought, but either way I'd still get it looked at by a collector. Dismas|(talk) 09:47, 10 September 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Obscure sport needed to be identified

One man stands with what looks like an enormous long golf club. The handle of the club is in his hand (obviously) whilst the head of the club rests on some sort of track. On the track, directly in front of the hitter is the ball - In an equivalent position to where a golf ball would be when taking a swing.

The hitter swings the club along the track and whacks the ball as hard as he can, and it flies for miles. I'm also FAIRLY sure there's a man out miles away trying to catch the ball.

[1] - Artist's Impression, if you can call it that

I'm pretty sure the game is Scandinavian in origin, or possibly Dutch. Or somewhere like that. --218.186.9.1 04:08, 10 September 2006 (UTC)

THat artist impression is classic! Is the game called Suicide golf by any chance? 8-)--Light current 04:37, 10 September 2006 (UTC)
wtf!? This is the most obscure thing I've ever heard of. Jasbutal 05:05, 10 September 2006 (UTC)
I've seen it but don't know the name... Sorry. I do like the illustration though. Gets the point across which a lot of art these days doesn't do.  :-) Dismas|(talk) 05:08, 10 September 2006 UTC
I think I've seen this sport in a traveling quiz show on Swedish television: (På spåret), if I recall correctly, the sport was played in some Central European country, like Switzerland or perhaps Belgium. 惑乱 分からん 11:30, 10 September 2006 (UTC)
I found it! It's a Swiss indigenous sport. Check out Hornussen! ;) 惑乱 分からん 11:31, 10 September 2006 (UTC)
Good article, but it could use some sort of diagram showing how it's played. Now, where have I seen one of those...–RHolton≡– 20:45, 10 September 2006 (UTC)

Looks like an Alphorn - but thats a horn. Ricola... --JimWae 06:32, 10 September 2006 (UTC)

Thanks for the great answering, chaps, kudos! --218.186.9.1 13:55, 10 September 2006 (UTC)

If they hit it that far, it could be astronaut Alan Shepard playing golf on the moon. He said his shot went "miles and miles." — Michael J 16:09, 10 September 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Flag of the EU vs. Flag of Indiana

Flag of the European Union

Flag of Indiana

I recently noticed that the flag of the European Union is very similar to the flag of the U.S. state of Indiana. Is the design of the former based (at least partially) on the latter? Thanks in advance.

European flag doesnt seem to indicate a connection. Does look a bit similar though.1001001 04:45, 10 September 2006 (UTC)

European union flag simply has 12 stars. Whats with the stars on the other one?--Light current 04:55, 10 September 2006 (UTC)

13 stars in the outer loop for the original 13 colonies, 5 inside them for the next five states, and one large star above the torch for Indiana. 1001001 04:57, 10 September 2006 (UTC)

um....they represent the drivers in the NASCAR hall of fame. Jasbutal 04:58, 10 September 2006 (UTC)
They missed one. 1001001 05:12, 10 September 2006 (UTC)

In that case I dont think theres any more than a coincidental connection between the 2 flag designs.--Light current 05:00, 10 September 2006 (UTC)

I'd agree with that. With so many flags in the world, there are bound to be coincidences sometimes. The arrangement of stars in a circle on a blue background certainly isn't unique to either the EU or Indiana — the Cook Islands have a notable example of a similar design, although with white stars instead of gold. The flags of Myanmar, Cape Verde, and the US state of Georgia also contain similar patterns, as did the early Betsy Ross flag of the United States. The Caquetá Department in Colombia and Rhode Island in the US both use a circle-of-gold-stars pattern without the blue background. The EU and Indiana flags certainly have similarities, but not more than can be explained by simple coincidence, I think. -- Vardion 06:41, 10 September 2006 (UTC)
certainly, the Libyan flag looks like my backyard Jasbutal 06:56, 10 September 2006 (UTC)
It's amazing how much your backyard resembles my billiard table! --LambiamTalk 10:32, 10 September 2006 (UTC)
I don't think either is based on each other, irregardless to whichever came first. :P --Proficient 09:32, 10 September 2006 (UTC)
The flag of Indiana was adopted in 1917. I don't think there is any doubt which came first. Rmhermen 19:59, 10 September 2006 (UTC)
He was talking about backyards and billiard tables. Proper indentation, please. DirkvdM 06:36, 12 September 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Forced upholding of the law

Are citizens required to uphold the law (ie report crimes, attempt to prevent crimes, etc?) in the UK?

As long as preventing said crime doesn't put their life in danger, I think they are. But they might not be required to if the criminal involved is a loved one. I'm not sure. = Mgm|(talk) 08:09, 10 September 2006 (UTC)
No, they're permitted to uphold the law, to a very basic degree, using rights that derive largely from common law. The only circumstance under which they're obligated is (as far as I'm aware) Section 19 of the Terrorism Act 2000 which makes it an offense to know that another person is planning a terrorist act and fail to tell the police. The relatives of the two British men who went to Israel to be suicide bombers where charged under this this section [2], but I think all were acquitted (it's very difficult to prove what someone knew). -- Finlay McWalter | Talk 11:57, 10 September 2006 (UTC)
Not really - here is an interesting paper looking at how the duty to report changed after the introduction of the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002, and comparing the situation in the UK with that of France. It is really only professionals becoming aware of crime through their work who have an obligation to report, unless the crime is treason, terrorism, or a road or traffic offence. According to this paper, only social workers have a legal obligation to report suspected child abuse, but most people working with children or vulnerable adults (such as people with disabilities and mental health issues) will be required to report suspected abuse through their code of conduct. It seems as though UK law relies on a moral obligation to report rather than a necessarily legal obligation. Natgoo 08:58, 10 September 2006 (UTC)

What the anon is describing are called Good Samaritan laws. Unfortunately, the name can refer to two totally different kids of laws. The good kind of good samirtan law says that any person attempting to render assistance to someone in distress is not legally liable -- e.g, you cannot sue someone trying to rescue you, even if they harm you. The second (bad) kind of good samaritan law says that you are guilty of a criminal act if you fail to render aid. This is the kind of law that was made famous on Seinfeld's last episode. Raul654 01:37, 11 September 2006 (UTC)

[edit] 2 questions

Hi, Wikipedia. I have 2 questions:

1) Where, online, can I find an English-German dictionary? (With pronunciations and all that)

2) Where, online, can I find a scale for a tenor trombone? (With note names, postition names, ect.)

Thanks. Partisan 5 16:27, 10 September 2006 (UTC)

I use http://dict.tu-chemnitz.de/ for the dictionary Benbread 17:01, 10 September 2006 (UTC)
I use http://www.dict.cc . It even has a voice pronouncing the word. Reywas92 17:33, 10 September 2006 (UTC)
I use http://dict.leo.org. --Richardrj talk email 18:18, 10 September 2006 (UTC)

Thank you muchly. Anyone have an answer for question 2? Partisan 5 22:39, 10 September 2006 (UTC)

What kind of scale? Chromatic? At trombone there is a picture of slide posistions and the notes played in its partial. this link, which is from my old band, takes you to where you can download a pdf file of the major scales and the chromatic scale for trombone and euphonium. Happy playing! schyler 23:32, 10 September 2006 (UTC)

I just entered 'trombone positions' into Google and the first hit was http://www.yeodoug.com/resources/faq/faq_text/slidechart.html. Google is your friend. ColinFine 23:37, 10 September 2006 (UTC)

[edit] History of the manicure

I am looking for any information on where manicures started, how they got started. What kind of products were used when performing a manicure. Tools that were used. What was used when polishing a color on their fingers. I would appreciate any help you can lend me. Thank you Penny--64.50.228.36 17:00, 10 September 2006 (UTC)

Manicure by a remote possibility might have what you're looking for. schyler 23:36, 10 September 2006 (UTC)

Thank you for the help, but I have already been out to this area. It gives you one sentence of history - which does not help me for a 10 page thesis. I am looking for help to find books that might have more history to them.

there you go,hope it's a start(hotclaws**== 19:56, 13 September 2006 (UTC))

[edit] What can I do tonight?

Nothing on TV. My meat-based friends are all out of town. My cyber-friends never seem to be online on Sunday evenings. My dad doesn't want to go for a curry with me. No money. I don't drink. I don't smoke any more. I don't take drugs. I look at my music and DVD collection and I can't think of anything I want to watch/listen to. Just a boring Sunday night for me. Any suggestions for stuff that I can do? --Kurt Shaped Box 17:08, 10 September 2006 (UTC)

How about existing or breathing? I love doing that. --TheGreatLlama (speak to the Llama!) 17:13, 10 September 2006 (UTC)
See acedia and get off your butt. Write an article, read a book and learn something, ask your dad what he would like to do with you, or go interact with someone or some gull you dont know well. You have something that most of the world envies: youth, health, safety, food and shelter. Calculate how many breaths you have left. This is meant in a friendly way. Young people should never, ever complain of boredom. alteripse 17:16, 10 September 2006 (UTC)
Fair point. I suppose I could find some free porn to look at too... --Kurt Shaped Box 17:20, 10 September 2006 (UTC)
How 'bout you create an article for the Requested Articles page? Anchoress 17:56, 10 September 2006 (UTC)
Click on "random page". There's loads of weird stuff out there that needs a good cleanup. Especially all those commmercial links. Or if you're not going to church with Jasbutal you could always try meditation. --Shantavira 18:40, 10 September 2006 (UTC)
yea, come on kurt, let's go to churhc. Jasbutal 19:02, 10 September 2006 (UTC)
A propos "go to church", check out Big Boi's Speakerboxx album. Nice party hiphop, if you like the band's style. 惑乱 分からん 19:31, 10 September 2006 (UTC)
sorry Wak, I need the real thing. Jasbutal 19:44, 10 September 2006 (UTC)
It's a shame to dismiss him just because of that... Perhaps you could give the album a chance on common weekdays... ;) 惑乱 分からん 19:50, 10 September 2006 (UTC)
  • If you have time left, you can always contribute to Wikipedia. Otherwise, expand your horizons. Reading a book is a good idea. Just take something from the shelf and see how far you get. I wonder what your father wants to do, perhaps you can do the same. - Mgm|(talk) 19:42, 10 September 2006 (UTC)
  • You could take up drinking. Or, click on the Random article link over on the left side of the page. Repeat as necessary. TenOfAllTrades(talk) 21:05, 10 September 2006 (UTC)
  • Turn your TV to the FOX channel. Real funny shows on Sunday night. Russian F 22:30, 10 September 2006 (UTC)

Free porn? That will only eat up 10 minutes in the entire evening! schyler 23:23, 10 September 2006 (UTC)

What?> That long? 8-)--Light current 03:16, 12 September 2006 (UTC)
He never mentioned anything about obtaining "free porn" legally... How much time you're willing to spend on it is another question, though... =S 惑乱 分からん 23:27, 10 September 2006 (UTC)

Never mind what I said about FOX. Usually, the sunday night lineup is pretty good, but I forgot that it's football season. Stupid football. Russian F 23:48, 10 September 2006 (UTC)

Why not download some game demos and give them a go? That should keep you entertained until the shops open. Then, if you've fallen in love with any of the games, buy 'em. Howard Train 23:55, 10 September 2006 (UTC)

When I'm bored and TV isn't an option I find the best thing is a walk or a bike ride. There's a big park downtown about 30 minutes away by train from here, and if I have a free Sunday I often like to just head out there in the afternoon, spend about an hour walking around staring at all the loonies practicing their comedy skits and didgeridoos, and then make my way into the city and walk around some of the busy shopping streets there pretending to have some kind of purpose. I'm the kind of guy that can walk or ride a bike for 12 hours straight without complaining though, so I guess something like that's not for everyone. Another thing I like to do is just head down to the library and save money on air conditioning by using theirs while put my nose in a book for a couple of hours. If there was a University library nearby that I could go to I'd rather hang out there, but as long as I have a little stack of unread English books I can get comfortable.  freshofftheufoΓΛĿЌ  03:16, 11 September 2006 (UTC)
Do you not have any other real friends? Why not give em a call or go visit one?--Light current 03:17, 12 September 2006 (UTC)


Update: I started looking through my box of VHS tapes and I found a copy of The Exorcist that I'd taped off TV a few years ago. I watched that, whilst eating a tinned pie, then went to bed early. :) I was in one of those 'irritable' moods where I don't seem to be able to concentrate on reading a book or writing anything particularly coherent (jacking in the cigarettes hasn't helped my mood). My dad was at his house filling in a long application form (he just lost his job) and all my real life buddies were already out and I had no money to join them. Just one of those dull nights that we all get from time to time... --Kurt Shaped Box 14:01, 12 September 2006 (UTC)

So you did some exorcising? Thats good!--Light current 15:50, 12 September 2006 (UTC)

[edit] what's happened after the first Lord's Supper?

I'm going to a late night Catholic mass today and I'm gonna take communion. Are there accounts of people experiencing the holy ghost, or God in general terms, with their communion (especially their first one)? Jasbutal 18:12, 10 September 2006 (UTC)

If you are not going with intent to offend, talk to the priest about your intention before the service. The Roman church is quite explicit in most places about the purpose of the eucharist and who is eligible to partake. Most Christian denominations have an explicit theology around the eucharist and the degree to which other Christians are welcome varies by denomination. You will be quite welcome at the service and if God's grace is extended to you, you will be moved to seek catechism from the priest. Anything else is simply mocking someone else's religion and will strike most people as a betrayal of the hospitality with which you were invited. alteripse 20:06, 10 September 2006 (UTC)
ok fine. so do you think people will be offended if I go alone, keep quiet, and sit in the back? Jasbutal 20:16, 10 September 2006 (UTC)
I don't think so, but I'm agnostic/culturally protestant, myself. 惑乱 分からん 21:27, 10 September 2006 (UTC)
Unless you are Catholic (or belong to one of the very few "approved" denominations), you are not allowed to take communion in a Catholic church. You will not experience anything besides odd bread. --Nelson Ricardo 22:44, 10 September 2006 (UTC)

Most congregations would be flattered and welcoming if you sat quietly in the back. You may find the customs confusing: the congregation probably kneels at certain points in the service. If you're interested in learning about Catholicism you might ask about less formal youth group meetings. Durova 00:01, 11 September 2006 (UTC)

To answer your question - no, not really. God isn't primarily concerned about getting people to "feel" him. God is interested in people having faith; responding to him and obeying him whether they "feel" his presence or not. Relying on "experiences" makes for an unsustainable, fanatical Christianity. BenC7 02:36, 11 September 2006 (UTC)

then from whence does this faith come from, Ben? I assume you're not one to denigrate Christianity by trying to "prove" that Christ existed and did this 'n that? Jasbutal 04:09, 11 September 2006 (UTC)
The Bible says, "Faith comes by hearing, hearing by the word of God" (Rom. 10:17). Faith comes from hearing and reading the word of God. BenC7 10:14, 11 September 2006 (UTC)

In Eucharist you will see that some Christian denominations (Roman Catholics for instance) believe that the bread and wine actually become Christ's flesh and blood through transubstantiation when the priest says the words of institution. It still appears to be bread and wine, but these are the accident while the substance has changed. Lutherans believe the body and blood are in and with the bread and wine, a very slight difference but no less miraculous. The worshippers may indeed feel that they are blessed and strengthned by the Eucharist. Other denominations see it as merely a symbolic remembrance of the Last Supper, like a historic reenactment. Some Christian churches (Roman Catholic, Missouri Synod Lutheran for instance) have closed communion, and one must have special approval to get communion. Some others have open communion, perhaps open to all who share their belief that the body and blood of Jesus are present in the Eucharist or to all who receive communion in their home church. First Communion in Roman Catholic churches follows a period of instruction and preparation. The requirements vary greatly in different denominations. It is best to speak to the minister or Priest if you are in doubt about receiving Eucharist. I have never heard of any minister who was not delighted by the opportunity to talk to you about possibly joining them in worship. Most churches would be happy to provide a member who can sit by you and assist you in following the service. Edison 05:28, 11 September 2006 (UTC)

[edit] what to wear to a catholic churhc

I've heard of Sunday best, but does it apply to a college catholic church? Jasbutal 18:21, 10 September 2006 (UTC)

Not necessarily. College students have a habit of not following customs. Rmhermen 19:53, 10 September 2006 (UTC)
However, if you are not familiar with the congregation or the priest himself, i would recommend dressing relatively soberly. Wearing a 'let the fucking begin' t-shirt could offend. Rockpocket 20:34, 10 September 2006 (UTC)
turns out you can wear whatever the fuck you want. jeans, shorts, t-shirt, whatever . Jasbutal 04:36, 11 September 2006 (UTC)
While you can wear whatever you like, you probably should wear something similar to what you'd wear to work in an office, merely out of respect for the other people who will be there.
Continually doing the minimum that you can get away with, and not taking others' sensibilities into account, is probably not the way to go. B00P 09:12, 11 September 2006 (UTC)

[edit] 200 lbs woman

How does a 200 lbs woman look like without her clothes on, especially bikini?

You might google BBW, and see what comes up... 惑乱 分からん 19:42, 10 September 2006 (UTC)
It depends on 1) how tall she is, 2) what kind of muscle tone she has, and 3) her body type. If she's 6-foot-2 and muscular, she might look average, if larger in all dimensions. If she's 5-feet with no muscle tone, she'll probably have fat on her hips, abdomen, thighs, legs, and arms. I have a very good female friend who's a little over 200 pounds, but she's tall, athletic, has a large frame, and a large bustline. She looks like a very curvy woman with good muscle tone, and she has almost no cellulite. 65.96.181.140 21:08, 10 September 2006 (UTC)
Try looking up the WNBA player profiles and the biographies of professional beach volleyball players. They tend to be tall, sometimes 200 pounds or near that. Also Google "large sized models" - these are beautiful women who earn their living posing for fashion catalogs for larger sized clothes. Durova 23:53, 10 September 2006 (UTC)
I was raised thinking metric, still finding imperial confusing. Anyway my sister is about 186 cm/80 kg (About 6'1"/175 lbs I guess), she doesn't look fat, so I guess it's not too strange if tall and muscular women could reach that weight without particularly much body fat. 惑乱 分からん 01:23, 11 September 2006 (UTC)
Bikinis don't count as clothes these days? JIP | Talk 13:17, 11 September 2006 (UTC)
I interpreted the query as a wish to see a topless woman weighing 200 lbs... =S 惑乱 分からん 15:02, 11 September 2006 (UTC)
This is rather like asking 'How long is a piece of string'. It depends on her height. If she was 6' 6" she'd probably look stunning. If 4' 0", like a fat slob. Look at Body Mass Index--Light current 00:26, 12 September 2006 (UTC)
Whooah, 6'6" is a tall woman, indeed... 惑乱 分からん 00:46, 12 September 2006 (UTC)
Yeah I said if--Light current 02:01, 12 September 2006 (UTC)
Now when I get to think about it, 4'0" is also very short... =S 惑乱 分からん 09:54, 12 September 2006 (UTC)

[edit] OMNI Television 2006 World Cup Matches

On OMNI. 2, most of the 2006 Soccer World Cup matches were commented in Chinese. Why couldn't comment games that deal with Iran in Farsi, Japan's in Japanese, South Korea in Korean, and Tunisia and Saudi Arabia in Arabic?

Which World Cup are you talking about? Soccer? Anyway, to try to anser the question, I'd guess the Chinese is a larger market group. The answer is probably money. 惑乱 分からん 19:45, 10 September 2006 (UTC)
My guess is that they'd have to translate it and they don't have the resources on hand to do so (whereas with language programming you don't have to do this, because the programs are usually in another language.) Also, I'm not sure which OMNI segment Iran and SA are supposed to fall under. ColourBurst 14:49, 11 September 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Miles per gallon

What automobile, available in the USA, will go farthest on one gallon of gasoline?

The US Energy Department says the Honda Insight with manual transmission, which gets 60MPG in the city and 66 on the highway. The worst are the Bugatti Veyron (8/15 MPG) and the Bentley Arnage (10/14 MPG). -- Mwalcoff 22:57, 10 September 2006 (UTC)
That must just be cars, because there are trucks far worse than that. StuRat 01:33, 11 September 2006 (UTC)
For consumer pickup trucks, there doesn't seem to be any worse than that. The Dodge 1500 SLT got 11 mpg overall (called the worst) from Consumer Reports in Jan 2006 but officially it gets 14 city/19 highway. Rmhermen 02:15, 11 September 2006 (UTC)
I should think an Hummer H1 would have been much worse, but I suppose that's off the market now. I would also think a fully loaded Chevy Suburban (3/4 ton with a 8.1 L Vortec V8 engine) would also be worse. StuRat 06:44, 12 September 2006 (UTC)
A sherman tank gets 1/2 mile per gallon ;) Raul654 01:34, 11 September 2006 (UTC)
Yeah, but try fitting in a parking space without having to file insurance claims with the people on either side.  :-) Dismas|(talk) 01:43, 11 September 2006 (UTC)
Make sure they are sitting in the car at the time. Problem solved. Raul654 02:14, 11 September 2006 (UTC)
I believe Smarts are designed to be fuel-efficient. A modified version is available in the US. You'll be driving cheaply and can still say yo drive a Mercedes. (Well, a car by the sister company.) DirkvdM 07:05, 11 September 2006 (UTC)
Oh, and the car I was really thinking of is the SmILE, a car designed by Greenpeace to demonstrate how fuel efficient cars could be if car manufacturers wanted them to. See http://archive.greenpeace.org/climate/industry/reports/smile.html. It has a fuel consumption of 29 km/l or 78 m/g. One drawback. It is not for sale. :) However, if this is the best Greenpeace can do, then the Honda Insight is pretty impressive. DirkvdM 11:31, 11 September 2006 (UTC)
Surely the worst mileage in the world has to belong to the brilliant Tesla Roadster? It gets no miles to the gallon... Tyrhinis 10:59, 13 September 2006 (UTC)
I would say it gets an infinite amount of miles per gallon, as no gasoline is used (it's electric). StuRat 09:48, 15 September 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Editing confusion

I edited the List of Stoner Rock Bands by adding Dave Matthews. Afterwards I realized that there was a note on the page saying address the talk page if changing this list because this is only a list of artists with wikipedia's pages but DMB does have there own page. Im confused.

What? Anyway, if you added Dave Matthews band, and they have their own Wikipedia article, I fail to see that you have done anything wrong, on the contrary, you have added an entry to the list. 惑乱 分からん 21:24, 10 September 2006 (UTC)
Not sure if this is what you're asking, but you make a link to another wikipedia article by enclosing the article title in square brakets. For example: [[Dave Matthews]] results in Dave Matthews. If what you put in square brackets does not have an article, it will show up as a red link (or, if you've changed your preferences, as a link with a question mark after it). As you can see, Dave Matthews does have an article, as does Dave Matthews Band.–RHolton≡– 12:38, 11 September 2006 (UTC)
What you did is probably not what they're worried about. I would assume they just want to avoid people adding themselves/non-notable local bands to the list. Wouldn't hurt to mention it on the talk page anyway though. -Elmer Clark 02:14, 14 September 2006 (UTC)

[edit] list of websites

looking for a list of websites like this one http://www.stewielive.com/ where you type in a command to "control" someone. There's also the burger king chicken one but I forgot the site. I enjoy messing around onthese, is there a list of them? Jasbutal 21:06, 10 September 2006 (UTC)

You might like www.killfrog.com. It's a lot of fun.

The Burger King one? Try The Subservient Chicken. Crazy Fox (T|C|E) 02:08, 11 September 2006 (UTC)
Check out iGod Coasttocoast 01:51, 22 September 2006 (UTC)

[edit] difference between research and theory

what is the difference between research and theory?

We won't answer your homework questions for you but we can point you in the direction of answers about research and theory. Dismas|(talk) 21:59, 10 September 2006 (UTC)
  • If you don't know the difference, you obviously didn't do much research yourself. - 131.211.210.11 07:24, 11 September 2006 (UTC)
Didn't all theory start as research of some kind?--Light current 21:56, 11 September 2006 (UTC)
I doubt that... It sounds incorrect... 惑乱 分からん 23:48, 11 September 2006 (UTC)
What sounds incorrect? And why? 8-|--Light current 23:53, 11 September 2006 (UTC)
I might have misunderstood something, but can't you (theoretically ;)) construct a theory on the basis of just assuming that's the way anything should work (for example)? 惑乱 分からん 23:58, 11 September 2006 (UTC)
Yes. Its called philosophy- more precisely Metaphysics--Light current 00:01, 12 September 2006 (UTC)

[edit] radio station

What are the guidelines for starting an article on a radio station? I mean, like, can I just start it or do I have to get it approved?

Look at an article on another radio station. Base your article on that. If you are a user on Wikipedia, you can just start any old article. You just have to make sure there isn't already an article on the subject. And that it's appropriate. Russian F 22:34, 10 September 2006 (UTC)
Even better, look at several, and see how they are structured and what they cover. If you are lucky, they will all have the same, helpful, structure, which you can adopt. If you are unlucky they will all be arranged differently (or have no structure at all), and you will need to devise your own structure. Then you could go back and edit the other ones to match your excellent arrangement. ColinFine 23:42, 10 September 2006 (UTC)
I don't think there's any consistent structure (which would be nice). IMO, this is how not to do it.--Shantavira 08:17, 11 September 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Specific Retro Show

I think it was called "Pappy's Paint". Some old guy went around his puppet forest and taught kids how to draw and paint. Could anyone try to help me find some sources? -MF14

Man, I loved that show so much... Russian F 23:44, 10 September 2006 (UTC)

I used to love that show when I was younger, it I remember correctly it was on around noon. [[User:Bookworm8[Bookworm8]]

[edit] castling on opposite sides in chess

I've noticed in chess, when players castle on opposite sides, there is some kind of a paradox about the impact of defensive pieces in front of the king. Most writers (eg. Keres and Kotov in The Art of the Middle Game), say that these pieces present targets for the enemy pawn storm. But I have seen many games, especially Sicilians where white castles long, in which one player (usu. white in the Sicilian) uses the defensive pieces and a pawn thrust to actually blockade the pawn storm. Are these blockading possibilities merely special exceptions, or is there a good general rule behind them? The Mad Echidna 23:08, 10 September 2006 (UTC)

Do you mean castling queenside instead of castling kingside? Castling queenside is somewhat less common, partly because more pieces need to be developed before the move can take place. In casual games it may be less frequent because, as with the en passant rule, some players are not aware that this move is legal. I believe there are more opening lines that castle kingside. From my own playing level (very good casual player, get creamed in rated tournaments) I tend to castle on whatever side of the board offers better defensive possibilities: if my kingside pawns are already in play then I tend to castle queenside. I'll also castle queenside if it offers the potential to place the queenside rook in control of an important file. In terms of chess theory this may hinge on the wisdom of developing the queen early in the game: that's a very aggressive (and often reckless) style of play that happens less often at higher levels than among novices. Durova 23:35, 10 September 2006 (UTC)


This is a deep subject, in itself. The way that someone Expert and above would look at it is different than less experienced players. What I teach beginner to intermediate players is that 1)Castling is very important in protecting the king. 2) Control the center (directly and indirectly) 3)develop knights and bishops quickly, 4)Castle.

If you get in a position with another player of roughly equal strength/rating, and you castle on the same side (queen or king) then you both have to hold back your protective pawns on that side, and develop some kind of attack in the middle/center, or on the other flank (opposite to castled side.) Now, if you are in a game where you cross castle (opposite sides) then both opponents will throw their opposite side pawns at their opponents castled side (the pawn storm you speak of). And, whomever is fastest, often/usually wins. SO, unless you can look far enough ahead to be pretty sure that YOU will have the advantage in such a situation, it is just better to make sure that you castle on the same side as your opponent. Playing a beginning player, he will sit, not knowing what to do, as your pawn storm progresses. Playing an intermediate player or higher, and they will storm their pawns at your king, in return. One the pawn storm race is started it is an unpredictable mess.

The purpose of an opening like the Sicilian is that it is an asymmetric opening, rather than a symmetrical opening. This can (sometimes) give Black a better opportunity than a balanced symmetric opening (where white has the slight advantage of having moved first). I don't feel that (IMO) there are proportionally more opposite castling games with the Sicilian, versus, say, a symmetric opening like the Ruy Lopez.

A strategy of throwing your pawns forward to block an oncoming pawn storm (in an opposite side castle position) is one of many. One of the characteristics of this position, is, as you point out, that decveloped pieces in the path of the pawn storm attack can be targets for the pawn on the way. Generally speaking though, this leaves a middle game where your king is exposed, and your opponents king is well protected. This is almost always a loss for the player with the exposed king. The exception to this kind of situation would be where you want/need an active king in the center, and the open king can get there faster than the protected one. (This would be say, if queens had been exchanged, as well as many major pieces - endgame, or late middle game). Atom 19:13, 11 September 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Detailed information on horse guardian road fatality by truck nassau ny 1970's

I am doing research on deaths of roadway guards for horse trailers by trucks and cars . I am interested in the details (legal, medical and otherwise) and outcomes for the queens/nassau, new york area in the early 1970's. Where would i go to get this information and not just general statistics?

I don't understand the question, what are "roadway guards for horse trailers" ? StuRat 01:30, 11 September 2006 (UTC)

Have you gotten in touch with the mounted division of the NYPD? Or the Belmont racetrack? Or horse farms/riding schools in Nassau County? Durova 01:59, 11 September 2006 (UTC)

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