Wikipedia:Reference desk archive/Miscellaneous/October 2005

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[edit] NIT2WNIT

What does NIT2WNIT mean???

Uh...all I can come up with is "Need To Win it". Anyone else?--inks 02:11, 26 September 2005 (UTC)
It's "In it to win it" Proto t c 09:44, 26 September 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Help with translating this into 1337

Alright, I know this is a very odd question, but I would like help with obfuscating this sentence with 1337. The more obfuscated the better; the more symbols used the better:

Frequency estimation has fundamental significance in statistical signal processing.

Thanks for your help! --HappyCamper 02:56, 26 September 2005 (UTC)

i'll give it a try

ph|23/\|<\/\/1C 35+1^^/\+10h ]-[/\5+ ph|_||\||)|_|^^3|V+^|_ 51Oj|\|1ph1|</\|\|53 1n 5+/\+15+1</\|_ 51oj|\|/-\1 |o|2[]53551|\|0;!!!!!!!!!!!!!1111111oneoneone111!!! -Drdisque 05:53, 26 September 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Chargers' name

Are you asking about the San Diego Chargers? If you have a question that the article doesn't answer, you'll have to phrase your question in more of a complete sentence so that we understand what it is that you're looking for. Dismas|(talk) 03:31, 26 September 2005 (UTC)

The Chargers originated in Los Angeles in 1960. At that time, the Los Angeles Dodgers had a fan chant in which a recorded bugle sound played "Da da da DA da daaaaaa" and the crowd would respond with, "Charge!". The Chargers' name was meant to capitalize on the well-known cheer. User:Zoe|(talk) 04:23, 26 September 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Scott Adam's book God's Debris

What are all the factual inaccuracies in the book God's Debris by Scott Adams? I was trying to find a list off all the facts that he made up himself.

That would be Scott Adams, not Scott Adams. User:Zoe|(talk) 00:45, 29 September 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Geography Questions - Ethnicity

hello, we have a question on our geography revision...

Name ethnic groups which arrived in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia in the 1950's and 60's, another group which arrived in the 1970's & 80's and another group that arrived in the 90's and 2000's.

if you could help that would be great!! thanks!!!

165.228.131.11 04:26, 26 September 2005 (UTC)two geog students

  • I would try Greeks and Italians during the 1950's and 1960's, the Vietnamese for the 1970's and 1980's and the Chinese in the 1990s although there was an earlier influx of Chinese after the goldrush. Our Demographics of Australia article contains more information about Australian population trends. Please contact me if you need more info. Capitalistroadster 10:46, 26 September 2005 (UTC)

[edit] what age is a fetus considered a baby

legally, birth, morally, well thats up to you -Drdisque 05:55, 26 September 2005 (UTC)

It depends on whose doing the considering. This is one of the most controversial issues in politics, particularly American politics, because of its implications for the abortion debate. Go read that article as well as abortion debate to get a sense of the range of opinions. --Robert Merkel 06:27, 26 September 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Supreme Court

what are the names of the nine Judges in the Supreme Court?

See the article on United States Supreme Court and you'll see that your question isn't exactly a simple one at this time in history. Dismas|(talk) 04:45, 26 September 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Travel from Bahrain to Iran

Can you get to Iran by sea from Bahrain?

  • It's physically possible, and at least one cruise offers them as consecutive stops [1], so the answer is yes. --Metropolitan90 06:53, 26 September 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Principles

Stick to 'em! — ceejayoz ★ 14:18, 2 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] ERP configuration

what is meant by configuration of an ERP Application?

  • ERP is an abbreviation that can mean many things.

See if you can find a useful link in that article. - Mgm|(talk) 09:33, 26 September 2005 (UTC)

  • You might check out APICS via a search engine like Google. APICS was the organization that invented ERP standards in the early 1950's, and most every Computer Software application today that claims to do any Enterprise Resource Planning pays lipservice to the APICS standards. AlMac|(talk) 04:40, 3 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] geography

plz tell me about geomorphology of ocean floor

[edit] Lloyds "Names"

Please will you tell me what is a "Lloyds Name" and what qualifies one to become a "Lloyds Name"?

  • Our article on Lloyd's of London will help you out. It states "For most of Lloyd's history, rich individuals ("Names") backed policies written at Lloyd's with all of their personal wealth (unlimited liability). Since 1994, Lloyd's has allowed corporate members into the market, with limited liability. The losses in the early 1990s devastated the finances of many Names (1,500 out of 34,000 Names declared bankruptcy) and scared away others. Today, Names provide only 20% of capacity at Lloyd's, with corporations accounting for the rest. No new Names with unlimited liability are admitted, and the importance of individual Names will continue to decline as they slowly withdraw or die off." Capitalistroadster 10:52, 26 September 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Health system in India

See Healthcare in India. olivier 06:35, 27 September 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Engrish

Rich successful China manufacturer electronic goods excellent, in this condition why instruction of manuals always confused utter English? Shantavira 12:23, 26 September 2005 (UTC)

  1. Translation is hard, particularly for linguistic nuances
  2. Good products with bad manuals sell better than bad products with good manuals — Lomn | Talk / RfC 12:49, 26 September 2005 (UTC)
Also, many companies (worldwide) neglect documentation as a time or cost saving measure, and because of the difficulty of retaining good technical authors. akaDruid 11:26, 28 September 2005 (UTC)

[edit] role of the male turtledove

Procreation? For some info, why don't you try the turtledove article? Dismas|(talk) 13:02, 26 September 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Rescue markings

In the recent hurricanes, rescue workers went house to house marking the buildings with a large cross, with numbers in the four quadrants made by the cross. I know that one quadrant contains the date, another contains a number indicating survivors, but don't know what the others are. What are these called? Is there a standard, or does each agency use a different system? Thanks!

[edit] Breslov Chasidus

Breslov Chassidus probably needs an article - [2], [3].

You would probably be interested in our Breslov (Hasidic dynasty) article.--Pharos 15:59, 26 September 2005 (UTC)

Thanks - should this be a redirect? Do we need another article?
OK, I've created a couple of redirects, which is easy to do. There's no need for two articles on the same topic of course.--Pharos 16:46, 26 September 2005 (UTC)

[edit] hurricane

Hurricane? Hurricane Katrina? Hurricane Rita?

Or in the Pacific, a Typhoon, Different names for the generic Tropical cyclone. So, what is your question? --hydnjo talk 06:42, 27 September 2005 (UTC)

[edit] prairie grass

Why were the plains states grasslands with few trees while other parts of the country was forested? Thanks.

--69.166.8.59 15:09, 26 September 2005 (UTC)

[edit] where can I find information about careers in the Army and RAF?

Which army and air force?

  • UK
  • www.mod.uk/careers/ has links to career opportunities in all branches of the Ministry of Defence, including the Army, the RAF, and the Royal Navy. Good luck! Proto t c 15:41, 26 September 2005 (UTC)

[edit] fake student

Hi. I read an article about a fabricated student who actually graduated and was enrolled to some school again and again. I don't remember the school name, or who this "person" was, do you? Punkmorten 19:17, 26 September 2005 (UTC)

The student was George P. Burdell and he attended the Georgia Institute of Technology -Drdisque 03:29, 27 September 2005 (UTC)

[edit] boxing terms: PTS

In boxing terms what doees PTS stand for and what kind of term is that? Heres an example: winky wright vs fernando vargas= W PTS rd 8 of 8(this is not actual info just an example)

Not an expert, but I'd guess PTS is a shorthand for a victory on points (by the decision of the ringside judges), rather than by a knockout (KO), disqualification (DQ) or technical knockout (TKO). The article on boxing has more detail on the significance of the various kinds of victories. ByeByeBaby 22:13, 26 September 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Hanseatic League, Papal decrees, Fish on fast days

Hi all you history buffs; This is a tough one . When I was in college a few millenium ago, I took a History of Religions course . In this course the professor told us that the Hanseatic trade league had persuaded( Bribed) one of the Popes to decree that on fast days meat was not allowed to be eaten and that fish should be put in its place. Fish was one of the main trading products of the league. We all know that fish are definetley part of the christian faith , ever since the loaves and fishes on the mount and Peters Gig as a Fisherman. My question to you is have their been any Papal or Church Bulls or decrees or treaties specifically made with the Hanseatic Trade League concerning fish trade and have their been any decrees by the Church requiring Christians to eat fish on Fast days? I have been trying to find an answer to this question for years and have only found one reference to Papal decree That christians should eat fish on Fridays and it had no specifific details. Thanks gang Dennis Nigrelli GOOD LUCK on this one:)

Well obviously (since everyone remembers this, right?) Catholics were forbidden to eat meat on Fridays until some time in the 1960s, and ate fish instead. And I think they still do that during Lent. But I don't know which popes decreed what. Michael Hardy 23:16, 26 September 2005 (UTC)
Pope Nicholas I (858-867) decreed that abstinence from flesh meat on Fridays was required. [5], but the tradition of abstaining from meat predates this (at least Tertullian) . There was never any requirement to eat fish - that's just urban legend stuff - really more anti-Catholicism than history. And the requirement certainly predated the Hanseatic League. The presently operative document is Pope Paul VI's Paenitemini (the Apostolic Constitution on Penance), published February 17, 1966. The operative Canon Law was Canon 1253: "The Episcopal Conference can determine more particular ways in which fasting and abstinence are to be observed. In place of abstinence or fasting it can substitute, in whole or in part, other forms of penance, especially works of charity and exercises of piety.” The effect of this was that the bishops of a country could decide what was required on Friday, and so the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops did....saying that prayer and penance could be substituted for abstention from meat on Fridays (of course, the requirement for a substitute act of piety is often neglected in the rush for the roast beef). Other country's decisions varied. this page is helpful - 00:04, 27 September 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Latinos on television

Sesame Workshop says: "Emilio Delgado (Luis) can easily claim one of the longest running parts for a Latino actor in a continuing series as "Luis" on Sesame Street, since the show's third season." That put his debut in 1971, or a 32-season role. Can anyone think of a longer running Latino television character in a non-Latin country? For that matter, can anyone think of a character in a Spanish/Mexican/South American-produced series that has appeared that long? -- user:zanimum

[edit] boat service from los cabos

can i take a boat or ferry from cabos san lucas mexico to acapulco mexico or other cities in mexico

thanks

La Paz, Baja California Sur, would be a more likely bet, for Topolobampo or Mazatlán. –Hajor 00:43, 28 September 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Cattle & Irrigation

Is there a good way to keep cattle from breaking off irrigation sprinklers in a pasture?

The only thing I can think of is putting metal cages around the sprinklers and just dealing with the deflection caused by them. Also, an elevated ring around the sprinkler would also work.

Depending on your circumstances of course but it may be that electrical fencing would keep the critters away from easily damaged areas. --hydnjo talk 06:34, 27 September 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Basketball

Does Shaq play basketball because he chose basketball or because basketball chose him.

[edit] what is technology-formation?

[edit] What is the meaning of life?

I thought it was obvious enough! But maybe not... reproduce AND HAVE FUN!! That is if your fortunate enough to live in a free country

I looked at the Wikipedia article, but it offered no definitive answers. I want this question resolved before I expend any more energy on my high school education.

42? :)
On a personal opinion, there's no meaning. Why you think there should be one? And in this scenario, since there is no answer to "why?", we could pretty much just focus on finding out how. But that's just me... Kieff | Talk 11:36, 27 September 2005 (UTC)
It depends on what the meaning of 'is' is. Qaz 11:40, 27 September 2005 (UTC)
Guess what! You get to choose your own answer. Luckily, it's a multiple choice test and if you are truly blessed you can choose more than one answer. Most grown human beings try to do one or more of the following:
  1. acquiring as much as you can of
    1. knowledge
    2. wisdom
    3. wealth
    4. bodily pleasures
    5. power over other people
    6. piety or holiness points
  2. redistributing as much as you can of any of the above to other people
  3. attempting to contact or stay in contact with God
  4. helping as many people as possible to acquire some of the above
  5. building loving relationships with a limited number of people
  6. avoiding relationships with people and focusing on
    1. your inner life
    2. an imagined world
    3. changing the non-human environment or animals around you
  7. killing or injuring those who have offended you
  8. feeling sorry for yourself because you haven't been given enough of one of the above
  9. whining that "there's nothing to do here"

Of course, you can always toss in your cards and hope for another deal with another consciousness... Make a good choice. alteripse 12:16, 27 September 2005 (UTC)


What? Oh... I've been watching TV. But, I built a computer that could answer the question...

[edit] Bussiness proposal

Please help me to draft a business proposal for US based company

Um, you could start by reading our (relatively brief) article at business plan. Have you considered going to a library and borrowing a book on the topic? You might also benefit from some of the material on Wikibooks' School of Business, but I have no idea at what state that project is in.
However, given that you're presumably doing this to, ultimately, make money for yourself, if you want extensive assistance on preparing a business plan you will probably have to pay for that assistance. --Robert Merkel 14:32, 27 September 2005 (UTC)

[edit] herstory or history?

I would like to find out about herstory. They dont seem to teach it in schools. Can anyone help me?

Let me introduce you to Rocky and Bullwinkle and their way-back machine. Step in. We will set the dial to 1976. Ignore the bell bottoms, leisure suits, and the upcoming election between Ford and Carter. There is no internet but if you hang around on a college campus and look for the people who use the word womyn, they will be able to teach you some herstory. Once they became the prevailing viewpoint in academia, of course, they reverted to calling it history because the word never did derive from the masculine possessive pronoun and was one more perversion of the language for the sake of political correctness. Do we have an article on herstory? Since it turned blue, you can click and learn more. alteripse 14:43, 27 September 2005 (UTC)

Alteripse is being a bit curmudgeonly. If I may put what I think was his main point (aside from his distaste for language-twisting) a little bit more diplomatically: while feminist history is a valuable and (in my opinion) necessary view of our past, *any* one perspective on history is likely to provide an incomplete view. Variety is the spice of life! By the way, women's history and history of feminism may also be of interest to you. --Robert Merkel 14:49, 27 September 2005 (UTC)
Me a curmudgeon? I gave a concise accurate answer that included the historical, social, political, and linguistic dimensions in an entertaining, learner-friendly narrative. With a free wiki-link! What more could 'e ask for? alteripse 15:04, 27 September 2005 (UTC)
He could ask to see you "pull a rabbit out of this hat".... Thanks for the image of "Peabody's Improbable Herstory". <g> - Nunh-huh 00:27, 28 September 2005 (UTC)
Careful! No sexist pronouns. We don't know that 'es a he, now, do we? I think you need a refresher couse in language sensitivity. alteripse 00:38, 28 September 2005 (UTC)
There are no accidents. - Nunh-huh 02:46, 28 September 2005 (UTC)

[edit] what is nymphomax

Do you mean nymphomaniac? --Gareth Hughes 16:09, 27 September 2005 (UTC)

[edit] 2001 film list

perhaps 2001 in film can help -Drdisque 17:57, 27 September 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Finertia

I've been to the site itself and all (it's a lifestyle community with an emphasis on healthy living), but still don't know what the name really mean?--221.219.138.61 19:08, 27 September 2005 (UTC)

So why don't you ask them? They would most likely know better than we do. Dismas|(talk) 20:20, 27 September 2005 (UTC)

[edit] What was the population of China in 1880?

This page suggests around 370,000,000 people. Shimgray | talk | 20:28, 27 September 2005 (UTC)


[edit] The Five People You meet in Heaven - is this book third person omniscient

Do your own homework. Read the book. Does the narrator say "I", "you", or "he"? Is the narrator fully aware of only himself or everything? — Lomn | Talk / RfC 19:53, 27 September 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Prime Minister

What is the last name of the prime minister that has ten letters in it.

Don't shout please. Now, your question is vague. What is the last name of the prime minister whose name has 10 letters? what is the last prime minister to have a last name of ten letters? Is it ten or any ten and up? What country's prime minister? Anyway, I'll guess that List of Prime Ministers of the United Kingdom can help you out. — Lomn | Talk / RfC 19:57, 27 September 2005 (UTC)
Interesting trivia: no UK PMs have had exactly ten letters in their last name, though a few have had ten-letter titles. — Lomn | Talk / RfC 20:04, 27 September 2005 (UTC)
  • There have been no holders of the office of Prime Minister of Australia with 10 letters either. As our Prime Minister article shows that nations ranging from Afghanistan to Yemen have Prime Ministers, I would suggest looking at the list for the country you are interested in to refine your search. Capitalistroadster 00:45, 28 September 2005 (UTC)
  • How odd. There is also no Prime Minister of Canada with ten letters in his/her last name, though we have six, seven, eight, lots of nines and an eleven. ("St. Laurent" would count if you perversely decided to include the dot but not the space). DJ Clayworth 14:43, 28 September 2005 (UTC)
  • Prime Minister of New Zealand, maybe? There was a George Waterhouse in the 19th century. Loganberry (Talk) 16:08, 29 September 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Pokemon

Who 'invented' the Pokemon franchise? It's... Thelb4! 19:54, 27 September 2005 (UTC)

according to the Pokemon article you linked to, Satoshi Tajiri created the little deamons. Gentgeen 20:26, 27 September 2005 (UTC)

[edit] how many miles is it from new haven, connecticut to hartford, connecticut

Why not try mapquest.com or http://maps.google.com/ ? Dismas|(talk) 21:39, 27 September 2005 (UTC)
It's about 40 miles. -Nunh-huh 00:22, 28 September 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Music Sample

I've been listening to Sexy by the Black Eyed Peas for a while now, and I just can't place the music they 'borrowed' for it. It's the violin bit at the beginning, which pops up again throughout the song and at the end in reversed violin and guitar. I'd appreciate some help. -Flatluigi 21:33, 27 September 2005 (UTC)

  • Flatluigi,

The credits on Allmuisic.com for Elephunkcontains no credits for violin see [6]. However, this VH1 interview [7] from August 2003 states that Sergio Mendes played the piano on the track "Sexy" and the band got an orchestra in for "Where is the Love" so perhaps they got the violinist to play on the track. Sorry I can't help you more. Capitalistroadster 01:01, 28 September 2005 (UTC)

Now that I listen to it again, it is possible that it's a saxophone. Would I be breaking any copyright rules if I upload to Wikipedia said sample? -Flatluigi 01:13, 28 September 2005 (UTC)

  • If it's just a sample of the violin and if the sample is deleted once your question is answered, I don't think there'd be any law problems. - Mgm|(talk) 07:55, 28 September 2005 (UTC

Alright. Media:BEP_Sexy_Sample_1.ogg is the section I'm asking about. I'm currently uploading the other section with it. -Flatluigi 01:00, 29 September 2005 (UTC)

Media:BEP_Sexy_Sample_2.ogg is the second one. Thanks for your help. -Flatluigi 01:13, 29 September 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Punctuation

Articles printed in magazines end with a speclized symbol indicating that it is the end of that particular article. What do you call that symbol or puncutation mark?

You're probably referring to printer's dingbats, aka printer's ornaments. - Nunh-huh 00:19, 28 September 2005 (UTC)
See also Bullet (typography). Shantavira 17:30, 28 September 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Ostrich Meat

About how much calories and fat would about 1 ounce of Ostrich meat contain?

That would be hard to say since the amount of fat per lean meat could vary greatly. Dismas|(talk) 23:55, 27 September 2005 (UTC)
but it's still possible to say something about it. According to this page: [8], fat content varies from 1-4%, and there are about 110 kcal/100 grams. Taking the fattiest cut, the "oyster", as 4% fat, the content in 100 grams would be 29 grams of protein, 67 grams of moisture, 4 grams of fat, and (29 grams * 4.3 kcal/gram) + (4 grams *9.02 kcal/gram) = 160.8 kcal. The percentage of calories from fat would be 36.1/160.8 = 22%. 100 grams is about 3.5 ounces. So one ounce of ostrich "oyster" meat would contain 8 grams of protein, 19 grams of moisture, 1 gram of fat, and 46 kcals. - Nunh-huh 00:17, 28 September 2005 (UTC)
  • Numbers I've found for 1 oz Ostrich Meat, cooked: 32 calories, 0.7g fat. But some sources do seem to vary. --jpgordon∇∆∇∆ 00:09, 28 September 2005 (UTC)

[edit] King Arthur

... is this way, past the toilets and the second on your left. --fvw* 00:09, 28 September 2005 (UTC)

[edit] ambiguous comments make it hard to.......just whta the speaker meant

…Understand? I don't know, your question is kind of vague. Garrett Albright 12:36, 28 September 2005 (UTC)
Fvw (above) is inviting you to click on his link. Shantavira 17:33, 28 September 2005 (UTC)

[edit] what is an axe murderer?

A person who commits Murder using an Axe. Capitalistroadster 01:05, 28 September 2005 (UTC)
Or possibly a person who murders axes...
see also, So I Married an Axe Murderer --WhiteDragon 13:43, 3 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Western Movie Theme Songs

[edit] Talking in freefall

I had several questions about skydiving. Is it possible for skydivers to talk during freefall, and can they even breath before the open their parachute?

yes and yes, though each bears a note. Talking would be better stated as shouting during skydiving due to ambient wind noise. Unassisted breathing may not be possible under some HALO/HAHO jumps due to the altitude at jump; however, this is in no way a result of the jump itself. — Lomn | Talk / RfC 02:51, 28 September 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Dentists

If you clean your teeth real well, is there really a need for Dentists? Why can't regular doctors learn oral surgery?

Cleaning your teeth real well doesn't eliminate dental disease, so yes, there is really a need for dentists. And many oral surgeons are "regular doctors", if by that you mean they have an "M.D." degree. - Nunh-huh 03:57, 28 September 2005 (UTC)

Teeth cleaning may reduce frequency of caries but does not prevent all dental problems and their are many other things that can happen to your teeth. The separation of dentistry from surgery and medical practice is partly a matter of historical contingency. In the Middle Ages physicians were distinct from barber-surgeons who also performed surgical and dental procedures. Between 1300 and 1600, haircutting and dentistry became separated from surgery because people tended to specialize in one of the activities. After about 1800, surgery became a part of medical practice. The basic science training of physicians and dentists is similar but has become part of training only in the last century (the split predates it). The other main historical reason is the dentistry is also a craft of manual skills relatively easy to separate from those needed for surgery or medical practice. A lot of dental school is learning the manual craft and it would add a couple of years to medical school to teach physicians to do this. Especially for manual skills like surgery and dentistry, you want someone to do it a lot to be good at it. Finally, as Nunh-hunh says, there are oral surgeons who got there through dental school (DDS) and those who got there through medical school (MD). alteripse 09:19, 28 September 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Worldwide Cumulative GPA Results

Does anyone know where I can find statistics on average worldwide cumulative GPA results and also by country/area? Thanks for any help with this.

  • Such data would probably be largely useless, as educational standards vary greatly from country to country (or even from school to school, at least in the US). android79 04:39, 28 September 2005 (UTC)
  • AFAIK, "GPA" is a US concept. Guettarda 04:44, 28 September 2005 (UTC)
GPA is used at University level in New Zealand. I know, I've been at Uni far too long. I suspect it would be pretty trivial to assign a numerical value to a grade and count them up anyway - which is a good thing. It would allow me to compare country X which goes by A, B- etc., and country Y, which goes by "Exellent", "Merit", etc. If I can convert them to numbers, I can run Stats™ on them. Not the most elegant of examples I know, but the point is made.--inks 09:14, 28 September 2005 (UTC)

[edit] IB Schools in Asia

Does anyone know who were the first 2 IB schools in Asia? Thanks for this.

  • Our International Baccalaureate article doesn't advise of the history of the program in Asia. The International Baccalaureate Organisation does not provide such information either. I would suggest contacting the IBO direct at their Asia-Pacific office listed on the contacts page here see [9]. Capitalistroadster 05:00, 28 September 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Chad Chunning

What did Chad Chunning do from quitting nirvana until joining his new band?

  • Our Chad Channing article states that he was in a band called The Methodists before joining East of the Equator. The Allmusic.com article provides more information on him including additional band membership. Capitalistroadster 05:05, 28 September 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Bob Jones

Can anyone tell me anything about Bob Jones

Capitalistroadster 05:33, 28 September 2005 (UTC)

[edit] charmane star

what movie did charmane star do a double penetration scene in ? what is the movies title ? what year was the adult movie released and by what adult film company was it distibuted by ? at your website a page on charmane star mentions trivia on her that mentions a double penetration scene but does not name the movie she did it in. --will

Will, you might have better luck posting this question on the article's talk page. You might also like to try perusing her official website (which is linked from our Charmane Star article) to see if it has more details. If that fails, you could even try contacting her representatives through the website to ask. I suspect that they'd be more than happy to sell you a copy. --Robert Merkel 04:43, 29 September 2005 (UTC) (Always happy to help here at the reference desk, no matter how unusual the request.)

[edit] How to write a monologue

I was just wondering, what are the basic parts when it comes to writing a monologue. We have to do a radio monologue and it's really annoying me.

I hope you can help. Thanks

is this monologue for english?? i have to do one too!!! i think you go to the same school as me...it's possible... i'm guessing if you are doing the same one as me, you have to present it on a tape, right? well anyhow the one i have to do, (the positioned radio monologue), you have to pick two speakers, and have them say their opinion in their discourse... meaning if you got like a yobbo as one, they must talk like a yobbo and use words a yobbo says... and the other speaker has their discourse too... for example one person talks about going to uni after high school and the other talks about doing an apprentinceship...
Kattus 11:37, 28 September 2005 (UTC)


A monologue is a speech. You have a message and an audience. Your job is to communicate the message in words so that it will understood by the audience and elicit the response you want. Are you having trouble deciding what the message should be, or what response you want from the audience, or are you having trouble with deciding how best to get the message across? alteripse 11:41, 28 September 2005 (UTC)

[edit] skydiving

What's the procedure for learning to skydive?

Most people join a sky diving club at the local airport or join the paratroopers. Trial and error is not a recommended method. alteripse 11:41, 28 September 2005 (UTC)

Just throw yourself at the ground, and miss. --Douglas Adams 13:31, 28 September 2005 (UTC)
Which describes flying, or putting yourself into orbit, not skydiving :) Generally, the club will familiarise you with equipment and procedures, before progressing to tandem, and finally solo jumps. You usually "pack" your own parachute.--inks 20:16, 28 September 2005 (UTC)
Skydiving is just flying in a strictly downward fashion. :) — Lomn | Talk / RfC 20:26, 28 September 2005 (UTC)

[edit] What does the word erradicate mean?

Nothing, but eradicate means to totally remove, literally to rip out by the root. alteripse 11:41, 28 September 2005 (UTC)

[edit] how come feburary only has....

how come feburary only has 28 or 29 (leap year) days when every other month has 30 or 31?? why didn't they divide all the months up evenly???

Our article on February has an excellent link to your exact question being answered on The Straight Dope. But answering your second question: because the division of the months was a long, stupid and biased process. I guess we could easily split the months evenly today, but the social inertia that'd require to break would be way too big to consider "convenient". While we're at that, see also: dozenalism Kieff | Talk 12:06, 28 September 2005 (UTC)
  • Well, also, 365 isn't an easy number to divide easily. (365 and a quarter is even harder). Let's see, we could have five months of 73 days. Or 73 months of 5 days. Some societies have done it with 12 months of 30 days and then a big party for the remaining 5; there's a lot to be said for that. --jpgordon∇∆∇∆ 16:14, 28 September 2005 (UTC)
  • Personally, I like that last idea. ;) - Mgm|(talk) 16:46, 28 September 2005 (UTC)
  • That would be the French Republican Calendar -- 12 months of 30 days, and either 5 or 6 days' holiday which aren't in any month. Ojw 18:42, 28 September 2005 (UTC)

[edit] About this part in Half-Life²...

Before HL2 came out I watched a few videos, one of them depicted this part of the game (... with Barney and some resistence folks, then two striders came in.) The thing is, I got HL2 and finished it a couple of weeks ago and never saw that part of the game.

So I was wondering, did that part get cut off the final version, or was it made just for demonstration, or I just did something wrong while I was playing it? Kieff | Talk 11:55, 28 September 2005 (UTC)

  • Probably just got cut from the final version. Lots of stuff that was in HL2 previews got cut due to AI/playability problems (e.g., the famous blue tentacle-thing) or changes in the plot (e.g., the whole icebreaker section). If you read Half-Life: Raising the Bar, you'll see tons of stuff that never made the final game. I suspect at least some of it will appear as expansion packs, etc. -- Bob Mellish 17:47, 28 September 2005 (UTC)

[edit] city area of Pyongyang

did you have a question??

We have an article on Pyongyang, the capital of the Democratic Peoples' Republic of Korea (North Korea). Garrett Albright 12:31, 28 September 2005 (UTC)

[edit] bussiness in pusan

We have an article on Busan/Pusan. There are probably many businesses in this large South Korean city. Garrett Albright 12:38, 28 September 2005 (UTC)

[edit] hockey

Hello,

Who was the first Swedish born player inducted in the Hockey Hall of fame?

Thanks for the help!

i did a google search with the keywords 'first swedish hockey player hall of fame' and this website seems to tell me that Borje Salming was the first Swedish player inducted in the Hockey Hall of Fame... hope this helps you... Kattus 12:25, 28 September 2005 (UTC)

[edit] how does a human being have the XXXY chromosome?

my biology teacher told us that it is possible (but rare) to have XXXY as your chromosomes instead of the usual XY or XX... is this true and how is that possible? does the person have any genetic complications because of this and what are they then..because the 'XX' part is female and 'XY' is male so wouldnt they be male and female at the same time???

can someone explain it or give a website that does? thanks! Kattus 12:13, 28 September 2005 (UTC)

Please see Chromosome#Chromosomal aberrations, although your teacher was probably talking about Klinefelter's syndrome (which is XXY, not XXXY). -- Rick Block (talk) 14:18, 28 September 2005 (UTC)

How does it happen? We think that at an early stage of zygote development, when chromosomes duplicate and separate into 2 cells, the separation failed to occur, leaving the surviving cells with one or more extra chromosomes. This is called nondisjunction. The reason the effects are so minimal for the people with multiple X (compared with having multiple copies of chromosome 21 or 1, for example), is that the second (and any excess beyond 2) X chromosome in mammals is mostly inactivated (Lyonization) in most cells most of life and therefore causes relatively little trouble. Whether one is male depends (over 99% of the time) on whether one has a functioning Y chromosome. The number of X chromosomes does not matter: both males and females have X chromosomes. You can have 1 X or 5 X chromosomes and you will be female as long as you do not have a functioning Y. See sex differentiation for more details. alteripse 17:58, 28 September 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Hockey #2

Hello!

Who is the first Team to have won the Stanley cup?

again i googled and wikipedia seems to have an article on the Stanley Cup.... so there you go! go down to 'Early Years', the last sentence on the first paragraph in that section should tell you the first team to win...

Kattus 12:30, 28 September 2005 (UTC)

[edit] how do you... wikipedia skills

i would like to know how you make a website link say a keyword so that when i post something up i dont have long website addresses (for example, when i answered the hockey question)... and how do you link the wikipedia articles so that again a keyword is highlight in blue and underline... like everyone else does... could you help? that'd be great thanks! Kattus 12:37, 28 September 2005 (UTC)

See Wikipedia:How to edit a page for your first question. As for the second question, a link will be blue if a linked article exists, and red if it doesn't exist. For example, we probably have an article for banana, but I doubt we have an article for xczv.nm,weroiu because I typed that by randomly smashing on my keyboard. Please use the Wikipedia:Help Desk for other questions along these lines. (See? I don't bite all newbies…) Garrett Albright 12:46, 28 September 2005 (UTC)

so does it automaticly links to the article?? or do i have to link it myself - but how?? Kattus 12:50, 28 September 2005 (UTC)

[[banana]] comes out as banana. For the most part, the article text stays the same as you wrote it when you press submit (of course it's translated into html when you view an article in the normal way), so you can see exactly how people do things when you edit an article/section. Frencheigh 12:55, 28 September 2005 (UTC)

so for example in the Hockey question above where i wrote 'i did a google search with the keywords 'first swedish hockey player hall of fame' and this website..." how do i make the word 'website' actually be a link to the website that is beside it... id love to know how to do that (if its possible) Kattus 13:00, 28 September 2005 (UTC)

You are looking for piping. To pipe a wikilink, you would use something like [[Banana|test1]], which looks "test1" but links to Banana. URL's (external links) can be piped too, but generally all external links go down the bottom in the "External links" section. Wikipedia:External link has more info, including how to pipe extenral links, which is different to internal wikilinks. (An example might be [http://www.banana.com test 2], which looks like: test 2. --Commander Keane 13:12, 28 September 2005 (UTC

well i know what you're talking bout now cos i read the wikipedia editing help and i figured out the keyword thing..you know how you type [ and then the website and then two spaces and then keyword and then close it with ] but yeah thanks for all your help everyone!! i really appreciate it! Kattus 13:20, 28 September 2005 (UTC)

Two sapces? One space works, is two good etiquette or something? --Commander Keane 16:20, 28 September 2005 (UTC)

meh!! thanks anyway! Kattus 22:04, 28 September 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Re: Wikipedia article: Uniformed services of the United States - more than 7?

Besides the seven services listed, why aren't the many other uniformed services of the United States listed? For example, within the United States Department of the Interior there are uniformed members of the National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. In the United States Department of Agriculture there are uniformed members of the United States Forest Service (several different types of Park Rangers, for instance). Perhaps other operating units of the DOI and USDA also have uniformed members. Perhaps other U.S. Cabinet-level departments have uniformed members as well. Why are none of these uniformed services of the United States listed? Is it simply because they are not military(naval)-ranked like the NOAA Commissioned Corps or the Public Health Service Commissioned Corps? Is it because they don't operate under military rules? (If so, shouldn't the title "Uniformed services of the United States" be qualified by some statement that indicates this limitation to the definition?) Or is there some other distinction? Courtneymitchell 13:49, 28 September 2005 (UTC)

And don't forget the uniformed service at McDonald's. --Gareth Hughes 14:19, 28 September 2005 (UTC)
The very first sentence in Uniformed services of the United States includes a link to uniformed services, which makes it clear that "uniformed services" does not just mean "any government employee who wears a uniform." What more do you want? Also, for future reference, issues you have with a specific article are usually better handled on the talk page for that article rather than here. Chuck 20:27, 28 September 2005 (UTC)
Sorry, that was an overly snide response. Let me rephrase it. The uniformed services article notes, "Uniformed Services refers to bodies of people in the employ of a state that are not employed on standard terms of contract, but have some element of additional discipline, and wear a uniform." (emphasis mine) So it's not just any government agency whose employees wear a uniform. If you think it would be helpful to include this qualification within the Uniformed services of the United States article too, feel free to go ahead and add it there. Chuck 22:31, 28 September 2005 (UTC)
The definition comes direct from U.S. law, specifically Title 10 of the U.S. Code. I will update the article to state this. Isomorphic 06:34, 29 September 2005 (UTC)

Thanks, I'm new to this process and appreciate the kindness. What a remarkable phenomenon is Wikipedia! I'm still interested in the other U.S. services that use uniforms such as the U. S. Park Service Park Rangers, the United States Park Police, USDA Forest Service rangers, Game Wardens, the United States Border Patrol, etc., their corresponding pay rates and rankings. The seven military services articles were very satisfying in scope and thoroughness. I'm still looking for something comparable for the other uniformed services, some of whom have extensive military training, carry weapons and put their life on the line every day.

Also of interest is the appearance of CIA operatives in Naval uniforms within the popular culture in such movies as "The Hunt for Red October" and "Clear and Present Danger". Is this a real practice and does it come from a reason to protect them against being captured as spies in a similar manner that was given for uniforming a non-military service such as the Public Health Service Commissioned Corps (in Wikipedia's ariticle Uniformed services of the United States)? Courtneymitchell 17:15, 30 September 2005 (UTC)

For another example of "agencies whose employees wear uniforms, but are not technically one of the uniformed services," don't forget what may well be the most visible of those: the United States Postal Service. Chuck 18:34, 30 September 2005 (UTC)

[edit] how do you cure ringworm?

see Ringworm#Treatment_and_prevention

[edit] ROOT FINDING METHODS

Is bisection or newton raphson faster? it's bisection, right? less iterations?

Depends on the situation. When Newton-Raphson works correctly, the convergance is quadratic, so the number of correct digits is roughly doubled each iteration. For bisection, the error is cut in half each iteration (so there's about 3 iterations to a decimal digit). There are cases where Newton's method simply doesn't converge, (a zero on an inflection point can do this, it keeps overshooting back and forth), but the bisection method doesn't suffer from this. Frencheigh 16:14, 28 September 2005 (UTC)
If Newton-Raphson was never faster than the Bisection method then we wouldn't hear about it, why bother with something that is slower and doesn't work sometimes? So, Newton-Raphson is probably faster than bisection most of the time (particularly since it uses extra information, the derivative). I could be wrong, but this is what makes sense to me.--Commander Keane 16:27, 28 September 2005 (UTC)
In practice, it is sometimes a good idea to use both. First use bisection to get a starting point for which Newton-Raphson is likely to converge, then use Newton-Raphson to achieve desired accuracy. If Newton-Raphson fails, improve the bisection estimate further and iterate. Fredrik | talk 17:20, 28 September 2005 (UTC)
It's also worth pointing out that slower algorithms are frequently taught first due to complexity. For example, virtually every Computer Science student is familiar with bubble sort even though merge sort or quick sort is preferable for virtually any large set. Consequently, "I've heard of it; therefore it's useful" isn't an optimum strategy. — Lomn | Talk / RfC 20:31, 28 September 2005 (UTC)

We have an article on root-finding algorithms. Gdr 21:11, 30 September 2005 (UTC)

[edit] New Orleans Levy Funding

What happened to the projects to update the levy system in New Orleans from when Clinton started funding the project to it's breakdown?--66.145.213.254 16:59, 28 September 2005 (UTC)

[edit] house painting after World War I

Without a question, all I can tell you is that they used paint. — ceejayoz ★ 14:07, 2 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Chairman, Joint Chiefs

Can the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff stay in the military when thier term is over? How is the Chairman Chosen?

Our article at Joint Chiefs of Staff answers this: The chairman is nominated by the President and is at all times a member of the military, though detached from the regular chain of command. Because the Joint Chiefs are the highest-ranking members of their respective branches, they tend to end their terms on the collective council upon retirement. — Lomn | Talk / RfC 02:20, 29 September 2005 (UTC)

[edit] amusemn

[edit] amusement rides

What exactly is your question? Bart133 (t) 23:33, 28 September 2005 (UTC)

[edit] What do you call the printed brochure at a funeral?

I'm not asking about the eulogy, or the obituary, or an elegy--but about the printed thingy with a poem or prayer, the brief biography of the person, perhaps a photo--etc.

  • I've called it and heard it called a program (fortunately, I've not been to many funerals), but I'm not sure if that's the official name for such a thing – there may not be one. Funeral isn't much help. android79 18:26, 28 September 2005 (UTC)
In Britain, it's known as an order of service; programme sounds far too much like something printed for an etertainment or sporting event. --Gareth Hughes 18:31, 28 September 2005 (UTC)
Are you talking about the cards that are often printed for funerals with a picture, possibly of Jesus Christ or some depiction of a saint, on the front and the person's name on the back with their date of birth and death? The back also sometimes has a small prayer or biblical passage printed on it. In the United States, I've often heard these being referred to as "prayer cards". I don't know if that's the official name for them though. Dismas|(talk) 23:26, 28 September 2005 (UTC)
That's unlike the order of service that Gareth mentioned. For a funeral, it generally list the name of the deceased person (so you know you're at the right one), gives the order of the service (listing hymns, readings, communion, etc.). Sometimes it has the words for hymns, and sometimes has a photo or two of the deceased person, details of any post service get together, and perhaps details of a charity to which you're invited to donate. -- Finlay McWalter | Talk 23:34, 28 September 2005 (UTC)

[edit] cedent

Hello:

What is a "cedent"? The term is used often in the insurance industry.

Please advise.

Thanks!

David

It is probably a person who cedes something. This is not a good way to use the English language. --Gareth Hughes 18:36, 28 September 2005 (UTC)
I guess they could have called them the cedar. DJ Clayworth 19:57, 28 September 2005 (UTC)
Or a seder. User:Zoe|(talk) 00:52, 29 September 2005 (UTC)
Google quickly brings us here, in which we find it means "ceding insurer", at which point I find myself falling asleep. I am wondering why this isn't a good use of English, though I would have been more inclined to coin "cedant". Sharkford 20:00, 4 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Star and Moon Atoll

I have an aerial view of two atoll's or islands next to each other shaped like a star and a crescent moon. There are large boats in the water around them, but I cannot find anywhere on the web where these atolls or islands are located. They look just like the Star and Crescent of the Red Crescent organization. I would like to know where they are located. --SG

I have seen pictures (I believe in Smithsonian Magazine) of manufactured coastal communities (in one or more of the oil-producing Arab states) where soil and sand have been moved in massive ways to form luxury waterfront properties that, when viewed from the air, show images such as you mention. The picture I recall was of such a development in the shape of a palm tree. Courtneymitchell 21:47, 30 September 2005 (UTC)

Courtneymitchell, you are correctly referring to the Palm Islands and The World. However, SG, I do not know about an archipelago in the form you described. Could you upload the picture you to some webspace outside Wikipedia (as I carefully presume you do not have the copyright on it) and link to it for reference, please?
--Florian Prischl 16:11, 7 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] 2 sticks butter are how much in the metric system?

Hello!

I have a wonderful recipe for even more wonderful "chunky chocolate cookies", which I found in a cookie bakery in New York City. But they gave me a recipe which is aimed more to the U.S. public, because there is no single indication of ingredients made in the metric system.

But that's fine; I don't think that teaspoons look in the U.S. that much different than in Europe and I can calculate how much 350° F are (or 300 when I use the convection oven...), but how much are two sticks (unsalted...) butter (United States) when indicated in a baking recipe?

  • Fourteen milliheartattacks. Seriously, though, butter is sold in the US in 1-pound packages of four quarter-pound sticks. One stick is 4 ounces, which is equivalent to a half a US cup. Cup indicates that there is only a 13-mL difference between US and metric cups, so you're probably safe using a metric cup of buttery goodness to make your cookies. android79 19:59, 28 September 2005 (UTC)
    • Whoops. Fluid ounces measure volume, while regular ounces measure weight. A stick of butter is four ounces in weight. To figure out the volume, you would need to know the density, which I don't. Superm401 | Talk 14:08, 29 September 2005 (UTC)
      • By the way, note that Europe doesn't generally use "cups" as a measuring device - I know cooks who've gone to the effort of ordering measuring cups all the way from the US in order to have to stop converting recipies all the time. Shimgray | talk | 15:01, 29 September 2005 (UTC)
  • Thanks a lot!! Hmmm, yummy! Dani_skr, 20:05, 28 Sep 2005 (UTC)
    • I thought metric cooks always measured in mass not volume. One stick of butter is 113 g. By the way, a teaspoon is an exact measure, it translates to about 4.9 mL. Rmhermen 14:23, 29 September 2005 (UTC)
  • Well, I wonder how those cookies turned out, then... android79 15:05, 29 September 2005 (UTC)
      • Well, they've been somehow "interesting"..., but thanks anyway! 0015 CEST, 04 Oct dani_skr

[edit] methamphetaime/recovery symptoms

See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Methamphetamine#Addiction --bodnotbod 21:34, 5 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Good restaurant

What's a good restaurant in midtown, Atlanta, Georgia? Just looking to take some friends to dinner there, less than $20.

for visitors, I frequently recommend the Park Tavern (500 10th St NE, Atlanta, 30309). If you like sushi, Ru San (1529 Piedmont Ave NE, Atlanta, 30324) is very good and has great prices, If you require a place in the hart of midtown, I'd suggest The Vortex (fancy burgers) (878 Peachtree St NE # 4, Atlanta, 30309) or Joe's On Juniper (1049 Juniper St NE, Atlanta, 30309) (most of the waitstaff is pretty gay there if you don't like that sort of thing, but midtown as a whole is rather gay). -Drdisque 04:36, 29 September 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Penis enlargement

Do any of those penis enlargement pills actually work, or are they all snake oil?

Nope, snake oil. Penn & Teller devoted an episode of their television show Bullshit! to this in fact.
Wikipedia has an article on penis enlargement, though I would add that perspicacious prospective partners are more attracted to a pleasing personality than a pendulous penis. Shantavira 08:16, 29 September 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Vitamin C

IS it possible to overdose on vitamin C?

It is possible to overdose on any substance. Paracelsus, considered the father of modern toxicology, made a statement that is often paraphrased as "the dose makes the poison." Meaning, any substance is poisonous if you ingest enough of it; conversely, any substance is non-toxic in a sufficiently small amount. This MSDS for ascorbic acid (vitamin C) cites an LD50 of 11900 mg/kg in rats, and 3367 mg/kg in mice. Even if we use the lower number for mice and apply it to humans, it would take a few hundred grams of vitamin C (remember that vitamin C tablets are usually measured in milligrams) to be fatal. Chuck 20:15, 28 September 2005 (UTC)
  • There have been cases where people have died from taking too much water which is known as Water intoxication emphasising Chuck's point. Capitalistroadster 08:28, 29 September 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Six Flags, atlanta, ga

Has anyone ever died at six flags in atlanta?

Searching through RideAccidents.com, which bills itself as "the world's single most comprehensive, detailed, updated, accurate, and complete source of amusement ride accident reports and related news," I found one report of a death: an employee was killed on May 26, 2002, when he was in a restricted area beneath the track of Batman The Ride, and was struck by the leg of a passenger. Chuck 22:10, 28 September 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Child porn

If you're under 18, and post pictures of yourself online, will you get arrested for chid sexual abuse? I need an answer NOW

  • Probably depends on which state you're in. In any case, if you're talking about nude or suggestive pictures, I'd advise against it regardless of the legality of it. On the Internet, everything lasts forever. android79 20:01, 28 September 2005 (UTC)
    • Can you 'abuse' yourself? Dubious legal argument at best. Recently, 2 underage girls in NZ presented themselves at a "gentleman's club", claiming to be over 18, and saw a few "clients" each. IIRC Neither were prosecuted. Having said that, some places still make it illegal for you to kill yourself. I would go with what Android79 suggested.--inks 20:08, 28 September 2005 (UTC)
Teen girl charged with posting nude photos on Internet "charged with sexual abuse of children, possession of child pornography and dissemination of child pornography." Frencheigh 23:07, 28 September 2005 (UTC)
American law enforcement just gets wackier all the time. (I am American). How did the case turn out?Nelson Ricardo 00:32, 29 September 2005 (UTC)
  • I would recommend against it. I don't want to scare you, but you'd attract all kinds of nutcases who may want more than just watching pictures. - Mgm|(talk) 07:52, 29 September 2005 (UTC)
  • In the hope that more voices expressing the view will be more effective, I strongly adivse against it too. Once the pictures on the Internet you'll have no control on how the pictures are used or distributed. All sorts of creeps could get their hands on them and then may have the intention of getting their hands on you. And how would you feel if the pictures fell into the hands of your neighbours or even family? --bodnotbod 21:48, 5 October 2005 (UTC)
  • From the urgency in this post, methinks the deed's already been done... Denni☯ 02:23, 6 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] ME

What are the top 5 mechancal engineering schools in the nation?

That depends a whole lot on your metric. For starters, what nation? Assuming we can get a definitive answer there, do you care about just undergraduate, just graduate, or both? Do you want opportunities for undergraduate research at that campus? If graduate, masters vs doctorate, and what particular area? The list builds. Then we get into things like the realization that you won't (hopefully) spend all your time in class, so what about the campus-wide aspects, distance from home, cost, etc, etc? Point is, there are no definitive rankings, and any rankings that purport themselves definitive (c.f. U.S. News) won't be tailored to your specific goals.
However, to put in my 2 (useful) cents, you will get out of college what you put in. For undergraduate in particular, everybody's curriculum will be comparable. I'd look at things like campus life and industry affiliation (you do want a real job eventually, right?) over whether or not a prof has a Nobel Prize. Also consider things like school and class size: you may get a better education at a small school with generic profs who work regularly with students than at a big name school with lots of research where teaching is delegated to grad students. — Lomn | Talk / RfC 20:42, 28 September 2005 (UTC)

[edit] diet coke

Is aspartame bad for you?

See Aspartame#Health effects controversy. Chuck 21:09, 28 September 2005 (UTC)

[edit] toilet bowl cleaner

OK, I've got a crazy idea. You know those toilet bowl tablets? They're bleach tablets, same thing you put in a swimming pool, ie calcium hypochlorite. Can I save some cash and just use the chlorine tablets for my pool in my toilet bowl, or will something go horribly wrong?

yes, but they will possibly overchlorinate your toilet water and make your bathroom smell like a poolhouse. it could also corrode any metal in your toilet, including the handle and flapper assembly.

[edit] sanitizing tap water

IF you don't have iodine, can you sanitize water with a couple of drops of bleach?

Apparently you can as a last resort: this page from the CDC contains instructions in the "Water" section. Do keep in mind that too little bleach won't sanitize the water, and too much can cause personal injury. Please see Wikipedia's medical disclaimer. — mendel ☎ 01:18, 29 September 2005 (UTC)

[edit] What's a good stock broker

what's a good stock broker that allows otc bb trades and is less than 10 bucks a trade?

[edit] White noise

Do noise cancelling headphones actually work?

Yes. active noise cancelling headphones do actually work. But of course, you don't get 100% noise cancellation - monotonous sounds (like car or aircraft engines) get cancelled out quite well, but human speech and music doesn't. My noise cancellation headphones are awesome when flying (as a passenger), and pilots of light aircraft use them too. --inks 20:24, 28 September 2005 (UTC)
It's just about worth noting that noise cancelation uses reversed phase sound waves, and not white noise, which would merely mask the sounds. Sadly my bose headphones a) are sufficiently shielded to resist burbling in time to mobile phone polling signals; and there's some sort of spring mechanism in the headband which has started chattering away as I move my head. And yes, I'm wasting time whinging about it on wikipedia rather than boxing them up and sending them back. Doh. --Tagishsimon (talk)
Apparently they work better on low frequencies (train noise etc) -- Dan's Data has a short article about them here (scroll down to second section). Ojw 21:56, 30 September 2005 (UTC)
They work, but have their drawbacks. They do have an effect on the quality of the audio (if that is what you're using them for)-- The noise-cancelling will actually cancel out a portion of some frequencies that are in the audio. A better solution is a pair of in-ear-canal headphones. Not the cheap kind you get with CD players and the like, but these have soft tips that slide into your ear canal. Properly worn, their sound quality is as good as or better than a similarly-priced full-size set of headphones. Also, by themselves the in-ear ones provide the same (if not better... 25+dB) noise "reduction" (technically "isolation") than the noise-cancelling headphones. They are tiny, which makes them portable. They also don't require a separate battery pack or external power source. And some of them (eg, Etymotic ER-4) are cheaper than the noise-cancelling ones. The downside is some people find them uncomfortable after a long time of listening. More info here. --24.85.216.143 08:06, 3 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] tesla coils

is there a max # of volts the human body can take (not talking about amps, i know we can only take a little bit of amperage) but is there a max voltage the human body can take?

If there are no amps then your body can take any number of volts. You may, in high school, have done the experiment where you stand on something insulated and then touch a Van de Graff generator, and your hair stands on end. That charges you to millions of volts, but because there is no current it isn't dangerous. DJ Clayworth 21:08, 28 September 2005 (UTC)
The ability of the human body to resisr the effects of electric shock varies enormously, and depends on various factors such as general fitness, sweatiness, and type of clothing worn. A recent news item reported someone who was killed while changing a domestic light bulb; on the other hand some people have survived multiple lightning strikes. Shantavira 08:28, 29 September 2005 (UTC)
Also, the time of exposure to the current is important. Our article on electric shock gives a better explanation on this subject. ☢ Kieff | Talk 09:45, 29 September 2005 (UTC)

[edit] deliverence

Who was the actor who played the banjo boy in deliverence? is he still alive today and if so does he act?

Here is the Internet Movie Database page about Deliverance (1972), which has a complete cast list. If you don't find it there I suggest asking at that site, because they have a much more movie-focussed readership. DJ Clayworth 21:10, 28 September 2005 (UTC)
We have an article on Deliverance as well as Billy Redden, the actor who played "Lonny" the banjo player. Redden is alive and was recently in the movie Big Fish although he is not an actor by profession. Dismas|(talk) 21:41, 28 September 2005 (UTC)

[edit] contact lenses

are the night and day 30 day contacts safe? i know they're fda approved, but leaving something in your eye for 30 days, can't that cause infection?

I would suppose that if you don't care for your eyes then yes, they could cause infection. Although if the FDA approved them, I would think that they believe them to be safe. Please consult a doctor if you have any problems with your eyes, and follow the directions on the packaging of any medical products. Dismas|(talk) 21:52, 28 September 2005 (UTC)

[edit] fish poisoning

how many ppl die from that fish that's poisonous but ppl still eat it?

From the Fugu article: "Some sources claim that about 100 people die each year from fugu poisoning, while others sources say only 10 to 20 per year, and still others state only 1 person dies each year from fugu. This reported variation may be the result of different sequences of years being studied..." Chuck 21:13, 28 September 2005 (UTC)

[edit] dividends

HAVE THE STOCK HOLDERS RECIEVED THEIR DIVIDENDS FOR THE THIRD QUARTER OF 2004? OR WAS THERE BACKUP WITHHOLDING?

Which stock? Stocks don't all issue their dividends on the same day. Chuck 20:54, 28 September 2005 (UTC)

[edit] do you know the muffin man?

the muffin man? the muffin man?

See Shrek. DJ Clayworth 20:56, 28 September 2005 (UTC)

We have a number of articles on Nursery rhymes but not that particular one it seems. Capitalistroadster 04:49, 29 September 2005 (UTC)
Sure, he hangs out on Drury Lane. Shantavira 08:31, 29 September 2005 (UTC)

[edit] lord forest

is there a movie with a character called lord forest?

Using IMDB's character name search returned A Royal Demand. Chuck 21:21, 28 September 2005 (UTC)

[edit] wireless internet

what's the max distance for a wifi conncetion?

In the Wi-Fi shootout competition at this year's DEF CON, the winning team managed to sustain an 11Mbps connection over a distance of 125 miles, using one 12 foot dish antena and one 10 foot dish. (Slashdot report) Of course, in any normal situation, the range will be far less: our article on WiFi suggests 45-90m (150-300 feet) as typical for access points sold for home use - the actual range is dependent on many variables, for example physical features such as walls absorbing the signal and reducing range. I would say the best way to find out what range you'll get in a specific location with specific kit is to test it. -- AJR 22:29, 28 September 2005 (UTC)

[edit] longhorn

when's windows longhorn coming out?

Why not read our article on Windows Longhorn and find that out plus a whole lot more? Dismas|(talk) 21:00, 28 September 2005 (UTC)
Right after Duke Nukem Forever, the end of the gulf war, and the Hades ice rink. Ojw 21:59, 30 September 2005 (UTC)
Funny how Windows calls its product "Longhorn", and Mac products are called things like "Panther", or "Tiger". Think there's any relationship to how the product works?Minkimink 11:26, 29 January 2006 (UTC)

[edit] tallulah falls, ga

does anyone know if the river there is open to kayaking?

  • Our Tallulah Falls, Georgia article doesn't provide any guidance on this issue. However, this website states that Tallulah Gorge which presumably is nearby is one of the most difficult runs in that state and suitable for experts only. This is the website [10]Capitalistroadster 04:51, 29 September 2005 (UTC)

[edit] sustainable height

what's the highest distance someone can fall and still live (comatose = alive, for this question)

There are quite a few factors to take into account there. Is the person landing on their feet or their head? What are they falling onto, grass or concrete? etc. Dismas|(talk) 20:56, 28 September 2005 (UTC)
Do they have a parchute? Were they concious at the start of the fall? Thryduulf 21:13, 28 September 2005 (UTC)
In certain circumstances the answer is infinte (in theory) - if they are in free-fall and have apropriate protection from space (e.g. a space-suit or being inside a spacecraft that is also in free-fall) then the whole time they spend in orbit they spend falling.
The longest time in space aboard a single flight is 437-days, 17-hours, 58-minutes, 04 seconds (onboard Mir by Valeri Polyakov). If we assume for simplicity that exactly 437 days of that was spent in orbit, and that mir had a 90-minute orbit (it was 89.1 minutes) and that each orbit was exactly 25,000 miles.
437 \mathrm{ days} \times 1440 \frac{\mathrm{ minutes}}{\mathrm{ day}} = 629 280 \mathrm{ minutes}
\frac{629 280 \mathrm{ minutes}}{90 \frac{\mathrm{ minutes}}{\mathrm{ orbit}}} = 6992 \mathrm{ orbits}
6992 \mathrm{ orbits} \times 25000 \frac{\mathrm{ miles}}{\mathrm{ orbit}} = 174 800 000 \mathrm{ miles}
Our article on Dr Polyakov states he is still alive, meaning he must have survived the fall of over 174 million miles. Thryduulf 21:41, 28 September 2005 (UTC)
If we avoid being extra-terrestrial Free-fall metions some plummeters. MeltBanana 23:15, 28 September 2005 (UTC)
Depends entirely what you happen to land on. A number of people have survived a fall from a commercial airliner that broke up at cruising altitude. Our article on accidents and incidents in aviation mentions "a 17-year old girl who survives a fall from 2 miles". Shantavira 08:41, 29 September 2005 (UTC)
The classic example of surviving a high-altitude fall is Vesna Vulović, who fell roughly 33,000 feet. However, she seems to have been inside part of an airliner at the time, which may have provided some protection/stabilisation. The highest fall, otherwise, I'm aware of is a WWII British airman, who bailed out of a bomber and then discovered his parachute didn't work. He landed in a snowy pine forest, which broke his fall enough that he survived. (On checking, Sgt. Nicholas Alkemade. There were also a couple of other allied airmen who fell from the same height and survived, on other occasions - about 20,000 feet.) Shimgray | talk | 14:08, 29 September 2005 (UTC)
The alt.suicide.holiday Methods FAQ states that one needs to fall 6 stories to have a 90% chance of dying, either instantaneously or from one's injuries. moink 23:03, 29 September 2005 (UTC)

[edit] most toxic toxin

what's the most toxic poison? ie, smallest dose can kill someone

Oxygen. No dose whatsoever is uniformly fatal to humans. — Lomn | Talk / RfC 20:45, 28 September 2005 (UTC)
According to the sci.chem FAQ (scroll down to question 10.5), tetanus toxin, botulinum toxin, and Shiga toxin lead the list, each with an LD50 around 1 ng/kg. Wikipedia's own articles give the edge to botulinum toxin and claim that the lethal dose is 300 pg/kg. Chuck 23:06, 28 September 2005 (UTC)
If you include radiation poisoning (q.v.) the fatal dose is minute in terms of the mass of radioactive material required. Shantavira 14:17, 29 September 2005 (UTC)

[edit] biggest mosque

which is the biggest mosque of the world

Shah (King) Faisal Mosque, Islamabad, Pakistan mentioned at List of mosques. the prayer hall alone is 1.19 acres. MeltBanana 21:21, 28 September 2005 (UTC)

[edit] food

what is tuna called in hawaii?

Usually "tuna". There are Hawai'ian words that are more specific: Yellowfin Tuna is "'ahi" (the first letter is an okina) and Skipjack Tuna is "aku". - Nunh-huh 04:38, 29 September 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Referencing Wikipedia

If you had to refer to wikipedia in a bibliography, how would you put it?

See Wikipedia:Citing Wikipedia. Frencheigh 23:09, 28 September 2005 (UTC)

[edit] hurricane katrina

how did katrina affect overpopulation in places like dallas and houston


   People who escaped from New Orleans fled to Dallas and Houston. Gesiwuj.

[edit] RCA/Columbia Pictures Home Video list

Hi,

I'm not sure if this is the right place to ask or even if I'm wasting your time, but I'm looking for a reference list for all the titles released on RCA/Columbia Pictures Home Video, particularly the "Magic Window" series which were issued in the custom clamshell boxes.

I've looked almost everywhere else I can think of, so I hope you can help!

Thanks, Ian Dickson Brighton UK

You're asking in the right place on Wikipedia. Columbia Pictures became part of Sony some time ago, so you could try contacting Sony in the UK and asking them. Presumably they have a catalogue with everything they've ever released on it. --Robert Merkel 13:23, 30 September 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Cities populations

I am looking for the most recent populations of the following cities, Baton Rouge,Alexandria, New Orleans,Shreveport,Lake Chareles,Lafayette,Monroe all cities are Louisiana cities.

Be careful with how you ask this one. Most recent before Katrina or most recent as of 9 April 2007 (UTC) (the date of your question)? --hydnjo talk 01:56, 29 September 2005 (UTC)
Type the name of each city into the box on the left of the screen. Press Go. That will take you to an article about the city, which will tell you a population figure (probably from a few years ago). DJ Clayworth 17:20, 29 September 2005 (UTC)

[edit] myths of authoritarianism

What are the six myths of authoritarianism?

Whatever your textbook or teacher says that they are. DES (talk) 01:45, 29 September 2005 (UTC)
Our Authoritarianism article is quite detailed but fails to state anything about 6 myths. A Google search on this phrase come up with nothing see [11] suggesting that this phrase is not widely used. I doubt if we can help you with this. Capitalistroadster 02:24, 29 September 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Grass

Is it possible to grow grass on your scalp?

If you have a good head of loam then, yes. Be sure to water and fertilize but don't shampoo. --hydnjo talk 02:00, 29 September 2005 (UTC)

how much grass did you smoke to want to ask that question? --Ballchef 03:58, 29 September 2005 (UTC)

[edit] lactulose

Does lactulose tickle?

It apparently goes great with vodka. - Nunh-huh 03:30, 29 September 2005 (UTC)

lactulose doesn't specify the tickle levels of lactulose, perhaps you should try it out? --Ballchef 03:58, 29 September 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Chocolate milk

What chocolate-flavored milk product once advertised free Captain Midnight Secret Decoder rings?

Ovaltine. Also see Secret decoder ring. --hydnjo talk 15:44, 29 September 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Swiftboating

I've noticed the use of the term "swiftboating" several times in the past few months. It is used in the sense of someone being swiftboated,ie, being lied about. Recently it was used in our local newspaper as "he was swiftboated". In that particular case the person had been the subject of a lie.

Is this word going to, or has it, entered our vocabular as a new idiom?

EWB


  • I would doubt it. Does the meaning refer to claims by the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth about John Kerry or the other way about?Capitalistroadster 05:05, 29 September 2005 (UTC)
    • Yes, the term means that the claims are of a similar character as those by the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth (i.e. seen as character assasination). The term's actually become not that uncommon in the U.S. media.--Pharos 17:57, 29 September 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Fact checking

Does anyone check over newly editted pages and fact check the information added? How is one to know that the information one is receiving is true?

Please see Wikipedia:Replies to common objections and Wikipedia:FAQ. Dismas|(talk) 10:46, 29 September 2005 (UTC)

[edit] getting old

how can i get old slower?

exercise, diet, nutrition, low stress, don't smoke or drink or do drugs. amongst other things. --Ballchef 06:20, 29 September 2005 (UTC)
Considering how many things which people enjoy are bad for you, you may not live to be 100 if you abstain from all the above, but it'll probably feel like it! -- Arwel 18:48, 30 September 2005 (UTC)
Depending of your reasons... how about considering the twin paradox? :) ☢ Kieff | Talk 09:45, 29 September 2005 (UTC)

[edit] spiders2

anyone got any tips on keeping away daddy longlegs?

heavily spray the areas they like to congregate in with pesticides. Also, a daddy longlegs is technically not a spider. see Opiliones -Drdisque 06:34, 29 September 2005 (UTC)

i've been told that daddy long legs cant bite humans and only kill other spiders - so we dont kill the daddy long legs (on purpose) but let it kill the other spiders...Kattus 13:11, 29 September 2005 (UTC)

See crane fly for more information. Shantavira 15:23, 29 September 2005 (UTC)
I'd urge anyone to think once, or twice, or more than three times before getting out the pesticides for crane flies. An article on [Crane Fly Pests of the Pacific Northwest http://whatcom.wsu.edu/cranefly/] makes the point: Pesticide applications for crane flies are probably unnecessary in many cases. This misuse of pesticides is wasteful, costly and can have detrimental effects to the environment, wildlife and ourselves.. The same site provides a number of well considered treatments [12] and, FWIW, the quicklinks box at the top right seems the easiest way to navigate the site. --Tagishsimon (talk)

of course, from his question topic, he probably isn't talking about crane flies, he/she's probably talking about Opiliones (a Harvestman) or the Daddy Longlegs Spider also known as the Pholcidae for which pesticides will be effective. -Drdisque 00:35, 30 September 2005 (UTC)

[edit] laser printer vs inkjet printer

why should i get a (home) laser printer when it costs more than an inkjet and only does black and white? I need a printer that does colour and photos and is cheap, should i go inkjet? --Ballchef 06:10, 29 September 2005 (UTC)

sounds like an inkjet is best for you. Home laser printers are intended for those who print a lot of pages and/or want a printer hardwired onto their network. -Drdisque 06:32, 29 September 2005 (UTC)

thanks!

The advantages of a laser printer are that they can print much more quickly than inkjet printers, and, while their ink cartridges are more expensive, they are also larger and they last longer, so it's a better deal in the long run -- selling ink for inkjet printers is one of the biggest legal rackets of all time. They can also provide sharper grayscale prints than inkjets can. However, while color laser printers exist, they are more expensive and can't offer the quality of a color inkjet. So you kinda answered your own question; for printing photos, stick with inkjet. However, for college students, small businesses and others who need to print out lots of text -- reports, essays, research documents -- lasers can be a sweeter deal in the long run. Garrett Albright 18:16, 29 September 2005 (UTC)
I can't remember where I heard it, but apparently inkjet ink is more expensive than Champagne or Rocket fuel

In reality you can be pro-active when selecting an inkjet printer and research the most economical inkjet printer type to purchase. Most printers sell for almost nothing to purchase but the manufacturer makes up the loss with the selling of inkjet cartridges.

There are 2 Manufacturers that make products that have 3rd party inkjet cartridge suppliers. They are Canon and Epson.

Canon has printers that support larger cartridges (The BCI 3 and 6 Series)

The Back holds 30 ml and the Color are 15 ml each.

Epson comes a close second where they have cartridges (T044 Series)

The Back holds 13 ml and the Color are 17 ml each. (IF you purchase a Pinter that also can support the (T0431 cartridge) it holds 30 ml also.)

HP , Dell and Lexmark sell printers that have the Head Mechanics built in and as a result sell only much higher priced replacement cartridges.

Next is to select a reputable 3rd party supplier like Metawatch Inkjet Supplies

They offer free delivery to your door, for any purchase over $50.00 and have the best prices I could find anywhere in Canada.

So Inkjets can be cheap if you take your time and shop around. (Remember its not the purchase price that is the most important thing to remember but the total cost of ownership)

[edit] Diameter of a football

That depends first on what type of football (international or American) and on the level of play (World Cup, Super Bowl, Grey Cup, kiddie league, etc). Additionally, for American/Canadian football, you'd have to specify the major vs minor axis. Anyway, the article linked above should clear this up for oyu regardless. — Lomn | Talk / RfC 13:03, 29 September 2005 (UTC)

[edit] lwas pertaining to cycle rickshwas in madras

amendments made to The Madras Hackney Carriage Act 1911 and further laws existing in the state?

[edit] Death

How exactly does a bullet to the brain or heart kill you?

to the heart, it kills you because the heart cannot attain the pressure required to pump blood to your brain because it has a giant hole in it. In the brain, it severs neuron connections required for the brain to work or the severs blood vessels that keep important parts of the brain alive. -Drdisque 16:18, 29 September 2005 (UTC)

  • I didn't ask the original question - just curious, but when a bullet to the brain kills you, is it usually because one of the bits that gets knocked out is the part telling your lungs to breathe? --bodnotbod 22:12, 5 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] oceans vs seas

And you question is...? --hydnjo talk 20:38, 29 September 2005 (UTC)
I think they might have been asking what the difference or what the defining point of when a sea is considered an ocean would be. Dismas|(talk) 20:53, 29 September 2005 (UTC)
Oh, sort of like when does a pond become a lake or when does a lane become a street become an avenue. There are no hard and fast rules that I could suggest to the questioner so I bounced the question to get a more specific question. I suspect that Dismas is correct as to the root of the question, I was just hoping to draw it out in a more specific context. --hydnjo talk 23:10, 30 September 2005 (UTC)
I've always heard that seas are described by the land that surrounds them, while land is described by the oceans that surround it. -Tim Rhymeless (Er...let's shimmy) 00:10, 2 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Does This Energy Drink really work?

I was wondering if XS Citrus Blast Energy drink is simply made up of caffeine and some flavors, or does this drink have a makeup of things that really provide energy. Also, would it be best to just buy a can of coke instead?

It depends on how you define energy. By most definitions any drink with any amount of calories can be described as an energy drink. I assume this drink has plenty of sugar. Whether you would be better off with a can of coke depends on the relative costs and your taste preference. A handful of sugar in a glass of water would be even cheaper. alteripse 16:25, 29 September 2005 (UTC)

[edit] smallest state in the USA

What is the smallest state in the USA?

That would be the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations. — Lomn | Talk / RfC 16:02, 29 September 2005 (UTC)
Rhode Island is the smallest in area. Wyoming is the smallest in population. Chuck 16:01, 29 September 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Lional train

What is the value of a Lional engine and coal tender, model 736?

try searching for recently sold examples of such an item on ebay -Drdisque 16:15, 29 September 2005 (UTC)

[edit] baseball

why did they stop selling alochol after the 7th inning.And what year and teams were playing

They stop selling alcohol then to prevent fans from getting as drunk and to give drunk fans time to sober up before they leave (assuming they leave at the end of the game). The second part of your question doesn't make any sense. -Drdisque 18:00, 29 September 2005 (UTC)

I think the original poster meant that they wanted to know what year they stopped selling beer after the 7th and what teams were in MLB at the time of the new rule. Although I don't know the answer to that, I think that's what they meant to ask. Dismas|(talk) 18:55, 29 September 2005 (UTC)

[edit] help me please !!!

i have just started a course at college but i need help can somebody tell me what the word demonstrator means in relation to the famous playwright bertolt brecht ??!! thank you lisa-kate 212.126.144.12--212.126.144.12 18:29, 29 September 2005 (UTC)

Have you tried reading our article on Bertolt Brecht? --Sherool 18:57, 29 September 2005 (UTC)

Demonstrator can have several meanings depending on context. One meaning is "a person who participates in a public protest," especially someone who carries a sign to raise public understanding of the issue. Brecht was more of a political activist than most playwrights. This is a guess. alteripse 10:40, 30 September 2005 (UTC)

[edit] VCR

How long do you think it'll be before they stop making VCR's?

Decades, if ever. You can still buy brand new turntables, and digital video recorders are not nearly prevalent enough yet to phase out VCRs. — Lomn | Talk / RfC 20:01, 29 September 2005 (UTC)
Ah, but turntables are used to access a medium that, if preserved properly, lasts nearly forever. Videotape degrades much, much faster. I have tapes today that are 20+ years old, and while still watchable, have decayed significantly. A better analogy than turntables would be 8 Track players. I think that VCRs, (that is, consumer mass-marketed VHS VCRs) will be totally extinct within 10 years. The Studios will stop releasing new titles on tape within a few years, and as DVRs and recordable DVD makes grounds, the market for blank tapes will drop. And the VCR will pass into history, save for a very few hobby/historical uses. Brian Schlosser42 21:42, 3 October 2005 (UTC)
The major electronics store I went to about six months ago no longer sold stand alone VCRs, only combination DVD/VCRs. Cheap enough though, under $100. --hydnjo talk 20:31, 29 September 2005 (UTC)
To summarise, VCRs will be around in small quantities in specialised applications for many years (if for no other purpose than to enable access to historical recordings). However, they will disappear as a mainstream consumer item before too long; the process already has begun. --Robert Merkel 13:18, 30 September 2005 (UTC)
Videoape is still used heavily professionally — before the day when VCRs are no longer available we will reach the day when VHS is gone and Betacam is still in use! — mendel ☎ 19:14, 30 September 2005 (UTC)
We haven't really answered the question. I think that a small volume new VCRs will be manufactured at least through the next 8-10 years. I don't think any will still be produced 15 years from now. ike9898 00:01, 2 October 2005 (UTC)
In Britain, VCRs are only now sold through specialist dealers now. VHS is no longer sold in most shops, either.smurrayinchester 09:07, 4 October 2005 (UTC)
That's not true. Unless Argos and Dixons are 'specialist dealers' (which make them sound seedy :) ). And Woolworths, WH Smiths, HMV and Virgin Megastores all still sell VHS cassettes (blanks and pre-recorded).
Sorry, I just remember Currys, Dixons etc claiming they were no longer going to stock them (and the Dead Ringers Joke: Dixons have announced they are dropping VCRs. Explains why they never work when you get them home.) Plus, I probably just haven't been looking out for them! smurrayinchester(User), (Talk) 09:36, 5 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Baseball Rules

Is there a rule in baseball that states, that if the game is tied, with bases loaded and it's the bottom of the 9th inning, you can't intentionally get hit with the ball to drive in the winning walk?

In baseball, a batter may not intentionally step into a pitch, or fail to attempt to avoid a pitch (to draw a hit-by-pitch), at any time; he is out if he does so. However, a regular hit-by-pitch may occur at any point. See the official rules, section 6.08[13] — Lomn | Talk / RfC 19:58, 29 September 2005 (UTC)
I read somewhere that this sort of thing occurred during, I think it was Walter Johnson's consecutive scoreless innings streak. Johnson hit a batter with the bases loaded, but the umpire called him back, claiming that he didn't try hard enough to avoid getting hit. --Maxamegalon2000 20:59, 4 October 2005 (UTC)
I think it was Don Drysdale's streak, and the game in question was against the Giants (part of the Giants-Dodgers lore).
From the Dodgers web site:
May 31, 1968: Don Drysdale's scoreless-innings streak appears to be over when he hits Dick Dietz with the bases juiced in the ninth inning. But home-plate umpire Harry Wendlestadt rules that Dietz made no effort to avoid being hit and the Dodgers prevail, 3-0, over San Francisco.

[edit] Iraqi Dinar

On the contents page under 2.4 ,value of the new dinar, there is an urgent update notice that says the Iraqi Dinar is expected to oeg the week of October 1st 2005. Can you explain why?

Mallary

The notice is badly written, granted, but it basically says that the dinar is expected to be pegged to the US dollar at the beginning of October. This means that its exchange rate with the dollar will not be allowed to fluctuate. --Gareth Hughes 20:37, 29 September 2005 (UTC)

[edit] shelters ANDERSON

i have been reseraching material for a book on me during the Blitz of Plymouth. You are incorrect on the number of people for a shelter. Each sheet of metal was multiplied accourding to who were to use it. One adult & 2 children equaled ONLY 2 sheets deep! Two adults or more, 3 sheets.

Father away in the Navy, so the two sheet deep size was our lot! Floor was wood made by grandfather to keep out the damp. A FULL SIZE DOUBLE MATRESS FITTED PERFECTLY ON THE FLOOR. My father cut a naval hammock into two & hooked to the length of the 2 sheets. We swayed as the gun vibrations from antaircraft weapons fired from local park.

I was later to be a Sgt. in the WRAF in 1950's. Meeting many vets from the war era.

Thank you for your suggestion! When you feel an article needs improvement, please feel free to make those changes. Wikipedia is a wiki, so anyone can edit almost any article by simply following the Edit this page link at the top. You don't even need to log in (although there are many reasons why you might want to). The Wikipedia community encourages you to be bold in updating pages. Don't worry too much about making honest mistakes — they're likely to be found and corrected quickly. If you're not sure how editing works, check out how to edit a page, or use the sandbox to try out your editing skills. New contributors are always welcome. Dismas|(talk) 22:27, 29 September 2005 (UTC)


[edit] focus strategy

[edit] baseball hall of fame

How many hall of famers are pitchers,catchers,infielders,outfielders,managers,and umpires?

[edit] Mt. Wikipedia

When website is loading, background has the outline of a mountain, I'm assuming a mountain of knowledge? Ararat? Sinai? Paramount Pictures? Basically--What Mountain?

  • Actually, if you look more carefully, it's a picture of an open book. But I do agree, "Mt. Wikipedia" has a nice ring to it. Are there any suitable elevatated spots around Tampa Bay?--Pharos 23:57, 29 September 2005 (UTC)

The highest elevation in Florida is a large Landfill near Miami. -Drdisque 00:28, 30 September 2005 (UTC)

I actually first read this as "Mr. Wikipedia". — JIP | Talk 10:50, 30 September 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Unicorn Story

Years ago I read a story about Noah's Ark and the Unicorn. In a nutshell, it was about Noah rounding up all the animals and seeing the unicorn in the distance, and every day that went by, he'd round up more animals but the unicorn would never come close. In the end, the "legend" says that the reason why unicorns are no longer around is because he chose to stay in that world than face this one. Noah was never really able to convince the unicorn to come aboard. It's such a cute story, but I can't remember either the title or the author. Has anyone read it? Does anyone know who the author is or what the story is titled? Vanessa

  • This is one of a number of stories about Noah and the unicorn in Jewish folklore and the Talmud. See these links: [14] [15] [16].--Pharos 00:38, 30 September 2005 (UTC)
Also, there's a song called "The Unicorn" by The Irish Rovers with lyrics by Shel Silverstein that tells a similar story. moink 19:18, 1 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Who?

Hi. Im Hoosay. I have a question about your "Hurricane Rita" website.I'm writing a five paragraph essay about natural disasters in core class and we have to write where we got our information from,the articals title,the webpage,internet address and the author.I could'nt find the Author(s).Would you please send it to me?I don't have an email address so will you please send it to me by mail!

You can get help with this at Wikipedia:Citing Wikipedia. Joyous (talk) 00:47, 30 September 2005 (UTC)

[edit] looks

y r people funny looking

Because we can't all be dolphins. — Lomn | Talk / RfC 04:18, 30 September 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Refineries

When was the most recent oil refinery built in the United States and where?

according to this article, the last refinery in the US was built in 1976, in Garyville, Louisiana. Gentgeen 03:07, 30 September 2005 (UTC)

[edit] http://explanation-guide.info Largest Mobile Companies BIASED!

Why is explanation-guide.info's of the Largest Mobile companies web page biased? It states at the bottom of the page that your web site gives them the info, but all of the US carriers stats are a year and more out of date. They list all of the EU and Asian companies as being the largest, even thought Cingular, Verizon Wireless, and Sprint-Nextel have larger numbers then most of the other EU and Asian related carriers on their web site. And why will they NEVER replay back to my question about this? Can you please help me out?

Cingular 51 Million users Verizon Wireless 47 Million users, and Sprint-Nextel 45 Million Users as of the last quarter in 2005.

How can these other carriers have higher numbers?! Why can't you and your partner web site give credit to the USA?!

Orange (GSM) - 40 million mmO2 (GSM) TIM (GSM)

Thanks, Russell

  • Firstly, all the information on Wikipedia is licensed under the GFDL, and may be used by anyone freely as long as the source is credited. As such, explanation-guide.info isn't a "partner" website of ours - we have nothing to do with them (just to make that clear!), and they simply take our information and republish it.
  • Secondly, as far as I can tell they're using an old copy of our database, which hasn't been updated since... hmm... examining the history of some articles, they seem to have a copy from around last August or September - so at least a year out of date. If you look at our List of mobile network operators, you'll see it's pretty up to date, and doesn't appear to have any anti-US bias (Cingular is still only the eighth largest in the world; I suspect this is because foreign operators break into the US market easier than US ones break into foreign markets, but couldn't really say).
  • Thirdly, the reason they're not replying to your emails... hmm. Many of these sites are basically just there to make some ad money - you'll note they have google ads through their site - from people searching for information, and aren't particularly concerned about anything else. Not to say that this particular one is - I've never heard of them before - but, well, it's a possibility. Shimgray | talk | 02:26, 30 September 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Micro Economto the marketking ics

Why are consumers the

Well the best answer I can give you is

[edit] who was the first 2 million pound player in the uk football leagues

I don't know, but it's made me start an article called British football transfer record. I can't find it on the net, anywhere. Trevor Francis was the first million pound player, in 1979. Man Utd's purchase of Bryan Robson (£1.5m) in 1981 took the record. But the next 'record signing' I could find was Roy Keane (£3.5m) in 1993, and there must have been a £2m player between 1981 and 1993. If anyone knows about football transfer fees, help out with the article I started, for the love of God. Proto t c 11:18, 30 September 2005 (UTC)

  • Only a north american could go "do they really get that heavy?" upon first reading this question. Denni☯ 02:37, 6 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] What is mineral wall fire insulation?

Mineral wool is the normal way to spell it. Ojw 21:44, 3 October 2005 (UTC)

  • From the Knoll website: "Mineral Wool is a product manufactured by recycling waste from plants burning coal for power. It has similar properties to fiberglass such as tackability and good acoustic dampening while also providing superior flame and smoke test results." Denni☯ 02:42, 6 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Health Psychology

Define & discuss the mind-body split.


155.232.250.51 11:21, 30 September 2005 (UTC)

Why not read our article on psychology and its associated articles, read your text book, and then get back to us with a more specific question regarding your homework? Dismas|(talk) 11:27, 30 September 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Palooza!!!!

I have got in trouble on this site for teying to get the answer to this question so i really hope someone can help me!!! What DOES the word palooza mean? I have heard it several times recently and it made me curious. If you have any idea please let me know. On my talk page or whatever, thanks. Skooky 13:21, 30 September 2005 (UTC)

I'm not sure, but I'd guess it's derived from Lollapalooza. Although Lollapalooza became well-known as a music festival which started in 1991, the word itself has been around since at least 1904, and originally meant "remarkable or wonderful person or thing." Since Lollapalooza (the music festival) started, I've occasionally heard "-palooza" applied as a suffix to something else to indicate some kind of festival, but I haven't heard "palooza" used as a word on its own. Chuck 20:44, 30 September 2005 (UTC)
  • Perhaps it's just appended on any word to confer remarkability and wondrousness on whatever it's added to. Like -tastic gets added to things to express something extreme, like "these cookies are chocatastic!" to suggest a great deal of chocolate is used. So, perhaps you could have chocapolooza. --bodnotbod 22:32, 5 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] The Letter People --

I am trying to find tapes/CD's/DVD's of "The Letter People" series that aired on Public Broadcasting in the 70's. It's my understanding that New Dimensions in Education, Inc. sold the rights in 1990. I am not interested in the badly copied versions that are being sold on Ebay. SR


[edit] Russian Companies in US

Where do I find listing of Russian companies doing business in the US? Thanks MB


[edit] Univision

Was Univision always in Spanish?

Sí. Mira Univisión por mas datos. Garrett Albright 17:04, 30 September 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Date: February 10, 1917

I did a Google Search on a lady named Myrta Belle Strong. One of the results I got back was from WIKIPEDIA and listed that on February 10, 1917 she married Carl L. Gregory. I am researching the life and career of Mr. Gregory and while I have seen News reports of His marriage to Ms. Strong, I have never been able to get an exact date, nor have I been able to confirm the marriage. I am looking for the source of your information ot verify the date of this marriage.

Thank you.

Buckey Grimm

Looks like you've found one of the weaknesses of Wikipedia. Although authors are encouraged to cite their sources, so that people with questions like yours can verify the information in the article if they want to, authors are frequently lazy and do not cite their sources. In fact, that is the very first objection listed on Why Wikipedia is not so great. You might have better luck posting your question to the Talk Page for the article where you found the information (I'm assuming it's 1917; that's the only place I was able to find mention of that marriage) where the person who added the information is more likely to see your question. Chuck 17:24, 30 September 2005 (UTC)
  • The user who added that information seems to be User:65.93.31.175. You might try asking them where they got the information on their talk page. --Bob Mellish 17:33, 30 September 2005 (UTC)
Both Carl L. Gregory and Myrta Strong attended Geneva High School in Geneva, Ohio (he in the Class of 1900, she in the Class of 1902). [17]. He is the correct age to be the same person as Carl L. Gregory, the cinematographer (1882-1951) born in Kansas, died in California, who is listed on IMDB as having married Myrta Belle Strong on 10 February 1917, and as having married Marie Garrison afterwards. [18]. (Meanwhile, if we don't have an article on either Carl or Myrta, why are we listing their marriage on our dates page?). - Nunh-huh 02:19, 1 October 2005 (UTC)


[edit] Parts of a ship

Why is the control center of a ship called The Bridge?

See Bridge (ship). — mendel ☎ 18:58, 30 September 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Backstabbers/Revenge

How do I achieve my full potential in life. Also I need to get some revenge on some enemies any tips and also how to deal with backstabbers. the_hidden_master

Simple Use Google Nmak3000

[edit] Les Rythmes Digitales

Does anyone know the lyrics (assuming it is sensical) in French? (that is if it is sensical)?

[edit] Programming in Fortran

Hello there, Please I will like to get answer for the following questions. I was ask to write programm that solve the question. I was given 30 question which I have been able to answer some but these are giving me probelm. Please will appreciate if i can get answers to the question:

1- write a valid program segment to demonstrate the usage of the following: i- List-directed input-output statements ii- Data statement iii- Equivalence statement iv-named common v- blank common vi- block common

2- company xyz gives no discount on a bill(in dollar) of less than 20,000, 5% discount on a billfrom 20,000 up to a value less than 50,000, 7% discount on bills from 50,000 up to a value less than 100,000, and 10% discount on a bill of 100,000 or more. write a program that can be used by the company to compute and print the discounts on the customers bills.

3- A trader has five store in a state. the store makes sales 7 days a week. the daily sales are in an array called SALES. Write a program i to read the whole array from keyboard into the computer memory ii compute and prints the total slaes for each day iii compute and print the total weekly sales for each store iv compute and print the total weekly sales for all the store.

4 write a program that compute the sum of all prime members between 1 to 1000.

5 write a program that compute the overall resistance of four resistor connected in parallel.65.172.4.250 19:26, 30 September 2005 (UTC)

We don't answer homework questions outright here, but we may be able to give you a few tips. I'm not much of a programmer myself, so I won't try to write specific code for these, but for number 4 you will need a method to find the prime numbers between 1 and 1000 first; one such method is the Sieve of Eratosthenes. For number 5, you will need to know the formula for resistors in parallel, which can be found at resistor#Series and parallel circuits. Chuck 20:12, 30 September 2005 (UTC)
I am a programmer but it has been decades since I programmed in FORTRAN. In general two important ingredients:
  • How would I solve some problem manually, on paper without the computer? This is also important when testing the reasonableness of the answer from the computer program.
  • Are there some features of the programming language, such as recursive, table lookup that make it easier to solve with this or that programming language than doing it human manually?

AlMac|(talk) 04:58, 3 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Japanese ppl

Why are Japanese ppl so tiny?

Oh, do you mean like these Sumo wrestlers? --hydnjo talk 20:45, 30 September 2005 (UTC)
God you got served.
However, it is true that the Japanese are, ona average, shorterthan those of other nations, see article human height. It looks like diet is generally important in determining height. The Vietnamese seem particularly dinky. --bodnotbod 22:52, 5 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Wing Clipping

Two weeks ago I bought myself a pet cockatiel... I love my pet but I'm trying to train him and I've read repeatedly in several webpages that the first thing one must do is clip a bird's wings. Although I find this a cruel thing to do, I am thinking of taking him to a vet and having his wings clipped. How often should this be done though? How long before they "grow back"? Also, is it something I can do myself? I think it'd be a good idea to take him to a vet first to have it done professionally, but can I learn to do it myself or is it too risky?

wing clipping, if done correctly doesnt hurt the bird - it is rather like cutting one's own fingernails... you have to make sure that you know where the bird's bone and flesh ends, so as you do not hurt the bird... you can do it yourself, but if you are unsure, then yes go to the vet and they'll probably show you how to do it... in terms of how long before trimming again, well you can tell yourself usually, the birds wings look normal instead of cut straight - and they can fly again....we've been clipping our birds wings for years...hope this helps you ... Kattus 00:46, 1 October 2005 (UTC)
To make it painfully clear: the only thing that is cut when wings are clipped is feathers. And the only part that is clipped is already dead. By all means let a vet show you how to do it rather than try it by yourself the first time. see here - Nunh-huh 02:06, 1 October 2005 (UTC)
See also our article on wing clipping. Samw 12:30, 2 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Searching "POPO" the Clown

Searching for information about "Popo, the Clown". What circus("}, what years, etc. Signed, Gregory D. Harper

  • Are you sure you do not mean the famous Oleg Popov? 82.210.117.215 13:45, 1 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Two tier stock take overs.

[edit] An English royal woman...Need a name!

The information I have is this: She married Thomas, she fell in love with a footman/soldier, Thomas learned this and killed the footman, buried him outside the castle wihout telling her, she died and haunted the castle (grey lady? Louisa?), Thomas moved away to escape her ghost, was then buried in the same cemetary as his victim.

I think this is somewhere in Westminster or Glastonbury.

Thank you in advance for your help.


Thomas (Thynne), 2nd Viscount Weymouth, and his wife Louisa née Carteret. We find the story, a bit mangled, here: "In Southwestern England the 16th century Longleat house stands. A ghost story is told here. Thomas the Second of Viscount, married Louisa Carteret. He was as evil as she was sweet. He suspected her of having an affair with a footman and murdered him with the help of two servants, and hid the body. Louisa died not long after, they claimed, of a broken heart. Thomas started to see her ghost, smell her perfume, and watch as things would move on their own-he fled in fear and never returned. People thought it was just a legend even though her ghost was seen countless times by many. Three centuries later, workmen dug up some flag stones and found a corpse dressed in 18th century attire. The legend was proven to be true. They buried him in a graveyard not far from the house, and from the tomb of Thomas. Murderer and victim together for all eternity. "The Gray Lady of Louisa" as she is now called, still haunts the house to this very day."

Of course, there's no "Second of Viscount", but the husband of Louisa Carteret was 2nd Viscount Weymouth. With this, we can find the tale retold better here, and with less bodice-ripping:

"Longleat, the residence of the Marquess of Bath, has been haunted for many many years. It is said that his ancestor, Thomas Thynne, 2nd Viscount Weymouth, had fought a duel in a passage at the top of the house with an unknown man, who was rumoured to be his wife's lover. He killed this man, and had him buried in the cellars of Longleat. The passage where the duel is said to have been fought is now known as 'The Green Lady's walk', and is said to have been haunted by the spirit of Lady Louisa Carteret, wife of this 2nd Viscount Weymouth. When central heating was put into Longleat, during the 5th Marquess's lifetime, the body of a man was found buried in the cellars. He was wearing jackboots, which crumbled away as soon as the body was exposed to the air. Lady Louisa Carteret, Viscountess Weymouth, died aged about twenty-two, after three-and-a-half years of marriage and nine days after the birth of a child. It was rumoured that Viscount Weymouth nearly ruined himself and his two sisters by his extravagance after the death of his wife."

- Nunh-huh 02:00, 1 October 2005 (UTC)
You probably misread Westminster for Warminster. --Gareth Hughes 17:03, 1 October 2005 (UTC)

Thanks for all the info. I really need to find a picture of her (or portrait). I sa it briefly on TV, but I need it again! Thanks for the help again!

[edit] How to ask a Judge to make a jugement on a matter.

1st. October 2005.

can i ask a high court judge to make a legal judgement of a concern of mine, as to the conduct of a Local Council?

i hope you are well, your servant, Br. Michael.

The Hermitage 20, Berwick Road Marlow Buckinghamshire. SL7 3AT. Grande-Bretagne.

Tel - Fax +44 01628 474034. from sunrise to sunset.

Hermits Journal. www.marlowhermitage.net

To get a judge to do it, you need to apply for Judicial Review. The standard for that is very high (meaning a judge is very loathe indeed to overturn anything that a democratically elected council has done). You're rather more likely to get some headway from the local government ombudsman. Even then, democratically elected councils enjoy considerable leeway, so you'll need to show they did something egregiously wrong before you have any chance of changing things. -- Finlay McWalter | Talk 21:57, 1 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Football Double Header

In 1948 or 1949, when I was a young lad, my Dad took me to see the one and only double header football game in Cleveland Ohio. This was a pre-season exhibition trial double header, never to be repeated. The Cleveland Browns were involved, but I can't remember who the other 3 teams or the scores were. I would appreciate it if you could let me know. I am 74 yrs old, and disabled. I have tried in the past to get this info without any success. This would also make a good trivia question for Jeapordy. TNX Norb Walker Sat Oct 1, 2005 <bronreklaw a t hotmail d o t com>

Google is very good at these sort of things. Searching for "cleveland football double header", the third link is to http://answers.google.com/answers/threadview?id=567111. According to Google Answers, it was 1963, with the Giants beating the Lions 24-21 in the first game, followed by the Browns losing to the Colts 21-7. -- Rick Block (talk) 15:07, 1 October 2005 (UTC)
That doesn't seem quite right..that's an almost 15-year difference in the timeframe...could that be mistaken somehow? Tim Rhymeless (Er...let's shimmy) 23:57, 1 October 2005 (UTC)
According to the Cleveland Browns official site, the team only played one preseason game in Cleveland in the 1940s, a 21-21 tie with the 49ers. Every other preseason game they played in the 1940s was either at Akron or Toledo. This page doesn't indicate whether the 49ers game was part of a doubleheader. --Metropolitan90 04:40, 2 October 2005 (UTC)
I'm afraid to tell you that preseason doubleheaders continued in Cleveland into the 1960s. One game would feature the Browns and another game two other teams. According to this guy, the games were played from 1962-61. In the book The Cleveland Browns: The Official Illustrated History, you can see a picture of a game at the old Stadium in which the Browns weren't playing. It looks like Atlanta vs. Minnesota. Mwalcoff 20:04, 2 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Acronym in different scripts

I would like to write the acronym KIS in different scripts, especially Korean, Japanese, Hebrew, Russian, Greek, Hindi and Tamil. Does anyone know where I can look up this info. Thanks.

There are some links on Transliteration to script-specific pages. Ojw 16:53, 1 October 2005 (UTC)
There are of course different ways to do this. You can take the equivalent letter or symbol in the other langauage and write each one in turn. There may not be an equivalent though. Or you could translate the words that make up the acronym, and then take the first letters of those as your acronym. As for Hindi, if you spelled KIS as a word it would be किस (make sure you have complex text support set up to see that properly), but if you took each letter independently it would be कइस, but that might look a little wierd because as a word it would be transliterated as kais. Periods might help. Basically if this is important, such as for a business logo, you would be better off either just keeping it in Latin script or consulting with a local business person for each language you would want to write it in as conventions for or even use of acronyms at all may be different for each. - Taxman Talk 14:53, 5 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Link Request - Nitrous Oxide

Hello there, I was hoping that you might be able to add my shop to your links. I would be able to advertise your site with every purchase made from my shop, and also on the flyer i have produced to deliver to all known petrol garage's in the UK (of which i have nearly compiled a list). The link to my shop is: http://stores.ebay.co.uk/Make-your-car-a-supercar-with-Nitro, and although i will not be able to put a link for your site in my shop, the coverage that i will produce via my flyer will be constant and very wide-scale. I eagerly await your response to this email request. Many thanks, Marc Chilton.

PS. My email address should you wish to respond is: (email removed)

Wikipedia is not the place for advertising. Thanks for your suggestion though. Dismas|(talk) 14:38, 1 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Making Soap Operas On Microsoft Word

How many pages are required in order to make a full soap opera on Microsoft Word?

Write 5000 words. Use the "word count" feature of word to know when you arrive. lots of issues | leave me a message 16:53, 1 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] which is the fastest car in the world

The fastest wheeled land vehicle is the ThrustSSC, the fastest street legal car is generally regarded to be the McLaren F1 -Drdisque 18:45, 1 October 2005 (UTC)

We have a new "World's fastest production car"; the Bugatti Veyron, which has just been released and was timed at 407 km/h. A complete waste of time of a vehicle (on most racetracks I'd back a 911 GT3 against it, let alone the McLaren), but it is mighty fast in a straight line if you're suicidal enough to try. --Robert Merkel 14:38, 2 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] History

History of anything in particular? AlMac|(talk) 05:01, 3 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] can I see a picture of Aksapada Gautama

In general, Google Image search at http://www.google.com/imghp is good for these sorts of things, but a search for "Aksapada Gautama" doesn't come up with anything. Are there any alternate spellings? User:Zoe|(talk) 21:35, 1 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Half-Life multiplayer statistics

I seem to recall a website somewhere out there that gathered statistics from a great number of Counter-Strike/Day of Defeat (possibly other Half-Life mods) servers and collected them into a database, and just by searching for your multiplayer user name (e.g. "Sum0") you'd get a list of your total number of kills, deaths, favourite servers, and so on. But for the life of me I can't find it again. The URL possibly had "athletics" or "athlete" in it.

Thanks, Sum0 20:20, 1 October 2005 (UTC)

Found it; for the record it's Csports.net. --Sum0 09:46, 3 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Ask-a-question web sites

I know you can ask questions here on Wikipedia but would like to know if there any web sites that let you ask questions and then get answered. I tried searching on Google but it came up with FAQs for different issues. Any help? -- Thorpe talk 20:36, 1 October 2005 (UTC)

You could try asking on the Straight Dope forums (or ask Cecil directly). --Sum0 20:53, 1 October 2005 (UTC)
"Goolge Answers" is a service where you pay to have your question answered. I think that Yahoo has a free question answering thingy. ike9898 23:39, 1 October 2005 (UTC)
Experts-exchange is a good site for asking IT-related questions. I haven't been there in a long time but it used to be a decent resource. Rhobite 23:51, 1 October 2005 (UTC)
If you don't mind what seems to me like a spectacularly bad signal to noise ratio, you might have a look at Wondir. - RedWordSmith 07:09, 2 October 2005 (UTC)
It's not the Web, but there's always Usenet and mailing lists. — mendel ☎ 21:32, 2 October 2005 (UTC)
  • Go to the MadSci Network if your question is scientific or technological in nature. Denni☯ 02:48, 6 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] What do chickens eat?

It's impossible to resist answering "chickenfeed". However, we will generously point out that chickenfeed was traditionally grain (like bird seed). We suspect that some sort of industrial byproducts whose ingredients we really don't want to know have replaced chickenfeed in large poultry factory farms. alteripse 22:48, 1 October 2005 (UTC)

In modern agriculture chicken feed may be made from many ingredients, usually formulated to provide the chicken with the nutrients it needs for rapid growth, a the lowest price. I'm no expert, but I think some common ingredents would be corn grits, soybean flakes, and meat & bone meal. ike9898 23:36, 1 October 2005 (UTC)
According to the tags from the bags of chicken feed that we recently bought, Grain products, processed grain by-products, plant protein products, calcium carbonate, monocalcium phosphate, salt DL-Methionine, choline chloride, and about 20-30 more things that I can't really pronounce. If you want to know more you could find a feed store in your area maybe. Also the companies that sell chicken feed probably have the ingredients on their web sites. Dismas|(talk) 11:59, 2 October 2005 (UTC)
Chickens are omivores, they'll eat pretty much anyting. We keep a few chickens in our garden, and they are not fuzzy eaters. Leftover dinner, week old bread, fallen fruits, weeds and regular grass, insects and worms, they'll gobble it all down. Chickenfeed too naturaly. --Sherool 15:32, 3 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Best season to start a new lawn from seed

What is the best time of year to start a new lawn from seed? (I live outside of Philadelphia, PA). Would it die in the winter if I planted the seeds in the fall? ike9898 23:32, 1 October 2005 (UTC)

I planted a big-ish patch in April, and now it's indistinguishable from the grass surrounding it (after several months of looking like a bad hair transplant). If your ground is at all impacted, it's probably a good idea to give it a good forking first. -- Finlay McWalter | Talk 23:47, 1 October 2005 (UTC)
Fall is an excellent time to start a lawn (in the Northeast) because:
  1. No weed seeds are trying to establish during the fall season,
  2. The ground is warmer than springtime and thus encourages faster germination of the grass seed,
  3. Cooler air temperature results in less evaporation (easier to irrigate),
  4. Springtime "mud" season is more likely to do damage to seedlings just by walking around.
  5. Seed planted by early October will have survivability through winter if it has been "winter "fertilized,
  6. The Winter/Spring frost heaving will loosen the soil and promote growth of existing seedlings in springtime,
Having done both Spring and Fall lawn starts, I would definitely recommend a start in early September as optimum. Put down 50% more seed than recommended along with starter fertilizer and granular lime. Good luck is also an important ingredient along with plenty of water for the first few weeks. --hydnjo talk 03:57, 2 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] gis attribute

What exactly would you like to know about GIS attributes? Which software package are you using? What feature(s) are the attributes relating to? etc. Please be as specific as possible in order to help us help you. Thryduulf 21:51, 2 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Miss Vero's Supermela

Anyone know to what this refers? May come from the period 1915 to 1945. Term/phrase appears in recollections, written in 1972, from an aunt born in 1899, deceased in 1992.

Generally, the reference desk struggles a bit with this sort of question. If you can supply some other context - for instance, where your aunt lived, and in what context the reference appears, it may help. --Robert Merkel 14:17, 2 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] N.Y. Times

Who owns the n.y. Times

See [19]--inks 00:47, 2 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] births in the 1950s

(preceding unsigned comment by 68.113.141.22 (talk • contribs) 02:03, 2 October 2005)

If you want a general list of people born in the 1950s, see Category:1950s births. If you're looking for information on general demographic trends, you might read Post-World War II baby boom. It would help if you were to phrase your question as a question so the people who answer it can figure out what exactly you want to know. —Charles P. (Mirv) 02:22, 2 October 2005 (UTC)

You could also try 1950#Births through 1959#Births --Borbrav 02:28, 2 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Drowning

How exactly does drowning kill you? Why can't the body take the oxygen from the water?

If you try to breathe water the water will fill your lungs causing them to explode in a gorey mess. If they could take out the oxygen, what will the lungs do with the hydrogen? Make a bomb? Not likely.
I think a more rational answer is that the concentration of (dissolved) oxygen in the water is too low for our lungs to process. I remember reading years ago that fish die out of water due to a similar problem -- it's not that they can't breathe the air but rather that their gills collapse, leaving them with insufficient tissue surface area to get enough oxygen. Regardless, bombs and hydrogen have nothing to do with the answer. — Lomn | Talk / RfC 06:39, 2 October 2005 (UTC)
There's an article on Liquid-breathing which discusses liquids with dissolved oxygen. Perfluorocarbon is used, rather than water. Ojw 13:46, 2 October 2005 (UTC)
If you're meaning taking out the oxygen from the water in terms of 2H2O->2H2+O2, then the problem is in that it would require large amounts of energy for the organism to perform this reaction, more than what is derived from oxidising food. --Borbrav 22:55, 2 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Chicago Cubs/Chicago White Sox Question

Which mediocre player did the Sox trade to the Cubs who then went on to be a huge success?

[edit] Body swapping

Is it actually possible to swap bodies with someone? By like brain transplant or some magical way? And would anyone be interested in writing a list of all the places this cliched plot point has happened?

We have an article on Whole-body transplants that may be of interest. While there are major technological hurdles to overcome and such an operation is not possible today, it may be possible in the future. One major hurdle to overcome is connecting the brain to the new body (consider the difficulties experience by those with a severed spine - almost always permanent paralysis). Robert J. White once connected the brain of a dog to the body and circulatory system of another dog (see the first external link in that article, and also note what it says about the monkey head transplants). Hope that helps. - RedWordSmith 06:56, 2 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] website of satirical newspaper

This is bugging me soo much!! There's a website for a newspaper (I think it's a real life one) that's basically a satire of old-fashioned turn of the century papers. It had ridiculous patents (for some reason the only one I can remember is a Dead Crow in a Box? or something) and advice, I think? And strange rambling editorial columns from a sailor. It has a really generic name, like the Weekly or something. I lost the URL before, and found it, and now I've lost it again. D'oh!

Please help me, I'm soo frazzled from constant googling :) Thanks!

I'm not completely sure this is the right answer to your question, but you might like the historical issues of The Onion. David Sneek 07:53, 2 October 2005 (UTC)
The obvious guess would be Private Eye, but try some of the listings at Satire and Category:Satirical magazines. Ojw 13:39, 2 October 2005 (UTC)
I think the Framley examiner had some content that wasm made to look as if it was turn of the century. --bodnotbod 23:08, 5 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Gracanica link

Hi,

Not a complaint, just a warning - the page about Serb enclaves in Kosovo links to a page about Gracanica in Bosnia (rather than Gracanica in Kosovo).

Cheers.

Keep up the good work,

Sam

Thanks, I changed it. David Sneek 09:54, 2 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Time changes in Nigeria

Hi,

I'm trying to find out if there has ever been a time change in Nigeria over the last 50years. By time change I mean a change in the local clock setting (not related to day light savings....which nigeria does not have anyway. Would anyone be able to help me please?

Thanks

Dils

According to Nigeria's entry in the "africa" file which is part of the timezone data incorporated into most unix-like operating systems (the most recent version is available from ftp://elsie.nci.nih.gov/pub/tzdata2005m.tar.gz), there have been no changes since September 1919 (when Lagos switched from local mean time to the present UTC+01:00 time zone). —AlanBarrett 16:14, 2 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] How do you get rid of a Bees Hive in your home?

We have a small gap that went un noticed and a colony of bees made a nest. Should i wait for the cold weather to set in before I attempt to exterminate? I was told that they die the next season.68.170.197.142 12:52, 2 October 2005 (UTC)

It'd probably be safest to hire an exterminator. — ceejayoz ★ 13:52, 2 October 2005 (UTC)

They will come back next year as the queen will hibernate and keep a group or dormant eggs with her. It will be easier to remove in the winter because of decreased activity though. Purpose built bee/wasp removal systems sold at hardware stores do a good job of killing enough bees that you can safely remove the nest without getting stung. Also, make sure that these are indeed bees and not Yellowjackets or Hornets as these will stay alive year-round and just huddle together for warmth. Removing one of these nests is very dangerous. -Drdisque 22:42, 3 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] ranking in the british police

ranking in the british police

[edit] indian defence

If you're meaning India's national defence system, try Military of India --Borbrav 22:40, 2 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] operations by indian defence

Describe and evaluate three models of abnormality

Please be more specific. Do you mean the Queen's Indian Defence, the King's Indian Defence, the Nimzo-Indian Defence or perhaps the Bogo-Indian Defence? David Sneek 16:06, 2 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] BBC TV Show

Does anyone now what the latin phrase at the beginning of the 90's childrens show Aquila was? It was repeated in the intro every episode --82.44.216.80 15:29, 2 October 2005 (UTC)

My latin is not too good, but it was something like 'Subat aterum Aquila Volat' or 'Fly with the wings of an eagle'. If anyone can translate that a bit better, please do. smurrayinchester 09:12, 4 October 2005 (UTC)

Actually, I also have a question about Aquila. I remember in the finale the boys discovered the battle cruiser in space, and immedietly afterwards, followed an advert for another (third?) series. However, I never saw or heard of this again. Was there ever a third series shown.smurrayinchester(User), (Talk) 08:48, 5 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Getting rid of Insects

How do you get rid of Box Elder Bugs?

Acording to this you basicaly have to hunt then down with a vacum cleaner, failing that call a professional exterminator. Aparently the best cause of action is to think prevention. Spray various bug repellants around obvious entryways and seal cracks and such before they enter. Good luck. --Sherool 15:13, 3 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Components of Business Environment

What are the components of business environment?

[edit] Environmental Analysis

What is the concept and purpose of environmental analysis? What are the techniques of environmental analysis?

[edit] Buffalo, N.Y. - snow/weather?

Does one part of Buffalo, N.Y. get more snow than another area? My daughter is moving to the area and I would like to know which side has the least snow fall. Thanks.

Kat

Due to the Lake effect the western part of the area will see a little more snow than the eastern part, but the entire region recieves LOTS of snow and I do not suggest moving there if she is not comfortable with this. -Drdisque 22:37, 3 October 2005 (UTC)


Actually, Buffalo doesn't get as much snow as you would think. I lived south of Syracuse for the better half of 6 yeas before going to school in Alabama, then BACK to Buffalo for the last two years, and it's more artic winds and cold weather than snow. We have our crazy storms (like most of the eastern north states), but on average, about 100-120 inches, with 50-60" of that coming in December and January. The reason why Buffalo get's less than let's say Fabius, New York or Tully, NY (belt way) or even Oswego for that matter, is because we are BETWEEN the lakes vs. right on the edge like Rochester, NY and the other towns I mentioned get the drift snow bands that come over the lakes that carry across the area.

The winds come from a slight SE direction from the Ontraio region across the lakes and the snow travels NORTH and SOUTH of Buffalo, but rarely does it dump directly on the city itself. Buffalo, NY will receive less snow by probably about a third than Amherst, NY (biggest town outside of Buffalo - 20m drive) or towns south of here. Please mind, that sometimes you just can't avoid the snow, and about twice a year we get a 2 day storm that blows 10-14" but the road crews are amazingly good at cleaning the roads, and as they say in Buffalo, "If you don't like the weather, then wait a minute." Excuse the crazy storm that you saw on October 13, 2006. Fluke and has never happened here before like that and so early.

[edit] Amateur musican performing for tips.

I am considering setting out on the street corners and byways where I live and playing my guitar and singing songs that I've learned from various mediums and "passing the hat" for tips. Is this legal? I'm not really destitute or anything by any stretch of the imagination nor am I in a needy financial position. But just wondering if anyone out there could offer some insight that could possibly save me some legal greif later on?

Many cities require a street performer's licence. Also the cops may complain if they feel a crowd who have assembled to watch you are causing an obstruction. Some places have formal or informal arrangements for the distribution of busking slots; it's not impossible that someone else will show up and complain that you're in what he feels is his spot. You should probably check the bylaws of the city in which you plan to play, and maybe ask in a local music shop (who may know the ropes). -- Finlay McWalter | Talk 18:13, 2 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Public enterprise in India

What is public enterprise? Discuss the role played by public enterprise for the economic development of India.

Why not start out by reading the articles on public corporation and India and then research your homework questions from there? As stated at the top of the page, we don't do your homework for you. Dismas|(talk) 21:08, 2 October 2005 (UTC)
See also Economy of India, a recent featured article.--Pharos 16:00, 3 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Indian Economic Planning

What are the features of Indian Economic Planning? What are the objectives of planning in India? What suggestions would you make to have better plans?

See the answer directly above this question. Dismas|(talk) 21:13, 2 October 2005 (UTC)
  • I would start at the Economy of India article and start from there. Capitalistroadster 04:50, 4 October 2005 (UTC)
  • You can go on regular google (not the news) and search for Newspapers ... there are lots of sites with lists of newspapers, organized by nation, and topic, so you can get to newspapers and journals in some nation, aimed at a particular audience, in a particular language ... such as the publications for the people in India who do the topic you are researching.
  • You might also do a google search for Research places, and be prepared to spend oodles of money. AlMac|(talk) 21:33, 4 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] nutrition

What are the nutritional values of peppermint tea?

None, in a strict sense. There's zero calories and zero other "nutrients", as such. However, there are trace amounts of various chemicals, such as caffiene, which have some effect on the body. Of course, if you add milk or sugar, they retain their nutritional content when placed in the tea. --Robert Merkel 04:11, 3 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Scanners

is a scanner a input or output device

Input, for more info, please see the article on Image scanners. Dismas|(talk) 21:16, 2 October 2005 (UTC)
And contrast category:input devices with category:output devices. --bodnotbod 23:14, 5 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Mexico's imports

Try Economy of Mexico --Borbrav 22:37, 2 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] death on your birthday

What is the term for someone who dies on the same date they were born, only different year? Deceased.

Ha! Copying this to BJAODN :)--inksT 22:41, 2 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] What region Kentucky is in

Is Kentucky in the South or the Midwest?

Yes. It's sometimes classed as Midwestern, and it's sometimes classed as Southern. The culture is more Southern, and I think that's where most people conceptualize it. - Nunh-huh 22:16, 2 October 2005 (UTC)

It had trouble making up its mind in the Civil War too. Most midwesterners think of it as more southern culturally, and I suspect so most kentuckians, but the division is more a cultural gradient than a clear boundary. alteripse 22:34, 2 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Year the late 1980s began

What year did the late 1980s begin?

A phrase like that is used precisely to avoid questions like yours. This is not a snotty answer but an accurate one. If the user of the phrase could have fixed an exact boundary time, he probably wouldn't have chosen this imprecise phrase. To me late 80s suggests 85, 86, or 87, running to 88, 89, or 90 but the edges are fuzzy. I am guessing you either are desperately trying to salvage a losing argument, have Asperger syndrome, or are King Nitpicker. Want to share? alteripse 00:34, 3 October 2005 (UTC)

Hey, I sometimes wonder the same thing and I'm not arguing, an aspie or a nitpicker. D: ♥purplefeltangel (talk) ♥ (contribs) 22:19, 7 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Who sang the song in the movie, itself?

WHO actually sang the song 'Three Coins in the Fountain' in the movie "Three Coins in the Fountain"?

[edit] DVD boxes

For what reasons, other than the fact that people might get confused, are DVD cases not the same size and shape of CD cases

They are the same hight and width (but not depth) as a VHS video cassete box, so I have always assumed that it is to enable shops to use their existing shelving, to allow the same cover art to be used, etc. Thryduulf 07:47, 3 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] what is the fastest a man can run in miles per hour

Your question is a bit vague. The fastest average speed for a race (at any distance) recorded is Michael Johnson's 200 metre world record, which he completed in 19.32 seconds. If you do the maths, that works out to a speed of 23.23 mph. However, his peak speed was obviously somewhat higher because he had to accelerate from rest. Over longer distances, of course, the average speed that a human can maintain is considerably reduced. The current world marathon record, at 2 hours, 4 minutes, and 55 seconds for a 42.195 kilometre course, gives an average speed of 12.52 mph. Average people are obviously considerably slower than these world record times. --Robert Merkel 04:06, 3 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Credit Cards

What do Credit Cards companies do to an outstanding balance of a dead individual? Does death need to be proven?

Such a balance would probably be treated like any other debt; i.e., it would be paid out of the estate during probate. Your local law may differ. You should probably ask an estate lawyer; http://lawyers.com may help you find one. —Charles P. (Mirv) 02:48, 3 October 2005 (UTC)
As for proof, I'm fairly suredeath would need to be proven. And i'm even more certain that if you are in debt and write to the company saying "I'm dead" in order to try and get out of it, the strategy will be ineffective. --bodnotbod 23:32, 5 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] What is the word with a lot of meaning?

The word MEANING is completely full from beginning to end with meaning. --hydnjo talk 05:53, 3 October 2005 (UTC)

Maybe you mean "set", which supposedly has more meanings than any other English word.--Pharos 06:04, 3 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Consumer Awareness

Hi! I need to know

1. What is consumer awareness? 2. What are the different forms of consumer exploitation? 3. What is the role of producers in consumer awareness?

--61.17.180.28 07:18, 3 October 2005 (UTC)

Please read the box at the top of this page. We will not do your homework for you. Thryduulf 07:43, 3 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] The U.S. Deficit Problem

I keep reading about deficit spending in the U.S. and how the recent relief efforts from Hurricaine Katrina and the ongoing operations in Iraq and Afghanistan are being financed from borrowed money.

With the U.S. compounding nearly a 1/3rd of a trillion dollar debt every year, my question is:...

Why isn't more people in the US, and in the world, voicing more concern over the deficit spending in the United States? It just does not make sense.

Thank you

--155.85.58.253 09:17, 3 October 2005 (UTC)

We are, it's just that no-one is listening :)
No, seriously, just like with any other contentious issue, there are differing points of view about how "bad" excessive deficit spending is. Also, ask a random person on the street about the national deficit, and they'll probably just look at you blankly - it's a somewhat complicated topic, so it's less likely that you will get a strong public response either way, because most people do not understand the full issue (I certainly don't! :)). Plus, it's not something that affects "ordinary" people directly in the way that, say, higher taxes would - so they don't notice and don't care. — QuantumEleven | (talk) 11:08, 3 October 2005 (UTC)
Who exactly is lending money to the US, anyway? It's not me, but I imagine whoever is would be the ones who would have the most legitimate complaints. Garrett Albright 14:14, 3 October 2005 (UTC)
Japan and China have lent a great deal of this money (by buying US government securities). They're not at all unhappy about that, as these are interest bearing loans. According to this article Japan (I don't know of that means the reserve bank of Japan, or the whole Japanese public and private investment community) owns 700 billion US dollars of government securities, and China another 200 Billion dollars. -- Finlay McWalter | Talk 14:29, 3 October 2005 (UTC)
And what happens when Japan and China decide that US is owing them too much already, and refuse to loan more? Dollar plunges? --rdnk 21:57, 4 October 2005 (UTC)
Also, consider that any time the government issues Treasury bonds they are in effect getting a loan from the buyers of the bonds. --WhiteDragon 17:05, 3 October 2005 (UTC)
For one expert perspective of the issue, you could have a look through Brad DeLong's blog. He's an economist at Berkeley, and he's posted quite a lot on the topic. Please note that he is a trenchant critic of the Bush administration, but if you're a Bush loyalist just skip past that and look for specifically US debt-related stuff. --Robert Merkel 22:35, 3 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] "Deadline" by Millenium Interactive

I've tried to look for a manual for this anti-terrorist SWAT game from the DOS era, but anything I find refers to a adventure game instead of the simulation I'm playing. I guess that's what happens with overly common names. Has anyone got an idea where to get a manual? It's abandonware... - 131.211.210.17 09:18, 3 October 2005 (UTC)

Searching GameFAQs for Deadline returns two PC games [20], but they both seem to be text-based adventure games. Is it possible that this game was published under a different title in different parts of the world a la Resident Evil/Biohazard? Garrett Albright 14:11, 3 October 2005 (UTC)
  • Maybe, but if that's the case I'm not aware of it. - Mgm|(talk) 16:15, 3 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Sex Determination

Is there specific advive/steps to take when seeking for a male child?

Sperm carrying the Y chromosome are very slightly smaller, and some say weaker, than those carrying an X chromosome. With a centrifuge, you can get your chances up to about 80%. There are some suggestions out there [21] regarding timing of intercourse, bathing, etc., to take advantage of the supposed strength and speed difference, but there's not much clinical evidence out there that any of them work. You can also see our not-very-complete article on sex selection. moink 11:24, 3 October 2005 (UTC)
  • Generally speaking, adoption is a lot easier. - Mgm|(talk) 11:54, 3 October 2005 (UTC)
    • Touchè! ☢ Kieff | Talk 14:09, 3 October 2005 (UTC)

And of course the Asian approach is to keep trying while aborting females. I know I will be lambasted for the pejorative generalization but there is some truth unfortunately. alteripse 16:03, 3 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] persons who survive after being shot

Dear Sirs Is there any information on persons who have survived after being shot multiple times? I have a friend who was shot ten times last week and thankfully has survived.

My name is Verona Michael and my e-mail adress in (removed)

I shall be grateful if you will respond.

--205.214.216.87 12:24, 3 October 2005 (UTC)--205.214.216.87 12:24, 3 October 2005 (UTC)Verona Michael

Besides having the nickname "Lucky" for the rest of their lives, I don't know what other information there is. I've removed the e-mail address per the notice at the top of the page. Dismas|(talk) 12:31, 3 October 2005 (UTC)
  • I've seen an article about someone who survived multiple hits by lightening, but other than that I haven't seen anything similar. Unfortunately, people who die are much more likely to get attention. - 131.211.210.14 13:11, 3 October 2005 (UTC)
  • He didn't survive the gunshot. Ojw 21:37, 3 October 2005 (UTC)
Many people have survived multiple gunshot wounds both at a single time and in separate instances. Pick up any World War II memoir or soldier-level history, for example, and you'll find plenty of cases. — Lomn | Talk / RfC 14:33, 3 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] What is the largest single page on Wikipedia?

Sorry. I meant to say, an article; namely, something that's not a category or list, and also doesn't have Wikipedia: in front of it.
A list of the longest entries in the article namespace is available at Special:Longpages. --Allen3 talk 13:55, 3 October 2005 (UTC)
Those are all lists. For a long time, I'm fairly sure Anarchism was the longest real article. I'm not certain if this is still the case.--Pharos 15:56, 3 October 2005 (UTC)
It would appear that First English Civil War is the longest "real" article. --Maxamegalon2000 20:42, 4 October 2005 (UTC)
Perhaps worth noting that very long pages often get split into multiple separate pages as we're encouraged to avoid excessively long articles. --bodnotbod 23:36, 5 October 2005 (UTC)
Comparison of layout engines (DOM) seems to be the (most bytes) longest article. --hydnjo talk 21:24, 6 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Generally speaking, why do doctors have such bad handwriting?

Finally, a question in a specialist area of mine! There's no single reason. One is that they are very busy (or maintain they are), so will write as quickly as possible, to save time. Another (less frequently mentioned nowadays) is that they don't like their patients actually being able to read what they've been prescribed, and so will make the docket as indecipherable as possible. A third is that doctors, more than any other group of workers, are prone to intellectual elitism (ever see a gang of junior doctors sashaying along with their stethoscopes flung raffishly around their necks? They're all playing the music from Reservoir Dogs in their heads)), and like to have their own private 'code' that only their fellow doctors can decipher. Proto t c 13:35, 3 October 2005 (UTC)

Also, many of the terms on a prescription are in latin and will not be understood by the average layman. SeanMack 13:38, 3 October 2005 (UTC)
Latin or not, their handwriting is still awful. ;) I don't know the law regarding this in the US, but it's now against GMC policy in the UK to use all but the most common latin abbrevations on prescriptions. Proto t c 14:21, 3 October 2005 (UTC)
There is a very simple answer. You try handwriting and signing 50-100 documents a day and see what happens to your legibility. alteripse 16:01, 3 October 2005 (UTC)
I think it's also just a general problem; most people don't realize how hard it is for other people to read their handwriting. Take a look at hand-addressed envelopes in the mail. I'm sometimes astounded that the PO ever figures out how to deliver them! Elf | Talk 23:26, 3 October 2005 (UTC)


[edit] "Chevrolet Apollo"

If anyone is familiar with Chevrolet brand cars, please see Chevrolet Apollo and Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Chevrolet Apollo. -- Curps 12:49, 3 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Dog Grooming IE: Proper Nail Trimming method

I'm guessing that you're looking for info on how to trim the nails? You can ask your vet or dog groomer to show you how to do it at home. It's fairly easy. Just don't cut into the quick. Dismas|(talk) 13:29, 3 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Illuminati Diamond

The illuminati diamond is suppose to be an ambigram of the words, Earth, Air, Fire and Water in the shape if a diamond. Does anyone know what this symbol means and where it came from?

[edit] September 29,1949

How happened on September 29,1949?

Try looking on the articles for September 29 or 1949. I found "First Plenary Session of the National People's Congress approves design for the Flag of the People's Republic of China.". Also "Mrs. Iva Toguri D'Aquino is found guilty of broadcasting for Japan as "Tokyo Rose" during World War II.".--84.51.149.80 16:56, 3 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Credit debt

Do credit card companies ever "Forgive" a debt?

The word "forgive" doesn't exist in the corporate lexicon. All debts are either recovered, unrecovered, or cancelled for the sake of expedience. 24.19.88.55 11:50, 25 February 2007 (UTC)
Hah! Perhaps if the person has no family and dies. ☢ Kieff | Talk 17:55, 3 October 2005 (UTC)
Well there is personal bankrupcy. I'm not sure about the spesific requirements and it probably varies from country to country. That's a last resort though as it basicaly involve you selling off everyting you own and pay as much as the debt as possible in exchange for having the rest of it deleted (there are some quarantenes and stuff too I believe). Best approach: Stick to a debit card. --Sherool 19:19, 3 October 2005 (UTC)
Creditors can't go after family members unless they co-sign your agreement. If someone with credit card debt dies, the debt gets paid out of the estate. Any excess debt is written off - family members do not have to pay it (although they won't receive any inheritance). The answer to your question is yes, creditors and collection agencies will settle your debt for less than the amount you owe. They won't forgive the entire debt, of course. And it will ruin your credit. Talk to a lawyer or an accountant about this - often it's a better option than filing for bankruptcy. Rhobite 19:31, 3 October 2005 (UTC)


If you're in the UK you can get good advice from Debtline. A credit card company may consider allowing you to "pay off" the debt by accepting a smaller amount than is owed if you pay it off in one go. They may agree to stop charging you interest on the loan if you have suffered a loss of income or other difficult circumstance. --bodnotbod 23:44, 5 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Bananas

Who is the leading Asian producer of bananas?

According to 2004 FAO statistics, the answer is India, by quite a large margin.
— Pekinensis 19:33, 3 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Ranks in the UN

In the article of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights it talks about ranks of sec-gens. I can see the following, throughout WP: Sec-Gen, Deputy Sec-Gen (actually on the UN website: not on WP), Under Sec-Gen, Assistant Sec-Gen. Are there any more?--84.51.149.80 16:45, 3 October 2005 (UTC)

"Rank" is perhaps an inappropriate term; the United Nations has titles within its beaurocracy, but not a formally defined rank system like a military uses. — Lomn | Talk / RfC 17:27, 3 October 2005 (UTC)

The article does say rank.--84.51.149.80 17:29, 3 October 2005 (UTC)

I don't dispute that; I'm saying they're not fixed titles. You could easily have a Deputy Assistant to the Under SecGen or some such, so there's no real "these are all the possible ranks" answer. Contrast that with the normal usage of rank (military), where (for example, in the U.S. Army) the progression runs, without variance, from Major to Lieutenant Colonel to Colonel, without someone being an Undercolonel or a Deputy Major. See my point? — Lomn | Talk / RfC 20:18, 3 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] What is Insider Trading? What are its types and Regulations?

see the subject----219.64.179.19 17:46, 3 October 2005 (UTC)

See Insider trading. Dismas|(talk) 18:00, 3 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] what do people yell when they run with the bulls

You mean during the el encierro festival commonly asosiated with Pamplona? Acording to the article it's "aiba! aiba!". Didn't find a translation, but I would guess something like "Get out of the way!" :P
  • I'm real curious to hear the answer to this. It appears to be the local dialect (the word shows up a lot in Bilbao contexts); if I were guessing, I'd guess it was a form of arriba. --jpgordon∇∆∇∆ 20:50, 3 October 2005 (UTC)
Yes, my guess would be "Arriba," which means "up" or, in this context, "faster." It's also often used by one Speedy Gonzales. Garrett Albright 16:37, 5 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] 2 Windows Xp os'

OK, I'm sure the title could have been a little more descriptive, but... here's my situation:

I have 2 XP's loaded on my hd for some reason, at start-up i get the screen to select which one to boot from, one works, the other doesn't. How to I get rid of the one that will not boot? I want to get it of my hard drive all together, how would I go about doing that?? john

In your C:\ folder (asuming a default install) there is a hidden file called boot.ini. You most likely can't see it because Windows XP will hide hidden files by default (logicaly enough), to show hidden files go to "Tools" and pick "Folder options" in a explorer window. Then pick the "View" tab. Find and uncheck the options to "hide protected OS files" and "hide hidden files" (the names might not match exactly I have a Norwegian version of Windows, but you should be eable to find your way). You might also be eable to just type in "boot.ini" in the open file dialog. Once you have opened boot.ini in Notepad for example you can edit it to remove the extra Windows, they should appear in the order they do on the boot screen. Alternatively try renaming one of them, reboot and see wich one is the one that works, then remove the other one. Just be carefull though, if you mess up that file Windows might not boot at all (make a boot disk first and backup the file before you change anyting). --Sherool 22:02, 3 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Mike Myers and Saturday night live

What did Mike Myers do to get his citizenship revoked, or was that just a joke, as stated on Saturday night Live on October 1?

Joke. What he did was stand by stunned while Kanye West made comments critical of the government during the live television fundraiser for victims of Hurricane Katrina. Rmhermen 22:22, 3 October 2005 (UTC)
And according to our article on Mike Myers (actor), he is a British citizen, not a U.S. or Canadian one. Rmhermen 22:37, 3 October 2005 (UTC)
Um, no. "...Myers has British as well as Canadian citizenship" was added only today but even before that the article said that he was born in Canada; he would thus be a Canadian citizen unless he were to take the rare (and rarely useful) step of renouncing it. There is no indication that he's sought or received U.S. citizenship; I take the revocation comment as being a joke referring to Kanye West, not himself. Sharkford 20:31, 4 October 2005 (UTC)
Am I correct in thinking that Brits are subjects, not citizens? User:Zoe|(talk) 03:15, 4 October 2005 (UTC)
Not since 1948, generally. See British citizenship; the status of British subject continued to exist after that date at least for some people, but "British citizen" is a legally recognized status. --Metropolitan90 03:40, 4 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] define sugar alcohol

See Sugar alcohol. --jpgordon∇∆∇∆ 20:32, 3 October 2005 (UTC)


[edit] Nose Bridge

I was wondering why east asians have a low nose bridge.

You might better ask why Europeans and West Asians have a more prominent nose bridge. The explanation I heard many years ago was that peoples living in dry climates developed longer noses to better humidify inspired air but larger noses had no advantage in more humid climates. However, note that this is a perfect example of a plausible but unprovable just-so story. alteripse 00:50, 4 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] interview questions, patent agent

[edit] The Bible is the best selling book of all; which is the second(not rlated to it )

(preceding unsigned comment by 64.237.164.90 (talk • contribs) 02:16, 4 October 2005)

Probably the Qur'an, but is that "related to" the Bible? The Guinness Book of Records is the best-selling copyrighted book; that may be what you were thinking of. Other contenders, according to [22], are Gone with the Wind and Quotations From Chairman Mao Tse-Tung. —Charles P. (Mirv) 03:37, 4 October 2005 (UTC)

  1. The Bible
  2. Quotations from Chairman Mao Tse-tung (Little Red Book)
  3. American Spelling Book, by Noah Webster
  4. The Guinness Book of Records
  5. The McGuffey Readers, by William Holmes McGuffey
  6. A Message to Garcia, by Elbert Hubbard
  7. The Common Sense Book of Baby and Child Care, by Dr. Benjamin Spock
  8. World Almanac
  9. The Valley of the Dolls, by Jacqueline Susann
  10. In His Steps: "What Would Jesus Do?", by Rev. Charles Monroe Sheldon

Ash, Russell. 1997. The Top 10 of Everything. New York: DK Publishing. —Wayward 03:44, 4 October 2005 (UTC)

If the McGuffy readers,Guinness and the World Almanac make the list, why not the Yellow Pages? Surely there have been more Yellow Pages printed than Valley of the dolls.Brian Schlosser42 17:23, 4 October 2005 (UTC)
It's a question of whether you coulnt different editions. Each district has its own yellow pages, and they are of course completely different. Should they count as one book? No particular version of YP (i.e. for a particular district and a particular year) would come anywhere near making the list above. DJ Clayworth 18:31, 4 October 2005 (UTC)
That's my point. The Guinness Book of World Records, the World Almanac and ther Mcguffey Readers all are multi-edition works. No one edition of any of those three books would make the list by itself. Brian Schlosser42 14:51, 5 October 2005 (UTC)
Yellow Pages in the UK aren't usually sold - they're distributed for free, so would not be bestselling. --bodnotbod 23:49, 5 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] what is VC in a University?

VC stands for Vice-Chancellor in Universities. But some VCs become "Virus Chancellor" like virus in a computer, when they start to create problems for the entire system of academics and administration. Especially when a particular VC is not interested in the standard of academics but interested only in the trading of Degrees and diplomas, there a Virus Chancellor is born. The recent example is the VC of Hidayatullah National Law University at Raipur.Whereever there is money,VC will be there. He wants only percentage. nothing more.

  • Our question on Vice-Chancellor answers your question. However, you seem to be making a statement about the Vice-Chancellor of the above university rather than asking or answering a question. If you are answering, please don't forget the instructions about the Reference Desk not being a soapbox.Capitalistroadster 04:23, 4 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Extreme sports

Can boxing and rugby be considered as Extreme sports?

  • Not according to our Extreme sport article. It notes in particular that rugby is not considered to be an extreme sport both because of its traditionalist reputation and because it is a Team sport. Capitalistroadster 05:09, 4 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Sale of water

Why don't bottled water companies sell Canned water along with bottled water?

  • Because the cans would cause the water to taste funny, which isn't good for sales. - Mgm|(talk) 08:08, 4 October 2005 (UTC)
    • They do in France, but sales are low. The 330 mL size of a standard can is smaller than the usual bottle sizes (500 mL miniumum), and the packaging is more expensive and heavier (for a product whose main costs are transport and marketing). Physchim62 09:42, 4 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] siria singh kahalsa

i am searching for siria singh, and i have been informed that he is at wikipedia: can you get a message to him? susan sterling63.245.73.22 04:38, 4 October 2005 (UTC) panajachel, guatemala63.245.73.22 04:38, 4 October 2005 (UTC)

Unless you know what username he is using, then this is not possible. A quick search suggests he is not using any obvious combination of his names, at least on the English Wikipedia.
If you know what his username is then you can go to the [[user talk:<username>]] page, and leave him a message there. Alternatively if he has entered an email addres in his preferences and accepts email from other users (both of these are optional) then there will be a link called "email this user" in the toolbox to the left of that page that you can use.
Neither of these methods are guaranteed to get a message to him though. Thryduulf 08:14, 4 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] joe budden track

What track did joe budden appear in for the rap artist jin or what track did he place his own verse in of rap artist jin lyric song on a mixtape? If mixtape, what mixtape was it?

[edit] American sports coach salaries

The best paid football (soccer) manager in the world is Jose Mourinho of Chelsea F.C, who is paid £5 million ($8.8 million) a year plus bonuses. How does this compare with the highest paid coaches in American sports?

I believe Larry Brown is the highest-paid coach in the U.S. His 5-year contract is reportedly worth between $50 and $60 million. —Wayward 08:48, 4 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] File Naming Convention for an Office Environment?

I am in search of examples of file naming conventions for an Architectural and Engineering office environment.

More specifically, I currently in the process of implementing a new document storage database to store new and existing electronic files and need to develop a clear and concise file naming system using hierarchical groupings of categories and subcategories. These categories and subcategories are only two of several attributes being used within the database to describe each document and are only intended to create general document classifications for search and retrieval.

Following are a few examples of categories and subcategories to help better understand the type of naming convention I am considering:

Contracts: lump sum, T&M, GMP, change order, change request, etc. Purchasing: work order, purchase requisition, purchase order, invoice, bid, etc. Funding/Budgets: estimate, budget, funding request, etc. Drawing: elevation, floor plan, section, detail, etc.

Any assistance or ideas would be greatly appreciated. --131.215.151.157 05:42, 4 October 2005 (UTC)

Look at ISO 9000, which basically specifies that filenames should be as unintelligable as possible (no, seriously). For example, Invoices might be stored in /550/209/100/30.doc. Put a Microsoft Word document in each folder to explain what each numbered item is, instead of using meaningful file names. Ojw 22:19, 4 October 2005 (UTC)
I am a programmer. I have created hundreds of thousands of programs ... each one needs a name, which I assign when I create them. There are several rules of thumb that I use when assigning names:
  1. At some point a human being needs to key in identity of some computer object that they need to access ... I want them to be able to key in a few characters, instead of an extremely long string.
  2. As we organize objects, we want to have meaningful names.
    1. to satisfy the first 2 points, I very heavily develop a list of abbreviations and acronyms common to the application, that can be strung together, then a person can search directory of computer objects to find all of those which share those common naming ingredients
  3. There is a security dimension ... let's suppose PAY is the abbreviation for Payroll ... we can structure the security to limit the people who can access computer objects in which PAY is part of the naming.
    1. For example, I just started creating a bunch of programs that list stuff that have to do with the European manufacturing standard Restriction of Hazardous Materials so I am using ROHS as part of the name of all of those programs. The first program I wrote, I called ROHSVENIT meaning list the items, from what vendors, that we purchase, that need to be ROHS compliant.
      1. This name meets the 3 criteria I identified above ... not much to key in to get the report, is composed of abbreviations familiar to anyone in the enterprise, and works with the security if we want to restrict who may access this information.

AlMac|(talk) 15:52, 8 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Dasani

In Britain, sales of the bottled water Dasani failed after it turned out to be over-priced carcinogenic tap-water. Is it the same in other countries. If so, do people know and why do they buy it?smurrayinchester 09:16, 4 October 2005 (UTC)

Penn & Teller devoted one episode of their television series Bullshit! to bottled water. In it they said that a third of the bottled waters on the market failed to meet the EPA's standards for safe drinking water. The EPA is in charge, in the U.S. of course, of determining if tap water is safe for the public to drink. They also said that there are hundreds of EPA inspectors whose job it is to test tap water. The FDA, whose job is to inspect food (which is the category bottled water falls under), has less than one person to test all the drinking waters that are sold in the U.S. I don't know where they got their info for that though. Dismas|(talk) 09:34, 4 October 2005 (UTC)
There is the convenience of having it chilled and in a bottle. There are also areas of the world where the ta[ water quality is considerably below Western standards; in that case drinking bottled water can actually make sense. --Robert Merkel 11:52, 4 October 2005 (UTC)
I have no idea where Coca-Cola's Dasani and Pepsi's Aquafina come from, but I see them a lot. That's due to the marketing power of Coke and Pepsi. If Coke has an exclusive contract with a chain of fast-food places, they'll sell Dasani-brand bottled water. A lot of people will wind up with a bottle of Dasani because their sandwich meal deal came with a drink, and they didn't want soda. A Coke vending machine will have Dasani in it, not Brand X bottled water. Dasani and Aquafina also get primo shelf space at the store thanks to Coke and Pepsi. -- Mwalcoff 03:02, 6 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Price of aluminum: historical data

Does anyone know where I can get some data over the last, oh, 10, 20, or 50 years on the price to large manufacturers of aluminum? Preferably, the source would be free, and accesible quickly. Thanks. moink 09:37, 4 October 2005 (UTC)

Wow, they really are pricey! I didn't think this information would be this hard to get, or hoarded. I mean, don't they announce the price of metals on the TV every night (well... maybe not aluminum, but still...). I am not paying thousands of pounds for a class project. moink 11:14, 4 October 2005 (UTC)
I wrote to the aluminium organization's statistical dude. I doubt he'll be helpful though, so I'm still looking for sources if anyone knows of any. moink 11:24, 4 October 2005 (UTC)
You didn't specify what prices in which country you mean... the first hit in a Google search for +"aluminium price" +historical is this web site listing some interesting links. One of these links goes to a USGS page, where you can get the U.S. aluminium prices from 1850 through 1998. Other links from that Google search might also help. Lupo 12:26, 4 October 2005 (UTC)
Thank you! That totally rocks! That was exactly what I was looking for. I did some google searches myself, but obviously the wrong ones. moink 12:35, 4 October 2005 (UTC)
(edit conflict) Yup, it was no typo. :-) Lupo 12:47, 4 October 2005 (UTC)
Thanks for the quick tutorial on Google! I will try to translate that information into a paragraph for the aluminium article. Aluminium prices over the last thirty to forty years or so shouldn't depend too much on the country, as they are (usually) quoted before transport. Physchim62 15:03, 4 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] What is the best method for trapping houseflies (homemade)?

How to build a house fly trap and what is the best bait for luring house flies into the trap?

See http://www.makeyourown.net/Flypaper.shtml or did you want to keep them alive? Shantavira 15:02, 4 October 2005 (UTC)

This version uses two plastic bottles, one for bait and another for the trap http://www.talcuk.org/free/html/flytrap/flytrap.htm

[edit] what is the 1992 eu package holiday directive?

It is the 'EC Directive on Package Travel, Package Holidays and Package Tours', implemented in the UK on 01/01/1993. It lays down regulations controlling the sale and performance of holiday packages sold or offered for sale. Packages are defined as the pre-arranged combination of at least two of; transport, accommodation, or other tourist services not in addition to transport or accommodation and accounts for a significant proportion of the package; when sold or offered for sale at an inclusive price and when the service covers a period of 24 hours or more or includes overnight accommodation:

It sets down information which must be given to the customer before a contract is concluded & terms which must be included in that contract. It also places a strict liability on the organiser/retailer of the package holiday for the proper performance of the obligations under the contract, regardless of whether they are to be provided by the organiser or by another. AllanHainey 09:07, 6 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] fun places to visit

We have articles on many of them, but if you are looking for tourist information, you might want to try Wikitravel. Warofdreams talk 13:58, 4 October 2005 (UTC)

Wikepedia, and the other Wiki projects are fun to explore in their own right, and educational too. Stick around and Enjoy! AlMac|(talk) 15:59, 8 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] bank cubic metres

Bank cubic metres (bcm) is a term used in the mining industry for the volume of rock, ore, waste material etc moved by trucks, loaders, shovels and the like. I would like to know how the formula is derived and what 1 bcm actually is as a comparative measure. i.e. what is the definition/formula? Is there a website someone can direct me to for further info? I have done numerous searches on the net and come across mining pages with the terms 'bcm' and 'bank cubic metres', but nothing with an actual explanation of the term.

Thanks,Roy --202.7.190.131 14:33, 4 October 2005 (UTC)

"a traditional unit of volume in coal mining. A bank cubic meter represents the contents of a cubic meter of rock in place, before it is drilled and blasted." [23] Shimgray | talk | 15:39, 4 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Bring Back New Orleans Commission

I want to know about the commission for re-building New Orleans. I cannot find it in the articles on New Orleans or the Hurricane. In particular, I want to know who the 17 members are, and their backgrounds. Thank you.

  1. Mayor Ray Nagin ?? Is he on the commission?
  2. Scott Cowen, president of Tulane University
  3. Joseph C. Canizaro (multimillionaire businessman with ties to the White House)
  4. Donald T. Bollinger Jr (multimillionaire businessman with ties to the White House)
  5. David White (business executive often described as the mayor's closest confidant)
  6. Wynton Marsalis, musician
  7. Barbara Major, a black activist and executive director of St. Thomas Health Services who will serve as co-chairwoman of the commission
  8. Mr. White
  9. Daniel F. Packer, chief executive of the New Orleans subsidiary of the Entergy Corporation, which filed for bankruptcy protection last week;
  10. Alden J. McDonald Jr., who for 33 years has run the Liberty Bank and Trust Company, which today ranks as one of the country's five largest black-owned banks.
  11. Maurice L. Lagarde, a New Orleans native, who runs the Delta region for the hospital giant HCA. The commission's other co-chair.
I can't seem to find any more - anyone got any clues? Thanks!
"Mayor C. Ray Nagin has formed a special commission of business and community leaders to advise city officials on rebuilding. The Bring New Orleans Back Commission members are: Co-Chairs Mel Lagarde and Barbara Major, Boysie Bollinger, Kim Boyle,Cesar Burgos, Joe Canizaro, Doctor Scott Cowen, Archbishop Alfred Hughes, the Rev. Fred Luter, Wynton Marsalis, Alden McDonald, Dan Packer, Anthony Patton, Jimmy Reiss, Gary Solomon, Oliver Thomas and David White." [24] Shimgray | talk | 15:20, 4 October 2005 (UTC)
(If you're wondering, the trick I used was to pick a couple of unusual names in the set you gave and google for them together - there was a good chance that any list of names which included them both would turn out to be the complete list, and lo it did) Shimgray | talk | 15:23, 4 October 2005 (UTC)
Thank you! I notice a lot of them don't have articles - is it better to start articles, or do short bios on the Bring Back New Orleans Commission page?
I'd suggest putting short bios for each on the Commission page, and from that it should be reasonably clear which ones deserve an article anyway, in which case you can create it and start on that article... but a one-sentence description of who each is on the main page is a good idea. Shimgray | talk | 15:32, 4 October 2005 (UTC)
OK - have done - the article is starting to shape up...

[edit] REQUEST FOR NAMES OF ALL COUNTRIES IN THE WORLD WITH THEIR STATES, DISTRICTS, CITIES, TOWNS AND VILLAGE

RESPECTED SIR/MADAM

I (SHAJU CHUKKIRIYAN, PROP. OF RESURRECTION LAND)WANT NAMES OF ALL COUNTRIES IN THE WORLD WITH THEIR RESPECTIVE STATES, DISTRICTS,

CITIES IF POSSIBLE TOWNS AND VILLAGES ALSO, FOR MY WEBSITE.

I AM REQUESTING THIS BECAUSE I FAILED TO FIND IT AND IT IS VERY VERY TIME CONSUMING.FOR I AM BUSINESS MAN WITH LOTS OF PROBLEMS.

I WILL BE VERY THANKFUL TO YOU IF YOU CAN HELP ME IN THIS MATTER.

WITH WARM REGARDS. SHAJU CHUKKIRIYAN INDIA

MY USERID IS: shajuic

MY EMAIL ID IS: shajuic@hidden.com

shajuic@hidden.com
List of countries will be a good start. If you click on the countries, most will have a list of sub-divisions, some have towns and villages. I am sorry to hear about your problems, hope this helps!
  1. I've obscured your email addresses for you
  2. Please don't post in all caps, it's interpreted as rude shouting and it's harder to read
  3. You can start at List of countries. However, a complete listing of the entire world, gratis, is likely to remain one of your problems. Perhaps you should purchase a good atlas and hire someone to transcribe it? — Lomn | Talk / RfC 15:19, 4 October 2005 (UTC)
You can see our list of cities, which includes very nearly every country in the world, but does not necessarily include every city in each country. Warofdreams talk 16:28, 4 October 2005 (UTC)
You might also try the CIA world fact book: [25] (or see wikipedia's article about the CIA World Factbook) --WhiteDragon 17:01, 4 October 2005 (UTC)
  1. You need to take a class in computer literacy and/or internet navigation. You can also browse book stores for a line of books _____ this or that for Dummies ... now in reality this is not for Dummies, it is for people who want to learn the subject and are starting from scratch. It is evident from what you are asking for, and how you are asking, that you are a beginner in this infrastructure, while to survive in business, you do need to have certain essential skills, that are lacking for you, so getting a proper education is really critical.
  2. Visit any public library and ask for help in locating maps and atlases. These are reference materials that have existed for centuries to provide the kind of info you asking about. They are also available on the internet but since you are a busy businessman who has not yet aquired the skills to use the internet effectively, your time can be used more productively by using dead tree (paper) copies of this information.
  3. Within individual nations, contact publishers of directories, such as Thomas publishing to get at demographic and census details. If you do not know how to find such publishers, then ask your local Chamber of Commerce or Better Business Bureau for help.

AlMac|(talk) 16:08, 8 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] dengue fever Costa Rica

How do I contact Costa Rica's Minister of Health ... his name ... contact info. Thank you. We are planning a wedding in Nosara on November 24, 2005, but because of the reported epidemic of dengue fever we plan to cancel and will loose all deposits etc. Thank you in advance for help in contacting the correct agengy. Nancy Fromm

Not sure, but are you sure that you want the minister of health? Are you asking whether or not the dengue outbreak poses a large enough threat to cancel your wedding? If so, a travel clinic might be a more appropriate first port of call.
I'll echo the above "Minister of Health is not likely who you need to contact." You could also check the Center for Disease Control's travel bulletins. — Lomn | Talk / RfC 15:25, 4 October 2005 (UTC)

this one deals specifically with this issue.

[edit] I Ching

Yo this is "Life". i am from miami i went to famu and learn alot out of school i started to lost focus. i am a rider for the cause now, but anyway here my question how or what type of questions do dead prez ask the I ching as a black male, to help make money or any questions that dead prez might ask the i Ching. i have been using the i ching for atlease 6 months.

Sorry - could you restate the question? I'm not sure I understand.
Dead Prez uses the shi hexagram, "Leading" or "The Army", as part of their logo.
Dead Prez uses the shi hexagram, "Leading" or "The Army", as part of their logo.
I have the I Ching, but i would like to Know what type of questions dead prez would ask the I Ching? being that they would have more experiance using the oracle.
Two issues: One - which 'dead prez'? A former President? President of what? Two - what makes you think anyone here is qualified to speculate on what questions a dead president may or may not ask the I Ching?

i am sorry my wording is not perfect i was talking about Dead Prez Stic And M-1. They are the nain reason i went out and purchase the I ching so i was just wondering what type of questions they would ask.

Dead Prez appear to be a rap duo. Their article doesn't say anything about the I Ching, and probably the only people that can answer your question are the rappers themselves, unless they've been publicly interviewed about their spiritual beliefs. I would suggest a Google search. android79 16:59, 4 October 2005 (UTC)

They do seem to have something to do with the iching though... the I Ching article says Dead Prez - an activist hip-hop group that refer to the I Ching in several of their songs. To them, the I Ching represents the change they want to bring about through revolution. The symbol in their logo is the seventh hexagram, sze, which represents an army - the "people's army".

[edit] midget pygmies

Pygmies are said to be about four feet in height (give or take). Midgets, who, from what I gather, are simply well-proportioned -- head-to-body -- dwarfs, can be as small as three feet tall. My question is whether there are any pygmies who are also midgets. Because if there were they would have to be extremely small. There may be some genetic reason why pygmies never suffer from dwarfism and hence some reason why there are no pygmy midgets. Just a thought.

Eugene Valberg [e-mail address removed]

As a note, remember that to the majority of little people, the word "midget" is considered pejorative. The prefered term is dwarf or little person.Brian Schlosser42 17:37, 4 October 2005 (UTC)
if you look at the articles you link to, you will realize that Eugene is using "midget" for "proportionate shortness" as opposed to "dwarf" for "disproportionate shortness". IANAG (geneticist) but my guess would be that pygmies do not suffer from super-shortness, because they already have what we would call "proportionate shortness" (although from their perspective, we are rather suffering from proportionate tallness). apparently they are at the center of human expansion. But I think it would be wrong to say that humans were midgets 'originally', since homo erectus stood some 180cm tall, and the pygmies could have shrunk again after human phylogenetic separation some 200kya. Since Australopithecus was only about 120cm tall, it appears that we began to grow beyond midget size some 6Mya, with occasional relapses; if the relapse is beneficient under environmental circumstances, it will of course persist, as in the case of Homo floresiensis (100cm), and in to a lesser extent among the Pygmies (150cm) 19:20, 4 October 2005 (UTC)

From a medical perspective:

  • Dwarfism is extreme shortness due to abnormalities of bone structure. There are hundreds of types of this; most cause disproportionate shortness. Achondroplasia is the most easily recognized common form. The most publicized treatment that adds several inches is limb-lengthening surgery (Ilizarov procedure).
  • Extreme proportional shortness is usually the result of untreated growth hormone deficiency. William Stratton/Tom Thumb had this. Although growth hormone is a single hormone made by the pituitary gland, there many causes of deficiency. Growth hormone treatment can make a several inch difference in height. Midget is no longer used in a medical context (as mentioned above) and we prevent the really extreme degrees of proportional shortness by treating them, but it is probably fair to say that most people considered extreme midgets in the past probably had untreated GH deficiency.
  • Pygmies are people with extreme proportional shortness due to a specific genetic variation. Because the gene difference is spread thoughout their population, the short stature is not considered a disease. The biological difference in the largest pygmy population, the Efe, has been reported to be reduced senitivity to insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1), but this is not consdired conclusively established, as they do have a difference in the principal IGF-1 receptor gene (IGF1R). Other pygmy peoples besides the Efe are known, and may have different genetic differences.
  • From a medical perspective, there are many other causes of both proportionate and disproportionate shortness than these 3 categories.

Specific replies to your questions. You make at least 2 unwarranted assumptions. First that other forms of dwarfism do not occur in pygmies. Do you have any evidence of this? As there are hundreds of types of dwarfism and a large share of many types occur due to new mutation, it would imply that the pygmies are somehow resistant to mutation. If true, it would be a discovery that would transcend entirely the issues of height. The second false assumption would be the resultant height on a pygmy who had dwarfism. It is not unusual for more than one type of shortness to occur in a child. The resultant effect is not multiplicative and is usually less than additive, as if some of the result was overlapping or redundant. alteripse 00:15, 5 October 2005 (UTC) alteripse 21:33, 4 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] poison lizard?

are their such things? --130.111.98.16 18:17, 4 October 2005 (UTC)

Yes, the Gila monster and the Mexican beaded lizard. —Wayward 18:27, 4 October 2005 (UTC)
Don't forget about the Komodo Dragon, a member of the monitor lizard family, which has a strong bite and infects the wound of its prey with some of the 50 different strains of bacteria in their saliva which causes the prey to die after its release so the Komodo Dragon can eat peacefully. - Mgm|(talk) 22:07, 4 October 2005 (UTC)
It also happens to be the largest lizard in the world, according to our article on it. - Mgm|(talk) 22:08, 4 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] unknown location

their is a tower and a factory with a sign that says york road --Clownfish 18:35, 4 October 2005 (UTC)

How unknown is this location? Do you know what country, or continent, or hemisphere? —Charles P. (Mirv) 20:28, 4 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] who killed cock robin?

it was a story but who killed cock robin --130.111.98.16 18:44, 4 October 2005 (UTC)

The sparrow. Want to know what he used? —Charles P. (Mirv) 20:10, 4 October 2005 (UTC)
Wasn't it with the lead pipe in the library? -- Arwel 20:18, 4 October 2005 (UTC)
Or were you thinking of Jean Craighead George's Who Really Killed Cock Robin? In that the culprit was . . . actually, I don't remember. Not the butler, though, nor the first suspect. —Charles P. (Mirv) 20:25, 4 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Which buttons insert shapes,objects, and drawings

Which buttons where? Wikipedia? Microsoft Word? Inkscape? Flash? ☢ Kieff | Talk 22:09, 4 October 2005 (UTC)
Perhaps Wikipedia:Images is helpful? --bodnotbod 23:56, 5 October 2005 (UTC)
I suspect the questioner is using some software application, which needs to be identified, but if it is any good it came with some kind of clickable HELP section, which can be navigated like any decent on-line manual, to find out the process to do inserts. AlMac|(talk) 16:19, 8 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Capitol one commercials

Who is the man that David Spade always picks on? --169.244.143.115 21:21, 4 October 2005 (UTC)

The actor's name is Nate Torrence. —Wayward 21:54, 4 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Police Officers Per Capita

Where can I find a resource which will give statistics about police per capita? My city has 1,000 police officers. It has been suggested that we increase this force. I am searching for statistics which will help me put the size of our police force in perspective.

Thanks to all.

216.31.117.22 22:08, 4 October 2005 (UTC)J O

  • If you are in Australia, the Productivity Commission puts out such statistics yearly as part of a comparison of the efficiency and effectiveness of State and Territory Governments in performing their functions. This report is called the Report on Government Services and is available for download here. [26]. Capitalistroadster 01:22, 5 October 2005 (UTC)
  • You seem to be in New Mexico - I'd advise contacting the New Mexico Sheriffs' and Police Association and see if they have any ideas, or can give you someone to speak to. Alternately, look up phone numbers for the police force in cities about the same size as yours in the state (or in nearby states), give them a call and ask how large their force is - that'll give you an idea if you're high or low compared to similar cities. Shimgray | talk | 14:46, 5 October 2005 (UTC)
  • The FBI and US Department of Justice publish statistics like this, or have links to them, and I would not be surprised if it is also in the Census since they publish oodles of statistics. There are also various law enforcement associations. I guess one issue would have to do with what is the appropriate ratio vs. the overall population like how many police persons per thousand population, is smart for a community, and what is the size of the community? AlMac|(talk) 16:22, 8 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] how tall is a hurricane?

no one has ever said how tall a hurricane is. so, in laymens terms, how tall are they usually? 64.12.116.73 22:48, 4 October 2005 (UTC) karen in florida

Oh, about 5 foot seven--Armen Schrikken 00:44, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
From this, I'd say that's about 18 km (11 miles) [27] — Lomn | Talk / RfC 13:03, 5 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] names of hurricanes that we skipped

how come we don't use every letter of the alphabet when we name our hurricanes? or am I missing something? 64.12.116.73 22:54, 4 October 2005 (UTC) karen in florida

See Hurricane - Naming_of_tropical_cyclones and/or Lists of tropical cyclone names. --Tagishsimon (talk)
  • Karen,

In fact, our 2005 Atlantic hurricane season shows that every name allocated between Tropical Storm Arlene and Hurricane Stan has been used so far. However, in the case of tropical storms they only received coverage in local broadcasts in contrast with Hurricanes Katrina and Rita which had extensive coverage around the world. Capitalistroadster 01:30, 5 October 2005 (UTC)

  • The letters Q, U, X, Y, and Z are not used for naming hurricanes because there are too few given names that start with those letters to add to the name lists. --Metropolitan90 07:00, 5 October 2005 (UTC)

We do use most letters of the alphabet, however, some storms die out before they can make it to North America. —MESSEDROCKER (talk) 03:52, 13 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Location of new minister in Edmonton

I am looking for a contact for the Rev.Dave Guzzwell from Newfoundland who recently moved to Edmonton John Waller box 213 Brigus NL A0A 1K0.142.163.9.65 23:47, 4 October 2005 (UTC)

  • A Google search came up with noone by that name in Edmonton. However it did appear to show that he was in the United Church. The United Church locator in Canada says that there are 27 churches in Alberta [28]. I would try sending an email or letter to each of these churches saying you are looking for Reverend Guzzwell. I suspect you will soon find him if he is there.Capitalistroadster 01:40, 5 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Vice President

Does a Vice Presidential selection ever need Senate approval?

Assuming you are asking about the situation in the US, the answer to your question is: not normally, but if a Vice President dies or resigns in office the replacement must be approved by both houses of Congress. An explanation is contained contained in the article Vice President of the United States and in more detail in Twenty-fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution. --Robert Merkel 04:57, 5 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Dreamworks

What does "SKG" mean under the Dreamworks logo?

See the DreamWorks article. —Wayward 05:14, 5 October 2005 (UTC)
I'm feeling nice. Steven Spielberg, Jeffrey Katzenberg and David Geffen. Brian Schlosser42 15:25, 5 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] WP awards

Is there a page where I can see all the various barnstars and such that are bandied about or do you have to just learn them by seeing them on various user pages? Qaz (talk) 07:55, 5 October 2005 (UTC)

Start with Wikipedia:Barnstar and see if that gives you what you're looking for. Dismas|(talk) 08:13, 5 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Wikipedia Reference Desk

Skim reading through this page, a lot of the questions appear to be poorly phrased, meaning less or could be solved simply by reading the article. Just out of curiousity, what percentage of the questions on this page are well enough written to answer properly? (I know I am probably opening a can of worms, here!) smurrayinchester(User), (Talk) 09:00, 5 October 2005 (UTC)

  • I don't know any exact numbers but I'm afraid the percentage of worthwile questions is too low. - Mgm|(talk) 09:55, 5 October 2005 (UTC)

On a related note, it appears that the regularly recurring ALLCAPS questions (in spite of clear instructions on top of this page) frequently are asked by South Asians / Indians. Is this some cultural thing? Are ALLCAPS texts common in India, or is this connected with unfamiliarity with the Latin alphabet, which would make capital letters easier to read (because they are learned first)? 130.60.142.65 10:35, 5 October 2005 (UTC)

Hindi at least, and I'm assuming any script language does not have a distinction between upper and lower case. To them it's not something they're likely to think much about. As for people asking poorly phrased questions and not reading the instructions, I think that's just the breaks for how the reference desk in a wide open Wiki is going to go. Ask for clarification, provide as much detail as you feel like, and don't sweat it. Otherwise provide as many links to our articles as possible and call it even. - Taxman Talk 14:24, 5 October 2005 (UTC)

I have never seen a response when clarification to the question is requested. And only once did I spot a thank you to an answered question. Perhaps, ppl post and forget. lots of issues | leave me a message 12:25, 5 October 2005 (UTC)

I think there may still be an assumption that the question has to fit entirely in the small title box. I also sense that a lot of people lose their question once they've asked it. Is there a way we can make things easier for unfamiliar users? --bodnotbod 00:03, 6 October 2005 (UTC)

Another thing I've noticed is that the Help Desk seems to get more misc questions than the reference desk! I suppose no-one reads the messages about which desk to use, multiple postings, ALLCAPS etc. What might work is if questions could be given sub-pages, with this page becoming a list of question titles. It would help people track their question, and shorten this very long page. It's a pain putting the desk in a watchlist, since everytime anyone changes any question, the watchlist comes up with a new entry. Therefore, it is very rare to find that the flagged change is the one to your question. smurrayinchester(User), (Talk) 09:58, 7 October 2005 (UTC)

Y"all might also like to visit the Talk page on this (click on discussion very top of this page), and perhaps contribute to some threads there. AlMac|(talk) 16:27, 8 October 2005 (UTC)
Is there a way we can make things easier for unfamiliar users?
One thing I would like to see in the future ... after the person has entered their question, up pops a link that they are invited to cut & paste, or place in favorite places. This is link to THEIR question so they can check back in a few hours, or a day or two to see if anyone has answered it. The accompanying text would say that because of the large number of people posting questions, it can be difficult for you to locate your question, and its answers, so here is a link to make it easy. Hopefully the link would still work (redirect) after the content has been archived. AlMac|(talk) 16:44, 8 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Canadian terminology

Okay, this is a weird one.

I'm currently writing a good chunk of fairly formal text about Canada, focusing on differences between certain aspects of the provinces and territories. This, sadly, entails writing "provinces and territories" a lot, which gets rather annoying for the reader (not to mention the writer!). Is there a one-word term used to describe these - "regions", say? Several sources seem to used "provinces" as a catch-all, but that seems to be asking for confusion. Shimgray | talk | 11:31, 5 October 2005 (UTC)

Not weird at all. Since it is a formal paper, you have an option of defining any terminology you might use for clarity. For the purposes of this paper, the term "regions" or "regions of Canada" will denote both the formal provincial and territorial jurisdictions of Canada. Where necessary, the terms "provinces" and "territories" will be used for further clarity where any distinction between the two is necessary. --216.191.200.1 14:26, 5 October 2005 (UTC)
I really only run with it for a couple of paragraphs and then it becomes readable again - it doesn't seem worth defining terms for just those, but I guess I can stick a footnote in (it's formal, yes, but I don't want to make it sound too turgid) - the differences are between individual regions rather than "provinces v. territories". I really just wanted to know if there was a standard term, since it's generally preferable to use that (and you never know when the reader will turn out to speak Canadian!) Shimgray | talk | 14:34, 5 October 2005 (UTC)
Most Canadians would, I think, use 'Regions of Canada' to mean groups of provinces, such as Atlantic Canada. You might want to say that you will use provinces to include territories unless otherwise specified. Of course as long as you define your meaning it won't matter. DJ Clayworth 14:45, 5 October 2005 (UTC)
I'm Canadian and I've never encountered a term which refers to "provinces and territories" while growing up. The meaning has always been unambiguous based on the context. --216.191.200.1 14:49, 5 October 2005 (UTC)
Perhaps you could say, "The term 'provinces' in this document refers to both provinces and territories unless otherwise noted." The US Code sometimes uses a similar trick with the District of Columbia, saying that for the purposes of a particular statute, the term "state" includes DC. -- Mwalcoff 02:57, 6 October 2005 (UTC)
The best example of this definition I've yet run across, incidentally, is the New Jersey legal code:
State. The word "State" extends to and includes any State, territory or possession of the United States, the District of Columbia and the Canal Zone. (1:1-2)
I can't help but feel they should get around probably to fixing that bit one day... Shimgray | talk | 14:03, 6 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] From the Help desk

Hey everyone. An anonymous user User_talk:164.83.99.83 posted this header at the help desk:

"florida/what is florida's major attractionand landmark"

Maybe you Wikipedians can help out and decipher what question is being asked? Thanks for your help, and have an excellent day! --216.191.200.1 14:17, 5 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Nicknames

Why is William called Bill and Richard called Dick?

William shortens to Will changes to Bill (or -> Willy -> Billy).
Richard is a little more complex; it was originally pronounced with a bit of a k as Ricard (Ric-hard rather than Rich-ard). This shortened to Ric(k) easily, and then to Dick.
Consider also Robert -> Rob -> Bob, for another example of the same thing. Shimgray | talk |

I think the hard part of the question is why the initial consonants changed, since that doesn't happen when most names are converted to diminutives or familiars. I don't know the answer to that. alteripse 15:28, 5 October 2005 (UTC)

William already changed - previously Guilliame ("gwu-" to "wih-"), so it's not that far-fetched. I believe there's a term for this, but IANALinguist. Shimgray | talk | 16:05, 5 October 2005 (UTC)
The Rick -> Dick is just an alveolar approximant becoming a voiced alveolar plosive, so the only difference between the two initial sounds is the manner of articulation. Will -> Bill makes some sense too as /w/ (Labial-velar approximant) and /b/ (Voiced bilabial plosive) are very similar (only slightly different manners of articulation and slightly different places of articulation). — Laura Scudder | Talk 21:36, 5 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] http://www.critchley.ca/Images/Unknown%20Building.jpg

http://www.critchley.ca/Images/Unknown%20Building.jpg what is this

Help

It sure looks like that's the Golden Gate Bridge off to the left, and the scenery in the background sure looks like Marin and Tiburon. So that would suggest it's the state prison at Alcatraz, and indeed it looks to me like the main cell block there. -- Finlay McWalter | Talk 15:35, 5 October 2005 (UTC)
On looking further at some maps, it's not the cellblock. It's a building on the west of the island, which this map seems to say is the "new infirmary building". -- Finlay McWalter | Talk 15:46, 5 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Trucks killer

the movie with emilio estavez killer trucks what is it? ADD IT TO WIKIPEDIA [[ ]]

what IS IT?

The film is Maximum Overdrive, based on the Stephen King short story Trucks; King also directed the film. android79 16:05, 5 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] fleece gem

on a fleece there is a gem on the zipper like its crystal silver with black anyone know? --169.244.143.115 16:50, 5 October 2005 (UTC)

If you're asking what the "gem" is made of, it's probably polymethyl methacrylate (perspex). Shantavira 18:25, 5 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] PLAYS

IS THERE ANY HISTORICAL BASIS FOR HAMLET

Hamlet might be able to tell you, and if this is for a homework assignment, I suggest you not type it in ALL CAPS. android79 18:58, 5 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] COMEDY

WHAT ARE THE NAMES OF THE THREE STOOGES

Larry, Moe, Curly, Shemp... uh, et al. See Three Stooges. Frencheigh 19:21, 5 October 2005 (UTC)
You left off Curly Joe. User:Zoe|(talk) 05:54, 9 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] leather

We have a pretty good article on Leather. Go read it and come back if you have any question the article doesn't answer. - Mgm|(talk) 21:01, 5 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Dungeons and dragons

Very interesting that you have knoledge of the whole colection of dungeons and dragons cartoon series... Where could i GET THE WHOLE COLLECTION OF IT ?

Amazon.com? Dismas|(talk) 20:24, 5 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] how important was america in bringing an end to the first world war

(no question apart from title)
As far as I can determine from the World War I article, the war was primarily a European one. The United States didn't play much of a role in it. The War was ended after the signing of the Armistice and the Treaty of Versailles (the latter was never officially ratified by the US). They're biggest involvement was that they declared war on Austria-Hungary on December 7, 1917. So I'd say they added to the war continuing rather than it ending. - Mgm|(talk) 21:10, 5 October 2005 (UTC)

If nothing else, the US contributed a psychological edge to the Allied Powers simply by virtue of the manpower at hand. Germany decided that continuing the war was fruitless (as opposed to World War II, where it was outright overrun) and this no doubt played *some* role in altering the balance of power. — Lomn | Talk / RfC 21:40, 5 October 2005 (UTC)
There was the manpower issue. Germany, England and France were pretty much "bled white" - they had lost most of a generation in the trenches and fought one-another to a stand-still. America was able to mobilise huge manpower resources, and even though many of them arrived at the front badly trained and badly equipped, they tipped the balance of power. Once America entered the war it was just a matter of time before Germany surrendered. Guettarda 23:02, 5 October 2005 (UTC)
To be more exact, the U.S. did more than declare war on Austria-Hungary (and they declared war on Germany before that). At the end of the war the U.S. had 2 million soldiers deployed in Europe and had taken 360,300 casualties including 116,516 deaths. Rmhermen 14:05, 6 October 2005 (UTC)
I believe that the supply of material by the US to the other Allies was also significant. DJ Clayworth 15:58, 6 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] music

who are echo and the bunnymen

[edit] Food

Are the tops of carrots and parsnips edible?22:15, 5 October 2005 (UTC)~

Yes. They aren't poisonous and they do have some nutritional value, but they don't taste very good either. Parsnip leaves are only edible when they're young, I think. Both can cause extreme sensitivity to sunlight in some people. —Charles P. (Mirv) 22:41, 5 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Mysterious Wicca Wikipedia Connection

When I think Wiki as in the Pedia, I think of Wicca as in witchcraftia. Is there a bizzare twist in linkeage? The founder of the wikiP-society heritage? Like a worship of Mother Nature to a worship of Motherboard--Internet Horde?

(*It may be silly of me to think there's a link, and even more so silly to try to botch my question in a pseudo-poem)

Wiki is a word, Hawaiian I believe. It's been some time since I've read that article. Dismas|(talk) 22:25, 5 October 2005 (UTC)
Uh-oh. This rumored connection is growing in popularity. See WP:RD/L. Superm401 | Talk 22:51, 5 October 2005 (UTC)

I promise you that if there were the vaguest whiff of wicca connection here, most of us would be out of here before you could say whatever the inane thing they say is. alteripse 23:00, 5 October 2005 (UTC)

I, for one, am offended at such a response. Why would you possibly say such a thing? User:Zoe|(talk) 05:56, 9 October 2005 (UTC)

Why would I say such a thing? Because I think it is what would happen if such a connection were revealed or formed. What do you think would happen if we found out it was funded or sponsored by the mormon church, the unification church, or some islamic sect? alteripse 06:05, 9 October 2005 (UTC)

Wiki, or WikiWiki, is a Hawaiian word, meaning "quick". Wiki software is supposedly quick because of how fast someone can correct things. There are no connections to Wicca. —MESSEDROCKER (talk) 03:57, 13 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] USD100,000 note

Dear sir,

Please can you enlighten me the wordings of the notes, I could not read all the words.front and back.Pls enlarge it.

Many thanks Tin LONDON E-mail :<removed>

Please see the entry on Large denomination bills in U.S. currency. Dismas|(talk) 23:02, 5 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Hamsterball on Xbox Live Arcade: Multiplayer levels, where to find "secret areas".

I need help finding the "secret areas" used for unlocking multiplayer deathmatch levels in the game Hamsterball. Post the areas you found here, first the level, then where to find it. Please help I'm addicted to this game but I can't find the multiplayer levels, I found one accidentally but can't find any others.

Expert: This happens after the second set of strong fans. You go down a ramp towards the camera, then go down another ramp away from the camera, but before you go down that second ramp, run off the corner with your hamster/hamsterball, in the middle of the two ramps, and you should float on a grey square with a lock on it. Roll over the little grey square and it will turn red, unlocking the multiplayer deathmatch level "Expert".

Note: You must be playing a tournament on normal or frenzied mode to even be able to see the square, if not, you're just waisting your time. ( Then again, everyone that plays this game is sort of just waisting their time. )

[edit] A list of Postmasters

I found a site sometime ago about the first Postmaster in Dibble, OK and now I lost it does anyone know where I might look?

[edit] Gas Mileage

If i lose weight, will i get better gas mileage on my car?

Yes, you will, but the difference will likely be so small as to be hardly noticeable. Say the typical automobile weighs about 3300 pounds (an SUV will be much heavier, a minicar like a Ford Focus will be somewhat lighter). Now let's say you weigh 180 pounds now and 150 pounds after your weight-loss program. The difference in the mass of the car with you in it will have gone from 3480 to 3450 pounds, a difference of less than 1%. And, of course, the wind resistance of the vehicle is unaffected by your weight loss. Of course, the greater the weight loss, the bigger the difference; if you lost 200 lbs you may well make a noticeable difference to your car's economy.
Some simple ways to improve your car's mileage can be found all over the internet, for instance here. A really easy one that many people simply don't do is check your tires regularly to make sure that they are at the correct pressure.
Note that if you walk or ride a bicycle instead of driving you can help yourself to lose weight *and* save on fuel bills :)--Robert Merkel 03:50, 6 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] London's doubledecker

Why is the doubledecker in London red?

I doubt whether there is a specific reason apart from the fact that it's a corporate colour (early London tube trains were also red). In attracting customers, buses work best if they're brightly coloured. Shantavira 08:33, 6 October 2005 (UTC)
It's all for identity. In fact, one of the conditions of getting a London Bus franchise is that at least 80% of the bus must be red. 09:37, 6 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] what is an alter ego?

Alter = "other", ego = "I" (literally "other I", in latin). See alter ego ☢ Kieff | Talk 04:01, 6 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Put Wikipedia Search on my page

How do i put a wikipedia search function on my webpage? I saw some webpage before with forms to type in a search, and pressing the search will take them directly to the corresponding wikipedia page. Thanks in advance

<form action="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:Search" id="searchform">
<table style="background-color : #000000; float : right;">
<tr><td><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org">Wikipedia</a> search:<br /></td></tr>
<tr><td><input accesskey="f"  type="text"   name="search"   id="searchInput" /><br /></td></tr>
<tr><td><input value="Go"     type="submit" name="go"       class="searchButton" />
<input value="Search" type="submit" name="fulltext" class="searchButton" /></td></tr>
</table>
</form>
  • Or if you're looking for a "bookmark" try this link. --hydnjo talk 20:56, 6 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Coldest average sea touching the UK

I need to know what sea, that touches the United Kingdom, has the lowest average temperature. I have tried to figure out this question for the past two weeks without any luck.

Thank you!

Nicole

[edit] Cold Temperature

It is possible to Die instantly when it gets down to certain temperature?

I would have thought not. Ittakes time for the heat to leave your body. As the outside temperature get's lower, that time will shorten, but it'll never go to zero. Theresa Knott (a tenth stroke) 04:54, 6 October 2005 (UTC)
If you see process of freezing of human body from the movie "Day after tomorrow", chances are it's grossly over-dramatized. The human body has the average temperature of 36 celcius. Now consider this, if you take a glass of lukewarm water, and put it immedietely in freezer and close it for 3 minutes. Does the water freezes immedietly? No. So same goes to the human body.
But in The Day After Tomorrow, it was far colder than 0°C ... I don't have the DVD to hand to check it, cause I'm in work, but it was something like -150°C, due to atmospheric inversion or somesuch. That would freeze you pretty darn quickly. Proto t c 08:46, 6 October 2005 (UTC)
Well, yes, if it is cold enough, but really, it would have to be very, very cold, far colder than any temperatures you're likely to find outside of a lab or a sci-fi movie.
The lowest temperature you could possibly get is Absolute zero - 273*C (and even this is not actually possible) and surely even that would take time to reach vital organs. Robmods 18:32, 7 October 2005 (UTC)
Of course, at such low temps the air would all be liquid and would "boil" as your body temp heated it. This would greatly increase the speed at which your temp was lowered. I would say loss of conciousness would be immediate and death within seconds, as the brain froze. StuRat 10:56, 10 October 2005 (UTC)
However, if the air was boiling, the Leidenfrost effect might reduce the speed of heat transfer. --WhiteDragon 19:31, 11 October 2005 (UTC)
I believe this article from another website will be adequate enough to address this issue ONCE AND FOR ALL. http://www.intuitor.com/moviephysics/dayAft.htm
Yes, you can die if you are not adequately heated (with a fire or coat or anything similar) and it's very cold - we're talking below zero Fahrenheit. See hypothermia. —MESSEDROCKER (talk) 04:01, 13 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Which are the most popular brands wine

I think you'll have to be more specific to get a useful answer. The most popular in which country? (Tastes vary) And do you mean by grape variety or by region? We have several articles on wine so you will might find what you are looking for there. Shantavira 08:51, 6 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] The Great Lakes

Is it possible for ocean-borne freighters to reach ports (such as Chicago) on the Great Lakes? I recall that in colonial times, ships went up a river to reach them or something, but I wouldn't think that was possible with modern super-freighters. So, is there access between the Atlantic and the lakes, or are ships manufactured at the lakes trapped within them forever?

[edit] 12th anniversary

what is the another name for 12th annversary, e.g 75 years is called platinum anniversary?

According to this website it's silk (or possibly agate). Shantavira 08:42, 6 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] paistan's services sector

sir i want to know the numerical information about the services sector of paistan. im not finding the right topic can u plz help me?

I assume you mean Pakistan, you could start there. AllanHainey 12:20, 6 October 2005 (UTC)
Our Economy of Pakistan article should provide some information as well. Capitalistroadster 06:48, 7 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Rugby/American Football

Which is more dangerous? American Football has harder tackles, but Rugby has less body armour? smurrayinchester(User), (Talk) 09:43, 6 October 2005 (UTC)

Not an answer, but some thoughts:
  • When you say "dangerous" what precisely do you mean. Risk of "injury"? Risk of "serious" injury for some definition of serious? Risk of death?
  • American football has a far greater differentiation between player roles than rugby does; my meagre understanding of American football suggests that punt kickers and quarterbacks are rarely tackled and thus are at comparatively little risk of contact injury. So averages are probably a somewhat misleading comparison.
  • There's two forms of rugby, rugby union and rugby league, with significantly different rules.
  • Do you mean at elite level, or lower standards of play?
  • American football is played at elite level only in the US, Canada and, to a small extent, in a couple of European countries. Rugby is played at an elite level in members of the Commonwealth of Nations (with the notable exception of Canada), France, Argentina, and maybe Italy. I imagine most comparative studies of sports injuries are conducted at a national level - I know there's one annually done in Australia - and so it's going to be difficult to find a study that has information for both American football and rugby.
  • Who cares? Everybody knows that, in the words of a famous song around my parts, "when you line them up together, the footy wins hands down." ;-) --Robert Merkel 10:50, 6 October 2005 (UTC)
A bit of a correction. Quarterbacks are actually tackled somewhat often. Any player who holds the ball can expect to be tackled at some point, even punters, theoretically. Kickers and offensive linemen rarely if ever hold the ball and do not get tackled; however, many offensive linemen get injured while blocking defensive linemen and get their legs caught in unnatural positions, and it seems that more and more kickers are pulling muscles these days. Defensive players rarely get tackled either, unless they intercept a pass or recover a fumble; because they make most of the tackles, however, they do suffer from their share of injuries. --Maxamegalon2000 14:08, 6 October 2005 (UTC)
Rugby has no body armour apart from the wee rubber head protectors some wear (nothing like a helmet though) so I'd say there is greater risk of injury playing rugby. I'm not sure that American Football necessarily has harder tackles either, although they may need to be harder to knock someone off his feet while encased in all that padding. AllanHainey 12:16, 6 October 2005 (UTC)
I can recall a couple of cases of people dying (through neck/spinal injury) in rugby league. This rarely occurs, and these cases were at the ameteur level. That meets my defintion of dangerous, do people die in American football? --Commander Keane 12:47, 6 October 2005 (UTC)
American football was very dangerous (too many people dying) until Theodore Roosevelt insisted that the universities the game was being played at changed the rules. This led to the creation of the NCAA. Deaths from injuries sustained during gameplay have been pretty much eliminated by now, although this last preseason a member of the San Francisco 49ers died from a heart ailment, and a few years ago, Korey Stringer died from heat stroke, causing a league-wide concern with praticing in high temperatures. I can't even remember any players becoming really seriously paralyzed recently; even that one Detroit Lion stunned everybody by walking up to a podium at a press conference. I'm sure someone can remember more names that I am. --Maxamegalon2000 14:08, 6 October 2005 (UTC)

The Detroit Lions player that was paralyzed was Mike Utley. In the early 90's an LSU football player died from complications of paralyzation a few years after his injury. A handful of other NFL and Collegiate American Football players have also been paralyzed at least temporarily in the alst 10 years. one name I remember is Dennis Byrd who had a movie (Rise and Walk) made about his ordeal. -Drdisque 16:47, 6 October 2005 (UTC)

This article (admittedly from the NFL's own website) says that (American) football is substantially more likely than other youth recreational activities to cause minor injuries but not much more likely to cause serious injuries. I doubt rugby was one of the other activities, since few people in American play rugby. Football, especially played at the professional level, is, a very brutal sport, however. Literally every player on an NFL team (except maybe the placekicker and the emergency quarterback) suffers some degree of injury during the year, and people who play pro football for several years often wind up with big health problems when they retire. -- Mwalcoff 23:48, 6 October 2005 (UTC)
  • The other thing is that rugby players (both codes) are on the fields all the time and all rugby players play in both offence and defence. A former school friend died playing rugby league in the early 1980s. Capitalistroadster 04:25, 10 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] ESKIMO X'S

Do eskimos (or to use a more p.c term- inuits) always kiss with their noses??? And if they do, do you think maybe they find this boring. They can't seriously spend a long time kissing in this way or their noses would go sore... Skooky 10:24, 6 October 2005 (UTC) 10:12, 6 October 2005 (UTC)

The eskimo 'kissing' is actually just a greeting (not sure whether it is actually real though or made up) not a courtship activity. AllanHainey 12:19, 6 October 2005 (UTC)

Really? So they kiss like we do i guess then... Skooky 13:47, 6 October 2005 (UTC)

Inuit greet each other by pressing faces, possibly because gloved hands make handshakes difficult, in arctic conditions, the face is the only exposed body part.

[edit] fluffyness

My friends hannah has beautiful curly hair but she thinks it always goes frizzy. does anyone know what she should do with it? is there any products she could use. ps. my friend laura thinks she has boring straight hair but it is also very beautiful. however, she would also like to know what to do with it. any suggestions for a style of cut etc? To make a point to this and actually ask a question- what is better; curly hair or straight hair??? Skooky 10:22, 6 October 2005 (UTC)

That is an awkward question. Hair types are not "better" in any sense besides the opinion of the person judging the hair in question. Some people might like pubic hair for their scalps; can you tell such people which is "better" based on your fashion sense? Perhaps you should ask yourself "What does she prefer?" or find a new shampoo that reduces frizzles in the hair if that bothers her. Remember, however, that curly hair is a genetic trait and although there are cosmetic "remedies", it is her body's follicles that will always generate new hair (made of protein) from cysteine's sulfide bonds. Be very cautious of what you put into your or anyone else's hair, however, because hair can be damaged (hair splitting) from the improper use of hair straighteners or any hair products for that matter. Of particular note is the statement you added, saying that she has "beautiful curly hair". Why change that? People have done this over and over again; the Japanese hair straightening procedure was all the rage a few years ago. Now, people are turning back to curly. Go figure.

Long story short: Don't place your hair type at the whim of some fads or a group of bemused internet wikipedians; be natural and be yourself.--Screwball23 00:32, 17 October 2005 (UTC)

For the curly hair a good thing is john frieda's Frizzease. Put a dollop about a quarter size on wet hair and put through and let dry natural. For the straight hair short cuts are great. Look at Keira Knightley in the movie Dominoe - thats a good cut.

No, King Arthur! THAT's good hair!
I believe the movie in question is spelled Domino. --Maxamegalon2000 21:24, 6 October 2005 (UTC)
Forget the movies, just look at Keira... Nightly... She could be wearing a burlap sack and she would still look good. Dismas|(talk) 22:10, 6 October 2005 (UTC)

Have you considered consulting one of the teen magazines, or maybe Cleo, Cosmopolitan, Marie Claire, Vogueor Harper's Bazaar? They tend to be far better informed on this kind of thing than the regulars here. If you still need help, maybe your friend should consult a good hairdresser - it's their job to help people choose a hair style that suits their face, body, and personality. --Robert Merkel 08:04, 7 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] How Many Submersible Water Pumps Are Sold In New York State Every Month?

I am looking for verifiable data on the sales of submersible water pumps sold in New York State every year

thank you

Well, I doubt that there are any collated records of pump sales by state, since many private companies most likely sell these, and probably do not publish their records. You might get some indication by figuring out who the largest retailers of pumps are, and hoping that they are publicly traded, then figuring out their annual turnover in submersible pumps from published records. Frankly, it's going to be difficult. If you wanted to let us know why you want this information, there may be some easier way to get what you need.

[edit] Disaster prediction in the USA?

Some people predicted the New Orleans disaster - is there anyone who is doing systematic analysis of the likelihood of different disasters (natural, manmade etc) in the USA by location, probability, probable impact etc? Thanks!

In theory that should probably be FEMA, shouldn't it? DJ Clayworth 15:47, 6 October 2005 (UTC)
Yes, although God help us if it is, but I can't find anything on their site about it. I am sure there must be others, but cannot find them... Thanks.
Insurance companies, surely? I bet there is a direct relation between the premiums they charge and their assessment of the likelihood of disaster.--Fangz 16:46, 6 October 2005 (UTC)
Probably, but I bet they don't publish the info, also, there are a lot of other factors like cost of property, crime etc.
  1. There are many organizations, government, academic, research, profit, non-profits, that do this kind of analysis within the different areas of risk
    1. Weather prediction
      1. I think this is getting to be extremely accurate. They have a storm track, predicting where something will strike the coastline. They may be off by a few miles, and a few hours, but if you evacuate a few days before it hits, you will be Ok. The people in trouble are those who wait until a day or two before it hits, because all of them end up in a humongous traffic jam.
    2. Earthquake prediction
      1. I think the state of art here is that all they can do is show where there is some probability of an earthquake occurring, not really when the next one will strike.
    3. Low risk stuff where risk is not zero, such as Super volcano or giant rock from space hit Planet Earth
    4. Outside threats to National Security
      1. I think the government is slowly managing to do a better job in managing the information, as we can see from current news about the New York City Subway system for example. It came out in the 9/11 investigations, that in the daily intellibence briefings to the President, there was a warning that a terrorist attack by bin Laden's organization was imminent in the USA, directed against the air transportation industry, but somehow no one got around to telling the FAA about this.
    5. New kinds of malware
  2. If you get to the references that talk about various disasters such as Hurricane Katrina there are links to some of these places, and they link to each other.

AlMac|(talk) 16:38, 8 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] game of 11/25/34

Dear Sir or Madame; I have a picture with signatures from 11/25/34 game between the Americans and the Japanese. Its copyright date is 1976 by Flash Back Pictures, Inc. I am wondered how to find out its value, how many were produced, etc. Any information you can provide me would be greatly appreciated. Sincerely, Judy

You probably need to see an appraiser. You didn't specify what kind of game, either, which isn't that helpful. If it is copyright 1976, you'd want to ask whether or not it is an original or not, which likely matters a lot in assessing the value of it. You'd have to give us more information if we were to get any information on this -- I have almost no idea what you are describing. --Fastfission 19:30, 7 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] legal requierements

What are the legal requirements to start a business in jamaica.

A good place to start might be the Jamaica Business Development Center [29]


[edit] Bank of England 10 Shillings

I have a Bank of England 10 Shillings note. I wanted to know if it can be dated by the serial number.

Thank you,Bobby.

The quickest way to get a rough date is to look at the picture on the front - if it shows Britannia it's 1928-60, if the Queen 1960-70. You can also date to a few years by the signature of the Chief Cashier - Bank of England has a list of the cashiers with their dates - this should be good enough for most purposes. I assume they can be dated by serial number, but don't have any references to hand telling me what the number sequences are - perhaps try a good library for a banknotes-collector book? Shimgray | talk | 16:53, 6 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Good B*rger

What fictional Florida city is "Good B*rger" set in?

This has been asked already in the last week. Please check previous elsewhere on this page or the other Reference desk pages linked at the top of this page. DJ Clayworth 15:32, 6 October 2005 (UTC)

It's not on this page, or any of the other subject pages - any idea where it is? Good B*rger does not say either, nor does the IMD.

It's basically astroturfing. Way too many questions about one movie. Lets do the google association thing and make sure that everywhere it says Good Burger, it also says astroturfing. :) - Taxman Talk 17:49, 6 October 2005 (UTC)

OK, but what town is it?
It may not be astroturfing, since like you said, it's 8 years old. Also, the original question was never answered. Perhaps the original asker wasn't quite entirely familiar with the question asking process. Of course, I'm just playing Devil's advocate, but I do think that we could give it the benefit of the doubt. Since google hasn't turned up anything, I would have to guess that perhaps it is not mentioned. I'm not planning to watch the movie to try to find out, but maybe if someone has access to the script they could read it... --WhiteDragon 20:33, 11 October 2005 (UTC)
Good B*rger is eight years old? Why would anyone want to astroturf it? Unless a DVD is coming out. If we're going to do the google association, let's associate it to "crappiest movie of all time". Hey, there's a start. DJ Clayworth 17:50, 7 October 2005 (UTC)

I promised to delete this question if it came up again, but since others have responded, I have resorted to bowdlerizing the title. User:Zoe|(talk) 06:00, 9 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] population census of Middletown, California

Hello:

I'm curious about the number of tourists Middletown, California sees as any given time during the year, particularly during the summer months. I'm also intersted (if you even have these statistics), the number of medical clinics in the Middletown area and the number of doctors that serve the Middletown area.

Would you happen to have this information?

Just in case you are able to answer the above questions, please send your reply to: <deleted>

Thank you,

Ulin Sargeant

My suggestion would be to check with the Middletown town offices or chamber of commerce. They may have the information that you seek. Dismas|(talk) 20:35, 6 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Fictional Locations in Soap Operas

Can you give me a list of fictional Florida locations in soap operas?

Probably not, I really doubt that anyone has indexed them in this way... List of fictional places and List of soap operas might be good places to start though.
Most soap opera towns don't really belong to any particular state, though there has been a trend to do so lately. But the only place I can think of in Florida that was the setting of a soap opera is Flamingo Road. User:Zoe|(talk) 06:02, 9 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Two black mute insane sisters

I heard some kind of article on the net a couple of years ago which stuck with me. It was about two black sisters who did not speak to anyone but each other for all of their lives. eventually they went to live in a hospital until one sister died and the other finally started talking to people and wrote a book about her and her sisters experiences. This is not a movie but a real life thing. Do you know anything about it?

The BBC made a docudrama about them, which is much as you describe - except I don't think they were actually insane (just a bit weird). I think the belief was they did talk all the time, but only to one another. I can't really remember their names either, but I can confirm you didn't imagine it. I'm almost certain the two were English. -- Finlay McWalter | Talk 18:07, 6 October 2005 (UTC)
I think this is another instance (they're neither black nor british) but there was a film, Poto and Cabengo, made about twin sisters Ginny (Virginia) and Grace Kennedy, twin sisters who shared an invented language. Just in case it sparks a remembrance. (other terms to search "autonomous languages of twins" - This article claims that 40% of twins have them.) - Nunh-huh 22:55, 6 October 2005 (UTC)
June and Jennifer Gibbons. It truely boggles my gourd but wikipedia does seem to have everything. MeltBanana 23:08, 7 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Name of spider

(no question)

[edit] Please let me know the meaning of these words:

Hi, this is related to business issues but i did find out how i could ask questions there so i put here. maybe you could let know that too. anyway pls let me know the meaning of the following acronyms which are used in a business quotation:(these are related to bank and LC and shipping phrases. this is all the help that i can give)

  1. - FCO (Any samples?)
  2. - POF (Any samples?)
  3. - POP (Is it proof of payment or product or none?)
  4. - SBLC

rgds, eve

Many acronyms have several meanings. You may find this link helpful. --hydnjo talk 20:31, 6 October 2005 (UTC)


[edit] Food in scotland

What do people in scotland have for breakfast lunch and dinner?

Usually food. Other times, haggis. - Nunh-huh 22:17, 6 October 2005 (UTC)
Today, for breakfast lunch and dinner I had a pizza. Admittedly, I only got up at two in the afternoon. Yesterday, I had some pasta and then fish and chips. I can't remember the last time I actually ate breakfast. Shimgray | talk | 22:23, 6 October 2005 (UTC)
One would start the day with a deep-fried Mars bar, for lunch one would have an Arbroath Smokie washed down with Irn-Bru, and then one would try to catch sufficient haggis for tea. If a more varied diet is required, see Scottish cuisine. --Gareth Hughes 22:50, 6 October 2005 (UTC)
Probably the same as most people in the UK or USA, with a few regional variations, we don't all eat haggis regularly, though I do have porridge for breakfast & drink Irn-Bru. AllanHainey 07:17, 7 October 2005 (UTC)
But don't forget the deep frying! Shimgray | talk | 11:38, 7 October 2005 (UTC)
Isn't Scotch whisky considered "food"? --hydnjo talk 16:32, 7 October 2005 (UTC)
Of course not - water isn't food! (Beer, now, the beer is food...) Shimgray | talk | 17:03, 7 October 2005 (UTC)
How does the haggis hunt work these days, now that hunting with hounds is banned? -- AJR | Talk 01:44, 9 October 2005 (UTC)
Haggis hunting is now permitted only with specially approved haggis nets. As I'm sure you're already aware, however, they're easy enough to catch anyway oweing to the fact they have one leg much shorter than the others, and hence run in circles around the bases of mountains. All you need to do is wait for them to come back round and scoop 'em up. Noodhoog 15:15, 11 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] please help me locate relevant law

Hello,

I have searched your online files and cannot seem to find the specific material I am seeking. I have combed the intellectual property sections and links to it that you have and still need some help. If you can tell me where to look this would be wonderfu.

I am trying to get at two things:

1) non-profit employees' rights to use their own work-products, specifically writing and research.

2) restrictions on directors of non-profits in using what employees write and putting their own names on it as the authors of it.

3) restrictions non-profits put on employees in the conflict of interest area, keeping those employees from speaking and publishing on material that they develop a) outside of that non-profit b) within that non-profit c) both outside and within that non-profit at the same time

In all cases mentioned above, the work of the non-profit is in the social issues area and is publically funded by the state of california.

Thanks, bbbb

I think you're going to need to make a trip to your local law library. They are usually accessible to the public for short bits of research and the reference librarian can help direct you to relevant laws. You'll have to figure out if it is a state issue or a federal one. Other than that you would need to consult a qualified IP attorney. - Taxman Talk 13:32, 7 October 2005 (UTC)
Everything depends on the exact law and where you are, and I am now a lawyer, but:
  1. I expect that non-profit companies function much the same as for-profit companies with regard to ownership. If you did some work, research or programming or writing, as part of your employment then the company owns the products. They can choose whether or not you can use it.
  2. Again because you did the work for the company, they can publish your work as their work and not name you as author. Naming a director as author might be more tricky; you'd need a lawyer for that.
  3. No opinion.
DJ Clayworth 17:46, 7 October 2005 (UTC)
Actually, #1 only applies if the work is actually work for hire. A basic rule might be: did you sign any official contract or agreement before you started working? If you did, look at that first and see what it says. If you didn't, the odds are you aren't legally bound to anything, though you might want to make sure there was no implicit understanding otherwise. More problematic than IP law in this case will be non-profit law -- I don't know if it risks putting the non-profit status of the organization in danger if you use your time on it to develop things that you later use in for-profit enterprise. But I have no idea on that for sure. You might try checking whatever federal or state law gives the particular organization its not-for-profit tax status. --Fastfission 19:15, 7 October 2005 (UTC)
Another aspect of # 1 is if you were working and not being paid, like in some volunteer capacity, and you created something of value for that organization, can you then, legally use the same work effort product to help some other similar organization?
Generally if you were paid to do some work, then the work belongs to the person who paid for the work to be done, not to the person who did the work. There may be some exceptions for some professions, but they better have some contract in writing specifically stating that they have ownership rights to their work product that is an exception to the general rule of it being owned by the organization that paid for the work to be done. AlMac|(talk) 04:35, 8 October 2005 (UTC)
With respect to # 2, there are some professional standards, that may not be formal legislative rules, but rather controlled by the professional associations. Like in academia, if you are caught doing plagarism, you get an educational death sentence, you are now black listed from any further opportunities for more education or employment in higher education, because plagarism is the worst crime there, because it is about the only crime that higher education can punish people for doing.
There are similar standards in the news business ... if a reporter or writer is found to have generated material that was not written by them, but swiped from someone else, or ghost written by someone else, then that person is black listed from that profession for all time.
There have also been law suits alleging theft of intellectual property.
So # 2 is really a civil matter not a criminal matter. The injured party needs to be able to prove that plagarism occurred.
With respect to # 3 this varies greatly by profession, for example suppose you were an engineer, and you invented stuff on your own time outside the employer. The employer can legitimately argue that your work product, even produced using time and resources outside the work place, is the property of the employer, because they are paying you for your intellectual energy, and you are not allowed to have a second job, unless there is some contract with the primary employer to that effect.

AlMac|(talk) 04:41, 8 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Llamas

What is a pack of Llama called?

I don't believe there's a special collective noun for llamas. Herd and flock are the usual terms for other groups of large domesticated herbivores, though. —Charles P. (Mirv) 01:29, 7 October 2005 (UTC)
"Herd of" seems most popular on Google - 750ish hits verus 200 or so for "flock of" and "pack of". Shimgray | talk | 01:44, 7 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] DVD Box set

Is there any news or information about "Joey" season 1 possibly coming out on DVD?

This just in: Hell freezes over. - Nunh-huh 01:40, 7 October 2005 (UTC)
  • It apparently already is on sale in the UK see [30]. According to this article in the DVD Times, it went on sale in the UK in July [31]. Whether hell froze over is unknown at the time of writing. :>). Capitalistroadster 07:21, 7 October 2005 (UTC)
    • It is most assuredly a frigid day in hell. Next: Joey: The Musical - Nunh-huh 23:27, 7 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] What do cows eat?

Do cows eat only grass? Feel free to answer.... Tanx....♥'Hot Flip'

No. Cows eat grass but also are fed grain and silage. Dismas|(talk) 03:19, 7 October 2005 (UTC)
Mad cow disease is spread when cows eat bits of other cows.
Oh, come on. Mad Cow Disease is the most overrated disease ever. Our article states 158 people in the world have contracted the disease. The world population is about six and a half billion people. It's not even worth mentioning. Garrett Albright 16:44, 7 October 2005 (UTC)
In Australia cows used to eat Meat and bone meal, but that is now illegal due to the risk of Mad cow disease, so maybe it is worth mentioning. While I'm here, is it true that in Japan you can scan in the barcode from a peice of beef in the supermarket with a mobile phone and recieve the animal's picture/name? --Commander Keane 17:09, 7 October 2005 (UTC)
What the hell? No… Garrett Albright 01:28, 8 October 2005 (UTC)

wel...♥Hot F.L.I.P. egen....tanx fo ol d anzers....i totally looked it up...n like most of ya'lls anzers wer d same....n for wutever that dude that just sed bout scanning barcodes from a piece of meat n wutever da hell uder stupid tings came after dat.....wut da hell were u tinking riting that stupid S**T down?! u aktually blieve dat iz tru?!!!.....anywayz, if u/sum1 got more interestin info. bout wut cows eat......type away.....

Oh, God. Please write in English. That was horrible. Garrett Albright 15:51, 9 October 2005 (UTC)

Like i wanted YOUR opinion about my writing?! but whatever..........."Dad!" Hot F.L.I.P.

  • Back to the question, cows will also eat some types of leaves and most fruit. In New Zealand (and no doubt other places) some farmers plant brassica, swedes and turnips for winter feed.Lisiate 02:24, 10 October 2005 (UTC)
  • That reminds me that cattle can eat saltbush. Also, I'm not convinced that my comment on mobile phones getting the picture of a cow in the supermarket was incorrect, the Japanese mobile phone culture article says that some Japanese phones can read barcodes, and Australian cows are electronically tagged with the unique info of the cow, so look out for it Garrett. --Commander Keane 09:18, 10 October 2005 (UTC)
It's certainly true that they can read barcodes (or, more specifically, so-called 2D barcodes) and access web sites from addresses stored in those codes, but I've yet to see such a code on meat. And if you think about it, it's not practical in the sense that the meat might come from more than one animal, especially if it's ground beef. I'll keep an eye out, but after six months of going to grocery stores in Japan I've yet to see something like that. Garrett Albright 17:27, 10 October 2005 (UTC)

Wow!....You know Commandar Keane?.... I guess "mobile phones getting the picture of a certain cow using barcodes" is really not that impossible. I mean, with all the futuristic technologies that people have created and set forth...who knows?...I might get to buy one of these things at Best Buy in 2010.....♥F.L.I.P...

I agree you couldn't get a photo for ground beef, but I would imagine the supermarket would only fork out for the photo system for high priced cuts of meat, which come from a single animal.--Commander Keane 10:44, 11 October 2005 (UTC)

hmmm... ♥hot f.l.i.p.

[edit] Franklin D. Roosevelt and African Americans

[edit] Brooklyn woman hospital

i need the entire address

I tried a google search but can't find a hospital called "Brooklyn Women's Hospital". Well, I did find a few results for a hospital that was called that back in the 50's and 60's but nothing current. Is that the name? If you have the exact name, a google search would find it for you quicker than coming here and waiting for one of us to tell you. Dismas|(talk) 13:29, 7 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Guavas

Hello! I wonder if someone can advise me about how to look after about 150 guava seedlings, from 6"-12" tall, and any ideas about what to do with the surplus, there is obviously a slight problem with space for the developing orchard! If I keep potting them on until they are a manageable height, then pinch out the growing tips would that limit their growth? The books say they will fruit within 2-4 years, given that I provide the right temperatures can I hope for fruit? Then, there is the slightly smaller problem, (in that there are only 100 of them)of mystery plants from Cyprus, evergreen leaves, reminiscent of carob trees but the germination rate was too high. My mumblings about a tropical area in the garden with undersoil heating and winter protection fall on deaf ears!! Then there's the morning glory which escaped through the conservatory roof and was last seen heading for the sky at a rate of knots, am I really going to have to wrap the whole of the back of the house in bubble wrap? You probably realise that I'm squeamish about killing things, epecially since I grew and raised them, so the obvious answers such as "Pull them up!" don't apply. Trivial, in the light of the world situation, I know, but it's my little bit of it. Thank you195.93.21.36 11:22, 7 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] wormen's issues in 1955

What were the women's issues in 1955. I would have been six then and need to know for my granddaughters Girl Scout project. Thank you for your time and effort. <e-mail address removed>

Considering I hadn't been born yet I don't know but as a suggestion you can try starting your research at feminism and go from there. Dismas|(talk) 13:19, 7 October 2005 (UTC)
Also, history of feminism might be helpful. However, there are some differences in the issues depending on where you were living in 1955. --Gareth Hughes 16:10, 7 October 2005 (UTC)
It was also depend on what your economic and racial status was. The issues of a poor African American woman would likely be very different from those of an upper class white woman (as is the case now). --Fastfission 19:10, 7 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] WHY?????

Why do grown up men rape and murder innocent children?

Why does anyone rape and murder anyone? There are no easy answers. But generally someone who commits a crime this heinous (that is, to innocent children) has a form of mental illness, or is somehow otherwise able to justify their actions. Garrett Albright 16:39, 7 October 2005 (UTC)

Unfortunately the mental illness explanation is simply a tautology, as is evident when stripped to its essentials: "only a mentally ill person would do that, therefore anyone who does that is mentally ill." If you look for other evidence of mental illness besides raping other people (of any sex or age), the majority have none. It is sadly within the repertoire of "normal" human behaviors and is better understood as evil than ill. alteripse 19:58, 7 October 2005 (UTC)

Just as some people don't like blaming mental illness on every bad thing as it is often empty of meaning and inaccurate I dislike applying evil to all that is bad. There are frequently understandable reasons for seemingly evil actions although it does not make them less unpleasant. Child sexual abuse is often a continuing problem; if you are abused as a child you may go on to abuse or it is a misguided attempt to recapture a person's own lost youth. The murder is probably an ill-concieved attempt to hide evidence. MeltBanana 23:22, 7 October 2005 (UTC)

Following is respectful disagreement. You are free to use another word than evil, though it is the traditional one applied when a human being deliberately chooses to cause this type of harm to another, especially as a direct and personal interaction. I would offer two perspectives that do not support your view. First, around the world today and for most of recorded history, rape and killing of women and children occurs frequently in a setting of ethnic conflict or social enforcement, not as an aberrant and solitary behavior. Obviously in such cases, it is not accurate to say that raping and killing women and children is universally condemned, because groups of people do it and justify it. I contend that such group behavior even more deserves the label of evil than of illness. My second objection to your argument is that it deprives the perpetrator of the assumption of moral agency and responsibility. No matter what word you prefer over evil, one of the principal differences between calling these acts evil and calling them sick is whether you think the perpetrator can be held morally and criminally responsible. How can you possibly advocate simple vengeful punishment for someone who did this from an illness? How many hospitals, physicians, or therapists are claiming to be able to cure this behavior? Do you believe them? Finally, what are the implications of your absolution for our treatment of children who have been sexually abused? Do we then hang a "watch him" sign around his neck? Should we forbid him contact with children when he gets older, or is he, like a dog, allowed one bite? Because if a high proportion of sexually abused children grow up to be abusers, your argument is strong, but it also justifies pre-emptive measures. On the other hand, if only a small proportion of abused children grow up to be abusers and vast majority do not, your argument has poor explanatory power and does not counter the moral agency assumption. Which way do you want it? alteripse 00:01, 8 October 2005 (UTC)

Well I was not actually denying the presence of evil; although many people do. I was simply trying to offer reasons as the initial question asks. As there is no evil gene, evil flu or and the devil is not usually available for comment the answer pople do bad things because they are evil is as unhelpfull as they are ill. Athough is does not have the added problem of insulting the mentally ill. MeltBanana 00:14, 8 October 2005 (UTC)

Although we may not have hugely different opinions, I think there are at least three advantages to retaining the term and concept of evil in this context. First, as you mention, it reduces the temptation to frame such behavior in illness terms or other justifications. Second, it connects the person contemplating it to the millennia of previous human attempts to understand and deal with this type of behavior. Third, it unequivocally affirms condemnation. Also (I just caught this)-- I did not explain that such acts were done because of evil, which of course is no explanation. Rather, that attempts to explain this behavior were in my opinion the same as attempts to understand evil behavior, not sick behavior. alteripse 00:43, 8 October 2005 (UTC)

OK I will not attribute your long and unfocused answer to evil, just to being involved in a edit war somewhere and being unable to calm down. Why would you ask and how would I answer "How can you possibly advocate simple vengeful punishment for someone who did this from an illness?" you must be evil. I'm not trying to chuck out the term and concept of evil—I don't believe I have the power—I am just trying to suggest that it is often used simply as a four letter word and does not answer anything. Comparing one event to another in the past is instructive but to put it in a category with every bad deed for millenia is far from informative. BTW I hate a lot of Wiki categories as well. MeltBanana 01:13, 8 October 2005 (UTC)

This is an ill-tempered response to a polite, patient, and logically argued disagreement, which was focused precisely on what you said. I was paying you the respect of assuming you could debate an assertion logically and recognize a rhetorical question. My assumption was apparently incorrect and I offended you. Sorry. alteripse 12:22, 8 October 2005 (UTC)

"Why do grown up men rape and murder innocent children?" Answer: See Aggression. WAS 4.250 08:40, 10 October 2005 (UTC)

criminial psychology might help, if we had an article on it.... Trollderella 18:18, 11 October 2005 (UTC)
There's a little bit at Criminal psychology. --Sum0 21:54, 15 October 2005 (UTC)
Ah yes... criminial psychology is something quite different... ;) Trollderella 17:18, 17 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Hartsfield Jackson Atlanta International

does the airport "hartsfield jackson atlanta international"own any other companys

The airport is owned by the City of Atlanta and I believe that is the only airport they own. -Drdisque 17:05, 7 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Non-Ministerial Departments in the UK

Is the list at Departments of the United Kingdom Government complete?--213.18.248.23 12:46, 7 October 2005 (UTC)

No, I should look at the rather longer list at Public bodies and task forces of the UK government... Physchim62 01:20, 9 October 2005 (UTC)
The Public bodies and task forces of the UK government list contains a lot of quangos which aren't really departments. AllanHainey 11:35, 10 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] University Fencing Club Uniforms

I have a photo of three men taken in Bresslau circa 1939. The men are in Fencing Uniforms and I would like to establish where these uniforms were used (also who the men are)

Peter
  • Your best bet may be to contact the historical society in Breslau, if they have one-- I believe the city has been renamed Wroclaw. According to the Wroclaw article, there was a "All-German Festival of Sports & Gymnastics" there in 1938, with a link to a website about it. That website or the folks who created it might also be of help. Crypticfirefly 04:02, 10 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Website Templates

I need some templates for my website (i am designing in dreamweaver) I need some that are blogesce but still give you almost complete control over the site Thanks in advance. _Mythicallava_

You are not going to be able to set up a blog with merely a Dreamweaver template. You'll need some sort of weblog software running on the server that you want to host your blog. If you are unfamiliar with this, your best bet might be to go with a service like LiveJournal or Xanga, which will host the blog and do all the technical stuff for you, while also giving you a good deal of options as to the design of your blog. Garrett Albright 16:36, 7 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] sandove? and other things

What is sandove? What animal is the fastest under water? --Sandove89 17:34, 7 October 2005 (UTC)

The otter? --Sandove89 19:19, 7 October 2005 (UTC)

Sailfish is possibly the fastest fish at about 93Km/h. Although probably somekind of diving sea-birds maybe quicker at initial contact with water. Gannets apparantly hit the water at 100Km/h although they will obviously slow down very quickly while diving.Majts 02:16, 8 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] OTAK

what is it? --Sandove89 19:32, 7 October 2005 (UTC)

An Architecture firm specializing in transportation, growth management, and urban design? [32] Majts 02:30, 8 October 2005 (UTC)

"otak" is an indonesian word for "brain"

Otaks are little furry creatures in Ursula Le Guin's Earthsea book series. — JIP | Talk 11:53, 16 October 2005 (UTC)
OTAR could conceivably be abbreviated to OTAK... Ojw 13:30, 16 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Wars

Can a country Bomb both sides if it doesn't agree with either side of a war?

Who said there are any rules when it comes to war? Dismas|(talk) 18:46, 7 October 2005 (UTC)
  • No doubt a country could do this, but it doesn't make much sense to do so. Usually it would make sense to fight only one at a time, even if it mean temporarily co-operating with an enemy. The War of the Triple Alliance is the closest I can think of this actually happening, though that was rather different. -- Bob Mellish 18:52, 7 October 2005 (UTC)
  • Only if they really wanted to personally have war declared against them as well. There have been times though when "peacekeeping" efforts have been used, of course, by, say, the UN, whereby they occupy a location to keep sides from fighting with one another. --Fastfission 19:07, 7 October 2005 (UTC)
Very often, war involves a lot of emotions on all involved parties. Thus it is often not easily possible to generally agree or disagree with one or another side of a war. From a standpoint of International law, I would see the situation you are describing as a war of country 3 on both countries 1 and 2, individually. That is, country 3 leads two wars simultaniusly, and those two wars have nothing in common (from the viewpoint of country 3).
The question of "can" is hard - I believe most modern Jurists would say that wars cannot be startet arbitrarily; rather, they should be legitimized by the United Nations. However, a small minority of the world disagrees and holds the believe (as was common until the 20th century), that a sovereign and independet nations has a right to start wars for whatever reason it may deem legitimate.
Greetings,
--Florian Prischl 19:15, 7 October 2005 (UTC)

Three-sided wars are rather rare. In the later stages of World War II in Eastern Europe there were several three-sided struggles between Nazi Germany, the Soviet Union, and some third parties caught in the middle, for example the Polish Armia Krajowa and the anti-communist Russian Liberation Army. In Yugoslavia there was fighting between the Chetniks, Partisans and Nazi Germany (though maybe not at the same time?). In China there was a 3-sided war in the 1940s between the Kuomingtang, the Communist Party of China and the Empire of Japan. Gdr 20:29, 7 October 2005 (UTC)

I recognize that the word terrorist is politically incorrect on Wikipedia, but I not know what other word to use instead. It would appear to me that they are attacking EVERY NATION ON THE PLANET that they can get to.
For example the recent attacks in Bali, which is part of Indonesia which is the largest Muslim nation in the world. AlMac|(talk) 16:54, 8 October 2005 (UTC)
But the inhabitants of Bali itself are mostly (90%) Hindu and the main target of the bombings is the tourist trade so you can't really characterise it as an attack on an Islamic population.Lisiate 23:19, 10 October 2005 (UTC)
As a side point, inaccuracies in night bombing during WWII ocassionally led to aircraft accidently attacking cities in the wrong country. The most famous 3 sided battle would probably be the battles of the Three Kingdoms--Fangz 18:59, 8 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Tariff codes

Hi,

i am looking for a link for Harmonized System Tariff codes to find out what are the different codes for different prodcuts. Any idea?

eqbal

Our article on the Harmonized System, which will take you to a listing here. –Hajor 20:04, 7 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Locating patents

I have a U.S. patent application number from the 1940s -- "533,378" (applied for on 4/29/1944). How can I tell if it was actually granted and what number it was assigned? The US patent website doesn't seem to go back that far, so I assume there is some other standard reference for this sort of thing. --Fastfission 19:08, 7 October 2005 (UTC)

  • You are correct that there is such a reference, it is called the "Official gazette of the United States Patent Office." It is published every Tuesday and lists the patents issued that week with an example claim. You should be able to find the back issue you need at a Federal depository library. Crypticfirefly 05:45, 9 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] corniela guest

There's a stub article about her at Cornelia Guest. --Metropolitan90 02:19, 8 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] black people

why get mean

Do you mean, "Why do black people get mean?" If so, then please continue reading. The reason a person of African heritage would get enraged is the same reason why anyone of any other culture gets angry. The black people you have probably encountered were very defensive, and that's okay. Chances are, they are defensive due to poverty, or previous experience. Don't let that one person give you a view of how an entire race is: race is not a factor in one's behavior. People act differently, and their race has nothing to do with it. See stereotype. —MESSEDROCKER (talk) 04:18, 13 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Arrest warrant

this is NOT complaint, but rather, a complement...i would just like to give a big shout out to the author of this article for using, as his example, the heinous criminal ' Nelson Muntz'...very funny stuff! S, Edina, MN.

[edit] Common Pheasant

What is the life span of the common pheasant?

Google seems to think about 18 years, although that sounds like quite a long time to me. Bear in mind that animals live far longer in captivity than they do in the wild.--inksT 01:34, 8 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Advertising campaigns

Wikipedia has a list of commercial failures, but is there a similar list or article about huge commercial successes, and if not, does anyone know where I can find a similar list online? This is purely out of interest/ curiosity. ♥purplefeltangel (talk) ♥ (contribs) 21:45, 7 October 2005 (UTC)

FTSE 100 Index? Ojw 11:39, 8 October 2005 (UTC)
Hum, no. I'm talking about specific products. ♥purplefeltangel (talk) ♥ (contribs) 20:16, 8 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] I don't understand

why did you block me? what does this mean? caught doing what?--Archive13 23:24, 7 October 2005 (UTC)

The above message relates to a misunderstanding caused by a vandal. See here for more information. Thanks. --Canderson7 00:08, 8 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] birds

what is the most common bird in england?--84.68.202.84 23:44, 7 October 2005 (UTC)

The number one result from a Google search [33] gives a BBC report compiling the top 20 most commonly sited birds in the UK in 2005 [34] No 1 is Wood Pigeon. Although this is a UK survey I would bet that this result would apply to England as well as it would most likely provide the great majority of the sample. Majts 01:18, 8 October 2005 (UTC)
Yes, the wood pigeon recently overtook the chaffinch. Incidentally, the commonest bird in the world is the chicken. Shantavira 11:19, 14 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] e-commerce

Yes, I agree. E-commerce indeed. ♥purplefeltangel (talk) ♥ (contribs) 01:29, 8 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Roman Empire

What were the classes of Roman society?

See the article Ancient Rome. —Wayward 05:02, 8 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Green Llama

I was wondering who created the green llama, I remember seeing him on albinoblacksheep like a year ago and until recently it seems he is everywhere. Who created it? --Ice Jedi5

[edit] Hmm...

What happends if a unstoppable force, say... Juggernaut, the Marvel Comics one ran in to a unmoveable force, like Blob, from Marvel Comics? >_>

Since Juggernaut is unstoppable, he presumably has infinite momentum, which means either mass or velocity must be infinite. Since velocity can never be greater than the speed of light, he must have infinite mass, which would require infinite energy to move (there is not this much energy in the universe!). Since Blob is unmoveable, he must have infinite inertia, and therefore also infinite mass, and thus infinite density. Since neither of these are possible, unfortunately it must remain comic book physics. (Incidently, the article Blob (comics) states that Juggernaut can move Blob even when he increases his weight!) smurrayinchester(User), (Talk) 09:34, 8 October 2005 (UTC)

See our article on the irresistible force paradox. Gdr 11:30, 8 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Do trees have souls?

After all, they do contain living cells.-

Depends what you define a soul as it seems very much open to interpretation depending on your belief system. If you believe a soul is a spirit that emerges from organisms that contain living cells then yes. Being a pastafarian I personally believe that there is no such thing as a soul but many will disagree. Majts 07:33, 8 October 2005 (UTC)
Many religions associate souls with consciousness or free will. Most people believe non-animals - or even non-humans, to have neither, they do not believe trees to have souls. A large variety of ancient faiths would beg to differ, of course.--Fangz 18:54, 8 October 2005 (UTC)
And do rubber trees have rubber souls ? LOL StuRat 11:31, 10 October 2005 (UTC)
As there is no empirical evidence for the existence of souls in anything, then the answer would have to be that all signs point to no. Despite this, however, many people, cultures, and religious believe in the existence of souls, so I guess it would really come down to individual views. Some think that only humans have souls, as they are somehow special or chosen. Some think that only animas, but not plants, have souls.. and some think that absolutely everything - animals, plants, rocks, the lot - have souls.
Finally, I would have to question Majts above - as a pastafarian if you don't have a soul, how do you get to the beer volcano and stripper factor? ;) Noodhoog 15:27, 11 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] WBC Booster

I know there are drugs that some athletes take to increase their red blood cell count, but are there any drugs that increase your white blood cells to help your body fight a sickness?

Yes. G-CSF and GM-CSF are sometimes used in treatment of immunosuppressed people - such as people who don't have enough white blood cells - for example, when chemotherapy for cancer has reduced their white blood cell count. They are generally not used in infections in people with normal immune function. - Nunh-huh 07:36, 8 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Stock Quote

Does anyone know the stock quote for Roche Pharmaceuticals? (www.rocheusa.com) I cant find it anywhere, I looked on the web site and I even did a search for it by name with yahoo stocks. Thanks

From the Wikipedia article Hoffmann-La Roche it appears that Roche Pharmaceuticals could belong to Roche Holding AG, which is listed in on the SWX Swiss Exchange, ticker ROC.S. --Commander Keane 09:00, 8 October 2005 (UTC)
There are three listings on NASDAQ: ROCHE HLDG AG DIV RT, RHHVF; ROCHE HLDG LTD, RHHBY; ROCHE HLDGS AG BEARE, RHHBF. —Wayward 09:22, 8 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Boosting HP without a turbo/super charger

I was watching this show and they had a 1.8L Acura Integra that had 240HP. They said it didnt have a supercharger or a turbo and without NOS. How did they get so much power out of the engine when the stock HP rating is so much less?

There are many specific ways, but most include raising the Compression ratio along with a larger Intake manifold and Throttle body and more agressive Camshafts. -Drdisque 03:43, 9 October 2005 (UTC)

This kind of modifications push the point at which maximum torque is achieved higher up the rev range, thus increasing maximum power (power is torque times revs). Obviously, increasing the maximum RPM an engine does puts additional strain on the components. So, for such a high-powered small motor, it's quite likely that it's been fitted with moving bits (pistons, camshafts, valves, valve springs, and so on) made out of higher-quality alloys so that the damn thing doesn't fly apart. Engine life is also probably somewhat shorter than a stock one, too.
Honda is, however, noted for getting lots of power out of their motors, even stock. The Honda S2000 gets 240 HP out of a stock 2.0 litre naturally aspirated motor, using variable valve timing to ensure the thing is reasonably tractable at slower engine speeds. --Robert Merkel 03:06, 10 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] CAN COCKROACH USE AS SOURCE OF ENERGY FOR FLASHLIGHT

No. David Sneek 09:20, 8 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Why do men sexually abused as children sexually abuse theirs?

--anon

It's complicated -- typically, victims of abuse follow one of two tracks - the become crusaders against abuse, or they become abusers themselves. See cycle of abuse →Raul654 11:53, 8 October 2005 (UTC)
As noted in the earlier debate on this page; it is far from inevitable that an abused person will become an abuser. Reasons for it could be: belief that it is normal behaviour, attempts to exact revenge or trying to re-live traumatic event. MeltBanana 12:56, 8 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Madness (UK Band)

I would like to know if the band had any success in Australia. Did any singles or Albums chart here as I cannot discover the answer to those questions anywhere.

  • Yes, they did. My recollection is that "It Must Be Love", "House of Fun" and "Driving in my Car" all went top 10 in Australia in 1982. Capitalistroadster 04:48, 10 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] THE AMERICAN CIVIL WAR

HOW LONG DID THE Battle of Fredericksburg LAST ON THE LAST DAY.

They were still fighting at sunset of the 13th, apparently, so "all day"? They stayed around on the 14th, then left on 15th-16th [35] First shots would have been 11 December 1862. [36] Ojw 14:48, 8 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] rooster/chickens

this may sound dumb,but a co-worker said that a rooster`s testis are located under their wing while I disagree.....can you help ? thanks

    Everyone knows a rooster's "testis" are located under their chin, duh.
They are inside the body near the spine. As to whether or not you consider this "under their wings" is up to your own interpretation. Considering a chicken's wings (when drawn in to their body) cover most of their body, it's really a matter of semantics. Dismas|(talk) 21:51, 8 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] LIFE

ARE THERE ANY CITIES THAT HAVE EXISTED SINCE PRE-HISTORIC TIMES

According to Plato the city of Atlantis was lost 11,000 years ago which certainly qualifies as pre-history. Ignoring myths though, the serious answer is that what we define "pre-history" is the age before writing was recorded. As the very first written records also tend to date at about the same time as the very first cities about 6000 years ago. Many believe that mankind's ability to record written records was the main factor in forming civilisation and cities. Therefore the first cities coincide with the ending of the period that we call pre-history. So the short answer is no. Majts 16:30, 8 October 2005 (UTC)
Several cities in the Middle East, e.g. Damascus and Jericho, have been settled since, approximately, the invention of agriculture. I don't think the Neolithic settlements can be counted as cities, but they were there. —Charles P. (Mirv) 16:43, 8 October 2005 (UTC)
Damascus is, I believe, thought to be the oldest continually settled location in the world, though much of this is conjecture - historical records only really begin for the site maybe three thousand years back, but it could well have been continually inhabited for about ten to twelve thousand. A lot of cities you'd expect to be remarkably ancient are surprisingly modern - Cairo is younger than London! Shimgray | talk | 00:02, 9 October 2005 (UTC)

Existed as a city, as a town, or simply as an inhabited place? Jericho is probably a contender for longest town at the same site, and dates back before historical records. For several large cities, it is likely that the area was inhabited before historical records: this is likely true of Athens, Rome, Paris, London, and many others. In fact any old city without a historical record of its founding meets the definition of being a "pre-historic" settlement before it was a "historic" town. So the short answer, is many. alteripse 17:19, 9 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] what is the name for a code of beliefs or doctrine?

(no question other than the title)

Depends on context but dogma , religion and philosophy could all be perfectly reasonable answers to this question Majts 16:45, 8 October 2005 (UTC)
Also ideology. AlMac|(talk) 17:00, 8 October 2005 (UTC)
or creed or credo. - Nunh-huh 17:37, 8 October 2005 (UTC)
or manifesto? Ojw 19:30, 8 October 2005 (UTC)
or ethos? User:Zoe|(talk) 06:12, 9 October 2005 (UTC)
or mission statement? Proto t c 13:22, 10 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] BOOKS BOOKS BOOKS

WHAT ARE THE TEN GREATEST BOOKS EVER WRITTEN.

You might get better satisfaction visting a public library. Because then you not have to deal with the computer interface challenges that lead you to be repeating the same question over and over and over again. AlMac|(talk) 17:01, 8 October 2005 (UTC)

  • "Great" is in eyes of beholder. I personally believe one of the greatest is the invention of the encyclopaedia. AlMac|(talk) 17:03, 8 October 2005 (UTC)
  • Some documents, strictly speaking, are not books, but I think so great as to be worth mentioning, like a nation's constitution. AlMac|(talk) 17:04, 8 October 2005 (UTC)

We do have an article called Big Read with details of some national polls for the ten "best loved" books as opposed to great ones. Majts 18:30, 8 October 2005 (UTC)

In case you didn't know those national polls where done in the United Kingdom. Please remember this is an international project, Majts. When you talk about national things please specify which country you're talking about. Still, it's a good suggestion. - Mgm|(talk) 20:02, 8 October 2005 (UTC)
If you actually read the article those national polls were in the UK, Germany and Hungary which define international in my book Majts 20:15, 8 October 2005 (UTC)
  • I think on the "Humanities" question page (or maybe it's this one?) there's a list of the top bestselling books of all time. ♥purplefeltangel (talk) ♥ (contribs) 20:38, 8 October 2005 (UTC)

The important question here is probably: "According to whom?". However, you might be interested in taking a look at the article Western canon, for a discussion of some influential opinions on the subject. Oh, and turn off your capslock, please. / Alarm 20:54, 8 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] BMW owners

How many people in south Africa own the new 760li BMW. AKA .V12

   2364

[edit] NOT DRACULA

BESIDES DRACULA WHAT ARE THE NAMES OF THE BOOKS WRITTEN BY BRAM STOKER.

See Bram Stoker for a list of his works, and turn off your capslock please. —Charles P. (Mirv) 18:35, 8 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] food in atlanta, ga

Anyone know some good food in midtown, Atlanta? $20 or less would be nice.

for visitors, I frequently recommend the Park Tavern (500 10th St NE, Atlanta, 30309). If you like sushi, Ru San (1529 Piedmont Ave NE, Atlanta, 30324) is very good and has great prices, If you require a place in the hart of midtown, I'd suggest The Vortex (fancy burgers) (878 Peachtree St NE # 4, Atlanta, 30309) or Joe's On Juniper (1049 Juniper St NE, Atlanta, 30309) (most of the waitstaff is pretty gay there if you don't like that sort of thing, but midtown as a whole is rather gay). -Drdisque 03:33, 9 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] REMEMBER THE ALAMO

DID THE UNITED STATES OR ANY OTHER EUROPEAN NATIONS BANKROLL THE Texas Revolution.

It was such a low budget operation that it bankrolled itself in the early stages. The US army completed the final stages of separation. The Europeans didn't have much role in this one. alteripse 05:55, 9 October 2005 (UTC)

The United States is not a European nation. We're on a seperate continent. (Yes, I'm picking nits). Dismas|(talk) 14:56, 9 October 2005 (UTC)
  • If Texas had remained independent, would they be the only ones stuck with our incumbent shrub? alteripse 17:05, 9 October 2005 (UTC)
    • No, since the family is from Connecticut. User:Zoe|(talk) 20:03, 9 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] KILLER

WHAT WAS THE FIRST Sniper rifle

The first modern firearm snipers may have been trained in 16th century Japan as a type of ninja or shinobi. They were supposedly trained to cover retreating armies. The sniper would lay in concealed ambush until an officer of the advancing army came into his firing range. There are several confirmed records of such attempts. Most were unsuccessful; the rifles used were of large caliber, but also of poor accuracy. Despite this, one of Japan's most famous warlords, Takeda Shingen, is reported to have been fatally wounded by a sniper's bullet. Sniper

[edit] Miami, Florida

Do you know any fictional Miami, Florida neighborhoods?

You could make one up yourself, see our article on fiction Majts 19:39, 8 October 2005 (UTC)
See Wikipedia's article about Vice City, " a fictional city in the Grand Theft Auto series that is loosely based on Miami, Florida." They have a listing of fictional Miami neighborhoods there. --Kewp (t) 10:06, 9 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] higgins

are the higgins boats from worldwar 2 still in use by the army.

No →Raul654 20:22, 8 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Mountains

What countries inthe caribbean have:-a)Fold mountains b)Volcanic mountains?--72.27.28.49 21:48, 8 October 2005 (UTC)

  • Do your own homework, please. ♥purplefeltangel (talk) ♥ (contribs) 00:57, 9 October 2005 (UTC)
  • Wikipedia has quite a nice coverage on mountains. Just drop by articles on different Caribbean countries and see if you can track down the mountains in the area to determine what kind they are. - Mgm|(talk) 11:11, 9 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] 12 O' Clock High staring Robert Lancing - the series

Good Evening:

I am having difficulty locating information, regarding the availability of T.V. series reproductions for purchase, from the 60's T.V. series 12 O' Clock High starring Robert Lansing.I believe there were 78 episodes.

I have contacted TCM Broadcasting and the History Channel, with no results. Some of the segments are still being aired, but mostly in Canada.

Would sincerely appreciate any information that you would be able to provide. I am deeply interested in the historic aspect of the Mighty Eight Air Force, and have been spending much time in researching this topic.

Regards, Paul M. Anderson Ed.D, Ph.D. ( Retired ) Rockledge, Florida

E-bay may be your friend here, there seems to be alot of (unofficial) 12' Clock High tapes & DVDs available for sale there. Link [37]Alternatively post at imdb.com on the 12 O'clock High message boards Link [38] Majts 01:35, 9 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] A bet about storms

I want to bet US$100 that they will run out of names for storms this year and will have to use Greek letters. Where do I go to place this bet?

A strange question - I'd say "find your friendly local bookie and ask them if they'll offer odds", but in the US I don't believe they have such things. Have a look around some of the online betting sites? I vaguely recall there being some that let you post original bets... Shimgray | talk | 23:47, 8 October 2005 (UTC)
Bet against one of your nerd friends. ♥purplefeltangel (talk) ♥ (contribs) 01:09, 9 October 2005 (UTC)
  • Since only storms with severe effects like Hurricane Katrina ahve their name retired, there's enough names that can be reused. I don't think making such a bet is a smart idea. Try reading our article on hurricanes and their naming conventions. - Mgm|(talk) 11:13, 9 October 2005 (UTC)
    • I don't think they meant "have the name retired" - rather, there's an alphabetical list of names every year, one starting with A, the next with B, and so on. (Some letters are skipped, so there's only about 20). If they go through all of these in one year - ie, more than twenty storms - they don't start again at A but rather go on to Tropical Storm Alpha, Hurricane Beta, and so on. Shimgray | talk | 17:13, 9 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] what was the time of sunset in Raymond, Hampshire, on october 17, 2000?

(no further question)

You can get this info from this link [39] if you put the right numbers in. Raymond, NH seems to be roughly longitude E71.2, latitude N43.0, which gives the answer for Tuesday 17 October 2000 as 17:30 Majts 01:22, 9 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] what is the most edited article on Wikipedia?

George W Bush with over 16200 edits. A full ranking can be found at the bottom of link:[40] Majts 02:16, 9 October 2005 (UTC)
As a follow up I just did a quick word count on that article and it weighs in at a pretty impressive 11,700 words or there abouts. Which means that the article has about 1.5 edits for every single word in the article. That's insane. Majts 02:30, 9 October 2005 (UTC)
Have you excluded the vandalism and reverts? :) --inksT 04:51, 9 October 2005 (UTC)
If you exclude the vandalism and reverts, then the George W Bush article has had 3 edits ;) Ojw 13:36, 9 October 2005 (UTC)
If you'd exclude all vandals there wouldn't be a GWB, nor an article on him. :) I sure don't beat about the Bush, do I? DirkvdM 09:53, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
Anyone else find it interesting that a user's talk page has more edits that the talk page of the Main Page? :) Dismas|(talk) 04:07, 10 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Why is it so hard to get a decent man?! (I need one!!!)

hi every 1.....is it just me or are all the nice (of course has 2 b hot also!)guys out in the world dying out...y? y? y?!...also, wile im typing this...do u guyz know any good science fair projects that i can do? it has 2 be a "not stupid" project, like "Which battery will last the longest?" or "can you make an egg flaot?"... ♥Hot F.l.i.p.

At the extreme ends of the scale, "nice" and "hot" are mutally exclusive. Also, what level science fair? And how long have you got to do it? Alphax τεχ 02:12, 9 October 2005 (UTC)
For your science fair, measure how many people read the directions (almost no one) and is that fixable.
  1. example this page
  2. example ... FTC director recent testimony to US Congress about spyware ... a buyer contract included instructions how to claim a $ 1,000.00 reward to first customer to read the contract. 3,000 people downloaded the software before anyone claimed the reward.

AlMac|(talk) 02:28, 9 October 2005 (UTC)

Maybe you can do a project on the etymology of the word "flaot". I've never heard of it before you used it up there in your question. Karmafist 02:37, 9 October 2005 (UTC)
Why not combine your two questions into a science fair project. Ask a few hundred 40 year-olds what proportion of guys were "nice" in their day, and then ask a few hundred of your friends what proportion of guys are "nice" today. Ask your stats teacher to help you evaluate the data. Viola! Novel science fair project, and you answer your own question :)--inksT 04:50, 9 October 2005 (UTC)
The ability to spell and communicate ideas clearly have always been attributes that I've looked for in a significant other. I also think I'm a not unattractive guy who prefers to be nice rather than mean. Dismas|(talk) 14:38, 9 October 2005 (UTC)

um yeah....these science projects are great...but can u guys like specify the procedures n what things i might need.....and "Alphax"....it has 2 b (8th grade) gifted level...u c, my teacher bugs us about how we/I need to have a really good scaience fair project and a "not too complicated and not too simple" project..."you really have to understand what your doing /tryin to find out"...stupd Byotch!, i'm not really sure on what to do...maybe something that envolves chemical change...like what wiil happen if you heat up baking soda...oh my gosh im so stressed out about this!! pleez help me!!! and hey Dismas i think i know what your tryin to say but...what are you trin to say? ♥Hot F.L.I.P.

Flip, Inkypaws is right. What he is suggesting would be a very good science fair project, if you do it properly (and that means coming up with a proper experimental design and doing the stats correctly). Here's another random suggestion; measure the radon levels in some interesting places (your home, your friend's home, your school) and find out how much risk this poses to people's health. If you want to be provocative, compare the risk to a) the risk of dying from a nuclear plant accident, and b) the risk of dying in a terrorist attack. Good luck with your man-hunting, and here's a tip on behalf of the friends of the reference desk the world over - nerds can be hot too ;) --Robert Merkel 03:23, 10 October 2005 (UTC)
Flip, what I meant was that using "u" in place of "you" or "2 b" in place of "to be" is unattractive to me. As well as using the word "like" as you have demonstrated in the first line of your reply. You aren't talking to a group of your teenage peers here. You are talking to a number of people, some possibly younger, many probably older than yourself. You are looking for intelligent replies to your questions. So why not conduct yourself with a little bit more professionalism and maturity. If I put "2 b" or "l8r" or any of that SMS shorthand in an e-mail to my superiors at work I would never be taken seriously and more than likely passed up for promotions, etc. Therefore, any woman that conducted herself like you have would be passed over by me without any thought of a first date. Even if she looked like Jodie Foster or Natalie Portman. Both of which are highly intelligent, lovely, and to my knowledge, very mature women. And the likes of Paris Hilton and Jessica Simpson are two of the least attractive women on the planet. One because she has the maturity of a 12 year old and the other because she doesn't know if "Chicken of the Sea" is chicken or tuna. That is what I was saying. I'm lucky though, I've found an excellent woman which can be just as hard or harder as finding a "decent" man from what I'm told.Dismas|(talk) 04:22, 10 October 2005 (UTC)

I volunteer as a nice man for you to get. Provided you're a woman yourself. — JIP | Talk 08:04, 10 October 2005 (UTC)

  1. Do you have any idea where nice men hang out?
    1. In Church groups?
    2. In volunteer groups, like Big Brother, the Red Cross
    3. So you join such groups and get both fulfillment doing good work, and build relationships with nice men
  2. Do you have any idea where hot men hang out?
  3. Are the two lists mutually exclusive?
    1. Do the statistics vary with age? In other words, where should a nice teenage girl go to find a nice or hot guy, but still be safe? Substitute other female ages ... is the answer different at college age, mature age, etc. ?
  4. I am now over age 60 ... a co-worker who is about age 20 asked me some questions about relationships, and I loaned him the book Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus to help him see what it was he was having trouble understanding. Later he thanked me profusely because when he told some potential girlfriends about this book he was reading, he found out it was a turn on for them to find out he had this interest. I told him that was NOT the reason I loaned him the book. There is important stuff in there that you need to understand for a relationship to be long term satisfactory.
  5. If your science fair project includes asking hundreds of people of various ages about their experiences locating and keeping desirable significant others, include another question
    1. WHERE did they locate this person ... include this for both the desirable and undesirable that way you can build statistics on each type of location ... the odds of a good match, and the odds of getting burned
  6. If you going to ask hundreds of people, you also have to think HOW you going to conduct it so as to get A LOT of different people, a cross-section of community, yet do it in such a way that YOU are safe while you meeting lots of people, many of them strangers
  7. you also need to avoid one that could be embarrassing if either teacher or other students ask questions about it, like the opposite sex.
    1. I did a science project once in which my father provided me with some condoms to do it, and it was really interesting to find out that they can leak, which I now suspect my father wanted me to find out on my own before I used one for what they intended for ... but when my teacher (a woman) started asking questions about how did I figure this or that out, I was too embarrassed to communicate effectively

AlMac|(talk) 10:17, 10 October 2005 (UTC)

If you interested in living dangerously, there are all kinds of dating services like in the newspaper, or check the yellow pages. AlMac|(talk) 06:36, 11 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] why the sky is blue?

[edit] Places to live

What is the point of unincorporated villages if the post office doesn't use them for a mailing address?

Often the village has its own zoning board or village council that makes many decisions for the village rather than the county. -Drdisque 03:47, 9 October 2005 (UTC)

You'll have to be more specific. What state/country are you talking about? -- Mwalcoff 04:43, 9 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] BRITSH ROMANTICISM, URGENT!!!

Hello, i need something about british/english romanticism. In wikipedia, you have romanticism, and representatives of british romanticism. Where can i find something about romanticism in G.B.?Please help, it's urgent. croatia

Here are some links that may be helpful. David Sneek 09:58, 9 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] deleting contributions

is it possible for any wiki member to completely remove his contributions such as photos and articles?

No, I'm afraid it isn't. Once you've agreed to licence something under the GFDL, it's licenced that way permanently and irrevocably. -- Finlay McWalter | Talk 11:45, 9 October 2005 (UTC)
However, a Crtierion for speedy deletion is "Any page which is requested for deletion by the original author, provided the author reasonably explains that it was created by mistake, and the page was edited only by its author", so you could go through and speedy tag the things you want removed, assuming you are the sole author. --Commander Keane 13:17, 9 October 2005 (UTC)
The key phrase is "by mistake". Unfortunately some people try to invoke this clause when they really mean "someone changed my article in a way I don't like" or "I've decided to leave wikipedia, and I want to erase myself from it", which isn't att all what is meant by "mistake". The standard for what constitutes a "mistake" is (or should be) very high. -- Finlay McWalter | Talk 13:30, 9 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] The ECU coin.

I have been searching the internet, via Google for the current price of the Ecu coins, ie. 1 ecu, 5 ecu and 10ecu coins, which I believe are composed of nickel, copper and silver. How much of each metal - I don't know. This was to be the new european money, but was thrown out in favour of the Euro. I cannot find anything on the internet, even coin companies who have websites, there is nothing mentioned about the Ecu, ie. buying and selling prices. Please help me find a suitable website with the above information or a contact number which I can use. Thank you.

  • According to our article on the euro, "The European Currency Unit was an accounting unit used by the EU, based on the currencies of the member states; it was not a currency in its own right." So there were no coins or bank notes. It was not a currency that you could use to buy groceries in any country, although bonds were issued in ECU, I believe. They would have paid interest in another currency, however. Ground Zero | t 12:43, 9 October 2005 (UTC)
Some countries put out commemorative ecu coins in the years running up to the euro: Ireland, Belgium. See also: pattern coins. Do the ones you've got indicate a country? –Hajor 15:18, 9 October 2005 (UTC)
We do have an article on the European Currency Unit (no "the" in the title). Garrett Albright 15:52, 9 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Overlined p

I'm trying to write a transliteration in Syriac, and one of the traditional characters is a letter p with a line over it, to signify that its sound is softened. Unicode doesn't seem to have a single character for it (if you do find it, please let me know). What would be the combining diacritic? Thanks. --Gareth Hughes 14:11, 9 October 2005 (UTC)

It isn't ideal, but you can sorta hack it in CSS: P -- Finlay McWalter | Talk 15:05, 9 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Orientation of Earth

How was it determined that the right way to view a map was to have north as the Top? Why don't we view earth the other way, i.e. south side being up.

Historical accident. In Europe, it used to be that maps were drawn with Jerusalem at the centre and East at the top (the T and O maps) - North at the top became established by, oh, the fourteenth century. I suspect, though I don't know, that this was driven by compasses always pointing North, making it the dominant direction. Shimgray | talk | 16:47, 9 October 2005 (UTC)
Compasses point South just as much as they point North. DirkvdM 10:03, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
The other reason that the dominant direction is north is because Northern Hemisphere ancients would have used the North Star for navigating. If civilisation had started in the Southern Hemisphere I would wager that maps would be the other way up. Check out some Upside Down maps to see how strange they look to us.
But these reasons don't explain why the dominant direction should be at the top. It seems arbitrary and even reflects in our language as "top" is always considered to take precedence over "bottom". Same reason that nearly all writing scripts ever created go from top to bottom, although there have been rare exceptions. I suspect some kind of ancient sub-conscious instinct effects the way our perception orientates abstractions. Majts 17:56, 9 October 2005 (UTC)
Well, when you drop an object, it starts at the "top" and moves toward the "bottom," does it not? Seems rather natural to me. Garrett Albright 17:20, 10 October 2005 (UTC)
But that's 3D space, how does that relate to our 2D representation of it? Wouldn't it be an argument for orientating the other way round as the direction of travel is always towards the "south" or "bottom" ? Majts 17:55, 10 October 2005 (UTC)
Well, I wasn't talking about the maps so much with that as I was about "top" taking precedence over "bottom" linguistically. Garrett Albright 19:48, 12 October 2005 (UTC)
This predates humans. Dominant dogs will stand tall while submissive dogs lie on their backs to make themselves seem small. Thus the "top dog" doesn't see the apparently much smaller dog as a threat, and leaves it alone. In humans, having an elevation advantage in a battle frequently led to victory, hence the "king of the hill" game. It is only natural, then, that Europeans, thinking themselves "superior" put themselves on top of the map. StuRat 21:03, 12 October 2005 (UTC)
If the north-orientation (note that 'orient' means east, by the way) started in the 14th century, then the maps probably didn't include much of Africa yet, so Europe would simply have been at the centre. I'm talking European maps now. Did other cultures make maps? And if so, how were they oriented? DirkvdM 10:03, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
The remarkable Kangnido map, made by the Koreans in 1402, is oriented northerly. I believe other maps by the Koreans and Chinese from that time were northern-oriented as well. Garrett Albright 07:34, 14 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] origin of "The earth isn't dying, it's being killed" quote

does anyone know where this origins? "The earth isn't dying - it's being killed. And those that are killing it have names and addresses" It looks a lot like this is something originally said by Utah Phillips but I've also read it as said as far back as by Leo Tolstoy. I don't know in what sense or what work any of them have written it (if Tolstoy has) and it's quite possible "Utah" quoted someone else...

As far as I have seen this quote always attributed to Utah Phillips. Maybe you should contact him or his webmaster to see if they will help. Interestingly this quote is the motto of the radical environmental defense movement Earth First! an organisation that the Unabomber Theodore Kaczynski had several associations with. It looks like he took the quote a little too literally. Majts 20:07, 9 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Shakira's Next CD

Which one of Shakira's songs will be in English?

Why not try asking on the Shakira talk page? The people who watch the article and its talk page would probably know... and care. Dismas|(talk) 02:23, 10 October 2005 (UTC)
  • Her new album is called Oral Fixation 2 and all of the songs will be in English. The first single Don't Bother has just been released and the album will be released in November according to our Shakira article. Given the success of her last English album, I suspect plenty of people care. Capitalistroadster 05:02, 10 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Scientific Name

What is the scientific name of the antifreeze sap present in Pine Trees?

:Their sap contains sugar that have antifreeze protein. It's from these complex sugars that we obtain Pine syrup, although maple syrup from maple sap is more popular. Majts 22:02, 9 October 2005 (UTC)

Nitpick. The sugar doesn't contain the protein. The sap contains both. alteripse 23:39, 9 October 2005 (UTC)
That's more than a nitpick, that's a fundamental blunder by me in my understanding of biology. Of course sugar cannot "contain" a protein, so I have struck out my answer. I have always thought that the sugar that was the key ingredient for preventing freezing, but can't find any sources either way to confirm it. Majts 02:06, 10 October 2005 (UTC)
I believe you're right about the sugar being the main antifreeze ingredient. If you put a bottle of apple cider in the freezer, the water portion will freeze, leaving a sugary "sap" unfrozen. Be sure to drink a glass of apple cider before this experiment so it won't overflow when it expands due to freezing. StuRat 21:09, 12 October 2005 (UTC)
The freezing point of any solution is decreased by the addition of more solute (osmolar depression); higher concentrations of sugar cause more depression of the freezing point. see [41]. - Nunh-huh 04:04, 13 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] The next in line

If first is the worst, second is the best, and third is the terd, what would 4th be?

Oliver North Majts 22:09, 9 October 2005 (UTC)

We always said that "Third is the nerd with the hairy chest" we also said that "fourth goes up north" but that isn't really much of a criticism or compliment. I grew up in Michigan and "up north" generally referred to the northern portion of the Lower Penninsula. -Drdisque 00:01, 10 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] RELIGION

WHAT IS THE OLDEST CHURCH IN THE UNITED STATES.

Do you mean oldest church building, oldest denomination or oldest congregation? The answer will probably be a Roman Catholic one in the Spanish South. Rmhermen 23:13, 9 October 2005 (UTC)
If that's what we're after, there's one in Santa Fe, New Mexico, that has a very good claim (oldest structure continuously used as such, since 1610). –Hajor 01:02, 10 October 2005 (UTC)
Ooh!! Ooh!! But let's not forget the St. Joan of Arc Chapel, built in France even earlier than that and then shipped to Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (I can't be typing this more than 100 yards from it right now.) --Maxamegalon2000 13:55, 10 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Trilobites

What are trilobites and when did they first appear? This has been bugging me all week, do you have an answer? 204.60.216.184 21:07, 9 October 2005 (UTC)

Well, if you are in the US it depends on what kind of school you attend, and what the preferred reference point is for timing that sort of thing: either (A) at the beginning of the Cambrian period about 542 millions years ago, or (B) on the 5th day of creation. See trilobite. alteripse 21:43, 9 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Ravioli, pierogi, and gyoza

What is the generic term for ravioli, pierogi, and gyoza? Also, there is some overlap here, isn't there?

They're all stuffed pasta. As for overlap, it's usually pretty plain based on who's doing the cooking. There are certainly recipes that use gyoza wrappers with, say, traditional or non-traditional Italian fillings. - Nunh-huh 01:13, 10 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] GOD BLESS THE ACLU

ARE THERE ANY BOOKS ABOUT THE ACLU.

[edit] Largest city without a rail station?

I can't decide whether this is technology-related, and therefore Science, or society-related, and therefore Humanities. So it's going here in Miscellaneous! Anyway, question as per the subject line: what is the world's most populous city without at least one railway station providing a passenger service, excluding light rail and metro systems?

Calgary (pop. 1.037m) is the largest city I could find quickly that has no such service (though it does have a light rail network); that must surely have a good claim for being the largest city in the Western world without an intercity train service (though please do tell me if there's a larger one), but what about in other parts of the globe? Loganberry (Talk) 00:35, 10 October 2005 (UTC)

No passenger trains to or from Mexico City since privatization in the late 90s. Nice metro and some very busy bus stations, though. –Hajor 01:19, 10 October 2005 (UTC)
Thank you. I must admit that I hadn't even considered that a relatively advanced country like Mexico would have effectively abandoned intercity rail travel, but it just goes to show. And now I come to think of it, Freetown is slightly larger than Calgary, and Sierra Leone doesn't really have a rail network, so that's another very large city with no trains. Loganberry (Talk) 12:36, 10 October 2005 (UTC)
Economic development has little to do with it. Several large American cities, including Las Vegas, Columbus and Nashville, lack train service. Several others have only one train a day in each direction, or even less service than that. In North America, governments decided to invest in highways rather than rails, and people usually live too far apart for rail travel to be attractive. Outside of the Northeast, few Americans ever travel by train. Before I went to Europe, the longest train trip I had ever been on was from Baltimore-Washington Airport to Union Station in DC! -- Mwalcoff 02:58, 12 October 2005 (UTC)
Distinct lack of poetry in the governmental soul. It came on the heels of a time of massive investment in Mexico's road network, both public and private: gorgeous new toll highways that private motorists largely couldn't afford (and most of those private roads have since been baled out by public funds). With an intensely road-focused transportation policy like that, running the passenger trains into the ground and finally doing away with them must have seemed logical. Going by train was always slower than taking a bus, even before the highway upgrades, but it was significantly cheaper, too: an important consideration for a lot of passengers. –Hajor 17:41, 10 October 2005 (UTC)
I had been going to suggest Singapore, but it turns out it's got a single line out connecting it to Kuala Lumpur and thence the world. Hong Kong doesn't seem to have an intercity rail link according to our article, which surprises me - perhaps it's just not mentioned, or one hasn't been built since reunification. Shimgray | talk | 12:46, 10 October 2005 (UTC)
The Columbia Encyclopedia has this to say: "Hong Kong's rail link with the mainland is by the Kowloon-Guangzhou Railway." So it looks as though the Wikipedia article just doesn't mention it. Loganberry (Talk) 00:28, 11 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Six degrees of separation with websites

I'm looking for a website similar to the Oracle of Bacon but that finds paths (and gives the length) between two URLs. Anyone knows of anything of the sort? ☢ Kieff | Talk 01:02, 10 October 2005 (UTC)

This might well be a bit too resource-intensive to be practical. The problem is an instance of the shortest path problem for a directed graph; as noted, Dijkstra's algorithm is the fastest non-heuristic way to solve that. If you assume we have m web pages, and n links between them, the worst-case performance of Dijkstra's algorithm is proportional to m + nlogn. Given that m and n are both very large numbers, the standard algorithmic attack may be very expensive. Now, the performance in practice depends on the topology of the graph of the web; and this has been studied fairly extensively; see this summary for an introduction (this might give you an idea about the *average* separation of URL's). I'm not sure how Dijkstra's algorithm performs on this sort of graph; in any case, you could probably use some A* search heuristics to speed the process up. But, in any case, this doesn't look like the sort of thing you can code up in Perl in a spare half hour on any handy internet-connected box. --Robert Merkel 02:07, 10 October 2005 (UTC)
I would have thought that nearly all URL's have only 2 degrees of separation with Google's index in the middle? Majts 02:18, 10 October 2005 (UTC)
Restrict the question to statically-generated pages, maybe, or specifically exclude search engines? --Robert Merkel 08:01, 10 October 2005 (UTC)
There's always Six degrees of Wikipedia. --Commander Keane 08:37, 10 October 2005 (UTC)
Well, I was expecting that running a webcrawler with a few exclusions would be good enough. Hyperlink networks are far more complex than imdb or Wikipedia, but if search engines can crawl the web they could gather the data for that, I'd suppose, so hence my curiosity. ☢ Kieff | Talk 00:00, 11 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] "What qualities an you bring to this organization?"

This question or its variants, "What can you offer us?", "There's 100 guys applying for this job and smarter, more creative, motivated, etc. what can you offer me?", etc. is a staple of any competitive interview for anything. How does one master this question?

lots of issues | leave me a message 01:07, 10 October 2005 (UTC)


In general, do your homework, get your best idea of what they are really looking for, and use the opportunity to sell those aspects of your personality, experience, and qualifications that make you well suited to the position. That's fairly standard advice.
Now, a little bit of personal opinion. In response to the second variation of the question, I'd be tempted to add a coda, "Given that, if after this interview you conclude that there are 100 other applicants who are better suited to this job than I am, by all means hire them instead of me.". In my view, if they've bothered to interview you, clearly there must have been something in your resume that made them think you were one of the best people for the position. And, personally, I think an employer asking such a question is trying to test whether you have confidence in yourself and your suitability for the position, and so showing a bit of confidence in one's own merits is the appropriate response. But then, maybe I'm just an arrogant SOB. --Robert Merkel 02:33, 10 October 2005 (UTC)
I usually hand the interviewer a packet of photos and say "do the other 100 applicants have the negatives for these pictures of you in compromising positions with assorted farm animals ?"

[edit] re 16 y/olds

what the hell man if they are comin at you , means they want somthin ,more better you look after them and care for them ,than they get on the street uh?

So what are you talking about? teenagers? assault? Homelessness?adoption? street children? why don't you try asking again.

Worse, linguistic entropy. alteripse 03:01, 10 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Supreme Court cases

How can a current Supreme court justice turn over a case that was already decided, such as Roe V. Wade?

See Precedent WAS 4.250 09:02, 10 October 2005 (UTC)
A justice can't overturn a case, but a majority vote of the Supreme Court can. User:Zoe|(talk) 03:37, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
Well, no, they cannot just decide to re-visit an old case. A new case (with a similar issue) must be brought before them and accepted. Then they can deal with it in a way that may reverse a previous decision. --Blainster 19:16, 15 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Hurricanes in Europe

Hurricane Vince is heading towards Europe, How often does Europe get hit with Hurricanes?

According to Wikipedia's article about hurricanes, most so-called "Hurricanes" that hit Europe are in fact extratropical cyclones. "When a tropical cyclone reaches higher latitudes or passes over land, it may merge with weather fronts or develop into a frontal cyclone, also called extratropical cyclone. In the Atlantic ocean, such tropical-derived cyclones of higher latitudes can be violent and may occasionally remain at hurricane-force wind speeds when they reach Europe as a European windstorm." (See European windstorm for a list of notable European windstorms). Sometimes these storms originate as tropical cyclones (hurricanes), sometimes not.--Kewp (t) 05:44, 10 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] bloodclotting

Why would a ten year old girl who just started her menstral 2 months ago have such heavy monthly bleeding and blood clots during her cycle? what is tha a sign of?

Uh... Puberty? ☢ Kieff | Talk 04:01, 10 October 2005 (UTC)

The explanation is likely one of the following four things.

  1. Prolonged estrogen and anovulation. The first couple of menstrual periods after menarche are often heavy. Many girls do not ovulate for some of the early cycles. Before menarche the endometrium has had a couple of years of rising estrogen levels to make it thick, and the mechanism of menstrual bleeding is somewhat different in ovulatory and anovulatory cycles. After a few months, the menstrual periods are likely to get lighter, especially after ovulation begins.
  2. Perception. A little bit of blood goes a long way. Count the days and count the number of pads used. Your doctor can tell you whether the actual number is unusual.
  3. Normal but above average. Some girls have heavier flow than others. This may be normal for her even if heavier than average.
  4. Coagulopathy (abnormal blood clotting). A small percentage of girls discover when they start having menses that they have a mild blood clotting disorder like Von Willebrand's disease. This type of problem causes heavy menstrual bleeding, and may cause problems after surgery or a major injury, but might never have come to attention before menarche. Your doctor can order blood tests to check the clotting if this seems likely.

The first possibility is by far the most likely. If the bleeding stops in less than 9 days, and most of those days she uses less than 10 pads I would recommend waiting a couple more months to see if the problem takes care of itself. It probably will. (On the other hand, this is just free advice based on some guesses; if the flow is a lot heavier than that or she is having other symptoms, have your doctor check a CBC to be sure she is not losing too much blood). There are simple things that can be done to stop a period if there is a dangerous amount of blood loss. alteripse 04:08, 10 October 2005 (UTC)

Interesting bit on the coagulopathy, though, never heard of such a thing. Can it actually risk the girl on causing severe blood loss? ☢ Kieff | Talk 10:15, 10 October 2005 (UTC)

Rarely. If harm is actually caused by heavy periods, it is usually iron deficiency, not exsanguination. alteripse 11:27, 10 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] "OK"

What do the letters in OK (as on "yeah, OK") stand for?

  • It is a short form of Okay. Capitalistroadster 05:06, 10 October 2005 (UTC)
    • No, "okay" is probably expansion of "OK", as best as anyone can tell. See the Old Kinderhook and Oll Korrect explanations in Okay. — mendel ☎ 23:38, 10 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] microwaving

I've never been game enough to try, so can someone tell me, what happens when you put a living thing in the microwave (anything, from plants, to bugs, to cats). Any first-hand data? --Ballchef 06:07, 10 October 2005 (UTC)

It would heat up until it dies; microwaves can also damage eyes, apparently. One women was charged with murdering her infant child by putting it in the microwave, though whether the death was from running out of air, or heatstroke, is not clear. Aren't you glad you asked? :/--Robert Merkel 07:58, 10 October 2005 (UTC)
Other than killing them, the result is the same thing as happens to nonliving things. The microwaves cause certain parts to heat up, causing thawing, cooking, killing, and sometimes explosions or fire. Micowaving metal can create sparks. Things with a skin surrounding something wet need to be punctured before microwaving so they don't explode. This includes eggs, potatoes, sausage and mice. WAS 4.250 09:12, 10 October 2005 (UTC)
That "mice" bit made me shudder. You never did that experiment, did you? ☢ Kieff | Talk 10:10, 10 October 2005 (UTC)
At the risk of sounding cruel, if have an anecdote to share. During my crazed, insect killing adolescence, I read in The Straight Dope of killing roaches in microwaves. As our riverside home was infested periodically with ghastly american cockroaches (aka 'Waterbugs'), I recreated the experiment. A single adult roach died in less than 5 seconds at high power. At 30 seconds, it's abdomen swelled to nearly the rupturing point, presumably from steam pressure, but by that point the beast was long expired. I have since ceased killing arthropods, by electrical or another means, and frequently escort wandering spiders and beetles out of my apartment to live their nasty little lives in the bucolic splendor of the side yard. Brian Schlosser42 15:24, 10 October 2005 (UTC)
I used to use the microwave to kill insects for my bug collection. It worked best if you put a cup of water in, too, or too much heat would concentrate on them and they would scorch. StuRat 17:10, 10 October 2005 (UTC)
I think this was covered in the 1998 movie Urban Legend. And Snopes has a few pages (see this or this for a couple of related urban legends). It's a rather grisly way to be killed, don't you think? --Dynamite Eleven 16:58, 11 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Ides of March

Can someone please tell me what Day of the week was ides of March 44 BC (ie. 15th March 44 BC). This was the day on which Julius Ceaser was murdered

To the extent that we can tell, Tuesday. Julius Caesar was actually assassinated on Tuesday 14 March 44 BC in the Julian Calendar (see that article). It's uncertain enough that it would be good not to be too insistent<g>. - Nunh-huh 07:40, 10 October 2005 (UTC)

The Romans still had an eight day week at the time, with a market day every eighth day. They expressed the day of the week as "x days before market day" unless it was a designated holiday or feast. So any attempt to convert the date into our equivalent 7 day week is fairly meaningless. Majts 08:42, 10 October 2005 (UTC)

so, as a follow-up question, how far back can we meaningfully assign weekdays? 09:54, 11 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] writing in all capitals

why do people write their questions in all capitals? it says right at the top of the page that you should not write questions in all capitals. is it some form of rebellion or are they just stupid? — JIP | Talk 08:58, 10 October 2005 (UTC)

  • Apparently some languages don't differentiate between regular and capital letters, but I expect most of those questions are a result of people failing to read the instructions to begin with. Hence the homework questions and people not using headers AND text explaining the question's context, etc, etc. - Mgm|(talk) 09:13, 10 October 2005 (UTC)
    • I vote we shoot down all such questions on sight --Ballchef 09:19, 10 October 2005 (UTC)
      • I disagree since most seem to be legitimate questions. The user probably just doesn't know any better. As to the original question, I don't know. But if you figure it out, there may be a lot of money in it for you from any software company you can think of. :) Dismas|(talk) 09:41, 10 October 2005 (UTC)
  • I would urge tolerance, since this is a method used by people with low vision to make their text more readable (so they can see what they wrote). There are other methods to enlarge the font, but they may be unable to do so. StuRat 17:03, 10 October 2005 (UTC)
In that scenario, do you think they can read the answer? You might want to add something to the up top, that no one reads, that if someone SAYS they have an eyesight problem, the answer COULD be placed on their talk page, using extra large font size. AlMac|(talk) 21:04, 10 October 2005 (UTC)
True, I have nothing against capital letters, but I don't like the non-sensical stuff, or doing homework for them, or arrogant writing (like what i wrote above). --Ballchef 23:54, 10 October 2005 (UTC)
I've heard people use it to disguise their inability to correctly capitalise sentances. More likely, it is an attempt to draw attention to their question amongst the many on this page. Sometimes it may be lack of proficency with the computer - e.g. not knowing how to turn off CAPS LOCK, more of a problem than you might think for new users. This particulaly applies to the young, since older people have capitalisation more ingrained, and so find it more important. Plain laziness is a possibility, and hardware that cannot use lower case, or makes it difficult to change, such as mobile phones or handheld devices. Finally, although this may not apply here, some software requires the use of CAPS LOCK for correct operation. Although it is unlikely for a web browser, using another application with all capitals, particularly if it is a commonly used application, may make you loathe to ever turn off CAPS LOCK or even notice when you are using it inappropriately. For a real world example of the last situation, my wife works all due using pension-related financial software (designed for ye olden days) which requires all entries in upper case. I believe lower case characters simply do not register. So to prevent errors when using this application, she rarely turns off CAPS LOCK, even when using another application such as an email client. That's probably more information than anyone wanted. akaDruid 10:30, 12 October 2005 (UTC)

Also note that many industries use caps. Draftsmen have traditionally used all caps in many cases, as they reproduce better when copied. FORTRAN and BASIC programmers traditionally used all caps, too, although this has reduced in recent times. Labels for file folders and signs are frequently all caps, too. Many people may just feel that case is a silly thing to worry about, as the case of a word rarely changes it's meaning. These people are just as likely to use all lowercase:

  • I'M GOING TO NEW YORK.
  • I'm going to New York.
  • i'm going to new york.

StuRat 15:47, 14 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] what is dry gin ?

what is meant when gin or other types of alcohol are referred to as being dry or extra dry ? eg dry gin,dry martini etc. thanks regards, Dr. Manish

Dry refers mainly to alcohol content but is also a component of flavor. "Drier" in a simple sense means less water, more alcohol. alteripse 14:30, 10 October 2005 (UTC)

It also refers to the lack of residual sugar after fermentation. This is particularly important in undistilled drinks (see Sweetness of wine). --Gareth Hughes 15:30, 10 October 2005 (UTC)
For wine, the terms sec, double sec, and triple sec also mean dry, dryer, and dryest. StuRat 16:59, 10 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Apparent movement of the planet Venus

Venus has an almost perfectly circular orbit. It was mentioned by Dan Brown in his book The Da Vinci Code that in an eight year cycle, this planet discribes a perfect five pointed star as observed from the Earth!! I would like confirmation from any astronomical observatory, or a reliable refernce work in the Wikipedia. Thank you very much Tau Paulus

  • Our article on Venus doesn't say, but its references may still be helpful for you to find further information. You can also try contacting User:Worldtraveller who appears to be our resident astronomy/space expert. - Mgm|(talk) 18:45, 10 October 2005 (UTC)
Try The Da Vinci Code for a start. There are some comments later in the article. DJ Clayworth 17:58, 11 October 2005 (UTC)
Look, this is obviously false, if it's been cited correctly from the novel here (I don't remember that passage offhand).
Imagine yourself on the outer ring of a merry-go-round (carousel) making one rotation every 15 seconds, with an inner ring that rotates faster, rotating every 10 seconds. Ignore the whirling landscape and fix your eyes on the inner ring. What do you see? You see it rotating in a circle every 30 seconds [which is how long it takes to "lap" you -- 1/(1/10-1/15)]. Well, the motion of Venus as seen from the Earth is the same -- we see it complete a circle around the Sun every 1.6 years [the length of time it takes to lap the Earth].
The number 1.6 there is exact, because Earth and Venus are in resonance and 13 Venus years = 8 Earth years. This means Venus laps the Earth 5 times (13-8) in every 8 Earth years, and that's presumably where Brown got the number 5 from, to tie it to the pentacle. But the idea that two circular motions around the same center (and for this purpose both orbits are near enough to circular) could produce a star-shaped result is just silly.
Of course, when I say that the resultant motion of Venus is circular, that's a 3-dimensional view. We actually see it from the Earth as moving in a line at various speeds over the spherical surface of the sky, because of our edge-on perspective to the circle. But that line essentially forms a simple back-and-forth motion if you view the sky as attached to the Sun and rotating with it; and if you don't, it wraps around the Earth every day like a ball of string around a core, just like the path of the Sun itself. It still doesn't form anything like a pentacle.
By the way, I loved the book as entertainment.
--Anonymous, 02:30 UTC, October 12, 2005
I can't picture this well enough, but assuming the orbits of Venus and Earth are not in the same plane (which is very likely), then every time Venus passes the Earth it is at a different inclination until, the 5th time, after 8 years, they've gone 'full circle' and it appears at the same inclination again. Now if you don't take the measurement at the exact right time every passage you could get five points that form a pentagram (or a pentagram if you connect them in a somewhat more complicated way). This is not a very clear explanation, sorry. DirkvdM 13:30, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
I assume the last comment meant to say "pentagon (or a pentagram if you connect them in a somewhat more complicated way)." StuRat 16:03, 14 October 2005 (UTC)
Yes, of course, sloppy. DirkvdM 13:55, 15 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] A hypothetical question

Let's say a commercial flight is headed from Los Angeles to Sydney. Somewhere in the last five hours of the flight it runs into a storm and disappears without a trace. Air traffic controllers in Sydney (and any Pacific islands in the area like Fiji or New Caledonia) can't contact it.

Now, let's say that the same plane appeared in the skies 24 hours later, exactly where it had disappared - still en route to Australia. Of course, it should have crashed long ago by running out of fuel. Not to mention, where has it been for the last day?

The pilots make contact with Sydney's airport and inform traffic controllers that as they headed into the storm, they lost consciousness, along with everyone else on the plane. Then they reawoke to find that it was the next day, and they were in the exact same spot. They request permission to continue and land at Sydney.

What do the air traffic guys in charge at Sydney airport say?

"Strewth." Proto t c 14:56, 10 October 2005 (UTC)
"Everything happens for a reason." --Maxamegalon2000 15:10, 10 October 2005 (UTC)
"Did you get Lost?" smurrayinchester(User), (Talk) 15:32, 10 October 2005 (UTC)
"...but it happened" Brian Schlosser42 15:37, 10 October 2005 (UTC)
The major problem would be that most flights are daily at the same time - so somewhere in the vicinity is the next day's flight, assuming it wasn't cancelled as a result of the disappearance - as both are using the same callsigns, it's possible no-one notices straight away. The pilots blank out briefly, then come around, and unless they deliberately check the date they'll just think there was something weird for a second, since the plane will still be in the same state and outside will apparently be the same conditions.
Leaving this aside, the controllers in Sydney would get the plane down somewhere - possibly diverting it to a nearby island, if they're concerned about fuel issues - and then try and figure out what the hell went on. It's really the only sensible thing to do - if you have a plane that isn't where it should be, where the pilots report occasionally blacking out, and may suddenly do crazy things, you get it on the ground as the first order of business. They'd have some very interesting questions to ask afterwards, mind... Shimgray | talk | 15:33, 10 October 2005 (UTC)
I'd start whistling the theme song from the Twilight Zone, but I'm not an air traffic controller (...be greatful). RJFJR 16:17, 10 October 2005 (UTC)
They think nothing of it since they just crossed the international date line? Dismas|(talk) 20:37, 10 October 2005 (UTC)
Obviously, terrorists have hijacked the plane, killed the passengers, landed it somewhere, refueled it, filled the cabin and cargo with explosives, and intend to crash it into the Sydney Opera House. The air traffic controllers would act concerned and buy some time. Several minutes later, F/A-18s of the RAAF slip into position behind the suspicious aircraft and blow it out of the sky.--inksT 21:54, 10 October 2005 (UTC)
Would they really do that straight away? Wouldn't they order it to land at a military base, and THEN shoot it down if it didn't comply?
I'd imagine the Men in Black would swoop in, deneuralise the crew and passengers, then discover what sent the plane forward in time to use for doomsday weapons and other such tools... smurrayinchester(User), (Talk), (Recent Contrib) 14:50, 11 October 2005 (UTC)
Don't be such a wiseass, I'm writing a story for my high school English class based on John Wyndham's The Midwich Cuckoos. I did stipulate that it was a hypothetical question...
You should have said that in your question you would have had better answers. If a plane suddenly appeared where it isn't meant to be the Australian authorities would almost certainly treat the incident as if it was a hijack. Assuming the plane had enough fuel and complied with instructions, the Australian Air Force would escort it to a pre-designated emergency airport. If it was the UK it would be Stanstead Airport, but I don't know what Australia's contingency plans are. Obviously if the plane didn't comply then it would have a very good chance of being shot down these days. Majts 05:13, 12 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Name Changes

Throughout history, many folks have changed their names for many different reasons, many different causes, many different religions, etc. Through the legal system of these United States of America, can one get away from certain contracts that hold a person liable for however terms or agreements/?, like a Loophole of quits, a freedom button if you will. Abort/Restart? Sort of the case with Prince Vs. Record Label when changed to that symbol 'The Artist Formerly known as...'(my keyboard doesn't have his symbol on the number pad, maybe the up-to-date keyboards from Minnesota should have the ESC button shift option for Princes symbol:)). ? A sort of ACT OF GOD clause., in that said persons said religion?

v ^ =

P.S. and by the way, Big ups to my Peeps at WikiP for being so patient with the masses., and also I do think this is the next biggest thing since GOOGLE to come from Al Gore's Internet. I think this is a great outlet for Truth., however wherever there is Truth, the enemy lurks., and the enemy will use the edit button to bemuddle the kids. But, "...And the Truth Shall Set You Free...," so we're not scared.

American name changes are governed by state laws. Most if not all, explicitly forbid changing names for fraudulent purposes. In other words, you can't get out a contract by changing your name. Contracts are holy here. alteripse 17:47, 10 October 2005 (UTC)

  • Al Gore did NOT invent the internet.
    • The US military did, long before Al Gore was a household name.
  • Al Gore promoted its growth in many places where it already existed.
  • Basically the Democratic contribution here was to lobby for government funds to make sure that poorer people could get benefits from what had previously been a toy for the upper middle class and rich folks, and that we could try to apply US technology to help make USA more competitive in the world, which kind of backfired because other nations also applied stuff at Internet speed, such as making it possible for off-shore outsourcing of jobs via telecommuting, thus hurting much of the Democratic base. AlMac|(talk) 21:17, 10 October 2005 (UTC).
  • Yes, I agree entirely, by doing so, Al Gore actually created the latest economic ressecion, which is why nothing related to job growth, or the economy is George Bush's fault, I finally understand, thanks for enlightening me--Armen Schrikken 00:42, 13 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Wikipedia video clip on editing

I was once shown a video clip on how fast users respond to vandalism on a Wikipedia. The clip was about 5-10 minutes, and has a person talking in the background. Does anyone know the link to this video clip?--66.2.141.12 17:19, 10 October 2005 (UTC)Larysa

it's on the heavy metal umlaut article, see here. 17:24, 10 October 2005 (UTC)

Attack of the Show's website had a link to a similar video a while back... I think the video involved the edit history of the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake article or something like that. Pretty interesting, although I don't know if the video still exists or not. --Dynamite Eleven 01:58, 12 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] the first bank in kerala

I believe it is Nedungadi Bank founded, in the year 1899, by Appu Nedungadi. It merged with the Punjab National Bank two years ago. Appu Nedungadi also authored Kundalatha, one of the earliest novels in Malayalam. Tintin 18:17, 10 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Linspire

I am seriously considering getting Linspire, however I have a question, if I use the Live CD version, would I still be able to use my Windows Xp and also how does the live CD work, and is Linspire any good?

John

Yeah I think that's the point. The Live CD version just boot from the CD-ROM, so if you remove the CD from the drive your computer will boot XP as usual. However I'm not sure Linspire will be eable to access your hard drive if it's using the NTFS file system, so you might need to create a partition that use the Fat32 file system if you want to install any Linux software permanently that's not included on the CD, or if you want to share files between the two OSes. As for how good it is I'm not sure, never tried it. I've read some good things though. It's good for Linux newbies at least because you get support and it's very easy to install and use compared to the more "serious" distributions. Hardcore Linux gurus might consider it too "dumbed down" for theyr tates, but aside from the fact that you have to pay for it it should be good enough for your average desktop usage. You can get free Linux distributions that do most of the stuff Linspire does too though. But you'll have to download the Cd image file, burn the CD's and download and install additional software yourself. --Sherool 20:27, 10 October 2005 (UTC)
From what I learned from it I get the vague idea that Linspire tries to become the microsoft of Linuxworld. I believe you have to keep on buying stuff after you've bought the OS - a typical Windows problem (if you do it legally) that other distro's don't have. About the previous posting. You can use the live cd to try it out, but that will be very slow, so eventually you'll have to install it on a hard disk. The file system (such as ntfs and fat, which are both microsoft systems) is not a property of the hard disk as Sherool appears to suggest, but the way files are accessed on a partition and that is in the case of Windows usually determined by the os. With Linux you can use just about any fs (except ntfs, which is a bit problematic at the moment). For the partition on which you install Linux you need to use a native fs (such as Reiser) and for the data-partitions that wuold also be best. In that case the data will be 'safe' from Windows (viruses!) because it can't access it. But if you want both os's to access that data fat is the usual choice. Or ntfs, but accessing that with Linux is still problematic, as I said. The free distros need what Sheroo says, but if you pay for them you get an enormous amount of software with it, which can be installed directly, saving you a lot of work - and that for a fractio of the price that, in the case of Windows, you'd have to pay for just the OS. DirkvdM 13:54, 13 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] What is credit risk?

(header only by questioner)

There are probably different kinds of credit risks.

  • A rule of thumb ... Banks love to loan you money, unless you really need it.
    • The bank wants some assurance that they will get the money back, with interest, so they need proof that you have assets or income to cover the loan.
      • No such evidence, then no such loan.

AlMac|(talk) 21:24, 10 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] DVD Recorders

What kind of features should i be looking for when i buy a DVD recorder?

The biggest feature differential is whether it has a hard disk built in, making it a personal video recorder. With a PVR, you can do all sorts of cool things - most notably, record continuously while you watch so that if you miss something, you can replay it. Beyond that, you might like to read the DVD recorder article to get some ideas.
Frankly, if you have the cash, and are at all technically adept (or know somebody who is), I'd build a system using an appropriate PC and MythTV; it's a hell of a lot more powerful than anything the consumer electronics companies are prepared to sell you. --Robert Merkel 00:49, 11 October 2005 (UTC)

You forgot to mention whether you want a 'standalone' machine (just for films I believe) or one for the computer. The latter is a lot cheaper and more versatile (can store any data), but requires more work. DirkvdM 13:59, 13 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] CONSTRUCTION

How long would it take to build a bridge from long island to mexico.

Do you mind
  1. Post your question ONCE only?
  2. If you make a keying error, such as not capitalizing the name of a country like Mexico, FIX it where you originally posted the question, instead of reposting with that correction.
  3. Use a subject title that is a bit more descriptive of your question.
Now as for your specific question, the answer is that if you are talking Long Island New York then it will NEVER get built, because there is no incentive for anyone to finance such a project.
Take a look at a map of North America.

AlMac|(talk) 21:28, 10 October 2005 (UTC)

Considering there is already a land route between those two places, there is no need for such a bridge to be built (since it would have to cross a large portion of the continental US anyway). Google Local says that it would take approx 39 hours to drive from Levittown, NY (a city on long island) to Laredo, TX (the closest major city on the US-MEX border I could think of) -Drdisque 16:19, 11 October 2005 (UTC)

  • I believe this person is trying, and failing I might add, to be funny, and is probably cracking a joke, about the number of improverished hispanic communities in certian parts of LI--Armen Schrikken 00:33, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
    • To clarify my statement further, despite the common belief that LI is populated by 99% spoiled upper middle class WASPS, there are actually many low income areas, where the residents can't actually afford to move anywhere else, and essentially stay in perminant endentured servitude to their land lords, until such time as they can pay off their debts, a bit like the post civil war, deep south, not that I'm drawing any comparisons--Armen Schrikken 00:36, 13 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] sports

WHAT IS THE WORLDS MOST DANGEROUS SPORT.

I've heard (but have no corroborating evidence) that it is Aussie_rules football.--inksT 21:58, 10 October 2005 (UTC)
Extreme ironing :)
You might like to check our articles on Category:Extreme sports ☢ Kieff | Talk 22:24, 10 October 2005 (UTC)
  • Checking out Extreme sports would help you find a list of the likely candidates. BASE jumping] would be a likely candidate in my view. Capitalistroadster 02:10, 11 October 2005 (UTC)
    • Hmmm. I think it's debatable whether BASE jumping is a sport or a hobby, just as we don't generally class skydiving or Scuba diving as sports. How do you keep score for BASE jumping - number of jumps completed thus far, weighted for altitude, perhaps? :) --inksT 02:21, 11 October 2005 (UTC)
  • Our Extreme sport classifies both skydiving and Base jumping as sport. According to our sport article which defines sport as "A sport consists of a physical activity or skill carried out with a recreational purpose: for competition, for self-enjoyment, to attain excellence, for the development of a skill, or some combination of these. A sport has physical activity, side by side competition, and a scoring system." Our BASE jumping states that BASE jumpers aim to achieve at least one jump from a Building, Antennae or tower, Span or bridge and Earth (a cliff normally). Skydiving has regular world championships using style and accuracy as criteria for judgement. As well, Auto racing and Boxing are possible contenders Capitalistroadster 04:53, 11 October 2005 (UTC)
  • I've heard that skiing is the most dangerous sport, probably in terms of the sheer number of injuries caused. It probably scores over BASE jumping because of the number of participents. I've no evidence tho :) akaDruid 10:00, 12 October 2005 (UTC)
  • I'm told that more casualties result from fishing than any other sport. Which really illustrates an important principle, that you have have consider the number of people participating when you figure out how dangerous a sport is. DJ Clayworth 20:51, 12 October 2005 (UTC)
  • I would expect it to be Cave diving, although people who actually do that disagree. Ojw 19:14, 13 October 2005 (UTC)

I venture that motorcycle racing kills more competitors than any other sport.--Eye 20:34, 13 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] BAD BOOKS VERY BADD

What are the ten worst selling books of all time.

I'd suspect that a few thousand books get published but don't sell any copy at all, especially if these are by unknown of first time authors. The best way to answer your question, I suppose, would be to use the amount of money invested on printing, publishing and marketing, which are data I have no clue how to find. ☢ Kieff | Talk 22:17, 10 October 2005 (UTC)
Even worse are the ones that get published by vanity presses but don't sell any copies at all, because they're funded by the author and not the publisher. Receiving no royalties is one thing, but losing significant money on your own book is another thing entirely! I suspect there are thousands of such books. — mendel ☎ 23:27, 10 October 2005 (UTC)
Actually, despite the bad press they get (groan) self publishing is an appropriate avenue to get some types of books out there, especially niche market books that would not be cost effective for a major publisher. Family histories, local reciepes, local history etc are all types of books for which self publishing can be a good avenue. Trollderella 16:14, 11 October 2005 (UTC)

In 2001 these were the 10 worst selling titles on Amazon.com:

1. "Mastering Management: Your Single-Source Guide to Becoming a Master of Management," various authors.

2. "Side Trip," Katie King. (Audio book).

3. "The Winthrop Papers," Vol. VII of papers of Massachusetts governor John Winthrop, published by the Massachusetts Historical Society.

4. "Michael the Magnificent," Phyliss Simpson, children's book published in 1967.

5. "Principal's Handbook: Current Issues in School Law," by William E. Camp, Julie K. Underwood and Mary Jane Connelly.

6. "Review, Latin American Literature and Arts, 41: Contemporary Latin American Literature/Photography."

7. "Fort Pulaski, National Monument, Georgia (National Park Service Handbook No. 18)."

8. "Introduction to 20th Century Architecture," by Polly Powell and Lucy Peel.

9. "2000 NCAA Ice Hockey Rules and Interpretations," compiled by Paul J. Duffy.

10. "Cream of Wheat Advertising Art," by Dave Stivers.

lots of issues | leave me a message 23:54, 10 October 2005 (UTC)

By golly, I've been looking for a book on cream of wheat advertising art! And I've always wanted to master my management so I could become a master of management, too! Garrett Albright 19:42, 12 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] DVD sales in New Jersey

How many DVDs are sold in the state of New Jersey each year? -- unsigned

  • That's really an absurd question, I mean, seriously, what are the parameters of this experiment? Do, for instance, street vendors selling bootleg DVDs count as sales? If so, you're never going to find your answer, street vendors keep terrible records, also, they take forever to cash a personal check, even after you give them your social security number, pin number, and account number, I'm still waiting for that damn check to clear, oh well, luckily I gave him my home address and date of birth, in case he needs to contact me to give me my money--Armen Schrikken 00:29, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
This would be rather hard to track down to say the least. If you could track down sales data from all the movie distributors then you could maybe figure out a rough figure. Although I doubt they break it down by state. Also, please turn your caps lock off. Dismas|(talk) 02:40, 11 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] OSHA offices

~~How many Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) offices are there in the U.S? Thanks alot68.197.6.37

Their website lists number of inspectors, not offices. It might be faster and more accurate to just call your local office and ask?--inksT 01:22, 11 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Tomboy/Gay

If a Boyish girl is called a Tomboy, why is a girlish boy called gay? - (unsigned)

"Sissy" is a more specific word for an "effeminate" male. "Gay" has other more specific meanings. Generally, calling a boy girlish, sissy, or gay would be considered an attack, impolite, and not particularly admirable. People who use epithets like that have a somewhat more constricted view of sex roles than does the rest of modern society. So the answer to your question is "a girlish boy is called gay by someone who wants to hurt him". - Nunh-huh 02:08, 11 October 2005 (UTC)
"Boysish" girls can be called less charitable things, like "butch" or "dyke" or "lesbian". Also note that there is a change with the age of the person in question. Boys are expected to be rather "girlish" until puberty, with no body hair, high voices, undeveloped muscles, tendency to cry, etc. StuRat 17:58, 11 October 2005 (UTC)
May be a British term, but the closest male equivalent to "tomboy" for a "girlish boy" I can think of is "nancy-boy". Canley 06:55, 13 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] The Rock early stage names

Hi, Just wanna know why The Rock (entertainer) used Pidlaoan Rock as one of his stage names? Thanks.

Our article on Dwayne Johnson is silent on this issue other than noting he used the name. He has an autobiography The Rock Says published in 2000. I will crosspost this question on his discussion page. Capitalistroadster 03:10, 11 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Relationship trouble

How do you get out of the "Just Friends" Rut? I can't gamble with this relationship though she's one of my best friends.

Aaah, the eternal question of "nice guys" everywhere. Don't worry, there's approximately one million theories about what to do in this situation. You can find some of them by searching for '"just friends" rut" on Google like this. --Robert Merkel 04:04, 11 October 2005 (UTC)
I believe Dan Savage answered a question like this at some point. I can't find it now, but I'm sure the gist of it was that there's no risk-free way to try to break out of the rut. If it turns out she's not interested, there's no way to make everything go back to the way it was, but if you do it in a mature, honest, non-creepy way, then you can at least pare down the subsequent really awkward period. That's my executive summary; you'd do better to find more extensive advice. — Laura Scudder | Talk 16:30, 19 October 2005 (UTC)

Ask the girl in question exactly what you asked us without saying it is her and not saying it is not her. Note that her reaction immediately may be one thing and her behavior after a day or so of reflection may be another thing. You get what you want more often when people know what you want. WAS 4.250 11:40, 20 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] What volume of air does a person use up?

If you have an Air tight house that's about 1500 square feet, how long would it take before all the air ran out, assuming someone didn't leave and breathed normally.

You need to know the volume of the house, not just it's area, i.e. how high the ceilings are. Secondly the air will not run out, nor will the oxygen, but what you will die of is carbon dioxide poisoning, from all the air that you breath out. This was what nearly killed the crew of Apollo 13 on their return to Earth. Here is all the information you need from Google Answers to work out your answer. Majts 04:35, 11 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Leather boot lining problem

I have a pair of leather boots that have a sticky lining and would like to know if there is anything I can do to solve this problem?Please help me with this problem.Bannava 04:29, 11 October 2005 (UTC)anon

Talcum powder or Baby powder should fix it. If the boots are stinky, you may want to get some powder specially made to make footwear not stinky. In the US, I know Dr. Scholl's sells such a powder. -Drdisque 16:16, 11 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Scarlett

Scarlett, Margaret Mitchell's sequel to Gone with the wind, seems to be missing from the Wikipedia list of new books for the year 1991

[edit] Better Degree

under current economics condiions, is it better to read for a bachelors degree in information technology or economics and management

  • Depends on which country you are from. Different economies are in different states. In Australia, the economy is quite strong while in Germany, the economy is in deep depression. Capitalistroadster 06:01, 11 October 2005 (UTC)
Germany's economy may be growing rather slowly (0.7% expected this year, 1.1% forecast for 2006 [42]), but it's not in a deep depression. David Sneek 07:40, 11 October 2005 (UTC)
However, in general, employment conditions in the IT industry are a lot better than people believe, if not as good as they were in those hazy crazy days of the late 1990's. However, in the English-speaking world at least, the really hot jobs at the moment include things like nursing (in fact, any medicine-related field), and mining engineering. But by the time you finish your degree who knows what the situation will be? --Robert Merkel 22:52, 11 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Hurricane Katrina

What was the final death toll of Hurricane Katrina?

Please remember to search first. -- Ec5618 16:46, 20 October 2005 (UTC)
From Hurricane Katrina: "The official death toll now stands at 1,242" ☢ Kieff | Talk 08:43, 11 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Plagarism?

I've recently been accused of plagarism on a paper i wrote, one which where I used wikipedia as my main source. Considering I used much of this website I cited wikipedia as a whole. Is there anyway I can search this website for a specific idea or something which i could have unknowingly plagerized? Accused passage is....

"This situation seems to be most accurately described as a culture clash. Regardless of similarities, it seems that these three strange bedfellows, native Americans, Africans and Europeans have an overwhelming propensity towards violence, hatred and malice."

If this looks slightly similar to any other page you happen to know of i would appreciate your imput. Im sorry if this isnt the best place to ask this kind of question, i couldnt really find anywhere better

--fred

Please see the post below. I got myself all flummoxed!

I hope we can let you off the plagiarism hook here because I hope that wasn't a direct quote from one of our history articles. It is so bad in so many ways (outdated racist views, bad history, bad social science, factually wrong, mangled metaphor, revolting writing style...) that it shouldn't have been allowed to stand as written in any imaginable encyclopedia article. I will go so far as to doubt that anyone who could write such a sentence would have anything worthwhile to offer wikipedia. alteripse 17:51, 11 October 2005 (UTC)

No big deal: we ALL plagerized, that is from the original creator of all things. Does anyone has a name for that Creator? I believed it is all left uncopyrighted since....165.21.154.116 01:08, 22 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Deciphering substitution codes

I was wondering if anybody could help me decipher what I believe to be a substitution code? This is the information I have:-

Ciphertext: UGEFXYPWMB

The key word could be either dennis, zebra, doug or yak. There is a strong possibilty that it may be something different but I'm not sure.

If anyone can help me out, I'd be very grateful!

Thanks!

86.131.122.31 14:49, 11 October 2005 (UTC)

  • I'll have a crack at it. In the mean time, try reading this page, to get an idea on how to solve it. - Mgm|(talk) 16:59, 11 October 2005 (UTC)
  • The usual way of doing a keyword-based substitution cypher is to put the keyword followed by the remaining alphabet:
ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ
ZEBRACDFGHIJKLMNOPQSTUVWXY

then map letters between the two lines (either up or down, you have a choice). However, "DENNIS" can't be a keyword (can't have repeated letters). Using this method, either way, neither "DENIS", "ZEBRA", "DOUG", or "YAK" produce anything intelligible with your cyphertext. Any other keywords you could try, or other methods that might be used? --Bob Mellish 17:47, 11 October 2005 (UTC)

  • Substituting 2 letters at a time with the 5x5 grid from the above link doesn't produce anything legible either. - Mgm|(talk) 18:03, 11 October 2005 (UTC)

What is being described above is a traditional caesar cypher. I wrote a quick python script to do the caeser decyphering for some given keyword and cyphertext:


>>> def transform (txt, word):
    start = ["a", "b", "c", "d", "e", "f", "g", "h", "i", "j", "k", "l", "m", "n", "o", "p", "q", "r", "s", "t", "u", "v", "w", "x", "y", "z"]
    for a in range (0, len(word)):
        start.remove(word[a])

    trans = list (word)
    while (len(start)>0):
        trans.append(start[0])
        del start [0]

    start = ["a", "b", "c", "d", "e", "f", "g", "h", "i", "j", "k", "l", "m", "n", "o", "p", "q", "r", "s", "t", "u", "v", "w", "x", "y", "z"]    
    ret = ""
    lst = list (txt) 
    
    while (len(lst) > 0):
        ret += trans[start.index(lst[0])]
        del lst[0]
    return ret

>>> q = "UGEFXYPWMB".swapcase()
>>> q
'ugefxypwmb'
>>> transform(q, "zebra")
>>> transform(q, "doug")
'tcabxynwko'
>>> transform(q, "yak")
'tecdwxovla'

Clearly, it is not a caeser cypher using those three words. →Raul654 05:35, 12 October 2005 (UTC)

Just a terminology nitpick, but a Caesar cipher uses a cyclically-shifted alphabet. The above is a general monoalphabetic simple substitution cipher using an alphabet derived from a keyword. ;-) But assuming that none of the keywords work in the well-known scheme described above, it's probably not possible to decipher the ciphertext using a general approach to solving, simply because there's so many plausible plaintexts (see Unicity distance). — Matt Crypto 13:08, 15 October 2005 (UTC)
Hey you guys, is there any way to show the code (above) without the "leading space" which causes the irritating wide page. <pre> and <nowiki> doesn't seem to do it. --hydnjo talk 02:04, 16 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] bubba crosby and chef

are they okay after last nights collision? 216.220.231.226 15:37, 11 October 2005 (UTC) Bubba and chef collided against the wall and at first it looked like bubba got the worst when his head got crushed against the wall but chef went down hard and stayed down. bubba got up and grabbed the ball. 216.220.231.226 15:44, 11 October 2005 (UTC)

It helps to provide a little more context (say, New York Yankees or Major League Baseball), but from the box score[43], both stayed in the game, so I'd expect no injuries of importance. The lack of articles specifically covering the collision would seem to indicate the same. Also, Gary Sheffield's name is more correctly abbreviated Sheff. — Lomn | Talk / RfC 16:11, 11 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] 10 Types of Internet Abuse Such as "Pirating, Copyright infrengment"

What are 10 types of technology abuses? thanks in advance, I need this ASAP. Lordned 16:21, 11 October 2005 (UTC)

Do your own homework. android79 16:26, 11 October 2005 (UTC)

Homework! o_O.... This isnt homework. I can ask a question to learn things without it being called homework?? Lordned 16:33, 11 October 2005 (UTC)

You wouldn't need exactly 10 things, and need them ASAP, if this weren't part of a homework assignment. android79 16:36, 11 October 2005 (UTC)

I just need to know what some are. That way I can research them. I just want to know. Not have to know.Lordned 16:39, 11 October 2005 (UTC)

I tend to agree with Android -- this has all the hallmarks -- but you might start with the copyright infringement of software and see where that leads. — Lomn | Talk / RfC 16:56, 11 October 2005 (UTC)
You might not want to include Piracy in your list though, unless there's some connection between plundering ships and copying software that you'd like to tell us about... Ojw 20:03, 11 October 2005 (UTC)
I was going to make a joke about barratry here, but on reading that article I find it has a non-admiralty meaning - "the act or practice of bringing repeated legal actions solely to harass", which perfectly sums up an abuse common on the internet! Shimgray | talk | 20:20, 11 October 2005 (UTC)
Before I found this place,
if there was some topic I was rather ignorant about, and whated to research for free, I would usually start with Teoma.
if I think I know something about the topic already, such as how to spell it, and want to know more, Google is usually helpful.
Your examples are of bad stuff that typical users of the Internet might do. There's also bad stuff done by people who everyone thinks are criminals except them, and people who are not criminals just incompetent, like in business or web site design.

AlMac|(talk) 02:19, 12 October 2005 (UTC)

  • Piracy. It's becoming a big problem with wooden legs, eye patches, and parrots all over the place. Arr matey!
  • Hax0rz. They jack into the matrix and upload virus coeds to steal your megahurtz!
  • Truth. The interweb is so widespread the gubmint can no longer hide the truth about the secret psychic illuminati dolphin moonbase project
But by far the worst offence, the one that'll really have the FBI kicking in your door at 6 AM....
  • People trying to get Wikipedians to do their homework for them
-- Noodhoog 15:11, 12 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Question my brother has posed me!

My brother has posed me the following question which I don't even understand. It is this - '3 targets, 617.17/05/43. Can anybody help with this?

Many thanks.

17/05/43 looks like a date to me - May 17, 1943. What happened then? From 1943:
  • May 17 - World War II: Surviving RAF Dam Busters return.
  • May 17 - The United States Army contracts with the University of Pennsylvania's Moore School to develop the ENIAC.
The key there is the first one - the "Dam Busters" were a popular name for a single set of attacks on German dams carried out by the RAF. (You may recall the film). The unit involved was No. 617 Squadron RAF, the attacks were codenamed Operation Chastise - and they were carried out on three major dams, in the early morning of May 17th. (Because some aircraft were diverted to secondary targets, four dams were actually attacked, but the plan targeted three). This looks rather like an answer to your brother's question... three targets, by 617, on 17/05/43. Shimgray | talk | 16:47, 11 October 2005 (UTC)
Good one ! Tintin 22:34, 11 October 2005 (UTC)
Blimey, that was impressive Shimgray! --Noodhoog 15:16, 12 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Looking for a specific word

What is the word for a contraption used in the olden days to hold a single person, usually somebody rich and powerful? It's got handles a the ends or corners, and servants hold them; it's big enough so that the person inside can lay down. It's also usually identified with the Middle East. --Merovingian (t) (c) 17:30, 11 October 2005 (UTC)

Sedan chair ? StuRat 17:39, 11 October 2005 (UTC)
Thank you very much! The article refers to litter, which was exactly what I needed. --Merovingian (t) (c) 17:55, 11 October 2005 (UTC)
You're quite welcome. StuRat 23:37, 11 October 2005 (UTC)
Or (IMO better) palanquin, which refers to a rather more general class of lacky-portable peoplemover. -- Finlay McWalter | Talk 00:39, 12 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Badger mines is Ontario

  • Badgers are not mined -- they are hunted. Would you care to clarify your question? Ground Zero | t 19:23, 11 October 2005 (UTC)
    • hum, badger mines, that sounds like a rather cartoonish way to deal with badgers, I think someone's been watching a bit too much Cadyshack, or perhaps we're thinking of the wrong type of mine, maybe Badger Mines, are really mines, where badgers are extracted from the earth, then refined for their presous metals--Armen Schrikken 00:13, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
  • Lots of ignorant people in the world who name their places after some local scenery that won't be around forever, instead of based on what the place does, or the people who do it, such as
  • Here is info on the Badger Mine in Ontario & it looks like what it mined was silver. So what was the question again?

AlMac|(talk) 19:19, 15 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] House of leaves: A movie?

How come they have not made the novel House of Leaves into a movie? Its perfect for a blair witchy kind of film and it was on the bestseller list. Any ideas?

  • Either no one with connections suggested it to a film studio or there's no one with a screenplay yet. If those are covered, it's likely a problem with finding funding for the project. Getting something made into a movie is quite complicated and can take a very long time. For example: Anthony Horowitz sold the rights to film Alex Rider way back, but only now the 6th book is out have they started filming. - Mgm|(talk) 18:26, 11 October 2005 (UTC)
    • In the case of House of Leaves, certain other potential problems could prevent a film version -- such as the difficulty of translating the novel's techniques of varying fonts,
footnotes,

unusual typography, etc. into filmic terms. --Metropolitan90 06:47, 22 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Bank vs Banc

What's the deal with BofA's "Bank of America" and then "Banc of America Securities"?

I don't know about BoA, but I used to work at a bank called Great Southern Bank. The bank was owned by a corporation called Great Southern Bancorp. I don't know why the name was different, except to perhaps distinguish it for purposes of SEC filings, etc.--WhiteDragon 21:23, 11 October 2005 (UTC)
It may be that Banc of America Securities is a securities company, not a bank. Similarly, Great Southern Bancorp is a holding company, not a bank. The SEC may prohibit a company that is not a bank from using that word in its name. How about "I Can't Believe It's Not a Banc, Inc."? Ground Zero | t 21:26, 11 October 2005 (UTC)
I think you are exactly correct. There are specific rules about what kinds of business may or may not use "Bank", "Savings Bank", "Savings and Loan", "Credit Union" etc. so probably by calling it Banc they avoid that limitation while still seeming close to their brand name. --WhiteDragon 21:36, 11 October 2005 (UTC)
And see Banc for what may be a POV description of the use of the term. --jpgordon∇∆∇∆ 00:35, 12 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Film Formats

Instead of TV programming moving to widescreen, why wouldn't the film industry move to normal size film?

I'm not in either industry but just a guess would be that a wider screen would have the psychological effect of bringing you into the presentation. You can be "wrapped" in the action. Just a guess though. Dismas|(talk) 21:17, 11 October 2005 (UTC)
Back in the pre-tv days, films (for the most part) were in what we would think of today as "TV Format", that is, an aspect ratio of around 1.33:1. With the invention of TV the movie studios, who were seeing falling sales for the first time, were eager to find something different to offer audiences to lure them back to the theatres. Thus, wide screen was popularized as something audiences could not see in their homes. Now, with the growing popularity of widescreen, hi-def TVs and home theatres, the studios are desperate to find another gimmick to keep the public's butts in $9 a pop seats and out of living rooms. Changing back to a narrower aspect ratio is unlikely to be an option. Brian Schlosser42 17:37, 12 October 2005 (UTC)
If you watch Chicken Little in selected theaters, it will be bright and clear 3D. The film industry is trying hard to create experiences not enjoyable at home by P2P users.
Back to the bad old days in my country, magazines used to be small in their sizes. Many monthly magazines were only a little larger than a typical paperback novel published in the U.S. However, someone in the even worse old days broke the balance by publishing bigger and more colorful magazines. Now all magazines are as large as a barn door in lilliput. What a waste of natural resources!
Hey! The Wall Street Journal is now using colors! Not to mention your formerly beige and boxy computers are now anything but ... never mind ... I hate iMacs. Think of a format change! -- Toytoy 11:39, 18 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] The novel "The Crib"

There was a horror novel by that name that concerned this crib made of the wood where jesus was crucified and was killing little children. It was a fascinating fiction horror. I cant find it anywhere and cant even find it in out of print. Am I dreaming about this book or is it real?

KENT, PAUL The Crib (Bantam 0-553-26650-0, Apr ’87 [Mar ’87], $3.50, 218pp, pb) Horror novel.

On Amazon

 216.43.124.150 16:46, 19 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Three movies that I cant get out of mind.

I used to watch the saturday afternoon movie show and they had these hooror movies that were great. I am looking for three.

One-Dont know the title but remember there was huge mushroom cloud in the beginning and then sometime later there is a woman who hears a churchbell only to find out its a skeleton hanging on the pulley. The last thing I remember is she has a baby who dies.

Two-A girl goes to find her father on a bus in the forest which is attacked by creatures. She gets to the house and it seems like there is vampires there. at the end she is in a hayloft with a guy and bites him on the neck.

Three- All I remember about this movie is that it had zombies with dark circles for eyes. One of them gets run over and stands up and some normal people put one in some sort of tank and examine it.

Help me find these movies!

Movies two and three don't sound familiar, but the first movie sounds a bit like Threads, a British moc-doc about a nuclear war, with the mushroom cloud and the stillborn baby. Have you tried the one of the general discussion groups at IMDb? Brian Schlosser42 17:47, 12 October 2005 (UTC)

The first one is not Threads as it was made in 1985 and I saw this when I was young and it couldnt be later than 1980 but it seemed to be in black and white so it may have been earlier than the 70's.

[edit] EUROPES OLDEST CITIES

What are the ten oldest cities in Europe.

That depends on whether you want places that are still occupied, and how big a place has to be to be a city. --Gareth Hughes 20:34, 11 October 2005 (UTC)
  • I suspect that most of the candidates would be in Italy and Greece. Corinth for example was founded about 6000 BC. Capitalistroadster 01:04, 12 October 2005 (UTC)
  • The problem with dating the foundings of cities in the "Old World" is that their dates of settlement are vague and not easily verifiable, often pre-dating reliable record-keeping. For example, the "traditional" (mythical) date of the founding of Rome was, as every schoolboy knows, 753 B.C. However, archealogical evidence has shown that the site of Rome has been settled since around about 1000 B.C. I hope that helps.Shelburne Kismaayo 23:54, 12 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] NORTH AMERICAN CITIES

What is the oldest city in THE UNITED STATES.

See Gareth's request for clarification above, please. While Jamestown, Virginia is the oldest successful colony in the present-day United States, it may not meet city criteria. — Lomn | Talk / RfC 21:17, 11 October 2005 (UTC)
Jamestown's the oldest English-settled colony: St. Augustine, Florida, predates it and Santa Fe, New Mexico, matches it. It all depends on the asker's definition of "city", of course, but I'm rooting for Acoma Pueblo. –Hajor 21:54, 11 October 2005 (UTC)
Excellent point, I knew I was forgetting something. :)
Remember that most of the territory that is now the USA, was conquered by the Spanish long before the English colonists overran the area perhaps 200 years later, so the Spanish probably started some settlements which have evolved into cities today, like Los Angeles perhaps.
"Most"? "Conquered"? Plus, don't count places in California. The first Spanish settlement in California was San Diego, and it wasn't settled till 1776. User:Zoe|(talk) 03:52, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
Your title is NORTH AMERICAN while the question is USA ... If you include non-USA in North America, perhaps there was a Vikings settlement which grew into a modern city.
I think most American Indians were nomadic tribes without fixed villages, but I wonder if any exceptions might have made sufficient peace with the palefaces, that any of their villages grew into modern day communities.

AlMac|(talk) 02:26, 12 October 2005 (UTC)

  • One of the oldest cities in North America would be Mexico City which was Tenochtitlan under the Aztecs and was believed to be one of the largest cities in the world when the Spanish conquered the Aztecs. It was founded in 1325. Cempoala was settled 1,500 years before the Spanish arrived and is eight kilometres from Veracruz, Veracruz so Veracruz might be a contender. I suspect that the oldest city in North America is somewhere in Central America. I doubt if any of the Viking settlements became cities. The only Viking settlement to be found in Vinland was at L'Anse aux Meadows in Newfoundland. Capitalistroadster 04:55, 12 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Cardinal players

My father, Robert N. Samel, played for the St. Louis Cardinals in the 1940's. I am trying to find any info or stats on him and I don't know where to start. Can you help?--68.119.254.190 20:55, 11 October 2005 (UTC)pam benson

One place would be [44] but going through the 1940s, I don't see anyone of that name playing for the Cardinals. And a Player Search for "Robert Samel" doesn't find him. You might want to check the spelling/team. Perhaps he played for a Cardinal's associated minor league team? (The site doesn't include rookies or minor leaguers). For $5 you could have him looked up in the minor league data base. - Nunh-huh 21:59, 11 October 2005 (UTC)

You do mean the Baseball St. Louis Cardinals, right? The Arizona Cardinals of the NFL played in St. Louis from 1960 to 1987. During the 1940's the franchise was located in Chicago.

[edit] THE OLDEST COUNTRY

What is the world's oldest country?

Depends entirely how you define "country". In many ways you can argue no modern country is older than about four centuries; however, as a unified nation, a good bet would perhaps be China. Shimgray | talk | 22:48, 11 October 2005 (UTC)
Assyria was there before Egypt. Before Assyria, the nation-states of Babylon and Samuria were in existence. I believe Ur is thought to be the first nation-state, but it was more of a city. --Screwball23 02:29, 17 October 2005 (UTC)
Would Egypt be older than China, or does it not count if the people of the area not have a continuous same kind of government since the days of the Pyramids? AlMac|(talk) 02:31, 12 October 2005 (UTC)
  • China hasn't had the same kind of Government being ruled by Mongols, indigenous dynasties of Emperors, the Nationalists and the Communists over the millenia. China and Egypt are the most likely contenders. Capitalistroadster 04:57, 12 October 2005 (UTC)
I'm going to have to go with China, Egypt's borders move around too much, think WWII, OTE, Greek and Roman empires just to name a few, oh and Byzantium, Egypt kept getting swallowed up by larger countires, where as China's pretty much always been China, give or take a few miles--Armen Schrikken 00:09, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
  • If by "oldest country", you mean "first unified state large enough to be impressive on a map", it's definitely Egypt. Egypt is just much older as a unified state than China (since 3100 BC). China has had more continuity of governance over the centuries, and been less subject to "foreign" rule (but it depends on how you define that), but Egypt even under non-native rule has never stopped existing as a distinct organizational and cultural enitity.--Pharos 10:58, 16 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] SMALL PLACES

What are the ten smallest countries in the world.

  • Answer here:[45]--inksT 21:44, 11 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] LOTR

I hear the lord of the rings is an anagory to worldwars one and two what proof do historians have to support this.

I assume you're meanining "allegory". In literature (or anything other than math) there is no way of proving anything. The most common way LOTR is compared to WWII is something like:
  • Sauron (Mordor) is Germany
  • Saruman (Isengard) is the USSR
  • Gondor, Rohan, etc. are the western powers (i.e. the U.S., Britain, etc.)
  • The Ring of Power one of the advanced weapons of war, possibly a nuclear bomb.
However, it should be noted that "Tolkien did repeatedly insist that his works were not an allegory of any kind". This topic is brought up in LOTR#The_books. --Borbrav 22:57, 11 October 2005 (UTC)

In fact, Tolkien loathed allegory as a literary device. For more on the inspiration for LoTR and Tolkien's other works, I highly recommend JRR Tolkien: Author of the Century by Tom Shippey. android79 00:33, 12 October 2005 (UTC)

Notably, if LotR were a strict allegory and we go with the ring is a superweapon (the most logical conclusion), then Boromir would have won out and used it. The Allies didn't exactly spare military measures at any point. — Lomn | Talk / RfC 05:42, 12 October 2005 (UTC)
Meanwhile Saruman would have originally sided with Sauron, then changed sides when Sauron attacked him, 'liberated' many people from Sauron's rule and ruled over them himself with nearly equal harshness. DJ Clayworth 19:34, 25 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] THE HURRICANE KATRINA OF EUROPE...

Has a hurricane ever hit a city in Europe like Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans?

No. For various reasons, Europe isn't exposed to hurricanes - which tend to form off Africa and travel westwards - in the same way as America. However, there have been natural disasters resulting in flooding and major loss of life; see for example the North Sea flood of 1953, the Bristol Channel floods, 1607, the Vajont Dam disaster, the Santorini eruption, or the 1755 Lisbon earthquake. Shimgray | talk | 22:41, 11 October 2005 (UTC)
  • Specifically, Europe doesn't get tropical cyclones. But see that article for "extratropical cyclones". Nowhere near as strong as Katrina. --jpgordon∇∆∇∆ 00:33, 12 October 2005 (UTC)
Hurricane Vince made landfall in Spain this very week while still a tropical storm. This seems to be unprecedented, at least since proper records began to be kept: our article on Vince says that "Vince is the first tropical cyclone on record to have made landfall on the Iberian Peninsula". As also mentioned in the article, it was also noteworthy for forming over seas considerably cooler than would be expected for tropical storm formation. Loganberry (Talk) 22:33, 12 October 2005 (UTC)
Also, they're not called hurricanes in that particular hemisphere, also, India pretty much gets hammered by some of the most severe tropical cyclones around, year after year, same region too, unfortuantly quite far below sea level, or course that's more Eur-asia, than European, per se--Armen Schrikken 00:04, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
Hurricanes in the Eastern Hemisphere spin in exactly the same direction as in the Western Hemisphere; the Greenwich Meridian is an arbitrary division and weather pays it no heed. What matters is which side of the Equator they're on - so that the rare South Atlantic tropical cyclones do indeed spin in the opposite direction. Since Europe (like India, in fact) is in the Northern Hemisphere, a hurricane hitting that continent (as Vince did) spins the same way as any other North Atlantic hurricane. (NB: It's per se, not "per say".) 81.159.56.103 00:39, 13 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] georgia

What is georgias main source of income for any year

Georgia as in the U.S. state or Georgia as in the country? Dismas|(talk) 23:25, 11 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] USA USA USA

What are the ten greatest ANTI-WAR MOVIES of all time.

Best one I know is Johnny Got His Gun from the novel by Dalton Trumbo. What others, fellow editors? alteripse 23:42, 11 October 2005 (UTC)

I found this list - though I've only seen, er, two of them and I wouldn't have called one anti-war. The other is Dr. Strangelove, which for some reason I'm loath to call anti-war - it's strongly anti-MAD, yes, but it doesn't address war so much as it specifically addresses the Cold War, if that makes sense. Shimgray | talk | 00:26, 12 October 2005 (UTC)
Full metal jacket of course. --Ballchef 01:25, 12 October 2005 (UTC)
Easy Rider and (believe it or not) Patton (Patton is unique in that it was billed both as an anti-war and a pro-war movie). →Raul654 01:30, 12 October 2005 (UTC)
M_A_S_H & Catch-22 are worth a mention Majts 01:49, 12 October 2005 (UTC)
Platoon surely — mendel ☎ 18:11, 12 October 2005 (UTC)
Strangelove will probably go down in history as the greatest anti-war-war movie, you might also want to try Duck Soup, especially if you're a fan of MASH, a few of the jokes may seem farmiliar--Armen Schrikken 00:01, 13 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] A-T-L-A-N-T-A

What is the main source of income for both Georgia the state and Georgia the country?

If you follow the link to Georgia (country) you'll see a section on the economy with a link to another article by the name of Economy of Georgia. That should help you on your research. Dismas|(talk) 00:51, 12 October 2005 (UTC)
Well, after they fell into the ocean, it was a little hard for everyone to find work, all that sea water and all, so they pretty much sold exclusive rights to their story to Homer, who went around telling everyone about them for a margianal fee, more recently, as a loophole has been found in acint greek copyright law, the rights have been picked up by the scifichannel, they plan to pay the Atlanains millions for the right to tell their story, oh and something about aliens and a flying city, of course those might have been raelians, not aliens, you never know with these cable channels--Armen Schrikken 23:58, 12 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] wikipedia

See Eureka which literally translates to "I am in a state of having found it" Majts 01:22, 12 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Skydiving jerks

Guys, I've got a question about slang.

One of my friends is a skydiver, and I was recently asking him and a couple of his friends a question about what they do, and one of them jokingly called me a wuffo. What's a wuffo guys? Do I need to go punch this guy in the face?

urbandictionary.com is great at this sort of slang question; see this page. Basically, it's somebody who doesn't understand skydiving. They may be venturing into jerk territory using deliberately obscure slang in front of you, but it wasn't a violent insult. --Robert Merkel 02:53, 12 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] giraffes

How do giraffes sleep - standing up or lying down? --Helen harty 02:02, 12 October 2005 (UTC)Helen Harty

They lie down to sun themselves, so it seems reasonable they might sleep that way as well. - Nunh-huh 02:06, 12 October 2005 (UTC)
I'm not so sure, at Taronga Zoo their quarters are very tall, I always thought this was so they could sleep with out getting stiff necks. Plus, don't a lot of other four legged animals sleep standing? --Ballchef 06:26, 12 October 2005 (UTC)
They never sleep, like sharks they swim around in the ocean all night with smaller fish latching onto them for food--Armen Schrikken 23:54, 12 October 2005 (UTC)
  • I remember someone telling me they sleep standing and lie their necks down on the ground as far as they can. I can't vouch for the validity of that information, though. - 131.211.51.34 08:24, 12 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Order of British Empire medals

are the medals made of pure gold and silver or are they only plated in gold and silver ? R. Eaton

  • I don't think our article on the Order of the British Empire article addresses that issue. I will place your question on the talk page. On the Royal Family page on the OBE a gilt medal is shown but that is an historical medal for the period 1917-37 see [46]. Capitalistroadster 05:12, 12 October 2005 (UTC)
    • Given the high price of gold, the number of medals given out each year & the fact that there hasn't been any outcry in the press in the UK about the cost of OBE's (though there has been about other issues related to them) then I'd say that they would have to be gold & silver plated. AllanHainey 07:29, 12 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Accounting

What is the history of FASB Statement No. 87 which was issued in 1987

[edit] HYDROGIN AS A FUEL SOURCE??

You can put stuff other than gas in your cars, or only certain cars?


Well Hydrogen is 2/3 of water, so, like, cars that hve engines that are 1/3 water mixed in like air and gasoline. Cause like human are 80% water so we use hydrogen and not gasoline, and most cars are like 8%, but if the car is 20% or more water then it can run on hydrogen?

Is thish true if so what for boats?? THis is what my friend told me in chimistry

Is it all al/l like this for baots?

  • You're over simplifying, while hydrogen is 2/3s of the atoms in water, it's hardly that signifigant a percentage by mass ~ 2:18, in favor of oxygen by mass, and one presumes that whilest dealing with combustion of fuel sources, one would use molar quantaties, thus, it is not 2/3 of water--Armen Schrikken 23:52, 12 October 2005 (UTC)
Hydrogen is only partially useful as a fuel source -- you have to spend more energy in separating the hydrogen from water than you get out of burning it. It can be used as a vehicle fuel but you can't run an economy on it. Haikupoet 03:49, 12 October 2005 (UTC)
There are two kinds of energy sources, either a ready source of energy (such as fossil fuels, solar, tidal, wind, geothermal, and nuclear power) or a temporary way to store energy (like a battery or flywheel). Hydrogen is not a ready source of energy, since we don't find large quantities of it readily available as we do with petroleum. However, it can be used as a temporary way to store energy, similar to batteries. Note that other temporary energy storage methods also require more energy to go in than we get out. They also tend to lose energy over time. Hydrogen may have advantages over batteries (which contain materials toxic to the environment) and flywheels (which can't hold much energy). Hydrogen can be "burnt" either in a traditional internal combustion engine (modified for the purpose) or in a fuel cell engine which produces electricity to drive an electric vehicle. StuRat 15:55, 12 October 2005 (UTC)
I think the question was whether hydrogen could be used in a normal, gasoline-burning car. The simple answer is no, you need special technology, like a hydrogen fuel cell for the car to operate off of hydrogen. --Borbrav 05:34, 12 October 2005 (UTC)
It's not super-difficult to modify a conventional engine to run on hydrogen; a great example is this hydrogen powered postie bike. The big question is whether it makes any economic or environmental sense to do so; with present technology the answer is probably "no". --Robert Merkel 00:29, 13 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Wikimedia Ownership

Iss Wikpedia a private property of James Wales? Or is it a partnership or corporation? I was thinking if it is a corporation can we buy shares (publicy traded?) If it is, I have been tihnking about me, Maoririder and Pumpie (and maybe SuperDude115) pooling our cappital and buying Mr. Wales controlling shares in Wikipedia and then we will basically own the thing and run it how we want has anyone else though of it? Thank you Obrigaao.Wiki brah 04:04, 12 October 2005 (UTC)

Wikipedia is owned by the Wikimedia Foundation, which is a non-profit 501(c)(3) corporation. So this plan is a non-starter. —Charles P. (Mirv) 04:20, 12 October 2005 (UTC)
Define "Wikipedia" please. The name Wikipedia is trademarked, and belongs to the Wikimedia foundation (a chartered, non-profit, federal and state registered 501(c)(3). The servers that host Wikipedia also belong to the foundation. The copyright for the text (and most of the media files) hosted thereon is retained by each individual contributor, each of whom agree to license their contributions under the GFDL when they click "save this page". →Raul654 04:41, 12 October 2005 (UTC)
  • Last time I check Wikipedia had not only servers in Florida but also squids in Amsterdam, France and Asia. I doubt you'd even have enough money to buy all servers that need to be running to to keep up and active. - 131.211.51.34 08:28, 12 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Wikipedia Liability

If Wikipedia is privately owned by Mr. Wales does it have liability limits if it gets sued for something? Is Mr. Wales risking his other assets in the event of a lawshuit? If it is a partnership or corporation does it havea stated liability limit? Does it have insurance? Who is the insurer? Does anyone know?? With all the talk of "legal threats" on here we should find out dont you thinnk?Wiki brah 04:04, 12 October 2005 (UTC)

  • As stated above it is owned by the Wikimedia Foundation, founded as non-profit corporation. I am sure that the links of the bottom of the page would provide more information. Capitalistroadster 05:36, 12 October 2005 (UTC)
  • Considering $4000 of the Wikimedia foundation's 2005 budget is allocated to "Legal expenses & Insurance", I think its safe to say that they do have liability insurance. -Drdisque 16:08, 12 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Wikipedia Assets

Does Wikimedia make money? Does it own anything else under the Wikipeida umbrella? If so, how much momney is it worth? Does it have liabilities? How does it make money? I know a lot of it is in grants, but who gives the grants? And how much? Do you think one day Mr. Wales will sell advert space on Wikipedia to make money? How much will that cost? Will he charge by the article or charge more for "popular" articles? And if he does open it up as a revenue-producer, will he change the policies of wikipeida to makke it more "advertiser friendly"? has anyone thougght of this thank you??Wiki brah 04:04, 12 October 2005 (UTC)

Wikimedia:Budget and m:Category:Wikimedia finances should answer most of your questions. Regarding profit-making measures like ads: they are not going to happen unless the entire Board of Trustees goes completely insane. Even if that were to happen, it would almost certainly cause a fork which would take most of the active contributors with it. —Charles P. (Mirv) 04:38, 12 October 2005 (UTC)
An old essay [[47]] by Jimmy W. states that ads were considered, and may still be, as long they are tasteful and not influential on the content. --Ballchef 06:32, 12 October 2005 (UTC)
It might be useful to put that into context. The mere consideration of ads (even back then) caused a massive outcry from the contributors, and the spanish wikipedia went so far as to fork entirely (which is why they are prepetually the biggest laggard in the articles/native speakers metric) →Raul654 06:39, 12 October 2005 (UTC)
So today are ads totally out of the question? surely wikipedia can't live off donations forever, can it? --Ballchef 01:39, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
Why couldn't it? I'm surprised how many people haven't heard of Wikipedia yet (here in the Netherlands, which is one of the most active countries in Wikipedia). If it survives now and the number of people will grow, there will be more potential contributors, both to content and financially, with the two probably growing hand in hand because the bigger Wikipedia gets, the more interresting it will become to more and more people. Of course the required hardware will also increase with usage, but there's probably still room for efficiency with growth (what's that called again?). Suppose that in the end 100 million people will use Wikipedia (10% of the western world - a very conservative estimate), who on average donate a euro per year. That would make for quite a budget, wouldn't it? Over a hundredfold the present budget. That's the beauty of information in the information age. Once you have it, distribution is almost free of cost (realtively speaking). Compare Google answers. There you have to pay 2,5 dollar per answer. If there are enough people who are willing to pay that, then surely this should work too. DirkvdM 17:05, 13 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Would you reccommend buying this guitar?

I would like to learn guitar,and was wondering if anyone had any ideas about a guitar that's cheep and good for a begginner. I found this one http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B0002F79YS/qid=1129091132/sr=8-1/ref=pd_bbs_1/102-7498656-1924927?v=glance&n=507846

I was wondering if anyone thinks that's ok for a begginner... And anything else i need to know about guitars for begginners (maybe a place to but a good set of lessons) Lordned 04:34, 12 October 2005 (UTC)

  • Lordned,

Perhaps Guitar for Dummies might be a good place to start see [48]. Capitalistroadster 05:38, 12 October 2005 (UTC)

If you're looking for an electric guitar, Ibanez guitars are excellent for beginners. If you are looking for a cheap acoustic guitar, then it really doesn't matter which brand you buy, all the cheap ones are pretty much the same. The brand only makes a difference if you're spending a little more. As a beginner, though, you may want to consider making sure the guitar neck has the dots on it (to make it easier to locate the correct fret). Look in your local telephone directory, or contact your local college for guitar lessons. Your local college may be able to put you in touch with a private tutor. Proto t c 13:00, 12 October 2005 (UTC)

Local College? I dont think we have one. I'm looking for a acustic guitar, and if i get it from amazon how do i see the spots on the neck/

  • From the reviews, this one doesn't look half bad -- the reviewers provide comparisons with other low-end starter guitars, and this one comes out well. One thing to consider, though, is the size of the instrument. Dreadnaught guitars (like this one) are the largest, and smaller hands will have problems with them. The same company makes this little one, more suited for smaller players. Cheap guitars are WAY better than they were a couple decades ago; cheap no longer necessarily means lousy; back then, you get a low-end Mexican guitar and you're lucky if it sounds better than a wind-up kid's toy; but now there's a trend toward real quality among the Chinese guitar makers. --jpgordon∇∆∇∆ 16:20, 12 October 2005 (UTC)

Would it be sutible for a 5'1" kid with normal sized hands? Tnx. Lordned

That one has dots on the neck. It's perhaps a bit big, but you'll grow into it. For that price it's probably pretty bad, but a better guitar will not make you a better guitarist, so who cares. As to learning:
  • You're already doing the smart thing getting an acoustic first. An acoustic will help you build strong fingers and good ears.
  • You're fingers are going to blister (although ignore Ted Nugent - when they bleed it's time to stop), but stick with it and soon you'll have calluses.
  • Get someone (a real live human being, not a record or a website) to teach you how to tune the thing. This is the #1 reason beginners give up - they let the guitar go out of tune (which happens all by itself) and they fail to properly retune it - so everything sounds horrible and they think they're crap and quit. If this is the only guitar lesson you can afford to pay for (although any guitarist can teach you this, ideally for free) then it's worth the money.
  • Buy an E tuning fork. That way your guitar is in tune with the music you're going to be playing to.
  • Play every day, for at least 30 minutes. Play something different every other day too.
  • Find some music you like, that sounds easy, and search for the chords for it on google. If it looks easy (only a few chords, and one with simple sounding names) look the chords up on the internet (millions of places have chordbooks online for free). Learn them, and try to play along with a recording.
  • Later, learn a major scale, a minor scale, and the blues scale. You'll soon figure out that almost everything is written in one of these; once you figure out which (and what the "tonic" is) you'll be able to play along to almost anything.
  • An important part of being a musician is listening to, and playing, far more stuff than "normal" people do. Listen to everything; blues, heavy-metal, rock, flamenco, classical, folks, pop, african, polka, country, mexican, arabic. Try to copy everything
  • Stick with it, but don't work so hard that it's no fun any more. If it's not fun, you're not learning anything.
-- Finlay McWalter | Talk 23:05, 12 October 2005 (UTC)

I found a tunning for at school, and havent a clue how to tell what type it is. Any way to tell...? Thanks for the advise... Would you reccomend a eletric tunner later on? And ummm (what was it i was going to say??) Grr i cant think of it... Lordned 23:37, 12 October 2005 (UTC)

  • Go here for an excellent tuning helper. Click in the string name at the top and make your guitar sound like that. Be careful that you're not an octave away like the difference between the E on the left and the E on the right. Good luck and try puttin' your hurtin' fingers in cold (ice) water for a while to make them feel better. And do start with an acoustic guitar otherwise you're cheating. --hydnjo talk 00:47, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
  • A tuning fork will generally have a letter (C, E,A♭, etc.) written on it. If it doesn't, it's not much use to anyone. If you had a bit more musical knowledge you could tune the guitar to any tuning fork, but for now an E is the easiest one. Once you've learned to tune the guitar from a fork won't need (and probably won't trust) an electric tuner. -- Finlay McWalter | Talk 12:22, 14 October 2005 (UTC)

I haven't read the other answers, but the most important thing for a beginner is to have a guitar that can be tuned well. You'd be surprised how many impure guitars there are. Every individual guitar is different. If all the guitars in a series are good then a specific one will also be, but lacking such info you'd better not buy without having someone knowledgeable with a good hearing (those are also spread thin) test it. DirkvdM 17:16, 13 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] school

What website can I visit to sign up for the SAT's for a high school?

I don't know much about US education, but out SAT article point us to http://www.collegeboard.com/testing/. Have fun! --Gareth Hughes 11:46, 12 October 2005 (UTC)
Most schools in the US will sign high school students up for one of the two college entrance exams used there, either the SAT or ACT. StuRat 15:30, 12 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Open Systems IT- Information Technology

Hello to All, First i want to thank Wikipedia website for alowing me to post the question this is my first time i'm posting a question if there were any mistakes.. No Hard feelings..

1) What is a open systems with regards to Information Technology(IT) ? 2) If I have been given a training on Open systems will there be a good prospects ? 3) what is scope of open systems in next 5 years in India and Abroad countries ? 4) what are all the areas i should be knowing to be well versed in Open systems ?

Regards, Bhasker C.

  • A philosophical question you have to ask yourself is to reconcile:
    • 99% of computer systems (hardware and software) aquisition seems to be driven by seeking the lowest purchase price, even when this is harmful to operating cost.
    • Open Systems purchase pricing is microscopic compared to Commercial and Proprietory Systems.
    • Open Systems have been around, under one name or another for decades.
    • 99% of the enterprises in the world are on commercial or proprietory systems.
  • So, if aquisition decisions are made on basis of low cost, and open is lowest cost, how come its market share is so low? I think this is a combination of:
    • Commercial and Proprietory have the capital to do more effective marketing.
    • A lot of people are scared of the operating overhead for Open Systems.

AlMac|(talk) 19:24, 13 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Ruffle, Co. Durham

Where is or was, a village called Ruffle in County Durham, UK?

No, I can't find any mention. There's a Rufford in Lancashire, and a Rufforth in York. --Gareth Hughes 14:10, 12 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Armed police in the UK

Apart from PSNI, would it be possible for a UK police service to move towards arming all of its officers under current law, or is there a statutory restriction on the numbers of armed officers? --Gareth Hughes 14:54, 12 October 2005 (UTC)

See the article British police under "Use of firearms" for more information. The issue has been put to the vote by the Police Federation of England and Wales several times, and their members have categorically voted against routine arming. It is possible as I don't think there is a statutory reason or restriction, and the Nottingham Police did introduce routine firearms for patrolling officers in 2001. -- Canley 06:43, 13 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Freeway / Highway Overpass

Where and when was the first one built?

According to this article "Boston's subway (underground) was the first in the United States". I'm still working to get above ground. --hydnjo talk 00:25, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
Well, that doesn't quite qualify as a highway overpass :) . Considering that the first highways were built in Germany under Hitler and that it is unlikely that they let them cut through the contryside without a means to get across the first Overpasses will probably have been built there too. DirkvdM 17:21, 13 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] SMS.ac

All help on their site focusses on members, but does anyone know how one can stop unwanted messages from them when you're not a member? I don't feel like encouraging my sister to reply to the messages. She might end up having to pay for them otherwise. Is anyone around here knowledgeable about this "service"? - Mgm|(talk) 16:01, 12 October 2005 (UTC)

If you go to their website, hit terms, enter your country, and after the tarrif they show a number you can text STOP ALL to, which they say stops you getting messages. -- Finlay McWalter | Talk 22:22, 12 October 2005 (UTC)
They say. Yeah right. I don't know about this site, but I assume you mean you recieve spam. Never ever react to spam. I'm only troubled by one spamming company (liquidtreat - on spam per week on average), probably because I always adhered to that rule. Once you react they know your address is real and you'll never get rid of them. DirkvdM 17:24, 13 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] where do gorillas live?

(no question)

  • According to our Gorilla article, "the forests of central Africa". Oh, and zoos too I guess.--Commander Keane 17:01, 12 October 2005 (UTC)
  • Gorillas, being fairly large, spend most of their time on the ground. They could climb low branches of large trees, but can't go onto smaller branches high in the tree canopy like smaller primates. StuRat 20:51, 12 October 2005 (UTC)
  • you should also point out, that among the smaller primates, bonobos and chimps, while looking almost identical, have totally different habitation preferences --Armen Schrikken 23:44, 12 October 2005 (UTC)
  • In general, larger primates, like gorillas, humans, and apes, live on the ground, while smaller primates, like monkeys and lemurs, live in the tree canopy, but there are exceptions. StuRat 04:55, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
  • Do you sometimes wonder if the questioner ever comes back for an answer to the question. I do but I don't care. Answering is still fun! --hydnjo talk 00:15, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
  • Yea, I do. A thanks would be nice so we know they got, and are satisfied with, the answer. StuRat 04:55, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
What? No "wherever they want"? - Nunh-huh 05:03, 13 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Naruto

You say that there are "currently" about 154 episodes of the anime Naruto. So that means that it is still continuing over in Japan and has not ended? You also say that the manga is still "currently" at volume something. Is the manga still continuing over in Japan?


216.125.152.244 16:33, 12 October 2005 (UTC)Kitsune Hi

Talk:Naruto would probably be the best place to ask, but from what I've heard, Naruto is still being serialized in manga, and that the animated version is indeed still in production. Great, another jillion-episode anime series that goes on for hundreds of episodes after it jumps the shark. That's what the world needs. Garrett Albright 19:23, 12 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Time in the UK

What UK government department is responsible for time? As in, who decides what day we change to British Summer Time?--TheDoctor10 (talk|email) 16:45, 12 October 2005 (UTC)

According to that article, it was Parliament through various acts, but now governed by the Summer Time Order 2002, which essentially means it's declared by the Crown. Shimgray | talk | 17:14, 12 October 2005 (UTC)
Parliament would have to decide if we changed the date of British Summertime (I believe someone raised a Private Members Bill on this last year sometime but it never got off the ground. AllanHainey 07:57, 14 October 2005 (UTC)

Parliament is just a rubber stamp here. Directive 2000/84/EC of the European Parliament set the dates of summertime; the Summer Time Order 2002 only implemented it. Power to implement so-called "Double summertime" (putting the clocks two hours forward instead of one) was also abolished by the 2002 Order. --Tony SidawayTalk 08:23, 14 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Number 10 can of tomatoes

What is the weight of a number 10 can of tomatoes? Specifically, how much does the tomato content weigh in a number 10 can of tomatoes?

  • Usually such a weight is mentioned as a netto weight on the can itself. The can itself is never included in that number. Alternatively, you could buy one and empty it's contents and weigh them. - Mgm|(talk) 21:51, 12 October 2005 (UTC)
A number 10 (#10) can of anything (including tomatoes) usually contains about 3 quarts according to this. This is a volume measure so the weight would differ from one product to another. I don't think that the designation is intended to specify the weight but rather the volume of the product contained. --hydnjo talk 23:40, 12 October 2005 (UTC)
Is this a commonly used, industry-standard system? Clearly we need an article on U.S. grocery can sizes. –Hajor 12:49, 13 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] THE HURRICANE KATRINA OF NEW YORK

Could a hurricane hit NEW YORK like HURRICANE KATRINA hit NEW ORLEANS

Please don't post in all capital letters, it's considered shouting and rude. Anyway, it's very unlikely that a major hurricane (category 3+) would reach New York or new England at that strength; however, hurricanes are known to move that far north. This happens most frequently as they become extratropical, though an 1893 hurricane went directly over Manhattan Island. See hurricane and its associated articles for more details. — Lomn | Talk / RfC 21:34, 12 October 2005 (UTC)

The likelihood of such an event is very minimal. Strong hurricanes (category 3 and above) require very warm water to maintain their strength and the water that far north, even during a warm summer isn't warm enough. However, Category 1 and 2 Hurricanes can and have hit locations that far north and caused significant problems. See the article on Hurricanes for mor information. Also, New York is not built below sea level so it could never flood like New Orleans did. -Drdisque 21:34, 12 October 2005 (UTC)

  • How about that 1938 hurricane that hit NYC in 1938? also, please restate your question, for some odd reason it looks like you're asking a hurricane to hit NY, that's not very polite, please don't use all UPPER CASE LETTERS while addressing a hurricane on the internet, Hurricanes have feelings too you know?--Armen Schrikken 23:49, 12 October 2005 (UTC)
Look at 1821 Norfolk and Long Island Hurricane. It seems like it was a category 3, although evidence is lacking due to weather equipment of the early 1800s. Also, note that 1821 was a strange year for weather (there was a large volcano erruption) and that most of NYC is above sea-level -- making the flooding of New Orleans virtually impossible in the city. --Quasipalm 19:43, 13 October 2005 (UTC)

There has been some talk about this recently in the city. If a large hurricane (like a 3, which seems to be the largest reasonable size) were to hit New York City, Lower Manhattan, Coney Island, the Rockaways, and much of Staten Island could all face severe flooding, and there are plans for a potential evacuation of these areas.--Pharos 09:39, 16 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Children's Myths

How do children wish upon a star ?

Generally, children look at a star, close their eyes, and make a wish of some sort. Frequent wishes are either material possessions like ponies or unexpectedly deep requests such as an end to world hunger. — Lomn | Talk / RfC 21:40, 12 October 2005 (UTC)
This one comes with music! --hydnjo talk 23:34, 12 October 2005 (UTC)
I've no idea where it comes from (quite possibly a Disney movie, or similar), but I remember hearing a rhyme to be said to the first star you see at dusk that goes something like:
"Star light, star bright, first star I see tonight, I hope you may, I hope you might, grant this wish I wish tonight"
--Noodhoog 00:37, 13 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Unanswered point

In the game of basketball, what is an unanswered point?207.215.38.5

If when a team scores "X unanswered points" it simply means they've scored X points in a row without the other team scoring. -Drdisque 22:34, 12 October 2005 (UTC)

This is not unique to basketball, by the way. The same phrase is commonly used in American football and is rendered as unanswered runs in baseball, among others. — Lomn | Talk / RfC 03:27, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
So there is no such thing as an unanswered point because there is always more than one of them. DirkvdM 17:46, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
So there is no such thing as an unanswered point because there is always more than one of them. DirkvdM 17:46, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
So there is no such thing as an unanswered point because there is always more than one of them. DirkvdM 17:46, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
And that's a hattrick. :) DirkvdM 17:46, 13 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] the greatest writers who ever lived.

did any magazine produce a list of the ten greatest authors who ever lived.if so who was on the list.

Do you mean any magazine ever? --hydnjo talk 23:30, 12 October 2005 (UTC)
Well, there's probably such a list. But my vote goes to Edgar Allan Poe. ☢ Kieff | Talk 01:08, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
For all ten? --hydnjo talk 01:43, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
.... And why the hell not? ;) ☢ Kieff | Talk 04:47, 13 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Woodpeckers

How long does it take a woodpecker to make a hole in a tree?

Well, the're not really trying to make a hole in the tree. If that happens, it's a side-effect of the reasons described in the Woodpecker article. --hydnjo talk 23:26, 12 October 2005 (UTC)
Woodpecker: George Washington's less publicized prosthesis.

[edit] Madrid train Bombing

Where can I get the names of the victims of the Madrid train bombings

If you go here (Cadena Ser) and hover your mouse over each of the black ribbons, you will get the names of 180 of the victims.-- Arwel 00:58, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
That is so excellent. Each ribbon... well, each ribbon. --hydnjo talk 01:41, 13 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] indictment

Perhaps your answer is at Indictment!--hydnjo talk 01:46, 13 October 2005 (UTC)

see indictment. --Ballchef 01:50, 13 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] the Human Stain

see The Human Stain (spoiler warning also). --Ballchef 01:50, 13 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] The Game (A book)

see The Game (book). zing! --Ballchef 01:50, 13 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Benjamin Franklin True Patriot Act

This article has information about the act http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benjamin_Franklin_True_Patriot_Act . What im looking for is an article about what the congress did with the bill, it has a brief statment about this at the top but not an article, would be greatly appriciated if someone could find me the source of that statement. Thanks

  • According to Thomas, this Bill has been referred to Committee and not re-emerged [49]. I doubt if it will currently. BTW, do US bills not passed by the next Congressional election lapse. Capitalistroadster 02:07, 13 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Chinese Food Containers?

like the ones that soup come in, are they microwavable?--Talk to the yam 02:25, 13 October 2005 (UTC)

  • You could have answered the question you know--Talk to the yam 02:41, 13 October 2005 (UTC)

The paperboard ones are microwaveable, the styrofoam ones warp if you leave them in too long, so keep an eye on them. Please be a bit more patient than 18 minutes, remember, questions are answered by real volunteer people. -Drdisque 03:17, 13 October 2005 (UTC)

Chinese food containers are sometimes held together with metal, which is not microwaveable, so check for that. I hope your soup didn't get too cold ! StuRat 03:24, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
Imagine the future of internet-enabled household appliances... you could just hold up an item to your microwave, it would automatically take an image, post it to wikipedia's reference desk with a question asking how long it takes to cook and what type of wine to drink with it... Ojw 17:50, 14 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Orb Weaver

I have a spider in my house it looks like an Orb weaver with a fluer de lis on his back, his abdomen is a bright red color the fleur de lis is a tan color his legs are brown and red striped if you could let me know the name of this spider it would be helpful. THANK YOU

It sounds like an orb weaver to me. Does it look like this one ?
http://waynesword.palomar.edu/images/ospide4.jpg
StuRat 04:08, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
Or like the ones at Orb-weaver spider. DirkvdM 17:52, 13 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Buying DVD's

Is there a standard period time between when a Movie is Released and when it's available to buy it as Previously Viewed instead of new?

No. Popular movies will have more of a delay, as long as they can keep theatres full. Unpopular movies may go to DVD quickly, in some cases even skipping the theatres entirely (the notrious "straight to video" movies). StuRat 03:27, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
However, 3 months is typical. There is an experiment currently underway to offer simultaneous movie and DVD releases for select shows. The theory is that the amount this saves by advertising both at once will be more than it costs in lost movie sales. StuRat 13:50, 16 October 2005 (UTC)
I think this person means to ask, "What is the average time from when a movie is released to DVD and when one might find that DVD in the "Previously Viewed" sale bin at the video store?" No idea how to answer, just my interpretation of the intent. :) BrianSmithson 19:54, 21 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] YUM YUM YUM

What is a refried bean? Why do they have to fry it twice?

They don't. Refried beans are fried once. - Nunh-huh 03:55, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
It's a kind of bean paste common in Mexican cooking. StuRat 03:58, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
Our article on Refried beans or frijoles refitos explains: "The re- in refrito doesn't mean "again", as in the beans being fried again and again, as is a common misconception. Instead, re- is a kind of intensifier, meaning the beans are fried strongly or very well." Capitalistroadster 05:09, 13 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Roman Numerals

How do you write 0 in Roman Numerals!?

see Roman numerals. You don't. There's no symbol for zero. You use the word "nullae" if you have need of the concept of zero. - Nunh-huh 03:40, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
The concept of zero as an actual number came along after the Roman Empire. It still isn't universally accepted today. Imagine asking how many years old a baby is and getting the answer "zero". StuRat 03:55, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
Of course, Roman numerals were used long after there was no Roman Empire. The use of this system of notation was an impediment to the very useful notion of zero as a number. - Nunh-huh 03:58, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
The concept of a zero isn't even 'universally' accepted in Wikipedia. See [[50]]. DirkvdM 12:42, 14 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Feet

Is there a special name for teh tops of your feet?

I call mine "George" and "Mabel". The top of one foot is its "dorsum"; more than one dorsum are "dorsa". - Nunh-huh 03:49, 13 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] GOOD QUESTION

Why do we say "a pair of pants" when there is only one article of clothing involved?

see here. Also note that when medieval folk dressed, they would indeed don a pair of pants (the legs were separate, and were held up by being attached to an undergarment). So when the expression originated, it was accurate. - Nunh-huh 03:44, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
Incidentally, "pants" (along with "scissors" and similar words) are torturous for many English as a second language learners. Garrett Albright 07:25, 14 October 2005 (UTC)
What is up with this recurring question-asker who uses non sequitur all-caps subject lines and questions which are valid but totally unrelated to each other? Silly question I suppose. --Sum0 23:07, 15 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] teflon TIME

If nothing ever sticks to TEFLON, how do they make TEFLON stick to the pan?

Things do stick to teflon. Food just sticks to it a bit less than other materials. StuRat 03:50, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
see here for particulars. - Nunh-huh 03:53, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
Our Teflon article states "PTFE has the lowest coefficient of friction of any known solid material. It is used as a non-stick coating for pans and other cookware." Capitalistroadster 06:02, 13 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] The rock.

If God can do anything, can he make a rock so big he can't lift it?

Yes. - Nunh-huh 03:47, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
I've heard this question before. If he can make the rock, then he is not all-powerful because he can't lift it, but if he can make it and can't lift it, then he is also not all-powerful, thus damaging the image of (I'm assuming the christian god) god. If you were not religious, you could argue that this proves god is a false idol, but if I were religious I would say that God could do it, he just doesn't want to. --Ballchef 03:51, 13 October 2005 (UTC)

I'm assuming that if he could make it that he could also make a long enough lever and a place to stand. -Drdisque 04:48, 13 October 2005 (UTC)

The relevant article is Omnipotence paradox. --cesarb 04:56, 13 October 2005 (UTC)

I have heard one response to this question that goes as follows: of course God can make a rock too massive for him to move it. It's just that he's not that stupid! Qaz (talk) 05:24, 13 October 2005 (UTC)

Actually, I never saw this as a paradox. The way I interpret it, if he did created a rock he couldn't lift, he'd obviously be giving up his omnipotence, which is, of course, perfectly within his powers. ☢ Kieff | Talk 08:23, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
You could call that the Superman II option. Majts 09:21, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
There's a wee bit in the Bible that goes like this: "God's foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and God's weakness is stronger than human strength" (I Corinthians 1.25 if you want to check up on it). In fact, I beleive, this suggests an answer to the omnipotence paradox — God has created the immovable rock, and that is human free will. In fact I would say that the Bible teaches that God chooses to lay aside omnipotence in favour of love repeatedly. The creation (I am no creationist) is an example of God limiting self omnipotence, and the creation of humanity in God's image even more so. Ultimately, as a Christian, I see the cross of Christ as the ultimate divine choice for vulnerable love above complete omnipotence. Tune in next week for the sermon on human depravity and the fires of hell! --Gareth Hughes 12:15, 13 October 2005 (UTC)

Lots of answers, but here is a different one. This is an example of a semantic paradox. It is created by a linguistic operation but does not reflect a real world operation or situation. All of the resolutions involve intellectual manipulations of definitions. Sometimes pondering such a paradox gives you insight into other problems, but essentially there is no right answer that can be confirmed by reality testing. It is in the same class of conundra on which the scholastic philosophers expended so much effort, now often caricatured as debates over how many angels can dance on the head of a pin (since angels take up no physical space but the point has not space either. See Ludwig Wittgenstein. alteripse 16:04, 13 October 2005 (UTC)

The following can be found in Hank Hanegraaff's 'The Bible Answer Book' #50, Page 176:
This question is a classic straw man that has most Christians looking like the proverbial deer in the headlights. At best, it challenges God's omnipotence. At worst, it undermines his existence.
First there is a problem with the premise of the question. While it is true that God can do anything that is consistent with His nature, it is absurd to suggest that he can do everything. God cannot lie (Hebrews 6:18); he cannot be tempted (James 1;13); and he cannot cease to exist (psalm 102:25-27)
Furthermore, just as it is impossible to make a one-sided triangle, so it is impossible to make a rock too heavy to be moved. What an all-powerful God can create he can obviously move. Put another way, God can do everything that is logically possible.

basically, the point is that one must first decide the validity of a given question before answering, and not just assume that it is valid.

[edit] kenmore dryer

Can you show me the wiring diagram for a kenmore dryer?205.188.116.131 03:42, 13 October 2005 (UTC) Email removed

which model number ? StuRat 03:48, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
  • Emily,

I have removed your e-mail so that you don't get spam and because no emails will be sent anyway. The answer will hopefully be provided here.

Capitalistroadster 05:34, 13 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Can Anyone Explain This Strange Effect?

You first have to try this.Point your index finger at your forehead.Move the finger very close to it towards the center right above your nose,but stop just short of touching your forehead.Do not move your finger for a while keeping it as steady as you can.You begin to get a strange sensation of pain or weight or a tingling sensation.Can anyone explain this strange effect?This effect continues to last even if we shut our eyes. Are we interfering with the brain waves or something?

By Asim.

Well, Asim, I'm not sure what you did exactly, but if you are trying too hard to focus on something out of range at the far edge of your range of view, you are trying to use your peripheral vision. Now, if you were to were to try hard and really focus on something in detail out there with your peripheral vision, you might be straining your eyes because that type of vision is actually very weak.--Screwball23 00:43, 17 October 2005 (UTC)
  • yu hu, or, it could be that your eyes are trying to focus on the finger you're holding 3 inches from your face, and you're just giving yourself a migrane, I think your brain waves are safe from fingering--152.163.100.73 04:51, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
I want you to do this. Close your eyes and think about spiders. Think about them crawling all over your body. If you're the type that will get freaked out about this sort of thing, you'll probably feel real sensations of tingling or itchyness or the like. This is similar to your finger experiment and it's completely normal. You might call it "anticipated touch," which as far as our brain is concerned is very close to the real thing. I'm not sure where on Wikipedia this may be talked about, but if I have time I'll look. You might try asking at Talk:Neuroscience. However, i'm certain it has nothing to do with "brain wave interference" or any other such nonsense. --Quasipalm 19:34, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
Get somebody else to do the same thing to you - put their finger right near your forehead but not touching it.
Close your eyes, and have them either do it, or not do it several times, without telling you whether they are doing it or not - they must behave in exactly the same way each time (this is very important). Do you still feel the sensation when the finger is there? What about when it isn't?
What you will find is that you lose all correlation between the finger being present and the odd sensation. Instead it turns out the sensation is present only when you THINK the finger is there, regardless of whether it actually is or not. It's a fun experiment to try sometime --Noodhoog 03:33, 14 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Computers and Investment Analysts

Does anyone know what particular computer skills an investment analyst/advisor needs to know... what sort of program knowledge is considered essential education?

It depends what you plan on doing, but Microsoft Excel programming skills would be the bare minimum and knowledge of Eviews and/or SAS would be very beneficial. - Drdisque 06:32, 13 October 2005 (UTC)

You need to know any application in addition to the application software, because there is so much fraud and incompetence out there. If you do not know the application, then you can fall victim to technology abuse that does not do the application properly. This applies to any computer usage.

People who work the investment analyst/advisor profession would probably know what skills best enhance it, such as rapid access to SEC and stock market specifics, research tools for analysing the financial reports of publically traded companies. That is to say great internet and data mining skills. AlMac|(talk) 19:33, 13 October 2005 (UTC)

I would think the ability to use a spreadsheet and a word processing program would be critical. StuRat 13:58, 16 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Investigating officers in Scotland

I need to know who could be referred to as an "investigating officer" in the Scottish legal system. I assume the police investigators, but am not sure. There may be another legal position that I cannot find out about. --AShaw

Initially the police officers do the investigation then their information is passed to the Procurator Fiscal to decide whether to prosecute or not, they also continue the investigation if they decide to prosecute & direct the police in what to look into. They are, very roughly, analagous to the USA District Attorney. AllanHainey 08:13, 14 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] triangle sea

I want know,where is the triangle sea? is in atlantic?or pacibic?

I think you want the Bermuda Triangle, which is in the Atlantic (and overlaps the Sargasso Sea) — Lomn | Talk / RfC 14:16, 13 October 2005 (UTC)


[edit] Porn stars

Have female porn stars usually had breast implants? — JIP | Talk 14:45, 13 October 2005 (UTC)

Depends on your definition of "usually", I would think. Quite a few of the ones who work though the bigger porn film companies like Vivid Video do have them. Although many of the "amateur" porn stars don't. One example I can think of is Melissa Ashley. The amatuers seem to target the fans of "natural" women. Dismas|(talk) 15:39, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
That's what I thought. A man who has only seen naked women on porn sites but not in real life might get a wrong impression of women. — JIP | Talk 16:06, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
I'm not sure what you were looking for by asking but I suppose but a man can also see women, clothed of course, in public and realize that not all women have breast implants, have long legs, have blond hair, or whatever other mainstream idea of beauty would have him believe. If that's what you were getting at. If a man were to step back from the porn sites and look at things, including the women around him at work/school/the grocery store/etc., then he'd most likely realize that women come in all shapes and sizes. The ones that he may see on the internet are not exactly some definition of "all women" or even "most women". Then the same man could look at the numbers. The number of women in the porn industry, including the women who are considered "amateurs" just taking pictures of themselves or having voyeuristic husbands take them, would probably only number in the thousands. While the population of just one large city is at least one million. Taking half that number, the other half males, then he'd see the women he sees on porn sites is a miniscule fraction of the total number of women in that city alone, not to mention the whole world. In the end, as my father used to say, "it takes all kinds to make the world go 'round." Dismas|(talk) 16:20, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
A woman who has only seen naked men on porn sites but not in real life might get a wrong impression of men. Anyway, who doesn't see men (or women) in real life? Hermits? Garrett Albright 07:20, 14 October 2005 (UTC)
RTS\MMORPG addicts might forget what they look like. ☢ Kieff | Talk 07:30, 14 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] incredible but true

according to your wonderful article about animal farm the western nations sent soliders to overthrow the communists how could this happen when most of them were involved in world-war-one. (preceding unsigned comment by 68.160.198.39 (talk • contribs) 15:40, 13 October 2005)

See Russian Civil War. Several Western powers intervened on the side of the White forces, a fact which is (according to James Loewen in Lies My Teacher Told Me) not often taught in the average American high school history class. —Charles P. (Mirv) 15:52, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
I believe that the British Expeditionary Forces played a part, as well. Hmm, we could use an article there. StuRat 14:15, 16 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Medical journals

I have to do a report on penguins. I need 10 medical journals as references. But since medical journals usually give me diseases or sicknesses, is there a good online medical journal site you would recommend? (preceding unsigned comment by 68.197.6.37 (talk • contribs) 15:40, 13 October 2005)

You have to cite ten medical journals in a report about penguins? That strikes me as bizarre. But anwway, if you are a college/university student, your school library should have extensive online access to medical journals. For example my school library offers this: http://gateway.lib.uiowa.edu/refsubject-results.asp?subj=26 (but you need to be a student here to use most of it). If you are a junior high / high school student, you will probably have to go to your nearest college or university library. Taco Deposit | Talk-o to Taco 16:04, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
Ovid is a good online database of medical journals if you have access to a good university library. If not, you can try http://www.freemedicaljournals.com/ or the Public Library of Science journals. The web sites of medical libraries (McGill's and Harvard's for example) often have lists of journals, but again access is generally not free. —Charles P. (Mirv) 16:06, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
Or perhaps you want pepsins?? Shantavira 18:44, 13 October 2005 (UTC)

I thought he must mistaken so I ran "penguin" in pubmed, and got hundreds of hits. In the first couple of pages there were all these cool reports about attaching wing cameras to penguins, microphones to record their sound environment, and limb accelerometers to analyze diving angles. If I were a penguin I would feel left out if some scientist didn't fit me up with my own gadget. alteripse 21:21, 13 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Animal ethics

It is said that a spirit/soul is only inhabited in beings. Does "beings" refer to humans or to living beings in general such as animals... as we all know, humans are mammals which refers to animals too. I've also heard that animals don't have a spirit/soul. How come religion says humans have spirit/soul being biologically animals and animals such as dogs, cats, fishes and all others don't?

I don't know that you can make the blanket statement that "religion says" that humans have souls and animals don't. I know that Mormonism, the religion in which I was raised, teaches that animals have spirits. Taco Deposit | Talk-o to Taco 16:27, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
You're asking for a very objective answer to a very subjective question. You may as well ask if an all powerful god exists. Each religion is going to have its own view on this. Some people may even say that there is no such thing as a soul. Dismas|(talk) 19:07, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
Different religions (and different religious people) will have different ideas about the "souls" of animals. For example, some versions of reincarnation not only believe that animals have souls, but that all of our souls come from the souls of animals. However, if you're looking for a scientific answer, you might look at Self-awareness, Sentience#Animal rights, and Consciousness#Functions of consciousness, which says ""We generally agree that our fellow human beings are conscious and that lower life forms such as bacteria are not. Many of us attribute consciousness to higher-order animals such as dolphins and primates; academic research is investigating which rather than whether animals are conscious." Here's a link to an advocacy group: http://www.animalsentience.com/ Good luck. --Quasipalm 19:15, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
You may also be interested in the answers to a similar question on whether trees have souls --Noodhoog 03:37, 14 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] I need a name please

I am trying to remember the name of a person I met that was an assistant to the Secreatry of Education either in the early 90's or in maybe 1989. I beleive his name was either Michael Alexander or Micahel Williams, can you clarify this? THanks

It would help to know what country you are talking about here. DJ Clayworth 17:08, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
Actually, even more specific than that. Political entities well below the national level have Secretaries of Education. So, exactly which SecEd? Exactly what type of assistant (a secretary, aide, Assistant Secretary of Education)? And, unless it's an ASE, be prepared for an utter lack of records as to who interned for a Secretary over 15 years ago. — Lomn | Talk / RfC 17:11, 13 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] searching

what are the three most popular search engines.

  • Number one, by far, is Google. It has become synonymous with a search engine. As for the other two, I don't know specifically, but Yahoo!, MSN search and Altavista must rank pretty high. — JIP | Talk 17:04, 13 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] ulitimate fighting for women.

iam (I am) sure you have heard of the ulitimate fighting championships(.) what (What) i (I) would like to know is (if) are there any ulitimate fighting championships for women(?).

Looking over Ultimate Fighting Championship it appears there is not. You may ask this question on Talk:Ultimate Fighting Championship and see if you get a response. --Quasipalm 20:33, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
  • This site claims that REMIX Women's World Fighting Championship is equivalent. [51] As yet, we do not have an article on that event. I will place a message on the talk page of the Ultimate Fighting Championships to check that it is. Capitalistroadster 02:47, 14 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] the dracula orchid

is the dracula orchid named for the ficitional vampire.

Dracula (orchid) says "The strange name "Dracula" is derived from the Latin : little dragon, referring to the strange aspect of the two long spurs of the sepals." Since Dracula is the genus name, and such names are usually (but not always) Latin, it's probably right. —Charles P. (Mirv) 20:16, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
[52], [53], and [54] confirm this—though the last one reminds me that -ula is a feminine diminutive, while the word draco is masculine. . .so maybe whoever named it did have the vampire in mind. (That, or he just didn't know, or else knew but didn't care.) —Charles P. (Mirv) 21:01, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
And actually, the Latin name of tarragon is Artemisia dracunculus, which also means little dragon, and furthermore matches the diminutive form of other masculine nouns ending in o, e.g. leo (leunculus) and homo (homunculus). Curious. . .

[edit] unknown animals

Birds [55] [56] [57] [58] Animals [59]--Bluejays2006 17:49, 13 October 2005 (UTC) Fruits [60] [61] [62] Maine [63]

Cleaned up layout -- Garrett Albright 07:16, 14 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Drug seeking behavior

I would like a simple definition of "drug seeking" please respond to [personal email] Thank you for your consideration

[64] says: "Drug-seeking behavior" is a widely used, although poorly defined term that refers to a patient's manipulative, demanding behavior to obtain medication. The patient may imply that the only possible solution to a medical problem is a prescription of a controlled (addictive) medication." ...
I've removed your email address since you probably don't want to get a ton of spam, and have also removed your second, redundant request. --Quasipalm 19:07, 13 October 2005 (UTC)

The aafp link above is an excellent synopsis. I am curious as whether this is a recognized phenomenon in other countries with different drug laws, or this just an American problem? Also see [65] for an hilarious dramatization of one type of drug seeking behavior. alteripse 01:00, 14 October 2005 (UTC)

Well, Australia's laws are only a little more tolerant than the US, but "doctor-shopping" is a well-known practice in Australia. --Robert Merkel 05:36, 14 October 2005 (UTC)
  • We have an article on Doctor shopping even though it is currently no more than a dictionary definition. I will see if can put Request for expansion tag on it. Capitalistroadster 07:21, 14 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Slavery

Were slaves in ancient Rome trated better and given more citizen rights than slaves in the early United States and other European colonies, or is that just a myth? — JIP | Talk 19:22, 13 October 2005 (UTC)

I think it'd be hard to do an empirical analysis given the vast time difference and the lack of clear records of slavery 2000 years ago. But see Ancient Rome and Slavery in the ancient Mediterranean#Slavery in Rome. And here are a few links that might help you:
If you find some great information out there -- please consider adding it to Wikipedia. --Quasipalm 20:29, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
It's hard to say. Slaves in Rome had the same rights as slaves in the U.S.—none—and were sometimes subject to even harsher laws: slaves in the U.S. often couldn't give evidence in court at all, while Roman slaves could, but always under torture; if an American slave killed his owner, he might not even get a trial, but if a Roman slave killed his owner, every other slave in the household was executed. (This also indicates how greatly the Romans feared slave rebellions.) However, many slaves in ancient Rome had valuable skills (e.g. as doctors, teachers, scribes, etc.), and so had a better lot than the average field or mine slave—while in the U.S., house slaves certainly existed, but literacy and education for slaves was actively discouraged. Romans did tend to free their slaves more often than slaveowners in the U.S.; a freed slave had fewer legal rights, but his children were full and equal citizens, and his descendants could and did rise to equestrian or even senatorial rank.
One particularly nasty feature of slavery in the U.S. and other European colonies that was absent from the Roman system was the systematic and pervasive racism that survives even today, though slavery itself is long-gone. See Noble savage for an explanation of this. The Romans needed no justification beyond the fact that someone had been captured in war, or sold by his parents, or accumulated debts that he could not repay; Romans could be enslaved just like anyone else. Freedmen had fewer legal rights, and their children might be looked down on by the descendants of older Roman families, but there was never anything like the Black Codes or the Jim Crow laws. —Charles P. (Mirv) 22:06, 13 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] COUNTIES IN THE UNITED STATES

WHERE CAN I FIND A LIST OF COUNTIES BY REGION IN EACH STATE IN THE UNITED STATES?

Category:Lists of U.S. counties would be a good place to start. Also try the Census Bureau, which has both lists and maps. —Charles P. (Mirv) 20:21, 13 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] origin and definition of "falcon" and sport of "falconing"

Please tell me the origin and definition of "falcon" and sport of "falconing."

Have you read falcon and falconry? — Lomn | Talk / RfC 21:17, 13 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Filming Soap Operas In Fictional Locations

I want to film a soap opera called "Guilty Of Love" in the fictional city of Pine Valley Shores, Florida. How would I do that?

Hire a cast, buy a camcorder, write a screenplay, build some props, and go to town! However, valley and Florida don't really go hand in hand; I'd rethink that city title—not that soaps need to pay attention to minor details like logic. — Lomn | Talk / RfC 22:02, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
If I remember correctly, Florida is the flattest state in terms of the difference between the lowest elevation and the highest. So yeah, "valley" probably wouldn't be used to describe much in Florida. Dismas|(talk) 00:53, 14 October 2005 (UTC)
If you're filming outdoor scenes, particularly ones involving any sort of violence, you should notify local authorities or police to make sure no one overreacts to what's going on. I'm not sure what local laws may be about filming of passersby - there may be privacy issues. When the New Zealand film Sleeping Dogs was shot, there was a scene where the hero runs down Queen Street, Auckland (a very busy main shopping street) pursued by armed cops; there must have been at least hundreds of spectators (who the actors had to dodge), but fortunately no one tried to be a hero.-gadfium 02:06, 14 October 2005 (UTC)
I remember once on Letterman, they did some sort of skit where one of the cast members chased another down the street, and when they came back from commercial, they ran what occurred right after they cut away. Pointing to the cast members: "These guys are part of the show." Pointing to the guy that tackles the guy being chased: "This guy isn't." --Maxamegalon2000 14:09, 18 October 2005 (UTC)
If you have any friends who own offices, farms etc. they might let you do some filming there, for cheap, realistic locations. If you're really lucky, there might be a small no-through road like a cul-de-sac nearby where the locals don't mind you doing some filming away from traffic. smurrayinchester(User), (Talk), (Recent Contrib) 16:17, 14 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] where did Struthers lake SK get its name

Start here and take some of the links for an adventure that may lead to its origins. --hydnjo talk 03:48, 14 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] directions from philadelphia international airport to us court house doylestown pa

Have a look at maps.google.com Shimgray | talk | 22:29, 13 October 2005 (UTC)

Doylestown is basically directly north of Philly and the airport is directly south. Although 611 goes straight through town to Doylestown, see below for cautions. I would recommend you go around to the west, then north, then north east, or around to the east, then north, then northwest. In terms of traffic and ease of finding the exits and turns, I would probably take the western route, which is roughly:

  1. out of the airport take interstate 95 south (a few miles, about 3 exits) until you see the signs for 476 north turning off to the north;
  2. take 476 straight north about 5-10 miles (maybe 6 exits) until you get to the Pa turnpike (interstate 276 east);
  3. take 276 east about 5 miles (about 3 exits) to the exit for highway 611 N (Horsham);
  4. go north maybe 5 miles until you get to Doylestown;
  5. 611 N goes straight through Doylestown and I suspect the courthouse is on that road in the center of town.

Caution: it does look from the map that you could take 611 N from just east of the airport straight north through downtown Philly and on to Doylestown, but traffic by that route is awful, it goes straight through N Philly areas that are "less than scenic", and it doesnt show well on the map but at the northern edge of philly there is a fork and short discontinuity where it is easy to lose your way trying to stay on 611. alteripse 00:53, 14 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] how do i delete my account?

yeah, i have too many accounts from all these sites and i decided to just cancel them. I dont know how to do it for Wikipeida, though. Could someone help me out?

For problems with Wikipedia itself, try asking at the Help Desk. That being said, there is no way to cancel a Wikipedia account at this time. Hermione1980 23:19, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
Yeah, this is the Wikipedia:Reference desk, (WP:RD). Yeah, try posting this question at the Wikipedia:Help desk, (WP:HD). --hydnjo talk 03:23, 14 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] city of stories

are there any cities named for ficitional characters.

The city of Flin Flon, Manitoba in Canada is named after the lead character (Josiah Flintabattey Flonatin) in a paperback novel, The Sunless City by J.E. Preston Muddock. If you include ancient mythology in your definition of fiction, then I imagine there would be many more, such as Athens in Greece. Canley 00:23, 14 October 2005 (UTC)
If you count gods as fictional, there are many. Dismas|(talk) 00:51, 14 October 2005 (UTC)
See Tarzana, California. User:Zoe|(talk) 02:27, 14 October 2005 (UTC)
Are there a lot of swingers in Tarzana ? StuRat 14:27, 16 October 2005 (UTC)
Not since the vines all died. :)

It occurred to me, however, that the state of California itself is named for a fictional character, Queen Califia, from Las Sergas de Esplandian by Garcia Ordonez de Montalvo

[edit] volcanoes

is it possible for every volcano in the world to irreupt at the same time.

No, because some are extinct. Superm401 | Talk 01:11, 14 October 2005 (UTC)
Somehow, I don't think that's the only reason:) Ornil 03:01, 14 October 2005 (UTC)
No, in fact there's a 1/100 probability. Superm401 | Talk 03:08, 14 October 2005 (UTC)
I would hope the probability is much higher than 1 in 100. :>) Our Volcano article is worth a look in general. Capitalistroadster 03:33, 14 October 2005 (UTC)
Erupt at the same time simultaneously as in synchronized swimming? 1 in 100, I don't think so. Much less probable I think (without facts or credentials) --hydnjo talk 03:38, 14 October 2005 (UTC)
Actually, I just thought the question was so stupid it deserved two stupid answers. Superm401 | Talk 03:42, 14 October 2005 (UTC)
Maybe during the end times if you listen to the ID crowd. Qaz (talk) 03:42, 14 October 2005 (UTC)
Pardon my ignorance but who is the "ID crowd"? --hydnjo talk 03:52, 14 October 2005 (UTC)
Sorry for using an abbreviation without explanation. I was refering to Intelligent design. Qaz (talk) 04:09, 14 October 2005 (UTC)
Well of course the "puppet master" (if there was one) could make all things possible. I didn't realize that this discussion was going there. That (from that perspective) would change my answers to many other questions as well (Oh well, 1/100 probabilility is right on or whatever). --hydnjo talk 04:47, 14 October 2005 (UTC)
That depends on what you mean by 'at the same time' (is a partial overlap good enough or do they have to start at the same time) and whether the eruption of one can affect the eruption of another. If not there will be a calculable answer (which shouldn't be too difficult if you know the chance of eruption of every volcano on Earth). In other words, yes. There is, for example, a chance that if I walk into a wall I will pass through it. That has something to do with quantumphysics or such (this is a vague memory). I don't advise you to try this until it works because the chance of it happening is infinitely small. DirkvdM 13:06, 14 October 2005 (UTC)
From our article volcano, it seems that most of Earth's volcanoes are formed from subduction, where one of the Earth's plates pushes up agaisnt its neighbour and then goes under. The process causing this subduction is convection, which takes energy (I'm guessing lots). So, for every volcano to errupt at the same time, you'd need a shed load of energy, possibly more energy than exits to do this. Also, can all the plates be moved at the same time to create the subduction required? I imagine while some plates move into a positon to allow the subduction to occur, they stop others from doing so, meaning that not all volcanoes can erupt at once. Finally, I don't really know much about volcanoes. What I've talked about might be total crap, but since none of the other responses talked about volcanoes I hope that's ok. --Commander Keane 14:26, 14 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] hot chicks

ok guys i'm gonna throw down in a-town this weekend (atl,ga) where are all the girls at

  • I hear you can get some pretty good chicken at KFC. android79 03:32, 14 October 2005 (UTC)
  • Ckicks are pretty much available at your local Blue Seal store year 'round but they're much more lively in springtime. --hydnjo talk 03:41, 14 October 2005 (UTC)

Call the Atlanta tourism centre, and ask the exactly same question. they'll help ya out. --Ballchef 03:56, 14 October 2005 (UTC)

Or put you in touch with a taxi driver who will (for a price of course) help ya out. --hydnjo talk 04:04, 14 October 2005 (UTC)
Just for practice, try it out in your own hometown. It'll be safer and an education. After you have developed your expertise near home (with its support contingencies) then by all means venture out. But if you're asking this question from a position of unfamiliarity in new surroundings then be prepared to be skinned alive. --hydnjo talk 04:16, 14 October 2005 (UTC)
you are a crazy man.--66.82.9.37 18:16, 25 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] so what's the deal with airline food?

seriously pepeople

I dunno, never been on an airplane trip. If you're willing to pay me a ticket I can find out for you. ☢ Kieff | Talk 04:27, 14 October 2005 (UTC)
seriously (Seriously) pepeople (people).
The deal is that airline food is not intended to be a substitute for a night on the town at a four star restaurant. If you are looking for restaurant food then go to a restaurant. If you're on an airline flight and they offer food (as a courtesy) then go on and try it and, if it's not to your liking then don't eat it. The "deal" is that it is available, you don't have to eat it. Heck, bring your own sandwich along if it bothers you that much. geesh. --hydnjo talk 04:32, 14 October 2005 (UTC)
Since when did Jerry Seinfeld start posting at Wikipedia? Garrett Albright 07:10, 14 October 2005 (UTC)
Haha. Brilliant. ☢ Kieff | Talk 07:27, 14 October 2005 (UTC)
I knew it would be here somewhere...Airline meal. Sorry Kieff, you'll have to buy your own ticket. Nice try though.--Commander Keane 11:27, 14 October 2005 (UTC)
Hey, instead of whining about bad airline food, go on some planes that offer good food!!! Try Iran Air. Their service is not all that good and the planes are pretty old, but the food is the best airline food I have ever had!

--Aytakin 01:14, 15 October 2005 (UTC)

Of course that would require flying to Iran, which many people have no reason to, or aren't even allowed to do. -Drdisque 02:38, 15 October 2005 (UTC)

Airline food is of limited quality for the following reasons:

  • It must be prepared hours in advance, on the ground, as no food preparation area would fit on the plane.
  • It can only be heated by microwave oven, as any other heat source would be dangerous.
  • It can't be anything which might risk adverse reactions in the passengers. Foods which might cause diarrhea or flatulence must be avoided, such as a very spicy chili.
  • Only very limited customization of orders can be allowed. For example, a choice of salad dressings may be allowed, but a choice of salad ingredients is less feasable.
  • It must fit into a small space. Crackers, for example, take up less space than rolls, so are preferred.

Given these constraints, a fairly bland meal is to be expected. One option some airlines allow is for passengers to bring their own meals, ordered from restaurants near the airport gate, just prepared in time for the plane to leave, and eaten from insulated styrofoam containers. This option is particularly encouraged by budget airlines which don't offer meal service. StuRat 18:46, 15 October 2005 (UTC)

Of course, non-microwave methods of cooking food aren't inherently dangerous. For example, sailing yachts manage to use proper galleys with gas burners, water basins, etc. in a similarly weight-limited, enclosed space that regularly tips from side-to-side and gets constantly buffeted (arguably more unstable than most airliners). The difference would seem to be (a) boats have chefs rather than air stewardesses to do the cooking, and (b) proper food doesn't seem to be as important to air passengers as it is to sailors. Ojw 13:51, 16 October 2005 (UTC)
I disagree. Having an open flame onboard an airplane in flight is far more dangerous. Smoke from a fire onboard a pressurized aircraft can't be vented by opening windows like on a yacht. Space and weight are also more critical onboard planes, as water is dense enough to support some rather heavy equipment onboard a yacht. The specific fuel cost per pound per hour is also higher onboard a plane, making weight more of a financial concern. Those onboard a yacht are probably willing to spend more per person for meals than typical airline passengers. A better comparison might have been between yachts and Concorde flights, at least until they were recently discontinued. I don't know, were meals aboard the Concorde better ? I would bet they were. StuRat 14:39, 16 October 2005 (UTC)
I'd guess that gas burners are not on planes due to the weight, servicability (you don't want to to filling up a gas botle at every stop) and explosion risk (microwaves generally don't burst into balls of fire). Also, premium airline services (business class etc) offer meal choices (meat or fish for example), so airline food doesn't have to be that limited.--Commander Keane 03:11, 22 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] bored

guys i'm bored give me something to do and it better be fun or i'll kick your ass

You don't live in Uberlândia, Minas Gerais, so don't think you know the meaning of the word "bored". ☢ Kieff | Talk 04:31, 14 October 2005 (UTC)
Perhaps you should have addressed your inquiry to Gals instead of guys. --hydnjo talk 04:35, 14 October 2005 (UTC)
Why gals instead of guys? I think you're assuming the questioner is (a) male and (b) heterosexual. Maybe the anonymous questioner (whoever he or she is) prefers guys. Guys are more fun anyway. Come round to my place sometime and I'll prove it to you. JackofOz 05:12, 14 October 2005 (UTC)
Or for something that will really surprise you go to this secret place. It'll surprise and excite you almost every time that you click on it. It works for guys and gals, heterosexual and homosexual, young and old, bored and excited, short and tall, etc. and etc. --hydnjo talk 05:01, 14 October 2005 (UTC)
Actually, he could just as well be assuming the questioner is (a) female and (b) homosexual. — JIP | Talk 10:22, 16 October 2005 (UTC)

This is fun, do this: --Ballchef 05:29, 14 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit]

Here are some tasks you can do:


Why does this remind me of being a kid and whining "I'm booooored!!!" and my Mom saying, "Well, if your bored, I've got something for you to do. You can start by cleaning up that pigsty of a room..." Brian Schlosser42 18:59, 14 October 2005 (UTC)
Or the similar "Why are you crying ? You got no call to cry. Shut up now or I'll slap you upside the head and give you something to cry about !". StuRat 18:01, 15 October 2005 (UTC)
Wait until you're grown up and your father is saying "Clean up that pigsty of an apartment"... — JIP | Talk 17:25, 16 October 2005 (UTC)
Even better, when my wife tells me to clean uo my pigsty of a computer roon...well, they say men marry their mothers...Brian Schlosser42 17:37, 17 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] cricket insect

how do i catch a cricket in a very small room keeping mum awake most of night thankyou ,

Dorothy --211.27.77.223 06:44, 14 October 2005 (UTC)

That's not very nice.
But, you could try placing a container over the cricket then sliding a card underneath, flipping the container over and then quickly placing the lid over the top. Dysprosia 06:50, 14 October 2005 (UTC)
Maybe the location of the cricket is unknown. Sometimes I get the noises (maybe it's a cricket) and when I head to that corner of the room the noises get louder but I can't find where the insect is. When I tap on the wall the noise stops. How do you draw out a hidding cricket?--Commander Keane 10:16, 14 October 2005 (UTC)
Get another cricket? Shantavira 11:21, 14 October 2005 (UTC)
Oh, so the cricket's already there? The cricket could be outside, potentially, sometimes it's easy to hear things outside even from inside. Otherwise one could try baiting the room. Dysprosia 12:58, 14 October 2005 (UTC)

I've used the same method to kill both crickets and mice, both of which hide and go silent when lights are turned on or they hear movement. (I believe roaches are the same, though, fortunately, I haven't had those.) Neither one is very bright, so think you've left after the light goes out and the room goes silent. So, just wait by the light switch until they come out and start making noise, then turn the lights on and kill them (or capture them if you're in a humane mood, which wasn't me after being kept up half the night). If the light switch is too far from their location, a bright electric flashlight could be used instead. StuRat 15:14, 14 October 2005 (UTC)

I just saw you said "mum" instead of "mom", so that mean's you're likely not American, in which case it may be an "electric torch" instead of a flashlight. StuRat 15:30, 14 October 2005 (UTC)

Or even just torch, as we don't use non-electric ones much anymore... Ojw 17:21, 14 October 2005 (UTC)
We'd best not have any Brit's carry the Olympic flame the, using a flashlight would take a lot of the drama out of the whole event. StuRat 17:55, 15 October 2005 (UTC)
You mean that people outside the US don't all squat in caves and eat antelope roasted over greasy fires? You have electricity and everything? I never learned that in school, so I'm leary...does the Defense Department know about this? Brian Schlosser42 19:03, 14 October 2005 (UTC)

or you can do what I did when I had a cricket in the room, spray the baseboards with pesticides and find the dead cricket the next day. -Drdisque 02:36, 15 October 2005 (UTC)

Or you could leave the cricket be, rename yourself Buddy Holly and start a band. DirkvdM 10:01, 15 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] When a snake bites someone...

...what does it do next? Does it just keep the fangs in there, or does it let go and slither away, or does the person being bitten go into a state of panic and personally rip it off?

Normally, the snake will try to get away quickly afterwards, to make sure that the victim (who will probably be really mad) doesn't throttle it, stamp on it or otherwise kill it. smurrayinchester(User), (Talk), (Recent Contrib) 16:09, 14 October 2005 (UTC)
Incidentally, the only reason a snake will bite you is because it is afraid of you in the first place. You're too big to eat (unless we're talking about huge anacondas that will squeeze you to death instead of biting you anyway). Garrett Albright 16:26, 14 October 2005 (UTC)
Of course, a person can scare a snake without meaning to do so, by walking too close or stepping on a snake they don't see. The snake may then bite and release and try to get away. Then again, it might not bite. I once rode my bicycle over an apparent green garden hose draped across a sidewalk, only to notice it slither away in pain. If it had tried to bite, it might have given me a flat tire, LOL. StuRat 16:42, 14 October 2005 (UTC)
As it happens, there is a particular type of puncture called a snake bite, but it's caused by hitting a sharp edge with a flat tyre, giving two holes in the innertube which look like a snake bite... Ojw 17:17, 14 October 2005 (UTC)
I have been bitten by a snake (a non-poisonous Black Rat Snake), which was irked by being run over with a bike and didn't appreciate my attempts to move it out of harm's way (the ingrate!). It didn't slither away, but that might have been due to injury; it did coil up and hiss until I threw my shirt over it and shoved it off the path. —Charles P. (Mirv) 19:29, 14 October 2005 (UTC)
I heard of someone who was bitten by a snake that was on top of her when she was asleep. Why would a snake move onto/over someone if they're afraid enough of that person to bite? For warmth? DirkvdM 10:51, 15 October 2005 (UTC)
Yes. Snakes, being cold-blooded, like to hang out in warm spots. Probably, the snake didn't know that she was actually something alive and dangerous in the first place, so it slithered around and found a nice spot to rest. During the time of American westward expansion, explorers, cowboys, and others who slept outside would sometimes wake up to find that they were sharing a sleeping bag with a rattlesnake. The only thing you can do when that happens is to stay as still as possible and wait for the snake to slither out on its own volition; if you move and freak the snake out, it'll bite ya. Garrett Albright 16:51, 15 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Using Casablanca photos for non profit funraising theme

I work for a national non-profit organization and we want to use the photo of bogart and bergman for the invitation to go with the Casablanca theme. How do I find out who owns the rights and if I am able to use it.````

It's either owned by Warner Brothers or they'll know who does own it. I guess you should call their media relations people. -- Finlay McWalter | Talk 19:01, 14 October 2005 (UTC)


[edit] Which is more effective -General Vs. Broad Non-Profit Mission for an emerging non-profit ?

Is it more effective for an emerging non-profit to address a specific public policy niche or can general themes be effective?

Are there examples of non-profits with very broad objectives, such as helping all women (just an illustration)that are succeeding?

We have spent so much time thinking about this issue, and now have to find a great, good, ok or true example of failure to be able to assess our own effectiveness.

I appreciate this extraordinary web page and service. Thank you, and if I am directed to reading material or sites, I will check them out.

Have spent about 15 hours thinking about this and reading. I need more fine-tuned guidance.

--70.89.38.161 19:15, 14 October 2005 (UTC)

I don't know anything about the topic, but if you're a small upstart group I would suggest finding an area that isn't being addressed by the large non-profits. You would probably want to consider something much more specific than helping all women; for example, maybe you would help women in business, or with child care, or legal aid, or the arts, in some way you think they need help and are not being helped now. Perhaps you could be a bit more specific about where you're coming from. Who is forming this group and why? What people or area do you hope to be serving?--Pharos 10:14, 16 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] What's that song?

What is the song that plays during Brainiac: Science Abuse's 'I can do science, me!' section. The lyrics are #Uh, yeah, I am a scientist/I'm gonna live on science alone# smurrayinchester(User), (Talk), (Recent Contrib) 21:02, 14 October 2005 (UTC)

The Dandy Warhols' "I Am A Scientist" -- Finlay McWalter | Talk 21:15, 14 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] what is rain

where does rain come from and where does it go.

Rain is water drops that condense from clouds. Rain normally flows into a river and then back into the ocean, being a part of the water cycle. --Borbrav 21:23, 14 October 2005 (UTC)

http://www.groundwater.org/kc/watercyclefillin.html has a graphic you might find helpful --Quasipalm 23:26, 14 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] What is Muscle Reading?

In short: muscle reading is mind reading using the muscles. In long: sounds like a pseudoscience where a person tries to read another person's mind by paying attention to subconscious muscle reflexes. Here's a page I found using Google: [66]

"Muscle reading is similar to telepathy or mind reading. Muscle readers generally work with an audience. It is the unconscious movement of a member of the audience whose hands they hold that guide the performer in giving dates of coins, combinations of safes, location of hidden objects, etc."

It appears it can also refer to a method of study that helps you keep focused on your reading material. [67] --Quasipalm 23:39, 14 October 2005 (UTC)

I've just created muscle reading and muscle reading (study technique) --Hughcharlesparker 21:01, 22 February 2006 (UTC)

[edit] scarlett scarlett scarlett

i`ve read margreat mitchells gone with the wind but i didn`t have a chance to read the sequel since i don`t have enough money to buy it from amazon.com or any other shopping website could tell me howit ends.please

The butler did it, but it turns out that he's an android too. Eventually the zombies break down the door and try to fight Karl Rove. In the end, Rodan wins, and the world is safe for democracy and Saudi oil. // Mr s puppet 22:52, 14 October 2005 (UTC)
I can't tell you offhand but you may well find a copy in your local library and be able to read it yourself. You may even be able to arrange for an interlibrary loan if it isn't. Somehow, I don't believe the version of the ending provided by Mr Puppet is accurate. :>) Capitalistroadster 07:39, 16 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Rocky VI

In "Rocky VI", If Mr. T and Dolph Lundgren make cameo appearances, what will their characters do in the movie?

- Nothing specific has been announced, but since Rocky is going to be back for one last fight, they might be the coach of his opponent or assistant coach to Rocky, or even more simply friends who remember the past. --Aytakin 01:10, 15 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Lewis 30 cal. machine gun

Hello,

I'm looking for pictures of a Lewis 30 cal. machine used in WWI on a British SE 5 A or pictures of this machine gun that was mounted on WWI aircraft.

Thanks Ed C.

Google Images is useful for this kind of search. Here's what I turned up: [68]. The second photograph shows what you're looking for, I think. —Charles P. (Mirv) 00:35, 15 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Furry sexual practices

Are furries (generally) aroused by or attracted to real animals? Is beastiality any more prevalent amongst furries than amongst the general population? Is there furry porn, and is it professional or amateur? I have looked at your articles on furry and yiffing, but they weren't helpful. 147.9.162.249 01:18, 15 October 2005 (UTC)

Well, if you have looked at our articles about furries and yiffing you pretty much have our collective insight about the subject. Posting the question here however, may indeed bring some additional points from users that may have felt uncomfortable about putting their views in the articles. --hydnjo talk 01:42, 15 October 2005 (UTC)
Very little scientific research is spent on human sexuality, so much so, that Kinsey's research still seems relevant today. So the quantity of research on whether people dressing up in costume rabbit suits are more sexually deviant than anyone else is going to be about zero. Perhaps if you studied the relevant academic fields you could pursue a career in making these breakthroughs in human enquiry. My hunch would be this would be a waste though - they probably just like dressing up Majts 01:57, 15 October 2005 (UTC)
Most furries are not attracted by actual animals, in much the same way that most people who are into bondage would find being tied up and beaten and such all that much fun if it were happening "for real." You will always find exceptions to the rule, but generally furries are just into non-mainstream sexual activities with other humans.
There is furry porn; generally, it is drawn art, but sometimes it's photos of humans which have been manipulated to give them more animal-like characteristics. Furries tend to classify furry porn depending on how human versus how animal the character looks, so an 80/20 image might be a human with a tail and cat ears, whereas a 20/80 image might be almost entirely like an animal, but still stand up on hind legs and (if the image features it) have human-like genitalia. Like most offbeat porn, it is almost entirely amateur.
Of course, this is assuming that you are speaking of furries in the sexual sense, as opposed to just someone who likes to pretend they are an animal but never take the fantasy into the sexual realm. These non-sexual furries probably actually represent the majority, but since the sexual ones are more noticeable and disturbing, us "mundanes" (non-furries) tend to assume it is entirely sexual.
Oh my God, why do I know all this? Garrett Albright 16:46, 15 October 2005 (UTC)
You, you, you... --hydnjo talk 02:43, 16 October 2005 (UTC)
I keep up with the sex research literature pretty well (I'm a grad student who's doing that sort of stuff), and I can tell you that there is almost certainly no known answer to your question on furries and beastiality. Research on furry sexuality is not common, it being a fairly recent fetish to come to public attention, and real research on beastiality is also uncommon (though you can find a great deal of pontificating on the subject among the more theoretically-focused writers). Unfortunately, I don't see a lot of hope for getting your question answered anytime soon: There are so few furverts and so few zoophiles that it would take a gargantuan survey to get good data about people who are both.
My personal suspicion is that furverts might be marginally more likely to have experienced sex with a non-human at least once, just because they're more open to the sexual aspects of non-humans. This is very different from saying that there are more zoophiles in the furry community though. Our best evidence suggests that most sex between humans and non-humans is not carried out by zoophiles but by, for example, teenage boys who live in isolated rural areas and who use farm animals as a sexual outlet on occasion. There might be more zoophiles among furries, but I wouldn't venture to make such a statement myself; zoophilia is extremely poorly understood. George 21:27, 15 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] What was the original ending intended for Fever Pitch?

Under the sub-heading "Trivia" in the article on the 2005 movie Fever Pitch, there is the information that the film's ending was rewritten several times to incorporate the fact that the Red Sox, the sports team fetured in the film, actually were baseball's champions in the season the story portrays. The love story juxtaposed so well with the actual events of the 2004 playoffs (e.g., after believing their relationship is over, the couple finally fall in love once in for all just as the Red Sox begin their improbable comeback after losing the first three games of their playoff series against the Yankees) that it seems hard to imagine this could have been the same movie if it hadn't been set against the events that really took place in October 2004. What was originally planned as the movie's ending--with both the love story and the events surrounding the baseball team?

I'm not entirely sure, but I'm pretty certain that the story is set in England, and revolves around soccer. Trollderella 16:58, 17 October 2005 (UTC)
What I think the original poster means is that, if I recall correctly, when the Farrelly Brothers rewrote the script to focus on the Red Sox, they originally had to drastically change the ending. I recall seeing at least one media outlet reporting on the production of the movie pointing out that they had to change the ending because in the novel the team wins the championship, and the American movie is about the Red Sox, who, of course, don't do that. The question, then, would be: What was the Farrelly Brothers' original ending to their Americanized script that did not involve the Sox winning the World Series? Yes, I think that's what we're going for here. --Maxamegalon2000 14:03, 18 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Question about Danny Ketch/Ghost Rider

In the bio on Ghost Rider, it states that Danny Ketch died. I was wondering how this happened and what comic book this event took place.

[edit] Who was Rex Hamilton?

In the opening credits of the US comedy show "Police Squad!" one of the jokes was "and starring Rex Hamilton as Abraham Lincoln" who then starts having a gunfight presumably with John Wilkes Booth. I've never understood this joke, can you tell me why it's funny? thanks Majts 07:53, 15 October 2005 (UTC)

Rex Hamilton was nobody in particular. The joke is that it's a non sequitur. I'm not sure anyone can explain Police Squad!. It's one of the prototype examples of a kind of surrealist humour that uses a lot of non sequiturs to keep the mood. Unfortunately, this brand of humour grows old quite quickly, and its entertainment value is considerably enhanced by the consumption of alcohol and/or marijuana. It was popular briefly in the late 70s and early 80s, but with the neo-Puritanism of the Reagan years, especially with regard to drug use, it lost its allure. Rent a DVD of Police Squad! and score a yourself dime bag. Smoke the latter and then watch the former and I promise you will see the humour in it. --Diderot 11:22, 15 October 2005 (UTC)
Uh… Wikipedia:Medical disclaimer. Or something. Garrett Albright 16:35, 15 October 2005 (UTC)
Thanks for the answer and I thought Police Squad! was hilarious without needing medicinal aid to enjoy it. So it seems the joke is nothing more than the juxtaposition of having a Abraham Lincoln in the cast of series about a Police squad. It was mainly just the name Rex Hamilton that has always bugged me - I mean the name *sounds* like a cheesy movie stars name, and I always thought he was famous, so was very surprised that he didn't have a Wikipedia article. Majts 20:51, 15 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] THE MERCHANT MARINES

WHAT IS A MERCHANT MARINE.

The merchant marine is a term meaning the Merchant Navy - the commercial, as opposed to military, shipping industry of a country. Shimgray | talk | 15:04, 15 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Family History

Dear Administrator:

I am preparing a history of my Grandfather's life. His application for US citizenship listed as his place of birth Severine, Austria (12/02/1888). Would you be able to help me?

Sincerely, William Koss

e-mail address removed, to protect William from some spam, also sub-heading inserted
random people answer questions here, not just Wiki administrators, like at a library help desk. Are you referring to your paternal grandfather whose surname probably Koss, or your materal grandfather (father of your mother) with different surname? Depending on when your grandfather actually left Austria (which would have been before the application for US citizenship, depending on the residency rules in history), you may be able to get at some records of the Austrian government. AlMac|(talk) 19:49, 15 October 2005 (UTC)
Are you trying to locate Severine? An Austrian gazetteer would help. (Actually, in 1888 it would be Austria-Hungary) Unfortunately I can't find one online; for some maps, look at this and this and this. Other links that may help: [69], [70], and [71]. - Nunh-huh 02:23, 16 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Cardboard Coffins - Can they be used for burial in the USA?

Is there any law against burying a human in a cardboard box? (in the United States of America) I heard that some people are buying cardboard boxes and then the whole family decorates it together. But I wouldn't want to be cremated but instead buried in the cardboard box. Is that okay? Thanks

(email removed: questions are answered here, and leaving your email may lead to spam)

See the Federal Trade Commission's So you're buying a funeral? page. Before there was federal regulation, people would get ripped off by funeral directors who lied to them, telling them they were required to purchase embalming and/or espensive coffins. For "direct burial" or "direct cremation", you certainly can get by with a plain wooden box; I imagine it would take some rather hefty cardboard to transport a body in. Nonetheless, "For those who choose a direct cremation without a viewing or other ceremony where the body is present, the funeral provider must offer an inexpensive unfinished wood box or alternative container, a non-metal enclosure - pressboard, cardboard or canvas - that is cremated with the body." Funeral homes are required to use the container you purchase, and you don't have to purchase it from them. I think a pine box might be a better bet than cardboard for burial, though. And cemeteries can still require a "grave liner", so the answer to your question depends on the answer to "burying a human where?". (The image of a family decorating a cardboard box to bury someone in is odd to me. I keep thinking of gluing little macaroni shells to it and spray painting it gold.... I mean...what's the decoration for? But to each his own.) Hope the link helps. - Nunh-huh 02:00, 16 October 2005 (UTC)

  • I have been told that in jurisdictions requiring the availability of cheap alternatives, some funeral homes may deny the existence of coffins/caskets cheaper than their featured pricey ones. You need to ask for "containers", the only word that they'll use for the cardboard ones, which you have every right to insist on. And yes, they're called cardboard; what exactly the material is I don't know, but I I gather it is a cellulose product rather than solid or engineered wood. Your best bet is probably to look for an "alternative" funeral provider that embraces the simple option and is familiar with what's available in your area, rather than try to force a mainstream operator to do something that they really don't want to. 142.20.196.196 17:11, 17 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Superhuman abilities

How does one go about gaining superhuman abilities? I'm thinking of cybernetic implants and possibly genetic manipulation. Any ideas? For preference, I'd rather not go insane and become a supervillian. 84.69.7.16 19:06, 15 October 2005 (UTC)

Read Science Fiction. Reality not yet caught up with what you asking for. Now perhaps you might be able to see that your kids have superior genes to those that you have, but you probably die of old age before this working. If you have plenty money, you could have self frozen after death, and take your chances you not get broken up for spare parts. AlMac|(talk) 19:52, 15 October 2005 (UTC)
Well, you can wear devices to give you some such abilities, like a night vision scope to allow you to see in the dark. There is a functional rocket pack, too, although it is quite dangerous and only gives you 30 seconds of flight at a time. Satellite communications thru an earpiece and microphone, maybe tied to a GPS unit, would also be doable. "Bullet proof" (really bullet resistant) clothing is available. A parabolic microphone would give you "superhuman hearing". The superhuman strength part isn't technologically available yet, although eventually a robotic superskeleton may provide such abilities. Under current technology, the loss of speed and flexibility would make any increase in strength too expensive. StuRat 20:19, 15 October 2005 (UTC)

As far as I can tell the current preferences are:

  • Find a radioactive animal and get bitten by it1
  • Journey into outer space and encounter a radioactive meteor shower
  • Conduct a big scientific experiment on yourself and have it go horribly wrong (preferably in a radioactive way)
  • Get on a spaceship to Jupiter and then dive through a big black monolith
  • Undertake an impossible task in a virtual reality (though make sure there is someone who really loves you back in the real world in case you get killed)
  • Find a ring in an underground cavern (though watch out for the side-effects)

DJ Clayworth 19:47, 25 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] How to unjam a US Military M4 assault rifle.

If I am using a US Military M4A1 or M4A2 assault rifle and I an loaded with a 30-round clip, and after I fire about 5 rounds it jams. How do I unjam my gun?

I've spent a few hours at the firing range with the M4. in a computer game This page on operating an M16 might help. I hope this isn't an urgent question. --Sum0 22:52, 15 October 2005 (UTC)
It is possible this is a homework question. Judging from the defense used by some of the accused in the Abu Graib scandal, a lot of people are going into the military these days whose training has serious deficiencies. AlMac|(talk) 21:52, 23 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] military music

What is the opposite term for a reveille? I mean, the reveille is a bugle sort of sound that happens early in the morning; what is the corresponding sound called that is played at night?

Bold text taps \ˈtaps\ noun plural but singular or plural in construction [probably alteration of earlier taptoo tattoo — more at tattoo] (1824)

the last bugle call at night blown as a signal that lights are to be put out; also : a similar call blown at military funerals and memorial services

Merriam-Webster, I. (1996, c1993). Merriam-Webster's collegiate dictionary. (10th ed.). Springfield, Mass., U.S.A.: Merriam-Webster.

At U.S. military bases, I believe they play "Retreat" when they lower the flag at the end of the day. —Wayward Talk 23:43, 15 October 2005 (UTC)


[edit] Rolls Royce

Hello: After reading the history on the Rolls Royce car, I did not see any reference to the Rolls Royce Silver Spur,or the last model year the car was built by Rolls Royce/ Bentley before the take over by BMW. I would be very interested in this additional history.

Thank you very much,

Russell Di Giallorenzo (email address removed --hydnjo talk 02:39, 16 October 2005 (UTC))

The best way to note errors and omissions to a specific article is either fix it yourself or add a comment the discussion page of that article, in this case Talk:Rolls Royce. --Robert Merkel 22:44, 16 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Political Party Links

Which political party in the United States is the Liberal Democratic Party of Japan most like? --66.173.50.80 22:13, 15 October 2005 (UTC)

The Liberal Democratic Party of Japan is a conservative party, so the easy answer would be the Republican Party. They also believe in maintaining a strong Self-Defense Force (military), privatization (the Diet of Japan recently passed legislation that would privatize the postal system), and low taxes. However, that's not to say they are exactly on par with the Republicans; in fact, I would say that in practice (as opposed to mere ideology), they are in fact further right than the Repubs are today. Garrett Albright 03:59, 16 October 2005 (UTC)
I'm not an expert, but Liberal Democratic Party (Japan) says it is "a right-wing conservative party that favors free market economic policies" -- so I'm guessing the Republican Party (United States). (However, the Democratic Party (United States) favors free market economic policies most often too. What is "liberal" in America can often to "conservative" in other countries.) As far as social issues, I'm not sure. --Quasipalm 03:58, 16 October 2005 (UTC)
Why on earth would you want to know that? It would be an extremely crude and therefore meaningless indicator. The winner-take-all type of democracy (if you can call it that) in the US means that there will in the end (and indeed now are) only two parties of any importance, which are barely distinguishable from each other. DirkvdM 09:28, 16 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] foliage

is there a name for foliage or blossoms which have withered but not fallen off

Yeah, springtime in New England. Just kidding about the name but Oak foliage in these parts drop about half before winter and half in the early spring. Never thought there might be a name for it though. --hydnjo talk 02:22, 16 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] charges for full service gas stations

I am disabled and cannot pump my own gas. I go to a station that has self service and full service. I pay $1.00 or more a gallon for full service. A while back, I read that the state of Ca. does not allow stations to charge either 10 cents or 10 percent, I'm not sure which, more for full service. Is this true?

Jody Dupont

As long as there is a message prominently in view that describes the cost for full-service then that cost can be applied. In that case find another gas station. If there is no sign then you're getting ripped-off. In that case, have a police vehicle follow you in for your next fill-up. That should be interesting. With regard to your disability, Under California law, all gasoline retailers must provide fueling assistance to the disabled at self-serve prices. Exceptions include stations with a single employee. --hydnjo talk 01:33, 16 October 2005 (UTC)
You'd save a lot of money by moving to Oregon. Not only is gas cheaper there than in California, but state law dictates that one cannot pump their own gas. That doesn't mean all stations are full-service (they won't clean your windshield and such), but it does mean that they pump gas for you, and don't charge you more for it. Garrett Albright 03:52, 16 October 2005 (UTC)
Or New Jersey for that matter. Self-service isn't allowed there either. But I wouldn't recommed moving. That seems a drastic step for a disabled person in your situation which is already covered by your own state law. Find a largish gas station with more than one attendant and you will get gasoline at self-serve prices. Personally, I'd go for the police escort though just to make a statement for others in your circumstances. ;-) --hydnjo talk 04:03, 16 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] who?>

Who is the company who published your encyclopedia and wrote it? When was it published?

I'm writing it right now so to speak and so are you. Also, it is being published as you read this. As for the company, well this may help. --hydnjo talk 01:40, 16 October 2005 (UTC)
For info on how to cite Wikipedia as a source for your paper or project, see the notice at the top of the page and the page before this one. But then you knew that was there because you read the instructions before asking, right? Dismas|(talk) 02:45, 16 October 2005 (UTC)
I'm gonna plagiarize that response at some future time. It deserves to be repeated. --hydnjo talk 03:00, 16 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Postage

moved from WP:HD hydnjo talk 03:31, 16 October 2005 (UTC)

I am new guy of La Crosse,WI. I mail a parcel weight about 3pounds with priority . I want to know how much I will pay the charge?

Thank you!

That depends on the zip code of the destination. Dismas|(talk) 03:13, 16 October 2005 (UTC)
Also there would extra charges for insurance and delivery confirmation. These charges are small compared to the original parcel charge for priority (2-3 day) service. There is also a "next day" service available at considerable extra cost. This site has lots of information if you don't mind plowing through the typical burocratic baloney. My advice, go for the least expensive option unless there are special circumstances. It's reliable these days. For a little more money go to your local UPS office. They have an excellent record for on time delivery. --hydnjo talk 03:31, 16 October 2005 (UTC)
Here's a direct link to the USPS postage calculator. —Wayward Talk 04:21, 16 October 2005 (UTC)
OK then, using that resource, how much postage would be required send a 2.1 ounce first class letter from you to me at Zip code 03028 (if you knew that it was 2.1 ounces in the first place)? --hydnjo talk 05:23, 16 October 2005 (UTC)

What country? (Yes, I already guessed, but I'm just being obnoxious - is everyone in the world supposed to know what 'La Crosse,WI' means?) DirkvdM 09:31, 16 October 2005 (UTC)

Yes. Everyone, everywhere should know all 50 of the U.S. States names and abbreviations. As well as who our Presidents have had extra-marital affairs with. We're America and have an ego bigger than the planet itself. :^) George W. Bush|(talk) 10:01, 16 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Hello

Which band/s in history has one a diamond award. I know Bon Jovi is one. Linda

Linda,

This List of Diamond Award Winners from the RIAA [72] lists all diamond award winners from the Eagles greatest hits which had sold 28 million down to Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers whose Greatest Hits album has sold 10 million as at 2003. The Beatles were awarded their sixth Diamond Award in May for the #1 album being their sixth see [73]. so the RIAA need to update their page. These awards are for US sales only. It suggests we need a Diamond Award article so I will add it to the Requested Articles. Capitalistroadster 05:49, 16 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] text vs. texted

As far as 21st century techie jargon goes...

I've always wondered what the past tense of "text" (used as a verb, referring to text messages via cell phone) would be. Example:

I texted you last night. or I text you last night.

I know it is slang anyway, but I was wondering if there was a "proper" way or at least a common way of saying it. Thanks.

Text'd? -hydnjo talk 04:35, 16 October 2005 (UTC)
I don't know if it's the standard but I generally say something like "Did you get my text?" or "I sent you a text".
as a transitive verb, "to text somebody", the past tense would obviously be "texted". neologisms usually are not coined after irregular paradigms (but see ping, pang, pung). If you want it to be irregular, we could fashion it after set, i.e. text, text, text. 09:39, 16 October 2005 (UTC)
Texted does seem to be most common, at least in my experience. Shimgray | talk | 09:46, 16 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] European History

  1. Where was Napoleon born?
  2. Where was the general area where the 30 Years War was fought?
  3. Where is the Kingdom of Naples located?
  4. Where was the birth place of Philip II of Spain?
  5. Which country was the richest area of the Holy Roman Empire during the first stage of the 30 Years War?
  6. In what country was the Ottoman Empire located? (or conversely, what countries were in the Ottoman Empire)?
  7. What country's indepencence was recognized by the Peace of Westphalia?
  8. Where was the Council of Blood aka Blood Council aka Council of Troubles located? see Duke of Alba - —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 71.138.89.45 (talk • contribs) 00:18, 16 October 2005.
  • And, is there an extra credit question? --hydnjo talk 04:33, 16 October 2005 (UTC)
  1. What does it say right after Do your own homework at the top of this page?
  2. What do we get for doing your homework for you? Dismas|(talk) 04:35, 16 October 2005 (UTC)
I suggest you use the search box, which is on every Wikipedia page, and you'll find the answer to all or almost all of these questions really easily.-gadfium 04:37, 16 October 2005 (UTC)
Unless of course you'ld like your homework done for you. In that case be wary of the responses that you turn in from here. There may be some well disguised funnies. ;-)
  1. Napoleon was born at home as were most others at that time. (etc).

--hydnjo talk 04:44, 16 October 2005 (UTC)

It seems that we have not done our homework on the blood council though... Trollderella 16:52, 17 October 2005 (UTC)

It used to be that everyone was born in their mother's womb. In modern times there are other interesting places to be born, but none of them had been invented as of Napoleon's time. AlMac|(talk) 21:57, 23 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] How to podcast?

I have a blog and I've recorded sounds with Audacity.What must I do next?What MP3 encoder must I use?How can I post the files?[[User:Tdxiang|Tan Ding Xiang | ☎]] 06:42, 16 October 2005 (UTC)

It doesn't matter what mp3 encoder you use. The bit rate you choose will depend on the trade off you want to make between quality and bandwidth. Your next step is to publish the file to a web server and create an rss feed. Once you have done that people can subscribe to your podcast. There are many services available to make this really easy for you , for example Odeo, libsyn and castblaster Majts 08:35, 16 October 2005 (UTC)

Well, some MP3 encoders are better than others. I like LAME, which is free and very capable. Also, there are some shareware programs out there that'll help you streamline the process of podcast creation. Try searching your favorite shareware archive (I like MacUpdate, if you're one of my Mac-slinging bretheren) for "podcast" and see what turns up. Garrett Albright 16:31, 16 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Gas Used to Ripen Bananas

What is the name of the gas used to ripen bananas? Is this the same gas used to ripen other fruits and certain vegetables? What other fruits and vegetables are ripened with this gas? Is there any harmful effects on the health by eating bananas or other fruits or vegetables ripened with this gas? -- Paul Feinzimer (removed email address)

  • Ethylene. See also Ethylene (plant hormone) for more information on this role. It is fairly general in its effect of ripening fruit, but not (AFAIK) vegetables. It is unlikely to have any harmful effects on human health, as the quantities left on the fruit after it has been in the air for a few hours would be miniscule. Ethylene has been used as an anaesthetic, but this would be more of a risk for workers than consumers. Physchim62 10:18, 16 October 2005 (UTC)
  • Agreed. Also, is it really a hormone or more properly described as a catalyst ? StuRat 15:07, 16 October 2005 (UTC)
  • It is a hormone. The merge is now done. Physchim62 15:10, 16 October 2005 (UTC)
  • Ethylene is used to field ripen those "vegetables" which are biologically fruits like tomatoes. Rmhermen 14:57, 16 October 2005 (UTC)
  • Thanks! - 131.211.51.34 08:59, 17 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Risks Inherent in International Business

I wanted to find out if the following risks that i know are correct or not

1- Political & Financial risk 2- Security 3- Diversification/Innovation 4- Human Resource Reliance 5- Potential Impacts on global business plan 6- Competition & Sustained Presence

if these are the risks that international businesses face, and try to overcome or contain, am trying to find out how ... ufortunately my searches are not giving me information i need, can someone please help with given me hints on how to search properly for possible ways in which international businesses use or can use to contain these risks.

thanks!

You're probably not getting much information because those are incredibly vague terms. Try being more specific, both with us and with search engines. Also, if you want to get really serious about learning this stuff, some college-level university business courses would probably do you good. We don't seem to have an article on international business or international corporations, sadly. Garrett Albright 17:03, 16 October 2005 (UTC)
Perhaps you need to visit your local universities to see what kinds of classes they offer in international business. AlMac|(talk) 21:59, 23 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] This is the Reference Desk

Deleting questions about that burger movie. User:Zoe|(talk) 21:35, 23 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] 1938 Chicago White Sox All Star Gold Medal

Hi Folks, I have this 1938 Gold All Star Baseball Medal that I just can't seem to find anything about?. I thought you might be able to help me out with some information on it?. I have contacted "LELANDS" And Keith wrote back and said it just might be a Minor League Medal? But didn't really know!. I have sent emails to the Major League White Sox's Organization, And they said that there was NO information about this medal in their archives, And they also think this is a Minor League Medal?. I have emailed a Jpeg to the Minor League Teams, and NO one there has ever heard of it?. I have also contacted Freddy Berowski Library Research Associate National Baseball Hall of Fame & Museum, And he said that it was very interesting! But they have nothing like it in their collection! and that I should try a Local Chicago Historic Association!. I know this is a shot in the dark, BUT I was hoping that you just might have some Information on this medal?. I have emailed Dorothy Z. Seymour, Harold Seymour's Widow, and she seemed to think that this might have been a White Sox sponsored event in which the Big League Clubs offered some sponsorship the city leagues. Dorothy also said that you were the people that were most likely to have any information on it! I would REALLY appreciate any help you could provide me with!. I can also send you a Jpeg of this medal. Thanks, Ed. Burnett.---207.228.60.181 18:18, 16 October 2005 (UTC) This is round and is in the shape of a Baseball's sweet spot side. It has a player getting ready to swing at a pitch.

The front has "CHICAGO / BASEBALL FEDERATION / ALL STAR / 1938 / PRESENTED BY /  CHICAGO /  WHITE SOX".

The bottom back has a Circled N with "1/20 10K GOLD FILLED". This measures about 1 & 3/8 Inches wide and 2 & 7/8 Tall.

[edit] what is a clinka

what is a clinka

Urban dictionary suggests that it is clinging poo. Majts 20:37, 16 October 2005 (UTC)

It could also be something left over from burning coal or smelting ore: Clinker. —Keenan Pepper 20:54, 16 October 2005 (UTC)
A clinker is also a type of chocolate (or candy) in Australia. damn fine too. --Ballchef 04:32, 17 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] What nation(s) do not have real estate?

In what nations would all the real estate across the nation be owned by the government, restricted from any sale as privately-owned lots of land?Screwball23 23:47, 16 October 2005 (UTC)

  • North Korea would be a good guess. Capitalistroadster 05:28, 17 October 2005 (UTC)
  • Perhaps not quite what you want, but I think Sealand might qualify.-gadfium 07:13, 17 October 2005 (UTC)
  • The Vatican. --Diderot 07:52, 17 October 2005 (UTC)
  • Cuba, I believe, and perhaps China (although the leasing arrangements in China seem like real estate in all but the name). Physchim62 09:08, 17 October 2005 (UTC)
    • and of course the Antarctic, where this is imposed by international treaty. Physchim62 09:09, 17 October 2005 (UTC)
In Cuba houses are not government owned but privately owned. However, people aren't allowed to sell their house because that might lead to accumulation of wealth. They are, however, allowed to swap houses, for which they put a sign on the door saying 'se permuta' (loosely translatable (?) as 'moving'). Not a very efficient system if you ask me (but then you didn't ask for my opinion...). I put that in the Cuba article but then it got removed. I don't know if someone has put it back again, but I've largely given up on that article, leaving it to the pitbuls. WARNING. Wikipedia articles are just as pov on (sensitive) political ssues as any other source (Internet or otherwise). Well, maybe that's an exageration because there are usually pitbuls on both sides, resulting in a mix of pov's (in stead of the intended npov). Also, with by far most editors on the English Wikipedia being from 'the west' and most of those from the US, there will also be a bias (such as anti-Castro). But then you didn't ask for this rant either, so I'll shut up now. DirkvdM 09:40, 17 October 2005 (UTC)
Se permuta means "to be swapped" (cf. permutation for a similar word in English). -- Rune Welsh | ταλκ | Esperanza 19:44, 18 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Bonzi Buddy

How do I install Bonzi Buddy?

Bonzi Buddy is a scam operated by slime and astroturfed by scum. -- Finlay McWalter | Talk 22:20, 16 October 2005 (UTC)
I would strongly advise against installing it, given that it serves no useful purpose whatsoever, installs spyware and/or malware onto your computer, and is generally considered harmful. However, if you really have a deathwish for your computer, the normal procedure would be to go to the website of whichever company provides the software (forgive me if I don't give them the benefit of naming or linking), download the installer program to your computer, and run it. At this point you will probably be interested in Wikipedia's articles on Microsoft AntiSpyware, Lavasoft Ad-Aware and Spybot - Search & Destroy --Noodhoog 05:25, 17 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Google redirecting

A couple of months ago, every time I typed in google.com it redirected me to google.uk. Today, when I try to go to google.com, it's redirecting me to google.de. I know this isn't a systemwide problem, but why is it happening? Any insights? Could it be an AOL problem? User:Zoe|(talk) 00:45, 17 October 2005 (UTC)

No, Google does it on purpose. They infer your location from your IP and send you to the local Google service. Assuming you're really in the UK, then they intended for you to get the co.uk version. If you've not moved to Germany then it looks like their IP based geolocation code (which is never perfect) has become confused. -- Finlay McWalter | Talk 00:53, 17 October 2005 (UTC)
I'm in California, why is Google thinking I'm in Germany? I am using AOL. User:Zoe|(talk) 01:20, 17 October 2005 (UTC)
Probably because AOL does rather wonky things with IP address assignments and google wasn't quite managing to keep track. --fvw* 01:23, 17 October 2005 (UTC)
When I moved to Japan, Google wanted to display for me in Japanese. Fortunately, it's pretty easy to go back to English; go to the Google Preferences page and select English for the Interface Language. Garrett Albright 03:13, 17 October 2005 (UTC)
Psh, forget all they say. It's easier to just type in http://www.google.com/ncr . Done. ☢ Ҡieff | Talk 03:18, 17 October 2005 (UTC)
Is it? It doesn't work for me, maybe it requires cookies? I always use http://google.com/intl/en/, which works without cookies (but doesn't stick for the same reason of course). --fvw* 03:19, 17 October 2005 (UTC)
Yes, it needs cookies. Getting on google.com/ncr ignores whatever country you are and set the default interface to the standar english one, and shoves this information on the cookies so next time you get on you don't get redirected. ☢ Ҡieff | Talk 04:53, 17 October 2005 (UTC)
I also get directed to the Dutch Google when I type in the url. But then I click to the English version and bookmark that and I always end up in the English Google. At least, I think that's how I did it. DirkvdM 09:44, 17 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Tincture of Green soap

Erica Cordoba asked this question over the help e-mail list and I am listing it here:

This might be an unusual question, but, I been curious as of why is the soap called Tincture of green when in fact the color is orange. thank you.

I am listing it here in case anyone is able to assist.

Capitalistroadster 02:44, 17 October 2005 (UTC)

It's actually usually, though not necessarily, colored green. I don't know, but would suggest, that perhaps "green" is being used in the sense of "new, not ripened or matured", given that it's a soft soap, being incompletely saponified vegetable oil. - Nunh-huh 04:51, 17 October 2005 (UTC)

Thanks Nunh-huh for the answer. I have forwarded a reply to Erica. Capitalistroadster 10:25, 18 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Drinking

Why does society frown upon drinking alcohol in the morning? I mean, what is the big deal?

Good point. perhaps you need an excuse. My grandad used to have bacon and eggs for breakfast, then say "Boy that bacon was salty, i need a drink!". But anyway, why does society frown upon a lot of things, some of which are very very trivial or stupid. why can we get drunk and smoke cigarettes, but when you pull out a spliff people give you dirty looks? why can men go topless but not women? (in some countries). society is one very warped thing, but things that were frowned upon 100 years ago aren't today, so perhaps in 100 years beer will replace OJ at the breakfast table. we can only hope! --Ballchef 04:42, 17 October 2005 (UTC)
Yuck. Orange juice is the BEST drink in existence, and beer only loses being the worse for urine. I'll be hoping NOT ☢ Ҡieff | Talk 04:51, 17 October 2005 (UTC)
Drinking alcohol induces drowsiness, so if you drink alcohol in the morning, you'll spend the rest of the day too lazy to do anything. That's my opinion anyway. — JIP | Talk 05:17, 17 October 2005 (UTC)
As well as being lazy, if you intend to be making descisions, driving, opertating machinery etc it's not a good idea to drink alcohol in the morning. From the article alcohol: "is known to have a depressing effect that decreases the responses of the central nervous system". So I suppose it's frowned upon because drinking in the morning limits your capacity to do a good days work (whatever society deems that to be).--Commander Keane 05:48, 17 October 2005 (UTC)
If you drink at night, most of the time you're drunk will be while you're asleep. Superm401 | Talk 06:50, 17 October 2005 (UTC)
Who said anything about getting drunk? Might you be from the US? I've learned that in the US alcohol consumption is often associated with getting drunk. I even once stayed in a hotel in the US where alcohol consumption was forbidden even in the room, for just this reason, but when the manager found out I was European he made an exception for me. In France it is quite normal to drink wine (quite a bit stronger than beer) during the day. And when I was picking grapes in France we even got a shot of liquor late in the afternoon morning. There seems to be a religious difference here, though, with catholics being a lot more loose than protestants (in the Netherlands at least). Also, a few centuries ago it was normal to drink beer all day because the water made you sick (beer gets boiled). But that was young beer, which has a very low alcohol content. DirkvdM 09:54, 17 October 2005 (UTC)

It actually isn't frowned upon in all societies - I can attest to this, having travelled extensively in Eastern Europe. Trollderella 16:45, 17 October 2005 (UTC)

My impression is that while, in France, alcohol consumption does not have the stigma it may have in the US (where many people associate it with public drunkenness and disorderly conduct), drinking in the morning is generally associated with drunkards — people who are psychologically or physically addicted to alcohol and cannot even wait for lunch to get their first shot of alcohol. David.Monniaux 22:50, 20 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Rainbows

Why does the sky look lighter on one side of a rainbow?

I suppose you mean like in this photo from the rainbow article (which doesn't seem to give the answer) and some others there as well. I've noticed this phenomenon too and assumed that it would be something psychological, with the outer colours contrasting more with a dark background. But looking at this picture that doesn't seem to be the case. One possibility is that beyond infrared we can't see anything at all, but beyond ultraviolet we have a very faint perception, resulting not in seeing a colour but more of a haze, which only becomes apparent because of the sharp contrast created in the case of a rainbow. But I doubt if that could have this effect. DirkvdM 10:11, 17 October 2005 (UTC)
When you are looking at a rainbow you are looking at the reflection of light in the rain, so the Sun must be behind and relatively low in the sky, with the rain in front of you. On the inside of the rainbow light at all wavelengths is reflected making it look bright. On the outside of the rainbow no light is reflected (it goes over our heads), hence it looks much darker. The rainbow itself is the light bouncing back, but filtered due to refraction at wavelengths corresponding to their colors. If you want more detail of all the various effects of rainbows this site will explain Majts 13:17, 17 October 2005 (UTC)
  • If you look at the diagrams at rainbow, you'll see one with showing a bunch of parallel red rays entering a raindrop. If you look at where the rays come back out, you can see a broad fan of rays coming back out at small angles (this is the brighter light "inside" the bow), with a cluster of rays at around 40-42° (this is the well-defined bow itself), and a cut-off above 42° where no rays are coming out (this is the dark area on the "outside" of the bow). Essentially, the inside of the bow is reflecting some light back from the sun into your eyes, so it looks brighter than the outside of the bow which doesn't. --Bob Mellish 16:34, 17 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Name origin of Bensko/Bencko

What is the origin of the surname "Bensko" or "Bencko"? I know that it is from Slovakia, but I don't know what it means or anything like that (eg, placename, occupation, etc).

Listen up: read the instructions. If you post you question at the top of the page, no-one will read it (except me, and unfortunately for you, i have no idea about what you're talking about). if, and only if you follow the instructions, the question will appear at the bottom of the page and you might get a response from the wonderful RefDesk crew. thanks. --Ballchef 06:42, 17 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Where is the tallest observation deck with no fencing/bars?

Where is the world's tallest building that has a public observation deck that one could jump off of? That means that there is no bars, window panes, etc restraining you. I'm thinking it is the Carew Tower in Cincinnati, OH. (you can see it at www.vrcincinnati.com) Thanks. Jazz1979 08:38, 22 October 2005 (UTC)

Please, Don't do it! --Ballchef 06:44, 17 October 2005 (UTC)
Maybe: Don't do it!--Commander Keane 11:56, 17 October 2005 (UTC)
Assuming you still with us, Sydney Tower opened "SkyWalk platform" today, which is 268 m above the ground (879 ft). There is just a handrail, but you are harnessed and tied onto a guide rail. To jump off, you'd need to undo the carabiner, which isn't too difficult. I'm sure it's not the highest in the world, (and ignoring the harness) its higher than this Carew Tower.--Commander Keane 16:52, 17 October 2005 (UTC)
Hey, don't dis the Carew Tower as a suicide spot. Most days, the observation deck is empty. It only costs a couple of bucks to visit, as well. Plus, as the questioner mentioned, there's not fencing to keep you from jumping! There have been several suicides there, my uncle actually witnessed the aftermath of one. Besides, as long as your over 10 floors, any building will do in a pinch. Brian Schlosser42 19:51, 17 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] The Waves by Virginia Woolf

I wanted to ask what is the theme of "The Waves" by Virginia Woolf?

So why didn't you? (Do your own homework;see instructions at top of page). Superm401 | Talk 07:03, 17 October 2005 (UTC)
Some cynical souls may say the theme is "Do your own homework". We have an article on The Waves by Virginia Woolf. The Literary Encyclopedia says the theme is bereavement see [74]. Capitalistroadster 07:12, 17 October 2005 (UTC) +

[edit] Sherlock Holmes

How much was Doyle paid for each episode of Hound of the Baskervilles

Unfortunately this source is unreferenced but it suggests that Strand magazine paid Conan Doyle between £480 - £620 per episode, depending on length. Majts 14:32, 17 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Pikachu

How did he come to be invented?

Sadly, neither our Pikachu nor our Pokémon articles have much on the history of the little rat, but if I had to venture a guess, it would go like this: Pikachu was originally created in 1996 as one of the 151 original characters in the original Pokémon video games. When the animated series were in development, the producers were looking for a leading monster, and Pikachu, being rather cute and marketable and such, was a natural, so he got a starring role. This catapulted his popularity. Garrett Albright 15:16, 17 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Newspaper articles related to the first ten US Amendments

Need newpaper or court article with subjects related to First 10 Bill of Rights/

Go to http://news.google.com and search for "Bill of Rights" "united states constitution". User:Zoe|(talk) 21:42, 23 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Talk Pages

What is the longest article without a talk page? smurrayinchester(User), (Talk) 15:35, 17 October 2005 (UTC)

Special:Longpages is a list of the longest articles on Wikipedia. The first article on that page (and therefore the longest article on Wikipedia), List of places in Arkansas, does not have a talk page. Who'd'a thunk? For future reference, questions like this would be more at home on Wikipedia:Village pump. Garrett Albright 16:08, 17 October 2005 (UTC)
How did anyone write all that in just one edit!? smurrayinchester(User), (Talk) 16:12, 17 October 2005 (UTC)
Sorry, I just noticed it was an automatic list. smurrayinchester(User), (Talk) 16:33, 17 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Golf Holes in One

What percentage of aces are hit on par 4 holes? I know most are hit on par 3s, as many players cannot hit the ball far enough to reach the green on a par 4. Has there ever been an ace on a par 5?

There really should be a separate section for sports questions.

This article says there have been three recorded "condors," or triple eagles. -- Mwalcoff 02:13, 18 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Labor Day

Why do people say you can't wear white after Labor day?

  • In traditional upper-class east-coast North American society, white pants and shoes are regarded as summer dress, and within that custom are worn only from President's Day in the Spring (in Canada, Victoria Day) to Labo(u)r Day in late summer. If you hang around folks that subscribe to it, for example if you have been invited to a late October mid-afternoon wedding in Boston for which formal dress has been requested, then perhaps you'd care. If not, then likely you wouldn't. Sharkford 16:58, 17 October 2005 (UTC)
    • I have always heard Merkins should not wear white after "Labor day" (sic), but there's never any other qualification. There's no "and before some other day". Does this mean that once a "Labor day" comes, Merkins may never wear white again? Or is there a specific day when this not-wearing-white ends, or do people just gradually start wearing white again? — JIP | Talk 10:26, 19 October 2005 (UTC)
    • Generally, the etiquette thing was that white should only be worn between Memorial Day and Labor Day, or during the summer months. But it was really aimed at white hoes, not white clothing. Although I think a bride wedding in the fall or winter would be allowed to wear white shoes. :) User:Zoe|(talk) 21:45, 23 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Aso volcano

What is the lat. long. of this volcano in japan? I cant find it anywhere!

Nikole H

32.88 N, 131.10 E [75] -Drdisque 01:17, 18 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] October 17

[edit] Formula 1 light systems from 1990 to 2005

in formula 1 they use lights to show the start of the race. i would like to know what different light systems were used. I do not mind pictures included in the answer.

I have watched Formula 1 since 1994 and the lights have not changed significantly since then. Basically a series of red lights (i believe 5) go on in sequence and when they go out, the cars can go. Later, green lights are turned on to signal a green-flag track condition. -Drdisque 01:01, 18 October 2005 (UTC)

not 100% sure, but i do believe it has been three (double) lights that went on and when the last one went on the race started, at some point. Boneyard 09:12, 19 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] what happened on this day in history. feb. 23, 1995?

207.200.116.69 18:37, 17 October 2005 (UTC)

Check out 1995#February for starters. For another perspective, try February 23. You might also look at the History Channel's archive. — Lomn | Talk / RfC 18:47, 17 October 2005 (UTC)


[edit] October 18

[edit] what are all the possible assest that would fall under the accounting equation.

  • I presume by "the accounting equation" you're talking about assets = liabilities + equity as in a balance sheet. There is no definitive list of "assets", you should look up the definition of the term in Asset, and decide whether or not a balance sheet item is an asset or a liability. -- Canley 02:54, 18 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Remington rifle

I have a remington 218B rifle, I`ve searched everywhere and find it to not exist. Can you help?

Think hard: where were you when you last saw it? Garrett Albright 11:03, 19 October 2005 (UTC)
Damn, you stole my joke! Anyway, the .218b (Bee) is a cartridge size (introduced by Winchester and apparently not too successful commercially, soon superseded by .22 cartridges), not a gun model. I don't know if .218b cartridges could be used with a .22 rifle, of which Remington has produced several models. Lupo 11:16, 19 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] sports

who was the last chicago white sox pitcher to lose 20 games in regular season

in 1948 Bill Wight lost 20 games for the white sox, in 1973 Stan Bahnsen lost 21 games AND Wilbur Wood lost 20 games. You can poke around more at Baseball Reference -Drdisque 04:06, 18 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Difference between Calstate & UC

Is it true that Calstate is better than UC for its undergraduate programs? Because I heard UC doesn't offer "learning by doing" experience as much as Calstate, especially Calpoly.

An engineering faculty from CSULA (who visited my campus, MTSAC) even went further & said that UC put undergrad on backseat; I realized that his opinion might be biased, but can someone please enlighten me?

My landlord, who graduated from UCLA with Bachelor in EE, clarified those rumors, and said that he didn't get too many "hands-on" experience from his school, he also mentioned about this TA (Teaching Assistant) thing, which further discouraged me, since I want to be taught by professor, not some undergrad & grad students.

I'm well aware that UC is, of course, more prestigious than Calstate, but after listening to those statements, it's kinda make me want to transfer to Calpoly, instead of UC.

Every school (including the best in the country) uses TA's. "Learning by doing" is not necessarily the best as often in simply "doing" you don't understand all the why's or how's and are thus less educated on the subject at hand despite being proficient at it. This is like the difference between a Trade school and a Research instititute but not as big. -Drdisque 01:07, 18 October 2005 (UTC)
while many of the introductory classes at UC consist of hundreds of people, a number of upper division classes become small enough so that the professor will know you by name. but even with large class sizes, professors at UC are readily accessible during office hours if you seek them. it is rare for classes to be "taught" by graduate students. they are there to lead discussion or lab sections, not lecture.
they say that the most important part of college is not necessarily what you learn in class (which is easily forgotten or made irrelevant in real life or the workplace), but having done through the experience. Being at a more "prestigious" university means "higher caliber" (or less arrogantly, more cuthroat or ambitious) classmates (on average). Being around people who have so far in life shown good potential for future success translates into better connections after college...and it's all about the connections, isnt it? --04:35, 18 October 2005 (UTC)
I won't comment on these various universities. However, as a assistant professor, I think I can comment on the generalities of teaching in universities.
First of all, many TAs are highly qualified for what they do, and some aren't, so it's not a clear-cut rule. They also often have more time available than faculty, and may more easily relate to the difficulties that students have. Another factor is that you don't need a faculty bigshot to teach introductory "lab classes". Most of the stuff taught there is pretty basic.
Finally, think that these professors have to learn the tricks of the trade somewhere. If there were no TAs, professors would get their first hand-on experience when in faculty — thus, the problem of inexperience would be the same. David.Monniaux 22:55, 20 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] basswood plywood

what is your opinion of the use of basswood plywood for the cabinsole (flooring) in a sailing yacht where it may be subject to moisture? rob vaughan e-mail removed to protect privacy

My opinion is to call a yacht builder. :) --Quasipalm 01:32, 18 October 2005 (UTC)
We don't generally have that many people with professional trade expertise who regularly answer questions on the reference desk (though we certainly wish there were). That said, my father has just replaced some plywood in the floor of his open fishing boat. Generally, in most boating situations, if you're going to use plywood marine ply is recommended. Marine ply is, of course, very expensive stuff. But then, it's a heck of a lot cheaper than putting your foot through the floor...--Robert Merkel 13:34, 21 October 2005 (UTC)
this site might also give you some idea of what you should use; they state that "exterior ply" would be suitable for above-deck marine applications, particularly if sheltered. --Robert Merkel 13:37, 21 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Abilities

Is it possible to "pop your cheek" if you push the air out of your mouth hard enough?

It would only be possible if you somehow sealed your lips, they cannot hold nearly as much pressure as your skin. Also, the chest muscles that expel air from your lungs aren't nearly strong enough to create the pressure needed. If you had an outside source (like a compressor) pressurizing your lungs, I'm even inclined to think your lungs would rupture first. -Drdisque 01:12, 18 October 2005 (UTC)

Enough pressure for long enough can stretch your cheeks, though, like they did Dizzy Gillespie's. — mendel ☎ 20:22, 18 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Physical Features

Why does it look like some people have small faces in relation to thier heads. i.e. Colm Meany

Genetic variation, Haircuts, and lay off Colm Meany. ;-) --Quasipalm 01:11, 18 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] The Solar System

Why are most of the planets on a seemingly "flat" orbit. Why aren't any planets at say at a rotation of 90 degrees from earth for example.

In short: because it was made that way. ;-) Here's a long answer from this link.

The orbits of the planets are coplanar because during the Solar System's formation, the planets formed out of a disk of dust which surrounded the sun. Becuase that disk of dust was a disk, all in a plane, all of the planets formed in a plane as well. Rings and disks are common in astronomy. When a cloud collapses, the conservation of angular momentum causes amplifies the spin of the cloud. As the cloud spins faster and faster, it collapses into a disk, which is the maximal balance between gravitational collapse and centrifugal force created by rapid spin. The result is the coplanar planets, the thin disks of spiral galaxies, and the accretion disks around black holes.

Wikipedia should mention this somewhere, don't ya think? I couldn't find it anywhere -- I wonder where it should be? Maybe solar system?--Quasipalm 01:23, 18 October 2005 (UTC)
Looking again I did find some description of this in solar system
As the nebula collapsed, it decreased in size, which in turn caused it to spin faster to conserve angular momentum. And as the competing forces associated with gravity, gas pressure, and rotation acted on it, the contracting nebula began to flatten into a spinning pancake shape with a bulge at the center. When the nebula further condensed, a protostar was formed in the middle. This system was heated by the friction of the rocks colliding into each other. Lighter elements such as hydrogen and helium were pushed out of the centre and into the edges of the disc, whilst heavier elements such as dust and rocks were concentrated into the centre. These heavier elements clumped together to form planetisimals and protoplanets. In the outer regions of this solar nebula, ice and volatile gases were able to survive, and as a result, the inner planets are rocky and the outer planets were massive enough to attract large amounts of lighter gases, such as hydrogen and helium.
--Quasipalm 01:34, 18 October 2005 (UTC)
This explains why the planets would be in the same plane. But it doesn't explain why they aren't. The planes of the various planets are at a slight angle to each other (well, not so slight in the case of Pluto). One obvious reason for this is collissions later in the process of formation (when the chunks hitting each other had already grown bigger). Any other explanation? DirkvdM 07:03, 18 October 2005 (UTC)
The simplest answer is that the solar system isn't a simple mathematical model. Orbits are not dictated by point masses, the original cloud was not entirely uniform, etc. While some variation could be caused by collisions, it's more likely that variations are simply the result of the actual localized clumping being near, but not in, the exact plane (the original mass certainly wasn't wholly in the plane). — Lomn | Talk / RfC 14:09, 18 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Holidays

What is Nick Day, today October 17

Our article on October 17 makes no mention of such a day in its Holiday and Observances. Do you have more information? Capitalistroadster 01:37, 18 October 2005 (UTC)
Where is it celebrated? Lots of holidays are regional. The only possible mention I see on wikipedia is Bulgarian Name Days ("Saint Nick's Day") but it seems "Saint Nick" is most likley just short for "Saint Nicholas". --Quasipalm 01:39, 18 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] What to do Before Investing...

Can some one list the Important Ratios/Numbers i need to look at before buying a stock of a company

buying stocks is basically gambling, you're just a little less likely to lose it all gambling on the stock market than gambling on dice or cards. When gambling on stocks, i generally look at its long term trendlines on Yahoo Finance and the P/E Ratio (a lower P/E ration generally indicates that a stock's price isn't temporarily inflated). -Drdisque 05:08, 18 October 2005 (UTC)

See books:Investing for an intro -- the page then links to a number of resources. There is no agreement on which metrics you should look at with investing, although there are often some general guidlines. --Quasipalm 12:11, 18 October 2005 (UTC)
Buying a stock is very unpredictable. What you should read very carefully, however, is the prospectus of each company to see where it is headed. However, if you cannot think independently and must use the advice of some numeric values to find out which stocks to buy, you are not thinking like a businessman. You need to look at all the news and activities across the world to get an educated idea of where a company is headed. You must find out the financial history, quarterly reports, any new products or management issues within the company, their activities across the world, and finally make a prediction on more than just numbers. Look at the business sector as well. If the industry is in a slump, find one you think will do well in the nearby future.--Screwball23 16:25, 18 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Hurricanes

A while ago i read an article about ideas on how to rid rid of hurricanes. One idea was to use A nuclear weapon to dissipate it. Could this theoretically dissipate a hurricane?

This has been discussed here before. The general consensus is that Hurricanes are much more powerful (in terms of total energy) than nuclear weapons and that any theoretical weapon strong enough to affect a hurricane would cause far more harm than good. -Drdisque 06:20, 18 October 2005 (UTC)

Even if used far from populated areas (well, I'm talking populated by humans - otherwise there are no unpopulated areas on Earth) because a hurricane would be an ideal means to spread the fallout. But now I wonder. If the fallout of one nuclear bomb would be spread all over the world, would it do any harm? Would the radiation exceed background radiation? DirkvdM 07:08, 18 October 2005 (UTC)
Yes, because radiation accumulates. It wouldn't replace background radiation, it would be in addition to it. Proto t c 15:35, 18 October 2005 (UTC)
There is one company that has a product they are trying to sell. It is a powder that can be released from an aircraft, and absorbs up to a million times it's mass in water, forming large gel drops, which fall into the ocean and dissolve in salt water. It's supposedly nontoxic and inexpensive. So, if a fleet of C-130 transport planes could drop millions of tons of the stuff, they could take trillions of tons of water out of the hurricane and significantly disrupt it, during formation. One problem is that if a given huricane is twarted, it will fail to cool the hot water that spawned it, and another hurricane is sure to spawn in that location in short order. It might be like fighting fires...by putting out the small fires before they can burn off the ground debris you ensure rare, but huge, uncontrollable fires, once the ground clutter accumulates to a point where fires can no longer be controlled. 08:48, 1 November 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Blood

Is it possible to get a complete blood change? If possible can this get rid of the AIDS virus?

[1] Yes, but not without having a reason to do it; [2] no. see [[76]], where this has been recently brought up. - Nunh-huh 04:13, 18 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] What Channel Did Startrek The Next Generation Air on?

What Channel Did Startrek The Next Generation Air on?

In what country? -Drdisque 05:09, 18 October 2005 (UTC)

It depends. The Star Trek franchise belongs to Paramount. Star Trek airs on whatever affiliates are willing to pay Paramount to air the episodes. →Raul654 05:11, 18 October 2005 (UTC)
Well, TNG was on beginning in 1987, long before Paramount had any affiliates, as UPN didn't exist yet. It was a syndicated show, and played on mostly independent stations, but not exclusively. In my hometown, Cincinnati, it played on WXIX Channel 19, which had become a Fox affiliate in 1986. Brian Schlosser42 11:17, 18 October 2005 (UTC)
Sky One and BBC Two in the UK. -- Arwel 11:19, 18 October 2005 (UTC)
What do you mean, "what country"? As if there was any life outside this country. — JIP | Talk 11:21, 18 October 2005 (UTC)
The magic word no one else has yet mentioned is syndication. In the Twin Cities area, if memory serves, TNG aired on KMSP, which was then channel 29. android79 13:23, 18 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] ferrari formula 1 car

where can i find pictures of the 1994 and 1995 ferrari formula 1 cars?

1994 Car - Ferrari 412 T1 1995 Car - Ferrari 412 T2

It's amazing what Google Images can do -Drdisque 06:18, 18 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] To become taller

Is there any possible way to grow taller? Thank you.

  • Yes, eating healthily should help your body grow taller. Be advised though that people stop growing noticeably around 18 years of age, so if you're older you're not likely to grow any more. Why do you want to be taller anyway? - 131.211.51.34 11:16, 18 October 2005 (UTC)
You can have your legs broken, and extended using a painful rack-like contraption that is attached to screws drilled into your bones. The screws are then turned to stretch the rack by around a millimetre a day. This is painful, will make you walk strangely, is only usually used for people with one leg a lot shorter than the other or with birth defects, and only advised if you are really concerned about how short you are. In fact, I wouldn't even advise it then. Just be happy being short. Tom Cruise is short and he bagged Nicole Kidman and Katie Holmes, the lucky motherfunker. Alternately, you could also live in zero gravity, as the reduced pressure on your spine will cause you to grow by about an inch. But then, it will do the same for your space family or whatever, so you'd still be the shortest. Looks like it's the leg-stretching torture rack. Proto t c 13:01, 18 October 2005 (UTC)
A friend of mine told me about a country that has a maximum height for its military service - ie. if you were taller than x height, you got out of military service. Some people who are close to the limit often sleep for a few days before their entrance test - as lying down makes you temporarily taller (by a centimetre or so) as your weight pushes your body down when vertical. -- Chuq 13:32, 19 October 2005 (UTC)
Yes, depending on how much taller you want to be, measuring yourself in the morning will help. Your vertibrae stretch overnight and become compacted by the end of the day. It's not a huge effect, but it is measurable. Stretching yourself by hanging upside down by your feet will do the same thing, gaining you a few millimeters. If you're only worried about looking taller, thick soled shoes will help to an extent, as will wearing clothes that accentuate vertical lines. Standing next to very small people will help! Trollderella 23:04, 4 November 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Boxing Day Tsunami 2004

Hi, i am currently doing a school project and i am having trouble finding the specific answers that i require. Can you please help me with my research? My question to you is, What has been the impact on the local/national/ and international communities? The type of impact i need to know is enviromental issues that it has caused and economic issues. If you could please help me with finding some information it would be much appreciated.

Thank-you, Jacinda Mawby.

It would help if we knew if you have read the article on the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and its associated articles. So have you? Dismas|(talk) 10:45, 18 October 2005 (UTC)
As Dismas says, our article is very detailed and it has references to check for further information. Capitalistroadster 11:12, 18 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] QF 25 pounder Short Mark 1 (australia)

Please, does anyone know when the QF 25 pounder was first manufactured in Australia, and by whom? -- Chris

[edit] TV Police

The TV show 'the professional' featured Bodie and Doyle, but which of these was a policeman before he joined CI5?

Sorry, you need to go to Wikipedia:Reference desk/Pub Quiz. Never mind. Proto t c 13:43, 18 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] General

Which two flags sit on tower bridge?

As far as I'm concerned, I didn't see any flags on Tower Bridge.

[edit] Sport

Which foot ball stadium is the biggest stadium in the world?

Some clarification would help: I'll assume that you want biggest in terms of capacity. However, do you want the world's biggest stadium or just the world's biggest football stadium? If the latter, soccer or American football?
Did you see the word football in the question, Lomn? :p As far as soccer goes, it's the Maracana in terms of people, although they are not seated (it's a big pit full of concrete steps, and it's kinda smelly), and 120,000 was a real crush (it was at a World Cup final). Salt Lake Stadium in India would hold 120,000 if you had 60,000 people with 60,000 children on their shoulders. Also not a seated stadium - it is hard to establish capacity when there aren't individual seats. This is the reason Google has issues when providing an answer - the question is arbitrary. Hampden Park once crammed in 180,000 for an England-Scotland international game. Biggest all-seater soccer stadium would be probably a better answer, and that would be the Stade de France (around 80,000). (The Nou Camp and the Bernabeu hold more, but are not all-seater.) Once the new Wembley Stadium opens in 18 months or so in London, that will be the largest fully-seated soccer stadium in the world, with a capacity of 91,000. Proto t c 15:29, 18 October 2005 (UTC)
Yes, but I also saw "the biggest stadium in the world" in the question and thought it worthwhile to point out that the world's biggest stadium does not, in fact, have anything to do with football. — Lomn | Talk / RfC 15:34, 18 October 2005 (UTC)
That, and football is not just American football, but also association football. -- Ec5618 17:49, 18 October 2005 (UTC)
Telstra Stadium in Sydney holds 83,500 in rectangular field configuration, and 73,000 in oval field configuration -- Chuq 13:29, 19 October 2005 (UTC)
The Telstra Stadium article states that before the post-Olympic reconfiguration that stadium could hold 110,000 people. The largest crowd at that stadium for any code of football was 109,874 for the Bledisloe Cup rugby match between Australia and New Zealand in August. The runnerup is 107,599 for the 1999 National Rugby League grand final between the Melbourne Storm and the St George Illawarra Dragons. Capitalistroadster 06:09, 23 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] cinnamon toast crunch

what year did this come out?

According to Milking That Crazy Cow (A Century of Cereals) here (PDF), 1984.

[edit] deer

Why are deer led to water?

Deer (and other animals) go to water because it's necessary for survival. I'm not sure what you mean by "led" to water, most deer go of their own volition. — Lomn | Talk / RfC 14:51, 18 October 2005 (UTC)
Because they are thirsty. Proto t c 15:33, 18 October 2005 (UTC)

You can lead a deer to water, but you can't make it drink. Jazz1979 11:57, 19 October 2005 (UTC)

You can lead a horse to water but a pencil must be lead (The Laughing Gnome 2005)

[edit] Famous married couples born on the same day

I know of 2 cases where a famous husband and his famous wife were born on the same day:

Does anybody know of any other such cases? JackofOz 14:58, 18 October 2005 (UTC)

The artists Christo and Jeanne-Claude, born on 1935-06-13. kmccoy (talk) 20:20, 18 October 2005 (UTC)
Excellent. Thank you. Keep 'em coming. JackofOz 23:53, 18 October 2005 (UTC)
Another one I've since remembered are the parents of a Korean boy-genius (whose name will come to me) who has the supposedly highest IQ in history. His parents were both born not only on the same day, but also at exactly the same time and in the same city. But they are only "celebrities" via their son, not in their own right. JackofOz 23:53, 18 October 2005 (UTC)
Did you mean Sho Yano, a genius boy of Japanese American and Korean American parents? -- Toytoy 00:58, 19 October 2005 (UTC)
No, this boy was born in the '70s from memory. I read about him in Guinness Book of World Records back in the mid-late '80s, before Sho Yano was born. I know where the info is, I just can't get to it right now. Cheers JackofOz 01:05, 19 October 2005 (UTC)
Kim Ung-Yong, b. 7 March 1963, is a Korean prodigy, described by the Guinness Book of Records (? 1985) as "the most brilliant person alive today"; his parents were both born on 23 May 1934, at 11 am; he had a full set of teeth at 3 months, talked at 5 months, wrote at 7 months; he was fluent in Korean, Japanese, English and German at 4 years; he solved intricate calculus problems on Korean TV before his 5th birthday; at age 16 (1979), he went to West Germany to study physics and medical science. Some info I collected from unrecorded sources, but some is at [77]. I wonder what became of him. Maybe he deserves his own Wikipedia article. JackofOz 14:20, 20 October 2005 (UTC)

Catherine Zeta-Jones and Michael Douglas were both born on September 25, but Michael's 25 years older. :) User:Zoe|(talk) 21:50, 23 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Help please

hi please can any one give me any information on geoff upex the designer of the range stormer. thanx

Go here. Select "Geoff Upex" under Quick Bios on the left side of the page. (Sorry, no direct URL available.) --Quasipalm 18:32, 18 October 2005 (UTC)
Probably too late, but the direct url is [78]. Just took a little jaunt into the source. Superm401 | Talk 03:34, 19 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] What age follows the Neolithic stone age?

What age follows the Neolithic stone age?

See List of archaeological periods Though I'll agree that list should be more clearly marked. -- Ec5618 16:38, 18 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Fictional Georgia Cities

Do you know any fictional cities in the State of Georgia?

Any city can be fictional. There's a fictional Atlanta 5 miles east of Savannah, Georgia, for instance. That said, let's stop with the fictional cities questions; there's nothing productive to say unless you're asking about a specific notable fictional location like Tara. — Lomn | Talk / RfC 17:27, 18 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Firearms in United States

where can I find a article about it with percentage of households with firearms for example? thanks.--201.8.154.17 17:58, 18 October 2005 (UTC)

If you trust the NRA (if you don't, they may shoot you) I found this metric here:
All Firearms: 200-240 million guns owned by 60-65 million Americans as of 1997.
That's about 1 in 5 people -- a number which is likley inflated due to the NRA's POV about gun ownership. Wikipedia has List of United States firearms topics which has lots of further information. --Quasipalm 18:20, 18 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Debt Forgiveness

Dear Sir or Madam,

Do you know of any URLs that specifically list the amount of America's debt forgiveness to other nations?

I've looked and looked, and can't find any specifics.

Please answer by EMAIL if possible!!!

BTW, your website is fantastic!!!

Thanks so much! Guy Adams -email removed-

Hi, Guy. Are you talking about the International Monetary Fund's new policy that may write-off debt to some of the world's poorest countries? To find the amount of that write-off that came from the US specifically would probably be pretty difficult since the IMF has many contributors. --Quasipalm 18:51, 18 October 2005 (UTC)
However, other than debt forgiveness, the U.S provides a substantial amount of foreign aid. Notably, the largest aid recipient also probably has the highest standard of living in the Middle East. Superm401 | Talk 04:51, 19 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] 2005 World Series tickets

How many Chicago White Sox World Series tickets are actually being sold to the general public? — (Unsigned comment by 216.52.142.10.)

[edit] The name of a certain peanut butter snack-food?

There is a snack that has a fake, hollow, edible "shell" and it is filled with sweetened peanut butter. I have had these in the past, but I don't know what they are called. The shell is shaped like a peanut shell, and they are bite-sized. I would very much appreciate if someone could tell me the name of it. (It could possibly be made in different types, or by different companies. I have no idea. Also note that I'm not talking about the Nutter Butter cookies which are peanut-shaped/flavored oreos. ) --Demonesque 19:11, 18 October 2005 (UTC)

Yes, I remember sweet peanuts. Shantavira 19:21, 19 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] The difference between a psychiatrist and a psychologist

What is the difference between a psychiatrist and a psychologist?

See the respective articles. A phychiatrist works to help individuals with their phychiatric problems, while a psychologist strives to understand the (human) animal, academically. -- Ec5618 20:31, 18 October 2005 (UTC)
Yeah, but... the main differences between a clinical psychiatrist and a clinical psychologist, which is probably what is being asked about are:
A psychiatrist is a physician, usually with an M.D. degree. A psychiatrist is usually involved in the treatment of psychiatric illnesses, such as schizophrenia, major depression, and bipolar disorder, through administration of drugs, as well as other modalities.
A clinical psychologist can have any of a number of degrees (e.g. PsyD, Masters of Clinical Psychiatry, PhD). A clinical psychologist is usually involved in the treatment of mental or emotional disturbances and adjusting to life events, often through psychotherapy or behavioral techniques.
In the best circumstances, both will be available to cooperate in treatment. - Nunh-huh 20:56, 18 October 2005 (UTC)

Edit conflict: short answer is an MD and prescribing privileges vs a PhD and talking privileges.

[edit] Children's book about ghosts

OK, so am I crazy, or is there really a book called 'Ghosts Go To School' or something like that, in which two ghosts with the last name of Temple go to school? I think there's a goldfish and a carrot and a play about the origins of the town somehow involved. The book is old-ish, because (I think) it was in a collection of antuque children's books.

And I apologize if my description makes no sense. DuctapeDaredevil 20:23, 18 October 2005 (UTC)

Little Vampire Goes to School is about a little vampire that wants to go to school like regular kids do in the daytime. It seems he has a ghost friend with him. A long shot -- but it might be what you're looking for. It's based on an older french children's book. --Quasipalm 20:46, 18 October 2005 (UTC)
That isn't what I was thinking of. This was maybe 6th grade level, and chaptered. But thanks anyway. DuctapeDaredevil 04:00, 3 November 2005 (UTC)

[edit] the smallest cities

1.what is the smallest city in the world.2. what is the smallest city in the united states.

That depends entirely on how you define a city. There are hundreds of ghost towns in the United States alone. Alternately, city size could be measured in area, but again, you must distinguish boundaries on cities versus other places of habitation. — Lomn | Talk / RfC 20:45, 18 October 2005 (UTC)

The smallest city in the world is the vatican city I believe. --Ballchef 12:47, 19 October 2005 (UTC)

That's the world's smallest widely-recognized country, which has nothing to do with its qualification as a city. — Lomn | Talk / RfC 13:31, 19 October 2005 (UTC)
But the Vatican is also considered a city.--Aytakin 20:51, 19 October 2005 (UTC)
I know Durbuy, Belgium claims to be the smaller city in the world. Actually the problem is about the word city who is ambiguous. Some say a town with a fortification is a city. Following this text, Durbuy would have been lifted to the rank of city following an edict by John The Blind. I think it is said smaller in terms of inhabitants but it's not written anywhere. It might just be a trick for tourists. Julien Tuerlinckx 11:21, 20 October 2005 (UTC)
Vatican is a city, yes. No one disputes that. What makes it the smallest city in the world? What's the standard for something being a city rather than a town? The above illustrates the problem. Worldwide, no objective standard exists (note that, however, England has official City designations, as do other locales) and so any answer will be arbitrary. — Lomn | Talk / RfC 13:22, 20 October 2005 (UTC)

Part of the problem is that American usage of the term "city" is different from usage in other English-speaking countries. I was surprised to visit Atqasuk, Alaska (pop 200, in 1996) and learn that it was officially the "City of Atqasuk" (although there was a plaque in the mayor's office from President Clinto to the "Village of Atqasuk"

This problem was already stated above: each country may have its own meaning for the word 'city'. So a related question would be: which "cities" claim to be the smallest in the world. I have answered this question partially in citing Durbuy. Any other answers? Julien Tuerlinckx 17:01, 22 October 2005 (UTC)

According to http://www.worldisround.com/articles/10228/, Durbuy has now merged with several other municipalities and can no longer make that claim. According to http://www.adriatica.net/guide/croatia/feature/beautiful_destinations_en.htm, The Guinness Book of World Records accords the honor to Hum, Croatia. See Hum (disambiguation). User:Zoe|(talk) 21:59, 23 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] mountains

what is the highest mountain in the world.

Famously it is Mount Everest. --Sum0 21:48, 18 October 2005 (UTC)
If you measure from sea level. If you measure from the base, there's a higher one underwater somewhere(I forget where) Superm401 | Talk 04:56, 19 October 2005 (UTC)
That would be the Hawaii's Mauna Kea
That's not quite under water is it? The deepest trough is somewhere near Japan, so the highest mountain would therefore be next to that, or is my reasoning flawed here? DirkvdM 11:56, 24 October 2005 (UTC)
If you measure from the centre of the earth, isn't it one of the Andes (geodesics and all that...)? Ojw 18:54, 19 October 2005 (UTC)
Our Mountain article states it is Chimborazo (volcano)Chimborazo in Ecuador if measured from the city of the earth because the earth bulges at the equator and that mountain is very close to the equator. Capitalistroadster 06:18, 23 October 2005 (UTC)
The largest known mointain is Olympus Mons on the planet Mars, "the world" isn't just the 3rd rock from the sun you know:) —Ævar Arnfjörð Bjarmason 15:18, 29 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] inflation

what is inflation and how can it be prevented

Please remember to search before asking questions, our article on inflation addresses this. — Lomn | Talk / RfC 21:57, 18 October 2005 (UTC)

Inflation can generally be prevented by avoiding compressors and bicycle pumps. -Drdisque 05:48, 19 October 2005 (UTC)

To avoid this, please use the cosmological constant — Sverdrup 23:59, 2 November 2005 (UTC)

[edit] batrachomyomachia

i am looking for a copy of batrachomyomachia i`ve tried amazon.com and google can you help me.

Amazon lists four used copies of Daryl Hine's translation of THE HOMERIC HYMNS AND THE BATTLE OF THE FROGS AND MEN. You could also look at [[79]]; they seem to have a few copies. If you're looking for it in Greek, I can't help you. - Nunh-huh 23:28, 18 October 2005 (UTC)

The work is included in the Loeb Classical Library series (Greek and English on opposite pages) in the volume entitled Hesiod, the Homeric Hymns and Homerica. First published 1914, but books in this series shuld be fairly easy to come by. By the way of course it's the Battle of the Frogs and Mice. --rossb 18:07, 20 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] October 19

[edit] Flammable cans

If you light the spray from an Arosol can, will the flame only go in the direction of the spray or will it also follow the spray back to the can?

It cannot go into the can as there is no oxygen there to burn. but the flame may go all the way to the nozzle if its hot enough, usually only the area downstream of the ignition source will burn though. -Drdisque 04:14, 19 October 2005 (UTC)

Whether the flame only goes downstream or also upstream is a function of the flammability of the fuel used. The flame can't get into an aeresol can, but if you decide to move onto, say, pouring flammable liquid onto fires, do you homework. The flame can move up the stream of certain fuels and into the can, which will explode in your hand. Not a pretty picture. This won't happen with lighter fluid, but can with gasoline and other fuels. — Laura Scudder | Talk 16:13, 19 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Underwear

Why are women's underwear called panties?

I've always been told that it's because they are small pants. The "-ies" suffix indicating a diminutive size when compared with full length pants. Dismas|(talk) 03:50, 19 October 2005 (UTC)
Of course, to go back a step further, pants come from pantaloon. Trollderella 18:57, 25 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] morphine and hydrocodone

When taking a drug test, I know that both morphine and hydrocodone show up as an opiat. Is it possible if you take a large amout of hydrocodone or any other opiates, that on a drug test, it could possibly show up as morphine. Do they have any of the same chemical makeup? I know somebody this happened to. He had a prescription for lortabs and suboxin, which both are opiates. On the drug test, he showd up as having morphine in his system , and because of this he might possibly do 3 years in jail.

The chemical makeup is different. Your friend is not facing 3 years in jail because he had morphine in his urine test; it is because of other illegal things he did. alteripse 05:05, 19 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Sport

how many times have brazil played in the final of the world cup football tournament?

Please see Football World Cup. -- Rick Block (talk) 12:49, 19 October 2005 (UTC)
They have been in the finals 7 times, a record for the most number of appearences in the World Cup Finals.

--Aytakin 20:49, 19 October 2005 (UTC)

So, we won 5 in 7? Hah! Take THAT! ☢ Ҡieff | Talk 10:49, 20 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] natural disasters--Not!

What countries are relatively free of natural disasters, if any? asked by Honeysipper

This isn't exactly what you're looking for, but Slate recently had an article (albeit a pretty non-scientific one) about which states in the US were safest from a natural disasters point of view. It's here. They chose Connecticut. --Quasipalm 12:09, 19 October 2005 (UTC)
Brazil seems relatively safe to me. ☢ Ҡieff | Talk 12:59, 19 October 2005 (UTC)
Unless you count the annual flooding of the Amazon and tributaries. StuRat 08:53, 1 November 2005 (UTC)
The United Kingdom and indeed much of Western Europe is very safe; it is well away from faultlines, volcanoes, hurricane hotspots, tornadoes. The worst we get is minor flooding and occasional heatwaves. smurrayinchester(User), (Talk) 14:00, 19 October 2005 (UTC)
...and violent extratropical storms. --Diderot 14:04, 19 October 2005 (UTC)
And if you live on a hill, you don't even have to worry about flooding! I think there's been one violent storm in the UK in the past 15 years. And that was Michael Fish's fault. Proto t c 14:43, 19 October 2005 (UTC)
However, global warming could be disastrous for Europe if the Gulf Stream is affected. I can't imagine visiting London ever again if it was as cold as Northern Canada. Brrrr.... ref --Quasipalm 14:50, 19 October 2005 (UTC)
I don't think the UK would qualify, considering the time and expense that went into the Thames Barrier, flooding is obviously a major risk to life and property.--Commander Keane 17:34, 19 October 2005 (UTC)
  • Western Europe will be safe from major flooding for some time to come. But eventually global warming will cause a lot of it to be flooded. If you get too far east you'll suffer earthquakes and in the Alps you'll have avalanches. In Africa you have draught. I guess it all depends on what you mean by relatively free of disasters. I don't think any country is completely free of disasters. - Mgm|(talk) 21:25, 19 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Charles Tazewell

Did Charles Tazewell ever live in Chesterfield, NH? He wrote The Littlest Angel and The Littlest Christmas Tree.

Yes. According to "New hampshire Authors" [80], "Tazewell, Charles (1912-1972); born in Des Moines, IA; lived in Chesterfield, NH; author of children's books "

[edit] Loyalty Program

How to develop a loyalty program in express courier industry depending on mathematical analytics and business models?

Step 1: Don't use any analytics or business models you don't understand. --Quasipalm 16:41, 19 October 2005 (UTC)

Figure out how much you can afford to spend on such a program and what benefit it will have (by polling customers). The simplest form would be to offer discounts for repeat customers. Giving out merchandise such as pens, coffee cups, baseball caps, jakets, etc., with your name on it, will also serve an advertising purpose. Contests to give away prizes also are a possibility. StuRat 02:43, 22 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Criminal money seized in police raids

Let's say a SWAT team busts up a crack warehouse, arrests everyone there and finds several grand in drug money. (And let's assume the SWAT team is ethical and not selfish). What happens to the money? Does it get absorbed into police funding, or given to charity, or what?

1) it depends on who takes the money (DEA, local police, FBI, etc.). It also depends on why they take the money -- is it evidence in a crime? But from what I can tell, it generally becomes the property of the confiscating agency if it is not returned. Read more: [81] [82] (Note: POV material) --Quasipalm 15:03, 19 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Soccer

Who is the all time top goal scorer of the European champions league?

Raúl González. Proto t c 14:50, 19 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Dogs

Why don't most dogs like it when you pet the area from the Nose to their eyes...Their "Snout"?

It could be that you are accidently brushing the dog's whiskers. My dog quite likes being stroked on the muzzle. smurrayinchester(User), (Talk)
My dog definitely puts up with being stroked on the muzzle, but he distinctly dislikes stroking the extra-sensitive whiskers. I would think that dogs would be less happy with strangers petting their snout, though, since it's close to the eyes and takes some trust. Makes sense seeing as how most people don't like strangers petting their nose either. — Laura Scudder | Talk 16:02, 19 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Unfortunate French Flying Man

What's the name of an (supposedly) frenchman who jumped from eiffel tower in the 1910s with the aim of flying off using a bat wing-like coat but was smashed to the ground while a crowd was watching? now and then i see footage of his death in docs about early aviation history but i never get his name. Thanks. --201.8.203.183 17:30, 19 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Blog term "ETA"

I see the term "ETA" in website blogs - what does it stand for? (not "estimated time of arrival")

  • "Edited to add", perhaps? --Bob Mellish 18:04, 19 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] October 20

[edit] *SOIL

hey...it's ♥hot f.l.i.p. again.....i finally found a, what i think, is a good project...it has something to do about soil. it's "what effects does air pollution like car exauhst have on soil...i have to get 3 soils from different kinds of location (i'll probably get one infront of my house, downtown chicago, and in major highways) but i don't think stores like home depot sells pure soil(they always put crap/fertilizer on them)...so i just wanted to ask what "things" does pure soil contain of (like nutrients and those other hard to pronounce science words...) by ♥Hot F.L.I.P.

What an interesting topic, much better than studying cows anyhow. I've just had a quick flick through some journal articles about this topic. One was investigating Cd, Cu, Cr, Ni, Pb and Zn from vehicles (so I'd guess these heavy metals don't usually occur in the soil too much). There seems to be lots of articles about lead from car exhaust, but maybe this is not so important these days with unleaded petrol (or gas, if you are from that part of the world). Some studies also look at exhaust on vegetation, which might be something to consider because leaves from trees probably don't get as contaminated from other things as soil on the ground does, like this problem for example.--Commander Keane 02:35, 20 October 2005 (UTC)

well that's true.....we kind of debated more on bar coding cows than my actual question...but anyways, i know this project isn't all complicated and all that, but whatever...So do you think my variables are okay...i was actaully thinking of buyiing pure soil (where nothing is added; like fertilizers or any other crap...) for my control, but as i stated before, i don't know/think any stores that sell them. So that's why i want to know exactly/ what nutrients soil has or what 5 nutrients soil mostly contains of... ♥Hot F.L.I.P.

There is not any definition of 'Pure' soil. The soil you find in an oak forest, while it may be completely pure, could be very different to that found in heathland or meadow. Since soil is made of decomposed plant matter and small stones, the quality of pure soil will vary from place to place. However, if there is a large forest or similar near you and away from roads, soil from the centre of that would be quite pure. smurrayinchester(User), (Talk) 11:40, 23 October 2005 (UTC)
I agree that there is no such thing as pure soil, since soil is made of up of various indgredients and every sample is different. A clean soil from Perth (where I live) will be different from a clean soil from Chicago. However, soil in the wilderness will not be contaminated by car exhaust - so I guess that would be a good control. Soil from a bag/nursery might not be a good control, since the bobcat that picks up the soil will produce exhaust. I have no idea how you are going to test this stuff, but I saw one experiment where they took samples 1 ft, 5t, 20 ft and 50 ft from the side of a highway and tested them - you might consider that. I'm worried about how you are going to test the soil and what for - had any ideas about that yet? What's this for, out of interest?--Commander Keane 04:46, 25 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Information Filterer?

I am looking for info on a person who performs a key role in world war II. He sits at the entrance of the tent and decide whether the information coming to the tent is irrelevant, junk or useful information.

I am interested in this story as he is performing the role of a filter of information in today's computers. It is a key role.

Wonder if anybody can provide more information about such a role, the name of this role etc.

Jimmy Khoo

A censor? —Wayward Talk 03:02, 20 October 2005 (UTC)
I don't think it's a censor; that'd be outbound information filtered on military value. What you're describing just sounds like an aide or secretary (a term I doubt soldiers like applied to themselves), nothing fancy or specific to armies or World War II. I'm quite certain that the Joint Chiefs don't use SpamAssassin to decide whether or not the latest intelligence from Iraq is relevant. — Lomn | Talk / RfC 13:31, 20 October 2005 (UTC)
The term "aide-de-camp" may be what you want. Shimgray | talk | 16:40, 25 October 2005 (UTC)
  • "Liaison" was often a term used for people who served roles like this in bureaucratic aspects of World War II. I don't know if the term was used on the battlefield, though. --Fastfission 16:59, 20 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] History dates of flooding in New Orleans for the last 100 years

I am looking for dates to make a graph on how many times and the dates given, that New Orleans has flooded in the last 100 years.

  • This article in Risk & Insurance from 2000 should help you out and is very prescient see [83].

Capitalistroadster 06:28, 23 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Little River

Is there a River in Morgan Co. GA named Little River

Yes, according to these samples from websites obtained by searching google for: "little river" "morgan county" georgia
  • "Little River travels south from just inside the southwestern border of Morgan County down to the town of Milledgeville in Baldwin County." [84]
  • "What was probably the earliest cotton mill in Georgia, Whatley's or Antioch Mill, was established on the Little River in neighboring Morgan County sometime around 1810." [85] Thryduulf 12:26, 20 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Organize the folloing dilemmas in chronicological order

A student asked me if I know how to put these 5 items into chronological order and I do not know which comes first. The items are:

  1. Identity vs. role diffusion
  2. Trust vs. mistrust
  3. Initiative vs. guilt
  4. Auntonomy vs. shame and doubt
  5. Industry vs. autonomy

If you can figure this out please e-mail me the answer so I can tell Johnny how to do it. He is an 8th grade student and I am just a school bus driver. He likes psychology and asks questions just for the fun of stumping people.

signed --04:49, 20 October 2005 (UTC) Jean

No one could really "figure it out", because it's sort of an artificial order - you really have to either have been taught it or look it up. These are the stages of child (or really human) development laid out by psychologist Erik Erikson. Basically, it's b,d,c,e,a:
ages 0-1: trust vs. mistrust
ages 2-3: autonomy vs. shame and doubt
ages 3-6: initiative vs. guilt
ages 7-12: industry vs. autonomy
ages 12-18: identity vs. role diffusion
More info at [86]. - Nunh-huh 06:12, 20 October 2005 (UTC)


[edit] UN Earpieces

In television footage of United Nations proceedings, the delegates can often be seen with gigantic white devices clipped to one side of their head. If these are earpieces for translation feeds, why do they need to be so big; and if not, what are they? --Harriseldon 09:39, 20 October 2005 (UTC)

  • I think there's a big knob or something on them so that one can tune in to any one of the feeds of the six simultaneous translations.--Pharos 11:04, 20 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Largest international event

What's the largest periodic, pacific and apolitical international event there is and was? By largest I mean in amount of attention from both media and public (through media, and by participating). I'd bet on Football World Cup, but I was wondering if there's some non-sport thing above this. ☢ Ҡieff | Talk 10:57, 20 October 2005 (UTC)

  • Surely the Hajj is much bigger than any sporting event.--Pharos 11:23, 20 October 2005 (UTC)
  • As far as international media attention, Pope John Paul II's funeral has to be near the top. —Wayward Talk 11:27, 20 October 2005 (UTC)
    • But these are not international (it doesn't involve the participation of several countries, officially). Also, they don't broadcast the Hajj worldwide in most countries (they could, but probably on specific ethnical networks, not "mainstream media"), and it surely doesn't get that much attention from most people. So no, Hajj won't fit. About the Pope funeral, it was't quite what I wanted. What I meant was periodic event. ☢ Ҡieff | Talk 11:33, 20 October 2005 (UTC)
  • My money would be on the summer olympics for a sporting event. Other than sporting events and religeous pilgrimages I cannot think of a major worldwide a-political event. The closest thing that comes to mind in Europe is the Eurovision Song Contest, although officially a-political, whether this is actually the case is a lot more complicated :) For a political event, I think you would be hard pressed to top the US Presidential election, certainly for worldwide media attention. Thryduulf 12:16, 20 October 2005 (UTC)
    • Yeah, the summer olympics has to be it. I'm sure the pope dying is a big deal in western countries, but 2/5ths of the world's population in China and India probably didn't really care. The football world cup's popularity varies more from region to region. --Quasipalm 13:37, 20 October 2005 (UTC)
  • It would help to answer this question if we started a List of large events for all events drawing, say, over 100,000 people together in one place. There was a million-person festival in Switzerland this past August, I believe... I wonder how many such events there have been. What's up with this 'official participation'? what do you mean by official? Sporting competition has traditionally been the preferred way for nations to get together... +sj + 04:10, 2 November 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Anti-virus software

What is the best anti-virus software in the world? if there's actually such thing as "the best"

Whether there is such a thing as "the best" depends on what criteria you are using to measure anti-virus software by. For example, do you mean the best at identifying a virus? the best at healing a virus? the best at preventing viruses in the first place? The best at explaining what to do? The best (by any of these criteria) paid-for? the best free? the best in a networked environment? the best that offers a company-wide solution? In terms of the detection/prevention/healing of viruses, "the best" product probably varies on a day-to-day basis.
If you are looking for a practical recommendation for which anti-virus software to use on a personal Windows machine, then I cannot praise AVG highly enough (it comes in paid-for and free versions. The latter is perfectly adequate for most people). It is available for download from http://www.grisoft.com. Other users may offer different recommendations though as people often stick with their personal favourite. Thryduulf 12:10, 20 October 2005 (UTC)
NOD32 is very good. Steer clear of Norton AntiVirus q.v. Shantavira 15:20, 20 October 2005 (UTC)
Hey, I have Norton (for another 10 months)! Anyway, I used to have Panda Titanium Antivirus. -- Thorpe talk 20:27, 20 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Red Cross

Are medical practitioners allowed to use the Red Cross emblem on their vehivles or in their clinic/dispensary/hospital? -- —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 202.177.234.100 (talk • contribs).

Please remember to search first. See Red Cross (symbol). -- Ec5618 13:28, 20 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Esther Rantzen's That's Life' TV programme. UK from 1973.

(No question).

What would you like to know? Interested in That's Life! (television) or Esther Rantzen? smurrayinchester(User), (Talk) 16:41, 20 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Leonard Knight

Dose Leonard Knights the artist how builed Salvation Mountain have an Email address. because I would like to ask him a few questins about his piece. Thanks you, Bridget McKeever

Here's his mailing address (from 1998) [87]
Leonard Knight
P. O. Box 298
Niland, CA 92257
--Quasipalm 18:13, 20 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Biografy

Hi, I would like to know. Who were Elijah tisbite the profeth` parents?

Our article on Elijah has excellent references (did you search first?). The Catholic Encyclopedia entry cited notes that nothing is known about his origins beyond his hometown of Tishbe. The Jewish Encyclopedia entry cited contains much the same.

[edit] Hippo

Is the book publisher Scholastic Hippo in the UK the same as Scholastic Press in the US? The article doesn't mention Hippo, and a google search for Scholastic Hippo turns up little useful. smurrayinchester(User), (Talk) 19:44, 20 October 2005 (UTC)

Yes. Scholastic Hippo is the label on some - but not all - editions of Scholastic's big money-maker "The Babysitters Club". --Diderot 20:04, 20 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] English Words

Why are there so many english words that mean the same thing? Also, why are so many words odd and not used very often?

English language#Vocabulary might answer your questions. —Charles P. (Mirv) 20:19, 20 October 2005 (UTC)
I would say it's a result of so many cultures interacting with the English language. Many words, coming from many cultures, meaning the same thing, are thus inevitable. Eventually some of the redundant words are sure to fall into disuse and then become archaic. A relativley isolated culture would be less likely to have so many synonyms. StuRat 02:23, 22 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Kwyjibo

On your Simpson's made up words page, you have the Kwyjibo with alternate definitions/usages. I would just like to add one more usage of the word onto the page. Kwyjibo is also a rock-jazz band from Bloomington, Indiana. They are amazing, and I feel they deserve to be on the page.

The great thing about Wikipedia is that anyone can edit! Check out the "edit this page" link near the top. That said, we do have guidelines for the inclusion of content; WP:MUSIC is relevant in this case. Please weigh your idea against these guidelines before submission. Thanks! — Lomn | Talk / RfC 20:39, 20 October 2005 (UTC)
You might also want to create an account - Akamad 08:29, 21 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Video games going "gold"

What happens when a game goes "gold" even though it is not released (like The Movies recently did)? -- Thorpe talk 20:25, 20 October 2005 (UTC)

Going gold refers to the freezing of code and other game content in preparation for release (the game is finalized, though work on patches may continue). At this point the developer and publisher may still need to deal with marketing and production issues or may just wait for a better time to launch (such as the holiday season). See game development for more on various milestones. — Lomn | Talk / RfC 20:41, 20 October 2005 (UTC)
I just realized you're probably not asking about what "going gold" means. A game that reaches gold status without being released is probably shelved indefinitely; either as a result of some production or (more likely) marketing / public relations concern. — Lomn | Talk / RfC 20:44, 20 October 2005 (UTC)
Further, the term refers to the software being transported to manufacturers on a gold CD. See Release_to_manufacturing for more on this. --Demonesque 20:57, 20 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] 1910 Baseball World Series

A friend of mine has quizzed me on an "all time first" in baseball that happened at the 1910 World Series. Would you know what that would be?

It was the first time the Oakland_Athletics won a championship, according to 1910_World_Series. I don't know if that answers your question. I'm afraid I don't know much about baseball. --Demonesque 21:04, 20 October 2005 (UTC)
Note that in 1910, the team now known as the Oakland Athletics was still the Philadelphia Athletics. They didn't move to Oakland until 1968, after having moved to Kansas City in 1955. --Metropolitan90 04:59, 21 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] non-alcoholic brews

Would non-alcholic beers be safe for a recovering alcholic?

They do include trace amounts of alcohol and if he is on medication that reacts with alcohol it may make him sick. It also depends on the things he associates with drinking. If the taste or smell of beer reminds of him drinking, it may cause him to regress into his old habits. -Drdisque 21:18, 20 October 2005 (UTC)

Also, many recovering alcoholics will avoid some mouthwashes because some of them contain alcohol. Dismas|(talk) 01:10, 21 October 2005 (UTC)


[edit] the worlds largest city

what is the largest city in the world.

Tokyo is, in terms of population, the largest city in the world. --Demonesque 21:14, 20 October 2005 (UTC)

It somewhat depends on how you measure it. The population of Tokyo is around 35 million people, compared with 17,809,471 for Greater Mexico City and about 18 million people in the São Paulo metropolitan area (up to 24 million depending on how it is defined):

http://encarta.msn.com/media_701500507/The_World's_Largest_Cities.html

StuRat 01:55, 22 October 2005 (UTC)

There's a mining town in Australia that claims to be the biggest in the world in surface area. But the number of inhabitants is nowhere near impressive. I forgot the name of the place, though.DirkvdM 12:29, 24 October 2005 (UTC)
Got it! It's Mount Isa, Queensland. Only 20 000 inhabitants, but 200 x 200 km ! DirkvdM 12:33, 24 October 2005 (UTC)

Or, by the population of the city itself, rather than the metropolitan area, the answer is Mexico City. Yeltensic42.618 04:28, 27 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] October 21

[edit] adventure

have any movies been made of the cherry ames books or the dana girls mystery books.

[edit] harvard harvard harvard

does john harvard the man who harvard university is named for have any discendants.

Our article on John Harvard says he didn't have any children. Although he was one of 9 children so his brothers and sisters probably had children. Dismas|(talk) 01:05, 21 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] mines

is a salt mine just as dangerous as a coal mine.

Intrinsically, I would think a coal mine is likely to be more dangerous, as the material being mined is flammable, and contains pockets of carbon monoxide, neither of which applies to salt. However, it would depend a great deal on the safety standards employed; I suspect a contemporary coal mine in the USA is safer than a Siberian salt mine back in the days of Stalin... --Robert Merkel 01:15, 21 October 2005 (UTC)

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics says:

Coal mining -- 5.7 injuries per year per 100 workers

"Other nonmetallic mineral mining and quarrying" (includes salt mines) -- 3.7 injuries per year per 100 workers

The most-dangerous industry category? Bottled-water manufacturing -- 16.7. The safest? Investment banking and securities dealing -- 0.2.

Mwalcoff 01:49, 21 October 2005 (UTC)

What, I wonder, is intrinsically dangerous about manufacturing bottled water? Garrett Albright 15:18, 21 October 2005 (UTC)
Aiming the firehose? android79 17:26, 21 October 2005 (UTC)
Possibly the napthalene used in the manufacture of the bottles? Or, a lot of water + electrical machinery = dangerous. Proto t c 14:31, 25 October 2005 (UTC)

I agree that coal mines are intrinsically more dangerous, due to coal dust causing black lung disease as well as the other factors mentioned. One danger of salt mines is that they are often shallow and near bodies of water (having been deposited there by the body of water), and are thus susceptible to flooding. However, the statisitcs show they are still safer than coal mines. StuRat 01:32, 22 October 2005 (UTC)

Salt mines only go down to something like 3,500 feet (I may have the distance wrong) as below this level the effect of the pressure is to make the salt more fluid so they can cave in/close in easily. Coalmines (deep rather than opencast) on the other hand go a lot deeper so there is more likelyhood of a cave in & less chance of saving people if one does happen. AllanHainey 09:56, 24 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] U.N. Security Council

What is the purpose of the people in the center of the circle at the U.N. Security Council.

I assume they are sort of record keepers, doing things like counting votes and what not. Perhaps also writing the transcripts of the speeches and conversations. But this is pure speculation on my behalf :-) Akamad 01:00, 23 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Largest international events

As a follow on from the question further up the page, what are the largest international scheduled events both in terms of participation and worldwide media interest? The Football world cup is apparently the largest sporting event. In terms of political events I'd say the United States presidential election is the biggest in terms of media interest, but the Indian parliamentary elections are probably the biggest participatory political event. Is the biggest religeous event the Hajj? I can't think of a non-political, non-sporting and non-religeous event bigger than the Eurovision Song Contest but there must be something bigger? Particularly with a larger participation if you don't count the phone-voting as participating in it? Thryduulf 10:12, 21 October 2005 (UTC)

I would be tempted to go with World War II, though some might call that a political event. Meelar (talk) 21:43, 22 October 2005 (UTC)
The Hajj involves 3 or 4 million people every year, but I've seen figures of up to 70 million quoted as participating in the Kumbh Mela, which takes place on the Ganges 4 times every 12 years. -- Arwel 11:59, 23 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] marine surveying

What does the profession of "marine Surveying" entail? Is sit a world wide known profession or area bound to South Africa?

From MarineSurveyor.com

Basically, it is a detailed inspection of a boat, hopefully done by a qualified, diligent, intelligent and honest surveyor, for the purpose of determining its current condition and seaworthiness. In particular, to determine if the vessel is safe to use in conditions for which it was designed, and what maintenance and repairs are required, or are likely to be required in the near future.

--Quasipalm 14:15, 21 October 2005 (UTC)
Seems notable enough, Marine surveyor stub created. --Quasipalm 14:19, 21 October 2005 (UTC)
I was thinking of ocean/sea/lake cartography (mapmaking). Does it ever have that meaning ? StuRat 01:25, 22 October 2005 (UTC)
I'm sure there are cartographers that focus only on water areas. Perhaps they are called marine cartographers, as "surveying" is vauge and could mean a number of different things. Here in the US, I think the position you're talking about would be called an oceanographer. --Quasipalm 15:14, 25 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Byelaws in the UK

Other than local councils etc, who can make byelaws? For example, water boards, energy companies? Who? But only in the United Kingdom, please.--TheDoctor10 (talk|email) 16:30, 21 October 2005 (UTC)

  • According to our article, "In modern days, a bylaw is a rule governing the internal management of an organization, such as a business corporation. Bylaws cannot countermand governmental law." Therfore, any organisation can create its own bylaws. Wikimedia UK has its own bylaws for example see [88].Capitalistroadster 06:51, 23 October 2005 (UTC)

No,I know what he means, but not the answer. He means, that in the UK, councils can create byelaws about little things like dog-mess and rubbish disposal. Also, some organisations such as British Rail can. Who are the other organisations?

I think bylaws do have to be approved by Parliament. The General Synod of the Church of England is unique in having had powers delegated by Parliament so that it can pass Measures concerning the Church's governance which become part of English law. -- Arwel 12:08, 23 October 2005 (UTC)
They don't have to be approved by Parliament, only by the appropriate Secretary of State (although Parliament does have the power to overturn that approval.) I can't find a list anywhere of organisations which can make byelaws, but what I can say is that organisations which can make byelaws because an act of parliament says they can. -- AJR | Talk 14:31, 23 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] a statement of fact

Hi, I am 48 years old and been a smoker since 1978.After I was diognosed as diabetic (I was also over weight)in 2003, I embarked on a exercise programme (Jogging).Within 4 months, I shed the extra body weight and got in shape. Within 6 months I was completely off my medication for Diabetics and Cholestrol. These are medical facts and cannot be disputed. I have continued running (jogging) eversince and would like to admit I have been continuing smoking. I have reached a stage now that I am able to run 12 to 15 kilometres every day and I look fit. I am convinced that smoking moderately does not cause any more harm than drinking a litre of Full cream milk. I would like you to guide me how to go about telling my side of story about smoking . I strongly feel the governments and Media demonise smoking and in my opinion,highly exagerated. My e-mail id (rem) . Please contact me regards Sampath T.Chary

Please read the rules above. Please. Someone, tell him. -- Ec5618 16:55, 21 October 2005 (UTC)
Case-by-case information, while occasionally inspiring, is not scientific. You'll need to debunk years of scientific tests if your view is going to be anything beyond another crackpot with TV time. — Lomn | Talk / RfC 17:19, 21 October 2005 (UTC)
Sampath, I don't know that your story really contradicts mainstream thinking. Your diabetes was related to your extra weight; you got that under control through exercise (congratulations!) and now your diabetes is gone and/or managed without medication. Fine. But smoking is, to my knowledge, not a risk factor for diabetes, so the fact that you smoke is really kind of off-topic relating to diabetes, cholesterol etc. That you can jog hardly proves that smoking is harmless—lots of active people smoke (professional dancers!). Your smoking is almost certainly causing cumulative damage to your heart and lungs, in a way that will come back to get you years from now. Basically, however healthy your lifestyle is, quitting smoking will make it healthier. Sharkford 20:03, 21 October 2005 (UTC)
And most people don't get lung cancer after 27 years of smoking, it's typically more like 40 or 50 years. StuRat 01:20, 22 October 2005 (UTC)
  • Sharkford is right on this one, but if you still want to tell your story, consider making a website and contacting your local press. - Mgm|(talk) 08:38, 22 October 2005 (UTC)
Do you just look at the act of smoking itself or compare it to other harmful things? Of course smoking anything will have a harmful effect (although it can also have beneficial effects, such as with tobacco). But if you smoke just a bit and live a healthy in other respects (cycling in stead of driving a car, for example) you'll probably be healthier than most westerners. Also, you suggest that drinking a litre of full cream milk (per day I assume) is unhealthy. From that I conlculde you're probably from the USA, where most everything is fatfree and chuck-full of sugar, which in your case would be more of a danger I suppose. If you burn up all the fat in the milk I don't see how that would constitute a problem. DirkvdM 12:56, 24 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] usa today

Was the usa today only published 3 days a week in its eaely years?

  • As far as I know, it has been published 5 days a week for substantially its entire history, and was never on a 3 day a week schedule. (Exceptions to the 5-day schedule are that the paper doesn't publish on major holidays, published a Saturday extra during the 1991 Persian Gulf War, and published 7 days a week during the 1996 Olympics with the extra editions distributed only in the Atlanta area.) See [89]. --Metropolitan90 06:00, 22 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] empires

what are the ten greatest empires of all time.

I am from iraq my age is 42 years we enter 3 wars

Ist-the persian war.

2nd-desert storm war.

3rd-the last war of the invasion of iraq.

Iwant know the future of our country.

As for the future of Iraq, I really don't see much common identification as Iraqis. During the Saddam era, it featured the domination of Shia and Kurds by the Sunnis. This, quite predictably, led to resentment among those people. I would predict that eventually Iraq will split into Kurdistan, Sunni Iraq, and Shia Iraq. Perhaps these separate states can be held together, as a loose confederation, at least temporarily. However, eventually I would expect Shiites to want to join with Iran, Kurds to join with Kurds in Turkey and elsewhere, and Sunnis to want to join with other Sunnis in Syria and Arabia. The formation of Iraq by European powers never really managed to form a true nation, but only a nation of convenience. If it needs to be changed for the sake of Iraqis, perhaps such change is not so bad in the long run, so long as they drive the process. StuRat 00:50, 22 October 2005 (UTC)

Any "ranking" of various empires would be very subject to opinion, but here are some empires that are considered the greatest: Roman Empire, Byzantine Empire, British Empire, French colonial empires, and Spanish Empire. -Drdisque 23:00, 21 October 2005 (UTC)

The Greek Empire too. - Akamad 00:03, 22 October 2005 (UTC)
I would add the Russian Empire, Ottoman Empire and Persian Empire. We could also include some from America, like the Aztecs and Incas, a few from further parts of Asia, like India, China, and Japan, and toss in ancient Egypt. The former Soviet Union and United States had some features of empire, like widespread influence, but lacked others, like a hereditary line of rulers. StuRat 00:33, 22 October 2005 (UTC)
A few more: Mongol Empire, Timurid Empire, Mughal Empire. Kirill Lokshin 00:53, 22 October 2005 (UTC)

The empire article has a fairly comprehensive list. Gdr 20:20, 22 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] What is allowed?

I would just like to know if the Miss World delegates are allowed to bring a chaperon? If so what are the rules for doing so. If not, will there be people there to assist the girls as a chaperon would? I would be really grateful if you answer my questions.you can e-mail me at [email removed]. Thank you very much

  • I'm pretty sure that the people at the official website for Miss World know this best. Check our article and follow some external links or Google it. - Mgm|(talk) 08:40, 22 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Soda Prices

Why does a 20 oz bottle of soda cost more than a 2 liter bottle?

Bought in the same market, they usually do not cost more. However, it usually comes down to demand, there is just as much demand for a 20 oz refrigerated bottle that you can easily carry and drink out of than an unrefrigerated 2L that is unwieldy to carry and is considered uncouth to drink from -Drdisque 22:52, 21 October 2005 (UTC)

I think too that it seems absurd, and have thought the same thing myself! I believe that a 2 l bottle costs less (in the U.S.) because Americans have come to expect that a 2 l should be around a buck, and the soft drink industry is extremely competitive. 20 oz. bottles are relatively new to the market and started around a buck. 20 oz bottles are very profitible to American gas station owners. However, when I studied in Germany, I noticed that the .5 l (=20 oz) plastic bottle costs considerably less than the 1.5 l (they don't even have a 2 l of Coke), and the 1.5 cost well over $2. Jazz1979 08:25, 22 October 2005 (UTC)

If I charge you $10 for a 20 oz can of soda; $1 for a 2 l bottle of the same thing, and you keep on buying both of them, I'll keep on doing it. Supply and demand. That's life. That's the market in action.
Reasonable business owners charge their products as high as it can be before the profits fall. Canned and bottled soda are two different products. If consumers accept such "unreasonable" pricing, someone in Atlanta will do it.
If there's demand, they will sell you tanks of carbon dioxide and undiluted syrup if these products increase their profits (increase consumption, lower costs, decrease competitors' demands). -- Toytoy 10:29, 22 October 2005 (UTC)
The reason is probably because demand for 2 l bottles is incredibly low, because good patriotic Americans don't want to have anything to do with pinko atheist communist freedom-hating metric, and shopkeepers have to lower prices on 2 l bottles to actually get them sold. — JIP | Talk 16:44, 2 November 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Speaking....

I have heard people say things like "I am going to the Dairy Queen" Isn't the correct way to say it "I am going to Dairy Queen" Why do people put "The" before going to some places and not others.

There is a technical difference. "The Dairy Queen" means "the usual Dairy Queen I always go to", unless otherwise specified, while "Dairy Queen" just means any Dairy Queen. Also note that Americans' use "the" in front of many words that Brits do not, such as "the hospital" and "the university". StuRat 00:14, 22 October 2005 (UTC)
I'm not a language expert, but the way I see it is that you use "the" when you are talking about a particular object/store. So, "I am going to the Dairy Queen" might mean you are talking about a specific DQ, possibly the one near your home that the listener is familiar with.--Commander Keane 00:28, 22 October 2005 (UTC)
As an American I might say "I'm going to the Dairy Queen", but I can't really think when I might say it. But I would never say "I'm going to the McDonald's", unless I'm going to say, "I'm going to the McDonald's on Third Street." User:Zoe|(talk) 22:15, 23 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Bootleg CDs

How can one detect a bootleg CD? My problem is that I ordered a used copy of Uprising by Bob Marley and the Wailers. It arrived today, and there are some tell-tale signs that make me suspect it's a bootleg. First, it came shrinkwrapped, but there was no plastic peel-off seal on the top like with new CDs. But that's understandable; many businesses own shrinkwrapping machines. Second, there are no liner notes -- just a flimsy piece of paper with artwork on one side. I am unable to find out whether Uprising is supposed to have liner notes or not, though. Last, the CD itself looks suspicious -- it's yellow with blue text at the bottom that looks like it came off of a cheap dot-matrix printer. On the other hand, when I put the disc into my computer, iTunes accesses the CD Database and finds the tracks. Does this sound like a bootleg? Or does someone have a copy of Uprising they can compare with my description? Thanks . . . . --BrianSmithson 21:44, 21 October 2005 (UTC)

From what I gather, iTunes will pick up a CD regardless of whether it is a bootleg or not. - Akamad 23:57, 21 October 2005 (UTC)
Any ideas then on ways to spot a conterfeit CD? BrianSmithson 13:44, 22 October 2005 (UTC)
Mr Smithson, you just named many ways to detect a bootleg CD; cheap packaging, unprofessional appearance, lack of features that should come with the normal product (like liner notes). Sounds like you bought one. Garrett Albright 15:57, 22 October 2005 (UTC)
Thanks, Garrett. I just "did my own homework" and checked the seller's profile on Amazon. At least three others have reported getting bootlegged merchandice from them. Wish I'd've checked before I bought, but at least Amazon has a guarantee. Also reported the seller to Amazon; hope they get their account canceled. BrianSmithson 16:24, 22 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] What is a razzcherry?

I live in Oregon. We see products that contain razzcherries. It is a small red stone fruit that looks similar to a cherry. A search of the web turns up a number of links to things that contain razzcherries, but nothing that defines them. Wikipedia has no links to razzcherries at all.

It LOOKS to be a compound word between Razzberry and Cherry, similar to "Cran-apple," judging by the stuff Google turned up. However, I was unable to find an exact definition. --Demonesque 23:47, 21 October 2005 (UTC)
Of course, the correct spelling of the fruit's name is raspberry. Garrett Albright 15:59, 22 October 2005 (UTC)
Is a raspberry a small red stone fruit that looks similar to a cherry? I'm not that dumb! This is really a serious question. Perhaps Wikipedia should have an article on razzcherries.
I can't imagine anyone would be able to actually cross a raspberry with a cherry. They're not genetically compatible, are they? User:Zoe|(talk) 22:18, 23 October 2005 (UTC)
Strictly speaking it's not possible to 'cross' them simply through pollination, since the cherry and raspberry species' are so far apart. Not much stops someone from genetically tampering at the cellular level, though, to make a truly Genetically modified organism.
I emailed a website that advertised "razzcherry" chocolate to ask what the heck a razzcherry is. Here's their reply: "A razcherry is a cherry which has been soaked in raspberry juice, and then covered in chocolate. They are very popular." —BrianSmithson 22:43, 25 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] October 22

[edit] Computer virus conspiracy theory

Is it true that most computer viruses are secretly created and released by companies such as Norton Antivirus, to boost business? Because I can't think of any other parties that would stand to gain from making viruses.

The main people who gain from computer viruses, aside from symantic, are hackers who like to test their skill and ingenuity in making them and people who just like causing and seeing the results of their disruption. Why is there so much vandalism on Wiki, it does not help anyone? MeltBanana 13:56, 22 October 2005 (UTC)
Probably not. There are companies that sell antivirus software for Mac OS X, yet there are no Mac OS X viruses; so people mostly use this software to keep away Microsoft Office macro viruses and such, but sales are pretty tepid. If antivirus companies actually created viruses, then I imagine some OS X viruses would actually exist to actually create a need for OS X antivirus software. Garrett Albright 15:52, 22 October 2005 (UTC)
The problem with this (as with most conspiracy theories) is that it would sooner or later be found out that these companies were creating the viruses. Remeber that some serious agencies investigate computer viruses; namley the FBI. --Quasipalm 17:23, 22 October 2005 (UTC)
Yeah, but the FBI is part of the conspiracy too!!! ;) ☢ Ҡieff⌇↯ 18:07, 22 October 2005 (UTC)
I can believe the FBI would be part of a conspiracy to hide their own incompetence leading up to 9-11, but a conspiracy to help Norton is a bit harder to explain. What could they possibly gain to be worth such a risk ? StuRat 21:21, 22 October 2005 (UTC)
Plus, viruses can be difficult to write. If Norton spent all their time writing viruses, they'd have no time to write anti-viruses! smurrayinchester(User), (Talk) 11:43, 23 October 2005 (UTC)
Well, if you write the virus you've probably got a head start over other antivirus-software companies, so there's an added advantage; you don't just boost the market but also gain a bigger share. Which is not to say that they do do this, but if the temptation is big enough that will certainly be weighed against the risk. You may rest assured that such companies will have thought of this. As to what the outcome of the comparison would be, I have no idea.DirkvdM 13:15, 24 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Hurricane death toll

What are the death tolls from hurricanes Katrina, Rita, Andrew and Betsey combined.

Death tolls for each are in our articles on Katrina, Rita, and Andrew, and a quick Google search for "Hurricane Betsey death toll", respectively. The summation should be trivial. — Lomn | Talk / RfC 15:52, 22 October 2005 (UTC)


[edit] Oldest disease

What is the oldest disease. and has it been around since pre-historic times.

For some reason, I think flu. The speed it mutates and its persistence still today surely makes it clear it's a hardcore disease that would last this long. ☢ Ҡieff⌇↯ 18:04, 22 October 2005 (UTC)

It's thought that all mammalian influenza viruses derive from avian influenza [90], so influenza in humans probably post-dates the domestication of chickens in the 2nd millennium BC. Gdr 20:10, 22 October 2005 (UTC)

It is pretty safe to say that the oldest disease is quite unknown, since plants and animals get diseases too, and the bacteria and viruses and conditions these lifeforms can get are as old as the lifeforms themselves. A better question might be the most common or deadly diseases among humans. --Demonesque 21:07, 22 October 2005 (UTC)

There are any number of diseases that predate humans, such as cancer and diabetes. Diabetes is failure of the pancreas, and any other failure of a vital organ would fall into the same categoy, like heart failure and kidney failure. If you mean diseases caused by microbes, probably some of those predate humans, too, but I'm not sure which. StuRat 21:11, 22 October 2005 (UTC)

I suppose you mean something that is still a disease. I suppose there will have been lots of diseases for all life-forms that those life-forms have adapted to them to the extent that they're no longer a disease. They may actually have developed a symbiosis. Maybe mitochondria, being bacteria, were originally a disease for the earliest life-forms. Just as nothing is a toxin by definition, nothing is inherently a disease. DirkvdM 13:24, 24 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Union Oil Post cards 1939-1940

I have several hundred post cards published by Union Oil in 1939 & 1940. I was wondering if there is a list of all the cards that Union Oil published. I am now interested in selling these cards, and need to know how many different ones were made. Richard Novick Marlboro, NJ

[edit] Fasting

About what is typical weight loss percentage when fasting for a 1 week or so.

Don't do it. This method is just not an effective way of keeping weight off. lots of issues | leave me a message 21:43, 22 October 2005 (UTC)
Unless you are doing it for non-weight loss reasons, such as religious, but then I assume you would only fast from sunrise to sunset or something along those lines :-) Akamad 00:51, 23 October 2005 (UTC)
A week is rather much, but it is said to be beneficial to 'cleanse the body'. I don't know how much truth there is in that, but I once fasted for five days (although the first and last day were not completely food-free). The purpose was indeed to lose weight; I had a bet with my brother that I would lose 10 kg in one year. After 1 months I still had 5 kg to go. So I used this rather crude method. During the fast itself I didn't lose too much weight, but after the month was over had almost achieved my goal. It is important to use the fact that your stomach has shrunk and keep your consumption low. After the month I still kept losing weight and in the end I had lost more than the 10 kg, of which about 7 or 8 kg could be attributed to the fasting (over a period of about 2 months). Remember to drink loads of water while doing this, though. DirkvdM 13:33, 24 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] October 23

[edit] Brainiac: Science abuse Theme song

Hey, I have a question: Who's the author/band/group of the Brainiac: Science abuse theme song? The song comes on the beginning of the show, and at the end. And also, where can I find the song?

By Martijn kooremans

  • This question was asked and answered above (the post is called 'What's that song?' or search the page for "braniac". -- Canley 15:11, 24 October 2005 (UTC)
    • No, this is a different song. No idea what it actually is though. the wub "?!" 13:38, 25 October 2005 (UTC)

I looked at the credits of brainiac and found out that the author of the tune is "grant buckerfield" I googeld the guy, it didn't gave any result on the subject brainiac. I now know he's got his very own site. On the site are some downloads, including the brainiac tv tune, BUT the song that he lets you download only is about 15 seconds long, thats to short, and the song is very messed up, so I can't do anything with it, it doesn't satisfy me :P and yeah I know it is messed up for the copyrights, so that nobody can take parts of the song and place it in their own song. but pleas pleas I really got to have longer than 15 messed up seconds of the brainiac theme help me please *begging* thank you

[edit] Question about parts of a shoe

Dear Wikipedia staff, Please help me figure out a seemingly easy question about parts of a shoe. I know what an upper, upper lining, midsole and sole are, but what exactly are sockliner and insole? Also, is balance the same thing as insole? I'm very confused and can't find it by searching the Internet (Google). Thanks, Maria.

  • Maria, I removed your email address to help you avoid receiving tons of spam emails. As for your question, a "sockliner" is a liner that is often included inside athletic shoes that keeps your feet from being abraded by inner seams and other irregularities. Imagine that you were wearing a sock and shoe, and somehow managed to slide your foot out of the sock while leaving the sock inside the shoe, and you'll get the general idea. The "insole" is in the inner part of the shoe that your foot actually touches stands on when the shoe is on. Joyous (talk) 04:27, 23 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Energy Audit

Hey, My mate and I have been asked by a teacher to conduct a school energy audit. My teacher gave me multiple pages of confusing documentation, I am wondering the best way to go about this audit.

Kind regards jack towle

  • Jack,

This US Government website might be a good place to start see [91] Capitalistroadster 07:03, 23 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] what are the names of the different ash trees in ireland

See Trees of Britain and Ireland. Under "native trees" only a single ash tree is listed. --Quasipalm 14:25, 23 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Unicode: London underground symbol

I am looking for the Unicode reference for the symbol which resembles the London underground roundel, that is a circle with a horizontal line through the centre which extends outside the circumference. A bit like the \ominus symbol in TeX but with a longer straight line. It is used in chemical thermodynamics to indicate the standard state. Physchim62 14:47, 23 October 2005 (UTC)

I think you might be looking for U+29B5 or, if you have a font that can display it, ⦵. --Gareth Hughes 15:00, 23 October 2005 (UTC)
Other, less accurate sympols are U+2296 (or ⊖) and U+229D (or ⊝). --Gareth Hughes 15:08, 23 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Captain Edward Fegan VC

Moved to Talk:List of Irish Victoria Cross recipients.

Canley 14:40, 24 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] privatisation

how does privatisation of a telecommunication company might impact on the timing of a company's decision to list on the ASX??

  • If it is Telstra, privatisation or full privatisation has been authorised by the passage of the relevant legislation. If it is other companies seeking to list on the Australian Stock Exchange, they may wish to list at a time when they are not competing with the sale of the majority of shares in one of Australia's biggest companies. Capitalistroadster 01:32, 25 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] 20th january 1960

Did anything significant happen anywhere in the world on this date? (20th January 1960)Birth of someone famouse? tragedy? literary? etc.

Why not try This day in History by the History Channel or January 20 on wikipedia. I am also sad to say that on January 20th 1960, nothing important happened, except maybe you were born that day. --Aytakin 21:45, 23 October 2005 (UTC)
There was one important thing that happened on January 20, 1960: Dr Hendrik Verwoerd, Prime Minister of South Africa, announced his intention to hold a plebiscite on whether the country should become a Republic. Also Professor Herbert Skinner (Professor of Physics at the University of Liverpool died - he was deputy head of atomic research in Britain, and a good friend of atom spy Klaus Fuchs who it appears formed a close relationship with Skinner's wife while staying at their house. David | Talk 00:01, 29 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] October 24

[edit] Dualie/Dual Wheeled Truck

What is a dualie? When was the first one manufactured? Being from Texas, I know (by default) what a 'dualie' is; it's a modified truck with four rear tires instead of the usual two. It is used to haul heavier loads than a typical truck can handle. But, beyond that, I do not know what It Is, or where the idea came from.

[edit] Merging to Divided Highway.

What is the point of using your blinker when merging to a Divided highway. It's obvoious you are merging. And don't tell me it's just for courtosy.

Call further attention to the fact that someone is getting on the highway and other drivers should take notice? Dismas|(talk) 03:58, 24 October 2005 (UTC)
Legally, you're making a lange change (you're crossing a lane dividing line, hopefully not a solid one) and signals are required when doing so. As above, it may help to draw the attention of other drivers who might otherwise decide to accelerate or lange-change into that space. I *think* that in most places in U.S. and Canada the onus is on the lane-changer to do so safely, but signalling may put an onus on other drivers not to act in a way that would block your move. I have a vague awareness that rights-of-way work differently in other places, but I'd assume any claim to right-of-way would be compromised by a failure to signal intentions. Sharkford 18:03, 25 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Winfield Township, New Jersey

What is winfield exactly? What was this towns real origial purpose? why is it still like that? why doesn't the state or fed model there public housing after this place? why is that you can live in winfield make and your living in prvate industry? will making Winfield fare game lower my taxes one cent?

Do your own homework? -- Ec5618 13:25, 24 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Can anyone identify this thing?

A bizarre carcass
A bizarre carcass

A friend emailed it to me challenging me to find out what it is. It reminds me of a globster, but it actually seems to have a skeletal structure, so I don't think it would count. Battle Ape 04:15, 24 October 2005 (UTC)

I've got one guess for monster and another for seal. And someone asking what that is. Did you try asking at cryptozoology.com? They're good at this sort of thing. 216.43.124.150 17:21, 24 October 2005 (UTC)

Turns out it's the corpse of a basking whale. Thanks. Battle Ape 12:45, 25 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Angelina Jolie

Please give the height and weight of Angelina Jolie. Thanks.

According to this she's 5 feet 7 inches tall. Dismas|(talk) 05:23, 24 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] What is Wikipedia worth?

If the Wikimedia Foundation were to offer Wikipedia for sale, how much would the property fetch? For comparison, the plummeting and troubled Britannica was sold by the William Benton Foundation, a non-profit organization, to Jacob Safra for $135 million in 1995 (FY 1994 sales were ~450 mil). What if, let's pretend, there was no GFDL release and all content was the property of the site -- how much then would Wikipedia sale for?

lots of issues | leave me a message 08:04, 24 October 2005 (UTC)

I don't think it could be sold. No-one would want to buy it, no-one would want to seel it, and its entire content will forever be publically available. It is priceless. -- Ec5618 13:25, 24 October 2005 (UTC)
Since the content is all open-source, I'm not sure how much "owning" it is worth, since it can be freely copied anyway. However, as one of the top 50 sites in the world, it's surely worth a lot from an advertising standard. (How awful that would be.) I could see wikipedia being bought by a corporation or rich person simply to have, as a sort of jewel in their crown. Google comes to mind. -Quasipalm 13:57, 24 October 2005 (UTC)
Apparently you're aware of how hypothetical this question is. Wikipedia wouldn't exist the way it does if it weren't licence-free (people wouldn't be bothered to put as much time into it). But for the sake of argument, at the moment it wouldn't be worth as much as the Encyclopedia Brittannica because it may be bigger, but it doesn't quite cover all subjects sufficiently well yet. And the info isn't always complete, npov or even correct. I'm sure that in the end this will be solved, but in the meantime it's a lot more reliable than most other sites on a subject. If you know where to look you'll find better info elsewhere, but if you put that much effort into it you might as well go to a library and ask for a reliable book there. for now, the main advantage of Wikipedia is that it's much faster than that (available from your home). And it's wikified with links and you can search on terms (ever seen an encyclopedia that has an index to match that?). DirkvdM 14:15, 24 October 2005 (UTC)
But our friend asks an interesting hypothetical question - what would the information be worth if it could be made proprietary through some abuse of law? I should add that I *completely* trust the Wikimedia Foundation to never do so, even if it were legally possible.
However, to get lasting monetary value out of Wikipedia, you'd not only have to take the content proprietary, you'd have to figure out some way to prevent any other group from setting up a Wiki and starting work on their own encyclopedia from scratch; call it, say, Wackypedia. We got from nothing to the wonderful resource we have now in four years; there's no reason why we couldn't repeat the process quicker and better. --Robert Merkel 14:26, 24 October 2005 (UTC)
An alternative question is "how much would it cost to compile the same amount and quality of information by conventional means"? I wouldn't like to think about it, but I think it'd be at least into the tens and possibly the hundreds of millions of US dollars. --Robert Merkel 14:26, 24 October 2005 (UTC)
Rough estimate. Let's assume a million articles (the English wikipedia proper only). If one article would take an expert one hour to write and an expert would cost 30 euro per hour that would mean 30 million euro for the articles alone. Setting up the structure (site map, so to say), wikification and the required hardware and maintenance would have to be added to that then. So tens of millions would be a conservative estimate. Suppose you'd print that, ask a few thousand euro for a copy and sell ten thousand, you'd just break even. Is 10 000 a normal circulation (or edition, or what's that called?) for an encyclopedia? DirkvdM 12:26, 25 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Capturing in PowerDVD

I have Windows XP and PowerDVD which came with it. I read all over the net that one can capture still images in PowerDVD. How do I do this?--84.51.149.80 08:21, 24 October 2005 (UTC)

Well, on my version at least, you can click on the little camera icon on the control bar, and it will be saved to wherever you choose in the Preferences (General tab > Advanced button > Capture tab). For image capture to work Hardware Acceleration must be turned off. --Sum0 10:04, 24 October 2005 (UTC)

If you've got XP, and the version without the capture option, it's still easy. Right click on the desktop, then the Settings tab > Advanced > Troubleshoot > Drag the slider down to "none". Then just PrintScreen as usual. Note that you MUST use PowerDVD for this: Windows Media doesn't work on the "none" setting.--TheDoctor10 (talk|email) 08:23, 25 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] English sayings

Why does one swallow not make a summer ?

Because of cause and effect?

No. Inferring it is summer because you see one swallow is making a large conclusion based on inadequate evidence. The phrase is used by a person who is rejecting the causal inference of another person on grounds that the evidence he cited may be correct but is inadequate for a confident inference. alteripse 11:18, 24 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Person

Who is Lalu Prasad Yadav?

I have no idea. -- Ec5618 13:25, 24 October 2005 (UTC)
He's the Indian Minister of Railways. It says so on Wikipedia, so it must be true. TheMadBaron 17:13, 24 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] center tap transformer

What happens when a transformer looses its center tap and what are the results to what ever is connected to th transformer?

In my experience with an improperly built three-phase transformer, the center tap was connected (as the neutral) to the equipment, but it was not connected to earth/ground. The result was that the voltage from line to neutral was a constant 120, as it should be, but the voltage from line to ground varied from about 80 to around 170. The voltage from neutral to ground varied from 0 to 40. It created very unpredictable results, and it was difficult to understand what was going on until we examined the transformer. The result on the equipment (all our equipment was 120 volts, so it relied only on phase-neutral, not phase-phase) was generally nothing, since it was getting 120 volts line-neutral. However, some gear, notably a power conditioner, fried some fuses/circuits because of the voltage from neutral to ground, or the strange voltages from line to ground. kmccoy (talk) 04:56, 25 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] information economy

define

Do your own homework. Discuss. — Lomn | Talk / RfC 17:58, 24 October 2005 (UTC)
I could tell you, it'll cost you. MeltBanana 20:08, 24 October 2005 (UTC)
You might want to look at our article on the Information economy. Capitalistroadster 01:44, 25 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] unit of land measure

I'm currently in Baghdad and have come across deeds with the land measurement OLK or OLG which I have been told is equal to 100 or 300 Sq meters. Any help on confirming the corrent measurement is appricated _______17:27, 24 October 2005 (UTC)~

I suppose too much time has passed, but I'll answer. This web site about units of measure says that the olk is "a traditional Iraqi unit of land area, now identified with the are, the metric unit of area equal to 100 square meters." --Anonymous, 09:30 UTC, November 1, 2005

[edit] The terrorist act of september 11, 2001

How might a psychodynamic perspective explain why the terrorists decided to carry out the suicide attack? How would this explanation differ from the approach taken by a psychologist using the behaviour perspective?

How might clinical psychologist deal with increasing levels of depression since september 11,2001? How do psychologist define depression? How do the define disorder? Is depresion and anxiety releated? If so,how? If not why?

How might social psychologists explore the effects of watching new reports of the terrorist incidents on the viewers'later aggretion?

What? -- Ec5618 19:32, 24 October 2005 (UTC)
Do your own homework. android79 19:54, 24 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Antarctica

Lets assume i don't need heat...Can i build a house in antarctica?

  • Probably not, if you are just looking for a residence. The Antarctic Treaty System and the Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty impose significant restrictions with regard to environmental impact which would probably frustrate your ability to build a private residence there. If you are a U.S. citizen or resident, the Antarctic Conservation Act [92] imposes civil and criminal penalties for harming the environment there; I have no doubt that other countries must have similar laws but I don't have specific knowledge of them. --Metropolitan90 01:27, 25 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Mercury Program

Why did all the call signs for the piloted Mercury flights have 7 at the end of the name?

All of the astronauts were part of the Mercury Seven. — Lomn | Talk / RfC 22:09, 24 October 2005 (UTC)
The first flight, Freedom 7, used a callsign of this form - it was Capsule #7, the seventh Mercury spacecraft produced. From This New Ocean (NASA SP-4201):
Thus, technically, it was May 2 before the launch of capsule No. 7 might have been made. Then why not use capsule No. 8 or 9 or 11? Because capsule No. 7 had been selected in the summer and groomed since October 1960 as McDonnell's best product to date, the only porthole version of the capsule that had been or would be man-rated in all respects. By January 1961, after the MR-1A flight had used up Mercury-Redstone booster No. 3, the one originally intended for the first man-launch vehicle, it was clear that Redstone No. 7 would boost capsule No. 7. At the end of March, when booster No. 7 arrived at the Cape, Shepard already knew he was Robert R. Gilruth's prime choice to fly it. "There was no hope," said Shepard, "that a later model of the capsule incorporating our suggestions could be ready in time for MR-3." So capsule No. 7 on booster No. 7 should be the first combination of a series of at least seven flights to put Americans into space. "What better name or call-sign could I choose than Freedom 7?" asked Shepard [93]
Shepard's use of the name here established a tradition, and the following Mercury flights kept the name. Shimgray | talk | 12:39, 25 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] October 25

[edit] Star Wars Chronology

Why were the Star Wars movies released out-of-order?

As you may know, Episodes IV through VI came out between 1977 and 1983. More recently Episodes I through III were released. I know that Episodes IV through VI were produced long before the prequels, but I'm curious as to whether or not the order of release was intentional, and if so, why?

I've heard several explanations, some good, some bad, but I've never received an authoritative explanation.

Our articles on Star Wars are pretty good, have you read them? If not, you may want to. Dismas|(talk) 03:22, 25 October 2005 (UTC)
  • I heard that George Lucas didn't believe he could do the prequels justice with the special effects available to him when he filmed parts 4 to 6. - Mgm|(talk) 09:53, 25 October 2005 (UTC)
  • Also, the entire film is about how Darth Vader became evil. If you were to watch the films in order, there's not much of a surprise anymore for parts 4 to 6 as you already know what happened. - Mgm|(talk) 09:54, 25 October 2005 (UTC)

Lucas certainly said that, but my personal feeling is that he made Star Wars as a one off, hoping to make some sequals, and only quite a bit later looked at making episodes 1-3. Trollderella 15:46, 25 October 2005 (UTC)

Thank you. And the articles on Star Wars are fantastic.

  • Prequel]s are movies which function in relation to other movies — most of what makes 1-3 worthwhile (if they are worthwhile at all; I personally doubt it) is the creating of the conditions for the movies 4-6. If you released them in order, there would be no guarantee that you'd even get 6 movies out of it and so the purpose would be fairly opaque. Plus, the first three movies were pretty horrible. --Fastfission 15:18, 30 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Louis Cataldie

Where can I find the mortality statistics on the Katrina dead released yesterday by Louis Cataldie? Thanks! Trollderella 01:14, 25 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Borrowing directly against income

Is there a way to borrow money directly against a source of future fixed income, such as from a testamentary trust? How would I find a lender that would be interested in making such a loan? What sort of interest could I expect? - Prince Laharl 04:31, 25 October 2005 (UTC)

Companies such as JG Wentworth advertise such services. What you want is called a "structured settlement". -Drdisque 05:40, 25 October 2005 (UTC)

Most any lender would be interested in doing this for you. They are in the business of giving out money to earn the interest rate they charge on that. Your trust could serve as the type of collateral they are looking for and reduce the interest rate you would be charged. The deal would certainly depend on the terms of the trust and how the trust assets are invested/are able to be invested. Try talking to banks, credit unions, or even the trust department that handles the testamentary trust. Depending on competitive pressures, each of them may offer different terms for what they would be willing to loan you, so shop and then run the math on which offer is better, considering time value of money. A structured settlement would work, depending on how fixed the fixed nature of the income is, but structured settlements are typically very formal irrevocable type agreements, where you relinquish all rights to one asset or income stream in exchange for another that suits your needs. The deal someone would be willing to offer you in that way would likely be different from a loan using the trust as collateral. You should also inquire with the trustee what your options are for recieving money from the trust. Typically testamentary trusts have a number of provisions for getting certain amounts of money early including to cover health, education, maintenance and support, and may include advancing money to start a legitimate business or buying a house. Ask for the trust document itself. I am not a lawyer and this is not legal advice. Consult an attorney for the details and before you actually do anything. - Taxman Talk 15:29, 25 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] lutheran church

What was the formation of the Lutheran Church in Europe in 1507?

The formation of the Lutheran Church was the event whereby the Lutheran church was formed. But you might want to check our article on Lutheranism; 1507 does not appear to be the correct date. BrianSmithson 11:46, 25 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Capturing sound from DVDs

If there's a piece of music I want on a DVD of, say, A.I., is there a better way of doing it (ie better sound quality) than holding my microphone next to the speaker of my computer?--TheDoctor10 (talk|email) 08:26, 25 October 2005 (UTC)

You can do it all by software, all you have to do is configure where you'll record from. Do this:
  1. Go to your computer sound options (in Windows, double click the speaker icon in the task bar, or go to Control Panel > Sound).
  2. Go to Options > Preferences, and check the radio box "record" (or recording, I don't know how it goes in english) and check all the options on the list below.
  3. Now click ok and go back o the volume control. What you just did is set the controls to the recording volumes. See the checkboxes below each volume slider? The one it's checked will be the recording source. I suppose you'll have microphone checked here...
  4. Now, check "Mix Out" or "Out Mix" or something of the sort. Slide the volume to about 10-25%. Now you're done to record.
  5. Now, get a sound recording program (like GoldWave or SoundForge or whatever)
  6. Create a new sound file long enough to record what you want (don't forget to leave some extra space before and after, you can just trim it later)
  7. Play the movie and hit the record button. Trim the file later, change volume and etc. These are instructions to Windows. I don't know about the other systems.
If this doesn't work on SoundForge, perhaps you'll have to change the recording source internally (GoldWave gets it from the option on Windows). You'll probably find this on "Recording options" or "Device options" or something... Jst look around. Hope this was any help ☢ Ҡieff⌇↯ 09:42, 25 October 2005 (UTC)

Fabulous - it works! Thanks very much.--TheDoctor10 (talk|email) 14:29, 25 October 2005 (UTC) (PS: I hope it's legal. It's probably fair use, since I'm using it for personal use only!).

If you own the DVD, then private use of the soundtrack is ok, as long as you don't distribute it. Trollderella 15:47, 25 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Numbers to SMS in the UK

In the UK, one often reads of offers such as "Text MEME to 80112". These numbers, all beginning 8, aren't in the UK Telephone Numbering Plan. So what are they?--TheDoctor10 (talk|email) 16:19, 25 October 2005 (UTC)

It is a premium rate text number. It is basically one which costs more money to set up, therefore more to call, but is easier for potential customers to remember. Think about, would you rather text '80112' or '01632 454 555'? smurrayinaHauntedHouse...Boo!(User), (Talk) 21:43, 25 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] the Boudaries of a community

My question is simple, what streets actually define the Englewood community of Chicago, IL? I just want to know it's actual border streets to north, south, east, and west.

  • As the City of Chicago defines the community area, the boundaries are somewhat irregular and in some places appear to be in mid-block. The northern border appears to be just north of 55th Street, and the western border appears to be Racine Avenue. See City of Chicago for a map of the area and further details, and use Mapquest or another map site for a better view of the surroundings. --Metropolitan90 01:35, 26 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] NFL

Who is going to the Super Bowl? --130.111.98.241 17:40, 25 October 2005 (UTC) Indianapolis looks good. --130.111.98.241 17:40, 25 October 2005 (UTC)

The winners of the AFC Championship Game and NFC Championship Game. If any of us knew, we'd be making our millions in Vegas right now. WP:ISNOT a crystal ball. — Lomn | Talk / RfC 18:02, 25 October 2005 (UTC)
Indianapolis does indeed look good, but they need homefield advantage to be successful in the playoffs. As Lomn mentions, we don't do speculation here on Wikipedia (or at least as little as possible). If we did, we'd look just as silly as many professional sportswriters who picked my poor Vikings to be Super Bowl-bound this year. Sigh. android79 18:07, 25 October 2005 (UTC)
Everyone who has a ticket. Proto t c 12:14, 26 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Duck Pond Road

In Dennisport, Massachusetts do you have a picture of Duck Pond Road? It would mean a great deal. --130.111.98.241 17:55, 25 October 2005 (UTC)

Um, well, I can point you to this Google Maps satellite image, but that's probably not what you want. Google image search doesn't seem to come up with anything for "duck pond road" and "south Dennis" (Duck Pond Road seems to be in South Dennnis instead of Dennisport) doesn't come up with anything useful either. There are some images if you search for "South Dennis", but most of them appear to be maps of the area or pictures of holiday accommodation. That seems to be all the easily searchable web has to offer.--Robert Merkel 10:01, 26 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] .j.r.r.

how would .j.r.r. tolkien be if he was still alive today.

See our article on J.R.R. Tolkien for his birth date. — Lomn | Talk / RfC 19:05, 25 October 2005 (UTC)
I think he'd be decrepit... and famous. Living 113 years sounds like a record to me. ☢ Ҡieff⌇↯ 19:28, 25 October 2005 (UTC)
An author may die but his copyrights live forever. -- Toytoy 03:43, 26 October 2005 (UTC)
No, his copyrights live 70 years. - Nunh-huh 04:14, 26 October 2005 (UTC)
depressed? Baad 08:24, 26 October 2005 (UTC)
The record is 122 and a bit or something like that. See longevity. And if J.R.R. Tolkien were still alive today, he'd be saying "HELP! HELP! LET ME OUT OF THIS COFFIN!" Possibly in Elvish. Proto t c 12:16, 26 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Francis Bacon Paintings

Hi

I'm in a band and i was just wondering if you know how to obtain licensing for artwork and whether artwork over a certain age becomes copyright free as I am thinking of using a Francis Bacon painting for some artwork on a small CD release.

Thanks

WIll

Copyright law of the United Kingdom says "Copyright in literary, dramatic, musical and artistic works expires 70 years after the death of the author". Francis Bacon (painter) died in 1992, so it'll be out of copyright in the UK in 2062. The US is a signatory to the Berne Convention which says 50 years, and the US's own copyright law says 70. So they're certainly copyright. I don't know how you'd contact the owner of the copyright. -- Finlay McWalter | Talk 19:40, 25 October 2005 (UTC)
Copyright requests for Bacon's work are handled by the Artists' Rights Society. David Sneek 09:14, 26 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Websites

Can you add a page for a website and write about its general content etc and what the website is like?

Check out our guidelines at WP:WEB. While those aren't set in stone, we encourage articles (about any subject) to remain encyclopedic in nature. For instance, while it's appropriate for me to note that the Nashville Predators recorded their best start in franchise history this season, I should not include "The Predators are cooler than the Red Wings". Similarly, articles on websites can trace the broad objective impact of the site, but should probably not mention that on Friday, user jm2004 called user opk_bunny a "n00b". — Lomn | Talk / RfC 20:42, 25 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] REALM series?

Where can I find these stories to read/buy? I've searched the web for an author site or even amazon and can't find anything, besides this excerp on wiki and also on answers search. Purrr-ciate it. -Jake

[RE: Coven, The (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Covens) In John Allen's REALM series, the Coven is the sister organization to the Circle. Its members, called Collectors, adhere to a theological belief that the universe is sustained by a delicate balance of life-energy, also called etheric or ethereal energy. Their theory states that the universe teeters on the brink of collapse and is only kept in check by moderating the amount of active life-energy the universe contains. In order to maintain this balance the Collectors must either save lives, thereby retaining the necessary proportion of etheric energy, or by destroying lives, therefore redistributing the needed amount of energy. This process is often magnified on a much grander scale; where genocide is deemed essential to preserve the balance. In the third and final installment of the first REALM trilogy the House War, the prophesized apocalyptic war between the Circle and the Coven, just begins and takes center stage in the second trilogy. Most notable members of the Coven include BLANE SUMMERS and DARIUS.]

There's a lot of John Allens in the Library of Congress catalog, but none of them seem to be him - admittedly, I only looked at ones who were this century and published more than a couple of books, but... hmm. COPAC doesn't show up anything useful, either. It does look very out-of-place there; will poke around, since I'm suspicious now. Shimgray | talk | 22:50, 25 October 2005 (UTC)
Okay, have looked a bit further. Added by an anon. author in a blob on January 1st; same anon. added [94], which has now been gotten rid of, and I suspect possibly some others now removed; also added stuff here and here and you get the idea. I think these look rather suspicious - certainly unsubstantiated and not of any use in these articles - so time to be getting rid of them, I fear... Shimgray | talk | 22:57, 25 October 2005 (UTC)
I've purged all our references to this series - I honestly don't see it, if it exists, as worthy of inclusion; it smacks of vanity to me. This is the list of contributions by that editor; this seems to summarise the series if it actually ever existed. Thanks for bringing it up. Shimgray | talk | 23:07, 25 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] October 26

[edit] Harvester Valley Insurance

I am try to help a elderly man who has a life insurance policy with this company. I suspect the company was taken over by another insurance company. The policy was issued in central Pennsylvania

  • Google turns up nothing at all; are you sure of the company name? If so, I recommend calling the Pennsylvania Insurance Department, Office of Regulation of Companies, at (717) 787-2735. A search of their list of licensed companies turns up nothing either [95], but if the company was taken over they may have information about that. --Metropolitan90 01:24, 26 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] whiskey

List all american brands of whiskey

This page really needs a touch-up. If you answer this question, please do all you can for This page. --Ballchef 03:12, 26 October 2005 (UTC)
  • A "please" would've been nice... - 131.211.210.13 06:45, 26 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Los Angeles

Why are there so many Suburbs around Los Angeles? When those areas were built up why they just become part of Los Angeles?

Do you mean 'why is Los Angeles a large city? If so, then the article on it may help. If you mean 'of the many people who want to live in Los Angeles, why do so many of them live in suburbs? Then that's really a pretty interesting question, but it's beyond me. As to why they didn't 'just become part of LA', it's partly because they (for the most part) sprang up as separate settlements and became absorbed by urban sprawl. Trollderella 15:51, 26 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] parts of the computer

  • Search first - it's quicker. Search Wikipedia using the searchbox. A web search could help too. Common questions about Wikipedia itself, such as how to cite Wikipedia and who owns Wikipedia, are answered in Wikipedia:FAQ.
  • Be specific - explain your question in detail if necessary, addressing exactly what you'd like answered. For information that changes from country to country (or from state to state), such as legal, fiscal or institutional matters, please specify the jurisdiction you're interested in.
  • Include both a title and a question - the title (top box) should specify the topic of your question. The complete details should be in the bottom box. Questions not following this format may be deleted.
  • Sign your question - type --~~~~ at its end.
--Dismas|(talk) 06:03, 26 October 2005 (UTC)

How can I add my name to your people's list?

If you want more info on wikipedia and membership take a look at Wikipedia:Introduction and Wikipedia:Why create an account? and you can join in on all the fun :-) Akamad 11:36, 26 October 2005 (UTC)


[edit] CEO and CMO's names.

Hello, Your site is very knowkedgeable but, it still could not answer my two qwestions.

  1. On 9-14-05 Paris Las Vegas changed ownership from Park Place Entertainment to Ceasears Entertainment. I'm trying to find name and address of current CEO.
  2. I would also like the name of the Chief Marketing Officer at Paris Las Vegas Hotel.

Thanking you in advance for your help, Elizabeth

First off, it's spelled "Caesars." If you Google "ceasers entertainment ceo," you'll find the CEO is one Wallace R Barr. Doing the came for "ceasers entertainment chief marketing officer" doesn't return anything immediately helpful, but "harrahs entertainment chief marketing officer" does: Rich Mirman. As for a contact address, this might work. Garrett Albright 14:29, 26 October 2005 (UTC)
It's not our site. It's your site. Well, and ours too. Happy family. :) DirkvdM 08:10, 27 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] First Order Predicate Calculus

Enumerate various steps which can be useful in translating statements or arguments in English to corresponding statements or arguments in a formal Language like Propositional Calculus (PC) or First – Order Predicate Calculus (FOPC). Further translate the following arguments in English to corresponding arguments in a Formal language (only PC/FOPC) and check in PC/FOPC the validity of the arguments:

(a) If the parliament refuses to enact new laws, then the strike will not be over unless it lasts more than one year and the president of the firm resigns; conclusion if either the parliament enacts new laws or the strike is not over then the strike lasts more than one year. (b) No second – hand car dealer buys a second – hand cars for their families are absolutely dishonest. Then we conclude that some absolutely dishonest people are not second – hand car dealers.

DYOH -- Do your own homework, please. Garrett Albright 14:30, 26 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] George Abbott - oldest already-famous person in history (?)

My research suggests that, of people whose birth and death dates are known with accuracy, George Abbott is the oldest person who has ever lived who was famous for reasons other than the fact of his great age (107). Can anybody dispute this? Cheers JackofOz 14:26, 26 October 2005 (UTC)

I'm sure it's disputable simply because "famous" is not an inherently objective designation. — Lomn | Talk / RfC 14:31, 26 October 2005 (UTC)
OK, but apart from that ...... JackofOz 02:57, 27 October 2005 (UTC)

Let me re-phrase my question. I'm interested in knowing whether there's anybody:

  • whose exact birth and death dates are known
  • who has any reasonable claim to fame, infamy, celebrity, notoriety (or whatever term you prefer) OTHER than the fact that they were very old, and
  • who lived to a greater age than George Abbott.

For example, Jeanne Calment would not qualify because she is famous only because of her age. If Beethoven had lived to be 108, he wouldn't qualify either because we don't know his exact birth date. Etc. JackofOz 03:03, 27 October 2005 (UTC)

Well, not yet, but it is rumoured that Fidel Castro will never die. Try beating that! :) DirkvdM 08:14, 27 October 2005 (UTC).
Well, one never knows, does one. JackofOz 23:47, 28 October 2005 (UTC)

You might want to browse the list of people on Centenarian. Just a glance turned up Chet Hoff who d. aged 107. -R. S. Shaw 07:43, 2 November 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Economics

The three main economic problems facing societies are? 1. what to produce 2. How to produce 3. Problem of distributing wealth A) explain the reasons why are these problems facing societies B) suggest ways of solving these problems.

  • Do your own homework, please. Ground Zero | t 15:25, 26 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] missisippi river

Does the Mississippi River have locks?

Please Search first. Our article conveniently titled Mississippi River has the answer. — Lomn | Talk / RfC 21:48, 26 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Could earths orbit change

If gravitation pull is relative to mass, could removing millions and millions of gallons of oil from planet earth and turning this liquid into gas via vehicles,power stations etc etc actually dramatically change earths mass (weight) Thus changing its gravitational field to the SUN hence changing its orbital distance.

Please sign your question. See the rules at the top of the page. -- Ec5618 22:41, 26 October 2005 (UTC)
Not in any appreciable way. Any material removed from the interior of the Earth is still present on the Earth, be it solid, liquid, or in gaseous form. The total mass of the Earth is not altered by this. Now, getting into the nitpickety limits of mathematics, some likely-unmeasurable fraction of waste gas escapes the outer edges of the atmosphere, though answering "yes" on these grounds isn't really fair to your question. I think (though I'm not confident offhand) that you'd even find crashing the Moon into the Earth would make no appreciable dent; the Earth-Moon system would retain total mass (assuming we do a clean collision, as long as we're just imagining masses at work) and keep its 93 million mile orbital radius, losing only the two thousand mile wobble of the Earth-Moon co-orbit. — Lomn | Talk / RfC 21:53, 26 October 2005 (UTC)
Also, orbit is not dependent on mass, but on orbital velocity. If no force is excerted on the Earth, outside of the force of gravity excerted by the sun, it will remain in a stable orbit. Since athmospheric gases are released into space in all directions equally (approximately), no force is excerted on the Earth, and the orbit will remain stable. -- Ec5618 22:41, 26 October 2005 (UTC)
Even if those gases were released asymmetrically (assuming they do not escape Earth), the centre of mass of the Earth and everything on it would not be affected, since there is no external force on the gas as it is released. --Borbrav 23:53, 26 October 2005 (UTC)
I vaguely remember once reading that the Earth slowly spirals towards the Sun. Of course this is not caused by something as relatively minute as the mass of the oil on Earth (even if it were to disappear). The only thing I can think of is that Earth is slowed down by collisions with matter in space (mostly gas I presume). A lower speed would require a higher orbit. Failing that, Earth would loose its equilibrium and spiral towards the Sun. Of course, the mass off this extraterrestrial matter would be so small compared to that of the Earth that this would be a very slow process. I can't find anything on this in Wikipedia, except that in Year#Variation in the length of the year and the day it says that variation in the Sun's mass might affect the length of a year (of course mass does matter, it's just that Earth's mass is negligible compared to the Sun's). A web-search only resulted in this, where it says "We found that the average very young sun-like star has an X-ray flare about once a week. Such flares would have had a profound affect on the material in the solar system, and could even have helped protect Earth from rapidly spiralling in towards the sun and being destroyed". DirkvdM 08:47, 27 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] E. Love

On the Public Enemy page, it says the Public Enemy crosshairs have someone named E. Love in them. Who is this man, and why is he a target? -- KneeLess 03:29, 28 October 2005 (UTC)

He was a friend of LL Cool J's I believe - he is mentioned in heaps of LLCJ songs. I found this pic of them on Bandstand c.1985, but can't seem to find any other info. Both PE and LLCJ were recording for Def Jam around the same time, so they probably knew each other. Natgoo 22:10, 28 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] miscellaneous/sun,earth,galaxy relationship

How does the sun remain suspended in space, is it moving ??? what speed ?? if so does it spin like the planets ??. at what speed does it spin ??? does our solar system change position in our galaxy (milky way) or do we remain relative to the other stars etc in our galaxy ?? Does our galaxy move through the universe or remain static ??? Im guessing the galaxy moves as a complete entity through space as we are believed to be on a collision course with andromeda in a few billion years time.

-Any motion is a realtive concept, so that question can only be answered if a reference system is given.
-Same.
-The sun does spin around its axis which is located approximately prependicular to the plane of the ecliptic, once every 27 days or so.
-The solar system does not exactly change its position in the solar system, since the entire Milky Way rotates about its centre; The period is around 200 million years. However, many of these stars are moving quite rapidly relative to the sun, so that, again, depends on the frame of reference.
-The Milky Way does move relative to other galaxies, this is most easily seen through the phenomenon of red-shift.
--Borbrav 23:51, 26 October 2005 (UTC)
Some of you questions may be answered here Wikibook:Wikijunior Solar System. The Earth moves relative to the Sun, and vice versa. Relativity is an important concept in astrophysics, and nothing can be said to be moving except in relation to something else.
The Sun does effectively spin, see Sun (Rotation characteristics).
The Sol system (our solar system) does not move in relation to our galaxy. The entire galaxy is effectively rotating around a central core, and our solar system is no different. The galaxy does move though (relative to other galaxies). And no, our solar system is not going to crash into another galaxy for a while, though galaxies have been observed to collide. Space is big. -- Ec5618 23:57, 26 October 2005 (UTC)
Check this out. DirkvdM 08:51, 27 October 2005 (UTC)
To be a little more accurate, the galaxy is not in motion as a single unit. The sun does not orbit the galactic center circularly (though it's close), nor does it orbit similarly with respect to most galactic stars. Consequently, the orientation of the solar system to most stars within the galaxy is shifting. In my opinion, this constitutes motion with relation to the galaxy. — Lomn | Talk / RfC 15:47, 27 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] October 27

[edit] A synonym to the word "holster"

When I was very young and living in the South, my brother and friends use to refer to our cowboy holster as "scabbage". The spelling may not be correct, however, it sounded like that as I heard it and spoke it. Is there such a word? Thank you. Billy T. 27 October 05

A corruption of scabbard, perhaps? —Charles P. (Mirv) 02:11, 27 October 2005 (UTC)

Try http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Scabbage&defid=468299

[edit] Baseball World Series

Dates and teams who have played a four game world series only.

[edit] What is the currency used in Tahiti?

  • According to our French Polynesia article, the CFP franc (CFP: Change franc Pacifique) is the currency there, and in a couple of other French territories in the Pacific. The Euro is used in places like French Guiana, however - in fact, if you look at a Euro banknote, you can see some of them depicted on it. Bit confusing, I know, but there you go... Shimgray | talk | 14:19, 27 October 2005 (UTC)
  • It's the franc CFP. The value of the Pacific franc is tied to the Euro - there isn't any independent monetary policy, just different notes and unit sizes. It's backed by the ECB just the same as a Euro. It's a holdover from the post-war currency revaluation in... '46, I think, just like the CFA franc. The metropolitian franc was devalued to reflect changes in the French trade position with respect to the US and UK - it had a substantial trade deficit - but the colonies were in relatively good shape in terms of international trade position. So, rather than make the colonies pay for the metropole's economic problems, they decided to devalue the franc in France alone. There used to be colonial issues in other places too - the Indochinese piaster was one, and there was Carribean franc at one time, but those are all gone now. --Diderot 14:36, 27 October 2005 (UTC)
    • French overseas territories apart from New Caledonia, Wallis and Futuna and French Polynesia use the euro as their currency: the three exceptions all use the CFP franc, which is linked to the euro at a fixed exchange rate but not backed by the ECB. The currencies which used to be linked to the French franc have fixed exchange rates with the euro guaranteed by the French government. Physchim62 14:45, 27 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Wikipedia, evolution, vandals and growth

Quite a while ago I found an article, I think is was by a student for a uni degree, where they traced the evolution of a page from a fairly simple begining to a complex and evolved finality. Along the way the page was vandalised (and quickly repaired), "factual" content was both expanded and repaired.

Can anybody offer a pointer to this ~ I've tried several searches without success.

Thanks Paul.

Here -- Finlay McWalter | Talk 13:48, 27 October 2005 (UTC)


[edit] zarnaki(a)tep(p)e

What is zarnaki(a)tep(p)e ?????

Possibly related to Jewish religion. Try googling zarnaki the (a)tep(p)e are perhaps chapter/page references.

[edit] Texas Hold em rules

What is the rule regarding a player whose chip total is less than the blind? Can they go all in for less than the big blind or are they simply out of the game?

sccaracer 10/27/05

I think they can go in. Not sure. Check out Texas hold 'em#Rules, though.--Sean Black | Talk 00:01, 28 October 2005 (UTC)
  • Sure they can. If one has fewer chips than the minimum bet (in most any poker game), one can always throw in all one has. About half the time when I lose a tournament, I'll have gone all in with less than the minimum bet. --jpgordon∇∆∇∆ 00:06, 28 October 2005 (UTC)
    • I figured as much. I'm not a player, myself, but I've seen enough games to have a basic grasp.--Sean Black | Talk 00:23, 28 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Soap Operas

I want to film the soap opera "The Right To Love Someone" in the fictional Miami, Florida neighborhood called Angeles City. Do you know any actors and actresses that would be the right people for my soap opera?

You should probably find a casting director. — Lomn | Talk / RfC 15:31, 27 October 2005 (UTC)
You might also find that filming something in a fictional neighbourhood is tricky. Setting it there and filming it in a real place would be easier. DJ Clayworth 17:28, 27 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Sports - BAE

Im trying to find out what BAE means.

All i know is that it is relevent to sports in a way e.g BBA is British Bobsleigh Association.

If anybody knows, then please share as im quite stuck! thank you.

BAE is British Aerospace -- they don't sponsor a sports team or something do they? Ojw 20:44, 27 October 2005 (UTC)
No. BAE is BAE Systems. BAe is British Aerospace. The latter is an acronym, the former isn't.

[edit] Fictional sheep

Why are there no fictional sheep? Can anyone think of any? Rammie doesn't count IMHO (fiction meaning storytelling). Shantavira 18:16, 27 October 2005 (UTC)

Just thought of Larry the Lamb... Shantavira 18:18, 27 October 2005 (UTC)
Shaun the Sheep in A Close Shave. -- Finlay McWalter | Talk 18:23, 27 October 2005 (UTC)
Ba Ba Black Sheep (or is that "ba ba" Black Sheep?) Not much of a story, granted. -- Finlay McWalter | Talk 18:24, 27 October 2005 (UTC)
Mary's Little Lamb? — Lomn | Talk / RfC 18:25, 27 October 2005 (UTC)
Harold the (non)flying sheep -- Finlay McWalter | Talk 18:26, 27 October 2005 (UTC)
Also, Sheep from Sheep in the Big City ☢ Ҡieff⌇↯ 18:29, 27 October 2005 (UTC)
Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? --Diderot 20:05, 27 October 2005 (UTC)
Mint Sauce and Missie, from MBUK's comic strip Ojw 20:27, 27 October 2005 (UTC)
Lamb Chop. And various characters from The Sheep Pig (aka Babe). DJ Clayworth 20:40, 27 October 2005 (UTC)
Note that the above link actually leads to Lamb Chop, the hand puppet of Shari Lewis on her TV shows. StuRat 23:16, 28 October 2005 (UTC)
As to why it is probably just just a continuation of the general anti-sheepism which we have to suffer every day. Regarded as too stupid and simple to carry the plot of a story, and too much one of the flock to be an interesting distinct character. The sheep in Animal Farm are a good example of the racist depictions of sheep in literature; just a clique of noisy animals who blindly support the dictator Napoleon and drown out all effective opposition. Down with predjudice: sheep are people too. MeltBanana 20:31, 27 October 2005 (UTC)

Actually, it doesn't that much. Category:Lists of fictional animals is useful, but I created List of fictional sheep. Trollderella 01:37, 28 October 2005 (UTC)

There were a handful of sheep characters in the movie Babe. I've added that to the list. Garrett Albright 14:55, 28 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Police brutality article

I am doing a paper for English class about Police Brutality and I was looking for an article from early last year where there was a picture of a Latin man who was brutally beaten after sopposedly attempting to shoot an officer thatn jump out of a window. If you could find that article it woyld greatly appreciated. Thank you

[edit] How are Chemicals Added to Cigarettes?

Hello, my question is about cigarettes. I read that the many hundreds of chemicals added to cigarettes or rather the dried nicotine leaves are sprayed on. Is this true, how does that work, and how does it remain on the leaves, do they cook in the chemicals?

Thank you, Heather

The nasty chemicals are mostly found in Tobacco leaves, which contain the addictive nicotine, as well as other chemicals which produce carcinogenic fumes. The carbon monoxide comes from burning the tabacco , and the Tar is the leftover ash and burnt leaves. All of these come from the leaves themselves. The chemicals the companies add I would think are glue, and some preservatives. smurrayinaHauntedHouse...Boo!(User), (Talk) 20:34, 27 October 2005 (UTC)
    • One would think so. But tobacco companies have been adding all sorts of other stuff to their product for quite a while. Here is a list of the 599 additives approved by the US Government. --jpgordon∇∆∇∆ 23:59, 27 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] And why?

That is one helluva list you gave us. Why would a cigarette company go to the extent of adding all these things? The addictive part is the nicotine and the "tasty" part is the tobacco, but I certainly haven't got a buzz from the Fig Juice Concentrate or Lime Oil or Parsley Seed Oil or Urea (to name a few) they've been putting in my smokes --Ballchef 01:13, 28 October 2005 (UTC)

Most of the additives are to add a distinctive smell (even when unburnt) and to increase shelf life. The smell is important because cheap tobacco (which is what is used in most cigarettes) starts to smell like horse manure after awhile in my opinion. -Drdisque 01:44, 28 October 2005 (UTC)

I think the chemicals are added in the curing process, thats when they add the perfume stuff to make it smell a certain way. AllanHainey 08:31, 28 October 2005 (UTC)
One of the most insidious reasons is to make cigs even more addictive. For example, ammonia readilly evaporates and takes many other chemicals with it. The nicotine mixed with ammonia thus evaporates and is absorbed in the lungs where it causes the addictive reaction. Had there been no ammonia present, much of the nicotine would have remained in the burnt cig and would be discarded. StuRat 23:26, 28 October 2005 (UTC)
In the film The Insider a whistleblower at a cigarette company mentions his company adding poisinous chemicals to make the addictive hit of their cigarettes greater... something about the same amount of nicotine, but a better uptake of it or something. I can't remember it all that well, and it's worth remembering that the film is based on a true story. It seems entirely plausible to me though, considering tobacco companies are in the business of selling lethal products anyway. --81.154.236.221 03:05, 29 October 2005 (UTC)
"Poisonous" is a bit strong, as that word is reserved for a substance used to kill people immediately. "Toxic" might be a better word for something that takes years to kill, due to long term exposure. StuRat 03:28, 29 October 2005 (UTC)
A film is certainly not a good source, even if 'based on' a true story. I remember seeing parts of that film and it looked like one long anti-smoking campaign. Which makes me wonder. There's so much government anti-smoking campaigning (especially, but not only in the US) that I wouldn't be surprised if they just let tobacco manufacturers do whatever they please just to 'prove' that smoking is bad. DirkvdM 09:19, 29 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] the oldest religion

what is the worlds oldest religion and is it one of the three great religions of the world.

I think that there's a problem because how do you define religion? I'm sure there's a relatively isolated tribe somewhere that's practicing a religion similar to what's been practiced in that area for hundreds of thousands of years, but is it the same religion if it's evolved over that time? For instance, various forms of paganism have been around for quite some time, but gods and goddesses always come into and go out of fashion and new myths are constructed about them.
Some anthropologists theorize that the Neandertals had religious beliefs because they buried their dead, often with great respect and honor. It may have been in early australopithecines or Cro-Magnum man as well. It is far older than the organized religions we think of today.--Screwball23 talk 23:59, 2 November 2005 (UTC)
If you're only interested in modern world religions I'd guess Hinduism (dates to between 3102 BCE to 1300 BCE according to our article).
You can browse around the major religions yourself and check out their cited dates in Category:Religious faiths, traditions, and movements. — Laura Scudder | Talk 20:09, 27 October 2005 (UTC)

I don't think this is an answerable question, and perhaps not even a meaningful question. Religion predates written history. Our earliest written records make allusions to many religious practices. Our oldest continuous written record of a religion (the cult of yahweh) shows that it has evolved and changed almost unrecognizably over the time of the record. One of the interesting things nearly all religions do is deny that they have changed even when the documentary evidence is clear. In some of the more benighted parts of the world you risk death by even trying to point that out. alteripse 00:29, 3 November 2005 (UTC)

[edit] the second oldest president

i understand ronald regan is our oldest president who is our second oldest president.

Dwight D. Eisenhower previously held the record for oldest sitting President; I don't believe George H.W. Bush surpassed it. — Lomn | Talk / RfC 21:57, 27 October 2005 (UTC)
See List of United States presidents by age for more information. Dismas|(talk) 23:51, 27 October 2005 (UTC)
These aren't my presidents, for sure.
Then again, if a president of the US is called 'leader of the free world' that can mean one of two things for the Dutch (or other nationalities). Either we are to accept the US president as our leader (which would be absurd) or we are to believe that the Netherlands is not a part of the free world (whatever that means, anyway).
Please keep in mind that the world does not consist of the US alone. DirkvdM 06:40, 28 October 2005 (UTC)
Keep in mind that if Ronald Reagan is the oldest president, the presidency in question is unquestionably that of the U.S. - Nunh-huh 06:45, 28 October 2005 (UTC)
Of course the "free world" only includes the USA. Everything else is an oppressive communist regime, and if people dare to oppose the USA's God-given mission to bring Holy Capitalist MacDonald's Democracy to every other country, they're terrorists and hate freedom. Besides, don't you have a King and a Queen in the Netherlands? — JIP | Talk 10:15, 28 October 2005 (UTC)
Figure of speech, Dirk. Figure of speech. Garrett Albright 14:49, 28 October 2005 (UTC)
Go figure. And mind your speech. :) DirkvdM 09:21, 29 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Inventions

what there any inventions and or discoveries in 1990-1999?

There were many. You might start by checking our annual articles in the series 1990 through 1999. Please ask only once, the Reference Desk is not a search engine. — Lomn | Talk / RfC 21:57, 27 October 2005 (UTC)
You'd probably want to look at our Timeline of invention#20th_century.--Pharos 09:26, 31 October 2005 (UTC)
Actually, the 1990-1999 era is known in some circles as the "inter-net era" because it was a transition period between two different knids of networks. All significant inventions and or discoveries during 1990-1999 have been lost in the quicksand and or murky depths of time. +sj + 04:03, 2 November 2005 (UTC)
Are those vermicious knid networks, or just the regular type? Brian Schlosser42 18:40, 3 November 2005 (UTC)

[edit] history or shakesphere

hi i just finished reading henry v and i want to know if he really gave that speech at the battle of agincourt.

Probably not; Shakespeare was good at fictionalising such things, and he was writing two hundred years later. It is thought that Henry gave some form of speech to his troops - he was a popular and competent leader - but if so, the actual content of that speech would have been different. (Our article on the battle states that Prior to the battle, King Henry spoke to his troops from a little grey horse. French accounts state that in his speech he told his men that he and the dukes, earls and other nobles had little to worry about if the French won because they would be captured and ransomed for a good price. The common soldier on the other hand, was worth little and so he told them that they had better fight hard.) Shimgray | talk | 22:10, 27 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] October 28

[edit] Downloading straight to the brain.

In many fictions, The Terminal Man by Michael Crichton, Battlefield Earth -that John Travolta cheese fest of a film, The Matrix trilo, just to name a few, download information on a crazy fast speed. I know just reading slowly and/or watching film or listing or feeling--doing what life is basically, a Spongebob Squarepants styles of absorbing information. I know we are Intergallactic when it comes to searching the Universe, and we're Microscopic to the DNA of things. And here it comes, the question: Where can I download the entire Wikipedia into my so-called 5-10% usage of my noggin. I want to fill all that wasted space. Thanks, -Ya'akov

The parts of the brain you aren't using aren't terribly good at remembering things, in fact they're not terribly good at anything, thats why you don't use them. Also, i imagine that learning anything that fast would be incredibly painful as a lot of neuron connections would have to change very quickly. -Drdisque
But there aren't any pain receptors in the brain, right? So it couldn't hurt. Then again, too much thinking can give one a headache, so why's that? DirkvdM 09:25, 29 October 2005 (UTC)
That's probably a tension headache or vascular headache. ‣ᓛᖁ♀ᑐ 10:11, 29 October 2005 (UTC)
The idea that humans use only 10% of their brains is just a popular fiction. The brain as a whole uses more energy and oxygen than any other organ; if 90% went unused, the brain simply wouldn't have developed to its current size.
Downloading directly to the brain is also currently fictional, and impossible until science has more complete understanding of how the brain works. It isn't known how the brain encodes information, for example, which is required knowledge if we are to store arbitrary information in it. ‣ᓛᖁ♀ᑐ 10:11, 29 October 2005 (UTC)
However, progress is being made in that respect. There is a current experimental process where a connection to the visual cortex is used to feed the brain a very rough image so a blind person can "see" the image provided. The resoltuion is currently enough to be able to determine if someone is standing in front of them, but not enough to make out who they are. Still, this is the basic concept of downloading info to the brain. All that is needed are improvements in the resolution/bandwidth downloaded, and perhaps the introduction of some enzymes to encourage our brains to memorize the info thus provided, and we will be there. Also, some way to transmit this info into an internal implant vs. the current bulky connector would avoid having the person look and feel like a cyborg. StuRat 11:19, 29 October 2005 (UTC)

The Terminal Man by Michael Crichton did not talk about downloading infromation to the brain. It was a story of a poor epilepsy patient whose "let's put a computerized pacemaker into his brain" treatment went terribly wrong and made him an unstoppable compulsive killing machine. The medical doctor had to shoot him in the end. I think we should have done the same thing to John Travolta before he made Battlefield Earth. -- Toytoy 10:43, 29 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Starbucks, what are they putting in our coffee?

Thanks Wikipedia for being a Conspiracy Theorists Playground, and so is life. A quick reference before the actual question can be answered. Aldous Huxley's 'Brave New World', everyone consumes daily grams of soma, to fight depression. I do not recall a chemical of sorts '1984' by George Orwell. Anyways, in the just released film 'DOMINO' directed by Tony Scott there's a scene were this lady makes coffee for the anti-Hero bounty hunters and puts mescaline instead of our normal sugar and half n' half. After a fiendish consumption of Starbucks brews, a fierce body shaking heroin like addiction. Well, I know there are differences in the way the brews are made, and/or packaged. When I get Starbucks at an actual coffee store, it is way more potent than the coffee stands and kiosks in center mall areas and those found in grocery stores. It makes me think untrusting thoughts. -Jacob

I don't think Starbucks is poisoning their coffee to mess with the heads of yuppies, personally. Oh, minor correction- in Brave New World, Soma isn't designed to fight depression, it's supposed to keep people actively happy- Sort of a Super-Prozac mixed with mescaline (which Huxley experimented with, and wrote about in The Doors of Perception, which, in turn, inspired Jim Morrison to name his band The Doors).--Sean Black | Talk 00:21, 28 October 2005 (UTC)
If you suspect Starbucks, or anybody else, of tampering with your coffee, the solution is not to create a Wikipedia-fanned conspiracy theory, but just stop going there. And if you have genuine concerns (as distinct from just voicing vague suspicions), tell the health authorities. JackofOz 00:27, 28 October 2005 (UTC)
Currently, they're putting cinnamon and nutmeg in their "Pumpkin Spice Latte". No actual pumpkin. - Nunh-huh 06:43, 28 October 2005 (UTC)
Well, those are both pumpkin spices! — mendel ☎ 20:42, 28 October 2005 (UTC)

You would expect Starbucks to be less potent than other coffees because they roast their beans longer (I have heard it called "Charbucks"). Darker roasts taste stronger, but the roasting burns off the caffeine, so they are in fact less potent. Which is not, mind you, evidence that Starbucks is not involved in an evil conspricay to control your brain.... And if I don't get pumpkin chunks floating in my Pumpkin Spice Latte, I'm demanding a refund. Ground Zero | t 14:39, 28 October 2005 (UTC)

Oh noes!!!1!! It's all true! android79 14:42, 28 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Swarthmore and Brown

I'm applying to college next year, and two places I'm really looking at are Swarthmore College and Brown University. Any advice? Neutralitytalk 04:28, 28 October 2005 (UTC)

I went to Brown for my graduate degree, but from what I know Brown has a really cool undergrad curriculum, I think it's open to an unprecedented degree. There's a significant number of people who design their own concentrations (majors). I also seem to remember that if you fail a course that's the same as if you never took it. --Ornil 05:04, 28 October 2005 (UTC)
Yes, I've done some reading about the New Curriculum and it sounds very interesting. Neutralitytalk 17:58, 28 October 2005 (UTC)
Give us some data first. gpa/rank/boards/athletic, artistic, etc. achievements lots of issues | leave me a message 07:42, 28 October 2005 (UTC)
IB Diploma candidate, 3.6 GPA unweighed (weighed GPA significantly higher), class rank is probably top one-third. Lots of AGOLA awards (six years, and I founded/lead my school team), decent LD debator, NHS, elected member of the School Advisory Council. I've taken the PSAT-NMSQT but haven't got my scores yet, and will take the SAT I, ACT, and probably around four SAT Subject Tests (SAT IIs) next year. I've taken two AP exams (U.S. Government and Comparative Government) and got 5 on both. I'll probably take 4-6 more APs. Interested in pretty much everything, but looking towards a history/political science-type major. Neutralitytalk 17:58, 28 October 2005 (UTC)
Also, what are you looking for in a college? Brown isn't a large school, but compared to Swarthmore it's huge. And are you interested in liberal arts are or extremely liberal "you-can-make-you-own-curriculum-and-take-everything-pass-fail" arts? Oops, that probably came out as biased, even though I didn't go to either of these schools, or apply, by the way. My one piece of advice would be to go see them both for yourself and not let other people tell you which one is better. My Brown tour guide gave the tour bear-footed, didn't know how to get into the buildings, and couldn't really tell us what his major was. He was a senior. That pretty much sealed the deal for me not to apply, but you might go there and love it (and hopefully get a different tour guide... this one would have long-since gradutated). -Parallel or Together? 08:42, 28 October 2005 (UTC)
I want a college that has lots of interesting options and opportunities, but I'm not sure I'd like a gigantic school like UF (which I'm also applying to). I'd also like a significant degree of academic freedom and to be around people who are politically concerned. Other than that, I'm pretty much open. Neutralitytalk 17:58, 28 October 2005 (UTC)
Based on what you've said here, I think you would enjoy attending Brown. It is well-known for academic freedom (of both students and professors) and there are definitely politically concerned people there. You said that you were interested in history or political science, and you could certainly study those at either college, but I think Brown has a somewhat larger variety of options to choose from should you find something you really love while exploring the opportunities afforded by the "New Curriculum." Brown is also about the same size as William and Mary, where I went for my undergraduate degree, and I loved the ability to recognize a lot of faces and feel like a close community while still being able to enjoy a diversity of opinions and experiences. I have to again recommend that you disregard everything I just said and go visit them both for yourself, as well as other similar schools (I'll throw W&M out there just to be a good alumnus). I went on a trip to a bunch of schools before my senior year of high school, and it definitely made me re-evaluate some of them, both positively and negatively. I did the same thing before choosing a law school. My only other advice would be not to let any bad weather you experience while visiting influence your decision. Best of luck. -Parallel or Together? 11:14, 29 October 2005 (UTC)

Neutrality,

You must haul ass. Overload your schedule with the maximum challenging courses and do perfect. Currently your GPA and rank are out of the realm of possibility for Brown or Swat. Do not accept anything less than 99 percentile+ for all your boards. Grab regional awards/compete nationally in your areas of already developed interest. For comparison the avg admitted SAT score at Brown is 1390 (old SAT), which is 98 percentile. Assuming no socioeconomic disadvantage, you will have to outperform this average. 90% of Brown's admitted class was in the top 10%. The exceptions to the rule I assume are made for stellar athletes and students from nationally known publics magnets (Stuyvesant High School, Brooklyn Tech, etc.)

Modern elite college admissions are one compettive bitch dude. Good luck.

lots of issues | leave me a message 10:36, 30 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] DABHOL

Dear Sir ,

Please tell the medical facilities available at Dabhol in Ratnagiri district or nearby Dabhol.

Regards, J.Bhattacharyya

There is a rural government hospital at Guhagar (which is the closest to Dabhol), or you could check out the folling hospital[96]:
Shree Vitthalrao Joshi Charities Trust's Bhaktashreshtha Kamalakarpant Laxman Walawalkar Hospital and Diagnostic Centre
Shree Kshetra Dervan, Tal. - Chiplun, Dist. - Ratnagiri, (MS) - 415606.
(Western India) Tel. No. - 34137 / 34149. Fax No. - 34181. Std Code - 02355.
Location - On Mumbai-Goa highway - 80km. from Ratnagiri and 16km. from Chiplun.
Area Covered : Ratnagiri, Sindhudurg, & Raigad Districts
It seems like it might be a bit far for you, but it looks like a pretty good hospital. -Parallel or Together? 08:33, 28 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Not for Resale?

Hi all I recently got a software (Norton Internet Security 2005 Antispyware version) for a prize and it has a "Not for Resale" sticker on the box inside the plastic. Does that mean that I am stuck with it and I can't sell it on eBay or other similar sites? Thanks. --antilived T | C 09:38, 28 October 2005 (UTC)

I don't think the sticker will have any legal weight (& seriously doubt if Norton would prosecute you for selling it on ebay), you can just peel it off if you like. As long as you haven't installed the software (& thus agreed to their contract/registration terms) you should be ok to sell it. AllanHainey 10:02, 28 October 2005 (UTC)
Yeah, I was about to say the same thing but got an edit conflict. Unless you signed some kind of paper such a sticker won't mean squat (at least not here). However if you have installed the software you are stuck with it because you'll have agreed to the licence that says it's non-transferable. Besides the software is useless without the free subscription to live update that's included, so if you have activated that subscription whoever buy the software won't be eable to keep it up to date, so you'll basicaly be ripping them off. --Sherool 10:11, 28 October 2005 (UTC)
Generally, when you see software that says "Not for Resale" on its packaging, that means the software was part of some promotion. Usually it's applied to original equipment manufacturer (OEM) software that was given by the software company to a hardware company to be bundled with computers the hardware company is building and selling, but it could also have been given to whoever gave the software to you explicitly for use as a prize. Either way, the software company (Norton in this case) either sold the software at a reduced wholesale price or gave it away entirely, with the intention that the software would not be sold for full retail price by someone further down the line; hence "Not for Resale." But now that the software is in your hands, you can do whatever you want with it provided you stay within the bounds of the license agreement. Garrett Albright 14:46, 28 October 2005 (UTC)
So if I sell it as it is (brand new) and without agreeing any license agreements I can sell it? Thanks a lot.--antilived T | C 23:01, 28 October 2005 (UTC)
That's tough to say. I think that, as others mentioned above, now that the product is in the hands of the final consumer (you) as opposed to the retailer, the label no longer applies. I can't give you a definite answer. Garrett Albright 18:49, 29 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] ship lost during 1950s off coast off cork due to bad weather

Do you mean Cork, Ireland ? Can you be more specific on the date ? StuRat 00:24, 29 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] The wax pea and its origin

In reproducing an atomic model with a wax pea how do you dtermine the electron tube voltage.?


[edit] How many people have been to Rockall?

How many people (and who) have been to Rockall? Various sources have conflicting numbers.

Nobody knows. How could anyone keep count? And why should they? Shantavira 19:24, 2 November 2005 (UTC)

[edit] aurogyro

I am tryig to get the address,phone number, website for a picture that I saw on my computer. The title was aurogyro-ela-07-casarrubios-spain-jpg. I am interested in this for possible purchase of gyro. Thank you in advance. George Murphy

I assume the image in question is this: Image:Aurogyro-ELA-07-Casarrubios-Spain.jpg. The page says the photographer is Roberto Yañez, and a form to contact him is on the page. If you're asking about the autogyro's manufacturer, it seems to be ELA Aviación. --David Wahler (talk) 20:59, 28 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Politics on Wikipedia

Are there politics on Wikipedia? Is there a way to make this a better place?? I click around all these Wikipedia talk pages, and there's all this talk about this and that and stuff and such. --129.97.17.56 17:25, 28 October 2005 (UTC)

Depends what you mean by politics. Neutral Point of View or NPOV tries to keep real world politics down to a minimum, but there are of course different people have different viewpoints on British English vs American and other such issues. If you want to improve Wikipedia, then just find an article which could do with changing, and change it! You may want to create an account. Click 'Create an Account' in the Top Right of the screen. It's free and easy! smurrayinaHauntedHouse...Boo!(User), (Talk) 17:58, 28 October 2005 (UTC)
If you are looking for something to do try an Active Wiki Fixup Project.--Commander Keane 06:29, 29 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] What is important about the missouri compromise of 1820

Two things: 1. See Missouri Compromise. 2. Do your own homework.--Sean Black | Talk 20:33, 28 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] What would happen if ...

Darth Vader battled Lord Voldemort?

I know it's not a proper question for the Wikipedia Reference Desk - it just popped into my head last night as one of my kids watched Return of the Jedi while the other was reading Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince. Thought I'd pose the question here and let everybody put in their two cents.

  • If you knew it wasn't a proper question, why did you post it here? android79 21:15, 28 October 2005 (UTC)
    • Meh, think about it this way: force is just telekinesis and some silly lightnings. Magic in the HP universe is full of possibilities. So, Darth Vader doesn't stand a chance. Voldemort could pretty much turn his lightsaber into a snake. ☢ Ҡieff⌇↯ 05:35, 29 October 2005 (UTC)
Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.
  • Given the fact it's impossible to kill Voldemort at the present time, I'd say he'd win from Darth Vader. - Mgm|(talk) 15:08, 29 October 2005 (UTC)
    • Vader would kick Voldemort's ass. The Dark Side of The Force is way more powerful than any mincey conjuring tricks. And Yoda would pwn Harry Potter. Proto t c 10:02, 31 October 2005 (UTC)
  • in my opinion these questions (what happens with x battles y, with x and y being from totally different sources) are always pretty much pointless, as the places there stories take place differ so much you simply can't say either one will win. you can come up with any number of things that could happen, but an actual answer is simply not possible. Boneyard 14:20, 2 November 2005 (UTC)

[edit] warfare in the anicent world

how were wars finaced in the anicent world.

I'd imagine in very similar ways to how they're financed today - through taxes and acquisition of the means of production for the war effort. Natgoo 22:37, 28 October 2005 (UTC)
If you go back far enough, they were financed by the participants. That is, each person brought their own weapons, clothes, and supplies (or stole them from their enemies). The American Revolution was still largely fought this way on the side of the Americans, while the British had full weapons, uniforms, ships, etc., provdied by the Crown. StuRat 00:11, 29 October 2005 (UTC)
Although in fairness, we weren't making much progress until our soldiers also had "full weapons, uniforms, ships, etc provided by the Crown"-- the French Crown, that is. It wasn't the guys in buckskin hiding behind trees who won the war. alteripse 11:44, 29 October 2005 (UTC)

This makes me think of something related. Take Alexander the Great. He went to the east with an army and conquered the first city. But conquering is one thing. Keeping is another. So he had to leave some people behind for that. Then he went to the next city and the next and so on (he conquered quite a bunch). In no time he would have had no army left. Does this mean he found enough allies everywhere he went? That sounds a bit unlikely to me. Who would support a conqueror? Some, sure, but not quite enough I suppose. Keep in mind that he went really really far. In WWII, Germany conquered 'just' a five-fold or so of the size of their own country. For Alexander it was more like a fifty-fold. And the Romans took centuries for their conquests (enough to let people get used to the occupation to the extent that they largely didn't regard it as such anymore). Alexander took just decades. DirkvdM 09:40, 29 October 2005 (UTC)

I'm no expert on the matter, but things where a bit different back then, most of the "pesants" had no great sense of nationalism, they just followed whoever was in charge and tried not to get in theyr way. Then someone came to draft soldiers it mattered little if it was the local dictator or a invading army. Also as I understand Alexander was quite respectfull of the people, treating them as equals rather than conquered slaves, and he was quite charismatic so quite a few of the local "lords" probably joined him willingly in exchange for keeping theyr possisions, rather than take up arms against his army. --Sherool 19:46, 29 October 2005 (UTC)
I dig the 'peasants don't give a shit' thing. But I find it hard to believe that lords whom he had just defeated would just switch to his side unchecked (at first they might play along, but as soon as he's gone....). Another possibility I now think of (one that's been used often in history, I believe) is to give one of the lords power over the others or promote a non-lord to that status, thus making sure that whoever is in power has something to thank you for. DirkvdM 08:41, 30 October 2005 (UTC)
Am important part of the armies in that period were made up of mercenaries, and Greek mercenaries made up a significant portion of the forces opposing Alexander. Also don't underestimate the ability of local rulers to switch loyalties when it is their best interest. Consider Afghanistan, where most of the local warlords that once claimed to be loyal followers of the Taliban, now back the new government. - SimonP 17:32, 30 October 2005 (UTC)
Or the US, who at first backed the Taliban. The mercenary thing is interresting, though. You invade a city, loot, and then redistribute the loot among local mercenaries to wage war with you against the next city. This is so plausible that it must have been one of the tactics used. DirkvdM 09:05, 31 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Solid Gold

Who was the original host on it's debut?

MSGUPPY2 17:21 28 October 2005

tv.com has it listed as Paul Anka and Dionne Warwick. Natgoo 23:35, 28 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Strawberry Pincushion

I tried searching but I couldn't find it: What is the name of the desert plant that is sometimes called a Strawberry Pincushion because of it's tasty eatable fruit?

Nope. It is a cactus that has little red fruit that kind of looked like a pepper but tastes like a combination of strawberry and kiwi. I seen it on the show Survivorman.

It was probably a type of hedgehog cactus which produces edible fruit and is native to the Sonoran Desert, where the episode in question was shot. —Charles P. (Mirv) 19:01, 29 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] October 29

[edit] the smallest city in europe

what is the smallest city in europe and when was it founded.

St David's is the smallest city in the United Kingdom founded around 550 AD. Hope that helps. --mervyn 08:49, 29 October 2005 (UTC)
Do you mean 'still existing'? Do you mean the first settlement of what is now a city? If so, what defines a city? Do you mean with city rights (in the past)? If you don't define it, a one-house settlement might even count. DirkvdM 09:44, 29 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Article 19

I am looking for information requsted articles the treaty signing of Mexican American article 19 land rights . thanks y sincerely annalisa hinojos [email removed]

Do you perhaps mean Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, which has an article IX (9) about property rights? -- Rick Block (talk) 15:44, 29 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Christmas is coming!

Have you ever heard the song "Feliz Navidad" by Jared Smith? Who wrote this song and where can I find its lyrics?

Feliz navidad en América
Feliz navidad en China
Feliz navidad en (?)
Feliz navidad en Alemania (Germany)
Feliz, feliz, feliz navidad en Cuba
Feliz navidad en (?)
Feliz navidad en la calle (?)
Feliz navidad en (?)

Jared rocks. -- Toytoy 07:15, 29 October 2005 (UTC)

Do you mean who wrote the orginal version of "Feliz Navidad"? It was José Feliciano. You could find the lyrics to this online easily I'm sure. As to who wrote the Jared Smith version... I assume Jared just improvised it himself (maybe he didn't know the words to the real version?). I can't help you with the lyrics for this one though. -Parallel or Together? 12:26, 29 October 2005 (UTC)
I think Jared Smith was not singing José Feliciano's "Feliz Navidad" (lyrics, MP3). Feliciano's lyrics goes with "Feliz Navidad, Feliz Navidad, Feliz Navidad, Prospero año y felicidad." (Merry Christmas. Have a good year and good luck." The song by Jared is highly cosmopolitan. His performance is also highly ... original.
To listen to the Jared version of "Feliz Navidad," you can download this free Mac OS X toy from Freeverse Software. If you're using a PC, you can open the archive and use an external player to playback the MP4 file. -- Toytoy 13:51, 29 October 2005 (UTC)
The first (?) is Santo Domingo, the second is mis pantalones, la calle is correct for the third, and the final (?) is mi corazón. Garrett Albright 18:47, 29 October 2005 (UTC)

No it isn't! But take Carnaval. Now there's a celebration worth looking forward to months in advance. :) DirkvdM 07:27, 30 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Thin Capitalization

This question is about corporate finance. We would like to know what "thin capitalization" means.

I believe that phrase refers to the limts on what portion of a company's assets can be in the form of "loan capital" rather than "equity capital", for tax purposes. For example, this site details the tax rules in Switzerland:
http://geneva.ch/f/genevaguidethincapita.htm
StuRat 11:49, 29 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] the largest cities in this great nation.

what are the ten largest cities in the country and when were they founded.

Since there are readers of this Wikipedia from all nations of the world, could you help us out by identifing which nation it is that you would like information for? If you're one of the many people on the internet that have a case of Americentrism and you're actually referring to the United States then you should see that article. Dismas|(talk) 14:30, 29 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Certified Check

I could not find "certified check" in Wikipdia and wanted to add this, but the upload did not work. Maybe it is not possible with the website I listed? I thought it gave a good definition of a certified check.

http://www.investopedia.com/terms/c/certifiedcheck.asp

(email address removed)

If you copied that information over directly the article would more than likely be deleted since it would violate Wikipedia's Copyright violation policy. Also, Wikipedia isn't a dictionary. So definitions should be on Wiktionary. Lastly, I removed your e-mail address per the instructions at the top of this page. Dismas|(talk) 14:34, 29 October 2005 (UTC)

I added the certified check article. Good suggestion. It's particularly useful as a comparison with the existing cashier's check article. StuRat 14:42, 29 October 2005 (UTC)

Cashier's check has a bit more than just a standard definition. It would be great if someone could expand certified check so that it's more than a dic. def. Dismas|(talk) 15:05, 29 October 2005 (UTC)
Agreed. Hence the stub template there. StuRat 15:26, 29 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] US law or precident that important sections in contracts must stand out

There's some law or precident that important sections in contracts/notices or something must STAND OUT, FOR EXAMPLE IN CAPITAL LETTERS, do we have an article on it, and if so, what is it? —Ævar Arnfjörð Bjarmason 14:58, 29 October 2005 (UTC)

I'm not aware of any law. Precedent (note the correct spelling), just means it is customarily done a certain way. I imagine there are several standards in use for capitalization. You might be thinking of commercial advertisements and product labels, which do sometimes have such requirements, usually related to the font size used for disclaimers. StuRat 15:32, 29 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] the largest cities in the united states.

what are the ten largest cities in the united states and when were they founded.

I answered the first part of this question for you three questions above this one. See United States. For the second part, please read the articles for those cities. Dismas|(talk) 15:21, 29 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Adobe Photoshop

I accidentally hit the "save" button in Photoshop when I drew something in the picture. How could I get the original picture back? :(--172.194.166.188 17:53, 29 October 2005 (UTC)

Do NOT use File→Revert.
Use Edit→Step Backward or Windows→Show History and then use the History panel to go back. -- Toytoy 18:00, 29 October 2005 (UTC)
But this only works if you have Photoshop and the file still open. If not, and there still a way to do this (also more in general), I'd be very interrested in what it is, because I've run into that problem too. And, more in general, especially a solution that works with Linux would be welcome. DirkvdM 07:35, 30 October 2005 (UTC)
You mean you opened the file, blew it, saved it then closed it and also closed Adobe Photoshop? I guess copies of the older version may still be somewhere in your file system and maybe in your DRAM and the Photoshop scratch file too. But it'll be difficult if possible to salvage the file. Do you backup vital information weekly? I guess you'll be very sorry if you closed the file. -- Toytoy 07:52, 30 October 2005 (UTC)
The 'S' and 'W' keys are so close to each other that one can easily save with ^S and then accidentally hit the 'W' as well. I suppose closing Photoshop doesn't make a difference. Any solution would come down to the functionality of the OS. As I understand it, msWindows and Linux (when using Reiser fs, a journaling file system) use differrent methods of writing data to disk, with Reiser fs not writing the data directly to disk. So there should be a way to undo anything you do without a backup (or trash bin). But I haven't a clue how. Of course this is not relevant to Photoshop because that doesn't run under Linux (the main reason I still use ,sWindows occasionally). Is there a journaling fs for msWindows (preferably 98 because my XP crashed beyond recovery a few months after installation). DirkvdM 09:01, 30 October 2005 (UTC)
  • Once you have saved something and closed the program, the chances of getting it back are very, very, very slim. Sometimes programs like this save temporary files of different versions of programs, however in normal operation they delete these after you've closed the program. --Fastfission 15:11, 30 October 2005 (UTC)
Well, of course the program will usually delete it. Logically, that is - physically it may still be on the disk. But I was talking about what the OS/file system does. DirkvdM 09:24, 31 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Bush Ivy Leaf

Hi. I was looking at a Jehovah Witness Magazine and seen a picture of an insect called a Bush Ivy Leaf. I am trying to find out more information on this insect. Could you please email me with all the information that you have available? [email removed]. Thanks you

[edit] Can I buy flags of the 32 counties of ireland

Yes, you can. Depends on where you are. "Irish stores" such as this one: O'Casey's Irish Store are probably your best bet in the US. If you're in Ireland, there are plenty of souvenir and sporting goods stores that would sell such items. -- Canley 23:12, 30 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Fictional Characters

For the main characters "Meredith Everstein" and "Peter Stringberry" in "The Right To Love Someone", which soap opera actor and actress would be right for the two fictional characters?

  • Whether someone fits a role depends on a lot more than the character's name. It also depends on the look that is required for the character and the personality the character needs to have. - Mgm|(talk) 21:04, 29 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] US college admission

Is it essential to have a high school diploma or GED to apply for college in the US? I know you can take the SAT without having graduated, but is it essential to have a diploma? I have checked the College admissions page and googled, but to no avail. Thanks. Natgoo 21:23, 29 October 2005 (UTC)

Yes, it is. However, some colleges (community colleges especially) will allow you to first get a GED there, then continue on. StuRat 21:28, 29 October 2005 (UTC)
To be precise, it's generally necessary to have your high school diploma or GED before enrolling in college, not before applying; colleges typically send acceptance letters before the student graduates from high school, but the student must actually complete his or her graduation requirements from high school or the acceptance will normally be withdrawn. --Metropolitan90 00:06, 30 October 2005 (UTC)
If you are from the US it is, if you are a foreign national or educated in a foreign country most US colleges/universities will consider equivalent qualifications. AllanHainey 10:02, 31 October 2005 (UTC)
Yeah, I probably should have clarified, but I was thinking in regard to domestic students. That's very interesting - the system in Australia is quite different. Thanks. Natgoo 18:26, 31 October 2005 (UTC)
Actually, it's not, but it is exceptional. Some high school students are allowed to take classes at a college as advanced placement. Also, occasionally students are admitted to college degree program without having completed a high school program. Admission to US colleges is at the discretion of the college. Admission without completing a High School program would probably require special permission from the college. RJFJR 18:37, 31 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] How can I play an avi file on a DVD player?

Hello, everybody. :) I have some movies on my PC in avi format but I want to give them to my sister who has no computer but has a DVD player. I have a regular CD burner. So is it possible just to burn the files on a regular CD so she can watch them at home, or do I need a special software or is it just not possible?--Fito 23:18, 29 October 2005 (UTC)

ffmpeg may be able to reencode the file into a VOB, which you can then turn into a DVD with dvdshrink or dvdauthor. ffmpeg's success (or that of one of a number of other reencoders) will depend on how well they support the codec with which your movie is encoded (avi being just a container format, not a codec). gui4ffmpeg is a handy program that helps you figure out the correct switches to send ffmpeg. -- Finlay McWalter | Talk 23:23, 29 October 2005 (UTC)
Oh, I forgot you only have a CD writer. In that case, you want to author a VCD or SVCD file (most current DVD players will render those, but ones more than a year or two probably won't). ffmpeg has output options for both types, producing compatible MPEG1 or MPEG2 files, as appropriate. You'll need some other software (I don't know what) to create the other files that a VCD or SVCD needs to work properly. Afterdawn.com has a bunch of guides for this kind of stuff - be warned that you often end up using a string of badly engineered and mostly undocumented programs (which means fixing problems can be a real challenge). -- Finlay McWalter | Talk 23:36, 29 October 2005 (UTC)


[edit] October 30

[edit] Natural phenomenon: "Clay Babies" Need details please

I lived in Tacoma, Washington and friends had a home on Fox Island. At low tide they took me to an area of the Sound where we collected hardened clay objects, many looking like rough animals, etc. I was told these were called Clay Babies and they only occured in one other place, another country. I'm trying to find out more about these objects and have exhausted my searching without luck so far. I hope you can help or point me in the right direction. I was going through some old collectables and recently found my stash of clay babies. Thank you for your time and consideration. George

[edit] Exposure: Future Of Film

On the Sci Fi channel they used to have a show called Exposure. It showcased short films and stuff. Is there a dvd available anywhere?

[edit] what is the deadliest spider

To human beings, possibly the Australian venomous funnel-web spider. TheMadBaron 08:10, 30 October 2005 (UTC)

The Brazilian wandering spider is a large and very aggressive spider sometimes found in bananas. ‣ᓛᖁ♀ᑐ 08:24, 30 October 2005 (UTC)

See Spider#Types_of_spiders_and_the_severity_of_their_bites and Spider#Brazilian_wandering_spiders_and_Australian_venomous_funnel-web_spiders a bit further down. A spider that is not too poisonous but has a rather nasty reputation is the redback spider, that is said to 'hide' under toilet seats in Australia and can thus give you a nasty surprise. How much truth is there in that toilet seat story? The article doesn't say much about it (just mentions a song). DirkvdM 08:30, 30 October 2005 (UTC)

There were a couple of isolated cases of the toilet seat thing a few years ago, but I would imagine it's pretty rare, because a dunny seat doesn't seem like a good place to live for a spider. --Ballchef 10:37, 30 October 2005 (UTC)
Indoor dunnies make it a lot less likely - I'm sure it was a reasonably regular occurrence when you had to trek out the back. It seems both the Sydney funnel-web and Brazilian wandering spider lay claim to being the deadliest [97]. Rod Crawford from the Burke Museum in Seattle makes some interesting points in this article too. Natgoo 10:45, 30 October 2005 (UTC)
So imagine going out the back in the Aussie outback. Shiver. DirkvdM 09:26, 31 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Indian Armed Forces

I need a list of the commanders-in-chief of the Indian Army starting wiuth General Cariappa (1947)to the present (2005).

I hope this is what you are looking for. Akamad 09:05, 30 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] africa

See Africa. Akamad 08:59, 30 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] My page

Hi my name is Jemma and i was wondering how i can get my own page such as my home page so i can show other people

if you would be able to answer my question i would apreciate it very much thank-you very much

jemma

If you mean creating your own webpage, check out Geocities. Akamad 09:03, 30 October 2005 (UTC)
Or you might start at website. If you mean creating an account here, click 'log in' at the top right of this page. You can also use this to give a short introduction about yourself (thus functioning a bit like a 'home page'), but otherwise it should only be used for Wikipedia-related stuff. Having said that, I use a subpage of my user page as sort of a personal portfolio of some of my better photographs, but then I have put those in Wikipedia articles, so the aforementioned prerequisite is met. It just serves two functions. DirkvdM 09:13, 30 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Corruption in US politics?

I was just wondering about something (and I now wonder why I never wondered about this before). Political corruption could be defined as 'government officials taking money and doing the giver of the money a favour in return'. In the US it seems to be common practise for companies to sponsor the two political parties, for which they will obviously want something in return. And it's not advertising (you don't usually see Bush with some brandname on his shirt). So the favour would have to be political. So is this then not corruption?

How much money is involved here and is this done on all levels (President, Senate, Governor, Mayor and what else is there)? Where else are such things done? I only know about this happening in the US, but is it common practise in politics? And is it really worse the US or is it just that I'm influenced by Holywood films (which usually centre on the US)? DirkvdM 09:17, 30 October 2005 (UTC)

  • There are shades of gray between corruption and acceptable forms of political influence — once one form of "gift giving" has been defined as illegal, new, quasi-legal forms pop up around this. The reason for this is that, in the United States at least, advertising ability and organizing ability is highly correlated with campaign performance, and that requires money in amounts not available from other sources than private individuals and companies. There are limitations though on what can and cannot be done. This is done on all levels though the amount of money required is generally less as you go down the chart. My feeling is that campaigns are, on the whole, more expensive in the US than they are in most places, but that is a self-fulfilling prophesy — most of the reason they are so expensive is because they are competing with other, more expensive campaigns. As for how much, there are a number of websites which report on such things, as all official donations must be declared openly (the first one to come up in Google for "political donations" is http://www.opensecrets.org/ which seems to have a lot of data). --Fastfission 14:48, 30 October 2005 (UTC)
Well, it's only illegal if the government says it's illegal. If W were to say, "I vetoed that bill in exchange for a political contribution," that would be illegal. But it's perfectly legal for a lobby to donate a boatload of money to a politician and then, coincidentally see that what do you know, the politician votes the way the lobby wants. A lot of people think this is wrong, but someone has to pay for campaigns, and most taxpayers don't want the government to pay for it all.
In the 2004 election cycle, the 15 major-party presidential candidates (primary and general elections) raised $868 million. Congressional candidates raised more than $1 billion. This is more than candidates in other countries, but that doesn't mean corporate money isn't important elsewhere. In fact, U.S. campaign-finance laws are sometimes more stringent than those in other countries. I was surprised to see an Australian company make direct donations to political parties. In America, corporations can't contribute to candidate campaigns; they have to go through political action committees. -- Mwalcoff 02:34, 31 October 2005 (UTC)
If it's so easy to bypass any laws concerning political bribery (or whatever one would want to call it), then surely this should be common in all countries. But I'm not aware of this happening in, say, the Netherlands (my country). A comparison between countries would be interresting enough for an article, I'd say, but then under a less charged term, say, political campaign financing. DirkvdM 08:53, 31 October 2005 (UTC)
There are some differences. I find that in Belgium, campaigns are less dominated by TV advertising, which is usually the major expense of American campaigns. The degree of public financing, and the degree to which, for one reason or another, expensive advertising is not used as a campaign strategy or to which TV advertising is rationed rather than purchased, are major factors in the degree of tacit bribery. Most politicians - even in the US - don't want to be corrupt, but find that those willing to compromise enough to play ball get elected, while those who don't, don't. The extent that it is possible to win elections without accepting indirect cash contributions is the extent to which it is easier to not accept them.
But there are other forms of tacit corruption as well. Politicians like to retire to well paid patronage positions. Cushy corporate board positions - with high pay, plenty of perks, and few if any responsibilities - are a favorite in many countries. Some countries allow the government to offer patronage positions directly - see the Senate of Canada for example, or the UK House of Lords. But there is never enough patronage to go around, so business provides, generally in return for vaguely expected but never quite named considerations. I expect that kind of thing might well happen in the Netherlands. --Diderot 09:05, 31 October 2005 (UTC)
Indeed, there has been (and still is) some talk in the Netherlands about politicians have various jobs by the side. I don't really know, but I believe that they may not use their political influence to give those companies an advantage. So a solution might be that politicians who receive payments from a company are not allowed to make decisions about things that might involve those companies. Official payments would instantly decline, but then it would go underground. Given the amount of money involved (especially in the US, apparently), this shouldn't be too difficult to check, though. DirkvdM 09:34, 31 October 2005 (UTC)
Requiring politicians to abstain from votes on issues involving donors sounds well-intentioned but probably would not work in practice. Most of the corporate lobbies in the U.S. donate to both major parties and many incumbent candidates. In the case of something like the SBC-AT&T merger, I'd bet that every member of the relevant Senate committee would have to recuse himself or herself. -- Mwalcoff 23:57, 31 October 2005 (UTC)
In other words, it wouldn't work in the present state of affairs (in the US), but that's exactly my point; the state of affairs would change, with politicians not receiving dubious payments anymore, forcing them to focus more on political pov's rather than image-building. DirkvdM 08:40, 1 November 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Dr. Mercola

While reading an article on Wikipedia on Omega 3 fatty acids, a reference was made to Dr. Mercola being used on a site that wasn't considered to be reliable information. When I searched the site listed I could find no reference to Dr. Mercola. My question - Did the reference in the Wikipedia article mean that Dr. Mercola is reliable or unreliable? To extend the question, how can I research the numerous "doctor" sites that send out e-newsletters? How can a non-medical person decide which are reliable? They usually all have a long list of sites for their articles. Thanks muchly.

It depends on how you judge reliability. If you want information from a scientific medicine perspective, a superb guide to recognizing all the crap and pseudoscience out there is Quackwatch [98]. It will spell out for you exactly what is good and what is not, naming names and explaining exactly what is wrong, including Dr. Mercola. It pulls no punches and is guaranteed to offend some people. alteripse 16:18, 30 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] gender differences in yoga poses

Are there some yoga poses more easily done by males or females due to gender differences of the body?

Maybe doing the splits is harder for guys. One does not wish to tear one's scrotum in two. Kid Apathy 01:27, 31 October 2005 (UTC)
Since I don't see a smiley... That's not why splits would be harder for a guy to do. Dismas|(talk) 07:40, 31 October 2005 (UTC)
Whilst one certainly does not want to tear one's scrotum, one would suggest that there are no yoga poses that are more difficult for trained yogatists (or whatever one calls them), but one would humbly submit that one new to yoga would find exercises more difficult if one were of the male persuasion, as males are less flexible without training, due to greater muscle bulk. Proto t c 09:59, 31 October 2005 (UTC)
-laughs like a hyena- Kid Apathy 21:26, 1 November 2005 (UTC)
Interestingly, female hyenas doing the splits would have to be careful not to tear their scrotum, too. Kid Apathy 21:27, 1 November 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Henry Gwyn-Jeffreys Moseley Biography

Could you please give the father's Names and the mother's names for the above subject? Furthermore need more information on the different types of research he did while he was working under Rutherford.

[edit] "Moving" images

You know those little pictures that usually accompany some children's toy or some sort of advertisement that when you view them one way you see one picture but when you tilt the image slightly you see another photo? What are those called and does the Wikipedia have an article on them? Dismas|(talk) 22:34, 30 October 2005 (UTC)

They are lenticular images - Nunh-huh 22:37, 30 October 2005 (UTC)

Thanks! The article doesn't mention how the images are printed though... hmmm... Dismas|(talk) 05:47, 31 October 2005 (UTC)
My impression was always that the image underneath consisted of stripes alternating pieces of each image you wanted the viewer to see. The ridged film on top then made one set of stripes more viewable from certain angles. There's an illustration accompanying this article. — Laura Scudder | Talk 18:52, 31 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] October 31

[edit] Sports: ncaa,football and basketball

I want to know who were the only ncaa schools to win a national championships in both football and basketball. I believe there was only 3 or 4. I know one was Michigan U. but I can't find the others. They don't have to be in the same year as I believe that has not been done yet Thank You --70.149.215.210 00:10, 31 October 2005 (UTC)Stan

What country are you talking about? DirkvdM 08:41, 1 November 2005 (UTC)

The question is about the NCAA. User:Zoe|(talk) 04:37, 4 November 2005 (UTC)

[edit] volcanic rocks

Driving from Barstow CA to Needles CA, are those black rocks found throughout the route volcanic? If so what volcano?

What country? Needles to say? :) DirkvdM 08:51, 1 November 2005 (UTC)
CA is California. California is in the United States. User:Zoe|(talk) 04:38, 4 November 2005 (UTC)


What country? The USA,--65.0.129.198 14:06, 1 November 2005 (UTC) stan

What do the rocks taste like?--Commander Keane 10:57, 2 November 2005 (UTC)
Like chicken. alteripse 11:26, 2 November 2005 (UTC)

[edit] "Man Tau Lo"

I have come across a 'restricted food item' called "Man Tau Lo" in the food law of HKSAR (Public Health & Municipal Services Ord., Cap. 132). All I know is that the sale of this food item has to be covered by a special permit. Can anybody tell me more about it, such as its ingredients, processing, health hazards, etc?--Ciesse 203 01:44, 31 October 2005 (UTC)

I am not a Cantonese speaker, but I can tell you this must be Datura (especially Datura stramonium; Chinese character: 曼陀羅 or 曼陀罗; pinyin: màn tuó luó). -- Toytoy 06:55, 31 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] abscense of data on troops whose responsibility was the unloading of military supplies from ships for transports to the actual front lines.

The troops and Battalions were stevedores. Black, and worked daily on Omaha Beach for months. I was in the 509th Port Battalion.We camped near Bayreux. We were told that we unloaded General Patton's Tank. I have found no sources of information regarding this from any source. The Captain of our unit was named Davis. We were transfered to Rouen's Race track when the weather became cold. At the time of the Battle of the Bulge--we were given the opportunity to become infantry men and assist in that event. Am really sorry if I have broken any of your rules in this note. I hope if this is not the proper place to send this to.-that you would be so kind as to route it to where it should go. Thank you. Not a glamorous assignment,but some what important---?? Interviewed on this subject by The Atlanta History Center and the Schwan House recently.

Clinton Warner,1253 Clearbrook Drive Sw,Atlanta,Ga.,30311

I looked at the articles on the invasion. They mention only briefly that huge amounts of materiel were unloaded through the beaches. We ought to have an article on logistical support for the army in Europe in WWII. Was there a term for this type of unit? Did the 509th Port Battalian belong to a larger unit of this type? From your mention of "months" and "cold" and Battle of the Bulge, I am guessing you were there from a few months after the invasion until early 45. Do you know when the beach unloading shifted to established ports? alteripse 11:48, 31 October 2005 (UTC)

There was a guy here a while back looking for data on Royal Marine units operating landing craft. The logistical support is given very short shrift in most works, which is a problem - as you say, it's not glamorous, and it's organisationally pretty confusing. We do have a page on the Red Ball Express, the most notable of the logistic programs. Shimgray | talk | 11:58, 31 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Scrabble Scoring

In Scrabble, Lets say i have a 20 point word, using all my tiles and a double word score. How would i score this. Would I:

1. Take 20 points add 50 points for all tiles and then double it giving me a score of 140? (20+50)*2=140

Or....

2. Take 20 points, double it and then add the 50 point bonus giving me a score of 90? (20*2)+50=90

  • Our Scrabble scoring examples should provide some guidance. Capitalistroadster 04:47, 31 October 2005 (UTC)

You add the fifty point bonus on last, so your example would score (20*2)+50 = 90. Proto t c 09:56, 31 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] fullmetal alchemist: curse of the crimson elixir

I have a question about the game fullmetal alchemist: curse of the crimson elixir. in the game, it has cinematic scenes in it that look like it was from the movie or the TV series and the plot says it took place after the 2 episodes of the series. So i'm wonderin where did those cinematic scenes came from, movie,TV series, or it was just made for the game. if TV series, what episodes?

The FMV scenes were specially made for the game. --Canley 05:58, 31 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] who was a veterinarian and also a cricket captain of a country

if any body knows about the answer please let me know. nandan

W.G. Grace was a medical doctor and captained England. DJ Clayworth 18:04, 31 October 2005 (UTC)
Gerry Alexander was captain of the West Indies and a vet. He was quite controversial at the time because he shouldn't have been picked in the side on form, let alone named as captain. Many in the West Indies claim that his only qualification for the job was the fact he was white. We don't have a page on him yet but here's a link to a short biography on Alexander [99]. --Roisterer 08:20, 2 November 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Song Title and lyrics.

I am trying to find the name of a song. I only know a few words. I sing it every morning to my granddaughter when I enter her room. The words are "Whose that knocking at my door, whose that knocking at my door?" That is all I know. I have asked, searched and no one seems to know anything about this song. I have a melody so I know a song exists. Can you help. It is driving me crazy. Thanks, Theresa B.

Could it be "Barnacle Bill the Sailor"? Dismas|(talk) 10:34, 31 October 2005 (UTC)
Sounds like it. There was an old Popeye cartoon in which Bluto was banging on the door and Olive Oyl was singing the song. User:Zoe|(talk) 04:40, 4 November 2005 (UTC)
Sounds suspiciously much like the opening phrase of 'Hoort wie klopt daar kinderen', but that's a Dutch Sinterklaas song. :) DirkvdM 08:54, 1 November 2005 (UTC)
It's a long shot, but the lyrics "Who's knocking on the wall?" appear in "Fingertips" by They Might Be Giants. --Sum0 23:26, 1 November 2005 (UTC)

[edit] TSUNAMI

I NEED MORE INFORMATION WITH REGARDS TO THE IMPACT TSUNAMI HAD IN INDIA IN DECEMBER 2004

Please see Effect of the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake on India. By the way, please refrain from using capitals, it gives the impression that you are angry. :-) Akamad 12:41, 31 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Name of specific piece of equipment used in bars

I'm trying to find the name of something used in bars. It's usually right behind the customer counter, it has a long flexible hose with a nozzle on the end. I think the nozzle has several buttons on the back, usually labelled with a letter, and my understanding/guess is that pushing different buttons calls different liquids through the hose. Common liquids are, I think, ginger ale, tonic water, etc. I'm actually looking for a schematic of how these things work too, but I figure a name is a good place to start. Thanks --Aphex3 14:32, 31 October 2005 (UTC)

In the U.S., they're called soda guns (at least that's what I've heard them called). —Wayward Talk 14:42, 31 October 2005 (UTC)
In the (Australian) bars and restaurants I've worked in they've been known as post mix guns, or just the post mix, because the soft drink that doesn't come out of a bottle or can is known as post mix (syrup base mixed with water then carbonated). Try here Natgoo 18:10, 31 October 2005 (UTC)
Thanks, that was enough to get me started, and I've been able to find some information. I've written up this stub: Soda guns. --Aphex3 16:06, 1 November 2005 (UTC)

[edit] "One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind."

Did Neil Armstrong say that off the cuff? Or was it prepared for him beforehand?

It is said that he wrote it on the way to the Moon, although many say it was written for him. As a result, when reading it from memory, he made a slight grammatical error (man in that sense means mankind; he meant to say "a man"). smurrayinaHauntedHouse...Boo!(User), (Talk) 17:40, 31 October 2005 (UTC)
This is not really a grammatical question. It's quite grammatically valid to say "One small step for man", and it's quite valid to say "One giant leap for mankind". But they would never be juxtaposed because they are contradictory. A person of Armstrong's skills would not make such a blunder as to omit the "a" from "man". Armstrong has always claimed that he said "one small step for a man ...", but that the message was imperfectly transmitted and the "a" was inaudible. What the media reported him saying was the sentence without the "a". Some time later he set the record straight, and to my knowledge has always maintained that position. I for one believe him. JackofOz 01:40, 1 November 2005 (UTC)
Almost certainly thought of in advance - it's not a very off-the-cuff comment - but equally certainly thought of by him. He has consistently denied being told to say it; no document has ever appeared where it was set out in advance (and given almost every piece of paperwork relating to that mission's planning has been read obsessively...). For what it's worth, Pete Conrad on Apollo 12 got into an argument with a journalist who insisted Armstrong must have been given his lines; he ended up deciding on the spot what he would say with his first words, and carried it through. Shimgray | talk | 18:46, 31 October 2005 (UTC)
Yes, he did, but slightly different. [100] – Yaohua2000 02:08, 1 November 2005 (UTC)

<quote> 109:23:38 Armstrong: I'm at the foot of the ladder. The LM footpads are only depressed in the surface about 1 or 2 inches, although the surface appears to be very, very fine grained, as you get close to it. It's almost like a powder. (The) ground mass is very fine. (Pause) 109:24:13 Armstrong: I'm going to step off the LM now. (Long Pause) 109:24:48 Armstrong: That's one small step for (a) man; one giant leap for mankind. (Long Pause) 109:25:08 Armstrong: Yes, the surface is fine and powdery. I can kick it up loosely with my toe. It does adhere in fine layers, like powdered charcoal, to the sole and sides of my boots. I only go in a small fraction of an inch, maybe an eighth of an inch, but I can see the footprints of my boots and the treads in the fine, sandy particles. </quote>

[edit] Where did the wall split Berlin?

Did you check our article on the Berlin Wall? It has a map... The article in the German Wikipedia on the Berliner Mauer also has a satellite image. Lupo 19:05, 31 October 2005 (UTC)

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