Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Miscellaneous/2006 October 25

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[edit] October 25

[edit] Best military commander

Who would you say was/is the best military commander/strategist in the history of warfare? Jamesino 00:13, 25 October 2006 (UTC)

Remember that "best" is only decided by opinions, so technically there is no "best". —Preceding unsigned comment added by The velociraptor (talk • contribs)
Alexander the Great and Attila the Hun leap to mind. Perhaps Genghis Khan aswell, though im slightly biased for my like of ancient nomadic armies like the Monglians and Huns.--The Corsair 01:48, 25 October 2006 (UTC)

I like Zhuge Liang, it was unfortunate he died so soon. bibliomaniac15 02:52, 25 October 2006 (UTC)

For strategist, I would go with Sun Tzu, although I did disagree with one assertion of his in The Art of War. He said one should always go for a quick, surprise attack (what was later called Blitzkrieg). If you are not strong enough to defeat an opponent in that manner, however, a war of attrition can be a more effective strategy. StuRat 04:47, 25 October 2006 (UTC)

Erwin Rommel? Dismas|(talk) 06:58, 25 October 2006 (UTC)
I would agree with Dismas about Rommel, although he was more into 'grand tactics' than strategy (his strategic hands were kept firmly bound by the meddling on the part of German High Command, as when Rommel wished to make a withdrawal at Alamein but received a missive from Hitler ordering him to stand or die: the point is that Rommel's true strategic prowess was, unfortunately, never truly put to the test). Curiously, history tends to better remember, and praise, great generals who win spectacular battles (Hannibal), than great generals (such as Scipio Africanus) who win wars quickly by masterful strategic strikes. The best strategist, I would say, would have to be Julius Caesar. Best commander, Rommel. The Crying Orc 08:41, 25 October 2006 (UTC)
Ghenghis Khan. And maybe Rommel. Яussiaп F 11:45, 25 October 2006 (UTC)


For a ruthlessly effective commander of small units of ill equipped ragtag soldiers able to routinely defeat larger groups of better equipped soldiers, consider Nathan Bedford Forrest. Not to say he was a "good" man, just that you would not want him at large in your military area. Ditto for Otto Skorzeny Edison 17:35, 25 October 2006 (UTC)

Id say Napoleon, he reformed the entire military system and was a master of both tactics and strategy, not to mention leaving a serious footprint in military thinking after his death. Joneleth 17:38, 25 October 2006 (UTC)

I think most historians would say Alexander the Great. He conquered almost the entire known world in a decade using Bronze age technology, mostly on the strength of his ability to lead them. The mongols did almost as well, but not because of their leadership. They did so well using technology against which there was no counter (until the development of powder weapons in the 14th century). Historically, I'd say Napoleon ranks a distant second. After Napoleon, it gets tougher - Narses and Belisarius are way up there. In modern times, I'd put Raymond A. Spruance up there (he never lost a battle and never made a mistake). Raul654 17:46, 25 October 2006 (UTC)

Thats a hard one, Sun Tzu does leap to mind for his ideas of preserving "your" troops and looking for "the pass where one man can hold off a thousand." For contribution to his own army Mikhail Timofeevich Kalashnikov who of course invented the AK47 after noticing how much of an advantage the Germans had in street fighting with their MP40s. I think we can safely award General Custer the wooden spoon here. As an English man I would have to sugest Lord Horatio Nelson, no body as had a greater effect on Naval stratagy. Then there is Field Marsham Montgomery, perhaps not as good as Rommel on paper but he did win. The Duke of Wellington? -- AMX 18:13, 25 October 2006 (UTC)AMX

Oliver Cromwell was certainly notable for his emphasis on a "professional" military, composed of well-trained commoners, versus the former tradition (still practiced to some degree) of having the military be the playground for silly, rich officers "of high birth", with untrained and expendable commoners under them (rendering the fighting force rather ineffective). StuRat 19:59, 25 October 2006 (UTC)

Subotai Khan and Horatio Nelson come to mind. B00P 20:29, 25 October 2006 (UTC)
Vo Nguyen Giap deserves a mention as an excellent military tactician of recent times, though I'd perhaps not put him in the same category as Alexander. GeeJo (t)⁄(c) • 09:27, 26 October 2006 (UTC)

Yes Cromwell did crop up in my thoughts, another good point StuRat, I didn't include him as his tactics aren't very well documented, I suspect this might be becuase they weren't very good or weren't his. Also it was more his determination to change the system that got him into power rather than his dedication to the military or his victories on the battle field. Also he was basically a communist, which doesn't do him any credit from a military point of view. --AMX 18:04, 26 October 2006 (UTC)AMX


Rommel was one of my first thoughts, too. Here's my list:

Ancient Era

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

Revolutionary War Era

Civil War Era

WWII Era

... and plenty others that have escaped me.

There is no one best out of these, they all are great for their own reasons.

--Porsche997SBS 00:53, 27 October 2006 (UTC)

Agreed --AMX 12:33, 29 October 2006 (UTC)AMX

[edit] Etymology

What's the origin of "A winnar (or winar or even winrar) is you! VICTOLY!"? --frothT C 00:42, 25 October 2006 (UTC)

Sounds Engrish to me... Some video game? Btw, perhaps this question should be asked at the language section. 惑乱 分からん 00:54, 25 October 2006 (UTC)
I found it. "A winner is you!" (further jumbled) is from the NES game Pro Wrestling and "VICTOLY!" is from the Arcade/Neo Geo game Samurai Shodown IV. 惑乱 分からん 01:02, 25 October 2006 (UTC)
mmm I think that may be it. thanks --frothT C 01:04, 25 October 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Help with Ralph Lauren Model

Does anyone happen to know the name of the male model on the Ralph Lauren Fall 2006 campaign? Assuming they don't change the site, his pic is here (wearing the orange cashmere top): http://www.polo.com/shop/index.jsp?categoryId=1766205 and here: http://polo.imageg.net/graphics/product_images/pPOLO2-3070775_lifestyle_t208.jpg If anyone can help it would be greatly appreciated! --Assassin007 01:26, 25 October 2006 (UTC)

[edit] citing

How do you correctly cite wikipedia?

At the top of this page, there is a link that says "How to cite Wikipedia." Philbert2.71828 01:45, 25 October 2006 (UTC)
You can then cite it in MLA or whatever you wish. --Proficient 23:20, 29 October 2006 (UTC)

[edit] average car leases

looking for a website that gives a list of average car lease rates for common cars, all without having to submit a name.

So make up a name and email address. howcheng {chat} 03:38, 25 October 2006 (UTC)
That's what I do. But apparently, so do many others, as my favorite fake email address ("NOYFB@NOYFB.COM") is frequently already taken. :-) StuRat 04:39, 25 October 2006 (UTC)
None Of Your Fucking Business? Dismas|(talk) 06:56, 25 October 2006 (UTC)
You've got it. :-) StuRat 15:46, 25 October 2006 (UTC)
I find the idea of requiring people to put in stuff in first name and last name incredibly stupid, address, telephone no., city, postcode etc. as well. I mean I can understand it for PayPal or something but not something trivial like lists of lease rates or hotmail addresses. --WikiSlasher 11:06, 25 October 2006 (UTC)
Agreed. When I'm asked to give out personal info I ask myself "What could they possibly do with this info that would be in my interest ?". The answer is typically "absolutely nothing", hence the fake info I supply. StuRat 15:46, 25 October 2006 (UTC)
Hear hear - there are a *lot* of websites which are trying to find me by looking for the Grand Nagus in the Tower of Commerce on Ferenginar - zip, of course, is 90210. --Mnemeson 20:44, 25 October 2006 (UTC)
But aren't you interfering with their God-given right to make a profit by withholding this info ? Can even the Grand Nagus behave in such a way and not be tried for treason ? :-) StuRat 01:09, 26 October 2006 (UTC)
I'll bet there're lots of funny responses to such unwanted questions, we should make a web site with them all. When Radio Shack used to require my name and address (so they could send junk mail), whenever I made a purchase, I was usually just good old Ben Dover. Also, some businesses try to pump you for this info when you call them on the phone. I've started to get more aggressive, in turn: "My name is 'noneofyourbusiness'; now, how late are you open ?" Until now, I've been leaving the F out, but that may be subject to change, if they get any more aggressive about getting my personal info. :-) StuRat 00:58, 26 October 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Distances between shipping ports

I am interested in genealogy. My relative left Liverpool,England in Sept 1906. He arrived in Quebec City, Canada five days later. How do I find out in miles the distance between these ports? Is there a web site covering shipping distances? Thanks

Is getting a globe and measuring too inaccurate ? How precise does the answer need to be ? StuRat 04:35, 25 October 2006 (UTC)
This page states that the distance from Quebec to Liverpool is 2600 miles.  --LambiamTalk 05:36, 25 October 2006 (UTC)

[edit] What is going to replace the US standard-issue M16/M4?

I heard a lot of arguments that they're going to be replaced by the XM8, the SCAR, the P90, the Tavor, et cetera, et cetera. Can someone clarify if the military is going to replace them or not? The velociraptor 02:39, 25 October 2006 (UTC)

See M16 rifle. Dismas|(talk) 09:01, 25 October 2006 (UTC)
Plough-shares. --Dweller 16:17, 25 October 2006 (UTC)
And it's about time. I love it. --Justanother 19:03, 25 October 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Tongue piercings

Do you guys like gurls with tongue rings? An-Mat.br 03:20, 25 October 2006 (UTC)

Depends. Music tastes might be a factor. The velociraptor 04:25, 25 October 2006 (UTC)
Only sea gurls.  --LambiamTalk 05:30, 25 October 2006 (UTC)
I don't like them. --WikiSlasher 08:16, 25 October 2006 (UTC)
Definitely depends, and mostly, probably, on the nature of male which the female in question is trying to attract. Personally, I find even thinking about tongue piercings to be repugnant. So, consider what sort of male might be attracted to a tongue piercing (and not some other attribute of the female), and base decisions on that (i.e. whether attracting that sort of male is a positive or a negative thing, for you or whatever person involved). The Crying Orc 09:17, 25 October 2006 (UTC)
I like girls who can spell. But I shag men. --LarryMac 12:28, 25 October 2006 (UTC)
TMI, Larry. StuRat 15:44, 25 October 2006 (UTC)
Since you're asking, any piercings turn me right off.--Shantavira 18:13, 25 October 2006 (UTC)
Do they deflate you?  --LambiamTalk 18:49, 25 October 2006 (UTC)
They could certainly burst your bubble. :-) StuRat 19:35, 25 October 2006 (UTC)
Teen's tongue piercing linked to extreme facial pain. User:Zoe|(talk) 02:18, 26 October 2006 (UTC)

[edit] First Asian to jump 8 metres

In the 1974 Tehran Asian Games, T.C.Yohannan of India set a new Asian record of 8.07 m in long jump. There is a popular belief here in India that he was the first Asian to jump over 8 metres but apparently there was a Japanese athlete who had done it before Yohannan. Does anyone know the who/what/where of this person ? A source would be bonus as it can be later used when an article is created for Yohannan. Tintin (talk) 06:57, 25 October 2006 (UTC)

Try as I might I can not squeeze this fact out of the internet, it's a frightening thought but I may not even be on the net. Here is what I found:
The man was accredited greatly for Japan's golden era in the triple jump, Chuhei Nambu died on July 23. He was 93. Nambu clinched the gold medal at the 1932 Los Angeles Olympic Games as well as the bronze in the long jump. After retirement, he worked as a sports journalist for Mainichi Newspaper, and later on taught at a number of universities. His jump record of 7 m 98 was not broken by another Japanese for 39 years.[1]
As Chuhei Nambu got 7.98m in 1931 it was probably either Shinji Ogura or Hiroomi Yamada who were the best Japanese 39 years later[2]. MeltBanana 19:39, 25 October 2006 (UTC)
Thank you. A google for Yamada took me to http://web.telia.com/~u19603668/atb-m27.htm which contains the list of all 8+ jumps. Yamada did a 8.01 at Odawara on June 7, 1970. Tintin (talk) 06:21, 26 October 2006 (UTC)

[edit] McDonald's Numbers?

1) How many McDonald's are there in the United States

2) About how many cows and chickens are slaughtered each day to supply them?

thank you,

--CGP 11:00, 25 October 2006 (UTC)

  • If you mean people named McDonald: There are probably millions of people named McDonald in the USA. The US Census would be one place to start. Or, you could come up with a rough percentage using a sample based on the number of McDonalds in e.g. the New York phone directory. I doubt there would be any reliable data available about the eating habits of persons with a particular surname.
  • If you mean the restaurants: I don't know. Others may be able to help you. JackofOz 12:20, 25 October 2006 (UTC)


Ha! I didn't think of that. I mean the fast food restaurant. --CGP 12:23, 25 October 2006 (UTC)

I'm surprised that the article doesn't say although, curiously, McDonald's restaurants does. You might try writing to them for an exact figure. Dismas|(talk) 13:18, 25 October 2006 (UTC)
Check here for an obviously biased view but it may be what you are interested in or have the information you seek. McCruelty --Justanother 14:03, 25 October 2006 (UTC)
You might be able to find some of that information (number of restaurants, at least) in the company's own publications—try the fact sheets and annual reports here. TenOfAllTrades(talk) 15:06, 25 October 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Do planes and helicopters have keys?

Just curious. Battle Ape 12:27, 25 October 2006 (UTC)

Not sure about larger commercial aircraft. But small civilian aircraft have keys. Least all that I have seen/flown have. Dismas|(talk) 13:02, 25 October 2006 (UTC)
I know that tanks don't, I assume that most military equipment also doesn't. Jon513 14:16, 25 October 2006 (UTC)
"This is your captian speaking. We are somewhat delayed. I left my keys back home." DirkvdM 09:29, 26 October 2006 (UTC)

For that matter, do ships have keys? I know my father's motorboat has a key, but it's only 5 m long (the boat, not the key). How about a big 300 m ocean liner? JIP | Talk 16:33, 26 October 2006 (UTC)

Isn't that a bit like asking whether a steam locomotive has a key? The technology is just too different. There's probably not even a lock on the boiler room door. The actual key to starting these things is the key to the bridge, or the cockpit.--Shantavira 08:38, 27 October 2006 (UTC)
Wow, so if I could actually get to the bridge, then all I would have to do would be something like pressing a big red button? JIP | Talk 10:53, 27 October 2006 (UTC)
Smaller prop planes like Cessnas usually demand a key to be turned, but larger, commercial aircraft do not. I believe this has actually been asked and answered before. :)As for helicopters, I have never seen one, but I do not rule out that some, very small, personal helicopters do. 81.93.102.3 14:15, 27 October 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Motor manufacturing quality

Dear User

What is the stipulated manufacturing quality that a vehicle like jaguar is expected to have

Thanks

About the only form of "stipulated quality" for a car is the warrantee, which means they promise to replace parts of the car (for free) if they fail within a certain time and mileage. Is that what you're asking about ? StuRat 15:33, 25 October 2006 (UTC)
There are certain tolerances specified in the manufacturing process, but those are used internally, not provided to the buyer. Is that what you're asking about ? If so, there are thousands of such tolerances specified, which ones are you interested in ? StuRat 15:37, 25 October 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Fall colours in Himalayas

Hi, I am from India, currently staying in the United States. I have recently been to the Appalachians, in Tenessee and North Carolina to see the fall colours. Can anybody tell me whether the trees change colour around Autumn in our grand old Himalayas? If not, why? and if we happen to see fall colours in the Himalayas, can anybody send me names of some of the decicuous trees there?

Hope to hear from you guys soon,

Best Regards, Didhiti

Most of the Himalayas is way above the tree-line, and you won't find any trees there. At the foot, though, there are extensive lowland forests: the Upper Gangetic Plains moist deciduous forests, covering most of Uttar Pradesh and portions of Uttaranchal, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh and Bihar, and the Lower Gangetic plains moist deciduous forests, covering most of Bangladesh and the Indian states West Bengal, Bihar, and Tripura, extending into Assam, Uttar Pradesh, and Orissa. Their being deciduous will be more a case of loss of foliage during the dry season than because of changes in temperature. I have no idea if there is any spectacular change of colour.  --LambiamTalk 18:17, 25 October 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Horses

Needing a bit of information on not just handling a horse, but general stamina of an arabian thorough bred. Example of needed info: Distance and times for a cantering horse to wear out... amount of hydration needed to rehydrate after a 2 hour canter and a 1 hour walk all done in a desert during the heat of the day. Any guessed answer would be greatly appreciated. And if there are any handling sites known, it would be appreciated.

You may find the Arabian horse article useful. I can't give you the results you're looking for, but you might touch base with the Arabian Horse Association and see if they can point you in the right direction. (I'm assuming you're looking for Arabians, not an Arabian/Thoroughbred cross.) Tony Fox (arf!) 18:31, 25 October 2006 (UTC)
According to the legend of Al Khamsa, they can be led on a several-day journey without water through the desert without ill after effects. I wouldn't try this out on the poor horseys, but for this to be believable enough to survive as a legend, the stamina has to be considerable. Their use as the cavalry horse of choice suggests the same for the capacity to move fast. I'm sorry I can't give any numbers.  --LambiamTalk 18:39, 25 October 2006 (UTC)
American Endurance Ride Conference (AERC) would be your best source on fatigue and hydration, they have 100 mile races routinely finished by the winners in 12-13 hours. No horse is apt to canter or gallop two hours straight, when there's a lot of ground to cover, it's at the trot, with occasional breaks to the walk to catch their wind. Canter or gallop best for short open stretches, even a horse in excellent condition will get winded and not be able to go too far at one stretch. Horses under normal conditions drink 10-12 gallons of water per day, normally they can go about 2-3 days without water, 5 days without water as in the Al-Khamsa story is an outside extreme and there would be 'ill effects" even in a suburb animal, I know of a group of horses a couple years back in my area left without water for a week in the summer in a pen were found dead. Montanabw 06:45, 1 November 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Hand Guns

Do you all know of any state in the US and A or other nation in which it is totally legal to possess an operational firearm whilst a convicted felon? Thanks in Ad-Viz-ance.Perfect T 18:28, 25 October 2006 (UTC)

I remain skeptical about answering questions about handguns to people signing off with Thanks in Ad-Viz-ance.... 惑乱 分からん 19:02, 25 October 2006 (UTC)
If you want to be skeptical about anything perhaps you would more want to be skeptical about a felon looking for a gun. But I say: Information doesn't kill people, people kill people. And I would rather have the felon working to get his civil rights restored than looking to buy a firearm he can't legally own. One route goes up, the other goes down. I'd rather set him on the upward path. --Justanother 19:34, 25 October 2006 (UTC)
See here from a quick search. Quotes below.
1. Federal law generally makes it a felony for a person to be in possession of a firearm if the person has any prior felony conviction.
2. Federal law contains an explicit statutory exception which provides that the federal criminal offense of firearms possession is inapplicable to persons who have had their civil rights restored on the predicate state felony conviction.
--Justanother 18:58, 25 October 2006 (UTC)

But there are state laws to the same effect. Are there states where there are no such laws?Perfect T 19:09, 25 October 2006 (UTC)

What about other countries like France?Perfect T 19:38, 25 October 2006 (UTC)

I believe the Federal law trumps the state law in this matter unless the state law is more restrictive. But the point is YES, a convicted felon can own a gun if his rights are restored and state law does not prohibit it. Read the article I cite. For instance, in the TN one I cite, state law says that certain ex-felons can never own a hand gun again even if his rights are restored. But google it and add your state of interest. --Justanother 19:25, 25 October 2006 (UTC)

What about other countries like France?Perfect T 19:38, 25 October 2006 (UTC)

Google, my friend. At least until someone here can steer you. --Justanother 19:46, 25 October 2006 (UTC)

Whats the point of asking here if I'm just being told to "google" it myself. Be a team player my grasshopper. !Perfect T 19:51, 25 October 2006 (UTC)!

Cause why should I do work that you can easily do yourself? But perhaps that is the point of this "reference desk" (joke). I figured since I showed you how easy it was to get the US info and if perhaps you don't want to wait for a French lawyer to answer you here . . . --Justanother 20:09, 25 October 2006 (UTC)
OK, I'll be a "team player" (laff). You need to find someone to google it in French on the French google site. So in that case, unless you speak French, you are going to need some help. I can't provide it though. But someone here likely will; change the title of this question to ask about France. --Justanother 20:20, 25 October 2006 (UTC)
I think that should be put in our FAQ: "What's the use of asking something here, if people tell me to look it up myself?". --Zeizmic 20:03, 25 October 2006 (UTC)
Yeah, my bad. If I did not care to do more work I should have kept my "mouth" shut and let someone that cared to take it from there do so. I am new here and am sure that I am not the first to express a bit of frustration but really we answer these questions because we want to, not because we are forced to and I should have remembered WP:DBTN. I apologize to the other editors here and to question-asker. --Justanother 20:45, 25 October 2006 (UTC)
I would point out that the United States is known for having less restrictive laws on gun ownership than almost any other country. It is extremely unlikely that people convicted of serious crimes would be permitted to own guns anywhere in Europe. (According to the article felony, the term has meaning mainly in English-speaking countries.) Marco polo 20:20, 25 October 2006 (UTC)

OMG, I hope *somebody* sees the joke in what I said! --Zeizmic 23:03, 25 October 2006 (UTC)

No, I see the joke. Just that I really did not need to snap at the asker. I answer questions here because I like to research and I like to "get it right". I like to help others and learn something new myself too. For instance, I did not know about felons and firearms before I answered his question. I just knew it was one that I could easily find the answer to and now I am richer for having done it. But that is me. So it really doesn't matter if I am doing something I might think that the asker could easily do himself. Perhaps he can, perhaps he can't, he asked. We can answer or not, our individual choice. No need to snap. --Justanother 00:32, 26 October 2006 (UTC)
If you're looking about information on European gun laws this is a slightly out of date article which gives some basic information on European gun laws (note that many countries, notably France, have tightened their gun laws since then). In short, Marco Polo was right, we Europeans take a much tougher line on firearms than the US. If you can't obtain a firearm in the US, there is no way you can get one in Europe. This may be a stretch, but perhaps try a third-world country.......? — QuantumEleven 13:34, 26 October 2006 (UTC)


I think its legal in Russia, its law that you keep a working gun at home in Switzerland if you are male and over 21. Random interesting fact about Switzerland: all bridges are rigged with explosive charges and can be set off by remote in case of invasion. --AMX 18:10, 26 October 2006 (UTC)AMX

What do you mean? That you're required by law to own a gun in Switzerland. citation needed Both your statements seem unlikely, and I would like some sources for them... 惑乱 分からん 20:23, 26 October 2006 (UTC)
Presumably something of the form of "all males over 21 have been conscripted and are in the reserve" via "all reservists keep their rifle at home"; Military of Switzerland mentions it in passing. Norway/Sweden did (has done?) something similar, IIRC. Reservists keeping their equipment at home isn't that unusual - in many countries reservists will have clothing, money, travel warrants and the like issued in advance and kept at hand for mobilisation. Issuing the firearms ahead of time is just incrementing that a little...
(Note the difference between "has to own" and "has to store", of course) Shimgray | talk | 21:23, 26 October 2006 (UTC)
Aha, okay, yeah, I think reservists in Sweden will get to own a rifle, but being a reservist is voluntary. There's some control at first of the applicant, to prevent guns getting into the wrong hands, but I think that the control has been considered too lax, and some accidents might have happened... Uhh, maybe that wasn't reservists, explicitly, see Swedish Home Guard. 惑乱 分からん 21:57, 26 October 2006 (UTC)

[edit] British Horror Film of the 1930s or 1940s

Dear Wikipedia,

I am trying to find out the name of a British Horror film of the 1930s or 1940s which was shot in black & white and contained a scene of a worker in a shop that was rendered deaf and blind by the evil antagonist. The film had a David Lean "Oliver Twist" feel to it as the London factories and shops may have looked during the 19th century. Does this information ring a bell with anyone in the "Horror Film" research department, or can you direct me to a site on the internet which may be able to answer my question? If so, I would be most appreciative.

Thank you,

David Walker

Perhaps this is a start I got by somewhat random googling Hammer Film Productions. --Justanother 19:43, 25 October 2006 (UTC)
Bit better googling. How about The Dark Eyes of London (1940) AKA The Human Monster. This Amazon site is how I found it because it goes into the deaf and blind thing; "i recall one scene that is a classic moment in horror movie history where bela lugosi, in order to punish one of his minions, deafens a man who is already blind and dumb. then he binds his arms and legs and throws him in a tub of water." Sound like it? --Justanother 19:54, 25 October 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Navy Seals

I read the Article on the Us Navy Seals, but I was unable to find the information. To become an officer within the Navy Seals, do you first have to go to college, join the navy, pass the academy then apply to become a SEAL? Could someone run me through the steps of becoming a US Navy SEAL officer after graduation fro high school? Thanks. --Jamesino 21:19, 25 October 2006 (UTC)

This is probably the place to look. --Tagishsimon (talk)
Yes, I saw that but I didn't understand. Jamesino 23:06, 25 October 2006 (UTC)
Based on a quick read [here] and the related pages, I think that if you take and pass the SEAL challenge before enlisting you can get a SEAL contract that means that you are going to SEAL training after basic seaman training. If you join the Navy first you can take a test during basic, the Physical Screen Test (PST), but you might only get one shot at it. I found it a bit difficult to figure out, I am sure they would like you to talk to a recruiter and he can explain it. --Justanother 00:22, 26 October 2006 (UTC)

Ah ok, thanks. Jamesino 01:03, 26 October 2006 (UTC)

You are very welcome. Good luck! --Justanother 03:19, 26 October 2006 (UTC)
Mind a little friendly sarcasm? To become an officer within the Navy Seals, you first have to be born male. (This from a former rifle-toting estrogen-packing Navy chick). Durova 14:35, 26 October 2006 (UTC)
What, no GI Jane? --Justanother 14:41, 26 October 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Anne Geddes Project

Dear Wikipedia, I'm a 7th grader doing a report on Anne Geddes, and I was wondering if you could possibly send me as much information about her and artists that do the same type of work as her to me. If you can e-mail it to me at <remove email for your own protection> and i'll get it through there. Thank you so much Sarah

You have to check back here for replies; it's a bad idea to put your email address up here. Have you checked the article on Anne Geddes? Skittle 22:26, 25 October 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Hard Candy

I have had these Jolly Ranchers for a long time (they're hard candies). All of them have become at least slightly softened from sitting on my desk so long. If I put them in the freezer, will they become fully hard again? If so, how long (approximately) will this take? Does anyone have any other (feasible!) ideas on how to harden them? (limit: one sarcastic and/or pun-filled response) =) —EdGl 22:52, 25 October 2006 (UTC) P.S. Is this question at the right reference desk? It's a borderline science question I suppose.

That was just covered in Science! I learned a new word, it's Deliquescence. --Zeizmic 23:01, 25 October 2006 (UTC)
Sorry, but that doesn't really help me. Don't I need the opposite of deliquescence to happen? Can you explain your answer if possible? —EdGl 23:21, 25 October 2006 (UTC)
Perhaps store them in a dry sealed environment together with a strong desiccant? Or keep them warm (not too hot, say at 100° C = 212° F or else they may melt or burn) so that they can dry out.  --LambiamTalk 23:53, 25 October 2006 (UTC)

You need to de-deliquescent something, but I don't think the process is reversible. Once a goopy mess, always a goopy mess. --Zeizmic 23:55, 25 October 2006 (UTC)

I know it's not something you do at home but I wonder if a vacuum jar would do the trick (high school science lab)? But doesn't the fridge work? I can't see it taking long, overnight max. --Justanother 00:08, 26 October 2006 (UTC)
Or you could just buy a few more.. =p--The Corsair 01:02, 26 October 2006 (UTC)

Just pretend they're gummy candy and call them Soggy Ranchers. :-) StuRat 01:53, 26 October 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Bill Gates driving story?

My business teacher says he's heard that Bill and Melinda Gates were once out on a Sunday drive on their own and stopped for gas, and ran into trouble with the station attendant because they hadn't brought any money, credit or debit cards or ID, and couldn't convince the clerk that their credit was any good. Is this true? It conflicts with something else I've heard, namely that there are so many personal vendettas against Bill Gates that he never leaves home without bodyguards. It also seems odd to me that Gates would (even accidentally) risk a fine by driving without his license. NeonMerlin 22:59, 25 October 2006 (UTC)

I think it's one of those myths that surround famous people. Try Snopes.com. The velociraptor 23:49, 25 October 2006 (UTC)

[edit] bettas (fish)

i have two bettas that i keep in the same tank, but with a glass seperater; one female, the other male. i want to breed them after december but i cant right now because of space issues, but i dont know if the male and female will get used to eachother or bored of eachother and not be "interested" in breeding after a few weeks or months. any tips or help would be good. thank you. -bettalover18

I would really get involved with the various news-groups and forums on fish raising. I did that for years and learned a lot. --Zeizmic 23:48, 25 October 2006 (UTC)

After bettas die, do they undergo betta decay ? :-) StuRat 01:51, 26 October 2006 (UTC)

I think he wants to start his own school of betta-testers. --Justanother 03:16, 26 October 2006 (UTC)
In order to make them betta ? StuRat 05:15, 26 October 2006 (UTC)

i dont know whether or not they'll get uninterested in each-other, but i'd like to know that too! somebody wanna answer that?

See Breeding Bettas--Porsche997SBS 00:55, 27 October 2006

[edit] What is the correct term for the state of matter that applies to semi-liquid objects?

EG: Yogurt, pudding, et cetera. And' don't give me "soquid". The velociraptor 23:47, 25 October 2006 (UTC)

It's a Colloid (and a soquid..) --Zeizmic 23:50, 25 October 2006 (UTC)
Are you sure that's right? The article states that milk is a colloid even if it isn't in a thickened form (per the examples). Isn't a colloid a liquid with something in suspension? To answer the OP, I'm not a scientist but I wonder if there is a proper term? Because I'd think the examples you gave would just be viscous liquids. When you say 'proper term', are you looking for something scientific, culinary, or something else? Anchoress 00:00, 26 October 2006 (UTC)
Colloid is generally two substances combined, I thought? But it doesn't have to be a semi-liquid. However, what about a quasi-solid? --Wirbelwindヴィルヴェルヴィント (talk) 00:02, 26 October 2006 (UTC)
Yeah, I noticed that in the article. I was thinking also maybe 'gelatinous liquid', but I don't know what the exact boundaries of gelatinous are. Cuz they are thick liquids that would thin if heated, but... lol. Anchoress 00:10, 26 October 2006 (UTC)
HA HA .Slush! --Light current 00:28, 26 October 2006 (UTC)

I found a new one: gel --Zeizmic 01:06, 26 October 2006 (UTC)

I once read that, in room temperature, glass was considered a liquid with extremely high viscosity. 惑乱 分からん 01:39, 26 October 2006 (UTC)
Glass isn't really a liquid; see Glass as a liquid68.231.151.161 02:00, 26 October 2006 (UTC)
Our article states that this is a misconception, but then contradicts itself "There is no clear answer to the question "Is glass solid or liquid?". In terms of molecular dynamics and thermodynamics it is possible to justify various different views that it is a highly viscous liquid, an amorphous solid, or simply that glass is another state of matter which is neither liquid nor solid." It's all gobbledegook to me, so perhaps a boffin can clear this up, please? :-) --Dweller 09:40, 26 October 2006 (UTC)
OK, since you ask for "state of matter" you need to look at phase. Gel is a good one but I think it is non-homogeneous at the molecular level, being some sort of colloid, and do not think it meets the definition of a phase. But look at pitch. This is so "solid-like" that it shatters when dropped but is still considered a liquid, albeit one with very high viscosity. Perhaps what you would like to call a semi-liquid is simply a liquid. --Justanother 03:15, 26 October 2006 (UTC)
Here is another good one for what you might call a pudding or a very damp Jolly Ranger, look at Paste (rheology). Kinda like gel (which I still like) or suspension or colloid. All these are NOT states of matter but are mixtures, IMO. --Justanother 03:30, 26 October 2006 (UTC)
Anything (even rock) will flow if subjected to enough force. So rock is a fluid right?--Light current 15:13, 26 October 2006 (UTC)

Actually no; all materials exhibit deformation, elastic (reversible) or plastic (nonreversible), when subjected to loads; compressive stress ,tensile stress, shear stress, torsion (twisting), and bending (though bending is nothing more than a combination of compressive and tensile on either side of a neutral axis or plane). If you use that as the definition of a solid then there would be no such thing as a solid. But solids have a limit to the deformation they take before breaking (failure). Liquids do not but continue to deform. Viscosity is a measure of the deformation of a liquid under shear. --Justanother 23:41, 26 October 2006 (UTC)

How are mountains formed? When the rock is molten or when the rock is solid?--Light current 00:32, 27 October 2006 (UTC)
It is if it's molten XD --WikiSlasher 15:26, 26 October 2006 (UTC)
You must have changed your comment after I'd responded to it LC. Disregard what i said above everyone the continuity has been broken --WikiSlasher 10:13, 27 October 2006 (UTC)
And when its 'solid'. Think of mountain production.--Light current 17:18, 26 October 2006 (UTC)
I think mountain ranges form when tectonic plates come into contact as they drift so it would be solid, I imagine. --Justanother 01:33, 27 October 2006 (UTC)
Exactly! And the mountains are pushed up from solid rock. So solid rock flows! (slowly)--Light current 12:44, 27 October 2006 (UTC)
Perhaps just "high viscosity fluid?"? --Proficient 23:27, 29 October 2006 (UTC)