Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Miscellaneous/2007 June 22

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[edit] June 22

[edit] Getting Tim Tams from Australia to USA

In Australia there is a food product called Tim Tams. I have included their mail link below. I live in Houston, TX, USA 77070 and I need to acquire some Tim Tams. Can you give me some information about how to do this, please?

www.arnotts.com.au/products/TimTam.aspx

RebaRoo 01:10, 22 June 2007 (UTC)

Back in the day when I played on a MUD, I remember Australians on there mailing Tim Tams to friends in the US. So, make Australian friends? --Wirbelwindヴィルヴェルヴィント (talk) 01:20, 22 June 2007 (UTC)
The guys at Everything Australian in Arkansas will mail order them to you at $4.25 each(!): [1] or whole baskets full of 'em: here...so if your withdrawal symptoms are extreme, it's about an 8 hour drive from Houston - you could just about get there and back in a day! :-) SteveBaker 02:05, 22 June 2007 (UTC)
We have an article on Tim Tams. Could you not just gaze longingly at that? It provides more advice on US availability. --Tagishsimon (talk)
Hey, you guys don't have Tim Tams, we don't have guns and fireworks, pick a side and deal with it ;) Vespine 03:26, 22 June 2007 (UTC)
Hey guys, I think he wants us to invade! --Wirbelwindヴィルヴェルヴィント (talk) 03:52, 22 June 2007 (UTC)
We do have fireworks, but to buy them legally you have to live in the right place and wait for the right time - right before the Queen's Birthday weekend every second store in the ACT becomes a fireworks seller. Confusing Manifestation 04:15, 22 June 2007 (UTC)
Yes yes I realise that, if it wasn't obvious, i was making a gross generalisation, when I said WE, I meant the vast majority of Australians, not the 2% that live in the ACT:) Vespine 06:17, 22 June 2007 (UTC)
Come across the ditch, we have BOTH fireworks and Tim Tams! --antilivedT | C | G 06:27, 22 June 2007 (UTC)
You can get Tim Tams in the UK, though I can't think for the life of me where I last saw them. Penguin biscuits are very similar. --Bearbear 15:29, 22 June 2007 (UTC)
My local Sainsburys has them. The first place I saw them was in Sainsburys in Swansea; a welcome taste of home! Penguins, although very yummy, just don't make it. (IMHO)--193.195.0.102 17:27, 22 June 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Downloading music

Why is actually stealing a CD from a store merely petty theft, while simply digitally copying it from a friend/the internet without a license is copyright infringement? Seems like it should be less serious. --frotht 03:20, 22 June 2007 (UTC)

Likely because Torrents/P2P redistribute it, so you're essentially making bootlegs while you download. -- Phoeba WrightOBJECTION! 03:30, 22 June 2007 (UTC)
Isn't it still "copyright infringement" if it's a simple HTTP download, especially when downloading software? And how can that apply if you're obviously not making any money off of it? --frotht 04:22, 22 June 2007 (UTC)
Well for one thing each time you upload the full album it's equal to stealing yet another copy, and usually you are encouraged to have a share ratio of 1. So that means for every album you download, you stole 2 albums (I ain't no lawyer, that's just the way I see it). --antilivedT | C | G 06:07, 22 June 2007 (UTC)
Stealing a CD from a store does not involve creating a copy of it. Copying a CD (usually via computer) does involve creating a copy of it. With that in mind, see Copyright. 152.16.59.190 06:52, 22 June 2007 (UTC)
Yes, but in both cases you end up with a copy you haven't paid for, against the wishes of those who made the CD. StuRat 05:20, 23 June 2007 (UTC)
True. But if you steal a physical copy of the CD, you have also stolen the disk itself and the case, depriving the store owner of a copy that he/she otherwise could sell. Crypticfirefly 16:38, 23 June 2007 (UTC)

[edit] why games diff. time for different countrys

paper mario out in u.s.a. but september for europe. why not same time --71.185.143.224 04:29, 22 June 2007 (UTC)

Localization -- Phoeba WrightOBJECTION! 04:37, 22 June 2007 (UTC)
It takes time to translate the text in the game - and perhaps to re-record audio for voices - then the game has to go though play-testing with the new text and voices. Some countries require games to go through content rating - that takes time. Also, they may wish to release at times when most people are buying games - which may be different in each country. SteveBaker 11:21, 22 June 2007 (UTC)
but uk is same language as us and mario no voices so no accent and game made in japan so why us &not uk--71.185.141.218 18:17, 22 June 2007 (UTC)
UK and US do not use the exact same language. There was a kid's game back in the 90s that had to be pulled from the UK because the character was described as "landing on his fanny" - fanny is a very, very mild word in the US for rear end but a rather crude word in the UK for the female genitalia! --Charlene 17:49, 24 June 2007 (UTC)
I believe some games need to be tweaked to deal with the refresh rate differences between NTSC and PAL. This is not an issue with computer games, but it is with video games for those who still use old CRT TV's.--GTPoompt(talk) 18:56, 22 June 2007 (UTC)
Also, it might be cheaper for them to not use another country's work. If they had to pay royalties for each copy sold to use someone else's translation, that'd cost them a good deal more money in the long run. And they might not have been licensed at the same time, causing other delays. --Wirbelwindヴィルヴェルヴィント (talk) 09:30, 23 June 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Am I allowed to create folders and upload files?

Am I allowed to create folders and upload files?

The following are examples:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Twma/folderA
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Twma/folderA/fileA

Of course, I may have more files and folders by changing A to B,C,D, etc.

If YES, what should I do?

If NO, is there any part of Wikipedia that allows me to store files for public to view?

Thank you in advance. Twma 05:53, 22 June 2007 (UTC)

You may create those pages (they are not folders, just pages) if you have something constructive to the encyclopaedia to put in them, however Wikipedia is not a free web host and so the only files we host are ones that we can use for the encyclopaedia (i.e. image and sound files). So I guess the answer is NO. Rockpocket 05:58, 22 June 2007 (UTC)

Thank you for the quick reply. Twma 06:03, 22 June 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Suite

What do studio suites happen to be. i have already looked at the article about a suite in general. just wondering what the studio suite is as it is not on the suite article.--logger 07:27, 22 June 2007 (UTC)

Haven't heard the term myself, but in Britain a studio flat is one that only has a kitchen, bathroom, and a combined living room/bedroom. Maybe the terms are related? --Richardrj talk email 07:28, 22 June 2007 (UTC)

If i could add something. how many televisions are in most suites.--logger 07:53, 22 June 2007 (UTC)

Here's the result of some Googling. Some links are to hotels, some to apartments, all described as "studio suites": picture of Candlewood Suites' studio suite home page for Homestead Hotels Studio Suites; click "view floorplans" on the right the "studio suite" apartment offered by an apartment complex called "Rundle Manor Apartments" studio suite at the Royal Scot Suite Hotel.
What I'm concluding is that for the most part a "studio suite" appears to be a combined kitchen/bedroom with a separate bathroom. If it's a hotel room, I'd probably expect one TV. There'll probably be a desk, there may be a couch.TomTheHand 14:29, 22 June 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Englands sporting success

As an Englishman living abroad can any resident English person explain why losing in the U21 football is being celebrated as a massive achievement ? Why the manager, Stuart Pearce described the match as the high spot of his long international career ? Come on Stuart YOU LOST90.14.144.112 08:17, 22 June 2007 (UTC)DT

I am also an Englishman living abroad, and it's not that hard to understand really. No-one said it was a massive achievement, he just said it was an amazing game and he could be proud of his young players. They only lost on penalties, which is nothing to be ashamed of, since they are just a lottery. Several of them were playing through injuries. Read the BBC report here. --Richardrj talk email 08:38, 22 June 2007 (UTC)
Also perhaps the media was refreshingly supporting players that tried. Ultimtaely only one team can go through and England's team didn't. It is a better achievement than the current first team has managed for a long time and is perhaps a good signal for the future of our national team. The shoot-out was extraordinarily long and the ratio of goals we scored in it is probably better than most England penalty shoot-outs! But yes, they did lose. I understand praising the young for workign hard/trying is considered better for their future performance, whereas the full-national team are considered 'advanced' enough in their play to be berated for losing rather than applauded (although we do applaud when they show determination in defeat). ny156uk 16:59, 22 June 2007 (UTC)
Given the circumstances, which include playing with 10 players for part of the match, including the injured Steven Taylor, whose injury hindered his prevention of Netherlands' equaliser, it was a good performance. You cannot question Pearce's opinion of "the high spot of his long international career" - as long as he is honest when he said it. He has been through a lot as an international player, and of course, things seem different when you're a manager. BTW, can you remember the last time the ENG U21s got that far? 1988. Personally I was very satisfied with the team's performance and attitude. If only this would transfer to the senior team (and their opponents) in the future.  slυмgυм [ ←→ ] 17:40, 22 June 2007 (UTC)

Yeah... I'll bet other nations' supporters are having a good snigger. The English talk a good game in advance, and find wonderful "reasons" for failure. But they do not win, even minor countries are regarded as serious opponents! And I've just seen that the England manager has written to the supporters asking them not to boo Frank Lampard. Come on, he is paid many thousands each week to perform at top level. When he does he is lauded. When he doesn't, like the rest of us, he has to be held to blame.90.9.211.115 13:45, 23 June 2007 (UTC)DT

They got to the semi-final of the tournament, and only lost by the narrowest of margins. That's not a bad performance. I'm from Northern Ireland, and we're all excited about the possibility we might qualify for a tournament for the first time in over twenty years. It's all a question of what you're used to. England's problem, I think, is that they think every time they qualify for a tournament they're going to win it, and when they don't they look for someone to blame. If they make a semi-final, they (and you're a very good example of this) don't think "an improvement on last time - good, now let's see if we can build on that and do even better next time", they think "we lost, what a disgrace, sack someone." If your expectations are unrealistic you'll always be disappointed. Although continually picking the usual suspects no matter how they perform can't be helping. --Nicknack009 17:15, 24 June 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Los Angeles to Mexico by bus

Can people recommend bus companies for travelling from LA to Mexico (like to one of the resort areas ideally like Acapulco) by bus? links would be great.... thanks for suggestions!

You can try this web site, but you will probably find a guidebook like Lonely Planet more helpful. LP and other guidebooks will list the bus lines that go to and from each city. To work out a route from LA all the way to a resort such as Acapulco will almost certainly require several stops and several bus companies. You should look at a map and check several cities along your route. Probably you will need to travel first from Los Angeles to a Mexican border city such as Tijuana. I think that Greyhound has services to border cities. If not, you can take Greyhound to San Diego, then the trolley to the border, walk across to Tijuana's bus station, and continue from there on Mexican bus lines. You might also consider taking Greyhound via Phoenix to Nogales in Arizona, since American highways are much smoother and faster than the Mexican highways that parallel the border. You should try to avoid traveling at night across northern Mexico. In the more rural areas, there may be bandits who hold up buses and rob passengers, especially at night. Aim to get off the bus in the last big town or city before nightfall, stay in a hotel, and continue on the next morning. The most efficient route may be via Mexico City, which has 3 or 4 major bus stations, each in a different part of the city. But that is true of other big Mexican cities. If you go through Mexico City, you will need to travel between bus stations, which is easy and cheap using the metro. The metro is a little risky, but not too bad if you are not carrying a huge and expensive-looking backpack. Taxis are also potentially risky. A good guidebook will help you find the safest and best way across the city. Finally, there are typically several types of bus along major routes. There are the luxury-class buses (often labeled ejecutivo), which have plush reclining seats, air conditioning, TVs, and toilets. Then there are mid-level (first-class or primero) buses, which might have AC or toilets but maybe not both, and finally there are the cheapest buses, which resemble aging US schoolbuses but are less comfortable and are to be avoided unless you are trying to travel for under $5 a day or you want to experience firsthand the misery of the third world. Try to pack super light and carry a really small pack. This will save you from having to check it (and potentially kiss it goodbye) on some buses, it will make you less of a target for thieves, and it will make your treks to and from bus stations easier and less of a burden on your legs and and back. Good luck and have fun. Marco polo 17:32, 22 June 2007 (UTC)
Here is another site that covers bus travel from the USA into Mexico:[2] And it turns out that you can travel with a single bus company from either Nogales or Tijuana to Acapulco without going through Mexico City. The company is Estrella Blanca, but you will need to read Spanish to use their website. Marco polo 19:18, 22 June 2007 (UTC)
I would suggest going through an American travel agent. Corvus cornix 23:00, 24 June 2007 (UTC)
Hey thanks for the advice, guys!

[edit] Transitive knighthood

I have read in the Matter of Britain that although knights were usually created by sovereigns, sometimes a knight would decide that another person should be a knight, and create him one. (I don't think I can find citations of this now.)

1) Was this ever true, in the Arthurian mythos or the real world? 2) If it was true in the real world, when did it stop? Or did it ever stop?

I was wondering particularly about the second question today because I followed the link from the article about Isidore of Seville to this site, which attempts to demonstrate that it can legitimately call itself an order of knighthood because its founder had been knighted by the Queen and its founder therefore had the power of creating other knights. I assume this is bollocks, isn't it? The Wednesday Island 14:02, 22 June 2007 (UTC)

(answering my own question a bit after doing some research:) Knight says partway down the page Originally, any knight could make a knight; although there was greater honor in being knighted by more prestigious knights. and in the late Middle Ages, sovereigns began to forbid their subjects to make knights, as they forbade them other military preparations. (though this is all uncited). So it looks like the Seville people are about 800 years out of date. The Wednesday Island 14:10, 22 June 2007 (UTC)
A monarch in Western Europe wouldn't really have the (de facto) authority to create knights until the 13th or 14th century, when nation-states began to take shape. The word "knight" means "servant", although in other languages it has something to do with horses ("eques" in Latin and "chevalier" in French are horsemen, "Ritter" in German is a rider), and the original medieval sense was just a guy who is trained in horseback warfare. It was a profession, not an honourary title. Anyone who could afford to keep a horse, armour, and weapons, and to be trained from youth, could be a knight. In, say, 10th century France, a bunch of knights would be more likely to ride around fighting a bunch of knights from a neighbouring territory than to serve the king (who also had his own knights, but no authority outside the territory he personally ruled). Gradually, in England, France, Spain, Germany, and elsewhere, the monarch consolidated power over their vassals, and we can start talking about a nation with a leader. Then they began creating orders of knighthood - those existed before, in a supranational way (the military orders of the crusades), but now they had the power to make their own, like the Order of the Garter in England or the Order of the Golden Fleece in Flanders. The profession of knighthood still existed, but now there was an honourary element to it as well. As the middle ages progressed, and infantry warfare became more effective, and eventually with the advent of gunpowder, knights were no longer very useful on the battlefield, and so today we are left with only honourary knights created by monarchs. A knight could create other knights when it was still a real profession, but the honourary ones are only created by monarchs, even in the medieval honourary orders (but it would be funny if Paul McCartney could go around knighting people). Adam Bishop 16:45, 22 June 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Actuarial Subjects

Which subjects are available for the Bachelor of Business Science in Actuarial Science degree at UCT? Also Postgraduate Actuarial subjects?

Where is UCT? Have you thought of emailing their admissions department and asking? The Wednesday Island 17:44, 22 June 2007 (UTC)
University of Cape Town? See here. Rockpocket 18:10, 22 June 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots

im wondering is Metal Gear Solid 4 the last game in the series because to me it seems like it is? does any1 have any information or rumours that it is or isn't? thx :D

[edit] Shock image

What disease/condition is this? O_O --frotht 16:28, 22 June 2007 (UTC)

No idea, but he reminds me of Stewie Griffin. And oh dear, 7chan links are appearing here now... --Wirbelwindヴィルヴェルヴィント (talk) 22:09, 22 June 2007 (UTC)
And it's mostly fap.7chan too D: --frotht 00:16, 23 June 2007 (UTC)

I know Wikipedia isn't censored, nor would I wish it to be, but somehow "Shock Image" isn't quite enough of a warning for the uninitiated. If the obstetrician didn't have nightmares, I will. Bielle 05:40, 23 June 2007 (UTC)

I linked shock image to the article on it. I might even add the picture to the article :) But does anyone know what condition it is? --frotht 15:55, 23 June 2007 (UTC)
Eraserhead baby syndrome? —Steve Summit (talk) 16:32, 23 June 2007 (UTC)
this link scared me. A.Z. 21:15, 23 June 2007 (UTC)
Huh! (Kinda catchy, though, after the initial shock wears off.) —Steve Summit (talk) 21:25, 23 June 2007 (UTC)
It's just the generic 403 error page for fapchan. What is he saying anyway? It sounds like TES TIC LES o_o But i agree, very catchy --frotht 03:57, 24 June 2007 (UTC)
Seems to be an extremely bad case of dysmelia, at best. 81.158.37.47 16:40, 23 June 2007 (UTC)
I know that the abdominal defect is known as a schisis. Here's a link to an article describing a similar situation (I personally don't have access to the full text) [3]. --Joelmills 21:29, 23 June 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Gas Prices in USA

Is there a valid reason why gas prices has risen so much over the past three years?

Oil price increases of 2004-2006. The Wednesday Island 17:47, 22 June 2007 (UTC)
I live in Scotland UK, and don't know the answer to your question BUT, can anyone explain why this morning I paid the equivalent of $8.30 per gallon at Tesco, the cheapest local petrol/gas supplier to where I live, right next door to Grangemouth, which is home to the second/third largest motor fuel refinery in Europe? Any chance of the US sending us some of your really expensive fuel in return for us supporting the Bush wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, which are all about maintaining a flow of cheap oil anyway?
I heard gas is more expensive on top of soapboxes... anonymous6494 22:05, 22 June 2007 (UTC)
One word: Taxes. --Carnildo 20:14, 22 June 2007 (UTC)

Note that $8.30 per imperial gallon is only $7.10 per American gallon, but your point still stands. It's fascinating to me how Americans flip out at gas prices that are way lower than what Europeans pay. We hear that our economy is going to collapse because we are paying $3 a gallon, when people in other countries dream of getting gas that cheap. That's what happens when you have a society completely dependant on the automobile. -- Mwalcoff 22:46, 22 June 2007 (UTC)

taxes? in part. the autobahn, for example, is far more expensive to maintain that a standard american hwy and as such a lot of that larger coast is recooped in gas taxes. but don't forget subsidies. they are NOT paying 4 dollars in tax, we are paying 4 dollars in income tax in addition to the at the pump prices... form the wiki article subsidy: Examples of industries or sectors where subsidies are often found include utilities, gasoline in the United States, welfare, farm subsidies, and (in some countries) certain aspects of student loans.

ah now try and find an economist how will ignore the "n-1 restrictions is allways better than n restrictions" rule and be in favor of the american dog and pony gasoline pricing polices :) Childhoodtrauma 23:14, 22 June 2007 (UTC)

The 'flipping out' occurs because of the marked increase in cost. That it is more expensive elsewhere is something that has occured over a period of time, not 1 week/1 month. Long term increases can be worked into the economy reasonably easily, what is difficult to get through is the short-to-medium-term price hikes that are either A) Unexpected or B) severe (or worse both). We here in the UK have been conditioned to expect petrol/diesel to cost around a certain amount, just as American's have. To answer why it costs more even though you are so close to a refinery is that A) The cost is not incurred in moving the petrol from refinery to source, B) Tax in your area on fuel has a huge impact on price C) Oil is traded as a commodity on the stock-exchange, Tesco will buy bulk/source from oil buying firms and set prices based on supply/demand in each area. ny156uk 23:21, 22 June 2007 (UTC)
Yes. This was actually what the OP was asking: why has the petrol price risen so much. It's of little comfort to an American whose weekly budget must now find money for petrol which has suddenly sharply increased in price to be told that people in Scotland are paying three times as much. They're complaining about the sudden hole in their budget, not the absolute price of petrol. The Wednesday Island 22:14, 23 June 2007 (UTC)
I don't disagree with your point Mwalcoff, BUT, as the Scotsman concerned, I think the OP can be helped in his difficulty with sudden and unexpected increases in petrol prices by perhaps considering how those of us in Scotland and elsewhere in Europe have coped with paying 3 times as much as our US cousins for petrol/gas. It's called doing without, downsizing, cutting your coat according to your cloth, living in smaller houses, carrying less debt, walking the kids to school and home again, not supersizing your Big Mac, cleaning your teeth with COLD water, not driving SUV's 200 yards to pick up a newspaper, and learning a little humility about the planet we live on - oh - did I mention the KYOTO agreement where we all try that little bit harder to put something back into the earth's resources? Sorry OP, in answer to your question, I think your fuel prices may have risen as sharply as they have just recently because your government is having to increasingly compensate more and more US families for the loss of their sons, fathers and brothers in roadside bombings in Iraq and Afghanistan, which reminds me, maybe that's why I am paying a lot more now than I did recently. The only difference being, I believe, your levels of compensation are about 10 times those paid to bereaved British families.
I've been chided for expressing my opinion of these anonymous remarks, so I'll merely ask that you do us the courtesy of imagining that even we boorish colonials are capable of economizing even while asking what's going on. —Tamfang, an American with no credit cards who used (sometimes) to walk the 3 miles to and from school, is older than the Big Mac but has never eaten one, has never even THOUGHT of using hot water (?!) to brush his teeth, opposes the war, and still has to drive (a '94 Camry) 33 miles to and from work; 02:12, 25 June 2007 (UTC)
One further comment: it's easier to economize when prices are predictable. —Tamfang 02:13, 26 June 2007 (UTC)
Happy to make your (unrepresentative US) acquaintance Tamfang. Pity I never met either yourself or many of your like-minded countrymen/women on my many and continental visits to the US. Oh, I have many friends from there who also visit my home in Scotland, and believe me, their views generally accord with my own, and now, thankfully, yours. Cheers.
I'm not too far off from Tamfang. I have one credit card, used to walk to school, haven't eaten a Big Mac in years, use cold water to brush my teeth, oppose the war in Iraq, and think the Bush administration is a disgrace. I do have a gas-guzzler vehicle (Chevy Avalanche), but got that when I needed to move across country frequently (lived in Detroit and worked in LA) and needed something I could use to haul my possessions cross-country in relative safety, and use to sleep comfortably when no hotel was available. I think my next vehicle will be a hybrid. I now drive about 10 miles per day, on average. StuRat 23:31, 25 June 2007 (UTC)
How do you know you never met anyone like me? We don't generally go around shouting in public about our private finances. Furrfu. —Tamfang 02:13, 26 June 2007 (UTC)

[edit] What's that guitar?

What sort of guitar is Ian Curtis playing in this video for Love Will Tear Us Apart: http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=BNMbuygEju8? It's an unusual looking guitar (ie; not a Strat!), shaped like an almond and only just large enough to fit the pickups/dials etc (and there's a lot of dials; 5 of them, plus a bank of 6 buttons). Laïka 20:26, 22 June 2007 (UTC)

Looks like some kind of Vox Phantom. See this link. Friday (talk) 20:44, 22 June 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Standard typewriter typeface

Is there a name for the typeface that was commonly used in manual typewriters in the 20th century? Is a software font of it available anywhere? I'm not talking about Courier; even though that article claims that Courier "became a standard font used throughout the typewriter industry", I don't remember ever having seen Courier (at least not the version of Courier used on computers nowadays) in typewritten documents. I'm talking about the typeface used here, here, and (to show it's not unique to the U.S.) here. That's not Courier. Courier uses the "opentail g" , while the typewriter typeface uses the "looptail g" . Other differences are in the capital A (Courier has a serif on top, the typewriter face doesn't), and lowercase c, f, and s (the typewriter face has little balls on the ends of the characters, Courier doesn't). —Angr 20:33, 22 June 2007 (UTC)

Pica (typeface) and Elite (typeface) are two common typewriter faces; no articles yet, though. —Atlant 20:50, 22 June 2007 (UTC)
I thought Pica and Elite were the names of typewriter face sizes (10 chars per inch and 12 chars per inch respectively), rather than the names of the faces themselves. —Angr 21:27, 22 June 2007 (UTC)
Well, looking at these images, it does seem that the face I was thinking of is called "Pica 10" (or "Pica 10 swrt", though I don't know what swrt stands for). —Angr 21:31, 22 June 2007 (UTC)
And it's available as a computer font! Thanks for your help. —Angr 21:33, 22 June 2007 (UTC)
I remember using a Selectric with a Courier ball in 1982. But I agree it's not what we thought of as a traditional typewriter face. I would guess that each maker had its own design, though they might be similar. —Tamfang 04:28, 24 June 2007 (UTC)

[edit] personality quirks

I know someone who over the years has had many hobbies. These include photography, rock climbing, fishing, scuba diving and now shooting guns(pistols). He always become very proficient in whatever and always has the best equipment. H goes from total involvement to no involment overnight. This isn't normal. What causes such behavior?129.112.109.253 20:50, 22 June 2007 (UTC)

Short attention span? And why isn't this normal? If he got proficient in it, maybe he finds learning it or experiencing it fun, and not the actual act. --Wirbelwindヴィルヴェルヴィント (talk) 22:07, 22 June 2007 (UTC)
I have a friend who will pick up whatever hobby I'm into, partly to have something in common with me and partly because he likes to train. But mainly because he wants to beat me (and always does). It's interesting you mention your friend always has the best equipment -- my friend is the same way. iames 22:13, 22 June 2007 (UTC)
There's a chance that since he mastered the skill, he has become jaded to it because there's no way to get better. (messedrocker • talk) 23:25, 22 June 2007 (UTC)
Sounds like the enjoyment some people get from learning new things and skills. It may be not a universal aspect of humans, but I think it is quite normal. I'm that way myself, although the expense of briefly getting into something like scuba diving limits me to more affordable whims of study (like, for example, editing wikipedia). As for what causes it, perhaps there are psychological theories, but I'd chalk it up to simple curiosity and determination. Pfly 07:54, 24 June 2007 (UTC)
Is your friend by any chance a toad?

[edit] Death letter

How does one begin a respectable letter informing someone of another's death? 74.111.82.91 22:17, 22 June 2007 (UTC)

Perhaps "I have the sad duty to inform you than Aunt Nelly passed away yesterday, June 20, 2007, at the age of 87." Then some of the details: cause of death, perhaps some comforting remarks. Writing a letter assumes the recipient will not be coming to the funeral, unless you have faster postal service than we do. Yu might enclose a copy of the obituary if sufficient time has passed that it has been printed. Edison 22:50, 22 June 2007 (UTC)
As Edison says , but you might also want to read books about formal writing which will almost certainly cover this, The English approach, as far as I knew was to remain calm, polite and above all not cause undue distress. Discretion is usally advised in revealing the cause of death, and in some instances there may be reasons why it would be unwise to give the complete picture. You may wish to advise about the funeral, although that may be done seperately. Writing to the family of a serviceman killed on active duty is more complicated and you would be advised to consult the relevant official regulations for advice.62.56.86.251 23:39, 22 June 2007 (UTC)
How would you tell the principal of your daughter's school that your daughter has passed away? 74.111.82.91 23:44, 22 June 2007 (UTC)
My heartfelt condolences to the person reading this if this person has lost a daughter. If it is a matter of informing a principal, one can be more businesslike, unless the principal was personally (and not merely professionally) acquainted with the daughter. If the principal's acquaintance with the daughter was merely professional, then I would try something like:
"Dear X:
"I regret to inform you that my daughter, [name], passed away on [date]. Please inform her teachers and your administrative staff."
If you wish, you might add a statement like the following:
"You or your staff may relay the news of my daughter's passing to her classmates."
Then, "Thank you for your consideration."
"Sincerely, Y"
That should be enough. Marco polo 01:26, 23 June 2007 (UTC)
Another caveat: whether the cause of death is mentioned at all is up to the writer. With the death of a young person, though, it might be assumed that the cause of death was suicide if no cause is given, and especially if the death is described as "sudden" with no other cause given. If the writer is sensitive to this and especially if the death was by natural causes or accidental, it might cause fewer problems in the long run if the cause of death is given. Please accept my condolences. --Charlene 17:40, 24 June 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Interesting hat

Just curious, but is there a name for the type of hat the fellow on the right is wearing? I looked at every article in Category:Hats with no luck. jwillbur 22:18, 22 June 2007 (UTC)

French sailors wear something very like it, though I can't help you with a name in French or English. Bielle 22:43, 22 June 2007 (UTC)
Mopette?Acceptable 22:44, 22 June 2007 (UTC)
It looks like a Scottish Tam o'shanter (hat) to me. SteveBaker 02:12, 23 June 2007 (UTC)
It's a United States Navy flat hat--Melburnian 13:49, 24 June 2007 (UTC)
Hmmmm - I would have disagreed with you based solely on the photo - but since Austin Durney was a notable United States Navy sailor - I've got to agree with you. Forget Tam o'shanter (hat) - that's not it. SteveBaker 17:01, 25 June 2007 (UTC)

[edit] How to have dreams?

How does one induce a dream, if one has Asperger's syndrome and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, and needs to take melatonin at night to sleep? Because one wishes to have a "lucid dream" and is fairly sure that said one can gain knowledge of the dreaming state. Said one generally does not dream (or at least does not remember said one's dreams). 71.34.252.168 22:33, 22 June 2007 (UTC)

Should it make a difference? Try to get a good night's sleep, so that your body can go through the various stages of sleep. Most dreaming occurs in REM sleep.Supposedly everyone dreams, but the dreams may be forgotten. In my experience, a delay of even 5 seconds spent shutting off an alarm or turning on a light can allow the evanescent content of a dream to fade away,leaving only perhaps some of the emotional afect of the dream, but if I think about the dream content the instant I wake up, it is retained in vividness. Edison 22:44, 22 June 2007 (UTC)
I did go through a period of several years where I did not dream -- sleep apnea was preventing me from falling asleep deeply enough to reach REM sleep. If in addition to not dreaming you feel unrested when you wake up in the morning or if you feel sleepy during the day, you should discuss it with your doctor. It may be that something (not necessarily sleep apnea) is preventing you from reaching REM sleep. —Angr 22:55, 22 June 2007 (UTC)
If you sleep well enough to be able to function after more than a week of sleeping, you are hitting REM sleep, albeit not much. Usually the problem is Dream Recall, in which case I highly recommend MILD techniques. Check out our sister project, Wikibooks, for a good guide on getting started with lucid dreaming, and also check out ld4all.com. Personally, when I MILD, I have up to an 80% DR, but when I don't it's closer to 1-5%, so willpower can make a large difference. Once you can gain lucidity, DR is barely a problem at all, and dreaming is almost like a more fantastic state of waking life. I assume this is because being awake and living inside a dream actively works your memory, whereas a normal dream you're just watching helplessly is much easier to forget. Sorta like how it's easier to forget the plot of a movie than it is what your friends were talking about when you went out for drinks afterwards, even though the movie was much more interesting -- Phoeba WrightOBJECTION! 23:58, 22 June 2007 (UTC)
Is that you, Daniel?
No. 71.34.252.168 23:38, 23 June 2007 (UTC)