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September 17

Japanese WWII History

Why isn't the true WWII history, in the pacific, taught in Japanese schools?

First of all, is this claim 'true' the way you phrased it? Secondly, how do you define 'true' in the context of WWII history? Most nations struggle with NPOV when it comes to their own history taught at schools. Perhaps the article on historical revisionism has some more information and links that might interest you.---Sluzzelin 00:46, 17 September 2006 (UTC)

The study of truth belongs to philosophy and religion. History confines itself to written records that are often incomplete, contradictory, or open to interpretation. The best historians are quite humble about these limitations. Books about history that assert claims of absolute truth are generally written by second-rate scholars who shortchange any opinion that conflicts with their own. Durova 01:19, 17 September 2006 (UTC)

While the truth in some ancient wars may be obscured by history, such as the Trojan war, this is not true of WW2. This event is recent enough that there is a great deal of direct evidence, including living witnesses. So, if people say the Holocaust did not occur, there was no massacre of civilians in Manchuria, or there was no Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, these are not mere matters of opinion, but things which can easily be disproven. StuRat 10:58, 17 September 2006 (UTC)

Even some of these things can be made problematic if one is willing to go down that rabbit hole. Of course all of the three examples you chose are highly politicized historical incidences as well, so it is really not worth even trying to discuss them, but if you picked something more mundane but equally large in scope, you can often find many, many ways in which any given event can be interpretted, spun, or even essentially denied. Even the facts of something as recent as WWII are not necessarily straightforward (and I say this as someone who does research into WWII and Cold War history at the professional level). --Fastfission 14:06, 17 September 2006 (UTC)

There could possibly be different interpretations of some events (like the Japanese might say they were "forced" to attack Pearl Harbor because the US was cutting off their trade), but the factual portion (that a large-scale aerial bombardment on Pearl Harbor by Japanese Imperial forces occurred on December 7, 1941), really can't be denied, due to overwhelming evidence (film, eyewitnesses on both sides, sunken ships, etc.). The US doesn't deny dropping atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and Japan shouldn't deny what they did, either. StuRat 04:13, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

Here's a question that I'll enjoy answering. It's not so much that what they're being taught isn't true but that they aren't really being taught at all. To understand why there's so much controversy about the way WWII textbooks have been made in the past, and continue to be made in Japan it really takes a deep understanding of a typical Japanese mind, which I will attempt to explain with examples in as little space as possible. I think it goes without saying that you should first get all of your information from the properly sourced articles on the subject (such as Japanese textbook controversy) that have already been created for us to browse through in Wikipedia, but I will try to attempt a more general, neutral while at the same time critical, perspective.

It appears that there is a considerable amount of awareness of the textbook problem, even amongst the Japanese authorities themselves, and there have been recent attempts to handle South Korean and Chinese sentiments by creating more neutral textbooks, but, at least for me, it doesn't seem like they've really got their finger on the correct problem.

I would like to outline a series of events that unfolded a few weeks ago on the popular (though rather controversial) satirical political debate show Prime Minister Ōta, a show where a popular comedian Mr. Hikari Ota (called the Japanese John Stewart by NYT) takes the stage by imagining (or having imagined for him) what he calls "manifestos" that would in some way improve Japan, or "bring peace to the nation", as the show boasts. It is presented in a comical way; one of the manifestos in the past was "force husbands who don't help with the cleaning to pay more tax", but they also often touch on very important issues, and I must say it is really fascinating.

You can imagine I had my eyes glued to the screen when I heard that the manifesto to be debated for the day was going to be to "create history textbooks in cooperation with other major east Asian countries". Ota is widely considered to extremely intelligent and leftish democratic, though it's possible he may be slightly socialist. It's difficult to tell because he often argues for the sake of a good argument, even when he doesn't necessarily believe in what he's arguing for. Regardless, the manifesto he proposed that day was on a very current and touchy subject, and the debating that day was harsh (red faces, spitting, name calling, standing up and pointing!).

As is normal with Ota's manifestos, the arrangement of seats at the beginning showed that most of the debators (many of them politicians) initially disagreed with Ota's proposal. By the end of the discussion, the participants voting against the proposal were pretty clearly divided into 3 different camps (and, not unusually, were fighting amongst themselves too):

1) Those who believed that it was a great idea, and wished it were possible, but didn't believe it would ever be possible, usually stating the "irrationality of" and "lack of constructive communications with" their Asian neighbours as the reason.

2) Those who believed that the issue was so far in the past that it had become an issue impossible to fix, unless given another equally long span of time to settle down.

And perhaps most shocking of all, 3) those who believed that the issue was far in the past and that it should be ignored because bringing once again such evil things to the light will only serve to undermine the delicate peace that has been achieved through 50 years of delicately planned democratics and wishy-washy dialog, as well as possibly "tainting" the current population of youngsters that had been lucky enough to have grown up in a peaceful and peace-loving society.

Granted, most of the political types were part of group 1, and those in group 3 were generally of the not-so-intellectual "TV personality" type, but it was still incredibly shocking for me to hear real people saying these things, actually believing them to be true. There were also other participants who didn't really believe it was much of a problem, or didn't really know enough about the problem to make any statements, but they weren't very active in the debate so their votes shouldn't have really counted for much.

On the other hand, a lot can be understood about the Japanese position when you see the way Chinese response looks living on the Japanese islands. With all the propaganda, fake democratics and demonstrations, and blatant censorship that filters through the communists into the Japanese media, it is really difficult to take anything the PRC goverment says seriously. South Korean protests seem to spark a little more constructive thought, but they are (unfortunately?) rare and disorganized, and often limited to small fishing communities: Japan is very popular in young urban Korea, and the reverse is just as true.

Now all of that is pretty much saying it "as it is", but the following is nothing more than a personal opinion, so don't take it as any more than that. I believe this problem of history is related to the lack of an ability for Japan to separate itself from its historical self. Japan is known for its rich, long culture, and they have a lot of pride for their zen, samurai way, haiku, etc. In the US, the scars of slavery still exist and threaten to flame up every now and then, but I believe the secret to the healing of those wounds is the fact that urban Americans nowadays freely and willingly admit to the horrible crimes that were commited, and have even idolized many icons of the struggle to end racism. An African-American will certainly have a different perspective than I do, but I'm only comparing the US to Japan here, which is by comparison a heaven-on-Earth for non-Japanese. The only real "icon" of racial rights I know of in Japan is some white guy named Debito Arudo, and though extremely obscure, most of the people that know his name seem to think he is little more than a foreign annoyance, whether they themselves are Japanese or not. It seems to me that many Japanese people think the crimes comitted in WWII and around that time were the fault of a few crazy Japanese generals, who are all dead now and never really represented the Japanese populous, which is true in a way, of any population and its commanders really. That doesn't really work well for the victims on the other side of the water, though, so as much as Japan may be considered Americanized today, it really seems to me that they've got a long way to go when it comes to being a nation boasting modern, responsible philosophy in the international sense.  freshofftheufoΓΛĿЌ  12:33, 17 September 2006 (UTC)

That's a very good write-up of the issues here. Even in the US people get mad when one "continually harps upon" the history of slavery, the treatment of the American Indians, the internment of the Japanese during WWII, the support of dictators during the Cold War, and now such unpleasantries as extraordinary rendition, the possibility of Bush having illegally stole the 2000 election, and things of that nature. It is often not so much a matter of arguing against a historical event having happened (though this does indeed occur) as arguing that it isn't worth discussing (or isn't representative, or isn't patriotic, etc.). History is very powerful stuff — for many it is what defines their individual and collective identity, and it is what gives an example of where they have been, how they got there, and where they are going. Even when people agree it can be for extremely dubious political reasons — most people in the US will acknowledge very openly the worst of the excesses committed in the name of racism, though by sticking primarily to the extreme examples they make the entire historical incident seem like the product of a few backwards Southerners rather than a pervasive form of social organization that reached through at every level and at every place in American society for 150 years. When you see things as the former it is easy to celebrate how far you have come; when you see things as the latter you start to wonder if things have just gotten more pervasive to the point where systems of blunt coercion are no longer needed to keep people "in their place". These are just examples of interpretations; I don't necessarily go to either extreme myself. --Fastfission 14:06, 17 September 2006 (UTC)

The way history gets taught in elementary and secondary schools has very little to do with the way historical studies are conducted at the university level. So far as I am aware, this seems to be true throughout the world. Conceptions of what young people ought to think about their country and society tend to take priority over stimulating actual inquiry. Durova 16:39, 17 September 2006 (UTC)

It's also interesting to note that the article on the Japanese wiki for this issue has been frozen since February, and you can see how frequently traded the reverts had been just previous to the protection in the page's history.  freshofftheufoΓΛĿЌ  16:52, 17 September 2006 (UTC)

This is why they don't teach it: Unit 731. They 're embarrased as they should be. Jasbutal 03:41, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

File:Slayers.jpg

Two Japanese officers, Toshiaki Mukai and Tsuyoshi Noda competing to see who could kill (with a sword) one hundred people first. The bold headline reads, "'Incredible Record' (in the Contest to) Cut Down 100 People—Mukai 106 – 105 Noda—Both 2nd Lieutenants Go Into Extra Innings"

I don't buy the "just following orders" logic which explains genocide as the fault of just a few leaders, or maybe even just one. Following orders should never be accepted as an excuse, unless the person can show they would be killed if they refused those orders, and otherwise would have refused them. There is ample evidence to the contrary in WW2 Japan, however, as in the contest between soldiers to see who could behead the most Chinese civilians in a set time period with their swords. StuRat 04:31, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

There is a practical reason for Japan to now accept responsibility for their actions in WW2, the time appears to have come for Japan to rearm, possibly including nuclear weapons, to defend itself from North Korea and/or China. However, the US and other nations will be uncomfortable with this until there is evidence that Japan can face it's past and thus move beyond it. StuRat 04:31, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

Your facts are a little bit off. In the last few years, the US has been calling for Japan to make modifications to Article 9 of the Japanese constitution (the part that forbids them to take arms) that would allow Japan to assist UN members in collective international military efforts on the UN Security Council. The government is rather divided on the issue, but the Japanese populous is still quite against it, often insisting that Article 9 is the secret to Japanese peace and is now a part of their culture. SK and China would certainly feel uncomfortable about letting something like that happen, which is primarily why they keep trying to prevent the UN from letting Japan become a member of the security council.

I don't think it really matters if one can be excused for "just following orders" or not, it is impossible to punish an entire nation for such widespread war-crimes, and I already breifly detailed above how I believe Japan should go about healing the long hardened wounds of Asia. Though it's obviously not non-existant, maybe not even by a long shot, I don't believe the issue here is denial at all. Most of the denial was done by the Emperor decades ago, and others tried to use secret documents supposedly written by the Emperor before he died as proof that Japan never really wanted to go to war in the first place. On the other hand, even now I occasionally see WW2 programming with titles such as "Why did we go to war?", and "Why was this done?" instead of "What we did in the war", and "Why did we do it?", though I can hardly think of any countries that would deliberately title their documentaries in that way.

I still don't believe that the main issue here is denial, there is no equivalent cult of Neo-Nazis denying the holocost in Japan. The main issue will always be that Japan avoids confronting the issue entirely, avoids situations in where the issue would come up as a problem, and China uses this fact to their advantage, attempting to fuel patriotic passions and increase their image while Japan turns a back side to them. Interesting article there, by the way, and I'm glad to see that it was correctly translated.  freshofftheufoΓΛĿЌ  11:18, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

Which of my facts are a little bit off ? The new situation is North Korea having nuclear weapons and soon being able to reach the US West Cost with them. Once this happens, US threats to respond (if North Korea attacks Japan) will no longer be credible. Thus, Japan needs to be fully self-sufficient militarily. However, this makes the rest of Asia quite uncomfortable until Japan atones for their sins during WW2 ("If they don't say they're sorry for WW2, does this mean they will do it all again ?"). StuRat 12:02, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

Controversial question

Should a 'points system' be introduced for those editors answering questions on the reference desks? If not, why not?--Light current 01:08, 17 September 2006 (UTC)

Yes, but only if it gets me a free vacation to Puerto Vallarta. Durova 01:19, 17 September 2006 (UTC)

As long as there are not blackout dates. And I want triple points for answering this question. --Maxamegalon2000 01:32, 17 September 2006 (UTC)

(sorry : forgot to say this question is not included in the system-- if it ever gets adopted!)--Light current 01:37, 17 September 2006 (UTC)

How should the system be upheld? 惑乱 分からん 01:53, 17 September 2006 (UTC)

And couldn't the system be abused by people adding unimportant remarks instead of really answering the questions in a useful manner? 惑乱 分からん 01:54, 17 September 2006 (UTC)

Don't you think? 惑乱 分からん 01:54, 17 September 2006 (UTC)

Yes the system could be abused by fly by night editors, but points would be awarded by other editors: a bit like the Eurovision song contest. ie mediocre replies/remarks wouldnd get many points! So if I particularly liked your answer, I would give you a point (maybe 2), but I couldnt subtract points if I didnt like it.--Light current 01:58, 17 September 2006 (UTC)

Would including the word 'seagull' in your answer automatically deduct from your score?---Sluzzelin 02:06, 17 September 2006 (UTC)

Absolutely! In this case we need to make an exception to the rules! 8-) I would say mentioning that particular creature (or the shortened form-- without the 'sea') should instantly attract a score of -20 points (at least) --Light current 02:08, 17 September 2006 (UTC)

Do you really think anyone would be that gull-ible... =P 惑乱 分からん 13:01, 17 September 2006 (UTC)

Minus 20 points already!--Light current 13:25, 17 September 2006 (UTC)

That would be pretty cool to implement. --Proficient 04:27, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

Then we would be well on our way to being Slashdot. 205.211.164.226 16:20, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

I think lightcurrent suggested this only because he knows he will win :). In seriousness though I would personally prefer a reputation system to some sort of points award. But that has been shot down many times in the past. --Darkfred ^{Talk to me} 16:24, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

I suggest leaving well alone. Has anyone seen Yahoo Answers recently? What a train wreck of a site that is. --Richardrj ^{talk email} 17:06, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

Please remember that, as usual, Im only half serious! 8-)--Light current 21:41, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

Steve Irwin

What website can I view the video at? --209.122.217.103 02:55, 17 September 2006 (UTC)

I don't think it has been leaked or released (yet).---Sluzzelin 03:07, 17 September 2006 (UTC)

It has been stated that the video will not be released. Possibly, it could be leaked, though... 惑乱 分からん 13:02, 17 September 2006 (UTC)

It would be cool to see it. --Proficient 05:43, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

I'd definately save it --Froth 06:09, 20 September 2006 (UTC)

Largest City Park

What is the Largest City park in the World?

The Englischer Garten in Munich? (3.7 km²) ---Sluzzelin 03:33, 17 September 2006 (UTC)

This Google search makes claims for several different parks. User:Zoe|(talk) 03:34, 17 September 2006 (UTC)

Ok I just saw that South Mountain Park (Phoenix) has 65 km². I withdraw my ridiculous suggestion above. ---Sluzzelin 03:36, 17 September 2006 (UTC)

The article on South Mountain Park states that it is only the second largest in NA, so I assume that a larger one must exist in Canada. It's quite difficult to filter through all the US google results without explicitly stating what country you're looking for. [Correction] It seems that SMP may be the largest city park in NA, even though the article doesn't state it as such.  freshofftheufoΓΛĿЌ  11:25, 17 September 2006 (UTC)

Here's a list of the largest US parks. I don't know how accurate it is. Anchoress 05:04, 17 September 2006 (UTC)

The article on SMP goes on to say that Franklin Mountains State Park in El Paso is larger, but isn't a city park because it's owned by the state. I don't think that this distinction is meaningful in most of the world, and so probably wasn't what was meant by the original poster. Marnanel 12:36, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

What is a park and what is a city park? The Amsterdamse Bos is 9 km². 'Bos' means 'forest', but the northern part is clearly park-like, with lawns and neat roads. The southern half is a bit wilder, so should that be substracted? It is still maintained, though. The 'neatly maintained' northern half is about as big as New York's Central Park (probably the most famous city park). But Central Park is smack in the middle of the city and the Amsterdamse Bos is not really in Amsterdam, but at its edge. But it still falls within the city boundaries, so does it count?

South Mountain Park makes a distinction between city park, urban park and municipal park, but doesn't say what the difference between them is.

Here's another extreme example: Amsterdam is the city with the largest tree-density in the Netherlands. Almost all canals are lined with trees. So is it one big park? It covers 166 km², so that's the biggest one so far. :) DirkvdM 06:42, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

Isn't Amsterdam also crammed full of grass ? :-) StuRat 12:12, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

Yeah, but you're not supposed to walk on that grass and in my opinion that means it's not much of a park.

On a more serious note, there ins't more grass in Amsterdam than in just about any big city anywhere. I't just that you don't get jailed for smoking it, so that's a rather popular pastime among young travellers, who alas consequently don't remember anything of their visit. In this case the t-shirts (such as "they say I visited Amsterdam") are all too often true. DirkvdM 17:37, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

GED preperation

need help with exactly whats on a GED test, so that I can study!

What's a GED test? And if it was anything to do with me, the first question would be "how do you sign your posts on wikipedia?" Howard Train 05:40, 17 September 2006 (UTC)

GED answers the followup question nicely, and it links to a free GED preparation course which should answer the original question.-gadfium 06:03, 17 September 2006 (UTC)

This probably means the General Equivalency Degree test. It confers a U.S. high school diploma for people who don't complete formal classwork but learn adequate skills through self-study. Here are some free sample tests (the site will try to sell you study materials too - this link is not an endorsement of their products)[1] And another link which is nonprofit but requires registration[2] - tests vary so it's a good idea to do a Google search for your state's version. Many states have public service websites devoted to their particular tests, although as a practical matter it's probably useful to get a separate study guide from a library or bookstore. Best wishes, Durova 06:06, 17 September 2006 (UTC)

Chess

What is the most mobile chess opening for black?219.89.232.48 04:38, 17 September 2006 (UTC)

E4 D5. Anchoress 05:10, 17 September 2006 (UTC)

Anchoress refers to the Centre Counter Defence or Scandinavian Defence, but I think the most open (and therefore mobile) defences are those beginning with e4 e5. Black has much less control over the opening than White does; if White opens with d4, then most variations result in a fairly closed position. Disclaimer: the last time I played chess, the Benko Gambit was fashionable.-gadfium 06:15, 17 September 2006 (UTC)

The last time I played chess, Benko Gambit was nothing more than an imaginary Star Wars character.  freshofftheufoΓΛĿЌ  11:12, 17 September 2006 (UTC)

IMO "e4 d5" was a good answer because Black will probably be headed for the showers rather quickly.

If you want a meaningful answer, you're going to have to explain what you mean by "mobile." B00P 11:12, 17 September 2006 (UTC)

Indeed.

Mobile? That refers to moving about, or the possibility to do so. The motion of the pieces is restricted by the pawns. So an opening that kills off as many of those as fast as possible would be a good one. So assuming white opens with E4, D5 seems like a good one, as Anchoress suggested. But if white then does E5 you have to be careful not to let things get locked up instead. Then again, my chess prowess a bit rusty. DirkvdM 06:55, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

help

== i need help == can you send me refercing (bibliography) information plz i need it striaght away plz plz plz plz plz plz for www.wikipedia.com

--202.169.23.199 06:28, 17 September 2006 (UTC)billi fretd--202.169.23.199 06:28, 17 September 2006 (UTC)

Hi. If I understand what you are asking, please go to the article you want citation information for and click on "Cite this article" from the bottom of the toolbox links on the left hand side of the screen.--Fuhghettaboutit 06:44, 17 September 2006 (UTC)

Wrist Watch keeps losing Time

My wife Susan has for a number of years an issue with her wrist watch losing time.

We have sent numerous watches back to the manufacturers to check for defects however they are unable to find any fault with the watch.

For no apparent reason during the course of a day the watch will fall back in time approx 45 minutes per day.

Are you to advise if this issue is in any way linked to body biorhythm.

Are you aware of others ever having this problem?

Thank you

Steve Walker–

• Such a thing is usually linked to a defective battery. Did you have it replaced? - Mgm|^(talk) 08:55, 17 September 2006 (UTC)

• I take it this is a quartz watch? I always found clockwork watches more reliable myself, and they can be cleaned more easily, although these days cleaning either type of watch is not always economical, and clockwork ones are becoming difficult to find. It sounds as though the watch is actually stopping for a while then starting again. I had this trouble with all my quartz watches, until I changed over to a radio-controlled (quartz) watch. Since then I have never looked back. They only cost a little more than a regular watch and are always spot on.--Shantavira 09:02, 17 September 2006 (UTC)

By the way, I figured it might have something to do with static electricity, but I never found out for sure. I don't think biorythms have much credence. Besides, everyone has identical biorythms!--Shantavira 11:56, 17 September 2006 (UTC)

If she and her watch were beamed up to an alien spaceship each night and flown far away and back at very near the speed of light, exactly the effect you have described would be observed. Not saying that is the explanation, but it's worth considering. Edison 21:48, 17 September 2006 (UTC)

1. 1st week, have her wear the watch as per normal. At the end of every 24 hour period note the time loss and reset the watch.
2. 2nd week, have her carry the watch but not wear it. At the end of every 24 hour period note the time loss and reset the watch.
3. 3rd week, have the watch left sitting in your home undisturbed. At the end of every 24 hour period note the time loss and reset the watch.
4. 4th week, you wear the watch. At the end of every 24 hour period note the time loss and reset the watch.

If in all four weeks the watch loses time then there is a problem with the watch. If the watch loses time only in the first two weeks then it would appear that the movements of your wife are causing the watch to lose time. If the watch only loses time in the first week then I would suggest you try a lapel, fob or pocket watch. CambridgeBayWeather (Talk) 00:35, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

My watch tends to be ahead most of the time. It keeps going ahead by a couple seconds each week. --Proficient 04:30, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

Have you considered that maybe she's winding you up? --Dweller 13:11, 19 September 2006 (UTC)

Have you considered that the watch needs winding up? Luigi30 (Taλk) 12:06, 20 September 2006 (UTC)

I have "wrist"watch trouble and used a lapel type when I worked and now have a charmbracelet one but one on a wriststrap neer worked,battery or clockwork(hotclaws**== 15:52, 23 September 2006 (UTC))

INQUIRY2

hello, Im abner valiente from phillipines, i just want to make inquiry about the name of Sir Mick Paul a registrar of the british high court. You know friend, there are three of us here who was promised a job in london by the Solid rock international agency whose secretary is Rose anneth Kohl. She said that our documents was being lodge in the british high court whose registrar she said is sir mick paul. I just want to know if all of this is true.That Sir Mick Paul is really the registrar of that court. We have paid already around $300 for prospective job in london. Good if its really true. thanks and more power.

truly yours,

Sorry, but I think you've been scammed. Not only have I not heard of this person, but it sounds to me suspiciously like a combo of names of musicians Mick Jagger ("Sir Mick") and Paul McCartney. In the future, I would encourage you to check these things out before you hand over money, not after. StuRat 10:01, 17 September 2006 (UTC)

Here are some suggestions to avoid being scammed in the future:

• Get identification papers from anyone you talk with, such as a driver's license. If they refuse to show you such info, they probably aren't who they claim to be. Of course, if they do have ID, it could be fake or they could be using their real name for the scam.

• Do Google searches on the alleged name of the company and the names of anyone they give you. If you find nothing (like I did for this scam), they probably don't exist. If you do find matches, read them to look for complaints from former "clients".

• Ask for names and phone numbers of other clients. They might have some "shills" who will swear they are a legitimate company (in exchange for money), but large numbers of "clients" would be difficult to bribe.

• If you have a police/government agency ("bunko squad") or something akin to the Better Business Bureau, check out the business there.

• They should give you a receipt for any money and a signed contract. Did you get those ?

StuRat 10:14, 17 September 2006 (UTC)

Yes, I agree with those sentiments above, that this is a scam. The High Court isn't concerned with everyday immigration matters (only very occasionally, with appeals of a serious and complicated nature). Visas and work permits are granted by the Immigration and Nationality Directorate, a part of the Home Office. -- Finlay McWalter | Talk 10:33, 17 September 2006 (UTC)

For more information see scam. Whatever you do, don't send them any more money.--Shantavira 12:55, 17 September 2006 (UTC)

how to prepare for IAS from small class?

good evening mam/sir I am studying in IX standard. My ambition is to become a cardiologist & then to get IAS. What should i do toget my goal from now?– minu.

If you want to ask questions, it helps if you use terms that Wikipedians in general will understand. IAS is a disambiguation page with eighteen different expansions, and Google gives me such varied meanings as 'Institute of Alcohol Studies', 'Immigration Advisory Service' and 'International Association of Sedimentologists'. It might also help to indicate what country you are in (Wikipedians are all over the world). ColinFine 18:42, 17 September 2006 (UTC)

I would suggest you learn how to use a stethoscope, a skill which is being lost in favor of fancy new skills, like using a CAT scan machine. StuRat 03:53, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

Location 0,0

Is there a name for the spot where the Equator meets the Prime Meridian? Ojw 14:36, 17 September 2006 (UTC)

I doubt it; for a start, its an area of open ocean 350 miles off the coast of Africa, and also, the Prime Meridian is just an arbitrary line based on the location of a small London borough. smurrayinchester^{(User), (Talk)} 15:15, 17 September 2006 (UTC)

(observatory not borough...)

Well the line of 0°N has a name. and the line of 0°E has a name (albeit labelled "english invention" in wikipedia). and the line of 180°E has a name. and the point of 90°N has a name. and the point of 90°S has a name. It seems a bit strange that the point at 0°N 0°E doesn't...

Even if some of those places have physical meanings rather than arbitrary ones, it seems like the sort of place that cartographers would come-up with something more snappy than "the point where the equator and the greenwich meridian meet" to refer to the origin of their coordinate system. Ojw 16:03, 17 September 2006 (UTC)

I don't know whether there's a special name for the spot, but sailors who have crossed it are known as shellbacks of the order of The Royal Diamond. Durova 17:45, 17 September 2006 (UTC) (shellback, order of the Golden Dragon)

The Prime Meridian was the North-South line at the Greenwich Observatory selected by George Biddell Airy, a meticulous 19th century astronomer, in 1851. In 1884 an international conference selected that exact line as the Prime Meridian, but France obstained from the voting and used a meridian in Paris as their reference. EuropeanTime throughout Europe was electrically coordinated in the late 19th and the 20th century ny noting when stars passed the index line of a telescope at that observatory set on an axis along that Prime Meridian. A similar telescope at the observatory had previously been a small distance away from the meridian selected by Airy. When GPS was set up the French allegedly did not want the worldwide navigation system to be so British as to observe the tradition of Airy's Prime Meridian, so via some mathematical conjuring, a reason was found to move the Prime Meridian 102.5 metres to the east of the line marked at Greenwich, causing great puzzlement when persones with GPS sensors compare them to the Airy Prime Meridian.Edison 17:12, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

I suggest 'origin'. I know its not original but..... 8-)--Light current 22:25, 17 September 2006 (UTC)

I think the fact that it's in the ocean explains why it doesn't have a name. If it happened to be on land, there would be a name, a plaque, an obelisk, and probably even a MacDonalds there to support the thriving tourist trade. But things like that don't usually happen in the middle of the Atlantic. JackofOz 23:51, 17 September 2006 (UTC)

The prime meridian is as arbitary as deeming North America a "continent" Jasbutal 03:39, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

Then what is North America ... a really big island ? :-) StuRat 03:50, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

North America wouldn't be an isalnd at all if it wasn't for the Panama Canal. CambridgeBayWeather (Talk) 04:42, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

Calling North America a continent is as arbiutrary as calling it a sub-continent. Or an island, if you wish. DirkvdM 07:04, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

my criticism was not clear, labeling the entity, "North America" as important geographically is what is arbitrary. Jasbutal 23:15, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

If it had been on land, a logical name would have been ground zero. That would have been a more logical meaning for the term than 'where an explosion took place'. What idiot came up with that meaning? DirkvdM 07:04, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

That comes from nuclear warfare planning. "Ground zero" is used to designate the point on the ground, directly under a nuclear explosion ("or zero miles away"). StuRat 09:11, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

Or an expected location, e.g. middle of The Pentagon. Ojw 12:32, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

Yes, I know that (checked the article). But "zero miles/cm/cubits away" from what? the term most logically means the centre of something. Anything. It could also be used to refer to the the epicentre of an earthquake, to mention just one thing. Why limit it to explosions? DirkvdM 17:47, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

With your experience, Dirk, it should be illogical to expect the English language to operate logically. What are you getting all uppity about? There are more important battles to fight. JackofOz 20:55, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

Oh dear, am I getting uppity about something? Well, it's pretty trivial, isn't it? I can hardly think of a better reason to get uppity about something. :) DirkvdM 05:59, 19 September 2006 (UTC)

The equator is arbitrary too. Why define the equator as parallel to the solar plane instead of perpendicular? Or diagonal? Or curvy-ways? --Froth 23:26, 20 September 2006 (UTC)

It's got nothing to do with the solar plane. Read equator. And it's not arbitrary either. You could say the Moon is arbitrary because why not define it as the Gulf of Mexico? Saying that does not make it arbitrary. Did you eat too much sugar? --Lambiam^Talk 01:53, 21 September 2006 (UTC)

True north is determined by the position of Polaris, which is perpendicular to the solar plane. Though Geographic north is indeed calculated by earth's axis of rotation, I was thinking of true north --Froth 15:47, 21 September 2006 (UTC)

If you read the article True north, you'll discover that it is defined in terms of the position of the North pole. The position of the North pole is determined by the Earth's axis of rotation. "Geographic north" is just another term for "true north". It is only accidental that there is a star, Polaris, roughly in the direction of true north. It's actually pretty close, less than 1° off, so why do you make a deal of the distinction? But let us pretend for a moment that it served to define true north. Then why should Polaris, a star some 431 light years away from Earth, have chosen to position itself in a direction perpendicular to the solar plane? Or is the Earth compelled to move in a plane perpendicular to the Sol–Polaris axis, and what strange force mediates this? In fact, that plane (known as the plane of the ecliptic) makes an angle of about 23° with the equatorial plane, which is perpendicular to the axis through the poles. --Lambiam^Talk 23:25, 22 September 2006 (UTC)

Programming help needed

I'm trying to write a program on my TI 83 + SE for a Snake game (where the snake grows and the game ends if the snake hits the border or itself). Can anyone help? This is what I've got so far:

:Full
:AxesOff
:ZDecimal
:ClrDraw
:Line(4.6,3,-4.6,3)
:Line(4.6,3,4.6,-3
:Line(-4.6,3,-4.6,-3)
:Line(-4.6,-3,4.6,-3)
:randInt(-46,46)/10==>X
:randInt(-30,30)/10==>Y
:0==>S
:26==>K
:26==>L
:Lbl ST
:Pt-On(X,Y)
:S+1==>S
:While K=(24 or 25 or 26 or 34)
:getKey==>K
:End
:If K=26:X+.1==>x
:If K=34:Y-.1==>Y
:If K=24:X-.1==>x
:If K=25:Y+.1==>Y
:If pxl-Test((32-10Y),(10X+48))=1
:Then
:Disp "GAME OVER",S
:Pause
:prgmALLPREFD
:End
:Goto ST

prgmALLPREFD just resets the calculator to my preferred settings. 72.197.202.36 18:38, 17 September 2006 (UTC)

What you'll need to do is this: have two lists containing the x and y coordinates (in pixels, that's the only way you're going to be able to do it), say L1 and L2. You should also have two variables that gives direction, say A and B, for instance. A is how much the x coordinate of the head of the snake changes, and B is for how much the y-coordinate of the head changes. Hence, they can be -1, 0 or +1. For instance, if you are going to the right, A=1 B=0, and if you are going upwards, A=0 B=-1. Now, when the snake moves, you are going to have to erase the last pixel in the snake (stored in the two lists) and make draw the new head. You'll also need to remove the last element of your lists, and add a new first element. This will be very innefficient if you have the head always at 1, and very wasteful of memory if the head is always at the tail of the list. What you'll need to do is this: have a pointer to an element of the list that is the head of the snake. When the snake moves, increase that pointer, and add the new value (which is the previous coord. of the head + the change, ie A and B) at the pointer. This will remove the last pixel of the snake (ie it's tail) from the list, and add a new value as head. Make sure you erase the pixel from the screen first though. Ohh, and yeah, if the pointer goes beyond the length of the list, set it to 1. In the main loop, have a variable capture what key is being pressed and modify A and B accordingly.

That's the easy part. Next we have to do collision detection. The only way to do that with any speed on a TI-83+ is to simply look at the screen. There is a command (i don't remember what it's called) that can check if a pixel is lit. If the pixel you are about to run into is already lit, that means that you will collide. It's cheap and dirty, but it'll work. Hmm, maybe that part wasn't so hard after all :P

This is a fairly simple project, but if you are very inexperienced as a programmer, you might find it difficult. How much have you programmed before? How comfortable are you with loops and lists and such? Oskar 18:04, 17 September 2006 (UTC)

I haven't programmed much. I have no idea how to do this list thing you're talking about though... I think the problem is with the "While" loop.

That "collision detection" thing is "pxl-Test(" option. To get to it: 2nd-PRGM-→7.

How about this:

:1==>K
:While K=1
:getkey==>K
:End
:If K=1
:Then
:L==>K
:Else
:K==>L
:End

for the "While" section? 72.197.202.36 18:38, 17 September 2006 (UTC)

Nope... Nevermind that. I just tried it.... Problem not solved. 72.197.202.36 18:42, 17 September 2006 (UTC)

I won't do it all for you, but I'll write the pseudo-code:

Clear screen

lX = (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16) #This is the initial list of x-coordinates for the snake, where he starts
lY = (10, 10, 10, 10, 10, 10, 10) #This is the initial list of y-coordinates for the snake. Along with the x-coords this should be a horizontal line
loop on i from 1 to length(lX)
   draw pixel lX(i), lY(i)     #draw the initial snake


7 -> P #list pointer (it currently points to the next element of the list, ie 1 (when it comes to the end, it cycles back to 1).
 
0 -> K #the pressed key, initialized to 0

1 -> A #How the snake will move
0 -> B #these settings give makes him move to the right

while K is not equal to exit-key
  getKey -> K
  
  #These ifs decide what direction the snake will move.
  if K == left-key
    -1 -> A 
    0 -> B
  if K == right-key
    -1 -> A 
    0 -> B
  if K == up-key
    0 -> A 
    -1 -> B
  if K == down-key
    0 -> A 
    1 -> B      
     
  #Calculating new coordinate
  lX(P) + A -> X
  lY(P) + B -> Y
  #X and Y will now point to the next pixel that the snake will go to. 

  #Collision detection
  if PixelIsLit(X, Y)
     Disp "Your snake DIED!!!"
     Stop

  #Now we increase the pointer of the list, and cycle it back to 1 if need be
  P + 1 -> P
  if(P > highest element of lX)
     1 -> P

  #Erase the tail of the snake
  TurnOffPixel lX(P), lY(P)
  
  #Set new head in the list
  X -> lX(P)
  Y -> lY(P)
  
  #Paint the head
  TurnPixelOn X,Y
End Loop

This should make for a decent snake game. You're going to have to write the code yourself (I haven't touched my TI-83+ in years), but If you have any questions about the algorithmic nature of the game, feel free to ask. Oskar 19:17, 17 September 2006 (UTC)

Why wasn't this posted to the Computing Ref Desk ? StuRat 03:45, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

Yeah, sorry about clogging up to RD. I could move it out of here if you want? Oskar 12:08, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

If it's already answered, there isn't any point in moving it now. Just be careful to post to the correct Ref Desk from now on. StuRat 17:50, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

Spore (videogame) video

I want to watch the Spore video, but I use dialup internet, the video is over 300 MB, and I can't find it in a compressed format. Could somebody link me to a compressed file of it, or else download it and compress it for me? Thank you so very much. --216.164.192.184 15:48, 17 September 2006 (UTC)

By the way, it takes me about 10 minutes to download 1 MB. --216.164.192.184 15:56, 17 September 2006 (UTC)

I don't think many people are willing to do this kind of work for you. Use a download manager, such as GetRight that lets you save your downloading progress, or try to find some friend with a faster connection and a CD burner. 惑乱 分からん 15:57, 17 September 2006 (UTC)

"The" Spore video? Is there a specific one you want to see? Many smaller videos (of the upcoming game spore) are available on Youtube.  freshofftheufoΓΛĿЌ  16:40, 17 September 2006 (UTC)

He's referring to the 300MB GDC '05 video which has a lot of d/l places. It's a MPEG anyway so it's pretty compressed. You can find both the full version and the gameplay only versions on google video...getting links...gameplay only full, found on SporeWiki. Good luck! Chris M. 18:38, 17 September 2006 (UTC)

Native Americans

hello,

i am a student trying to find out info on the california culture group and wikipedia doesn't have it can you help me??

We might if you retype that with proper grammar, punctuation, and capitalization so we can understand it. Alphabetagamma 19:01, 17 September 2006 (UTC)

Whats the point of responding if you're going to be so obtuse and unhelpful, when did the ref desk become a service provided to those only with flawless english grammatical knowledge. Philc _T^E_C^I 19:17, 17 September 2006 (UTC)

Whats the point of responding to an obtuse and unhelpful response with an obtuse and unhelpful reponse? Joneleth 19:19, 17 September 2006 (UTC)

In the possibly poorly founded hope that you won't do it again. Hipocracy doesnt devalue the point, but further highlights the problem. Philc _T^E_C^I 20:06, 17 September 2006 (UTC)

California's Native Americans were noted for their diversity, not their unified culture. See Category:California tribes for individual tribes. Rmhermen 19:27, 17 September 2006 (UTC)

There isn't a lot there, but have you looked at History of California to 1899#Before European contact? User:Zoe|(talk) 19:30, 17 September 2006 (UTC)

Dick and Jane

Why is there so much nostalgia for Dick and Jane? The books were so damn boring! Your pal, Duke of Doubt

Well you know, Duke, people are idiots. Come to terms with it now, and you won't be disappointed in the future. Oskar 20:12, 17 September 2006 (UTC)

Spectacular answer! Best of the week! alteripse 21:58, 17 September 2006 (UTC)

I disagree with Oskar and alteripse. The Dick and Jane books were intended for first-time readers. Of course they're not great literature, but no early readers are. Have you tried to read McGuffy's Readers [3]? (I'm surprised we don't have an article on them! Or on William H. McGuffy). User:Zoe|(talk) 22:13, 17 September 2006 (UTC)

Dr. Seuss Durova 23:44, 17 September 2006 (UTC)

Yes, Dr. Suess books were made to show that you could make a book using only simple words and still have it be interesting, unlike the Dick and Jane books. StuRat 03:39, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

Aren't these books often remembered for their cheeziness? As a footnote, I recently read my father's and uncle's Norwegian Early Readers from the 60's. Horrible, conservative, judgemental stuff. 惑乱 分からん 23:06, 17 September 2006 (UTC)

Aww, thanks! Oskar 22:56, 17 September 2006 (UTC)

It fun to make fun of because it's so bad, much like MST3K. StuRat 03:31, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

See Dick. See Jane. Dick sees Jane run. Jane sees Dick run. Dick dicks Jane. Dick gets VD. See Dick's dick run. StuRat 03:31, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

!!!!!!! Jasbutal 03:38, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

I am not even sure what a Dick and Jane book is. Perhaps I should read the article. --Proficient 05:44, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

Did you never wonder where the movie title Fun with Dick and Jane came from? (Btw, the George Segal/Jane Fonda 1977 original was much better than the Jim Carrey/Téa Leoni 2005 remake.) JackofOz 08:53, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

BTW, while we're dumping on the blandly moronic Dick and Jane books, has anyone noticed if the actual reading abilities of 1st- and 2nd-graders has gone up with whatever they're using now? B00P 10:30, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

The Dick & Jane books may very well have taught basic reading skills. The problem is that they also made kids think reading was boring, which may have contributed to them becoming nonreaders later on. StuRat 11:55, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

Pittsburgh Steelers sports trivia

Hello, I am trying to find the answer to this question... Who signed Pittsburgh's Steelers first million-dollar contract to play football?

Thanks for your help.

54/40 or fight

From whence comes the quotation "54/40 or fight"? — Preceding unsigned comment added by 63.110.125.27 (talk)

54-40 or fight. 'Nuff said. Anchoress 21:55, 17 September 2006 (UTC)

Interesting. --Proficient 05:45, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

The Polk administration called for the Canadian border in Oregon Country to be at 54 degrees, 40 minutes north latitude. Next time, don't be lazy and look it up yourself!Sturgeonman 20:30, 20 September 2006 (UTC)

drink driving law

Is it against the law to sleep in your car in the back seat with your car keys placed underneath the passenger seat after having consumed a large amount of alcohol? Is this classed as drink driving? COuld you be arrested by a policeman if he saw someone doing this?

In what country? User:Zoe|(talk) 22:25, 17 September 2006 (UTC)

I think in UK you could be prosecuted as you are in control of the vehicle. If someone else had hold of your keys either inside or out side the car, you may be ok.--Light current 22:28, 17 September 2006 (UTC)

Just thought of a way round this one: Say there are 2 of you, each with his own car, then you swap keys (or cars) and sleep it off 8-)

--Light current 22:31, 17 September 2006 (UTC)

Here where I live, it only counts as drunk driving if the car is running. But it really does depend on the local laws. Hyenaste ^(tell) 22:33, 17 September 2006 (UTC)

If you're sleeping you'll be there for some time. If you parked your car on the road, you might be fined for obstructing the road. If you're on a parking space you don't count as a traffic participant, so you couldn't get a trafic fine, I'd say. According to Dutch law as I understand it, that is. DirkvdM 07:10, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

And now for a silly answer: "COuld you be arrested by a policeman if he saw someone doing this?" Only if you were that 'someone'. Unless there's some other policeman (they never come alone, you know). DirkvdM 07:12, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

Height and weight of Andorra and San Marino populations

Dear Ladies and Gentlement,

I am interested in the average heights and weights of the populations of Andorra and San Marino. Thank You. Tom Samaras

I'd guess they're average. --Dweller 13:08, 19 September 2006 (UTC)

Is it possible on average to make a decent living with eBay?

Yes, I know eBay employees can, but what about people selling things through eBay?

I've just had some junk mail which says that withing three months it is possible to make £1000 a month through spending one or two hours on your computer, by selling surplus possessions, things bought at car boot sales and so on. Is this true please?

Yes, I know you could do this if you sold off your surplus rolls-royces, but what about the average punter? 81.104.12.18 23:05, 17 September 2006 (UTC)

Don't listen to that. people who make money off eBay do it through a corporation, and the corporation usually 'goes bankrupt' and the person is left with very little money and the corp laughs all the way to the bank. And although this may sound harsh, it might be a good idea to get a real job instead, for both financial reasons (you could end up with serious debt) and legal reasons (eBay could sue). Sorry. ~ Porphyric Hemophiliac § 23:11, 17 September 2006 (UTC)

If it sounds too good to be true, it probably isn't... 惑乱 分からん 23:12, 17 September 2006 (UTC)

Word. ~ Porphyric Hemophiliac § 23:13, 17 September 2006 (UTC)

Yes, in a few areas it is possible to run a decent business. In the US for instance tool importing is quite lucrative with 500% markups in some areas. Chinese and Taiwanese tools are often duplicates of US brands, and are sold locally for 1/10th of the cost. Import 1000 or so and you are in business. Assume a 1:4 or more loss for returns and warrantee work though. Choose an unsaturated tool, too. --Darkfred ^{Talk to me} 23:18, 17 September 2006 (UTC)

It's very possible to make a decent living - in the UK for examples many (small) businesses have closed their bricks and mortor premises to concentrate on their ebay store. --Charlesknight 23:20, 17 September 2006 (UTC)

Yes, it's possible, but you won't live like a king just by cleaning out your attic. As with any other business, you have to study the market and arrange a supply line. Not every product sells equally well on eBay. Then create a niche strategy and budget time for creating ads and auctions and for packaging the goods. Durova 23:40, 17 September 2006 (UTC)

I've heard of people that made money buying up goods with their auction title misspelled (e.g. amethysts) and reselling them with the words spelt correctly. As less people search for misspellings, such goods received less bids and sold for less than 'market value'. Arbitrage, basically. Of course, if this still works (I don't sell things on Ebay much so for all I know they have a built-in spellchecker now), since I've seen it on the news I'm sure other people will now be doing it and it won't turn a profit anymore. To make real money from Ebay, you probably need to have an actual business of the sort Charlesknight mentioned. --Sam Blanning^(talk) 01:22, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

I know a couple of people who are making a decent living selling stuff on e-Bay, but it's not the kind of career you just trip over. One is fairly expert at recognising good deals in junk stores (not necessarily 'the big one' as far as antiques, but stuff like single pieces of china that people would pay big time for as a replacement for the one piece missing from a 144-piece set, etc), and the other puts a lot of time into buying at bankruptcy sales; odd lots of perfumes, factory seconds, electronic equipment etc. And he has a warehouse where he stores it all. A field that is good to get into v/v e-Bay is pop market stuff like trading cards, figurines, signed celebrity photos, etc. But you either have to know about them or be willing to become an expert. Personally I don't think it'd be worth it. There are lots of things I could make money off if I wanted to become an expert in them, but it sounds too much like ... work? :-) Anchoress 01:29, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

Not for the average person. --Proficient 05:47, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

I have a friend who's been making at least a living wage off of selling things on eBay for several months. However, he's not doing the "find good deals, either in person or on eBay, then sell them on eBay for a profit" thing. He's selling items for other people on comission. So that's a possibility. Chuck 21:25, 21 September 2006 (UTC)

Pop Tabs

Why does one collect pop tabs from pop cans for school? Jamesino 23:09, 17 September 2006 (UTC)

Several organizations donate money (usually about 2 or 3 cents) for every soda pop top turned in. These fundraisers are rarer, now, but if the operation is legit, you could really do some good by turning in hundreds or even thousands of tops. ~ Porphyric Hemophiliac § 23:11, 17 September 2006 (UTC)

Why would the coroprations need the pop tabs? Why not just turn in the entire pop can? Jamesino 23:31, 17 September 2006 (UTC)

Which is easier to transport? 10,000 tabs in 20 trash bags or 10,000 cans in 150 trash bags? It's like a proof of purchase.~ Porphyric Hemophiliac § 01:38, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

this doesn't get to the bottom of the question.....why pop tabs? Does Coke give money for every pop tab? Is the incentive that for every pop bought, and proved to be purchased with a tab, a large soda corporations will donate to charity? Or is it that pop tabs are just a form of currency because they're not "easily" available, they're not "easily" counterfeited, they're easily transported, etc. Can the question be answered with a simple, "they're a commodity, like gold" ? Jasbutal 03:36, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

This turns out to be very odd. a truckload of cans yields about $10 at the recycler while a truckload of tabs yields about $1,000 or A million pull tabs have a recycle value of just under $300 U.S.. But Pop Can Tabs Collection says the myth became real as does 2,200,000 pop tabs which earned $1,320 and Ronnie. CambridgeBayWeather (Talk) 04:50, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

Not so odd, rather simple actually. There's no paint or ink or anything on the tabs, so they're relatively pure in composition, and since they're wrapped pretty tight, there's little wasted space for air.  freshofftheufoΓΛĿЌ  09:33, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

The snopes link given earlier is worth a view. Skittle 21:49, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

Going commando

I recently started going commando, but I can't figure out how to zip up without getting my dick caught. Could somebody help me with this, or will I have to go back to wearing underpants? Thanks. --216.164.249.169 23:27, 17 September 2006 (UTC)

Tuck it in before you zip up. Or you can do what actors do when they're filming nude scenes by taping it to your leg. Jamesino 23:30, 17 September 2006 (UTC)

The other concern comes if you run a cross country/track race with short shorts and it falls out. :) --AstoVidatu 23:41, 17 September 2006 (UTC)

No, that's okay, I like that. The real concern is when it gets caught. It really hurts. --216.164.249.169 23:48, 17 September 2006 (UTC)

Buy pants with button flys. CambridgeBayWeather (Talk) 00:05, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

OK if you must persue this disgusting habit 8-), I've an idea: before you zip up with your right hand, say, you take your left hand, put it round your back between your legs and firmly grasp the offending member. Pull as hard as you can towards the back and hold it there by squeezing your legs together. You can now do up your zip. In this way you only have to worry about trapping your balls/pubic hair! Simple 8-) --Light current 00:06, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

Buy bigger pants? Oskar 01:07, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

Or buy bigger pants.. yes!--Light current 01:59, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

What are the benefits of taping it? --Proficient 05:48, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

A trip to the Emergency Room if you see a pretty girl and "rise to the occasion". StuRat 11:49, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

It stops it from flopping around all over the place. Transvestites also do this to lower the crotch profile.  freshofftheufoΓΛĿЌ  09:31, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

Or pants withouty zippers, (although I'm not sure on what they're called in English, at the moment)... 惑乱 分からん 10:04, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

You have never worn pants without underwear? All you have to do is put them on, and make sure your penis and scrotum are INSIDE the pants. It isn't that hard. — [Mac Davis](talk) (SUPERDESK|Help me improve)06:11, 19 September 2006 (UTC)

At first, no! 8-) But with the extra friction it may get that way!--Light current 20:53, 20 September 2006 (UTC)

Wear sweatpants --Sturgeonman 20:34, 20 September 2006 (UTC)

What about donig the Superman thing? Wear your underpants outside your pants?--Light current 23:40, 22 September 2006 (UTC)

Intel Processors

Can someone give me a quick summary and comparison of the various new Intel Processors: Pentium, Pentium Extreme, Xeon, Core, Core 2, Itanium, Itanium 2? Thanks Jamesino 23:29, 17 September 2006 (UTC)

Is Comparison of Intel processors sort of what you're looking for? -- Rick Block (talk) 00:00, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

That seems a little too ocmplex and "computer-ish". Can anyone just run over the quick points and pros and cons? For example: Xeon is used for server, its faster than etc...... Thanks Jamesino 22:16, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

Pentium was intel's old home processor line. Some of the pentium series had exteme editions with some extra feature like higher clock speed, larger cache, or faster bus. Xeons and Itaniums are the server line, with xeons being on low end server racks and itaniums being the insane upper end server line. core duo was intel's first foray into the dual core home market and was upgraded a little with core 2 duo this summer. core 2 has twice the cache at the higher end models, and has considerably less power consumption. Also you might hear people refer to Conroe or Merom, these are the desktop and laptop lines of core 2 duos, respectively. --Froth 05:59, 20 September 2006 (UTC)

eBay

Any one know how it got its name. I know next to nothing about it.--Light current 23:43, 17 September 2006 (UTC)

Please see List of company name etymologies#E. -- Rick Block (talk) 23:50, 17 September 2006 (UTC)

It means electronic bay.

No, It's short for Echo Bay, according to the above link. ~ Porphyric Hemophiliac § 01:39, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

And here I thought it was pig Latin: "Ebay ymay alentinevay". :-) StuRat 03:06, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

nice --Froth 05:59, 20 September 2006 (UTC)

September 18

Meditation as replacement for sleep?

I once heard that 20 minutes of meditation in the right state of mind is equivalent to 6 hours of sleep. Is this true? --216.164.249.169 00:13, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

Hmmm. I think it's pretty difficult to quantify. I meditate regularly, and let me say this: First, I don't think any quantity of meditation can do away entirely with the need for sleep. Second, I don't sleep less for meditating. Third, I sleep better and I can do without sleep much more easily (for a period of time at least). And fourth, when I'm tired, a 20 minute meditation is as good as sleep if I need to keep going. As in, if it's 11:00pm and I need to keep working, a 20 minute meditation can refresh me enough to feel like I've just woken up from a long sleep. Anchoress 00:19, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

Meditation reduces stress which can cause exhaustion. There are 2 types of sleep REM sleep and deep sleep, see the article. Neither of these functions can be replaced by meditation. While some gurus advocate replacing part of your sleep with meditation, and meditation can increase your alertness, this is not a replacement for sleep so much as a replacement for caffeine. If you are sick or injured it can actually be detrimental, as most cell rebuilding happens during slow-wave sleep. And as far as I have heard 4-5 hours is still the absolute minimum of sleep you can function on for long periods with meditation. --Darkfred ^{Talk to me} 00:27, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

I have problems getting to sleep, so I tried meditation, but found that actually woke me up even more. But I doubt if meditation could replace sleep. I once heard a guy complain that he was very tired because he had been meditating all night. Then again, I don't think he had the right mindset to meditate properly (bit of a Neil character, worrying too much). DirkvdM 07:26, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

...worrying that some day you might actually have to work for a living ? :-) StuRat 08:47, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

Me? Read my post again, then think and see if you can come up with a decent reply. If not, don't worry too much about it. I wouldn't want to be the cause of you losing sleep. DirkvdM 17:53, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

If you want to meditate before you sleep, you should refrain as much as possible from taking deep breaths, as this will obviously increase the oxygen levels in your body and make you feel more awake. I also meditate sometimes before sleeping, especially when my head is spinning, but the idea is to lower your heart rate as much as possible, which involves slowing down your breathing, and taking rather shollow breaths.  freshofftheufoΓΛĿЌ  09:28, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

The kind of meditation that wakes me up is pure, mind-emptying meditation. When I want to relax enough to sleep, I do a 'relax sections of the body' mind/body exercise. I start with my toes and I'm usually asleep by my knees. Anchoress 20:15, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

I disagree... with Gavin. In all hypnosis texts, the instruction is to f e e l your breathing and to breathe deeper... and deeper...., whilst you fall... deeper.... and deeper.... into a trance. Are you getting sleepy yet?--Light current 02:03, 19 September 2006 (UTC)

Damn, you made me miss the better part of a day! DirkvdM 06:05, 19 September 2006 (UTC)

Yeah, really works, dont it? I nearly went under just writing it 8-)--Light current 07:27, 19 September 2006 (UTC)

You're forgetting "slower", which I'm sure your hypnosis texts also mention.  freshofftheufoΓΛĿЌ  06:59, 20 September 2006 (UTC)

Tubgirl and Goatse

Who is tubgirl? Who is goatse? And why would they do those things to themselves? --216.164.249.169 00:43, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

See tubgirl and goatse. As for why, I have no idea. Oskar 00:47, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

they have never found their souls , so they disgrace their bodies for money. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 20:49, September 17, 2006 (talk • contribs)

Good to know that Christianity even has something to say about Goatse. Anyway, I don't think anyone can really guess about tubgirl - probably for attention. The goatse man on the other hand reputedly took pride in stretching his anus as far as possible. As to why he would do such a thing, I point you to what George Mallory said when he was asked "Why climb Everest?" for the thousandth time: "Because it's there". --Sam Blanning^(talk) 00:52, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

"There is no such thing as bad publicity." --Brendan Behan And as you will see from the goatse entry, that gentleman did it for the usual reason: money. --Aaron 00:57, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

But made a big asshole of himself in the process?--Light current 01:28, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

Now that's a stretch. :-) StuRat 03:02, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

You're a bit late are'nt you?--Light current 03:05, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

You deserve to be slapped for that one. ~ Porphyric Hemophiliac § 01:40, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

On the back in congratulation you mean? Consider it done! No points from you then?--Light current 01:55, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

I wouldn't want to act anal. ~ Porphyric Hemophiliac § 00:09, 19 September 2006 (UTC)

As opposed to Goatse you mean?--Light current 00:48, 19 September 2006 (UTC)

Herning

Herning is a city in Jutland and also my friend surname, I wonder if this is coincedence or is there a historical connection,where did the name come from?

I don't know. A common source would seem likely, however, give that the name is quite widespread in Denmark. These helpful people may be able to give you a more definative answer. Rockpocket 02:57, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

Herning is also a very common first name in Denmark so I doubt it means anything at all. Joneleth 15:36, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

Originally, it probably did. 惑乱 分からん 16:44, 19 September 2006 (UTC)

Japanese Talk Show

What is the name of a talk show in Japan that involves with people sitting in chairs while they have naked ladies sitting above them?

There is no such talk show. What you are referring to must be some sort of porno.  freshofftheufoΓΛĿЌ  09:17, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

Well, I remember it! The ladies were sitting on the backs of armchairs, legs apart, their private parts obscured by the heads of the men sitting in the armchairs. It was a late-night show called EX Osaka, part of a series called EX Terebi (EX Television). I found the following article in the Japanese wikipedia: [[4]]. Auximines 08:58, 19 September 2006 (UTC)

I'm still right. EX TV is a cable exclusive (cable isn't very common in Tokyo) channel that specializes in idol titty games and variety porno. If you'll actually read the article, it mentions that the name is supposed to reference S(EX) TV.  freshofftheufoΓΛĿЌ  06:57, 20 September 2006 (UTC)

Possible indictment of former Sony vp James Jackson on slavery charges

James J. Jackson, former vice president of legal affairs, was found liable for damages in a civil trial brought by his former housekeeper Nena Ruiz. The jury found him and his wife had held the housekeeper against her will - essentially in slavery. Have there been any criminal charges filed against either Mr Jackson or his wife? There has been speculation that a grand jury was meeting to consider indictments on slavery charges. Is there any truth to this?

There were very few legit websites which I could find that discussed this. This one seems legit, but it's two years old. I couldn't find a legit publication that discussed criminal charges. User:Zoe|(talk) 23:33, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

I can't find any confirmation that he was a Sony VP, or even at the level you'd call "executive". I wonder, is this the same James J. Jackson who formed Greenberg & Jackson in LA with Martin J. Greenburg (Marty Greenberg), of scientology fame. --Lambiam^Talk 22:47, 19 September 2006 (UTC)

Altitude of Ubud, Bali, Indonesia

I was referred to you by Wikipedia Information Team.

What is the altitude (elevation) of Ubud, Bali, Indonesia?

Thanks for any help.

Would be helpful, if you find it, for the answer to be emailed to me.

Thank you~

Rick Adams

Hello Rick, according to Wikitravel "its location [is] 600 meters above sea level" [5]. Rockpocket 02:39, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

Strange, I get 236 meters above sea level: [6]. StuRat 02:43, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

And I get 92 meters here: [7]. Are there steep cliffs all over town or what ? StuRat 02:48, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

I guess, thanks to folks like these, in Bali you can be as high as you want to be. Rockpocket 03:11, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

Bali has always been Ha'i. Don't you remember South Pacific? JackofOz 08:45, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

Actually they filmed that movie in Malaysia. I've been to the island and it's gorgeous. Durova 14:04, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

Question

I like this girl, but have no clue how to tell her, nor do I know if she likes me. Can anyone help?

Why dont you tell her you like her and offer to walk her home or something. Do NOT ask her if she likes you as this may put her off. Anyway how does she know yet? If she likes you, youll know it!--Light current 02:31, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

It's me again. She could have the same problem as me. Not know how to tell me in this instance.

Well someones gotta make the first move. Second thoughts-- dont tell her you like her straight out. Just get talking to her. She'll sense that you like her by what you say/do. OK? go to it!.--Light current 02:45, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

FYI, you can automatically sign your name by inserting four tildes: ~~~~ Isopropyl 02:46, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

Ok. One last thing, just how will I know if she likes me back? (BTW, I didn't know how to sign, sry bout that)TheOctagon2112 03:01, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

Youll know! By the thing she says/does!--Light current 03:18, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

Seriously, I have absolutely no clue about anything when it comes to relationships. TheOctagon2112 03:22, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

No one does! Play it by ear!--Light current 03:23, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

Yea, well. I'll try it. Hopefully I won't end up looking like a complete idiot. TheOctagon2112 03:30, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

Yeah Play it cool. But not too cool!--Light current 03:35, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

Ha, yea. Makes sense. What I really don't like is that it's so subjective, with no "yes" or "no". No clear distinctions TheOctagon2112 03:37, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

Light current makes a lot of good points. Why do you think there are so many jokes about how hard it is to understand members of the opposite sex? Because people usually have very little of a clue when it comes to relationships. But we eventually figure out the important bits, marry, have kids, etc etc. Dismas|^(talk) 03:55, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

Basically, you won't like relationships even more if you never get to experience one, even if nothing really happens. Most girls don't mind being told that they are liked, and if they do, well then you're probably aiming for the wrong girls, but you shouldn't worry about that.  freshofftheufoΓΛĿЌ  09:15, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

First of all you should compliment her and flatter her. Depends on the situation, but if you're for example students in a group tutorial you could tell her afterwards how great her answers or presentation was. Or if she's wearing a some new clothes you could tell her briefly that you like them. eg if shes got a new bag you could say something like "Nice bag" or "like your bag". And you could also do her small favours. Only then, when she begins to think that your nice, should you tell her you like her.

Lots of eye contact, and smiling, work wonders. They show her that she has your attention, in a way that's beyond words. JackofOz 11:00, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

Has any female replied to this thread? While none of the above is absolutely wrong, you're better off finding some common interest and beginning with that. Chat about something you both enjoy, do something together (study for a class, after-school activity), and then once you're both having a good time and maybe laughing over a good joke say something like, "I really like you. Let's go out to the movies." Durova 14:01, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

Yes thats good. Thats what I was trying to get over, but couldn't.--Light current 00:59, 19 September 2006 (UTC)

Supposedly in today's youth culture, a guy is considered way too aggressive if he just goes up to a girl and asks her out. It is supposed to be more customary to do it via intermediaries. Your friend asks her friend if she might want to, maybe hang out with you sometime. Or your friend arranges with her friend, via textmessages and cellphone calls, for the communal herd to migrate together to the mall. Edison 17:20, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

It's always been awkward and aggressive to just corner a girl without warning and ask for a date. Not likely to charm unless she's already won over. 72.199.30.31 18:33, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

Yeah. You mustnt frighten her off by being too forthright. (mind you, some girls may like that-- but you cant tell) THats why I say best to start with common interests. The intermediary thing I think is a waste of time. --Light current 01:04, 19 September 2006 (UTC)

Custom sig

Can anyone tell me how to customise my signature (like so many others have done) and still get it automatically printed with ~~~~? THanks --Light current 02:50, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

For future reference, this should be taken to the Help Desk. But try messing around with "my preferences" on the navigation bar at the top of the frame. Isopropyl 02:52, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

Make sure the raw signature checkbox is ticked, then write your code in the signature box, under My preferences > User profile. Here, for your reference, is the code that gives you my sig:

'''[[User:Rockpocket|<font color="green">Rockpock</font>]]<font color="black">e</font>[[User_talk:Rockpocket|<font color="green">t</font>]]'''

Rockpocket 03:01, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

Thank you!--Light current 03:09, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

Catholic Mass

Why does the priest take more than one sip of the blood? Why is his wafer like 5 times bigger than all the others?

Who aree the weomen with the white lace over their hair? pre-nuns ?

Jasbutal 03:29, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

1. Not sure
2. I think it's a visual thing so that the people in the cheap seats can see that he's breaking the bread. If you're one of the first people in line for the eucharist, you get one of the pieces broken off of the larger one. The rest of the congregation just get the little ones.
3. Hold overs from the old days. That's the way my mother was taught. That women should have a white lace bonnet or something of that ilk over her head. Though she didn't do this in her later years, just as a kid.

A former altar boy, Dismas|^(talk) 03:49, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

thanks ! Jasbutal 04:24, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

I was also an altar boy, and about the first question: Did he take the second sip after everyone else drank? In my parish, the priest never drank any more than one sip until after everyone else drank, and then it was his duty to finish off the chalice. There was no real reason for it (that I know of), simply that if someone's going to finish it off, it only seems natural that the head of the ceremony would do it.  freshofftheufoΓΛĿЌ  09:09, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

I was under the impression that the priest finished off the chalice at the end because he wasn't allowed to (or at least didn't want to) tip the unfinished wine down the sink, given that the belief is that it has been turned into the blood of christ, and it would be rather sacriligous to throw it out. --jjron 14:58, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

That's right. It doesn't have to be the priest who does it (if an extraordinary minister is serving the wine, they can 'tidy it up' too), but it does have to be drunk, I believe. Skittle 15:07, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

While the extra is drunk at the end of the Mass, after cleanup the crumbs and the water used to wash out the remaining wine are disposed of in the sacrarium, a special sink with a drain that runs directly into the ground (not into the sewer). This can be seen as a "burial", an appropriately reverent way to dispose of the consecrated remains. Rmhermen 20:22, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

If the Priest or minister of a liturgical church such as Catholic, Episcopal or Lutheran, does not drink the leftover communion wine,( and germ-laden backwash if a common chalice has been drunk from by hundreds of people), any leftover wine must be poured in a piscina, which is a sink with a pipe going into the ground, not into the sewers. This is because they believe that when the words of institution are spoken, "This is my blood" that the blood of Christ is present in the chalice. Other denominations may see it as a symbolic comemoration, and it is still mere wine, or in some denominations mere grape juice.Edison 20:41, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

Or one place I visited, Ribena.... Skittle 21:30, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

The Temple in Jerusalem (destroyed 586 BC, rebuilt, and destroyed 70 AD is believed to have had blood drains near the altar to carry away the blood of thousands of animals sacrificed there. Christians believe Jesus became the perfect sacrifice, in place of such animal sacrifices. http://www.abu.nb.ca/Courses/NTIntro/InTest/JerTem.htm Edison 00:44, 19 September 2006 (UTC)

GPRS

A friend of mine went on an anti-fascist rant today about how his cell phone provider made him turn in his phone for a new one with enabled "GPRS". He claimed that every new cell phone has a GPS (which is called "GPRS") system in it and that they can all be tracked, but that the regular consumer does not have access to the GPS system, (he didn't specify who did have access, but presumably the police and the cell phone providers).

So....after reading GPRS I know he's full of shit (he was probably pulling my leg), but is there any truth whatsoever to this? I can't see this guy getting these paranoid ideas from nowhere.. Jasbutal 04:34, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

Assuming you're a U.S. resident/citizen here... Also, I'm probably going to piss off a bunch of people with this but it's not my intent... With a government that is involved with ECHELON, Carnivore, and warrantless wire tapping, would you be surprised if it were true? Dismas|^(talk) 05:00, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

Your friend is confused; GPS and GPRS are two complete different things. However, your position can however be traced with a cell phone via Radiolocation. This is often used in cases of where someone is using 911. --Mitaphane _talk 05:26, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

You can buy a cell phone without a contract, where you just buy cards to recharge it periodically. That way, they can trace the phone, but have no idea who owns the phone, so this doesn't do "Big Brother" much good. StuRat 05:31, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

I think your friend is confusing GPRS with GPSr, two extremely different things. --Maelwys 10:20, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

Overheard on a train: "... yeah, I really liked that phone - it was a pay-as-you-go-you Nokia, you know - and they came to me and said, they said "do you want a contract phone?" and I said "no" of course, they can track those with satellites so obviously not ..." Duly turned round and raised eyebrows at speaker but he didn't notice. Oh well. Tyrhinis 22:56, 19 September 2006 (UTC)

Stupid people annoy me. I used to be a cashier and I don't know how many times I've heard mothers tell their kids to save their candy for later because they're already hyper enough --Froth 06:04, 20 September 2006 (UTC)

Chess

What opening does not cramp black's game, does not demolish black's pawn structure like the sveshnikov sicilian and give black lots of mobility against whites e4?

I take it you're the same person who asked a similar question yesterday. If I understand you correctly, you are asking for a bit much. To begin with, Black has three routes to go when he initiates the defense: 1) slug it out, 2) set up a fortress, and 3) counter-attack. I shall try to keep it simple without distorting things too badly. Do realize that these are merely generalisations.

1) Slug it out by going toe-to-toe with White for the center with 1 ... e5. For what you want, you might try the Exchange Lopez with a trade of Queens on move 8. You won't be able to castle, but your pieces will get out easily and your pawn structure will be okay. You will, however, need alternate plans if White doesn't go for "the Spanish Torture."

2) Just what you don't want. No French for you.

3) No Sicilian, eh? Then try the Alekhine's (e4 Nf6).

Now for the bad news. There's no magic opening. You're not going to win the game in the opening - unless White makes some really bad moves, and what credit is that to you? - the opening just leads into the middle game.

The Exchange Lopez and Alekhine's offer more freedom than average for Black. The price is that they're riskier than average. Good luck. B00P 10:19, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

One way to make a game interesting is to study some obscure opening. That is often the only way to beat a much better player. Especially if you get to play them in a game of speed chess. DirkvdM 17:58, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

ian has a riddle

okay who has an answer to this riddle -without me you cry openly

Shame? Pride? Company? Goggles (when chopping onions)? N-methyl-3-phenyl-

3-[4-(trifluoromethyl)phenoxy]- propan-1-amine?---Sluzzelin 08:07, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

Eyelids ? StuRat 08:24, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

I've heard it's very difficult to cry without eyelids. You have to constantly put drips in your eyes to keep them moist, so you can't tell whether the person is actually crying, or if they've just put a few too many drops in their eyes.  freshofftheufoΓΛĿЌ  09:04, 18 September 2006 (UTC) -- Although, you don't technically need tears to cry, so I guess it still makes sense.  freshofftheufoΓΛĿЌ  09:05, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

Superglue?--Light current 08:17, 19 September 2006 (UTC)

Identify this soldier's unit

Soldier

Can anyone help identify the unit from which the soldier shown right comes? He's clearly a medic, I'm almost certain he's US Army, and his comments on Talk:Hands of Victory suggest he was in Baghdad in July 2006. He's not logged in since then (so there's no point in asking him) but maybe someone can help me clarify the caption on that article. Thanks. -- Finlay McWalter | Talk 13:57, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

There's a rather crude looking red cross on a white background followed by what appears to be a red C on his arm, with a leather "shield" underneath. Could this mean a medic in "Company C" ? The partially obscured letters "MY" are also shown on his chest, which I take to be the end of the word "ARMY". StuRat 17:43, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

That's not a C - that's a red crescent. Raul654 19:18, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

Also, the leather patch on his arm - I checked but I couldn't see any divisions that matched (the Seventh infantry division was the closet match), so it could be an airborn patch (it does resemble a parachute of some kind) Raul654 19:35, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

US history project

hey people! i am doing a US history project (for school) and i am haveing some difficulty picking a topic. i am very interested in: 1. japan 2. music 3. french fashions

the problem being some ristrictions

1. has to ask a "why" or "how" question 2. can't involve corporate history (history on companies) 3. i can't do anyting with celeb. history 4. finally, i can't have anything that books can't directaly answer ie: who shot John Kennedy?

thanks much for any responses

~Avi

Two of those three topics sound like Japanese and French history. Here's one suggestion: How did jazz develop from ragtime? 72.199.30.31 17:46, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

In addition, a related topic would be something related to the massive takeoff of jazz in Japan during the 30s and 40s, and how it started the whole "traditionalist vs. modernist" problem in Japanese society. Wooty 18:18, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

If it's U.S. History, why not do something with U.S. History instead of Japan or France? --Proficient 05:30, 19 September 2006 (UTC)

real estate term

This is a gated community, where you buy your lot and and you are allowed to build your home, have acess to the community pool, tennis court, you pay HOA DUES, I'm also referred to as a USUFRUCTUARY, the Gated Community is also located in City of Playas de Rosarito,B.C. Mexico.

My question is what is , what is a Grant Deed in the form of a Public Deed ? Sincerely thanking you in advance, I have researched the information requested to no avail.

Mexican real estate law is incredibly complicated. I suggest you retain a Mexican attorney and have that person investigate the offering thoroughly before you invest. If (as I suspect) you are a U.S. citizen, there have to be special legal mechanisms in place because foreign nationals don't actually own land in Mexico the same sense as people own land in the States. Although the worst case scenario is rather rare, entire residential developments have been evicted after a court ruled that another party actually had a superior claim to ownership. By posting here you're basically asking a bunch of nonexperts who have no stake in the outcome whether you should invest what is probably your life savings. Free advice is worth what you pay for it. Durova 18:51, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

Life

I was listening to a man talking to me about veganism etc. He said that eating meat and other corpses can attract some kind of low spiritual force, so you will be born in the next life as an animal, most likely. Because, as we eat it, the suffering and everything the animals went trough, just so they could end up as a meal on our dinner table, somehow all that comes into us, and attracts bad karma. I believe I didn't quote exactly what he said, but this is the point mostly... It had an impact on me, and I was wondering, if you ever heard of that, and perhaps you can point me to some reading about that? I read a lot about veganism etc., but never have I read anything like that...--Captain ginyu 18:52, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

Sounds like some kind of Dharmic religion to me. 惑乱 分からん 19:16, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

Are you sure you believe in karma? Consider Jesus. He was the most righteous, perfect, infallible man who ever lived. At the very least most people would concede that he was a "good man". Yet at the age of just 33 he was put to a horrible death on a cross after being mocked, whipped and spat upon. Karma? Doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me in that context. BenC7 10:23, 19 September 2006 (UTC)

Well no offense, but the thing you said doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me either. If you are Christian, than you believe in God, and that Jesus was the Son of God. If that is so, Jesus knew what will hapen to him, and He resurrected back to heaven afterwards, everything as God, should I say, planned. If not, and if He was just an ordinary man, than maybe it was a punishment because of the things he did in his past lives.--Captain ginyu 12:38, 19 September 2006 (UTC)

I'm not sure what you are trying to say. BenC7 10:50, 22 September 2006 (UTC)

I am agnostic and Karma makes more sense to me than many aspects of Christianity. 惑乱 分からん 13:44, 19 September 2006 (UTC)

And what directs karma? Hmm. BenC7 10:50, 22 September 2006 (UTC)

What am I going to be when I grow up?

What am I going to be when I grow up?72.1.206.176 19:14, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

An adult. Durova 19:17, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

Or stay a child, forever. So much easier in many ways... (Sometimes I wonder how many of these questions are asked for serious...) 惑乱 分からん 19:31, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

You did not state your gender, but here goes:

see http://www.lyricsdownload.com/doris-day-whatever-will-be-will-be-lyrics.html Whatever Will Be, Will Be ,as Performed by Doris Day:

When I was just a little girl 
I asked my mother what will I be 
Will I be pretty, will I be rich 
Here's what she said to me 

*Que sera, sera 
Whatever will be, will be 
The future's not ours to see 
Que sera, sera 
What will be, will be 

Also see "When I grow up to be a man;" When I Grow Up To Be A Man lyrics Beach Boys/3571590B8D0BBB2148256982002B6677 Edison 20:48, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

As Donny Hathaway phrased it in his song "Little ghetto boy": "What you gonna be when you grow up, and have to face... responsibility?" ... 惑乱 分からん 20:57, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

That question is very open ended. --Proficient 05:31, 19 September 2006 (UTC)

Taller is another good answer. We don't really mind open questions here at RD. The answers are much easier to justify.  freshofftheufoΓΛĿЌ  06:52, 19 September 2006 (UTC)

Im very disappointed in the ref desk staff for not quoting the obvious answer sooner : older 8-)--Light current 08:23, 19 September 2006 (UTC)

I actually think we've managed better than (possibly expected) outcomes, such as "Blahblah profession X, that's where the money is." etc. 惑乱 分からん 13:47, 19 September 2006 (UTC)

sadder but wiser(hotclaws**== 16:47, 23 September 2006 (UTC))

Why sadder?--Light current 18:38, 23 September 2006 (UTC)

Travel Question

Hey, I'm trying to go from New Haven, CT to Cambridge MA, and then back again, using public transportation. Does anybody happen to know the cheapest way to do this? Also, you could probably substitute "Cambridge" with "Boston," since it's easy to get from Boston to Cambridge with the subway. Thanks! --JianLi 20:07, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

• Well, Amtrak is about $50 one way, and Greyhound about $30. Greyhound takes 3-4 hours, Amtrak about 2 on the somewhat interesting Acela Express. --jpgordon^∇∆∇∆ 20:33, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

If you're going to visit your Cambridge ma, that might make her so happy that maybe she'll chip in some. DirkvdM 06:10, 19 September 2006 (UTC)

RBD songs

How many English-language songs will RBD have on their CD titled Celestial (RBD album)?

cleaning apartment

I am one of four guys living in a cozy aparment. No matter how hard I barely try the apartement is always a mess. Part of the problem is no one does any work because they don't want to be the guy who cleans everything. I read Game theory but it didn't help. Do you have any suggestions to keep it clean? 217.132.101.132 20:36, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

Stop barely trying, for starters. Instead, try trying a little harder. Then, get agreement from the guys that they will all be equally and jointly responsible for the state of the place, and regularly review progress. That way, no one person does any more of the work than anybody else, and they can't complain they're being hard done by. Of course, not all of them will have the same idea of what's an acceptable standard of tidiness or cleanliness, as you have. That might bear some discussion to begin with. JackofOz 20:46, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

"how hard I barely try"? ;) Anyway you should probably have a meeting, all four of you, and make a rotating schedule where each one of you cleans up everything every fourth week, or so. At least, that's my idea. (Edit conflict, and some other guy already said basically the same thing, Well, wahtever...) 惑乱 分からん 20:52, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

There are several options:

1. Bite the bullet and do the cleaning yourself.
2. Hire a maid service.
3. Move in with other people (this is sometimes called marriage).
4. Get your own place.

There's no real magic answer here: adult slobs are generally uncurable. A baseline method, if you don't have at least this much already, is to start a kitty where everyone chips in a small amount of money toward basic supplies. ($5-$10 each month, or the equivalent in your local currency). Possibly try a housecleaning party with pizza and sodas or beer. Durova 20:58, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

Somehow, that last suggestion "housecleaning party" sounds somewhat oxymoronical... 惑乱 分からん 21:01, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

Some people will do anything for pizza. Use that principle to your advantage. Durova 21:33, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

I spent many years living with several different sets of housemates. I recommend that you get your own place as soon as you can afford it. Until then, the approach that worked best for me was to call a house meeting to talk about housecleaning. At the meeting, divide the housecleaning tasks into four fairly equal groups (e.g. bathroom, kitchen, vacuuming, taking trash out; or, you could divide big jobs like the bathroom and kitchen into subsets and couple those with either vacuuming or trash). Then list all of the tasks that need to be done for each job (clean toilet bowl, wipe rims, mop floor, etc.). Then agree how often each task needs to happen. You may need to compromise. Then create a rotating schedule. If you decide each job needs to happen once a week, it would look like this: Week 1: Person A does Job W, Person B does Job X, Person C does Job Y, and Person D does Job Z; Week 2: Person A does Job X, Person B does Job Y, Person C does Job Z, Person D does Job W; etc. Schedule a meeting at the end of the (four-week?) cycle to assess the system and see if changes are needed. You can agree that every one will clean at the same time (e.g. Saturday morning) while you play music you all like on the sound system, or whatever else will make the business more pleasant. Marco polo 18:11, 19 September 2006 (UTC)

I have a less structured alternative, which worked in my alter-ego's shared house. You need an ally. Get one of your homies to help you clean half of the aparment/apartement (make sure it's the easier half!) and then the two of you can pressurise the other two to do their share. Even if this fails you have half of the aparment/apartement cleaned. The only other thing was emptying the bins, which was one person's responsibility each week. sʟυмɢυм • т • c  20:58, 21 September 2006 (UTC)

child tax credit in the UK

I'm trying to find a stat for the proportion of eligible families in the UK that are claiming child tax credit. All I seem to be able to find is a raw figure of 6 million families who are claiming. Can anyone help? --Dweller 21:44, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

200%?--Light current 01:53, 19 September 2006 (UTC)

Yes, they have had problems with fraudulent claims, lol. But can anyone help me find a reputable (and serious!) percentage? I'm really hitting a brick wall here. --Dweller 08:59, 19 September 2006 (UTC)

Hmm, judging by Lords Hansard text, nobody knew in 2004 and they were supposed to be researching it. It might be worth asking your MP, if you have the time. Unless your MP has some other job, like leader of the opposition or something, you can get surprisingly thorough results. Questions asked and such like. Skittle 12:56, 19 September 2006 (UTC)

Thanks. Is there a link to the Hansard text, or do you have hard copy? --Dweller 13:13, 19 September 2006 (UTC)

Just in case others were interested too, it's at [8]. Skittle 16:00, 19 September 2006 (UTC)

Rusty Trombone

What is a rusty trombone? A kid keeps telling me that I give my mom rusty trombones. --216.164.197.231 21:45, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

THe shits? That all I can think of.--Light current 21:52, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

Some kind of oral sex? Howard Train 21:55, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

The Urban Dictionary lists several conflicting definitions, all of which are sexual and obscene. You didn't hear this from me, but one remedy is to get all your friends together and corner him after school and beat him up. ;) Durova 21:58, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

Heh. And if anyone asks questions, just say you thought it was the encyclopedic thing to do. :-) --Allen 02:42, 19 September 2006 (UTC)

*sigh* The things is reveal about myself in the service of others.... here goes.... a rusty trombone is when an individual is "on his or her knees behind a male and performs anilingus while reaching up beneath the testicles or around the body to manually masturbate the standing partner, mimicking the motions of a trombone player."

I presume you do not carry out the aforementioned act on your mother (infact, its highly unlikely your mother has a penis, which makes one wonder whether the kid even knows what the term means him or her self) and this is meant as an insult. Thus you could always rise above it, or alternatively lower yourself to the level of the accuser and respond by telling him or her that their mother is partial to a Cleveland steamer. Rockpocket 04:13, 19 September 2006 (UTC)

If you want an educational film on what this and other terms like it means, I can recommend The Aristocrats. They have a section with Andy Dick explaining obscure, obscene terms, including this one. Oskar 05:19, 19 September 2006 (UTC)

Though, as a disclaimer, we should note that The Aristocrats is probably unsuitable for someone who is of the age to be getting called names by kids. You could watch The Aristocats instead. You probably won't learn much about sexual slang, though i do seem to recall the impressively named "Scat cat" makes an appearance! Rockpocket 08:24, 19 September 2006 (UTC)

Car Question

I didn't want to post this here, but Allexperts.com couldn't help.

Got a 2004 Volkswagen Cabriolet that has a problem with its convertible cover. Part of the rear window has separated from the rest of the cover at the seam so that water seeps into the backseat. What's the best method to fix the problem? I've got a hunch that good epoxy would work if there were a way to clamp things while it dries... Suggestions welcome. Durova 22:04, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

Rubber solution? as in bicycle tube repair.--Light current 23:07, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

OR, how about RTV silicone rubber (bath sealant)--Light current 01:13, 19 September 2006 (UTC)

I'm pretty sure bath sealant won't hold up under the types of stresses a convertible car cover experiences. Taking the darn thing to the dealer... Durova 16:45, 19 September 2006 (UTC)

RTV holds up in missile electronics!--Light current 20:56, 20 September 2006 (UTC)

What is insurance touchdown?

Football question: What is the difference between insurance touchdown and 'regular' touchdown?

An "insurance" touchdown is one more touchdown scored by the team in the lead, so that the team which is trailing now have to score twice in order to tie the game. User:Zoe|(talk) 23:37, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

September 19

Q-ray Bracelet

How do Q-Ray bracelets work? What does it mean to be ionized? Does it actually does something scientifically proven to your body or does it simply cause you to believe in yourself? Jamesino 00:55, 19 September 2006 (UTC)

See Ionized bracelet. See also quackery and pseudoscience. --Robert Merkel 04:53, 19 September 2006 (UTC)

Also see ion to get an idea of ionisation. To be ionized is to be made an ion. Skittle 12:46, 19 September 2006 (UTC)

It also appears the talk page for 'ion' may be of interest to you. Skittle 12:48, 19 September 2006 (UTC)

housing

Ok, the amount the following question could vary almost makes in invalid, but here it is: I'm paying about 1000 bucks a month rent right now for an apartment. I'm planning on buying a house worth 120,000, with a loan. Would the interest / mortgage be cheaper than paying rent? I'm just trying to get a rough estimate... thanks a bunch! Mike 71.56.107.20 00:57, 19 September 2006 (UTC)

There are lots of loan caculators on the web. Assuming you pay 10% down and get a 30 year loan at 6.0%, the principal and interest would be about $650 a month. Besides having the cash for the down payment, you'll also have to pay taxes and insurance (every month). If the house costs twice as much (and you still put 10% down), the principal and interest would simply double as well. -- Rick Block (talk) 01:35, 19 September 2006 (UTC)

There's also the value of the property to look at. When you pay rent, that money simply disappears to the landlord's pocket. With a house, your money will be put towards paying for your house which, since land prices normally always go up from one year to the next, will likely appreciate in value. Therefore, what you're paying 120k for now (and the next 20-30 years) will be worth more money then than it is now. Dismas|^(talk) 01:43, 19 September 2006 (UTC)

• A thousand bucks rent a month sounds very steep to me. Almost anything will be cheaper IMO. - Mgm|^(talk) 08:07, 19 September 2006 (UTC)
  • That depends on where you live. Where I recently moved out of cost $750/month for a two bedroom shack of a house. My current kitchen and bathroom are approximately the same square footage as that house. Dismas|^(talk) 08:53, 19 September 2006 (UTC)

A fair bit of the answer depends on where you live. In Southern California $1000 a month won't even get a two bedroom apartment. A $120,000 house is unheard-of (triple that and you might get a cheap condo) and an astonishing number of people have fallen for interest-only home loans. That means they'll never pay off the mortgage unless they overpay the minimum, which very few people can afford to do, and they're risking their life savings on rising market values. In the short run some people have walked away with tidy profits. If interest rates go up (which is happening) and if housing prices drop (which is also happening), a lot of those people stand to lose their life savings because they'll no longer be able to afford the minimum payment on an adjustable rate mortgage. Doesn't this sound insane? Durova 16:42, 19 September 2006 (UTC)

If you can get a house for $120K where you are, and you are paying $1,000 for an apartment, the house may be the better deal. As someone calculated above, you will spend about $650-700 a month for the mortgage, including interest. Depending on the condition of the house, you probably need to budget another $200-250 a month for maintenance and insurance. (Some years you will spend very little on maintenance, other years you will spend thousands.) The big question is property tax. What will the property tax be on this house? If it is much more than $2,500 a year, then the apartment might still be the better deal. Otherwise, even if your monthly payment and expenses are slightly higher, your tax deduction will make up for it. The other question is whether you plan to stay in the same place for at least 10 years. One reason that this is important is that there are costs associated with buying and moving into a house. Often they are more than 5% of the price of the house (commission, "points," inspections, moving costs, etc.) Another is that for the first 5 years or so, most of your mortgage payments go to interest. You need to stay put for 10 years or so to begin to build significant equity. Otherwise, you are giving your money to the bank, which is no better than giving your money to the landlord in rent. A final consideration is the prospects for property value increase. If you can get a house for $120K and you are not in a severely economically depressed area, chances are that that house will rise in value. (If you lived in a region, as I do, where tiny, run-down houses in crime-ridden neighborhoods go for a bubble-inflated $350K, you could not count on property values rising much in 10 years.) Marco polo 18:27, 19 September 2006 (UTC)

When you are working this out, don't forget to add in all the other costs of owning a house. You will need to pay property taxes; you will need to do major pieces of work on it occasionally (like replacing roofs or driveways); you will need to replace appliances. You will need to redecorate occasionally. It all adds up. DJ Clayworth 15:56, 20 September 2006 (UTC)

Also remember utilities. If you're in an apartment, your rent probably covers heating and/or air conditioning, water, sewer, etc., etc. In a house you're going to have to pay all that on top of your mortgage and taxes, and usually utilities are far more expensive in a house (especially a detached house) than in an apartment. Ask for the last year's heating and electricity bills if you can. In my small house I easily pay $200 a month for utilities. --Charlene.fic 22:34, 20 September 2006 (UTC)

Information on Robin Lee Graham

I am trying to verify the information in the article on "Robin Lee Graham" which reports that "Dove sank in hurricane Marilyn in 1995."

I think the users who have edited this article are:

• Bpaul1 3
• Anonymous 3
• Scott Sanchez 3
• BrownHairedGirl 1
• Mmtux 1
• Johantheghost 1
• D6 1
• Youremyjuliet 1

How can I contact them to see if one of them entered this information and can provide any additional information or confirmation?

Thank You.

Jorge Rodriguez Indianapolis, IN. 317-594-8923 [email protected]

You could either leave a question on the talk page for the article itself (the "discussion") tab at the top of the article) or leave a message on each user's talk page. Dismas|^(talk) 01:39, 19 September 2006 (UTC)

Looking through the article's history, this particular sentence was added by this edit from user:Bpaul1. You can ask this user about this edit on his/her talk page, i.e. at user talk:Bpaul1. This user has not made any edits since April 28, 2006, so I suspect is unlikely to respond, so in this case your best bet is probably the article's talk page. -- Rick Block (talk) 01:47, 19 September 2006 (UTC)

Most visited Wikipedia page

What is the most visited wikipedia page, out of all categories? The velociraptor 00:59, 19 September 2006 (UTC)

Weve had this before. See wikicharts--Light current 01:10, 19 September 2006 (UTC)

Wow. This question is indeed asked so much. --Proficient 05:32, 19 September 2006 (UTC)

... and the VFAQ doesn't seem to be making a dent... — QuantumEleven 12:10, 19 September 2006 (UTC)

Slang

I have a question what is teabagging and what is tripping balls. I thnk know what teabagging is but dont you have to be gay to do that. --216.164.200.166 01:40, 19 September 2006 (UTC)

answer plz!! thers a man here that sez he will tripp balls then teabag me. --216.164.200.166 01:54, 19 September 2006 (UTC)

Teabagging is kind of a nebulous term; it can refer to different acts, but none of them require being gay. --Allen 02:37, 19 September 2006 (UTC)

Well wait till he does it, then tell us!--Light current 02:39, 19 September 2006 (UTC)

The act sure is a scary one. Mac's Rule 351: Never attempt to put your testicles in an angry man's mouth. — [Mac Davis](talk) (SUPERDESK|Help me improve)05:58, 19 September 2006 (UTC)

If thats only 351, what the hell are the other 350?

--Light current 08:12, 19 September 2006 (UTC) For future reference, check out www.urbandictionary.com for any further slangs that you need clearing up. Jamesino 11:42, 19 September 2006 (UTC)

Border dispute

"54/40 or fight". was a rallying cry for a border dispute. I think with Canada but I'm not sure. Can anyone enlighten me on this? Thanks — Preceding unsigned comment added by 63.110.125.27 (talk)

The same question was asked a day or two ago. The question and answer are still on this very page. -- Rick Block (talk) 01:51, 19 September 2006 (UTC)

Indeed. It's just a couple days up. --Proficient 05:33, 19 September 2006 (UTC)

....by the same person.--Shantavira 06:20, 19 September 2006 (UTC)

I guess s/he didn't like my answer. Anchoress 06:24, 19 September 2006 (UTC)

Or was too lazy to go back and look for it... 惑乱 分からん 16:48, 19 September 2006 (UTC)

Yes, it was Canada during the Polk administration, you lazy piece of shit!

A.Please sign your contributions with four ~s. B.Please note and keep to WP:CIVIL Lemon martini 22:23, 20 September 2006 (UTC)

Black penis size

Do they really have bigger ones? And if so, is it because they play basketball(for exorcise), or is it genetic? --216.164.200.166 02:01, 19 September 2006 (UTC)

Aaaah, if only playing basketball were all it took to increase penis size! Why not check out the article on human penis size, which has a section on race. Anchoress 02:05, 19 September 2006 (UTC)

I believe its done by hanging weights from the end from being a small child. If this doesnt lengthen it, it sure turns it black! 8-)--Light current 02:08, 19 September 2006 (UTC)

Don't be a dick.

Read this and draw your own conlusion. However, just in case, I shall be taking up basketball to exorcise those small penis demons. Rockpocket 04:24, 19 September 2006 (UTC)

please convert all those measurements to english units please. THanks. Jasbutal 04:51, 19 September 2006 (UTC)

You can easily do that yourself, type in "12 cm in inches" into google and you'll get a response. See: [9]. That's the by far easiest way to convert anything into something else (whether it'd be lenght, weight, currency, calories, ...) Oskar 05:23, 19 September 2006 (UTC)

*Goes to Google* 12 cm in kg Huh? Stupid Google! —Bromskloss 12:55, 19 September 2006 (UTC)

Check out http://www.onlineconversion.com for a start... 惑乱 分からん 16:50, 19 September 2006 (UTC)

You're not serious are you? --Froth 05:51, 20 September 2006 (UTC)

In case you are referring to me (the indentations are a bit messed up), no. —Bromskloss 11:55, 20 September 2006 (UTC)

sorry then --Froth 15:10, 20 September 2006 (UTC)

It's genetics. Not basketball. --Proficient 05:34, 19 September 2006 (UTC)

But afaik, there's little statistical evidence to back up the claims. 惑乱 分からん 13:40, 19 September 2006 (UTC)

Shares

Dear Sir / Madam

A few years ago a financial adviser sold me some policies and one of them was for shares Arriva, & to be honest it has only just came to light, not only can i find a policy but I cant remember which broker he worked for, Please can you advise me as to wether or not Arivva will have my details on their system or can you forward another form of contact for Arriva. Your early response will be much appreciated

Contact details Keith Webb (email address and telephone numbers redacted)

I sometimes wonder, do the people who leave their contact details here ever check back on this page? Or, do they give up on us if we don't email or phone them? --Richardrj ^{talk email} 07:41, 19 September 2006 (UTC)

So.. you think you have some shares in Arriva. You do not have the share certificate. You do not know from whom you bought the shares. So far so good!

You should be able to get a list of shareholders from the Company. That will tell you if you have got shares. It may tell you how many as well. Now if you need to sell them, I think you will need a certificate. If this is lost you may be able to get another from the company. However it is possible that these shares are held in a nominee portfolio on your belhalf by the stockbrokers, in which case it would be really helpful if you could remember whick stockbrockers sold you the shares. You cant have dealt with that many ..can you?

TRy this first: [10] --Light current 07:51, 19 September 2006 (UTC)

I'm just amazed none of them ask us to "drop by my house and let me know, ring the upstairs doorbell and give me a few minutes, as I probably have my pants off". :-) StuRat 13:29, 19 September 2006 (UTC)

Mabye we should be sending them a mail, telling them to come back. —Bromskloss 12:51, 19 September 2006 (UTC)

GOOGLE EARTH

If you go on google earth (i dont know if its on google maps or not) and look at Junction 7 of the M11 in the U.K. in a very close view and you look at the bit where the northern bit of the A414 joins the roundabout you will notice somethin very wierd. What is it??? Also there is what appears to be another one if you follow the A414 north for a few miles till you get to the outskirts of Harlow wheres the roundabout. Then look at the two sets of houses immediately north east of the roundabout.

Is it just some dust on the lens???

thanx, --William dady 09:08, 19 September 2006 (UTC)

Can you give some kind of reference or co-ordinates so that we can look for ourselves? --Richardrj ^{talk email} 09:20, 19 September 2006 (UTC)

Not realy i cant find the co-ordinates on google earth but if you can find London, and then the M25 (London ringroad)(put on view roads and its very obvious), then the M11 is the blue line that goes from north east London to Cambridge. Its the first junction outside of the M25. Or if your still lost just search for Harlow, UK on google earth and if you zoom out a bit it will be obvious.--William dady 09:36, 19 September 2006 (UTC)

I found what you're talking about by looking for Harlow, England, UK on Google maps. Then followed A414 down to M11. I see a large streak-like object at the first point that you mentioned. Is that what you're talking about when you say "somethin very wierd"? Dismas|^(talk) 09:38, 19 September 2006 (UTC)

Yup thats it...what is it??? Theres another where i mentioned in my first text.--William dady 09:41, 19 September 2006 (UTC)

I think I found them too. The second one is near to where it says Southern Way between two rows of houses, right? Could be anything. Looks like a reflection from something shiny to me. Why do you think they are weird? They're just objects. Cars or something. --Richardrj ^{talk email} 09:48, 19 September 2006 (UTC)

Has anyone else spotted Concorde at Heathrow airport? --Dweller 09:49, 19 September 2006 (UTC)

Yep. There's a couple here. --Richardrj ^{talk email} 10:00, 19 September 2006 (UTC)

Haven't the Concordes been retired ? Are they just going to leave them at the airport until they find a museum that will take them ? Or maybe they could sell them to a rich collector. StuRat 09:57, 20 September 2006 (UTC)

Well, that's an old picture, like they all are on Google Earth. It would have been taken when they were still in service. As for where they are now, the article you linked to just says they have been grounded. I imagine they are in a hangar somewhere. Sad. --Richardrj ^{talk email} 10:03, 20 September 2006 (UTC)

I just read the article. It does say one is still at Heathrow, but, since they have all lost their air worthiness certificates, they can't be flown. That means they have to leave it at Heathrow permanently or cut it up to remove it. Sad indeed. StuRat 10:09, 20 September 2006 (UTC)

It seems bizarre, to say the least, that BA still owns them, says it won't ever use them again but refused to sell them to Richard Branson who was prepared to use them. --Richardrj ^{talk email} 10:14, 20 September 2006 (UTC)

Yes, and considering how heavily subsidized they were by the British gov, and what a symbol of British pride they are, I think the UK gov should "nationalize" them (take them) and sell them to Branson. It would be better for just about everyone (except BA) if they were to join the Virgin Atlantic fleet. StuRat 11:19, 21 September 2006 (UTC)

Is this the odd streak? Here is another a bit west of the first one. They are pretty common especially in cities (tin roofs I think). I'm guessing they are imaging artifacts: sunlight reflecting from some bright surface right towards the camera in the satellite. The too-bright light overloads the CCD cell in the camera momentarily, and the movement of the satellite turns it into a north-south streak. I'm just guessing though... Weregerbil 11:27, 19 September 2006 (UTC)

Some secret military establishments are only reached by turn offs from motorways. THey are usually marked: 'Works unit only'. Maybe you found some. See here [11]--Light current 00:49, 20 September 2006 (UTC)

And some secret military establishments are much more cunningly hidden so as to protect their location.Like this one for example... [12] Lemon martini 14:43, 20 September 2006 (UTC)

incomprehensible Japanese clip

Hello,

there is a video on the net that is unbelievable. Unfortunately I don't have the URL anymore.

This is what happens :

- a group of singing Japanese man gets on stage one after another (about eleven of them), they are wearing a bra and shorts with a swan neck and head on them

- one of them is a leader, he is first in line and has a microphone - they spread all over the stage singing something with the word PEACE in it quite often

- they start moving their hips up and down, causing the swan head to go up and down (causing hilarity among female audience members)

- they hold the swan head with their hands and shake it

- they sing something like "wo-o-wo peace peace"

- music stops, they make a nice formation and hold the swan head as if they were urinating, the leader extends one arm slowly

- music resumes, they turn around and untie their bra, then turn towards the audience and act silly about it (holding their arms in front of their chest)

- the leader turns around again and removes the swan from his shorts, revealing a pink heart at the back of his shorts (female audience screams)

- they applaud each other and the leader says something like "TBS" and it also appears on screen

- all the men leave the stage, except the leader, who puts the swan back on and stays on stage, sitting next to two ladies in a police uniform

So does anyone have any idea what kind of show this was? Is this a band of comedians or something? It's totally incomprehensible! Thanks! Evilbu 09:58, 19 September 2006 (UTC)

Is this it? Most of your questions are answered in the comments, if it is. It's certainly odd. (I googled peace swan japanese and it was the first result, btw). Natgoo 17:36, 19 September 2006 (UTC)

Masahiro Nakai, I think this guy is the leader. Thanks, I guess Google really is my friend. But... I still don't get WHY?? Btw : his Wikipedia description in the SMAP article looks nice too :"Masahiro Nakai (中居 正広) is the "leader" of the group and has hosted numerous television programs through out the years. He is a notorious bachelor and trickster. He is known for his bad singing. He frequently wears a hat and has long hair, although his look changes frequently." Evilbu 18:17, 19 September 2006 (UTC)

I want 'notorious bachelor and trickster' on my business card. Natgoo 18:27, 19 September 2006 (UTC)

All of SMAP act stupid on TV, it's the basis of their career. In fact, that's the way most Japanese celebrities act. Compared to American celebs, Japanese are incredibly well humored and know how to laugh when they're being made fun of, and don't even hesitate to make fun of themselves, whereas Johnny Depp is a complete bore. Nakai may technically be SMAPs leader, but they're basically all equal in fame, money, popularity, stupid bachelorism, and singing ability (actually, Nakai is quite a bit worse, and, because he's a Japanese celeb, has no problem making fun of that fact ad nauseum on TV!).  freshofftheufoΓΛĿЌ  05:21, 20 September 2006 (UTC)

Also, consider that none of them are actually comedians, and so they are not really considered "funny". Japanese comedy can be very entertaining, especially if you understand it.  freshofftheufoΓΛĿЌ  05:23, 20 September 2006 (UTC)

anxiety

I seem to live my life in permanent anxiety, which only disapears when i am alone or with very close friends, could this be a medical condition? how can i over come this? please help as i feel like i am going to cry, which is not to good for a macho type man at work.

I'm sorry but we don't dispense medical advice here other than to recommend seeing a professional, which in this case is what I feel you should do. I don't like groups of people either though I've never felt I was going to cry because of the environment I was in. Again, I would suggest seeking professional help. Dismas|^(talk) 10:35, 19 September 2006 (UTC)

I agree, but you might find it useful to read social anxiety and similar articles. This is a common affliction and can be treated.--Shantavira 10:56, 19 September 2006 (UTC)

Aaar! Since today is International Talk like a Pirate Day, you could impress your friends, and shed some anxiety. Shiver me timbers! --Zeizmic 13:02, 19 September 2006 (UTC)

See your doctor. Treatment is available for anxiety--Light current 15:15, 19 September 2006 (UTC)

• I "know" someone who, weirdly enough, became an actress. You think it would make her more nervous, but playing another character actually made her feel comfortable. Perhaps you are similar, try joining a local theatre group. She eventually got rid of her anxiety simply by conquering it. Before you try pills or something, try conquering your fears by confronting them together with a close friend. Go to a party where you know few people and get to know new people. If that doesn't work, I would agree with the others. Go see a doctor. There's medication that can help. - Mgm|^(talk) 21:50, 19 September 2006 (UTC)

Your anxiety could absolutely be a medical condition, and there are techniques of psychotherapy which could help you as well as medicines. Edison 05:08, 20 September 2006 (UTC)

Sanctuary

In the song "Sanctuary" by Utada Hikiri, she sings in a different language at the beginning of the song and after the line "My heart's a battleground" What language is this? Does anyone know what she's saying? Thanks in advance,

Myth

According to Sanctuary (Utada song) they are reversed lyrics, i.e. played backwards. --Shantavira 12:22, 19 September 2006 (UTC)

For your information, she's called Utada Hikaru (nicknamed "Hikki"). 惑乱 分からん 13:51, 19 September 2006 (UTC)

Or in the US (after her latest English release) as Utada, which is apparently what she prefers to be called in English.  freshofftheufoΓΛĿЌ  01:40, 20 September 2006 (UTC)

The longest article.

Could you please tell me what the largest/longest article on wikipedia is? thank you, i am just curious. thanks in advance.

List of Wold Newton Universe characters ‎[294,137] - from Special:Longpages. It also lists Paul Revere ‎[484,137 bytes], but that article appears to be quite short now. --Tagishsimon (talk)

antique radio

I am looking for information on an old radio for insurance purposes. It was manufactured by Dominion Electrohome Industries Ltd.for Robert Simpson company Ltd.It was around the late 1800's or early 1900's. The name of the radio is Serenader A.C. operated receiver,85 Watts model # SL-4726. This company that manufactured the radio was in Kitchener Ontario. I would appreciate any help I can get,mainly an estimated value.Thank You for your help.

An AC operated radio would probably date not earlier than the late 1920's. You might check Ebay.com for completed sales and with luck find what a similar radio sold or recently. There are also guide books in the library to collectable radios. Edison 05:16, 20 September 2006 (UTC)

Maybe he meant A.C. as in Serenader A.C.? Just a thought, Luigi30 (Taλk) 12:54, 20 September 2006 (UTC)

Foreign currency comparison site

Hello Wikipedians,

I'm looking for a website that can compare exchange rates on different websites and tell me which one offers the best exchange rate. I'm specifically interested in sites in the UK and comparison between GBP and other major currencies.Mahanchian 16:08, 19 September 2006 (UTC)

Just google "Exchange rates", there are several sites out there. Btw, what do you mean by "best exchange rate", the most correct or the one which would yield the highest sum? =S 惑乱 分からん 16:53, 19 September 2006 (UTC)

crosswalks

what's the deal with those zebra crosswalks --Froth 17:21, 19 September 2006 (UTC)

Where else are zebras supposed to cross the street ? :-) StuRat 09:34, 20 September 2006 (UTC)

The stripes are distinct from other road paint schemas. Ease of identification is the primary reason for choice, not some arcane symbolism. — Lomn 17:26, 19 September 2006 (UTC)

Which ones? You mean like they have in Japan, to diagonally cross a crossroads? DirkvdM 06:36, 20 September 2006 (UTC)

Do you mean zebra crossing? DJ Clayworth 15:50, 20 September 2006 (UTC)

The deal is that they are cheap as chips; all you need is white paint and maybe a couple of Belisha beacons, and they allow pedestrians to cross (in theory) safely, without the traffic disruption and construction work that traffic lights would require. smurrayinchester^{(User), (Talk)} 20:51, 21 September 2006 (UTC)

This page gives some sample costs for various crossings, putting the zebra at £6000 with a controlled crossing (pelican, puffin, toucan) at £30,000, and this parliamentary reply gives similar figures (£7500 for a zebra). But that seems to be a very low estimate when the cost of actual schemes is assessed. This page shows the prices of actual schemes (where crossing constructions are combined with other stuff), which is way over those numbers, and this page estimates the cost of a new zebra at £30,000. Other numbers include £14,000, £10,000 (which explains some of the additional cost), £12,000. -- Finlay McWalter | Talk 21:13, 21 September 2006 (UTC)

Alice Solomon University of applied sciences in social work

can you give me an email address at which I can contact this school with some questions re. their programs and accreditation? if at all possible I would prefer to communicate with them in English. thank you.

Grant Beardshear Indianapolis, Indiana

You could start with Alice-Salomon University. ColinFine 23:53, 19 September 2006 (UTC)

Pennys

How long does it take to make a penny in the united states currency

What point in time are you starting from? The extraction of the ore from the ground or from the time the metal gets to the Fed.? Dismas|^(talk) 21:14, 19 September 2006 (UTC)

Or do you wonder how long it takes to earn a penny, performing a certain job? 惑乱 分からん 21:36, 19 September 2006 (UTC)

Ah, hadn't thought of it that way. And the answer to that would be that it depends a great deal on what job is being performed. Dismas|^(talk) 21:46, 19 September 2006 (UTC)

Around 6 seconds at Maryland minimum wage.. It's not a large unit of currency --Froth 21:48, 19 September 2006 (UTC)

I thought it was about the process of making the physical coins over at the United States Mint. JackofOz 23:02, 19 September 2006 (UTC)

A guess as good as any... The question is vaguely posed... 惑乱 分からん 23:18, 19 September 2006 (UTC)

I have a feeling the original questioner meant to ask "how much does it cost to make a penny".  freshofftheufoΓΛĿЌ  01:32, 20 September 2006 (UTC)

Once the Mint has a strip of the proper metal with discs of the correct size punched out, it takes a small fraction of a second to stamp in with the dies and make it into a cent. The U.S. Mint does not make pennies. That is a British coin. Edison 05:19, 20 September 2006 (UTC)

Are you saying that the Brits make all the United States pennies in my jar at home? Or that the U.S. does not have a coin that is referred to as the penny? Dismas|^(talk) 08:45, 20 September 2006 (UTC)

The US one-cent piece is most definitely called a "penny", throughout the US. StuRat 09:32, 20 September 2006 (UTC)

The US mints have never minted a coin officially referred to as penny, publicly referred, it's another matter. 惑乱 分からん 09:37, 20 September 2006 (UTC)

They seem to use it 14 times in their 2003 annual report while using cent only to refer to the 5-cent piece. So I think you may be wrong there. Rmhermen 00:47, 21 September 2006 (UTC)

What? Is Cent (United States coin) incorrect? 惑乱 分からん 11:53, 23 September 2006 (UTC)

African names with clicks

Is it true that certain african names and words contain a "click" as stated by comedian Russell Peters? Jamesino 20:42, 19 September 2006 (UTC)

Hehe, african words. Ehrm, sorry. I have never heard of that guy, but yes, there are apparently such languages. The Khoisan languages seem to be examples of that (mabye the only ones, I have no idea). —Bromskloss 20:52, 19 September 2006 (UTC)

Click consonant Durova 20:54, 19 September 2006 (UTC)

The actor N!xau brought some visibility to these languages. See the movie The Gods Must Be Crazy. Rmhermen 21:14, 19 September 2006 (UTC)

yea I also heard that all Africans speak the same African click language. All 1 billion people and all the thousands of different ethnic groups, all the same exact African language. amazing how they make that work! Jasbutal 04:48, 20 September 2006 (UTC)

Yeah, it's so amazing, it's hard to believe it... ;P 惑乱 分からん 09:40, 20 September 2006 (UTC)

Click languages from Africa are the ancestral languages of all living humans.Edison 05:20, 20 September 2006 (UTC)

lol, I don't even need to add a [citation required] to that statement... Jasbutal 05:35, 20 September 2006 (UTC)

Zulu, Xhosa and other Bantu languages also have click consonants. They have as many as 15 different types, subclassed into the dental clicks, postalveolar clicks and lateral alveolar clicks. Rockpocket 07:54, 20 September 2006 (UTC)

On a slight tangent, there's also a band called !!!, pronounced "click-click-click" or "chk-chk-chk", inspired by seeing The Gods Must Be Crazy, since a ǃ (pipe with subscript dot), the symbol for the Postalveolar click, looks very similar to an exclamation point. smurrayinchester^{(User), (Talk)} 20:49, 21 September 2006 (UTC)

On another tangent, I believe Khoisan is the language with the highest number of different sounds - 140+ compared with 30-something in English. Jameswilson 23:31, 21 September 2006 (UTC)

Why check your facts when it's so much easier not to bother? !Xóõ is the language that currently holds that distinction, though it's hard to specify a precise number, since that depends on competing analyses. And yes, !Xóõ is one of the Khoisan languages, but there is no language called 'Khoisan': it's the name given by linguists to a phylum of related languages, formed from the self-names of two of the languages. ColinFine 12:37, 23 September 2006 (UTC)

Going over the falls

What's the survival rate for people going over Niagara Falls in barrels? --Serie 21:28, 19 September 2006 (UTC)

The article for Niagara Falls goes over this pretty well. Dismas|^(talk) 21:33, 19 September 2006 (UTC)

Actually, it's pretty vague. According to the article, fifteen people have gone over intentionally, five have definitely survived, and no mention is made of the other ten. --Serie 18:35, 20 September 2006 (UTC)

FAQ

Since we seem to be getting a lot of repeat or similar questions, does nay one think that a FAQ page with answers should be created?--Light current 21:37, 19 September 2006 (UTC)

Shouldn't this be on the talk page since it's a discussion about the page? Dismas|^(talk) 21:44, 19 September 2006 (UTC)

Maybe. I dont really know. Does anyone look at the talk pages?. Move it if you wish! 8-)--Light current 21:46, 19 September 2006 (UTC)

Nah, that's alright. Just picking nits, I guess. I rarely look at the talk page for these pages anyway. Dismas|^(talk) 21:48, 19 September 2006 (UTC)

I've only looked at the talk page once or twice :x .. anyway this main page is such an open forum for discussion --Froth 21:50, 19 September 2006 (UTC)

Hmmm, if they don't read the article on the topic of their question how can we expect them to read a FAQ. This is an encyclopedia, and oddly enough we still get people who don't look up the first word in their question. And, as much of the response here is taunting of stupid questions and other reference desk workers, wouldn't a FAQ just be rubbing it in? :) --Darkfred ^{Talk to me} 21:52, 19 September 2006 (UTC)

Rubbing in what, into whom? I dont understand. I agree that it may deprive us of some fun as ref desk editors. But what do others think?--Light current 22:01, 19 September 2006 (UTC)

It might not be a bad idea, but I fear that a) it will be impossible to force people to read it, and it is really much easier just to direct them to the answer/tell them the answer, b) the FAQ will become gigantic.  freshofftheufoΓΛĿЌ  01:22, 20 September 2006 (UTC)

OK How bout this; If a question has been asked more than once the question plus answer goes on the FAQ page. If you remember the question appearing before, then its easy to refer some one to the FAQ page rather than try to remember which particular archive it is stored in. Just a suggestion! 8-)--Light current 01:56, 20 September 2006 (UTC)

honestly, this is a good idea light current. But how do we make it? I'd be willing to help out and add to it periodically. Jasbutal 04:46, 20 September 2006 (UTC)

Personally i don't think our answers are high enough quality to enshrine, and it is a lot of work to maintain. Mostly I just post links to the relevent information anyway. I would put the threshhold at like 5 asks for the same question, then someone has to organize the answers into an enshrinable form. --Darkfred ^{Talk to me} 04:48, 20 September 2006 (UTC)

enshrinable?? what are you kidding me? articles here are about as sacred as sex is to the average teenager. This is wikipedia it's always changing, this ain't the Vatican pre-1960 Jasbutal 04:57, 20 September 2006 (UTC)

I don't think you realize the scope of this thing. Don't you realize that the question you asked has actually been asked a number of times before (here is a small FAQ that has been already made for the language desk), and thus by your logic, should itself be in the FAQ?  freshofftheufoΓΛĿЌ  05:15, 20 September 2006 (UTC)

Id be surprised if it hadnt been suggested before. But I cant find it coz there aint a FAQ page!! 8-)

seriously thogh 8-|,THe viability and desirability of the idea may now be different. But its not a big thing with me, just a thought! 8-)--Light current 05:22, 20 September 2006 (UTC)

I have come up with this suggestion too, some time back, as have many others, so if democracy makes any sense this should be a good idea. :)

What happens now when a question has been asked before is that (maybe) someone gives a link to that thread. When they do so, they could at the same time move that link to the faq page, accompanied by a link to the question at hand, because that might get some answers too. Once that is done, people can start cleaning it up, making it more article-like, thus giving a better answer. Of course, if there is a need for such a thing, then maybe there should be an article about it. But let's first see how this develops. I've made a start: Wikipedia:Reference desk/faq.

A problem is that a link to a thread that is not yet archived needs maintenance - it needs to be changed once the thread gets archived. Or it could be given a format as if it were already archived. Or both could be placed and the invalid one removed once the thread is archived.

And of course this thread, plus any others on the subject, should go to the faq's talk page. DirkvdM 07:12, 20 September 2006 (UTC)

Largest Public Schools

I am looking for a list of the top ten public high schools with the largest numbers of students in the US. Any information you can give me would be very helpful. Thank you!

Which country? Jooler 21:40, 19 September 2006 (UTC)

The question states "in the US". Dismas|^(talk) 21:47, 19 September 2006 (UTC)

It didn't when it was originally posted. [13] Jooler 00:09, 20 September 2006 (UTC)

Ah, my apologies then. Dismas|^(talk) 00:31, 20 September 2006 (UTC)

CHARLES W. FLANAGAN HIGH SCHOOL
12800 TAFT ST
PEMBROKE PINES FL 33028
954-704-3000
5,491 students

from google --Darkfred ^{Talk to me} 21:57, 19 September 2006 (UTC)

But i expect that this changes every year so could never be accurate and probably bounces between the top 20 or so. --Darkfred ^{Talk to me} 21:58, 19 September 2006 (UTC)

Many times it's easy to assume the U.S. but not always. :x --Proficient 06:15, 21 September 2006 (UTC)

Nostalgia Collection

Does anyone know of a link to a good audio or video collection of famous television, movie, history, etc. quotes and clips? Thanks for your help! Reywas92 22:18, 19 September 2006 (UTC)

You could also go to famous people's websites. For example, search for Martin Luther King Jr., JFK, FDR, etc. Or you could search for "Famous Quotes." That'll probably get you something, although the legitamacy of the quotes is questionable. --AstoVidatu 23:35, 19 September 2006 (UTC)

Yes, there are thousands of nostalgia sites out there, maybe millions. You need to restrict your search further by topic or person. For example, here are nostalgia pages on Anissa Jones: [14] [15]. StuRat 09:24, 20 September 2006 (UTC)

I'm looking for something broader than Anissa Jones. I want a large collection of many famous things, such as an audio file with many quotes from movies or the sort, like with "May the Force be with you," "To infinty and beyond," and Indiana Jones' "Snakes. I hate snakes." Or a collection of clips of movie music, all in one place. Thanks! Reywas92 19:24, 20 September 2006 (UTC)

Lactic Acid

Does lactic acid cause muscle pain? I'm having trouble understanding the article lactic acid!

Himanyo 22:42, 19 September 2006 (UTC)

It causes the kind of muscle soreness you feel if you're out of shape and suddenly work really hard for a while. Durova 22:44, 19 September 2006 (UTC)

No this is a common misconception. Lactic acid exists in exercising muscles but is not the cause of the soreness as was thought earlier in the century. Soreness is caused by physical strain between the muscles fibers affecting nerves. And later the healing of said strain. --Darkfred ^{Talk to me} 22:47, 19 September 2006 (UTC)

In the article Lactic Acid the section called "Exercise" clearly states that lactic acid is NOT the cause of burning. --Darkfred ^{Talk to me} 22:48, 19 September 2006 (UTC)

Thanks for the correction. Durova 23:05, 19 September 2006 (UTC)

Thanks both of you! But one more question. What does it do to your body?Himanyo 22:50, 19 September 2006 (UTC)

check out Lactic Acid, but basically it is a necessary chemical for your body to process sugar without oxygen. So when you work anerobically your body needs as much lactic acid as it can make. Without it you would simply fall to the ground after a short burst of intense exercise, unable to produce enough energy to feed your muscles. --Darkfred ^{Talk to me} 22:54, 19 September 2006 (UTC)

So what is the burning than? From your muscles being torn apart microscopicaly? Or is that a misconception too and it is actually just multiplying muscle cells? — [Mac Davis](talk) (SUPERDESK|Help me improve)00:07, 20 September 2006 (UTC)

The muscles are microscopically torn, I don't believe the cells themselves are cut(not sure), just broken apart. Why this feels like a burn is simply the type of nerve in the muscle, heat and pressure sensitive. --Darkfred ^{Talk to me} 01:36, 20 September 2006 (UTC)

Lactic acid cannot be formed in the body, since lactate doesn't ionize naturally. I think you mean lactate. Lactate is naturally generated by metabolism and activity, and the body requires a constant supply of oxygen to break down lactate.. it's a cycle that keeps lactate levels low. The amazing thing about it is that if there's not enough oxygen to break down the lactate (ie you're excercising and short of breath), the lactate can actually take the place of oxygen in cellular respiration, in what's called anerobic respiration. At least, that's what I remember of my high school biology classes :D --Froth 15:08, 20 September 2006 (UTC)

I remember from reading many years ago that cramp was the result of build-up of lactic acid resulting from anaerobic respiration. Is this false as well? Certainly, the cramp article doesn't say so - but then it doesn't give a mechanism at all. ColinFine 12:54, 23 September 2006 (UTC)

Piconjo

Who is piconjo? And why does he <3 j00? --216.164.199.167 23:29, 19 September 2006 (UTC)

I am guessing he is enamored of me because of my striking good looks --Darkfred ^{Talk to me} 23:34, 19 September 2006 (UTC)

Apparently he doesn't <3 me. According to this log, he owns my face, is French, sucks, and has a powerful pen0r.  freshofftheufoΓΛĿЌ  01:18, 20 September 2006 (UTC)

OMG a pen0r! Sw33t --Darkfred ^{Talk to me} 01:31, 20 September 2006 (UTC)

quarters

WHat states dont have a state quarter yet?Danielbonomo 23:31, 19 September 2006 (UTC)

see the article State quarters. --Darkfred ^{Talk to me} 23:33, 19 September 2006 (UTC)

September 20

Condoms

Wow do u use a condom? (question mark added by  freshofftheufoΓΛĿЌ )

You should, condoms encourage safe-sex. Jamesino 00:42, 20 September 2006 (UTC)

Wow, yes.  freshofftheufoΓΛĿЌ  01:11, 20 September 2006 (UTC)

See our article on Condom. --Lambiam^Talk 01:27, 20 September 2006 (UTC)

Make sure you use it correctly, too. The consequences for an error are pretty high. Durova 01:48, 20 September 2006 (UTC)

Do not use a condom. Sex is meant for the creation of new life, anything less degrades the sacred ritual. Do not have sex with more than one person in your life (choose wisely!), then you will never be at risk for any diseases, you will create loving children, and you will have an emotional bond, as close as two earthly mortals can ever get to God's love. This has been a public service announcement from: Jasbutal 04:44, 20 September 2006 (UTC)

Citation needed 惑乱 分からん 09:34, 20 September 2006 (UTC)

Or be on welfare for the rest of your life. ;) Wooty 05:03, 20 September 2006 (UTC)

Please remember that the reference desk is not for religious indoctrination. We answer questions (even malformed ones, like this), we don't act as a moral compass. Rockpocket 07:46, 20 September 2006 (UTC)

you answer the question your way, I'll answer it mine.

But your moralist preaching is POV and (from my POV) not realistical and quite annoying. 惑乱 分からん 14:31, 20 September 2006 (UTC)

unfortunately, it's a double-edged sword wak. I find many of your answers and "facts" POV, and also rather annoying. Jasbutal

Point taken, and this is more of a discussion page, not an article. Perhaps it'd still work better with some bickering and disagreement on the talk page. 惑乱 分からん 12:03, 23 September 2006 (UTC)

I think he meant to ask, "HOW do u use a condom?"

Isn't the article illustrated with an instruction? Otherwise, I guess practise makes perfect! ;) 惑乱 分からん 14:31, 20 September 2006 (UTC)

Jasbutal, what if this wisely chosen partner has a disease which can be sexually transmitted? —Daniel (‽) 19:48, 20 September 2006 (UTC)

Why are we conscious?

Why does the human mind make such an effort to keep itself in consciouness, when it can very well survive in the subconscious level? Jamesino 00:41, 20 September 2006 (UTC)

We would die if we were without consciousness.--Light current 00:44, 20 September 2006 (UTC)

Coma patients are not conscious, but yet, they still survive. Jamesino 00:53, 20 September 2006 (UTC)

They only survive because of conscious people tending to their survival needs. If we were all unconscious, we wouldn't last too long as a species. As for being subconscious, well, that state is subjective. Those on a higher plane of consciousness (or those who indulge occasionally) might well say the rest of us are existing in our subconcious. Who is to say they are wrong? Rockpocket 07:43, 20 September 2006 (UTC)

Do you want to live like that?--Light current 00:55, 20 September 2006 (UTC)

I really hope not, but regardless, what is the point for our minds or brain to keep us conscious? Jamesino 00:59, 20 September 2006 (UTC)

To survive!! How dya eat if your not conscious!--Light current 01:06, 20 September 2006 (UTC)

You can't carry on the species (or protect it) as an unconcious blob, so conciousness is a basic necessity of survival and evolution.  freshofftheufoΓΛĿЌ  01:14, 20 September 2006 (UTC)

Can you carry on the species as a concious blob? --Lambiam^Talk 01:30, 20 September 2006 (UTC)

Sadly, females who are in a vegetative state have been impregnated by rapacious caretakers in institutions. No data on males similarly abused, except "Garp."Edison 05:24, 20 September 2006 (UTC)

Only if you find another concious blob of the opposite sex. (OK she could be unconcious!)--Light current 01:33, 20 September 2006 (UTC)

Lots of eatin' propagatin' creepy crawlies aren't conscious, for example plankton. Clarityfiend 03:50, 20 September 2006 (UTC)

Basically us homo sapiens succeeded at infesting the entire planet because we're smarter than everything else. We've got tiny teeth, useless "claws," we're five times weaker in muscle strength than our nearest relatives the chimpanzee and bonabo. About all we've got going for us is opposable thumbs, language, and brain power. Durova 01:53, 20 September 2006 (UTC)

You forgot WP! 8-)--Light current 01:57, 20 September 2006 (UTC)

I think, therefore I am. --AstoVidatu 01:56, 20 September 2006 (UTC)

There's a little about this question at Consciousness#Functions_of_consciousness, although I'm surprised at how little. I'm pretty sure there's been enough written about this subject to warrant at least one separate Wikipedia article. --Allen 04:17, 20 September 2006 (UTC)

Which is logically incorrect by the way. Descartes should have come up with "I think" because it doesn't necessarily follow that "I am". --Froth 05:49, 20 September 2006 (UTC)

I think I think therefore I think I am. --Fastfission 15:22, 21 September 2006 (UTC)

I am what I am and that's all what I am (less'n I can't gets me spinach - then I am not). Clarityfiend 07:19, 20 September 2006 (UTC)

Durova, you probably meant bonobo. Lukas 07:33, 20 September 2006 (UTC)

voudoun

Would spitting rum into one's eyes make them go blind? It seems to be a voudoun tradition in their rituals... but how dangerous is something like that? 71.56.107.20 01:45, 20 September 2006 (UTC)

Check out the article on saliva. Based on saliva's composition, spitting in someone elses eyes will probably not have long term affects. HOWEVER, as noted in the spitting article, diseases can be transimtted through saliva. To sum it up, let your friends spit in your eyes at your own risk. --AstoVidatu 01:55, 20 September 2006 (UTC)

The rum would hurt (a burning feeling) which would cause the victim to shut their eyes tightly, but would not permanently damage the eyes. --Lambiam^Talk 02:05, 20 September 2006 (UTC)

Oh! Voodoo. IC now--Light current 05:44, 20 September 2006 (UTC)

Life Straw

Dear Sir or Madam:

My name is Indigita Manapatelshiri I do live in a local village in the city of Bandgararlon in the state of Kerala. and my peoople have suffered from a case of what I believe to be a bacterium which is water-derived .The state of Kerala and the bureaucratic systems in Delhi are not cooperating us at all, I wish to purchase Life Straws for my community how might you advise such a purchase from the interface corporations? Please do email me the solution. <e-mail removed>

Many thanks and may god-bless you and the communities in which you live.

Follow this link to find contact information for the India office of the LifeStraw company. --Allen 04:52, 20 September 2006 (UTC)

I also suggest you tell everyone to boil water before they drink it, and preferably before they bathe in it, too. This will kill any bacteria in the water. StuRat 09:03, 20 September 2006 (UTC)

this is quite impossible. We don't live in a land where electricity reaches everywhere on a grid and other sources of fuel are cheap and abundant.

Excuse my possible ignorance. But how can you possibly be using the internet if you do not have electricity? I fail to understand how you can possibly have enough power to power a computer and access the internet if you don't have any power to boil water? Yaksha 13:57, 22 September 2006 (UTC)

I don't understand, you must have some way to cook food, even if it's just a pot over an open fire. So, fill the pot with water and bring it to a boil. I can see why it might be too expensive to boil bathing water this way, but I would think you could afford to boil drinking water, at least. StuRat 01:58, 21 September 2006 (UTC)

Make sure you let the water cool before bathing in it --Froth 15:03, 20 September 2006 (UTC)

To ref desk editors: Also make sure you do not drink the water after bathing in it and do not put beans up your nose. WP:Beans--Light current 16:16, 20 September 2006 (UTC)

do not mock me, sir.

He wasn't mocking you, it's an inside joke :) --Froth 05:17, 21 September 2006 (UTC)

What a world we live in when the world's largest democracy can provide local village access to the internet but not to clean drinking water.

I like one idea I saw, it's a well with a hand pump, powered by a kid's merry-go-round, which pumps water into a water tower. The kids, just by playing, guaranteee the water tower is always full. StuRat 01:52, 21 September 2006 (UTC)

I'm not sure I'd like that idea if I was the kid.. that would make it considerably harder to turn the merry-go-round --Froth 05:20, 21 September 2006 (UTC)

sir, what does a democracy have to do with any of this? Democracies are not infallible.

Sorry about the comments, they aren't mocking you, though, just being silly. StuRat 01:54, 21 September 2006 (UTC)

Democracies have very much to do with it- America pioneered the internet and internationalized it, and remains the authority on standards and protocol. Yet america can't provide drinking water. He was saying that democracies ARE fallible. --Froth 05:23, 21 September 2006 (UTC)

Of course they are. Any social system is fallible. But what does pioneering the Internet have to do with that? That transports information, not water. And what makes you think 'america' internationalised the Internet? If you mean 'popularise', that was mainly a result of the world wide web, which came from Europe. DirkvdM 07:27, 21 September 2006 (UTC)

The point is to point out the vast gulf between america and wherever this guy is posting from. more than 2/3 of americans have personal computers while this fellow is trying to find some clean water. And by internationalize, I mean the work that american universities did to develop and popularize usenet and other early internet architectures, which demonstrated the usefulness and practicality of the internet --Froth 16:05, 21 September 2006 (UTC)

Funny use of the word 'internationalise'. Anyway, the point was that India provides it's people with internet access but not clean water. To which I'd like to comment that one (second hand) computer connected to the internet (meaning a telephone line) for one village can cost just a fraction of what it would cost to constantly provide proper drinking water. DirkvdM 06:23, 22 September 2006 (UTC)

About blaming democracy, that is actually something that is supposed to promote solidarity and hence equality. But it only works to some extent (the US, for example, has a very limited democracy and hence a lot of inequality). I am more inclined to think that a central problem here is overpopulation, something India especially has a lot of. I suppose the lack of fuel to boil the water is a result of there not being any firewood left. Am I right? (StuRat, fuel isn't as plentiful a resource as USians might think.) Filtering could indeed be a good solution, but you'd need to identify the source of the disease first before you spend too much money on it. And one big communal filtering installation (instead of loads of tiny ones like those lifestraws) might be cheaper per person in the long run. Although half a eurocent per litre sounds affordable and is at least a faster solution. But you need to think about the future too. I suggest you start reading at water purification. Finding affordable solutions might be difficult, though, because most effort is put in things that bring in money and providing cheap solutions for the third world is not the most profitable of things. So don't think so much in terms of products you can buy but more in terms of solutions in the form of ideas you can realise yourself with what you have at hand. What about catching water in the rainy season and preserving it? Just a thought. If you don't have money you need to use wit. DirkvdM 07:27, 21 September 2006 (UTC)

Dirk, you are mistaken when you say the US has a "very limited democarcy" and if you think economic equality is a universal goal of democracy. That's a stated goal of communism, but not in reality a goal even there. India does have a high degree of inequality, with some rich states known for their high education levels and other poor states with high rates of illiteracy. Even in Kerala, some coastal tourist areas are likely much better off economically than some non-tourist areas. While economic inequality may be considered to be a cause of such water contamination issues, it isn't a good idea to wait for economic equality (which may never come), assuming that will bring with it a safe water supply. A more immediate solution is needed. StuRat 11:00, 21 September 2006 (UTC)

I spoke of 'promoting equality', not 'achieving total equality'. The former is certainly a goal of democracy afaic. However, the total wealth of a nation or state is of course also important, although I think more financial equality will also help there if that means that people are healthier and thus more productive - which is quite relevant here. But I suppose you pointed that out too. DirkvdM 06:23, 22 September 2006 (UTC)

I still think water can be boiled economically, especially if done on a communal scale. If you compare the amount of fuel used to boil water with that needed to bake bread or cook meat, for example, it should be less to boil the same weight of water, because it doesn't need to be boiled for long, while bread does need to be baked for a long time or meat cooked for a long time. StuRat 10:27, 21 September 2006 (UTC)

Boiling water might actually solve the problem permanently, too. If this is the typical case, where people get infected from the water supply, and the bacteria from the people reinfects the water supply, then you only need to break the cycle. If everyone in the area only drinks boiled water for a period, they will then stop reinfecting the water supply, which will then eventually clear of bacteria. Other actions should also be taken, such as preventing people from bathing in the water supply (this can be especially difficult to enforce on kids) and making sure that sewers, cesspools, and outhouses are located far enough from the water supply to prevent contamination. This can be a particular problem during periods of flooding. Adding a disinfection chemical, like chlorine, to the water supply is also an option to break the cycle, but that may not be available or affordable in your area. This advice applies mainly to wells and springs. If your water comes from a river, unfortunately, the contamination likely comes from others upstream from you, so you have less control. What type of water supply do you have ? StuRat 10:46, 21 September 2006 (UTC)

""The worlds largest democracy means India not the US. He was criticising the government of India not the US. They are providing internet access in every village. He was saying they should provide fresh water first. Jameswilson 23:42, 21 September 2006 (UTC)

I suppose you're talking to Froth, but just in case you're talking to me, I was talking to Froth. :) DirkvdM 06:23, 22 September 2006 (UTC)

Um, just a general suggestion - can the regulars on this desk please be a little bit more careful how they reply to people from different cultural backgrounds. Humor does not travel well through cultural differences and language difficulties. --Robert Merkel 05:16, 22 September 2006 (UTC)

One other thing with water filtration; there are very low-cost, low-tech filtration systems that can be constructed locally (the construction of which might even be a profitable business for the community). See, for instance, the clay pot filter, or the Filtron [16]. --Robert Merkel 06:01, 22 September 2006 (UTC)

Most attended exposition (related to electronics/games/Sci-Fi/whatnot)

Well? Oh and I tried to look for wikicharts or something like that, couldn't find it. The velociraptor 05:12, 20 September 2006 (UTC)

I'm not entirely sure what you are looking for. For games there's E3 (even though next year it's going to be significantly smaller) and the Tokyo Game Show (going on right now), for electronics there's CES, and for Sci-Fi there is any number of big conventions. If you could perhaps clarify what it is you were looking for, I could help you more Oskar 05:57, 20 September 2006 (UTC)

Comic con? Worldcon? See List_of_science_fiction_conventions for an exhaustive list --Froth 05:08, 21 September 2006 (UTC)

idiots

How do you deal with stupid people who think they're right when they're not? --Froth 05:48, 20 September 2006 (UTC)

I take a pool-cue to their knees, that usually shuts them up! Oskar 05:52, 20 September 2006 (UTC)

Sorry it's not an option.. any other thoughts? --Froth 06:05, 20 September 2006 (UTC)

Somebody once said "Don't argue with idiots, they'll bring you down to their level and beat you with experience". It's pointless task to try and convince someone that doesn't want to be convinced. It doesn't matter how good your arguments get, they'll never change their mind. The best thing you can do is make sure that you're not such a person; accept arguments on their merits, not on personal prejudice. Sorry, but that's all the help I can give you (well, that and pool-cues). Maybe if you described the specific predicament you are in, you might get a better response. Oskar 06:13, 20 September 2006 (UTC)

Also 'arguing with an idiot is like wrestling a pig - the pig likes it and you get dirty'. Also a recently asked question on suffering fools (I paraphrase) 'You suffer fools gladly because you are wise.' Rentwa 14:01, 20 September 2006 (UTC)

I answer their questions politely on the Reference desk. I hope that is helpful. DJ Clayworth 15:46, 20 September 2006 (UTC)

I would say you need to present evidence proving your case. Some evidence can't be denied (like video showing cops beating people), while other evidence is iffy at best ("I once saw..."). StuRat 06:55, 20 September 2006 (UTC)

Whatever you do to them, they might pick it up, decide that you are the idiot and do it to you. DirkvdM 07:27, 20 September 2006 (UTC)

In that case, don't forget the Golden Rule: "Do unto others...before other can do unto you." :-) StuRat 09:09, 20 September 2006 (UTC)

Seriously though, you won't even begin to deal with the person until you stop judging them as an idiot, or as stupid. Start by trying to understand where they are coming from, respect that, then go on from there. JackofOz 09:12, 20 September 2006 (UTC)

Some people are just way smarter than others, how should we deal with the less intelligent :/ --Froth 15:14, 20 September 2006 (UTC)

THe proper thing to do (not saying I always do it) is to state your case clearly and simply with evidence. Then leave it. No piont in arguing furthe if the other person doesnt wantr to listen. We ve had a few of these people on WP> It may turn out tho', that in the discourse, he turns out to be right and you turn out to be the fool! Hence, dont call the other one, even when youre sure he is. THis sounds like Wikiquette!--Light current 15:41, 20 September 2006 (UTC)

I'll assume good faith and suppose that this questioner is very young. Nobody likes to be called stupid or to be talked down to. The quickest way to create a gang of enemies who devote themselves to making your life miserable is when people start whispering that you think you're better than them. People are very shrewd at picking up on that sort of hint even if you aren't sending out a deliberate message. This puts people who genuinely are brilliant in a delicate position. Rent the film Amadeus: it's a drama about how that dynamic tore Mozart's life apart. If you really are exceptional - if you score in the top percentile on all the standardized tests and you earn As in school without much effort - remember that's only one part of life. Other people have feelings that are just as important as yours. Look for something to value in each person. Sometimes it's better to walk away and let someone else's mistake stand uncorrected. People will come to you with questions if they respect you. Durova 16:11, 20 September 2006 (UTC)

The questioner is an undergrad in college ... As a student of philosophy (though my major is actually computer science) I'm constantly blown away by the saddening ignorance of my fellow students. I admit it's hard to argue with people because faults in their logic or weakness of their arguments are so apparent to me that I guess I come across as that guy who thinks he's perfect.. I don't mind being wrong myself (and I often am) but I can't stand people spreading incorrect information or philosophy and I must speak up! --Froth 20:55, 20 September 2006 (UTC)

Pretty much any field gets like that, once you know it well enough. My advice is to pick your battles. Durova 21:11, 20 September 2006 (UTC)

OH Lord its hard to be humble, when youre perfect in every way!(song?) --Light current 16:14, 20 September 2006 (UTC)

Oh Lord it's hard to be humble

when you're perfect in every way.

I can't wait to look in the mirror

'cos I get better looking each day

to know me is to love me

I must be a hell of a man.

O Lord it's hard to be humble

but I'm doing the best that I can. -- Arwel (talk) 17:54, 22 September 2006 (UTC)

I've tried many things, but the fact remains that nobody likes to be wrong, to be told they are wrong, or to be thought of as inferior. That means that you can't tell them they're wrong, act like they're wrong, or attempt to teach them or correct their ways. Observe how they respond to your sparks of wisdom and apply the same response to their stupid speeches and you should make them feel more comfortable by giving the impression of some sort of equal level. In general, this creates conversations like:

Idiot: Yeah mean, Pluto's gone. I bet all those psychics are rolling in their graves!

You: Mmmm.

Ambient noise: sssss.

 freshofftheufoΓΛĿЌ  03:55, 21 September 2006 (UTC)

I've heard a lot of people talking about pluto in that exact way. One guy even asked "so is it gone, or what?" x_x --Froth 05:03, 21 September 2006 (UTC)

Do I need a spoiler for my new car?

I'm looking into buying a new car and one option available is a spoiler. Should I take it? Do I really need one? --Blue387 06:32, 20 September 2006 (UTC) Template:Spoiler-blank

Probably not. The idea behind a spoiler is that it reduces lift (and the similar "reverse wing" actual creates downforce), to better hold the rear wheels down on the ground. This would be advantageous on a rear wheel drive car at high acceleration and speed, like, say, a formula one car, to keep the drive wheels from slipping. However, if your car is front wheel drive, and/or you don't typically drive it at 200 mph, then the spoiler is "just for looks", and may even increase drag and thus cost you mileage. They also add weight, but not typically enough to have a noticeable effect on fuel economy. StuRat 06:39, 20 September 2006 (UTC)

It also adds to the rear profile of your car, which can visually improve the balance, or make it look like a dinky car with a big wing on the end. The "spoiler" you're probably going to get with your Corolla (if you're getting it from the dealer) is nothing more than an ugly asthetic blob of plastic stuck on the trunk, which is not only visually unappealing, but it's so pathetically small that it will only serve to make people who really know about cars to snicker at you. I vote don't do it!.  freshofftheufoΓΛĿЌ  07:03, 20 September 2006 (UTC)

Perhaps increased traction on the rear wheels are a good thing even with front wheel drive. On television, I have seen people speeding away from the police and having to switch lanes to get past traffic. Sometimes they don't handle the car smoothly enough, or are simply forced to turn too sharply and so their rear end swings out and makes them crash. You might also want to finish braking, if you need to, before you turn your steering wheel since braking transfers wheight to your front wheels and makes it easier for your rear wheels to loose their grip. But then again, I hope you won't be driving like this anyway, at least not in traffic. —Bromskloss 10:10, 20 September 2006 (UTC)

Until the cops decide they need spoilers on their cars, I'd say don't bother. (Of course these guys need to go one better, don't they.)--Shantavira 11:59, 20 September 2006 (UTC)

O_O --Froth 15:00, 20 September 2006 (UTC)

I'm not sure that small spoilers on cars are intended to provide extra downforce. Those on open-wheel racers certainly are, but my understanding is that the little spoilers on road cars are intended to force the airflow to separate from the car body at the back, rather than have it try to follow the body shape down, thus reducing the drag. No idea if it works though. The effect on a Corolla is almost certainly tiny. DJ Clayworth 15:45, 20 September 2006 (UTC)

It makes the car look better for a relatively small cost. GO FOR IT! Downunda 23:22, 20 September 2006 (UTC)

Just for yourself. Do you really think this looks better?  freshofftheufoΓΛĿЌ  03:45, 21 September 2006 (UTC)

This is even worse. There's not even any gap between the spoiler and the car! --Froth 05:01, 21 September 2006 (UTC]

Come on, guys! There's nothing cooler than a car with a spoiler. --ByeByeBaby 13:57, 21 September 2006 (UTC)

I think they look very cool. People think I am uncool. Make your own conclusion. Edison 14:56, 21 September 2006 (UTC)

Spoiler warning? I think I may have to award a barnstar for that.. --Froth 16:09, 21 September 2006 (UTC)

No just points. 500 points = 1 Barnstar--Light current 23:57, 21 September 2006 (UTC)

Can't take it back now! Besides if everyone went on points, all your 1-point groaners would accumulate to the point that any browser that trys to load your talk page would crash :) --froth^{T C} 05:21, 22 September 2006 (UTC)

Does Caffine Disentergrate?

Does caffine disentergrate in the container, after the container is opened? And also before? Thanks.100110100 07:40, 20 September 2006 (UTC)

USP grade (pure) caffeine

I think you mean deteriorate. Are you talking about coffee. People don't usually have pure caffeine in a container. - Mgm|^(talk) 11:31, 20 September 2006 (UTC)

It is meaningful to ask to what extent the caffeine in the coffee in your coffee jar is subject to degradation. Since the caffeine survived the coffee roasting, it apparently has high thermal stability. It also seems to have very low sensitivity to light. I did not find information about possible oxidation when the coffee is kept dry. The reason coffee is vacuum-packed seems to be to prevent oxidation of the fat molecules (which would cause rancidity). You should keep the container closed to counter the evaporation of volatile compounds contributing to the flavour. Both are about the taste, not the caffeine. --Lambiam^Talk 12:57, 20 September 2006 (UTC)

WOW O_O' Just out of curiosity, would that much caffeine kill you if you wet it a little or something and ate it all in one day? --Froth 04:59, 21 September 2006 (UTC)

How much? It's hard to judge the size of the heap. But if you keep on eating pure caffeine that will probably kill you before the day is through. Whether something is a poison depends a lot on how much and in what concentration it comes. Chewing coca leafs may not be too healthy, but the chewing process is too arduous to let you consume too much cocaine. Purify the cocaine and the story changes. Also, weed in the Netherlands is now cultivated into something so potent that some claim it's now a harddrug. It's not the substance that counts, it's the concentration it comes in. Hence the alternative terms 'hard use' and 'soft use'. Another example is beer. In the middle ages it was a life saver because it contained distilled water plus preservatives. Sailors drank it all the time. But it contained only a tiny bit of alcohol. Spirits are a completely differrent story. Concentrate caffeine enough and you've got a hard drug. Or rather something that makes hard use too easy. DirkvdM 07:37, 21 September 2006 (UTC)

I don't believe that there are any good studies on the toxicity of caffeine in humans. But the toxicity of caffeine for rats has been well-tested. The Physical and Theoretical Chemistry Laboratory at Oxford reports that oral consumption of 192mg of caffeine per kilogram of rat weight killed half the rats tested. (ORL-RAT LD50 = 192mg/kg). 65.203.61.56 21:38, 21 September 2006 (UTC)

Bloody hell, just 1/5 of a gram. I was even more right than I thought. :) How does that translate to humans? Is that linear? Assuming rats weigh 300 grams, the lethal dose for humans would then be about 200 times bigger, so 40 grams. That should give it hard drug status. DirkvdM 06:31, 22 September 2006 (UTC)

the practice

i wnted to know whether in the program the practice bobby n laura flyn boyle actually have an affair n in which episode.give me a link

I would guess the Bobby4Helen forum is the one you need.--Shantavira 11:47, 20 September 2006 (UTC)

Old Woman and the China

There is an old lady who designs china, dinnerware, or both. She's about 80 or 90 years old and her style is similar to Villeroy and Boch; clean, round lines with (I think) no designs. I have been looking on the internet for her name but I cannot find it. She was once featured on the Sunday Morning show on CBS; they couldn't help me either.Maggie4mae 12:52, 20 September 2006 (UTC)

Mother Earth'nware ? -- DLL ^{.. T} 18:31, 20 September 2006 (UTC)

Do you perhaps know her nationality? It would help a lot with searching, mostly by getting rid of all the sources from China.  freshofftheufoΓΛĿЌ  03:35, 21 September 2006 (UTC)

She doesn't look Asian. She also has a Slovik or Baltic name.

What does the panel suggest

What does the panel suggest I do when:

• all the pages Im interested in are in a reasonable state
• Im getting a bit bored answering questions on the ref desks
• I do not want to become an administrator.

--Light current 19:22, 20 September 2006 (UTC)

Wikibreak? It could be useful finding a life outside the Internet... =S 惑乱 分からん 20:45, 20 September 2006 (UTC)

Yeah that what I was thinking. an extended one! 8-)--Light current 21:03, 20 September 2006 (UTC)

I have a life, but no one to run it for me! 8-(--Light current 21:48, 20 September 2006 (UTC)

• You can always try to get new interests. Try looking for articles that haven't been written at WP:RA and WP:AFC and see if any of them sound interesting or work like Violetriga and write articles about unusual subjects. - Mgm|^(talk) 22:06, 20 September 2006 (UTC)

Write book about Wikipedia. Write article about book. Sue self for copyright infringement. Clarityfiend 00:13, 21 September 2006 (UTC)

Who is Sue Self? Never heard of her!--Light current 00:17, 21 September 2006 (UTC)

Write book about Wikipedia. Get it published. Use it as a legitimate (no self references) source in the Wikipedia article. Rmhermen 00:25, 21 September 2006 (UTC)

Er.. yeah... that seems to have been suggested already!--Light current 00:27, 21 September 2006 (UTC)

There are other Wikis you could explore, like Wiktionary, Wikibooks, Wikiquote, Wikisource, Wikinews, Unpedia, etc. StuRat 01:20, 21 September 2006 (UTC)

Yeah but are they as exciting as here?--Light current 02:20, 21 September 2006 (UTC)

No, presumably because you're not there. It is your duty to go now and let them see the light.  freshofftheufoΓΛĿЌ  03:34, 21 September 2006 (UTC)

It takes a different spirit to work on one of the other wikis I think. It's like the frontier! --Froth 04:57, 21 September 2006 (UTC)

I worked on Wikinews, and found it to be too contentious, even for me. In particular, the anti-government anarchists seemed too powerful. Think of the character Hyde on That Seventies Show..."It's all a government conspiracy, man, they've got a car that runs on water, dude, but they're keeping it secret so the big oil companies can make more profit". StuRat 06:45, 21 September 2006 (UTC)

There's never a dull moment at the Wikipedia:Counter-Vandalism Unit. --Shantavira 06:48, 21 September 2006 (UTC)

Take a look at the Community portal, especially the open tasks. There is plenty to do, take it as an encouragement to learn about a new subject you didn't know about! — QuantumEleven 09:27, 21 September 2006 (UTC)

Take a look at AfD. Find every day one article which is up for deletion, and improve it to the point that it is kept. Edison 14:59, 21 September 2006 (UTC)

THanks to everyone for your suggestions. I shall consider them carefully! 8-)--Light current 01:59, 22 September 2006 (UTC)

Jim Beatty World Records

I've found numerous citations, including on wikipedia, saying that Jim Beatty broke three track and field world records in 1962. However, I can only find official times to back up that claim for two events -- the indoor mile and the outdoor two mile. What other event record did he break, and what was his time? Is there some site that lists the progression of world records with every successive change that goes back that far? Thanks!

Title of music during House M.D. episode Informed Consent

I was not terribly sure where to post it so I placed it here. I was wondering whether anyone knew the name of the classical music playing while Erza (the main patient) is testing his rats in the beginning. If this is the wrong place to ask, please tell me where to place it. Delta 20:56, 20 September 2006 (UTC)

I checked the forums on Televison Without Pity, which includes a House music forum ("From the Stones to Rickie Lee Jones: Music in House"), and your question had already been asked and answered; users heyjudes and bluepencil agreed: "It's Bach -- prelude to Suite for solo cello #1 in G major, probably best known among TV-watchers because Yo-Yo Ma performed it during a White House Christmas party on The West Wing ("Noel," 12/20/2000)." --ByeByeBaby 13:45, 21 September 2006 (UTC)

Wow, nice find! --Froth 16:20, 21 September 2006 (UTC)

Name

I believe its voltswagon that has been running commercials for a car that has been "pretuned by german engineers". I am curious to know if anyone out there knows the name of the hot blond chick in the commercials. 129.108.25.67 21:00, 20 September 2006 (UTC)

I wouldnt touch that car- you could get a nasty shock! 8-)--Light current 21:07, 20 September 2006 (UTC)

Carmen Electra? Sorry, I couldn't resist the temptation. I should be grounded. Clarityfiend 23:36, 20 September 2006 (UTC)

So you want to be discharged ?--Light current 00:22, 21 September 2006 (UTC)

What a shocking suggestion. Have you no spark of decency? Clarityfiend 00:48, 21 September 2006 (UTC)

I note your reluctance to accept my charges, but your current actions may potentially cause differences between us. Your resistance to my suggestions and your lack of capacity to understand them may be the cause of excess heat energy. Perhaps you can transform your attitude in future?? 8-)---- Your turn!--Light current 02:04, 21 September 2006 (UTC)

I love the term "reluctance". I picture a rather whiny electron saying "Oh man, I don't wanna go all the way down that long wire, against that huge magnetic field. Do you have any idea how hard that is ? I'm not being paid enough for this, I quit !" StuRat 06:39, 21 September 2006 (UTC)

He should have gone to college to become an AC electron.. they have the easy jobs --Froth 16:25, 21 September 2006 (UTC)

Uncle! I give up, LOL. You are the master, Obi-wan. Clarityfiend 04:37, 21 September 2006 (UTC)

Please just answer the guy's question --Froth 04:54, 21 September 2006 (UTC)

It might be easier to find the info, knowing that the company is spelled Volkswagen. (German for folk/people-wagon). 惑乱 分からん 10:20, 21 September 2006 (UTC)

My desk is in a state of flux so I can't find the answer.Edison 15:01, 21 September 2006 (UTC)

Anyone else think this should be put on Bad Jokes and Other Deleted Nonsense? I haven't laughed so hard for such a long time... -80.229.152.246 16:04, 21 September 2006 (UTC)

What a sad life you must lead 8-)--Light current 23:59, 21 September 2006 (UTC)

There you go again, trying to induce a poor soul into giving up his insulated existence. No! Must stop...must resis... Clarityfiend 04:46, 22 September 2006 (UTC)

Be bold! --Froth 16:13, 21 September 2006 (UTC)

Willie Mays

In 1971, Willie Mays hit 18 home runs for the San Francisco Giants. How many of these were hit on Saturday? On Sunday?

Bakuten Shoot:Beyblade Daichi

What exactly is this story about?I've seen it in the beyblade manga before but i dont really understand it.Can someone please write an article on this or atleast tell me what it is?Please and thank you very much

How come do east asians look similar?

It sounds stupid, but every time I assume that a person is Japanese/Chinese/Korean/Vietnamese, they turn out to be NOT what I assumed. For example, I've met people before who I thought were Chinese but turned out to be Japanese or Vietnamese. Can someone explain? The velociraptor 23:50, 20 September 2006 (UTC)

Read Mongoloid race and Epicanthal fold for more info. (I couldn't find other articles more thoroughly discussing "Asian race", when I skimmed through Wikipedia...) 惑乱 分からん 00:41, 21 September 2006 (UTC)

But, generally, people are better at distinguishing between people they are more familiar with. So, I would assume you don't see Asians as often as other races ("gene pools" for the sticklers here). StuRat 01:05, 21 September 2006 (UTC)

Actually, I'm Filipino myself. I thought I could assume them, becuase Chinese have more slanted eyes, while Japanese and Korean are a bit leveled. 4.246.42.23 04:47, 21 September 2006 (UTC)

Well, Filipinos may have more variety than other Asians, due to interbreeding during periods of colonization by Spain, the US, and (briefly) by Japan. I believe there are also substantial immigrant populations there, as well. StuRat 06:36, 21 September 2006 (UTC)

Agreed. I do think there is also some logic in the claim though, partly as a result of the massive and brutal military (and genetic) Chinese expansion during the Han Dynasty.  freshofftheufoΓΛĿЌ  03:26, 21 September 2006 (UTC)

When I came back from Guam I was surprised at how everybody looked the same! All the white high school girls looked kind of the same. — [Mac Davis](talk) (SUPERDESK|Help me improve)06:01, 21 September 2006 (UTC)

All people of a particular races look rather alike. --Proficient 06:27, 21 September 2006 (UTC)

So do all Indians (for example) think that all English people look alike?--Shantavira 07:24, 21 September 2006 (UTC)

If they don't have any experience of interaction or acquaintanceship with many English people, it's likely... 惑乱 分からん 10:15, 21 September 2006 (UTC)

Please note that there is a big difference in "ethnicity" and "nationality". There are very significant Chinese populations all over south-east Asia, so the "Indonesian" or "Vietnamese" person you thought was Chinese might indeed be ethnically CHinese but not nationally. Make sure to ask the question specifically. -JAS

September 21

CIMA GBA game

Can anyone help me? I am stuck on the puzzle in the room where Ark sneezes in weakling forest. Can you tell me the weights of the monsters/switch-thingies. Thnx, Max *Max* 00:01, 21 September 2006 (UTC)

You're at the wrong website. Try GameFAQs. —Mitaphane _talk 03:21, 21 September 2006 (UTC)

Weird feeling in the pubic area

Can anyone explain why this happened?? When driving up and down a highway with alot of small hills me and my guy friends both experienced a weird feeling in the pubic area.. It is really hard to explain but maybe someone will know what i mean.

If you were riding a bike, I'd say probably a matter of insufficient blood supply to some body parts because of pinched vessels. But driving? In a car with suspension? --Lambiam^Talk 01:32, 21 September 2006 (UTC)

THey said they were driving!--Light current 02:30, 21 September 2006 (UTC)

Probably pressure changes on the prostate gland which may give false info as to bladder fullness .--Light current 01:43, 21 September 2006 (UTC)

The same thing happens when you're on a roller coaster. 4.246.42.23 03:18, 21 September 2006 (UTC)

Maybe - in an epiphany - you simultaneously realised that you were sexually attracted to one another other? Rockpocket 03:58, 21 September 2006 (UTC)

Yeah, happens to me on a roller coaster. — [Mac Davis](talk) (SUPERDESK|Help me improve)05:59, 21 September 2006 (UTC)

We still remember when we were watching the 'Wild Octopus' ride, somebody yelling out: "Oh, my sack!!". We all laughed till it hurt! --Zeizmic 12:35, 21 September 2006 (UTC)

Maybe the hills cause vibration? --Proficient 06:10, 22 September 2006 (UTC)

Upper decker

How do you clean out an upper decker. --216.164.197.178 01:27, 21 September 2006 (UTC)

If your talking about a double decker bus, you sweep all the crap from the upper deck down the stairs to the lower deck, then proceed as if it was a single decker! Simple! 8-)--Light current 02:33, 21 September 2006 (UTC)

"Upper decker" is a slang term meaning to defecate in the upper portion of a toilet.  freshofftheufoΓΛĿЌ  03:21, 21 September 2006 (UTC)

Ahh we have not yet taken up these advanced toilet habits over here!--Light current 13:55, 21 September 2006 (UTC)

Yuck! Try draining the tank and taking out all the parts (you might want to replace them or just clean them out if you're feeling up to the task) then remove the tank and hose it out. Just a guess --Froth 04:48, 21 September 2006 (UTC)

If it's types 1-3 on the Bristol Stool Scale, fish out the offending pieces (with gloves, please!) into the "lower deck" and flush a few times (perhaps adding bleach to the tank). Types 4 and 5, I'd recommend using some sort of a net or strainer; you may want to buy a cheap one for this one-time use, or you could use a few plastic bags to scoop the pieces up (water and all) and dump them in the bowl, then flush (with bleach). The Good Lord help you if you have a type 6 or 7 upper decker; rest assured that the person who did the deed will suffer karmically for this. You might be able to make some headway with a 6 or 7 by flushing repeatedly, adding chlorine bleach each time. --ByeByeBaby 13:37, 21 September 2006 (UTC)

whoa, I rarely get a 4, I need to work on my gastrointestinatl. -JAS

Gross. --Proficient 06:11, 22 September 2006 (UTC)

Terrorist Websites

01:38, 21 September 2006 (UTC)68.55.108.252So I'm doing a little research on terrorist websites and their legality. I'm trying to find out more information about a specific case study as an example. All I know about this case is that an American helped set up a website for a terrorist and was convicted for aiding a terrorist. If anyone knows anymore about this case or has some suggestions as to where I could get more information, I'd really appreciate it.

Thanks, ~Jess

Is this what you're looking for? X --Froth 01:48, 21 September 2006 (UTC)

This is actually really helpful, but it's not what I'm looking for. I think I remember this case having something to do with the Patriot Act and providing support to terrorists. ~Jess

If you Google "al qaeda webmaster" you'll get a lot of potential names. --Fastfission 20:34, 21 September 2006 (UTC)

阴道

你会说英文吗？ --216.164.200.71 02:09, 21 September 2006 (UTC)

See vagina. Next time, use a dictionary (字典), or even here!  freshofftheufoΓΛĿЌ  03:15, 21 September 2006 (UTC)

为什么让标题"阴道",然后说:"你说英语". 有什么奇怪! (been translated online.... expect errors!) Iolakana•T 18:27, 22 September 2006 (UTC)

Looking for my friend Cheryl Ann Churchill

She moved from Santa Cruz Ca to Portland Or and I never heard from her again!

Couldn't find anything in google's phonebook but I did find a review she wrote on amazon.com --Froth 04:47, 21 September 2006 (UTC)

Perhaps shes trying to avoid you?--Light current 00:55, 22 September 2006 (UTC)

Or more accurately, me :) --froth^{T C} 20:46, 22 September 2006 (UTC)

Capacity Management

Discuss the role forecasting and capacity management play in the future of an organization168.209.97.34 06:50, 21 September 2006 (UTC)(e-mail removed, because even obvious homework questioners don't deserve spam)

No, how about you discuss the role forecasting and capacity management play in the future of an organization. Right after you've finished your homework. JackofOz 07:09, 21 September 2006 (UTC)

Now now, he does deserve some pointers at least (assuming good faith that he's not trying to get a full answer!). Here's a tip: game and even software developers design their software counting on Moore's law; that is, they assume that by the time their product is released people will have good enough computers to run their software. --۶٢٥۴ﻄ^{T C} 19:22, 21 September 2006 (UTC)

The manner in which a question is asked usually has a lot to do with the response it elicits. In this case, it wasn't even a question, but a command. That didn't seem terribly courteous to me (which is a courteous way of saying it seemed somewhat discourteous). Would the questioner walk up to a real live reference librarian and start off with "Discuss the role ....."? Certainly not. Not even a person with a limited command of English would do that. Why should we tolerate any less respect? JackofOz 21:15, 21 September 2006 (UTC)

Because we (or at least I) provide this service for the sake of indescriminately making information available to the world... and I don't refuse to answer just because the questioner didn't pretty up his question. --froth^{T C} 22:30, 21 September 2006 (UTC)

That is your prerogative, my friend. It's not about "prettying up" the question. It's more about not wanting the Ref Desk to be the world's doormat. We say at the top: Please do not post entire homework questions and expect us to give you the answers. This person apparently posted an entire homework question, and did so discourteously into the bargain. We do the Ref Desk a disservice by warning users not to expect an answer to entire homework questions, but then giving them an answer anyway. (I have made similar comments recently - see here). I'm not against providing pointers, particularly where the person is ESL, but there is a Universal Law that discourtesy has its consequences. If they don't even know enough English to know how to say "Please", or "Can you help me", they certainly wouldn't understand an answer to a question about forecasting and capacity management. From their question, I assume this person is studying at tertiary level, hence they are an adult and we should treat them accordingly. JackofOz 00:54, 22 September 2006 (UTC)

I didn't give them an answer, I evaluated what he needed to know and what I knew, and gave him some of the specialized knowledge that a non-IT-specialist might not know. Nowhere in the cycle do I think "hmm he sure isn't being very courteous, I'm not going to tell him anything!" I certainly recognized a homework question, but didn't assume cheating- I'm partial to giving pointers on homework rather than macroing out "no homework sorry" - which is really saying "rephrase your question so it's not so obviously a homework question, and wrap it in plenty of courtesy", since asking for homework pointers and posting homework expecting pointers are fundamentally identical --froth^{T C} 05:31, 22 September 2006 (UTC)

site

who knows a site on which i can actually view for free music videos over the net.like yahoo music or you tube and is quite fast coz for you tube you have to wait for a music video to download as you watch.yahoo is fast n nyce but the videos arent the best of qualities

Videos are generally either small size/bad quality or large size/good quality. Pick your choice. 惑乱 分からん 10:17, 21 September 2006 (UTC)

Not necessarily! Give XviD a try --Froth 16:19, 21 September 2006 (UTC)

Xvid is indeed solid. --Proficient 06:12, 22 September 2006 (UTC)

XFX Nvidia GeForce 7800 GS

Why does Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion run at 17 FPS? (My system meets the requirements)

You need a new, powerful machine to run that. We got a new high-rate AMD and a 7900 card that takes 2.5 slots, must weigh a good pound, and looks like something from 'Lost in Space', with all the cooling pipes. --Zeizmic 12:42, 21 September 2006 (UTC)

I agree with Zeizmic, but would recommend a Falcon Northwest Computer. Some of these are capable of over 2 gigs of memory and have 3 hard drives, each of about 120 GB. Not to mention that they are liquid cooled and have a high-end graphics card, similar to the 7800. All this pleasure for about 3750-4500 bucks. Xel Pos'tare 17:26, 21 September 2006 (UTC)User:CaptainXel

The video card seems fast enough, you may need more memory, this is the cheapest upgrade which will increase speed. Also a slow harddisk or dvd player will slow you down more than CPU speed in some cases. In my own case Oblivion was unplayable without 1gb of main processor memory. But it only costs $50 so i upgraded to 2gb. --Darkfred ^{Talk to me} 18:42, 21 September 2006 (UTC)

Post your system specs! --froth^{T C} 22:31, 21 September 2006 (UTC)

I suggest upgrading or building a computer yourself. --Proficient 06:19, 22 September 2006 (UTC)

I have 1GB MEMORY and a 2.8 GHZ Dualcore Processor. I don't have the latest driver.

2.8ghz? That's rather high for a dual core- It must be a core 2 duo. But intel doesn't make a 2.8ghz model, it goes from around 2.7 at the high end to 3.0 for the insane $1000 extreme edition conroe. Annnyway, you shouldn't have any problems unless you have a really abysmal 3d card. Tune your game settings- change the resolution to 1024x768, use low or medium quality textures, turn off fancy lighting and shadows and water effects. --froth^{T C} 03:54, 23 September 2006 (UTC)

windows explorer

If there is a 3 in front of windows explorer what does that mean? --69.151.239.168 13:47, 21 September 2006 (UTC)

It means you have 3 explorer windows open and XP has condensed them on the task bar. — Lomn 14:03, 21 September 2006 (UTC)

(after edit conflict)I'm going to guess that you are using a version Windows XP. There is a setting in the Taskbar properties to "Group similar buttons". If this is turned on, and you have three Windows Explorer windows open, in the taskbar you will see just one button, with a 3 in front of it. Similarly, if you had two instances of Firefox running, you would see a single Firefox taskbar button, with a 2. [17]This page talks about the Taskbar menu, and the information about grouping buttons is in the section "Remaining Taskbar properties."

Also, just so you know, there is a Reference Desk for Computer questions. --LarryMac 14:04, 21 September 2006 (UTC)

Begging for a help

Hallo! I am a seminarian doing theology in Nairobi-kenya a western country in Africa. During my pastoral activities I meat a lady who was involved in an accident and is completely paralysed. In our talks I told her about the foundation of Jean Vanier. The was very interested in knowing more about it and begging a help for university stadies in order to be enabled to give even some private tuitions and therefore survive. Please, if there is anyhow to help her, we will be gratifull for that. Thank you so much! All the best. And my God bless.

Her only "foundation" seems to be L'Arche which by the looks of it doesn't give out scholarships --Froth 16:18, 21 September 2006 (UTC)

Aid to the third world!!

Is aid to the developing countries from developed countries doing more harm than good?

This could be argued both ways really. A government may say that they are helping progress a third world technology, but really regular people (like us) will argue that we are infringing on their culture. Either way, there is no way of knowing for sure. Xel Pos'tare 17:23, 21 September 2006 (UTC)User:CaptainXel

I would say it depends entirely on how it's spent. If you just give it to the government, they may use it to buy more weapons to oppress the people. If spent for something worthwhile, on the other hand, like a new well, it does have the potential to improve the lives of people. StuRat 17:28, 21 September 2006 (UTC)

I'm really glad the US stopped giving money to Zambia. The dictator there is absolutely dispicable. GAH!! Also, a lot of the time non-monetary aid is not well spent. i.e. giving blankets instead of DDT in Africa and the condensed milk to Asia fiasco. — X [Mac Davis] (SUPERDESK|Help me improve)18:44, 21 September 2006 (UTC)

Do you mean Zimbabwe (dictator = Robert Mugabe) ? StuRat 19:19, 21 September 2006 (UTC)

It's a good question but it's not like you can simply say yes or no... It's obviously not working as well as it should. Where exactly does it go wrong? Rebels? Corrupt or indifferent leaders? I once saw pictures in a Belgian newspaper of fairly new army vehicles that Belgium had donated to the Congolese army (a few years ago) : it had gone to waste, local women were using car doors to make their laundry on it..... (Well, you could actually argue whether or not aid to the military there is really a big help, considering ALL parties do things like rape etc...)Evilbu 21:01, 21 September 2006 (UTC)

I would assume all the authorities in such a country to be incompetent and/or corrupt (I assume this for the developed world, too), so giving money to them is counter-productive. Instead, direct spending on projects likely to improve the lives of the poor is needed, like improving the water supply, sewage systems, etc. StuRat 04:42, 22 September 2006 (UTC)

See Prime Directive :) --froth^{T C} 23:14, 21 September 2006 (UTC)

It's a mixed bag. Disaster relief certainly has humanitarian merits although the occasional Malthusian complains that this leads to greater problems in the long run. I'd prefer to couple disaster relief with voluntary family planning assistance. When it comes to development aid to governments, the arguments also cut both ways: a no-strings-attached handout runs the risk of being misused while external restrictions sometimes prevent the money from being used optimally. A good deal seems to depend on the educational and business expertise of the population: by the end of the cold war East Germany had become the most prosperous of the Soviet Bloc countries even though the Soviets dismantled most of its infrastructure and resources after World War II as war reparations and the country received no external aid - the country had to depend on its human assets in order to rebuild. Durova 19:03, 22 September 2006 (UTC)

I agree on the family planning comment. Otherwise, if you try to help a nation with twice the population that can be supported by the land, by making the land capable of supporting the full population (via irrigation, etc.), the population quickly increases to a level that is once again twice what the land can support. Thus you haven't solved the problem, but made it twice the scale of the original problem. StuRat 04:47, 23 September 2006 (UTC)

Within the last month BBC Radio 4 has broadcast a debate where an African journalist (I think it must have been Andrew Mwenda) was arguing that aid and debt relief have a disastrous effect on the recipient countries. I have been unable to find the programme on their website. I was sure it was in their 'Iconoclasts' series, but I can't find any reference to it under that heading or anywhere else. ColinFine 13:28, 23 September 2006 (UTC)

I need to make this character

Some of the characters in my new signature are considered breaking characters (like the space functions for western character encoding) so I need to use a special character to mark them as non-breaking. this is that character.. but I have no idea how to make it. Is there some kind of application that I can enter that code and it copies the character to the clipboard? That would be ideal. Or maybe some other method.. thanks --۶٢٥۴ﻄ^{T C} 17:43, 21 September 2006 (UTC)

Here's 2060: ࠌ (type &#2060;), but I don't think it's doing what you want. -- Finlay McWalter | Talk 17:46, 21 September 2006 (UTC)

I think I figured it out.. in the windows character map you can go to the character by its number code.. and apparently my 5-letter name is like 9 character spaces long and when you move through it the cursor jumps all around, so I just pasted it into notepad (which doesn't parse the unicode, and leaves it as little rectangles) and then put the glue character in between each rectangle, then pasted it back into wikipedia. Whew! --۶٢٥۴ﻄ^{T C} 19:18, 21 September 2006 (UTC)

On my browser (Firefox1.5.0.1, on Fedora core 4 Linux) I now see your sig as five exotic characters interspersed with four 'I haven't got a glyph for this unicode' blocks. It looks a mess. ColinFine 13:41, 23 September 2006 (UTC)

Civil service groups

Where can I get a list of Civil Service Groups in Tulsa, OK? I have tried the internet but I am having no luck. Do you know of a certain website I should go to?

Thank you so much for your help.

It would help if you specified the country. DirkvdM 06:33, 22 September 2006 (UTC)

He did say Tulsa, OK. It's kind of reasonable to assume people know which country that is in. --Richardrj ^{talk email} 07:34, 22 September 2006 (UTC)

Why is that? Do you know in which country, say, Broek in Waterland, NH is? Well, do you? DirkvdM 17:59, 22 September 2006 (UTC)

mortgage

Hi,

I'm about to get a full mortgage on a 150,000 house I'm buying. I'll be able to pay this off in its entirity in about 3 months... is that acceptable to do with a mortgage, or are you expected to make payments on it for a while? Thanks!

If there is no early payment fee, this is fine, check your loan agreement or call your loan officer and ask. in fact you should save around 250,000 in interest by paying it off this way. However if you have that kind of cash make sure all your other higher interest debts are paid of before putting it into the mortgage. --Darkfred ^{Talk to me} 18:38, 21 September 2006 (UTC)

there's usually no point in paying off a house that fast and very few people do. Hopefully, your house will increase in value at a faster rate than the loan so instead of paying it off you can just put your money into another investment. -JAS

No point? What about saving hundreds of thousands of dollars in interest! If you can do that, by all means do do that! --froth^{T C} 23:34, 21 September 2006 (UTC)

say I have $10,000. Say a house costs $100,000. Say the house-property-value increases at a rate of 8% per year. Say I take out a loan of $100,000. Say the loan increases at a rate of 7% per year. Every year I'm making 1% on the difference. I can put my $10,000, and the $90,000 disposable income I'm going to earn into other investments, giving me perhaps 10-15%. There's absolutely no reason to pay it off under these not unreasonable conditions. Jasbutal 04:43, 22 September 2006 (UTC)

Two reasons: 1) If you pay it off immediately you're making 8% per year on the difference (8-0). 2) You're not living off that money, it just means more property tax. No extra cash in your wallet whatsoever (unless you sell your property).

"Normally you'd take out a bridging loan instead. Jameswilson 23:57, 21 September 2006 (UTC)

To drain the lizard...

Does that mean to pee or to masturbate? -MF14

Pee. Hyenaste ^(tell) 20:12, 21 September 2006 (UTC)

See Wiktionary. --hydnjo talk 20:58, 21 September 2006 (UTC)

Also 'strain the potatoes', 'see a man about a dog', 'drain the sump' etc--Light current 23:49, 21 September 2006 (UTC)

*giggles* Hyenaste ^(tell) 01:02, 22 September 2006 (UTC)

Nice idioms. --Proficient 06:20, 22 September 2006 (UTC)

See draining the lizard. On second thoughts don't see draining the lizard, it won't enlighten you any further, I just wanted to show you that you could search for it and get a result.--Shantavira 07:49, 22 September 2006 (UTC)

OK heres a few more:

• Taking the (trouser) snake for a drink
• Visiting the 'gent's'/ladies
• Taking a leak
• Going for a 'swish' (SA female origin)
• Going for a quick one

Powdering ones nose (ladies)

etc --Light current 22:27, 22 September 2006 (UTC)

Local women have to wear the veil in Qatar?

Hello,

please tell me if this belongs in Humanities instead.

A friend of mine went to Qatar to work as an intern for a European dredging company. There were several female students in his group, and they didn't wear a veil at all. He said they didn't enforce the veil on foreign women. But what about muslim women from more secular countries? How would they ever be able to see the difference between an unveiled woman in Qatar,from Syria or Jordan, and a local woman not wearing the veil?? Evilbu 20:56, 21 September 2006 (UTC)

In Qatar they aren't as strict as some places regarding Islamic tradition. They are more Westernized. — X [Mac Davis] (SUPERDESK|Help me improve)21:33, 21 September 2006 (UTC)

Monetary Value of Earth?

What is the value of all the money, land, property, natural resources, etc. on Earth? And I don't mean the value of all the raw material on Earth (ex. Don't tell me the value of the Earth's core). Thanks. Tuvwxyz 21:01, 21 September 2006 (UTC)

A lot of money. Like a million dollars or something. Wow! — X [Mac Davis] (SUPERDESK|Help me improve) 21:31, 21 September 2006 (UTC)

Last time I checked, people don't ask things on the reference desk just to get a sarcastic answer. --Tuvwxyz 21:57, 21 September 2006 (UTC)

It's a new ref. desk, Tuv, with Mac Davis and Light Current at the head of the wave. -JKAS

Amusing , maybe. Sarcastic? Never!--Light current 23:53, 21 September 2006 (UTC)

Is it possible to value the earth, as value is all relative, and there is nothing to compare it to. Philc _T^E_C^I 22:02, 21 September 2006 (UTC)

I think what he is asking is that if you add up the cost for everything there is to sell on the earth, what would it be. As for the answer, I have no idea. Oskar 22:06, 21 September 2006 (UTC)

Just to be perdantic, I'm goin to say its value is 0, as as an asset, it has no output, nor does it make any financial gain, so how can it be worth anything. Philc _T^E_C^I 22:11, 21 September 2006 (UTC)

Considering monetary value isn't a subjective value, there isn't a really definite answer to this question. Take this into consideration; if everyone today was to put their house on the market for sale the value of houses would plunge. Likewise, if a CEO of a huge company sold all his shares in the company the value would plunge as well. Given this fact, you could try to sum up the monetary value of all the currency in circulation, all land that has been purchased(or has been given some value by people), and all raw goods(based on scientic estimation and its current market value). Would that value mean anything? It's not as if there is a universal economy where Earth's value can be compared to the rest of the economies of the universe. Some day that might be the case, but right now we can't do that.

of course it would mean something. It's a gague to see the state of the world's economies, wealth and distribution. For example, it would be very interesting to see a world map of this. The Western nations would shine like a beacon of wealth compared to the rest of the world. -JAS

Perhaps the closest answer to your question is the GDP of the world's countries, which is estimated between $36-$51 trillion based on what method you what to derive that value.—Mitaphane _talk 22:36, 21 September 2006 (UTC)

Ok, as just a quick question, do you mean, what is the sum of all values of everything accessable on the earth, or what is the value of the earth as an asset, or what price would you get should you sell everything on the earth (assuming the arrival of an extra terrestrial prospective buyer) Philc _T^E_C^I 22:52, 21 September 2006 (UTC)

I'm pretty sure I'm thinking of everything being sold (including currency) and without markets being effected by everything being sold. Sorry I don't know much about economics. --Tuvwxyz 23:01, 21 September 2006 (UTC)

It's certainly enough that if you owned it all, you would be "set up for life" -- not only would you have necessities, but basically anything you would ever want as well. But that's a rather vague answer.. you might ask "if the world was shared, how many people could it sustain." Consider that it already supports more than 6 and a half billion people. Even disregarding such obvious considerations as how can it be worth anything if nobody else can buy it, it's such a staggering value that it really holds no practical meaning whatsoever --froth^{T C} 23:24, 21 September 2006 (UTC)

Gross World Product is about $60 trillion. -- Mwalcoff 23:26, 21 September 2006 (UTC)

But isn't that a measure of economic activity rather than a valuation of assets?Lisiate 00:37, 22 September 2006 (UTC)

I checked for completed sales on EBay, but there were none. Seriously, I believe a defensable answer could be arrived at, but the assumptions would need to be clear. In a given governmental unit, the private property has an assessed value, both for the land and the improvements, which is a certain fraction of market value, based on recent sales. Land owned by the government has a value which could be derived from comparable property sold privately. There are mineral rights in some areas, in addition to these: owning the land does not always give you ownership of the oil beneath it. Deserts and Great Lakes would be harder to derive a sale price for, because there would be few comps. Then we get to the oceans and the antarctic, again with no comps. So you might wish to value the personal property, intellectual property, land, improvements, mineral rights, value of all nations, private citizens, and businesses (inventory, goodwill, patents, receivables). Do you factor in the national debt of a nation?I would suspect that economists have done such calcs. Edison 23:31, 21 September 2006 (UTC)

The biggest problem with your question is that the amount of money money in the world in both value and literal amount is always increasing. Back when the gold standard was in affect, there would have been a set limit because it was representative money. However, once the United States and then the rest of the world switched onto fiat money, the amount of money has begun to, in affect, grow with the development of resources and the like. --AstoVidatu 02:03, 22 September 2006 (UTC)

um.....are you trying to tell me that if a gold standard was in effect in the USA, the country could not increase it's wealth because the gold supply was not increasing? It's works the other way around, even back then. the default is fiat, not godl. sorry. Jasbutal 04:37, 22 September 2006 (UTC)

You lose. Good day sir. --froth^{T C} 16:55, 22 September 2006 (UTC)

It could increase its wealth by acquiring more gold, or if the value of gold went up by -say- irradiating a large amount of it --froth^{T C} 16:27, 22 September 2006 (UTC)

Maybe adding up countries GDP and other important values will arrive at a rough answer. --Proficient 06:21, 22 September 2006 (UTC)

The GDP gives the produced economic value over a certain period. Two flaws here. One is that it only expresses economically valued production, not black markets, volunteer work, bartering and such (see Gross domestic product#Criticisms and limitations), which together probably represent more than the economic production (a big one is the work of housewives, which is not usually expressed economically). The other flaw is that it is about production (per year or so), not accumulated goods. A house that was built last year doesn't show up on the GDP, but it's still there and worth quite a bit. And here too, not everything is valued economically (international waters, for example), but that was mentioned before. DirkvdM 08:44, 22 September 2006 (UTC)

If you are on the gold standard your money is redeemable for gold (or other precious metals, depending on the system). My point was that if the gold standard is followed there is only a limited amount of gold, and thus only a limited amount of money. Either that, or more money is printed than can be redeemed (which is what happened to the United States) and then you are in a quandry. That's why most countries moved off the gold standard in the first place. Now the only thing that gives the money value is people's faith in the government. If not for that, it would just be a useless piece of paper. --AstoVidatu 21:55, 22 September 2006 (UTC)

Another approach is to figure a minimum replacement value. If we sold it , we would need a place to live. The value of the earth would be at least equal to the cost of creating a livable habitat like the Biosphere 2, a domed habitat intended to furnish all environmental needs for a 2 year period for 8 people, at a cost of $30 million per person. It was a bit inadequate to its purpose, but that figure would give a minimum for the Earth's entire population of about $200,000,000,000,000,000 or $200 quadrillion. There might be some economy of scale building such structures for 6.5 billion people. In practice, if advanced alien space creatures arrived, I suspect our leaders would sell us out for the equivalent of $24 worth of trinkets like the Native Americans sold Manhattan in 1626, if the aliens could deliver advanced weapons which could utterly destroy all their enemies, real or imagined, foreign and domestic. Another approach: Per The Straight Dope, http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a3_156.html the total value of all land in the U.S. in 1975 was $1.3 trillion. The U.S.A. has 9.2 million sq miles, and the world has 149 million sq miles, per the CIA Fact Book at http://www.photius.com/wfb1999/rankings/total_land_area_0.html Thus if the US land is of comparable value to that of the world, the world land was worth ($1.3 *10^9)*149/(9.3)=$20.8 trillion in 1975, which with inflation per http://www.westegg.com/inflation/ would be a 2005 world land value of $77.9 trillion. That does not get you the people. Using the 1861 value of a U.S. slave of about $800, and adjusting for inflation, each person would be worth $16,400 for 6.5 billion = 106,600,000,000,000 or $107 trillion. Land and people go for about $185 trillion. Still need to add in intellectual property, fishing rights, undersea mineral rights, value of personal and business property and something for goodwill. Of course many of the people in the world have little or no personal or business property, and even less good will.Edison 22:10, 22 September 2006 (UTC)

Considering the value of a human life. A recent discussion in the Netherlands is if someone is terminally ill, but can be kept alive using medicine, should there be a limit to how much money we (or the insurance companies) should pay for it? Someone proposed 85.000 euro per year. Assume that such a person can be kept alive for another 10 years on average, then that would put the value of a human life at 850.000 euro. That's about 50 times your estimate based on slave prices. So slaves were heavily undervalued, it seems. :) DirkvdM 04:46, 23 September 2006 (UTC)

Whistling

How do you do that whistling where you stick 1-2 fingers in your mouth and blow hard and a really loud, whistle-like sound comes out? Jamesino 21:10, 21 September 2006 (UTC)

It's not a whistle-like sound. It's a whistle sound. Or, even better, it's a whistle. Try Wolf-whistling. 65.203.61.56 21:14, 21 September 2006 (UTC)

Sheet music for Desperado

I can't find it on the internet for free, can anybody help me out? The beginning is really something, and I want to know how to play it! Thanks, — X [Mac Davis] (SUPERDESK|Help me improve)21:30, 21 September 2006 (UTC)

So you might say you are desperate to play it? Hmm I think I have it somewhere. Ill look.--Light current 22:14, 21 September 2006 (UTC)

Desperado, why dont you come to your senses,

• You been out riding fences,
• For so long now.
• Ah you're a hard one
• Blah blahh blah

There you go!--Light current 23:47, 21 September 2006 (UTC)

Sheet music is usually available on-line for a small (2 -5 USD) fee. Lyrics are available at no cost. --hydnjo talk 00:49, 22 September 2006 (UTC)

I got it stuck in my head after watching The Checks, strangely enough --froth^{T C} 05:34, 22 September 2006 (UTC)

Yeah, I knew all that, but that wasn't my question. No help guys? — X [Mac Davis] (SUPERDESK|Help me improve)20:50, 22 September 2006 (UTC)

Apparently not --froth^{T C} 03:57, 23 September 2006 (UTC)

looking for article/paper

Looking for a criticism of modern man equating his ceremonial burial of nuclear waste with that of ancient man's burial of kings and nobles. -JASBUTAL

Here's one: there's no correlation except the act of burying so why even bother to make such a pointless comparison --froth^{T C}

Because radioactive stuff are cool? Oskar 00:49, 22 September 2006 (UTC)

OTC, radioactive stuff is usually warm--Light current 01:42, 22 September 2006 (UTC)

One source of information may be google scholar, for a change. Micro$oft have a compatible wannabe site for which I cannot vouch. --Tagishsimon (talk)

I didn't know that radioactive stuff is available without a prescription --froth^{T C} 02:22, 22 September 2006 (UTC)

please don't answer if you have nothing to say. THanks. -Jasbutal

Are you saying you know of such an article and just wish us to locate it for you, or are you just hoping such an article exists ? In the latter case, somehow I doubt that it does exist. StuRat 04:36, 22 September 2006 (UTC)

I hope it exists, if it does I would like somebody to post me a link. If it does not, I can do without Light-current's pleasantries. Jasbutal 04:38, 22 September 2006 (UTC)

Sorry, I didnt realise I was being pleasant! 8-)--Light current 21:07, 22 September 2006 (UTC)

Burial of nuclear waste is not "ceremonial." Unless whoever regulates it has been spending too much time in the wrong place. Clarityfiend 04:51, 22 September 2006 (UTC)

sorry, I didn't realize this was the computing desk and that everyone was stuck in the realm of scientific fundamentalist mumbo-jumb. clarity, I also didn't realize you were a Vulcan, here, please indulge yourself in some Laplace transforms. I think you'll find the time-domain <-> frequency domain interchange table quite fulfilling to your soul. Jasbutal 05:06, 22 September 2006 (UTC)

What the heck are you talking about. *blinks blankly* --froth^{T C} 06:08, 22 September 2006 (UTC)

??? *backs away slowly, making soothing sounds* Clarityfiend 07:14, 22 September 2006 (UTC)

If you want a serious answer, here's one: In both, some object is placed in storage under the surface of the ground. In both, that object decays. The burying of kings was ceremonious. The burying of nuclear waste is not. That's pretty much as far as I can stretch it. And I couldn't help throwing in that pun, honest ;D --froth^{T C} 06:13, 22 September 2006 (UTC)

I would say burying nuclear waste is more like burying excrement. Both are waste products and we want both gone, and never want to have to think about them again. When we bury people, on the other hand, we frequently want to "visit" them, and create some type on memorial on the surface for that purpose. StuRat 06:30, 22 September 2006 (UTC)

please no original research, this is wikipedia. If there exists such an article, and you know the source of it, please reference, if not, then post your wild theories on your personal site. Thanks. Jasbutal 07:21, 22 September 2006 (UTC)

Here's a report in the Guardian brushing the subject, but it's not a 'criticism of modern man'. Jasbutal, your comments qualifying editors' suggestions might scare off other people from trying to answer your question.---Sluzzelin 09:42, 22 September 2006 (UTC)

It wasn't original research it was common knowledge --froth^{T C} 16:53, 22 September 2006 (UTC)

Two recommended places to go if you want to talk about this. One is to think about the creation of the Chernobyl sarcophagus — a very explicit linking of modern nuclear burial with ancient burial. The other place to look at is the debate surrounding the ability to make long-term (i.e. thousands of years) waste disposal sites that won't be opened up by some man of the future who doesn't understand what radiation is. I don't recall the exact places this was talked about but I believe there was a big, speculative study funded which discussed ways of making things which would psychologically appeal to humans of the future, knowing that when people of the past put up curses and skeletons and thing of that nature over their burial sites it only encouraged later people to think there were riches there. There is, I think, some discussion of this in Joseph Masco's Nuclear Borderlands, which recently came out. As for concerted criticism/analysis of these tendencies — I don't know of much, though that doesn't necessarily say anything; these are just things I've been aware of. --Fastfission 15:34, 22 September 2006 (UTC)

Archeologists have found burials which were very much like the burial of nuclear waste. The deceased was buried thousands of years ago, face down, under a thick layer of rocks, with ceremonial objects believed to be intended to keep him or her from coming back. Think Dracula in modern times.Edison 21:32, 22 September 2006 (UTC)

For somebody who came here asking us for help, you are amazingly rude. User:Zoe|(talk) 02:12, 23 September 2006 (UTC)

Agreed. StuRat 04:40, 23 September 2006 (UTC)

It's not the first time this desk has been subject to Jasbutal's cyber-thugness.  freshofftheufoΓΛĿЌ  18:34, 23 September 2006 (UTC)

September 22

Juggling

How do you juggle 5 balls? I can do three balls, and can do four (two per hand). --216.164.199.33 00:23, 22 September 2006 (UTC)

I haven't been able to do it myself, but I do recommend this book for that and a whole lot more. Dismas|^(talk) 01:51, 22 September 2006 (UTC)

As I understand it, the usual way is to form a parabolic arc in the air with as many balls as you can handle. As each comes down, one hand catches it, passes it to the other hand, and that hand launches it. It's possible to juggle far more balls this way than by using each hand to independently juggle. StuRat 04:32, 22 September 2006 (UTC)

I once saw a circus artist juggle some 20-30 balls. Joneleth 05:42, 22 September 2006 (UTC)

Doubtful, since the official world record seems to be 9. Clarityfiend 07:10, 22 September 2006 (UTC)

Check this Java applet. Good stuff. ☢ Ҡi∊ff⌇↯ 11:07, 22 September 2006 (UTC)

Slaves

This is completely unrelated to my micronation question; I do not endorse slavery. Question: Where can I buy slaves, and how much do they cost? --216.164.199.33 00:35, 22 September 2006 (UTC)

In the 1400s, the Africans paid one pound sterling for a young male, then sold it to the Europeans for 3 1/2 pounds sterling, or the equivalent of 11 muskets, 31 gallons of whiskey, or 93 pounds of wrought iron. bibliomaniac15 00:40, 22 September 2006 (UTC)

As there was no transatlantic slave trade in the 1400s, almost no european ships had even ventured as far as Senegal, and the overwhelming majority of the African slave trade was conducted by the Arabs as they had for centuries before and after, where did you get this information and why should we believe it? alteripse 00:46, 22 September 2006 (UTC)

Sorry, it's late 1700s. Also, right before the American Civil War, prime young males were about $600-$800, while women were usually 2/3 of the price. Skilled workers, and pretty, young girls could fetch more, because they could make more things, or they could be sold into brothels, respectively. To convert this to a current price, young males costed about 50 ounces of gold, or $21,400. So to answer your question, if you were going to buy a slave at that price, I would suggest that you buy a new car with that money, or something worth it instead of something unethical.

It is still popular in parts of the world try Trafficking in human beings, Anti-Slavery International and the external links. I doubt they have a web based price list. MeltBanana 01:29, 22 September 2006 (UTC)

No recent listings on EBay.Edison 03:36, 22 September 2006 (UTC)

Do slaves count as real estate]? --froth^{T C} 05:39, 22 September 2006 (UTC)

"Although for some purposes slaves are declared by statute to be real estate, they are nevertheless intrinsically personal, and therefore are to be considered as included in every statute or contract in relation to chattels which does not, in terms, exclude them. They are liable, as chattels, to the payment of debts. They may be attached as chattels, and they have invariably been treated as chattels, in both Virginia and Kentucky, so far as the rights and duties of administrators are concerned.” (Wheeler’s Law of Slavery, pp. 37-8.) And yet Kentucky is one of the only two States in which the statutes have declared slaves to be real estate, a tenure which, if adhered to, would attach the slave to the soil, and prevent the separation of families. The practice, as sanctioned by custom and the courts, is in this case found to be less favorable to the slaves than the words of the statute, in their plain import. The people have been worse than their statutes, and the judges have conformed to the people." from Author: Goodell, William, "The American Slave Code in Theory and Practice: Its Distinctive Features Shown by Its Statutes, Judicial Decisions, and Illustrative Facts." New York: American and Foreign Anti-Slavery Society, 1853. viewed at http://www.dinsdoc.com/goodell-1-1-4.htm The same book says " “From the generality of this remark, the State of Louisiana must be excepted.” “The slaves are declared to be real estate, to be ranked among immovable property. When, therefore, the owner of slaves is, as I presume is most commonly the case, possessed of land, the slave cannot be separated from it by process of law." If slaves were real estate, they would be part of the farm, and families could not be separated and sold. In this they would be like medieval peasants, so it might be a better deal than being personal property. Edison 13:00, 22 September 2006 (UTC)

Perhaps today in developing nations you can find them for cheap or hire someone to steal one for you, not that I am suggesting this, I am just pointing it out. --Proficient 06:25, 22 September 2006 (UTC)

There are always "wage slaves" like the countless zombies who trudge off every day to an office or factory to attempt to do the impossible for the undeserving under the direction of the incompetent, unable to quit because they have a mortgage, college loans, and a family to feed. Edison 21:28, 22 September 2006 (UTC)

Micronation

How can I start a micronation? --216.164.199.33 01:10, 22 September 2006 (UTC)

Our article shoild give you enough clues. Find patch of land, assert your wish to be recognised as a nation, optionally issue stamps, passports, whistle a national anthem, design a flag, &c. --Tagishsimon (talk)

You may get some ideas if you read about Sealand. --hydnjo talk 01:42, 22 September 2006 (UTC)

Or, just start micronating and others will hopefully join in.  :--) JackofOz 01:48, 22 September 2006 (UTC)

You could start with a minination and chip away at it. Clarityfiend 07:46, 22 September 2006 (UTC)

Or take a jackhammer to a very large nation --froth^{T C} 16:34, 22 September 2006 (UTC)

The BBC had a series called something like "how do I start my own country". I didn't watch it, though, so can't help there. DirkvdM 08:50, 22 September 2006 (UTC)

And of course wikipedia has an article about it How to Start Your Own Country MeltBanana 12:54, 22 September 2006 (UTC)

Of course we do! Silly me. DirkvdM 18:02, 22 September 2006 (UTC)

anime A-Z

I had the old version of the anime A-Z and my husband had to reformat the hard drive, and I can't seem to find the web site that had ALL the anime shows and movies (Japanese and Adult Swim, American versions). It gave how many episodes, movies, etc.Is it on another website? Because I think It was your site. If you have changed it, then I can't find what I want, because you new site is very incomplete to the old on that I used. Thank you for any help you can give, Cindy Hudson P.S. I had a very hard time just trying to find even this contact page.

Some of the links, such as the Online encyclopedias, from Anime#See_also might help you. And I think you may be confusing us with some other site, since our site grows everyday and never gets smaller; and we have not got a new site, we are still much as we were when we set out a few years ago. Good luck --Tagishsimon (talk)

You definately are confusing us with some other site. Wikipedia has never hosted anime (which is illegal) and I'll personally vouch that this is the very same site as ever --froth^{T C} 06:20, 22 September 2006 (UTC)

Not sure about the "illegal" comment, since it would appear that this user is not looking for copies of every single anime in existance (which would take a pretty big hard drive, I'd imagine...) but rather a simple index of them (judging by the "it had number of episodes..." comment). To answer the user, our Anime article has a section on online encylopedias, one of which might contain the information that you're looking for. --Maelwys 17:39, 22 September 2006 (UTC)

Indeed. You are delusional and it's quite comical. --Proficient 06:27, 22 September 2006 (UTC)

Read WP:BITE proficient --froth^{T C} 16:35, 22 September 2006 (UTC)

"local" on the market pit?

a friend of mine told me there were two types of people on the floor, "locals" who buy and sell for their own accounts, and "brokers" who buy and sell for other people's accounts. He also told me that anyone can become a "local" as long as they lease out a space and have a $50,000 account. Haven't been able to find any google info on this. Please help? Jasbutal 05:12, 22 September 2006 (UTC)

It's more like millions of dollars.... to get one, find one that's on sale (there are several thousand seats) and buy it. See New York Stock Exchange --froth^{T C} 05:37, 22 September 2006 (UTC)

forget the NYSE, do I look like a rich Long Islander? I'll just go to a shitty market like CME. Check it out http://www.cme.com/trading/mem/leaseprices.html Jasbutal 08:09, 22 September 2006 (UTC)

It seems you found your answer on your own... --froth^{T C} 17:18, 22 September 2006 (UTC)

Manga

I remember i once saw an epizode of an manga but I forgot the name off it, I hope someone can recognise it.

It was about a dark master wizard that was locked away in a boys body but then unlocked in order to save a city that was under attack, (atleast thats what the epizode i saw was about). Joneleth 06:06, 22 September 2006 (UTC)

Is this it? --froth^{T C} 06:17, 22 September 2006 (UTC)

Is 'epizode' overamericanised English? Or is it a Bulgarian rock band? DirkvdM 08:51, 22 September 2006 (UTC)

Epizode sounds cool, I for one am glad she used it >:p --froth^{T C} 16:37, 22 September 2006 (UTC)

Im deeply sorry I dont spell my 3rd language perfectly Dirk, I meant episode. And yes thats it, thanks froth. Joneleth 03:37, 23 September 2006 (UTC)

Just imagine how cool your English would be if it were your fourth language. :) DirkvdM 04:51, 23 September 2006 (UTC)

The cargo on the "Mary Celeste"

Dear Wiki

I note in the article on the "Mary Celeste" that the cargo is specified as having been methanol. Most accounts, however, claim it to have been ethanol, or imply it to have been ethanol. The difference is a crucial one in terms of reconstructing what happened to that vessel and her company. Can you possibly enlighten me as to the source of the information about the cargo? The methanol claim is not referenced (perhaps it ought to be, given the ambiguity).

Thank you and best wishes

Barend Vlaardingerbroek, Ph.D.

According to the edit history, that comment was based on a Channel 5 documentary the editor had seen. You have already asked this question on the article talk page, but if you wish to ask the editor directly you can do so at User talk:Jmcc150. --Shantavira 08:40, 22 September 2006 (UTC)

I have now forgotten whether the Channel 5 documentary specified methanol or ethanol. I paraphrased the information while it was fresh in my mind. For me it has to be methanol for the explanation to work. My university chemistry is rusty but I think it would be much harder to build up a high vapour pressure of ethanol. I also wonder why ethanol would be transported to Italy all the way from the USA. JMcC 07:53, 23 September 2006 (UTC)

Is it possible to own a gull as a pet?

Anyone know? Does anyone breed gulls in captivity? --81.79.107.62 11:10, 22 September 2006 (UTC)

In the UK, it is illegal to keep a wild bird as a pet, although there are licences that allow rescue centres and zoos to keep wild animals under certain conditions. However, gulls need lots of space and they would not be suitable for confinement.--Shantavira 11:22, 22 September 2006 (UTC)

Mentioning banned word: minus 20 points! 8-)--Light current 21:58, 22 September 2006 (UTC)

Geez light current your rules are strict! What word was it? --froth^TC 03:47, 23 September 2006 (UTC)

Ah no you dont get me to fall for that one! 8-)THe naughty word is the winged (seabird) subject of this thread--Light current 12:48, 23 September 2006 (UTC)

How should I get around the ban? It was the "ullgay"... I have no idea why the word got banned, though... =S 惑乱 分からん 12:09, 23 September 2006 (UTC)

It was banned because there were a lot of silly posts about it and bagels not long ago (Dont ask!) 8-(--Light current 12:48, 23 September 2006 (UTC)

That's why I asked about captive bred gulls. As far as I know, it's legal to own native UK birds if they're aviary bred. How much space would a gull need, as a matter of interest (it's not like I'd keep it caged in my bedroom)? --84.67.79.146 18:51, 22 September 2006 (UTC)

Gerald Durrell's My family and other animals features a pet seaggull called Alecko in chapter 17. At least I think it's a seagull, but I don't have the English original of the novel handy, so you'd better check. I don't know if they can breed in captivity. – b_jonas 20:07, 23 September 2006 (UTC)

Of course, this doesn't mean you should try having a seagull at home. Add the usual disclaimer here. Oh, and just because he tried to keep it as a pet doesn't mean he didn't have problems with it, so read the novel too for the outcome ;). – b_jonas 20:15, 23 September 2006 (UTC)

Are There Degrees In Interior Design And Are There Degrees In Landscape Architecture?

Thank you!100110100 11:14, 22 September 2006 (UTC)

Certainly. These are mentioned in the interior design and landscape architecture articles under "Profession". See also list of schools of landscape architecture.--Shantavira 11:25, 22 September 2006 (UTC)

Of course! There are 78 degrees in this interior and there are about 100 degrees in this landscape! --froth^{T C} 16:40, 22 September 2006 (UTC)

You're welcome. To a degree. DirkvdM 18:05, 22 September 2006 (UTC)

Vandalism

Does anyone know of any reasons why people vandalise articles? Particularly paying attention to adding material pertaining to penises? My preferred explanation is that they are somewhat under endowed and have no friends. What do other people think?OEYoung 17:16, 22 September 2006 (UTC)
P.S. How do you report the ip addresses of vandals to wikipedia?

If you wan't to protect pages from sociaopathic GNAA/Myg0t nubs, use WP:Requests for protection. The velociraptor 04:12, 23 September 2006 (UTC)

I don't think they're necessarily lonely ogres. A lot of the vandalism sources from IP addresses belonging to schools. I can easily picture a group of high school boys huddled around their computers, enjoying this pastime together. Often the vandal acts involve adding names of (presumably) real people. E.g.: "The octopus's intelligence is comparable to Darren's" "Jeff Sancho is by far much more smarter than Rousseau." I believe it's basically infantile male behavior, nothing more and nothing less.---Sluzzelin 13:32, 22 September 2006 (UTC)

WP:VAND gives you information on how to handle vandalism. WP:MOV is an essay on possible motivations of vandals.---Sluzzelin 13:59, 22 September 2006 (UTC)

I suspect these are misguided attempts to attract attention by people who are sexually frustrated. Durova 14:52, 22 September 2006 (UTC)

meta:Friends of gays should not be allowed to edit articles is also an interesting piece of writing.--Shantavira 15:38, 22 September 2006 (UTC)

I suspect it's because it's funny to see obviously incorrect content in an encyclopedia, and know you put it there and hundreds of people will read it. I confess that I once changed the picture at Ken Blackwell to a photo of some arab lawyer and nobody noticed it for a while. Sorry! --froth^{T C} 16:45, 22 September 2006 (UTC)

Yeah, right, it went unnoticed for all of three minutes![18]  --Lambiam^Talk 19:57, 22 September 2006 (UTC)

Yes, right. I said a while. --froth^{T C} 20:40, 22 September 2006 (UTC)

I also once dabbled in vandalism and got instantly slapped on the wrist. You have to admit that the article title was just asking for it. Basically, I just wanted to see what would happen (I marked my edit rather clearly) and I suppose that will be the reason for a lot of vandals. Yes, we're a sorry bunch. DirkvdM 18:13, 22 September 2006 (UTC)

Uberlandia? Sounds like an amusement park. And a pretty fricking awesome place to live --froth^{T C} 20:44, 22 September 2006 (UTC)

I vow to defend Jacques Tits(I actually met him once :) ) from THIS : [19]Evilbu 22:15, 22 September 2006 (UTC)

Jaques Tits? Seems to be an obvious target for THIS. 惑乱 分からん 12:12, 23 September 2006 (UTC)

I suppose frustration or hate may be a reason. If someone, perhaps, does not like the policy of a certain politician, they may vandalise the page on that person in a misguided and usually futile effort to get ather people to see things their way. Russian F 03:25, 23 September 2006 (UTC)

Odd aircraft

I live in the approach path for the Winnipeg International Airport. A couple of months back, I was in my back yard I and saw a plane pass over-head. The plane looked like a typical medium sized prop-driven dealy. The odd thing was that it had a cable going from the nose, to the wing tips, and back to the tail. This cable had some circular objects going along it, if I recall correctly. Does anyone know what this was? -- Consumed Crustacean (talk) 16:05, 22 September 2006 (UTC)

It was most likely a standard geophysics plane. These are used to map mineral deposits, by either passively recording fields (electric - magnetic), or sending out pulses. --Zeizmic 16:17, 22 September 2006 (UTC)

Neat. The closest image I could find through Google Image was [20], which is pretty close to what I recall, though I remember the loop things on the cable being largish circles, parallel with the ground. Still, seems to fit. Thanks :) -- Consumed Crustacean (talk) 20:09, 22 September 2006 (UTC)

dvorak keyboard

Where can I buy a good dvorak usb keyboard for less than $40? Thanks! 130.207.180.30 16:40, 22 September 2006 (UTC)

Google is your friend! A Clown in the Dark 16:46, 22 September 2006 (UTC)

Try froogle too --froth^{T C} 16:47, 22 September 2006 (UTC)

Now was that so hard? Anyway, don't bother to buy one, just switch around the keys on your old keyboard. That's what a lot of the sellers I see on ebay and froogle seem to be doing. --froth^{T C} 16:47, 22 September 2006 (UTC)

Sounds good. How do you program a new keyboard layout? 惑乱 分からん 17:39, 22 September 2006 (UTC)

I'd imagine it's under start>control panel>keyboard. I have a laptop so many of the options are unavailable (since obviously the keyboard isn't intended to change in any way) --froth^{T C} 19:40, 22 September 2006 (UTC)

On the other hand, keyboard keys are often the easiest to pull out and rearrange in DVORAK format.  freshofftheufoΓΛĿЌ  18:23, 23 September 2006 (UTC)

Free DVD Player without UOP

Is there a good, free DVD player that uses de-CSS and doesn't implement User operation prohibition and isn't mplayer? --froth^{T C} 17:16, 22 September 2006 (UTC)

VLC media player -- Finlay McWalter | Talk 17:44, 22 September 2006 (UTC)

VLC is reputed for playing just about everything (out-of-the-box, no codecs need downloading), including DVDs, as well as Windows Media, Quicktime, and other files that are normally somewhat fickle. It also supports various different OSs. Excellent software. -- Consumed Crustacean (talk) 17:54, 22 September 2006 (UTC)

VLC is fantastic. I bet that if you could hook it up to a computer, it could play magnetic tape. Oskar 21:55, 22 September 2006 (UTC)

All right thanks! --froth^{T C} 19:40, 22 September 2006 (UTC)

Export of cryptography

How do western governments possibly hope to regulate it... --froth^{T C} 17:42, 22 September 2006 (UTC)

It's impossible to do today, but back in the day, there was an american legal theory that stated that lecturing or otherwise exporting cryptographic algorithms were punishble as exporting arms design illegally (or something). Anyway, it was ridiculous and they failed, now AES and RSA are available all over the world. Those two algorithms will cover pretty much any cryptographic situation you're gonna find (along with a few decent hashing algorithms). Oskar 22:01, 22 September 2006 (UTC)

There are still restrictions in force, and if you plan to export cryptographic software (or offer cryptographic consulting) to Iran or North Korea, consult a legal expert first. --Lambiam^Talk 23:45, 22 September 2006 (UTC)

hay or straw

I was wondering what is better in the winter hay or straw?I have a husky(dog)that lives out side in a 100 sq.ft kennel and has a house he sleeps in,my question is my pet better off in the 0 to -40 weather to have hay or straw?

Definately hay. Straw is very sharp and unless you want to make him a big mattress or something, it definately would not be comfortable for him to sleep in it. Also are you sure he'll be OK in -40 degree weather (I assume you mean fahrenheit, though now that I think about it, coincidentally 40 degrees F is the same as 40 degrees C) even with bedding? That's pretty darn cold. --froth^{T C} 19:38, 22 September 2006 (UTC)

I'm not sure that there is a big difference between the insulating capacities of hay and straw. (I assume that you are looking for insulation and that you don't plan to feed your dog hay or straw.) Straw is basically the stalks of hay, or hay without the seeds. I agree that your best option would be hay. I am thinking that the weight of your dog would be more likely to crush or compact the straw, whereas the seed content of hay would help to preserve the little pockets of air that help to insulate. It would probably help to caulk the doghouse to eliminate drafts. If it snows where you live, by all means do not shovel snow away from the doghouse, except to clear a path to the entrance, because the snow will also help to insulate the doghouse. I agree that you should make sure that huskies can survive sleeping at -40 degrees. I have no doubt that they can work at that temperature, but can they generate enough internal heat while resting at that temperature to avoid hypothermia? Marco polo 19:47, 22 September 2006 (UTC)

I was so worried about your dog that I looked into this some more. Huskies just might be able to survive outdoors in those temperatures, but I suggest that you ask a vet. Here are some more suggestions. If possible, make sure that the opening to the doghouse faces away from the prevailing wind where you are. If the wind generally blows out of the east or northeast, face the doghouse opening southwest. If the wind generally blows from the west or northwest, face the doghouse opening southeast. (I am thinking that in a place with cold winters, a southerly wind would bring warmer air and would be less of a problem for your dog.) You should situate the doghouse if possible in a place sheltered from the wind but exposed to the sun, such as it may be. Finally, and I think this is important: If you use straw and/or hay, be sure to change it regularly. The straw or hay will lose its insulating capacity and even make your dog colder by evaporation if it gets wet. Your dog will get it wet every time he or she brings in snow on his or her paws. The water may freeze back into ice when the dog leaves the doghouse, and melt back into water when the dog reenters, but it won't evaporate easily in below-freezing weather. Marco polo 20:06, 22 September 2006 (UTC)

I'm going to come out and say it: If it gets to 40 below, please don't leave your dog outside. It's dangerous.. and will certainly cause great distress to your dog --froth^{T C} 20:37, 22 September 2006 (UTC)

I happen to have a husky and though she loves to play outside in those temperatures, I wouldn't leave her out in it overnight. Unless that is, if I were a dog sledder or something and knew exactly what I was doing. Though considering that you're asking strangers on the 'net who are unlikely to be experts themselves, I'm guessing you're not prepared to say that you know exactly what you're doing either, no offense. Dismas|^(talk) 21:36, 22 September 2006 (UTC)

Apparently huskies need low temperatures (esp when working) otherwise they overheat!--Light current 22:01, 22 September 2006 (UTC)

I have some suggestions:

• Use something better for insulation, like Styrofoam, built into the walls, floor, and ceiling.

• Hang a heavy blanket over the door, so the dog can get in but heat can't get out.

• Rig a waterproof electrical line to the doghouse and mount an incandescent light bulb at the top. These generate a considerable amount of heat in such a small space. And, most places and times of the year with such low temps also have only a few hours of sunlight each day, so your dog will appreciate the extra light.

• You might consider rigging the doghouse with a digital video camera so you can check on him when it gets cold out.

• If possible, put the doghouse someplace protected from the wind, like a garage.

StuRat 04:36, 23 September 2006 (UTC)

• A well designed doghouse for a cold area will have 2 compartments: the outer one, with the door, will have the doorway offset to , say, the left side. Frome that compartment, the door to the other compartment would be offset the other way, in this case to the right side, so there is no direct path for drafts. Add a flap of canvas over the outer door opening. Put some old carpet on the floor for insulation. Double thickness walls and floor with insulation would be a good idea. The dog still need unfrozen water, and I.m not sure how you achieve that. Perhaps a heat strip like for the bottom of reptile habitats. How about letting him inside when it is below zero Fahrenheit?Edison 15:29, 23 September 2006 (UTC)

Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders

Are you legally allowed to purchase this book? Or is it only given to doctors/psychiatrists etc.? Thanks, Iolakana•T 18:17, 22 September 2006 (UTC)

It's listed on Amazon so I guess anyone can order it. You should be able to order any book that has an ISBN. (Books published privately need not have an ISBN.) --Shantavira 18:34, 22 September 2006 (UTC)

No particular reason for it not to be legal. However, as the article says, it warns that lay people should not use it for diagnosing disorders. That's definately a fear, especially considering the number of television shows and whatnot that have created mistrust in some towards medical professionals. -- Consumed Crustacean (talk) 20:13, 22 September 2006 (UTC)

In the United States at least, the first amendment guarantees its legality. That doesn't mean it's necessarily easy to understand or that there isn't a danger of misuse. 72.199.25.92 00:16, 23 September 2006 (UTC)

If you are in the US, try your local hospital library. Many community hospitals, especially the larger ones, have medical libraries in which anyone can consult a wide variety of expensive medical books. Don't be embarrassed to ask for the DSMIV book, all kinds of people ask for things like that all the time. If she isnt real busy, the librarian may even help you look up what you want to check. alteripse 03:46, 23 September 2006 (UTC)

Tennis balls

Okay - this is an odd one, but bear with me. My boss is an avid tennis player, and one of the things we want to get him are personalized tennis balls. I know not so much about the sport, so what are the various high-end tennis balls on the market in the US? Many thanks! – ClockworkSoul 19:43, 22 September 2006 (UTC)

I just googled "customized tennis balls" and got more hits than Anna Kournikova got tournament wins. Way, way more. I'm not a big tennis fan, but I've never heard of high-end balls. Clarityfiend 20:53, 22 September 2006 (UTC)

Sorry - I should have been more clear... I can customize them easily, but I want to first purchase some very nice tennis balls to have customized. – ClockworkSoul 21:06, 22 September 2006 (UTC)

How about this: [21]? Clarityfiend 21:17, 22 September 2006 (UTC)

I think those really big tennis balls the size of basketballs are hilarious. Get him one of those, or see if there are some autographed ones on eBay. You always see the professionals signing them after the matches. --Maxamegalon2000 21:11, 22 September 2006 (UTC)

I'd imagine Wilson ones are pretty good. If you want professional level balls, you can always search for tennis photos on the internet and zoom in on the balls and see which brand they are using. In addition, I'm sure if you walk into a professional tennis shop the sales staff can help you choose a high-quality ball. Jamesino 23:43, 22 September 2006 (UTC)

I've never seen the purpose to those customised tennis balls. They are expensive, difficult to see, and just as easy to lose. Russian F 03:18, 23 September 2006 (UTC)

satellite

While on holiday in Ibiza I saw what I think was a satellite but appeared to flash alternately red and green.Can anyone confirm if there are satellites that flash in this way. Regards Mick

Satellites don't have lights on them. Aircraft, however, have navigation light - red and green ones, infact. -- Finlay McWalter | Talk 20:24, 22 September 2006 (UTC)

The red and green lights are supposed to be steady instead of flashing. Could it have been a UFO? --Lambiam^Talk 23:50, 22 September 2006 (UTC)

No. Alien spacecraft do not exist. Unidentified flying objects are flying objects that cannot be identified.--Light current 00:03, 23 September 2006 (UTC)

I would hazard to guess that he saw the green position light on the starboard wingtip, and he saw the rotating red beacon; when the red beacon was facing in his direction it overpowered the green position light, hence, he saw alternating red-green-red lights. Someone asked a similar question months ago, and Wikipedia does not have very thorough coverage of aircraft navigation and position lights, else I'd refer to the relevant section. --192.168.1.1 7:56 22 September 2006 (PST)

You wouldn't be able to see a satellite from the ground. Especially not flashing lights on one. BenC7 06:08, 23 September 2006 (UTC)

That's not correct. There *are* satellites that are readily observed from the ground, notably the International Space Station, which is amongst the brightest objects in the night sky when it passes over. There are dozens of others which are easily visible, however see this guide for some details on how to spot them. --Robert Merkel

Many people have seen satelites. They are most visible when it has gotten dark but the satellite is still in sunlight. The ISS is now bigger with the new solar panels, so it might be even easier to see. The Echo mylar balloon satellite was very wasy to see: 300 feet across and reflective silver colored. Edison 15:32, 23 September 2006 (UTC)

Here's an interesting link: Satellite flare --froth^{T C} 17:09, 23 September 2006 (UTC)

realtime tracking of trains in US?

Is it possible to track rail transport in realtime? I see it's possible to track flights in the air, but I need information on train locations in realtime. Reason: I'm designing a bicycle that will ride on train tracks in the US. I hope to make a cross-country trip using the rail system, but that will be impossible unless I can find a way to track trains--otherwise I'll get run over in a hurry. thanks, --Tim

Is that even legal? --Charlesknight 23:52, 22 September 2006 (UTC)

I too suspect the owners of the tracks may consider that tresspassing. I recommend watching The General instead. --Lambiam^Talk 23:54, 22 September 2006 (UTC)

Trains can be tracked in near real time, but such information is very proprietary and not easily accessed by the general public. However, if you can read the block signals, you can at least know what is ahead of you. A yellow indication means there's a train approaching, and it is two blocks ahead of you. A red indication means there is a train in the block immediately ahead of yours. Unfortunately, there are no indicators for what is behind you, and so you risk being overtaken by a train coming up from behind. 192.168.1.1 8:01 22 September 2006 (PST)

I think such a bike would be impossible to ride, as it would not be steerable. In order to balance (I'm assuming you're riding along on just one rail), you need to make constant subtle adjustments to the steering. Try riding a regular bike in a tram track on a street and you'll see what I mean. --Shantavira 12:08, 23

September 2006 (UTC)

People have certainly ridden bikes on tracks, with a device which swings over to ride on the other rail. But you are likely to get run over by a train. If a train comes up behind or facing you, it may be while you are on a trailroad bridge over a canyon or river, or in a tunnel, with no place to get out of the way. You are also certainly tresspassing and likely to get arrested by railroad cops, local cops, or even Department of Homeland Security. Stick to bicycle paths. Edison 15:36, 23 September 2006 (UTC)

1. Send the bike down the railway sleepers. 2. Hang on to the back of another one. 3. Use disused tracks 4. if you could ride a very flat bike lying down, the train could go straight over you without damaging you. 82.153.195.149 19:09, 23 September 2006 (UTC)

Proper term of Photoshopper

What is the proper term that you can put on a job resume for one who photoshops? Jamesino 23:33, 22 September 2006 (UTC)

Camera purchaser?--Light current 23:46, 22 September 2006 (UTC)

Photoshopper= slang for one who uses Adobe Photoshop. "Photoshop" does not refer to the buying, shopping and purchasing of photographical equipments. Jamesino 23:50, 22 September 2006 (UTC)

Amateur photo manipulator/retoucher? Image post-processor? Near-professional skills in graphic manipulation? Hyenaste ^(tell) 23:53, 22 September 2006 (UTC)

OK then : Graphics manipulator?--Light current 23:55, 22 September 2006 (UTC)

Proffessional forger? Counterfeiter? (even though that is impossible in photoshop) Oskar 00:55, 23 September 2006 (UTC)

Not impossible.. there's a banknote patch of course --froth^{T C} 02:38, 23 September 2006 (UTC)

You really think so? I'm fairly certain that Adobe doesn't allow anyone to edit bills, I really don't think they would allow such a patch. No, for all your counterfeiting needs, you'll have to use the GIMP. (if anyone doesn't know what I'm talking about, photoshop refuses to process any sort of images of paper currency. They analyze a pattern of dots (it has a name, but I can't remember what) that's present in one form or another on virtually all currency and shuts the program down if you try to open it). Oskar 03:18, 23 September 2006 (UTC)

(ahh, yes, it's called the EURion constellation) Oskar 03:20, 23 September 2006 (UTC)

Yes I really think so, and it's not released by adobe it was made by the Tiger cracking group --froth^{T C} 03:43, 23 September 2006 (UTC)

Ohh, so it's a third party thing. That figures. I can see that happening. Oskar 04:12, 23 September 2006 (UTC)

September 23

Warp tool in CS

Is there a reliable site that I can donwload a Warp-tool (CS2) plug-in for Adobe Photoshop CS (not cs2)? Jamesino 01:43, 23 September 2006 (UTC)

What does the warp tool do in Gimp terms? I haven't used PS since 7. I also use Hugin for doing warpy things, it's very cool and it's opensource.  freshofftheufoΓΛĿЌ  18:18, 23 September 2006 (UTC)

The official Adobe website has a video showing what the warp tool does in its Photoshop section front page. Basically, it creates grid on the selected image and those has vertices that can be dragged to manipulate the picture. For example, it can be used to imprint a design on a wrinkled t-shirt. Jamesino 18:46, 23 September 2006 (UTC)

Freezer light

Why do refrigerators have lights but freezers not? --froth^{T C} 02:27, 23 September 2006 (UTC)

My freezer has a light. It probably just depends on the model. --AstoVidatu 02:35, 23 September 2006 (UTC)

Are you talking about the light that a tiny gnome turns on every time you open it? (I'm gonna find that gnome!) Yeah, you're right mine doesn't have one either. Maybe it's because of the ice that tends to form on the freezer walls would block it out all of the time, so the freezer people just don't bother. I have no idea though. Oskar 03:13, 23 September 2006 (UTC)

I have never seen a freezer have a light that is not one of the "french-door" syles. What is up with that? — X [Mac Davis] (SUPERDESK|Help me improve)03:23, 23 September 2006 (UTC)

I for one am very puzzled :? --froth^{T C} 03:46, 23 September 2006 (UTC)

I'm guessing that either the low temps would damage the light or that heat from the light might thaw the food. Here's an external light design that might work, by attaching a swing arm lamp to the freezer door:

   +---------+
   |         |
   | FREEZER |
   |         |
 +-+---------+
 |D|
 |O|
 |O|
 |R|
 +-+ 
   \    \/ LIGHT
    ----

StuRat 04:18, 23 September 2006 (UTC)

OR you could use a torch!--Light current 05:24, 23 September 2006 (UTC)

If your head is behind the lamp the lamp will obstruct your view and if it is before it will obstruct the light. Back to the design table. Try a 3D version this time. :) DirkvdM 05:10, 23 September 2006 (UTC)

The light would be closer to the door than shown. I just had to make it extra large to show up with ASCII art. You could also just open the door enough so the light isn't in the way. StuRat 13:41, 23 September 2006 (UTC)

Yeah, I don't buy either of those explanations. Flashlights work fine in very cold temperatures and since the light is only on when the door is open it wouldn't really affect (effect? that's one for WP:RD/L) the food. Not nearly as much as the warm air would anyway. I'm sticking to my "the ice covers it up" theory Oskar 04:31, 23 September 2006 (UTC)

The problem with the heat would be very localized right around the bulb. If you feel the end of the flashlight, you will find it is quite warm after even a short period on, certainly warm enough to thaw something frozen. Using a fluorescent light would solve that, but they don't tend to work well at low temps, taking a long time to start, etc. StuRat 05:03, 23 September 2006 (UTC)

My freezer has a light as well, only freezers I have ever seen without lights are those tiny ones ontop of the refrigenerators,Joneleth 04:28, 23 September 2006 (UTC)

I think it's also because freezers are often much smaller then refrigerators, and are usually packed crowded. There's not much point in having an internal light, as it would be obscured most of the time. In the refrigerator, there's much more free space so it can be lit up. – b_jonas 19:24, 23 September 2006 (UTC)

Notes

where can i get study notes ? Pls state some useful websites.

i am looking for secondary school notes for all subjects. thx :) pearly203.124.2.22 05:49, 23 September 2006 (UTC)

There's a lot of subjects in secondary school. Try searching for "(subject name) homework" in google. Particularly for science and maths subjects. It really depends what you are looking for. BenC7 06:06, 23 September 2006 (UTC)

sex

how to make pleasure to female partner

Go read the Kama Sutra. StuRat 08:05, 23 September 2006 (UTC)

Or any one of any number of sex manuals; one that is widely recommended is the The Guide to Getting it On but there are plenty of others out there. Rule number 1 - the best way to find out what your partner likes is by asking them. --Robert Merkel 08:11, 23 September 2006 (UTC)

Also, sexual arousal and human sexual response cycle. --Allen 08:12, 23 September 2006 (UTC)

Communication and trust... (...if you haven't heard that before... ;) ) 惑乱 分からん 12:15, 23 September 2006 (UTC)

Changing headlines with a static story

Last week I noticed how a headline changed throughout the day on 1 radio station (BBC4) without the story itself changing. It started off as john Reid warning Muslim parents to watch out for the "tell tale signs of brainwashing", then "signs of brainwashing" then "signs of being targeted by extremists" then "signs of brainwashing again". Why do the headlines change when the story hasn't? AllanHainey 09:07, 23 September 2006 (UTC)

Hard to say, internal fights about which headline would attract the biggest public, possibly... 惑乱 分からん 12:23, 23 September 2006 (UTC)

Sometimes the lawyers get their hands on something and, for example, insist on adding "allegedly" everywhere. They might say "President Bush allegedly said..." even though it was something broadcast on worldwide TV and witnessed, in person, by thousands of people. StuRat 13:35, 23 September 2006 (UTC)

Well that depends on what you mean by "is".  freshofftheufoΓΛĿЌ  18:15, 23 September 2006 (UTC)

FAQ page

Sorry to be such a pain, but how do you actually get to the FAQ page directly? Theres no link to it on the Ref desk front page!--Light current 12:58, 23 September 2006 (UTC)

There is a link to Wikipedia:FAQ at the end of the second line of text at the top of this page. Or are you referring to something else?--Shantavira 15:05, 23 September 2006 (UTC)

No its the Ref Desk FAQ page I wanted.--Light current 15:14, 23 September 2006 (UTC)

Ah, you mean Wikipedia:Reference desk/faq. Yes, it needs a few redirects created. --Shantavira 16:48, 23 September 2006 (UTC)

...but needs work before being a featured link I think. Don't forget the language desk has gone its own way with Wikipedia:Reference desk/Language/FAQs. That's a better model to follow perhaps, but that's really a discussion for the Talk page.--Shantavira 17:29, 23 September 2006 (UTC)

IC. I didnt know that. OK just added to my watchlist-- thats easiest--Light current 18:31, 23 September 2006 (UTC)

Points and Barnstars

Assuming the points system for good/amusing/succint answers was adopted (not saying it will be), how many points would one need to get to be awarded a Reference Desk Barnstar? 200?, 500?, 1000?--Light current 13:03, 23 September 2006 (UTC)

Can you not award one to yourself? Jamesino 14:19, 23 September 2006 (UTC)

I dont think it would count for anything if you did. Would it? Barnstars are awarded to you because people think youve done a good job on something. Have you?--Light current 14:31, 23 September 2006 (UTC)

I'm a person and I think I did a good job on something =) Jamesino 15:16, 23 September 2006 (UTC)

What did you do a good job on?--Light current 15:33, 23 September 2006 (UTC)

Do you really know that many languages! o_o --froth^{T C} 16:59, 23 September 2006 (UTC)

Ask him a question in Russian!--Light current 18:33, 23 September 2006 (UTC)

Her...unless the Canadian National Women's team is broadminded. *groan* Clarityfiend 18:51, 23 September 2006 (UTC)

I missed that one. --Light current 19:15, 23 September 2006 (UTC)

So that figure at the top left is probably not her. Who is that? John Cleese? DirkvdM 19:04, 23 September 2006 (UTC)

Yes thats John Cleese. I have him on my user page also, but I dont claim to be one of the Monty Python team--Light current 19:15, 23 September 2006 (UTC)

I've got more languages, but not quite at that level. And no Russian (yet). DirkvdM 19:04, 23 September 2006 (UTC)

Yeah, but youre Dutch, its natural 4U to have to lean other langs 8-)--Light current 19:16, 23 September 2006 (UTC)

Never refrain from pointing out that the Flemings (from Flanders) are about as good as the Dutch when it comes to languages (proud :))... But hey awarding yourself Barnstars is possible, take a look and see how I got one!!Evilbu 19:28, 23 September 2006 (UTC)

And what did you do thats worthy? Well you got one from Michael Dorosh for some reason.--Light current 19:49, 23 September 2006 (UTC)

Music Track From Driver 4

Hi i was wondering does anyone know the name to the track on driver:parallel lines 'Best of car crashes' video? ive been looking for months and i'd appreciate if someone could tell me what it's name is. Thanks RVD fan

Peaches by Stranglers, maybe? I assume you're talking about this.  freshofftheufoΓΛĿЌ  18:09, 23 September 2006 (UTC)

size of cloths

In the Middle Ages England exported both wool (in sacks of 120 skins) and cloths. What was the size or area of these cloths? Presumably they were standardised, as were all weights and measures

My impression of the Middle Ages was that standardization was quite laxly implemented, and also were slightly different from town to town. I don't know if that'd matter much for the export, if the merchandise took place in the country exported to, though. =S 惑乱 分からん 16:06, 23 September 2006 (UTC)

Hot Lunch

How do you make a hot lunch? --209.122.217.55 18:33, 23 September 2006 (UTC)

The art of making a hot lunch varies from culture to culture. The first step is always covering the face of the receiver with plastic wrap. --218.186.9.1 18:34, 23 September 2006 (UTC)

FAQ (or has this disgusting post been deleted). Are you the same person who asked this before?--Light current 18:36, 23 September 2006 (UTC)

Dog the Bounty Hunter

Does anybody know what is up with his arrest? I just heard about this today, did he just get arrested, or just released, because I read it happened in 'o3, and all of this news seems to be recent. Thanks Temp

Try checking the 2006 arrest section of Duane Chapman. People actually name their kids Duane? Clarityfiend 18:54, 23 September 2006 (UTC)

Help me please

I was blocked for reason: "user...". I don't understand it, I didn't do anything except register an account w/ name "人". Does user... mean I can't use a chinese character? Please help me!!! --216.164.200.210 18:52, 23 September 2006 (UTC)

I think you need to have more than one character. Try another username.--Light current 19:19, 23 September 2006 (UTC)

Brussels:Wikipedia contradicts itself about European institution in Justus Lipsius building(!Belgians/Dutchspeakers can help!)

Hello,

Wetstraat, an article about an important street in Brussels, claims that the Justus Lipsius building houses the European Council. Justus Lipsius building itself backs this up.

But then take a look at this article on the Dutch Wikipedia about the "Raad van de Europsee Unie"(="Council of the European Union") [22] says "De Raad zetelt in Brussel, in het Justus Lipsiusgebouw" which is Dutch for "The Council resides in Brussels, in the Justus Lipsius building".

It is very important to point out that the "European Council", "Council of European Union"( and "Council of Europe") are ALL different things.

So what's going on? Which is wrong?

You might wonder why I don't address this issue on the Dutch Wikipedia instead, but I got in trouble for asking questions there... not only did I get in trouble there, some think that in fact my questions were no problem, and it's not completely clear who is in charge there. Seeing how often they remove questions or block users... I chose to play it safe for now... Evilbu 19:07, 23 September 2006 (UTC)

The Council of the European Union has as its address:

Rue de la Loi / Wetstraat, 175

B-1048 Brussels

That is also the street address of the Justus Lipsius building. I believe the building also houses offices for directorates of the European Commission as well as for Europol. The European Council possibly has an office tucked away somewhere in the same building, even though it is not formally an agency of the EU. But it's not clear they need an office at all. --Lambiam^Talk 19:50, 23 September 2006 (UTC)

[Berlaymont building], which is located opposite of Justus Lipsius seems to be the European Commission headquarters. So if I understand you correctly, that English article about the Wetstraat should put the emphasis on the Council of the European Union, not the European Council? Evilbu 20:01, 23 September 2006 (UTC)

If you Google 'Council of the European Union', you get sent to consilium.europa.eu. This calls itself both "European Council" and "Council of the European Union", and notes "The meetings of the European Council usually take place in Brussels, in the Justus Lipsius building." Googling "European Council" only turns up the Wikipedia article. The Council of Europe goes to coe.int, and is in Strasbourg. The European Council is here, but finding a location where it says its meetings take place seems hard. Hope this provides some help. --Mnemeson 20:03, 23 September 2006 (UTC)

article format

If I'm starting a new article, how do I get it to look the others in the area of the table of contents-like page that it is featured at the top? Also, how do I get pictures on the page? Thanks- Temp

For the table of contents to be at the top of the page, there needs to be at least 4 headings in the article. As for the picture, just use the template {{Image:picture_name_here}} . If you're new here, this link may help you get started editing. Next time you have a question on using Wikipedia, please ask the help desk instead of the referance desk.Russian ₣ 19:20, 23 September 2006 (UTC)

Thanks and sorry, Temp

How do I get an article some attention?

Hi i was wondering if i come across a certain article that needs attention badly, how can I get it out that it needs to be fixed.

I know that i can help too, but i was just curious

--Bobafett122005 20:07, 23 September 2006 (UTC)

Building a computer

My computer can't play new games, and I want to get a new one. I have a budget of $500. Would it be better to build a computer, buy a premade one, or wat until I get more money?

Also, in general, if a person spends a fixed amount of money on a premade computer, and another person spends the same amount on parts and then builds their own computer, which computer will be better?

Thank you. --Man man 20:22, 23 September 2006 (UTC)