Wikipedia:Reference desk/Miscellaneous

June 8

I've found the e-mail address...

On Shueisha's e-mail address, I've finally found an e-mail address,[e-mail address removed] So, the question is, would Shueisha receive an e-mail at Manga Capsule?

im not sure, but fairly sure Shueisha would not like spam :) Perry-mankster 09:40, 8 June 2007 (UTC)

Chinese visa services in London

anyone use these kind of services before? Are they ok and reliable? any problems? thanks....

http://www.chinesevisadirect.co.uk/

www.orientaltravel.co.uk/biztravel/visa.html

http://www.mdxchineseschool.co.uk/?gclid=COuE4uKhzIwCFQrnlAodHj4Org

I have several times used a visa service in London for American visas and they were first class. Quick, no effort on my part.86.197.170.130 15:08, 9 June 2007 (UTC)DT

Why?

Why does a chicken bone bend when you place it in coca cola for a few days? What ingredient causes it?

If I had to guess, I'd say it's a combination of the acidity eating away at the bone and gravity bending it -- Phoeba Wright^OBJECTION! 12:11, 8 June 2007 (UTC)

That's most likely correct. If I remember correctly, coca-cola will eat away at a human tooth if you leave it in a a decent time, don't see why it couldn't do the same to a bone.--GTPoompt 12:43, 8 June 2007 (UTC)

See here for endless Cokelore (yes, there's even a word for it). What I want to know is why so may people stick various items in glasses of Coke and leave them lying around the house.--Shantavira|^{feed me} 13:11, 8 June 2007 (UTC)

I'm sure that there's an equal amount of lore obtainable about every other substance on Earth, just people seem to concentrate their investigative abilities on coke. 213.48.15.234 13:20, 8 June 2007 (UTC)

That's because us coca-cola is drank around the world widely. I'm sure if people started drinking Perchloric acid it would have negative views towards it too just like coke does ;).--GTPoompt 13:46, 8 June 2007 (UTC)

I think this question would have been better suited for the Science desk but oh well... Dismas|^(talk) 15:19, 8 June 2007 (UTC)

It is indeed the acidity. Simply putting the bone in acetic acid (vinegar) will do the same thing. You can also put an egg in vinegar and the shell will get strange and rubbery. In both cases, the change is due to the acid dissolving the calcium (and, to a lesser extent, phosphate) from the material. --TotoBaggins 16:32, 8 June 2007 (UTC)

The calcium on the bone is dissolved by the vinegar. After the soak, all that is left is collagen, which gives the bone flexibility. This is what allows you to bend the bone. bibliomaniac15 An age old question... 17:54, 8 June 2007 (UTC)

Contact details for online retailer

I have been totally screwed over by an online retailer called Caiman.com [1]. Firstly, I would urge everybody to avoid this retailer like the plague. Secondly, can someone help me to find a postal address, phone number or an email address for a real live person, perhaps in their press/PR office, that I can use to contact this shambles of an outfit? Many thanks. --Richardrj ^{talk email} 13:58, 8 June 2007 (UTC)

We can't endorse your personal opinion or help you here. Sleazy people, or retailers (not that I'm saying there are any around here!) tend to sue anybody who might limit their ability to rake in money without delivering (See Conrad Black). If you are a big target, or actually use your own name, you are at risk. --Zeizmic 15:20, 8 June 2007 (UTC)

See this page for contact details. It only offers an email address as far as I can tell but it's something. Dismas|^(talk) 15:22, 8 June 2007 (UTC)

Thanks, Dismas. Zeizmic, I'm afraid I don't quite follow your argument. Are you saying that my question about contact details is unsuitable for answering here because I framed it within a rant about the company? If I had just written "Does anyone know a postal address for Caiman.com?", and nothing else, would that have made it a suitable question for answering? --Richardrj ^{talk email} 15:37, 8 June 2007 (UTC)

The company's full name, appearing at the very bottom of its web page, suggests it is registered in the British Virgin Islands, but I could find nothing for it in the Caribbean Yellow Pages. According to the "Jobs" section in the Caiman [2] website, the company has offices in Miami and Montreal. There are two listings under "Caiman" in the Miami Yellow Pages. (I've lost the link, but you can google "Miami Yellow Pages" and then just type "Caiman" in the "search" box.) Both are labelled as publishing companies -one seems to specialize in music publishing- but a phone call might give you more information. I could find no listing using the name "Caiman" in either the White or Yellow Pages directories for Montreal or for Montreal and surrounding area. The company is also affiliated with Amazon in some way, as its web site references payments made, and orders directed, to Amazon. Perhaps you can access Caiman through Amazon. A list of Amazon’s Officers and Directors can be accessed here [[3]] and its corporate address is listed in its Restated Articles of Incorporation, Article 2 here [[4]]. Bielle 16:27, 8 June 2007 (UTC)

According to whois, the domain is owned by

	Registrant:  	
  	Caiman Holding BVI 
  	Wickhams Cay
  	P.O. Box 662
  	Road Town, Tortola 33126
  	VG
 	 
  	Domain Name: CAIMAN.COM

  	Administrative Contact : 	 
  	Pilon, Yannick
  	atupia@yahoo.com
  	640 Saint Paul West
  	Suite 204
  	Montreal, QC H3C1L9
  	CA
  	Phone: 514-223-4811
 	 
  	Technical Contact : 	 
  	Network Solutions, LLC. 
  	customerservice@networksolutions.com
  	13861 Sunrise Valley Drive
  	Herndon, VA 20171
  	US
  	Phone: 1-888-642-9675
  	Fax: 571-434-4620

Sorry, I focussed on the rant, but this information gives a good contact. Still looks very sleazy..., so I'm with you on the rant.. --Zeizmic 14:54, 9 June 2007 (UTC)

How do I find stats on the total amount of mortgages offered in the Ukraine for 2002-2007

I need to find out how the total volume of mortgages offered by Ukranian banks to Ukranian citizens has progresse over the past 5 years. It can be in any currency. I looked at:

- The Stattistical Committee of Ukraine - The State Bank of Ukraine - The Ukranian Ministry of Finance

websites, but was unable to find any information where would I find such figures

thanks

Teo

where do i buy a disposable mobile phone in london

where is a good place to get a cheap disposable pay as you go mobile phone in london? (not one where you have to wait 8 days before you can use it... one you can use right awya) thanxxxx

Get a second hand phone and a Pay as You Go SIM card from a shop on your nearest high road. I don't know where in London you are, otherwise I'd recommend an actual shop. JoshHolloway 16:36, 8 June 2007 (UTC)

There are thousands of places to buy a cheap phone in London. Railway stations, newsagents, supermarkets.... If you really want to be spoilt for choice, start in Tottenham Court Road.--Shantavira|^{feed me} 18:01, 8 June 2007 (UTC)

Mare sure you pay with cash and don't use your real name with the sales clerk -- that's how they catch the bad guys with disposable phones in Law & Order :).--Cody.Pope 07:51, 9 June 2007 (UTC)

National Diet Library Pictures

Here we go...

I desperately need detailed interior pictures of the National Diet Library.

I have googled and wikipedia-ed the heck out of it, but my (once-thought-mighty)google kung-fu was defeated.

I've only found pictures of the exterior, of people meeting in conference rooms, or people sitting at some desk tucked away in a back room. I have a floor plan, I just need detailed pictures of each floor, including the main desk, book stacks, reading rooms, etc.

While I have the inclination and linguistic aptitude, I do not pressess the finances to travel to Japan. If anyone knows how I can travel and board there cheaply (under $600), I'm listening.

I would rather just work with good pictures, though.

Thanks in advance, --67.177.170.96 15:52, 8 June 2007 (UTC)

Have you tried emailing someone who works there (especially since you have "linguistic aptitude")? Maybe you could get them to take some photos and send them to you? There is a 'Contact' page on their web site that contains the email address of their tour guide - a person like that ought to be very happy to help you. In future tours, the guide will be able to tell visitors "The library was featured in a book by User:67.177.170.96 in 2007." SteveBaker 15:59, 8 June 2007 (UTC)

Excellent idea. Thank you. --67.177.170.96 01:44, 9 June 2007 (UTC)

I've often suspected that all the fad diet books out there could easily fill a library. :-) StuRat 03:04, 11 June 2007 (UTC)

Voting

Is it irresponsable to vote?— Preceding unsigned comment added by 71.175.128.134 (talk • contribs)

Doesn't the answer rather depend for whom (or for what) you are voting?--Shantavira|^{feed me} 18:04, 8 June 2007 (UTC)

For the bozos in [insert country of your choice], it sure is. Clarityfiend 18:07, 8 June 2007 (UTC)

I suspect it is never irresponsible to vote for what you believe in, though someone will often disagree whole-heartedly with what you agree (indeed this appears to be the point of voting - to try to make a decision based on what is the dominant desire). ny156uk 18:17, 8 June 2007 (UTC)

I think it can be irresponsible to vote - perhaps if you are conscious of the fact that you have not been following the debate and you don't know the candidates and their policies as well as you should - then the responsible thing would be to let others (who...one presumes...have been following events more closely) make an informed decision. However, in general one's responsibility is to be cognisant of the candidates - and therefore the responsible thing would generally be to vote. SteveBaker 20:36, 8 June 2007 (UTC)

Funny there was just a New York Times article about how irrational voters really are. Op-ed more or less, but worth a read . --Cody.Pope 07:49, 9 June 2007 (UTC)

Winston Churchill had it about right: "Democracy is the worst form of government except for all those other forms that have been tried from time to time." - But certainly the results can be bizarre. In the USA, there are probably 200 million people who could legally become president on any given election year. An ideal electorial process would produce the best person out of those 200 million and elect them president. What are the odds that the son (or wife) of an ex-President would turn out to be that person? The statistical odds of that being the best decision are almost negligable! We could argue similarly for a movie star as president or governator of California - or for a WWF Wrestler to make governor. Is there evidence that media personalities make better policies than the average person in the community? I don't think so - quite the opposite in fact. So why are people from the performing arts so much more likely to make it into high office than would be statistically expected? Clearly, the forces at work here are far from rational. But the problem isn't really with the election itself - it's the process of selecting the candidates in the run up to the election that's the problem - and that has nothing to do with what the majority of voters want. SteveBaker 13:10, 10 June 2007 (UTC)

Earmuffs and their strength

By how much do a standard pair of earmuffs reduce sound? I am looking to photograph very close to an air force base (down to 300-500m from fighterjets) and would love some advice on what kind of ear protection which is the best kind. To my knowledge these fighters average on 150db, more and less during different parts of takeoff/taxi/landing. 81.93.102.185 18:36, 8 June 2007 (UTC)

Look for earplugs that can cancel out sound much more (I suspect) than your average earmuff. I guess the air-force have a specific varient they use to save their staff's ears from the noise. I've seen them wear them big headphone shaped ear-protectors (I guess you could call them ear-muffs?). According to the earplug article they are 'rated' by their sound-proofing. ny156uk 18:51, 8 June 2007 (UTC)

We do have an article on earmuffs, which is not very detailed. The information at this website seems to cover a broad range of topics about hearing protection. --LarryMac | Talk 19:09, 8 June 2007 (UTC)

I used to have a job where the noise level was so high that we'd wear earmuffs over earplugs, and the noise would still be pretty darn loud. In my opinion, I'd say the earplugs, as ny156uk stated, are more effective. If you want to play it safe, try the plug-muff combo. V-Man - ^T/_C 00:56, 9 June 2007 (UTC)

Some of the best passive earmuff-style "hearing protectors" are rated 29 dB of noise reduction, but it varies depending on the frequency PDF. One pair of David Clark Noise-cancelling headphones is rated 50 dB cancellation, but only of repetitive noise.

Atlant 01:25, 9 June 2007 (UTC)

Shepard-Risset Glissando Followup

As an extra point of my previously discussed question about creating a Shepard-Risset Glissando, someone said that it would be possible to create one in Audacity. May I ask how? How do you set it up so that it generates a constantly changing tone rather than a fixed pitch, and what would be the correct way of setting up the volume curves? Any help you can give on this matter would be greatly appreciated, as my knowledge of audio and maths is quite limited. --80.229.152.246 20:50, 8 June 2007 (UTC)

If you enjoy coding in lisp, you can write a nyquist plug-in for audacity. There are a number of example audacity plug-ins here. The stand-alone nyquist package has a demo (demos/pmorales/b9.lsp) which i think does exactly what you want, generating a continuous descending Risset scale.—eric 18:47, 9 June 2007 (UTC)

Thanks very much for that, it looks very useful. --80.229.152.246 20:28, 9 June 2007 (UTC)

who is this

Hi, this may seem a strange question, but curiosity got the better of me - who is the person in Image:0000.JPG? She appears to have at least some notability to her. Blood Red Sandman ^{(Talk) (Contribs)} 22:04, 8 June 2007 (UTC)

I'm going to guess Nicole Kidman. --Tagishsimon (talk)

I don't know who it is, but it's definitely not Nicole Kidman. Anchoress 22:44, 8 June 2007 (UTC)

Tagishsimon, it's way past time to see an optometrist. Nicole Kidman?! Nooooo.Clarityfiend 22:50, 8 June 2007 (UTC)

I think it's Beth Ostrosky. --Joelmills 01:50, 9 June 2007 (UTC)

Mutual funds

Is it possible to sell a mutual fund short? NeonMerlin 23:13, 8 June 2007 (UTC)

Get a list of the holdings of the fund, then sell the individual stocks short. That's the long and the short of it. Clarityfiend 05:23, 9 June 2007 (UTC)

So strictly speaking, no, you can't short shares in the mutual fund itself. But you could achieve equivalent economic benefits by short selling the individual stocks in the fund, if you know how the fund is invested. You would, of course, have to pay the costs of borrowing the stock in order to short sell it. Or you could achieve similar results using CFDs or futures. To replicate the fund performance exactly, you would have to keep re-balancing your portfolio, and the costs of doing this are likely to make your strategy uneconomic. Gandalf61 09:28, 9 June 2007 (UTC)

HP 27 Cartridge

Hello. I can fill more than 10 mL of black ink (the sticker on my cartridge said it can hold 10 mL) into my HP 27 cartridge. For example, if I refilled 15 mL of black ink, when the cartridge is empty, can I print 50% more pages? Thanks. --Mayfare 23:39, 8 June 2007 (UTC)

I would heavily advise against putting more than the rated capacity of ink into a refillable cartidge. This could damage it (and your printer, and any documents in progress). To directly answer your question, if the cartridge can physically contain 15 mL, then I'd say it is possible to print 50% more pages, at least until the cartridge breaks from being overfilled. Inkjet refill kit has some more info. V-Man - ^T/_C 02:45, 9 June 2007 (UTC)

June 9

Internet access in the military

Do low-ranking members of the Canadian Navy have access to the internet on a regular basis? What about when on a long patrol mission (ie aboard a ship) is there internet access there? 209.53.180.38 00:23, 9 June 2007 (UTC)

You will get the best answer by asking them, here: [5] Mhicaoidh 01:25, 9 June 2007 (UTC)

And incidentally there is no such thing as the Canadian Navy! see Canadian Navy Mhicaoidh 01:36, 9 June 2007 (UTC)

Well they certainly have naval force of some kind, no need to insult them by refusing the honor it with the name "navy" :) --froth^t 11:58, 9 June 2007 (UTC)

Froth, check the references I've provided, its a matter of nomenclature. The Canadian government has not called it a navy for decades Mhicaoidh 12:03, 9 June 2007 (UTC)

It was a deliberate misinterpretation- they only have four submarines.. a lot more than I have (zero) but not much of a navy nonetheless! --froth^t 16:33, 9 June 2007 (UTC)

It's not officially a navy, and the fact that it isn't a navy is a sore point with them. A navy is a maritime force constituted as a navy and called officially a navy. The Maritime Command of the Canadian Armed Forces is not a navy. --Charlene 20:34, 9 June 2007 (UTC)

What? It's a navy whether they want to call it one or not (despite its dubious strength) --froth^t 17:16, 10 June 2007 (UTC)

I wouldn't expect to have much leisure time to just be browsing the internet.. if you're going to dedicate a portion of your life to the armed forces you shouldn't expect any concessions --froth^t 16:35, 9 June 2007 (UTC)

I imagine they have regular access to email. - Akamad 01:11, 10 June 2007 (UTC)

Best eyesight?

Hi, there's an urban legend (IMHO) in Korea about Mongolians having 100/20 vision and the Moken having 180/20 vision. There's even been a report that a fisherman in Sicily is the current Guinness World Record holder for best eyesight, with 120/20 vision. I personally think this is all bunk.

I think Wikipedia says 40/20 would be beyond human capabilities, and various authorities I can find on the web seem to say 24/20 or 26/20 would be probably the best. I'd like to know the truth. Could someone cite some well-documented examples, please? --Kjoonlee 07:38, 9 June 2007 (UTC)

Fractions are probably a bit off, because Korea uses decimal notation and I'm converting from memory. --Kjoonlee 07:41, 9 June 2007 (UTC)

Without commenting on the actual question, I point out that Snellen fractions are normally given with a numerator of 20 (feet) or 6 (meters). The idea is that the eye chart is placed at that distance and tests how your vision at that distance compares what people with normal vision can see at other distances. I presume that 20 feet is used because it is a conveniently short distance but far enough for the eye to be focusing as it would at infinity. So rather than 40/20 for vision that much better than normal, one would expect to see 20/10. --Anonymous, June 9, 2007, 11:10 (UTC).

Professor Emeritus Peter Bagnolo, says, "In college when I played baseball, my eyesight was diagnosed when as 20/05. The doctors were amazed and all gathered to test me. They told me it meant that I could read at 20 feet what others could read at five feet. I was able to see the spin on a pitched baseball easily and could even see the blur of colors on the seams of red, white and blue. I was Very good hitter with great power and was seldom struck out. Using the computer has lessened that eyesight significantly."'Italic text

There has been studies on the Moken's apparently unusual ability to accommodate well underwater [6]. It turns out, however, that it is just a learned trait. There was no indication in that study that they have superior vision. Rockpocket 19:22, 9 June 2007 (UTC)

Exactly. The researcher from Lund, Sweden said that the visual acuity of Moken children on land was not significantly different from that of European children. --Kjoonlee 20:28, 9 June 2007 (UTC)

It is 20 first. Eagles have 20/4 vision. —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 172.213.43.56 (talk • contribs).

That number about eagles changes everytime I read it from somewhere else. I can't trust that. --Kjoonlee 19:22, 10 June 2007 (UTC)

Trust this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visual_acuity Your numbers are all wrong. "120/20" vision is not the fraction they would use. "20" is always in the numerator (or if in meters, 6). Hawks may have acuity at 20/2. Humans wouldn't be able to see better than 20/8, which is limited by the pupil diffraction of the eye 24.16.225.9 (talk) 07:41, 1 November 2011 (UTC)

Chuck Yeager states he has 20/10 vision in each eye [7]. If that is true, and assuming he has been tested thoroughly in his career, then 40/20 is not the limit. 163.1.240.185 (talk) 10:05, 9 January 2008 (UTC)

For the love of God, 40/20 is the same as 20/10 vision, except "40/20" isn't a term they use. 24.16.225.9 (talk) 03:47, 27 October 2011 (UTC)

Actually, "40/20" would be a worthless measurement anyway, because the eye focuses almost exactly the same at 20 feet as at 40 24.16.225.9 (talk) 07:31, 1 November 2011 (UTC)

I've just been told by an optician that I've got 20/10 vision in my right eye - with my contacts in - so I assume that means it's entirely achievable unaided for someone with a well-shaped eyeball. 82.112.158.168 (talk) 18:32, 14 September 2012 (UTC)

Removing permanent marker writing from clothes

As a joke, a couple of freinds of mine decided to write all over a white t-shirt of mine with permanent marker.What is the best way of removing this marker so that it is no longer visible; I've heard that hairspray works on surfaces - does it also work on clothes? 86.144.148.249 14:39, 9 June 2007 (UTC)

For a white shirt, strong bleach is probably the best. --Zeizmic 14:46, 9 June 2007 (UTC)

Try reading this Permanent Marker Stains on Clothing Dep. Garcia ( Talk + | Help Desk | Complaints ) 14:47, 9 June 2007 (UTC)

Get your friends to chip in to buy a replacement T-shirt. Perhaps they will be less destructive with their "jokes", next time. StuRat 02:48, 11 June 2007 (UTC)

Prince Charles

Big ears begets big ears

Is it true that Prince Charles' big ears are the result of inbreeding?

My theory is that he's the result of a royal indiscretion with Clark Gable. Clarityfiend 15:53, 9 June 2007 (UTC)

Unusually pronounced features can be seen in consanguineous offspring, but the Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh are not particularly closely related. I'd say it is more likely that his big ears are the result of his father having big ears. Rockpocket 19:38, 9 June 2007 (UTC)

Prince Charles, like his father before him, and ALL other Polo Players, need very big ears to slow them down like air-brakes when they are approaching a short-stop on the Polo Field at the end of each Chukka.

And he's old. Ears don't stop growing.

Old? Sigh. Corvus cornix 20:20, 10 June 2007 (UTC)

Twins Games at the Metrodome

I have been looking on the Minnesota Twins' website for almost an hour trying to find how early before games the gates open at the Metrodome. Im going to the game on Saturday June 16th, if that makes a difference.--ChesterMarcol 16:39, 9 June 2007 (UTC)

You would think they'd make this information easy to find, but I had as much difficulty as you finding that information. This page lists the opening time to be 1.5 hours before first pitch, but that page also happens to be eight years old. Your best bet is to call the box office at 1-800-33-TWINS, as they should be able to answer this question. –Pakman044 19:39, 9 June 2007 (UTC)

Prep?

I know this is very opinional, but generally do girls find guys who wear "preppy" (A&F, American Eagle, Hollister) clothing attractive? If not, what kind of clothing for guys would girls find attractve (tight, loose, etc...)? Thanks. Michael.74.111.82.91 19:10, 9 June 2007 (UTC)

What country are you in? How old are you? What kind of woman (intellectual, athletic, etc.) are you trying to attract? --Charlene 20:28, 9 June 2007 (UTC)

Personally, i like preppy or sporty clothes on guys. Thats just my preference. Maddie ^{was here} 22:09, 9 June 2007 (UTC)

American Eagle & Hollister are actually pretty cute on guys, but we all have our preferred styles.

Women like men in suits. Or at least, thats what I understand from my limited reasoning (I am male, it is difficult to understand the opposite gender). I tend go get more compliments when wearing a suit with blazer or sport coat, although maybe women are just saying that just because I tried. --GTPoompt(talk) 17:55, 11 June 2007 (UTC)

Under Armour

I have some questions about the clothing company Under Armour

• The company is American and was founded by an American in America. Why does "armour" take the British spelling?
• What are the "sweat-wicking" fibres made from? Polyester?
• How does it compare to Nike's line of Dri-FIT?

Thanks. 74.111.82.91 19:30, 9 June 2007 (UTC)

I don't know about the last two, but you could ask them via e-mail about the name. There once was a company called "Under Armor" that made rustproofing for automobiles, so perhaps that's why they used the CanadianBritish spelling. (edited) --Charlene 20:32, 9 June 2007 (UTC)

According to our Wikipedia article, the "sweat-wicking" fiber is Polypropylene. V-Man - ^T/_C 02:27, 12 June 2007 (UTC)

Where can I buy US letter size paper in London??

Anyone know where to buy US 8 1/2 inch by 11 inch letter size paper in London?? thanks a lot for any help!!!

You might have a hard time finding it... You may want to just buy some A3 paper (11.7" x 16.5") and cut it down to 8.5" x 11". -- Mwalcoff 02:11, 10 June 2007 (UTC)

You might also consider buying it on line and having it shipped to you. Paper is heavy, however, so this will only work if you need relatively small quantities, or so large an amount that supplier will give you discounts as if you were in the import business. (And, no, I have no idea about what restrictions or costs there might be in respect of importing paper into England.) Paper size says that only Canada and the US still use the 8 1/2 x 11-inch format. You could just change the paper size on your printer to A4. Bielle 04:39, 10 June 2007 (UTC)

Egad! 8 1/2" by 11" isn't standard the world over? What is the equivalent in heathen (i.e. metric) regions? (Paper size is confusing and it's late.) Clarityfiend 06:54, 10 June 2007 (UTC)

A4 paper size is the short answer. (The article that link redirects to is slightly less complicated.)--Shantavira|^{feed me} 07:45, 10 June 2007 (UTC)

Yes, paper is just another thing that won't work in Europe, like televisions, VCRs, regionalized CDs, electrical plugs and appliances, some cellphones, etc... Globalization my eye. -- Mwalcoff 08:57, 10 June 2007 (UTC)

Just like the metric system, the 'A', 'B' and 'C' series of paper sizes are logically thought out and not just some strange quirk of history. Each A size (A0, A1, A2, A3...down to A10) is exactly half the area of the one before it. So a paper mill can manufacture sheets of A0 paper and simply cut them in half to make A1's, cut those in half to make A2's, cut those in half to make A3'a and so on down. If you are a printer and someone gives you a pile of pages on A5 paper and asks you to bind them into a book, you can print them on A4, fold them down the middle and center-staple and know that the pages will fit. If you want to print Xmas cards with single-sided printing (which demands that you fold the card twice to get the writing in the correct place - then you know you can print on A3 and the result will fit perfectly into an envelope that's designed for an A5 card (which would be a 'C5' envelope). It's a vastly better system than the US paper size mess. The same properties apply to the 'B' paper sizes - although these are much less commonly used - the 'C' sizes are the paper size you need to make an envelope for 'A' sized paper - so an A5 birthday card will fit into a C5 envelope with a bit of space around the edges). A4 is the closest to US letter-sized but if someone has written software or pre-formatted a document for Letter and all you have is A4, you'll definitely find a problem! Also, if you have to photocopy US letter-sized documents, you'll run into grief too. Having said that, I know for sure that you can buy US Letter-sized paper in the UK because when I last worked there we had a photocopier set up with both letter and A4 paper for this very reason. However, I have no clue where we bought it from. SteveBaker 12:43, 10 June 2007 (UTC)

Try the Students' Union and/or bookshop of any University that has a substantial number of American students.90.4.255.117 14:56, 10 June 2007 (UTC)Dt

I don't need it anymore, actually, but apparently you can get it for £9.99 + tax per pack at www.maxwells.biz, which has a store in london....

Pre-consumption alcohol related amnesia

Now, i know you can get amnesia revolving around the events occuring after drinking large amounts of alcohol (i've had my fair share of that) - but do you think it's possible to drink so much you don't remember things from _before_ you started drinking/had drank enough to cause a blackout? And if so, has anyone ever had it?

Thanks!

-Benbread 22:27, 9 June 2007 (UTC)

I don't know if this is exactly what you're asking about, but Korsakov's syndrome destroys long-term and short-term memory. But it's more of a permanent condition than a temporary loss of memory. --Charlene 22:37, 9 June 2007 (UTC)

3D pool

Have astronauts ever played 3D pool where, in freefall, they fill a clear rectangular box with a gas and have pool balls in there and try to make the balls into pockets that are built into the box?--71.185.142.181 23:24, 9 June 2007 (UTC)

I really doubt it would work as the balls will take a long time to stop bouncing off each other due to the absence of the pool table surface which creates lots of drag. --antilived^{T | C | G} 00:48, 10 June 2007 (UTC)

There's the potential for a game to last just one turn. If a ball is struck and it strikes another ball and so on. Then all the balls by random chance eventually fall into a pocket, you're game is over. The reduced drag makes this much more likely than in a Earth-bound game of standard pool. Dismas|^(talk) 00:57, 10 June 2007 (UTC)

Edit conflict, but many experiments have been performed examining the behaviour of objects in freefall, but no games of pool. The problem with pool in freefall would be keeping the balls still in relation to each other as various forces such as air currents, cetripetal force etc would affect them. Pool relies on the friction of the table to slow and halt balls, whereas in freefall they would keep moving til air resistance stopped them meaning a long time between turns! See The microgravity section of Weightlessness Mhicaoidh 00:59, 10 June 2007 (UTC)

I said that the box would be filled with a gas, which would provide friction. Or maybe a liquid would work better.--71.185.142.181 01:18, 10 June 2007 (UTC)

If you could find a liquid with the right viscocity to make the game playable, you could use neutrally bouyant balls - and then you could play it right here on earth - no zero-g required. There are plenty of 3D Pool/Snooker/Billiards computer games - but they don't make good games because there is simply too much space in 3D. Think about this: The most interesting situations in these games comes from balls blocking each other, colliding with each other, etc. The probability of this happening in 2D is much *much* higher than in 3D. I just don't think it would be much of a fun game. (Plus - what do you rest the pool cue on?) SteveBaker 02:13, 10 June 2007 (UTC)

"you could use neutrally bouyant balls" Buoyancy is a gravity based phenomenon, So this would be irrelevant. Marcus.

June 10

Jackofoz

Moved to Wikipedia_talk:Reference_desk#Jack_OfOz_-_moved_from_misc_desk_by_Anchoress. Anchoress 01:30, 10 June 2007 (UTC)

boarding pass printing

I have just used easy check in online on united airlines website, However i have no printer avaliable and cannot print out the pass. I already confirmed my check in online but did not print out the pass. Am i able to go to the airport and use the kiosk to print out the pass.--logger 01:58, 10 June 2007 (UTC)

I've never flown on United, but I've never had any problems with checking in online and then printing out a boarding pass at a kiosk. The airlines know a certain percentage of people will lose their e-boarding passes anyway. And if you have problems at the kiosk, the attendants at the ticket counter can almost definitely print it out for you anyway. So no worries! –Pakman044 02:04, 10 June 2007 (UTC)

all right just wanted to be sure.--logger 02:16, 10 June 2007 (UTC)

How do birds catch worms

How do common garden birds such as thrushes and blackbirds locate worms? Is it sight of hole, smell, sound, vibration...? Mhicaoidh 05:01, 10 June 2007 (UTC)

This study suggests that in Robins, it is mainly the sound. ›mysid (☎∆) 08:43, 10 June 2007 (UTC)

Thanks, a ggod reference, its the head-cocking that prompted my interest. Surprising how few studies have been done on the subject, and the previous major study favoured sight, but it does seem sound is crucial. Who would have thought worms made that much noise and birds certainly arent known for their big ears. Mhicaoidh 21:45, 10 June 2007 (UTC)

Speakers. vs. Beatles

I have an old set of computer speakers (4.1/quadraphonic; 4 speakers, 1 sub) in my room. I also have an iPod. Last night I noticed that a certain Beatles song, Day Tripper sounded odd. Then, checking through other songs, I noticed the same with We Can Work It Out. Both were ripped to MP3 from the 1 CD.

The issue is with the vocals. They're still present, but they're very quiet and have an odd reverberation. All other songs are fine, and these songs are fine played through an other speakers. Can anyone explain this? -- Consumed Crustacean (talk) 05:44, 10 June 2007 (UTC)

It might be a problem with the stereo speration through the speakers. The Beatles did a lot of playing around with the vocals coming from one side of the speakers with the music coming from either both or just the other side. Dismas|^(talk) 09:48, 10 June 2007 (UTC)

It definitely sounds like a stereo versus mono problem. Is it possible that your iPod is connected up so that only one side of the stereo is connected and it's going to both speakers? Check the cables connecting them. How does your 4.1 speaker setup decode four channels from two anyway?

Cigarette-cowboy Engrish sign.

I'm trying to track down a photo I saw a while ago. It was of an engrish sign in Japan that went something like "Warning: do not put your cigarettes on the ground! The cowboy does but he is a character in an old film!". Can anyone remember where it was posted, or link me to it? Froglars the frog 05:51, 10 June 2007 (UTC)

http://iconglobe.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2006/05/smokingmanner.jpg ›mysid (☎∆) 08:39, 10 June 2007 (UTC)

That doesn't look like Engrish to me, just common sense. Corvus cornix 20:24, 10 June 2007 (UTC)

I originally saw the Japan Tobacco smoking manners signs featured on a Boing Boing post. They're not really Engrish, as the English is correct. But some of them are funny. --Bavi H 00:39, 11 June 2007 (UTC)

I believe "Engrish" also has a broader meaning, to include cultural misunderstandings of Americans, such as thinking we are all cowboys wearing six-shooters and spurs. StuRat 02:33, 11 June 2007 (UTC)

Business

who are the main exporter of Red Table wine?

France obviously. I know that Australia is now a huge wine exporter of all types. Some other major exporters include Italy, Spain, the USA, and Chile. Did you bother to look at the wine article, where you would have seen this table? The information there is starting to get a little out of date and note that it's not specifically about red wine; I believe that China is now starting to strongly get into the game too. --jjron 12:31, 10 June 2007 (UTC)

I think by the title "Business", he wanted the main company that exported it. JoshHolloway 13:54, 10 June 2007 (UTC)

Bodys In A Trunk

This is a serious question, as it is research for a novel. How many bodies could one fit into the trunk of a Chrysler 300C compared to the trunk of a Lincoln Navaigator? --125.238.24.115 14:21, 10 June 2007 (UTC)

The only obvious solution here is to rent or test drive them, and pile some friends on in. It would be impossible to tell from a size standpoint, since a larger trunk in cubic space could be much less capable of holding bodies, due to the design of it. If you don't have friends that would let you stack them on top of one another, you could try using golf bags as an analog... -- Phoeba Wright^OBJECTION! 15:02, 10 June 2007 (UTC)

Do the bodies have to be whole? Or can arms and legs be cut off in order to economize on space? Dismas|^(talk) 16:14, 10 June 2007 (UTC)

Or a giant blender. A lot of people is just air. Dehydrating them would help too, then you would just have dust. You could probably fit dozens of dehydrated bodies into a car.

Are you allowed to run over them a few times to flatten them before loading the trunk? [8] says the 2007 Lincoln Navigator L has "Luggage Capacity: 42.7 cu. ft. Maximum Cargo Capacity: 128 cu. ft." The same source [9] says the 2007 Chrysler 300c has "Luggage Capacity: 15.6 cu. ft. " I could only find one estimate of human body volume on Google, and it is admitedly a rough one [10] of 2.8 cubic feet for an individual of unspecified age, weight, and gender (sounds small). This would yield 5.57 bodies in the Chrysler 300c and 15.25 bodies in the Navigator. assuming they were intact and that you crammed them in to fill all volume. I assume the protagonist of your novel would not want to fill all the cargo space on the Navigator unless it had heavily tinted windows, in which case he could get in 45.7. The vehicle would be sagging, since the maximum payload is only 1650 lbs for the Navigator. In some vehicles, wedges can be used to "block the springs" to prevent it riding too low when heavily loaded, but that might adversely affect, handling, ride, and safety. Edison 21:00, 10 June 2007 (UTC)

In soviet russia, stalemate gives up you!

I was watching WarGames last night, and at one point it was mentioned that the US had deployed bombers because of the simulation, and Russia responded in kind, and the US didn't want to recall their bombers until the USSR did. How did real life situations like this play out during the cold war? Which side usually gave in and retracted their forces first? It really doesn't seem like either of them would ever give up, logically. -- Phoeba Wright^OBJECTION! 15:01, 10 June 2007 (UTC)

I imagine that the backing off was done incrementally and piecemeal. Given the huge overkill both sides enjoyed, it's possible to back-down small sections of one's force without materially changing one's actual strength. You'd probably start by freezing further escalatory deployments - ships that have been making ready for sea stay in port, troop formations on the move stop at an intermediate point. Then you'd deescalate existing deployments - when their fuel runs out bombers orbiting at aggressive forward points are replaced by aircraft flying a less provocative patrol. Finally units would be returned to their barracks, fueled missiles defueled, aircraft returned to their normal patterns, etc. Incidentally, there's a school of thought among some historians that contends the rapid escalation of hostilities at the start of WW1 was due to the inflexibility of the railway-based deployment schedules of the continental powers (Germany, Austria-Hungary, France, and Russia) - i.e. the complexity and fragility of the railway deployment timetable meant that units couldn't be meaningfully stopped, slowed, or reversed without jamming up the whole complex deployment horribly. So, these historians contend, there was no means for the continental belligerents to show their willingness and capacity to fight without going the whole hog and actually committing a huge force to the field (forcing their adversary to do likewise, and thus making conflict very likely). -- Finlay McWalter | Talk 17:00, 10 June 2007 (UTC)

Belmont Stakes?

Who sung "New York, New York" at the start of the Belmont Stakes?--172.131.84.175 16:21, 10 June 2007 (UTC)

View from Continental Aircraft flying from San Diego to Newark New Jersey?

In April when returning to Scotland after visiting San Diego, our flight, as described in the Subject Line, which took about 5+ hours, flew over vast tracts of land with no recognisable features (to the naked eyes and from that height). But I was amazed to see many enormous perfect circles on the earth and couldn't begin to imagine what they might be other than, say, for agricultural purposes. They seemed too large to be buildings, and they weren't bodies of water, so, does anyone here have any clues please? I know, I know, I should have asked someone on the 'plane at the time, but we Brits are an extremely polite and restrained race and I didn't like to disturb my fellow passengers. Thanks in anticipation.

Please sign your posts with ~~~~. They could've been Crop Circles, although without some sort of reference as to it's size it's hard to say. They could've also been sports stadiums, but having one out in the middle of nowhere would be odd. They could've also been hills (shadows can play some devious tricks on your eyes) or roadways. Do you have any description other than "circles"? If they were off the ground, they might very well have been silos, if it looked like a natural feature it could be very odd -- Phoeba Wright^OBJECTION! 16:53, 10 June 2007 (UTC)

Center pivot irrigation. anonymous6494 17:06, 10 June 2007 (UTC)

Yes, that's the right answer. Complete circles are fairly well suited to the square lots that land was surveyed into much of the US and Canada; in some places you will also see partial circles. --Anonymous, June 10, 2007: 17:27 (UTC).

Thanks Anonymous. I followed your lead and saw immediately that what you describe above was exactly what I saw from the aircraft. Interesting though, as an aside, is the pattern that is emerging as I periodically pose a question here on Wikipedia. I usually get 2 answers these days, one from respondents such as yourself that proves to be well-informed and correct. And the other from Phoeba Wright that is usually an uninformed shot-in-the-dark that proves to be howlingly WRONG. Thanks again Anonymous, I am most grateful to you.

Being right is quite overestimated here at the reference desk. A.Z. 20:21, 10 June 2007 (UTC)

Agreed. I believe Phoeba Wright deserves a "good try", even if the answer provided is not the correct one, since it did appear to be a good faith effort. StuRat 02:26, 11 June 2007 (UTC)

How much would it cost to sell electricity?

I've heard that people with solar/wind power to their house can make a bit of extra income by selling their excess electricity back to the grid. Assuming average US energy costs, how much would a single average solar panel save (or in the case of excess) per month? And how much for an average turbine? And would it be possible, assuming you had a large enough amount of wind/solar power, to profit off this? Such as, if a solar panel makes 30$ worth of electricity a month, and you had 100, would it be possible to sell the electricity for 3000$ (of course, after your usage, this could be a bit lower, but you understand my point), and thus basically live off money from the electric company? Ignoring the cost of the panels/turbines themselves, of course...

Unfortunately the answer to this is contingent on the circumstances of your local power supplier and the prevailing public utility regulator. So few individuals sell power back to the grid that the price is determined by the fiat of the PUC not by the market. In some places the PUC forces the utility to buy the power at several times the market value (forcing the power company to essentially subsidise new deployments of renewable microgeneration). Such a regulatory environment will inevitably evaporate as adoption increases. Even now the economics don't really make for really much profit - this guy makes $3000 annually on a capital outlay of $50,000 - a 6% return, and most of his capital cost was paid by the PUC. Home microgeneration makes a bit of sense for supplying your own needs (but only after you've taken care of the lower hanging fruit like better insulation and more efficient appliances). -- Finlay McWalter | Talk 17:30, 10 June 2007 (UTC)

Apparently in some locales [11] [12][13] the ordinary electric meter will slow when your grid-connected photovoltaic system generates some of your needs, and will turn backward when your usage is less that the solar power produced. The utility would be buying power at the same rate they bill it. Sometimes they have made the argument that the buyback rate should be less than the retail rate, because their avoided cost is less than the retail. Some utilities ratchet the meter so it only goes forward. Others install 2 meters: one to record the power they supply, and the other to record the power you supply them. If a photovoltaic or other cogeneration system is above a certain (fairly large) size which could energize the power line after the utility breaker had opened, a very expensive relay system may be required to sense a fault on the utility and trip the system, to prevent electricuting utility workmen. Edison 20:35, 10 June 2007 (UTC)

No, you're not going to be able to make a profit this way. If you could, everyone would already be doing it. However, in locations where you can sell back electricity to the power company, this is very important to those considering installing solar cells, windmills, etc., as the power company essentially acts as a battery system, with you selling them excess electricity when it's sunny or windy and them selling it back to you when it's dark or calm. Since installing a household battery system would otherwise be a major expense, this is critical in making alternative home energy sources cost-effective. However, this does still leave you partially dependent on the power company, and true "off the grid" enthusiasts will cringe at this. StuRat 01:44, 11 June 2007 (UTC)

Backwards stars and stripes on U.S military uniforms

this has been bugging me. The U.S army and marines have the american flag on their sleeves, however the flag is backwards. ie. the stars are at the top right corner, instead of the top left. WHY? Willy turner 18:10, 10 June 2007 (UTC)

This is known as the "Reverse Field Flag"; it gives the impression of a flag being carried, blowing backwards in the wind. Laïka 18:18, 10 June 2007 (UTC)

The generals were afraid that someone looking at the right shoulder and seeing the stars at the top left would get the impression the soldier was retreating. I would love to see a parody of this design feature, where the uniform includes a little flagpole perhaps 5 inches high on each shoulder, so the flags flutter in the breeze as the soldier charges forward. Edison 20:24, 10 June 2007 (UTC)

(Removed Edison's answer which was repeated in prior question and belonged to it. Bielle 21:52, 10 June 2007 (UTC)

You will notice the same style of flags on U.S. military aircraft — the stripes always point toward the tail of the plane, as if it were blowing in flight. — Michael J 22:12, 10 June 2007 (UTC)

Simple Shield list

Can anyone please write down a large list of all the shield types they know {Example: Buckler, Kite shield} and at least try to have a good Simple english description and facts about them, this is for the simple english wikipedia's List of shields

Deflector shields? :) --froth^t 19:06, 10 June 2007 (UTC)

You can find a lot of them mentioned in Shield. Clarityfiend 19:11, 10 June 2007 (UTC)

And, of you're worried about being attacked by bacterial enemies, don't leave home without your dress shield: [14]. (Looks like we lack an article.) StuRat 01:31, 11 June 2007 (UTC)

Printing Costs

I've been sending off for loads of quotes, and I want to know if I'm expecting too much. What I want is a document printing, with the following specs. -Gloss cover (full colour) -52 pages inside, in B&W + 1 colour "OR' Full colour 'depending on price variation' -A4 size -150 to 250 copies

I'm prepared to, aside from these demands, be very flexible. Do you think it is possible to get what I want for abou £700, and if so could you point me in the right direction?

Many thanks!

--Fadders 19:27, 10 June 2007 (UTC)

And what are they supposed to be?

I mean, the small reflective bumps used, as well as the painted lines, to delineate lanes on roads. What are they called? Is there any one inventor? Does the inventor get any royalties? 68.101.123.219 22:34, 10 June 2007 (UTC)

cat's eyes? --Kurt Shaped Box 22:36, 10 June 2007 (UTC)

If they were invented by someone who was working for a company when they invented them, the company that they were working for likely hold the patent rights and the inventor(s) get nothing. Companies often have their employees sign contracts with the company saying that they forfeit rights to inventions and patents and such when doing work for the company itself. Dismas|^(talk) 22:38, 10 June 2007 (UTC)

Ah, after reading the cat's eye article, it seems the inventor didn't do it for a company that he was working for at the time. So I was a bit off in this case. Dismas|^(talk) 22:43, 10 June 2007 (UTC)

Yeah, as I remember (I saw a documentary about him once), he made millions. --Kurt Shaped Box 22:44, 10 June 2007 (UTC)

and also Raised pavement marker Mhicaoidh 22:37, 10 June 2007 (UTC)

and Botts' dots Mhicaoidh 22:58, 10 June 2007 (UTC)

A self-help book by a male author

Hi,

A long time ago I found a book on Amazon about trying to avoid looking at your goals as projects to be conquered. Instead, the author recommended working slower, never looking the problem in the eye. The idea was that if you looked at the entire problem, you would become demoralized and unable to continue. I believe that the book had some green on the cover. I think it was based on some sort of Japanese philosophy which may have started with a 'k'. I have tried looking for this book using Amazon, dmoz.org, and wikipedia (for example, searching for articles about Japanese culture.) I also vaguely remember the author having a "Dr." prefix to his name.

Many thanks for any assistance.

June 11

What kind of butterfly is this?

Can somebody please tell me what kind of butterfly is this?

File:Unknown butterfly species.jpg

--CJKpi 01:57, 11 June 2007 (UTC)

Eastern tiger swallowtail? Rmhermen 02:07, 11 June 2007 (UTC)

M&M's

What happend to Crispy M&M's in the U.S.?

I have no idea. I think they're discontinued. --hello, i'm a member | talk to me! 03:18, 11 June 2007 (UTC)

Funniest WP article

What do you think is the funniest article on Wikipedia with reguard to the subject matter? --hello, i'm a member | talk to me! 03:18, 11 June 2007 (UTC)

"Waco" @ El Dorado, Texas

I've just seen on FOX News that a Mormon-like group is building a fortres-like compound nearby. Did you all know this ? Some of the newsmen claim that another "Waco" will happen. 205.240.144.168 04:06, 11 June 2007 (UTC)