Wikipedia:Reference desk/Miscellaneous

September 3

What is the title of this book?

The main plot of the book is that a little boy has gained access into the fourth dimension. He soon realizes that there are an infinite amount of dimensions, with creatures to accomidate each. The creatures that are in each dimension protect one dimension lower. The little boy soon finds that his secretive neighbor is the protector of the second dimension.

I cannot remember the title or author of this book, but I'd really like to locate and read it again!

Thankyou! —Preceding unsigned comment added by 76.1.44.220 (talk) 00:46, 3 September 2007 (UTC)

If the main characters' names are Laura, Pete and Omar, it is The Boy Who Reversed Himself. I wouldn't have connected what our article has with the description you gave, but some of the reviews I read when googling the title match your description. When you've finished re-reading it, how about returning and fleshing out our article a bit? 152.16.188.107 07:32, 4 September 2007 (UTC)

Cornbread

Having moved to the south and been enlightened on the differences between northern and southern cornbread, I wonder what it was that I had back home in California - I'd suspect "northern", but that sounds like the kind I had at Boston Market that was kind of sweet, whereas the kind my dad made was a mix in a can (I remember the label being yellowish-orange) and didn't taste all that sweet - is that southern style?

(I know that'll be hard to answer since I can't remember the brand, but thanks in advance for the attempt) Kuronue | Talk 01:33, 3 September 2007 (UTC)

Did you look at the Cornbread article? Especially the Regional tastes section. --Mdwyer 05:26, 4 September 2007 (UTC)

I did, but California always has a weird position of straddling the North and the South; "Northern" seems to indicate in this case New England and "Southern" the Deep South, neither of which have the same regional tastes. Kuronue | Talk 15:14, 4 September 2007 (UTC)

I, personally, consider the "South" to stop well before you cross the Rio Grande. I'm with you, I think: I wouldn't call it "Northern". I'd just call it "Normal". (No offense meant to southerners, mind you!) California's got its own sort of style, I think. Putting the word 'California' before a food item suggests that I will include avocado, sprouts, or both. California Cornbread anyone?! --Mdwyer 00:51, 5 September 2007 (UTC)

netflix or blockbuster

looking for a side-by-side comparison of netflix and blockbuster's mail-in/hybrid rental plans —Preceding unsigned comment added by 12.217.199.246 (talk) 02:09, 3 September 2007 (UTC)

• Here, here and here Rockpocket 02:25, 3 September 2007 (UTC)

and here. Gzuckier 16:26, 4 September 2007 (UTC)

Crazy Google Image Search Problem

All the sudden, Google image search has been behaving very strangely on my computer. Any time I type anything "obscene" into the image search, and filter to show only "large images," i get COMPLETELY irrelevant images, mostly maps, only. For example, "blowjob" filtered to large images only yields lots of maps and computer screenshots of text, none of which are remotely related to my keyword. I have SafeSearch turned off, and it ONLY does this for the "large" image filter. What's up? Thanks. Steevven1 ^{(Talk) (Contribs) (Gallery)} 05:07, 3 September 2007 (UTC)

Perhaps Google has developed a sense of humor. It might be a good idea to ask on the Computing desk. —Preceding unsigned comment added by S.dedalus (talk • contribs) 05:34, 3 September 2007 (UTC) Wow that was a fast bot! It's me --S.dedalus 05:36, 3 September 2007 (UTC)

People sometimes add porn words to their images so that they get more hits. Try refining your search by adding more keywords.--Shantavira|^{feed me} 07:49, 3 September 2007 (UTC)

My first thought was 'preferences' (next to the search box) > 'Do not filter my search results'. But now I notice that with that checked, I also get a lot of maps (why maps?). I suppose the reason is that the large images are only accessible for registered users, and Google of course can not show those. The free sections of porn sites only have smaller images. DirkvdM 10:12, 3 September 2007 (UTC)

Note that "blow" has some other meaning as far as images go. Perhaps it's something like a "splash page". Does anyone know what it means in this context ? StuRat 13:22, 3 September 2007 (UTC)

Ford Tempo fleet sales back in the day

Somebody said that the Ford Tempo was 70% fleet in 1990 in the American market. Can anyone confirm that the Tempo had high fleet sales in its final years? (Anyone able to find fleet numbers from the early 1990s?) Guroadrunner 07:42, 3 September 2007 (UTC)

Questions about a pair of active speakers

I recently purchased computer speakers (manufacturer unknown). On the back, it says (3" fullrange, impedance - 4 ohm, frequency response - 70hz~16khz, THD (at 1khz)- under 0.05%, loading current - .5A followed by a picture of a square within a square). One is not sure if the manufacturer can fabricate values for THD and frequency response. It says nothing about the watts, could you please say how much it is?. Whole box is made of plastic with a hole (for bass?) in the top. Can the acoustics be made better by placing thin wood panels inside the box?. Is there anyway one can increase the bass?. Finally, can it be used at full volumes without the speakers blowing up?. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 212.201.71.125 (talk) 08:22, 3 September 2007 (UTC)

The hole is likely for treble, not bass. A properly made wooden box acting as a resonance chamber would help, but simply placing wood panels inside would likely just make a buzzing sound. StuRat 12:50, 3 September 2007 (UTC)

Fistly Power=I^2xR - so maybe the power = .5A x .5A x 4 = 1W (quite normal for computer speakers)..

The power depends on the power supply - depends if they plug into the computer for power, or have a separate power supply

Square within square means double insulated- it's an elctrica;l safety thing

Wood panels probably wont' improve it much if at all - a total rebuild - take the speaker cones and put them inside a new (stronger) box might..

To improve the base get an active subwoofer - which most computer shops sell.

Try turning the speakers up full briefly - they shouldn'y blow up - however you'll probably notice they sound terrible ( as do all speakers on full ) - so there's no reason to have them that loud - in general though these things don't blow up on full (unless you are using a separate overly powerful amplifier)87.102.47.218 14:06, 3 September 2007 (UTC)

Container shipping

Hello I have visited several websites for container shipping but they all want me to register before giving me an estimate. I just want a rough estimate. Does anyone know how much it would approx. cost to ship a container and/or a car to Buenos Aires from a big port in the UK? Thank you 80.200.229.89 10:06, 3 September 2007 (UTC)

When web sites do that to me, I give them fake info. The only prob is if they send an e-mail where you have to click on the link inside to activate your account. You can set up a temp e-mail account just for that e-mail, then delete it, but that sounds like more trouble than it's worth. My preferred fake email address is NOYFB@NOYFB.COM, but it's often already taken. :-) StuRat 12:44, 3 September 2007 (UTC)

For those interested there is a great website called www.tempinbox.com You can put whatever you want (say iamahero@tempinbox.com) and then you can just go to the site and put in that username@tempinbox.com - no password, no setting up, nothing. It exists as a site to track spam/produce spam filters but it welcomes use in situations like this as it allows it to build more advanced spam software. I use it a lot for signing up to websites which you only plan on using once (like this one sounds). ny156uk 22:02, 3 September 2007 (UTC)

At a very rough estimate, you'd be looking at a couple of thousand USD for a 20ft container, just for shipping. On top of that there may be import duties or other taxes. As far as I can tell, importing a new vehicle into Argentina attracts considerable tariffs and requires an import licence, and importing used vehicles is not legal. But WP:IANAL... FiggyBee 13:00, 3 September 2007 (UTC)

Is Apu the owner of Kwik E Mart in the Simpsons Series? please..

Ajaythewikifellow1 10:47, 3 September 2007 (UTC)aj

Apu suggests that he is, yes. Worm ^{(t | c)} 11:29, 3 September 2007 (UTC)

I think he is the manager of that particular Kwik W Mart, but I don't think he owns it. For example, he has been fired before and replaced. Skittle 11:44, 3 September 2007 (UTC)

I guess Apu is wrong; I've made a note on the talk page - though having read Kwik-E-Mart it's equally probable that he's the owner when it suits the script, and an employee ditto. KEM describes him as the "operator" (presumably of the franchise) --Tagishsimon (talk) 14:35, 3 September 2007 (UTC)

There's an episode where he and Homer go to Nepal to meet with the founder and CEO of Kwik-E-Mart. Maybe he owns the franchise for the Springfield branch? Neil ム 15:38, 3 September 2007 (UTC)

Definitely not the owner of the whole company. But he may own the Springfield Kwik-E-Mart as a franchiser. Guroadrunner 16:11, 3 September 2007 (UTC)

The Quick-E-Mart usually only has two workers, Apu and his brother Sanjay. Their work-relationship varies, but generally Apu is seen ordering Sanjay around. The overall owner of the Kwik-E-Mart corporation however is Nordyne Defence Dyanamics, as revealed in Marge in Chains. Laïka 18:35, 3 September 2007 (UTC)

Yep, pretty confident that Apu owns the Springfield franchise. --jjron 08:01, 4 September 2007 (UTC)

Remember the episode "Much APu about nothing"? He tells Marge this: "I didn't feel right leaving without paying off my student loans.. so I took a job at the kwik-e-mart". No mention of buying it. ::Manors:: 18:58, 4 September 2007 (UTC)

finding out what happen

i wuold like to know the events of the war that took place in Cam Ranh Bay on (12-15-1968) (12-5-1969) —Preceding unsigned comment added by 75.14.11.130 (talk) 14:40, 3 September 2007 (UTC)

Have you read our detailed article on Cam Ranh Bay?--Shantavira|^{feed me} 16:43, 3 September 2007 (UTC)

Who's the tallest bodybuilder in the world today?

212.143.253.36 14:54, 3 September 2007 (UTC)

Noah Steere at 6'6" is supposedly the tallest currently competing bodybuilder. David Prowse was slightly taller in his prime. FiggyBee 02:38, 4 September 2007 (UTC)

Lou Ferrigno, TV's Incredible Hulk, is 6'5" and was the tallest professional bodybuilder at the time he was competing, and he's still alive today. I seem to remember him being portrayed as even taller than this in his acting roles, such as in the Hulk, but I guess that's pretty typical. --jjron 07:59, 4 September 2007 (UTC)

Cold hands

Hidden request for medical advice
The following discussion has been closed. Please do not modify it.
Whenever I'm in a room that has a normal or below tempurature, my hands become really cold- my friends always think I'm holding an icecube next to their skin or shirt whenever I touch them because the cold even goes through clothing when I just lay my hand on their shirt or something. Everybody agrees that it's very odd and that my hands are way more freezing than the next cold person. I don't think this is normal- what could it be? 74.211.8.100 16:14, 3 September 2007 (UTC) Only a doctor can answer this, so please ask one. We cannot give medical advice. It could be any of a number of things, such as Raynaud's disease.--Shantavira|feed me 16:40, 3 September 2007 (UTC) Please see [1]. StuRat 12:47, 5 September 2007 (UTC) I'm afraid we can't offer medical advice – diagnoses, prognoses, or treatment suggestions – on Wikipedia. Please consult a physician about any symptoms that trouble you. TenOfAllTrades(talk) 19:32, 3 September 2007 (UTC) Please do not add medical advice, even a link to where you wrote specific medical advice to this person elsewhere. Skittle 11:16, 5 September 2007 (UTC) I didn't mean to cause all of this debate. I was just wondering what you people thought it might be- I wasn't actually asking advice on what to do about it. sorry once again --74.211.8.100 00:03, 6 September 2007 (UTC)

Name of this pencil

I have begun to love this specific brand of mechanical pencils. However, as hard as I search, I am unable to find it in any stores. This isn't a rate pencil and I see it all the time, but am unable to find a place where they sell it. Most writing utensils have a name, does anyone know the name of this pencil? (Please note in the photo, the clip on the pencil is broken and the eraser cap is also missing.)

• [2]
• [3]
• [4]

Thanks. Acceptable 17:52, 3 September 2007 (UTC)

Looks like a Bic Softsider to me.--Rallette 09:28, 4 September 2007 (UTC)

Ah, yes it is. Thank you =) Acceptable 20:07, 4 September 2007 (UTC)

Shifting gears in britain

In Britain, along with other countries that drive on the left side of the road and produces cars with the driver side on the right, when driving a manual, is the gear placement a mirror of the gear placement of a car where the driver sits on the left side? For example, in a British car, is 1st gear on the left side (like in a car with the driver on the left), or is it on the right side, close to the driver? Thanks. Acceptable 18:11, 3 September 2007 (UTC)

It is the same in both right and left hand drives. 1st gear is to the left, 5th to the right. Incidently the foot pedals are in the same order also. Rockpocket 18:28, 3 September 2007 (UTC)

...and (for helping bridge the linguistic gap) we call it "changing gear", rather than "shifting". The item manipulated is a "gear stick", or, more archaically, "gear lever". --Dweller 12:47, 4 September 2007 (UTC)

What's really amazing is how easy it is to switch from left hand drive (LHD) to right hand drive (RHD) and vice-versa. Despite shifting with the 'wrong' hand, whilst not mentally mirroring pedals or gear layout and driving on the opposite side of the road, it's possible to drive either way with really minimal 'conversion' time. The first time I did it, I didn't even have to think about pedals and shifter - the worst part was remembering how to wind up on the correct side of the road at junctions. After 10 minutes of driving, your brain 'adapts' and it's rarely a problem after that. The worst problem I have is when walking up to a car from the front in the parking lot and remembering which door I should be opening to get in! I also sometimes drive a British (RHD) car on Texas (LHD) roads - which means you are sitting on the right with the shifter to your left, driving on the right hand side of the road...and it's still no problem! I've also driven a French car (LHD) on British (RHD) roads - so all four possibilities are buried in my head - and it's still no problem to switch between them. The brain is amazingly adaptive. SteveBaker 15:57, 4 September 2007 (UTC)

What about visibility problems when you're driving a left-hand drive car on a British road? I'm not a driver, but I would have thought it was hard to judge whether it's safe to overtake, for example, because you're that bit further away from the right-hand edge of the car in front. Or is that not an issue? --Richardrj ^{talk email} 16:01, 4 September 2007 (UTC)

Yes, that's a problem. It reduces visisiblity and there's increased chances of a car being in your blind spot, especially on motorways. It's just as bad when British cars are taken into countries that drive on the right, such as France (which is commonly done for holidays). JoshHolloway 19:18, 4 September 2007 (UTC)

Yep - overtaking on Texas roads with a RHD car is close to suicide. Until recently, the top speed of my British Mini was 72mph - and with a 24 second 0-60 time, overtaking was more of a theoretical possibility than anything to be concerned about. But now I'm putting in a bigger engine...which may be problematic! I've been seriously thinking of mounting a small video camera to the left side of the car! SteveBaker 20:57, 4 September 2007 (UTC)

I think Steve Baker is correct in what he says about the relative ease of adapting to the opposite side of the road, with or without the confusion of also changing to the opposite side of the car - BUT - for me, the hardest part of adapting is always the rearview mirror being in the WRONG place at the most critical moments. As a British driver, I always want the mirror to be eyes above and LEFT, but it is never there, being eyes above and RIGHT instead. That apart, I always get filthy looks from other drivers when I adamantly REFUSE to proceed through a red light when it would be legal and safe to do so. I hope they never change to that Law in Britain as my brain would simply not allow me to go through a red light - not ever. 81.145.241.182 19:52, 4 September 2007 (UTC)

Fortunately, I've never felt the slightest desire to go 'right-on-red' (or even 'left-on-red') on British roads - but I do sometimes forget to go right-on-red on Texas roads when I've been away from home for a while (much to the annoyance of people behind me). Worse still is the whole 'priorité à droite' crap in France...that (and forgetting that speed limit signs are in kph, not mph) are REALLY bad things to forget to adapt to! SteveBaker 20:57, 4 September 2007 (UTC)

Car Problem

I dropped the oil cap on my car and the bottom of the engine compartment is covered so even if it fell all the way through, it wouldnt fall to the ground. The cap fell in the front of the engine where theres a fan and some pulleys under it. I cant see it because the engine compartment is so tight, but I am afraid to turn it on even when I get a new cap because I dont want to cause any damage if the cap is stuck somewhere. What do you guys suggest other then taking it to the dealer? Thanks —Preceding unsigned comment added by 76.167.145.55 (talk) 18:24, 3 September 2007 (UTC)

Tricky. I would expect the cover to be removable from underneath, so that would be my first suggestion. Otherwise turn the fanbelt slowly and listen for any noises. It is possible to probe around with a magnet on a long thin rod or string to fish the thing out?--Shantavira|^{feed me} 19:03, 3 September 2007 (UTC)

Try jacking up the car so that the cap could slide. But I would not drive it until I found it. A flying object in a contained area could do crazy things and wreck the radiator, fan belt, etc. BTW, what kind of car is it that has a sealed engine compartment —Preceding unsigned comment added by 71.147.39.60 (talk) 20:39, 3 September 2007 (UTC)

Your car may have an air deflector covering part of the bottom of the car. (My Taurus does- and it scraps every time I enter a steep driveway.) Removing this, if you have one, allows easier access to that area. Rmhermen 22:31, 3 September 2007 (UTC)

Its a 2005 BMW 325ci convertable. I looked again and I didnt see it. I turned it on for a few seconds to listen for noises, but could not hear anything out of the ordinary. So as long as I dont drive it until I get a new oil cap I should probably be fine, right? And its a lease by the way so I dont want to mess with anything like taking the cover off of the bottom, I might not be able to get it back on. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 76.167.145.55 (talk) 00:08, 4 September 2007 (UTC)

Might be worth contacting BMW to see what they have to say Lemon martini 10:12, 4 September 2007 (UTC)

Hanging ironed shirts

After one irons dress shirts, how should the shirts be hanged on the hook hangers? Should the collar be "popped" or should they be "normaled"? Should the first button be buttoned up? Thanks. Acceptable 20:32, 3 September 2007 (UTC)

I hang up my beloved's freshly ironed shirts with the collar down (as you would wear it) and the top button fastened. But then we are British... SaundersW 20:43, 3 September 2007 (UTC)

Same here (in the US). StuRat 03:03, 4 September 2007 (UTC)

I leave it unbuttoned with the collar up. I don't like to have the crease in there sitting until use so I leave it 'up'. I guess it is individual preference. I can see why you might button it up (keeps the shape perhap?) but personally I don't. Mind you i'm pretty bad at ironing so don't take my word for it! ny156uk 21:58, 3 September 2007 (UTC)

Surely on a dress shirt the collar is removable? One would not attach it until one had put the shirt on. DuncanHill 08:38, 4 September 2007 (UTC)

Removable collars on a dress shirt? Is this something that a custom tailored shirt would have? All my dress shirts, and all those that I have ever seen, though "off-the-rack", have had collars that were attached. Dismas|^(talk) 09:54, 4 September 2007 (UTC)

Nevermind, I see it's covered under Dress shirt#Dress shirts for black tie and white tie. Dismas|^(talk) 09:59, 4 September 2007 (UTC)

That section of Dress shirt is fine, but perhaps a little out of date. Nowadays, I should only wear a hard detachable stick-up collar with a 'boiled shirt' (that's one with a hard front which needs to be starched and also needs shirt studs) if the occasion called for a white tie, which I hardly ever need now. With a black tie, I only use marcella shirts with attached collars and (yes) double cuffs. They are much more sensible and comfortable and just need to be washed and ironed. Mine are put away in a drawer, folded up, with the collars flat. Xn4 21:01, 4 September 2007 (UTC)

I assumed that "dress shirt" meant "not casual shirt, the kind with which a tie is worn", rather than "the sort of shirt worn with a dinner jacket" or even "the kind of shirt worn with tails". I think that is US usage? —Preceding unsigned comment added by SaundersW (talk • contribs) 21:43, 4 September 2007 (UTC)

Sorry, we may have a crossed wire. In the UK, dress shirt is understood to mean the kind of shirt you wear with a black or white tie for dinners, dances, etc. Does it just mean 'formal shirt' in the US? In any event, I can't say I'd say dress shirt myself, I'd say evening shirt for the soft kind of black tie shirt or boiled shirt (goodness knows why!) for the hard kind.

If you're asking about hanging up everyday shirts with ordinary turn-down collars attached, then I shouldn't think it matters whether you turn the collars up or down. Doing up one button does keep them looking neat and tidy on the hanger! Xn4 03:05, 5 September 2007 (UTC)

Yes, a dress shirt, in the US, is just a shirt suitable for wearing with a suit and tie. I've worn the same type of shirt with a tux in both weddings I've been a part of, although they did have holes for cufflinks on the sleeves, in addition to the normal buttons. If there are shirts sold with separate collars here, or with rigid parts, I've never seen either. StuRat 07:33, 5 September 2007 (UTC)

Fastening the top button has the dual benefits of stopping the shirt slipping off the hanger and preventing the creases that appear in the front of the shirt when it is hung with the collar open. And Xn4, maybe the hard shirt is called "boiled" because at one time it was boiled in a starch solution to stiffen it. SaundersW 10:48, 5 September 2007 (UTC)

How is gene therapy administered?

How is gene therapy administered, is it done with needles (shots), many shots, or is it taken orally? Does gene therapy help create or increase directions in the bodies or cells to tell the body to make certain proteins or cells, like for instance make more insulin for a diabetic? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 68.120.224.112 (talk) 21:41, 3 September 2007 (UTC)

Our article on gene therapy may be of interest to you. There are many possible routes of administration depending on the type of therapy and its target. The field of gene therapy is still in its infancy; as far as I know there are no gene therapeutic techniques that have progressed beyond the earliest clinical trials. TenOfAllTrades(talk) 22:01, 3 September 2007 (UTC)

Theoretically you could use a gene gun, though these are still experimental in nature. Rockpocket 05:35, 5 September 2007 (UTC)

September 4

candidate speeches

would like to go to a candidate speech on the campaign tour, but I only hear about the cities they visit after it happens. Is there a schedule? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 12.217.199.246 (talk) 00:04, 4 September 2007 (UTC)

Assuming you're talking about the campaign tour for the United States presidential election, 2008, the websites of the individual candidates will have diaries of upcoming engagements. You could also try checking the website of or contacting your state Democratic or Republican party, as they are likely to know who's coming to town when. FiggyBee 02:11,

4 September 2007 (UTC)

I think it might also be useful if you were signed up to the party of your choice and then they would mail you when there was a candidate visiting. 86.17.48.100 07:19, 5 September 2007 (UTC)

Citizenship question

My aunt is a citizen of the United States and Canada. According to my mother, she has a job in Alberta and now earns more. She needs to report her income annually to the US. Could she give up her citizenship? If so, would she still need to report her income? Could she reapply after renouncing her citizenship? What do I tell my mother? I'm looking at the State Department website now but I can't find anything. --Blue387 00:57, 4 September 2007 (UTC)

doubt anyone here will answer you. they get picky about legal things. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 12.217.199.246 (talk) 01:11, 4 September 2007 (UTC)

This sort of complicated international tax question is really beyond the scope of the Reference Desks here. Particularly when thousands of dollars and a person's citizenship are in question, you really don't want to trust the advice of random strangers on the Internet.

In addition to the State Department, you might want to look at material from the Internal Revenue Service. I know that the United States and Canada have a tax treaty; the IRS' Publication 597 deals with it. Call the IRS' help lines to find out more, and consult with a good immigration lawyer and a good accountant before doing anything drastic. TenOfAllTrades(talk) 01:29, 4 September 2007 (UTC)

One thing is for sure: If she gives up her US citizenship she won't have to pay US taxes. Whether this is a good idea, or whether she would be able to get her citizenship back I have no idea. Plasticup ^T/C 02:17, 4 September 2007 (UTC)

IABNMAL (I am by no means a lawyer), but I would think that if she earned any of that money while still a U.S. citizen, the U.S. gov't would still want their take of the taxes. Also, it's probably a bigger hassle to renounce citizenship to a particular country, not pay the taxes, then try and get that citizenship back at a later date than just paying the taxes to begin with. Dismas|^(talk) 04:05, 4 September 2007 (UTC)

Both American and Canadian tax law have provisions against double taxation, so it's very doubtful she would save on taxes by giving up her American citizenship. People are generally discouraged from renouncing American citizenship, since it rarely makes any sense to do so. -- Mwalcoff 05:45, 4 September 2007 (UTC)

The net effect of tax treaty "provisions against double taxation" is supposed to be that your total payments come out to the higher of the two rates; and Canadian taxes are reputedly higher than U.S. taxes. However, note that I said "supposed to be" and "reputedly". It could well vary by state/province and by the person's particular situation. This is an area where you really need professional advice. --Anonymous, 15:04 UTC, September 4, 2007.

Not "legal advice", just my experience: as a US resident who still had a bank account in Canada which paid interest every year. The Canadian govt withheld 15% for taxes. That is deductible (under "high withholding interest")from the total US tax including the interest as interest income, to the same proportion that the Canadian income is of your total income. I.e., if the Canadian tax is 50% of your total tax, but the Canadian income is only 10% of your total income, then you can only use it to take off 10% of your tax. But in general, that's not a problem, so in fact you only end up paying tax to one country. You have to fill out the proper form with the proper calculations, of course. Gzuckier 16:38, 4 September 2007 (UTC)

I am not an expert, but I am a U.S. citizen who has looked into Canadian citizenship. Other posters are correct that dual citizens resident in Canada pay U.S. tax only if it is greater than the Canadian tax, and then only the difference, but the U.S. tax is very rarely higher. So it is normally just a matter of filing the forms every year. Of course, if your aunt's income and assets are complicated, this could involve a nontrivial annual expense for an accountant. She would relieve herself of this obligation by renouncing her U.S. citizenship. However, I believe (though I don't know for sure) that U.S. citizenship, once renounced, would not be so easy to regain. Probably you would have to go through at least the same degree of difficulty as any other noncitizen, and you might come up for extra scrutiny for having renounced. So, if your aunt thinks that she might want to make use of her U.S. citizenship in the future, it might be worth the trouble or expense of continuing to file those forms. Marco polo 17:29, 4 September 2007 (UTC)

I've heard that if you renounce US citizenship the IRS still expects you to pay tax for ten years afterward. Oh, and a Green Card also makes you taxable on foreign earnings. —Tamfang 01:31, 6 September 2007 (UTC)

By the way, even if you claim yourself to be Judge of the Supreme court, liability protection clauses like the legal disclaimer aka WP:IANAL still apply to you.

Even if someonw does not say "I am not a lawyer", you should use your own common sense. --69.150.163.1 16:00, 9 September 2007 (UTC) User:Kushal_one

I found this link, but I didn't read it. It looks pertinent, though. A.Z. 19:36, 9 September 2007 (UTC)

band break up

I just missed a radio dj talking about how the lead singer of a band broke up the band (or left it) because he couldnt deal with the enovironmentaly unfriendly habits of the other members of the band. I havent heard anything else about it and am having trouble finding anything on the net about it. Any idea? Thanks in advance!! —Preceding unsigned comment added by 75.69.170.119 (talk) 01:20, 4 September 2007 (UTC)

There is much talk swirling around Pearl Jam and that they will soon part ways.
Although their break-up probably won't be over the enviroment ... unless it's the working enviroment.
As of now nothing has been confirmed just rumored.

Killa Klown 19:37, 4 September 2007 (UTC)

color-help

Hi !

I just noticed that tons of images, namely the heraldic weapons for a significant portion of the heralic weapons for municipalities of Norway are wrong. I am willing to correct them myself, but need a little bit of help with the color.

Compare to http://www.gloppen.kommune.no/artikkel.aspx?AId=39&back=1&MId1=20&MId2=52 and it is apparent that the blue is completely different. The latter page (the official homepage of one norwegian municipality) explains that the blue should be "Winsor & Newton 065", and that's where my problem begins. I don't know color-theory, so I don't know what color that would correspond to in RGB-terms. (which is what I usually use in the Gimp when editing pngs)

The exact same blue is used on ~100 of the ~400 norwegian municipality-weapons. All are similarily wrong here on WP.

I could simply use the same color as Gloppen municipality themselves use on their webpages, but there's no guarantee that that is indeed the 100% correct one, and if I *do* correct the color of a hundred files, I would rather do it correctly the first time. --Eivind Kjørstad 07:47, 4 September 2007 (UTC)

Additional info to the same issue, I just discovered that not just the blue, but also the green used on a large number of the weapons is wrong. Look here: List_of_Norwegian_coats_of_arms, the brigth green is wrong. Compare to the weapon used on any of the official homepages of the same municipalities. --Eivind Kjørstad 08:09, 4 September 2007 (UTC)

Winsor & Newton 65 is Cerulean blue. It's also worth noting that, properly speaking, in heraldry blue is blue and green is green - exact hues are not specified. So the current images may be heraldically correct, even if they don't exactly match the logos of the municipalities. FiggyBee 10:10, 4 September 2007 (UTC)

Our article on Cerulean blue gives the RGB values - and they certainly look more like the colours on the Norwegian websites. But in strict heraldic terms, the shade of blue doesn't matter - it's only now that we have heraldic symbols coming to be used like corporate logos that the precise colour starts to matter. It's also a little dangerous to equate a paint colour to an on-screen colour because the two can never truly be compared. Different computer screens will render the same RGB value differently - it'll depend on your gamma settings, and comparing paint colours to screen colours also assumes you know whether the paint is being viewed in natural daylight or artificial lighting. In order to get the best compromise equivalent colour in paint, print, CRT screen and movies, one would have to know something like the pantone number for the colour. For all of these reasons, this isn't really worth obsessing over. SteveBaker 15:44, 4 September 2007 (UTC)

In this particular case I have myself verified that atleast a substantial part of the municipalities themselves have specified, at the same time they specified what the motive of the weapon is, what precise color should be used. That is the source of "Winsor & Newton 65", it was in the actual proposal that was voted in favour for when setting the weapon of Gloppen municipality. Heraldic rules is one thing. But when the actual politicians in charge in a municipality vote to the effect that their weapon is a horse on a blue background, and that the blue is one specific blue, I'm thinking we should use that blue. --Eivind Kjørstad 09:22, 5 September 2007 (UTC)

The CIE chromaticity diagram

Yes - that definitely suggests we should make an effort to get at least close to that colour. The bright cyan in the example above is clearly wrong (or at least, misleading) if the colour is not specified in heraldic terms. But specifying a specific oil paint colour was a poor decision on the part of the politicians because it may well be impossible to accurately reproduce that colour in print or on a computer screen. See Gamut (and the diagram on the right) - the multi-coloured triangle in the center of that diagram shows all of the colours that a computer screen can display - the grey arch-like shape shows all of the colours that our eyes can see. If you plotted all of the Winsor and Newton paint colours on that chart, they'd all be somewhere inside the arch - but many of them would lie outside the triangle of colours that a display can produce. There are also regions inside that triangle that no paint or ink can ever reproduce. I don't know whether W&N colour number 65 lies inside or outside the triangle - and I bet the politicians who passed that resolution didn't either! This is why it's advisable to use a properly thought out colour calibration system (like pantone or one of it's competitors) to specify colours in logos and such like - because then you can find out which colours are not reproducible in some systems and carefully choose only colours that can be reasonable approximated using RGB (for computers and TV), CMYK (for print) and using pigments such as in oil paints. It is notable that hardly any companies use really rich greens and yellows in their logos - because that's one area where RGB colours are especially lacking. Most corporate logos stick with red and blue which (as you can see on the diagram) are relatively safe. SteveBaker 14:31, 5 September 2007 (UTC)

Luckily that doesn't appear to be a problem in this case, atleast our own article on Cerulean blue specifies that it corresponds to RGB-hextriplet 2A-52-BE, and that color matches the one used on the municipalities own website almost precisely. (they use 2A-52-BD, I haven't checked others of the municipalities specifying this blue) I guess then, the short of it is, changing the color to 2a-52-be may not be unquestionably the one-and-only correct color. But it appears certainly to be a better choice than the current color. Thank you for your great help folks. --Eivind Kjørstad 12:46, 6 September 2007 (UTC)

• I'm reluctant to open up this can of worms, but depending on what Norwegian copyright law says about heraldic seals (I assume they are too old to be under copyright, but please check and don't take my word for it) we might just be able to copy the images from the various Norwegian official websites. --M@rēino 17:41, 4 September 2007 (UTC)

A heraldic blazon is not an image, it is a description of an image. I have no doubt that the specific renditions of heraldic devices found on the websites are copyrighted. FiggyBee 01:12, 5 September 2007 (UTC)

Under Norwegian law, heraldic weapons of government institutions and ineligible for copyright. Commons have a few, and use the template norwegian_coat_of_arms for them, look here: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Template:Norwegian_coat_of_arms am I correct in assuming that means they *can* be freely copied from an official source ? (I do have an official, complete, source handy) --Eivind Kjørstad 09:22, 5 September 2007 (UTC)

• I can't speak for Norwegian heraldry, but I'd be amazed if its tolerance of colour variations were much less than that of English heraldry, in which azure is simply an unspecified shade of blue. In the middle ages, it wasn't possible to specify shades of colour in the way that we can now. That's one reason why there are so few heraldic colours. So probably any blue which is recognizably blue is acceptable. In continental heraldry there is also bleu celeste, or sky blue, but that too is fairly vague. To fathom this, you would need to check the original grant of arms which blazons the ones you are concerned with and the definition of the terms used in it. Xn4 19:35, 4 September 2007 (UTC)

Actually, I suppose the lack of choice for dyes back in the middle ages may have had the accidental effect of guaranteeing an exact shade of some of the colours. Just how many blue dyes were known back then? Maybe just one...in which case, when they said "Azure" - they may have had a precise shade in mind. However, that certainly wouldn't have continued for long as more dyes were discovered. But we should consider the reason for having these heraldic designs in the first place - it was so individuals could be recognised on the field of battle - and to ensure that everyone wore something sufficiently different from everyone else. You certainly wouldn't want someone to be wondering whether that shield was sky blue, baby blue or cyan as they were bearing down on you with something heavy and pointy! So precise delineation of colours would have defeated the entire purpose of having heraldic designs in the first place. SteveBaker 00:55, 5 September 2007 (UTC)

Would you use the same pigments to dye a flag, to paint a shield, and to "stain" glass? I'd expect the shade to depend on the medium, another reason for wide tolerances. And then there's fading. —Tamfang 01:29, 6 September 2007 (UTC)

The tolerance in general is probably not smaller. But some municipalities (about 1/3rd of the ones I checked) have in their actual voting-record, from when they decided the weapon, not only the motive, but also the precise color to be used. In such cases that color is the only correct one. For consistency it'd make sense to use the same blue also on those weapons where the color is *not* specified other than as "blue" for example. The colors used where consistent, I was unable to find even a single example of a municipality specifying the blue by name, but *not* using "Winsor & Newton 065". As to the age, these weapons are generally 20 to 100 years old, only a few are much older (like the city-weapons of the major towns), so no, copyright is not universally expired in them. But they're ineligible for copyright in general under Norwegian law. --Eivind Kjørstad 09:22, 5 September 2007 (UTC)

locator

How do i keep a tab on the exact position of my children through an apparatus which not expensive? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 122.167.138.102 (talk) 08:13, 4 September 2007 (UTC)

Cheapest and most effective method out there --lucid 08:31, 4 September 2007 (UTC)

If they have mobile phones, they already carry tracking devices. A few years ago I heard of a website (perhaps somebody else will know the url) that enables you to track a mobile phone on payment of a small subscription.--Shantavira|^{feed me} 09:00, 4 September 2007 (UTC)

My Verizon Motorola Krazr offers free downloads of "chaperone" and "chaperone parent" applications. as far as i can tell from the two lines of info offered, these do allow the "parent" to monitor the whereabouts of the "chaperone" phone, but the details aren't supplied. Looking at a typical kid's Samsung phone, though, it didn't have the capacity to download apps. Gzuckier 16:33, 4 September 2007 (UTC)

There is also the possibility of inserting RFID tags under someone's skin. Our article makes clear the host of security and privacy issues surrounding this. But if those concerns could be addressed, I would have thought there was a good case for concerned parents tagging their children. --Richardrj ^{talk email} 09:09, 4 September 2007 (UTC)

I agree with Lucid. There oughta be a law!--Nricardo 10:48, 4 September 2007 (UTC)

I don't think RFID tags will work at more than a few metres. You need something more powerful, like with a regular battery inside it. Googling "track their movements" together with "mobile phone" brings up LOADS of hits.--Shantavira|^{feed me} 12:01, 4 September 2007 (UTC)

God forbid that children should ever be allowed any freedom or privacy - if you start doing that they might want to be treated with respect next! Why not just nail them to the floor? DuncanHill 12:11, 4 September 2007 (UTC)

We don't know what the OP had in mind, but my first thought was tracking their movements as a security measure against abduction. As a parent myself, I think it's legitimate to enquire what methods might be available. If Madeleine McCann had had some kind of tracking device fitted to her, we might know where she is now. I'm not saying it's practical or even 100% desirable, but it's a reasonable idea to consider. --Richardrj ^{talk email} 13:58, 4 September 2007 (UTC)

There's this if you feel like treating your child like society would normally treat a convicted felon. (Actually, I can't find any evidence that these shoes have actually been released on schedule.) Or if you don't need live data, and just want to check on them after the fact you could try this. 69.95.50.15 14:56, 4 September 2007 (UTC)

Or this. I have to say that even as a small child, I would have absolutely refused to wear a tracking device that could be remotely locked onto my wrist. It would have 'accidentally' gotten smashed or waterlogged the first day I had it. 69.95.50.15 15:11, 4 September 2007 (UTC)

• (EC) I remember seeing a GPS + cell phone device that would attach to a person's wrist in a tamper-resistant way, and occasionally report its position. I can't find it online just now. There are legitimate uses for such devices, such as for people with dementia who are at risk of wandering off into trouble. Unless a particular child is at risk for abduction, it probably doesn't make sense: in the USA, there are fewer than 200 child abductions by strangers each year, which is not a number worth worrying about. Abductions by non-strangers are readily solvable by traditional policing means. --Sean 15:17, 4 September 2007 (UTC)

With respect, every one of those 200 is "worth worrying about" if you're the parents of one of the children concerned. And whether an abduction is solvable by the police or not, doesn't mean it will necessarily be solved... plus time is often of the essence in these cases. All I'm saying is, it might be legitimate for a parent to consider using a device such as you describe on their child, if they're that worried about the possibility of abduction. --Richardrj ^{talk email} 15:29, 4 September 2007 (UTC)

The kids who are abducted are worth caring about, but we're talking about the original poster, who is more likely to win the lottery than have their kid abducted. Statistically I'm pretty sure you'd be doing more good by requiring your kid to wear a helmet while walking down the sidewalk, or refuse to let him ride in a motor-vehicle for anything that's not absolutely vital. (Every time you drive him to soccer practice you increase his likelihood of a horrible death.) If that's not glamorous and exciting enough, perhaps he could carry a snake-bite kit or something. 69.95.50.15 15:40, 4 September 2007 (UTC)

This is exactly what I meant. People fear a boogeyman, when they would be better served to have separate cutting boards for chicken and vegetables, or install a carbon monoxide detector for the home, or, as you say, carry a snake-bite kit, and perhaps also some shark-repellant spray. Rational behavior FTW. --Sean 19:08, 4 September 2007 (UTC)

That is simply because we biologically tend to more remember the few spectacular cases instead of the numerous mundane ones. Media amplifies this by giving endless coverage to the exceptional and completely ignoring the mundane. The Mccann-girl has received literally hundreds of hours of tv-coverage, meanwhile dozens of children die every day from mundane stuff, but they're rarely mentioned at all. Reducing traffic-risk by 10% for your children is more likely to save their life than completely eliminating all abductions, but it ain't fancy and spectacular, so it doesn't matter. --Eivind Kjørstad 09:33, 5 September 2007 (UTC)

go to youtube, type in BOOST MOBILE LOOPT, ask not your kids this question, but first ask yourself, 'Where You At?'. side note, I'm not a salesperson for this ad, I actually do not subscribe to cellular, I'm landlined. --i am the kwisatz haderach 23:39, 4 September 2007 (UTC)

30" coal

What is thirty inch coal? I heard it referred to on NPR yesterday while they were doing a story on coal mining songs during All Things Considered but they didn't explain what it is. Dismas|^(talk) 09:27, 4 September 2007 (UTC)

I suspect it is a name of a particular coal seam - in coal mining, one finds that individual seams have individual characteristics which enable them to be identified across different shafts and mines, so the "thirty inch coal" could well be a seam which is typically thirty inches in thickness. DuncanHill 09:30, 4 September 2007 (UTC)

It's explained in the text version of that piece – there were coal mines with the ceiling only thirty inches high.--Rallette 09:38, 4 September 2007 (UTC)

Thirty inches high? Luxury!, in the North Somerset Coalfield seams as thin as 14" were worked. DuncanHill 09:44, 4 September 2007 (UTC)

Thanks! Dismas|^(talk) 09:42, 4 September 2007 (UTC)

YOCO

Does YOCO height increase really help? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 210.210.55.139 (talk) 12:19, 4 September 2007 (UTC)

This seems to be an insole that you put in your shoe, so yes, it increases your height by a whopping 2mm. Definitely a great help in getting rid of surplus money and encouraging these scammers.--Shantavira|^{feed me} 13:21, 4 September 2007 (UTC)

There seems to be a line of (wishful?) thinking that these things--Miki or Yoko--can "supposedly increase your growth hormone production by stimulating the pituitary gland action." There's more discussion here, which concludes that they're of little or no benefit. The same site recommends Cushioned Shoe Insoles. I recommend stilts. --Tagishsimon (talk) 13:34, 4 September 2007 (UTC)

Saluting off-duty

Is it customary in the United States and Canada for a subordinate member of the armed forces to salute his/her superior when neither of them are in uniform? For example, if the two meet in a shopping mall, while neither of them are on-duty. Thanks. Acceptable 23:20, 4 September 2007 (UTC)

Not in a shopping mall, because you don't salute indoors. If they met in the parking lot, then yes, you would be expected to salute. Corvus cornix 23:21, 4 September 2007 (UTC)

I've been in a Canadian Forces base and I've seen soldiers salute indoors all the time. Acceptable 23:33, 4 September 2007 (UTC)

If you're reporting to a superior's office, then you might salute, under certain circumstances, but in general, indoors there is no saluting in the US forces. Corvus cornix 23:35, 4 September 2007 (UTC)

If you are a civilian, you can salute any way, shape, or form. Although you may not get a salute back. For instance, I work as a customer service rep, my boss, ex-ARMY, as he walks past me, I sometimes give the ole' American Salute sitting down on my cubical office chair, half torqued towards him, and yes, indoors. And on some occasions, I'll throw up the Canadian salute. I've also been known to whistle that British military whistle. I got that from 'The Bridge on the River Kwai'(1957 film). --i am the kwisatz haderach 23:47, 4 September 2007 (UTC)

By "that British military whistle" do you mean Colonel Bogey/Hitler Has Only Got One Ball? FiggyBee 01:16, 5 September 2007 (UTC)

I'm having a hard time visualising an office chair with 6 faces and 8 vertices. Sounds extremely uncomfortable - almost like the hot box Colonel Nicholson was confined in by Colonel Saito.  :) -- JackofOz 01:38, 5 September 2007 (UTC)

A U.S. Navy officer said that subordinates have to salute if they see an officer, in town say, but they will go to great lengths to not "see" the officer like turning suddenly to study a shop window. If all are out of uniform, I have my doubts. Isn't the old phrase "You salute the uniform, not the man?" Edison 03:36, 5 September 2007 (UTC)

Actually, it is "You salute the rank, not the man." In other words, even if you don't respect the officer as a person, you have to show respect to the rank. Since a person's rank remains the same regardless of what they are wearing, you still salute if both are in civilian clothes. Officially, that is. In practice, many officers form informal bonds with their men that allow some latitude so long as the men still follow orders without hesitation. Thus, a chance encounter in civilian clothes off-post might result in a friendly wave and informal greeting rather than a salute. Of course, there are some units that would never tolerate that, but it has been my experience that most do. 152.16.188.107 06:03, 5 September 2007 (UTC)

Somehow I doubt if an officer charged with treason would get a single salute while being transported to his court-martial. StuRat 07:25, 5 September 2007 (UTC)

In the U.S. military, prisoners are not allowed the privilege of saluting. 152.16.59.190 08:08, 5 September 2007 (UTC)

What happens if they do it anyway? --Masamage ♫ 08:15, 5 September 2007 (UTC)

Article 15. 152.16.59.190 08:26, 5 September 2007 (UTC)

In Britain, you are saluting the Sovereign's Cap Badge Crest - not the Officer, not the Rank - hence, no uniform, no badge, no salute, whether indoors, outdoors or underwater. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 81.145.241.65 (talk) 09:04, 5 September 2007 (UTC)

I do not believe this is correct. In most corps and regiments of the British Army, cap badges are generally of a similar design for everyone - officers, NCOs, enlisted men. The private who salutes the colonel has the same crown on his cap badge. As to saluting in civvies, in Canada at least this does not happen - if you are not in uniform, you do not salute: "Appropriate compliments are paid even when wearing civilian clothing. When in civilian dress, it is appropriate to come to attention and remove headdress whenever a salute would be correct if in uniform. When walking, the hat is raised and the head turned right or left. If a hat is not worn, it is correct to turn the head and offer a polite greeting." [5] (This reference also has some information on saluting indoors, and notes that it is not necessary to salute while driving a car or riding a bicycle - important safety notes, those.) - Eron ^Talk 13:13, 5 September 2007 (UTC)

Hmm... it seems I was wrong in thinking a salute was expected when in civilian clothes. This page, concerning U.S. saluting protocols, says that a salute in this case would not be inappropriate, but is not required. 152.16.16.75 09:16, 5 September 2007 (UTC)

Two things. An officer charged with any crime is innocent until proven guilty, therefore entitled to a salute. One C.O. of the Guards in London required his sentries to salute the regimental officers when the officers were in civvies (then dark suit, bowler hat and cane). The word got round and many people dressed appropriately and walked past, and past again. The requirement was speedily withdrawn.90.9.85.118 15:07, 5 September 2007 (UTC)petitmichel

What about an officer who's been convicted of some offence, but hasn't been stripped of his/her rank/commission? -- JackofOz 23:31, 5 September 2007 (UTC)

Once i did the nazi salute, and some guy punched me. i was indoors. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 72.146.75.252 (talk) 23:38, 5 September 2007 (UTC)

What if, for example, a corporal in civilian clothes comes upon a major in civilian clothes whom he has never met before? How is he supposed to know to salute? — Michael J 11:13, 6 September 2007 (UTC)

He wouldn't nor would he be expected to. Corvus cornix 17:07, 6 September 2007 (UTC)

British troops never salute when bareheaded or out of uniform. But the corporal would probably say "Good morning sir" and receive the reply "Good morning". (Pedants can substitute other times of day as appropriate.) BUT if both were unknown to each other how would their ranks be apparent ? 86.197.19.115 14:41, 6 September 2007 (UTC)petitmichel

Speaking as current US Air Force: You can never be required to respect authority before recognizing it, and therefore there is no requirement for two people who have never met to salute each other. Along those lines, if I see my commander in a short dress out at a bar, and have only ever seen her in uniform before, I might not recognize her, which of course would mean I wouldn't salute her. (I might hit on her even, or otherwise be rude, until she said, Hey dummy, I'm your boss! But even then, if it was an honest mistake, I shouldn't be held culpable for the obvious breach of protocol.)

It is widely accepted custom to salute an officer you know when one or both of you is not in ; it's a nice-to-do thing. When you are both in uniform, it becomes a have-to-do thing. There are exceptions -- no saluting indoors (except in rare circumstances), no saluting at informal outdoor events (like picnics), no saluting during contingency or field operations (snipers shoot the guys that keep getting saluted) -- but for the most part, that's the rule.Deltopia 18:17, 6 September 2007 (UTC)

Not an expert, but I think the "out of uniform" examples where JO doesn't recognize SO fall generally under "it's OK, you didn't see it" (ie, the rank badge). (I think this also covers the sometime movie scenes where officers will get JOs to speak freely by covering their collar tabs.) Trekphiler 04:36, 11 September 2007 (UTC)

September 5

"Clear Lake City and Houston"

Isn't Clear Lake City a part of Houston, Texas or could it be a city of its own. I keep on getting Johnson Space Center mixed up with Clear Lake and Houston. And I begin mixing Bay Area as a city of its own with Clear Lake, Houston, El Lago, and Seabrook. How can I make the difference? --Writer Cartoonist 00:44, 5 September 2007 (UTC)

To quote the first paragraph of the article Clear Lake City, Houston, Texas: Clear Lake City is a master-planned community located in southeast Harris County, Texas and is the second-largest master-planned community in Houston—behind Kingwood. The majority of the community lies in the corporate limits of Houston, while a small eastern portion is in the city limits of Pasadena. The Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center article says The center consists of a complex of 100 buildings on 1,620 acres located in the Clear Lake area of southeast Houston, Texas, USA. The article at Galveston Bay Area, says it is a "loosely defined region" with "NASA's Johnson Space Center [...] located in [its] heart". El Lago, Texas appears to be a separate city, as does Seabrook, Texas. Thylacoleo 02:50, 5 September 2007 (UTC)

Student Policies and Laws

Is it against the law to hold a child after class during his/her break? I am asking because i would think that it is against the law to hold students against their own will, but have heard that the reason is because while a student is in class they are unable to run around and get exercise. the only problem is that i haven't yet found anything that supports either of these. 72.170.91.190 22:58, 8 September 2007 (UTC)student72.170.91.190 22:58, 8 September 2007 (UTC)

—Preceding unsigned comment added by 72.170.91.190 (talk) 03:46, 5 September 2007 (UTC) 

We cannot offer legal opinion, see Wikipedia:Legal disclaimer. If you are concerned with the legality of being held behind after class, you could speak to a head-teacher, who should be aware of what he or she can and cannot do legally. Otherwise seek advice from a lawyer or citizens advice centre. Rockpocket 05:30, 5 September 2007 (UTC)

In state schools in the England and Wales, a minimum of 24 hours written notice must be given to keep a child after the end of a school session (there are 2 sessions a day). I am unaware of the rules for breaks within a session. The Advisory Centre for Education at [6] can give advice on the legality (or otherwise) of English & Welsh school disciplinary measures, and the Local Education Authority (normally the County Council or the Unitary Authority) would also be a good place to ask. It's possibly not a brilliant idea to ask the Head Teacher "Is it legal for you to do what you do?". DuncanHill 07:48, 5 September 2007 (UTC) Addendum My apologies, I misread the original question, and have amended my response accordingly. DuncanHill 07:51, 5 September 2007 (UTC)

You should ask this type of question at Wikiversity, not here, as you will actually get an answer at that Help Desk: [7]. StuRat 06:43, 5 September 2007 (UTC)

OK, not a legal opinion, but the situation in one state in one country (in the manner that I read the question it is a factual question about 'what is the law', not 'give me legal advice on how to handle this situation'). So, with that in mind, I know it is legal to keep a child during their breaks in Victoria, Australia. However there are limits on this, and actual local policies within schools would vary (but still have to be within the legal guidelines). The advice to speak to the Principal or some other senior person if you're interested in one particular school is valid, as they should know both the legal situation in your state/country, and the policy within that particular school. Or perhaps even better, enquire at your state/country Government Education Department (but they generally won't be able to give you local school policies). --jjron 07:49, 5 September 2007 (UTC)

See detention (academia). Is it true that is called "retention" in Oz, or is that a bizarre joke? And how come we can give ansewers on Wikiversity that we cannot give here?--Shantavira|^{feed me} 09:37, 5 September 2007 (UTC)

Because it is not so carefully policed by people who want to avoid a) someone receiving bad advice b) getting in legal difficulties. It is a content fork of these desks really. Skittle 11:01, 5 September 2007 (UTC)

In the U.S., the legal status of students in school is complex. If you really need to know, talk to a lawyer. However, I think you need to step back and think about the situation at several levels, whether you are the student or the parent of the student. First, let's assume that the "punishment" was the result of a perceived "infraction." There are two completely separate issues:

• Is the punishment reasonable, given the infraction?
• Did the infraction actually occur?

Which of these is applies in your case? If you are not too embarassed to state it, what was the infraction, what was the punishment, and why do you think the punishment was too harsh? Are you objecting as a matter of principle, or tactically? Speaking only for myself, I will treat your responses with respect, whether you are are ten year old complaining about a 5-minute detention for an (alledged) missed homework assignment, or a high-school senior being detained to three months of one-hour study-hall for a missed essay. -Arch dude 02:36, 6 September 2007 (UTC)

Name of interior parts in a car

Relevant photograph

1. What is the name of the part of an auto that shows P R N D 2 1 which is located underneath the DASHBOARD and above the STEERING WHEEL?

Tech manuals seem to call it the "PRNDRL display", after the positions. Mine notes 'L' even though the display shows 3 2 and 1.

2. Does the handle that is used to change among P R N D 2 1 choices have a special name?--71.105.30.63 05:34, 5 September 2007 (UTC)

Gear shift select lever? --Mdwyer 06:17, 5 September 2007 (UTC)

(Edit conflict):

1. Gear indicator, for example [8]
2. Gear selector or gear shift lever (see Automatic transmission). -- Flyguy649 ^talk _contribs 06:21, 5 September 2007 (UTC)

Thank you.--71.105.30.63 06:31, 5 September 2007 (UTC)

We used to just call it the "prndl", pronounced prindle. Gzuckier 14:14, 5 September 2007 (UTC)

Who are "we"? Dismas|^(talk) 08:48, 6 September 2007 (UTC)

A bunch of dorks. Gzuckier 14:53, 6 September 2007 (UTC)

And a bunch of professional mechanics. The engineers might call it the "transmission selection indicator" but us mechanics used to call it "the PRNDL" which rhymes with "spindle". 66.55.10.178

The impact of media on society and culture

A lot of negativity in the world today is blaming the media as being a large determinant in terms of its influence. If it is actually such a big factor, I'd like to study if it can actually be used as a positive determinant in the lives of people. I would like to know if there is any masters course that can be studied about this - and if so, where is it best available. So far I have come across the MA Critical Media and Cultural Studies, SOAS, London University. --Mithawilliams 08:48, 5 September 2007 (UTC)

I think a fair few UK universities offer masters in meeja studies. Some little googling turns up a number. --Tagishsimon (talk) 09:25, 5 September 2007 (UTC)

UCAS has 971 media studies courses at about 80 different unis[9] (many as combined courses), and 2392 "general media" courses[10]. None of these offer Masters straight away; it seems that you first have to take a BA then reapply and take the MA. Be warned, though; Media studies has something of a bad press as a "mickey mouse subject" and many employers may not look too kindly on it. Laïka 10:43, 5 September 2007 (UTC)

Daaaaaang

Why are there so few Google hits for this spelling of the word, with 6 as? I made a plot so you can see how much it sticks out. —Keenan Pepper 11:30, 5 September 2007 (UTC)

I'm sorry if this is a social faux pas here but I gotta ask.... Why? Why would this even come up? Why bother doing this research to begin with and then make a chart about it? It just seems rather pointless to me is all... Dismas|^(talk) 11:44, 5 September 2007 (UTC)

Sheer boredom and perversion. —Keenan Pepper 18:00, 5 September 2007 (UTC)

This is the most randomly hilarious thing I've seen in months.. That said, probably because six as just looks weird? --lucid 12:07, 5 September 2007 (UTC)

According to our (thankfully deleted) article on the "w00t paradox", the same thing happens when adding extra "0"s to "w00t"; it drops at around 5 or 6, then rises back again. Don't know why though. Laïka 13:27, 5 September 2007 (UTC)

There's no such drop for aaaaaargh, oooooops or wheeeeee. Capuchin 13:38, 5 September 2007 (UTC)

Bananana

Bananana does the same thing, but at around 5 instead of 6, and it spikes at 7. Laïka 13:40, 5 September 2007 (UTC)

I'm sure there's a thesis in this somewhere, any keen postgrads around? DuncanHill 13:44, 5 September 2007 (UTC)

I'm pretty sure there's some work that's been done on this already... :) Capuchin 13:47, 5 September 2007 (UTC)

I can't remember the word they studied though! Damn it! Capuchin 13:52, 5 September 2007 (UTC)

Here we go: [11] Check out "The distribution of variable-length phatic interjectives on the World Wide Web" and "Dissecting the argh-scape". The argh-scape article seems unfinished though. I'm sure I saw a more complete version of the argh-scape paper.. grrrr. (how about grrrrrr? :P). I hope this will kick off some of those better versed in google than I. Capuchin 13:55, 5 September 2007 (UTC)

Magnificent stuff, thank you! DuncanHill 14:01, 5 September 2007 (UTC)

Some people have Waaa(a)aaay too much time on their hands! SteveBaker 14:12, 5 September 2007 (UTC)

This made me literally roll on the floor laughing. —Keenan Pepper 18:00, 5 September 2007 (UTC)

I can't wait for Friday. --Dweller 15:50, 5 September 2007 (UTC)

I'm right here, how can I help? Friday (talk) 15:52, 5 September 2007 (UTC)

Phew! --Dweller 16:01, 5 September 2007 (UTC)

		The Barnstar of Good Humor
		I hereby award this thread a barnstar for being damn hilarious. Goes to show the spirit of Wikipedia-- doing together what would've been mediocre by a single one of us! lucid 16:26, 5 September 2007 (UTC)

Oh my - an award for a 'thread'?! This is unprecedented. Well, we'll just have to share it - move it (carefully, they are quite fragile) from one User: page to another. Let's see: Dismas can have it on Mondays, Laïka gets it on Tuesdays, Capuchin Wednesdays. DuncanHill Thursdays, I'll take it on Fridays, Dweller gets it Saturdays. Argh - what about Sunday? OK - well, on Sundays in January and February, Dismas will look after it, Sundays in March and April go to Laïka, May/June Capuchin, July/August DuncanHill, Sept/Oct, I'll have it, Nov/Dec, Dweller has it. The only problem with that is that over seven years, there will be fewer Sundays in February than any other month - so Dismas will have to take all the extra leap-days for the next 17 years - after which leap days will be allocated to....wait a minute...I forgot Friday...no - not Friday, Friday. Damn! Now I have to start over... SteveBaker 17:23, 5 September 2007 (UTC)

Am I the only one whose first thought on reading this was "Dinosaur Comics"? (Incidently, the link contains a rare example of a 6-"a"ed dang). Laïka 17:29, 5 September 2007 (UTC)

You know something, Keenan. You underestimate yourself everytime.

the word daaaaaang should be one of the top hits on google web search, thanks to you...

By the way, why dang with six a s (as in apple)? Why not five or seven?

Wish you all the best,

User:Kushal_one —Preceding unsigned comment added by 69.150.163.1 (talk) 18:42, 5 September 2007 (UTC)

What the !!! I signed the comment... if you are such a smart aleck, try signing this comment! —Preceding unsigned comment added by 69.150.163.1 (talk) 18:44, 5 September 2007 (UTC)

This is why I keep coming here. Pacific Coast Highway ^{{talk • contribs}} 20:27, 5 September 2007 (UTC)

I especially love the way Steve Baker takes some absurdly trivial question or comment and immediately turns it into a complex mathematical or logical problem and then parses it into the nth degree. Very amusing.--Eriastrum 22:24, 5 September 2007 (UTC)

I agree with lucid; this is one of the most hilarious things I've seen on this ref. desk for such a long time- It does deserve a barnstar!(^_^) --PolarWolf 00:09, 6 September 2007 (UTC)

I can't claim originality on this one - I was thinking of The Simpsons episode when Bart and his friends have bought a hideously expensive comic book and are trying to agree how to share it. Still, I didn't go away completely empty handed ! SteveBaker 01:59, 6 September 2007 (UTC)

Dweller's thread of the week. It's an 'out of the box' idea.

Congratulations to all contributing here. Unsurprisingly, given my comment above, you have won the third ever User:Dweller/Dweller's Ref Desk thread of the week award. Good job. Specifically, it's for the thread except for the bit where I lowered the tone. Anyway, well deserved. --Dweller 10:43, 7 September 2007 (UTC)

Hey, jokes aside, this is very surprising. --Taraborn 15:07, 11 September 2007 (UTC)

Village population in the USA

What is the maximum population that you can have for a settlement to in the USA be classed as a village —Preceding unsigned comment added by 86.25.19.57 (talk) 11:54, 5 September 2007 (UTC)

Village (United States) may be of some help to you as it varies by state just what makes a village a village. Dismas|^(talk) 11:59, 5 September 2007 (UTC)

The page to this links says 2,500 people. There are plenty of Villages in New York. [http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0003-1224%28194604%2911%3A2%3C159%3AHAVITU%3E2.0.CO%3B2-V&size=LARGE&origin=JSTOR-enlargePage ] I've never actually heard of a village in the US. I think most settlements here are either unofficial, towns, or cities. But then, the link above has more info than I do-- unfortunately, it needs sources. --lucid 12:04, 5 September 2007 (UTC)

Village is official in the US (in Michigan at least). I grew up in the Village of Empire (pop ~300+). We had a village hall, a village council etc. --Cody.Pope 12:12, 5 September 2007 (UTC)

Indeed, villages are very common in the U.S. See the link that I posted above. And I grew up in one as well. Dismas|^(talk) 12:37, 5 September 2007 (UTC)

It's funny because I had never thought of small towns as "villages" until I moved from the West Coast to the East Coast. Now I see them everywhere. It is still strange to me — when I think of a "village" I think of some sort of Old World rural setting with thatched roofs and chickens running around, but that's definitely not what they mean in New York or Massachusetts (the two places I have lived where I have seen "villages" while driving on the highway). --24.147.86.187 15:44, 5 September 2007 (UTC)

Just be glad you don't live in the UK, where things can be even more confusing; St David's is both a village and a city simultaneously! Laïka 17:48, 5 September 2007 (UTC)

Some municipalities seem to hold onto the villiage name, just for the homey PR overtones of it. Vail, Colorado comes to mind. It is officially a 'Town', but they call themselves a 'Villiage'. --Mdwyer 21:53, 5 September 2007 (UTC)

Then there's my favorite: The City of The Village of Indian Hill, Ohio. -- Mwalcoff 22:19, 5 September 2007 (UTC)

Subdivisions of Champaign County, Illinois, include a township coterminous with and named for the City of Champaign, and an adjacent rural township also named Champaign. On my way to school I used to pass the first township's office, a little building mysteriously marked Town of the City of Champaign. —Tamfang 01:12, 6 September 2007 (UTC)

New York State has about 550 villages, which are legally defined municipalities. There is no maximum population, but there is a minimum of 500 people. See Administrative divisions of New York. --Nricardo 01:50, 6 September 2007 (UTC)

As all of the above posters are alluding to, there is no single definition of village (or town or borough or city, for that matter) in the United States. Every state defines them differently. In Pennsylvania, there are no legal "villages," even though the state puts up signs at the edge of a cluster of homes marking it as one. Villages are just concentrated areas within a township. But just across the border in New York, villages are legal entities. Just like townships — in the Midwest townships are basically square divisions for measuring land, while in the east, townships are incorporated with governments just like boroughs and cities. Lots of states have towns, but Pennsylvania strangely has only one town. ... So it isn't population that defines what type of community is what, it is whether it has definitive borders and what type of government it has. — Michael J 11:05, 6 September 2007 (UTC)

One minor correction... Several Midwestern states (including Ohio, Michigan, Indiana and Illinois) have civil townships as well as survey townships. But you've got the gist of it -- the semantics of local government is different in every state. -- Mwalcoff 00:58, 7 September 2007 (UTC)

KCTV

Randy Miller is one of Kansas City's most controverial talk radio personalities. He's been fired so many times from varies radio stations due to his choice of programming I'm sure no one will take the chance to hire him again. However, I was surprised to see him doing traffic reports during the weekday mornings on KCTV. I hadn't witnessed any wrong doing or controversial subject matter during his spots in the morning but now he seems to be gone and no one has said why. Is there anyone out there that can tame my curiosity on this matter? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 69.247.222.30 (talk) 12:35, 5 September 2007 (UTC)

You should read this article. It says that he gave up the traffic reporting on Aug 10th this year..."But I'm still doing the dating game show, and we're starting our second season." - there is more information in that article but you have to sign up to some free service or other to read all of it. SteveBaker 13:55, 6 September 2007 (UTC)

What is the difference between pepper spray and bear spray?

What is the difference between pepper spray and bear spray? I would assumed that bear spray is stronger, but the wiki article says that in many areas bear spray is legal while pepper spray is banned. Are the chemicals different or is it just the container design?

"In Germany privately owned pepper spray may fall into two different categories. Sprays that bear the test mark of the Materialprüfungsanstalt[12] may be owned and carried solely for the purpose of defense against animals. Such sprays are not legally considered as weapons. Sprays that do not bear this test mark are classified as prohibited weapons. It is nevertheless strictly prohibited to carry pepper spray at (or on the way to and from) demonstrations - whether it bears a test mark or not." --Jacobin1949 14:52, 5 September 2007 (UTC)

At least in the USA, the only differences are the size of the can and the label on it: bear spray is typically a 12-ounce can labeled "bear spray", while pepper spray is in a 2- to 4-ounce can labeled "pepper spray" or "mace". --Carnildo 22:46, 5 September 2007 (UTC)

American Pop-Culture T-shirts and the Swastika(lack there-of)

In my studies of WWII via Hitler's KAMPF and Shirer's RISE AND FALL 1/3rd through now, and living 2 blocks from MELROSE Avenue <--T-shirt & Shoe Central of the Los Angeles Shopping Arena, I'm stumped on a highly cultural question of Politically Correctness and just plain wonder. Before the question, I'd like to note what I see a lot of, and that is Imperial Japan's Rising Sun (i've seen slippers coined 'Kamakazi') as well as the Union Jack, also the Confederate Flag(some parts of the country), and lately THE HAMMER AND THE SCYTHE. I just saw one at Nordstrom's by Skate/Surf/Snow company VOLCOM of Stalin's colors. I'm not going to go onto death counts of the representations of these flags at the times of War with the United States., but I find it particularly interesting that company's don't market the Swastika. And if they did, it would shock me. Now that I'm shocked by it, and not the others, makes me even question that. Why is it that we do not see this in Multi-Cultural America, and yet there are all the other Oppressive States as Novelties? I hope for purely science-orientated-objectivism for answers, or at least trying to be. --i am the kwisatz haderach 16:51, 5 September 2007 (UTC)

The obvious one would be that association with a logo synonymous with the holocaust is a step to far, moving from the attention grabbing into the distasteful, whereas the other logos associate with questionable groups and ideologies, nothing as distinct and horrific as the human rights offences committed by the the Nazis. ΦΙΛ Κ 17:07, 5 September 2007 (UTC)

If I had to guess, I'd say that with all of the other symbols, they had been in use both before and after the atrocities that those countries had participated in. It would be hard indeed to come up with ANY national flag that didn't have some kind of unpleasant associations. But the Swastika (at least the German usage of it) was only used during that brief era of horror - not before and not since. So we can see the US flag and worry about Iraq - or we can see it and remember Woodstock. We can see the Japanese flag and think of suicidal aircraft pilots smacking into the decks of aircraft carriers - or we can think of Hello Kitty (OK - bad example!)...but we can't see a Swastika without thinking of Hitler because it has no other associations. Just my take on it though. There may be other opinions. SteveBaker 17:12, 5 September 2007 (UTC)

There are approximately 1 billion people who may disagree with SteveBaker's assertion about the Swastika having no other associations than Nazism. DuncanHill 17:57, 5 September 2007 (UTC)

I was VERY careful to say "the Swastika (at least the German usage of it)" - I'm well aware of the Hindu symbol (which actually looks totally different incidentally). SteveBaker 20:11, 5 September 2007 (UTC)

"but we can't see a Swastika without thinking of Hitler because it has no other associations"... in my experience in India, depictions of the Swastika vary enormously, including many versions which are largely indistinguishable from that used by the Nazis. There was a rather ill-tempered debate some time ago about the use of the Swastika on a Hinduism template on WP. DuncanHill 20:18, 5 September 2007 (UTC)

It wasn't obvious to you that I was still talking about the German version? Come *on* - you don't expect me to type it all out in full every time I mention it do you? There is a common literary shorthand - you say something in full the first time and expect the reader to use his brain the second and subsequent times. Duh! SteveBaker 00:05, 6 September 2007 (UTC)

I did not intend any offence, I was merely trying to suggest that the response given managed to exclude a significant proportion of the world's population. DuncanHill 00:13, 6 September 2007 (UTC)

note this bronze Buddha on Lantua Island [LANTAU BUDDHA, CHINA] <--the Swastika on chest, is not the different curved-lined Hindu version with the 4 dots, this is the squared-straight-line one that the Germans also adapted. I know strict Buddhist laws probably are against selling T-shirts at the giftshop, if there is one here. But it is the same fylfot. --i am the kwisatz haderach 21:02, 5 September 2007 (UTC)

It's not the same fylfot. It's reversed. Corvus cornix 17:14, 6 September 2007 (UTC)

We have an excellent article on the Swastika, and its use in Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, a synagogue, and numerous other contexts, including this picture which manages to combine a swastika with the hammer and sickle File:Nepal-Communist.jpg DuncanHill 17:41, 6 September 2007 (UTC)

Another reason might be that the animus of the swastika -- Jew-hatred -- still exists in the world, while Japanese designs on ruling all Asia, Soviet designs on killing their land-owning classes, and white Southerner designs on keeping black people in chains (and limiting the power of federal government) have all been consigned to the dustbin of history. Nazi chic discusses the issue. --Sean 17:43, 5 September 2007 (UTC)

I don't think most people who wear the Confederate flag, the Japanese military symbol or the hammer and sickle necessarily identify with antebellum racism, imperialism or communism. The Confederate flag, while an offensive symbol to many, is considered by others to be a neutral symbol of the South or a symbol of rebellion against authority. The sun-with-rays, to some people, simply means "Japan." Those who wear the hammer and sickle probably just see it as Cold War retro and aren't aware of the inherent evils of Marxism-Leninism. The Nazi swastika, on the other hand, has only negative connotations. -- Mwalcoff 22:29, 5 September 2007 (UTC)

It has to do with who the various symbols are associated with today. The swastika is very strongly associated with neo-nazi groups: by wearing it, you're proclaiming membership in such a group. The Confederate flag is weakly associated with states' rights groups and racist groups (and rebellion in general), while none of the others has any real associations. --Carnildo 22:51, 5 September 2007 (UTC)

Personally, I find it extremely offensive that the original question lumps in the Union Jack, the flag of one of your country's longest-standing allies, with flags associated with "Japanese designs on ruling all Asia, Soviet designs on killing their land-owning classes, and white Southerner designs on keeping black people in chains", let along Nazi Germany. 80.254.147.52 10:42, 6 September 2007 (UTC)

I disagree (and I'm British). We Brits have certainly committed our fair share of atrocities (our rule over India - wars in Africa, etc) - I don't think the Union Jack should be let off the hook. But then (as I said earlier), you'd find it pretty hard to come up with a flag that's more than a hundred years old that doesn't have some terrible associations for some people - and I include the present US flag in that list. SteveBaker 13:49, 6 September 2007 (UTC)

I agree with you on the second point. But to suggest (as the question does) some kind of parity between Britain and a load of totalitarian regimes is a bit strong, to say the least. 80.254.147.52 13:59, 6 September 2007 (UTC)

Actually, I find it a lot more offensive when the masses go along with the violence. When they are essentially forced into it by a dictatorship - it's a somewhat different matter. We shouldn't blame the Iraqi people for the gassing of the Kurds under Saddam - but when the British people were in full support of massacring tribesmen (armed with spears and cow-hide shields) using modern artillery - that was a very different matter. Modern Britain is a fairly peaceful, sane place - but our history is hardly spotless. SteveBaker 14:08, 6 September 2007 (UTC)

Put it this way. If the question had been posed by a Briton, and had said "I'd like to note what I see a lot of, and that is Imperial Japan's Rising Sun (i've seen slippers coined 'Kamakazi') as well as the US flag, also the Confederate Flag(some parts of the country), and lately THE HAMMER AND THE SCYTHE", would that have passed without comment? I think not. The question would immediately be discredited by American patriots, and you'd be bringing up the massacres at Sand Creek and Wounded Knee. But stick the union Jack in the list and no-one bats an eyelid. Bloody Americans (in every sense of the word "bloody") 80.254.147.52 14:13, 6 September 2007 (UTC)

I live in Texas (and I'm a Brit). I think you are hugely overstating this - I agree that there are people here who will defend the US flag (and I mean the actual piece of cloth, not just the concept) to a ridiculous degree (from a Brit's point of view)...advocating the passage of laws to make it illegal to burn one in a protest march or even to toss one away in the trash when it's worn out. (Worn out US flags are supposed to be 'retired' with a proper ceremony.) Some people go so far as to object to the US flag being used on 'disposable' items such as clothing and packaging on the grounds that the image would not be properly 'retired'...I think most Brits would laugh at those ideas - we don't particularly care what you do with the flag - it's just a symbol and a piece of cloth. But I would say that those Americans are a small minority - even in Texas. Americans with even a moderate degree of intelligence (such as the majority whom you'll find here on Wikipedia) tend to have a more nuanced view and I doubt that many of them would try to defend the actions of the USA as being in any way 'better' than the actions of the British over the last few hundred years. Both nations have had their moments of shining glory - and also periods of extreme nastiness. SteveBaker 15:46, 6 September 2007 (UTC)

Just by-the-by, the proper way to 'retire' a US flag is to burn it! FiggyBee 05:03, 7 September 2007 (UTC)

Yes - but you have to salute it, maybe bring an honor guard of boy scouts to the ceremony - worship it some first...maybe sprinkle goats blood...then set light to it - you probably have to scatter the ashes on consecrated ground at midnight or something. It's not like you can just toss it onto the barbecue and throw gasoline on it. My old, faded Union Jacks get unceremoniously dumped into the trash can. (I hang one outside my house - three feet higher than my neighbours US flag just to annoy them - there is some stupid rule that says the US flag has to be hung higher than all the others...sheesh!) SteveBaker 14:38, 7 September 2007 (UTC)

Pedantry Alert I just felt I should point out that it is a sickle not a scythe in the flag of the former USSR. DuncanHill 14:17, 6 September 2007 (UTC)

Great point on the American phraseology of my question. I agree with you one hundred percent. If I was a Brit, in Britannia, I would definitely say 'the US Flag', and being in the US, in a way, I did mention one of our flags (General Robert E. Lee, which many Americans are proud of, including myself, although I am against Slavery of any kind). I'm just questioning the novelty of novelties, rather Novel-Tee's. At the rate of American T-shirt Consumerism, it would be safe to say, considering we walk away from Operation Iraqi Freedom victorious, then the skater kids of lets say 2010 will be skating down an Orange County street with an Iraqi Flag T-Shirt. I don't take away from the atrociousness of Nazi Germany by questioning the swastika, but the lack there-of, and the personal feelings I feel when I see one, namely pain and heartache, and I'm not Jewish, but that I feel sadness by it, and none of the others, well, it makes me question it even more. I don't really have a good answer, and I think many here are great answers. Question away, wikiquestion away. Ahh, a new day, more questions. --i am the kwisatz haderach 15:41, 6 September 2007 (UTC)

What is this salad dressing???

I'm having some problems remembering what this salad dressing is called. It contains salted anchovy fillets, black olives, olive oil, a little vinegar, some ?spices. It's all ground down to a runny paste in a pestle and mortar and sprinkled onto a leafy salad. I saw Rick Stein (English TV chef)make it a couple of weeks ago, maybe it's good for the memory;-)) Richard Avery —Preceding unsigned comment added by 86.17.48.100 (talk) 18:47, 5 September 2007 (UTC)

Tapenade or (more likely) Anchoiade? This book extract explains the recipies for both. SteveBaker 00:02, 6 September 2007 (UTC)

Yes!! tapenade is the word but anchoiade is exactly what he was making. Thanks Steve;-)). Now, where's that mortar and pestle... Richard Avery 05:00, 6 September 2007 (UTC)

My wife (who actually knows this stuff) says that anchovies are an optional ingredient in tapenade. If you put the anchovies in then it's an anchoiade (which is therefore a kind of tapenade). So either word will do although anchoiade is more precise. SteveBaker 13:41, 6 September 2007 (UTC)

Ahaa!! behind every successful man...........Richard Avery 18:21, 6 September 2007 (UTC)

Magazine pull-out posters

What's the best way to pull out a "pull-out" poster from a magazine without ripping the poster or breaking the magazine's binding? In this particular case, the magazine and poster are held together by staples. — Kjammer  ⌂ 19:27, 5 September 2007 (UTC)

Use a small tool, for example a scredriver (not your nails) to lever the staples open. Remove posster and squash staples flat again. -- SGBailey 19:29, 5 September 2007 (UTC)

The correct tool being a Staple remover of course! SteveBaker 20:08, 5 September 2007 (UTC)

I find finger nails work better. DuncanHill 20:10, 5 September 2007 (UTC)

Only if they're very sturdy, which varies from person to person and day to day. Don't stab yourself under there, though. It hurts like death. --Masamage ♫ 20:36, 5 September 2007 (UTC)

I'd use needle-nose pliers. —Tamfang 01:02, 6 September 2007 (UTC)

I find that you can gently tug it down unhook and then back up and unhook with some magazines. Other than this the above suggestions work well ny156uk 20:37, 5 September 2007 (UTC)

Only subscribe to magazines with Rubber Cement Adhesive attached posters. It's the way of the future. --i am the kwisatz haderach 20:55, 5 September 2007 (UTC)

Thank you all for your tips. I used a Phillips head screwdriver (a flathead was not available) and one of those twist ties that bind coiled wires together. Fortunately the posters were attached with only one staple. I will keep these suggestions in mind in the future. — Kjammer  ⌂ 23:16, 5 September 2007 (UTC)

Mita DP 580 Laser Printer

Hello. Five years ago, I was printing, using the Mita DP 580 printer until I used up all the toner. I had trouble finding a replacement cartridge. Just out of curiosity, do I replace the cartridge or the toner? Thanks in advance. --Mayfare 20:34, 5 September 2007 (UTC)

A quick Google seems to suggest that this printer uses all-in-one imaging units -- that is, a cartidge that contains an imaging drum and toner. You may be able to find support, still, though Konica Minolta --Mdwyer 21:48, 5 September 2007 (UTC)

I clicked on both hyperlinks, both claiming that they both merged into one company called Konica Minolta. Five years ago, they existed as two separate companies. How can I receive support today? --Mayfare 02:30, 6 September 2007 (UTC)

Just because two companies have merged doesn't automatically mean they drop support for products from the two previous companies. Since it's an old printer, they may have dropped support for that reason, but maybe not. Go to their web site and look for a search option where you can type in your printer's model number. StuRat 04:45, 6 September 2007 (UTC)

If it is a replaceable cartridge and you can't find a replacement, then you may be able to recharge it with toner. However the imaging drum inside will be made rather cheaply and will start to show signs of trouble eventually so don't plan on being able to recharge it a large number of times unless you are prepared to live with gradually degrading print quality. There are many companies out there who will refill and renovate your toner cartridges at less cost than buying new ones. I did a Google on 'toner cartridge mita' and there are a LOT of hits from companies that offer that service. SteveBaker 15:32, 6 September 2007 (UTC)

Thanks again:) --Mayfare 01:10, 9 September 2007 (UTC)

top speed reverse

Having just chuckled to myself at the stupidty of one of the characters in 2 Fast 2 Furious handbrake turning and then reversing at (seemingly based on being on a 'highway' and not being overtaken) 60mph it got me wondering...What is the top speed an average car would do in reverse gear? I'm guessing something as low as 25mph but don't know. Anybody? ny156uk 23:18, 5 September 2007 (UTC)

Well, my car (a MINI Cooper'S) has the same gear ratio in 1st gear as it does in reverse - since the engine only cares a teeny-tiny bit (due to cooling airflow) whether you're going forwards or reverse - the car will do the same speed in reverse as it does in 1st gear. So my car will theoretically go at 44mph in reverse (as stock) and a little over 55mph since I did various exciting things to it under the hood. That's not true of all cars. The 2004 MINI Cooper with the continuously variable transmission has a software speed limiter to prevent you from going more than about 5mph in reverse (which can be bloody annoying!) because the rather strange transmission of that car doesn't like being driven backwards. Personally, I don't want to be driving my car at 55mph in reverse! But it does prove that in 2F2F (where we assume cars are tricked out to an even greater degree than my MINI), going 60mph in reverse is far from impossible - it is in fact, VERY possible. SteveBaker 23:39, 5 September 2007 (UTC)

On NOTORIOUS B.I.G. video with PuffDaddy called 'Hypnotize' there is a scene where both B.I.G. and P.Diddy are driving a Mercedez Benz in reverse at High Speeds per Camera-POV, although I'm gonna say they are only going about 20 mph, maybe 35 off camera. Although, in truth, it was probably hitched to a truck pulling it at 25 mph. I don't think this elaborates, just another example. --i am the kwisatz haderach 00:05, 6 September 2007 (UTC)

Yeah - sure, I don't believe the actors in 2F2F were truly driving the car as 60mph in reverse - there is no way they'd do something that dangerous on a movie set. I'm only saying that my car could theoretically drive 55mph backwards - and the kinds of super-tricked out monsters they were supposedly driving in the movie should make 60mph easily. I don't think they really did it - but it's possible for a moderately tricked out car to have done it at the hands of a mythically great driver - which means that this particular movie moment is believable (the rest of it though...meh). SteveBaker 01:35, 6 September 2007 (UTC)

A British engineer called John Dodd fixed up a car in the 1970s called 'The Beast' with an aircraft engine and some Rolls Royce externals. According to a story that did the rounds in the 1970s (I heard it in the school playground a few times; it may well be an urban legend) it "did 200mph on Germany's autobahns" and "he was arrested for doing 80mph in reverse". There's a bit of discussion about it here: http://www.migweb.co.uk/forums/car-talk/167947-john-dodds-%22-beast%22-any-info.html —Preceding unsigned comment added by 194.66.229.8 (talk) 10:43, 6 September 2007 (UTC)

There was at least one historical automobile transmission that implemented a "reversing gear" that was separate from the rest of the gearbox rather than closely integrated; it could manage all the same speeds in reverse that it could manage in forward. I'm sorry, but I don't remember what car used this gearbox.

Atlant 13:17, 6 September 2007 (UTC)

I seem to remember a Smokey and the Bandit movie where Burt Reynolds did highway speed in reverse in order to be able to hand a six-pack of beer to a fellow motorist out of his driver-side window.  :) --Sean 13:28, 6 September 2007 (UTC)

Sure - you are probably thinking of the DAF 600 - it had a Variomatic gearbox (an early continuously variable transmission) with a separate reversing gear. This quirky transmission did all sorts of other strange things - perhaps the most disconcerting of which is that if you are driving fast - with your foot pushed to the floor on the gas pedal, taking your foot gently OFF the pedal would actually make the car go faster!! This is a lethal thing if you don't know about it! Members of the DAF car club in Holland celebrate the reversing gear wierdness by having races in which the cars all have to go in reverse! This was also the case on most steam engines since they typically don't need a gearbox at all, they needed a special means to go backwards - so quite a few of the early steam cars would go just as fast backwards as forwards. Also check out the Bond Minicar - they used motorcycle engines and transmissions - so no reverse gear. To get around this, they had one model where the engine had to be stopped and started again in the reverse direction and another 3-wheeled model where the single front wheel could be turned 180 degrees around like a Bumper car so that the car would go backwards. In both cases the car would go just as fast backwards as forwards. SteveBaker 13:34, 6 September 2007 (UTC)

Cheers for the responses, some good knowledge. ny156uk 21:40, 6 September 2007 (UTC)

Lats & Longs For Cities

I've noticed lats & longs for cities in Wikipedia. For example, the lats & longs for New Orleans, according to the Google map link, is to be east of Elysian Fields and south of Claiborne. I thought they would be within the Vieaux Carre (French Quarter), especially Jackson Square, or at the location of City Hall, at 1300 Perdido, near the Superdome, for New Orleans. I was surprised to see where it actually plotted out. They were right on the money for Nagoya Field, in Japan. How are lats & longs chosen by Wikipedia for a city?Rossbarranco 23:19, 5 September 2007 (UTC) Ross Barranco

Same as all of Wikipedia's other content: by well-intentioned, usually (but not always) accurate volunteer editors.

If there's a coordinate you think could be improved, you certainly can!

With that said, there are some additional wrinkles in the way data like this is typically added to Wikipedia. Some of it is bulk-added from other databases (such as the ones at http://geonames.usgs.gov/ and http://www.nima.mil/), and if the coordinates in those other databases are coarse-grained or carelessly-chosen, they're not going to map to an "obvious" focal point.

Also, some of the data (I think) is imported from associated projects such as http://www.placeopedia.com/ and http://www.wikimapia.org/. —Steve Summit (talk) 03:29, 6 September 2007 (UTC)

Does anyone think this might be a good idea for a Wikipedia guideline — to set a standard for how to indicate a city's lat/long? (Some atlases I've seen place the reference at city hall; others take the geographic center.) I'm sure there are several possibilities, and we obviously can't make it policy, but a guideline should at least be discussed. Maybe I'll throw this up over at the help desk. — Michael J 12:06, 6 September 2007 (UTC)

Either take it to Wikipedia:WikiProject Geographical coordinates, or have a look on there. I think this issue has been settled by that project; hopefully you'll find documentation & advice there. --Tagishsimon (talk) 12:35, 6 September 2007 (UTC)

• Wikipedia:WikiProject_Geographical_coordinates#Precision says that the larger the object is, the less precise the coordinates should be. It's a bit misleading to say that a city is at XX.0235456 N when XX.02 N would be equally true. --M@rēino 19:52, 6 September 2007 (UTC)

September 6

back problem

i have a really bad pain in my back. Earlier today, i reached down to pick up my daughter, and then i got this really big pain in my back. I know that wikipedia doesn't give any medical advice, but i would just like to figure out what it might be, so i can know what to do. THANK YOU —Preceding unsigned comment added by 72.146.75.252 (talk) 00:15, 6 September 2007 (UTC)

Please see your doctor, we really cannot offer any kind of opinion or diagnosis. DuncanHill 00:41, 6 September 2007 (UTC)

HAving said that, I will give you a link to our article on back pain, something to read before you see your doctor. DuncanHill 01:22, 6 September 2007 (UTC)

Also, to avoid such problems in the future, you need to change the way you lift heavy objects (daughters included). Instead of bending at the waist, do a deep knee bend to pick her up. If she is old enough, she can help you by standing on a chair/sofa/bed when she wants you to pick her up. Meanwhile, don't lift any heavy objects until your doctor evaluates your present condition. StuRat 04:39, 6 September 2007 (UTC)

If you know that we're not allowed to give medical advice - why are you asking for medical advice? If you are worried - see a doctor. SteveBaker 13:19, 6 September 2007 (UTC)

If the pain is confined to an area of your back, then it is likely to be a muscular strain. However, if the pain radiates to other parts of your body (arms, abdomen, or legs), then it is likely to be spinal disc herniation. In either case, ibuprofen is likely to help. A doctor can advise you on dosage. Physical therapy can also be helpful if the pain is persistent. Note that this does not constitute medical advice, which I am not qualified to give. Also, while I have described likely causes, your pain may have some other cause that only a medical professional could diagnose. Marco polo 15:50, 6 September 2007 (UTC)

You know, after a long time of contemplating the theoretical and legal issues of medical discussions on Wikipedia, I must recommend that go to the doctor (and take absolutely nothing from this discussion). You can read up on the subject of course, and the above links may be helpful for that. However, back pain is a very common symptom and you will need a complete history and physical examination (by a DOCTOR) to get an accurate diagnosis. Back pain can be a symptom of very serious conditions that have nothing to do with your spine or back muscles, even if the pain occurred while lifting. You may not even realize that you have other related symptoms to a serious condition without seeing a doctor.
Mrdeath5493 16:30, 6 September 2007 (UTC)

It's true that few, if any, Reference Desk contributors are medically qualified, and that we therefore can't dispense authoritative medical advice, and it's also true that Wikipedia cannot be held legally liable for any discussion of medical issues here. However, Reference Desk contributors are knowledgeable and generally better educated than the populace as a whole, and they may have helpful insights beyond telling the questioner to go to a doctor. This particular questioner appears (from his or her IP address) to be in the United States, where millions of people lack health insurance and cannot afford to see a doctor. In this context, it seems merciless to refuse to give questioners any information whatsoever. Marco polo 17:48, 6 September 2007 (UTC)

There does seem to be rather too much legal paranoia around here. Giving "legal" or "medical" advice is not in and of itself illegal. Holding oneself out as a lawyer or doctor or qualified professional when one is not is illegal. --Nricardo 02:26, 7 September 2007 (UTC)

• If you have a general practitioner who can see you soon, that's best. If not, perhaps a chiropractor or orthopedist could help. --M@rēino 19:58, 6 September 2007 (UTC)

water colors

will water colors stick to white wall? Will they have the same "brightness" as thicker paints? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 12.217.199.246 (talk) 02:06, 6 September 2007 (UTC)

Yes, they will stick, but no, they won't provide as good of a coverage as a thicker paint, say oil based or latex. BTW, you do realize that any attempt to wash a wall with watercolors will result in all the colors running, don't you ? Also, dampness from humidity could do this. So, trying to permanently paint walls with watercolors is a really bad idea. On the other hand, creating a temporary watercolor painting on a wall, say to gain approval before going over it with real paint, would be an excellent idea. StuRat 04:33, 6 September 2007 (UTC)

Acrylic paint might be a very good medium for painting on a wall: it is water-soluble before it dries, and after it dries it is permanent. If you dilute the colours with water when you apply them they have a similar transparency to water colours. It is also odour-free, and it will bond very well with white acrylic wall paint.SaundersW 08:29, 6 September 2007 (UTC)

You know, that's given me a great idea... if I did a mural in watercolor, when my lease is up I could wash it right off! And if it doesn't wash off, it'll at least not be too thick to cover again... Kuronue | Talk 21:05, 7 September 2007 (UTC)

my plan exactly, Kuronue, hence the question! —Preceding unsigned comment added by 12.217.199.246 (talk) 23:00, 8 September 2007 (UTC)

TV/microwave

can it hurt a TV to be sitting next to/on top of a microwave? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 128.101.53.163 (talk) 03:51, 6 September 2007 (UTC)

I'd expect you would get TV interference when both are operated at once. Steam coming out of the microwave might go into the vents on the TV and condense, as well, which might be bad for some components, especially the speakers. So, I wouldn't recommend that arrangement, no. StuRat 04:27, 6 September 2007 (UTC)

about hook of cars!

I've observed many times for majority of the cars there will be a hook on the back of it..! Now my doubt is why do they have the hook sometimes only on back, sometimes only on front, sometimes both sides? Even for costly & imported cars also I've saw that! Why? Temuzion 04:18, 6 September 2007 (UTC)

Do you mean a tow hitch ? StuRat 04:22, 6 September 2007 (UTC)

I suspect that rather than the tow hitch/tow bar he's talking about the small hooks often under or through the bumper; there is often one on the back, and regularly on the front as well (don't know about the sides though). These hooks are there to allow the attachment of a tow rope for emergency situations, say if the car has to be towed by another vehicle, or pulled out of a ditch. Unfortunately I don't know what their actual name is, or in fact if they have one (tow point, tow rope attachment point, ...?). --jjron 08:18, 6 September 2007 (UTC)

They're generally on the rear more than the front because as stated, they are often used when pulling the vehicle out of a ditch. And generally, cars go into ditches going forwards and not backwards. In the off-roading community in the U.S., we call them tow hooks. Dismas|^(talk) 08:46, 6 September 2007 (UTC)

I'd reckon there'd be a fair bit of backwards action, given that cars will often go off the road after spinning out of control, so would go off backwards often enough... Anyway, checked my Mazda6 owners manual and it agrees with your terminology - tow hook. (Incidentally, for the record, it has two on the back, and one on the front which you access by popping a cap in the bumper and attaching an eyelet hook in through the hole, to which you then attach the tow rope.). --jjron 14:08, 6 September 2007 (UTC)

Yah I also thought that the hook will be used only for pulling it through rope in emergencies...but i expected some diffrent answer which i couldn't get so bye..! Temuzion 10:13, 6 September 2007 (UTC)

We're talking about those wimpy little hooks that are hidden behind a panel in the bumper or (like in my car) that have to be screwed into a threaded hole someplace? Those aren't really strong enough to pull a car out of a ditch or out of other serious trouble. They're mostly intended just to allow the car to be winched up from level ground onto the back of a tow truck. For anything serious you'd want to hook a chain around an axle or something. SteveBaker 13:59, 6 September 2007 (UTC)

Please do not use a chain or anything with a hook on the end of it. Go to an auto parts store and get a nylon strap with loop ends (no hooks). They can pull >20K lbs. and are tough! If one does snap, you won't be in near as much danger as when you have broken metal hooks or chains flying through the air. I don't know of a single off-roading club that encourages the use of straps with hooks or chains. We pull our rigs out of some nasty situations and either pull it with a hookless strap or very cautiously winch it. Dismas|^(talk) 03:30, 7 September 2007 (UTC)

The little wimpy hooks on the fronts and backs of all cars, sometimes concealed under a panel, are for transport. As you've probably noticed, cars are delivered on those big trucks, and they are chained down for obvious reasons. The area is somewhat reinforced, in many cars they can be used as a jacking point, and for hauling gradually up a slightly inclined flatbed, but it's not to be construed as a place to seriously tow the car. Gzuckier 15:01, 6 September 2007 (UTC)

On my car, at least (a 1978 280Z), those hooks are strictly for tie-down during transport, not for towing or anything else. In fact, the shop manual for my car instructs the dealer to remove the hooks on the front before selling the car for the first time, so that people won't be tempted to use them for towing, since the bumper and other parts of the front of the car would be damaged. --Steve Summit (talk) 22:19, 6 September 2007 (UTC)

Perhaps some of you might want to take this up with Mazda - as I said above, the owner's manual says they're 'tow hooks' and specifically says that's what they're for. I doubt that this is exclusive to Mazda, and I suspect they'd avoid giving that sort of potentially dangerous misinformation in an owner's manual if they are indeed as 'wimpy' as some are claiming. --jjron 08:04, 7 September 2007 (UTC) (BTW I seem to recall most older cars didn't have them, like with my first car from the mid-70s; it was up to your own ingenuity to figure out where to tow from, which for many people was often by using the very dubious method of tieing a rope or chain around what was then the metal bumper bars. --jjron 08:11, 7 September 2007 (UTC))

Don't get me wrong - I'm not saying that these things are wimpy on all cars. Just that they are known (for sure) to be fairly pathetic on some cars - and therefore you should not rely on them without checking the owner's manual first. What you do know (without reading the manual) is that the axles are designed to stay attached to the car no matter what! They get pounded up and down and side to side and take the largest forces in all directions so they have fairly beefy mounting points. So attaching your tow to the axle is likely to be a safest thing to do in the absence of better information. Of course different things apply to towing a car on the road for any distance versus pulling it out of a ditch. For towing a car any distance, you need to be sure that it's going to go straight and that you aren't going to screw something up in the process. Many modern cars can't be towed (for any distance) without damaging them. My MINI Cooper'S can't be towed on it's wheels at all - if you pull it with the front wheels on the road and the engine not running then the transmission fluid doesn't get circulated properly and will overheat (eeek!) - if you raise the front wheels and let it roll on the back wheels then the forces on the rear suspension are applied at an unnatural angle and that can trash your suspension if you do it over enough miles. Different cars have different restrictions - my 1963 Mini can be towed on all four wheels for any distance (so long as you leave the gearbox in neutral). My wife's Mazda can be towed but only if the front wheels are off the ground. So check your owner's manual! (Thanks to Dismas for the thing about the chains though - that's good advice - I stand corrected! In my defense, I have a passion for teeny-tiny cars and the idea of breaking a tow chain when pulling one of them out of a ditch is not a serious concern! But for owners of big chunky trucks and such - yeah, a chain might be a bad idea.) SteveBaker 14:26, 7 September 2007 (UTC)

The difference between a 'Poem' and a 'Song'

A six year old child has asked me this question - What is the difference between a 'Poem' and a 'Song'? One answer that I gave was that the 'song' has a tune/tone/music associated with it, whereas a 'poem' does not have one. That is, you 'sing' a song, but you 'say' (speak plainly) a poem. But I am not sure if the child completely understood it.

Can somebody please help with another explanation.

The explanation does not have to be 100% grammatically/technically correct but should be understandable (at least the concept) by a 6 year old. --Forml 11 04:52, 6 September 2007 (UTC)

I'd go with a song is sung a poem is read. Also songs are accompanied by music whereas poems aren't. I guess the difference is minimal really. ny156uk 07:23, 6 September 2007 (UTC)

Apart from acapella (etc.) singing, plainchant and so on :) I can't see what was wrong with your original explanation to be honest, the line between poem and song is fairly blurred - when you think of the number of poems that have been made into songs (I'm thinking of things like 'If') Worm ^{(t | c)} 08:53, 6 September 2007 (UTC)

This line is further blurred by Rapping and the poetry from the Beat Generation for example. 192.9.112.196 10:00, 6 September 2007 (UTC)

This is all good stuff, but I wonder if it's appropriate for a 6-year old. I also can't see much wrong with your original suggestion, Forml 11. Maybe try rephrasing it slightly, eg. "If you just say the words out loud like a nursery rhyme, you're reading a poem; but if you sing them, you've turned it into a song". It's not a minimal difference, and it's a distinction I think most 6-yr olds would have no difficulty getting because kids of that age instinctively get music. [Sorry, ny156uk, but I have a much higher regard for music than that. :) ] -- JackofOz 10:15, 6 September 2007 (UTC)

Cats and motor oil

My cat was lying under a car today and when she came in she had oil on her back and head and now she's starting to clean herself. Is it okay for a cat to be licking oil that came from under a car? --124.254.77.148 06:18, 6 September 2007 (UTC)

I would suggest you do something to clean the cat yourself, a good soapy bath perhaps, rather than letting her lick that muck. If she has ingested pretty much any of the oil I'd suggest taking her to a vet to be checked out ASAP, if she's not already sick from it. We can give no medical advice (including veterinary advice), so please seek professional advice if there's any doubt. --jjron 08:27, 6 September 2007 (UTC)

In general car oil is not good stuff - so no. Shampoo your cat soon. OR seek vetenary advice - (which will be may be necessary if you let her lick more). PLEASE WASH YOUR CAT!.87.102.17.39 10:59, 6 September 2007 (UTC)

And, you know cats are known to be prescient. Is it your car? If thats the case, maybe you should fix the oil leak before it gets worse! —Preceding unsigned comment added by 71.147.37.13 (talk) 13:03, 6 September 2007 (UTC)

engine conversion in a skyline r32 gtr

i was thinking of buying a skyline r32 gtr but want to convert the rb26dett motor to a vq40de motor. i was wondering if this is possible for it to be done and if it will fit into the engine bay of the skyline r32211.31.18.134 08:25, 6 September 2007 (UTC)

We have an article on the Nissan VQ engine which may provide useful background. These are v6's- but according to Nissan_Skyline#R32, they all came originally with inline engines. So, even if it can fit under the hood (it may or may not), at the very least the motor mounts are going to be different. If budget is no object, in theory some amount of custom work could be done to make it work. The question is, is this a good idea? What would you be hoping to gain from an engine swap, and is there some better way to achieve similar results? Friday (talk) 14:39, 6 September 2007 (UTC)

Advice about keeping rats as pets

Can anyone lend advice about keeping rats as pets? By this I mean what numbers to have, genders, size of cage and items inside it, perhaps even nutritional information? Thank you in advance. :) 81.93.102.185 14:48, 6 September 2007 (UTC)

Have you read pet rat? There are also some useful links at the bottom of the article.--Shantavira|^{feed me} 16:04, 6 September 2007 (UTC)

This is a clear example of what almost two million articles means :P --Taraborn 17:10, 6 September 2007 (UTC)

Wikipedia's 2 Millionth Article

Hi. Several weeks ago, I saw an article / page on Wikipedia, in which editors were posting estimates for when the 2 millionth article would surface. Does any one have the link to that page? Thanks. (Joseph A. Spadaro 21:32, 6 September 2007 (UTC))

Wikipedia:Two-million pool. =] HYENASTE 22:05, 6 September 2007 (UTC)

How do you convert PDF into a word document?

How do you convert a Adobe Reader PDF into MS Word. I'm trying to transfer a font through it and I don't know how.--Writer Cartoonist 21:41, 6 September 2007 (UTC)

You need something like this...http://www.investintech.com/prod_a2d.htm - free trial. I'm not sure if Adobe have software like this included in the system - just because that's one of the point of the PDF in the first place - it makes alterations difficult/ensures standard viewing. ny156uk 22:52, 6 September 2007 (UTC)

Or spring for Adobe Acrobat Professional, which lets you save Acrobat files in rtf format, which MS Word can open. But what do you mean by "transfer a font through it"? Miyagaya 07:30, 7 September 2007 (UTC)

Surely not Garamond 3. --jjron 08:14, 7 September 2007 (UTC)

Assignment On Auckland, New Zealand Property Market

Does anyone know where I can find these things? Thanks

a) Demand-side factors a. mortgage interest rates b. rental yields c. expected returns from capital gains d. comparative returns on property versus other investment alternatives e. tax on income from property investment as compared to tax on other investments b) Supply-side factors a. Amount of existing residential properties for sale b. Amount of new residential properties under construction c. Availability of vacant lots zoned for residential purposes

And Im not asking you to do my homework, I'm just asking where to find infomation that I can do it with. I've already looked. Thanks. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 58.28.172.120 (talk) 22:54, 6 September 2007 (UTC)

This information may be available from the Real Estate Institute of New Zealand. If they don't have it, they can probably tell you where to find it. Marco polo 01:01, 7 September 2007 (UTC)

ISD

What could the acronym ISD stand for in the world of encryption and cryptology? Thanks. Acceptable 23:10, 6 September 2007 (UTC)

Well, in this paper (PDF) it means "Information Set Decoding". --Anonymous, 23:50 UTC, September 6, 2007.

Could depend on the context within the paper - see here. --jjron 08:23, 7 September 2007 (UTC)

Things to do when I turn 18?

What are some things I should do when I turn 18? I don't mean go out and buy a lottery ticket, but like, what financial or legal things need to be done once I become an adult? HYENASTE 23:32, 6 September 2007 (UTC)

You could start investing in a pension, start saving for a home, invest in an investment fund. It's recommended that you right a will because in a lot of countries if you die without a will the government has no requirement to pass on your proceeds to your immediate family (though i'm sure it is rare that they don't). ny156uk 23:37, 6 September 2007 (UTC)

Oh no, not rare at all. The estates of people who die intestate in Australia more often than not go to the state (via the Public Trustee), and families often have a court battle on their hands to get any of it. -- JackofOz 00:32, 7 September 2007 (UTC)

In some countries you are required to register for the draft if you are male. (Perhaps in some countries if you’re female as well.) --S.dedalus 23:42, 6 September 2007 (UTC)

You should ensure that you are registered to vote (assuming a voting age of 18 in your jurisdiction). DuncanHill 00:30, 7 September 2007 (UTC)

You may also be required to obtain an official form of identification in some states, and in any case it is IMO worth getting a passport (if you do not already have one). If you do not already have a current account ("checking account"), then I would suggest getting one. It's also worth making the most of the time you still have before you are 18 - in some countries you may be entitled to free or reduced-cost healthcare, if so get your teeth, eyes, and everything else checked out.DuncanHill 00:52, 7 September 2007 (UTC)

In what states are these required? I'm 19 and I've got no government-issued ID; I get frisked when I fly and I can't enter one of the porn shops in town because they won't take my student ID or any combination of things with photos and things with birthdates that share the same name, but I go to the one that knows me across town and I wear REALLY tight clothes when flying, and I manage alright between North Carolina and California. Then again, I already break the law several times a week, so... Kuronue | Talk 21:13, 7 September 2007 (UTC)

I believe in the Nordic countries adults are required to possess some form of state-recognised ID. I used the word "state" to mean an independent geo-political entity, rather than one of the members of the United States of America. BTW - weren't states' anti-sodomy laws declared unconstitutional? DuncanHill 21:33, 7 September 2007 (UTC)

Go out and PAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRTYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!! --Candy-Panda 13:47, 7 September 2007 (UTC)

What country are you in? In the US, if you're male, you have to register for the draft. Corvus cornix 16:15, 7 September 2007 (UTC)

Consider that a couple of hundred years ago, you would have had about 7 - 10 years left to live - so first of all Party as advised by an earlier respondent, then plan on all the things you want to do in your remaining 68 years or so, and remember that all your best memories have yet to happen, so try to ensure they are good ones. Good Luck to you from someone who didn't have a clue what to do with his life when he was 18 - and still doesn't, despite now being 60. But I have no regrets and I wish you the same. Enjoy.81.145.242.139 16:26, 7 September 2007 (UTC)

Contrary to general consensus you would have much longer to live. The reason is that the average-age is brought down hugely due to child-deaths. People who lived to adulthood mostly lived reasonably long. See (http://lifetwo.com/production/node/20070716-dramatically-longer-average-lifespans-fact-myth-or-something-else ) for a starting into this. It's a classic case of averages not telling the whole picture. ny156uk 22:25, 7 September 2007 (UTC)

If you happen to live near the border with Quebec, you could legally get trashed at a bar. Adam Bishop 18:11, 7 September 2007 (UTC)

Buy a lottery ticket. ;) Pilotguy 22:34, 7 September 2007 (UTC)

September 7

Secure Encryption systems

Are there any encryption systems, except for one-time pads, that are absolutely impossible to break? Acceptable 00:27, 7 September 2007 (UTC)

There are no encryption systems at all, including one-time pads, that are absolutely impossible to break, if by "break" you mean simply "recover the plaintext". After all, you might just correctly guess the plaintext, and that would constitute breaking the system.

The unique thing about a one-time pad is that the ciphertext provably gives you no information at all about whether you've correctly guessed the plaintext. I'm fairly sure you can't get that property with any cryptosystem whose key length is shorter than the ciphertext (assuming they're in the same alphabet). A cryptosystem with that long a key might as well be a one-time pad, as that's simplest anyway. --Trovatore 00:43, 7 September 2007 (UTC)

If the key is longer than the cyphertext, it's still possible to break it, if the key was not randomly generated. A crucial element of a one-time pad is that the pad is generated truely randomly. --67.185.172.158 06:25, 7 September 2007 (UTC)

Quantum cryptography can be used to generate and transmit a completely random (in the quantum sense) one-time pad - the result is truly, utterly unbreakable. You can't even intercept the transmission of the pad without one of the users finding out that you did that. SteveBaker 20:29, 7 September 2007 (UTC)

Hacking my Hotmail password

Supposedlying I ran a contest with a very large prize asking some of the world's best computer hackers to hack or gain access into my Hotmail e-mail account. Assuming that these hackers are anonymous and do not know me nor my personality and receive no other hints other than my e-mail address of course, how will they go about doing this? Acceptable 01:34, 7 September 2007 (UTC)

There are two different sorts of answers here.

One is that it is actually pretty easy to design an "unbreakable" code -- in isolation. If I post a small scrap of ciphertext encrypted by my sooper seekrit new encryption algorithm, and challenge the world's top cryptanalysts to break it, they'll refuse, even if I offer a large cash prize. The reason is simply that this isn't enough information to break the code. But that doesn't mean it's truly unbreakable, of course -- once I or my cohorts actually start using the code to communicate, then there will be enough information for someone to crack it, if it's worth it to them. (The point is that if you make a hacking problem narrow enough, not even the best hackers can hack it -- but this doesn't mean that they're no good, or that you're smarter than they are.)

But to return to your question: just because you're anonymous doesn't mean they can't track you down. (Remember, all's fair in a contest like this. Your opponents are not going to say, "Oh. Dang. He's anonymous, so none of our attacks will work. We give up, then." They're allowed to attack you from some direction you never thought of. They're allowed to cheat and break the rules.) They could hack into Wikipedia (or ask a Wikipedia admin friend they happen to have) to find out your IP address. Then they could hack your ISP (or just sniff your internet traffic) to notice which Hotmail account you use. Then all they have to do is hack that hotmail account (which will be especially easy if they saw your password while they were sniffing your traffic). —Steve Summit (talk) 03:37, 7 September 2007 (UTC)

There are a number of techniques I'd try.

• I'd look for a cross-site scripting vulnerability in Hotmail that would let me get access to your current session or login details.
• I'd send phishing emails to try to trick you into giving me the password to your account.
• I'd send phishing emails to try to get login details for other accounts you have, and look for a pattern.
• I'd look for security holes in the Hotmail system that would let me take control of the whole system (and, as a result, your account).
• I'd try a brute-force search to guess your password.
• I'd try bribing someone who works at Hotmail to give me access.
• If all else fails, I'd apply rubber-hose cryptanalysis to the problem.

--67.185.172.158 06:22, 7 September 2007 (UTC)

Any password can be brute-force searched, so unless the password strength toggle on your "change password" screen is green (strong), it probably wouldn't take long at all (if you password is "hello", it is a lot easier to crack than "th1s15as3CuR3407Ma!lPaSsWoRd"). Laïka 09:38, 7 September 2007 (UTC)

In all likelyhood the bad guy could figure out the IP address of your PC and (assuming it's a Windows machine) it'll have a bazillion ways in for a determined hacker. Once in, he can install a keystroke monitor and figure out everything you type. From that point on, it's just a matter of time until you next log in to your Hotmail account. Of course if you don't enter your password every time and let the browser remember it instead - then it'll be even easier to hack because the password will be sitting there in a file someplace. SteveBaker 19:20, 7 September 2007 (UTC)

lol scary... Acceptable 16:47, 8 September 2007 (UTC)

Most Calories in one container?

I noticed that my wedge of cheese had 1100 Calories, and my container of ice cream had 2880 Calories. It seems like a lot, but is there any regular, non-industrial-sized, food product that contains even more Cal than these? HYENASTE 01:38, 7 September 2007 (UTC)

The most Calories (per gram) are fats (9 kcal per g). So technically, a container of oil would be chock-full o' calories (1 litre oil = a bit less than 1 kilogram so almost 9000 kcal per container). Mind you, I don't know that you'd count cooking oil as a food product per se. -- Flyguy649 ^talk _contribs 01:43, 7 September 2007 (UTC)

A pound of butter has around 3200 Calories. anonymous6494 01:52, 7 September 2007 (UTC)

Olive oil has 1,909 calories per cup. You can get 3-liter bottles of olive oil. Three liters is 12.68 cups. So that's 24,206 calories! -- Mwalcoff 03:50, 7 September 2007 (UTC)

I have a five-pound container of butter in my refrigerator. It's got 16,500 calories in it. In my pantry is a 20-pound sack of flour, with 30,000 calories. --67.185.172.158 06:30, 7 September 2007 (UTC)

My Unanswered Question about the Golden State Warriors

My Question Was How Did The Nba Team "The Golden State Warriors" Got Their Name? I Looked It Up, But I Didn't Find What Could Answer My Question. I Hope You Can Answer My Question. Thanks For Your Help. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 76.211.141.227 (talk) 04:01, 7 September 2007 (UTC)

Well, what exactly are you trying to find out? Do you want to know why it's "Golden State Warriors", or are you wondering about the "Warriors" bit? The first is just some geographical indication; they were originally named "Philadelphia Warriors", see Golden State Warriors. This site claims they were named "Warriors" after an earlier ABL team also named "Philadelphia Warriors". However, also see [12] (warning: that site is a wiki and even runs the MediaWiki software, but they say their contents were copyrighted[13]). See also [14]. All this leaves me somewhat confused about Eddie Gottlieb's teams. But anyway, they probably chose "Warriors" because they wanted something "heroic" or pathetic. Imagine calling a team "the wimps". :-) But why "warriors" and not "fighters", "winners" or some other term that indicates competitiveness and that has positive connotations in the sports world, I don't know. (I continue to be astonished about team names such as "Ducks", "Young Boys", "Young Fellows", or "Grasshoppers"...) Lupo 08:13, 7 September 2007 (UTC)

• "The Golden State" has long been a popular designation for California and was made the official State Nickname in 1968. It is particularly appropriate since California's modern development can be traced back to the discovery of gold in 1848 and fields of golden poppies can be seen each spring throughout the state. --M@rēino 13:46, 7 September 2007 (UTC)

Maybe the real question being asked is, why aren't they the Oakland Warriors? I would guess that's a marketing thing -- a lot of the country probably has only a vague idea where Oakland is, or their associations with Oakland are too negative (violence or no there there).

Anaheim gets a similar lack of respect (doesn't have quite the same negatives, but not too many positives) which is presumably why the Angels used to be the California Angels and are now the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.

I have to say the "The City" jerseys the Warriors played in a few times last season made me wonder. Is there a move planned across the Bay? That would explain the bridge on the jersey, too. --Trovatore 17:33, 7 September 2007 (UTC)

It's not that Oakland has negative connotations. It's just that they want to be considered the team of the entire Bay Area, not just Oakland. It's the same reason we have the Minnesota Twins instead of the Minneapolis Twins, the Florida Panthers instead of the Ft. Lauderdale Panthers and the New York Giants instead of the East Rutherford, NJ, Giants. -- Mwalcoff 23:44, 7 September 2007 (UTC)

I wonder how many of us are old enough to remember the Boston Patriots. —Tamfang 00:32, 8 September 2007 (UTC)

Those jerseys with the bridge that said "The City" were throwback uniforms from the days when the team was the San Francisco Warriors. They wore those uniforms from 1962 to 1971. — Michael J 02:10, 8 September 2007 (UTC)

Then there's the story of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. The team was founded as the Los Angeles Angels in 1961. A few years later, they became the California Angels in preparation for a move to distant Anaheim. As part of a stadium-financing deal with the city of Anaheim in the mid-90s, they agree to become the Anaheim Angels. But that didn't have much ring to it from a marketing perspective, so they changed their name to the "Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim" a couple of years ago. The "of Anaheim" part, a court agreed, meets the team's obligation to include "Anaheim" in their name, even though most people leave out the "of Anaheim" part. -- Mwalcoff 00:50, 9 September 2007 (UTC)

A folklore question

I'm looking for an article about a group of people in islamic or jewish folklore(it might be somewhere else). The world supposed to end if one of them dies(I think). There are seven of them or possibly three. I don't know anything more so I can't find the article. If you could help I'd appreciate it 134.250.60.235 04:10, 7 September 2007 (UTC)

This might be a (slightly garbled) version of the Tzadikim. Have you been reading Sam Bourne? Algebraist 12:57, 7 September 2007 (UTC)

The Wikilink for that is Tzadikim Nistarim. SteveBaker 14:01, 7 September 2007 (UTC)

That's funny, Tzadikkim worked, and that's misspelt... (I've made a new redirect) Algebraist 19:12, 7 September 2007 (UTC)

3-prong plugs vs. 2-prong plugs

Is there any rule that governs when the grounding pin is included in an electrical device? —Preceding unsigned comment added by Shindo9Hikaru (talk • contribs) 06:11, 7 September 2007 (UTC)

Appliance classes? --antilived^{T | C | G} 07:03, 7 September 2007 (UTC)

Also depends a lot which country you are in. Also, at least in the UK, the earth pin is often not electrically connected to anything; it is just there to open the socket shutters.--Shantavira|^{feed me} 10:05, 7 September 2007 (UTC)

Nonsense!! The earth pin is connected to the safety ground line. Without it the socket would be very dangerous in certain circumstances. Some appliances do not need external grounding, but the same three pin plug is used for convenience.90.14.21.146 14:31, 7 September 2007 (UTC)DT

I think Shantavira means that the earth pin sometimes isn't connected to anything inside the appliance - obviously it's connected to something in the house wiring.

Anyway - the main guideline for requiring an earth is when the appliance has exposed metal parts. There may be other specific rules in some countries - but this is the main reason. The idea being that should one of the live wires come loose inside the appliance, it could touch the exposed metal part and potentially electrocute someone. So these parts are grounded ('earthed' if you are British) and should a live wire short against the outside, a fuse will blow or a circuit breaker will trip before any harm can be done. In the case of low power devices with all plastic exteriors, this is not a risk and the ground wire is often not connected to anything. I have seen some devices with metal exterior parts an no ground wire - but these always seem to have the electrical parts of the device shielded inside a totally enclosing plastic box inside - or they drop the voltage down from mains voltage to 12 volts or less (which is pretty harmless). In the US (at least) it is obvious when a device has not ground wire because you have a two pin plug instead of one with three pins. In the UK (where we have 240 volt mains electricity and electrocution is a much more serious risk), the electrical outlets have little plastic 'shutters' that close over the holes of the two live wires in the socket - those shutters are moved out of the way by the mechanical act of plugging in the grounding/earthing pin of the plug (which is longer than the other two pins for this reason). Hence all UK appliances have to have this gigantic plug with a third pin (which is sometimes made of plastic on devices that are not grounded). SteveBaker 14:55, 7 September 2007 (UTC)

Funny, in Australia we use 240v and have gated sockets, but double insulated devices do not have an earth pin - you just have to shove them in hard! IRT the original poster, only "double insulated" or class II devices may be unearthed. Double insulated generally means that all electrical components must be insulated from the inside of the casing, and that the casing itself must be made of a non-conductive material and must not allow a standard test finger to touch components inside. FiggyBee 01:55, 8 September 2007 (UTC)

It may seem obvious that the third pin is always connected, but, as above, it is only connected when there is need. Otherwise it simply acts to open the protective shutter. Incidentally there are still plenty of older 3-pin sockets in place in the UK that do not have the shutter. Naturally the protected shutter is required on all new installations. To hopefully complete this topic some UK sockets are individually switched, others are simply outlets.86.209.156.111 14:15, 8 September 2007 (UTC)DT

Counting bullets

Approximately how many rounds of .22 Long Rifle ammunition are there in the United States? --67.185.172.158 06:14, 7 September 2007 (UTC)

I would think that is such a common calibre and there are so many manufacturers that the question is impossible to answer. I mean nobody keeps count of that sort of thing, but we're talking billions.--Shantavira|^{feed me} 09:56, 7 September 2007 (UTC)

I've been able to find two sources that reference the number of rimfire rounds produced in the U.S., but that includes rounds other than the .22 Long Rifle. One estimate of annual U.S. rimfire round production is 2.5 billion [15], and a more official looking document [16] says there are 2 billion. That's a lot of shooting. 152.16.188.107 04:03, 8 September 2007 (UTC)

Fascinating, I knew we had a lot of guns, but this puts it in perspective. If you look at the number of rounds used to inflict harm on innocent people, vs. the above number, the percent of used to kill people is miniscule(1000's at the worst against billions), although the harm caused is incalculable. If one were to create an index based on # rounds used to kill people(non-military)/#rounds manufactured(available or sold), would that be an index we could use to compare the level of incivility? by city, by township. Just musing. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 70.142.209.247 (talk) 13:28, 8 September 2007 (UTC)

Tangerines and Magazines

There was a song in the mid 90's i think and the lyrics were about a boy that dies his hair and instead of using hair dye he uses tangerines, there is a girl that blows her nose and uses magazines. Can you tell me who sang this and what it was called. Furthermore, does anyone know where I can buy cd's online, useing a maesto card rather than a credit(master/visa/diners) by Mandoza, I am looking for the song 50/50 and Afterlifesatisfaction by The Springbok Nude Girls. Thanks people.:-) —Preceding unsigned comment added by 81.144.161.223 (talk) 12:37, 7 September 2007 (UTC)

She don't use jelly by the Flaming Lips is the song you want. Algebraist 12:55, 7 September 2007 (UTC)

By the way, this song is the best song in the world. Capuchin 12:57, 7 September 2007 (UTC)

^ citation needed --LarryMac | Talk 13:05, 7 September 2007 (UTC)

Of course I would not advocate doing anything of dubious legality, but I hear some people use bittorrents for this purpose, and avoid using any cards at all. SaundersW 16:03, 7 September 2007 (UTC)

Guidelines for hailing a chief

Are there official guidelines for which public ceremonies the President of the USA does not get accompanied by that ridiculous blast of bombastic music? I can imagine it being uncomfortable at state funerals, for example. He must be fed up with it - it's only a 50 year old tradition, why doesn't he just ditch it? Is anyone aware of any surveys of how American voters feel about it? --Dweller 13:00, 7 September 2007 (UTC)

Given the current "Chief", perhaps the theme from the Bozo the Clown show would be a more-appropriate substitution? Heck, even Bozo can probably tell APEC from OPEC, unlike our present Fearless Leader.

Atlant 14:23, 7 September 2007 (UTC)

And hopefully Bozo can tell the difference between Shiites and Sunnis, which the person who is alleged to have stolen the 2000 Presidential election is alleged to not be able to do. Corvus cornix 16:18, 7 September 2007 (UTC)

I'm not at all hopeful. Yesterday, in Sydney at the APEC Conference, he referred to it as OPEC, and to his Australian hosts as "Austrians". [17]. -- JackofOz 01:49, 8 September 2007 (UTC)

Apparently, "Hail to the Chief" may be performed at funerals, if the funeral is for a president, as this source indicates. I doubt that there are official guidelines specifying when the tune should not be played. Probably the president's staff decide when they want an atmosphere of pomp (which you may perceive as ridiculous bombast), and when they don't. I think that the social effect of the tune is to evoke reverence and to confer respect on the appearance of the president. If most Americans felt that the music was bombastic and ridiculous, presidents' staff would quickly cease to have it played. That they don't suggests that most Americans don't find it bombastic and ridiculous. (Note that I have said nothing about my personal perceptions, which are in line with the posts above.) Marco polo 16:38, 7 September 2007 (UTC)

Oh. In addition to Hail to the Chief, there's also Ruffles and Flourishes to contend with. Corvus cornix 16:48, 7 September 2007 (UTC)

I've always found US presidents' use of the Monty Python theme tune both amusing and strangely apt. DuncanHill 21:54, 7 September 2007 (UTC)

There was a controversy about 15 years ago when the first President Bush visited a junior high school. The president's handlers first said the school band could not play "Hail to the Chief," since a group of 11-13-year-olds were not considered good enough musicians to honor the president. That decision was overturned after some negative publicity. -- Mwalcoff 23:48, 7 September 2007 (UTC)

Our articles on "Hail" and the 2 presidents concerned make no mention of this, but the song was banned outright by Jimmy Carter (see [18] and [19]), and its use was limited by George W Bush. ([20]). -- JackofOz 05:25, 8 September 2007 (UTC)

Saipan MP

What does the MP in Saipan MP stand for ? Tom Motherway —Preceding unsigned comment added by 24.34.110.14 (talk) 13:40, 7 September 2007 (UTC)

I can't (yet) find any references to Saipan MP. What's the context? --Dweller 14:27, 7 September 2007 (UTC)

Google --Tagishsimon (talk) 14:28, 7 September 2007 (UTC)

Thanks --Dweller 14:35, 7 September 2007 (UTC)

According to Northern Mariana Islands, the Internet suffix for Northern Mariana Islands is .mp. I'm assuming that in some way, MP is an abbreviation for Northern Mariana Islands. --14:35, 7 September 2007 (UTC)

Marianas Province, apparently. --Sean 15:01, 7 September 2007 (UTC)

The US Postal Service uses 'MP' as the State/US-Abbreviation for the islands. These abbreviations are always two letters - I guess all of the other relevent M's were taken (eg MI) - hence Marianas Province (MP). SteveBaker 15:08, 7 September 2007 (UTC)

MA, MI, MN, and MS were respectively already taken by Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, and Mississippi, but MR is still available. Presumably MP just copied the traditional abbreviation M.P.; at least, Wikipedia says here that that was the traditional abbreviation, but it doesn't say why. Sean has already cited a web page that says P is for Province, but I don't find anything stating that the Marianas were called a province. I did find a web site claiming that the P was for Pacific, and certainly the Northern Marianas were part of the Trust Territory of the Pacific, so maybe that is correct. --Anonymous, 23:20 UTC, September 7, 2007.

Early games and sports in Kongo

In your entry for the Kingdom of Kongo, there is a section about early games and sports in the Kongo.One game that is mention is called "inclaca" but it doesn't list the source for the game..I wanted to know if u can locate the source for that game..The link is Kingdom_of_Kongo#Early_games_and_sports_in_Kongo —Preceding unsigned comment added by 208.205.78.126 (talk) 17:01, 7 September 2007 (UTC)

This seems unlikely to be true - there is just one Google hit for 'nclaca' - and that's to our article. 'inclaca' (with an 'i') gets lots of foreign language hits - but none in English.

That edit was made to the article by an anonymous editor who has never edited any other article before or since. The only changes to what he wrote were the addition of the W. Holman Bentley book reference and the addition of a 'Who?' tag. Google books cannot find any words like 'nclaca' that I could find - so I'm pretty sure the Bentley book (which claims to actually discuss games played in Kongo) doesn't mention it. On that basis, I have deleted that part of the article. SteveBaker 18:55, 7 September 2007 (UTC)

Difficult yoga poses

What yoga pose(s) is/are considered to be the most difficult? A link to a picture would be a plus.--The Fat Man Who Never Came Back 17:07, 7 September 2007 (UTC)

A Google search gives this as the first result for "advanced yoga poses" Dismas|^(talk) 17:37, 7 September 2007 (UTC)

There are lots of different yoga traditions, but the full lotus position is impossible for most adults unless they are pretty flexible. The link marked "crossing the legs" has an illustration. (This article could do with a decent image.)--Shantavira|^{feed me} 17:45, 7 September 2007 (UTC)

I'm only an infrequent and mediocre yoga practitioner, but I can do a majority of the so-called "advanced" yoga poses at the above about.com link. There are definitely others that are too difficult for me, but here's a article with a different counterintuitive answer. jeffjon 17:50, 7 September 2007 (UTC)

USAF Air Battle Manager Vision standards?

What are the vision standards for an Air Battle Manager in the USAF? Also what exactly does an ABM do? --Sade22 17:11, 7 September 2007 (UTC)

An ABM has to be physically qualified for aircrew duty. That means an uncorrected visual acuity of 20/200, correctable to 20/20, and perfect colour vision. As far as what they do, we have an article on Air Battle Manager. FiggyBee 02:14, 8 September 2007 (UTC)

Content Question

I have a question that is not necessarily related to Wikipedia, but that I need assistance on if you would be willing to help. On wikipedia and a few other sites, I have seen images that I am uncertain of whether or not they are pornographic or age-restricted. One is the first image on the wet t-shirt contest at wikipedia. How do you know if a an image is considered age-restricted or pornographic in the US.

Thanks, Roger —Preceding unsigned comment added by 139.76.128.71 (talk) 18:45, 7 September 2007 (UTC)

Pornography in the United States and the links therein, especially, the Miller test, might help. Rockpocket 19:01, 7 September 2007 (UTC)

As might Legal status of Internet pornography#United States. Rockpocket 19:19, 7 September 2007 (UTC)

Tobacco Adversiment in Formula One

which are the last grand prix where tobacco adversiment are still allowed? --201.9.47.152 21:03, 7 September 2007 (UTC)

I don't know but Wikipedia has a section about tobacco advertising in Formula One. A.Z. 22:13, 7 September 2007 (UTC)

DRAGONBALL GT REMASTERED

Will FUNimation release a Dragon Ball GT Remastered set like they did/are producing for Dragon Ball Z? Thanks —Preceding unsigned comment added by 24.189.57.235 (talk) 21:49, 7 September 2007 (UTC)

Spoof Articles

I have noticed a number of dubious articles whilst searching Wikipedia, but can anyone estimate the probable number of spoof articles existing here at present?--88.110.43.175 21:57, 7 September 2007 (UTC)

Likely fairly low. Even real articles often get deleted quickly if they can't be easily verified. --24.147.86.187 23:01, 7 September 2007 (UTC)

How low is low? 100, 1000, 10000?--212.139.83.93 23:29, 7 September 2007 (UTC)

It is very difficult to give an estimate, and you would have do fine what a spoof actually is. However, here is an attempt to record previously hoax articles, and Category:Suspected hoax articles point you towards the known suspects at any one time. Based on this its likely that there are not many, probably less than 100, elaborate spoof articles (such as Bishonen's European toilet paper holder) but probably hundreds if not thousands of valid articles but that contain some hoax/spoof information. Rockpocket 00:10, 8 September 2007 (UTC)

I estimate many thousands of total spoofs, but not obvious, funny or elaborate ones, are in Wikipedia at any given time. As an example, consider all the totally unreferenced articles about tiny villages in Europe, Africa or Asia which per their articles no longer exist. In an AFD people will object to deletion on the ground that "all inhabited places are notable" and ignore WP:V which requires 'some' verifiable and reliable source that it once existed, besides the assertion of the person who wrote the article. There have been total hoax articles about individuals, but they lack the claim of inherent notability of villages and get deleted more quickly. I have seen (deleted) hoax articles about U.S. villages and roads, which are more likely to be proved to be hoaxes because of good maps and census records. The ones which got deleted were because the article creator did not add any pretense of reliable sources. Foreign villages (or anything else) with claimed references to actual (rare) books or newspapers (which don't really reference the village, person, etc) are very hard to get deleted, especially if they are in some language which few editors read fluently. Edison 01:04, 8 September 2007 (UTC)

I took spoof to mean a purposeful parody, in that the purpose is to mock or poke fun, rather than simply create non notable articles for vanity or vandalism purposes. Some obscure village isn't much of a spoof, since no-one will ever read it. If we are taking a wider interpretation, then I agree with the newly be-tooled Edison (congrats, by the way) that we would be looking at thousands. Rockpocket 01:14, 8 September 2007 (UTC)

Staring at the new buttons: what happens if I press this one?? D'oh! A good article related to this question is Fictitious entry. Edison 01:17, 8 September 2007 (UTC)

Nice article, though it sounds a bit like a description of the contents of teenage boys' discussions. Rockpocket 01:25, 8 September 2007 (UTC)

SteveBaker Suggests 'Random article' by WikipediA

[Random article]; my question is, how is it random? I mean, does each IP address get a different Random? or are all the Randoms in a select order, from the 1 to 2 millionth? Cheers' y'alls. --i am the kwisatz haderach 23:28, 7 September 2007 (UTC)

That is a good question Help:Special page and Wikipedia:Random do not appear to give any information on the mechanism. You could ask a developer, I'm sure they would know. Rockpocket 23:43, 7 September 2007 (UTC)

If I recall, there was a question about this fairly recently. I can't remember the answer though. It does take some sort of shortcut in order to avoid trying to run a query against the whole database, which is quite slow, but I can't remember what the shortcut is. --24.147.86.187 00:09, 8 September 2007 (UTC)

This thread reveals all. You can see it yourself over here. --Sean 00:16, 8 September 2007 (UTC)

I also just found this: Wikipedia:Technical FAQ#Is the "random article" feature really random? Rockpocket 00:22, 8 September 2007 (UTC)

September 8

password

I accidentally enter my password in the search box at Uncyclopedia and search it. What should I do? Jet (talk) 01:12, 8 September 2007 (UTC)

If you think your password might be compromised (someone might be able to obtain it) then change your password to a new one (and keep a record of what the new one is). Edison 01:18, 8 September 2007 (UTC)

(ec) Exactly. You could change your password pronto, or ask at the Village Dump. They, at least, will have a funnier answer than this one. Rockpocket 01:22, 8 September 2007 (UTC)

It's on a Wikia server. Should I contact the server admin at Wikia? Jet (talk) 01:26, 8 September 2007 (UTC)

Why? If you change your password, the old one will no longer be useful to anyone. Rockpocket 01:38, 8 September 2007 (UTC)

Realistically - I very much doubt that anyone is intercepting and investigating what people type into search boxes - that would be a mindlessly stupid way of searching for passwords. I honestly wouldn't give it a second thought. If you are really serious panic-stricken, change your password - but I wouldn't bother. SteveBaker 02:51, 8 September 2007 (UTC)

Why would it be a stupid way to search for passwords? I often type my password into boxes other than the correct boxes. A.Z. 05:36, 8 September 2007 (UTC)

Because the signal-to-noise ratio would be very poor. Out of 10 million random searches you'd find 1 password, which was presumably not a random search? How would you tell the difference? It wouldn't be worth your time. Plus, you'd have to then be able to match it up with the user name — probably not easy, especially if the user wasn't logged in to begin with (why else would they be typing in their password?). --24.147.86.187 12:41, 8 September 2007 (UTC)

I agree with Steve, there is no way of telling if a word typed into a search box is a password, I have never typed any of my passwords into search boxes - I think I am in the huge majority. Richard Avery 07:40, 8 September 2007 (UTC)

How is the United States Army organized?

500k active manpower but spread among active 10 divisions? Seems strange. Or are there other structures that personel belong to than combat divisions?

67.170.241.199 10:10, 8 September 2007 (UTC)

Here is a nice breakdown of how it is compartmentalized. The Field Army is made up of 2-5 Corps, the Corps are made up of 2-5 Divisions, the Divisions are made up of 3 Brigades, the Brigades are made up of 3+ Battalions, the Batallions are made up of 3-5 Companies, the Companies are made up of 3-5 Platoons, the Platoons are made up of 3-4 Squads, and the Squads are made up of 4-10 Soldiers. And there is even more complexity beyond that structure—there are additional, special organizational units as well (e.g. Armored Calvary Regiment, Quartermaster Group, etc.). --24.147.86.187 12:37, 8 September 2007 (UTC)

female celebs with 'guys/unisex' names?

Can anyone give me some?

I've got Glenn Close and Leighton Meester so far. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 125.238.30.147 (talk) 13:05, 8 September 2007 (UTC)

Michael Learned. -- JackofOz 13:51, 8 September 2007 (UTC)

Also, our article Given name tells us that "Most names are specifically masculine or feminine, but there are many unisex names as well, such as Jordan, Jesse, Alex, Ashley, Chris, Hillary, Lesley, Rene, Joe/Jo, Jackie, Pat, Sam." That should provide some material for research. -- JackofOz 13:54, 8 September 2007 (UTC)

Then there are those where it's hard to tell: Moon Unit Zappa is one such. Bielle 15:08, 8 September 2007 (UTC)

Reese Witherspoon, Drew Barrymore? And I suppose Nigella Lawson and her sister Thomasina are honourable mentions... Skittle 15:36, 8 September 2007 (UTC)

Jaime King used to call herself James King, but I guess she got tired of being confused for a guy. Corvus cornix 18:03, 8 September 2007 (UTC)

Rene Russo (the feminine form is traditionally Renée). Cameron Diaz is a marginal case: Cameron is a surname (as are Leighton and Glenn, from placenames), and such names are much more often given to boys, but there's no logical necessity for it and there are counterexamples going way back (just yesterday I saw a mention of a duchess, centuries ago, whose given name was Douglas). —Tamfang 18:51, 8 September 2007 (UTC)

I thought of one more - Anne Rice's given name is Howard. Corvus cornix 23:06, 8 September 2007 (UTC)

Add to the list of unisex names Kelly and Carrie/Cary. I also once knew a man named Bernice. Also, Spencer Scott is a woman though the name Spencer is often a male name. Dismas|^(talk) 00:15, 9 September 2007 (UTC)

medical education in cuba

dears, i want an answer of a question related to the medical education in cuba. Does medical education in cuba is up to world level of medical education? how much importance is given to student who has a medical degree from cuban medical institutes in europe, america and in other parts of world if he wants to studies there or wants to job there? what about its curriculum? Is it cmpatible with other courses that are taught in other world universities? Level of practical work ? What about surgery ? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 201.220.222.140 (talk) 14:35, 8 September 2007 (UTC) (Repaired question format to eliminate box.) Bielle 15:02, 8 September 2007 (UTC)

Cuba takes great pride in its health care and with little foreign aid, that'll be mostly home-grown, so the education should be good. Oddly, they're especially good at plastic surgery, I assume for financial reasons, because a lot of rich people go to Cuba to get 'beautified'. Last year or so, Cuba started sending out eye-doctors to cure poor people with eye-diseases, first to its friendly neighbours in South America, and then to other parts of the world as well, but mostly poor countries, I believe, where they are very welcome. How highly regarded a Cuban medical degree is elsewhere (or vise versa, for that matter) I don't know, and I'm also curious. DirkvdM 18:43, 8 September 2007 (UTC)

Canoe terms

What is the term for attaching canoes together in the middle of a body of water? The canoes are not attached together by ropes but by people holding on to the canoes so that they do not drift apart. It serves as more of a meeting place while on canoe trips. Thank you, Joanna and Dave —Preceding unsigned comment added by 121.216.220.208 (talk) 14:38, 8 September 2007 (UTC)

Rafting?

Atlant 22:48, 8 September 2007 (UTC)

Recycling envelopes?

I was just round at my local recycling point, and being a bit of a sporadic recycler, I had to read through the check list of what could and could not be recycled in each bin. On the paper bin, it said that I couldn't put in my used envelopes - a bit disgruntled, I sorted through my paper bag and pulled out the envelopes. What I'm wondering is, why wasn't I able to? Are they not recyclable, full stop, or do they need to be separated from normal paper (if so, why?), and my council just hasn't provided a bin for this? Thanking you greenily, Icthyos 15:05, 8 September 2007 (UTC)

When I've encountered this at recycling points, they've usually specified envelopes with windows as being unsuitable, because the windows are plastic. I used to tear the window bit out, leaving only paper and glue. However, there might be a different reason in your area. Possibly people commonly use envelopes that have a plastic layer, without realising? Skittle 15:33, 8 September 2007 (UTC)

Usually it would be for the plastic windows. Less likely reasons would be due to the glues in them, and due to the pretty low risk of some type of treated or waxed paper. If it's just because of the plastic windows, I guess they think it's easier to just tell people 'no envelopes', rather than confuse them with different options for different types of envelopes. Many recyclers say they can easily remove the windows during treatment, and therefore accept all envelopes. --jjron 16:31, 8 September 2007 (UTC)

Here's another one: why do the containers here (in the Netherlands) specify 'no cardboard'? And what types of cardboard? Does that include the very thin 'papery' type? DirkvdM 18:48, 8 September 2007 (UTC)

Many even apparently-all-paper envelopes have a thin layer of plastic for some reason. If you lick your thumb and finger and rub it, you can make the paper go away leaving only the plastic. There's no economical way for recyclers to separate the layers. --Sean 19:49, 8 September 2007 (UTC)

My local council (Brighton & Hove City) will recycle envelopes, so long as windows are removed first. AFAIK, this is widespread in the UK> DuncanHill 23:41, 8 September 2007 (UTC)

Here in the U.S., the problem with envelopes is generally the plastic window. What I don't understand is the non-acceptance of pizza boxes as well as plastic grocery bags. Grocery stores will often have recycling bins for their (and other store's) bags but for some reason my local recycling center will not take them. Dismas|^(talk) 00:12, 9 September 2007 (UTC)

Petty exotic animals

What real, exotic animals are generally considered attractive? For example, rare species of butterflies, etc... Thanks. Acceptable 17:50, 8 September 2007 (UTC)

"Exotic" literally means foreign, so without knowing where you live, we don't know what you would consider exotic. And "attractiveness" is, of course, highly subjective. I consider the vast majority of animals attractive, and the vast majority are also exotic. And I'm sure there are rare butterflies that are unattractive, like plain brown or something....--Shantavira|^{feed me} 18:22, 8 September 2007 (UTC)

Exotic as in uncommon to North America. Acceptable 18:26, 8 September 2007 (UTC)

That's confusing. Your user page specifies you spent just 'months to days' in Canada and the US, so I assume you don't live there. Or are you Mexican? That is usually not mean6t when people say 'North America' in this context. DirkvdM 19:00, 8 September 2007 (UTC)

Personally I find a sublime beauty in the platypus, but that's me. 38.112.225.84 18:39, 8 September 2007 (UTC)

The most beautiful bird I can see from my window (Netherlands) is the Great Crested Grebe. Especially the mating ritual is fascinating - it goes on for hours. Only once did I see the actual mating, which lasted just about a second; up and over and that was it. And hours of preparation for that. Poison dart frogs can also be impressive. And then there is of course the aptly named bird of paradise. DirkvdM 19:00, 8 September 2007 (UTC)

Many people feel that parrotts, cockatiels, and other assorted birds are quite beautiful. Dismas|^(talk) 23:57, 8 September 2007 (UTC)

Wild cats are popular too. The Siberian Tiger, Snow Leopard, or panther for instance. Some of the most exotic, fascinating, and beautiful creatures can be found in the sea. My favorites are the cephalopods, the poisonous Blue-ringed octopus or Pfeffer's Flamboyant Cuttlefish for instance. See also Claire Nouvian's The Deep - The Extraordinary Creatures of the Abyss. ---Sluzzelin talk 00:30, 9 September 2007 (UTC)

Country music and rap music put together

What do you get when you fuse country music and rap music together? Ericthebrainiac 01:06 September 8, 2007 —Preceding unsigned comment added by Ericthebrainiac (talk • contribs) 18:06, 8 September 2007 (UTC)

You might get country-rap Algebraist 18:13, 8 September 2007 (UTC)

Ear ache? Bielle 00:38, 9 September 2007 (UTC)

Crap, for short. --Nricardo 05:13, 9 September 2007 (UTC)

WWE wrestlers' Suspensions

Who are the WWE wrestlers that are being suspended due to a WWE-related investigation about steroid use? Ericthebrainiac 02:55 September 8 2007

What is the name of a porch post-top decoration?

I am fixing up my house to sell and want to improve it's curb appeal. I have a plain porch and want to add a decorative wood at the top of the posts but I don't know what to call it. I tried "cornice" but that was wrong. Please help.67.87.66.125 21:35, 8 September 2007 (UTC) [Email address removed for your protection]

It's a type of finial (see also here). --Anonymous, 21:59 UTC, September 8.

secret agent actions

Have there ever been illegal actions perpetrated by secret agents that have been exposed by the media, similar to the embassy ordeal at the start of Casino Royale? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 12.217.199.246 (talk) 22:59, 8 September 2007 (UTC)

I recall reading on Wikipedia about a PM's bodyguards assasinating him/her. Acceptable 23:15, 8 September 2007 (UTC)

You might be thinking of Indira Gandhi, but that hardly required exposing. The Watergate scandal is the first example that springs to mind, but the CIA has got up to a lot of dubious activities in its time. Algebraist 23:21, 8 September 2007 (UTC)

• It made a big splash when French secret agents bombed the Rainbow Warrior, a Greenpeace ship participating in protests against their nuclear weapons tests in the South Pacific. See Sinking of the Rainbow Warrior. --Sean 23:34, 8 September 2007 (UTC)
• Also, it seems obvious to some observers that the Russian government was behind the killing in London of Alexander Litvinenko. And the Libyan government eventually admitted to a role in the Lockerbie bombing (sort of). --Sean 23:49, 8 September 2007 (UTC)

It depends on what you mean by "secret agents." See Watergate, for example. -- Mwalcoff 00:38, 9 September 2007 (UTC)

I mean gov't agents on clandestine missions that become not so clandestine by accident. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 12.217.199.246 (talk) 01:27, 9 September 2007 (UTC)

Didn't Israeli agents go to a scandanavian country after the Munich olympics terrorism to assassinate a plotter, kill an innocent Arab and get caught? Then there were the Nixon plumbers and Watergate break in guys who got caught. There were the CIA guys who kidnapped someone in Italy, and the Italian police traced their celphone calls and hotel payment records. It is a risk that clandestine agents take. Remember Mission Impossible:"As usual, if you or any members of your IMF team are caught or killed, the secretary will disavow all knowledge of your existence. Good luck. This message will self-destruct in five seconds." Edison 02:06, 9 September 2007 (UTC)

The Alexander Litvinenko poisoning was probably the most notable recent event. Lots of others are listed in Active measures SteveBaker 03:18, 9 September 2007 (UTC)

dollar general

I just bought a 3.5 oz tube of name-brand toothpaste at dollar general. Is dollar general ever cheaper than other stores for name-brand goods? When? Why?—Preceding unsigned comment added by 12.217.199.246 (talk) 01:29, 9 September 2007 (UTC)

See Variety store#Products and Variety store#Economics. Samw 03:04, 9 September 2007 (UTC)

September 9

praying mantis

i was just wondering if a praying mantis will attack a human? and how can you get rid of one in a house that won't leave on its own? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 68.57.86.7 (talk) 03:14, 9 September 2007 (UTC)

I've never heard of a praying mantis attacking a human. As a kid I used to pick them up, grasping them from behind, without harm to myself or them. If you're really worried about being attacked while picking one up, you could wear thick gloves - but if you do then be careful of how much pressure you apply. It is easy to misgauge and apply too much pressure when you're wearing thick gloves. Be sure to release it outside your home, as they eat all sorts of insects of the unwanted sort. When I was growing up, if I found a praying mantis egg sac in the woods, I would break that twig off and tie it to a stake in the garden so that the young would hatch in the garden. They are great for natural pest control. 152.16.188.107 03:48, 9 September 2007 (UTC)

meeting strangers on MySpace

Is it safe to meet strangers on MySpace? I'm meeting new people on MySpace everyday and I got a message from a user that I inviting to be my friend and she asked about me. Jet (talk) 04:54, 9 September 2007 (UTC)