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April 16

Crosscut Saws

Do crosscut saws cut down trees better than a normal bow saw? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 64.119.61.7 (talk) 00:18, 16 April 2008 (UTC)

Being on the petite side, tackling branches, a bow saw seemed easier, quicker, and less likely to get stuck in the wood. A crosscut saw could be harder to keep straight when cutting into a thick branch. A lumberjack or tree surgeon would have more expertise. Julia Rossi (talk) 01:03, 16 April 2008 (UTC)

The bow saw article says that's what it was designed for. ; ) phew Julia Rossi (talk) 01:12, 16 April 2008 (UTC)

Yes, but the crosscut saw article says much the same thing. To further confuse things, both articles link to buck saw in a way that suggests they're all closely related, even though the thing pictured in crosscut saw is quite different from the thing pictured in bow saw. --Allen (talk) 01:42, 16 April 2008 (UTC)

Ah. Bow saw for me, then. The cross saw, as they say, just doesn't cut it. Julia Rossi (talk) 06:31, 16 April 2008 (UTC)

My interpretation of the articles is that "cross cut" refers to the teeth and "bow" refers to having a frame holding the saw b;ade in tension. A buck saw is a type of cross cut bow saw for a specific purpose. -- Q Chris (talk) 13:46, 17 April 2008 (UTC)

Thanks, I realise now the bow saw I used had distinct teeth like a cartoon dinosaur. The advantage of the bow was to keep the cutter straight which is harder to do with a blade saw if you're not skilled. I've just been to the Saw article, fascinating – it needs work. Julia Rossi (talk) 03:06, 18 April 2008 (UTC)

hybrid dogs

I have the most beautiful, loving and playful dog anyone could hope for. Lulu my dog, is a mix between a Boston Terrier and a Jack Russel Terrier, I was wondering, Is there was a name for her breed? I know there are some common mixes such as a Puggle and Morkie but what about my Lulu, what is her hybrid name?

I'm not aware of a name for this cross, but how about a "Boston Jack" ? StuRat (talk) 04:54, 16 April 2008 (UTC)

The trend for naming cross-breeds is relatively new, and so most combinations are unnamed. The biggest area of named cross-breeds is poodle crosses, with the Labradoodle being the first one to my knowledge. In my opinion, it was created as a form of marketing, to make it more appealing to get a cross-breed given that names like "mongrel" and "bitzer" (i.e. "bitzer this and bitzer that") have fairly negative connotations, whereas "pure-bred" was traditionally considered a desirable quality. Using a more traditional naming style, you'd refer to Lulu as a Boston Terrier-Jack Russell cross. Confusing Manifestation(Say hi!) 05:06, 16 April 2008 (UTC)

The Cocker spaniel/Poodle mix dubbed the Cockapoo has been around and called that for over half a century, and has been quite popular. -- Deborahjay (talk) 17:12, 16 April 2008 (UTC)

What about a "Heinz Terrier" - it's got 57 varieties. Or a "Bassett Terrier" - it's a mixture of allsorts. (Maybe a UK joke). Boston Jack would be OK as long as no-one shortens it. Richard Avery (talk) 07:12, 16 April 2008 (UTC)

I'm not getting the Bassett joke this side of the pond, and me a lifelong Anglophile. Sigh. --LarryMac | Talk 18:15, 16 April 2008 (UTC)

Very disappointed in you, Larry. Skittle (talk) 20:27, 16 April 2008 (UTC)

Aquariums

I'm looking to do some Aquascaping of my aquarium... to make it really personal i wanna create a lot of the ornaments myself. Is there such a thing as a clay or whatever designed for this purpose? If i wanted to place plastic pieces/toys/whatever in the tank is there things i need to be aware of? The temperature of the freshwater will be 25 deg C . Boomshanka (talk) 02:24, 16 April 2008 (UTC)

Well, they would have to be nontoxic and not have any component that will dissolve in water or be small enough to be eaten by fish. Most hard plastics should be fine, but I'd avoid soft plastics. If you use real clay (as opposed to something like Play Dough) and let it fully dry and harden, that should be OK to add to the tank. Also, you want to avoid anything that will rust, so no iron or steel. I would imagine any place that sells pet fish will have a selection of decorative items you can add to the aquarium. StuRat (talk) 04:52, 16 April 2008 (UTC)

If you'd like to consider personalizing from the inhabitants' point of view as well, I highly recommend Gerald Durrell's anecdotal account of his teenage stint as an aquarium/terrarium decorator, in "A Transport of Terrapins" (published in the collection Fillets of Plaice, 1971). -- Deborahjay (talk) 17:18, 16 April 2008 (UTC)

Bit Confused

Could someone help me? I'm a bit confused what is a hermaphrodite and what's a transgender? I've read both articles and yet I don't get it much. In the hermaphrodite article they said that hermaphrodite was an inaccurate name or something like. It makes me feel like I don't know what a hermaphrodite is anymore. The transgender just is plain confusing. Are they one gender who thinks they are another gender? Or are they dual genders as well? Or are they like transvestites without the dressing up?

Thank You

Always

Cardinal Raven

71.142.208.226 (talk) 02:33, 16 April 2008 (UTC)Cardinal Raven

Hermaphrodite is usually used to describe species that normally have both male and female reproductive organs. The preferred term for people who in the past were often called hermaphrodites is intersex, and that article has more details about the various relevant conditions. Transgender is a broad term. If you're born with a clearly male or female reproductive system, and you identify and conform in every way with the cultural and stereotypical norms associated with that sex, then you're probably not transgender. Otherwise, you probably have at least the option of considering yourself transgender. Try re-reading the article, keeping in mind that "transgender" is a catch-all term that describes lots of different ideas. --Allen (talk) 03:44, 16 April 2008 (UTC)

Hermaphrodite = born with both. Transgender = going from one gender to the other, usually via surgery. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 79.75.169.43 (talk) 20:10, 16 April 2008 (UTC)

Not really. Transgender is broader than that. You might be thinking of transsexual. --Allen (talk) 21:02, 16 April 2008 (UTC)

Total Capital

Whether we can consider Total Capital as Shareholders Equity? —Preceding unsigned comment added by Crazybobby007 (talk • contribs) 04:28, 16 April 2008 (UTC)

Graph of Economy of Saudi Arabia

I would request you to add some graphs & charts of Economy of Saudi Arabia on its page

Thank you in advance. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 77.110.67.201 (talk) 08:27, 16 April 2008 (UTC)

Thank you for your suggestion. When you feel an article needs improvement, please feel free to make those changes. Wikipedia is a wiki, so anyone can edit almost any article by simply following the edit this page link at the top. The Wikipedia community encourages you to be bold in updating pages. Don't worry too much about making honest mistakes — they're likely to be found and corrected quickly. If you're not sure how editing works, check out how to edit a page, or use the sandbox to try out your editing skills. New contributors are always welcome. You don't even need to log in (although there are many reasons why you might want to). You could also post your comments on the article's talkpage. Good luck!BrainyBabe (talk) 18:37, 16 April 2008 (UTC)

Maybe they don't have any such graphs, and are hoping someone else here can find some for them?172.188.37.102 (talk) 18:47, 16 April 2008 (UTC)

emails

Hi,

For the last few days, I am receiving some unwanted emails on my outlook express from someone I don't know, are ther any ways how can I report this company.

Regars Dercnat —Preceding unsigned comment added by 80.254.89.84 (talk) 09:09, 16 April 2008 (UTC)

Welcome to the not-so-wonderful world of e-mail spam. Everybody gets these emails, all the time. There is not an awful lot you can do about it, but anti-spam techniques (e-mail) might help. The most important things are never to respond to them and never to click a link in them. --Richardrj ^{talk email} 09:52, 16 April 2008 (UTC)

Try selecting the message, then click "Message" on the toolbar, click "create rule from message", click "delete", click OK. All future emails from that sender will be deleted.--Shantavira|^{feed me} 12:54, 16 April 2008 (UTC)

Have a look at this Microsoft article on how to fight spam with Outlook: [1]. - Akamad (talk) 12:43, 17 April 2008 (UTC)

looks problem

Please don't repost your question. If you are concerned about your mental or emotional wellbeing then you should seek the advice of a suitable professional. TenOfAllTrades(talk) 12:02, 16 April 2008 (UTC)

arab dance

is there an Arab dance that involves ladies dancing in hijab and jilbab and all arab nationalities(U.A.E., Saudi, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Iraq, Lebanon, Jordan, Syria, Palestine, Egypt, Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria, Libya, Yemen and Oman) can dance? It is suppose to be a dance involve with butt shaking. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 192.30.202.29 (talk) 14:47, 16 April 2008 (UTC)

Are you perhaps thinking of belly-dancing? AlmostReadytoFly (talk) 15:54, 16 April 2008 (UTC)

Belly dancers don't usually wear a hijab (as fas as I know). Perhaps the original poster meant something like this [2] (probably NSFW). I couldn't find any references to what the dancing is called or what the story behind it is. - Akamad (talk) 10:12, 17 April 2008 (UTC)

There is an Arab dance called "meleya lef" where the dancer is completely covered with a large veil that is tightly wrapped around their body; only the eyes and the feet are visible. The dance is said to originate from Alexandria and is very old. There are statues in existence of dancers performing it from 300 BC and older. Contemporary bellydancers sometimes incorporate such a dance in their routine.--Judithcomm (talk) 15:46, 23 February 2015 (UTC)

Weird flight timetables

I searched for flights from Vienna to Helsinki on July 21, and found this result page, which looks a bit weird. For example, on the first option, the plane to Düsseldorf arrives six hours later than the plane from there onwards leaves. Am I supposed to travel back in time or stay overnight in Düsseldorf? JIP | Talk 16:41, 16 April 2008 (UTC)

Looks like you'd need to stay overnight in Dusseldorf. Note the dates - 21 and 22 July. --Richardrj ^{talk email} 16:49, 16 April 2008 (UTC)

Ah, I should have noticed that. Thanks for pointing it out. I'd much prefer not to stay overnight on my way back to Helsinki, so I can discount the cheapest options. One option looked suitable - the British Airways one, with a stop in London. It gives me 2 hours 45 minutes time between the flights. Is it time enough to go sight-seeing a little? How much can I see of London in this time? JIP | Talk 16:58, 16 April 2008 (UTC)

2 hours 45 minutes probably isn't enough time. The international airports in London are out of the city by some way and you'd be struggling for time to get into the city, out again and pass through all the security and make your flight. This Wikihow article has some information on layovers which might be helpful: [3]. Though if you are arriving in Heathrow Terminal 5, 2 hours 45 minutes might not be long enough to switch planes! [4]. Yours, Lord Foppington (talk) 17:33, 16 April 2008 (UTC)

I can confirm that security queues at London Heathrow are horrendous, and you are required to wait in them even if you are merely transferring from one flight to another within the international terminal. It can easily take two hours or more to get through the security queue. It would be very unwise to attempt to leave the airport with such a short layover. Marco polo (talk) 20:24, 16 April 2008 (UTC)

Marco polo is right: Heathrow eats time, particularly if you are transferring from one terminal to another. [5] Any transit time less than two hours is deemed short and is extremely stressful. In addition, all London airports are about an hour from the centre of London [6], without even considering waiting and connection times. Then there is the time-eating nature of getting around London... You would need a full day in hand for it to be worth attempting. Gwinva (talk) 21:38, 16 April 2008 (UTC)

The connecting times shown in the linked diagram above are hopelessly optimistic. I had two hours to connect from one British Airways flight in Terminal 4 to another British Airways flight in Terminal 4. I (and all other passengers) had to leave the secure area and wait in a security queue with originating passengers who had not passed through security in another airport. It took the full two hours to get through this queue. I then had to sprint at top speed to the gate and barely made it through the doors of my connecting flight before they were sealed and the flight departed. I'd say 2 hours and 45 minutes is near the minimum to be sure of getting from one flight to another at Heathrow. Marco polo (talk) 02:15, 17 April 2008 (UTC)

Just great... the flight via London is currently my best option. All others require either staying overnight in the layover city or arriving in Vienna ridiculously early at morning (practically requiring me to stay overnight in the train). JIP | Talk 17:58, 17 April 2008 (UTC)

If it's any consolation, JIP, Los Angeles is worse. I've frequently queued for over 90 minutes to get back on the same plane. Gwinva (talk) 02:27, 18 April 2008 (UTC)

'Re-Localization' of Local Economies in U.S. - Any Pioneering Communities Making Real Progress?

Are there any U.S. communities which are making serious progress 'Re-Localizing' their local economy? (I am especially interested in the feasibility of including the local poor in the remaking of these local economies.)Ckdavis (talk) 16:47, 16 April 2008 (UTC)

You might want to look at Ithaca Hours, an example of Local currency.John Z (talk) 19:37, 16 April 2008 (UTC)

Thanks, John, for the pointer to Ithaca Hours and Local currency. That was just what I needed, and I also found a link to E. F. Schumacher resources (which is incredible!).--Ckdavis (talk) 15:20, 17 April 2008 (UTC)

Not precisely "local", but you might also want to see 100-Mile Diet. And a deeper link off of Local currency (mentioned above) yields List of community currencies in the United States.

Atlant (talk) 16:57, 17 April 2008 (UTC)

Ridiculously apt names

I have come across a director of marketing called Mr. Lie [7]. Is there a list of such bizarrely appropriate names? Is there, indeed, a name for this phenomenon? Is it a form of self-fulfilling prophecy? I am not referring to the merely amusing, such as Canaan Banana, but more along the lines of Cardinal Sin. Does Wikpedia, or anyone else, group them together? BrainyBabe (talk) 18:21, 16 April 2008 (UTC)

WHAAOE, even aptronyms. -- Coneslayer (talk) 18:35, 16 April 2008 (UTC)

PS: I once saw the dentist's office of Dr. Fang. Then there's inaptronyms... there was a cobbler shop called "Askew Shoe Repair". I'm not sure that it was named after the owner, but I can't think of any other reason you'd pick that name. -- Coneslayer (talk) 18:46, 16 April 2008 (UTC)

I found this article: [8] particularly amusing! I feel that Robert Raper was destined for imprisonment... Yours, Lord Foppington (talk) 18:49, 16 April 2008 (UTC)

Only really works in American, but I live near the offices of Bull & Bull solicitors. Algebraist 19:57, 16 April 2008 (UTC)

I've heard of a Dr. Death. Nil Einne (talk) 21:53, 16 April 2008 (UTC) Edit: Also check out [9] Nil Einne (talk) 21:55, 16 April 2008 (UTC)

And I know a Dr. D'Eath. He's a physicist, alas. Algebraist 22:02, 16 April 2008 (UTC)

I was going to say that's a good thing. But I'm not so sure. A bad medical doctor can kill perhaps a few thousand people if he/she's lucky. A bad physicist, well if we follow the evil mad scientist routine, can destroy the world. Of course if he follows the normal practice of telling his master plan to the super hero before he puts the super hero in some unnecessarily elaborate and escapable death trap then I guess we're okay... (No offense to real Dr. Deaths or Dr. D'Eaths intended) Nil Einne (talk) 22:10, 16 April 2008 (UTC)

This site, which is a mixture of an acronym glossary with bloggish discursions and jokes, has a long list of "appropriate" personal and place names, well over 300 of them, beginning here. Note that some of them are appropriate only in a reverse sense, and for many others the appropriateness requires a long explanation. --Anonymous, 23:03 UTC, April 16, 2008.

It doesn't apply to a particular profession (unless he was a sex worker), but I once heard of a Chinese immigrant to Australia named - wait for it - Cupid Fuck. I kid you not. (No disrespect to Mr Fuck, but I'm sure you've had more than a few comments on your name.) -- JackofOz (talk) 00:55, 17 April 2008 (UTC)

This isn't as good as some of the others, but my great-great-grandfather was named Dr. Ill. Marco polo (talk) 02:03, 17 April 2008 (UTC)

There's gotta be a site for that somewhere. BTW, I was once tempted to apply for a job as a Fish Biologist in Antartica, just so I could find out if the boss' name really was Prof. Salmon. Astronaut (talk) 02:25, 17 April 2008 (UTC)

The term nominative determinism is also used for this phenomenon. FWIW, one of New Zealand's best-known sex therapists is a Dr. Lust. Grutness...wha? 02:36, 17 April 2008 (UTC) (who used to go to a dentist called Dr. Screech...)

We had an ophthalmologist called Wong See. Documented online in a couple of places. Steewi (talk) 02:48, 17 April 2008 (UTC)

My favorite has always been Dr. Walter Russell Brain [10] whom Amazon inexplicably gives an extra "brain" in their listings, who studied the--- are you ready?--- Brain. He authored many brainy books such as "Brain's diseases of the nervous system." Edison (talk) 03:10, 17 April 2008 (UTC)

Mine is the author of "The Symptoms, Nature, Cause, and Cure of a Gonorrhoea", published in 1713: William Cockburn. --NellieBly (talk) 03:20, 17 April 2008 (UTC)

How manufactured can they be? I've always thought Car Talk's lineup is pretty good. --Prestidigitator (talk) 04:41, 17 April 2008 (UTC)

Completely unmanufactured is the funeral director Will Case[11]in Salisbury , UK. Sadly, Mr Case is no longer with us. Richard Avery (talk) 07:03, 17 April 2008 (UTC)

Google reveals numerous Randy Benders but I have no evidence about whether the name is apt (in its UK sense) in any given case. William Avery (talk) 07:17, 17 April 2008 (UTC)

Pyrrhus of Epirus had the combination (though it's not related to pyre apparently). Julia Rossi (talk) 08:50, 17 April 2008 (UTC)

Richard Avery, it's the first time I've heard of a person no longer being the case. haha. ; ) Julia Rossi (talk) 08:52, 17 April 2008 (UTC)

(Are you two related?) JR

(Avery is quite a common name around here.Richard Avery (talk) 15:42, 17 April 2008 (UTC))

I had a primary school teacher named Mr Avery. We all called him "Bird-cage" behind his back. . -- JackofOz (talk)

Bird-cage? Julia Rossi (talk) 23:43, 18 April 2008 (UTC)

See also [12], [13]. Regards, High on a tree (talk) 03:04, 19 April 2008 (UTC)

There's a jump jockey called Tony Dobbin. hotclaws 19:02, 19 April 2008 (UTC)

viewership

Moved to Entertainment. BrainyBabe (talk) 07:33, 17 April 2008 (UTC)

Rope question

It has become apparent to me that repeatedly tying a rope around something causes it to tend to naturally bend at the point where it was originally bent, disrupting future tyings. How can this be undone, so that the rope becomes straight again? JIP | Talk 19:53, 16 April 2008 (UTC)

Just bend it in the opposite direction...

As above, bending the other direction, or placing the rope under tension, may be of use. However, this may also be a form of plastic deformation, which is never fully recoverable. — Lomn 20:32, 16 April 2008 (UTC)

Try soaking rope in water and manipulating fibres into shape with your fingers, and dry in straight position. Works best with natural fibres. Gwinva (talk) 21:44, 16 April 2008 (UTC)

The only way to clear twists in rope (or electric cable, hosepipes, etc.) is to give it chance to untwist. When sailing I let the line stream out behind the boat. At home go to the first floor and lower the line over the balcony (or out of the window). Then pull it back up slowly. Watch the coils untwist. One height treatment is possibly not enough, so repeat until sure. Then coil carefully and properly. This takes practice. Assuming you are right handed take the end of the rope in your left hand, facing away from you. Slide your right hand (slightly coiled fingers) out along the line to a comfortable distance. Hold the rope and bring it in to your left hand so it forms a coil. The thing that makes this work is to give the line a half twist as you bring it to the coil. Takes practice but is essential. Then repeat the process. You will end up with a coiled line with all coils the same length. Secure it with a loop of cord and hang it up somewhere. When you need it next be sure to pay it out carefully. Long experience talking !90.4.116.243 (talk) 14:56, 17 April 2008 (UTC)petitmichel p.s. Never put a kinked rope under tension. It will snap the fibres.90.4.116.243 (talk) 14:56, 17 April 2008 (UTC)pm

Montreal

Does Montreal have a red-light district? 199.133.18.203 (talk) 20:43, 16 April 2008 (UTC)

Have you tried a Google search? Most sources say yes, some say no. Those that say yes seem to point to the intersection of Rue Ste-Catherine and Boulevard St-Laurent. Perhaps it's just not as well-defined as those of other cities. --Allen (talk) 22:09, 16 April 2008 (UTC)

This depends what you're looking for: where the brothels are or where the street prostitutes are. You won't find a traditional red-light district with brothels in most Canadian cities (in fact, I'm trying to think of a city that has one), but every city has a specific district where the street prostitutes hang out to get picked up. Montreal's big street prostitute hangout is Pointe-Saint Charles, an area in the south of the city. --NellieBly (talk) 03:13, 17 April 2008 (UTC)

I've never cared for really big women. Does Montreal have someplace where the small street prostitutes hang out? -66.55.10.178 (talk) 19:01, 18 April 2008 (UTC)

Either way, I prefer them to keep it tucked in. --David from Downunder (talk) 05:06, 22 April 2008 (UTC)

Sleeping positions

Are there statistics on sleeping positions? Who, how? Zanx. Keria (talk) 21:01, 16 April 2008 (UTC)

Google is your friend here. Ilikefood (talk) 22:23, 16 April 2008 (UTC)

Also, look at our article on Sleep -- especially the stuff at the bottom, like references and external links. Also, I recommend "sleep studies" as a good google search. --Mdwyer (talk) 22:29, 16 April 2008 (UTC)

For babies, it's recommended you put them to sleep on their backs to reduce the chance of SIDS Nil Einne (talk) 15:43, 17 April 2008 (UTC)

Well I can't find the statistics on what portion of the population sleeps in what position even with Ilikefood's help. Keria (talk) 23:29, 17 April 2008 (UTC)

Try some of these results from Google Scholar...follow the footnotes, and eventually you'll find what you're looking for. --zenohockey (talk) 04:10, 21 April 2008 (UTC)

Most Expensive Ticket in the 2008 Olympics

Aside from the opening and closing ceremonies, which specific seat of which sporting event will have the most expensive ticket? For example, the most expensive tickets for an NBA basketball game would the courtside seats. What about for this upcoming Olympics? Will it be the seat perpendicular to the finish line of the 100m Men's finals? Thanks. Acceptable (talk) 21:09, 16 April 2008 (UTC)

My experience with these sort of things is the most expensive single event tickets would probably be the closing ceremony Nil Einne (talk) 21:47, 16 April 2008 (UTC)

He did clarify that he wanted to exclude opening and closing ceremonies. Useight (talk) 21:52, 16 April 2008 (UTC)

Ooops sorry missed that bit Nil Einne (talk) 21:57, 16 April 2008 (UTC)

Can't answer your question but bear in mind with something like the olympics, since there are multiple events occurring in the same stadium on the same day, there is no such thing as a truly single event (despite what I said above). Most tickets will entitle the holder for example to go to the stadium for the entire day, or perhaps the entire night/evening. You may also be able to get multiple day tickets. With something like athletics or swimming, although they are spread out somewhat there are usually multiple finals in one day/evening so you probably can't put it down to one event unless perhaps it's some sort of team sport with only one final (note even then there will usually be stuff like 3rd/4th playoffs which the ticket holder will entitle to go to). The official site doesn't really answer your question since it only shows tickets on sale Nil Einne (talk) 22:04, 16 April 2008 (UTC)

Mass Spectrometry

Moved to Science RefDesk. BrainyBabe (talk) 22:32, 16 April 2008 (UTC)

April 17

Motorcycle oil filters

Heeelllp, please! Where is the oil filter in a Honda cb400t Hawk? 138.192.86.254 (talk) 01:35, 17 April 2008 (UTC)

I'm stupid! We already solved that! I meant to ask, what's the oil capacity? 138.192.86.254 (talk) 01:36, 17 April 2008 (UTC)

You could find what oil capacity is required for a Honda CB400T engine that's liquid cooled, 4-stroke, 4 Valve, DOHC inline 4 cylinder. I get 1.55 L. cheers, Julia Rossi (talk) 09:17, 17 April 2008 (UTC)

Thanks! 64.198.112.213 (talk) 19:05, 18 April 2008 (UTC)

You're welcome! Julia Rossi (talk) 23:38, 18 April 2008 (UTC)

Mature

Mentally: How does one mature? What is the process going on inside of maturity?(I'm talking about the mental process of maturity.)

Thank You

Always

Cardinal Raven

Cardinal Raven (talk) 05:16, 17 April 2008 (UTC)Cardinal Raven

There are different, competing ideas about the answer to your question. For one influential perspective, see Theory of cognitive development. See Developmental stage theories for more. --Allen (talk) 06:04, 17 April 2008 (UTC)

Thats not helpful. I need advice now people, I want to mature mentally so I can get a girlfriend and stop asking stupid questions on the reference desk.

" Thank You

Always

Cardinal Raven

Cardinal Raven 09:08, 17 April 2008 (UTC)

I'd say that the understanding that you can't just "flip a switch" and become more mature would be one big step. It's a largely biological and psychological process (see those "unhelpful" links Allen provided). I'm not saying there's nothing you can consciously do; I suppose spending time with older/more mature people (reference desk posters, for example :) ) and comparing their behavior to your own might be a starting point. For the most part, though, it will just come with time. It might help to know how old you are as well. -Elmer Clark (talk) 11:13, 17 April 2008 (UTC)

Do charity work. You'll feel good about your time spent, you'll see that it's not actually you whose life sucks, it will be a sobering experience, and if you were wondering where all the non-hoey beautiful girls are.... --Milkbreath (talk) 12:35, 17 April 2008 (UTC)

I didn't write that about the girlfriend thing. I was just interested in the process one goes through as they mature. I don't ask stupid questions on the reference desk by the way. I ask questions that interest me. Or make me think hmm. I really could care less if they are questions others don't find interesting. I didn't write that sentence above. I already have a girlfriend she is a very wonderful person. Anyway, thank you for all the other stuff though. Wonderful links. Its exactly what I need bulky information. I love bulky information. —Preceding unsigned comment added by Cardinal Raven (talk • contribs) 15:14, 17 April 2008 (UTC)

Always

Cardinal Raven

Cardinal Raven (talk) 15:15, 17 April 2008 (UTC)Cardinal Raven

What? Do you have multiple personalities? --Milkbreath (talk) 15:18, 17 April 2008 (UTC)

No. Someone else logged in as me. After I asked the question above. How does one mature? What is the mental process of maturity? I went to bed to sleep. I hadn't been on at that time cause I was asleep. Also you can kinda tell that it isn't me. Even after I had more questions concerning my above question I would never put "thank you". I would just put "always"

Always

Cardinal Raven

Cardinal Raven (talk) 15:25, 17 April 2008 (UTC)Cardinal Raven

Right, here's your imposter. --LarryMac | Talk 15:31, 17 April 2008 (UTC)

Hmm... aren't we supposed to balete the imposters? Where do we report them? --Allen (talk) 16:08, 17 April 2008 (UTC)

So this means I'm in the clear of not posting that ridiculous paragraph above. Right? That is what I want to know. Where would we report imposers?Cardinal Raven (talk) 16:11, 17 April 2008 (UTC)Cardinal Raven

I've requested some admin help, please stand by. --LarryMac | Talk 16:12, 17 April 2008 (UTC)

You can try Admin Noticeboard or the Usernames for Admin Attention... by the way. Queerbubbles | Leave me Some Love 16:16, 17 April 2008 (UTC)

I blocked User:Cərdĭnəl Ŗəven for impersonation. Friday (talk) 16:18, 17 April 2008 (UTC)

In case it matters, I thought you were trying to be funny and get laid, something I do all the time, so I thought not ill o' ye. --Milkbreath (talk) 17:06, 17 April 2008 (UTC)

Well said, Milkbreath! --Allen (talk) 18:05, 17 April 2008 (UTC)

Some of "maturity" may very well just be decreasing hormone levels. If your testosterone level is sky-high, it's difficult to consider solutions to global warming when you're only concerned with the warm body next to you. I've thought about some form of hormone-blockers being used to stop all sorts of undesirable traits, like violence, risk-taking behavior like drugs and alcohol, and random sex leading to teenage pregnancies. Of course, such drugs would first need to be approved for such a use, considering the risk of side effects. StuRat (talk) 18:24, 17 April 2008 (UTC)

See chemical castration and antiandrogen. --Allen (talk) 19:35, 17 April 2008 (UTC)

It might be said that one sign of maturity is thanking all of those who have helped one in a time of distress. --LarryMac | Talk 02:18, 18 April 2008 (UTC)

Though a bonus is that you now know where all the "non-hoey beautiful girls are". Julia Rossi (talk) 02:49, 18 April 2008 (UTC)

Bonus for his eminence, perhaps. I'll take a pass.  :-) --LarryMac | Talk 02:55, 18 April 2008 (UTC)

nowadays, in kid shrinkology, there's a lot of attention being paid to the fact that the actual physical brain is still maturing through adolescence, particularly since the frontal cortex is the portion which is developing, and which also is involved in inhibition of behaviors driven by lower brain functions; and that this relates to mental maturation that happens at the same time. Gzuckier (talk) 18:52, 23 April 2008 (UTC)

lebanese women

Are all Lebanese women really blessed with those natural busty boobs?Is it genetic? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 218.248.2.51 (talk) 10:00, 17 April 2008 (UTC)

No, not all Lebanese women have large breasts. Yes, breast size is heritable with some portion of that heritability coming from genetic variation.--droptone (talk) 11:42, 17 April 2008 (UTC)

OK, I'll ignore the question but am interested in the answer. What does heritability mean, if not genetically inherited? BrainyBabe (talk) 11:58, 17 April 2008 (UTC)

I've always been taught that heritability (technically) was the fraction of total variation due to genetic variation. This fraction is the interplay between genes and environment, both contributing to the heritability estimate.--droptone (talk) 15:49, 17 April 2008 (UTC)

Internet mechanical engineer, engines

Is there a place on the internet that tells you how to build a turboprop engine from scratch? If not, should Wikipedia? 81.93.102.185 (talk) 14:46, 17 April 2008 (UTC)

I have no idea of whether there is a site, but it is not really suitable for wikipedia. I would imagine that a "from scratch" project would take an entire wiki of its own. -- Q Chris (talk) 14:55, 17 April 2008 (UTC)

Regarding Wikipedia, please see WP:NOT#HOWTO. -- Coneslayer (talk) 18:16, 17 April 2008 (UTC)

As for the net, talk to this guy[14]. Julia Rossi (talk) 23:51, 17 April 2008 (UTC)

Fast of the firstborn

At what age do people start to fast, such as the above mentioned. lets say the first born is today 18 months old, should that child spend the day without food? or does it start later when the person is able to understand why they are doing it, spicifically the above, does it start after a barmitzva (spelling) Hindu culture too has lots of fasting, what about them? are there any days in Christianity where christians are supposed to fast other than lent? Thanks —Preceding unsigned comment added by 12.191.136.3 (talk) 16:22, 17 April 2008 (UTC)

I'll skip the discussion of religion, but should point out that denying food to an 18 month old baby could cause serious harm, so don't do it. StuRat (talk) 18:15, 17 April 2008 (UTC)

See the Fasting section of Eastern Orthodox Church for some idea of Orthodox Christian fasting (I can't speak to other traditions). Generally there is a cycle of fasting before a feast, but also abstinence in some form before receiving the Eucharist, receiving unction, getting married, etc., as well as weekly dietary restrictions on Wednesdays and Fridays. 207.148.157.228 (talk) 18:43, 17 April 2008 (UTC)

Ramadan#Fasting says Muslim kids don't have to fast until age 12, and people with special health circumstances are exempt. Babies inflict a powerful psychological rebuke on those who would make them fast, so I'd be shocked if any culture deprives them of food for religious reasons. --Sean 19:15, 17 April 2008 (UTC)

So would the authorities if a child was not fed properly. Julia Rossi (talk) 02:21, 18 April 2008 (UTC)

Hi 12.191. Regarding the Fast of the Firstborn, your intuition is correct. Boys 13 and over are supposed to fast on applicable Jewish fast days. For girls, it's age 12. -- Mwalcoff (talk) 02:15, 18 April 2008 (UTC)

House prices and rent

Hey guys. Apparently house prices in the UK are going to fall, and I'm looking for somewhere to live next year. Does this news mean that rent should be cheaper? Would it be worth holding out for a month or so to see how the property market does? I need a place to live by Augustish, so what should I do? Any ideas? Thanks a lot. Michael Clarke, Esq. (talk) 17:39, 17 April 2008 (UTC)

If all other factors remain the same, then, yes, I would expect rent prices to fall, for two reasons:

1) The cost to landlords of the properties will fall, and eventually competition with other landlords will cause them to pass at least a portion of this savings on to their tenants.

2) Lower house prices could convince more renters to buy, thus leaving a glut of rental flats, which will force landlords to offer special rates to new tenants.

However, counter to this may well be the reason why house prices are falling. If it's because the economy itself is in decline, and people can't afford to buy houses, that could actually force more into rental units and increase prices there. Since your time frame is only a month, though, I doubt if you will see much change in rental unit prices over such a short period. Seasonal differences are likely to have a greater effect over the short term. StuRat (talk) 18:09, 17 April 2008 (UTC)

Living as I do in the UK, I can agree with ALL the points StuRat makes, particularly his last one - BUT - there is a further dimension in that despite the UK being a relatively small island, we have a heavy concentration of people living on it, some 60million at present; and of those, many millions compete for space in the major UK cities, particularly London, Birmingham, Newcastle, Bristol, Manchester, Liverpool, Glasgow, and Edinburgh, in fact all the university towns. In those cities and towns, it would be more accurate to say that property prices were not in fact falling, or about to fall; instead, their prices are showing signs of increasing more slowly than in the recent past. So there will still be a high demand for property of both kinds, owned and rented, and reduced rental costs in the short term are therefore highly unlikely. But come anyway, and be prepared to shop around, and you will find that prices can vary enormously from street to street, district to district, town to town and region to region. And if you are prepared to share with like-minded people as yourself, the affordability factor increases accordingly. 92.9.33.222 (talk) 22:55, 17 April 2008 (UTC)

Actually, according to this article, house prices are falling in "every region" of the United Kingdom. That would include London and the South East. According to the same article, prices are falling at the fastest rate in at least 30 years. That would mean that they are falling faster than during the last housing slump in the early 1990s. Real estate boosters have been making the argument for years on both sides of the Atlantic that property prices had to continue to rise because of a shortage of land. However, they have risen much faster than population or income, almost certainly because of a real estate bubble. When bubbles deflate, prices tend to overcorrect. That is, they fall below the level where market fundamentals would have put them. So, given that property prices have risen something like 250% over the past decade in Greater London, we could expect them to fall by half or more in the next few years. As credit tightens and economic conditions worsen, the United Kingdom is likely to see a rise in foreclosures, such as is already occurring in the United States. The flood of properties onto the market during an economic contraction would be likely to depress prices further. As incomes fall, particularly in London with the sharp contraction of the financial sector, people will be bidding lower for rents and doubling up to share flats. The result is likely to be both lower house prices and lower rents, at least in real terms. Marco polo (talk) 01:37, 18 April 2008 (UTC)

Generally, I've found that when flat hunting in the London, it is not really worth looking until about a month before you move in. Most places tend to be available to move into quite quickly and estate agents don't tend to have much on offer 3-4 months in advance. I doubt advertised rental prices will drop substantially in the next couple of months, but you can definitely offer them lower than the asking price. Lots of landlords, particularily buy-to-let owners, are worried and would much rather get someone in than lose months without any rent.

If you are a student it is a bit different as the landlords tend to know that the place is going to be available well in advance, so it is worth looking earlier if you are. Franmars (talk) 08:34, 18 April 2008 (UTC)

Tall Trees

I read in a book that some white pine in New England could grow up to 240 feet high. How come they don't grow this tall anymore? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 64.119.61.7 (talk) 19:32, 17 April 2008 (UTC)

It takes a looooong time for a tree to grow that tall. They probably would grow that tall again if they were allowed to, but I suspect that the early American nation used a LOT of wood to get started. In other words, I suspect that all the tall trees have been chopped down and used as building materials or burned. None of the young trees has gotten that tall, yet. --Mdwyer (talk) 23:12, 17 April 2008 (UTC)

This is coming from everything I've been told since I moved to Vermont, including teachers and those who work in the logging industry.... Pretty much every tree in Vermont was cut down. There aren't any old growth forests in the state. If I remember correctly, there aren't any trees in the Green Mountain National Forest that are older than ~75 years. Dismas|^(talk) 23:43, 17 April 2008 (UTC)

P.S. Found a source that sort of corroborates what I said this says that the GMNF was established in 1932 after lots of reckless cutting was done to clear land for farms, cities, roads, etc. Dismas|^(talk) 23:49, 17 April 2008 (UTC)

I'm not sure that Eastern White Pine could grow to 240 feet in New England. It is possible that these trees grew this high in the southern Appalachians, near the southern end of their range, where the trees would have received more sunlight over a longer growing season. The tallest white pine in New England today is about 170 feet tall. This tree grows in an old-growth forest in Mohawk Trail State Forest in western Massachusetts, not far from the Vermont state line. Because it is the tallest tree in the old-growth forest where it stands, it is not likely that many white pines in New England grew much taller. Possibly a few could have reached 200 feet, or perhaps a little more in southern Connecticut or Rhode Island. Marco polo (talk) 01:22, 18 April 2008 (UTC)

yep, we cut 'em down before they've had a chance to grow

re-training my body

How can I train my body to only hold my urine in the daytime and when the night comes while I'm asleep I wet my bed. I've heard of this before and I want to know how this actually works. I don't want to know about the whereing diapers thing I just want to know how in the world this is possible. I want step by step instructions. So that I can Post it my colleges newspaper. We are doing a section entitled "Wierd Desires and How to Control Them". Thank you.

Percy1957 —Preceding unsigned comment added by Percy1957 (talk • contribs) 20:57, 17 April 2008 (UTC)

I know it's late but if I understand your question correctly, you actually want to train your body to wet the bed?????????????? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 92.9.33.222 (talk) 22:58, 17 April 2008 (UTC)

I cannot believe this exists, but here you go: http://www.gaybabydiaperhangout.com/guide.pdf Emm (talk) 00:54, 18 April 2008 (UTC)

I thought he wanted to write about controlling such desires, i.e. finding ways of not surrendering to them. -- JackofOz (talk) 01:12, 18 April 2008 (UTC)

No. It sounds to me like he wants to train the body to wet the bed. All I have to say is good luck...wet sheets don't feel to great I thought you would understand that from when you were a kid. Why would you want to regress? I can't imagine someone actually doing that in the above link. Well there are some things you just don't see everyday.Cardinal Raven (talk) 01:54, 18 April 2008 (UTC)Cardinal Raven

As one of my friends says: "Whatever melts your chocolate...". I have no practical advice to give, however, and will not click the link above on a work computer to find out if that has an answer. Steewi (talk) 07:03, 18 April 2008 (UTC)

If your college rag would print this, you might as well make it up and save yourself the trouble of training yourself out of bed wetting at the end of it. Julia Rossi (talk) 08:36, 18 April 2008 (UTC)

you dont understand that what I mean is that I'm not gonna do it. It's an article because I'm studying mental therapy in college. I would like real Answers please though all opinions are appreciated Percy1957 (talk) 01:06, 19 April 2008 (UTC) The person who wrote the question, Percy1957.

April 18

Milk Delivery

Why is milk delivered when it is, in the middle of the night ? In the UK. x —Preceding unsigned comment added by 81.157.181.79 (talk) 01:08, 18 April 2008 (UTC)

Just a guess... It's colder at night, so the milk is less likely to spoil on your doorstep. If it were delivered during the day, there's not really any knowing when the customer would get home and bring the milk in. Plus, many people have cereal with milk and/or coffee/tea with milk in the morning, so they will need it then if they've run out. Drink isn't a popular night time drink, so there's less of a need for fresh milk at night. Dismas|^(talk) 01:40, 18 April 2008 (UTC)

I believe it has to be that night is cooler and the customer can get it quickly in the morning. But if you are me and think highly of yourself...they know I like the milk at night.

Always

Cardinal Raven

Cardinal Raven (talk) 01:52, 18 April 2008 (UTC)Cardinal Raven

It depends on the milkman who delivers it, really, but in my experience it's usually between 2 and 5 am. I used to steal people's milk all the time, as it's just left on their doorstep. Depending on how densely populated the area you live in is, it probably gets delivered between 1 and 3 times a week, and it's always late at night/very early in the morning. You can probably contact your local milkman and ask. As Dismas said, it has to be there when all but the earliest riser awakens, so it'll be early. Michael Clarke, Esq. (talk) 02:08, 18 April 2008 (UTC)

Stealing someone's milk is a pretty scummy thing to do IMHO. Exxolon (talk) 02:13, 18 April 2008 (UTC)

Oh yeah I totally agree. But my neighbours were absolute (insert term of abuse here)s. I didn't do it weekly, just if was up when the milkman came I'd run and take their milk. More like a prank than theft, really. Althugh it was theft, obviously.--Michael Clarke, Esq. (talk) 21:22, 18 April 2008 (UTC)

You can use find me a milkman to find out how to get in touch with your local one. Mine appears to have some very reasonable prices. Michael Clarke, Esq. (talk) 02:11, 18 April 2008 (UTC)

So is that how it is Micheal. Well now I know where my milk goes now and then. Milk stealer. Do you have a costume and everything?

Always

Cardinal Raven

Cardinal Raven (talk) 03:39, 18 April 2008 (UTC)Cardinal Raven

And I thought that Maggie Thatcher was the only milk snatcher... Warofdreams talk 17:29, 18 April 2008 (UTC)

Like most deliveries is is so they are not clogging up the roads during peak traffic times.

There's probably historical reasons too. In the days before mass refrigeration (and modern treatments to prolong life of the milk) you'd usually want to get fresh milk every day, as it does go off. Most people want it first thing in the morning to have with their cereal, tea, coffee, whatever. In those days, possibly even moreso than now, a significant number of workers left home very early. Thus the reason for the extremely early delivery. --jjron (talk) 12:49, 18 April 2008 (UTC)

Also, cows are milked first thing in the morning(and get upset when the clock changes too).The milk was delivered to towns as quickly as possible to keep fresh.Once you got it, then the dairy was free of any responsibility of keeping it fresh pre refridgeration as mentioned above, so quick, early delivery was best.hotclaws 19:10, 19 April 2008 (UTC)..

Best thing

What's the best thing ever  ?? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 81.157.181.79 (talk) 01:45, 18 April 2008 (UTC)

See bestthing.info. Hope this helps. -- BenRG (talk) 02:07, 18 April 2008 (UTC)

Wow, that site may just be the best thing ever. Michael Clarke, Esq. (talk) 02:13, 18 April 2008 (UTC)

Reminds me of whichisworse.com. Useight (talk) 04:39, 18 April 2008 (UTC)

Chicken soup after sex. —Preceding unsigned comment added by Peacock lover (talk • contribs) 09:36, 18 April 2008 (UTC)

Life? Death?--79.71.223.137 (talk) 10:06, 18 April 2008 (UTC)

Sorbet, oh yum.Cardinal Raven (talk) 00:06, 19 April 2008 (UTC)Cardinal Raven

Being myself; the best and most amazing person I know.

Ben Grimm in the Fantastic Four. hotclaws 19:12, 19 April 2008 (UTC)

Wikipedia. Naturally. Or Wikipedia editing while listening to Beethoven. --^LaPianísta! 03:06, 20 April 2008 (UTC)

Sentient Puddle

Could somone provide me with a quote from Douglas Adams which encapsulates his idea of the sentient puddle? Or provide a link to a website with his quote? I don't have any of his books and I'm pressed for time, so please don't answer "just read the book". Thnx BeefJeaunt (talk) 01:55, 18 April 2008 (UTC)

If you'd have checked WikiQuote, you would have saved some time waiting for a response... http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Douglas_Adams Dismas|^(talk) 02:01, 18 April 2008 (UTC)

Louisiana Purchase

Upon looking at a map of the Louisiana Purchase, it appears that the extreme northern end is now in southern Canada. Did the U.S. Get any compensation for land lost when the border was established? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 68.249.4.210 (talk) 01:48, 18 April 2008 (UTC)

The 49th parallel was set by the Treaty of 1818. According to 49th parallel north "Both sides gained and lost some territory by this convention, but the United States gained more than it lost, in particular securing title to the Red River Basin." There's a map showing the areas gained and lost on the Louisiana Purchase page. Pfly (talk) 02:02, 18 April 2008 (UTC)

The Unknown

I've been thinking for a long time. We fear the unknown a lot of the time. One of the most well known historically fears of the unknown were other races. We feared them because they were the unknown to us. Why is the unknown feared? Is there a cure for fearing the unknown? And if there is a cure then would the cure be to face all the unknowns you possibly could? What makes the unknown so scary? Why are we so afraid of the unknown?

Thank You

Always

Cardinal Raven

Cardinal Raven (talk) 01:59, 18 April 2008 (UTC)Cardinal Raven

Wikipedians and wikipedia seem hell-bent on pushing back the bounds of the Unknown. ; ) Julia Rossi (talk) 02:38, 18 April 2008 (UTC)

We react badly to the unknown simply because we do not know anything about and therefore we often assume the worst. It's a survival instinct in us: paranoia. If we do not know something, then our safest option is to react as if the worst possible reality is true. If you have a persistently bad stomach ache and then go see the doctor and he doesn't tell you what's wrong but asks you to come back for another appointment, many people will start to fear the worst. Perhaps they have cancer. This will stress them out, but may also help prepare them for facing the fact they have cancer (even though they don't). The cure for fearing the unknown is simple: knowledge. Obviously that does nothing to the actual idea of the "unknown" itself, but if you know everything then you can't fear the unknown. A good way to think about it is one of those situations where you think people are talking about you simply becuase you don't know what they're saying. I like to think that this is just instinct watching out for us, because if we didn't do this we would fall victim to the simplest deceptions. Another way of looking at it would be to say the unknown scares us because historically the unknown is scary. Michael Clarke, Esq. (talk) 02:55, 18 April 2008 (UTC)

I think it's a bad case of ego-transference. Just because one country wants to attack another, does not mean that the second country would do the same to the first if it had the capability. In many ways it makes good sense to defend one's country against potential invaders, but that very build-up of arms for strictly defensive purposes is often misinterpreted by other countries as offensive in purpose, and so we have this eternal argy-bargy about who's threatening who. We spend enormous amounts on our respective national defences, for those just-in-case occasions, when the actual threats are a very small proportion of the hypothetical threats. We could spend all that lovely moolah in more productive ways, but laying down the arms is inviting trouble from the small number of real threats, so it's seen as a bad idea. And no country is ever going to be the first to do it. We have the same attitude to aliens. It's assumed that any extraterrestrial civilisation that's capable of coming here will automatically want to conquer, colonise or destroy us. If they were really that advanced, I think it's very likely such intentions would be the last things on their minds (assuming they have "minds" as we understand that term). -- JackofOz (talk) 04:16, 18 April 2008 (UTC)

Agreed. I don't think that an aggressive action based on fear is going to be the right option even two times out of ten. But I do think that man behaves in a way similar to a Hobbesian state of nature, and without the information to decide whether the particular theoretical unknown is a threat is likely to treat it as one. A race to the bottom will inevitably occur without some kind of compromise, but even then do we really know who to trust? Trust is a huge part of this issue, I think. Society knits us together to prevent a state of nature, and as such familiarises us with the unknown as we learn more about the wide world. Thus rather than "that family over there" the threat becomes "that tribe over the mountain" then "that nation over the sea" then "those damn negroes!". Eventually all the unknowns become a part of our world, but until then it is the natural reaction to be paranoid and afraid. Not founded on any experience, but founded on the genetic memory of generations of humans having to fight for their lives. It's not rational to fear the unknown these days, but we might not have made it to these days without that irrational fear. I've never understood it, myself. I'd think curiosity would come before paranoia and aggression, but then I wouldn't have lasted a second in the Stone Age. Michael Clarke, Esq. (talk) 05:54, 18 April 2008 (UTC)

Is this discussion applicable to the Ultimate Unknown as well? I think this is one of those things that will never be familiar to us--Lenticel ^(talk) 09:27, 18 April 2008 (UTC)

And while we're on the topic, let us not forget all the different flavours of unknown. Michael Clarke, Esq. (talk) 16:22, 18 April 2008 (UTC)

How would some overcome the fear of death? That is an unknown so different from we experience day by day. A world were don't know if we will exist or not. A world that we don't know if it exists or not.

Always

Cardinal Raven

Cardinal Raven (talk) 15:37, 18 April 2008 (UTC)Cardinal Raven

Acceptance probably helps. It might be worth having a look here. I would say that death may not be all that big a deal if you know you have lived well. Michael Clarke, Esq. (talk) 16:22, 18 April 2008 (UTC)

I can easily imagine how the fear of the unknown may have evolved. Curiosity is a dangerous thing on the wild. Creatures that were afraid of something they did not know would have survived better, especially if these creatures were the tiny, fragile mammals we evolved from. I guess the ability stuck, and here we are. Of course, the instinct doesn't work so nice in our new way of life. — Kieff | Talk 22:00, 18 April 2008 (UTC)

Agree with that one. The big ones that got away and become legends in local lakes don't take the bait. Wildlife people sending animals back to the wild want them not to trust humans. Was thinking that the fear of annihilation (not always literal death, but social, racial etc) seems to be at the root of it, being fearful that too many newcomers would obliterate the incumbents can apply to many situations, sometimes founded, sometimes not. It's a big topic. Julia Rossi (talk) 23:33, 18 April 2008 (UTC)

Thank you for the information. The Unknown is a fascinating topic. There are so many theories or ideas about the Unknown. There are so many fears of the unknown its just fascinating. The Unknown is a wonderful thing to face and realize.Cardinal Raven (talk) 00:05, 19 April 2008 (UTC)Cardinal Raven

Hi. This is rather similar to our fear of the dark, because what is in the dark cannot be seen and thus is unknown. This is why people want to install pollutous street lighting that bathes the sky in an orange, yellow, pink, blue, white, or red glow, so that our fear of the "unknown" is releived. People think it prevents crime, but perhaps it actually only makes us feel safer, as there is less unknown. Thanks. ~AH1^(TCU) 00:10, 19 April 2008 (UTC)

You reminded me, that though I'd rather remain unknown, I am frequently tempted to sling shot the pollutous orange street light just outside my bedroom window. Gah. It's the fear of being known for it that keeps me from doing anything to it as yet. Julia Rossi (talk) 08:40, 19 April 2008 (UTC)

A cure for fearing the unknown. Good artificial control of your hormones such as cortisol might well remove the fear, or even prevent the learning of strong fear in the first place. Polypipe Wrangler (talk) 13:38, 21 April 2008 (UTC)

Health care in the US

How good/bad is it? All I ever really hear about is the negative side: people can't afford medicine/treatment, Sicko, people having to take insurance as part of their job contract (and so it not covering everything) etc etc. But I'm aware that the US has strong health policies in Medicare and Medicaid and spends more than the UK does per person. What sort of numbers of Americans can't afford full health care but don't qualify for aid? How expensive are various treatments in America compared to their NHS-subsidised cost in the UK? Comparing the tax burden, do Americans pay more or less than Britons for health care? Michael Clarke, Esq. (talk) 03:27, 18 April 2008 (UTC)

According to healthcare in the United States, 16% of Americans have no health coverage at all. Most treatment is free under the NHS; are you thinking of spectacles or dentistry or something with your second question? The US government spends about $2700 per person per year on health, while the UK government spends about $2500, so Americans definitely pay more. Algebraist 09:22, 18 April 2008 (UTC)

If the figures you just gave are right then Americans pay much more for healthcare, since most American healthcare spending is non-government. You will also notice that if you buy travel insurance (from the UK for example) it comes in three levels: Europe (cheap), World excluding the US (more expensive), World including US (most expensive). The US is the most expensive place in the world to get healthcare. Of course if you can afford it it's really good quality. DJ Clayworth (talk) 15:08, 18 April 2008 (UTC)

I wouldn't say US health care is very good. It's excellent if you want "cutting edge" treatments, where they have the best doctors, best equipment, etc. However, for "run of the mill" procedures you're likley to get second rate doctors and nurses, and you should consider yourself lucky if they even wash their hands between patients. For example, just yesterday my Dad went in for hemodialysis, they found he had a very low hemoglobin level, and admitted him to the hospital. However, instead of giving him blood, which would have actually made sense, they took large quantities of blood for various tests. Only today did they get around to actually giving him blood. StuRat (talk) 20:48, 18 April 2008 (UTC)

Yes, unquestionably we poor merkins have the worst and most expensive health care "system" in the world. Only a naturally rich country could afford such a crazy quilt "system" that compared to any other wastes titanic sums on paperwork, insurance bureaucracy, drug companies corrupting science (cf Marcia Angell's writings), and general enrichment of fat cats, that the rest of the world finds unnecessary. Just spent the last year or so sleeping in hospitals trying to keep my dad, who has the best insurance imaginable and wads of dough, alive. The worst was one that had signs all over of being called the best hospital in the USA according to some national ranking. At one point as I came in a cab from the airport I was mistaken (by a very pretty doctor sent to meet him) for a Nobel prize winner who was giving a lecture. Would have played along in a different mood. A statistic that should give one pause is that the top third of white Americans by income (virtually all insured, and much wealthier) has worse health than the bottom third of white people in England. (Interview with Ichiro Kawachi , Harvard School of Public Health, citing a recent study, Dollars and Sense magazine Jan/Feb 2008, No. 274).John Z (talk) 10:53, 19 April 2008 (UTC)

I have experience with both the U.S. and Canadian systems, and some experience with another country's system, so I can shine a little light on this. Most Americans receive pretty good health care. They can all get family doctors with no problem. If they want to see a specialist, they can have an appointment quickly. The doctors are as good as any, and the facilities are beyond reproach (except for Veterans Administration hospitals). The urgent care centers I've been to in Canada look Third World compared to those in the U.S., both because of their spartan atmosphere and their crowding. American health facilities seem luxurious by comparison. And of course, there are plenty of MRI machines and similar technology available. American healthcare is generally paid for, minus a deductable, by the patient's insurance plan, so the out-of-pocket cost is not a major problem for most people.

Now, the downside: Many Americans are either uninsured, underinsured or have trouble paying their premiums and deductables. Even if you have health insurance from work, you may be paying $300 a month in premiums (in addition to what your employer pays) and have a deductible of hundreds of dollars for hospital expenses. Prescriptions may cost $150 even even after insurance pays its part. Needless to say, this financial burden is hard on many people. And that's not mentioning the millions who don't have any health insurance, whether because they're between jobs or stuck in a low-end job with few benefits.

So here's the answer to your question: For most Americans, they're better off, health wise, than people in Canada (don't know about the UK). However, a large and increasing portion of the American public is worse off because of high out-of-pocket costs that they may not be able afford. -- Mwalcoff (talk) 02:44, 20 April 2008 (UTC)

I have to differ that most Americans are better off healthwise than Canadians. The most important single statistic concerning health is life expectancy. Canada's is higher see List of countries by life expectancy. Americans pay through the nose to achieve a remarkably low level of health, even for the wealthy.John Z (talk) 04:07, 20 April 2008 (UTC)

Well until you've experienced both systems, you don't really know. My guess is the difference in life expectancy reflects the high number of young Americans who die in violent crime and the impact of obesity and other lifestyle factors on the U.S. I can tell you for sure that middle-class Americans can easily find a family doctor, see a specialist, get an MRI and get seen in an emergency room within an hour (for an urgent but non-life-threatening matter) -- none of which can be said about Canada. -- Mwalcoff (talk) 01:50, 21 April 2008 (UTC)

Again, we have to differ, especially about the stunning to me idea that one can easily get seen within an hour in a US ER. Sure once in a while, but I can't help but say that you've had incredibly good luck - hope it continues - in the US if you think that. I recall waiting for 12+ hours with pneumonia (misdiagnosed and sent home besides) among other experiences (this was in a 100% middle class area with the best insurance I've ever had.)) I'll end quoting Marcia Angell, former editor of the New England Journal of Medicine "If we had set out to design the worst system that we could imagine, we couldn't have imagined one as bad as we have."John Z (talk) 02:33, 22 April 2008 (UTC)

Having been gone from the U.S. for a few years, I didn't realize how bad things have gotten in US emergency rooms. Indeed, this story says it all: "Canada's ER problems starting to plague US". -- Mwalcoff (talk) 00:12, 23 April 2008 (UTC)

When you get right down to it... it all comes down to money and your job. If you work for the government (which few do) your health insurance is the best in the country. Period. No co-pays, no deductables... and your premiums are low. I was on it for the first 22 years of my life. My boyfriend, by comparison, had run of the mill insurance. He had to pay $15 to see a family doctor (each time) in order to get a referral to see a specialist, as well as $25 for a specialist, $150 for the ER, $25 for urgent care (there is a difference) and since he had Asthma, $10 for the albuterol and $40 for the Advair. So, if you're keeping tabs at home, that would be about $265 just for one bad week. We were college students. The last job I had had us paying a $100 deductable per year, plus 20% of anything else. I happened to go to the hospital for some seriously bad food poisoning and ended up saddled with a $1,700 bill. I didnt have a good enough job to get decent insurance, and you think I can afford a bill like that? I'm still paying it and the incident happened a year ago. Now we're on some "decent" insurance, only $50 for the ER, but the prescriptions are insane. So, as I said... it all comes down to your job and what kinda money you make. Queerbubbles | Leave me Some Love 15:40, 21 April 2008 (UTC)

What else doesn't have to be tied down?

From the milk question above, is milk the last thing in urban living that is not expected to be tied down, locked away, hidden, guarded, CCTV'd and such? It's a nice touch, that milk can stand undefended waiting for its owner. Even if it sometimes goes missing, there's an unspoken pact not to touch another person's innocent milk. Is there anything else? Julia Rossi (talk) 06:32, 18 April 2008 (UTC)

I drink about 3 gallons of milk a week, so I'm pro-milk. Useight (talk) 06:57, 18 April 2008 (UTC)

Are newspapers delivered in the UK? We don't have milk delivery, but newspapers are delivered around the same time of the morning that milk is for you, and no one ever steals those, even if they are just sitting there on the porch. I don't think anyone ever steals mail either, that's usually just out in the open too. Adam Bishop (talk) 08:27, 18 April 2008 (UTC)

Newspapers are delivered in the UK and are left outside the front door if they can't be put through the letter box. I used to do a Sunday paper-round when the papers have about 10 sections so I left most on the doorstep. I don't remeber hearing about anyone having them stolen, although I guess it happens from time to time. Franmars (talk) 09:18, 18 April 2008 (UTC)

I forgot but the post delivers packages to me by leaving them at my door if they won't fit in the lockless letter box. I didn't realise how many things don't need surveillance. Julia Rossi (talk) 09:41, 18 April 2008 (UTC)

They shouldn't do that, they should take it back to the post office and put one of those little cards through the letterbox telling you to come and collect it. The only reason they do that is because they can't be arsed lugging it around for the rest of their round. YMMV but personally I would rather have the hassle of going to the post office than risk my packages being stolen. But it rarely comes up nowadays because I always get packages delivered to my work address. --Richardrj ^{talk email} 11:33, 18 April 2008 (UTC)

Garden gnomes, other people's post (when its not gone in the mail box) solar garden lights, birdbaths, cat food bowls, shoes left out over night, dogs, plants, flagpoles, novelty football posters, christmas lights and decorations, —Preceding unsigned comment added by Peacock lover (talk • contribs) 09:45, 18 April 2008 (UTC)

If you leave a large blue ceramic decorative ball in the front garden in the Highlands, it will get stolen, mine was.--79.71.223.137 (talk) 10:05, 18 April 2008 (UTC)

Also, your clothes and laundry accoutrements from a common laundry room - although my detergent and fabric softener were stolen once. Adam Bishop (talk) 11:06, 18 April 2008 (UTC)

When I lived in student accommodation, laundry was always disappearing from the laundry room. We used to have to sit with the stuff all the time it was washing. Not a problem once I started using an attended laundrette. Warofdreams talk 17:23, 18 April 2008 (UTC)

Garden gnomes, huh? Haven't you ever heard of the Travelling gnome prank or the Garden Gnome Liberation Front? --jjron (talk) 12:36, 18 April 2008 (UTC)

My garden gnomes have walked away. I have not seen them ever again. They hadn't returned to the master who bought them. Gnomes, milk, newspapers, and mail. These are the things that may go astray at least in my experience yes. I'm blaming the deliveryman about the mail. I have my letter box so no one else can steal my mail unless its the mailman. I need security cameras.Cardinal Raven (talk) 15:35, 18 April 2008 (UTC)Cardinal Raven

Yeah you'd be suprised what people will steal. I used to take my nieghbours milk because I'm rather a night owl and I really didn't like my neighbours. But I've heard of people stealing decorative garden ornaments, and there were stories in the papers a while ago about people stealing gnomes, dogs, fish from ponds and even plants. Milk is pretty cheap so I guess it isn't worth stealing, and the same can be said about newspapers. When my parents get wine delivered it's often left outside the door in the porch, clearly visible from the street, yet they've never been robbed for twenty bottles of red. It's a weird one. Michael Clarke, Esq. (talk) 17:17, 18 April 2008 (UTC)

I have a hard time visualizing a gang of hardened thieves in their hang-out swilling down their stolen milk...perhaps if they've just stolen chocolate chip cookies ? StuRat (talk) 20:37, 18 April 2008 (UTC)

But seriously, most thieves will steal things they can sell, and milk, being only good for a short period and obviously stolen if somebody tries to sell it on the street corner, won't attract many buyers. StuRat (talk) 20:40, 18 April 2008 (UTC)

I can see it now: CRIME WAVE - ALL MILK STOLEN!!

Haha. Thanks all. Maybe a 12-year old like the one in the paper today ("committing crimes for years"). Once had a drunkish mailman who posted stuff willy-nilly. In wealthy suburbs here there has been shrub-envy so that status shrubs go missing and turn up in a neighbour's garden. It's nice to know at some level it's not big-time, though there's no telling with garden gnomes. Sorry for the loss of your blue ball, iimagine someone long after they've forgotten where they got it from, turning up to sell it back to you! : ) Julia Rossi (talk) 23:24, 18 April 2008 (UTC)

I'm still wondering about my lawn gnomes. They were such handsome lawn gnomes too. Since I made them by hand. I painted them with careful colors. Actually I had recently bought a fake owl to scare away tiny birds from eating at my house. Someone stole that too. That would be pretty funny Julia. You go to your neighbors yard sale. Well aren't these some nice looking lawn gnomes, they look like the ones that were stolen from me years ago. Um...we can give you a discount.

Always

Cardinal Raven

Cardinal Raven (talk) 00:02, 19 April 2008 (UTC)Cardinal Raven

Like their five-finger discount, har. I'd be looking at a fake burglar alarm with a flashing light, right next to your next bird-scaring owl. There's a short story in the these last few lines at least. ; ) Julia Rossi (talk) 02:31, 19 April 2008 (UTC)

You want me to buy a bird scarring owl and a burglar scarring alarm. That's a wonderful idea. There is a lot of theft in my neighborhood.71.142.208.226 (talk) 04:14, 19 April 2008 (UTC)Cardinal Raven

I regularly have packages dropped off at my back door. That's the way things are done in the country. In the city the postal carrier may leave one of those little cards but not in the country or even possibly in the suburbs. Dismas|^(talk) 04:38, 19 April 2008 (UTC)

I don't know about the birds, but the burglars would certainly have legal recourse if you scarred them. —Sorry, I couldn't resist. Michael Clarke, Esq. (talk) 06:22, 19 April 2008 (UTC)

I meant scare. Scare with the burglar alarm.71.142.208.226 (talk) 07:42, 19 April 2008 (UTC)Cardinal Raven

Next door's cat comes in our catflap and nicks food.hotclaws 19:16, 19 April 2008 (UTC)

Yes, a true cat burglar at work. StuRat (talk) 15:43, 20 April 2008 (UTC)

My grandfather used to steal stuff like that, mostly newspapers and milk. I think he had done it since he was a small child and it was just what he did rather than for any particular reason. But people will steal anything. His wife's gravestone was stolen a few years ago. Not the whole thing, just a little statue thing on top, that they broke off.HS7 (talk) 15:13, 20 April 2008 (UTC)

You've obviously never worked in an office where people have to padlock their milk cartons. Confusing Manifestation(Say hi!) 05:45, 21 April 2008 (UTC)

Lorem ipsum

what does it mean? I've seen it many places. including User:Example/Lipsum and it's the default text in Pages for new documents Σαι ( Talk) 06:59, 18 April 2008 (UTC)

It doesn't mean anything in particular. Lorem ipsum is something made to look like Latin to test how a space (and font, size, etc.) looks without having to have any specific text. It's very useful for graphic designers. Steewi (talk) 07:06, 18 April 2008 (UTC)

Designers (including web designers) refer to a text appearing in this format as "greeked". (As in "it's all Greek to me", presumably.) It can be a transitive verb. BrainyBabe (talk) 19:55, 18 April 2008 (UTC)

Paper cutter as a weapon

Okay the paper cutter cuts paper and paper cuts flesh. Therefore paper cutter cuts flesh. Is the paper cutter a good weapon making the humble paperboy into an office samurai? Just wondering, I think I remembered an action film where the protagonist killed one of the bad guys by hacking his head with the paper cutter.--Lenticel ^(talk) 07:24, 18 April 2008 (UTC)

Lenticel, you've just put a new spin on an old game taking it to Samurai level. An effective weapon, yes. Psycho paper boy... is this for your book? Julia Rossi (talk) 08:42, 18 April 2008 (UTC)

I think it would be a good screenplay or short story. Perhaps Cardinal Raven can put a spin on it :). Actually I just thought about it as I was tasked to cut paper stacks here in the office...--Lenticel ^(talk) 08:49, 18 April 2008 (UTC)

Looks fit for a collaboration.[15]. Julia Rossi (talk) 09:38, 18 April 2008 (UTC)

The ol' transitive property of weapons. I see the transitive property used in sports all the time, but never in weaponry.--droptone (talk) 11:32, 18 April 2008 (UTC)

I believe anything can be a weapon with the right amount of a imagination. Want me to put a twist to it here you go then:

The newspapers were coming in today during the brisk morning sunrise. The newspaper with their many articles. The articles were all really bad cliche of the day. Marketing crashed once again it was something unavoidable, child kidnapping people should really not misplace their children, and what is this a mockery to society paper cutter samurai. A man was found in his large house dead. His flesh sliced like fine paper in the office, a tag on the wall that read in bloody words Paper cutter samurai. Why were pictures like these in a newspaper? We really didn't know maybe the paper cutter samurai was leaving us a message, border your doors, lock your homes, keep your children safe, survive with all your wits and smarts, and of course be careful for I am insane I will slice you like the paper I slice at the office.

What do you think? Do you like it Larry?

Always

Cardinal Raven

Cardinal Raven (talk) 15:32, 18 April 2008 (UTC)Cardinal Raven

errr, what? who? me? There's a whole lot of understandable English words there. Not too many understandable English sentences though. --LarryMac | Talk 16:51, 18 April 2008 (UTC)

Its just a rough draft. But I am willing to create a paper cutter samurai for you so that way you can carry on your weird imaginative thoughts.

Always

Cardinal Raven

Cardinal Raven (talk) 23:59, 18 April 2008 (UTC)Cardinal Raven

Avril's elbow

WTF is up with Avril Lavigne's elbow? I've seen it thousands of times on her music videos and live performances, usually her left elbow. Couldn't find anything about it online after an extensive search, only this pic of her looking as lovely as usual. Notice her left elbow towards the right of the picture. Its bending backwards. It is much more prominent on Avril's Seoul concert after the skater bio song ends and she raises her arm up to do a bull sign. Please tell me what this is. Double jointed or just fucked up?

I've uploaded an image (don't worry, not to wikipedia!) for you to have a look at. This is what I mean [16] —Preceding unsigned comment added by 79.76.149.174 (talk) 15:51, 18 April 2008 (UTC)

Have you read the page on hypermobility? The photograph shows the elbow joint hyperextended (at an angle greater than 180°), but not by much. You might consult a fan site to enquire further, i.e. whether she has other affected joints, some chromosomal aberration, career potential as a contortionist, etc. -- Deborahjay (talk) 20:03, 18 April 2008 (UTC)

My left elbow does that, but not the right, oddly enough. StuRat (talk) 20:30, 18 April 2008 (UTC)

My little sister does that not only with her elbows, but also her knees and fingers, plus she can rotate her ankles so her feet point straight out sideways (or even farther back, usually) and when she pops all her joints out at once like that it is something fearsome to behold. Cherry Red Toenails (talk) 00:45, 19 April 2008 (UTC)

I think its pretty normal, considering some of the weird things the human body can do...

I can bend both of my elbows like that. I have been told that I am double jointed, and it is rare, although I know someone else who can also do it.

coin

I have a dubble headed king george v british coin 1 penny value is it worth anthing or is it rare? —Preceding unsigned comment added by Sugar slime and ants (talk • contribs) 13:16, 18 April 2008 (UTC)

If it's double-headed - it's a fake - probably a fusion of two pennies that have been carefully split and joined together as used in sleight of hand party tricks. Novel methinks, but valueless.

I've seen one of these and I can tell you its not a fake. Probably a fuck up at the mint, where the coins are made. Might be worth something as they usually detect things like that. How old did you say it was, King George thats like 1930s is it?

Hi. Some of these actually can be worth a lot. Errors are rare, which is why they're valued by collectors. There's websites like US mint and prices and values for Canadian coins. According to the US mint website, errors are rare and can often be of value, and the Canadian website suggests that if it's in good condition, it can be worth even more. Which country were you in when you found this coin? Really old coins, like those from the 1930s and back, can also be worth a lot more than its face value if they are in good condition. Very new coins, especially "perfect" ones, can also be worth tens or hundreds of times their face value. Errors can also be worth tens to hundreds, and in rare cases, thousands of times their face value. I don't have time to find the relavent websites right now, but it may be worth searching for as a lot of errors are documented by numastics websites. Hope this helps. Thanks. ~AH1^(TCU) 00:26, 19 April 2008 (UTC)

Like I said - it's a fake. Sell it on eBay for $2.50 alongside the ones already there.

Use it for winning coin tosses.hotclaws 12:55, 20 April 2008 (UTC)

I heard they used to stick two coins together like that to smuggle drugs inside them, but I'm not sure whether the person that told me that got it from a reliable source.

You'll need to find out whether it is a real mistake, or just two stuck together to find out its real value, there's no way people here can tell without even seeing it. HS7 (talk) 15:00, 20 April 2008 (UTC)

yes check it. see if it has a line around the edge wheere they wood have been stuck together. it should be pretty easy to see, unless they sanded it and smoothed it off.

I have one of them too. Actually, it's a half penny, but it's similar. It doesn't have a line around the edge, but it's thinner on the edge than a normal half penny, and looks like it's slightly thicker in the middle. Is there any easy way of telling if it's real, without taking it to an expert?HS7 (talk) 20:25, 22 April 2008 (UTC)

Weird flight prices: return cheaper than single?

Flight prices are very weird. A single flight from Vienna to Helsinki on July 21, by Finnair (flight AY 768), leaving Vienna at 18:55 CET and arriving in Helsinki at 22:15 EET, costs 544.62 €. However, a return flight leaving on the exact same flight and coming back to Vienna a week later, on another Finnair flight, costs 290.20 €. So it's actually cheaper for two flights than for one. And even though the flight I would end up actually using is the exact same. The same plane, the same carrier, even the same travel agency. They are giving me a return flight for negative 254.42 €. Why the heck is this? Is it simply a matter of supply and demand? And do I have to actually use the return flight, or can I just tell the carrier "sod it, I'm not going on your flight, I'm staying home in Helsinki, and you can keep the money"? JIP | Talk 15:20, 18 April 2008 (UTC)

My wife was told by a helpful American Airways phone sales rep that they were not allowed to sell return tickets for single trips. She added "however, if you hang up and call again and ask for a return ticket nobody would be the wiser". -- Q Chris (talk) 15:30, 18 April 2008 (UTC)

To the last, you can absolutely buy the return and never use the return leg. As for pricing in general... it's nutty. I won't even begin to try to get into where considerations like supply and demand, intentional overbooking, minimum traffic requirements for contracts, and all that sort of stuff comes into play. Somewhere I guess it matters (though I've yet to see good evidence), but I'm content to just pitch reason out the window when it's time to book a flight. — Lomn 15:32, 18 April 2008 (UTC)

Nuttiest thing? Someone I know wanted to fly from London to Toronto. There was a cheap offer on flights from Glasgow to Toronto, which stopped at London, but they wouldn't let her book it. And they told her that if she didn't fly the Glasgow-London leg she wouldn't be allowed on the London-Toronto leg. 199.71.183.2 (talk) 16:57, 18 April 2008 (UTC)

Fly from London to Toronto? You can drive there in an hour or two :-) --Trovatore (talk) 20:21, 18 April 2008 (UTC)

From the context this obviously means London, England to Toronto, Canada. -- Q Chris (talk) 08:21, 21 April 2008 (UTC)

OK, thanks for the replies. Do I have to call Finnair in advance or is it enough just to never show up? It's a pity flight tickets aren't transferable, or else I could give someone a flight ticket from Helsinki to Vienna as a free gift. Actually, I looked for flight options from Salzburg to Helsinki as well. The most expensive one, from United Airlines, flies from Salzburg to Frankfurt am Main, then to Munich, and then to Helsinki. The thing is, Frankfurt am Main is in the same direction as Munich, and about four times as far away. So they first fly over Munich, turn around and fly back to Munich, and then fly to Helsinki. The plane flies six times the distance between Salzburg and Munich completely in vain. It's even weirder than flying from Rovaniemi to Tromsø, which goes through Helsinki and Oslo first, because this time they fly the exact same path twice. JIP | Talk 17:03, 18 April 2008 (UTC)

Day returns on cross-English Channel ferries are often cheaper than single trips. When booking, you are warned that if you don't use the return leg, you will be charged the full price for a single. Warofdreams talk 17:20, 18 April 2008 (UTC)

I'd like to discuss the economics and try to explain this seemingly irrational pricing structure. For any product there are different people willing to pay a different price. Ideally, the seller would like to sell to all people who are willing to pay more than the product costs them to provide. However, they also want to get as much money from each buyer as that buyer is willing to pay. The buyers, of course, want to pay as little as possible. Most methods for getting some buyers to pay more than others rely on making buyers do something annoying to get the cheaper price, from haggling, to clipping coupons, to figuring out schemes like yours, to clucking like a chicken. It is assumed that the wealthier buyers won't put themselves through all that and will just pay "full price". If you were a millionaire, do you think you'd have compared prices or just taken the first one they offered ? StuRat (talk) 20:20, 18 April 2008 (UTC)

Hi. I'm not sure if this is true in the way that I understood it or maybe I understood it wrong, but I think I read somewhere about a company, maybe in order to promote themselves, who offers a flight from I think the United States to Ireland, for about US $10, it was on some kind of news website, and not a hoax. Thanks. ~AH1^(TCU) 00:33, 19 April 2008 (UTC)

That would be selling at a loss, which companies do on rare occasions, to drum up new business. There are also many scams, however, which only appear to be selling at a loss. "Bait and switch", for example, is when they only offer a tiny number of the advertised rates (far fewer than the number which will be applied for), and then steer the dissapointed buyers to their higher priced products. Another scam is to add all sorts of hidden costs, like "fuel recovery fee". In orders of products by mail, "shipping and handling" is often the hidden fee that can be as much as, or far more than, the actual product price. StuRat (talk) 13:44, 20 April 2008 (UTC)

Book recommendation for someone who is grieving the loss of a parent

Hello! I hope the ref desk can be of some sort of help for me and for my friend (we'll call him TJ).

I have a close friend whose mother passed on after a brief battle with cancer. After her passing, my friends and I were amazed at how our friend TJ managed to keep it all together. Well, over a week ago, he finally broke down and has been having an very difficult time with everything. He feels lost, guilty, crazy, worthless... the whole 9 yards and needs constant reassurance. While we all try to keep him in good spirits by listening and giving him advice, but nothing really seems to be sinking in. I wanted to give him a book that can hopefully make better sense of everything that has been going on. Is there a book available at a local chain book store like Borders or Barnes and Noble that anyone could recommend? --Endless Dan 16:36, 18 April 2008 (UTC)

PS - If possible, please post response on my talk page. Thank you and God bless.

PPS - The reason I am not researching this stuff on my own (like via Amazon.com) is because other then Wikipedia and the company's website, I cannot access the internet from my current location. I'm not just asking someone to do leg work for me. Thanks again.

The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying might be of some help.--droptone (talk) 17:24, 18 April 2008 (UTC)

Acording to On Death and Dying they may have been in the denial stage until recently. The breakdown they suffered may actually be a good sign, as it shows they are moving into the later stages toward eventual accceptance. StuRat (talk) 20:05, 18 April 2008 (UTC)

Good search terms, when you can get to a usable internet connection, are "grief" and "bereavement". This is from GrowthHouse, Improving Care for the Dying -- American, but probably similar in other developed countries:

Call your telephone operator and ask for the numbers for your local mental health association and your local suicide prevention center. Both types of agency have good grief referral lists. You need not be suicidal to get a grief referral from a suicide prevention center.

Use the Yellow Pages and call hospitals and hospices near you. Ask to speak with the Bereavement Coordinator, Social Worker, or Chaplain's Office to get a local grief referral. Many hospitals and hospices provide grief support to clients for up to one year following a death and offer groups to the general public.

These can be goldmines of relevant information, and may even have lending libraries. TJ is lucky to have friends like you. Good luck! BrainyBabe (talk) 09:44, 19 April 2008 (UTC)

PS The same question was posted here. Please do not cross-post questions. BrainyBabe (talk) 23:14, 19 April 2008 (UTC)

Red and white checkered tower

I've seen red and white checkered towers at several airports. What is the significance of the colouring system, and the pattern? What are these towers? --anon 59.183.38.26 (talk) —Preceding comment was added at 16:50, 18 April 2008 (UTC)

I believe the pattern is used on all kinds of structures, to make them more visible. -- Coneslayer (talk) 17:04, 18 April 2008 (UTC)

It's a general high-visibility pattern used on structures near airports. There's a good chance that you're looking at a radio navigation beacon, such as a VHF omnidirectional range or Non-directional beacon system. --Carnildo (talk) 22:27, 18 April 2008 (UTC)

Spurious question about Health Insurance in USA

Spurious because it's not going to happen - but - if my wife and I (both early 60's and retired from UK public service) wanted to live in California - assuming we were allowed to - and given that we are financially independent and stable - but also given our age and a few age-related health conditions such as arthritis, raised though managed blood-pressure and drugs-controlled cholesterol, what might we pay either as a couple or individually for USA health insurance? I appreciate this is not an exact science but a near-miss would be close enough. Thanks. 92.1.244.101 (talk) 17:56, 18 April 2008 (UTC)

For the record, this question is not spurious but rather, hypothetical and speculative. Its implications and those of the answers are quite serious and worth considering. Enjoy your retirement! -- Deborahjay (talk) 15:12, 19 April 2008 (UTC) (former resident of California, now expat living in a country with mandatory health coverage partly in the form of sick funds)

Guesstimate: Around US$500 per month for each of you. However, coming from the UK where just about everything medical is free, you may not realize that insurance has all sorts of exclusions, deductions, and copays. If you wanted insurance that would replicate what you have in the UK, you would need to pay far more, if you could even find it. StuRat (talk) 19:58, 18 April 2008 (UTC)

Um, we don't know that they're used to getting "everything medical" for free. Lots of people in the UK go to private doctors, even though they could be treated by the NHS for free. Presumably the private system affords care either better or faster care (or both) if you're willing to pay for it. Canada on the other hand is much more aggressive at trying to prevent willing buyers and willing sellers of medical care from getting together, though one province did go too far for their supreme court's taste a couple years ago and got shot down. Privately paid medical care is not actually illegal there, but you'd almost think so from reading the news. So the option of last resort for Canadians who can't get what they need through the official system is to come to the United States for treatment. --Trovatore (talk) 17:52, 19 April 2008 (UTC)

Assuming you're insurable, you'll be paying somewhere between $500 and $1000 a month for insurance, plus any deductables, copayments, or costs for non-covered treatments. Insurance equivalent to what you get in the UK simply isn't available. --Carnildo (talk) 22:30, 18 April 2008 (UTC)

Lloyd's of London is reputed to insure anything. At a price. BrainyBabe (talk) 10:46, 19 April 2008 (UTC)

So, could I insure my left eyeball (the better of the two, it must be said) againt fork accidents?

Golf question

I was playing a golf video game yesterday, but I've never played real golf before and don't really know the rules. When I hit the ball out of bounds I'm presented with 3 options: rehit, "drop here" or "nearest relief." What is the difference between the latter two options, and how will it affect my score?--The Fat Man Who Never Came Back (talk) 18:07, 18 April 2008 (UTC)

Penalty (golf) might help. I don't play golf either but as far as I understand it, both of the latter options will add one stroke to your score. The "nearest relief", from what I understand, will add one stroke and allow you to hit another ball from where the first went out of bounds. Dismas|^(talk) 18:32, 18 April 2008 (UTC)

Boy, that article's a mess. The "nearest relief" sounds correct, but I still don't understand what "drop" means, in the context of golf.--The Fat Man Who Never Came Back (talk) 18:37, 18 April 2008 (UTC)

I know with a "drop" you lose a stroke and a believe you just literally drop the ball from about shoulder length into the inbounds area and you have to hit it from wherever it lands. Perhaps a mulligan would be your best option. Useight (talk) 20:21, 18 April 2008 (UTC)

Rehit would be hitting the ball from the original position. "Drop here" refers to dropping the ball near where it went out of bounds. "Nearest relief" refers to designated relief areas. Each golf course (during pro events) have designated areas where you can drop the ball if it goes into a hazard. It will be further away from the hole than the "drop here" option, but relief areas are nice and even with short grass so it's usually the best option. You'll get a penalty stroke no matter which option you choose. Tex (talk) 21:45, 18 April 2008 (UTC)

Ah, that makes more sense. Thank you.--The Fat Man Who Never Came Back (talk) 21:58, 18 April 2008 (UTC)

Wikipedians who love telenovelas

Do you know any Wikipedians out there that love telenovelas? Ericthebrainiac (talk) 20:45, 18 April 2008 (UTC)

Try looking around WP:WikiProject Soap Operas.— Insanity Incarnate 22:47, 18 April 2008 (UTC)

I hate them as they not give you a chance to bond wive the characters before its over.

Origin of phrase

Moved to Language RefDesk, where more knowledgeable volunteers may be able to help. BrainyBabe (talk) 09:53, 19 April 2008 (UTC)

Supernatural Powers

This is such a lame question, but here it goes. I read an article actually I've read many articles saying that we only use only about 90% of our brain. Is this true? Some scientist say that the other 10% is for long dead instincts. Could this possible that we killed of survival techniques because we don't need them any more? Others say something so absurd, but say the other 10% may hold unnatural abilities such as telepathy. If this were true how would one use the other 10% of "supernatural" abilities?

Thank You

Always

Cardinal Raven

Cardinal Raven (talk) 23:58, 18 April 2008 (UTC)Cardinal Raven

Hi. Well, there have been documented cases of hypnosis that works, premonitions, ghosts, levitation, Psycic ability that cannot be explained otherwise, etc, but it's up to you to believe whether or not it's true I guess. Many animals can sense when a tsunami will come, for example, because after the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake they fled uphill, and more humans died in a lot of places than wild animals. Also, we tend to only use a very small part of our brain at any given one time, so that memories and other stuff can be "triggered". Thanks. ~AH1^(TCU) 00:40, 19 April 2008 (UTC)

First there's the brain (the organ) and then there's the Mind to do with thought. What you saw was an urban legend covered here[17] and with other handy links. Saying we only use 10% of our brains implies that there is so much more; but science-wise a lot of the brain is for running the body and processing information. There's a part (Hippocampus?) that is supposedly more primitive and associated with extra abilities, memory and dreaming. In psychology the subconscious mind is related to auto-suggestion, hypnosis, psychic stuff. Psychoanalyst Freud declared dreams the royal road to the unconscious, and with contemporary Carl Jung, saw them as a link between the conscious and unconscious mind. Julia Rossi (talk) 02:24, 19 April 2008 (UTC)

The claim that we only use x% of our brain is a well-travelled urban legend. No scientists claim it, but it's always appearing in fiction, TV programmes and newspapers (much like the silly need-to-drink-8-glasses-of-water-a-day thing). Snopes isn't really authoritative, but you can get a good overview from it here. 79.66.106.188 (talk) 03:47, 19 April 2008 (UTC)

Most "supernatural" abilities violate conservation of energy a priori, so they're unlikely to be real (but then again, they do advertise themselves as not being "natural", i.e. confined by nature, so I guess that should come as no surprise). But no, as they say, we use 100% of our brain. When you take out even little pieces of it, there can be major consequences. --98.217.8.46 (talk) 04:09, 19 April 2008 (UTC)

So how do we explain this[18]? Richard Avery (talk) 06:54, 19 April 2008 (UTC)

Can't remember the name, but early on saw a wiki biography of a man who functioned fully (as a doctor or such?), socially involved, married etc, and it was only at the post-mortem he was found to have a reduced brain that only lined his skull (hydrocephalous?). Can't find the ref either but on google there's the case of a student with 128 iq honors math etc when scanned found to have similar.[19] Gets ewww-ish though. Julia Rossi (talk) 09:32, 19 April 2008 (UTC)

Right, so as we have seen in other contexts, it ain't the size that's important but how you use it. Richard Avery (talk) 10:11, 19 April 2008 (UTC)

Did you read the results section of that article Richard? There are major consequences, just as 98 said. Skittle (talk) 14:33, 19 April 2008 (UTC)

Hmm, I'm not sure I believe it given what has been cited above. But I accept your point. Richard Avery (talk) 14:17, 21 April 2008 (UTC)

April 19

Mysterious blue towers

When I was in Houston Texas some time ago I was looking out my hotel window and saw a mysterious light blue tower in the distance that looked like a giant upside-down golf club. I thought at the time it was something like a promotional statue atop a sporting goods store. Later, driving through the city, I noticed more of them at various places, and realized they weren't really golf-club-shaped, more round, but from my perspective from my hotel room they looked that way. (I wish I'd taken a picture that I could show you, but I didn't.) So, what are those things? Cherry Red Toenails (talk) 00:56, 19 April 2008 (UTC)

Could it have been a water tower? These are ubiquitous in the landscape of low-lying American urban areas such as Houston. Here is a Google Image search showing some typical water towers. Marco polo (talk) 01:46, 19 April 2008 (UTC)

A radar station? Or maybe air traffic control? Look like this?

Nope, it didn't have windows or anything. It definitely looked like a solid blue golf club. I think Marco polo's got it; it was probably a water tower. It looks like one of those pictures on the google search he linked to. Cherry Red Toenails (talk) 02:09, 22 April 2008 (UTC)

Avatars

Inspired by the thread about virtual crime on the Humanities desk, I was wondering if an avatar in a game like World of Warcraft or Second Life is a fictional character. Have there been any legal rulings or anything? Are they an extension of the player or a fictional character or a bit of both? Thanks. Michael Clarke, Esq. (talk) 08:59, 19 April 2008 (UTC)

Last year there was a story in the press about the Belgian police investigating allegations of rape in Second Life [20]. I never heard what happened next, though. 194.171.56.13 (talk) 11:01, 19 April 2008 (UTC)

The police take very seriausly criminal activitie in virtual worlds which obviusly relateed to real world activities.

What are you, 12? Please for the love of god use a bloody spell checker before posting your comments. Jesus. Green t-shirt (talk) 15:22, 21 April 2008 (UTC)

Ham

How long does a cured meat such as ham, kept in the refrigerator, remain edible for? --Richardrj ^{talk email} 10:08, 19 April 2008 (UTC)

In my experience it depends on the quality of the ham. If you buy cheap, poorly cured ham from a supermarket then you can expect it to start 'going off' after a week or two. Dry cured ham from a deli will last maybe a month or six weeks. The long cured hams of continental Europe, jamon iberico, for example, will last for many months, or maybe longer, the temptation never permitted prolonged experimentation! Richard Avery (talk) 10:20, 19 April 2008 (UTC)

http://www.fsis.usda.gov/Factsheets/Ham/index.asp#3 says on dry cured hams that "These uncooked hams are safe stored at room temperature because they contain so little water, bacteria can't multiply in them." Mind you, the stuff costs an arm and a leg, particularly if one is a pig. Try the Naschmarkt or Julius Meinl am Graben (there is a bank on the corner for preprandial withdrawal syndroms). --Cookatoo.ergo.ZooM (talk) 13:36, 19 April 2008 (UTC)

Note that paper thin sliced ham goes bad a lot quicker, due to increased surface area offering more sites for bacteria to go to work. StuRat (talk) 20:58, 19 April 2008 (UTC)

Who and where are Nuni

I have been reading about John Howard Griffin, author of Black Like Me. This biography says that as part of his WWII service he volunteered to be stationed (alone?) on a remote, presumably Pacific, island.

He lived on Nuni, as the natives called it, for a year. His charge was not only to learn the local tongue but to gain the islanders’ trust. To do so, he became one of them: fishing with the men, chewing betel nut, observing tribal customs and ceremonies, and even taking a wife. “They were one of the few truly primitive tribes left in the world,” he later wrote, “in a land where there was no sense of time or goal.” But life there was far from innocent. Behind the apparent languor Griffin discovered a harsh existence where children sometimes perished in brutal rites of initiation.

My Google-fu, as someone else so charmingly dubbed it, appears to be as weak as my wifi signal today. Apparently there is a noni plant, the juice of which is being marketed by e.g. Tahiti and the Cook Islands. This might be a clue via transliteration, or it might be a red herring. Where is Nuni and who were or are the people living there? This is a question worthy of the reference skills of the refdeskers! BrainyBabe (talk) 10:44, 19 April 2008 (UTC)

First result: there is a Nuni in Indonesia. The only hit in Google Maps for "nuni" is "Nuni, Irian Jaya Barat Indonesia", which apparently lies in or near the western end of New Guinea on the Bird's Head Peninsula. I have yet to find "Nuni" on a map. Google shows it inland in "map" mode, but they put it in the water in "satellite" mode. Still looking. --Milkbreath (talk) 11:25, 19 April 2008 (UTC)

Well, this was interesting. After several other ideas failed, I searched on "John Howard Griffin" plus "Pacific". Ironically, the answer — or an answer — turned up (as the 12th hit) on this racist web page that Griffin would no doubt have despised. It says the place was in the Solomon Islands.

Then searching for "Solomon Islands" plus "Nuni" turned up multiple sites, such as this one, which place the island at 6.65°S, 156.5833°E.

However, this doesn't seem to make sense! Those coordinates are on Choiseul Island, just a little inshore near one end of the island. And it's not as if Nuni Island is another name for it, because the same sites also show Choiseul Island by name with different coordinates. So this is still puzzling, and at this point I stop.

--Anonymous, 11:45 UTC, April 19, 2008.

A search of the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency site shows a hit around the same place as Google Maps did, 45° 37’ 50”S, 134° 00’ 03”E [see below]. Those coordinates land us about a mile inland along a river in Google Earth (which, puzzlingly, shows the name "Nuni" in the water nearby but no corresponding island). The site also reports an alternate spelling of "Noeni", which gives a few ghits as if it exists and is indeed Nuni. NGA had one other hit for "Nuni" someplace that couldn't be the one you're after, Russia, I think it was. --Milkbreath (talk) 12:24, 19 April 2008 (UTC)

What?? First, if I type "Nuni" in the search box on the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency page you cited, I get zero hits; it just asks if I meant "Nuri" (which is irrelevant; it's an acronym, not a place name). Second, the position 45°S 134°E is nowhere near New Guinea; it's in an ocean basin (i.e. no islands there) south of Australia!

Since writing the previous posting I have also checked a large world atlas and it shows no place called Nuni. Of course, the original posting did say it was the name "the natives" used, so perhaps Nuni is another name for a place that we could easily look up if we only know what it was called. --Anon, 04:06 UTC, edited 04:09, April 20/08.

Leave it to me to screw that up. The coordinates should be 00° 46' 00" S, 133° 59' 00" E. Sorry, my browser locked up just as I was about to send, and I reported something I had written down but was obviously wrong. I think you have to be registered to use NGA; I got in through a university library. Please believe that I'm only the kind of idiot who can't type coordinates right, not the kind who makes stuff up. There is a Nuni on New Guinea with an alternate spelling "Noeni", and I believe that it must be the place he went. --Milkbreath (talk) 12:57, 20 April 2008 (UTC)

Thank you for looking -- it is still a mystery. I get nothing from the NGIA site either. Nuni is the title of Griffin's 1956 novel, long out of print and not in my local library! Presumably that might have some clues. It is not clear to me how much of Griffin's autobiographical writings were ever published. Does anyone have access to works about him? BrainyBabe (talk) 08:42, 20 April 2008 (UTC)

Griffin's papers are held at the Harry Ransom Humanities Research Center at the University of Texas at Austin [21]. Perhaps they might have some ideas? Rmhermen (talk) 13:33, 20 April 2008 (UTC)

This link takes you into the Geonames search page at NGA. --Milkbreath (talk) 19:32, 20 April 2008 (UTC)

Okay, I was curious enough to go to the library for this. First, none of the big world atlases (Times, National Geographic, Rand McNally) has any listing for "Nuni" or "Noeni". I also tried a couple of big gazetteers with no success. I then turned to literary reference books for anything about Griffin, but I found nothing specific enough to help. Finally I looked up Griffin as a subject in the library catalog and found two relevant hits:

• Scattered Shadows: A Memoir of Blindness and Vision, by Griffin.
• Man in the Mirror: John Howard Griffin and the story of BLACK LIKE ME by Robert Bonazzi, ISBN 1-57075-118-8.

The first book wasn't at my local branch, but the second one was. It does not give any name for the island in question, but describes it simply as "a remote island in the Solomon chain" and says he had dealings with "Vutha, grand chief of the Solomons". That would seem to conclusively rule out any location in New Guinea, at any rate.

Bonazzi's book also refers to Griffin having to learn "the Floridian dialect" for this mission. Obviously this does not refer to Florida, but it's not clear to me what it does refer to. Ethnologue.com has no listing for any language or dialect with that name or for any language starting with "Flor". (It does have a listing for a pair of languages called "Nuni", by the way, but they're used in West Africa and again clearly irrelevant.)

The attack that led to Griffin's blindness did not take place on Nuni but at his next assigned posting, Morotai. But it seems likely that Scattered Shadows would talk about his life before Morotai, and would therefore be the best place to find an answer to tihs question. The other possibility is the novel Nuni if it includes any information relating to the real-life island. It's not in my library either. --Anonymous, 22:50 UTC, April 20/08.

I'm trying to order a copy of Nuni through interlibrary loan. This one tasks me, and I will have it. Yup, it looks bad for New Guinea. --Milkbreath (talk) 22:00, 20 April 2008 (UTC)

(EC) O worthy refdeskers! O hard-working Anonymous! Truly I am impressed at how fast the horse can gallop once the bit is between his teeth! I am the small apprentice jockey crouched atop, who realises that she cannot control her mount, but O the view!

I think we may be more than half-way there. I can see the Google Earth co-ordinates on the coast of New Guinea, though no settlement. The link provided to NGIA says "your session has timed out". How annoying that Bonazzi's biography doesn't name the island! Is any other noble and intrepid refdesker inspired to go to their library for Nuni or Scattered Shadows? If I have to settle for just somewhere in the Solomons, I will, but so far the response has been really good, THANK YOU, so perhaps my luck will hold. We like a challenge, don't we? And we all like being patted on the back. Right, let's form a circle and start massaging each others' shoulders.... BrainyBabe (talk) 22:09, 20 April 2008 (UTC)

"Floridian language" could refer to one of the languages of Flores Island. Corvus cornix_talk 22:52, 20 April 2008 (UTC)

Unwilling to watch a horserace pass by without joining in, I, too, have visited my local library, which has an extensive collection of books on the history and geography of Pacific Islands. Far too many to read, but I checked the indexes on each and every one: no Nuni. Retiring to the World War II section, I then skimmed through various tomes describing the Pacific War. No joy. I even tried the children's section: plenty of books on the Solomon Islands (and so forth), but not one even mentions Nuni in passing. However, since the Solomons have over 100 languages/dialects, it is quite possible Nuni is the local name for an island we know by another name. The novel Nuni is probably the best bet. Gievn a few days, I may be able to access Scattered Shadows, if no one else can. Gwinva (talk) 00:07, 21 April 2008 (UTC)

Dilated eyes

Please do not post medical questions on the reference desk. They are not allowed. If you are asking about health effects, it is a medical question. --Anon, 11:50 UTC, April 19, 2008.

We do not give medical advice. Information, on the other hand. 81.93.102.185 (talk) 15:54, 19 April 2008 (UTC)

Life Comes to Mind

This question has been asked and made a theory before. But it still has me wondering. Wondering and wondering. I was playing Sims and Urbz recently when a matter came to me. Could all life be like the Sims? Our world is a world created by a player. What we do and what comes to mind is what the player tells us to do? The player laughs at us when we talk in our "sim" language, laughs as we dance "simly", and freaks out because our bladder is going to explode. A world where death is not really death were are merely deleted for pleasure or die of old age only to be recreated. Could this be possible? The world is just a virtual reality created by a player. The catch would be the players world would also be just a simulated world with another player. It just keeps going and going. There is really no god, but a creator creating for their entertainment.

Always

Cardinal Raven

Cardinal Raven (talk) 21:44, 19 April 2008 (UTC)Cardinal Raven

See Nick Bostrom / simulism et al.

On a tangent, some religions hold that humans are a creation of some master player. --Cookatoo.ergo.ZooM (talk) 22:17, 19 April 2008 (UTC)

Something like that in The Truman Show. Julia Rossi (talk) 01:55, 20 April 2008 (UTC)

I think you've been playing Sims too long. Take a break :) 79.66.99.37 (talk) 12:11, 20 April 2008 (UTC)

Please also see brains in vats, solipsism. There are numerous fiction takes on this theme, such as The Truman Show, Piers Anthony's novel, Race Against Time and others.--Fuhghettaboutit (talk) 12:29, 20 April 2008 (UTC)

See the film The Thirteenth Floor and the book it was based on, Simulacron 3. Corvus cornix_talk 21:37, 20 April 2008 (UTC)

Surprised no one mentioned The Matrix. Astronaut (talk) 22:23, 20 April 2008 (UTC)

I'm disappointed that the creators of The Sims didn't think about this and made it possible for one's sims to play The Sims on their computers as well. But the thing is, if you play The Sims 2 you will notice that the Sims are somewhat aware of their condition. Sometimes they look straight at you when you order them to do something they don't want to do. They also look at you when they are deprived of something and "ask" you to give it to them.206.252.74.48 (talk) 13:47, 21 April 2008 (UTC)

April 20

The Twelve Dimensions

If possible I would like to learn the dimensions 6-12. I'm pretty sure #1 is a line, #2 is a flat square, #3 is the square, #4 is time, and #2 is a Tesseract.

The other dimensions, as postulated by string theory, are pretty boring compared to the 3 spatial+1 time dimensions. They are just tiny ways in which string theory says the world had to be bound up at the tiniest scales—it's like a rough texture that makes of the fabric of the world on a very tiny scale, like all the different tiny hairs in a rug (though this is a very imperfect analogy). You know that #1 dimension you mention, the "line"—well imagine that if you looked at it REALLY closely, that it actually was not just a line but had tiny little dimensions in it that made up the line dimension. That's sort of what string theory says the other dimensions are like. Personally I find them boring from a popularization point of view—the idea of time as the fourth dimension is still way more interesting, IMO. See String_theory#Extra_dimensions for some more technical discussion. --Captain Ref Desk (talk) 00:22, 20 April 2008 (UTC)

Try watching the video here: http://www.tenthdimension.com/medialinks.php . Can't vouch for its accuracy etc, but seems interesting. 81.187.153.189 (talk) 01:27, 20 April 2008 (UTC)

There seems to be a bit of confusion in your question. A line is not a dimension, it is a one-dimensional object. A square is a two-dimensional object, a cube is a three-dimensional object. There are other 2 and 3 dimensional objects, such as ovals, triangles, spheres. When people talk about space-time they tend to add time as a 4th dimension on top of the 3 dimensions of space. When people talk about tesseracts, they imagine them in 4 dimensions in the same way that a cube is in 3 dimensions; time doesn't feature as a dimension in these imaginings. There is no order of dimensions. A dimension is just sort-of a direction things can exist in. Further dimensions may well exist, but they aren't numbered in an agreed-upon manner. You might find dimension a useful read. 79.66.99.37 (talk) 12:09, 20 April 2008 (UTC)

Also keep in mind that a time dimension doesn't behave the same as a space dimension, which is why physicists usually refer to spacetime as being 3+1 dimensional rather than 4 dimensional. --Carnildo (talk) 22:22, 21 April 2008 (UTC)

Shepherd's pie

I had a shepherd's pie today and its mashed potato top solidified after it had cooled. Does mashed potato do that (you can tell I know little about cooking)? Imagine Reason (talk) 01:29, 20 April 2008 (UTC)

Yep that's normal. Dismas|^(talk) 01:52, 20 April 2008 (UTC)

It's water content dries out due to the room ambient temperature and the heat of the filling below the spud topping.92.9.53.225 (talk) 08:36, 20 April 2008 (UTC)

I put butter in my mash so mine would solidify, butter being a fat.hotclaws 13:01, 20 April 2008 (UTC)

I had a quorn cottage pie. when the mash goes dry, mix it up wive the gravy and mean underneeth to get it nice again.

I vote this a yummy thread. Julia Rossi (talk) 05:04, 22 April 2008 (UTC)

The Pope

What languages does the pope speak and which is his native one and which is the one he talks to people with informally?

According to Pope Benedict XVI:

As well as his native German, Benedict XVI fluently speaks Italian, French, English, Spanish and Latin, and has a knowledge of Portuguese. He can read Ancient Greek and biblical Hebrew.[3] He has stated that his first foreign language is French.

One would assume that he speaks informally in whatever language he and his guests have in common. ៛ Bielle (talk) 02:39, 20 April 2008 (UTC)

Charles V is supposed to have said "I speak Spanish to God, Italian to Women, French to Men, and German to my Horse." [22] BrainyBabe (talk) 08:26, 20 April 2008 (UTC)

House style

What style is this house? A relative is moving into it and he's trying to figure it out. I think it has Craftsman or Mission influences. Any help is appreciated! --NellieBly (talk) 04:30, 20 April 2008 (UTC)

My first thought was that it has Arts and Crafts influences. It lacks the distinctive features of the Mission styles (Mission Revival and Spanish Revival): low pitched roofs, clay tiles, terracotta colours, arches and so forth. Gwinva (talk) 05:26, 20 April 2008 (UTC)

Thank you, I wasn't sure about that. You'd think it was just an unusual iconoclastic house, but there are thousands of houses similar to this all over Western Canada. They don't seem to fit any of the common American architectural styles, possibly because they aren't American. They seem to have been put up from about 1925 to 1930, during a flurry of immigration from Europe. --NellieBly (talk) 05:39, 20 April 2008 (UTC)

I'd say its English Cottage but the styles name varies depending where you are in the world. It is a style that developed in the early 20th century and boomed after the First World War and can be seen in vast swathes of suburban development round the world. It's a developer / builder style that is influenced by a picturesque romanticism derived from Arts and Crafts and Garden City planning / landscaping but characterised by small houses with a couple of architectural features. It was also largely used by councils in estates or governments in state housing. We don't seem to have an article which is surprising, perhaps because it has many names that are variations on English / Cottage / Garden , or because its not a "high" style. That is it tended to be done by anonymous designers working for builders / councils, rather than name architects Mhicaoidh (talk) 09:25, 20 April 2008 (UTC)

Food Ingredients.....Clean Product??

What is the true definitin of the term used in the Bakery Industry when they say this is "Clean Product". i.e. The cake line is clean.÷←→§

From what country and who specifically (bakers, retailers, customers, journalists) is using the term? The meaning differs from country to country and from user to user: there is NO agreed-upon international meaning. It may mean that the product is safe to eat, it may mean that it's produced under reliable kosher certification, it may mean that it's environmentally sound, or it may mean that it's free of traces of the most common allergens. It may even mean something else. But there's no way to know which of these definitions are correct without specifics. --NellieBly (talk) 05:12, 20 April 2008 (UTC)

I've also seen "clean" used in an artistic sense to mean "simple". So, perhaps a cake with smooth frosting and a single rose might be "clean", while one covered from top to bottom with decorations would not be. StuRat (talk) 13:30, 20 April 2008 (UTC)

Maybe clean goes with food more postiively than "green"? I found among google hits[23] a suggestion that it means a product that hasn't been manipulated (handled?) much. Julia Rossi (talk) 09:15, 21 April 2008 (UTC)

Pascal's Wager vs. the Problem of Hell

No offence to Julia Rossi but I honestly think you will get a better response if you post your question on the Humanities Desk, 202.7.166.174.

Cool. Let's take it there. Julia Rossi (talk) 12:59, 20 April 2008 (UTC) <moved>

China's arms

How good are governmental communications in China ? sending weapons to Zimbabwe at this point in time seems kinda ... weird . Why did South Africa not take in the arms ? A destinationless ship full of weapons floating off the coast of Africa doesn't seem wise either - at least the Saffas would have had some control over a docked shipment ? Boomshanka (talk) 05:55, 20 April 2008 (UTC)

Just hope that the pirates don't get the ship, there is plenty about these days.--Artjo (talk) 10:18, 20 April 2008 (UTC)

China appears to be trying to foster "friendships" with genocidal nations around the world, such as Sudan, which is killing off it's people in Darfur, and Burma/Myanmar, which is killing off ethnic minorites and protesters, including Buddhist monks. This, along with their own suppression of Tibet, are reasons for the protests against China hosting the Olympics, and calls for civilized nations to boycott those Olympics. Perhaps China's goal is to get the world to accept doing "business as usual" with genocidal regimes, so China will be allowed to commit genocide against Tibetans, and, after they invade Taiwan, against the Taiwanese, without any repurcusions. StuRat (talk) 13:22, 20 April 2008 (UTC)

Upwards?

Is there something in it that each day this and all other questions posted today will rise up towards the rules on top of this page until they, just before reaching the top, get archived to make room for new questions? --84.251.6.195 (talk) 10:38, 20 April 2008 (UTC)

I'm not sure quite what you are asking, but yes, that is the normal procedure.--Shantavira|^{feed me} 12:05, 20 April 2008 (UTC)

This happens because new questions are added at the bottom and old ones are archived from the top, one day at a time. The result is that each question moves upward until it is archived. StuRat (talk) 13:00, 20 April 2008 (UTC)

I always thought that the questions gradually absorbed the ineffability of Wikipedia by osmosis and rose towards Heaven. Clarityfiend (talk) 16:19, 20 April 2008 (UTC)

Gravity sucks this way and osmosis sucks that way. The succulence of the WP:RD, however, is its delectable multidimensionality in lateral dimesions. --Cookatoo.ergo.ZooM (talk) 22:00, 20 April 2008 (UTC)

Nothing sucks like an Electrolux. BrainyBabe (talk) 22:15, 20 April 2008 (UTC)

Nothing shocks like an Electrolux either. 206.252.74.48 (talk) 13:45, 21 April 2008 (UTC)

There is a high concentration of crap in the ref desks. Hopfully it wont diffus into the rest of wikipedia... Prehaps the OP is axing what causes the questions to muve up. Currontly it is done by a bot (automatted computer script) called Scsbot

rights to a timeshare deed

four years ago, my then partner and myself, whilst holidaying in america, entered into a timeshare agreement , on a property in florida, shortly after signing the relevent documentation , my partner and i ended our relationship. we sold , as we thought the property under a cashback arrangemnt, due to mature after 5years, handed over more monies , and thus continued with our separate lives , at different intervals , bills kept dropping through my door in england , for the maintanence fees on the property , but as we were of the impression that the property no longer belonged to us , we subsiquently ignored them , my mistake at this time aws to trust my ex partner by , one sending her the bulk of any correspondence , and two believing her when she said she was dealing with it. three weeks ago , a letter arrived at my home , telling me that court proceeings were iminent due to these ever increasind fees , and thus my question transpires, on contacting my ex , she refuses to speak to me , and after a week , i contacted florida, they have informed me that she has contacted them , via a lawyer and has agrred to pay the fees owing , has instructed them to draw up new deeds with only her name on them, and thus be sole owner of the property, florida is happy to do this , can they do this without my signiture, dated as now, as i feel that as i paid half the deposit she owes me monies, minus obviously , the outstanding arrears, this all seems to be happening very quickly and i feel helpless , not being familiar with your laws, any help and advise much appreciated. thanks

We can't give legal advice as per the disclaimer at the top of the page because we aren't professionals, but I'd say you really do need a professional to give you an hour of their time at least to point you in the right direction and how to go about sorting the mess. If where you are in the UK there's a free legal advice hotline or community lawyers you could get initial guidance from them. You could at least ask them what questions you need to have ready when you see a lawyer who charges for their time – to keep things tight. All the best with your situation, Julia Rossi (talk) 12:27, 20 April 2008 (UTC)

phenomenon/energy

We have been experiencing problems in our house, our dog is disturbed by the presence of something in the kitchen. It is always in the same place and does not move around. My mothers dog also reacts in the same way and is obviously frightened by something. I dont think it is a ghost, but more like an energy, as it is always there. Do you know if there is anyone who investigates phenomenom such as this? We have had dowsers investigate and they have found 2 ley lines and a meridian line as well as many other things which they say they have put right, but the problem still remains. Our house stands on the site of an old priory and our kitchen is right where the chaple once stood andI think this may have some connection. We would be extremely grateful for any information as such things are not easily available. Noni46 (talk) 13:50, 20 April 2008 (UTC)

I know a shaman in Congo. Want me to give him your number? Imagine Reason (talk) 14:42, 20 April 2008 (UTC)

Before you start investigating the possibility of some supernatural explanation, I suggest you investigate the possibility of a rather natural explanation that you've missed (e.g. high pitched sound that you can't hear but the dogs can; some odd smell or vibration at that point). Additionally, you may be interested to know that a 'meridian line' is simply any line dividing a sphere into two hemispheres (i.e. any line of longitude at all defines half of one meridian). Angus Lepper^{(T, C, D)} 15:25, 20 April 2008 (UTC)

Similarly, maybe you have mice or squirrels or whatever the local pests are in your area, and your dog is reacting in this place because this is where they've nested or something like that. Alternatively, there's a draft at floor level or something of that kind. --Anon, 19:27 UTC, April 20/08.

Try not to automatically jump into superstition and magic. There is always, always, a scientific explanation for inexplicable phenomena. Kironide (talk) 16:50, 20 April 2008 (UTC)

Hmm ... yes, but sometimes those explanations prove to be very wide of the mark. I'm not suggesting there's anything magic going in here, but when a scientist says "it must be because ...." he or she is just as prone to error as anyone else. -- JackofOz (talk) 03:53, 21 April 2008 (UTC)

That's bad thinking. Since there hasn't been any evidence of the paranormal, ever, a scientist who proposes an alternate, natural explanation has a much better chances of getting it right. We can't disprove entirely that it isn't something supernatural\magic, sure, but that doesn't mean it has the exact same probability as something else. It is similar to the statement that an asteroid has 50% chance of hitting us, because it either hits or misses.

But if what you mean is that "scientists can get it wrong too", then yeah, no questions about that. It's still a better option than a psychic. — Kieff | Talk 04:02, 21 April 2008 (UTC)

Of course, the proper rejoinder to that is that something which is currently outside of the bounds of what is considered science might tomorrow be within the bounds of it. Newton was accused, as you might know, of postulating gravity as an occult (hidden, non-natural) force originally; the idea that you could have some sort of unexplained force governing the universe was thought by many philosophers and scientists of his day to be totally unscientific, even if the equations did seem to work out. Of course it would not be until centuries later that Einstein would give something of a real physical explanation to what gravity truly is. That being said, supernatural explanations are almost certainly unfalsifiable; even a vague or incorrect scientific hypothesis can be ruled out or for one way or another, which makes it immediately more useful, if not necessarily correct. --Captain Ref Desk (talk) 13:31, 21 April 2008 (UTC)

But something that has been 'known' for ages but is showing no sign of ever being specific or well defined seems, to me, to be very unlikely to ever be considered part of scientific understanding. You mention that gravity was once mysterious and incredible, but it was also very well defined, testable, and falsifiable. Generally when someone resorts to "Science doesn't know everything!" arguments they are positing something that is neither well defined, testable, or falsifiable. APL (talk) 14:26, 21 April 2008 (UTC)

Maybe so, but a lot of what actually goes on in the universe happens to be in this category. Science is great for explaining things that are ultimately explainable - but that isn't everything. This isn't the place to go into this question deeply, but I can't let the assertion that "there hasn't been any evidence of the paranormal, ever" go without comment. There's a huge literature on the subject; some of it is utter crap, admittedly - but some of it isn't. Also, I don't believe it's bad thinking to keep an open mind about things, and to question categorical statements from figures in authority. History is on my side. Maybe it's bad thinking from a scientist's point of view to believe that science doesn't always ultimately have the answers, but they would say that. I'm no scientist, so I'm not bound by their rules. -- JackofOz (talk) 14:36, 21 April 2008 (UTC)

Perhaps, but the Newton and gravity example does not at all illustrate the point that "History is on [your] side." Newton's Theory of Gravity started out as a Scientific theory, and later became accepted as accurate. (Unless you can point to a Theory of Ghosts or a Theory of Occult Energy that is a predictive, falsifiable, and mathematically complete explanation of the phenomena under discussion.) APL (talk) 14:47, 21 April 2008 (UTC)

Those were Captain Ref Desk's points, not mine. I've already said that I'm not suggesting anything unexplainable is happening in Noni46's house (just what it is, though, I have no idea). I've been focussing on Kironide's assertion above, which has somewhat diverted us from the topic at hand. -- JackofOz (talk) 14:57, 21 April 2008 (UTC)

Oh, you're right. I got confused about who said what. Sorry about that. APL (talk) 15:25, 21 April 2008 (UTC)

"...more like an energy..." - you're right, there's usually a lot of energy in kitchens. In most places it's normal to have more power sockets in the kitchen, so you have a lot of electrical energy available. There's probably a gas supply (even if your current cooker's electrical) - lots of energy in gas. Those are the obvious sources, but I can think of a few more - there's typically a greater density of furniture in a kitchen (all those cupboards) which would release energy if burnt. If you have "eye level" cupboards with heavy stuff in (plates etc) that's gravitational potential energy right there. I would suggest that only an unusually intelligent and scientifically-minded dog would be aware of all this, though, so the explanations given by others above are probably a better place to start than "energies".

It doesn't sound like you have a problem; it sounds like there's a place in your kitchen that dogs dislike. If my dog stopped following me into the kitchen, hoping I would give her some food, I would consider it a blessing -- I have a small kitchen and a hyper dog. In my experience, what troubles a dog most is food that it cannot obtain. That particular spot in your kitchen may be close enough for the dog to smell some food that it cannot access -- be it crumbs hidden under the fridge, cookies in a jar on the counter, or dog biscuits behind the pantry door. There might be small cracks in the refrigerator door seal, and a tiny draft might be blowing right to that spot, so your dog can SMELL ham, but can't find it anywhere. Conversely, there may be invisible goblins that are about to jump on you and eat you. However, until something more concrete than an upset dog manifests, you are probably just borrowing trouble. Faithfully, Deltopia (talk) 14:07, 21 April 2008 (UTC)

I would suggest that if there isn't a smell or a high pitched noise (Possibly from the fridge) that is bothering the dogs, then they could be simply reacting to the fact you are expecting them to act in a particular way and that in and of itself is making them nervous. You're obviously pretty worried about this, and dogs are often sensitive to that sort of thing. APL (talk) 14:26, 21 April 2008 (UTC)

Interestingly enough, The Straight Dope recently talked about infrasound possibly being a reason for paranormal feelings in an area [24]. If it's just the dog noticing it, it could be ultrasound too.-- 128.104.112.85 (talk) 22:34, 21 April 2008 (UTC)

Bear arms

Where can I buy some bear arms?

As in weponds or animals? please clarifi.

It all depends on if you have the rights to Boomshanka (talk)

Maybe they're looking for this. Dismas|^(talk) 21:52, 20 April 2008 (UTC)

Or maybe he's looking for one of these. Useight (talk) 04:06, 21 April 2008 (UTC)

You shouldn't need to buy anything that is yours by right.--Shantavira|^{feed me} 08:17, 21 April 2008 (UTC)

"Right two bear arms" is obviously an error anyway. There should be a left one and a right one. APL (talk) 14:09, 21 April 2008 (UTC)

Perhaps the bear had a Parasitic twin from earliest infantry infancy. Edison (talk) 19:00, 21 April 2008 (UTC)

Where can one buy Noxon in Canada?

Hi all, I'm wondering where one could find a retail outlet that sells Noxon 7 metal polish in Canada? I've tried a couple of my local hardware stores with no luck, does anyone know of a chain that carries it? I live in Vancouver, BC, so if anyone knows an independent store in the area that carries it that would be great too. Thanks, -24.82.140.138 (talk) 21:15, 20 April 2008 (UTC)

P.S. I'm not looking to purchase it online, as the shipping will likely cost significantly more than the Noxon itself. I have found a few online sources though if all else fails.

Video Game Script

Hi. I was playing The Godfather: The Game earlier today, and there was a quote that i really enjoyed listening to. It was quite lengthy, however, and I can only remember a bit of it (it was when the player character is made a Soldier, and Vito Corleone talks about the ruffians of the world and how they are asking to be killed). This made me wonder: is there a website out there with a comprehensive listing of video game scripts? Obviously, I'd prefer the script for the Godfather Game, but a site like that could be useful. Thanks. 70.105.164.43 (talk) 23:01, 20 April 2008 (UTC)

Was it this?

"There are people in this world who go about demanding to be killed. You must have noticed them. They quarrel in gambling games. They jump out of their automobiles in a rage. They humiliate and bully people whose capabilities they do not know. These are people who wander through the world shouting, "kill me". And there's always someone ready to oblige to them."

If so, I found that on IMDB. Digger3000 (talk) 01:32, 21 April 2008 (UTC)

April 21

Pritam's Birthdate

I have read an article about Pritam (Indian composer), but it does not include Pritam's Birthdate. Please mention it.

Hardikfaldu (talk) 03:11, 21 April 2008 (UTC)

The article Pritam needs a lot of work, so if you know his birthdate and can reference any information you bring to it, feel free to edit. Julia Rossi (talk) 09:11, 21 April 2008 (UTC)

Can I sale my blurtit account?

[25] Is link to my blurtit profile....Now I want to sale it to someone by putting it for sale online....can anyone help me in this regard....you may get doubt that nobody will buy this as the registration in that site is free...but i had answer for that too....one can register easily in that....but how he can get such a huge 3359 points at the time of entrance itself....As far as photo is concerned, he can change it to his wish.....so plz help me how to put on sale & where! Temuzion (talk) 09:33, 21 April 2008 (UTC)

We had this question on April 9. Click here for the thread[26]. Julia Rossi (talk) 11:35, 21 April 2008 (UTC)

I don't understand. Why would you want to blur... Oh! Blurt!! I get it now.... Dismas|^(talk) 12:52, 21 April 2008 (UTC)

Haha :-) It mentioned me infamous "penisland.com" domain name. 89.236.214.174 (talk) 14:29, 21 April 2008 (UTC)

I don't get it, what is infamous about "pen island"? 206.252.74.48 (talk) 16:41, 21 April 2008 (UTC)

Good God, I didn't think to move the t to the left of the space! I assumed it was named for some imaginary bird, possibly one that was very fast. 79.66.99.37 (talk) 20:24, 21 April 2008 (UTC)

Infact...nobody answered me straightly...I didn't got the proper answer. I thought u'll be helpfull to me in selling my accounts! But u did not answered upto the mark...sorry to be so harsh but it's true...! Still if u want to give me a proper guidance plz.....carry on....otherwise let me do it my own Temuzion (talk) 03:27, 22 April 2008 (UTC)

I'm having trouble with my drug supplier.

This is not - NOT - looking for medical advice. My family doctor prescribed for me nasal drops containing betamethasone sodium phosphate. When I went to the pharmacy last January they told me that it was temporarily out of stock and to call back next week. When I did they told me that it would not be available from the manufacturers until mid-April. Now the story is ". . . another couple of weeks." What is going on. Does anybody amongst our illustrious readership have any inside info on this situation? For the caring ones who think about these things - I am presently using a different drug as a spray but with inferior results. Richard Avery (talk) 14:13, 21 April 2008 (UTC)

Maybe a silly question, but have you tried a different pharmacy? Maybe an entirely different chain, in case they have different suppliers? Friday (talk) 14:17, 21 April 2008 (UTC)

My God, were you stood there watching me type!! Yes, I have, good ol' Boots who tell me this supplier is the only one. Richard Avery (talk) 14:19, 21 April 2008 (UTC)

Its hey faver season so many people want it and supply runs low. it is for sniffy nose? I hasd a friedn who used a sprey from a little bottle from the chemest. now they use tablets called cetirizine witch do the trick. one a day.

"Subject to a manufacturing delay" according to this online catalogue too. William Avery (talk) 19:00, 21 April 2008 (UTC)

If it's a prescription drug I would expect that either your pharmacist or your doctor could recommend an alternative. And I would really take their advice over anyone on the internet. DJ Clayworth (talk) 20:21, 21 April 2008 (UTC)

I understand your concern DJC, I'm not looking for a supply, I am curious to know the cause of the delay in manufacturing of such a widely used drug. Richard Avery (talk) 21:42, 21 April 2008 (UTC)

It says here "Often the true cause of a shortage is unknown, because the manufacturer will not provide the reason." William Avery (talk) 07:34, 22 April 2008 (UTC)

Camel cigarettes

I smoke and like Camel, but it's quite hard to find these cigarettes for me. So the question: what other blends of cigarettes have exactly or approximately the same taste and strength as Camel (in hard yellow packs)? 89.236.214.174 (talk) 14:36, 21 April 2008 (UTC)

texan and lucky strike are similar. enjoy.

Where are you? I'd assume the Uk because Camels are pretty common in the US. Lucky strike taste nothing like Camels. Whenever I can't get camels I buy Marlboro Red, but they're not that similar. However, they're the closest I've found in the UK. Most supermarkets sell Camel filters though. Good luck Michael Clarke, Esq. (talk) 15:12, 21 April 2008 (UTC)

Professional wrestling

When did pro wrestling become staged? I've been reading a few articles here on the subject, but it's not exactly clear, it seems by the beginning of the TV age it was fake, but it seems around 1900, as with this guy, it was real. zafiroblue05 | Talk 15:09, 21 April 2008 (UTC)

It probobly started when poor people needed to earn money and the rich were wiilling to pay too see them do all kinds of weird things. Back them days it might have been real. The Wrestling page has a nice history bit witch should exapine it.

My great uncle was a wrestling referee in the 1940/50s in the UK, and apparently the fights then were fixed, although not staged to such an extent as they are now - just the result and a few moves would be decided in advance. Warofdreams talk 01:36, 22 April 2008 (UTC)

Supreme Being?

I am not actively religious - I was brought up in my parents' religion but soon opted out because I didn't believe a lot of what I was told was "true" - there didn't seem to be sufficient proof to convince me I should have "blind faith". So as I watch the world through weary eyes, and listen to all the competing faiths insist that their God is the only true God, with some such as Islam finding it pleasing to Allah to slaughter non-believers, why are the leaders and adherents of these faiths not even a bit doubtful of the "all powerful" Gods they worship if those Gods can't achieve their objectives without the assistance of humankind? Strange to me that intelligent and educated people will accept the existence of an "all-powerful" God whilst believing avidly in that God's need for his human creations/creatures to carry out his/her/its will - as though he/she/it couldn't merely think it to have it so.92.9.140.220 (talk) 18:08, 21 April 2008 (UTC)

This sounds like a discussion that's more appropriate for a discussion forum like Craigslist's.[27] Imagine Reason (talk) 18:15, 21 April 2008 (UTC)

The article on Atheism deals with many such arguments and is worth a read if this is your area of interest. Fribbler (talk) 23:05, 21 April 2008 (UTC)

Worker data

How many US workers make between 75K and 150K?

How many US workers are thinking about quitting their jobs right now?

1. I am. Edison (talk) 18:57, 21 April 2008 (UTC)

How many US workers are in the first five years of their career? —Preceding unsigned comment added by Wikijane13 (talk • contribs) 18:08, 21 April 2008 (UTC)

You can get census data on worker incomes in several ways here; the best bet for overall data may be this one. -- Coneslayer (talk) 19:26, 21 April 2008 (UTC)

Crocodile eggs - the hatching of

Question my daughter had for her homework to do with mammals, reptiles etc. 'Crocodiles use an ----o-- to hatch out of their shell" The missing word has 8 letters , the fifth one is an o. We've looked up in her ref books and are at a loss. Can you tell us what the word is.196.208.0.10 (talk) 20:00, 21 April 2008 (UTC)

I think it's actually two words - 3 letters and 5 letters. The first word starts with "e", the second word starts with "t"; so it's e-- to---. Gandalf61 (talk) 20:13, 21 April 2008 (UTC)

Merriam-Webster lists it as a single word, as a variant to the standard two words. Wiktionary doesn't. jeffjon (talk) 20:49, 21 April 2008 (UTC)

I believe the answer you're looking for is "egg tooth". --Candy-Panda (talk) 04:13, 22 April 2008 (UTC)

..and we even have an article on the handy egg tooth.--Shantavira|^{feed me} 08:41, 22 April 2008 (UTC)

..and we now have a redirect at eggtooth. Dismas|^(talk) 08:51, 22 April 2008 (UTC)

Summer Coats

Is there a special name for a full-length coat that isn't made of thick or padded material? Finding one of these to ponce about in during the summer is proving troublesome. FreeMorpheme (talk) 21:07, 21 April 2008 (UTC)

Something like a Duster? SaundersW (talk) 21:38, 21 April 2008 (UTC)

That's the conclusion I am coming too as well, although everywhere on the net that sells these is either a goth site or a cowboy site. Or a fancy dress site selling goth and cowboy costumes. Hmmmm. FreeMorpheme (talk) 21:45, 21 April 2008 (UTC)

Driza-Bone? in Ozacorss. Julia Rossi (talk) 02:08, 22 April 2008 (UTC)

Name these guns

The new BF:BC website [28] on how to unlock special guns is out now, and I'm just curious to see what they are. They only have the silhouettes. My guesses: 1-? 2-M60 3-F2000 ironsights? 4-Uzi (suppressed) 5-? 24.6.46.92 (talk) 22:23, 21 April 2008 (UTC)

April 22

God and Logic

Last time, when I asked about whether the omnipotence of God means that he can do anything logically impossible as well as anything physically impossible, some people responded by saying that God created logic.

I don’t understand! What do you mean by that? Logic has always existed before in the past and always will exist in the future! Logic exists eternally. LOGIC ALWAYS WAS, IS, AND WILL BE! One plus one has always equalled two in the past and always will equal two in the future. The three angles of a triangle have always equalled 180° in the past and always will equal 180° in the future.

Logic is eternal, absolute, immutable, and infinitely old. Logic has no beginning and no end. Logic has no reason and no cause for its existence. Because logic doesn’t have a beginning, it doesn’t have a cause, it doesn’t need to have a cause, and it can’t have a cause for its existence. If something doesn’t have a beginning, it doesn’t have a cause, it doesn’t need to have a cause, and it can’t have a cause for its existence. It is impossible for logic to have a beginning or a cause. If logic was created that means that it must have a beginning. If logic had a beginning, that means that there was a time when logic did not exist. It is impossible for logic to not exist.

If logic did not exist before God created it, then does that mean that one plus one did not equal two and the three angles of a triangle did not equal 180° when logic did not exist? If so, then what did they equal?

If God created logic, then when did God create logic? On which day of the six days of creation did God create logic?

Where in the Bible did it say that God created logic, or that logic was created by God?

The late, great Douglas Adams touched on this in a sort of coda to one of his books, I can't remember which one. He could never trust anyone so sure of his facts. A child's sense of wonder is required for faith and science alike. --Milkbreath (talk) 01:31, 22 April 2008 (UTC)

"Logic has always existed before in the past and always will exist in the future! Logic exists eternally. LOGIC ALWAYS WAS, IS, AND WILL BE!"

What makes you say that? What reason do you have for thinking it? 79.66.99.37 (talk) 01:59, 22 April 2008 (UTC)

It's entirely possible to postulate a completelynon-euclidian universe. If a god exists, I don't know of any reason to presume that he doesn't inhabit such a space. It's a bit harder to imagine and describe a universe where causality and logic work differently, but I'll bet it's possible.APL (talk) 02:02, 22 April 2008 (UTC)

Well, to answer/ avoid your questions, there's an ancient philosophical tradition, reaching from the ancient Greeks, through Christianity ("in the beginning was the word...") down to Hegel and some of his followers that identifies Logic and God. (For Hegel, logic was God the father, the philosophy of nature was Christ crucified and the philosophy of mind/spirit (Geist) was the Holy Spirit.) One can compare the Tao in Chinese philosophy. See our article on Logos for some help.John Z (talk) 03:01, 22 April 2008 (UTC)

And remember, the angles of a triangle don't always make 180 degrees. FreeMorpheme (talk) 07:12, 22 April 2008 (UTC)

Sadly, what you have to say is illogicalhotclaws 08:02, 22 April 2008 (UTC)

For the sake of argument, I'm going to assume that there is a god. As far as when logic began and so forth, one could argue that logic was created at the same time as this god was creating the universe. He was setting up his universe and by doing that, setting up logic as well. Now, if the universe was ever-changing due to this god changing the universe on a whim, then the logic of the universe would have to change with it. Dismas|^(talk) 09:30, 22 April 2008 (UTC)

Does the Bible say God can do the logically impossible? Yes or no? —Preceding unsigned comment added by Bowei Huang (talk • contribs) 10:09, 22 April 2008 (UTC)

The world is less logical than you might think. Physics provides wonderful examples of this. Triangles can easily be more than 180º if they are inscribed in a curved geometry rather than a flat one; causality has limited meaning in the quantum realm, where things can and do happen without antecedent; light can be both a wave and a particle at the same time, even though these things are mutually exclusive terms. I'm not sure it is, err, logical to think something as apparently outside of space and time as the concept of God should be any more bound to logic than an electron. The essential philosophical core of the Copenhagen interpretation of quantum mechanics is that ways of thinking that are perfectly valid at "human" scales are not valid at quantum scales—where would you put the "God" scale in this equivalent, that being that supposedly existed before space and time itself? (I don't believe in God myself, I might add, but I find these sorts of arguments against His existence to be flip and not well thought out. I think there are better and more straightforward reasons to suspect that the specific human ideas about Gods are, well, human in origin.) --Captain Ref Desk (talk) 14:45, 22 April 2008 (UTC)

Sick animals in vietnam

Why were there so many sick animals in vietnam? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 96.227.100.242 (talk) 00:57, 22 April 2008 (UTC)

When? Are you referring to some notable time period? Dismas|^(talk) 02:09, 22 April 2008 (UTC)

Agent Orange  ? hotclaws 08:02, 22 April 2008 (UTC)

Slam Poetry Topic

Hello, my school is doing a slam poetry competition. I need to choose a topic for it. It should be a social/political/economic/others issue that I can somewhat personally relate to. I am a middle-class, caucasian male teenager. So ghetto hood, drugs, prostitution and social injustice is out of the question for me. Can someone suggest to me some topics plz? Applefungus (talk) 01:25, 22 April 2008 (UTC)

So there are no drugs at your school? You might want to alert the newspapers about this extraordinary place! Seriously, there are still many issues that are relevant to you... Teenage alcohol use, drunk driving, pressures of getting into the right college, pressures about whether you should join the military, pressures of following the right career, sex/virginity, AIDS, (some may disagree with this one) the bias against white males because they aren't protected by anti-discrimination laws due to not being female or a minority, global warming, creationism in the classroom, etc. In short, you have plenty of social/political/economic issues that surround you everyday. Also, tomorrow is Earth Day, so that's relevant in a few ways. Dismas|^(talk) 02:31, 22 April 2008 (UTC)

White, middle class angst and guilt? I'm not being snarky either.hotclaws 08:04, 22 April 2008 (UTC)

1984 BMW 320i 2door coupe 6 cyclinder diagnostics

My 1984 BMW 320i 2dr coupe has a problem Can you help me please?

The car starts (sumtimes) but when the throtle is open it will only rev up to 3000 rpm and it will surge between 2000 and 3000 rpm or die on me (unable to drive like this) Has any one else had this happen? If so What and how can i fix it? How can we reset the computer? Cheeres. Madakker (talk) 07:36, 22 April 2008 (UTC) —Preceding unsigned comment added by Madakker (talk • contribs) 07:35, 22 April 2008 (UTC)

I didn't realise cars had computer chips in 1984. It might be a good idea to consult with a professional mechanic though, no matter what wikipedians say. -mattbuck (Talk) 09:04, 22 April 2008 (UTC)

Yes, cars definitely had engine management computers by then, especially if they had electronic fuel injection as most high-end German cars did by then. But the computer interfaces weren't very standardized, unlike modern OBD-II. See our On-board diagnostics article.

Meanwhile, Madakker should consider a clogged fuel filter (quite likely if it hasn't been changed in a while) or a bad electric fuel pump. Remember that the car may have two electric fuel pumps, one obvious external pump and a smaller pump located at the fuel pick-up point in the gas tank. If you work on any of these components, be sure to work safely! If you don't know what you're doing, leave the work to your mechanic lest you create a carbeque, now or later!

Atlant (talk) 12:13, 22 April 2008 (UTC)

Demographic Statistics

What were the life expectancy, death rate, infant mortality rate, and under-5 mortality rate of the world in the 1650s and 1660s? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 60.242.166.182 (talk) 10:22, 22 April 2008 (UTC)

Obviously in most parts of the world non-one was collecting these types of statistics in the 17th century. Our life expectancy article has some estimates of life expectancy in various periods in history. Other than that, you may be able to find some research on European demographics in that period - I imagine the outbreaks of plague in Spain and England will have had a significant impact on mortality rates. Gandalf61 (talk) 11:23, 22 April 2008 (UTC)

Claims of Evidence for Other Religions as the One True Religion

I’ve heard Christians claim that there are proofs and evidences for Christianity to be the “one true religion”. Those evidences include evidences that what the Bible says is true and evidences that Jesus Christ is God and the son of God.

But what about other religions? Do they also have, or claim to have, proof or evidences for their religion to be the one true religion? If so, then what are they?

Don’t tell me if those proofs and evidences of other religions are true or false, right or wrong, really proofs or evidences of them or not. Just tell me if they have or claim to have so. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 60.242.166.182 (talk) 10:25, 22 April 2008 (UTC)

Nearly every religion believes that it is the "one true religion". That's why Pascal's Wager is like a bad joke; sure, you believed in a religion. But you chose the wrong one to believe in and now Flying Spaghetti Monster has you by the meatballs!

Atlant (talk) 12:10, 22 April 2008 (UTC)

Indeed, but the question is whether other religions claim to have evidence for this status. Pastafarianism cites the link between pirate numbers and global warming, for example. Algebraist 12:53, 22 April 2008 (UTC)

I don't think this is a silly question. Buddhism for example, as far as I can recall, does not claim to be the "one true" religion and I've certainly heard people claim that you can be both a Buddhist and a practising member of another religion.

It's also easy to imagine a religion that says "we have no evidence at all for this - you just have to believe!". Christianity does not do this, contrary to popular opinion. Or at least not all of Christianity. There is certainly some evidence that Jesus existed, for example, and many Christians believe not through some mystical experience but because they consider the evidence sufficient.

I would imagine that Islam would make much the same claim as Christianity. There is little doubt that Mohammed existed and that he wrote and said the things that are claimed. You can believe he was inspired by God or you can believe something else. And if you believe he was inspired by God then it follows that much of what other religions say is wrong. Same with Jesus. DJ Clayworth (talk) 15:21, 22 April 2008 (UTC)

You may find this incredibly similar question, asked in January, helpful. Wikipedia:Reference_desk/Archives/Humanities/2008_January_27#Evidence_for_Christianity_as_the_One_True_Religion.3F. Or you may not. 79.66.99.37 (talk) 15:35, 22 April 2008 (UTC)

help me locate her

she is called clarice and she is from rwanda studing business administration in manchester .She lives formally in belgium with her sisters —Preceding unsigned comment added by 83.82.68.213 (talk) 10:27, 22 April 2008 (UTC) Try searching her name on Facebook? --124.254.77.148 (talk) 14:37, 22 April 2008 (UTC)

Holey Cons Batman!

I bought a really cool pair of Chuck Taylor All-Star hightops, the ones with the double tongue...truly awesome, however being Cons the right shoe quickly developed a hole in it. The hole is terribly annoying because if it's raining or if I step into a puddle my sock gets wet and stays wet for the rest of the day. Is it possible to repair a rubber soled shoe such as a Converse All-Star? I've tried gaffer tape, but it soon falls off, and I don't want to bin them because they're real nice and cost me £40 Jimmy tha fish (talk) 11:27, 22 April 2008 (UTC)

Perhaps take it to a shoe repair place, they might be able to fix it. As a side note, I once had a pair that I wore nearly everyday for two years, those were the days :) SunshineStateOfMind (talk) 15:03, 22 April 2008 (UTC)

moon phase and wikipedia

Does the phase of the moon affect the quality of questions posted on the wikipedia reference desk? oooh ps I currently live on Earth so am referring to that planet's moon 125.237.89.27 (talk) 11:43, 22 April 2008 (UTC)

Well, its a full moon now [29] and your post is a little stange. Quality wise I'd rate it a 4. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 195.194.74.154 (talk) 13:25, 22 April 2008 (UTC)

see hold ya breath question 2 q's below —Preceding unsigned comment added by 193.115.175.247 (talk) 14:35, 22 April 2008 (UTC)

Any site with a grand collection of world spanning "notebook" articles

You know the type of article that appears in good newspapers. An article that doesn't cover news but introduces an interesting place or culture. like this one I'm keen on seeing the world and I like reading these articles to get travel ideas. Is there any website that collects these kinds of articles? Thanks for your help.

Lotsofissues 12:33, 22 April 2008 (UTC)

hold ya breath

What techniques exist that enable a person to increase the length of time in which they are able to hold their breath for. Can any of them be done at home while watching television? Links would be nice. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 195.194.74.154 (talk) 13:28, 22 April 2008 (UTC)

You might like to read up on Free-diving#Training. (You are not advised to try this without medical supervision.)--Shantavira|^{feed me} 14:45, 22 April 2008 (UTC)

Romance Standard Time

The article Central European Time includes the note "redirected from Romance Standard Time".

Why?

Is this an actual alternate name for the time zone, or just a quirk of Wikipedia? Thanks. Wanderer57 (talk) 14:41, 22 April 2008 (UTC)

Googling for "Romance Standard Time" returns lots of links, many of which show it is UTC+1:00. I couldn't find a reason for that name though. Perhaps analogous to Romance languages? --LarryMac | Talk 14:46, 22 April 2008 (UTC)

Maybe it's because all the British women say, "Not right now, dear, maybe later." --Milkbreath (talk) 14:57, 22 April 2008 (UTC)

Keep your stereotypes to yourself, mate. Britain isn't even on Central European Time anyway. Malcolm XIV (talk) 15:33, 22 April 2008 (UTC)

It will only say that if you arrived there having typed or clicked a link leading to Romance Standard Time. Perhaps if you told us why you typed that, or where you found the link, we could help. 79.66.99.37 (talk) 15:24, 22 April 2008 (UTC)

Okay, given the link I just wrote appears to be the only link in Wikipedia leading to that page, I must conclude that you typed Romance Standard Time in the search bar. Why? Judging by the earliest forms of the article, before it was a redirect, the person who created thought it was linked to Romance languages. The only references they provided that actually seemed to use the term were lists of Microsoft timezones, so maybe it's a creation of Microsoft. These lists consider it a timezone covering Madrid and Paris, among others. 79.66.99.37 (talk) 15:30, 22 April 2008 (UTC)

Looking at the history of Romance Standard Time suggests that it is a term used in some places [30] and that the page was redirected later to the previously existing article. -- Flyguy649 ^talk 15:40, 22 April 2008 (UTC)

M'alaya

In your article M'alaya, where can I find videos of this dance, besides youtube and dailymotion? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 192.30.202.20 (talk) 15:12, 22 April 2008 (UTC)

I cannot locate the article you speak of, do you mean this: Malaya (film)? Adam (Manors) 15:36, 22 April 2008 (UTC)

Pumpkin Seed Fish

How do you skin a Pumpkin Seed Fish or a blue gill fish?--76.28.67.224 (talk) 15:51, 22 April 2008 (UTC)