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June 23

Question about Teeth

I have a some questions about teeth. Does straight teeth give you any advantages? Does having white teeth give any advantages?Cardinal Raven (talk) 03:44, 23 June 2008 (UTC)

Straight, white teeth are generally associated with youth and good health. So, if there are any advantages being thought youthful and healthy, white, straight teeth would be useful in accruing them. ៛ Bielle (talk) 03:55, 23 June 2008 (UTC)

From my experience, straight teeth are lot more important than you would think in language acquisition (usually SLA, but often even FLA). More frontal fricative sounds like "sh", "f", "th", and "j" (to a certain degree "l" and "r" too) all rely on the teeth in some way to create sound (often as the final barrier to the air flowing through your mouth, above your tongue), and straight teeth rarely cause any problems there. The more misaligned the childrens teeth are, there seems to be a higher likelihood that the child will use an alternate mouth alignment to produce the same sound. E.g., typically "sh" is produced by coaxing the air along the tongue across the alveolar ridge, and then toward the ridge of the teeth. When the teeth are noticeably misaligned, it seems that some children are forced to correct their aim, and will produce different (but similar) sounds to approximate the "sh". The same applies for other sounds.

Especially with second language acquisition, students with straighter teeth often seem to have more confidence producing sounds that don't exist in their mother tongue. My assumption is that people naturally avoid touching their teeth with their tongue, except when necessary, and children with misaligned teeth tend to loop into much more constrictive avoidance patterns because there are a lot more shapes inside the mouth getting in the way, and there is often also a greater risk of damage to the tongue. Students with straight teeth seem to have less reluctance to stick out their tongues, and thus with greater freedom of movement with their tongues, they may manage to master certain new sounds easier than those with misaligned teeth. I don't think it's a coincidence that all of my long-term 1 on 1 accent training sessions (this is all informal) have been with students with relatively or badly misaligned teeth. It is often clear that they also have problems (though they've found way around them) pronouncing certain sounds properly in their own language. 210.254.117.186 (talk) 04:32, 23 June 2008 (UTC)

And I disagree with the opinion that straight teeth are associated with youth. Maybe on TV they are, but especially more recently, it is the youth that struggle with misaligned teeth, and they are often corrected by the time they become adults. 210.254.117.186 (talk) 04:35, 23 June 2008 (UTC)

Judging by the rest of your response, I'm guessing that SLA and FLA stand for Second & First Language Acquisition? Dismas|^(talk) 04:52, 23 June 2008 (UTC)

Yes, I've linked the now. 210.254.117.186 (talk) 07:51, 23 June 2008 (UTC)

And let's not forget about the social advantages of straight, white teeth. In addition to helping with dating, they may also help you get a better job and advance faster in that job. StuRat (talk) 12:16, 23 June 2008 (UTC)

(Although you can't tell from our picture of him) Steve Buscemi might disagree about straight teeth versus job prospects, although I'm sure what you said is generally true.

Atlant (talk) 12:23, 24 June 2008 (UTC)

Yes, but then you end up being fed into a wood chipper. StuRat (talk) 06:38, 26 June 2008 (UTC)

Or beaten up waiting for le Métro. Mon Dieu!

Atlant (talk) 14:59, 26 June 2008 (UTC)

From what I can tell the importance of teeth varies a lot by country. In Europe, esp. Britain, the lack of straight teeth seems to be only a minor issue, whereas in the U.S. it is very common to shell out thousands of dollars to straighten teeth because it is seen as something of major import. (So says someone who had extensive oral surgery and rehabilitation for his not-very-crooked teeth as a child. But since said someone lives in the U.S., he feels this is perfectly normal. ;-) --98.217.8.46 (talk) 14:32, 23 June 2008 (UTC)

Having naturally very white teeth could actually be a disadvantage as I've heard that slightly yellow teeth are stronger than white teeth. Of course this could be an urban myth so I stand to be corrected but a google provides a few links. I emphasise this refers to natural colour, not discolouration due to staining, disease, thinning enamel etc. Mike 87.113.67.104 (talk) 21:17, 23 June 2008 (UTC)

Using flouride yellows teeth slightly, but I think its advantages outweigh this. In the UK you now see children with braces, when you didnt decades ago. Rather a shame really - I do not care for cheesy Mickey Mouse style artificial grins. 80.2.201.59 (talk) 23:39, 24 June 2008 (UTC)

Staring through a pinhole

I am slightly nearsighted and occasionally wear glasses. I noticed that if I poke a very small hole with a pin in a piece of paper and hold it right up against my eye and look through it, everything becomes in focus. As the hole is small, this is not viable for looking at dark objects, however, when watching TV through this tiny hole, everything in the TV becomes in focus, just like as if I am wearing my glasses. Why does this phenomenon happen? Thanks. Acceptable (talk) 05:01, 23 June 2008 (UTC)

See depth of field. Basically you are constructing a pin-hole aperture, which increases the depth of field in your vision, making out of focus images clearer. Squinting your eye works in the same principle is well. --antilived^{T | C | G} 05:24, 23 June 2008 (UTC)

Also perhaps of interest is Camera obscura (think that's the spelling) - essentially that same thing can be used in a very-dark room and it will project the image on to the wall (think it does it back-to-front and upside-down if my memory of seeing it on tv is correct). Very interseting stuff. 194.221.133.226 (talk) 08:22, 23 June 2008 (UTC)

There are also (surprisingly expensive)spectacles available which use this principle to amazing effect, however focussing is achieved at the cost of narrowing of the vision field. You might like to make a pair, check this link for details. [1] Richard Avery (talk) 09:23, 23 June 2008 (UTC)

See also pinhole camera. TenOfAllTrades(talk) 13:28, 23 June 2008 (UTC)

New Username

I'd like to change my username. Is that possible?? Also, is it possible to change my username without changing the location of my userpage?? Will my current page be deleted if I change my name?? Aanusha Ghosh (talk) 11:16, 23 June 2008 (UTC)

Please see WP:USERNAME#Changing_your_username and WP:RENAME — Matt Eason ^{(Talk • Contribs)} 11:50, 23 June 2008 (UTC)

Friends without money

What should I do about friends without money?

• Let them some money knowing that perhaps it will take ages for them to pay back?
• Invite them to go out and pay the bill?
• Let them and move on?
• Help them get a new job?

GoingOnTracks (talk) 15:34, 23 June 2008 (UTC)

Translation for Americans: "Let them" = "Lend them some money". StuRat (talk) 18:15, 23 June 2008 (UTC)

I think the first thing you need to ask is why don't they have any money. If their house has just burned down and they have lost their job, then I'd say help them - at least in the short term. If they've gambled it away on drink or the horses, then friendly advice and support is what I would give them, but don't get into the situation where they become entirely dependent on you and almost expect you to give them money whenever they turn up on your doorstep. JessicaN10248 15:55, 23 June 2008 (UTC)

Since they are your friends I suppose that you will be able to talk about any problem that they may have. I suppose that you should help them in any emergency (or most of them). On the other hand if it just happens that they have less money than you (but are in a stable and happy position), you should remember that you don't have to do everything together. Try to find some activities that you all can share without putting strains on their budget. And don't mind having fun with other people in more expensive entertainment. 80.58.205.37 (talk) 16:05, 23 June 2008 (UTC)

Help them get a new job. this will benefit everyone involved and will improve your friendship. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 193.115.175.247 (talk) 16:23, 23 June 2008 (UTC)

I suggest you do things which are free, so your friend doesn't feel obligated to spend money. StuRat (talk) 18:22, 23 June 2008 (UTC)

And, if you do lend money, do it formally, with a written contract that makes it clear this is a loan, not a gift, and a schedule for when it will be repaid. StuRat (talk) 18:20, 23 June 2008 (UTC)

The simplest such written contract for them to execute is a post-dated check. --Sean 19:26, 23 June 2008 (UTC)

I'm a software guy who has always dated artsy women, so this means I've generally made 2-5 times my various girlfriends' annual salary. My informal policy has always been that if I make X% of our totalled incomes, I pay the bill X% of the time. If not being able to go out to nice enough places with your friends has been cramping your style, you could try doing that without feeling resentful that it's unfair to you. --Sean 19:26, 23 June 2008 (UTC)

How about the obvious ... don't be concerned with their financial affairs ... and let that be their concern ...? You risk many problems when you try to "solve other people's problems" ... among them: becoming enabling, becoming codependent, becoming controlling, setting up "expectations", and engaging in the "martyr syndrome" (you try to solve everyone else's problems as a defense mechanism when you feel helpless to solve your own). There are many truisms to consider ... and they are time-tested truisms that have endured for good reason. Namely:

• Neither a borrower nor a lender be.
• A fool and his money are soon parted.
• Never lend money to friends or family.
• God helps those who help themselves.

Watch any episode of "Judge Judy" to see what often happens when you lend money to friends. If money is truly burning a hole in your pocket, donate some to the American Cancer Society or the Humane Society or your church, etc. A much better cause than financing your friends' ability to socialize. That is my arm chair psychology and my two cents on the issue. Best of luck. (Joseph A. Spadaro (talk) 19:25, 23 June 2008 (UTC))

<sarcasm>Yeah, if I had to choose one of the following:

• help out friends in need by helping them find a job, or
• the obvious: ignore friends when they become poor and sit blissfully in front of the telly to a brand new episode of Judge Judy under the comforting "knowledge" that this is the way God wants it (while using any excess cash to fund the pastor's new holiday house),

I'd definitely choose the Judge.</sarcasm> Zain Ebrahim (talk) 19:58, 23 June 2008 (UTC)

Your sarcasm is quite warranted. The American Cancer Society and the Humane Society are pretty much scams, right? Much better to throw one's money away at shiftless, lazy friends who won't (not, can't) work ... or who won't (not, can't) pay their own way. Yes, their social pursuits are a little more important than cancer and other activist causes. Not sure how I missed that. And let's get over the melodramatics and theatrics. I highly doubt that all of the OP's clique of friends were all simultaneously financially wiped out by some dire emergency. The OP is referring pretty much to all of his/her circle of friends. And if a dire emergency were truly a part of this picture: (a) the OP would not be asking whether or not to help; and/or (b) the OP would have made such a relevent point clear in the question. Your sarcasm misses the point of my reply. The OP needs to handle his/her own finaces and let his/her friends handle theirs. There is no dire emergency here. Just a bunch of friends who cannot afford to socialize ... and one who can. Cut the theatrics. The fact the the OP (a) is worried about his/her friends' finances and (b) is worried about lending them money and (c) is worried about helping them find a job ... sounds like the OP is a rather enabling person with some martyr complex. And, again, the OP is not referring to one single friend who has undergone financial emergency ... the OP is referring to all of his/her friends. Hence, the obvious in my original reply still stands. Best of luck. Don't enable the bums. (Joseph A. Spadaro (talk) 02:58, 24 June 2008 (UTC))

And it would be quite the coincidence if all of the OP's friends have undergone some severe financial hardship that is swathing across the OP's nation ... and yet the OP is the only one unscathed ...? Come now ... (Joseph A. Spadaro (talk) 03:03, 24 June 2008 (UTC))

Of course the exact circumstances make a difference. If he is talking about normally wealthy friends, with a regular income who have said something like "We cannot afford to go out this month because the car broke down and we had unexpected bills" then I would probably pay for them to go out with an informal "take me out when you can afford it". If they have no regular job and are unlikely to ever have money then I would probably not help. Of course if you can help someone to get a new job without cost to yourself then I would say do it, but don't vouch for someone to your employer unless you really know they are reliable. -- Q Chris (talk) 07:48, 24 June 2008 (UTC)

I may be getting cynical, but lately I've found friends (even clients) who complain they can't afford things but they really do have money somewhere (like investments, land or something). I've been poor and I've been flush, but the people who really can't afford something don't mention it. And when you're in a common state, like being students together, that's something else. One guy asked me to help him with a bond for a place to rent. I didn't. The next thing I know, he's emailing a lecturer from Club Med somewhere. Let your instiincts (not your generous impulses) guide you. I'm all for helping people get a better job. I'm all for getting a better job myself. Best, Julia Rossi (talk) 08:18, 24 June 2008 (UTC)

AGRICULTURE

SHIFTING AND AGRICULTURE PRACTICES IS SOUTH ASIA .REGIONS WHERE ARE THEY DONE.CROPS —Preceding unsigned comment added by Ayush ch09 (talk • contribs) 18:44, 23 June 2008 (UTC)

See Swidden. Itsmejudith (talk) 21:52, 23 June 2008 (UTC)

What happened to your Cap Lock?--Faizaguo (talk) 16:48, 24 June 2008 (UTC)

rice is one of the crops--Apollonius 1236 (talk) 22:56, 27 June 2008 (UTC)

Musings...Why can't demons lie and why they like to color........

Every horror flick, series or reality show that I watch in which the characters use an Ouija Board to contact the spirit that is haunting a house assume that the demon they contact is telling the truth. Why? I was watching 'A Haunting' a show that my husband and I love to watch together as it is more ridiculous than scary (I know that if there was a half-buried skeleton sleeping on my basement floor that was drinking from my water hose in the middle of the night, I wouldn't stay long enough to turn off the water faucet, much less wait it out for a dispensation for an exorcisim from the Pope, but I digress). So when a family decides to get answers from the ghost that is haunting their home, they always ask; "What is your name?" The answer is 90% of the time is a common English name such as FRANK or MARY or perhaps even something more exotic like SETH. Never does the ouija board answer with a name that perhaps no-one in the house has ever encountered such as Aappikka or Auðfinnur etc, etc. Then the next question is usually "When were you born?" or "When did you die?" or "When did you live?". For example. one episode of 'A Haunting' that was on last week the ouija board replied "Never". Well the medium that was with the family explained (with much dramatic effect) that the entities response meant that it was not a ghost of a dead person in their house, that it was a DEMON!! I guess she based that on that 1 response. So I guess demons can't lie?

My husband and I also both noticed that everytime a child gets possessed by an evil demon/ghost/spirit that the child seems to always take up the pasttime of coloring. It is as if Satan himself is endorsing Crayola. So one can conclude that demonic possession leads to creativity and coloring inside the lines. Maybe the coloring takes the demon's mind off of the centuries of hate, gnashing of teeth and of course, having to tell the truth anytime anyone is equipped with an ouija board.

If anyone can shed some light on these two questions, please be so kind as to type a response. I am greatly puzzled. Thank You Darrrrksunshine —Preceding unsigned comment added by 98.211.38.189 (talk) 20:04, 23 June 2008 (UTC)

I think the explanation for these phenomena is that you have been watching shows made for a mass market and they are unoriginal and based on cliché. Itsmejudith (talk) 21:55, 23 June 2008 (UTC)

I think that a child doing childlike things, but in a slightly creepy way, is even more scary than if he just came right out and said "I'M THE DEVIL!" Digger3000 (talk) 22:11, 23 June 2008 (UTC)

There seems to be a notable paucity on serious (verifiable) scientific research into demons. My working hypothesis is that "good" and "evil" are absolute categories which are consistent, ie perfectly true to the concept. Like most most of my working hypotheses, this one may be, IYHO, BS.

Your question on truth is not applicable to demons as it is not applicable to angels (or to god). Ethics do not apply to such entities, as they do not apply to triangles or to gravity. Starting from St Augstine´s (Prost, FerkelP) De Civitate Dei humans have mused upon this question which easily fills an entire library. --Cookatoo.ergo.ZooM (talk) 22:24, 23 June 2008 (UTC)

Passport entry stamps

I'm an American citizen in Rome, Italy at the moment, having entered via a flight from Athens. At customs, there was no passport control. Is there a simple way to get an entry stamp in Rome just to have one? Thanks! --213.140.21.227 (talk) 21:14, 23 June 2008 (UTC)

Not a simple one, no. That creates an issue of two EU-entry stamps without an EU-exit stamp (or an entry-exit pair leaving you without an outstanding entry), which causes problems when you eventually leave. — Lomn 21:39, 23 June 2008 (UTC)

If you are in travelling in the EU, then you are, in a way, in the same country, except for the UK & Ireland. Have a peek at Schengen Agreement and Common Travel Area. Fribbler (talk) 23:47, 23 June 2008 (UTC)

If you have a multiple entry visa, it may be possible to get a stamp by travelling to a non-Schengen country, such as Switzerland (where the Schengen agreement is not yet fully implemented), and returning. AlmostReadytoFly (talk) 15:42, 24 June 2008 (UTC)

I have found customs officers to be generally most helpful if you specifically ask to have your passport stamped, even in cases where the stamp isn't technically necessary. Try going to the customs office - there usually is one, even if you don't have to go through passport control. DJ Clayworth (talk) 18:46, 25 June 2008 (UTC)

June 24

College football and basketball

When does the NCAA SEC and ACC Conference start their regular college football season and regular college basketball season separately? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 74.14.118.218 (talk) 02:00, 24 June 2008 (UTC)

Because the conferences (and the individual schools) are free to adapt their schedules within the overall bounds of NCAA guidelines. Current football guidelines, for instance, allow for something like 12 games in a 15-week span. The Big 10 uses this to ensure that the regular season is completed by Thanksgiving while other conferences continue play, though this is at the expense of either fewer games played or fewer weeks without a game for the relevant teams. — Lomn 03:21, 24 June 2008 (UTC)

York Lions

When does the York University Lions start their regular college football season? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 74.14.118.218 (talk) 02:03, 24 June 2008 (UTC)

September 1, according to their website. (Hey didn't you ask questions like this last year too?) Adam Bishop (talk) 06:11, 24 June 2008 (UTC)

Tequila with Coke

When I pour a freshly-opened can of Coca-Cola into a glasses of Tequila, the coke loses its carbonation. Why does this happen? Thanks. Acceptable (talk) 02:53, 24 June 2008 (UTC)

I believe it is because carbonation is simply carbon dioxide dissolved into a liquid. To keep the carbon dioxide in the liquid the vessel it is in must be pressurized, otherwise the carbon dioxide will come out (due to vapor pressure).--droptone (talk) 12:13, 24 June 2008 (UTC)

I don't think that addresses the specifics at all, Droptone. Anyway, I recall from the Mythbusters coke-and-mentos episode that numerous chemicals (both in the coke and the foreign material) can catalyze the release of the carbon dioxide, as can nucleation sites. Nucleation is most unlikely if it's just a glass of tequila (tequila on the rocks would be another matter), but otherwise it's likely just one form or another of chemically destabilizing the carbonation. — Lomn 13:16, 24 June 2008 (UTC)

You can make a glass of Coca-Cola go flat right away by adding a little sugar. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 69.119.114.114 (talk) 18:54, 24 June 2008 (UTC)

You can also make beer go flat really fast with a little salt. --Wirbelwindヴィルヴェルヴィント (talk) 17:24, 27 June 2008 (UTC)

As long as there are particles, it will lose carbonation. It can be salt, sugar, dust, flour, cocaine, cremation ashes, granulated plastic, dirt, sand, anything. The carbon dioxide builds up on the particles and quickly floats to the surface of the drink, and entering the atmosphere. Ilikefood (talk) 01:41, 1 July 2008 (UTC)

Nordic walking, also known as ski walking, pole walking or fitness walking

Does anyone know where and/or can point out to where I could get phthalate and bisphenol A free Nordic walking, ski walking, pole walking and/or fitness walking poles?68.148.164.166 (talk) 03:56, 24 June 2008 (UTC)

Here[2] with purchase of poles there are free DVDs, clinics and one "ski" but no free poles. However after the interest peaks, you may get lucky for cheap at opshops or by hanging around friends that get tired of their impulse buys. Julia Rossi (talk) 12:00, 24 June 2008 (UTC)

Julia, I fear you have misread the question. The OP is asking for phthalate and bisphenol A free poles, i.e. poles that do not contain those substances (whatever they may be). Nordic walking is popular around these parts, I'll ask around. --Richardrj ^{talk email} 12:25, 24 June 2008 (UTC)

I think OP is asking for poles that are free of those particular chemicals. You can of course get regular walking poles at any camping or outdoor shop. Or just pick up a couple of sticks for free in any forest. But why not save yourself the hassle and go walking stick-free? (Nordic walking?)--Shantavira|^{feed me} 12:23, 24 June 2008 (UTC)

Bisphenol A is used in the production of (most) epoxy resins, which are a component of the glass and carbon fibre poles - so avoid those if you want to avoid bisphenol-A derived products. Aluminium or wood poles seem the obvious alternatives.

Phthalates are plasticisers which may be present in any flexible plastic material, but not rubbers. So you need to check out what the rubber handles are made of. Any PVC will be likely to contain that, but not neoprene or silicon rubbers 87.102.86.73 (talk) 13:27, 24 June 2008 (UTC)

Each individual stick would need to be considered separately - I've just indicated likely sources of the chemicals, it's still possible that pthlates could occur in neoprene, or that a glass fibre poly be bisphenol A free.87.102.86.73 (talk) 13:29, 24 June 2008 (UTC)

What a difference a little hyphenation makes : )). I'm with Shantavira on that one, unless you want to be stylish. [Now if it had been on the science desk...] Julia Rossi (talk) 13:33, 24 June 2008 (UTC)

It is now Wikipedia:RD/S#Nordic_walking,_also_known_as_ski_walking,_pole_walking_or_fitness_walking87.102.86.73 (talk) 09:29, 25 June 2008 (UTC)

<nice move 80.102, sticks and all> Julia Rossi (talk) 09:54, 25 June 2008 (UTC)

Ice

Ice is made out of water and water is clear. So why does water become white when it freezes into an ice cube and turns into snow. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 巨人 (talk • contribs) 05:57, 24 June 2008 (UTC)

File:Argentina-Perito Moreno-Glacier.jpg

Blue ice in a glacier

This question would have been suitable for the Science Desk, but it's simple enough, so I'll just answer it here. When ice is white it's because it's full of tiny air bubbles so that there are numerous air/ice boundaries and each one scatters the light a bit. Similarly, the airy structure of a snowflake means that a mass of snow also contains large amounts of air and many air/ice boundaries, so snow is also white. The ice and snow articles mention this briefly, but they aren't very clear about it.

It's quite possible for ice to form without air bubbles, and in that case it is transparent and blue. The blue color isn't intense enough to see in a chunk the size of an ice cube, so it just looks clear, but in thicker ice like an iceberg or glacier the blue color can be surprisingly strong.

--Anonymous, 06:25 UTC, June 24, 2008.

Creepy Image

I found a creepy picture (http://encyclopediadramatica.com/Image:Creepy_Thread.jpg) and I was wondering where it was taken. Thanks in advance.

Americanfreedom (talk) 07:44, 24 June 2008 (UTC)

A junkyard for old carnival rides? Dismas|^(talk) 08:16, 24 June 2008 (UTC)

It probably isn't - but what came into my head was a picture of Michael Jackson's Neverland Ranch today. That would be creepy -- Q Chris (talk) 10:07, 24 June 2008 (UTC)

Why don't you ask the uploader on their talk page? (http://encyclopediadramatica.com/User_talk:Spacey)--Shantavira|^{feed me} 12:48, 24 June 2008 (UTC)

That is a common image. The uploader is unlikely to be the creator.--droptone (talk) 15:43, 24 June 2008 (UTC)

It's not part of the fairground in Pripyat,Ukraine thats been abandoned since Chernobyl went bang is it? Lemon martini (talk) 12:57, 24 June 2008 (UTC)

A question about a young female bodybuilder...

I was surfing on the Web earlier today, and suddenly I had came on some old news articles about some young Ukrainian female bodybuilder named Varya Akulova who was said to be "the strongest girl in the world". I then discovered that she also had a website. I wanted to send an e-mail to her about how interesting that kids this young would be able to take on big things, especially bodybuilding, but there was a problem: since Varya was born in the Ukraine, and she then moved tho the United States, I don't know if she is living in the U.S. or staying in the Ukraine. So, where does Varya Akulova live now? —Preceding unsigned comment added by Sirdrink13309622 (talk • contribs) 14:01, 24 June 2008 (UTC)

It may be worth noting that where somebody lives isn't relevant for sending them an email. Is the real problem finding an email address? — Lomn 14:59, 24 June 2008 (UTC)

Yes, I don't understand what you mean by "there was a problem". BTW, since you've done some research already you might want to add to Varya Akulova. Shockingly, she was born in 1992 and weighs 40kg but can lift 350kg. My word! Would anyone know how that could be possible? Zain Ebrahim (talk) 15:07, 24 June 2008 (UTC)

Bah, there was a Swedish girl who could lift over 1,000 pounds before her twelfth birthday. ---Sluzzelin talk 18:50, 24 June 2008 (UTC)

About "there was a problem"...

By what I meant by "there was a problem" in my question about where Varya Akulova lives, it's about the time zones. If Varya was still living in the Ukraine, it might be late at nighttime there, when people sleep in which Varya wouldn't get my e-mail because she is asleep. If she lives in the U.S., then it would be day here, when people are active. I'm just worried if Varya's not there to read my e-mail when I send it to her. —Preceding unsigned comment added by Sirdrink13309622 (talk • contribs) 16:05, 24 June 2008 (UTC)

You would only have a problem if she hardly checks her e-mails. If she does check it regularly, then she will see your inquiry and (hopefully) will reply. It's only a difference of, like, 8 hours.--Faizaguo (talk) 16:43, 24 June 2008 (UTC)

Geese

What does geese taste like? Is it anything like turkey or chicken? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 64.119.61.7 (talk) 17:56, 24 June 2008 (UTC)

Something like duck, or the dark meat of chicken/turkey, although goose (spelled with two 'o's when used as a mass noun describing food) is a bit fattier. Traditionally, goose was the Christmas dish served in England (as mentioned in Charles Dickens's A Christmas Carol), although I believe that recently turkey has replaced it, on account of the cheaper price. - Although there are some individual differences, "tastes like chicken" is a good approximation for most fowls. -- 128.104.112.147 (talk) 18:35, 24 June 2008 (UTC)

Note also that there are specific dishes that are often prepared from goose—see foie gras for a popular example. TenOfAllTrades(talk) 14:34, 25 June 2008 (UTC)

Is it really like duck? I guess it must be an urban legend for some Asians that it's bitter, since we love ducks. --Wirbelwindヴィルヴェルヴィント (talk) 17:21, 27 June 2008 (UTC)

Roberto Benigni tickets to Dante

Sirs: My cousin and I are planning a trip to Italy in October and I would love to purchase tickets to see Roberto Benigni recite Dante. I have searched the internet and I have made some calls to Italy but I have come up short. If you have any information as to where Roberto Benigni will be appearing or where I can purchase tickets I would really appreciate it very much.

Thanking you in advance for any assistance you can give me. Italian2 (talk) 17:59, 24 June 2008 (UTC)

I think Benigni's Tutto Dante tour ended last year. Since then, he has appeared on TV reciting Dante and also performed at the University of Malta last April, when he was awarded a honorary doctor's degree. I couldn't find the announcement of any planned public recitations in the near future here either, sorry. ---Sluzzelin talk 18:42, 24 June 2008 (UTC)

Walking question

This question came up at work today. What is the longest distance anyone has ever walked in one go, meaning not using any other form of transportation in between, but stops and overnight stays are allowed? And how long did it take? JIP | Talk 18:13, 24 June 2008 (UTC)

I don't have a number or winner, but Category:Pedestrian circumnavigators of the globe looks like one good place to start. ---Sluzzelin talk 18:28, 24 June 2008 (UTC)

Not exactly what you were looking for, but 130km is the longest someone has walked with a milk bottle balanced on their head JessicaN10248 19:24, 24 June 2008 (UTC)

A famous account is The Long Walk by Sławomir Rawicz, a WWII Polish officer who claimed to have escaped from a camp in Siberia and walked 4000 miles to India, but since there is considerable doubt that it is a true account, so its probably not a good answer to your question. For another approach, look at Pilgrimage; these are traditionally undertaken on foot, and many pilgrims travel vast distances to reach their shrine or holy site. Gwinva (talk) 21:14, 25 June 2008 (UTC)

More about gender roles

Continuing on the topic of gender roles in sport and dancing.

It seems that men's sports are much more popular when it comes to sports that are purely based on physical skill, such as football or ice hockey, where women's sports are much more popular when there is an aesthetic and artistic element involved, such as figure skating or gymnastics. Is this right?

Looking back on the pictures I took of the Helsinki samba carnival, I see that yes, the dancers are still pretty much exclusively women, but the marching bands playing the samba music are predominantly men. The men's costumes are almost as flashy as the women's ones, but cover much, much more. This clear-cut gender division seems weird. I have never practiced samba myself, so I don't know if it's present in samba generally, or just in the carnivals. Which is it? JIP | Talk 18:24, 24 June 2008 (UTC)

To make a gross generalisation (partly tongue in cheek), men in very little clothing is not as interesting to women as women in very little clothing are to men. Remember, I say generalisation. It doesn't apply to everybody, by any means, but it does seem to be the more common thing. With regards to sports, physically women simply cannot keep up with men when it comes to speed and strength, so to a degree, there is a perception that because they'll never reach quite the same heights as the men, there isn't as much need to watch it - even if the logic involved in the perception is wrong. On the other hand, women's basketball, for example has a different approach. Because there is little focus on dunking and heavy blocking, there is more development of strategy, speed and technique. On a third hand (somehow), don't let anyone say that women's sport is less aggressive. Some of the women's hockey and rugby I've seen proves that wrong. Steewi (talk) 01:26, 25 June 2008 (UTC)

Agree with Steewi. As well there's nothing quite like any floating body inscribing space one way or another (think floor gymnasts). One tiny vote for men in space in clothes: Australian Rules football? Length, heft, and ballet – eye candy when you catch it. Julia Rossi (talk) 09:46, 25 June 2008 (UTC)

Houses in kept coma what

Suppose Joe Bloggs owns a house. He has no family, friends or next of kin. He is knocked down by a bus and taken to hospital where he remains in a coma for seven years. What happens to his house? Do the government sell it or keep it safe for him? What about his possessions, are they kept or burned or sold? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 79.76.225.252 (talk) 19:08, 24 June 2008 (UTC)

In the UK his affairs would be managed by the Court of Protection, [3] a social worker at the hospital would arrange this (hopefully). The Court of protection would then manage his affairs directly or appoint someone with Power of Attorney, possibly a local solicitor (lawyer for US readers). The person with Power of Attorney in consultation with medical staff would then decide on the best course of action based on a medical prognosis. I would be surprised if his goods and chattels would be disposed of quickly. Richard Avery (talk) 20:46, 24 June 2008 (UTC)

That happened to a neighbor of mine in the US, but he wasn't in a coma, he died leaving no heir nor will. I believe the next thing which happened is that either the town took the house over for back taxes owed or the bank which he paid a mortgage to took it over and it was foreclosed upon. Either one of them hired a realtor who sold it. His belongings were sent to a charity, probably the Salvation Army, or thrown away. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 69.119.114.114 (talk) 03:52, 26 June 2008 (UTC)

That's slightly different to the original question, though, as he's not going to be coming back for it. In the original question, the accident victim might one day wake up, and hope that his house etc are still his. 81.187.153.189 (talk) 07:14, 26 June 2008 (UTC)

Apparently there have been at least a couple of cases in Germany in which elderly people have died in their homes without being discovered for months, if not years. Their pensions and bills were all handled automatically, so pensions or government checks kept being automatically deposited into their bank accounts, and their bills were paid automatically out of their accounts for long periods of time before they were discovered. I'm only guessing, but I would assume that, if the person were in a coma in the hospital, the same automatic systems would still occur, at least in Germany. Corvus cornix_talk 23:35, 27 June 2008 (UTC)

leaking in the street

I heard once that if your caught short and need to take a wizz you can use the back left tyre of your car without it being illegal. Further, if a policeman is passing by they are obliged to shield you with their hat and cloak while you do the deed. If this true? 79.76.225.252 (talk) 19:09, 24 June 2008 (UTC)

In what jurisdiction? This sounds like an urban legend, in any case (but no-one can really answer without the answer to the first question). Angus Lepper^{(T, C, D)} 19:15, 24 June 2008 (UTC)

Great Britain —Preceding unsigned comment added by 79.76.225.252 (talk) 19:16, 24 June 2008 (UTC)

I have heard this before, with the jurisdiction being either the United Kingdom or England. (Great Britain is an island, not a jurisdiction.) According to this forum posting, "It is legal for a male to urinate in public, as long it is on the rear wheel of his motor vehicle and his right hand is on the vehicle. … One of many Hackney Carriage Laws that have been unaltered for over 100 years". Bovlb 2008-06-24T20:00:43Z

And a comment I found when researching an answer to this, on a police forum, was that in the opinion of the poster, the permission extended only to cabbies. Now we need to know whether these carriage laws are or are not still in force; and how they interact with other laws, such as on public decency. --Tagishsimon (talk) 20:21, 24 June 2008 (UTC)

According to the Dorset Echo, "The Town Police Clauses Act of 1847 said that a hackney carriage driver could urinate against the rear offside wheel." That act doesn't seem to mention the issue, except in S28 where it prohibits "Every person who wilfully and indecently exposes his person". Bovlb (talk) 22:47, 24 June 2008 (UTC)

Except that all the "decency"-related clauses in that act were repealed (and replaced) by the Sexual Offences Act 2003. 81.187.153.189 (talk) 22:54, 24 June 2008 (UTC)

Fly question

My father asked this question almost two decades ago, but neither he or I ever found a reply. When a fly flies to the ceiling and lands upside down, its feet sticking to the ceiling and its head towards the floor, which axis does it turn around in flight? JIP | Talk 19:51, 24 June 2008 (UTC)

Here ya go. -- Coneslayer (talk) 20:03, 24 June 2008 (UTC)

dual 60s

Where did dual 60s come from for meaning gay? 79.76.225.252 (talk) 20:33, 24 June 2008 (UTC)

It's apparently an Air Force reference for those in the service that were found or suspected of being gay [4] as they were discharged under "Air Force Regulations 35-66" [5] [6] JessicaN10248 21:10, 24 June 2008 (UTC)

Insect survey

For a project I'm doing I had to make this survey and get people to answer it. Could sevral people do so please? Here it is:

1. Do you think eating insects is gross?
2. Have you ever eaten an insect in any way?
3. What would be the last, non-poisonous insect you would want to eat?
4. If you had to eat an insect but were given the choice of which one you could eat, which one would you choose?
5. Let’s say you were also given the choice of what spice to put on the insect you chose in the previous question, what spice would you choose?--76.176.17.191 (talk) 20:46, 24 June 2008 (UTC)

1. yes
2. no
3. a centipede
4. grub
5. cinimmon(or however you spell it)

1 - Yes

2 - No. How many ways are there to eat an insect?

3 - Millipede

4 - A liquorice insect

5 - Curry powder JessicaN10248 21:08, 24 June 2008 (UTC)

I don't think the Refdesk is an appropriate place for surveys. Sorry. Zain Ebrahim (talk) 21:16, 24 June 2008 (UTC)

yahoo answers might be a good place to ask. JessicaN10248 21:32, 24 June 2008 (UTC)

Does this mean that I should not discuss my tasty meal of fried crickets in Mexico? Marco polo (talk) 00:51, 25 June 2008 (UTC)

I had the same in Laos. Tasty! Fribbler (talk) 00:53, 25 June 2008 (UTC)

1 - depends on the insect (some are apparently quite tasty, and is it any weirder than eating lobster or escargot?)

2 - no - and to answer Jessica, boiled, fried, raw...

3 - I'dthink twice about eating dung beetles (and neither a millipede nor a centipede is an insect! They're arthropods!)

4 - huhu grub, though apparently locusts are delicious

5 - depends on what they taste like without spice. Probably cinnamon would be a first choice, though.

Grutness...wha? 01:05, 25 June 2008 (UTC)

Cicadas are delicious. I ate them in China. They're good fried in soysauce. Steewi (talk) 01:30, 25 June 2008 (UTC)

Even though surveys aren't necessarily the right place for the reference desk. I'm going to answer anyway. ;)

1-No eating a big isn't weird

2-Once I ate an ant

3-Stink beetles you know the stink bugs

4-A cricket

5-Depends if the cricket taste good.Rem Nightfall (talk) 03:02, 25 June 2008 (UTC)

1. No. Eating shrimp or snails is every bit as odd as eating many types of insect.

2. Insect parts are a normal part of many kinds of agricultural product. I have probably eaten many ounces (or pounds) of insects unknowingly in my lifetime.

3. Loosely speaking, spiders are a type of insect I would hate to eat. (I know they aren't insects, but are neither are the 'pedes).

4. I would choose 17 year locusts (cicadas) which had just emerged, still white and tender.

5.I would douse the cicadas with garlic and butter and make kebabs, and have some ice cold vodka as a chaser. People ate them this way and said they were remarkably like shrimp. I think barbecue sauce might also be a good seasoning. Edison (talk) 03:59, 25 June 2008 (UTC)

1. Yes.

2. Yes, I won a city-wide Fear Factor by downing a cricket and earthworm shake (among other events).

3. Beetles

4. Ant (it's the smallest).

5. Sugar.

Hope that helps. Useight (talk) 04:18, 25 June 2008 (UTC)

1 - No

2 - I heard somewhere that the average person eats a few insects per night while sleeping (I can't remember the numbers). I havn't eaten any that I can remember, though. (I've always wanted to try a chocolate covered grasshopper, actually)

3 - A moth. The harrier, the worse. (By the way Edison, spiders aren't insects)

4 - Grasshopper (chocolate covered, if that counts)

5 - Chocolate doesn't count does it? I guess I'd pick cinnamon.

You're dreaming eh? 04:41, 25 June 2008 (UTC)

Ha! You didn't read the entire post. Edison (talk) 15:20, 25 June 2008 (UTC)

1 – No. It's partly conditioning since in tribal life many peoples eat kinds of larvae and things like grasshoppers. Anything not meat, fish, fowl or vegetable can be challenging, depends where you're from.

2 – probably in a lettuce or... when someone told me it's all protein, I lost the yuk factor by about 50%. Don't mind crunchy things. Don't like slimy things. Australians sometimes do open their mouths and swallow a fly (though I've only seen it happen.)

3 – centipede? or spider. Can't detach from spiders as creatures Change that, maggot. Maggot is the last straw for me.

4 – if I had to survive, a witchetty grub? especially a small one. I could do that. I think.

5 – Sugar... sugar spruces up a lot of things like this ant lollipop[7]. (You probably won't catch me at this market (Entomophagy) though.Julia Rossi (talk) 05:03, 25 June 2008 (UTC)

1 - No, I as a Cantonese person will eat (almost) everything.

2 - Yes, worm-like things dwelling in sand (no idea what the English name is), quite crunchy and very tasty; and something quite small, and you mash it into a paste, add egg and steam it, very tasty is well.

3 - dung beetle.

4 - See 2

5 - Garlic, ginger, soy sauce, spring onion... --antilived^{T | C | G} 05:24, 25 June 2008 (UTC)

1. No, it's a reasonable source of protein.

2. Not knowingly.

3. A shield bug (stink bug in US)

4. A wood louse

5. A suspicion of cinnamon

Richard Avery (talk) 05:58, 25 June 2008 (UTC)

According to Jewish law, there are serious prohibitions on eating insects. Therefore many types of fruit, vegetables and other foodstuffs have to be checked for infestation before eating them. There are however four species of locusts which may be eaten (Leviticus chap.11 verse 22). Jews from Yemen and Morocco have a tradition to identify which locusts may be eaten, and at least in those countries they would eat them. Some years ago, a Kosher dinner was arranged in Israel, in which the menu consisted of numerous kinds of unusual Kosher animals, birds, etc. Included in the menu were these Kosher locusts. Simonschaim (talk) 06:43, 25 June 2008 (UTC)

Entomophagy and Category:Insects as food is worth a peruse - Simon, you may be particularly interested in Kosher locust :) Grutness...wha? 07:06, 25 June 2008 (UTC)

There are many brave people here, but antilived can be the chef on the the next wikisafari. ;) Julia Rossi (talk) 08:32, 25 June 2008 (UTC)

Lol seriously the bugs that I ate were very very nice... I have cravings for them now... --antilived^{T | C | G} 08:36, 25 June 2008 (UTC)

Ah found a picture here. You clean the inside so it becomes like a white worm and then stir-fry it. --antilived^{T | C | G} 08:44, 25 June 2008 (UTC)

Mother! I forgot stir fry and soy is the perfect solution for everything edible. You make the paste, antilived, the job's still yours! Julia Rossi (talk) 09:40, 25 June 2008 (UTC)

1. Yes. That's nasty
2. Yes, but no intentionally. Gnats and what not.
3. Cockroach
4. Death. Seriously. That's like asking how you'd rather die - drowning or burned to death. If I had to choose, it'd be something tiny. Like a gnat.
5. Adobo

Endless Dan 12:45, 25 June 2008 (UTC)

1. Yes, in the extreme

2. Yes, a praying mantis and a tarantula (!)

3. Cockroach

4. Whatever is the smallest

5. Ketchup

Paul Davidson (talk) 13:08, 25 June 2008 (UTC)

1. Not any grosser than eating animal species from other classes

2. Yes, mosquitoes while cycling open-mouthed, and a junebug in a memorable moment of childhood hazing.

3. Goliath beetle

4. A Dicopomorpha echmepterygis that died of a natural cause.

5. Tabasco

---Sluzzelin talk 14:22, 25 June 2008 (UTC)

1. Not inherently, though there are of course exceptions

2. Yes, at various insect museum restaurants, and in southern Africa

3. Cockroach

4. Mopane worms -- delicious!

5. Just salt.

--Sean 14:36, 25 June 2008 (UTC)

Thanks to everybody who answered. I have plenty of replys now. Thanks again.--76.176.17.191 (talk) 15:36, 25 June 2008 (UTC)

Hi. You may disregard this answer if you are no longer accepting replies, but:

1. Yes, somewhat, but lots of people do.

2. Not purposely, but I'm pretty sure there's an occasional insect hidden in our vegetables and other food products from time to time.

3. Pubic lice (eww).

4. Something that doesn't taste too bad.

5. Chocolate.

Hope this helps. Thanks. ~AH1^(TCU) 21:41, 25 June 2008 (UTC)

1. Mostly no. Insects are a wonderful source of protein, and they can be pretty tasty.

2. Yes. Mealworms, crickets, ants, and I used to eat gnats when I was little.

3. Grasshopper.

4. Mealworms. Tasty.

5. Tabasco sauce.

Disregard this if you're not accepting, but I had to do this. bibliomaniac15 18:23, 27 June 2008 (UTC)

Reading

Is there any way to keep my mind from "wandering" when I'm reading? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 64.119.61.7 (talk) 21:03, 24 June 2008 (UTC)

Read a book you're interested in. Mac Davis (talk) 23:36, 24 June 2008 (UTC)

If there's no choice, read quickly on the first run, more slowly the next, and do it in small bites if you're getting distracted. Is that why some people say the words in their mind as they go? I've wondered about that, Julia Rossi (talk) 02:07, 25 June 2008 (UTC)

Yeah certainly I find reading it 'in my head' (i.e. mentally saying the words) helps aid my concentration. Also reading it somewhere where there is relatively consistent background noise helps me too (doesn't have to be quiet, just has to be something I can tune-out). I think lack of water is a cause of easily lost concentration so ensuring you drink plenty of water will help. 194.221.133.226 (talk) 07:58, 25 June 2008 (UTC)

I hope it is not rude to suggest the article Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder treatments Plasticup ^T/C 18:13, 25 June 2008 (UTC)

One thing I always find utterly distracting when I'm trying to read (which includes writing), is voices, whether it be conversation, TV, or radio/CD music with voices (songs, etc). Instrumental music doesn't bother me, as long as it isn't too loud. (The voices in my head, well, they're always there - hi, Mum). So I've learned to know what sort of music to have on in the background, and what not, when I'm reading or writing. Does any of this resonate with you, 64.119.61.7? -- JackofOz (talk) 23:58, 25 June 2008 (UTC)

I teach ADD high-schoolers who are also dyslexic, so reading is a serious challenge every day. I resisted it at first, but I cannot deny that listening to a personal music player, such as an iPod, is an excellent strategy for many readers. It keeps the part of their mind that tends to wander occupied on the music, while the part of them that wants to read may do so. ADD is really the ability to attend to many things at once, which can be detrimental to tasks that require focused attention, such as reading or sitting still at a desk, but can be an enormous blessing in other pursuits. Try listening to music while you read and see how that helps; if it doesn't, try other tasks, such as squeezing a stress-ball, while you read. Good luck! Mitchell k dwyer (talk) 02:06, 26 June 2008 (UTC)

Reading 2

Is there a way to better remember what I read? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 64.119.61.7 (talk) 21:24, 24 June 2008 (UTC)

Have a look at Memory, particularly the Memorisation section and the articles it links to. Fribbler (talk) 21:30, 24 June 2008 (UTC)

Try putting it in your own words as you read it. StuRat (talk) 21:50, 24 June 2008 (UTC)

You can try taking a break after each section or page and recalling what you understand or remember. You can also make notes to read over later. Revising material or information is a standard way to cement something into your memory for study or other purposes. Julia Rossi (talk) 02:04, 25 June 2008 (UTC)

The best way to help remember non-fiction is to read two pages (left and right page of an opened book) and then record the important points which have been raised. If you're dealing with extremely dense material (like technical philosophy, etc) then you may want to record your thoughts after each page. I doubt this strategy will work well for fiction, but you can give it a shot.--droptone (talk) 12:55, 25 June 2008 (UTC)

I've done that for shakespearean plays as well, and that's fiction ;-), not sure it would work for your average novel though--Serviam (talk) 14:44, 25 June 2008 (UTC)

After reading the text properly the first time, try re-reading it at a later date, but only reading the first sentence of every paragraph. I found that a great way to bring the gist of non-fiction books to my mind in time for a test. In fact, if it was a well-written non-fiction book, I could get away without reading the thing in full at all and just doing the "first sentence only" method. A good non-fiction book will devote a paragraph to each concept, clearly stating that concept in the first sentence. That might also help with your mind wandering. Matt Deres (talk) 19:54, 25 June 2008 (UTC)

Winter Olympics

After reading this, I am wondering which rules will be used? International or NHL? thanks in advance. West Brom 4ever (talk) 22:33, 24 June 2008 (UTC)

I would think that international rules would still apply. Though I am not well versed in ice hockey, and don't really know the differences between the two sets of rules, I can tell you that the International Ice Hockey Federation governs all international ice hockey events, including the Olympics, and so unless they have changed their own rules recently, I'm sure they would continue to follow international rules. Jared (t)  02:43, 25 June 2008 (UTC)

The Olympics uses international rules. One difference is that the ice surface is wider. The article notes that this will be the first Olympic games to use NHL-sized ice, so in a way it will be a hybrid of NHL & international rules. --D. Monack | talk 02:46, 25 June 2008 (UTC)

thanks both of you! West Brom 4ever (talk) 12:51, 25 June 2008 (UTC)

The size of the rink doesn't really affect the rules though. It's sort of like soccer, soccer pitches can have a wide variety of lengths and widths, but the rules are still the same. The size affects the flow of the game, strategies, etc, and I suppose players who are used to playing in the NHL will have an advantage. Adam Bishop (talk) 14:43, 25 June 2008 (UTC)

June 25

Make a check payee a category?

I've always wondered whether, when you're writing a check, if you can make the "Pay to the order of" on a check a category. What I mean is, can you write something like "Pay to the order of... A while male, age 26"? Could someone fitting this description then cash the check if it were found on the street as if it were payable directly to him? There are endless possibilities if this were the case, if someone is looking for a little amusement, and doesn't mind writing out checks for a dollar or so to leave in the park for an unsuspecting passerby. :) Jared (t)  02:39, 25 June 2008 (UTC)

We are not able to give legal adice at Wikipedia Reference Desk. You may find the quaintly spelled article Cheque informative. It says that in the U.S., the Uniform Commercial Code governs checks. An "order check" is payable only to a named payee, but a "bearer check" is payable to anyone in possession of it. Scholarly books have been written on all the details of checks. Rules vary by jurisdiction around the world. Edison (talk) 03:51, 25 June 2008 (UTC)

That spelling is not "quaint". It's the standard British English spelling. --Richardrj ^{talk email} 05:44, 25 June 2008 (UTC)

From the American POV, British spellings are quaint. StuRat (talk) 16:15, 25 June 2008 (UTC)

And often, vice versa! 86.141.89.124 (talk) 18:55, 30 June 2008 (UTC)

Well I wasn't looking for legal advise, it was just curiosity. Thank you though. Jared (t)  04:38, 25 June 2008 (UTC)

Perhaps anything like that would be a signature and have to be signed that way? It's a creative idea, anyway. Julia Rossi (talk) 04:49, 25 June 2008 (UTC)

Looks like this is theoretically possible. (Don't know what the bank teller would say, though.) For the US rules, check out UCC 3-110 here. A check is "payable to the person intended by the signer", and the "person to whom an instrument is payable may be identified in any way". Also, "If an instrument is payable to two or more persons alternatively, it is payable to any of them and may be negotiated, discharged, or enforced by any or all of them in possession of the instrument." Mangostar (talk) 09:26, 25 June 2008 (UTC)

COPYRIGHT

I'm writing a book, and I'm wondering if it is against copyright law to use the name wikipedia or information on its pages? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 67.150.168.208 (talk) 02:41, 25 June 2008 (UTC)

At the risk of giving legal advice... you're okay. A single word (like "Wikipedia") can't be copyrighted, neither can information. Unlike other encyclopedias, you can even copy whole articles verbatim as long as you comply with the GNU license. --D. Monack | talk 02:50, 25 June 2008 (UTC)

If someone published a book called "Wikipedia" wouldn't that tend to make the name generic., so that anyone could then create a website called Wikipedia in competition with this one? Isn't there a trademark issue for the name at least? I would expect that anyone could write a book about Wikipedia, or could quote any of the content of Wikipedia, with proper attribution. Edison (talk) 03:42, 25 June 2008 (UTC)

It's not a good idea to title the book "Wikipedia" as that might qualify as a trademark. I thought the OP was asking if they could use the word in the book should be fine. If you're writing an encyclopedia, I'd consult a lawyer first. --D. Monack | talk 04:06, 25 June 2008 (UTC)

Note that since Wikipedia is licensed under GNU Free Documentation License a person uses any text directly out of Wikipedia in a book (not in a specific attributed quotation) they won’t be able to copyright the book. GNU includes a share-alike requirement. --S.dedalus (talk) 04:43, 25 June 2008 (UTC)

This needs to be said every so often: Releasing a work under the GFDL does not not not' mean that you do not hold copyright. You do. It's just that you no longer can use it in the way people are most used to--preventing other people from copying it, or allowing them to copy it only if they pay you money.

This may seem like a distinction without a difference, but it's not, really. If you hold the copyright to a GFDL work, there are various things you can do that no one else can. For example, you can release it under a license incompatible with the GFDL; no one else can do that. If someone redistributes the work, or a derivative work, without complying with the GFDL, you are (presumably) the one with standing to complain. And you yourself can make a derivative work and release it under any terms you like, including selling it and denying anyone else the right to copy it.

None of this should be taken as legal advice; it's just my personal non-professional understanding of the situation. --Trovatore (talk) 03:40, 26 June 2008 (UTC)

Does that render the entire book without copyright, or does it keep the appropriated material copyright-free and unacquirable in the sense of copyright to the book's author? Julia Rossi (talk) 04:47, 25 June 2008 (UTC)

Neither, really. The misused GFDL portions remain copyrighted by their original authors. Any content added by the new author is copyright to him. (I suppose if there is a derivative work involved, they both hold a copyright in it.) Of course, the new author is violating the original authors' copyright and could be sued for doing so. This is why a bit of free-licensed code accidentally (or lazily) stuck into Windows won't make Windows open source, it would just expose Microsoft to liability. Mangostar (talk) 09:31, 25 June 2008 (UTC)

And to answer the original poster's question, you should really just consult a lawyer about this. As a general rule, you can copy ideas freely, but not sentences. To reproduce the text of Wikipedia, you will need to abide by the GFDL. Mangostar (talk) 09:32, 25 June 2008 (UTC)

The word "Wikipedia" is a trademark and the logos are copyrighted, but the text in wikipedia is under GFDL, so using our text is fine so long as you say you got it from here. That text would be under GFDL, but the rest would be copyrighted to you.--Serviam (talk) 14:35, 25 June 2008 (UTC)

Well, it depends on whether your use of the GFDL material renders your book a derivative work, which is a question I'm not competent to address. If your book is a derivative work, you would be required to release it under the GFDL, or else you would be liable for violation of the copyright of the original work. Even if it is not a derivative work, the GFDL still imposes requirements on you, such as the requirement to include a copy of the GFDL itself. I'm not a lawyer and some of this is based on remembered facts that I haven't recently checked, so take it as free information worth what you paid for it (and not advice of any sort, free or otherwise). --Trovatore (talk) 05:34, 26 June 2008 (UTC)

Hi. Err, I don't think using the name of a website in a book would be infringement, as I have seen it mentioned in at least one book. I'm not so sure about titling the book Wikipedia, though, and if you make a notable book titled Main Page then that might cause some problems here :-) . Besides, if you copyrighted the name of a popular website, how are people going to refer to it in written text? Thanks. ~AH1^(TCU) 21:32, 25 June 2008 (UTC)

Somebody isn't filing Properly

Good evening. In F.E.A.R (First Encounter Assault Recon) they have me search for information and upload it on many different computers. In reality couldn't you just upload all the information from one computer and not six separated computers? And if you couldn't get all the information from that one computer wouldn't it be easier to use one computer to hack through the systems? Does any of these actually work in reality? Thank you for answering my question. I really appreciate it. I hope my question isn't to confusing cause it was hard to phrase. Have a positively wonderful day.Rem Nightfall (talk) 02:58, 25 June 2008 (UTC)

Perhaps the computers were on six separate intranets and not linked together in any way. Useight (talk) 04:12, 25 June 2008 (UTC)

If this is set up like a scavenger hunt, they may intentionally force you to go to 6 different computers by checking the I/P address of each. You might be able to trick it if you have a dynamic I/P address, but they may also use cookies or other methods to determine if you are using the same computer. StuRat (talk) 10:24, 25 June 2008 (UTC)

buy vintage records...cheap

hey, im a college student, looking to decorate my bedroom next year. Im thinking It would look awesome if I got a bunch of old album covers and displayed them on the wall, rather than putting up posters the same way everybody else does. My question is, where can I buy album covers, I dont necessarily even need the album itself? preferably somewhere inexpensive. are antique stores a good bet? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 66.188.121.45 (talk) 04:45, 25 June 2008 (UTC)

It's a good idea, your bedroom will look great. I've been buying old records for many years, though, and I've hardly ever come across a place where you can just buy the covers. Normally, people want both the record and the cover, so the two are not going to become separated. Just go to a used record store and buy some of the cheapest records you can find that you also like the covers of. If you have a turntable - and you should - you can even play the records as well. Charity shops (called thrift stores in the USA, I believe) are another good source. --Richardrj ^{talk email} 05:49, 25 June 2008 (UTC)

Sometimes thrift stores have some album covers that are empty, but you would be better off just buying the whole album than wasting a ton of your time looking for empty ones so you could ask the clerk for a deep discount. (Or, in the same vein, looking for extremely scratched/unusable ones and asking for a discount.) Mangostar (talk) 09:35, 25 June 2008 (UTC)

How about car-boot or garage sales? They may be advertised in your local newspaper or on the net. AlmostReadytoFly (talk) 13:20, 25 June 2008 (UTC)

Search the net for them and print them off?--Serviam (talk) 14:42, 25 June 2008 (UTC)

That wouldn't look much different then. I'd try ebay. People sell empty game cases, so there has to be empty record cases too. --Wirbelwindヴィルヴェルヴィント (talk) 17:07, 27 June 2008 (UTC)

I did this a couple of years back,but used the vinyls as well. I blu-taced both the records and the sleeves to the walls and wardrobe in a checker-board style, and they looked great.79.72.166.102 (talk) 13:31, 29 June 2008 (UTC)

Wind

When there is strong wind near my house, I keep hearing a squeaky noise. What is this noise? Interactive Fiction Expert/Talk to me 10:34, 25 June 2008 (UTC)

High winds frighten mice, causing them to squeak.87.102.86.73 (talk) 12:05, 25 June 2008 (UTC)

More likely it's from trees bending in the wind, or something similar. AlmostReadytoFly (talk) 13:21, 25 June 2008 (UTC)

Yes, trees often "squeak" when tree branches or leaders rub against each other as the tree flexes in the wind.

Atlant (talk) 15:20, 25 June 2008 (UTC)

Specifically one might be rubbing against the side of your house. That would make much more noise inside the house than an ordinary squeaking branch. DJ Clayworth (talk) 18:36, 25 June 2008 (UTC)

Or something metal (and rusty?) like a gate/sign/hanging-basket swinging slightly in the wind. That would make a squeaking noise too. 194.221.133.226 (talk) 13:35, 25 June 2008 (UTC)

Might be something crawling about in the cellar, looked down there recently?87.102.86.73 (talk) 17:50, 25 June 2008 (UTC)

It might be the foundations of your house. Check for subsidence. Moancical (talk) 18:20, 25 June 2008 (UTC)

How about a rusty iron gate moving on its hinges - do you have anything like that?87.102.86.73 (talk) 18:46, 25 June 2008 (UTC)

It might be the wind coming in through a crack in the window or the window frame. Pacific Coast Highway ^{{talk • contribs}} 05:23, 27 June 2008 (UTC)

Pet Odors

Is it harmful to one's health to breathe in or inhale pet urine/excrement odors? Also, apart from side effects such as diseases, etc., does it in any way impair brain function or cognative ability?

Also, what about household cleaning products? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 75.17.77.208 (talk) 16:18, 25 June 2008 (UTC)

Difficult one to answer. On the one hand, this is the disproved Miasma theory of disease. On the other hand, in sufficient concentrations (and that's the key) certain chemicals have the capacity to impair bodily functions. I think the answer is, it's a matter of degree, but in the normal case, it's a bit pongy but not injurious. --Tagishsimon (talk) 17:57, 25 June 2008 (UTC)

Check out the second paragraph of Toxoplasma gondii. Matt Deres (talk) 20:14, 25 June 2008 (UTC)

WRT cleaning products, a lot of products with bleach have warnings about using them in well ventilated areas. The fumes can get pretty strong. This usually only gives me a headache, but I find it difficult to think well when I have a headache. Steewi (talk) 06:07, 26 June 2008 (UTC)

Effect of Protein

I apologize beforehand if this qualifies as medical advice. Suppose someone introduces a large amount of protein into their healthy diet without changing anything else- no additional exercise, no additional nutrient or other foods. What would be the effect of that extra protein on one's body? By large amount, say previously one was taking 100% of the daily recommended protein intake and is now taking 200% of the recommended protein intake. Acceptable (talk) 17:51, 25 June 2008 (UTC)

See Protein in nutrition#Excess protein consumption for all we have. It's not possible, as you know, for us to make a link between the dosage amount you've specified in your question, and the effects in the case you're describing. --Tagishsimon (talk) 18:01, 25 June 2008 (UTC)

boil or zit

This is not a medical question as I am not asking for a prognosis. I have a large boil or zit or something on the end of my penis and it is really painful to masturbate or move the foreskin over the affected area. What shop available creams might be good to reduce the lump? Moancical (talk) 18:18, 25 June 2008 (UTC)

It is a medical question since you are asking for a suggested treatment. On that basis, it should not be answered directly. I suggest you visit your local chemist/pharmacist and ask them. --Tagishsimon (talk) 18:20, 25 June 2008 (UTC)

I'd skip the pharmacist to be honest. The end of your penis is a mucous membrane, and the occurance of pimples or boils is a medical matter. Fribbler (talk) 22:42, 25 June 2008 (UTC)

Roswell

The cover for the books Roswell High feature the same actors as the television series Roswell (TV Series), however the books were published BEFORE the televisions series and served as inspiration for it. So, my question is, did the actors (or some of the actors) get their roles in the tv series as a direct result of first having been featured on the cover of the books? 79.75.149.90 (talk) 19:07, 25 June 2008 (UTC)

Is it not more likely that the book covers are from reprints published after the TV series? --Tagishsimon (talk) 19:13, 25 June 2008 (UTC)

I though that too at first, but their hairstyles are wildly different and they look a lot younger. Plus only some of the same actors are featured, some are completely different than the show. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 79.75.149.90 (talk) 19:16, 25 June 2008 (UTC)

Look at this [8]. It looks like there's two different versions of the first book. I'm not sure when the non-photograph version was published, but according to Amazon[9], the version with the photograph is the current edition, and it was published November 1, 1999. One month after the TV show first aired. (And it would have been in production for months before that.) APL (talk) 20:20, 25 June 2008 (UTC)

Actually, if you go to Amazon and zoom in on the covers of the versions of the books with the photographs, they actually mention the TV show. So presumably the books were re-printed so that their covers would be a marketing tie-in with the TV show. (Like how the current edition of "I Robot" has Will Smith on the cover.) Hope this helps. APL (talk) 20:22, 25 June 2008 (UTC)

I'll just note that it's very common, when a movie or TV show is made from an existing book (other than classic literature) for publishers to reprint it with a new cover showing one or more of the actors in character. --Anonymous, 01:03 UTC, June 27, 2008.

Career

Hi, My name is Moses Jackson, I recently graduated from Canoga Park High School, and my question is that i don't know what career to study, please can you help me. Here is a List of the things i want to do: I want to travel around the world[especially on motorcycle or rv],to meet different kinds of people,to record all that i learned,saw and heard,to have a high paying job,to comment and analyze political situations,appeared and worked on television or radio, being famous,to give my opinion on issues,to interview and hang out with globally important people,to draw cartoons and design, to write articles in magazines or newspapers,to create stories,poems and essays,to lie?, to help,teach,inform,serve the community[people],to investigate and solve mysteries,be powerful, have influence over poeple's opinions,to dress good?,to act,be funny and tell jokes,to visit,explore and discover historical,archaeological,natural sites, have my own column in a important newspaper or magazine,to have adventures,to be on the site of the action and conflict, work in groups, to take pictures and film documentaries and movies, to have my own office,to give lectures,reading,speeches and conferences and to have contact with nature and animals.Please help me choose my career. Thank You —Preceding unsigned comment added by 206.170.104.24 (talk) 19:07, 25 June 2008 (UTC)

Archaeologist? 86.131.210.33 (talk) 22:45, 25 June 2008 (UTC)

Possibly a reporter or newsperson like the ones you see on the big national news channels going to Africa and stuff. or you could be some tv show host like the ones on the travel channel. The archeologist was a good idea. I don't know if you would be able to fit all of those things in one career, but you might want to consider some as a hobby. Such as the cartoons and drawings you could draw whatever you see or you could be those people that draw peoples faces in a cartoon kind of way. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 64.119.61.7 (talk) 02:52, 26 June 2008 (UTC)

Hi Moses Jackson, have you thought about being a photo journalist submitting projects to something like National Geographic? You might want to get a science background with communications thrown in. There's nothing to stop you creating graphics, to write, inform etc as you go along. But why "to lie"? The more you develop yourself the more you'll have to contribute. As 86.131 says, find some role model achievers along these lines to give yourself ideas and see how they handle their own diversity. He was based on real people. It can be done and it takes years -- of fun and adventure hopefully. Julia Rossi (talk) 23:57, 26 June 2008 (UTC)

Rouge admins

How come this page apparently doesn't exist yet still has a list of content in it? 79.75.149.90 (talk) 19:13, 25 June 2008 (UTC)

It's a category page, which combines your common or garden page, and supplements it with a list of articles belonging to the category. It's quite possible to categorise articles, before creating the corresponding category page. The effect is the one you see. (Hope that makes some sort of sense) --Tagishsimon (talk) 19:21, 25 June 2008 (UTC)

(ec)The category was deleted at UCD, but some of the roguish of them refuse to remove themselves from the category regardless of its deleted state. So although it doesn't exist, the category is still populated. --Onorem♠Dil 19:23, 25 June 2008 (UTC)

Not to mention that rogue is spelled r o g u e, yet your link points to "rouge" admins, whom are presumably pinkish in color. --LarryMac | Talk 20:08, 25 June 2008 (UTC)

It is rouge, a play on rogue. See Wikipedia:Rouge admin and Category:Rouge editors. To the OP: it's supposed to be a humorous, tongue-in-cheek "we're not a cabal, because there aren't any" in joke. I can't be bothered reading the CfD, but presumably the joke wore thin. Gwinva (talk) 21:46, 25 June 2008 (UTC)

And don't forget the complementary spin-off eguor admins. ---Sluzzelin talk 16:51, 26 June 2008 (UTC)

The red link is for greater Rouge effect. Sincerely yours, rouge admin · AndonicO ^Engage. 18:26, 27 June 2008 (UTC)

bringing beer on an airplane

I'm going to travel to Europe in a short while, and was wondering if I was allowed to carry beer? Can you have beer in your checked luggage?76.194.67.13 (talk) 19:21, 25 June 2008 (UTC)

Not in this day & age, since the alleged liquid explosive plot. --Tagishsimon (talk) 19:22, 25 June 2008 (UTC)

The fallout of that alleged conspiracy affects the contents of one's carryon bags, not checked luggage. Nonetheless, it is not advisable to place something so fragile into a suitcase that will be handled by barely trained monkeys at the beginning and end of the journey. And if you're thinking cans might be better, sacrifice one to your freezer tonight and check on it in the morning. --LarryMac | Talk 20:06, 25 June 2008 (UTC)

But how much beer can you bring? Can you bring whole 12 packs into your luggage? And what if I used bubble wrap around the cans/package?76.194.67.13 (talk) 20:21, 25 June 2008 (UTC)

Again, think about the luggage hold on an airplane, along the atmospheric pressure and the ambient temperature at 30,000 feet. Consider also that there are strict baggage weight limitations on international flights. They do sell beer in Europe. --LarryMac | Talk 20:43, 25 June 2008 (UTC)

Hi. Although I'm not sure about Europe, in some places such as Canada, you are allowed to bring a certain amount of alcohol, depending on the concentration and source. However, the same might not be true in other parts of the world, so you might want to check the website for the aviation security regulations for your country and/or the places you are travelling to. Hope this helps. Thanks. ~AH1^(TCU) 21:25, 25 June 2008 (UTC)

You can bring beer on board an aircraft as carry-on, so long as it was bought after you passed through the security check. But, that means buying whatever the airport store has available and they are unlikely to sell you a large quantity. You can also put beer in your checked baggage, but don't be surprised if the can or bottle freezes and breaks during. In theory, between countries in the EU, the limit is "personal use" which is normally understood (at least when travelling by car) to be 100 litres, but in practice that is a hell of a lot of beer and you would never be able to take that on a plane even as checked baggage.

But honestly, why would you want to? The various countries of Europe all make great beers, so why not buy a fresh supply when you arrive in a new country? Astronaut (talk) 21:45, 25 June 2008 (UTC)

Isn't bringing beer to Europe like bringing sand to the beach? Why do you want to do this? --D. Monack | talk 21:28, 25 June 2008 (UTC)

Well, he seems to be from San Diego -- maybe he wants to bring along some Arrogant Bastard Ale. I don't think you can get anything like that in, say, Germany, where their taste in beer is very different (and not to my personal liking). --Trovatore (talk) 21:33, 25 June 2008 (UTC)

Yes, you can usually put liquids in your checked-in (hold) luggage. I imagine weight limits will be your biggest limiting factor, but you could do it. However, some brands such as Budweiser are widely available in Europe, and you might not need to bring your own. AlmostReadytoFly (talk) 09:42, 26 June 2008 (UTC)

If you travel from A to B, but insist on bringing your accustomed food / drinks in your luggage and your own culture / expectations in your mind you may as well stay at home. As to the presence or absence of arrogant bastards outside the city limits of San Diego I hold private opinions which have no informational value to the querent. --Cookatoo.ergo.ZooM (talk) 20:07, 26 June 2008 (UTC)

That's true, if you're going just for yourself. But maybe he has friends in Germany, and he'd like to share with them what real beer tastes like. --Trovatore (talk) 20:09, 26 June 2008 (UTC)

But why would someone from San Diego want to show Germans what a label tasted like? :) Zain Ebrahim (talk) 20:15, 26 June 2008 (UTC)

Have you ever drunk an Arrogant Bastard, Zain? Probably not. You're probably not worthy, anyway. --Trovatore (talk) 20:20, 26 June 2008 (UTC)

Touché. Zain Ebrahim (talk) 20:31, 26 June 2008 (UTC)

RAT-TAILED MAGGOTS

What is the best way of getting rid of Rat-Tailed Maggots —Preceding unsigned comment added by ONY44 (talk • contribs) 19:27, 25 June 2008 (UTC)

Hi. Please also see the article on rat-tailed maggots, although other than that I myself am not sure. However, please do not write in ALLCAPS, as it may seem rude to some people. If this is a request for medical advice, please note that Wikipedia is not able to give out any. Thanks. ~AH1^(TCU) 21:20, 25 June 2008 (UTC)

Your local fishing tackle shop is your best bet since these maggots are commonly used as bait. Medical advice? I shudder to think what for :-) Fribbler (talk) 22:39, 25 June 2008 (UTC)

Presumably infection. Angus Lepper^{(T, C, D)} 23:01, 25 June 2008 (UTC)

Total EUI, didn't notice they wanted rid of them. Think I should bow out for the night. Though they were looking for maggots! ....Fribbler (talk) 23:14, 25 June 2008 (UTC)

surely they'll just go of their own volition when they turn into hover flies,although it would help to know where they are at present. Richard Avery (talk) 07:08, 26 June 2008 (UTC)

Soda pop

Will sealed soda pop go bad if it's been warm, then cooled, then warm again? 74.204.40.122 (talk) 19:29, 25 June 2008 (UTC)

Not unless it's so old that the seal has gone bad. It likely goes through a few such changes on its travels to the store where you purchased it. Dismas|^(talk) 20:00, 25 June 2008 (UTC)

I disagree. Plastic bottles aren't ever a perfect seal, and they gradually lose their fizz through the plastic. When the bottle gets warm it also leaches chemicals into the pop more quickly than it would if kept cold. I don't see cycling between warm and cold as being any worse than staying warm, however, unless it gets so cold the pop freezes. If that happens, the plastic is stretched, and that also causes chemicals to be released into the pop. StuRat (talk) 05:28, 26 June 2008 (UTC)

If you have a bottle of soda that has been opened, then resealed, give it a little shake and it will keep its carbonation. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 76.225.133.60 (talk) 08:27, 26 June 2008 (UTC)

No... agitation releases the carbonation, it doesn't restore it. — Lomn 14:33, 26 June 2008 (UTC)

Not going to debate it, but it DOES restore by using the carbonation that is still inside the bottle.

EXPERIMENT: buy 3 bottles. Pour 1/4 of it out. Reseal them. Shake 2 of the bottles until the bottle becomes hard again, the 3rd, do not shake. With bottle #1, open it, seal it and shake it. Do this until the bottle stops getting hard, about 6 times. The contents are now flat. With bottle #2, leave it sealed for a week. After the week, the bottle will still be hard, which means the contents have not gone flat. Bottle #3, open after it has sat for a few hours. Notice that the contents are flat. FINDINGS: Using the available carbonation has kept the contents from going flat.

Strange Muslim women's face device

When coming back from BoundCon, I saw something strange at Munich Airport. It was a Muslim family, with all the adult women dressed in burkhas, covering everything except their faces. This was all normal, but the oldest woman wore a strange metal gold-coloured thingy that covered the part of her face between her mouth and her eyes, including her nose. It seemed to be mostly decorative, neither helping or hindering her breathing or facial movements in any way. What the heck was that thing? JIP | Talk 19:37, 25 June 2008 (UTC)

A metal veil? Per [10]? Presumably it has another name. --Tagishsimon (talk) 19:50, 25 June 2008 (UTC)

No, it was not a veil. It was a solid piece of metal that covered the middle of her face entirely. It looked a bit like some sort of medical support but I don't think it was one, it looked too decorative for that. JIP | Talk 04:46, 26 June 2008 (UTC)

Did it look something like this? That's an al-battoulah, a face covering worn by many women from Qatar. There's not much information about it online, but there's a few Google hits here'. --Richardrj ^{talk email} 14:57, 26 June 2008 (UTC)

Yes, something like that. Only it was made of metal, not cloth or leather, and it only seemed to cover the middle part of her face, not her eyes or her forehead. I was confused whether it was for decoration or for modesty but I felt it was too inappropriate just to go and ask them what it was. (Besides, I didn't know whether they spoke English or German, and I don't speak whatever their native language was.) JIP | Talk 21:07, 26 June 2008 (UTC)

Were they sequins? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 64.119.61.7 (talk) 00:21, 27 June 2008 (UTC)

About international mail and this company Nike Central

I ordered some shoes from a website called Nike Central. They are located in China and the shoes were suppose to arrive in 3-7 days. I still haven't received the shoes and wanted to know how long would it really take them to arrive in the U.S. They have an email address at the company but no other way to contact them. I was starting to think this was a fraud. I just want to know is a company and when will the shoes arrive? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 74.167.59.218 (talk) 20:16, 25 June 2008 (UTC)

It depends when the tide comes in :-)) Seriously though, you don't say how long you have been waiting, but numerous things can happen when ordering stuff from overseas so I would suggest waiting at least a couple of weeks. However, when I visited the site www.nikecentral.com my virus scanner went on high alert. It seems to be riddled with viruses and other malware and I certainly wouldn't shop there. As a precaution, it might be a good idea to ask your credit card company about recent transactions. Astronaut (talk) 22:00, 25 June 2008 (UTC)

Oh - and scan your PC for viruses :-) Astronaut (talk) 22:05, 25 June 2008 (UTC)

Please help with information on Tooloula

I am researching names for a restaurant. I was told that TOOLOULA was a greek god of food and beverages. I can not locate any information on TOOLOULA.

Can you help?

For Lawrence —Preceding unsigned comment added by 71.15.38.48 (talk) 23:38, 25 June 2008 (UTC)

Any relation to Tallulah? -- JackofOz (talk) 23:47, 25 June 2008 (UTC)

A search in wikipedia for god of food reveals a number of names from other cultures; there's no trace of Tooloula, though.

• In Māori mythology, Rongo is a major god, the god of cultivated food
• Inari (mythology)
• Goddess of food, Uke Mochi, found in List of divinities in Japanese mythology
• Haumea - Hawaiian
• Edusa - goddess of nourishment
• Edesia - goddess of food who presided over banquets, both from List of Roman deities
• A couple of candidates in Family tree of the Māori gods

There's also List of Greek mythological figures. Good luck hunting. --Tagishsimon (talk) 00:45, 26 June 2008 (UTC)

If it's a vegetarian restaurant you might want to try Ceres or Demeter. Grutness...wha? 02:49, 26 June 2008 (UTC)

It's a long shot, but I wonder if whoever told you that might be trying to make a joke regarding Toula, the subject of a film about a Greek woman who runs the family restaurant. I only even mention it because I happen to know a family of Greeks who run a family restaurant and the name is used as a gag by them. Matt Deres (talk) 02:57, 26 June 2008 (UTC)

Was she the cousin of Noula, Voula, Soula ... and Agape?  :) (Warning: non-Aussies may not understand this reference.) -- JackofOz (talk) 23:43, 26 June 2008 (UTC)

A few of us get it (though it may take a "coupla days" :) She's different from them - Toula, well, she goes, she goes, she goes, she just goes, OK? Grutness...wha? 01:35, 27 June 2008 (UTC)

June 26

Bullheads

Where in Connecticut can I buy live bullhead catfish for my pond? -anon

There's a list of hatcherys here http://www.ct.gov/dep/lib/dep/fishing/general_information/hatcherylist.pdf

Alternatively you could try asking around local live fish shops, as they should know wheer to get fish.87.102.86.73 (talk) 12:33, 26 June 2008 (UTC)

Living on a Magical Pill

Suppose there exists a time-release pill with 100% of the nutrients and vitamins that the body needs that would otherwise be regularly derived from meals. Could a person survive just by eating one of these pills a day? If so, will one still feel hungry? Thanks. Acceptable (talk) 04:28, 26 June 2008 (UTC)

With no caloric content? No. For that matter, "suppose there exists" can almost certainly be replaced by "suppose I go purchase at the health store". It might be 6 pills instead of 1, but I'm certain it's presently achievable. — Lomn 04:43, 26 June 2008 (UTC)

What if it did have sufficient caloric content? Would the body still suffer from hunger pangs? Acceptable (talk) 04:50, 26 June 2008 (UTC)

You'd also need sufficient fiber, and the calories would need to be distributed between carbs, protein, and fats. When you add all that up (and your daily water requirements), they wouldn't be a few little pills any more, they'd be many huge pills. StuRat (talk) 05:22, 26 June 2008 (UTC)

Again, assuming that it's not a matter of getting the stuff out of the pills, and they can cram it all into one pill somehow, then yes. Your body would think it's going hungry for a while, and would run counter-measures (using up body fat, etc.), but it would probably adjust. If I understand it correctly, you body determines a lot of its 'hunger feeling' from portion sizes, i.e. how much you eat, rather than from the nutrition content. But your body adjusts to how much it's used to getting. If you eat half as much as you usually do, your body will complain for a while, but after a week or two, it won't have a problem. Steewi (talk) 06:20, 26 June 2008 (UTC)

All the vitamins, minerals, fatty acids, and fiber you need can be obtained from pills; 4-5 types of pills might suffice. However, many vitamins cannot be metabolized without lipids (fat), so you'd have to consume some of that. In addition, you need to consume all the basic amino acids, normally obtained through protein-rich food (meat, eggs, etc.). Your body has no particular need for carbohydrates (bread, sugar, pasta, etc.), however, which make up the bulk of most Western diets. One more thing your body might need is the carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin, which are found in the retinas and cannot be synthesized by the body.

Keep in mind, your body needs around 2000 calories of energy a day in addition to whatever essential nutrients you ingest. That works out to at least 500 grams of protein, 250 grams of fat, or 143 grams of alcohol.Paul Davidson (talk) 08:28, 26 June 2008 (UTC)

Perhaps the case of someone being fed intravenously answers your question. My understanding is that they do get hungry, but nothing too serious. You yourself were fed intravenously for nine months, after all! --Sean 14:41, 26 June 2008 (UTC)

Hi. Err, I don't really think it's a good idea to substitute any one of those three for all your daily caloric needs, especially alcohol. Remember, however, that many people in richer countries consume 3000 - 4000 calories a day, and some in third world countries consume less than 1000. Besides, unless it's nessecary for survival, wouldn't it get boring after a while due to not being able to taste or smell food, and what about your daily water needs? Thanks. ~AH1^(TCU) 17:39, 26 June 2008 (UTC)

Good day. I had heard about some scientist who are saying that vitamins actually might not help with increasing your life.(I don't have any sources for this...but I heard about it.) So your "hypothetical" magical pill might not actually help with our lives. Also to much of anything good can still be bad...even magic can be bad. So you have to count those factors as well. Well I hope I wasn't to confusing and I hope I have helped. Have a positively wonderful day.Rem Nightfall (talk) 21:10, 26 June 2008 (UTC)

If you want to extend your life by changing eating habits, eating a bunch of vitamins probably wont do all that much. If you really want to extend your life, calorie restriction is probably your best bet. Caveat: life might be long, but it will be no fun. 217.213.153.218 (talk) 14:37, 29 June 2008 (UTC)

urgent: how to scare mice from under a corner bookshelf??

Hi, folks, Anybody has any thoughts about how to make a mouse (not a pet! yuck) leave from under a bookshelf?? We tried noise & water. SOS!Knyazhna (talk) 04:58, 26 June 2008 (UTC)

How about the "tried-and-true" solution? A cat? (Joseph A. Spadaro (talk) 05:01, 26 June 2008 (UTC))

Pets are not easy to get on short notice. Plus it's kind of wasteful to adopt a cat for that purpose and then send it back. Pacific Coast Highway ^{{talk • contribs}} 05:21, 27 June 2008 (UTC)

Moving the bookshelf is the obvious solution. Of course, the mouse will just run and hide somewhere else. There's poison and glue traps to kill the mouse, but they are both exceedingly cruel. I have to concur with the cat solution. Borrow one from a friend. It will either kill the mouse or scare it so badly it will leave the house and never come back. StuRat (talk) 05:20, 26 June 2008 (UTC)

Though anyone who has seen a cat toy with a mouse would wonder whether that is a less "cruel" option. Rockpocket

Yes, thank you on the cat thing. But a) we're scared of cats (or pretty much animal in close proximity) anyway; b) can't think of any friend I have that has a cat; c) doesn't solve the whole "if I leave this room, the mouse will go SOMEWHERE where I don't know where it is and that scares the living daylights out of me" problem.

We actually did end up taking everything out of the top shelf (it was a one bookshelf standing on top of another, all filled with heavy canned goods & grains in jars - we use it for pantry). We removed the top shelf and tipped the bottom one (carefully holding the doors closed; we really didn't want to unload the bottom shelf unless absolutely necessary). It took several tippings essentially to 45 degrees until the mouse ran out of there and thankfully ran toward & out the door (we barricaded most of other exits). Whew! Now of course, the question is whether it was a random mouse out of the yard or garage OR a part of a huge nest of mice somewhere close or in the house. SCARY! —Preceding unsigned comment added by Knyazhna (talk • contribs) 05:36, 26 June 2008 (UTC)

Under a bookcase, you say. Did it by any chance steal a cookbook? Clarityfiend (talk) 06:12, 26 June 2008 (UTC)

As for item c, you wouldn't have to worry about losing the mouse if you had a cat in the house. The cat would watch that bookcase until the mouse left, then chase it and watch it's new hiding place. Ever hear the expression "he's like a cat with a mouse" ? That means he never gives up, just like a cat on the trail of a mouse. StuRat (talk) 06:22, 26 June 2008 (UTC)

Of course the mouse is going to take over the house, consume or contaminate all the food and chew through your ankles while you sleep. And after the cat has torn all the mice to pieces, it will start on you – not really. Are you letting your fears take over your life? Mean as it sounds, I once used ratsack an anticoagulant I think, only because they outnumbered the household 10 to 1, temporarily. If nothing else works, you could write a kid's book about them – look what it did for William Steig. Best of, Julia Rossi (talk) 09:13, 26 June 2008 (UTC)

I congratulate you, Julia, on having no irrational fears. Oh, you do? Don't cast stones then. (And oh yeah, beside the irrational fear, mice are actually dangerous: "Mice can be harmful pests, damaging and eating crops and spreading diseases through their parasites and feces. In western North America, breathing dust that has come in contact with mouse feces has been linked to the deadly hantavirus." (Wiki) Knyazhna (talk) 20:42, 26 June 2008 (UTC)

If you don't like glue traps, someone has built a better mousetrap that will kill instantly. AlmostReadytoFly (talk) 09:25, 26 June 2008 (UTC)

Humane traps, and of course a watched pot never boils. Is the bookcase easy to move?87.102.86.73 (talk) 12:28, 26 June 2008 (UTC)

What kind of traps are you talking about? The kind I use are not cruel in any way, they just trap the mouse inside an enclosure and I leave them far away (across the highway generally so it doesn't come back). 125.21.243.66 (talk) 13:26, 26 June 2008 (UTC)

That's the sort I meant - though don't be like me and forget to check the trap regularily - as the mice can starve to death inside... Sorry mice-angels..87.102.86.73 (talk) 13:48, 26 June 2008 (UTC)

need information about ashwood university USA

need information about ashwood university USA? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 203.123.21.222 (talk) 07:33, 26 June 2008 (UTC)

Have a look at Ashwood University and follow the links from there. And note in particular the points made by many people that this is not a serious academic institution. --Richardrj ^{talk email} 07:43, 26 June 2008 (UTC)

how many?

wot is the most musical instroments some1 can play in one go? —Preceding unsigned comment added by Pipedpickled (talk • contribs) 14:23, 26 June 2008 (UTC)

Indefinitely extensible. Six at once is the most I've found a reliable reference for that have been played together, but when you consider that mechanical linkages and the like are driving some of those, it's clear that the upper limit is dictated by where the performer wants to stop. — Lomn 14:32, 26 June 2008 (UTC)

Bert (Dick Van Dyke) gives a pretty good existence proof of being able to play quite a few instruments more-or-less simultaneously. Meanwhile, on the Tubular Bells album, Mike Oldfield gives a pretty good proof of how many instruments one can play (one at a time) using multitrack recording.

Atlant (talk) 14:52, 26 June 2008 (UTC)

• reports Atlant to WP:Heinous Vandalism for suggesting that Tubular Bells is a good example of anything* Meanwhile, if you accept that handbells are instruments, then you could presumably manufacture a claim for playing hundreds at a time ... and it would still sound better than Mike Oldfield. --Tagishsimon (talk) 14:56, 26 June 2008 (UTC)

Tagish: Conventionally, handbells are considered to be "one musical instrument that takes 14 people to play". But, that opinion may be held only by ringers :-). (Would you count a piano as 88 little instruments?) --Danh, 67.40.167.124 (talk) 01:38, 27 June 2008 (UTC).

I'm finding myself getting exorcised about your musical opinons. ;-)

Atlant (talk) 15:05, 26 June 2008 (UTC)

The article one man band may be informative. -- 128.104.112.147 (talk) 14:58, 26 June 2008 (UTC)

ants

Answer this: the ant article says "They are polygynous, and can have up to one hundred queens per nest. [3] They are also polydomous, with many nest sites per individual colony.[1] These queens will have gathered together after their nuptial flight and will have formed a nest and laid their eggs in it." Does this only mean the quenns get form a nest together when they fly or can they nest accept new queens of same species laters, like in susequent flights but than nest not because it already formed? Spinage (talk) 14:29, 26 June 2008 (UTC)

The question is a little confused. I think it's asking "In a polygynous ant colony with many queens, do all the queens originate from the same nuptial flight, or do queens from subsequent flights sometimes become part of the colony?" While I can't speak for all species of ant, Formica rufa and other wood ants often allow new queens from subsequent flights into their nests, but usually only if they have similar pheromones and are originally from the same super colony. JessicaN10248 19:11, 26 June 2008 (UTC)

Copyright attribution on Wikipedia

I noticed on Wikipedia images (even the copyrighted ones) don't attribute the copyright on the page they are displayed. Rather, you have to actually click on the image to view any copyright information. How is this allowed? --217.227.87.251 (talk) 15:30, 26 June 2008 (UTC)

The Reference Desk is not the best forum for this question, nor can we give legal advice. Essentially the same question has been raised elsewhere:

• Talk:Creative_Commons_licenses#Issues_with_attribution
• Wikipedia_talk:Featured_picture_candidates#Issues_with_attribution

but I'm not sure it's a fully resolved issue. -- Coneslayer (talk) 15:34, 26 June 2008 (UTC)

This is not "legal advice". --74.223.170.240 (talk) 01:14, 27 June 2008 (UTC)

It does not seem to be a much different model from a paper book which might list the copyright credits for all images in the book in a single section at the front or back. Is there actually a problem here? --Tagishsimon (talk) 16:03, 26 June 2008 (UTC)

There is no requirement that the copyright notice be stamped right on the image. It just has to be easily available in a logical location. Clicking on the image has been determined by those on high to be fine. But it's an interpretation (of the GFDL, in particular). There are requirements under some of the "free licenses" about where you can refer to copyright information—that's the only relevant stuff on it, about how to use aggregated/collected works. (Fair use does not make such a requirement at all—we do so on here in order to be both helpful, ethical, and internally consistent, not because there is a legal requirement.) --74.223.170.240 (talk) 01:13, 27 June 2008 (UTC)

Where is the gas tank on my 66 VW Bus?

I'm restoring a VW bus right now and I've come to a standstill. I need to take out the gas tank on my 66 bus before I can do anything else, but unfortunately I cannot locate it. (or my Haynes tech manual for it.)I looked inside of the engine compartment and noticed that there was a tube connecting to the gas cap that seemed to move forward.

I hope that I was clear enough, and thank you. Mack. 70.248.124.25 (talk) 18:39, 26 June 2008 (UTC)

This page gives you a clue - there's a compartment behind a firewall ... you cannot get to it with the engine in situ. Another site [11] says "in front of the engine behind a fire wall panel". --Tagishsimon (talk) 19:06, 26 June 2008 (UTC)

Looking for old Billboard 200 charts

I'm looking for a site that has preferably complete Billboard 200 charts from weeks and years past. As far as I know, Billboard.com only offers half the current chart for free. Is there a reputable site which has older Billboard 200 charts available for free? Preferably going very far back, like the 1970's to present. Thanks. 70.105.164.43 (talk) 19:27, 26 June 2008 (UTC)

Also, is there a site which has older box-office movie charts? Once again, around 1970's to present if possible (or before, if available). Thanks. 70.105.164.43 (talk) 19:31, 26 June 2008 (UTC)

On the Billboard charts, I don't think you're going to find that information anywhere for free online. It's Billboard's property and they're gonna want to charge you for it; see [12] for example. Or you could go through old music magazines, or maybe Billboard publishes books that list the old charts. But as for getting them for free, forget it. --Richardrj ^{talk email} 13:50, 27 June 2008 (UTC)

I Dub Thee Druid

Good day. I am writing a story about a war against wizards(there are witches as well) and druids. I made wizards have material magic meaning they can heal wounds, control minds, illusions, mysticism,etc. While druids are elemental magic controllers were they can create barriers from water, earth, wind,and fire, they can control those elements to attack(one guy has a tree sword),etc. But my questions is, are druids magical beings? Do druids control magic? Do druids have magic? Btw, I did read the druid article before I asked this question, but I am still a little confused. Thank you for answering my question, I really appreciate it. Have a positively wonderful day.Rem Nightfall (talk) 21:17, 26 June 2008 (UTC)

It's your story; can't your druids be whatever you want them to be? The article mentions that they were believed to have magic powers. Whether they really did or not isn't something that an encyclopedia can give a reliable answer on. Friday (talk) 21:28, 26 June 2008 (UTC)

(after ec)Your Druids are mystical if you make them mystical. Even though it's incredibly one-sided, it might help if you read Druid and Druid abilities at the World of Warcraft wiki. Also try Druid (disambiguation) and Category:Druids and note that Merlin's in that category. Zain Ebrahim (talk) 21:31, 26 June 2008 (UTC)

As Nigel Tufnel put it mysteriously (and eloquently): "In ancient times, hundreds of years before the dawn of history, an ancient race of people: The Druids. No one knows who they were or what they were doing ... " ---Sluzzelin talk 21:48, 26 June 2008 (UTC)

Since you're writing a fantasy novel, you wnat mysticism ideas, rather than WP's facts. This google book on Druid Magic might give you some ideas. Also look at this Druidry Community discussion on magic. Of course, you can adapt these ideas as much as you want. Have fun. Gwinva (talk) 22:10, 26 June 2008 (UTC)

It seems perfectly reasonable to have druids as 'elemental magic controllers', and many fantasy works do the same, - typically though I would expect a druid to be associated with earth or water elements..

In a historical sense - I don't really know the extent to which druids were magicians at all.. and as others have pointed out - nobody else seems to either.

As a potential link for you - the closest character I can think of in literature that fits with my idea of a druid would be Radagast (middle earth).87.102.86.73 (talk) 23:14, 26 June 2008 (UTC)

It sounds like you might get some use out of the religious/spiritual aspect of Druidism. If wizards control magic (or have it inherently), they use it impersonally and as a force. Druids, on the other hand, might access it through mystical or religious means, by supplication to a spiritual force (often a god, or nature itself) and they act as a channel for the magic, rather than controlling it. Steewi (talk) 01:05, 27 June 2008 (UTC)

I have nothing to contribute here, except to say that it feels very odd that this discussion mentions that the questioner has read druid which is about real live historical priest-like individuals, and then goes on to ask a question about magical fantasy characters like you might find in a D&D game. APL (talk) 01:40, 27 June 2008 (UTC)

Good evening. My wizards inherit magical ability from birth. Druids have to gain their powers by being offered to the stars. Or at least in my story. Also my wizards don't use staffs or wands they abilities just come out from whatever they are controlling. They are a force. While druids are the calm. @APL: Well I'm sorry I hadn't realized that they had an article of RPG druids. I would think in the historical druid article they would touch the idea like a thing that says in fantasy or something like that. Thank you everyone for the help and the little links. I really appreciate it. Have a positively wonderful evening.Rem Nightfall (talk) 02:49, 27 June 2008 (UTC)

tax disc colllector- appropriate terminology please!

My other half and I were watching a comedy/news related programme the other day. We heard the proper and recognized term for tax disc collectors beginning with "velo". Unfortunately we can't remember the rest of it. Please, please, please can you furnish us with the remainder of the word. Yours in anticipation, Helen ( and Dave!) —Preceding unsigned comment added by 81.152.136.98 (talk) 22:07, 26 June 2008 (UTC)

Velology. They even have a magazine: The Velologist: "a fascinating monthly A5 magazine that focuses exclusively on expired tax disc collecting".–Gwinva (talk) 22:16, 26 June 2008 (UTC)

Sounds like a very generous definition of the word fascinating. —Angr 22:59, 26 June 2008 (UTC)

Indeed. But feeling it deserved its own article (rather than a red link on the -logy page) I've started one. If anyone can bear the excitement, feel free to flesh it out. Gwinva (talk) 23:31, 26 June 2008 (UTC)

June 27

Fireworks in San Diego

I'm staying in a hotel in San Diego, and right now they are shooting fireworks off of the back of the Midway outside my window. Does anyone know what they're for? Does this happen once a week or something? I just thought it was strange since it's not the 4th of July or anything. 12.147.18.2 (talk) 04:49, 27 June 2008 (UTC)

Mmmm. They sometimes have private events on the Midway, occasionally they include fireworks. Alternatively, USS Boxer (LHD-4) arrived in port today, perhaps it some celebration related to that. Rockpocket 05:00, 27 June 2008 (UTC)

Here in Germany people are setting off fireworks to celebrate various accomplishments in the UEFA Euro 2008, but somehow I doubt anyone in San Diego cares about that. 05:29, 27 June 2008 (UTC)

Well, ya never know. Maybe there are some German San Diegans lifting a glass of Arrogant Bastard to celebrate right now. --Trovatore (talk) 05:41, 27 June 2008 (UTC)

Perhaps they are fans of the Spanish team? Adam Bishop (talk) 06:43, 27 June 2008 (UTC)

I saw some people celebrating Canada Day today. They were a little early, but you know Canadians. Plasticup ^T/C 13:29, 27 June 2008 (UTC)

gilded age

Are there peer-reviewed journals that are purely electronic? That means they don't put their peer-reviewed "papers" on paper. If so, are there any that put them out once they are available, such as if they are available on TUES, then it will be out on TUES, then on WED there are 3 articles out, on THURS there are none. Next week, WED will have only one article out, even though there were none on on TUES, MON, or the previous FRI. (Not counting Saturdays or Sundays).68.148.164.166 (talk) 09:06, 27 June 2008 (UTC)

If not, why is this so?68.148.164.166 (talk) 09:07, 27 June 2008 (UTC)

What benefit is there of being 'purely electronic'? I can understand the move towards placing things online, but why exclude paper? Generally I have found that people are happy to read things online/on-screen when they are under a few pages long, but beyond this they tend to prefer paper-based reading. As for peer-reviewed journals in particular i'm not sure, but would suspect the above reasons would carry across to those too. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 194.221.133.226 (talk) 09:15, 27 June 2008 (UTC)

There are, no-one seems to go to the library to read journals anymore unless they are looking for very old articles. So it is quite common for new journals to be purely online. For example, Biomed Central publishes a range of journals that are purely electronic. The details are here for BMC Developmental Biology http://www.biomedcentral.com/bmcdevbiol/ Under Speed of Publication it states "Articles will be published electronically in manuscript form immediately upon acceptance. A fully structured web version, and accompanying laid out PDF, will be published within a few weeks of acceptance." So articles will at least appear for the first time on any day of the week. However, I am not sure if the 'Fully Structured' versions also appear on any day of the week or if they are released as a weekly 'issue'. The website is playing up at the moment for me so I can’t check. Franmars (talk) 13:49, 27 June 2008 (UTC)

I go to the library to read journal articles all the time, because at least for humanities journals, there is a "rolling wall" of about five years until they put the new ones online. It's extremely inconvenient. Adam Bishop (talk) 04:35, 28 June 2008 (UTC)

Well, most humanities journals these days have e-versions as well for new issues, put out by the publisher. (At least in my field.) The "rolling wall" is only in the big databases. Google Scholar can often pick up articles before they end up in the databases, if you are searching for something in particular. --98.217.8.46 (talk) 03:53, 29 June 2008 (UTC)

I'm pretty sure there are probably some exclusively digital journals, but at the moment paper still holds prestige in academia, while all-digital things do not (in part because the cost for all-digital publication is a lot lower, and if you can't get someone to put any money behind it, then what's the real value? etc.). I have seen on-going debates about whether all-digital publications (books, articles) can even count towards tenure review (and if that's in question—I'm not far enough to really know, myself—then you can see what the disincentive would be). --98.217.8.46 (talk) 03:53, 29 June 2008 (UTC)

German Abitur

Does anyone know what the UK equivalent of a German Abitur is? I think there is some organisation that shows the respective equivalents but I can't find it. Does anyone have any info? I'm grateful for any info! Thanks! --Cameron* 10:55, 27 June 2008 (UTC)

The A levels? I'm not sure how it compares to the Abitur, though.Fribbler (talk) 11:09, 27 June 2008 (UTC)

The article on Matura, the equivalent term used in a variety of European countries states "The equivalent British term (except Scotland) is "A-levels", the Scottish is "Higher", the Irish is "Leaving Certificate", the German is "Abitur", or simply "Abi", the French is "le baccalauréat", or simply "le bac" and the Romanian is "bacalaureat". In Swiss French, it is called La Maturité or, informally, "La Matu'"." --Cookatoo.ergo.ZooM (talk) 12:01, 27 June 2008 (UTC)

The Abitur perhaps more directly fulfils the function of an entrance exam to university or certain professional training courses than A-levels do, although it's taken at the same stage in education. The Wikipedia article on Abitur compares it to Europe's International Baccalaureate (also offered in some UK schools) and to the tests in the US Advanced Placement program, but you could also compare it with the new Advanced Diplomas which the UK government is proposing to introduce as an A-level equivalent [13]. --Karenjc 12:16, 27 June 2008 (UTC)

As an aside, whilst the Scottish Higher may be equivalent insofar as it is the standard university 'tariff' in Scotland, it is not generally considered academically equivalent to a full A-level. Pupils headed for Scottish universities often leave in the 12th rather than 13th year of school, with the university courses a year longer than in England (i.e. a batchelor's degree would be 4 years against 3 in England). English universities will more typically specify entry requirements for Scottish students in terms of Advanced Highers (which, in Scotland, will often allow for direct entry to the second year of a course). Angus Lepper^{(T, C, D)} 13:46, 27 June 2008 (UTC)

By "Advanced Dipomas" Karenjc means the 14-19 Diplomas. Agreed that the nearest equivalent in Scotland is the Advanced Highers. We need more work on these articles. Itsmejudith (talk) 16:28, 27 June 2008 (UTC)

Bees in the chimney

I arrived home from work yesterday afternoon to discover a hive of activity. It seems that some bees have taken up residence in my residence. At first I didn't mind so much, but the creatures have the dreadfully rude habit of dying all over the furniture. I mean, honestly. As best as I can tell their hive is located in the chimney but unfortunatly I have a gas fireplace which precludes the most obvious solution. How would my fellow wikipedians deal with this problem? Plasticup ^T/C 13:38, 27 June 2008 (UTC)

Isn't that what pest control outfits like Rentokil are for? --Richardrj ^{talk email} 13:44, 27 June 2008 (UTC)

I am sure they would love to help me out, but I was hoping for something a cheaper and McGyver-esque. Plasticup ^T/C 14:00, 27 June 2008 (UTC)

Well, personally I would leave that kind of job to the pros. You don't want to make the little critters angry. --Richardrj ^{talk email} 14:04, 27 June 2008 (UTC)

Anything useful here?...Fribbler (talk) 14:04, 27 June 2008 (UTC)

Or here, if you're right about the chimney thing. --Richardrj ^{talk email} 14:07, 27 June 2008 (UTC)

You could try a local beekeeper, they might be quite happy to take them. 161.222.160.8 (talk) 22:02, 27 June 2008 (UTC)

Copyright on paintings

Hi. I have a theoretical question on copyrights. Say a painter sells a painting. Images of the painting are on the internet and some newspaper wants to use it as an illustration. Who do they have to ask permission to? Who do they pay for the use of the image? Does the original artist retain copyright for the image or is it ceded as it is sold? Does the buyer gets the copyright when buying the painting and can he do whatever he pleases with the image afterwards even modify it? Thank you. 200.127.59.151 (talk) 16:35, 27 June 2008 (UTC)

From the legal point of view, the physical painting and the copyright to the image are separate and can be transferred separately: for example it's standard for comic artists to sell their original artwork, but the copyright doesn't change hands. Thus whether the copyright is transferred with the painting would be a matter for the artist and the purchaser to decide. I do not know what the normal practice is for paintings. Algebraist 16:49, 27 June 2008 (UTC)

Yeah, the intellectual property and the physical property can be separated. For normal art transactions (like museums) I am sure this is part of the transaction itself in a fairly systematic way. But there's no automatic legal aspect. Just owning something does not make you the holder of the copyright (just as if I buy your book—even if there was only one copy printed—and I wouldn't own the copyright or be the author). --74.223.170.187 (talk) 02:14, 28 June 2008 (UTC)

Some artists specifically note on their paintings that they retain all reproduction rights, notwithstanding who may own the painting itself. Canadian Lorne Holland Bouchard [14] is one such. (Looks like we need an article there.) ៛ Bielle (talk) 00:48, 29 June 2008 (UTC)

How do you view all your comments on YouTube?

I'm not sure if this is the place to ask this, but recently I've been unable to view the list of all my comments on YouTube. The address used to be -http://www.youtube.com/profile_my_comments?user=whateveryourusernameis

but in the last few weeks it comes up as an unrecognized page. Does any computer geek, or YouTube fan know how to to get around this now, since they dropped this feature (with this address, anyways) without notice? I really miss this, and your help would be greatly appreciated--Sam Science (talk) 17:29, 27 June 2008 (UTC)

You could google it - like this: whateveryournameis site:youtube.com. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 194.171.56.13 (talk) 19:39, 27 June 2008 (UTC)

This is a good question as I too have noticed a change. I can no longer see the message "Clear all viwed videos" or something like that which was quick and simple. Now, I have to go to Help, FAQ, How to Clear viewed Videos, etc., etc., and there is no info. on how to re-create the button on screen. Any help appreciated. 92.18.254.254 (talk) 19:49, 27 June 2008 (UTC)

Boats/Waterline

Assume that some person has just invented a method of lifting every single boat out of all the oceans simultaneuosly. How far would the world wide water level drop? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 79.64.111.95 (talk) 18:37, 27 June 2008 (UTC)

The difference would be utterly insignificant. If you are ever at sea (open ocean, not boating in Maine) you will see how huge and empty it is out there. Plasticup ^T/C 18:49, 27 June 2008 (UTC)

Per [15], the 2002 merchant marine displacement globally was about 650 million gross tons, or 660 billion kilograms, or 0.66 cubic kilometers. The surface area of the Earth's oceans is about 350 million square kilometers. Division yields an expected average displacement of 2 micrometers, assuming I haven't dropped zeroes in there somewhere. So as Plasticup notes, utterly insignificant. — Lomn 19:04, 27 June 2008 (UTC)

Interesting. I knew it would be small but I didn't think it would be that small.

Interesting, but not surprising. Most feminists - even the odd male one - would agree with your humble statement. --Cookatoo.ergo.ZooM (talk) 20:49, 27 June 2008 (UTC)

How much does a cloud weigh?

How much does a cloud weigh? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 79.75.249.17 (talk) 19:19, 27 June 2008 (UTC)

How much does a cloud weigh? -- Coneslayer (talk) 19:28, 27 June 2008 (UTC)

pesticides/herbicides

Are weeds killed by pesticides or herbicides? --88.104.167.212 (talk) 20:05, 27 June 2008 (UTC)

The short answer is herbicides. Herbicides kill plants. Selective herbicides target certain kinds of plants that might be considered weeds and leave other plants alone. Whether a plant is a weed or not depends on where it is growing and whether someone wants it to grow there. Pesticides kill "pests", which usually means animals, for example rats. Itsmejudith (talk) 20:23, 27 June 2008 (UTC)

Thanks! --88.104.167.212 (talk) 20:25, 27 June 2008 (UTC)

The slightly longer answer is that a herbicide is a type of pesticide see Pesticide#Types_of_pesticides.87.102.86.73 (talk) 20:45, 27 June 2008 (UTC)

No, yours is definitely shorter. 161.222.160.8 (talk) 04:12, 28 June 2008 (UTC)

Riding Bicycle drunk

In North America, is it legal to ride one's bicycle on public roads while drunk? Acceptable (talk) 23:44, 27 June 2008 (UTC)

Hmm. In Ireland it is definately illegal, as a bicycle is a "vehicle" once used on the road. Fribbler (talk) 23:59, 27 June 2008 (UTC)

It is illegal in California, see this link for example. --Dr Dima (talk) 00:25, 28 June 2008 (UTC)

I'm not a lawyer and can't be arsed to look at 50 versions of state laws, but from what google shows, the states that have laws treating bicycles as vehicles probably treat it as drunk driving. --Wirbelwindヴィルヴェルヴィント (talk) 13:59, 28 June 2008 (UTC)

I don't know either for sure but I would think it is probably illegal to be intoxicated in public places or on the street. This is hardly enforced of course and would only ever taken into account if there are disruptive behaviour associated with the drunkenness or if other crimes are comitted. Still, that would make it illegal to be drunk on the street, biking or not. 200.127.59.151 (talk) 18:19, 28 June 2008 (UTC)

This is the case in some but not all US states. According to public intoxication, it is false in Missouri, Montana and Nevada, for example. Algebraist 22:13, 28 June 2008 (UTC)

June 28

Army ants

Are there any good documentaries on Army Ants, preferably ones hosted by David Attenborough? Thanks. Jump gyn (talk) 11:33, 28 June 2008 (UTC)

Episode five "Supersocieties" from David Attenborough's series Life in the Undergrowth has a good feature on Army Ants, but it's quite short. Another good one is episode four "Hunting and Escaping" from The Trials of Life, but again it's just a short feature. I haven't seen a whole dedicated program on army ants by David Attenborough, but I'm sure there are ones by others. JessicaN10248 15:16, 28 June 2008 (UTC)

feet to miles

how many feet are in a mile —Preceding unsigned comment added by 74.171.140.139 (talk) 11:56, 28 June 2008 (UTC)

5280. For more info, see the article on mile. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 71.162.249.44 (talk) 12:05, 28 June 2008 (UTC)

You can also search in Google for "1 mile in feet". The search engine works it out for you.--Shantavira|^{feed me} 17:17, 28 June 2008 (UTC)

Chester University

Does the University of Chester in England have a forensic accreditation? If not what are the standards of forensic science being taught there? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 89.241.206.191 (talk) 13:39, 28 June 2008 (UTC)

Looks like they offer Forensic Biology at undergraduate level. Best place to look for more info is their website http://chester.ac.uk or their prospectus, which you can order here JessicaN10248 15:07, 28 June 2008 (UTC)

nhs advert

I am currently studying an NHS advert Could you please help me find out who funds the NHs anti smoking advert where it shows the fishing hook going through someones cheek. If possible could you also let me konow some background information on the people that funded it and how much it cost etc.

Thanks —Preceding unsigned comment added by 88.111.80.50 (talk) 17:42, 28 June 2008 (UTC)

Looks like it's the Department of Health - see here. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 92.40.49.95 (talk) 06:58, 29 June 2008 (UTC)

What is the oldest joke in the book?

There are so many claimants, which is the real oldest joke in the book? 208.72.124.32 (talk) 19:42, 28 June 2008 (UTC)

Trolling the Reference Desk... 79.76.131.166 (talk) 20:03, 28 June 2008 (UTC)

IIRC, the oldest, most hackneyed, and least funny joke in the book is the one that involves trying to find a specific literal meaning for a common idiomatic phrase. Grutness...wha? 00:12, 29 June 2008 (UTC)

That's the oldest trick in the book.87.102.86.73 (talk) 09:44, 29 June 2008 (UTC)

Thog: Ugh-ugh.

Murp: Ugh ugh?

Thog: Ugh.

Murp: "Ugh" ugh?

Thog: Ugh ugh, ugh ugh! (Laugher.)

Murp: Ugh. (Polite, but insincere, laughter.)

--98.217.8.46 (talk) 03:10, 29 June 2008 (UTC)

I guess the oldest joke was a knock-knock joke. Useight (talk) 03:43, 29 June 2008 (UTC)

On the contrary, knock-knock jokes date from the 1950s. If you Google for "oldest joke" you will find plenty of contenders. User:Ksyrie has their own idea about this question.--Shantavira|^{feed me} 08:56, 29 June 2008 (UTC)

I was referring to the caveman joke above taking the form of a knock-knock joke. Useight (talk) 15:43, 29 June 2008 (UTC)

June 29

Has anyone ever seriously considered...

Has anyone ever seriously raised the possibility of transporting seawater to low-lying natural depressions in the Sahara (e.g., in northeast Mauritania and northern Mali, and also close to the Algeria/Tunisia border) as a way of both reducing possible rises in coastlines due to global warming and also encouraging an improvement of the biopotential of North Africa? I realise that it would take considerable energy to get the water there, but there are moderately efficient ways of moving the water - and very cost effective ones when weighed against the potential gains. Grutness...wha? 00:28, 29 June 2008 (UTC)

How is that beneficial to the Sahara? You're basically salting the sand at that evaporation rate. --antilived^{T | C | G} 05:03, 29 June 2008 (UTC)

Much of the Sahara was once a sea. That's why salt is still mined in parts of northern Mali. And having an inland sea in that area would affect the climate of the entirety of North Africa, increasing rainfall over much of what would become the area's new internal coastline. Grutness...wha? 10:57, 29 June 2008 (UTC)

In any case, seawater could never be transported on the sort of scale that would make any noticeable difference. See Sea level rise.--Shantavira|^{feed me} 08:47, 29 June 2008 (UTC)

Filling the depression in northeast Mauritania and northern Mali to its maximum possible would reduce the oceanic depth by almost half a metre worldwide - about 60% of higher estimates for change during the course of the 21st century. As to the transportation of the water, though it seems unlikely it seems no less po9ssible than several of the other ideas that have been mooted for countering climate change. Grutness...wha? 10:48, 29 June 2008 (UTC)

If it's truly a depression than a simple (massive) syphon would work87.102.86.73 (talk) 11:34, 29 June 2008 (UTC)

For use with a syphon here's a List_of_places_on_land_with_elevations_below_sea_level87.102.86.73 (talk) 11:37, 29 June 2008 (UTC)

also Category:Dry areas below sea level - I think it's a splendid idea ...87.102.86.73 (talk) 11:39, 29 June 2008 (UTC)

You'd have to be careful with areas that already contain fresh water, since adding millions of tons of salt water would create a dead-zone (as happened in prehistory with the Black Sea). and most below-sea-level depressions are so small that no practical difference would be made. Mind you, it might solve the border disputes between Ethiopia and Eritrea! Grutness...wha? 11:41, 29 June 2008 (UTC)

A German guy dedicated his life to a scheme to dam the Mediterranean and turn Lake Chad into a giant sea. See [16]. -- Mwalcoff (talk) 11:54, 29 June 2008 (UTC)

Hi. Um, filling all the places below sea level that are dry with water is not a good idea. Consider the Caspian Basin, which is home to about 25 million people (not sure of the exact number). It is below sea level, and may be filled anyway if sea level rises past 25m (see Lake Manych-Gudilo). Also, much of The Netherlands are below sea level, where 10 million live, as well as much of New Orleans, where 1 million live? Filling in the Sahara, which is still dry, might not wet it enough to sustain itself. Also, as sea level rises, natural depressions might naturally be filled, such as some of the depressions in Egypt, The Caspian Basin, The Netherlands, and even underneath West Antarctica and Greenland (such as the 2.5-km deep B... Trench in West Antarctica, forgot its name). However, this might not help because the land underneath Antarctica could rise, causing more sea level rise, and a high sea level is needed for something like this anyway. Those places you've mentioned are far from the sea, except maybe for the area near the Algeria/Tunisia border. You have to make sure no one lives there first, though. The depression in Mauritania is 600km form the ocean, and only about 1100 km x 500 km x 50m, and the one near Tunisia only 300km x 120 km x 50m, and the one in Lybia/Egypt 300km x 150 km x 100m. The Caspian Sea, on the other hand, has a potential capacity of 1600km x 500km x 50m. Why not fill Lake Chad-Bodele, 300km x 600km x 100m, or Lake Erye basin, 300km x 500km x 200m, or Etosha-Kalahari basin, 700km x 700 km x 300m? Or are those places too dry? It's a plausible scenario, but could unexpectedly have good or bad implications, or could simply evaporate and drain back to the ocean, and cost trillions of dollars? This might protect trillions of dollars in damages that would otherwise have happened, but so would a sea wall around all of the coastlines of the Earth, which would kill millions of species of plants and animals. One problem is, though, either those depressions are very dry or very inhabited, and that could be a problem. Thanks. ~AH1^(TCU) 14:28, 29 June 2008 (UTC)

I don't think anyone was suggesting filing up inhabited places, and they don't necessarily have to be filed to the top.87.102.86.73 (talk) 14:39, 29 June 2008 (UTC)

A massive engineering project I know, but how about a network of canals similar to the Suez Canal or Panama Canals, or the (natural) Bosporus? The canals would need to be excavated to a depth below sea level, so anything with a large mountain range in the way would require either a circuitous route or tunnels under the mountains.

Alaska Homesteading

Can someone please explain Alaska's Homestead Program? I looked on the Alaska website, but it confused me. It said you could get "free land", but then said you had to bid on it. Can someone help me sort this out? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 64.119.61.7 (talk) 00:25, 29 June 2008 (UTC)

Thantanology

Thantanology What is it? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 79.76.178.105 (talk) 04:39, 29 June 2008 (UTC)

Googling thantanology comes up with a Did You Mean for thanatology, which, according to the article, is the study of death. Also, please sign questions on the HelpDesk and RefDesk with ~~~~. Paragon12321 (talk) 04:44, 29 June 2008 (UTC)

Shampoo

Anywhere anyone can point me to to get sodium laureth sulfate, sodium lauryl sulfate, and ammonium lauryl sulfate free shampoo? Anywhere anyone can point me to to get sodium laureth sulfate, sodium lauryl sulfate, and ammonium lauryl sulfate free conditioner? Thanks.75.152.131.91 (talk) 05:59, 29 June 2008 (UTC)

Have you tried somewhere like the Body Shop? Look in health food stores too.--Shantavira|^{feed me} 08:31, 29 June 2008 (UTC)

Johnson's Baby shampoo contains none of the chemicals above, according to the manufacturer page here. However, it does contain a lauric acid compound, so beware. --Dr Dima (talk) 08:45, 29 June 2008 (UTC)

By the way, lauric acid is present in milk, so if you are OK with dairy products you should probably (but not certainly) be OK with it. --Dr Dima (talk) 08:54, 29 June 2008 (UTC)

Hi. It should be possible to examine the list of ingredients on the shampoo/conditioner, to make sure that those ingredients are not present, or is this too difficult because most have those ingredients (a quick look at my shampoo reveals sodium laureth sulphate)? Thanks. ~AH1^(TCU) 14:03, 29 June 2008 (UTC)

dialysis

If a woman with messed up kidneys needs to be on a dialysis machine, then if she gets pregnant will the baby's kidneys filter her blood so while she is pregnant she won't need dialysis? Is this harmful to the child? 79.75.236.52 (talk) 12:48, 29 June 2008 (UTC)

No, because the placenta while allowing transfer of nutrients and oxygen keeps the blood supplies of the fetus and mother separate. Exxolon (talk) 14:39, 29 June 2008 (UTC)

Note that pregnancy is rare for patients on dialysis, as the higher-than-normal levels of waste products in the blood interfere with fertility. For a woman able to successfully conceive while on dialysis, the risks to the child are much greater than for a healthy woman. Miscarriages and stillbirths are common. The child will likely be born prematurely. Survival rates for children who are born are often cited as less than sixty percent. (Source). TenOfAllTrades(talk) 14:50, 29 June 2008 (UTC)

Also note that there is no way that the baby's kidneys could remove the waste products from the mother's blood. Although unborn babies do indeed have kidney function and urinate, the waste products would have nowhere to go, except accumulate in the amniotic fluid. As the unborn baby drinks the amniotic fluid, this would doubtlessly be harmful to the child. --NorwegianBlue ^talk

1901 "merry olds" American air products fort lauderdale fla.

recently got a 1901 olds replica.made about 1958 in florida.need an intuction manual or any info I can get on this car. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 209.244.30.99 (talk) 14:25, 29 June 2008 (UTC)

Gold In Rocks

Is gold found inside of rocks or is it just by itself? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 70.237.109.119 (talk) 14:42, 29 June 2008 (UTC)

What do you mean by "inside rocks"? Gold is found in ore, sure, if that's what you mean. Elemental gold is not usually just hanging out "just by itself"—but sometimes it is, as nuggets, or flakes. --98.217.8.46 (talk) 15:31, 29 June 2008 (UTC)

We have articles on gold prospecting, gold mining and gold extraction — Matt Eason ^{(Talk &#149; Contribs)} 16:17, 29 June 2008 (UTC)

Eve Myles

How would you describe the physical features of Eve Myles, AKA Gwen Cooper? What google search would return results of similar looking women? 79.75.236.52 (talk) 18:08, 29 June 2008 (UTC)

"Striking brunette" (from this page which is referenced in the Eve Myles article) or "sultry" (from this page, also referenced in the same article). Astronaut (talk) 18:25, 29 June 2008 (UTC)

Those are rather generic terms. I was hoping for something which would describe her body and facial shape specifically. 79.75.236.52 (talk) 18:33, 29 June 2008 (UTC)

I very much doubt that any exact terminology that would even remotely reliably bring up pictures of similar-looking women from Google exists -- in part because many of the descriptive words are likely to be extremely subjective, and in part because the vast majority of the picture sites out there are not going to use these words consistently when describing the pictures (if the pictures are described at all), which makes it hard, if not entirely impossible for Google to find what you're looking for. Have you considered trying something like Flickr? People use all sorts of categories and tags to describe their pictures, which are often very specific and may therefore be at least a little bit more useful to you. I don't know what those words would be, but if you find them, you're likely to get a lot of pictures of a similar type. It's still not going to be terribly exact, but I think it'll be a little better than Google. -- Captain Disdain (talk) 19:10, 29 June 2008 (UTC)

How about "Eve Myles lookalike"? JessicaN10248 19:24, 29 June 2008 (UTC)

Aqua

Most cosmetic products, shampoos, mouthwash, etc. include the ingredient "Aqua". Now, (I hope) we all know that aqua = water, so why do the manufacturers of these products continue using this fake name for a common substance? Astronaut (talk) 18:12, 29 June 2008 (UTC)

They are using Latin names for some other common chemicals too, AFAICR. I think it's scientific tradition of some sort. JIP | Talk 18:30, 29 June 2008 (UTC)

It is an International Nomenclature of Cosmetic Ingredients naming convention [17] It may also be used to distinguish between normal water and deionized water. JessicaN10248 18:31, 29 June 2008 (UTC)

Geography question

Is there an equivalent to Lapland or Alaska in the southern hemisphere, excluding Antarctica where no one lives? Are there places there where people wish "they were down in the north, where it's warm"? JIP | Talk 18:21, 29 June 2008 (UTC)

Tierra del Fuego and southern Patagonia are sparsely populated and have a similar climate. I can't say if the people wish "they were down in the north, where it's warm". Astronaut (talk) 18:36, 29 June 2008 (UTC)

People do live in Antarctica, about 4,000 in summer to about 1,000 in winter, mostly scientific researchers. I would imagine on the coldest of days people at the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station wish they were somewhere warmer. JessicaN10248 18:38, 29 June 2008 (UTC)

Salt/Pepper pot

Hi, Why does a pepper pot have more holes than a salt container? --88.104.154.82 (talk) 18:43, 29 June 2008 (UTC)

I have always seen it the other way around. JIP | Talk 18:53, 29 June 2008 (UTC)

I don't think it is set in stone that a pepper pot has more holes. This site for example says that traditionally pepper was more expensive than salt so it was placed in the shaker with fewer holes to reduce usage. However, most salt and pepper pots I've seen have had pepper in the pot with the most holes. As for why this is, I would imagine that many small holes evenly distributed the pepper flavor across the food, whereas salt is usually applied sparingly due to health concerns and the fact that most food is already salted. It might also have to do with grain size, the larger gains going in the pot with bigger holes. JessicaN10248 18:56, 29 June 2008 (UTC)