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May 1

advis

i need 2 know what type of teliscope i can get that will mount to the top of my house and work through my computer and see a frog on the ground and see the space station —Preceding unsigned comment added by 161.184.183.174 (talk) 01:20, 1 May 2008 (UTC)[reply]

I'm pretty sure most low-powered telescopes will be able to see a frog (at a decent distance; not too close) and the moon. I'm not sure what range of telescopes you can attach typical CCDs used in astronomy to, but you might be able to rig something up yourself if there isn't a pre-made one out there that meets your needs (I've known amateur astronomers that have put together their own from digital camera components, but it may not be a trivial project). Most astronomical applications use filters that limit the bandwidth of light detected to a very small range of color, so you might think about an easily removable/replaceable filter arrangement for those close-ups. See photometry (astronomy) and photometric system. --Prestidigitator (talk) 04:11, 1 May 2008 (UTC)[reply]

I was a bit put off with you wanting to "work" your telescope through your computer and observe close by objects as well as the space station. If you just want to feed the image to your computer then the CCD would work, but if you want to guide your telescope remotely that's a whole new ballgame. On the other hand you don't even have to install a telescope on your roof at all. These pages may be of some help. http://www.skyandtelescope.com/howto/basics http://www.skyandtelescope.com/equipment/basics http://www.skyandtelescope.com/howto/diy http://www.skyandtelescope.com/howto/astrophotography This page has a list of robotic telescopes that can be accessed remotely through the internet. Some you can use as an amateur http://www.hobbyspace.com/Astronomy/astronomy2.html --Lisa4edit (talk) 05:54, 1 May 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Hi. As for the International Space Station, an average telescope should be able to view it. However, the problem is, the ISS moves across the FOV of the telescope very fast, so you'll likely need a wide-angle eyepiece, and a high magnification at the same time, as well as some kind of tracking device to track its speedy movement. I've seen the ISS in my telescope before, but it's difficult to keep it in my 100-arcmin eyepiece for more than a few seconds, and it appears quite small. It moves more slowly as it enters the shadow of the Earth, but then again, it's also smaller in apparent size as well as dimmer. However, websites like Heavens-Above will give you information on when it will appear, but make sure you enter your location and not 0 longitude 0 latitude as is default. The ISS usually stays in the sky for a few minutes, so you should have time to point your telescope toward it, but usually all that can be seen is a few seconds of it, and not enough time to make out much detail. However, people have succeded in photographing the ISS for almost a minute through a telescope. Hope this helps. Thanks. ~A H 1^(TCU) 15:33, 2 May 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Important/Historic Master's Theses

I'm trying to find some examples of Master's theses (or some equivalent) that have had a real impact on their field. The seminal example is Claude Shannon's, where he lays the groundwork for the digital computer, but beside that, I can't find many examples. Of course, most masters theses are either to ambitious and fail miserably, or are so modest in scope that no-one reads them, but there must be some examples of people who got it right the first time. Perhaps not the world changing impact that Shannon had, but some impression on their field. Any thoughts? risk (talk) 11:42, 1 May 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Are you only looking for Master's theses or also for Doctoral theses? The former would definitely limit the field because not all courses have them. --Lisa4edit (talk) 11:53, 1 May 2008 (UTC)[reply]

I'm really looking for Master's theses, or the equivalent. A lot of important work (especially in Mathematics and theoretical fields) is published in PhD theses. I'm looking for the kind of thesis that is written as the conclusion of an academic course, but before the student becomes an (assistant) researcher. It's not a strict definition, I know, so feel free to throw anything out there. risk (talk) 12:05, 1 May 2008 (UTC)[reply]

People occasionally make important breakthroughs in their Master's work, but it is usually not recognized as such as the time. For example, in Beyond Einstein: Superstrings and the Quest for the Final Theory (ISBN 0192861964) its noted that Vera Rubin's Master's Thesis at Cornell was the first to show "that the faraway galaxies deviated from the uniform expansion of a simplified version of the Big Bang model, [it] was rejected for publication because it was too far-fetched for its time. (Decades later, her paper would be considered prophetic)" Rockpocket 07:37, 2 May 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Pigs in the mud

Removed duplicate question. Also at Wikipedia:Reference desk/Humanities#Pigs in the mud. Zain Ebrahim (talk) 16:25, 1 May 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Alcohol

How painful is injecting alcohol into the blood vessels? 89.236.214.174 (talk) 11:49, 1 May 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Probably just as painful as injecting anything - well obviously not acid, that would hurt like hell - but could / does the alcohol drink is acid-like in that it might burn cause they use it for cleaning desks and such so yes it would probably be very painfully and make you drunk. you might also have reverse osmosis cause the water potentials would become more negative and draw water out of the cells in your body and might just kill you if your unlucky. Maybe not though.Makey melly (talk) 12:51, 1 May 2008 (UTC)[reply]

From a previous thread on the topic (Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Science/2008 March 11#Alcohol injection), case reports suggest that injection of beverage alcohol (up to 40% ethanol) produced ["burning pain and local inflammation"], and cautions about "other local and systemic hazards". (Read the full article for details.) Higher concentrations of ethanol or the use of non-beverage alcohols (methanol/wood alcohol or isopropanol/rubbing alcohol) were not discussed, but would likely be even less pleasant.

Incidentally, can people try to use proper sources when answering questions, rather than just taking wild guesses? We're more useful when we provide good answers, rather than fast ones. TenOfAllTrades(talk) 12:59, 1 May 2008 (UTC)[reply]

This is original research but I knew someone who spent a couple of hours injecting vodka into his veins.(yes, he was an idiot)It didn't make him as drunk as he hoped.He said it didn't hurt any worse than the sort of stuff abusers stick in their arms like speed or heroin dissolved in lemon juice in fact ,it hurt less..The main pain with injecting is often the bore of the needle, a fine one hurting less than a wider one and how skilled you are at injecting yourself.If you are used to doing it, it doesn't hurt usually.The tournique can hurt more.hotclaws 18:27, 1 May 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Sex song

Serious question, well serious in that I really want an answer. Are there any pop songs that depict in detail people or animals having sex? Like "he put his penis in, moved it about, came and let out a shout" etc. Preferably they should rhyme. Yes, also if you know of any poems describing graphically sexual intercourse. Its for a "personal project".Makey melly (talk) 12:48, 1 May 2008 (UTC)[reply]

The Kaviar Sessions by Kevin Gilbert comes to mind. "The sickest,funniest and most spectacular album ever", according to the linked review; I certainly wouldn't disagree with that. Poor Kevin exited this life via auto-erotic asphyxiation, and we conclude that at least in one sense, he knew whereof he wrote. --Tagishsimon (talk) 13:05, 1 May 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Lords of Acid are famous for their sexually explicit lyrics. Rockbitch is famous for their sexually explicit shows (containing nudity and sex acts), so I bet their lyrics are as well. risk (talk) 13:19, 1 May 2008 (UTC)[reply]

For animals: "Animal Language" by Lou Reed is kind of about attempted animal sex. --98.217.8.46 (talk) 01:37, 2 May 2008 (UTC)[reply]

The Bad Touch, by The Bloodhound Gang, had a somewhat notable music video featuring clips from the Discovery Channel of animal sex. The lyrics are based almost entirely on euphemisms for sex. Steewi (talk) 02:55, 2 May 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Their "Ballad of Chasey Lain" is also pretty explicit. Adam Bishop (talk) 08:01, 2 May 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Might want to ask this question on 2/4/7/420/711chan, you'd probably get better answers. Ziggy Saw dust 16:14, 2 May 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Unfair competition in interpersonal relationships

Isn't it unfair that some people have much more time/money to invest in relationship than others? What can level the playing field? 217.168.3.246 (talk) 14:52, 1 May 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Not all women are whores. They care about other things aside from money and material things. Think about what you can offer than can't be bought and sold. Ninebucks (talk) 18:18, 1 May 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Being interestinghotclaws 18:29, 1 May 2008 (UTC)[reply]

I'm not sure what the concept of fairness is relevant here. Is it "unfair" that I'm in a relationship when you're not? --98.217.8.46 (talk) 01:39, 2 May 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Unfair in the sense that we all have a right to happiness.217.168.3.246 (talk) 02:24, 2 May 2008 (UTC)[reply]

It is not stipulated by evolution that all must be happy. Abdullais4u (talk) 05:59, 2 May 2008 (UTC)[reply]

No, it is not estipulated by evolution. A right to live is also not estipulated, however in all societies we have it. 217.168.3.246 (talk) 11:13, 2 May 2008 (UTC)[reply]

So what? We should jail those, who reject to love their lovers, thus making these lovers unhappy? Abdullais4u (talk) 13:02, 2 May 2008 (UTC)[reply]

The question was not intended in this sense. I was asking what levels the playfield. Only. 217.168.3.246 (talk) 14:29, 2 May 2008 (UTC)[reply]

You get the answers that people want to give, not merely those that fit your narrow aperture. And you asked two questions, not one, so there's little point in getting pissy when people answer the first of those questions. But if you want an answer to the second question, what levels the playing field is a combination of personal effort - e.g. education, organisation, discipline; and societal effort - e.g. legislation on minimum wages, working hours, access to subsidised housing & healthcare &c. As to the first question, you have not provided any evidence whatsoever that competition in this sphere is unfair. --Tagishsimon (talk) 14:54, 2 May 2008 (UTC)[reply]

I answered you but you ignored it.You'll find women don't like that which could be why you are not in a relationship....hotclaws 15:33, 2 May 2008 (UTC)[reply]

It was never stipulated by a n y o n e that everyone was entitled to happiness. Ultimately everyone should be happy, and wants to be happy, but it's not always possible. Life isn't fair. We can do what we can to make it fair, but you can't blame society for not being something it wasn't meant to be. Ziggy Saw dust 16:14, 2 May 2008 (UTC)[reply]

@Ziggy: well, somebody did estipulate that I have a right to pursuit it.

@Hotclaws: I didn't ignore your answer. It was vague but I read it. Why do you suppose that I am not in a relationship? Perhaps I am in an unhappy relationship and wonder how wonderful anything would be if I had the time to invest in a relationship.

@Tagishsimon: Abdullais4u was not giving a proper answer. He was asking a further question. BTW, I am not pissy about the answers, but you seem pissy about me. Anyway thanks for your answer.217.168.3.246 (talk) 18:46, 2 May 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Locked Inside the Cabinet

Why do we suppress our children with religion? Why don't we let our children discover what they want to believe if they want to believe in God that's okay, if they want to be Jewish that's okay to? Why do we always want to tell our children what is best for them? Why do we try to control children lives and tell them how to live it? Does all this religious control go back in history or is it just now that it is suppressing our children? Most of these questions go to religion. All religion is brainwashing(believe me when I was young my grandmother was an overbearing religious advocate). They tell you how to live your life and to block all your natural instincts(greed is a sin, sloth is a sin). This mostly goes to Christianity, can't people see the conflicting matters in the bible?

Thank You

Always

Cardinal Raven

Cardinal Raven (talk) 15:06, 1 May 2008 (UTC)Cardinal Raven[reply]

The reference desk is not a soap box, and leading questions designed to provoke discussion are unhelpful. When you have stopped beating your wife, perhaps you could find yourself a discussion forum or chatroom where you can pronounce your views and get people to agree with you as much as you want. 130.88.140.11 (talk) 15:18, 1 May 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Because people believe that they're religion is absolute truth and that bad things will happen to their children if they don't believe. If you believed that your child would go to hell unless they believed in your religion, of course you're going to push your religion on to them. Mad031683 (talk) 15:35, 1 May 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Cant relate to this, I and every one that i have ever known, and thats a lot of people spanning North America and Europe, including myself, i have never seen a case of parents suppressing there kids with religion. My parents never did that to me, my wifes parents not to her, and me or her grandparents onto their kids. Not saying that it never happens, but in most cases you see this in the "lovely" middle east, and some compounds in Texas,(hehe). So it sucks that it happens, but it doesn't happen to everyone --Nick910 (talk) 17:22, 1 May 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Two people in North America and Europe don't meet the same kind of people. I've met a lot that you haven't apparently. Religion is a power game. One generation is trying to pass their value system on to the next. The vehicle is tradition. The force with which this is effected varies. Ideally the next generation can find a balance between handed down tradition and new ideas. Oppression can lead to defeat or rebellion. So all's not lost. Fundamentalism can be found in any religion, as well as in non-philosophical ideologies (e.g. China during the cultural revolution). Not having any value system is a bad idea, too. I have no idea what statistics the above mentioned quote of "most cases" is based on, but I'd really doubt the reliability of that source. Off-hand I could not think of any culture or country in the world where one could not find a first hand or news report on excessive methods related to religion or ideology. The troubles within the Catholic church in the US and elsewhere are well publicized. Funnily enough fundamentalist Christians and fundamentalist Muslims come up with very similar ideas when it comes to evolution, emancipation, dress codes, etc. and the belief that the "others" are very wrong. Traditional Indians find public display of affection between persons of opposite sex just as appalling as traditional Irish. Some native Navajo deny their kids medical treatment just as Jehova's witnesses do. There's much more to this topic, but that already fills several books elsewhere. 71.236.23.111 (talk) 19:31, 1 May 2008 (UTC)[reply]

How can you possibly claim that everyone you've ever known has never seen something? Zain Ebrahim (talk) 22:14, 1 May 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Please see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Reference_desk/Guidelines. This question does not belong on the reference desk, nor will a few of the replies. I seem to remember having told you about the guidelines once before already. Scaller (talk) 23:57, 1 May 2008 (UTC)[reply]

If you think about technically I was asking for factual answers to my question. The question can be answered with facts. I was breaking no rules if you think about it like that. I see no problem with questioning ones system if ones system can be answered factually. There will be a lot of questions that seem like they are not part of the rules, but they are part rules. You just don't see because you can't get pass the fact that these questions might cause controversy or debates. If looked at the questions in a more factual stance then maybe you would realize I never broke any guidelines. Yes, I broke the guidelines once, but this time I didn't.

Always

Cardinal Raven

Cardinal Raven (talk) 04:38, 2 May 2008 (UTC)Cardinal Raven[reply]

Spirit. Letter. We do not need to concern ourselves with 'technically'. That is not how Wikipedia works. Please avoid trying to start debates on the desks. There are plenty of places on the internet where people will shout at you, or agree with you, for days and days and days if that is what you want. I suggest you find at least one for when you wish to communicate things such as you wrote at the start of this thread. Thank you. 79.66.2.176 (talk) 05:20, 2 May 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Hi CR, you might be interested in this[1] and the links at the foot of the page. For me, the issues you raise are to do with the family providing structure for the child's development. It doesn't mean children (like the Flanders' kids vs the Bart Simpson type) accept the influences in the end, but beliefs give a structure to the family's thinking and a framework for their kids' lives – at the start, anyway – whether it's faith-based or non-faith based. Julia Rossi (talk) 06:24, 2 May 2008 (UTC)[reply]

I can't answer your question because it is loaded with so many prejudices and vague statements.The answer you appear to want is that parents are old meanies and suck....hotclaws 15:36, 2 May 2008 (UTC)[reply]

I will tell my children what's best for them because they don't really get a second shot at things like not running in front of a car, sticking their head into an oven, licking the electric socket, eccet. Religion can be seen as an extension of this - for example, eternal damnation Christian eschatology and/or Last Judgment are kind of final, and our one go through life is as final on tongues in electric sockets as it is in splintering one's immortal soul. Even the more forgiving Buddhist perspective of reincarnation cycles inclines one towards a path of righteousness. Whether it's a social contract or a burden is a personal matter, best serviced by your choice of imam, priest, or philosopher. For what it's worth, I'm a huge fan of Jesuits. They are huge patrons of education (I cannot cite, but I believe as a population group they have the most PhDs per capita), and my personal and completely unsubstantiated take on them is a faith that does not bear up under the most rigorous scrutiny is no faith at all (so they do a lot of self-scrutinizing). I leave the logic chain to education and its benefits on society as a whole to the economists. -- Ironmandius (talk) 04:26, 3 May 2008 (UTC)[reply]

In his book The God Delusion, Richard Dawkins states that young children are very susceptible to believing anything their parents tell them, as a survival instinct, and that religion is just a byproduct of sentience. Also, see Meme. Ilikefood (talk) 16:00, 4 May 2008 (UTC)[reply]

bill gate's house

How come on this article, there used to be tons more information about his house and now its just a quick scroll down the page? I mean, i couldwrite more about my litle house than thisarticle presnts.Jwking (talk) 15:21, 1 May 2008 (UTC)[reply]

I'm sure you could write more, but would it be notable? The article has come down in length by about 1000 characters in the last year, presumably by the selective removal of non-notable subject matter. If you have notable & referenced information to add, please go ahead. --Tagishsimon (talk) 15:55, 1 May 2008 (UTC)[reply]

There was some apparent vandalism yesterday which removed the "Features" section. I have replaced it. Also, it's always good to link to the article you might be asking about, Bill Gates' house. --LarryMac | Talk 15:58, 1 May 2008 (UTC)[reply]

You need to make use of the page history function. Only a fool would expect an actual article to be of much use - you really need to dig deeper to find stuff that's been removed. The useful stuff. -88.109.209.81 (talk) 11:54, 2 May 2008 (UTC)[reply]

It may have been removed, I would assume that information on someone's house would most likely be unsourced. Ziggy Saw dust 13:50, 2 May 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Volunteering in Iran

Hey. I'm a British Subject, and I'm considering taking a year out of my studies (also in Britain) to go volunteering abroad. The nation that I have the most interest in volunteering in is Iran. I was wondering if anyone knew of any organisations that organised volunteering expoditions to Iran - a google search of my own has only really shown oppurtunities in medical volunteering, I'm not medically trained, and, indeed, a bit squeemish. So are there are any social/poverty aleviation/educational projects I could volunteer for? Ninebucks (talk) 15:45, 1 May 2008 (UTC)[reply]

not so much an expodition as an explosion, but there are a few that can help you blow abroad, er sorry go abroad. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 193.115.175.247 (talk) 15:55, 1 May 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Why Iran? I can understand that you feel drawn to Iran but you are probably adding a whole level of extra difficulty and danger in choosing that country rather than others. Can I point you at this link too. DJ Clayworth (talk) 18:15, 1 May 2008 (UTC)[reply]

(I'm the OP). I'll admit, my desire to volunteer isn't completely selfless. I eventually want to start a career at the Foreign Office, and would consider a volunteering placement quite beneficial. So, in regards to difficulty, I would agree, but danger, I would disagree about danger, Iran is overall quite a stable country. The BBC news link better explains why I've asked WP, I'm looking for an organisation that will really help me help people, rather than the normal schemes in more tourist-y countries that can be more hit-or-miss. Ninebucks (talk) 18:28, 1 May 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Why not ask the foreign office? If you are interested in a career with them at a later date then they may be able to point you to organisations which will give you relevant experience. -- Q Chris (talk) 18:59, 1 May 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Why not go to Somalia and alleviate poverty there by being kidnapped and ransomed ? I for one would laugh at your plight. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 81.86.166.234 (talk) 19:30, 1 May 2008 (UTC)[reply]

That's rather cruel. Now, back to the question. Even though Iran isn't currently at war I'd expect a moderate chance of war with Israel and/or the US, since, along with supporting terrorist orgs such as Hezbollah and Hamas, attempting to destablize Iraq, Lebanon, and Israel/Palestine, and providing militants with weapons and training to attack US troops in Iraq, they are also working to develop the nuclear fuel cycle. If, as I suspect, they at some point go all-out to try to build a nuclear weapon, I'd expect them to be attacked in short order, which may not allow you time to escape the country. There are many poor, but safe, countries around the world that you could help. StuRat (talk) 20:36, 1 May 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Just out of curiosity may I ask the proverbial "With what army?" Going by (OR/nonreferenced)reports of relatives and friends participating in those "tourist operations" (inside euphemism, plse. excuse) currently in progress in Iraq and Afghanistan, the US army is spread more than thin. The Israelis are pissed enough that the influx of missiles from Iran through Iraq to Hamas (or Hezbolla or whatever) hasn't been stopped by the Americans (and Brits) being there. They might be tempted to cut the supply off at the source, but I rather think they wouldn't without backing. They have their hands full keeping things from going from bad to worse at their front door. They're not going to go and send troops through Jordan or Syria to knock at any other. But that's just an opinion. Lisa4edit (talk) 21:40, 1 May 2008 (UTC)[reply]

As for the "with what army" question, there are several possibilities:

1) No army at all: A war with Iran could take the form of bombing and missiles only, which requires only the Air Force and/or Navy (for missiles launched from ships and planes launched from aircraft carriers). Unlike the Marines and Army, those branches of the US military are currently under-utilized. Any Israeli attack would likely also be Air Force only.

2) The army currently in Iraq: If Iraq settles down over the coming years (or perhaps even if it doesn't), the US may redeploy the troops now in Iraq.

3) An enlarged all-volunteer US Army: By increasing pay for soldiers and upping the military budget, the size of the US military could be enlarged substantially. It's nowhere near the size it was during WW2 right now, for example, even though the US population has grown substantially since then.

4) An enlarged US Army composed of draftees: If Iran became beligerant enough (say by resorting to murdering captured civilians, like the OP for this question), US citizens might be willing to accept a draft to supplement the current all-volunteer Army.

Note that in any war with Iran the danger to foreigners would be double, both from the attacks on Iran and by the Iranian response, since they may tend to take any available foreigners hostage, as they did in 1979. StuRat (talk) 16:07, 8 May 2008 (UTC)[reply]

One important consideration about Ninbucks' trip is: Are you laddie (boy) or are you lassie (girl)? Being a girl would add a whole lot of extra complication. Apart from that there are many websites that explain some cultural differences one is likely to encounter. Read through some of them and see if you could cope with that with a smile on your face (boy) or staring at the ground (girl). No, customs for girls are not as draconian as they might appear to untrained eyes, but they will create a lot of friction and misunderstandings and are definitely very different in some respects. I haven't been myself, but a colleague has and I had a couple of students from there. My colleague said that the less "baggage" (preconceptions and opinions) you bring the better you fare. (The local plumbing will take some getting used to for one.) Lisa4edit (talk) 21:40, 1 May 2008 (UTC)[reply]

I don't think it's such a wacky idea, and certainly more worthy than my thoughts of going on a ski trip to the Iranian Caucasus mountains. I would hope that if you went as a volunteer, with an open mind and stuck to what you were volunteering to do (probably best to stay away from religion, politics and sex), you would be left alone by the authorities. Astronaut (talk) 00:50, 2 May 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Sorry, but since way too many people around me are attending funerals these days or coming home to the hospital, someone suggesting we go on yet another adventure hits quite a nerve. An open mind was what I was trying to promote up there and a willingness to be surprised and proven wrong. There are just as many differing levels of views of every fact and facet of life there as there are here. It's just that we usually live in our own little bubble and don't think much about things. It's a good idea to become aware of things on "your side of the fence" before you start climbing over it. Going somewhere with the idea that "It's bad there, I'll go fix that," can easily lead to the whole endeavor becoming a total mess. Only in an exchange of ideas and with an understanding of peoples situation and desires can you achieve something. This may all be phrased a bit too general but I didn't really want to write half a chapter with examples. What usually gets one in a foreign environment are not the big issues, though, but the little things. Example you are asked to describe your favorite food and describe barbecue pork ribs in great detail until you notice your host getting paler. You enter a room full of people. Do you introduce yourself, do you wait to be introduced do you ignore females present, bow, shake hands, smile and wink at them? An elder voices a very controversial opinion? Do you argue against it, do you nod and say some noncommittal sentence acknowledging his life experience? Can you live with sharing your sleeping place with goats and fowl? Do creepy crawly things in your food or bed bother you? None or all of these questions may apply. There will certainly be more. If our traveler can approach all these situation with the attitude that he/she is a guest and a student of the local culture and things aren't bad in the same way they are bad at home, that's a huge step towards having a successful journey. Gotta run. Good luck.Lisa4edit (talk) 03:41, 2 May 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Have you checked the Travel pages of the Foreign Office? I'm not saying don't go, I have friends who've enjoyed it, but be careful in travelling to Iran. AlmostReadytoFly (talk) 14:52, 2 May 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Rest assured, I don't intend to enter Iran with the intention of overthrowing the government... that would be a tad foolish. @Lisa4edit: I am a laddie, which probably makes things a bit simpler. I understand that cultural sensitivity is a must, and, at the risk of sounding like I'm only wanting to do this in order to add to my CV, its something that I want to be able to prove I can show. Ninebucks (talk) 15:57, 2 May 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Turkish pepper

I have looked all over for a particular type of Finnish/Danish candy called Tyrkisk Peber. i have found a few websites that sell the bagged candies in the US (always at ridiculous prices), but I am interested in finding the canned variety. Does anyone know of a seller who ships the canned product to the states? Alternatively, since my primary intention is to flavor my vodka, I would be happy to know if salmiak spirits are available anywhere in the US. Tuckerekcut (talk) 15:56, 1 May 2008 (UTC)[reply]

On a web site there is a hint, that IKEA sells something called Läkerol Salmiak in its various stores. Another chap (mind you, he is Finnish) suggests the local pharmacy / chemist. From what I read, it seems to be an acquired taste, to put it rather mildly. --Cookatoo.ergo.ZooM (talk) 16:39, 1 May 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Thank you for your comment, Cookatoo. IKEA does sell some salmiak licorice, and indeed I have found some sources for various "salty" licorices in the states. I am looking for a very specific brand, though, as stated above. Again,I may find ammonium chloride at the pharmacy, but that's not exactly what I'm looking for. Tuckerekcut (talk) 17:01, 1 May 2008 (UTC)[reply]

You might ask on its article's talk page: Talk:Tyrkisk Peber. We really do have an article on everything. --Sean 18:12, 1 May 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Wow, there is, indeed, an article on everything. Warning: Reading it may cause instant omniscience and require copious medication of wodka and Turkinpippuri! --Cookatoo.ergo.ZooM (talk) 19:10, 1 May 2008 (UTC)[reply]

I much prefer the article on Life, the Universe and Everything. AtaruMoroboshi (talk) 19:13, 1 May 2008 (UTC)[reply]

For those without an affinity for vodka. This candy will clear your sinuses and work much better than the sweet lozenges one usually finds, on a sore throat if you catch a cold. The IKEA stuff is not the same you'll understand why it's named Turkish Pepper once you try it. (Warning: non-resourced OR :-) 71.236.23.111 (talk) 19:56, 1 May 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Oh God, that stuff. The first time I tried it I almost got into an automobile accident. Never again. Never. 206.252.74.48 (talk) 20:08, 1 May 2008 (UTC)[reply]

"Until you know how it will affect you don't operate machinery." Side effects include bulging eyes, utter disbelief, temporary nerve damage in the exposed areas. Side effects are not generally mild but appreciated by some later. ;-) Lisa4edit (talk) 20:48, 1 May 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Did you know you can find that flavour hidden in many sweets in Scandanavia? On a visit to Sweden, I bought back some caramel lollipops for my sister's kids which they accused me of hiding "Marmite" in :-)) Astronaut (talk) 22:47, 1 May 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Smuggling Marmite into the country disguised as lollipops...

Tusk, tusk, are there no limits to the devious inventiveness of the criminal mind? --Cookatoo.ergo.ZooM (talk) 23:44, 1 May 2008 (UTC)[reply]

If you are just looking for the flavor, a French liquor called Pernod might do it for you. It has an anise taste that's quite similar and since it has 40% proof you should probably skip the vodka. Lisa4edit (talk) 20:54, 1 May 2008 (UTC)[reply]

United Airlines Flight 93 - entry question

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Airlines_Flight_93

"It had 182 seats but was carrying only 37 passengers (including the four hijackers) and seven crew members: two pilots, the captain Jason M. Dahl and his first officer, LeRoy Homer Jr.; and five flight attendants. Because one passenger had booked two seats, some early accounts said there were 38 passengers on board. The four hijackers were seated in first class."

doesn't that = 44?

your SUMMARY indicates: Fatalities 45

who am i missing? thank you SweetBecca (talk) 18:23, 1 May 2008 (UTC)SweetBecca[reply]

The number of passengers in the article is given as 38 (two lines above the number 45 for total casualties). 38 + 7 = 45. The German WP has 37 passengers. It would be a matter of finding a suitable reference for a definite figure of the number of passengers before an edit is made. --Cookatoo.ergo.ZooM (talk) 19:04, 1 May 2008 (UTC)[reply]

thanks for your comment/reply. "Because one passenger had booked two seats, some early accounts said there were 38 passengers on board" seems to indicate a contradiction on the same page. the wikipedia information about the memorial http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flight_93_Memorial agrees with numerous other sites that the total number of casualties = 40 victims + 4 hijackers SweetBecca (talk) 19:34, 1 May 2008 (UTC)SweetBecca[reply]

In which case I suggest you edit the article United Airlines Flight 93 to correct the number of passengers. Don´t forget to state in the edit history the reason for your modification. Be bold (unless, of course, you want to be italic). --Cookatoo.ergo.ZooM (talk) 20:08, 1 May 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Hold your horses. I had a quick look through the other languages for that article and the Dutch, French, Suomi (Finnish) and Swedish articles had 37 passengers and 44 fatalities. The Italians had 38 - 1 in their text and 37 in a template box. The Portugese had only 38 in the text but 37 in the box. The Spanish article has 40 passengers (?) The Polish and German articles finally solved the mystery: One of the passengers had been pregnant and some sources count the unborn child as the 38th passenger. So depending on your view on that subject both numbers are correct. This sounds like a case for the conflict resolution board. Lisa4edit (talk) 20:41, 1 May 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Would it be too tasteless to cound unborn children as 1/2 fatality? Logically it makes sense... 217.168.3.246 (talk) 00:40, 2 May 2008 (UTC)[reply]

If the number of fatalities was something like X and 1/2 fatalities, it would be too confusing. Plus, how far into pregnancy was she? There are many differing opinions as to at which point in development the fetus is officially considered a person. Ilikefood (talk) 16:05, 4 May 2008 (UTC)[reply]