Wikipedia:Reference desk/Miscellaneous
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Wikipedia:Reference desk/headercfg
April 29
A great vibrato song
Hi, I'm looking for a calm and touching song that I can sing with a vibrato. Im thinking somewhere along the lines of Amazing Grace and Somewhere over the Rainbow. Can someone recommend some other famous and touching songs? Thanks. 64.230.84.191 01:52, 29 April 2007 (UTC)
- Abide With Mehotclaws**== 03:49, 29 April 2007 (UTC)
- "Memories" from "The way we were" [1]. Edison 07:15, 29 April 2007 (UTC)
- Are you male or female? Anchoress 07:25, 29 April 2007 (UTC)
- Male.64.230.86.235 21:04, 29 April 2007 (UTC)
- I'd suggest you check out the songs sung by Mario Lanza, like You'll Never Walk Alone, They Call the Wind Maria, etc. The Music of the Night is a good choice, although it's a very challenging sing and likewise Ol' Man River if you're a clear bass/bari. Aaaaand..... There's always O Sole Mio for vibrato, it's one of the most vibrato-heavy songs in existence lol, but it's not very calm and touching. Anchoress 02:09, 30 April 2007 (UTC)
- Male.64.230.86.235 21:04, 29 April 2007 (UTC)
Check any of the songs by Yma Sumac. Corvus cornix 21:26, 29 April 2007 (UTC)
- Also Moon River, which can be very touching if it isn't overdone. Listen to Audrey Hepburn's version in Breakfast at Tiffany's - very touching and quite a few opportunities for vibrato. --Charlene 02:05, 30 April 2007 (UTC)
- Yes. If overdone, the start of Moon River can sound like the start of Goldfinger. -- JackofOz 05:22, 30 April 2007 (UTC)
- That is so true and I hadn't ever noticed! Another touching song from the Great American Songbook able to withstand a vibrato is Hoagy Carmichael's Stardust. Aaron Neville recorded a version, with his very distinct vibrato multidubbing the lead and background, and accompanied only by Rob Wasserman on acoustic bass. ---Sluzzelin talk 05:46, 30 April 2007 (UTC)
- Yes. If overdone, the start of Moon River can sound like the start of Goldfinger. -- JackofOz 05:22, 30 April 2007 (UTC)
- Danny Boy - but I've just realised that there is not one song that has lots of vibrato in the vocals that I can actually stand to listen to! Oh well, that's just me - don't let that stop you! SteveBaker 08:39, 30 April 2007 (UTC)
I must read these titles more closely.My mind unconsciously put an R on the end of vibrato,changing the whole meaning of the thread.Or perhaps I just need therapy Lemon martini 08:41, 30 April 2007 (UTC)
- Pretty much any song that Josh Groban sings is made for male vibrato. V-Man - T/C 01:03, 1 May 2007 (UTC)
project 64
i aksed on the computer help desk for help, but someone just led me to the faqs page. What i really need to know is which roms to get and where to get them, they don't say on the website, they say its up to us to find out. can someone please help me out on this? —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 74.170.44.145 (talk) 02:33, 29 April 2007 (UTC).
- Find them on your own. We can't aid in breaking copyright law.-- Consumed Crustacean (talk) 02:36, 29 April 2007 (UTC)
- Copyright law is retarded anyway. —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 71.175.120.245 (talk) 02:57, 29 April 2007 (UTC).
- I hope the Disk Protector doesn't hear you saying that. --TotoBaggins 04:55, 29 April 2007 (UTC)
- Copyright law is retarded anyway. —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 71.175.120.245 (talk) 02:57, 29 April 2007 (UTC).
- Copyright Law is evidently not retarded. The product you wish to steal cost money to create just like any physical object, and you couldn't simply walk into a store and take whatever CD/Game you wanted and not consider it stealing. There are very big debates out there on how long copyright should last (i understand it was introduced as a process to allow people enough time to make a profit from their creation/product but then for the public to benefit from the creative brilliance of society longer term). History of copyright law is a good place to get info on this. Anyhoo moralising rant over. ny156uk 09:11, 29 April 2007 (UTC)
- Of course, the law is the law and breaking it is a bad idea, however, the original objective of copyright law was to provide the author of a work with a period of time during which they could make money from their efforts by preventing people from legally making copies. However, what makes the law stupid in this case is that Commadore 64 ROMs havn't been on sale for decades - and making a copy of something you can't buy isn't costing the authors any money whatever. So the law is ridiculous in this case - but it's still the law - and breaking it is not OK. SteveBaker 17:51, 29 April 2007 (UTC)
Well actually Project 64 deals with the Nintendo 64 (sorry if that was a joke), but all the sites claim it's legal to use the games if you own original copies, which sort of makes sense because those stupid N64 controllers all seem to deteriorate after about 6 months so it's much easier on computer. Say, does anyone know how to fix it when the controller stick becomes really loose?Mix Lord 23:23, 29 April 2007 (UTC)
- Anyway, just Google it. N64 ROMs is a handy search (i've heard). Or you can do it legitimately, with a Nintendo Wii and a Wi-fi connection. As for which ones, look on the Nintendo website for player's choice games, most of them were pretty good.Mix Lord 23:28, 29 April 2007 (UTC)
- I suspect the line about "It's ok if you own a copy of the original game" is (a) wrong, or at least (b) highly dependent on circumstances, since, for example, the legality of owning a CD and MP3s of songs on that CD differs from country to country (it was illegal in Australia until about last year). It is also probably (c) a weak excuse some ROM site operators use to keep their site up, since odds are 99% of the people who download the ROMs don't own the games. Confusing Manifestation 00:42, 30 April 2007 (UTC)
- At least in the USA, it's (a). [2] In most other countries it's probably (c), as I seriously doubt that free distribution of them would hold up in court (it's just untested as far as I'm aware). -- mattb 00:52, 30 April 2007 (UTC)
um ok guys, i need help, if you want to talk about it, do it somewhere else. Thanx mix lord for the help.
Just quickly, I don't see how it's wrong, as all ROMs (at least with N64) no longer make money for Nintendo, so you're not really depriving them of anything. Mix Lord 03:46, 30 April 2007 (UTC)
- We are talking about why we won't give you the information you're asking for. We can't do it because what you are asking is illegal and I don't think the Wikipedia foundation would be too pleased about Helpdesk contributors directly aiding a criminal. But your statement that "all ROMs (at least with N64) no longer make money for Nintendo" is not even true - you can still buy N64 games...physical ROMS as well as downloads for the Wii and (in some cases) as ported to the Nintendo DS - it's not the form that the game is stored in (a physical N64 ROM chip versus a download or a NDS ROM) that is copyrighted - it's the game content (software, level design, music, etc). So it's very clear that Nintendo are still making money from those older N64 titles and it's not even "ethically" OK to copy them. But even if it were ethical, that would be irrelevent to the discussion - it's wrong because it's against the law. SteveBaker 08:34, 30 April 2007 (UTC)
- Sadly, what might be "ethically" (on some level) right or wrong isn't always what is legally right or wrong. And even cases where you may technically be legally right may be in just the right gray area where a big corporation can try and sue you in the hopes that you'll give in rather than face a lengthy, expensive court battle over it. See abandonware for some info fairly closely related to the whole ROM debate. And just for the anon who asked the question, part of the reason for discussion is that while we're not supposed to offer legal advice here, most of us would be pretty uncomfortable with offering illegal advice, at least without including an appropriate disclaimer (to make sure that you're at least aware of the possibility that it's illegal). It's the same reason the emulator website doesn't link to ROMs - they don't want a cease and desist from Nintendo. Confusing Manifestation 03:57, 30 April 2007 (UTC)
locating info on Mexico
Italic textHere's my question .... I'm trying to locate a 92 year old man who left the US for Acopulco, Mexico .... and suggestions .... I only know the woman's last name ... trying to find directory of some sorts with names, phone #'s etc .... thanks, Carrottop —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 71.99.48.92 (talk) 13:26, 29 April 2007 (UTC).
- Private Detective. Really, something that hard to find won't be found with a bit of google, unless the person is famous or has a last name like "Gugurakikaodsn". -- Phoeba WrightOBJECTION! 13:59, 29 April 2007 (UTC)
- Has the man actually gone missing? Was he unwell (Alzheimer's, stroke, etc.)? Because if so, your first stops should be a) your local police and b) the American Consulate in Acapulco. --Charlene 02:02, 30 April 2007 (UTC)
- To add, the contact information for the US Consular Agency in Acupulco is here [3]. Your tax dollars pay for this; don't be afraid to use it. --Charlene 02:03, 30 April 2007 (UTC)
Try using locatel a local service used to report/find missing persons 52 744 481 1100 also you can try Mexico's yellow pages at www.seccionamarilla.com.mx to try and find a private detective agency near acapulco. Good Luck
Sports Drills
I quickly need a decent site where i can look at lots of drills/exercises for Football (Soccer) and Basketball, preferebly for beginners and where any diagrams make sense. Any ideas? —The preceding unsigned comment was added by Rickystrapp (talk • contribs) 15:55, 29 April 2007 (UTC).
- This Google search seemed to offer some promising results for soccer[4] so something similar might work for basketball.--Azi Like a Fox 11:09, 30 April 2007 (UTC)
Synchromysticism
What is synchromysticism? And does Matrixism use of it? —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 206.188.56.24 (talk) 20:41, 29 April 2007 (UTC).
It is defined here [5] Bielle 21:23, 29 April 2007 (UTC)
- I was under the impression that Marxism is fundamentally materialist, so it seems odd that Marxism would use a concept that relies on spiritual events. Of course I am referring to classical Marxism and none of the many variants.--droptone 23:16, 29 April 2007 (UTC)
- Erm, only the OP didn't say Marxism, they're talking about Matrixism which is a pseudo religion based entirely on fictional work. In other words, hardly 'encyclopaedic' beyond as a cultural phenomenon. Vespine 01:25, 30 April 2007 (UTC)
- Searched for "fictional work" on Google. It says as a hint "did you mean bible ?" ;) -- DLL .. T 07:58, 30 April 2007 (UTC)
- Umm, no it doesn't. But try 'I'm feeling lucky' with French military victories as the search term.137.138.46.155 07:29, 1 May 2007 (UTC)
- Googling french military victories used to bring up this response, but now Google only does a literal search. V-Man - T/C 00:25, 2 May 2007 (UTC)
- Still works though, thats the first result, so if you click I'm Feeling Lucky, you only get the first result137.138.46.155 13:18, 2 May 2007 (UTC)
- Umm, no it doesn't. But try 'I'm feeling lucky' with French military victories as the search term.137.138.46.155 07:29, 1 May 2007 (UTC)
- Searched for "fictional work" on Google. It says as a hint "did you mean bible ?" ;) -- DLL .. T 07:58, 30 April 2007 (UTC)
- Erm, only the OP didn't say Marxism, they're talking about Matrixism which is a pseudo religion based entirely on fictional work. In other words, hardly 'encyclopaedic' beyond as a cultural phenomenon. Vespine 01:25, 30 April 2007 (UTC)
April 30
Sports, Football (American)
What yard line is the football placed on when kicking an extra point after a touchdown? What is the answer for this question in each categoty, High School, College, and Professonal (NFL). KevinKevinppierce 01:38, 30 April 2007 (UTC)
- I'll point you to our article on the extra point. I just read it and it explains about two of the three levels that you asked about. Dismas|(talk) 02:39, 30 April 2007 (UTC)
- And a quick Google search yielded this link which gives the high school answer. Dismas|(talk) 02:44, 30 April 2007 (UTC)
Apricot and Peach
Can anyone tell me what the difference between an Apricot and a Peach is? Manishahanda 02:05, 30 April 2007 (UTC)
- As I think our Apricot and Peach pages will tell you, they are both stone fruits, closely related members of the Prunus genus. —Steve Summit (talk) 02:12, 30 April 2007 (UTC)
- Oh, sorry, you asked about the difference, and I told you what's the same. Apricots are a little smaller, and have a smoother, flatter stone (seed). (They taste a little different too, of course, but I'm not gonna try to describe that.) —Steve Summit (talk) 02:15, 30 April 2007 (UTC)
The skin of the apricot tends to be smoother than that of the peach. Bielle 03:47, 30 April 2007 (UTC)
- Apricots came back in Western Europe when the Arabic culture brought it with its local name, al barqūq. See the name's history here (in French). On the contrary, peach is "persica" : straight Latin name, meaning that it comes from Persia which is Iran now.
- You can peel a peach, the skin is easy to roll. The skin can also be "shaved", it offers very thin hair. The fruit has fibers and is quite juicy when ripe.
- On the contrary, the apricot's skin is stuck to the fruit ; the fruit flesh is more compact, hard when unripe, wholly jelly/liquid when ripe. Apricots come in yellow-orange colors ; peaches have a clear - whitish ? - or a darker - brownish - skin but the flesh remains quite clear.
- Do find illustrations on the internet!-- DLL .. T 07:55, 30 April 2007 (UTC)
Here's a related question! What's the difference between a peach and a nectarine? --124.181.19.144 12:38, 30 April 2007 (UTC)
- You can find the answer here. --Maelwys 14:24, 30 April 2007 (UTC)
We have different experiences of apricots and peaches, DLL. A ripe apricot is neither jelly nor liquid, unless is is truly rotten. And peaches, as we know them in Canada, are all in the yellow-orange range, just like the apricots. (I have heard of, but never seen, a white peach.) I have never encountered a peach with clear flesh, and those with brown flesh are likely to be rotten. I do agree about the differences in the skins, however. Bielle 14:29, 30 April 2007 (UTC)
- White peaches are becoming a popular crop in eastern BC - you see them in Calgary all the time in the summer. As to the difference between peaches and apricots - to me, apricots are softer, much smaller than peaches (usually about 1/2 to 1/3 the size), and have a completely different taste. --Charlene 03:30, 1 May 2007 (UTC)
- Also, people value peaches enough to harvest them rather than letting them fall to the ground to rot (There are a lot of wasted apricots on the east coast, and I've come to associate them with the smell of vomit). I don't know why this is. ;_; V-Man - T/C 03:44, 1 May 2007 (UTC)
- Neither do I, since here apricots go for about four times as much per kilo as peaches, which are relatively cheap. --Charlene 10:06, 1 May 2007 (UTC)
- Also, people value peaches enough to harvest them rather than letting them fall to the ground to rot (There are a lot of wasted apricots on the east coast, and I've come to associate them with the smell of vomit). I don't know why this is. ;_; V-Man - T/C 03:44, 1 May 2007 (UTC)
We often get peacharines here in NZ which presumably are a cross between peaches and nectarines. they don't taste anything like either and are bland and almost tasteless, but because they are large they sell.124.197.35.189
ecology
what is the difference between a self regulating and self sustaining mechanism within an ecosystem? —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 41.245.54.96 (talk) 10:21, 30 April 2007 (UTC).
- Please note that wikipedia can not do your homework for you, especially if you do not show any effort at having solved it yourself. It sounds to me like the difference is fairly obvious in the words, but I don't know ecology, so I won't comment -- Phoeba WrightOBJECTION! 10:53, 30 April 2007 (UTC)
- I believe you might have already asked this exact same question here.--Azi Like a Fox 11:02, 30 April 2007 (UTC)
Copa del Rey 1995 and postponed sporting events
I asked this over at Talk:Copa del Rey but they seem to be in hibernation,so I'll try here.In my Football's Strangest Matches book,it claims that the 1995 Spanish Cup Final was abandoned after 79 minutes and they came back to play the other 11 minutes a few days later.I can't find any more about this,so can you guys help with more info? On a related theme,are there any other sporting events that have been postponed halfway through to be restarted later?I can only think of the Indianapolis 500 where if it rains,they all run for cover and emerge later when the sun comes back out.Wimpy Americans ;) Lemon martini 13:56, 30 April 2007 (UTC)
- Very dim memory, but wasn't that cup final interrupted by a bomb (threat?)? I'm probably wrong... I'll look for a source. --Dweller 16:11, 30 April 2007 (UTC)
- I'm wrong. It was heavy rain. ([6]) --Dweller 16:13, 30 April 2007 (UTC)
- The recent game between Leeds United and Ipswich Town was stopped due to a pitch-invasion for something like 25 minutes only to reconvene for less than a minute's football. I seem to remember there being a rather odd coca-cola cup game between Liverpool and (I think) Aston Villa which had a delayed kick off to about 9/9.30pm that went to extra-time and penalties that meant the game almost spanned into the next day (i.e. the game played through midnight). I think there are quite a few examples littered around football of games stopping, Real Madrid had one the other season I recall but forget the details. ny156uk 17:05, 30 April 2007 (UTC)
- Yes, the Real Madrid - Real Sociedad match on 12 December 2004 was interrupted by a bomb alert with 2 minutes 40 seconds remaining to play. The two teams got together to play the 2m40s (plus 4 minutes of stoppage time) on 4th January 2005. As an interesting bit of trivia, you can also cite this match as an instance of a club (RM) changing its manager during a game - Mariano Garcia Remon was replaced by Wanderley Luxemburgo in the interim! -- Arwel (talk) 00:51, 1 May 2007 (UTC)
- For some reason we don't have an article rain stopped play, but if we did it would have extensive sections on cricket and tennis, where this happens all the time. In a sport which relies totally on how a ball bounces off the ground, you can't really allow the ground to get wet. Algebraist 21:26, 30 April 2007 (UTC)
- Careful with the word 'correct'! 'Rain out' seems to be the usual US term, particularly for baseball, that I had never heard before. Rain stopped play is the usual (correct) British term, particularly in cricket or tennis. Skittle 15:36, 1 May 2007 (UTC)
- Hmm, I was suspicious of that possibility; hence my accomodation on the WP:RDAC listing. V-Man - T/C 00:35, 2 May 2007 (UTC)
Major League Baseball enacted a rule this year that games can no longer end in ties (draws). If a game is rained out after 4.5 innings have been played, and it's a tie game, the game is restarted on a later date. I believe this has happened once so far this year. (If 4.5 innings have not been played, the game is replayed from the beginning.)
Games have also been restarted (in previous years) because of upheld protests of umpires' decisions (as in the Pine Tar Incident) and because of curfews (see Longest professional baseball game). -- Mwalcoff 02:20, 1 May 2007 (UTC)
- Another famous postponement was the 1962 Grey Cup game, aka The Fog Bowl. Although the 50½ minutes before the game was suspended due to lack of visibility were high-scoring, 28-27, nobody scored after the game was resumed the next day. --Anonymous, May 1, 2007, 04:42 (UTC).
Cannot add a row to a table
Hello,
Why can I not edit the table at this location:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_wiki_farms
thank you,
Dave rep 15:06, 30 April 2007 (UTC) <e-mail removed>
- Please explain what you mean, for I am able to get the editing window when I press Edit this Page. Also, it's not a good idea to put your e-mail on public web sites, or else massive spam. Splintercellguy 15:11, 30 April 2007 (UTC)
Hi, thank you for pointing out the "Edit This Page" tab.
EOM
—The preceding unsigned comment was added by Dave rep (talk • contribs) 19:38, 1 May 2007 (UTC).
Soundtrack to the Gulf War
The Doors, Ride of the Valkyries, etc have become a cultural soundtrack of the Vietnam War. What are the songs that will be forever etched into the public consciousnes when they think of the Gulf War (either one, I am thinking more about the first). Thanks! —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 207.189.98.44 (talk) 20:26, 30 April 2007 (UTC).
- That awful "God Bless the USA" song by Lee Greenwood is probably the Gulf War I song. It seemed like it played endlessly. --140.247.248.175 21:23, 30 April 2007 (UTC)
- True/horrifying fact: I became a US citizen in 2004, and part of the naturalization ceremony was the viewing of a military-oriented music video of that song. I can't remember if it actually showed George W. Bush doing his famous end-zone dance for winning the Iraq War so quickly, but it was definitely along those lines. --TotoBaggins 02:19, 1 May 2007 (UTC)
Thanks - I'm thinking more of things like the Public Enemy song that's prominent in Jarhead.
- The reason those songs are etched in the public consciousness (and by "public", we mean "Western" of course) is because they featured prominantly in seminal movie soundtracks. I don't really believe we have had movies of quite the same impact about the Gulf Wars yet. But I suppose the soundtracks of Jarhead and Three Kings are as close as well get. I think the most notable media association with first Gulf War will be the real-time reporting in situ (specifically by CNN). Rockpocket
- I wouldn't make these kind of comparisons, we are living is such different times. Just like no one will ever again write a lyric like Womp-bomp-a-loom-op-a-womp-bam-boom, no war will have a soundtrack like vietnam. which btw I think would have to include Hendrix before Valkyries, becuase Hendrix was actually listened to during vietnam while Valkyries is purely from the film. Vespine 00:14, 1 May 2007 (UTC)
- British squaddies made a famous version of miming to Peter Kay's "Amarillo" which has been all over the internethotclaws**== 09:32, 1 May 2007 (UTC)
- "What are the songs that will be forever etched into the public consciousnes when they think of the Gulf War?"
- That's very good and interesting question. The answer may well be "we don't know yet, because it's too early to know what songs of the time will remain popular and (or maybe, or,) become widely identified with the that war."
- Interesting sub-questions might be "was the music about the war?", and, if no, "is the music contemporaneous with that war?", "if it was contemporaneous, did it become identified with that war at the time of the war, or later on?" and "were it were not for that war, would the music still be widely popular?"
- See, perhaps, It's a Long Way to Tipperary for WWI; "Lili Marleen" (I wrongly thought it was associated with WWI) and The White Cliffs of Dover for WWII; Non, je ne regrette rien for Algerian War of Independence for roughly contemporaneous songs that got associated with a war.
- For retrospective associations, perhaps see (this is from memory, I may be very, very wrong) the theme music to M*A*S*H for the Korean War; the China Beach use of the (albeit originally contemporaneous) We Gotta Get Out of This Place and theJimi Hendrix version of All Along the Watchtower.
- Mmm, thinking about it now, I'm pretty sure I'm trying to reinvent the wheel here, and probably not very well. Is there a song that is widely associated with Gulf War 1? It is, of course, all subjective. Nevertheless, if there is an answer, I sure don't know what it is, but I hope I've helped even a little bit, 44. --Shirt58 12:04, 2 May 2007 (UTC)
How about "Rock the Casbah" by The Clash? 138.163.128.43 19:05, 3 May 2007 (UTC)
East German Traditional Food
What kinds of food/recipies/etc really personify or represent the former East Germany, the DDR? I can only really think of Spreewald Gherkins from Goodbye Lenin. Thanks in advance, 82.12.214.93 20:54, 30 April 2007 (UTC)
- German cuisine isn't a bad article. I'm European and nothing says German Food to me more then sauerkraut and bratwurst. But if you mean specifically eastern then that's trickier, German cuisine has an old and rich history, I doubt a few years of commies had much effect on it. Vespine 23:13, 30 April 2007 (UTC)
- Vita-Cola is a well-known example of an East German food product that has been revived by ostalgie. Indeed, a number of formerly defunct East German products have been put back into production by enterprising individuals who have latched on to this niche market -
there may even be a list somewhere.In fact, here is a website that sells all kinds of ostprodukte, including food (only in German, sorry - ask on my talk if you need any help translating/understanding). Carom 00:28, 1 May 2007 (UTC)
- Vita-Cola is a well-known example of an East German food product that has been revived by ostalgie. Indeed, a number of formerly defunct East German products have been put back into production by enterprising individuals who have latched on to this niche market -
That website's really good. I'm fine with the German aswell, thanks. 82.12.214.93 17:24, 1 May 2007 (UTC)
Ramio? yes, ramio.
My wife has just bought a blouse (in Spain as it happens) and the attached label says it is made of 100% ramio. I've had a spin in Google but it doesn't seem to show much. Can anybody tell me what this ramio is or point me to a resource that will explain.Richard Avery 21:42, 30 April 2007 (UTC)
- It's probably ramie. - Eron Talk 21:49, 30 April 2007 (UTC)
- Ramio, Ramio, wherefore art thou Ramio? Sorry, that was irresistible. And if I hadn't,
someone elseStuRat would have. -- JackofOz 21:52, 30 April 2007 (UTC)
- Ramio, Ramio, wherefore art thou Ramio? Sorry, that was irresistible. And if I hadn't,
ya..nothing came up for ramio except that it is actually translated from spanish into ramie-........ramie is a bast fiber, taken from the stalk of a plant grown in China. it is known as "rhea" or "china grass". Ramie resembles flax but it is coarser. The cost of production in making the yarn is high. Ramie has great strength, lustre, body and appearance. does that help? --Kittycat rox 22:08, 30 April 2007 (UTC)
Well, more than enough to be going on with. Oddly it was not particularly expensive, but with clothes I guess the labour component is important. A good result - well apart from JackofOz's terrible pun, but curiously compensated by his excellent page!! Thanks to you allRichard Avery 14:23, 1 May 2007 (UTC)
May 1
Domestic AC power plugs and sockets mis-match with world usage map
Hello, Wikipedia information about various electric electric plugs was quite helpful. It appears that there is a mis-match with the accompanying world map. For example, Israel is described as using Type H (Israeli 3-pin) plugs, but the map indicates something else.75.37.161.79 00:23, 1 May 2007 (UTC)carolandgarry
- You can actually leave a message like this on the discussion page for the article you saw. You might even get a reference for the authors, so they can correct it. --Zeizmic 02:23, 1 May 2007 (UTC)
I have some questions about the location of Brierdale in the state of Florida and other questions about my fictional city.
Is Brierdale in South Florida?
Is the fictional city in Miami-Dade County?
How many residents are living in Brierdale?
How many streets are named after TV series and people? —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 12.18.90.56 (talk) 00:33, 1 May 2007 (UTC).
- Are you this same user from 2 years ago?--VectorPotentialTalk 00:42, 1 May 2007 (UTC)
- Probably so, but let's try to answer it, anyway ....
- Questions about reality have clear answers. Questions about fictional things (like Brierdale, FL) can, I suppose, be answered by the person who made them up. And, original poster, that's you. Not me or anyone else. Tugbug 00:56, 1 May 2007 (UTC)
- Or, just in case it will resolve two years of fictional Florida questionaires: (1) No. North Florida. (2) No. It's near Jacksonville. (3) 132. It's a dying farm town. (4) Zero. Farmers are much too practical for that. There you go! — Lomn 15:22, 1 May 2007 (UTC)
KOOL AID and Bill O' Reilly
Did you know that Bill has implied that if "you' are a liberal, you drink KOOL AID ? What he implies is that "you" can't think for yourself, an idiot, since this or a related drink mix was used in a mass murder/suicide. I have seen this on his show on the FOX News channel and heard it on The Radio Factor many times, seen this on Google as well. Can this be placed in appropriate articles. Would do so myself, but I'm on a Linksys at this time, and it keeps fucking up, causing DNS errors, and causing "Operation has Timed out" errors. 205.240.144.220 01:20, 1 May 2007 (UTC)
- It's a figure of speech which has fairly wide usage; O'Reilly is by no means the originator or sole user of the phrase. See Kool-Aid#"Drinking the Kool-Aid". TenOfAllTrades(talk) 01:23, 1 May 2007 (UTC)
- I don't think it is particularly notable, but if you do, you would be better off discussing this at the Bill O' Reilly talkpage. Rockpocket 01:26, 1 May 2007 (UTC)
- It's not so much about what Bill O'Reilly implies by his words, it's what individual viewers and listeners infer he means. Any interpretation of another's words is a matter of personal subjective opinion. JackofOz 01:32, 1 May 2007 (UTC)
- All the same, don't drink the Flavor Aid. V-Man - T/C 01:41, 1 May 2007 (UTC)
- But do drink the Kool Aid, man, drink it!!!! Perry-mankster 11:07, 1 May 2007 (UTC)
Basketball team with green/blue logo showing C and two stars
I need to know what basketball team features a C above two stars superimposed on a chevron of bright green and white stripes. The whole thing is then framed in a bright blue color. More specifically, I'm looking for the name of player #20 from the 2003 roster. I believe his/her last name started with Will. <a href="http://img409.imageshack.us/my.php?image=logosmallsn5.jpg"><a href="http://img250.imageshack.us/my.php?image=sigsmallgj9.jpg" target="_blank"></a> —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 66.19.235.190 (talk) 02:46, 1 May 2007 (UTC).
- That actually resembles the Converse shoe company logo, which makes sense to find it on a shoe. Just a guess... V-Man - T/C 03:59, 1 May 2007 (UTC)
- The player in question is, I think, Tamika Williams (actually, Tamika Raymond since her very recent marriage), who wears #20 for the Minnesota Lynx in the WNBA. Carom 04:42, 1 May 2007 (UTC)
Weird Symbols
I have found 3 similar symbols, but I do not know what their names are or what they're used for. All I know about them are that they can be typed by holding down alt and pressing either 6320, 6321,or 6322.Here they are,
- ░
- ▒
- ▓
Wikiman232 03:49, 1 May 2007 (UTC)
- They are part of the Windows Alt keycodes system, corresponding to the (shorter) codes 176, 177, and 178. V-Man - T/C 03:56, 1 May 2007 (UTC)
This is really a computer question and would have been better asked on the computer reference desk, if only you had known it was a computer question.
What you created originally may have been characters in some Windows character set, but Wikipedia operates in Unicode and the characters appeared as Unicode in your query. In Unicode the three characters are called "light shade", "medium shade", and "dark shade". They're intended to be repeated to make a shaded area in a diagram. They are part of the "Block Elements block", whose purpose is explained in the standard as follows (quoted from the version 4.0 standard under www.unicode.org since 5.0 is not online there yet):
- The Block Elements block represents a graphic compatibility zone in the Unicode Standard. A number of existing national and vendor standards, including IBM PC Code Page 437, contain a number of characters intended to enable a simple kind of display cell graphics by filling some fraction of each cell, or by filling each display cell with some degree of shading. The Unicode Standard does not encourage this kind of character-based graphics model but includes a minimal set of such characters for backward compatibility with the existing standards.
- Half-block fill characters are included for each half of a display cell, plus a graduated series of vertical and horizontal fractional fills based on one-eighth parts. Also included is a series of shades based on one-quarter shadings. The fractional fills do not form a logically complete set but are intended only for backward compatibility.
If you select "code charts" at www.unicode.org and type in, for example, 2591, then you will get a link to the PDF page showing the these three characters and the others in this block.
--Anonymous, May 1, 2007, 05:28 (UTC).
Those characters are part of Code_page_437 are (were) very important for ansi art -- Diletante 05:42, 1 May 2007 (UTC)
Technically, they weren't important for ansi, but comprised it .. DDB 12:30, 1 May 2007 (UTC)
Photographs in Plays, Concerts etc.
Under the commonwealth copyright laws, if I took a photograph of the people on stage during a play or a concert, whose copyright will it be? Can the copyright holder of the performance claim copyright over my photograph? (No this is not proper legal advice, just legal information). Thanks. --antilivedT | C | G 06:42, 1 May 2007 (UTC)
- There is a discussion over at Wikimedia Commons on this very subject (see here). A number of pertinent laws are mentioned, but the general consensus seems to be that photos of stage settings and such could be considered derivative works and therefore a copyright violation. --Joelmills 15:27, 1 May 2007 (UTC)
Breakthrough bleeding
I have been on the pill (Levlen ED to stop my period for nearly 3 months now, and at the end of the first week of the third month I started to get breakthrough bleeding. The problem is the period has gone for 2 weeks now and it's driving me insane! When will it stop? I've still been taking the pills as normal. Can I make it stop by getting stronger pills? I want it gone by the end of this week! --124.181.19.144 06:43, 1 May 2007 (UTC)
- I'm afraid we cannot give you specific medical advice, however the consumer information accompanying Levlen says
If you are concerned you really should see a doctor, or at least ask your pharmacist for advice. Rockpocket 07:37, 1 May 2007 (UTC)With all pills, for the first few months, you can have irregular vaginal bleeding (spotting or breakthrough bleeding) between your periods. You may need to use sanitary protection, but continue to take the tablets as normal. Irregular vaginal bleeding usually stops once your body has adjusted to the pill (usually after about 3 tablet-taking cycles). If it continues, becomes heavy or starts again, tell your doctor.
Umm sorry for posting this three times it was an accident... my computer is running at a snails pace at the moment and I pressed the save button three times. I still have a question though because I dont understand the pamphlet... how long is the bleeding supposed to last? --124.180.139.224 10:40, 1 May 2007 (UTC)
- Don't be sorry 124, but listen to Rocketpocket, Go see your doctor Perry-mankster 11:09, 1 May 2007 (UTC)
Be aware in case you hadn't heard, the contreceptive pill has the annoying effect of making you sensitive to nickel. i.e. many women find they get a rash under their watches, some rings, earings etc. I have seen this problem many times but only heard a doctor explain it recently.Jakeflake
Thai Ngoc
Is it true that that he has been awake since 1973? A little research shows he has only been monitored for four days at a time. If so, why is it that Randy Gardner, who went without sleep for 11 days is the record holder? I can't find much information on this, does anyone have any leads? Cuban Cigar 08:04, 1 May 2007 (UTC)
- I am extremely sceptical of this claim. As the article on sleep deprivation states, lack of sleep can have many detrimental side effects, up to and including death. I believe your second sentence answers your second question...the burden of proof in cases like this rest firmly on the claimant; as sceptics are fond of saying, "extraordinary claims require extraordinary proof." Incidentally, the story reminds me of Nancy Kress's book Beggars in Spain. Anyways, I personally doubt his claim could withstand rigorous scientific scrutiny and seems on par with something like Breatharianism, and just writing this is making me sleepyZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzZZ -- Azi Like a Fox 10:40, 1 May 2007 (UTC)
Car insurance
I'm not seeking financial advise, I'm just curious. Why do your insurance rates go up if you own more than one vehicle? You can only drive one at a time and therefore damage just one at a time. Dismas|(talk) 08:21, 1 May 2007 (UTC)
- Unless you manage to crash car 1 into car 2 :) -- Azi Like a Fox 09:43, 1 May 2007 (UTC)
After 2 or 3 cars, it is assumed the crazy teens are street racing...--Zeizmic 11:03, 1 May 2007 (UTC)
- Insurance rules may seem odd to the consumer, but insurance companies are well known for using plenty of complex models, analysis, statistics etc. to determine their rates and policies. In this case I can see 2 reasons. One would be that they have statistics showing that owners of multiple cars have more accidents (perhaps because there are plenty of 1 car owners who don't use their one car very much, but it is less likely that someone who owns 2 cars takes the subway to work). Another reason could be even more related to the cold hearted commercial reality: People who can afford two cars can afford higher rates. Charging what customers can afford and accept, not what the product/service actually costs is a well known practice. / 85.194.44.18 12:04, 1 May 2007 (UTC)
- A simpler explanation would be that people are prepared to pay, so they'll charge. A consumer will assume they have to pay insurance on both cars, so will happily pay. And be excited if they get a small discount for insuring both cars with the same insurer. --Dweller 12:07, 1 May 2007 (UTC)
- Fires, hurricanes, tornadoes and the like can destroy all of your cars simultaneously. The risk of having a car stolen is probaby roughly constant for each car (so rises as you have more cars). Insurance (at least in the US) actually does acknowledge that each insured driver can only drive one car at a time.
search quote
who made this quote.he is a male celebrity'"something that, that has a new life" —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 212.49.84.159 (talk) 09:56, 1 May 2007 (UTC).
- I have a question for you. Where do these quotes which are normally pretty much just ordinary everyday words and phrases come from? Is there some sort of pub quiz that you're playing? This is at least the fourth quote question of this sort that I've seen in as many weeks. Dismas|(talk) 12:23, 1 May 2007 (UTC)
- Didn't one of these questions once allude to it being from the radio? That seems a little more reasonable to have a voice to recognize and not just an unspectacular quote. 139.142.1.141 14:40, 1 May 2007 (UTC)
Compact Fluorescent Lightbulbs
I have looked everywhere to find the answer to this: Can you use Reflector CFL's or spiral CFL's on a dimmer? I'm trying to replace all the bulbs in my house with CFL's, but have about half my total interior home lights on dimmers (high hats in the kitchen, dimmers on many lamps, dimmers on the lights in my entertainment center).
Please help.
Thank you
—The preceding unsigned comment was added by 71.200.208.24 (talk) 11:59, 1 May 2007 (UTC).
- Removed the e-mail address, naughty spam, Perry-mankster 12:03, 1 May 2007 (UTC)
- Yes and no accoding to the link. At the bottom of the article, it indicates, that yes flourescent lights can be put on a dimmer, but the dimmer has to be made specifically for the particular type of bulb, in order to interact with the ballast correctly. Czmtzc 12:44, 1 May 2007 (UTC)
- There are compact fluorescent floodlamps designed to work on a normal electronic dimmer just like incandescents. I bought one for about $12 which looks like a normal flood, and dims nicely down to about 20% of full brightness. The color of the light remains the same asa it dims, while regular incandescent lamps get redder as the dim. Below about 20% the CFL goes out completely while the regular bulbs dim down to zero. I find it completely satisfactory except for the much higher cost. There are a wide variety of other CFLs some of which dim further, including A19 bulb styles and spirals as seen at [7]. Edison 16:04, 1 May 2007 (UTC)
- I put four standard Philips CFL's onto a dimmer circuit in our family room. As you reduce the voltage, at first nothing happens (they don't get dimmer) - then they flicker annoyingly and finally just go off. So as User:Edison points out - you may be able to buy special dimmable CFL's - but the standard kind don't dim nicely. I'm planning to rig up some arrangement by which I turn off one, two, three then four of them as you slide the "dimmer". I've replaced the most frequently used lamps with CFL's - but I'm really waiting until LED bulbs get cheap enough - those should live pretty much for ever and use even less electricity than CFL's - and with any luck you'll be able to adjust their colour to suit the mood, etc. SteveBaker 22:48, 1 May 2007 (UTC)
- To 'dim' discharge lamps you need to reduce the current through them without going below the striking voltage of the tube. There are special ballast device s that do this . I beleive that some of them work at high (20KHz) frequencies called HF ballasts. —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 88.111.123.188 (talk) 22:56, 1 May 2007 (UTC).
Passports
Does there exist a "free" list of current US citizens holding VISA's or passports .... trying to find info on someone ... thanks, Cathy —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 71.99.48.92 (talk) 12:02, 1 May 2007 (UTC).
- Probably not one that is free for civilian use, as such a list would impinge upon the privacy of US citizens. - AMP'd 14:53, 1 May 2007 (UTC)
- It's highly unlikely that a list of us citizen and the (presumably foreign) visas they hold exist. There are certainly at least one, and probably many, databases of US passport holders, none open or free. —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 207.189.98.44 (talk) 19:21, 1 May 2007 (UTC).
Buying sumo suits
How much would it cost to buy a pair of sumo suits in Geelong, Australia? and also, where and how much are body balloon costumes if there aren't any on eBay? Wattsini1 11:57, 1 May 2007 (UTC)Wattsini1
or you could just eat a lot.
3-Way Chats
Is it possible to turn a 3-way chat on the phone into a 4-way chat by pressing recall then dialling the 4th person's phone number then pressing recall again and dialling the number 4 instead of 3? This is with Australian phones by the way. --Candy-Panda 12:42, 1 May 2007 (UTC)
Bolulla - Help!
I'm german and I want to get the two images(see the comment) into the table, but without success. Can someone help me? German article isde:Bolulla. It is a little different as in the german wikipedia ... Thanks -- jlorenz1 14:45, 1 May 2007 (UTC)
- I fixed it (you may want to change the image size), even though the question would have been better placed at the Help desk! Skarioffszky 15:12, 1 May 2007 (UTC)
- Thanks Skarioffszky for your great help. -- jlorenz1 15:27, 1 May 2007 (UTC)
What kind of boat am I thinking of when I say "rowboat"?
When I think of a "rowboat", I imagine something like http://www.addisonart.com/artwork/cohen_B_art/BC_print-Red-rowboat.gif (the first Google image result for "rowboat"), where the front of the boat is pointed, there's a bench or two, and the back of the boat is squared-off. (The picture doesn't show oarlocks on the sides, which are usually on either end of the benches.) Wikipedia's Rowboat page is a redirect to "Watercraft rowing", which seems to be about competitive or military rowing, where the boats are pointed on front and back. ("Canoe-like", I'd call them.)
Does anyone know if there's a name other than "rowboat" for the kind of boat I'm thinking of? Nothing in "Types of Boats" on Boat seems to fit.
Thanks very much. CSWarren 16:18, 1 May 2007 (UTC)
- I think dinghy is about the closest fit. (Though I too would just call it a rowboat) - Eron Talk 16:24, 1 May 2007 (UTC)
- a Whitehall Rowboat is shaped like you describe. later edit: I looked at alot of boat types in Category:Boat types and Skiff sometimes refers this shape. -- Diletante 16:50, 1 May 2007 (UTC)
Changing usernames - Wikimedia
I've already placed a request for a username change in Wikipedia. Can anyone tell me how to do so for my Wikimedia username??? I want the username to be changed, not just create a new one so I can keep track of my contribution history and what not easier. adam the atomTEC 21:36, 1 May 2007 (UTC)
- m:Changing username appears to be the pertinent article on meta, although it's not very clear. If that procedure doesn't work, probably a bureaucrat there can help. –Pakman044 02:52, 2 May 2007 (UTC)
Yahoo News
How do I view yesterday's headlines? Thanks. 67.188.81.239 22:22, 1 May 2007 (UTC)
Yahoo, like other news pages, changes its headlines often every half hour or so. I don't know that you can "snapshot" a portion of what constitutes yesterday's headlines. If you just need to know what stories were featured generally, you can get that from any newspaper site. Bielle 01:46, 2 May 2007 (UTC)
- The Internet Archive has the headlines of August 26 (I mean, they have August 25 and all before this day as well, but none after August 26), but I think in a few months they'll have yesterday's headlines. This page shows all snapshots that they do have so far. A.Z. 05:50, 2 May 2007 (UTC)
Extra Cash
Do you know how preteens can get extra money? Besides baby-sitting, and carwashes. What are those things where companies call you to test their food, and then give you money for what you think? —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 216.78.228.145 (talk) 23:20, 1 May 2007 (UTC).
- That's a really good question. I wondered the same when I was a preteen. If you live in Brazil, you can take the test to become a public employee and make a lot more money than the average as soon as you turn 18, though the average here is far from impressive and you have to work 7 hours a day... But all it takes is a bit of motivation to study for the test. Of course you don't live in Brazil, but, then again, maybe my answer will help someone think of something that may turn out to be useful. A.Z. 23:32, 1 May 2007 (UTC)
- Do you have any skills worth noting? That's always a good avenue to pursue. You didn't mention maintaining peoples' yards, always a classic. -- mattb 00:25, 2 May 2007 (UTC)
You were likely thinking of focus groups where marketing companies bring a specific subset of people together to try out products and then comment upon them. I don't know if they use pre-teens in this way; it may be at odds with child-labour laws in some jurisdictions. Bielle 01:40, 2 May 2007 (UTC)
- Paper-rounds (or routes in the USA), but not sure about age restrictions - i had mine i the 70's where there were few restrictions. Also approach Ma and Pa see if you can do extra chores/jobs around the house for cold hard cash Perry-mankster 12:00, 2 May 2007 (UTC) oh and leaflet deliveries for restaurants/businesses, dog walking and do you play any instruments? there is always busking (but check the last one out regarding legality for where you live) Perry-mankster 12:07, 2 May 2007 (UTC)
help
what is the distance between holland and new zealand?
- The distance between Amsterdam and Auckland is 11,256 miles or 18,114 kilometers, according to this page. -- Mwalcoff 23:54, 1 May 2007 (UTC)
- The circumference of the Earth being about 40,000km meaning this close to "half way around the world". Vespine 01:07, 2 May 2007 (UTC)
May 2
De Surville anchors
Who raised and did the conservation work on the DeSurville anchors found in Doubtless Bay in the Far North NZ.Jakeflake 00:05, 2 May 2007 (UTC) ( I ask because the wrong person often gets credited with this work and I wonder if Wikipedia has reference to this info.)
- From [8], Kelly Tarlton found the first one, Mike Bearsley found number 2 and 3. Kelly Tarlton apparently wrote an article about it in International Journal of Nautical Archaeology (Volume 6 Issue 1 Page 64 - February 1977), but I can't get access to it. About the conservation work, I don't know, although they seem to be suggesting that they did electrolysis themselves at Te Papa - wild speculation, though. Aaadddaaammm 00:51, 2 May 2007 (UTC)
1990 birth 2003 death
I remember there was an article on Wikipedia about a girl who was born in 1990 and died in 2003 because she commited suicide. it happened in Texas. What was the name of that girl? —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 76.64.137.205 (talk) 01:50, 2 May 2007 (UTC).
- Any details? I can't really think top of my head. Splintercellguy 02:38, 2 May 2007 (UTC)
- You could try looking in the relevant categories (shameless plug): Category:1990 births and Category:2003 deaths. →EdGl 02:48, 2 May 2007 (UTC)
- I tried using CatScan but it didn't come up with any articles that matched both categories. - Mgm|(talk) 11:50, 2 May 2007 (UTC)
- Even if there was an article once, it might not be there any more. Articles about people are often deleted if it is determined that the person does not meet the notability guidelines. - Eron Talk 12:21, 2 May 2007 (UTC)
Pungency Addiction Syndrome
My question is, do you guys know anything about this, its and addiction to spicy foods, called Pungency Addiction Syndrome, cuz i really like spicy food, not to that extent, but im still curious as to how spicy food affects the brain in a way that makes it addictive.
As I understand this, chillies and hot currys etc cause a release of adrenalin and endorphines which regular eaters of these foods tend to get slightly addicted to. this is why they tend to like hotter and hotter spices as time goes by. 124.197.35.189
Capsaicin
What would be the effects on persons body if they were to consume 100% pure capsaicin? Is there a lethal dose known for capsaicin? 68.231.151.161 03:44, 2 May 2007 (UTC)
A piece of capsicum one quarter of an inch square in a pot of stew repeats on me all day so I hate to think of the effect of a whole capsicum let alone pure capsaicin.124.197.35.189
- The article states that capsaicin is an irritant, its mechanism of action causes a neural reaction, it doesn't actually cause any kind of burn or tissue damage, it's purely the sensation. So I don't think there is a relevant 'lethal dose'. Vespine 04:42, 2 May 2007 (UTC)
- Actually, the article says "In large quantities, capsaicin can cause death." So I was wondering how large a quantity that is. 68.231.151.161 04:47, 2 May 2007 (UTC)
- In the section about "non lethal force" haha, missed it the 1st time I went through the article. Vespine 04:53, 2 May 2007 (UTC)
- Capsaicin activates thermoreceptors on the skin and mucus membrane, specifically Transient receptor potential V1 through V4. These create an action potential which we interpret as noxious heat nociception. In animal studies, crystalline capsaicin (15,000,000–16,000,000 on the Scoville scale) was administered intravenously. The animals died alright, the probable cause of death was was respiratory paralysis. If you project the required dose to kill a mouse to the mass of a human, the fatal toxicity dose for a 150 pound person would be about thirteen grams of pure capsaicin (Note also that while pure capsaicin rates at 15,000,000–16,000,000 Scoville Units, the hottest known pepper, the Naga Jolokia pepper, rates a relatively measly ~ 1,000,000.) Rockpocket 06:47, 2 May 2007 (UTC)
Can you imagine just opening a vial of that stuff? I suppose that it is almost impossible to handle: full protection and fume hoods. --Zeizmic 11:46, 2 May 2007 (UTC)
entity
What kind of entity would have the face which looks like the devil with no horns a scaly body and wings like a bat.Whatme 08:12, 2 May 2007 (UTC)
- The dreaded and elusive Chupacabra? -- Azi Like a Fox 10:05, 2 May 2007 (UTC)
a bat? Could you give a better description?
And the picture on the article looks nothing like a Chupacabra. They have huge tails and spines down their backs.
- You may find this hard to believe, but there are disagreements over the precise physiology of the Chupacabra, and if you'll go to the Appearance heading of the article and read the first paragraph I think you'll agree that some accounts match the Original Poster's description tolerably well. -- Azi Like a Fox 13:50, 2 May 2007 (UTC)
Prevalence of Freezing Temperatures on Earth
Hi, everyone.
I've asked this question before, so I'm sorry for asking it again. If you've already read it, please don't be angry. I just really want a good answer. So, the question: What proportion of land/earth's surface/plants/organisms have to survive temperatures below freezing (0 C)? If you know of any peripheral statistics around this question, they would be great too. Thanks very much for your help. Aaadddaaammm 08:30, 2 May 2007 (UTC)
- You really shouldn't spray your questions on multiple sections. It's not polite. --Zeizmic 12:58, 2 May 2007 (UTC)
Al Gore Entry tampering
Hi! The Al Gore article has been tampered with. A line after the first paragraph reads: "There is really no way people can take this guy seriously."
This is a biased statement that should be deleted to keep in line with wikipiedias policies. Link is here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al_Gore
Thanks so much, Wikipedia is great!