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March 24

Land needed for Livestock

Approximately how much pasture land is needed for each of these animals? Sheep(meat) and Cattle(beef). I prefer not to get the industrial land amounts.

In short, however many land is necessary for whatever your expectations or requirements are. Seriously, though, it should depend on how many of these animals you have. 40 animals may have to take up twice as much space as 20 animals.

It depends on the land.Good pasture is about 1 acre per horse.I believe in scrub land you can times that by 3 or 4. hotclaws 17:53, 24 March 2008 (UTC)

Effeminacy versus male homosexuality

When I was in high school working for the summer in a job in New England I met a young man who lived with his grandmother and who had been raised by her after his parents were killed in a highway accident when he was only three. Although he attended public school he had identified closely with his grandmother's personality and gender but was fortunate in that despite his effiminance his first sexual experience and those which followed were with members of the opposite sex. In other words he was effiminant but heterosexual. Everyone who heard him talk or read his writing believed him to be gay. While it is understandable that effiminant males might attract a homosexual male as their first sexual partner the fact that this did not occur in this case tells me that the gender of the person with who one has their first sexual experience has the greatest influence on whether they are heterosexual or not. Can anyone confirm of refute this conclusion? 71.100.1.14 (talk) 00:48, 24 March 2008 (UTC)

Sexual orientation is a characteristic one is born with like eye or skin color. You seem to be laboring under the impression that it is a matter of choice. --S.dedalus (talk) 01:05, 24 March 2008 (UTC)

What S.dedalus has said is completely untrue. There may be genetic elements to it but it is in no way whatsoever as concrete as eye or skin color. As far as your question, the "gender of the person with who one has their first sexual experience" is of course going to be correlated with hetero- or homosexuality, but it's not what causes it. Prior events in the person's life caused them to have sex with either someone of the opposite sex or the same sex during their first experience.--Swungtrader (talk) 01:30, 24 March 2008 (UTC)

Actually you’re incorrect. There is virtually no scientifically credible evidence that homosexuality is a choice. From a person’s own point of view their sexual orientating is as fixed as race. In fact I would say sexual orientation is less changeable than skin color. Michael Jackson essentially changed his skin color through plastic surgery didn’t he? --S.dedalus (talk) 03:52, 24 March 2008 (UTC)

Actually, Swungtrader is far more correct than you. I'm a mentor for troubled teens and I've known several who were homosexual early on due to being picked on and ostracized from social groups but later became heterosexual once they overcame that. I've also known a few who started out being heterosexual and later became homosexual.--Pilotphases (talk) 18:13, 24 March 2008 (UTC)

Well, I defiantly won’t try to argue against your personal experience. I’m not arguing that sexual orientation can’t change over time (eye color was a bad analogy), I’m just saying it can’t be changed consciously. I notice that the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health reported that "For some people, sexual orientation is continuous and fixed throughout their lives. For others, sexual orientation may be fluid and change over time."[1] however they also state that they do not consider sexual orientation to be "a conscious choice that can be voluntarily changed."[2] --S.dedalus (talk) 20:38, 24 March 2008 (UTC)

Sexual orientation is determined by psychological and environmental factors.. it's just as certainly not something you're born with as something that's a choice "ok i'm 13 now, do I want to be gay or straight". :D\=< (talk) 22:29, 24 March 2008 (UTC)

I doubt the validity of this (ie. the OP´s) hypothesis. It would turn sexuality into a sort of conditioned reflex of salivating at the ring of the proper bell. The one you heard first (plus the ensuing satisfaction) determines all subsequent libidinous preferential modes.

I must add that I have not the slightest idea on different psychological theories on the various forms of sexual preferences. I think, nevertheless, that any simplification of the complexity of the human psyche is a poor starting point for any attempt to understand others.

Basically, we are at the question "Nature vs. Nurture" and it may be both on many subtle levels. Our article on homosexuality seems to have a balanced section on theories / etiology / physiologial differences at al. The querent, 71.100, may be interested to have a look at this to get some ideas.

Maybe WP regulars with relevant knowledge can add some personal comments. --Cookatoo.ergo.ZooM (talk) 02:00, 24 March 2008 (UTC)

I have known many gay men whose first sexual experience was with a woman. Their experience disproves the questioner's hypothesis. Marco polo (talk) 02:24, 24 March 2008 (UTC)

Did you mean Effeminancy as in effeminate nancy boy?

Yes, thanks for the correction. What I am saying is that it is the Effeminancy that is ingrained not the homosexuality. Homoseuality is merely a practically unavoidable consequence of effeminancy in a world where the majority of males (and some females) are sexually attracted by effeminancy. In other words while an Effeminant male's own sexual preference may be decidedly female the individual is unable to escape their own Effeminancy but quite able to escape homosexuality although invariably mislabeled by others as a homosexual. In other words effeminancy in males will automatically guarantee they are labeled as homosexuals whether or not they are. 71.100.1.14 (talk) 04:10, 24 March 2008 (UTC)

Does it matter????

With the greatest respect to you personally, I'm assuming you expressed yourself very poorly; because otherwise that would be the greatest load of rubbish I've ever read. What makes you believe that effeminacy (note the spelling) in males, generally speaking, is unchangeable and inescapable? If it can be learned, it can be unlearned. But you can't teach a straight male to become sexually aroused by the sight or presence of other males; either they naturally do get aroused, or they naturally don't. Similarly for gay people being taught to become sexually aroused by a person of the opposite sex - it can't be done. Yes, it is true that effeminate or camp males are routinely assumed to be homosexual. And in many cases they are - but not necessarily. It's also routinely assumed that butch, unmarried women who don't seem to have boyfriends or husbands are lesbians. Again, not necessarily. An effeminate person is not necessarily gay, and a gay person is not necessarily effeminate. As people grow towards maturity, they try out different sexual things along the way. It's quite normal for a boy who will ultimately identify as straight to have one or more gay experiences; and vice-versa. Their very first sexual experience with another human will not necessarily be with a person of their ultimately preferred gender, and it does not determine anything. Whether they will ultimately identify as straight, gay or whatever, is hard-wired in the brain. -- JackofOz (talk) 12:21, 24 March 2008 (UTC)

Because it is a matter of subconscious rather than conscious learning, just as accent is picked up. I know educated people, doctors and lawyers that still speak with an accent which identifies them as belonging to a particular geographic location. The training an actor goes through might allow them to adapt several different accents but even though they have realized control over speaking in various accents, their natural accent most likely will not change. Same with effeminacy. A male may learn to hide it but under relaxed circumstances may forget and become labeled as a closet queer. Ignorant people hear an effeminate person speak and immediately the hair goes up on the back of their neck as they depart with the belief, right or wrong, that the person is a queer. 71.100.1.14 (talk) 09:32, 26 March 2008 (UTC)

I'm not sure it's impossible to change.. it's probably not something that can be "taught" but people change over time.. :D\=< (talk) 22:31, 24 March 2008 (UTC)

I'd like to put in a word for something as complex and multifaceted as human sexuality being more nuanced than a simple scalar trait like skin color. I do agree with the consensus view that there is a strong genetic predisposition towards a particular orientation, but to completely discount all the effects of one's early childhood experiences and later environmental factors is letting the pendulum swing much too far. Fetishization, for example, can have an enormous effect on sexual thoughts, and is inherently environmental. --Sean 14:31, 24 March 2008 (UTC)

I'd just like to point out as a complete side note that if sexuality was completely genetically determined (I'm not saying it is or isn't, I think it's probably very complicated) then it would seem to me that there will be a marked decrease in the amount of gay men and women due to the decreased likelihood of their having children. I would have thought that especially as societies become more accepting of GLBT people that in a few generations gay populations would decrease rapidly. No idea if I'm right or not, but it seems worth thinking about, as the effects will be more pronouced in the coming decades as gays and lesbians aren't forced to have children for "appearance's sake".

You seem to be assuming that gay people don't want children, when in fact, many do. And nowadays, they can use sperm donors and surrogates to help them!Snorgle (talk) 15:06, 28 March 2008 (UTC)

90.192.223.225 (talk) 21:46, 25 March 2008 (UTC)

You have made a very interesting point which in fact may have long ago subconsciously influenced my perspective on the problem. 71.100.1.14 (talk) 09:21, 26 March 2008 (UTC)

Somewhat related to your original question, there is not necessarily a connection between effeminacy and homosexuality. They frequently overlap, and there is a social construct linking the two, but they don't have to go hand in hand. To explain it in a logic framework: Some effeminate men are homosexual. Some homosexuals are effeminate. The overlap between the two is not comlete. Steewi (talk) 03:37, 28 March 2008 (UTC)

Gearing car for a 1/4 mile drag race

Suppose one is driving a car that redlines at 8,000 RPM. How should one gear this car for a 1/4 mile drag race assuming one is trying to achieve the fastest time possible? There are multiple factors to consider here. Since there is no target speed when trying to cross the line, it is hard to set a target gear ratio for that last gear. Generally, shifting more than 2 times is too excessive and will slow you down due to shifting time. Am I trying to cross the line with my engine RPM on the torque peak? Acceptable (talk) 02:13, 24 March 2008 (UTC)

Yes, each shift costs you a bit of time, but close-ratio transmissions are good for acceleration, which means more shifts. It's a trade off. I don't know that there's a formula that's going to tell you this answer. There's no point being geared so low that traction is a problem. Also, just because the car redlines at 8000 doesn't mean you want to go up there- some engines run out of breath at high rpms and the torque drops off dramatically. As a general rule of thumb, lower gearing is better for acceleration, at the expense of speed and mileage. If it's a drag car only, you might not care about top speed and mileage. As one data point, I have a Mazdaspeed3 which is a good tradeoff between performance and practicality. In this car you want to shift around 6000 as torque gets crappy past that. You'd already be in fifth gear in this car by the time you finish that quarter mile, if you had a good run. (It should run low 14s at about 100.) Friday (talk) 21:25, 24 March 2008 (UTC)

I read in a car magazine that optimum gear positioning is so that when you change up a gear at the revs for maximum power the new gear gives the revs for maximum torque. I have never seen any explanation of why this should be so. -- Q Chris (talk) 10:03, 31 March 2008 (UTC)

Tattoo meaning or symbolism

I am curious about the meaning or symbolism associated with a tattoo design that looks like a cross with demon or dragon wings. It can be viewed at http://www.tattoofinder.com/find_tattooDB.asp?NewSearch=yes&justartistid=26. It is Loft Cross 2 by Demon Dean. I have searched the web, but have only found general Christian symbol information. Can you assist me in my quest for more specifics? Confusedmom (talk) 02:34, 24 March 2008 (UTC)

Um, "demon or dragon wings" conventionally don't have feathers like in the picture cited. —Tamfang (talk) 04:06, 24 March 2008 (UTC)

They're keeping up with the times. :) --Sean 14:33, 24 March 2008 (UTC)

(oh, NOW it lets me edit here) If you look at "loft cross 2" instead of the linked image, it has what appear to be indeed demonic or draconic wings (the image that shows up when first linked appears to be loft cross 1, which appears angelic in nature). Kuronue | Talk 00:36, 26 March 2008 (UTC)

I am not sure what kind of wings they are or if they are even supposed to be wings. The picture is labeled "Loft Cross 2". I would just like to know if there is a symbolism or meaning associated with it and if so what it is. Often times these days young people communicate in alternate ways such as texting shortcuts. I am wondering if this tattoo is a form of letting others know what they think or believe. Any ideas on where I can search? Confusedmom (talk) 11:53, 24 March 2008 (UTC)

The following is pure (but mildly educated) guesswork:

The loft, in medieval churches, referred partly to balconies / raised platforms in the area of the choir, just in front of the apsis with the altar or at the back, above the main portal.

These platforms were reserved for the most excellent singers in the choir and adorned with loft crosses on the walls.

These were normal crosses, but, to symbolise the angelic voices of the singers angels´wings were added to the arms of the cross.

The image may have been appropriated by tattoo designers and modified to carry some intuitively pagan meaning. As I stated above, this is just a guess. --Cookatoo.ergo.ZooM (talk) 12:42, 24 March 2008 (UTC)

Ice hockey

In ice hockey, if team put the puck into their own net after opening face-off (meaning that no opposing player touched the puck during whole game) who gets credited for the goal? West Brom 4ever (talk) 03:30, 24 March 2008 (UTC)

I would guess, based on this article, that credit would go to the closest player to the goal from the other team. --Onorem♠Dil 03:35, 24 March 2008 (UTC)

Hmmm... I quickly looked through the NHL Rulebook, and it does not appear to cover that possibility. It mentions that the last opposition player to have touched the puck is awarded the goal. The IIHF rulebook states, "A “Goal” shall be credited in the scoring records to the player who propelled the puck into the opponent’s net". No help there, and in short I have no clue. Onorem's suggestion is reasonable. -- Flyguy649 ^talk 03:53, 24 March 2008 (UTC)

If they have to credit the goal to someone, and they do, I think the only logical choice would be the center who took the face-off. Good question though. Vranak (talk) 17:23, 24 March 2008 (UTC)

I thank you all for your time. This is highly unlikely situation (I personally don't think this will ever happen), but hey, that soccer goalie conceded an own goal from a throw in and Talbot scored on Niittymaki while he was watching commercials. So there is a possibility :) West Brom 4ever (talk) 18:32, 24 March 2008 (UTC)

Meaning Of A Name

Can anyone please tell me the meaning of the name Carsvell? Or get the closest similar names for me?

The name Carswell and variants thereof seem to mean "dweller by the water-cress-stream", from Old English carse (or caerse or cerse) meaning watercress and wiella, meaning stream. (from A Dictionary of English Surnames, Routledge, 1991, p 85, ISBN 041505737X) ---Sluzzelin talk 08:47, 24 March 2008 (UTC)

The cat monk

Any guesses what's hanging around the neck of the cat monk in today's Get Fuzzy? [3] Dismas|^(talk) 13:00, 24 March 2008 (UTC)

Good question. It looks familiar, but a search in Google Image got me nowhere. Nothing yet. --Milkbreath (talk) 15:08, 24 March 2008 (UTC)

It looks like an energy efficient lightbulb. Or possibly a european style plug. HS7 (talk) 15:59, 24 March 2008 (UTC)

Or a torii, to me. (snap, Milkbreath) WikiJedits (talk) 16:22, 24 March 2008 (UTC)

Wild stab: a torii, though it doesn't look exactly the way I'd like it to for it to be that, and I could swear it is something I used to know about that isn't that.--Milkbreath (talk) 16:20, 24 March 2008 (UTC)

How to wear Somali dress

Is there site where I can find in order to wear the Female Somali dress step by step?

Well I couldn't find anything that was specifically called a 'Somali dress' but a site I found suggests typical clothes worn by women in somali cutlure. The Hijab has an e-how page on how to wear one but I can't link to it as it seems to be blacklisted by wikipedia for some random reason A google search of e-how and hijab should get you what you need. Hope this helps ny156uk (talk) 14:00, 24 March 2008 (UTC)

Urdu and Punjabi dramas download

I notice that a lot Bangladeshis in Canada are watching dramas on the computer by downloading it. they said the websites they got it from are bdbangla.com and bengaliguru.com. But what about Pakistani and Punjabi dramas? Which website can I get from so I can download it from and watch it?

Independence Hall complex Phila Pa.USA.

Is Carpenters Hall & Congress Hall the same building?

No. Algebraist 14:49, 24 March 2008 (UTC)

Popular Phone

My friend and I were wondering what phone is more "popular" and popular we've defined as more unit sales. The phones we are comparing are the Sony Ericsson w580i vs. Casio G'zOne Type-S.

Well I've got a 580, so that's one you can count on.--Artjo (talk) 15:21, 24 March 2008 (UTC)

Please Tell Me About Rochester Institure Of Technology!!?

I've seen that a few other people have asked a similar question but there weren't desirable answers so I decided to ask again. I recently got accepted to RIT for the computer science program w/ a 6k scholarship per year. After deep search on the internet i have found, every kind of comment about this school!!..From having a gr8 academics based program...to...being the most saddest and the dullest place to go!!..i really want to know a unbiased opinion about it. Is it a place that will dull out a student/student will find it dull? or is it a gr8 place to go?..I'm a student from India..I have also applied to Marist College, Michigan State Ohio State, Penn State and Purdue...from none i have hrd so far...i xpect replies anytime..can i pic RIT over each of them?? Please pic the rest of the colleges individually and explain...what my choice should be!!

As you're discovering, college experiences being "good" or "bad" is highly subjective, and there is no one right answer. I would advise, though, sticking to neutral sources such as the multitude of college ranking magazines rather than various internet testimonials. One such starting point might be US News' college ratings site. — Lomn 15:24, 24 March 2008 (UTC)

I would strongly advise against doing that, and they are far from "neutral." Take a look at Criticism of college and university rankings (North America). -Elmer Clark (talk) 20:54, 25 March 2008 (UTC)

Well, I don't know a thing about RIT specifically, but note that it is in upstate New York, which is a very cold climate most of the year. It is also probably a lot farther away from New York City than you realize—it is practically in Canada, and upstate New York might as well be in another country from NYC. Coming from a very different climate you might want to take that into consideration. I lived in California all my life and then moved to upstate New York for a few months sometime later, and found the transition to be very depressing in terms of weather, temperature, landscape, etc. --Captain Ref Desk (talk) 16:19, 24 March 2008 (UTC)

Captain Ref Desk is correct that Rochester is far from New York City in a place with a somewhat depressed economy and long, cold, VERY snowy winters. (It is not unusual for Rochester to get 5 or 6 metres of snow per winter!) However, all of the universities that you have mentioned are in places where winter is somewhat cold and snowy (if not quite as extreme as Rochester), and none of them are in booming metropolises. I had never heard of Marist College. It is a small and not very prestigious institution. It is in Poughkeepsie, New York, which is not a very appealing place, but it has the advantage of being about two hours from New York City. Michigan State University and Ohio State University are located in their respective state capitals of Lansing, Michigan, and Columbus, Ohio, neither of which is a large city, but both of which are small, modest cities with some cultural amenities. These two universities are HUGE, with many thousands of students and probably the potential for an interesting social and academic life, though the bureaucracy may be overwhelming. Both universities have decent reputations. Pennsylvania State University is another very large university, but it is located in a small town in a remote part of northern Pennsylvania. It may feel a little isolated. It has also has a decent reputation. I'm not sure which of these universities is strongest in computer science. Now, as for RIT, it has a fairly good academic reputation, particularly in computer science. I don't know how it compares with the computer science programs at the other universities, but it could well be the best. Rochester is not the most interesting city, but it is bigger than a small town, with a few cultural amenities. It is about 3 hours from Toronto, which is a very vibrant city, though I don't know whether it would be difficult for you to visit Canada as an Indian national. Marco polo (talk) 20:42, 24 March 2008 (UTC)

I realized that I forgot to mention Purdue University. It is another huge state university with a decent (but not outstanding) reputation, like Michigan State, Ohio State, and Penn State. Like Penn State, it is in a small town without much else going on, but it has the advantage of being just a little over two hours from Chicago, which is a big and vibrant city. I don't know anything about the quality of its computer science program. Marco polo (talk) 14:31, 25 March 2008 (UTC)

Thank you for all the information. But i have this doubt, according to what i have heard RIT has a good reputation when it comes to Computer Science, but i checked these ratings on the internet, in which RIT is not been rated in the top 100 colleges for computer science! here is the link - http://members.rediff.com/duewest/ranks.htm [[4]] - could you please tell me how authenticated this source is and please let me know of any better source - except for USNews - that rates colleges according to the concerned majors! I would also like to know about Illinois Institute of Technology who is this place and the academic reputation. I want to know the respect that each of these universities get in the real world! Thank once again for all your help and concern.

barnstars

Hi, i've been in wikipedia for a while, but i have one question. What's the point of barnstars? Are they just given to people to make them feel good about themselves?--Dlo2012 (talk) 14:31, 24 March 2008 (UTC)

Yes. They're how Wikipedians say "nice work, you!". Same as stickers in kindergarten, cash bonuses at work, and tattoos in the Russian Mafia. :) --Sean 14:36, 24 March 2008 (UTC)

From the article on Transactional analysis: "Strokes are the recognition, attention or responsiveness that one person gives another. Strokes can be positive (nicknamed "warm fuzzies") or negative "cold pricklies". A key idea is that people hunger for recognition, and that lacking positive strokes, will seek whatever kind they can, even if it is recognition of a negative kind. We test out as children what strategies and behaviours seem to get us strokes, of whatever kind we can get." ---Sluzzelin talk 14:50, 24 March 2008 (UTC)

Unfortunately people sometimes use their barnstars as proof that they are a valuable editor, or that they have done excellent work, or that they have some authority on Wikipedia. I seem to recall that barnstar counts are (or were) used for support at Requests for Adminship. All it really means is that they run with a barnstar-happy wiki-crowd; I can think of a few people who have numerous barnstars even though their articles are total crap. Adam Bishop 01:45, 25 March 2008 (UTC)

What are these objects?

This is the coastline of Nauru:

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=nauru&ie=UTF8&ll=-0.531681,166.909291&spn=0.002559,0.00501&t=k&z=18

What are those long pole-mounted things? They look quite large.

They're bulk ship loaders, the ones in the background of this picture. Nauru's economy used to be based on phosphate mining, although their resources are all but depleted now. FiggyBee (talk) 15:59, 24 March 2008 (UTC)

business website page

I noticed that hp.com (a business website has a wikipedia page). What is the policy (or guidance) for a privately held company that would like to have a similar business information page listed on wikipedia? Thanks Bill

See Wikipedia:Notability (organizations and companies) --Tagishsimon (talk) 16:35, 24 March 2008 (UTC)

Marines in combat zones

How/where do Marines in combat zones (Iraq, Afghanistan) get tattoos? Are there makeshift parlors, or is it similar to how they do it in prison? --AtTheAbyss (talk) 16:37, 24 March 2008 (UTC)

I don't know ... but your question made me think of two relevant thoughts. One, I thought that I read pretty recently that the Marines started a new "rule" that tattoos are no longer allowed ... or were being very tightly restricted. I remember there being a big rush of Marines who went to get new tattoos before the new rule took effect. Two, Marines take their tattoos very seriously ... and they are usually pretty ornate and highly elaborate (i.e., professionally done). I can't imagine -- nor have I ever seen -- a crude home-made "prison-type" tattoo being acceptable (or even worth considering) to a Marine. Thanks. (Joseph A. Spadaro (talk) 19:18, 24 March 2008 (UTC))

It was my understanding that they can't get tattoos which are visible when they're in uniform. Corvus cornix_talk 17:29, 25 March 2008 (UTC)

THanks Spadaro what you said makes sense. Marines can't get tattoos that would be visible when wearing exercise shorts and shirt; small personal tattoos are allowed IF they are approved by the Marine's CO.--AtTheAbyss (talk) 12:07, 31 March 2008 (UTC)

multipurpose river valley projects

what do you mean by multipurpose river valley projects?

We ought to have an article on Multipurpose river valley project, judging by the number of times the phrase crops up in our articles. It appears to mean a dam which provides more than one thing, such as

• Electricity generation
• Flood prevention
• Basis for improved irrigation,
• Improved navigation
• Habitat improvement
• Improved fishery populations.

It is unlikely that all MRVPs provide all of these functions. A google search on the term is also probably instructive. --Tagishsimon (talk) 16:47, 24 March 2008 (UTC)

The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), a project that dates back to the Great Depression, is a good example. --Nricardo (talk) 16:58, 24 March 2008 (UTC)

ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY

SOLDIERS WHO GUARD THE TOMB OF THE UNKNOWN : ```` 1. THE QUALIFICATIONS```` 2. THE DAILY LIFE AND RESPONSILBILITIES WHILE ON DUTY```` 3. THE EATING AND SLEEPING ARANGEMENTS WHILE ON DUTY```` 4. THE LENGTH OF TOUR OF DUTY```1

Answers here. --Sean 17:48, 24 March 2008 (UTC)

The difference between diamond certificates from GIA, EGL, and AGS

I want to get diamond stud earrings but I am a bit confused about the different kind of certificates that come with the diamond studs. I recently visited the following website: www.DiamondStudSource.com They had a lot of options but with different certificates too. I realized that the stones with the same specifications vary in price according to the certificates. I am unclear and uncertain why the prices vary with these certificates and why some reports/certificates may be better than others.

buffalo bills trivia

who wore the #40 jersey,and acted as a quarterback

Here's the all-time roster for the Bills. 40 isn't a standard quarterback number, so this may be a case of a single trick play (or more likely, in my opinion, a busted play) that has to be tracked down. At least you've got the possible pool narrowed down, though. — Lomn 19:34, 24 March 2008 (UTC)

Yeah, 40 is a strange number. Although perhaps the regular QB pitched it to a wide receiver who threw it down the field. I hope the play resulted in a touchdown. Useight (talk) 19:48, 24 March 2008 (UTC)

People who played as #40 for the Bills: Ed Rutowski, Roland Moss, J.D. Hill, Terry Miller, Robb Riddick, Chip Nuzzo, Eric Smedley. Pick one. Paragon12321 (talk) 00:03, 25 March 2008 (UTC)

You probably want Ed Rutkowski (not Rutowski, by the way). According to pro-football-reference.com, Robb Riddick was the only other one on that list to ever throw a pass, and he only completed 3 for 66 yards and no TDs his entire career. -Elmer Clark (talk) 21:12, 25 March 2008 (UTC)

Sony vs. Casio

What Phone has sold more units, the sony ericsson w580i or the casio G'Z one type-s?

The same question ("My friend and I were wondering what phone is more "popular" and popular we've defined as more unit sales. The phones we are comparing are the Sony Ericsson w580i vs. Casio G'zOne Type-S.") has been posted above, at around 15:00 / 3:00 PM WP time. --Cookatoo.ergo.ZooM (talk) 21:08, 24 March 2008 (UTC)

Clearly both friends had the same idea. Kuronue | Talk 00:21, 26 March 2008 (UTC)

Yeah, and I've still got the same 580!--Artjo (talk) 08:11, 26 March 2008 (UTC)

finding answer

i m new user of wikipedia. n just want to know one answer.i hope u will satisfy me. I M INDIAN N I WANT TO KNOW THAT IF I MARRY WITH PAKISTANI GIRL N WANT TO SHIFT OR GET PERMANENT CITIZENSHIP OF PAKISTAN AFTER MARRIEGE OR SHE (PAKISTANI GIRL)COMES INDIA AFTER MARRIEGE N GET CITIZENSHIP OF INDIA THEN WHAT ARE THE REQUIREMENTS WE MUST HAVE. WHAT ARE THE FORMALITIES TO IMMIGRATE IN PAKISTAN, ALL I WANT TO KNOW. HOW MUCH POSSIBILITIES N WHAT BARRIERS ARE IN BETWEEN? I WILL BE VERY THANKFULL TO U IF U HELP ME. YOURS WIKIPEDIA USERMankuha (talk) 19:40, 24 March 2008 (UTC)

I recommend contacting the embassy to find out what kind of forms will need to be filled out. Useight (talk) 19:46, 24 March 2008 (UTC)

The website of the Indian Bureau of Immigration is here. It doesn't seem to answer your question but it provides contact information for people who probably can. I believe the Pakistani immigration department's website is here, but the page (and the entire website of the government of Pakistan) seem to be down at the moment, oddly enough. Perhaps the link will be functional later. -Elmer Clark (talk) 21:20, 25 March 2008 (UTC)

77HP TRACER 2

What is a 77HP TRACER 2?

You could have Googled this and had an answer faster. Google's first result says it's some sort of tone tester. Whatever that is. Dismas|^(talk) 20:29, 24 March 2008 (UTC)

This Google search gives many links. --hydnjo talk 20:32, 24 March 2008 (UTC)

According to http://www.stayonline.com/detail.aspx?ID=132, 77HP Tracer 2 Tone Generator from Tempo - Progressive is a proven tester for generating selectable audio tones on cabling in premise wiring installations. Continuity and polarity testing is also capable.

By applying a tone signal to a wire pair or single conductor, and using an inductive amplifier (probe), the tone generator permits technicians to identify the conductor within a bundle, at a cross-connect point or at the remote end.

This may be all Greek to me, but I hope you understand what it means. --Cookatoo.ergo.ZooM (talk) 20:35, 24 March 2008 (UTC)

I can't recall if there was a generic name for this type of tool - the one I have in my kit is called a "Fox and Hound". Most commonly, such a tool is used to locate the "other end" of a phone line within a building. You connect the tone generator part to a phone jack, and then go to the wiring closet and use the probe to find the associated wires. The probe will emit a two-tone "warbling" sound when it is placed near the correct pair (that's the induction part). --LarryMac | Talk 15:03, 25 March 2008 (UTC)

Getting Right to Customer Service

I am wanting to terminate my DISH Network DBS service and i know the numbers and such, however i am having trouble figuring out the options on the phone. if anyone knows what is the best way to get to a voice directly.--logger (talk) 21:01, 24 March 2008 (UTC)

Often hitting 0 will get you someone more quickly but some systems are built in such a way where that doesn't work. They usually will have a menu of, for example, five items and the fifth one will be an option to talk to a real person. So one through four will get you another menu but pressing 5, instead of 0, will get you where you want to go. Dismas|^(talk) 21:14, 24 March 2008 (UTC)

I always try doing nothing. Simply wait until the artificial person at their end exhausts itself trying to get a response out of you, concludes that you have a dial phone or don't speak English too good, and connects you to a real human being. --Milkbreath (talk) 21:30, 24 March 2008 (UTC)

Sometimes it takes an astoundingly long time, though, especially with systems that can process either spoken or "keyed-in" responses. I tried to call Verizon repair services one day and really needed to speak to a human; it took something like five solid minutes of me being dead silent and listening to various "I'm sorry but I didn't understand your response..." prompts before it finally kicked me out to a human attendant. I was calling from a payphone in a fast-food restaurant ('cause you can only call Verizon telephone repair services from a working Verizon telephone -- go figure! I'll bet that really minimizes the load on the poor telephone repair techs!) and was deathly afraid that someone would cough and the system would announce: "Aha! Gotcha! Now answer my question!"

Atlant (talk) 18:32, 26 March 2008 (UTC)

milk the strategy worked. you are the bomb at that. Good Work.--logger (talk) 21:42, 24 March 2008 (UTC)

Another strategy is to just repeat, "Agent" every time it asks for a response. That usually works for me. Useight (talk) 22:29, 24 March 2008 (UTC)

In the future, you can try this handy website: http://gethuman.com/. For Dish, they recommend dialing "0" at each prompt. --D. Monack | talk 21:50, 26 March 2008 (UTC)

Song?

What's that song from Cartman Gets an Anal Probe, when Stan sees Wendy? It's also the song played when two Sims kiss in The Sims. --M1ss1ontomars2k4 (talk) 22:47, 24 March 2008 (UTC)

For reference, it's at 7:44 in the official video on southparkstudios.com. --M1ss1ontomars2k4 (talk) 22:56, 24 March 2008 (UTC)

I can't watch the video, but going from memory, I'm sure it's the "Love Theme" from the Romeo and Juliet symphony. In fact, Romeo and Juliet (Tchaikovsky)#Used in movies and TV there is a section that gives these two exact examples. We've had this question before, and I myself asked it once before (apparently before the archives were created) - that's the only reason I know the answer this time! Adam Bishop 205.210.170.49 (talk) 01:40, 25 March 2008 (UTC)

Just one technical point: it wasn't a symphony but an "Overture-Fantasy". -- JackofOz (talk) 02:06, 25 March 2008 (UTC)

Thanks guys. --M1ss1ontomars2k4 (talk) 02:30, 25 March 2008 (UTC)

Mazda MX 5 full of rubber ducks - thanks.

First off, I realise this isn't a question. But before the deletionists rush to get rid of it, please remember that the RefDesk works as well as it does at least partly because of a sense of community, continuity, and shared understanding. Is it so bad to come back to say thankyou?

Some time ago, I asked for help in determining the interior volume of an MX 5, with a view to filling it with rubber ducks. The RefDesk regulars stepped up admirably, with an estimate that turned out to be wonderfully precise as well as an intriguing suggestion regarding balloons. Well, you'll be pleased to know that the day has finally come.

If you would care to visit http://greatduckcaper.com you will find a description and a few photos of the event. As Sean said, "it's against all laws of God and Man to fill a person's car with rubber ducks and not take a picture" - though in fact we mostly took video. We've put together a 25-minute short film of the whole event from inception to planning to aftermath, but that's not yet online for a number of reasons so the pictures will have to do for now. A shorter, more focused, "ADHD YouTube Version" is in the pipeline too.

Thanks to Ouro and everyone else that helped us figure out quite how many ducks we needed to pull this one off. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 81.187.153.189 (talk)

What kind of crazed fool would want to get rid of something as awesome as this? Sure, it technically belongs on the talk page rather than on the ref desk proper, but it doesn't really hurt anything. Anyone who thinks Wikipedia can't make a difference in the world needs to see this. Friday (talk) 23:14, 24 March 2008 (UTC)

Agreed, this is just what the Reference desk wants to achieve. Give answers to questions others may not care about. -- ReyBrujo (talk) 23:22, 24 March 2008 (UTC)

LOL! Bookmarked. :) · AndonicO ^Hail! 23:29, 24 March 2008 (UTC)

That's fantastic! (Added to StumbleUpon) Angus Lepper^{(T, C, D)} 22:57, 25 March 2008 (UTC)

Question

I know I'm not supposed to ask medical or legal questions, but I'm going to ask one falls into both categories. Here it goes:

I'm sick of lawyer commercials on TV, what should I do? 216.49.181.128 (talk) 23:31, 24 March 2008 (UTC)

Turn off your TV. --Onorem♠Dil 23:33, 24 March 2008 (UTC)

Hire two on a no-win-no-fee basis and make them sue each other. -mattbuck (Talk) 23:53, 24 March 2008 (UTC)

lol. Acceptable (talk) 01:15, 25 March 2008 (UTC)

Get a Tivo (or something similar) and skip past them. --98.217.8.46 (talk) 01:25, 25 March 2008 (UTC)

Watch TV only when it's utterly unavoidable, and spend your time being a Wikipedia editor. Your website needs YOU! -- JackofOz (talk) 02:04, 25 March 2008 (UTC)

Move to Australia. Julia Rossi (talk) 05:47, 25 March 2008 (UTC)

Does Australia not allow lawyers to advertise on television? Dismas|^(talk) 08:14, 25 March 2008 (UTC)

Austrlalia used to have a regulation that doctors and lawyers were not allowed to advertise except that then they changed address, they were allowed to publish a notice like "On 1 April 2008, Flywheel, Shyster, and Flywheel will be moving to Sydney Aquarium". They were not even allowed to state their specialisation. I don't think that there any any restrictions now. --David from Downunder (talk) 23:44, 28 March 2008 (UTC)

Not that I've seen though I don't watch much tv and only ever at night, but it doesn't seem to be. In 2002 the NSW State premier declared a prospective ban[5] on legals using tv and radio to stop "ambulance chasing" and a marketing firm affirms that marketing legals is closely regulated in Australia offering only print, online (and yellow pages) as mass media avenues. Julia Rossi (talk) 08:42, 25 March 2008 (UTC)

They do advertise on TV in Australia. Mostly on Channel 10 during the late afternoon, as far as I can tell. That said, Australian tv adverts tend to be much less brash than American ones. FiggyBee (talk) 16:01, 25 March 2008 (UTC)

In my country South Africa it is ethically illegal (if that makes any sense) for lawyers to advertise anywhere except a particular government gazette. The most they can do is put tiny signs outside their buildings. The same goes for registered medical professionals and pharmacists. Sandman30s (talk) 13:04, 25 March 2008 (UTC)

I believe the same is true in the UK. In Canada I think there are restrictions on lawyer TV advertising, but we get so many US ads you wouldn't notice. And yes, the world would be a better place if the "we'll get you huge amounts of money if you've been hurt" ads were banned everywhere. DJ Clayworth (talk) 17:37, 25 March 2008 (UTC)

There are plenty of "Where there's blame there's a claim" ads on TV in the UK, unfortunately; they also tout for business in shopping malls. As I understand it, solicitors can advertise, but barristers can't. If you want to escape ambulance-chasing, NZ is a better choice than Australia: thanks to the government-run no-fault Accident Compensation Corporation, there is no need or provision for personal injury suits. Gwinva (talk) 22:11, 25 March 2008 (UTC)

Victoria has a Transport Accident Commission (TAC), which advertises a lot. I see TV ads for lawyers quite often. One even uses quite misleading language - "The advice is free." (full stop, no qualifications, and no asterisks that point to the existence of any qualifications; but it's later followed by unexpected qualifications). I'd be wary of using their services if that;s the best they can do. I've been meaning to contact them to ask them to stop this, but damn Wikipedia keeps getting in the way. -- JackofOz (talk) 23:43, 25 March 2008 (UTC)

Perhaps you could contact that advertising regulation body for false or misleading advertising – they'd probably be glad to hear from you. Julia Rossi (talk) 00:42, 26 March 2008 (UTC)

How cough syrups work

How do cough syrups work? Does the chemical relax one's diaphragm? Why are narcotics, such as codeine and morphine such effective cough-suppressants? Thanks. Acceptable (talk) 23:43, 24 March 2008 (UTC)

They suppress the sensitivity of the lining of the lungs and upper respiratory tract and thus diminish the response of the body to clear extraneous material. According to the British National Formulary the use of cough suppressants should be used with caution in certain chronic illnesses. Over the counter cough suppressants usually contain a mild sedating antihistamine (together with other compounds) "which may reflect their main mode of action" (BNF). Richard Avery (talk) 08:11, 25 March 2008 (UTC)

And on the other end of the spectrum, you get bronchodilator syrups, which in my layman's understanding dilate the bronchial tubes so that more gunk gets expelled at a time... and certain inhalers do the same thing if I remember correctly a conversation I had with my GP long ago. Sandman30s (talk) 13:01, 25 March 2008 (UTC)

If you believe the US Food and Drug Administration, they don't, at least not the ones for kids. Which is kind of shocking, if you think about it -- for probably 75 years, parents made their kids drink yucky-tasting fluid that was nothing more than a placebo. -- Mwalcoff (talk) 03:57, 26 March 2008 (UTC)

My parents used to give us 'shock and distress tablets' that came in a pill bottle and rather obviously were just sugar. I see nothing wrong with giving placebos :) as long as they don't contain dangerous active ingredients. So I suppose I don't find it shocking. Skittle (talk) 10:21, 28 March 2008 (UTC)

March 25

Children's Book

Greets, i'm after the name of a children's(?) book from my youth - read it (well, looked at the pictures) about 25 years ago? its about a guy chasing mice in roller-skates, the pictures were cartoony, sorta 70s kinda styles i guess from memory... . . . cheers :1 Boomshanka (talk) 04:14, 25 March 2008 (UTC)

For reading by little kids, there's Mouse Tales (1972, pb 1978) by Arnold Lobel with his illustrations. It has a story about a mouse who buys a pair of roller skates. Anyway, it's here[6]. He seemed to like small creatures. His work is kind of cartoony but not action-looking. Cheers, Julia Rossi (talk) 05:44, 25 March 2008 (UTC)

Hmmm, unfortunately thats not the one... it was a landscape book that was a lot more fantastical . Thanks for your help tho' Boomshanka (talk) 21:36, 26 March 2008 (UTC)

I've had a memory jolt with "The Runaway Roller Skate" by John Vernon Lord - can't find any pix unfortunately Boomshanka (talk) 21:57, 26 March 2008 (UTC)

Bookshanka, are you sitting down? No pics, but that book lists for sale in Australia for from 85 to 138 AUD, "The Runaway Roller Skate" by John Vernon Lord, publisher: Houghton Mifflin ISBN-13: 9780395185148 ISBN: 0395185149 – "Mr. Ellwood braves one unlikely adventure after another in his pursuit of the mischievous mouse who hijacks his favorite roller skate". The pic for The Giant Jam Sandwich is here[7] and seems to be read-along (recorded maybe?). Julia Rossi (talk) 03:48, 27 March 2008 (UTC)

Need help

an eleven year old child recently passed away when he was hit by a van in my neighborhood. How should I explain this to my 7 year old daughter, who was a friend of the child? Thank you.--Goon Noot (talk) 04:17, 25 March 2008 (UTC)

Hi, Goon Noot, there's an article here[8] and Dr Earl Grollman wrote a book called Explaining Death to Children. That and others are listed here[9]. Hope this helps, Julia Rossi (talk) 05:34, 25 March 2008 (UTC)

There is also 'The Sad Book' by Michael Rosen which was written after he lost his son and is intended to facilitate expression of feelings. Richard Avery (talk) 07:58, 25 March 2008 (UTC)

Contact your local hospice; they have lots of resources (print, maybe video, and counsellors). BrainyBabe (talk) 08:22, 25 March 2008 (UTC)

Thanks.--Goon Noot (talk) 09:16, 25 March 2008 (UTC)

I'd like to thank both those that replied and the questioner for asking and responding such an interesting question (though I feel very sorry for the child and their family). --Taraborn (talk) 17:05, 25 March 2008 (UTC)

Just tell them. I find no sense it sugar coating that a kid died. Even if they are friends. Even if it is sad. It is sadness to grow upon. Its sadness that will make you a better person in the end. Just tell her that a truck hit her friend and that he is in a better place.71.143.3.182 (talk) 05:59, 26 March 2008 (UTC)Cardinal Raven

But that might imply he's in hospital only. Human death's a bit new for little kids, I'd think. Julia Rossi (talk) 09:52, 27 March 2008 (UTC)

My four-year-old son's grandfather died recently. We took him to the funeral and everything. He understood completely, and he just thinks his grandad's gone to heaven. We never contemplated being anything other than upfront with him about it. --Richardrj ^{talk email} 10:42, 27 March 2008 (UTC)

If you think a four-year-old understood completely, you might want to read some of the links above :( Skittle (talk) 10:18, 28 March 2008 (UTC)

Mutual Fund

Hi

I want to know about ULIP in mutual fund. Please advice which company mutual fund is good? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 59.145.125.100 (talk • contribs)

We have an article on ULIP. For advice on choice of mutual funds you need to consult a qualified financial advisor. Gandalf61 (talk) 11:16, 25 March 2008 (UTC)

east/west hemispheres

Handyman389 (talk) 13:37, 25 March 2008 (UTC)handyman389Handyman389 (talk) 13:37, 25 March 2008 (UTC)If on the Greenwich mean line facing north,the E is to the right & W to the left. i.e. to go east you travel to the right.Does this continue to be the case having passed the point 180 deg. around the globe or do you then start to travel west? If 180deg around the globe [still facing north ]presumably the western hemisphere is then to the right & eastern hem.to the left?

That would be true, but if you went right you would still be travelling east, even if you were entering the western hemisphere. -mattbuck (Talk) 13:42, 25 March 2008 (UTC)

NO. You would be travelling towards the East but you would be going westwards to get there. When facing north, East is 90 degrees to the right of London, and West is 90 degrees to the left. This does not change simply because you decide to face north, south, east or west. Nor if you stand on your head. It is you moving, not the globe and not the coordinates.86.202.158.47 (talk) 16:39, 25 March 2008 (UTC)DT

Mattbuck's answer was correct. If you are facing north and turn 90° to the right anywhere on the globe, you will then be traveling east. You can't travel east and "westwards" at the same time. At the 180° longitude line, the Western Hemisphere lies to the east of the Eastern Hemisphere. (Yes, at that point, you travel east to enter the Western Hemisphere.) The labels "eastern" and "western" for the hemispheres reflect their position relative to Greenwich, where the 0° longitude line is located. At Greenwich, the Eastern Hemisphere lies to the east and the Western Hemisphere lies to the west. If you continue traveling east across the Eastern Hemisphere and past 180° longitude, you will travel east into the Western Hemisphere. Marco polo (talk) 18:06, 25 March 2008 (UTC)

Just in case there might be confusision, the more political definitions of "East" and "West" do not correspond to the geographical definitions. --LarryMac | Talk 20:37, 25 March 2008 (UTC)

Steamboats / [steam]ships with sails

What's the correct term for "steamboats / ships with sails"? (If there should be a again the distinction of boats and sails, I'd like to know both terms.) Does the English Wikipedia happen to have an article about the topic? --Ibn Battuta (talk) 15:59, 25 March 2008 (UTC)

Are you looking for one term that covers both ships with sails and steamboats? Or a term for a ship that has both sails and an engine? The normal term for a ship with sails is sailboat, or sailing ship if you want to exclude smaller vessels. DJ Clayworth (talk) 17:33, 25 March 2008 (UTC)

We have a category for ship types, and also a category for sailboats. There are many, many pages under those categories. --LarryMac | Talk 17:38, 25 March 2008 (UTC)

Organizations like the International Maritime Organization and the United States Coast Guard use the term "sailing vessel" to refer to any vessel that has a sail, regardless of whether it has a motor. When the motor is turned on, it has to follow the traffic rules of a motor vessel, but it's still a sailing vessel. The definition is made at least once in 46 CFR. I can't think of a flashier word that is used in the same way. Hope that helps. Cheers. Haus^Talk 20:05, 25 March 2008 (UTC)

One possible term for a steamship with auxiliary sails is steam yacht, but that also seems to be sometimes applied to steamships without sails. Gandalf61 (talk) 20:13, 25 March 2008 (UTC)

Thanks for all the explanations about sailing ships and sailboats (I have to smile a bit because yes, I'm quite familiar with the terms). Yes, as some of you rightly assumed, I'm looking for a term for boats that can go under steam and under sail (probably not at the same time, whatever), hence my explanation "steamboats / [steam]ships with sails" (I've added the second "steam" to avoid further misunderstandings). Examples can be found here (under sails) and here (in port). And there are many others, in fact, the development from sailship to steamer produced these hybrids for some decades. Nonetheless, most pictures display them going under steam, so I assume that at least some of them were not often used as "sailing ships". I've seen the term "sail-steamer", but it produces so few google hits that I highly suspect there is a more common (or even correct) term. --Ibn Battuta (talk) 16:27, 26 March 2008 (UTC)

Outfielder Glove

I'm looking for a new, high-quality baseball outfielder's glove and I'm wondering if anyone has had a good experience with a particular glove or if they know of one which they recommend. I'm not attached to any particular brand, and I'm looking for something less than $200. If anyone could link to the glove's product page which they recommend I'd be really grateful. Size wise, probably something in the ballpark of 12 to 13 inches. Thanks for the help and suggestions! 71.171.166.102 (talk) 16:23, 25 March 2008 (UTC)

Googling "outfielder glove under $200" gets you lots of hits. This[10] looks helpful. Julia Rossi (talk) 02:28, 27 March 2008 (UTC)

signed arod book

Over the summer i got a book that AROD made called out of the ballpark. He even signed it for me. My question is, will it be worth anything in the future?--Dlo2012 (talk) 16:51, 25 March 2008 (UTC)

For those who don't follow baseball, AROD is Alex Rodriguez. And the value that your book has in the future depends on if the person you're selling it to believes that he actually signed it instead of you just forging his signature. Dismas|^(talk) 17:07, 25 March 2008 (UTC)

It's already worth "something" now. I'm not sure how much you're hoping for, but I don't think the value will increase much unless you wait a very long time, if ever. -Elmer Clark (talk) 21:33, 25 March 2008 (UTC)

US Ordance Museum

I was there recently (got a shitload of pics for wikipedia =]) and wondered how often do they get a new tank. Also do they personaly restore tanks. БοņёŠɓɤĭĠ₳₯є 17:25, 25 March 2008 (UTC)

You really should have asked them! =) Sorry, I don't think there's a good chance the ref desk will be able to answer your question, and so I can only advice you to contact them directly; maybe through the web? 81.93.102.185 (talk) 17:53, 25 March 2008 (UTC)

Spelling of "keel hall"

In the Firefly episode Ariel, when Captain Mal and Jayne are talking at the end, Mal says "I hear tell they used to keel hall traitors back in the day". How exactly is "keel hall" spelt? - I'm sure I've got it wrong. I've looked online for the scripts but they are "shooting scrips" and are different from in the episode. I'm presuming keel hall has something to do with ships if that helps anyone. Thanks 79.76.180.25 (talk) 19:10, 25 March 2008 (UTC)

From memory, "keel haul", to haul a person beneath the keel of a ship, attached to a rope, generally to injure & frighten the life out of them, as a punishment. --Tagishsimon (talk) 19:13, 25 March 2008 (UTC)

There's an article: keelhauling. Verrrry painful; it scraped the heck out of people because of all the barnacles and things. Pretty easy to make an execution of it. --Masamage ♫ 19:14, 25 March 2008 (UTC)

Perfect - thank you very much! 79.76.180.25 (talk) 19:35, 25 March 2008 (UTC)

PS. That is such a good episode. --Masamage ♫ 20:04, 25 March 2008 (UTC)

That's a relief – all this time I thought keelhauling was carried out from the back to the front end of the ship. Julia Rossi (talk) 23:58, 25 March 2008 (UTC)

I may be misremembering, but I think the way you describe (or perhaps front to back) is the way it's depicted in Mutiny on the Bounty (1935 film) (after Laughton sneeringly orders "Keelhaul that man," with a sinister stress on the second syllable of keelhaul). Deor (talk) 02:02, 26 March 2008 (UTC)

Nice find – could that option go in the article? Looking at keel as a lengthwise boat spine, suggests length idea. Julia Rossi (talk) 02:59, 26 March 2008 (UTC)

I don't think it would be possible, at least with a single line, to keelhaul someone along the length of the ship. They'd keep popping up one side or the other. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 81.187.153.189 (talk • contribs)

In the film (or in my memory of it, at least), two lines were used, held by men walking alongside opposite gunwales of the ship, to pull the unfortunate wretch along the keel. Deor (talk) 11:29, 26 March 2008 (UTC)

It made a lasting impression on you Deor. I wonder how the stuntperson handled it. My question is, if it's around the keel, how do they get the rope under the boat and up the other side? Julia Rossi (talk) 00:12, 27 March 2008 (UTC)

Attach man to middle of rope & drop same over the bow, I'd guess. --Tagishsimon (talk) 00:14, 27 March 2008 (UTC)

Even the straight dope[11] assumes it's been looped already though the cartoon offers more. And only by the Dutch? Does that leave Captain Bligh off the hook? Julia Rossi (talk) 01:06, 27 March 2008 (UTC)

Guys, why do we write an encyclopedia if registered users at its very own reference desk don't read the conveniently linked articles before asking further questions? As it says in the article, keelhauling was not only used by the Dutch. (I won't repeat what's written there.) BTW, the German article adds 1.) that keelhauling could be performed both from one side of the ship to the other or from bow to stern, and 2.) that the corpus iuris militaris (1723) of the Holy Roman Empire includes a passage saying that a watchkeeper found sleeping should be keelhauled three times, and 3.) that the scraping due to keelhauling was at times prevented by either pulling more slowly (meaning that the weight of the person would pull him down, but at the risk of drowning him) or using weights on the person (again pulling him down and away from the hull). This latter information is also included in this marine dictionary entry from 1793-98, to which the German article links, and which further claims that the person being keelhauled may break limbs in the process, and that the rope went from yardarm to yardarm and the person was in fact thrown from one yardarm. I'm not sure why anyone would go through the trouble of making a--maybe resisting--man climb onto a yardarm if the goal of the exercise is to throw him into the water... but who knows. Finally, regarding the question of how to get the rope underneath the ship, yes, you pass it from the bow. --Ibn Battuta (talk) 07:56, 28 March 2008 (UTC)

Hey, Ibn Battuta. That article needs YOU! Julia Rossi (talk) 09:17, 31 March 2008 (UTC)

Writing about a story I wrote

What would happen if I wrote articles on Wikipedia about a story that I'm currently writing? Ericthebrainiac (talk) 20:15, 25 March 2008 (UTC)

They would get summarily deleted. Wikipedia has rules on notability and such. 206.252.74.48 (talk) 20:26, 25 March 2008 (UTC)

I have a question, Is anyone every going to block/ban Ericthebrainiac for his non stop trolling and vandalism?

Yo, dude, remember "No personal attacks, whoever wrote this question. Ericthebrainiac (talk) 21:26, 25 March 2008 (UTC)

His questions here are usually very bizarre, but I don't see anything wrong with them really, and I think it's perfectly possible they're asked in good faith. -Elmer Clark (talk) 21:35, 25 March 2008 (UTC)

He's consist/persistent, I'll grant him that – get the thing written Eric, get it published/performed/sold to TV, reviewed in print, gather publicity if any, and that's way before wikipedia will look at you. If not, try again – writing for success is such a greasy pole. Julia Rossi (talk) 00:48, 26 March 2008 (UTC)

If your story was published and made into the best seller charts you would be perfectly entitled to have an article,although I'm not sure if WP:NPOV means you'd be allowed to edit it yourself.

Whilst the question is fine,I would like to know why you have to link every other word.Are you being sponsored so much per word or something? Lemon martini (talk) 12:05, 26 March 2008 (UTC)

Maybe he likes blue. − Twas Now ( talk • contribs • e-mail ) 17:04, 26 March 2008 (UTC)

Is there a word for the sort of contributor who actually causes more amusement/bemusement than a troll, who just causes irritation and worse? I suppose this is the electronic equivalent of the green ink brigade, handily colour-coded. I used to work for an organisation that kept weird missives in a file; we office workers pulled them out on rainy afternoons to divert ourselves. Happy days! BrainyBabe (talk) 22:14, 26 March 2008 (UTC)

shooting craps. the game

i was looking up the rules and play on this site, but it dosn't mention anything on scoring! could some one tell me how the scores are made,added up and how to win?

As craps says, it's a gambling game. There isn't a score per se- you bet money. I guess you "win" if you end up with more money than you started with. Friday (talk) 20:37, 25 March 2008 (UTC)

THanks but how do u win?

There are a huge number of ways to win (and lose). Some are one-roll bets (AVOID THEM), others win when you make the point, or when you roll a 7. The best way to minimize the house edge is to play the pass line and take full odds, or the opposite (the no-pass). Stay away from the bets shown on the middle of the craps table. The best way to "win" (and I speak from experience) is DON'T PLAY! Clarityfiend (talk) 04:13, 26 March 2008 (UTC)

A strange game! The only winning move is not to play.

Atlant (talk) 18:22, 26 March 2008 (UTC)

A quick google turned up this [[12]] hotclaws 08:18, 26 March 2008 (UTC)

Rio Ferdinand

Will Rio Ferdinand be England's first black captain when he leads the English national football team out in Paris tomorrow? Thanks 90.192.223.225 (talk) 20:56, 25 March 2008 (UTC)

Never mind, just been told Paul Ince captained England. So, a new question. Was Ince playing for Man Utd when he captained England? 90.192.223.225 (talk) 21:00, 25 March 2008 (UTC)

This story says Ince captained England in 1993. He played for Manchester United from 1989-1995.[13] So, yes. -Elmer Clark (talk) 21:44, 25 March 2008 (UTC)

Collagen

I have looked up Collagen on your database. I'm trying to figure out where the ingredients for collagen come from. For exaple: The collagen cassings they use for Chicken or Turkey Hot Dogs, or ingredients used for gellotin etc...

Are all the protiens used derrived from anamals or, the protiens used, are they from other protien sorces,like Soy?

The gelatin article suggests animal products are the main source. Vegetarian alternatives exist but are more expensive. --Tagishsimon (talk) 21:34, 25 March 2008 (UTC)

(ec) You have read the article on collagen, so you know that it is an animal protein that is a part of many tissues. It has no "ingredients", unless you count the amino acids it is made from by the body. According to this web page, scientists have only recently synthesized it in the laboratory, and its uses are expected to remain medical. I wouldn't look for anything other than natural animal collagen in my hot dog in the near future. --Milkbreath (talk) 21:41, 25 March 2008 (UTC)

Quotation

I'm half-remembering a quotation, something like, "The most sublime happiness is the submission to authority," or similar. I was sure that Goethe had said it, but after skimming some lists of his quoatations (he said a lot of stuff), I can't find the one I'm thinking of. Does this ring any bells?

I don't know; it could be practically any dictator. God was quite fond of expressing such a sentiment, e.g. the first verse of Psalm 111 (or 112 in the Authorized Version) "Happy is the man who fears the Lord, who is only too willing to follow his orders."--Shantavira|^{feed me} 11:30, 26 March 2008 (UTC)

That sort of thing is usually said by a man acting under color of authority from God. It's a very handy thing to convince people of if you want them to obey you without questioning your authority.

Atlant (talk) 18:16, 26 March 2008 (UTC)

No, it was definitely a philosopher, and it wasn't biblical. It was rather longer than what I said, but that's the only bit of it I can remember. It's quite a famous quote, not obscure at all. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 79.78.29.109 (talk) 21:35, 28 March 2008 (UTC)

How about a philologist? It puts me in mind of the theme of C. S. Lewis's "Space Trilogy", especially That Hideous Strength. I don't own them anymore, so I can't look to see if a similar sentence is in there. --Milkbreath (talk) 23:01, 28 March 2008 (UTC)

HOW DO I REMOVE THE LINKS FROM MY WATCHBAND?

HOW DO I REMOVE THE LINKS FROM MY WATCHBAND?

This might not be a very helpful response, but that would be done for free (or a very small nominal fee) by a jeweller around here (presumably in the hope of other business from the same 'customer'). Angus Lepper^{(T, C, D)} 23:01, 25 March 2008 (UTC)

That's a very helpful response, I'd have thought. That's how I've always done it. -- JackofOz (talk) 23:31, 25 March 2008 (UTC)

Remove the url tags? 200.127.59.151 (talk) 14:49, 26 March 2008 (UTC)

It depends on the watchband, of course. Some watchbands are easily adjustable by the end-user (by opening and closing clips that allow you to add or remove some links). Some watchbands add or remove a few extra links by the use of tiny screws used as the hinges. Some have pins that must be driven out and in under force. Some watchbands can't be practically adjusted at all.

Atlant (talk) 18:13, 26 March 2008 (UTC)

And that is why I use a pocket watch instead. 206.252.74.48 (talk) 19:08, 27 March 2008 (UTC)

March 26

Why dont people date their best friends?

Why don't they more often? There best friends, they (usually) share everything and usually like each other for who they actually are. i cant really figure it out БοņёŠɓɤĭĠ₳₯є 02:05, 26 March 2008 (UTC)

Uh... personally I think of my female best friend in college as a sister and she treats me like her little brother. Maybe dating your best friend is like dating your own siblings, just thinking. But then again "friends can be lovers but lovers can't be friends" --Lenticel ^(talk) 02:57, 26 March 2008 (UTC)

Err. . . because if things don’t go so well and if there’s a nasty breakup it could be really awkward to be around your former best friend. You would essentially be risking your closest friendship because you’re horny. Not a smart move. --S.dedalus (talk) 03:29, 26 March 2008 (UTC)

Sometimes, not all the time, but sometimes people become friends with people because they like them more then a friend.

But they become friends with you instead because maybe they don't know how to tell you. Maybe its better to be friends because you don't want to except rejection. Becoming a friend is a lot easier then becoming someones lover.

But it also is true that some friends are so close they are more like siblings then friends so it may feel weird. Other times as the others have said they don't want to risk losing that important friend.

Always

Cardinal Raven71.143.3.182 (talk) 06:33, 26 March 2008 (UTC)Cardinal Raven

Friendship and relationships are two very different ways of interacting emotionally. It's not that you can't have both with the same person, but not every person is really compatible with both forms of emotion. I suppose the very concise answer is "human relationships are complicated." --Captain Ref Desk (talk) 13:04, 26 March 2008 (UTC)

Another explanation could be: because often best friends are of the same sex and most people are heterosexual. C mon (talk) 13:35, 26 March 2008 (UTC)

More generally than what Cmon said is that you have to be attracted to someone you want to date, but you don't have to be attracted to your best friend. Another thing to remember is that people often do end up dating their friends, if conditions are right. --Sean 13:38, 26 March 2008 (UTC)

De gustibus non disputandum - I look for different things in friends and lovers (gender is sometimes one of them). I don't want to sleep with my friends, because it would be weird - it's a completely different relationship for me. That having been said, I have dated a friend before, and it turned out fine while we were still dating, and then was really uncomfortable when we broke up. Steewi (talk) 03:54, 28 March 2008 (UTC)

narrators

how can i become one of those narrators for shows and movies?

First, you'll have to have a good voice. Morgan Freeman, James Earl Jones, and Patrick Stewart are examples of this. You could get started in radio and be a DJ. They're always doing the voice acting in commercials. Moving to a major television/movie producing city would help. New York City and Los Angeles come to mind for the U.S. London would probably be good for the UK (someone correct me if I'm wrong on that). Try to get jobs in local theater companies. Read trade magazines and answer ads calling for voice actors. Get an agent who can get you roles. Any or all of this might work. Dismas|^(talk) 03:55, 26 March 2008 (UTC)

Everything Dismas said and a link in the Voice actor article about training, finding a coach[14]. In the article Donald Sutherland he's used for his unusual voice as much as being high profile and working all over. A "good voice" sounds like one kind of narrator, but your voice could suit a lot of things. Voice work can include calling auctions and another specialty is calling races in animal racing. Julia Rossi (talk) 04:06, 26 March 2008 (UTC)

One thing I forgot to mention, even if you don't have a good voice now, that doesn't mean you can't train your voice. James Earl Jones had a stutter as a child. Dismas|^(talk) 04:54, 26 March 2008 (UTC)

Unique Deaths

What is the most unique death? What is the most unique murder? Do you have any references of unique deaths or unique murders?With unique weapons of murder? Could you give me these references?

Thank You

Always Cardinal Raven71.143.3.182 (talk) 06:07, 26 March 2008 (UTC)Cardinal Raven

What exactly do you mean by "unique"? Any cause of death that has only ever occurred once is unique, and there are probably many such causes. -- JackofOz (talk) 06:37, 26 March 2008 (UTC)

Or more correctly, any person who has died of a cause of which no other person has died is a unique person. -- JackofOz (talk) 06:39, 26 March 2008 (UTC)

Were you looking for this? --Lenticel ^(talk) 06:38, 26 March 2008 (UTC)

"This" could do, but most of those deaths are very laughable(death isn't funny)just the way they died out(died at laughing at a drunk donkey....that is gold). Unusual is a better word right? So what is the most unusual death? What is the most unusual murder? What is the most unusual weapon?

Always

Cardinal Raven71.143.3.182 (talk) 06:59, 26 March 2008 (UTC)Cardinal Raven

Darwin Awards, who knew injecting alcohol into your bowels could kill you? --antilived^{T | C | G} 07:17, 26 March 2008 (UTC)

Playing Russian Roulette with a self loading pistol? Sawing RPG 7 warheads to try and see inside them? All true (now that i think about it i read them at the Darwin Awards). btw I.P why dont you just register a account under that name? БοņёŠɓɤĭĠ₳₯є 07:22, 26 March 2008 (UTC)

Every death is unique, no man is an island, ask not for whom the bell tolls. BrainyBabe (talk) 09:14, 26 March 2008 (UTC)

I guess the most UNUSUAL deaths in the history of mankind would be the 7 astronauts who died in the Challenger disaster ie. The Space Shuttle Challenger disaster took place when Challenger, a Space Shuttle operated by NASA, broke apart 73 seconds into its flight leading to the deaths of its seven crew members. The spacecraft disintegrated over the Atlantic Ocean, off the coast of central Florida, United States at 11:39 a.m. EST (16:39 UTC) on January 28, 1986. Disintegration of the shuttle stack began 73 seconds into its flight. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 81.145.242.38 (talk • contribs)

Sadly, the profession of astronaut is a hazardous one and deaths during space flights and astronaut training have not been uncommon - see our list of space accidents and incidents. We also have a list of unusual deaths - take your pick. My personal favorites are Aeschylus and Francis Bacon. Gandalf61 (talk) 15:29, 26 March 2008 (UTC)

"btw I.P why don't you just register a account under that name?"

First I'll the answer this question because I wouldn't edit articles. I am not good at fixing people mistakes. The only thing I am good at is fixing the lame spelling that people use. I fixed an article that had learned spelled "learnt". Also I am a story writer so I spend most of my hours trying to find ideas. Secondly,why would you inject alcohol in your bowels? Third, could a woman die from straightening her hair if her hair was wet?

Always

Cardinal Raven71.143.3.182 (talk) 15:39, 26 March 2008 (UTC)Cardinal Raven

Learnt is a valid spelling in the UK, though it's rarely seen in the US. jeffjon (talk) 16:34, 26 March 2008 (UTC)

It sounds weird to others that is all.71.143.3.182 (talk) 18:53, 26 March 2008 (UTC)Cardinal Raven

If by "injecting into the bowels" we mean via some kind of tube or nozzle in the anus, rather than with a needle through the skin, then the practice isn't *that* unusual. One can get drunk that way, possibly quicker than via the usual method. My Dad occasionally tells the story of some Royal Navy submariners on a run ashore who, reaching the stage of drunkenness at which any more booze by mouth would only be vomited up again, started pumping beer up their arses instead in order to carry on "drinking". 81.187.153.189 (talk) 00:20, 27 March 2008 (UTC)

meanings - touching or scratching of your partner's palm

What is the meaning of touching the palm of your partner's hand with the tips of your finger's in a scratching motion? It had a sexual meaning years ago and I am trying to remember what it meant.--Cuddlbear (talk) 08:45, 26 March 2008 (UTC) removed triplication AlmostReadytoFly (talk) 09:19, 26 March 2008 (UTC)

Try it, you might find out!--Artjo (talk) 09:37, 26 March 2008 (UTC)

The ol' scratching palm handshake... means they're being suggestive (they want to have sex with you)and like to creep you out even if it's just a joke. Started in the 80's I think, still widespread but not enough to lose its surprise effect. Julia Rossi (talk) 23:58, 26 March 2008 (UTC)

Well before the 80s; my mother warned me about it and she was dating in the late 40s and early 50s. It may have made a comeback in the 80s, what with all the mothers warning their kids. --NellieBly (talk) 14:06, 27 March 2008 (UTC)

You've jogged my memory (is anything else jogged?). When I was a kid in the 50s and 60s, there was a thing we did when we wanted to gross somebody out. You would offer a handshake, and as the victim took your hand, you'd curl your middle finger under and tickle his palm. It had no meaning, though; we just did it to skeeve people out. --Milkbreath (talk) 14:54, 27 March 2008 (UTC)

"is anything else jogged?" Anything you want to jog loose, yes. 'I jogged the DVD player to unstick the drawer.' Skittle (talk) 09:59, 28 March 2008 (UTC)

• Ray Charles wrote in his autobiography that he'd use that gesture to find out if a girl was "willing". My wife used to be a TV reporter when she was in her young 20s, and interviewed him for Buck Owens' station in Bakersfield. When the interview was over, he added a palm tickle to the parting handshake; she exclaimed, "I know what that means! I read your book!", to which Charles rolled his head back in his wonderful fashion, and laughed and laughed and laughed. --jpgordon^∇∆∇∆ 16:37, 27 March 2008 (UTC)

insertion of cap in the catridge while manufacturing a pen

i want to insert a cap in the catridge for that what type of grippers we have to use and what is the process?—Preceding unsigned comment added by 69.126.135.112 (talk • contribs)

It is not clear what sort of pen you are asking about, but the cartridges with regular ink are normally heat sealed with a very thin plug, not a cap.--Shantavira|^{feed me} 17:33, 26 March 2008 (UTC)

The cast and crew of As for Me and My House (sitcom)

Where were Jalene Mack, Jennifer Jermany and the rest of the cast and crew for As for Me and My House (sitcom) born? Ericthebrainiac (talk) 14:39, 26 March 2008 (UTC)

Eric, why isn't this on the entertainment desk? Julia Rossi (talk) 00:00, 27 March 2008 (UTC)

Death Certificate

A notoriously unreliable scource has told me that a long lost friend has died, I wish to find out whether or not this is true, is there a way to access death certificates in south Africa via the web. Secondly, why is it that when some one has aids in South Africa, the doctor will not tell them they have it but will rather say, i dont know what is wrong with you but X will keep you alive for longer.

Probably not all doctors in South Africa would say that—certainly not any doctors with an ethical code. But as for prescribing a certain drug, they would do that because they are being paid by pharmaceutical companies. It happens in the West too. − Twas Now ( talk • contribs • e-mail ) 17:00, 26 March 2008 (UTC)

As to the last question, a number of factors may be at work. The issue may relate to the profound social stigma associated with HIV infection. From this site (emphasis added):

"Stigma and discrimination can arise from community-level responses to HIV and AIDS. The harassing of individuals suspected of being infected or of belonging to a particular group has been widely reported. It is often motivated by the need to blame and punish and in extreme circumstances can extend to acts of violence and murder. Attacks on men who are assumed gay have increased in many parts of the world, and HIV and AIDS related murders have been reported in countries as diverse as Brazil, Colombia, Ethiopia, India, South Africa and Thailand. In December 1998, Gugu Dhlamini was stoned and beaten to death by neighbours in her township near Durban, South Africa, after speaking out openly on World AIDS Day about her HIV status."

While new surveys and research indicate that attitudes have shifted somewhat – at least in some parts of South Africa – some physicians and patients may be reluctant to openly discuss HIV infection for fear that the patient's life or livelihood would be put at risk, that the patient would avoid returning for care and monitoring of their illness, or that the patient would avoid necessary treatment or drugs for fear of being found out.

As well, South African President Thabo Mbeki has long taken the position that the problem of AIDS in South Africa is overstated, and that HIV may not be the cause of AIDS. The South African Minister of Health Manto Tshabalala-Msimang has supported the position that antiretroviral therapy isn't necessary to treat HIV infection or AIDS, and that affected patients should adopt a dietary treatment strategy (lots of garlic, beetroot, and vitamin supplements) alone.

I don't envy physicians who must treat patients under such a regime; their work with HIV-positive individuals places them smack dab in the middle of overlapping moral, ethical, and political minefields. TenOfAllTrades(talk) 18:19, 26 March 2008 (UTC)

Why there are no trams numbered 1 and 12 in Zurich city?

Why there are no trams numbered 1 and 12 in Zurich city?212.126.160.101 (talk) 17:08, 26 March 2008 (UTC)

Presumably because those routes were subsumed into other routes; there is no particular reason why every available route number should be used. You will find gaps in the tram/bus route numbering schemes of any city.--Shantavira|^{feed me} 17:30, 26 March 2008 (UTC)

Knowing how detail-obsessed some transit fans are, I figured there just might be an answer to this on the Internet. So I did a Google search on "Zurich", "tram", and "1". (It would have been smarter to use "route 1" for the third term.) The first hit was Wikipedia's Zürich trams article, which says that route 1 was converted in 1954 to a bus route and then in 1956 to a trolleybus.

I then changed the third search term to "route 12", and found this page, which says that a new route 12, serving the airport, is scheduled to open in 2010. I don't know if it is reusing the number of a previous route or if the number was reserved for this route years ago. --Anonymous, 18:40 UTC, March 26, 2008.

The "Tramlinie" 12 opened in the 1920s, and originally went from somewhere in Höngg to Klusplatz in Hirslanden, later from Hardturm to Klusplatz. In the 1930s most of the route was made redundant and the remaining stub between Escher-Wyss Platz and Hardturm only covered a couple of stations. The short stretch was not liked by the VBZ's proud staff, and being sent to operate it sometimes felt like a disciplinary transfer to tram conductors. Nevertheless the stub ran for the next 30 years, until 1964, when the 4 was routed from the rail station Wipkingen to Hardturm, and the 12 was immobilized permanently. (Or not, see Anonymous's post above). ---Sluzzelin talk 23:14, 26 March 2008 (UTC)

Help with template code

I'm adding a template with the following code:

{|class="infobox bordered" style="width:300px;"
{{#ifeq:{{#expr:{{#if:{{{combatants1|<noinclude>-</noinclude>}}}|1|0}} or {{#if:{{{combantants2|}}}|1|0}} }} | 1 |
! colspan="2" style="text-align:center; background-color:#B4C5E3; padding:5px;" {{!}} <small>Combatants</small>
{{!}}-
{{#if:{{{combatants1|<noinclude>-</noinclude>}}} |
{{!}} style="padding:5px;" {{!}}{{{combatants1}}}
{{#if:{{{combatants2|<noinclude>-</noinclude>}}} |
{{!}} style="padding:5px;" {{!}}{{{combatants2}}}
{{!}}-
}}
|
}}
|}

However, the code shows up like this:

See the {{#ifeq:1 | 1 | out in the air? Why is that there?--Boater111 (talk) 20:39, 26 March 2008 (UTC)

Try actually making a table cell before you start writing things to the table :D\=< (talk) 12:22, 27 March 2008 (UTC)

Medieval or Renaissance City

I have to write a paper on the Medieval or Renaissance City of my choosing, however I can't decide which one to choose. The paper has to focus on architecture, city layout, social groups, fairs/markets, and city government. Anyone have any suggestions of a city that would have plentiful information available on these subjects?--ChesterMarcol (talk) 21:01, 26 March 2008 (UTC)

Venice, in bucket-loads. It was one of the major models for the design of cities in the UK, according to Building Jerusalem: The Rise and Fall of the Victorian City ISBN 978-0753819838 (not that that is a book which will answer your question ... but it makes that case that Venice is likely to be one of the best documented Medieval & Renaissance Cities.) --Tagishsimon (talk) 21:18, 26 March 2008 (UTC)

Yes, Venice was my first thought - followed by Florence, Rome, Siena, York, London, Paris and Toledo in no particular order. Gandalf61 (talk) 21:28, 26 March 2008 (UTC)

Brugge, Ghent ... They'll all be well enough documented, though that begs the question of access to a sufficiently well stocked library. --Tagishsimon (talk) 21:36, 26 March 2008 (UTC)

Constantinople, Baghdad, and Cairo are also pretty well-documented. In general, you might also want to look at "Life in a Medieval City" by Joseph Gies. Adam Bishop (talk) 01:07, 27 March 2008 (UTC)

Shrewsbury in the time of the Brother Cadfael chronicles? The twenty Cadfael Chronicles (novels) provide a wealth of detail and there are several non-fiction books associated with the series that explore Shrewsbury and its environs. Many non-Cadfael resources exist as well.

Atlant (talk) 16:33, 27 March 2008 (UTC)

Thanks for the help. I think I'm going to try London. Now I just need to find some books.--ChesterMarcol (talk) 21:32, 27 March 2008 (UTC)

Start with Peter Ackroyd's London: A Biography. Very readable and with an essay-length annotated bibliography. BrainyBabe (talk) 01:00, 28 March 2008 (UTC)

I've always loved the city of Carcassonne (before I'd played the game), but alas, not a huge amount of information around. Steewi (talk) 04:00, 28 March 2008 (UTC)

oldest

what is the oldest country in the world?68.215.214.68 (talk) 22:46, 26 March 2008 (UTC)mahlet

One frequent answer to this question is San Marino (3 Septemer 301), but it really depends on how you wish to define the question. See also List of countries by formation date. ---Sluzzelin talk 22:51, 26 March 2008 (UTC)

Oddly, that page is in reality a List of government foundation dates (ordered by) continent and country ... which makes it a pain to use to answer the original question, quite apart from laboring under a doubly inaccurate title. The answer does indeed depend upon a better definition of the question. Japan, for instance, celebrates National Foundation Day as February 11, 660 BCE, but became a different state on March 3, 1947. In the spirit in which I understand the question, I'd suggest China. --Tagishsimon (talk) 23:01, 26 March 2008 (UTC)

Yep. It annoyed me too. There's a discussion and a chronologically sorted table on the talk page here. It has Egypt in 3100 BCE: the unification of Upper and Lower Egypt begins the Early Dynastic Period of Ancient Egypt.---Sluzzelin talk 23:16, 26 March 2008 (UTC)

Yup. That beats China's 2100 BCE–1600 BCE for the Xia Dynasty. --Tagishsimon (talk) 00:04, 27 March 2008 (UTC)

My definition would be the date on which the current government of the country came into power or declared the country's independence. Gary King (talk) 00:28, 27 March 2008 (UTC)

I assume you mean the current system of government, rather than the actual government? FiggyBee (talk) 00:49, 27 March 2008 (UTC)

Right. Gary King (talk) 00:52, 27 March 2008 (UTC)

That article isn't even a "list of government foundation dates" - the government of the United Kingdom didn't change dramatically in 1922, and I don't think many people would argue that the UK became a different country in that year. FiggyBee (talk) 00:57, 27 March 2008 (UTC)

Gary King: What date would you give for the UK? Algebraist 01:41, 27 March 2008 (UTC)

Note that 1922 isn't given as the year of the formation of the UK, but of the "most recent significant territorial modification". I'm no historian, but the Glorious Revolution might be worthy of consideration as the time of formation of the current system. I doubt you could get third party sources to come to consensus on the answer though. AlmostReadytoFly (talk) 10:23, 27 March 2008 (UTC)

Shouldn't the question to consider be the time of birth for the first government? 81.93.102.185 (talk) 18:46, 27 March 2008 (UTC)

Both China and Egypt have changed a few times since they were supposedly first founded, having been invaded and reorganised as new countries. So the country that has existed for the longest time is probably San Marino, mentioned above. And alternative answer to this might be the first country that was ever created. Archaeology so far seems to suggest either Sumer in southern Mesopotamia , or whatever country Byblos and/or Jerico belonged to as the first. HS7 (talk) 19:56, 27 March 2008 (UTC)

Tiny countries like San Marino seem to have been absorbed, according to the media. I saw a TV report on the Pope's Easter blessing. It showed St Peters and the crowds etc, and the caption said "Italy". -- JackofOz (talk) 22:04, 27 March 2008 (UTC)

Seems to me that the reasoning behind that would be because most people have never heard of San Marino. Gary King (talk) 03:55, 1 April 2008 (UTC)

March 27

books

whats a good book for someone who only reads books by jared diamond but has run out? —Preceding unsigned comment added by Bothameans (talk • contribs) 02:34, 27 March 2008 (UTC)

Well, you always knew this day would come. Time for a different author. I don't know who wrote them, but I liked Digital Fortress, Life Expectancy, and Deception Point. Useight (talk) 03:46, 27 March 2008 (UTC)

That would be Dan Brown that wrote Digital Fortress and Deception Point. Don't know about Life Expectancy as I've never heard of it. Dismas|^(talk) 00:56, 28 March 2008 (UTC)

My word, it's like a literary salon in here, isn't it? Malcolm XIV (talk) 01:00, 28 March 2008 (UTC)

You should try Carl Sagan, he's about the same. Adam Bishop (talk) 06:01, 27 March 2008 (UTC)

What did you like about Jared Diamond's books? The Evolutionary aspect? If that, then would you be interested in broad histories of human evolution or a gene-centric approach? Richard Dawkins' books (The Selfish Gene, The Extended Phenotype, The Blind Watchmaker, etc) may be of interest. Matt Ridley's books (The Red Queen, Genome, etc) are also quite good. I also like Steven Pinker's books (The Language Instinct, How the Mind Works, The Blank Slate).--droptone (talk) 12:24, 27 March 2008 (UTC)

gaelic or druidic pentabic rhyme

Need compare/contrast sources and examples from druidic period for rhyme written vs bard style retelling. Have been unsuccessful thus far. Any help would be appreciated.Jgaelaneeire (talk) 03:49, 27 March 2008 (UTC)

You might have better luck on the Humanities or Languages desks. Julia Rossi (talk) 02:03, 28 March 2008 (UTC)

Manual-to-Automatic Transmission Conversion

A long time ago, somebody told me it was possible to convert a vehicle with a manual transmission to an automatic transmission. Is this true? Thanks. Danthemankhan 03:59, 27 March 2008 (UTC)

Possible, certainly. How cheap or easy depends on the vehicle - if it's an unsophisticated vehicle that was produced in both automatic and manual versions, it may be as simple as replacing the transmission and controls. FiggyBee (talk) 05:26, 27 March 2008 (UTC)

I recall several years ago, NBA athlete Kobe Bryant bought a special Lamborghini Murcielago with manual transmission for his wife, but realized that she couldn't drive stick. He then had it converted into an automatic. Acceptable (talk) 20:58, 27 March 2008 (UTC)

Interesting. I believe as a general rule, the makers of most high-priced exotics will do a lot of custom work, as long as you're willing to pay (lots) for it. Seems a bit odd to me tho- why not just teach her to drive stick instead of hacking up the car? But, I suppose there's no accounting for taste. Friday (talk) 21:06, 27 March 2008 (UTC)

Most modern high-end exotics offer a sequential manual as an option. Most of these transmissions offer an automatic mode and a manual mode, both of which do not require the operation of a clutch pedal and should not be that much of a jump from an automatic. Acceptable (talk) 21:21, 27 March 2008 (UTC)

Running out of Steam

Are the Hollywood videos running out of steam? I recently saw I am Legend and I gave it one big, meh! Hannibal Rising was a big disappointment. What is Hollywood doing wrong?Cardinal Raven (talk) 06:45, 27 March 2008 (UTC)Cardinal Raven

Hollywood functions to make money. I Am Legend grossed $583,160,567 globally and had the highest opening in history for a film released in the month of December. In that instance, Hollywood did everything right. Rockpocket 07:27, 27 March 2008 (UTC)

When you go to a video store, you'll find a lot of movies from the 90's. What a great decade that was! Ditto for the 80's. Or 70's, 60's, 50's, ... all good. But for this decade? It's lucky if you see one or two good movies a year.

Do you see where the illusion comes from? Because this decade is happening now, day by leisurely day at a time, it seems like good new movies are coming out at very long intervals. While last decade's dozen great movies are right there on the self, no waiting necessary.

A look at IMDB's list of 250 top rated movies of all time shows that the number of top rated movies per decade is pretty constant. Weregerbil (talk) 08:53, 27 March 2008 (UTC)

Omega Man was also based on I am Legend, and it wasn't really any better.

I think it's at least partially a selection issue. We only remember the good films. If you ask me to think of films from the 1940s I'll name "Citizen Kane", "Casablanca", and "The Maltese Falcon". An entire decade, reduced to three films. If you ask me to name films from this decade I can rattle off a nice long list. But back in the 40s, people were going to the movies every week and seeing a different film each time. What happened to all those other films? I've always assumed they were just as forgettable as most of what we see today. APL (talk) 18:43, 27 March 2008 (UTC)

Assume no longer, APL. The 1940s also gave us such timeless classics as The Philadelphia Story, Rebecca, The Man Who Came to Dinner, Double Indemnity, Now, Voyager, Brief Encounter, The Picture of Dorian Gray, The Seventh Veil, Great Expectations, The Razor's Edge, Hamlet and The Red Shoes. And that's just from my own personal list of favourites. I'm sure there are many others from that decade that people still hold dear. -- JackofOz (talk) 21:54, 27 March 2008 (UTC)

Old movies aren't my thing. I want to watch something new and different. Something completely unique and new. Not the same stories of police, drugies, street fighters, heroic men with swords (though 300 was pretty good, spies (James Bond Casino Royal were good as well), etc. I want something new, unique, and not the same old same old.Cardinal Raven (talk) 01:46, 28 March 2008 (UTC)Cardinal Raven

If you dismiss all "old" movies sight unseen just because they weren't made yesterday, you're going to miss out on a lot of great film (a lot of trash too, but that applies in any era). Great films being made today will be old one day, but their quality won't have deteriorated just because the viewer has aged. -- JackofOz (talk) 01:55, 28 March 2008 (UTC)

I don't dismiss all "old" movies. Some of them I have watched. A couple of movies that still test time are John Carpenter's Thing and Coneheads. Those aren't that far back, but I do enjoy some silent films as well. I like the old Sherlock Holmes films. I like Mr. Hyde as well. I never dismiss them they just don't interest me sometimes.Cardinal Raven (talk) 02:50, 28 March 2008 (UTC)Cardinal Raven

So you're complaining that the quality of Hollywood movies is dropping, but old movies generally don't interest you? Maybe you just don't like movies... -Elmer Clark (talk) 08:20, 28 March 2008 (UTC)

Threads, A new earthbound biological life form?

Approx 2 years ago on national New Zealand television, I watched a documentary style program called "Threads". It was American made and was about a new life form that had been discovered by slowing down the frames on video cameras after filming and you could see strange flying thread shaped creatures in the frames. The "Threads" as they called them, could not be seen with the naked human eye as they were too fast and semi transparent, and they also seemed to be intangible, as it appeared they could fly through solid objects. A portion of video clip on the documentary was on some cavers abseiling down a huge hole in the ground, (I think this video was filmed in South America somewhere), and later when they slowed the film down you could literally see lots of these "Threads" flying around in this hole and seamlessly passing through the cavers, themselves totally unaware of what was happening. I have tried to find any information on the internet by searching Google etc. but have not been able to find any reference to this lifeform or documentary. Is this real or fake?Mustangman6879 (talk) 10:42, 27 March 2008 (UTC)

Was it approximately April 1, 2006? Sounds like the dust and other debris on a roll of film. Adam Bishop (talk) 11:45, 27 March 2008 (UTC)

Could you mean Rods? Think outside the box 12:17, 27 March 2008 (UTC)

Thanks for the question and link, that was awesome and I'm chilled with Mark Snow in my head now. ---Sluzzelin talk 13:07, 27 March 2008 (UTC)

Yeah, sounds like Rods. They're just how (normal) insects look when you slow down the film. A simple mistake, held on for dear life by those who desperately "want to believe" and those know better but like the attention it brings. --Captain Ref Desk (talk) 13:24, 27 March 2008 (UTC)

If I recall correctly, that rods documentary actually had a short segment where someone debunked it with a video of bees flying around the screen, and then they promptly cut to a 'believer' who stated that it's not the same (without elaborating), and then more nonsense followed. Unless I'm thinking of Is It Real? -- Consumed Crustacean (talk) 20:00, 27 March 2008 (UTC)

Signing board for disabled people

I recently saw a wheelchair user who was obviously severely physically disabled. He appeared to be communicating with his carer by means of what looked like a clear plastic board with letters, words and symbols on it, which she was holding up to him. How are these devices used - does the person use his eyes to "point" to the word required? --Richardrj ^{talk email} 10:57, 27 March 2008 (UTC)

>.> []? Julia Rossi (talk) 11:57, 27 March 2008 (UTC)

[] [] [] [] buttons?? :D\=< (talk) 12:20, 27 March 2008 (UTC)

You are exactly right Richardrj see here for an example. It's also used by people who have had strokes or have other communication difficulties, but often you are unlucky enough to have these go hand in hand with a physical disability. Children with Autism for example wouldn't really use a board like this, they would perhaps have a little book of pictures as they can point or hand them out. Lanfear's Bane | t 12:52, 27 March 2008 (UTC)

Actually that's a rather simple one, here is a more complex one with instructions in its use. Lanfear's Bane | t 12:56, 27 March 2008 (UTC)

A mouth stick is sometimes used (as a pointing device).

Atlant (talk) 16:29, 27 March 2008 (UTC)

Human History

I saw on ITV news yesterday that they had discovered human remains that are over 1.5 million years old, I would like to read more about this please. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 193.115.175.247 (talk) 13:30, 27 March 2008 (UTC)

This was in Atapuerca. For more details see here and here. --Richardrj ^{talk email} 13:33, 27 March 2008 (UTC)

What is "Dial 1 for __, dial 2 for __" called?

What is the automated phone message system called? -- Zanimum (talk) 16:35, 27 March 2008 (UTC)

It took a little looking, but I found Interactive voice response, linked to from call center. Friday (talk) 16:38, 27 March 2008 (UTC)

Oh, sorry, I could have gotten that one quickly, but I was busy working, oddly enough, on IVR programming. Our article could sure use a lot of work. --LarryMac | Talk 16:52, 27 March 2008 (UTC)

I call it something much different. And while I know that Wikipedia is not censored, I think I'll stop right there.

Atlant (talk) 19:52, 27 March 2008 (UTC)

"You have selected "regicide". If you know the name of the king or queen being murdered, press 1 now." 206.252.74.48 (talk) 20:09, 27 March 2008 (UTC)

I love these small quote responses, especially when I get them, as was the case with both the last one I saw ("the only winning move is not to play") and this one. Thanks! Should have linked to the episode though. Jørgen (talk) 20:58, 27 March 2008 (UTC)

There really should be different terms for "press 1 for __, press 2 for __" systems on the one hand and "move into a quieter room and speak the name of the department you want, meaning the name that we call it by, in the same accent we use" systems on the other, though. Apparently IVR includes both; are there specific (non-censorable) terms for the two kinds? --Anonymous, 01:38 UTC, March 28, 2008.

How Buena Vista County, Virginia voted in the 1896 election

I am trying to find out how Buena Vista County, Virginia voted in the 1896 election, but The only thing I could find was a low res county by county picture (from the election of 1896 page), which isn't good enough to show Buena Vista County, since it is so small, and since I can't find any information on Buena Vista County, VA I am running into dead ends (like it's page), mostly because of the other Buena Vista County, Iowa. ANewsom (talk) 16:58, 27 March 2008 (UTC)

• If you can find someone at a subscribing institution to help, [15] (at ICPSR) should have your answers. --jpgordon^∇∆∇∆ 23:42, 27 March 2008 (UTC)
  • Oh, and it's Buena Vista, Virginia; it's actually an independent city, rather than a county (Virginia is weird that way.) --jpgordon^∇∆∇∆ 00:41, 28 March 2008 (UTC)

I was able to get the data from that page but I have no clue how to access it. It gave me a large .txt file (that is just gibberish in a text editor) and smaller .sas and .sps files. I can send them to you if this is something you can work with. -Elmer Clark (talk) 08:38, 28 March 2008 (UTC)

I'll take what I can get, sure I'll try.ANewsom (talk) 00:27, 29 March 2008 (UTC)

Legal age for consensual sex (was "Headline text")

I heard recently that the legal age for consensual sex was 16 in the United Kingdom of England. Is this true? It seems awfully young, considering the age is 21 where I am from. Also, as a side note, what is the youngest age for sex in the world? Is England the youngest? Thank you for you time is answering my question. —Preceding unsigned comment added by Madox5 (talk • contribs) 18:34, 27 March 2008 (UTC)

The United Kingdom of England? It might be wise for you to have a little look at British Isles (terminology). Malcolm XIV (talk) 01:03, 28 March 2008 (UTC)

Yes this is true, and yes it is regarded as being very young even by the BritishJonM267 (talk) 18:44, 27 March 2008 (UTC)

[edit conflict]

I wouldn't say that most people here in the UK think it's "very young". No doubt a few do, but to me it seems perfectly normal. As for younger, the age of consent in Spain is apparently 13, and in the Netherlands it's 12 as long as the other person is no more than four years older. A quick scan through Ages of consent in Europe suggests that the modal age is 14. No wonder 16 doesn't seem young here :-) 81.187.153.190 (talk) 19:54, 27 March 2008 (UTC)

Our article "Ages of consent in North America" is of interest here. It mentions Mexico's 12 as "one of the lowest in the world". My home state of New Jersey has some old laws on the books, among which, apparently, is one that allows sex with no minimum age at all under certain circumstances. Also see "statutory rape". --Milkbreath (talk) 19:43, 27 March 2008 (UTC)

How old are those law books? Neal (talk) 21:47, 27 March 2008 (UTC).

I don't know, but they've been writing them here for a good long time now, and they hardly ever erase any. According to our article, the law says that a no-more-than-four-year age difference makes sex OK. A 14-year-old could have sex with a ten-year-old. I don't remember ever hearing about any such thing actually happening here in modern times, and I would guess that the authorities would make their presence felt in such a case, law or no law. --Milkbreath (talk) 00:59, 28 March 2008 (UTC)

Coming back to the UK; don't forget that Scotland has long held consensual sex - and marriage - to be legal at 16 - hence the rush of youngsters down the ages from England bent on defying their objecting parents' denial of their wish to marry - with most of them aiming for Gretna Green - the first Scottish town they came to on crossing the English/Scottish border - where they were traditionally married across the blacksmith's forge - without realising that they could in fact have been married anywhere in Scotland by a licensed marriage registrar, religious minister or otherwise. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 81.145.240.59 (talk) 21:14, 27 March 2008 (UTC)

It's 14 in Canada (sort of...and it's a minor controversy at the moment). Adam Bishop (talk) 00:52, 28 March 2008 (UTC)

16 has been the age of consent for sex for girls for generations. The difference is that youngsters now reach puberty somewhat earlier than decades ago. This means that there are a lot of teenagers having sex under age - up to a quarter of them, according to this Guardian article/opinion piece about the National Survey of Sexual Attitudes and Lifestyles: [16]. BrainyBabe (talk) 01:13, 28 March 2008 (UTC)

Oh really? I certainly find that hard to believe. A couple decades is too short, considering the thousands of years humans have been on the planet. Neal (talk) 02:35, 28 March 2008 (UTC).

Not too hard to believe if it's caused by hormones we've just started adding to milk in the last few decades. -GTBacchus^(talk) 02:38, 28 March 2008 (UTC)

Interesting, I did not know about that. Maybe I'll research into that a bit. Neal (talk) 21:56, 28 March 2008 (UTC).

It's not even hormones that are at fault -- it's simply a matter of better nutrition and health care. That's also why the average adult height has gone up a foot in the past century. --Carnildo (talk) 00:24, 29 March 2008 (UTC)

I used to know a couple, where the girl was 14 when they were married in Maryland. The age of consent may be lower if it's for marriage, or else the law has changed, since our article now says age of consent in Maryland is 16. Corvus cornix_talk 17:22, 28 March 2008 (UTC)

Item in Theodore Roosevelt article

In reading the article on Theodore Roosevelt, I came across this:

The New York World translated the Thanksgiving Day proclamation: >When nearly three centuries ago, the first settlers came to the country which has become this great republic, that confronted not only hardship and privashun, but terrible risk of their lives. . . . The custom has now become national and hallowed by immemorial usage."

Is there a cite for this? I looked briefly in the New York World microfilm at the Library of Congress and did not find it, but did not sit and search for hours.

Is there any way to find out when this was printed in the New York World?

I also noticed that the spellings have changed since I first saw it. What is going on here?

Henry Zecher —Preceding unsigned comment added by Hzecher48 (talk • contribs) 23:56, 27 March 2008 (UTC)

Could be vandalism, you can revert it to the previous acceptable state and warn the user/IP on their talk page found through the article's history tab. Julia Rossi (talk) 02:00, 28 March 2008 (UTC)

The spelling changed because someone "corrected" it. But the real issue is that the New York World quote is an example of journalistic satire, not something that TR actually wrote. For details, see: Talk:Theodore Roosevelt#Thanksgiving Day proclamation.--Pharos (talk) 04:51, 29 March 2008 (UTC)

March 28

Drinking blood to survive

Purely hypothetical- suppose if one is stranded on a lifeboat in the middle of the ocean with no water. They are dehydrating and manage to catch a shark. Will the shark's blood, or the blood of any animal, provide hydration and keep one alive? Acceptable (talk) 00:06, 28 March 2008 (UTC)

About half of human blood is water (It's 55% plasma, which is 92% water), so yes, blood would provide hydration. It contains a lot of other stuff, too, though, so it might also make you sick pretty fast. And I'm not sure to what degree all animal blood is similar. --Masamage ♫ 00:13, 28 March 2008 (UTC)

That 92% figure is inviting, but bears scrutiny. By comparison, seawater is 96.5% water, but it does dehydrates a person, in the longer term, if ingested. So for my money Acceptable's question stands. Me, I'd doubt that you'd get much or any hydration from blood. --Tagishsimon (talk) 00:22, 28 March 2008 (UTC)

A fellow by the name of Gregory J. Davenport has a book called Wilderness Survival in which he says not to drink blood for hydration, and I agree with his reasons. He explains here that it will leave you thirstier than before. I would say you shouldn't have an ice cream cone, either, then. --Milkbreath (talk) 01:16, 28 March 2008 (UTC)

I think your only hope for hydration is that it would somehow rain.--Lenticel ^(talk) 05:34, 28 March 2008 (UTC)

Why not just eat the shark? Water doesn't have to be in its free, liquid, state to be of use to you. Personally, I'd rather not eat raw shark, but if I was at the point where I was considering drinking fish blood, I might feel differently. Matt Deres (talk) 20:41, 28 March 2008 (UTC)

I remember a case some years ago of a shipwrecked family who survived by drinking turtle blood. It might be this, but that excerpt relates to eating the turte, not drinking its blood. However this seems to confirm its practicability. --ColinFine (talk) 17:09, 29 March 2008 (UTC)

Devon stream name

What is the name of the stream that passes under road B3227 at the village of Langridgeford, Devon, England? Please. --Milkbreath (talk) 00:53, 28 March 2008 (UTC)

Could it be the River Torridge? [17] Think outside the box 13:03, 28 March 2008 (UTC)

No, it's a much smaller stream about 9km to the east of that. I can't find a map on the Web that names it, and I can't tell whether the ordnance maps name it by looking at the samples at their site. --Milkbreath (talk) 13:26, 28 March 2008 (UTC)

The River Taw is east of the River Torridge. --David from Downunder (talk) 15:03, 28 March 2008 (UTC)

Thanks. We're getting warmer. The minor rivulet I want is between the two and seems to empty into Langham Lake, which isn't much of a lake the way I see it. --Milkbreath (talk) 15:29, 28 March 2008 (UTC)

You could contact any of the photographers here by email and ask them. --David from Downunder (talk) 16:28, 28 March 2008 (UTC)

Good idea. I'm going to do just that. The first picture on that page shows the very spot. I'll report back. --Milkbreath (talk) 23:05, 28 March 2008 (UTC)

I told you... GFE!!! --David from Downunder (talk) 23:36, 28 March 2008 (UTC)

Har. (I found that site in my searching, but somehow I failed to see that particular page. I didn't say anything because I wanted you to feel good about being such a big help, but now you've ruined it.) --Milkbreath (talk) 00:02, 29 March 2008 (UTC)

Har. OK, you saved up for a copy of Google - now you need to learn how to use it properly. (I wouldn't have said that except now that I don't feel good, I feel the need to drag you down with me.) --David from Downunder (talk) 01:59, 29 March 2008 (UTC)

I really want to know this now! Its going to annoy me until I find out. I've looked at a few detailed maps and none of them name it - and some don't even show it. Think outside the box 19:57, 28 March 2008 (UTC)

I looked at tons of maps and still can't find the name for the water flow under my house. I must fix the downpipe instead of editing Wikipedia. --David from Downunder (talk) 23:20, 28 March 2008 (UTC)

Sounds like it doesn't have a name then. Rivers have names but many streams don't. There is a stream that runs through my suburb which is little more than a mile long before it meets the River Rea, and there's no name for it on the 1:2500 map.--Shantavira|^{feed me} 10:29, 29 March 2008 (UTC)

What is the name of those suspended-belief wheelchairs?

They look like science fiction and sort of hover silently. No wheels per se. Anyone know what I mean? BrainyBabe (talk) 01:16, 28 March 2008 (UTC)

I believe they are called Hoverchairs. I believe, but I am not sure. I thought that Professor X from X men had one, but then again I might be wrong on that. I hope I helped you out a little.Cardinal Raven (talk) 02:54, 28 March 2008 (UTC)Cardinal Raven

In Star Trek, even when they appear without wheels, they are still called wheelchairs. Adam Bishop (talk) 07:11, 28 March 2008 (UTC)

You don't mean Segway PT or iBOT which have wheels?87.102.16.238 (talk) 14:08, 28 March 2008 (UTC)

Not Mecanum wheels, then? Still, they're deserving of a mention. --Tagishsimon (talk) 14:17, 28 March 2008 (UTC)

Thanks -- the anon contributor found the nail in the dark and hit it on the head. BrainyBabe (talk) 08:23, 29 March 2008 (UTC)

Telephones in France

I read that most French households did not have telephones until the 1970s and that telephone service in France was notoriously poor until then.

Why was France so far behind the rest of the Western world in telephony? -- Mwalcoff (talk) 04:38, 28 March 2008 (UTC)

According to this "Until the 1970s the telephone service was notoriously bad: in 1970, France had fewer lines per capita than Greece and only one fifth as many as Sweden. The reason appears to be that "the French government refused to invest a penny [in the telephone system]" in 1879 when the Post Office and Telegraph Minister, Albert Cochery, decided to equip the biggest French towns with a telephone service. [18] Think outside the box 13:18, 28 March 2008 (UTC)

Is the BPO industry exploitive ?

I am trying to gather data , on the health of BPO workers in India and Philippines . Here most workers stay awake during the night to answer questions for US based customers, (this is due to the 12 hr time diffrence). This is bound to effect the health of the worker. I am unable to find concrete data,could someone help me pls :) 59.180.144.161 (talk) 07:04, 28 March 2008 (UTC)

Well, after looking up what "BPO" is, I then checked the article for Night shift. That lead me to Graveyard shift which states that the World Health Organization feels that working that shift increases your chances of getting cancer. You may also want to search the net for references of lowered vitamin D due to lesser exposure to sunlight. Dismas|^(talk) 07:16, 28 March 2008 (UTC)

Well I know some call center agents here in the Philippines. I think the worst problem that they face is the shifting schedule. Sometimes you are stationed during the night, sometimes during the day. I think this wreak havoc on their body clock. However they mostly gripe about rude callers though. --Lenticel ^(talk) 08:28, 28 March 2008 (UTC)

see [19], there are some facts here. I know this isn't raw data but it will provide useful starting data for your research. --Lenticel ^(talk) 08:31, 28 March 2008 (UTC)

UK folks, please explain this to an American

In the United States, public radio (which is actually just partially subsidized by the government) exists to broadcast the kind of enlightening, quality stuff that commercial broadcasters might never get to, like public-affairs roundtables and classical music.

But BBC Radio apparently broadcasts all kinds of stuff that you would think could be handled by commercial broadcasters. According to our article, BBC Radio 1 plays pop music, BBC Radio 2 plays adult contemporary and music of your life, and BBC Radio 5 broadcasts sports and talk. In America, every major city has at least one, and often several, commercial pop, adult contemporary and sports/talk station.

I'm somewhat familiar with the history of British broadcasting, how the government once feared that commercial broadcasting would degrade the quality of the airwaves. But having been to Britain in recent years, I know commercial broadcasting is now universally accepted. So if the private sector can provide popular-music and sports/talk broadcasting at no cost to the taxpayer or license-buyer, why doesn't the British government sell the commercially viable radio stations and put the money into something more governmental, like highways or hospitals? -- Mwalcoff (talk) 08:28, 28 March 2008 (UTC)

Great question, much of which you have answered yourself. Here in the UK, there is much resentment at having to pay the BBC a licence fee of over £100 per annum for the privilege of listening to radio, and watching TV, irrespective of which channels you actually use. Many people own radios and TVs without ever using the BBC, but it's still illegal and highly punishable NOT to pay the licence fee. Me? I never listen to radio, and I get all my news from the Internet. And I only ever watch TV and films on commercial and cable channels. But every year, I am obliged to buy a licence which amongst other things, provides the BBC fatcats with vast sums of money, plus they and their families and their guests, including Government and Civil Service officials get guaranteed best seats at Wimbledon and the Royal Opera House etc. The sooner this rip off government goes - the better.

81.145.240.53 (talk) 10:10, 28 March 2008 (UTC)

The BBC has become more like commercial providers because of competition. It didn't used to play many pop records, as its charter required a certain amount of live music. That only changed because of competition from pirate stations. Its become like commercial providers other ways too, but I suspect it hasn't been privatised because of a resistance to large changes.

As you can see above, some people wish the license fee were abolished, but personally, I'm glad they don't sell off the stations for various reasons, one of them being that commercial radio is predominantly crap. AlmostReadytoFly (talk) 10:36, 28 March 2008 (UTC)

The matter was most recently exposed to serious debate in 2006, with the publication of a green then white paper A public service for all: the BBC in the digital age. The UK government Department for Culture, Media and Sport has this to say.

The first answer to the question posed above presupposes that there is enough advertising revenue to support additional commercial channels. Although global TV advertising revenue continues to grow, an Ofcom study Economic Analysis of the TV Advertising Market from 2004 noted:

After a decade of strong growth, traditional TV advertising revenues fell sharply in 2001-2003. It remains uncertain whether this decline was merely ‘cyclical’, following the end of the Internet bubble, or ‘structural’, reflecting a move by advertisers away from traditional media. However, what seems clear is that the UK economic cycle can only partially explain the downturn. This suggests that the TV advertising market may now have begun to follow a new path, with advertising of the traditional channels barely growing while revenues in the multi-channel arena grow relatively briskly.

The implication is that there would be massively insufficient funds to support a commercial BBC, and it follows that ending the current arrangements would decrease the quality and breadth of output of all media - TV, Radio & Internet (think BBC website) in the UK. Our overlords have - thanks be - chosen to maintain the current system. My experience of TV watching in the US suggests that they have made the right decision. I'd rather pay the licence fee and whinge about it, as one does about paying taxes, than see it and the Beeb abolished. --Tagishsimon (talk) 11:05, 28 March 2008 (UTC)

There are only three non-BBC Independent National Radio stations - Virgin Radio, Classic FM and talkSPORT - that is, radio stations that are carried on all transmitters. There are hundreds of Independent Local Radio stations that have a 20-50mile range and most are owned by GCap Media (discounting the BBC's own 46 local radio stations). The BBC is the only operator that can reach the entire population (on average) through non-digital tx/rx methods and thus the sale of the BBC channels would come under both competition/monopoly scrutiny but also civil-defence scrutiny. As well as this, the BBC's charter mandates balanced reporting on events and also providing services to minorities and others. If, for instance, Radio 2 was purchased by Fox/News International/BSkyB then the editorial line of news and music may then change to reflect the owners political/social agenda and elements of non-profitable services such as Welsh language transmissions and Polish language current affairs shows may be cut.
But I think the main reason for them not becoming nationalised is that the listeners are used to them now and the quality of the programming compared to the existing commercial radio networks isn't perceived to be of the same level. A lot of local radio stations popped up in the 1980s purely because the BBC didn't have the full coverage of the country, such as GWR FM Wiltshire which became the flagship of GCap in the 1990s. My main problem with these local stations is the necessary proliferation of advertising and the use of syndicated programs such as the Pepsi Chart, Late Night Love, The Jeremy Kyle Show and hit40uk. Nanonic (talk) 11:14, 28 March 2008 (UTC)

Those of us in the rest of the world would like to thank the British people for paying their taxes and license fees, so we could enjoy things like the World Service, news.bbc.co.uk, and about half of PBS's television lineup, which they could never have afforded to produce themselves. I assume Doctor Who turns a profit, but if not, thanks for that too. APL (talk) 13:14, 28 March 2008 (UTC)

"why doesn't the British government sell the commercially viable radio stations and put the money into something more governmental, like highways or hospitals?" An interesting way of putting the question, coming from the only country in the Western world that doesn't have universal healthcare. The truth is that different countries have different ideas about what is proper for a government to do. DJ Clayworth (talk) 21:22, 28 March 2008 (UTC)

It was an honest question; there's no need to turn it into some kind of international debate. -- Mwalcoff (talk) 00:42, 30 March 2008 (UTC)

As a regular listener to BBC Radio 3 and 4 I am delighted that they are non-commercial, and resent the degree to which they have been made to ape commercial stations (in their incessant trailers, particularly). Very occasionally I listen to Classic FM, but I can stand hearing the ads for about half an hour before I have to turn off. I don't pay for a licence because I haven't got a television (and have an argument with the TV licence authority every couple of years because they can't believe that anybody who hasn't a licence can be within the law), but I value the BBC and would be glad to support it (as I did for my NPR station when I lived in St Louis MO). --ColinFine (talk) 17:22, 29 March 2008 (UTC)

I understand why they wouldn't privatize Radio 3 and 4, which seem like they wouldn't be commercially viable. But stations 1, 2 and 5 have formats similar to commercial radio, which is why I don't understand why they are government owned. -- Mwalcoff (talk) 00:42, 30 March 2008 (UTC)

Tomato expert

Today I saw an article in the Metro about Britain's first tommelier, or tomato expert. Where can I find out more? —TreasuryTag—t—c 10:39, 28 March 2008 (UTC)

It's a Pizza Express initiative; I can vouch for the improvement in at least one of their tomato-based recipes. You'd have to contact them, I guess, or at the least steal one of their tomato-themed menus. --Tagishsimon (talk) 10:51, 28 March 2008 (UTC)

Antony Gord

My daughter is trying to research an artist called Antony Gord, but we're not getting any response within Wikipedia or on search engines like Google.

Have any of your experts heard of him?81.154.78.87 (talk) 11:35, 28 March 2008 (UTC)wendy

Can you give us any more context? It's puzzling that google hasn't heard of him; I'm wondering whether you have the name right. --Tagishsimon (talk) 11:36, 28 March 2008 (UTC)

Google search tells me there's...

• Gordon ANTHONY (1902-1989), Australian artist
• Anthony GORDON, Canadian art photographer

--David from Downunder (talk) 12:30, 28 March 2008 (UTC)

Antony Gormley perhaps? AndrewWTaylor (talk) 15:19, 28 March 2008 (UTC)

Planes

Can I take my DS or PSP on to a plane and use during flight? 78.144.65.1 (talk) 12:21, 28 March 2008 (UTC)

Generally speaking you can, check with the airline (assuming you're talking about an airline flight rather than some other kind of plane). You will probably be required to turn it off for takeoff and landing. FiggyBee (talk) 12:29, 28 March 2008 (UTC)

There is probably a policy statement or FAQ answer somewhere on your carrier's website. The British Airways website, for example, says:

At present, there are no restrictions on carrying hand held electronic games and personal radio or CD players etc. on-board British Airways flights, although we do recommend that all passengers keep hand baggage to a minimum.

Portable telephones and other electronic equipment such as games and computers may interfere with the aircraft systems and must be switched off during take-off, approach and landing.

Portable telephones or any other device that transmits data must remain switched-off whilst the aircraft is in flight.

and then goes on to give a list of exceptions and regulations for specific types of equipment. Gandalf61 (talk) 12:40, 28 March 2008 (UTC)

Code:WIKI user account problems.

I need someone to help me with a problem on Code:WIKI, the Code Lyoko wiki: I can't create an account! My IP is not blocked or anything, but when I try to create a user account, it says "use the form below." But there is no form. I don't know where else to ask because you need to have a user to edit on Code:WIKI. If it works for you, please create a user for me and name it "XAXAwins!" (the exclamation point is part of the name.) Make the password "123" and I will change it later. Please tell me immediately when this is done. Or, just tell me what's wrong so I can make the user myself. Thank you. Krem (talk) 13:04, 28 March 2008 (UTC)

You'd have to talk to whoever runs that site. It uses mediawiki software but is not run by the mediawiki foundation which runs wikipedia. I'd presume they've screwed up their implementation somehow. --Tagishsimon (talk) 13:21, 28 March 2008 (UTC)

I can't. I have to have a login to talk to him. Krem (talk) 14:23, 28 March 2008 (UTC)

You need cookies enabled. --David from Downunder (talk) 14:57, 28 March 2008 (UTC)

And with the best will in the world, we cannot really help because it is not our website & we have little or no knowledge of it. sorry. --Tagishsimon (talk) 15:31, 28 March 2008 (UTC)

"we"?! Of course we can help. "lawyer commercials" are not our website either, but we still knew what to do: "Turn off your TV" and "Hire two on a no-win-no-fee basis and make them sue each other." --David from Downunder (talk) 16:51, 28 March 2008 (UTC)

One last thing, could you at least try yourself? It may be my computer. If you can create one for me, as specified above, then that's all I need! :) Krem (talk) 15:59, 28 March 2008 (UTC)

I got the same problem. Contact website@robkohr.com - he runs editthis.info --David from Downunder (talk) 16:51, 28 March 2008 (UTC)

There is a paragraph at the bottom of the front page that says "A warning to all users and newcommers, the wiki shield level has been moved to level 1, this prevents any new accounts from being created. We are sorry if this causes any inconvenience to new Lyoko Fanatics, we will announce if there is any change in the current situation. Thank You - The Guardians". It doesn't say what to do about it though. --ColinFine (talk) 17:26, 29 March 2008 (UTC)

Definition for a group of pigs/hogs

03-28-08

During a conversation about animals, the question arose re what does one call a group of full grown pigs? For instance--a gaggle of geese; a herd of cattle. Really would like an answer. Marjoo (talk) 14:42, 28 March 2008 (UTC)

List of animal names is a good page for this kind of question. It has a drift or herd of hogs, and herd, drove or mob of pigs. List of collective nouns by subject I-Z also has a fleet and a sounder of pigs. List of collective nouns by subject A-H doesn't feature hogs. ---Sluzzelin talk 14:51, 28 March 2008 (UTC)

(ec) Our article "Boar" says "Wild boars live in groups called sounders." The OED defines "sounder" as "A herd of wild swine", which suggests that non-wild swine go in "herds", although "herd" is the default term for many groups of mammal. Our article "List_of_animal_names" shows different terms for pigs and hogs, herd, drove, and mob for the former and drift and herd for the latter. Another peek into the OED suggests that drove and drift are essentially the same word having to do with "driving" animals, not specific to our mud-loving cousins. Mob seems to be chiefly used in Australia and New Zealand for many kinds of animals; we've all heard of a mob of kangaroos. I would go with "herd" unless they were feral or wild and the people I was with were saying "sounder". --Milkbreath (talk) 15:13, 28 March 2008 (UTC)

Followup: The OED (not that it's the Word of God or anything) doesn't recognize this definition of "fleet". --Milkbreath (talk) 15:43, 28 March 2008 (UTC)

Introduction to favorite colors

I could almost put this in the science desk, but this concept is so easy that anyone for being human can answer.

I'm obviously under the assumption that favorite colors are genetic, and not much by choice. For example, my favorite colors are red, blue, green, and purple. I believe favorite colors are genetic. Matter fact, my top 4 favorite colors are the same as that of my paternal grandmother. When I was 6 or 7 or 8 years old, I asked my grandma (now deceased), what her favorite color was. She was an artist. She said red. Wow! Same as my favorite color! I asked her what her 2nd favorite color is. Blue. Wow, also my 2nd favorite color. Asked her what her 3rd favorite was. She said green, which was also my 3rd. Then asked 4th, which was purple, same as my 4th.

Now of course, I feel this is genetic. I'm not arguing that favorite colors are inherited, but is determined by genes. I'm 99% sure that my favorite 4 colors were genetic with my grandmother, and 1% sure it is purely coincidence. It could be purely coincidence because someone not biologically related to me could also have their 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th favorite color in the same order.

Now, some people that I don't get, is when you ask them what their favorite color is, they say "I don't know," or, they have to stop and think about it. How can anyone stop and think about it?! I asked a chemistry Ph.D what his favorite color was, and he said I don't know, probably red. I even asked a philosophy Ph.D that, and he said he'd never thought about it. But I bet I could ask children in Kindergarten or so, on what their favorite color is, and they'd have an answer. Some adults answer "I don't know, but when I was a child, my favorite color was __."

It could also be that people have tied favorite colors, or like all colors equally. That would also be determined by genes, I'd say. But the moment they like 1 color more than another, then they have tied favorite colors. However, I also feel that if your favorite color changes in your lifetime, then molecules in your brain have changed to reflect that.

I obviously feel my favorite colors are like sexual preference. I have no control over it. My 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th favorite color have been the same since as early as I can remember, so I would say it is definitely not my choice. Especially since my grandmother on my father's side has the same favorite color in that order.

1 would have to counter-argue, though, that if someone was born without a default favorite color, that they would have a gene that says so. And such a gene could say "whatever colors this person becomes attached to, could make that color their favorite color." Obviously, I feel such a gene(s) doesn't exist.

So my questions are for your comments, and if you know of any cases where someone in your family has the same favorite colors as you? Wikipedia doesn't have an article on people's favorite colors as a statistic, so maybe a survey or poll could do. Thanks. Neal (talk) 19:36, 28 March 2008 (UTC).

I'm sure there are many cases where people have the same color preferences as some of their ancestors, but given the small number of primary and secondary colors, this is not really compelling evidence for a genetic component. (Though given what we know about human color preferences, it seems likely that there is a genetic component, though not necessarily as simple a mechanism as say, eye color.) As far as Wikipedia is concerned, we should be looking for systematic studies (preferably in peer-reviewed journals), not anecdotal evidence (which for topics like this is quite unreliable). This evidence is entirely anecdotal, and also original, (see Wikipedia:No original research) so isn't appropriate for Wikipedia. Wikipedia is not a discussion forum for people to discuss their favorite colors, but if anyone can find any scientific sources on the topic, that would be quite helpful. -- Beland (talk) 20:18, 28 March 2008 (UTC)

Ah right, I wasn't quite suggesting we have an article on favorite color as a survey/poll of Wikipedians. But more of a Wikipedian portal in the sense we have a WP:Facebook or a voluntary Wikipedians by month of arrival. I recall seeing pie charts on what countries Wikipedians are from, and etc. By the way, even if we could successfully survey thousands of Wikipedians by favorite color, all it takes is a source to publish it and we can cite it. It doesn't have to be a Wikipedia article but a Wikipedia:page reflecting what Wikipedians voted. I obviously find surveying Wikipedians is a lot more convenient than to survey people door to door, heh. But not that I care.. Neal (talk) 20:32, 28 March 2008 (UTC).

Doesn't having 4 favourite colours greatly increase the chance that anyone would like at least one of them? Since you like 4 out of 7 (basic) colours, there is over a 50/50 percent chance that someone else will like one of them. My favourite colour is orange, but no one in my entire family likes it at all. Most of them like blue (even my colour-blind father, who can't tell it apart from green or red most of the time), but there are just as many who like all sorts of random colours. I believe that the colours someone likes (as well as their sexual preference) are more psychological than genetic and are developed very early in life. But that's just me. 206.252.74.48 (talk) 20:25, 28 March 2008 (UTC)

Yes it does, but my argument was that you like them in the same order. Not pick 4 colors that you like and see if anyone else likes 1 of them.. Neal (talk) 20:33, 28 March 2008 (UTC).

By the way, color-blinds are still shown to have favorite color, even the same as their parents. The thing is, the waves of light are still the same, from which a conversation with a genius I once had, that being color-blind doesn't affect the way of whether it's your favorite color or not. By the way, another user I know, Canadian Paul, his favorite color is also orange, and says it's based on his childhood experience. Interesting that you say that too, I thought. Neal (talk) 20:36, 28 March 2008 (UTC).

Yes, it is childhood experience, to a point. Everything I loved to eat as a kid is orange (either the food itself or the packaging it comes in), which is something I just recently noticed that surprised me. 206.252.74.48 (talk) 20:39, 28 March 2008 (UTC)

Yes, but what if I argued to you that even if you didn't have those childhood experiences, your favorite color would still have been orange? Neal (talk) 20:41, 28 March 2008 (UTC).

This is like the old nature vs. nurture arguement, and I believe it is a mix of both. I had a small liking of the colour as a child which was reinforced by experience. I would have a different favourite colour if I liked different foods. But then I wonder, is my liking of those foods tied to my liking of the colour or vice versa? In which case both of them would have to have been there from the beginning. But this is making my brain hurt now, thanks. 206.252.74.48 (talk) 20:52, 28 March 2008 (UTC)

Right, even I have had ties with things red as my favorite color, such as cherries, and liking fruit punch juice. But you know, I don't like red spicy things. A genius I once talked to on IRC, said that you can have 3 kids, and put each 1 in a different colored bedroom for them to grow up in, but that won't force their favorite color to be the colored-room you put them in. The questions remains is if there is such a rare gene that determines favorite color by lifestyle.. Neal (talk) 20:56, 28 March 2008 (UTC).

Re: But this is making my brain hurt now, thanks. Well I'm sorry you feel that way. :/ Neal (talk) 21:00, 28 March 2008 (UTC).

When asked what my favourite colour (as opposed to my favorite color) is, I always say "green". But I actually wear far more blue clothes than any other colour, and always have. I've always hankered after a green car, but the cars I've actually bought have been orange, red, yellow and white. So one's stated favourite colour might not actually mean anything much. -- JackofOz (talk) 23:14, 28 March 2008 (UTC)

I like red and blue more than the others, and I would say that I wear those colors quite a bit. However, almost all my t-shirts are solid colors (a few reds and blues, a couple blacks, a couple ash, maybe a green in there). Maybe I should get a yellow and an orange. Useight (talk) 23:27, 28 March 2008 (UTC)

I think you guys are really misusing colons. Sigh. Neal (talk) 23:29, 28 March 2008 (UTC).

I can see where you are getting off? I recently had read an article about what your grandmother ate as child would affect you not her own child, but the next generation of her child's child. Something to do the e genome. So then maybe the same thing with thinking. You have an interesting idea maybe you should test it some more.

Always

Cardinal RavenCardinal Raven (talk) 02:20, 29 March 2008 (UTC)Cardinal Raven

Ah okay, you're suggest there are certain traits that are recurring in every other generation. I've heard about that, but I can't think of any examples. Neal (talk) 02:47, 29 March 2008 (UTC).

Yes that is what I am suggesting. You should watch the documentary Ghost in your Genes its a Nova documentary about how the e genome gives traits to every other generation. All though it doesn't have much about the color thing it has some things about how genetics is crossed over by every other generation instead of every generation. Its very interesting and it might be very helpful.

Always

Cardinal RavenCardinal Raven (talk) 03:38, 29 March 2008 (UTC)Cardinal Raven

Neal. You have a sample size of two. There are a very small number of total primary colors. And it is unlikely that favorites are equiprobable—some colors are bright and have pleasant emotional associations (red, blue, green, orange), whilst others are not (brown), and others have strong gendered associations (pink, for example). So yeah. I don't really think you have any good reason to believe they are genetic. I find it unlikely that they would be, especially since there's no reason to believe, on the face of it, that favorite colors are anything very tangible or permanent. (I used to like purple a lot. Then it was certain blues and reds. Now I don't really have a favorite color.) In sum, I think your methodology is flawed, your assumptions are unwarranted, and your evidence nil, for this particular thesis. :-) --Captain Ref Desk (talk) 12:07, 29 March 2008 (UTC)

It's hard to tell if you're dodging my argument. No doubt, it is almost purely a coincidence that me and my grandmother on my father's side have the same favorite color. It becomes less of a coincidence that we have the same 2nd favorite color. And even less of a coincidence that we have the same 3rd favorite color. And down to 4th. Therefore, I'm arguing it is more likely genetic than coincidence to have the top 4 in the same order. Neal (talk) 23:02, 29 March 2008 (UTC).

You cannot make any sort of logical argument from one example.My favourite colour is black.AFAIK ,no-one in my family has that as a favourite colour, so it's not genetic. hotclaws 07:40, 30 March 2008 (UTC)

That is not my argument. I didn't say you automatically inherit your favorite color from someone in your family. By genetic, I meant your favorite color is pre-determined by genes. Neal (talk) 11:57, 30 March 2008 (UTC).

Cost of printed circuit boards, silicon and plastics

How much does that hard plastic of which toys are made cost? And the printed circuit board of a radio? And a ton of silicon? Thanks. --Taraborn (talk) 21:39, 28 March 2008 (UTC)

This site has prices for various types of plastic, including ABS, which is what they make toys out of. That site also has a price for silicone; metallic silicon costs about US$2000 per ton. PCBs aren't made of a single type of plastic, they're a kind of fiberglass weave, but I found one site that says "PCBs can cost as little as US$0.05 per square inch on larger production runs." HTH FiggyBee (talk) 23:15, 28 March 2008 (UTC)

Thank you very much. --Taraborn (talk) 08:10, 29 March 2008 (UTC)

7:84

7:84 were a theatre group. Named around the statistic that 7% of the UK population owned 84% of the assets/wealth. This was in 1966.

How can I find the current ratio for the UK or even any country ?

Has anybody criticised the measurement process as they have done with the Sunday Times Rich List ?

This is an important statistic as it tells us whether the country as a whole is getting richer or just a select few.

Thanks

Paul —Preceding unsigned comment added by 81.86.166.234 (talk) 21:45, 28 March 2008 (UTC)

If you like to crunch your own data, there's a lot of inequality data here: http://www.wider.unu.edu/research/Database/en_GB/database/

Comparability between countries is an issue, though. Jørgen (talk) 22:56, 28 March 2008 (UTC)

By the way, 7:84 Scotland are still going, though apparently only just. --ColinFine (talk) 17:30, 29 March 2008 (UTC)

Highland Dairy Cows

I was wondering where I could find information on Highland DAIRY Cattle? I have looked but found nothing. I have only seen a sentence or two that just mentions them, but no real information. Thanks. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 64.119.61.7 (talk) 23:20, 28 March 2008 (UTC)

While Highland cattle are generally considered a beef breed for commercial purposes, traditionally they were used by crofters as an all-purpose breed (ie beef and dairy). For this reason, they remain popular with smallholders and hobby-farmers. The milk, I believe, is less plentiful than regular dairy breeds but high in milk/butter fats. If you search and follow up links for highland cattle you will probably find milking information. A VERY quick google search yielded these, for example: [20] [21] [22], and you will easily find more. Try searching for "highland cattle milk" rather than dairy. Gwinva (talk) 02:44, 29 March 2008 (UTC)

The Highlands (of Scotland?) do not have the rich grasslands required to support dairy herds.--Shantavira|^{feed me} 10:35, 29 March 2008 (UTC)

UPS Customs Forms

I just sold an ebay item to canada and i will be using United Parcel Service, however it is very difficult to find the customs forms that are required to ship there on the website. are there any websites that may have blank copies of the customs forms available, or should i just go to the UPS store to get this done.--logger (talk) 23:50, 28 March 2008 (UTC)

It would probably be best to just go to the UPS store as they can answer any questions you have about customs requirements for the specific items that you are shipping as well as any fees that may be involved. Dismas|^(talk) 01:37, 29 March 2008 (UTC)

Douglas Fairbanks

When checking his Wikipedia page I found no refrences in his WRITING credits to his 1917 book "LAUGH and LIVE" A.L.BURT, Publishers of New York (190 pages)…<email address removed> —Preceding unsigned comment added by 209.247.23.246 (talk) 23:48, 28 March 2008 (UTC)

Fixed. Oh, and "Welcome to Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia that anyone can edit." --hydnjo talk 00:17, 29 March 2008 (UTC)

March 29

Unquestionable challenge

Are you able to keep this question rhetorical? Kreachure (talk) 00:18, 29 March 2008 (UTC)

No. Warofdreams talk 00:42, 29 March 2008 (UTC)

Similarly, there is the almost unquestionable challenge of keeping this question rhetorical. --hydnjo talk 01:42, 29 March 2008 (UTC)

"Unanswered" isn't the same thing as rhetorical, David... FiggyBee (talk) 02:27, 29 March 2008 (UTC)

Well, good job then, uh... Michael! Kreachure (talk) 02:41, 29 March 2008 (UTC)

Hehe, I wasn't talking to you, I was talking to user:David from Downunder, who keeps deleting responses to this question. :) FiggyBee (talk) 02:44, 29 March 2008 (UTC)

Oh, I see... Well, can you figure out another way? (Is that question rhetorical too?!?:) Kreachure (talk) 02:50, 29 March 2008 (UTC)

That rather depends on whether you are expecting an answer. See rhetorical question. Warofdreams talk 03:03, 29 March 2008 (UTC)

Yes, please do review our article. --hydnjo talk 03:58, 29 March 2008 (UTC)

English Dubbed Questions

I have a few questions about dubbed animes:

Why is the voice acting so terrible?

Why do they cut out the blood? (they act as if people don't bleed or something)

Why do they cut out unnecessary things in the anime such as someone taking a shower? (as if people don't shower)

Why do they add things that don't needed to be added in Naruto the sexy ninjustu she is in a bathing suit the clouds cover all her naughty parts so why does she need to be in a bathing suit and Sailor Moon the water level was raised just cause you could see the top of her breast?

Thank You

Always

Cardinal RavenCardinal Raven (talk) 02:32, 29 March 2008 (UTC)Cardinal Raven

All 4 questions have the same answer: Because they aim to sell it to kids. Kreachure (talk) 02:46, 29 March 2008 (UTC)

What about question number four? --hello, i'm a member | talk to me! 03:05, 29 March 2008 (UTC)

So. In Japan its out for kids. The kids in Japan watch woman who are naked. They watch lots of blood and they watch shower scenes. That is not a very good answer. We take out so much blood in anime for kids that kids think they are invincible just because of what they watch.Shoot half of those shows are for young teenagers to older teenagers. Young kids end up watching them anyway.And you never answered why the voice acting was so horrible? The girls when crying sound like they are happy or something.Cardinal Raven (talk) 03:12, 29 March 2008 (UTC)Cardinal Raven

Anime in Japan isn't exactly meant for kids to watch, even though many do. --hello, i'm a member | talk to me! 03:28, 29 March 2008 (UTC)

That is why I rephrased what I said. Many of those shows are for older people. Young kids end up watching them. I still want to know why the voice acting in English is so terrible?Cardinal Raven (talk) 03:33, 29 March 2008 (UTC)Cardinal Raven

When in doubt, blame 4kids. bibliomaniac15 Hey you! Stop lazing around and help fix this article instead! 04:04, 29 March 2008 (UTC)

Then I will blame 4kids for the rest of my life. Do they have e-mail or address? I must make a complaint. That is so retarded that they took out a black character out of a One Piece episode. It also is lame that they skipped the death part out of Yugioh. Its also lame that they cut out whatever they want. It is also lame that they do whatever they want to do with anime. Taking out food. I watch anime for its difference in culture. I like to compare cultures and I like to learn about new cultures. That is lame that they want to "Americanize" anime. Anime is suppose to be true to what the artist wanted to make it originally. 4kids make 4ever angry.

Always

Cardinal RavenCardinal Raven (talk) 05:31, 29 March 2008 (UTC)Cardinal Raven

The voice-acting in English-dubbed anime is bad because it's not a respectable job here. In Japan, a voice-actor is called a seiyuu, and they make whole careers out of just voice work. They are adored and idolized and known by name by all their fans; it's one of the most glamorous careers in their entertainment industry. In America, voice acting is only occasionally done by famous people (especially in big-budget stuff like Howl's Moving Castle, or Disney movies), while for the most part they hire any hack they can find. Americans think of voice-acting as without glory because no one sees your face.

Another thing to keep in mind is that Japanese is spoken in a different part of the voice than English. A Japanese girl speaking relatively normally sounds cutesy and squeaky to an American listener, so they tend to direct their own actresses to be obnoxiously squeaky when playing the same character. --Masamage ♫ 05:59, 29 March 2008 (UTC)

Not all of the Japanese characters sound squeaky. They all have different voices. And they don't sound squeaky to me unless they are being squeaky on purpose. Its a sad fate for voice acting in America. I would take pride in voice acting if I could act, but i can't so I would sound just as bad. We need to rethink anime don't we. I find it an amazing piece of work especially the many cultural differences. And I think it would be wonderful if we viewed anime as a piece of anothers culture instead of trying to Americanize something why don't we try to understand the other culture. Maybe at the end of a dubbed version of anime put down notes like onigiri is a Japanese rice ball and its very common food. Something like that instead of editing everything out. Why don't they try to understand the culture? Why don't they try to learn the culture? Japan is a wonderful culture and I think it would give kids a different exposure so that they knew lots more about the world. Isn't that what we want our children to learn about different places?

Always

Cardinal RavenCardinal Raven (talk) 06:06, 29 March 2008 (UTC)Cardinal Raven

Tire chains in Yosemite (in late March/April)

Would I need to bring tire chains to Yosemite NP if I am going there in a few days? It's already springtime and the forecast shows no chance of rain, snow, or freeze, but I need to be sure lest I be screwed. --hello, i'm a member | talk to me! 03:05, 29 March 2008 (UTC)

Well then, for sure, bring 'em (you've been a member long enough to know that!) and don't put it on us stupido RD'ers to save your life ;-) --hydnjo talk 03:26, 29 March 2008 (UTC)

People still use chains? Do you not have all-season tires, or what? Friday (talk) 03:55, 29 March 2008 (UTC)

Friday, you're not from Colorado are you. --hydnjo talk 04:00, 29 March 2008 (UTC)

Nope. I've driven out there a few times, but probably not in what was bad (for them) weather. Still, I was under the impression that the modern approach was generally winter tires rather than chains. Friday (talk) 04:02, 29 March 2008 (UTC)

Some routes require "chains-on-board" (not necessarily mounted) to be legal. I guess its on accounta the unexpected. --hydnjo talk 04:07, 29 March 2008 (UTC)

My rental had chains in the trunk for that very reason. I never needed them so maybe it was a scam! --hydnjo talk 04:11, 29 March 2008 (UTC)

If you live in California, it's really counterproductive to have snow tires unless you actually live in snow country. If you're just visiting Yosemite or other areas where there's snow a few months of the year, chains are a much better solution. Corvus cornix_talk 21:23, 29 March 2008 (UTC)

In Washington it is not unheard of for chains to be required for driving over the Cascades. Pfly (talk) 05:18, 29 March 2008 (UTC)

Member, I'd bring them just to be safe. I don't know what part of the park you are going to (Tioga Road and Glacier Point Road both remain closed until Memorial Day, typically) but if you are driving Hwy 41 between Wawona and the Valley, you crest at over 6000 feet at Chinquapin. I see a chance of snow all through the coming days (forecast for that part of Highway 41 that goes over that summit) and they take their tire chain policies seriously there. (I go there a lot.) If you don't bring them, you can always get in and out via 140 to Merced, which stays below 4000 feet; it's extremely unlikely it would snow there this late in the season. Have a good trip, Antandrus (talk) 01:55, 30 March 2008 (UTC)

psychological flurry

I have this strange temperament.Whenever a girl says that I look handsome I get into a psychological rollercoaster.I keep thinking about it for days together.I am always eager to know what girls are thinking about me.I am becoming a kind of zombie.I have reached such depths in this abyss that there seems no way out.Please help me. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 218.248.2.51 (talk) 05:58, 29 March 2008 (UTC)

This is not a counseling hotline or a forum. The only advice I can give to you is not worry about. Everyone wonders what the opposite sex is thinking. Its natural. Always, Cardinal Raven Cardinal Raven (talk) 06:21, 29 March 2008 (UTC)

One tip: DON'T TRY TO 'FORGET ABOUT IT'. It never works. Just let the emotions flow naturally and you'll fly out of the abyss. --hello, i'm a member | talk to me! 06:49, 29 March 2008 (UTC)

Now-a-days with condoms, birth control pills, and diaphragms readily available girls are becoming no less bold and outspoken than many males when it comes to casting their fishing hooks into the water. Just think of yourself as a little bitty fish not quite ready to have your scales scraped off and a hot fire placed under your bod. 71.100.1.132 (talk) 08:43, 29 March 2008 (UTC)

In any event, there is no cure. Not even religion. Castration might help, but it is illegal in countries such as the U.S. Neal (talk) 01:49, 30 March 2008 (UTC).

It's not such a strange temperament to be easily manipulated by flattery. Besides being a confidence boost, there's probably a self-help book on how to handle the emotional rush, and the people that cause it, ; ) Julia Rossi (talk) 02:02, 30 March 2008 (UTC)

YouTube help needed

Is there a way to keep track of all the comments that I make in the different videos in the youtube just like in the different pictures in Flickr, so that I know what comments I made and what happened to them (their responses and all)? Thanks DSachan (talk) 07:07, 29 March 2008 (UTC)

You could try searching for your Youtube user name in Google. Type "[your user name] site:youtube.com" without the quote marks. --Richardrj ^{talk email} 08:53, 30 March 2008 (UTC)

World's Greatest Issue(s)

A very strange question, and I'm sure it is open to debate - as there is no definite answer, but I would love to hear your views, as I had a discussion with my colleagues about this the other day, and we couldn't come up with an mutual answer. The question was "what is the world's most important issue?" We had lots of ideas, pollution, poverty, wars etc. but couldn't decide what, if we had to choose, is the most important! I'd love to hear your views, and I'm sure my colleagues will! Thanks! —Preceding unsigned comment added by 81.79.100.49 (talk) 11:45, 29 March 2008 (UTC)

People that debate on the world's greatest issue, then no-one will be actually doing anything on any of the issues. --antilived^{T | C | G} 11:59, 29 March 2008 (UTC)

Religion, (and the problems that it causes).--Artjo (talk) 12:43, 29 March 2008 (UTC)

This is not a forum for soliciting opinions. Take this to a chat room please. Matt Deres (talk) 20:12, 29 March 2008 (UTC)

Overpopulation. — Kieff | Talk 20:32, 29 March 2008 (UTC)

French Maids...

Hi, Two questions... What do they wear? and secondly what dialect should they use when speaking?

See our articles on French maid and French phonology. Gandalf61 (talk) 16:34, 29 March 2008 (UTC)

Per the Reference Desk guidelines, we cannot advise on treatment methods for your ED. (...but your idea certainly worth a try.) --Milkbreath (talk) 20:45, 29 March 2008 (UTC)

I was asking because a contact needed to know in respect of a comedic play they were writing,

It's a shame others on the Reference Desk don't assume good faith.. ;) 62.56.111.179 (talk) 22:54, 29 March 2008 (UTC)

Try to find some movies of farces hotclaws 07:41, 30 March 2008 (UTC)

micronations at war

Are there any instances where two (or more?) micronations have gone to war, like a fake war with fireworks or something. Like shooting fireworks at each others boats or invading a micronation and conquering it? xxx User:Hyper Girl 13:40, 29 March 2008 (UTC)

The Principality of Sealand has had a genuine no-joke coup d'etat, complete with (successful) counter-coup, prisoners of war, treason charges, and negotiated release. Algebraist 14:20, 29 March 2008 (UTC)

Not micronations, but in the spirit of your question: some years ago there was a French "invasion" of one of the smaller channel islands. I can't remember the details, but I think it was a rather silly thing - some Rugby players play-fighting, flags waved and knocked over, and a policeman came and told the French to go away again, which they did provided they were allowed to stay and eat their sandwiches first. 81.187.153.189 (talk) 18:42, 29 March 2008 (UTC)

Depending on which side you believe the Conch Republic might be considered a micronation. And they did declare war against the US (they promptly surrendered one minute later, and then applied for 1 billon in foreign aid). They also did "fight" the US army by firing water cannons from fire boats, and throwing stale Cuban bread at them. And I believ they have a mock battle every year on the anniversary of their independance. SunshineStateOfMind (talk) 23:43, 29 March 2008 (UTC)

Opening day(s) chaos at London Heathrow Terminal 5 (T5)

Let me say first of all that I know nothing about running an airport - BUT - I have operated for many years very successfully in several other major areas of civil and government fields of operation - and have never, thanks be, experienced a first, second, or even third day disaster such as that at T5 this week (3rd day example was only 1 lift/elevator out of 16 was working). My question is therefore based on my own experiences where I was crucially involved in change management ie., given that British Airways were already operating relatively successfully out of Terminals 1 through 4, why was it necessary to go for a big bang scenario on T5-Day 1, instead of winding it up very gradually over a period of say, 6 months to a year? Wouldn't that have given all the new systems, procedures, staff, airlines, customers etc., etc., a fighting chance to deal with any glitches as they arose without the appalling embarrassment that has been caused to BA, BAA, London, and Brand UK, not forgetting Willie Walsh? 81.145.240.153 (talk) 13:56, 29 March 2008 (UTC)

Hmmmm

Was Wikipedia Really Vandalized 1,000,000+ times on November 30, 2005 as they say at [23]? ~ DarkZorro 15:07, 29 March 2008 (UTC)

You can't believe anything on Uncyclopedia. Useight (talk) 16:10, 29 March 2008 (UTC)

I really doubt it. Back in late 2005, 250 recent changes covered about three minutes (I was pretty active fighting vandals then -- I'm just going on memory) -- that's a total of 5,000 changes in an hour. That is total edits: all good edits plus vandal edits. That makes about 120,000 edits in a day, very roughly. I remember doing some coarse statistics on the amount of vandalism in a random selection of recent changes a couple years ago and getting one out of eleven edits being vandalism, -- so about 10,000 vandal edits per day is in the ballpark. Antandrus (talk) 16:14, 29 March 2008 (UTC)

Yeah, you definitely can't believe that joke website! Thanks Guys (or gals)! ~ DarkZorro 16:25, 29 March 2008 (UTC)

Ah, but that's for the English Wikipedia alone. If you multiply that across all projects, 1,000,000 seems a tad more plausible. GeeJo ^(t)⁄_(c) • 22:08, 29 March 2008 (UTC)

Given that en WP carries about 1/4 of the project's traffic (based on having ~1/4 the articles), it remains entirely unreasonable. — Lomn 05:22, 30 March 2008 (UTC)

Why doesn't home page place the "focus" of your mouse in the Search box?

Any time I go to Wikipedia, I always have to then click inside the Search box. Why don't the programmers just place the focus there when the page loads?

Thanks!

Andy —Preceding unsigned comment added by 76.189.56.117 (talk) 18:16, 29 March 2008 (UTC)

If you go to www.wikipedia.org, the focus is already in the search box. If you go to the main page of the English Wikipedia, the focus is not in the search box because it would mean you had to click outside the search box in order to scroll around the page in the handiest manner. Since the point of the English Wikipedia main page is to showcase the best bits of Wikipedia, it is important that people can look around it easily. If you only ever want to search, go to www.wikipedia.org and type what you're looking for. It's automatically set up to search the English Wikipedia, although you can search a different Wikipedia using the dropdown menu alongside. 81.157.46.230 (talk) 18:20, 29 March 2008 (UTC)

If you create an account, you can configure it so that the cursor appears there. See Wikipedia:FAQ/Main Page#Why doesn't the cursor appear in the search box, like with Google?. Algebraist 21:25, 29 March 2008 (UTC)

Roman Bread

What ingredients were used to make bread eaten by the ancient romans? Of course there would be flour and water, but all that makes is a tasteless hunk of bread that is as hard as a rock. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 64.119.61.7 (talk) 20:07, 29 March 2008 (UTC)

Did you try yeast ? 205.240.144.129 (talk) 20:35, 29 March 2008 (UTC)

Our article "Yeast" does not mention Rome or Romans. Our article "Bread" says that Pliny the Elder spoke of Gauls making a lighter bread by using the foam skimmed from beer. This suggests that the Roman bread was heavier but that they leavened somehow. It seems that yeast in the air will leaven bread dough to some extent if it sits long enough. The principle of keeping a "starter" has been around a long time, too. The role of yeast in fermentation, essentially what is going on in bread, was not understood until Pasteur. --Milkbreath (talk) 20:58, 29 March 2008 (UTC)

Flat breads is interesting and leads to focaccia in its many forms, as an Italian flat bread. It must have started somewhere. The kneading process is a key to developing the combination of flour and water into bread. Julia Rossi (talk) 00:21, 30 March 2008 (UTC)

Roman Meal bread is delicious and nutritious. Try some today! Edison (talk) 02:50, 30 March 2008 (UTC)

Lights Out - Will people DIE ?

Heard that the lights will go out due to some Eco-crap. Someone who is on some kind of life support, such as kidney dialysis will end up DEAD tonight. Why don't the Eco-crowd does NOT think of this is beyond me. IF someone does die because of this, will the FBI step up its "Operation Backfire" program ? What about all of those computers that will have to be rebooted, incl. some Wikimedia servers ? Wikipedia is NOT CENSORED. Someone wanted me to ask these questions in a profanity loaded manner. 205.240.144.129 (talk) 20:33, 29 March 2008 (UTC)

They're not shutting off energy. They're just turning off lights, and as far as I know, nobody dies directly from lack of lighting. — Kieff | Talk 20:41, 29 March 2008 (UTC)

I'm guessing that you're speaking of Earth Hour. People are just turning off their own lights; the companies aren't stopping the distribution of power. Mastrchf91 (^t/_c) 20:43, 29 March 2008 (UTC)

Would it not have been useful to spare the time to check our article Earth Hour? You could have saved us all some paranoid, sensationalist and ill-informed waffle... --Cookatoo.ergo.ZooM (talk) 21:04, 29 March 2008 (UTC)

WE ALL GONNA DIE!!! ok maybe not, but I could see an increase in crime in major cities that are turning their lights off due to lack of lighting. I mean if you're going to mug someone you might as well do it when the street lights are off.--ChesterMarcol (talk) 21:12, 29 March 2008 (UTC)

Of course some people will die, people are ultimately stupid and no doubt some idiot will decide to take that final step to Darwin without the assistance of lighting. As to whether someone who is in hospital, which generally have huge electrical backup systems, is any more likely to die than on other days? Well life support and dialysis machines generally aren't plugged into light sockets.. (but imagine the fun if they were and were fitted to a clapper - *clap clap* HE'S DEAD *clap clap* HE'S ALIVE). Nanonic (talk) 21:25, 29 March 2008 (UTC)

"Well life support and dialysis machines generally aren't plugged into light sockets.. (but imagine the fun if they were and were fitted to a clapper - *clap clap* HE'S DEAD *clap clap* HE'S ALIVE)." Ha very funny. I can just imagine it now. To answer your question no. The other guys just answered it most life support systems aren't plugged into light sockets. Cause that would be horrible. Every time we had a blackout we would have more people dead.Cardinal Raven (talk) 22:25, 29 March 2008 (UTC)Cardinal Raven

I think this means that government buildings are going to be turning their lights off. They also try to get the citizens to shut off their lights and use less energy. It doesn't actually shut off the entire energy systems though. So the people in hospitals will still have all the lectricity they need. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 64.119.61.7 (talk) 01:04, 30 March 2008 (UTC)

I trned off the main braker in my home for an nour and lived to tell about it. I lived every bit as well as my grandparents did in their youth, with kerosene lamps and a fireplace. Big deal. Edison (talk) 02:48, 30 March 2008 (UTC)

We turned off the lights and lived by the light of the TV. Useight (talk) 03:36, 30 March 2008 (UTC)

What Are They Called?

What are those fake doctors called? The ones that poison their patients and stuff.

Thank you

Always

Cardinal Raven

Cardinal Raven (talk) 20:59, 29 March 2008 (UTC)Cardinal Raven

Could you be more specific? Are you talking about the likes of Jack Kervorkian? Dismas|^(talk) 21:41, 29 March 2008 (UTC)

No. I am talking about the doctors who pretend to be doctors and work in hospitals just to poison patients. Serial killer doctors or something like that. That is what I am talking about.Cardinal Raven (talk) 21:45, 29 March 2008 (UTC)Cardinal Raven

Quacks? --~~MusicalConnoisseur~~ Got Classical? 22:08, 29 March 2008 (UTC)

For the longest time I thought they were called Angels of Death. And no not quacks. I can't remember there was a case about a serial killer who pretended to be a doctor to finish off his victim or something. Quacks is something completely different.Cardinal Raven (talk) 22:23, 29 March 2008 (UTC)Cardinal Raven

I'm not sure if there is a specific term. The legal area would be 'impersonation' regardless of any murderous or psychotic intent. 62.56.111.179 (talk) 23:06, 29 March 2008 (UTC)

If you mean real doctors who go bad, they might be "rogue" doctors. See also Jayant Patel who the media refers to as "Doctor Death". Quack is also used to describe doctors who are ineffective but for psycho medics there's a list at Angel of Death Julia Rossi (talk) 00:07, 30 March 2008 (UTC)

Munchausen's syndrome by proxy. Gandalf61 (talk) 00:56, 30 March 2008 (UTC)

Split Trax vs. Twin Trax-Audio

On commercially produced CD's, can anyone explain the difference between Split Trax and Twin Trax?? I've recently purchased a CD toting Split Trax(Vocal on right balance, Instruments on left balance)but voices are sporadic throughout disc, usually on chorus of songs only, not verses. Publisher (BrentwoodBenson)hasn't been much help answering this question. Previous CD's have had vocals on left side throughout all songs,both verses and chorus so I'm wondering if disc is flawed ,or if I should have ordered Twin Trax instead of Split Trax--Glekel (talk) 22:31, 29 March 2008 (UTC)

Your disc probably has backup vocals only. It is meant to be used to backup a soloist who sings the lead vocal live. It gives you the option of having live backup singers or using the ones on the CD. Thomprod (talk) 23:36, 29 March 2008 (UTC)

Are there other "somethings"?

Perhaps this question is worded poorly. What I mean is that it's often been asked "Why is there something rather that nothing" as if to conclude that those are the only two possible states. Whether you're religious or not, it's safe to conclude you came from another "something". Something we cant comprehend in this something, since "something" in our every day experience is defined by things we can see, touch, or even "feel" internally. I'm logically(?) assuming that this other something has to exist because it is in some way connected to this something, otherwise we couldnt arrive here. What I'm trying to ask here, is if there's a next something, or "plane of existence" if you will. I dont necessarily mean life after death, just another level.

Everyone I've asked so far has given me a blank stare, but I'm sure The Great Wiki can handle this!Sam Science (talk) 23:23, 29 March 2008 (UTC)

Talk about "miscellaneous". The trouble with your idea as I see it is that we are already having great difficulty defining the something we've already got. Plain existence is a complete mystery, so when you try to extend your mind to encompass a further mystery, an alternate something, you end up back where you started: here. It's not like you can say "this something" and contrast it with "that something", because we don't even know what this something is, and this something might just be that something, too. How would we know? That's assuming that your fundamental conclusion is sound, which it is not; in fact, it contradicts the second part. We didn't have to come from something, and if we had it would be this something. Also, a multiplicity of somethings does not rule out a nothing, and you are still left with a dichotomy. Anything at all is as one in opposition to nothingness. --Milkbreath (talk) 00:13, 30 March 2008 (UTC)

Are you talking about stuff (matter) and its animation? Although the science desk would have heaps on matter and energy, I'll sit here with you in the Great Wiki patch waiting for the Great Wiki. Meanwhile, you could look in the Leibniz article at this section[24]. Afaik, Leibniz understood the nothing to be ultra-refined matter. Julia Rossi (talk) 00:34, 30 March 2008 (UTC)

I don't really follow the question, but the way it's couched seems slightly reminiscent of the anthropic principle. Angus Lepper^{(T, C, D)} 00:42, 30 March 2008 (UTC)

Leibnitz understood nothing? Wow! I Kan´t believe it... --Cookatoo.ergo.ZooM (talk) 00:44, 30 March 2008 (UTC)

Sloppy of me, not the nothing, but that space is ultra-fine matter. I forgot we have Zoom among us. ; ) Julia Rossi (talk) 00:51, 30 March 2008 (UTC)

voting

why isn't voting done with polls of say 2000 people in each state? seems like itd save a lot of $$$ —Preceding unsigned comment added by 96.227.110.199 (talk) 23:59, 29 March 2008 (UTC)

If you're referring to the United States, 2000 people isn't near enough people to get an accurate sample of the general concensus of the population of any of the U.S. states. Dismas|^(talk) 00:13, 30 March 2008 (UTC)

whatever, then 10,000 or something. but less than the number that votes now. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 96.227.110.199 (talk) 01:07, 30 March 2008 (UTC)

Maybe it's the campaign costs that need to be reduced rather than people's right to vote as individuals, but I'm Australian and don't know what's the most expensive thing about American federal elections. Julia Rossi (talk) 00:55, 30 March 2008 (UTC)

According to our article the United States Electoral College has 538 members in toto, far less than 2,000 per state. --Cookatoo.ergo.ZooM (talk) 00:58, 30 March 2008 (UTC)

Isaac Asimov took this to it's logical extreme in the short story Franchise in which there is only one voter chosen for the US Election. Nanonic (talk) 01:08, 30 March 2008 (UTC)

Okay, so 2,000 isn't a concrete number. So, if cost is the issue to you... In order to determine which X number of voters are going to make the decision some sort of process and procedures would have to be in place to pick the people. This would entail a lot of new legislation to be drafted, discussed, and voted on by the the legislature. Then there's all the oversight that would have to go into it such as making sure more than X number didn't vote, the right people did the voting, etc. Are you going to keep the list secret? It won't be for very long. So then you have to make sure that nobody is trying to unfairly influence the voters. It's really a lot easier to just allow everyone over a certain age to vote. Make them register at a polling place and check them off from a list when they come to vote. The expense isn't in the voting, it's in the campaigns. Dismas|^(talk) 01:51, 30 March 2008 (UTC)

As we know, private polling is done all the time in order the gauge the popular mood about politicians and issues, and pollies do take note of them, much as they pretend not to. They're soundly based on statistical sampling theory, but that theory is inherently prone to some degree of error. Sometimes the polls accurately reflect the view of the electorate on election day, but sometimes they're very wide of the mark. They wouldn't help in proportional representation systems, where every vote counts - our last general election was in November 2007, but they're still arguing about the result in one seat. It's gone to the Court of Disputed Returns, but the jury's still out. This also explains why there's no substitute for a national census in order to gain detailed information about certain subjects. -- JackofOz (talk) 02:16, 30 March 2008 (UTC)

Be assured that machine politicians would make sure that the 2000 (or 10,000)selected agreed with them. It would be a charade. It would invalidate universal suffrage. Edison (talk) 02:46, 30 March 2008 (UTC)

the whole point is that they're selected randomly. but i can see how dismas' complaint about unfair influence could be bad, but there are ways around that.

with respect to the money thing--that the money's in the campaigns and not the voting systems--the tax money is just in the voting systems, i think, and if it's also used in campaigns then that is horrible, but the tax money is what we need to be concerned about. freeing up tax money to use for other things. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 96.227.110.199 (talk) 04:32, 30 March 2008 (UTC)

Again, if it's the U.S. you're talking about then tax dollars are used. See Campaign finance in the United States. Dismas|^(talk) 06:56, 30 March 2008 (UTC)

March 30

Apple Harvesters

Are there any type of apple harvesters that aren't just the moving platforms that workers stand on and put the apples on the coveyer belt?

What if God turns off the sun?

Wouldn't it would be wierd if God used this eco-hour crap to shut off His source of energy to us for an hour as a "See, I exist!" sign? Please describe in great detail the display of human behavior the moment the sun goes out, and just after it comes back. Sunburned Baby (talk) 01:18, 30 March 2008 (UTC)

You're looking for Nightfall, by Isaac Asimov. TenOfAllTrades(talk) 01:37, 30 March 2008 (UTC)

Yes, the psychology of how humans react to things, certainly is interesting. But we might not live that long, since the Earth will more likely freeze. Neal (talk) 01:47, 30 March 2008 (UTC).

Would it only take an hour to freeze us? Earth is more fragile than I realized.Sunburned Baby (talk) 02:10, 30 March 2008 (UTC)

Wow. Let's experiment. Neal (talk) 11:52, 30 March 2008 (UTC).

We build self-contained biospheres heated, lighted and powered by nuclear energy. Sorted. For as long as it matters to anyone alive now, at least... --Kurt Shaped Box (talk) 01:51, 30 March 2008 (UTC)

The Earth has a great deal of thermal inertia. At any given moment ha;lf the Earth is receiving no sunlight at all, save what is reflected from the Moon. One hour of no sunlight would be a mere blip. The global cooling would be measurable but would not be that big a deal. Edison (talk) 02:44, 30 March 2008 (UTC)

Right, we know night time can be 12 hours. But I don't know how the temperature changes where there is no sun in a 12-hour period. I don't know how much heat is lost even though it is night in an absent sun. In any event, the inside of the Earth will likely stay hot for a long, much longer time. Neal (talk) 11:52, 30 March 2008 (UTC).

Another Itunes?

Is there another program like itunes that can sync ipods and do all that stuff like Itunes? 220.233.83.26 (talk) 01:20, 30 March 2008 (UTC)

Not officially. Someone might have made one but it wouldn't be supported by Apple. It probably wouldn't have access to the iTunes Music Store either. Dismas|^(talk) 01:43, 30 March 2008 (UTC)

There are a number of them for Linux, since iTunes doesn't exist there. 81.187.153.190 (talk) 13:00, 30 March 2008 (UTC)

wikki pics

this site is unrated dose that means thier's no nude pics..right —Preceding unsigned comment added by Steweydewey (talk • contribs) 02:25, 30 March 2008 (UTC)

Nope. Wikipedia is not censored, which means that if you go to the article about, say, male genitalia, there are photographs. Because it's an encyclopedia, images are used to add information in a way words can't, and sometimes that means nudity. We don't include stuff like that where it isn't relevant, of course, but sometimes it is. --Masamage ♫ 02:37, 30 March 2008 (UTC)

Officialy Wikipedia is not censored, so nude pictures or pictures of unclothed body parts are used in articles where they are appropriate, such as Breast , Vagina ,and Penis . Actually Wikipedia IS censored, so non-prurient line drawings are widely used in place of actual photographs in articles about various aspects of sex. Edison (talk) 02:41, 30 March 2008 (UTC)

I think a better way to put is that we don’t go out of our way to be offensive or graphic; but we also don’t sensor our selves when a photo is required. --S.dedalus (talk) 05:31, 30 March 2008 (UTC)