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May 20

air medal recipients

hi. iwas looking at the list of air medal recipients that is listed in the article about the air medal (us medal) and was wondering where do wikipedia get that information. because i own a air medal ,not awardet to me. , but bought throuh an kind of army surpuls store in norway. the medal i have has a name engraved in the backside of it . but i couldent find it on the list. can anyone help me with locating info on the name engraved or mybe varify that this is an orginaly awarded medal?

Audisd14660 (talk) 01:58, 20 May 2008 (UTC)

Wikipedia gets its information from wherever the people who wrote the particular article found it. In principle every article should contain references to exactly where the information comes from, but unfortunately many articles do not live up to that ideal. In particular List of Air Medal recipients contains a reference for only one of its entries, though the pages linked from its entries may themselves contain appropriate references - I haven't looked.

However, the case of missing information is a bit different. The guidelines on verifiability make it quite clear that you may not add the name from your medal unless you can find a published reference that lists it. If you can find such a reference, I would encourage you to add the name to the page. --ColinFine (talk) 12:41, 25 May 2008 (UTC)

Opposite Places

Is there a web site that calculates the exact opposite of any place on the globe (example - Neath, Wales' opposite place on the globe)?"Bold text —Preceding unsigned comment added by Andromeda m31 (talk • contribs) 02:09, 20 May 2008 (UTC)

Two points on opposite sides of the globe are called antipodes (isn't it fun to have a big vocabulary?). The article on them gives information on how to calculate the antipode of any given set of coordinates, and lists a bunch of external links to sites that will do it for you. — Insanity Incarnate 02:25, 20 May 2008 (UTC)

Amazingly, yes there is! The internets, eh? [1] Fribbler (talk) 02:11, 20 May 2008 (UTC)

managerial accounting

a company sells a product at $60 per unit that has unit variable cost of $40. The company's break-even sales volume is $120,000, how much profit will teh company make if it sells 4,000 units —Preceding unsigned comment added by 76.97.137.121 (talk) 03:34, 20 May 2008 (UTC)

Is this your maths or your business administration homework? --71.236.23.111 (talk) 03:40, 20 May 2008 (UTC)

Most likely Managerial Accounting. :) Zain Ebrahim (talk) 09:44, 20 May 2008 (UTC)

O.k. not being nasty, I'll give you some pointers: Look at Fixed cost and Break even Then ask yourself: How many units does the company sell at the break-even point? What are the variable costs for this volume? Can you find out the company's fixed costs from the data you have this far? How do the numbers for variable costs and fixed costs change if you sell 4,000 units? What is the relationship between total costs, sales price, income and profit? Can you calculate the profit from the data you have? (Look in your books for the formula if you can't figure it out. Our page is a bit confusing.) --71.236.23.111 (talk) 06:25, 20 May 2008 (UTC)

Cost of a euphonium

In US dollars ($), how much would an average quality high school level euphonium cost? --Scofield Boy 03:35, 20 May 2008 (UTC)

Yamaha lists the YEP201 as their standard school use euphonium. According to this it lists at $2,653. But is available for $1850. --Gwguffey (talk) 03:58, 20 May 2008 (UTC)

And you can get a used one on eBay for under $500. --jpgordon^∇∆∇∆ 14:18, 22 May 2008 (UTC)

Shrimp Ecosystem

I have looked on Wikipedia's Shrimp article, but I want to find out more about a shrimp's ecosystem, including a food web, and the influence of abiotic factors. Where can I look? --Scofield Boy 03:45, 20 May 2008 (UTC)

Google. Do you need to ask?Cardinal Raven (talk) 04:40, 20 May 2008 (UTC)Cardinal Raven

Cardinal Raven: as was recently discussed, some users do not have unrestricted access to the internet, but may have access to wikipedia, which is an encyclopedia. When they come to the Ref Desk, the idea is we work to give them good, referenced answers. This is a good question for us and desrves a good answer. The OP has obviously looked at Wikipedia, but not found quite what they need, so has come to the Ref Desk. I know it will involve research work on the part of some Ref Desk regulars, rather than just voicing opinions, but thats the idea. We help. Mhicaoidh (talk) 10:40, 20 May 2008 (UTC)

There are many different species that are known as shrimp in English. While scientists distinguish between shrimp and prawn, many Americans apply the label shrimp to both shrimp and prawns, while many people in Britain and Australia apply the label prawn to both shrimp and prawns. (There are also several different species of prawn.) Each species of shrimp (or prawn) has its own ecology. Different species may have different diets and may live in environments with widely different abiotic characteristics, such as temperature and salinity. Most species of shrimp live mainly on zooplankton and/or phytoplankton, though some may feed on vegetable or animal detritus (dead matter), seaweed, bacterial scum, slime moulds, or yeast. The best source of information on the different species of shrimp would be scholarly texts such as this one. Marco polo (talk) 18:35, 20 May 2008 (UTC)

(edit conflict) No luck over at [Yahoo answers]? Anyway, I did a brief bit of research. It's not a natural ecosystem, but would our shrimp farming article be of help in starting to research a food web? If not the following links (all readily found with Google) might be useful: Marine Fisheries Food Webs, Great Salt Lake Food web and how the brine shrimp fits into it, and Antarctic Krill. However, almost anything including specific discussion of abiotic conditions leads to scientific journals which need a paid for subscription to read more than the abstract - a local college library might be able to help you there.

(straying off topic) strangely enough, hasn't Mhicaoidh voiced an opinion (on Cardinal Raven's comment) without actually doing research to help the OP with his question?

Astronaut (talk) 18:46, 20 May 2008 (UTC)

Answered on Astronauts talk page as, ideally, this is a Ref Desk not a chat room Mhicaoidh (talk) 08:47, 21 May 2008 (UTC)

I think Mhicaoidh made a valid point. Cardinal Raven's response was rude, unhelpful and pointless. Mhicaoidh flagged that up so that hopefully Cardinal Raven will have more considered responses in future, he does seem to post some inane banter at times! --87.112.87.223 (talk) 00:25, 21 May 2008 (UTC)Mike

Thanks Mhicaoidh, Marco polo, Astronaut, and Mike. I found the info, thanks to you guys! --Scofield Boy 23:15, 21 May 2008 (UTC) —Preceding unsigned comment added by Scofield Boy (talk • contribs)

Socks!

If anyone would be so kind, could you identify the style of socks the girl in the front of this image is wearing; it's the girl in the tan duffle coat with the winged backpack (name Ayu Tsukimiya).--十八 03:47, 20 May 2008 (UTC)

I see no girls, just distorted cartoon figures; however, the figure in the duffel coat is wearing what appears to be a simplistic Argyle (pattern) on its knee socks. ៛ Bielle (talk) 03:55, 20 May 2008 (UTC)

No need to insult the artist, you know. But thank you for identifying the socks.--十八 03:57, 20 May 2008 (UTC)

My comment was not meant to insult the artist. I suspect she has drawn exactly what she intended to draw, which is not a human girl but a fantasy figure. My concern is that these anatomically impossible "girls", like the Barbie doll of prior generations, are setting up the basis for a peculiar image for young girls, and thus my remark. ៛ Bielle (talk) 04:09, 20 May 2008 (UTC)

Whether you have concerns about the images presented to todays young girls or not is beside the point. The OP was obviously using the term "girl" to describe a female humanoid figure and you took the word to be entirely too literal for the context. The day when respondents cease this political soap boxing because of their own perceptions of what the OP means will be a happy day for many, including me. Dismas|^(talk) 05:10, 20 May 2008 (UTC)

Hey, you can blame Walt Disney since he's the one who inspired Osamu Tezuka, and thus the entire Japanese manga and anime industry. It's all Disney's fault. ···日本穣^{? · Talk to Nihonjoe} 05:48, 20 May 2008 (UTC)

Of Mice and Men? ;-}71.236.23.111 (talk) 07:01, 20 May 2008 (UTC)

There is no doubt the pseudo girl figure is distorted, so its entirely valid to mention it as it also impacts on the realism / materiality of other things in the image such as the laws of physics, the internal logic of the created world and umm, it's socks. ps lets remember in all these column centimetres that Bielle's the only one who has addressed the question and answered it. Mhicaoidh (talk) 10:56, 20 May 2008 (UTC)

It's a major stretch to go from a question on sock pattern to questioning if the girl wearing the socks looks like a girl or not. And imagine, if only I would have cropped the image, none of this would be happening.--十八 09:20, 21 May 2008 (UTC)

Oh no its not! You might want to catch up with a bit of post-modernism or Post-structuralism philosophy and theory over the last few decades. How can you assume that though the girls, and for example their eyes, are distorted and stylised, that the rest of their universe is not and is readily identifiable with ours? The famous coyote / roadrunner cartoon is a good example, yes they are very readily identifiable as stylised creatures from our world, yet we wouldnt assume the physics in their world, or the objects are just as "real". Would you assume realism and post here asking exactly what kind of Acme explosive products there are in that cartoon and where you can order them? Mhicaoidh (talk) 10:12, 21 May 2008 (UTC)

As I said, you are vastly stretching the issue. Why does the rest of the fictional world where the girls come from matter if I only wanted to know what pattern the socks were made of? I knew they had a name, I just couldn't remember the name, so I asked here. I did not except the art or the realism of the image to come into question because it's just a major tangent on the issue at hand: the socks!--十八 22:22, 21 May 2008 (UTC)

Hey, I'm not criticising you or your question, I'm just saying that every fiction or creation has it's own internal logic and you can't assume that it is the same as in our universe. Everything is stylised in a cartoon and no art can be realistic. And indeed as you see below, doubt is creeping in...! Mhicaoidh (talk) 09:06, 22 May 2008 (UTC)

Why would the rest of us need to answer the question again? There's no point in the rest of us saying "Oh! Oh! It's Argyle!" Dismas|^(talk) 23:44, 20 May 2008 (UTC)

Yes, I quite agree with you Dismas, I think we should all post a lot less on this desk : ) Mhicaoidh (talk) 10:12, 21 May 2008 (UTC)

The image lacks a lot of detail that would prove the pattern to be Argyle. After a little more research, I suggest that it might instead be, simply, a diamond pattern. The one shown here [2] has more diamonds, but is otherwise a closer match to the pattern in the image. Wikipedia does have an editor expert in knitting, but I have just discovered that Willow appears to be on a wiki-break, and is thus unavailable for comment. ៛ Bielle (talk) 01:33, 21 May 2008 (UTC)

I'd call it Argyle even though simplified – the diamond inscribes the sideways square of Argyle type tartan and OR I know, I've seen this colour combo around in particular. The simplification is in keeping with cartoon representation and cleverly, I think, signals what it is in the way that a trace implies the whole – to bring, without labouring over it, a range of patterns to distinguish one girl from another. Fwiw, Julia Rossi (talk) 02:26, 21 May 2008 (UTC)

Star Wars

I can't seem to remember for the life of me what that massive, metal, dog-like thing was called in Empire Strikes Back. Anyone know?--ChokinBako (talk) 09:36, 20 May 2008 (UTC)

AT-AT. Neıl 龱 09:37, 20 May 2008 (UTC)

That's almost certainly what he was looking for, but I've never thought of them as dog-like; they always looked like dust mites to me. Matt Deres (talk) 10:46, 20 May 2008 (UTC)

I've always called them "Imperial walkers". They seemed funny to me, one of the most impractical war machines I've ever seen: slow, massive, and easily defended against by tripping them or even just digging trenches. Had the Empire put their resources into a better system, like cruise missiles, they might have won. LOL. StuRat (talk) 14:07, 20 May 2008 (UTC)

Well, they are described as "fear over function" machines. =) -- Captain Disdain (talk) 15:35, 20 May 2008 (UTC)

On the other hand, the Death Star was also impractical. Every time they fired it, they annihilated massive amounts of their own resources. · AndonicO ^Engage. 17:49, 20 May 2008 (UTC)

If you think the AT-AT is impractical, you might want to look at the historical weapon that inspired them: the war elephant. --Carnildo (talk) 23:54, 20 May 2008 (UTC)

The actual appearance was inspired, according to Lucas, by the cargo lifters at the Port of Oakland. The photos online don't really do them justice, IMO. --98.217.8.46 (talk) 14:56, 21 May 2008 (UTC)

It kinda doesn't have to do with the question since it was answered already, but the imperial walkers always will remind me of the Robot Chicken skit. Where one of the jedi cut open the imperial walker and one of the enemy troopers is on the toilet as a grenade is thrown in. :)X27 (talk) 23:45, 20 May 2008 (UTC)X27

Private information on the net

What kind of private information shouldn't I put on the web? Is it dangerous to put my address on it? Is it dangerous to let other know my whole CV (with all employers)? 217.168.1.150 (talk) 12:08, 20 May 2008 (UTC)

Anything you wouldn't want just anyone to know, really. You should especially not give out your phone number, because that could be a bit awkward. --WikiSlasher (talk) 12:13, 20 May 2008 (UTC)

Whatever you put on the net, others can get to. If you put your address on the net, it's akin to walking round with a midget following you, shouting out your personal information to everyone he sees. It's also important to remember that once stuff is on the net, it's almost impossible to remove it. -mattbuck (Talk) 12:14, 20 May 2008 (UTC)

Don't put anything on the web that you wouldn't want to tattoo on your forehead. It will be just as available for everyone to read for the rest of your life (and beyond!). --Sean 12:55, 20 May 2008 (UTC)

I'd agree with that. Also, remember even things you send in "private" emails can be forwarded to all and sundry. While its true that someone could do the same with a real letter and photocopier the fact that it is free and easy means that it is much more likely to happen on the internet. -- Q Chris (talk) 13:40, 20 May 2008 (UTC)

Put only on the net what you are comfortable complete strangers knowing. Be it your age, date of birth, full name, address whatever. You must balance the risks of this information being used negatively for the positive benefits of having it on the net. Uploading your CV to jobs-sites is pretty standard, as is putting your name/address on an account for something like amazon/play.com (or anywhere you'd buy products to be delivered to your home). I wouldn't advise posting your personal details on sites where it isn't necessary though and do try to take care over your personal details online, try to stick to reputable sites. I find the site www.tempinbox.com to be a god-send for being able to sign up for 1-time use registrations where you don't want to provide your real email-address/details (beware tempinbox.com email can be accessed by anybody as it is password free - ideal for signing up to websites you have to register to post in forums/queries that you only anticipate asking a question of once). —Preceding unsigned comment added by 194.221.133.226 (talk) 15:11, 20 May 2008 (UTC)

Usually personal information on the Internet is a bad thing, but not like "you-post-it-and-immediately-die" bad. If it's buried somewhere in a profile, you don't really have to worry about anything, unless you do do something to incur the wrath of Failaholics Anonymous. But it's probably a Bad Idea ^(R) to post personal information as a rule of thumb.Ziggy Sawdust 19:30, 21 May 2008 (UTC)

Wiccans

Do Wiccans practice sacrifices? Or is it more because they personally want to rather than it being damanded by the religion? Bed-Head-HairUser:BedHeadHairGirl12:48, 20 May 2008 (UTC)

It's not definitive, but our Wicca article does not contain the word "sacrifice". Considering the kinds of people who are attracted to Wicca (mostly teenage girls, in my experience), I'd be shocked if they killed anything. --Sean 12:58, 20 May 2008 (UTC)

Thats what I thought, but I was reading the talk page on Wicca and people didn't seem sure about it. Is there any link that explains this more? Bed-Head-HairUser:BedHeadHairGirl13:40, 20 May 2008 (UTC)

Wicca is not organized and has little in the way of standard traditional practices. Considering that human sacrifice would run afoul of the wiccan rede I doubt many self-identified Wiccans would consider it an acceptable practice. Friday (talk) 14:22, 20 May 2008 (UTC)

Who mentioned sacrificing humans? Algebraist 15:05, 20 May 2008 (UTC)

Ack, you're right- I just assumed. I doubt most wiccans would approve of sacrificing fluffy bunnies, either, but you never know. Friday (talk) 15:08, 20 May 2008 (UTC)

As a Wiccan myself no we don't sacrifice. Most of, I don't know if this accurate enough though since its just my experience, Wiccan culture is protection magic. We use the provided elements that nature has given us for protection; and we use that to protection for events in our lives(such as a great enemy or a meeting with the boss) or maybe even something a little more supernatural(your great demon enemy...or a demon stalker.) All Wiccan is, is protection and natural belief, at least for me.71.142.222.245 (talk) 15:26, 20 May 2008 (UTC)Cardinal Raven

From my own reading and direct observation, "offering" might be a better word than "sacrifice", and usually consists of a bit of the bounty of harvest or whatever the participants might partake of (e.g. bread and wine), not the life or suffering of another living being. But that's not exactly an authoritative answer. --Prestidigitator (talk) 20:47, 20 May 2008 (UTC)

Again, it's not exactly organized. I doubt it's possible to give a definitive answer. 206.126.163.20 (talk) 22:04, 20 May 2008 (UTC)

bajork a dork?

Is the iceland girl bajork respocible for all the fuss in resent weeks by screaming Tibet! Tibet! at the end of her concert? did it all stem from there? User:Tal metta one 13:53, 20 May 2008 (UTC)

Her name is Bjork, and no, she is not single-handedly responsible. A great many people around the world object to China's oppresion of Tibet, as well as their support for the genocidal nations of Myanmar/Burma and Sudan/Darfur and their military threats against Taiwan/Formosa. StuRat (talk) 14:00, 20 May 2008 (UTC)

Actually her name is Björk. --S.dedalus (talk) 00:17, 22 May 2008 (UTC)

Team building, team schmuilding

Does anyone know of a 'team building' activity where the team is asked to put marbles through a tube as quickly as possible? I'm sorry I don't have more info, but I'm looking for a competitive edge for something at my job. --Endless Dan 14:07, 20 May 2008 (UTC)

Also, I do not have access to the net (outside of wikipedia and other encyclopedias, so I could not do a google search. --Endless Dan 14:09, 20 May 2008 (UTC)

It would be boring and not team building to just have marbles and tubes. Suggest locate a number of tubes (inside toilet rolls would do). Say 6 per team. Then a roll of Scotch tape per team, a bag of marbles, and a target. Object: shoot marbles through a completed long tube to knock down the target before the other team(s). Variations could include one target per team - less one (Musical Chairs principle). Organiser holding the Scotch and giving out a piece at a time. Making each team collect only one colour of marble, or a range of colours. Colour collection, but one short of each colour but another colour "wild" (thus a team could collect more than one wild card and so stop another.... I could go on, but you will see the principle. Good luck.90.9.81.4 (talk) 14:38, 20 May 2008 (UTC)petitmichel

Feeding marbles through a tube (pipe) faster than another team can be competitive, too. Give them each a tube that's just wide enough and a bag full of marbles. The trick would be for the team to devise the best way to feed the marbles into the tube opening as fast as they can. (Funnel? Designated marble feeder, resupply? Feed trough? etc. For a cheat you could bend the other team's pipe ever so slightly, make it a bit longer and roughen up the inside. Or only one team gets materials to build a funnel with. --71.236.23.111 (talk) 19:00, 20 May 2008 (UTC)

I understood your question as though you had already once heard of this game or seen it in action. Such a game, mirroring "how business processes flow (or don't)", is listed at Indoor Team Building Game #2 - Customer Connection ---Sluzzelin talk 19:26, 20 May 2008 (UTC)

I Need A Bit of Help

Hi! I want to write the article about immune collapse. Can someone give me some references or links about immune collapse?Thank you very much.X27 (talk) 17:45, 20 May 2008 (UTC)X27

"Immune collapse" is not a well defined medical term, as a google or pubmed search will confirm. Check out the article on Immunodeficiency, with links to subpages, if you are thinking "collapse" in the sense of loss of function. If you are thinking "collapse" in the sense of the immune system, through hyperactvity, causing a person to physically collapse, check out Anaphylactic shock and Cytokine storm. --NorwegianBlue ^talk 21:08, 20 May 2008 (UTC)

Thank you very much. I will read those articles and pull all my efforts to making Wikipedia the best gathering of knowledge. I want people to read the articles and say oh that is so good. I mean they do it still, but they be like oh that article awesome now. :)X27 (talk) 22:14, 20 May 2008 (UTC)X27

How does this work/not work?

The Video Is this video fake, or is there a real scientific proof behind it?

I don't care about any "Clues" in the video hinting its fake. I do know there were 2 different paper cut-outs used in the demonstration.

Also, if this is true, is it 100% alcohol? In my experiment, the paper would not even stick to the glass. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 67.191.102.55 (talk) 18:34, 20 May 2008 (UTC)

Well if it is fake; it's the most boring fake I've ever seen. Yeah, I'd imagine 100% Ethanol is used. What did you try? Fribbler (talk) 22:20, 20 May 2008 (UTC)

Probably not 100% ethanol which is difficult to obtain. Rmhermen (talk) 04:44, 21 May 2008 (UTC)

Fuel efficiency when burning regular gas in vehicles that prefer high-octane

This has been brought up here and there, but I wondered if anyone could shed some light on this topic. It's well-known and accepted that burning higher octane fuel in a car that doesn't call for it is a waste of money. However, I recently came across this article on gas-saving myths, and they claim that you don't get better mileage with premium even in a vehicle that prefers it. They claim peak power will suffer, but fuel efficiency will not. I'm not sure I buy this. What I do know is that modern vehicles will commonly back off on ignition timing to prevent knock- thus allowing a high-compression or forced-induction engine to operate safely (i.e. without causing undue stress to the engine) on the lower-octane fuel. However, I suspect this would result in a loss of fuel efficiency as well as power. But, I have found no source to contradict cnn's advice, either. Can anyone confirm or refute my suspicions? I understand car engines, generally speaking, but I'm certainly no expert on all the little details. Friday (talk) 19:30, 20 May 2008 (UTC)

From what I skimmed here, Octane rating, it would agree with your assessment. I can't help wondering though if it wouldn't affect engine life in some way.--71.236.23.111 (talk) 20:42, 20 May 2008 (UTC)

The adjustment of engine timing and such should prevent excess engine damage. As to the CNN thing, Car Talk suggests that they're correct -- cars calling for premium gas generally don't have to do knock adjustment (which does reduce fuel efficiency) under most driving conditions. — Lomn 21:26, 20 May 2008 (UTC)

I'm not sure I trust the car talk guys on this- they are notorious for disapproving of any vehicle with good performance. They might enjoy recommending low-octane fuel because they like less powerful cars. I guess one thing I've gotten from reading about this is that it may well depend on the individual car, fuel, and driving habits. The owner's manual of my car says it's safe to operate down to 87 octane but that it may take a tank or two of premium to restore expected performance. To me this suggests that this particular vehicle must be doing more to compensate than just retarding the timing as knock occurs. Maybe in the interest of engine life newer cars are staying "detuned" for a while after they detect knock? Friday (talk) 14:19, 21 May 2008 (UTC)

Pizza Temperature

Hi!I hope this doesn't break any rules. Cause I asked another question up there. I don't know the rules of how many question one person is suppose to ask on a particularly day. But here goes nothing. For lunch I made myself some frozen pizza. They said for a softer crust to cook at 425 degrees Fahrenheit, but for a crisper crust they said to cook for 400 degrees Fahrenheit. So, how does that work? How does a higher temperature get a softer crust instead of a crisper crust? Wouldn't work the other way around? Since my crust was crispy when I cooked it at the softer crust temperature. What is the science behind this?X27 (talk) 21:01, 20 May 2008 (UTC)X27

Sort of reminds me of the old joke "I've cooked this egg for 20 minutes and it's still not soft." The higher temperature would presumably mean shorter cooking times and thus less water could evaporate from the dough. The lower temperature won't cook the surface as fast, allowing moisture to escape. Cooking temperature settings for ovens are utterly imprecise. Using an oven thermometer gets you a more "precise" reading. (It's at least going to be in the ballpark.) Where in your oven you position your pizza and what type and size of oven you use also affects results. Mostly it's trial and error. Not happy with this setting, try a lower one next time. BTW. For a soft crust put an oven-safe bowl of water in the oven with your pizza. --71.236.23.111 (talk) 21:25, 20 May 2008 (UTC)

Thank you for clearing that up for me. I will try that soft crust pizza trick when I make pizza for my mom. She likes soft crust and I like almost to the point of being burnt pizza cause then it taste good in the pizza sauce that has fallen off the piece you were eating :)X27 (talk) 22:15, 20 May 2008 (UTC)X27

I took a double-take on exactly the same thing the other day, but mine also had the difference of a baking sheet for the softer crust and straight on the oven rack for hard. I'm guessing the sheet shields the crust from direct radiative energy from the oven coils, so it is heated mostly by convection. Best I can come up with. --Prestidigitator (talk) 05:15, 21 May 2008 (UTC)

Partly. You also have a lot more surface fro things to evaporate from. With a sheet you get a layer of vapor under the pizza and that limits any further evaporation and traps moisture on that side of your pizza. --71.236.23.111 (talk) 16:55, 23 May 2008 (UTC)

London transportation

I'm planning a trip to the UK. What's the best way for tourists (18-year-old tourists on a tight budget!) to get from Gatwick Airport to Euston Railway Station? Cherry Red Toenails (talk) 21:44, 20 May 2008 (UTC)

Cheapest option would probably be the coach to central London (Victoria), followed by the underground to Euston. Alternatively there are direct trains from Gatwick to Kings Cross which is fairly close to Euston (one stop on the underground). This option will be a little more expensive but much quicker. --Richardrj ^{talk email} 21:47, 20 May 2008 (UTC)

If you want to save money, walk from Kings Cross to Euston stations, as they're only 5 - 10 minutes' walk apart on the Euston Road, and the one-stop trip on the Underground will cost £4 cash (or £1.50 if you have an Oyster card). -- Arwel (talk) 22:05, 20 May 2008 (UTC)

Actually, I believe the trains from Gatwick now stop at the new St Pancras Thameslink platforms, not Kings Cross - but it's only next door. Gandalf61 (talk) 22:16, 20 May 2008 (UTC)

I cannot find a direct Gatwick to KingsX train. National Rail seem to advise a change at London Bridge and get the underground. Confused. --Tagishsimon (talk) 22:17, 20 May 2008 (UTC)

Doh. And there it is. --Tagishsimon (talk) 22:18, 20 May 2008 (UTC)

Train operator is First Capital Connect. Timetables here - around 4 trains an hour during the day, journey time from Gatwick to St Pancras International about 50 minutes. Standard ticket price for single (one-way) trip seems to be £8.90, but your mileage may vary depending on what day and time you are travelling. Gandalf61 (talk) 10:14, 21 May 2008 (UTC)

BTW, "coach" is British English for "long-distance bus," in case you're confused. -- Mwalcoff (talk) 03:58, 21 May 2008 (UTC)

I thought it was a coach if we arranged it all ourselves, rather than busses which travel along preset routes and pick up anyone that happens to be waiting. Anyway, unless using the cheapest route is absolutely necesary, you might want to try a bus rather than the underground, it really isn't a very nice place. And you get to see more of the city whilst above ground, which is what being a tourist is all about.HS7 (talk) 19:39, 21 May 2008 (UTC)

Sounds like a rather ominous assessment of the Tube. Personally, I quite like it. The only thing to be aware of for travellers like the OP is that their large rucksacks and hesitant choice of tunnels/platforms/etc will not be very popular during the rush hour. 81.187.153.189 (talk) 08:21, 22 May 2008 (UTC)

There's nothing wrong with the Tube, HS7. God knows why you would describe it as not being a very nice place.

And I don't see what you're getting at by saying "unless using the cheapest route is absolutely necesary, you might want to try a bus". Buses are the cheaper option anyway. Malcolm XIV (talk) 08:29, 22 May 2008 (UTC)

And Mwalcoff is right, in Britain a coach is just a long-distance bus, more luxurious than a regular bus. Coaches travel on preset routes as well. --Richardrj ^{talk email} 08:41, 22 May 2008 (UTC)

It seems I don't even know my own language as well as I had hoped. I found the underground rather dirty and crowded and confusing, and I've known people get stuff stolen whilst there. I actually don't think I've ever met someone that's actually liked it there before. And I'm sure someone near the top said the tube was the cheepest way. Anyway, don't they do those all day travel passes in london, so you can get one ticket and go on as many trains and busses as you want around the city? It's been a while since I last visited london, so I can't remember all the details about them.HS7 (talk) 19:28, 23 May 2008 (UTC)

What are those sacs in the trees?

I live in pennsylvania and have trees covered in white sacs filled with catapillars. What are those things? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 71.254.200.107 (talk) 22:34, 20 May 2008 (UTC)

Cocoons? — Lomn 22:47, 20 May 2008 (UTC)

Probably the eastern tent caterpillar. --Milkbreath (talk) 23:01, 20 May 2008 (UTC)

Or possibly the gypsy moth. --D. Monack | talk 03:57, 24 May 2008 (UTC)

May 21

The Human Body

Why is it that some of us (girls) develope later than others My Mom is a d size and developed at age 14. i am 15 will i soon get my breast and big but like her? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 68.122.83.105 (talk) 01:01, 21 May 2008 (UTC)

Sometimes body types in families give a clue. People can inherit characteristics from parents, relatives or from other generations. The range can be close, or widely different. Mostly it's about observation and guess work... and waiting to find out. Cheers, Julia Rossi (talk) 03:44, 21 May 2008 (UTC)

You might find this chart helpful...and of course WP's article on puberty. --zenohockey (talk) 02:59, 23 May 2008 (UTC)

London (and other UK) museums, tourist attractions, etc.

Anyone know of any "must see" places for a tourist in London? I've got a few of the normal ones down (ie. the British Museum, London Eye), but I'm just wondering if anyone has other ideas. I'll also be around Chester, Inverness, Glasgow, Edinburgh, and Bath, so any other interesting places to be would be appreciated. 206.126.163.20 (talk) 01:59, 21 May 2008 (UTC)

Out of London,if you can get to Cardiff in Wales,visit the castle in the centre of the city,and travel to St Fagans welsh folk museum is free to visit.You will need to pay to go into the castle.In London,Hampton Court Palace and the gardens,they do also charge to go into the gardens.A boat trip up to Greenwich is nice for about £6 pounds return,and you can visit the meridian line there and stop off on the way back at St Pauls,also walk over to the TATE.In the west end/soho and Covent garden where there are always street entertainers to watch for free.Have fun! Fluter. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 170.86.15.15 (talk) 07:57, 21 May 2008 (UTC)

In London, I'll propose the Tower of London, the National Gallery and the Victoria and Albert Museum. If I were you, I should skip Chester and take in some great houses instead, such as (to take one at random) Blenheim Palace. Xn4 02:08, 21 May 2008 (UTC)

Yes, you're not the first who has recommended Blenheim. I'll have to consider that too. The only thing is transportation costs, which limit our moving around too much (and Chester... I think we went with that because of the zoo?). I've got the Tower of London, I'll have to throw the National Gallery and V&A Museum onto the list. 206.126.163.20 (talk) 02:33, 21 May 2008 (UTC)

Chester's good, if history's your thing : most complete city walls in Britain, plenty of Grade I listed buildings, Roman fort, medieval buildings (plus lots of Victorian ones!), cathedral, and so on. Gwinva (talk) 03:05, 21 May 2008 (UTC)

Skip Chester?! Chester is awesome, and not just because I live there. Lots of Roman stuff, as Gwinva says, and Chester Zoo is one of the best zoos in Europe (and hence one of the best in the world - [3]). Plus good shopping. If you time your visit right, and you can get there when Chester Races are on, it's even better. Neıl 龱 09:43, 21 May 2008 (UTC)

You should at least have had a look at Harrod's, even if you don't go for a shopping trip there. --71.236.23.111 (talk) 05:02, 21 May 2008 (UTC)

Harrods also have a shop in the Highlands at Shin Falls where you can also watch the salmon leaping.--Artjo (talk) 06:22, 21 May 2008 (UTC)

£99 t-shirts. Wow. 24.76.169.85 (talk) 06:31, 21 May 2008 (UTC)

To make you feel today's London, I would suggest junk & antiques markets like Portobello Road Market and Petticoat Lane Market on Sundays, or the atmospheric street performances at Covent Garden -- Meister (talk) 06:30, 21 May 2008 (UTC)

In Edinburgh, if you are reasonably fit (i.e. able to walk a couple of miles) go to the top of Arthur's Seat. You get a great view of the city and coastline. -- Q Chris (talk) 06:51, 21 May 2008 (UTC)

London sites not yet mentioned, in no particular order ... Tower Bridge, HMS Belfast, Shakespeare's Globe, Natural History Museum, Science Museum, London Zoo, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew ... Gandalf61 (talk) 10:25, 21 May 2008 (UTC)

Bath has lots of attractions such as the Royal Crescent, roman baths, a cathedral, some sort of teddy bear shop/museum... It's also not too far from Bristol which has sights such as the Clifton Suspension Bridge, the Victoria Rooms, a cathedral, the SS Great Britain and The Matthew, a widely-renowned zoo, the Empire and Commonwealth Museum, Queen Square, At Bristol, as well as the New Rooms, John Wesley's first Methodist chapel. -mattbuck (Talk) 23:24, 21 May 2008 (UTC)

Just have to let you all know, I <3 all of you. Very useful suggestions :) 206.126.163.20 (talk) 23:38, 21 May 2008 (UTC)

Unused political campaign contributions in the US

When a candidate drops out of a race in the United States, what happens to the unused campaign contributions? 76.199.151.77 (talk) 04:17, 21 May 2008 (UTC)

After federal campaigns, the money can be used for "any lawful purpose" that does not benefit the candidate personally. ([4]) Typically, the candidate donates the money to another campaign organization. John Kerry gave the leftover funds from his presidential campaign to Democratic Party organizations. -- Mwalcoff (talk) 07:35, 21 May 2008 (UTC)

Campaigns often end up in debt, a situation covered in this recent story. --Sean 12:21, 21 May 2008 (UTC)

Who are you?

Just wanted to know who you people are that answer all of these questions. Just random people who want to answer questions, or people who somehow work or volunteer for Wikipedia? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 68.7.126.152 (talk) 06:25, 21 May 2008 (UTC)

Random people like me. -- Meister (talk) 06:31, 21 May 2008 (UTC)

Everyone who edits Wikipedia is technically volunteering. Wikimedia doesn't have that many employees, and you probably won't see them around much. 24.76.169.85 (talk) 06:33, 21 May 2008 (UTC)

We are the internet. --98.217.8.46 (talk) 14:44, 21 May 2008 (UTC)

We're people who think it's fun answering questions. Many of us are doing it during breaks at work, or while watching TV at home. We're not invariably right, so the answers you should take most seriously are the ones that cite sources you can double-check. Me, I'm a bored junior high school teacher on her lunch break. -FisherQueen (talk · contribs) 14:51, 21 May 2008 (UTC)

What? You're surrounded by all that teenage angst and drama and you're bored? ;-) So you come here for Wiki angst and drama? ;-)

Atlant (talk) 16:07, 21 May 2008 (UTC)

I'm Spartacus. Ziggy Sawdust 19:31, 21 May 2008 (UTC)

No! I'm Spartacus!! (just had to do it) Fribbler (talk) 19:32, 21 May 2008 (UTC)

No, I'm Spartacus and so's my wife! Matt Deres (talk) 00:14, 22 May 2008 (UTC)

I'm a software engineer in the UK, working for a large IT company - though I started editing Wikipedia about five years ago while at university. I usually read the Desk rather than write, for interest (and sometimes amusement) in the questions and answers. When something comes up that I know about, though, I'll offer an opinion. 81.187.153.189 (talk) 08:13, 22 May 2008 (UTC)

I suppose I am a person that works for the readers of Wikipedia. I answer questions when I believe that I can be helpful. Thomprod (talk) 17:42, 26 May 2008 (UTC)

St John the Apostle

How did St John the Apostle become a saint? 220.233.83.26 (talk) 07:01, 21 May 2008 (UTC)

See Canonisation. Fribbler (talk) 09:20, 21 May 2008 (UTC)

Still that does not say anything specificly about how or what St John did to actually become a saint. 220.233.83.26 (talk) 09:58, 21 May 2008 (UTC)

Whoops. His sainthood would pre-date the Canonisation process.... Basically all apostles are saints by default, by virtue of their association with Jesus. Fribbler (talk) 10:07, 21 May 2008 (UTC)

...Apart from one.--Shantavira|^{feed me} 11:00, 21 May 2008 (UTC)

St Johns?

Is St John the Apostle the same guy as St John the Baptist? 220.233.83.26 (talk) 08:15, 21 May 2008 (UTC)

John the Baptist and John the Apostle suggest that they were not. --Richardrj ^{talk email} 08:27, 21 May 2008 (UTC)

St John the Apostle

Can someone explain what it means if John was exiled on the Isle of Patmos at the age of about 100, where he had a vision of Christ and of the future? Basicly I'm confused what the exiled part means? 220.233.83.26 (talk) 08:34, 21 May 2008 (UTC)

See Exile. Basically it means being forcibly sent somewhere where you must remain. Like Napoleon Bonaparte for one, he was exiled to Elba and St.Helena at different times. Fribbler (talk) 09:24, 21 May 2008 (UTC)

Well, in a sufficiently abstract sense, yes -- the "somewhere you must remain" being "anywhere but here". If you have to stay in one particular place, that's not so much "exile" as "imprisonment". --Trovatore (talk) 19:46, 21 May 2008 (UTC)

Also, if I recall correctly, it wasn't John the Apostle who was sent to Patmos, but John the Divine. --Trovatore (talk) 19:58, 21 May 2008 (UTC)

Although they might be one and the same. Lots of guys called John? One John who did lots of things? Gwinva (talk) 01:46, 22 May 2008 (UTC)

St John the Apostle

What were St John Beliefs about the resurection of Jesus? 220.233.83.26 (talk) 10:01, 21 May 2008 (UTC)

Are we doing your homework for you? Read St John the Apostle. If the information is not contained within the article, follow the external links the article provides. Neıl 龱 10:26, 21 May 2008 (UTC)

Is Tim Cahill back with yet another mask? Dear 220.233.83, I encourage you to read the article as Neil says, then if you still have questions, put them all in the one section. Maybe you could call it, the remains of St John the Apostled or something like that. Julia Rossi (talk) 10:41, 21 May 2008 (UTC)

Could you just answer the question? 220.233.83.26 (talk) 11:49, 21 May 2008 (UTC)

The answers to your homework questions are probably in the article St John the Apostle. We don't do homework, though, so you'll have to read the article- or your assigned reading- and finish your homework yourself. -FisherQueen (talk · contribs) 11:57, 21 May 2008 (UTC)

To tell you the truth this wilipedia article isn't as crash hot as your making it out to be. You think this almighty article will hold all the answers. WELL IT DOESN'T!!!!!!! Why do you think I'm asking this question! Because your pretty little article doesn't have the answer!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 220.233.83.26 (talk) 12:03, 21 May 2008 (UTC)

The answer to your question is in the article - it is in the paragraph beginning "After the Resurrection ...". Takes much less time to find it than to type out rude responses to folks who are trying to help you. Gandalf61 (talk) 13:46, 21 May 2008 (UTC)

And using common sense would probably help. St. John the Apostle, is first of all a Catholic Saint. He's going to share the beliefs of the catholic church. Second of all, the guy, or one of his followers, wrote one of the Gospels in the bible. It talks about the resurection. Checking that out would most likely be a tad helpful. 63.110.146.129 (talk) 15:00, 22 May 2008 (UTC)

News channel

What is most neutral TV news channel? I personally think EuroNews, but I can compare it only to CNN and BBC, have no idea about other channels. 89.236.214.174 (talk) 11:17, 21 May 2008 (UTC)

From an American perspective, I'd have to say Auntie Beeb; all of our locally-produced news networks are crap (and yes, that definitely includes National Public Radio). I'd probably give CBC a nod, but I don't hear them often enough to really say.

Atlant (talk) 12:08, 21 May 2008 (UTC)

There is no neutral TV news. The BBC is no exception, especially now that they've got an interest in marketing to the Arab world. The change in their thrust has been noticeable—shocking sometimes. The closest thing to neutrality is achieved by Fox News and the like, so yellow that they look like sunshine. Their entire agenda is to get you to watch, that's all, and that approximates integrity. --Milkbreath (talk) 12:53, 21 May 2008 (UTC)

Fox News neutral? Maybe in the Bizarro World. Clarityfiend (talk) 15:30, 21 May 2008 (UTC)

I think he's suggesting that they at least make their biases obvious. I think that the best way to find out what's really going on is to get news from multiple, diverse sources, rather than relying on any one news source. -FisherQueen (talk · contribs) 15:37, 21 May 2008 (UTC)

In America, the trouble is that there are several prominent Right-Wing sources (e.g., Fox), several center-right sources (the major networks, NPR, most newspapers), and few or no blatantly-left-wing sources except Pacifica and, to a certain degree, Air America Radio.

Atlant (talk) 16:05, 21 May 2008 (UTC)

(NPR is center-right? I've always thought of them as center-left. I'm center-left myself, anyway, and always thought that most of their news programs and commentary seemed to be right up my alley. But maybe we're using different definitions of left and right; I've noticed that much of what passes for "left" in the US is considered to be much more "center" in the rest of the world, as we are a country of liberals and not radicals.) --98.217.8.46 (talk) 15:14, 22 May 2008 (UTC)

Fifteen years or so ago, I would have agreed with you (that they were "center left"). But as the government started attaching more and more strings to CPB's money and as corporate sponsorship had a larger and larger influence on their programming, their news and commentary definitely shifted rightwards. They used to at least occasionally have overt socialist commentators but nowadays, it's nothing but several choices of Right-wing propagnda.

Atlant (talk) 17:18, 22 May 2008 (UTC)

It is pretty impossible for any broadcast news program to be neutral, because even a twenty-four-hour source such as CNN has limits on what it can reasonably cover. There are limits on time, personnel, and viewers' sensibilities. These limits mean that someone has to decide what's going to be covered, how much time it will be given, and how many of the other resources will be allocated. Since these decisions aren't being made by a large number of differently-minded people, neutrality is quite impossible. It's somewhat more attainable with Wikipedia, since the definition of "noteworthiness" has been arrived upon by a collaborative, constantly-evolving means and since the resources are virtually limitless. Mitchell k dwyer (talk) 17:50, 21 May 2008 (UTC)

Some of the best American public-affairs reporting comes from the Voice of America, which is legally prohibited from broadcasting to the U.S. -- Mwalcoff (talk) 23:15, 21 May 2008 (UTC)

Who's got time to watch the news? You're obviously not taking your roles at WP seriously enough! Anyway, what can be more neutral than Wikipedia? :) Gwinva (talk) 01:54, 22 May 2008 (UTC)

MYLAR BALLOON

Why is the material called MYLAR, what does it mean and where does it come from? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 83.103.69.50 (talk) 13:31, 21 May 2008 (UTC)

See PET film (biaxially oriented) --Tagishsimon (talk) 13:34, 21 May 2008 (UTC)

If it's the word meaning you're just after, this is from The Online Etymology Dictionary:

Mylar: proper name for a polyester film, 1954, trademarked by E.I. Du Pont de Nemours and Co., Wilmington, Delaware, U.S.A. Like many Du Pont names, it doesn't mean anything, they just liked the sound.

Fribbler (talk) 15:39, 21 May 2008 (UTC)

black suit combinations

I own just one black suit and wanted to see what different combinations of shirt/tie I could use? Mr.K. (talk) 14:27, 21 May 2008 (UTC)

That isn't a question, it's a statement. However, if you have the shirts and ties, you could try them on in front of a mirror, if not, try drawing all the options and cuting them out, and creating 2D figures dressed in your pictures of clothes.HS7 (talk) 19:27, 21 May 2008 (UTC)

The statement has an indirect question. Mr.K. (talk) 23:35, 21 May 2008 (UTC)

If you are a pretty consevative dresser, try a plain pale blue or white shirt with a darker tie (plain or patterened doesn't matter). If you are more flamboyant, try a bright coloured shirt and maybe a contrasting tie. Keep the black tie for funerals or joining the "Men in Black". Astronaut (talk) 01:55, 22 May 2008 (UTC)

Work as a librarian

I am currently in the process of finishing my BA in history and then was thinking of pursuing a masters in library science and was wondering what it is like being a librarian - what do the daily duties include, what sort of jobs can you get a library science degree and how is the job market? Would you recommend being a librarian, what is the good of the job? —Preceding unsigned comment added by Baalhammon (talk • contribs) 15:29, 21 May 2008 (UTC)

Here is a listing of the major division of roles. The job market data would be a function of the type of librarian you plan to be.--droptone (talk) 17:34, 21 May 2008 (UTC)

A couple more, slightly fuller answers here. --Richardrj ^{talk email} 09:41, 22 May 2008 (UTC)

Who discovered that the liver has four lobes?

I have been asked by a proffesor to find a picture of the man who discovered that there were four lobes to the liver. I have searched high and low and no answers. He said that the man was a grave robber and was possible named Darius. That he was competing with a well known man named Galund who did autopsys on bodys. That Darius proved the well known man Galund wrong and discovered that the human liver has four lobes and not six which was originally thought. I'm not sure if i spelt those names correctly. Please assist. 64.24.174.179 (talk) 16:56, 21 May 2008 (UTC)

For one of your anatomists, see Galen.

Atlant (talk) 17:27, 21 May 2008 (UTC)

And my bet is that "Darius" is really Vesalius. Note that they were not contemporaries. Galen was a well-known authority on anatomy from the Roman times who was much respected in Medieval Europe even though Galenic anatomy had a lot of well-known problems (one of which being that Galen only dissected animals and so was quite wrong about certain parts of human anatomy that he extrapolated from them). Vesalius was not the first to suggest a new anatomical approach based more on empiricism, dissection of humans, and conceptualizing the body not as a series of regions but as a body full of sinews and organs and blood and other nasty things in a three-dimensional space (Galenic anatomy is more about regions of humors and conceptualizing the body as a 2-D arrangement), but he was one of the most popular and influential, and is sometimes called the "Father of modern anatomy" for that reason. Vesalius is widely seen as one of the major forces to overthrow Galenic anatomy, though again this is a convenient simplification. --98.217.8.46 (talk) 17:43, 21 May 2008 (UTC)

(After ec beaten to it!)It was Andreas Vesalius. Check out the impressive illustrations from his book De Humani Corporis Fabrica. They're excellent and online somewhere. (Also, Galen and Vesalius lived at very different times, but Andreas proved much of Galen's work to be false, even though it had been taken as infallable for centuries.) Fribbler (talk) 17:44, 21 May 2008 (UTC)

Scars

Hi! Everyone has gotten a scar from a cut, right. So, why do some old scars ache?X27 (talk) 17:56, 21 May 2008 (UTC)X27

They don't. There may be some nerve damage or something if a scar still hurts after healing; see a doctor, not Wikipedia. 206.126.163.20 (talk) 23:34, 21 May 2008 (UTC)

Sorry if it seemed like I was asking for medical advice.:(X27 (talk) 00:49, 22 May 2008 (UTC)X27

My first Kiss

Yesterday I went to the dentists and had a replacement filling because the old one was leaking or something. I got an injection and my whole face area around my mouth went numb. Anyway, later I went to school, and as I didn't have no lessons in the morning nobody knew I'd been to the dentists. So I'm with this girl I like and we share our first kiss, and I fact my first kiss ever. But I didn't feel it! My lips were totally numb! I'm really upset because I wanted it to be special, but I don't even know how it felt. She says it was good, but what should I do? I haven't told her about this. Everyone would probably laugh at me. Does this count as a first kiss or should I tell her and we can do it again but it won't be as special? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 79.75.241.52 (talk) 18:48, 21 May 2008 (UTC)

Well, in a way, it was special. You'll likely never forget it because of whole dentist drama. And yeah, I'd tell her. It makes for a light-hearted anecdote. Dismas|^(talk) 19:29, 21 May 2008 (UTC)

Holy shit, talk about bad luck. Do you work at the ladder factory? Wittiness aside, kissing isn't really that unique an experience physically; it's basically the same as smooshing your mouth into your elbow. The specialness of it would lie more in the fact that you're sharing a relationship/personal moment/French fry with someone else, and the physical sensation is more of a side effect. (Of course, this is coming from a Wikipedia editor, but...) Ziggy Sawdust 19:33, 21 May 2008 (UTC)

It does count as your first kiss, but you should probably still ask her if you can do it again. :) If you do it right, being able to tell a humorous story at your own expense can work wonders. Bovlb (talk) 19:48, 21 May 2008 (UTC)

Consider yourself lucky. You could have been to to the andrologyst and have had an injection into a different part of your anatomy. Whereupon your entire <insert name of organ here> goes numb.

Anyway, so I am with this girl I like and we share our first <insert name of activity here>, but I didn´t feel it! My <you know what> was totally numb. I´m really upset because I wanted it to be special, but I don´t even know how it felt.

Should I tell her and we can do it again? --Cookatoo.ergo.ZooM (talk) 22:23, 21 May 2008 (UTC)

I'm not sure about that one. If said body part was numb, I don't think it would actually functioned in the way it should meaning 'name of activity' wouldn't have happened in the first place. Of course, when it didn't work you would have had some explaining to do... Nil Einne (talk) 16:41, 25 May 2008 (UTC)

Ha ha! You've made my day with that one 79.75.241.52! Think outside the box 19:45, 25 May 2008 (UTC)

DTS

Hi. I am wondering how DTS on a surround sound system works. I can't seem to figure it out. Other than the fact I know it's loud. Do I have to turn it up in order for it not to sound like crap because it seems that way. If I have it on DTS mode on a surround sound and it's at a low volume, it will sound like not all the sound is coming through the speakers. Yet if I turn it up, it will sound extremely loud but not as crappy. Also, what is the difference between DTS Hi-Def and normal DTS?Jwking (talk) 19:18, 21 May 2008 (UTC)

Firstly, you need a surround system actually capable of playing 5.1 audio. Then you'll need a DVD or Bluray/HDDVD player that can either decode DTS itself and simply pipe the 5.1 audio to the surround system (in which case you don't need DTS mode enabled on the receiver, it just has to be set to accept the 5.1 input), or that outputs the DTS data to the system directly so that it can decode it instead (in which case you do). Then you'll need a DVD / Bluray / HDDVD disc that actually has a DTS track. That's about it. HD DTS does up to 7.1 channels of audio and has a higer bitrate than plain DTS. 24.76.169.85 (talk) 19:57, 21 May 2008 (UTC)

Can't stop having Conservative thoughts

Hello ! How do you become Enlightened ? Does being enlightended make you superior to the unenlightened ? There is much social stigma associated with Unenlightened Ideas such as free trade, patriarchy, theism, etc. How can one make an effort to not think those dangerously reactionary thoughts ? Thank you. 69.157.238.199 (talk) 19:29, 21 May 2008 (UTC)

Is there an actual question in here? Please don't use the reference desk as a soapbox, if that's what you're doing. Friday (talk) 19:34, 21 May 2008 (UTC)

If you can't stop the conservative ideas, I suggest a lobotomy. -mattbuck (Talk) 19:35, 21 May 2008 (UTC)

SYNTAX ERROR: QUERY FAILED. PLEASE TRY AGAIN. Ziggy Sawdust 19:36, 21 May 2008 (UTC)

If you genuinely want to become less conservative, one effective thing to do is to spend more time with people who are significantly different than you- especially, try to make friends who are poor, or who are part of racial, ethnic, and sexual minorities. Another good way to become less conservative is, if you are able to afford it, to travel to countries about which you have lots of stereotypes but little personal experience. Gaining as much education as possible can also be helpful- in general, people who are more educated are less conservative, as are people who live in large cities (and thus have frequent contact with many different kinds of people.) -FisherQueen (talk · contribs) 19:48, 21 May 2008 (UTC)

What's a sexual minority? :) Zain Ebrahim (talk) 20:42, 21 May 2008 (UTC)

Gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgendered people. Conservatives often find them very upsetting in theory; in practice, they're as dull as straight people -FisherQueen (talk · contribs) 20:48, 21 May 2008 (UTC)

The french? A very sexual minority if stereotypes are to be believed :-) Fribbler (talk) 22:58, 21 May 2008 (UTC)

Free trade is a very whiggish new-fangled idea. William Avery (talk) 20:01, 21 May 2008 (UTC)

Now, wait just a second. Who is telling you that you must do this? because, you are sounding like someone who is being told they must think a certain way; which is dangerously close to brainwashing.

Do not stop thinking conservative thoughts if you do not want to. If you wish to be a theist, then do so, for instance. Just becasue certain people label something as "reactionary" doesn't mean you are not entitled to think that way - freedom of thought is central to you as a person. And, this is coming from me as a devout Baptist; God does not want to force you to believe anything. i believe the way I believe because I choose to.

So, exercise your freedom of choice. If you are freely choosing to believe in something other than free trade, for instance, as the proper way for a society to run, then do so. But, you are not "dangerously reactionary" if you believe in free trade, theism, or anything else. And, nobody should say that you are.

I will stop now, as I feel this is becoming something of a soapbox statement itself. But, I was troubled by the notion that you sound almost compelled to stop thinking certain thoughts, instead of exercising free will. And, I wanted to ensure you that certain thoughts are fine. Some opinions may not be as acceptable in one culture or another, that's all.(And yes, I would say that to someone feeling compelled to think liberal thoughts, too.209.244.30.221 (talk) 15:31, 22 May 2008 (UTC)

I thought the OP was constantly plagued by visions of David Cameron,John Major and Maggie Thatcher.That might not be such a bad problem-after all the good folk of Crewe share your desires Lemon martini (talk) 14:00, 23 May 2008 (UTC)

Suggestions for an itinerary in Great Britain

I am planning a two-week holiday in England, Scotland, and possibly Wales. I have been to London several times, know the city fairly well, and will be spending just three days there on this trip. However, most of my past trips to the UK have not gone beyond London, and I am eager to explore the country. I want to see some of the great cathedrals and have already made a list. I have also made a short list of prehistoric monuments, since they interest me as well. Beyond this, my traveling companion and I are particularly interested in medieval castles and places for exhilarating hill walking. Can anyone suggest a few impressive castles and scenic hill walks? For example, I was thinking of doing some walking in the Grampians and/or the Lake District, but would welcome suggestions of particular routes in those places or other places I might not have thought of. Also, I would like to take a look at a well-preserved Victorian industrial cityscape. I had been thinking that Manchester might fit the bill, but it seems to have been redeveloped and repurposed and maybe not much different in feel than London. Would Liverpool be a better pick? Somewhere else in Lancashire or Yorkshire? Thanks in advance for your help. Marco polo (talk) 20:38, 21 May 2008 (UTC)

The major castles are, I think, Dover, Edinburgh and north Wales (Conwy, Harlech, Caernarfon and Beaumaris). If Canterbury is on your cathedral list, then Conrad's grave is a little-known cultural spot. Algebraist 21:40, 21 May 2008 (UTC)

I can recommend countryside in the North Pennines and Yorkshire Dales for walking and castle-spotting. Middleham castle has Richard III associations and the surrounding countryside is scenic and fine walking territory, being a national park and containing parts of the Pennine Way. You are within an hour or so of Skipton Castle, Barnard Castle, and of York Minster and Durham Cathedral and castle, with Hadrian's Wall an easy car trip in a day as a plus. Durham in particular is a World Heritage Site and the cathedral is spectacular. -- Karenjc 22:22, 21 May 2008 (UTC)

Arundel Castle. Dover, yes, is the major businesslike fortification, a real must-see, but Arundel.... Chock full of treasures, beautifully restored, also a major serious defensive work, lovingly maintained on fairy-tale grounds by a charming village. A real best-kept secret. --Milkbreath (talk) 22:23, 21 May 2008 (UTC)

Is it safe to assume you will be renting a car? If so, most of the country will be accessible to you. Because of the heavy traffic, expensive parking and £8/day congestion charge, I suggest you only pick up the rental car when you leave London (if you can't drive stick, make sure you request automatic transmission).

England:

West of London there's Stonehenge (get there as soon as it opens to avoid the bus loads of tourists), and Salisbury has a cathederal. If the tourist crowds get too much at Stonehenge, you could take a look at the much smaller stone circle in Avebury. You could the push on further west to Glastonbury, Wells (another great cathederal), Bath.

If you're heading north-west from London, I would suggest brief stops in Oxford and Stratford-upon-Avon. Further north, Chester has an encircling city wall, Manchester still has some Victorian industrial cityscape but you might find more of what you're looking for in the smaller cities just north of Manchester (I'm thinking, places like Bolton, Bury, Burnley, etc. - though those cities are not really set up for tourists). Liverpool still has some preserved victorian architecture and is currently the European Capital of Culture (ie. lots of cultural events going on), plus there's the Beatles, football, the ferry across the Mersey.

Further north, there's the Lake District, and at the northern end of the Lake District is the scottish border and Hadrians Wall.

Alternatively, on the eastern side of the country, I would suggest stops at Cambridge and the cathederal cities of Ely and Lincoln. Industrial cities of Leeds or Sheffield. York has a cathedeal, Whitby was one of the settings of Dracula, and Durham is yet another cathederal & college town. Newcastle-upon-Tyne is another city like Liverpool with a distinctive culture and accent. North of Newcastle, Bamburgh Castle and Lindisfarne island could be worth a vist.

Astronaut (talk) 22:43, 21 May 2008 (UTC)

Scotland

North of the border, Edinburgh is definitely worth visiting. There's a huge arts festival every year in August. In the north-west of Scotland, the Scottish Highlands give lots of opportunities for fresh air and peace and quiet. I would suggest heading towards Skye, going through Glencoe and past Eilean Donan castle on the way there. Many people say it rains a lot in the Highlands, but in my experience, the weather can be good with bright sun in August and into September.

Astronaut (talk) 01:23, 22 May 2008 (UTC)

Living nearby, I'm probably biased, but I'd recommend the Peak District for walking. It has two distinct areas (Dark and White Peak) with very different scenery, both excellent walking areas, and contains countless prehistoric monuments - I'm a particular fan of Stanton Moor. It's fairly convenient for York Minster, Lichfield Cathedral, Conisbrough Castle, and the industrial landscapes of urban Yorkshire and Lancashire.

With regard to Victorian cityscapes, it really depends on what you hope to see. You won't find large expanses of Victorian industrial buildings still in use by industry, although there are the odd few. East Manchester is good for imposing former industrial buildings towering over canals. Liverpool has extensive Victorian docks, but for my tastes, they're so sanitised that it's difficult to get any impression of their former use. Sheffield has some small scale industries still operating in Victorian buildings north east of the centre, but they're nothing much to look at. For my money, the best options are the Derwent Valley Mills - mostly pre-Victorian, but great cityscape, or Halifax, West Yorkshire for the general impression of a Victorian mill town. Warofdreams talk 22:59, 21 May 2008 (UTC)

I personally suggest Bristol as it is an absolutely beautiful city. -mattbuck (Talk) 23:00, 21 May 2008 (UTC)

Bristol is cool -- gotta walk the bridge. But one place you may not have visited in London is the British Library, which use to be in the British Museum but now has its own building. The exhibitions are amazing -- you may get to see both the Lindisfarne Gospels and the original handwritten lyrics to "I Want to Hold Your Hand!" -- Mwalcoff (talk) 23:13, 21 May 2008 (UTC)

Thanks to all of you for these suggestions! Many of these are places I wouldn't have thought of. I guess I wasn't too clear what I meant by a Victorian industrial cityscape. Maybe it isn't so important that it be industrial. I just know that my favorite cityscapes in many places (Berlin, Bremen, my own Boston, also London) date from the 19th century. In the 19th century, cities were built compactly, for walking not driving, but on a scale that feels urban in a way that earlier smaller cities (like Bruges) cannot. I was thinking that there must be a lot of that in England's old industrial heartland. After doing a little more research, I am thinking that Manchester might not be a bad choice after all, though I am tempted to try to head west and squeeze Bristol into the trip too. (Bristol has a particular interest for me as an American because of its role linking England with the colonies in the 18th century.) Marco polo (talk) 01:19, 22 May 2008 (UTC)

Try Saltaire, in Yorkshire or New Lanark, Scotland, for Victorian industrial towns; both are World Heritage sites. Saltaire is on the outskirts of Bradford, which offers its own depressing example of a degenerating industrial town, and close to Leeds, a thriving ex-industrial city, which has some Victorian highlights, including the Leeds Corn Exchange, but also the marvellous Royal Armouries which is a must see if you've an interest in military history. (But if you are in Manchester, then check out Quarry Bank Mill, a National Trust restored cotton mill complex: plenty to see.) For medieval castles, I add my vote for Skipton Castle and Middleham Castle, in Yorkshire. (Much more atmospheric than the trophy castles like Edinburgh, which is mainly post-medieval, anyway.) From Leeds, you can get commuter trains to Skipton (via Saltaire), Bradford, York, Halifax, Harrogate... Head up through Yorkshire, Durham and Northumbria to the borders to take in a fine selection of medieval castles (I love Norham), battle fields such as Flodden, Hadrian's Wall and the various Roman forts (buses shuttle along so you can walk along and get picked up). Of course, on your way past is the unmissable city of Durham: Cathedral and Castle are another World Heritage Site. The Scottish side of the border has more castles and abbeys (Melrose Abbey is good; for castles see Hermitage Castle and the tiny Smailholm Tower, for starters. If you're heading up the West coast, then the East Cumbrian castles such as Brougham and Brough are pretty good; Carlisle Castle is tired and knocked about, but the Tullie House Museum opposite is pretty good, particularly on Reiver history. I could keep going, but you're getting inundated with advice. You've a wealth to choose from, so you're bound to have a good time. Enjoy! Gwinva (talk) 02:30, 22 May 2008 (UTC)

addition: Glasgow is a fine example of a Victorian city; for something earlier, see Edinburgh's New Town. The heart of both cities can be enjoyed on foot. Gwinva (talk) 02:46, 22 May 2008 (UTC)

Manchestr still has lots of Victorian stuff left.Try walking the canal tow paths.They have Victorian warehouses all along them and some really exciting new developements.Manchester town hall is a monument to Victorian architecture.There is the Royal Exchange theatre too, and Central library.The Science museum has a working Victorian loom amd Manchester was built on the cotton industry and there are guided walks through the city.Salford Quays is well worth a visit too, the Lowry Gallery has matchstick men paintings.The art galleries have great collections of Victorian art too.hotclaws 08:09, 22 May 2008 (UTC)

Looks like you're going to need a couple of years. Have a great time, anyway.90.0.129.100 (talk) 09:59, 22 May 2008 (UTC)DT

Shopping Embarassment

Suppose one is shopping in a North American store such as Wal-Mart. One loads a shopping cart with the desired merchandise and proceeds to the cashier, just to discover that one forgot one's wallet and has no money. What does one do in such as case? Should one just excuse oneself and leave the loaded shopping cart aside and go home? Acceptable (talk) 20:43, 21 May 2008 (UTC)

If you're planning to go home, get money, and come back, you can park it by the information desk and tell them so. If you're just leaving, the polite thing to do is to take the time to put items back on the correct shelves. If you aren't able to find the correct shelves, or really don't have the time, you should deliver the cart to the information desk, explain that the items need to be reshelved, and apologize profusely. If you just leave it in an aisle, you are saved embarrassment, but the frozen / refrigerated items will have to be thrown away, which costs the store money and is wasteful as well. My opinion. -FisherQueen (talk · contribs) 20:53, 21 May 2008 (UTC)

Ditto to the above. I've seen this done a time or two when I was younger and not everyone had a credit card. Back in those days, people would sometimes forget to go to the bank to get money first or to bring their check/cheque book or whatever. They didn't have a number of credit cards in their wallet or purse to just whip out. Dismas|^(talk) 21:03, 21 May 2008 (UTC)

Oh, and additionally, many small retailers still don't have the facilities to make credit card transactions. So unless you have cash or a check (that they're willing to accept), you're stuck there as well. I know of a few small local stores around me that are this way, including one restaurant. This is why I always carry at least one blank check with me since I rarely carry more than a few dollars cash. Dismas|^(talk) 21:06, 21 May 2008 (UTC)

I have had once this problem. I have loaded the shopping cart until the point that it was difficult to push it. As I came to the cashier I tried to pay with my credit card but it was not accepted by the system. I apologized and suggested that I could left everything at a corner, go to the nearest ATM and come back to pay for it. Unhappily the ATM didn't give me any money since my account was overdrafted so - as you can imagine - I came never back to this supermarket. Even years after this event I avoided going there. Mr.K. (talk) 01:56, 23 May 2008 (UTC)

It's most likely they won't remember you, if that's what you're worried about. In addition, a significant number of them have probably changed jobs. --WikiSlasher (talk) 10:38, 24 May 2008 (UTC)

Screen shots

Are there any Wikipedia pages that could use a screen shot? Example: User script pages, assorted editing pages. I just love making them! WikiZorro^sign 21:12, 21 May 2008 (UTC)

Try Wikipedia:Requested images -mattbuck (Talk) 21:13, 21 May 2008 (UTC)

Anatomy of the Penis (This is a good question!)

What's the part of the penis called that is like a string that attaches the top of the foreskin to the bell end and stops you from pulling your foreskin all the way down your penis? I've searched on Wikipedia articles, but they don't help me. Meaty♠Weenies (talk) 21:43, 21 May 2008 (UTC)

Frenulum? --Cookatoo.ergo.ZooM (talk) 22:00, 21 May 2008 (UTC)

Ah yes, thanks. Is it possible that it could snap if you stretch it too far? Meaty♠Weenies (talk) 22:02, 21 May 2008 (UTC)

According to Frenulum of prepuce of penis yes. --Tagishsimon (talk) 22:04, 21 May 2008 (UTC)

Hmmm, what a lovely thought... Meaty♠Weenies (talk) 22:05, 21 May 2008 (UTC)

Yes. See here. [5]. -- Karenjc 22:07, 21 May 2008 (UTC)

Ouch! Is this common i.e. is this likely to happen to me at some point in my life? Meaty♠Weenies (talk) 22:13, 21 May 2008 (UTC)

The link above states (and I quote) "...but information about it is hard to come by..." --Cookatoo.ergo.ZooM (talk) 22:28, 21 May 2008 (UTC)

Not too likely to tear unless the frenulum is shorter than normal. Frenulum breve is the name for that condition. If there is no pain associated with sexual activity don't be concerned. If there is pain, see your doctor for further infos. (BTW a torn frenulum is incredibly painful and much bloodier than one would think.) 161.222.160.8 (talk) 00:25, 22 May 2008 (UTC)

Well, thanks a lot, I'll have loads of fun for the next 3 hours while I try to get that delightful image out of my head. Ziggy Sawdust 02:05, 22 May 2008 (UTC)

Fuel economy and opening car windows (This question is better)

How much fuel does it cost to open a window (partly/completely) in a driving car? It's obvious that opening windows increases turbulences, but by how much? This must depend (at least) on the specific car, the speed, and on the combination of open windows (if more than one is opened), but what is a ballpark figure for opening a car window? As a minor point, are convertibles generally more or less fuel efficient (keeping everything else constant)? Thanks, Ibn Battuta (talk) 23:19, 21 May 2008 (UTC)

Modern vehicle owner's manuals advise using the A/C at highway speeds instead of opening a window to maximize economy. You could probably ballpark a figure based on the energy requirement of the A/C compressor. Below about 40 mph any difference is negligible. As far as convertibles go- they are typically less efficient than their hardtop counterpart, often because they are heavier in order to provide the same level of occupant protection in a collision. 161.222.160.8 (talk) 00:33, 22 May 2008 (UTC)

(Original research warning!) Last summer, I did extensive research into the maximum fuel economy I could achieve with my 1996 Dodge Grand Caravan (3.3L motor). The bottom lines, for that vehicle, were:

• Running the A/C was extremely detremental to fuel economy, costing about 3 MPG.

• Opening the windows had no discernable effect on fuel economy, even at pretty high speeds.

• Reduction of driving speed from (say) 72-ish MPH to 52-ish MPH dramatically boosted fuel economy (from ~24 to 29 MPG).

• It is very difficult to drive slowly on American superhighways, even where the posted speed limit is "55 MPH". You're taking your life into your hands!

This summer, I may try a similar study using my Audi A8. With regard to my point #4, look for my obituary come September.

Atlant (talk) 13:45, 22 May 2008 (UTC)

I don't have a link handy but the advice commonly given in "gas saving tips" these days is that the difference is usually insignificant. It stands to reason this may vary somewhat between vehicles tho- and we see from the observations Atlant made that in his particular vehicle there was a noticeable difference. Convertibles have a bit of extra weight as pointed out above, altho I bet this doesn't matter much cruising on the highway. Convertibles may also have a higher drag coefficient than their hardtop counterparts, which would make some difference. Friday (talk) 15:21, 22 May 2008 (UTC)

Thanks! I'm surprised, though, because I asked this question after reading the Loremo. The article claims that the predicted fuel efficiency of the Loremo is partly due to the door-less car body. Now I would have thought that a tiny gap between car doors makes less of a difference than opening an entire window (or more)! ... As for the minimal speed, yes, I know that problem. (sigh) The most outrageous thing in this context that I've heard of so far is that German courts have ruled that a slow driver on a highway (who drives above the minimum speed!!) is in part responsible if another car crashes into him from behind. I don't know the specifics of the case, but according to the news, it was really just about driving slowly! ... --Ibn Battuta (talk) 16:12, 22 May 2008 (UTC)

Without having a source to reference, I'm guessing that's in connection with the Autobahn. Germany (and Europe, generally) are sticklers about respecting the "slow traffic keep right" (or British equivalent) that Americans love to disregard. If you're puttering along at 100 mph in the left lane, then yeah, you're going to take some portion of fault when a Porsche rear-ends you. — Lomn 18:06, 22 May 2008 (UTC)

You'd be amazed at how much drag minor irregularities can cause. During early WWII, metalworking technology reached the point where countersunk rivets could be used for aiplane construction. One model of fighter airplane got a 100mph increase in top speed just through being redesigned to use countersunk rivets. --Carnildo (talk) 23:18, 22 May 2008 (UTC)

Speaking of the Loremo article, what exactly is the point of the map near the bottom? From nowhere in particular in Missouri, you could drive to Washington if the roads didn't have any curves? Matt Deres (talk) 02:26, 23 May 2008 (UTC)

How can i get my first car trick my ride

My name is Tiffany Viola Willamson and my baby daddy bought me a car after i had our little girl in november 3, 2004. I would love for ya`ll to trick my ride so how do i sign up for that? I`m from pine biuff Arkansas,deep down south —Preceding unsigned comment added by 206.255.139.160 (talk) 22:11, 21 May 2008 (UTC)

If you have a truck, you could try leaving a request on the Trick My Truck message board. If you have a car, you might try leaving a comment on the Pimp My Ride blog. Of course, there are probably thousands of other people out there who'd like the same treatment, so your chances may not be great. Marco polo (talk) 00:21, 22 May 2008 (UTC)

Wikipedia is an encyclopedia. We do not perform non-manufacturer-authorized alterations on cars. Ziggy Sawdust 02:05, 22 May 2008 (UTC)

What the heck does trick my ride mean ?90.0.129.100 (talk) 09:56, 22 May 2008 (UTC)DT

Article Trick My Truck, Pimp My Ride and Monster Garage are shows that look for deserving rigs to be customised, road makeover shows. Julia Rossi (talk) 10:03, 22 May 2008 (UTC)

One meaning of "ride" is: "vehicle used for transportation".  --Lambiam 19:08, 26 May 2008 (UTC)

How did I know she would be from the Deep South even before I got to the end of that sentence just from 'baby daddy' and 'ya'all'? Lemon martini (talk) 14:02, 23 May 2008 (UTC)

May 22

I have two questions - a linguistic one and general one

1. What is the name of a round, usually wooden, instrument in English, that has metal rings on sides, so when you hodl it in your hand and shake your hand it makes sound? In Serbian we call it daire, but I don't know what is its name in English.

And secondly, I've been always curious about this. When TV anchors says 'yesterday's show generated 2.3 million viewers blah blah blah', how do TV networks measure viewerships? I mean, how do they always know how many people tune in to some program or TV station?

I know these are totally separated questions, but I figured this is where to go for the answer! :)

Thank you!!

Svetlana Miljkovic (talk) 00:37, 22 May 2008 (UTC)

Audience measurement. Specifically, in America, the popular ones are the Nielsen Ratings, in the UK they're the Broadcasters' Audience Research Board, and there's a specific article on Television ratings in Australia. There are other companies, but these are the big ones and the ones we have articles for. 206.126.163.20 (talk) 00:42, 22 May 2008 (UTC)

1. That would be a tambourine I believe. 76.22.123.202 (talk) 00:45, 22 May 2008 (UTC)

Perhaps more specifically: a Dayereh. Unfortunately, there is not a Serbian language version of that article. Astronaut (talk) 01:34, 22 May 2008 (UTC)

Ah, but there is: Даире (инструмент). But it interwikilinks to tambourine on en.wikipedia, and now it interwikilinks from Dayereh to sr.wikipedia. :S ---Sluzzelin talk 02:00, 22 May 2008 (UTC)

Swearing

Why are swear words considered taboos? It's not like they hurt anyone. For example, in elementary school sex-ed, the teacher will say the words "sex" and "intercource" over and over again, and yet if an elementary student were to say "fuck", they would get a detention even thought the words mean the same thing. It just makes no sense to me, and I have yet to get a good explanation. You're dreaming eh? 02:19, 22 May 2008 (UTC)

They indicate an extreme lack of respect, or even hostility. When someone says "fuck you" they are not saying "intercourse you", they are attempting to indicate great disrespect and often anger. It is this latter translation, not the literal one, that is taken umbrage with. Anyway, I'm sure someone on the Linguistics desk could give a more thorough explanation of swear words and their role in communication. Rest assured, communication is not about literal translation much of the time. --98.217.8.46 (talk) 03:00, 22 May 2008 (UTC)

Hmm... I do have an argument for that, but I'll take it to the Linguistics desk. You're dreaming eh? 03:11, 22 May 2008 (UTC)

As an interesting (and somewhat relevant) addition, my "theory that I have but cannot prove" is that the idea of 'fuck you' is as a passive and non-volitional meaning, and thus rape and humiliation. Of course, that might seem obvious to everyone else, but it came to me in a flash of inspiration. Steewi (talk) 05:23, 22 May 2008 (UTC)

How come I can't find this user's contribution page? Just a user page and no talk page either. Julia Rossi (talk) 09:57, 22 May 2008 (UTC)

I think that's because you clicked on the "eh?" which leads to a user sub-page. If you click on "You're" you get the user page with talk page and contributions. ---Sluzzelin talk 10:17, 22 May 2008 (UTC)

Ah, thanks, Sluzzelin, *illumination* : ) Julia Rossi (talk) 10:22, 22 May 2008 (UTC)

Heres an interesting article [6]. I remember reading it at the time and thought it was good. Fribbler (talk) 11:43, 22 May 2008 (UTC)

If you're interested in the subtleties of swearing, Maledicta is a good place to go to. Here is their website. See also archived questions from over two months (emerging question on the topic of taboos) and almost two years ago. ---Sluzzelin talk

And if you're not interested in the subtleties, there's always Gordon Ramsay who calls it cheffy-language and doesn't recommend it to non-chefs (especially his underlings talking back to him). Julia Rossi (talk) 23:41, 22 May 2008 (UTC)

And while my pop-up dictionary has popped up, its definition is 1. sexual intercourse and 2. to ruin or damage; and fyi, lists fuck in 14 variants. So if you think it's okay and use it on someone who doesn't, they'll likely react badly, so run.  : ) Julia Rossi (talk) 23:45, 22 May 2008 (UTC)

Article Creation by IPs nullified?!

Here is the article(Placed here, since all I get is "Unauthorized")

Article Title: GET US OUT!

Article:

The organization, called GET US OUT! is a US organization that charges that the UN is corrupt, anti-American, worse. Claims include the UN being the "World Government" or is part of the World Government, that the UN wants to terminate the soverignty of the US, disarm the American people, so that foregin armies can occupy the destroyed US, destroy all Christians.

See Also

• United Nations
• World Government

External Links

• www.getusout.com

As a IP I cannot place this, any articles. 65.163.115.254 (talk) 02:26, 22 May 2008 (UTC)

Wikipedia:Help desk and Wikipedia:New contributors' help page are for wikipedia questions, this page is for general questions. 206.126.163.20 (talk) 03:29, 22 May 2008 (UTC)

You might want to see Articles for Creation. However, I highly doubt that this article will be posted as is. It has a highly anti-UN POV (see WP:NPOV). It also sounds almost as if you are part of the group, meaning you have a conflict of interest. Thirdly, without reliable, outside sources it might be seen as non-notable. Paragon12321 (talk) 03:41, 22 May 2008 (UTC)

• 1. Been there, done that. Negative results 2. I am NOT in ANY org, much less that one. 3.The Organization's signs are all over the Texas area, especially all over the highways near Port O' Connor, Port Lavaca, and Victoria, all in Texas. There are other signs like that all over Arkansas, New Mexico, Arizona, other places. Each sign measured 4' X 1.5' to 8' X 2' has the organization's name on it, a profanity riddled comment about the UN, such as "They're commin' to take your (censored) guns, you (censored) idiots","Are you a Christian? The UN will lock up your (censored)(censored) in prison, mental hospitals", worse. 65.163.115.254 (talk) 04:38, 22 May 2008 (UTC)

Great, I don't know what you want us to do then. 24.76.169.85 (talk) 04:44, 22 May 2008 (UTC)

I hope it is a malfunction. Just got a "Database Locked" error message while answering a question. 65.163.115.254 (talk) 04:58, 22 May 2008 (UTC)

Can someone make it Wikipedia compliant? I can't due to a weird malfunction. 65.163.115.254 (talk) 05:00, 22 May 2008 (UTC)

Just tried to creat a article, say about a BIG "Z"(silly I'm sure). Got the SAME problem. 65.163.115.254 (talk) 05:04, 22 May 2008 (UTC)

I've just found out that IPs cannot create articles. Maybe there should be a IP corner for IPs to create articles. 65.163.115.254 (talk) 07:00, 22 May 2008 (UTC)

Thanks for the help. Finally I got a straight answer. *Me hugging, kissing a female Admin, shaking hands with a male Admin!* 65.163.115.254 (talk) 07:05, 22 May 2008 (UTC)

You're the Fox News/UFO guy, aren't you? Hi there, I quite enjoy your breathless contributions to the Ref Desks. Why not just create an account? That way you can create as many articles as you like. However, I suspect that if you were to create an article on this "organization", it would be swiftly deleted due to not meeting the Wikipedia notability criterion. By the way, did you notice that the "organization" is in fact a front for the John Birch Society? --Richardrj ^{talk email} 07:47, 22 May 2008 (UTC)

Not only no, but HELL NO. 65.163.115.254 (talk) 07:57, 22 May 2008 (UTC)

I did not know that about the org either. 65.163.115.254 (talk) 07:58, 22 May 2008 (UTC)

You know, you technically have an account as an IP. Making it named so you can actually create pages is probably less of a personal intrusion, since IPs make more information public than a regular account. In fact, current user account guidelines allow you to essentially create an account solely to make an article and then forget about it. --Haemo (talk) 09:19, 22 May 2008 (UTC)

Restless mind

I am being troubled by my restless mind.I always seem to live in my fantasies and never get into the real world. I imagine myself fighting with martial artists but in real I dont even have guts to face when somebody slaps me unjustly or challenges me to a fight. I imagine myself as a genius and a scientist but my academics and IQ are hopeless. My attention span is hopeless (its about 10 to 15 minutes maximum) and I even get mentally tired easily. How can I become mentally resillent? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 121.246.173.175 (talk) 07:48, 22 May 2008 (UTC)

While Wikipedia is not going to give you medical advice, you might consider seeing a doctor or psychiatrist about that — at the very least they can recommend some mental exercises which might help your concentration. --Haemo (talk) 09:17, 22 May 2008 (UTC)

Such as meditation perhaps. Some types are specifically designed to aid concentration.--Shantavira|^{feed me} 12:52, 22 May 2008 (UTC)

While we can't give medical advice, have you tried looking under neurology and some of the different things that are out there? I have a guess...from the attention span...and while I'm not saying it's what you have it's probably the same thing you guessed, too. You can certainly do a search or look at attention span and see if it sounds plausible. Colin Cowherd, an ESPN radio talk show host, guessed the same thing for himself as I'm thinking for you, through just research on his own. But, only a doctor can say for sure.209.244.30.221 (talk) 15:01, 22 May 2008 (UTC)

Also wishing to avoid giving any medical advice, you might try to look into your sleep pattern and your diet. If it were me, I'd try an Elimination diet starting with caffeine and sugar. Is having a restless mind really that bad, though? These days there is a tendency to medicate everyone into conformity. You could instead see if you can not benefit from being different. There are career options for creative and unconventional individuals {see Art, Landscaping, Writer, Cartoonist, Designer, Game design Copywriting Inventor for just a few.) Since you know what your idiosyncacies are, you might be able to establish a support network and methods for yourself to cope. If you can't do the same thing for more than 15 min., set up several tasks simultaneously, get yourself a little timer and switch every 15 min. (Hey presto, dishes, laundry and sorting the bills all done!) Find out what tasks you can't do and don't be bashful about hiring help for those. If you can't work within the constraints of a company nor deal with the ins and outs of running your own company, try to find a business drone to partner up with. (Keep a close eye on them, it's not uncommon to get cheated.) If you can write about your imaginary life as martial artist or scientist, please do! I'm always looking for something interesting to read or watch on TV rather than those awful reality shows :-}--71.236.23.111 (talk) 17:49, 22 May 2008 (UTC)

This is just anecdote and OR, but it's to let you know not to worry too much about IQ tests. Someone I know won a world medal in math yet couldn't get past the easy stages in iq answers at school. Check out the rest of your symptoms though. Going with special con 71.236, there's a classic on a dreamer The Secret Life of Walter Mitty and probably a few since, so if you can, turn it into material. When you get more settled you could try a creative writing class. Best, Julia Rossi (talk) 02:10, 24 May 2008 (UTC)

How do i challenge inaccurate information?

On the ballistics trauma section it states:

"the range at which the victim was shot; i.e. wounds inflicted by 7.62x39mm bullets fired from a distance of 5 metres will invariably be more severe than those fired from a range of 500 metres. The velocity of a bullet (and therefore its destructive potential) gradually reduces as it travels from the muzzle of a firearm. "

That is compeltely wrong. The longer the distance a bullet travels, especially RIFLE/ASSAULT RIFLE type rounds, the more chance they have of KEYHOLING or tumbling in flight. Or simply bouncing off things, penetrating objects and deforming yet hitting their target. The resualt is catastrophic. Shooting someone with anything FMJ (full metal jacket) from a short distance will normally cause the bullet to go right through causing minimal tissue damage (of course if it doesnt hit the heart, brain, liver, etc.) and will more than likely be found in the dirt, gun range backstop or wherever completely undeformed, almost as if you could reload it and fire it again.

Scott Nichols Gun enthusiast and gun knowitall <email removed> —Preceding unsigned comment added by 72.185.110.245 (talk) 11:55, 22 May 2008 (UTC)

Start by bringing up your concerns on the talk page of the relevant article (see the "discussion" tab at the top of that page. I would assume this is Talk:Ballistic trauma in this instance. Then see if you can find reliable sources that back up your information. We seek to have as much information as possible sourced back to mainstream publications like "Gun Knowitall Weekly" rather than individuals. Once you've got that, edit the article (or add the source to the talk page and request someone else add it). Where you insert the statement, please also add something to the effect of <ref>"Assault Rifle Keyholing", Gun Knowitall Weekly, Vol 3 Issue 17</ref> or whatever the source information may be. This will help ensure your contributions aren't deleted as idle speculation. Hope this helps! — Lomn 13:32, 22 May 2008 (UTC)

If you have a source and the existing text doesn't, just go ahead make the change yourself and cite the source as Lomn suggests. If you don't have a source, or the sources conflict, you should discuss it on the talk page. --Sean 14:40, 22 May 2008 (UTC)

How to change voicemail

I changed my voicemail to a Rickroll that goes for 3 minutes and 25 seconds and now I've forgotten the number to call to change it to something else. My simcard is Virgin Mobile. --124.254.77.148 (talk) 12:15, 22 May 2008 (UTC)

According to here, you should dial 212 and follow the instructions. Algebraist 12:27, 22 May 2008 (UTC)

Logo: ?!

Is there a pre-existing brand logo that is made up of only a question mark and exclamation point? Example: ?!

I've tried searching the USPTO database but wasn't really able to get it to show me anything. It's an idea I had but I want to make sure I'm not accidentally copying something else I've seen but forgotten I've seen.

Just curious if anyone else has seen it somewhere, if it rings a bell, if it's something obvious that I'm overlooking. I have major problems with cryptomnesia when it comes to graphic design, where I'll end up with something that looks awesome and then a day later I'll realize I subconsciously copied the motif from a book cover I saw years ago—I've got a near photographic memory for the content of images but I don't always remember where they're from, it's a bad combination! ;-) --98.217.8.46 (talk) 15:29, 22 May 2008 (UTC)

When the two marks are superimposed, the symbol is called an interrobang. That article indicates that the interrobang is used in the logo for Partnership for a Drug-Free America. --LarryMac | Talk 16:20, 22 May 2008 (UTC)

Weird! Thanks. That's not at all what I was going to do with it, but that's good to know. --98.217.8.46 (talk) 23:57, 22 May 2008 (UTC)

Rally the troops

I need a short speach preferably by a great leader, that I can edit slightly, to then recite to my band members before a gig, something to rally the troops, or to boost moral. any ideas? I was thinking of Churchill, we will rock them on the beaches, we will rock them on the streets, we will rock them in the cities, and NEVER sleep! But this is a bit to obvious and they will know where I got it from. Thanks —Preceding unsigned comment added by 193.115.175.247 (talk) 16:17, 22 May 2008 (UTC) Zionist

Patton's Speech to the Third Army (note: the full speech is available here; the article only includes choice quotes)? Angus Lepper^{(T, C, D)} 16:59, 22 May 2008 (UTC)

there's also a slightly different version of the speech here: http://www.pattonhq.com/speech.html, which seems to contain more swearing. Does anyone know which version is the most accurate? Not that historical accuracy really matters here.HS7 (talk) 21:34, 22 May 2008 (UTC)

Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more;

Or close the wall up with our English dead.

In peace there's nothing so becomes a man

As modest stillness and humility:

But when the blast of war blows in our ears,

Then imitate the action of the tiger;

Stiffen the sinews, summon up the blood,

Disguise fair nature with hard-favour'd rage.

Henry V, Act III Scene i Malcolm XIV (talk) 18:16, 22 May 2008 (UTC)

Or, also from Henry V:

We few, we happy few, we band of brothers;

For he to-day that sheds his blood with me

Shall be my brother; be he ne'er so vile,

This day shall gentle his condition:

And gentlemen in England now a-bed

Shall think themselves accursed they were not here,

And hold their manhoods cheap whiles any speaks

That fought with us upon Saint Crispin's day"

Matt Deres (talk) 02:35, 23 May 2008 (UTC)

Speech to the Troops at Tilbury? Adam Bishop (talk) 16:13, 23 May 2008 (UTC)

Where to buy casual cravat?

Sorry in advance if this doesn't qualify as an appropriate question for here.

I'm in the UK, near London. Can anyone recommend a shop (in the real world) which sells what this site calls casual cravats?

Thanks, Daniel (‽) 18:55, 22 May 2008 (UTC)

Any well stocked menswear shop - outside bespoke Savage Row - should have what looks like the real Croatian McCoy to me. --Cookatoo.ergo.ZooM (talk) 20:14, 22 May 2008 (UTC)

Tie Rack perhaps? I'm pretty sure I've seen them in Marks & Sparks--80.176.225.249 (talk) 23:20, 22 May 2008 (UTC)

Er, Savile Row, too. Just think of Lord Arthur Savile's Crime. Xn4 23:14, 22 May 2008 (UTC)

Harrods, of course!--Artjo (talk) 09:20, 23 May 2008 (UTC)

I looked in one Tie Rack, and couldn't find any, but it's possible that there are better-stocked Tie Racks elsewhere which I shall peruse if the opportunity arises. The same goes for your other suggestions (although I can't say I'm a regular customer at Saville Row). Thanks for the advice. Daniel (‽) 13:57, 23 May 2008 (UTC)

Searches through various store sites (Debenhams, M+S, House of Fraser, Next, Monsoon...) didn't yield any treasures. If you have a sewing machine, and a minimal sewing skill, vogue patterns V7644 has a pattern for a cravat which they call an Ascot. SaundersW (talk) 15:49, 23 May 2008 (UTC)

New & Lingwood. MilkFloat 15:56, 23 May 2008 (UTC)

I get mine from the local Charity shops (Oxfam, RSPCA, Help the Aged, etc). It's surprising how many you find... Samilong (talk) 10:38, 27 May 2008 (UTC)

Life Insurance Beneficiary

If there two people named as beneficiaries to a life insurance policy. Are they payed separately or are both of their names on one check.Dstoppa (talk) 20:07, 22 May 2008 (UTC)

Sounds like the sort of thing that might vary from one country to another, maybe from one company to another, and maybe even from one policy to another (that is, it could be at the insured person's option). Best to contact the relevant company and ask them. --Anonymous, 20:50 UTC, May 22, 2008.

As an aside, a UK insurance company advertising 'whole life policies' states that if you stop investing then "you get nothing back". You don't get it back anyway once you are dead !!--Artjo (talk) 06:49, 23 May 2008 (UTC)

I suspect the above comment was "tongue-in-cheek" but could be misleading to the OP. The fact is that Whole Life Policies only pay out on death - there is no investment value attaching to them - and clearly, they cannot pay out to the insured life (who will be dead). What the above humorous comment alludes to is that if the insured life ceases to pay his premiums (whilst still living), HE will not get a refund. As to the OP's question, any sums payable after the death of the insured life will go into that ex-person's estate and be re-distributed according to any Will that was made whilst still living. In the event of there being no Will, the estate will be wound up and distributed by a named executor, failing whom, a nominated executor, both situations being ratified in Law by an appointed lawyer, who will take fat fees for the service. All the foregoing is based on UK Testacy and Inheritance Law - but is not to be taken as Legal Advice, merely information.92.21.248.30 (talk) 10:26, 23 May 2008 (UTC)

Would it make sense that...?

I was thinking about this for a while and decided to bring it to Wikipedia:

If you were really good at doing something, wouldn't it imply that you would be good at doing the opposite thing?

Let me explain, suppose you are the world's most skilled assassin, wouldn't that also imply that you would (potentially) be the world's best bodyguard? If you are the "best" assassin, then you'd be able to recognize weaknesses in security or be able to secure areas that assassins normally would know.

Along the same lines of thought, wouldn't a world-renowned thief be able to construct a perfect vault?

Is there a word (or a phrase) to describe the relationship between two different jobs that imply this?

Thanks for your time.

Cheers!

❦ECH3LON❦ 20:23, 22 May 2008 (UTC)

Well, specifically in the area of security we have the proverb "set a thief to catch a thief" and the job of being on a "tiger team". I can't think of anything that generalizes the concept to other areas, like a structural engineer working as a demolitions expert or vice versa, although people might describe these by using the proverb as well. --Anonymous, edited 20:54 UTC, May 22, 2008.

If you were really good at doing something, wouldn't it imply that you would be good at doing the opposite thing? - No, not always. For example, a good writer rarely becomes a good critic, or it is very hard to a good goalkeeper to be a good striker. 89.146.74.28 (talk) 21:30, 22 May 2008 (UTC)

As to the word you're looking for, I'd say "counterpart" is far more accurate than "opposite". Why, for instance, isn't the opposite of an assassin an avowed pacifist? That doesn't jive very well with the job requirements of a bodyguard, but it perhaps fits a doctor.

As to counterpart competency, I like 89...'s example above -- someone is likely to have a mental understanding of their counterpart's job, but that's not necessarily going to translate into practical competence. — Lomn 21:43, 22 May 2008 (UTC)

Also, this isn't even an issue of opposites or counterparts! To use the assassin/bodyguard example given above, it's a question of a person having thorough experience, knowledge and understanding of security, and then applying that knowledge in one way or another -- to breach or reinforce it. That same competence could also enable a person to be a good security consultant, a trainer in security-related skills, a person who plans assaults on or infiltration of secure locations (for military or law enforcement purposes, for example), someone who works with architects when a building is being designed to make sure that it's designed in a way that's conducive to maintaining good security, or even a writer who specializes in realistic fiction in the appropriate genre. Among many other things. -- Captain Disdain (talk) 22:13, 22 May 2008 (UTC)

"Walking in someone else's shoes." comes to mind as a descriptive term. 71.236.23.111 (talk) 22:44, 22 May 2008 (UTC)

I'd say that it's generally true that if you excel in one area of life, you're likely to excel in various others as well. But not necessarily in the "opposite" things. -- JackofOz (talk) 22:48, 22 May 2008 (UTC)

I was thinking more along the lines of a job/expertise, that gives the person applicable experience to do something often contrary to their original job/expertise (eg. an expert hacker designing a firewall program), I was wondering if there was a word or phrase to describe this relationship, like counterpart (although I don't think it's the right word) Cheers! ❦ECH3LON❦ 00:05, 23 May 2008 (UTC)

Could Sherlock Holmes become the "Napoleon of crime" while Professor Moriarty became the world's greatest consulting detective? Edison (talk) 00:12, 23 May 2008 (UTC)

Well, it all depends on what version of opposite you use. For example, the opposite of an assassin (one who takes life) could be Gandhi (who objects to taking of life), a bodyguard (who protects life), or a doctor (who restores life). Similarly, the opposite of any of those things could be an assassin, soldier, serial killer, Shaolin monk, knight, or guerilla. But yes, if the definition of opposite is someone in the same field who uses the same expertise to opposite ends, then your axiom holds true. Ziggy Sawdust 00:21, 23 May 2008 (UTC)

That reminds me of that fire fighter who attempted to become the perfect arsonist, would "converse" be the appropriate word by chance? The only flaw with it is that it does not imply that the two things require the same (expertise/reasoning/etc...) Cheers! ❦ECH3LON❦ 00:34, 23 May 2008 (UTC)

From recent experience working with the Fire Service, I have noticed that senior firefighters are fascinated by fire, fireworks, garden flares, bonfires, and will use any of the above at the slightest provocation. Firefighters also appear fascinated by lighting training fires in order to control them and put them out. There is a smaller distance between firefighters and firelighters than might at first appear. SaundersW (talk) 08:31, 23 May 2008 (UTC)

Politicians often become lobbyists, and journalists sometimes go into public relations. -- Mwalcoff (talk) 02:26, 23 May 2008 (UTC)

And people switch between being prosecutors, defense attorneys, and judges... another case where it isn't clear which ones are really "opposites". --Anonymous, 04:34 UTC, May 23, 2008.

Again, that's clearly a case of legal expertise being applied in various ways. This idea of "opposites" has a great deal of thematic appeal to me, and in a work of fiction, it's pretty interesting -- but honestly, it strikes me as kind of misguided when applied to the real world. It's a simplification of reality that ignores real-world dynamics. -- Captain Disdain (talk) 05:04, 23 May 2008 (UTC)

Looking at ECH3LON's examples (but not at some of those provided by others), they are restricted to running the same race of wits and technology against and opposite of one another other, and with the line of legality between them (making it easy to attribute "sides" that can be switched). I still don't know what to call these pairings, except antagonists. And this cliché of inverted mirroring came to my mind. Speaking of Moriarty and Holmes, Flambeau is one literary example of a criminal mind that became a detective mind. ---Sluzzelin talk 10:44, 23 May 2008 (UTC)

There's a phrase (in UK English at least) "poacher turned gamekeeper", which describes what you're talking about pretty well. -- Karenjc 16:35, 23 May 2008 (UTC)

I take it you'd still be doing the same thing but for opposite reasons, like the hero in Catch Me if You Can -- it can depend on your values, position in life, outlook and opportunities. Even former txxxls or ex-vxxxxls sometimes become good wikieditors. I like mirror or counterpart, especially when police and criminals are compared. But no ex-cons become policemen because they've got records. Julia Rossi (talk) 01:59, 24 May 2008 (UTC)

May 23

Boy Stuff; Girl Stuff

Is it true that men created activities and chores for woman to do so that they could control their woman not to do bad things? What I mean by this is men made sure the woman staid at home doing the laundry, cooking, cleaning, sewing, shopping, etc. so that they knew where their woman were at all times.Is it also true that to separate the genders out men created activities that only men could do and only woman can do?X27 (talk) 00:55, 23 May 2008 (UTC)X27

Er, 1.No and

2. No —Preceding unsigned comment added by 79.76.208.101 (talk) 01:19, 23 May 2008 (UTC)

I'm not sure I quite understand the question. I don't think anyone created laundry and dirty dishes, they just kind of happened on their own. The history of male/female relations and gender-specific duties in each culture is horribly complicated, but I think the answer you're looking for is closer to: Women got stuck doing those things because they weren't allowed to do much else (politics, arts, warfare, etc.) and because someone had to do them. Women probably got the shitty end of that stick by being tied down to the household more due to the needs of child rearing. Yes, in many case I'm sure women were considered male property, but I don't think that specifically contributed to the point of your question. Matt Deres (talk) 02:51, 23 May 2008 (UTC)

lol! I know no one created laundry.I should rephrase my question shouldn't I. My question is: Did the men use those activities to control where their woman should be and shouldn't be? Why did the men claims those to be only woman activities?X27 (talk) 03:11, 23 May 2008 (UTC)X27

In Western society men traditionally worked outside the home and women worked within it — raising the children, primarily. Activities like cooking, cleaning, and washing traditionally fell to women because they did most of their household activities at the home, and these are home-related objects. These activities were not created to "control" where women should be, but rather fell to women as a consequence of where society said they should be. A key to understanding this is to realize that neither men nor women are usually conscious of how they play into sexual stereotypes and gender roles; they try to help out, within the socially constrained environment they operate in. It seems odd, especially to modern people, since they take it for granted that people question the gender roles assigned to them — however, that is an ahistorical view which does not take into account that people (even today) rarely question the established wisdom when it comes to social status and role. --04:02, 23 May 2008 (UTC)

These arguments never cease to amaze me. I was wondering and looked into it a bit. "Traditional" seems to be what conforms to the ideas of the person putting forward the argument. Gender roles are not the same in all societies and within societies are not the same for all levels. This is consistently so throughout history as far as I can find. For example, European Queens certainly didn't stay home to do the laundry. Anyone who could afford to do so, either because of their social status or because they paid for it, got someone else to take care of the kids. Office clerk used to be a male profession. In some societies sewing is a "traditional" male task, whereas in others it's female. Mucking out stables is shared work done by whoever can best fit it in on most farms I know about that don't do it mechanically. (And it's no fun!) There may be some slice of history somewhere, where X27's "tied down woman" was in the majority. I admit I don't know the subject well enough, I just know that whenever I encounter the "traditionally oppressed female" argument and ask for details, I find that there are tons of examples to the contrary. I used to think females in a household with more than one wife were subject to male oppression until I encountered one and found out that at least in that society, there was a matriarchy underneath it all and the husband was just as much under the matriarch's thumb as the other wives were. As far as not "letting their woman do things" that begs the question "Bad by whose standards." Looking at historical literature, there are tons of examples of females doing things their husbands would probably not have approved of by modern standards. Views on what is morally acceptable change. Look at the Romans for example they've dug up a brothel and unless someone has refuted the findings since, they were sure that ladies from the upper classes also frequented the establishment as customers. In some historic periods it seemed to have been good taste to "lend" your wife to a nobleman of higher rank. (I guess in tribal times small and skinny guys would also not have objected if the local two ton grunt took a fancy to their lady, for reasons of survival.) I'm not saying that there have never been or that there aren't women in the world that are subject to deplorable living conditions due to social pressures, I'm just saying that we need to look at situations very carefully and try to not frame things in our own value system. --71.236.23.111 (talk) 05:51, 23 May 2008 (UTC)

Differentiation of roles goes back much further than what we think of as 'traditional values'. Hunter/gatherer societies would have had different roles for males and females since males would be almost always stronger and faster, whereas females pretty much have to stay at home to look after infants (males being noticeably less good at breast feeding). This is true even in those societies which were matriarchal. DJ Clayworth (talk) 17:17, 23 May 2008 (UTC)

That might be the case that even in "hunter gather" times that woman may have been given different roles, but when we no longer needed to move or hunt woman were still being given those roles. A woman might have had to breast feed her child when she did have a child, but how about when a woman didn't have a child or wasn't married. Housework had always been the woman's job while power, military,etc. was a man's job. What right in that time gave the people to say what is a woman's job and what isn't a woman's job? What right did they have to say that woman couldn't be educated in schools?X27 (talk) 18:17, 23 May 2008 (UTC)X27

Muscle? Zeitgeist? Where being assigned a place applies, the Ghengiz Khan type Mongolians used women as packhorses and being the smaller of species, I guess they didn't have much say. In the movie, A Mongolian Tale (1997), the husband tells a visitor the wife has gone for firewood and she'll be back in three days. When she returned from several mountains away with bullocks and carts piled high with tree trunks, she was expected to prepare meals for everyone from scratch without complaint. The wife has a choice, to leave with her former sweetheart, or stay and the argument she puts for staying is that the man took her in when she had no-one, providiing protection, security and children. Seems that no matter what is achieved, in a duo, the woman is commonly perceived as the "helper". Julia Rossi (talk) 01:48, 24 May 2008 (UTC)

Why do US citizens care about Israel?

Why is so much talking about Israel on US elections? Jews - according to wikipedia - are only 2.2 of the US population. Is Israel more important than Arkansas, Nebraska or Montana? Mr.K. (talk) 01:59, 23 May 2008 (UTC)

You don't have to be Jewish to support Israel. Paragon12321 (talk) 02:01, 23 May 2008 (UTC)

To answer the question in the header, I am a US citizen, and I don't care about Israel. (Well, maybe a little, but no more than I care about Burundi, which has a roughly similar population.) However, some US citizens care very much about Israel, and their votes could be sufficient to shift a state such as Florida to one candidate or the other. In Florida, elections are often very close, and because of its large number of votes in the Electoral College, winning Florida can determine a close election. To some of these people, Israel might well be more important than Nebraska. (Note that not all supporters of Israel are Jewish, nor are all Jews necessarily supportive of Israel.) Supporters of Israel can also be an important source of campaign contributions. So US candidates for president tend to go to some lengths to prove their commitment to Israel. Marco polo (talk) 02:23, 23 May 2008 (UTC)

(edit conflict) I don't think there's been a whole lot of talk about Israel in the elections compared to other issues. I think Barak Obama has had to reassure people that he supports Israel because of his family background and because of some guilt by association that he's had to deal with regarding some of his former associates. It's just another loose thread Obama opponents have tried to latch on to since his policy ideas aren't really that different from Clinton's. -- Mwalcoff (talk) 02:24, 23 May 2008 (UTC)

Additionally, Israel is one of the few allies that the US has in that part of the world. So they are important to the international outlook of the US. Dismas|^(talk) 02:38, 23 May 2008 (UTC)

A few other allies in the region are Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Lebanon, and Turkey.--Goon Noot (talk) 03:42, 23 May 2008 (UTC)

Hear! Hear!193.115.175.247 (talk) 12:20, 23 May 2008 (UTC)Zionist

Jews have had, and continue to have, a far greater impact on history and world affairs than their raw numbers would imply. A whole nation of them in a unique position in the world with a unique relationship with the USA will naturally take up a correspondingly greater political mindshare in an election for the (ahem) "decider" of US foreign policy. --Sean 12:29, 23 May 2008 (UTC)

I don't know anything about politics, but is it possible that the presence in Israel of sites meaningful to Christianity (the major religion of the US) contributes to the interest in it? -- Meni Rosenfeld (talk) 13:02, 23 May 2008 (UTC)

If you take 2.2 percent very roughly of the US population, that's not quite 1 mill less than the population of Israel, so per Jewish household or whatever, that's quite a basis for special interest in the people of Israel. The diaspora makes for many who might have influence or political weight towards the welfare of homeland Israel. Fwiw, Julia Rossi (talk) 13:28, 23 May 2008 (UTC)

You ask why Americans care about Israel, which is a different question than why they defend and fund that nation. By "Americans" I suppose we must mean "non-Jewish Americans", there being proportionally so few Jews in the US. Lately, Americans and Israelis have been forced closer together by the common enemy of Islamic fundamentalism. Americans feel a new kinship with that beseiged people. Religion is certainly a factor (although it must be borne in mind that the anti-semites among Americans hold religion against the Jews); American Christians know their God by the name "Jehovah", and most still would be surprised to learn that He is also essentially Allah. I think there is a sympathy born of pity for the Holocaust. It seems right that the scattered "chosen people" should have been allowed to go home at last after that horror. The basic values of the Jews have been incorporated into the American psyche, and the Jews embraced the American ideal as no other group has, so that there is a real identity of world view on a fundamental level, I think—a realism, an imperative for progress. Besides, they're the funniest people in the world, and Americans like to laugh. --Milkbreath (talk) 13:52, 23 May 2008 (UTC)

And, of course, AIPAC is a powerful lobby. Contrast with CAIR.

Atlant (talk) 14:08, 23 May 2008 (UTC)

For evangelical Christians, who seem to have a bizarre amount of influence, the existence of Israel is some sort of prerequisite for the Rapture. So John Hagee, Pat Buchanan, etc, like to show how friendly they are with Israel and Jewish leaders in the US, and I would imagine a lot of Americans don't know anything about the country except that it has something to do with the return of Jesus. (But perhaps I am overstating the number and influence of evangelical fundamentalists.) Adam Bishop (talk) 16:10, 23 May 2008 (UTC)

There's a much more simple reason why the US government cares about Israel, which is that it is a pro-Western country in a region which is a) largely anti-Western and b) strategically important (oil). Not that anything said above is false, but global politics certainly plays a part too. DJ Clayworth (talk) 17:12, 23 May 2008 (UTC)

This section has gotten a bit soapboxy, but I do want to point out that the influence of the "Jewish Lobby" is probably overstated. Many Jews do live in swing states, and they are more politically active on average than non-Jews tend to be. But they're still 2% of the population. If you look at the other legislative items Jewish organizations have supported, chiefly social programs and separation of church and state, the supposedly all-powerful Jewish Lobby has been rather impotent. Clearly, there's more to American support for Israel than the Jewish Lobby. On the other hand, Pat Buchanan, mentioned above, is clearly not pro-Israel. -- Mwalcoff (talk) 23:55, 23 May 2008 (UTC)

Lobbies are not made up just by numbers. They are made up by influence and money and political activity. In the United States, there has long been a disproportionate amount of Jews in higher echelons of medical, legal, and entertainment professions, and they are often highly politically active and interested. Consequently their influence is often taken to be far greater than, say, even much larger minority groups, like Black Americans or Hispanic Americans, who politicians often feel can be ignored for a variety of reasons linked to socioeconomic status and lack of political activity. (And no, I'm not postulating any sort of conspiracy, it is clearly just a difference in cultural upbringing, family expectations, family structure, etc.) --98.217.8.46 (talk) 17:30, 24 May 2008 (UTC)

Pat Buchanan is a Roman Catholic, not an evangelical. Most of the reaons given in this discussion have, however, been more or less correct. The real question is of weighting them by importance, which I suspect is regional. In New York, I bet the Jewish population is disproportionately wealthy and politically active, thus weilding disproportionate clout. In the Bible Belt, the dominance of dispensationalism in evangelical circles is probably the cause, since it has a special place for the Jewish people. Evangelicalism, per se, is not the cause, but rather a specific eschatology which is today predominant in North American evangelicalism is. In the Bible Belt, where relatively fewer Jews live, the Christian population strongly supports the Israeli state as one with a special relationship to God and biblical prophecy (I think). Among neoconservatives and hawks, a so-called Republic base, Israel is probably regarded as a key player in the US's geopolitical and military strategies for the Middle East. Certainly for the average American who is not an evangelical, a neocon, or a rich New Yorker, the fact that a small Western democracy and its people are struggling for survival after years in the wilderness against foes that resemble America's greatest foes today cannot be unmoving. And besides, they believe in a right to self-defence in the USA. Srnec (talk) 19:13, 24 May 2008 (UTC)

There's no question that because the average Jew is wealthier and more politically active than the average non-Jewish American, the Jewish community gets more attention than other 2% minorities. However, if the Jewish lobby was as powerful as some people allege, we'd have universal healthcare, rigid separation of church and state, gun control, a broader welfare state, and other stuff the organized Jewish community tends to support. -- Mwalcoff (talk) 07:56, 25 May 2008 (UTC)

Srnec wrote, "Pat Buchanan is a Roman Catholic, not an evangelical". It is possible to be both (see Evangelical Catholic), but I don't know whether Buchanan falls into that camp. —Angr 08:32, 25 May 2008 (UTC)

Buchanan is a traditionalist Catholic who rejects the reforms of Vatican II. One of those reforms was a denouncing of antisemitism, so it shouldn't be surprising that Buchanan's attitudes toward the Jews have long been questionable. Incidentally, Mel Gibson's religious views are similar to Buchanan's, and Buchanan raved about Gibson's The Passion like it was Citizen Kane. -- Mwalcoff (talk) 10:59, 25 May 2008 (UTC)

Actually that's not necessarily the case. It's easily possible, although I'm not suggesting this is the case, that the Jewish lobby is powerful enough to have sufficient influence over the media etc to unduly control US policy towards Israel and Palestine, an issue which perhaps most of the populance doesn't really intriscly care that much about (since it's seems a far away place) but they (the lobby) care a lot about, but insufficient influence to have much control over areas they (the lobby) don't really care that much about but which the majority of the populance does care a lot about. As I said, I'm not suggesting this is the case, I think the issue is a lot more complicated then the Jewish lobby having that much influence and instead it has a lot to do with the desire of those with the power in the US to protect their interests in the Middle East which support for Israel helps to achieve in a number of ways, e.g. by keeping the populance of most Arab countries too angry with the treatment of the Palestinian people to notice they are under the control of leaders who on the whole aren't serving their interests well but do serve the interests of the US resonably well (with a few exceptions), by ensuring some degree of instability remains there so they can have a military presence; and ultimately by preventing the development of a strong, truly prosperous, peaceful and of course given their control over much of the oil resources, powerful region (in the Middle-East) where human rights are respected and democracy flourishes, which would be a disaster for most of those with the most influence in the US (which isn't many of the politicians). However even that is a simplistic analysis, it's a lot more complicated then that, you really have to consider the geopolitics and large combination of factors which ensure that most of those who matter in the US greatly prefer the status quo to anything else. It's not really something that can be sufficiently summarised on wikipedia as is likely to generate into too much of a debate to be a fruitful issue for the RD Nil Einne (talk) 16:19, 25 May 2008 (UTC)

Another possible reason is that it is a thriving democracy, which is somewhat unusual for the region. Computerjoe's talk 11:26, 25 May 2008 (UTC)

Need to Type Odd Character

I need to find out how to type a certain character, but I do not know its name or even what language it is from. Thus, I can't find the correct code or font to use. The character looks like a 'P' but the tail curves out to the right. Does anyone have any idea what it is and how to type it? -- VGF11 (talk) 02:42, 23 May 2008 (UTC)

Can you give us a link to a webpage where this character is used? It would be easier to assist you if we could see this character. Also, try this: click on the edit link and scroll down to the bottom of the page. You'll see a long list of alternate characters below the edit box. Is the character you're looking for any one of those? 152.16.59.190 (talk) 03:48, 23 May 2008 (UTC)

Try looking on this list for it: List of Unicode characters. It will give you a code for it. (If you meant "left" rather than "right", the symbol is rho.) --Haemo (talk) 04:05, 23 May 2008 (UTC)

Is it maybe ♇ ? --jpgordon^∇∆∇∆ 04:05, 23 May 2008 (UTC)

It could be "Greek Rho Symbol" (ϱ), which is a seperate symbol to the "Greek small letter rho" and which curves to the right in many typefaces, such as Arial Unicode (which many browsers use to render odd symbols). This doesn't have a set way of typing it, but its Unicode code point is 03F1. If you load Character Map (it's usually in Accessories, assuming you use Windows) and type this into the box marked "Unicode", it will take you to this symbol. Laïka 11:29, 23 May 2008 (UTC)

I think Jpgordon found it (♇). What is the code for it, and will it work with all fonts? -- VGF11 (talk) 22:02, 23 May 2008 (UTC)

It's the astrological symbol for Pluto. It's classed in "Symbols and Dingbats", which unfortunately is a group most font designers don't bother with - Arial Unicode has it, but otherwise, I think you're out of luck. There's no standard way of typing it - it's an obscure symbol, but if you load up Character Map and type 2647 into the "unicode" field (making sure you have the Arial Unicode typeface selected), it will appear, and you can then copy and paste it into whatever you need it for. Laïka 00:02, 24 May 2008 (UTC)

NES catapult

Anybody here watch AVGN? Anyway, in one of his videos he reminisces about Nintendo Power magazine. He mentions some accessory called "NES catapult" and there's even a shot of it in the magazine, but he gives no information. I can't find anyother references to it. What is it? —Preceding unsigned comment added by KeeganB (talk • contribs) 03:18, 23 May 2008 (UTC)

The SNES (not NES) Catapult appears to be the working title of the XBAND by Catapult Entertainment. It was basically a modem that locked into the slots of top-loader consoles like the SNES and the Genesis, and let you play certain games online. It was poorly marketed and, because it worked by reverse-engineering and then hacking the two-player function built into the game, worked very poorly on some games (Mortal Kombat 3 for example), but paved the way for a lot of the more recent developments in online gaming, such as a league table of the best scoring players and a user profile section, complete with avatars. Laïka 14:45, 25 May 2008 (UTC)

Cognative ability

I heard recently on BBC Radio about a new form of cognative ability enhancing drugs that have been discovered, i wish to read more about these, could some one please help Thanks 193.115.175.247 (talk) 11:16, 23 May 2008 (UTC)Zionist

Here is an article about cognition-improving drugs in general, and here is an article on anti-cholinergic drugs, a specific class of drugs under investigation. Fribbler (talk) 11:22, 23 May 2008 (UTC)

Here's a handy chart.--droptone (talk) 11:56, 23 May 2008 (UTC)

You may be interested in this column on his experiment with smart drugs by Johann Hari [7]. BrainyBabe (talk) 15:55, 23 May 2008 (UTC)

You guys are great

Hey this is just a note to say that all you guys who hang around at the ref desk answering questions are an amazing bunch of people who are both incredibly nice and exteremely learnt. I'd love to be one of you and answer peoples' queries but I have a FULL time job that doesn't leave me time :( Keep up the good work, fellas :) ReluctantPhilosopher (talk) 12:19, 23 May 2008 (UTC)

Thanks, RP what a buzz... maybe on your days off join us sometime : ) Julia Rossi (talk) 13:12, 23 May 2008 (UTC)

The trick is to get a job where you can answer refdesk questions on the clock. Or so I hear. ;) --Sean 16:48, 23 May 2008 (UTC)

free bookseller's catalogs about latin and south america

Hello,

can anybody give me a hint for free online bookseller's catalogs (or national catalogs or bibliographies) about actual liteature from latin and/or south america? It's for a literature research. The sources should be interdisciplinary and don't need an english interface. I'm in search for special sources from latin and south america, i know the worldcat, and so on ...

Thank you in advance for your help ... --130.133.152.127 (talk) 14:32, 23 May 2008 (UTC)

I had a brief look. One problem you are going encounter that there are several languages spoken in South America, most prominently Spanish and Portuges. When you limit yourself to a certain country or subject matter, things get a lot easier to find. Otherwise most places sort by language, not area. These may not help matters a lot [8], [9]. You may be able to get better results if you search for strings. If you describe things in a bit more detail, one of the computer geniuses might help you formulate something. Good luck.--71.236.23.111 (talk) 16:13, 23 May 2008 (UTC)

Investment a little less secure than CD

If I want to earn a little bit more than with a CD, but not incur too much risk more, which is the way to go? I mean, a CD pays perhaps between 3 and 4 % for sure. I want to know what pays between 4-10% but is not completely secure. Mr.K. (talk) 14:36, 23 May 2008 (UTC)×

What is your timeframe, and where do you live? Historically, the US stock market averages 10% over the long term, but it is subject to wild swings along the way. Mutual funds are a good instrument to smooth out the vicissitudes of any individual stock, with index funds specifically designed to track one of the major indices. --LarryMac | Talk 14:49, 23 May 2008 (UTC)

Callable CD springs to mind - it's FDIC insured. Also depends on who you are, are you investing your personal savings, are you investing on behalf of a school board, charity, pension fund? Also, what do you mean by "secure" i.e. what type of risk are you willing to assume? Zain Ebrahim (talk) 16:32, 23 May 2008 (UTC)

If you are in the US and don't want to go with a fund or stock you might have a look at TIPS. Two major drawbacks are that they could bite you in the tax area and that you can't get at the money for a couple of years. Talk with your tax adviser before you buy. --71.236.23.111 (talk) 16:31, 23 May 2008 (UTC)

• Thanks for the information so far. I should have provided more extra information as I asked the question. I am interested in investments in the UK and the US. I save every month and don't have a timeframe (different from my own life). I am not saving towards an objective (like buying a house). Just saving for having more security for the rainy days. I will not retire in the next 30 years. Mr.K. (talk) 17:45, 23 May 2008 (UTC)

UK-wise, you may be interested in the variety of offerings from NS&I. Maybe this? Angus Lepper^{(T, C, D)} 17:56, 23 May 2008 (UTC)

TIPS are issued by the US Treasury and are pretty much the safest things money can buy so the returns they pay are pretty much zero - here's a list of rates on Treasury paper. Mr. K, we aren't allowed to give you any advice and I'm not a financial advisor, but if you're investing with a 30 year horizon then you really should consider all your options.

For example, here's a chart of the S&P500 index since its inception (I think). If you had invested in the index and your 30 year period ended at the worst part of the stock market downturn of 2002, you would have earned 7% per annum on a lump sum by my calculations.

Once again, this is merely for demonstrative purposes and you should consult a professional financial advisor before you make any decisions.

Zain Ebrahim (talk) 21:40, 24 May 2008 (UTC)

@Zain: you calculated the 7%/anum based on (815/110)^(1/30)-1. But how to you come to this figures?217.168.1.48 (talk) 23:50, 24 May 2008 (UTC)

In that graph from yahoo finance, I saw that in 2002 the index dipped to 815 and thirty years prior it was 110. Then I used $FV=PV(1+i)^{n}$. Zain Ebrahim (talk) 23:58, 24 May 2008 (UTC)

Phonemes -> Sound

Hi. I'm trying to find a text-to-speech program that can read phonemes (IPA, Kirshenbaum, X-SAMPA, whatever, so long as it can do most of the phonemes) and output them as speech. The only program I've had any luck with so far is espeak, which doesn't sound that great, and can only understand and synthesise a subset of Kirshenbaum. Festival is very arcane, and the manual doesn't help a whole lot either. 79.78.114.42 (talk) 17:26, 23 May 2008 (UTC)

How does Wikipedia make money?

How does Wikipedia makes money? Or, does it? Please explain tome, because I cannot understand... 134.162.84.134 (talk) 17:40, 23 May 2008 (UTC) Carlos.

I suggest you look at Wikipedia and Wikimedia Foundation. Essentially it's all donations. -mattbuck (Talk) 17:44, 23 May 2008 (UTC)

Wikipedia is hosted by Wikimedia which is a non-profit company. You should be able to get all the info you want from the Finances section of the Wikimedia article. Dismas|^(talk) 17:45, 23 May 2008 (UTC)

We lure vandals into our secret mincing factory and sell their remains to the local pet food shop. --Cookatoo.ergo.ZooM (talk) 20:51, 23 May 2008 (UTC)

We wouldn't do that, it's just mean to the pets. Nil Einne (talk) 16:03, 25 May 2008 (UTC)

Spicy foods

Hi all, can anyone give me a bit of extra info on spicy foods? Even after drinking to cool/wash away the spicy food a burning sensation remains. I had a look at Capsaicin which was handy and there's a section (mechanism of action) that explains what causes the burning. However, I believe that not all spicy foods contain capsaicin (eg. cinammon) but do they all work by a similar process?

PS. The article made me laugh when I read 'In 2006 it was discovered that tarantula venom activates the same pathway of pain as is activated by capsaicin', I'll have to mention that next time we go for a curry :-)

Thanks, Mike 87.112.87.223 (talk) 18:19, 23 May 2008 (UTC)

Water doesn't really work on cleansing your tongue. You'd be better off with milk, or eating a slice of bread. Corvus cornix_talk 20:01, 23 May 2008 (UTC)

OR my brother swears salt helps. --71.236.23.111 (talk) 23:55, 23 May 2008 (UTC)

I'll have the tarantula curry please, with cold milk on the side.  ; ) Julia Rossi (talk) 05:41, 24 May 2008 (UTC)

I've heard what works against capsaicin is fat and alcohol, so whole milk, ice cream, or beer are the way to go. I once had a peanut brittle sundae made with peanut brittle that had cayenne pepper in it. You took a bite of the peanut brittle that was so hot you thought your head would explode, and then you took a bite of the ice cream and everything was OK again. It was the most remarkable dessert I've ever had, as it was sweet and salty and hot and cold all at the same time. —Angr 08:28, 25 May 2008 (UTC)

Does reading single side of a hand written notebook increases the concentration level of reader ?

Hi,

My name is Pawas and I am a citizen of India. I want to know whether the person's concentration level increase if he always reads the left or right side of the notebook ? Actually it might sound a bit funny but I want to know that if you are reading a book or your own hand written notebook, would you read it with more concentration if it is written only one sided or when it twin sided. Please let meknow about it. I am curious to know.

Regards, Pawas —Preceding unsigned comment added by 122.167.111.184 (talk) 18:37, 23 May 2008 (UTC)

Where did you come across that bit of information, Pawas? ReluctantPhilosopher (talk) 19:20, 23 May 2008 (UTC)

Doesn't sound likely to me. --98.217.8.46 (talk) 21:24, 23 May 2008 (UTC)

There has actually been quite a bit of research done in the area of typesetting and page layout, which is basically what you are describing (even if your text is handwritten). I don't know of a study on blank pages on one side, but things like spacing, white space, line length, fonts and size, etc. have been studied and described. They use cameras and a gadget that tracks where one's eyes are looking. I'm not sure how far the results of existing studies would apply to handwritten text, but it's really not more than a script font in rather large font-size. Layout used to be limited to a few fonts and the ability of the setter. With software like "Pagemaker" or "Wordperfect" everyone became their own setter and after a couple of snafus a field of study developed in a flurry. I used to get results in professional magazines, so I don't actually know what the area those research studies originated from is called, now that I come to think of it. --71.236.23.111 (talk) 23:53, 23 May 2008 (UTC)

Sounds like a gimmick of little usefulness. Do you mean that one's concentration level should increase if, say he only read the right hand pages of a book and ignored the other half of the content? Or that only the right half of each page should be used for recording and reading information? What about the eye fixation? We normally read with multiple fixations on each line of text. It would be interesting to try printing out a narrow column and fixating the eyes only to the left of the column, so that the text all fell on the left half of the retina and thus went only (initially) to the left hemisphere of the brain, compared to fixating to the right of the text so it went to the right hemisphere of the brain. The columns would have to be only a couple of words wide, or the text would be so far out of the area of distinct vision as to be unreadable. The hemispheres communicate (except in split brain patients) but it would still be interesting. Normally a reader moves the eyes around so the fovea fixates on various spots along each line of text. Eye movement cameras could be used to guard against that. Edison (talk) 19:31, 25 May 2008 (UTC)

Molecular cloud, eh?

Is this picture real or photoshopped hoax? It seems God hates us. 89.146.64.77 (talk) 19:29, 23 May 2008 (UTC)

What would give you the idea that NASA would want to photoshop an image or that your god hates us? Dismas|^(talk) 19:34, 23 May 2008 (UTC)

What makes you think he's pointing at us? :) Zain Ebrahim (talk) 19:50, 23 May 2008 (UTC)

Maybe pareidolia is to blame here? Dismas|^(talk) 19:57, 23 May 2008 (UTC)

In fact, NASA pretends to hold a more lofty association here: "This Carina sub-cloud is particularly striking partly because its clear definition stimulates the human imagination (e.g. it could be perceived as a superhero flying through a cloud, arm up, with a saved person in tow below)." Here is a zoomed out image showing the bigger picture around the keyhole nebula. ---Sluzzelin talk 05:13, 24 May 2008 (UTC)

How remarkable it is that 'God' should provide us with the ability to build equipment to be able to see his distant message. (Why didn't he make it closer - Ah, yes, of course, 'He' moves in mysterious ways!) Richard Avery (talk) 07:01, 24 May 2008 (UTC)

I think this is the message. --jpgordon^∇∆∇∆ 15:52, 24 May 2008 (UTC)

Sc-AK750 Stereo

This is a stereo from Panasonic. It is 660 watts meaning it is, as far as I know, the most powerful stereo in North America (as there are much more powerful ones in Asia). Is this correct?Jwking (talk) 19:56, 23 May 2008 (UTC)

No, It is incorrect. I personally own this Home Theater System and it pushes out 1000 Watts of power. And i know a couple people who have car stereo systems that push out over 1000watts of power. --Nick910 (talk) 20:19, 23 May 2008 (UTC)

Ok, but stereos, car systems, and home theater systems are three different things. I specifically said STEREO, two way speakers with possibly a sub. So...I stand correct it seems so far.Jwking (talk) 04:19, 24 May 2008 (UTC)

Even presuming such a narrow definition, I would suspect there would be many stereos in North America that are more powerful. Whether there were imported by people, custom made, or simply no longer in development there would almost definitely be some. If you are looking for the most powerful stereo system commercially available in North America you need to be more clear Nil Einne (talk) 16:02, 25 May 2008 (UTC)

Autobon in Europe

Someone told me that the Autobon in Europe is made of really thick concrete. Now my friends and I are wondering, exactly how thick is the concrete on the Autobon? I have tried to search it, to no avail! Thanks for any help! —Preceding unsigned comment added by 71.124.33.83 (talk) 21:26, 23 May 2008 (UTC)

Note the Autobahn is the name of motorways in Germany (and also Austria and most of Switzerland) only. This says that it is 68 cm thick. That is mighty thick! Fribbler (talk) 21:32, 23 May 2008 (UTC)

P.S.: 27 inches if you're not metric! :-) Fribbler (talk) 21:34, 23 May 2008 (UTC)

Actually, "Autobahn" is the word in German in all countries where they speak it, not just Germany. But since Germany is the only one with no speed limit, they may very well make theirs more durable by using thicker concrete than the others... I don't know. --Anonymous, 22:28 UTC, May 23, 2008.

(Corrected my answer above accordingly) Fribbler (talk) 00:18, 24 May 2008 (UTC)

Apologies in advance for not being able to cite references here, but I remember reading, at least a decade ago, about the differences between Autobahn and Interstate. There are two big ones:

• Thickness of concrete layer, already noted, is more than double an Interstate highway, and
• Depth of roadbed, in several layers, is four feet rather than two.

Consequently, a properly-maintained length of Autobahn has an expected lifetime of over 40 years, while the US Interstate system expects to replace theirs in the 20-25-year timeframe.

-- Danh, 63.231.162.222 (talk) 00:24, 24 May 2008 (UTC)

Why use concrete rather than more standard materials? Concrete is bad to drive on, it's noisy and iirc saps engine power. -mattbuck (Talk) 21:13, 24 May 2008 (UTC)

[10] They do take their Autobahns serious. There are tons of regulation describing what and how they should build and pave an Autobahn. The German wiki article describes two paving materials used on Autobahns one is mastic asphalt with "0/8 and even 0/5 mm" mineral mixture, sprinkled with gravel "2/5, 2/4 or 1/3 mm" to make it less slippery. It's said that this material is expensive because it has to be applied at high temperatures and tends to get slippery under certain conditions. The other is concrete paving (white paving) in a thickness of "18 to 30 cm". In "5-6 m " long slabs, not counting rebar. (Standards are DIN 1045, DIN 18316 und ZTV Beton-StB) [11] You should note that the paving material (Deckschicht literal translation "top coat"?) is only the very top layer of several that make up an Autobahn. That's probably why the figure in this article differs from what Fibbler found. Lisa4edit (talk) 03:57, 25 May 2008 (UTC)

P.S. could someone get that image Oberbau.Autobahn.jpg to show up properly here?

Only by moving it to Commons, which is hardly worth it since it's labeled in German and so it's only usable at German Wikipedia. But anyone can see it by clicking de:Bild:Oberbau.Autobahn.jpg. —Angr 08:23, 25 May 2008 (UTC)

Transgendered abortions

Look at this article : male pregnancy. It is being reported that more and more transgendered people want to have babies. But yet, isn't it illegal for men to have abortions ? Would it be a form of discrimination if men can't have abortion ? What does the law say about all this ? 69.157.238.199 (talk) 22:58, 23 May 2008 (UTC)

I am not aware of any law restricting abortion to one gender. In any case, if your question is about transgendered men who want to have babies, they are not likely to abort a pregnancy that was wanted and planned, surely?. -FisherQueen (talk · contribs) 11:16, 24 May 2008 (UTC)

XD, see Mr. Garrison's Fancy New Vagina --Ouzo (talk) 18:05, 24 May 2008 (UTC)

I presume 69 is referring to a transman who, probably after some sort of surgery (although in future this may change), is legally consider a man but retains at least a womb and probably a vagina and could perhaps get pregnant in theory pregnant by accident (although with any hormone treatment this is very very unlikely). Of course even if it's not an accident, presuming IVF is not involved it's possible an abortion may be desired if e.g. it turns out the fetus has a major genetic or chromosomal abonormality. Even with IVF, it's still possible some developmental abnormality may arise I presume. But I agree with you, I'm not aware that abortion is ever for any reason specifically restricted to one gender. Perhaps 69 is getting confused by the common slogan of a 'woman's right to choose' Nil Einne (talk) 15:55, 25 May 2008 (UTC)

Empire State Building Dedication

When I was a wee lad (Some 60 years or so ago), we had penny scales that (for a penny) would give you your weight and answer a question or give some piece of trivia. I seem to remember that the scale once reported that the Empire State Building was dedicated as a monument to the Bolshevik Revolution of 1917. Is there any way to confirm/deny that? I'd imagine that if it were true, it's been expunged because of the obvious political incorrectness to today's USA culture. On the other hand, it would be a fabulous piece of trivia! —Preceding unsigned comment added by 71.32.8.9 (talk) 23:28, 23 May 2008 (UTC)

Assuredly an urban legend. The guy who had the ESB built, John J. Raskob, was a staunch conservative. Perhaps someone got mixed up and is thinking of Diego Rivera's mural that was going to go into the Rockefeller Center but was removed because it had Lenin in it. -- Mwalcoff (talk) 23:59, 23 May 2008 (UTC)

(after edit conflict)I think you may be thinking of the Statue of Liberty being related to the French revolution; which it certainly is! The Empire State Building is capitalist in ideation as far as I know. Anybody heard of this rumour? Fribbler (talk) 00:02, 24 May 2008 (UTC)

Corvus cornix_talk 03:08, 24 May 2008 (UTC)

Take your pick[12]. Julia Rossi (talk) 05:39, 24 May 2008 (UTC)

I don't think Daleks were bolshevik... -mattbuck (Talk) 12:57, 24 May 2008 (UTC)

However daleko is Russian for "far away". Is this a sign of conspiracy? SaundersW (talk) 17:22, 24 May 2008 (UTC)

Furthermore, there are some - mind you, weasely characters of a McCarthystic bend - who think the Bolsheviks actually were Borgian Daleks. Merely consider their favourite mantra of dialectic materialism "EX-TER-MI-NATE", an early tribute to Soviet Social Realism... --Cookatoo.ergo.ZooM (talk) 19:55, 24 May 2008 (UTC)

Could the Borg assimilate a Dalek? -mattbuck (Talk) 21:11, 24 May 2008 (UTC)

My citation needed wasn't clear. I was asking for evidence that the Statue of Liberty is related to the French Revolution. Corvus cornix_talk 19:08, 24 May 2008 (UTC)

Here the French gave the statue of liberty to America on the hundredth anniversary of their revolution, and the Americans gave the French a mini-version on the hundredth anniversary of theirs. Tenuous a bit, but heh, it's a well known connection! :-) Fribbler (talk) 21:04, 24 May 2008 (UTC)

This connection? Have to laugh at the French getting in first with the biggest one. By their statutes statues ye shall get the picture. Julia Rossi (talk) 06:48, 25 May 2008 (UTC)

OK, that's proof that the copy was in honor of the French Revolution, but the original still doesn't have proof that it was in honor of the French Revolution. Corvus cornix_talk 04:43, 26 May 2008 (UTC)

May 24

observation

How can I be more observant? sumal (talk) 00:41, 24 May 2008 (UTC)

You might take study carefully the writings of Sherlock Holmes (as reported, of course, in the stories of Dr. Watson) on Holmesian deduction and observation. Assuming this is the sort of observation you mean. --98.217.8.46 (talk) 03:20, 24 May 2008 (UTC)

Mormon Dress Code

If I become a Mormon will I have to wear a tie? 71.231.121.77 (talk) 02:10, 24 May 2008 (UTC)

All the time? Of course not. --98.217.8.46 (talk) 03:21, 24 May 2008 (UTC)

However, see Temple garment. Corvus cornix_talk 03:29, 24 May 2008 (UTC)

Not all the time, of course, but I suspect you would be expected to a wear a tie at least some of the time, maybe even a lot of the time. Here in Berlin I can recognize the Mormon missionaries 100 feet away because they are probably the only young men in the entire city wearing slacks, suit jackets, white button-down shirts, and ties. At a distance of 2 feet away my suspicions are confirmed when I see their nametags reading "Elder Johnson" or "Elder Smith", which I find amusing because these kids look about 20 years old and I can't help but think, "elder than who"? —Angr 08:17, 25 May 2008 (UTC)

No, no, Angr, it means they all have the same first name, ; ) Julia Rossi (talk) 10:24, 25 May 2008 (UTC)

You can generally tell Mormon missionaries because they're young men, travelling in pairs, riding bicycles, in white shirts and black pants with black ties, wearing bicycle helmets. Corvus cornix_talk 04:45, 26 May 2008 (UTC)

Ipod Touch Downgrading

When I try to downgrade my ipod touch it comes up with "an unknown error has occured (5)"I am trying to downgrade my ipod touch from firmware 1.1.4 to firmware 1.1.1 and it comes up with that error. I have downloaded the 1.1.1 software. What I am doing is when I am in Itunes with the Ipod summary I click restore (while holding shift), select the 1.1.1 firmware and then it comes up with that error!! Is there something I'm doing wrong? PLEASE HELP!!!!!! 220.233.83.26 (talk) 09:23, 24 May 2008 (UTC)

What does rooibos tea taste like?

Hi, what does rooibos tea taste like? Can it be minty? Is it sweet? Thanks in advance. :) --Kjoonlee 09:25, 24 May 2008 (UTC)

OR: I drink it quite often and it's not minty but slightly sweeter than ordinary tea. Zain Ebrahim (talk) 09:54, 24 May 2008 (UTC)

Personally, I find it a little less -- I want to say bitter, but I'm not sure if that's the right word. I'm gonna say it anyway. A little less bitter than black tea. It's definitely got less bite; it's a softer taste. -- Captain Disdain (talk) 11:43, 24 May 2008 (UTC)

Milder than normal black tea. I get a hint of the smell of cardboard or paper. William Avery (talk) 12:22, 24 May 2008 (UTC)

Actually I find it softer, bitter, and a bit sweet. Its very good morning tea. Especially for those groggy mornings. Have good day. I hope that I have been of some help.Rem Nightfall (talk) 16:45, 24 May 2008 (UTC)Rem Nightfall

Sweet, soft, somewhat fruity. Not minty. Not bitter, unless you prepared it incorrectly. --98.217.8.46 (talk) 17:21, 24 May 2008 (UTC)

sports medicine in karate

I learn karate in India.Please help me What I do and do not physicial training —Preceding unsigned comment added by 121.247.131.199 (talk) 11:28, 24 May 2008 (UTC)

Good day sir or madam. Would it be kind of you to please specify what you are trying to say. I know that you are from India and it may be a bit hard, but I have patience and I am willing to help you. I hope I can help.Rem Nightfall (talk) 16:43, 24 May 2008 (UTC)Rem Nightfall

Nightfall: "I have patients" = "I am a medical practitioner", or "I have patience" = "I can wait without becoming agitated"? SaundersW (talk) 17:16, 24 May 2008 (UTC)

Sorry. My mistake I didn't mean to do that. Patience, I meant patience. lol! Sorry about the screw up. Now I confused the whole world. Thank you for pointing that out though. I appreciate it greatly.Rem Nightfall (talk) 17:25, 24 May 2008 (UTC)Rem Nightfall

See karate. You should only learn this art from a qualified professional. They will tell you what type of physical training you need.--Shantavira|^{feed me} 18:49, 24 May 2008 (UTC)

According to this [[13]] you should work slowly at developing calluses without cutting your skin. Your trainer should know how to do that. If not you may have to look for a more qualified place, maybe. --Lisa4edit (talk) 04:44, 25 May 2008 (UTC)

Cure the Disease Doctor

Good day ladies and gents.I have watched and read many articles about how we are going to cure disease and everyone will stay in healthy condition. About how our lives will be extended and disease will not ravish us. But disease is life and life always find a way. There is no way that we will be able to cure all disease and even if we cure all disease, disease will find a way. Won't it? And if that is the case then why aren't the scientist, that are looking to cure all disease, looking far into the future? Why aren't they saying that the disease might come back? Why aren't they looking into that scenario as well? What if disease came back. Why aren't they looking into those questions? Thank you all for your time in answering this question. And have a good day.Rem Nightfall (talk) 15:55, 24 May 2008 (UTC)Rem Nightfall

Well it is scientists' endeavor to fight and minimize the effect of diseases. Already improvements in medical science have made life less disease-prone for people and increased life-spans. May be we will never be completely disease-free, but that shouldn't hamper our endeavour to fight disease. I hope that answers your question. ReluctantPhilosopher (talk) 16:55, 24 May 2008 (UTC)

I believe that your assumption that doctors aren't concerned about the possibility of eradicated diseases coming back is quite simply false. That said, "life will always find a way" isn't a very accurate way of looking at it either -- if we look at something like smallpox, which has been completely eradicated from nature, it's gone. It will not suddenly "find a way" to come back, any more than dodos will. That's not to say that smallpox couldn't be encountered in the form of a biological attack, of course, and the virus itself still exists in laboratory conditions for research purposes. But there's effectively no chance of it suddenly popping up somewhere in the world just by itself. Also, I think the assumption that all diseases are going to be destroyed is also false. It's unlikely that this will ever happen, and if it did, it wouldn't do us any favors. A little disease is a good thing; it keeps our immune systems healthy and active. There's a big difference between learning to control diseases and eradicating them. -- Captain Disdain (talk) 17:19, 24 May 2008 (UTC)

Thank you all for the clearing up of the situation. I understand what you mean and the smallpox example was helpful. I guess sometimes I misunderstand things. I appreciate the information greatly. Have a wonderfully positive day.Rem Nightfall (talk) 17:32, 24 May 2008 (UTC)Rem Nightfall

Electric lawn mower

Any suggestions for a electric lawn mower? I'm thinking of a medium-price tool, around $300, maybe. --76.197.29.29 (talk) 16:31, 24 May 2008 (UTC)

Good day sir or madam. A quick search of my own and I found two reasonably priced electric lawn mowers or I should say something that fits your budget. They have at Amazon.com a Black and Decker Lawn Hog 18-inch 12 amp for 214.89. At Tyler Tool Co. they have a Black and Decker LM175 18" Electric lawn mower for 168.95. I hope I have provided you with some help. Have a positively wonderful day.Rem Nightfall (talk) 16:42, 24 May 2008 (UTC)Rem Nightfall

Thanks for your help, but I was seeking personal opinion. Better yet, an evaluation of the "pro-and-con" effects of an electric mower would be better. A great day to you, too. :) --76.197.29.29 (talk) 16:51, 24 May 2008 (UTC)

Personal opinion; buy a petrol lawnmower. Unless you have a very small lawn, an electric mower is a pain in the grass. Fribbler (talk) 17:22, 24 May 2008 (UTC)

Oh I see,then if you want opinion. I agree with Fribbler. My only concern is that gas has gotten pricer over the years. Well I am off now. Hope I helped a little.Rem Nightfall (talk) 17:29, 24 May 2008 (UTC)Rem Nightfall

Unless your lawn extends a great deal from any outlets, an electric weed eater with a long extension cord can be nice. Using one can almost feel like painting. I can't really give any advice about brand, but I suspect there aren't major differences between manufacturers. Maybe try Consumer Reports. --Prestidigitator (talk) 19:20, 24 May 2008 (UTC)

I've used a 1.4 kW, 12.5kg electric lawnmower (Victa I think) with 50m of extension cords. After years of petrol ones I prefer it; of course I wasnt cutting huge lawns. The 24cm cutting width means more going back and forth. It provides continuous power wherever the blades are not just on the power stroke. The only maintainance has been sharpening the blades and unjamming after going into wild long grass. The really good bit that I hadn't realised before trying one is stopping and starting the mower; I stop the mower when pedestrians pass or to move junk out the way. Also, you can transport and store it without petrol fumes. I still use earmuffs even though I used the quietest model. In Australia "Choice" magazine had a trial of various types. Overall I much prefer the electric mower. Polypipe Wrangler (talk) 22:42, 24 May 2008 (UTC)

May 25

Soveit Photo Manip.

Per Censorship of images in the Soviet Union, how did the censors edit out the people in the photographs? Surely, digital post-processing software did not exist back then. Acceptable (talk) 01:16, 25 May 2008 (UTC)

Airbrushing was one method. bibliomaniac15 01:27, 25 May 2008 (UTC)

Other methods are here[14]. It used to be called "photo retouching", now "image manipulation" which seem smore manual than it is. Julia Rossi (talk) 06:23, 25 May 2008 (UTC)

You'll be amused to know, no doubt, that almost all of the tools in Photoshop for retouching have analog equivalents! One of the most famous Photoshop tools, the mask layers, comes from actual darkroom practices. You can do just about anything in Photoshop in a darkroom... it's just a LOT harder and a LOT more time consuming. --98.217.8.46 (talk) 14:55, 25 May 2008 (UTC)

Whom would you call?

Imagine that you need to go to Scotland for a job interview. Your direct contact person in the company is English and you understand her accent pretty well. However, you would like to have some exposure to Scottish English before you travel there. Whom would you call in Scotland to experience the accent? 217.168.1.48 (talk) 01:30, 25 May 2008 (UTC)

Good evening sir or madam. Because you did not specify if the person was to be famous or not. If my information is correct I would call David Tennant. That is if my information is correct. I hope I helped you a bit. I hope you have a positively wonderful evening.Rem Nightfall (talk) 01:57, 25 May 2008 (UTC)Rem Nightfall

Why would you want to call someone to listen to the accent? Listen to these e.g. [15]--Lisa4edit (talk) 02:33, 25 May 2008 (UTC)

@Rem Nightfall: I think it will be rather difficult to come through to this guy.

@Lisa4edit: radio is too perfect. However, I think a podcast will be appropriate and I'll give it a try. 217.168.4.191 (talk) 02:38, 25 May 2008 (UTC)

I'm sorry about that. I didn't know it wasn't a fantasy question. I'm sorry about my misunderstanding, but wouldn't it just be wonderful to talk to the actor of Doctor Who(totally lost tract). Sorry once again.Rem Nightfall (talk) 02:49, 25 May 2008 (UTC)Rem Nightfall

See if you can find some of Billy Connolly's stand up routines.Funny and full of Scottish slang such as "plukes" for spots.hotclaws 07:49, 25 May 2008 (UTC)

There are also plenty of Scottish movies you could watch, especially Trainspotting (not the US dialogue version!), not to mention Shrek, Fat Bastard and so on.--Shantavira|^{feed me} 08:30, 25 May 2008 (UTC)

I am English-born but have lived in Scotland for over 35 years and can tell you that despite Scotland being a relatively small-population country of some 5 million souls, there are so many wildly differing accents as to make comprehension for many Scoto-English natives nigh impossible. I am not talking about Gaelic either, merely English spoken in vastly different ways. But I think the advice about listening to Billy Connelly is good advice, or Rab. C. Nesbitt, or River City, or even Trainspotting. Best of all would be The Steamie - very educational and very funny too. 92.16.221.21 (talk) 09:43, 25 May 2008 (UTC)

How do I make change?

As I sit here watching my pathetic life go by, I am besieged by the overwhelming desire to make change. And not namby pamby change. Im talking REAL change! For example, what if I'm tired of lookin at trees and want to eliminate them worldwide? (I know, but that's why we have oxygen tanks.) Do we need to have suffering in the world? Ask the people going thru that. Spoiler alert!- They dont need it. Gravity? Who needs that ball and chain? Obviously sometimes, but not all the time. In short, if I so desired how would I make pink green , 1 plus 1 equal 3, break every law of thermodynamics (especially the second), and still get any woman I want?--Dr. Carefree (talk) 03:24, 25 May 2008 (UTC)

Hi Dr C, I can take some of the weight off your shoulders by assuring you that gravity doesnt exist.... Mhicaoidh (talk) 03:46, 25 May 2008 (UTC)

If you get a job as a Cashier you will be able to make change hundreds of times a day. The way you make change is to determine the amount of coins and currency needed to make up the difference between the amount tendered and the total for the purchase and taxes, taking into consideration credits, coupons, discounts and returns. Edison (talk) 03:55, 25 May 2008 (UTC)

If you really want to change something, I'd say run for some political office. Useight (talk) 04:49, 25 May 2008 (UTC)

That's an amusing (intensely American) thought, but frankly I don't think it's the best way for an individual to produce change. The process of actually getting into office and the obligations it entails means that most political officers accomplish a lot more real change in the end than they might wish they could. --Captain Ref Desk (talk) 15:15, 25 May 2008 (UTC)

Here [16] you can make changes without the rest of us having to figure out how to fill oxygen tanks without binding more of it in producing the energy needed to do so than we can put in the tank. Real bummer, that would be. (I guess you get your power from the outlet in the wall :-)--Lisa4edit (talk) 04:57, 25 May 2008 (UTC)

Perhaps you're not angry enough? As Malcolm X said, "Usually when people are sad, they don't do anything. They just cry over their condition. But when they get angry, they bring about change." Xn4 14:25, 25 May 2008 (UTC)

Join the Peace Corps, go somewhere else, help people directly on a day-to-day basis, stop worrying about gravity and thermodynamics because those aren't what are causing your ennui. Leave your bourgeois boredom behind, do something real, make a real change. Or do you want to make a real change in your life and the lives of others? Most people are afraid of change, I wouldn't be surprised if you were too. It's an easy thing to wish for change, it's hard to actually do something about it. --Captain Ref Desk (talk) 15:15, 25 May 2008 (UTC)

Of course, if you want to make a change, the place to start is with the Man in the Mirror. —Angr 15:53, 25 May 2008 (UTC)

It really depends on whether you want to change things for the better or for the worse... Of course, any lasting change requires a lot of determination and motivation, so it would have to be something you're very passionate about. I like the removal of gravity. That would indeed be a weight off my shoulders. Could you arrange that for me? Steewi (talk) 01:44, 26 May 2008 (UTC)

Penis fantasy

Do women/girls sometimes fantasize about (images of) the male penis? If so, what proportion do?— Preceding unsigned comment added by 79.76.141.94 (talk • contribs)

It's very hard to get good sociological data on internal thoughts in general, especially sexual ones. At best you're going to get, "how many claim to, in one particular context in which they were asked." --98.217.8.46 (talk) 04:05, 25 May 2008 (UTC)

Women and girls absolutely fantasize about penises, just like men and boys fantasize about vaginas. And, yes, plenty of men and boys also fantasize about penises, just like women and girls also fantasize about vaginas. A whole lot of people fantasize about both. People have an endless fascination with sexual organs, which has enabled an entire industry based on feeding and encouraging sexual fantasies to grow and succeed. As for how many people fantasize about the penis specifically, it's impossible to tell. Essentially all people have sexual fantasies, though, and they're considered to be the sign of a healthy person. Taking a semi-educated guess, I would say that among heterosexuals, it can be safely said that more women fantasize about penises at one time or another than not. -- Captain Disdain (talk) 08:04, 25 May 2008 (UTC)

Knee trembling disease

Why do people (mostly young men) tremble their knees whilst sitting and usually whilst eating/ I find it grossly annoying. Is there something wrong with their legs? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 79.76.141.94 (talk) 04:26, 25 May 2008 (UTC)

I don't think it's anything in particular that causes it, possibly just a habit. I see it sometimes to, bouncing their knee up and down. I only find it annoying when it shakes the table or the desk or something. Useight (talk) 04:47, 25 May 2008 (UTC)

I doubt it's a disease. I just always figured it was due to some small form of hyperactivity or just a nervous thing where the kid doesn't want to be sitting in a classroom but instead by out playing sports. Dismas|^(talk) 05:24, 25 May 2008 (UTC)

Excess energy, feeling you could "jump out of your skin"? Julia Rossi (talk) 06:17, 25 May 2008 (UTC)

Guilty as charged. Speaking for myself, there's nothing wrong with my legs - I just like doing something rather than just sitting there. Clarityfiend (talk) 06:35, 25 May 2008 (UTC)

Chance has it I am bouncing my knee/leg right at this moment. I find it a peculiar thing indeed, and I can't help think that it lies somewhat outside my control. Even holding the leg still, there is a certain bit of movement, strictly involuntary. Resting the foot's weight on the forward third of my foot, and forming a somewhat acute angle between my thigh and leg, it seems impossible to keep it properly still. Must be something located in the foot, I reckon. Do we not have an article on this matter? Scaller (talk) 10:05, 25 May 2008 (UTC)

As far as "diseases" go, there is Restless Leg Syndrome, but that is unlikely what you are referring to. You're probably talking about fidgeting, "to move around nervously or idly". I do not know the cause, but I'd guess it's likely boredom - even if the rest of your body is otherwise occupied, your legs/fingers/etc. aren't doing anything, and so people fidget to keep them occupied. It's hardly a "disease" - in fact, I seem to recall studies that people who fidget are less likely to be obese (a disease, BTW) than those who don't, on account of all the calories they burn in their repetitive movements. -- 128.104.112.147 (talk) 21:21, 25 May 2008 (UTC)

Why is it only young men predominantly who do it? Ive never seen a woman, children or older men doing it. Is it a sign of nervous tension or excitement? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 79.76.177.27 (talk) 01:48, 26 May 2008 (UTC)

Help Me Figure Out Song Please

Hi, this is going to sound trivial but it's really bugging me. I heard a really great song today but I can't remember its name. Someone told me "Leap and Bounce" or something like that (relatively unintellectual, two words describing motion, the first was somewhat uncommon), and the artist/album started with a syllable that sounded like "Duke". The only problem is that I've forgotten the real name of the song, and would really like to know. It was an electronic/dance track, and sounded like it was produced recently (probably last couple of years). Can anyone help me out? Thanks 121.216.129.51 (talk) 05:13, 25 May 2008 (UTC)

Could it have been Fluke (band)? Rockpocket 07:54, 25 May 2008 (UTC)

Parking direction

Why do so many parking garages and parking lots have signs asking you not to back in to the parking lots? Why do they care whether you park with the nose of your car pointing inward or outward? —Angr 08:10, 25 May 2008 (UTC)

Do these lots have diagonal or perpendicular spaces? If the spaces are diagonal, I would think the reasoning would be that you could mess up the flow of traffic when pulling in/out. I've never seen a sign like that. And if the space is perpendicular, I prefer to "battle park" as often as I can. Dismas|^(talk) 08:33, 25 May 2008 (UTC)

(after edit con) Presumably it's because most drivers are more likely to hit another car when backing between them than when backing out. It's also quicker in getting you out of the way of other cars.--Shantavira|^{feed me} 08:36, 25 May 2008 (UTC)

Dismas: Perpendicular. "Battle park"??? Shantavira: The first reason makes sense, but for the second reason, surely the effect is canceled out by how much longer it takes you to unpark your car by backing out when you're leaving. —Angr 08:41, 25 May 2008 (UTC)

I've never seen such a sign (in Great Britain). I was taught to reverse in and drive out, and rule 201 of the highway code (broadly interpreted) seems to recommend it. I think the ides is that it's more dangerous/disruptive to reverse into moving traffic. Algebraist 08:53, 25 May 2008 (UTC)

Here are some photos I found by entering "do not back in" into Google Images: [17], [18], [19]. These may all be from the States, but I've seen similar notices here in Germany too. In German, the sign is formulated as a positive command rather than a negative one: Vorwärts einparken, i.e. "Park forwards". —Angr 09:59, 25 May 2008 (UTC)

Just to see what sort of answers I'd get, I asked the same question at the German reference desk. In addition to Shantavira's suggestion that it's about getting you into your parking place quickly, someone there suggested it's to keep diesel exhaust fumes from staining the wall, meaning it would have to be painted more often. —Angr 10:34, 25 May 2008 (UTC)

It seems a fairly stupid rule anyway, so it will soon be the law in the UK no doubt.--Artjo (talk) 10:48, 25 May 2008 (UTC)

I would have thought that the answer from the German WP interrogation and punishment desk is correct. Your own (US?) samples show walls with some sort of cladding and one which appears to be rendered in some whitewash mortar. You do not have to idle you motor very long until the wall is full of unsightly (and unhealthy) muck when the exhaust pipe is fairly close to it. A minor problem may be that fumes can be dispersed more easily when the rear of the car points towards the driveway. If you fill your boot with the collected groceries whilst left and right motorists run their engine you are likely to plummet unconsciously into the gap between your sausages and hubby´s sauerkraut. As a corollary, loading stuff into the boot when it is at the rear is a bit awkward. --Cookatoo.ergo.ZooM (talk) 11:39, 25 May 2008 (UTC)

Perpendicular parking means perpendicular to the flow of traffic, e.g. ||||||| whereas diagonal would be \\\\\\\ And "battle parking" is to park so that you can pull out forwards quickly. It's a military slang term meaning parking so that when an attack happens and you need to pull out quickly, you can do so forward instead of having to back up. Dismas|^(talk) 12:00, 25 May 2008 (UTC)

Okay. I understood what you meant by "perpendicular", and indeed I've seen the signs used where parking is perpendicular. —Angr 12:19, 25 May 2008 (UTC)

My father-in-law ran his own transport business and INSISTED on his drivers parking their vehicles facing outwards (described as Battle Parking above). The reason was so as to allow the engine to be accessed by a Road Recovery Mechanic in the event of it not starting on demand. In that circumstance, a remote Jump Start Cable could be more readily attached than otherwise. So now, I always park my car that way, except where the busy-ness of following traffic would be severely disrupted. 92.16.221.21 (talk) 15:13, 25 May 2008 (UTC)

Could it be because in some places cars only have license plates on the back, so reversing in would obscure it from the police / parking enforcement officer? Think outside the box 20:22, 25 May 2008 (UTC)

Well, maybe in some places, but not here in Germany, where cars have license plates both back and front. —Angr 20:38, 25 May 2008 (UTC)

The only sign I've seen on this matter in the UK was to insist that people reversed into the parking area since "it is illegal to reverse back out into a main road". I always wondered if that was true, but never got around to looking. Perhaps I shall now. Unless anyone else knows? Gwinva (talk) 21:50, 25 May 2008 (UTC)

As I said above, it's rule 201 of the Code. Not any specific law that I can tell. Algebraist 21:53, 25 May 2008 (UTC)

Ah, thanks, missed that comment (I obviously can't read). It's in the road coad here (rule 177), but is a recommendation rather than law, and doesn't refer to parking spaces. But reversing into parking spaces was always presented as easier and safer. Gwinva (talk) 21:59, 25 May 2008 (UTC)

Yes, that's why I said 'broadly interpreted'. In case anyone was confused (I was!), the discrepancy on rule number is because Gwinva's code is out of date. Algebraist 22:12, 25 May 2008 (UTC)

ITALIANS ASK THE TIME

Why in Italy there is a tendency to ask the time,from a public service telephone more frequently than in other countries? In other words Italians telephone to ask the time from a telephone centre quite often. Why? —Preceding unsigned comment added by Kleop (talk • contribs) 09:10, 25 May 2008 (UTC) (tag added by hydnjo talk 12:12, 25 May 2008 (UTC))

Maybe they just got into the habit. Might one factor be the cost? In the UK it costs 30p to phone Timeline, whereas I can get the guaranteed right time for free from my radio-controlled watch, television, GPS, or digital radio.--Shantavira|^{feed me} 19:10, 25 May 2008 (UTC)

Damn good way to make some money?! 65.163.115.254 (talk) 20:15, 25 May 2008 (UTC)

Religion and the US Armed Forces

If I were in the US Army and declared my religion as Matrixism would the Veterans Administration put the sign of Matrixism on my tombstone? I know that they were forced to put the Wiccan symbol on a deceased veteran's grave marker recently but does the new policy apply to a religion like Matrixism. 71.231.121.77 (talk) 13:10, 25 May 2008 (UTC)

The US Department of Veterans Affairs has a list of authorized emblems for use on headstones, markers and memorial plaques. The Wiccan pentacle was added to the list in settlement of a federal lawsuit brought by Americans United for Separation of Church and State. The first veteran's grave to be marked with it was that of Jan O'Rourke, who had been a Wiccan priestess. By Matrixism, I think you mean the 'Path of the One' spawned by The Matrix series? You might like to check with the Department of Veterans' Affairs, but I shall be surprised if they've authorized a Path of the One emblem yet. It may be that they haven't had any request to do so. Xn4 14:08, 25 May 2008 (UTC)

I don't want to kidnap your topic, but shouldn't the Veterans Administration consider the Flying Spaghetti Monster also as a religion? 217.168.1.95 (talk) 23:29, 25 May 2008 (UTC)

They have not done so yet (there's a full list at United States Department of Veterans Affairs emblems for headstones and markers, btw). You're welcome to petition them, but be warned that more serious religions have tried and so far failed. Algebraist 23:43, 25 May 2008 (UTC)

As if the Flying Spaghetti Monster could catch Matrixism let alone kidnap it. Matrixism is like the wind. It is all around us. 71.231.121.77 (talk) 08:58, 26 May 2008 (UTC)

Dr. Vivien Thomas

The article on Dr. Vivien Thomas has his name repeatedly spelled incorrectly. It should be spelled with an "e" not an "a" .– —Preceding unsigned comment added by 76.117.90.104 (talk) 14:06, 25 May 2008 (UTC)

This seems to be quite common. Look at this. The page title says Vivian but the letter is clearly signed Vivien. His autobiography as shown on his article here says Vivien also. Fribbler (talk) 14:22, 25 May 2008 (UTC)

The problem was caused just a few days ago in this edit, which even edited the interwiki links, making them go dead. I've undone the damage, and I'll warn the anonymous editor who was responsible. Xn4 15:03, 25 May 2008 (UTC)

Pearl Harbour

I just watched the Pearl Harbour movie (Ben Affleck and Josh Hartnett version) - AGAIN - and it prompted a few questions that I am sure I could research but I know the answers would be largely a matter of speculation so I hope you folk don't mind me asking them here for your informed opinions. First, tragic though the number of deaths and injuries incurred were, were the resultant half-million casualties that America suffered during it's involvement in WWII worth them getting involved after Pearl Harbour? Second, what happened to the careers of the very senior Navy personnel who prevaricated when faced with the "missing Japanese Fleet" information by Navy Intelligence? And third, was it true (as advised to the President following the Pearl Harbour attacks) that by risking a retaliatory Aircraft Carrier attack on Tokyo with the possible outcome of those Carriers being defeated by the Japanese, the victorious Japanese could have launched an invasion on American soil that could not have been stopped before "it reached Chicago"? Big questions I know but I am always amazed at the knowlegeable information that Wikipedians can rise to in such circumstances. Thanks for any responses. 92.16.221.21 (talk) 15:06, 25 May 2008 (UTC)

For the first, I personally do think it was worth going to war. First of all, the entire country wanted to (heh, opposite of today...), and financially/militarily we were fairly ready (just needed a bit of modernization, but that came quickly). Also, the Japanese had control of most of Oceania... and they wanted more (China, probably Russia, India, or Australia later); having them right across the ocean wasn't a good position to be in, considering the Japanese had one of the largest and best navies at the time (nearly on par with the American and British ones; also, they were allied with the Germans, which wasn't good news). Your third question is most likely a rumor, and don't know about the second. · AndonicO ^Engage. 17:41, 25 May 2008 (UTC)

No, the Japanese couldn't seriously invade the United States. Their army wasn't big enough, being tied down in China and needed to take over the Philippines, etc., nor was the navy capable of transporting, much less supplying a sizable force across thousands of miles of ocean. Consider that it took until 1944 before the Allies had built up enough manpower and materiel to invade Europe across just a few miles of water, even though they had overwhelming naval and air superiority. Clarityfiend (talk) 18:51, 25 May 2008 (UTC)

It would have been a severe challenge for Japan to even hold and supply the Hawaiian Islands, much less supply an invasion force in the U.S. They did seize islands off Alaska with an eye to using those as bases for attacks against the continental U.S. But the U.S population was by no means eager to enter a World War immediately before the Pearl Harbor attack.Isolationism was very strong. Roosevelt wanted to help Britain, but there was no national will to jump into the war, to save the Soviet Union or the Jewish population of Europe, or the European powers (with their worldwide colonial empires) from the Germans and Italians, or to save the Chinese and other Asians from the Japanese. The U.S also had a relatively small military before World War 2 and lacked large numbers of modern military aircraft or tanks. The U.S did have lots of factories and skilled labor and natural resources which enabled it to transform swiftly to war production and be the "arsenal of democracy" shipping military equipment to the other Allied nations as well as equipping its own enlistees and draftees. Edison (talk) 19:19, 25 May 2008 (UTC)

Just a note: Pearl Harbor is a place name, and is spelled without the u no matter what dialect of English you speak. --Trovatore (talk) 19:28, 25 May 2008 (UTC)

Up to a point, Lord Copper. Pearl Harbour was generally spelt with a U by many British publications until relatively recently. The idea that the only correct spelling is the one without a U has become more prevalent with the general idea that endonyms are for some reason preferable to exonyms. Malcolm XIV (talk) 22:47, 25 May 2008 (UTC)

That article seems to be about names in foreign languages. The only correct spelling in English is the one without the u. --Trovatore (talk) 06:50, 26 May 2008 (UTC)

We go through the trouble of including your 'u' in "Labour Party", you could at least return the favor with Pearl Harbor. ;) --D. Monack | talk 09:24, 26 May 2008 (UTC)

I want to say a big thankyou to the respondents above who offered up their opinions when answering my questions. And no thanks whatever to the pedants who completely swerved the question off course by worrying about the presence or absence of a letter "u". I wonder if when Yamamoto attacked Pearl Harbour/Harbor would they have attacked his Japanese forces with their Webster's dictionaries? 92.0.212.98 (talk) 10:39, 26 May 2008 (UTC)

10 greatest songs of all time

I know its subjective, but what are the 10 greatest songs of all time? Ever. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 79.76.173.176 (talk) 16:22, 25 May 2008 (UTC)

WP has Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time and googling "ten greatest songs of all time" yields 115 million results. Have fun. :) Zain Ebrahim (talk) 16:47, 25 May 2008 (UTC)

Of course, Rolling Stone restricts its list to rock songs, rather than something like "Amazing Grace" for example. Clarityfiend (talk) 18:40, 25 May 2008 (UTC)

The BBC carried out an internet poll a few years ago along these lines asking people to nominate songs. From memory the first three were in Hindi or Urdu and the best English language record was 'Bohemian Rhapsody' by Queen at 4th position - as my memory serves. I thought it was a wonderful comeuppance for anglocentricity (if that's a word) So, you pays yer money. . . . Richard Avery (talk) 19:15, 25 May 2008 (UTC)

Prestigious university that accept every student

Is it true that some prestigious European state universities accept any student with a high-school degree? GoingOnTracks (talk) 17:25, 25 May 2008 (UTC)

Not that I know of. The number of places on a course is limited by availability of staff, lecture venues, budget concerns etc. Academic selection is therefore necessary lest the university have to accept thousands of people onto a course. Fribbler (talk) 17:31, 25 May 2008 (UTC)

Many European countries use the numerus clausus to restrict the number of students they accept. —Angr 18:09, 25 May 2008 (UTC)

In some non-market oriented courses (read Philosophy, History, Classics ...) these numerus clausus is so low that you can say they accept any one, even at serious universities. If you want to study something like Medicine you will have to have good grades at any decent university. 217.168.1.95 (talk) 21:08, 25 May 2008 (UTC)

That is also true here in Ireland where we use the CAO points system, whereby you recieve points based on the grades you recieve in the Leaving certificate. Some courses (few courses though) will list AQA as their points criteria: Any Qualified Applicant, that is anyone who has passed secondary school (high school). Still, I don't believe there is any "prestigious european university" who accepts anyone at all, with no academic selection criteria, to any course. Except, perhaps, as comes to mind; the Open university? Fribbler (talk) 22:55, 25 May 2008 (UTC)

Accepting any one would be physically impossible. Keep in mind than many universities in Europe are free (like free lunch). If - on the top of that- there were no numerus clausus or other acceptance criteria, the flow of student would be plainly too big. BTW, Is the Open University pretigious?217.168.1.95 (talk) 23:22, 25 May 2008 (UTC)

(exdent) The open university, prestigious, hmmm. Yes and no. Not in the classical sense; it doesn't have a long history and ivy covered walls. But it it certainly no Degree mill and its alumni are sought after by employers since "attendance" displays a certain personal drive, and it is a very well known university (note: no COI here, I attended an old-school ivy-covered university :-) ). Fribbler (talk) 23:27, 25 May 2008 (UTC)

Idiotic Commercials: Market Demographic does'nt incl. intelligent people, such as those found here on Wikipedia.

What is the marketing demographic for these Commercials ? These are really getting stupid. Burger King has had some really idiotic ones in which a motorist actually pushes another car out of a drive thru, another in which a man jumps out of a moving car, the car striking another one. Lazyboy just had a really idiotic one. Are the CEOs and the other company execs on drugs or something? Has anyone else seen these idiotic commercials? 65.163.115.254 (talk) 20:09, 25 May 2008 (UTC)

The goal of most commercials is to get you to think about the company and the commercial. Guess what! That's what you're doing. --98.217.8.46 (talk) 20:18, 25 May 2008 (UTC)

But in a negative way; is that what they want?--Artjo (talk) 20:20, 25 May 2008 (UTC)

P.T. Barnum, renowned as a great showman/publicist, is reputed to have said "There is no such thing as bad press, as long as they spell your name right." The worst thing to happen to a company is for people to forget about them. And for every member of the public which is turned off by the ads, there are likely to be ten others who are more likely to think of the company because of them. (P.T. Barnum also is reported to have said "Nobody ever went broke underestimating the intelligence of the American people") -- 128.104.112.147 (talk) 20:51, 25 May 2008 (UTC)

I haven't seen those, but it sounds like you are complaining about them being inappropriate more than about being idiotic. You consider acts of violence such as those depicted there to be no laughing matter. However, the CEOs don't care (directly) about such issues - as long as enough people (all things considered) like the ads and are influenced to buy the product, they will approve of them. -- Meni Rosenfeld (talk) 22:25, 25 May 2008 (UTC)

Even silly brand names get attention[20]. As above by being stupid, and an analytical person would notice that (others take it as given), it's got that demographic through a negative effect. Another saying is even bad publicity is good publicity. Julia Rossi (talk) 00:17, 26 May 2008 (UTC)

The advertising has helped them though. I may not remember this question a week from now but subconsciously I'll probably remember the brands of Burger King and LaZboy. And thus your viewing of them has influenced me. It may even make me crave a burger while lounging on my couch. The advertising has had its desired effect, it's gotten the name out in conversation and recognized. Dismas|^(talk) 01:50, 26 May 2008 (UTC)

"Any publicity is good publicity, as long as they spell your name right" Corvus cornix_talk

O Corvus, with that attention to detail, you can now be my representative on earth. : ) Julia Rossi (talk) 06:56, 26 May 2008 (UTC)

Protesting the US only?

Are other nations besides the US being protested without the security forces mobilizing to destroy protesters, as to what happened in Tianaman Square in 1989? A lot of conservatives believe that IF the protesters, mainly the Environmentalists, were to, for example, protest China's pollution levels, human rights record, were to protest in a place like that, they'd end up being treated AS rebels and insurgents and dealt with accordingly, as in being killed and/or placed into prison, loony bins. 65.163.115.254 (talk) 20:56, 25 May 2008 (UTC)

You ought to hear some of these conservatives, especially Michael Savage (commentator) and Mark Levin (conservative). 65.163.115.254 (talk) 21:01, 25 May 2008 (UTC)

For starters this. Seems protests are even allowed in China. Environmental protests occur in practcally every country in the world. No prisons, no loony bins; even if officials are naturally embarrassed by them, since it highlights their actions. I think those radio commentators are misinformed at best, and lying to suit their own agendas at worst. Fribbler (talk) 23:11, 25 May 2008 (UTC)

The English Language in Mexican telenovelas

Why is the English language used in Mexican telenovelas? Ericthebrainiac (talk) 22:25, 25 May 2008 (UTC)

I've seen one of these myself. These are intended to influence the citizens in the US by depicting conservative, religious people in the US AS racists and nuts. I've seen one in which a "coyote" was escorting illegal aliens into the US and he was armed, he patted the .45 he had saying that, "No damn fucking gringo asshole had better get in MY way at all!" I was in the SW US and had some friends who were Mexican who translated what was on the TV. 65.163.115.254 (talk) 00:02, 26 May 2008 (UTC)

You'll be amazed on what is on these shows. 65.163.115.254 (talk) 00:04, 26 May 2008 (UTC)

Programming

<Moved to Computing Desk>

May 26

Snowboarder

I remember reading a newspaper article about an Australian snowboarder called Sam Koska who died while practicing tricks on the roof of a car. Apparently, he was famous - he even participated in other countries - but I can't find any mention of him anywhere on the Internet. Anyone have a link that mentions Koska? 208.76.245.162 (talk) 01:11, 26 May 2008 (UTC)

His name was Sam Kaska, and I think his fame may have been overstated to you somewhat. [21][22][23] Rockpocket 01:36, 26 May 2008 (UTC)

Baseball uniform

Is there an external link, reference, or wikilink that states when little league baseball used baseball uniforms? Thanks. -- RyRy5 (talk) 01:50, 26 May 2008 (UTC)

According to this link from our article, they had uniforms in their first year, 1939.[24] Rmhermen (talk) 01:56, 26 May 2008 (UTC)

Thanks. Oh, and in the article baseball uniform, there are a several statements need referencing. Some examples are

• As official nicknames gained prominence in the early 1900s (in contrast to media-generated and unofficial nicknames of prior generations), pictorial logos began emerging as part of the team's marketing.
• the Boston Americans (an unofficial designation that merely distinguished them from their across-the-tracks rivals) adopted the Nationals' abandoned red stockings in 1908, and have been the Boston Red Sox officially ever since then.
• the stocking colors of teams in the 1860s onward were a principal device in distinguishing one team from another
• detachable spikes were designed and were seen multiple times until 1976 when they were prohibited.
• Further experimenting led to innovations such as the Houston Astros of the 1970s and 1980s putting numbers on a front pants pocket as well as on the back of the shirt.
• The team most often identified with pinstripes would be the New York Yankees. Legend has it that the stripes were adopted to make Babe Ruth look slimmer. That story is a myth, as the Yankees had already adopted pinstripes several years before acquiring Ruth.
• It became standard practice to wear white at home and gray or another somewhat dark color on the road.

Can we try to find references for them? Everyopne's help is very much appreciated. Thanks. -- RyRy5 (talk) 02:06, 26 May 2008 (UTC)

What type of fly is this?

i noticed these little bumps on my horses chest and underbelly. i thought maybe he had walked through some stinging needles or somethin. well a couple day later he was coverd with these little flies. they were all over especialy where the bumps were. the little flies were biteing my horse and createing scabs and makeing him bleed. they were under his belly in his arm pits, and on the inside of his legs. they were driveing him crazy. i did run him down with horser shampoo they repels flies, and put ointment on his scabs.i really want to find out what kind of flies im dealing with, so i can get rid of them better! there very small maybe like 2cm long. they almosy have the body type of an ant. they dont have big eyes.and there kinda striped with black and tan on there abdomen and leggs. what kind of flies are these? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 209.213.6.136 (talk) 02:36, 26 May 2008 (UTC)

It would probably help if you told us where (in the world and your country) you and your horse are.--Lisa4edit (talk) 03:14, 26 May 2008 (UTC)

Umm, wouldn't a local veterinarian be a better source for that kind of information than we wannabes? --hydnjo talk 03:32, 26 May 2008 (UTC)

Sounds like "Screwworm flies". Got any pixes? 65.163.115.254 (talk) 05:31, 26 May 2008 (UTC)

Sounds likely, there's our article on screw worm flies Cochliomyia_hominivorax, of maggots, these eat healthy flesh and a variety in the Old World – wiki's so good, I miss-spelled it as "screw work fly" and it still got there, Julia Rossi (talk) 06:52, 26 May 2008 (UTC)

You call 2 cm long flies "very small"?! Wher I live flies are no more than half a cm long ReluctantPhilosopher (talk) 08:56, 26 May 2008 (UTC)

I guess typos happen. I had assumed 2mm which would fit the bill. Lisa4edit (talk) 09:07, 26 May 2008 (UTC)

Which Birds are featured on the new UK Passport?

I think I've worked out: Avocet, Curlew (or is it a Whimbrel?), and Red Kite? (And a Kingfisher in the watermark). But what is the fourth one on the main pages? And is it a Hawfinch on the plastic coated page at the back? —Preceding unsigned comment added by Wondering Jon (talk • contribs) 07:28, 26 May 2008 (UTC)

Vesna Vulović's fall duration

I posted the question on the talkpage of the Vesna Vulović article, before realising I could bring it here. Basically - how long does it take a person to fall 10,000+ meters? Lugnuts (talk) 07:54, 26 May 2008 (UTC)

Hard to say, since she was in (part of) the plane the whole time. For an unprotected human, it would be (going by terminal velocity) about three minutes, but I can't guess how much drag you get from a random hunk of blown-up aircraft. Algebraist 08:39, 26 May 2008 (UTC)

I would think that the equations for terminal velocity would be the best to apply, though I don't know what values to assign to the various parameters. If you don't get a full answer here, there may be more chance of an answer from Wikipedia:Reference desk/Science.--86.145.248.87 (talk) 08:37, 26 May 2008 (UTC)

About square root of (10000/4.9) seconds, disregarding air resistance, which you probably can't. Probably terminal velocity will enter the picture, as the above reply says, so it would take longer. ReluctantPhilosopher (talk) 08:44, 26 May 2008 (UTC)

A couple of sites not worthy of reference say 3 minutes but that could all be guesswork, I think someone on the Science desk would love to do the calcs on this. Checking the crash reports referenced in JAT Flight JU 367... Mhicaoidh (talk) 08:45, 26 May 2008 (UTC) ...which are hopeless, one even has the wrong height. Can't find a detailed and authoritative one. Mhicaoidh (talk) 09:09, 26 May 2008 (UTC)

Bear in mind guys she was a wreckage rider so could still have gained some aerodynamic benefit oops sorry Algebraist Mhicaoidh (talk) 08:47, 26 May 2008 (UTC)

Thanks people! Lugnuts (talk) 09:17, 26 May 2008 (UTC)

Cyclone

Why does everyone only ever complain about that cyclone hitting Burma? It's not the only country that was affected by the cyclone. Interactive Fiction Expert/Talk to me 08:09, 26 May 2008 (UTC)

Because it affected Burma vastly more than it affected other countries, and caused historic levels of damage and deaths. And I think you will find people are concerned for the Burmese, rather than complaining about the cyclone. You may like to read Cyclone Nargis. Mhicaoidh (talk) 08:21, 26 May 2008 (UTC)

Plus the military junta there makes relief efforts all the more difficult. ReluctantPhilosopher (talk) 08:49, 26 May 2008 (UTC)

searching for a video clip

The video clip was in New York. I just remember the sentence "every time I see you". I saw it on MTV (how amazing) on the late 90'. The song was also in a Lee jeans commercial.217.168.1.95 (talk) 08:27, 26 May 2008 (UTC)