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March 18

Materials

Moved to science desk

Historian

I did check out Google's Jobs section and underneath Job search, I was looking for if they have anything to do with Historian. I tried but nothing work. Is there any job search site where it can help me with getting a job as a historian? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 76.64.128.69 (talk) 00:34, 18 March 2009 (UTC)

Answers moved to Wikipedia:Reference_desk/Humanities DJ Clayworth (talk) 18:11, 18 March 2009 (UTC)

Giant gray circle north of Mexico City

Does anyone know what this giant gray circle is near Mexico City?: [1] -- Mwalcoff (talk) 00:51, 18 March 2009 (UTC)

It would appear it is a salt pan called El Caracol, Ecatepec. --ColinFine (talk) 01:07, 18 March 2009 (UTC)

Statistics on first- and middle-name initials

Does anyone know where I can find statistics on the relative popularity of different first- and middle-name initials (as two-letter combinations)? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 98.114.146.142 (talk) 01:10, 18 March 2009 (UTC)

For what population? --Sean 14:40, 18 March 2009 (UTC)

U.S. --98.114.146.142 (talk) 23:59, 18 March 2009 (UTC)

how to enable "net send"

Moved to computing desk

help.

Greetings from the Philippines.Please help me and my family. I am looking for a person named RUI MANUEL MARQUEZ.This guy is a united nations police officer assigned @ East Timor since Dec. 2008.He is from Portugal.Anybody knows this guy please help us. I saw his name from the receipt @ dili international airport last Dec 24, 2008 with my sister.This is a very important matter.Please anybody help us very badly.Thank you & God Bless. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 203.87.198.94 (talk) 11:40, 18 March 2009 (UTC)

Have you tried contacting the United Nations? DJ Clayworth (talk) 17:14, 18 March 2009 (UTC)

What is the name given to the Medical Imaging done by digital camera?

This doesn't include MRi ,CT,and ultra sound,just those done by Mobile phones and DSLRs?

Medical imaging lists several types of imaging, but none of them have anything to do with mobile phones or digital SLR. Tomdobb (talk) 13:04, 18 March 2009 (UTC)

There are plenty of Google hits for "medical photography", so I would expect that's the term. I'm a bit surprised by your claim that mobile phones are used for such purposes. -- Coneslayer (talk) 13:11, 18 March 2009 (UTC)

this must have been taken by a digital camera.

Do you need an example.?.yousaf465'

What does that "example" prove? Bus stop (talk) 13:48, 18 March 2009 (UTC)

I think your example would just be called a picture or a photograph. Maybe a self-portrait? It certainly doesn't appear to have anything to do with medicine other than it shows a laceration. Tomdobb (talk) 14:00, 18 March 2009 (UTC)

I think the picture might or might not have been taken by a digital camera. I'm not knowledgeable about any of this, but can't a photograph, to be used for medical, or legal purposes, be taken by any photographic means? Need a photograph taken by a digital camera have a special name? Can the person posing the question provide some background about the context in which it seems necessary to identify the type of medical imaging used? Can't it just be referred to as a photograph taken with a digital camera, or even by a mobile phone? Bus stop (talk) 14:10, 18 March 2009 (UTC)

This miscellaneous desk might not be the best place. If don't get what you want within a few days, ask again on the language desk, because they know terms for most things under the sun. (But wait till this thread is archived, because it's considered rude to post in two places at once.) BrainyBabe (talk) 15:02, 18 March 2009 (UTC)

You could take a look at Medical illustrator. Most hospitals in the UK have Medical Illustration Departments who offer a Clinical Photography service. Stulock holmes (talk) 15:06, 18 March 2009 (UTC)

Medical imaging is a generic term meaning any image - normally all or part of a human body - to aid medical staff in diagnosis, treatment or possibly for teaching purposes. This may be carried out by various means, for example, x-rays, CAT scan, screen capture from an endoscopy or a camera (usually digital). X-rays, CAT scans and related procedures are normally carried out by the radiography department of a hospital. Screen captures from an endoscopy video are usually taken by the doctor or surgeon carrying out the procedure. Medical photography is performed by a person trained in this speciality using a good quality digital camera. A medical photograph is any photographic image produced at the request of a doctor. Other images requested by other clinical disciplines may be called clinical photographs, but these terms are not necessarily strictly adhered to. I have never heard of a medical or clinical photograph being taken by a mobile phone. Undoubtedly they have been taken by this method but only in emergency situations when calling for the medical photographer would result in the moment being lost. Richard Avery (talk) 16:43, 18 March 2009 (UTC)

Well like CT and X-ray use same technology but have differnet name.In simialr fashion this must also have different name.Surgeons usally use mobile phone to capture photos during operations.yousaf465'

Hmm, so how do these surgeons ensure cleanliness of the operation area when they whip out their mobiles. Are we talking about major city surgery here? I believe this is unheard of in the UK. Richard Avery (talk) 08:10, 19 March 2009 (UTC)

This was taken in early morning thus no other camera avaiable.

Will upload one such image.Clean they are.yousaf465'

"X-Ray" is not a form of imaging - it is the name of the radiation used to form the images, i.e. Computed Tomography uses X-Rays to produce images. Likewise, plain film imaging (Radiography) (the sort of film image you'll see hung on a light-box on ER) is often given the name "an X-Ray". So its two different technologies, both using X-Rays to produce them. Likewise, a photograph may be referred to as a medical or clinical photograph, but at the end of the day the technology used to produce it means its still just a photograph. Personally, I find it hard to believe surgeons use mobile phones to take images in theatres. If it was deemed necessary to take photo's in theatre you'd surely want to use a decent quality camera, with good resolution, etc. Also, due to patient privacy concerns, mobile phones are often banned from theatre areas due to the fact that they have cameras built in. Stulock holmes (talk) 08:29, 19 March 2009 (UTC)

I don't know what the point was to this discussion. Mobile phones and digital cameras take digital photographs. Any medical photograph taken by a mobile phone or a digital camera would be called a digital photograph. Furthermore I don't understand the relevance of the two medical photographs to the original question posed. Bus stop (talk) 22:35, 19 March 2009 (UTC)

Wanting in all title

I really don't know how to phrase this, so those of you who have come across me before, please bear with me. The underlying question is, should I tell her? But that is not RefDesky at all. Is there any research about whether women want to be told if their boyfriend or husband is using or has used the services of a prostitute? Obviously, some women would want to know and some wouldn't. Are there any solid criteria for an unwillingly observant neighbour to base her decision on? Have any social scientists or counsellors (or for that matter prostitutes' organisations) come up with helpful ways through this minefield? I am not asking for opinion or anecdote here, although frankly, under the circumstances, helpful suggestions (of the "This is what my cousin did..." variety) would be welcome on my talkpage. Any pointers to reliable, preferably academic, material would be much appreciated here on the refdesk, not least for future archiving. BrainyBabe (talk) 14:52, 18 March 2009 (UTC)

Trust (social sciences), Truth and the "see also" links at Deception might be helpful. Carefully weighing the benefits (e.g. checking for STDs) against the possible damage to the relationship seems indicated.76.97.245.5 (talk) 17:08, 18 March 2009 (UTC)

This isn't research, obviously, but just the same: I think in a situation like this you should be very, very aware of the fact that since you are an observant neighbor, rather than a participant, chances are that you don't know the whole story. Assuming that your observation is correct -- and it sounds like it's possible that it isn't -- it's possible that she's entirely aware of her husband's actions, for example. Or that she isn't aware of this specific activity, but he has permission because of an existing arrangement. Or that he keeps it out of sight and she makes sure she doesn't see anything (although if that's the case, clearly he hasn't been doing a great job since you found out). Or maybe he's just a cheating shit. The point is, as long as you don't know, you should probably be pretty careful about what you do. -- Captain Disdain (talk) 10:30, 19 March 2009 (UTC)

Can someone help me find a list of countries that have the most islands?

I am looking for a list that has at least the top ten countries based on islands in the country. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 70.193.102.98 (talk) 18:56, 18 March 2009 (UTC)

The problem here comes with defining an island. The question of "What is the smallest island?" has come up from time to time and there's no answer to it, because the minimal size for an island isn't defined. That makes counting them rather difficult. That being said, I would think that Indonesia, Malaysia, Canada, and the Philippines are probably the top contenders, in some order or other. Russia and Japan are probably there as well. Depending on how you want to count the various bits and pieces of Micronesia, Melanesia, Polynesia, that could really throw the numbers off. Matt Deres (talk) 20:14, 18 March 2009 (UTC)

As a DIY guide, there is the article list of islands. Bear in mind that many nations with a coastline have numerous rock islands (Norway or Greece are examples) . In other cases you have to decide if, for instance, the dozens if islands in the Nile delta are islands. Even Switzerland, not a country noted for islands, has a list of 33 in lakes and rivers. Alabama seems to have > 100 islands, all but 4 are red links. The vast majority of these are definitely "for the birds". --62.47.141.18 (talk) 20:22, 18 March 2009 (UTC). Ooops, --62.47.141.18 (talk) 20:23, 18 March 2009 (UTC). Ooops number 2: --Cookatoo.ergo.ZooM (talk) 20:24, 18 March 2009 (UTC)

I suspect Indonesia would be the top of the list by most definitions but I think the other ones may be more difficult and as MD and Cookatoo have said, it ultimately comes down to how you classify islands. For example we have a bunch of articles Islands of Indonesia, List of islands of the Philippines, List of islands of Australia, List of islands of Japan but these probably primarily are official figures and therefore their definition of islands will vary. The intro of Islands of Indonesia helps explain the difficult counting these sort of things. It would obviously be easier if you restrict yourself to inhabited islands or something of that sort Nil Einne (talk) 08:25, 19 March 2009 (UTC)

How many islands are there in this picture? SteveBaker (talk) 01:58, 21 March 2009 (UTC)

I agree that it's rather difficult to define an island. Does a rock poking a few centimeters from the water count as an island? What about when waves wash it over? What about islands in lakes, or even "islands" in puddles? Is a continent an island? If there's a narrow channel cutting across an island, or if a lake in the middle drains toward opposite sides, is that one island or two? Also, based on this, the number of islands can change, an island may rise above water or it may sink below. Or, do you mean a number of catalogued islands? What about countries with overseas territories, or land claims in Antarctica? Do man-made islands such as Palm Jumeirah count as well, and do man-made water features such as the Panama Canal make a difference? That being said, many countries do consist partially or fully of archipelagos and groups of islands, such as the Bahamas, Canada, Ecuador, Denmark, Spain, the UK, Malta, Comoros, Cape Verde, Maldives, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Japan, etc. ~AH1^(TCU) 18:54, 19 March 2009 (UTC)

Museum quote

O you people, beware of being extreme and exceeding the limits in the religion, for that which destroyed the people before you was none other than extremism in the religion

I saw this quote on a recent visit to a British Museum (not THE British Museum), and thought it a wonderful bit of advice to adherents of ALL religions. But I can't recall seeing a reference to the author. Any advice welcome and also, any follow-up reading material suggestions appreciated. 92.22.75.125 (talk) 19:45, 18 March 2009 (UTC)

The first part is from the Qur'an 4:171 the second part is in several Hadith collections (the collected sayings and deeds of Muhammad) listed here. meltBanana 20:43, 18 March 2009 (UTC)

Continuation of the thread above, "help." on Timor-Leste

Thank you Sir/Madam (DJ CLAYWORTH)i REALLY DONT HAVE ANY KNOWLEDGE ABOUT THIS RESEARCH IN THE COMPUTER, I JUST CLICK CLICK AND CLICK UNTIL I ENTERED IN THIS SECTION. SIR, YOU SEE MY SISTER WAS KILLED BY HER HUSBAND LAST MARCH 6, SHE JUST ARRIVED FROM EAST TIMOR LAST FEB. 11.BECAUSE SHE HAD TO REPORT TO HER OFFICE HERE AT BACOLOD CITY ,PHILIIPINES.I JUST WANT TO KNOW WHAT IS HER CONNECTION TO THIS GUY?DOES HE KNOWS THAT MY SISTER WAS DEAD? YOU SEE , 2 WEEKS OF GREAT TRIALS IN OUR LIVES, AND THIS TRIALS WAS VERY VERY STRONG THAT I MYSELF IS ALWAYS CRYING. SHE WAS KILLED FRIDAY MARCH 6 AND MARCH 2 WE HAD LUNCH, SHE TOLD ME EVEREYTHING ABOUT THIS GUY, IM SORRY I COULD NOT FINISH THIS.......SEE YOU, THANK YOUS SIR. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 203.87.198.94 (talk) 22:25, 18 March 2009 (UTC)

My heart goes out to you. You sound sincere. Perhaps someone familiar with your country and your language will see this and maybe offer helpful advice. I do not know how I can help you, because I am in New York City (approximately) and I only speak English. Your English is pretty good, but I don't think I really understand all that this is about. I feel that maybe some sort of police work is called for, to try to the bottom of this, but I really don't know. I wish you the best, and I hope you get your questions answered. Bus stop (talk) 00:07, 19 March 2009 (UTC)

To the extent it helps, the individual you are looking for probably works for United Nations Integrated Mission in East Timor. A gentleman by the name of Chief Superintendent Luis Carrilho is apparently leading the UN Police part of the mission. I suspect the only way to get through to the man you wish to track down would be to write via Carrilho in Timor-Leste. --Tagishsimon (talk) 00:19, 19 March 2009 (UTC)

March 19

diet

it's diet enhances it's defence mechanism. what is it and what is it's defence mechanism. it's a question i need assistance to. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 196.1.26.36 (talk) 00:42, 19 March 2009 (UTC)

Quite a few non-poisonous bugs eat poisonous plants in order to become poisonous themselves in order that birds and other predators learn not to eat them. Milkweed butterfly caterpillars eat the leaves of the (poisonous) Milkweed plant - storing the poisons in their gut. If a bird should eat such a caterpillar, it will get very sick and (presumably) leave the caterpillars alone thereafter. But this is just one example - there are others. SteveBaker (talk) 02:08, 19 March 2009 (UTC)

i always look at questions like this and think 'nasty pub quiz question'. as such i reckon it's japan. and that the defence mechanism is the japanese armed forces. --Monomath (talk) 13:15, 19 March 2009 (UTC)

It could be - but if so, they have a problem because there are plenty of non-tricky answers to this that make a whole lot more sense. But even if that is the intended use of the word 'diet' - it could also be Finland. (Both Japan and Finland call their governing bodies a 'diet') - so it's still not anything like a unique answer. I suspect that is NOT the intended meaning in this case because of the follow-on part: "what is it's defence mechanism". SteveBaker (talk) 04:24, 20 March 2009 (UTC)

minor conflict on wikipedia here, and i can't get any other internet sites here at work to establish the truth, but one page points out that the diet of finland ran until 1906, and you seem to think it current. might be worth someone looking into. --Monomath (talk) 17:05, 20 March 2009 (UTC)

The Japanese armed forces are called the Japanese Self Defense Force I think, and they seem to qualify. 65.121.141.34 (talk) 19:13, 25 March 2009 (UTC)

new jacket

hello, i bought a new jacket today and I have a question about it. There are two white stitches on my all black jacket at the bottom of it on the back that appear to be holding the flaps together. Are these to be removed, or is it some style thing I'm unaware of?

[jacket photo on imageshack|http://img13.imageshack.us/img13/45/jacketw.jpg]

sorry if this is a dumb question, I rarely buy new clothing, especially jackets, and i have a date this friday and i'd rather not appear to be ignorant (even though I clearly am..) thanx! -johnn —Preceding unsigned comment added by 173.30.14.113 (talk) 01:55, 19 March 2009 (UTC)

I don't know for sure, but they don't look like style elements to me. In fact they look like they might be simply holding the two vents at the back closed so that the jacket doesn't get creased/damaged in the store (like the way the pockets are often sewn shut on new jackets). So what else will come undone if you were to remove the stitches? Maybe you could ask at the store where you bought it. Astronaut (talk)02:38, 19 March 2009 (UTC)

My view: they should certainly be removed. They hold the thing together after manufacture, during pressing & transport. They are not a style element. (That said, I went into work this morning with a label attached to the leg of my new chinos, looking like an idiot or member of Coldplay. Perhaps not a person to take sartorial advice from). --Tagishsimon (talk) 02:43, 19 March 2009 (UTC)

It depends on the quality of the stitches. If they are there merely to hold the material during storage then they will be just two long loops and easy to remove. If they are a style feature they will be composed of many small stitches and will not be easy to remove. The decision is yours! Richard Avery (talk) 08:05, 19 March 2009 (UTC)

They appear to be the type of stitches used to attach size and price tags to the garment. They may be removed. B00P (talk) 09:54, 19 March 2009 (UTC)

I agree with Tagishsimon. Kittybrewster ☎ 15:17, 19 March 2009 (UTC)

I used to work in a men's clothing shop.We would tack together vents because they would start to curl up or get caught up when returning the jacket to a rack.hotclaws 17:31, 21 March 2009 (UTC)

Coffee substitutes and the recession

If the late 2000s recession becomes as severe as the Great Depression, will significant numbers of people have to switch to coffee and tea substitutes as they did during the 1930s? If so, are the substitutes likely to be of better quality and to include caffeine? NeonMerlin 04:11, 19 March 2009 (UTC)

Cheap coffee is bordering on free in most cases (not of course, Starbucks, but the standard freeze-dried stuff), especially relative to most people's income. Shit will have to get a LOT worse before we start drinking ersatz coffee of any sorts (unless its done for taste, ala Chicory in New Orleans). Coffee is just far more availible today than in the 1930's, and much less of a "luxury". --Jayron32.talk.contribs 04:59, 19 March 2009 (UTC)

Coffee, much like diamonds, seems to have a price that's kept absurdly high relative to the cost of production of the raw materials (pennies per pound in the case of coffee). If the economy declined, presumably the companies which sell coffee would just need to improve efficiency and lower their profit margins to bring the final price down to something people could afford. StuRat (talk) 15:39, 19 March 2009 (UTC)

But the cost of a cup of home brewed instant is microscopic in relation to developed world incomes. We're talking less than tenth of the cost of soft drinks, a twentieth of the cost of cheap fruit juice. I would have thought it is more likely that people will switch from other beverages to coffee. Mowsbury (talk) 18:13, 23 March 2009 (UTC)

Paranormal : Is it true that the Spirits or the Souls exist?

If yes the can i get to know that how can somebody contact someone who is not there anymore in this world by doing nothing destructive or by hurting anyone at all. Can somebody tell me that if something called souls do exist then do they see us and be around us. Or should i just simply convince myself that there is nothing that sort and when somebody is gone, he can't comeback ever. Its just nothing left now. —Preceding unsigned comment added by Prinkajoinsarmy (talk • contribs) 13:16, 19 March 2009 (UTC)

Firstly, assuming that you are talking from personal experience, I am sorry for your loss. You may like to read our article on the soul, which discusses various philosophical and religious views on whether souls exist, and what their nature is. There is also a brief section in the article on scientific views; there is no scientific evidence for the existence of souls. Most of the viewpoints which consider souls exist do not consider that it is possible for the living to contact people who have died, and believe that it is necessary to accept that they have gone. Spiritualism discusses the opposing view, that contact is possible. Again, there is no scientific evidence for this, and many supposed mediums have been exposed as frauds. Warofdreams talk 13:25, 19 March 2009 (UTC)

No, there's no evidence to suggest that any part of what makes us "us" continues to exist after death, at least in the sense that you're using. My own opinion is that the very idea of souls and the afterlife was invented for just such times as these, to help us come to grips with the loss of a loved one. The fact that they're gone does not, however, mean that they have to be forgotten. I've weathered quite a few losses over the last few years and have noticed that constructive memorial services can be very helpful at times like these. I'm using "constructive" in a very literal sense there, as one of the best things we've done has been to make up memorial books using services like shutterfly. Picking out and arranging the pictures was a very helpful process in providing a sense of balance; "Yes, they're gone, but look at all the good times we had...". Keep the memory of the good times alive. Matt Deres (talk) 13:49, 19 March 2009 (UTC)

Reply :Thanks

Thanks for the quick response. But yes i m not able to get over this thought that i do need to talk to my Love who is not thier anymore in this world. I have tried that a lot but still, everytime its the same thing comes in mind. I have checked out all the Forums on Wikipedia,and for the Psychics as well mentioned in it. but i do not think that i can contact them ever and yes m again not sure about their credibility. Don know what to do, but watching these TV serials which talks about the paranormal and Ghosts it comes in my mind that if something is possible like this.

It would be Ok with me if u can just help me know that his soul would be there watching me always. I would be very relaxed and would be able to concentrate on my work. —Preceding unsigned comment added by Prinkajoinsarmy (talk • contribs) 13:54, 19 March 2009 (UTC)

Hello and firstly may I say I sympathise with your loss. It was a great comfort to me to know that my loved ones live on, if not as an external "soul", then definitely as my memories and internal dialogue with them. While you remember them, they surely still exist. --TammyMoet (talk) 14:13, 19 March 2009 (UTC)

First, my deepest sympathies for your loss.

There is some evidence that loved ones live on after they are gone, in the nature of heart transplant patients. It has been reported that such recipients sometimes gain the interests of the departed. So, there may be something there, perhaps, though I don't have any sources in frotn of me.

• I don't know of any evidence regarding these recipients of organs gaining a part of the personality of the donor. However, some works of fiction consider it to be true. --Mr.K. (talk) 17:21, 19 March 2009 (UTC)

As to the way you are describing, however, as a practicing Christian I have great faith that I will see my loved ones again. And, perhaps this is what you need to look i nto - faith. Because, the Bible has a definition that you might appreciate - "Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." (Hebrews 11:1) However, this same book of the Bible reminds us that we are "once to die, then the judgment." So, this faith is not for us to be able to talk to our loved ones once they die. It *might* mean they can see us (I think it does). It certainly does mean that we have a personal relationship with God, who promises peace, comfort, and solace in times like this. Indeed, the shortest verse in the Bible, at a time of great sorrow for His friend, speaks multitudes - "Jesus wept." (From John chapter 11.)209.244.187.155 (talk) 17:05, 19 March 2009 (UTC)

Have you heard of patron saints? According to the theology, these are people who have died and gone to Heaven. Millions of people pray to them, asking for their help. And millions of people over many centuries have claimed to have received such help. There are also many claims of visitations of these saints to people on Earth (Joan of Arc being one of the best known examples. She claimed to have been visited by Sts Catherine and Margaret, as well as the Archangel Michael, although these days these claims are more likely to be considered evidence of epilepsy or schizophrenia, but there's no scientific consensus about that). The belief is that souls who've got to Heaven are sometimes able to intercede in wordly affairs. That assumes that communication via prayer is possible with dead people, but it's usually one-way in terms of conversation. Just something to think about. -- JackofOz (talk) 20:54, 19 March 2009 (UTC)

I understand that you are grieving and are reaching out for any kind of help. We are good people here, but there is only so much we can do to assist. I would recommend you seek out professional assistance from a grief counselor, or try to find a support group in your area or on the Internet where you can share your feelings and your questions with others in a similar situation. - Eron^Talk 00:35, 20 March 2009 (UTC)

People who claim to have paranormal abilities often prey on grieving people in situations like yours. Be aware, at least, that you'll be more vulnerable to scams than usual unless you take special care not to be. I recommend reading about the work of the James Randi Educational Foundation and also about cold reading before spending any money. NeonMerlin 02:44, 20 March 2009 (UTC)

NeonMerlin 02:44, 20 March 2009 (UTC)

Reply To All From prinkajoinsarmy

Thanks everyone for the support and these quick responses. I would try and consider all these things. I just had a word with one of my friend yesterday and she asked me to meditate so that i can relax my mind. She does believe in spirits and all and she had some experiences where in she coould communicate with them but she told me not to think that at all because its very painfull for souls to come on our request and contact us. She advised me to meditate rather and relax my mind. And i also think that i don't want to give my love any kind of pain as he already went thru an immense pain which nobody can imagine when he was alive. M going to practice meditation now and just pray good for him wherever he is. —Preceding unsigned comment added by Prinkajoinsarmy (talk • contribs) 18:15, 20 March 2009 (UTC) I moved your reply from a new section to avoid confusion. Hope you won't mind (Lisa4edit) 76.97.245.5 (talk) 22:02, 20 March 2009 (UTC)

Funds Raised for No on 8

I was just curious if anyone knew how much money the No on Prop 8 side had raise prior to the election? I know Steven Spielberg gave a million or two? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 71.137.254.135 (talk) 16:01, 19 March 2009 (UTC)

Our article on Proposition 8 states, "the campaigns for and against Proposition 8 raised $39.9 million and $43.3 million, respectively." Tomdobb (talk) 16:14, 19 March 2009 (UTC)

Ideas for a mission statement?

For a food container company. Please? 117.0.8.223 (talk) 16:29, 19 March 2009 (UTC)

A mission statement should be brief and state what the company's goal is. Do you want to convey that the product is durable? trustworthy? Efficient? Long lasting? Since I'm not in Marketing, or anything like that, I don't know. But, I would recommend thinking of some of the mottos of people or companies that you admire, and ask yourself, "What makes me look at that and say, 'Yes, I like that brand'?"

You should probably be able to lead from that missions statement into an ad slogan, too. I don't know what Bob Evans Restaurants mission statement is, but to use it as an example, it's probably something to do with homemade quality, as that ties in with the "down on the farm" and " breakfast served all day" slogans.209.244.187.155 (talk) 17:16, 19 March 2009 (UTC)

Think of who will read your mission statement and what you'd like to tell them. I'll just throw out a couple of key words and leave the rest up to you

• Investors, bankers: stability, growth, expansion, innovation, strong financial base, market
• Employees. applicants: work environment, career path, training, benefits, pay, location
• Consumers: product safety, product reliability, "easy to use", features, design ideas, convenience, green/biodegradable, affordability, availability
• Media: Social conscience, global awareness

That should give you enough to get started. Go from there. Good luck.76.97.245.5 (talk) 17:22, 19 March 2009 (UTC)

^{I like it! I might save that list. - Jarry1250 (t, c) 21:01, 19 March 2009 (UTC)}

Bob Evans: There's a bulleted list at [2] under "About us" but it's VERY hard to read because their site design sucks. That's another idea for OP: Go to your competitors' websites and see what they say. The see what you want to do different, better, too. 76.97.245.5 (talk) 17:28, 19 March 2009 (UTC)

How about if we start with "First, do no harm" ? This should cover nasty additives in the plastics that contaminate the food, for example. Then you can go on to "keeping the food fresh for an economical price while not damaging the environment". I doubt if many people buy food because of it's container, but there are those which avoid foods because of the containers. StuRat (talk) 19:18, 19 March 2009 (UTC)

Just once I want to see a company with a three-word mission statement: "To make money." -- Mwalcoff (talk) 22:29, 19 March 2009 (UTC)

Well, it's only the comics, but if you write Scott Adams with the idea there's always a possibility. :-)209.244.187.155 (talk) 00:29, 20 March 2009 (UTC)

"Our mission, as the executives of this company, is to screw over our competitors, suppliers, customers, employees, stockholders, and the citizens of the world, as much as humanly possible, paying off enough politicians and regulatory agencies along the way to allow us to continue this unabated rape of the planet, so as to maximize profits for ourselves at the expense of everyone else." StuRat (talk) 07:02, 20 March 2009 (UTC)

Hot or Cold?

When I injure myself sometimes I apply a cold pack to the affected area, sometimes I take a warm shower to feel better. Is there a general rule as to which I should do? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 75.36.209.121 (talk) 20:07, 19 March 2009 (UTC)

I'm no expert, but ice/cold would be better for reducing swelling - a tangiable problem - whereas a warm shower helps you to feel better, which is still important (see Acute stress reaction) and helps prevent a bacterial infection, I would imagine. - Jarry1250 ^{(t, c)} 20:33, 19 March 2009 (UTC)

I'm afraid we can't give medical advice. I suggest you speak to a doctor. --Tango (talk) 21:04, 19 March 2009 (UTC)

Medical advice discussion moved to talk page – 74  15:13, 23 March 2009 (UTC)

IcyHot? I'm not trying to give advice, though. ~AH1^(TCU) 01:49, 20 March 2009 (UTC)

Although Wikipedia does not offer medical advice, Googling ice or heat injury returns plenty of pages with opinions on the question you asked. 152.16.16.75 (talk) 01:30, 22 March 2009 (UTC)

H&R Block article

Why does it say H&R Block is a hair salon? I thought it was a tax preparation company.168.137.100.28 (talk) 20:09, 19 March 2009 (UTC)

It is. That was a bit of vandalism; I've fixed it. - Eron^Talk 20:14, 19 March 2009 (UTC)

Hmmm, is Jackson Hewitt responsible ? :-) StuRat (talk) 20:21, 19 March 2009 (UTC)

Don't rule out those computer savvy people over at TurboTax. :-) 10draftsdeep (talk) 21:24, 19 March 2009 (UTC)

help-

Greetings, Thank you so much DJ CLAYWORTH & TAGISHIMON.Thank you for the sympathy.I will search for this superintendent again. Thank you, Thank you again. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 203.87.198.94 (talk) 22:20, 19 March 2009 (UTC)

Aide

Do they have integration aides outside of Australia? More specifically, what is the job of integration aide called outside of Australia? JCI (talk) 23:50, 19 March 2009 (UTC)

Seems to be what we (in Canada) would call a special education teacher or perhaps a teaching assistant. - Eron^Talk 00:14, 20 March 2009 (UTC)

March 20

Universities and Endowments

A University's yearly spending derives from both its endowment and its operating budget right? For example, the University of St Andrews has £34.8 million in "the bank or reserve" and uses a bit of that per year in conjunction with its operating budget? Why is the operating budget so seldom quoted? Acceptable (talk) 02:19, 20 March 2009 (UTC)

St Andrews website seems to be slightly borked right now. So let's choose the University of Manchester to test your assertion. 2008 accounts. Shows income & expenditure accounts: check. Shows balance sheet: check. Other than being borked,, St. Andrew's appeared ready to disgorge the same information. So we can at least say that the universities do not seem to be hiding the information.

As an endowment is a cash producing thing and an operating budget is a cash consuming thing, it is not true to say that yearly spending is the sum of the two. Expenditure in the year is the sum of operating budget and capital expenditure. Income in the year is yields from endowments, and various strands of other income: fees, research grants &c. All of this seems fairly clearly spelled out in their publications. I'm at a loss as to what information you think is not being disclosed.--Tagishsimon (talk) 02:50, 20 March 2009 (UTC)

I apologize, I was being vague in my original question. On the Wikipedia info box for each university, the endowment is almost always stated; but why is the operating budget not stated? Acceptable (talk) 02:54, 20 March 2009 (UTC)

Endowments are used as a prestige figure. Universities that are well-liked by their graduates will generally receive large donations, which generally translate into large endowments. Wikipedia is probably just following the lead of the academic community here; if you think that we shouldn't be you might raise the issue on the WikiProject Universities discussion page. – 74  03:43, 20 March 2009 (UTC)

Actually, most universities invest their endowments, and live off of a combination of operating income (usually tuition) and interest off of the endowments. The purpose of an endowment is not to provide day-to-day money for spending, but to provide backing for an investment. Think about it; if you constantly tap your endowment for day-to-day expenses, it continually goes down until it runs out. If you live of the interest of the invested endowment, then it can provide for you in perpetuity. Some endowment money may be spent, but only in situations where there is expected to be continued donations to the endowment. For example, if you average 10% growth in your endowment annually, it may be feasable to spend 5% of this as part of your operating budget, and still see the endowment grow. See Financial endowment for more info... --Jayron32.talk.contribs 04:54, 20 March 2009 (UTC)

Thanks for the explanations. One major difference I see between U.S. and British universities is the size of their endowments. Top American universities such as Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Stanford, MIT have endowment figures in the tens of billions, while one-tier down, schools such as Duke, Penn, Cornell, UChicago, have endowments in the billions. The two top British universities, Oxford and Cambridge, both have endowments less than 10 billion USD, but are yet ranked, in terms of academics, with the top American universities who have significantly larger endowments and endowment to student ratios. Furthermore, other top schools in the UK, such as LSE and ICL, do not have endowments that surpass half a billion USD.

Why is there such a discrepancy between the universities in these two countries? If research is such an integral part of a university's status and if money is such an integral part of research, why can Oxford and Cambridge still remain, on a global level, with the listed top American universities, whose endowments are significantly larger? Acceptable (talk) 06:34, 20 March 2009 (UTC)

This is probably because UK universities are mostly funded by the State, and endowment income and fees form a minor part of their overall income. US universities are completely independent of the US State. The Higher Education Funding Council is the funding body: "Working in partnership, the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) promotes and funds high-quality, cost-effective teaching and research, meeting the diverse needs of students, the economy and society." This link [3] shows how much each institution gets from HEFCE. Universities charge top-up fees to students in order to gain extra income. --TammyMoet (talk) 10:40, 20 March 2009 (UTC)

Actually, U.S. universities are mostly government funded as well. It is important to remember that when comparing a Unitary state like the UK with a Federal state like the U.S., its somewhat apples and oranges. In the U.S., the federal government does not directly fund universities, HOWEVER, all state governments DO. All states run a state university system, and the vast majority of U.S. university students attend a state-sponsored or state-supported university. Even private universities receive some government funding, in the form of Student financial aid. Courts have ruled that a university accepting student financial aid from the federal government makes that school subject to laws, such as equal access laws like Title IX. From a legal point of view, "private" universities which accept federal student financial aid are essentially receiving public money, and are thus must obey laws as though they were a public university. The American university system is probably just as much funded by the state as the UK one is, its just that the American university system is more convoluted due to, well, the entire American system being more convoluted (i.e. Federalism)... --Jayron32.talk.contribs 11:57, 20 March 2009 (UTC)

There is some state funding for tuition, but is there much funding for research? In the UK, Universities get lots of public money for research. --Tango (talk) 12:22, 20 March 2009 (UTC)

As they do in the U.S. The National Institutes of Health, the National Science Foundation and other agencies of the federal government provide HUGE amounts of research funding to universities, both "public" and "private". --Jayron32.talk.contribs 15:40, 20 March 2009 (UTC)

Nonetheless the U.S. universities with the huge endowments - the ones that give rise to the question - are private institutions (a few public institutions are high on the list, but they are vast, so endowment per head is small). There is only one private university in the UK (the not very notable University of Buckingham). I don't have much doubt that Oxford and Cambridge get far more state support per student than Harvard and Yale overall. (This could be checked, but it might take some time, as I doubt that Oxford and Cambridge produce accounts that consolidate the income of all the separate colleges). Mowsbury (talk) 18:21, 23 March 2009 (UTC)

Splenda: calories or no calories?

I'm just a little confused about the wording of Splenda in the reference to its caloric contents. When a "Zero calorie drink" such as Fresca or Coke Zero is sweetened with artificial sweeteners, such as Splenda, the drink contains zero calories? But in the little tear-open packets of Splenda, there are actually calories (3.31 per gram)? Acceptable (talk) 03:02, 20 March 2009 (UTC)

The calorie count in foods is usually rounded down and/or be split in such a way that the "serving" conveniently has less than a listable amount. Our article on nutrition facts label mentions that the same system is used for the fat count, "Products containing less than 5g of fat show amounts rounded to the nearest .5g. Amounts less than .5g are rounded to 0g. For example, if a product contains .45g of trans fat per serving, and the package contains 18 servings, the label would show 0g of trans fat, even though the product actually contains a total of 8.1g of trans fat." Matt Deres (talk) 03:20, 20 March 2009 (UTC)

According to our article on Splenda, "Splenda products that also include bulking agents contain 12.4% the calories of the same volume of sugar". Cheers.--Fuhghettaboutit (talk) 03:21, 20 March 2009 (UTC)

However, those bulking agents are only used in commercially availible splenda, the stuff you buy in the yellow box at the grocery store. When used in soft drinks, the manufacturer has no need for those bulking agents, and so can use pure sucralose. Its the same with other articifical sweeteners, like Acesulfame potassium and aspartame. Basically, the artificial sweeteners are SO sweet, that they need to be diluted to be of a practical volume for the home cook to use them. However, on the industrial scale used at cola bottling plants, the amounts are large enough so that the pure sweetener can be used. So while retail Splenda may not be calorie-free, Diet Soda may be very close to it... --Jayron32.talk.contribs 04:48, 20 March 2009 (UTC)

Even if diet sodas aren't quite calorie-free, I think they're often close enough to make the difference effectively negligible. The bottle of Pepsi Max in my fridge, for example, has 0,4 kcal per 100 ml -- so the entire 1,5 l bottle contains about 6 kcal of energy. That's really not going to make any difference to anyone, unless someone is drinking several bottles of the stuff a day, and even then he'd have to drink about ten bottles of the stuff to match the calories in a single apple. (Which is not to say that diet sodas are necessarily good for you, but in terms of the calories they contain, they're not really a problem.) -- Captain Disdain (talk) 14:59, 20 March 2009 (UTC)

Indeed, but much of these calories comes from any number of sources, such as Caramel color or the "natural flavors" and not necessarily from the sweetener... --Jayron32.talk.contribs 15:33, 20 March 2009 (UTC)

Barbie Millicent Rogers?

Hi, there is some confusion with the true full name of Barbie. It is said she was modeled after one of America's most fashionable and talented heiresses, Millicent Rogers. The first Barbie dolls look very much like her. It would make perfect sense as well. Barbie Millicent Rogers makes perfect sense, and I think "Roberts" is a mistake. Are any of the family members of the Handler family still alive to verify this? There are so many conflicting sources of this possible error, and recently, with the 50th anniversary, most of the media seemed to have it wrong as well. Can anyone help with this? Millicent Rogers was an incredible woman of multiple talents, as well as being incredibly stylish and beautiful. Naming Barbie after her is very interesting because she was a pioneer and multi-faceted Renaissance woman, and this could debunk much of the "dumb Barbie" image which is very negative. ----AntoniaS. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 69.201.136.162 (talk) 04:19, 20 March 2009 (UTC)

Barbie was designed after the German Bild Lilli doll, which in turn was based on a German cartoon. The names "Barbie" and "Ken" were taken from the daughter and son of the designer at Mattel, Ruth Handler. So, the name should be "Barbie Handler", I suppose, although that sounds like someone who plays with the dolls, doesn't it ? And if it's also "Ken Handler", this makes their dating relationship rather incestuous. StuRat (talk) 06:50, 20 March 2009 (UTC)

Not necessarily, Stu. Franklin Roosevelt dated Eleanor Roosevelt before they were married, and only on marriage did she change her name from Roosevelt to Roosevelt. -- JackofOz (talk) 19:22, 20 March 2009 (UTC)

I believe they were related. Of course, you can't blame FDR for bending the rules when it comes to such a beauty as Eleanor, just as Prince Charles did with Camilla Parker Bowles. :-) StuRat (talk) 17:40, 22 March 2009 (UTC)

Yes, FDR and Eleanor were 5th cousins once removed, nowhere near enough for it to be incestuous. -- JackofOz (talk) 00:46, 23 March 2009 (UTC)

All of the news reports on the 50th anniversary have called her Roberts, not Rogers or Handler. Who then was a gentleman? (talk) 23:02, 20 March 2009 (UTC)

copyright law question

Who is the owner of the copyright in the case of a work produced for valuable consideration at the instance of another person?

In the case of a photograph taken, or a painting or portrait drawn, or an engraving or a cinematograph film made, for valuable consideration at the instance of any person, such person shall, in the absence of any agreement to the contrary, be the first owner of the copyright therein.

This is according to the Indian law. Are there similar provisions in the copyright laws in US and Britain? —Preceding unsigned comment added by Sundardas (talk • contribs) 09:41, 20 March 2009 (UTC)

• See copyright, specifically pertaining to "work for hire". There are many criteria involved, but essentially "instance and expense" are, as apparently in India, the two main ones. Rhinoracer (talk) 11:04, 20 March 2009 (UTC)

How to adjust the watch strap?

I recently purchased the watch casio illuminator module no. 2524 from ebay along with its manual. The strap is too big for me and I tried to remove one of the 4 links by pushing into a small pit the direction indicated by the arrows with the screwdriver. The other side of the strap also has last 4 links that have an arrow. you can see the arrows and small holes here: http://img25.imageshack.us/img25/8991/watchm.jpg . Information about the strap is not in the manual. Could you please say how to remove the links and reattach them?. thanks in advance —Preceding unsigned comment added by 131.220.46.25 (talk) 10:30, 20 March 2009 (UTC)

Please see [4] and www dot ehow.com/how_4428182_adjust-watch-band.html. (second link cannot be saved in normal manner so you have to repair it). Cheers.--Fuhghettaboutit (talk) 11:35, 20 March 2009 (UTC)

If you have an awl and a small hammer, you can punch out the rods that hold the links (unless they are clearly screws, its hard to see). Your best bet would be to just take it to a jeweler. Livewireo (talk) 15:20, 20 March 2009 (UTC)

Removing links is quite a big adjustment. You can get an easier and smaller adjustment by moving the point where the strap joins to the outer part of the buckle, to one of the other holes (I can see about 4 small holes on the far right of your photo). You will need a small, thin screwdriver (or maybe an unfolded paperclip) to compress the small spring-loaded rod. Astronaut (talk) 17:54, 20 March 2009 (UTC)

Thank you for your answers. I used a small screwdriver and pliers and now iam wearing it!. A small disappointment as I researched more about this watch.. it is called DB37HD-7AV and costs only about 20 bucks. I bid perhaps a little too much on ebay since the watch does not look that cheap and that it is a casio. Long live consumerism. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 131.220.46.26 (talk) 10:57, 21 March 2009 (UTC)

Andy Rajoelina

I wasn't sure where to ask this question at...so I asked it here. Should this information in the article Antananarivo be changed? "The Mayor is currently Andry Rajoelina, [1] currently involved in a political standoff with Marc Ravalomanana, the president, over closure of a TV station." As opposed to this article 2009 Malagasy political crisis where it says that he is the new president. Just wanted to make sure before I change any information. Thanks! :) :) Papercutbiology♫ (talk) 11:44, 20 March 2009 (UTC)

I am not much myself familiar with the Malagasy political situation; but if you have reliable sources which you can cite to back up your statements, then you can and should change articles to accurately reflect the current situation. You may also want to read WP:BOLD. --Jayron32.talk.contribs 12:01, 20 March 2009 (UTC)

Alright, thank you. Papercutbiology♫ (talk) 12:08, 20 March 2009 (UTC)

Yes, please do update this. It shouldn't be hard to find reliable sources as this has all been widely reported, but it seems that nobody has got around to updating the Antananarivo article. Warofdreams talk 12:34, 20 March 2009 (UTC)

 Done I updated it. If you're interested, feel free to reword it. I worded it to the best of my ability, but I'm not perfect. It's updated now, though. :) Papercutbiology♫ (talk) (Sign here!) 16:13, 20 March 2009 (UTC)

Earth Hour

I wanna know at what time i should turn off my lights (Pakistan Time) on the 28th of March to support Earth Hour 2009. I live in Pakistan. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 116.71.37.47 (talk) 13:30, 20 March 2009 (UTC)

8:30 PM local time, no matter where you live. So not everyone in the world will turn off their lights at the same time, just at 8:30 their time. --Alinnisawest,^{Dalek Empress} (extermination requests here) 13:59, 20 March 2009 (UTC)

If you want to show your support more meaningfully, though, you should start turning off your lights whenever you can function without them. Algebraist 14:02, 20 March 2009 (UTC)

I think earth hour is a noble idea. That is why I am burning an effigy of Al Gore with 1 gallon of gasoline during earth hour. Since everyone will have their lights off, It should be well visible. 16:30, 21 March 2009 (UTC)

Last year, I just opened the main electrical breaker for the house for an hour at 8:30 local. At that time I lit a kerosene lamp and turned on a battery radio for entertainment. This year, to get a smaller carbon foot print, I will use solar powered lights and perhaps play some records on a wind-up cylinder phonograph. Edison (talk) 19:15, 22 March 2009 (UTC)

High Pressure lighting fixtures

Moved to Science Ref Desk

Katowice Airport (Poland) gate guardian

Hi. I flew from Katowice (Pyrzowice) Airport in Poland earlier this week, and arriving on the bus I noticed a 'gate guardian' at the entrance to the Airport complex. Can anyone identify the type of plane, or provide any photos of it? Thanks 62.6.252.139 (talk) 21:32, 20 March 2009 (UTC)

You can just make it out in the right hand side of this image http://images2.jetphotos.net/img/2/2/8/6/85535_1234181682.jpg and [5] identifies it as a MiG-21MF 6503 (large image). I see from the polish article on the airport that both MiG19's and 21's were stationed there in the past. Nanonic (talk) 22:08, 20 March 2009 (UTC)

And there are quite of few pics of it on flickr here. Nanonic (talk) 22:09, 20 March 2009 (UTC)

Thats great, thanks :-) 62.6.252.139 (talk) 22:46, 20 March 2009 (UTC)

March 21

Is it bad to run too long?

For example running for more than an hour? I heard somewhere that it is bad to run for more than 45 minutes because your body will burn your muscles for energy.--75.187.113.105 (talk) 00:13, 21 March 2009 (UTC)

Ask a doctor or personal trainer. It almost certainly varies from person to person and also on the exact nature of the running you are doing. I can tell you that the body will use muscles for energy if it needs to, but only if it runs out of other sources (from food, primarily). As long as you eat enough, your body being forced to metabolise your muscles won't be a problem, but there are other ways too much exercise can harm you. A personal trainer will be able to prepare a training routine for you that will help you achieve whatever your goals are without harming you. We can't do that for you here, though. --Tango (talk) 00:23, 21 March 2009 (UTC)

See Aerobic exercise, in particular the diagram File:Exercise zones.png. A runner within the "weight control" zone will burn primarily fat. A runner within the "aerobic" zone will get calories from wherever possible as quick as possible, including by cannibalizing muscle, which is why marathon runners, who are already stick thin, eat carbohydrate "goo" as they run in competitions. Fitness levels, as measured by VO2 max, vary wildly from person to person, and someone who doesn't exercise may be at their VO2 max and collapsing at a pace that a trained runner considers to be a warm-up and can easily maintain over an hour. Like Tango says above, nobody on this board is qualified to give you medical advice so you should talk to a fitness or health care professional before starting an exercise regime. - BanyanTree 05:57, 21 March 2009 (UTC)

To answer the title, the answer is yes. No matter what sort of runner you are and what sort of fitness level you have, I think most people would agree that you can run for so long that you will eventually bring harm to yourself (persuming you have the will power to force yourself to run for so long). But for some people this could be more then an hour. As the posters above have said, if you are planning to do this yourself, you need to consult a professional to find out what the best and safest regime for you is. Nil Einne (talk) 08:25, 21 March 2009 (UTC)

• The title says it all, pretty much anything is bad when it's not done in moderation. So running for too long is bad. Whether 45 minutes is bad for you personally, is something I can't possibly know, but with the right diet and training, it would be quite easy to stop your muscles from being burned. First to go is sugar and other carbohydrates (hence marathon runners eating candy bars and drinking sugary drinks), then comes your fat. Only after the fat is burned off will your body continue to burn muscles. - Mgm|^(talk) 13:28, 21 March 2009 (UTC)

I'm still confused. Banyan says that whenever you are in the "weight control" zone you will burn mostly fat and whenever you are in the "aerobic" zone, you are also burning muscle. Whereas mgm says only after the fat is completely gone will your body start to eat the muscle. I have a little bit of fat on me, does that mean I don't need to eat very much before I run? Since even if I do get hungry all my body is doing is getting rid of fat? And another question, what other risks are there for running too long? I can understand doing anything is bad when it's done too much but like more specifically what risks are there?--75.187.113.105 (talk) 23:02, 21 March 2009 (UTC)

You don't want to completely run out of fat, that is very bad - it serves more purposes than just an energy reserve. I don't think there is a simple cutoff where your body stops using fat and starts using muscle. Other harm running can cause includes pulling muscles and injuring joints (particularly ankles and knees). You really need to see a professional to get a good training regime put together for you, there is very little we can do for help. --Tango (talk) 23:58, 21 March 2009 (UTC)

mumbling

what does it mean when one falls asleep, yet awakes immediately due to his mumbling, resulting in him no falling asleep?--Shacky1 (talk) 05:27, 21 March 2009 (UTC)

It generally means that one has lived chastely until one´s nuptional night and belatedly discovers important details of the partner´s idiosyncracies. --Cookatoo.ergo.ZooM (talk) 16:30, 21 March 2009 (UTC)

Unless one has married oneself, I don't think you're on the right track. – 74  14:46, 23 March 2009 (UTC)

It is possible for one to snore loudly enough to wake oneself; presumably mumbling might work with a particularly light sleep. I would expect, however, that a lack of sleep would eventually lead to a deep sleep no mumble could interrupt. – 74  14:46, 23 March 2009 (UTC)

Writing done on acid

Are any samples available online of unedited writing that was done entirely under the influence of LSD, particularly about the trip? (There doesn't seem to be such a category in the Erowid LSD vault.) NeonMerlin 06:26, 21 March 2009 (UTC)

I have a book by Hunter S. Thompson called Screw-Jack (1991) which seems to come pretty darn close to your description, though, in this case, it's entirely possible that it was deliberately written in that "style", as opposed to while actually under the influence. --Ericdn (talk) 22:44, 21 March 2009 (UTC)

Lots of Hunter S. Thompson's books were influenced by his use of drugs; including the fantastic Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, though again this was largely fictionalized and probably written at least part-ways sober. The problem with finding "unedited" writing while on acid is that published books tend not to go unedited; and books only tend to get published if the story is somewhat interesting, not merely out of the novelty (hey, buy this book, it was written on ACID, and no one changed a WORD!) of their composition. Still, if you want a few fragments of things written on acid, there's I Am the Walrus; parts of the lyrics were written by John Lennon of the course of several different "trips". --Jayron32.talk.contribs 01:57, 22 March 2009 (UTC)

And, of course, it wasn't acid but opium, but the poem Kubla Khan by Samuel Taylor Coleridge was written about tripping balls as well... --Jayron32.talk.contribs 01:59, 22 March 2009 (UTC)

I'm not talking about entire books. I'm talking about what can be done in one session. And I don't mean that it necessarily has to be put onto the medium by the user; something that was dictated but not read would also do. NeonMerlin 05:11, 23 March 2009 (UTC)

'help" done thank you

to: DJ CLAYWORTH/TAGISHIMON. THANK YOU, THANK YOU SO MUCH.I don't know you and you don't know me as well but people like you is worth to be thank for, i appreciate it very much,esp this wikipedia, this is a great organization i can say.... "help" is done already. Thank you so much. -aim philippines.- —Preceding unsigned comment added by 203.87.198.94 (talk) 08:21, 21 March 2009 (UTC)

Mystery Object

This object was photographed in a cemetery in Paris. Any idea what its function might be? One suggestion was that it is used to push cobblestones (like the ones it's standing on) into the ground. --Richardrj ^{talk email} 10:55, 21 March 2009 (UTC)

It's for picking up large slabs of stone-- see the pincers at the base? Rhinoracer (talk) 12:54, 21 March 2009 (UTC)

As RR states above, these are tools to lift / put curbstones (they are used in a cemetery as edging for the grave proper / seen in the background of the image) into place. You sometimes see them used in normal road maintenance work by the council. --Cookatoo.ergo.ZooM (talk) 16:34, 21 March 2009 (UTC)

It's used to clamp onto the heads of zombies, as they rise out of their graves to feast on the brains of the living, to keep their mouths from being able to bite our heads. :-) StuRat (talk) 05:44, 22 March 2009 (UTC)

Peanut butter and jelly sandwich question

Peanut butter and jelly sandwich are not a common thing here in Sweden, and the articles didn't specify so I thought I'd ask here. What kind of jam is the usual used in the USA, Canada or other places where this spread is common. I just tried strawberry jam and I thought it mixed pretty well, and the pictures in the article seems to be with a red jam, so which are the common flavours? chandler · 21:33, 21 March 2009 (UTC)

Grape, I think, it the main. Strawberry and raspberry are also common. In the US, though, we usually use jelly instead of jam. --Moni3 (talk) 21:38, 21 March 2009 (UTC)

Hmm, grape, I don't even know if they sell that here (can't remember ever seeing it) :D, on jelly/jam as the term Jelly seems to translate into Swedish "gelé", and those are less sweet and more in flavours like blackcurrant and usually used as a side to meat dishes. So I don't think I even would be able to find sweet fruit jelly. Here for sandwiches it's more common with marmalade or jam. But thanks for the answer, might see some grape jelly/jam in the store sometime and try it out. chandler · 21:49, 21 March 2009 (UTC)

Blackcurrant jelly isn't sweet? That's -- a bit surprising.

Anyway I don't really agree with Moni3 that "in the US we usually use jelly instead of jam"; that's a matter of taste. I always preferred my PB&J's with a thick jam with lots of pulp. Also the peanut butter must be "natural-style"; this is 100% non-negotiable. All peanut butters other than natural-style are abominations. --Trovatore (talk) 21:53, 21 March 2009 (UTC)

Well sweet and sweet, I mean, I'd say strawberry is sweeter. :) chandler · 21:56, 21 March 2009 (UTC)

No way. First of all, thick jam kicks jelly's ass. Second of all grape jelly is a characterless gimmick for little children. Strawberry is a close second and people use every other flavor of fruit under the sun with peanut butter in all their forms—jams, jellies, preserves, conserves, reserves, and spreads—such that probably even if grape is most common in a trailer park sort of way, it's used way less than half the time. Peanut butter and jelly is the most goddamn delicious substance in the universe and I'll fight anyone who says otherwise, let me at 'em. The only thing that pisses me off more than someone who dares to criticize peanut butter is the bastards who sell "unsalted" peanut butter. They might as well just spit directly on us and skip the innocent subterfuge.--70.19.64.161 (talk) 21:59, 21 March 2009 (UTC)

Unsalted peanut butter takes getting used to, but once you do you'll realize it's actually very tasty, and of course it's much healthier.

I'm assuming of course that both the salted and unsalted versions are natural-style. Any peanut butter other than natural-style is basically petroleum sludge. It has no taste of peanut. Might as well eat cat puke. --Trovatore (talk) 22:05, 21 March 2009 (UTC)

In all seriousness, there is no "getting used" to unsalted peanut butter. There are a few people with very unusual senses of taste who actually prefer certain things in (or removed) from foods that the vast majority of people do not, but they are the exception to the rule. Many people like mayonnaise and most people will not like no fat mayonnaise and there is nothing you are going to do to change that; most people will prefer a prime, aged porterhouse (oh my god I'm making myself hungry) to a chuck steak, and there is nothing you are going to do to change that... well the examples are infinite. Many foods do not taste good or are extremely debilitated in flavor by the removal of salt. Bread, for example, tastes flat and industrial without salt; believe it or not, ice cream without any salt in it (yes I make my own and have occassionally forgotten) is insipid and the same is true of many other foods. There's a reason why salt was the equivalent of money and worth more than gold at one time. Peanut butter without salt is something some very tiny percentage of people may prefer, just as there's some that love lutefisk, but you don't get used to it. If you fed most people unsalted peanut butter every day for a million years and then gave them salted peanut butter back, they'd lick your feet. You don't get used to things that do not tatse as good. And sorry, but it's absolute nonsense that "it's much healthier". If you stop eating salt you will quickly shuffle right off this mortal coil (death). We have been brainwashed and brainwashed to hear "salt=bad". Wrong. Like most things, far too much salt is very bad for you. Water also will kill you in overdoses. It's true that many people who eat lots of processed foods may get too much salt in their diet. But please never again say the no salt variety is "[superlative] healthier". Oh, and I completely agree with you on the natural, but make sure it's salted!—70.19.64.161 (talk) 22:58, 21 March 2009 (UTC)

The thing is that excessive amounts of salt in the diet isn't good - but you need SOME salt. I buy unsalted and add salt as needed. That way you get to decide how much rather than have some faceless conglomorate do it for you. But then I'm weird. I don't like PB&J but I'm rather fond of peanut butter and ketchup sandwiches. (Don't say "Yuck" until you've tried it.) SteveBaker (talk) 01:10, 22 March 2009 (UTC)

I've never cared for ketchup at all. Mostly I think it's far too sweet. Maybe if I thought of it as "tomato jam" to put on peanut butter sandwiches, as opposed to a condiment for veggie burgers, it might make more sense. --Trovatore (talk) 04:33, 22 March 2009 (UTC)

Processed food contains so much salt that most people don't need to worry about not getting enough salt in their diet. If you eat nothing but salad, you might get in some trouble, but that's about it. --Tango (talk) 01:14, 22 March 2009 (UTC)

Actually most greens taste pretty salty to me. I think they're grown in fairly saline soil. Like around here, most of our lettuce comes from the general area of Salinas I think, the name of which should be a clue.

I stand by my statement that unsalted peanut butter is healthier. For people who don't already get too much salt in their general diet, that might not be true. But such people are essentially nonexistent in modern industrialized countries. --Trovatore (talk) 10:53, 22 March 2009 (UTC)

OR: Our neighbor was sent to hospital last year with what the paramedics thought was a heart attack. She was found to have eaten too little salt and now has a diet plan with recommended doses. Her doc commented it's like with obesety and annorexia, you get people at both extremes of the spread. 76.97.245.5 (talk) 14:07, 22 March 2009 (UTC)

Skip the jelly and use sliced, ripe bananas instead. Elvis got fat off of this, after all. StuRat (talk) 05:40, 22 March 2009 (UTC)

Actually, what made him fat is the accompaniment of many slices of bacon, honey, and God-knows-what-else that I can't remember from watching on the Travel Channel. And the sandwiches were HUGE. --Whip it! ^{Now whip it good!} 06:23, 22 March 2009 (UTC)

Peanut butter and butter sandwiches are clearly superior, anyway. Adam Bishop (talk) 07:57, 22 March 2009 (UTC)

If OP lives in Europe then getting "real" peanut butter may not be as easy as just grabbing the respective jar off the shelf. OR In some countries in Europe it's much harder to find to begin with and some brand's I tried only said "peanut" on the label according to our taste buds. We ended up getting a food processor thingy and making our own. You can also make your own jelly and it's not that difficult. Just get some juice. Microwave at high till it starts to boil, stir in some sv:Pektin, microwave at medium in 2 min. intervals stirring after each lag. Chill in the fridge, or put in the freezer for a couple of minutes and then in the fridge if you are really in a hurry. 76.97.245.5 (talk) 14:07, 22 March 2009 (UTC)

I don't think we are talking about preferences. We are talking about quintessentiality. That requires grape jelly paired with peanut butter -- salted or unsalted, natural or petroleum sludge. This is by the way a USA-centric answer. Bus stop (talk) 14:24, 22 March 2009 (UTC)

I really don't understand the stuff about sweet jams and not being available in Europe. I've spent plenty of time in Europe and they have jam and excellent jam at that. In fact, I have often often bought jam in the U.S. that is made in Europe and it appears to me to be made in various countries, not just one.—70.19.64.161 (talk) 15:03, 22 March 2009 (UTC)

We in the USA specialize in the traffic jam. Bus stop (talk) 15:22, 22 March 2009 (UTC)

...and toe jam. StuRat (talk) 04:15, 23 March 2009 (UTC)

There are sweet jams, but from my experience jelly here is not the version of preserved fruit we use on pancakes, sandwiches, porridge etc. The jellies (jelly's?) are in more "adult" flavours like mint, and they're used in adult meals like Sautéed reindeer. chandler · 20:35, 22 March 2009 (UTC)

Sautéed reindeer isn't available at my local McDonalds. Bus stop (talk) 23:53, 22 March 2009 (UTC)

Try a McD's in Lapland. If they haven't added it to the menu yet, I'm sure it's on it's way. :-) StuRat (talk) 04:18, 23 March 2009 (UTC)

I believe the Finnish part of Lapland only has a single McDonald's, in Rovaniemi, and it's not on the menu there... and I figure the locals probably get plenty of reindeer without it being mangled by McDonald's, so I can't imagine it selling very well. ;) -- Captain Disdain (talk) 08:25, 23 March 2009 (UTC)

Wow, everyone's an expert on this one! Really, don't frown upon SB's PB and ketchup as he said , until you've tried it. And as for Stu's PB and banana, take it one step further - PB and jelly and banana. As for the jelly vs jam vs marmalade controversy like many things in life it comes down to personal choice after years of experimentation it's been hard to find a PB and xyz sandwich that doesn't taste good! -hydnjo (talk) 16:43, 22 March 2009 (UTC)

I've never tried peanut butter and xyz, but peanut butter and honey is edible. My pet peeve is peanut butter and jelly on bread that has a hole clear though it. Bus stop (talk) 17:35, 22 March 2009 (UTC)

I vote for cherry preserves with natural peanut butter on home-made sourdough bread. Edison (talk) 19:12, 22 March 2009 (UTC)

Don't forget that Elvis's favorite was fried peanut butter and banana sandwiches. My own preference is peanut butter and dill pickle spears, but I also like peanut butter and bacon. Yum. Who then was a gentleman? (talk) 19:15, 22 March 2009 (UTC)

WP:OR warning here... When I worked at a summer camp, we always got the grape jelly for our lunches. From what I recall, it was cheapest. To this day, I can't stand grape jelly because of that... But when in the store, I find that grape comes in larger jars than most and has the most shelf space. Strawberry comes second with raspberry coming in third. And I can never find raspberry in large jars, so I have to buy the smaller ones if I want that flavor for my PB&Js. Dismas|^(talk) 19:22, 22 March 2009 (UTC)

Grape clearly has quintessentiality on its side. Bus stop (talk) 19:28, 22 March 2009 (UTC)

Psh, forget PB&Js. Grilled cheese is where it's at. Not the traditional american/cheddar cheese on two pieces of toasted white bread though. I'm talking about buttering both outsides of your choice of bread (rye, pumpernickle, white, wheat, etc). Put mayonaise on both insides, and mustard on one of the insides. Then put a nice thick slice of provalone on one of the insides, and sprinkle it with some mozzarella strips. Next, Take a piece or two of thinly sliced ham and layer it over the cheese. Lastly, stick that sucker in the George Foreman and take out when it is golden-brown. YUM. --71.98.14.96 (talk) 21:35, 22 March 2009 (UTC)

Now that we're talking obscure peanut butter combos, don't forget the raw garlic! Seriously, finely chop up a clove of garlic and sprinkle it onto peanut butter toast--Amazing!! 142.132.4.45 (talk) 23:24, 22 March 2009 (UTC)

Some people prefer their maple syrup with salami. Bus stop (talk) 23:38, 22 March 2009 (UTC)

I have heard of ketchup sandwhiches, which is a layer of ketchup between 2 slices of bread. I have never seen anyone eat one of those, but if I did, I would probably vomit.65.121.141.34 (talk) 14:20, 23 March 2009 (UTC)

I eat my peas with honey,
I've done so all my life.
It makes the peas taste funny
But it keeps them on the knife.

(Just a piece of doggerel I like) Sam Blacketer (talk) 23:31, 23 March 2009 (UTC)

March 22

What's the URL?

The following audio clip is a recording of a local radio station contest URL. The URL is said very quickly and I am unable to make it out (especially the part right before the backslash). Could someone please listen to it and tell me what the URL is?

http://www.supload.com/sound_confirm.php?get=1120487487.wma

Thanks. Jamesino (talk) 00:30, 22 March 2009 (UTC)

"hot899.com/superhookschallenge/xmtl//?[not sure about this bit]win.com" ish... --Tango (talk) 01:17, 22 March 2009 (UTC)

He says "percent symbol backslash" in that space Tango wasn't sure about, but it's just a 404 page with a broken image for me. In fact, "hot899.com/superhookschallenge" is also not found. You might try going to hot899.com and clicking on their Contests link. --Bavi H (talk) 01:40, 23 March 2009 (UTC)

So the URL contains "//?%\"? Given how fast it was read out and how nonsensical it seems and how it doesn't work, I'm thinking maybe it was a joke URL... --Tango (talk) 01:45, 23 March 2009 (UTC)

Just out of curiosity...

Tango, I think the former is true!
~EdGl ★ 22:06, 23 March 2009 (UTC)

My friend, Xyttz1 never signs his name after comments. I've already tried telling him to, but he won't listen. What will happen to him? <(^_^)> Pokegeek42 (talk) 00:38, 22 March 2009 (UTC)

Hard to say what will happen if he doesn't sign his comments, but I'm pretty sure I know what the end result will be if he doesn't take a close look at WP:NOTBLOG. - Eron^Talk 01:05, 22 March 2009 (UTC)

Signing is strongly recommended and strongly encouraged, and he may get pressure from his interlocutors to identify himself on talk pages, but it is not a condition of involvement in Wikipedia. -- JackofOz (talk) 01:11, 22 March 2009 (UTC)

User:SineBot will eventually lose patience with him and gather together its bot buddies to take over his computer and make it explode. Either that, or it will just keep signing his posts for him forever and nobody will really care. One of the two... ;) --Tango (talk) 01:13, 22 March 2009 (UTC)

Your "friend" (Xyttz1 (talk • contribs) has been dealt with at his/her own request. My opinion is that Pokegeek42 should be more concerned about Pokegeek42 ;-) -hydnjo (talk) 01:49, 22 March 2009 (UTC)

Notable people who predeceased both their parents

Here's a curly one. I'm after some names of notable people who reached a considerable age but died before either of their parents. I'm talking about people who got to their 70s or older, not people like Jon-Benet Ramsay. Who would the oldest such person have been? No restrictions as to place, time or reason for notability. -- JackofOz (talk) 01:11, 22 March 2009 (UTC)

Louis, Dauphin of France (1729–1765), age 36, predeceased both of his parents, Louis XV and Maria Leszczyńska. Not that old, but highly notable. Louis XV's grandson would succeed him as Louis XVI. Mr. The Fifteeth himself was the great-grandson of Louis XIV, who had outlived his son (died age 50) AND grandson (died age 29) though both of them outlived thier mother. (as an aside, Louis (1729-1765), despite never living to be king himself, was the father of THREE kings of France.) Just a starting point. --Jayron32.talk.contribs 01:46, 22 March 2009 (UTC)

My best so far is Higashikuni Morihiro, at 52. Still looking. Algebraist 02:00, 22 March 2009 (UTC)

According to a well known bestseller, Methusalah, at the age of 187, fathered a son named Lamech and lived for another 782 years. Lamech, sadly, died as a spring chicken at the measly age of 777, ie 5 years before his father´s death. The Book of Jubilees gives his mum´s name as Edna (and I refrain from Down Under references), but no age is stated anywhere. Still, it beats 52 by just a whisker. --Cookatoo.ergo.ZooM (talk) 17:06, 22 March 2009 (UTC)

If we're allowing fictitious persons, then there are of course many examples. To give the first that comes to mind, in Neil Gaiman's Sandman, Orpheus dies before both his parents having lived for several millennia. Algebraist 18:57, 22 March 2009 (UTC)

I seem to remember one of the popes of the last 40 years had at least one of his parents attend his coronation, and popes are not known for their youth when first elected. Whether they outlived him is another question, though. (PS. The last papal coronation was Paul VI in 1963, so I guess it was longer than 40 years ago.) -- JackofOz (talk) 23:35, 22 March 2009 (UTC)

Thanks for the fictitious suggestions, but I'm only interesed in real people. I'll leave it with the brains trust to come up with some names as they happen to spot them on their travels. -- JackofOz (talk) 22:58, 23 March 2009 (UTC)

Technically, wouldn't being the oldest person survived by his/her parents be a potential source of notability in itself? Anyway, some candidates (depending on how strictly you define notability): Jack Linkletter was a gameshow host who died at 70, H. Myron Kauffman Jr. was a pioneering kidney-transplant surgeon who died at 74, according to a Google preview of a 1912 NYTimes obituary F. W. Jordan died at 88, and according to a random forum Sameer Joshi was a very successful businessman who died at 90. You can find others by using "80 * survived by * parents" in Google. – 74  03:18, 24 March 2009 (UTC)

Interestingly, I've scanned through newspaper reports about many of the world's oldest married couples (some with combined ages of 210+) and almost all of them have children that are still alive in their 70s or 80s (or died from accident or disease at a young age). I guess having centenarian parents is a good omen for having a long life oneself. Rockpocket 06:49, 24 March 2009 (UTC)

MI5 logo

[6] Does anyone know where I can find a hi-res (or vectory-PDF-y) version of the logo? Thanks! ╟─TreasuryTag►contribs─╢ 10:01, 22 March 2009 (UTC)

Clicking your link from Wikipedia leads to a 'denied' page. This link should work. Algebraist 10:22, 22 March 2009 (UTC)

Sorry! But that was only meant to be an example... does anyone know where there's a hi-res version? :-) ╟─TreasuryTag►contribs─╢ 11:00, 22 March 2009 (UTC)

Here's another in color, with about the same res as Algebraist's: [7]. Here's a simplified black and white version which is a bit larger: [8]. StuRat (talk) 15:12, 22 March 2009 (UTC)

StuRat's second link also hits lavender.fortunecity's 'no links from Wikipedia' thing. Again, this should be a working link to the same thing. Algebraist 18:50, 22 March 2009 (UTC)

Coal from America

I believe that America used to supply coal to the Highlands of Scotland during the war. Does anyone know if this was true, and if so why, since the UK had coal of it's own.--88.109.127.55 (talk) 11:27, 22 March 2009 (UTC)

Just a thought as to why this might be: the wartime economy in Great Britain called for rapidly expanding industrial capacity, powered by coal. Perhaps the rate at which production of coal could be increased would have otherwise limited this industrial expansion, and supplementing local production with coal from the US removed this limitation. StuRat (talk) 15:07, 22 March 2009 (UTC)

Also coal was (is?) a person-intensive industry. In the war they got as many able-bodied men as possible to be 'in war'. By importing coal that frees up vital resource (staff) for other uses. What StuRat notes makes sense too but i'd expect that to be a factor. ny156uk (talk) 16:31, 22 March 2009 (UTC)

Was there a miners' strike going on? That's been a factor more than once. --jpgordon^∇∆∇∆ 17:04, 22 March 2009 (UTC)

I'd be very surprised if there were any significant miners strikes during the war. I believe the reason is as Ny156uk points out - a lack of able-bodied men to dig the stuff up. It was notable that many traditionally male jobs were taken over by women during the war for precisely this reason - but coal mining with 1940's technology was one of those professions where sheer muscle power was important so I very much doubt there were many women miners back then. SteveBaker (talk) 20:38, 22 March 2009 (UTC)

Coal supply was absolutely essential for the War Effort, consequently, 10% of conscripts were sent downt' pit instead of to the front: 48,000 of them supplemented the regular miners. See Bevin Boys. Given the insatiable appetite for coal at the time, it's quite possible production had to be supplemented from overseas. Gwinva (talk) 02:04, 23 March 2009 (UTC)

And yes, there were a number of miners' strikes in the UK during WW2, such as are listed at [9] --Tagishsimon (talk) 02:09, 23 March 2009 (UTC)

And more info at Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Humanities/2007 October 26#Kent miners' strike of 1942. Nanonic (talk) 02:29, 23 March 2009 (UTC)

Coal was rationed in the UK: this records a family ration of 2 cwts a month. According to this, Britain was unable to import coal during the war. Certainly, production increased massively, requiring Newfoundland loggers to help log British forests to provide pit props. I can't find anything which supports the idea coal was imported from the US. (Incidentally, the USA had pretty much switched to petroleum over coal,and were Japan's main source which this article reckons was a contributory factor in the attack on Pearl Harbor.) Gwinva (talk) 02:41, 23 March 2009 (UTC)

Thanks for all this. Coal was certainly brought in by ship to the Dornoch Firth, there are the remains of the jetties, a weighing scale is still in position and rusting away and I recovered from the shore line a bent, rusting, handleless coal shovel bearing the words "Made in America".--88.109.127.55 (talk) 07:01, 23 March 2009 (UTC) —Preceding unsigned comment added by 88.109.127.55 (talk) 07:01, 23 March 2009 (UTC)

Kw vs NM

When comparing motor vehicle specifications such as those listed here [10] what is the relevance of Kw vs Nm ? To my mind Kw indicates "power" and Nm "torque", however at the end of the day both seem to add up to the same thing ... namely the ability of the engine to move the vehicle. Which one should I be looking at ?--196.207.33.197 (talk) 16:53, 22 March 2009 (UTC)

Torque is more important for low-end acceleration and towing, while power is more important for high end acceleration and maximum top speed. So, if you want to tow a trailer up a mountain, look at torque, if you want to pass people on the highway like they were standing still, look at power. StuRat (talk) 17:36, 22 March 2009 (UTC)

Yes, indeed. In a sense - the horsepower (kW) number is a measure of how fast you can go - and torque is a measure of how hard you can accelerate get to that speed. Since most cars can easily exceed the speed limit by much more than you're likely to ever want to risk, the torque number is actually the more important of the two for practical driving purposes. But even that isn't really enough to tell you very much. The numbers published are peak numbers - but that peak only occurs at one particular value of RPM. There is a vast difference between a vehicle with a very 'sharp' torque-vs-rpm curve versus one with a 'flat' curve. To pick a car I know a lot about: My MINI Cooper'S has less peak torque than (say) a VW Bug Turbo - but over a standing quarter - I'll leave the bug standing because my torque curve is very flat. So my car is pulling at close to peak torque all the way from about 3000 rpm to about 6000 - which means I have a much better 0-60 time...but also my 60-90 mph time is good also. But then you get into gear ratios and such. A 2003 MINI Cooper'S has the exact same engine as the 2005 model - but when they designed that first gearbox, they didn't have good data on the engine's performance...so they didn't pick the optimum ratios. The 2005 gearbox was designed with full knowledge of practical engine performance - and it shaves almost a full second off the 0-60 time with an identical engine, identical weight, identical aerodynamics, tires, suspension, etc. Also, when comparing torque - you have to be careful that you're getting an 'apples-and-apples' comparison - some manufacturers talk about torque 'at the crank' while other talk about torque 'at the wheels'. The former doesn't include losses in the transmission - the latter does. With turbo-charged cars, you also find a phenomenon known as 'turbo-lag' which results in a palpable delay between stomping on the gas and actually getting the torque you expect. Supercharged cars don't exhibit that problem. There is a lot more to it than just looking at the kW and Nm numbers.

Thanks !--41.15.222.101 (talk) 17:34, 23 March 2009 (UTC)

Approach & Departure Angle (4X4)

The approach angle of a 4X4 (see previous question) is listed as 37 degrees and the departure angle as 46 degrees. I have read up on these terms and find that they are the maximum angle a vehicle can go up or down a slope from or to the level, without bumping its front or rear bumper on the ground. However does this actually reflect both i) the ability of the vehicle to actually tackle these slopes (does it really have the power, weight lack thereof, etc to climb a 37 slope, or will it hypothetically stall first at say 30 degrees) and ii) assuming it could climb said 37 slope and subsequently descend said 46 slope, is it proportioned such that it won't topple over backwards or forwards on me first ? Don't want to be misled by clever marketing-talk only to land up on my head at the bottom of a slope !!--196.207.33.197 (talk) 17:06, 22 March 2009 (UTC)

They do not take into account anything other than the angle indicated. Actually getting up a 37° slope also relies on you having the power and traction as well. A 37° slope isn't that hard to get up if the surface that you're dealing with is a good one and you have decent tires. Would I expect my Jeep to get up that angle with mud the consistency of snot, street tires, and starting from a dead stop at the very bottom, NO! But with mud terrain or all-terrain tires and a bit of momentum, I just might. Again, depends on how long the climb is and such. It sounds as though you're thinking of taking the Suzuki that you linked to off-roading which is one of my biggest hobbies and the average speed of my Jeep on a trail has never been more than a couple miles per hour. So, you're not going to be hitting these 37° slopes at considerable speed. Not enough to send you flying head over heels. Before you make an investment into a vehicle, it would be good to talk to people in your area about what they use. I'll stop rambling now as I think I've answered your question and I'm still unclear as to your eventual intentions. Dismas|^(talk) 21:36, 22 March 2009 (UTC)

Great, thanks for the reply!--41.15.222.101 (talk) 17:33, 23 March 2009 (UTC)

How did China's GDP crumble like that?

2008 CIA fact book figure (GDP per capita, ppp): $6,100 (2008 est.) 2007 factbook: $7,600 (2006 est.)

That doesn't make sense. Can someone explain?

Canaltea (talk) 17:11, 22 March 2009 (UTC)

Some real reasons could be the spike in energy prices and later downturn in the world economy, both of which would disproportionately hit an economy dependent on long-range transportation to ship export products around the world. It's also possible that the poorly run and corrupt Chinese agencies which collect such data messed up. StuRat (talk) 17:33, 22 March 2009 (UTC)

Those numbers look dubious to me. China's economy has definitely grown substantially every year for a while now. Those numbers are GDP per capita, so I guess it is possible their population has grown faster than their economy... I'll try and find some figures for Chinese population growth. --Tango (talk) 20:05, 22 March 2009 (UTC)

The same source gives the population growth rate for 2009 as 0.655%, so I don't think it's at all plausible that there was 10-15% growth during 2007/8 (which is roughly what we be required for those numbers to be correct. The numbers are almost certainly wrong. --Tango (talk) 20:08, 22 March 2009 (UTC)

Of course, it's possible they were using a new figure for population and an old figure for GDP; but I'm guessing population hasn't gone up 20% in two years, though, but it could be a certain combination of factors like this influencing both measurements (say the original pop. figure was already old). - Jarry1250 ^{(t, c)} 20:12, 22 March 2009 (UTC)

The figures would have to be 10 or 20 years out of date. The numbers are just wrong (or, at least, not comparable - they may have changed methodologies so both numbers are right just measuring different things). --Tango (talk) 20:14, 22 March 2009 (UTC)

Oh, yes, I do think your answer's more likely, I was just fielding a possibly supplementary option. - Jarry1250 ^{(t, c)} 20:34, 22 March 2009 (UTC)

I've been following the CIA Factbook GDP figures for some time, and they are all over the place. Remember purchasing power parity GDP figures are always estimates, and the CIA obviously changes the basis of its estimates from time to time. Examples: Russia's number went from 36.8% of the UK number (my basis of reference) in 2002 to 32.1% the following year, even though it is universally agreed that Russia grew faster than the UK that year. Japan's numbers relative to the UK from 2002 to 2007 are 110.7 - 101.0 - 99.3 - 99.4 - 104.1 - 95.8: a jerky sequence totally disconnected from the relatively steady performance of the two economies in those years. The U.S. figure relative to the UK was steadily revised down from 158.8 in 2000 to 130.3 in 2007, even though the UK outperformed the U.S. little if at all on a per capita basis over those years. The Factbook was just changing the basis of its estimates. It doesn't do this for all countries, there are many steady sequences, and sets of numbers that clearly correlate with relative rates of growth. It's mainly the comparatives for most prominent countries that get altered for no apparent reason, so I think it's just a case of some economist in the CIA playing with the numbers for countries that interest him, and replacing his predecessor's results with his own in the new edition. This is a useful reminder that PPP numbers should always be taken with a pinch of salt. (Nominal GDP per capita numbers aren't really hard facts either). Mowsbury (talk) 18:37, 23 March 2009 (UTC)

Ah, I forgot to take exchange rates into account - good thinking! GDP figures in a currency other than the national one are very unreliable, especially for comparing between different times. --Tango (talk) 18:42, 23 March 2009 (UTC)

You've missed my point. Fluctuations in exchange rates can move nominal GDP per capita figures up and down like a yo-yo, but using PPP should eliminate that instability. Mowsbury (talk) 21:20, 23 March 2009 (UTC)

Both figures in the OP are nonsense, based on a miscalculation called “purchasing power parity (PPP).” In the real world (i.e., outside high-level economics) PPP has nothing to do with GDP per capita or income. Indeed, it is more often misused than used with the proper data and results. China’s GDP per capita in 2007 was Rmb19,444 and in 2008 approximately Rmb22,585 (+16.1%). Population growth was indeed 0.6%, according to the official estimates. To figure out the GDP per capita in US dollars, divide by the average exchange rate for each year (7.62 and 6.96), which yields US$2,550 and $3,245 (+27.2%). Any other exchange rate, such as PPP, does not exist in the real world – no one will trade you a single unit of real currency for any number of PPP units – and so has no real value in general conversation. Strictly a macroeconomist’s play thing. DOR (HK) (talk) 02:05, 24 March 2009 (UTC)

The Apprentice 2009

[11] A number of promotional pictures such as the one linked have been released. They fall into the following categories, roughly:

• Individual candidates
• Entire group shot, candidates + Sir Alan + Nick + Margaret
• Boys + Sir Alan + Nick + Margaret
• Girls + Sir Alan + Nick + Margaret
• Sir Alan + Nick + Margaret
• Sir Alan
• Nick + Margaret

Does anyone know where I could get hold of the original, hi-/full-res versions of these images? Thanks :-) ╟─TreasuryTag►contribs─╢ 17:24, 22 March 2009 (UTC)

Why not try the BBC Press Office? See Press pack for the upcoming Apprentice series (it's a BBC production, not an outside commission). Sam Blacketer (talk) 17:28, 22 March 2009 (UTC)

No, I thought of that, but they only make press-pics available through BBC Pictures, accessible only by UK journalists. It was a matter of if any news site which had access to them, chose to make the full version available. ╟─TreasuryTag►contribs─╢ 17:32, 22 March 2009 (UTC)

Or equally, if anyone reading with access to BBC Pictures can get at them ;-) ╟─TreasuryTag►contribs─╢ 17:32, 22 March 2009 (UTC)

Actually I was wrong: it turns out to be a commission from Talkback Thames, so you could try them. Sam Blacketer (talk) 17:36, 22 March 2009 (UTC)

How are the global debt /gdp and the public debt (considering FNM and FRE)/gdp in Usa?

EU 100% (talk) 18:32, 22 March 2009 (UTC)

Does this help at all? --Tango (talk) 20:10, 22 March 2009 (UTC)

NO,but i thank YOU!.EU 100% (talk) 18:12, 23 March 2009 (UTC)

Are you looking for some backup on your unsourced and controversial claims on the Talk:United States and Talk:European Union articles? I thought you said you had already done "the simple maths" required. TastyCakes (talk) 18:20, 23 March 2009 (UTC)

I think you are mistaking.I want to know these two datas,to verify if they are the same that a guy gave me.If you have no answers please don't disturb!EU 100% (talk) 20:35, 23 March 2009 (UTC)

I'm not clear on what data you seek. Global debt / GDP is not something I've ever encountered. US public debt / GDP, on the other hand, is readily available at the Congressional Budget Office website (cbo.gov): in 2008 it was 40.8% ($5,803 bn / $14,224 bn). DOR (HK) (talk) 02:11, 24 March 2009 (UTC)

I asked the( Us public debt +FNM and FRE debts)/gdp.It's very clear! Thank YOU,but your numbers are too old and don't answer to my question. —Preceding unsigned comment added by EU 100% (talk • contribs) 10:48, 24 March 2009 (UTC)

Football - Fair Play league

Why is there such a strong correlation between the rankings in the main UK Premier League table ([12]) and the Fair Play table ([13])? I've noticed it in previous seasons as well, so it doesn't seem to be a coincidence. --Tango (talk) 19:56, 22 March 2009 (UTC)

If I understand the sources correctly, maybe it's because winning teams have less reason to complain? People tend to get annoyed more when they're losing, hence a lower FairPlay score and League points are linked. Just an idea though. - Jarry1250 ^{(t, c)} 20:14, 22 March 2009 (UTC)

That's certainly plausible. --Tango (talk) 20:18, 22 March 2009 (UTC)

Inferior teams are probably also less likely to play positively. Algebraist 20:36, 22 March 2009 (UTC)

Why? Playing fairly is probably their best hope for getting a UEFA cup place - I would expect them to make an extra effort. --Tango (talk) 21:43, 22 March 2009 (UTC)

But playing negatively is their best hope of getting draws (or even lucky wins) against superior opposition, and maximizing league performance is more important than trying for the fairplay title. Algebraist 21:46, 22 March 2009 (UTC)

But disrespecting the ref, etc., isn't going to help you win. I could understand why they might be more willing to risk yellow cards, but that's only one small portion of the fair play points. --Tango (talk) 22:30, 22 March 2009 (UTC)

Jarry has already suggested that losing teams are more likely to complain, which probably leads to a lower 'respect to the ref' score. My earlier comments were restricted to the 'positive play' score, but having looked at UEFA Fair Play ranking, I see that 'returning the ball to the opponent at a throw-in' is given as an example of 'respect to the opponent'. That sort of thing will clearly lower your chances, so you might do it less if you're at a disadvantage already. Algebraist 22:38, 22 March 2009 (UTC)

It only lowers your chances if the assistant ref is blind enough to let you take your opponent's throw in. I can see there are various things that will make a small bias, but there seems to be a pretty strong correlation. --Tango (talk) 22:43, 22 March 2009 (UTC)

I don't think Algebraist was talking about people taking their opponents throw in rather if you don't return the ball it will take longer for the opponent to be able to take it giving your team more time to get in position to defend. There's also the psychological warfare issue, of trying to put the opposing team off their game, provoke them to retaliate etc. As it stands, it looks to me like in most cases the difference can either be explained from the fact a losing team is more likely to want to push the limit in the hope they'll win (cards, positive play, respect for the other team) or the losing team is more likely to be pissed off (whether deserved or not) and behave poorly (all the others of course as well as respect to ref, behaviour of officials, behaviour of fans). There's also I expect some belief (accurate or not) that applying some pressure to the referee and other officials may influence their decisions positively (for your team). Of course there's also the fact that a well disciplined and oiled team etc is more likely to play well in general. In any case, trying to argue from a statistical standpoint that it may make more sense for them to behave properly in the hope they win the UEFA fairplay award is a bit silly since we're presuming people always behave rationally and analyse things from a logical, scientific? viewpoint which anyone with any understanding of human behaviour should know is rarely the case. In other words, even if it's true they'd be better off behaving extremely well, which we just don't know given the complications that have been discussed, there's no reason to presume people are going to think of that let alone do it. Nil Einne (talk) 11:04, 23 March 2009 (UTC)

March 23

TED talk transcripts

Is there anywhere I can find transcripts for TED Talks? I'm specifically looking for Daniel Dennett's recent "Cute, Sexy, Sweet, Funny" talk. 99.245.16.164 (talk) 14:50, 23 March 2009 (UTC)

intercourse?

Okay, wiki. My question is wierd, and a little inappropriate but whatever; you should be adult enough to answer. My girlfriend's vagina sometimes has a milky white mucous that is sort of a solid at times, and its sort-of gross. And i'm concerned by what it is. Sometimes during her monthly cycle, she doesn't have it at-all... Generally right after her period all is good, and then random times throughout. Any ideas? Wyrmme (talk) 14:57, 23 March 2009 (UTC)

Smegma?--Shantavira|^{feed me} 15:15, 23 March 2009 (UTC)

If you are concerned, then you should suggest she sees a doctor. There are all kinds of vaginal discharges that are perfectly normal (and vary from woman to woman) and there are some that are signs of disease. We can't reliably tell between them over the internet. --Tango (talk) 15:56, 23 March 2009 (UTC)

Indeed, this is clearly a request for medical advice, which is something we cannot provide. The spectrum of possibilities based on your description is endless, and it would irresponsible of us to provide an opinion as to what it is, and perhaps influence an incorrect course of action based on those opinions. The only recommendation that can responsibly be made is that your girlfriend should see a qualified medical professional if she or you are concerned. --Jayron32.talk.contribs 16:42, 23 March 2009 (UTC)

In this situation I'd be concerned about the possibility of me becoming infected with something. I'm surprised this has not occurred to you, and seems like a pretty good reason for her to get a professional opinion. Yup, I think that response is adult enough. Richard Avery (talk) 17:21, 23 March 2009 (UTC)

I concur that she (and possibly you) will need medical advice, which we cannot provide. She doesn't necessarily need to go to her family doctor, but can instead go to an STD clinic (which, depending on where you live, can go by various names: special clinics, etc.). In preparation for that appointment, you may wish to read vaginal lubrication, sexually transmitted diseases, and vulva. BrainyBabe (talk) 18:42, 23 March 2009 (UTC)

This may be something that occurs during ovulation and is not related to anything mentioned here. The wikipedia page on Cervix#Cervical_mucus has more information on why you would only notice it at certain times, but still should typically be once per month. Still definitely consult a medical professional but don't start panicking about STI's before you discount this possibility (because it is something that happens in most women but goes unnoticed). —Preceding unsigned comment added by 99.255.228.5 (talk) 04:54, 24 March 2009 (UTC)

silver fish

Today a silver fish was found in my 2yrs. old bed, he has had wing worm on his scalp for about a week, today blood was on his pillow i was wondering if the silver fish is a blood sucker. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 98.114.84.82 (talk) 16:42, 23 March 2009 (UTC)

Silverfish eat starches and carbohydrates mostly; they are known to be a scourge of libraries for their ability to eat through books. Ringworm is caused by a fungus similar to Jock itch or Athlete's foot. Beyond these basic definitions, we cannot provide medical advice. If you are concerned for your son's health, please seek the advice of a qualified medical professional, in person, and do not look to the opinions of random strangers on the internet to inform ANY course of action related to your son's health. --Jayron32.talk.contribs 16:46, 23 March 2009 (UTC)

Communal Queues

Usually, when in a situation with several tills/what-have-you (such as in a fast-food restaurant or at a bank of cash machines) and several people waiting to use them, people spontaneously form a communal queue (I am aware this is culturally specific: I am speaking from an English point of view).

Now, a few times I've been chivvied out of this queue by some manager or other who directs people to wait behind specific tills. The only times I can recall this happening, the manager has had a non-native accent and so presumably is coming from a slightly different cultural background. I have some theories as to why this would happen, but I was hoping someone knew of studies into this (or could at least provide an outside perspective). Presumably queuing and its impact on business is studied.

Theory 1: Communal queuing is inefficient.

Theory 2: Communal queuing (a)makes, or (b)is believed to make, the queue look longer, and thus puts people off.

In both of these, I assume that a native manager would be swayed by being part of the culture that produces the communal queue, whereas a non-native manager would be more impartial. Although 2 (b) allows for the possibility that a communal queue looks longer to someone not used to them and shorter to a native. I find theory 1 unconvincing, since I do not see how it can be true.

Theory 3: Someone who hasn't grown up with a culture of communal queuing may find the concept strange, 'untidy' or chaotic, and so tries to 'order' the situation by moving people into many separate queues.

Of course, it may just be coincidence (or some sort of bias) that the only times I remember this happening the chivvier had a non-native accent; it doesn't happen very often, so the sample size is small.

So, hoping people can provide some insight :) 79.66.127.79 (talk) 17:26, 23 March 2009 (UTC)

Translation for Americans: "Communal queue" = "common line". StuRat (talk) 21:43, 23 March 2009 (UTC)

One other possible reason is that the single lineup, or "communal queue" as you put it, takes up a larger area in one place then the manager thinks their layout allows for. Here in Canada, or in my part of it, banks used to have separate lines at each teller window and they all switched around 1980 to the single-lineup system. However, supermarkets still use a separate line for each checkout -- the long narrow space between the main part of the store and the row of checkout counters could not be efficiently used by a single line of people with big carts -- and while many fast-food places I've been to do use a single line, some have a narrow space like the supermarket where it wouldn't work well.

Another reason for separate lines, of course, is when not all the stations are equivalent. For example, one bank teller only does business transactions, one nbank machine has US as well as Canadian money, one checkout counter takes different forms of payment. I don't expect this to apply in the typical fast-food environment, though.

--Anonymous, 20:10 UTC, March 23, 2009.

In queuing theory the single queue for multiple servers gives a shorter waiting time for the customers, especially for varying length of service. It saves being stuck behind one very slow service encounter. It has to be easy to move from the queue to the counter, so a supermarket with trolleys is going to have a bit of a slow down. If you have a giant queue, such as at Customs at an airport, it will be more efficient to have one big rat race rather than lots of smaller ones. Graeme Bartlett (talk) 20:15, 23 March 2009 (UTC)

(Unsourced information follows) I was told in the late 80s by a Operational Researcher I knew who claimed to be one of the national experts on queueing theory in Britain that the combined queue was significantly worse than individual queues both for overall throughput and for the counter staff, in both cases because of the accumulated dead time while the next customer notices that there is a position free and walks to it. But at that time more and more shops and services were introducing the system under pressure from customers. --ColinFine (talk) 21:26, 23 March 2009 (UTC)

It's important to note that the communal queue is only quicker on average than individual queues. I prefer the latter, as I know all about Poisson processes and the likelihood of persons in certain demographics to write a check which they only start digging for after the total has been presented, on the off chance that they'll save the effort should the total for that full cart of grotesque "foods" come out to zero dollars and zero cents, so I can choose a better line than average. Only the below-average shopper will benefit from optimal queuing. --Sean 21:33, 23 March 2009 (UTC)

Thanks so far: some interesting thoughts.

Colin, interesting about that 80s researcher. I'd wondered if there was something of that effect, but surely that would only kick in at a high number of counters? Hmmm. Must consider.

Sean, only the below-average shopper benefits from queuing at all; the strong/loud could probably get served quicker if they just strode to the front :P Communal queuing is fair, which I think is the real motivation behind it (and why it tugs at my heart a little when a manager breaks it up). But I expect other motivations than optimal fairness drive managers. 79.66.127.79 (talk) 22:29, 23 March 2009 (UTC)

I seem to remember there is a section in Kate Fox's Watching the English: The Hidden Rules of English Behaviour (ISBN 1857885082) addressing the very British habit of forming single queues (Bill Bryson may have also discussed it in Notes from a Small Island). The sociological issue does indeed seem to be one of fairness. If everyone waits in a a single queue, rather than multiple queues, then no one line will move faster than the other and no one person will gain an advantage or disadvantage over another. This appeals to the British sense of fair play. Foreign visitors to the UK are often amazed that this occurs so frequently. It is the exact opposite of many other cultures, where it is expected that one should try and get in the fastest queue even if it means disadvantaging someone else. Rockpocket 02:07, 24 March 2009 (UTC)

Some queues have another factor. I will happily queue in a 'longer' (more people) queue if I can see that they have small amounts of shopping in comparison to the 1 person who has their bi-annual shop of (seemingly) 10,000 things. The single-queue multi-teller system is ok but personally I think it makes things 'look' slower than several queues. Whether that's the case is largely irrelevent to me - I have, on countless ocassions, put-down some trivial item I was going to buy because the queues just looked too big and my impulse-item was, well, just that - an impulse. Ikea is the worst place for this - you go in, see nothing but think "oh wait i'll get some new tumblers" and then you get there with your 4-pack of glasses and are confronted with 100 people all buying 90% of the contents of their new home. 194.221.133.226 (talk) 09:12, 24 March 2009 (UTC)

lots of freetime

because i just got expelled till next january i am being homeschooled and find myself with way too much free time..wat constructive things should i do? (example:learn a new launguage) —Preceding unsigned comment added by 76.14.124.175 (talk) 17:59, 23 March 2009 (UTC)

Learning an instrument is fun, walking, photography, volunteering. Try to find a hobby that interests you rather than something you'll quickly get bored of. And don't just spend all your time on the internet >_> —Preceding unsigned comment added by 82.43.88.87 (talk) 18:21, 23 March 2009 (UTC)

I think learning a language is a good idea. I found the Pimsleur language tapes to be a good way to get started, and doing the lessons can be pretty addictive and the easiest way I've found to learn to speak a language. They are expensive to buy, though, I would recommend trying to find them in a library or a second hand copy. Less scrupulous souls than ourselves might turn to pirated copies... TastyCakes (talk) 18:25, 23 March 2009 (UTC)

Look for cool science experiments on YouTube and do them at home (following safety procedures, safety glasses, adult supervision, yadda yadda. Then film some of your own. Edison (talk) 18:45, 23 March 2009 (UTC)

Perfect timing, if you are in the northern hemisphere, to learn about food. Plant a garden, harvest it, cook what you can and can what you can't, as the saying goes. Through food you can learn about (almost) everything. Plants means botany, obviously, and you can go deeper into the chemistry of photosynthesis and cell biology if you want to. Finding somewhere to garden might lead you to community gardens and allotments and the history and politics of land tenure and ownership. (Who has access to land? Why?) Read The Omnivore's Dilemma and the The 100-Mile Diet. Gardening and cooking are good practical life skills. Can you sell your surplus? That's the essence of entrepreneurship. Learn basic accounting: the seeds cost X and the produce sold for Y so the profit is Z. How much money does your household spend on food? If you were given that budget for a week, could you handle it responsibly, feed everyone healthily, and still have change for ice cream? (Learn how to make ice cream -- great fun!) Go to your nearest farmers' market and talk to the farmers. If it's practical and mutually agreeable, you might want to visit the farms and see what you can learn by helping out there. (Consider WWOOF.) If not, try interviewing the farmers -- say you are looking at life options and what do they like about farming? Volunteer at a soup kitchen: who in your community goes hungry, and why? (That's politics and citizenship.) On a rainy day, read some old novels, looking at how food was portrayed in pre-supermarket times of scarcity and abundance (you might start with Oliver Twist and Little House on the Prairie.) Keep a blog, in good clear lucid English, and let us know about it, if Wikipedia and the RefDesk has helped you. (That's English covered.) Compare how different religions treat feasting and fasting. Interview some people who, for religious or other reasons, have a very different diet from yours (e.g. Muslims who are halal, or animal rights vegans; respectfully find out what their experiences are like. Challenge yourself to eat a previously taboo food. If you have an artistic bent, make music or video or poetry about what you are learning. Gather together a recipe book(let) of what you have learned to cook, month by month, experiments and accidents and all; illustrate it. Have as a goal a great big thanksgiving feast you prepare for the people you care about, to show them what you have learned and achieved with this opportunity outside of school. Have a delicious creative time! BrainyBabe (talk) 20:34, 23 March 2009 (UTC)

Well, if you don't want to be seriously behind by next January - you're absolutely going to have to learn everything on the curriculum between now and then. When you're done with that - teach yourself to program your computer maybe? SteveBaker (talk) 01:11, 24 March 2009 (UTC)

Reg. Col. B.

Does anyone know what Reg. Col. B. stands for? I have seen it used a number of times in reference to British school masters, so i guess it is or was an institution where masters trained, however I have no idea what Reg. Col. B. stands for. Thanks 79.75.160.165 (talk) 19:14, 23 March 2009 (UTC)

You might find the following entry from Hansard helpful - http://hansard.millbanksystems.com/commons/1902/may/26/class-iv "In the scheme of registration of teachers which had been devised by the Department there were to be two columns—A and B. In column A were to be the names of those teachers who held the certificate of the Board of Education for employment in the public elementary schools, and in column B the names of all other teachers otherwise qualified." Nanonic (talk) 20:35, 23 March 2009 (UTC)

Who is the most prolific author on Wikipedia?

That is, who has written the most 'featured' articles? —Preceding unsigned comment added by Polymonia (talk • contribs) 23:20, 23 March 2009 (UTC)

It's difficult to determine who has written any given article, but we have this page: Wikipedia:List of Wikipedians by featured article nominations. --Tango (talk) 23:33, 23 March 2009 (UTC)

Also not complete, but see User:Durova/Triple crown winner's circle. Its pretty much a self-nominated award, later confirmed by Durova, but there does appear to be a clear favorite for the most DYK + GA + FA winner. I'll let you read it yourself. --Jayron32.talk.contribs 00:30, 24 March 2009 (UTC)

That doesn't really prove it though - to qualify for the triple - at level 'N' - you have to have at least N DYK's and N GA's. It's perfectly possible (indeed, rather likely) that people have more than N FA's but much, much fewer DYK and GA's. SteveBaker (talk) 01:05, 24 March 2009 (UTC)

March 24

Reverse Phone Lookup

I know they exist but if you want a full report you need to pay money. Are there any of these sites that offer complete data free? --Melab±1 ☎ 01:01, 24 March 2009 (UTC)

For what phone network? Algebraist 01:06, 24 March 2009 (UTC)

Hectare as a measurement of land

When discussing property (as opposed to geography) the common unit for land area in U.S. customary units is the acre. What is the commonly usage term(s) when describing property/land area in the metric system? The acre article indicates that hectare is commonly used and that statement is confirmed by the Hectare article. However, I'm interested to know if meters-squared or kilometers-squared are also commonly used to describe property. The reason I'm asking is that I've noticed that Lightbot (talk · contribs) routinely add metric conversions in articles that contain acre units, but it seems to prefer m² or km² conversions.

This is an informal survey, so anybody who thinks about land in metric feel free to respond. Thank you. -- Tcncv (talk) 01:59, 24 March 2009 (UTC)

Hectare is the common unit for the area of agricultural lands. Meters-squared are commonly used for smaller properties. Kilometers squared are used in the case of very large areas like cities. --Omidinist (talk) 04:42, 24 March 2009 (UTC)

• Also, meters squared are an SI unit and it's common to provide a conversion to a commonly known unit for units people are generally unfamiliar with. Meters are commonly converted to feet and vice verse in articles too to give people with other preferences about units the chance to understand the article.- Mgm|^(talk) 09:08, 24 March 2009 (UTC)

Prince of Wales and Earl of Chester

I was wondering if this a joint title or are they two seperate titles. Should the two always be used together ?