Wikipedia:Reference desk/Miscellaneous

Welcome to the miscellaneous section
of the Wikipedia reference desk.

skip to bottom

Select a section:

• Computing
• Entertainment
• Humanities
• Language
• Mathematics
• Science
• Miscellaneous
• Archives

Want a faster answer?

Main page: Help searching Wikipedia

   

How can I get my question answered?

• Select the section of the desk that best fits the general topic of your question (see the navigation column to the right).
• Post your question to only one section, providing a short header that gives the topic of your question.
• Type '~~~~' (that is, four tilde characters) at the end – this signs and dates your contribution so we know who wrote what and when.
• Don't post personal contact information – it will be removed. Any answers will be provided here.
• Please be as specific as possible, and include all relevant context – the usefulness of answers may depend on the context.
• Note:
  • We don't answer (and may remove) questions that require medical diagnosis or legal advice.
  • We don't answer requests for opinions, predictions or debate.
  • We don't do your homework for you, though we'll help you past the stuck point.
  • We don't conduct original research or provide a free source of ideas, but we'll help you find information you need.

Ready? Ask a new question!

How do I answer a question?

Main page: Wikipedia:Reference desk/Guidelines

• The best answers address the question directly, and back up facts with wikilinks and links to sources. Do not edit others' comments and do not give any medical or legal advice.

See also:

• Teahouse
• Help desk
• Village pump
• Help manual

April 7

Extrapolating Free Speech To Allow Political Donations

How did it ever happen that our greatest legal minds could stretch their imagination so much as to prove to us all that the right to free speech includes the right to give money to political candidates? Such a practice obviously would, and obviously has, led to corruption in our governments at all levels.

Can my question be answered in less words there are in the First Amendment?

Thanks for any info.

Xesandohs (talk) 00:04, 7 April 2009 (UTC)

See burden of proof. --Sean 01:10, 7 April 2009 (UTC)

As long as there are political campaigns, there will be political fundraising. Or would you rather that only the rich run for office? Phil_burnstein (talk) 03:57, 7 April 2009 (UTC)

It's not allowing limits to be placed on donations (because they're considered "free speech") that causes the problem. We can end up with a few people giving most of the money to a campaign, which results in the "representatives" only representing those people. This undermines democracy. Incidentally, another option is to have public funding of elections, either with taxpayer money or by requiring TV and radio stations to air free ads and debates for all candidates (if they want their broadcast licenses renewed). StuRat (talk) 06:07, 7 April 2009 (UTC)

This looks to me more like an attempt to start a debate than a Reference Desk question. Much as I appreciate the irony of attempting to stop a discussion about free speech, I don't think this is the place for it. --Anonymous, 04:55 UTC, April 7, 2009.

By defining the question as "free speech," the answer is given. However, define it as "freedom of expression" and the right to express oneself through donations becomes more meaningful. DOR (HK) (talk) 08:50, 7 April 2009 (UTC)

See Buckley v. Valeo, a US Supreme Court case that ruled spending money to influence elections is a form of constitutionally protected free speech (though the later Davis v. Federal Election Commission also had something to say on the matter). The full judgment of Buckley v. Valeo is here. I think that's the factual answer to the question. --Maltelauridsbrigge (talk) 16:54, 7 April 2009 (UTC)

english language

which of the following statements are correct. 1. Unlike trains, terrorists don't come with an announcement(can we make use of two negative's in a single sentence?) 2. Like trains, terrorists don't come with an announcement —Preceding unsigned comment added by Nag183raj (talk • contribs) 04:11, 7 April 2009 (UTC)

They're both correct; they just mean two different things:

1. Trains come with an announcement; terrorists do not.
2. Trains and terrorists come with no announcement.

In general, each negative in English negates the premise: "unalike" means "different", "not unalike" means "similar", "insignificantly not unalike" means "different", etc. (though stacking negations tends to make sentences difficult to parse and should be avoided in most cases). – 74  04:57, 7 April 2009 (UTC)

Not quite correct. See litotes. There are shades of meaning in these terms, for example "not unalike" is not identical to "similar". Language is not a set of binary conditions which strictly obey boolean operations; as such different word choices do carry subtle differences in tone and meaning which strict logic would not allow... --Jayron32.talk.contribs 06:10, 7 April 2009 (UTC)

They certainly aren't identical (you'd be hard-pressed to find any two words that are). But, as an answer to the question "can we make use of two negative's in a single sentence?", I believe broad strokes are sufficient. Besides, even though my answer was technically incomplete it was not incorrect. – 74  11:47, 7 April 2009 (UTC)

As far as English grammar is concerned they are both correct and mean two different things, both of which I believe are incorrect. Both trains and terrorists may or may not come with an announcement. Dmcq (talk) 09:38, 7 April 2009 (UTC)

It's not a double negative - the two negatives refer to completely different things. The first negative ("Unlike") says that terrorists are not like trains - the second one says that terrorists don't come with an announcement. You can't cancel them without changing the meaning. It's not like "My dog doesn't have no legs" which you can simplify to "My dog has legs". Hence there is nothing wrong with the first version. If you are hell bent on getting rid of a negative, at best you'd have to say something like "Unlike terrorists, trains come with announcements"...but even that has changed the subject of the sentence from something about terrorists to something about trains. (Although it works better as a joke, IMHO) SteveBaker (talk) 21:56, 7 April 2009 (UTC)

Just as a matter of interest, when did the word unalike creep into the language? That was a new one to me. -- JackofOz (talk) 20:54, 8 April 2009 (UTC)

According to Google, it was included in a book published in 1755. That doesn't, however, mean it has been in common usage since (or ever!); Google helpfully suggests the correction "unlike". You (and potentially the OP) might receive a better answer at the Language desk. – 74  21:48, 8 April 2009 (UTC)

The OED has unalike both as an adjective (with four quotes, all from the twentieth century) and as an adverb (with a single quote from Thomas Gataker in 1616). Algebraist 22:00, 8 April 2009 (UTC)

Oh my

Has the world really come to this? [1] Am I the only one that thinks the anchors completely ignoring not only her fainting but a part of the set falling on her is horrible? Sure, they're live on the air but come on, I'm sure they could cut to break or something. It absolutely disgusts me. 75.169.196.140 (talk) 04:42, 7 April 2009 (UTC)

To answer your question: No, you are probably not alone. —Tamfang (talk) 05:35, 7 April 2009 (UTC)

I doubt you're alone, but it is considered a very good quality in a newsreader to be able to continue no matter what is going on around them. There are a number of bloopers around of when that's gone too far, including an anchor vomiting, wetting pants, animals being very inappropriate, being hit on the head, etc. Steewi (talk) 06:12, 7 April 2009 (UTC)

There was one where a bird crapped in the anchor's mouth while he was looking up at some trees.--KageTora (talk) 07:18, 7 April 2009 (UTC)

I saw that in a lol site. The reporter was also talking about the bird population in that particular area. --Lenticel ^(talk) 07:24, 7 April 2009 (UTC)

I see no problem with what happened. Have you not seen anybody faint before? They'll have other people around the place who can help her. There's no need for the world to stop because someone faints and some props fall down on her. The props would be pretty light and what what would you expecting them to do after rushing up to her? She'd be best left lying down to revive and I'm sure they've some first-aiders around to have a look if there's anything worse. Any waving of hands and rushing around showing concern would be due to either cosmetic, ignorance, or headless chicken reasons. Dmcq (talk) 09:28, 7 April 2009 (UTC)

I'll bet it would make more sense if it wasn't cut right after the set fell. I'll bet either A) people from offstage came rushing on to check on her, or B) Something more ridiculous happened indicating this was a parody.

If it's real, I'll bet there was someone talking into the guy's ear-piece saying something like : "Keep going, we'll take care of this.". APL (talk) 22:14, 7 April 2009 (UTC)

I enjoyed one clip of a newsreader continuing to read without a falter as a fly landed on his lip and walked into his mouth, never to be seen again. Edison (talk) 22:24, 7 April 2009 (UTC)

Sue Lawley exhibited famous sang froid when a team of lesbians invaded the TV studio and interrupted her news anchoring. (They were protesting Section 28, a piece of anti-gay legislation.) She said, "We have been rather invaded by some people who we hope to be removing very shortly." Full story here. YouTube clip here -- her eyes do not even flicker as the shouted protests can be heard off camera. BrainyBabe (talk) 16:08, 8 April 2009 (UTC)

Pack of dogs and cat

A long time ago, I saw a picture (not in Wikipedia) of large pack of dogs (perhaps the German Shepherds) standing in a row and a cat passing by next to them without any fear and all the dogs were watching the cat. The dogs were trained by US military and the picture was to show how obedient and restraint the dogs were who won't do anything without the order of soldiers. Can anybody point me to that picture. That picture is not in Wikipedia perhaps. Thanks - DSachan (talk) 09:04, 7 April 2009 (UTC)

Go to http://images.google.com. Type in German Shepherd Cat. Hit Enter. Dismas|^(talk) 09:14, 7 April 2009 (UTC)

Lol, well thanks. I googled before only with dogs and cat. But now this gives me the right picture. :) - DSachan (talk) 09:17, 7 April 2009 (UTC)

What I want to know is, how the heck did they train the cat? 87.81.230.195 (talk) 11:26, 7 April 2009 (UTC)

If the cat never had any negative experiences with dogs, or had been in a household with friendly dogs, he may have never had any reason to feel uncomfortable. --Jayron32.talk.contribs 12:13, 7 April 2009 (UTC)

Some cats taunt dogs they know can't reach them. (e.g. walk along the top of a fence just out of reach.) OR I've had to patch up more scratched dog noses than cats that got bitten. Dogs that aren't trained to go after cats often try to befriend them. Cats will try to dominate and unless the dog is defense mode it will let them. Guess who ends up in the comfy spot that used to be the dog's? ;-) Feral dogs in packs are another matter, though. 76.97.245.5 (talk) 15:01, 7 April 2009 (UTC)

FYI, I believe this picture was made at New Skete. --Sean 15:35, 7 April 2009 (UTC)

Push-ups

The corresponding article is lacking some information. What is a good number of push-ups, if I want to be on the top 5%? How many push-ups Marines and the like must do? What is a good complement for push-ups? If I combine push-ups with pull-ups, what muscle am I NOT working? --217.12.16.53 (talk) 09:42, 7 April 2009 (UTC)

The top 5% of what? Also, please be aware that we can't give medical advice here. AlexTiefling (talk) 10:13, 7 April 2009 (UTC)

That's no medical advice. It's a question about fitness. Top 5% of the people who do push-ups. --217.12.16.53 (talk) 11:24, 7 April 2009 (UTC)

I mean, the top 5% by what criterion? Muscle mass? Body mass? Duration of continual push-ups? And note that 'the top 5% of those who dio push-ups' is a different thing to 'the top 5% of the population'. In any case, I don't think that sufficiently precise data exist for you to be able to determine this. AlexTiefling (talk) 12:48, 7 April 2009 (UTC)

Here are the charts for the Army PT test. You need to score a 270, if I remember correctly, to get into Special forces. So if you want to be in the 0.4% percentile, you'd need to score enough push-ups in 2 minutes to allow for a 270 score on the PT test. There is also, the One-Hundred Push-Ups test. What do you mean a good complement? You mean in terms of muscle groups? If so, it isn't as though your body has muscles that are complementary. If you mean another exercise that requires little material and works a decent number of different muscle groups, then squats would be it.--droptone (talk) 11:34, 7 April 2009 (UTC)

Did you mean Press-ups? Edison (talk) 22:22, 7 April 2009 (UTC)

That's the same thing, n'est-ce pas? Just transatlantic variation. Algebraist 00:36, 8 April 2009 (UTC)

Thanks for the answers so far. I meant a good complement in terms of what muscle I was not training. Doing Squat (exercise) is also a nice tip.--217.12.16.53 (talk) 09:11, 8 April 2009 (UTC)

PHD on a subject

I'm a student of B.sc on chemistry honours . I'm interested in Quantum mechanics . I want Ph.D on this subject after my graduation. Without M.sc can I doing Ph.D ? It is possible ? If possible how I go ahed ?Supriyochowdhury (talk) 13:54, 7 April 2009 (UTC)

You certainly need a Masters degree before you do your PhD. But you can choose programs which offer joint Masters and PhD program which lasts about 5-6 years or more depending on the subject. - DSachan (talk) 14:28, 7 April 2009 (UTC)

(EC) Have a look at PhD. You could always become rich and famous and try to get an honorary degree. There are companies that call themselves "university" that sell degrees. Unless you are interested in a rather expensive piece of wall art, stay away from those. You may encounter that - even with a Masters - finding a PhD program in quantum physics that has openings is a rather rare thing. Highly competitive doesn't even begin to describe the field. 76.97.245.5 (talk) 14:37, 7 April 2009 (UTC)

Without the knowledge and skills gained through an MSc degree in an appropriate subject, you probably wouldn't be in a position to take a PhD, even if a course would take you on. My (strictly non-professional) advice to you is to be patient, do an MSc, and get a research job in the field. This is difficult, but still nothing like as difficult as applying for a PhD placement on spec. A good MSc topic for the career path you have outlined would be something like physical chemistry or quantum physics. Quantum mechanics is a pretty specialised field, even within atomic physics, so a good theoretical grounding will be essential. AlexTiefling (talk) 14:41, 7 April 2009 (UTC)

These statements do not describe the American degree system so you may want to consider studying internationally. In an American course, you would probably be expected to get a good result on a GRE subject test in your chosen field which, of course, requires study of the subject (like a B.S. degree might offer). Once accepted into a PhD program, obtaining a Master's first may, in fact, be discouraged as it may require additional classes and papers - and takes away time available for conducting the research required for the PhD. The edges of the fields of physics and chemistry overlap as much as the fields of biology and chemistry (biochemistry). Perhaps instead of pure quantum mechanics, you would be interested in some branch of theoretical chemistry such as quantum chemistry, computational chemistry, mathematical chemistry, statistical mechanics. All of these require mathematical and computer skill as well as a chemistry and physics knowledge. Rmhermen (talk) 15:28, 7 April 2009 (UTC)

As already mentioned, a masters degree is NOT a prerequisite in the American system; in fact it is most common to enter a PhD program directly from a bachelors program. If you intend to get the PhD, there is usually no need to enter a seperate master's degree program first. At some schools, they just give you a master's certificate in your second or third year of your PhD program; I have several friends who got theirs in the mail without even realizing they earned it along the way. In other cases, some schools offer what is sometimes derisively known as the "Consolation Masters Degree". It is usually awarded to PhD candidates whose doctoral research doesn't pan out; either the research leads to a dead end, and there isn't any publishable data from it, or often more likely they get "beaten" to publishing the information. I had a teacher in High School who got his master's degree in History this way; 1 month before his dissertation, someone published a book that basically usurped all his ideas. No novel research = No PhD. He got the 5-year Master's instead, and such is the way it goes. --Jayron32.talk.contribs 16:50, 7 April 2009 (UTC)

In many American universities it is perfectly possible to enter a doctoral program without obtaining a Masters degree first. This allows the student to obtain the doctorate somewhat faster and at slightly less cost. The downside is that if some problem arises toward the end of the program - typically with one's doctoral thesis - you have obtained nothing. So, let us say, it becomes necessary for you to rewrite - or even rethink and rewrite - your thesis, you'd only have the bachelor's degree, not a master's, with which to get a job while reworking the thesis. Essentially, going straight for the Ph.D. is a gamble; getting the Master's first may be construed as insurance in this context. ("A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.")

Those are the options, but I wouldn't presume to advise you as to what to do. B00P (talk) 00:22, 8 April 2009 (UTC)

In Britain, I know that some universities (if they think you show promise) are willing to accept you provided you complete relevant lecture courses from their masters or undergraduate courses whilst enrolled as a research student. I'd say that you should contact the admissions department of any university you are interested in, they are generally very helpful at explaining exactly what they require: it's not in their interest to mess you about. 163.1.176.253 (talk) 10:38, 8 April 2009 (UTC)

animal trivia

a sea creature found all over the world considered royal by blood. it's also edible. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 213.255.218.250 (talk) 15:23, 7 April 2009 (UTC)

Almost definitely Squid. Royal blood is apparently 'blue' (not really) and a squid's ink is 'blue' (indigo?). 194.221.133.226 (talk) 15:36, 7 April 2009 (UTC)

My first thought was King crab. --Onorem♠Dil 15:43, 7 April 2009 (UTC)

Horseshoe crab, I'd say, actually. They literally have blue blood. I remember reading that in National Geographic, I believe... --Alinnisawest,^{Dalek Empress} (extermination requests here) 15:53, 7 April 2009 (UTC)

Haustellum brandaris, from which Tyrian purple was made? Adam Bishop (talk) 16:12, 7 April 2009 (UTC)

How about emperor seahorse? 65.121.141.34 (talk) 18:59, 7 April 2009 (UTC)

Goats in Paris

What are the relevant ordinances on keeping goats in residential areas of Paris? Thanks. --Sean 16:36, 7 April 2009 (UTC)

Without wishing to give legal advice, they seem to get away with it in the Menagerie at the Jardin des Plantes. Certes (talk) 21:20, 7 April 2009 (UTC)

News pictures aggregator

I used to go on a site that shows good quality images of news events. It gathered pictures from different agencies, Reuters, EPA, Getty news, etc. I lost the address. Anyone knows which site I'm talking about? Alternatively I'm looking for news pictures in high quality. Thank you. 190.220.104.35 (talk) 16:37, 7 April 2009 (UTC)

The Big Picture has some high quality news photos. Tomdobb (talk) 17:10, 7 April 2009 (UTC)

This is probably not exactly what you are asking for, but may be appropriate. You can find millions of Time Magazine photos through Google Image search. Just enter your search term(s) along with the term source:time as in this example [2]. --Joe^Talk_Work 01:16, 13 April 2009 (UTC)

Story Ending?

So a friend of mine gave a speech in Writing & Public Speaking class today. It was a great story, but he left it hanging intentionally (for suspense. He thinks it's funny.) My creative juices aren't flowing, so I'll give the jist of the story:

A man lives in a fictional town in a fictional city. He makes pots. He learned the craft from his father, who learned it from his father and so on. Every day he makes five pots, sells them, and uses the $ to buy food. But eventually everyone has a pot. What does he do now?

Any brilliant endings? Just curious...76.120.179.184 (talk) 18:24, 7 April 2009 (UTC)

This type of question doesn't really belong on the reference desk. Tomdobb (talk) 18:37, 7 April 2009 (UTC)

Oh that is so disrespectful to the masters of the universe approach to re-invigorating a stagnant economy. He obviously has to persuade his clients to re-cycle their old pots and make them feel guilty and anti-social and off-green if they choose not to do so. He, of course, will give them a 5% discount off the price of their new pots in return for surendering their old pots for re-cycling BUT the cost of raw materials and green processing and disposal has unfortunately lifted the new-pots-price by 15%. Result? Everybody (plus the environment) wins. 92.21.155.155 (talk) 19:28, 7 April 2009 (UTC)

Stories without an ending are not always designed to annoy you. Sometimes, including in this case I would expect, they are designed to make you think about the resolution. As 92.21.155.155 pointed out there are real world parallels here. Of course there are plenty of possible endings to the story, some nice and some not so nice. But coming up with what you think is a good ending is the point. DJ Clayworth (talk) 19:41, 7 April 2009 (UTC)

For instance, you might think about how K.C. Gillette got rich. In particular, the second paragraph under Biography. For a related subject, see also Ponzi scheme. --Anonymous, 20:50 UTC, April 7, 2009,.

Obviously, this is a parable designed to make you think about surviving at business even in a saturated market.

It's clear to me that our hero needs to convince people to replace their old pots. Perhaps by inventing a new style of pot that is better in some real or perceived way. Or perhaps by expanding his territory, if people from neighboring towns need pots.

(Alternate answer : Pot lids. Everyone in town will want one. )

Personally, it seems contrived. Three generations of pot makers in a small town and only just now the market saturated? APL (talk) 20:57, 7 April 2009 (UTC)

1. At 3am he takes a baseball bat and goes visiting the kitchens of people of the village. Mysteriously, pots around the village are found to have spontaneously disintigrated during the night. The demand for replacement pots goes through the roof.
2. He continues to make the same pots as before but puts up a large sign saying "Our pots are now carbon-neutral!" - everyone is guilt-tripped into buying new pots.
3. He continues to make the same pots but puts a little purple dot on each one. Then he merely has to find a local movie star to say that pots without purple dots are un-cool and everyone will switch.
4. Pots don't last forever. They get broken. Since pots are presumably a necessity and he has a monopoly on the market, as his sales volume goes down, he may simply increase his prices proportionately. If he sells only 1% of the pots he once did - but makes 100x the profit on each one (noting that his manufacturing costs have now decreased) - what does he care?
5. He can invest in technology to adapt the product to make it better. Consumers will see the advantage of the new pot design and replace their old ones in great numbers.
6. He can do research to find new uses for pots, thereby increasing the number each person will need.
7. If you put a certain part of the male anatomy into one of these new purple pots, it will get bigger!(These claims have not been tested by the FDA and make no claim to diagnose, treat or cure any medical condition)
8. Instead of selling pots, he leverages his brand image to make pot-themed novelty items - hats with pots embroidered on the front - "Potty" action figures for the kids.
9. Showing the amazing sales figures from previous years, he stops making pots and instead sell franchises.

SteveBaker (talk) 21:41, 7 April 2009 (UTC)

@ SteveBaker. I think that is the entire content of my MBA marketing courses summed up in 9 points. Nice work, that! // BL \\ (talk) 22:09, 7 April 2009 (UTC)

This is an old story. He invents tins and can openers and cardboard boxes with plastic bags inside which people buy and throw away instead of storing stuff in pots and we get the modern world. Then he invents recycling and being green. Oh and saving is anti-social it'll stop the economy growing. Dmcq (talk) 22:59, 7 April 2009 (UTC)

(for ceramic pots only) He makes a new kind of pot that is quite suitable for Molotov cocktails and sells them to local extortionists. Coincitentally, he makes a new fireproof building material, since there seems to be a sudden demand for it. -Arch dude (talk) 23:15, 7 April 2009 (UTC)

Being a clever lad, he opens both doors, and after the Tiger eats the Lady, our hero marries the princess. B00P (talk) 00:31, 8 April 2009 (UTC)

There's the "fashion" angle, where you change the line of pots every year and advertise to convince everyone they need the latest fashion and that their current pots are "so last year".

Then there's planned obsolescence, where you design the pots to fail, so you can then sell replacements. The most blatant case of planned obsolescence is toothbrushes designed to have half the bristles dissolve after a few months, ostensibly as a reminder to replace "that old, germy toothbrush". Of course, they don't mention that a normal toothbrush could last for decades, and you could just dip it in bleach periodically when you get paranoid about germs.

You could also make the pots either entirely disposable or have a disposable liner, so people can "avoid the hassle of cleaning them". StuRat (talk) 05:25, 8 April 2009 (UTC)

You get the local press to run a story on how the government is going to require a high tax to be paid on all old pots, or make it patriotic to melt your current pot so that you can buy American. 65.121.141.34 (talk) 13:49, 8 April 2009 (UTC)

The question didn't say whether it was in Iraq or not... --PalaceGuard008 (Talk) 15:58, 8 April 2009 (UTC)

He sells pots to neighboring villages as well. And be may diversify into teapots, roof tiles, and mugs. Graeme Bartlett (talk) 20:59, 8 April 2009 (UTC)

The problem is that he has a finite demand for a product that generally doesnt need to be replaced. If this artisan is only making enough money from selling the pots for food, he is going to be in big trouble once the demand runs out. So he needs to either expand his production to another town/group of people or diversify. Maybe people also need other pieces of furniture that match the pot, like cups or bowls or plates. If he has a surplus of pots, he can start selling these products as a set. He can start selling "limited edition" pots as status symbols. Pots don't really lend themselves to planned obsolescence or any sort of loss leader business model unless they are very, very poorly constructed and who wants a pot that falls apart in a year? Livewireo (talk) 21:33, 8 April 2009 (UTC)

Well, if he has the monopoly, as it seems from the wording of the OP's question, it would make perfect sense to make pots that fall apart after a year or so, so they need to be replaced or repaired. He would have an endless supply of customers, then.--KageTora (talk) 01:38, 9 April 2009 (UTC)

And, with my suggestion of disposable pots or liners (the ultimate planned obsolescence, a product which only works once) this can be sold as being an advantage. The trick is to rip people off without them knowing you are doing it, the environment be damned. StuRat (talk) 14:49, 9 April 2009 (UTC)

Eventually, people will catch on to the price and environmental problems of single-use pots. Then it's time to make a big deal about your brand-new "Reusable Pots". These can be more expensive and lower quality than the original pots because they will still seem superior compared to the disposable ones that people are currently using. APL (talk) 23:33, 9 April 2009 (UTC)

Another approach to planned obsolescence, more in line with the toothbrush example, would be to claim that some type of toxic chemical builds up on pots after a while, and use that to justify pots made to fail after a certain number of uses. You could also use that justification to lease pots instead of selling them, so those customers don't have to deal with those "nasty old, polluted pots". StuRat (talk) 14:54, 9 April 2009 (UTC)

...whilst recycling the old pots by selling them to people in another town or village....I think we are developing a working business model here.--KageTora (talk) 20:15, 9 April 2009 (UTC)

...and selling the pots that are now being given up by the people in that other town as "antiques" which you can now sell to the elite clients in your own village. SteveBaker (talk) 11:48, 10 April 2009 (UTC)

The obvious answer involves marijuana. (Pot? Eh? Get it? Never mind...) -- Guroadrunner (talk) 05:20, 14 April 2009 (UTC)

seth bullock's family history

my dad and i are trying to find out if it might be possible that we are related to the famous seth bullock. what i can't seem to find out is any information about his father or his father's family. i have relatives, henry bullock born 9-29-1825 who had a child leonard bullock born 1-13-1852. according to my records he was born in Elba, N.Y. genesee co. and i though i read where some of seth bullock's family came from new york. can you help me in my search. it would mean a lot to my dad and i would love to find some information for him. thank you for taking the time to read this, and help me with any information or suggestions —Preceding unsigned comment added by Bullockrelative? (talk • contribs) 23:36, 7 April 2009 (UTC)

The Seth Bullock article says his father was British, his mother was Scottish, and he came from Canada, so it's unlikely. Who then was a gentleman? (talk) 01:55, 8 April 2009 (UTC)

April 8

protectionism

How deep are the roots of protectionism responsible for the currunt economic meltdown . Is it really responsible? What are the other factors. Anyone. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 203.122.36.6 (talk) 09:40, 8 April 2009 (UTC)

Wikipedia's reference desk is not really the place to start an open discussion. We do have articles on Protectionism and on the Late 2000s recession and on the Financial crisis of 2007–2010. You are free to form your own opinions based on your reading of those articles. --Jayron32.talk.contribs 12:29, 8 April 2009 (UTC)

It is worth noting that the period since the early 1980s has seen unprecedented globalisation and the removal of protectionist policies. There has also been many calls since the start of the crisis for nations not to introduce new protectionist measures (clearly, these are being made because some countries have been tempted to). If you were to claim that protectionism was responsible for the current slump, you would have to explain why it caused a crisis now, rather than ten or twenty years ago, when globalisation had not moved so far. Warofdreams talk 13:41, 8 April 2009 (UTC)

I haven't heard anyone argue that protectionism got the world into this economic downturn. Mostly the fears seem the other way around: that the economic slump will cause protectionism. That indeed seems to be the case, and is of great concern to people that believe free markets are a crucial element of advancing the human condition. TastyCakes (talk) 14:37, 8 April 2009 (UTC)

The concept that unrestricted free markets and free trade will lead to global economic growth has certainly been widely discredited by the current crisis, which could lead to what critics call protectionism and advocates are more likely to call fair trade (requiring trade partners to have comparable environmental, health, and safety standards, for example). StuRat (talk) 16:00, 8 April 2009 (UTC)

Although it would take some gall to present the US government's attempt to exclude foreign steel in stimulus projects or European banks' beggar thy neighbour policies as "fair trade". I'd also say the dramatic improvements in the lives of millions of Chinese and Indians suggest that, "fair or not", global free trade has been of net benefit to the world. TastyCakes (talk) 16:15, 8 April 2009 (UTC)

There certainly are those who benefit from free trade, at least initially. The wealthy in every country seem to benefit, for example. For the poor and middle class it's not so clear. In the West those groups are likely to lose their jobs or have lower wages as a result of competing with third-world wages, health, safety, and environmental standards. This is somewhat offset by lower prices for imported goods, but not for long.

The West also loses it's industrial capacity, which has both negative economic and defense implications. In China and India there are more factory jobs, but they often pay the bare minimum that a person needs to survive. So, like in Dickens' London, conditions are often horrid. I saw a description of a town in India where leather is tanned. The entire town smells of rotting animal skins, chemicals pollute the water, and clumps of animal fur blow through the streets. It might be worth it if they were getting rich, but only the factory owners are. In the case of China, this economic growth also props up a deeply corrupt and anti-democratic government. And products and services from China and India are often inferior. A wrench from China that breaks when you use it or a call center operator from India who can't understand you or do anything more than read "answers" from a book aren't really very helpful, even when the lower cost is factored in.

But the most troubling aspects are what happens in the long run. In the case of earlier "third-world nations", like Japan, which competed with the West, the size of the population was such that bringing Japan up to the economic level of North America and Europe only required small economic dislocations here. However, the populations of India and China are such that achieving economic equality via free trade will be more about bringing the economies of the West down the their level than bringing them up to ours. StuRat (talk) 14:34, 9 April 2009 (UTC)

If you really believe free trade only benefits the wealthy, and that it is "not clear" for the lower and middle classes, please watch this video and share your thoughts on it with me. Also note that poverty rates in China have dropped from over 60% to under 10% since economic reforms were started. Similarly, the rate in India has dropped from 60% in 1981 to 42% today. Liberal economic reforms can be shown to have been beneficial throughout the world in every size and type of economy, from South Korea to Singapore and Hong Kong to ex-soviet states. And yes, now in China and India as well. If your argument is that China and India shouldn't be allowed to compete with the rest of the world because their economies could become so big they'd swamp our own, then I think you're starting to demonstrate the thin line between protectionism and "fair trade" quite well. TastyCakes (talk) 14:56, 9 April 2009 (UTC)

You said "beneficial throughout the world in every size and type of economy" but then only listed developing nations in Asia. Can Africa be shown to have benefited ? Can the poor and middle class of Western Europe and North America ? As for poverty levels in China and India, there's a problem in measuring poverty strictly by income level. Subsistence farmers can, and have, existed for centuries with little or no cash. They tend to have a barter economy, not a cash economy. This makes determining the rate of poverty of such people quite difficult. So, a good portion of those former 60% "living in poverty" in China may have been doing just fine. Of course, once they leave the farms and move to factories in the cities, then they do need cash. I've seen lots of documentaries on the life of the average Chinese factory worker, and it doesn't look like much of a life. StuRat (talk) 23:33, 9 April 2009 (UTC)

Ok, how about Ireland, Spain, Ukraine and other former soviet satellites? Indeed, that Western Europe has seen the growth it has since the 70s as mature economies is somewhat surprising. I would also sheepishly add Canada to the list, NAFTA and other trade has been of measurable success on a holistic basis. Africa remains crippled by corruption, misgovernment, disease and so forth. To suggest "free trade" is alive on the continent seems a reach to me, as does the expectation that free trade alone can solve all of society's problems. But when the continent's emergence does finally happen (as we all presumably hope it will, sooner rather than later) it will be powered by engaging the outside world in trade, and using the funds generated to educate their population and keep it healthy, not by "riding it out" on the developed world's charity.

I'm pretty surprised you went the "living as a Chinese peasant wasn't so bad" tack. Perhaps you could peruse Wikipedia's list of famines. By my count of the list, in the 20th century alone 29 million Chinese peasants died in famines, that we know of. It seems almost obscene to me that someone would claim that they were better off quietly starving in the countryside than they are working in factories. Ya, the work and the pay suck. But it beats the hell out of being dead, and at least they have the opportunity to provide stability for themselves and their families and the promise of a better life. All of which explains why hundreds of millions of Chinese have moved from rural areas to cities, the motivation behind which was a little unclear under your tele-tubby-esque depiction of their barter-system life in the country.

I'm sorry, I don't mean to be flippant or start a big argument here. But I don't agree at all with what you've said on this topic. I feel that if the world doesn't manage to better equalize the living conditions of its people globally, humanity's long term prospects are dim. The only realistic way to raise hundreds of millions of people in the third world out of poverty seems to me to be allowing them access to a fair marketplace, to our marketplace. You try to justify excluding them from it by saying they have to work in terrible conditions, when it seems to me your real fear is that they will work so cheaply as to endanger Western jobs. You seem to be trying to disguise protectionism as altruism. TastyCakes (talk) 06:27, 11 April 2009 (UTC)

If you're talking about famines caused by the Great Leap Forward and other idiotic policies of Mao, that's really not due to free trade or a lack thereof, that's due to totalitarianism and how it gives one person the power to do suicidal things like this to their country. If we allow free trade with countries with billions of employees who work for 10 cents an hour, that will bring our wages down to that level, not theirs up to match ours. If, on the other hand, we insist that they pay comparable wages to our own (or perhaps a bit less, to allow for the added expense of shipping products around the world), then fewer jobs will be created there, but they will be be high quality jobs, not slave labor. This will also have the side benefit of preventing Western economies from collapsing. StuRat (talk) 11:27, 13 April 2009 (UTC)

The causes of famines in China over the years have been all sorts of things, the "Great Leap Forward" being the most famous of the past century. However, the reason peasants are vulnerable to turbulence, whether it be political or natural, is that they are by definition subsistence farmers. They grow enough to survive on and that's it. Nothing saved, nothing to "barter" with the outside world if it fails that year. Their greatest vulnerability is usually that they are isolated, not just from the world economy, but often from the economy of the rest of their own country, meaning they can't sell their surplus in good years to generate a cushion for the bad. The boom in trade, domestic and international, is indisputably the main reason famines occur very infrequently in economically integrated areas (the only examples that comes to mind are the Irish potato famines over 200 years ago).

Forcing trading partners to pay wages similar to our own is a complete impossibility: if you require this you are essentially not allowing trade. There is no way that India, with a billion people making, on average, $2,500 a year, could just say "ok, you must pay a minimum of $25,000 a year for any work done". It is infantile to even suggest so. Do you honestly think you could have 90%+ unemployment, but that it would be ok because the other 10% is making first world wages? What do you want those other 90% of people (over 900 million people in India) to do exactly? Or do you expect a magical ten fold increase of India's GDP as a response to your "fair wage" policies? And how is it "fair" to pay one Indian 10 times as much as his starving neighbour is willing to do it for?

I do not believe the evidence supports your claim that China and India's workers will drag our wages down into their world rather than the other way around. Indeed, wages in China (particularly along the coast) have risen from rock bottom to the point where companies are looking to other countries like Vietnam for their low cost labour, yet Western standards of livings haven't dropped. At what point do you expect this Western employment catastrophe to occur? China has been growing at breakneck pace for decades now to no measurable effect for Western economies as a whole, India almost as long. Yes, the garment factories and many other industries are long gone. But they have been more than replaced by other industries, as demonstrated by the fact that GDP per capita and incomes haven't dropped. Yes, the West is at a disadvantage when it comes to cheap labour, but it has pretty much every other economic advantage: infrastructure, education, capital and technology. Presumably we also retain our competitive work ethic. If we can't prosper with all those advantages, in my opinion, we don't deserve to get paid ten times as much as Indians.

All that said, I agree that countries that wish to trade with the West must be willing to play by our rules. That includes bars on child labour, indentured labour and unreasonably dangerous conditions, as well as compliance with our intellectual property laws. Perhaps most importantly, it means they must open up their markets to us in similar fashion. And that is exactly what organisations like the WTO are designed to encourage. TastyCakes (talk) 17:28, 13 April 2009 (UTC)

I don't believe the WTO does much of anything about work safety rules, child labor, slave labor, or environmental rules. You mentioned subsistence farming, but there's also subsistence factory work, meaning that if they lose their jobs and can't find others (as in an economic downturn) they too will be facing starvation in short order. StuRat (talk) 03:19, 15 April 2009 (UTC)

Except people that work in cities have other work opportunities. Rural peasants, on the other hand, have only one, and if it fails they're hooped. Not to mention that urbanisation has been the dominant reason for reduction in birth rates in pretty much all countries it has taken place in. To me, bringing birth rates under control seems vital for a sustainable, prosperous future. TastyCakes (talk) 19:27, 14 April 2009 (UTC)

There are other work opportunities in rural areas, too. People are needed to fix carts, build houses, help others to harvest their crops, dig irrigation ditches, etc. StuRat (talk) 03:19, 15 April 2009 (UTC)

You mentioned that the US GDP is going up (well, it WAS going up). As I said earlier, free trade is good for rich people in all countries, while not so good for middle class and poor people. The US distribution of wealth is becoming more uneven as the rich get richer and the poor get poorer, and this leads to all sorts of negative consequences, potentially leading to class warfare and revolution, as it did in South and Central America. StuRat (talk) 03:13, 15 April 2009 (UTC)

The statistics do show the gap is increasing in the first world. The rich are indeed getting richer. But the statistics do not show that the poor are getting poorer. As for the third world, I think I have given pretty convincing statistics to show that liberal economic policies have indeed been of great benefit to poor and middle class workers. TastyCakes (talk) 19:27, 14 April 2009 (UTC)

Those stats were likely taken before the current economic crisis. Once that's taken into account, the poor will indeed be shown to have gotten poorer. In the third world, as I already explained, moving from a barter economy to a cash economy registers as an increase in wealth, but isn't really. They can't afford any more bread than they could before. StuRat (talk) 03:13, 15 April 2009 (UTC)

Your statement that insisting on fair trade will result in 90% unemployment in India is quite absurd. Let's do some math. According to he CIA Factbook [3] India had estimated 2008 exports of $175.7 billion out of a total GDP of $1.237 trillion. That's 14.2% of their economy. However, most of India's trade is with their neighbors, which have comparable wages, so "fair trade" wouldn't require any changes to those sectors of the economy (or to the 85.8% of the Indian economy not based on exports). The US is only 15% of their export market and the UK is 4.4%. So, together they are only 19.4% of India's exports. Thus, if India stopped exporting entirely to both the US and UK, that would only be a 2.8% reduction in the Indian economy. I'd expect unemployment to rise by about the same amount, in that case. However, I don't accept your argument that offering comparable wages to the US and UK would completely stop all trade, there would still be trade and many Indians would have higher wages as a result. StuRat (talk) 19:03, 14 April 2009 (UTC)

So you are suggesting that any worker that produces a good or service for export should be paid 10 times as much as for that good or service if it's for domestic consumption? Or that workers providing a good or service for export to, say, China will get paid 5 times less than the person providing the same good for export to Britain, for example? Can you not see that such a system would be utterly unworkable and intrinsically unfair, creating exactly the kind of income disparities(indeed worse because they are totally arbitrary) that you are decrying in America? No one has suggested requiring countries to pay their workers the same as they would in the country they are exporting to because it is ridiculous. TastyCakes (talk) 19:27, 14 April 2009 (UTC)

A 5x or 10x disparity isn't so bad, it's the 1000x and worse disparities that worry me as far as destabilizing nations. And how is this any worse than the differences which currently exists between someone who sews a shirt in China versus the West ? It would also result on the best workers getting jobs in firms that export to the West, so better products would be produced, and exports would ultimately increase. StuRat (talk) 03:05, 15 April 2009 (UTC)

Indeed; I will say that on the balance free trade has been a net benefit. The question, largely unanswerable, is whether the "bottom" of this current crisis would not be better than the "top" of what our world would look like without a general commitment to market economics. Certainly, things need tweaking, but there are babies that need not be thrown out with any bathwater here... --Jayron32.talk.contribs 21:56, 8 April 2009 (UTC)

Yes, and the free trade fair trade movement describes that "tweaking" as insisting on equal pay, health, safety, and environmental standards. StuRat (talk) 14:42, 9 April 2009 (UTC)

Do you mean the fair trade movement? TastyCakes (talk) 17:32, 13 April 2009 (UTC)

Yes. StuRat (talk) 18:21, 14 April 2009 (UTC)

Well, if anyone had been saying that free trade will prevent bank fraud and housing bubbles, they're discredited; otherwise I gotta say, huh? —Tamfang (talk) 03:39, 9 April 2009 (UTC)

My thoughts exactly :) TastyCakes (talk) 04:51, 9 April 2009 (UTC)

It's more "free markets" (as in a lack of government regulations) which has caused the current economic crisis. StuRat (talk) 14:45, 9 April 2009 (UTC)

Because of course regulation had nothing to do with, say, the unhealthy concentration of banking — pull the other one. The Democrats do seem to have it somewhat right that Republican administrations are lax in their oversight of government-created pseudo-private entities (subsidized deposit insurance in the Eighties, Fannie & Freddie recently) but that's hardly "free markets". —Tamfang (talk) 07:14, 11 April 2009 (UTC)

Some of the problems, like when Bernie Madoff made off with $65 billion, are purely due to lack of oversight, not government-created pseudo-private entities. StuRat (talk) 14:47, 11 April 2009 (UTC)

Well, whenever anything bad happens one can conceive of a rule that would (if properly administered) prevent it. Since no amount of regulation can stop all bad events, you'll always have opportunities to blame insufficient oversight. —Tamfang (talk) 00:00, 13 April 2009 (UTC)

In Madoff's case he simply didn't invest any of the $65 billion he claimed to have invested. This is not a subtle deception. Even the most basic oversight should have uncovered such an obvious fraud. StuRat (talk) 11:14, 13 April 2009 (UTC)

Another problem with government oversight is that it makes for a single point of failure. —Tamfang (talk) 23:02, 13 April 2009 (UTC)

Not necessarily. They could have two or more independent auditors look at each account. They could even have two government agencies do the audits, say the IRS for tax evasion and the SEC for investment fraud. StuRat (talk) 18:21, 14 April 2009 (UTC)

Is that it? We taxpayers are on the hook for a $trillion or so because Madoff stole $65 billion? —Tamfang (talk) 06:42, 6 May 2009 (UTC)

Royal Mail's Red Rubber Bands

I ran across this article on the BBC news site. "The Royal Mail is under pressure to stop its posties from dropping red rubber bands onto the ground." Not being from the UK, I'm slightly baffled. Can anyone explain the Royal Mail/red rubber band thing to me? Why do they seem to be a cultural artifact in Britain - I'm not aware of the rubber band usage of my local post office, and I seriously doubt there would ever be a "on a lighter note" news piece about them. -- 128.104.112.117 (talk) 14:23, 8 April 2009 (UTC)

They appear to be widely used by postmen, who join together bundles of letters with them (e.g. all letters for this road), and who then discard the bands once they've delivered the letters. I can attest to having picked up many of the things, fwiw. --Tagishsimon (talk) 14:26, 8 April 2009 (UTC)

Indeed. Royal Mail uses over 800 million rubber bands per year. Gandalf61 (talk) 15:07, 8 April 2009 (UTC)

Don't normal anti-littering laws apply to postal carriers ? StuRat (talk) 15:54, 8 April 2009 (UTC)

And why don't they take them back to base to re-use them the next day? BrainyBabe (talk) 16:15, 8 April 2009 (UTC)

I recommend Stu & BB read the link in Gandalf61's post, which somewhat answers their questions. --Tagishsimon (talk) 16:20, 8 April 2009 (UTC)

As a former letter carrier (summer job when I was in college) myself, I can confirm that rubber bands are also used in the U.S. as described by Tagishsimon. I put the "used" bands in a pocket of the leather satchel and brought them back to the post office, though. Deor (talk) 17:16, 8 April 2009 (UTC)

It has become such a ubiquitous sight that the BBC website even has a page for '10 things you can do with all those discarded Royal Mail rubber bands'. Tongue in cheek, of course.--KageTora (talk) 19:33, 8 April 2009 (UTC)

which is, in fact, the same story the OP linked to...--Tagishsimon (talk) 19:38, 8 April 2009 (UTC)

Whoops! Same link as the OP's!--KageTora (talk) 19:37, 8 April 2009 (UTC)

Nah, you linked to BBC1; they linked to BBC2 - totally different. If anyone has the ITV link, maybe we can get Benny Hill's take on this... Matt Deres (talk) 19:52, 8 April 2009 (UTC)

My mail comes wrapped in a rubber band probably once a month or so. I'm not in the UK, I'm in the US. Basically it's on days that have a sale flyer wrapped around a lot of smaller pieces. And this is when I go out to meet the mail lady. If it's in our mailbox, there generally isn't a rubber band. Dismas|^(talk) 02:39, 9 April 2009 (UTC)

Similarly, here in Canada I sometimes get mail with a rubber band around it. Presumably it happens when my mail is the last thing in the rubber-banded bundle. And presumably British postal workers were told not to do that, so they started discarding the rubber bands instead. --Anonymous, 04:10 UTC, April 9, 2009.

My parents' mail (in the UK) sometimes has a band round it, but mine never does. They live on a very short "spur" of three houses, so I guess they get the band when there's no post for either of the others. I live on the middle of an urban street, so will never be the last in the bundle. 93.97.184.230 (talk) 07:56, 9 April 2009 (UTC)

Ah, but so do I! So there! :-) --Anon, 08:37 UTC, April 9.

I think it would be a good idea to get the posties to put the rubber band through with the last bunch of letters, as it saves us picking them all up. Having said that, the last house in the street would probably end up with loads of rubber bands!--KageTora (talk) 20:05, 9 April 2009 (UTC)

I've been helping out with a friend's paper shop recently, delivering papers in the morning for 15 minutes on my mountain bike (starts the day off nicely before spending the rest of it sitting down typing like a maniac!), and it's around the same time that the Postmen are delivering, and I find one of these things on EVERY street, proving Tagishsimon's statement that they are bundled one set for each road.--KageTora (talk) 04:43, 9 April 2009 (UTC)

Of course, all of this background doesn't necessarily prove it's the posties who are dropping the rubber bands. It could be the recipients of the mail, who, in their rush to open their latest batch of unexpected bills, drop the items themselves. Or it could be some of both. -- JackofOz (talk) 17:27, 9 April 2009 (UTC)

No, Jack. In the UK, most letters are delivered directly through the front door (a wonderful source of pleasure for kids on Guy Fawkes night!). We don't have outside postboxes like in the US (I don't know about Oz). If they dropped them, they would be in the hallway, not in the street.--KageTora (talk) 20:09, 9 April 2009 (UTC)

Yes, in an episode of MI-5, a "safe house" was built with a large mail slot in the front door, suitable for sliding a bomb through. That, combined with the inability of anyone inside to leave without a working key-card, made the house into a death trap. StuRat (talk) 20:35, 9 April 2009 (UTC)

Oh, yes, in the UK there are plenty of instances where someone who (presumably) doesn't like the occupant of the house has poured petrol through the letter-box (as we call it, even though it's not a box, just a direct opening into the house) then threw a match in. It's really a good idea to have outside postboxes, like everywhere else seems to have!--KageTora (talk) 22:12, 9 April 2009 (UTC)

What, no outside post boxes at all? (Yes, they're the norm in Oz, too). -- JackofOz (talk) 20:44, 9 April 2009 (UTC)

I think we should collect the rubber bands they drop and shoot them at them the next time they drop one. This suggestion has been approved by the Ministry of Fitting Punishments. StuRat (talk) 20:38, 9 April 2009 (UTC)

My dad is a mailman and he always hangs onto his rubber bands, but when he has holidays and someone else covers his walk he usually comes back the next week to find a bunch of rubber bands scattered around the pick-up boxes along his route. He says he's definitely in the minority about not dropping them. (Then again, it was a number of years ago he told me this, so I don't know if the phenomenon is changing as "greenness" is becoming more mainstream.) This also says something about Jack's suggestion that it might be the customers dropping the rubber bands. The pick-up boxes (this is the system in Canada anyway - I don't know if it holds true for other countries; and I should point out that I made up the name "pick-up boxes;" I don't know what they're actually called) are where the mailmen pick up the mail every so often along the route so they don't have to carry it all at once. My dad says this is where the rubber bands accumulate and only the mailmen use these boxes, not the customers, so the posties are definitely the culprits. Needless to say, this is all completely OR. Cherry Red Toenails (talk) 22:13, 9 April 2009 (UTC)

'Institute' Definition

Hello I am looking to find out where the first 3-4 sentences for the definition of 'Institute' came from? I am asking because I would like to cite that source or Wikipedia if it is an original Wikipedia definition? Thanks Ted Auch —Preceding unsigned comment added by Wauch (talk • contribs) 16:33, 8 April 2009 (UTC)

I think you'd probably be better off using a decent dictionary for this kind of thing. I'd also add that using dictionary definitions in a paper or speech never strikes me as particularly clever, and is certainly overdone. TastyCakes (talk) 16:38, 8 April 2009 (UTC)

The sentence will almost certainly have multiple authors. See Wikipedia:Citing Wikipedia for the preferred method of doing this. DJ Clayworth (talk) 16:54, 8 April 2009 (UTC)

Why is land advertised as "x acres, more or less"?

Why is it when you see land for sale the ad says x number of acres m/l which I presume means more or less?64.196.11.97 (talk) 20:03, 8 April 2009 (UTC)

It provides the surveryor with a margin of error if the land is difficult to measure up to a certain whole number. For example, the land may be 2.93 acres, or 3.12 acres but they will round it to 3 for an easier listing and easier pricing. Livewireo (talk) 21:00, 8 April 2009 (UTC)

Some very old parcels of land in the US are described in land records (deeds and titles) by metes and bounds rather than by reference to geodetic survey markers. I have a farm in Tennessee that is "188 acres, more or less." Its western boundary is "bounded by the center of Kennedy creek, subject the meander" The farm "meets the farm to the east along the top of the ridge" -Arch dude (talk) 22:37, 8 April 2009 (UTC)

Read 'Mr Blandings builds his dream house' for the effect of this phrase.--79.71.217.59 (talk) 06:09, 9 April 2009 (UTC)

In the Blandings movie, based on a book, based on a factual magazine article, the country folks would always cheat the city slickers and the "more or less" would always be "less." Some country properties have never had a proper survey all the way around, with old metes and bounds deed going back to the 1700, with corners being stakes, rock piles or stumps long gone, or referenced to long-gone barns, or creeks which meandered, with bearings based on magnetic compass readings which have varied by 8 degrees since the surveyor read his compass in 1862. The property may have gained or lost parcels by purchase and sale, with perhaps only the dividing line surveyed. It can cost $6000 or more to have a modern surveyor run a survey all the way around, and neighboring property owners may disagree with the survey, resulting in potential litigation. Edison (talk) 19:21, 9 April 2009 (UTC)

In the US, such signs are usually written as "+/- 3 acres" or "±3 acres". I'm always tempted to call the agent and say I'm interested in the negative area. -- Coneslayer (talk) 14:49, 10 April 2009 (UTC)

Negative area makes some sense on the hyperbolic plane. —Tamfang (talk) 06:43, 6 May 2009 (UTC)

street names of detroit

what is the stories behind these Streets of Detroit Michigan and the street names are Laura,Rosa Parks Boulevard, Phillip,Carol,Raymond,and Bewick? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 76.112.134.30 (talk) 20:12, 8 April 2009 (UTC)

Here's a good place to start http://www.geocities.com/histmich/streetname.html ny156uk (talk) 20:28, 8 April 2009 (UTC)

I would have hoped the origin of Rosa Parks Boulevard was easy enough. DJ Clayworth (talk) 20:39, 8 April 2009 (UTC)

Note that Detroit also has Rosa Parks parks. So, if someone leaves their car at those places, then he "parks at Parks parks". StuRat (talk) 13:55, 9 April 2009 (UTC)

Unless he's one of 8% of all Koreans - in which case, perhaps: "Park parks at Parks park". But of course that could be one of any number of Parks. If we're specifically talking about the guy from Park, Texas - then we should probably be completely clear and say that "Park's Park parks at Parks park". SteveBaker (talk) 13:57, 10 April 2009 (UTC)

Plural Parks parks? —Tamfang (talk) 15:25, 6 May 2009 (UTC)

Forbidden versions of the German coat of arms?

I know that the public use of some Nazi Germany insignia, in order to commemorate or propagate the Nazi ideology instead of simply mentioning it in historical context, is a criminal offence in Germany. To what extent does this extend to the German coat of arms? Nazi Germany used a highly stylised version of the traditional Reichsadler, which has since been reverted to the traditional one. Nazi Germany had two versions of the eagle, one symbolising the Nazi party, the other symbolising the country, distinguished simply by the way the eagle's head faced. Leaving out the obvious use of the swastika, is either or both of these stylised versions of the Reichsadler forbidden on its own? JIP | Talk 20:43, 8 April 2009 (UTC)

There may be versions that are prohibited, but as you can see [4], [5] [6] the "Bundesadler" is still in use. Our German page says that they sometimes just chiseled out the swastika from Nazi eagles on buildings. de:Reichsadler 76.97.245.5 (talk) 07:37, 10 April 2009 (UTC)

My friend says there are loads of 'reichsadlers' and similar (seals, crests etc.) in Germany that still have the swastika on which, presumably, no-one got around to chiseling off or whatever. Any idea how true this is? --Joe^Talk_Work 01:34, 13 April 2009 (UTC)

April 9

19th Century Scottish Towns

For the purpose of family tree research could the towns of Armadale and Bathgate be considered the same? What information I've found on your site is that Bathgate appears first in the 12th century but there is no elaboration on Armadale. They are approximately 2.5 miles apart now but in the 1800's I wonder if that meant anything.

Thank you, --ScotsBloodline (talk) 00:15, 9 April 2009 (UTC)

Simple answer: no. Longer answer: yes :)

Bathgate can, as you say, be traced back to the C12 or earlier. Armadale as a town dates back only as far as 1785, according to http://www.armadale.org.uk/localhistory.htm ("Armadale, from the building of the first house in the year 1795 up to the year 1850, had grown very slowly"). 2.5 miles is a considerable distance - moreso in the 1800s. I'm sure that is is unlikely in the extreme that anyone from Armadale would consider themselves to live in Bathgate. There is a big however, however. And that is that Armadale was in the parish of Bathgate, and so it would be accurate to say of an Armadale dweller, that they lived in the parish of Bathgate. And so far as genealogical records are concerned, I suspect that much of what is available will be parish records which may or may not draw a distinction between the two places. --Tagishsimon (talk) 00:32, 9 April 2009 (UTC)

Just a word of caution, though I apologise if this turns out to be a bit of a red-herring. There is another Armadale I know of in Scotland (having visited last year), and that is on the Isle of Skye, a short ferry crossing from Mallaig, neither of which are anywhere within 100 miles of Bathgate, West Lothian. 92.20.13.27 (talk) 17:55, 9 April 2009 (UTC)

Thai Wedding

If this constitutes a request for legal advice please feel free to ignore/delete. My question is simply this: If a man marries a thai woman in thailand is that considered a legal marriage in the western world, specifically UK?

cheers —Preceding unsigned comment added by 213.249.138.179 (talk) 07:34, 9 April 2009 (UTC)

This site (http://www.th4u.com/thai_marriage.htm) has some info. It suggests that yes it would be considered legal but that the UK would require 'evidence' by way of an Affidavit or Statutory form. 194.221.133.226 (talk) 07:58, 9 April 2009 (UTC)

I don't know about Thailand, but I married a Japanese woman in Japan. The process was that I had to inform the UK Embassy that we were marrying, we would have an interview, then they would leave a notice up for 21 days, after which I had to go back to the Embassy to tell them that I still intended to marry. After that I was free to marry. You do not need to register the marriage unless she is coming to live in the UK, for which she will need a spousal visa. This is for Japan, but you are asking about the UK 'law' on this, so I think this is relevant. Good luck!--KageTora (talk) 20:00, 9 April 2009 (UTC)

White out

I have a note from someone where the bottom part is whited out. I would like to see what is whited out, but the person signed her name on top of it. Is there a way to see what is under the white out without damaging the note? Anonymous--12:10, 9 April 2009 (UTC)

If you turn the paper around and hold it up to the light it's often possible to see what is underneath what we in the UK know as Tippex. --Richardrj ^{talk email} 12:24, 9 April 2009 (UTC)

By the way, a bit of wiki-surfing just informed me that the original correction fluid was called Liquid Paper and was invented by the mother of Mike Nesmith out of the Monkees. Extraordinary. --Richardrj ^{talk email} 12:31, 9 April 2009 (UTC)

I already tried holding it up to the light, but I'll try again with a better light. And I never knew that about Mike Nesmith's mother. Any other responses are welcome! Thanks, Genius101^Guestbook 19:43, 9 April 2009 (UTC)

One time, I used a simple eraser and it took it off cleanly. Do it lightly, though. --Reticuli88 (talk) 19:49, 9 April 2009 (UTC)

Can you take a penknife to it and try to scrape it off? Who then was a gentleman? (talk) 01:21, 10 April 2009 (UTC)

I'd rather not, as it would damage the note, but I'd be willing to give it a try! Thanks, Genius101^Guestbook 14:42, 10 April 2009 (UTC)

You may be able to xerox it. Set the xerox to Photo setting and try it. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 76.225.133.60 (talk) 07:59, 12 April 2009 (UTC)

Anti-trust

In the US, does the government have any way to legally prevent a company from getting so big that it's collapse would cause a recession or depression ? Certainly if they engage in anticompetitive practices an antitrust suit can be filed. And media companies can be limited by arguing that having control over too many outlets (newspapers, radio, and TV) infringes on freedom of the press and freedom of speech. However, if a company has no media outlets and doesn't do anything bad, can it be broken up just because it's "too big" ? StuRat (talk) 15:12, 9 April 2009 (UTC)

The US has the Federal Trade Commission (http://www.ftc.gov/bc/index.shtml). I would expect that went considering mergers/acquisitions they consider whether or not it is in the interests of the public for the companies to merger (or be acquired), but can't find definitive confirmation either way. ny156uk (talk) 15:56, 9 April 2009 (UTC)

Two troubles: 1) a company doesn't have to be very big to be "too big to fail". Neither AIG nor Chrysler account for very much of their respective markets. In the banking sector the failure of even a small bank can be catastrophic. 2) "Too big to fail" is often a matter of politics. In my humble opinion the US economy would certainly survive the loss of either GM or Chrysler, just as Britain survived the loss of it's car industry; but it would cause a lot of pain to a lot of voters, and all concentrated in one area. DJ Clayworth (talk) 17:20, 9 April 2009 (UTC)

Answering the original question, I don't think so. Antitrust law is the only tool that comes to mind, and as you note, the company has to engage in illegal anticompetitive practices in order to merit drastic remedies like breakups. There is no US law putting a ceiling on the size or power of a corporation. Tempshill (talk) 18:25, 9 April 2009 (UTC)

It sounds like one of those things that would require an act of congress; Rare enough to not have an official regulatory policy in place.NByz (talk) 02:56, 10 April 2009 (UTC)

US antitrust law cannot prevent the organic growth of a company (even if that company eventually grows to monopolize its market). Antitrust law can only prevent anticompetitive behavior (which might lead to growth) and certain very large mergers (see Merger guidelines). Calliopejen1 (talk) 15:48, 10 April 2009 (UTC)

Regulation tends to discourage startups, and thus favors bigness. —Tamfang (talk) 07:35, 11 April 2009 (UTC)

Regulation also creates transaction costs, and thus economies of scale. —Tamfang (talk) 06:39, 6 May 2009 (UTC)

Longest red light

In Marin County, California there is a narrow tunnel about a half mile long. It is so narrow that it has a single lane to service both directions. There is a traffic light at each end of the tunnel, which stays red for about five minutes to allow traffic from the opposite end to go through. For a minute or two both ends have a red light to allow traffic already in the tunnel time to exit. Are there other places in the United States with a similar set-up? Where is the longest red light located? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 76.229.90.166 (talk) 17:24, 9 April 2009 (UTC)

Drawbridges will have very long red lights when the bridge is up, but that's not normally a regular, predictable thing. APL (talk) 18:19, 9 April 2009 (UTC)

It's really fun when that tunnel is closed for repairs (like it was after the Loma Prieta quake); people instead get to drive on the edge of a cliff with nothing but optimism between them and the breakers far below. On the other hand, they don't have to wait for the red light to change. --jpgordon^∇∆∇∆ 19:51, 9 April 2009 (UTC)

Mitchell Point Tunnel in Oregon, which no longer exists, was like that. There are also plenty of one-lane bridges and such around. Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots 23:31, 15 April 2009 (UTC)

See Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel in Alaska. -- Mwalcoff (talk) 01:41, 10 April 2009 (UTC)

The Easter/Christmas road toll and the media

I don't want this to sound like a rant, but I have to give some background first. In Australia, Christmas and Easter come with various traditions. One of them is how the road toll is reported in the media. Leading up to the events, we're told that all the police are going to be on duty, and speeding/drink-driving/drug-driving/mobile phone-using/seat belt non-wearing drivers "will be caught". We're assured it's not about revenue, but the public are being given an incentive to drive safely, and arrive alive. That's all good. Then the deaths inevitably start happening. That's bad. What we get given, though, is a state-by-state breakdown, which is updated frequently. Newspapers have maps, with the state figures shown prominently. We're told things like "<state> has had its worst Easter road toll on record, with 17 deaths; <other state> has had only 3". Maybe the fact that we have only 6 states and 2 territories lends itself to this type of comparison; I doubt it would happen if we had 50 states, like the USA. But apart from that, I've always wondered who is interested in this type of information. Why would a person living in Tasmania (say) have any real interest in knowing the number of people killed in Western Australia (say)? At any other time of the year, reporting of road deaths is generally confined to the state concerned, not broadcast throughout the nation, unless it's something particularly horrific or record-breaking. (I've always regarded this daily (or even hourly, on radio) reporting of the state-by-state tallies and the national total as extremely ghoulish, but I seem to be a lone voice on that score because it's become such a hallowed tradition that I doubt any opinion I may express on the matter would ever have any effect.)

The other part of the reporting is that this year's figures are always compared with last year's figures, state-by-state and nationally. I've always wondered what makes whatever last year's figures were some sort of benchmark. What if last year happened to be particularly high; or particularly low? What does that comparison tell anyone? I'd have thought a better comparison would be with an average over, say, the past 10 years. But why compare this year's figures with any previous years at all? When fewer people die this year compared to last year, newsreaders have a happy face; and when more die this year than last year, they put on a sad face. They seem to treat this subject as some sort of contest.

So, now that I've veered too close to a rant, what I want to know is: Do other countries have similar media practices? -- JackofOz (talk) 18:45, 9 April 2009 (UTC)

In Ireland the road toll (does everywhere use that phrase?, its kind of odd) tends to be mentioned on the news after bank holiday weekends. I suppose its because the number of deaths are higher than at other times of year; with more people on the roads, making longer journeys. The statistics may be more readily available from the police, in an effort to raise people's awareness.Stanstaple (talk) 19:49, 9 April 2009 (UTC)

I've never heard the term "road troll" in the US, but I like it. "Armed bandits" also seems appropo (and if the reason for giving tickets isn't for "revenue enhancement", we can assume they will give all that money to charity rather than keeping it, right ?). As for the reason for state-by-state and year-to-year comparisons, it's because people just don't know if a number is high or low without some context. A dozen people died ? Is that normal or not ? (How would they know what normal is, without a basis for comparison ?) StuRat (talk) 20:25, 9 April 2009 (UTC)

But that's why I suggest a 10-year average, not just last year's figure. What's to say last year's was normal? It may have been spectacularly low, or it may have been horrifically high. Just comparing this year's figure with last year's figure tells you nothing except whether this year is higher or lower than last year. You still don't know whether it's anywhere near "normal" or not. -- JackofOz (talk) 20:35, 9 April 2009 (UTC)

Is the complaint that reporters and mass media news organizations are stupid and/or that they have the memory of a sand flea? Agreed. Tempshill (talk) 22:11, 9 April 2009 (UTC)

I guess there was a complaint implicit in my question, although that wasn't its main point. But since you've asked, I don't think it's down to either short-term memory or stupidity per se. It's more like total and absolute subservience to a media cliché (which is a form of stupidity): "We always present this information this way, we always have, and we always will, because ... we always have. We're not going to spend a single second asking ourselves whether it's useful or not, whether anyone actually wants this information, or whether there's a better way." -- JackofOz (talk) 02:28, 10 April 2009 (UTC)

I'll note in passing that the French phrase à propos (meaning 'on that subject'; anglicized as apropos) is not related to appropriate. —Tamfang (talk) 07:56, 11 April 2009 (UTC)

In the UK we have the national road deaths figures that come out and a big thing is made of them. I've never seen this sort of "this <festive> period we saw X deaths, compared to last year where we had Y deaths" but certainly the UK media is very interested by road-death statistics (and i'd have to say quite rightly - whilst under 3000 (2008 saw 2,943 http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2008/jun/27/transport1) is impressive obviously the less the better. Comparing this year vs last-year is pretty common-place in every sort of media reporting and it's definitely questionable statistics-wise, but then they often use it to be able to produce a 'good' or 'bad' story - ultimately the long-term trend is less interesting (news wise) if it is only showing a 0.5% drop per annum. ny156uk (talk) 22:11, 9 April 2009 (UTC)

It's definitely questionable statistics to compare the raw death figures for the Northern Territory (which has 221,000 people) with those of New South Wales (which has 6.1 million people). -- JackofOz (talk) 02:34, 10 April 2009 (UTC)

Somewhat off topic (sue me): what I object to in the British media is the way they instantly jump on a single death on the railways, demand an inquiry and the spending of millions of pounds on new safety features, insist that it shows the railways are not safe, all the while not seeming to care so much about looking at the root causes of deaths on the roads. There is a real kind of doublethink at work here. The media seems to think that deaths on the railways are somehow more serious, outrageous and even preventable, because of the perception that rail passengers are trusting their safety to some authority. The fact that road users are doing exactly the same thing doesn't seem to occur to them. --Richardrj ^{talk email} 10:45, 10 April 2009 (UTC)

If you were particularly interested in assuming good faith among the media (not that you should, but it would likely be good exercise, like biking up a mountain... on two flat tires... with a large elephant on your back), you could say that they hope that the comparison between areas will provide a sense of competition. "Those beery swine in Tasmania had only three kills last year; no way we're going to exceed that amount! Come on guys, let's bear down!" Um, maybe. Matt Deres (talk) 13:52, 10 April 2009 (UTC)

Forgive me for asking, Jack, but do folks in Australia celebrate Easter by getting liquored up? In my neck of the woods, Christmas parties where the booze flows freely are common, and the accident rate does go up on the roads as a result. Easter celebrations, however, tend to focus more on the religious aspects of the holiday, or on non-alcoholic stuff like Easter-egg hunts and lamb dinners. (Or are you referring to the "spring break" phenomenon among college kids?) Deor (talk) 15:08, 10 April 2009 (UTC)

Since it's Easter, I forgive you, Deor. :) To many, it's a time of reflection, church attendance, and taking part in public professions of their faith. To many others, it's just time off, time to catch up with friends and family, go to sporting functions, go for a mini-holiday, etc. But to many others, it's just an excuse for getting pissed for 4 days straight (that's drunk pissed, not angry pissed). That's OK as long as they don't drive while in that state, but some do [7]. As you can see from the link, the police trot out another favourite cliché: "Drivers are just not getting the message", which is targetted at the tiny minority who drink drive, but is said to everyone, and comes across as if the actions of the tiny minority somehow make the entire community seem like a pack of irresponsible idiots who have to be lectured like recalcitrant school children. Re drinking generally: it would be quite unusual for any sort of social occasion in Australia, at any time of the year, not to be accompanied by more alcohol than anyone can drink. That doesn't mean that it has to be all drunk just because it's there, and most people know their limit, act responsibly, and there's no drama. Some others, however .... -- JackofOz (talk) 20:13, 10 April 2009 (UTC)

Ah, so it's a four-day holiday. For most people in the U.S. there are no extra days off work; it's just a normal weekend, except for the religious stuff (and parading down Fifth Avenue in daytime formal attire if you're Fred Astaire). Deor (talk) 21:57, 10 April 2009 (UTC)

Oh, yes. Good Friday and Easter Monday have been public holidays for many years in Australia. Good Friday used to be a day when newspapers were not published, sporting events did not happen, betting agencies were not open, cinemas and galleries/museums were closed - but most of these have now changed. -- JackofOz (talk) 00:10, 11 April 2009 (UTC)

In the U.S. it's the Fourth of July death toll that seems to get the most news coverage, with Christmas/New Year's Eve in second place (probably because the latter carnage is spread out over much of the month of December instead of being nicely confined to a period of a few days). Deor (talk) 13:59, 11 April 2009 (UTC)

Consider it from the writer's point of view. If you've just got a document from the government that lists how many deaths occur in each state, you can fill up more column space if you mention them all. Better yet, you can just take last year's article and update the numbers. APL (talk) 00:16, 11 April 2009 (UTC)

(A little off topic, sorry) Here in the UK, the BBC does seem to have a particular obsession with the number of deaths in any incident. Shortly after the recent earthquake, the first thing the studio asked their roving reporter was something like: "can you confirm the death toll is 57?" Seems that no matter the incident, the numbers make the news, and comparing them to another similar incident (or last year) gives people a way to judge how "lucky" they have been to avoid death and destruction. Astronaut (talk) 02:49, 11 April 2009 (UTC)

In Canada we get death counts like this for Christmas/New Years, Canada Day, and especially Victoria Day weekend, where it is customary both to drive long distances (to cottages or campsites) and to drink extremely large amounts of beer, and inevitably many people do both and end up killing themselves and others on the highway. Adam Bishop (talk) 17:07, 11 April 2009 (UTC)

All very interesting details. I'm getting the impression that Australia has its own unique tradition about this. It's become so ingrained that we even have reports, usually on Good Friday or Christmas Eve, that "No deaths have been reported so far this Easter/Christmas period". Having people die in road accidents is the norm for holiday periods, so when the norm hasn't started happening yet, that in itself becomes news. That sort of suggests that there's such a strong focus made about the "holiday road carnage" that it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. -- JackofOz (talk) 22:37, 11 April 2009 (UTC)

"The Easter weekend road toll period began at 4pm on Thursday and ends at 6am on Tuesday morning. Last year nine people died over the long weekend. In 2007, the toll was six. EASTER ROAD TOLL * 6 in 2007 * 9 in 2008 * 5 2009 (by last night)" and Motorcycle death on SH1 lifts Easter road toll to three . An Antipodean pasttime? Gwinva (talk) 05:25, 12 April 2009 (UTC)

Hmm. Maybe we lead such mundane lives down here that the media has little else to focus on. We need to get out more - while somehow keeping off the roads. That should present an interesting challenge.  :) -- JackofOz (talk) 21:06, 12 April 2009 (UTC)

Indeed. But where to go? We still shut down over Easter. (Which is actually quite nice. One doesn't actually need a newspaper, or a shop, or a cafe - or work! - every day.) Gwinva (talk) 08:40, 13 April 2009 (UTC)

April 10

What's the background music in this video (and where can I get it?) ?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lYSXY3hWHJk --Wikinv (talk) 06:48, 10 April 2009 (UTC)

banking and finance.

wealth maximization a function of share price maximization.... —Preceding unsigned comment added by 41.219.251.117 (talk) 09:26, 10 April 2009 (UTC)

So?86.197.21.17 (talk) 09:58, 10 April 2009 (UTC)DT

What exactly is your question? SteveBaker (talk) 11:41, 10 April 2009 (UTC)

I'm going to take the Q to be "Is wealth maximization simply a function of share price maximization in all of your stocks ?". In that case, the answer is no. Dividends matter, as do tax implications. So, a stock which pays high dividends and is tax-free may very well be better for wealth maximization than one with a higher growth rate in the share price. StuRat (talk) 14:57, 10 April 2009 (UTC)

Benylin in France

Shall be grateful if anybody can say if Benylin cough mixtures are available in France? Perhaps under a different trade name?86.197.21.17 (talk) 10:00, 10 April 2009 (UTC)DT

They have a French site (http://www.benylin.ca/fre/index.asp) and a contact number listed - may be worth giving them a call if nobody else responds with a more definitive/useful answer. ny156uk (talk) 12:47, 10 April 2009 (UTC)

French language, but a Canadian site. I can't find a French site.

I assume you are in France. If you have an empty box or bottle, take it into the chemist with you, they should be able to find a similar product. If you have no box or bottle, why not print out the relevant page - it lists the active ingredients.

Please note that none of the above is medical advice. Consult a doctor if your symptoms persist etc etc. pablo_hablo. 13:53, 10 April 2009 (UTC)

From the packaging I see the maker is now McNeil, but their site does not mention the product at all! TQ for the advice re the pharmacist - tried that, with no joy. Wonder if it might be Tylonol (?) under a different brand ?86.197.21.17 (talk) 14:01, 10 April 2009 (UTC)DT

Tylenol contains paracetamol (acetaminophen) which is one of the active ingredients of Benylin. You should be able to get hold of any generic paracetamol if all you want is pain relief and ant-fever properties. :The other active ingredients are the decongestant (pseudoephedrine), expectorant (guaifenesin) (and anti-cough (dextromethorphan), depending on which product you have) stuff. See a doctor! pablo_hablo. 14:15, 10 April 2009 (UTC)

The thing is that the same drug may require a prescription in one country and not in another. I have never had occasion to buy cough medicine in France, so I have no idea whether all those ingredients are non-prescription there. --Anonymous, 03:33 UTC, April 11, 2009.

Indeed. So to repeat, discuss with a pharmacist or, preferably, a doctor - I know they have those in France! pablo_hablo. 23:50, 10 April 2009 (UTC)

IIRC, there is quite a large range of common cough-mixture medicines that are not availible in France. I'll try to find out more. Astronaut (talk) 01:36, 11 April 2009 (UTC)

My mistake - I was thinking of a different country. Astronaut (talk) 02:28, 11 April 2009 (UTC)

Yes - of course they have those in France. But they tend to be French. Therefore literal. If it is on the list, fine. If not, too bad. Buy one that is on the list. They are lovely people but, to paraphrase a quote from an animals' rights person they have the imagination of a brussels sprout at times. Many thanks for all the help. Good to know the info is not easily available. I'll try the steam telephone next week. a bientôt86.197.169.220 (talk) 14:32, 11 April 2009 (UTC)DT

CSAT

how do we drive a customer service process(bpo) to attain maximum markings in a customer satisfaction survey as i am in a dilemma as the business existance in the company is dependent on it.Anyone please. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 61.95.140.188 (talk) 10:18, 10 April 2009 (UTC)

Can you put this question into context? Don't see how a business existance (sic) can be dependent upon a process. Are you wanting to use a survey to measure satisfaction? Or what?86.197.21.17 (talk) 14:04, 10 April 2009 (UTC)DT

I expect that their company will lose it's contract and go under if it doesn't get their customer survey results higher. StuRat (talk) 14:46, 10 April 2009 (UTC)

One approach is to look closely at the survey and aim for improvement on each of the points listed. For example, if there's a question on if your services are timely, then work on that (perhaps by having more people working during peak hours). If there's no such question, put your efforts elsewhere. Also concentrate on those areas where the most improvement is needed and where improvements can be made the quickest and at the least expense (the "low-hanging fruit"). It would help us to give better recommendations to know what type of business you have and which marks are currently the lowest. StuRat (talk) 14:46, 10 April 2009 (UTC)

CSAT is a general term for "customer satsifaction". You didn't mention what industry you're asking about, which company does the survey, what the survey questions are, what problem areas have been identified, etc. It is almost impossible to give specific answers that are likely to be helpful for your particular situation. You can get an incredible number of ideas on general ways to increase customer satisfaction by Googling increase customer satisfaction. 152.16.16.75 (talk) 01:37, 12 April 2009 (UTC)

Pay scale for government employees

How/where can I find an online public record of the salaries of United States government jobs? I need to search by job title. Am I mistaken in thinking that this would be available online? Thanks, 168.9.120.8 (talk) 16:43, 10 April 2009 (UTC)

Is the data you're looking for here? Tempshill (talk) 17:13, 10 April 2009 (UTC)

Ah, I can't seem to find what I need there. If the clarification helps, I'm looking for a locally-hired educational position whose salary is apparently funded by the federal government... that might change the landscape a bit. 168.9.120.8 (talk) 17:22, 10 April 2009 (UTC)

The salary tiers are presumably a matter of public record — check the school district's website perhaps, or call them on the phone? If it's funded by the federal government then you could find the specific funding authorization in the Department of Education labyrinth and perhaps it specifies how the salary is supplemented or funded. Tempshill (talk) 19:48, 10 April 2009 (UTC)

How to Print a few More Pages from Ink Cartridges (Q moved from RD talk page)

My ink cartridges are almost dry and all the stores are closed. I've heard somewhere that there is something a person can do to get a few more print pages from an old ink cartridge. Heat? Rinse in water? Shake? Does anybody know? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 65.2.40.36 (talk) 17:17, 10 April 2009 (UTC)

Shaking it gently from side to side might help. Try it, it can't do any harm. --Richardrj ^{talk email} 17:22, 10 April 2009 (UTC)

Actually as mentioned below printing on empty can clog (which may require servicing or a lot of wasted ink to clean) or even damage the printhead beyond repair (although that's probably rare) Nil Einne (talk) 15:06, 12 April 2009 (UTC)

If only one color is out on a multi-color cartridge, you could try changing the colors of each item you want to print to match those colors you still have. StuRat (talk) 18:14, 10 April 2009 (UTC)

I was trying to print a photo but the people came out with bright green faces. I printed a test page and it said that I was all out of red so I asked you. Thank you very much Richard!! I took the color cartridge out and shook it plenty, then I ran another test page and it showed that the red was now fine so I printed the photo again, but I had forgotten to take out the 8 1/2 X 11 paper and put back in the 4 X 6 photo paper. So I changed the paper and printed it again, This time I walked away and when I came back to it I found that the new paper hadn't fed through and all the little bit of ink I had left went onto the roller. So I printed it again and this time made sure the paper feeded through and I got a lovely picture, suitable for framing!! —Preceding unsigned comment added by 68.212.182.145 (talk) 19:54, 10 April 2009 (UTC)

It's worth pointing out that, while gentle shaking won't do any harm, the process of removing and reinserting the cartridge might "reset" the control electronics such that they will *allow* you to print magenta again. Sometimes the "empty" warning is posted by guessing the amount of ink remaining—a guess which may vary widely from reality depending on how you use your printer. (Note, however, that printing on an empty cartridge may damage your printhead; if it's part of the cartridge then that's no big deal, but if it's separate you may need to replace it as well.) – 74  21:07, 10 April 2009 (UTC)

Boys and Girls Club Logo

Can you tell me how the Boys and Girls Clubs of America came up with the clasping hands logo? What is the history? I am under the impression the Boys and Girls Club held a contest in the late 1960's or the early 1970's and asked grade school children to come up with ideas for a logo to adopt and decided on one of the children's ideas but after looking at all resources I can think of, I am not able to come up with anything. If you are not able to find the history on this question, can you please at least put me on the correct path by coming up with a date or an approximate date and or point me in the correct direction in which I can begin researching this? The reason why this is so important to me is because I believe I know the person who came up with this logo all those years ago and I would like to have something to confirm (on paper or by some tangible means) to prove the origin of the Boys and Girls Club logo. Thank you for your time regarding this matter. Sincerely, Wendy> a —Preceding unsigned comment added by Wkbowgo (talk • contribs) 19:03, 10 April 2009 (UTC)

The marketing website may possibly have some information about this - if you click "Logo Downloads", then "National Logo", then "Logo History" then there are several logos used throughout the years. The current logo is dated 1980, but it's not definitively stating that they only started using that logo in 1980. There's a "Contact Us" link if you want to ask them. Tempshill (talk) 19:55, 10 April 2009 (UTC)

Santa Monica Freeway widening project

Is this possible that Caltrans will eventually widen the Santa Monica Freeway between Route 1 and East LA (5/60/10) Interchange? Since Santa Monica Freeway is one of the most congestion routes in probably in the USA, and only have 2 or 3 lanes in basic. If they plan to widen the Santa Monica Freeway when will this happen? Many freeways in Orange County also needs repairments.--69.229.241.215 (talk) 21:07, 10 April 2009 (UTC)

 Wikipedia is not a crystal ball. The Reference desk is for questions which can be answered with reliable references, not for discussions or speculation. --ColinFine (talk) 11:28, 14 April 2009 (UTC)

Car noise

My girlfriend's 2003 Vauxhall Corsa has started making a metal-like scraping noise when braking at speeds < 10mph. I'm pretty sure it only happens when braking – is the likely cause of this brake pads? It's not a really loud noise, but it can be 'felt' through the brake pedal. We'll be having it looked at properly after the Easter weekend, but I thought a heads-up first may stop us worrying. Cheers. Cycle~ (talk) 22:05, 10 April 2009 (UTC)

Have you checked/topped off all the fluids? 76.97.245.5 (talk) 22:55, 10 April 2009 (UTC)

That is almost certainly worn brake pads. Most cars have little metal whiskers embedded inside the brake pad material so that when the pad has worn down to the level of the whisker, it rubs against the brake disk (or drum) and makes that horrible noise which in theory provokes you into taking the car to a garage to get the noise sorted out and they can say "Aha! You need brake pads."...and it evidently works! These gizmos start making their noise well before the pads are worn dangerously thin - so you should be OK to drive it for a week or two after the noise starts. But don't forget about it...brakes are rather important! SteveBaker (talk) 23:21, 10 April 2009 (UTC)

Note that the noise is still there at higher speeds but you just can't hear it over the engine and road noise.

The trouble is, those "metal whiskers" are really big metal studs. Leave it too long and they will dig deep grooves into the brake disks. You will get slightly better braking for a couple of months (metal against metal being better than brake pad stuff against metal disk), followed by sudden catastrophic brake failure. Really, don't leave it too long.

In my experience, as well as new brake pads, the garage may try to sell you new disks for ££££, especially if you make a big deal about metal scraping sounds when braking. It might be better to say something like "I think my brake pads might be wearing down. Can you take a look at give me an estimate for new pads". If the disks really are deeply gouged, they will let you know soon enough. Astronaut (talk) 01:19, 11 April 2009 (UTC)

Cheers guys, I'll get it booked in in the coming week. Thanks. Cycle~ (talk) 10:33, 11 April 2009 (UTC)

Global Power Consumption:

Dear friend(s), in a "Green Team" forum recently, a person suggested I quit reading books, and read ebooks instead, which I thought ludicrous. Therefore, I would like to ascertain the total global power consumption of the internet, including computers, peripherals, (power and cost of production), etc., compared to the cost of global book production. I am going to keep searching for data, but as I am disabled by severe anxiety, it gets rather nerve racking at times. Thank you for any help, MJ MichaelJ47 (talk) 22:51, 10 April 2009 (UTC)

That would hardly be a fair comparison. The internet is used for a lot more things than ebooks - and in fact, many ebooks (the Kindle, for example) don't use the Internet at all. (The Kindle uses the cellphone network). To do this comparison fairly involves a heck of a lot of assumptions. Aside from the cost of publishing your book - you have to consider the space it requires to store it - the number of people who might read it - whether you could get it in a library or not, etc. The paper book (if you dispose of it by recycling the paper - or burying it in a landfill) may lock up carbon and actually help the environment. If you burn it - then not. Similarly with your ebook - the cost for delivery of the ebook to your reader is certainly a lot less than the cost of the paper book - but if you are the only person who reads your copy - then that may not be such a good idea as a book that's loaned out. At any rate - your question contains an entirely false premise - so I'm not going to spend the effort to look up the numbers. SteveBaker (talk) 23:15, 10 April 2009 (UTC)

Case in point: how would you suggest these folks replace the Internet with books, for their purposes, practically? 94.168.184.16 (talk) 00:43, 11 April 2009 (UTC)

The answers you seek are contained herein. Sustainable Energy Without the Hot Air 96.50.4.248 (talk) 02:28, 11 April 2009 (UTC)

April 11

List of world newspapers

Where would Wikipedia have a list of notable national-level newspapers? It would be great if there was a list of notable newspapers that are translated into English (and into various other languages, if the information were available).

Anyway, going to the "Newspapers" article gives me nothing. Where can I find a way to find out what newspapers to read when in Rome or are read in Rome or Madrid or Manila or any other place? Do I really have to search country by country? Is that information standard in each nation's article?Levalley (talk) 01:19, 11 April 2009 (UTC)

Does List of newspapers, which breaks down various newspapers by country, help? Nadando (talk) 01:20, 11 April 2009 (UTC)

Always head to the see also section, in a scan of any article: Newspapers#See also ;) 96.50.4.248 (talk) 02:25, 11 April 2009 (UTC)

Didn't think of actually using the word "list" in the search - there must be lots of "lists of" articles for me to explore. Thanks for the tip on see also, as well.Levalley (talk) 03:24, 11 April 2009 (UTC)

Actually, it's taking me awhile to get the hanging of using the list feature. The List of newspapers is helpful, it shows which nations are not yet listed on Wiki as having newspapers, which is what I wanted to see. Took me a bit to realize I had to click on "show" to see the list. I'm verry slooow.Levalley (talk) 03:30, 11 April 2009 (UTC)

Date and money

Is it possible to find a girlfriend if you have no job, no income and no perspective of improving your situation?--88.6.158.100 (talk) 12:44, 11 April 2009 (UTC)

Lol.--Crimpmunkla (talk) 13:04, 11 April 2009 (UTC)

Yes, mine married me!--79.71.217.59 (talk) 13:24, 11 April 2009 (UTC)

Having no job, no income and no "perspective" of improving your situation will make you extremely attractive to certain women (as will not knowing the difference between the words "perspective" and "prospects"). However, to seal the deal you really need to get yourself thrown into jail so they can come see you for conjugal visits. :-) StuRat (talk) 14:29, 11 April 2009 (UTC)

Plenty of teenagers manage to find love, and they don't seem to be thinking of future propsects. As for older people, I suppose it depends. Those with skills and talents will have a better chance: whether that be social skills (confidence with others, ability to flirt non-aggressively), cooking talent (who can resist having a meal prepared for them? Preferably involving chocolate mousse), dancing, massage, and yes even generous and unrushed love-making. If you are open to others, able to listen, willing to learn, you may well find a girlfriend. I am thinking of a "starving artist" I know who now has a gf with a big house, demanding job, troublesome teenagers, etc. She is willing to pay the bills for the household because he is very good at supporting her in her life and work, and I hear things are pretty good behind the bedroom door too. Another whole category is that of toyboy. Yes, there are sugar mommas out there, as well as cougars. Live in hope! BrainyBabe (talk) 15:58, 12 April 2009 (UTC)

If you have no job and no immediate prospect of getting one - then I strongly recommend finding a "volunteering opportunity". For one thing, it'll give you a reason to get up in the morning and do stuff, for another, it'll look good when you DO start applying for jobs - having work experience and showing a "get up and go" attitude is something that employers definitely want to see...and (no small consideration) it's a certain turn on for the babes...it says "I'm caring - I'm proactive - I'm not so much 'unemployed' as 'more concerned to do good for society than further my own fortune'."...and it's a great place to meet people. Finally - it'll do a lot to improve your self-esteem - something that clearly seems to be lacking. A depressed person is not much fun to be with. When you can be proud of what you do - your confidence will improve commensurately. Most places that need volunteers will be happy to have you help out for just a couple of days a week - so you can pick a couple of different places to help out at and maximise your opportunities to meet people and maximise the probability that one of the things you're doing will strike a chord with the girl of your dreams. Here in Austin, Texas - there are loads of web sites for organization looking for help. Everything from heavy stuff like "AIDS outreach" and hospice visiting to less stressful stuff like people who work as volunteer guides in art galleries and museums to people who help out by walking dogs at the local SPCA rescue center. You can also pick up free job training through volunteer organisations - here in Austin, they have people who help out doing free tax preparation work for the underprivilaged - if you sign up for 40 hours of voluntary work - they'll put you through a two day training course. It can be a lot of fun too - my kid volunteered to help out at the Austin Film Festival - he got to stand around checking badges and name-tags while watching the movies, listening to the presentations and meeting a bunch of actors & actresses, directors and producers - he had a blast. SteveBaker (talk) 16:52, 12 April 2009 (UTC)

Autonomic alarm clock?

Is it true that some people can set a mental time clock to awaken at a given time? If so, can the skill be learned?86.197.169.220 (talk) 14:33, 11 April 2009 (UTC)DT

I used to do that when I was a student. I recall this being successful until I went out for one too many late nights and missed all my morning lectures. I decided it wasn't quite reliable enough and bought myself an alarm clock instead and I haven't tried it since. The biggest drawback, as I remember it, was that I had to positively think about the waking up time with respect to the current time before going to sleep. If I didn't 'set' my internal alarm, as happened when I was too far gone after a late night, it didn't wake me up. I've no idea if that can be learned. Mikenorton (talk) 16:20, 11 April 2009 (UTC)

I can do this but only if I've already set the alarm clock. Then I will wake up a couple of minutes before the alarm goes off. Adam Bishop (talk) 17:01, 11 April 2009 (UTC)

I often wake up shortly before an alarm, but only if it's an unusual time (eg getting up early to travel somewhere). It doesn't happen when getting up normally for work. I'd never rely on my "mental clock" for an important deadline, so I don't know whether the setting of the alarm is significant or not in triggering it. 93.97.184.230 (talk) 20:06, 11 April 2009 (UTC)

Do you get use-once credit cards in the UK?

Like, you will pay 10 or 20 pounds for a card which can be used to make anonymous online purchases that won't show up on your credit card bills. I've heard you get these in America. If they do exist in the UK can you get them at ASDA, Tesco, Sainsburys etc?--Please let me die (talk) 14:35, 11 April 2009 (UTC)

A quick scan of Stored-value card tells me that they're available in Ireland. Dismas|^(talk) 14:48, 11 April 2009 (UTC)

Ireland in itself is no use. But if they're available there they should be in the UK. But where do I get them? I want to get one today so I can get a month's pass to an internet porn site.--Please let me die (talk) 15:16, 11 April 2009 (UTC)

I thought maybe you could use paypal to be anonymous. I googled paypal "pay for porn" anonymously and apparently they no longer allow payment for porn sites, but I found netcash through that search and I think it might be what you are looking for.--70.19.64.161 (talk) 15:37, 11 April 2009 (UTC)

Actually, now that I've explored their site it seems a little sketchy. But there has to be something like this so that you can use an existing card rather than searching for some one-use card that may or may not be able to be purchased in your area.--70.19.64.161 (talk) 15:42, 11 April 2009 (UTC)

There are a large variety of pre-paid debit and credit cards available[8][9], but most (if not all) require you to fill in an application and none seem to be available behind the counter in high street shops. Nanonic (talk) 16:48, 11 April 2009 (UTC)

Can you buy pre-paid debit cards? You can do that in the US. Visa, MasterCard and American Express all have pre-paid cards. Who then was a gentleman? (talk) 21:24, 11 April 2009 (UTC)

query on article about the SPETSNAZ

the article on the russian special forces (SPETSNAZ) says, while discussing the spetsnaz knife, that the russian forces do not use the 7.62mm caliber round. but then what else do their kalashnikovs use?? the're the ones that made the 7.62mm so famous and lethal, alongwith the FN FAL. is it me or is the whole world conspiring to convince me that i'm delusional??? :P —Preceding unsigned comment added by Dustbite (talk • contribs) 17:16, 11 April 2009 (UTC)

"is it me or is the whole world conspiring to convince me that i'm delusional?" - Yes. – 74  17:46, 11 April 2009 (UTC)

I would imagine that they don't use the AK-47. It is common for special forces to have weapons more suited for their particular needs than the common infantry issue one. Rmhermen (talk) 18:16, 11 April 2009 (UTC)

I just read that section of the article and am certain that it is a mess but not sure what it is trying to say. Rmhermen (talk) 18:20, 11 April 2009 (UTC)

They may well not use Russian standard weapons, as Rmhermen suggests, but even if they did it wouldn't be the AK-47. The newer AK-74 looks broadly similar, but uses a smaller calibre much like NATO moved from 7.62 to 5.56. I can't remember what the newer Russian calibre is, I'm afraid. Incidentally, you talk about the AK-47 and the SLR both using 7.62 - it's true that they both use bullets of that calibre, but I'm pretty sure the rounds themselves are very different, the Russian ones being shorter and having less propellant (and hence being more suitable for an assault rifle). 93.97.184.230 (talk) 20:04, 11 April 2009 (UTC)

The newer replacement for the AK-47 is the AK-74 which fires a 5.45x39mm round. The Russian army hasn't really used the 7.62 round since the late 70's early 80's (they changed at around the same time NATO did). The AK-47 fired the 7.62x39mm while NATO used the 7.62x51mm NATO (which was used in the FN FAL). There is also the 7.62x54mmR which is used in the SVD sniper rifle or in the PKM Machine Gun. While the both rounds are the same diameter, the bullet length 39 vs 51 vs 54 mm were all different as was the amount of powder. So, the rounds aren't interchangeable. As for what that section of the Spetsnaz article is trying to say isn't really clear.Tobyc75 (talk) 17:07, 13 April 2009 (UTC)

Learning shorthand

Can you point me to some free resources for learning Teeline Shorthand? The first google hit for teeline shorthand has a "Free Lesson", but excluding that google seems to be failing me. Any other shorthand is also good, but it needs to usable for both Finnish and English (ie not too phonetic). Thanks --88.194.237.199 (talk) 19:18, 11 April 2009 (UTC)

I found http://www.scribd.com/doc/9436925/Teeline-Complete, which looks promising. The problem now is that my flash plugin has been a bit angry lately so I cannot view it / the download link for the pdf format of the document doesn't work. Could somebody upload the pdf somewhere for me to download, or mail it to kmav81 AT-SYMBOL gmail DOT com (no worries, I'm already receiving lots of spam). Thank you --;93.106.154.207 (talk) 18:52, 12 April 2009 (UTC)I broke up your email address so that at least programmes crawling the web for addresses won't find it. Seriously, this page is a baaaaad place to put an email address. 217.43.141.59 (talk) 19:52, 13 April 2009 (UTC)

Got it. Googled for teeline complete pdf. --88.194.195.137 (talk) 20:49, 12 April 2009 (UTC)

seeds/spices

can you grow a plant from uncooked poppy seeds found in the spices rack? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 66.237.50.35 (talk) 20:18, 11 April 2009 (UTC)

They are supposedly sterilized but some will germinate. Please note that the growth of opium poppies (yes the common poppy seed on your bagel is that kind of poppy) is illegal in many locations.--Fuhghettaboutit (talk) 21:33, 11 April 2009 (UTC)

Where? --jpgordon^∇∆∇∆ 21:38, 11 April 2009 (UTC)

Well, for one, the United States, as in all 50 of them. Under the Federal Controlled Substances Act, the growing of any somniferum papavarum plants is illegal. Of course, it would not make sense to enforce this is any real way, but it is the law. I imagine when a person is actually caught cultivating for actual opium harvesting purposes, is about the only time the technical letter of the law is enforced.--Fuhghettaboutit (talk) 00:54, 12 April 2009 (UTC)

Sure. You can buy them on Amazon, for gosh sakes. It's one of those laws that is ignored until you get blatant about it -- if you go out of your way to get the somniferum varieties that are best suited for opium production, you might raise some red flags. Very pretty red flags. Or if The Man just wants to give you shit. I'm surprised the laws aren't more specific -- but then, the vagueness works to the advantage of the DEA. --jpgordon^∇∆∇∆ 01:43, 12 April 2009 (UTC)

Many varieties of Papaver somniferum are grown as ornamentals. They are very easy to grow and I find them one of the most beautiful of all flowers. I presently have several kinds growning in my yard, including the Hungarian Blue Poppy that reseeds itself. See this link [10] for some of the different kinds. As far as I know these ornamental types (including the breadseed) do not produce the drug opium in any significant fashion. Instead of trying to grow the seeds sold for eating (which may very well be treated to not germinate), buy some seeds from your nursery.--Eriastrum (talk) 22:24, 11 April 2009 (UTC)

rephrase of the last question.. (seeds)

can you grow a plant from dried seeds? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 66.237.50.35 (talk) 20:21, 11 April 2009 (UTC)

Well, sure; the problem isn't the drying (a pack of seeds from the florist will be pretty dry too.) But seeds for culinary use are often steam-sterilized; still, throw a bunch in the dirt and some of them will likely sprout. You can also just go to the gardening shop and buy poppy seeds to cultivate; I wonder which ones cost more? --jpgordon^∇∆∇∆ 21:37, 11 April 2009 (UTC)

Spices are sometimes irradiated. I think some culinary seeds are as well. So if they do grow they could be Giant Mutant Plants!!!! (or not) Rmhermen (talk) 00:42, 12 April 2009 (UTC)

Bugs on my car!

I drive to work along the Lake Michigan shore line every morning and soon when it warms up that will mean passing through swarms of millions of shore flies every day. Since my car is white the front quickly turns black from all the dead flies stuck to the bumper. As some of you may know getting the flies off of the front of a car isn't easy. So my question is does anyone know of anything that can either be applied to the front of my car to keep them from sticking or anything that will make them come of more easily? Thanks for any help!--ChesterMarcol (talk) 20:54, 11 April 2009 (UTC)

A bra? Who then was a gentleman? (talk) 21:27, 11 April 2009 (UTC)

You could try driving much more slowly so that you just nudged them out of the way instead of splattering them to death.92.23.7.187 (talk) 00:02, 12 April 2009 (UTC)

After putting on your usual car wax, maybe you could apply a thin coat of dishwashing liquid? I'm not sure if it would wash away the wax but it would make getting the bugs off easier since they aren't pitted into the wax (as much). Dismas|^(talk) 00:55, 12 April 2009 (UTC)

That's TERRIBLE advice! Firstly, the function of correctly-applied wax is to fill in those teeny-tiny pits and cracks in the paint - this makes the car shiney - but also easier to clean and it protects the paint from water getting under it. If you use dishwashing liquid, you may well remove most of the wax - resulting in a car that will look dull rather than shiney - which will rot away far faster - which you'll have a much harder time removing the squished bugs from. The best advice here is to ALWAYS wax you car carefully after washing it and to make 100% sure that all traces of soaps and detergents are removed from the car before you do so! Jeez - please - if you don't know the answer - don't answer the question! SteveBaker (talk) 16:31, 12 April 2009 (UTC)

Back when I was a kid (in the dark ages before the Internet was even conceived), folks used to add bug deflectors to their hoods (Brit. Eng., "bonnets") to keep squashed insects from defiling their windshields (Brit. Eng. "windscreens"). You might look at this search for appropriate remedies. Deor (talk) 01:09, 12 April 2009 (UTC)

I remember those things. I was about to suggest something like a cow-catcher anyway. That's just as good, even if it looks very early-60s. At the very least, though... next time, the guy should buy a black car, so the squashed critters won't be so obvious. And at the speeds he's probably driving on LSD or wherever, maybe he should get "stealth" technology also. :) Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots 04:20, 12 April 2009 (UTC)

Black cars no help. Lots of bugs shplat bright yellow. --jpgordon^∇∆∇∆ 14:59, 12 April 2009 (UTC)

Bug deflectors were a good idea when cars had terrible aerodynamics - but with a modern car, all that's going to do is increase your gas consumption and make bug-splats worse...unless you drive something hopelessly un-aerodynamic like a Scion xB (as my son said: "Wow - that car looks like the box your MINI was shipped in!"). Car 'bras' come in two kinds - the loose ones that you can remove and clean and the permenantly stuck on kind. The former are a disaster and should be avoided at all costs because dirt and small rocks can get trapped behind them and as the bra shifts around and vibrates, that abrasive material is ground into the paint. The glued-on kind are like a quarter-inch of rubbery stuff (sometimes clear, sometimes black). They work great for avoiding paint dings from small bits of gravel kicked off the road - but washing the bugs off of them is no different than washing the car itself...possibly worse because they aren't as smooth as the underlying paint. SteveBaker (talk) 16:31, 12 April 2009 (UTC)

International news programs website

I once encountered a website where you can view news broadcasts from all over the world (taped, I believe, not live), but I can't find it again. Does anybody know what it is? Who then was a gentleman? (talk) 21:28, 11 April 2009 (UTC)

Elephant and Mouse

I was watching a cartoon with my children and in a scene the mouse scared the shit out of the elephant and got me thinking were did this myth come from or in fact is it a myth. So what I am asking are elephants scared of mice thanks. BigDunc^Talk 21:35, 11 April 2009 (UTC)

MythBusters (2007 season)#Elephants Scared of Mice looked into this and found that, amazingly enough, elephants did walk around mice; they didn't determine if they were scared of them though. Clarityfiend (talk) 22:23, 11 April 2009 (UTC)

War pig states Pliny the Elder reported that "elephants are scared by the smallest squeal of the hog". Excluding porcines, most animals only squeal from pain, fear or distress. Perhaps elephants interpret high-pitched sounds (squeals, mice squeaking, etc.) as sounds of danger and simply try to avoid the percieved danger. 152.16.16.75 (talk) 02:06, 12 April 2009 (UTC)

Vodka in plastic bottle

I buy vodka from shop. Vodka is in plastic bottle. It was never in plastic bottle before, was always in glass bottle. Please explain.--Motionflackflank (talk) 22:12, 11 April 2009 (UTC)

Alcoholic drinks have been popular for many years with British tourists to Spain, who prefer them to glass bottles as they weigh much less and thus permit the tourist to bring them back to the UK without as much risk of exceeding their baggage weight allowance. The only problem is that the plastic bottle is significantly more expensive than the glass one, but given the much lower price of alcohol in Spain than in the UK it is still a bargain to the British tourist. For instance, in Spain in January this year I was buying a litre bottle of supermarket brand Gin for 3 euros (currently about £2.75) whereas a litre bottle of supermarket own brand Gin in the UK is about £13. So I suspect that the answer to your question is more to do with the lower freight cost to the manufacturer than the tourist issue. And to me, there is no difference in taste - though other respondents here may disagree. 92.23.7.187 (talk) 23:58, 11 April 2009 (UTC)

Follow on question from the above, I didn't know that plastic bottles were more expensive to glass ones, why is that almost all non-alcoholic drinks are mainly sold in plastic bottles rather than glass? It's weird because I tend to associate glass bottles with higher prices (for instance bottled water).MedicRoo (talk) 11:39, 12 April 2009 (UTC)

I asked that question in Spain and was told it had to do with current volume economics i.e. traditionally all alcoholic drinks were supplied in glass bottles and many people are still reluctant to switch to plastic, so glass remains the dominant partner and producing plastic bottles is less economic for the manufacturer/distributor, so they pass the additional costs on to the consumer, whereas there is less of such a hardcore tradition in the supply of non-alcoholic drinks so the culture is different, added to which is that people are allowed to carry non-alcoholic drinks and consume them in public places in contrast to alcoholic drinks where that practice is either illegal or frowned upon. 92.23.90.215 (talk) 19:01, 12 April 2009 (UTC)

Site that will show you your picture as the opposite gender

I'm sure there a site where you can upload your picture and it will show you what you look like as the opposite sex.Googling 'photo upload opposite sex' produces several sites,none of which are relevant or pleasant... Lemon martini (talk) 23:52, 11 April 2009 (UTC)

The Perception Laboratory's Face Transformer? -- BenRG (talk) 03:03, 12 April 2009 (UTC)

That is way cool! When I show my opposite gender self, I actually look like someone I know... scary!--TammyMoet (talk) 10:37, 12 April 2009 (UTC)

April 12

Sneezing in the light

Why are many people able to induce a sneeze or hasten the onset of one by looking at a bright light? This is noticed many times when you walk out of a store or building on a bright day. jondn (talk) 00:31, 12 April 2009 (UTC)

Photic sneeze reflex meltBanana 00:39, 12 April 2009 (UTC)

A friend calls that the Vampire Syndrome. Neswa (talk) 19:36, 13 April 2009 (UTC)

Artificial moonlight...light

Whenever I walk into the kitchen at night and there's a full moon out, it's always streaming through the kitchen window (and the glass door, if the curtains haven't been drawn). It creates a mysterious, mystical, and serene setting. Bummer this only happens thirty-six to thirty-nine times a year (the days before and after a "full" moon are full enough for me). But getting to the point, are there any lamps or light fixtures that are manufactured to recreate moonlight? A couple searches by me haven't turned up anything definite.--The Ninth Bright Shiner 00:46, 12 April 2009 (UTC)

'Moonlight' is actually pretty much the same thing as regular plain-vanilla sunlight. Since the Moon doesn't generate its own light, all we see is the sunlight reflected from its surface. There are some minor differences, but the Moon's surface is altogether a pretty neutral shade of gray.

You can verify this by looking at long-exposure photographs taken by moonlight — the colours are essentially identical to what you'd see by sunlight. (Check out the photo on this page here. It looks like a perfectly ordinary outdoor scene, until you notice the blue sky is speckled with stars and there is a glow of city lights on the horizon.)

The primary difference under moonlight is that the light is very dim, so your eyes aren't picking up color very clearly. Everything looks washed out and pale. TenOfAllTrades(talk) 01:02, 12 April 2009 (UTC)

Neato. I didn't know that...BUT...can it be reproduced by man? From what little I know of lamps, it's a definite "hmmmmm..."--The Ninth Bright Shiner 01:25, 12 April 2009 (UTC)

How about this sort of thing? --jpgordon^∇∆∇∆ 01:58, 12 April 2009 (UTC)

I guess what you want is a lightbulb whose color temperature approximates that of the Sun (they do exist!), masked somehow so that it's effectively dim. —Tamfang (talk) 08:19, 12 April 2009 (UTC)

this is quite moonlighty. Gwinva (talk) 01:54, 13 April 2009 (UTC)

That one says it gives off a green light, which doesn't sound like moonlight to me. The problem, as I see it, is that incandescent lights become more yellow at lower powers. Fluorescent lights don't usually go that dim. Perhaps an LED light could do the job ? The one jpgordon mentioned sounds like it might work, too. StuRat (talk) 10:23, 13 April 2009 (UTC)

At the extreme end of things, yes you certainly can reproduce it. Film and theatre lighting techs are doing it all the time, both for sunlight and moonlight (though often they create an effect that people think looks right rather than actually does). A good powerful light an an appropriate colour gel should do the trick, and a visit to your local theatrical lighting shop should produce some advice on what colour you want. Of course these things don't necessarily come cheap. DJ Clayworth (talk) 15:47, 13 April 2009 (UTC)

Sunlight and moonlight effectively act as infinitely distant Point sources. That gives the light and shadows a particular 'look' that we notice. Just having a lamp that's the same color and brightness of the moon (or sun) will not give you the same "feel" that you're going for. The light-source has to be sufficiently far away to give you parallel shadows.

There's also a power of suggestion effect here. Everything seems more mysterious if you don't have to plug it in. APL (talk) 18:04, 13 April 2009 (UTC)

I have a bright white LED reading lamp - the kind you clip onto the edge of a book. In a totally dark room - that produces a light that is both a point source and a close match for sunlight/moonlight. I think it's important that the light be really dim in a totally dark area because you need for your eyes to be using scotopic vision where all of the color is washed out and things have a blue-ish tint. SteveBaker (talk) 02:21, 14 April 2009 (UTC)

International knowledge of American suburban lifestyle

In my European travels, I have never seen a strip mall, nor have I seen a collection of chain-restaurants (Applebee's, TGI Friday's, etc.) dotting a giant parking lot outside a freeway interchange. That got me thinking -- do Europeans and other people from outside North America really have a conception of what the American suburban lifestyle is like? Do they have a sense of what most American neighborhoods look like, with their miles of half-acre home lots and every commercial building surrounded by its own parking lot? Everything designed with the assumption that everyone will drive to and from each place, with unused sidewalks and empty buses? I realize that foreigners watch a lot of American TV and movies, but those tend to take place in big cities (The Cosby Show, Cheers, Friends, etc.) rather than in the suburbs where most Americans actually live. And when international travelers visit America, they usually visit places like Manhattan and Chicago, not Long Island or Arlington Heights, Illinois. -- Mwalcoff (talk) 03:23, 12 April 2009 (UTC)

I like the question but don't necessarily agree with your position that sitcoms generally take place in big cities. Roseanne, Malcolm in the Middle, ALF, Bewitched, Leave It to Beaver, Happy Days, and Blossom all took place in suburban locales. Some were closer to big cities than others (I think Blossom was supposed to be near L.A. but it was basically the 'burbs). That's to say nothing of the more rural shows such as The Andy Griffith Show or Green Acres which likely also found their way across the pond. Sorry if this is off topic from the original question though... I'd really like to see that answered. Dismas|^(talk) 03:37, 12 April 2009 (UTC)

I would be surprised if you can generalize about what people might know about North America. People around the world who have internet access or who are travellers will know more about North America than North Americans know about them. And more of them are travellers, though North Americans lead the pack in internet access. In the late 80s a Swiss engineer who was working at the time with a Hong Kong printing house came to Canada on a business trip. He had never before been to North America. All the way into the city from the airport where I met him he exclaimed about all the "wasted space", with one-storey commercial and industrial buildings on huge lots surrounded by parking. So, there was one person who was very surprised but that was a long time ago and he came from two countries where usable, flat land was at a premium. (As an aside: there are strip malls in Spain, both in towns -like Malaga, for example- but like their North Amercian counterparts built on the outskirts, and also along highways. The road from Mijas Costa to Mijas Pueblo, for example has six or seven of them, most anchored by either a furniture store or a supermarket, and with private parking, though not to the extent we see on the west side of the pond. I would agree with you about the restaurants, however; I think Europeans generally take their food seriously, and the roadside cafe is frequently family-run and worth a trip, not things that can be said of the list you have presented.) // BL \\ (talk) 03:45, 12 April 2009 (UTC)

Well all I can say is you've obviously not been to the UK, where McDonald's and KFC are on almost every roundabout!--TammyMoet (talk) 10:07, 12 April 2009 (UTC)

nor have I seen a collection of chain-restaurants (Applebee's, TGI Friday's, etc.) dotting a giant parking lot outside a freeway interchange... I'm not an expert in American/British dialect, but if you mean "A collection of chain-restuarants dotting a giant car park at a motorway service station", you get them something like every twenty miles in England. Normally the restaurants in question are McDonald's KFC, Burger King, Little Chef. Vimescarrot (talk) 11:52, 12 April 2009 (UTC)

I was referring more to collections of sit-down family restaurants in a suburban locale than to the fast-food places you might see alongside a long-distance freeway/motorway. See [11] for an example -- those squares on the south side of Polaris Parkway are all chain sit-down restaurants of the Applebee's type, I believe. -- Mwalcoff (talk) 15:07, 12 April 2009 (UTC)

Isn't there a major difference in that the UK locations that Vimescarrot refer to are intended for motorists (i.e. travellers), while the strip malls discussed in the original entry are the main place where the local population go (by car) to shop and eat? Also commenting on what we see in tv shows: Most of the sitcoms mentioned are off course filmed in studios, and only use establishing shots to set the location. If somebody in e.g. According to Jim, would go to e.g. a hardware store, all they might show is a store front, giving no idea about the surroundings. I'd say that films and tv have given me quite a decent idea of how the residential areas of the suburbs look, while the suburban commercial districts and their complete inaccessibility without a car was something that I only had been told of by others. /Coffeeshivers (talk) 13:23, 12 April 2009 (UTC)

I'm a Brit, living in Texas - I don't think the situation is all that different. In the UK, land is at more of a premium than here in the US - so most malls have multistorey parking rather than acres and acres of parking lots. The crappy weather means that outdoor "strip-malls" are less attractive as new development than indoor malls - so in the UK, we have more of the latter and less of the former. The sheer tedious repetition of the same design over and over is also not there in the UK - but that's because in many parts of the US, these developments are happening on virgin land and the developers can be lazy and simply replicate here what they did 10 miles further up the freeway. In the UK, you have to fit in with existing properties and road layouts - so it's rare to be able to simply replicate the same design over and over. My only real shock when coming to Texas was not about the individual malls - which seem reasonably familiar - but the fact that you can drive for hundreds of miles through some states and see the same collections of businesses and living space repeated every 5 to 10 miles with zero distinguishing features. In some towns and cities in the UK, the planning regulations limit the ability of a new store to move in right next to some other store that has the same business...so in the US, you find not one shoe store but five shoe stores - all together. In the UK, you're more likely to have one of each kind of store at a particular location.

To the extent that I've found the US surprising, it's that (more than once) I've stepped out of a WalMart (or other 'big box' store) that I've never been to in Austin - which has the precise same internal and external layout to one in Dallas and been surprised at how a place can seem so familiar when I've never been there before. Kinda like deja-vu - but more persistant and repeatable!

Another difference is the size of stores. If I want (say) hobby supplies here in Texas, I might go to a "Hobby Lobby" or a "Micheals". These are GIGANTIC stores - the size of a UK "Tesco" supermarket or bigger. If I wanted to do that in the UK, I'd probably go to a tiny store in the high street that was run by two little old ladies who have about the same variety of stock (but in much smaller quantities) crammed into a store no bigger than my living room. But again, that comes about from the lack of availability of cheap land and the need to fit in with existing street plans. There is a trade-off here. Those two little old ladies know all that there is to know about everything they sell - you'll get help and advice whether you ask for it or not...but there is a possibility that they don't have the exact thing you need. Go to a Hobby Lobby and the extent of the help you'll get is "That's on aisle 23" - although you can be reasonably certain that if the thing you want actually exists, it'll be in that store someplace.

SteveBaker (talk) 16:12, 12 April 2009 (UTC)

I recognise your experience with the repeated layouts of the large stores - but that's also true to an extent here in the UK, and transatlantically. An American friend reckoned she could always find her way around a B & Q which she visited in Scotland, because it was laid out identically to the Home Depot near her home in the SF Bay Area - the two chains being part of a single multinational. My view is biased by experience - here in the UK, I do in fact live close to several strip malls, but I know this is unusual - high street shopping augmented by individual supermarkets remains the norm here. (Oh, and I know of a very good model railroad store on Van Ness Ave, SF, which corresponds closely to your (accurate) UK 'two little old ladies' store description.) AlexTiefling (talk) 20:12, 12 April 2009 (UTC)

Going back to one point raised by the OP - UNUSED SIDEWALKS???? What sidewalks??? My wife and I stayed recently in San Diego on Hotel Circle South and thought it might be nice to stroll into the town centre (downtown I think it might be called) and after about 100 yards outside our hotel the sidewalk petered out and we were literally walking in the gutter. That lesson was quickly learned and we reverted to using taxicabs as we had chosen not to drive ourselves in a city we did not know (on the wrong side of the road). Later on, we caught the red trolley to an out of town shopping mall that lived on both sides of a dual-carriageway and there was no pedestrian crossing facility so we gingerly crossed from one side to the central reservation, hoping to find a gap in the traffic so we could complete our adventure to the far side. Horns were honking, fists were raised, lights were flashing, heads poked out of windows and abuse was shouted at us (I am white from the UK and was accused loudly of being a wetback). But did anyone stop and wave us across???? No chance. Until a motor-cycle cop happened along and he positioned himself in the centre of the freeway and waved us across, much to the annoyance of the cars behind him. And then he profusely apologised on behalf of the San Diego citizenry and said that they simply don't comprehend out-of-towners like us choosing to walk. I still have his photograph with my wife and myself posing beside him and his GERMAN motor cycle and will always remember him as the ONLY gentleman we met in that lovely city. American suburbia??? Toytown.92.23.90.215 (talk) 19:17, 12 April 2009 (UTC)

My knowledge of American walking comes from Bill Bryson, where he mentions that in america for the most part people don't walk and will use a car for the shortest trips. As for the UK, yes we have occasional groups of big warehouse shops surrounded by car park, but you don't get it that often, and big shopping centres here are usually supplied with multi-storey car parks, which IMO make more sense, as you don't need to walk so far. -mattbuck (Talk) 19:52, 12 April 2009 (UTC)

But see, that's the thing -- Europeans hear Americans drive everywhere and assume it's because we're lazy, when in fact it has more to do with the layout of American suburbs, as the anonymous user above can attest.

One thing that surprises me from this conversation is Steve's comment that in the UK, planning regulations limit the ability of a store to locate next to other stores of the same type. That sounds to me like an anticapitalist and consumer-unfriendly way to protect existing businesses from competition -- or is there another reason behind it? -- Mwalcoff (talk) 04:11, 13 April 2009 (UTC)

It's more that, when you have limited space, having a lot of shoe shops might mean you have no food shops, or clothes shops, or hardware stores, or... you get the idea. It's the idea that a town should have a variety of facilities so that people can do their shopping. While visiting the hammock district is useful if all you want is to buy a hammock, it's not so good if you want to get food for the weekend, clothes, tea towels, and a birthday present (as well as a hammock). It's about trying to keep local high streets useful for locals. 217.43.141.59 (talk) 16:41, 13 April 2009 (UTC)

That limit is certainly in Canada, and I'm willing to bet that it's there in the Good-ole competition-friendly US as well. Usually it's legislated at the local level, and rather than being explicit it's more likely that the planning authorities won't let two big competing box stores build next to each other. It's hardly ever in the interest of the community, as it almost always results in one driving the other out of business. DJ Clayworth (talk) 20:15, 13 April 2009 (UTC)

Partly it's the sidwalks, but partly it is the attitude of North Americans. It's not so much laziness as simply an assumption that a car is always the way to travel, no matter how short. a distance. I walked to a friend's house to meet a few people, which took me less than five minutes. When I left my host said "Where's your car?". I said I had walked she said "Really?" as if I had ridden a unicycle. Even when I said it had taken less than five minutes she was utterly incredulous. DJ Clayworth (talk) 20:27, 13 April 2009 (UTC)

Heck, I live in the USA, and I was surprised at the lack of sidewalks outside of the north east. I tried to walk around Fort Worth and felt like I was taking my life into my hands and made to feel like I was doing something vaguely anti-social by not using a car.

In a New England city there would have been sidewalks everywhere, and on a nice day they'd be filled with people. Apparently, in Texas people drive. You tell someone you're going to walk four blocks down to a diner and they look at you like you're crazy. If you want to walk, you drive to a park and walk there. Very strange. APL (talk) 15:22, 13 April 2009 (UTC)

In the U.S. there is a movement called "New Urbanism" which sets out to redesign the way people live by returning to a walking-centered urban lifestyle. In theory, you design Mixed-use development so that people can live and work and shop all in one small area, so they won't have to drive. In practice, what you end up with is a little island with a shopping mall, an office park, and a condo high-rise all sharing a big parking lot. The people that live in the condo don't necessarily work in the office park, and lots of people drive in from outside to do their shopping. It's a nice idea, and it can be somewhat aesthetcically pleasing, as it gives the "illusion" of being in a real city; which of course you aren't. You're still in the suburbs, just in a little Disnified version of what a city is supposed to look like. Some examples of these "new urban" centers I have been to include Easton Town Center in Ohio, North Hills in North Carolina, and the original "New Urban" city, Celebration, Florida. --Jayron32.talk.contribs 05:13, 13 April 2009 (UTC)

What is Zalgo?

I can't find out what Zalgo is, even Encyclopedia Dramatica doesn't explain it properly.--Clinkpush (talk) 12:10, 12 April 2009 (UTC)

You might have tried Google. According to this site, the first Google result, "Zalgo is an unusual internet phenomenon confined to a few select off beat forums and image boards. Its relevance here lies in its Lovecraftian edge. The objects of Zalgo are mostly popular, innocent comics turned ruthlessly to the dark side of Lovecraftian horror--and humor. More than anything else, the Zalgo comics are further evidence of Lovecraft's shockingly strange presence in today's online communities. Some would contend that Zalgo isn't necessarily Lovecraftian at all. While it isn't always explicitly so, it certainly holds many of the features common to peripheral Lovecraftian parodies, which is good enough to place it in the realm of weird inspired humor." LANTZY^TALK 14:40, 12 April 2009 (UTC)

I smell a redlink turning to a bluelink sometime soon... --Jayron32.talk.contribs 05:03, 13 April 2009 (UTC)

UK PS2 in Barbados?

I have a PS2 that was purchased in the UK. If I bring it to Barbados, will it still work? I understand that the TV systems are different in the two countries. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 91.104.39.194 (talk) 20:27, 12 April 2009 (UTC)

As far as I know Barbados using an NTSC system rather than the PAL system the UK uses. They also use 110V electricity rather than the 220-240V the UK uses. You may have problems getting it to work. Exxolon (talk) 23:16, 12 April 2009 (UTC)

You're going to Barbados to play video games ? Are any of them simulations of a tropical paradise ? :-) StuRat (talk) 10:12, 13 April 2009 (UTC)

April 13

Kate Gosselin's Hair

Where can I can found pictures of Kate Gosselin's many short haircuts because it seems to me she experiments with them?

Basically, both of us have the same basic cut and also we love to experiment with our hair. At least I do and really unsure if she does. —Preceding unsigned comment added by Jessicaabruno (talk • contribs) 00:02, 13 April 2009 (UTC)

Of course there is the old google image search: [12]. Bus stop (talk) 01:06, 13 April 2009 (UTC)

Bobbi McCaughey

Does anyone know what is her maiden name? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 68.193.22.146 (talk) 00:58, 13 April 2009 (UTC)

Hepworth. Who then was a gentleman? (talk) 00:25, 14 April 2009 (UTC)

Becki Dilley

Does anyone know what is her maiden name? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 68.193.22.146 (talk) 01:02, 13 April 2009 (UTC)

Since both of these women only gained notoriety for these barely notable events, and they were already married at the time, I think your best bet would be to contact local newspapers in the cities in which they lived at the time. Dismas|^(talk) 01:52, 13 April 2009 (UTC)

Stauffer. Who then was a gentleman? (talk) 00:26, 14 April 2009 (UTC)

Millennium clock at Pompidou Centre

On a visit to the Pompidou Centre sometime in the last century, there was a digital clock in the plaza which was counting down the seconds to the new millennium. I seem to remember that there was a sign next to the clock which promised a surprise when the clock reached zero. Does anyone know what, if anything, the surprise was? --Richardrj ^{talk email} 10:56, 13 April 2009 (UTC)

It was probably not as exciting as the promise of the surprise was. ;-) Brief Googling for New Year's celebrations at the centre don't turn up anything world-shattering... --98.217.14.211 (talk) 12:31, 13 April 2009 (UTC)

Possibly an announcement that the Millennium didn't end for another 12 months?86.209.155.155 (talk) 12:56, 13 April 2009 (UTC)DT

Pedant. --Richardrj ^{talk email} 13:02, 13 April 2009 (UTC)

This, though not a reliable source, indicates that the digital clock was removed during renovations before the countdown ended, and later another one was set up somewhere else in Paris. I too remember seeing the clock and wondering what the surprise would be, but I hadn't thought about it ever again, until this question was asked here. :-) ---Sluzzelin talk 13:46, 13 April 2009 (UTC)

Oral sex

How to convince my partner to have Oral sex with me? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 121.246.174.130 (talk) 16:34, 13 April 2009 (UTC)

The lack of specifics here reminded me of a Limerick thus:

A masculine girl from Khartoum, took a feminine boy to her room; they spent the whole night in a helluva fight about who should do what - and to whom.

92.23.165.231 (talk) 17:25, 13 April 2009 (UTC)

I remember it thus:

There once were two queers from Khartoum who spent the whole night in a room. They argued all night over who had the right to do what, and with which, and to whom.

Each version has its advantages. —Tamfang (talk) 01:54, 14 April 2009 (UTC)

Oral sex is fun for both parties, and it gives pleasure to someone you presumably want to give pleasure to. Honestly, that's pretty much the only argument there is for it. The arguments against it tend to be kind of pointless -- it's disgusting (it's not), it's wrong (it's not) or it's too weird (it's not), but if someone really sticks to them, the problem isn't really with the oral sex. Sex columnist Dan Savage likes to say that oral sex is standard; any model that comes without it should be returned to the lot. Personally, I tend to agree. (Obviously, this applies equally to both men and women.) That said, there's no magic trick that will make him or her agree to it, other than explaining that it's fun and that it feels good, and that you want to have some (and, obviously, are willing and eager to give some). If that doesn't do the trick, you can either work on gently broadening their horizons or accept that your sexual needs and their resources don't match up. If you're in the latter situation, and they're unwilling to do anything about it, you're pretty much in a position where you need to figure out if your unfulfilled sexual desires are made up for by the other aspects of the relationship. In any case, this is not really a problem that people on the internet can help you with, and it's not going to be solved without communication with your partner. -- Captain Disdain (talk) 17:30, 13 April 2009 (UTC)

Actually, one could see that some people have a disgust reaction to sexual fluids, which could explain why they are reticent to do it. If a man, for example, finds the odor or taste of vaginal fluids to be nauseating, it could be difficult for him to perform said act on his partner, and visa versa. Coercing someone to do something they find distasteful could have negative implications on the health of the relationship. (Thankfully for Mrs. 32, I don't have that reaction). However, the key is to talk it through with your partner. If you understand why your partner does not want to do it, you could work out some alternate plans. They could be convinced that the act could be made less uncomfortable (for example, the male could assure the female he would not ejaculate in her mouth, which may allay some of her concerns) or, if such accomodations cannot be made, alternate means of sexual gratification could be arranged. The MOST important thing is to discuss this openly with your partner, and find out what works for BOTH of you together. --Jayron32.talk.contribs 00:31, 14 April 2009 (UTC)

Sure, people have disgust reactions to all sorts of things -- I mean, some people insist on only having sex in the missionary position, under the covers, with the lights turned off and with a minimum of movement while trying hard to think about something else. That's not much fun for anyone involved. The point is, either they're willing to talk about their inhibitions and make the effort to meet the other party's needs, or they aren't; if it's the latter, people need to figure out if that's a deal-breaker. And I think it's okay to start out awkwardly, I should probably add. Nobody's an expert at this stuff right out of the gate. Obviously, communication is key. -- Captain Disdain (talk) 02:12, 14 April 2009 (UTC)

Some cultures and religions make oral sex taboo. So do some superstitions. So do some very much more everyday phobias and distastes. Have you tried talking to her about it, rather than trying to convince her? There is a difference... in one, you're likely to find the cause of her resistance. In the other, you're likely only to break or reinforce it, depending on your skills and the level of her determination to resist you. --Dweller (talk) 19:24, 13 April 2009 (UTC)

Give before you get. Give pleasure in its widest sense, asking for feedback. Explore new things together. Find out what your partner wants and make an effort to provide it. (All of the above apply to much more than sex.) And then, in a quiet and unpressured time and place, ask nicely. BrainyBabe (talk) 23:44, 13 April 2009 (UTC)

Watch porn with your partner with a lot of oral sex and foreplay. Almost all good porn has oral sex. Sex without oral sex is no sex at all. Sex is not always done to produce babies. It is for fun. - DSachan (talk) 05:36, 14 April 2009 (UTC)

That's a remarkably unhelpful comment. FYI, there are many ways to enjoy sex that don't involve oral sex. They may not have ready access to porn, depending on where in the world they are living. And nowhere does the OP say that they are only interested in having sex for procreation. A comment like that is just likely to increase the OP's anxiety. --Richardrj ^{talk email} 06:31, 14 April 2009 (UTC)

• You don't give much specifics. The first thing would simply be to ask. If your partner doesn't want to, convincing them to do so against their will would be a very bad thing. - 131.211.210.206 (talk) 12:48, 14 April 2009 (UTC)

Sometimes, people without any reason get anxious of different kinds of things and all of a sudden, when they come to grips with that thing later sometime in the life, they realize what a great thing they were missing so far. Exploring different things is the way the life should be. Sometimes the action may not be enjoyable, but sometime it could be and that action may well become a good source of joy in life. I guess oral sex is one of those things where several people may freak out at the beginning just by the idea, but that doesn't mean that sexual partners should not (if one feels it is great) try to convince the other one to do so. There are hesitations in several good things in the beginning (in general), but they may well become enjoyable later (sometimes even after first attempt). I am sure there are ways to convince the partner (and finally give pleasure through it) to do the oral. - DSachan (talk) 13:19, 14 April 2009 (UTC)

Traffic Light Frozen on RED in Scotland UK..

I know this is not a legal helpline so I shan't ask for any legal advice BUT I would appreciate a redirect to a reliable link that can solve my problem. Today, I was in a supermarket parking area that could only be egressed on to the main road via a traffic light controlled single exit lane - but the light was stuck on RED and a queue of 20 or so cars waited patiently for about 10 minutes while the main road traffic sequentially obeyed the lights and kept on moving and stopping as normal. Eventually one driver approached the leading car and spoke with the driver and obviously suggested she drive through the red light when it was safe to do so - which she did, and I followed. I subsequently reported the fault to the police and they helpfully promised to report it to the roads department. But when I asked what the legal position was in such scenarios the police person couldn't (or wouldn't) advise. So I have hunted the web high and low without finding any helpful advice for future similar situations, save to say that the responses I did get stated that it is ALWAYS illegal to go through a red light - even if it is clearly not working. So again, I know I can't ask for legal advice here, but if the police can't help, and the web doesn't seem able to either, where can I get advice from. Thanks. 92.23.165.231 (talk) 20:00, 13 April 2009 (UTC)

I guess the obvious first question is whether there was any other exit from the parking lot...if so, you should obviously take that instead. For US readers - it's important to note that in Scotland (and all of the UK for that matter) there is no "Right turn on Red" rule (it would of course have to be "Left on Red"...but we don't have that law either). SteveBaker (talk) 23:21, 13 April 2009 (UTC)

The legal position is probably (don't quote me!) that it is illegal. But, having had this situation myself, it has to be done. You just need to be extra careful about giving way. pablo_hablo. 23:57, 13 April 2009 (UTC)

In Ontario, the traffic reporters on all the radio stations frequently announce that when a traffic light is malfunctioning, drivers are required to treat the intersection as a 4-way stop (i.e. as if there were stop signs for all traffic directions). This presupposes that it is obvious to traffic approaching from every direction that there is such a malfunction, something that does not appear to be true in the O.P.'s case. // BL \\ (talk) 02:29, 14 April 2009 (UTC)

What Pablomismo just described is the defence of necessity. --PalaceGuard008 (Talk) 08:15, 14 April 2009 (UTC)

No it's not. Wikipedia doesn't have an entry on necessity in Scots Law, but the concept is very limited. Generally you can only act to prevent death or serious injury and where there is no alternative. Wanting to get home on time is not an excuse. (Moss v Howdle 1997 SCCR 215 is probably the most important case in Scots Law re necessity; LORD ADVOCATE'S REFERENCE NO. 1 OF 2000 sets out the law.) The legally correct action would generally be to contact the police and inform them of the situation. --193.172.19.20 (talk) 12:11, 14 April 2009 (UTC)

You might be interested to note that this happens to bicyclists all the time, because the under-street detectors often don't register their presence. An amusing work to rule protest of this situation I've read about is for the cyclist to simply do the legally correct thing and wait at the light until so many cars line up behind him that a cop shows up to flag them through -- and then it's on to the next light! --Sean 13:23, 14 April 2009 (UTC)

In my jurisdiction (Wisconsin) they recently passed a law which states that if you're stopped at a red light for more than 45 seconds and the light doesn't turn green, you are allowed to treat the red light as a stop sign (that is, you can proceed when it is safe to do so). This only applies to two wheeled vehicles (e.g. bicycles and motorcycles), and only if the rider believes the signal is detector controlled. -- 128.104.112.117 (talk) 16:35, 14 April 2009 (UTC)

History

How did Allies deal with the problem of war crimes in Europe? —Preceding unsigned comment added by EPICbre (talk • contribs) 22:07, 13 April 2009 (UTC)

Did you try putting War crimes into the search box at the top left of any wikipedia page? Dmcq (talk) 22:12, 13 April 2009 (UTC)

Or more specifically, check out Allied war crimes during World War II and the see also section of the article Dmcq links to SN0WKITT3N 13:32, 14 April 2009 (UTC)

I don't think the OP was necessarily asking about allied war crimes (although it's an interesting topic); my interpretation was that the question was about the Allies' approach to Axis war crimes. However, it was also my impression that this is a high school history homework question, so unless the OP comes back to explain in more detail, I'm disinclined to offer more advice. AlexTiefling (talk) 13:37, 14 April 2009 (UTC)

Divorce records

Why are divorce records available for public view? --Whip it! ^{Now whip it good!} 23:26, 13 April 2009 (UTC)

Because divorces are handled in a court of law, the proceedings of which are public. --Jayron32.talk.contribs 00:25, 14 April 2009 (UTC)

Both the answer to the question and the accuracy of Jayron's answer depend on where in the world you live. --Dweller (talk) 12:46, 14 April 2009 (UTC)

True, but given that the question presupposes that divorce records in the OP's jurisdiction ARE public records, that would lead one to the conclusion that he is in a jurisdiction with an open legal system. --Jayron32.talk.contribs 16:14, 14 April 2009 (UTC)

Applying for Student Visa US

Where can one go to download or attain all the necessary documents for the student visa application to allow one living in Canada to study at a US university?

The official State Department website does not appear to have the forms available for download: http://travel.state.gov/visa/temp/types/types_1268.html

A Google search also yields this site,[[13]], which does contain all the forms, but for a fee. Is this the only way to attain the forms? Jamesino (talk) 23:31, 13 April 2009 (UTC)

You could try e-mailing the State Department, or writing them a letter, with ink, and some paper. Or asking the embassy in your own country. pablo_hablo. 00:00, 14 April 2009 (UTC)

Canadian citizens don't technically need a visa to study in the US, they just need an I-20, as stated here (you also have to pay the SEVIS fee and keep the receipt). The I-20 has to be signed by the university's registrar each year of study. If I remember correctly, the school that accepts you provides you with an I-20. You also need to show that you can support yourself financially over the course of your studies, since you will not be allowed to work off campus. This can either be showing you have a bunch of money in the bank, sufficient scholarships or bursaries, or a letter from a parent or whatever saying they'll pay for it and proof that they have the money available. Or something like that. When I went through the process, the school's international student office was the most useful. TastyCakes (talk) 00:29, 14 April 2009 (UTC)

Hmm I did have a little insert in my passport that said F1 though, and I can't remember where I got it. I have a feeling they gave it to me the first time I entered the states on my I-20. I'd second Pablo's advice, contact the nearest American consulate and ask them exactly what you need and then make sure you have it all. TastyCakes (talk) 00:34, 14 April 2009 (UTC)

April 14

A phantom in the Ala Napoleonica

Re: Wikimedia Wikipedia Commons Photo 3/3c Piazza San Marco

In this black and white photo we are facing the Ala Napoleonica at the end of the Piazza. Now look on the right side of the upper, top level within the second archway from the right end – a semi-vanishing man seems to appear and disappear on the balcony.

best to you all and many thanks, Jennifer —Preceding unsigned comment added by 79.69.91.168 (talk) 01:48, 14 April 2009 (UTC)

It's probably a stitched-together panorama or a high-dynamic-range photo. Either way, the photographer took several photos of the Piazza and merged them together in a computer. If the man walked across the balcony between the first and the last picture - then he'll appear separately in each of the original photos which were then blended together...the blending is the cause of the 'vanishing'. SteveBaker (talk) 02:11, 14 April 2009 (UTC)

List of countries by GDP per capita (nominal) from 1999

[14]

I'm amazed that the world has changed so much in 10 years. If I compared that list the latest data, it would seem decades have passed.

I'm particularly impressed by the performance of Spain and Greece. Greece in particular seems to be a miracle, growing 3x+ in 10 years. How did it manage to pull that off? I mean it was already at a high middle income level so rapid growth at that level seems impossible.

Is anyone else shocked how fast gdp can change?

Clashbash (talk) 06:43, 14 April 2009 (UTC)

It's probably in the way the data are gathered. Spain and Greece have both adopted the Euro since 1999, and it's probably revalued their GDP upward in dollar terms. I don't, however, have either the data in the local currency, or the comparable exchange rates. Failing this, it may be including something new - both countries have sizable banking systems, so it's possible that the way they take into account foreign assets has changed, for example. We had a question with a similar answer a couple of weeks ago - try searching the archives. - Jarry1250 ^{(t, c)} 07:50, 14 April 2009 (UTC)

having looked into it slightly, the Euro option seems less likely as a primary factor, possibly helping; they use the term 'GDP at purchaser's prices is the sum of gross value added by all resident producers in the economy' so I'm guessing it has a lot down to resident businesses - for example Banco Santander in Spain. Less sure now though. I'd also point out that while GDP has risen a lot, the rank of the country has only increased slightly over the same period - so presumably time series graphs do not account for local inflation; that is why there is a rank system. 92.8.9.95 (talk) 08:56, 14 April 2009 (UTC)

That's actually me again. - Jarry1250 ^{(t, c)} 08:57, 14 April 2009 (UTC)

Salary of US Soldiers

What is the yearly salary for a US soldier?--Amore Mio (talk) 09:54, 14 April 2009 (UTC)

Here (http://www.goarmy.com/benefits/money.jsp) would be a good place to look. http://www.goarmy.com/benefits/money_basic_pay.jsp - it states entry at around $17,000 going up to $32,500 for an experienced Staff Sergeant. Officers get much more - from around $32,000 up to $60,000 194.221.133.226 (talk) 10:31, 14 April 2009 (UTC)

Arms of Zara and Peter Phillips

James, Viscount Severn and Lady Louise will probably not have a coat of arms by their parents' wishes, but they are not yet at an age at which they'd usually recieve them anyway. But what about Zara and Peter Phillips? Princess Anne always wanted them to be outside Royal life (they are untitled) but do they have coats of arms - their pages make no mention of them, but that doesn't actually mean they don't have any. Thanks, - Jarry1250 ^{(t, c)} 10:28, 14 April 2009 (UTC)

All of these royal grandchildren are entitled to appropriately differenced versions of the royal arms. Existing practice for the children of the Prince of Wales and Duke of York would suggest that they would be likely to choose the arms to be differenced by means of labels with additional charges on the points. I can't remember off-hand whether Peter and Zara's father was an armiger; if so, they would both carry his arms impaled or quartered with those of the Princess Royal, differenced either with normal cadency marks (A label and a crescent respectively, I think), or with 'tagged' labels as above. AlexTiefling (talk) 10:42, 14 April 2009 (UT

Attraction

Is a man attracted more to a woman's looks or is a woman attracted more to a man's looks? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 121.246.174.130 (talk) 11:47, 14 April 2009 (UTC)

Men are more attracted to a woman's looks than women are attracted to a man's looks, on average.--droptone (talk) 11:59, 14 April 2009 (UTC)

What? I'd like to see a source for that please. SN0WKITT3N 13:25, 14 April 2009 (UTC)

See Billy Bob Thornton's three year marriage to Angelina Jolie ;) TastyCakes (talk) 16:39, 14 April 2009 (UTC)

ha ha very funny.

See Attraction and also there's an article somewhere about Symmetry in human faces being apparently linked to attractiveness. I don't really buy into the idea that men are more attracted to a woman's looks than women are to men. It would seem, from my admittedly original life research, that women have a wider-range of what they define as attractive than men. E.g. Just because the man isn't "traditionally" attractive isn't reason to believe the woman with him doesn't care about his looks. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and all that. 194.221.133.226 (talk) 12:38, 14 April 2009 (UTC)

• This will surely depend on the four individuals involved. Zain Ebrahim (talk) 14:07, 14 April 2009 (UTC)

There is no straightforward reliable answer to this question; whilst hack reporters may claim otherwise, no reputable social scientist or behavioural psychologist would be likely to do so. AlexTiefling (talk) 14:56, 14 April 2009 (UTC)

Perhaps Alex is right, but the article on physical attractiveness starts out with "Despite the existence of universally agreed upon signs of beauty in both genders, both heterosexual and homosexual men tend to place significantly higher value on physical appearance in a partner than women do." and cites The Evolution of Desire by David Buss (2003), pp. 57, 58, 60–63, as its reference. I think Professor Buss considers himself a reputable evolutionary psychologist (but I didn't read what, exactly, he wrote in his book). ---Sluzzelin talk 15:55, 14 April 2009 (UTC)

Either you're playing semantics with "reputable social scientist" or you are unaware (or unimpressed) of the discipline of evolutionary psychology. If you dismiss the findings of evolutionary psychology, then be explicit because otherwise your claim that no reputable social scientist endorses the claim that men care more about looks in their mates than women is outright false. Even ignoring the questionable findings of people like Satoshi Kanazawa, there are numerous, plausible findings that support the claim. David Buss' The evolution of desire deals with this topic explicitly, and here (pdf) is a brief paper by Buss that outlines his general findings. If 121.246.174.130 wants a more detailed explanation (like percentages or breakdowns based on short-term and long-term mating strategies) then they can ask follow-up questions.--droptone (talk) 16:38, 14 April 2009 (UTC)

Well that's all interesting stuff, but obviously only applies to some people. Personally I think any research that attempts to strictly define and categorize psychological issues should be taken as a guide only. Got any links for same sex attractions? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 82.43.88.87 (talk) 17:37, 14 April 2009 (UTC)

Over-winding a watch?

I have a mechanical watch from the 1960s or so. I have read on a number of sites that winding your watch throughout the day, rather than just once in the morning or so, is not great because it will affect how well the watch keeps time throughout the day by some small amount. But for my purposes it's not usually a big problem if the watch gets to be a minute off or so every few days—I use it mostly ornamentally, and get my more accurate timekeeping from other sources around me throughout the day (e.g. my laptop, cell phone, etc.). Are there any other reasons not to wind the watch more than once a day or so? That is, will it break or anything like that? I'm not over-winding it in the sense of winding it past its resistance point. I just like winding it! But I don't want to damage it. This is not a request for horological advice. --18.51.6.232 (talk) 17:40, 14 April 2009 (UTC)