Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Miscellaneous/2010 July 16

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July 16

Pokémon Special

Where can I read Pokémon Special online? It used to be on Mangafox, but they removed it a while ago. Mangatoshokan still had it then, but they just removed it today. A quick Google search found sites which had also removed it or which only had the first 7-8 volumes. --138.110.206.102 (talk) 00:32, 16 July 2010 (UTC)

If Wikipedia encouraged the unpaid reading of licensed material online, I could help, but since it doesn't, I can't tell you that onemanga most likely has it. ZigSaw 14:16, 20 July 2010 (UTC)

Mawashi vs Thong

Is one a development of the other, or do they have seperate origins? Just asking. Chaos N. Mayhem (talk) 02:08, 16 July 2010 (UTC)

According to our thong article, garments for men and women that cover mostly only the pubis have been around. The mawashi is much newer; sumo dates only from about the 16th century CE.

Seeing that the garments have different purposes (one provides modesty, the other a grab handle) and are of different design one weighs 6 to 11 pounds, the other maybe as many grams), it seems likely that the sumo garment is sort of an independent development. PhGustaf (talk) 02:32, 16 July 2010 (UTC)

OK, I'm not a sumo fan by any means, but I just wonder - if one of them manages to lose that loincloth, what then? I'm guessing that bowing to the audience is out, for example. ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 19:12, 17 July 2010 (UTC)

It says in our article that he's disqualified. PhGustaf (talk) 20:04, 17 July 2010 (UTC)

That stands to reason. I just wondered if he puts it back on, dons a robe, or what. ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 02:31, 18 July 2010 (UTC)

universities in stock market

should universities register in stock market? what are advantages and disadvantages? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 115.118.23.116 (talk) 11:57, 16 July 2010 (UTC)

Could you be more specific on what you mean by "register in stock market"? Do you mean should universities own shares in publicly traded companies as an investment, or that the university itself be listed on the stock market such that an investor can go buy 100 shares of Yale, or Harvard? Googlemeister (talk) 13:22, 16 July 2010 (UTC)

I assume we're talking about the latter - the ability for universities to sell shares in their institution. The trouble with that from the universities perspective is that publicly traded companies have a legal obligation to work in order to maximize the expected return for their investors. That is clearly not an acceptable thing for an educational institution. Aside from that, there would be the issue of academic independence - which is much prized amongst universities and wouldn't be given up without a fight. It's not impossible that this might happen - but it's gotta be a last-ditch measure of a failing business model - and that's not the kind of thing that investors are usually interested in funding. SteveBaker (talk) 13:47, 16 July 2010 (UTC)

There are education sector stocks. E.g. Apollo Group (Nasdaq: APOL) owns several universities and other schools; Strayer Education (Nasdaq: STRA) is the corporate face of Strayer University; Career Education Corporation (Nasdaq: CECO) consists of several colleges and universities. 88.112.56.9 (talk) 14:16, 16 July 2010 (UTC)

I assume you're asking for advantages and disadvantages to the institution. An advantage would be a wider source of funding for the university: it could use its listing to raise capital from the financial market instead of just government. A disadvantage is that it would have to change its objectives (from, say, producing high-quailty academics/professionals/research) to maximising shareholder wealth. If it doesn't do this well, the cost of capital would increase (ie shareholders would require a higher return on their investment). If it decides to provide a nice return for shareholders at the expense of its research/graduate quality then fewer people would go study (or do research) there. Zain Ebrahim (talk) 14:44, 16 July 2010 (UTC)

Turtles

How come turtles don't eat insects and berries we give them? we see them in our yard and stick them in a bucket, but they never eat? they are box turtles.Diver62 (talk) 17:28, 16 July 2010 (UTC)

The article Box turtle indicates those things might be part of their diet. I would speculate that they have certain ways of finding food, and that looking in buckets is not one of them. Or, maybe they can't get into the bucket. ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 17:43, 16 July 2010 (UTC)

I guess i had incorrect grammar. we put the turtle in the bucket and try to feed it from our hands.Diver62 (talk) 18:12, 16 July 2010 (UTC)

Also, some reptiles do not eat very often, so it could be that they are not very hungry right now. Googlemeister (talk) 18:23, 16 July 2010 (UTC)

It may simply be stressed out about being in a bucket. APL (talk) 18:27, 16 July 2010 (UTC)

I think being in captivity makes it not accept the food.Diver62 (talk) 18:31, 16 July 2010 (UTC)

Being in a bucket might be scary and make it (literally) pull into its shell and worry more about staying alive than about eating. And as noted, reptiles do not constantly eat like warm-blooded animals do, so it may be operating on its own schedule. ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 18:33, 16 July 2010 (UTC)

Sure thing. they do pull into their shells, and one movement and they're in there ten more minutes. that's why i like active frogs much more than passive turtles!Diver62 (talk) 18:41, 16 July 2010 (UTC)

Great Barrier Reef

When do you start to see the Great Barrier Reef by Australia? About how many feet? What's in the coral? What organisms have you seen?Diver62 (talk) 17:30, 16 July 2010 (UTC)

The article Great Barrier Reef looks promising. ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 17:42, 16 July 2010 (UTC)

Actually, it does not -- I couldn't really find answers to any of the OP's questions. DRosenbach ^{(Talk | Contribs)} 17:55, 16 July 2010 (UTC)

It does say it's visible from space, but it might actually be easier to see far away. As far as "organisms" are concerned... isn't the Reef a known hangout for the Great White Shark? ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 18:08, 16 July 2010 (UTC)

I figure the OP would like to know when one can see the reef coming from Australia, as in how many yards or miles must one travel off the coast before you can see/reach it. DRosenbach ^{(Talk | Contribs)} 19:02, 16 July 2010 (UTC)

yes. some sharks love reefs including the great white shark, and are like police patrolling the reef and eating prey that lives in them. Interesting, Huh?????Diver62 (talk) 18:14, 16 July 2010 (UTC)

Is the OP referring to the depth at which the reef is visible while scuba diving? ~AH1^(TCU) 01:29, 18 July 2010 (UTC)

Parts of the Reef, such as the Whitsunday Islands, are above water. Other parts are only a meter or so below the water, and so are clearly visible from a boat (or, satellite photo. Check Google Maps). Some of the reef – or the wave action over it – can be seen from high vantage points on shore. Coral is home to hundreds of species of underwater creatures, including whale sharks, coral trout, clown fish, angelfish and over a thousand others.DOR (HK) (talk) 05:56, 21 July 2010 (UTC)

Frogs

Cheminterest is my brother and I,Diver62, am his sister. We go frog catching in streams along with our other five members. i've always wondered, can frogs hear you talking to them if you shout in their eardrum? Diver62 (talk) 17:33, 16 July 2010 (UTC)

I would think the answer is "yes". I googled [frog ears] and this detailed explanation about their hearing was one of the first things that came up: [1] ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 17:40, 16 July 2010 (UTC)

I don't have the internet, only wikipedia, etc. so i didn't find it. I'll stop shouting at frogs. thanks for helpDiver62 (talk) 18:16, 16 July 2010 (UTC)

I'm trying to imagine what I would even say to a frog. Maybe "Nice legs!" ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 18:31, 16 July 2010 (UTC)

That's cool! maybe delicious legs!Diver62 (talk) 18:36, 16 July 2010 (UTC)

A Latin student was invited by his friends to go frog hunting. As the group crept quietly towards the pool where frogs lived, the student shouted "Animadverto anura!". His friends chided him for making such a noise that the frogs were frightened away. He protested "But how was I supposed to know they understood Latin?". Cuddlyable3 (talk) 19:36, 16 July 2010 (UTC) that's funny.Diver62 (talk) 19:58, 16 July 2010 (UTC)

You say you are ChemicalInterest's sister. Horseluv also said she was ChemicalInterest's little sister. Are you the same person? It's seen as a bit rude to pretend to be two different people, rather than telling people when you're using two names. 86.163.212.254 (talk) 21:21, 16 July 2010 (UTC)

Couldn't ChemicalInterest have more than one sibling? But I'm not understanding how Diver62 could have Wikipedia but not the internet. -- Jack of Oz ... speak! ... 22:10, 16 July 2010 (UTC)

I assume it's because responsible parties have limited the child's access to the internet. 61.189.63.171 (talk) 22:49, 16 July 2010 (UTC)

Oh, it is no doubt possible. Just seems unlikely that they would both appear at the same time, with such similar writing styles, though (as you say) possible. It is also possible that they are the same, young, 'inexperienced' person, who didn't know the community dislikes multiple accounts for a single person without explanation. And there are other possibilities too. The above post seemed the best way of raising the possibilities, and potentially sorting out any misunderstandings that need to be sorted out. 86.163.212.254 (talk) 23:19, 16 July 2010 (UTC)

It's possible that she's at a library, as the computers there are often on Wikipedia but not other websites. ~AH1^(TCU) 01:26, 18 July 2010 (UTC)

Horseluv10 and Chemicalinterest declare an IP on their page which appears to be an ordinary DSL connection, I presume Diver62 has the same IP. As 61 has said, parents limiting a child's internet access is hardly uncommon Nil Einne (talk) 14:11, 18 July 2010 (UTC)

Has Diver62 ever considered that it is perfectly possible to frolick about outdoors without seriously annoying the local wildlife by placing specimens in buckets or yelling at them? --Saddhiyama (talk) 22:13, 16 July 2010 (UTC)

But ... catching frogs is fun! And they're interesting to observe up close as well. APL (talk) 00:03, 17 July 2010 (UTC)

In my childhood, I was told that holding a frog in your hands could hurt it just from your hands being warm and (I'm guessing) dry, or drying out. Does this have any basis in fact? I mean, obviously, holding it out of water for so long it gets dry is not going to be good for a frog, but could just a few seconds of contact with dry (or dryish) hands hurt a frog, assuming gentle handling? Or did my parents just want to stop me catching frogs? 86.163.212.254 (talk) 00:27, 17 July 2010 (UTC)

A frog is not going to dry out by being in contact with your hands. In fact, since they typically piss as soon as you pick them up, your hands are unlikely to be dry for long. Matt Deres (talk) 01:12, 17 July 2010 (UTC)

And after that, go to the drugstore and get some wart remover, just to plan ahead. :) ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 19:10, 17 July 2010 (UTC)

I hope you're not seriously suggesting that you can catch warts from a frog? The "warts" on a frog or toad are organs through which they absorb water. Warts in humans are caused by a virus that can be passed from human to human - but which does not cross-species easily. So no - you absolutely cannot catch warts from a frog. Please check before posting crap. SteveBaker (talk) 05:01, 18 July 2010 (UTC)

Apparently you didn't see the smiley. So take your own advice, eh? ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 11:25, 18 July 2010 (UTC)

The best jet-fighter

What has been considered the best jet fighter aircraft over time? Have they always been American, or have they sometimes been from Russia or other nations? Thanks 92.29.123.251 (talk) 22:50, 16 July 2010 (UTC)

Hopefully someone more knowledgeable will give you a better answer, but during WW2 the only jet fighter was the Messerschmitt Me 262. It terrified allied pilots because in many ways it was a quantum leap more deadly than the propeller planes everyone else was using. (Even though it had a number of problems.) APL (talk) 23:58, 16 July 2010 (UTC)

"Best" is highly subjective. In jet engineering, every advantage comes with a disadvantage. During the late Cold War, the US and the USSR had very similar capabilities, though their planes were rated for different goals (some were faster, some could make tighter turns, some were cheaper and could be mass produced, etc.). I don't think one could say in general whether the USSR or the USA were necessarily always the "better" one, whatever that means, anyway. They were pretty neck-and-neck. For the most up-to-date planes, see Fifth generation jet fighter. For slightly older ones, see Fourth generation jet fighter, which makes it clear that lots of countries manufacture pretty good jet fighters. --Mr.98 (talk) 00:12, 17 July 2010 (UTC)

I believe the largest jet vs. jet conflict to date was the Korean War, and that article has an entire section on aerial combat that will be of interest: Korean War#Aerial warfare. Unfortunately it appears that the shootdown claims made by the Americans, Chinese, and Soviet Union all vary wildly. Our article calls the two sides evenly matched while it was the North American F-86 Sabre versus the MiG-15. On the other hand, our Aerial warfare article calls North Vietnam, during the Vietnam War, the most heavily-defended-from-air-attack region up to that time. Comet Tuttle (talk) 07:19, 17 July 2010 (UTC)

As said above, best is subjective. If you mean fastest, the Soviet MiG-25 would probably win. If you mean most maneuverable, I would put forward the American F-22 for consideration. Most damage resistant might be the American A-10. Shortest runway requirements probably go to the British Harrier Jump Jet. Best shootdown ratio I believe is the American F-15, which was around 100-0 or so. Really, it all depends on what you are looking for. Googlemeister (talk) 16:50, 19 July 2010 (UTC)

Freelance

Thinking freelancing writing right up my ally. This isn't the 1st time that I thought about this, but still unsure on all of this. Even after looking into it in the past.

How do I come about getting paid for my work. Because I really need the money then my current way. My dads pays me for volunteering and work around the house/etc.

Plan on taking on my time on this.

Thank you, in advance. —Preceding unsigned comment added by Mybodymyself (talk • contribs) 23:09, 16 July 2010 (UTC)

You may want to visit your local bookstore for a magazine on writing. It may have some pretty good pointers. Additionally, and I know that you didn't ask for a critique, but your grammar could use some work. If the above is an example of how you would write for a client, I for one wouldn't want to read it. Dismas|^(talk) 23:15, 16 July 2010 (UTC)

Dimiss,

Thanx and yeah I'm aware of my grammar needs work.--Jessica A Bruno 00:27, 17 July 2010 (UTC)

Try and get on a creative writing course, so that you can have your work critiqued by your peers. --TammyMoet (talk) 06:51, 17 July 2010 (UTC)

Our article Freelancer is pretty poor but may have some useful links. I agree with the suggestions of Dismas and TammyMoet. A hard part about being a freelance writer, by the way, which you may not have considered, is that my impression is that you have to spend 80% or 90% of your time selling, selling, selling yourself to new clients and present clients and trying to get that next gig. Comet Tuttle (talk) 07:10, 17 July 2010 (UTC)

Caution: "creative writing" generally deals with fiction genres (stories, poetry); freelance writing jobs, especially for novices, are more likely to be for nonfiction. For any job you intend to tackle, besides its appeal, you ought to consider: are you good at the task, and good enough that someone will pay you to do it rather than others? A prospective employeer (e.g. an agency) will probably ask you to submit a resume of your education and activities (volunteering, areas of interest) showing your background and fund of knowledge, and a portfolio of samples. Consider picking up writing skills as an editor (e.g. rewriting others' work, possibly translations by non-natives) while developing your freelancing (independent writing) alongside this. Remember that a freelancer's pay doesn't include benefits and perqs, and you might consider an inhouse job while you're accruing experience. And keep your word-processing skills current and in top form; consider too that desktop publishing might give you a competitive edge. -- Deborahjay (talk) 15:48, 17 July 2010 (UTC)

Thanx, again for the answers. Really haven't thought about that aspect. Was never satisfied by taking them in the past. Even though I love to write, read, etc along those lines. Still felt it wasn't for me some reason or other. --Jessica A Bruno 16:04, 17 July 2010 (UTC)

While I'm not sure if this fits your definition of Freelance and I haven't tried any of these myself, there are some online websites that will hire people to write for free (but are paid) that you may consider, such as Allvoices. ~AH1^(TCU) 01:18, 18 July 2010 (UTC)

Disassemble built-in wardrobe

Hello Wikipedians, this might be a bit of a weird question, but here goes anyway. I just bought a big house, with many extra bedrooms- I thought why not convert one into a musicy-type room. It's 3.6m x 3.6m, but there is a built in wardrobe which is 0.6 deep alongside one of the walls with a mirrored front and sliding doors. Is there any way to disassemble or unbuild this wardrobe?

Thanks in advance, 110.174.151.109 (talk) 23:50, 16 July 2010 (UTC)

If you want an answer from us, you're going to have to at least supply us with a little more information. Like, what is it made of, how is it put together, that kind of thing. And even then, it's not like we're actually there to examine it. Frankly, a good crow bar should take apart just about anything you care to work it over with. Matt Deres (talk) 01:19, 17 July 2010 (UTC)

Was it a factory made unit like Ikea furniture, held together with fancy little screw fasteners, or was it stick built in place from lumber and boards and plywood, nailed and glued together? It can certainly be removed, but if the removal involves a reciprocating saw, crowbar and sledgehammer, it will be kindling when it leaves, rather than a unit which can be reassembled somewhere. I expect I, or the average handyman, could demolish and remove such a unit in a couple of hours. Some repairs or patching to walls/floor/ceiling where it stood might be necessary, but maybe not. Basic questions: Is it attached to the walls and ceiling? Can it just be carried out? If some trim pieces next to the ceiling were removed, could it be separated into two or more smaller units which could be carried out? Possibly it was built as subassemblies in a shop and screwed together on site, with molding added to join it to the ceiling and to hide any gaps at the sides. The worst case, from your perspective, would be if the unit were installed before the walls, ceiling and floor were installed. But I once removed a pantry and had to the install a new floor and ceiling, so it is still possible. Edison (talk) 01:24, 17 July 2010 (UTC)

I don't really know anything about it, and all I can say is it's just a normal bedroom wardrobe with a sliding door. It seems to be connected to the floor using screws, and that's all I can see. Thanks for your replies, though. 110.174.151.109 (talk) 03:31, 17 July 2010 (UTC)

If it's a 'built-in' wardrobe - as you say - then you can remove the doors and perhaps the internal shelving - but then you end up with an odd wardrobe-shaped hole in the wall. Anyway, if these are the usual kind of sliding door then you can probably just lift them off the tracks - then remove the tracks by undoing the half dozen screws that hold them to floor/ceiling. If they are hinged then you just unscrew the hinges. This is so easy, it's hard to say anything meaningful beyond "just undo all of the screws". SteveBaker (talk) 04:02, 17 July 2010 (UTC)

One caution is that until it's been removed you don't know the condition of what's behind it. There might be a perfectly good wall that just needs a coat of paint to match the rest of the room, but maybe there's damage or even an incomplete wall. Still, there is only one way to find out. --Anonymous, 07:17 UTC, 2010-07-17.

Don't rule out the possibility of converting the wardrobe into a stereo/TV cabinet. But first maybe watch HGTV for a few days. :) ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 21:04, 17 July 2010 (UTC)