Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Miscellaneous/2006 December 26

=December 26=

Can I email a Wikipedia article to a friend?
Can I email a Wikipedia article to a friend?

Thanks, —Preceding unsigned comment added by Desobrado (talk • contribs) 06:37, 26 December 2006

Just send him the link to the article. And create your own question at top next time. Joneleth 07:02, 26 December 2006 (UTC)


 * Just cut (highlight it, then type CONTROL-C) and paste (type CONTROL-V in your email) the URL (web address) from the top of your browser into the email. You might want to email it to yourself first to test the link, though, since sometimes the URL will point you to a specific section or subsection of the article. StuRat 15:40, 27 December 2006 (UTC)

United States Numistamps
A family member gave me two albums that contain United States Numistamps. I have never seen a numistamp before and would appreciate any information that is available. The first page in one of the albums has only the following information: United States Numistamps, 300 West National Road, Vandalia, Ohio 45377. These are metal stamps to commemorate U.S. coins, they about 3/4" X 2" and about 1/8" thick. The ones representing 1/2 cents and up are copper plated, others appear to be nickel, silver, and a gold? color plated. The two albums together weigh almost 10 lbs. The most recent date on the numistamps appears to be 1972. Are these rare? A search of Numistamps, coins, and stamps provides very little information. Thanks in advance for your assistance.
 * Well, I did not do much better but what these seem to be was an effort by Mort Reed, an author of books on coin collecting, in the 1970's to create a line of collectibles by making replicas of coins. You obviously know what they look like but for the rest of us - here are some eBay pics. They certainly seem rare* in that eBay has no current listing and few older listings.

They originally sold for $4.50.
 * They are not rare and are available when found for around $1 each. People have tended to just store them away and not bother selling them as they do not sell well. Many $1 auctions have went with no bids
 * One Collectors Input:
 * I came across this dialogue while researching Numistamps on the Internet and thought I would share my own experience and recollection on the subject. Back in the 1970's there was a wave of enthusiasm for collecting coins and other forms of medallic art.  The U.S. Numistamp was one very creative effort to provide inexpensive coin replicas at a very reasonable price.  According to one reference, the full set of Numistamps included 117 pieces. I personally collected 71 of these, which I would not part with at any price.  For real coin collectors, owning an entire set of U.S. coins was, and most likely still is, prohibitively expensive.  It was rationalized by Mort Reed and his backers that the Numistamp could  provide the beauty and artistic perfection of original U.S. coins at a reasonable price.  Since this effort replicated U.S. coins, which is generally illegal, permission from the U.S. Treasury Department was necessary in order to undertake the project.


 * More photos and other information from my collection can be viewed at the following link. I am unaware of exactly how many of these sets were sold, however, the one I acquired has a serial #2707 so we can presume there are at least that many. I don't know what the 2008 value of a U.S. Numistamp is, however, one Internet retailer offers them for sale on his web site at $24.95 each, however, pieces are occasionally auctioned on Ebay at considerably lower prices. It is a shame that greater value has not been attributed to Mort Reeds notable artistry.   MrDJ009 (talk) 21:00, 4 January 2009 (UTC)

Another Collectors Input:

I also came acrossed 8 of these numistamps from my coin dealer for $15.00 each, serial # for 7 of them is 494 & the 3 cent one S# 150, dated frm 1975, 1976, 1979 & 1980. 1975 is a Liberty Seated Quarter. 1976 is a Kennedy Half. 1979's are Liberty Seated 1/2 Dime & Three cent silver. 1980 are $5 Capped, Small Eagle, $10 Capped, Heraldic & Liberty $20 & one I got was not in plastic or labeled but is dated 1976 Busted Liberty Half. 3 cent to half dollar are 40% silver with a copper base and the Dollar ones are gold toned with a copper base. That is all the info he had on them. And I am still looking for more info. These are very beautiful pieces, and I would like to know alot more about them. Erin 03/21/2013

help-help with project on deserts of the world
please help me out in making a project on'Deserts Of The World'using all the information regarding it, hope that I could get the needful thanking you yours user Gurbir Singh.


 * You might want to start with our article Desert and then look through this List of deserts, which has links to articles on specific deserts. Marco polo 15:05, 26 December 2006 (UTC)


 * What specifics do you need help on? --Proficient 17:22, 26 December 2006 (UTC)

Old book repair
I have an extremely old book, leather-bound, that has been through considerable wear. I love it dearly, though, and still use it often. The leather is fading and cracking away. I am wondering, would it be a good idea to use shoe polish on the leather of the book to keep it supple and vibrant? I'd hate to let the beautiful burgundy color just fade away. 192.41.95.1 19:10, 26 December 2006 (UTC)


 * If the book is significant to you, my advice would be to get it rebound, or to contact a trained conservator. Almost anything you can apply to a leather binding will simply accelerate the deterioration, and shoe polish will really be a bad idea... Shimgray | talk | 19:34, 26 December 2006 (UTC)
 * Supposing a lack of money (the local conservator charges 50 bucks an hour >_<)? Would there be a better substance to recommend? V-Man737 20:45, 26 December 2006 (UTC)


 * The best substance for keeping leather in good nick is actually skin oils - handling the book keeps it good. Unfortunately, by the time the leather is cracking off, this is too late. There's not really much you can do other than try not to handle it violently - resting it on a cushion when open to support the spine may be a good idea. Rebinding is worth looking into - expensive but a one-time cost, and a decent binder may be able to salvage good chunks of the existing binding and incorporate them into the new one. Shimgray | talk | 22:51, 27 December 2006 (UTC)


 * Just keep the book and avoid moisture or extreme dryness in the room. If the text is old, try to get a copy of it : try the Gutemberg project or Wikisource. -- DLL .. T 21:41, 26 December 2006 (UTC)


 * From what I find on the Web, the present consensus among conservators is that treatment with "products" is worse than the disease being treated. Next to extremes in humidity, avoid UV rays (also bright sunlight) and extreme temperatures. The best is a cool (but not too cool) and dry (but not too dry) environment. --Lambiam Talk  21:57, 26 December 2006 (UTC)

Assuming it only has sentimental value, and little market value, I recommend getting it rebound. This would NOT be recommended for a valuable antique, as having the original binding preserved may be as important as the contents, to preserve the value. However, assuming the pages are in good shape, a fairly inexpensive rebinding can allow you to continue to enjoy the book for years. You can ask them to match the original binding as closely as possible. You may also ask to have the old binding returned, and can keep that stored separately, if it has sentimental value, as well. StuRat 15:29, 27 December 2006 (UTC)


 * The shoe polish will rub off on things. It is fairly easy to rebind a book that just needs a new cover, and it's fun.  However, an ordinary book that dies a slow death from constant use dies a happy death.  -THB 00:06, 29 December 2006 (UTC)


 * Sounds like the start of a new book, called, perhaps, The Giving Book ? StuRat 02:07, 29 December 2006 (UTC)

USS Kookermonga OIl Tanker
Good day to you.

We were wondering if you have any information on this oil tanker. We have a artifact from it. A life preserver from the tanker itself.

Its made of wood, which predates any life preserver we know of or have seen up till its apperence. We are very interested to know more about its origin and was wondering if you could shed some light to where it originated.

We can get a picture of it for you if you need one.

If you could please email me back with any info on this wonderful artifact. I would greatly appreciate it.

Thanks in advance My email is (email removed)

Thanks for your time


 * Could it be named after Rancho Cucamonga, California ? I can't find any "USS Cucamonga" with a Google search, however. StuRat 15:19, 27 December 2006 (UTC)


 * List of United States Navy ships, K and List of United States Navy ships, C are comprehensive, but the closest I can find is Conemaugh, AOG-62 - a WWII tanker. . Shimgray | talk | 22:56, 27 December 2006 (UTC)

Terry nappies
In the New year we have decided to go back to the old fashioned terry towelling nappies (diapers) to try to 'save the planet'. Could you advise on the best way of removing the er, stains?


 * Ehhh... My parents decided to do that, and uh... Well, the best way to get rid of those stains is to throw the diaper away and use disposable ones. However, if you are hellbent on saving the planet with this method, I'd say good old bleach ought to do the trick... Never tried it meself, though... V-Man737 21:49, 26 December 2006 (UTC)


 * Very laudable. In the UK there are companies that wash nappies for you. They pick up the dirty ones each week and swap them for a supply of clean ones. I can't remember the cost, but i believe it's not very different from the cost of disposables. --Auximines 23:56, 26 December 2006 (UTC)


 * Bleach?!? Are you crazy? I don't actually have children and i've never washed nappies, but we're talking about baby poo not mechanical grease ;). Warm water and mild soap is enough and thorough rinsing is extremely important as soap residue can cause nappy rash. It seems a lot of information is available if you simply google 'washing nappies'. :)Vespine 00:11, 27 December 2006 (UTC)


 * Crazy? When it comes to getting rid of those effing skid marks on my nappies, yeah! I'm nucking futs! V-Man737 00:26, 27 December 2006 (UTC)


 * Doesnt bleach rot the fabric--Light current 00:33, 27 December 2006 (UTC)


 * Sorry Vman, I have no idea what you are talking about;) and I'm still having a hard time finding links to anything or one who rec0mmends using bleach on nappies. If you do it and it works for you then great, but I'm seeing more people say it is not necessary and not as safe as NOT using it. Vespine 04:21, 27 December 2006 (UTC)


 * Yeah its also possible that baby might get irritation from bleach residue--Light current 04:28, 27 December 2006 (UTC)


 * My friends who went cloth and had to clean them themselves had the following routine: dirty diapers got scraped into the toilet (sometimes even dumped there for a bit to soak), then dropped into a big (like, restaurant cooking oil sized) bucket full of water and ammonia. Don't know the ratio. Then the nappies got washed in hot water with soap, and whatever ammonia was still in the nappy, and voila, spotless, sweet smelling, and no bleach. TRY THESE LINKS. Anchoress 05:11, 27 December 2006 (UTC)


 * Ah now that sounds more like a practical cheap solution. THe only problem is a source of ammonia (and where to keep the foul brew to avoid asphyxiation)--Light current 06:16, 27 December 2006 (UTC)


 * And of course this could also work for those problem undies stains commonly know as _______ 8-)--Light current 06:25, 27 December 2006 (UTC)

Anchoress' friends have a good system. If you're in the UK, you can buy a nappy bucket with a lid, and sanitising powder like 'Napisan' or 'Nappy Fresh'. You can also buy nappy liners to help with the pre-bucket scraping phase. --HJMG 12:13, 30 December 2006 (UTC)

dungeons and dragons monster
i was talking with my brother. Hey in dungeons and dragons books you can find every monster of every miths, fantasy,...... So he said, there is a monster that doenst exist on d&d books, and this monster is a hounted house. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 201.79.3.169 (talk • contribs) 22:05, 26 December 2006

So my question is there is a 3rd edition book or 3.5 edition book od D&D that as a hounted house(not counting eberron, or dragonlance books, just the core books like monster manual IV, complete arcana, races of stone, monster manual i,......)??


 * I doubt there's a monster called a haunted house but I'm not a big D&D player. It does seem a popular game board though --⁪froth T  C  22:45, 26 December 2006 (UTC)
 * What about the Monster House? :-P V-Man737 23:06, 26 December 2006 (UTC)

i am not saying that i want a monster with the name hounted house, I want a monster that is a hounted house, or a template to add to a house or another thing. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 201.79.3.169 (talk • contribs) 02:16, 27 December 2006

i am not saiyng a monster called haunted house, I want a monster (or a template) that is a haunted house.
 * Just make one up. Run a few tests to check that you've not added any particularly unbalancing rules, then add it to whatever campaign you're running. Given that the d20 System has been released under the Open Gaming License, all you need to do is make up a pamphlet containing the rules and it'll be as official as any other third-party product. GeeJo (t)⁄(c) &bull; 19:18, 27 December 2006 (UTC)

I don`t want to make one, Its just to show to my brother that D&D books almost, has all monsters of the miths and other places (vampire, werewolf, fenix, yeti, a monster like chewbaca, chinese dragons, a monster tree.....), like a constest between me and my brother he said this type of monster and i want to know that if exist.

'Thing'
Anyone remember 'Thing' from the Addams family? It was a hand in a box. But there was a novelty toy one could get that, when a coin was placed on top, the lid would slowly open with an eerie creaking noise, a pale bony hand would slowly emerge, grab the coin and shoot back into the box will the lid noisily shutting behind it. Anyway I wonder if these toys are still available or if there are any plans to make one. 8-? --Light current 22:06, 26 December 2006 (UTC)

I remember seeing one in a catalog called "What on Earth." Lemme try to find a link to that place... Feh, that search engine sucks. I always find meself reverting to Google. this seems to be what you're talking about. I found it by searching Google for ""Thing bank."" V-Man737 22:16, 26 December 2006 (UTC)


 * Unless I'm totally mistaken, what is being sold on that side is (a replica of?) the vintage ad, not the thingbank itself. --Lambiam Talk  00:20, 27 December 2006 (UTC)


 * But here is a site selling replicas for $$. Originals go on eBay for $$$. --Lambiam Talk  00:24, 27 December 2006 (UTC)


 * Nah I want a working model!--Light current 00:35, 27 December 2006 (UTC)


 * Looks like it's available for $9.99 (+S&H) from Back To Basics Toys. Have fun! --hydnjo talk 01:50, 27 December 2006 (UTC)


 * Yeah thats it! Everythings available in US! Now I just have to find a UK stockist (importing would probably cost am arm and a leg (sorry))--Light current 01:54, 27 December 2006 (UTC)


 * How about if I buy it and gift it to you? Email me if you would like my help.  --hydnjo talk 01:56, 27 December 2006 (UTC)


 * THats very kind but I hate to think of the postal costs for such a package. Ill find out postage but need to know the weight! Also I must determine the import duty. (I got some stuff from Canada once and the packing and import duty etc doubled the price)--Light current 02:02, 27 December 2006 (UTC)


 * Nah, don't worry about it. Like I said, just email me and it'll be easy-peasy! --hydnjo talk 02:07, 27 December 2006 (UTC)


 * This thing sounds like it was featured on The Prisoner: episode The General. —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 203.49.189.224 (talk) 05:23, 29 December 2006 (UTC).