Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Miscellaneous/2007 July 24

= July 24 =

Translation problem: Is "patron" the right word?
How do you call a person who watches over you and helps you, in a certain system? For example a 2nd years student who keeps an eye on a 1st years student? In Dutch it is a "patroon", but is patron the correct name in English? I read the patron-article but I am still not sure. SietskeEN 01:51, 24 July 2007 (UTC)

Perhaps the word you are looking for is mentor? --Duomillia 01:58, 24 July 2007 (UTC)


 * The English word patron usually indicates financial support. Duomillia is right that mentor is a better word for someone who provides guidance and developmental support.  Marco polo 02:05, 24 July 2007 (UTC)


 * Thanks for the advice, it is the one I need! SietskeEN 12:31, 24 July 2007 (UTC)

Political Elections
What would happen if an election's votes were totaled and the candidate with the most votes only had one more vote than the candidate with the secondmost votes? Would something special happen, or would the candidate with the most votes win?


 * One vote is enough; but in these litigious times the loser would almost certainly insist on a recount. &mdash;Tamfang 06:21, 24 July 2007 (UTC)


 * Note that in some electoral systems, a person can have more popular votes than the opposition but still lose to them in a electoral college. See, for example, United States presidential election, 2000, 1876 and 1888. See also List of close elections.  Rockpock  e  t  06:30, 24 July 2007 (UTC)


 * In some districts, if the election results are close within a certain threshold, an automatic recount is triggered. StuRat 08:00, 24 July 2007 (UTC)


 * 1%, or 0.5% are common thresholds in the United States. The key advantage to the losing candidate in that case is that they don't need to pay for the recount when the margin of votes is within the threshold value.


 * Atlant 11:36, 24 July 2007 (UTC)


 * But once all the recounts and legal maneuvers are done, if the margin is still one vote, then the winner is the person with one vote more. The end. — Michael J  17:24, 24 July 2007 (UTC)


 * Note that many jurisdictions provide a mechanism for dealing with a tie, as well. A number of elections – mostly for fairly minor offices – have been decided by drawing cards  or other games of chance after a tie vote. TenOfAllTrades(talk) 21:21, 24 July 2007 (UTC)
 * ...such as the drawing of pencils. Also, here is an example of a single vote victory that resulted in some controversy.  Rockpock  e  t  02:10, 25 July 2007 (UTC)


 * In Canadian federal elections (I don't know about other levels), if there's a tie, nobody wins that seat; it's vacant and a by-election is held. See the Canada Elections Act, section 318.  But a win by 1 vote, after recounting, is as good as any other. --Anonymous, July 25, 2007, 21:57 (UTC).


 * A candidate who won by one vote after the courts had ruled would be sworn in and consider that he had a mandate. (Not like those who secretly have "man dates") Edison 21:34, 24 July 2007 (UTC)

Buzz magazine (Los Angeles)
I am looking for an article published in Buzz Magazine (Los Angeles):
 * Silent Scream by Carol Lynn Mithers August, 1994

The magazine appears to be defunct and I have no idea how I might be able to get a copy of the August 1994 edition.

I'm also wondering what copyright status such an article might have and how can one possibly get permission to reproduce such an article in full (not in Wikipedia) if the magazine is defunct.

Any suggestions would be most welcome. GrahameKing 02:53, 24 July 2007 (UTC)


 * Getting permission to reproduce material can be difficult even from extant publishers. This is partly inefficiency, but it often involves uncertainty as to exactly who the copyright holder is, especially if the original publisher has been taken over or gone out of business. You may find that copyright reverts to the author. In the UK, it's usually OK to reproduce material without permission as long as you can show that you made reasonable efforts to secure permission and are prepared to make payment in retrospect. I would expect there to be a similar concession in the US.--Shantavira|feed me 08:14, 24 July 2007 (UTC)

Ms Mithers is (or has been) represented by the agency "Kim from LA", website here - they should be able to contact Ms Mithers about reproduction rights for her work. DuncanHill 11:10, 24 July 2007 (UTC)


 * Thanks to both of you. This desk never ceases to amaze me! GrahameKing 22:22, 24 July 2007 (UTC)

Identifying the watch in this picture?
What watch is Larry Ellison wearing in this picture: ?

(p.s. It'll be interestng to see how well the answers match up, since, because the picture isn't all that clear, there's a chance it's a bit of a Rorschach test - that the question just reveals which brand people here, at least those enthusiastic enough to answer, like to follow. With info from the user pages, you could learn quite a bit about the market if you watch which watch which watch watchers watch.)

-84.0.159.27 03:08, 24 July 2007 (UTC)
 * Oh - please! The entire photo is 150 pixels across and it's lossily encoded (translation: Crappy quality) - I blew up the part with the watch in it and the dial is 9 pixels long by six pixels wide with a one to two pixel wide strap.  Perhaps you've been watching one of those TV shows (24 is a bad culprit - but there are others) where the boss peers over the shoulder of the image expert and says "Hey! Zoom in on that watch." (the watch appears as 9x6 pixels) "Enhance!...Enhance!...Enhance!...Zoom...zoom...Enhance" and now there is a beautiful 1000x1000 pixel image of a watch in perfect focus.  Well, it doesn't work like that. SteveBaker 20:58, 24 July 2007 (UTC)


 * Using the latest version of the Image Enhancer software package, my extra sensory powers and a fair bit of guesswork, I would say that he is definitely wearing a wristwatch--88.109.124.89 23:37, 24 July 2007 (UTC)
 * A Black (?) wristwatch with round (?) display, which could be anolog watch if acctualy round. The said display is covered by protective cover made of some transparent material which can reflect sunlight and therefore glows in sun making it imposible to acctualy see the display and further identify anything. Logo on his T-shirt could be identified if in dire need, because it is visible -you need some information in image to be able to "zoom... zoom... enhance" to see if there is something in it. Most likely you could not identify that watch even in large picture due to reflection and, of course, even on TV they usually take larger images than this one  Xil/talk 09:57, 26 July 2007 (UTC)

citizen operated radio stations.
I remember reading a couple of years a go that the FCC was giving licenses to radio stations that anybody could put on the air as long as the signal was limited. Like a few neighborhoods or something. Does anybody have the correct nomenclature of what I'm talking about, and how to get more information? —Preceding unsigned comment added by Odell38 (talk • contribs)


 * See here. --Richardrj talkemail 05:03, 24 July 2007 (UTC)


 * See also Low-power broadcasting. An alternative which has worldwide reach is to "broadcast" on the internet. Per "Tiny radio stations have big voice ; 600 low-power FMs fill strong local need;" Paul Davidson. USA TODAY. McLean, Va.: Apr 7, 2005. pg. B.4, various community groups, churches, and individuals operate 600 low power FM stations in the US, which provide a balance to the control of the airwaves by three large companies. In a large city, a 3.5 mile radius covers a lat of listeners, but commercial broadcasters managed to get such a degree of protection from possible interference, that the low power stations were hard to get licensed in large cities. Still, that same radius will cover the entirety of a small town. Edison 21:30, 24 July 2007 (UTC)

Who owns the Federal Reserve Bank of New York
I am trying to find out who owns the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 75.213.54.254 (talk • contribs) 03:47, 24 July 2007 (UTC)
 * It's complicated. Legally, the bank is owned by it's stockholders, who are the commercial banks which draw on the reserve.  However, that's really just a legal formality -- their stock pays a fixed dividend, is non-transferable, and cannot be sold without approval.  Congress has ultimate control over the Reserve system, but do not exercise direct control over the operations of the banks themselves.  So, if you're looking for a hyper-technical answer, banks.  If you're looking for a more realistic answer, you'd say it's owned and run by agents of the US government, appointed by, and oversee by, Congress.  --Haemo 04:12, 24 July 2007 (UTC)

calibrate an oven
How do you recalibrate an oven? The only two knobs is 'bake' and 'temperature'. The temperatures inside don't match the one on the dial —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 66.162.145.195 (talk • contribs) 04:58, 24 July 2007 (UTC)


 * Put stickers over the dial and write your own temperatures on it? Capuchin 06:43, 24 July 2007 (UTC)


 * Since you seemingly know the real temperature inside the oven, then Capuchin's suggestion is the least expensive remedy. - hydnjo talk 07:03, 24 July 2007 (UTC)


 * If you pull off the knob that operates the oven's thermostat, you may find that either:
 * There is an adjustment screw down inside the shaft on which the knob sits, or
 * The knob itself is adjustable.
 * Some thermostats may also offer an adjustment screw somewhere else.
 * As you consider all this, please recognize that some ovens don't distribute heat very uniformly so deciding which part of the oven should match the dial temperature can be tricky. Perhaps the center of your most-commonly-used shelf position?
 * Atlant 11:41, 24 July 2007 (UTC)


 * Be aware that many things can and do go wrong when people attempt to repair gas appliances. Consider the novice skydiver whose chute would not open. As he saw the ground looming ever larger, he saw a man flying up into the air toward him, and shouted to him "Hey! Do you know anything about parachutes?" to which he got the answer "No, do you know anything about fixing gas ovens?" Edison 20:56, 24 July 2007 (UTC)

crime investigation
Can u tell me where I can find articlesd or instructional notes on Cartographic sketch or in a police parlance, the conduct of "portrait Parley" and/or picture sketch? —Preceding unsigned comment added by Apollo m bacas (talk • contribs) 08:17, 24 July 2007

Villages and Boroughs
Could you explain in the simplist terms possible what a village and what a borough is i sought of understood the former when about divisons in new york state.I guess it`s like a borough of nyc with it`s own government.But i Would if you could explain what a borough is when i read about it on the thing about muncipalities in new jersey. —Preceding unsigned comment added by Bochco69 (talk • contribs) 08:26, 24 July 2007


 * IIRC, a "borough" in New Jersey is an independent local government entity, subservient to a county and governed by a Town Council and a Mayor. As you've observed, a borough of New York City is quite a different thing. NYC's boroughs seem to represent vestiges of the independent governments that agglomerated to form NYC.


 * Atlant 11:45, 24 July 2007 (UTC)


 * We actually have a thorough explanation of the powers and nature of incorporated villages in New York. We also have an explanation of the boroughs of New York City.  We also have a complete article on New Jersey boroughs.  Marco polo 13:16, 24 July 2007 (UTC)

About M.I.T
Does M.I.T offer graduate course in Automobile engineering? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 218.248.2.51 (talk • contribs) 09:30, 24 July 2007
 * Have a look here. I couldn't see anything about automobiles on a quick glance, but check for yourself.  You could have found that for yourself really easily, btw.  Intellectual curiosity is a key skill at graduate (and undergraduate, for that matter) level. --Richardrj talkemail 09:34, 24 July 2007 (UTC)
 * Depends what you mean by "course" It's not a real well defined "major", although plenty of individual courses in things like internal combustion engines exist. If you wanted to specialize in automotive engineering, you'd be in the mechanical engineering department, most likely, and find some topic like "flame front speed as a function of combustion chamber design" or such for your thesis. You wouldn't be designing a neat car, or something fun like that. Although plenty of students do such things in their spare time, entering solar powered races etc. Or just going racing in SCCA or something. (boring story: when i was an undergrad, an alumnus came to speak about his life as an engineer at Ford since graduating. he told us he got to work on the original Mustang. we were all impressed. then he told us, his job was designing the door handle. that's the way it goes in big corporate engineering.) Gzuckier 14:10, 24 July 2007 (UTC)

picture insertion
How can I insert a picture in a question I ask on wikipedia reference desk?--218.248.2.51 09:41, 24 July 2007 (UTC)Ecclesiasticalparanoid


 * If the name of your picture was, for example, "Hassocks Station.png", you would use all or some of this code:


 * [[Image:Hassocks Station.png|thumb|200px|right|My local station!]]


 * Square brackets enclose the image.
 * The image title, preceded by "Image:", is compulsory.
 * "thumb" makes it into a thumbnail, clickable to enlarge.
 * "200px" controls the size of the thumbnail.
 * "right", "center" and "left" control the alignment.
 * The last bit is the text you want to appear beneath the thumbnail, if any.


 * I have inserted the image using this code to show what it looks like. Hope that helps!  (And yes, the weather was a bit nasty on the day I took that pic.  Time for a new version in the sunshine, perhaps...) Hassocks5489 11:24, 24 July 2007 (UTC)


 * ...but it's better not to specify the size of the thumbnail. From Manual of Style:
 * "Specifying the size of a thumb image is not recommended: without specifying a size the width will be what readers have specified in their user preferences"
 * --Hugh Charles Parker (talk - contribs) 11:53, 24 July 2007 (UTC)
 * That's a point. Any of the four attributes after the image name are optional.  If you use "thumb" and no size, it will default to the "correct" size for everybody's browser, as Hugh says.  Hassocks5489 11:58, 24 July 2007 (UTC)


 * To upload the picture, click on the "Upload file" menu item from any Wikipedia page.--Shantavira|feed me 13:25, 24 July 2007 (UTC)

cheers
How can I maintain a constant cheerful look in my face and yet dont look like a clown? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 218.248.2.51 (talk • contribs) 10:14, 24 July 2007
 * Smile while not using facepaint and not wearing a 'clown suit'? You might want to look at the article on clowns to find any other characteristics particular to clowns you may wish to avoid. Lanfear&#39;s Bane


 * Maintain a positive internal mental attitude? And when necessary, think of love and/or sex ;-).


 * Atlant 11:49, 24 July 2007 (UTC)


 * Humans have evolved the most complex facial musculature of any animal - we use it to communicate feelings - but we don't do it consciously. Efforts to 'fake' our expressions fail miserably because we've also evolved to read extremely subtle features of facial expressions.  When people fake a smile (eg for a photographer) they invariably look weird because whilst they got the mouth into an approximation of a smile, they didn't make their eyes and cheek muscles do all the right things.  In short, I think you shouldn't even try.  Your face is the most honest way you have to express yourself.  If you want to look cheerful, you should seek out things that interest and amuse you so that you genuinely ARE cheerful and the face thing will sort itself out. SteveBaker 20:46, 24 July 2007 (UTC)


 * Although there ARE people who are very adept at molding their own faces to accurately portray emotions. I read this in New Scientist some time ago. I’m looking for the source. . . I believe the key to a good fake smile was to tense the muscles at the corners of the eyes. No something that’s easy to do consciously. --71.112.86.186 23:12, 24 July 2007 (UTC)


 * There's a chapter on this in Malcolm Gladwell's book Blink. —Tamfang 06:43, 30 July 2007 (UTC)
 * … which book I do not recommend, by the way; it's incoherent. —Tamfang (talk) 02:52, 18 May 2023 (UTC)

The Netherlands Coastline
How long is the Netherlands Coastline? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 220.233.83.26 (talk • contribs) 11:11, 24 July 2007
 * The country has a total area of 41,526 square kilometers (16,485 square miles). This includes 33,889 square kilometers of land (13,084 square miles) and 7,643 square kilometers (2,950 square miles) of water. The coastline of the Netherlands is 451 kilometers (280 miles) long. Its land borders are 1,027 kilometers (638 miles) in length. According to this site . Lanfear&#39;s Bane
 * But see also How Long Is the Coast of Britain?. —Steve Summit (talk) 11:51, 24 July 2007 (UTC)

All coastlines are infinite. And it depends what you define as the coastline, especially in the Netherlands.


 * The problem with this question is that it depends on the scale at which you measure it. If you walked around the country with a ten meter long stick - using it to measure the coastline, you'd come up with some answer or other.  But if you went around with a one meter stick, you'd be able to bend it around to fit the exact line of the coast more accurately - into inlets and around outcrops that were less than 10 meters wide - and you'd undoubtedly get a longer distance.  If you measured it with a centimeter-long ruler, the coastline would be even more crinkly and yet longer...all the way down to the size of an atom - the distance would just get longer and longer.  This is because coastlines are fractals with essentially infinite crinkliness.  So it turns out that there is no answer.  This doesn't stop people from giving answers - but they are all "wrong" because the answer is not just unknown but fundamentally unknowable. SteveBaker 20:27, 24 July 2007 (UTC)
 * Or in other words, "see also How Long Is the Coast of Britain?" :-) . --Steve Summit (talk) 22:16, 24 July 2007 (UTC)


 * You also need to define coastline - do you mean the mean high-water mark? Low-water mark? Do you include tidal estuaries? DuncanHill 21:45, 24 July 2007 (UTC)
 * Any normal definition of coastline is just useless as a vague one. It doesn't matter that you say "I meant the high-water mark and including rivers, estuaries, docks, piers but excluding permenantly docked and/or grounded shipping." - the answer is still unknowable because it's still a fractal. If you wanted the convex hull of the coastline - that would be a different matter - but for most countries that's not a very useful measurement either. SteveBaker 14:11, 25 July 2007 (UTC)


 * While it's perfectly true that coastlines are fractal, lengths for them are still widely quoted.  For most practical purposes it's reasonable to imagine a smoothed coastline, like the course a boat might follow if its captain was instructed to follow the coast (also imagining that there are no shallow areas that would force her to stay well offshore) and take the length of that.  You just have to realize that it won't be a precise measurement; that's what doesn't exist.  --Anonymous, July 25, 23:18 (UTC).
 * You're missing the point about fractals though - the answer will be wildly different depending on precisely how small the boat is - and how 'smoothed' it's path around all of the little inlets. The answer won't just be 'imprecise' - like maybe off by 20% or something from the answer you'd get with a longer or shorter boat - the answer could be WILDLY different based on small changes in precisely how closely you  follow the coast and with how short a vessel you employ.  Your answer can't be "imprecise" because there is no such thing as a 'precise' answer to compare your result to.  The more precisely you measure, the more wildly different your result becomes - so any attempt to say "well we rowed around the coast in an 8 foot dingy and stayed within 10 feet of dry land - and our answer was correct to within 5%" is utterly impossible - because if you measure the coast with a 1mm long ruler, your answer will be hundreds or thousands of times larger!  If you measure it with a micrometer long ruler, you'll get an answer millions of times longer.  So how can you possibly say that your rowboat answer is merely 'imprecise' - it's off by a factor of at least a million!  The answer is UNKNOWABLE - so no measurement has any knowable precision.  I know very well that all sorts of books and reference material quote lengths of coastline - but they shouldn't because the numbers they quote are essentially meaningless. SteveBaker 01:14, 26 July 2007 (UTC)


 * No, Steve, you're missing my point. For practical purposes we do not imagine following the coast as closely as you describe. --Anon, July 27, 00:45 (UTC).


 * To be pedantic, the word precise and imprecise as used above should be accurate and inaccurate, see Accuracy and precision. On the fractal nature of coastlines -- I get the idea, but I'm not sure it is totally correct. While it is true that the measured length of a coastline depends on the scale, there comes a point when smaller units of measurement cease to make much of a difference. It's not as if coastlines are infinitely fractal with ever finer curving the closer you look. If the scale is so fine that you start trying to take measurements of the waves washing up a beach, say, well that's getting silly. Using a 1mm long ruler to measure a coastline is silly. Coastlines don't exist in a meaningful way at such a fine scale. What would you be measuring, individual waves? Still I agree that one must make various choices about what to measure -- the average high water line, the average low water? The average between the two? And what to do about river mouths and estuaries, tidal flat and so on? So I agree that a totally accurate coastline measurement is asking too much, you can get a reasonably accurate measurement via some definition and long-term, fine-scale observations. The How Long Is the Coast of Britain? page even says, Note that the paper does not claim that any coastline or geographic border actually is a fractal - that would be a physical impossibility. It simply states that the measured length of a coastline or border may be empirically observed to behave like a fractal over a range of measurement scales. In other words, there is a range of scales in which coastline measurements are fractal like, but outside that range things are different. Pfly 10:14, 26 July 2007 (UTC)


 * Can't you avoid the fractals issue by following the shortest possible path between the high- and low-tide lines? —Tamfang 06:53, 30 July 2007 (UTC)

Sponsor of a warship
What does the sponsor of a warship actually do? DuncanHill 11:52, 24 July 2007 (UTC)


 * I would assume they pay towards the cost of building and supplying the ship.


 * Um, my fault for not making the question clearer. In many articles about warships, reference is made to the sponsor. They appear to be predominantly female and often royalty, civic dignitaries (eg Lords Lieutenant), or relicts of notable sailors. Sometimes they perform the naming ceremony. DuncanHill 16:47, 24 July 2007 (UTC)


 * I think you have the answer right there, they perform the naming ceremony, christen it with a bottle of champagne when launched, etc. In other words, it's a purely symbolic role. StuRat 19:55, 24 July 2007 (UTC)


 * Fair enough - tho' when a sponsor dies, a ship gets another one (well, the current HMS Cornwall did, which is what sparked my interest). Does anyone know the origins of the rôle? Did it once have a more concrete aspect? DuncanHill 20:21, 24 July 2007 (UTC)


 * I'd speculate it's both a way to honor the sponsor (say as a reward for their political patronage) and a way to provide some of the pomp and circumstance that military organizations live for. StuRat 20:52, 24 July 2007 (UTC)

War and Peace
How many pages are there in War and Peace? --124.181.112.206 12:11, 24 July 2007 (UTC)


 * That depends on how big the paper is, and how big the letters are! Do you have a specific edition in mind? Marnanel 12:32, 24 July 2007 (UTC)
 * (after edit conflict) That depends on the edition of the book. This edition has 1424 pages. Different editions have different amounts of pages based on the size of the pages and the size font that is used. Dismas |(talk) 12:34, 24 July 2007 (UTC)


 * Too many.


 * Atlant 17:37, 24 July 2007 (UTC)


 * This version is just one page! It contains about 2.8 million letters or exactly 562,168 words. SteveBaker 20:17, 24 July 2007 (UTC)
 * I think he means printed pages. It's not all that long- my edition has 1000 some pages but the the paper size is rather small --⁪frotht 16:31, 25 July 2007 (UTC)

"time and strike" clock
What does the term "time and strike" mean in relation to a clock--I.e. a "time and strike" clock?

Thanks!


 * It counts the hour and strikes the half- (or quarter-) hours. eg at 4 o'clock, it goes boing, boing, boing, boing and at half past 4 it goes 'boing'.Clocks which strike the quarter hour may do one boing for each quarter, eg at a quarter-to they go boing, boing, boing. Some clocks wll have a different pitch of boing for the hour and for the half- or quarter- hour. Ships' clocks are sometimes strike-only - they jusy strike the number of bells (for watch-keeping), without having a display. DuncanHill 15:01, 24 July 2007 (UTC)


 * Another example of the above that's rather common: my school has a clock that rings the, ah... clock bell song (no idea what it's called, but almost every large clock plays it), so at 4 it'd do "DOO-doo-Doo-doo... doo-doo-DOO-doo...DOO-doo-Doo-doo... doo-doo-DOO-dooo... bong, bong, bong, bong". But at four fifteen it goes: "Doo-doo-doo-doo", the first four notes. Then at 4:30 it goes "Doo-doo-doo-doo...doo-doo-DOO-doo...", and then at 4:45 it goes "DOO-doo-Doo-doo... doo-doo-DOO-dooo... DOO-doo-Doo-doo.." and then at 5 it plays the entire song with 5 bongs at the end. ....I'm not crazy, really! Kuronue 15:12, 24 July 2007 (UTC)


 * The Clock Bell Song is probably the Westminster Chimes. You're not crazy. DuncanHill 15:17, 24 July 2007 (UTC)

Moderately skilled depression-proof trade
What skilled trades or crafts can be learned fairly quickly? In particular, I want to find a trade that 1) pays a living wage even if it is not lucrative, 2) requires enough training that unemployed people cannot learn it easily on their own, 3) does not require more than a year or two of training, 4) does not require youth or physical strength, and 5) is likely to enjoy steady demand during an economic depression. Thank you!  Marco polo 14:58, 24 July 2007 (UTC)


 * I would advise to become a plumber or electrician. SietskeEN 15:01, 24 July 2007 (UTC)


 * I too would suggest plumbing or electrical installation/repair. Undertakers are also always needed, and while youthful strength can be an assset, maturity is highly appreciated by the families of your clients. DuncanHill 15:04, 24 July 2007 (UTC)


 * I'm afraid that I don't have the stomach for undertaking. Working as an electrician has some appeal, but it seems to require at least a 4-year apprenticeship. What about shoe repair?  Would that be quicker to learn?  Marco polo 16:03, 24 July 2007 (UTC)


 * Do you really expect there would be a big shoe repair market in the case of a depression? -Czmtzc 18:19, 24 July 2007 (UTC)


 * In a depression, people might be more inclined to have their shoes repaired, rather than throwing them away and buying a new pair. DuncanHill 18:26, 24 July 2007 (UTC)


 * Maybe in the 1930s, but shoe repair is very much a dying trade in the western world today, and even if there were a depression it's unlikely to seriously revive.--Pharos 18:44, 24 July 2007 (UTC)


 * (post edit conflict) I speak now for North America, but shoes are so inexpensive, relatively speaking, that the only ones that get repaired are the very-high end of the market, and this is mostly for men's shoe brands like David or Church or even Florsheim. (I don't know who would risk repairing women's high fashion shoes as they look as if they would dissolve in rain water.) I would also not go into appliance repair. A personal experience lately had a retailer replace an 8-month-old microwave oven with one still in its factory box rather than even look for the fault; the cost of labour is just too high relative to the cost of the product, new. However, everyone is always looking for a plumber or an electrician or even a "jack/jill of all trades", if you are naturally handy, sober -during work hours, anyway- and prepared to work hard. In my area, these trades ask for, and get, from $50 to $100 per hour, with a 3-hour minimum call. Bielle 18:55, 24 July 2007 (UTC)


 * The problem with shoe repair is that the majority of modern shoes are constructed in a way that makes them essentially impossible to repair. The service industry seems to be the way to go.  When people are short of money, you don't want to be in retail or manufacturing.  So I too would have voted for plumber or electrician or maybe A/C repair (if you are in a hot climate) - those are things that people generally want done urgently - that they'll pay to have done because they can't do it themselves and better still, they mostly can't avoid having the work done.  But if the learning curve is too much then maybe specialize in a small portion of the job.  Car maintenance is another good one - but sadly, modern cars are getting harder and harder to repair without access to advanced diagnostic tools.  How about computer repair?  Folks like the god-awful 'Geek Squad' seem to be making lots of money with minimal skills.  What they do isn't at all hard to learn - yet it seems like it would be just difficult enough that a totally unskilled person would be unable to undertake it. SteveBaker 20:10, 24 July 2007 (UTC)


 * The IT industry is inflating again, and you don't want to be caught at the bottom of the food chain (geek squad) --⁪frotht 16:38, 25 July 2007 (UTC)


 * There are several trades that flourish in a depression, chiefest of which in my opinion is off-course horse race betting. It seems that when someone is down to his last buck, he decides to gamble it on an outside chance of turning it into a 20-1 winner rather than waste it on a coke or a burger. Get thee to a bookies.


 * Going back to the Great Depression in the US, those who worked for the railroad, the power company, and the gas company were often able to keep their jobs, although pay cuts and rotating layoffs were done. Farmers had work, if they were not heavily in debt and lost the place to the bank. If you had a hobby farm you could at least raise food and keep chickens for eggs and meat. Robbers, smugglers, drug dealers, sex workers and hitmen seemed to do well. People would keep old cars, so car repair should be a possibility. You could learn a lower skilled medical field like (in the US) a Licensed practical nurse, or dental assistant, because people will get sick and have toothaches. Firefighting, law enforcement and watchmen (security guards) are needed during a depression, as are mercenaries. Construction (ironworker, carpenter, plumber, electrician, concrete, welder) is out because capital disappears from the building sector, but skilled people will always be needed in smaller numbers to keep things going. Less desirable jobs like sanitation worker, or garbage collector will still need to be filled. Heating and refrigeration workers are needed as long as it gets too hot or cold for people's comfort. Municipal and government workers might do better than corporate cubicle dwellers. Short order cooks had work, as did bartenders. Edison 20:41, 24 July 2007 (UTC)


 * Nursing shortages are rampant, and have been for a very long time. Nursing has several levels of licensure, so you can improve your skill level and pay rate at your own pace.  Basic licensing requires about two years of schooling.  There are many different areas of nursing (hospital, doctor's office, home care, etc.) so you can choose the field you're most comfortable with.  The field is recession proof, and because of the shortage of nurses you will always have a job, anywhere you go.  152.16.187.91 11:35, 25 July 2007 (UTC)

Synonym of "potential"
[Moved to the Science Reference Desk.]

Dishonesty
Why does it seem that when a man is in any kind of relationship, they lie (almost about everything) even when they don't have to? Is it a testosterone thing? --WonderFran 15:43, 24 July 2007 (UTC)


 * It sounds to me as though there is something wrong with your perception in this matter. You're probably best placed to answer your own question. Or else you've had a string of poor experiences, from which you're drawing a false and insulting conclusion. --Tagishsimon (talk)


 * It is natural in the early stages of a romantic relationship to "put one's best foot forward", for both men and women. This can be interpreted as lying, I suppose.  Is a woman who puts on makeup, dyes her hair, and wears false eyelashes and nails lying about how she really looks ?  How about a woman who claims to be younger than she is, or fails to mention that she has kids from a previous relationship, or calls herself a "legal secretary" when she is really a receptionist at a law firm ?  At what point does it cross the line ?  Picture how absolute honesty from a man would sound "No, I don't love you, but I would like to have sex with you until someone better comes along".  Do women really want to hear that from their man ? StuRat 19:49, 24 July 2007 (UTC)


 * Because men are humans, and all humans lie, to varying degrees. That said, most people are usually reasonably trustworthy as long as you don't put them in social situations that almost demand a lie, so if you have experienced numerous serious breaches of trust, you should look for the common factor and avoid it in the future.  --TotoBaggins 19:53, 24 July 2007 (UTC)

what is the meaning of "pan's out"
I've heard the expression

I hope it pans out

What does it mean?

Judy Leonard xxxx@xxxxxxxxxxx.net


 * I hope everything works out for the best. -- Escape Artist Swyer Talk to me Articles touched by my noodly appendage 15:57, 24 July 2007 (UTC)


 * Wiktionary deals with this word well - see . No apostrophe required. --Tagishsimon (talk)


 * I don't see pan(s) out on that page. &mdash;Tamfang 18:11, 24 July 2007 (UTC)


 * It seems to come from panning for gold = taking sand from a river bed and swirling it in a pan so that the lighter sand washes out leaving the heavier gold dust. I don't know how the phrase was originally used, i.e. what the subject was, but the meaning is that the panning was successful in finding gold.  &mdash;Tamfang 18:11, 24 July 2007 (UTC)


 * Tamfang, "pan(s)out" is under Verb 2. Intransitive under the Tagishsimon link, above. Bielle 18:41, 24 July 2007 (UTC)


 * I'm more familiar with the usage of pans out to mean turns out eg We'll try this, and see how it pans out, that is to say, in this usage pans out does not imply a good or a bad outcome. This would fit with a gold-panning origin - We'll see how this ore pans out = We'll process this ore in the pan, and see how it turns out. DuncanHill 20:06, 24 July 2007 (UTC)


 * Yes, it's used that way as well. In the usage Judy asked about, you can think of "pans out" as being short for "pans out all right" or something similar. --Anonymous, July 25, 23:22 (UTC).

Dead Body
What's the best way to dispose of a dead human body? I suppose one could cook the fleshy parts and feed them to unsuspecting people. That would solve part of the "rotting flesh stinks" problem... how much of a human body is edible, by the way? -- Escape Artist Swyer Talk to me Articles touched by my noodly appendage 15:56, 24 July 2007 (UTC)


 * This is a question of debate; there is no best way, and certainly not without a knowledge of the criteria by which best (or even good) could be distinguished from bad and worst. The reference desk is not a good nor appropriate place for such a question, IMO. --Tagishsimon (talk)

Disolve it in acid and throw what's left in the ocean.


 * Just remember, "the secret's in the sauce!".


 * Atlant 17:40, 24 July 2007 (UTC)


 * Conveniently, we have an article all about the Disposal of human corpses. TenOfAllTrades(talk) 18:09, 24 July 2007 (UTC)


 * Am I the only one here who is greatly disturbed by this question? -- Polar Wolf  18:26, 24 July 2007 (UTC)


 * Well we're all going to be disposed of one day. I always thought a sky burial to be the most ecological and efficient, but that method is not approved of in the west. Burial has various other ideas.--Shantavira|feed me 18:47, 24 July 2007 (UTC)


 * A couple of recent movies suggested feeding the body to pigs. Corvus cornix 19:05, 24 July 2007 (UTC)


 * If you're disturbed that this question was asked, I suggest you not go through the archives then. Similar questions have been asked several times.  And I'll repeat my answer from at least one of those times...  A body can be wrapped in chicken wire, have weights tied to it, and then dumped into a deep lake or the ocean.  The fish and decomposition will take care of the flesh fairly quickly leaving only the bones.  The sediment at the bottom of the water will fill the chicken wire enclosure and the bones will be hidden.  The chicken wire will rust away relatively quickly as well.  So all that's really left will be a couple cinder blocks or whatever you use as weights.  Dismas |(talk) 21:19, 24 July 2007 (UTC)


 * I just hope the OP is not planning some original research of her own. DuncanHill 22:34, 24 July 2007 (UTC)


 * Is it bad that I remember that question? o_o Wasn't that from like last fall? --⁪frotht 16:29, 25 July 2007 (UTC)


 * Try baking them into pies and selling them in a little shop in London. Kuronue 23:03, 24 July 2007 (UTC)


 * If you feed them to pigs as Corvus cornix noted, make sure you also tell lots of crack-addicted prostitutes all about it, so their testimony will be questionable at your trial when you eventually get caught, like this guy. Adam Bishop 06:07, 25 July 2007 (UTC)

I'll give the biggest ever AGF here and assume you're writing a novel or something! Apparently, trainee British spies (!) are taught "Q. Where's the best place to hide a tree? A. In a forest" On that basis, I'd recommend a cemetery, crematorium, morgue, hospital, hospice etc. There are plenty of good stories that include the conceit of two bodies going into one coffin. Happy writing. --Dweller 13:25, 25 July 2007 (UTC)
 * Dweller totally threw me there, thought process for your comment brought me straight to 007 and then when I saw the Q I immediatly thought of Q and wondering why he was training spies... Assuming good faith / you are writing a novel, go for something as interesting as possible. Brainiac: Science Abuse are fond of novel uses for thermite, perhaps you could employ it in some manner. Don't forget that rendering the body unidentifiable is a good start to things! Lanfear&#39;s Bane

Oh, one last thought... Another option is to do nothing with them. Lawrence Block's amazingly likeable "hitman" character's calling card is, erm, not to leave one. His victims (usually) look like they've died of natural causes/accident/suicide, enabling him to leave them in situ. --Dweller 13:47, 25 July 2007 (UTC)


 * People usually underestimate the bouyancy of a dead body under water. Edison 16:46, 25 July 2007 (UTC)

Thank you. I'm not writing a novel. (Well, I am, but the body isn't disposed off in a particularly interesting way; it's just dumped in a river.) I was just morbidly interested and the hide-it-in-someone-else's-coffin idea will stay in my mind in case I ever murder someone. Don't be disturbed. *smiles*

Oh - no one answered my second question. How much of a human body is edible? -- Escape Artist Swyer Talk to me Articles touched by my noodly appendage 21:47, 27 July 2007 (UTC)

Smoking Marijuana
Would smoking a small amount (1g or less) of marijuana from a bong every 3 month have a sizable impact (physically and mentally) on a healthy and physically active teenager? Acceptable 19:08, 24 July 2007 (UTC)


 * The proponents of the Drug War would have you believe the answer is yes. Everybody else knows the answer is no.  --TotoBaggins 19:57, 24 July 2007 (UTC)


 * But everybody knows that even the slightest puff will render you insane; how else can one explain the bizarre behaviours of George W. Bush?


 * Atlant 12:10, 25 July 2007 (UTC)


 * Sorry, we're not allowed to give medical advice here. SteveBaker 19:58, 24 July 2007 (UTC)


 * Is the drug taken mixed with tobacco? I know most people that I know of who use it do this. If so then it carries all the dangers of tobacco. I am not convinced it is entirely without danger physically/mentally. Personally I would consider the 'mental' anguish from comprehending that the drug you purchase may be perpetuating gangs/black-market activity that - along the supply chain - may be dangerous to other individuals. Your supply chain may be 'clean' but there are many that are not. This is not meant as me moralising on drug-use/drug-safety (I have no firm opinion either way on legalisation/banning), but as I said if mixed with tobacco then it contains the harmful effect that tobacco has on its users, plus any potential detrimental effects that the marijuana itself may bring. ny156uk 23:43, 24 July 2007 (UTC)


 * How common is combining with tobacco? I may or may not have known plenty of potheads over the years, very few of whom also favor the other pipeweed.  &mdash;Tamfang 01:38, 26 July 2007 (UTC)

From what you write here Acceptable I see that you got other more interesting hobbies so why thinking about that? Whatever you do, remember to respect yourself before you cross the line that does not allow you to think clearly. --racergr 03:08, 25 July 2007 (UTC)


 * Marijuana has been linked to mental health problems, memory lose and screws up your lungs (with or without tobacco). It won't send you 'nuts' but if you have an already underlying menatl health issue it will make it worse. In saying that thou, i smoked every day for about 15 years and i am ok (Spiderssss!!!, Spiderssss everywhere ooooohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, THE VOICES THE VOOOICES!!!!) ;P Perry-mankster 12:23, 25 July 2007 (UTC)
 * Sounds like he contacted his lawyer in reference to his earlier question. I hope we are not to be quized about every step of the process!? Lanfear&#39;s Bane
 * "Caught on the interstate with 9 kilos of marijuana.. wasn't sure how much to buy" :) The answer to the OP is found here --⁪frotht 14:45, 25 July 2007 (UTC)

Oh no, im not into drugs, I'm just trying to understand the facts in order to help a friend. Acceptable 23:23, 25 July 2007 (UTC)


 * The comparison with tobacco is a bit absurd. Marijuana has a lot of resin, which makes it worse for the lungs (I believe - not entirely sure about this). But it is usually smoked in much smaller quantities. I, for example, smoke about 10 g of tobacco per day and 1 g of marijuana per week. The questioneer is talking about smoking one gram every three months. Inhaling the exhaust fumes of cars in a major city (every breath you take, day in, day out, day and night) has to be much worse for your lungs.
 * Anyway, 1 g every three months is a really small amount compared to what most people smoke (if they do, that is). There are recent reports on some people in the Netherlands having mental problems as a result of smoking something like a few grams per day. And not just any marijuana, but the extremely potent Nederwiet. So what kind of weed also makes a big difference. And of course people who smoke that much must have had some problems to start with. DirkvdM 07:24, 26 July 2007 (UTC)

Cricket test match in 1951
who was playing the match against England in either very late february or very early March 1951, and who won, and what was the score please? 81.157.196.127 19:16, 24 July 2007 (UTC)


 * For some odd reason, Wikipedias test match coverage is alarmingly good all the way to 1939 - then abruptly ends. However, the game you are thinking of is the Fifth test vs Australia in Feb '51 - England won by 8 wickets - details are here . SteveBaker 19:57, 24 July 2007 (UTC)


 * Me again on a dynamic IP. Thamks so much for that - all the info I needed, and more! 86.138.41.223 07:19, 25 July 2007 (UTC)


 * The Cricket WikiProject is doing sterling work on enhancing cricket coverage. One of WP's most active 'Projects, it has a huge number of FAs (Talk:Main Page goes nuts every time one becomes the Main Page FA) and a number of highly valued contributors have devoted masses of time and energy to covering early cricket. The appropriate article (English cricket team in Australia in 1950-51) is still a stub at Category:Australia in international cricket (the Cats are sorted by name of host team), but I'd wager it's not long before it's at least a decent B-class article, even if it takes a while before it reaches the kind of quality of the collaborative West Indian cricket team in England in 1988. --Dweller 13:19, 25 July 2007 (UTC)

The match you cite was highly notable. To quote Wisden (1952) "England broke Australia's post-war run of twenty-six Tests without defeat." The match-winners were RT Simpson (who scored 156 not out in the 1st innings. The second highest score in the match was 92) and Alec Bedser ("grand bowling in every way" said Wisden) who took 10 for 105 in a match where the pitch was "more in favour of batsmen than bowlers". Sadly, it was a mere consolation victory, as Australia had already retained The Ashes.--Dweller 14:41, 25 July 2007 (UTC)

The Wisden match report can be found here Tintin 16:58, 25 July 2007 (UTC)


 * Me again (I ought to get a screen name). Wow, what an amazing number of amazing replies.  Thanks so much to all the cricket-loving editors who have helped me here. 86.134.90.135 18:19, 25 July 2007 (UTC)
 * No, no, no! I loath and detest Cricket - I just wanted to help you out using a combination of creative Googling and Wiki-ing. SteveBaker 00:56, 26 July 2007 (UTC)

Ah, bless. I'm with you about cricket -- never could see the point, myself. Needed the info for research on a completely different topic. Thanks again. 86.137.136.196 06:57, 26 July 2007 (UTC)

Filling out own death certificate?
Has a doctor ever been known to fill out his own death certificate (for example, if (s)he was about to commit suicide, or if (s)he got into an accident and was bleeding to death)? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 75.44.233.204 (talk • contribs) 19:19, 24 July 2007

Similarly, has any king or whatever literally signed his own death warrant? &mdash;Tamfang 22:37, 24 July 2007 (UTC)


 * A Death Certificate certifies that the subject of it is dead - biologically, clinically, legally, and irrevocably, after the fact. It follows that nobody, but nobody, can certify their own death in anticipation of it, before the fact. A death warrant however, is an entirely different instrument, being a document authorising the execution of someone. Technically, a king could not issue his own death warrant because such an execution would be carried out in the name of the king - but in fact a self certified death warrant need not always be a legal instrument. Many people have been said to sign their own death warrant by actions they have taken that were deemed punishable by death - whether legally or otherwise - think of Count von Stauffenberg who was complicit in attempting to murder Adolf Hitler.


 * Clearly one could not properly sign one's own death cert., but one with privileged advance knowledge could fill in the data. &mdash;Tamfang 01:03, 26 July 2007 (UTC)


 * I disagree Tamfang. The data you refer to in a death certificate includes what actually caused the death, not the means by which it was planned or effected. A case in point: a very close relative of mine who was in good physical shape, hanged himself, and naturally he died. But much to everyone's surprise, the Coroner (English Law) accepted the forensic pathology report supplied to him, which gave the cause of death as "Myocardial Infarction of the Left Ventricle" (Heart Failure)- no mention of suicide or asphyxiation. And no way could even a medical expert planning his own death successfully conclude what the medical examiner might deduce.

Simon Bolivar
Why does simon bolivar have "JEW" written across his chest. Really down his chest. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 71.185.130.165 (talk • contribs) 22:44, 24 July 2007


 * Well spotted. It looks like someone (very subtly) vandalised the image.  I've reverted it to an earlier version which hasn't been defaced in this manner. -- Finlay McWalter | Talk 23:03, 24 July 2007 (UTC)


 * I can't see the word, up down or across his chest. However, if we have a version that is not disturbing, it does seem the better one to use. Bielle 23:07, 24 July 2007 (UTC)


 * It's easiest if you download this rev and this rev and flip between the two. It's hard too see, but it's there. -- Finlay McWalter | Talk 23:14, 24 July 2007 (UTC)


 * (on the off chance that anyone is still interested) the difference between the two images (thanks to ImageMagick) is shown to the right. -- Finlay McWalter | Talk 23:45, 24 July 2007 (UTC) [[Image:Bolivar vandalism diff.jpg|thumb|right|difference between okay and vandalised versions]]

Wow can you do that diff thing with photoshop?


 * Probably - you can do it with most decent paint programs. The GIMP can also do it - it's free, so download a copy. SteveBaker 00:53, 26 July 2007 (UTC)
 * Wow, how? I don't see anything obvious in GIMP documentation. &mdash;Tamfang 17:49, 26 July 2007 (UTC)


 * How was that even spotted? How many other pictured are vandalised in such a subtle way? Fascinating. Capuchin 08:15, 26 July 2007 (UTC)

Proper manner to refer to Man and Animal heights
Is ther such a thing a a proper way to refer to the height of a person using the palm of your hand that differs from how to refer to the height of an animal? I was once informed that for an animal you refer to the height of an animal with the palm facing down and to a human with the palm facing up. Is this true? ERobles —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 65.218.27.233 (talk • contribs) 23:41, 24 July 2007 (UTC)
 * Horses are measured in "Hands". I don't think it is used to measure anything else. Here's the main article: Hand (unit). -GhostPirate 23:56, 24 July 2007 (UTC)