Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Miscellaneous/2007 June 16

= June 16 =

Mario songs
How many and which mario songs are based on each other? I know of two: the "ba da baduba pa! bodu ba ba bi da da!" and "bo do bo do do! bo do du do! do!"--Paraguayan1 00:20, 16 June 2007 (UTC)


 * In Super Mario World, all the songs are based on the same theme. But most of the games are based on the theme you mentioned. Doppelganger 02:05, 16 June 2007 (UTC)

Criminal charges (USA)
If in the course of a criminal investigation, law enforcement decides not to press charges for a crime committed, what does it become? If the wronged party wants to press charges anyway does it still carry a possible criminal sentence, or does it become a civil matter? And how long before the crime disappears into the mists of time and the wronged party can no longer file a lawsuit? --⁪frotht 03:16, 16 June 2007 (UTC)


 * The answer to all of those questions probably varies from state to state&mdash;many people from other countries are utterly gobsmacked to learn that each state in the Union has its own criminal laws. The answer to the last question depends on what ever local statute of limitations happens to be in effect. TenOfAllTrades(talk) 03:47, 16 June 2007 (UTC)


 * OK, that wikilink was just what I needed to find that there is no statute of limitations for felonies in my state. I guess that elusive peace-of-mind will never be mine :/ --⁪frotht 04:37, 16 June 2007 (UTC)


 * I think some places permit private prosecutors to pursue criminal charges where public prosecutors choose not to. On a different note, I never understood why someone who committed a felony wouldn't just move to another country. They always stay put -- usually in mom's house -- like nothing's wrong, and then WAMO!, they're caught and it's on TV. Per extradition, the United States lacks extradition treaties with over fifty nations. I just don't understand why the crooks don't move. -- Jreferee (Talk) 17:51, 16 June 2007 (UTC)


 * Trying to cross borders is a good way to get caught. Also, many criminals lack the funds to move to another country.  (Those convenience store robberies often yield just a few dollars.) StuRat 06:09, 19 June 2007 (UTC)


 * Most criminals are not very smart - that's why they're criminals. SteveBaker 18:39, 16 June 2007 (UTC)


 * Many famous criminals are really smart however.--71.175.128.187 22:24, 16 June 2007 (UTC)


 * But most criminals aren't famous either. SteveBaker 00:51, 17 June 2007 (UTC)


 * And the smartest ones aren't famous. Clarityfiend 01:35, 17 June 2007 (UTC)

A few are. Lacenaire was one of the worlds cleverest criminals and he got caught, because he got angry with a colleague after he ran away and locked the door during a crime.

Snooker balls
What are snooker/pool/billiard balls made from? Redl@nds597198 03:42, 16 June 2007 (UTC)


 * Our article on billiard balls has the answer to your question (various plastics, including phenolic resins and polyesters) and links to a number of manufacturers' web sites. TenOfAllTrades(talk) 03:52, 16 June 2007 (UTC)
 * Old billiard balls were made of ivory. SteveBaker 18:36, 16 June 2007 (UTC)

Farming
How can I become a farmer?--71.175.128.187 04:03, 16 June 2007 (UTC)


 * Buy or lease some land that's suitable for growing crops, buy or lease the equipment you need, and buy the seed, trees, plants, etc. you want to farm, making sure that what you intend to produce can actually be grown on the land you're farming on. (Don't expect to grow peanuts in central Alberta or spelt in Georgia, at least not economically.) Check with a lawyer for legal requirements in your part of the world. --Charlene 04:19, 16 June 2007 (UTC)
 * See also: Farmer and Agriculture (farming). Regards Dep. Garcia ( Talk   + |  Help Desk  |  Complaints  ) 09:24, 16 June 2007 (UTC)


 * I must disagree with Charlene. The first and most crucial step is to learn how to farm. Without knowing that, buying land and equipment is a poor investment and a prelude to failure.  The best way to learn to farm is to work on a farm.  In many areas of the United States (where you appear to be located), you can volunteer to work on farms, particularly farms involved in community-supported agriculture.  With a little experience, you can work as a hired hand, if you can find a farm successful enough to need one.  It might also help to take some agriculture courses at a land-grant university, such The Pennsylvania State University.  If you are interested in organic or sustainable farming, you might consider attending workshops at the upcoming summer conference of the Northeast Organic Farming Association (for info, use this link) or one of these workshops in Pennsylvania.  Finally, once you have learned the ropes, you may be interested in leasing or purchasing a farm.  Marco polo 00:57, 17 June 2007 (UTC)

Apparently Aberystwyth university is good if you want to study agriculture.


 * As are Texas A&M and Michigan State. StuRat 06:28, 19 June 2007 (UTC)

Drinking games
Hi, I read the Drinking game article, but it seems to be a lot different from what people play in Korea. In Korea, the objective isn't to drink more, but to avoid drinking! Well, maybe not, but the drinking is the penalty, not the objective. Is there a separate term for such games?

An example: "369": People sit in a circle, and the turns go anti-clockwise, as in all Korean games. People take turns to say numbers starting from 1, but when numbers that are a multiple of 3 should be said, the person should clap instead of saying a number. Any error results in drinking..

A variant is "Go Back Jump". When a number is either a multiple of 3 or a number containing 3 (such as 3, 13 or 31) then that person says one of "go", "back" or "jump". If that person says go, the play continues in the same direction. (If a person said go after 2, then the person on his left says 4.) If the person said "back" after 2, then the rotation goes in the other direction, so that the person who said 2 has to say 4, and the person who said 1 has to say 5. In that case, the person to the right of the starting player (who shouldn't say 6, because it's a multiple of 3) should say either go, back or jump. People who make mistakes all have to drink a glass of beer (or something similar.) When someone says jump, a person is skipped.

Do people play these sort of games, where the penalty is to drink? --Kjoonlee 08:56, 16 June 2007 (UTC)


 * Yes; just see Buffalo (drinking game), Zoom schwartz profigliano and Bizz buzz. Laïka  09:39, 16 June 2007 (UTC)


 * Yes; the idea you describe is more like how I think of drinking games - the article isn't very clear on that. I find it interesting that the Korean game you describe is almost identical to 21 (drinking game), although the article there is again quite confusing as everyone has added their own local rule variations. PeteVerdon 07:33, 19 June 2007 (UTC)

Geez games involving numbers with drinking as the penalty would have me blind drunk by the end of it... --124.180.37.239 13:13, 16 June 2007 (UTC)


 * I rather suspect that that's the idea :-) PeteVerdon 07:26, 19 June 2007 (UTC)

aromatherapy & carcinogens
In your information on essential oils you state "The smoke from burning essential oils may contain potential carcinogens, such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs)." I was wondering about a couple of things. Firstly, which exact essential oils are potential carcinogens. Secondly, is it only the burning of the essential oil that can make it carcinogenic, or can this still happen when the oil is simply heated to a temperature of no more than 80 degrees; that is warmed, not burned? If you don't know the answers, do you know where I could look to find them?

Thanks for your helpDeb770 12:45, 16 June 2007 (UTC)


 * It seems burning anything releases potential carcinogens. However, perhaps the Science Reference Desk would be a better place to ask this question (but maybe leave out the bit about aromatherapy). --jjron 15:15, 16 June 2007 (UTC)


 * Burning carbon-based items (even if you eat charred food) contains carcinogens, according to a study. It's not a huge amount, but it's there. Therefore, burning oils would contain carcinogens as well, but I don't think warming it would create it. --Wirbelwind ヴィルヴェルヴィント (talk) 20:21, 16 June 2007 (UTC)

enquiry for king air C 90 aircraft in australia
respected sir,

I am capt.santhosh kumar from india (chennai). presently am a CFI with 3050 hours of flying experience.

i would like to get endorsement on beech craft duchess king air C 90 from any flying club in Australia. i couldnt find a club with C 90 wher i could get my endorsement.so i kindly request you to send me the list of flying  clubs in australia that has king air C 90. i would be greatful to you for the same.

awaiting your reply at the earliest.

regards CAPT. SANTHOSH KUMAR Removed email to prevent spamming Bielle 14:59, 16 June 2007 (UTC)


 * Perhaps a good place to look is the CASA website, especially the aircraft register page where you can do a search of where these aircraft are registered. --jjron 15:09, 16 June 2007 (UTC)

American States and forgetting them
What is the most frequently forgotten US state? 81.93.102.185 15:23, 16 June 2007 (UTC)

The State of forgetfulness ?90.4.252.193 15:30, 16 June 2007 (UTC)DT


 * Probably Australia Nil Einne 16:02, 16 June 2007 (UTC)


 * Would it be the 51st state? Seriously, I'm amazed how many people, even Americans, think there are 51 (or 52) states, and will argue that there were 50 before either Hawaii, or depending on the argument Hawaii and Alaska, became states. Now surely the challenge for all these people would be to name all the states, given that at least one doesn't exist. (BTW I'm sticking to the argument that Australia is not the 51st state!). --jjron 16:14, 16 June 2007 (UTC)


 * I doubt there's an answer to the question, however Wyoming doesn't actually exist. Seriously, ask any American if they know someone who lives in Wyoming or claims to have ever been to Wyoming that isn't messed up in the head. I promise you, it's a work of fiction -- Phoeba WrightOBJECTION! 17:04, 16 June 2007 (UTC)


 * Speaking as a Brit, I always forget Nebraska. It's like Nevada except... it's not. Laïka  17:43, 16 June 2007 (UTC)


 * Unfortunately, Dick Cheney was a Congressman from Wyoming. :)  Corvus cornix 02:02, 18 June 2007 (UTC)


 * Wyoming is know for its hunting. Montana is where you can hide (e.g. Unabomber) because their records generally are not electronic; good hunting, too. Nebraska is known as being the drive through state 'cause you gotta drive through it to go between Colorado and Chicago; its also known for farming. South Dakota has Mount Rushmore. I'm not sure what North Dakota has, but I think it's more poplar than South Dakota except when Mount Rushmore is mentioned (e.g., when they mention "Mount Rushmore" its is usually followed by "its in South Dakota", giving the lower Dakota a plug.) If you are looking for the really unknown parts of the United States, check out Unincorporated unorganized territories. -- Jreferee (Talk) 18:08, 16 June 2007 (UTC)

Would Texas be the one we would most like to be able to forget ?86.197.146.91 14:27, 17 June 2007 (UTC)Dt


 * Definitely the most forgotten US state is Franklin (historic U.S. state) which existed 1784-`790. They organized as a state and functioned as a state, petitioned to be admitted to the Union, and got the votes of 7 states, but failed to get the required 2/3 majority. Edison 18:36, 16 June 2007 (UTC)


 * After the vote, did they say "Franklin, my dear, I don't give a damn."? Clarityfiend 19:54, 16 June 2007 (UTC)


 * I live in Vermont and have heard "What state is that in?" more than once. (And I have been to Wyoming)  Dismas |(talk) 22:02, 16 June 2007 (UTC)


 * I personally always forget New Hampshire and Delaware Josh Holloway  22:13, 16 June 2007 (UTC)


 * Definately wisconsin. They don't really have any major cities, so you never hear somewhere, Wisconsin. --⁪frotht 01:48, 17 June 2007 (UTC)


 * Um, Milwaukee? Anyway, I'd have to say Vermont, New Hampshire or Delaware. I'd think Wyoming is known for its cowboys, mountains and skiing. But "Wyoming" actually gets fewer Google hits than any of those little states, and "North Dakota" and "South Dakota" get fewer hits still. -- Mwalcoff 03:45, 17 June 2007 (UTC)


 * Looking at a blank map of the states, few people, in my experience, can name them all. The ones that seem to be most often confused depend on where the person guessing is from, although even a person from Arkansas once told me that Arkansas is the most overlooked and ignored state. Pfly 05:29, 17 June 2007 (UTC)
 * You have a point here. When given a map like that, I generally get all the "square states", those in the midwest that are square or rectangular in shape, mixed up.  Dismas |(talk) 14:35, 17 June 2007 (UTC)


 * What about Rhode Island - I always thought that was a chicken 'cos my Dad used to breed them in England during the second world war?

New Mexico magazine runs a regular feature called "One of our 50 states is missing", in which they report on American visitors, potential tourists, etc., who seem to believe that New Mexico is part of Mexico. Corvus cornix 02:02, 18 June 2007 (UTC)


 * That reminds me of a telephone operator, who responded to a request for a number in Taos, New Mexico with "I'm sorry sir, you'll need the International Operator for numbers in Mexico". StuRat 06:38, 19 June 2007 (UTC)


 * People from New Mexico who tried to get tickets for the Olympic Games, one of the times they were in the US, encountered similar troubles. &mdash;Tamfang 04:40, 20 June 2007 (UTC)

Academic Degrees by Exam/Thesis in USA
Are there any:

1) Academic programs

2) In the United States

3) Accredited by an accrediting agency approved by the US Department of Education

4) Which grant degress on any of (Associates, Bachelors, Masters, or Doctoral) level.

5) And grant this degree either wholly or substantially based upon test scores and/or submitted theses/projects (with or without defense before faculty.), rather than attending and passing a certain set of courses and fulfilling other requirements.

I.e. I'm looking to see if there are any "legit", non-diploma mill schools which will grant a degree to someone who applies, shows up, sits for exams, and produces a thesis or research paper.

Bakaneko 22:16, 16 June 2007 (UTC)


 * I hope not. Attending a university is a lot more than assimilating knowledge to pass a test.  It's about learning to study and soaking up the habits of absorbing information.  From the point of view of prospective employers - nobody should give you a job on the basis of a certificate of some knowledge gained - what is needed it proof that you've learned how to learn and that you can be expected to continue to learn as your job changes.  I would be very reluctant to give a job that demanded a degree so someone who just sat down and aced the test. SteveBaker 00:47, 17 June 2007 (UTC)


 * You could have a look through Category:Distance education institutions - I can see some US institutions listed there. Unfortunately, I have minimal understanding of accreditation in the US so I can't advise further.--A bit iffy 12:46, 17 June 2007 (UTC)

Buffalo, the drinking game
How common is it to meet a buffalo player? like, lets say there were 10 people, how many of those 10 people will most likely be buffalo members/players? Also, can buffalo be played with non-alcoholic drinks? -Dixie48 23:17, 16 June 2007 (UTC)


 * Obviously you can play drinking games with non-alcoholic drinks - but the general point is that these usually rather mindless, boring games get a lot more fun as the drinking makes people more and more stupid and less and less able to play them accurately. In almost every drinking game, the worse you play, the more the game has you drinking - so some people get very very drunk!  I have no clue how many people know the game 'Buffalo' - I don't (well, except that I just read the article) - but then I'm British and we have different (but just as silly) drinking games than Americans. Boat race (game) and yard of ale were the most popular when I was in college.  So a strong regional bias is likely. Boat race is a classic example of why this gets silly - and it can be a lot of fun if you are playing it with about 30 people - a bunch of Rugby football players from two opposing teams after the match would be stereotypical boat racers!  In the house rules we played, two rows of people sit opposite each other at a long table with a full pint of beer each.  You yell "ready-steady-go!" and the two people at one end of the table have to down the beer and turn the empty glass upside down on their heads...as soon as each person does that, the person sitting next to them does the same thing - and so on down the row of people until the last person finishes with the glass on their head...a simple race between two teams.  What makes it 'interesting' (mostly to very drunk people) is that in one's haste to down the beer so that your team can win - it's common for the more drunk people to fail to completely empty their glasses - resulting in a lot of wet contestants smelling more of beer than they otherwise would!  In fact, I've seen the team who are behind simply give up drinking the beer at all and just tipping a full pint of beer over their heads in order to catch up...this appears to be a perfectly legal tactic (although the resulting mess will get you kicked out of many pubs!)   Sure you can play that game without alcohol - but if people are merely careful to empty their glasses - the game is a lot less funny.   As for yard of ale drinking - I once worked with a guy who was a champion yard drinker - he could empty one of those things into his stomach in under 10 seconds(!) - and I can tell you, that takes skill - I couldn't do it in under two minutes *and* I got soaked with beer in the process!  I once filled his yard glass with water and timed how fast I could pour it down a sink - and I couldn't do it in under 15 seconds...there is technique in twisting the glass so the liquid spirals out smoothely rather than 'glugging' out unevenly.  Anyway - this guy needed to practice for competitions and had looked long and hard for non-alcoholic liquids that he could practice with - but he could never get good times with water or orange juice or milk - somehow he could only make his throat 'do the right thing' to get the beer down that fast if it was actual beer he was drinking! SteveBaker 00:40, 17 June 2007 (UTC)