Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Miscellaneous/2008 February 28

= February 28 =

Ted Bundy Philsopher?
Can someone confirm if the story here is true or not? Seems odd to me. http://famguardian.org/Subjects/SexualImmorality/Homosexuality/HomoAndNaturalLaw.htm --Alxcgn7 (talk) 00:03, 28 February 2008 (UTC)
 * Bundy had a degree in psychology and was handy with a tape recorder, according to the college years section of our article - Ted Bundy. So it is not improbable that he made such a recording & said such things, if that was your question. Equally, I cannot find any other references to him taping his victims, as distinct from his confession tapes. --Tagishsimon (talk) 00:10, 28 February 2008 (UTC)


 * Seems odd to me too. It doesn't read like a real transcript to me (it reads like a bad writer writing a transcript, and the presence of perfect punctuation makes it unlike any real transcript I have ever read, much less what I would imagine a transcript of a victim and a killer, where at least one of the parties should be stressed enough to fumble over their words occasionally); the lack of additional references (or even a proper citation of the so-called "transcript") makes it equally dubious. --98.217.18.109 (talk) 00:27, 28 February 2008 (UTC)


 * The "reference" for the transcript is super-duper dubious: "This transcript was composed on the same principle as the speeches in Thucydides' History of the Peloponnesian War, attributing to each speaker the words that fit his character and the circumstances in which he spoke." — So... is the guy saying he just made it up? That's not a reference, in any case. My verdict, lacking any other evidence: fake. --98.217.18.109 (talk) 00:33, 28 February 2008 (UTC)
 * It's supposed to be obvious to the reader that it's been made up for didactic purposes. I hope you appreciate how hard it was to read that crap. There sure are some kooks at both ends of every spectrum. --Milkbreath (talk) 00:42, 28 February 2008 (UTC)

York Memorial Collegiate Institute yearbook
Does York Memorial C.I. keep archives of their published yearbooks? Yes or not? —Preceding unsigned comment added by Don Mustafa (talk • contribs) 02:44, 28 February 2008 (UTC)


 * I suggest you email them and ask. As they have a library, I'd think it improbable that they do not keep copies. --Tagishsimon (talk) 02:48, 28 February 2008 (UTC)

UK newspaper reader demographics
I was reading an article in The Times today which mentioned that the Tories had put out 10 different ads aimed at different groups, in different papers. This made me wonder what the 'main' political concern of the readers of each newspaper in the UK is, and the general stance of each paper. Would voters for whom education is the primary conern be more likely to buy, say, The Guardian? And what about the other issues? Any insight appreciated. 81.96.160.6 (talk) 03:23, 28 February 2008 (UTC)

I can't resist responding to this with a then-already-old joke that I was told in the 1990s: I understand that there's considerable truth to it, but it needs to be updated. --Anonymous, 05:15 UTC, February 28, 2008.
 * The Times is read by the people who run the country.
 * The Financial Times is read by the people who own the country.
 * The Mail is read by the wives of the people who run and own the country.
 * The Guardian is read by the people who think they ought to be running the country.
 * The Telegraph is read by the people who think the country ought to be run the way it used to be.
 * The Express is read by the people who think it still is.
 * The Mirror is read by people who think everyone ought to run the country.
 * The Morning Star is read by people who think the country ought to be run by another country.
 * The Sun is read by people who don't care who runs the country, so long as they've got big tits.


 * Credit of course to Jonathan Lynn and Antony Jay for this, from Yes Minister. -88.110.19.101 (talk) 08:54, 28 February 2008 (UTC)
 * It should be pointed out that this is a Chinese whispers form of the original, which does not include the Express and has different (better) definitions for the Mirror and Telegraph. The correct text can be found here. 80.254.147.52 (talk) 16:42, 28 February 2008 (UTC)
 * I've seen the episode, now that you mention it, but I assumed they were retelling an existing (old) joke. Thanks. --Anon, 01:04 UTC, Feb. 29.

I get most of the joke. But as an American, I don't know the reputation of the Express? Lotsofissues 06:14, 28 February 2008 (UTC) —Preceding unsigned comment added by Lotsofissues (talk • contribs)


 * The humorous list above has a certain ring to it still, but IMHO The Times is now unlikely to be read by those who 'govern' the country. It has evolved downwards significantly since the '90s. Richard Avery (talk) 08:35, 28 February 2008 (UTC)
 * As told by satirists such as those at Private Eye and The News Quiz, the Daily Express is the paper for those obsessed by the alleged assassination of Diana, Princess of Wales and by the missing girl Madeleine McCann. AlmostReadytoFly (talk) 08:59, 28 February 2008 (UTC)
 * PS: and according to the same satirical sources, the Daily Mail is the paper of Middle England xenophobes. The Morning Star is socialist; one might assume its readers are too. The article for each paper gives some indication of its editorial stance, and sometimes a description of the reader stereotype (e.g. in the Mail and The Guardian). AlmostReadytoFly (talk) 09:19, 28 February 2008 (UTC)


 * There's an old sketch, which I think is from "Fool Britannia", with Peter Sellers and Anthony Newley, where the character played by Sellers is asked which papers he normally reads. He replies with 3 or 4 names (Guardian, Spectator etc), and ends with the punchline: "and as many Times as I can get" (or something very like that).  I hate to reveal the punchline without the preceding joke, and I wish I could find it on Google, but a long search has produced no results.  Anyone know what I'm talking about?  --  JackofOz (talk) 09:05, 28 February 2008 (UTC)
 * I know, but I cannot find it. The sketch is about a call girl or similar and goes along the lines of "what newspapers does she take?", "Well, she takes a Mail, a Mmirror, several Spectators and as many Times as she can get" It was on an LP record, but I cannot find it.
 * Yes, Guardian readers might be more concerned with education than those of other papers, and they might also be more concerned with issues of social care, the media and (to a lesser extent perhaps) IT. This is partly because the paper has large weekly supplements on all these subjects, containing articles, letters and pages and pages of job vacancies.  You can always tell a newspaper's (a quality newspaper, at least) demographic by studying the kind of jobs that are advertised in it.  Personnel departments are not stupid (well, they are, but that's another story), and they want to maximise the reach of their job adverts by placing them in the newspaper where the best potential employees are likely to see it.  None of the other quality newspapers have anywhere near as many job adverts as the Guardian does. --Richardrj talkemail 10:30, 28 February 2008 (UTC)
 * Although that becomes self-fulfilling. A paper becomes known for the types of job adverts it places, so HR and job-seekers alike follow that lead.  From personal experience, when looking for specific jobs I bought the recommended paper just for the adverts; forget the journalism.  My colleagues did the same. (And then bought a different paper when undergoing a career-change.) Gwinva (talk) 20:35, 28 February 2008 (UTC)

Thank you all, that list is great! And JackofOz, I recognize that quote but I can't find it anywhere either. 81.96.160.6 (talk) 04:00, 29 February 2008 (UTC)

Castle Hudemühlen
OK, here's another German location question. I'm trying to find information on Castle Hudemühlen to kill a redlink. My source, dating to 1860, says it is "in the country of Lüneburg", but the German Wikipedia's article on Hodenhagen seems to indicate it is there. The common thread here is that the castle is famous for once being the home of a kobold named Hinzelmann. At any rate, I'm having a devil of a time (no pun intended) finding English-language sources that aren't specifically about the kobold. Please help! — Dulcem (talk) 05:13, 28 February 2008 (UTC)


 * Some circumstantial support for Hodenhagen: The German Wikipedia article on Hodenhagen says it was formed in 1936 by uniting three towns, including one named Hudemühlen-Burg (Hudemühlen Castle). Google maps for Hudemühlen leads only to a Hudemühlen-Burg street in Hodenhagen. On German Wikipedia Hudemühlen redirects to Hodenhagen. The German Wikipedia article on Hinzelmann quotes an unnamed 1704 book that Hinzelmann appeared "in Hause Hudemühlen and thereafter in Eystrup in the Lüneburg country". Eyestrup is only 28 km from Hodenhagen. From Lüneburg it is 86 km to Hodenhagen but 113 km to Eyestrup. Is it reasonable to guess that the Eyestrup-Hudemühlen region was considered part of some extendedLüneburg country? --71.146.162.148 (talk) 06:24, 28 February 2008 (UTC)
 * This site talks about a castle in Hohenhagen with two names, Hudemühlen and "abgegangenes Schloss". Could this be an alternate name, perhaps one that is better known today? I'm also curious to know whether the castle is still standing or is in ruins. — Dulcem (talk) 08:16, 28 February 2008 (UTC)
 * The page quoted by Dulcem says Erhalten: nichts (remains: none). Thus the castle isn't even in ruins any more. The page names as its source the book Handbuch der historischen Stätten Deutschlands, Band 2. Niedersachsen und Bremen by Kurt Brüning & Heinrich Schmidt, Stuttgart 1986. --71.146.162.148 (talk) 08:39, 28 February 2008 (UTC)
 * Thanks for all the help. I've created redirects for the castle to Hodenhagen and added a note to that page about the castle and kobold that used to be there. — Dulcem (talk) 09:57, 28 February 2008 (UTC)

Tim Cahill
What is Tim Cahill's (the soccer player) contribution to Australia? 220.233.83.26 (talk) 06:01, 28 February 2008 (UTC)
 * Take a peek at Tim Cahill - 's probably there if it's important enough. --Ouro (blah blah) 06:43, 28 February 2008 (UTC)

I have already checked that's why I'm asking. 220.233.83.26 (talk) 06:54, 28 February 2008 (UTC)
 * Well, other than the facts that he was the first Australian to score in the FIFA World Cup and other similar achievements, I cannot help you more. Maybe someone else knows that frequents the RD. Sorry I couldn't help more. Cheers, Ouro (blah blah) 07:16, 28 February 2008 (UTC)

Boomtowns in the English-Speaking World (especially the Anglosphere)
So I'm a young guy about to graduate and looking to dive into the world and make my mark. I hear Fort McMurray, energized by $100/barrel oil, has exploded in growth, doubling in years, and offers boundless opportunities. Are there any other boomtowns? Lotsofissues 06:06, 28 February 2008 (UTC)


 * What about Mars? It's at least as cold and isolated as Fort McMurray. Actually, Inc. Magazine made a list of American ones, with St. George, Utah at number 1. Adam Bishop (talk) 16:24, 28 February 2008 (UTC)


 * Mining towns in Western Australia are busy now.Polypipe Wrangler (talk) 22:22, 28 February 2008 (UTC)


 * Print out a list of cities over 10,000 in Alberta. Every one is in a boom and will be until oil drops below $60/barrel. --NellieBly (talk) 01:06, 6 March 2008 (UTC)

Currency exchange?
I have a minor hobby of collecting coins and currency. Is there some sort of place I can go in midtown Manhattan or the Upper East Side to, say, exchange an American dollar for a Euro or other currency? I had a crazy idea of getting some Zimbabwe dollars but I don't have a truck to carry it all. --Blue387 (talk) 06:16, 28 February 2008 (UTC)


 * I would expect that most banks will exchange local currency for many different foreign currencies, although they'll charge you a fee which will make it uneconomic to change just one dollar. The proper name for currency changers is Bureau de change, but in my experience most banks in Western countries have this function.- gadfium 08:34, 28 February 2008 (UTC)


 * I think for small denominations you'd have more success at a specialist coin and medal collectors' shop (which you might be able to find in the local telephone directory). I know of one in York, but not in New York. AlmostReadytoFly (talk) 09:30, 28 February 2008 (UTC)


 * I always go to American Express if I want a few zloty or whatever. There's one at Macy's Herald Square. Call ahead for oddball currency. --Milkbreath (talk) 13:22, 28 February 2008 (UTC)


 * Many bureaux de change will not handle coins, so you won't be able to get just one euro, which to my knowledge is available only as a coin rather than a bank note (bill). The smallest euro bank note denomination, I think, is €5, which is worth about $7.50, but it will cost close to $10 with fees and commission.  Marco polo (talk) 17:41, 28 February 2008 (UTC)


 * Linguistic note: "bureau de change" is in a foreign language and is not "the proper term" in North American English. It's just a foreign-exchange office/business/desk/etc. --Amonymous, 01:00 UTC, February 29, 2008.


 * Linguistic correction: "bureau de change" may be in French, a foreign language in the US, but French is not a foreign language in Canada. --NellieBly (talk) 01:08, 6 March 2008 (UTC)


 * But how can I get Zimbabwe money? --Blue387 (talk) 07:31, 29 February 2008 (UTC)
 * I have found Zimbabwean currency at the Polish online auction site, allegro.pl, so maybe try Ebay? --Ouro (blah blah) 12:57, 29 February 2008 (UTC)
 * Anon user 206.252.74.48 below has UK 5p, if that's of interest! Gwinva (talk) 20:20, 1 March 2008 (UTC)

Tim Cahill (2)
Would Tim Cahill be recognized as Everton's star player?? 220.233.83.26 (talk) 09:05, 28 February 2008 (UTC)
 * I wouldn't say that, no. In the first place, I would query the whole idea of "star players".  Football is a team game and the contribution of any one individual tends to be regarded as less important than the way the team as a whole plays.  In any case, there are other current Everton players (for example Phil Neville) whose careers are at least as distinguished as Cahill's.  --Richardrj talkemail 10:23, 28 February 2008 (UTC)
 * Of course football teams have "star players". Manchester United have Wayne Rooney, Carlos Tevez and Cristiano Ronaldo, Arsenal have Cesc Fabregas and Emmanuel Adebayor, Chelsea have John Terry, Frank Lampard and Didier Drogba, Liverpool have Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres, Tottenham have Dimitar Berbatov, Barcelona have Lionel Messi, Ronaldinho and Samuel Eto'o, AC Milan have Kaka, Alexandre Pato and Ronaldo, and so on.  To answer the question, Everton have a few "top" players at the moment (Yakubu, Andy Johnson, Mikel Arteta and yes, Tim Cahill.  It didn't hep Cahill to be injured for much of last season.  I would say Arteta is probably recognised by fans as their "star player" at the moment. Neıl  ☎  12:34, 28 February 2008 (UTC)
 * You have more or less confirmed what I wrote in your reply. You list two or three star players for each club, which supports my assertion that clubs do not have one star player.  I would still dispute whether fans would name one individual. --Richardrj talkemail 12:59, 28 February 2008 (UTC)
 * I could have said C Ronaldo for United, Fabregas for Arsenal, Drogba for Chelsea, Gerrard for Liverpool, Berbatov for Spurs, Kaka for AC Milan, and so on, and I wouldn't have been far off. Fans name their one "star" player every season at most clubs. Neıl ☎  14:22, 28 February 2008 (UTC)

OK, last German location question, I swear!
OK, this is the last German location redlink I need to kill. Where is Alte Burg? The German Wikipedia has quite a lengthy disambiguation page for that name. My source (Snowe, Joseph (1839). The Rhine, Legends, Traditions, History, from Cologne to Mainz, Vol. I. London: F. C. Westley and J. Madden & Co., p. 100) describes the location like this: "Within a few minutes' walk of Bayenthurm, which forms the furthermost extremity of Cologne, as the traveller proceeds up the Rhine, stand a large mill and an adjacent house, on the bank of the river. History or tradition mention nothing of their origin or antiquity ; and yet that the spot must be the site of a very ancient structure, is evident from the derivation of its name—Alte Burg—literally, old castle."

Any guesses? — Dulcem (talk) 10:12, 28 February 2008 (UTC)
 * Alte Burg at the Deutschland Wikipediä. I haven't got any Cologne-related literature at hand to help you right now, but this reminds me of something... --Ouro (blah blah) 11:24, 28 February 2008 (UTC)


 * You might be thinking about de:Alte Burg (Nörvenich) or de:Alteburg (Essen). Admiral Norton (talk) 14:20, 28 February 2008 (UTC)


 * I would think he meant the Alteburger Mühle. There's still a street in Cologne named "An der Alteburger Mühle", a little south (i.e., "up" the Rhine) of the Bayenturm. See also, and . The name derivation of "alte burg" from "burg" as in "old castle" is highly dubious, by the way. It can equally well be derived from "burger": the old mill of the burgers of the city of Cologne. I'm not aware of any castle having ever been there. There was, however, a Roman castell in the vicinity. (and of course, Cologne was an important city in Roman times). Lupo 14:35, 28 February 2008 (UTC)
 * Cool, thanks, everyone. I guess it's dubious enough that I shouldn't speculate about which one it really is. I'll delink and replace "Alte Burg" with "a place known as Alte Burg" or the like. Thanks again! — Dulcem (talk) 23:37, 28 February 2008 (UTC)

TRITON T80xr Shower problem.
Has anyone in the UK experienced a temperature control problem with the Triton T80xr shower? The problem occurs when the shower is turned back on after a short stop. There is a quick slug of hotter water (as is normal) then the water runs cold and will not reheat. If the shower is turned off and then on again the problem resolves but this should be unnecessary with a brand new shower. The Triton company tells me that there have been other sufferers of this problem but will not elucidate further. The company further tells me that this is the way this model is designed (!?) If that is the case I wonder why there are no instructions in the users' handbook about this very irritating 'function'. So, back to the question. Has anyone else had a similar problem and have you any advice? Richard Avery (talk) 10:39, 28 February 2008 (UTC)


 * Afraid I can't help you myself, but I know where to find someone who can. The uk.d-i-y newsgroup is full of people who know all about this kind of thing, including not a few professional plumbers and bathroom installers.
 * If you don't have a newsreader set up already, your best bet for quickly posting a one-off question is probably Google Groups (try here) though I think you might still need to register with them. 81.187.153.189 (talk) 12:31, 28 February 2008 (UTC)


 * OK, Thanks for that 189, it seems to be a fairly active site. Richard Avery (talk) 08:06, 29 February 2008 (UTC)

I read the instructions yesterday that come with really expensive tempering valves (Thermostatic mixing valve). The brief pulse of hot water is mentioned.Polypipe Wrangler (talk) 21:09, 29 February 2008 (UTC)

Life is.....
Hi everyone! I'm doing a poster for my biology class and I need several sort, witty statements about what life is, in the style of "Life is....". I've got a few of my own, but I know you guys can come up with some crackers! xxx User:Hyper Girl 12:26, 28 February 2008 (UTC)
 * A few quick ones off the top of my head: a protein sandwich, wet, wild, a work in progress, all over you, hungry, only natural. What were yours? --Milkbreath (talk) 12:50, 28 February 2008 (UTC)

According to the Small Faces,life is just a bowl of All-Bran Lemon martini (talk) 13:29, 28 February 2008 (UTC)
 * Life is like a box of chocolates, but my box comes from a different shelf. --Ouro (blah blah) 13:30, 28 February 2008 (UTC)
 * I've always been a fan of these: "Life is Substantial!", "Life is the opposite of Efil", and "Life is heartily endorsed by Art Linkletter". UltraExactZZ Claims~ Evidence 13:33, 28 February 2008 (UTC)


 * Life is an STD with 100% fatality —Preceding unsigned comment added by 12.191.136.2 (talk) 13:35, 28 February 2008 (UTC)
 * Zanussi made a film on this - Life as a Fatal Sexually Transmitted Disease --Ouro (blah blah) 13:50, 28 February 2008 (UTC)


 * It's people like that that depress the hell out of me. Anyway, life to me is like a mountain range, you have a hard time climbing up the hard parts, but then you can walk down easily. I liken the hardest parts of life to running into a rock wall that is completely vertical, looking at it, and then realizing you have to climb it. 206.252.74.48 (talk) 14:01, 28 February 2008 (UTC)


 * So the fact that you're not immortal depresses the hell out of you? Also, I think User:Hyper Girl was looking for a s(h)ort answer. Zain Ebrahim (talk) 14:11, 28 February 2008 (UTC)


 * No, the fact that people see life as worthless depresses me. It's a beautiful thing, and we should cherish it while we can. 206.252.74.48 (talk) 14:50, 28 February 2008 (UTC)


 * Life is a fatal STD ergo life is worthless?
 * Zain Ebrahim (talk) 06:49, 29 February 2008 (UTC)


 * Life is butter melon cauliflower.--Shantavira|feed me 14:07, 28 February 2008 (UTC)


 * protein synthesis, the only alternative, better than the alternative, excellent, amazing, what we live for, my personal hell, DNA replication, better than TV, less exciting than sex, possible because of enzymes, not a computer simulation... Think outside the box 14:09, 28 February 2008 (UTC)
 * (unindent) Life is composed of lengthy spans of sadness and melancholy divided by brief moments of happiness. --Ouro (blah blah) 14:10, 28 February 2008 (UTC)
 * These are perfect! Thank you! I especially like Milkbreath and Think outside the box's ideas. Sorry Milkbreath, but I feel embarrassed to post mine after looking at this (believe me, they were about as good as peas in hot chocolate!) xxx User:Hyper Girl 14:25, 28 February 2008 (UTC)
 * Life is life, na naaa naaa na naaaa (disclaimer: you will probably be old and/or German if you get this). Neıl ☎  14:26, 28 February 2008 (UTC)
 * Hyper Girl, after you're done, post your poster somewhere for us to see :) --Ouro (blah blah) 15:00, 28 February 2008 (UTC)


 * "Life IS pain, Highness! Anyone who tells you differently is selling something," according to Westley.  I am flat out shocked no one had submitted that yet. Faithfully, Deltopia (talk) 15:15, 28 February 2008 (UTC)
 * "Inconceivable!", in fact. Gwinva (talk) 20:47, 28 February 2008 (UTC)

Life is unfair--Dlo2012 (talk) 15:26, 28 February 2008 (UTC)

"Life is a condition that distinguishes organisms from inorganic objects, i.e. non-life, and dead organisms, being manifested by growth through metabolism, reproduction, and the power of adaptation to environment through changes originating internally." Obviously! Adam Bishop (talk) 16:17, 28 February 2008 (UTC)


 * Life is long, except when you're enjoying yourself. -mattbuck (Talk) 16:21, 28 February 2008 (UTC)
 * According to Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Life is real! Life is earnest! Deor (talk) 17:01, 28 February 2008 (UTC)
 * Life is like a box of chocolates...I always get the freakin' coconut ones. Useight (talk) 17:31, 28 February 2008 (UTC)
 * In that case, give them to me. 206.252.74.48 (talk) 19:33, 28 February 2008 (UTC)

Life is but a walking shadow. By the way, googlism.com is a wonderful tool for just this occasion. --Ferkelparade &pi; 17:37, 28 February 2008 (UTC) Life is what happens just before you die. hotclaws 20:17, 28 February 2008 (UTC)


 * Old joke: Life is a sexually transmitted disease. It's quite contagious without the proper precautions, has a 9 month incubation period and is 100% terminal. Steewi (talk) 00:08, 29 February 2008 (UTC)

Life is the name of the game, and I wanna play the game with you. --Bruce Forsyth —Preceding unsigned comment added by 88.109.223.160 (talk) 10:03, 29 February 2008 (UTC)


 * I've always liked 'Life is like playing a violin solo, and learning the instrument as you go' —Preceding unsigned comment added by Radiofred (talk • contribs) 15:22, 29 February 2008 (UTC)
 * "Life is." Simply stated. – ClockworkSoul 17:24, 29 February 2008 (UTC)

Check out the box that I just added to this section linking to Wikiquote. My favorite "Life is" quote belongs to John Lennon: "Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans." --M @ r ē ino 15:23, 29 February 2008 (UTC)
 * Also accredited to Woody Allen, I believe. Julia Rossi (talk) 00:17, 1 March 2008 (UTC)

Apparently,life is also made of whole grain oats Lemon martini (talk) 12:56, 2 March 2008 (UTC)

Canada
Hi. Just wondering what is the richest province in Canada? Is it Alberta?Jwking (talk) 16:01, 28 February 2008 (UTC)
 * What standard of "richest" are you applying? We have a list of Canadian provinces and territories by gross domestic product that puts Ontario pretty clearly on top for most conventional measures (the Northwest Territories top the per capita ranking). &mdash; Lomn 16:11, 28 February 2008 (UTC)


 * Well, according to Economy of Alberta, "Alberta is the richest province in Canada (GDP per capita wise) and if it were its own country, it would be ranked second richest in the world (after Luxembourg)", and according to Economy of Ontario, "The Economy of Ontario is a rich and diversified economy. Ontario has the largest economy in Canada, its GDP being nearly twice that of neighbouring Quebec, the second largest economy." So I suppose it depends on what you are measuring. Alberta has the oilpatch but Ontario has far more business and trade. Adam Bishop (talk) 16:15, 28 February 2008 (UTC)


 * Ah, good point -- the Northwest Territories aren't a province. The list above confirms Alberta's GDP per capita rank. &mdash; Lomn 18:33, 28 February 2008 (UTC)


 * And it's a good thing, given the price of groceries. Why are the same items 50% higher in price at Safeway in Calgary than they are at Safeway in Regina? --NellieBly (talk) 01:11, 6 March 2008 (UTC)

New York rush-hour traffic
I will be driving into Midtown Manhattan from New England during the evening rush hour on Friday. For most of my trip, I will happily drive against the flow of rush-hour traffic. My concern is that, when I exit either the West Side Highway or FDR Drive for my ultimate destination, near Herald Square, I will confront the crush of vehicles trying to enter either the Lincoln or Midtown Tunnel. Can any New Yorker (or frequent visitor) advise me on which tunnel entrance tends to be more congested? This will help me decide whether to approach on the west side or the east side. Thanks! Marco polo (talk) 17:50, 28 February 2008 (UTC)
 * I'd suggest getting directions for both approaches, then listening to AM 880 for updated traffic info as you approach. ("Traffic & Weather together on the eights!") Any given tunnel/bridge/highway varies a lot from day to day. jeﬀjon (talk) 14:14, 29 February 2008 (UTC)

I normally drive into the theatre district from the east, and cross town on 27th St. Somehow the traffic is pretty minimal there. I echo the others: which is the better tunnel varies from day to day, and the radio will help. 880 traffic at 8, 18, 28, etc. minutes after the hour, 1010 traffic at 1, 11, 21, etc. Coming from New England, try to avoid the morass that is the Cross Bronx Expy. Cross at the Tappan Zee if feasible, or come over the Triborough Bridge and approach from the east. I don't do this daily, so heed those who do and YMMV -- literally! Catrionak (talk) 17:22, 29 February 2008 (UTC)
 * To quote Monty Python, "don't be a fool, don't do it!" I've done it before, and I found the Connecticut traffic to be harrowing.  You should ask, do I really need my car, and do I need to take it all the way to midtown?  You might be better off parking in, say, Stamford and taking the Metro North train the rest of the way.  But if you must then, as jeﬀjon said, listen to 880 AM (or 1010 WINS) to get updates.  Probably your best bet will end up being West Side Highway to the 42nd St southbound, then proceeding to Herald Sq. without travelling through Times Square.  Also, remember that on Friday evening the pedestrians aren't paying any attention to you. --M @ r ē ino 15:37, 29 February 2008 (UTC)

God and his all powerfulness
Can God create a rock so heavy he cant lift it? 144.32.126.12 (talk) 18:20, 28 February 2008 (UTC)


 * Mu. Dforest (talk) 09:41, 29 February 2008 (UTC)


 * See our article on the omnipotence paradox. &mdash; Lomn 18:26, 28 February 2008 (UTC)
 * I say God can create a rock of any weight, yet he can still lift it. But, I'm afraid we just don't know too much about God and his lifting of rocks. Useight (talk) 00:23, 29 February 2008 (UTC)


 * God, by definition, created the entire universe. Any one rock, no matter how heavy, is relatively light.  --  JackofOz (talk) 00:34, 29 February 2008 (UTC)


 * As a Theory of Relativity, this lacks the gravity of St Peter. --Cookatoo.ergo.ZooM (talk) 01:02, 29 February 2008 (UTC)


 * This also depends on your definition of "lift". The "heaviness" of a rock depends on a particular value for the gravitational acceleration in the given point in space (six times greater at the surface of the earth than at the surface of the moon, and much smaller at a point in deep space). To "lift" a rock means that you move it away from ... what? What is the centre in God's view of the universe? SaundersW (talk) 08:40, 29 February 2008 (UTC)


 * I've just realised the answer is no. There's a maximum on how big a rock can be (see black hole and neutron star), but no maximum on what God can move (due to omnipotence). You could argue that God could prevent the rock from collapsing in on itself, but if He's preventing gravity from working, then it's not exactly lifting in my opinion. AlmostReadytoFly (talk) 09:24, 29 February 2008 (UTC)

At the end of the day I suppose it doesn't matter since God doesn't exist. 144.32.126.14 (talk) 17:58, 1 March 2008 (UTC)

I always thought the answer was "yes", in the sense that this is equivalent to asking "can god remove his omnipotent powers?", and that seems perfectly possible to me, given the definition of terms. Of course, it's all just a thought experiment, since physical laws and god's implausible existence would kick in anyway. &mdash; Kieff | Talk 09:52, 29 February 2008 (UTC)

Somebody asked the same question twice last year, i wonder if its the same guy...--Dlo2012 (talk) 15:33, 29 February 2008 (UTC)

A good saying here: "A nonsensical sentence doesn't suddenly make sense just because you put the words 'Can God' in front of it." DJ Clayworth (talk) 18:11, 29 February 2008 (UTC)

The only way to test this is to go find the biggest rock in the universe, and have Brett Favre pick it up. I guarantee he does it, and then proceeds to throw it 80 yards for a touchdown. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 128.101.53.141 (talk) 19:02, 29 February 2008 (UTC)

No. It is illogical, and God can't do anything contradictory, like make a circular square. I'd go into detail but his is probably a matter too complex to discuss on the Wikipedia reference desk. If you are trying to disprove the existence of God, you've failed. Go read some Thomas Aquinas or some other intelligent religious people for proof there is a God. Or, remember this: The universe did not hatch from an egg that laid itself by mistake. MalwareSmarts (talk) 22:11, 2 March 2008 (UTC)

players
I was just wondering if an HD DVD player can play a blu-ray disc?Jwking (talk) 20:13, 28 February 2008 (UTC)


 * No, why do you think there was so much talk about which format would win. It wouldn't matter if one player played both formats! However, there are combination players that play both - I suspect those to phase out quite quickly. 206.252.74.48 (talk) 20:50, 28 February 2008 (UTC)


 * It's possible to get dual-format players. NEC makes OEM chips and both Samsung and LG make end-user devices.  --M @ r ē ino 21:40, 29 February 2008 (UTC)

NY Strip steak
Anybody know why they call it so? 22:00, 28 February 2008 (UTC)
 * Our article on the Delmonico steak (linked from strip steak) notes that it is named for Delmonico's Restaurant in New York City. While the precise cut that originated the Delmonico is unknown, the present-day NY Strip is a good candidate. &mdash; Lomn 22:10, 28 February 2008 (UTC)


 * Cheers - that's some fast responding. ny156uk (talk) 23:00, 28 February 2008 (UTC)