Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Miscellaneous/2008 January 8

= January 8 =

Walking into the Soviet embassy in DC
At the height of the Cold War, John Anthony Walker "began spying for the Soviets in December 1967, when, distraught over his financial difficulties, he walked into the Soviet Embassy in Washington, DC and sold a classified document (a radio cipher card) for several thousand dollars, negotiating an ongoing salary of $500 to $1,000 a week.[1]" Isn't the Soviet embassy monitored? Isn't this obvious? How did he not get caught right there?

66.91.224.203 (talk) 06:35, 8 January 2008 (UTC)


 * Given the prevalence of embassies to be used as the seats of espionage rings, I find it unlikely that the comings and goings of people there wasn't monitored. So there's probably more to it than just that. That being said, it's possible that even if they did see him go in that they didn't necessarily know who he was and didn't think it was necessary to spend their time doing a full background check on him—embassies have all sorts of innocuous visitors as well. --24.147.86.187 (talk) 15:38, 8 January 2008 (UTC)


 * BTW, in case you're not aware embassies are generally considered soverign territory of the nation who own's the embassy. The US could do whatever they wanted on the outside but there it would often be very difficult for them to monitor what was going on in the inside. Of course, countries do try with varying degrees of success, since they often have a role in building the embassy e.g. (this refers to the U.S. embassy in Moscow but I'm pretty sure the new Soviet embassy in Washington was heavily bugged too but of course since the article was published in 1988 it wouldn't mention that. Nil Einne (talk) 18:28, 9 January 2008 (UTC)

Andrew Daulton Lee apparently walked into the Soviet Embassy in Mexico City with classified documents. Corvus cornix talk  19:46, 9 January 2008 (UTC)

There was a great deal of debate about this when Yvonne Fletcher was shot in 1984 from the Libyan Embassy in London and the Libyans refused to hand over those responsible as they were on Libyan territory when the incident took place IIRC Lemon martini (talk) 14:24, 11 January 2008 (UTC)


 * The US government was conducting photo surveillance and phone taps of the Soviet and Cuban empassies in Mexico City in the early 1960's  so it seems highly likely they would have similarly monitored those in the US itself, where it would be far easier. This is not to say they learned the identity of everyone entering the place or phoning it. Edison (talk) 20:55, 11 January 2008 (UTC)

Contacting wikinfo
I have unsuccessfully attempted to create a user account at wikinfo. I keep getting a message about something called "reCAPTCHA". Many of the Help Pages are blocked from me (it's almost as though my IP address is being partially blocked). Just how do I contact someone over there to find out what the problem is? Thank you for any assistance that you might be able to provide regarding this matter.

--NBahn (talk) 06:40, 8 January 2008 (UTC)
 * You may want to take a look at CAPTCHA and reCAPTCHA. There is probably some CAPTCHA the system is expecting you to solve. -- Meni Rosenfeld (talk) 08:44, 8 January 2008 (UTC)
 * I had a look at the sign-up page. It seems as though the API key (sort of like a license number) they are using for reCAPTCHA is incorrect which means you can't register because you can't pass the anti-bot test. You could try emailing fredbaud at fairpoint dot net, who is apparently the registered agent to tell him that the API key needs corrected or replaced. That's the only email address I've found so far. I'm not sure why you can't access the Help pages; I had no problems, although a lot are still redlinks and the site was running a bit slow for me. -- Kateshort forbob  12:51, 8 January 2008 (UTC)
 * I've informed the registered agent at User talk:Fred Bauder. Warofdreams talk 02:14, 10 January 2008 (UTC)

I have fixed this. Thanks for the help. Fred Bauder (talk) 03:57, 10 January 2008 (UTC)

Dimmu Borgir
I am looking for a translation to any or all of the songs/ song names on the album For all Tid by Dimmu Borgir, I believe they are Norwegian so anyone that can speak it, please help me out. Thanks —Preceding unsigned comment added by 12.191.136.3 (talk) 13:26, 8 January 2008 (UTC)
 * This search might be a good starting point. I am afraid most of the sites appear to be filtered for me from work so I can't currently suggest a specific one.  Lanfear's Bane |  t  13:48, 8 January 2008 (UTC)
 * Dear 136.3, I have left my translation of the lyrics on your talkpage -> talk. Please let me know if these are not satisfactory to you. They were my own writeups, and I can sort out any immediate confusion that may arise from the translation. Please consider using four tildes ( without the space between) to sign your comments/input. Also, hello Lanfear's Bane, I recognize you from EVE. :) 81.93.102.185 (talk) 17:15, 8 January 2008 (UTC)
 * Why hello! Nice to be recognised. :)  Lanfear's Bane |  t  12:11, 9 January 2008 (UTC)
 * Briliant! thanks alot. really intelligent lyrics, lol, but seriously, good music, good album. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 12.191.136.2 (talk) 13:37, 9 January 2008 (UTC)

Poland
I wish to read about a town in poland called christchenko I am not sure of the spelling and so cannot find it, but it is pronounced kris-chenk-o I believe it to be near the carpathian mountains and have a river nearby. I saw holiday photos of it from a friend and would now like to know more thanks. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 12.191.136.2 (talk) 14:09, 8 January 2008 (UTC)


 * Krościenko? That's actually a disambiguation page for three villages in Poland with similar names.  Maybe one of those is your desired location.  -- LarryMac  | Talk  15:01, 8 January 2008 (UTC)
 * I need more coffee - only one of the links on that page goes to an article, the other two are redlinks, so I'm going to go out on a limb and guess that it's Krościenko nad Dunajcem. There is a website linked from the article, but it's in Polish.  Lots of pretty picture at the Galeria zdjęć  link, though.  -- LarryMac  | Talk  15:17, 8 January 2008 (UTC)

Thats the one thanks alot, beautiful place heh? As for coffee, we all need more, try a double esspesso, redbull and then a Latte, will give you a good buzz —Preceding unsigned comment added by 12.191.136.3 (talk) 16:11, 8 January 2008 (UTC)


 * Or for a longer lasting solution, 10 hours of sleep! --antilivedT 04:46, 9 January 2008 (UTC)

Furniture manufacturing firms
There is a firm that make Stressless furniture (Ekornes) who make this beautiful modern looking, ergonomic stylish stuff. Now they are an absolute pain in the behind to find UK costs for online (not to worry they are out of my price range based on a trip to shops that sell them) BUT I thought the combined knowledge of Wikipedia might know of firms that make 'similar' styled stuff but at much better cost. I'm not fussed whether it reclines, It seems sofas are either ultra-modern and uncomfortable, or ultra-comfortable but ugly as sin. Stressless stuff is modern but also comfortable, there's gotta be other firms that have bridged this divide! (i'm aware that 'comfortable' and 'ugly' are subjective, but any help is greatfully received) Oh the help I require is... firm names, uk distributors. I've spent ages trying to find comparatives but beyond the laze-y-boy stuff (which falls into ugly-comfortable) there's few firms I can find that make this sort of stuff. ny156uk (talk) 20:09, 8 January 2008 (UTC)

Chest hair
I'm an 18-year old guy and I don't have too much chest hair at the moment. At what age will my chest hair be fully grown and is their any way to increase/speed up chest hair growth? Thanks.--70.250.152.68 (talk) 20:54, 8 January 2008 (UTC)


 * Mine didn't really start growing until I was into my twenties. DuncanHill (talk) 20:55, 8 January 2008 (UTC)
 * And mine didn't really start until my thirties... Dismas |(talk) 22:38, 8 January 2008 (UTC)
 * And i'm mid twenties and i'm virtual free of chest-hair. I've no idea if that is a good or bad thing (personally I couldn't care less, but obviously it might help you to know the situation of more than just DuncanHill (no offence!)). ny156uk (talk) —Preceding comment was added at 21:05, 8 January 2008 (UTC)


 * It may go on getting thicker for some time. See Chest hair. If my experience is anything to go by it'll probably be complete by the time hair starts coming out of your ears. William Avery (talk) 21:19, 8 January 2008 (UTC)


 * It really depends on the individual. I'm 15 and I have more chest and abdominal hair than my dad, many of my male relatives, and often more than some full grown men I see shirtless (such as at the public swimming pool). I've known people who didn't get their first tiny-weenie chest hair until late, late puberty (~16-17ish) but exploded with chest hair in their twenties. But like William Avery said, it's a continual process but usually levels out anywhere from late teens to late twenties. --71.98.10.228 (talk) 22:33, 8 January 2008 (UTC)
 * Isn't this associated with evolution? We do not need too much chest hair now, because we keep ourselves warm using clothes and hugging and that kind of thing. I have almost no chest hair, and to get good third day stubble I'd have to wait at least a month - my father envies me. On the other hand, I had hair on my legs when I was twelvish, and I have a lot of it. Turning 26 this June by the way. --Ouro (blah blah) 08:05, 9 January 2008 (UTC)
 * Evolution has nothing to do with it. It takes place over a much longer time period than you appear to believe (many thousands of generations), and the mere fact that we no longer "need" chest hair because we wear clothes is unlikely to be a factor. You no longer "need" an appendix, but you still have one. 80.254.147.52 (talk) 15:13, 9 January 2008 (UTC)


 * We're off on a tangent but please note that there is now seculation that the appendix actually serves a function. See Vermiform appendix.


 * Atlant (talk) 17:36, 9 January 2008 (UTC)

The question is a bit surprising -- I kind of thought chest hair was out of style. Is it coming back? That would be cool with me; I never wanted to do the waxing thing. --Trovatore (talk) 09:07, 9 January 2008 (UTC)


 * If it's about chromosomes, can you check with male family members on both sides and compare notes about secondary characteristics and maturing rates perhaps? although there're always exceptions, it might give you a guide. Julia Rossi (talk) 09:38, 9 January 2008 (UTC)


 * It also depends on your hormonal activities at the time. If you are engaging in a lot of activities that get your hormones (especially testosterone) working busily, or else taking some medication that stimulates them, it can cause a spurt of growth of body hair. SaundersW (talk) 09:59, 9 January 2008 (UTC)