Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Miscellaneous/2008 July 14

= July 14 =

Ink anti-theft things
Does anyone know how I can get one of these off of clothes? My sister bought something and they forgot to take it off- any way to remove it without going back to the store? And is there a real name for these (do we have an article on them?) 70.162.28.222 (talk) 00:14, 14 July 2008 (UTC)
 * This was asked a couple months ago by someone who claimed to have bought something in another country and didn't discover the tag until they got it home. You might try searching the archives for the answer.  Dismas |(talk) 00:26, 14 July 2008 (UTC)


 * Here's the link to the old thread. They're called benefit denial tags. Your best bet is taking it back to the store (with receipt). Or you can mess with power tools and screwdrivers and run the risk of screwing it up. --98.217.8.46 (talk) 01:04, 14 July 2008 (UTC)


 * The article is at Electronic article surveillance. Security tag redirects there.  My advice is go back to the store.  If it's a chain store (presumably it is) then any stores in that chain will help you, providing you have a receipt. Also consider the fact that if this has happened to your sister before, she may well be a shoplifter. Neıl    ☄   13:43, 14 July 2008 (UTC)

battlefield 1942
I recently installed Battlefield 1942 on my computer. The game runs fine, but my mouse is unresponsive when I try to play, like I cant move it. Im running it on windows vista, if that helps. Has anyone else had this problem or know how to fix it? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 66.188.121.45 (talk) 04:31, 14 July 2008 (UTC)


 * I don't know about that game specifically, but many games have an Options panel where you can select to use either the mouse or keyboard or other controls. StuRat (talk) 04:42, 14 July 2008 (UTC)


 * It might be better to ask on the computing desk. --S.dedalus (talk) 05:35, 14 July 2008 (UTC)


 * Make sure the mouse is compatible with the game. If it's an old PS2 one, rather than a USB one, this may be why.  You may need to update your mouse drivers, also.  Finally, go into the game settings and turn the mouse sensitivity up. Neıl    ☄   13:37, 14 July 2008 (UTC)


 * PS/2 or USB shouldn't matter, because both gets abstracted to a HID device by the OS anyway. Did you alt-tab out before or does it happen when you initially start the game? Can you see your normal Windows cursor? --antilivedT 23:46, 14 July 2008 (UTC)

Rifle in picture
I was reading this article and notice that the on the left, there is some sort of rifle that I can't identify. What is it? Is it some sort of prop for the show? Perhaps it's a real rifle used by the prop people? And where can I get more information about it? I oddly like the design of it. --Blue387 (talk) 05:09, 14 July 2008 (UTC)


 * I don't know if it was based on a real weapon, but considering it shot phaser beams, I'm pretty sure it was just a prop. Adam Bishop (talk) 06:05, 14 July 2008 (UTC) —Preceding unsigned comment added by 205.210.170.49 (talk)
 * If I remember correctly, it did not fire phaser beams but used regular ammunition. I think it is a real firearm. --Blue387 (talk) 08:17, 14 July 2008 (UTC)
 * This website might interest you - according to them, it's a Muzzelite MZ14 -- Ferkelparade &pi; 08:28, 14 July 2008 (UTC)
 * Oh! Sorry, I was thinking of a different episode. Adam Bishop (talk) 13:34, 14 July 2008 (UTC)

Really weird blog
Can anyone give me a clue about who the author of this blog is and what he is doing ? . 69.157.227.80 (talk) —Preceding comment was added at 05:57, 14 July 2008 (UTC)


 * Probably thinks he's count of St.Germain Count of St. Germain —Preceding unsigned comment added by 193.115.175.247 (talk) 12:03, 14 July 2008 (UTC)


 * Also see book of solomon key of solomon First key of solomon second key of solomon as well as the first and second book of adam and eve all of your other apochryphil (spelling) biblical connons, and my personal favorite book of enoch hope that helps, if these dont link anywhere, fiddle with em a bit they all have articles under some or other name much as the first link above concerning me, um, er let just say St. Germain, or the Wandering Jew —Preceding unsigned comment added by 193.115.175.247 (talk) 15:47, 14 July 2008 (UTC)


 * Any of that related to The Book of the Goetia of Solomon the King and the things mentioned there? 79.66.54.186 (talk) 17:15, 14 July 2008 (UTC)

yes, directly related. pretty cool stuff if you have the time and patience to perform those spells, and they can keep you alive for millenia, but i feel i should also add that this crowley version is a bit rubbish, these things need to be followed to the letter, exaclty, so no quote unquote clean up is required, just get the originals manuscripts, which can be done online, and then all those angels and demons mentioned in your weird blog OQ can be at your beck and call to serve your every desire. but, be careful what you wish for. etenal life, or to wander the earth for all eternity can be rather tiresome. Enoch for instance wandered from biblical/atlantian times through christs first comeing, through the st gerain days and is now a regular on wiki adding spots of carnel knowlege here and there, but still i cant spell lolwandering jew86.18.33.2 (talk) 20:15, 14 July 2008 (UTC)wandering jew, aka Zionist aka st. germain aka enoch


 * Really wierd blog? Really wierd answer. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 193.115.175.247 (talk) 13:41, 16 July 2008 (UTC)

Flies
How high do flies fly.--88.109.14.109 (talk) 06:51, 14 July 2008 (UTC)


 * This site supports my idea that flys fly only as high as they need to. There's no reason for a fly to fly high just to get high.  They're in search of food and mates.  Those two things aren't found very high up.  Dismas |(talk) 08:28, 14 July 2008 (UTC)


 * As Dismas above said, flies will only fly as high as they need to, and in my experience this is usually no higher than the average height of a house. However, consider a tall apartment block or skyscraper; they fly will most likely have come in at grown level and worked it's way up, but if it goes out the window then it will have a long way down. To answer the question of "how high can flies fly" then I would say they would probably keep going upwards until they run out of energy and die, or when the atmosphere becomes too thin for they to breath (acutely flies and other insects don't breath but exchange gases through a system called vertebrate trachea), which ever comes first. Hope I've been helpful, as I plan to be around for a good long while. Myther moth (talk) 08:59, 14 July 2008 (UTC)


 * I assume you actually meant invertebrate trachea, seeing as that's what flies, being invertebrates, have. —Ilmari Karonen (talk) 15:00, 14 July 2008 (UTC)


 * Please see sentence structureand dont end them with a have. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 193.115.175.247 (talk) 16:15, 14 July 2008 (UTC)


 * Please to be more pleasant and not try to enforce your personal grammar rules where irrelevant. kthnx. 79.66.54.186 (talk) 17:12, 14 July 2008 (UTC)


 * Now, now boys, please behave!--88.109.14.109 (talk) 17:48, 14 July 2008 (UTC)


 * Assumptions assumptions... 79.66.54.186 (talk) 23:41, 14 July 2008 (UTC)


 * I can think of two other factors limiting the max height a fly could attain: reduced lift due to thinner air, and freezing up due to low air temps aloft. I would expect them to run out of energy or freeze up well before they reached that height normally, but let's say one is released from a high altitude balloon all warmed up, full of energy, and properly depressurized.  In that case the lack of lift due to the thin air may come into play before it freezes. StuRat (talk) 21:12, 14 July 2008 (UTC)


 * Every evening there are swifts and house martins flying around high above the rooftops here. I always thought they were catching small flies, so why are those flies so high?--Shantavira|feed me 08:10, 15 July 2008 (UTC)


 * Hi Shantavira, those birds are not feeding they are most likey juveniles, Juvin youngsters fighting/sparring for mates, noisy buggers too eh? i can sit and watch them for hours... perry-mankster at work 195.188.254.82 (talk) 13:45, 15 July 2008 (UTC)

Ah, the question should have been phrased "How high could a housefly fly if a housefly could fly high?" 152.16.16.75 (talk) 09:41, 18 July 2008 (UTC)

Overflow
If everyone flushed their toilets at the same time, would the sewers explode? What would happen? Ceeping kalm (talk) 08:48, 14 July 2008 (UTC)


 * Nothing, a toilet flush is minor. However if it rained a lot, thats a different story. All recent sewers (last 50 years) are designed to accomodate future growth, don't take stormwater and havent reached full capacity. Older sewers are "combined" with stormwater disposal and feed into harbours or rivers generally. A long period of heavy rain causes overflow and pollution problems. Mhicaoidh (talk) 10:03, 14 July 2008 (UTC)


 * Pressure varies only with hydraulic head, so flushing all the toilets at once probably wouldn't increase the sewer pressure enough to burst the pipes underground. Instead, all the pipes would drain more slowly as the "backlog" drained away. An interesting case would be a very tall apartment building - if they were the last to flush, the water would stand in the downpipe waiting to drain, the pressure head might burst the thinner drainpipe within the building (but they probably design for that); and if the apartment at the top was the last to flush, the toilets on the lower floors might get a little backflow. Water tends to go to the easiest path, it won't bother trying to burst a pipe when it can just overflow onto the bathroom floor. Franamax (talk) 10:18, 14 July 2008 (UTC)


 * Which is why all buildings have a gully trap or similar device outside to vent internal or sewer overflows to the outside world rather than the lowest apartments shower or bath. Mhicaoidh (talk) 11:37, 14 July 2008 (UTC)


 * This sort of thing actually happens during large sporting events. When the Super Bowl breaks for halftime, and between the sets at Wimbledon, the water pressure in major cities drops as millions of viewers simultaneously take the opportunity to relieve themselves.  Plasticup  T / C  12:34, 14 July 2008 (UTC)
 * Citation needed. -- LarryMac  | Talk  12:52, 14 July 2008 (UTC)
 * Here. Seems to be more of a sewerage issue. Fribbler (talk) 13:41, 14 July 2008 (UTC)
 * OK, I'll see your article and raise you an admitted "legend". -- LarryMac  | Talk  13:48, 14 July 2008 (UTC)
 * O.k. I fold . Fribbler (talk) 13:54, 14 July 2008 (UTC)
 * Hmmm, not exactly the type of "pot" I wanted to win :-) -- LarryMac  | Talk  14:10, 14 July 2008 (UTC)
 * Yeah, a bit of a bum deal. Fribbler (talk) 14:24, 14 July 2008 (UTC)
 * The quality of puns on the reference desk has really "bottomed out".  Plasticup  T / C  14:27, 14 July 2008 (UTC)
 * As has the professionalism of its volunteers (see comments directly above for example). Ceeping kalm (talk) 15:01, 14 July 2008 (UTC)
 * "Professional volunteers" is almost a tautology. Don't let bad puns drive you round the U-bend. Neıl    ☄   17:19, 14 July 2008 (UTC)
 * In the TV series The West Point Story (TV series) there was an episode in which a cadet had said in an engineering class that the waterhammer or pressure transient from simultaneous toilet flushing could rupture the sewer. His professor said he was wrong. In the end, a practical demonstration showed he was right. Fiction, but still, an expresion of the belief. As for "modern sewers:" is there a town somewhere which has removed all the hundred year old sewers? Edison (talk) 19:13, 14 July 2008 (UTC)

If my memory is correct, in this episode of "The West Point Story," the cadet predicted that the water main (not the sewer) would rupture from the back pressure when all the flush valves closed simultaneously, and based on the water system layout, he predicted the location of the anticipated failure. The cadet was depicted standing at the predicted location, and his salute to an officer also signaled his colleagues to flush, resulting in an eruption of water that soaked his superior.

I seem to remember that when Cleveland Browns Stadium or Progressive Field was built, they recruited volunteers to for a simultaneous flushing of all of its toilets to test the plumbing system. -- Mwalcoff (talk) 22:47, 15 July 2008 (UTC)

job center
Hi, my friend once told me that if you go to the job center they have to find a job for you that is within your area of experience, and that if for example I said I was an astronaut or gallows attendant, they will be unlikely to find me a job and they'll have to put me on the doll. Is this true? If it is some suggestions of obscure jobs would be excellent as I have no desire to work. Many thanks. Myther moth (talk) 08:53, 14 July 2008 (UTC)


 * It kind of depends on which country you're in, for starters. (The words "job center" and and "the dole" lead me to believe that you're probably British, but...) In any case -- and this is probably going to be the case all over the world -- if you're going to lie, there are often ways of whether what you say is true. (It is literally possible to check the identity of just about every astronaut in the world, for example, and if you don't happen to be one of them, well, so much for that.) In most cases, you would probably be expected to provide some proof of prior employment or training as an astronaut or a gallows attendant, or whatever you claim to be. I doubt any country in the world has a system where they just take your word for being the president of Paraguay and then shrug and start paying you when they can't get you that exact super-specific job. -- Captain Disdain (talk) 09:01, 14 July 2008 (UTC)
 * Try telling them that you're a treacle bender and that you trained with Andy Capp. Seriously, they start off with suggesting jobs in your area of expertise but can quite quickly move on to trying to convince you that the cleaning job they have been trying to fill is the career opportunity of your lifetime. Itsmejudith (talk) 10:43, 14 July 2008 (UTC)


 * I'm afraid it's rubbish - they try to find you a job within your area of expertise, yes, but if you turn everything down because it's "not your area of expertise", then you will be asked to go on training in something else (plastering, typing, IT, join the army, whatever). Turn that down as well, and you stop receiving JSA (Job Seekers Allowance = the dole).  Which is quite right, as people who refuse work for no reason and just want to leech off the state are useless parasites.  Neıl    ☄   13:35, 14 July 2008 (UTC)

I suggest that the best thing to do is take job interviews, but subtly undermine them. I knew someone who used to put Unionism and Left-Wing Politics in his interests on application forms to put off prospective employers. You could also fill in the form really badly, with a lot of mispellings, tea stains, etc. Some other suggestions to avoid getting a job:- Be VERY VERY interested in holidays and sick pay if you manage to get an interview. Try leering at the interviewer, and use subtle sexual innuendo in your answers. Dress like you slept in a gutter for the last 3 weeks. Keep a sweaty, stinky shirt to wear for interviews so they think that you have BO. Get horribly offended at an innocent comment made by the interviewer and justify it by claiming that they are "prejudiced" against you. However, being on the dole isn't that much fun, according to the people I know who are on it, and they'll end up trying to get you on training courses and so on eventually. Why not try to find a job that you enjoy (or at least can stand)? It beats living on benefits!195.27.12.230 (talk) 14:32, 14 July 2008 (UTC)
 * It is my understanding that if they believe you deliberately failed a job interview they can stop your benefits. Quite right too. -- Q Chris (talk) 14:47, 14 July 2008 (UTC)

In my very recent experience, you can only get Job Seekers Allowance for 6 months, then they'll kick you off that benefit onto something (anything) else to make the figures look better for the Department of Work and Pensions. During the first 3 months on JSA, they let me restrict my job search to one thing I was qualified to do - you still have to come into the Job Centre once every 2 weeks to sign and they expect you to bring evidence of your job search in a log book. They then have you in for an interview where they ask you what else you might be able to do and you're expected to expand your search to at least 3 job titles. At the same time they put you on weekly signing for 6 weeks and still want to see the log of your job hunting efforts each visit. After that you go back to the fortnightly signing. I was promised some help with training - but only after I'd been signing-on for 6 months and would be classed as "long-term unemployed". I never did find out if that happens because I landed a job. TBH, it's a whole lot of hassle to go through for £57 a week (compare that to the ~£200 a week you would get for a full-time job at minimum-wage and you'll see it's not going to be easy to survive long-term), but they do keep your National Insurance payments up to date for you and it made me a little more enthusiastic in looking for a job. Astronaut (talk) 15:59, 14 July 2008 (UTC)
 * You'll probably be better off by just getting a job and doing your best at it. Make more money, too. -FisherQueen (talk · contribs) 14:29, 16 July 2008 (UTC)

Royal Marriage
I wish to read about Royal Marriage however, I wish to read about the institution, inbreeding, and uspurperism, not some card game, any advice? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 193.115.175.247 (talk) 11:59, 14 July 2008 (UTC)
 * Royal family gives some useful links to specific examples
 * perhaps List of family trees may also be usefull as well.
 * Inbreeding is particularily helpful.
 * usurperism? we have List of usurpers. 87.102.86.73 (talk) 12:16, 14 July 2008 (UTC)


 * I'd like to re-redirect you to the humanties page where I imagine you should get better answers..

please see Reference desk/Humanities.87.102.86.73 (talk) 12:24, 14 July 2008 (UTC)

Identify this book
I riffled through a book in a bookstall sometime back, that was written by a Japanese woman staying in USA. It was about a little girl and her extremely optimistic elder sister, and how they faced life in an alien country. The elder sister dies at the end of the book, and the title of the book was most probably something like Kiri-kiri. Can anyone give me more information about this book?? 117.194.227.50 (talk) 13:27, 14 July 2008 (UTC)

HELLO!!! It's been two days since I posted this question. Somebody say something!! 117.194.225.200 (talk) 10:49, 16 July 2008 (UTC)
 * No-one here knows anything. Shouting at us isn't going to help. Algebraist 11:07, 16 July 2008 (UTC)
 * The reason folks aren't finding information about this book is that they're looking up the title you gave, which is almost, but not quite, right. You're thinking of Kira-Kira, by Cynthia Kadohata.  It won a Newberry award in 2005, and while I haven't read it myself, several of my students have told me how much they enjoyed it.  It's available on amazon.com, but as a fairly recent release and an award winner, you'll probably find it on the shelf at your friendly neighborhood bookstore, too. -FisherQueen (talk · contribs) 14:22, 16 July 2008 (UTC)

Retirement
In the US, let's say you're eligible to retire and receive some sort of pension or retirement benefit (not a 401k). If you retire and start receiving this benefit, are you allowed to take another job? This is just a hypothetical question not a request for professional advice. If it matters the specific situation I'm interested in involves a US federal government employee in the CSRS retirement plan. ike9898 (talk) 14:01, 14 July 2008 (UTC)


 * With Social Security you can. See here. --Wirbelwind ヴィルヴェルヴィント (talk) 17:59, 14 July 2008 (UTC)


 * I think it really depends on a lot of details about the pension. My mother gets a pension from the state government but they hire her as a contractor now and then (and pay her more than she used to make at the job). --98.217.8.46 (talk) 19:41, 14 July 2008 (UTC)


 * It is very common for eligible former U.S. government employees, civilian or military, to receive retirement benefits from their government service (once they attain the necessary combination of age and years of service) and take another job. The phrase is "double-dipping."  One of my first bosses ended up as a triple-dipper.  He was a retired Navy captain, had worked for the Postal Service, and while drawing retirement from both of those was working for a non-government corporation.  That said, the details of what a private pension program allows are part of that pension program.  When I turn 60, I will begin receiving pension benefits from a Fortune 100 company.  Nothing in that program prevents me from working elsewhere while drawing those benefits.  So the short answer is, "It depends."  As for the Civil Service Retirement System, try the OMB Retirement page. I see in this brochure for example, that if the agency is authorized to offer early retirement, a person under CSRS who has either (a) 25 years of service or (b) 20 years of service and is at least age 50, can retire voluntarily on immediate annuity (meaning, will start receiving whatever amount he's eligible for).  OtherDave (talk) 02:21, 20 July 2008 (UTC)

numberplates
When were numberplates introduced into England and when were they made compulsory? —Preceding unsigned comment added by Ceeping kalm (talk • contribs) 15:02, 14 July 2008 (UTC)


 * According to Vehicle registration plates of the United Kingdom, "The Motor Car Act 1903, which came into force on 1 January 1904, required all motor vehicles to be entered on to the Government's vehicle register, and to carry number plates." -- LarryMac  | Talk  15:15, 14 July 2008 (UTC)

The Beatles
Did The Beatles pull a PR stunt back in the sixties by suggesting that McCartney was dead and buried under Strawberry Fields? Moancical (talk) 15:05, 14 July 2008 (UTC)
 * See Paul is dead for info on the legend. Fribbler (talk) 15:08, 14 July 2008 (UTC)
 * Thank you! Moancical (talk) 15:09, 14 July 2008 (UTC)

commercial airliner designs
why... do american (and european?) airliners all have low wing designs, and russian airliners apparently all have high wing? Gzuckier (talk) 15:52, 14 July 2008 (UTC)


 * I once flew on a Tupolev Tu-154 (though it might have been a Tupolev Tu-134 or an Ilyushin Il-86) to Bulgaria and it was of a low-wing design.  Astronaut (talk) 16:09, 14 July 2008 (UTC)


 * There are plenty high-wing American/European airliners. See BAe 146, Bombardier Dash 8, ATR 72 and so on. Equally, there are low-wing Russian designs: Tupolev Tu-334, Tupolev Tu-134, Tupolev Tu-154 and so on (from other manufacturers, too: Ilyushin Il-114).
 * She's as sweet as Tupolev honey... sorry. anyway, what's the difference between the two designs? i imagine on a little Cessna vs a piper, it's a matter of pilot visibility up or down, but on an airliner? Gzuckier (talk) 19:42, 14 July 2008 (UTC)
 * A high wing is more stable. A low wing allows easier mounting of the undercarriage (lighter, less costly), better survival in a forced landing (wings help absorb the impact) and full headroom through the fuselage (a high wing means you have to duck under the mounting). That's what I gather anyway. Here's some reading: . Franamax (talk) 20:49, 14 July 2008 (UTC)
 * Low wing is easier on maintenence, high wing reduces the chance of engine damage due to loose articles on the ground and allows the fuselage to come closer to the ground. The latter is why you'll see a lot of military cargo with high-wing. DJ Clayworth (talk) 21:20, 14 July 2008 (UTC)


 * Low-wing design has a high ground effect on landing, which means it's less accurate and more complicated to land, which means an increased minimum runway length. But it also consolidates the two most stressed components of the plane: the wings and the landing gear. Instead of 2 points to strengthen there's now 1 point, which means a lighter, easier to design and manufacture plane. High-wing design has a lower landing runway length requirement so it has better STOL performance, but the landing gear stowing system means there'll be a hole in the fuselage, or have a bump outside the fuselage which increases the drag. If the engine is attached below the wing a high-wing design also reduces damage to the engine by surface rocks and things like that, something quite important for planes operating on improvised runways. A high-wing plane also has a lower fuselage floor, which makes load and unloading cargo much easier than low-wing planes. --antilivedT 23:38, 14 July 2008 (UTC)


 * ah; i am enlightened. thanks, all. Gzuckier (talk) 14:57, 15 July 2008 (UTC)


 * And then there are mid-wing aircraft like the Boeing 247: the wing spar runs through the passenger cabin at knee height. Nobody makes them anymore. --Carnildo (talk) 00:18, 16 July 2008 (UTC)


 * Wow, there's plenty of good information here that could be used to create a new section for Fixed-wing aircraft. Anyone with handy references feel like improving the article?  152.16.16.75 (talk) 10:01, 18 July 2008 (UTC)

location of Winfield Alberta vs Winfield, British Columbia, Canada
When I clicked on the link for information on Winfield Alberta (52 57'52.57'N 114 25' 45.72" W) it comes up with information about Winfield, BC (50 01' 45.28N  119 24' 16.58"W)  —Preceding unsigned comment added by 205.193.82.252 (talk) 15:59, 14 July 2008 (UTC)


 * Where did you see a link for Winfield, AB? We don't seem to have an article, the Winfield disambiguation page only shows the BC entry as far as Canadian locations.  It is listed on Hamlets_of_Alberta, but as a redlink.  I checked the list of articles on the "what links here" for Winfield, BC and didn't see anything that looked incorrect.  And a site-specific Google search didn't really show anything.  if there's a bad link somewhere, we'd like to fix it, but you'll have to give us a starting point.  -- LarryMac  | Talk  16:47, 14 July 2008 (UTC)
 * I fixed the coordinates in the template in the Winfield, British Columbia article, which were actually the coordinates for Winfield, Alberta (about which, as you said, we don't have an article). Deor (talk) 16:57, 14 July 2008 (UTC)


 * Here you go: Winfield, Alberta  Plasticup  T / C  15:03, 16 July 2008 (UTC)

Reversi
Hello. What is the largest number of possible moves on anyone's turn at anytime for Reversi? For example, dark has four legal moves on its first turn. Thanks in advance. --Mayfare (talk) 18:19, 14 July 2008 (UTC)
 * Well, anyone can make only one move per turn. If you talk about move possibilities, I'd say sixteen. (not so sure about this, but all situations I've come up with have this number of possibilities). Admiral Norton (talk) 00:03, 15 July 2008 (UTC)
 * I'm posting your question at the math desk. Check there for answers over the next week. --Shaggorama (talk) 20:36, 18 July 2008 (UTC)

Learn different accents online
Does anyone know where I can go on the internet to learn how to speak English in different accents? I'm American and I would like to know how to speak with a British accent or an Austrialian one.... --Anthonygiroux (talk) 18:29, 14 July 2008 (UTC)


 * How about this? Fribbler (talk) 19:16, 14 July 2008 (UTC)


 * You might also want to use an online text-to-voice synthesizer which handles different accents, like this one which features US, UK, and Indian English accents: . StuRat (talk) 20:55, 14 July 2008 (UTC)

Listen to BBC radio programmes on line.There are many different accents there.hotclaws 21:20, 14 July 2008 (UTC)


 * For your convenience (and for anyone else interested) here is a direct link. You can listen live or use the "listen again" feature to hear programmes from the last 7 days. You will need RealPlayer or another similar application. -=# Amos E Wolfe talk #=- 11:06, 15 July 2008 (UTC)


 * I never knew there were so many different British accents. 152.16.16.75 (talk) 10:04, 18 July 2008 (UTC)

The Magneto (band) of today
What is Magneto doing this day and age? Ericthebrainiac (talk) 18:49, 14 July 2008 (UTC)
 * According to the article... Nothing since 1996. Dismas |(talk) 20:10, 14 July 2008 (UTC)

dc lawnmower motors
having taken apart two different makes of electric lawnmower over the weekend, 110 volt plugin not rechargable; both are DC with a big bridge rectifier mounted on the motor. why in the world?Gzuckier (talk) 20:41, 14 July 2008 (UTC)


 * (why not the science desk?)
 * What did you expect?
 * AC asynchronous (ie electromagnetic stator and rotor with slip rings for stator and communtator for rotor) : probably a bit buzzy/hummy?
 * AC synchronous (induction) - in a word NO. (not a good idea can run backwards)?
 * ? why does the DC one have a rectifier??? in case you plug in the battery the wrong way?
 * I give up; what's the answer? 87.102.86.73 (talk) 21:19, 14 July 2008 (UTC)


 * Note DC motors are reliable, and operate well at a range of loads and speeds, and I'd imagine that the rectifier is not expensive - so maybe it's a good idea...?87.102.86.73 (talk) 13:18, 15 July 2008 (UTC)


 * Permanent magnets have become capable of enormously greater strength over the last few decades. This has made it much more attractive to use permanent magnets to form the "field" of the electric motor as compared to the past when an electromagnet would have been used. That, combined with the fact that a diode bridge rectifier is now a very inexpensive component has meant that a many designs that would, in the past, have used a universal motor now just use a straight permanent-magnet dc motor design. Brushless dc motors are now in the ascendancy as well, replacing the mechanical commutator with electronics.


 * Atlant (talk) 17:09, 15 July 2008 (UTC)


 * Gee, you mean AC motors are not as great as they have been made out to be? Edison (talk) 17:57, 15 July 2008 (UTC)


 * Edison, I'll take it that you're joking because I'm quite confident that you understand all the issues in detail. But I'll answer you for the benefit of everyone else reading. Yes, (most) AC motors have the distinct advantage of not having a commutator or slip rings, so they have fewer moving parts to wear out or break. In some applications, though, the fact that the speed of an AC motor tops out at the line frequency (so 3,000 or 3,600 RPM for 50 or 60 Hz) is a distinct disadvantage, although I wouldn't expect this was the case for a lawnmower (where the gasoline engine usually is governed at 3,600 RPM); to go faster, you need a variable-frequency drive. And as 87.102.86.73 points out below, that then starts to beg the question of which motors are "AC" motors and which are "DC" motors. (I also suspect (but have no proof) that a modern permanent magnet motor is lighter than an induction motor for a given mechanical power.)


 * Atlant (talk) 13:56, 16 July 2008 (UTC)


 * Mmmh what is an AC motor?? eg in Brushless dc motor the current is being turned on and off electrically eg stepper motor so isn;t the current actually AC??
 * maybe..87.102.86.73 (talk) 19:59, 15 July 2008 (UTC)
 * (have you really come back from 1882 just to continue your pointless war with Tesla?) you died in 1931. 87.102.86.73 (talk) 20:03, 15 July 2008 (UTC)
 * If you don't mind cleaning/changing the commutators I'd say DC motors are in every way superior to AC in power transmission applications eg electric car...87.102.86.73 (talk) 20:08, 15 July 2008 (UTC)

History of restaurant term "cover"
Hi there

I know a "cover" in restaurant terminology refers to a single place setting or person.

However, I am keen to ascertain the history of this term - I have seen a reference to it in "Dubrovsky" by Alexander Pushkin (published circa 1830) so I know it dates from at least then.

Hope you can help and thanks for your time!

Cheers Anne —Preceding unsigned comment added by 61.95.31.81 (talk) 22:09, 14 July 2008 (UTC)
 * Sounds like it might be related to the OED's meaning 7, 'The utensils laid for each person's use at table; the plate, napkin, knife, fork, spoon, etc.' They have quotes back to 1612 for that. Algebraist 22:52, 14 July 2008 (UTC)
 * If you hadn't mentioned the use in Russian, I would simply have assumed that the English term is borrowed from the French "couvert". But perhaps the Russian term also comes from the French? Itsmejudith (talk) 22:55, 14 July 2008 (UTC)
 * This is definitely not used in Russian. I think they says something along the lines of занятие. Admiral Norton (talk) 23:49, 14 July 2008 (UTC)
 * I think the OP means that the term was translated from the presumably-original Russian to English, the term being discussed being used in the latter. Angus Lepper(T, C, D) 23:56, 14 July 2008 (UTC)


 * This article: The Server's Lexicon: Preliminary Inquiries into Current Restaurant Jargon, Michael Adams,American Speech, Vol. 73, No. 1(Spring, 1998), pp. 57-83, Published by: Duke University Press says it comes from the French "couvert" per Judiths answer. Websters says the same. Mhicaoidh (talk) 00:22, 15 July 2008 (UTC)


 * Just to clarify: Couvert: place setting; cover, shelter . Les couverts - silverware, flatware, cutlery. Related: mettre le couvert - to set the table. Mhicaoidh (talk) 10:48, 15 July 2008 (UTC)


 * Don't know if it helps, but in restaurants in Italy, the first thing they put on the bill is coperto for 2 euros or so. Kind of the same way a garage dings you an extra $2 for "shop supplies". Franamax (talk) 20:38, 15 July 2008 (UTC)

Wounded bluebird
Greetings from the center of Hurricane Bertha. Apparently my internet connection still works, so I'll pose you a question. I just picked up a wounded bluebird. Its wings flap fine, but the poor thing can't fly. He is in a little bucket right now so that nothing gets at him. What can/should I do with it?  Plasticup  T / C  23:21, 14 July 2008 (UTC)


 * Keep it alive as long as you can, then when things are in order again there, take it to a vet.65.173.105.27 (talk) 00:01, 15 July 2008 (UTC)


 * If it's the Eastern bluebird (which is native to Florida, so at least close to you in Bermuda), they eat bugs, so go collect a few from the garden when the weather clears. They also eat fruit, especially berries, so give it some fruit, too. You might want to put the bird in something more secure than a bucket, in case it tries to fly and ends up flopping around the house.  Perhaps an upside-down laundry basket might work, if the mesh is tight enough (you might need to stuff towels in the handle openings).  I'm sure it would also appreciate a bowl of water for drinking and bathing.  Put some newspapers under it to make clean-up easier. StuRat (talk) 03:23, 15 July 2008 (UTC)


 * We padded the bucket with kitchen paper to stop him from sliding around. We dug up some worms last night and put them on a little plate for him, but I don't think he was too interested. Left him some fruit this morning, so we'll see how that goes. I also put rice in a sock, microwaved it, and put it in one side of the bucket as a space heater. He cuddled up to it on his own, so I think that's a good sign. Anyway, he slept soundly through the night and when he dried off we could see that he was missing most of his feathers. Is plumage the right word? He has large patches of soft downy feathers, which is probably why he can't fly. We are picking up a second-hand cage this afternoon, and some bugs from a local pet store, and plan to keep him until his proper feathers return.  Plasticup  T / C  12:47, 15 July 2008 (UTC)


 * Sounds like a plan. Our article didn't mention them eating worms, just bugs and fruit.  You did provide water, I hope ? StuRat (talk) 06:10, 16 July 2008 (UTC)


 * I did, but alas the little fella croaked it while I was at work. I did the best I could, under the circumstances.  Plasticup  T / C  14:10, 16 July 2008 (UTC)


 * Oh well, perhaps it had internal injuries as well as the missing feathers. StuRat (talk) 17:11, 18 July 2008 (UTC)

Moral Question
You are driving on a roadway, and you find a perfectly preserved UFO. It is HEAVILY ARMED (With powerful "assault/demolition phaser-like" weapons, same with the "disruptor" weapons, powerful assault/demolition energy and particle weapons and antimatter weapons, weapons replication tech to create more antimatter weapons), well shielded from any attack from all Earth weapons, some alien weapons, can go across the galaxy in seconds, like you see in Star Trek or Star Wars, has excellent living quarters, a highly advanced and powerful computer core, a regenerative power source, so it never runs out of power at all, is "telepathically" (bio-linked really) set to operate for you only.

What would you do with it? Conquer Earth? Enforce peace on a race of beings that cannot comprehend peace at all? Other? This is NOT a debate at all. Just a moral question65.173.105.27 (talk) 23:59, 14 July 2008 (UTC)


 * Absolute power corrupts absolutely. --antilivedT 00:03, 15 July 2008 (UTC)
 * With great power comes great responsibility :)-- Lenticel ( talk ) 05:10, 15 July 2008 (UTC)


 * "It is not that power corrupts but that it is magnetic to the corruptible" (Frank Herbert) I'd gladly trust some dude found on the highway with such a discovery than heavily bred and groomed (set of) politicians.  ;-)  --Prestidigitator (talk) 06:31, 15 July 2008 (UTC)

From my extensive experience watching The Twilight Zone, I'd say "run far away". This ship is tuned specifically for you? There's obviously a catch there somewhere. --Trovatore (talk) 00:09, 15 July 2008 (UTC)


 * Would you step in it and claim the ship or, as this person said, run like hell?65.173.105.27 (talk) 00:13, 15 July 2008 (UTC)


 * So, you're having moral doubts about the new toy you picked up while driving on Route 50, ain't that right, 65? I'd suggest you package it nicely and give it over to U.S. Navy and, of course, address it to "Admiral Norton". Just kidding! What you do in this situation has to do with who you are. If you're honest, you'd give it up and send it to the authorities or just bury it somewhere down the road. If you tend to exploit things or use the for your own interest, you'd take it and have fun. It's an example of a social dilemma. Of course, since I already own this thingy, I'm on Mars right now and there are no roadways up here, so no dilemma for me. Admiral Norton (talk) 00:17, 15 July 2008 (UTC)
 * If you're honest you'll give it to the authorities???? Please say you're joking. I'd trust myself with it before I'd entrust it to the State. (Any State.) --Trovatore (talk) 00:24, 15 July 2008 (UTC)


 * Have it shipped to Cheyenne Mountain - but first write your name on the moon. -mattbuck (Talk) 00:40, 15 July 2008 (UTC)
 * But don't drop the cutting tool, right? --Trovatore (talk) 00:59, 15 July 2008 (UTC)
 * Well, I don't know what honest people do. ;-) Admiral Norton (talk) 12:00, 15 July 2008 (UTC)


 * I would steal the ship and use it for the purposes of joy-riding and exploration. One serious concern is that I would eventually I would be caught and punished by the law enforcement of whatever society created the ship. But I'd have a blast until then. (Incidentally, I hope the ship has a space-suit that fits me, not having one may limit the reckless fun I could have with a space ship.) APL (talk) 14:21, 15 July 2008 (UTC)

From the point of view of living for awhile, you don't steal the ship, you don't touch the ship. You don't contact the government, you contact the press. Then you go into hiding for awhile. If you're fortunate, then the press reports on the thing, on you finding it, and your name gets big enough that nobody is going to get any advantage out of you "disappearing". (And getting inside any vehicle you don't know how to drive is going to get you killed, much less one that flies and is designed for a different species. It'd like letting a 10 year old try to fly a helicopter. They wouldn't "have a blast," they'd crash in five minutes, assuming they could get it off the ground at all. No thanks.) --98.217.8.46 (talk) 15:18, 15 July 2008 (UTC)

'''This is a reference desk, not a discussion forum. Please take your question to one of the million opinion forums out there.''' Matt Deres (talk) 12:40, 15 July 2008 (UTC)


 * I believe the question (with the whole space ship deal) was badly worded, but the underlying philosophical question, should someone except absolute power if it were offered?, is an acceptable question for the reference desks. --S.dedalus (talk) 06:38, 16 July 2008 (UTC)


 * No, it is not acceptable. Your interpretation, which is definitely not what the OP asked anyway, is still just a call for opinions to open a discussion on ethics. That's not what we're here for; this is a reference desk, not a chat room. Matt Deres (talk) 15:18, 16 July 2008 (UTC)
 * Your assumption is that ethical question do not have an answer that can be proved through sources. This is decidedly NOT the case. Ethical questions can be “proved” just as much as scientific questions can. There is no policy which says that philosophy questions cannot be asked on the desk. If you think there should be, I suggest you bring it up on the talk page first. --S.dedalus (talk) 07:53, 17 July 2008 (UTC)
 * OK, I'll bite. How do you "prove" an answer to an ethical question such as, for example, the acceptability of eating animals? FWIW, I'm relaxed on the whole notion of discussion on these desks. --Richardrj talkemail 08:49, 17 July 2008 (UTC)

Except if philosophical questions (and reference desks are where to find answers of all sorts of questions including philosophy and miscellaneous hence the miscellaneous and philosophy reference desk) are inappropriate for reference desks then why is there a reference desk for philosophical questions. Still, however I can relate to this subject because, this isn't really all that miscellaneous as it is philosophical, and its answer cannot be proven, just like "cherrie's are the best fruit" can't be proven, it can only be widely agreed upon, take this from someone who plans on devoting his life to philosophy. If you are that upset about it take it up with the writer and ask him to put it in with philosophy.

Philosophia X Known (Philosophia X Known) 14:29, 20 July 2008 (UTC)


 * Even if you could provide provable answers to ethical questions (I don't think you can, but you could provide evidence in support of one position or the other), that's not what's going on here. You would realize that if you had read the OP's question or my reply to you.  He's not asking if might makes right or about the ethics of absolute power, he literally asks us what we'd do if we found an advanced technology spaceship. Please read what's written and reply based on that instead of constructing straw men arguments and knocking them down. Matt Deres (talk) 18:42, 17 July 2008 (UTC)


 * I have read what the OP said thank you. He makes it very very clear what he means: “This is NOT a debate at all. Just a moral question.” This question is even NAMED “Moral Question.” The replies here have indeed been debatish, but that’s our problem, not his/hers. I suggest that if you wish to continue this discussion, that we take it to the talk page. --S.dedalus (talk) 03:59, 18 July 2008 (UTC)


 * Although it's increasingly hard to tell these days. Malcolm XIV (talk) 18:29, 16 July 2008 (UTC)
 * Oh lighten the fuck up, it's not hurting anyone and it's an interesting topic. Commons is better than en because of precisely that "these rules must be obeyed and anyone else will be EX-TER-MIN-ATED" mentality. -mattbuck (Talk) 23:04, 17 July 2008 (UTC)

I'd be too scared to touch it incase the aliens installed a self-destructing anti-theft device... --Candy-Panda (talk) 13:47, 16 July 2008 (UTC)


 * Does it have the keys in the ignition and a large pink neon sign that says "Please steal me" ? Obviously it is an alien bait car. Gandalf61 (talk) 15:21, 16 July 2008 (UTC)
 * One other thing, the alien ship will help you get get laid by both the Earth women and the alien women. 65.173.104.138 (talk) 00:00, 18 July 2008 (UTC)

To Antilived's comment: Power only corrupts people who use power incorectly (immorally I should say, there isn't correct or incorrect, only a different point of view). I.e. power is represented by an extremely fast car on the freeway, now imagine the driver is a man on a killing sprea, and imagine the corrupt power and how much damage it would cause, but a man behind the wheel of the car carrying medicine to a place where an epidemic that could kill all woman in a 23 mi radius has an outbreak and imagine all the lives that would be saved. And to play devil's advocate, not all people would do that, but to advocate my advocate, no not everyone would do that and they are the immorals, but there obviously are people who do because, there are over 350 million people on this planet. Philosophia X Known (Philosophia X Known) 14:17, 20 July 2008 (UTC)