Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Miscellaneous/2008 June 25

= June 25 =

Make a check payee a category?
I've always wondered whether, when you're writing a check, if you can make the "Pay to the order of" on a check a category. What I mean is, can you write something like "Pay to the order of... A while male, age 26"? Could someone fitting this description then cash the check if it were found on the street as if it were payable directly to him? There are endless possibilities if this were the case, if someone is looking for a little amusement, and doesn't mind writing out checks for a dollar or so to leave in the park for an unsuspecting passerby. :) Jared   (t)  &ensp; 02:39, 25 June 2008 (UTC)


 * We are not able to give legal adice at Wikipedia Reference Desk. You may find the quaintly spelled article Cheque informative. It says that in the U.S., the Uniform Commercial Code governs checks. An "order check" is payable only to a named payee, but a "bearer check" is payable to anyone in possession of it. Scholarly books have been written on all the details of checks. Rules vary by jurisdiction around the world. Edison (talk) 03:51, 25 June 2008 (UTC)


 * That spelling is not "quaint". It's the standard British English spelling. --Richardrj talkemail 05:44, 25 June 2008 (UTC)


 * From the American POV, British spellings are quaint. StuRat (talk) 16:15, 25 June 2008 (UTC)
 * And often, vice versa! 86.141.89.124 (talk) 18:55, 30 June 2008 (UTC)


 * Well I wasn't looking for legal advise, it was just curiosity. Thank you though. Jared   (t)  &ensp; 04:38, 25 June 2008 (UTC)


 * Perhaps anything like that would be a signature and have to be signed that way? It's a creative idea, anyway. Julia Rossi (talk) 04:49, 25 June 2008 (UTC)


 * Looks like this is theoretically possible. (Don't know what the bank teller would say, though.) For the US rules, check out UCC 3-110 here. A check is "payable to the person intended by the signer", and the "person to whom an instrument is payable may be identified in any way". Also, "If an instrument is payable to two or more persons alternatively, it is payable to any of them and may be negotiated, discharged, or enforced by any or all of them in possession of the instrument." Mangostar (talk) 09:26, 25 June 2008 (UTC)

COPYRIGHT
I'm writing a book, and I'm wondering if it is against copyright law to use the name wikipedia or information on its pages? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 67.150.168.208 (talk) 02:41, 25 June 2008 (UTC)


 * At the risk of giving legal advice... you're okay. A single word (like "Wikipedia") can't be copyrighted, neither can information. Unlike other encyclopedias, you can even copy whole articles verbatim as long as you comply with the GNU license. --D. Monack | talk 02:50, 25 June 2008 (UTC)


 * If someone published a book called "Wikipedia" wouldn't that tend to make the name generic., so that anyone could then create a website called Wikipedia in competition with this one? Isn't there a trademark issue for the name at least? I would expect that anyone could write a book about Wikipedia, or could quote any of the content of Wikipedia, with proper attribution. Edison (talk) 03:42, 25 June 2008 (UTC)


 * It's not a good idea to title the book "Wikipedia" as that might qualify as a trademark. I thought the OP was asking if they could use the word in the book should be fine. If you're writing an encyclopedia, I'd consult a lawyer first. --D. Monack | talk 04:06, 25 June 2008 (UTC)


 * Note that since Wikipedia is licensed under GNU Free Documentation License a person uses any text directly out of Wikipedia in a book (not in a specific attributed quotation) they won’t be able to copyright the book. GNU includes a share-alike requirement. --S.dedalus (talk) 04:43, 25 June 2008 (UTC)
 * This needs to be said every so often: Releasing a work under the GFDL does not not not' mean that you do not hold copyright. You do. It's just that you no longer can use it in the way people are most used to--preventing other people from copying it, or allowing them to copy it only if they pay you money.
 * This may seem like a distinction without a difference, but it's not, really. If you hold the copyright to a GFDL work, there are various things you can do that no one else can. For example, you can release it under a license incompatible with the GFDL; no one else can do that. If someone redistributes the work, or a derivative work, without complying with the GFDL, you are (presumably) the one with standing to complain. And you yourself can make a derivative work and release it under any terms you like, including selling it and denying anyone else the right to copy it.
 * None of this should be taken as legal advice; it's just my personal non-professional understanding of the situation. --Trovatore (talk) 03:40, 26 June 2008 (UTC)


 * Does that render the entire book without copyright, or does it keep the appropriated material copyright-free and unacquirable in the sense of copyright to the book's author? Julia Rossi (talk) 04:47, 25 June 2008 (UTC)
 * Neither, really. The misused GFDL portions remain copyrighted by their original authors. Any content added by the new author is copyright to him. (I suppose if there is a derivative work involved, they both hold a copyright in it.) Of course, the new author is violating the original authors' copyright and could be sued for doing so. This is why a bit of free-licensed code accidentally (or lazily) stuck into Windows won't make Windows open source, it would just expose Microsoft to liability. Mangostar (talk) 09:31, 25 June 2008 (UTC)
 * And to answer the original poster's question, you should really just consult a lawyer about this. As a general rule, you can copy ideas freely, but not sentences. To reproduce the text of Wikipedia, you will need to abide by the GFDL. Mangostar (talk) 09:32, 25 June 2008 (UTC)
 * The word "Wikipedia" is a trademark and the logos are copyrighted, but the text in wikipedia is under GFDL, so using our text is fine so long as you say you got it from here. That text would be under GFDL, but the rest would be copyrighted to you.-- Serviam  (talk)  14:35, 25 June 2008 (UTC)
 * Well, it depends on whether your use of the GFDL material renders your book a derivative work, which is a question I'm not competent to address. If your book is a derivative work, you would be required to release it under the GFDL, or else you would be liable for violation of the copyright of the original work. Even if it is not a derivative work, the GFDL still imposes requirements on you, such as the requirement to include a copy of the GFDL itself. I'm not a lawyer and some of this is based on remembered facts that I haven't recently checked, so take it as free information worth what you paid for it (and not advice of any sort, free or otherwise). --Trovatore (talk) 05:34, 26 June 2008 (UTC)
 * Hi. Err, I don't think using the name of a website in a book would be infringement, as I have seen it mentioned in at least one book. I'm not so sure about titling the book Wikipedia, though, and if you make a notable book titled Main Page then that might cause some problems here :-) . Besides, if you copyrighted the name of a popular website, how are people going to refer to it in written text? Thanks. ~ A H  1 (TCU) 21:32, 25 June 2008 (UTC)

Somebody isn't filing Properly
Good evening. In F.E.A.R (First Encounter Assault Recon) they have me search for information and upload it on many different computers. In reality couldn't you just upload all the information from one computer and not six separated computers? And if you couldn't get all the information from that one computer wouldn't it be easier to use one computer to hack through the systems? Does any of these actually work in reality? Thank you for answering my question. I really appreciate it. I hope my question isn't to confusing cause it was hard to phrase. Have a positively wonderful day.Rem Nightfall (talk) 02:58, 25 June 2008 (UTC)


 * Perhaps the computers were on six separate intranets and not linked together in any way. Useight (talk) 04:12, 25 June 2008 (UTC)


 * If this is set up like a scavenger hunt, they may intentionally force you to go to 6 different computers by checking the I/P address of each. You might be able to trick it if you have a dynamic I/P address, but they may also use cookies or other methods to determine if you are using the same computer. StuRat (talk) 10:24, 25 June 2008 (UTC)

buy vintage records...cheap
hey, im a college student, looking to decorate my bedroom next year. Im thinking It would look awesome if I got a bunch of old album covers and displayed them on the wall, rather than putting up posters the same way everybody else does. My question is, where can I buy album covers, I dont necessarily even need the album itself? preferably somewhere inexpensive. are antique stores a good bet? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 66.188.121.45 (talk) 04:45, 25 June 2008 (UTC)
 * It's a good idea, your bedroom will look great. I've been buying old records for many years, though, and I've hardly ever come across a place where you can just buy the covers.  Normally, people want both the record and the cover, so the two are not going to become separated.  Just go to a used record store and buy some of the cheapest records you can find that you also like the covers of.  If you have a turntable - and you should - you can even play the records as well.  Charity shops (called thrift stores in the USA, I believe) are another good source. --Richardrj talkemail 05:49, 25 June 2008 (UTC)
 * Sometimes thrift stores have some album covers that are empty, but you would be better off just buying the whole album than wasting a ton of your time looking for empty ones so you could ask the clerk for a deep discount. (Or, in the same vein, looking for extremely scratched/unusable ones and asking for a discount.) Mangostar (talk) 09:35, 25 June 2008 (UTC)
 * How about car-boot or garage sales? They may be advertised in your local newspaper or on the net. AlmostReadytoFly (talk) 13:20, 25 June 2008 (UTC)
 * Search the net for them and print them off?-- Serviam  (talk)  14:42, 25 June 2008 (UTC)
 * That wouldn't look much different then. I'd try ebay. People sell empty game cases, so there has to be empty record cases too. --Wirbelwind ヴィルヴェルヴィント (talk) 17:07, 27 June 2008 (UTC)
 * I did this a couple of years back,but used the vinyls as well. I blu-taced both the records and the sleeves to the walls and wardrobe in a checker-board style, and they looked great.79.72.166.102 (talk) 13:31, 29 June 2008 (UTC)

Wind
When there is strong wind near my house, I keep hearing a squeaky noise. What is this noise? Interactive Fiction Expert/Talk to me 10:34, 25 June 2008 (UTC)
 * High winds frighten mice, causing them to squeak.87.102.86.73 (talk) 12:05, 25 June 2008 (UTC)
 * More likely it's from trees bending in the wind, or something similar. AlmostReadytoFly (talk) 13:21, 25 June 2008 (UTC)


 * Yes, trees often "squeak" when tree branches or leaders rub against each other as the tree flexes in the wind.


 * Atlant (talk) 15:20, 25 June 2008 (UTC)


 * Specifically one might be rubbing against the side of your house. That would make much more noise inside the house than an ordinary squeaking branch. DJ Clayworth (talk) 18:36, 25 June 2008 (UTC)
 * Or something metal (and rusty?) like a gate/sign/hanging-basket swinging slightly in the wind. That would make a squeaking noise too. 194.221.133.226 (talk) 13:35, 25 June 2008 (UTC)
 * Might be something crawling about in the cellar, looked down there recently?87.102.86.73 (talk) 17:50, 25 June 2008 (UTC)
 * It might be the foundations of your house. Check for subsidence. Moancical (talk) 18:20, 25 June 2008 (UTC)

How about a rusty iron gate moving on its hinges - do you have anything like that?87.102.86.73 (talk) 18:46, 25 June 2008 (UTC)

It might be the wind coming in through a crack in the window or the window frame. Pacific Coast Highway { talk • contribs } 05:23, 27 June 2008 (UTC)

Pet Odors
Is it harmful to one's health to breathe in or inhale pet urine/excrement odors? Also, apart from side effects such as diseases, etc., does it in any way impair brain function or cognative ability?

Also, what about household cleaning products? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 75.17.77.208 (talk) 16:18, 25 June 2008 (UTC)


 * Difficult one to answer. On the one hand, this is the disproved Miasma theory of disease. On the other hand, in sufficient concentrations (and that's the key) certain chemicals have the capacity to impair bodily functions. I think the answer is, it's a matter of degree, but in the normal case, it's a bit pongy but not injurious. --Tagishsimon (talk) 17:57, 25 June 2008 (UTC)


 * Check out the second paragraph of Toxoplasma gondii. Matt Deres (talk) 20:14, 25 June 2008 (UTC)


 * WRT cleaning products, a lot of products with bleach have warnings about using them in well ventilated areas. The fumes can get pretty strong. This usually only gives me a headache, but I find it difficult to think well when I have a headache. Steewi (talk) 06:07, 26 June 2008 (UTC)

Effect of Protein
I apologize beforehand if this qualifies as medical advice. Suppose someone introduces a large amount of protein into their healthy diet without changing anything else- no additional exercise, no additional nutrient or other foods. What would be the effect of that extra protein on one's body? By large amount, say previously one was taking 100% of the daily recommended protein intake and is now taking 200% of the recommended protein intake. Acceptable (talk) 17:51, 25 June 2008 (UTC)


 * See Protein in nutrition for all we have. It's not possible, as you know, for us to make a link between the dosage amount you've specified in your question, and the effects in the case you're describing. --Tagishsimon (talk) 18:01, 25 June 2008 (UTC)

boil or zit
This is not a medical question as I am not asking for a prognosis. I have a large boil or zit or something on the end of my penis and it is really painful to masturbate or move the foreskin over the affected area. What shop available creams might be good to reduce the lump? Moancical (talk) 18:18, 25 June 2008 (UTC)
 * It is a medical question since you are asking for a suggested treatment. On that basis, it should not be answered directly. I suggest you visit your local chemist/pharmacist and ask them. --Tagishsimon (talk) 18:20, 25 June 2008 (UTC)
 * I'd skip the pharmacist to be honest. The end of your penis is a mucous membrane, and the occurance of pimples or boils is a medical matter. Fribbler (talk) 22:42, 25 June 2008 (UTC)

Roswell
The cover for the books Roswell High feature the same actors as the television series Roswell (TV Series), however the books were published BEFORE the televisions series and served as inspiration for it. So, my question is, did the actors (or some of the actors) get their roles in the tv series as a direct result of first having been featured on the cover of the books? 79.75.149.90 (talk) 19:07, 25 June 2008 (UTC)
 * Is it not more likely that the book covers are from reprints published after the TV series? --Tagishsimon (talk) 19:13, 25 June 2008 (UTC)
 * I though that too at first, but their hairstyles are wildly different and they look a lot younger. Plus only some of the same actors are featured, some are completely different than the show. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 79.75.149.90 (talk) 19:16, 25 June 2008 (UTC)


 * Look at this . It looks like there's two different versions of the first book. I'm not sure when the non-photograph version was published, but according to Amazon, the version with the photograph is the current edition, and it was published November 1, 1999. One month after the TV show first aired. (And it would have been in production for months before that.) APL (talk) 20:20, 25 June 2008 (UTC)
 * Actually, if you go to Amazon and zoom in on the covers of the versions of the books with the photographs, they actually mention the TV show. So presumably the books were re-printed so that their covers would be a marketing tie-in with the TV show.  (Like how the current edition of "I Robot" has Will Smith on the cover.) Hope this helps. APL (talk) 20:22, 25 June 2008 (UTC)
 * I'll just note that it's very common, when a movie or TV show is made from an existing book (other than classic literature) for publishers to reprint it with a new cover showing one or more of the actors in character. --Anonymous, 01:03 UTC, June 27, 2008.

Career
Hi, My name is Moses Jackson, I recently graduated from Canoga Park High School, and my question is that i don't know what career to study, please can you help me. Here is a List of the things i want to do: I want to travel around the world[especially on motorcycle or rv],to meet different kinds of people,to record all that i learned,saw and heard,to have a high paying job,to comment and analyze political situations,appeared and worked on television or radio, being famous,to give my opinion on issues,to interview and hang out with globally important people,to draw cartoons and design, to write articles in magazines or newspapers,to create stories,poems and essays,to lie?, to help,teach,inform,serve the community[people],to investigate and solve mysteries,be powerful, have influence over poeple's opinions,to dress good?,to act,be funny and tell jokes,to visit,explore and discover historical,archaeological,natural sites, have my own column in a important newspaper or magazine,to have adventures,to be on the site of the action and conflict, work in groups, to take pictures and film documentaries and movies, to have my own office,to give lectures,reading,speeches and conferences and to have contact with nature and animals.Please help me choose my career. Thank You —Preceding unsigned comment added by 206.170.104.24 (talk) 19:07, 25 June 2008 (UTC)

Archaeologist? 86.131.210.33 (talk) 22:45, 25 June 2008 (UTC)

Possibly a reporter or newsperson like the ones you see on the big national news channels going to Africa and stuff. or you could be some tv show host like the ones on the travel channel. The archeologist was a good idea. I don't know if you would be able to fit all of those things in one career, but you might want to consider some as a hobby. Such as the cartoons and drawings you could draw whatever you see or you could be those people that draw peoples faces in a cartoon kind of way. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 64.119.61.7 (talk) 02:52, 26 June 2008 (UTC)

Hi Moses Jackson, have you thought about being a photo journalist submitting projects to something like National Geographic? You might want to get a science background with communications thrown in. There's nothing to stop you creating graphics, to write, inform etc as you go along. But why "to lie"? The more you develop yourself the more you'll have to contribute. As 86.131 says, find some role model achievers along these lines to give yourself ideas and see how they handle their own diversity. He was based on real people. It can be done and it takes years -- of fun and adventure hopefully. Julia Rossi (talk) 23:57, 26 June 2008 (UTC)

Rouge admins
How come this page apparently doesn't exist yet still has a list of content in it? 79.75.149.90 (talk) 19:13, 25 June 2008 (UTC)


 * It's a category page, which combines your common or garden page, and supplements it with a list of articles belonging to the category. It's quite possible to categorise articles, before creating the corresponding category page. The effect is the one you see. (Hope that makes some sort of sense) --Tagishsimon (talk) 19:21, 25 June 2008 (UTC)
 * (ec)The category was deleted at UCD, but some of the roguish of them refuse to remove themselves from the category regardless of its deleted state. So although it doesn't exist, the category is still populated. --Onorem♠Dil 19:23, 25 June 2008 (UTC)


 * Not to mention that rogue is spelled r o g u e, yet your link points to "rouge" admins, whom are presumably pinkish in color. -- LarryMac  | Talk  20:08, 25 June 2008 (UTC)
 * It is rouge, a play on rogue. See Rouge admin and Category:Rouge editors.  To the OP: it's supposed to be a humorous, tongue-in-cheek "we're not a cabal, because there aren't any" in joke.  I can't be bothered reading the CfD, but presumably the joke wore thin.  Gwinva (talk) 21:46, 25 June 2008 (UTC)


 * And don't forget the complementary spin-off eguor admins. ---Sluzzelin talk  16:51, 26 June 2008 (UTC)
 * The red link is for greater Rouge effect. Sincerely yours, rouge admin · AndonicO  Engage. 18:26, 27 June 2008 (UTC)

bringing beer on an airplane
I'm going to travel to Europe in a short while, and was wondering if I was allowed to carry beer? Can you have beer in your checked luggage?76.194.67.13 (talk) 19:21, 25 June 2008 (UTC)
 * Not in this day & age, since the alleged liquid explosive plot. --Tagishsimon (talk) 19:22, 25 June 2008 (UTC)


 * The fallout of that alleged conspiracy affects the contents of one's carryon bags, not checked luggage. Nonetheless, it is not advisable to place something so fragile into a suitcase that will be handled by barely trained monkeys at the beginning and end of the journey.  And if you're thinking cans might be better, sacrifice one to your freezer tonight and check on it in the morning.  -- LarryMac  | Talk  20:06, 25 June 2008 (UTC)


 * But how much beer can you bring? Can you bring whole 12 packs into your luggage? And what if I used bubble wrap around the cans/package?76.194.67.13 (talk) 20:21, 25 June 2008 (UTC)


 * Again, think about the luggage hold on an airplane, along the atmospheric pressure and the ambient temperature at 30,000 feet. Consider also that there are strict baggage weight limitations on international flights.  They do sell beer in Europe.  -- LarryMac  | Talk  20:43, 25 June 2008 (UTC)


 * Hi. Although I'm not sure about Europe, in some places such as Canada, you are allowed to bring a certain amount of alcohol, depending on the concentration and source. However, the same might not be true in other parts of the world, so you might want to check the website for the aviation security regulations for your country and/or the places you are travelling to. Hope this helps. Thanks. ~ A H  1 (TCU) 21:25, 25 June 2008 (UTC)


 * You can bring beer on board an aircraft as carry-on, so long as it was bought after you passed through the security check. But, that means buying whatever the airport store has available and they are unlikely to sell you a large quantity.  You can also put beer in your checked baggage, but don't be surprised if the can or bottle freezes and breaks during.  In theory, between countries in the EU, the limit is "personal use" which is normally understood (at least when travelling by car) to be 100 litres, but in practice that is a hell of a lot of beer and you would never be able to take that on a plane even as checked baggage.
 * But honestly, why would you want to? The various countries of Europe all make great beers, so why not buy a fresh supply when you arrive in a new country?  Astronaut (talk) 21:45, 25 June 2008 (UTC)

Isn't bringing beer to Europe like bringing sand to the beach? Why do you want to do this? --D. Monack | talk 21:28, 25 June 2008 (UTC)
 * Well, he seems to be from San Diego -- maybe he wants to bring along some Arrogant Bastard Ale. I don't think you can get anything like that in, say, Germany, where their taste in beer is very different (and not to my personal liking). --Trovatore (talk) 21:33, 25 June 2008 (UTC)
 * Yes, you can usually put liquids in your checked-in (hold) luggage. I imagine weight limits will be your biggest limiting factor, but you could do it. However, some brands such as Budweiser are widely available in Europe, and you might not need to bring your own. AlmostReadytoFly (talk) 09:42, 26 June 2008 (UTC)


 * If you travel from A to B, but insist on bringing your accustomed food / drinks in your luggage and your own culture / expectations in your mind you may as well stay at home. As to the presence or absence of arrogant bastards outside the city limits of San Diego I hold private opinions which have no informational value to the querent.  --Cookatoo.ergo.ZooM (talk) 20:07, 26 June 2008 (UTC)


 * That's true, if you're going just for yourself. But maybe he has friends in Germany, and he'd like to share with them what real beer tastes like. --Trovatore (talk) 20:09, 26 June 2008 (UTC)
 * But why would someone from San Diego want to show Germans what a label tasted like? :) Zain Ebrahim (talk) 20:15, 26 June 2008 (UTC)
 * Have you ever drunk an Arrogant Bastard, Zain? Probably not. You're probably not worthy, anyway. --Trovatore (talk) 20:20, 26 June 2008 (UTC)
 * Touché. Zain Ebrahim (talk) 20:31, 26 June 2008 (UTC)

RAT-TAILED MAGGOTS
What is the best way of getting rid of Rat-Tailed Maggots —Preceding unsigned comment added by ONY44 (talk • contribs) 19:27, 25 June 2008 (UTC)


 * Hi. Please also see the article on rat-tailed maggots, although other than that I myself am not sure. However, please do not write in ALLCAPS, as it may seem rude to some people. If this is a request for medical advice, please note that Wikipedia is not able to give out any. Thanks. ~ A H  1 (TCU) 21:20, 25 June 2008 (UTC)
 * Your local fishing tackle shop is your best bet since these maggots are commonly used as bait. Medical advice? I shudder to think what for :-) Fribbler (talk) 22:39, 25 June 2008 (UTC)
 * Presumably infection. Angus Lepper(T, C, D) 23:01, 25 June 2008 (UTC)
 * Total EUI, didn't notice they wanted rid of them. Think I should bow out for the night. Though they were looking for maggots! ....Fribbler (talk) 23:14, 25 June 2008 (UTC)


 * surely they'll just go of their own volition when they turn into hover flies,although it would help to know where they are at present. Richard Avery (talk) 07:08, 26 June 2008 (UTC)

Soda pop
Will sealed soda pop go bad if it's been warm, then cooled, then warm again? 74.204.40.122 (talk) 19:29, 25 June 2008 (UTC)


 * Not unless it's so old that the seal has gone bad. It likely goes through a few such changes on its travels to the store where you purchased it. Dismas |(talk) 20:00, 25 June 2008 (UTC)


 * I disagree. Plastic bottles aren't ever a perfect seal, and they gradually lose their fizz through the plastic.  When the bottle gets warm it also leaches chemicals into the pop more quickly than it would if kept cold.  I don't see cycling between warm and cold as being any worse than staying warm, however, unless it gets so cold the pop freezes.  If that happens, the plastic is stretched, and that also causes chemicals to be released into the pop.  StuRat (talk) 05:28, 26 June 2008 (UTC)


 * If you have a bottle of soda that has been opened, then resealed, give it a little shake and it will keep its carbonation. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 76.225.133.60 (talk) 08:27, 26 June 2008 (UTC)
 * No... agitation releases the carbonation, it doesn't restore it. &mdash; Lomn 14:33, 26 June 2008 (UTC)


 * Not going to debate it, but it DOES restore by using the carbonation that is still inside the bottle.


 * EXPERIMENT: buy 3 bottles. Pour 1/4 of it out. Reseal them. Shake 2 of the bottles until the bottle becomes hard again, the 3rd, do not shake. With bottle #1, open it, seal it and shake it. Do this until the bottle stops getting hard, about 6 times. The contents are now flat. With bottle #2, leave it sealed for a week. After the week, the bottle will still be hard, which means the contents have not gone flat. Bottle #3, open after it has sat for a few hours. Notice that the contents are flat. FINDINGS: Using the available carbonation has kept the contents from going flat.

Strange Muslim women's face device
When coming back from BoundCon, I saw something strange at Munich Airport. It was a Muslim family, with all the adult women dressed in burkhas, covering everything except their faces. This was all normal, but the oldest woman wore a strange metal gold-coloured thingy that covered the part of her face between her mouth and her eyes, including her nose. It seemed to be mostly decorative, neither helping or hindering her breathing or facial movements in any way. What the heck was that thing? J I P | Talk 19:37, 25 June 2008 (UTC)


 * A metal veil? Per ? Presumably it has another name. --Tagishsimon (talk) 19:50, 25 June 2008 (UTC)
 * No, it was not a veil. It was a solid piece of metal that covered the middle of her face entirely. It looked a bit like some sort of medical support but I don't think it was one, it looked too decorative for that. J I P  | Talk 04:46, 26 June 2008 (UTC)
 * Did it look something like this? That's an al-battoulah, a face covering worn by many women from Qatar.  There's not much information about it online, but there's a few Google hits here'. --Richardrj talkemail 14:57, 26 June 2008 (UTC)
 * Yes, something like that. Only it was made of metal, not cloth or leather, and it only seemed to cover the middle part of her face, not her eyes or her forehead. I was confused whether it was for decoration or for modesty but I felt it was too inappropriate just to go and ask them what it was. (Besides, I didn't know whether they spoke English or German, and I don't speak whatever their native language was.) J I P  | Talk 21:07, 26 June 2008 (UTC)

Were they sequins? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 64.119.61.7 (talk) 00:21, 27 June 2008 (UTC)

About international mail and this company Nike Central
I ordered some shoes from a website called Nike Central. They are located in China and the shoes were suppose to arrive in 3-7 days. I still haven't received the shoes and wanted to know how long would it really take them to arrive in the U.S. They have an email address at the company but no other way to contact them. I was starting to think this was a fraud. I just want to know is a company and when will the shoes arrive? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 74.167.59.218 (talk) 20:16, 25 June 2008 (UTC)


 * It depends when the tide comes in :-)) Seriously though, you don't say how long you have been waiting, but numerous things can happen when ordering stuff from overseas so I would suggest waiting at least a couple of weeks.  However, when I visited the site www.nikecentral.com my virus scanner went on high alert.  It seems to be riddled with viruses and other malware and I certainly wouldn't shop there.  As a precaution, it might be a good idea to ask your credit card company about recent transactions.  Astronaut (talk) 22:00, 25 June 2008 (UTC)
 * Oh - and scan your PC for viruses :-) Astronaut (talk) 22:05, 25 June 2008 (UTC)

Please help with information on Tooloula
I am researching names for a restaurant. I was told that TOOLOULA was a greek god of food and beverages. I can not locate any information on TOOLOULA.

Can you help?

For Lawrence —Preceding unsigned comment added by 71.15.38.48 (talk) 23:38, 25 June 2008 (UTC)


 * Any relation to Tallulah? --  JackofOz (talk) 23:47, 25 June 2008 (UTC)


 * A search in wikipedia for god of food reveals a number of names from other cultures; there's no trace of Tooloula, though.
 * In Māori mythology, Rongo is a major god, the god of cultivated food
 * Inari (mythology)
 * Goddess of food, Uke Mochi, found in List of divinities in Japanese mythology
 * Haumea - Hawaiian
 * Edusa - goddess of nourishment
 * Edesia - goddess of food who presided over banquets, both from List of Roman deities
 * A couple of candidates in Family tree of the Māori gods
 * There's also List of Greek mythological figures. Good luck hunting. --Tagishsimon (talk) 00:45, 26 June 2008 (UTC)

If it's a vegetarian restaurant you might want to try Ceres or Demeter. Grutness...wha?  02:49, 26 June 2008 (UTC)

It's a long shot, but I wonder if whoever told you that might be trying to make a joke regarding Toula, the subject of a film about a Greek woman who runs the family restaurant. I only even mention it because I happen to know a family of Greeks who run a family restaurant and the name is used as a gag by them. Matt Deres (talk) 02:57, 26 June 2008 (UTC)


 * Was she the cousin of Noula, Voula, Soula ... and Agape? :)  (Warning: non-Aussies may not understand this reference.) --  JackofOz (talk) 23:43, 26 June 2008 (UTC)
 * A few of us get it (though it may take a "coupla days" :) She's different from them - Toula, well, she goes, she goes, she goes, she just goes, OK? Grutness...wha?  01:35, 27 June 2008 (UTC)