Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Miscellaneous/2009 June 26

= June 26 =

LGBT South Asian
Is there an organization that deals with South Asian gays, lesbians, bisexual and transgender?
 * Al-Fatiha and Imaan both deal with Muslim LGBT folk, including Muslim South Asians. It's not much help, of course, if you're Hindu. The Vaishnava Association is for gay and lesbian Hindu Indians. There is also the Naz Foundation and The Queer Media Collective (QMC) mentioned in Homosexuality in India. Prince Manvendra Singh Gohil is a gay Prince of Gujarat, who runs the Lakshya Trust, an NGO promoting HIV/AIDS prevention. Steewi (talk) 01:56, 26 June 2009 (UTC)
 * Additional: There are also references to the India Network For Sexual Minorities which might be useful. There is not yet a WP article for it. Steewi (talk) 01:57, 26 June 2009 (UTC)

Foot marks in worn-out sandals/flip-flops
Why is it that after use for a while, you can see the marks of your toe prints and foot on it? What causes these markings (is it the sweat of your foot compared to the material of the flip-flops) etc., and why does it happen less with other shoes?

Is there a way to get rid of these marks so that the sandals look closer to what they were like when new (I mean reasonably, even just slightly so). or are they destined to stay like that?


 * I have no source for this but I would suspect that the wearing of socks has a lot to do with why you don't see this with other types of footwear. And also, the material of the sandal probably has a lot to do with it as far as the absorption of sweat and the rubbing of the feet keeping the dirt off.  Dismas |(talk) 00:55, 26 June 2009 (UTC)


 * Heaven knows I know nothing of podiatry or the physiology of walking, but could the deep impressions have any relation the fact that almost all flip-flops (almost by onomatopoetic definition) and many sandals have no backs to help support the weight of the foot as it treads down and to allow the foot to move around within the shoe? One's foot is basically falling down on exactly the same point with every step, and not moving again until one lifts the whole calf. —— Shakescene (talk) 06:57, 26 June 2009 (UTC)


 * I'm not convinced that shoe soles don't get marked. Sure you can't see the toes as clearly as you can with sandles, but that's because you don't have to realign your foot with every step, as you do with sandles, which most people seem to do with their toes. 124.154.253.146 (talk) 07:11, 26 June 2009 (UTC)
 * You can't see into the toe area of closed shoes, to see what's going on in there. With soft inner soles, such as sport shoes, you CAN often feel "toe-grooves", if you feel with your hand. But they are more likely to occur with open footwear, more so with the looser ones, because it's necessary to grip with the toes in order to keep the footwear on. This puts more body weight over the toes, while in closed shoes more weight would go on the ball of the foot. - KoolerStill (talk) 09:44, 26 June 2009 (UTC)

Is there a way to get rid of the marks, then?


 * Weark socks, or walk flat-footed. 124.154.253.146 (talk) 05:39, 27 June 2009 (UTC)

van
what is the longest commercially available van?
 * Could you clarify what you're looking for? Are you looking for the van which has been available for sale for the longest period of time?  Or are you looking for the longest van (length from bumper to bumper) which is currently available?  Dismas |(talk) 00:52, 26 June 2009 (UTC)
 * Additionally, could you clarify what you're using as a definition for the word "van"? The van article lists a number of different types including full size vans, step vans, etc.  Oh, and commercially available where?  Are you limiting this to just the US?  To Europe?  The whole world?  And I think this will be my final question, if it is the physical length that you are looking for, will the wheelbase do?  Or do you need the full exterior length?  Dismas |(talk) 04:16, 26 June 2009 (UTC)

This one perhaps? But seriously, probably this. Mind you... does Chevrolet still make vans? 124.154.253.146 (talk) 07:08, 26 June 2009 (UTC)


 * [[Image:Turkish Van Cat.jpg|thumb|100px|[[Van Kedisi|Van cat]] ]]

75 feet high,149.9 meters long, or 160 meters long or for centuries in Turkey. Cuddlyable3 (talk) 13:33, 26 June 2009 (UTC)

Where do you live? --Dweller (talk) 12:58, 26 June 2009 (UTC)

Not sure if it is commercially available, but this Van is 74 miles long at the longest point

let me clarify. which full-size van that is commercially available anywhere in the world has the greatest length? wheelbase or full exterior length would both be fine.


 * The longest van I've seen was one rented by my father some years ago. It was a Mercedes and was about 7 metres long (possibly a LWB Sprinter or Vario) with a 7.5 tonne capacity.  Apparently, it was the biggest thing he could drive without a UK truck driving license.  Astronaut (talk) 16:35, 26 June 2009 (UTC)

The longest commercial van I'm aware of is the escort Harriet van Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious. Baseball Bugs What's up, Doc? carrots 14:59, 27 June 2009 (UTC)

What on Earth is there to do in Toronto on a Thursday night for an eighteen-year-old?
I'm eighteen; I can't drink yet. I'm bored. I want to go out and do something with a friend tonight but I'm absolutely shot on ideas. Does anyone have any suggestions? Nothing too expensive.... -- ✶♏&#8237;ݣ 00:04, 26 June 2009 (UTC)
 * Do the Degrassi Tour!142.132.4.26 (talk) 00:46, 26 June 2009 (UTC)
 * Umm... I'm not much of the Degrassi type, and I don't even know what that is. Any other suggestions? -- ✶♏
 * Mostly it's just an excuse to get out and go for a stroll with a friend. Who knows what else might happen? Adventure awaits! 142.132.4.26 (talk) 02:46, 26 June 2009 (UTC)

&#8237;ݣ 01:30, 26 June 2009 (UTC)
 * In and around Toronto? Depends where abouts you are, but I could list off: karaoke, center island, pacific mall (good food), umm?? 124.154.253.146 (talk) 01:59, 26 June 2009 (UTC)
 * Great night for a stroll along Queen Street West. The sidewalks will be packed. // BL \\ (talk) 02:49, 26 June 2009 (UTC)
 * It's Pride Week, so there should be lots to see even if you aren't gay. Adam Bishop (talk) 12:08, 26 June 2009 (UTC)

Ideas for things you can do in any city:
 * 1) Parkour --Dweller (talk) 12:57, 26 June 2009 (UTC)
 * 2) Fringe Theatre Festival DJ Clayworth (talk) 14:36, 26 June 2009 (UTC)
 * 3) Jazz Festival DJ Clayworth (talk) 14:38, 26 June 2009 (UTC)
 * 4) Cinema --Dweller (talk) 15:37, 26 June 2009 (UTC)
 * 5) Walk in a park or open space that's not a crime hotspot --Dweller (talk) 15:37, 26 June 2009 (UTC)
 * 6) Bingo (Do they have that in Toronto?) --Dweller (talk) 15:38, 26 June 2009 (UTC)
 * 7) Snooker or Pool club (ditto) --Dweller (talk) 15:38, 26 June 2009 (UTC)
 * 8) Bowling (ditto) --Dweller (talk) 15:38, 26 June 2009 (UTC)

Anyone else reminded of Things to do in Denver when you're dead? "Buckwheats". --Dweller (talk) 17:06, 26 June 2009 (UTC)
 * Well, it's no longer Thursday, but you may want to try coming downtown around Yonge-Dundas Square. There are usually some street entertainers about. Also, they do free outdoor movies at sunset (see http://www.ydsquare.ca/) on Tuesdays, and other events, too. It's a great civic space (despite some idiots on Facebook advocating dumping garbage there during the current strike. ). Oh, the current strike also means there is no ferry service to the islands, so that's likely out. Another area, especially on weekends is Harbourfront. -- Flyguy649 talk 19:44, 26 June 2009 (UTC)

wow you have no imagination!!!!! i would suggest taking 5 mins out of your life to realize how to have fun...let me see last week end i was bored so went quad biking...but no let me think you could go horse riding/fishing/golfing/crazy golfing/cinema i even managed to blag my way into salsa dancing with a spurious lie so i didnt have to pay lol all of these are inexpensive things to do if not free if you can sort out your charm lol do i really need to type a list of nine million things to do in the world i would suggest getting off your lazy ass :)Chromagnum (talk) 06:11, 1 July 2009 (UTC)

Gas fittings
Are gas bottle fittings in America different to Australia's. For example, if I was to buy a nitrogen gas regulator in USA, can I use the same regulator on Australian gas bottles? Thanks for any help.
 * The Australian Standards are not identical for medical nitrogen and that used in the beverage industry. No doubt there are similar differences in the USA as well (as there are pressure differences between the various applications, and varying requirements for mixing with air or oxygen). The end result is probably identical in the two countries, but the threading on Australian bottles is metric, while on US bottles it is SAE (and sometimes left-hand thread). Most Australian gas suppliers will rent you the appropriate regulator, as the bottles themselves are also often rented (ie you get a filled exchange bottle, not have your own bottled refilled).- KoolerStill (talk) 10:13, 26 June 2009 (UTC)

James Sanborn's sculpture in Japan
James Sanborn reportedly has a sculpture somewhere in Japan. Does anybody know where it is? I've a feeling it might be in Hiroshima, but none of the sites I check mentioned the actual sculpture; just that he was commissioned to make it in Japan. 124.154.253.146 (talk) 06:54, 26 June 2009 (UTC)
 * According to this site, there's a sculpture of "Two parallel lightning bolts of assembled stone" at Kawasaki International Peace Park in Kawasaki, Japan. Irvine Contemporary (warning: .pdf) says he was awarded a grant by Kawasaki International Peace Park in 1983. Some jerk on the Internet (talk) 19:48, 26 June 2009 (UTC)
 * Ah, sorry about that. I think I actually looked at that list, but I seem to have missed it. Thanks for pointing it out! 124.154.253.146 (talk) 04:10, 27 June 2009 (UTC)

Mark Sanford emails
In the case of Mark Sanford disappearance and extramarital affair, how did the State newspaper get hold of the emails between Sanford and his lover (published here)? --Richardrj talkemail 08:46, 26 June 2009 (UTC)
 * They probably either bribed someone with access to his e-mail or broke into his account. Even celebrities can use bad passwords or obvious security questions. Prokhorovka (talk) 09:24, 26 June 2009 (UTC)

Note that doing either of those things would violate widely recognized standards of media ethics, so it's doubtful the paper went that route. -- Mwalcoff (talk) 02:51, 28 June 2009 (UTC)
 * Were they his own e-mail account, or was he so foolish as to write them using the state's e-mail system? Baseball Bugs What's up, Doc? carrots 12:00, 26 June 2009 (UTC)
 * They may have been sent on state computers, or even worse, using the state's own email system. There is no expectation to privacy using public computers and/or email systems.  In most cases, unless covered under the narrow guise of "national security", people have the right to all official correspondance of their government.  This usually extends to anything sent on government owned computers or using a government email account.  --Jayron32. talk . contribs  12:26, 26 June 2009 (UTC)
 * There is a little bit more expectation to short-term confidentiality, though. Transparency in government does not necessarily mean that the inner dealings of every decision need to be aired as it is being made (doing so would obviously paralyze the ability to think freely). This is why there are multiple grades of classification—all the way down to "for official use only" which is hard to get in the short term but easy to get in the long term. --98.217.14.211 (talk) 17:10, 26 June 2009 (UTC)
 * Precisely. So the question remains, from whose e-mail system did his e-mails emanate? If he actually used state or public computers, instead of a scarlet "A" he should have a big red "L" on his forehead. If it was a private account, someone's got some 'splainin' to do (besides him, obviously). Baseball Bugs What's up, Doc? carrots 12:40, 26 June 2009 (UTC)


 * Either way it is "L" quality hijinks. E-mail is insecure unless you are encrypting it. State or non-state (see Palin's Yahoo! mail problem not long ago). If I were an elected official I would not write anything down in an insecure form unless I wanted others to eventually read it (and even then, what you write at all depends on how much you trust the recipient not to leak it themselves or to accidentally let it fall in the wrong hands). (This is not a problem related to e-mail uniquely, of course.) --98.217.14.211 (talk) 17:09, 26 June 2009 (UTC)


 * The news reporter said the paper got the emails from an anonymous source 5 months ago, which is why they didn't reveal them at first (i.e. they were unverified and not newsworthy until their contents actually led to tracking Sanford down). So, nobody who knows is telling where they came from.  My own wild speculation is that Sanford wrote them on his home computer and his wife found them and leaked them to the paper.  But there is no way to know, until more information comes out.  208.70.31.206 (talk) 03:37, 27 June 2009 (UTC)
 * 5 months ago squares with when the wife supposedly found out about the affair. Ding-ding-ding! Baseball Bugs What's up, Doc? carrots 14:57, 27 June 2009 (UTC)
 * Um, but that could just mean that she was sent the e-mails as well by the anonymous source. --98.217.14.211 (talk) 16:50, 27 June 2009 (UTC)
 * Argentine Man Is Said to Be Source of Sanford E-Mail, says New York Times. "Last December, the executive said, Ms. Chapur was dating a young Argentine a few months after her affair with Mr. Sanford began. The man happened to see the e-mail messages being exchanged between the governor and Ms. Chapur, said the executive — who said he had direct knowledge of the situation — and hacked into her e-mail account to see the rest." "Hacked" is of course the questionable verb here—could mean anything. --98.217.14.211 (talk) 16:50, 27 June 2009 (UTC)
 * That's possible too. So it seems like various folks knew about this 5 months ago yet nothing came of it. In fact, the guy is still the governor. So really nothing has changed. Baseball Bugs What's up, Doc? carrots 16:55, 27 June 2009 (UTC)
 * Yeah, except for the fact that his dirty laundry is on every news channel, he lost his chairmanship of an important political organization, and basically everybody is calling on him to quit his job. But other than that, no changes at all. (rolls eyes) --98.217.14.211 (talk) 19:51, 27 June 2009 (UTC)
 * He's still the governor, though, for now. We'll see if he joins this year's drummed-out-of-office club, which is chaired by Hot Rod Blagojevich. Baseball Bugs What's up, Doc? carrots 21:38, 27 June 2009 (UTC)

Washing clothes while camping
How can we wash our clothes while camping? Is the washboard the best alternative? What can we do with the rest water if we are ecologically minded?--Mr.K. (talk) 11:01, 26 June 2009 (UTC)
 * Well, it depends on the facilities on offer at the campsite where you're staying (unless you're camping in the wild, so to speak, which I would strongly advise against). Some campsites have washers and dryers available.  If not, they should certainly have sinks for people to wash their dishes and clothes in (note, I'm not talking about washbasins in the bathroom).  Just bring some washing powder with you and wash your clothes by hand in the sink.  You can hang them out to dry near your tent on a washing line – bring a length of line and some clothes pegs for this purpose, and rig up a makeshift line when you get there.  Assuming the weather is fine (and you really shouldn't be camping if it isn't), they should be nice and dry in no time. --Richardrj talkemail 11:21, 26 June 2009 (UTC)


 * Depends on what sort of camping— front country or back country. If you are in a front country campground, you can use a washboard and a tub. You can also make a washer with a five gallon bucket and a (new) toilet plunger. Drill a hole in the bucket lid large enough for the lid, put the clothes, water and soap in the bucket; put the plunger through the hole and put the lid on; use the plunger as an agitator to do the wash, then rinse and agitate. Dispose of the water by pouring down a drain or by dispersing it away from a water source. Any modern soaps are going to be environmentally friendly, but use a minimum. If back country, then you need to be familiar with Leave No Trace. ---— Gadget850 (Ed)  talk 11:43, 26 June 2009 (UTC)


 * Richardrj are you seriously telling the OP something like "Don't camp anywhere wild, camp only at camp sites equipped with sinks, washing machines and/or drying machines ? ". Cuddlyable3 (talk) 13:00, 26 June 2009 (UTC)
 * Pretty much, yes – albeit with tongue ever so slightly in cheek, and based on my original research of the vision of hell that is the under-amenitied campsite :) --Richardrj talkemail 13:13, 26 June 2009 (UTC)
 * One good thing about going camping is that it reminds you of why we invented houses and indoor plumbing. Baseball Bugs What's up, Doc? carrots 13:18, 26 June 2009 (UTC)
 * If you follow the "Leave No Trace" philosophy, doing laundry would be a questionable activity. Obviously, you can't literally "leave no trace", but you can minimize your impact. It's just that "minimize your impact" is not such a catchy slogan. Baseball Bugs What's up, Doc? carrots 13:08, 26 June 2009 (UTC)
 * Maybe not a full, proper laundry with soap and bleach, but if you're backpacking out in the wild, there's no reason you couldn't rinse your clothes in some running water like a brook or something. You've probably brought a piece of rope with you, so it's easy enough to set up a small clothesline between two trees for drying. APL (talk) 14:53, 26 June 2009 (UTC)


 * It is probaly not environmentally friendly, but there are washing detergents which supposedly work in any water (including cold seawater). I say "supposedly" because I couldn't get it to lather even in clean drinking water.  Either I was using it incorrectly, or it was totally useless.  Just thought I'd mention it though :-) Astronaut (talk) 16:12, 26 June 2009 (UTC)


 * I've washed clothes with a washboard and a washtub. A washboard makes the washing easier, and one would suffice for a number of campers, so the burden of packing it might be worthwhile. If only one or two are on the trip, and you don't want to lug a washboard, then heat some water, put detergent directly on stains, and rub the clothing against itself in the tub or bucket of warm sudsy water until stains fade and they seem clean. Swish them around a while in the hot suds, then wring out the water by hand, and rinse them in fresh water to get rid of the soap residue. Wring them dry as best you can, to reduce the chance of mildew. They can be hung on a line or on bushes to dry. Unless it is a sunny day, they may take a very long time to dry (more than a few hours). Start the washing at sunup for maximum drying time. Edison (talk) 17:20, 26 June 2009 (UTC)


 * All consumer soaps are now environmentally friendly, but you still don't dump them directly into a water source. I can't think of a backpacking trip where you would need to clean more than a pair of socks every now and then. Even Appalachian Trail thru-hikers get off the trail and get a motel and do some laundry. ---— Gadget850 (Ed)  talk 17:32, 26 June 2009 (UTC)
 * I've seen truckstop cafes, 100 miles either way from other habitation, that have showers and a coin-operated washing machine.- KoolerStill (talk) 19:32, 26 June 2009 (UTC)
 * Some of us are too cheap to put coins in the machines and not willing to sit by the machine 45 minutes for the wash cycle and another 45 minutes for the dryer. Edison (talk) 03:12, 27 June 2009 (UTC)


 * If you're camping in the woods for a few days, don't wash your clothes. Bring extra sets of inner layers. If you're going to be camping for a number of weeks, still don't wash your clothes. Rinse them in water and hang them to dry. You won't be able to smell each other that much, and the smell of the woods and fire will help to cover a lot of the BO. Seriously, don't take any soap with you; it's unnecessary and even "enviro-friendly" products might not be exactly what they advertise. If you're worried about your smell as you re-enter civilization, bring one set of clothes and save them for the last day. 124.154.253.146 (talk) 04:04, 27 June 2009 (UTC)

Operation Snow White
I was reading the article Operation Snow White and I find it pretty amazing that they were able to penetrate agencies like the DoJ. But, all in all exactly which government agencies did they infiltrate altogether and did they manage to get into agencies like the Department of Defense or the CIA or would they have even been able to penetrate those agencies? And do you think they would be able to do it again today, even with the security the government has put in since then and 9/11? --Blue Heron 89 (talk) 17:17, 26 June 2009 (UTC)
 * Did you read Wikipedia's article on it? It is surprisingly well referenced and detailed; if some specific information on the Operation is not in enough detail in the article, you could seek out some of the references and read those... --Jayron32. talk . contribs  18:22, 26 June 2009 (UTC)


 * I am not sure why they would have attempted to break into either CIA or the DoD. 65.121.141.34 (talk) 20:05, 26 June 2009 (UTC)


 * Information is power, and it is a commodity. Consider how many countries they are involved in, how useful it might be to know certain things about how the US agencies are planning to deal with said countries, etc. --98.217.14.211 (talk) 15:25, 27 June 2009 (UTC)

Shirt sizing
This sizing chart uses what I guess is the circumference at the shirt's chest, while this chart uses simply the chest width. I want to buy a shirt of the brand of the first chart, but I want to compare the sizes to a shirt that I own, from the second website. How would these be compared? Thanks. &mdash;Akrabbimtalk 17:25, 26 June 2009 (UTC)
 * Well, the obvious answer is that the shirt circumference is twice the width of the shirt in the second list (which uses an unusual method of sizing). However, I doubt it is that simple. I suggest you pay more attention to the "small", "medium", "large", "XL", etc sizing on both charts.  Astronaut (talk) 17:35, 26 June 2009 (UTC)
 * I usually wear a men's M, but from different suppliers that size often varies, so I was trying to see what I could tell from the numbers. &mdash;Akrabbimtalk 18:05, 26 June 2009 (UTC)
 * Indeed. Even companies that use a numerical sizing system (ostensibly the chest circumference in inches, for example) often vary from one another.  A 34 from one company may "run" differently than a 34 from another company; so you really need to look at the sizes as a general guide and get to know which companies have sizes that work for you.  --Jayron32. talk . contribs  18:20, 26 June 2009 (UTC)

First question to ask, obviously, is whether the shops in your area measure in centimetres (metric system) or inches (Imperial or U.S. customary system). —— Shakescene (talk) 22:41, 26 June 2009 (UTC)


 * Measuring the width of the shirt is very unusual, I've never seen that before. Given such an unusual measurement, I wouldn't be too trusting of it. It's probably best just to guess based on the S, M, L guidelines, even though they aren't very precise. --Tango (talk) 00:05, 27 June 2009 (UTC)


 * What's most usual in the U.S. is offering a choice of neck sizes (e.g. 15 1/2 inches) and (for long-sleeved shirts) sleeve lengths. —— Shakescene (talk) 07:13, 27 June 2009 (UTC)
 * Likewise in the UK (although I think we call it "collar size"). A chest size in addition to the collar size isn't unheard of, though. It would certainly be measured if you went to a tailor for a made to measure or bespoke suit. --Tango (talk) 02:18, 28 June 2009 (UTC)

You may also be interested in the article Vanity sizing. Certainly I'm used to buying in the Small/Medium/Large range for t-shirts/polo-shirts but then for dress-shirts/suit-shirts I would always expect to buy it by neck-size. ny156uk (talk) 09:23, 27 June 2009 (UTC)


 * Using a measuring tape and the chart by the company you intend to buy from is likely to yield better results than comparing charts by different companies. If you are shopping for a shirt, then any T-shirt measurements are close to irrelevant.  Even polo shirts are cut significantly differently.  There was a similar post on clothes sizes here a couple of weeks back (June 11 "Body proportions" in the Archives).  US standard clothing size may help.  Remember that the measurements of the shirt include certain allowances for fit and comfort as compared to the measurements of your body, you might end up doubling or reducing those if you compare actual clothing measurements vs. body measurement charts.  Getting what is basically a more or less rectangular piece of cloth to fit the various curves and shapes of the human body is an art onto itself. 71.236.26.74 (talk) 05:36, 28 June 2009 (UTC)

Trucker radio "code"
In a lot of films you see truckers who witness say, the main character doing some wild stunt, picking up radios and saying stuff like "we got an 815 on Interstate 95". I've never seen a trucker do anything like that in real life. Is there someplace I could read futehr about it, or could you explain it? --92.251.142.187 (talk) 17:42, 26 June 2009 (UTC)


 * You might start with Ten-code (and other codes linked therein) and CB slang. -- Coneslayer (talk) 17:47, 26 June 2009 (UTC)
 * Ah right thanks that's very interesting92.251.142.187 (talk) 17:49, 26 June 2009 (UTC)
 * Every trucker had a CB in the late 1970's and 1980's and many car drivers did as well, to get help in an emergency or to get spotting reports on cops with radar guns: "Comb your hair and smile, because there's a Bear taking pictures at the 219 marker." It was made popular by the song "Convoy" and the 1978 movie Convoy (film). It was a free call to let those at home know you would arrive shortly. Range was a few miles typically with legal equipment. 20 miles from hill to hill was achievable with 5 watts. Edison (talk) 19:36, 26 June 2009 (UTC)


 * My grandparents used CBs extensively With their farming operation and they did not have much trouble over a 25 mile range. They did have a windmill that was acting as a radio mast though, which trucks would not have so that probably improved range significantly.  65.121.141.34 (talk) 19:53, 26 June 2009 (UTC)


 * CB's are still used. It's just they don't get the kind of publicity they used to when the speed limit was made artificially too low and this dodge-the-bears game was all the rage. Baseball Bugs What's up, Doc? carrots 14:55, 27 June 2009 (UTC)


 * That's a big 10-4. Edison (talk) 20:12, 27 June 2009 (UTC)
 * I know that many car clubs still use them to keep in touch during rides, whether they be on or off road. Dismas |(talk) 21:24, 27 June 2009 (UTC)
 * Our car club (Mini Owners of Texas) - and most others I've driven with use FRS/GMRS radios. Theoretically, they have less range than CB - but the sound quality is much clearer and they not so fiddly to use - you don't have to mount it in the car or have a huge antenna.  We find that, in practice, they are much better than CB for car-to-car use.  However, you aren't supposed to use the GMRS channels without a license, which limits you to the half dozen FRS channels...yeah...right.  Using the 'Ten code' is considered silly.  It probably originated as a way to give messages clearly over the noisy old CB system...GMRS is clearer than a cellphone - you don't need codes and such. SteveBaker (talk) 02:40, 29 June 2009 (UTC)

Iowa small claims court
What is the minimum $ amount that one can sue someone for in small claims court of Iowa?


 * The "Iowa Court Rules" has small claims forms to fill out in Chapter 3. The form on Chapter 3 page 9 lets you fill in the blank for the value of the property being demanded, which may not exceed US$5,000.  It does not list a minimum.  Tempshill (talk) 22:46, 26 June 2009 (UTC)
 * (e/c) :This site contains guidance for people wishing to take action in the Iowa Small Claims Court without using a legal representative, and may be a good place for you to find more information.  It states that the maximum sum one can claim is $5000, but I cannot find a minimum claim listed there.  Please note that we cannot give legal advice here.  If you need information that you cannot find on third-party sites such as the one I've linked above, your best option is to seek advice from the court itself or from a qualified legal adviser.   Ka renjc 22:54, 26 June 2009 (UTC)