Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Miscellaneous/2010 May 15

= May 15 =

family tree
A co-worker and I found out today that her grandfather and my father are cousins, we are curious to see if this means we are cousins of any sort. I tried looking at several family trees, but could not figure it out. Please help us with our curiosity!Tedwaa (talk) 00:44, 15 May 2010 (UTC) Thank you wf and tm
 * See cousin. If her grandfather and your father are first cousins, that means that the common ancestor is 4 generations back for her and 3 generations back for you.  That makes you second cousins, once removed.  Second cousins because the closest ancestor to either of you is a great-grandparent, and once removed because there is a one-generation difference between you. -- Jayron  32  00:58, 15 May 2010 (UTC)
 * So I guess it would be alright for them to have sex then. 210.165.30.169 (talk) 03:04, 18 May 2010 (UTC)
 * Not if one of them is under the age of consent, which may seem unlikely for a co-worker but is not impossible in some countries Nil Einne (talk) 00:21, 19 May 2010 (UTC)

Jung-su Lee sentence
i know that jung-su lee the (skater of south korea) has been told three years but he had/has a chance to appeal. so my question is it offically that if he is off for 3 years or what? also does he get to keep his althete pitch'in from goverment? (i know you guys summarize all the files but there was lil more to the story)i dont think the two teamates and epsically jung-su lee was innocent. PLEASE and THANK YOU!!!! —Preceding unsigned comment added by 66.118.92.6 (talk) 04:10, 15 May 2010 (UTC)


 * Ouur article on Lee Jung-Su says that he was handed a 3-year ban, but does not mention that Lee and his teammate had one week to appeal the ban. According to the Korea Times, they did appeal the ban, on May 10th.  This will force the Korean Skating Union to meet again and investigate further.  Also, according to Sports Illustrated, the government has no plans to take away his pension.  Cheers, --Cerebellum (talk) 14:58, 15 May 2010 (UTC)

How do you keep birds out of a tree
I live in south florida and have a 20 foot tree in the yard. Many many birds have deceided they like the tree and the result is a lot of unhealthy poo. Our tempature has reached 90 so my children need the shade. Please tell me how to discourage these birds from this tree. Victoria1974 (talk) 06:14, 15 May 2010 (UTC)
 * First, make sure you turn off "Caps Lock". Also more information may be needed to best answer your question. Do you have any bird feeders near the tree? As that would attract them to live in the tree. wiooiw (talk) 06:23, 15 May 2010 (UTC)
 * If you keep YELLING under the tree, maybe the birds will dislike the noise. My only other suggestions are getting a cat or a deer cannon. Your neighbors might not like the deer cannon though. Dismas |(talk) 06:24, 15 May 2010 (UTC)
 * Those fake owls they sell are supposed to scare off smaller birds. You could hang a few of those up in the branches. Even if it didn't work it would be kind of cool to have a tree full of fake owls. Alexius  Horatius  06:33, 15 May 2010 (UTC)
 * In general, remove any attractions that birds might want. The Owl is a good idea. You can also buy a cat and let it roam the tree. Or get a gun and....wiooiw (talk) 06:38, 15 May 2010 (UTC)


 * Do not get a gun!!! except for the purposes of frightening the birds. Caesar&#39;s Daddy (talk) 07:51, 15 May 2010 (UTC)

You could also provide other places for the birds to go instead - maybe a bird feeder or box placed in another part of the garden away from the tree. Chevymontecarlo. 11:19, 15 May 2010 (UTC)

Caps lock is off. Neighbors have bird feeders in small trees, so they dine there and hang out in our large tree, which by the way has somtimes loud children underneith. I have used a marine blowhorn which works for about half an hour. please keep up with the suggestions and thanksVictoria1974 (talk) 21:37, 15 May 2010 (UTC)


 * If it is a single, isolated tree of moderate size, some type of bird netting draped over it may be effective in limiting perching. (You may be able to find some intended to protect fruit trees.) -- 174.24.200.38 (talk) 03:01, 16 May 2010 (UTC)
 * There is also supposed to be a thin plastic tape that flutters in the wind and makes a noise that frightens birds. Also shiny mirror bits hung in the tree, perhaps old CDs will make it unpleasant for birds. I have seen a life size black cut out of a bird of prey stuck up high on a big pole used to frighten birds too. Graeme Bartlett (talk) 03:07, 16 May 2010 (UTC)
 * Yes, CDs are a good idea. Many people here in the UK use them on allotments to frighten off the birds. Maybe you should try that. Chevymontecarlo . 15:10, 17 May 2010 (UTC)

Creating a new Wiki page on a specific Vbulletin forum. Allowed?
Can i create an article about a particular VBulletin forum? Would it be within the rules considering Wikipedia's stringent guidelines on advertising? If the answer to both my questions is "yes", can you suggest me some example pages based on which i could model it? —Preceding unsigned comment added by V.siddhesh (talk • contribs) 12:59, 15 May 2010 (UTC)
 * See Notability. The key test is is the forum discussed extensively in reliable, independent sources.  Every point of that is important.  reliable, independent sources are required to ensure that anything in the article is verifiable.  And since we need every part of the article to be verifiable, then every part of the article should be referenced to an independent, reliable source.  If no one outside of Wikipedia has disussed the forum extensively, it is probably not an appropriate topic for a Wikipedia article.-- Jayron  32  13:13, 15 May 2010 (UTC)


 * Just as an example, there are pages on Something Awful and 4chan, which are both indisputably "notable" forums. Note that each contain copious third-party references. Gaia Online has fewer references, although the fact that it is perhaps the "largest" on the whole internet probably gets it into the "notable" category without a fight. --Mr.98 (talk) 14:47, 15 May 2010 (UTC)

car insurance
it has been about 18 months since i last insured my car and have thrown away all my previous policy details. as i am an airhead i cannot remember the name of my previous broker. is there a way of finding out who this is as i have roughly 7 years no claims on this policy which would be useful to get new insurance. i would be extremely greatful to anyone who can help. dave —Preceding unsigned comment added by 77.100.167.83 (talk) 13:19, 15 May 2010 (UTC)
 * Do you have any receipts for checks or whatever method of payment that you were making? ←Baseball Bugs What's up, Doc? carrots→ 13:26, 15 May 2010 (UTC)
 * If you paid by check or credit card, you should be able to talk to your bank and get statements back from 2 years ago - that would lead you to the name of the insurance company. SteveBaker (talk) 16:53, 15 May 2010 (UTC)


 * And of course, you will be identified as one of the many thousands (in the UK) who add about £50 per policy to those of us who DO keep their motor insurance up to date. Who do you think compensates the victims of un-insured drivers? Answer - those of us who do insure uninterruptedly. However, if you didn't insure because you were legitimately off the road - I apologise, but still make the above point nonetheless for the benefit of other readers to whom those comments might apply. 92.30.12.193 (talk) 17:20, 15 May 2010 (UTC).


 * That's awfully rude and presumptive of you! Perhaps the OP has had the car locked away in a garage for a year or more.  I own two cars that have not been insured (or driven more than the length of my driveway) for over two years - both are classic cars that are in the process of being restored and do not need to be insured until I'm ready to take them out onto the road.  Wikipedia requires us to Assume Good Faith - it's one of our founding principles.  Which means that you are not allowed to go around accusing people of things...even if you offer a caveated apology in the next sentence.  Please don't make unwarranted accusations in the first place - OK? SteveBaker (talk) 03:50, 17 May 2010 (UTC)

first i would like to thank you for all your suggestions. I am pretty much certain i would have paid this by cash but i will follow this up further. the policy i am unable to locate used to be my policy for my works van as i was self employed. i am now a house husband which is the reason i no longer have this policy but we have recently purchased a second car because my partner works and we also have 3 children so do need this second car. so i would like to apologise to the uniterupted payers (including myself) who have £50 added on to there policy


 * ( As Steve said, the suggestion that you have been an uninsured driver was unfair. If you are a named driver for your partner's car, then any no-claims on that policy might be taken into account, especially if your partner is to be a named driver on your vehicle.  Ask your partner's insurer. )    D b f i r s   08:40, 17 May 2010 (UTC)


 * Well if you have a vague idea you could ring around a few brokers and ask them. No doubt they will want your business. Graeme Bartlett (talk) 23:35, 15 May 2010 (UTC)


 * The name of your former insurer will be held on the DVLA database. Unfortunately, there is probably no way that you can access this information, but it is possible that your new insurer might have access to this or a similar insurers' database.    D b f i r s   07:10, 16 May 2010 (UTC)


 * In the UK, your local police station has easy access to the DVLA database where they can check your insurance. Just take your driving/ownership documents in with you.--Shantavira|feed me 15:01, 16 May 2010 (UTC)

Futures contracts on Sydney Futures Exchange
For AUD Futures, when are the contracts settled? and can they be settled in US dollars? Thanks —Preceding unsigned comment added by Ozpurple (talk • contribs) 15:06, 15 May 2010 (UTC)

And what does it cost to enter a futures contract? Ozpurple (talk) 15:18, 15 May 2010 (UTC)
 * A salesman from any company that is a member of the exchange will be glad to answer any questions. S/he is betting you will be grateful and use his/her establishment.  Rebele  | Talk The only way to win the game is to not play the game. 07:46, 17 May 2010 (UTC)


 * SFE contract specifications will be available on-line at the Australian Securities Exchange site. Any broker will almost certainly provide FX facilities allowing you to make and receive payments in any major currency (although not neceesarily at the most competitive rates). Cost of futures contract is an initial margin payment that you have to make when you start the contract, plus daily variation margin payments that you will be asked to make if the underlying asset moves against you or its volatility changes significantly. The ASX has its own minimum margin requirements (based on a complicated calculation called Span margining) but a broker may have additional margin requirements on top of this. As Rebele suggests, best thing is to ask one or two brokers about their terms and conditions. Gandalf61 (talk) 09:37, 17 May 2010 (UTC)

scam or no scam
I need to find the names of the president and/or chairman of America on Line. I have received an e-mail from said persons regarding a sum of money. This is probably a scam, but I need to confirm what it is. Snopes cannot help me. gammielou —Preceding unsigned comment added by Gammielou (talk • contribs) 15:53, 15 May 2010 (UTC)


 * It's definitely a scam, as is every other "we owe you money you didn't know we owed you" email. -- Finlay McWalter • Talk 16:17, 15 May 2010 (UTC)

I need to Identify the president and/or chairman of America on Line to confirm a recently received communication from aol. Gammielou (talk) 16:14, 15 May 2010 (UTC)


 * It is a scam. Delete it, and do not respond in any way.  Comet Tuttle (talk) 16:29, 15 May 2010 (UTC)


 * Yes - definitely. It'll be a scam for 100% certain.  I wouldn't even bother to check it out, delete it and move on. SteveBaker (talk) 16:50, 15 May 2010 (UTC)
 * With emails, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably isn't. Chevymontecarlo . 17:01, 15 May 2010 (UTC)
 * Maybe the OP could arrange to bombard the sender's e-mail with ads for prescription drug knockoffs and the like? ←Baseball Bugs What's up, Doc? carrots→ 18:52, 15 May 2010 (UTC)


 * To answer your specific question, see our article Tim Armstrong (executive). But in the unlikely event that you are able to make personal contact with him, he'll undoubtedly tell you the same as everyone else has done so far.  Please don't give these people any money or any personal information.  Good luck.  Ka renjc 19:30, 15 May 2010 (UTC)


 * There is no such thing as "American Online", so it must be a scam - they changed their name to just "AOL" years ago. If it was really from them, they would have got their own name right. --Tango (talk) 13:29, 16 May 2010 (UTC)


 * Well, AOL's Founder and CEO was famously Steve Case, but now AOL is just part of Time Warner and doesn't have it's own CEO. (The Time Warner CEO is Jeffrey Bewkes.)
 * But that's all irrelevant. If you've got an unexpected business letter involving a large sum of money that doesn't come with a way to verify the information, it's absolutely a scam.
 * If Steve Case really decided that he wanted to give you some amount of money, he'd have given you a phone number and a postal address that you could call AOL's main switchboard to verify. If it was a large amount of money he'd have had his lawyer contact you by some equally verifiable way. (Registered mail, perhaps?) Business just isn't done by emailing strangers about money. APL (talk) 19:42, 17 May 2010 (UTC)
 * Baseball Bugs - or dodgy insurance schemes... Chevymontecarlo . 12:06, 18 May 2010 (UTC)


 * One scenario that no one seems to have considered is that the letter may be demanding money for some unpaid debt to AOL. If the letter was addressed to a previous occupant of your house and you have no prior business with AOL, just give them a call and say the people they are after no longer live there.  If however you do owe AOL money, it might be better to pay up now or seek the advice of a lawyer.  Astronaut (talk) 14:22, 19 May 2010 (UTC)

Greetings,I am Mr.Howdi Imaskama and I am begging your assistance.My father was the head of the large manufacturing corporation in IVORY COAST!!!! when his plane crash on February 29 2010. I am sole heir to his fortune of SEVENTY TWO MILLION DOLLARS,but terms of government state this is may not be used with Ivory Coast bank account-you have been nominated as chosen beneficiary.For storing of the moneys in your account,you will receive sum of 10% of money as transfer fee which will be transferred directly to you.This scheme is in accordance with the banking Regulations of Ivory Coast and is being published in public for all to see the truth and honourable intentions of our company. In order to be claiming this money,you need provide merely your bank account number and verification code and the details of name and address of owner.After this has been done you will be credited with account.It is great kindness of Wikipedians to help fellow human in distress and I am much gratified with your agreeing to this service-the colour and creed and religion is of no significance,relationship can be had with all people of Wikipedia.I thank you for support,me and my father and the workers of Gullyball Wikiz Inc.
 * Howdy, Howdi. The Hero of This Nation (talk) 17:23, 20 May 2010 (UTC)

George Bernard Shaw quote
I'm looking for a quote from George Bernard Shaw which I cannot find using Google. It was something about men and women facing each other at the breakfast table after what they've been doing all night or something. Not being familiar with Shaw, was this an actual quote from Shaw? --Blue387 (talk) 18:45, 15 May 2010UT


 * Is this what you meant: "The problem with marriage is that it ends every night after making love, and it must be rebuilt every morning before breakfast"? It is credited here to Gabriel García Márquez. Bielle  (talk) 16:32, 16 May 2010 (UTC)


 * Why didn't he just make love in the morning instead?--Shantavira|feed me 08:34, 17 May 2010 (UTC)
 * Perhaps because the need for rebuilding would then consume the rest of the day. When the shops are open, it can get expensive.  Ghmyrtle (talk) 08:45, 17 May 2010 (UTC)

Source of landscapes and urban panoramic photos (for desktop background)
Is there anywhere on the Internet where I can find examples of the above? I have tried the WP featured images but I have used them all as a background already. Does anyone know where I could find some? Chevymontecarlo. 20:12, 15 May 2010 (UTC)


 * There are plenty of panoramics at Commons. Cuddlyable3 (talk) 21:04, 15 May 2010 (UTC)


 * You might also want to check out National Geographic's wallpaper collection here http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/wallpaper/download . The quality of the photography is really excellent and although the images aren't categorised landscapes feature fairly prominently so you should be able to find lots by just clicking through. Click on the small link at the bottom which says "download wallpaper" to get the full size version. 131.111.185.68 (talk) 22:47, 15 May 2010 (UTC)


 * In the end I went some photos from the National Geographic collection but I think I will continue to look through the Commons photos because I'm sure there's some good ones somewhere. Thanks for that. Chevymontecarlo . 15:08, 17 May 2010 (UTC)