Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Miscellaneous/December 2005

=1 December 2005=

Hassocks' Camp
A Canadian reader sent the following message to the Help Desk mailing list.

I have a photo (postcard) with the printed date of 1911 and also imprinted with "Hassock's Camp". I believe it was in Sussex, England but would like more details if possible. Some of the men in the photo are in army uniform. One of the men is my grandfather who was age 22 that summer. I advised her that it may be related to the town of Hassocks near Brighton. However, if you are able to provide more information, it would be greatly appreciated. Capitalistroadster 00:31, 1 December 2005 (UTC)

Social Studies
how are coral reefs formed?

Look at Coral reef --  Dalbury ( Talk )  02:34, 1 December 2005 (UTC)

Soda Can
Why is the standard Soda/Beer can 12 fluid ounces?


 * No special reason; that's just what it happens to be now, but these things often change over time. You may remember that the next larger size (in the US) of soft drinks was a 16 fl.oz. bottle until it changed to 20 fl.oz. in the 1990s.  A company will change the size of their product whenever they think they can make more money that way.  They might introduce a 20-ounce bottle at the old 16-ounce price, then when everyone has gotten used to drinking 25% more, raise the price a few cents (most of the price is for the container and handling, not the drink) and come out ahead.  That's the way it seems to have gone with soft drinks in recent decades -- with many other products they prefer to keep reducing the size while leaving the price the same.


 * As to why competing companies will often settle on a single standard size, like the 12-ounce can, that's because the can makers and the vending machine makers can give them a better price if they do that.


 * --Anonymous, 06:00 UTC, December 1, 2005


 * Depends on which fluid ounce you mean. Apparently it has been redefined to coincide with 30 ml. That's for 1 fluid ounce, not 12. Is there a mistake in the article? By the way, in Europe it's also 30 ml. Maybe the one is inspired by the other. 30 ml is also the standard beer bottle volume in Europe, and, what's more, all bottles are the same shape, so bottles can be used interchangeably between companies (or how do you say that?). I suppose cans have just followed that. DirkvdM 08:09, 1 December 2005 (UTC)
 * It's been a wee while since I bought a can of fizzy juice but they were always 330ml in the UK, as far as I know they still are. AllanHainey 13:22, 1 December 2005 (UTC)
 * The fluid ounce (at least in the US) has not been redefined, though 30 ml is a close approximation. My 12 fl oz can of Coke is 355 ml, for 29.6 ml / fl oz.  Similarly, a handy 20 fl oz bottle lists 591 ml, for 29.6 ml / fl oz again. &mdash; Lomn | Talk / RfC 14:50, 1 December 2005 (UTC)


 * I based the fluid ounce thing on the article - point three says 1 fluid ounce is exactly 30 ml. Bottles used to be 330 ml in the Netherlands too, but I thought all of Europe had changed to the standard bottles. Is only the UK an exception? DirkvdM 09:55, 2 December 2005 (UTC)


 * In the UK, soft drink cans are 330ml and bottles are 500ml almost without exception. You sometimes get very small cans (150ml?) for pick'n'mix selections, but the ones in the fridges are almost invariably 330ml.


 * Soft drink cans are 33cl in Sweden too, and if I remember correctly, Germany aswell. 50cl cans are reserved for beer in Sweden, though. TERdON 22:55, 6 December 2005 (UTC)


 * A UK pint is 20 floz, but a UK floz is 28.41ml, smaller than a US one, so that makes 20 UK floz = 568ml not 591ml. Since we have 20, not 16, floz to a pint, this 568ml measure is what is still called a pint for glass milk bottles and also for beer/cider in pubs. Cans of beer/cider are usually 330ml, 440ml or 500ml. Loganberry (Talk) 13:35, 5 December 2005 (UTC)

Boxing, non title bout.
As a kid,I was told that my uncle Eddy Trujillo beat Henry Armstrong in a non title bout, it happened in the thirtys,also,Eddy Trujillos picture was on the cover of ring magazine that same year. All I know is that it happend in the thritys.s Please find out if this infromation was recorded in ring magazine history.Thank you very much for your time and efforts, it is appreciated. T J Trujillo from Seattle


 * This website has a profile of Henry Armstrong which lists that he fought Eddy (spelt Eddie on the site) Trujillo on August 30, 1932 in Los Angeles, and that Trujillo won in four rounds. --Canley 06:42, 1 December 2005 (UTC)

thank you.

I need to find information on "Responsible Government arrives in Nova Scotia" and im not very good at using keywords to come up with good searches. Help!? Thanks a lot
You might want to read our articles on Nova Scotia and Responsible government, and a Google search for +"responsible government" +"nova scotia" will produce many relevant hits. Among the very first ones are a timeline, a speech by Joseph Howe, and "How our government works" ("our" meaning Canadian here). Now that wasn't difficult, was it? If you are looking for more specific information, you'd have to tell us what exactly you want to know for us to be able to help you. Lupo 07:46, 1 December 2005 (UTC)

bansod communty in maharashtra
i belong to north india. my sister is getting marrried in bansod communty in maharashtra.but we do not know much about it.only thing we know is that they call themseles maharashtrian thakur.we r also also thakur but we call ourself rajput which they dnt. it would be very kind of u to give details of it. thanks a lot best regards sanya guleria


 * You might start with the Maharashtra article, especially the demographics section, although that does not convey much about the people. You might also try the external links and references at the bottom. Alas, Wikipedia has an article on Rajput, but not on Thakur (or Thakore - you might also try that term for a Google search). I'm curious. I don't know much (if anything) about marriages in those parts of India. I'd say that the guy she's marrying matters most. Or is there something in particular you need to know about Maharashtran culture beforehand? Or, inspired by the Rajput article, is it a caste thing? DirkvdM 08:25, 1 December 2005 (UTC)

Richard Rahls Mother
Does she have a name? From the Sword of Truth series by Terry Goodkind
 * Of course she does. Everyone has a name. Whether it's published or whether Goodkind even knows himself is not known to me. - Mgm|(talk) 09:43, 2 December 2005 (UTC)

Indian cricket
Respected sir,

I want to know the detail facts about indian cricket History specifically about BCCI's inception

and by whom the indian cricket is governed, i,e. by central government or by any other private body? and BCCI is governed by Indian government or by any private body?

And Indian team represents Country or any othet board or Private body?

Please put some light on these Issues.

If You can mail me at (email removed)

Regards and Thanks.

Vinay M Bakale
 * You might find what you're looking for in the cricket in India article. I've removed your e-mail address to prevent spam. –Mysid 10:26, 1 December 2005 (UTC)

Jewish Biblical Jubilee Year
When is the next Jewish Biblical Jubilee Year.

Mike Poindexter Centerville, TX
 * If I recall correctly, they happen every 50 years, but because we have no idea what year the first occured (if it did at all) on our current calendar, your question is impossible to answer. Sorry. Superm401 | Talk 15:34, 1 December 2005 (UTC)


 * According to this site, the Jewish year 5765, which ended in October, might have been a Jubilee year. If that's truee, the next one will be in 5815, or 2054-55. But no one knows for sure. -- Mwalcoff 23:57, 1 December 2005 (UTC)

‘12M’ symbol on personal-care products
I have seen a symbol on several personal-care products (from Kingfisher, Palmolive, The Body Shop, etc.) that looks like a small cylindrical container posed sideways, with the cap ajar. On the main body of the container, it is written ‘12M’. Does anyone know what this means? – Kaihsu 13:09, 1 December 2005 (UTC)
 * Ah, finally found the answer: ‘The PAO [period after opening] symbol, an open cosmetic cream jar, looks as follows: [...] The lifespan is designated in months (M) and appears as follows: for example: [12M] or [24M]. The number of months (M) indicated may appear either inside or outside the symbol of the open cosmetic cream jar.’ I did do some research before asking the question, but now finally found the answer! – Kaihsu 13:12, 1 December 2005 (UTC)
 * Now also in Wikipedia: PAO symbol. Markus Kuhn 17:19, 13 June 2006 (UTC)

Lost item
Can anyone tell me where I put my house keys? - Ta bu shi da yu 14:15, 1 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Right there. [[Image:Flag of Europe.svg|20px]][[Image:Flag of Austria.svg|20px]] ナイトスタリオン ✉ 14:18, 1 December 2005 (UTC)
 * Or perhaps here?. Thryduulf 14:35, 1 December 2005 (UTC)

Try the pockets of the trousers you wore last time you went out. Also check your laundry basket in case they fell out of said pockets when you put your trousers there.-gadfium 21:49, 1 December 2005 (UTC)

Does your cat have a favorite hiding place? - Nunh-huh 23:04, 1 December 2005 (UTC)

They're in the last place you'd think of looking for them. So all you have to do is identify where the last place you would look is, and look there. Perfectly simple. -- AJR | Talk 02:35, 2 December 2005 (UTC)

Remember, the best search engine known to man is a woman. Ask your mom or your wife (whichever is applicable). alteripse 03:12, 2 December 2005 (UTC)
 * I did ask my girlfriend! She told me it was in the last place I put it. Go figure. - Ta bu shi da yu 06:37, 2 December 2005 (UTC)


 * So AJR was correct, she does know where they are. :) = Mgm|(talk) 09:42, 2 December 2005 (UTC)
 * When I lose my keys, I look for the nearest magnet. It sucks living nextdoor to an electromagnet shop. I can't wear a belt, jewellery, or invite my multiple-times-pierced metalhead friends over anymore, and have to use plastic knives to carve the turkey. --Expurgator 13:40, 2 December 2005 (UTC)

List all the countries of the world

 * List of countries. Thryduulf 14:37, 1 December 2005 (UTC)

Help with Russian wikipedia and Donetsk, Ukraine hospitals
I am in need of finding the phone numbers for each significant hospital in Donetsk, Ukraine. However, I don't speak Russian. I've been attempting to use babelfish.altavista.com to stumble through websites in Russian, but the most promising site (www.health.gov.ua) could not be translated by babelfish. I'm running out of options on how to proceed. I thought I might place a question on this at the reference desk of the Russian wikipedia, but I don't have the knowledge to know what page that is. So I need answers to: Any help would be greatly appreciated. A close friend of our family is reported to be in a hospital in Donetsk, but we lack any other information at this point. We are trying to find out what has happened to her. Thanks in advance, --Durin 15:23, 1 December 2005 (UTC)
 * 1) What is the URL for the reference desk page for miscellaneous questions like this page?
 * 2) Does anyone here know enough Russian to work their way through www.health.gov.ua to see if it can provide a list of significant hospitals in Donetsk (and would you do so please)?


 * The best place for this sort of question would be Reference desk/Language; there's generally someone there who can help you translate the page.  smurray  in  chester (User), (Ho Ho Ho!) 16:01, 1 December 2005 (UTC)


 * You might want to call your Embassy in the Ukraine. They may be able and willing to render assistance. - Nunh-huh 00:50, 2 December 2005 (UTC)

First, the language of Ukraine is Ukrainian. People there might get upset if you think they speak Russian (although I guess many of them would speak that as well).


 * You do not want to go to the Russian Wikipedia accidentally! DO YOU REALIZE WHAT RUSSIAN WIKIS CAN DO TO A PERSON?! If not, ask yourself why the KGB doesn’t want you to know. When you go to the Russian Wikipedia Main Page next, look closely. Notice the radical layout differences. Notice all the question marks in the window title, signifying your browser’s inability to understand the wiki. Notice all the Bs, Ds and 0s in the URL. It adds up to only one logical conclusion. You see, in America, anyone can edit Wikipedia, so in Russia, Wikipedia edits you!

As to getting the number, one possibility would be to just call your long-distance telephone operator and ask if you can get directory assistance for Donetsk, Ukraine, then explain what you want. You might end up reaching a human who lives there and knows the major hospitals, and speaks English. If you can get through to any one hospital in the city, perhaps the person you speak to there will be able to give you the phone numbers of some others.

As to the www.health.gov.ua web site, Europeans often use a British flag symbol to indicate English language, and this site does that: you're supposed to click on the little flag for English. However, the English version of the site may not have everything there is on it. I don't see a list of hospitals on their English pages (and I don't speak Ukrainian either), but they do have numbers for the Ministry of Public Health, so maybe someone there could help you. I may as well copy them out: I'm guessing they don't work on weekends, so if you're trying that route, you'll want to call before Friday afternoon eastern European time.
 * [Phone] +380 (44) 253-52-71; 253-61-65
 * [Fax]  +380 (44) 253-69-75
 * [Address] 7 Hrushevsky st., 01021, Kyiv - 21, Ukraine
 * [Email] (Email removed)

Hope one of these things helps.

--Anonymous, 03:42 UTC, December 2, 2005
 * Frome the above comment: First, the language of Ukraine is Ukrainian. People there might get upset if you think they speak Russian (although I guess many of them would speak that as well).
 * This is actually funny. In Donetsk they will get upset if you speak Ukrainian. So don't, speak Russian. In Eastern Ukraine, especially Donetsk, Ukrainian is only used by government officials and sometimes not even by them. --Ornil 19:55, 2 December 2005 (UTC)

What you want is this list: http://www.partner.dn.ua/catalog/11/83/ --Ornil 19:55, 2 December 2005 (UTC)

Scientific style guides?
How do I format a sentific research paper?
 * See the article Academic publishing. There are some links and tips at the bottom. --Canley 05:39, 2 December 2005 (UTC)

what is the distance between israel and the us

 * That would depend on what cities you're measuring between. The distance according to this site between Washington D.C. and Jerusalem is 5903 miles or 9497 km. Dismas|(talk) 19:25, 1 December 2005 (UTC)

name of israel prime minister

 * This info is clearly stated in the article for Israel. Dismas|(talk) 19:00, 1 December 2005 (UTC)

what is a calligram

 * The article on calligrams explains this quite well. Dismas|(talk) 19:52, 1 December 2005 (UTC)

Is Wikipedia a publicly traded company? If so, what is It's symbol?
Is Wikipedia a publicly traded company? If so, what is It's symbol?


 * No, Wikipedia is a charity, run by volunteers. See our Wikipedia article for details. -- Finlay McWalter | Talk 21:41, 1 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Thank goodness it is not - else rich shareholders, not the users, would control the content, and subvert Wikipedia. -- Natalinasmpf 21:42, 1 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Quite. Subverting Wikipedia is our job :) -- Finlay McWalter | Talk 21:45, 1 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Wikipedia would be a poor investment anyway. It makes no profit, can be used for free and all income is from voluntary donations. Not to mention the fact that its value changes almost constantly as information is added, changed and vandalised. You certainly wouldn't get good returns!  smurray  in  chester (User), (Ho Ho Ho!) 12:50, 2 December 2005 (UTC)
 * Most importantly, revenue (besides voluntary donations) could never be made. If they ever started charging or placed ads, people would instantly fork, thanks to the GFDL. Superm401 | Talk 22:28, 2 December 2005 (UTC)

Walking
What is the recommended number of steps per day to stay fit. (or get there)?
 * 10,000 Nelson Ricardo 04:58, 2 December 2005 (UTC)


 * If that's the steps on a stairway that should certainly keep you fit :) . But seriously, how on Earth can you quantify 'staying fit' (what ever that means) in the number of steps (whatever that means)? Walking doens't seem like an efficient way to stay fit. Unless you mean walking in stead of taking a car - that would eliminate the need for doing sports, and would therefore be more efficient. But still it's a bit of a silly question. Depends on the kind of steps you take - putting your back into everyday things seems like the best way to stay fit. DirkvdM 10:00, 2 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Only a medical doctor can tell you the recommended number of steps per day to stay fit, becuase it's particular to your health and lifestyle. The recommended number of steps per day to get there depends on where you're going.  I recommend Florida.  It's lovely this time of year.  Mareino 20:23, 2 December 2005 (UTC)


 * The 10,000 steps thing is from some public campaign to get people to do some minimum level of exercise. I guess they figured it as some baseline number, that if you did 10,000 steps in some form or another during a day, then at least you would avoid the most common negative effects of lack of exercise. To get or stay fit, would likely require either more, or a certain amount of exercise at greater intensity, and measuring only by number of steps would likely miss a lot of factors important in being fit, such as strength, cardiovascular capacity, etc. In any case it varies depending on one's fitness level at the start and it's always recommended to see a doctor to determine if there are underlying problems that make a fitness program unsafe. - Taxman Talk 15:23, 5 December 2005 (UTC)

Submarines
When a U.S. Submarine wants to go to 100feet. IS that 100 feet from the bottom, middle, or top of the sub?

If my Tom Clancy has taught me anything, I would assume that it was from the bottom for a dive and top for an ascent. It would measure absolute difference. User:Articuno1


 * I would assume it's the lowest point. Note that it's possible to have extreme circumstances where measuring from different parts of the boat can have odd effects - when the Russian submarine K-141 Kursk sank a few years ago, she was lying at a depth of 108 metres - but had she been stood on end, she'd have towered forty metres out of the water... Shimgray | talk | 15:22, 2 December 2005 (UTC)

what does vocals mean?
Context would be helpful, but in a list of credits (on, say, a recording) it's probably equivalent to "singing". - Nunh-huh 23:02, 1 December 2005 (UTC)

=December 2=

Asian politician who disappeared in Sydney early 1960s
In the early-mid 1960s, there was a minor crisis when an Asian politician (? head of government) who was visiting Australia vanished for some days. He eventually turned up and said something about needing some time off from stressful duties, but the only way he could achieve this would be to disappear for a while. This happened while he was staying in Sydney. Who was the politician, what country was he from, when did this happen, and what happened afterwards? JackofOz 02:08, 2 December 2005 (UTC)


 * This is probably not that helpful but I seem to recall an English politician do something very similar in the 1960s. A Conservative (whose name I forget) who was considered by some to be leadership material who disappeared one day and thought to have died until he was found in Sydney some time later, saying something very similar to what you have the Asian politician saying.  He then tried to return to politics but his behaviour seemed to work against him.  I don't know if this rings any bells and if so, perhaps an English wikipedian can help further.  --Roisterer 03:28, 2 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Thanks, that sounds a bit like John Stonehouse who faked his death by drowning while surfing in Miami, Florida in 1974, then later turned up in Australia. The guy I'm after was definitely South-East Asian, possibly from Singapore or Malaysia, and a senior political figure in his country, possibly even Prime Minister. He was on some official trip to Australia, conducted his business, then just vanished before he was due to return.  He was missing for three or four days, less than a week, then finally turned up and fessed up.  This would have been around 1965, very roughly (I'm relying on my ever diminishing memory here).  It was a major story at the time.  JackofOz 13:54, 2 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Hmmm. The Australian politics guru on Wikipedia is User:Adam Carr.  He might be able to help if you ask him really nicely.  I must say that, while the Stonehouse story is familiar, a similar Asian leader's jaunt doesn't ring a bell.  Failing that, you could try posing the question at the Monday message board at John Quiggin's website; the contributors there are a bit more, well, senior.  --Robert Merkel 04:03, 6 December 2005 (UTC)

Reverse page numbering. World first?
I have recently helped an author publish his book ('Z' by Jonar Nader) and because of the story we decided to make the page numbers run in reverse (ie. from 400 down to 1). I would like to know if this is a 'world first'. If the question cannot be answered here could someone please put me in the right direction to find the answer. 220.236.180.49 04:00, 2 December 2005 (UTC)


 * It's a novel idea, but I think it has already been done by Chuck Palahniuk (author of Fight Club) in his book Survivor. --Canley 05:34, 2 December 2005 (UTC)

Punch strength
Is there any way to measure the strength or force of a person's punch? It would be interesting to know how certain boxers match up in this area, and finding out the current world record.


 * Surely this would be a rather simple thing to do, by just putting an accelerometer on a punching bag. I would be really surprised if such a device didn't already exist, though I've never heard of one.--Pharos 07:00, 2 December 2005 (UTC)
 * Haven't you seen Rocky IV? Drago punches just such a machine to measure the force. Not sure if it has a specific name, or if it is common or not. - Taxman Talk 15:04, 2 December 2005 (UTC)
 * O yea, they have these machines in boxing clubs and in bars/pubs/amusement parks all the time. Usually you pay a quarter or a dollar or something and punch it and it tells you how many pounds force you produced. As for how dif. boxers match up, I have no idea... -User:Lommer | talk 23:15, 7 December 2005 (UTC)

how to reopen an closed vindow?

 * Use the handle that is generally attached to the window frame (unless you're in prison and the window is barred, in which case you'll probably have to ask a prison guard to open the window for you). Ferkelparade π 08:24, 2 December 2005 (UTC)


 * ...Or if you mean the browser window kind it depends on the browser. In Opera you can just use Edit -> Undo (or Ctrl + Z) open pages pages you have closed in the current session (or retrieve it from the closed window "trashcan"). You can also use the Tools -> History menu to see a list of recently visisted sites. In most other browses you are limited to using the history approach. Internet Explorer have a "log" button on it's main toolbar, wichs opens it's history. In Mozilla Firefox you use the Go menu and pick "History" for the same functionality. --Sherool (talk) 09:52, 2 December 2005 (UTC)

Hard using Wikipedia as a user?
I do not totaly see how I find all the different thing on Wikipedia. Like mail system.

why do the screen got to change when I logg on. I think that is very irritating. and much harder to use.

Do please mail the answear to me. Or I will never find it =)
 * I'm not really sure what you're asking. - Mgm|(talk) 09:49, 2 December 2005 (UTC)
 * If the screen layout changes significantly for you when you log in, then you may have a skin other than the default selected in your preferences. The default skin in "monobook", and everyone who is not logged in gets this. It's less likely, but also possible, that you have customised your monobook.js in the past and then forgotten about it.-gadfium 18:19, 2 December 2005 (UTC)
 * There's no mail system on Wikipedia. 216.43.124.150 19:50, 2 December 2005 (UTC)
 * Yes, there is. See Special:Emailuser/Superm401. Equivalent links are found on the left navigation bar when you're on other users' talk pages(or just replace Superm401 with their user name in the URL of the above link) Superm401 | Talk 22:35, 2 December 2005 (UTC)

Another Wikipedia user question...-
How to make my own profile? —Preceding unsigned comment added by Brandt (talk • contribs)


 * In your case go to User:Brandt. If you use the default skin there is a little menu in the upper right corner of every page, your username should be up there, along with links to your talk page, your preferences, watchlist, contribution list and a log out button, so click on your username and you will open your userpage. Once there just write away. Avoid copyrighted images on your userpage, but other than that (nearly) anyting goes there. --Sherool (talk) 09:40, 2 December 2005 (UTC)

confederate flags
Can someone give me a description of the colours of the following: Battle Flag
 * white--white
 * blue---navy blue
 * red????????

Rebel Flag
 * white--white
 * blue---???????
 * red???????

any help would be greatly appreciated

thank you, cookie 18 —Preceding unsigned comment added by 70.48.113.21 (talk • contribs). (Mgm|(talk) reformatted above question)
 * We have an article on the Flags of the Confederate States of America, although this doesn't actually answer your question perhaps one of the external links will be able to help you. Thryduulf 12:31, 2 December 2005 (UTC)

Amazing question?
What is the greatest question ever asked in wp:rd? --Expurgator 13:42, 2 December 2005 (UTC)


 * What is the greatest question ever asked in wp:rd? --Expurgator 13:42, 2 December 2005 (UTC)
 * Perhaps this one? –Mysid 14:29, 2 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Or, perhaps the one just asked by Mysid? --hydnjo talk 20:16, 2 December 2005 (UTC)


 * I have a lot of respect for Garrett Albright, and he's claimed the banana peel one as the best. However, if you ask me it comes down the the answers. In that case, this marsupial philosphical answer is best in my opinion.--Commander Keane 11:14, 3 December 2005 (UTC)

What is the PMS equivalent of Honolulu Blue?

 * I can tell you two things. One, it's the color that the Detroit Lions wear.  Two, this link will give you the color that Benjamin Moore sells as their Honolulu Blue paint.  I don't have any imaging programs on this computer, but you can download the picture of the paint swatch and figure it out yourself, I'm guessing. Mareino 20:31, 2 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Which would be #96D1E7, like this . Ojw 12:57, 4 December 2005 (UTC)


 * My copy of Photoshop gives the closest PMS color swatch as PANTONE 636 CV. --Canley 02:10, 5 December 2005 (UTC)

Pink Floyd
How did the name Pink Floyd come about? Who thought of it? What does it mean?

Nelson
 * See our fine Pink Floyd article, it's explained in the history section -- Ferkelparade π 16:30, 2 December 2005 (UTC)

Internet Book Sources
How do I find web sites that search for a specific book from mutiple internet book stores?
 * Try Google's search thingy, Froogle. 216.43.124.150 19:52, 2 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Try http://www.abebooks.com/ User:Zoe|(talk) 04:08, 3 December 2005 (UTC)

Rare Smoking Disease
I have smoked for 30 years and have tried to quit many times with no success. Twelve or thirteen years ago my hands started falling asleep. A Neurologist had a test ran that I was told was very painfull. A needle was put into the wrist to measure to oxygen content. I felt no pain nor the needle. I was told at that time that I had a very rare disease that was caused by smoking and was irreversable and would only progress.Four years ago my feet now go partially numb and my legs are in constant pain. My G.P. states this is imaginary pain and there is no reason for my feet to go numb. What is this disease called? Who do I go to to have this pain stopped? All over the counter pain relievers do nothing for the pain.

Thank you for your help

Still Smoking in California


 * I checked Google and found these two:

The second one sounds more like your description. (I'm not a doctor, though.) 216.43.124.150 19:57, 2 December 2005 (UTC)
 * Peripheral Artery Disease
 * Buerger’s Disease


 * Dude, get a new G.P. If your G.P. is right and it's imaginary, he/she should at least have referred you to a psychiatrist.  If your G.P. is wrong, that's one hell of a misdiagnosis.Mareino 20:35, 2 December 2005 (UTC)


 * It isn't quite that simple. Doctors rarely say or believe, "you are imagining your pain." What they may say that is often interpreted that way is, "I can't find a treatable cause and by every measure I have checked your body seems to be in working order" but this is often an unsatisfactory answer and is interpreted by many patients as "you must be imagining or making this up." It is one of the most frustrating types of problems in patient care from the doctor's end of it and it is even worse from the patient's end of it. You might be right that it's time for referral for new ideas or more pain expertise, but that is not what psychiatrists do. The best next step might be a specialist in peripheral vascular diseases if the pain is arising from that, but if she has already tried that, then most big cities and most big medical centers (at least in North America) have "pain clinics" and "pain specialists" who address that specific problem. alteripse 13:10, 3 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Somehow I suspect that you were told to stop smoking. If you indeed have thromboangiitis obliterans (Buerger's disease) the only treatment is to stop smoking. There is no substitute, and you need to consult someone who will help you with stopping smoking by any means necessary (nicotine patchs are probably not the best way for Buerger's patients). Nearly half the patients with Buerger's disease who continue smoking require at least one amputation within 8 years. - Nunh-huh 14:42, 3 December 2005 (UTC)

Albumin
Name four fish or seafood low in albumin and four high in albumin.


 * It's going to be tough finding out "albumin" specifically. Here's a source for protein content of various fishes (there's not much variation). It wouldn't be too wrong to say that the highter the protein is, the highter you'd expect the albumin to be. But "low in albumin" and "high in albumin" sounds rather subjective. Maybe others have better sources of information., or look in your text to see how it defines "high" and "low".  - Nunh-huh 14:48, 3 December 2005 (UTC)

Kevin Mitchel
Kevin Mitchel - Age 12; the youngest prisoner in California history (Incarcerated 2003)

I came across the name Kevin Mitchel in an artical about Stanley "Tookie" Williams. He was listed as the youngest inmate in San Quentin at the age of 12. I can not find any other information about him. Why he was there at such a young age or anything. This may sound kinda lame but I would really like to know what a 12 year old could do to be put in one of Californias roughest prisons. Could anyone asist me?

Felisha
 * If this is indeed true, I would expect it was for murder. The US legal system is thougher on minors than most European courts, but I doubt he'd put in such a prison for a mere theft or robbery. - Mgm|(talk) 22:19, 2 December 2005 (UTC)
 * One really has to wonder if it is true; most of the places you will find this factoid are mirrors of Wikipedia. - Nunh-huh 14:52, 3 December 2005 (UTC)

There's an interesting article from Human Rights Watch on the subject "Life without Parole for Child Offenders in the United States" which might answer your question.

Personally, I was quite surprised at some of the things happening in the US legal systems mentioned in that report, particularly how easy it is to be charged with murder without actually killing anyone (e.g. one child who drove his brother away from a murder scene, was charged with murder, and imprisoned for life) Ojw 12:49, 4 December 2005 (UTC)

Demons
I am interested to know if there is a demon named DAMIAN? If so what is his significance?


 * Answers are not emailed. As for Damian, he's bottlenose dolphin significant for being the subject of many homework questions. (kidding, but do your own homework) Superm401 | Talk 22:41, 2 December 2005 (UTC)

=December 3=

Music in Nissan Murano Commercial.
Can anyone identify the music in the Nissan Murano Commercial? The one with the birds(animation). Thanks


 * There is a Nissan Murano Commercial available to download at this site. I can't seem to get the visual to work, but is that the one you are talking about? The sound does work for me, but, unfortunately I don't know the song/music. - Akamad 07:12, 3 December 2005 (UTC)


 * I couldn't get the visual to work either, but that is the song!! I looked all over but i still can't find a name for it.
 * Have you tried sending an email to the contact address listed at the referenced website? -- Rick Block (talk) 17:36, 3 December 2005 (UTC)

Good idea!

First person shooter games
I am trying to learn how to play first person shooter games "properly". May I request a spontaneous list of simple tips beginners like me can use? Thanks very much!! --HappyCamper 03:42, 3 December 2005 (UTC)


 * My advice is to memorise the keys for the game. For example, which number on the keyboard corresponds to which gun, because it's pretty bad when you have to cycle through the weapons trying to find the one you want while you are getting shot. - Akamad 06:54, 3 December 2005 (UTC)


 * No matter how tempting it is, don't run a long distance to hide while being shot at. Life can drain fast while you are heading for the hiding place, and often you die before you get there. Also, grenade-type weapons work well.  smurray  in  chester (User), (Ho Ho Ho!) 21:51, 3 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Get familar with everyones weapons and skills/abilities. This way you will always know what you can do and what you opponent can do. Also, learn to do the one thing the other guy(s) never expect, like running through a minefield. Used cautiously, this can give you an element of suprise. I remeber catching a pair of snipers off guard during an online round of Renegade when I went through a tiberium field (something no one does because it damage's ones health). TomStar81 04:01, 5 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Do I need to buy a super duper computer with all the neat upgrades and stuff to play well? Also, this mouse thing. I found out the other day that there's "acceleration" and there's "no acceleration". Which one is better? (Not that I ever noticed, but a friend noticed that I tend to overshoot and not aim properly because I'm apparently overcompensating). Thanks again! --HappyCamper 01:27, 6 December 2005 (UTC)


 * I have never heard of the acceleration thing on the mouse so I don't know about that, but it seems to be a personal preference kind of thing. Another handy hint is to learn about the maps, you don't want to get lost in a map whilst playing capture the flag for example. - Akamad 07:37, 6 December 2005 (UTC)

Anarchist cookbook limited editon
HEy. The anachist cookbook has been banned, but a limited/special edition has been released. Where can I download the book for free?????


 * Aside: What are ararchists eating these days?--Commander Keane 11:00, 3 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Spiders? Or wasn't that a deliberate typo? DirkvdM 09:26, 4 December 2005 (UTC)

Name for piece of wood?
Hello, I am trying to find the name for the piece of wood that a gavel hits. Like that in a court room. I have asked a number of people but they are unable to give me an answer. Any assistance would be greatly appreciated. Thank you. Geoff

It's a block or a sound block. alteripse 12:28, 3 December 2005 (UTC)

If you want proof, check here --Tachs 11:25, 4 December 2005 (UTC)

purpose of this page?
is this reference desk supposed to be a free competitor to google answers? why does it exist? —Preceding unsigned comment added by Zzzzz (talk • contribs)
 * It is serveral things at once.
 * It is a place where readers can point out things they had hoped to find on Wikipedia, but were unable to. We can then try to fix those ommissions.
 * It is also a place where editors can directly help people, which supposedly gives one a warm feeling.
 * And here, editors can (have allowed themselves to) relax a little.
 * Finally, its where really uninventive vandals and illiterate people come to mess things up. In fact, hardly anyone bothers ot read the rules. -- Ec5618 16:40, 3 December 2005 (UTC)


 * I think of it as being like Straight Dope, only run by the Teeming Millions. =P —Keenan Pepper 19:14, 3 December 2005 (UTC)


 * You could also ask this question the other way around. Note that, judging by the oldest archive, this reference desk started in November 2001 and Google Answers strarted in March 2002. But other than that, this is of general importance for the value of open source. Have any of you guys 'been over to Gary's'? :) Does the paid-for variety give better results? DirkvdM 09:42, 4 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Google Answers isn't the only site that provides a service like this, and I doubt they were the first to offer it too. - Mgm|(talk) 09:56, 5 December 2005 (UTC)

the circumstances of one of Augusto Pinochet's photos
Image:Pinochetjunta.jpg

I came across this a while back, and I was wondering what Pinochet was trying to portray here. It was certainly different other photos, and well, the pose is...interesting. Was this a candid shot, or purposely posed this way? I mean, for someone who would rely on propaganda, assuming such a pose could be counter-productive to assuming power. -- Natalinasmpf 18:37, 3 December 2005 (UTC)
 * "Counterproductive for assuming power!" I love that. All the proscecutor at his trial has to do is show this picture and keep his mouth shut. It says it all. alteripse 14:03, 4 December 2005 (UTC)
 * It's certainly a great photo. I see you've already asked a similar question on the discussion page. Presumably Pinochet's intention is to display his determination and power. As for being counter-productive, it's important to note that the photo was taken soon after Pinochet and the other generals overthrew an elected government - they weren't trying to be popular. Lisiate 22:46, 5 December 2005 (UTC)

Interstate Miles in Indianapolis
I need to know how many miles of interstate there are in Indianapolis total?


 * If you can't find an answer straight away, first thing to determine is all the interstates that are located within, or pass through, Indianapolis. Then use something like Mapquest or Google Maps to determine the length of the bit between the city limits.  --Robert Merkel 03:57, 6 December 2005 (UTC)

Home Conswtruction in Italy
What type of construction is the basic home built witrh in Italy--192.85.50.2 20:51, 3 December 2005 (UTC)

Xbox 360
Is it possible to pre-program and redord TV shows (like a DVD recorder with hard drive) to the Xbox 360 hard drive using only the Xbox 360 Premium (not Windows Media Center ect)? 83.252.72.10 22:33, 3 December 2005 (UTC)

No. the Xbox 360 cannont act as a DVR. (Digital Video recorder, a.k.a. Tivo.) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xbox_360#Hardware_specifications

=December 4=

Inferior/Normal/Complementary Goods
Hi. Please help me understand why companies, economically speaking, should focus on inferior, normal, and complementary goods. Thank you for your help. --66.191.179.243 04:43, 4 December 2005 (UTC)
 * Please see normal good, complementary good, and inferior good. Superm401 | Talk 09:54, 4 December 2005 (UTC)

Changing sound...
When we fill a water bottle (or any small and a tall container) when the water level rises,the sound of the falling water changes. Can someone tell me why?

Jayant,17 years, India.
 * The bottle works like a flute, in some respects. The tone is determined by the length of the bottle, which will contain half a wavelength of the sound. As the bottle fills, it is effectively less deep, so that the maximum wavelength decreases, which causes the pitch to become higher.
 * The exact dynamics are a little complicated, I'm afraid. -- Ec5618 10:28, 4 December 2005 (UTC)

Chatting on wikipedia
Dont you think it would be better if we had a place to chat with one of the guys (or all of them) who answer the questions on this page?? like instead of waiting for a long time.. we could get the answers to some easy questions quickly..we could chat with the other users too... its just a thought...

Jayant,17 years, India
 * No, this is a part of the Wikipedia project. Thus, it will stay in the wiki format.  However, you'll find we answer most questions pretty quickly.  If you just want to chat with Wikipedia users, though, try the IRC channel. Superm401 | Talk 10:15, 4 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Also, getting the answer right may take some time. I've never chatted (in this sense), but I can imagine that it creates some (mild) pressure to come up with an answer faster, which might result in less accurate or badly formulated answers. DirkvdM 10:08, 5 December 2005 (UTC)

Thank You... Jayant..

Hamster names
I'm getting a hamster on Tuesday, but I can't think of any names. I'll probably get a male Syrian. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks. Kid Apathy 12:02, 4 December 2005 (UTC)
 * Cat Toy. Dismas|(talk) 12:49, 4 December 2005 (UTC)
 * But I don't have a cat. Kid Apathy 12:56, 4 December 2005 (UTC)
 * Perhaps our List of Syrians will give you some inspiration? Thryduulf 15:38, 4 December 2005 (UTC)
 * Nah, I've decided on Toffee, or possibly Fudge. Or Caramel if it's a girl. I'll decide when I get it. Thanks though. Kid Apathy 15:55, 4 December 2005 (UTC)
 * Or Hobbes, after my recently deceased Mongolian gerbil...he in turn was named after Hobbes the tiger from Calvin and Hobbes, who in turn was named after the philosopher Thomas Hobbes (my gerbil's full name was Thomas Descartes Hobbes). Or Calvin, after his earlier-deceased friend. Just an idea, but go with Toffee or Fudge if you want. But whatever you do, not Cat Toy, a bad omen. Yeltensic42.618 22:29, 5 December 2005 (UTC)

Actually, I called him Finnegan. Kid Apathy 10:41, 6 December 2005 (UTC)

god
is god real- unsigned

No. Kid Apathy 12:16, 4 December 2005 (UTC)

It depends on what you mean by god, real, and is. This is not a smartass answer. The answer will change according to your definition of each of those slippery words. If the answer were as simple as "no" you would not continue to get so many differences of opinion over the last several thousand years. alteripse 14:00, 4 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Who was it that said shorter words are always trickier than long words? Like, everyone can agree what a "rhododendron" is but no one can agree what "God" is. Anyway I can't believe no one's linked to the Existence of God article yet, it's surprisingly good considering the controversial subject. —Keenan Pepper 15:56, 4 December 2005 (UTC)


 * This probably has to do with Zipf's law and word complexity. Terms for common ideas are likely to have few syllables and long lifespans, and appear in a wide variety of contexts.  &#8227;&#5339;&#5505;  [[Image:Venus symbol (blue).gif|&#9792;]] [ <font size="+1">&#5200; ] 16:15, 4 December 2005 (UTC)
 * I've come to the conclusion that god or God is real for those&mdash;and only those&mdash;who wish to believe. –Mysid 12:03, 5 December 2005 (UTC)


 * No, god is a signed real. We need to provide for possible negative deities too. &mdash; <font color="#CC0000">J <font color="#00CC00">I <font color="#0000CC">P | Talk 13:31, 5 December 2005 (UTC)

Atheist-existentialist counterargument
How does the atheist-existentialist argument disprove the possibility of a perfect sentient being? &#8227;<font size="+1">&#5339;&#5505;  [ <font size="+1">&#5200; ] 16:35, 4 December 2005 (UTC)

By assuming a set of mutually incompatible meanings for the components of the phrase "perfect sentient being". alteripse 12:40, 5 December 2005 (UTC)

Artistic counter-counterargument
"God is a concept by which we measure our pain." ('God', John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band) Mareino 19:05, 5 December 2005 (UTC)

Don the Beachcomber
Recently, while cleaning out my father's house attic, I ran across a menu for "Don the Beachcomber" restaurant located at 101 East Walton Place, Chicago, Illinois (copyright 1941). It is in good condition and perfectly readable. Is there any organization or person interested in this menu? I would rather it find a good home than add to our ever increasing landfills. Does it have any value? Does anybody know what is currently located at 101 East Walton Place, Chicago, Illinois?


 * Why dont you try ebay? There are currently two of these menus up for sale [] one of which is from 1941 (I'm assuming its not yours) but they dont seem to going for much at the moment though --Goshawk 16:55, 4 December 2005 (UTC)


 * It looks like it's an upscale shopping mall and office building. Using A9's mapping website:


 * The Chicago Historical Society might like it, if they don't have one already.  I'm not sure how much (if anything) they would pay you for it, though.--Pharos 00:32, 7 December 2005 (UTC)

Preferential emoticons
Why is there a preference to use a particular direction of smiley faces on the internet? For example, I see :-) instead of (-: more often. Why is that? Also, is there software to translate these into meaningful sounds for visually impaired who use the internet? --HappyCamper 16:49, 4 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Probably this is somewhat due to the orientation of "D". :-D expresses amusement, but D-: looks like an expression of horror.  &#8227;<font size="+1">&#5339;&#5505;  [[Image:Venus symbol (blue).gif|&#9792;]] [ <font size="+1">&#5200; ] 17:32, 4 December 2005 (UTC)
 * I don't know about anyone else, but since most things are left-right, up-down, having the smileys with the ":-)" orientation makes them easier to read.--Commander Keane 19:04, 4 December 2005 (UTC)


 * That's interesting. I never thought about the chirality of the letters themselves. --HappyCamper 22:53, 4 December 2005 (UTC)
 * Perhaps because the first smiley happened to be turned 90° counterclockwise. –Mysid 12:07, 5 December 2005 (UTC)

Lightsaber information
Greetings Wikipedia,

Hi my name is Mark Himes. I was recently researching about lightsaber information and now I have questions for you. These questions came upon me after reading your page. Hopefully you can answer these questions. I came up with these questions from my curiosity on this subject and the reading that you provided me with. Please be specific as you can, Thanks!!! You can E-mail me back at (email removed).

Questions:

1. Does the recharge socket on a lightsaber last almost forever?

2. Does the recharge socket charge the power cell in a lightsaber when the lightsaber is deactivated?

3. Why do some lightsabers sound different than others? Is it because of the focusing crystals? (What I mean here is when a lightsaber is turned on, off, etc)

4. WARNING!- THIS QUESTION IS DIFFICULT! How come Darth Mauls lightsaber in Episode I was still on after Obi-Wan Kenobi sliced it in half? Did it loose any power? Was it losing power after it was sliced? PLEASE BE SPECIFIC!


 * I removed the email address, if someone wishes to email this user, it's available in this edit. - Akamad 19:26, 4 December 2005 (UTC)
 * ...which nullifies the effect of removing his email address. –Mysid 12:01, 5 December 2005 (UTC)
 * I not know all the answers, but # 3 is probably because in making later movies, the special effects people get more creative than they were in making earlier movies. AlMac&#124;&#91;&#91;User talk:AlMac&#124;&lt;sup&gt;(talk)&lt;/sup&gt;]] 03:15, 9 December 2005 (UTC)

DIN re. car stereo
What does DIN mean when trying to buy a car radio/CD player to make sure it fits your car correctly? Is it the depth the radio goes into the dashboard? Or is it the height that is visible when the unit is installed? Or what?
 * It's the height. I don't know what DIN actually stands for but a single DIN is the shorter one while a double DIN is about twice as tall.  Dismas|(talk) 22:16, 4 December 2005 (UTC)
 * DIN stands for Deutsches Institut für Normung - the German Institute for Standardisation. Thryduulf 00:30, 5 December 2005 (UTC)

SWOT or Dashboard Templates
When reporting or communicating to management a company's sales accounts and the "health" of the client, we were asked to fill out a SWOT (strength, weakness, opportunity and threat) or Dashboard analysis for each. I was told the data you collect gets put into a "standard" template. I have found more than enough information around the type of information to collect - but can't find a sample template or layout anywhere. I just want to be able to view one to get a complete picture of this process.

Anyone that may be able to help - thank you in advance for taking the time to respond. 65.7.130.198 19:51, 4 December 2005 (UTC)

Mens Pant Sizes
Why are Mens Pant sizes in Even numbers except size 29?
 * We do have an article on Metric clothes sizes (which redirects to EN 13402), but I think you are asking about some non-metric standard. You still might find some interest in that article.-gadfium 22:55, 4 December 2005 (UTC)


 * I think the question refers to american clothing sizes, approximately the inseam length of men's pants in inches. I'm not sure its true though because I have purchased pants in a 31 length. alteripse 00:34, 5 December 2005 (UTC)


 * After a certain point, supply and demand makes it unreasonable to have, say, pants in a waist size or length of 36, 37, and 38 inches. Also, at these larger sizes, a difference of 1 inch is less than 3% of the total size. So as the sizes increase, they are only found at even numbers. Additionally, most manufacturers have the capacity to accept special orders (for a price!). ESkog | Talk 01:36, 5 December 2005 (UTC)


 * As Alteripse wrote, in America pant sizes refer to waist and inseam (leg length) in inches. It's harder to find the odd numbers, but plenty of places carry them, as a trip to an upscale shopping mall will reveal.Mareino 19:16, 5 December 2005 (UTC)

How to use the V-Mem for psone
I can't figure out how to use my V-Mem for the psone. I got into it once and tried to switch the memory cards around, but now they don't show up at all... I never got the instructions with it, mine came second hand and I can't contact the person... Can anyone help me?

--- welcome to my world man. i can't get it either. if anyone knows this, please post.

=December 5, 2005=

Spanish speaking country wants to become Rhodes Scholarships member
We have an article on the Rhodes Scholarships, but it doesn't appear to contain anything about Spanish speaking countries. If you know something that ought to be in the article, then please add it - click the edit this page link at the top of the page. Remember though to cite your sources. Thryduulf 00:27, 5 December 2005 (UTC)
 * Currently none of the countries whose citizens are eligible for the Rhodes Scholarship are Spanish-speaking countries. However, the trustees of the Rhodes Trust can add countries to the list on a temporary or permanent basis, and have done so from time to time. For example, there were European Community Rhodes Scholarships in the mid-1990s, for which students from Spain were eligible. If you want to provide the Rhodes Trust with the funds to offer Rhodes Scholarships to a particular country, see the Rhodes Trust web site for contact information. --Metropolitan90 09:57, 5 December 2005 (UTC)

Audio problem with .mpg file.
Hello, I have a .mpg video file, but when I try to play it, there is no sound, I checked the properties in Windows Media Player, there was a video codec, but no audio codec, is there anyway I can find what codec I need to hear the sound?
 * You could try another media player. VLC media player works well for me, and its free.--Commander Keane 01:51, 5 December 2005 (UTC)
 * The K-Lite Codec pack comes with a program called "GSpot" which will tell you the codec required for a given video file.... but once you have the K-Lite codecs, you probably won't need it. TheMadBaron 14:26, 5 December 2005 (UTC)

Mirage os
On my graphing calculator I dowloaded games onto my Mirage os and sometimes when i select a game tp play and click enter it shows a blank screen then goes back to the menu I was just on, how can I fix this problem so I can play the games? Also I accedintally hide 2 of my games and dont know how I can put them back on my Mirageos so that I can play them how could I fix this problem?


 * It may help if you gave us more information. What specific model of calculator are you using? What version of Mirage OS? What games are involved?


 * Without knowing these, I would say that one probable fix would be to wipe all of it off your calculator and reinstall Mirage, then whatever games you want. ESkog | Talk 04:25, 5 December 2005 (UTC)


 * She/he is probably using a Texas Instruments TI-83 Plus graphing calculator. Mirage OS is an add-on shell.  Unfortunately I don't know the answer to his question.  --AMorris  (talk)  ●  (contribs)  11:50, 7 December 2005 (UTC) fixed wikilink &mdash; flamingspinach | (talk) 07:39, 10 December 2005 (UTC)

Adult Swim Question
Does anyone know the name of the song usually played on Adult Swim they show their weekday/weekend lineup?


 * It doesn't look like it's listed in their MP3 section. I'd try emailing them; you know they love getting emails.Mareino 19:25, 5 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Are you talking about the song that's playing when it says, "All times and music Eastern"? If so, please tell me if you find out what it is, I'm interested. —Keenan Pepper 00:17, 6 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Coincidentally, this was recently asked and answered at AskMetafilter. I won't try to summarize here because I can't do any better than the linked thread did. Chuck 02:52, 6 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Yes!! This is the song! Thanks a bunch! I have been trying to find the name of that song for what seemed like forever!

Status of Cape Fear River
Brittney, a Wikipedia reader, has sent an e-mail to the Help Desk mailing list as follows.

Do you know if the Cape Fear River is a mature,rejuvinated,old, or youthful river?

I would be grateful for any assistance you could give her. Capitalistroadster 05:17, 5 December 2005 (UTC)
 * It depends on which stretch of river she is interested in. Near its source it will be a youthful river, gradually becomming mature and then old near its mouth. It the gradient significantly increases part way through its course it might become a rejuvinated river. Our River article explains this very well in the topography section. Thryduulf 11:44, 5 December 2005 (UTC)

Japanese Translation for a Gundam Fanmech
http://www009.upp.so-net.ne.jp/kanesys/images/galgal_p.jpg

This is a picture of an original Gundam design from Kaneko Tsukasa, the same person who designed the popular Gundam Thrones fan mech. I was wondering if someone could briefly translate explain the text it that picture, especially the pits relaing to weapons, the L.O.W. System, and the strange silver box in the lower left corner. Even a botched attempt would be better than anything I could come up with, as I know nothing of Japanese. Thank you.


 * Do you happen to know what universe (ie Universal Century, After Colony, Cosmic Era) that this gundam resides in? TomStar81 10:30, 6 December 2005 (UTC)


 * I really couldn't tell you, it's a fanmech. I believe it's from an original non-cannon universe.

What the hell is this?
and what article could it go in?-- --(U | T | C) 06:01, 5 December 2005 (UTC)
 * Internet sock puppet? Armoured sock puppets, the next generation.--Commander Keane 09:24, 5 December 2005 (UTC)
 * That's called a "carranca" (literally, "ugly face"). It's a type of wooden sculpture typical from the central Brazil region. It could probably be used in the Culture of Brazil article ☢ Ҡieff⌇↯ 13:23, 5 December 2005 (UTC)

single family homes in America
I need to know how many single family homes were in America between 1950 to 2005.


 * By America do you mean the continent (aka Americas) or the USA? (I suppose you don't mean any of the other meanings.) DirkvdM 10:18, 5 December 2005 (UTC)


 * should have what you need online & free. Mareino 19:27, 5 December 2005 (UTC) fixed link &mdash; flamingspinach | (talk) 07:35, 10 December 2005 (UTC)

Old Questions
What happens to all the old questions asked? Are they filed somewhere or if they are not answered within a week are they deleted? Thanks
 * Old questions can be found in the Reference desk archive. Dismas|(talk) 11:43, 5 December 2005 (UTC)

Airport terminal size
I am trying to find the ranking (in size), largest to smallest (1-10) of the Terminal size (not by passengers,or cargo, or land mass etc.) of the United States airports. I have looked everywhere, and gotten everything but the size of the largest TERMINAL. Thanks for your help.

R McCarver


 * By largest I'm guessing you mean by area (it's good to deifne that precisely for a ranking like this). I have no idea of a top ten, but I'll throw a couple of big ones your way:
 * Denver terminal complex - 420 300 m2 terminal complex - reported 1998 (journal, I'll get the the full ref. if you like)


 * Kansai is meant to be big, can't find an area though, just that it's 1.6 km long


 * If you have "gotten everything", share the info you do have, it might make it easier for us to get a solution.--Commander Keane 16:50, 5 December 2005 (UTC)

Nuclear Weapons
The most powerful nuclear weapon ever detonated was, I believe a 50 megaton thermo-nuclear device detonated by the Soviet Union. What was the device's designation, and does wikipedia have an article on it?

Prodego talk 17:32, 5 December 2005 (UTC)
 * It was Tsar Bomba. –Mysid 17:48, 5 December 2005 (UTC)

What is the average speed of New Haven Line trains over the Northeast Corridor?
What is the average speed of New Haven Line trains over the Northeast Corridor? (209.137.173.69)


 * Go to the MTA website's schedule page and calculate it yourself. Mareino 23:28, 5 December 2005 (UTC)

=December 6=

Sitcoms
Is there a set list of Sitcom ideas somewhere? It seems like a lot of different shows have the same situations and issues.


 * You might be interested in perusing the TV Tropes Wiki, which deals with this sort of thing. Chuck 02:36, 6 December 2005 (UTC)

This doesn't tell me anything...I mean i see many sitcoms that use a lot of the same Story lines. Are they going off of a list or something.


 * No, I don't believe there's a single list. But all writers are influenced to some extent by what they've seen before, and may be borrowing--either consciously or unconsciously--from similar plotlines from other shows. The site I linked to above catalogs some common themes in TV (although it's not restricted exclusively to sitcoms), but I'm not aware of any evidence that there's some master list all sitcom writers are using. Chuck 06:03, 6 December 2005 (UTC)

what is healthy?
I was wondering if it was healthier to excersise before eating? Or is it healthier to eat then excersise?

Thank you


 * Digesting food costs energy, so when you exercise after eating your body has a problem. That's the 'scientific' approach. You could also listen to your body. How does it feel to exercise on a full stomach? What is your body telling you? DirkvdM 11:03, 6 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Dirk's right. You need to give your body to digest food before excersizing. That said, you need energy to excersize, so you need the energy content of the food you eat. So I would say, excersize after eating, but leave some time for digestion. - Mgm|(talk) 11:28, 6 December 2005 (UTC)
 * This same logic applies to swimming after eating. The digestive tract requires energy, but the body needs to keep itself warm and active as well. The digestive system doesn't get what it needs, and you get pain. -- Ec5618 22:39, 6 December 2005 (UTC)

obi-wan kenobi
could somesome please tell me why he is also called ben? i remember in the 1970's movies hearing the name once. is this a name he was born with then changed when he went to the temple to train as a jedi? could someone let me know i would greatly appreciate it..thank you...cheryl


 * If you don't get an answer here, you might also try posting it at the talk page for the article on Obi-Wan Kenobi, where people who contributed to that article are more likely to see your question. Chuck 02:47, 6 December 2005 (UTC)
 * After the Great Jedi Purge, only a few Jedi remained. The only two that are of particular note in the films were Yoda and Obi-Wan.  Yoda went to the Dagobah system to hide out.  Obi-Wan went to Tatooine.  The reason why Obi-Wan went to Tatooine was to watch over Luke Skywalker since he was Darth Vader's son.  Luke and his sister Leia were put into hiding so that they might grow up and overthrow Vader and the emperor.  Or so was the hope of Yoda and Obi-Wan.  To be able to blend in with the people on Tatooine, Obi-Wan took the name "Ben Kenobi".  There's more to the story of course since it's a total of 6 films but that's the basics.  Dismas|(talk) 03:36, 6 December 2005 (UTC)


 * I've always thought there should be a new entry in the 100 Things I'd do if I Became and Evil Overlord for this - "If I have a son I can't find who might be a danger to me, try looking on my home planet, for someone who shares my last name. And if I find someone who shares the last name of my arch-nemesis there too, take appropriate action." DJ Clayworth 18:48, 6 December 2005 (UTC)
 * For all Vader knew though, the kids were dead. And his home world was a speck in the back woods of the galaxy so why search there?  Also, Tatooine most likely didn't have any sort of phone book or census so how would Vader have known that there was a "Kenobi" on that world?  Thinking about this too much, I am.  Dismas|(talk) 23:13, 6 December 2005 (UTC)

Folding a handkerchief for the coat pocket
I am looking for the correct technique for folding a white handkerchief for the coat pocket of my tuxedo. I prefer the more classic looks but I have had trouble in the past with getting the handkerchief to fit properly and to stay in place. Anyone have recommendations?
 * From searching Google for "handkerchief fold", see http://www.ehow.com/how_18037_fold-handkerchief.html. Seems like this really should be in wikipedia's handkerchief article. -- Rick Block (talk) 04:09, 6 December 2005 (UTC)

The department store, Nordstroms, at one time gave out liturature showing different handkerchief folding styles. You might also check out your local haberdashery. MRLee216.239.160.71 16:59, 11 December 2005 (UTC)

cash budget
How does a cash budget differ from a budget
 * In what context? ESkog | Talk 04:40, 6 December 2005 (UTC)


 * A cash budget is an economic budget and a budget is, um.. Another kind of budget? (ie. food budget etc - thinking out loud here) --Yardan

Asian characters on Wikipedia articles
In many places where I presume there should be Asian characters, my Mozilla Firefox instead displays a long string of ????????. What do I need to download/change in order to see these? ESkog | Talk 05:13, 6 December 2005 (UTC)
 * You need to download and install a font that allows for viewing of such characters. - Mgm|(talk) 11:29, 6 December 2005 (UTC)
 * And depending on the language, you may need to Enable complex text support. Besides Indic languages, you need that for Thai, Arabic, and I suppose Hebrew. That article also has links to getting the fonts. - Taxman Talk 14:23, 6 December 2005 (UTC)

Website
I am trying to make a website for my school. A place to host study guides, notes, etc.. However, I need to find out how to make usernames and passwords. I need to find software like most websites use, software that says "Hello " at the top of every page. Im not advanced enough to make the software myself, but im sure there are many open source projects like this. I just dont knw where to find them. Please help. Any help would be nice. Thank you.

Rex


 * PhpNuke is a great content management system. Resources: http://php.resourceindex.com/ & http://www.hotscripts.com/PHP/ - What you basicly need is a content management system. Their pretty easy to setup with a little knowledge of html/php/mySQL & FTP clients. --Yardan \ Talk


 * I've found that school systems administrators using a Microsoft Windows-based setup often like to use Windows SharePoint Services and/or the Microsoft Office SharePoint Portal Server for something like this. This works pretty well for something like what you described - if your school is using Microsoft products left and right (such as Microsoft Office). These however are far from open-source, and I'm not suggesting you install them yourself, but perhaps suggest them to your systems administrator to use. Otherwise, I highly recommend plone. PHP-Nuke, noted above, is also known to be a good system. &mdash; flamingspinach | (talk) 07:19, 10 December 2005 (UTC)

my cherokee heritage
where can i go and search the rolls for my ancesters
 * Quick hint: Google for cherokee heritage. You should find something there. --Yardan 09:45, 6 December 2005 (UTC) \ Talk

What are GPA Scores?
(modified this a bit to seperate from the above question Brian Schlosser42 18:24, 6 December 2005 (UTC)) How are they taken and what do they show? Max possible achievable score?etc... Please,details needed. Thanx in advance.
 * In my experience in American schools, both secondary and post secondary, the Grade Point Average scale is: A-4, B-3, C-2, D-1 and F-0. Add up the totals for your grades, divide by the number of classes taken, and voila, your GPA. Of course, there are also higher points given in some schools for AP and ID classes, so your GPA could exceed 4.0. Brian Schlosser42 18:24, 6 December 2005 (UTC)


 * See our article on Grade (education). It differs from country to country. In particular, it's pretty meaningless in an international context to give a GPA score without saying what the maximum is.-gadfium 19:57, 7 December 2005 (UTC)

Ettiquette question
Is it a breach of ettiquette to fart out loud when you're standing at the urinal in the men's room? I say no, that's the perfect place to fart. My wife says yes.
 * I'd say it depends on where you are. At a football stadium or a stock car race, I'm sure it would be fine. At a fancy hotel or restaraunt, not so much. Of course, there's no authority that decides such matters, so it comes down to would you offend anyone in the situation. - Taxman Talk 20:53, 6 December 2005 (UTC)


 * It wouldn't bother me unless the farter and I were at adjacent urinals. In that case I would think it was kind of rude/nasty. ike9898 22:38, 6 December 2005 (UTC)

Umm.........we are talking about bodily functions in the restroom, are we not? If one can not fart in the restroom, at the urinal or not, where can one fart acceptably? I fart, you fart, we all fart. Better in the loo than at the table. MRLee216.239.160.71 16:36, 11 December 2005 (UTC)


 * I fart when I want, where I want, and don't give a damn what you think of it.

GPA Scores
I'd like to know what GPA Scores are and when they are taken. What do they show? How are they calculated? What is the max achievable score and what is the average score in the US? Please,details needed. Thanx in advance.

16:12, 6 December 2005 (UTC)16:12, 6 December 2005 (UTC)Hasanclk

A confused guy.


 * In the United States, grades in classes are given on a range including A (the best), B, C, D, and F (failing). A student's GPA is a numerical measure of these grades. An A is worth 4, B = 3, C = 2, D = 1, F = 0, and all grades are averaged in the simplest schemes, making the maximum possible score a 4.0. Many colleges weight these averages based upon the number of credit hours a class was worth. Often in high schools, some advanced classes are "weighted" courses where it is possible to achieve greater than a 4.0. This can be done in two very common ways: 1) increase the value of an A to 5 (and other letter grades are usually adjusted accordingly) or 2) add a raw value, like 0.1, to the final calculated GPA. I am unsure what the average score is in the United States, but grade inflation is a constant problem. ESkog | Talk 17:39, 6 December 2005 (UTC)
 * Do the letters stand for Average, Bland, Crap, Dismal and Failure? Or is there a reason why E has been omitted? &mdash; <font color="#CC0000">J <font color="#00CC00">I <font color="#0000CC">P | Talk 18:05, 6 December 2005 (UTC)


 * See also Grade (education) —Keenan Pepper 18:22, 6 December 2005 (UTC)


 * The Grade (education) wikilink above claims that "E" is omitted because:
 * an F can be turned into an E by drawing a small line at the bottom of the letter
 * E traditionally stood for Excellent
 * I thought it was due to the piecewise nature of the grading. For example, while B>60%, C>50%, D>40%, F can vary from 0-40%. The alphabetical jump representing this difference. Could this be right, or am I deluded.--Commander Keane 22:17, 6 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Actually, the typical scheme in the U.S. is 90-100%=A, 80-89=B, 70-79=C, 60-69=D and 0-59=F. In Canada, for some reason, you only need 80 for an A, 70 for a B and so on.
 * If you get 85% of the answers correct on all of your math assignments, you would theoretically get a B. In practice, some assignments (such as a final exam) are worth more than others. In an English class, the teacher might give you a numerical score on all of your essays and average them together at the end of the semseter for a final grade.
 * In some schools, the letter grades are subdivided into pluses and minuses. A score of 87-89 might be a B+ and worth 3.33 points, while a score of 80-83 might be a B- and be worth 2.67 points.
 * Compiling a national average GPA would be meaningless, since an A in one school might be easier to get than an A in another. That's why schools use SAT scores and class rank in addition to GPA.
 * Now if only I could understand the British education system! -- Mwalcoff 00:25, 7 December 2005 (UTC)
 * Just for completeness, we should mention that GPA means "Grade Point Average". - Nunh-huh 04:07, 7 December 2005 (UTC)


 * My only query is why you skip the E on the grading scale. The other stuff was interesting though. In Australian universities (the ones I know of at least), my one uses High Distinction, Distinction, Credit, Pass, Fail instead of A,B,C,D,F. Another uses GPA, but with 1 being the best and 7 the worst. I say bring on ISO.--Commander Keane 05:28, 7 December 2005 (UTC)


 * I've heard of some schools that use A, B, C, D, E, but I always thought most schools went with "F" because "F" means "fail." If you get an "F," you don't get credit for the course and might have to take it again the next year. In some classes, only two grades are possible: "Pass" or "Fail." -- Mwalcoff 01:17, 8 December 2005 (UTC)

Looking for two letter country abbreviations
I am looking for the two letter country abbreviations for:
 * The Canary Islands
 * Madeira
 * Dubai
 * Scotland
 * Wales

I've looked every where, but can find nothing.

Thank you for your help in advance.


 * Look at ISO3166. IC is reserved for Canary Islands, but not assigned. I believe Scotland and Wales are part of UK. There do not appear to be listings for the other two.--agr 18:19, 6 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Madeira is an autonomous region of Portugal (PT), and Dubai is in the United Arab Emirates (AE). Natgoo 22:35, 6 December 2005 (UTC)


 * This website may be of some interest.--Commander Keane 23:48, 6 December 2005 (UTC)


 * As noted, Scotland and Wales are part of the UK and do not have their own ISO 3166 codes. It should be noted that the ISO 3166 code for the UK is GB, not UK.  This is the only case where a country's 2-letter Internet top-level domain name is different from its ISO 3166 code; in Internet domains, the UK is UK. --Anonymous, 02:50 UTC, December 7, 2005


 * Im my high school, E is a passing grade for minimum skill/maximum effort. Basically, you're performing like you get an F, but you pass. I've never seen it used, and believe it would only be used if a Special Ed student was taking a normal level class.

Lampard & Redknap
I read that southampton's manager Harry Redknap is uncle of Chelsea's midfilder Frank Lampard. Is Redknap the brother of Lampard's father or Lamapard's mother?

No, Harry and Frank Snr married two sisters (well, one each, I mean) Jameswilson 03:12, 7 December 2005 (UTC)

satin
How is satin constructed?


 * The Satin article has a basic description, did you want more specific information?--Commander Keane 21:57, 6 December 2005 (UTC)

The Sims 2 Nightlife Grilled Cheese Aspiration
For the Grilled Cheese Aspiration in The Sims 2: Nightlife, what is the second Lifetime Want (after "eat 200 grilled cheese sandwiches" has been satisfied)? Also, does anyone know what inspired the GCA's creation?


 * The Sims is a very random game. However, in earlier expansions, I have found Sims seem to cook too much Grilled Cheese, and I'd imagine that it grew as a joke out of that, like the gnome and llama references. Reading the article though, it sounds like the best aspiration of all! <font style="color:#CC0000"> smurray <font style="color:#DD0000"> in <font style ="color:#EE0000"> chester <font style="color:#55BB22">(User), (Ho Ho Ho!) 16:39, 7 December 2005 (UTC)

balance???????????????????????
can you balance a egg on your foot?? Maoririder 20:54, 6 December 2005 (UTC) not a trick question.


 * I just tried it and I could do it easily. —Keenan Pepper 21:55, 6 December 2005 (UTC)


 * While it's very easy the balance the egg on its side, it is more difficult (ie still possible, but it fell off my foot and cracked) to balance it on its end. --Commander Keane 22:04, 6 December 2005 (UTC)


 * What kind of egg? A chicken's egg, a ducks egg or an ostrich egg? CambridgeBayWeather (Talk) 22:28, 6 December 2005 (UTC)

Wow, you people actualy tried it? That's some dedication for an RD question. Broken S 03:24, 7 December 2005 (UTC)


 * We should start a club of all the "hard core" RD researchers. We won't rest until your questions are answered! We'll even balance eggs on our feet! =P —Keenan Pepper 05:09, 7 December 2005 (UTC)


 * You're on BJAODN now. <tt>^_^</tt>
 * &#8227;<font size="+1">&#5339;&#5505; [[Image:Venus symbol (blue).gif|&#9792;]] [ <font size="+1">&#5200; ] 05:31, 7 December 2005 (UTC)

OK. Using large chickens eggs. It seemed easier with a hard boiled egg than a raw one but that could be just down to the fact that you worry less about dropping it. It's easier with bare feet than with shoes on and almost impossible with winter boots. CambridgeBayWeather (Talk) 05:44, 7 December 2005 (UTC)
 * That would depend on what type of shoes, would it not? For instance, with deck shoes with the stitching around the outside on the top of the shoe, it would stay there rather easily as compared to a rounded leather work boot with a steel toe.  Dismas|(talk) 00:51, 9 December 2005 (UTC)

OK I'll bite. If it's not a trick question why did you need to know? CambridgeBayWeather (Talk) 07:41, 10 December 2005 (UTC)

SNES RF output doesn't shown on TV
I recently bought an SNES console from eBay, PAL version, with a British power supply, with four games. I replaced the British power supply with a Finnish one I had bought earlier. When I hook the console up to my TV, it powers up, but no matter which frequency I choose on my TV, no picture shows up. The best I can manage is an entirely black picture, which changes to static if I turn the SNES off or unplug the RF cable. Do I have a too old TV or have I bought a faulty SNES? How can I tell? And why is it that a normal NES has RCA output (the double cables with separate audio and video output) but an SNES doesn't? &mdash; <font color="#CC0000">J <font color="#00CC00">I <font color="#0000CC">P | Talk 20:55, 6 December 2005 (UTC)

hi. it sounds like your SNES could be faulty - have you tried each of the games? same results? i've had to reset a bunch of times to get rid of the black screen (chrono trigger, looking at you) with older, more often-used games, especially. the best thing to do is to try out the games you have on someone else's functional Super Nintendo to see if they work.

i had an SNES whose power supply died and i got black-screened as well, so i can't rationally eliminate the power supply as the source of your problem.

finally, and i'm not sure on this one(as my only experience with the SNES came in NTSC form), the TV should be set to either channel three or four, which should be selectable on the RF switch itself.

really-finally, is the SNES new-model or old-model? both of them are top-feeding, but the older version should have this flat thing in the middle you push to eject the cartridge. i imagine the older model would be less likely to remain functional.

hope that helps, peace

prisoners educational oppertunities
Help I am doing an essay on educational opportunities for incarcerated individuals and I can not find the actuall budget for Iowas prisons! Every page I go to will not open up. Any idea what the budget is for Iowa-or its budget for education? Thanks --Amy


 * Try here- http://hrw.org/prisons/states/ia.htm
 * -- P . Mac Uidhir  (t)  (c)  01:44, 14 December 2005 (UTC)

Cyclones in Africa
What African Country was by a tropical cyclone in 1999? Thanks
 * This site reports of several affected countries Botswana, Madagascar, South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Mozambique --Tachs 07:45, 7 December 2005 (UTC)

Unknown manga or anime
A while ago i barrowed some movie's and i was hoping someone could help me tracking them down i will give as much information possible so here goes:

i thought but am not sure that the title was 'the legend of the 4 dragon kings' its a story about 4 brothers in the story as the time passes they r getting powers to do things impossible for normal humans at first they do not know why nor how but in time they begin to realise that the are a sort of reincarnation of dragons but some people in the {i think} army have realized the same and whant to use the power for own purpose {as always}. the youngest brother is not in control of his power and it happens that he explodes from time to time sadly this is about all i know about these series i have seen about 16 episodes on 4 video's so if the one reading this can help me please send me an email on Email Removed

thanks for reading and way thanks if u know how it is called and where to find info about it or where to purchase it

greeting from holland Bas/Neoxtao


 * I believe you may be referring to Sohryuden: Legend of the Dragon Kings. It is distributed here. &mdash; flamingspinach | (talk) 07:07, 10 December 2005 (UTC)

=7 December 2005=

Tower in Niagara Falls
Reader Connie has contacted the Wikipedia Help Desk with a question about the date that a tower built next to the bridge in Niagara Falls was built. She thinks that it is on the American side in Niagara Falls, New York and that it was used in a Marilyn Monroe movie.

I will advise her that the appearance in a Marilyn Monroe movie could help date it. However, I would be grateful for any assistance you can give her. Capitalistroadster 00:07, 7 December 2005 (UTC)


 * This would be the Prospect Point Observation Tower, which opened in 1961 after 2½ years construction according to this web site. Prospect Point itself was a rock formation in the same area that collapsed in 1954, according to Pierre Berton's book about Niagara; presumably the tower was built to replace it as a viewpoint.


 * The tower could not, therefore, have appeared in Niagara (1953 movie). The location near the falls where Marilyn Monroe did appear in the movie was a viewpoint near the base of the falls on the Canadian side. According to this web page, this was built in 1951 (or starting in 1951, anyway) as an addition to the Scenic Tunnels, an attraction that allows people to view the falls from behind and was eventually (in 1994 according to this page) renamed "Journey Behind the Falls".
 * --Anonymous, 02:20 UTC, December 7, 2005


 * The tower in "Niagara" is the Rainbow Bridge Bell tower. It was built around 1941, from what I've seen. It is on the Canadian side, part of the Customs complex at that end of the bridge. http://www.niagarafrontier.com/bridges.html#b12]Brian Schlosser42 15:45, 7 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Ah, good point. I forgot that scene in the movie. Of course, if Connie is right about the tower being on the US side and wrong about it being in the movie, rather than vice versa, then the Prospect Point tower would be the one. --Anon, 6:45 UTC, December 9

Awful puns
Why are there so many awful puns in contemporary Australian telejournalism? (Maybe foreign TV news shows as well, I don't know). i.e, just last night Sandra Sully introduces a story about a new eye treatment that might let people do away with eyeglasses, and throws in a bunch of phrases like "left in the dark". And then that ice bar opening in Sydney, "the coolest bar in town..." I mean, I havent' given that many examples because I can't remember them, but there are lots. It's riddled with them. Jesus, WHY? This isn't journalism, it's gimmickry!


 * I entirely agree. And it's not just TV.  The worst offenders are the magazines in the weekend papers.  No matter how serious the subject matter may be, the title of the article is virtually always some pun or other.  How crass!  But worse, how predictable!  JackofOz 01:08, 7 December 2005 (UTC)
 * I don't have a source to cite or anything but at a guess, I would say that it's to give people the feeling that they're being entertained therefore they would want to tune in again to the same station. Also, if the newscasters put forth a bit of humor then people may grow to like them even though they don't actually personally  know them.  And if you like someone, you're more likely to want to hear the news from them.  It's basically brand loyalty.  But like I said, I'm no expert.  Dismas|(talk) 01:40, 7 December 2005 (UTC)


 * My theory: Once one has devised a pun (which must be one of bad, awful, or "oh god, that's so painful I must now kill you" - there is no such thing as a good pun) the punner feels an irresistable urge to share the pun. This is because the punner has already experienced the pain of the pun (and it must cause pain, since it belongs in one of the catgeories I mentioned above) and the punner therefore feels a need to share their pain with others.  (N.B.: this is a theory I have just made up, and may bear little or no relation to reality...) -- AJR | Talk 02:35, 7 December 2005 (UTC)


 * It's probably because you're watching Channel Ten and Sandra Sully. If you want better journalism, switch to ABC or SBS. Dysprosia 02:47, 7 December 2005 (UTC)
 * I was about to say: It is advertised as the Ten Entertainment Network. jnothman talk 02:55, 7 December 2005 (UTC)
 * Pretty much all news organizations everywhere do this to some degree. It shows how "clever" they are, I guess. (Some are horrible, others worthy of admiration. The New York Post's "Headless Body Found in Topless Bar" comes to mind... ) - Nunh-huh 04:00, 7 December 2005 (UTC)
 * If you really don't like them doing it but you still want to watch that channel then get everybody you know to phone/email the station every time they do it. I can put up with the puns it's the fact that in North America every scandal is refered to as "something-gate" see Watergate. CambridgeBayWeather (Talk) 06:03, 7 December 2005 (UTC)
 * We acutally have an article on this - List of scandals with "-gate" suffix. Thryduulf 12:44, 7 December 2005 (UTC)
 * It's not just in North America, in the UK they append gate to 'scandals' too, very annoying & utterly nonsensical. The bad puns aren't too much of a problem here though. AllanHainey 08:26, 7 December 2005 (UTC)
 * See List of scandals with "-gate" suffix.-gadfium 20:05, 7 December 2005 (UTC)


 * No idea. Do you read the Herald Sun? (Victorian newspaper). On just about every single page, at least one article will have a headline with a pun. It's horrible. I guess it's true that it keeps you interested in a way, since I read it at work during breaks, and often tell my co-workers about the horrible puns as well as the usual dumb stories. Arilakon 10:56, 10 December 2005 (UTC)

It is my belief that puns are used to attract your attention. Annoying in the media? Yes. Functional? Yes. Otherwise we would not be discussing this. True? MRLee216.239.160.71 17:29, 11 December 2005 (UTC)

belguim a part of france
is belguim a part of france.
 * No, see Belgium. Although French is one of Belgium's official languages.  Dismas|(talk) 00:39, 7 December 2005 (UTC)
 * Yes. It was once... Trekphiler 18:49, 8 December 2005 (UTC)

religious works influcenced by secular works
has there ever been a religious work that has been influenced by a secular work.


 * Well, yes. But you must have something specific in mind? What do you mean by "a religious work" and "a secular work"? The differences are not always so clear. (Is Leonard Bernstein's Mass a religious work? Are "folk masses" celebrated in the Catholic Church religious works? Both are clearly influenced by secular music.) We can probably help more if you specify what you're looking for. - Nunh-huh 04:05, 7 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Any one of thousands of hymns that use popular tunes for the music? (Including the currently seasonally-appropriate "What Child is This" which uses the tune from Greensleeves.)  As Nuhn-huh mentions, you need to narrow this question down. Crypticfirefly 06:06, 7 December 2005 (UTC)

Queen of England
I am trying to find out why the Queen of England has two birthdays? I thought it was due to the weather? many thanks===


 * Well, first off, there is no Queen of England<g>. The person you're thinking of is Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Her actual birthday 21 April probably can be accepted without further explanation. The monarch's actual birthday and the "official" birthday - the day it is celebrated - were identical until King Edward VII, born 9 November, decided that he'd like to celebrate in the summer instead. The "official" birthday is simply a matter of scheduling and can change from year to year. When Elizabeth II first came to the throne, her "official" birthday was the second Thursday of June. After seven years of this, it was switched to Saturday as a matter of convenience. It's now the 1st Saturday of June. It's in the summer at least partially to encourage tourism. She also has other birthdays in other realms... Canada is 18 May, Western Australia 28 September, the rest of Australia 8 June, New Zealand the first Monday in June. (Some of these may have changed, and she probably has other "birthdays" elsewhere.) The "second" birthday is just a designated national holiday. - Nunh-huh 03:58, 7 December 2005 (UTC)
 * In Canada it's the Monday preceding the 25 May and it's called Victoria Day except in Quebec where it's called fête des patriotes (Commemoration of the Lower Canada Rebellion). From Holidays in Canada. Also see Queen's Birthday. CambridgeBayWeather (Talk) 05:57, 7 December 2005 (UTC)

many thanks for your help....

Standard
I have noticed on the bottom of a cd drive there are a number of markings. One is the CE standard marking, another is the CSA Standard mark. There is a third, which I have seen on a number of devices. It looks like a backward R joined to a U or L. I could not find what it is. Any ideas? Oliverdl 05:01, 7 December 2005 (UTC)

Check here Underwriters Laboratories Inc. Marks (3/4 way down) and the home page is UL. It's the mark they use in Canada and the US. CambridgeBayWeather (Talk) 05:50, 7 December 2005 (UTC) fixed link &mdash; flamingspinach | (talk) 06:52, 10 December 2005 (UTC)

Weight Loss
I have lost 100 Pounds in 4 months (on purpose). Is that normal?


 * I'm not a doctor, and the Wikipedia doesn't give medical advice. If you are concerned about your health and your weight loss program, consult your doctor.


 * That said, your weight loss sounds *very* fast, to be honest, though it obviously depends on how overweight you were in the first place (if you've lost 100 pounds, you must have had quite a lot to lose).  See dieting for some of the issues relating to weight loss, specifically yo-yo dieting and the risks of very low calorie diets and fasting).  Also, have you determined what your ideal weight is? Being too underweight can be as bad for your health as being overweight. --Robert Merkel 07:25, 7 December 2005 (UTC)

Of course it's not normal. Whether it is good for you or bad for you depends on a lot more info than you provide, as I am sure you realize. Am I being too suspicious in thinking this the come-on line for either trolling or spamming? alteripse 10:33, 7 December 2005 (UTC)

BUSINESS
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN PERSONNEL DEPARTMENT AND A HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT?
 * Both are the same, I suppose, the latter being recently coined. As opposed, Labor and Industrial Relations has a different function --Tachs 10:15, 7 December 2005 (UTC)

Hartstein Upper Silesia
David, a Wikipedia reader, has sent the following question to the Wikipedia help desk.

"Hi, I am inquiring about a place called Hartstein in Upper Silesia. can you point me in the right direction?"

The only thing I could come up with was this ancestry.com page see Any assistance you could give would be gratefully appreciated.

Capitalistroadster 10:01, 7 December 2005 (UTC)


 * From here, Silesia is a little south of east, so yes I can point in the right direction! (Sorry, couldn't resist). -- Arwel (talk) 18:14, 7 December 2005 (UTC)

what is the meaning of "quality of mercy is not strained"? 61.2.70.77 13:11, 7 December 2005 (UTC)
Try The Merchant of Venice and Answers.com. CambridgeBayWeather (Talk) 13:41, 7 December 2005 (UTC)


 * I remember getting a detention in school (very many years ago), where I was given that very phrase - 'What is the meaning of "quality of mercy is not strained"?' as an essay title.
 * I remember the story of a parched traveller arriving in the Australian outback town of Mercy, who goes to the bar and orders a drink. He's offered a nice cup of tea, which he accepts. When he starts drinking it he spits out a lot of fur which was in the tea. On complaining, the barman tells him "I'm sorry mate, the koala tea of Mercy is not strained!". -- Arwel (talk) 18:23, 7 December 2005 (UTC)
 * I think you are look for a job. They are available here. CambridgeBayWeather (Talk) 18:35, 7 December 2005 (UTC)

Hats
Why did people stop wearing hats? I spotted a book ther other day that suggests it's got something to do with JFK. Or was it something to do with people growing their hair longer? Jooler 14:06, 7 December 2005 (UTC)


 * I seriously doubt its got anything to do with JFK - what reason did the book give?
 * If you look in old photos of the 30's or even 40's in the UK almost everyone (men at least) wore a hat. In the 50's I think it was a lot less prevalent & since then or the 60's less & less people have worn hats. Nowadays it seems most men don't (or at least don't all wear a hat as a matter of course everytime they go out). I would assume it was just changing tastes & fashions though I can't say for sure. AllanHainey 15:52, 7 December 2005 (UTC)
 * I seem to recall something similar in one of the Imponderables books but I thought it was talking about one of the Kings of the UK. In other words fashion. People copy their "betters". CambridgeBayWeather (Talk) 16:26, 7 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Well, the JFK story is discussed over at snopes: http://www.snopes.com/history/american/jfkhat.htm --jpgordon∇∆∇∆ 17:37, 7 December 2005 (UTC)
 * Ooh. Searching for an answer to this question led me to Hatless Jack: The President, the Fedora, and the History of American Style (ISBN 0452285232) -- sounds like fun, I bet it has some good answers, or at least speculation. --jpgordon∇∆∇∆ 17:41, 7 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Yep that's the book I saw. I had only read the blurb on the back. After looking on Amazon just now, it turns out that the author acknowledges that the JFK story is a myth, but he uses the allusion to the story i nthe books title and cover to sell a book about what would otherwise seem like a very dull subject (well to most people anyway). Apparently there had been a steady decline in the wearing of hats from about the 1890s. But what I want to know is, why is it that at the beginning of the 60s most men (and often ladies) AFAIK wore hats as a matter of course, but by the end of the decade men didn't. Was it the preponderance of long hair? Was it better tonsorial hygeine? Or was it just a cultural shift towards more casual dressing?  (A parallel withj the decline of the three-piece suit) Will formal hats (not the dreaded baseball cap) ever make a comeback on occasions other than weddings and Royal Ascot? Jooler 19:06, 7 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Well...as a genetically chrome-domed everyday hat wearer, I can offer some speculation. Hats are a pain in the ass these days. Where do you put them when you dine, for example? Other than at fine restaurants, you're expected to hang your jacket (should you have one) on the back of your chair, and do exactly what with your hat? Under the table? On another chair (and hope someone doesn't squish it?) And that's simple. How about on airplanes? Let's see, should I put my fine perfectly blocked fedora in the overhead bin? Yeah, sure (scrunch). Et cetera. Also, hats with any sort of brim are a nuisance when driving (the rear brim often has an unpleasant interaction with the head rests). But I do suspect that the main reason is simply shifts in style. Baseball-style caps have their place, of course. But I prefer a panama or a fedora -- in part because they're not quite in style! --jpgordon∇∆∇∆ 19:23, 7 December 2005 (UTC)

Here's JFK wearing a hat Snope. CambridgeBayWeather (Talk)
 * Can't read, I posted the wrong bit. This is what I ment to post. UK Hat museum maybe someone could vist and report back?

Just speculation, but it seems possible part of the effect is due to selective memory. Did people really wear hats all the time, or was it just part of formal dress, which in the past would have been more likely to have been cought on camera. Camera's and film were likely more expensive then and reserved for special occasions to a greater degree than today. Add that to simply changing fashions and you might have your answer. - Taxman Talk 23:29, 7 December 2005 (UTC)
 * Er.. haven't you ever seen old films and photos of streetscenes from the 1930s etc. Usually nearly everyone has a hat on! We're not just talking about putting a hat on to pose for a photo. Jooler 23:52, 7 December 2005 (UTC) - e.g. http://www.authentichistory.com/ed/1930s/images/1929_panic_on_wall_street.html Jooler 23:54, 7 December 2005 (UTC)

Might there not be several, converging reasons? My beliefs, NOT my knowns, are that before the industrial revolution, hats were important for protection against the weather. The world was agriculturally based. Then as industry sprung up, hats became less important for protection, but people still did as their daddy did, and as was socially/fashionably accepable, continued to wear hats, though smaller in brim size. Along comes WWII. Fashion goes military. Smaller hats. After the war we are now industrialized. formal hatwear for men is Fedora (my personal favorite). But now tract housing, suburbia, and backyard BBQ's are all the rage. Leisure. No need for formal attire or protection from the sun and rain. Baseball style caps (BBSC) become the default hat of choice in the late 20th century. Why? Convienience, leisure, lack of style, comfort, utility. BBCS's work. Easy, cheap, adjustable, colorful, etc. Has anyone noticed that, no matter the sport, baseball style caps are the norm. I would love a return to formal men's clothing (suits, overcoats, hats, etc.) but our penchant for sun and warmth and Hawaiian print shirts, with T-shirts as stand-by are going to continue the hatless style. I think Darwin was right, evolution. Even with hats.

MRLee216.239.160.71 16:02, 11 December 2005 (UTC)

Car Windows
Why exactly does my cars windows frost up on cold mornings, but not others?
 * I assume you mean not on your house windows. It's because they are too warm. See Frost and Dew Point. CambridgeBayWeather (Talk) 16:34, 7 December 2005 (UTC)

By others...I meant other days...not other windows. Some days my Cars windows frost up and some days they don't
 * When the temperature dew point is above freezing dew will form but below freezing frost will form. At cooler temperatures the amount of water vapour required to saturate the air is less. See Dew point and relative humidity. CambridgeBayWeather (Talk) 17:15, 7 December 2005 (UTC)
 * At warmer temperatures the air can hold more water vapour than at cooler ones. So as the temperature drops, (and the air is able to hold less water) it's easier, (for the air) to become saturated (the humidity increases). As the air temperature and the dew point get to within 2°C of each other things like fog and dew will form. If the dew point is below 0°C then you will get frost. CambridgeBayWeather (Talk) 17:54, 7 December 2005 (UTC)

Ansestry
What is the root meaning of the name Rainbolt? --4.255.3.123 16:10, 7 December 2005 (UTC)


 * If it's English-language in origin, then it means lightning bolt. But it's really important to know the language of origin in order to be certain about the meaning of your ancestor's name. Mareino 22:38, 8 December 2005 (UTC)

the name Rainbolt is not English in origin. It is german ! the german name was Reinbold. Reinbold only became french after german ! . you must break it down like this Rein and bold. Rein means pure.

World War 1
When did World War 1 start?
 * A little bit after Gavrilo Princip assassinated Crown Prince Ferdinand. Have a look at the World War I article. &mdash; <font color="#CC0000">J <font color="#00CC00">I <font color="#0000CC">P | Talk 16:57, 7 December 2005 (UTC)

What are Kilkenny cats?
Try A word a day, World Wide Words and Nursery Rhymes. CambridgeBayWeather (Talk) 16:30, 7 December 2005 (UTC)

Politics-related questions

 * I don't understand the differences between a democracy and a republic, other than the latter not being under the reign of a king. Please can someone explain?
 * I have read the article on conservatism, but don't really see where a conservative stands in today's world. For example, could someone tell me in which way the United Kingdom's Conservative Party's policy is conservative?

Thank you,

--anon, 16:49, 7 December 2005 (UTC).


 * Republic is probably what you are looking for. Most definitions of a republic require it to be some form of democracy.  But a constitutional monarchy, such as the UK, is also a democracy in practice.  See Conservative Party (UK) for information on the UK Conservative Party's conservative policies.  They have traditionally been social conservatives and Thatcherism was a profoundly conservative system - individualist, broadly monetarist and committed to scaling back social democratic structures such as the welfare state and trade unions. Warofdreams talk 18:23, 7 December 2005 (UTC)


 * You might be confused by a weird but consistent trope by some on the right (I don't know the origin of it) whose refrain is "America is a republic, not a democracy"; their definition of democracy seems to be one where you can do *anything* provided you get a simple majority of votes. here is an example of such an argument.  Nobody else defines democracy in that manner.  By most standards the USA is a federal democratic republic.


 * The way most political scientists use the terms, the words "republic" and "democracy" refer to two totally different areas.


 * A republic is any country that has a president or like official instead of a monarch. When we say that "India became a republic in 1950," we mean India disassociated itself from the king of the UK and elected a president.


 * A democracy is harder to define, but basically, a democracy is a country where "the people rule." In most people's definition, this means that people get to choose who runs the state through free and fair elections.


 * A republic doesn't have to be a democracy, and a democracy doesn't have to be a republic. Canada is generally considered to be a democracy, but it is not a republic. (It is a monarchy under Queen Elizabeth II, just like the UK.) Cuba is a republic, but most people outside of the far left would not consider it to be a democracy. Most people would consider, say, the Czech Republic to be both a republic and a democracy, while Saudi Arabia is neither.


 * There is a second set of meanings for the pair of words, in which "republic" means government through elected officials and "democracy" means direct democracy through referenda and public meetings. While I have seen these meanings used by a respectable source, the fact remains that most of the time, "democracy" need not mean direct democracy. -- Mwalcoff 01:35, 8 December 2005 (UTC)


 * As to the British conservatives, their policies in the Thatcher era were conservative in one sense, but radical in another in that they were radically different to the policies that had dominated British politics since the end of World War II. --Robert Merkel 21:34, 7 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Nowadays, the only countries that aren't Democratic Republics are the ones that say they are. --Mareino 22:37, 8 December 2005 (UTC)


 * The last time I heard the phrase "America is a republic, not a democracy" was on The West Wing. The implication behind the statement was 'in a democracy the people get to make policy; in a republic they get to choose the people who make policy'. The specific context was the (pretend) President deciding on a course of action which he believed was right, but which opinion polls show was unpopular. I don't think his definition of democracy would be a widely held one. DJ Clayworth 00:09, 9 December 2005 (UTC)


 * With regard to the Conservative Party, its current policies are in a state of flux as it has just changed leaders. The party adopted its name in the 1830s when it was identified with opposition to reform of the electoral system, although it had reversed that policy by the late 1860s. In a sense, therefore, the party doesn't really have to be 'conservative' and the name is just abstract. However, it does seem to fit in that the general situation in western democracies post the Second World War is that ideologies of the centre and centre-left propose more areas in which the public sector should be involved, while ideologies of the centre-right resist them. It is also still the case, in general, that members of the Conservative Party are less likely to support legal changes which are called for on the grounds of British society having changed; this latter aspect is decreasing in significance. David | Talk 17:02, 9 December 2005 (UTC)

Database Administrator Controls
I am looking for help on DBA Controls. How do you watch or control what the DBA is doing?


 * I suggest you locate documentation on the Operating System where this is important. In some OS}}, there is no need for a human to manage or administer [[Databases because everything done by a human Database Administrator for one OS, such as for Unix for example, is automated by the computer system on othr OS such as IBM's AS/400 OS/400 recently name changed to iSeries i5/OS for example.


 * I suspect that a DBA is like a System Administrator or Security Officer, where only another such person can see what that person has done, or is doing. Check out system logs.  They usually have links to audit trails of significant changes to how the system's rules are setup, such as triggers, and file reorganizations other than at an application level.

AlMac&#124;&#91;&#91;User talk:AlMac&#124;&lt;sup&gt;(talk)&lt;/sup&gt;]] 03:33, 9 December 2005 (UTC)

Icecream Manufacturers in the Southern US
Reader George has asked the following question.

"I am looking to install 1000 soft serve machines. I need to research the equipment and ingredient manufacturers. Can you help me find whose who in the business. I am also located in the south of Texas, so a supplier in the south. I am not interested in working with brokers. I am looking for the manufactures to buy from directly."

I have suggested that if he wants a complete list of manufacturers, he might want to go to Google answers. However, I will ask on this board to see if anyone has useful suggestions.

Capitalistroadster 23:58, 7 December 2005 (UTC)


 * You might look for associations of manufacturers and their membership. I suspect the manufacturers of the hardware, and the suppliers of the food inside might be two different sets of companies. AlMac&#124;&#91;&#91;User talk:AlMac&#124;&lt;sup&gt;(talk)&lt;/sup&gt;]] 03:35, 9 December 2005 (UTC)

=December 8, 2005=

Which Witch is Which?
User Diane has sent the following question to the Wikimedia help desk.

Do you know anything about the above mentioned game and if it is possible to get this board game. I don’t know who it was made by, but I do know it was made in the 1960’s or early ‘70s. Please let me know if you have any information on this.

Thank you for any assistance you can give her. Capitalistroadster 00:57, 8 December 2005 (UTC)

Try [http: //homepage.mac.com/planetpm/whichwitch/whichwitchgame.html Which Witch Game] CambridgeBayWeather (Talk) 01:06, 8 December 2005 (UTC)
 * This is the [http: //homepage.mac.com/planetpm/whichwitch/information.html Information] page for the same company. Other than that it seems that you can only find parts for the game rather than the whole game. I assume that she has tried eBay? CambridgeBayWeather (Talk) 01:11, 8 December 2005 (UTC)

IATA vs ICAO
What is the difference ,in terms of competences, between IATA and ICAO ? Brgds / Liem TS ,Indonesia
 * Well the International Air Transport Association is a trade organization formed by the air carriers and the International Civil Aviation Organization is a United Nations body. The ICAO would have more say than IATA as to rules and regulations while the IATA members can consult and maybe set travel prices. IATA would be more interested in making money for it's members than the ICAO. CambridgeBayWeather (Talk) 05:32, 8 December 2005 (UTC)

'Tiffany network"
Why is CBS often called the "Tifany network"? I always been curious.
 * see here - Nunh-huh 05:55, 8 December 2005 (UTC)

Csantaver in old Hungary
A reader Thomas has sent the following e-mail to the Wikimedia Help Desk:

"I would like trace back my family tree, how would I go about it? If you could let me know, please. I could trace it back to 1832 Csantaver, Old Hungary. I would like to find out what part of the map it is??? I would appreciate some suggestions please as to how to find out more."

I have suggested he look at our Genealogy article and the Hungarian resource linked to in the reference section. If you can help him, it would be greatly appreciated. Capitalistroadster 07:53, 8 December 2005 (UTC)

Using the Shtetl Seeker, the most likely candidate seems to be Čantavir or Csantaver (45°55' 19°46'), now in Serbia, 83.5 miles NNW of Beograd. Various maps at MapQuest, Multimap, and Expedia.- Nunh-huh 08:25, 8 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Yes, it's Čantavir in Serbo-Croatian, Csantavér in Hungarian in the North Backa District of Vojvodina. To find out more, you're probably going to need to dig up old church records. For that, you'll probably need to go there, although there may very well be copies at the National Archives in Budapest. --130.242.128.121 23:09, 8 December 2005 (UTC)

grams of protein
greetings ! :D how many avarage grams of protein does an averege size chiken egg contain ? thank you for your support ... Randy age 9


 * According to the Egg Nutrition Center, one large egg contains about 6 grams of protein - that's 3.6 grams in the egg white, and 2.7 grams in the egg yolk. (Obviously this is a rough estimate, and a lot depends on the size of the egg!) - Nunh-huh 08:28, 8 December 2005 (UTC)
 * Also, according to an article in a recent issue of Mother Earth News, it would vary as to whether the chicken were raised on a poultry farm that keeps their chickens caged up as opposed to one that lets them roam free like a small backyard flock at someone's home. Dismas|(talk) 11:27, 8 December 2005 (UTC)

indian companies
please, show me list of prominent india based compnies --219.65.190.120


 * List of Indian companies and Category:Companies of India should give you what you need. Thryduulf 11:34, 8 December 2005 (UTC)

colleges
which is the most prominent engineering college of USA? --219.65.190.120


 * There are many prominent engineering colleges in the United States. The most famous is probably the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), but there are a lot of other very fine schools. --Robert Merkel 13:31, 8 December 2005 (UTC)


 * True, MIT's good, but let's give big ups to Georgia Tech, Caltech, Carnegie Mellon, Cooper Union, and Cornell. US News publishes rankings, but you have to pay for the full list and explanations. . Mareino 22:44, 8 December 2005 (UTC)

Song by Stellastarr....
Theres a song by a band called Stellastarr..i saw the video on vh1 last week....But i cant recall the name of the song....i've tried to listen to every song on their latest album but i can't find it.... I only remember a bit of the lyrics and they go something like this....

I can't remember your ....(something) Its too bad for that (or something like that i guess) I cant remember your ....(something) Thank God for that..

And then The Chorus comes... (but i can't remember it though)..

The whole thing just keeps repeating... And on the video the band plays behind glass panels...

I know the details are sketchy..but i will really appreciate it if someone could tell me the name of the song...

Jayant,17 years, India.
 * A bit of google searching reveals that the only Stellastarr* track currently on a VH1 playlist is "Sweet Troubled Soul". this post by "Shawn" (apprently a band member?) on their offcial message board gives the lyrics. Although the lyrics are not veyr close to what you posted, they are possible - particularly as the post linked comes with a spoiler warning "For those of you interested in deciphering the words yourselves, or have a clear idea of what you imagine I am saying and wouldn’t want to ever find out". I've never heard of them or their music before reading this post though, so I wouldn't want to comment on how easy they are to understand! Thryduulf 16:09, 8 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Well, the "Sweet Troubled Soul" video is stop-motion animation with dolls. I haven't seen the video for "My Coco", but that's their best song, and virtually every line of the song is designed to sound like another line of the song, so it's hard to understand.  For example, "I need some help from a little love / I need some help from a little above / And you were there when I was feeling low / I won’t forget you my Co-coco!" -- Mareino 22:51, 8 December 2005 (UTC)

Blue sunglasses..
Why is it not advisable to wear sunglasses with blue coloured glasses?

Jayant,17 years, India.
 * Who is advising you not to wear them?

-Well..i went for a trekking expedition last year and they told us to get sunglasses to wear in the snow but not blue coloured glasses....And i also read it some where that it is not advisable to wear blue coloured glasses...

Just a guess but perhaps blue does not cut the glare of the sun off the snow and thus Snow blindness would result. This is not sometthing you want to experience. You might also want to read Rayleigh scattering. CambridgeBayWeather (Talk) 16:36, 8 December 2005 (UTC)

I remember being told that different coloured ski goggles were better for different conditions; one colour for bright sun, one for falling snow, one for fog. I don't remember which colours or why. DJ Clayworth 00:04, 9 December 2005 (UTC)

hmmm....but i already heard those songs.... anyways thanks a lot for the help.....

A small note: I've been wearing blue-tinted glasses full time for about two and a half years. I've yet to notice any ill effects. (I wear them when it is snowing as well.) Trngl999 05:17, 12 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Sunglasses have two jobs: one is to protect your eyes from harmful UV rays, and the other is to help you see well in bright light. Almost all sunglasses sold today will protect your eyes from UV rays. But because "glare" from snow or water contains a lot of blue light, blue sunglasses don't do a very good job of cutting that glare. Blue lenses won't actually damage your eyes, but because they don't work as well, you should avoid wearing them when driving or doing something that requires sharp vision. Orange-tinted lenses (sometimes called "blue-blockers") are very good at absorbing this blue glare. That's why most ski goggles have orange-tinted lenses. TheSPY 17:46, 12 December 2005 (UTC)TheSPY

What is the population of ND?

 * See North Dakota. Shimgray | talk | 17:30, 8 December 2005 (UTC)
 * Or New Delhi. Aren't you glad we didn't just give you a number? -gadfium 21:50, 8 December 2005 (UTC)
 * Or maybe you were enquiring about North Devon? Thryduulf 00:46, 9 December 2005 (UTC)
 * In other words, please be specific and tell us which country you are referring to when asking a city or country related question. - 131.211.210.16 08:54, 9 December 2005 (UTC)
 * And tommorrow it will be different too... ever heard of Birth? It does happen every once in a while you know. --64.105.139.147 21:49, 16 December 2005 (UTC)

pakistani company
which are the prominent pakistan based company? -- Shahinarashid 17:58, 8 December 2005 (UTC)
 * Wikipedia has a list at List of Pakistani companies. -- Rick Block (talk) 19:55, 8 December 2005 (UTC)

i am trying to decide whether to debt finance or equity finance a lease, which one is better?? thanks...

 * What made you think asking complete strangers about financial advise was a good idea? - 131.211.210.16 08:57, 9 December 2005 (UTC)
 * Also, please read the instructions at the top of this page. Please make a separate header and question, and tell is what you are trying to finance, what country you live in and what you already tried to answer this question and what your personal idea about it is. The more detailed your question, the higher your chance of a useful answer. - 131.211.210.16 08:59, 9 December 2005 (UTC)

portfolio optimization
What is portfolio optimization?

technical & medical colleges of pakistan
please, show me the list of technical & medical colleges of             pakistan ? Shahinarashid 18:56, 8 December 2005 (UTC)
 * Wikipedia has a list at List of universities in Pakistan. -- Rick Block (talk) 19:54, 8 December 2005 (UTC)

RBD
Can you tell RBD that I said "!Hola!"?


 * No. —Keenan Pepper 05:57, 9 December 2005 (UTC)


 * I told them, but they said "إلى اللقاء" - Taxman Talk 15:40, 9 December 2005 (UTC)

ipod vs. washing machine - it works, but the battery is shot
I ran my 40 gb 4th generation ipod through the washing machine, it dried out and will work when plugged in to power, but only when plugged in. I think the battery is shot. Can you recomend the best and preferably cheapest way of getting this taken care of? It is still under warranty, but I think that this wouldn't be covered by it. Also, are there longer lasting batteries out there? (Posted by 209.137.173.69)


 * Well, the cheapest way is to go to an IPod store and swear up and down that you never ever got your IPod wet and you have no idea how it broke. That would be horribly dishonest, though.  You might think about getting a Creative Labs Zen or some other MP3 player that has a removable battery. --Mareino 22:55, 8 December 2005 (UTC)
 * Nah, ipods really are that much better, and besides, it's better to support the innovator than the follower. :) Anyway it's possible you didn't kill the actual battery, but instead the charging circuitry. In that case it just needs to be serviced. Besides, apple's battery replacement service is $60. - Taxman Talk 15:33, 9 December 2005 (UTC)


 * This method works quite good with rain etc... but if you had it in the washing machine they will clearly see the that the cause is water by locking at the pcb. helohe (talk)  15:35, 9 December 2005 (UTC)

As a point of interest, a Game Boy Advance cartridge of ours was lost for months before we found it in a trouser pocket. That thing probably went though a thousand washes, and the thing worked at still does, perfectly (it's Yoshi's Island by the way). However, I once sat on another cartridge just after swimming in the sea and still wet. It was in a pool of salt water under my bottom. The internal clock broke, although the game was Pokemon Ruby so that may not have been to do with that. Kid Apathy 15:15, 14 December 2005 (UTC)

Mystical
How does the following link work:. I have already gathered a few ideas: it changes the symbols each time so it must make you pick the same one every time. Does anyone know a proper solution???--XenoNeon 20:26, 8 December 2005 (UTC)
 * Most of the numbers and symbols are red herrings. Here's the trick: Pick a two digit number. OK, so, now you have 10X + Y, where X and Y are the first and second digit respectively. Now add the digits (X + Y) and subtract from the original: 10X + Y - (X + Y) = 9X. Ah ha. Now look at those numbers and symbols. Every multiple of 9 has the same symbol. All the rest are noise to confuse you. --jpgordon∇∆∇∆ 20:42, 8 December 2005 (UTC)


 * When you add the digits of a number together, the resulting sum is the same, modulo 9, as the original number. So when you subtract the sum of the two digits from the original number the answer must be 0 modulo 9, which is another way of saying that the answer is always a multiple of 9.  Also note that the largest answer you can get, when you start with a two-digit number is 81.  Knowing this, it's easy to see how they do it: each time you do it, the same symbol is associated with each multiple of 9 up to 81.  These are the only numbers you can get from the subtraction, and it's that symbol which appears. Chuck 20:46, 8 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Ack, too late. You guys beat me to it! :| ☢ Ҡieff⌇↯ 20:50, 8 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Just look at it mathematically. Consider the number 23. It's the same as 2*10 + 3. So any 2 digit number can be written as 10a+b. What it proposes is that you sum both algarisms (a+b) and subtrac this from the original number, what mathematically gives: 10a+b - (a+b) = 10a-a + b-b = 9a. So in 23 case, you'll have 9*2 = 18. In another words, whichever number you pick, from 99 to 00, the proposed calculations will return a multiple of 9. Now look at the table and take a look at all multiples of nine. They're all the same symbol, and they change every time. But notice, too that the highest number you could pick, 99, leads to 81. That's why all 9 multiples over 81 (90 and 99) are different symbols. ☢ Ҡieff⌇↯ 20:48, 8 December 2005 (UTC)

Travel by horse in ancient britain
How long would it take to go from Tintagel to Edinburgh on a horse if you could only take roman roads or oldr roads? 216.43.124.150 20:34, 8 December 2005 (UTC)


 * I bet those guys that were balancing eggs on their feet will love this one. ;) Mareino 22:57, 8 December 2005 (UTC)


 * There are some factors to decide on determining length of time of long-distance horse travel. The main one is how many horses are available. The limiting factor is not how fast the horse is, but how long it can go without getting tired and needing to eat. That's why enormous distances could be quickly covered by an organisation that kept horses available at different places, and had the rider switch from one horse to another, or pass whatever they were carrying to a new rider. One rider on a single horse would be much slower. DJ Clayworth 23:59, 8 December 2005 (UTC)

Partial answer 4.425 hours. This is based on a horse running at a constant top speed of 40 mph over a straight line distance of about 177 miles. This is a rotten answer as the horse would not be able to keep the speed up for that length of time, nor is the distance a flat straight line. CambridgeBayWeather (Talk) 00:00, 9 December 2005 (UTC)
 * Note that Microsoft Autoroute 2002 gives an estimated journey time by car of 8 hours 13 minutes over a driving distance of 508.6 miles. Nationalrail.com gives the quickest journey time by train from Bodmin Parkway (the nearest railhead these days) as 8 hours 52 mintues. Thryduulf 00:35, 9 December 2005 (UTC)

If you're doing this for a story (I'm assuming that's what it is, since you asked about Roman and earlier roads), then try this - You'll need to measure the Roman roads - if your map has no scale, just trace it out onto one that has a scale and add it up. DuctapeDaredevil 03:20, 9 December 2005 (UTC)
 * First, you need the distance in miles.
 * Figure out what kind of horse they're riding, including age, then figure out the weight the horse is carrying.
 * Find out the horse's normal speed is under the above conditions.
 * Calculate how quickly the horse would get there with the above speed.
 * Add in time for weather problems, carts, and/or children.
 * Not forgetting of course that the Roman road system would stop well short of Edinburgh as you'd leave the Empire when you passed Hadrians Wall. -- Arwel (talk) 03:42, 9 December 2005 (UTC)
 * There might have been some form of road up to Cramond? There was certainly a smallish military settlement there, though offhand I can't think of anything leading to it. Shimgray | talk | 12:17, 9 December 2005 (UTC)
 * This map gives a known road through the middle of the Borders, running up past Galashiels, and then suggests it extended to Edinburgh though the specific route isn't known. Shimgray | talk | 12:20, 9 December 2005 (UTC)

Then do you know what kind of horse they would have used? 64.198.97.66 17:31, 9 December 2005 (UTC)
 * Probably a cross between an Arabian and a Welsh Mountain Pony. Google is your friend, in this case.  MorganLeFay 02:48, 10 December 2005 (UTC)

elevations
what are the elevations of following cities in greece-mykonos,hydra,napflion, delphi,athens?thank you --205.188.116.131 20:35, 8 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Do you mean at their highest point, lowest point, at their centre or on average? --Canley 06:55, 9 December 2005 (UTC)

company bios
assuming that it is bad form (or perhaps even discouraged) to place company bios on wikipedia, can someone tell me if there is a wikipedia-like site that does encourage this sort of thing? thank you kindly, ttocsmij--24.97.213.214 20:39, 8 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Articles on major companies are certainly appropriate. You might want to review the page about Notability, although it doesn't really give much direction there.  The page on Importance might also be useful.  I'm just one Wikipedian, but my opinion would be that any publicly traded company would be notable enough to have an article.  Some, but not all non-publicly traded companies would be notable: a large, well-known one is; a very small company may not be.


 * Also, you probably wouldn't want to just cut and paste a company's own biography from the company's website into an article. First, that would probably be a copyright violation.  Second, we strive for a neutral point of view at Wikipedia, and a company's own description of its history is likely to emphasize positive points while minimizing or ignoring any negative issues. Chuck 21:00, 8 December 2005 (UTC)


 * P.S. However, a link to a company's history on the company's own website would be very appropriate for the "External Links" section of an article on the company. Chuck 21:21, 8 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Check out WP:CORP for guidelines on corporate entities. &mdash; Lomn | Talk / RfC 22:23, 8 December 2005 (UTC)

Classic toaster guy on the Upper West Side?
There is this guy who sells classic vintage restored toasters on the Upper West Side. I can't remember the name of him, his store or website! Help!
 * Upper West Side of what? Dismas|(talk) 22:09, 8 December 2005 (UTC)
 * New York City. Do you know of another place called the "Upper West Side"? - Nunh-huh 22:27, 8 December 2005 (UTC)
 * Let me get this straight... Everyone, everywhere is supposed to know that A) New York City has an area called the "Upper West Side" and B)this is the only "Upper West Side" on the planet?  That's rather geo-centric of them.  Dismas|(talk) 23:22, 8 December 2005 (UTC)
 * I said nothing remotely like that. I asked you if you knew of another place, and indicated that the reference was clearly to Manhattan's Upper West Side. - Nunh-huh 01:50, 9 December 2005 (UTC)


 * The reference may be clear for people who know about it, but which Upper West Side was my first response too. Just like in articles, you can't assume the answerer knows the same you do. The instructions clearly say you need to be specific (especially when asking geographical questions). 131.211.210.16 09:05, 9 December 2005 (UTC)
 * So which other Upper West Side did you think it might be? - Nunh-huh 09:31, 9 December 2005 (UTC)
 * Previous to this question being asked I didn't have any knowledge of any "Upper West Side" so I couldn't even try a few google searches or anything to even attempt to help the person out. Unfortunately though, even with the clue from you that they were talking about NYC, I still haven't been able to find anything of any use. I just found a link to Toaster Central which is apparently run by a guy who "During the week he is located near 76th Street and York Avenue on the east side of Manhattan". Not the "Upper West Side" I'm guessing since it says "east side" but they may be able to help out the original poster. User:Dismas|(talk) 13:38, 9 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Just a further note, and that's who wants classic vintage restored toasters anyway? I mean honestly, how do you expect anyone to remember this guy, if you, the person interested can't. Google is your friend, for something like that. I agree with Dismas on the Upper West Side thing. I mean, Chicago has a "South Side" but so does NYC, I'd imagine --64.105.139.147 21:54, 16 December 2005 (UTC)
 * Presumably the "toaster guy" is a local "character". No, New York City doesn't have a "South Side", and no one has yet named any "Upper West Side" that isn't in Manhattan. - Nunh-huh 21:58, 16 December 2005 (UTC)

overstock.com question
i have a question about overstock.com what was the name of the woman who did the original overstock.com commercial,what is her name,why isn`t she still doing the overstock.com commercials,what is the name of the current women who is doing the overstock.com commercials how old is the women who did the original commercials
 * Hee name is Sabine Ehrenfeld; she was born in 1963.--Pharos 12:08, 9 December 2005 (UTC)

looks like dido to me - (unsigned comment by someone who disputes the above answer)

Valley Mississippi
My grandmother's birth certificate states that she was born November 5,1923 in Valley,Mississippi. That said, I have searched the internet and ask m any people but I cannot find Valley,Mississippi. Can anyone help guide me in the right direction? Thanks. Ray Smith rsmith9632@aol.com

Just a thought but is it possible the birth certificate should read Mississippi Valley and just got written up backwards? It's possible if she was born outside of a community. The other thought is, could the community name have got dropped off? As an example, Bigbee Valley is in Mississippi. If the certificate is the original then a mistake is less likely but if it's a later reproduction an error could have crept in. I would try and find old maps of Mississippi and see if there is anything on them. CambridgeBayWeather (Talk) 01:17, 9 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Do you know the county of Mississippi she was born in? That might help narrow it down. And it's possible to request another copy of her birth certificate to see if the first was a transcription error. You can print out the order form here and order it; it's possible the long form certificate may be more informative than the short form. - Nunh-huh 02:04, 9 December 2005 (UTC)

Slovak Name Origin
What is the origin of the Slovak surname "Bensko" or "Bencko"? Yeltensic42.618 23:47, 8 December 2005 (UTC)

=December 9=

Enfield Jungle Carbine Authentication
Reader Tom has sent the following question to the Wikimedia Help Desk.

"I own an Enfield No 5 Mk. 1 Jungle Carbine. I am looking for a source to authenticate the markings on the rifle.  Can you help in this."

Any information you can give hime would be gratefully appreciated.

Capitalistroadster 01:08, 9 December 2005 (UTC)

Try and. The second one may be able to help with the markings. CambridgeBayWeather (Talk) 01:22, 9 December 2005 (UTC)

Tool
Hello. I have a tool that I need help identifying. It look like a long, thin pair of tongs. The whole thing is about 16 inches long. The "tong" part is a metal rod about 3/8 inches in diameter. One end looks like it is meant to grip something round which is about 3/8 - 3/4 of an inch in diameter. On this end, both sides of the "tongs" are the same. On the other end, the sides are different. On one side, the end is round with a nearly elliptical hole about 2.5 inches by 1 inch. The other side does not have a hole. On the other side, the "tong" part stays the same diameter until the end, when it comes to a little knob-like end about 1/4 - 3/8 inches in diameter, the face of which is perpendicular to the plane of the elliptical hole. This end aligns with the middle of the hole on the other side. I have looked on the internet and could not find anything. Any help is appreciated. --Think Fast 01:20, 9 December 2005 (UTC)
 * Do you have a picture that you could put on your user page? CambridgeBayWeather (Talk) 01:24, 9 December 2005 (UTC)
 * No. I really wish I did, but I don't.  Sorry. --Think Fast 01:39, 9 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Could you draw a simple diagram in MS paint and upload that? It's hard to visualise from the description. --Bob Mellish 17:08, 9 December 2005 (UTC)
 * Great idea. Here it is. [[Image:Tool_Diagram_for_Wikipedia_Reference_Desk.gif]] --Think Fast 23:58, 9 December 2005 (UTC)
 * The inward facing teeth remind me of a chip extractor, a tool used to remove computer chips from their holders in a controlled manner (that doesn't bend the little pins while doing so). Here's a picture of one.  But that's only a few inches long; I can't imagine what kind of chip would need a 16 inch extractor.  SO it's probably not for extracting chips, but perhaps for extracting something else. -- Finlay McWalter | Talk 01:05, 10 December 2005 (UTC)
 * The link appears dead. I get nothing. CambridgeBayWeather (Talk) 01:27, 10 December 2005 (UTC)
 * The closest thing i can think of is a pair of fire wood tongs. Try this site for a picture, you'll see what i mean, this tool is slighly different.--Ali K 01:46, 10 December 2005 (UTC)
 * It reminds me of something used to handle hot coals. The charchoal should rest snuggly in the ring, while the other end can press against it when you close the other side. --HappyCamper 02:50, 10 December 2005 (UTC)
 * I just did a Google image search for tongs, and then looked through hundreds of pictures of tongs (for which the God of Inventors has an inordinate fondness) and found none even remotely like this. Does it show any wear patterns to indicate where it's held? --jpgordon∇∆∇∆ 03:08, 10 December 2005 (UTC)
 * I could not see much wear, but it seems highly probable that the tool is held at the end with the circle and the little "knob." The other end looks like it is meant for holding something round. (And thanks for looking through so many pictures.) --Think Fast 15:41, 10 December 2005 (UTC)

Yeah, I've used this tool several times. It is used to expand the leather of tight fitting shoes in specific spots. You place the 'nippled' end inside of your shoe/boot that is hurting your foot and the outer ring is outside and opposite. You press the inner part of the shoe outwards to releive the leather. I do not know the proper name of the tool, but we at work called it the boot stretcher. MRLee216.239.160.71 16:10, 11 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Is that what it really is?! If so, I think this question was asked a while ago, and it should be somewhere in the reference desk archives! --HappyCamper 17:26, 11 December 2005 (UTC)

I can not say for sure, but that is what it looks like to me. Pert near identical. I did not ever figure out the function of the handle crimping/grooved function. MRLee216.239.160.71 18:10, 11 December 2005 (UTC)


 * I have been watching this topic with interest. I posted an answer to a similar question on 29 May 2005 (#132 What is it?) | here. In that case, the tool in question was a "bunion stretcher" or "spot stretcher" for shoes (see a picture here).  However, I do not believe that this is the same kind of tool. For one thing, every bunion stretcher I've seen has a round hole about 1" in diameter (not an elliptical hole 2.5" by 1") and a "knob" that's almost as big as the hole (not much smaller as described here).  Also, I have never seen a bunion stretcher with the other end being anything other than just regular handles (not tongs, crimpers, grippers, extractors, or anything of that sort). Nor have I ever seen a bunion stretcher with "straight" rods for the arms. I am certainly no tool expert; I'm just saying that if this mystery tool is a bunion stretcher, then it's much different than any one I've ever seen. I do wonder though, if the ball and ring end might be used in a similar way. --DannyZ 20:38, 11 December 2005 (UTC)

Houses in Louisiana
Someone I work with mentioned that people in Louisiana used to be taxed on how much road frontage their house had. The wider the house, the more the tax. Therefore people built houses that were extremely long where all the rooms were basically in a row along one long hallway. Has anyone ever heard of this? Is there any truth to this? User:Dismas|(talk) 01:37, 9 December 2005 (UTC)
 * Such a tax was considered by the Cabildo in 1794, but wasn't passed at that time because it was judged to be regressive. I don't know if such a tax has been instituted since (though I can't find it in any obvious Internet place), but "shotgun houses" exist in many places without such taxes. - Nunh-huh 01:55, 9 December 2005 (UTC)
 * Thanks for the info! User:Dismas|(talk) 15:38, 9 December 2005 (UTC)
 * Commercial areas where there is a premium for having a frontage on a street and land behind is comparatively cheap encourages this type of development. Having long narrow buildings maximises space available for the cost and allows more people a frontage on the street. It is very common in the UK from at least the medieval period, and it is still a common factor in the design of modern shopping malls, etc. Thryduulf 16:42, 9 December 2005 (UTC)

What is acute care
A google search yields these. Definitions are directly from the listed sources.
 * Treatment for a short-term or episodic illness or health problem.
 * http://www.premera.com/stellent/groups/public/documents/xcpproject/pvd_gl_a.asp


 * Medically necessary skilled care provided by medical and nursing personnel in order to restore a person to good health.
 * http://www.myinsuranceguy.com/glossary.htm


 * Medical care administered, frequently in a hospital or by nursing professionals, for the treatment of a serious injury or illness or during recovery from surgery. Medical conditions requiring acute care are typically periodic or temporary in nature, rather than chronic. top
 * http://www.healthinsurancesort.com/health-insurance-terms.htm


 * care received in an inpatient hospital setting.
 * http://www.providence.org/Health_Plans/Members/Definitions.htm


 * Care that is generally provided for a short period of time to treat a certain illness or condition. It can include short-term hospital stays, doctor's visits, surgery, and X-rays.
 * http://www.setnlegalservices.org/glossary.htm

Tv Language
When did the word Bitc* become acceptable on regular Broadcast TV?
 * Which country's regular broadcast TV are you interested in? Thryduulf 09:46, 9 December 2005 (UTC)
 * Usually when someone fails to mention a country, it's best to assume Merka. &mdash; <font color="#CC0000">J <font color="#00CC00">I <font color="#0000CC">P | Talk 09:55, 9 December 2005 (UTC)
 * I've never heard Bitc* on TV. Perhaps you meant bitch? --Nelson Ricardo 12:00, 9 December 2005 (UTC)

I meant U.S. and the word is bitch (please excuse my language)


 * I realy dont care if they say that words on tv and here in switzerland they do and nothing gets censored. helohe (talk)  15:27, 9 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Good question. The It Hits the Fan episode of South Park is generally credited as the watershed event for the S-word, which was allowed only sparingly before then.  The V-chip law technically means that networks can get away with ANYthing short of X-rated shows, so long as they file the proper warnings.  No network does that, though, because of the public relations fallout. Mareino 16:47, 9 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Broadcast television is still subject to "indecency" laws. The seven dirty words, which do not include bitch, are still illegal before 10 p.m. But you're still unlikely to hear them late at night due to the probable negative reaction of advertisers and the potential that Congress would enact more-stringent legislation. -- Mwalcoff 17:28, 11 December 2005 (UTC)


 * This brings to mind an episode of The Simpsons, where Bart told Marge that Santa's Little Helper was seeing a bitch. Marge told Bart to stop cursing, but Bart said "But Mom, that's what she is!" and showed her the dictionary entry. &mdash; <font color="#CC0000">J <font color="#00CC00">I <font color="#0000CC">P | Talk 22:39, 9 December 2005 (UTC)


 * From "Oh Brother, Where Art Thou?":
 * Bart:  So, any idea where this bastard lives?
 * Homer: Bart!
 * Bart:  His parents aren't married are they?
 * It's the correct word, isn't it?
 * Homer: I guess he's got us there.
 * Marge: Mmm...
 * Bart:  [singing]
 * Bastard, bastard, bastard, bastard, bastard, bastard, bastard bastard!

Mwalcoff 17:28, 11 December 2005 (UTC)
 * The Fox Network censor asked the producers to "remove seven bastards," according to the DVD.
 * Wouldn't that mean sacking most of the board of the Fox Network?

Type of flower.
Can anyone identify any of the flowers in this photo?

http://img286.imageshack.us/img286/5448/flowers0ru.jpg

The one at the front looks like a Tiger Lilly. CambridgeBayWeather (Talk) 05:24, 9 December 2005 (UTC)

The white ones look like roses and the rest look like unopened tiger lillies. CambridgeBayWeather (Talk) 05:31, 9 December 2005 (UTC)

The lilies are specifically "Stargazer lilies" (and they have a wonderful fragrance that is very strong! - and their pollen has a tendency to stain things). The unopened ones are stargazer lilies waiting to happen. I think "tiger lilies" is usually used for orange colored lilies; I'm not sure how they are botanically related, but I think tiger lilies are a wild type species, while stargazers are hybrids. - Nunh-huh 05:38, 9 December 2005 (UTC)

Male/female dogs
I have a 5 yr old male dog, and I'm about to buy a new puppy. Should I get a male or a female? If both are desexed, they won't attempt t mate, will they? Are two male dogs more aggressive than one?


 * My neutered dog will still occaisionally get "excited" around a female, but he's never tried to mate. I've never heard of two males being particularly aggressive together, especially neutered ones.  In fact, male dogs are much more cuddly with humans than females in my experience having had both.  &mdash; Laura Scudder ☎ 05:54, 9 December 2005 (UTC)


 * It has a lot to do with when your 5-year-old was neutered. Generally, if he was neutered after puberty, he'll try.  Talk to your veterinarian, though, since she can give you more detailed advice on what sort of puppy would get along with your 5-year-old dog's personality. Mareino 16:51, 9 December 2005 (UTC)

"Associated Foreign Press"
Is there, or was there ever, a news agency called Associated Foreign Press? If so, who are they? If not, where did the name come from? I have seen it cited as a news source several times on the web, and had previously assumed that it was what AFP stood for, but now find out that it isn't.

A Google search shows 496 hits - seemingly too few for a real agency, but too many to be a mistake. If the Associated Foreign Press Home Page is in there, it's nowhere near the top. Surely zdnet, NASA and 'Liberia's Most Trusted News Source' aren't all citing a ficticious agency, but a real agency that doesn't have a web site or a Wikipedia article is quite an enigma. I'm mystified. Does anyone have any ideas? Thanks.


 * My first theory was that "Associated Foreign Press" would be one of the not-really-an-agency things you get these days; a small organisation putting out paid-for news stories and so on. However, looking at the links, it seems to be people doing exactly what you did - assuming AFP stands for Associated Foreign Press not Agence France-Presse, and expanding the name wrongly.
 * For example, this quotes Associated Foreign Press. However, this has the same story credited to AFP. Shimgray | talk | 12:12, 9 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Why would any organization self-identify as "Foreign"? I would guess that "Associated Foreign Press" is just a mistaken expansion of 'AFP' by someone who has never heard of Agence France-Presse.--Pharos 12:13, 9 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Thanks guys, it would seem misidentification of AFP is the most likely, but I'm still curious to know how the same wrong name could have been used by so many people - AFP could stand for anything, after all. Did some notable source spread the error?  If it spontaneously arrose all over the world, it's quite a strange phenomenon. --Linton 10:10, 10 December 2005 (UTC)

The Golden Globe Awards are run by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association. Could that be what you're thinking of? User:Zoe|(talk) 05:26, 10 December 2005 (UTC)

Kannada text problem
Why is Mozilla Firefox not printing Kannada text properly. Its prints square box is showing the text properly. How can I solve this problem? Thanks in advance, daya

(Mgm|(talk) formatted the above question) - Mgm|(talk) 14:02, 9 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Printing is usually done by printers and not browsers.
 * Yup. And you never told us if your browser displays them correctly in the first place. If not see Enabling complex text support for Indic scripts. That page will also give you links on how to get the fonts you need if you don't have them already. - Taxman Talk 15:23, 9 December 2005 (UTC)
 * (In the original version of this post (before formatting), the poster told Firefox shows them correctly. –Mysid 15:53, 9 December 2005 (UTC))


 * It probably means that the typeface used for the font is only a screen font and not a printer font. How to fix this depends 1. on the type of computer you are using and 2. the type of printer you are using. One approach is to try and change the font assigned to it to something which is known to be a Postscript font, which generally work on all printers, and away from something which is just a TrueType font, which I have found to be difficult in situations like this. It may also involve installing language-specific printer drivers; one think you might try is downloading Adobe Postscript drivers in the language you need and trying to use those. --Fastfission 17:14, 9 December 2005 (UTC)

thnaks for replay. the firefox browser showing kannada font currectly and i can read it but the problem is printing it prints squre boxs and i checked adobe Postscript drivers for kannada but i did't find and one more thing the konqueror browser prints correctly and shows correctly but i need to print from mozilla firefox browser

thanks daya

country info website
I am very much eager to know about China, India & Pakistan .Can anyone refer such a websites for each above mentioned countries where i can find every thing about that country i.e its government,culture, cities maps,economy, education status,millatry power, cities info etc. I want sepapate website for each above mentioned countries .Please may anyone help me  in search of it. Shahinarashid 12:45, 9 December 2005 (UTC)
 * See our sites for China, India, and Pakistan. --Think Fast 12:58, 9 December 2005 (UTC)
 * There's also the CIA World Factbook. Just pull down the menu and choose the country for which you'd like some information.  And best of all, the info is in the public domain since it's a work of the U.S. government.  User:Dismas|(talk) 13:46, 9 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Via search engines you can locate the official web sites for each nation which include whatever info their gov wants people to know. C-Span (sorry I not remember precise url link) has connections to US Gov branches ... web sites of Administration, Legislative, Judicial branches ... but also links to similar in other nations, such as THEIR legislature web sites.  There you can find what's doing that those nations consider important.
 * Several newspapers, such as The Washington Post in USA, and The Economist in UK, have directories of info that compete with the CIA Fact Book, such as links to the English language newspapers of those nations.
 * Via search engines you can also locate directories of newspapers and other publications websites organized by nation ... so for example, you can find news coverage from Iran in English, and see what they are saying about isues that are currently important to them.

User:AlMac|(talk) 17:56, 16 December 2005 (UTC)

shannon capacity limit
kindly looking for your great help.

what are the possibility of transmitting information when the signal is lower then noise?


 * Shannon capacity redirects to Shannon–Hartley theorem, so you probably want to read that article. Signal-to-noise ratio might also be of help. Thryduulf 16:35, 9 December 2005 (UTC)

Witches
What Type of thing do witches do? This is for a report at school.
 * Have you already tried the Wikipedia article on witchcraft? –Mysid 15:38, 9 December 2005 (UTC)
 * Are you referring to real witches who if memory serves me correct believe in Wicca and/or Paganism or are you referring ot witches in fiction? - Mgm|(talk) 12:56, 10 December 2005 (UTC)
 * Unfortunately, what 'things witches do' cannot really be defined in a short space. :) If you find someone who says 'witches do <insert random nonsense here>', more than likely the next 99 people you meet will disagree. As for them being folk who "believe in Wicca and/or Paganism"... that is not necessarily true. It is more common for witches in the present time to not be pagans, wiccans, or anything else of that sort. Witchcraft can be said to be a generic term for a set of talents and skills, usually incorporating herbalism, ritual magic, and other trades- but it is not a religious preference (again, only speaking for the present).
 *  P . Mac Uidhir  (t)  (c)  01:59, 14 December 2005 (UTC)

This topic is one where your answers may need to be Politically Correct, with respect to the belief system or ignorance of school administrators for you to get a passing grade. User:AlMac|(talk) 21:36, 15 December 2005 (UTC)

steve martin irish
is steve martin irish.


 * According to Steve Martin, his family "was of English, Irish, Scottish and Welsh descent". He himself, however, appears to have been born in Texas. Shimgray | talk | 16:01, 9 December 2005 (UTC)

belize
what is the climate like in belize year round please
 * See Geography of Belize. Thryduulf 16:30, 9 December 2005 (UTC)

Atlantic records
I'd like to know the names of officers and key management at Atlantic Records...can you please help me find this out? (email removed as per policy, see top of page)


 * Atlantic Records is a part of Warner Music Group, having been bought by Warner Bros.-Seven Arts in 1967. According to Warner's website, the chairman and CEO of Atlantic is Craig Kallman, and Atlantic's president is Julie Greenwald. -- AJR | Talk 00:54, 10 December 2005 (UTC)

frog?
http://www.friendsofkeji.ns.ca/images/2004_photo/RMS_48.JPG what kind?Maoririder 17:16, 9 December 2005 (UTC)
 * Where was this picture taken? There are a lot of species of frogs in the world. Slicing 16:26, 12 December 2005 (UTC)

does anyone know??

wheres the rest of oliver cromwell
i just finished reading sommething called a loop on who2 according to it his body was exhumed hung and beheaded what happened to the rest of him.


 * From "The Trial of Charles I" by J.G. Muddiman (Hodge, 1928):


 * "At the suggestion of Colonel Titus, the House of Commons ordered the bodies of these four (John Bradshaw, Oliver Cromwell, Henry Ireton and Thomas Pride) to be exhumed and hung on the gallows at Tyburn upon 30th January, 1661. The body of Pride was presumably not in a fit condition to be removed, for those of the first three only were exhibited on the gallows on that day. At sunset the heads of the three were struck off and afterwards displayed on poles on the top of Westminster Hall, their bodies being cast into a deep hole under the gallows."


 * He adds a footnote:


 * "Periodically, a dried-up head, asserted to be embalmed and to be that of Cromwell, is described in the newspapers. It has no claim to be genuine, for the remains of Cromwell's head were thrown down from Westminster Hall when the pinnacle to which it was fixed was rebuilt in 1681. See "Heraclitus Ridens" for 12th July, 1681. After twenty years' exposure to the weather and the onslaughts of kites and crows, little would have been left of the head by 1681. The process of embalming, in any case, would have been no protection against these onslaughts. Moreover, the whole claviculum of the dried-up head has been sawn asunder in the roughtest possible manner, and this certainly would not have been done had it been embalmed."


 * Hope this helps. David | Talk 22:06, 9 December 2005 (UTC)


 * If you njoyed this, you might find posthumous execution amusing. - Nunh-huh 05:41, 11 December 2005 (UTC)

the White Stripes and hieroglyphic writing.
On http://www.whitestripes.com/ after the apple, rock imagery, caesar and stuff, then the top loads links to photos/bandinfo/etc..., Do we know what the symbols/hiero's stand for? If anything? Thanks. --Jake


 * They're Alchemical symbols, not hieroglyphs. --BluePlatypus 19:53, 9 December 2005 (UTC)


 * I haven't read them saying this in interviews, but they probably got the idea from Zoso. Mareino 02:51, 11 December 2005 (UTC)

Forms of contemporty cooperation
What are the contemporary forms of business cooperation?
 * DYOH - please Do Your Own Homework (see top of this page). &mdash; QuantumEleven | (talk) 22:22, 10 December 2005 (UTC)

Origin of two phrases
Where are these phrases from? ☢ Ҡieff⌇↯ 22:58, 9 December 2005 (UTC)
 * "Reaching out into other worlds" (this one always show up as a sound taken from the original source. It appears on the "American Money" song from Cowboy Bebop &mdash; the opening theme from the reward show thingy)
 * "Oh, the humanity!" (often quoted by several movies, it's been hard to track it down)

I think "Oh the humanity" uttered by an on-the-spot radio newscaster distraught at the burning of the dirigible Hindenburg in NJ in the late 1930s. It has been turned into a joke in recent years by being applied to trivia, but few people even know where the phrase came from. alteripse 23:03, 9 December 2005 (UTC)
 * Absolutely. It was Herb Morrison who was the radio reporter (he was covering the arrival of the Hindenburg). It was recorded as-it-happened (the explosion can be heard on the recording), but wasn't broadcast until the next day. - Nunh-huh 23:09, 9 December 2005 (UTC)


 * I've heard the recording but didn't realize that it was the original usage of the phrase. Interesting! &mdash; flamingspinach | (talk) 06:16, 10 December 2005 (UTC)


 * This site has a streaming video of the crash with the reporting by Herb Morrison. - Akamad 23:14, 9 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Excellent! Thanks for the answer! Now for the other one... ☢ Ҡieff⌇↯ 14:28, 10 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Back in the day someone asked a similar question (see Reference desk archive/September 2004 I). I gave a link that suggested one of the other phrases in "American Money" ("Deep Thrust Telescopic Probe") came from Lost in Space, it's possible that all the snippets came from that source. - Lee   (talk)  14:44, 10 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Did you notice that this "someone" was in fact Kieff, who asked this question as well? :) &mdash; flamingspinach | (talk) 19:38, 10 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Heh. No, no I didn't. Makes you wonder who should have been paying more attention. ;) - Lee   (talk)  19:46, 10 December 2005 (UTC)

"Flying Saucer" / "Disco Volador" cooking utensil
I'm looking for a cooking utensil that was popular in Miami during the 1950s and 1960s called the "disco volador" or "flying saucer". It consisted of two slightly concave disks, attached to each other at the edges by a hinge, and having two handles projecting from the opposite edges. Bread would be placed in the concave dishes, and then covered with various fillings. Then, the handles would be brought together, clamping the dishes together, and the whole thing would be heated over a stove until cooked (various items sticking out would be trimmed off). When the handles were opened, a completely enclosed delicious grilled sandwich would be inside. They do not seem to be available anywhere that I can find locally, nor can I find information about them (they are not panino). Please tell me if there is anywhere I can buy this cooking ware. Many thanks. &mdash; flamingspinach | (talk) 23:20, 9 December 2005 (UTC)

=December 10=

Sports
In what year did the Philadelphia Eagles cap have the E A G L E S logo with a yellow eagle bird over the letter A?

The cap is green - the letters are outlined - the cap visor is black.


 * According to The Helmet Project, the Eagles have had the same basic helmet design since the 50s. It's doubtful they had any helmet design before that. Are you sure you're not looking at the helmet of one of the many college or high school teams that uses the Eagles nickname? -- 70.27.57.22 15:23, 10 December 2005 (UTC)
 * The question is concerning the caps that are worn on the sidelines, not the helmets. Unfortunately, I can't answer the question.  User:Zoe|(talk) 19:21, 10 December 2005 (UTC)


 * If it's an unauthorized cap, it could literally be any year. If it is authorized, though, then someone at the Eagles front office (the phone number is on their website) will be able to tell you.  Usually those people are nice, b/c they make their money by being nice to fans. --Mareino 02:46, 11 December 2005 (UTC)

X-mas gift dilemma
What should I get my Uncle? The only thing I know about him is that he likes history and trains. MorganLeFay 02:43, 10 December 2005 (UTC)


 * My Dad, who is into trains, has large collections of Great Railway Journeys, Swiss Railway Journeys, etc., all on videotape. Lots of trains chugging around scenic places, with endless descriptions of switching yards, locomotives, stations, and jockular tales of railway antics. Normal people would rather die than watch a whole episode, but it's meat and drink to railroad nuts. In addition to online vendors, they're often sold in shops that also sell model railway stuff. -- Finlay McWalter | Talk 02:52, 10 December 2005 (UTC)

If he has a computer then I would suggest [Microsoft Train Simulator. I have a copy and can recommend it. [[User:CambridgeBayWeather|CambridgeBayWeather]] (Talk) 03:12, 10 December 2005 (UTC)
 * There are also some other computer games for Railroad enthusiasts, such as Microprose Railroad Tycoon. User:AlMac|(talk) 21:39, 15 December 2005 (UTC)

Many thanks and a happy Chrismahaunakwanzakastice to the both of you! MorganLeFay 04:09, 10 December 2005 (UTC)

How about a calendar with pictures of old trains? Gift certificate to a local hobby store? MRLee216.239.160.71 17:20, 11 December 2005 (UTC)

There are various history magazines ... you can sample them at the magazine section of many major book stores ... you can arrange a GIFT subscription ... at the start of the subscription, they send out a greeting card identifying you as having made the gift, then with every issue, your uncle remembers that you got this great gift. User:AlMac|(talk) 21:41, 15 December 2005 (UTC)

how to convert .propj files to .ppj files?
I'm using Adobe Premier Pro,btw.202.156.6.54 03:56, 10 December 2005 (UTC)

Places to visit in Russia
Reader Harrish wrote to the Wikipedia Help mail list asking for good places to visit in Russia on his trip there. I suggested Moscow and Leningrad as well as seeing his travel agent and reading a guidebook. I also referred him to the Russia portal. Does anyone have any suggestions of places to visit while in Russia? Thanks for any help you can give. Capitalistroadster 04:29, 10 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Leningrad has been called St. Petersberg since the end of the Cold War. But yes, Petersberg and Moscow are usually the two major places listed for visiting, and both have immense cultural resources as their pages explain. These two cities, along with Kiev (now in Ukraine), were the three major cities for most of Russia's history. --Fastfission 05:00, 10 December 2005 (UTC)
 * St. Petersburg is the most commonly accepted spelling, I believe. &mdash; flamingspinach | (talk) 06:12, 10 December 2005 (UTC)
 * Surely WikiTravel's guide to Russia can help Harrish out here? - Mgm|(talk) 13:00, 10 December 2005 (UTC)
 * What to see very much depends on your comfort levels in speaking and understanding Russian. Generally, any country that was not colonized or administered by the British has the highest concentration of English-speakers in its largest cities, and small towns that are not known for their tourist attractions may have few or even none.  Mareino 02:44, 11 December 2005 (UTC)

NW?
Why does Washington D.C use NW as in front of the zip code? --Member 04:45, 10 December 2005 (UTC)


 * It doesn't. DC Zip Codes are 20001 through 20599 (although all numbers have not yet been assigned). These Zip codes are numerical without any alpha prefix. --hydnjo talk 04:59, 10 December 2005 (UTC)

Well, an NW is always after the adress (oops!). --Member 05:15, 10 December 2005 (UTC)

The "NW" is part of the address. Washington, D.C. is laid out as a series of avenues crossed by numbered and lettered streets. The U.S. Capitol is the center of the city, which is divided into northwest, northeast, southeast, and southwest quadrants. Some addresses appear in all four quadrants! Therefore it is essential to include NE, NW, SE, or SW in the address. - Nunh-huh 05:23, 10 December 2005 (UTC) - We've hidden this information at Geography of Washington, D.C..


 * Also, it should be noted that the NW is part of the street, not the ZIP code. So an address might look like


 * John Bayes 101 Wisconsin Av, NW Washington, DC 20008


 * &mdash; QuantumEleven | (talk) 22:27, 10 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Nunh-huh is right. Also, the Capitol is not in the geographic center of DC, so each quadrant is a different size.  NW is the largest and SW is very, very small.  Also, the east side of DC has very few government buildings (mainly b/c the mall is on the west side) and very few affluent neighborhoods (just random historical growth patterns), so you are much more likely to see a NW address than an address from another quadrant.  Writing the "NW" on your letters is still important, though, because some addresses (say, 300 D St) really do occur four times, differentiated only by quadrant and zip code. Mareino 02:40, 11 December 2005 (UTC)

Men vs Women
Does someone know the ratio of male wikipedians to female wikipedians? Any help would be appreciated!--Ali K 07:36, 10 December 2005 (UTC)

I have investigated it and it is probably something like 30:1. Every 1 in 30 user pages I randomly picked initially stated they were women on their user page.--XenoNeon 12:21, 10 December 2005 (UTC)


 * We do need more female contributors!!! User:Zoe|(talk) 19:24, 10 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Out of curiosity, how many fail to reveal gender? alteripse 14:20, 10 December 2005 (UTC)
 * So anyone not revealing their gender is automatically male? &mdash; <font color="#CC0000">J <font color="#00CC00">I <font color="#0000CC">P | Talk 14:35, 10 December 2005 (UTC)

Wow, you really do your homework! Thank you so much! I guess us women are a bit out numbered. Did you happen to know what the most common age for Wikipedians is?--Ali K 13:43, 10 December 2005 (UTC)

Its averaged at about 18. Most people on Wikipedia are students. The youngest Wikipedian is JordanHatch at around 11 and the oldest is a retired computer programmer that is 54 but I don't know his name. And, in response to the thing about not revealing genders, very many Wikipedia users have put something like 'This space has been left blank intentionally'. Most people who Have user pages tell you their genders. I only came across two people who didn't reveal their gender--XenoNeon 15:00, 10 December 2005 (UTC)


 * From the help desk archives (here)...
 * From here (a self-included list) the oldest would be CoppBob, born in 1921 and the youngest would be Isabel Santiago, born in 1998.
 * --Commander Keane 17:28, 10 December 2005 (UTC)

It's possible though that some users are misrepresenting their sex. User:Kate of Kate's Tool is in fact a male. CambridgeBayWeather (Talk) 17:34, 10 December 2005 (UTC)


 * So basically, there's no way to know, even approximately. —Keenan Pepper 18:05, 10 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Having met Kate at a London wikimeet a few months ago I can verify that he is definitely male, but I don't think he's 'misrepresenting his sex' so much as using a name which most people associate with the female. But there are others who are deliberately vague. The only way to know for sure would be a random survey - perhaps this would be an interesting project. I find the median age is probably mid to late 20s. David | Talk 18:53, 10 December 2005 (UTC)

I was going of what I knew. I was somewhat inaccurate as someone else told me those facts.--XenoNeon 18:14, 10 December 2005 (UTC)


 * According to the New York Times article this past week, lots of the low-profile people on Wiki are librarians. Since (in the USA at least) that profession is maybe 80% women, I think that the numbers may be more balanced than the user pages would indicate. --Mareino 02:34, 11 December 2005 (UTC)


 * I can verify that, at least in a small way- five of my colleagues (that I know of, anyway) edit at Wikipedia and Wikisource. All five have user accounts, but none of them have anything on their account userpages. Three of the five are females, all in their 30s.
 *  P . Mac Uidhir  (t)  (c)  02:52, 14 December 2005 (UTC)

Ancient huge oak tree in DAX, France
I am looking for information, document, picture, photo etc... about an ancient huge oak tree, known as the "chêne de QUILLACQ", supposedely one of the oldest on earth, located around or in the city of DAX, France. This tree was cut down sometuime last century. Yhanks for your help.


 * From what I can gather, it was a tree planted by the Moors more than 2000 years ago and mysteriously cut down in the 1920s:
 * "The Oak of Quillacq was one of the woodland specimens most remarkable of our area. Located in a wood on right bank of Adour, one allotted, with this monument nature, two millenia. With breast height, his circumference was 9 meters and the pad of its roots extended on a perimeter of 25 Mr. Objet of worship and of piety, one had baptized it "Tree of the Fairies". A source to which one allotted to cure the evils of the eyes ran in its fork. Its disappearance goes back to 1920. A pilgrimage took place in the night from the 23 to June 24, celebrates of Jean-baptiste Saint." (translated version of the tourisme landes site).


 * La France pittoresque also had an article in their 4th quarter 2004 issue, and I found a pic of an etching of the tree about halfway down this page. Hope this helps - you've piqued my interest now! Natgoo 12:01, 10 December 2005 (UTC)


 * The Moors could not have planted it 2000 years ago. They came to France briefly many centuries later. alteripse 14:18, 10 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Hey, you're right. It must have had significance to the Moors for some reason. Natgoo 14:35, 10 December 2005 (UTC)

Wrestling
The Wrestling performed on WWE is fake. But what is fake and what isn't? Is the drama fake, the injuries, etc.It doesn't say in the WWE article.--XenoNeon 08:52, 10 December 2005 (UTC)


 * It's fake in the sense that it is scripted, the bouts are choreographed, the outcomes are pre-determined and some of the hits are fake. The injuries, however, are generally real. A surprisingly good book on the topic is Mick Foley's autobiography Have A Nice Day, and the doco Beyond the Mat is also quite good. Natgoo 12:43, 10 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Why do tickets to wrestling matches cost hundreds of dollar per piece and are hugely popular if the outcomes are pre-determined? Does the audience treat it like theatre instead of sport? &mdash; <font color="#CC0000">J <font color="#00CC00">I <font color="#0000CC">P | Talk 14:35, 10 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Well, yes. It's known as Sports entertainment, and has been described as the equivalent of soap operas for men, providing the same sort of plots, allegiances and drama for a predominantly male audience. I've just found the Professional wrestling article, which has lots more info. Natgoo 14:41, 10 December 2005 (UTC)

Thank you very much; do you not think that we should have a world wrestling organization that conducts proper wrestling and not just demonstrate it in the Olympics and other major spotring events???
 * what exactly do you mean with that? i assume there are real wrestling organisations in america. and i don't think that the wwe and such are suddenly gonna reform into that kind of wrestling, it's just not interesting enough to watch. Boneyard 14:17, 12 December 2005 (UTC)

European military bases in the US?
The US have many military bases in Europe (how many, by the way, and how many secret ones might there be?) and I assume this is a part of NATO agreements. But I've never heard of European military bases in the US (or Canada). Do any exist? DirkvdM 10:39, 10 December 2005 (UTC)

CFB Goose Bay probably the closest thing. The US bases in Europe are generally a legacy of the Second World War, and then later Europe's position on the front line of the Cold War, so I wuoldn't expect it to work the other way around. Morwen - Talk 14:50, 10 December 2005 (UTC)


 * The Royal Navy had naval units based in Canada & Newfoundland for some time post-war, which may count. There's also the British Army Training Unit Suffield in Alberta, on CFB Suffield; it's nominally a locally-controlled base, as with most US airbases in the UK, but it's a permanent garrison. There's also odds and ends of NATO training detatchments around in the US, but not operating whole bases. Shimgray | talk | 16:58, 10 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Hmm, for a presence today a legacy of WWII is a bit lame and I don't see how Europe was more on the frontline of the cold war than the US. Ideologically it was even less at 'war' than the US and that might actually be the reason for the discrepancy. Imagine a European country or the EU putting up a military basis in Florida to guard against the 'threat' of Cuba :) . And anyway, the one in the Ukraine (which is what made me wonder) is more recent.
 * When I said 'Canada' I didn't think of the UK. There's a still warm historical connection between those two countries, which would explain Suffield. And training detachments going abroad is normal routine I believe and not quite the same as a permanent basis.
 * When I Google 'europe "military base" usa' all I get is about US military bases outside the US (and one built by Columbus in Tahiti :) ). Doesn't Europe have any military bases outside Europe? If so, why do the US have so many? DirkvdM 20:41, 10 December 2005 (UTC)


 * (not an expert on this, but I'll give it a shot anyway) As Morwen pointed out the reason for US bases in Europe is historical - a relic of the Cold War. Operating a military base (especially ouside your country) is expensive, so you don't build unless you need it, and there is nothing that a European military base in the US could accomplish which one at 'home' couldn't, so none were built. As for why the US has so many overseas bases, that's partly due to US foreign policy, which often calls for military intervention (or at least 'presence') in many different parts of the world. Many of these date back to the Cold War, at which point the US armed strength was vastly greater than that of any European power, so they were building most of the bases. European foreign policy since WW2 has relied much less on military intervention (and/or they never had a standing army comparable with the US), so there was no real need for overseas bases. &mdash; QuantumEleven | (talk) 22:36, 10 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Going from memory, the United Kingdom has military bases in Cyprus, a semi-permanent base in Brunei and sovereignty over the base at Diego Garcia, as well as a garrison on the Falkland Islands. France has a major base in Djibouti and a smaller one at N'Djamena in Chad (and a large force in the Cote d'Ivoire, even when that country is not in a state of near civil war). In other words, nothing like the outreach of the United States, but not zero. Physchim62 (talk) 17:49, 11 December 2005 (UTC)


 * In regards to the UK, you're looking at East of Suez as the critical political concept. Also note the semi-permanent Army base in Belize. Besides what you've already mentioned, the RAF has small detatchments based at Ascension Island (to support the Falklands), and there's a few other deployments of varying levels of permanence - in the Gulf, for example, since 1990 - plus RN "fixed patrols" which may or may not be based out of somewhere besides the UK, I don't know. And, of course, there was Hong Kong until recently.
 * But think of it this way: the biggest military powers, by expenditure at least, are the US, the UK, France, China, Japan, Russia and Germany (in no particular order); of those, Japan and Germany have no overseas deployments for historic reasons, and Russia and China have not actively tried to get overseas basing rights. So that only leaves three, and the US has had a much more forward deployment than the others... Shimgray | talk | 19:26, 11 December 2005 (UTC)


 * European Countries may not have bases in the United States, but they have stationed troops in the United States for various reasons. I know that Holloman Air Force Base in Almagordo, New Mexico, usually has a number of German fighter pilots present, mostly to train with U.S. Forces. I would imagine that there are other bases in the U.S. where this sort of thing is common. TomStar81 03:12, 13 December 2005 (UTC)
 * As Europe gets built up, they are losing wide open spaces that air force pilots can train over, but the USA still has a goodly bit of under developed land, such as the national parks, deserts, etc. So long as foreign military may use US bases for such training, they have no need for their own base on US soil. User:AlMac|(talk) 21:46, 15 December 2005 (UTC)

Air bases in Wales
Coincidentally, I need to ask whether there are any American air bases in Wales. --Shantavira 11:58, 10 December 2005 (UTC)


 * In preparation for your imminent question on Scotland, I'll put a link to RAF Machrihanish here... (To defend the off-topicity, it does show that some US bases have "RAF" in their name). There are also some US locations at ECHELON that might be relevant (depending on how you define air base) Category:United States Air Force bases doesn't help much yet. Ojw 12:36, 10 December 2005 (UTC)


 * There are no USAF bases in Wales at present. The USAF used to operate out of RAF Sealand in the 1950s but has long since given it up. The main US air bases in Britain need long runways for logistic transport or long-range bombers, which few of the Welsh airfields have. David | Talk 13:36, 10 December 2005 (UTC)

As I suspected. Many thanks. --Shantavira 13:58, 10 December 2005 (UTC)

Gerberas
I understand that you can buy fake gerberas, for use as decoration. I live in Perth, Western Australia and i was wondering where i could buy them. If you're from Perth, please help! Any suggestions are welcome.--Ali K 13:41, 10 December 2005 (UTC)

I'm sorry: I don't live in Perth, I live in a town in Lancashire, UK but I should think you can buy fake gerberas in florist; a rather big one or a home interior decorator shop. I cannot give you a more specific answer, i'm afraid.--XenoNeon 15:14, 10 December 2005 (UTC)

Thanks for your help, but i was really after a specific store or chain of stores, hence asking for help by fellow West Australians.--Ali K 12:25, 11 December 2005 (UTC)

working capital
'''what is working capital? what are its determinants?'''


 * Start at our article Working capital. Then follow the links off that for more information. Hope this helps. ➨ ❝ R E  DVERS ❞ 15:26, 10 December 2005 (UTC)

countries that have never had a female leader
besides the united states can you name for me three countries that have never had a female leader.
 * Why three countries? Is this your homework? Well, East Timor comes to mind. &mdash; <font color="#CC0000">J <font color="#00CC00">I <font color="#0000CC">P | Talk 16:37, 10 December 2005 (UTC)
 * You need to define what you mean by leader. As an example Australia's head of state is Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom who is female. But the head of government is the Prime Minister and they have never had a female prime minister. CambridgeBayWeather (Talk) 17:03, 10 December 2005 (UTC)
 * Australia has had a few female Premier's though --Ali K 04:59, 11 December 2005 (UTC)
 * Any three Arab countries. -- Mwalcoff 17:15, 11 December 2005 (UTC)
 * Any three North American countries, except Canada for about six months. --jpgordon∇∆∇∆ 21:55, 11 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Well, Canada's governor general and official head of state are both women. Both Panama and Nicaragua (if we consider those countries to be in North America) have had female presidents. -- Mwalcoff 02:13, 12 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Obviously, a much shorter list would be countries that have had a female leader. JackofOz 22:15, 11 December 2005 (UTC)
 * But unless you define "female leader" that list would be just as hard to come up with. CambridgeBayWeather (Talk) 02:20, 12 December 2005 (UTC)

chart number ones for the usa from 1950 to present day
Ive typed in various different ways to try and find this myself but i cant seem to find what im looking for can you help me please.

As the subject heading says im trying to find all the number ones for the USA from 1950 to present day..list form would be good :)

I look forward to seeing if anyone can help me.

Thanks very much :)

(p.s. ive never used this site before )
 * Assuming you're talking about music singles, please see List of number-one hits (United States). -- Rick Block (talk) 18:13, 10 December 2005 (UTC)


 * And also welcome to Wikipedia! - Akamad 22:20, 10 December 2005 (UTC)

latin name for marijuana

 * Cannabis. —Keenan Pepper 18:01, 10 December 2005 (UTC)


 * There are between one and three species - Cannabis sativa and possibly Cannabis indica and Cannabis ruderalis - Guettarda 19:46, 10 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Ruderalis is not quite potent enough to classify as marijuana. Although some might actually prefer that. Many have started to hate the potency of nederwiet (hey, no article on that? well, Dutch sinsemilla then), saying it's no fun anymore. DirkvdM 20:46, 10 December 2005 (UTC)
 * (see Sinsemilla) --hydnjo talk 21:13, 10 December 2005 (UTC)

martin sheen in gods and generals
i saw a martin sheen in the major motion picture gettysburg and i was surprised to find out that he wasn`t in the sequel why wasn`t he.


 * Because Gods and Generals doesn't appear to be a sequel to Gettysburg. They both have the same subject matter and the same director (and, according to IMDb, the same release year) but that's as far as it goes. There are also many reasons why an actor doesn't appear in a sequel - contractual; other commitments; a personal dislike of some aspect of the previous production; money. You might have better luck by trying a Martin Sheen fan site like this one. ➨ ❝ R E  DVERS ❞ 19:22, 10 December 2005 (UTC)
 * Both movies were made from books written by Jeff Shaara as well as having same subject matter and the same director. They did not come out in the same year. Gettysburg 1993, Gods and Generals 2003 Rmhermen 20:22, 11 December 2005 (UTC)

Looking for other Wiccans in Michigan
I was wondering if there were any Wiccans in the area i just moved to. Ludington michigan.


 * About.com has a page of links for Wiccans in Michigan generally. I'd advise following those links (or nearby links) and seeing if you can find organisations near to Ludington. The page is here. Hope this helps. ➨ ❝ R E  DVERS ❞ 19:42, 10 December 2005 (UTC)


 * It's probably worth pointing out that the "Wiki" in Wikipedia comes from the Hawaiian word for "quick", and has no connection with "Wicca"! -- Arwel (talk) 23:22, 11 December 2005 (UTC)


 * There happens to be a Wiccapedia, though it seems to be an almost totally useless web portal.   Is Wikipedia trademarked?  &#8227;<font size="+1">&#5339;&#5505;  [[Image:Venus symbol (blue).gif|&#9792;]] [ <font size="+1">&#5200; ] 01:16, 12 December 2005 (UTC)


 * I believe so, by the Foundation. Shimgray | talk | 11:23, 12 December 2005 (UTC)


 * It should also be noted that Wikipedia is not a meetup site, and this is not a precedent-making posting for others who want to meet people of similar persuasions, religions, interests, etc., anywhere else. User:Zoe|(talk) 00:12, 12 December 2005 (UTC)
 * Meetup.com, on the other hand, is a meetup site, and they have a Witches Meetup Group in Muskegon, which may or may not be close enough for you. --Metropolitan90 08:11, 12 December 2005 (UTC)

A "New Deal Coalition" was dominant from around 1932-1968. Is a coherent new Republican coalition, consisting of what in Kansas are called "Mods" and "Cons," emerging?
Please DYOH - Do Your Own Homework. &mdash; QuantumEleven | (talk) 09:25, 11 December 2005 (UTC)

=December 11=

Bloglines
I wondered why some feeds, when aggregated to Bloglines, are horribly outdated (for instance, the latest item for "MediaWiki Project News" RSS feed in Sourceforge.net, in Bloglines, is "MediaWiki 1.4beta1 released", released August 2005)? Thanks. 61.94.149.23 00:58, 11 December 2005 (UTC)

coin collecting
what is the meaning of spcimen set?
 * If you look here it will tell you what a specimen is and here is an example of a set. CambridgeBayWeather (Talk) 05:19, 11 December 2005 (UTC)

Ranking of countries according to Real GDP, per capita
I'm having a very hard time finding a list of countries ranked by Real GDP, per capita. Why is it so terribly difficult? I mean, it's surely possible, right? Why doesn't Wikipedia have it?! Is there some sort of consensus against it or something? I need it urgently. -- Natalinasmpf 05:08, 11 December 2005 (UTC)
 * Try the CIA World Factbook. Rank Order - GDP (purchasing power parity), Rank Order - GDP - per capita and Rank Order - GDP - real growth rate. Now you can create the list for Wikipedia. CambridgeBayWeather (Talk) 05:24, 11 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Doesn't contain the information I need - PPP is different from Real GDP. -- Natalinasmpf 05:25, 11 December 2005 (UTC)
 * The second link should be the one. It's GDP, per captia. CambridgeBayWeather (Talk) 05:29, 11 December 2005 (UTC)


 * But I need it in Real GDP, not nominal. Thanks anyway, I'm just very frustrated over the lack of such a list. -- Natalinasmpf 05:31, 11 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Whereas nominal GDP refers to the total amount of money spent on GDP, real GDP adjusts this value for the effects of inflation in order to estimate the actual quantity of goods and services making up GDP. The former is sometimes called "money GDP," while the latter is termed "constant-price" or "inflation-corrected" GDP -- or "GDP in base-year prices" (where the base year is the reference year of the index used). See real vs. nominal in economics.
 * You should be able to use the info Camebridge gave you when you can find out what the inflation was in the years you're looking at. What's your base year? - Mgm|(talk) 11:23, 11 December 2005 (UTC)


 * I wanted to compare 2001 (and 2004 as well) the per capita Real GDP of all countries, ranked in order. I don't know how to use this information to organise for every single country. I mean, isn't there a list that already calculates all of this beforehand? -- Natalinasmpf 00:55, 12 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Numbers for any given year data across countries should be comparable. Not a lot of countries had major inflation 2001-2004; the US, in particular, had very little, so that if you are using PPP (which you probably should be, if you are talking real GDP: exchange rate is a very nominal measure of value, unless you are doing foreign exchange), that is usually given in US dollars, and all you'll need to do is to make a small adjustment for the inflation of the dollar in that 3-year span. -- Jmabel | Talk 02:37, 12 December 2005 (UTC)

japanese fuso bus
we have a mitisubi fuso 1985 bus and we can't understand the writing on the dash board above the speedometer.

Can you take a photograph of it, and show us? We can't read minds. -- Natalinasmpf 07:34, 11 December 2005 (UTC)
 * If you get a photo why not check over at Japan-related topics notice board. One of them should be able to help. CambridgeBayWeather (Talk) 18:01, 11 December 2005 (UTC)

what is the K-12 is?
See K-12. -- Natalinasmpf 08:15, 11 December 2005 (UTC)

Belongings of KIA soldiers
Are the diaries of soldiers killed in action returned to their families along with other belongings? I imagine a diary might have sensitive information in it, which the military wouldn't want released... -- MegamiX 08:18, 11 December 2005 (UTC)


 * The U. S. Army's publication AR-638-2, section 20–6, says: "Safeguarding military information: All documents and any sealed material in the PE (personal effects) will be reviewed to ensure proper safeguarding of military information. Classified material and material warranting classification will be withdrawn and submitted to the intelligence officer for review and proper disposition. Material suitable for release will be returned by the intelligence officer for disposition as PE." At which point, according to the [Vice Chief of Staff Army] website: "Shipment of Personal Effects: When a Soldier dies on Active Duty, his or her personal effects are shipped to the place of residence of the authorized recipient, if the recipient did not reside with the deceased soldier." The complete text of the speech wherein this appeared is here. HTH Her Pegship 07:36, 12 December 2005 (UTC)

how did he
hi, my question is the following : how did michael jackson turned white ? .. thank you


 * He claims to suffer from vitiligo. David Sneek 09:29, 11 December 2005 (UTC)
 * Exactly what i was going to write, you beat me to it!--Ali K 09:33, 11 December 2005 (UTC)
 * Yes, a rare form of vitiligo that in addition to the destruction of the skin pigmentation, resulted in the modification of his bone structure, nasal cartiliage and labial tissue. Brian Schlosser42 19:42, 12 December 2005 (UTC)
 * And a cloaca named Bonnie Danadeuce. - Nunh-huh 15:35, 13 December 2005 (UTC)

Escape from Witch Mountain
who played the young girl in Escape From Witch Mountain? --13:17, 11 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Do you mean the 1995 or 1975 version? In the 1995 version, i think Elisabeth Moss plays the girl named Anna. Could this be her?--Ali K 13:28, 11 December 2005 (UTC)

I assume you mean Escape to Witch Mountain? In 1975, the character was Kim Richards, who also had a role in the 1995 TV version, in which the character was, as Ali K said, played by Elisabeth Moss (though the characters' names were different). User:Zoe|(talk) 21:50, 11 December 2005 (UTC)

Ranch Entrance
Many ranches and acreaged properties have a structure that you pass under to enter the property, often with a quarterboard naming the propery. It is usually two vertical poles with another pole placed horizontally on top, similar to the pi sign (π). I have heard it called entrance, arch (not technically correct), gate, etc. What is the correct terminology for the structure itself? My horse, cattle, and sheep contacts are not able to agree.

Thank you, MRLee216.239.160.71 15:15, 11 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Is it an estate gate as this site suggests? --Tachs 07:54, 12 December 2005 (UTC)

the worst jobs in history
during anicent times what were the ten worst jobs in history,what were the worst jobs in history during the middle ages and in your opinon what are the worst jobs in mordern times.


 * Do your own homework - if you need help with a specific part or concept of your homework, feel free to ask, but please do not post entire homework questions and expect us to give you the answers. Perhaps you could search Google and find out more about the Channel 4/Discovery Channel TV series your homework is based on. ➨ ❝ R E  DVERS ❞ 15:48, 11 December 2005 (UTC)


 * If that's a homework question, then a teacher somewhere needs shooting. TheMadBaron 17:34, 11 December 2005 (UTC)
 * Why? The topic seems both legitimate and interesting. Fredrik | tc 17:44, 11 December 2005 (UTC)
 * It may be an interesting question but it's very opinionated. I would not want to be a swamper on a sewage or water truck but others don't seem to mind. CambridgeBayWeather (Talk) 17:52, 11 December 2005 (UTC)
 * Yes, but the person has to justify his or her argument. That's the whole point of history. -- Natalinasmpf 18:09, 11 December 2005 (UTC)
 * Some would say that the worst job in history is to be a history teacher; others would say that they prefer that to being unemployed. Physchim62 (talk) 17:54, 11 December 2005 (UTC)

My opine? Telemarketers. MRLee216.239.160.71 17:58, 11 December 2005 (UTC)

Tony Robinson made a TV series (and wrote the accompanying book) entitled The Worst Jobs in History. I can't remember most, but one was urine collector (the urea was used to make gunpowder, I think). The book (same title) is still available. -- Finlay McWalter | Talk 18:22, 11 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Also see the Channel 4 page. --Shantavira 08:55, 12 December 2005 (UTC)


 * I believe Henry VIII (and probably not only him) had a 'royal arse wiper'. The big perk was that he got the rest of the day off, so he was actually envied. :) DirkvdM 21:34, 11 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Yes, we have an article about it. --Shantavira 08:55, 12 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Urine collectors were also used by leather tanners. User:Zoe|(talk) 21:52, 11 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Jizz mopper is probably the worst job of modern times. Proto t c 14:23, 12 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Worst job in ancient history: slave. Worst job in medieval history: slave.  Worst job in enlightened history:  slave.  Worst job in the contemporary world: slave.  --Mareino 15:00, 12 December 2005 (UTC)
 * I don't think "slave" would be condsidered a "job" by most people. Worst situation to be in in general? Sure, no doubt. But few people choose the career of slavery, and I think the discussion is centering on worst voluntary careers. Brian Schlosser42 19:50, 12 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Armpit Sniffer has to be up there. This is a job working in the research department of deoderant companies. Herostratus 15:22, 12 December 2005 (UTC)


 * When it comes to bad situations of course something like the nazi concentration camps or a wartime situation in general is (potentially) worse than slavery. But if we restrict it to occupational situations I'm not sure if slavery is generally worse. A slave may mot be free and suffer all sorts of abuse (depending on the nature and whims of the owner), but at least slaves are valuable property that needs to be kept healthy. How did 19th century factory workers fare in comparison? They weren't prone to the same sort of abuse (to the same extent anyway), but they were only free in name; where were they going to go and how would they survive? And there may have been less care om the part of the employers concerning their health. If they got injured (on the job, most likely) they simply lost their jobs because there was a big enough pool of other workers. So less 'social security', so to say. Of course 'factory worker' can be considered a job. And there must be modern equivalents. I vaguely remember something about silver (or what was it?) mines in Brazil. And sulphur mines are pretty dreadful too (in Indonesia?). DirkvdM 09:10, 13 December 2005 (UTC)

Travel Blogs with Photos
Where can I find travel blogs/journals or a collection of travel photos (preferrably of East Asia)? I'm more interested in the photographs than the narrative. Thanks!
 * A former wikipedia contributor runs a site at http://www.photojpn.org/. -- Rick Block (talk) 02:45, 12 December 2005 (UTC)

=December 12=

DVD Technology
When will DVD players and DVD's becone obsolete Technology?
 * Current DVDs and DVD players aren't as good as HDTV. Expect another generation soon (like in 2006).  Please see HD DVD and Blu-ray Disc. -- Rick Block (talk) 02:39, 12 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Hard to answer, since they are not yet even obselescent. - Jmabel | Talk 02:52, 12 December 2005 (UTC)

Is the blu ray being developed to phase out regular DVD? What about my DVD collection?


 * It's unlikely that yur DVD collection will be affected, since the Blu-Ray players will most likely have DVD capability too, likewise with HD-DVD. - Akamad 06:11, 12 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Some people consider cassette tapes obsolete now we have CDs and DVDs. I still think they have their uses, so nothing really becomes obsolete. Video tapes are still in use as well, so I doubt DVDs will be obsolete any time soon. - Mgm|(talk) 08:51, 12 December 2005 (UTC)
 * DVD's themselves will likely not be obsolete for decades, as they'll likely remain playable in whatever successor player comes along. But DVD players themselves will be obsolete in 5 years or less. And if you think that nothing really becomes obsolete, I challenge you to find film for my collection of antique cameras and 1960's and 70's era Polaroids, or ribbon and paper for my 1920's era adding machines and typewriters... :-) Brian Schlosser42 20:05, 12 December 2005 (UTC)
 * If you want it, and it's been made before, there are people that can make it for you again. You may just not want to pay what they would charge :) - Taxman Talk 20:51, 12 December 2005 (UTC)

Help me solve this crossword puzzle!
After 3+ hours, I am almost done but have 4 clues left.

Clue: The organisms inhabiting the surface layer of a sea or lake. Answer: _l_n_c_n

Clue: Places where alcoholic drinks are made Answer: w_n_m_e_

Clue:Consisting of yellow or red form of hydrated ferric oxide Answer: O_h_r_u_

Clue:Waterway in brittany, NW France (the name is two words, both five letters long) Answer:_i_e_   r_n_e

Thank you!

Lotsofissues 02:37, 12 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Are you sure you other letters are correct? Because "plankton" and "brewery" suspiciously have the right number of letters (but don't fit). Enochlau 02:48, 12 December 2005 (UTC)
 * You might be right about plankton. The clue that generated the c (third from end) was "relating to divination by the movements of mice"  The answer is the adj of myomancy.  Which would be spelled myomancic? (my assumption) myomantic? (I am certain the answer ends in a c).  Thanks for spotting this possibility.  Lotsofissues 03:00, 12 December 2005 (UTC)
 * Yes its plankton. Lotsofissues 04:06, 12 December 2005 (UTC)

ochrous? alteripse 03:33, 12 December 2005 (UTC)
 * Yesssssss! ocherous!!! Thank you.  My dad (Ph.D in chemistry) and I were looking for a hour and were nowhere near succeeding.  Lotsofissues 04:05, 12 December 2005 (UTC)

There is a canal in brittany called d'ille et rance. Perhaps it is some variant of that? --DannyZ 06:17, 12 December 2005 (UTC)
 * Or does RIVER R_N_E lodge anything loose? - Nunh-huh 09:21, 12 December 2005 (UTC)


 * The River Rance perhaps? It's in Brittany. Natgoo 12:38, 12 December 2005 (UTC)


 * The most famous river in NW France is the Seine. Open question whether Normandy and Brittany are "close enough" for this puzzle. --Mareino 15:05, 12 December 2005 (UTC)


 * My guess is no, as the question explicitly asks for Brittany and gives the letters as _i_e_    r_n_e. Natgoo 16:23, 12 December 2005 (UTC)


 * I'd agree with Natgoo; List of rivers of France seems to say that only Rance could fit that pattern. <font style="color:#CC0000"> smurray <font style="color:#DD0000"> in <font style ="color:#EE0000"> chester <font style="color:#55BB22">(User), (Ho Ho Ho!) 16:31, 12 December 2005 (UTC)

Thank you guys, I was finally able to complete the impossible to solve Financial Times polymath crossword. Lotsofissues 22:15, 12 December 2005 (UTC)

Casa Editrice Maccari (CEM), via Trento 53, CP 120, 53100 Parma.
Dear Sir/Madam, I hope that you can help me please. I have been trying to contact the above Publisher for some time. The telephone and fax no. is: 00-39-0521-771268 If I try to phone this no. I get an answering machine from the Telecom Italia. The fax no. doesn't work either. Would it be possible for you to supply me with the correct telephone/fax no. for this Publisher please? I await your reply, Thank you in advance, Yours sincerely

EILEEN COCKROFT (Ms) Secretary/Assistant Source Management

Tel. no: 31-20-4853201 Fax no: 31-20-4853214 e-mail: (email removed)
 * Are you sure the publisher is still in business? Why are you trying to contact them. - Mgm|(talk) 08:54, 12 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Try missing off the zero before the area code: "00-39-521" not "00-39-0521". A Clue: your number in the Netherlands, "31-20" wopuld be specified as "020" for in-country dialling but you (correctly) are not specifying it in your number for unternational dialling; Italy (like most European countries, with the possible exception of Spain) is just the same. Tonywalton [[Image:Pentacle_1.svg|15px]] | Talk 12:40, 19 December 2005 (UTC)

AUSSIES
I'm not sure what it's all about, so does anyone know the reason for the surfers attacking foreigners in australia lately? is it a new sort of terrorism or just a civil tiff? are things under control now? are there any cases of servere bodily harm done to victims? i'm a bit concerned as it is not a common attitude of OZ nationals to behave in such a manner and unfortunately the situation is not as well publicised in my country.(i vacationed in australia twice so im really shocked!!!)ME--168.209.97.34 09:45, 12 December 2005 (UTC)
 * According to the news here in Australia, this attack on foreigners was indeed performed by surfers and youths. They were targetting citizens who did not appear to be Australian. The Prime Minister of Australia has expressed his feelings of uttermost disgust and said that all Australians reglardless of race should be treated with respect. I am not sure if things are under control now, although police have been making several arrests.  I was, too, shocked to learn of this behavior as it does not normally happen in Australia.  Mind you it was a small amount of people expressing their (racist) thoughts, and the majority of Australians do not feel the same way. --Ali K 10:10, 12 December 2005 (UTC)
 * I am surprised it made such an international wave. Essentially, it is difficult to pull together a multicultural society, where people whose families have been here for a generation or two more may have a sense of elitism or posession; others who have arrived from overseas due to problems there may well rather be where they come from. Ultimately, tensions that started at home became violent as some groups (according to police including some Neo-Nazi groups) of this former group of Australians targeted persons of Middle Eastern origin; in retaliation, there was response in riots, property damage and graffiti. Immigrants and locals anywhere tend to make gangs; and gangs are often centred ethnically and thus an entire ethnic group blamed when a gang member purportedly does something wrong. So it may not be typically Australian, but even Australian society has many difficulties with multiculturalism. jnothman talk 10:33, 12 December 2005 (UTC)


 * The racial tensions were probably there for a while, but the catalyst for the riots was the bashing of a couple of lifegards on the 4th of December, by a group of Lebanese appearance. This led to riots targeting Lebanese people (well actually, pretty much anyone of Middle Eastern appearance was attacked). Which then led to counter-riots and will most likely go onto counter-counter-riots. And it certainly isn't common Australian behaviour. Check out 2005 Cronulla race riots for more details. - Akamad 10:58, 12 December 2005 (UTC)

WOW,that seems kinda hectic! i read the link u provided and i am totally amazed by the perplexity of the entire situation.Do you think this negative behaviour will rub off on the neighbouring New zealand?i have family there but they said that nothing has happened there yet? how far do you think ozzies are willing to take this? are their actions justified in any way? do you think it would affect their tourism stats for the near festive season? are these rebels aware of the stigma they are now attaching to their wonderful(now sceptical)country? which until now has been one of the top tourist attractions? my heart goes out to all rebels for their inability to see the inhumanity of their acts(and how it will affect them in the long run)as well as the victims of this cruel example of "The Beast"(Lord of the Flies)your views will be highly appreciated...ME--168.209.97.34`


 * I don't think it would have any direct implications on New Zealand. As for affecting tourism, these incidents to date have been confined to the beach areas, which are popular tourist destinations. I was out and about in the CBD today, and I saw nothing of it, so it appears confined to those areas. Australia, while being the multicultural place it is now, is probably still coming to terms with its identity, with immigrants having widely varying levels of attachment to their originating cultures. Enochlau 13:42, 12 December 2005 (UTC

apparently the oz police now have the right to lockdown areas of austrailia?? and ban drinking|alcohol! is this gonna work? has it been implemented yet. for how long will this restriction be? it would be nice if Ali K or Enochlau could give me a low down on the happenings. me--

Origin of Flea Market
Why are Flea Markets called such?


 * A quick glance at the Flea market article gives this: "The original flea market is likely to be the Marché aux puces of Saint-Ouen, Seine-Saint-Denis, in the northern suburbs of Paris, a large, long-established outdoor bazaar, one of four in Paris, that earned their name from the flea-infested clothing and rags sold there". Please search wikipedia before asking questions here. Natgoo 12:32, 12 December 2005 (UTC)

just a thought!if you have been to a flea market or at least a Capetonian one you would soon realise that there is'nt even enough space for a flea to jump bcos the place is totally too crowded!!!.--168.209.97.34

The major Dutch flea market is the Waterloopleinmarkt in Amsterdam. The 'island' this is on (Amsterdam is partly a collection of islands named with the suffix '-burgh') used to get flooded a lot and was therefore called Vlooienburgh (after an ancient version of the modern Dutch word 'vloeien' which means 'to flow'). In modern Dutch 'vlooien' means 'fleas', so I've long wondered if that may be the origin of the Dutch word 'vlooienmarkt'. Which i nturn might have led to the English version (it wouldn't be the only English word of Dutch origin). I can't find any source to back this up, but it sounds too good not to be true. If it this is not the origin it's certainly a big coincidence. DirkvdM 09:32, 13 December 2005 (UTC)

how do I get the zest from an orange?
Use a sharp knife (be careful), or, even better, a potato peeler. There are specialised tools for this, but they're expensive. Proto t c 14:20, 12 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Expensive? I had quick look on ebay and the cheapest zester was about 3 American dollars, i don't know where you are from, so i didnt know which currency to quote you in. Using a zester is probably the easiet, most affective way of zesting an orange ( and not to mention safest!)--Ali K 14:50, 12 December 2005 (UTC)


 * As with just about all culinary tools, there's a wide range of prices, with themost expensive generally being exteremely durable but only cost-effective for professional chefs (who need to, say, zest 10,000 oranges per year). You can also zest with a cheese grater, by the way. --Mareino 15:08, 12 December 2005 (UTC)
 * Right, a cheese grater is what I use. I dunno about using a knife or even a potato peeler as the first respnder says, sounds hard to me. Herostratus 15:18, 12 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Just make sure you get only the top of the peel. The white part is very bitter. TheSPY 17:55, 12 December 2005 (UTC)TheSPY


 * One of those zesting tools with four holes on the tips is cheap and works pretty well, once you've got the angle right. Graters are easier, but also tend to take off some of the pith (white layer). A microplane grater is probably easiest, takes off a thin enough layer that you won't get any pith, but they are quite pricey. --Bob Mellish 18:02, 12 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Or get one of those really nice zesters that barefoot contessa uses :-) --HappyCamper 18:55, 17 December 2005 (UTC)

Shareholders and Directors of Corporations
I was wondering if there is a way to determine if a specific individual has any shareholdings or is a director/principal of a CCPC, a closely held corporation registerd in Ontario?

Thankyou, Elizabeth Walker CGA


 * When a corporation is registered, the registration info ought to be accessible to the public, although you may have to go to some government office to see the data ... it might not be on the Internet. Depending on how closely held, and the laws of Ontario and of Canada, some data may be private (not available to you) in the absense of what a lawyer can ferret out. User:AlMac|(talk) 21:57, 15 December 2005 (UTC)

Shower door glass
How do I get hard water stains off


 * My guess is with a really tough shower cleaner or it might pay to clean them while you are actually in the shower and the glass is fogged with steam.--Ali K 14:43, 12 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Look in the local supermarket or hardware store for cleaners that remove calcium, which is often the main component of hard water.--Mareino 15:12, 12 December 2005 (UTC)
 * Lime-Away works pretty well, though it's nasty to work with; you have to be careful not to get it on clothes, skin, or other surfaces that might be stained by it. android  79  18:31, 12 December 2005 (UTC)
 * For a low-tech solution, try a scouring pad; it scrubs away water spots and dried soap.
 * And maybe scratches the glass. --Anon, 09:31 UTC, December 13, 2005
 * I think he means sponge with scrubber on the back. NOBODY is foolish enough to try steel wool on glass, are they? Cernen 13:50, 17 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Why buy some agressive stuff when a milder and probably much cheaper solution is likely already in your house. Try vinegar. I'm surprised that the use of removing calcium isn't mentioned there. Recently I used it to remove a fairly thick layer of calcium deposits on the tap in my bathroom. I wrapped toilet paper around it and poured vinegar over that. Considering the thickness of the layer I had to leave it overnight, but after that the calcium pretty much washed off (after some persuasion by a brush). I suppose the chemistry of this is fairly easy, something with Ca2+ reacting with acid. Anyone? DirkvdM 09:52, 13 December 2005 (UTC)

Depends. IMHO, WD-40 would probably do it, but I'm not bold enough to try it on glass (it is a lubricant, after all, and would probably smear...) so...maybe you could try a shot of WD-40 and then cleaning off the remainder with a scouring pad and a lethal Windex-Lime-Away vinaigrette. (I think it's fair to note that I didn't take chemistry in college, so be warned! You may find yourself shouting "OH NOES!! MY SHOWER!!" if you do that. I take no responsibility for melted glass doors. ^_^) Cernen 13:50, 17 December 2005 (UTC)

Corporate executives -real estate
How can I get a list of the executives in the top 500 corps that make the decisions about corporate real estate transactions. I would also like to have their email address.

Forbes magazine had an article a few months ago about the largest corporations in the USA that are NOT traded on the US Stock Market. Privately held corporations are not required to make listings of executives available to the general public, but you can often find this kind of info in places like Thomas directory because companies trying to do business with each other, lead to such info leaking out. There's also listings like US Chambers of Commerce which is just their membership, not all companies. User:AlMac|(talk) 22:00, 15 December 2005 (UTC)

Your best bet is probably to budget a few thousand dollars to buy the information from a mailing list broker. User:AlMac|(talk) 22:02, 15 December 2005 (UTC)

dinosaurs
DID DINOSAURS EXIST BEFORE NOAH'S DAY? I HAVEN'T READ ANYTHING ABOUT THEM IN THE BIBLE

That used to bother me when I was about 8 years old too. You will have to make a fundamental decision whether to believe many other things about the physical universe that are not mentioned explicitly in the Bible. Good luck. alteripse 15:19, 12 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Well they certainly didn't exist after Noah's day. And they certainly existed. (You might find Young Earth Creationism helpful) DJ Clayworth 15:40, 12 December 2005 (UTC)


 * You haven't read about automobiles or computers in the Bible either. Does this mean they don't exist? &mdash; <font color="#CC0000">J <font color="#00CC00">I <font color="#0000CC">P | Talk 19:03, 12 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Whoever the leader at your church is should be able to answer this question in detail for you, but here's how I understand it. Even the newest parts of the Bible were written almost 2,000 years ago.  There was a lot that people didn't know back then!  There was very little of what we'd now call the sciences of archeology and paleontology, which try to learn things by digging around in the ground and comparing what we find with what we know about the rest of the world.  Dinosaurs died out long before civilization began, so you'd never know about them without lots of scientific work.  If you think about how little we know about the world 2,000 years ago, it makes sense that no one wrote about dinosaurs in the Bible.  Most Jews, Christians, and Muslims believe that God came up with all of the ideas in the Bible, but he gave those ideas to otherwise ordinary men to write down.  It's hard enough understanding the important parts -- loving everyone, rejecting violence -- so you can understand why the Book of Genesis explains the creation of the world in such simple terms, with no dinosaurs, evolution, Big Bang, or any of that other stuff that requires science to understand.  Religion only explains why we're here, and how we should treat each other.  All the rest you'll have to look outside the Bible to learn about. --Mareino 19:49, 12 December 2005 (UTC)


 * You might want to read creationism more generally, which describes a whole different range of ways by which people reconcile their religious beliefs with science's current understanding of the world (such as dinosaur fossils). To cut a long story short, many people, perhaps the majority if you take a global perspective, who identify as Christians think that those parts of the Bible aren't to be taken literally; some others claim that scientists have got it completely wrong and the literal word of Bible is right.  There are also many other people who aren't Christians (they believe in some other religion, or none at all (see atheism and agnosticism)) for whom the Bible is just another book and so they don't really care what the Bible says on the matter.  Personally, I fall into the latter camp; I don't worry about the discrepancies between the Bible and science any more than I worry about the discrepancies between the rainbow serpent story and science.  But I can't tell you what to believe.  It's something you'll need to figure out for yourself. --Robert Merkel 01:47, 13 December 2005 (UTC).


 * Well, i can tell you that Noah did not created an ark, and the real question should be : did noah existed ? the answer is : the bible is a story, there are no magical beings and no one speaks to god, or for god, there was never a huge boat discovered that held all te species of both sexes, thats imposible, and if god wanted Noah to save the earth to make a big test, he SHOULD NEVER started the huge flood in the first place,and besides noah is a human, and all the other living creatures that were saved by him are animals that exist today. Now you do the math : Dinosaur before Man, Noah equals Man, Dinosaurs before Noah, Noah never created an ark, ark does not exist, Bible Made it up. Boom im out! :D


 * Well, what a sweeping philosophical statement. Logically speaking in terms of analysing it scientifically, there is very strong evidence for dinosaurs, and a lot of good evidence (as well as against) the existence of a supernatural entity in philosophical terms. -- Natalinasmpf 08:44, 13 December 2005 (UTC)

Does the bible mention When it mentions other creatures collectively, without listing them all, can that mean any animals, birds reptiles etc.? User:AlMac|(talk) 18:03, 16 December 2005 (UTC)
 * Unicorns
 * Dragons
 * Specific kinds of plant life and flowers
 * Fie; we all know it was the Flying Spaghetti Monster. Cernen 13:55, 17 December 2005 (UTC)

Idaho wine grapes
--Could you please tell me what type of wine grape vines will grow in this area? the elevation is about 3400 feet. the planting zone is a 4 although it has gotten to -12. Grapes do grow here but I would like to try some wine types. white would be good.- Beatrice Shatto area code is 83530
 * Your best bet would be some of the French-American hybrids have good cold hardiness. List of grape varieties shows many of these. Seyval Blanc, Vidal Blanc and Vignoles are popular white varieties. Rmhermen 22:34, 17 December 2005 (UTC)

Wikifun
You guys seem good at solving problems. Can you solve any of the Wikifun problems? Dmn 16:27, 12 December 2005 (UTC)
 * We're not allowed! Because of the fact that we can answer questions here we've been banned from over there. CambridgeBayWeather (Talk) 18:16, 12 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Huh? I've not heard that before. Natgoo 19:29, 12 December 2005 (UTC)
 * Well it's true, there's a cabal that monitors it. Why just after typing in the above answer my hard drive crashed on my home computer. I've now moved to a secret location to finish this. CambridgeBayWeather (Talk) 21:40, 12 December 2005 (UTC)
 * You poor thing. I hope it's somewhere warm with fruity drinks. Natgoo 23:28, 12 December 2005 (UTC)

the fastest shoot(Kick)
hi

I am talking about soccer(football). I heard the the speed of a kick or shoot of one player can measured interms kilometre per hour. If this is true, whose kick or shoot is the all time fastest shoot? & how many kilometres per hour it travels?


 * I tried looking for it on some record sites as well as google, but I couldn't find a relible source. But my grand father was a professional soccer player in Iran around 50 years ago and a few years back he told me about this guy nicknamed Hammer, whose shots exceeded almost 80 Km/h, but I'm not sure if this is accurate. He also told me his shots were so hard that it injured some goalies and hence they made him this leg cast and made him not use that leg to shoot. --( Aytakin ) | Talk 22:35, 12 December 2005 (UTC)


 * You heard the the speed of a kick or shoot of one player can measured interms kilometre per hour. Is there a speed that can't be measured in km/h? :) DirkvdM 10:06, 13 December 2005 (UTC)


 * I don't know what the record is. But Sky Sports in the UK used to measure particularly thunderous shots, and I definitely remember one from a Sheffield Wednesday player (maybe it was Ritchie Williams) clocking 89 mph (which is about 142 km/h). Matt Le Tissier had one around the same speed once, also. Proto t c 11:04, 13 December 2005 (UTC)

---

Well if a soccer ball travels 80 km/h then the guys that were injured were 3 month old children, that an aprox speed of 49mph, and if a shoot or kick is 142km/h it would still be hardly to belive that some one would get hurt, being an aprox 89 mph, in baseball they get hit with a real hard ball at those speeds on the legs and no bones broken yet, with a soccar ball its doubtfull, the only time there have been broken bones speeds have ranged over 120mph when the ball got right of the bat after hitting a 102mph fastball, but in answer to your question so far there hasnt been a contunious record of the speed, but an unoficial one was given, in france, by a player named Ramses Saint Martin who kicked a 96 mph aprox(154 km/h ) soccer ball, thus giving him the number of the same for the frenchman's team, he was the teams high-shool free kicker in mont blanc, but a freak accident took his life, and never made it to national or international recognition.

Sprinkles
I'm busy making cookies (biscuits) from scratch. How do I get the sprinkles to stay on top? It's really annoying as they keep falling off. CambridgeBayWeather (Talk) 17:48, 12 December 2005 (UTC)


 * They need glue or moisture of some sort. Any sort of dampness or frosting should do it. (like I've ever baked a cookie...) alteripse 18:23, 12 December 2005 (UTC)
 * What kind of sprinkles are you using? the little rainbow colored "jimmies" or non-pariels or something altogether different? Brian Schlosser42 20:15, 12 December 2005 (UTC)


 * You could try pressing them down into the dough a little (or a lot). —Keenan Pepper 20:25, 12 December 2005 (UTC)

I was using the rainbow sprinkles. Also, as per alteripse's answer how do I get several thousand superglued sprinkles off my fingers, face and out of the keyboard? Have you ever tried glueing each sprinkle to a cookie. The frosting worked but the picture in the cookbook shows them without frosting. Keenan Pepper are you saying I should cook the sprinkles as well? CambridgeBayWeather (Talk) 21:28, 12 December 2005 (UTC)
 * You should cook them into the cookie. Press down a little before you put them in the oven. They should come out all right, if a little crunchy and carmelized. Brian Schlosser42 21:53, 12 December 2005 (UTC)
 * You could try using some icing. Hundreds and Thousands tend to stick well to that. <font style="color:#CC0000"> smurray <font style="color:#DD0000"> in <font style ="color:#EE0000"> chester <font style="color:#55BB22">(User), (Ho Ho Ho!) 15:34, 13 December 2005 (UTC)

Adding the sprinkles before cooking worked as does the icing. I was too lazy to ice cookies. Thanks all. CambridgeBayWeather (Talk) 22:42, 13 December 2005 (UTC)

WD-40. May render the cookies, sprinkles, and frosting inedible, but damn if it doesn't smell good. Also, will work wonders for rustproofing your oven (though lord knows why you'd need to do that; it doesn't really get wet in there, does it? And isn't WD-40 flammable? Hmmm...) Cernen 14:10, 17 December 2005 (UTC)

Rock band "Fuse" lyrics
Can you tell me the lyrics to the Fuse song "Across the Skies?" Thanks!
 * Lyrics are copyrighted, and Wikipedia cannot post them here. You might search in a search engine for "Across the Skies" fuse lyrics.  Zoe (216.234.130.130 21:45, 12 December 2005 (UTC))

journalistic ethics
Suppose the editor of a major U.S. newspaper (call him/her A) writes an article defending a convicted child molester (call him/her B). Suppose someone (call him/her C) who has studied the court documents from the case quite thoroughly writes a letter to A rebutting the claims. Suppose A, instead of publishing the letter, forwards it to B in the state penitentiary and includes C's home address, which is not otherwise on public record. Suppose B then writes to C, who fears to open the letter because s/he's afraid it might be deliberately contaminated with tuberculosis bacteria or somesuch.

Did A breach any journalistic codes of conduct or ethics? Does C's planned lawsuit have any good grounds? What if C's fears about the letter s/he received turn out to be justified? (S/he's sent it to the proper authorities for testing&mdash;the prison didn't bother to check its contents.) Is A then criminally liable?

This is not hypothetical (I know C), but I'd rather not give any details until after the lawsuit. (I will say that C is not me, despite the matching initial. :-) &mdash;Charles P. (Mirv) 18:37, 12 December 2005 (UTC)


 * The journalistic ethics question isn't the important one because journalistic ethics are simply idealistic unenforceable "guidelines". You really need to know (1) what safety risks were reasonably created to C, and (2) what legal recourse or protection C has. Possible risks might include harassment by mail or by internet/email or by third party such as as lawyer, or perhaps physical attack if the prisoner ever gets out, is into revenge, and thinks C was responsible for causing his original conviction or extending or aggravating his punishment. However a medical risk from a prisoner transmitted by a letter is so vanishingly improbable that importuning authorities about it will undermine her credibility. (2) I don't know what her legal recourse is for the transfer of information from journalist to prisoner. It would be best determined and explained by a lawyer (IANAL), but if she sent it to the editor for publication (i.e., public dissemination), the lawyer may not be very impressed. I have to say that the story as you present it makes me wonder what important pieces of info are being omitted or described in a way that might change my responses or view of this. All three characters sound pretty unsavory from your story. alteripse 19:14, 12 December 2005 (UTC)
 * B was arrested and convicted for molesting young boys, allegedly at gunpoint. C has a young son.
 * C has also faced threats and defamation in the past for writing about other such criminals, which probably accounts for the paranoia about the letter. As for the transfer of information, well, I've yet to see a newspaper publish details of letter writers' home address&mdash;usually they just give the city and state, and C's address in that city and state is not in public records.
 * C is, of course, looking for a good lawyer; I'm just curious about how the case might turn out. &mdash;Charles P. (Mirv) 21:35, 12 December 2005 (UTC)
 * Perhaps extended discussion here is not appropriate but one has to wonder (1) why a journalist had "defended" the convicted prisoner unless perhaps there was another side or a mitigating factor or an unjust aspect of the trial, (2) why someone not a party to the original transgression or trial thought it her business to "examine" the court documents and send a letter of disagreement to the newspaper. People disagree with editorials every day but dont expect anyone to attack them for it; hence it sounds like something is missing. (3) why someone is worried that the prisoner is going to attack her if all she did was write a letter expressing an opinion that disagreed with the journalist and agreed with the jury; that happens all the time too. (4) why a journalist would forward such a letter to a prisoner; it is such a bizarre thing to do that again the story sounds incomplete. You can call me excessively skeptical but most of the described or putative actions of all three people (especially C) don't make sense unless there are important missing pieces. alteripse 02:44, 13 December 2005 (UTC)

What happened to the biography that was supposed to be written about Malcolm Forbes about 10 years ago aledging that he had a secret homosexual lifestyle?
And who was the biographer?


 * Could it be "Malcolm Forbes: The Man Who Had Everything" by Christopher Winans? Published in 1990. - Akamad 09:04, 14 December 2005 (UTC)

Animal genitalia
what do you call animal genitalia ? is it the same as humans
 * I would presume so, yes. I've heard of male genital organs in non-humans being called penises, at least. &mdash; <font color="#CC0000">J <font color="#00CC00">I <font color="#0000CC">P | Talk 19:02, 12 December 2005 (UTC)


 * If the animal is a mammal, then all of the parts match up, although many people only use the technical terms when talking about animal genitalia, since using slang words to refer to animal genitals can sound a bit silly. If the animal's not a mammal, you can usually use the same terms, but some animals reproduce differently enough that their organs require a different set of words. --Mareino 19:53, 12 December 2005 (UTC)
 * Birds, for example, have a common orifice, the cloaca with which they excrete and reproduce, more's the pity for them, I suppose. Brian Schlosser42 20:23, 12 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Danny Bonaduce calls his "Hermione Gingold". Just in case someone asks. - Nunh-huh 03:22, 13 December 2005 (UTC)
 * Danny Bonaduce has a cloaca? Maybe that explains more than I thought it would...Brian Schlosser42 15:13, 13 December 2005 (UTC)


 * I've heard dork as being originally used to be a whale penis (possibly an urban legend?} although the word has since slipped into slang usage. The breasts of a cow would also be udderly different from those of some other female mammals... --carlb 21:16, 16 December 2005 (UTC)

If eighteen year olds are considered teenagers
Are eighteen year olds considered teenagers?
 * Yes, by definition. However in many jurisdictions 18yr olds are legally adults so people sometimes make a distinction at that line calling 13-17 teenagers and everyone else adults. So if the distinction is between adults and teenagers, your answer may be sometimes not. It depends on how careful the person is being. - Taxman Talk 20:21, 12 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Our article Category:Teenage_Wikipedians says that you can add your name if you are between 13 and 19. I guess we call Wikipedians teenagers by definition. --Ali K 03:05, 13 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Technically speaking, a teenager is someone aged 10-19. Being a minor or not is not relevant in this case. "teenager" is based on age, just like twenty- and thirty-something. - Mgm|(talk) 10:01, 13 December 2005 (UTC)
 * How can an 11 year old be a "teenager"? Teen-ager implies 13-19. I'd say 10-19 could better be described as "adolescent". Saying that 12 is a "teen" is like saying the year 2000 was in the 90's. Brian Schlosser42 15:16, 13 December 2005 (UTC)
 * See also tween for the younger ages. Rmhermen 18:05, 15 December 2005 (UTC)

I know this is silly(you'll agree) but Ramona Quimby in Beatrice Clearly's book "Ramona's World" considers herself a teenager when she turns 10.She calls herself a "zero-teenager".

Not according to 18 year olds. Cernen 14:15, 17 December 2005 (UTC)

For Your Consideration
I clicked on one of the "for your consideration" ads online promoting movies from universal pictures. The link was www.universalpicturesawards.com. I RSVPd online for a screening, but it asked for a Academy Member affiliation. Are these screenings open to the general public? I successfully signed up, though I don't know if I'll actually be able to get in come the day of the screening.


 * Ads/spam are not allowed on Wikipedia. Where did you find this? DirkvdM 10:09, 13 December 2005 (UTC)

booker
I AM  A  BIG  WRESTLING  FAN  AND  I  JUST  WANTED  TO  KNOW  HOW  MUCH  COULD  A  BOOKER  MAKE,  A  GOOD  BOOKER?

See bookmaker. -- Natalinasmpf 06:31, 13 December 2005 (UTC)
 * And please don't write in all capitals - it's the written equivalent of shouting... &mdash; QuantumEleven | (talk) 09:03, 13 December 2005 (UTC)


 * A wrestling booker is not a bookmaker. In wrestling parlance, a booker is the man who arranges matches, handles the advertising, decides who will win the matches, etc.  I don't know how much a good one would make.  Probably not that much, at all, unless they're hugely successful and pull in lots of T-shirt sales. Proto t c 11:06, 13 December 2005 (UTC)

Annual US Military Recruiting
Question: What is the total average number of the new soldiers recruit to US Army each year? How many from the total recruit to US Force and Navy?


 * Answer:
 * Hard to say, but assuming that the rate of new soldiers remains more or less the same it would be in the tens of thousands. According to this report, in 2004 the number of recruits was over 77,000. I know the average age of an army recruit is 19, so figure the number of 19 year olds fresh out of high school, independent, and in need of cash. My guess work would assume that the number would be lower for the navy and air force, since they do not need a large number to project force. TomStar81 03:25, 13 December 2005 (UTC)

Looking for website URL where man promises to cut his thumb off if given donations.
i came across a site a few months ago where a man promised he would cut his thumb off if he was given 50,000$ worth of donations by christmas and document the whole process. anyone have the URL? thanks chris

http://www.cutoffmythumb.com/ --Think Fast 01:49, 13 December 2005 (UTC)

aww, there's no update. :( looks like he didnt do it.

What is this????? help me!! everyone please look closely and give me a guess...
http://ebiomedia.com/gall/eyes/images/NHeye.jpg ahh a big blurry eye what is this?? i got more Maoririder 21:34, 12 December 2005 (UTC)thanks where is this?? http://img.groundspeak.com/cache/b611ae38-9333-4138-9942-3e517ef8c6b9.jpg you guys and gals help me before??


 * I get a 403 Forbidden error for the first link; sorry I can't help with the second one. —Keenan Pepper 03:15, 13 December 2005 (UTC)
 * I also got a 403 error link for the first, and like Keenan Pepper I don't know what the second one is. TomStar81 03:16, 13 December 2005 (UTC)
 * Looks like mooring masts for the Mother Ship! Harken! It arrives! It is an omen!
 *  P . Mac Uidhir  (t)  (c)  02:11, 14 December 2005 (UTC)

Any idea (other than on the beach) where it is. Looks like a scarecrow. If the thing to the right is for drying fish then it could well be a figure for scaring off birds. We have similar stuff here in the summer. CambridgeBayWeather (Talk) 02:28, 14 December 2005 (UTC)

bubba gump
today i heard about a seafood restrurant called bubba gump which is named for the forest gump character what i want to know is does it deliever.
 * Yes. CambridgeBayWeather (Talk) 21:45, 12 December 2005 (UTC)
 * I totally agree. Enochlau 22:14, 12 December 2005 (UTC)
 * See here for home delivery information. --Metropolitan90 05:46, 13 December 2005 (UTC)

worcestershire sauce as marinade
Does Worcestershire sauce have the right balance of acid and oil to be used as a marinade?
 * I often use it as a marinade on beef, caribou and have also used it on polar bear. I have not tried it on chicken or pork. However, as to the balance I could not say. CambridgeBayWeather (Talk) 22:30, 12 December 2005 (UTC)
 * You've cooked a polar bear, but can't make the sprinkles stay on your cookies? I guess the Sorbonne has gone downhill since my salad days...Brian Schlosser42 15:20, 13 December 2005 (UTC)
 * But did the sprinkles stay on the polar bear? Enquiring minds wish to know! Tonywalton [[Image:Pentacle_1.svg|15px]] | Talk 14:30, 19 December 2005 (UTC)
 * It depends on what you want from your marinade. Worcestershire sauce certainly contains a wonderful variety of flavors, so if you like the taste it will work well as a flavor enhancer. It seems to me that you're more worried about tenderizing, however. On that front, worcestershire does contain a fair amount of vinegar and could probably have some mild tenderizing effect, but not much. This is hardly the fault of the sauce, though: The notion that acidic marinades are good tenderizers is generally not true. They simply can't penetrate very far into meat, so the most they can do is tenderize the surface and a bit beneath. And leave them on too long - you've got mushy meat. So don't use worcestershire if you need to tenderize meat; cook it differently. -- George 06:00, 13 December 2005 (UTC)

secret european prisons in the us
iam a postal worker there is a rumor going around that several european countries are operating secret prisons in the us disguised as ordinary buildings where torture is performed[proably because are laws are loose when it comes to that sought of thing] i want to know what do you think about it and if you think there is any truth to this rumor.
 * There have been reports that the CIA has a number of secret prisons in Eastern Europe where they hold terror suspects. See this Washington Post article. You seem to have heard it backwards.-gadfium 23:58, 12 December 2005 (UTC)
 * Oh my goodness, Americans torturing prisoners in secret prisons in Europe? But Americans have always been the good guys! For example, in the Middle Ages, when various European nations fought bloody wars about religion and butchered innocent people just because they believed in the wrong god, the United States was not involved in this at all! &mdash; <font color="#CC0000">J <font color="#00CC00">I <font color="#0000CC">P | Talk 06:54, 13 December 2005 (UTC)


 * They're just rumors. As long as no real evidence surfaces, I'm not going to worry. - Mgm|(talk) 10:06, 13 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Well, there's always Guantanamo Bay, so there's plenty to worry about. Make sure this winter you don't wrap a scarf around your head if you have an middle-eastern face and are carrying a daypack in your hands. Very suspicious. Especially if it consequently turns out you've been to Whereveristan somewhere in the past. DirkvdM 10:15, 13 December 2005 (UTC)


 * The main issue here is cia flights through Europe (plane number N379P with several aliases and longterm-leased to the US government) transporting untried prisoners to countries where they are likely to be tortured, like Egypt, Syria and Jordan. So that part is not about the cia actually torturing but facilitating torture, which, one might say, comes down to the same thing. Whether these prisons are officially US owned is a relatively minor point. Anyway, certain non-torture treatises specify that one is not only not allowed to torture but also not allowed to extradite people to countries where they are likely to be tortured. It could be that the US haven't signed such treatises (sounds probable), but European countries that have are now presented with a problem if the cia uses their airports for such transports. Even Sweden, one of the last countries one would expect this from, has let the cia have their way in some cases. If even they do that, what can one expect of other countries? Part of the problem is that for certain flights (which includes these flights) the passengers don't need to be specified - only the number of passengers needs to be given, so it's hard to find out the necessary details. DirkvdM 11:55, 13 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Addition (I'm watching a documentary on this). Words of former cia agent Robert Baer: "There's a rule inside the cia. If you want a good interrogation and you want good information, you send the suspect to Jordan. If you want them to be killed or tortured to death, you send them either to Egypt or to Syria, never to see them again." (a variation of this can be read in ).


 * Me again. Just heard on behind the news show Netwerk. If the US practise torture, then the above would mean that the Netherlands cannot hand over people like Wesam al D to the US because that would make the Netherlands an accessory to what ever happens to these people. Judges of the International Court of Justice (such as Blekxtoon) are considering exactly such a stance. And Dutch coalition party D66 and projected biggest party PvdA say it would at present be unwise to extradite prisoners to the US. That should have quite an impact, placing the US at a level with nations like Syria and Lebanon (in this respect, that is). In the words of D66 minister B. Bakker: "The US have in recent years built up a credibility-problem, which is firing back at them all over the world. Because they claim to stand for democracy and human rights, while they themselves violate them. First it was the death penalty and now it's the treatment of people who haven't been tried yet. [...] This affects their moral authority." I'm not sure if he meant to say that the US violate democracy, although a case could be made for that, but that's not relevant here. DirkvdM 15:45, 13 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Our article is at CIA prison system.-gadfium 21:30, 13 December 2005 (UTC)


 * See below Yes, here in Belgium, I too have heard that European governments are operating secret prisons on US soil. European law is quite clear on the subject of torture: it is in all cases forbidden.  US laws are, of course, much laxer, and consequently, as I understand it, a secretly chartered Airbus ferries prisoners from the Middle East to locations in America for more intense interrogation than could be tolerated on European soil.  I'm told that the facilities include a number of retired Cold War American military bases that are now disguised as public universities.  Fort Ord in particular is named in these rumours as a facility where internationals from developing countries are tortured by a secret team of CIA agents disguised as humanities professors and amateur surfers, who subject them to endless discussions of their body piercings, ambiguous sexual orientation, what they did in the 60s, and their day trades as well being forced to attend student government meetings that drastically exceed the limits stipulated in the Geneva Convention.  This is in clear violation of ordinary human rights and here it would represent a serious breach of the European Convention on Human Rights, but because of loopholes in the law and ambiguities in the scope of executive authority, the European government is able to operate outside the rules by cooperating with American regimes that have less judicial oversight, concern for human rights or democratic safeguards - like California, a state presently under the control of a former European national.  Fortunately, such flights have to transit Canada, which is investigating whether or not its much stronger human rights code is being violated by European overflights bound for the US, so there is some hope this sort of thing will be exposed.  --Diderot 22:10, 13 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Technically speaking, U.S. law (note the singular) is not more lax. There was a reference earlier in the thread to treaties which prohibit Extraordinary Rendition (The official US term for sending poeple to be tortured elsewhere); the US signed the relevant treaty and duly ratified it as provided under the United States Constitution, toward which all proper Americans (including me) have an attitude approaching reverence. Hence, under that same Constitution, it is an integral part of United States law; for further info, see the Constitution. In the same treaty is the list of special circumstances in which the use of torture is not unlawful: "No extraordinary circumstances whatsoever". Quite unequivocal. Dandrake 03:08, 14 December 2005 (UTC) Now as the application of the law   Sorry, I just ran out of time, somebody is knocking very very loudly on the


 * Diderot, do you have a link with information for the Europeans being sent to the US?
 * Sure, try here. --Diderot 22:42, 13 December 2005 (UTC)
 * Ohhhh! I really fell for that didn't I? Hope you didn't look at the history to see who made the unsigned edit. CambridgeBayWeather (Talk) 03:28, 14 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Well, that was obvious. I was in doubt for a moment because Diderot has been a serious editor here for some time if I remember correctly. But I wonder what the sarcasm is about. It gives off the impression that you don't take the subject seriously. I'd say it's serious enough not to joke about. We're not just talking about human lives but about slow painful deaths. What are you mocking? DirkvdM 08:39, 14 December 2005 (UTC)
 * I've striked-through (struck-through? strikken-through?) the sarcastic bit because it sort of gets in the way for serious readers. DirkvdM 08:43, 14 December 2005 (UTC)
 * Oh, come on! The whole point is that it's difficult to imagine Europe using the US in the way that it's all too credible for America to use the eastern European EU states.  Only the aluminum hat and black helicopter crowd could believe that the EU (or UN, or the Anti-Christ) operate secret overseas prisons on US soil - as the original question asserts - while it's all too easy to believe in the US acting that way.  Besides, I thought that comparing Fort Ord (now, California State University, Monterey Bay) to the former Soviet bases alleged to hold American prisoners was a neat bit of humor.    Certainly, the CSU system has its moments of sheer torture. It should have been an obvious joke just from the suggestion of student government meetings that violate the Geneva Convention.


 * Jeez, this is far enough outside of the main article space that I'd have thought a little humor wasn't entirely out of line. As for this is a serious subject and shouldn't be joked about - no, this is a serious subject and should be the object of endless ridicule. Americans process contempt from abroad as a sign that they are right and everyone else is wrong.  Ridicule, however, they have a much harder time avoiding. They hate looking like idiots.  Serious inquiries and solemn discussions on this subject will - I assure you - lead absolutely nowhere.  The power to stonewall is far to great.  There will be no scandal, no one will lose their voting rights in Brussels, and Washington will produce nothing but non-denial denials as is its standard practice.  There will be no accounting, at least not until the issue is too old for anyone to care about.  On the other hand, pointing out that this is exactly the kind of behavior that Europeans - and even Canadians - do not do, and making the point that the US is rapidly turning into the world's richest third world country - that has some effect at least. --Diderot 09:16, 14 December 2005 (UTC)


 * A problem with discussing this way is that facial expressions are missing, which usulally give major pointers for listeners. So especially sarcasm can easily be misread. The fact that CambridgeBayWeather first didn't see it was sarcasm and that I consequently didn't get the purpose of your sarcasm illustrates this quite nicely. Now 'the US is rapidly turning into the world's richest third world country' - that's a sarcasm that can't be misread. :) DirkvdM 09:58, 15 December 2005 (UTC)

Suspected and accused terrorists have been labeled as unlawful combatants, because they not wear a uniform of a foreign nation power, recognizable to those fighting the terrorists. As such, US leadership has declared that such individuals fall outside the protections provided for
 * prisoner of war (only applies to enemy combatant ie. soldier sailor airman of an enemy nation
 * civilian resident of a nation militarily occupied by a foreign power
 * person under arrest by law enforcement suspected of violating some rules of the criminal justice system

There is some precedent. Spies and Saboteaurs in a lawful war, such as WW II, were typically in civilian clothes, and if caught, had no legal protections from any kind of abuse by their captors.

Another scenario is young women enslaved by prostitute rings, some of them arriving in USA through immigration smugglers who insist that they work for the smuggler organizations to pay for their transportation. If any of them manage to escape, some go to the police, who refuse to help them, because the police assume the girls deliberately chose the prostitution lifestyle, where rape is not a crime. User:AlMac|(talk) 22:21, 15 December 2005 (UTC)


 * You're talking about 'proven' terrorists. This is mainly about people suspected of some affiliation with or plans of terrorism. DirkvdM 07:18, 16 December 2005 (UTC)
 * I am not talking about "proven" terrorists. I am talking about people suspected of being terrorists, that get tortured by people who lack the education to know that a forced confession can be anything the victim thinks the torturer wants to hear.  In the Abu Graib photo scandal it was revealed later that 99% of the people in that prison were probably innocent, who got there from mass roundups where some (war) crime had occurred and they arrested everyone who was within miles of the event. User:AlMac|(talk) 18:10, 16 December 2005 (UTC)

=December 13=

NFL Players
Where can i find a list of the 2006 NFL Free Agents?


 * Hopefully, this is what you're looking for. - Akamad 06:32, 13 December 2005 (UTC)

Evie Tornquist-Karllson records
Princess a reader sent the following e-mail to the help desk.

"You wrote a very tiny article about Evie and you had a list of her songs from the seventies. I would like to know how I can get a hold of her songs. I have been trying for a very long time."

A Quick Google showed that records by this artist are not for sale currently on the Internet. Does anyone have any suggestions as to how she could obtain them. Thanks for your assistance.
 * There are some of her records available for sale via GEMM.com &mdash;Slicing 08:49, 13 December 2005 (UTC)

Crane illumination
I'm looking to find a set standard for night time operations using a 60 to truck crane. i"ve searched through OSHA and ANSI and have found none. I need to know what lights are needed on the crane in particular the boom part of the crane used in hoisting operations for night time use. I'm working for a contractor in Iraq for the coalition forces and need help finding an answer, thankyou Eugene Lynch.


 * This is a very interesting question! OSHA standard 1926 specifies minimum illumination levels for construction sites (see subpart 1926.56 for details), but that's just a general indication of ambient lighting levels required.  But that doesn't specify the specific lighting rules for cranes.  The section on cranes and derricks 1926.550, notes that all cranes must meet ANSI standard B30.2.0-1967, that standard document is of course only available from ANSI for money.  But if you've checked that document and haven't found anything, I'm as stumped as you are.  You could try contacting crane manufacturers; additionally, in my own country (Australia) trade unions in the relevant area tend to be very aware of the safety rules (they being amongst the heaviest lobbiers for them).  So if you know of a relevant union you might try contacting them.  Finally, maybe you could try contacting OSHA and asking them?


 * Keep safe and I hope you can find the information you're looking for. --Robert Merkel 13:28, 13 December 2005 (UTC)

BLASTS!
Are the London Aviation Fuel blasts an accident or an attack as broadcasted in my country? A i understand the blast shattered windows of houses and buildings. was anyone injured? are the blazes under control? it would be cool if you could keep me updated with the truth. Thanx!ME
 * We have a very good and comprehensive article on this: 2005 Hertfordshire Oil Storage Terminal fire. The causes are not yet clear, but it appears to have been an accident. (aside: Wikipedia is a global site, you may need to be more specific if you're talking about "my country"...) &mdash; QuantumEleven | (talk) 09:07, 13 December 2005 (UTC)


 * If you heard a report when information was scarce, they may have jumped to conclusions. - Mgm|(talk) 10:08, 13 December 2005 (UTC)


 * And the conclusion to jump to these days is terrorism. People are going nuts over that, seeing terrorism all around them, which might be worse than terrorism itself considering the socially disruptive effect and the low total death toll of terrorism. Which is basically the goal of terrorists - not so much the attacks themselves but the ensuing fear it instills in people. If you look at it this way, the media are the biggest terrorists. DirkvdM 10:37, 13 December 2005 (UTC)


 * All too true. Steve Summit (talk) 15:17, 14 December 2005 (UTC)

Los Angeles county map with city labels
I noticed some Wiki articles for various LA County cities have a map of the county with city borders, like this:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/2/22/LA_in_LA_County_map.png

Is there anywhere I can find a map exactly like the one above with all of the cities labeled? --Rc251 09:46, 13 December 2005 (UTC)

Shannon capacity limit
Base on Shannon capacity limit,what are the possibility of transmitting information when the signal is lower than the noise?

Thank you,

--ELITE,


 * Elite, see Shannon-Hartley theorem. Is this a homework question? --Robert Merkel 13:04, 13 December 2005 (UTC)
 * Possibly homework as I answered the exact same question a couple of days ago . Thryduulf 22:49, 13 December 2005 (UTC)

Satsumas
What is the difference between a satsuma and a tangarine?


 * I think satsumas have a milder taste and less seeds. The skin is also a lot easier to remove than a tangerine or orange.--Ali K 13:56, 13 December 2005 (UTC)
 * That's so weird. I looked this up four days ago. See satsuma. --Think Fast 21:18, 13 December 2005 (UTC)

Christmas Carols
What is the total number of Christmas songs that have ever been written? Thanks. cb1233
 * I doubt anyone is keeping count of them. –Mysid 13:15, 13 December 2005 (UTC)


 * And it even depends on what you call christmas. If you mean the celebration of Jesus, that has to go back 2000 years and some songs may have been song throughout that period. If you mean the celebration of the winter solstice that the date was based on then you'd have to include several cultures, such as the Romans and the Germanic tribes. And I assume there will have been plenty songs for that occasion. DirkvdM 08:48, 14 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Five. Or at least, that's what it seems like, since the local radio station which is playing all Christmas songs though Christmas seems to play the same five songs over and over again.  Zoe (216.234.130.130 23:03, 14 December 2005 (UTC))

sexiest woman alive?
whoMaoririder 17:11, 13 December 2005 (UTC) asap sexiest??Maoririder 20:17, 13 December 2005 (UTC)


 * How long is a piece of string? According to the collective taste of FHM readers in 2004, it was Halle Berry .  But ask n men the question and you'll get at least n + 1 answers. Whatever floats your boat; personally the airbrushed Playboy blonde bimbo look (whatever the actual intelligence of the woman behind it) who make up the majority of that top 100 isn't my thing.  But it obviously is the thing of a lot of British lads.  --Robert Merkel 22:00, 13 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Tina Fey. —Keenan Pepper 23:14, 13 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Every year, there seem to be more guys into chicks who wear glasses. Is this one of those Generation Y things?  Or is it just geeks?  --Diderot 23:18, 13 December 2005 (UTC)


 * No, Tina Fey is just hot. There are plenty of ugly women who wear glasses, and plenty of hot women with good eyesight — just not as hot as Tina Fey. —Keenan Pepper 23:42, 13 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Angelina Jolie, Cindy Crawford, Sarah Michelle Geller, Cameron Diaz, Jenna Jameson and Britney Spears are always farily popular choices. Proto t c 15:16, 14 December 2005 (UTC)

Audrey Hepburn?Maoririder 16:33, 14 December 2005 (UTC) does anyone think gwen s??
 * Audrey Hepburn: A sexier woman dead than any woman alive!Brian Schlosser42 18:31, 14 December 2005 (UTC)

Scarlett Johansson? Yeltensic42.618 06:53, 15 December 2005 (UTC)


 * My wife. Physchim62 (talk) 17:37, 15 December 2005 (UTC)


 * I agree :-P --Robert Merkel 00:58, 16 December 2005 (UTC)

Location of Regions in Spain in relation to cities.
I have a list of 100+ cities in Spain. Though I can relatively easily find the Province in which they are located (in Spain), I do not know how to locate the name of the Region in which the cities and/or Provinces are located.

Is there some form of directory which can assist me,please?


 * I'm not sure what you mean by "regions", but see Autonomous communities of Spain. 216.234.130.130 18:47, 13 December 2005 (UTC)

King of Pain
Like from 'Three Septembers and a January' The Sandman: Fables and Reflections, but for real. I know he is real, becuase I found a mention of him in an old book at the library. Unfortunately, I didn't bother to check it out, and now I can't find anything about him online. Help? DuctapeDaredevil 20:12, 13 December 2005 (UTC)
 * I remember from somewhere that he was a friend & contemporary of Norton I, by the grace of God Emperor of those United States, Protector of Mexico & San Francisco nutcase. I think he was a tramp who made a living by charging people to allow them to hit him with a 2 by 4 or similar. An early version of Bumwars. AllanHainey 14:37, 14 December 2005 (UTC)
 * I think the one I'm looking for sold painkillers. DuctapeDaredevil 17:02, 14 December 2005 (UTC)
 * I'm not finding much online either, this may require a trip to the library. But to start you off . . . . According to a San Francisco geneology website about the "Barbary Coast," the "King of Pain" sold aconite liniment and was a contemporary of "Emperor Norton," but doesn't give his name. I came across references to "Minard's Liniment" as being called "King of Pain" but it sounds like too big of a company to have been associated with the San Francisco guy.  I suggest checking books on early San Francisco history.  The source of the Barbary Coast website info is cited as a book The Barbary Coast by Herbert Asbury, published in  1933.  You might be able to track the book down, I see that my own local library has a 2002 printing of the book listed as "The Barbary Coast: an informal history of the San Francisco underworld". Crypticfirefly 05:45, 16 December 2005 (UTC)
 * Thanks, I've got him now. And I figured out who the guy with the 2x4s was, too!  DuctapeDaredevil 16:02, 16 December 2005 (UTC)
 * Who? AllanHainey 09:35, 19 December 2005 (UTC)

what is a parallelogram
what is a parallelogram.
 * A parallelogram is a quadrilateral (a shape with four sides) which has opposite sides parallel and equal in length. See parallelogram. You might want to try the mathematics section next time too. Enochlau 22:32, 13 December 2005 (UTC)


 * (This is not a personal attack on you, Enochlau, but a general comment). There's not much point in asking questioners to check the article first next time, if we've already given them the answer this time.  If one editor gives in this time, somebody else will give in next time.  I think we need to be evolving towards a standard policy that whenever the answer is quickly available in an existing article, the best we should do is point them in the right direction, but not just give them the answer.  This breaches the very rules we give questioners at the head of the page, and we should not be complicit in such breaches, otherwise why have the rules at all?  JackofOz 02:45, 14 December 2005 (UTC)
 * Then why not just delete the questions that can be answered by reading an article? That rule needs to be tossed out, or else the reference desk will devolve into a hodge-podge of esoterica. If we're not willing to answer the questions as they're asked, why do it at all? I think lots of people use the reference desk as a standalone feature, and not as part of the 'pedia proper. Just linking to the article makes us look arrogant. "Don't waste our time with simple questions, we only want to debate egg balancing and why people don't wear hats anymore" (to name two recent lengthy discussions. Don't get me wrong, the weird and wild questions are great, and should be kept, but we should be willing to deal with simpler questions, too. Brian Schlosser42 18:41, 14 December 2005 (UTC)

the oldest retail chain in america
what is the oldest retail chain store like sears or jcpenny in the united states.


 * Federated Department Stores dates back to the 1820s in its Lord & Taylor division, but it wasn't founded as a chain. Montgomery Wards started out in the 1870s as a mail order business, but it didn't become a chain until the 20s.  Kresge - later Kmart and now a part of Sears - was probably the first to break out as a chain, starting around 1900.  However, if you're really looking for the first general retail chain store in America, it's unquestionably the Zion's Co-operative Mercantile Institution - founded in 1868 to sell goods wherever Mormons lived, and now mostly rebranded as Macy's. --Diderot 23:00, 13 December 2005 (UTC)
 * The Northwest Company claims to be the oldest retailer in North America, here and here. The Hudson's Bay Company has been around for over 300 years as well. CambridgeBayWeather (Talk) 00:34, 14 December 2005 (UTC)

=December 14=

When did American Airlines use DC-10's to serve Buffalo, NY??
I would like to know when American Airlines used DC-10 airplanes to serve the Buffalo International Airport in Buffalo, NY. I believe it was in the late 1970's and early 80's but cannot find any source to confirm the time frame.......... can you help me???

Thank you.

--69.105.97.193 00:10, 14 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Acording to our article on American Airlines DC-10's where used between 1972 and 2000, but doesn't specify when they where used to serve Buffalo Niagara International Airport. Maybe you can find someone at Portal:Aviation that is more knowledgable of these things. --Sherool (talk) 19:51, 15 December 2005 (UTC)

Didn't AA stop using DC-10's after their little "Oops-I-Crapped-My-Engine" incident in Chicago back in the 70's? Cernen 14:22, 17 December 2005 (UTC)

inslaving native americans
i saw a documentry about slavery this morning and what i want to know is why didn`t the white settlers in slave the native americans instead.


 * They did, and Amerindians enslaved each other, too. (Good times all around.) Check out and, both of which have a bit to say about it. Your local library will also probably have several books on Amerindian slavery. -- George 00:21, 14 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Most of the enslaving of indians by white settlers happened in South America. White settlers in North America weren't really that into enslaving people. They preferred to buy them, already enslaved, from the real entrepreneurs of African slavery, the Arabs and other Africans, who had developed commercial slavery of Africans centuries before anyone in Europe dreamed of an American colony, and who are continuing to do it across North Africa 150-200 years after the Europeans and North and South Americans decided it wasn't so nice. alteripse 01:48, 14 December 2005 (UTC)


 * But also in South America blacks were imported for slavery. I vaguely remember somethigna about plantation-owners complaining the indians weren't strong enough. But there may something else to it. They may have not understood the whole concept of plantation work (at least the ones who lived in the jungle) or they may have been too proud - when you take someone to a completely different environment it's easier to break them, so Africans would have been a better choice. Also, there may not have been enough indians to be found - South America was probably very densely populated and the jungle inaccessible. DirkvdM 09:02, 14 December 2005 (UTC)
 * Certainly Africans were imported to South America. My point was that there was a major difference between North and South America in the magnitude of efforts to enslave the Indians by European settlers, which was the point of the question asked. There were a number of large-scale efforts early in the Spanish and Portuguese settlement of South America to enslave Indians for long-term labor, especially in the mines of western SA. I don't think most were economically self-sustaining, but I do not know of any attempts to do so on a comparable scale by the English, French, Dutch, Scandinavians, etc who colonized North America. I suspect population density was one of many factors to which we can attribute this difference. alteripse 12:54, 14 December 2005 (UTC)


 * In most cases the native americans who were enslaved used to run away (at least in Haiti & the earliest British American colonies) as they knew the country & all their friends were still hanging around. After a while the colonists got sick of this & started importing africans who weren't as able to escape & live off the land. AllanHainey 14:42, 14 December 2005 (UTC)

Also, the Native Americans were dying out from diseases brought over from Europe, so they brought in African slaves to replace them. The enslavement of Indians mainly occured early on in colonisation history, the Spanish and Portuguese came before the other Europeans, and South America was mainly colonized by them, so that may be why native enslavement was mainly there. Yeltensic42.618 17:12, 14 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Check out the book/TV show 500 Nations. The English were not above enslaving North American Natives, either.  It's just that (1) if you enslave someone too close to his home, he'll run away, (2) North American Natives were almost completely unequipped for Eurasian diseases like smallpox, so they often died before they could perform much labor, (3) they got surprisingly good at defending themselves (see Pontiac's Rebellion). --Mareino 23:10, 15 December 2005 (UTC)
 * Pontiac's Rebellion had nothing to do with slavery though. Read Bartolomé de Las Casas for a first hand and negative description of Indian slavery by the early Spaniards. Rmhermen 22:21, 17 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Detail please; a whole book on American Indians is a little vague. Can you give us an example of an attempt by the English to enslave Indians in the North American colonies? Thanks. alteripse 00:12, 18 December 2005 (UTC)

Friction Index
Does anybody know what is the minimum required friction index (CRFI/JBI) for a empty B737 (200 series), on a 5000 ft (1524 m) gravel runway that is reported as 100% compact snow and gravel mixed and assuming no wind. If possible the readings for temperatures above -15 ºC (5 ºF) and for temperatures below -15 ºC (5 ºF). Normally I would call the airline dispatch and ask but I think they would give biased information. This is not a homework question. Thanks. CambridgeBayWeather (Talk) 00:19, 14 December 2005 (UTC)

The Long Winter, by Laura Ingalls Wilder
How can I find out how many words there are in The Long Winter, a book by Laura Ingalls Wilder?

(e-mail removed)


 * According to this eBay listing it has 67,928 words. I just did a Google search for "The Long Winter" by "Laura Ingalls Wilder" "word count".  Dismas|(talk) 01:40, 14 December 2005 (UTC)
 * Type it up in Microsoft Word and use the Word Count feature. --Optichan 21:05, 15 December 2005 (UTC)

Ancient Man
How did ancient man figure out they needed water to survive?

How do you think birds know they need water to survive? Knowing how to drink water came long before "figuring out" anything. alteripse 01:38, 14 December 2005 (UTC)
 * seeking food and water, mating, raising young and for some species other things like grooming, fighting, or migrating are instinctive. A bird doesn't need to "know" to seek water any more than you need to "know" that you want to get it on with that hottie in your class.  Your body tells you. -lethe talk 03:04, 14 December 2005 (UTC)

help with a joke
Okay, I've heard a joke several times that I don't get. The joke goes:

Q: What do you call a man without arms and legs on your doorstep?

A: Fair warning.

So what's the deal?


 * Perhaps the idea is "next time it'll be you with no arms and legs"? Doesn't seem like much of a joke to me. -- Finlay McWalter | Talk 13:00, 14 December 2005 (UTC)
 * I think Finlay is right on both counts, it's to give that idea, and it's not very good at all. The punchline I was actually expecting was "Matt", as in a welcome mat.  There are a lot of these "without arms and legs" jokes around. Dismas|(talk) 13:54, 14 December 2005 (UTC)
 * Possibly that's the joke: you expect the punchline to be 'Matt', but you get a more macabre answer instead. After all, jokes are meant to make you nervous. Kid Apathy 14:56, 14 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Yes, I think the idea is that this guy has been dismembered as a warning to you, which is why he's on your doorstep. Or it may be an example of Anti-humor. *goes off to make Antihumor redirect* &mdash; flamingspinach | (talk)

I think I get it. It means who ever is crazy enough to cut off a persons arms and legs and put them outside as a doormat is some one you should stay away from - hence the fair warning.

Where the fuck has WarioWare: Twisted! gone?
Gotta love gratuitous swearing. Anywho, why hasn't WW:Tw come out in Europe yet? Kid Apathy 14:00, 14 December 2005 (UTC)


 * I have no idea, but Game Boy systems and games don't have regional lockouts, so I'd recommend buying the American version somewhere online. —Slicing (talk) 21:37, 14 December 2005 (UTC)
 * Yeah. No fucking regional lockouts, no fucking PAL/NTSC to worry about; try to find the North American version. --Optichan 21:01, 15 December 2005 (UTC)

Addis Ababa's houses
Years ago I was told Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia, has a city address system that's totally different from the rest of the world's (e.g. 123 Whatever Road, Whatever City). I am not sure if that information is correct. Am I wrong? -- Toytoy 14:30, 14 December 2005 (UTC)


 * A Google search on "addresses in Addis Ababa" turns up this page and this message-board page, both with statements that street addresses simply are not used. If you want to get to a place, you ask for directions in terms of landmarks; mail is sent to post office boxes. However, this page quotes a book called Africa on a Shoestring (1995 edition) as saying that "there's little point giving ... street addresses as the roads have more than one name and people commonly know them by quite another. To add to the problem, the fetish for renaming streets renders all addresses obsolete overnight."  Same effect, but not quite the same thing.


 * It actually isn't true that addresses everywhere else in the world number buildings along a street. They don't work that way in Tokyo.


 * --Anonymous, 02:17 UTC,  December 15, 2005


 * For different systems, see house numbering. Warofdreams talk 14:24, 15 December 2005 (UTC)

capital of england
London. D'oh! Kid Apathy 14:37, 14 December 2005 (UTC)

This is not a search engine (please read the message at the top). Here is your place to ask questions to be answered by humans. Typing England into the Search box on the left of your screen (as it also says at the top) would have given you the answer in about three seconds. And if you really don't know the capital of England, then you need help. &mdash; QuantumEleven | (talk) 14:41, 14 December 2005 (UTC)


 * He could have meant in the year 974 in which case it was Winchester. Chelmsford has also been the capital but only for a year. There is a case for saying that the capital is really Westminster as that's where all the administrative buildings are. David | Talk 14:57, 14 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Hmmm... "England" is not a jurisdiction with a government, so it can't actually have a capital. The capital of the United Kingdom, of which England is a part, is most assuredly London. Scotland and Wales each have parliaments and governments, and therefore they have capitals. The traditional capital of England would be London, aside from the exceptions noted by David. Ground Zero | t 15:12, 14 December 2005 (UTC)


 * That's actually wrong. Edinburgh, for example, has been the capital of Scotland for a very long time, whereas it only acquired a parliament in the last ten years. Likewise with Wales. England has had just as much government as Scotland for the last three hundred years, and both have a capital. DJ Clayworth 22:24, 14 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Without a government governing an area, what designates a city to the "capital" of that area? Ground Zero | t 22:57, 14 December 2005 (UTC)


 * A royal or governmental proclamation can define a capital. Wales had no formal capital declared until 1955, but that was 45 years before the Welsh Assembly was created. -- Arwel (talk) 23:51, 17 December 2005 (UTC)


 * There has been a major (and ongoing) debate about this very subject on Talk:England. We shouldn't be recreating the wheel here. JackofOz 00:06, 15 December 2005 (UTC)

Managed services
Does anyone know if the term 'managed services', which seems to crop up frequently nowadays in business contexts, is just another way of referring to outsourcing? Or is there a distinction between the two terms? There are articles on this site about each of these topics, but the definitions provided do not make it clear (at least to me) whether the two terms are actually distinct or synonymous.

Thanks for any help you can offer.

Marion


 * Business practices evolve over time. Offshore Outsourcing in timely services, such as telephone customer service and catalog sales, has been made possible by dramatic strides in Internet communication speeds.
 * Have you ever had someone phone you to try to sell something where it sounds like the caller is not conversant with your native language, or able to answer questions about the product, only able to read from a script? This is evidence that the sales person may be from a foreign nation, connected by high speed communication phone lines, which is cheaper than hiring someone in this country to do the work, but in time such individuals may be replaced by more sophisticated computer systems that can also pretend to be real people at end of phone line.
 * Have you ever had occasion to call tech support for some product and get someone who sounds like they are very ignorant of the product and how it is used? This can be because some companies have a legal obligation to provide customer support, but no requirement that it be good support, that works satisfactorily for people who have paid for the product or service.
 * If the Internet was not so fast and convenient, we would not have nearly as much offshoring of White-collar worker jobs and Pink collar work.
 * Another way businesses save costs of doing businesses, thanks to the Internet is the support of Telecommuting, sometimes called E-work or Telework, where people can do their work, without having to be at the offices of their employer.
 * Offshore outsourcing of Blue-collar worker jobs started long before that for white collar, because it not matter if commodity products are in the pipeline for weeks or months.
 * The blue collar dimension has not received as much public controversy as white collar, because blue collar was hit earlier with automation which is outsourcing work from humans to machines, which white collar workers, whose jobs were not yet threatened, saw it as an improvement to replace unsafe working conditions with machines doing the drudgery work. White collar work has been the backbone of the Middle class whose future existence is now threatened, so that except for a privileged few, most of us are headed towards only being in the Lower class, or Working class, taking whatever jobs left over from what can be off-shored, such as service and construction jobs where some of the work has to be done where the customers are, such as working in a fast food store, or on a road construction gang.
 * Another kind of Outsourcing is to use Penal labour. In the USA, inmates can have jobs for companies, that are able to provide them work whose processes do not give them access to materials that could be used as weapons or help them get into mischef.  This work costs the companies about 30% less than would have to be paid to people in the free open job market, and much of the money goes not to the inmates but to victim compensation funds.  This practice of having work done by inmates has come under some criticism when the inmates are also offshore, and not subject to labor laws like onshore, but even people outside the prisons are similarly abused, such as child labor.
 * Rapid growth in what can be done with the Internet has also given rise to ASPs (Application Service Providers) which are conceptually like ISPs (Internet Service Providers), except that they also take care of managing all your computer software and data on their servers, which means if they go out of business, tough luck on you having business continuity access to your data. This is a form of Outsourcing, which can be Offshore or Onshore.
 * The terminology used to describe business activities also evolves. Managed services is terminology that existed long before Offshore Outsourcing became controversial.
 * Managed services is SERVICES and I think this article on Wiki is a stub, in which it has been defined but needs more work.
 * Outsourcing and Offshore Outsourcing is both for PRODUCTS and SERVICES and for a company to set it up so it is working properly, they may need the services of some management consultancy specializing in the topic.
 * thus Managed services is a sub-set of the Outsourcing concept.
 * I disagree with the Outsourcing article statement that EDS was the first company to do Outsourcing. I think it goes back a lot longer in history before that.  Look at how long it has been that companies use outside Auditors for example to check their Accounting records.  That practice has got to be centuries old.  Some people might call this by other terminology, such as vendor services.
 * There is also a Wiki article on Offshoring.

User:AlMac|(talk) 22:31, 15 December 2005 (UTC)

Thanks for all this. Really I was just interested in a point of terminology rather than the political aspect, but very interesting even so. --Maid Marion 10:32, 16 December 2005 (UTC)

Spike Jones Records
Can anyone tell me where I might find the old Spike Jones record about " Grandma's Lye Soap "

Paul Low 4860 Hawkins Rd. Richfield,Ohio 44286


 * It appears to be called "It's In The Book (Grandma's Lye Soap)" and the lyrics are here. Check and see if this is the same song you are looking for. CambridgeBayWeather (Talk) 16:23, 14 December 2005 (UTC)
 * And then, try eBay or any of a number of online used record retailers. -- Rick Block (talk) 18:13, 14 December 2005 (UTC)

largest thing in the world?
?Maoririder 16:33, 14 December 2005 (UTC) building?

The Earth. Kid Apathy 16:42, 14 December 2005 (UTC)

See largest organism for living things. — Jeandré, 2005-12-14t16:45z

For structures see list of largest suspension bridges and world's largest buildings. — Jeandré, 2005-12-14t16:48z

Also see User talk:Eequor/Reference/Magnitude. &#8227;<font size="+1">&#5339;&#5505;  [ <font size="+1">&#5200; ] 17:00, 14 December 2005 (UTC)


 * There was an entry on RinkWorks's "Things People Said" where someone went to a geography book store and asked for a life-size map of the world. The salesman told them "We only have one, and it's in use right now". &mdash; <font color="#CC0000">J <font color="#00CC00">I <font color="#0000CC">P | Talk 06:35, 16 December 2005 (UTC)

I believe that record is held by John Holmes ;) -- Pakaran 06:02, 18 December 2005 (UTC)

Filming without permission in the UK
I know someone who attends dance classes at their UK school, and the teacher was going to film them. They said no, it's illegal to film us without our permission, and the teacher said OK. A few days later, they were in trouble because, apparently, it was not in fact illegal. Who's right? Note that it wasn't a public place, it was a private dance studio.--84.51.149.80 16:57, 14 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Would this help you at all? Also I don't see why anyone would be in trouble for saying that, it was just a misunderstanding. IIRC in most places it is illegal to publish photographs of people without their consent, but to take the photographs is allowed. This is just what I recall, though. &mdash; flamingspinach | (talk) 19:55, 14 December 2005 (UTC)


 * In the common law, there is generally no right to privacy. I can stick a camera over the back fence and film my neighbours all I like. It's only when it becomes a private nuisance does it become tortious. Enochlau 22:52, 14 December 2005 (UTC)


 * There was a court case on Merseyside in the last month when two council workers were accused of using the council's CCTV system to ogle a woman who was naked in her own house. They were acquitted. -- Arwel (talk) 23:58, 17 December 2005 (UTC)


 * http://www.sirimo.co.uk/media/UKPhotographersRights.pdf Terra Green 19:16, 22 December 2005 (UTC)

Fear Factor food?? asap.
is it real insects and pig guts and stuff? if it is that stuff is tough? asap.Maoririder 17:36, 14 December 2005 (UTC)
 * Unless there's some sort of enormous coverup, the gross stuff on Fear Factor is indeed real. Whether it's "tough" I can't say, but people eat all kinds of things and I can't imagine bugs are too much worse than some of my least favorite "regular" foods.  Snurks  T  C 19:49, 14 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Don't forget there's several cultures where snacking on insects is quite normal. It just happens to be on Fear Factor because it seems to call out an aversion in a lot of people in the Western world. - Mgm|(talk) 20:53, 14 December 2005 (UTC)

That is true. In Malaysia we have durian as "The King of Fruits" because of it's delicious taste and our country is well-known for it, but in Fear Factor they treated it like just another bowl of pig's intestines. I've heard that foreigners can't stand durian and it seemed that Fear Factor contenders can't stand it either. They were just taken by the bad press the durian recieves in other countries. It's just one of those things that are misunderstood by outsiders, like muslim prayers. Whatever it is, when durian season comes around, you can bet that the durian will be the highest on most Malaysians' shopping list.


 * Well, it smells bloody awful. You have to get over that before you can eat it, which is when you learn that something that smells so bad can actually taste really good. The comparison to pig's intestines is certainly apt in smell, if not in taste. The fact that 'foreigners' don't immediately like it is far more likely to do with the fact that it stinks than any sort of misunderstanding. Natgoo 00:12, 18 December 2005 (UTC)

i have a spider question..
http://members.gaponline.de/pedxing/images/old/spider_01.jpg what kind is this? old spider??Maoririder 19:35, 14 December 2005 (UTC) asap free guess.

Could be a brown recluse. My answer: Ugly. Cernen 14:32, 17 December 2005 (UTC)

What can you tell me?? http://theimaginaryworld.com/baggies03.jpg
http://theimaginaryworld.com/baggies03.jpg banquet was old food.


 * This web page which links to the picture says that it is the front of a Banquet TV dinner box from the 1960s. --George 20:53, 14 December 2005 (UTC)

what is this blurry thing?? http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v405/cannon_will502/079_79.jpg free guess.. thanks Maoririder 19:54, 14 December 2005 (UTC)

places??
http://www.angelfire.com/blog/sonikalchemy/dogcookie1.jpg cookie store in belgium?? free guess..Maoririder Where is this need to pinpoint

Maoririder 19:59, 14 December 2005 (UTC)http://www.linaracing.com/pics/1999-maine-forest-unknown-offcourse2.jpg thanks

What is this a scene of? ASAP please..
http://www.silentera.com/info/img/UnknownFilm1.jpg i got more.. where is this?? http://mywebpages.comcast.net/scaevolatn/images/unkcity.jpg

Maoririder 20:04, 14 December 2005 (UTC) thanks.. i need

Why are they grining???
http://memory.loc.gov/learn/features/inaug/images/swornin.jpg NOOO!! what is your thoughts on the image of gwb and group grining because they know they have us...


 * If I had to make a guess, I'd say the people in the image are grinning because they are either being sworn in as President of the United States (in one case) or family and friends of a person who is (in the other cases). --George 20:50, 14 December 2005 (UTC)


 * I'd be more shocked if he was crying during his inauguration than smiling. <font style="color:#CC0000"> smurray <font style="color:#DD0000"> in <font style ="color:#EE0000"> chester <font style="color:#55BB22">(User), (Ho Ho Ho!) 21:00, 14 December 2005 (UTC)

Google Maps
Why does Google Maps/Earth display some places such as Indiana in grey? It seems odd that the greyness stops at the state border but I can't find any mention in the FAQs. <font style="color:#CC0000"> smurray <font style="color:#DD0000"> in <font style ="color:#EE0000"> chester <font style="color:#55BB22">(User), (Ho Ho Ho!) 20:59, 14 December 2005 (UTC)


 * I suspect that the data Google Maps has from satellites that have mapped Indiana simply looks that color. If you zoom in more you'll see that there is much greater detail and color variety, but that all the colors have something of a gray-ish hue. Bad luck, in other words. --George 21:05, 14 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Indiana looks 'grey' on Google Maps because it's mapped entirely in hi-res, as opposed to the greenish color that you get using low-res photography on farmland. As for why Indiana gets the honor of high-res photography (I believe Massachusetts is too), I'm not sure.  Snurks  T  C 21:06, 14 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Google Earth/maps's imagery for Indianapolis and the surrounding metropolis is USGS urban-area orthographic aerial photography (as opposed to the mad leprechaun-green Landsat-7 satellite imagery that's used for the surrounding area). The USGS is overflying the 133 largest cities in the US, taking 30cm resolution images in strips around 2/3 of a mile wide.  The areas they've done include the SFBay area, Providence RO, Springfield MA, but I can't find anything else in NY or MA.  For other metropolises Google Earth/Maps uses a variety of commercial imagery sources.  You can browse the USGS imagery (in a slightly raw-er format) using NASA World Wind. -- Finlay McWalter | Talk 01:37, 15 December 2005 (UTC)
 * I should mention that Google maps use a lot of different sources, including the ones mentioned above. This is one reason why it is virtually impossible to allow the use of GoogleMaps images on Wikipedia, as only Google knows who the copyright owner is and they don't always say! Physchim62 (talk) 17:44, 15 December 2005 (UTC)

crouching tiger,hidden dragon [a true story]
is the movie crouching tiger,hidden dragon a true story.


 * No. Certainly not. Coughing Tiger, Hiccup Dragon was "based on the fourth novel in a pentalogy, known in China as the Crane/Iron Pentalogy by Wang Dulu (王度盧; pinyin: Wáng Dùlú)." -- Toytoy 22:13, 14 December 2005 (UTC)
 * Do you mean that Chinese people didn't used to be able to fly through the air like that? Zoe (216.234.130.130 23:08, 14 December 2005 (UTC))


 * Western critics would say no, but I would maintain they would. Old pugilistic books often tell of special techniques that require lots of training to channel energy into elevating oneself. But I can only tell you that after watching lots of dramas. But it seems to be quite a recurrent theme, so I think it has some basis in fact. -- Natalinasmpf 01:03, 15 December 2005 (UTC)


 * With all possible respect, being a recurring theme in drama doesn't make something true. DJ Clayworth 16:32, 15 December 2005 (UTC)

But just because we don't have anything written down on paper doesn't mean that it isn't true. China's history is long and uncharted.
 * sure, but still it is very doubtful people could fly and fight like that. Boneyard 11:29, 22 December 2005 (UTC)

What's a comfort rise?
What is a comfort rise? It's apparently found on performance clothing for women (Hind compression shorts, for example) as well as some jeans in conjuction with gussets (which definitions and descriptions can be found). A telephone representative at the company said it feels better on the hips, but what is it really?


 * The "rise" is the cut in the crotch. A "comfort rise" would be clothing cut looser in the crotch so as not to impinge on the anatomy too tightly.  Zoe (216.234.130.130 23:09, 14 December 2005 (UTC))

Puns
Why are we supposed to groan when we hear a pun? It is said that the better a pun is the louder the groan.


 * It's akin to a groan of pain because your sense of language is offended and even hurt by the abuse of words. I would say the worse a pun is the louder the groan. —Keenan Pepper 06:10, 15 December 2005 (UTC)
 * I read a science fiction short story once which contended that all real jokes were created by aliens, and the only jokes created by humans were puns, and therefore the aliens had purposely bred humans to consider puns bad humor, so that they groan when they hear them. Can't remember the name of the story or of the author.  Zoe (216.234.130.130 16:27, 15 December 2005 (UTC))
 * Was that by Isaac Asimov? —Keenan Pepper 16:31, 15 December 2005 (UTC)


 * In terms of pun quality, I'd say that "better" and "worse" are much the same. I'd suggest a scale which goes something like: Bad -> Worse -> Apaling -> Painful -> Excrutiating -> "Oh my god, I must now kill you".  Whether causing murderous rampages is a sign of high quality in a pun or not depends on your POV.  Although it might be disapunting to have one of your own puns blamed for someone's death. -- AJR | Talk 01:32, 16 December 2005 (UTC)

the story you mentioned was by Isaac Asimov, it is called Jokester
 * Thanks! I've been wracking my brain.  User:Zoe|(talk) 03:33, 16 December 2005 (UTC)

You groan so people know you got the pun. (It isn't required but then neither is laughing at a joke; but like not wanting people to think you didn't get the joke you problably don't want people to think you didn't understand the pun.)RJFJR 16:16, 16 December 2005 (UTC)

=December 15=

Fish of the great lakes
What are the breeds of fish that can be found in the Great Lakes?


 * Here is a nice website sponsored by the University of Wisconsin Sea Grant Institute listing many (but not all) species of fish found in the Great Lakes. Crypticfirefly 05:52, 15 December 2005 (UTC)
 * That link shows all the major species which are commercially or recreationally fished as well as 4 major "harmful" invasive species. Most of the small fishes are missing from the list. Rmhermen 17:27, 15 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Alernatively, if you are referring to any Great Lakes outside the US, specifying a country would help in getting the answer you want. - Mgm|(talk) 11:16, 15 December 2005 (UTC)
 * There are bodies of water referred to as the Great Lakes outside Canada and the US? While there are other large lakes in the world, I believe that the specific group of lakes that form "the Great Lakes" are uniquely identified by the term.
 * See Great Lakes (disambiguation). I'd never heard of any of the others, but then I live in North America. --Anonymous, 09:07 UTC, December 16, 2005

Mexican song lyrics
Reader Sylvia contacted the Wikimedia Help Desk with the following question.

"Hi, I am looking for the lyrics for Tierra de Mis Amores, song from Guanajuato Jalisco Mexico. Please let me know if you can help me.  It starts with the words Entre Sierras y montanas y bajo un cielo azul."

A quick Google by myself failed to find anything. If you could help her, it would be greatly appreciated.

Capitalistroadster 02:49, 15 December 2005 (UTC)

Is this it?

Entre sierras y montañas y bajo un cielo azul, como en una inmensa hamaca bañada por el sol. Está mi tierra, tierra de mis amores, tierra bendita, tierra que me vio nacer.

Allí donde yo amé con febril locura, allí donde me amaron por vez primera, donde tuvo su cuna un idilio breve, bajo el mágico soplo de la primavera.

Tierra de mis amores y mis quereres, donde viví feliz mi juventud, siempre te guardaré en mi pensamiento, un recuerdo de amor y gratitud.

Más al paso de los años todo aquello ya borró y mi tierra, en su seno, a mi amor cobijó, mi Guanajuato, yo solamente quiero un rinconcito para descansar en él.

Allí donde yo amé con febril locura, allí donde me amaron por vez primera, donde tuvo su cuna un idilio breve, bajo el mágico soplo de la primavera.

Tierra de mis amores y mis quereres, donde viví feliz mi juventud, siempre te guardaré en mi pensamiento, un recuerdo de amor y gratitud.

--Elliskev 15:29, 15 December 2005 (UTC)

Spotted ringtail . . . thing?
So, I came across a photo of an animal that looks very strange and very pretty. The problem is, I have no idea what it's called. I tried browsing for the same scientific classification ringtails fall under with no luck. Does anyone know what this is? Is it even real?
 * Seems to be a spotted genet (for which there isn't yet a wikipedia article, but if you wait a few minutes I bet someone will create one). -- Rick Block (talk) 05:16, 15 December 2005 (UTC)
 * Furthermore, there are Small-spotted genets (Genetta genetta) and Large-spotted genets (Genetta tigrina). They belong in the family Viverridae. –Mysid 07:34, 15 December 2005 (UTC)
 * Thank you very much! =^^=
 * Aye, it -is- very pretty and very strange. But the lines are much too soft and the background nowhere near plausible enough to be a photograph...looks like CG to me. Cernen 14:39, 17 December 2005 (UTC)

Christmas Greetings
Around this time of year, people, particularly men, are often heard to say things to others like "All the best for Christmas if I don't see you in the meantime". This seems to suggest that they think wishing someone well for Christmas is something that should be done no more than once. Why would they think that? What would be wrong with wishing the person well today, and if they happened to meet again before Christmas, wishing them well on that occasion as well? Would this imply some undesirable or inappropriate level of male-to-male familiarity? Or is there some other explanation? JackofOz 05:11, 15 December 2005 (UTC)


 * I always thought the idea was "just in case I don't see you in the meantime", i.e. it's probably superfluous but it couldn't hurt anyway. —Keenan Pepper 06:04, 15 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Yes, there are various forms. But why superfluous?  These days, the Christmas season seems to last for about 3 months, starting in October.  You know what I'm talking about - shop decorations, office parties, the whole commercial/corporate thing.  So why, during that whole period, it would be inappropriate to wish a particular person "Merry Christmas" more than once, completely eludes me.  Is telling your partner you love them more than once during the entire course of your relationship considered superfluous?  If you wish somebody well, you would wish it today, tomorrow and forever, not just on one day of the year and only say it because of some perceived social obligation.  Or am I being naive?  Is the so-called "Christmas spirit" really just some chimera that we all pay lip service to but do not believe for one second in our heart?  I suppose for a lot of individuals that is sadly true, but I have a greater faith in humanity than that.  JackofOz 22:02, 15 December 2005 (UTC)

XML
I want to know how does XML work and what are its applications. sayantan ghosh --06:25, 15 December 2005 (UTC)06:25, 15 December 2005 (UTC)~


 * See XML. Enochlau 06:26, 15 December 2005 (UTC)


 * As Enoch says, that's a good source. I can also recommend "How to use XML" by J.Shelley, published by Babani, ISBN 0-85934-532-7	as a good primer, taking you from "What's XML?" through XML schema design. As for its applications, they are many and various. Tonywalton [[Image:Pentacle_1.svg|15px]] | Talk 12:44, 19 December 2005 (UTC)

HookWorm

 * hookworm? -- Nunh-huh

Mischa Barton
hey I heard Mischa Barton was dating a Cisco Adler, but apparently she's also dating James Hunter, who is she really going out with?
 * Mischa's official site reported yesterday (December 14) that she and Adler laughed off rumours about an engagement, while officially confirming they're together. They list their source as Female First. - Mgm|(talk) 11:21, 15 December 2005 (UTC)

Shareware motorbike game.
I'm trying to track down the title of a game I used to play, I'd appreciate any help. Here's what I can remember about it:
 * 1) It was a 2D motorbike game.
 * 2) It had platforms hovering in the air.
 * 3) It involved collecting all the apples in a level, then getting to the end.
 * 4) It was shareware.
 * 5) It included a level editor.
 * 6) It existed in 2003.

Never mind - it was "Elasto-mania". Wander Panic!!


 * Unless you had answered the question yourself I would have said you meant Action Super Cross... TERdON 00:52, 17 December 2005 (UTC)

Harvest Moon

 * 1) Which "Harvest Moon" titles have pigs?
 * 2) Are there any HM games that go forever? (In the first one, your Dad would come home, etc)
 * 3) Which HM title is the best, in your opinion, and why?
 * 4) What is the difference between Friends of MT and More Friends of MT?


 * 1:I don't think any Harvest Moon series game features pigs yet, but Harvest Moon: Magical Melody features a pig on the front cover, so that one probably will.
 * 2:Harvest Moon: Friends of Mineral Town lets you play forever.
 * 3:I've only played Wonderful Life so I can't say.
 * 4: More Friends is exactly the same as Friends but you play as a girl instead. (I don't see why they don't just release 1 version and you select the gender) like some versions of HM.

<font style="color:#CC0000"> smurray <font style="color:#DD0000"> in <font style ="color:#EE0000"> chester <font style="color:#55BB22">(User), (Ho Ho Ho!) 18:11, 15 December 2005 (UTC)

swinging arms....
Why do most people swing their arms while walking? I mean i've tried to walk without swinging my arms and i've found that you could get used to walking without swinging your arms. Can you tell me why people swing their arms even while running??

Jayant, 17 years,India


 * Because of momentum. Walking and running while swinging your arms to and fro allows better distribution of your weight, resulting in a more efficient motion. It's an interesting question that should really have someone knowledgable in kinesthetics answer it.  Incidentally, kinesthetics should really have its own article, and not forward to proprioception. Proto t c 16:48, 15 December 2005 (UTC)


 * There was an episode of Seinfeld about this. One of Elaine's coworkers never swung her arms and it really bothered Elaine. (In case you're not familiar with Seinfeld it's mostly about them exaggerating tiny flaws of other people.) Elaine said it was "like she's carrying invisible suitcases". —Keenan Pepper 16:51, 15 December 2005 (UTC)

Allright....Thanks a lot...


 * Try wearing a Neru Jacket, and join your hands behind your back.


 * You actually swing your arms out, to counter act swinging your other leg out. Swing out right arm, and swing out left leg. Now, try swinging out your right arm and your right leg? Feel the diffrence? Artoftransformation 03:30, 17 December 2005 (UTC)

Pillow under the head???
Why do most people keep a pillow under their head when they sleep?? I've never kept a pillow under my head ever since i remember. i mean..is something wrong with me?? Or is it perfectly fine to not to keep a pillow while you sleep??

Jayant, 17 years,India


 * A pillow provides extra support for the head, which many find comfortable. Let's see... yup, this is even mentioned in our articles on beds and pillows. --David Iberri (talk) 16:53, 15 December 2005 (UTC)

Then is my case of not keeping a pillow Perfectly allright??


 * It's probably fine as long as your spine isn't in an awkward position. Do you often wake up with a sore neck or back? —Keenan Pepper 17:03, 15 December 2005 (UTC)

No,i feel fine after i wake up. Actually i tried to sleep with a pillow once and woke up with a sore neck. i usually sleep flat on my back or sometimes on my right side. Can you try it out and tell me if its allright to sleep without a pillow?
 * It's just fine to do that. It's a comfort thing.  (I always end up shoving my pillow onto the floor.)  MorganLeFay 18:00, 15 December 2005 (UTC)


 * A physiotherapist, whom I was seeing about rsi told me that I should try sleeping without a pillow (which would facilitate sleeping on the belly) but it gave me a cramped neck. I suppose it's largely a question of what you're used to, like squatting in stead of sitting cross-legged. I did master that, though, being forced by the toilets I encountered on my travels. DirkvdM 07:25, 16 December 2005 (UTC)

K..thanks a lot..By the way..which RSI are you talking about. I clicked on the link and a whole list of stuff came up. Its not important anyways. I was just wondering. And also which places have you travelled?


 * I've had pains all over my arms, but now it's only my shoulders (with a constant dull and occasional sharp pain), which is why sleeping without a pillow might have helped. But ultimately the best remedy turned out to be taking a daily half hour walks, while letting my arms swing freely. Some people have commented on how funny I walk, but the pain is gone permanently, as long as I keep that routine up, so I don't care what people think (as usual :) ). I've travelled mainly to Africa, Sout East Asia and Central and North America. But this is a reference desk, not a chat forum, so let's leave it at that. DirkvdM 08:50, 17 December 2005 (UTC)

Well, I think we sleep with the pillow under our head because it is comfy that way, yes, ever so good

Which Language to think??
In which language do babies think? I mean when we think our thoughts come out as words in english or whatever language we are used to right?? Then how do babies (and for that matter ancient men like neandrethal man, who had no language) think??

Jayant, 17 years,India.


 * Perhaps in mentalese. David Sneek 17:07, 15 December 2005 (UTC)

Ha ha...I know the question's a bit stupid.but its been really bugging me. Sorry if i wasted your time.


 * It's a very interesting question. I bet Noam Chomsky would have something to say about this. —Keenan Pepper 17:14, 15 December 2005 (UTC)

Cool link!!! Thanks a lot.


 * A neat experiment is to try to think without using words for as long as possible. The more complex stuff you think about, the harder it is, but it's possible, especially with spatial reasoning. You can find your way through a maze without using words at all. —Keenan Pepper 17:21, 15 December 2005 (UTC)

Wow!!! Did you try to do it? I tried it just now and i got a head ache. Can you give me some tips to think that way?


 * Babies don't think in any language. They think in pictures and symbols.  And so do adults.  Language is a construct that overlays symbolic representations from the subconscious.  We've been tricked into believing we think in some language or other, but we don't.  JackofOz 00:49, 16 December 2005 (UTC)


 * ...I don't know about you, but I definitely think in English most of the time. —Keenan Pepper 02:20, 16 December 2005 (UTC)


 * William S. Burroughs wrote that language is a virus from outer space. Sort of relevant, I guess. Crypticfirefly 05:09, 16 December 2005 (UTC)


 * I have often come across the assumption that language is required for thinking, but I've always thought that very strange. I suppose that when thoughts become conscious they cristalise in the form of words. But conscious thought is just the tip of the iceberg. Below that there's a whole bunch of connections being made, of which only the ones that are consistent with each other become conscious. At least, that's my little theory. Maybe babies start talking when their thoughts start to become conscious. DirkvdM 07:35, 16 December 2005 (UTC)
 * People think in different ways. Richard Feynman once conducted a rudimentary experiment on this, he found that he couldn't speak or write when counting in his head (& still keep a consistent & regular count), he asked a bunch of other people to try this & found that some could. When asked they described their mental process of counting as picturing the numbers coming along regularly after each other, rather than mentally counting out in words the numbers as Feynman had been doing. This is a bit anecdotal (indeed it was in one of his books of anecdotes) but seems to indicate that different people think in different ways. AllanHainey 08:47, 16 December 2005 (UTC)

So..what it means is that our thought are really pictures or something else in our sub-consicious but when they come out we imagine them as words. But then how can we think words such as "of", "or","is" and lots of others which cannot be pictured?

There was a theory (not widely-subscribed, I don't believe) about 200 years ago that all babies think in Latin, and if raised in a sterile environment would grow up to speak perfect Latin. Remember studying the experiments in high school...very weird Sherurcij (talk) (bounties) 11:17, 16 December 2005 (UTC)


 * There have been several experiments to discover a supposed original language. The evidence seems to suggest language ability only arises from exposure to language (see Language acquisition and Feral children), although Nicaraguan Sign Language is extremely interesting.  &#8227;<font size="+1">&#5339;&#5505;  [[Image:Venus symbol (blue).gif|&#9792;]] [ <font size="+1">&#5200; ] 14:55, 16 December 2005 (UTC)
 * Perhaps the most appalling experiment to discover an original language was carried out by the Holy Roman Emperor Frederick in the 13th century. He ordered that a group of orphans in a foundling hospital not be spoken to by the women caring for them, to see what language they would spontaneously speak (Hebrew or Greek were leading contenders). Not surprisingly, they spoke nothing recognizable. I tried to find an authoritative source for this story as it probably belongs in our article, but all I found were two allusions to the same story with no source detail-- at least I wasn't imagining having heard it once. alteripse 00:25, 18 December 2005 (UTC)

Thanks a lot..

Too many questions...
Is there any limit on wikipedia to the number of questions one can post??

Jayant, 17 years,India.


 * No, but there is a limit on the number of question marks, which you are rapidly approaching. =P —Keenan Pepper 17:05, 15 December 2005 (UTC)

Oh..Sorry bout that..Lol..thanks anyways...

death to smoochy?? asap if you can.
what was the costume robin williams was wearing it looking like a dinosaur or a dragon costume. asap. Maoririder 18:24, 15 December 2005 (UTC)
 * In Death to Smoochy, Robin Williams played the character of Rainbow Randolph, who wore a white suit and rainbows. Edward Norton (as Smoochy) and Michael Rispoli (as Spinner/Moochy) both wear rhinocerous costumes in slightly different shades of purple. (ESkog)(Talk) 22:25, 15 December 2005 (UTC)

Beetle Unknown??
http://members.mrtc.com/anvk/bugs/020619-031s.jpg help me out please.. Maoririder 18:23, 15 December 2005 (UTC) nice picture unknown orange beetle?? http://www.biggamephotography.com/naturephotography/GB%20Collection/orange%20beetle.jpg

thanks Maoririder 18:25, 15 December 2005 (UTC)

That is a weird beetle, what the hell is it?

therft charges
I am just wondering if anyone knows how long my theft charge is going to be on my records and what I can do about it affecting my chance to get a good job.I am only a misomedos.


 * Without knowing things like what country you are in, and what exactly you were convicted of, it's impossible to answer this. As for your emplyment chances, maybe it would be better to talk to someone at a careers advisory centre, or whatever your local equivalent of the job exchange is. DJ Clayworth 19:55, 15 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Could be in perpetuity, forever, so you want to be careful it stays only one charge, and not multiply. User:AlMac|(talk) 01:59, 16 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Usually after 3-10 years you can apply for a Pardon from your federal government - I'm taking a random stab in the dark that you're young, so that likely seems forever...but taking it from a guy who was arrested four years ago, it passes a lot sooner than you'd think :) Sherurcij (talk) (bounties) 11:14, 16 December 2005 (UTC)
 * Yes, if you are a minor, then when you reach adulthood, your record as a minor is often sealed, but like in the TV shows, you get into trouble again, and perhaps the seal can be breached. The key is that some places in USA, the third offense can send you to jail for life.  In some states there are people with life sentences for minor stuff like shop lifting, because it was their third offense ... they are considered to be professional criminals, that are no longer desired to be part of law abiding society. User:AlMac|(talk) 18:18, 16 December 2005 (UTC)
 * Most of the time, in the US, they'll ask on job applications (varies from state to state): "Have you been convicted of a crime in the past x years?" While the criminal charge might stay on your record forever, you can answer no to this question if x < the time since your conviction. (Of course, if you were only CHARGED and not CONVICTED, there's a difference there, too.) And, if you go to apply at a small business, they generally don't do criminal background checks, soo...if you're that worried, only apply at places that probably have only one location in the civilized world. Cernen 14:48, 17 December 2005 (UTC)

Looking for the names of 2 "Italian" actors
HI folks, I'm looking for the names of 2 actors. I remember seeing them in a couple of "b" movies in the early eighties. I think they are Italian One of them is of heavy build over weight even, and had a beard. Very similar to Brian Blessed (British actor), this guy never spoke much. The other guy ws his stooge he is slim, blue eyed and blonde haired. They never spoke english but I remember them in some cowboy film can't remember it's name either ( old age on my part). I really would like to know what they are up too now. Just curious. Human nature I suppose?


 * Carlo Pedersoli and Mario Girotti. Lupo 08:39, 16 December 2005 (UTC)

The Corporate Environment
HI,

I am experiencing my first "REEL" corporate job experience. Upon being hired I became so busy with having to learn my trade that I never "REELLY" socialize with anyone. By the time I realized the social factor, Now I've started to see that I am being overlooked when it comes to "Good Mornings", "byes", and/or 'Lunch", is it too late for me? Am I already labelled?, Should I start looking for another job?, I am so unhappy now, I find it hard to get up in the morning, Just a feeling of dread that I can't just shake off, I hate having to deal with this on a daily basis, No one ever told me that it would be this hard, I wish college had prepared me for this, any suggestions will be appreciated.  Thank You.


 * If you like the job then I would suggest that you make the effort to be social. You could perhaps start with a general "good morning" etc to everyone even if at first they don't reply. Also try and start up a conversation with the person that works closest to you or that you have to talk to most often. Ask them for help in meeting others in your work place. Suggest that you are shy about meeting people and could use some help with introductions. You could explain that you were so busy trying to learn the job that you feel bad about not getting to know people sooner. If you have a lunch room/coffee room then you could always make cookies and leave them with a note telling people to help themselves. Leave out stuff that people might be allergic to like peanuts, etc. CambridgeBayWeather (Talk) 01:03, 16 December 2005 (UTC)

Karolina
I know Karolina is used in Russian, Polish, Czech and Scandinavian countries, but I'm wondering if it's commonly used in The Netherlands. Thanks.

Why is it so FREAKING cold?
I'm freezing!!!!

[To not make this look like vandalism:] Is there a reason for the recent cold streak in the midwest region of the US (and why it happened so swiftly)? &mdash; Ilγαηερ   (Tαlκ)  23:16, 15 December 2005 (UTC)


 * I assumed that it's just been a mild Nor'easter. I recommend bundling up, running to the library, and checking out the Farmer's Almanac to see if they cover the meteorology behind why some winters begin colder than others. --Mareino 23:22, 15 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Where in the midwest because it looks pretty mild to me. It's -34 °C (-29 °F) here and dosen't feel too bad. CambridgeBayWeather (Talk) 23:40, 15 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Err, it ain't cold in the Midwest. At least not cold for the middle of December. It's actually quite balmy. android  79  23:47, 15 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Because you're not in Darwin, Northern Territory. this is the forecast.  It's basically exactly the same for the next few months.  Then they have the "dry" season, where it's hot and dry every single day for months... --Robert Merkel who is also freezing in Melbourne where it's a miserable 19 Celsius (66 Farenheit) ;)


 * Pretty warm here, too, and I am from the Northern Hemispere (Amsterdam) :) . Actually, up to now, worldwide, 2005 as a whole is the second warmest year ever (with 0,48 C over the 1961-1990 average), after 1998. Furthermore, the 10 hottest years since 1901 are all after 1988 (that's 10 out of 17 years!). Seems like global warming is setting in even faster than was predicted. But part of the expected climate change is less predictable weather with wild local variations, so if you are in cold local spot that isn't surprising. DirkvdM 07:49, 16 December 2005 (UTC)
 * I must agree with DirkvdM. Although many places are getting hotter than normal weather we are on our third year of below normal temperatures. In fact I don't think we even got up to 20 °C this summer. What we have seen in January/February is instead of a few days of -40 °C and colder is a week or more of it at a time. However, a few years ago we were setting record highs several times a year. CambridgeBayWeather (Talk) 08:49, 16 December 2005 (UTC)

I hereby jackassedly refer you to Climate of London. Cernen 21:21, 17 December 2005 (UTC)
 * The Midwest US is experiencing a several weeks-long cold snap. Here in Detroit each day in December has averaged 5 to 20 degrees F below average and snowfall this season is running at 3 times average. But we need to recognize that the average is made of days above average and days below average. The average is by no means a normal or expected temperature. Of course a 300% value is really starting to push the thin edge of the distribution. Rmhermen 21:40, 17 December 2005 (UTC)

=December 16=

Correct form of US Military address and others
Hi :)

I have a few questions. Hope someone/anyone can help.

Consider the following scenario: There are 5 men in a room. They are interrogating a civilian. They are: 1. Lieutenant General George McIntyre 2. Major General William Schumann 3. Major General David Henderson 4. Rear Admiral Kirk Armstrong 5. Captain James Lindsay

Question 1 In the course of your conversation (not formal introduction) would you address numbers 1, 2, 3 as simply General McIntyre, General Schumann, General Henderson? Or would you have to differentiate (especially between 1 and 2) and address them fully as Lieutenant General McIntyre and Major General Schumann?

Question 2 In the same scenario as above, Lieutenant General McIntyre is talking about 2 men: Lieutenant McKenzie & Lieutenant-Commander Sutherland. Both are in the Navy. In the course of the conversation could you simply call them both Lieutenant McKenzie & Lieutenant Sutherland or again must you distinguish and use their full ranks when talking about them?

UNRELATED TO THE ABOVE SCENARIO Question 3 Would the Navy allow a Commander to physically lead a mission (i.e. get down and dirty on the 'battlefield')? I was under the impression that high-ranking officers are not generally 'allowed' to go on missions.

Question 4 a. What is the possible youngest age for a person to be a Commander in the Navy? b. Same question but this time to be a Lieutenant-Commander in the Navy?

Hope someone can help me out. Thanks Sam.


 * Sounds like you're writing a book, story, or script? My knowledge of this is from TV (JAG), movies (A Few Good Men) and the Internet, so hopefully someone who really knows about the US Navy will correct me if I'm wrong.


 * 1) According to the article General, Major and Lieutenant Generals would indeed be addressed in informal conversation as "General ...".
 * 2) No. McKenzie would be called "Lieutenant McKenzie" but Sutherland would be "Commander Sutherland".
 * 3) Depends on what you mean by "mission". This being the Navy, it certainly would not be unheard of for a Commander to be in command of a ship/sub/flight squadron which goes into battle.
 * 4) One of the US Navy's youngest ever Commanders was Cmdr Harley Hall of the Blue Angels. He was a Commander at 32 I believe, may have been promoted even earlier. I have read something about a 23-year-old Lieutenant-Commander, but that may have been fictional.

--Canley 03:02, 16 December 2005 (UTC)

states
how many states are there in the Unites States of America?
 * Try United States. CambridgeBayWeather (Talk) 00:50, 16 December 2005 (UTC)


 * How many Senators are there? Artoftransformation 03:25, 17 December 2005 (UTC)--
 * Try United States. CambridgeBayWeather (Talk) 10:09, 17 December 2005 (UTC)


 * How many stars on the Flag? Artoftransformation 03:25, 17 December 2005 (UTC)--
 * Try Flag of the United States. CambridgeBayWeather (Talk) 10:09, 17 December 2005 (UTC)

logo types
HELLO I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW THE 5 LOGOS USED IN GRAPHIC DESIGN, I KNOW ITS TRADMARKS, COMBINATION MARKS, LOGOS, AND PICTIGRAPHS I JUST NEED ONE MORE.


 * The article Logo says there are three main types: Combination (icon plus text), Logotype/Wordmark/Lettermark (text or abbreviated text), and Icon (symbol/brandmark). A logo can be a trademark, but not all trademarks are logos so I wouldn't call that a "type" of logo. A monogram is a type of logo, but strictly speaking it's a kind of logotype. A slogan can be used as part of a logo or branding, but that's also a kind of logotype or combination. --Canley 02:13, 16 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Caps lock Sherurcij (talk) (bounties)

reconstruction and the war in iraq
what are some of the things that post civil war reconstruction and post saddam iraq have in common. explain in the simplist way possible. iam not doing my homework.


 * Which civil war are you talking about? One could presume you are talking about the Iraqi civil war, but you could just as easily mean the American Civil War. --Canley 02:42, 16 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Well, America has had its fair share of civil wars, but he probably means the one in the US because the period known as reconstruction is about that. All very confusing, also that a general term like 'reconstruction' is used for the article on one specific meaning. But if there are no other meanings to dismabiguate to, I supose that will do for now. Which doesn't answer the question, though, sorry (that will teach you to be specific :) ). DirkvdM 07:55, 16 December 2005 (UTC)


 * If we're talking Iraq 2003-present and Dixie 1865-1880, then the obvious comparison is that both were under USA military occupation, and the military was propping up the civilian government. In both cases, the regions saw the worst terrorist movements in their entire history, with the most famous group in Dixie being the KKK.  In both cases, it's hard to tell whether the majority supported the occupation, but in general the more powerful someone was before the occupation, the more they resented it (no surprise there), but because the USA did so little to remove the powerful class, these resisters tended to be very influential members of the community.  In the South, for example, virtually all the freedmen loved the new government, but since many of the former slave-holders were still quite wealthy, they could make their voices of dissent heard much easier. --Mareino 14:48, 16 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Me granddad says to watch Lawrence of Arabia, but he says that about EVERYTHING when it comes to the middle east. It might be helpful? Cernen 14:52, 17 December 2005 (UTC)

a personal question
which, according to u, is best, LOVE OR ARRANGED MARRIAGE? i have read that love marriages ends up at divorce and arranged marriages are mostly made up of compromises! so which one is the best in ur opinion? kindly explain


 * This Reference Desk is for people to seek information and facts, not personal opinions. However, you can read the "Proponent's view" section in the Arranged marriage article if you want. --Canley 02:35, 16 December 2005 (UTC)


 * this chapter overview from a psychology textbook briefly hints at what the psychologists have to say on this topic - that at least some studies suggest that arranged marriages work at least as well as love marriages.  That said, to make a marriage work in any culture requires compromise; people who remain successfully married in my own culture, where all marriages are "love marriages", generally work hard at maintaining their relationships.   For what it's worth, however, I'm certainly not volunteering for my parents to pick my life partner...--Robert Merkel 06:05, 16 December 2005 (UTC)


 * How about staying single? It's the only way to guarantee you won't get divorced. --Nelson Ricardo 18:37, 16 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Please ask U. Artoftransformation 03:24, 17 December 2005 (UTC)--

Need a musician with a good ear Volume three
Alright, wikipedians, this is 67.160.39.151 again with another request~!

You probably don't remember me, but good God do I remember you.

Long story short, I need a tab to the TMBG song "Boat of Car"

I need a tablature of the horn section, I don't care the format, sheet music is fine, guitar tab is also acceptable, but I can't play guitar, so I would have to work it out note by note. also, a straight textual representation of the note names would suffice. I just want to know how to play the riffs, etc...

http://www.wnyc.org/stream/ram.py?file=studio360/studio070503c.ra&start=%2214:58.4%22&end=%2216:11.6%22

^ A link.

Thanks, GO NOW.

67.160.39.151 03:14, 16 December 2005 (UTC)

Merry Christmas~!


 * You might get better results placing your request on the TMBG wiki. TheMadBaron 04:48, 16 December 2005 (UTC)

alright, but still, it would be great if someone from wikipedia could help me out 67.160.39.151 18:45, 19 December 2005 (UTC)

Upmarket national real estate site for the United States
Can anyone recommend a real estate site where one can look at pictures of expensive houses for sale all over the United States? Preferably one where there are plans of most of the houses. This is purely for personal curiousity. In the UK there is a site called primelocation.com which features ads from most of the upmarket agents throughout the country, but I'm having difficulty finding U.S. sites which feature a large range of premium houses. In the absence of a national site, what about ones that cover California or Texas? CalJW 06:41, 16 December 2005 (UTC)


 * For obvious reasons, owners of expensive houses are reluctant to publish detailed plans of their property on the web. And in real estate, competition is fierce, so I doubt whether there is a site that collates information from the huge number of real estate dealers. --Shantavira 14:05, 16 December 2005 (UTC)
 * A lot of them aren't. I've seen complete plans for a house in Holland Park, London that's currently on the market for £25 million. There are also plans on many of the listings on the New York Times property section, but that is mainly focused on New York. CalJW 19:51, 16 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Maybe I'm not wealthy enough, but I don't think that there any upmarket-only real estate brokers that operate on a geographic area any larger than one or two cities. The mass-market leaders are quite happy to position themselves as capable of selling expensive homes, though.  Most of them are members of the trade association Realtor. --Mareino 14:53, 16 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Actually www.mls.com gives a huge number of properties for sale in the US. It's not restricted to 'upmarket' but you can search by price as well as location. I expect that some really prestigious properties are not listed there, but you should get something. DJ Clayworth 18:25, 16 December 2005 (UTC)
 * Thanks, I'll try it out. CalJW 19:51, 16 December 2005 (UTC)

Sysop in wikipedia..
How can i become a sysop on wikipedia? Or anyone who can control atleast some of the stuff on wikipedia..

Jayant, 17 Years,India


 * You already control some things: the text in the pages of the article. Sysops, or administrators, have no more authority than you, but do have a few tools that let them do things you can't so far. After you make 1000 or so good edits to the articles, people will begin to consider that you should become an administrator, and you'll be nominated and approved (unless you've ticked a lot of people off or been really nasty!) And that's it. Done't think about it now, do 1000 or 2000 edits, and think about it then. -Nunh-huh 10:06, 16 December 2005 (UTC)

1000 or 2000 edits? Cool.. I am gonna start now. but will the people know that its me whos doing the edits?


 * They will if you create an account first. David Sneek 10:29, 16 December 2005 (UTC)


 * I've now done over 3000 article-edits and no-one has nominated me yet :( . I don't think I've ticked off too many people :) . But there's probably another reason. My edits are spread over almost 1000 pages (you can check all this here). And the subjects vary wildly. I don't spend enough time in one spot for the 'locals' (those who stick to a small set of related articles) to notice me. Of course, one can ask to become an admin, and I wuld probably get it. But I don't see how that would help me much in my work (all the important editing is still possible without this status), and I'm trying to get my life back anyway (I've done all this in less than a year, so that's about 15 edits per day - and mine are usually 'big' edits), so I won't be applying. In short, what I'm saying is what Nunh-huh said. It's not such a big deal. Don't worry about it. But most of all, don't edit for the sake of editing. Just start reading in Wikipedia and you'll automaticallycome across things you can help out with. So learn and teach, depending on which fits you most. DirkvdM 09:26, 17 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Supplementary question: How do I count my edits? --Shantavira 11:59, 18 December 2005 (UTC)
 * With the edit counter. David Sneek 16:50, 18 December 2005 (UTC)

collating company collateral to create an intelligent database
Hello: i am at the beginning stage of collating a huge amount of data scattered all over my company in order to create an actionable intelligent database to be used by Sales/ Delivery / Sourcing and finally clients. the data collation and parellely creation from the said departments comprises of case studies/ whitepapers/ capability documents etc. which is the best way to start so that the system created can integrate with a full fledged intelligent database structure subsequently. thank you203.99.42.133 10:59, 16 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Data Mining. The structure is called a relational database. Go find a software engineer to do the datamining, and design the indexing system for a relational database system like Oracle or MSSQL. Artoftransformation 03:23, 17 December 2005 (UTC)--

User:AlMac|(talk) 15:48, 21 December 2005 (UTC)
 * You might read up on Artificial intelligence or Expert systems, which tend to either be complete flops or tremendously successful in building [[business rules] that computers can recognize to identify exceptions.
 * In the area of computer security against insider crime, software is being marketed which learns from standard patterns of co-worker data processing to rapidly detect exceptions to those rules, and notify someone of suspicious behavior when it starts.
 * It is important to have a relational database system for data mining or business intelligence that can operate off of the existing company computer systems, to minimize need to aquire massively costing new resources, and be perpetually up-to-date with your existing data as it grows.

Jayant
Since I find myself knowing more about a 17-year old's sleeping habits than I know about my brother...I am struggling with the question "Is Jayant left-handed? Also, what are his favourite sports?" I hope that Wikipedia is able to help me with this! :) Sherurcij (talk) (bounties) 11:28, 16 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Hey, is asking too many questions on wikipedia a crime or something? Or are you really serious about the stuff you just said?
 * Jayant, 17 Years,India (P.S. I am right handed and i enjoy playing basketball and table tennis.)


 * Nah, just a little bit of fun :) (By the way, when responding to somebody, if you put a : in front of what you say, it will indent it as a reply...similarly, if it's a reply to a reply, use :: - you can see how many to add, just look on the 'edit' page how many the person before you used! :)  Also, I would highly encourage you to create an account, it will let you keep track of things better! :) Sherurcij (talk) (bounties) 14:03, 16 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Thanks for the tip. And i do have an account.
 * And can i also know where you are from? I dont think it's mentioned on your page.
 * If you use ~ it will automatically sign & date your posts with your account name. AllanHainey 16:08, 16 December 2005 (UTC)


 * I know that you could sign your name that way. And I do read the instructions given at the top of this page. And I sign my name that way because I am used to it and its different.
 * Maybe you could still use your 'Jayant, 17 Years,India' by changing what your signature appears like.--Ali K 03:09, 17 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Yup, you can change it so that's your signature :) ALso, I'm Canadian btw Sherurcij (talk) (bounties)

Tiger, Il Dottore
please, can somebody help me? i need to know, which sport personality or sport team was called Il Dottore and Tiger. it is not one personality or team.
 * Try Valentino Rossi for one example of "the Doctor" and how about Eldrick Woods. CambridgeBayWeather (Talk) 18:01, 16 December 2005 (UTC)

British Christmas TV shows
What Television show holds the record as the most watched Show on Christmas in Britain?
 * One example after short googling: . –Mysid 13:41, 16 December 2005 (UTC)


 * I suspect a 1970s Morecambe and Wise Christmas Show would be a likely strong contender, though it wouldn't surprise me if it was Coronation Street or EastEnders. James Bond films used to be quite popular at Christmas, until they got over-repeated, and The Great Escape of course, which was traditional Christmas viewing. I don't think the Queen's Speech would ever have counted, even though when I was a kid she used to be on all three channels simultaneously - in our house it was the cue to bring out the Christmas cake and mince pies! -- Arwel (talk) 00:20, 18 December 2005 (UTC)

My Name....
Can anyone else use "my name" as a subject/heading in Wikipedia?

Jayant, 17 years,India


 * In a talk page, or something like the Reference Desk that's basically a structured talk page, yes. In an article, no, unless of course you do something newsworthy, like play for India on the Summer Olympics basketball team.  Of course, we all have to be polite on these talk pages.  I think that Sherurcij was just being friendly and gregarious, and a bit curious as to why you sign your name "Jayant, 17 years, India", instead of the computer-assisted form (type ~ ) that most other people use.  I happen to like the way you sign your name. :) --Mareino 15:03, 16 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Thanks a lot. Finally someone that likes something I do. And I have a question for Mareino. How can i know more about you? I mean its just a general question.

When we (type ~ ), unless our signature is broken, you get a link to the pages on that person, who may have volunteered info about themselves, assuming they are a registered member. You can then get to their talk pages and ask friendly questions about them, like how old are you (some adult women who are really like age "57" may reply "21"). User:AlMac|(talk) 18:26, 16 December 2005 (UTC)

what is the capital of south africa
capetown.
 * The question should be "what are the capitals of south africa". The country of South Africa has three. See South Africa CambridgeBayWeather (Talk) 18:05, 16 December 2005 (UTC)

shaq versus kobe.
who wins? i got kobe just amazing. (posted by Maoririder)


 * Depends on what the competion is. Hand-to-hand combat, I go with Big Aristotle.  One-on-one basketball, I go with Kobe (Shaq can't dribble or defend the perimeter very well).  As a team member, though, a good center is a lot harder to find than a good guard, and Shaq seems to be a better leader. --Mareino 18:36, 16 December 2005 (UTC)

Alwaleed bin Talal
Please furnish me the correct and complete mailing address to make contact with Alwaleed bin Talal. I wish to contact his business firm.
 * It's probably best to Google for his business name to find details like this. - Mgm|(talk) 10:43, 18 December 2005 (UTC)

Car Trouble
What can ruin a car so badly you'd need to replace at least 80% of the parts? (excluding a crash or fire). DuctapeDaredevil 17:28, 16 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Rust --86.144.85.25 18:06, 16 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Prolonged immersion in water, contamination with a radioactive substance, many years of neglect leading to systemic rust, prolonged use in a caustic environment (limekilns, the wet bit of the beach). -- Finlay McWalter | Talk 18:09, 16 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Do you have something in mind? :) DirkvdM 09:34, 17 December 2005 (UTC)
 * I owe someone a Secret Santa story. None of these are quite quick enough for my liking, so I'll just have Magneto visit, as it's X-Men universe.  DuctapeDaredevil 02:04, 18 December 2005 (UTC)

laundering a duvet
I once read that most down or feather duvets should be dry cleaned. If a duvet appears to consist of neither, would it quite safe to stick it in a washing machine? I also read that sometimes this is impossible because of load considerations. How full is too full for a washing machine? thanks --86.144.85.25 18:06, 16 December 2005 (UTC)
 * There should be a label of somesort on the duvet that gives cleaning instuctions. I have a duvet that can be washed but yours might be different. If you have a front loading washing machine then a single bed duvet might be OK. However, you can't get stuff a double or larger duvet in my loader. However, I have washed the double bed duvet in a top loader without any problem. I suggest you look on the duvet for the cleaning instructions and look at the instructions that came with the washing machine. If you can't find them then take it to a dry cleaner and see what happens. 18:16, 16 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Thanks. I forgot to say the label has faded completely so I've lost all washing instructions. --86.144.85.25 18:19, 16 December 2005 (UTC)

Many laundromats have large size washers and dryers. These things are huge! When I need to wash something like a blanket or a sleeping bag that is not 'dry clean only' then I go spend an hour or so at a laundromat. A 05:40, 18 December 2005 (UTC)

ryan atwood.
what will happen to him in the end he either dies or goes away. (posted by  Maoririder)


 * (For those who don't know, Ryan Atwood is the name of the main character on The O.C.). The correct answer to your question, Maoririder, is no one knows.  I very much doubt that the writers will either kill him off or have him go away, though.  Why can't they just have him go to a local college? --Mareino 18:44, 16 December 2005 (UTC)

free speech in a novel
hi guys, i'm from a latin american country and i wonder what can i write in a novel: like band names, famous people names and critique political groups and presidential candidates for the coming elections in my country, WITHOUT being killed! by our probably dictatorial next leader who is a military oficial...my gosh i'm scared but i feel like i should do it no matter what... thnx


 * Your question has already been answered in the Humanities section. --Shantavira 19:44, 16 December 2005 (UTC)
 * Actually, I didn't successfully answer the question, which is specifically here in the Humanities section, for anyone who wants to try answering it. --Mareino

Write your book, but release it under a pseudonym. It depends on whether you want your voice, or the money. It's possible you could have both, but you can probably protect yourself by writing anonymously, but then it will be harder to collect money from people buying it. Tough decision, good luck. What country are you from, anyway? -- Natalinasmpf 00:16, 17 December 2005 (UTC)

I'm from Peru,and yeah, i want both things, and i want to find the way of getting both, because with the money, then i'll have the chance of being heard without having to use a pseudonym, since i'll aford to move to another country...also i'm a female, and i'd rather publish my book under a male name, since i dunno... haha by the way, u rock Mareino :) thnx a lot 4 being so nice!


 * I'm a law student in the US. As I understand it, your country is in a transitional period. My advice: Find a liberal lawyer in Peru and ask him/her about the law in your country. Your problem is a very subtle one - there's no way to know what to do without being a highly educated Peruvian. Good luck. --George 09:18, 17 December 2005 (UTC)

Scandahoovian
What is a Scandahoovian? This is a pretty common term and seems to deserve an entry.


 * Seems to be a word referring to a person of Norwegian and Swedish descent living in Minnesota, Iowa and such states. If you feel including the concept will enhance the encyclopaedia, then why not create an account and start the page? Natgoo 00:27, 17 December 2005 (UTC)

=December 17=

Why are all the leftist European leaders losing power, but Bush is attacked in the media as having few friends?
Why are all the leftist European leaders losing power, but Bush is attacked in the media as having few friends?

Are there substantiations for both of these claims? -- Natalinasmpf 00:14, 17 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Hard to say. Perhaps the movement just is towards the middle? My impression has been that even leftist american politicians would be considered far-right in Europe, and vice versa. TERdON 00:58, 17 December 2005 (UTC)


 * I share this 'impression' as a Canadian, where the furthest Right party would be considered left of the Democrats (though Nader of course is a special case, more akin to Canada's New Democratic Party. Sherurcij (talk) (bounties) 14:04, 17 December 2005 (UTC)


 * A further point to consider is that, surprising though it may be to Americans, politics in foriegn countries doesn't entirely revolve around their senior politicians' relationship with the US administration. This is particularly so in parliamentary systems where there's no separate vote for a president elected in substantial part for their foriegn policy expertise.  Schroeder's poor election performance has a hell of a lot more to do with Germany's lacklustre economy (and, more specifically, the high unemployment) as it does with his stance on GWB, which remains extremely popular over there judging from what I saw on my visit in 2004 and what I've read since.   --Robert Merkel 02:46, 17 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Yes, I was also thinking that the questioneer was thinking about Germany (and possibly France). In the UK, labour party is in power. Which, ironically, is Bush's best 'friend', so the assumed link may not be too valid. Another issue is how 'leftwing' they still are, but, as TERdON pointed out, even European right wing is left wing from a US perspective. And Spain has a left wing cabinet. The Netherlands has one of the most rightwing cabinets ever, but as a result the polls show that if elections were held now, the pure leftwing parties would have an absolute majority, which would be a first in Dutch history (and Dutch left wing is real left wing, despite what people say about the PvdA). For the rest I'm not sure, but I want to know this, so I'll do a little research (and maybe base an article on it). I'll be back! DirkvdM 09:54, 17 December 2005 (UTC)

And here I am again. I've looked through the politics articles for the European countries and made a rough estimate of how left/right the party politics are. Alas, for many countries, oddly, the composition of the coalition (if any) isn't given and I didn't make such a detailed study of it (yet), so the list below is very tentative, sometimes just based on the distribution of seats and the description of the biggest party (or parties). Feel free to correct it if it's wrong. Like I said, this could be made into an article, although terms like left/right are rather pov. A different terminology would make more sense. The proposed article should preferably also show the development over time, giving an overview of the shift in politics of European countries (and of course this shoudn't be limited to Europe).

It seems that there is a reasonable balance between left and right, but even if there were more right-wing governments, those would generally be more centre-right, due to coalitions. It should be noted that usually there is a major centre-left and a major centre-right party and if another party becomes the major party that doesn't necessarily mean a big shift in politics (although exactly that might happen in the Netherlands in 2007). It usually isn't a winner-take-all system like in the US. Most (democratic) countries in the world have parliaments and coalitions. But the fact that the coalitions aren't mentioned in the articles really drove me nuts. That's the best indicator of the politics of a country. The prime minister is often given, but that's just a figurehead with no extra power. I suspect that, as with most of the English speaking Wikipedia, most edits are done by US citizens, who can't wrap their heads around there not being a single person in power :) . An example can be found in Danish parliamentary election, 2005, where the second sentence states that the PM got most seats, when of course it's the party that gets the seats (one person can occupy just one seat :) ). Towards the end I started giving up if I didn't find the info quickly. I'll have to research this later a bit more, but some help will be appreciated.

I now suppose that a list of coalition parties (plus major other parties) would make more sense, possibly with a very short description of its politics, if possible. I've already done something similar in Politics of the Netherlands, and tables like that would make sense for all countries. Of course in the overview it shouldn't be so extensive. But for the required research a better source is needed because Wikipedia doesn't seem to give this info yet. Or have I been going about this the wrong way?

An interresting thing I noticed is that communist parties seem bigger than I thought they were, especially in Eastern Europe. DirkvdM 16:23, 17 December 2005 (UTC)


 * I'm rather doubtful of some of those classifications - Austria for example has a Socialist president, but the Chancellor who actually runs the country is Christian Democrat (and his first administration was in coalition with the neo-fascist FPÖ). I wouldn't characterise the Irish government as left wing either - both the traditional governing parties, Fianna Fail and Fine Gael, would be classed as Christian Democratic, though FG is more likely to form a coalition with the Labour Party - there are relatively few policy differences between them, the main distinguishing feature between the parties and their supporters being which side their fathers, grandfathers, and great-grandfathers fought in the Civil War of 1922-23 (FG supporters backed the winning side, which is why FF has formed most of the governments ever since). -- Arwel (talk) 01:08, 18 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Like I said, the left/right classification is rather vague and the table isn't based on extensive research (yet), so if you see an error feel free to correct it (and possibly use better terminology).
 * Also, I based the table on coalitions. But that's a personal choice because those represent 'true democracy' to me. But of course that is a misrepresentation (it was also 'laziness' on my part) because many countries have (elected) presidents who have some of the power (possibly sometimes even most). So, again, feel free to correct the table (and possibly include info on which part of the government holds how much power, although that might get a bit too extensive for a table). European governments sometimes include a king, but I dont' think any of them hold any actual power, so that aspect can be ignored. And then there are oddities like the Vatican....
 * Who a party has formed a coalition with doesn't say that much about the party. They may be forced by the outcome of the elections (although it can happen that strange things happen when a party refuse to form a coalition with another major party, as seems to have happened in the Czech Republic - if I understood that correctly). A coalition party has to make a choice which aspects of its program it wants implemented and then leave the rest to the coalition partners (roughly speaking). So a centre party may end up participating in a left- or rightwing program, depending on the election results and coalition formation. Which is the way it should be, if you ask me, giving a nice balance between the desires of the population. But then you didn't ask me. :) DirkvdM 09:50, 18 December 2005 (UTC)

It's also possible of course that the relationship with the US is not primarily about left/right politics. Recently it's been about Iraq, which really transcends regular left/right policies. For example the UK (left) joined in while Canada (leftish) didn't and Germany (rightish) didn't. DJ Clayworth 16:38, 19 December 2005 (UTC)

The question is predicated on the fallacy that politics around the world are defined on the same one-dimensional continuum as the United States. Any sort of political classification of this many states would require considering opinions both on international politics (where leaders may share or differ from the American Left or Right) and also on internal politics within the individual country. (which the American Left or Right may have no opinion on). -72.144.236.150 05:20, 20 December 2005 (UTC)

vegg. and non-vegg,
what is best vegetarian or non-vegetarian?


 * See Vegetarianism for arguments for and Vegetarianism for arguments against, and decide for yourself. —Keenan Pepper 00:51, 17 December 2005 (UTC)


 * If you're a cow, vegetarianism is good. DJ Clayworth 16:20, 19 December 2005 (UTC)

etch-a-sketch
Hello, this is KeeganB. When did they stop putting mercury in Etch-a-sketches?


 * Right after they stopped beating their wives. Etch-A-Sketch, first marketed in 1960, contains beads and aluminum powder, not mercury. - Nunh-huh 00:47, 17 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Yeah, how would a mercury Etch-A-Sketch work? The aluminum powder works because it sticks to everything but can be scraped off in a thin line. Mercury doesn't do that (it's a liquid), so if Etch-A-Sketches ever had mercury they would have had to be very different. I suspect it's a hoax or an urban legend. —Keenan Pepper 00:56, 17 December 2005 (UTC)


 * The manufacturer states that Etch-A-Sketches have never contained mercury. (Even though they frequently appear in mercury alarmist sites as "mercury containing"). - Nunh-huh 01:04, 17 December 2005 (UTC)


 * It would be quite outrageous if a toy would contain mercury. Kids have a habit of breaking things and mercury is poisonous. DirkvdM 10:00, 17 December 2005 (UTC)


 * LA Lights shoes (and their knockoff variants) have mercury switches in them, don't they? I don't see any adults wearing them anymore, and my 4-year-old sister has about two or three pair of the light up shoes; another one of those 90's fashion trends that died, thank God. Cernen 21:16, 17 December 2005 (UTC)


 * No mercury in LA Lights (or their knockoffs) according to this patent. Why did you think that mercury would be allowed in such a product? And besides, a mercury switch wouldn't work as this application requires pressure sensitivity and not orientation sensitivity. --hydnjo talk 21:44, 17 December 2005 (UTC)
 * Besides which, mercury is far too valuable to waste like that! -- Arwel (talk) 01:12, 18 December 2005 (UTC)

Idea for content
There should be an area where students can upload class notes to share with other students.

Interesting proposal, but we already have talk pages, and class notes sound kind of copyvio/unreferenced-ish. However, this really should be at Wikipedia policies, guidelines and proposals.
 * This would be outside the current policies on what is appropriate for Wikipedia, see What Wikipedia is not (specifically the section titled Wikipedia is not a free host or webspace provider). -- Rick Block (talk) 01:19, 17 December 2005 (UTC)
 * Just use a free web host and you can achieve the same purpose. CambridgeBayWeather (Talk) 01:33, 17 December 2005 (UTC)


 * I use yahoo groups just for this purpose. Create an email just for that class... Artoftransformation 03:17, 17 December 2005 (UTC)--

del.icio.us - like journaling software
Hi, I'm looking for a journaling software that would operate like this: 1) I tag an entry with keywords in the style of del.icio.us 2) I can then click on that heading and have all the entries with that heading displayed in printable format Is there any software that can do this? I have wikidPad which sort of allows tagging, but only displays pages with a certain tag in a sidebar.

Thanks a whole bunch y'all. Mjklin 02:42, 17 December 2005 (UTC)


 * wordpress blog software has tagging. -Yoink23 23:10, 22 December 2005 (UTC)

busta rhymes brother
About busta rhymes brother, Brodie Edwards, is it really his brother because busta has smith for his (real) last name so how are they brothers? also how does Brodie look like, is he like busta? and where could i find a picture of him?
 * Maybe his brother changed his name, or perhaps their mother remarried before the youngest brother was born which got him the last name of a different father? Just a guess. - Mgm|(talk) 10:48, 18 December 2005 (UTC)

inflation

 * Try the article on inflation.--Ali K 03:01, 17 December 2005 (UTC)

Erections
Hey there I was wondering because I had just read a book 'How Hedley Hopkins did a dare, robbed a grave, made a new friend who might not have really been there at all, and while he was at it committed a terrible sin which everyone was doing even though he didn't know it'by Paul Jennings. There was a scene where Hedley, a young boy of 12 or 13, had an arection of because he was thinking of ladies in the nude and sperm just came out. I heard that had happened in different things like TV shows. But I have erections some times, and when they happen sperm doesn't happen unless I actually masturbate or have sex, I'm confused Sorry I didn't know if this question was allowed


 * Any honest question is welcome at the Reference Desk as long as it's not easily answered by searching Wikipedia (and it's not obviously a homework question).
 * You are correct that orgasm and ejaculation usually take much more stimulation than an erection, and the scene in the book does sound weird. Maybe it wasn't semen, but pre-ejaculate? There can be a suprising amount of that. —Keenan Pepper 06:28, 17 December 2005 (UTC)
 * That said, there is anecdotal evidence that some men can ejaculate without any physical stimulation at all; The Guide to Getting it On tells of a man with such a capability. --Robert Merkel 08:43, 17 December 2005 (UTC)
 * It's a perfectly good question. Ejaculation happens to everyone.
 * There are three possiblities, I think. One, as Keenan Pepper said: it was pre-ejaculate. Two, as Robert Merkel said: a very small number of men can ejaculate just by thinking hard. This is very, very, very rare though. Three, and more likely: Was this a wet dream? It's very common for men to ejaculate at night while they're asleep. You didn't say if Hedley Hopkins was asleep or not.
 * One last possibility: This is just a story and has nothing to do with how real men in the real world work. Much of what you read is not quite how it works in the real world. --George 09:34, 17 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Particularly Paul Jennings, if it's the same guy I'm thinking of; his stories were the basis of the wonderful Round The Twist children's television series. They regularly featured the magical and fantastic in a very humorous manner. --Robert Merkel 11:58, 18 December 2005 (UTC)

Hard fingertips..
I play guitar a lot. After i play sometime i find that the tips of my fingers become hard. Can someone tell me why?

Jayant, 17 Years,India.


 * You're getting a callus. This is a good thing: I play the banjo, and I have calluses on all my fingers. --George 09:40, 17 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Oh..Thanks a lot. I was really worried.


 * On all your fingers? Including the right hand (assuming that's what you pick the stings with)? Do you pick with your bare fingers? Without long nails? On a banjo? And what about your left thumb (or isn't that a finger?)? DirkvdM 10:06, 17 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Oh fine: On all my relevant fingers. You know what I mean. :-P --George 21:52, 17 December 2005 (UTC)

Missing Words...
Sometimes when i write something I miss out some words. I dont even realize that i missed them. I only see my mistake after i read whatever i have written. Can someone tell me why i miss the words while writing? And also why doesn't it happen when I am typing (i am a fairly fast typer)?

Jayant, 17 Years,India.


 * I'm familiar with that. Perhaps it's because you can think faster than you can write; while your hand is still busy making the letters for one word, your mind has already picked the three of four or more words to follow. So it's tempting to jump ahead and skip a few words. David Sneek 10:56, 17 December 2005 (UTC)
 * I never met (or in this case, read about) anyone else who does this. But I just skip all my 'n's.  - Del


 * This happens for me when I am writing, typing (on computer keyboard or more old fashioned thing).

I am a computer programmer. I sometimes have keying errors ... I call them "el typo" ... the kind most disturbing to me is when I key in a logic that is diametrically opposite to what I meant to key ... for example I meant to key one, and I actually keyed the other. I sometimes not see this until I am trying to figure out why the software testing did not get the right results.
 * WHEN VALUE_A is EQUAL to ZERO
 * WHEN VALUE_A is NOT EQUAL to ZERO

Many years ago I had a job supervising a room full of people doing data entry on punched card machines. I learned that different people had patterns of errors.
 * The mind has a string of characters to key, for words spelled correctly in our minds, but some words have the letters in the wrong sequence when they get typed. Some words more often than others.  I think it has to do with whether the person has learned touch typing (your hands not looking at keyboard while you type), whether we looking at a screen while we type or write, so we see mistakes as they happen, and fix them right away, and placement of keys on keyboard ... the signal to press this or that key, relative to how far we have to move fingers to get to that key.
 * Some word gets repeated, doubled up, and we are less likely to notice when the first is at the end of a line, and second at beginning of a line. User:AlMac|(talk) 09:08, 20 December 2005 (UTC)

Sneezing at the sun...
Why do most people sneeze when they look at the sun? It happens to me lots of times.

Jayant, 17 Years,India.


 * That was asked before. See Reference_desk_archive/Science/November_2005. This is in the archives of the science ref desk (see archives link above). DirkvdM 10:11, 17 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Photic sneeze reflex. —Keenan Pepper 19:39, 17 December 2005 (UTC)

who designed 'google'
See Google. David Sneek 14:21, 17 December 2005 (UTC)

hockey player
Could anyone tell me where Daniel Tkaczuk a Former Barrei Colt and Calgary Flames draftpick is now playing. And if there is any chance he will return to the NHL ---66.225.171.88 15:38, 17 December 2005 (UTC)
 * Try Hockey database (popups) and 2005-06 stats. CambridgeBayWeather (Talk) 18:15, 17 December 2005 (UTC)

my atlantis el dorado theroy
hi im that same guy who said atlantis and sodom and gommorah maybe one in the same i was watching an episode of digging for the truth on the history channel about the search for el dorado [the city of gold]and i came up with a theroy could the lost city of el dorado and the lost city of atlantis be one in the same could el dorado have been the mythical lost city of atlantis be one in the same could the term city of gold been a metaphor for its advanced technologies and could the conquistodors were searching for a city that had technologies that would enable spain to become the most powerful nation on earth.
 * That's nice. See WP:NOR, WP:NOT, grammar, and punctuation. --jpgordon∇∆∇∆ 16:40, 17 December 2005 (UTC)

It sounds like you're ready to write a History Channel show! alteripse 19:28, 17 December 2005 (UTC)


 * I'm quite sure I've read that El Dorado is supposed to be in South America, while Atlantis is somewhere in the Atlantic ocean, so I doubt they could be the same. – B jonas 13:14, 21 December 2005 (UTC)

What the **** is this thing?
http://gamecenter.globo.com/GameCenter2/foto/0,,3078331,00.jpg Maoririder 16:34, 17 December 2005 (UTC)
 * Well, it says "GSCube" on it; why not Google for "GSCube" and see what you get? --jpgordon∇∆∇∆ 16:37, 17 December 2005 (UTC)

can you tell me please? Maoririder 16:38, 17 December 2005 (UTC)
 * If you learn how to effectively use google, you'll be able find out nearly anything like this on your own (without asking anyone else to help you). Is there some reason you can't use google? -- Rick Block (talk) 16:44, 17 December 2005 (UTC)

i thought reference desk could help me on wikipedia i like you guys trying to figure things out. thanks Maoririder 16:45, 17 December 2005 (UTC) iam not dumb just need help.


 * The reference desk can help you. Jpjordan is trying to help you learn how to use Google like evryone else on the planet.  --Nelson Ricardo 17:58, 17 December 2005 (UTC)
 * "Give a man a fish and he'll be able to eat for a day. Teach a man to fish and he'll be able to eat for a lifetime." - Somebody's proverb.  And just because you "like you guys trying to figure things out" doesn't mean that our one and only job is to sit on the net answering questions.  So if you can find the answer yourself it'll give you more time doing things that you'd rather be doing and we'll be able to have more time for other people who actually need their answers for some purpose.  Dismas|(talk) 22:22, 17 December 2005 (UTC)
 * "Light a fire and you'll be warm for a while. Set yourself on fire and you'll be warm for the rest of your life" --frenchman113

I think it's a ****. DirkvdM 08:15, 18 December 2005 (UTC)


 * http://cma.zdnet.com/texis/techinfobase/techinfobase/+owo_qr+_WX__v/zdisplay.html
 * Its a GSCube. Really. Read the help file at google or ask a libraian.

"16 PlayStation 2s in one box." Next Question Please... 08:56, 18 December 2005 (UTC)-- Looks like a gamecube knockoff! Crap

check it out.
http://www.actaonline.org/Images/whats_new/order_rising_sun_05_2005.jpg Maoririder 16:43, 17 December 2005 (UTC) what is it?
 * Try Order of the Rising Sun. CambridgeBayWeather (Talk) 18:23, 17 December 2005 (UTC)

Swift Boat Vets picking on Kerry.
http://www.theonion.com/content/files/images/onion_news3021.frontpage_thumbnail.jpg Maoririder 16:44, 17 December 2005 (UTC) why did they do it? democrats only. http://www.jewishworldreview.com/images/sharon_bush_smile.jpg whats so funny. Maoririder 16:46, 17 December 2005 (UTC)

BUSH RANCH wow lots of space to create something?? http://cryptome.org/bush-ranch-02m.jpgMaoririder 16:50, 17 December 2005 (UTC)

Clockwork Orange? song? DJ Tiesto?? or Lords of Acid??
Please help it is a good song need help?? Maoririder 17:01, 17 December 2005 (UTC)
 * Try Clockwork Orange. I assume that you are referring to the third but you might mean the second. CambridgeBayWeather (Talk) 18:12, 17 December 2005 (UTC)
 * According to this persons MP3 playlist it's by Lords of Acid. The other google hits look much the same. CambridgeBayWeather (Talk) 18:52, 17 December 2005 (UTC)

Johannes kjarvalv??
http://www.exporevue.com/images/magazine/889safneign_kjarval.jpg who is he Björk has a song named after him/her?? Maoririder 17:09, 17 December 2005 (UTC)
 * Right now the best suggestion I can give is to google Björk and sign up for one of the fan sites that has a forum and ask them. I might be able to find out in a few days. CambridgeBayWeather (Talk) 18:52, 17 December 2005 (UTC)

why cant you?
 * Because I have no interest in Björk and really don't want to sign up for another forum. I belong to way too many as it is. Which album is it on? CambridgeBayWeather (Talk) 20:36, 17 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Because you want to know the answer, not CambridgeBayWeather? Really, Maoririder, most of these questions you could answer yourself using google. Natgoo 21:14, 17 December 2005 (UTC)

Nutella
I just noticed on the back of the nutella jar, where it says "do not refrigerate". Why not? -Tim Rhymeless (Er...let's shimmy) 17:32, 17 December 2005 (UTC)
 * Cold Nutella is hard to spread. If you don't mind that, there's no reason not to refrigerate it; it won't cause any irreparable damage or anything. &mdash;Charles P. (Mirv) 18:06, 17 December 2005 (UTC)
 * I second this. I have put Nutella in the refrigerator and it was fine after it, except a little hard to spread.  Although it might not have been real Nutella, probably only some cheaper clone. – B jonas 13:07, 21 December 2005 (UTC)
 * Though, if you're using Gnutella, you may find it easier to take your computer out of the refrigerator first. (Sorry; couldn't resist, Charles.) Cernen 20:36, 17 December 2005 (UTC)
 * Must have been invented by a gnu, or agonother gnu. JackofOz 21:45, 17 December 2005 (UTC)
 * Well they are the gnicest work of gnature in the zoo, w-hat w-hould you expect from them? (With apologies to Flanders and Swann.) -- AJR | Talk 01:34, 18 December 2005 (UTC)
 * Exactly. Good to find other F&S aficionados.  JackofOz 05:34, 18 December 2005 (UTC)
 * Well, if your hard drive is failing, that might not be such a good idea. Remember, a cold PC is a happy PC! --Sam Pointon 07:14, 18 December 2005 (UTC)

Geography
How high is Mount Kilamanjaroo?
 * I refer you to Mount Kilimanjaro. &mdash; flamingspinach | (talk) 20:57, 17 December 2005 (UTC)
 * That would depend on how many hits it's had. DuctapeDaredevil 02:09, 18 December 2005 (UTC)

The Office Space Incident
Greetings, fellow wikipedians and those of you who may not be but can still answer my query. I had...shall we say...an "episode" last night and took my fried Epson Stylus C82 out to the garage for a little meet and greet with my 8 lb. axe. Being...shall we say, only somewhat angered, I took liberties with it a la Office Space and forgot to remove the inkjet cartridges. Now thar be a smattering of CMYK all over my garage floor, metal hammock thing, and plastic shelves. WD-40 does not seem to aid matters; figuring it lifts oil like a seasoned thief, I tried it to no avail. I'm going to try a Comet scrub later today, but I honestly haven't got a clue as to how I should try attacking these "blood stains." Dwarves say that blood doesn't come out of masonry; I'm sort of hoping that because this is a rented house, that isn't true...any ideas? Cernen 21:14, 17 December 2005 (UTC)
 * LIE. Tell the person that you rent the house from that there was an accident with the cartridges. They were faulty and broke open when you dropped them. Then offer to paint the floor. Buy the paint and do it yourself as it will be cheaper than what she/he would charge you. CambridgeBayWeather (Talk) 21:42, 17 December 2005 (UTC)
 * That's a much better lie than I came up with: (The cartridge ran into my axe. It ran into my axe nine times....) - Nunh-huh 02:58, 18 December 2005 (UTC)
 * The epson came apart in three. Not very sturdy printers, ne? Cernen 07:24, 18 December 2005 (UTC)
 * I've removed stains from concrete with a 50% bleach solution. --hydnjo talk 22:00, 17 December 2005 (UTC)
 * I would have recommended a naptha-based lighter fluid. Possibly the greatest solvent known to man. - Ridge Racer 05:59, 18 December 2005 (UTC)
 * Where would you find such a thing? Cernen 07:24, 18 December 2005 (UTC)
 * Well, in the USA they sell it at gas stations, and other general stores etc.--Ridge Racer 07:43, 18 December 2005 (UTC)

Tomorrow, I plan to go actually try this stuff. All of it. (I was much too lazy to scrub the Comet off the floor; it's way too damn cold.) Cernen 14:34, 19 December 2005 (UTC) Turns out, I freaked out way too much. Comet + elbow grease seemed to do the trick. (Water also helped.) Thank you for the suggestions, and should I ever need to smash another printer to bits, I'll know exactly what to do. ^_^ Cernen 08:53, 20 December 2005 (UTC)

I'm scared of Scientologists.
They might mind-control me! Don't let them, please Kid Apathy 21:53, 17 December 2005 (UTC)
 * Too late you're under their power. CambridgeBayWeather (Talk) 22:18, 17 December 2005 (UTC)


 * As long as you don't star in any movies with Tom Cruise, I think you'll be fine. --George 00:35, 18 December 2005 (UTC)


 * It's OK Kid, they can't make you do anything that you wouldn't have wanted to do anyway. --hydnjo talk 04:40, 18 December 2005 (UTC)
 * Whoa! Thanks for the advice, George. That was a close call. They almost had me. Ground Zero | t 14:28, 19 December 2005 (UTC)

Slug
I've asked this over at the slug page and at several university web sites but I've got no answer. How do slugs survive over the winter in the arctic? I know that flies, etc lay eggs that can survive the cold but is it the same for slugs? CambridgeBayWeather (Talk) 23:57, 17 December 2005 (UTC)
 * Wait... do slugs actually live in the arctic?--Pharos 19:24, 18 December 2005 (UTC)
 * In one place at least otherwise I would not be so interested in the answer. About 12-15 years ago when I lived in Holman, Northwest Territories we went berry picking. About 10 miles out of town I was sitting picking (eating) and lifted up some moss and found about 6 slugs. All were very small, less than 2 in (5 cm) each. As far as I know no one else has ever seen any. CambridgeBayWeather (Talk) 23:23, 18 December 2005 (UTC)
 * Well, they're probably dead by now. --Optichan 22:08, 20 December 2005 (UTC)

Liver
Is there any creature that can eat Polar Bear liver and not die? CambridgeBayWeather (Talk) 23:57, 17 December 2005 (UTC)


 * The article says it's just because of Vitamin A, which is toxic in large doses, but it's also a vitamin, so a small amount of Polar Bear liver should be good for you. —Keenan Pepper 00:16, 18 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Not a chance! I don't think anyone would give me the liver even if I asked for it. Just about everyone in the arctic knows that the liver will kill you. I was thinking more of the foxes and ravens. CambridgeBayWeather (Talk) 00:44, 18 December 2005 (UTC)
 * You cook polar bear, don't you? Cernen 02:23, 18 December 2005 (UTC)
 * Yes. Now that I think about it I've never heard of anyone eating raw polar bear. Hmmm, I wonder why, as seal, caribou, fish is all eaten raw. CambridgeBayWeather (Talk) 02:30, 18 December 2005 (UTC)
 * I think you should not eat it because raw polar bear muscle is a great source of trichinosis if I recall correctly. Other ascaroids may lurk in the liver. Either would put me off polar bear. alteripse 13:55, 18 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Well, I'm a polar bear but you ain't gettin' anywhere near my liver.  JackofOz 05:31, 18 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Thanks for the link. I learned something new today. But I'm still interested in liver. 07:29, 18 December 2005 (UTC)
 * Do polar bears ever feast on each other? Zoe (216.234.130.130 18:47, 20 December 2005 (UTC))

=December 18=

CTY award
What is the name of the award that the Center for Talented Youth gives kids (7th and 8th graders) who score above average (I think&mdash;in any event, very well) on the SAT? --zenohockey 00:29, 18 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Never mind; I found it: "State Award." Sounds prestigious, no?  --zenohockey 01:28, 18 December 2005 (UTC)
 * I'm sure it's nowhere near as prestigious-sounding as the Presidential Fitness Awards that Bill Clinton handed out. 67.150.208.73 02:07, 18 December 2005 (UTC)
 * I once got the Presidential ACADEMIC Fitness Award, during the reign of Bush I. I expect my appointment to the National Academy of Sciences to come any day now...Brian Schlosser42 15:51, 19 December 2005 (UTC)

finding the way of the samurai
I have been reseaching the samurai and it is this small detail that i have yet to find. Based on the traditional ways, how would a samurai strap the katana on his person in armor and traditional dress?

I`m mostly busy on exams and would appreciate anyone taking the time to email me the details. Thank you.


 * Removed your e-mail address - as noted at the top of the page, you shouldn't post your e-mail as it can be picked up by spammers. Unfortunately, I don't know the answer to your question. :) --George 05:44, 18 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Go and watch 'The Seven Samurai.' They didnt strap them, they tucked them in their belt. At least as far as the movies. I will consult a refrence book on Samurai Armor. 08:40, 18 December 2005 (UTC)--


 * According to Katana, it depends on the time period:

";Classification by mode of wear

Do Swiss banks provide the same security outside of Switzerland?
Hello, Swiss banks are known for their confidentiality policies, anonymous banking, and security. But as I read their anonymous banking is possible under some Swiss law. I was looking into it and I visited a page for the biggest bank in Switzerland, UBS AG. I visited their website and I saw they had a location in my city in Canada. Now I was wandering if they still could provide the same services here as they do in Switzerland. --( Aytakin ) | Talk 04:10, 18 December 2005 (UTC)


 * If you have an account at a Canadian branch of a Swiss bank, they're subject to Canadian banking laws. In any case, anecdotally, Swiss banks are no longer quite as secretive as they once were; see Swiss bank.  --Robert Merkel 10:36, 18 December 2005 (UTC)
 * Having done a tad bit of research on this subject before (I was at one point obsessed with foreign banking policies...I obsess over many various things), I can tell you that generally, unless you have a LOT of money, Swiss banks won't touch you. (That's generally why swiss banks aren't often referred to as banks but as "wealth management firms.") But Swiss banks are generally more confidential in Switzerland where the banking laws are, well, very very stringent. Cernen 12:39, 18 December 2005 (UTC)

Thanks, Really helped

Recursive image
A question over at RD/Math got me to reading the Recursion article where there is an example of a recursive image. Well, that brought up a childhood memory (sixty years ago in my case) of the illustration on a common household product. It was an image of someone holding the same product on which was an image of someone holding the same product on which ... and my young imagination was captured. Can somebody identify the product so that I can go to sleep tonight? --hydnjo talk 04:19, 18 December 2005 (UTC)
 * What country do you live in? CambridgeBayWeather (Talk) 05:14, 18 December 2005 (UTC)


 * I suppose this is used a lot, but here's a can of Droste chocolate milk powder. This is a Dutch product and in the Netherlands it's called the 'Droste-effect'. I wonder who came up with this first, though. DirkvdM 08:39, 18 December 2005 (UTC)


 * We even have an article on the Droste effect. —Keenan Pepper 09:44, 18 December 2005 (UTC)
 * Silly americenteric me - it was in the US and wasn't Droste, that picture doesn't ring a bell. Yay, I didn't know it (Droste effect) was named, my product used the same concept of course - thanks y'all. --hydnjo talk 12:28, 18 December 2005 (UTC)
 * A Dutch product, how fitting is that! :-) --hydnjo talk 12:38, 18 December 2005 (UTC)


 * I'm not American or Dutch, and yet after reading this I suddenly think I might remember the answer, having seen a picture of it somewhere. I think it's Morton Salt.  I think their slogan is/was the wordplay "When it rains it pours", and the box illustration showed/shows a girl holding an umbrella and pouring salt from a box, on which the illustration showed a girl holding an umbrella and...  --Anonymous, 05:52 UTC, December 19


 * I Image-Googled 'morton salt' and get that picture, but without the recursion.
 * So it's even called 'Droste effect' in English. Silly 'Dutchfugic' me. What's the opposite of megalomania?
 * I wonder why the writing is in Dutch and Thai.
 * And how is it fitting that it's Dutch? Are we known for our recursive attitude towards life? :) DirkvdM 07:41, 19 December 2005 (UTC)


 * YES! It was Morton salt. The Dutch connection is because M.C. Escher, the Dutch artist, used recursion in some of his works (see Escher and the Droste effect). Thanks to all who helped cut the SRR (shampoo-rinse-repeat) loop that my was going on in my brain about this. :-) --hydnjo talk 16:31, 19 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Vache qui rit cheese (laughing cow!) pictured a cow wearing a box of that cheese as earrings. That was in France. --Harvestman 20:20, 19 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Perhaps there are more products out there - enough to start an article! --hydnjo talk 00:54, 20 December 2005 (UTC)
 * User:DirkvdM wondered who came up with this first. I suspect it was the Dutch mathematician M.C. Escher. User:AlMac|(talk) 16:00, 21 December 2005 (UTC)
 * I doubt that Escher was the first artist/mathematician to use this concept but there is a nice link to an Escher/Droste site three four posts up. --hydnjo talk 16:18, 21 December 2005 (UTC)

Randal Pinkett's birthdate
Need birthdate of Randal Pinkett
 * Best I can do is this contact Randal page. CambridgeBayWeather (Talk) 05:10, 18 December 2005 (UTC)


 * 1971
 * The year would be right I did see somewhere that he was 34 but the Randal Pinkett article is missing the date. Which I assume is the point of this question. CambridgeBayWeather (Talk) 17:53, 18 December 2005 (UTC)

etch-a-sketch redux
Hello, this is KeeganB. This is a followup to my earlier question about etch-a-sketches. How did the rumor that etches-a-sketches had mercury start?

A quick search over at Snopes doesn't turn up anything, so this probably isn't a generally rumored rumor. Anyway, I think that in your case it may be one of those Black box deals. (A new/interesting product comes out on the market and someone think it HAS to be something hazardous to your health) Like the rumor about bubble yum and spider eggs. - Ridge Racer 06:10, 18 December 2005 (UTC)
 * Maybe because it looks like mercury. CambridgeBayWeather (Talk) 07:48, 18 December 2005 (UTC)
 * Do you think it looks like mercury? Honestly, I don't, because it's black, not silver.--Ridge Racer 08:02, 18 December 2005 (UTC)
 * Black lines on a silver (aluminum) screen. For some people it may have been possible that they didn't know that aluminum could be turned into a powder. CambridgeBayWeather (Talk) 17:47, 18 December 2005 (UTC)
 * Ridge's original explanation makes the most sense to me--tons of rumors about deadly toxins seem to crop up around unusual products. The Coke and Pop Rocks rumor springs immediately to mind, as does the rumor that liquid-center golf balls were filled with poison. (Both false, btw.)  Add to that the fact that parents probably didn't want kids cracking open their Etch-a-Sketches and downing the grey stuff like cotton candy (and therefore being far less interested in debunking a mercury myth) and I think there's a fair explanation, if an unsatisfying one. Jwrosenzweig 08:05, 19 December 2005 (UTC)

For those living in London
I recently went to London, and took these photos from the London Eye (click for larger image):



Does anybody know what they are? --Alexs letterbox 06:21, 18 December 2005 (UTC)


 * The picture on the right looks like the treasury (left hand side building), to the right of it partly out of the picture would be the Foreign Office. The left picture is not important as it's the only one not marked on the "in-flight mini guide". Both pictures are taken facing west. CambridgeBayWeather (Talk) 06:43, 18 December 2005 (UTC)


 * The building on the left is the Royal Horseguards Thistle Hotel -- Mwalcoff 17:24, 18 December 2005 (UTC)


 * The same building as the Thistle Hotel is also Whitehall Court, a mansion block. On the right is indeed the Treasury in the centre of the picture; in front of it are the two Norman Shaw buildings where I used to work; to the right is George Gilbert Scott's "Government Offices" (now the Foreign and Commonwealth Office), and behind it can be seen the Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre and Methodist Central Hall. David | Talk 12:13, 19 December 2005 (UTC)

Muscle mass & weight loss
At what age will a person start to lose muscle mass and weight due to hormonal changes?
 * This sounds like a Reference_desk/Science question. Cernen 07:30, 18 December 2005 (UTC)

Weight training and heart disease
How long should a person train in weight per week in order to reduce the risk of coronary heart disease by 23 per cent?

A) at least 30 minutes or B) at least 55 minutes or c) at least 80 minutes ?


 * Didn't you ask this before? Do your own homework. —Keenan Pepper 06:45, 18 December 2005 (UTC)


 * If you get multiple choice answers, chances are you can look this up in your course book, or refer to your notes because it has been mentioned during class. If you don't know, ask your fellow students for advice. - Mgm|(talk) 10:57, 18 December 2005 (UTC)

Weird file extension
This page has some nice examples of Altai throat singing which appear to be normal MP3s, but they have the file extension ".tbg", which I have never seen before. Anyone know why? —Keenan Pepper 06:52, 18 December 2005 (UTC)
 * Well, the filext.com database doesn't have a relevant entry for that file type, but it plays ok in my winamp. I would say just rename them and move on.--Ridge Racer 07:06, 18 December 2005 (UTC)
 * Possibly as a simple attempt to stop you from downloading and playing the file. Nothing will open it by default but Winamp and Media Player will play them if told to.
 * That sounds like the most probable explanation, but kind of a stupid thing for them to do.--Ridge Racer 07:27, 18 December 2005 (UTC)
 * Just like me forgetting to sign again eh! CambridgeBayWeather (Talk) 07:31, 18 December 2005 (UTC)
 * According to http://filext.com/detaillist.php?extdetail=TBG this suffix denotes "TeamBG" files, whatever they may be (something to do with a games engine). It sounds like Ridge Racer has the right of it and someone has chosen a "random" suffix. Quite possibly from "TarBaGan", the name of the website, in fact.
 * Aargh, This "forgetting to sign" thing is catching… Tonywalton [[Image:Pentacle_1.svg|15px]] | Talk 12:58, 19 December 2005 (UTC)

names
can you suggest me some names starting wiyh b and ending with z


 * Boz, as in Boz Scaggs. How many letters? :) DirkvdM 10:08, 18 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Boaz--Pharos 10:13, 18 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Bez <font style="color:#CC0000"> smurray <font style="color:#DD0000"> in <font style ="color:#EE0000"> chester <font style="color:#55BB22">(User), (Ho Ho Ho!) 10:53, 18 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Or Biz, as in Biz Mackey -- Mwalcoff 17:14, 18 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Baz is a moderately common short-form of Barry, for what it's worth. Shimgray | talk | 18:08, 18 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Joan Baez, the Portugese name Beatriz, the Gaelic name Buzz (village in the woods) (or Buzz Lightyear). Just google "baby name" and search but I hope you enjoy pop-ups. CambridgeBayWeather (Talk) 18:15, 18 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Benz, as in the last name of the person who created the car. --( Aytakin ) | Talk 19:10, 18 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Quite impressive; theres Baz, Bez, Biz, Boz and Buzz, in fact, all the vowels! Who knew B*Z was so common? <font style="color:#CC0000"> smurray <font style="color:#DD0000"> in <font style ="color:#EE0000"> chester <font style="color:#55BB22">(User), (Ho Ho Ho!) 21:54, 18 December 2005 (UTC)
 * If we're accepting last names, David Boreanaz occurs immediately, and I cannot doubt there are a number of other examples not yet mentioned. Forgive my impertinence, but why would such information be of use? :-) Jwrosenzweig 08:01, 19 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Here's a complete list of all words and names beginning with b and ending with z.
 * P.S.Biz Mackey? Maybe that's where Biz Markie got his name. --Mareino 15:17, 19 December 2005 (UTC)

health
(no question posted)
 * Well I do have Diabetes mellitus but other than that my health is good. Thanks for asking. CambridgeBayWeather (Talk) 23:55, 18 December 2005 (UTC)

"You aks yo mommanem I aks huh how she durrin." Cernen 12:11, 20 December 2005 (UTC)

Where did Jim Carrey go to college, or did he not go to college?
Jim Carrey Oops! No, he is apparently a high school drop-out.--Ridge Racer 16:19, 18 December 2005 (UTC)

Birth and death rate
What is the world wide birth rate and death rate per minute?


 * World population estimate for July 2005: 6,446,131,400
 * Birth rate: 20.15 births/1,000 population
 * Death rate: 8.78 deaths/1,000 population


 * It's quite easy to do the maths from those - ~130,000,000 births/year, and ~56,500,000 deaths. Divide those by 525,960, and you get, roughly speaking, about 250 births a minute and about 110 deaths per minute. Shimgray | talk | 16:58, 18 December 2005 (UTC)

Library legal question
suppose i go to a library and the librartian and i try to check out a certain book which is obscene does the librarian have the right to refeuse to gave me that book.iam not doing my homework


 * In the U.S., obscenity is illegal, so the chances are your local library doesn't carry any obscene books. If it is merely "indecent," I don't know what the ACLU would say, but the librarian certainly would be violating the standards of the American Library Association. -- Mwalcoff 17:11, 18 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Not qutomatically. If they refuse to lend a book to one specific person, yes, that's dodgy. However, the book may not be for circulation out of the library (it's an odd way to deal with sensitive material, but I've known it happen), so they'd not let it be lent, or it may be that the library has regulations that a certain class of material may only be lent to adults - and we don't know who the original poster was or what the material was. Shimgray | talk | 17:35, 18 December 2005 (UTC) [I am not a librarian, but I play one at job interviews]


 * If I'm not mistaken, the ALA is officially against "adults-only" book loans, although of course the association's position is not legally binding. -- Mwalcoff 01:39, 19 December 2005 (UTC)


 * In September 2005, Japan's National Diet Library restricted access to 120 books which it owns legally, but which can no longer be made accessable to the public after the revision of laws concerning child pornography. Those who wish to look at those publications must provide their name, address and reason for the request. TheMadBaron 02:25, 19 December 2005 (UTC)


 * In the Netherlands we have adult sections too in libraries, they're just not about obscenities or anything (actually, it's everywhere but the children's section :) ). But more seriously, a law here says that if a shopkeeper has anything on display he has to sell it if asked. I don't know if that applies to libraries, but it would make sense. Anyway, why would a library carry a book they don't want people to see? Well, maybe they didn't check well enough, but then that's their mistake. DirkvdM 07:53, 19 December 2005 (UTC)


 * It's quite possible that he's able to see it, but not to borrow it, which is what he asked. Go to your local library and ask to borrow the twelve-volume encyclopedia and see what they say :-) Shimgray | talk | 11:25, 19 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Question, if the book was utter filth, would the librarian be okay in refusing to loan it to a person under 18/16/whatever? Proto t c 10:56, 20 December 2005 (UTC)

population of wailua

 * Next time check Wailua, Hawaii D'oh! As of the 2000 census, they had a total population of 2,083 people.--Ridge Racer 19:14, 18 December 2005 (UTC)

sports in paraguay
Is the sport of field hockey playing in paraguay? If so what kind of sticks do they use?
 * Scotland is the world champion in elephant polo, despite having no elephants to practice with and lacking any particularly good polo skills. In short: most sports are played all over the world (some just less in a specific country than others). I'm sure some people play field hockey in Paraguy and I don't see why they wouldn't use regular sticks. - Mgm|(talk) 19:58, 18 December 2005 (UTC)
 * There is a direct link from the field hockey to a website that can answer your questions.--Robert Merkel 20:56, 18 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Pedantically speaking, there are elephants in Scotland - at least one at Blair Drummond, off the top of my head. Used to be one in Edinburgh, but I think she died. 'Course, they're not much use for practice... Shimgray | talk | 21:07, 18 December 2005 (UTC)
 * How do you get the elephants to roll after you hit them with the sticks and don't they get a bit irritated? CambridgeBayWeather (Talk) 23:55, 18 December 2005 (UTC)

Geography
How far is between New York and San Fransisco?
 * Try Surface Distance Between Two Points of Latitude and Longitude. CambridgeBayWeather (Talk) 19:35, 18 December 2005 (UTC)
 * You could always ask Mapquest if you're looking for the distance by road. (I know for a fact, though, that if you want to drive there, you take I-5 to I-90, and I-90 from I-5 is a 6 hour drive, so it'd be a better idea to fly there, unless you're into long boring road trips along shoddy undeveloped countryside. ^_^) Cernen 15:16, 19 December 2005 (UTC)

Joe Morgan
A long time editor for United Press.

Jow went to Knox College where he met Jeanne Murray.

Joe and Jeanne had 3 children Ann Morgan (gear), John Morgan, and Patrick (Pat) Morgan


 * I didn't know that. Now what's your question? - 131.211.210.10 08:35, 19 December 2005 (UTC)

John Morgan
Born 24 February 1944. Attended Knox College, Cooper Union (BArch) and Princeton University (MArch)


 * Hi, it looks like you're trying to start a new article. Read the Help:Starting a new page article first (also, you will need to sign up for a user account). Please note, you should also read the article What Wikipedia is not, as vanity articles or articles about non-notable persons may be deleted by popular consensus. --Canley 00:39, 19 December 2005 (UTC)

Copyright info for Bibliograpgy
where do i get the copyright information for my bibliography????
 * For a Wikipedia article???? Go to the article's page and then click on the link on the left in the box where it says "cite this article" or some similar phrase....  Dismas|(talk) 23:20, 18 December 2005 (UTC)

Birds
I would like to be able to tell apart different species of birds in Southeast Texas, Port Arthur area. Thank you. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 207.200.116.69 (talk • contribs)
 * Please don't shout. -- Ec5618 23:51, 18 December 2005 (UTC)
 * If you go to this hyperlink -- http://www.aves.net/the-owl/blnk-usa.htm -- you will find a list of birdwatching groups in Texas. I make no guarantees of the usefulness of any of them in particular, but surely one or more will have the info you need. Jwrosenzweig 07:57, 19 December 2005 (UTC)

=December 19=

Afghanistan
What was the name of the US citizen captured in Afghanistan fighting with the Taliban?


 * John Walker Lindh. --Canley 00:24, 19 December 2005 (UTC)

lol
lol

@ u n00b--Ridge Racer 01:37, 19 December 2005 (UTC)

'tis I! The ubx-N! And all I have to say is...

finding the way of the samurai 2
thank you for the answer of how a samurai would put the katana on, you said they tuck it in their belt. however my report needs more detail, by which method would they wear their belt or what is the way they tie their sash around their waste?


 * According to the Katana article, that style of wear was called 'buke-zukuri'. A Google search for that term should yield some detailed information. --Canley 02:21, 19 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Also, consult Obi (sash). -72.144.240.70 04:39, 22 December 2005 (UTC)

Where did Ben Stiller go to college?

 * He spent nine months at UCLA studying film . --Canley 02:55, 19 December 2005 (UTC)

Porn movie in Academy award
there is any porn movie that went to acadamy awards (dont need to be a winner movie)???

I don't think that it is likely, due to the eligibility rules for the academy awards. They don't bar pornography per se, but they have a lot of small rules that generally only apply to box office movies and the like. To see what I am talking about look here .--Ridge Racer 05:20, 19 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Midnight Cowboy was X rated at the time when it won the Academy Awards for Best Director and Best Picture in 1969. In 1971 it was re-rated and given an "R" rating, though. I'm pretty sure it is the only X-rated film to win an Academy Award, much less two of them. A Clockwork Orange was nominated for a Best Picture in 1971 when it too was rated X, but it did not win. --Fastfission 05:24, 19 December 2005 (UTC)
 * Different people define pornography differently, but no unambiguously porno movie has ever been nominated for an Oscar. The only other X-rated films I can think of which have been nominated for Academy Awards, besides those mentioned above, are Last Tango in Paris and Adalen 31. --04:37, 20 December 2005 (UTC)

dis song page
What happened to the dis song page,i couldn't find it anymore. if theres still a link, could you get for me please?
 * Do you mean Dis Pater (music)? CambridgeBayWeather (Talk) 05:23, 19 December 2005 (UTC)

Kendra Wilkinson
I saw your article on Playboy's Kendra Wilkinson. I was wondering if you could tell me if she has ever used her karate in a real life fight, and what belt she is. Thank you.

AJ, Ohio <removed email - see instructions at top of this page>
 * If she followed the rules of her Sensei, she didn't use Karate in a real life fight unless it was to defend herself. - 131.211.210.10 08:39, 19 December 2005 (UTC)

The Doctor's Companions
Why is it that most of the Doctor's(in Doctor Who) companions are female not male?Is it because the Doctor likes beautiful girls and women?


 * As our article on Doctor Who notes, the Doctor has generally kept his hands off his companions, the only exception being a brief one in the 1996 telemovie. He's no Captain Kirk :) From a scriptwriting and producer's perspective, having female characters in science fiction television is a good idea for a number of reasons.  Having female characters offers dramatic possibilities not available if all the characters are men.  It also gives female viewers somebody to identify with.  Finally, if the companion is young and attractive it gives male viewers somebody to drool at.  Witness Seven of Nine in Star Trek:Voyager, for instance. --Robert Merkel 05:48, 19 December 2005 (UTC)
 * Don't forget the doctor kissed Rose in the last episode of last year's season as well. I don't think that qualifies as keeping his hands off her... - 131.211.210.10 08:40, 19 December 2005 (UTC)

shortest day of theyear
Try June solstice or December solstice. Depends on where you live. Also just ask once. Thanks. CambridgeBayWeather (Talk) 06:57, 19 December 2005 (UTC)

does a person have chlamydia if they do this
Well this is kind of embarassing but a friend of mine had performed a sexual intercourse with his furniture(mostly a couch)and said it was for practice or something. then one day, he told me he had a burning sensation in urinating. then i read about those STDS types and a little something about chlamydia and it said you could tell you have it if you had a burning sensation in urinating. My friend is a virgin so its real confusing, so could you tell me if he has chlamydia?
 * Medical advice can't be given here, especially since there are so many questions a medical professional would need to ask in order to diagnose (not to mention tests). If your friend has a persistent burning sensation when urinating, I think he should absolutely see a doctor -- that's the only answer you're likely to get here. All I will add is that, to the best of my knowledge, a human being who has no sexual contact with any other human beings (but who does have sexual contact with a couch) is unlikely to have contracted chlamydia as a result. I would be so bold as to imply that a human being who has had no sexual contact with any other human beings will be unlikely to contract chlamydia from any piece of furniture they become intimate with. I hope your friend seeks medical attention very soon. Jwrosenzweig 07:50, 19 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Like Jwrosenzweig, I will reiterate that seeking medical attention is the best thing your friend can do. I suspect it's a urinary tract infection rather than an STD. - 131.211.210.10 08:43, 19 December 2005 (UTC)
 * Mostly a couch? What is it about the couch that is so particularly fetching? - Nunh-huh 08:47, 19 December 2005 (UTC)
 * Perhaps this is someone who didn't realize http://www.furnitureporn.com is simply parody. -- Rick Block (talk) 18:10, 19 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Secondly, I would add that your friend shouldn't let his embarrassment stop him going to the doctor. For one, doctors are professionals who have seen it all before, for another, they are obligated to keep things confidential, and finally embarrassment is considerably less important than one's health.  --Robert Merkel 09:46, 19 December 2005 (UTC)

dis song page part 2
no not that, its a page that has a list of dis songs by rap artist(s) and explaining certain things about their feud and what do they mean in their songs(or somethin like that).
 * Ah then you want List of lists of songs. Happy hunting. CambridgeBayWeather (Talk) 08:04, 19 December 2005 (UTC)
 * I would recommend the article Hip hop rivalries instead. --Metropolitan90 04:22, 20 December 2005 (UTC)

What is the history of the street "Shannon Lane" in Kerrville, Texas?
I am attempting to find the history of the street Shannon Lane in Kerrville, Texas. I need to know when it was named, after whom it was named, and any information about the person after whom it was named.

Thank You.

Need to Know


 * "Shannon" being a fairly common name I think your best bet to get an answer to this question is to ask Ms. Valorie Diamond from the History Center of the Butt-Holdsworth Memorial Library in Kerrville, Texas. Lupo 12:34, 19 December 2005 (UTC)


 * ...the Butt-Holsworth Memorial Library. That just made my day. I am so easily amused... Shimgray | talk | 12:36, 19 December 2005 (UTC)

india contamination
Hi, I'm planning a trip to India. On looking at my atlas I noticed that there is an area in north eastern India marked for radioactive contamination. It's difficult to ascertain exactly where this contamination is. According to the small map it looks like it is somewhere in Rajasthan, possibly near Jodhpur. Any info. on this would be appreciated. Regards. AC


 * What kind of atlas are you using that marks radioactive contamination? DJ Clayworth 15:48, 19 December 2005 (UTC)


 * There's lots of uranium mining in the area, and in Jharkhand, Andhra Pradesh and Meghalaya. If you plan to go through that area, remember that the groundwater is contaminated with naturally-occurring arsenic, so be careful with your drinking water. Natgoo 18:13, 19 December 2005 (UTC)


 * I went to India with a pathologist who had grown up there, and her rules for drinking water for everyone in her family (including herself as she'd lost all her resistance) were roughly:
 * No untreated tap water
 * No ice except at hotels that cater to foreigners (same as above no tap water requirement)
 * No returnable coke bottles
 * So arsenic isn't even terribly relevant if you believe in her rules. Besides, I believe most of the danger from the asenic contaminated groundwater is longterm.  &mdash; Laura Scudder ☎ 22:16, 20 December 2005 (UTC)


 * I am actually from India. And I know for a fact that there is an area of about 10 square km(bout 16 square miles i guess) near Jodhpur in Rajasthan. But you shouldn't worry about it. The authorities wouldn't let you go any where near it.You should be quite safe.
 * Jayant, 17 Years,India.


 * And about the stuff about the ground water being poisoned with Arsenic, I dont think we, the people in India are so foolish to mess up our own water. As long as you drink Mineral bottled water you should be quite safe.
 * Jayant, 17 Years,India.


 * Hi Jayant - if you follow the naturally-occurring arsenic link, you can read many articles about the naturally occurring arsenic found in much of Bangladesh and parts of India nearby. Natgoo 22:02, 20 December 2005 (UTC)

talc
hello... my question is : does talc or baby powder really changes the colour of your skin if applied in heavy ammounts or period of time (white) and if it does is it permanent ? ** danny age 9 :D


 * No. TheMadBaron 13:17, 19 December 2005 (UTC)
 * Yes it can but not on a permanent basis. See Gold bond powder scroll down to the Product Presentation and read the first paragraph. Also see Talc PDF look at the bottom of page 5. This is from the National Teacher Training Institute. CambridgeBayWeather (Talk) 13:23, 19 December 2005 (UTC)

ABOUT SHARES AND DEBENTURES
COULD YOU PLEASE EXPLAIN ME DETAILY ABOUT SHARES AND DEBENTURES OF STOCK MARKET


 * You would do well to try and read over Stock market, it tries to give a detailed explanation that is simple to understand Sherurcij (talk) (bounties) 18:31, 19 December 2005 (UTC)

Marketing Systems
What is an Order Management System (OMS)? Direct Market Access (DMA)? Who are the major vendors/players in these?
 * Have you used Google or any other search engine? Gartner has good definitions of systems and relative market share. User:AlMac|(talk) 02:21, 21 December 2005 (UTC)

OMS and DMA
What is an Order Management System (OMS)? Direct Market Access (DMA)? Who are the major vendors/players in these?

This sounds suspiciously like a homework question. -- Natalinasmpf 00:14, 20 December 2005 (UTC)

Fish Industries
I have looked all throught the Internet with no luck at all. I can't find a list of Fish Industries in the East Coast, can you please post a list of as many as you can.

Please and Thank you. East Coast of Canada.


 * Try Seafood News from Canada and click on Canada at the European Seafood Exhibition. This will give you some information. However, they may not all be from the East Coast. CambridgeBayWeather (Talk) 21:59, 19 December 2005 (UTC)

Thank you so much!:D

Where did Rick Moranis go to college?

 * I tried numerous combinations on Google: 'Rick Moranis'[s] alma mater', 'Moranis attended', 'Moranis studied [at]' 'Moranis'[s] college'... but the only link that I got was, bizarrely, to smut :|. It seems like he never went to college, or, if he did, he's very quiet about it. 15:39, 20 December 2005 Iinag
 * Ah well it seems that he must have gone to college here based on this. He attended the same school as Geddy Lee but I can't find that either. CambridgeBayWeather (Talk) 10:44, 22 December 2005 (UTC)

Where did Steve martin go to college?
It's in the article at Steve Martin. (California State University at Long Beach) --Think Fast 23:01, 19 December 2005 (UTC)

Where did Dave Chappelle go to college?
For all these please check the articles. If it's not in them then follow some of the external links and see if they have the information. CambridgeBayWeather (Talk) 23:25, 19 December 2005 (UTC)

=December 20=

BBC World Service
What is the name of the melody now played by the English language BBC World Service (I listen to it via syndication on Minnesota Public Radio) on the half hour and hour with the news updates? Thanks EdwinHJ | Talk 07:42, 20 December 2005 (UTC)
 * Try Lilliburlero. CambridgeBayWeather (Talk) 08:06, 20 December 2005 (UTC)
 * If you go here you can hear the melody which should help to see if it's the same tune. CambridgeBayWeather (Talk) 08:12, 20 December 2005 (UTC)

film re-makes
what exactly is a film re-make?how do you define it?
 * Well I would say that it's when you take a book like King Kong, make a movie - King Kong (1933 film) then make a second one - King Kong (1976 film) and then a third - King Kong (2005 film). Also look at Remake. CambridgeBayWeather (Talk) 11:32, 20 December 2005 (UTC)

Rochdale
Are their any users present on Wikipedia that live in Rochdale, other than me?--XenoNeon 12:02, 20 December 2005 (UTC)
 * If there are, then they're not identified as such, but keep an eye on Category:Wikipedians_in_Manchester (includes Greater Manchester). There's also a good chance that some of the editors of the Rochdale article are native - you might want to ask on the talk page. TheMadBaron 12:22, 20 December 2005 (UTC)
 * You want the 4th floor, third door on the right and mind the cat, she got loose again. CambridgeBayWeather (Talk) 12:43, 20 December 2005 (UTC)

Extracting the contents of a CD in the form of an ISO
Wikipedians,

I have the Age of Empires III Collectors Edition and to avoid damaging the original CD, would like to know how I could extract the contents of the original CD in the form of an ISO and burn it to a recordable CD.

I would simply like to avoid any risk of damaging the CD and don't trust no-CDs.

Thank you,

--anon 12:26, 20 December 2005 (UTC).
 * Try google "iso ripper". But it probably against the law. CambridgeBayWeather (Talk) 12:43, 20 December 2005 (UTC)
 * Even if he doesn't distribute it? I would think that most countries would allow a person to make a back up copy for themselves.  Dismas|(talk) 13:19, 20 December 2005 (UTC)
 * It depends. From what I understand it's not illegal to make a back up copy but it's illegal to circumvent the copyright protection on the CD. However, that may apply only to music CD's and that's based on a US magazine article. CambridgeBayWeather (Talk) 13:46, 20 December 2005 (UTC)
 * I remember trying to burn a copy of AoE II- it has strong copy protection (I coudn't use Nero to make an iso of it for some reason). I'm sure AoE III has some too. Broken S 14:01, 20 December 2005 (UTC)
 * Regarding illegality: If you are in the U.S., you might want to take a look at the Digital Millenium Copyright Act. It criminalizes the distribution of devices/programs that can break copyright protection, but it also provides, "Nothing in this section shall affect rights, remedies, limitations, or defenses to copyright infringement, including fair use, under this title."  Some have argued based on that language that so long as you can break the copy protection yourself (without getting a "ripper" from a third party), you can use the fair use defense to make a back-up copy. But others disagree.  I suggest that you write to your congressman and complain.
 * And let them know for sure that you're doing something that may be illegal? -- <font color="#FF0000">Миборовский U 23:01, 20 December 2005 (UTC)

Using the toilet in space..
How do astronauts use the toilet when they are in zero-gravity on a spacecraft? I mean in situations where there is no artificial or natural gravity.

Jayant, 17 Years,India.


 * You can use Google to search for space toilet and get lots of sites with detailed information. One of the links you will get is this one from the History channel and this one from NASA which has a video.  --hydnjo talk 15:04, 20 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Thats Awesome!! Thanks a lot.
 * Jayant, 17 Years,India. 15:06, 20 December 2005 (UTC)

My signature..
I know this may not be a relavent question but why are people so concerned about the way i sign my name at the end of my questions?

Jayant, 17 Years,India.


 * Because if you sign your name properly, people can click on your name and then go to your userpage. If you just do it freeform, you can't, people would have to guess your username or look at the page history...  Morwen - Talk 15:08, 20 December 2005 (UTC)


 * The way to do it easily is explained on your talk page. --hydnjo talk 15:11, 20 December 2005 (UTC)


 * By the way can you please tell me how to create my own userpage in wikipedia? I wanna create one now.


 * Jayant, 17 Years,India. 15:33, 20 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Hi, Jayant. It's as easy as clicking on the User:Jayant412, and writing what you want, and submitting it will make your user-page. If you want assistance to add yourself to any user categories, or to put some code in, then just ask around. Iinag, 15:43, 20 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Thanks a lot..

Difference in supply voltage..
Why is the supply voltage in the houses in USA about 110V while in India, where i live, its about 220V? Will there be any difference in the way electrical appliances, which are made for their respective voltages, work?

Jayant, 17 Years,India. 15:13, 20 December 2005 (UTC)
 * When AC electricity was being pioneered, there was very little concern for global compatibility, so various locales adopted their own standards. The US, for example, is actually on a 120V standard, but most equipment in that voltage range is designed to operate from 110-120V.  Relatively little equipment is made to operate natively across the entire 110-240V spectrum, and plugging a low-voltage device into a high-voltage grid generally causes spectacular failures.  Also, the frequency of the systems vary.  Most 110-120V systems operate at 60 Hz, while most 220V systems operate at 50 Hz.  Finally, some devices use multiple phases to achieve greater voltages: the 240V referenced above is found in most US stoves, where the 120V is doubled.  All that said, the underlying principles of AC electricity remain identical regardless of specific implementations.  &mdash; Lomn | Talk / RfC 15:52, 20 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Oh...Thanks a lot...


 * You may find this List of countries with mains power plugs, voltages and frequencies interesting. --hydnjo talk 20:42, 20 December 2005 (UTC)

Stuff floating around..
Whenever I look at the sky in the day time, and when its bright, I see lots of stuff floating around in my eyes. They are kind of transparent, usually in circular in shape or boot-shaped, and the most annoying thing about them is that they move in the same direction in which I move my eyeballs. And I have about 30 "spots" floating around on my last count. On the google search it said that the stuff could be protein deposits on the lens of the eye (or somewhere) and that they would disappear in some days. But i have some "spots" that have been there at the same position for some months now. Could someone tell me what they are?

Jayant, 17 Years,India. 15:25, 20 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Floaters. TheMadBaron 16:49, 20 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Oh..Thanks a lot..

opening ports
i know just about nothing about ports, however i need to open ports 6112-6119 and 4000 in order to play warcraft 3 online. how do i open these ports? i am behind a private ip address and a router. thanks for all your help
 * Start with the manual and/or help files for your router, which will address this. Barring that, you'll have to tell us what router you're using.  &mdash; Lomn | Talk / RfC 18:40, 20 December 2005 (UTC)
 * the router im using is a linksys wrt- something.


 * Rex


 * Again, get the manual that came with the router. The linksys routers have a web interface to them for changing settings like this. Point your browser to the ip address of the router and enter the needed passwords. If you don't know the password it is possible to reset the device to it's defaults, and most of the default passwords for those routers are easy to find. I'm sure you could find it from a web search. - Taxman Talk 19:01, 21 December 2005 (UTC)


 * I'd recommend taking a look at portforward.com. &mdash; flamingspinach | (talk) 22:42, 26 December 2005 (UTC)

strongest coffee
A friend and I were talking about the strongest coffee (same amount). I think it is espresso because of the very high pressure and the resulting thickness. Is that true?

Lorenz from Vienna


 * Well, our coffee article states that espresso is the strongest form of coffee so, yea. That is unless you also consider alcoholic coffee.--Ridge Racer 18:08, 20 December 2005 (UTC)

What are stockjobbers?
This article, Big Bang (financial markets), claims that the Big Bang was caused by the "The abolishion of the difference between stockjobbers and stockbrokers". However, that comment makes no sense without an article on stockjobbers, and there doesn't seem to be an article. <font style="color:#CC0000"> smurray <font style="color:#DD0000"> in <font style ="color:#EE0000"> chester <font style="color:#55BB22">(User), (Ho Ho Ho!) 17:40, 20 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Although over here in the UK a stockbroker can be a stock-exchange operator who only deals with brokers, in the sense of the article, a stockjobber is an underhand, exploitative stockbroker. iinag 19:50, 20 December 2005 (UTC)

What is the Highest Linked page?
I asked myself earlier today "What is the Kevin Bacon of wikipedia articles?". If we were to build a small world graph of articles to a specific article... what would be the middle? I know that articles are updated often, and this would change. But wouldn't it be awesome to make a dynamic search? this is for questions about other things besides wikipedia please post your question on the help desk next time.

Stark from Seattle
 * Check out Special:Mostlinked! &mdash; Lomn | Talk / RfC 19:59, 20 December 2005 (UTC)
 * Sounds like you might also be interested in http://tools.wikimedia.de/sixdeg/index.jsp. -- Rick Block (talk) 22:47, 20 December 2005 (UTC)

Midsommer Murders
What is the strange instrument that plays the theme music for this show? Rmhermen 21:06, 20 December 2005 (UTC)
 * Try IMDB and scroll down to the trivia section. Then see Theremin. CambridgeBayWeather (Talk) 21:19, 20 December 2005 (UTC)

History of Anarchist Peak, British Columbia
Why is Anarchist Peak in British Columbia so named? Are there any web or paper resources about its history?

Chris S

--82.33.73.159 22:24, 20 December 2005 (UTC)

There were so few Google hits on "Anarchist Peak" that I guessed that its name must have another form. It turns out that it is also "Anarchist Mountain" or "Anarchist Summit". If you search on "Anarchist Mountain" together with words like "named", you will find that it was apparently named either by, or after, a settler named Sidley whose political views were considered anarchistic (even though he was a justice of the peace!). --Anonymous, 03:10 UTC, December 20, 2005

There's also a reference of a ranch owned by Fred Lawless : http://www.michaelkluckner.com/bciw3anarchist.html

WWII
What's the difference of the Panzers?They all look alike,but they must be different.I've a picture of the PanzerI,PanzerII,PanzerIII,and PanzerIV,they all are alike.I think its the armor,but not sure,thanks for any answer. --68.222.113.233 22:52, 20 December 2005 (UTC)
 * See Panzer and the links in the table at the bottom of the article for the details of the different models. Dismas|(talk) 23:10, 20 December 2005 (UTC)

=December 21=

movie stars
is there a listing of movie stars killed in action during world war 2

There are 539 hits for the google search site:imdb.com "World War II" biography. Browsing through these would be your best bet, as it lists every Bio page that mentions WW2. Link to the google search. Taiq 13:53, 21 December 2005 (UTC)

The Last home of the Virgin Mary
I Was station at Izmir and traveling around I thought I seen her last home is this true. Thank You


 * They've got one there. . There's also rather a nice one, of older provenance, at Loreto. - Nunh-huh 00:32, 21 December 2005 (UTC)

Halloween Crabs
I need to know some info about Halloween crabs. There isn't much online about them.

--70.60.169.114 01:21, 21 December 2005 (UTC)Khristie Wagner


 * Googling for <tt>+"halloween crab"</tt> gives 688 results. Scientific name seems to be Gecarcinus quadratus, family Gecarcinidae. Googling for the scientific name yields 908 hits. Lupo 09:52, 21 December 2005 (UTC)


 * And by now someone has created a small stub article about them at Halloween crabs. Thanks, guys! Lupo 14:03, 22 December 2005 (UTC)

Mexico Locations
Hello, good evening, over the next two weeks I would like to go to Mexico for certain reasons. I have done some research but I cannot yet find a suitable location. I was wondering if anyone knew of any locations which met the two following criteria:

1.) Near the coast 2.) Extensive guitar trade. I would like to purchase a higher quality guitar while in mexico because I do not want to sepend big $$$ here

3.) preferabally this location will be near the border to some extent. I live close to Arizona and I'd like to drive to this location

Thankyou for your help, it is appreciated
 * Perhaps you'd be more succesful posting your query to [WikiTravel. - [[User:MacGyverMagic|Mgm]]|(talk) 09:02, 21 December 2005 (UTC)
 * The Fender factory is in Ensenada, which is in Baja California; close to the border and the coast, huge company... Deltabeignet 19:42, 21 December 2005 (UTC)

Beer
When you drink a can of beer, how long does it take for its effects to wear off? --HappyCamper 01:33, 21 December 2005 (UTC)


 * I have heard you can detox about a unit of alcohol (about one beer) an hour. Guettarda 01:41, 21 December 2005 (UTC)


 * This site might provide you with what you need. I don't know how accurate it is though. - Akamad 06:57, 21 December 2005 (UTC)
 * Effects? from one can of beer? or do you mean how long for your body to clear the alcohol from your system. AllanHainey 08:24, 21 December 2005 (UTC)


 * There's also some variation depending on how you commonly react to alcohol. Some people get drunk with one can, others can drink 6 and still look and act sober. - Mgm|(talk) 09:04, 21 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Phrased that way, it depends. A common rule of thumb is that the human body can reduce the Blood alcohol content by 0.1 per mille per hour. But that's just a typical average figure, actual rates vary and may be higher (up to about 0.2 per mille per hour) depending on the physical constitution, weight, and state of the liver of the drinker. Lupo 09:42, 21 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Perhaps drinking beer often could build up a sort of "immunity" to the effects of alcohol. Our driver normally drinks a bottle or two of beer, but is still sober and alert enough to drive a car without swerving or doing those things drunk drivers do (I haven't seen it myself, as I am as yet unwilling to give up my present life). It also depends on the normal nature of the beer drinker. Alcohol acts, in some ways, like a truth serum, in that it represses inhibitions and temporarily lowers the "social boundaries" we create to be able to act appropriately (drunks usually say obscene things, for example). If the true nature of the drinker is belligerent, then that normally suppressed character comes out. If the drinker is naturally shy (as opposed to his publicly gregarious character), then the effect of the alcohol on him will make him quiet. (I think. Correct me if I'm wrong) <font face="Palatino Linotype">Igor the Lion (Roar!) 11:18, 21 December 2005 (UTC)
 * Just pointing out that one bottle of beer would not make someone too drunk to drive legally in most countries (although a few have very strict anti-drink driving legislation with regards to the mg of alcohol in the blood).  That being said, the responsible, safe and recommended thing to do is to not even risk having one drink before driving. Proto t c 12:37, 21 December 2005 (UTC)


 * The responsible, safe and recommended thing to do would be not to drive a car at all, given the fact that (I believe) some 95% of road kills are caused by sober drivers. And they've killed over 25 million people so far. You don't need to be drunk for that. DirkvdM 19:39, 23 December 2005 (UTC)

Meaning/origin of popular internet .gif
I've seen this gif many times and comes in different forms. It is an animation of the three men in a car bobbing their heads in different direction, I don't want to be left out! Where does this picture originate from? examples: http://myspace-909.vo.llnwd.net/00351/90/93/351383909_m.gif http://img462.imageshack.us/img462/5326/eb3ow2bn.gif


 * I think it was a Saturday Night Live sketch, where the main characters are continuously bobbing their heads like that in response to "What Is Love" by Haddaway. Frencheigh 05:03, 21 December 2005 (UTC)


 * One of them is Jim Carrey, as I remember. They end up going to a prom, and doing the same thing, and then to a funeral wake. Proto t c 09:38, 21 December 2005 (UTC)


 * The skit's called "A Night at the Roxbury" or "Butabi Brothers"; it ran a few times on the show and was developed into a full-length movie. The main characters are played by Will Ferrell & Chris Kattan.  Jim Carrey might have been in one of the skits when he was a guest host, but I don't recall. --Mareino 19:59, 21 December 2005 (UTC)


 * thanks guys. damn i love this website.

"CEEB" code
The College Board has codes that identify all schools that it knows about, and I was thinking of adding the CEEB codes of schools to their respective Wikipedia articles, but then I realized I didn't even know what it stood for. (And that there is no CEEB article nor any reference to CEEB codes I can find) Does anyone know? Phoenix-forgotten 02:49, 21 December 2005 (UTC)
 * CEEB is an acronym for College Entrance Examination Board, which is apparently an earlier name for the College Board. -- Rick Block (talk) 04:50, 21 December 2005 (UTC)
 * See CEEB, College Entrance Examination Board (both redirects) and new addition to College Board. Thanks for the info. I had also seen the CEEB and wondered what it was. CambridgeBayWeather (Talk) 11:55, 21 December 2005 (UTC)

Motorcycle / F.A.R.T.S.
I'm looking for information on Leon Moss who founded LEDAR Racing developments in the early/mid 1970's. He died about 15 to 18 yrs ago. At the time he was working on a project for Kawasaki Motor Corp. involving Fresh Air Ram Technology Systems (or F.A.R.T.S.) I have only ever seen one reference in print to this system(do not remember the source, a book on motorcycle tuning/performance?) similar systems are now in use by many major manufacturers and I am unable to find any relevant material/links on the web. Thanks PJ
 * You could try asking here. CambridgeBayWeather (Talk) 05:35, 21 December 2005 (UTC)


 * I must say, that is a very unfortunate acronym. - Akamad 06:53, 21 December 2005 (UTC)
 * Aye. But imagine if there was a Super HEPA Air Ram Technology System. They'd call it SHARTS, which is even more unfortunate. Esp. when used in a public place. Cernen 08:44, 21 December 2005 (UTC)
 * Rather off the subject but could someone explain the "SHARTS" thing to me? Does "shart" mean something somewhere that I'm unfamiliar with and therefore having a hard time seeing why it would be so unfortunate?  Dismas|(talk) 11:00, 21 December 2005 (UTC)
 * The little bit I read at the above link (or another one) was from someone who knew the man and said that he had a sense of humour and that's why it's called FARTS. CambridgeBayWeather (Talk) 09:34, 21 December 2005 (UTC)

Paula que buena estas
Hello, this is KeeganB. I've been trying to find the lyrics to "paula que buena estás" but Google and other search engines haven't worked out. Does anybody know of any good Spanish lyrics sites or is this a lost cause?


 * Hi, KeeganB. Looking on Google.es, I only found one link in Spanish to 'Paula, que buena estás', and that was to the National Library of Spain. One of the song's interpreters, Lorenzo Barcelata, only appears 9 times alongside 'líricas', and all of those links are about as useful as short shorts in South Georgia. That's unfortunate, because the high number of mentions on English sites, compared to the relatively few on hispanophone websites, is rather intriguing. Iinag 13:02, 21 December 2005 (UTC)

How old?
How old is Aglaia Mortcheva? I was just wondering. I do not want to ask her myself could somone for me?

( Email adressed deleted by editor)-Taiq]] 13:48, 21 December 2005 (UTC)

I don't know who your talking about but please don't post Email adresses or other sensitive information on Wikipedia. Deathawk 18:49, 21 December 2005 (UTC)

Still confused!
Do you know a source where I can learn more about Aglaia Mortheva? Like what she looks like and when she started art and stuff. She is such a great artist, and I would like to know more about her.Can someone ask her for me?
 * You could try here she has a contact email. CambridgeBayWeather (Talk) 10:16, 21 December 2005 (UTC)

Need help getting stain out!
I really have a problem on my hands! I am 11 years old and I spilled a grape juice stain on a white carpet. It was in my bedroom but i want it out of my rug! The internet is not giving me anything to get it out. HELP!


 * Oh dear. If it's a rug, try taking it to a dry cleaners.  If it's too big, or you can't afford that, then try warm water with some lemon juice in, and scrub like crazy before it sets. Proto t c 09:37, 21 December 2005 (UTC)
 * Also try here and use the drop down menu for grape juice. And if it's too late do the same as I suggested above. LIE. CambridgeBayWeather (Talk) 10:32, 21 December 2005 (UTC)
 * I've had good results getting red wine stains out of carpet by using Resolve carpet cleaner. Be sure to read and follow the directions. Chuck 16:07, 21 December 2005 (UTC)


 * You may also be able to place another rug on top of the part of the rug that has a stain. It doesn't fix the problem, but it defers it until after you've received christmas gifts. - C HAIRBOY  (☎) 18:27, 22 December 2005 (UTC)


 * I'm pretty sure that you could be of use to an advertising agency, possibly for BASF or Welch's White Grape Juice.--Mareino 20:02, 21 December 2005 (UTC)

hair
hello, this question states the following : how many avarage human hair poors are in the avarage scalp ?


 * Take a look at the results of this Google search. Dismas|(talk) 10:58, 21 December 2005 (UTC)

Are there flash animations also available for physics concepts such as pendulum/ double pendulum?
It would be great if you can tell me whether some flash animations are available for physics concept for better understanding? Is there any specific reasons why almost no animations are available on wikipedia as animations really help in grasping the concept better. Whether wikipedia has some storage size restrictions? Regards Rahul


 * There aren't a lot of animators about here I'm afraid. I'd love to learn how to make flash animations myself but can't affords the software :-( Anyway to fine flash animations on google type filetype:swf in the search window (swf = shck wave flash) So for example to find pendulum animations type "pendulum filetype:swf" into google. Theresa Knott | Taste the Korn 19:35, 21 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Not many flash animations, I'm afraid, but there are plenty of Java applets explaining physical concepts. Try Googling for the concept you want plus "java applet", ie: pendulum java applet. ☢ Ҡieff⌇↯ 21:50, 21 December 2005 (UTC)

WHO list of Medical Schools
{edited by User:AlMac|(talk) to improve readability)

Respected Sir/Ma,am,
 * I am Dr. Irfan Rehman presently under going my post gaduate training in traumatology and orthopaedics at RYAZAN I.P.PAVLOV STATE MEDICAL UNIVERSITY, in Ryazan ,Russia.

I would like to know if this institution is listed in the WHO list of medical schools around the world and whether the masters degree that we will be receiving at the end of our course will be recognsed in the european nations. I have completed my basic medical degree(MBBS) from Medical College,Calcutta in 1999.I would be very obliged if you answer me this querry....thank you.......Dr Irfan Rehman.
 * Try WHO List of Medical Schools and you should be able to see if it's listed. CambridgeBayWeather (Talk) 22:23, 21 December 2005 (UTC)

New Orleans Syndrome
Is there going to be any Medical study on the people who spent days and weeks in the toxic, disease ridden water following the Katrina Disaster. Would they call it "New Orleans Syndrome" or "Katrina Syndrome" Or something else? (posted by 68.117.16.64)


 * I expect you'll hear both terms; you'd have to be an expert in memetics to know which one will dominate in the popular culture. They might just call it cholera, of course. --Mareino 20:05, 21 December 2005 (UTC)


 * I don't think that would really count as a "syndrome"... &mdash; flamingspinach | (talk) 23:57, 21 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Interesting question. Out of any 10,000 people, perhaps several hundred will develop hard to explain recurrent or chronic physical or mental complaints within the next 6 months. If those 10,000 people have just undergone an unusual experience X, a certain percentage will assume that there is a causal relationship between their unusual experience and their new symptoms. That's all it takes to get this kind of "syndrome" started. You can multiply the numbers by 10 if there is an apparent chance that someone will give you free money if some media people, celebrities, or politicians become convinced there might be a causal relationship. alteripse 00:43, 22 December 2005 (UTC)

weather
what was the hottest day in england 1776? (posted by 63.231.49.62)


 * Well, July 4, 1776 got a lot of English politicians in hot water. --Mareino 20:08, 21 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Ba-dum tshhh! —Keenan Pepper 20:15, 21 December 2005 (UTC)
 * The best I can find is this or you could try and search UK Met Office. CambridgeBayWeather (Talk) 22:33, 21 December 2005 (UTC)

Milk flavors
I could use some help! You see, I am joining a food contest and I am going to give the public 10 diffrent flavored mik recipies! But you see, they cant be classic milk flavors ike chocolate,strawberry and vannilla milk. They have to be exotic flavors, like lime and orange! Can someone give me a link or a recipe of a flavored milk! Remember they have to be milk flavors, not milkshke flavors. My contest is this friday, please help me out.


 * What a weird contest! The only advice I can give you is don't use anything acidic like straight lemon or lime juice, because that will curdle the milk. I'm thinking peppermint could be nice... maybe butterscotch... —Keenan Pepper 19:53, 21 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Oh, here we go: http://www.recipesource.com/side-dishes/beverages/milk/ —Keenan Pepper 19:54, 21 December 2005 (UTC)

Hair color help!
I was going to a party and decided to dye my hair pink for fun! When I got home to take it out, it would not come out! I do not have enough money to go getit died brown again! But I have got a job interviewwith this job i want and i still have pink hair! Please, give me something to make it come out!


 * What does it say on the dye bottle? Is it permenant, semipermenant or wash in wash out? Is it one of those spray on hair colours? Theresa Knott | Taste the Korn 20:04, 21 December 2005 (UTC)


 * What kind of job is it? If that happened to me I would just go to the interview with pink hair. Pink hair and a suit. —Keenan Pepper 20:13, 21 December 2005 (UTC)


 * There are couple of hair dye remover products that you can buy that will do it. You have to dye your hair back to your desired color afterward though, really.-- <font color="##6698FF">Dak <font color="##FBB117">ota    <font color="##6698FF">?    <font color="##66CC00">e   16:57, 23 December 2005 (UTC)

This exact same thing happened to a friend of mine. She had incredibly porous blonde hair, so the dye went in really far. She took it up with the haircare company and got some free dyejobs to get it back to normal. Though you may attempt washing several times with shampoo. (My friend used the temporary dye, and it still stayed in.) --70.51.173.32 05:38, 26 December 2005 (UTC)


 * You could also try covering it with the thickest black hair dye possible. -Tim Rhymeless (Er...let's shimmy) 09:08, 27 December 2005 (UTC)

Ogres
Does anyone know anything about the appearance of the ogres in C.S Lewis's novels? Are they similar to mythical ogres or not? I'm tyying to improve the ogre article and I would wish to know. Thank you very much in advance.--XenoNeon 20:31, 21 December 2005 (UTC)
 * It's hard to find anything as to how they looked. Most of the references are to the movie or the game. The only other sites just tend to mention them in passing. I would suggest that you post the question at Talk:The Chronicles of Narnia or Talk:Narnia. If you find out let us know. CambridgeBayWeather (Talk) 09:56, 22 December 2005 (UTC)

9/11 a battle
do the september 11th terriost attacks qualify as a battle.


 * Terrorist attacks are generally not viewed as military battles; however, there is no objective standard to apply. &mdash; Lomn | Talk / RfC 21:57, 21 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Well our aticle on Battle give some definitions. Basicaly a battle is usualy considered an an instance of combat between two or more armies. So I'd say 9/11 was "just" a series of terrorist attacks, there where no real combat involved aside for some brawling in one of the planes as I understand. --Sherool (talk) 22:06, 21 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Somehow the consensus on our 9/11 article is that it doesn't qualify as a terrorist attack even if that is what it is commonly referred to as. - Taxman Talk 18:33, 22 December 2005 (UTC)

First ogres, now a battle. Queen rocks! DirkvdM 19:46, 23 December 2005 (UTC)

A song in the movie: Collateral
Hello, I was just watching the movie, collateral. You know the one with Tom cruise and Jamie Foxx. Anyways, the scene in which they are in club "Fever" there is a dance song playing, does anyone know what it is called? Thanks --( Aytakin ) | Talk 23:26, 21 December 2005 (UTC)

This link has the soundtrack listing, but it doesn't say which songs are from which scenes. I saw the movie, but I can't remember the song right now. You might go to the imdb page at http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0369339/ and scroll down to the bottom, where it talks about "IMDb message board for Collateral (2004)" and ask them (you have to register with imdb to use their boards). Zoe (216.234.130.130 00:56, 22 December 2005 (UTC))


 * Thanks alot, once I looked at the soundtrack list I knew at first sight, which one it was. I can sight a Paul Oakenfold from a km away. --( Aytakin ) | Talk 02:22, 22 December 2005 (UTC)
 * Can you update the Paul Oakenfold article to include this information? Zoe (216.234.130.130 17:50, 22 December 2005 (UTC))


 * No problemo! --( Aytakin ) | Talk 21:09, 22 December 2005 (UTC)

=December 22=

free telecommunications to/fro india
I will be spending one month all over india for vacation. What is the best way for me to carry a temporary mobile phone that will be inexpensive to american callers, dependable and personal? I am vaguely familiar with the idea of a "chip" to buy and install in some cellular phone. Does anyone have any recommendations? Thank you. doctoroll


 * The cheapest solution for American callers would be for you to get a US-based cell phone that works via international roaming in India. However, this will be quite expensive for you (Cingular, for example, would be as much as $2.50/minute.)  You may also look at renting or purchasing a prepaid phone in India (which would include a SIM card -- the chip you're thinking of), which will likely be a much cheaper per minute option, but will be more expensive for the caller and more difficult to dial (as it will have an Indian telephone number.)  In fact, if you receive calls with this cell phone, it may not cost anything for you, only for the caller.  The dependability of either of those solutions will be based on the dependability of the Indian wireless phone network.  Another option is to get a satellite phone, which isn't really cheap for anyone.  Check out Telestial for a good one-stop shopping place for a phone and SIM card that you can get ahead of time.  Also, read this article for more information.  kmccoy (talk) 14:14, 22 December 2005 (UTC)


 * For what it's worth, India's cellular telephone network is quite developed - more so, I'd say, than that of the United States in terms of its usage as compared to land lines. It's rare to see public telephone booths in India since almost everyone above a certain income level (certainly including those who are able to travel "all over India") seems to have a cell phone. &mdash; flamingspinach | (talk) 08:48, 25 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Yes. I'd advise you to get a prepaid SIM card for, say, Rs.1322 (~ $30) from one of the leading players like AirTel or Hutch. This would typically last your one month stay and is pretty reliable. -- Sundar \talk \contribs 08:56, 25 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Today there is a sim card good for more than 100 countries including India. See it here: International Cell Phone Jdulaney 10-12-7

What is the meaning of life

 * See meaning of life or The Meaning of Life. -- Fredrik | tc 01:33, 22 December 2005 (UTC)

42 CambridgeBayWeather (Talk) 03:24, 22 December 2005 (UTC)

In Dutch I'd say "de zin van het leven is de zin in het leven", but that pun doesn't work in English alas, so I can't help you. DirkvdM 19:48, 23 December 2005 (UTC)


 * "He who dies with the most toys wins" - bumper sticker.


 * "Stop unwanted Seismic Activity" - another bumper sticker, but located in the peoples republic of Berkeley, CA. Artoftransformation 17:29, 24 December 2005 (UTC)--

Laser Computer Game
There was a simple 2-D computer game I used to play in the mid-90s that involved redirecting a laser light around various obstacles using mirrors, so that the light hit a target. It was kind of like the Incredible Machine, because first you set up the configuration, and then you pressed the "run" button to see if it would work. Does anyone remember the name of the game, and perhaps where I could find it? -Jian
 * Have also answered this on the Science Reference Desk, but it sounds like Deflektor, which came out in the late 80s and was available on various platforms such as the Spectrum, C64 and Amiga. You can download a simple version for the PC here or here. --Canley 03:18, 22 December 2005 (UTC)


 * There's a free clone called MirrorMagic, which is a great way to kill some time . --Robert Merkel 12:35, 22 December 2005 (UTC)

Is there other porn actress like this actress??
In wikipedia section of Ava Devine someone wrote "Unlike most pornstars, who maintain an onscreen persona separate from how they act in real life, those who know Ava in real life claim that she is as horny offscreen as she is on. She has been referred to as a "complete nympho" and "a true giver and the purest form of slut." Tales of her misdeeds often include the seduction of and fornication with complete strangers..." "...She has been known to even astonish her coworkers with her promiscuity, and cameramen have commented that "you can't get within two feet of her without your crotch being groped." Her honest love of sex is most likely the cause of her success, as her performances constantly push the boundaries of what is acceptable in porno..."

Is there other porn actress like this?? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 201.50.212.159 (talk • contribs)


 * Frankly, I'd be a bit skeptical of that article. Its claims sound a little too much like it's feeding the fantasies of pornography watchers (that is, the actor is really "into it" and isn't just doing the film for the money) - I even wonder whether the person responsible for adding this material is doing so for commercial motives.


 * As to whether other actors in pornographic films are genuinely much more enthusiastic than the average person about sex, you might read this article at salon.com (note: no explicit imagery or profanity but probably not a great idea for reading at work), or this other article at salon.com (same applies) about two actors in porn films who, according to the male writers, *very* enthusiastic about their sexuality and not just on camera; the second article had an amusing follow-up purportedly from the woman concerned (which I can't locate) decrying the author but confirming her enthusiasm for sex. How credible any of these stories are, is for you to decide.    But don't kid yourself; a number of famous porn stars are perfectly blunt about their motivations for performing and it wasn't out of any great enthusiasm for sex: read our article on Traci Lords for instance.  --Robert Merkel 04:28, 22 December 2005 (UTC)


 * I can't give you a scientific answer - there is very little good research on many aspects of professional porn actors - but I've worked in the adult industry and met a number of adult actors. Certainly there are plenty of female adult stars who enjoy sex a lot and have it off-screen more than the average person. Chloe springs right to mind. However, this is probably a small minority: Remember that most women who appear in adult movies only do a few scenes to make money, are not seeking a career in the field, and so are probably not all that different from you or me. But yes, to answer your question, there are others. If you're interested, you should consider frequenting adult industry sites like AVN. --George 03:44, 24 December 2005 (UTC)

what chloe you are talking about??? I searched and there are many chloes.

Photoshop help
I'm not sure if this sort of thing belongs here, but I'm desperate. Could someone with Photoshop please cut the person out of this picture and paste them onto a white background for me?

http://img402.imageshack.us/img402/3198/zelda5uh.jpg


 * Have you tried downloading the free GIMP and doing the job with that? It may not have all the features of Photoshop, but it's perfectly adequate for the simple task you wish to perform.--Robert Merkel 04:36, 22 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Oh yes, and it's entirely probable that you are engaging in illegal copyright violation. Have a nice day. -72.144.239.31 04:56, 22 December 2005 (UTC)


 * ImageShack® is hosting that Zelda pic. They host for you to be able to share with friends. Rules say :
 * "All files are © to their respective owners". So if the image is put on a non-commercial site, there might be no problem. In Wikipedia, things are different as the policy is very strict. -- Harvestman 11:32, 22 December 2005 (UTC)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v41/TheMadBaron/zeldaTMB.jpg

Europe
What is the southernmost capital of Europe?
 * Check Europe and you can see what countries are in Europe and what countries have part of their land in Europe. From there you can pick the one that best fits the answer you need. CambridgeBayWeather (Talk) 07:06, 22 December 2005 (UTC)
 * Looking at a map, I would guess whatever is the capital of the island of Crete, might be one candidate. Maybe Cyprus. User:AlMac|(talk) 10:25, 22 December 2005 (UTC)
 * It depends on what you count as Europe. I would guess Nicosia, capital of Cyprus. Sputnikcccp 19:27, 23 December 2005 (UTC)
 * Looking at a map, I second it's Nicosia. Valetta, the capital of Malta is more to the north.  – b_jonas 16:17, 25 December 2005 (UTC)

Monkeys
What do we call the young one of a monkey?

--61.1.225.211 07:03, 22 December 2005 (UTC)


 * According to this site, baby monkeys are simply called infants. - User:Akamad Merry Christmas to all! 07:16, 22 December 2005 (UTC)
 * This site also states infant, but also lists sucklinga and yearling. - User:Akamad Merry Christmas to all! 07:18, 22 December 2005 (UTC)

shooting star
what is a shooting star?
 * Other than what is linked from that page it's also a song by Bad Company on the Straight Shooter (album) but the one you are probably looking for is Meteor. CambridgeBayWeather (Talk) 09:12, 22 December 2005 (UTC)

What is this kind of logic called?
"If some doctors are tall, and some doctors are men, doesn't that mean that some men are tall?"

In various IQ tests I've come across these kinds of questions, and they have me confused every time. I want to know what they are called, and if there is an article about their kind on Wikipedia (I'd go there already if I knew what they were called) so I can learn to properly solve them.

DarkPhoenix 09:21, 22 December 2005 (UTC)
 * Try Deductive reasoning. CambridgeBayWeather (Talk) 09:36, 22 December 2005 (UTC)
 * Set Theory involves drawing overlapping circles of possibilities. User:AlMac|(talk) 10:28, 22 December 2005 (UTC)

The above is an example of a logical fallacy, because the conclusion doesn't follow from the premises. Specifically, this one is the fallacy of the undistributed middle. The ones you see on IQ tests are not usually fallacies, though. A similar statement that is valid would be a syllogism. --Anonymous, 10;45 UTC, December 22.


 * I was going to go for that one, but since you've beaten me to it, can a question be a fallacy? It isn't a statement, is it? Also, indeed it doesn't mean that some men are tall. So the thing the question asks about is true. That's two! Any more logic questions? DirkvdM 20:00, 23 December 2005 (UTC)

Thanks for your answers, guys. I think I kind of got it now. :) DarkPhoenix 12:35, 24 December 2005 (UTC)

hi
Try HI, Greeting or high. CambridgeBayWeather (Talk) 09:34, 22 December 2005 (UTC)

Strasbourg, France and November 22
I just returned from a wonderful visit to Strasbourg, France and during my time there found a street near the center of town named "November 22". I cannnot find any indication of the significance of that date to Strasbourg -- I asked several intellectual locals to no avail. The date is significant to me because it is my birthday and also the date of JFK's assasination and I wanted to know its significance to Strasbourg.

Can you help or tell me where to look?

Thank you for your help.
 * 1890 - Charles de Gaulle, President of France (d. 1970) but not in Strasbourg.
 * 1943 - Lebanon gains independence from France.
 * 1602 - Elisabeth of France, Queen of Philip IV of Spain (d. 1644)
 * November 22, 1794 Strasbourg Alsace-Lorraine, prohibits circumcision and wearing of beards

But nothing really to do with Strasbourg. The most likely one as a guess would be the first. CambridgeBayWeather (Talk) 12:20, 22 December 2005 (UTC)
 * Whoops I wasn't finished. The last was from here. One would hope that they have not named a street to clebrate some anti-Jewish law. It would however explain why no one remembers why the street has that name. Maybe you could find out from someone there how old the name is. CambridgeBayWeather (Talk) 12:24, 22 December 2005 (UTC)


 * The "Rue du 22 novembre" commemorates November 22, 1918, date on which French soldiers put an end to the "Soviet of Strasbourg". That seems to have been initiated by soldiers of the German Kriegsmarine (I would suppose a detachment was stationed on the river Rhine?) who rebelled when some of their commanders, in particular Ludendorff, didn't want to accept the defeat and capitulation of Germany in World War I and wanted them to fight on. The renegade soldiers at Strasbourg sought and got support from the local population and declared a communist free state. If you can read French, see and . It appears that such "Soviets" sprung up in November 1918 all over the Alsace. Looking for more sources; maybe I can even find some English ones. Lupo 12:43, 22 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Flags of the world has an English summary of the avove French PDF. Lupo 12:48, 22 December 2005 (UTC)


 * See also Alsace Soviet Republic (the very last link on Special:Whatlinkshere/Strasbourg!), which gives the very same PDF as its source. Lupo 12:54, 22 December 2005 (UTC)


 * ...and which was created just two days ago... Hmmm... Lupo 12:57, 22 December 2005 (UTC)

cartoons
Did Flook have a friend called Deepsea Mokey if not then where does he come from. Regards Chilliphill

Flook was originally written by Wally Fawkes it would appear that Deep Sea Mokey is a 1947 childrens book about a donkey written by Gale Couch here and here. CambridgeBayWeather (Talk) 13:21, 22 December 2005 (UTC)

The right programming language
I am planning on making an RPG similar to pokémon to put on my official website which will come out at Christmas. What programming language will the expert programmers use to make a game as such? Is there a professional computer programming language? I want to make my game a game that will be as good as a modern video game that comes out in the shops.--XenoNeon 13:26, 22 December 2005 (UTC)


 * The C programming language and its variants remain quite common; however, game programming is a relatively independent choice that does not affect game design. Of course, choice of language also varies heavily based on the game's medium: if played via website, a scripting language or Java may be far more appropriate. Long story short, worry about game design rather than implementation if you're not doing the programming. &mdash; Lomn | Talk / RfC 14:18, 22 December 2005 (UTC)

Charlotte Cooper
what is the claim of charlotte cooper as regards the olympic games
 * see Charlotte Cooper (tennis player). Zoe (216.234.130.130 17:57, 22 December 2005 (UTC))
 * Oh boy, Oh boy. What an excellent page! Thanks. Artoftransformation 17:19, 24 December 2005 (UTC)--

Aftershave..
Hi, Is it allright to use aftershave on a bruise on the elbow? I got one yesterday and now all kinds of stuff is coming out of it.

Jayant, 17 Years, India (Talk) 19:03, 22 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Aftershave is basically rubbing alcohol and mostly harmless unless a lot is absorbed through the skin (the sign would probably be a bad headache). Alcohol is very good at disinfecting all kinds of injuries, so although your bruise may be oozing now, it could have been worse without the aftershave.  You should probably either leave the bruise alone, use some tincture of iodine, or check with a doctor.  &#8227;<font size="+1">&#5339;&#5505;  [[Image:Venus symbol (blue).gif|&#9792;]] [ <font size="+1">&#5200; ] 22:53, 22 December 2005 (UTC)


 * And try to keep the rusty guitar strings away from the bruise. --jpgordon∇∆∇∆ 02:30, 23 December 2005 (UTC)


 * I can't believe there's no article for aftershave. So I started a stub.  Feel free to expand it because it's very short. Proto t c 11:17, 23 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Allright....Thanks a lot..
 * Jayant, 17 Years, India (Talk) 11:46, 23 December 2005 (UTC)
 * And about the article on aftershave i'll try to do whatever i can.
 * Jayant, 17 Years, India (Talk) 11:46, 23 December 2005 (UTC)

Germany
I come from Germany and I would like you to give me some information on what you know about my home country, please. What is typical of German culture, politics, economy or society? I ask you such a question to find some more details about missunderstandings and prejudices because I am interested in looking for the roots of such attitudes. (If there are some mistakes in the text above please correct them.)
 * Have you read the Germany article and those linked from it? Dismas|(talk) 19:17, 22 December 2005 (UTC)
 * I am a German who has lived in the US for over 15 years. I have found that the stereotypes of Germans, such as used in movies, TV, and especially by comedians/stand-up comics, etc. are pretty much stuck in the early part of the 20th century. Germans are still caricatured as war-like, as having no or little sense of humor, etc. Just watch any episode of a sitcom or, say, The Simpsons, that has any Germans in it and they'll either be old Nazis hiding out in Argentina or Lederhosen-wearing Bavarians. This is, of course, a caricature in much the same way as the French are viewed as rude, the Italians as passionate lovers, etc. Most educated people have a more differentiated view of Germans. Good stereotypes include a respect for "German engineering" (Mercedes, BMW, etc.) and "German efficiency." --Millard73 08:08, 26 December 2005 (UTC)


 * We Americans generally realize that the movie stereotypes are outdated; it's just that Europeans are about the only people that can be stereotyped without the movie being considered "racist", so the hulking, gun-toting German will be in action films for a long time to come. Americans do generally "blame" the Germans for techno music and that weird Jorg Haider brand of racism. --Mareino 00:01, 27 December 2005 (UTC)

Rusting strings...
Hi, I have a steel strings acoustic guitar. I live near the sea and my guitar strings rust quite often and i am forced to change them almost every couple of weeks. Can anyone tell me if i can do something to stop the rusting?

Jayant, 17 Years, India (Talk) 19:19, 22 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Hi Jayant, I would seriously suggest you to grease the parts that are apt to rust. For the strings, wipe then clean before playing. -- Harvestman


 * Heya. Elixir guitar strings are polymer coated and sound really good too. --jpgordon∇∆∇∆ 02:29, 23 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Can you tell me something to clean the strings with so that they dont rust?
 * Jayant, 17 Years, India (Talk) 11:48, 23 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Well, if you can't get the Elixir strings -- and seriously, they're worth it -- you can try this stuff - which sprays a polymer onto the strings. I've not tried it, though. --jpgordon∇∆∇∆ 18:13, 23 December 2005 (UTC)


 * I use something called 'fast fret', which I run on the strings every time I've played. It's a sort of cotton stick soaked in something. This is one brand, but there are more. Some to make your fingers glide over the strings more easily, some to keep the strings in good condition, some both (like this one). Sweat makes the strings rust too, but I don't know if it would help against the silty air near sea. DirkvdM 20:11, 23 December 2005 (UTC)
 * Decades ago, I used to play the violin (the strings were kind of hairy not metalic). When not playing it, it was stored in a Violin Case.  I have seen with Guitars that there is like a cloth bag they can be placed in to protect them when traveling and not in use.  That way they not accumulate dust, effects of moisture, and not get damaged so badly when stuff accidentally put on top of them. User:AlMac|(talk) 17:56, 24 December 2005 (UTC)

Minimum taxable income?
What is the minimum taxable income for US citizens? I keep hearing that the IRS does not collect income tax from those who earn less than $5,000 a year, but I can't seem to find any facts to back this up. I'm confused. Also, does that mean that they don't have to file a tax return? --Javguerre Thursday, Dec 22, 2005 2:21PM EST


 * See here: for the IRS's page on who has to file. I think the standard deduction is $8200 at the moment, so generally you will owe no tax if you earn less than that. However, if you've had tax stopped from a paycheck, you may be owed a refund, so should file anyway. --Bob Mellish 19:32, 22 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Actually people can earn a whole lot more than that and pay no federal income tax depending on the situation. If you have enough child and other credits and enough deductions your income can be fairly high and you would pay no tax. I could contrive a situation with gross income well over $70,000 that would pay no income tax. However, paying no tax overall and having no tax collected are different things. Tax collecting is done by withholding money from one's paycheck for most workers. So you could earn $5,000 in one paycheck, have say $1,500 withheld in federal income tax, and file at the end of the year and get it all back. As Bob said, that would mean you don't have to file, but you'd want to. Now taxable income has a specific meaning to the IRS that is different from what you think of. Essentially it's the amount on line 43 of form 1040 (or the equivalent if you file another form). Which is your income minus all applicable deductions and exemptions. From the tax table, taxable income of greater than $5 entitles you to pay a tax of $1. After that though credits can reduce the actual tax you pay. So you could even have a fairly high taxable income and pay no tax if you have enough credits. Sound complicated? It is, needlessly, but that's the way it is. - Taxman Talk 20:07, 22 December 2005 (UTC)
 * Oh, and if you look at averages, from the CBO's tables for 2002, the bottom 40% of households by income payed an overall negative federal income tax in total by a combination of the things I explained above. The table doesn't show the income cutoffs for the quartiles, but estimating from the quartile income averages, income earners earning about $40,000 or less pay no federal income tax on average. That is only considering federal income tax. People of low incomes will still pay social security and medicare taxes, and not very many people get out of those. - Taxman Talk 20:16, 22 December 2005 (UTC)
 * Was my answer just that boring that everyone's eyes glazed over and no further response is needed? :) - Taxman Talk 19:47, 27 December 2005 (UTC)

What are the eligibility requirements for NBA Rookie of the Year Award?
Does anyone know how the National Basketball Association defines who is eligible for the Rookie of the Year Award? In other words, is there a limit on minimum/maximum games played, time in the league, etc.? Thanks!

--John, NY

Smackers lipgloss code?!
Hey, on smackers. com, a lipgloss website, you can type in a code that will get you into another website that they made for fun! You can get the code off any 2005 holiday lipgloss sets. I really have no time to get it myself so can someone with the code give me it, please?


 * So..... you're asking us to cheat??? —Keenan Pepper 03:51, 23 December 2005 (UTC)


 * The Code is cullpepper-swordfish. Please go and see 'Horsefeathers' and 'Its a mad, mad, mad, mad, mad, mad, mad, mad, mad, world' Artoftransformation 17:16, 24 December 2005 (UTC)--

Blue Squirrels
Can anyone explain what a blue squirrel is? I was told that such a thing exists and I wondered if it is simply another name for the grey squirrel or a hoax (the joke's on me)! I have searched the web and can only find software companies or cartoon. Can anyone help please?


 * I can't give a complete answer, but: people who breed animals very frequently give fanciful names to colors of fur, and "blue" is the name they give to the color that normal people call "grey" in both cats and rabbits. - Nunh-huh 22:30, 22 December 2005 (UTC)

American Christmas Dinner Trends
In previous years, Thanksgiving-style turkey was a popular repeat guest for Christmas dinner, but in recent years, honey-baked ham, goose, duck and even roast beef have been favorites. Most recently, what are the new trends for menus of Americans' Christmas dinners?
 * See Big Mac. Proto t c 11:13, 23 December 2005 (UTC)
 * Roast pork is gaining popularity. I think the thing is that turkey used to be a seasonal dish, but now that it's more available year-round, it's not as special as it used to be, so turkey is more commonly reserved for Thanksgiving, and other things are becoming more popular at Christmas (though I don't know about goose!)  Ham seems to be the common New Year's Day dish.  Zoe (216.234.130.130 16:43, 23 December 2005 (UTC))
 * While eating goose and ham may be newer trends in the US it's much older in other parts of the world. The tradional eating of goose and ham both predate the Christian era. CambridgeBayWeather (Talk) 02:58, 24 December 2005 (UTC)
 * Why are you using external links? There's a perfectly usable page at christmas ham too... TERdON 15:41, 25 December 2005 (UTC)
 * Because I missed it. CambridgeBayWeather (Talk) 23:21, 25 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Many U.S. families use Christmas as a chance to celebrate the other cultural artifacts that come with their ancestry, so they will have ethnic food relating back to their ancestor's traditional wintertime or Christmas meals.--Mareino 00:05, 27 December 2005 (UTC)
 * This seems to be especially true at Christmas Eve dinner. I know Italians eat "seven fishes" on Christmas Eve, and Mexican American families eat tamales.  User:Zoe|(talk) 04:03, 27 December 2005 (UTC)

=December 23=

malaysia
describe the classes or social order of malaysia list ten aspects of malaysia that is unique or different than america thank you


 * 1) Malaysia is further away from Canada than America.
 * 2) Malaysia is in Asia, America is in North America.
 * 3) Malaysia does not have an Atlantic seaboard while America does.
 * 4) Malaysia is south of the Equator but America is north.
 * 5) Malaysia's capital is Kuala Lumpur and America's is Washington.
 * 6) Malaysia begins with the letter M, America begins with the letter A.
 * 7) Malaysia has a smaller population than America.
 * 8) Malaysia has never invaded Canada while America did.
 * 9) Malaysia is a smaller country than America.
 * 10) Malaysia and America are on different time zones.

and one thing that Malaysia and America have in common is that students from both countries ask the Reference desk to do their homework. CambridgeBayWeather (Talk) 01:47, 23 December 2005 (UTC)


 * CambridgeBayWeather, there's really no point in alluding to the rule about not using this page to get answers for homework questions if you're going to provide the answers anyway. Giving an answer while implicitly criticising the questioner for asking the question is a very mixed message.  We really must all either stop this silly practice of colluding in breaking our own rules, or change the rules.  JackofOz 04:14, 23 December 2005 (UTC)


 * It's a useless homework question anyway; a useless answer doesn't do any harm. Hopefully the questioner will learn a little cynicism about telling lies to children.  &#8227;<font size="+1">&#5339;&#5505;  [[Image:Venus symbol (blue).gif|&#9792;]] [ <font size="+1">&#5200; ] 04:27, 23 December 2005 (UTC)
 * Thanks for the cool link. JackofOz 01:01, 24 December 2005 (UTC)



The question initiator might want to take a look at the following articles: Bumiputra, Article 153 of the Constitution of Malaysia, PAP-UMNO relations (Singapore left Malaysia partially because of the racial and social order issue), May 13 Incident, History of Malaysia, Ketuanan Melayu, Social contract (Malaysia) and Ketuanan Melayu.

"[t]hey, the Malay, have the right as Malaysian citizens to go up to the level of training and education that the more competitive societies, the non-Malay society, has produced. That is what must be done, isn't it? Not to feed them with this obscurantist doctrine that all they have got to do is to get Malay rights for the few special Malays and their problem has been resolved."

''Malaysia — to whom does it belong? To Malaysians. But who are Malaysians? I hope I am, Mr Speaker, Sir. But sometimes, sitting in this chamber, I doubt whether I am allowed to be a Malaysian. '' -- Lee Kuan Yew


 * JackofOz did you read the answers? Would you use them as homework answers. They were usless. Most of the time I will either point out where the question can be answered or answer it properly. These took me about two minutes to come up with. If someone is going to post a homework question without at least bothering to disguise it then they are not going to get a proper answer. If you are offened by the fact that I was trying to have a little fun and not be too mean then I apologise but I would/will probably do the same again. However, I do not mind helping with someones homework but I'm not going to sit and do it all for them. CambridgeBayWeather (Talk) 05:30, 23 December 2005 (UTC)
 * No, I wasn't offended. I was probably in a kind of grumpy "bah humbug" mood, that's all.  My issue was not with the content of the answer, or the fact that you provided an answer.  It was merely with the mixed message of providing an answer but in the same breath saying you should not have asked the question.  But I'm easily confused, living at the bottom end of the world, so please make allowances for my occasional strange utterances.  Merry Xmas to you and everybody.  JackofOz 01:01, 24 December 2005 (UTC)

Malaysia is a country. America is a continent. Then again, not everyone would agree with this. DirkvdM 20:15, 23 December 2005 (UTC)
 * JackofOz I have the other problem. My brain is frozen from living at the top end of the world. CambridgeBayWeather (Talk) 02:45, 24 December 2005 (UTC)

Suse 10, Amarok and playing mp3s
Hi there! My friend is running into a peculiar problem with linux. When he plays music with Amarok, the volume goes to 0 right after each song. Is there a way to prevent this from happening? Thanks very much. --HappyCamper 02:49, 23 December 2005 (UTC)

xio mien nwar
What does xio mien nwar mean??? i have no clue what language it is but my friend is getting threatening emails from someone and they always put this in there. thank you for your help!


 * At first, I kept thinking it was incorrectly romanized Mandarin, "xio" reminds me of "xiao" meaning "little" and "mien" is "mian" meaning "face", but I can't think of anything that fits with "nwar"... --HappyCamper 03:18, 23 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Even though i dont know a thing in mandarin, i dont think that its mandarin. No one would be stupid enough to learn mandarin just to threaten your friend. Maybe its some kind of code or something.Or its just a lame joke. But its just a guess. And, has your friend tried to reply to the e-mails?
 * Jayant, 17 Years, India (Talk) 11:54, 23 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Google and Usenet doesn't have it. The Xeroc CA language identifier guessed Maltese. — Jeandré, 2005-12-24t12:47z

OK..i just looked at it again and i spelled it wrong. he wrote it: XIO MEIN NWAR. i wrote mien instead of mein. but he puts it at the end of his emails so this may just be what he calls himself.

All White Championship Team
Much is made of Texas Western's all black starting lineup beating the Kentucky Wildcats and Adolph Rupp for the college basketball championship. But who is the last team to win the NCAA Basketball Championship with an all-white starting lineup? Or Football? Or NFL football? Or NBA Basketball? But this question is about NCAA Basketball. Anyone know?


 * The 1959 Cal Bears basketball team appear to have been all-white (PDF file). Tomorrow's (!) New York Times says "the 1969 Longhorns were the last all-white team to win a national college football championship." : -- Mwalcoff 04:33, 23 December 2005 (UTC)


 * I know the Washington Redskins were the last NFL team to integrate -- much is made of the fact that their fight song used to include the line "fight for old Dixie", though that's been changed to "fight for old D. C." Zoe (216.234.130.130 16:45, 23 December 2005 (UTC))


 * It appears that the 1953 Detroit Lions were the last all-white NFL champs. The Lions had had a black player before that (Wally Triplett), but he was no longer on the team by then. In 1961, the Redskins became the last NFL team to integrate when they traded for Bobby Mitchell.
 * The NBA signed its first black players before the 1950-51 season. After that, no NBA team won a championship without at least one black player, and by the mid-50s, every team had one. The last all-white team to win an NBA title was the 1949-50 Syracuse Nationals.
 * It looks like the 1953 New York Yankees were the last all-white World Series champions. The Yanks didn't integrate until they signed Elston Howard in 1955.
 * And by the way, I don't think the 2003-04 Tampa Bay Lightning had a black player, although black goalie Gerald Coleman has played a game for them this year. -- Mwalcoff 00:44, 25 December 2005 (UTC)

Human Species
How come there are usually many different species of certain Animals but there is only one living species of human?


 * Any male and female human can mate and produce fertile offspring.
 * Humans are mostly very similar to each other. The differences like skin color and facial features are not enough to merit division into separate species.
 * The entire population of humans is connected by transportation technology. There is no isolated group of humans that might be considered a different species. —Keenan Pepper 06:22, 23 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Or maybe we killed all the others because we developed the unique trait of intolerance. ☢ Ҡieff⌇↯ 06:40, 23 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Well, as you say: Only one living species of humans. So the real question is: "Why did the other hominid species die out?". Unfortunately that is one of these big unanswered questions of human evolution. On the other hand, there are all kinds of monkey species who aren't terribly far apart from us evolutionarily speaking. So we're really not that alone. Compare to say, the Platypus who's closest relative is the Echidna. Much farther off than our closest relatives. --BluePlatypus 13:58, 23 December 2005 (UTC)

You didn't quite put the question right, I believe. If by human you mean homo sapiens then that is the species. And it's the only species of homo stil in existence. Moreover, there's only one human subspecies, homo sapiens sapiens, with a former relative, Homo sapiens idaltu, being extinct. Moreover still, there is only one human race, although that is disputed. See Validity of human races. As to why, I once heard that somewhere in the early history of humans some catastrophy decimated the human population, and a smaller gene pool may very well have limited the possibility of evolution of other species. Actually, I believe the conclusion was indeed derived from the human genetic makeup. Or maybe the same cause wiped the others out. That last one sounds quite plausible. DirkvdM 20:32, 23 December 2005 (UTC)


 * See Mitochondrial Eve. It's possible Homo sapiens nearly became extinct.  &#8227;<font size="+1">&#5339;&#5505;  [[Image:Venus symbol (blue).gif|&#9792;]] [ <font size="+1">&#5200; ] 03:33, 24 December 2005 (UTC)

Another reason is that species is an ill-defined concept. After all, if interbreeding is our only criteria, rumours about certain highly amoral experiments suggest that humans and chimpanzees are the same species. And certain groups throughout history have dictated that people of different races are different species.--84.64.57.242 14:33, 24 December 2005 (UTC)


 * That's cool, mixing humans and chimps! Whether that is amoral/immoral is debatable because those terms are ill-defined. Whether 'species' is ill defined because of this is also quite debatable. Whether two animals (or whatever) can interbreed seems like a good criterium for classification, whether you call that species or something else is fairly irrelevant, but redefining a word because you don't like the implications is weak. So what if humans and chimps are the same species? I wouldn't have a problem with that. Actually, it would force us to look in the mirror of truth, which is never a bad thing. DirkvdM 16:16, 24 December 2005 (UTC)
 * I had always thought that the Nethanderals were a human species that died out due to competition with us.
 * Ignoring all the conspiracy theories about AIDS, my understanding is that the disease first made it into the human species thanks to some humans who raped some animals.

User:AlMac|(talk) 17:59, 24 December 2005 (UTC)

P.S. Found it on Wiki! Toba catastrophe theory
 * According to the last issue of The Economist, a million-year-event volcano (the kind that blacken the sky worldwide for years) ~74,000 years ago triggered a mini-mass-extinction that killed off all but the current breed of hominids.--Mareino 00:17, 27 December 2005 (UTC)

The coefficient of kinetic hate as opposed to the coefficient of static hate
My friends and I want to know some specific variables that might effect both Kinetic and Static Hate. Does anyone know if there is a specific coefficient that relates to both. How can we describe the differences between Kinetic Hate and Static Hate and how are the Coefficents related or how are they different. What are the variables, how are they related in regards to the differences between Kinetic and Static Hate. My friend Jon came up with this question a couple years ago. He is an Engineering student in L.A. We want to know the relationships between these two very important factors in life. Thank you very much. Ethan Kegley in Taiwan


 * I assume "static hate" is measured at rest but "dynamic hate" is measured after an argument has started? —Keenan Pepper 06:26, 23 December 2005 (UTC)


 * I think it might depend on context. I was thinking a bullet might be a good example of kinetic hate. alteripse 08:17, 23 December 2005 (UTC)


 * No no no - the gun is the tool, the mind is the weapon. Kinetic hate would be ... um ... a very angry man running very quickly.  Static hate would be some fat guy sat down shouting at the TV. Proto t c 11:12, 23 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Guys! Do you think there is a tiny possibility that the anon was talking about heat rather than hate? (The question still doesn't make any sense to me though) Theresa Knott | Taste the Korn 20:19, 23 December 2005 (UTC)

where was the first railway underground in england
London. The London Underground is the oldest underground railway system in the world, the third biggest in terms of number of stations (the others being New York and Paris), and the largest in terms of the amount of track (415 km). Proto t c 12:14, 23 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Try London Underground. CambridgeBayWeather (Talk) 12:02, 23 December 2005 (UTC)


 * (two questions merged) Proto t c 12:16, 23 December 2005 (UTC)

Technically, any time a railroad goes through a tunnel that can be said to be underground. User:AlMac|(talk) 18:03, 24 December 2005 (UTC)

Burning bruise...
I thought that our body gives us the sensation of pain when we try to hurt it or if something is really wrong with it. But why does my bruise burn or pain a lot when i put aftershave on it? Does it mean that aftershave is bad for the bruise?

Jayant, 17 Years, India (Talk) 12:00, 23 December 2005 (UTC)
 * Do you have a cut or just a bruise? CambridgeBayWeather (Talk) 12:04, 23 December 2005 (UTC)

Its not a cut. But its a pretty bad bruise on my right elbow (I fell down from my bike while going at around 40 kmph).But it doesn't answer my question.


 * Aftershave contains an astringent (something that closes up damaged blood vessels to prevent bleeding) and alcohol (to dissolve the perfume, but it also kills germs). It's the astringent that hurts, but neither ingredient will do you any harm. --Heron 12:29, 23 December 2005 (UTC)

If they dont do any harm..why does it hurt then?


 * Normally the outer layer of skin stops the chemicals reaching nerves, but if you grazed yourself when you fell, some of aftershave would have reached exposed nerves and therefore you can feel the chemicals sting. <font style="color:#CC0000"> smurray <font style="color:#DD0000"> in <font style ="color:#EE0000"> chester <font style="color:#55BB22">(User), (Ho Ho Ho!) 17:36, 23 December 2005 (UTC)

So..the nerves consider the aftershave as a threat?


 * Strong alcohol can disolve stuff; the nerves see the alcohol rather like acid. <font style="color:#CC0000"> smurray <font style="color:#DD0000"> in <font style ="color:#EE0000"> chester <font style="color:#55BB22">(User), (Ho Ho Ho!) 17:54, 23 December 2005 (UTC)

I think it's the astringent that hurts, not the alcohol. The astringent makes your tissues contract, which puts a mechanical force on the pain receptors and makes them go 'ouch'. Alcohol tends to have an anaesthetic effect, so is unikely to hurt. --Heron 18:12, 23 December 2005 (UTC)

cool..thanks a lot


 * You might have a doctor, or parent, or someone else review your situation and the choices you made.

Once upon a time I fell, and thought that I had sprained my ankle. It did not hurt too bad, so I went on my way. Several days later it began to hurt even more, so I went to see doctor. Good job I did, and I should have gone sooner. Turned out it was not sprained but broken. I learned later that spraining is usually more painful than breaking, but breaking is more serious. User:AlMac|(talk) 18:06, 24 December 2005 (UTC)

Thank you for your concern..But my bruise is almost completely healed now...The reson i didnt go to the doctor is that i am scared of gettting a tetanus injection...or any injection for that matter.... Jayant, 17 Years, India (Talk) 03:26, 25 December 2005 (UTC)

You might want to reconsider where you put your aftershave, too, as most people don't put it on their elbows. It's generally for the face and is used after shaving, hence its fame for giving a burning sensation when coming into contact with exposed nerves (after a shave). Givnan 11:16, 26 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Even though aftershave is supposed to be used after a shave...it also has antiseptic properties..thats the main reason why we use it on our face...And we can use aftershave on small cuts and bruises as well..where ever the cut or bruise might be...Most people dont know that...
 * Jayant, 17 Years, India (Talk) 16:03, 26 December 2005 (UTC)

Skipper..
Hi, Why is the captain of a team called as a skipper? Jayant, 17 Years, India (Talk) 12:17, 23 December 2005 (UTC)


 * The captain of a ship is also called a 'skipper'. It comes from the old Dutch word scipper, which means 'ship'.  As the captain of a ship is nicknamed the skipper, as too are the captains of sports teams.  Proto t c 12:36, 23 December 2005 (UTC)

Thanks a lot.. Jayant, 17 Years, India (Talk) 15:24, 23 December 2005 (UTC)
 * (The Dutch word is "schipper". David Sneek 15:47, 23 December 2005 (UTC))
 * ...and it means 'skipper', not 'ship' (which is 'schip'). DirkvdM 20:42, 23 December 2005 (UTC)

'Schipper' means 'someone who uses a ship ('schip')'. Givnan 11:09, 26 December 2005 (UTC)

previous life
what do you call aperson who remembers his/her previous life? (in 1 word)


 * Reincarnated?--Ridge Racer 17:43, 23 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Drunk! Moriori 02:47, 24 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Call Ian Stevenson right away! alteripse 11:43, 24 December 2005 (UTC)

Pairs and single...
Why do we have some organs of our body (ears,lungs,eyes,etc.) in pairs and some only single (mouth, heart,etc..)? Do we have three or more copies of any organ or part in our body?

Jayant, 17 Years, India (Talk) 16:12, 23 December 2005 (UTC)


 * The main reason we have two lots of eyes is that if we only had one eye, we would have no depth perception; we would not be able to see how near something was. Most of the organs that we have more than two of are not often thought of as organs; bones, tonsils etc; the reason for this is that humans have no need for seven stomaches or three kidneys; they can survive with one or two and extra organs would waste space inside the body. <font style="color:#CC0000"> smurray <font style="color:#DD0000"> in <font style ="color:#EE0000"> chester <font style="color:#55BB22">(User), (Ho Ho Ho!) 17:32, 23 December 2005 (UTC)

Cool..Thanks a lot..


 * For vital organs an advantage would be that one fails we've got a spare. Another reason is the symmetry of our bodies (and those of most organisms). So three would be unusual. Cows have four stomachs, not three. I can't think of anything we have four of, though. Well, we've got loads of hairs (most of us anyway). :) DirkvdM 20:49, 23 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Technically, cows have one stomach with four chambers, but yes, humans don't normally have four lots of any organ. <font style="color:#CC0000"> smurray <font style="color:#DD0000"> in <font style ="color:#EE0000"> chester <font style="color:#55BB22">(User), (Ho Ho Ho!) 20:56, 23 December 2005 (UTC)


 * We've got four parathyroid glands. --David Iberri (talk) 20:56, 24 December 2005 (UTC)


 * An obvious example of "more than two" is fingers and toes. Also there are three joints in each arm or leg, and another three joints in each finger (two in thumbs).  The liver is made up of four lobes and the right lung has three.  The skull is formed by the fusion of more than two sections of bone.  --Anonymous, 04:35 UTC, December 25


 * The question appears to have been answered sufficiently already, but I might add that Klingons have "multiple redundancies, such as redundant stomachs, lungs, livers, an eight-chambered heart, and twenty-three ribs". :P &mdash; flamingspinach | (talk) 08:08, 25 December 2005 (UTC)

=December 24=

looking for name of electronic music artist (west something)
i was at the record store earlier and saw an album in the electronic music section that caught my eye. the album cover was of a vintage bike and the artist name either started with 'West' or contained 'west' in the name. anyone know the full name of the artist? -chris
 * From List of electronic music artists and DJs, perhaps Way Out West (band)? -- Rick Block (talk) 03:33, 24 December 2005 (UTC)

doesn't look like that's it. come to think of it, it may not have had the word 'west' in the name. but the cover was of a vintage bicycle.


 * Without the 'west' element, you're not giving us much to go on.... and now I'm wondering if it's really electronic music.... So, you're looking for an album cover with a vintage bicycle? FWIW, Googling "Album cover penny farthing" yields the Wikipedia article on Penny-farthing, and that article refers you to Arena (band). Is The Visitor your album cover? If not, I suggest going back to the record store. :) TheMadBaron 06:08, 27 December 2005 (UTC)

nope, it wasn't a Penny-farthing bicycle, i still can't seem to find any info, when i get a chance i'll head back to the store and check to see if the album is still there. thanks though : )

Animal starting with X
What's an animal starting with X?--211.26.115.88 03:55, 24 December 2005 (UTC)

This site has more information --Tachs 09:25, 24 December 2005 (UTC)

Thankyou--211.26.122.92

transmiting information
How do we transmit information when the signak(signal is lower then the noise?

pls reply i needed help

Thank you,

--arron


 * As long as you have any signal at all, you can get a message through if you just use enough error-correcting bits. See Shannon–Hartley theorem. —Keenan Pepper 08:41, 24 December 2005 (UTC)
 * That's not quite true. If the signal strength is such that the probability of a bit flip on a particular channel is 50%, then you can (by definition) transmit no information on that channel. Raul654 08:44, 24 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Uhm, wouldn't probability of bit flip = 50% also, by definition mean "no signal at all"? TERdON


 * Couldn't you turn the noise on and off and use Morse code? Sorry. :) DirkvdM 08:48, 24 December 2005 (UTC)


 * No. The signal would then be able to be distingushed above the noise.


 * Please see Information_Theory and look for noise. ( I started looking at both Claude Shannon, and Harry Nyquist ) Artoftransformation 17:05, 24 December 2005 (UTC)--


 * Wouldn't this also depend on whether it's a digital or analog signal? - Akamad Merry Christmas to all! 01:24, 25 December 2005 (UTC)

christmas
Do buddhists celebrate christmas?


 * That probably depends whether you're talking about followers of Buddha who go about life with a smile on their faces and would jump to any occasion for a celebration (after all, it's supposed to be someone's birthday) or the sad bunch who turned it into a religion. :) DirkvdM 08:46, 24 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Theologically, "no". Practically, "yes" --Tachs 09:30, 24 December 2005 (UTC)


 * "Yes", only if they live in Christian countries. But the vast majority of Buddhists don't. So, in most cases, practically "no".  JackofOz 09:33, 24 December 2005 (UTC)
 * Erm, I'm in Bangkok, and there's bloody tinsel everywhere.... TheMadBaron 02:56, 25 December 2005 (UTC)
 * But isn't that for the westerners there, like yourself? There's a difference between having commercial tinsel in the shops to make the tourists feel at home, and what Buddhists do privately.  Buddhist Thais surely don't celebrate Xmas in their own homes unless they're having western guests visiting them.  Just as Western Christians don't acknowledge Ramadan or Yom Kippur unless they happen to have Muslim or Jewish guests at the time. JackofOz 23:11, 25 December 2005 (UTC)
 * Partly it's for the westerners, but that doesn't adequately explain the extent of it - it's not only shops and bars.... I've seen some elaborately decorated elevators in apartment buildings (with some western tenants, but where tourists are unlikely to be found). The effort involved outweighs any possible commercial benefit. It's possible that Christian Thais are behind this.... however, the idea of sanuk (fun) is prominent throughout most aspects of Thai life, and I think they probably do it just because they embrace any excuse for a celebration. So, basically, yes, they 'celebrate' Christmas, but not nearly to the same extent, or in the same sense, that we do. TheMadBaron 06:47, 27 December 2005 (UTC)


 * It would also depend on their circle of friends. If it includes people who celebrate Christmas, they'll probably join their friends. - Mgm|(talk) 21:05, 24 December 2005 (UTC)


 * I am a Buddhist, I don't celebrate Christmas in the Christian religious sense. But if someone invites me to a Christmas party, I'll certainly be there. I also wish others a Merry Christmas (see my signature). - Akamad Merry Christmas to all! 01:19, 25 December 2005 (UTC)

Goldwasser
Are the small flakes of gold in Goldwasser Danzig edible, or do they have to be filtered out before drinking?

Edible without causing harm, but not digestible. In other words, your feces will sparkle, not your eyes. alteripse 13:29, 24 December 2005 (UTC)
 * Trivia: India is the largest gold consumer for food products; an estimate is that Indians eat 12 tons of gold a year. --jpgordon∇∆∇∆ 17:41, 25 December 2005 (UTC)

Equivalency of Qualification
Asalam u alikum I am a doctor and I am not a Medical Doctor but I have a doctorate degree. After completion of the Doctoral Degree I can get the exemptions from many universities to complete my 2nd Phd in any other subject. I red on your site the doctoral degrees are Phd,Md,Dpharm and other doctors degree. But the degree of Doctor of medicine is the degree offered in the field of medicine and normally in usa the physicians are the persons who have degree of Md or Dm or Do Doctor of medicine and Doctor of osteopathy. The Dm and Do is the doctoral degree and required a 3 years postgraduation study time period after the secondary education. The universities offers the credit hours transfer of Md students to Mphil/Phd Program. It is clear from that Mphil/Phd and Do and Dm are the post graduation qualification and phd,Do,Dm all of them are doctorate level qualifications. I want to ask the question at this point the program offered like Dm,Do these are the doctorate level qualification and a person who have completed Doctor of Medicine and Doctor of Osteopathy he is a physician.If I will complete my second Phd in Internal Medicine then I will get the title of Doctorate of Medicine. Here my point is what is the Difference between the Doctor of Medicine and Doctorate of Medicine If I will complete my 2nd Phd in internal medicine I will be considered or accepted as a physician or not. if not can I get the full exemtption of Md in internal medicine. I shall be very thankful to you if you please reply me. Thanking you Your's Sincerely I am not posting my name and email address. Thanking you again.


 * Is your question about Foreign Medical Graduates (FMGs) being permitted to practice in the U.S. ? Or to train in the U.S.?
 * First, a degree alone is not sufficent to practice (for either American or Foreign graduates: one must also complete an internship or residency, and pass various licencing exams. The specifics vary by state, as medical licenses are issued by states, not the federal government. But in general, FMGs require an H-1B visa, will need to have passed the FLEX parts I and II or USMLE or equivalent, have passed the ECFMG (Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates) test for English language proficiency (TOEFL)  - though the USMLE Step 2CS supplants the TOEFL.
 * In short, it's complicated, and constantly changing, and you need to check with the licensing board of the state where you would like to practice for the exact requirements.
 * Getting an ECFMG certificate, necessary for clinical training, is frustrating and time consuming. You need;


 * 1) - your medical degree and transcript verified by ECFMG
 * 2) - passed USMLE 1 and 2ck
 * 3) - passed the clinical skills assessment (or step 2cs)
 * 4) - passed a TOEFL english examination (or step 2cs)
 * 5) - paid ECFMG in full
 * You might want to see the ECFMG web site to see if it answers your questions
 * Or if I've guessed wrong at what you're asking, try again! -- Nunh-huh


 * Wa alaikum salam! No answer, just showing of my world citizenship. :) DirkvdM 16:22, 24 December 2005 (UTC)

You are aware that the World Health Organization considers the immigration of trained medical people to North America or Europe one of the principal health problems of the underdeveloped world, and "akin to theft of resources" by the developed world? alteripse 16:37, 24 December 2005 (UTC)

Antibacterial Soap
i want to know if there are any harms of excessive using of antiseptic solutions like dettol?i am suffering from OCD and I use dettol for washing hands 30 to 35 times a day.I also pour dettol on my legs when it is touched on street or any other place.


 * Dettol contains chloroxylenol, which is a mild skin irritant (though nontoxic). It's probably safe, but soap is quite antibacterial on its own &mdash; there's basically no truth to marketing claims that disinfectant soap is better at killing germs.  You're probably better off using cheap normal soap.  &#8227;<font size="+1">&#5339;&#5505;  [[Image:Venus symbol (blue).gif|&#9792;]] [ <font size="+1">&#5200; ] 15:36, 24 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Washing your hands frequently isn't quite healthy. Using a stronger detergent will only make that worse. Most bacteria are benevolent and can actually prevent you getting sick (by warding off the 'bad bacteria'). Keep in mind that your body is totally drenched in bacteria and the better for it. There's even a bacterium in every cell, the mitochondria, which the cell nbeeds to survive. So if you've got the idea that you need to stay clean, rather try not using any soap at all. But it's probably not a good idea to change too fast (your body may have adapted to the frequent washing and/or the layer of benevolent bacteria may need to re-establish itself first), so slowly kick the habit. DirkvdM 16:31, 24 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Good grief, Dirk, "a bacterium in every cell" is not a kind thing to tell someone with an OCD! alteripse 19:27, 24 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Yes, it'll probably cause a big shock, but it'll show the questioner how wrong their perception of clean really is. I've seen a few television programs about people with OCD and phobias going to someone to treat the disorder. The program included a woman who had a fear of germs. She couldn't touch her food with her hands and felt she had to wash everything constantly. By undergoing confrontational therapy the therapist got her to get rid of her compulsion step by step. It may seem daunting, but if you really want to get rid of it, try seeing a therapist. It CAN help. - Mgm|(talk) 21:10, 24 December 2005 (UTC)


 * This is an interesting social issue. In Canada I would say to see a psychiatrist since I also have a similar problem.  If you self-medicate (washing hands or booze), it will always get worse, since you must do more and more to fill up the brain chemicals.  There are very good drugs for this, and with cheap meds (Canada!) it's cheaper than soap!  --Zeizmic 23:30, 24 December 2005 (UTC)


 * A little clarification of what I meant. The idea was to show that bacteria are nice little critters and mostly benevolent. There's just a few rotten apples, just like with humans :) . But the goodie goodie bit is that most other bacteria protect you against them, so treat them well and stop washing too fervently. DirkvdM 08:58, 25 December 2005 (UTC)

what does it take to become a lawyer

 * See Law school in the United States. CambridgeBayWeather (Talk) 15:41, 24 December 2005 (UTC)
 * And also Bar examination and Admission to the bar. --Metropolitan90 15:46, 24 December 2005 (UTC)
 * A soul darker than night, and colder than death? - Nunh-huh 15:55, 24 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Well, tough luck, it seems, if you're not from the US! And if you are, also tough luck if you want to get admitted to a bar and are under 21. :) DirkvdM 16:37, 24 December 2005 (UTC)
 * Well that is why you should live in other countries where you can get admitted to a bar at a younger age. CambridgeBayWeather (Talk) 17:08, 24 December 2005 (UTC)
 * If you're not in the US, it's probably a good idea to include your country of origin in the question, so people can tailor the answer to your needs. - Mgm|(talk) 21:12, 24 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Only if you're not from the US??? DirkvdM 09:00, 25 December 2005 (UTC)


 * I think all this means is that we've revealed another hole where an article should go.... -Tim Rhymeless (Er...let's shimmy) 08:45, 27 December 2005 (UTC)


 * I could have been a lawyer but I didn't have the Latin. P. Cook.

ROM image
I am currently cleaning up the ROM image article, and I wanted to comment on the illegal sale of X in 1 systems. (The ones where old games are budled in cheap tv consoles) Alas, I am having the hardest time giving these systems a name. Can anyone help me out?--Ridge Racer 18:19, 24 December 2005 (UTC)

It depends where you live. I know that Namco have released some of their older games in X-in-1 systems which are perfectly legal, and you can get similar machines with Intellivision and Commodore 64 games on them. Many of the X-in-1 systems just feature shoddy knockoffs of popular games (like Space Invaders and Pac-man). There are some systems which offer many NES games, and these are illegal - I've only seen them sold at flea markets. If it mentions many specific game names - like Galaga instead of "Space Fighter" or Mario instead of "Jumping Hero" -- then you can probably assume they're illegal. (VOGLER, 3AM December 29 2005)

whats your favorite movie
i know it`s a personal question i just want to know what your favorite movie is as my first step in learning about the private lives of some of my fellow wikipedians and just in case you are wondering iam not doing my homework. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 68.161.113.14 (talk • contribs)


 * I list mine in my userpage Theresa Knott | Taste the Korn 20:29, 24 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Mine are mostly pretty boring; the Harry Potter films, War of the Worlds (2005), Spirited Away, The Incredibles and Curse of the Were-Rabbit. Kind of Resident Evil: Apocalypse. It's awful, but it's so bad it's funny! <font style="color:green">s <font style="color:#AAAAFF">murray <font style="color:#FFBB00"> in <font style ="color:#EE0000"> chester <font style="color:#55BB22"> Merry Christmas!(User), (Go Carolling) 20:49, 24 December 2005 (UTC)
 * I can't imagine how this could be considered homework, but anyway. It's too hard to name just one, so I'll drop a few titles: Luminous Motion, Panic Room, Love Actually, I'm Not Scared, Respiro, Malèna, The Heart is Deceitful Above All Things. But really this page is too short to list them all. - Mgm|(talk) 21:19, 24 December 2005 (UTC)


 * My favorite movie is probably Tokyo Story - proof enough that I'm a bit of a film geek, I guess. A more American choice would be The Big Lebowski, which is hardly a great film but which I adore. --George 22:12, 24 December 2005 (UTC)


 * My 2 are listed on my user page - Separate Tables and Field of Dreams. JackofOz 22:37, 24 December 2005 (UTC)
 * GLADIATOR--God of War 23:46, 24 December 2005 (UTC)


 * All three movies of Lord of The Rings....and can someone tell me whats the name of the user who asked this question?
 * Jayant, 17 Years, India (Talk) 03:39, 25 December 2005 (UTC)
 * It was asked by someone not logged in. I've tagged the question so you can see their IP address, but you could have found this through the page history quite easily.-gadfium 04:00, 25 December 2005 (UTC)
 * I could have..but i wanted to know if there was anyway to know the details of the person who asked the question...?
 * Jayant, 17 Years, India (Talk) 15:59, 26 December 2005 (UTC)


 * You can sometimes gain insight about anon users by reviewing their contributions. --hydnjo talk 19:26, 26 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Just to pick a few: The Royal Tenenbaums, Children of the Corn, Deep Impact, Natural Born Killers, Gangs of New York, Max Keeble's Big Move, and Dogma. -Tim Rhymeless (Er...let's shimmy) 08:22, 27 December 2005 (UTC)

Free webhosting
Google isn't my friend with this one. Too many sites include the word "free" for services that aren't truly free or that limit the space for free accounts. Can anyone recommend a place that offers 200MB space to store a single video file (probably FTP needed) and which has sufficient bandwidth to allow it to be downloaded about say 10 times a day? - Mgm|(talk) 21:58, 24 December 2005 (UTC)


 * I am no expert on this, but my sister composes and plays her own Christian music, and posts it on various web sites, then tells various contacts about what she has done. You might want to check out the sites she uses.

User:AlMac|(talk) 06:22, 25 December 2005 (UTC)
 * Soundclick
 * Go to [www.soundclick.com] then type Susan Cantey into the artist search box, OR click on POP, then on Contemporary Christian.


 * If it's just one file, probably your best bet is something like Upload'r or RapidShare. FileFront is perhaps an even better resource, though they label themselves as a host of "gaming files" (quick search for "game" in their ToS doesn't turn up anything though so it should technically be all right even if your video is not gaming related). &mdash; flamingspinach | (talk) 07:34, 25 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Maybe you could put it in BitTorrent. helohe (talk)  07:44, 30 December 2005 (UTC)

=December 25=

50 cent has a son?
does 50 cent have a son? i was thinking that because it was said in the interview named "50 cent interview: i play bulletproof with my son" and other sources around the net that got me around the question. if he does, what's the son's name?


 * Check this link.. sixty-cent.skyblog.com/ pics/183219761_small.jpg for a pic of his son..
 * And did you try to search on www.google.com???


 * Jayant, 17 Years, India (Talk) 03:36, 25 December 2005 (UTC)

Videogame with colourful creatures and a daycare center.
Can anyone help me remember the title of a videogame I played years ago; it involves happy creatures and some of sort daycare center. I'm pretty sure it was on the N64.

Warcraft 3 and Linux
Is is possible to install Warcraft 3 on Linux? If so, how? If not, why not? --HappyCamper 17:19, 25 December 2005 (UTC)


 * I'd imagine you'd have to run it on an emulator like Wine. If you google, "Warcraft 3 linux" you'll get a number of pages on the subject which seem to indicate it is possible but takes a little rooting around to get to work. My guess is it'd take a computer with a lot of power to run it well, since it is a pretty resource-intense program even in its native environment. --Fastfission 18:19, 25 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Since 3D games are hungry for 3D hardware, and its commercially competitive, i.e. 3D graphics cards do not have source code to their drivers, then its not a good idea to try and run 3D games under linux. I personally use Linux, except for running Diablo II, and 4x4 evolution. 67.161.14.104 23:44, 25 December 2005 (UTC)--


 * []
 * [[http://www.linux-gamers.net/modules/wfsection/article.php?articleid=5

Lord of the Rings information
How mach information is there in JRR Tolkien's Middle Earth legends about he lands to the far south and the far east of Middle Earth? Rhun and Harad I think they are called. 72.57.219.186 18:06, 25 December 2005 (UTC)


 * We have an article on Harad and two stubby articles at alternative spellings. on Rhûn and Rhun. Incidently, you'll probably be interested in The Silmarillion, which has a lot about the less mentioned countries. <font style="color:green">s <font style="color:#AAAAFF">murray <font style="color:#FFBB00"> in <font style ="color:#EE0000"> chester <font style="color:#55BB22"> Merry Christmas!(User), (Go Carolling) 20:49, 25 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Harandor was re-used in Diablo II. Khand, was the furthest south east that JRR Tolkiens maps show, but there is a refrence to Umbar. The Silmarillion is an excellent refrence about other lands, as well as the 13 volume set of the The_History_of_Middle-earth, by Christopher Tolkien. Since I play a lot of Angband, I have the Silmarillion text close at hand. Ill look. 67.161.14.104 23:20, 25 December 2005 (UTC)-


 * The Silmarillion has only two sentences on Harandor.
 * "Herumor - A renegade Numenorean who became mighty at the end of the Seconds Age."
 * "... and Fuinur who rose to great power amoung the Haradrim, a great and cruel people that dwelt in the wide lands south of Mordor beyond the mouths of Andiun'
 * No mention in the Silmarillion of Rhun
 * There is a mention of Rhun in the [Lord Of The Rings Wiki]


 * Another mention is at a Gamers site, []
 * Also check this site: []

mootstormfront
what happened to it? is it returning
 * Per Mootstormfront, the website is offline due to unpaid server fees but is expect to be coming back. -- Rick Block (talk) 22:57, 25 December 2005 (UTC)

surfboard
I got a new surfboard for Xmas. How do I prepare it for surfing the first time?
 * Try some of the internal links from Category:Surfing or some of the external links from the article Surfing. CambridgeBayWeather (Talk) 23:50, 25 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Do lots of pullups. the hardest part about surfing is paddling out into the ocean, which is what you will do for the first 10 minutes followed by 20 seconds of getting pused back to shore or falling off and getting washed up to shore. You need to bulk up or you will be utterly exahausted after 30 minutes.--God of War 05:57, 26 December 2005 (UTC)

urinary infection question
ok, check this out: if a male sits on the toilet and pees right(not everyday but sometimes) and then one day, he pees then he feels a burning sensation in it. first of all how could he get a infection like that in peeing while sittin on a toilet? its real confusin', help me out.
 * You should consult your doctor and see what she says. CambridgeBayWeather (Talk) 23:51, 25 December 2005 (UTC)

You cannot acquire a urinary infection by sitting on a toilet, no matter how you pee. If you have dysuria (doctor talk for burning in the urethra) while peeing, it may have several causes ranging from trivial and quickly gone (like getting a little shampoo in your urethra while "thoroughly washing", to a urinary tract infection or am STD. Pain at the very tip, gone within hours, is usually in the former category. Real UTIs tend to cause more symptoms than dysuria at the tip, and are fairly rare in otherwise healthy adult males. alteripse 03:15, 26 December 2005 (UTC)
 * There is all kinds of weird stuff that can happen, that can scare the **** out of you the first time you experience it. Like passing a Kidney stone for example, in which the way you bend the delivery tube does make a difference in the discomfort level. User:AlMac|(talk) 10:11, 26 December 2005 (UTC)

Rather than a conversation about toilet seats, perhaps it's time for a conversation with your girlfriend.

50 cent has a son pt. 2
ok, link didn't work, had the 404 page and i tryed google, all it has is links that say little things on his son like his name is marquise and his nickname is 25 cent and all that stuff. thank you if you find another pic link for me.

that google search should give you plenty of info. anything else you want to know, specifically about the kid? by the way, please sign your posts. peace, -Urthogie 23:46, 25 December 2005 (UTC)

=December 26=

Monterubio, Spain?
Can you double check the spelling on that? I found some places that are spelled slightly differently. Also you might consider calling ellis island for more info--Urthogie 08:22, 26 December 2005 (UTC)


 * There's a Monterrubio in Badajoz, Spain.

i am looking for the meaning of :
i am not sure i am doing this right,sorry way new to the computer world.

i have a g/f that is missing, today i recived a strange email with the sinbol < > < >  that was the only thing in the email no persons namr or a retuen address.. could any please tell me if the know what this simbol means ??

thank you so much lecuyerLecuyer 02:39, 26 December 2005 (UTC)

well the main thing in knowing who it was is their email address.--Urthogie 08:19, 26 December 2005 (UTC)

Very bizarre. Google won't even attempt to search for it, while usually when Google doesn't find anything it says it hasn't found anything. All you get is a blank. Regarding the return address, you would find that by looking at the email address of the sender, as they are generally the same. Givnan 10:56, 26 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Look at your headers. The Mail headers can tell you a lot about where the email originated from. I would say that unless your g/f is a increadibly sophisticated computer person, its probibly NOT from her. < > < > is the symbol for Eyes. Much like <.><.>. Its an empty pupil sign, which means either high on drugs or sleeping. The two events ( your g/f missing and the email ) are unrelated. Artoftransformation 14:38, 26 December 2005 (UTC)--


 * Givnan, the reason that Google isn't searching for "< > < >" is that are special characters. Same reason you can't google !, ;, etc. &mdash; flamingspinach | (talk) 21:37, 26 December 2005 (UTC)

If you add to this question with the email headers of the suspicipous email. I will decode it for you, and show you how to trace it. Artoftransformation 14:38, 26 December 2005 (UTC)--

Questions concerning missing people should be directed towards law enforcement. kmccoy (talk) 00:25, 27 December 2005 (UTC)

VCR to DVD recorder
Can most good DVD recorders be programmed to record from a VHS tape on to DVD disk?

Check out the websites of the people who make them.--Urthogie 08:21, 26 December 2005 (UTC)


 * GoVideo, long in the we-can-copy-anything has a DVD/VCR unit, that can go both ways. Please respect your local copyright laws. Artoftransformation 08:53, 26 December 2005 (UTC)--

If it has composite inputs (three holes on the front - a yellow, a red, and a white) it can record from VCRs, game consoles, etc. --blacque1812_qiat

Ceramic Gun
I remember seeing this movie where they were talking about expensive ceramic guns that could go right through metal detectors. While I doñ't séé how céramic cóuld work - I thought maybe some high - tech carbon fiber or something could make this possible. Is there any non-metallic guns available today for the right price or is this even possible?--God of War 06:01, 26 December 2005 (UTC)

well plastic might work. please dont shoot anyone.--Urthogie 08:20, 26 December 2005 (UTC)


 * The airport security people are spending exessive volume of our tax dollars to protect against troublemakers following their old play book. It is not just metal detectors that a weapons smuggler has to deal with these days.  There is in fact a way to get a metal gun, WMD and other dangerous stuff through a metal detector, at least at American airports, I not know about the rest of the world.  I am not going to share the how-to details on any public website.  I wrote a letter to the FBI with, full details on this, several years ago, and can make statement to appropriate other law enforcement if they want to know.  I did speak with a pal who recently flew commercial air, who was familiar with this loop hole in the system, who told me they not fixed it yet. User:AlMac|(talk) 10:18, 26 December 2005 (UTC)


 * The movie you are talking about wouldn't be Die Hard 2 would it? See the article GLOCK 7 - the ceramic gun Bruce Willis mentions is completely fictional. The article also mentions other non-metallic (and similarly fictional) firearms such as the plastic gun seen in In the Line of Fire (and The X-Files). --Canley 12:14, 26 December 2005 (UTC)

I have seen ceramic guns. They are NO match for airport security these days. They require metal firing pins, and although they dont set off metal detectors from years ago, they will set them off now, and Its a felony to try and bring a handgun past airport security.

Also ceramic guns are all low caliber, due to their lack of strength. A 9mm cermac gun would do more harm to the person who fired it, then to the person who it was aimed at.


 * And don't forget, airports nowadays have x-ray machines; a ceramic gun would certainly show up on an x-ray. <font style="color:green">s <font style="color:#AAAAFF">murray <font style="color:#FFBB00"> in <font style ="color:#EE0000"> chester <font style="color:#55BB22"> Merry Christmas!(User), (Go Carolling) 16:20, 26 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Actually they have 3-Dimensonal Color X-Ray machines. Totally cool. They can poke around inside yer suitcase layer by layer. Easy to pick out a firing pin.


 * Althrough there exist plastic guns or guns made of some kind of carbon nano tubes. Smith and Weason has a plastic had a plastic gun once I think.You can carry the with you but the amounittion will be still detected. Also there are always 1-2 guns on board in the hands of a civil-security man. Its much easyer to get a new weapon in the destination country unless you want to use it in the airplane and thats not a good idea. helohe (talk)  14:58, 28 December 2005 (UTC)

Why are Flat-CRTs better than rounded ones?
Why is a flat-screen CRT television set better than a regular, rounded-style one?


 * I would guess it's because the curvature of the regular screen introduces some level of distortion to the image, as well as increasing the likelihood of reflection or glare from nearby light sources. --Canley 12:28, 26 December 2005 (UTC)


 * A flat screen allows you to look at the picture from a wide range of angles...You can watch the picture from any angle in front of the television unless there are some reflections or something...And a flat screen also has more clarity,though i dont know why...
 * Jayant, 17 Years, India (Talk) 16:09, 26 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Your eyeballs are curved outward, so the ideal viewing surface would be curved inward to match. These are very expensive, though, so they're rare (see cinerama).  In a pinch, flat would be better than curved outward because it's a closer match, and therefore you can see more of the screen with less angular distortion around the edges.--Mareino 00:29, 27 December 2005 (UTC)

Power calibration error
When I try to burn DVDs - data through Nero, ISOs through DVD-Decrypter, anything - I get a "Power calibration error". I reinstalled Windows XP last night -- it got corrupted after a blackout. What could cause this error-- did the blackout screw my burner or PSU? Is it faulty media, or do I need to install something?


 * I had the same problem. I switched media for a while, then the drive went completely out. The power calibration error is the laser in the burner not having enough power to write comprehensive dots in the dye layer in the media. Try some Sony or TDK media. ( just get one disk at a drug store ).

If you were not burning during the blackout, then its unlikely that the blackout had any effect on your hardware, but fried your XP install.

Summary: First guess it its your media, then look at when your warranty expries. ( also are you using the OEM version of Nero? or the commercial version? Does your DVD burner have a track record of problems? Does that line of DVD burners have problems? Does that companies DVD burners have problems?


 * --> THIS IS MY EXPERENCE -->I have a Pioneer A06. Although its not the fastest, the company and its line of DVD burners is solid. That model in peticular is reliable. Generic FRY's DVDs SUCK. TKD and SONY rock.

King John
Was King John's bad reputation influenced by Church propaganda ?


 * No. He was just another .....
 * "Like his father, John developed a reputation for violent rages which lead to him foaming at the mouth."
 * He was the son of Elinor of Aquatine. A french woman who probibly caused violent rages.


 * He'd certainly be pretty confused and angry if he was married to Eleanor of Aquitaine, given she was his mother. Shimgray | talk | 15:17, 26 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Are you sure? Oh yea. Henry the II married Eleanor of Aquitaine, so his MOTHER was french. King John split with the church, but it was all the rage to do in England. Made the people of Scotland pretty angry, but that might have influenced his reputation more than the church

Thanks for the reply, although if you could perhaps explain a little about Scotland I would really appreciate it.

rawling state prison
hi i was watching this tv show yesterday and there was an episode dealing with a privatley owned prison in pennslyania called rawling what i want to know is.is this prison real or a figment of the creator of the show imgination

Do a google search for it, there are state websites devoted to prisons.--Urthogie 18:34, 26 December 2005 (UTC)


 * The Wyoming State Penitentiary is located in Rawlins, though some sites give the location as Rawling (again, see Google). --zenohockey 23:16, 26 December 2005 (UTC)

Cold hands..
Hi, My hands become very sweaty often..and sometimes, they become very cold..so cold that my friends are actually scared of shaking hands with me...Can anyone tell me why my hands become so cold? Jayant, 17 Years, India (Talk) 16:06, 26 December 2005 (UTC)
 * One way your hands can become cold is if the nerves have been destroyed. Over the years I have frozen some of my fingers multiple times and this has killed the nerves. Now my hands are cold quite often. There are probably other reasons why hands may feel cold. CambridgeBayWeather (Talk) 16:48, 26 December 2005 (UTC)
 * On the other hand (no pun intended), it could simply be the result of bad circulation - which can be caused by a variety of factors. GeeJo (t) (c) 18:02, 26 December 2005 (UTC)

I would suggest seeking the advice of a medical professional, as it may be serious, although it may be minor.--Urthogie 18:35, 26 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Take a look at Raynaud's phenomenon and Raynaud's disease to see if your symptoms are similar. --hydnjo talk 18:52, 26 December 2005 (UTC)


 * My hands are cold all the time as well. Probably bad circulation. I think it's just something genetic, not really anything to be worried about (though it can be annoying because if my hands get too cold it becomes hard to play the piano...) &mdash; flamingspinach | (talk) 21:10, 26 December 2005 (UTC)


 * I've had this happen to myself. It usually occured when I was wearing a heavy bad pack, so in my case it could've been bad circulation. If that doesn't sound probably, seeing your doc is porbbaly a good idea. - Mgm|(talk) 21:55, 26 December 2005 (UTC)

Is there any way to improve the circulation in the hands? Jayant, 17 Years, India (Talk) 07:18, 27 December 2005 (UTC)


 * According to this site, Calcium channel blockers have been used to improve blood circulation to the fingers. --hydnjo talk 21:44, 27 December 2005 (UTC)

looling for the meaning of < > < >
Thank you to you that came back with a reply....... Thank you very much. I did do a google search and found nothing and any place else I thought I might find an answer no luck. The reply of empty eyes and maybe drugs might make sense ,,,,, but my g/f is no computer whiz worse than me. I am not sure on how to send the letter head that was sent to me. Now this morning same thing came in the email, but this time the only thing there was < >. There is no return addy or name just todays date and time. I was going to copy and send with this, but now the < > is gone! my email address is 419.fcd@usss.treas.gov if any one can help. thank you mike 199.174.218.84 16:52, 26 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Note: Email replaced.

Ok. You need to delete this question, and post in the origional question, as this is a related topic.

Old or Original Nevada State Seal
Hi,

I am looking for the original Nevada state seal or symbol. I know there was a different one in the late fifties, early sixties than the one we have today. Thank you for any help you can give. D.G. LasVegas
 * Took a few mins of seaching, but I found This. It's the previous seal, but for the territory of Nevada rather than the State. As far as I know, the State seal has always been the one shown on the Nevada page. GeeJo (t) (c) 17:40, 26 December 2005 (UTC)

coin used in measurement of pennyweight
I understand a penny was used, but what penny was it? info about that penny please, thank you... calvin
 * See pennyweight. Rmhermen 17:50, 26 December 2005 (UTC)
 * Actually it was the other way round. the weight of pennies was determined from the measurement. Hence back before standardisation to Troy pounds, pennies weighed 20-22 grains rather than a pennyweight.GeeJo (t) (c) 18:00, 26 December 2005 (UTC)

Indoor Olympic-sized swimming pools
I would like to know the number of indoor Olympic-sized swimming pools in the United States. These pools would most likely be located in schools and colleges, as well as recreational facilities like YMCA's.

Thanks, LM Stone

Bible
I watch a program last night about a Bible that has three parts the old testment the new testment and a subject part at the end. I guess you would call it a reference bible. In the new and old testement there numbers that refer to the subject part, that gives all verses that are about the subject.

example: if you were reading about love, you would check the number, go to the subject part and it woul give you everything in the bible about love.

If you were reading a passage and the meaning of a word was unknown to you, at the end of the passage it would show the meaning of the word.

It did more, I just can't recall all.

I would like to know more about this Bible and where to buy it.

Barry

E-mail address removed

Thank You

There are many Bibles with ancillary reference material. The links are referred to as a concordance. Go to a Bible store and browse because your description seems to vaguely match many, and you should be able to recognize what you saw (or at least what will meet your needs). alteripse 21:11, 26 December 2005 (UTC)

Just to expand a bit, besides concordances, which (optimallly) list every word, these additional reference materials may be called "topical guides" (by subject, and therefore a little more subjective) or "lexicons". One of the best known is Strong's Exhaustive Concordance. (To me it seems that a separately bound volume, rather than one in the back of the Bible, makes cross-referencing easier. They are also available on CD-ROM. There are also online ancillary works of Bible criticism such as Nave's Topical Bible. - Nunh-huh 21:21, 26 December 2005 (UTC)


 * A note on concordances - it could just be that I tend to frequent university towns, but in my experience old concordances are very common things to find in second-hand bookshops, nice heavy Victorian tomes - and since no-one buys them, much, they're reasonably cheap. (And then if they turn out to not be what you want, you can use them as a doorstop afterwards!) Just check that if you do buy one, it's for the "right" bible - concordances are often citing specific words in the text, so if you're using one written for the King James Version with a New International, it might get a little odd. Shimgray | talk | 23:49, 26 December 2005 (UTC)
 * And to really beat it to death <g>... some concordances are concordances to the original language, Hebrew or Greek (and I suppose Aramaic), rather than to English translations. - Nunh-huh 00:05, 27 December 2005 (UTC)

Jenga
Did Hitler really invent Jenga?


 * Why would Hitler name it after a Swahili word? A Google search for "Jenga inventor" yields mostly Leslie Scott, but I suppose it's possible that Hitler could have invented a similar game with a different name... —Keenan Pepper 22:27, 26 December 2005 (UTC)

From the page: The game in its current from was invented in the 1980's by Leslie Scott. It grew out of a childhood game created around a present of wooden building blocks purchased from a local wood craftsman in Ghana. --Urthogie 22:28, 26 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Hitler probably didn't invent s'mores either, although he was involved with the development of the volkswagon. —Keenan Pepper 22:30, 26 December 2005 (UTC)

haha...jenga? s'mores? I think Hitler invented hip hop. --Cosmic girl 01:16, 1 January 2006 (UTC)

Washington Post book
I seem to remember a while back&mdash;maybe 4-6 years ago&mdash;the Washington Post put out a book with front pages from famous events&mdash;Pearl Harbor, the Kennedy assassination, etc. I've already looked in the "Books" section of the Washington Post Store ; it's not there. I have the New York Times' version of this already, so don't bother suggesting that. --zenohockey 23:48, 26 December 2005 (UTC)

=December 27=

Why do some Bundesliga have the number 1?
Why do some football teams in the German Bundesliga have (1.) before their name, such as 1. FC Nürnberg, 1. FC Kaiserslautern, and 1. FC Köln ? --( Aytakin ) | Talk 01:00, 27 December 2005 (UTC)


 * I don't follow soccer in any league, but 1. with a period in German (and some other European languages) means "first": it's like writing "1st" in English. Presumably either these teams are the oldest in their respective cities, or they regard themselves as the most important.  --Anonymous, 21:25 UTC, December 27


 * Anonymous is right. 1. means "first", but it may also refer to these teams playing in the highest national league (and not their age). - Mgm|(talk) 00:09, 28 December 2005 (UTC)

Calories
Why does it take so long to Burn calories?
 * When your lost in the wilderness you will wish it took longer--God of War 02:15, 27 December 2005 (UTC)

Well it takes a while to burn a lot of em, but burning a few takes seconds, you're doing it right now by breathing and typing. I've heard metabolism can come into it. You might try webmd.com for a good source on burning calories.--Urthogie 04:26, 27 December 2005 (UTC)


 * It actually doesnt take that long to burn calroies. Golf is a sport that burns the fewest calories, wheras Running with a 50Lb pack uphill burns a lot of calroies. You should look at the relitive caloric burn of diffrent sports and pick one you like. btw, watching TV does not burn many calories, and neither does answering questions on wikipedia. 67.169.59.114 16:41, 27 December 2005 (UTC)--


 * As to why it takes so long, evolution probably has something to do with it. For most of human history there were no supermarkets.  Food supplies were chancy.  People who burned calories quickly would be more likely to starve to death during periods when food was short.  We're descended from the survivors, i.e., from the people who burned calories more slowly. JamesMLane 05:57, 28 December 2005 (UTC)

~ Your metabolism definately comes into it. Be sure to eat a healthy breakfast early on in the morning, instead of waiting until 8:30-10:00 to eat. This will help to speed up your metabolism, which will burn calories quicker.
 * PS> This does not mean that you will be free to eat more fattening foods. It simply speeds up the process. However, it does keep you healthy and have more energy to do what you want throughout the day.

Seduction
Why is it that when you ignore someone that likes you, they seem to like you even more? and when you pay too much attention to someone you like they somehow get tired of you? I mean... why is it that we human beings somehow like the person that has this 'confidence' thingy that makes them believe they are better? and only believe it! because it may not be so! but it is still an atractive trait no matter if it really aplies to them or not.

good question. some people will react positively to being ignored while others will react negatively, dont assume this rule applies in all situations. ignoring people(within limits, ignoring them completely never works) creates an air of mystery sometimes. it varies, and no situation is completely obvious. If you want a practical guide to dating, do a search for 'confidence' on askmen.com. If you would like to hear a famous philosopher talk about this, i suggest reading the quotes of rochefoucauld on wikiquote. By the way, I suggest not analyzing human interaction too much, as it will lead to a certain coldness towards people sometimes. However, its good that youre interested. --Urthogie 04:31, 27 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Maybe they're cat people? :) But seriously, among cats it's bad manners to look each other in the eye - it's a sign of agression. In humans that may not be as strong, but it might still apply to some extent. Also, being disinterested might be seen as 'cool'. And it could also depend on the sexes and whether sex is an option. Guys might object to a girl looking at them to intesely because that could suggest they're too morally 'loose'. Which other guys might prefer, thougbh. And of course all of this depends on the culture. DirkvdM 13:01, 27 December 2005 (UTC)


 * There are a couple of things to consider. First, it doesn't always work: Quite often ignoring someone makes them go away. Where it does work, there are a couple of possible explanations. One is reactance: When you can't do something you want to do, you tend to want to do it more. This is of course exactly what you're talking about, but the point is that it applies not just to intimate relationships but to many phenomena in social psychology.


 * What is the cause of this human trait? I don't know of any research on the topic, but part of it in this case must surely be plain old fantasy: If you can't be with someone you want to be with, you have more time to build up positive ideas about them and what they'd be like in an intimate relationship - to fantasize. The longer you have to wait, the more anticipation can build. If they give in right away, you quickly find they're just a person like everyone else.


 * Of course, that's another factor: forbidden fruit is the sweetest, and things are often better in fantasy than they are in reality. On a related topic, one need only read accounts of what people think their first sexual encounter will be like as compared to what the encounters actually are to see this. So it's a lot of things. --George 22:02, 27 December 2005 (UTC)

well that reactance thing... isn't it dangerous? like if I don't pay attention to someone that likes me, am I in any danger that they'll find some way of 'subjecting me to their will'? and not only in seduction, but also, when someone is like happy and someone wants to 'make them cry' or something... then maybe it would be best for this person to give in and cry, because otherwise, the other persons' hate could build up and that would be worst than giving in the first time...i think this happens a lot, but when you mention it, people think you are crazy because it is something so subjetcive... I also think that if we censor sincere thoughts so much, we aren't gonna make any progress in philosophy nor in psychology.


 * Sorry for the delay in answering your follow up - I'm all over during these holidays.


 * I don't think reactance is particularly dangerous. I say this for two reasons. First, it's not inevitable - as I said, often if you ignore someone they go away. It's just a notable trend in human behavior. Second, most people have basic social skills, and those dictate that not getting what you want is not a good excuse to flip out and start stalking. Of course, for various reasons some people have trouble with that, and those are the sort of creepy people you see on the nightly news. (Obviously I'm being flippant here, but you get the point.) --69.73.14.32 02:28, 30 December 2005 (UTC)

I know, but well I have an example, I don't pay attention to a guy that likes me, and he's all creeppy and angry about it instead of being smart and leaving me alone and just be my friend, but I consider myself a little autistic because of my interests, and my obsesion with theology for example, but still I have social skills and I guess I'm funny...so I'm weird, how can I be like really autistic sometimes, and really outgoing sometimes? I sometimes even think that I think like a guy! even my parents told me that I thought like a boy when i was little.. but I still like men...so I'm weird... what do you think?


 * I suspect we're all a little weird. As for the guy in question, some people don't deal well with rejection. If you've tried to be friendly with him and he continues to be angry, the best thing to do is probably avoid him. Actually, ignore that: The best thing to do is talk to a mutual friend, understanding adult, school counselor (if you're that age), or some other such expert and see what they think. They can give you much better advice about your particular situation than any of us can. --George 05:40, 31 December 2005 (UTC)

Were the 9/11 attacks a CIA plot?
There are theories that American intelligence agencies masterminded the 9/11 attacks so that the US could attack oil-rich countries like Iraq.How feasible is the idea that the CIA knew about the impending attacks and didn't do anything to stop them. Or for that matter the theory that the "terrorists" who hijacked the planes were CIA agents.

This is a myth as can be seen by reading this: article by popular mechanics --Urthogie 04:33, 27 December 2005 (UTC)


 * I believe everything that Popular Mechanics has ever written on Politics...NOT.
 * Consider: Bush threatened the Taliban with Armed intervention in July, if they tried to halt a gas pipeline through Kazakhstan. 5 days prior to 9/11 ( 9/6 ), Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice called a top meeting of the intelligence communities, EXCEPT the FBI expert on domestic terrorism, that was tracking Osama bin Laden, and was sending memos that something big was going to happen.
 * They masterminded them, by totally bungling the intelligence reports, and calling meetings with out the important players. Kinda like the Keystone Cops.
 * The head of the FBI anti-terrorism unit, who was missing from the 9/6 Meeting had been sending memos since July that something big was going to happen.
 * They have the names of the hijackers, as well as pictures.
 * Osama bin Laden was a CIA "Asset' where he acquired a taste for expensive American surface to air rockets, at least during the Carter and Bush Sr Administrations. If you would like me to hunt down the documentation for the above facts, make my day.
 * At this point you've made it clear you wanted to argue more than ask a question. --Urthogie 20:44, 27 December 2005 (UTC)

I suggest you buy your own copy of the 9/11 commission report, read it cover to cover. While it is not perfect, has some gaps, and some of their proposals did not have much hearings to consider the pros & cons, it is one of the better written investigative reports of recent times. A large number of conspiracy theories seem to be written by people who deny the integrity of the commission, or the long history that led to 9/11. I also suggest you study the history of Russian occupation of Afghanistan, US support of the insurgents there, and US Cold war motivations, which will hopefully put into perspective for you how someone can be aided by the CIA at one time in history, and an enemy at a later time. Manuel Noriega is another example. He was used at one point in history to help US intelligence, then later he got the nation of Panama to declare war on the USA. User:AlMac|(talk) 11:29, 27 December 2005 (UTC)

Considering the stuff the CIA have done in the past, combined with the fact that they're inherently secretive about what they do, anything is possible. Which in turn of course is food for speculation. So until good evidence is found you can't trust anything you hear and have to leave all options open. But who would be best equipped to gather such information? Right .... full circle. (who controls the controllers, or how do you say that in English?) DirkvdM 13:07, 27 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Whenever people start floating conspiracy theories, I like to keep in mindHanlon's Razor: "Never attribute to malice that which can be adequately explained by stupidity.".


 * It's fairly well established that the Administration took advantage of the political strength that they gained through the 9/11 tragedy to obtain the political support to invade Iraq. Politicians always take advantage of events for their own ends; it's what they do best.  But it's a very, very, very, very, big stretch from "taking political advantage of tragedy" to "committing murder for political advantage".  Even assuming the basest of motives and an extraordinary ruthlessness on the part of the White House, it would be an insane risk for a politician in a democracy to murder thousands of innocent citizens of his own country to achieve that political support.  To pull off such a conspiracy would require the complicity of many, many people; the idea that not one of them would suffer an attack of conscience is hard to contemplate.  If the truth of such an action ever came to light, the people responsible would be impeached, removed from office, tried, convicted, and being the United States sentenced to death.


 * George Bush is, in my opinion, a not particularly bright political hack of a fairly venal kind who, aided by a brilliantly effective get-out-the-vote campaign machine, managed to convince (barely) enough Americans to vote for him twice. He has wasted 2000-odd American lives, tens of thousands of Iraqi civilian lives, and 200-odd billion dollars, on an unnecessary war.  It is a war that will probably end up installing a nasty Shiite theocracy allied to Axis of Evil member and nuclear aspirant Iran, at war with minority sections of its own populace - in other words, no improvement on Saddam Hussein, brutal thug that he was.  His idiotic tax cut policies and fiscal indiscipline, aided by a Congress who seem to be in favour of small government everywhere but their own district or state, are creating a fiscal hole that, sooner or later, will cause considerable pain to the American people when the bill comes due.  Finally, his administration's ostrich approach to global warming may well, as history looks back on it, be considered his biggest mistake, as rising temperatures and sea levels create havoc across the world in decades to come and the US wasted eight years to get started on a solution.  He is the worst US president in living memory, and the fact that 50-odd million Americans voted for him a second time is an indictment of their intelligence.  But to claim that he would connive at the murder of 3000 innocent citizens of his own country to achieve his aims?  That not only makes no sense, it's highly offensive.--Robert Merkel 13:36, 27 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Condoleezza Rice was not Secretary of State in 2001. User:Zoe|(talk) 17:06, 27 December 2005 (UTC)


 * In response to one of the off-topicities above; the US wasted 8 years only in comparison with the rest of the world. The world as a whole wasted decades (considering that by the 1960's the threat was already known and by the 1970's sufficiently 'scientifically proven' for politicians ro draw their conclusions). DirkvdM 14:07, 28 December 2005 (UTC)


 * David, my purpose in rather colorfully expressing my personal opinion of GWB and those ostensibly offtopic issues was to establish that my defense of his administration on this specific accusation was not because of any more general support or even respect for the guy. That's the only reason I mentioned it.   --Robert Merkel 08:02, 29 December 2005 (UTC)

xzibit and eminem diss to jermain dupri and other disses to JD
I heard a diss song which was from xzibit and eminem and it was to JD(jermain dupri). I was curious why (first of all) xzibit and eminem was dissin' JD. Also was there other disses to jermain dupri besides xzibit and eminem, if there is, who? -Daniel Lampley

Shady/Aftermath vs Jermaine Dupri: Jermaine stated in an interview that he was a more capable producer than Dr. Dre or Timbaland. Dre and Timbaland took offense, although Jermaine tried to rationalize that what he meant was that he simply did more as a music producer than the other two (writing R&B song lyrics for Usher, in addition to creating his instrumentals, for example). Dre then recorded a verse dissing Jermaine on Eminem's album The Eminem Show, mocking Jermaine for, amongst other things, achieving his initial successes with "10 and 11 year olds" (referencing Jermaine's first signed act Kriss Kross, and recent artist Bow Wow). Xzibit, at the time an artist readily affiliated with Aftermath, also mocked Jermaine Dupri in a radio freestyle, and the Atlanta producer then traded dis tracks with Dr. Dre, Eminem and Xzibit for approximately a year.

Thats from the hip hop rivalries article.--Urthogie 20:49, 27 December 2005 (UTC)

Jedi Outcast question
In Star Wars Jedi Knight 2: Jedi Outcast, how do you get up the elevator on the first level?--elpenmaster THE GOD OF WAR LAUGHS AT YOUR PUNY ATTEMPT TO GAIN CONTROL OF THIS BASE--God_of War 08:01, 27 December 2005 (UTC)


 * It might depend on what version of the game you're playing (what console, or pc). However, you should be able to find any information of this nature that you need at www.gamefaqs.com. Search for the title, select the correct version, and then click on (i think) "faqs and guides". You should then be presented with (among other things) a number of walkthroughs that should answer your question. Flea110 08:50, 27 December 2005 (UTC)

Never mind. I figured it out. Thank you --elpenmaster

How did Amy Winfrey meet Aglaia Mortcheva about doing Vendetta on making feinds?
I was wondering how amy winfrey(the creator of making feinds) met Aglaia Mortcheva and consiederd her doing the voice of Vendetta on making feinds. They both went to the UCLA, could someone find out for me? My parents wont let me e mail people i do not know so can someone find out for me? So do not give me contact mail, i cant use it! Also, maybe how old she is and maybe what she looks like would be nice. Okay, thanx! PLEASE FIND OUT FOR ME, OR, ASK HER FOR ME, I AM TALKING ABOUT AGLAIA MORTCHEVA! She has contact mail, but do not give her contact mail to me, my parnets wont e mail anyone they do not know! Remeber, find out for me. Thanx a bunches!

a united states house of reps. committee, the judiciary commitee in 1974, and its memebers

 * This isn't a search engine. In order to get a meaningful response you'll have to actually ask a question.  In the meantime, why don't you see the article on the United States House of Representatives and do a google search for "1974 judiciary committee"? Dismas|(talk) 09:56, 27 December 2005 (UTC)


 * It was in 1974 that the House Judiciary Committee voted to recommend that Nixon be impeached. You might find information about the committee's composition through a search that included "Watergate" or "impeachment" or some such term. JamesMLane 06:16, 28 December 2005 (UTC)

Elijah Wood sickness!
Do i have Elijah Woodtitis? Because i get a fever when i see him! Really, is there any way ican stop thinking about him?


 * Mental discipline. Every time you think of him, recite multiplication tables in your head.  You'll either stop thinking about him or become extraordinarily good at multiplying things.  Either way, you'll be a winner! :) --Robert Merkel 13:44, 27 December 2005 (UTC)


 * So...You've got a Woody! Try picturing Margaret Thatcher in her skivies. Its enough to make a strong man weak.


 * Just keep reminding yourself that Elijah Wood smokes, and probably smells of cigarettes. User:Zoe|(talk) 17:35, 27 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Several ideas: You could just think of that freakish, giant-eyed thing he did when he should have been acting in Lord of the Rings. If you're female, you could just dwell on the evidence that "Elijah Wood is Very, Very Gay." Failing that, certain anti-depressants suppress the sex drive as a side effect. They might therefore help you with your disorder. --George 21:47, 27 December 2005 (UTC)
 * evidence of his gayness?  Yeah, right ....  JackofOz 22:52, 27 December 2005 (UTC)
 * Wikipedia does not give medical advice. --Optichan 00:48, 28 December 2005 (UTC)

Bad jokes
Why do people often follow bad jokes either with drums and a cymbal, or a crude verbal representation of one ("Bad-um pshh!")? <font style="color:#00BB55"> smurray <font style="color:#00AA77"> inchester (User), (Talk) 16:34, 27 December 2005 (UTC)
 * It's at least stereotypical of bad lounge comedians, that they are accompanied by a drummer, who hits the cymbal at the end of each punchline. User:Zoe|(talk) 17:34, 27 December 2005 (UTC)


 * it'as also not something universal. From experience I'd say that it's specifically a US thing. DirkvdM 14:00, 28 December 2005 (UTC)
 * Generally the sound is referred to as a rimshot, although according to that article that is an incorrect use of the term; see sting (percussion). --Metropolitan90 03:29, 29 December 2005 (UTC)

TRUE STORIES
ARE THE FOLLOWING MOVIES BASED ON TRUE STORIES 1.SCUM 2.THE COLOR PURPLE 3.SCHINDLERS LIST 4.AMISTAD
 * Please don't type in all capital letters, it is considered shouting. Are you talking about Scum (film)?  It doesn't appear to be.  Schindler's List and Amistad are based on true stories, The Color Purple is not.  User:Zoe|(talk) 17:33, 27 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Keep in mind, though, that 'based on' means just that. Films are genrally a bad source for historical information. Especially Amistad seems to deviate quite a lot from historical events. DirkvdM 13:58, 28 December 2005 (UTC)

ID a 45 RPM record from the late 1950's / early 60's
I have a copy of a recording that I can e-mail 9need your email address so I can attach a copy or a street address so I can mail a disc copy. I have tries to ID this song for 35 yeras - I have a copy on reel to reel (tape has several patches)that I am looking for a better copy. I was not able to digitally correct.


 * The Wikipedia reference desk doesn't *have* a street address or email address as such, so that's not possible (though specific contributors do). Frankly, I suspect there are other specialised forums where people with more specific expertise might be able to help you.  It might help if you could post some of the lyrics. In fact, have you tried doing a Google search for key, distinctive phrases in the lyrics? --Robert Merkel 13:34, 28 December 2005 (UTC)


 * If possible, try googling the catelog number from the label. -Tim Rhymeless (Er...let's shimmy) 09:44, 2 January 2006 (UTC)

Setting up billiards trick shots
Why do pool players, when setting up trick shots, get a spare ball out of a pocket and hit the top of the other balls with it? (after they have put the balls in the right position) They do it a lot when the shot is set up so two balls are frozen together or to a rail. How does this help them? This has really been bugging me and an answer would really be appreciated. -Thanks
 * The tap freezes the ball in position, I think by slightly mashing down the felt. -- Rick Block (talk) 03:35, 28 December 2005 (UTC)

=December 28=

what area of the United states has the most high pressure weather?

 * I think you have a bit of work ahead of you and suggest you try here NOAA past weather. Good luck. CambridgeBayWeather (Talk) 03:01, 29 December 2005 (UTC)

Half Brother?Sister
Would a brother and sister who have the same mother but different fathers be half brother and sister? Or would a bother and sister who have the same father and a different mother be half brother and sister? Or if you don't have the same mother and father you are half sibling? Thanks Steve.

See the article: Sibling --Urthogie 03:36, 28 December 2005 (UTC)

Storage management in DOS
How Storage management, device maangement, Interrupt mechanism, file system handling is performed in DOS?

type --220.227.32.11 04:28, 28 December 2005 (UTC)

go to the article on Disk Operating System (DOS)

rhapsody
what does rhapsody mean
 * See rhapsody. -- Rick Block (talk) 05:47, 28 December 2005 (UTC)

British armed forces bank notes
Dear all,

Could someone of you explain what is meant by "British armed forces banknotes" ?. Are these legal tender (valid currency) in UK ?. Or only used as a special purpose within the British forces ?. I tried to get some information from the "British armed forces" page but nothing is mentioned about the currency or banknotes

Many thanks for an early answer --130.194.5.130 06:05, 28 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Hi. Have a look here.  It appears they were vouchers issued to members of the armed forces and used instead of money to spend in internal shops and canteens and suchforth - formally called "vouchers" rather than banknotes. Morwen - Talk 10:23, 28 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Yes, they used to be strictly for military use on their own bases, and it was illegal for civillians to have them. About 20 years ago, however, a vast quantity of obsolete vouchers were sold to the collectors' market. -- Arwel (talk) 03:38, 30 December 2005 (UTC)

DS Wi-fi and Wireless routers.
I'm looking to buy a wireless router that I'll use for DS wi-fi games. What sort of things does the router need to have?


 * The router must be 802.11b or 802.11g type. However, if you only want to play DS games on it, Nintendo sell tiny USB routers for the DS which just plug straight into the computer. See Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection. <font style="color:#00BB55"> smurray <font style="color:#00AA77"> inchester (User), (Talk) 11:11, 28 December 2005 (UTC)

Thanks a lot. I did know about Nintendo's USB adapters but I've heard the range is poor, and I need to use from several rooms away.

burmuda triangle
May i know the information about Bermuda Triangle (history,geographical locatio)?Is it real existing or myth?


 * The spelling was giving you problems. Try the link I just made for you. - Nunh-huh 07:21, 28 December 2005 (UTC)

runescape
in the game rune scape i want to know were the head wizard is because im on a quest to deliver a talisman to him are there any cheat codes for runescape dude why will it ruin my life im not addicted to itim just new and wanted some help
 * Don't play runescape it will ruin your life.--God_of War 07:40, 28 December 2005 (UTC)
 * Didn't you get some sort of pre-quest briefing telling you where to find this guy? Anyway http://www.gamefaqs.com should have some info. Alternatively, you could check our article on Runescape cheats. - Mgm|(talk) 23:00, 28 December 2005 (UTC)

Search and Seizure
I looked at the Search article but found it limiting. Having lived on this planet for a number of years, I know that "cops", as your earthlings like to call them, like to follow procedures and guidelines. It makes them feel better. So could someone point me to to their procedure for searching a house for contraband or evidence. Where do they look and where do they not look? How long do they spend searching a house before they give up? Will they bust apart walls - look inside drop-down ceilings - venture into the attic - turn over wooden bedstands. They must have some procedures spelled out in their How-to-be-a-cop manual. Anyone taken a peek inside?--God_of War 07:46, 28 December 2005 (UTC)
 * What country? What circumstances? -- Jmabel | Talk 08:44, 28 December 2005 (UTC)
 * Hypotheticaly let's say they are searching for the murder weapon in a home in the united states.--God_of War 18:01, 28 December 2005 (UTC)

In the US there are textbooks of police procedure which have been written and published; they tend to emphasize general approaches rather than details. Police dept procedures and guidelines are even vaguer in terms of what should be done, and are primarily used to specify what currently cannot be done (at least if you want to achieve a conviction in court). Your questions are very unlikely to be covered by any universal guideline and the intensity and destructiveness of the search would be affected by many variables that you can probably imagine. The wording of the question suggests you vastly overestimate the degree to which police work is specified in detail and standardized. alteripse 22:38, 28 December 2005 (UTC)


 * The above advice is spot-on: It often depends on the specific situation. If you want a general overview, you could do worse than to read this free outline of Criminal Procedure. Keep in mind, however, that neither this post nor the outline linked to constitute legal advice. (I'm a law student, so don't get me in trouble :) ) --George 05:51, 31 December 2005 (UTC)

FBI History
Did the FBI use carphones in 1985?


 * Primitive mobile phone systems have existed for many decades, dating back even to the 1940's (see some of the links from mobile phone), and I'd imagine that the FBI Director would probably have had one for a very long time. However, the first really widescale use of mobile phones dates from the introduction of the AMPS analog cellular system (in 1984 in the US).  While I have no direct evidence either way, I would be surprised, however, if the FBI had them in wide use in 1985, as they already had their own dedicated radio network.


 * If you wanted to find out, you'd probably have to go to a good research library and track down something like the FBI's in-house newsletters, and scour them for mentions of carphone use. I'd also give LexisNexis a try to see if anything turns up; I believe LexisNexis has articles in newspapers dating back to the early 1980's so 1985 is well within its range.  --Robert Merkel 09:27, 28 December 2005 (UTC)


 * The FBI must have a public relations department at their head office. Why not ask them? I would suggest writing rather than telephoning (as it may take some time for them to find out), and mentioning why you want to know. --Anonymous, 07:12 UTC, December 29

spreading of virus of hiv
does hiv virus spreads by saliva exchange, or oral sex with infected person?
 * Read the article on HIV. Specifically the section named "Transmission".  Dismas|(talk) 11:03, 28 December 2005 (UTC)

woodwork joinery
what is a bridle tool used for? what are the uses of bradawl tool?


 * Bridle http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=bridle
 * Bradawl http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=bradawl

Please try to use the search functions first. For definitions, www.dictionary.com is quite good. Flea110 05:05, 29 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Personally I prefer dict.org and answers.com - the first is free of advertisements, and the second at least has relatively innocuous advertisements (and is an amazing resource, which conflates sourced information from Wikipedia and many other references). &mdash; flamingspinach | (talk) 09:29, 29 December 2005 (UTC)

Brandy Quality Rankings
What are the brandy quality ratings
 * If you're talking about "VSOP" and such, see Cognac (drink). --jpgordon∇∆∇∆ 15:57, 28 December 2005 (UTC)

UK Petrol Prices
Why is it that UK petrol prices are always shown finishing in point 9 (.9) of a penny. e.g. 84.9 pence per litre. Why not round up to the nearest penny ?

Thank you

--212.74.96.198 15:36, 28 December 2005 (UTC)


 * This would be because of psychological pricing. Most things probably costing more than a few quid in the UK are priced at at X.95p or X.99p.  Morwen - Talk 15:54, 28 December 2005 (UTC)


 * And not in the UK alone. Psychological pricing is also done in the Netherlands and other European countries and I assume the rest of the world. - Mgm|(talk) 23:02, 28 December 2005 (UTC)


 * David Feldman examined this question in Why Do Clocks Run Clockwise?, but everyone he talked to said it's simply been like that as far as they can remember. Strangely, however, gas prices in Canada often end in digits other than 9. -- Mwalcoff 05:43, 29 December 2005 (UTC)

Christian quote origin
Who came up with the clichè "Christianity is not a religion, it's a relationship." ? I've been unsuccessful searching elsewhere. --KeeganB--

lyrics
in the movie lord of the rings the return of the king lord denethor makes pippin sing  a song can u tell me what its lyrics were--212.72.2.189 19:51, 28 December 2005 (UTC)
 * Some googling suggests the song is called "The Steward of Gondor". If you Google that phrase you can find a lot of lyrics pages. --Fastfission 22:36, 28 December 2005 (UTC)

Manually powered railway flatbed truck.
I am trying to find the name,either the correct term or the colloquial name of a flatbed railway truck that was propelled by two or four men using a pump action handle. I remember seeing these amusing machines typically on American movies. I assume they would have been used to move men and small items to and from the railhead, or to inspect the line. Can you help?

Regards, William


 * You're thinking of a Handcar. Dismas|(talk) 20:07, 28 December 2005 (UTC)

That's fantastic! Dismas, you're a good 'un     William. Thank you!

miss me blind
whatever happen to boy george...


 * See Boy George, specifically the section entitled "Current activity". Dismas|(talk) 22:02, 28 December 2005 (UTC)

How to make a du rag?
Hi, im from Serbia, and i want to make my own du rag, becouse i cant find one to buy. How? can anyone send me a image???

CrazzyDJ


 * Spelling may be your problem: it's a "do" rag. It's called a "do" rag (or "doo rag") from the fact that it protects your "hair-do". There's nothing particularly special about a do rag: it's a rag! You can use a bandana:, or you can use this pattern for something more elaborate: . - Nunh-huh 04:56, 29 December 2005 (UTC)
 * I don't think spelling was too much of an issue since we do have an article at durag which is how the original poster spelled it, sans the space. Dismas|(talk) 08:58, 29 December 2005 (UTC)
 * Good work finding it. I'll move it to the spelling that's actually in the dictionary and make the appropriate redirects with spaces. - Nunh-huh 09:00, 29 December 2005 (UTC)

miss world gina swainson 1979
How do i find the day and date gina swainson opened a burtons mens shop in manchester england when she was miss world. I know photos were taken by the press and a wright up was in the manchester papers.At that time i was miss burton of the uk and we (Gina) opend the shop together i would love to see the pictures that were taken and show them to my children. Can you in any way help me ? i would be for ever gratful.End

Yours Mary Lawlor


 * I would think the only way would be to check the Manchester Evening News etc. at the British Library Newspaper collection in Colindale, north London. This section is open to the public including people who do not have a British Library reader's ticket. If you're closer to Manchester then the Manchester Central Library will also have the local papers. Then it's just a matter of reading through the whole year's papers until you find it. David | Talk 23:04, 28 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Gina Swainson became Miss World in November 1979, so that might help you narrow down the date. Another idea would be to ask the manager of Burtons in the Arndale Centre if he/she could contact head office and find out the date the store opened. There's a reference here to Swainson opening a Burtons in Whitehaven, Cumbria but no date is given. --Canley 00:55, 29 December 2005 (UTC)

Weight of an average soldier's uniform
For an article I'm writing, I would like to know how many pounds of equipment (including uniform) the average American soldier carries on him or her when going into combat. Thanks very much, R. Werdinger
 * Are you including gear such as packs, flashlights, guns, ammunition, grenades, etc.? If so, this may vary greatly depending on what type of unit the hypothetical soldier is in.  For instance, an infantryman would have quite a bit more gear than say someone in a tank division who's "gear" wouldn't be worn but rather driven.  Dismas|(talk) 23:49, 28 December 2005 (UTC)
 * It would also depend on the soldier's position in his unit: radioman, heavy weapons, etc. and the type of deployment: daily patrol, weeklong trip expecting heavy combat, etc. This article suggests it may be as much as 100 lbs of gear. According to this article, some versions of body armor weigh 24 lbs all by themselves. Rmhermen 16:09, 29 December 2005 (UTC)

=December 29=

how do you send
an attachement of a file along with this message? Please advise Denis@... email and address removed
 * Are you trying to send a file to Wikipedia? CambridgeBayWeather (Talk) 04:08, 29 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Denis, it's not a good idea to include your contact details, especially your email address, on the Reference Desk - I have removed them. I'm not sure what you mean: did you want to include an attachment on a Reference Desk question? If so, click on "Upload file" in the Toolbox on the left of the screen. Upload the attachment, and then reference it in your post (see Images for information on how to do this (presuming it's an image). If you actually wanted to include an attachment on your email, then it would depend on what program you were using to send the email. Most of them use a paper clip icon, so look out for a button which shows a paper clip. --Canley 04:08, 29 December 2005 (UTC)

puberty question
I'm wondering: for a male, if masterbation speeds up puberty? - dan


 * Although I don't really know for sure, I seriously doubt it. Flea110 05:10, 29 December 2005 (UTC)


 * No, the only effect masturbation will have on your body is a good feeling and the release of semen (or if you're young a dry orgasm). It won't make you go blind, grow hair, or make any part of your body grow faster. Since puberty is mainly aimed at those last two, there's no chance masturbation will have any useful effect on it. - Mgm|(talk) 10:55, 29 December 2005 (UTC)

Despite the therapeutically intended comments above, the short accurate answer is that we do not know whether it does or doesn't. Here are some relevant thoughts:
 * 1) No studies have been done, and if you think about the difficulty in controlling the variables you will understand why.
 * 2) Doing it is probably far more common than not, so your question might be more appropriately, "will abstaining from it accelerate or retard puberty".
 * 3) It is such a taboo topic in many contexts that it is difficult to get reliable statistics and the ascertainment bias problem appears insumountable to me. A Surgeon General of the United States (the only pediatric endocrinologist to hold the post) was asked to resign because she publicly alluded to it as a common aspect of puberty.
 * 4) You haven't specifified whether you are male or female. Notice all the built-in assumptions in the answers.
 * 5) Most people cannot even think about the question accurately because of how poorly defined puberty is in popular culture. Puberty in boys for instance is a 6 year process, not an identifiable single "event". While prepubertal children can engage in the activity at question, there seems to be a substantial increase with the onset of puberty. So is your question, "if prepubertal children do it will it hasten the onset of puberty?" or are you asking whether "if puberty has already started will it increase the tempo of the process and reach the adult stage earlier?" or are you asking "will it amplify my externally visible virilization within the next few months?" The latter may be what you actually meant. alteripse 11:33, 29 December 2005 (UTC)
 * It may not speed it up, but it sure helps the time pass more quickly.ByeByeBaby 21:42, 29 December 2005 (UTC)

shanghaing
when was the practice of shanghaing sailors most prevalent?
 * A literal interpretation of your question would be when the clippers were running back and forth to China as the term comes from the town Shanghai. However, there may have been more men "shanghaied" under the term press gang or Impressment. But it doesn't really answer your question. CambridgeBayWeather (Talk) 04:48, 29 December 2005 (UTC)

Bible Codes ; Possible new approach ?
I've re-viewed several television programs recently regarding the Codes and have come to the conclusion the researchers may have overlooked possible avenues of exploration, which brings me to my question. Has anyone suggested the codes may also travel between the layers of pages? The text format within a book provides a natural 'bank' in that the pages are stacked upon one another, adding a level of difficulty for discovery. It would seem to add another dimension utilizing non-linear information that travels between the pages, not just upon them. This idea could be carried forward with scrolls as well, although a methodology would need to be addressed as to determine the stacking of blocks of text, instead of pages. Please advise if this has been taken into consideration. Thankyou in advance, Leo the lion 64.13.18.38 05:30, 29 December 2005 (UTC)
 * Shure you can do this. But you can do this with every book. helohe (talk)  07:49, 29 December 2005 (UTC)


 * You might want to look at Bible code. See also confirmation bias.  --Robert Merkel 07:54, 29 December 2005 (UTC)

Photo of Albert Hall and Albert Court Mansions
Does anybody have a photo that includes the Royal Albert Hall and Albert Court Mansions on Prince Consort Road in South Kensington?

Significant historical events in March 1906
Does anyone know of any? I am organising Centenary celebrations for an organisation and it would be good to compare other history-making events during the same time ie. March 1906.


 * Have you had a look at 1906? --Robert Merkel 07:56, 29 December 2005 (UTC)

Bakerloo Line
You seem to be using British English, so perhaps you're somewhere near London. The Baker Street and Waterloo Railway opened for business at 1 pm on March 10, 1906. It was soon noticed that the name could be portmanteaued into "Bakerloo", and today this tube railway is known as the Bakerloo Line of the London Underground. When first opened, the line had 8 stations, from Baker Street to Kennington Road, the latter now known as Lambeth North.
 * The original fare was a flat 2d., that's two old pence or 1/120 of a pound, between any two of the stations. [Inserted 08:12 UTC, December 29]

All stations were accessed by manually operated lifts. Electric multiple unit trains were used, as is still true today, but not with the modern door arrangement. Passengers boarded at the car ends, as on a long-distance train; each boarding position required a separate crewman whose job was to close a lattice gate when the train was ready to leave and open it at the next station.

The Bakerloo was the first new line opened by an American-financed company, the Underground Electric Railways of London Company, which was becoming a major force in London's public transit. Its founder Charles Yerkes had died a few months before.

Then again, perhaps you are nowhere near London and this is of no interest. --Anonymous, 07:49 UTC, December 29, 2005


 * Rolls Royce was started in March 1906. I just hope that isn't the organisation you need the facts for! <font style="color:#00BB55"> smurray <font style="color:#00AA77"> inchester (User), (Talk) 10:49, 29 December 2005 (UTC)

Kennedy Center Honors
I watched the Kennedy Center Honors and seated behind Tina Turner was a male (Tina's boyfriend). Next to him was a female who looked very familiar, but I can't remember her name. I thought she may be Justine Bateman. Does anyone know who she is? Just another one of those things that really aren't important but I can't sleep tonight because it is driving me crazy. Help. Thanks

Operation Romeo Scandal
Under the "Current Events>Ongoing" Section, there is a link for Operation Romeo Scandal. The link redirects you to the article at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/State_terrorism#Acts_labelled_as_state_terrorism.2C_sorted_by_state.23India Which, from my searching, does not contain any links to or information about Operation Romeo or a scandal surrounding it. Help?


 * It's hilarious that someone added this incident as "State Terrorism." It was all about police beating up a young couple for dating, probably without their parents' consent. People named such acts of police as "Operation Romeo". deeptrivia (talk) 05:33, 31 December 2005 (UTC)

sleeping period
May i know the minimum sleeping time that i should give to fulfill the body requirement.I am 25 yr old (male) with 67 kg weight residing mumbi india.I am doing office work 8:30am to 5:00pm
 * From personal experience, I recommend around 7 or 8 hours of sleep. - Mgm|(talk) 10:58, 29 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Most people require 7 to 8 hours of sleep for optimal performance. That said, a few people get along very well with much less - 4 or 5 hours. I say experiment, but keep in mind that the effect of getting just a little too little sleep is often very small, especially if you go back to getting more sleep after a few days. It may or may not be important to yuo. The long-term health effects are much harder to pin down. Perhaps there's a sleep expert in the house? --George 19:44, 29 December 2005 (UTC)

Sport
Who are the best boxing coaches(living) at Bombay, India.I am interested to join it.I am 27 yr old(male).Is it possible for me to start boxing career at this age?Thank you, waiting for your reply...


 * Anthony Mundine took up the sport at 25 and has had a reasonable professional career, but he was a former professional rugby league player and an exceptional athlete (with an exceptionally big mouth to go with it). You would need to be a truly phenomenal athlete to start boxing at your age and have a successful professional or elite amateur career.  But there's nothing stopping you finding a coach, working your way to some amateur bouts, and finding out.


 * If you're a very good athlete who's looking for a new sport to do and you want to maximise your chances of competing at a high level, good sports to choose at your age are endurance sports, such as road cycling, triathlon, or long-distance running. Endurance athletes typically peak considerably later than other types of athletes.  But that of course depends on your physiological makeup and your motivations for competing.  --Robert Merkel 12:19, 29 December 2005 (UTC)

Who makes more tax return errors?
A commercial currently on tv claims that 22% of tax returns filed by individuals contain errors. Is this true? If so, what percentage of those returns filed by professional preparers contain errors?68.40.170.32 10:50, 29 December 2005 (UTC)
 * Errors made by individuals and be tax preparers will vary from country to country. it would be an interesting study to see which country's tax forms produce the fewest errors. I doubt that anyone has done this, though. Ground Zero | t 17:00, 29 December 2005 (UTC)
 * I'm sure there's loads of errors in tax returns, but I think that's the fault of whoever makes those forms. They're not exactly easy to understand. If they were, the number of errors would be considerably lower. - Mgm|(talk) 18:06, 29 December 2005 (UTC)

Note also that in some cases whether a person chooses to use a professional preparer will depend on how complicated their tax situation is. Even if the pros turned out to have the same or a higher percentage of errors compared to individuals, it would not prove that they aren't doing a better job; they might just be getting more of the harder returns. (And no, I am not, nor have I ever been, a professional tax return preparer!) --Anonymous, 04:15 UTC, December 30, 2005

Unanswerable question
This site looks pretty invincible to me.But was there ever a question which all the users of Wikipedia could not answer?Just wondering. 11:33, 29 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Plenty. See Reference desk archive :-) --HappyCamper 11:35, 29 December 2005 (UTC)


 * No one ever found a Greek pangram for me. I'm still looking for one. —Keenan Pepper 14:28, 29 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Generally, the more you know, the more you realise you don't know. I suspect the relation is exponential. And I still don't know what Telnet option 200 does. --Sam Pointon 14:55, 29 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Once you get some specialised knowledge you'll realise that although plenty of answers are provided on the reference desk, many are wrong or misleading. --Commander Keane 16:19, 29 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Nobody ever found out about Domino's brand chewing gum for me. -Tim Rhymeless (Er...let's shimmy) 09:49, 2 January 2006 (UTC)

Air routes from the United Kingdom to Canada
Oh Great & Powerful Oz,

I have just been told that it is not possible to fly directly from the united Kingdom to Canada, 'as the crow flies'. apparently this is only possible for heads of statte and the military. Is this correct and how did it originate?

Thanks


 * Flying in a straight line is a bit pointless; we live on a sphere so the shortest route from the UK to Canada is the Great Circle, which follows a curving pattern from the UK, towards the North Pole, then back south towards Canada. I don't know about whether the army/heads of state do it, but it would seem a waste of aviation fuel to fly in a straight line. <font style="color:#00BB55"> smurray <font style="color:#00AA77"> inchester (User), (Talk) 14:15, 29 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Not to stray too far from the question, but I wanted to point out that the shortest distance would indeed be a straight line. It's just that a straight line from the UK to Canada (or any two points on the planet) involves going under the surface of the Earth.  The great circle route is the shortest path that doesn't involve digging tunnels. :)
 * Back to the question, though. As far as flying it in a great circle route, this page mentions flying from Newfoundland to Ireland on the great circle.  In fact, British Airways flies from Heathrow to Toronto direct (BA0093, for example).  The trip takes about 8 hours (7 hrs and 55 minutes, according to their website).  The great circle route distance is 3556 miles, which means that the average speed is about 450 mph.  The trip is made in a Boeing 777, which has a cruising speed of 550 mph.  If you take into account the time on the ground, plus the time getting up to cruising speed and dropping down from it, I think it's likely that they fly pretty close to the great circle route.  But I don't have figures for the amount of time lost in those maneuvers, so I can't be positive. kmccoy (talk) 21:02, 29 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Flying "as the crow flies" would be rather inadvisable as I suspect the crow will become exhausted before too many miles, and will drown in the Atlantic.
 * More to the point, at this time of year most direct flights from the UK to Canada are likely to be LHR to YYZ (London Heathrow to Toronto Pearson) - Opodo is offering a return ticket on 6 Jan/13 Jan on British Airways for GBP 746.10, but if you don't insist on a non-stop flight, American Airlines is offering GBP 302.30 via Chicago; Air Canada is GBP 432.40 out via Ottawa, back non-stop; United Airlines is GBP 433.30 out via Washington Dulles, back via Chicago; GBP 509.40 out with Virgin to New York JFK and Delta to Toronto, back with Virgin via Newark, and so on. There are more direct flights in the summer months e.g. from Manchester or Glasgow. I flew Manchester to Toronto and back direct in the summer of 1994 on Air Canada for GBP 270, if memory serves. You may well feel it worth paying several hundred pounds more to avoid the "pleasure" of going through US Immigration! -- Arwel (talk) 04:08, 30 December 2005 (UTC)

In a narrow sense, it's rare for airline flights anywhere to follow a true great circle route, simply because they have to use runways which point in a particular direction. Further, when approaching an airport for landing, flights are normally subject to air traffic control rules that require them to fly a particular pattern, typically a U or V shape; this allows the controllers to get them properly spaced out for landing. Also, there are restricted areas (such as military ones) that flights are not allowed to cross over. I've read that when crossing the Atlantic there are a number of standard flight paths, which most planes use one of; these would not be exact great circles, but they would be close. It's these traffic-type rules where high-priority flights such as "heads of state" might find exemptions. But there is nothing here specific to UK/Canada flights, that I have ever heard of.

Last time I flew from London to Toronto, my flight crossed Ireland near its southwest corner, and crossed Newfoundland near Corner Brook. Checking the great circle using a globe and a piece of string, I find that it was about 100 miles south of a great circle at the first location, and 150 miles at the second. Not far off for a trip of that length. But other times on the same route I have been flown as far north as southern Greenland. The specific choice of flight path will depend on the weather over the Atlantic, and availability in the presence of other air traffic.

--Anonymous, 04:50 UTC, December 30, 2005


 * They wouldn't always fly a "great circle" route due to winds. See jet stream. About three or four times a year we get a overflight from Europe to Canada (or the other way round) over Cambridge Bay. On the very odd occasion we get an Asia flight passing. It's always to avoid or pick up the jet stream. CambridgeBayWeather (Talk) 06:24, 30 December 2005 (UTC)

Inventor
What did Sir Isaac Newton invent?
 * Try the above link for some answers. CambridgeBayWeather (Talk) 15:33, 29 December 2005 (UTC)

about wikipedia
May I know who made Wikipedia?--202.81.187.88 15:16, 29 December 2005 (UTC) thank you for spending time to answer my question
 * See Citing Wikipedia if you need a form for a citation or Wikipedia for a history of this site. Rmhermen 15:46, 29 December 2005 (UTC)


 * We're all making Wikipedia. You can help make Wikipedia too. —Keenan Pepper 22:16, 29 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Maybe you want to ask who made Mediawiki ? helohe (talk)  10:22, 30 December 2005 (UTC)

keystroke substitutions for routinely used names
When scriptwriting on my old Amstrad I could type in the names of characters at the beginning, somehow, and then with just a press of the key representing the initial letter of the character, the full name would appear. Is it possible to set this up in Word 2003 or Scriptsmart gold (a BBC download)? It sounds trivial but having to type in the full name of the character each time does stop the flow. Anyone out there who might know the answer? Shakespeare and Co.195.92.67.73 16:51, 29 December 2005 (UTC)
 * Probably see Macro. Rmhermen 17:24, 29 December 2005 (UTC)
 * I don't know about Scriptsmart Gold, but for Word "Tools->AutoCorrect" is what you want.-gadfium 19:23, 29 December 2005 (UTC)
 * Just to help clarify, go into the AutoCorrect settings, and type an easy-to-remember short version of the character name for the "Replace:" box, and then the full name, with desired capitals, colon, spaces, etc. in the "With:" box. For instance, you could type "LC-" instead of "Lady Capulet: ". I like to include the dash to avoid having AutoCorrect kick in unless I want it. This is also very helpful with common abbreviations, and has good practical joke applications to boot! ByeByeBaby 21:50, 29 December 2005 (UTC)

Thanks to all who so promptly and helpfully replied, especially to ByeByeBaby whose directions gave me the solution right away. Thanks everyone,

Shakespeare and Co195.92.168.163 00:17, 30 December 2005 (UTC)

where was that picture taken
i just read your beautiful article on the sky and i want to know where was that picture of that cloud taken and if possible could you add the photograph of it to my question. SORRY IF THIS IS ONE FOR THE HELP DESK AMIGO.


 * There are a number of pictures of clouds in the Sky article, and I don't know to which you're referring, so I can't fulfill that request. To answer your first question - each image on wikipedia has its own page (eg - just click on the image to get there), where you'll see the username of the person who uploaded it in the 'File history' section. If you contact them, they might be able to tell you where it was taken, and by whom. Natgoo 17:23, 29 December 2005 (UTC)

when was it taken
i was reading your article on the sky and i saw a picture of a beautiful sunset what i want to know is where was it taken,who took it,and if possible could you add the image of the sunset to the part of the question page where my question will be posted CHOW AMIGO.
 * The answer to your first question (right above this one) will work for this question as well. Dismas|(talk) 17:53, 29 December 2005 (UTC)

Deffiniation
What is the meaning of the names Marie and C hristine

Currencies used in the U.S.

What year did the U.S. switch from English pounds sterling to U.S. dollars and cents?

Thank You for your help.
 * Try Marie, Behind the Name and US Currency Milestones. Strange but it does not seem to appear in any of the US coinage articles. CambridgeBayWeather (Talk) 19:04, 29 December 2005 (UTC)
 * Just added the adoption date to United States dollar. Thanks for the question. CambridgeBayWeather (Talk) 19:11, 29 December 2005 (UTC)


 * The US didn't exactly switch from British to US currency anyway. In the late colonial era many currencies were in circulation, most notably the Spanish peso.  The $ sign referred originally to pesos, and when the US dollar was adopted it was made the same size because it was a familiar unit. --Anonymous, 04:30 UTC, December 30, 2005

Aggregators
Can anyone recommend a good reader (downloadable) for reading RSS feeds? One preferably easy to use and no ads. --86.130.203.161 19:08, 29 December 2005 (UTC)
 * Opera is a web browser that reads RSS natively. Alternatively, Mozilla Thunderbird seems like a nice option. ☢ Ҡieff⌇↯ 03:57, 30 December 2005 (UTC)

address for CEO of FedEx
I'm trying to contact Frederick W. Smith, Chairman, Pres. and CEO of FedEx to ask for a policy change on something that adversely affects artists trying to ship to and from juried exhibitions, using FedEx. Does anyone know how to contact him directly? Mikki Dillon (removed email address) —Preceding unsigned comment added by 66.32.222.11 (talk • contribs)


 * Our article on FedEx states that the company is headquartered in Memphis, TN. My suggestion would be simply to write a letter addressed to something like:
 * Frederick W Smith
 * C/O FedEx Corp
 * Memphis, TN 38120
 * Honestly, I doubt there's any easy way to force a letter to be placed in front of his eyes directly. There's almost certainly an administrative assistant reading his mail.  But that's a start.
 * kmccoy (talk) 20:35, 29 December 2005 (UTC)

Mainstay
I would like to find out all contact information on a House brand of Walmart's called Mainstay or Mainstay's. This company has an item (Mainstay's Bed in a Bag, style (Ming & or Shanghi Rose),they have it the Queen size but no King, I need to know how to get in touch with the company that makes bedding for Walmart. Thank you in addvance for your time and help. Lin--216.240.15.40 21:36, 29 December 2005 (UTC)
 * Try Walmart. CambridgeBayWeather (Talk) 02:09, 30 December 2005 (UTC)

=December 30=

TIME ZONE
WHICH TIME ZONE IS CAIRO COMPARED TO CANADIAN TIME?
 * Canada is on several time zones. So which one did you want? See Cairo, Canada and Time Zone. CambridgeBayWeather (Talk) 01:38, 30 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Cairo is UTC+2, Newfoundland is UTC-3.30, so Cairo is five and a half hours ahead of St Johns. -- Arwel (talk) 04:14, 30 December 2005 (UTC)

origin of American pop culture phrases
What is the origin of the phrase "beat me, whip me, make me write bad checks"?
 * Well, Buck Henry says it in Eating Raoul. Does it predate that? --jpgordon∇∆∇∆ 02:57, 30 December 2005 (UTC)

NFL Players salaries in the 1960's
What was average salary for a Player in the NFL in the 1960's?
 * There's some information here (scroll down to "Money Matters"). CambridgeBayWeather (Talk) 03:17, 30 December 2005 (UTC)

owls' mating rituals
Try here and here CambridgeBayWeather (Talk) 03:17, 30 December 2005 (UTC)

process to make a snowball used to hold candles
Hi. I visited sweden recently. was impressed about the snowball, which can also be used to hold the candles. When i purchased one, came to know that it's made out of snow of 1970's. then worndering how still snow is not melting? is there any specifice process they follow to make this snow ball?

would like to know about it.

Thanks & regards, Ananthavalli

<E-mail address removed>


 * I'm from Sweden, and I have never heard of snowballs not melting if you keep them above 0 °C (32 °F). Of course, you could keep snow in a freezer for 30 years, but as snow is so widely available here, I don't think that would be useful. The most likely answer to your question is that it wasn't made by snow, but some other material, perhaps glass like these ones. I have also seen snowball-shaped candles, but they are of course made of paraffin. 217.208.26.177 19:13, 30 December 2005 (UTC)

Length of time until TV seasons are released on DVD
I'm wondering how long it usually takes from when the last episode of a tv show season airs until when that season is available for purchase on dvd. If anyone knows the specific amounts of time it took for certain shows that would also be appreciated. Flea110 07:05, 30 December 2005 (UTC)
 * Perhaps someone can help you with examples, but there is no "usually". Times vary greatly depending on the success of the series and a lot of other marketing mumbo-jumbo. The 2005 series of Doctor Who was released immediately after the season's end. ER took several years and some are NEVER released on DVD. - Mgm|(talk) 11:06, 30 December 2005 (UTC)
 * Sometimes the DVD is released before the show airs, like with The Submariners (Australian TV show).--Commander Keane 20:48, 30 December 2005 (UTC)

friday night lights characters and puberty question pt. 2
about the 1990 book: Friday Night Lights which is about the permian high school football team, is any of the characters in the story real?

about the puberty question, heres an answer for two of the relevant thoughts: 4. i am male 5. both questions: "if prepurbertal children do it, will it hasten the onset of puberty" and "if puberty has already started will it increase the tempo of the process and reach the adult stage earlier?"


 * The movie Friday Night Lights, like most movies, is a little fictionalized, but the book that it's based on is supposed to be 100% non-fiction.
 * Maybe doing that will make you FEEL all grown up, but evolution is not so easily fooled. --Mareino 15:14, 30 December 2005 (UTC)

Fiji Fire plant
Can Fiji Fire, Metrosideros vitiencensis spp, be used for hedging? Thanks --Ali K 09:12, 30 December 2005 (UTC)

FECES
WHY DOES WILD ANIMALS FECES DIFFER E.G. IN SOUTH AFRICA WE HAVE IMPALA WHO HAVE ROUND LITTLE BALL TYPE DROPPINGS AND KUDU HAS FLATISH DROPPINGS, BOTH ARE BUCK AND BOTH EAT THE SAME VEGETATION

DAYANN SOUTH AFRICA
 * Please read the instructions at the top of the page. Writing in all capital letters is the internet equivalent of screaming and is considered rude. - Mgm|(talk) 11:09, 30 December 2005 (UTC)

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (Film)
I was really curious about the film, occasionally there shows some head of a statue, it creaking, maybe it's a gargoyle, there is one after the scene of Professor Dumbledore prsenting the goblet of fire. I was wondering what it was and where abouts it was and what was it for? It was in the school, well actually that's the point, 'cause it seemed far away fromt hew school but no it wasn't in the grave yard.
 * Was the statue located in the school or in the graveyard? Was it the statue that held Harry during the climax of the film? - Mgm|(talk) 17:27, 30 December 2005 (UTC)

Blackouts
Recently a friend had told me that very rarely he had been doing something then all of a sudden he was somewhere else, and then I was on msn doing webcam with him and I came and he was looking straight at the cieling with his mouth wide open the he ran off and came back and he was like what the fuck happened, I woke up on the stairs. I know he wasn't lying, I trust him and I know when he's lying and he hardly ever does it, what explanation is for this?
 * May be some kind of Epilepsy. helohe (talk)  13:26, 30 December 2005 (UTC)
 * You should tell him to see a general practitioner. Anyone who acts bizarrely and cannot remember it is potentially at risk of injuring themselves and not remembering it, too, so he needs medical advice, but there's no way any of us will be able to pinpoint the exact disease over the internet. --Mareino 15:18, 30 December 2005 (UTC)

wow... maybe he has a disasosiative personality dissorder, look it up, and advice him to get profesional help because that is seriuos.


 * Dissociative fugue would be the more likely diagnosis in this case, given the brevity of his fits; dissociative identity disorder, aside from being wildly controversial, would look very different from what you describe. Far more important, though: Both of those are very, very rare conditions. Very rare. It's far, far more likely to be something biological, though there may be some psychological component. Point: He should get to a doctor ASAP and be able to provide a good description of what he feels like when it happens and what other people see him do when it happens. --George 00:58, 31 December 2005 (UTC)

Education
I really want to study in England, I live in Australia, so I know it's hard to get in a university in England, plus it's extremely expensive. i also wouldn't mind Scotland, is it hard to get a scolarship? How do I get one and is there other ways to get into a university? All information possible would really help thanks.


 * Have you considered doing the majority of your degree at an Australian university and taking a student exchange program to spend six months or a year of your degree studying in the UK?  As to scholarships, it will likely be *extremely* difficult, especially at undergraduate level, as you are neither British nor from a third world country (all "colonial" jokes put aside, my English friends...). The one other possibility that might get you into an English university is if you're eligible for a British passport (if you have a British parent or grandparent).  You'd have to check the citizienship rules, though.


 * As to your plan, as a low-level university academic who works in Australia and has visited British universities: I'd make some comments about studying in the UK;


 * 1) While Oxford and Cambridge are probably better universities (in general) than any university in Australia, and have an ambience all their own (for better or worse), the best Australian universities are probably as good as the rest.  Of course, this depends very much on the discipline you're interested in.
 * 2) Of the places I've travelled, England feels more like Australia, culturally, than anywhere else except maybe New Zealand.  Particularly if you're in Greater London, where there are so many Australians you can't swing a dead cat without hitting one, it won't feel that different.  If you want a *real* cultural experience, try doing an exchange in a country where the native language isn't English.
 * 3) Yes, you can explore the wonders of continental Europe very easily from the UK; but if you want to you'll need considerable amounts of extra cash above and beyond tuition and living expenses.


 * My suggestion? If your heart is set on England, enrol here and start planning an exchange; or take a year off and get a job behind the bar in a pub somewhere in the UK.  It's likely more practical than trying to study there.  ---Robert Merkel 13:42, 30 December 2005 (UTC)


 * See the website for the British Council Australia, they have a list of academic scholarships available to Australian students. --Canley 01:26, 31 December 2005 (UTC)


 * For completeness, there's the Rhodes Scholarships. These days, most Rhodes recipients, like Chevening recipients, do postgraduate study. --Robert Merkel 02:13, 31 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Hello anonymous Aussie, I'm an American who managed to get into Cambridge University studying geography. Although the overseas tuition is absolutely outrageous (I had to sign a financial guarantee for 21,000 pounds a year including room and board) I did manage to get a scholarship from the Cambridge Overseas Trust of 4,000 pounds a year. My advice is just apply the hell out of every scholarship you can find. I seem to remember that you apply for the Overseas Trust after you've gotten an offer. Have you had a look at The Student Room? You could drop me a note on my talk page if you have any questions for me. -Halidecyphon 15:14, 31 December 2005 (UTC)


 * The Department for Education and Skills website for international students has some further information you might find useful. Natgoo 15:39, 31 December 2005 (UTC)

Gun powder
I have some 22cal. long rifle ammonition that I had since I closed my shop back around 1980. My question is,"How long will it take for the ammo to deteriorate to the point that it is unsafe to use?

I am concerned that the powder will reach a point that it will not be able to cause the bullet to get out of the barrel. Is there a way test it for safety?

Thank you.

Robert May

bobmay@(Email address removed)
 * -- unsigned post by 216.255.60.24
 * Try contacting your local gun club, firing range, or dedicated gun shop. They could most likely give you the best information. I'm certainly no expert, but no one else has said anything so I'll hazard giving my opinion. The real risk isn't it getting stuck in the barrel, since that could just be removed, but the primer failing to ignite the powder. Then you have a situation with a dud that could conceivably go off at the wrong time. At the rifle range I remember the old timer that ran the place taking a rimfire dud that failed to fire in a rifle and successfully firing it in a pistol. I'm guessing he knew the specifics but I assume either the pistol's firing pin hit in a different location or hit harder. If I recall right he did leave it in the rifle for a bit (pointed down range of course) in case it went off then quickly transferred it to the postol. But since 22 ammo is pretty cheap you may be better off just disposing of it safely. It's not worth an eye, a hand, or worse. - Taxman Talk 16:15, 31 December 2005 (UTC)

If the bullet doesn't leave the barrel, doesn't that make it more safe? DirkvdM 18:27, 2 January 2006 (UTC)

How many of my car were made
I have a 1989 Grand Prix se coupe factory 5 speed. with a 2.8L v-6. It was only produced for half a year. And had to be special orderd from the factory with a 5 speed. I have looked for 2 days on the net and cant find a answer. please help. thank Jay
 * Try GM Canada - Pontiac and email and ask the company. CambridgeBayWeather (Talk) 17:32, 30 December 2005 (UTC)

How does Wiki index its pages?
If I create a entry, how does the search index it for keywords? How can I make my entry easier to find with related keywords? I'm having a hard time finding this info in tutorials.... Swaaye
 * Articles aren't indexed by keyword. When someone does a search the search function will try to find matches according to the title of the articles and then also show results where words that were searched for are found in the text of the articles.  If you write an article that could be known by more than one name it is best to create a redirect for it.  Dismas|(talk) 17:34, 30 December 2005 (UTC)


 * If you want to make it easier for people to find an article, put it in the appropriate categories. —Keenan Pepper 19:15, 30 December 2005 (UTC)
 * Also give some thought to what other articles it logically ought to be linked with, and then review those articles to see the best place to do the interlink. User:AlMac|(talk) 21:22, 30 December 2005 (UTC)

DVD Recorder to VCR to RF Modulator to TV
I hooked up my equipment this way, My cable runs to my VCR then to my DVD Recorder,(including the AV cords) to my RF modulator and then to my TV. With this setup, when i turn off the DVD Recorder, the TV will show static and no picture. So i leave it on standby and the picture is fine. So would it be better to Use a splitter and have the VCR and DVD recorder not connected through the Coax, but only the AV cords, and then off to the RF Modulator?
 * If your tv will accept it an S-video cable will give a better picture, if not then use AV cords from the DVD. I would try and eliminate the RF modulator as it will degrade the picture from the DVD to the TV. CambridgeBayWeather (Talk) 22:35, 30 December 2005 (UTC)

Yeah, I'd like to get rid of the RF Modulator, but will you buy me a new TV? I have an older TV with only a coax jack. My Current Configureation has my cable running through the DVD Recorder. My Main question is: Should i use a splitter to eliminate the cable signal running through the DVD Recorder.

tattoos
Hello, I was wondering if you could tell me the Thai word or symbols for "sisters". I am planning on getting a tattoo and I would like an unusual way to express it. Thank you!
 * Sincerly,
 * Shelley
 * You might try asking any of the users in Category:User th. -- Rick Block (talk) 02:06, 31 December 2005 (UTC)

And you might read cultural appropriation and consider how a Thai person may react if they ever see your tattoo. -- Jmabel | Talk 09:55, 31 December 2005 (UTC)

A fifth of alcohol
I've tried searches at The Straight Dope, Snopes, Google and here but I can't find out why a fifth of alcohol was a standard volume (at least in the U.S.). All I could find so far was from the article for U.S. customary units which states, "Distilled liquor and wine were bottled in fifths until 1973; when the term "fifth" is used now it almost always means 750 mL." What I'd like to know is why a fifth of a gallon became a standard measure and why it was changed in 1973. Thanks! Dismas|(talk) 19:40, 30 December 2005 (UTC)


 * When the US government began to encourage metrication of consumer labeling (early-mid 70s) the distilled spirit industry eagerly adopted the 750ml size and abandoned the "fifth" (757ml) for the obvious reason (it wasn't patriotism). --hydnjo talk 20:47, 30 December 2005 (UTC)
 * I've always been under the impression that it was a fifth of a gallon for taxation reasons, but it appears that's as likely or unlikely as any of the various myths for the unit. --jpgordon∇∆∇∆ 17:28, 31 December 2005 (UTC)

September 21, 2006: Here are the facts from Jack Daniels in an email dated 9/21/2006 from "Jack Daniels [Jack_Daniels@lynchburg.jackdaniels.com]"

Jack Daniel's changed to the metric system of measurment in 1978. Before it changed it was measured by the U.S. standard pints, quarts, gallons etc. The standard bottle known as a "5th", is 4/5ths of a quart or 1/5th of a gallon. After 1978 this standard bottle became a 750 ml. There is just a fraction difference in 1/5 and 750 ml. [However, the term Fifth/5th has absolutely no relation to the current metric system and is basically an outdated term. Using the term to describe a 750 ml bottle is incorrect.]

school opening
when does school open after christmas.
 * That would definately depend on where you are and what school you are referring to. But a generic answer would be to check out the school's website. - Akamad Happy new year! 22:23, 30 December 2005 (UTC)
 * In Cambridge Bay, Nunavut they open January 3rd and you should be there at 9:00 am. Thanks. CambridgeBayWeather (Talk) 22:30, 30 December 2005 (UTC)

In most places in Australia and America, around January 28 - February 2.
 * Except for maybe colleges and universities, very few schools in the U.S. take the entire month of January off. Dismas|(talk) 15:12, 31 December 2005 (UTC)
 * Yeah, in most places in America, school will be opening much sooner than January 28. User:Zoe|(talk) 04:11, 1 January 2006 (UTC)
 * Thats because students in America have their summer holidays in July and students in Australia have their summer holiday over the Christmas/New Year period.--Ali K 06:52, 1 January 2006 (UTC)


 * Yes, most of the schools in Arkansas are opening today. (January 2, 2006)

Sign my name
I have created a username here in wikipedia, but I don't know how to sign my name at the end of my questions...can anyone help me? —Preceding unsigned comment added by Cosmic girl (talk • contribs)


 * From the tutorial at the top of the page: Sign your question - type "- - ~ ~ ~ ~" at its end, but remove the quotes and spaces.


 * Actually four tildes, ~, will do fine. hydnjo talk 23:04, 30 December 2005 (UTC)


 * And, three tildes will give just your name such as Dismas|(talk)  While five tildes , will produce just the time stamp, 23:53, 30 December 2005 (UTC). Dismas|(talk) 23:53, 30 December 2005 (UTC)

thank you :) ...the thing is that I don't know how to type that little symbol...I mean I can't find it anywhere in my keyboard...


 * On the QWERTY keyboard it is just to the left of the "1" key. Dismas|(talk) 01:40, 31 December 2005 (UTC)

wow, this is so weird... I have a QWERTY keyboard and I don't see that key...instead I have one with a small ª like this and this also º and this \ nothing else... so weird.
 * Not any QWERTY will do. It must be a US keyboard (possibly others).  What country are you in? --Nelson Ricardo 01:58, 31 December 2005 (UTC)


 * From your IP address, you appear to be in Peru, so I deduce you have a Spanish-language keyboard. Does it look like this? I believe you can type Shift-' (that's the single quote mark, between the ñ and ç keys) to get the ~ character.-gadfium 02:48, 31 December 2005 (UTC)
 * And in our tilde article, it says:
 * To type a tilde on a Spanish keyboard, you can use AltGr+4.
 * I hope one of these suggestions works for you. If not, try asking at the Spanish Wikipedia. I couldn't find a page there explaining how to type the character, but my Spanish isn't very good.-gadfium 03:10, 31 December 2005 (UTC)

Thank you guys :D yes, it is altgr+4! :) Cosmic girl 18:38, 31 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Also there is a long list of special characters listed below the edit box of wikipedia, and among them is the tilde. So, you can click on that four times to insert it.  – b_jonas 14:23, 1 January 2006 (UTC)
 * Or you could use the button at the top of the edit box that shows a signature. It will put --~ into the edit box automatically. And then you can remove the hyphens manually if you wish. It's a lot easier than trying to find the tilde symbol down there. Optichan 17:57, 2 January 2006 (UTC)

about karrine steffans
About karrine steffans, she had a nickname for herself since she was in many music videos(it was said on MTV jams-shook ones(it showed yesterday). i think it was super *something* i dont know can ya help me out -jeff


 * I did a Google search for her name, it appears her nickname is "Superhead". --Canley 01:14, 31 December 2005 (UTC)

=December 31=

about pharrell williams
is pharell williams married to baby of gwen's hakajuru girls cause baby said "my husband farrell" in a interview from a fansite so thats why its my question.


 * According to this article, Pharrell Williams has a girlfriend named Vashti Bunyan. However, the most famous Vashti Bunyan is a folk singer who released her first album in 1970, so either he's dating a much older woman, he's dating another woman who has the same (rather unusual)  name, or he's playing a joke on the interviewer.  Previous profiles dating from 2003-04 suggest that, at that time at least, Mr Williams had a rather active private life (well, what else do you become a pop musician for?).  There's no reports of him getting married, but it's not impossible that he is and he's decided simply not to reveal it.--Robert Merkel 00:53, 31 December 2005 (UTC)

carrier path
Hi, i want to ask, how one should chose his career path? As most of decisions are made at the age of 15-17 yr.I think at this age student is not so matured to decide the right option for him.Now in such competative world to survive succeeded personalities have chosen their career path right from their early childhood.But how one is prepared by mindset to chose the path at such age?Is that by luckily chosen path or purely decision?How one can explore his talent in a particular field without testing it?If so, one has no time to test all the field to arrive at decision. I am 25 yr(male).I made my career in technical field(science).But at this age i feel that perhaps sports would be the better option for me.Give me some fruitful suggetion.Thank u....


 * Just explore whatever you're earnestly interested in, I'd say. After all, a job is just a hobby you get paid for, right? —Keenan Pepper 06:11, 31 December 2005 (UTC)


 * What topics were you good at in school? Such as
 * Communication skills
 * Foreign languages
 * Math
 * Science
 * What were your favorite subjects in school, and what career paths are open to someone good in that subject?
 * e.g. If you love Geography, then perhaps you can go into Marketing, Truck driving.
 * What types of activities do you like to do?
 * What job markets have lots of demand for more people, and what kinds of skills are needed for people to enter those job functions?
 * What pays well?
 * What pays well and will still be around after Outsourcing much expanded from now, and automation technology advanced much from now, which can cause jobs to disappear.
 * Research some jobs ... what is a typical day like for a person in a particular profession.

I have many friends whose favorite subject was History, so they majored in that, then went job hunting, only to find that there was an excess of people with that know-how and a lack of jobs in it, so they ended up getting jobs that did not even need a high school diploma. The college degree in History was of no help to them. User:AlMac|(talk) 10:51, 31 December 2005 (UTC)

spiritual
Why we used to pray for god?Did they really exist or the stories are made by human himself to teach people and stop from wrong doing. As i don't believe in ghost.But then i get confused if ghosts are not there, then where is god?Is he really marked his presence on earth?I am asking overall not for a particular religion.I am from hindu byground.In hindu there are lots of stories related to god, goddess.Thanks...waiting for ur reply....


 * You've asked one of the Big Questions, as some people would put it, and there are a lot of possible answers. Many people spend their lives worrying about those questions, and you could do the same if you had nothing better to do. A good start: Read our articles on god, existence of god, and philosophy of religion. Those articles are all very long, and they link to dozens of other long articles. Once you read those, you'll be more confused than ever. But that's what philosophy does best. --George 05:35, 31 December 2005 (UTC)

Can I ask you (the person who asked the question) how old are you? You seem to be mixing God with what religion says about God...my advice to you is to read about how diferent religions view God and form yourself a personal opinion acording to that.--Cosmic girl 19:26, 31 December 2005 (UTC)

time machine
IS there any really time machine exist which can help us to go in future or past?Is there any scientific support/law/equation which can derive that one can go in the past/future?thank you for your attention to my querry.


 * We have a very long article on time travel which you would certainly find interesting. To answer your question though: No, there is not currently any machine that lets us travel through time in any meaningful way.


 * (P.S. - One of our resident wits will probably tell you that we're already travelling to the future at every moment. Someone who likes physics will also tell you about travelling very near the speed of light and it's odd effects, but I leave that to them.) --George 05:26, 31 December 2005 (UTC)


 * It's much easier to go into the future than the past. To travel into the future faster than everyone else, just take a trip on a rocket ship with sustained high acceleration. The more you accelerate on your trip, the more time will have passed on Earth when you return. Travelling into the past requires some fundamental breakthrough in physics; right now it appears impossible. —Keenan Pepper 06:02, 31 December 2005 (UTC)


 * I would say that a library with both as science-fiction and a history section does an excellent job of being a very cheap time machine. A more expensive version is called a book store. With books you can travel anywhere and at any time. I prefer the portable version called a Palm. CambridgeBayWeather (Talk) 06:05, 31 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Haha, were you ever on Reading Rainbow? —Keenan Pepper 06:09, 31 December 2005 (UTC)


 * I'd never heard of that before. I just believe that nothing (even Wikipedia) beats a good book. I even turned most of the List of monarchs in the British Isles down to a certain link depth into a book for the Palm reader. In fact that was how I found Wikipedia. CambridgeBayWeather (Talk) 07:06, 31 December 2005 (UTC)

If there are in fact any time travelers visiting our time, I think they would be very careful not to get caught, so that locals would go off in their time machine, and they be stuck here. Look for them in drug stores, clueless about what medication to get to protect against our time communicable diseases. Depending on how far in the future they have come from, some technologies that only the military has today, might be readily accessible in the design of their time craft, such as stealth capabilities. User:AlMac|(talk) 20:42, 31 December 2005 (UTC)


 * One of the technologies that they might have is a invisibility device. So if you have never seen a visitor from the future, well that's just proof they are here. RIGHT NOW!!!! sorry about that . CambridgeBayWeather (Talk) 21:28, 31 December 2005 (UTC)


 * You should discuss it with John Titor. User:Zoe|(talk) 04:13, 1 January 2006 (UTC)


 * See also the Time travel – Fact or fiction? entry in the Usenet Physics FAQ. – b_jonas 14:19, 1 January 2006 (UTC)
 * I remember reading the time travel article. I think it melted my brain. --Optichan 18:05, 2 January 2006 (UTC)

space exploration
Are there any living things exist excluding earth?Are there any evidences to support this?A lot of movie/novel are made on aliens etc...But is it real that they exist.What kind of efforts we are doing to explore the space, not only our solar system but beyond that.Is there any probability that another solar system with living planet exist in this universe?waiting for the reply.....thanks.


 * You might start by reading our articles on extraterrestrial life and astrobiology. SETI is one of the best known, um, Searches for Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence. And the probability is hard to calculate. Take a look at the page on the Drake equation and the Fermi paradox for more on that. --George 05:30, 31 December 2005 (UTC)

virginity identification
How can one come to know whether his wife is virgin or not physically?


 * There is no reliable indicator. See Virgin and Hymen. —Keenan Pepper 06:06, 31 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Also see http://media.orkut.com/articles/0084.html. —Keenan Pepper 06:28, 31 December 2005 (UTC)


 * You might try asking her. If you wouldn't trust her answer to a question like that honestly, you may not have the basis for a marriage. -- Jmabel | Talk 09:58, 31 December 2005 (UTC)

Cadmium in "Cadmium Red" Acrylic Paint
I read an article that got me concerned about the cadmium red acrylic paint I've used here and there in painting; I have just found that it should not be sprayed, as it is carcinogenic, and I'm wondering if anyone knows how dangerous cadmium might be if it is *not* being sprayed, but just used as any other acrylic paint. My grandson paints with me often, and I'm concerned for both of us. Thank you for your assistance.


 * According to cadmium pigments, these kind of paints are sometimes used by artists. I suggest you consult a doctor as to the exact threat such paint might pose.  Wikipedia doesn't wish to give medical advice.  --King of All the Franks 07:51, 31 December 2005 (UTC)


 * "Cadmium Red" is now used as a name of the shade of red that was originally made using Cadmium. So, not all "Cadmium Red"s contain Cadmium. deeptrivia (talk) 08:05, 31 December 2005 (UTC)


 * Oh! That's a rather... misleading name.  It sure fooled me.  --King of All the Franks 08:13, 31 December 2005 (UTC)
 * Hate to break it to you, but Prussian blue doesn't come from Prussia. And turkeys don't come from Turkey.  :)  User:Zoe|(talk) 04:16, 1 January 2006 (UTC)

Translation of this phrase into different languages.
I was wondering if people could translate the following phrase accurately into any languages they might know -- sites like BabelFish butcher the language. I'd really appreciate it, and I'm especially looking for Swedish, French, and Dutch translations. Thanks.

"Let the truth be known, though the heavens fall." ---Anna Knols
 * In Swedish it is something like "Låt sanningen bli känd, trots att himlen faller ner." &mdash; <font color="#CC0000">J <font color="#00CC00">I <font color="#0000CC">P | Talk 17:24, 31 December 2005 (UTC)
 * This was cross-posted to the Language page, where I put up some different Swedish translation-suggestions. I'd say this one is closer to "Let the truth become known, despite the heavens falling". It's just as valid an interpretation though. "Let..be" is ambiguous and can be interpreted either as the more passive "let be" or active "let become". "Though" is even more tricky. So far we've got "trots" (despite), "om än" (if yet) and "även om" (even if). Let's see more suggestions! :) --BluePlatypus 19:16, 31 December 2005 (UTC)


 * In French, should be something like: Faites la vérité être connu, bien que les cieux tombent.
 * In Dutch (someone should verify this one, this is from Babelfish but looks OK): Laat de waarheid worden het geweten, hoewel de hemel vallen.
 * Actually it's "Laat the waarheid geweten worden, hoewel de hemel valt." - Mgm|(talk) 20:14, 31 December 2005 (UTC)
 * You mean "Laat de waarheid geweten worden, hoewel de hemel valt.", don't you :)? deeptrivia (talk) 06:05, 1 January 2006 (UTC)
 * In Hindi, सच्चाई पता चलने दो, चाहे आसमान क्यों न टूट पड़े | deeptrivia (talk) 17:32, 31 December 2005 (UTC)


 * In french, a closest translation would be something like this:

« Que la vérité soit, même si les cieux devaient tomber ». An arabic saying goes like this: "الحق يعلى ولا يعلى عليه" and means that nothing can't top the truth which thrones always above all.

Generic WinXP soundcard drivers?
I use an HP Pavilion computer, and I've just reinstalled Windows XP -- I can't get the sound running. I've installed some drivers and codecs and things that I'm pretty sure I used before (Realtek AC97) but I just can't get the sound working. I've just got a 2.0-speaker setup and I'm really not that fussy, is there some kind of generic soundcard driver I can use?


 * Have you gone to Control Panel, clicked on "Sounds and Audio Devices"? When it comes up make sure device volume is set to High. Then click on the "advanced" button and make sure that "play control", "wave", "MIDI" and "CD Audio" are not muted. If they are then turn them off and see if you get sound. If that does not work then check your driver version. This is dated 26 December 2005 and is version A3.81 so you might want to get it. Some of these sound drivers also install controlling software and you might want to see if the sound is turned off in there. Is the Realtek AC97 a sound card? Good luck. CambridgeBayWeather (Talk) 19:17, 31 December 2005 (UTC)

Thanks for your suggestions, I appreciate the response, but I just discovered that my brother's mouse chewed through the speaker cable where I couldn't see it. Thanks anyway! --Audrey
 * Now that I would have never thought of. CambridgeBayWeather (Talk) 02:57, 1 January 2006 (UTC)

Ship capacity
Hello. I am trying to find out the container carrying capacity of Nordana line ship mv Marienborg. It is important that I have the information so that a grievance can be processed by my organization. Can you find out the above or tell me how to do so please. Your help would be greatly appreciated!!!!!!! Happy New Year Please contact blombunch@earthlink.net with your response. Thank you


 * Gulf Shipper says the Marienborg has a container capacity of 1200 TEUs. -- Cyrius|✎ 04:30, 1 January 2006 (UTC)

cholesterol level
hi, i would like to ask,

1)which of these two has a higher cholesterol level? crabs or prawns?

2)which is the better milk for babies? soy milk or cow's milk? and why?

I'd appreciate it if you could tell me the answer. thank you very much.
 * Not sure yet about the seafood, but I don't think babies should be fed soy or cow's milk. From Soy milk:"Although in general soy milk is not suitable for babies or infants..." From this site: "The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that babies not be given whole cow's milk for the first 12 months of life". Cow's milk apparently doesn't have enough iron for infants, and its protein is difficult for babies to digest. I assume soy milk has the same problems. (This all applies to babies in their first year; the sites I saw said that over a year old, it's just a matter of individual preference.) Hope that helps, and Happy New Year! Deltabeignet 05:37, 1 January 2006 (UTC)
 * Unfortunately, the issue is messier than that if we assume the enquirer is referring to cow milk-based vs soy milk-based infant formulas rather than grocery store cow milk and soy milk products for adults. Both types of infant formulas have been substantially "re-engineered" to include a better mix of nutrients. Most babies seem to thrive and do well on either. Nevertheless debate continues on certain aspects or unusual susceptibility to problems for certain babies. The American Academy of Pediatrics says breast is best, but does not say that formulas are unacceptable or take a stand between soy and cow milk formulas. Deltabeignet 05:46, 1 January 2006 (UTC)
 * They don't take an official position because it can depend on the individual. Some will have allergies or other interactions with one or the other. But you have nailed the point that both are heavily fortified with all kinds of things to try to approximate breast milk. - Taxman Talk 14:51, 2 January 2006 (UTC)
 * And now for the first question. Looks like prawns (I assume you mean what I would call shrimp) are higher, with 200 mg of cholesterol for 3.5 ounces (source.) One variety of crab has 65 milligrams for 3 ounces (source.) Of course, there's a big difference between good and bad cholesterol, and shrimp are still pretty healthy in other departments, like vitamins. If these answers actually matter to you, you should ask a doctor (probably a nutritionist) for better explanations. Deltabeignet 05:46, 1 January 2006 (UTC)

driving licence related to portugal
Hi i have passed my UK driving theory test and would like to know if this can be used in Portugal so i can take my practical there, as it would be easier to take the test where i will eventually be driving the car. As i cannot, as yet, read Portuguese i could not do the theory part there. Hope you can help me, and thank you for your time.

Kind Regards Mr Walker
 * Check Driver's license there is some information on EU licences there. You might try and google "International drivers licence". One word of caution, that may not apply to driving from one country to another in the EU, is to also check the insurance rates. When I tried to drive in the UK (Canadian drivers licence) with the international drivers licence the rates were so high because I had not driven there in 10 years. CambridgeBayWeather (Talk) 15:49, 31 December 2005 (UTC)
 * Talk with your auto insurance policy agent about your travel plans. You may be able to get a temporary rider to cover short visits to nations you driving through.  Ask your automobile drivers's association for tips for driving in nations you unfamiliar with. User:AlMac|(talk) 20:47, 31 December 2005 (UTC)
 * The so-called international driver's license is just a translation of your original license into different languages; it doesn't permit you to do anything your original license didn't, except you can drive in countries that won't accept your license because they can't read the language. As to the original poster's question, I have no information, but it makes sense that the answer would be no.  Different countries have different traffic laws and they would want you to pass a theory test on their own laws. --Anonymous, 20:50 UTC, January 1, 2006
 * They might want you to take another test but again they might not. Other than the insurance cost when I wanted to drive in the UK there was no requirement for another test. CambridgeBayWeather (Talk) 21:01, 1 January 2006 (UTC)
 * Sure, but that's if you already have a license. Then either you get temporary driving privileges as a visitor, or if you move there, the country might require you to take a new test or just accept your existing license as proof you can drive and let you have one of theirs, as they prefer.  But the original poster appears to be talking about getting his first license; that's different. --Anonymous, 00:42 UTC, January 2.

Cellular Phone Numbers
Do any of the cellular phone companies allow you to use your current (wired) home phone number on a new cellular phone, simultaneously? If not, why not?

Rifferzz
 * You need to indicate what country you live in. CambridgeBayWeather (Talk) 15:43, 31 December 2005 (UTC)

Sorry. US. Rifferzz

New Years Day
What is the specific order of New Years Day, hour by hour? Thanks.


 * Your question is quite unclear, but if I'm correct in thinking that you're asking about the order in which different places in the world hit midnight, this map will help. Start at the International Date Line on the far right and work your way left. The article Time zone might also be of use. Natgoo 17:05, 31 December 2005 (UTC)

Can't view that right now, but many maps showing an International Date Line do not draw it deviating eastward around Kiribati. Eastern Kiribati currently has the world's most easterly time zone (zone +14) and thus is the first place to encounter the new year. --Anon, 00:45 UTC, January 2.

Olestra
How many chips with olestra would you have to eat before the olestra gives you loose stools?
 * Newer formulations of Olestra have been designed not to separate out in the intestine, which is the reason the warning label from the FDA has disappeared since 2003. Because of that, you'd have to eat as much Olestra as you would for any other given fat to have loose stools. <font style="padding : 0px 1px 1px 1px; border : 1px solid #809EF5; background: #FFFFFF ; color: #809EF5">GeeJo (t) (c) •  19:55, 31 December 2005 (UTC)
 * I believe you'll still have the vitamin absorbtion problem though. I've not seen any evidence to be convinced of the new formulation's improvements nor that fortifying solves the vitamin problem. - Taxman Talk 14:40, 2 January 2006 (UTC)
 * You might be helped by seeing | one guy's experiment. -Tim Rhymeless (Er...let's shimmy) 09:58, 2 January 2006 (UTC)

Kazaa Lite
Yes, I know how it's used to download stuff illegaly but I only want to use it to get material I cannot buy anywhere else. A lot of people are trying to charge fees for downloading this free program. Does anyone remember where to get it for free. (Lite is a spyware free version made by independant people). - Mgm|(talk) 20:06, 31 December 2005 (UTC) Regardless, I wouldn't reccommend you even attempt to look for kazaa lite. Sharman implements fixes in the FastTrack network so that kazaa lite works slowly or not at all. I would recommend you use Shareaza.--Ridge Racer 21:16, 31 December 2005 (UTC)
 * Explanation: Dad did not copy the installer file to the new hard drive (and whiped the boody thing clean before checking if we had everything) :( - Mgm|(talk) 20:07, 31 December 2005 (UTC)

Agreed, I'd suggest you look into other applications that use the Gnutella network, for example Limewire (free, opensource, multiplatform and spyware free) I would NOT suggest Bearshare (its littered with spyware). -Benbread 21:27, 31 December 2005 (UTC) About "files mistitled by malicious creeps", while it is true, a lot of the time you can tell if the file is real or not by looking at the file size. A large amount of 'fake files' are rediculously small so it's not that hard to identify them. Flea110 07:48, 1 January 2006 (UTC)
 * I just saw a comment elsewhere about Limewire about how often files are mistitled by malicious creeps. - Mgm|(talk) 00:13, 1 January 2006 (UTC)
 * That's all of Gnutella. There are sites for finding good files like Bitzi. Another way around that is to use BitTorrent instead. Ashibaka tock 04:51, 1 January 2006 (UTC)

Use Ares.

British economy
How is the economy of Great Britain divided, such as Agricultural, Industrial manufacturing, and International trade?

Wikipedia has some relevant articles that you might wish to peruse: User:AlMac|(talk) 20:54, 31 December 2005 (UTC)
 * United Kingdom
 * England
 * Economy of England agriculture, manufacturing, finance, tourism.
 * Scotland
 * Economy of Scotland article needs a lot of editing volunteers ... as one who lived there for 15 years, I believe major elements of the economy include: tourism; north sea oil; fishing; manufacturing; education, and last but not least, whiskey.
 * Wales not to be confused with Jimmy Wales
 * Economy of Wales manufacturing, agriculture
 * Northern Ireland
 * Economy_of_Northern_Ireland farming and heavy industry.
 * I had thought that the Irish were famous for their arts such as music, poetry, and leprachauns.
 * Economy of the United Kingdom

Feeding Tulips
What do you use or feed or fertilize tulips? Frank N.


 * Try Tulip or here or here. CambridgeBayWeather (Talk) 23:31, 31 December 2005 (UTC)