Wikipedia:Reference desk/Miscellaneous

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April 11

What car is this?

Lamborghini Model 224Z 67.71.93.247 00:44, 11 April 2007 (UTC)

It is a 2006 or 2007 model Saab 9-3. [1] FiggyBee 00:54, 11 April 2007 (UTC)

Who was Willy on Wheels?

Who was "Willy on WHEELS!!!"? Obviously a vandal, a sockpuppeteer, and a major damage to Wikipedia. But, what did he DO with the sockpuppets? Move pages to "________ ON WHEELS!!!" or something like that, right? Could somebody give me one or more links to an old version of a page he vandalized, please? 71.220.204.53 01:49, 11 April 2007 (UTC)

The issue with finding information on Willy is WP:DENY - AMP'd 02:05, 11 April 2007 (UTC)

See also Nikolai Yezhov? − Twas Now ( talk • contribs • e-mail ) 02:36, 11 April 2007 (UTC)

He mostly moved pages, but this was his most successful act of vandalism. Skarioffszky 12:27, 11 April 2007 (UTC)

24 numbers

Can someone give me a link to a site with pictures of the 24 (show) numbers? You know, those clock numbers that always tick away at the start, between commercials, and at the end. Either that or how can I make them myself. --The Dark Side 02:34, 11 April 2007 (UTC)

Aren't the numbers used in 24 (TV series) just standard digital clock LED numbers like these: [2]. StuRat 03:39, 11 April 2007 (UTC)

There's this font, named quartz, that looks like 7 segment LED numbers, and is included in Office (I think). --antilived^{T | C | G} 06:19, 11 April 2007 (UTC)

• There's a 24 wiki over at Wikia. - Mgm|^(talk) 11:01, 11 April 2007 (UTC)

Shares in S-Corp

I (with a co-owner) have created an S-Corp business, each with 100 shares. We are confused when it comes to the shares. We find the blank certificates at most office supplies but are unsure how to complete them. Does one certificate count a one (1) share or can it be made ten (10) shares? Any help will be greatly appreciated. 75.24.219.60 03:51, 11 April 2007 (UTC)

I would recommend contacting a local lawyer who deals with business incorporation on this one. The Reference Desk doesn't provide legal advice, for many reasons -- including that the laws governing corporations vary from state to state. Particularly for something as fundamental as starting a business, you want to make sure your foundations are in good shape -- if your business is successful (or is sued), saving a few bucks on a lawyer now could cost you far more in the future if your legal status isn't what you expect it to be. As an aside, one thing you may want to consider with your partner -- and your new lawyer -- is to issue 201 shares; 100 to each of you and a single share to a trusted third party who you can go to if the two of you have a dispute, since it's hard to do much with a 100-100 tie. --ByeByeBaby 05:43, 11 April 2007 (UTC)

You can have one certificate be worth any number of shares. Otherwise, people with millions of shares of stocks would have to add a new wing to store them all. My favorite form of stock certificate has to be the ones on toilet paper rolls issued by an Internet startup company on The Simpsons, as this form still retains some marginal utility in the case of bankruptcy and total divestiture. :-) StuRat 18:50, 11 April 2007 (UTC)

MLB ticket Shipping

for anyone who has ordered MLB tickets at MLB websites and chose to have them delievered by mail what was the class of mail that was used.--logger 06:02, 11 April 2007 (UTC)

For the non-North Americans in the audience, I presume that logger is asking about Major League Baseball tickets and not Mother Love Bone tickets. Dismas|^(talk) 06:21, 11 April 2007 (UTC)

it is indeed major league baseball tickets never knew any other initials for it.--logger 06:27, 11 April 2007 (UTC)

MLB stands for a couple things. See MLB (disambiguation). Additionally, we have no idea where you are in the world so MLB may very well have some local meaning to someone which would not help you. Americans often post questions here that are vague in this way such as asking, for example, "What is the President's middle name?" The questioner is assuming that everyone will just know that they mean the President of the United States but someone else may have to ask "President of what?" Dismas|^(talk) 07:38, 11 April 2007 (UTC)

It might be more polite to answer the question than it would be to lecture the questioner. Having said that, I just ordered some San Francisco Giants tickets by mail, but I am sorry to report that I threw away the mailing envelope and have no idea what class they were mailed as. Sorry. Corvus cornix 21:34, 12 April 2007 (UTC)

Unintentional circumvention of DRM under DMCA?

Hi I'm not asking legal advice or anything, just some clarification of the DMCA. It made circumvention of DRM illegal, but what if the DRM itself is easily circumvented and we do it unknowingly? For example the Sony XCP software only work on Windows, so does that make using a Mac or Linux illegal because it circumvents the DRM? --antilived^{T | C | G} 06:31, 11 April 2007 (UTC)

I don't know anything about the DMCA other than what is in our article, but you'd have to be more specific about the precise nature of the circumvention under non-Windows OSs. I'd be very surprised indeed if whoever drafted the legislation hadn't taken this possibility into account. Are you sure that it's really that straightforward to bypass DRM on a Mac? By the way, you might get a better answer over at the computing ref desk. --Richardrj ^{talk email} 07:54, 11 April 2007 (UTC)

As far as I understand it, playing a Sony CD on a Mac or Linux machine is not illegal. Sony simply made the software for Windows because it's the most prevalent OS out there. Dismas|^(talk) 09:48, 11 April 2007 (UTC)

The software (AFAIK) only works on Windows which means on Mac OS X or in Linux (or in any other OS) it's just an ordinary CD with a data session that does nothing. Basically I'm asking if you closed the front door but left the back door open, does walking in constitutes as illegal, in the sense of DMCA and DRM? --antilived^{T | C | G} 11:44, 11 April 2007 (UTC)

They didn't intend to prevent you from playing the CD - if that's all you intend to do then fine - that's what you bought it for - there was no "You may not play this CD under Linux or MacOS" on the label - so you have a reasonable expectation that you should be allowed to do that. When it comes to 'ripping' the CD so you can put it on your MP3 player or make a backup copy or whatever, then they clearly went to some effort to prevent you from doing that under Windows (although it's trivial to circumvent it using a simple magic marker - to do so would be a DMCA violation). However, they chose not to prevent you from doing that under MacOS or Linux. Why? Well that's not for us to say. Perhaps they trust Linux users - we're nice people! More likely, for one thing it's difficult - if not impossible - to do this on an operating system that doesn't blindly execute whatever binaries happen to be on an unknown disk that gets shoved into the drive. For another, Linux and MacOS users are a negligable fraction of SONY's customers - so perhaps they simply didn't think it worth the effort. In my view (and I'm not a lawyer and Wikipedia cannot offer legal advice anyway) you aren't circumventing any copy protection because there isn't any copy protection there in the first place. You aren't actively bypassing anything - you are just using the CD in a 'normal' manner. Of course this doesn't let you off the non-DMCA copyright restrictions on the CD - that's an entirely different matter. SteveBaker 14:30, 11 April 2007 (UTC)

Detuned Engines

I've been reading up on cars lately, and I've come across the term detuned engine a few times. What is a detuned engine, and can it be re-tuned, as the name implies? --Daniel Olsen 06:34, 11 April 2007 (UTC)

Detuning means the engine has a limiter (either mechanical or electronic) which prevents it putting out as much power as it otherwise could. This is done for a variety of reasons. On large engines (ships, railway locomotives) it's mainly done to increase reliability and engine life, and the usual word used is derating. In cars, it's done by the manufacturer to make the engine meet certain emission standards, speed limits, tax classes or other legal requirements. FiggyBee 08:08, 11 April 2007 (UTC)

I agree with PiggyBee to a point - but any engine that's been set up differently from the manufacturers settings could be described as being de-tuned - so it's often possible to detune an engine and make it produce more power than it did before - but at the cost of much worse fuel economy or failure to meet emissions standards or a shorter engine life. Precisely how one detunes in order to achieve a particular outcome depends on the engine and the outcome you want to achieve. My MINI Cooper'S has a smaller supercharger pulley (to make the supercharger cram more air into the motor), a bigger air filter and a spacer in the throttle body so it can deliver more gasoline to the engine. The resulting 'detuned' engine (although I'd describe it more as 'race tuned') produces 15% more horsepower than the engine was intended to produce - and it consumes about 10% more fuel than it originally did out of the factory. But some cars (especially older ones) can be detuned with simple adjustments to the air/fuel mixture on the carburettor - and can become gradually less well 'in-tune' over time as parts wear out or get covered in gunk. Hence, taking an older car to a garage for a 'tune up' every couple of years is a good idea. SteveBaker 12:53, 11 April 2007 (UTC)

If it's altered to produce more power than spec, that's usually called tuning, not detuning. FiggyBee 21:55, 11 April 2007 (UTC)

I'm not sure I agree with that. De-tuning the car from it's factory setting is what you are doing. The problem is that you can tune the engine for low end torque or for high end horsepower or for economy or any of a dozen other parameters. Improving one aspect of "performance" will almost always make something else worse - so it's as valid to say that you are taking the car out of 'tune' to make it go faster. In autocross, most people talk about using 'detuned' engines as a generally desirable thing. This might be something that's different in some English dialects though - so FiggyBee may also be correct. SteveBaker 00:06, 12 April 2007 (UTC)

Okay, it is possible that it's a dialect thing, or just different use of terms in different circles. :) But I've never heard "detuning" used for end-user modifications, only for factory settings. FiggyBee 06:45, 12 April 2007 (UTC)

In Britain, "detuned" would infer a reduction in one or more characteristics; most commonly torque, peak power, powerband, torque-curve, power loss, response or rev limit. As opposed to the mostly positive outcome from tuning. Motorcycle engines are often detuned when used in more middle-of-the-road models, whereby that method of reducing peak power/revs/whatever is more economical than producing a new engine design. Adrian M. H. 19:34, 12 April 2007 (UTC)

What would......

What would happen if a NUKE was set off in the Bermuda Triangle, other 11 areas of the planet ? Just read the related articles. 65.163.113.145 07:02, 11 April 2007 (UTC)

What 11 other areas? What related articles are you talking about? As for what would happen if you set off a nuclear bomb in the Bermuda triangle, depending on the yield of the device used, many lifeforms would die, land and water would be subjected to radiation, etc. Dismas|^(talk) 07:42, 11 April 2007 (UTC)

It would disappear and go wherever all the other missing stuff went, and the world would end up in a nuclear winter caused by a high-altitude cloud cover made up of of tiny pieces of airplane, numerous non-functioning pens, thousands of sets of keys, and the charred remains of countless single socks. Anchoress 09:44, 11 April 2007 (UTC)

One nuclear bomb wouldn't cause nuclear winter. Even the largest nuclear bomb ever exploded, the 50-megaton Tsar Bomba, didn't alter the global climate. It would take a widespread nuclear war to get nuclear winter. -- Mwalcoff 22:52, 11 April 2007 (UTC)

Its rumored that this place is some kind of dimensional gate or wormhole. Would a nuke blow it open ? 65.163.113.145 01:50, 12 April 2007 (UTC)

Huh? The Bermuda Triangle? The incidence of ships sinking and such in the area is apparently no higher than is normal for the oceans. Most of it is just nonsense from people who want to make a buck off a book or television documentary. There's certainly no evidence that it's a "dimensional gate". -- Consumed Crustacean (talk) 01:53, 12 April 2007 (UTC)

I think you missed the funny :P -- Consumed Crustacean (talk) 01:55, 12 April 2007 (UTC)

It's absolutely true that one nuclear bomb wouldn't cause a nuclear winter. However, I believe that a nuclear bomb which vaporised every single object that ever disappeared under mysterious circumstances would. ;-) Anchoress 10:48, 12 April 2007 (UTC)

Since we don't have any hard evidence of the existence of a dimensional gate, it's impossible to speculate with any degree of accuracy as to what would happen if one were to explode a nuclear weapon in such a gate. Dismas|^(talk) 02:12, 12 April 2007 (UTC)

The Bermuda Triangle is considered by some to be one of twelve Vile Vortices around the world. Depending on the explanation you feel best applies to it, I'd say a nuclear device would do anything between disappear (through several mundane things) to blow up the universe. V-Man - ^T/_C 03:07, 12 April 2007 (UTC)

Rats!!!

Yo, I was wondering if anyone has any advice on something especially enticing to bait rat traps with (besides cheese...)? I have been using peanut butter which netted me one rat but it no longer seems to be attracting them, though they are certainly still around as evidenced by the droppings in my basement. I do not want to poison them because they navigate using crawl spaces in the basement and hidden but decomposing rats is not a pleasant thought. I also had previously tried the sonic things to no avail. If this helps, I believe they are Black Rats and not Brown Rats. The article says they like grain, so maybe Chinese wheat gluten? Difficulty: My present financial situation rules out hiring an exterminator and there is no known food source that they could be accessing in my basement...Thanks in advance ~~RatMan —38.112.225.84 (talk) 08:25, 11 April 2007 (UTC).

Peanut butter should work just fine, wheat grain is traditional. However, you have stumbled across the fact that rats are highly intelligent and they probably saw, or more likely smelled, their friend in the trap. (I believe they release fear pheromones.) Try cleaning it very thoroughly and maybe disguise it or cover it.--Shantavira 08:47, 11 April 2007 (UTC)

I will definitely try doing that, I kind of figured it somehow related to my previous killing of their comrade, but was unsure how best to regain their trust. A clarification if you could: When you say, "wheat grain is traditional" do you mean an actual stalk of grain from a field type of thing? Oh, and your response dredged up childhood memories of The Secret of NIMH, which in turn gave me a brief pang of regret for my rodenticidal plans. Thanks for the advice though, makes sense.-- 38.112.225.84 10:58, 11 April 2007 (UTC)

Traps almost always cease to work after the first catch. After you wash it, bait it and leave it unset for a day or 2, then set it. I've always found it a losing game, so I go for a massive chemical attack (the powerful single feeding stuff). --Zeizmic 11:44, 11 April 2007 (UTC)

Interesting, so just to be clear, are you saying that "Traps" in general usually cease to work after the first catch, or rather the specific trap which made the kill?--38.112.225.84 11:50, 11 April 2007 (UTC)

I believe the reference was to individual (the specific samples of) traps. For mice, we had good luck with disposable "glue traps" (boxes with inescapable glue on the bottom), but I found them altogether too cruel and stopped using them. We then switched to little "tipping" traps that trapped the mice alive (for release in fields far from our (or others) houses); these could be washed after use and re-set. I now atone for my sins against the mice by keeping Gerbils.

Atlant 12:52, 11 April 2007 (UTC)

I agree on the cruelty of the glue traps. I saw a mouse that ripped off half of it's face trying to escape, not a pretty sight. But perhaps I'm more sensitive to that type of thing, being a fellow rodent myself. :-) StuRat

Rats! And I thought you'd squeak by this question, although I was a bit curious about how you'd respond to such a sensitive topic. V-Man - ^T/_C 09:54, 12 April 2007 (UTC)

I do occasionally like to sink my teeth into rodent questions, even cheesy ones (and all the trouble that entails), although I often feel like I've Ben running in circles and not getting anywhere and am sometimes accused of being narrow-minded. StuRat 17:36, 12 April 2007 (UTC)

Good lookin' out on the help folks :) Much obliged.-- 38.112.225.84 10:31, 12 April 2007 (UTC)

I have had this problem before. The things I use to use was anything sweet. Bits of marshmallow stick to the trap and catch quite a few. i use to use peanut buttwer to but the sweeter it is the easier it is for their nose to pick up. Plus it does not smell bad like cheese can so you can leave the traps out for a while.--Kittycat rox 17:56, 12 April 2007 (UTC)

New Home Page

I just wanted to know what happened to the homepage? And is there a way to use the old wikipedia?

thanks —The preceding unsigned comment was added by Omsapo (talk • contribs) 11:27, 11 April 2007 (UTC).

Can you clarify what you mean by "old wikipedia"? --antilived^{T | C | G} 11:33, 11 April 2007 (UTC)

Nothing much of huge significance has changed in the organisation of the front page for years - so I deduce that you must be coming into Wikipedia via a different URL than you used to. For example, if you go to http://www.wikipedia.org you'll get the international front page where you see all of the different languages that Wikipedia is published in and you can choose any of them easily - but if you go to http://en.wikipedia.org then you arrive at the English language front page (which is a lot more useful if you are an English speaker). But there are lots of other ways to choose a Wikipedia front page. If (for example) you had a passion for cars - then you could put http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portal:Cars into you browser's "favorite list" and you'd arrive at a front page which has featured articles, featured pictures, did-you-know and on-this-day just like the English language front page - except all of the articles, news, facts and photos are about cars. There are lots of these so-called 'Portals' into Wikipedia for special interest groups - and you can find all of the English language ones here: Portal:List of portals. SteveBaker 12:44, 11 April 2007 (UTC)

I think he is referring to the fact that we recently (well, last year) redesigned the main page. If you wish to use the old main page instead, bookmark this page instead of the standard wikipedia front page. --Oskar 22:28, 11 April 2007 (UTC)

paula abdul

am new to wikipedia.inform the guy who wanted th quoted for the jewish celebrity on sumthin about gals n mday nite football the answer is paula abdul.use yahoo search engine.google isnt helping 1.anyone knows which celebrity made this quote'who are with us in spirit,always'.its a balck american i think 2.what is the target amount being reached by wikipedia donations. —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 212.49.74.216 (talk) 13:10, 11 April 2007 (UTC).

1. Probably a lot of people have said that phrase at some point or another. It is pretty common to refer to a loved one who has died as "with us in spirit".

2. The Wikimedia Fundraising FAQ says that their "official fundraising drive" is over (so presumably they have no specific target now) but they are still accepting donations.

--Mathew5000 09:38, 13 April 2007 (UTC)

right catrgory for requesting an article

I want to request an article on "barley pillows for ponds" but have no idea what category to put this request into. Can you help? —The preceding unsigned comment was added by Rsearch (talk • contribs) 13:56, 11 April 2007 (UTC).

I think you are referring to one specific product made by a specific company; it might not be notable enough for its own article in Wikipedia. However, perhaps the issue of treatment processes for ponds should go in the pond article. --Mathew5000 09:32, 13 April 2007 (UTC)

Why the message Page Not Found pops up

Why is it that every time I look up something I get the message "Page Not Found"? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 12.18.90.97 (talk • contribs)

Spelling or capitalization could be the problem, please provide an example. ~ hydnjo talk  15:43, 11 April 2007 (UTC)

Why a page loads up and then shuts down

I looked up the Capitulos(Episodes) section of a telenovela called Lola, Erase una Vez(Lola, Once Upon a Time) and all I got was a message that said "We're sorry. We couldn't get the page that you are looking for" in Spanish. Could somebody please tell me what is behind all this? —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 12.18.90.97 (talk) 14:16, 11 April 2007 (UTC).

You were probably making the search inadvertently in the Spanish Wikipedia at http://es.wikipedia.org. --Nitku 21:45, 11 April 2007 (UTC)

Good Burger 2

<Moved to Entertainment Reference Desk.> Marco polo 17:17, 11 April 2007 (UTC)

Dividend schedule

Is there a master dividend schedule listing for all of the stocks on the NYSE, NASDAQ and AMEX? —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 128.174.159.34 (talk) 17:14, 11 April 2007 (UTC).

about children's books

I am looking for comic books for age group of 6-7 years. I want to read the Indian books only.So, are there any possibility to get the books for free of cost?If there is a possibility, please give the complete addresses{only from India}----nature —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 59.160.62.8 (talk) 18:12, 11 April 2007 (UTC).

I would expect you would have better luck finding online comics for free than paper copies. Are online comics acceptable ? Also, what language(s) should they be in ? StuRat 18:24, 11 April 2007 (UTC)

The IP said Indian. I'm guessing they want Indian comics?--$UIT 19:32, 11 April 2007 (UTC)

Indeed, but there are a number of languages spoken in India... Carom 23:35, 11 April 2007 (UTC)

And they might also want to use the comics to teach their children another language. Considering that they are asking on the English Wikipedia, they might very well be looking for English language comics available in India or with Indian characters. There are books like the Mowgli series and Little Black Sambo which might be available in comic form, for example, although they aren't very PC. StuRat 03:37, 12 April 2007 (UTC)

I think it would be better to try asking this question on one of the Wikipedia's for the language in question. Dunno whether they have reference-desks though. SteveBaker 23:56, 11 April 2007 (UTC)

Adding a Lesson Plan example in a Lesson Plan article

I would like to add a lesson plan example to a lesson plan article but doing so may mess with the article and its table of contents

The article is Lesson plan and the example is at User:Sdudah/python, Sdudah 19:46, 11 April 2007 (UTC)

The solution may lie in putting the whole thing in a table, and finding some way of changing the font size without using header markers. You might be best off asking this at Wikipedia:Village pump (assistance). --Tagishsimon (talk)

Maybe it's not my place to say so, but a look at the article shows it would be overwhelmed by that example. Moreover, I'd be concerned that if this is your own lesson plan, putting it in would go against Wikipedia policy. Perhaps an example of something as substantial as a lesson plan 1. should link to a published lesson plan, so it can pass the usual verifiability standards for all material, and 2. doesn't go in an article at all, but on a separate web page somewhere, that can be linked to from the article? Jfarber 01:25, 12 April 2007 (UTC)

Car Engines

I was wondering when they test an engine for horsepower (the manufacturer), do they take in account the power lost to the alternator via the alternator belt? I'm asking because the new M3 engine is rated at 420HP but doesnt have an alternator belt because it uses regenerative braking instead. —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 76.167.159.75 (talk) 20:18, 11 April 2007 (UTC).

Automotive alternators would only use a fraction of a horsepower, it won't make an appreciable difference. Vespine 23:03, 11 April 2007 (UTC)

Sadly, there is no good standard - sometimes they quote the number at the wheels - sometimes at the crank - and which accessories are or are not included is rarely well specified. I would bet that the M3's number is 'at the crank' - which would not include the alternator belt on most cars...but it's hard to be sure. SteveBaker 23:54, 11 April 2007 (UTC)

I understand that many rolling road dynos provide the power output at the crank by way of some calculation for the losses, precisely so that the figure is easily comparable to popularly quoted figures. I can imagine that many manufacturers would rather provide the higher figure (much like claimed weight figures that tend to exclude essential fluids). I wouldn't be surprised if they quote the best figure from a whole batch of tested engines as well. Adrian M. H. 19:44, 12 April 2007 (UTC)

General David Petraeus' height

How tall is General David Petraeus?151.201.47.211 22:33, 11 April 2007 (UTC)

The Washington Post: At 5-foot-9 and 155 pounds, Petraeus evokes George Bernard Shaw's description of the British general Bernard L. Montgomery: "an intensely compacted hank of wire.".--Pharos 23:42, 11 April 2007 (UTC)

Is it just me, or does it sound like they are saying "General, betray us", whenever they list his name ? StuRat 03:29, 12 April 2007 (UTC)

Who, Benedict Arnold? Sounds right to me. V-Man - ^T/_C 09:58, 12 April 2007 (UTC)

Dialouge

I'm writing a dialouge. Can anybody give me a suggestion of what to write about? I want it to be (very) funny and (very) sad at the same time. Thanks. —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 68.6.32.52 (talk) 23:33, 11 April 2007 (UTC).

Suggestions and reference are really opposite ends of the assistance spectrum, but you'll find many plot devices and speech types in wikipedia which might provide templates, including my favorite on Monologuing -- you know, where the villain has the hero tied up, but postpones a gruesome and painful death to boast about his prowess to the inevitably deus ex machina-ed hero. Other options from that plot devices list include eavesdropping (imagine a conversation between two people listening in on...), and the ever-wonderful quibble. Alternately, if you're looking for sample dialogue which often takes on both these qualities, I would suggest checking out the reference desk talk pages visiting Overheard in New York, and the associated "overheard" sites. Jfarber 01:10, 12 April 2007 (UTC)

Try some of these results: "writing dialogue". Anchoress 01:27, 12 April 2007 (UTC)

Mailing Tax Forms

Sorry if this violates the "no legal advice" rule.

I just finished filling out my tax forms (Federal - United States)and I'm trying to mail them in. I've Googled around and can't seem to find the address I'm supposed to send them to. This should be painfully obvious, but I can't figure it out.

Thanks in advance.Ubuntu Dude 00:05, 12 April 2007 (UTC)

At http://www.irs.gov, you can click on "Frequently Asked Questions", then "Where to File", then "Where to File Tax Returns - Addresses for Individual Taxpayers By State, U.S. Possession or Foreign Country", which will take you to this page where one more click gives you the correct answer for where you live. --Anonymous Canadian, April 12, 2007, 00:20 (UTC).

When I was checking mine, I found that the initial address line was hard to find -- it's Internal Revenue Service Center at city/state/zip. — Lomn 14:34, 12 April 2007 (UTC)

April 12

Kobold

I am reading a book by Harry Turtledove called every inch a king. in chapter five he mentions Werewolves unicorns tyrolls dwarves elves gnomes COBOLDS and all sorts of other wildUNlife. i can not find what a cobold is, the only mention was a convention in Germany that was to have elves cobolds and card reading women,,,,,, I appreciate your help thankyou colin

Kobold. Seems to be your garden variety goblin, mit the German name. Clarityfiend 01:09, 12 April 2007 (UTC)

kobolds are a lot smaller than goblins and tend to dig mines, famously using ridiculously tiny tools.

Public domain image of a truck

Does anyone have a good public domain image of a truck? Specifically, an 18 wheeler (or whatever other countries besides for the U.S. calls them), but at an angle similar to this one, but facing away from the viewer, such as this one, which is not at sharp enough of an angle and doesn't show the tractor part well enough. --Wirbelwindヴィルヴェルヴィント (talk) 01:13, 12 April 2007 (UTC)

Bush property

Is the ranch in Crawford Pres. Bush's ONLY property and/or home? Does he own apartments in DC, NYC, or homes in other places? —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 66.19.234.100 (talk) 01:32, 12 April 2007 (UTC).

Prairie Chapel Ranch does seem to be the only residence that GW Bush owns. Apparently his only residence in Washington is the White House, which he does not own. Marco polo 01:39, 12 April 2007 (UTC)

zamzamwater

is it true that zamzam water has all the nutrients in the world?~ ~ ~ ~ thanks alot!!!

Are you refering to water from the Zamzam Well? If so, what do you mean by "all the nutrients in the world"? Obviously it doesn't have all of each individual nutrient as that would leave no others in other foods and beverages. If you're asking if it has trace amounts of each within a specified volume, then that's doubtful. Our article on the subject says that scientific evidence doesn't support some beliefs about the water. The article suggests that it is most likely just normal hard water. Dismas|^(talk) 02:32, 12 April 2007 (UTC)

Mocha as a descriptor of skin color

Okay, this is perhaps a bit odd. In an old MOO description, a friend of mine described a character's skin as being 'mocha' in color.

Unfortunately, while I know that's a dark color, neither of us could find anything for my eyes (I have difficulty, at times, putting names to what I see spontaneously) to memorize as 'this is mocha'. It'd be helpful for mental imagery.

Help?

--Penta 02:25, 12 April 2007 (UTC)

Mocha = coffee. So visualize a cup of that. Clarityfiend 02:43, 12 April 2007 (UTC)

Makes sense. As the text and image in the article on cafe mocha suggest, the mocha palette can range from coffee's very dark brown, to a creamy pale greyish-pinkish brown. Ok, that probably didn't help much either. How about the table on this wavemetrics link? ---Sluzzelin talk 02:48, 12 April 2007 (UTC)

{after edit conflict) It is coffee, but usually when people say, "mocha" they mean Cafe mocha, a mixture of coffee and cocoa. So that's the color you should be thinking of. Crypticfirefly 02:51, 12 April 2007 (UTC)

Mocha is also often used in clothing and fabrics as a light shade a brown — obviously in reference originally to the coffee. Google Image search "Mocha color" and you'll see lots of examples of the color "Mocha", like this ottoman or this wholesale fabric. --24.147.86.187 03:48, 12 April 2007 (UTC)

Try this Google image search: mocha and look at the prevalent colours that appear. Not all of the colours are the same, but you get the general idea. − Twas Now ( talk • contribs • e-mail ) 05:36, 12 April 2007 (UTC)

paypal

If i have money in a paypal account, how do I get it out and into my regular bank account? 128.174.159.34 03:46, 12 April 2007 (UTC)

This question was recently asked and answered. The original is near the top of the page. Dismas|^(talk) 03:49, 12 April 2007 (UTC)

Dreams

I have been out of High School for 9 years now. Yet i have these dreams where i am back in high school, and i can't remember my schedule, my locker combination and where my class is. Why would i continue to have these dreams? Is my mind subconsciencly trying to tell me someting about my life? What does a high school dream mean?

Find on the 'net and books about dreams. Google: Dreams and their meanings. 65.163.113.145 05:46, 12 April 2007 (UTC)

We cannot do any psychological advising, but in general "academic dreams" are very common. They may recur for decades. They are not necessarily about high school per se. There could be a stressful situation which is reminiscent of some stress in high school. There can also be dreams about being back in some previous job. Edison 06:12, 12 April 2007 (UTC)

I get those same dreams, usually the part about not being able to remember my locker combination. I was talking to my dad about it and he said that he has a recurring dream in which he gets back to school after spring break and can’t remember his locker combination, and he graduated high school 35 years ago. So I would say your situation isn’t unique.--ChesterMarcol 17:21, 12 April 2007 (UTC)

Yah..those dreams are really common. It is said to be because there is stress in your life. They say High school Is a really srtessful so when life is stressful your subconcious connects it to other stressful times in your life. it is said to be like that for several emotions such as fear or being afraid. i hope this helps. i'm not exactly an expert but this is what i have heard. --Kittycat rox 17:45, 12 April 2007 (UTC)

Wow... I often have very nearly exactly the same dream! Except in my case, I keep forgetting to go to a certain class, and I wind up having to drop the class. The weird thing is that in my dreams, I know I've graduated from college, but I still have to get a few high school credits to graduate from high school. I always find myself saying, "I must be the only high school student in American with a master's degree." -- Mwalcoff 22:56, 12 April 2007 (UTC)

There was actually a study done at the University of Calgary about this, although I can't find a reference to it right now (I was one of the subjects). They studied people who had graduated 10, 15, and 20 years earlier, along with people who had never gone to uni. They found that even 20 years later, alumni had dreams about missing exams, forgetting where their classes were, etc. and, more interestingly, the university graduates had more dreams over a year than the high-school graduates. (I also vaguely remember, and I may be wrong, that the dreams peaked at something like 12 years after graduation.) --Charlene 00:04, 14 April 2007 (UTC)

I had very little stress at school, and rarely think about it, and never dream about it, but I have had a few dreams about trying to get into uni and college, which was a lot more stressful for me.

Real-Time Updates for Chicago Transit Authority

Does the Chicago Transit Authority provide real-time schedule information in individual train stations?

I would expect so, but don't actually know. Specifically, I would expect the same type of "on time", "delayed", or "canceled" info on each train that you get at an airport. Could somebody from Chicago let us know ? StuRat 17:28, 12 April 2007 (UTC)

If you don't know, why post?

When I was there last summer, I only used the CTA a couple of times, but I didn't see any real-time train information. Given the age and somewhat rundown condition of the system, I would have been surprised there had been. --Anonymous, April 12, 2007, 22:15 (UTC).

I can tell you with certainty that the CTA it does not have real time schedule information in the train stations. However, there are a couple of experimental bus stops that have real time information. You can also view it on the web here: http://ctabustracker.com/bustime/home.jsp Crypticfirefly 02:26, 13 April 2007 (UTC)

jackrabbit

I've been told recently that a Jackrabbit or Jack Rabbit (not sure how it's spelled) is not a rabbit at all. True? —The preceding unsigned comment was added by Highworker2 (talk • contribs) 04:25, 12 April 2007 (UTC).

All jackrabbits (and there are several different species thereof) are members of the genus Lepus. They are closely related to rabbits (being members of the family Leporidae), but, strictly speaking, they are not rabbits. Carom 04:29, 12 April 2007 (UTC)

But of course, this is all just splitting hares. StuRat 04:45, 12 April 2007 (UTC)

Oh, why isn't there a warning template for making too-obvious puns? ;) FiggyBee 06:41, 12 April 2007 (UTC)

Its a rabbit, and is as big as a grown house cat. 65.163.113.145 06:52, 12 April 2007 (UTC)

No, it's not. Carom already covered that... -- Consumed Crustacean (talk) 07:27, 12 April 2007 (UTC)

It's been yrs since my mammology class, but the jackrabbit is a hare, not a rabbit. Hares tend to be larger, live in warrens and give birth to precoccial young. Rana sylvatica 10:54, 12 April 2007 (UTC)Rana sylvatica

You got the warrens part backwards: hares live above-ground, while rabbits live in underground warrens, which give their helpless young more security. --TotoBaggins 13:03, 12 April 2007 (UTC)

Anybody who watched Bugs Bunny (that wascally wabbit) would know that. Clarityfiend 18:14, 12 April 2007 (UTC)

I've got a few wascally wabbits gambolling about in my backyard, but I'm hardly one to make any statement about jackrabbits. (Wow! I'm sure that's the first time I've ever used the word "gambol", except in school where it was the standard example in differentiating from "gamble". Strange things do indeed happen on Friday 13th. It's 5:42 pm here.) . -- JackofOz 07:42, 13 April 2007 (UTC)

Okay, if jackrabbits aren't rabbits, are snowshoe hares hares? The one in my front yard right now looks like a rabbit, not a hare.--Charlene 22:32, 13 April 2007 (UTC)

Snowshoe Hares are under Leporidae Lepus, and thus are indeed considered hares rather than rabbits, who are other genera of Leporidae. V-Man - ^T/_C 01:23, 14 April 2007 (UTC)

Rope Swing

Hi Guys and Gals,

I am currently constructing a rope swing and was wondering if there were any sort of knot i could tie to fix it round the branch with out going up the tree. Can I have diagrams as well please.

Thanks Nebuchandezzar 08:09, 12 April 2007 (UTC)NebuchandezzarNebuchandezzar 08:09, 12 April 2007 (UTC)

The knot article is a good place to start, and from experience I'd suggest a modified version of the Clove hitch, such that you'd throw the rope over the branch (So that the end pointing up [in the picture in the article] kind of loops back and points down), throw it over a second time loosely, then again a third time, pulling the second end through the loop left by the second throw's slack, and tightening. The two ends can then be secured to each other using a simple knot (Such as the Clove hitch's cousin, Two half-hitches). V-Man - ^T/_C 10:10, 12 April 2007 (UTC)

Thinking about it a little harder, you could conceivably do two half-hitches to secure the rope to the branch if you tie one end of the rope to a rock and:

1. Throw the rock (attached to the rope, of course) over the tree
2. Bring the rock around to make the rope cross itself and throw the rock through the "hole"
3. Repeat step two
4. Pull the knot tight

The diagrams in the two half-hitches article should help immensely as far as diagrams go. I'm knot an expert on diagrams, though... V-Man - ^T/_C 10:19, 12 April 2007 (UTC)

Note that there will be friction when the swing is used. So do NOT use nylon rope or cord. (The heat will melt it!)90.4.244.207 14:29, 12 April 2007 (UTC)petitmichel

That is true. A couple of turns of rope thrown over before actually starting the knot and again after finishing the knot should reduce the friction. V-Man - ^T/_C 01:32, 13 April 2007 (UTC)

You could also throw the rope over and tie both ends together at the bottom, alleviating the need to tie it around the branch at all. kmccoy (talk) 04:09, 15 April 2007 (UTC)

Warts

If I touched the hands of someone who has warts, would I get the virus that causes warts and never be able to get rid of it? --Candy-Panda 11:08, 12 April 2007 (UTC)

The virus can (not will) be transferred by skin-to-skin contact, as noted in the article wart. The article Human papillomavirus discusses the epidemiology of the virus, and comments that All HPVs are believed to be capable of establishing long-term "latent" infections in small numbers of stem cells present in the skin. ...these latent infections may never be fully eradicated. So yes, it is possible that you might never be able to get rd of the virus. However from the same article, only 10% of people get recurring warts, which draws the distinction between having the virus and having warts. --Tagishsimon (talk)

Warts are very rarely permanent, so you should get rid of them eventually if you catch the virus.

budha

i have a part of a question.i need the answer.this famous black american was once associated with budha and now is a minister of music in his church.who is he he?

If he was associated with Buddha he must be about three times as old as Methuselah. Now, that really is something! Clio the Muse 12:35, 12 April 2007 (UTC)

Dunno. John Michael Talbot? --Tagishsimon (talk)

But he isn't black. Marco polo 16:28, 12 April 2007 (UTC)

Maybe Joseph Jarman. Marco polo 16:34, 12 April 2007 (UTC)

joseph jarman is a shinto priest currently so that cant be it

The clue only said he was "once" associated with Buddhism, not that he currently is. StuRat 17:08, 12 April 2007 (UTC)

According to his article, he is a Buddhist priest, not a Shinto priest. Marco polo 18:10, 12 April 2007 (UTC)

I would have suggested Ram Dass but he doesn't appear to be African-American either. I had only ever seen one picture of him and misconstrued his race.

Atlant 20:25, 12 April 2007 (UTC)

Scholarships

Can any one tell me if there are scholarships out there right now that 1.may be applied for as a high school junior and 2.do not require an essay to be writen. i can not seem to find any but I have heard they exist.--Kittycat rox 18:23, 12 April 2007 (UTC)

Your local guidance counsellor is really the best source for this info. There may be many junior assistance grants, but they are usually very local, and require some outstanding activity. --Zeizmic 01:29, 13 April 2007 (UTC)

In all reality, the most reliable form of a scholarship that I've found at such an early stage is self-achieved. FWIW, Googling 11th grade scholarship brings up a few promising-looking links. V-Man - ^T/_C 01:36, 13 April 2007 (UTC)

Extension on taxes

Hi, I have an S corporation and I don't have an accountant yet and I was trying to get a 6 month extension on my taxes, but on the extension form (IRS form 7004) it asks which form code to use (has to do with what application I'm filing for taxes) and I wasn't sure, does anyone know which tax form my accountant is probably going to use to file taxes. Here are the ones that it lists:

Form 706GS(D), 706GS (T), 990-C, 1041 (estate), 1041 (trust), 1041-N, 1041-QFT, 1042, 1065, 1065-B, 1066, 1120, 1120A, 1120C, 1120F, 1120-FSC, 1120-H, 1120-L, 1120-ND, 1120-PC, 1120-POL, 1120-REIT, 1120-RIC, 1120-S, 1120-SF, 3520-A, 8612, 8613, 8725, 8804, 8831, 8876

Please let me know which form is used for filing taxes usually for an S corporation, thanks guys —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 76.167.136.84 (talk) 19:38, 12 April 2007 (UTC).

According to this IRS document, the standard tax form for the S corporation itself is 1120S. If your corporation has employees, you will also need 941 (943 if the corporation is a farm), 940, and 8109. You may have been eligible for estimated taxes, and you will pay a penalty if you were eligible but did not pay them. You may want to check with an accountant soon about getting started on estimated taxes for 2007 to avoid further penalties. Finally, if you are a shareholder who received income in any form from your S corporation, you will need to file an individual (or joint married) 1040. Note that I am not an accountant or qualified to give tax advice. I am merely interpreting the referenced IRS document as a layman, but neither I nor Wikipedia accept any responsibility for tax liabilities that may result if my interpretation is incorrect. The best course would be to contact a qualified tax accountant. Marco polo 00:53, 13 April 2007 (UTC)

cleaning my laptop screen

hi guys... what can i use to clean it? it's gross.... can I use...lens cleaner? (he one used for like snowboarding googles?).thnx

There's some good advice in the comments to this blog posting. --Mathew5000 21:18, 12 April 2007 (UTC)

Try water and a clean rag, microfiber-type rags work really well and do not leave streaks. -- Diletante 21:24, 12 April 2007 (UTC)

And in case you don't already know it, never use an abrasive cleaner, as the screen will scratch. Harsh chemicals could also damage it. StuRat 00:40, 13 April 2007 (UTC)

I always use household Window cleaner. Capuchin 06:37, 13 April 2007 (UTC)

Yea, that's fine, just don't break out the bleach. StuRat 07:16, 13 April 2007 (UTC)

From what I've heard, it's a bad idea to use household window cleaner on your computer screen. See the article at wikihow: How to Clean a Laptop Screen With Household Products. --Mathew5000 09:18, 13 April 2007 (UTC)

Ordinary window cleaner has worked for me across (counts on fingers) the 5 laptops I've owned and another few that my employer has owned. Just spray it on your soft rag or towel and not the screen itself; this avoids having excessive cleaner run down the screen and into the electronics (where it will do damage).

Atlant 13:55, 13 April 2007 (UTC)

Might want to be careful about ammonia-based products, though. A mild organic solvent like isopropanol usually works quite well for cleaning laptop screens. -- mattb @ 2007-04-13T13:58Z

Be careful to never use the last paper towel on the roll to clean the computer screen. It contains glue to affix it to the paper tube, which then dissolves in window cleaner and deposits on the monitor, looking like snot. It takes several more paper towels to get it off, and you may not have any, if you just finished the roll. StuRat 14:14, 13 April 2007 (UTC)

also be careful not to spread static to the screen as this can make it dirtier than it was before.

controversial topics

Can i have a list of controversial topics that aren't hackneyed?66.169.145.193 19:44, 12 April 2007 (UTC)

Whether something is hakneyed or not is a matter of opinion, but there is a list of articles on controversies here (my personal favorite being the Rakyat Merdeka dingo cartoon controversy). Rockpocket 19:51, 12 April 2007 (UTC)

I am confused: none of your articles explain the birth of mohammed, the prophet. Please explain.

Please explain the birth of mohammed. —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 69.120.246.3 (talk) 20:01, 12 April 2007 (UTC).

What aspect of the birth of Muhammad do you think needs an explanation? --Tagishsimon (talk)

If you have well sourced information that's missing, this is the encyclopedia that anyone can edit. - CHAIRBOY (☎) 20:14, 12 April 2007 (UTC)

Wild stab in the dark, maybe the OP just means when, where and to whom Mohammed was born? Vespine 22:24, 12 April 2007 (UTC)

Credible guess, were it not for sentences in the article such as Sources on Muhammad’s life concur that he was born ca. 570 CE in the city of Mecca in Arabia.[5] He was orphaned at a young age and was brought up by his uncle, or the availability of the Family tree of Muhammad. --Tagishsimon (talk)

• See Birth? If that and the answer Tagishsimon gave are not what you're looking for, please be more specific. - Mgm|^(talk) 09:54, 13 April 2007 (UTC)

Nice work, volunteers! FYI, though: the poster's history of major vandalism, and the fact that this question was asked already recently and recieved the same answer-set, suggest trolling. See "talk" and "contributions" links in OP botsig above for more. Jfarber 14:38, 13 April 2007 (UTC)

DNS numbers are quite often shared, depending on the ISP. The poster who wrote this question may not be the same individual who committed vandalism. --Charlene 22:30, 13 April 2007 (UTC)

Slightly off topic point, he wasn't actually a prophet, as they tell the future.

Soccer results

Hi there, I want to know where I can get results of soccer games of 2007 Asia Cup, 2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup and Copa America 2007? Thanks. —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 74.14.119.22 (talk) 22:27, 12 April 2007 (UTC).

It looks like wikipedia intends to cover those, including results. I'd guess there are websites lined from each of the following articles which will, in addition, provide results:

• 2007 AFC Asian Cup
• Copa América 2007
• 2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup --Tagishsimon (talk)

For up-to-date coverage, you might try the FIFA site at http://www.fifa.com/en/index.html, or else the individual federations at http://www.the-afc.com/english/index.asp and http://www.concacaf.com/. Corvus cornix 22:34, 12 April 2007 (UTC)

April 13

Human race

Where did the human race opriginate? was it Africa? If so why aint we all black?

Human evolution suggests Africa. Human skin color explains the variances. --Tagishsimon (talk)

See also our articles on Out of Africa hypothesis, MC1R and SLC24A5 Rockpocket 00:20, 13 April 2007 (UTC)

(In answer to that final question,) Some poor shmuck has to be Don Imus.

Atlant 13:57, 13 April 2007 (UTC)

Two Questions.....

1. Texas has a "Failure to ID" law. What are the penalties ?
2. Got servere weather, maybe tornadoes expected for the Texas area, Louisiana area, Arkansas area, Oklahoma area on 4 - 13 - 07. Is there a article ? Would place one, but my ISP is acting up. 205.240.146.156 04:11, 13 April 2007 (UTC)

1. According to this document [3], an offense under Texas penal code 2004, Sec. 38.02. Failure to Identify is a Class C misdemeanor (unless you are a fugitive from justice at the time of the offense, then it is a Class B misdemeanor.) According to this document [4] "An individual adjudged guilty of a Class C misdemeanor shall be punished by a fine not to exceed $500." and "An individual adjudged guilty of a Class B misdemeanor shall be punished by: (1) a fine not to exceed $2,000; (2) confinement in jail for a term not to exceed 180 days; or (3) both such fine and confinement. " This is under "normal" circumstances and may differ according to the situation. You should seek a lawyer if this question is for anything other than general interest, as neither myself, nor Wikipedia, can offer legal advice. Rockpocket

We generally don't create articles for temporary, relatively minor news events. You may find something on Wikinews. Wikipedia is a worldwide encyclopedia that attempts to provide encyclopedic information spanning the millennia. If a storm kills dozens and injures hundreds it may have long-term notability no matter where on Earth it strikes, but most countries have five or ten storms similar to those that hit Texas per day, and we can't have articles on all of them. --Charlene 22:27, 13 April 2007 (UTC)

heat balance

why the long wave terrestrial radiation is 120 unit where as the short wave solar radiation (insolation absorbed by the earth)is 66 unit?59.91.189.78 05:05, 13 April 2007 (UTC)

Bursting Disc

A Bursting Disc is a piece of equipment inserted in to a piping system as a safety device. How does it work? —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 213.106.233.42 (talk) 08:34, 13 April 2007 (UTC).

There's some information at rupture disc. --Mathew5000 09:21, 13 April 2007 (UTC)

Shaving bumps

How do I prevent myself from getting itchy little red bumps on the back of my thighs from shaving? --124.180.65.230 13:03, 13 April 2007 (UTC)

The easiest way to prevent it is, don't shave. If that isn't an option, the article on shaving has some advice. You could also google "razor burn" and follow some of those links. - Eron ^Talk 13:45, 13 April 2007 (UTC)

aside from the articles and tips listed: heat: get as much heat as you can on the area you are shaving, i don't mean burn yourself with a blowtorch, more use a face cloth soaked in hot water, apply to you thigh and leave for at least 5 mins, this is to soften the hair, then use shave foam/gel massage in well and 'shave with the grain' = shave the way the hair is growing, then apply after shave balm.Perry-mankster 13:50, 13 April 2007 (UTC)

Thank you for the advice! :) --124.180.65.230 14:14, 13 April 2007 (UTC)

What that sounds like though is that you're shaving against the hairs, and the bumps result from the fine hairs there being stuck under the skin. There are creams that help it, but the best way is to not shave the hair too short. --Wirbelwindヴィルヴェルヴィント (talk) 00:01, 14 April 2007 (UTC)

Gordie?

I've heard this (or a similarly sounding) word for someone from the northern bits of England. Is there a Wiki article on it, however it is spelt? 81.93.102.185 15:24, 13 April 2007 (UTC)

Geordie is what you're loking for, I think :). Martinp23 15:27, 13 April 2007 (UTC)

Cheers lots. :)) 81.93.102.185 15:38, 13 April 2007 (UTC)

I added a redirect from gordie to geordie. since gordie had no article.Czmtzc 16:29, 13 April 2007 (UTC)

Gordie had no article ? I wonder Howe that happened ? StuRat 19:10, 13 April 2007 (UTC)

email at Nintendo

How do i email someone at Nintendo? Do they do: first.last@nintendo.com or something else? — Preceding unsigned comment added by 75.54.61.158 (talk • contribs)

That will certainly reach them. If it's not a recognised name the mail will probably just drop into their info@nintendo.com box. Bear in mind that they get thousands of emails a day so don't expect a response. If you can send a message via their website you are slightly more likely to get a reply.--Shantavira 19:19, 13 April 2007 (UTC)

If you know the specific person you need to talk to - and if they aren't some mega-famous executive or something - then the email will get to them. And if the question is important and meaningful and polite - you'll get an answer too. I know lots of people at games companies who reply to appropriate email from the general public. However, the few contacts I have with Nintendo employees don't seem to follow any particular pattern - I think they probably have the policy of "if the name isn't already taken, you can have it" - so there are all sorts of 'handles' that people choose besides their names. SteveBaker 19:50, 13 April 2007 (UTC)

Magnetic Spinning Rims

Hello...

I was wondering if this was a good idea. I actually was going to put out a patent on it but my patent lawyer said the original patent covers this design. U.S. Patent 6554370. A man named David Fowlkes actually invented the original spinning rim and started the company Davin Wheels. Lets just say he is a brilliant guy with a good idea.

His rims are designed so that they spin using ball bearings. This creates a lot of friction. My idea is a totally different design that includes no ball bearings. The solution was quite simple. A spinner held in place by the opposing poles of two magnetic rim circles. A negative pole on a negative pole has no place to go besides suspended in mid-air magnetically sealed in to the rim. The only thing that it can do is spin around and around with the only friction being air.

I pitched the idea to him and got no response. I really think it is a good idea and since I can't gain money from it... I would just like to see it happen.

My question is...

Is this feasible?

Thank you, Bryan Mitchell —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 209.23.129.248 (talk) 16:59, 13 April 2007 (UTC).

Are you talking about the decorative spinning rims on car wheels ? If so, you'd likely need to have a powerful magnetic field to overcome the vibrations and forces on the rim while driving or turning. StuRat 19:06, 13 April 2007 (UTC)

see Magnetic bearing—eric 19:15, 13 April 2007 (UTC)

relation of industrial engineering and E.R.P ?

Dear Sir/MAdam , is there any relation ship between Industrial engineering and Enterprise Resource Planning ?

Regards RAJA. —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 220.225.87.20 (talk) 18:13, 13 April 2007 (UTC).

ERP can and is used in industrial engineering. I wouldn't call it a relationship. See enterprise resource planning.--Shantavira 19:24, 13 April 2007 (UTC)

Shampoo

What is the difference between shampoo and real poo? —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 88.110.125.229 (talk • contribs) 15:47, 13 April 2007 (UTC)

Much like the difference between sham reference desk questions and real ones; one cleans up misunderstandings, the other just stinks up the joint. - Eron ^Talk 20:03, 13 April 2007 (UTC)

Thats one of the best replies (and put downs) I have ever seen to a silly question! Touche! 8-)

In other words, sham questions bring real pain, while real questions are like champagne. — Michael J 20:07, 13 April 2007 (UTC)

And another sparkling answer!

Stop it - or I'll have to hit you with a large rock...OK - maybe a shamrock. SteveBaker 16:16, 14 April 2007 (UTC)

Moving to LA with no idea how to drive

So... I'm moving to Los Angeles in August and I don't know how to drive. I'm wondering how many hours of lessons this would take to learn (note that I am a student), how much it would roughly cost in total, and how much I would expect to spend running a cheap car in LA. Ideally, I would join a carsharing scheme, but that only seems to be just taking off in LA (Zipcar has like... 4 vehicles for whole of LA). Thanks for any advice!! —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 88.109.101.4 (talk) 21:17, 13 April 2007 (UTC).

One thing to be aware of is that LA and suburbs are very spread out. It can take about two hours to go from one edge to the opposite side, even without any traffic. So, unless you only need to drive around a very small portion of LA, you should expect to burn a lot of gas. Gas prices there tend to run a bit above the national average, but not too bad (San Francisco is really bad). StuRat 22:19, 13 April 2007 (UTC)

As for how long it takes to learn to drive, it very much varies from individual to individual. I don't know what the rules are in the US, but here you can practice driving in any car as long as you've got a fully licenced person with you. To keep the costs down, I'd recommend practicing with a friend or a parent as much as possible, and only go to a professional driving school when you want some pointers, and to polish up before you go for your licence.

My younger sisters are all currently learning to drive, and one figure that gets quoted a lot is you should have at least 120 hours practice before you go for your test. So as a ballpark figure, I'd say you should expect to take at least 6 months to learn to drive an automatic, and considerably longer to learn to drive a manual. The hardest things to learn - especially in city driving - are spatial awareness and reading what other traffic is going to do, and you can only get that from experience. FiggyBee 01:16, 14 April 2007 (UTC)

Quite honestly, pretty much *everyone* drives everywhere in LA in their own car, which is why the roads are so busy. A friend of mine recently moved here. She couldn't drive either (though has had lessons previously in Europe). She spent about $500 on lessons over about 2 months and then passed her test. The good news is that, compared to the UK (where it looks like you are from), passing your driving test in California is very easy indeed. I mean really easy, especially if you use an automatic. The bad news is that driving in LA is scary experience. The drivers are awful (which is probably because its so easy to past the test).

When I moved here I bought a decent second hand car for $7000, though I know plenty of other people who paid between $2000 and $5000 for a one, without any problems. Because of the temperate weather here cars tend to last longer than places with cold and wet conditions. You should try and get air-conditioning as you'll be spending a long time sitting in traffic jams. Petrol (or gas) is very cheap compared to the UK, but relatively expernsive in US terms. It currently costs around $3 to $3.50 per gallon (though it fluctuates on a daily basis and between stations [5]). My car runs on about $40 worth of gas a week. Thats just for a 20 min daily commute and then moderate use at weekends. You may expect to pay a little more than that, as my commute is short by LA standards. I would think it is unlikely you would have much success with Zipcar, though some workplaces do have car-pooling programs (which are very useful, as you can use special car-pool lanes to avoid the jams). If you have more specific questions, or would like more details on neighbourhoods or anything, feel free to drop me a line at my talkpage or you can email me. Rockpocket 01:19, 14 April 2007 (UTC)

In the UK it's standard to have between 20 and 25 hours of instructed driving before your test. I recently passed my test after 22 hours, having paid a total of £575. That's just over $1000. Also, remember you'll need insurance. If you're young, this is expensive. JoshHolloway 01:22, 14 April 2007 (UTC)

I got my first driver's license in Massachusetts at the age of 39. I had had maybe 6 hours of instruction from my parents when I was a teenager but hadn't driven since (long story). However, I had had many years of experience bicycling in city traffic, so I understood the basics of traffic flow. I had just 6 90-minute paid driving lessons before I took, and passed, the road test for a license. The lessons were $50 each, or $300 total. If you are starting from scratch and have individual instruction, it might be more like $500. I bought a decent used car for just over $6,000 in 2001. Used-car prices have, if anything, dropped since then. If you want to save money, aim for a compact car with good gas mileage. At $3.50 a gallon with good mileage, you will spend about 10 cents a mile on gas. You should figure around $100 to $150 a month for maintenance and repairs. The killer for you as a new driver in a big city will be the insurance. I paid around $300 a month the first year that I drove. Marco polo 02:07, 14 April 2007 (UTC)

Ah yes, I forgot about insurance. The insurance rules in California are particularly frustrating. Its very difficult to get reasonably priced car insurance if you don't have a credit record in the US. Its also near impossible to get insurance for a car you haven't bought yet (if you are not a US citizen). Its illegal to drive a purchased car off a lot without insurance, but (because its uninsured) dealers will not let you leave the car on their lot once purchased. Its a perfectly constructed Catch-22. One way around this is to buy privately, or persuade someone who is individually insured to drive your car for you, or else you prety much have no choice but to break the law for a short period. One thing you will learn very quickly is that most US rules and regulations don't take non-US citizens into account (indeed, you'll be lucky if you are allowed to take a piss without a social security number). Anyway, depending on a number of factors, insurance might cost another $20 to $100 per week. Try AAA - their agents at least seem to understand that UK is not the abbreviation for a hitherto undiscovered Midwestern state. Rockpocket 02:10, 14 April 2007 (UTC)

Rockpocket, if you think LA drivers are bad, you should try practically any other large American city. The scariest place I've ever driven is Houston (and just for comparison, I have driven in Italy). Texas drivers seem to have no notion of allowing incoming traffic to merge, and they seem to feel that the best place to drive is about a foot behind the car in front of them, even on an otherwise practically empty highway. No doubt they're just being environmentally conscious, saving fuel by letting the lead car break the wind. --Trovatore 03:18, 14 April 2007 (UTC)

I have driven in a good number of US cities (though not Houston) and in cities on three other continents. I find many large US cities to be bad in the way you describe, but I (personally) find LA to the the worst for sheer driver idiocy and selfishness. But that may simply be because the LA sprawl results in a large volume of cars, making the number of idiot drivers greater, but the frequency unchanged. Rockpocket 03:42, 14 April 2007 (UTC)

My sister - who is an ex-driving instructor - says that it typically takes one hour for every year of your age. Older people have a much harder time of it. SteveBaker 16:11, 14 April 2007 (UTC)

April 14

Weight/ sleep

I was recently reading two articles-insomnia, and fatal familial insomnia. In the insomnia article, it said that one of the symptoms of prolonged insomnia is weight gain. However, under the stages of fatal familial insomnia, stage three is as follows. 3. Complete inability to sleep is followed by rapid loss of weight. This lasts about three months.

So, which is true? Does lack of sleep cause weight gain or weight loss? If it is different for the two disseases, then why? Cuban Cigar 00:58, 14 April 2007 (UTC)

It could be both. That is, people with insomnia stay up and eat snacks, thus gaining weight. However, if they can't sleep at all, this eventually leads to physical deterioration, including weight loss. StuRat 01:02, 14 April 2007 (UTC)

It's not only eating snacks. Even minor sleep deprivation has been shown to affect the - sorry, I can't remember if it's the hormones or the brain centre - that tells us when we're full. A recent study I read showed (yes, I'll go look for it) that people who slept even a little bit less than recommended (like 6.5 hours a night) were several kilos heavier than people who slept 8 or 9 hours a night. Anchoress 01:07, 14 April 2007 (UTC)

Et voila! Anchoress 01:24, 14 April 2007 (UTC)

It could also be that fatal familial insomnia has a different outcome than regular insomnia (being fatal and familial). --Charlene 05:59, 14 April 2007 (UTC)

But the total insomnia is a stage in fatal familial insomnia. I still don't see a reason why they would lose weight in one case and gain weight in another, seeing as they're both insomnia (total insomnia being a symptom of faral familial insomnia).Cuban Cigar 07:02, 14 April 2007 (UTC)

Well, because they're symptoms of two different things, I'd say. People with no particular disease condition can have insomnia -- maybe just because they're worried about something -- and it can cause them to gain weight, or maybe it's the worry that causes the weight gain rather than the sleep loss. But no one can have total insomnia without a disease condition; it's just not possible. And the same disease condition, apparently, causes weight loss.

Put it another way -- you could maintain complete sleeplessness for, I don't know, a week or two? by continual administration of methamphetamine. Or so I'm told. And I think you'd lose weight, because that's what meth does. Or so I'm told. --Trovatore 08:06, 14 April 2007 (UTC)

Let me give you personal experience...I was very overweight, and i had trouble sleeping, i snored, and i was very tired all day, and slept all the time. I lost 185 lbs and I don't snore, Sleep better and for 6-7 hours and am not tired during the day. So I'd say Being overweight might cause insomnia.

one more question--

Hi, I know I've asked alot of sims 2 questions recently, but this will be the last one. On the Gamecube version of sims 2 pets, i can't seem to have children. is it possible on this specific game? —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 74.211.8.100 (talk) 01:20, 14 April 2007 (UTC).

I suggest you try the Computer Ref Desk. StuRat 02:15, 14 April 2007 (UTC)

thanks

Why are the discard racks at blackjack tables red?

I suppose it just looks nice. A google image search suggests that clear acrylic is at least as common as red. FiggyBee 02:06, 14 April 2007 (UTC)

A result from googling "red discard rack"[6] seems to imply that a red rack makes it more difficult to count cards, but that's tenuous. --Charlene 06:04, 14 April 2007 (UTC)

Ahh... well, makes it more difficult to identify marked cards, which is an entirely different thing from card counting. Good find! FiggyBee 06:08, 14 April 2007 (UTC)

Hollywood Physics

I don't think this really counts as people doing my homework, but I'll try asking anyway...

Does anyone have any suggestions for a TV show that has a physics flaw like unrealistic falling time, collisions, or sound that I (a high school student) can prove? It has to be realistic, ie not star trek, more like prison break. Oh and it can't be 24.

A particular scene would be extremely helpful. Thanks! —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 71.82.132.77 (talk) 03:26, 14 April 2007 (UTC).

The most famous one was the scene in Speed where the bus jumped the gap in the road without being affected by gravity, but it's probably too well-known for you to use. (The article even comments on it.) Clarityfiend 04:53, 14 April 2007 (UTC)

Yes that one can't be used. I'm specifically looking for a tv show so I can avoid it being too popular —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 71.82.132.77 (talk) 05:01, 14 April 2007 (UTC).

Any TV cop show where people who are shot fly 10 feet backwards as a result would qualify. Or how about car chase scenes, like in the Dukes of Hazzard, where the car and occupants were undamaged from jumps that would total the car and kill the occupants in reality ? StuRat 05:38, 14 April 2007 (UTC)

Wasn't there a similar car jump scene in Road Trip (film)? --Wirbelwindヴィルヴェルヴィント (talk) 05:56, 14 April 2007 (UTC)

Easy: step 1) go here; step 2) ignore all entries that do not have (TV) in the link; step 3) review all remaining entries and find one related to physics; step 4) go on to the next letter of the alphabet (if you are not yet satisfied), and start over at step 2). Repeat this until you get tired or you reach your objective. Here's one possible lead from the letter B. dr.ef.tymac 05:58, 14 April 2007 (UTC)

I suppose the Wile E. Coyote cartoons are far too well-known for this? --Charlene 05:58, 14 April 2007 (UTC)

Well, they are intentionally having fun with the laws of physics, like when the Road Runner is able to defy the law of gravity because, as he puts on his sign "I never studied law". StuRat 14:06, 14 April 2007 (UTC)

Is Wile E. Coyote more realistic than Star Trek? ;) FiggyBee 06:06, 14 April 2007 (UTC)

There is this page, but this seems like borderline cheating for your assignment. --Wirbelwindヴィルヴェルヴィント (talk) 07:29, 14 April 2007 (UTC)

There is the scene from The Blues Brothers where the Illinois Nazi leader's car goes flying off a bridge and falls for ~10-20 second worth of screen time and eventually puts a car sized hole in the pavement. I don't know if this would help you though based on the previously mentioned shunning of films that are "too popular". Also, you may just want to go through a single episode of MacGyver. I'll bet for each episode there is at least one example that would fit your needs. Dismas|^(talk) 12:30, 14 April 2007 (UTC)

Font identification!

http://www.myspace.com/comm_undies

Could anyone identify the font in the posters? I think it's Helvetica, but I'm not exactly sure. AlmostCrimes 03:29, 14 April 2007 (UTC)

Indeed, it is Helvetica Bold. — Michael J 04:24, 14 April 2007 (UTC)

F1 Racing questions

Two part question about F1 racing. During last Sunday's race, Nico Rosberg had a mechanical problem with his car and had to leave the race. Getting out of his car, he did not re-install the steering wheel, a point that the color commentators said would result in a heavy fine against his racing team. Why is that? Is there a rule that when a driver exits his car trackside he must replace the steering wheel? To what purpose?

Second question: What is or are the rule(s) governing pit stops? When a driver pits, then re-enters traffic on the track, what position does he take? That is, if a driver in first place pits, then re-enters the track behind the previously-second-place driver (who is now in first place) does he assume second place? Are the pit stops timed and is the length of the pit entrance/exit lanes set up so that a driver can usually re-enter traffic in approximately the same position that he held when he exited? 71.112.9.252 05:03, 14 April 2007 (UTC)

Q1, the steering wheel has to be put back so the marshalls can steer the car to get it off the track.

Q2, when a driver exits the pits they take whatever position they are now in (ie, if they are behind two other cars, they are in third place). It's usual for a driver to lose two or three places when pitting, but since everyone has to pit approximately the same number of times it evens out in the end. Pitting can be an important part of race strategy; some drivers will run with a lighter fuel load, which means they can go faster but will have to pit more often. FiggyBee 05:22, 14 April 2007 (UTC)

xbox 360 need for speed most wanted

does any one have a pic of the need for speed acheivments completed that i can grab

thanks —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 210.54.229.45 (talk) 06:58, 14 April 2007 (UTC).

Wiki Ref Desks Questions - Correct Spelling.

I'm sure this topic has been covered before but please forgive my ignorance of how to check that out. And any Wiki Purists out there, please don't jump down my throat for asking this question. I watched a movie last night that prompted me to do a bit of research afterwards. I hadn't taken particular note of the Film's title as spelled, but was frustrated when Wiki couldn't trace The Bridges of Maddiston County (Maddiston is a village near where I live in Scotland so I can perhaps be forgiven for presuming that is the generic spelling), yet, after doing an IMDB search, which correctly and promptly referred me to The Bridges of Madison County (one fewer d and no t), I found a great Wiki Article, that I would have otherwise not been able to access. If IMDB and Google can do that broader search of a mis-spelt word, why not Wiki? Thanks. —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 81.145.241.226 (talk) 10:59, 14 April 2007 (UTC).

I don't know the answer I'm afraid, except to say that Wikipedia's search functionality is simply not as strong as Google's. However, there are other ways you could have found the article. The easiest thing would have been to have looked at the articles for Clint Eastwood and Meryl Streep (assuming you knew they were the stars of the film). Both those articles have lists of the films in which those people have starred. A quick scan of those lists would have given you the film you were looking for. --Richardrj ^{talk email} 11:30, 14 April 2007 (UTC)

Another option would be to search on "clint eastwood" "meryl streep", which would bring up a list of results. And at the top of the list... - Eron ^Talk 11:47, 14 April 2007 (UTC)

As I understand it, the code for that (mis)spelling technology that Google employs would have to be changed to fit in with the MediaWiki software that runs this site. Doing so would take at least a few programmers if they wanted it to be done anytime soon. And since the Wiki software is pretty much entirely volunteer driven, it's just not a priority to do such a large change. Also, those companies that use the code may have a copyright on it that won't allow for MediaWiki to just steal it and tweak it to their own purposes. Dismas|^(talk) 13:06, 14 April 2007 (UTC)

Yes, Wikipedia's search capabilities are rather pathetic. The only way misspellings can be overcome is if somebody manually enters a redirect for each and every possible misspelling. As you can imagine, that's not going to happen. The best we can do is handle some common misspellings, and British and American spellings. However, you can use Google's excellent spelling correction by typing:

"The Bridges of Maddiston County" wikipedia

In the search window. Just pick on:

 Did you mean: "The Bridges of Madison County" wikipedia

and it gives you a list, with the Wikipedia article right on top. 13:57, 14 April 2007 (UTC)

You can also force Google to return results from a single web site using the site: keyword. So a search for site:wikipedia.org Madrid returns all the pages from Wikipedia containing Madrid, sorted using Google's usual ranking. To limit the search to the English Wikipedia, use site:en.wikipedia.org Madrid. I find this trick to be rather handy. TenOfAllTrades(talk) 15:48, 14 April 2007 (UTC)

lost photos

203.40.194.223 12:21, 14 April 2007 (UTC)≥Is anyone able to advise how to retrieve deleted photos from a 64mb multimedia card. Photos were deleted from the camera's memory, Kodak DX3215, with the memory card still in the camera.

Do you mean you deleted from the built-in memory but also have a copy on the removable memory card ? StuRat 13:47, 14 April 2007 (UTC)

Well, if the deleted data is on the memory card, don't write anything to it. Run something like PhotoRescue or other products. Splintercellguy 16:01, 14 April 2007 (UTC)

The file system on a typical memory card is the same as the 'FAT' file system on old fashioned MS-DOS computers. When you 'delete' a file, you are actually only markiing the file as 'unused' and allowing new photos to overwrite it. It's certainly possible to 'undelete' files on FAT filesystems on real, physical disk drives (floppy disks especially) - so it's possible that you can undelete pictures from a memory card too - but whether there is software out there to do that - I'm not sure. Have you tried plugging the this memory card into a PC with a memory card slot - and then using an 'undelete' tool of some kind? No matter what - if you want to have any chance at all to recover these photos then it's absolutely essential that you don't take any more photos using that memory card because the new photos will overwrite the ones you deleted making them utterly impossible to recover. Good luck! SteveBaker 16:03, 14 April 2007 (UTC)

Self adhesive postage stamps

Why do self adhesive postage stamps have perforations please.--88.110.118.46 13:09, 14 April 2007 (UTC)

Are you referring to the knurled edges along the left and right sides of the stamp? I'd bet it's just to keep with the generic and stereotypical look of stamps from when they weren't self adhering. Postage stamp shows several examples of stamps and each and every one of them shows that edge. It's what people are familiar with and they equate that edge with a stamp. Even if you were to make a poster of a non-stamp image and then put that edge on it, people would most likely assume it's a large image of a stamp. They may even ask you how you got a picture of the stamp without the currency on it. Dismas|^(talk) 13:14, 14 April 2007 (UTC)

Per Dismas' remark, the knurled edges are sometimes retained to preserve a traditional 'stamp' look. Many postal services now use self-adhesive stamps that have straight edges, or even a combination of straight and knurled edges (Canada, for instance:[7]). Some have also gotten more creative in their shapes—Tonga has issued a number of fruit-shaped stamps: [8]. TenOfAllTrades(talk) 15:43, 14 April 2007 (UTC)

The perforations are there on old-style stamps to make it easier to tear one stamp off of a sheet. With self-adhesive stamps, the sheet is held together by the backing sheet - and the stamps are pre-cut into individual stamps. So the perforations are certainly not needed anymore - if they are still there, it must be for reasons of tradition and decor. SteveBaker 15:55, 14 April 2007 (UTC)

Polish Documentary - hard question

I am looking for a specific documentary about Poland. It is a documentary made not long after they became a member of the EU. First a man speaks about the history of Poland, they show pictures and speak about communism. Then they discuss the Economy and future. Would be very nice to have the name of this, though I have no expectations. Clq 14:58, 14 April 2007 (UTC)

Laminate flooring.

I would like to put a laminate floor in my cottage kitchen, the problem is that there is no heat in the cottage in the winter in Michigan. Will that be a problem? Thank you, Loraine —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 76.110.55.252 (talk) 15:05, 14 April 2007 (UTC).

If you're thinking about a laminate floor such as Pergo (a trademark), you can refer to their installation guide. It's a floating floor system, which means that the flooring is allowed to expand and contract as the temperature changes, and it isn't nailed or permanently affixed to the subfloor. They recommend that you leave a 1/4 inch gap around the edges to allow for expansion and contraction. (You'd want to cover that gap with a molding of some kind.) I don't know how it would work in an unheated cottage, though. In this case, you should probably call the manufacturer of the flooring that you're planning to install and ask about the suitability of the product. --Elkman ^(Elkspeak) 15:30, 14 April 2007 (UTC)

Yahoo

On the Yahoo Search page, the search box says it's improved? What has improved about Yahoo?

Grovedale College

Does anyone know what year Grovedale College was established? I can't seem to find it in any searches. --Candy-Panda 15:27, 14 April 2007 (UTC)

landscaping

When plantations were used in the old south, the long entrance to the plantation house was often lined on both sides with trees. Upon entering the drive,it appeared that the trees could reach into infinity. What is this use of trees called?Olive07 15:52, 14 April 2007 (UTC)

Mail-order bride

How can I get a mail-order bride? —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 71.185.136.143 (talk) 16:28, 14 April 2007 (UTC).

Marx Toy Soldiers

I am looking for a list of Marx Warriors of the World figures,hand painted(60mm size) made from the 50's and 60's.