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July 31

Buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo

Buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo? 213.122.216.120 (talk) 00:08, 31 July 2010 (UTC)

Buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo! -- Finlay McWalter • Talk 00:09, 31 July 2010 (UTC)

James while John had had had had had had had had had had had a better effect on the teacher...but is there a question here? SteveBaker (talk) 06:15, 31 July 2010 (UTC)

Yes, we have an article on Buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo. ---— Gadget850 (Ed) ^talk 06:21, 31 July 2010 (UTC)

Cool cartoon :-)) Thanks! 213.122.216.120 (talk) 17:20, 31 July 2010 (UTC)

If you want it to be a question, I think you should have added the word "do" to the beginning. —Arctic Gnome (talk • contribs) 19:35, 31 July 2010 (UTC)

And the answer would presumably be "no", though I don't have any source for that (I've never been to Buffalo, and in any case I guess Buffalo buffalo can live other places as well) Jørgen (talk) 20:30, 31 July 2010 (UTC)

Pokémon Black and White

Will they work on the regular DS/DS Lite or only on the DSi? --138.110.206.101 (talk) 01:45, 31 July 2010 (UTC)

DS games are the same across the board, I think. The new games should work with even the original DS. Chevymontecarlo - alt 07:25, 31 July 2010 (UTC)

This is partially incorrect: according to our article, there are DSi games (such as System Flaw) which are incompatible with the regular DS. This is presumably not a software issue: it's simply that the core gameplay in System Flaw requires hardware features -- the cameras -- only found in the DSi. There are also DSi games that work on the DS/DS Lite that have additional features that only work on the DSi. To answer the OP's question, Pokémon Black and White is part of the latter category: the core game will be fully compatible on the original DS/DS Lite. According to our article, there will be at least one additional feature in the game (video chat) that will only work if you're playing the game on a DSi (or presumably the 3DS). --Smurdah (talk) 16:27, 2 August 2010 (UTC)

Ohio road signs

While driving through Ohio recently on a trip, I saw a couple signs that I didn't understand. They were both of the red circle with a slash through it variety, indicating something shouldn't be done. One said 'HM' and the other was 'HC'. I've lived in the US all my life and haven't the slightest idea what these mean. They were on I-90, both of them. Any ideas? Dismas|^(talk) 03:44, 31 July 2010 (UTC)

While trying just one more search before completely giving up, I found this link which says the HC means "no hazardous materials". HC = Hazardous Chemicals?? So, would HM be Haz. Materials? Dismas|^(talk) 03:46, 31 July 2010 (UTC)

"C" may stand for "Cargo", too. Anyway, "HM" is in the manual, but "HC" is not. --Dr Dima (talk) 05:58, 31 July 2010 (UTC)

You mean like this ? →

 Jon Ascton  (talk) 09:54, 31 July 2010 (UTC)

But with the letters 'on top' presumably? Richard Avery (talk) 11:19, 31 July 2010 (UTC)

The result that appears on the second-to-top place in a Google.bg search for <road signs hc> is a Yahoo! Answers page, where someone has asked an identical question and has received the answer, "this route is off limits to hazardous chemical thorough fare." Is this of any use? --Theurgist (talk) 11:57, 31 July 2010 (UTC)

That question's deleted. Typical of Yahoo! Answers. Kayau Voting IS evil 12:00, 31 July 2010 (UTC)

The explanation certainly sounds reasonable. It occurs to me that in the time it took to discuss this here, the OP could have called the Ohio department of transportation and gotten a definitive answer. This approach might be more fun, though. :) ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 12:02, 31 July 2010 (UTC)

How come the question is deleted? I can see it quite well. --Theurgist (talk) 12:04, 31 July 2010 (UTC)

1. The link works for me.
2. Yes, John. Like those except you could read the lettering a bit better.
3. No, the letters were "behind" the slashes but the slashes weren't so thick as to limit understanding of what letters were there.
4. Thanks all!! Dismas|^(talk) 19:19, 31 July 2010 (UTC)

An actual example on signs near Houston, Texas. "No HC" is at top right. --- OtherDave (talk) 13:58, 6 August 2010 (UTC)

A knotty problem

What knot do I want to use to tie a short length of string around my own wrist? I know nothing about knots, but I assume that, once I have a name, I can Google up a tutorial.

Probably the easiest as you have to work one-handed is a combination of one knot and one or two half-hitches. Method: Tie a BOWLINE in one end of the string. Make a loop. Put the loop over your hand and around your wrist. Adjust the loop for comfort and tie off with one or two HALF_HITCHES. But why do you want to tie a string around your wrist? —Preceding unsigned comment added by Froggie34 (talk • contribs) 15:28, 31 July 2010 (UTC)

So that I can hang a tag off it. Thanks for the info. Vimescarrot (talk) 16:27, 31 July 2010 (UTC)

Do it like a luggage tag. Make a hole in the tag, pass the string through it and knot the ends together (just hold them alongside each other and tie a simple overhand knot in the doubled string) to make a loop. Then pass the loop around your wrist and pass the tag through the loop, then pull tight. This works slightly better with elastic than string, if that is an option. --Tango (talk) 16:40, 31 July 2010 (UTC)

Winthrop Lane Crocodile Shoes

I have a pair of Winthrop Lane crocodile shoes that my father gave me years ago. I found them and I went to look them up on the internet and I could not find any information about them. I want to know approximately how old they might be and probable worth. Has anyone heard of this company? Ceeray —Preceding unsigned comment added by Ceeray66 (talk • contribs) 20:45, 31 July 2010 (UTC)

How long can you survive in the ocean with just a lifejacket?

just wondering —Preceding unsigned comment added by 65.190.49.169 (talk) 20:57, 31 July 2010 (UTC)

I imagine there are a lot of limiting factors, like the temperature of the water (cold water will kill you quick), whether you are currently being hunted by sharks, and so on. If those limiting factors are not a problem, I suspect it is the same as being left on a sandy island — your primary threats are lack of water, lack of food, and general exposure to the elements. This is just a general opinion though (to get it out of the way) — I'm sure there are examples, studies, etc. that others can find. --Mr.98 (talk) 22:03, 31 July 2010 (UTC)

Assuming you don't get eaten by sharks and the water isn't too cold, what usually kills you when floating at sea is exhaustion leading to drowning. A lifejacket would help with that, but you still have to use some effort to keep your face out of the water, especially if there are high waves. I think exhaustion would still get you (if you fell asleep, you would drown, at the very least). If you are under a hot sun, then heat exhaustion and dehydration may get you before physical exhaustion does. As for how long you would last: minutes in very cold water, a few hours under a hot sun and maybe a day under ideal conditions. People that survive longer than that usually have something more than a lifejacket to keep them above the water: a raft, some driftwood, in a recent story some people survived on the flotation devices attached to fishing nets (the kind of nets fishermen leave in place for a few days before going back to collect what they've caught in that time). --Tango (talk) 22:20, 31 July 2010 (UTC)

In the North Sea, which is near the UK, in winter you would be lucky to survive for a minute. The cold kills you. 92.29.125.109 (talk) 22:35, 31 July 2010 (UTC)

Well, thankfully, the experiment has been done. When the USS Indianapolis (CA-35) went down in 1945 near the end of WWII, no one noticed for several days. Of the 1100 men that went into the water, just over 300 survived 4 1/2 days in the open ocean. Details are in the article. --Jayron32 00:24, 1 August 2010 (UTC)

Actually the article says "The rest of the crew, 880 men, with few lifeboats and many without lifejackets, floated in the water awaiting rescue." (others dies in the initial explosion). That revised number makes the statistics for survival slightly better. --S.dedalus (talk) 07:03, 3 August 2010 (UTC)

According to p. 214 of Wind, Waves, and Sunburn: A Brief History of Marathon Swimming, by Conrad Wennerberg, there is an authenticated record of six Japanese sailors surviving for 5 1/2 days in the South Pacific with only life-jackets -- the author says that that is the longest authenticated record he knows about. Looie496 (talk) 01:23, 1 August 2010 (UTC)

Does he give any explanation of how they survived? Lasting 5 1/2 days without drinking water is pretty hard. The usual rule of thumb is 3 days. Also, surviving 5 1/2 days without sleep is very hard, so how did they avoid drowning while sleeping (perhaps they slept in shifts and kept each other afloat)? I'm not saying it didn't happen, but I expect there were extenuating circumstances of some kind. --Tango (talk) 01:34, 1 August 2010 (UTC)

Pretty hard =/= impossible. While the three day figure may be based upon some decent data over all of humanity, the long tail of statistics always rears its head. It may be unlikely that someone could survive that long without water, but its not impossible. While it wasn't strictly the same situation, because she had a cork float and thus avoided the hypothermia problems floating in a life vest would, the sole survivor of the Bluebelle atrocity over 4 days without any water. --Jayron32 01:57, 1 August 2010 (UTC)

With absolutely no exertion, and under conditions where one does not sweat at all, a previously well-hydrated person can survive 10-15 days without additional water. For example, Terry Schiavo lasted 11 days in a persistent vegetative state after her feeding tube was removed. Dragons flight (talk) 07:46, 1 August 2010 (UTC)

On the other hand, people on the WW2 Arctic convoys to Russia knew they only had a few minutes to be rescued if their ship went down. -- Arwel Parry (talk) 09:50, 1 August 2010 (UTC)

A movie demonstrates. (video). Cuddlyable3 (talk) 11:08, 1 August 2010 (UTC)

There's also the case of Robert Hewitt a diver who survived 75 hours at sea [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] although he did have a small catch which I guess may have hydrated him slightly Nil Einne (talk) 16:46, 2 August 2010 (UTC)

A good lifejacket or Personal flotation device has the flotation located such that it naturally keeps the wearer floating somewhat on his back with his face out of the water. That is the only stable position, and it should right him if a wave turned him face down. Cheaper "bouyancy aids" might require more effort to keep the face out of the water. WW2 life jackets (The Indianapolis) tended to become waterlogged. A person can catnap, like sitting up in a chair, or even in a tree, and wake up when he starts to fall. Edison (talk) 14:38, 1 August 2010 (UTC)

This page[6] gives a table of survival times for immersion in different water temperatures. You don't need to be in the Arctic for this to be a factor - the surface temperature in the English Channel today in the middle of summer is 17C[7] - time to unconciousness - 2 to 7 hours. Alansplodge (talk) 18:02, 1 August 2010 (UTC)

August 1

Which way of running a car's air conditioner is more fuel efficient?

When I run the a/c in my car, will I get better fuel economy if I use a lower fan speed with colder air temperature, or if I use a warmer air temperature with a faster fan speed? Does it make a difference at all? I live in Phoenix, so I need to use my car's a/c most of the year. I have a later-model small SUV, automatic transmission. As far as SUVs go, this one is pretty fuel efficient; however, in this very warm environment, I'd like to find a way to get better gas mileage without sacrificing a great deal of comfort.

Thank you.

Momsroo (talk) 04:30, 1 August 2010 (UTC)

Well domestic airconditioners are more efficient if you run them flat out. Graeme Bartlett (talk) 13:17, 1 August 2010 (UTC)

Setting the thermostat to a warmer air temperature just mixes warm air with the AC compressor's output; it doesn't actually make the compressor run more efficiently. So playing with the warm/cold mix won't help your fuel efficiency. On the fan speed count, I don't think (but I'm less sure) that fan speed is connected to compressor speed, either -- I expect there's very little difference between running the AC on low and on high. — Lomn 14:09, 1 August 2010 (UTC)

Does it run more efficiently if you use the Recirculate feature? ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 14:35, 1 August 2010 (UTC)

Not really. The only savings you get is on cars with thermostatically controlled A/C units. The airconditioner in 99% of cars is driven by the serpentine belt from the engine. There is a magnetic clutch that disconnects the A/C pump from the belt - but that's an on/off thing. So if your A/C is turned on, the pump (which is the energy-hungry part) is imposing a load on the engine no matter what. On cars with thermostats, the pump will be disconnected from the belt (and hence impose no load) whenever the thermostat decides that the interior is cool enough. SteveBaker (talk) 18:55, 1 August 2010 (UTC)

Re-circulated air will naturally be cooler, though, so even without an automatic thermostat in place, there will be a benefit in that the car will cool down more quickly and the A/C may then get shut off. That's not usually how it gets worked, though; I'm guessing most people turn it on and leave it on. Matt Deres (talk) 19:52, 1 August 2010 (UTC)

Slightly off topic, recurculated air will cause your windows to fog up far, far more than fresh air (usually). Air con dehumidifies the air so it's not a problem to use recirculated air with air conditioning - but remember to switch off recirculated air when you switch off air conditioning. --203.202.43.53 (talk) 02:49, 3 August 2010 (UTC)

Oh, and most efficient time to use car air conditioning: While slowing down using engine braking. --203.202.43.53 (talk) 02:50, 3 August 2010 (UTC)

Source for Clavos bedspreads

A factory in Spain that produced/designed very beautiful woven, reversible, wool bedspreads/rugs on jacquard looms. They also produced/sold doors and hardware. The factory burned/was destroyed in the late 1960's. The name of the enterprise: "Clavos." We are trying to find a source, (used or new), for the bedspreads.66.27.67.110 (talk) 05:03, 1 August 2010 (UTC)

If you know any Spanish yourself, why not ask this question on the Spanish Wikipedia? I don't know the language very well, but I think this is the equivalent of the Refdesk: es:Wikipedia:Consultas 213.122.216.120 (talk) 00:26, 2 August 2010 (UTC)

Wiki Template and Name

I want to start a website that looks and functions like Wikipedia, but that has a different purpose. Is this allowed? If so, how do I incorporate the Wiki template? Also, I'd like my domain name to include the word 'wiki'. Is this allowed? Thank you. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 208.66.33.228 (talk) 09:46, 1 August 2010 (UTC)

You can install your own copy of MediaWiki software and run that, or you can make use of existing capability at Wikia. Wiki the word can be used, and is probably unencumbered by trademark. But the Wikipedia logo is not available for you to use. Graeme Bartlett (talk) 13:15, 1 August 2010 (UTC)

There are several other 'Wikis' around the web, other than Wikipedia. The two I can think of is the TWiT Wiki and the Call of Duty Wiki, which are both separate sites. Chevymontecarlo - alt 17:29, 1 August 2010 (UTC)

There are a lot more than 'several'! There are thousands, possibly tens of thousands, of web sites that use Wiki technology in general or specifically the MediaWiki software. If you install MediaWiki and modify nothing from the default settings, you'll have something that looks and behaves very much like Wikipedia - but has a picture of a flower in the top-left corner instead of the jigsaw puzzle sphere. I run a couple of MediaWiki sites and one thing you need to know is that these are magnets for spammers and other idiots. Wikipedia has enough people patrolling the site to keep the consequences of this to a minimum - but (at least at first), you won't. That means that you've either got to visit your site several times a day and clear out the junk - or you've got to set the security settings much higher than Wikipedia set them. Specifically, I disallow edits by IP users - you have to have an account in order to be able to edit - secondly, I turn on the code that requires an email confirmation in order to cut down on the amount of spam.SteveBaker (talk) 18:48, 1 August 2010 (UTC)

Redundancy

Would both of the following sentences be considered proper ways of redundancy, or is one more clearer than the other? Does redundancy work in any other ways?

Department of Redundancy Department, or Redundancy Department of Redundancy 64.75.158.194 (talk) 11:08, 1 August 2010 (UTC)

Neither title makes answer sense to me. In the first - why use department twice? Is it really the department of a department? The second - what does the second redundancy add to the title? Maybe i'm missing something but neither of these titles make any sense - 'Redundancy Department' or 'Department of Redundancy' would both be quite clear titles for a department that deals with redundancy. ny156uk (talk) 11:21, 1 August 2010 (UTC)

See redundancy. And irony, lol. 92.29.127.162 (talk) 17:48, 1 August 2010 (UTC)

I take it that this is supposed to be an example of redundant words, and the reference to the more common sense of being made redundant from work is just a cute touch. The first one sounds like a more plausible sloppy name for a department than the second one, to me, not sure why. I think it's just because the "of" gives the author a little longer in which to forget he has already said "department". It would also work as an acronym: the DR Department. See RAS syndrome. 81.131.53.31 (talk) 12:17, 1 August 2010 (UTC)

Department of Redundancy Department according to WP ;-) hydnjo (talk) 12:59, 1 August 2010 (UTC)

If we assume the usual meaning of redundancy the attribute of being superfluous and unneeded, the repetitions of that word in both examples are redundant. However if "Redundant" is a name, such as the name of a town, then the second example make sense. Incidentally, "more clearer" is a redundant expression of the alternate comparatives "more clear" and "clearer". Cuddlyable3 (talk) 14:00, 1 August 2010 (UTC)

The OP is asking us to "clarify" this decades-old joke. What part of the joke does he not understand? Or is the question also a joke? :) ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 14:34, 1 August 2010 (UTC)

Thanks, that question made me laugh. --Dweller (talk) 17:38, 1 August 2010 (UTC)

Why not have an organisation that has both - the Department of Redundancy Department and the Redundancy Department of Redundancy? Although the first one is better. 92.29.127.162 (talk) 17:51, 1 August 2010 (UTC)

Some of the best examples of redundancy are when names have been reduced to acronyms. A common one is to talk about "ATM machines" when "ATM" stands for "Automatic Teller Machine". You often hear people talking about "The GPS system". There are lots of them in common speech and in news reports. SteveBaker (talk) 18:37, 1 August 2010 (UTC)

See Redundancy (linguistics) and RAS syndrome for more examples. ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 20:05, 1 August 2010 (UTC)

Someone actually mentioned RAS syndrome earlier. Dilbert's TTP project is almost in that category. ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 20:07, 1 August 2010 (UTC)

Surely, WP editor Department of Redundancy Department (talk · contribs) has an insight into this question? --220.101 (talk) ^\Contribs 04:02, 2 August 2010 (UTC)

Having just received a message about this discussion, I though I'd just weigh in with one additional link about the subject which is in addition to the links above. —DoRD (talk) 13:27, 2 August 2010 (UTC)

Really, I always thought it should be "Department of the Department of Redundancy", but... --Ludwigs2 00:19, 3 August 2010 (UTC)

Or it could be the Redundant Redundancy Department of the Department of Redundancy and Redundancy Related Departments That Are Redundant And Constantly Repeat Themselves Everytime In A Comedic Or Possibly Poetic Manner And Are Organized In Redundant Departments... Lol wut? XD Anyway... apparantly more people think that the first option makes more sense. Reminds me of the internet meme (adjective)(noun) is (same adjective), such as "obvious troll is obvious". 64.75.158.194 (talk) 11:18, 3 August 2010 (UTC)

Simple design for a wooden chair

Due to often leaning back on its back legs, the metal frame of my office chair seems destined to soon snap like a flexed paperclip. Is there any freely available design for a chair that I can make out of wood, that a) only requires simple sawing and drilling, b) has arms, and c) if possible will stand up to be leaning back on it? Thanks 92.29.127.162 (talk) 17:59, 1 August 2010 (UTC)

Links to various chair plans. Cuddlyable3 (talk) 22:21, 1 August 2010 (UTC)

Please explain what the point of giving that link is, since none of them fulfil condition a)? 92.28.249.190 (talk) 22:32, 1 August 2010 (UTC)

The point was that you may find any of the free plans helpful. One of the chair plans is described as "easy to build" and was reportedly[8] built by a 4 year old. Cuddlyable3 (talk) 15:00, 2 August 2010 (UTC)

The simplest style of chair that I can imagine is this: [9] - sadly, it fails your requirement for arms. SteveBaker (talk) 02:05, 2 August 2010 (UTC)

. . but it wouldn't take much to add a pair of swing down arms that engage with the upright part. Richard Avery (talk) 07:44, 2 August 2010 (UTC)

I guess I will have to design it myself. Something like two "A" frames that support a seat and a back between them, and arms too. I omitted to add that I was thinking of 2x1s rather than big planks. 92.24.185.100 (talk) 18:13, 2 August 2010 (UTC)

Surgeons infected by blood borne pathogens from patients

How often, if at all, do licensed surgeons in licensed hospitals become infected by blood borne diseases (HIV, Hepatitis, etc...) from operating on infected patients? Obviously, I would imagine that the surgeon would have to cut him/herself while operating on the patient right? Is this common? Are there procedures for screening infected patients that come through emergency?

Thanks Acceptable (talk) 22:52, 1 August 2010 (UTC)

I can't answer your exact question, but I can tell you that my sister, who recently qualified as a doctor, had to have loads of vaccinations before starting med school. If they bother getting med students to have lots of vaccinations, the risk of infection much be significant. --Tango (talk) 23:01, 1 August 2010 (UTC)

Yikes. I didn't think it happened often enough to necessitate vaccinations before even starting med school. Although with certain diseases (HIV for example), vaccination might not be much help, right? 24.189.87.160 (talk) 00:42, 2 August 2010 (UTC)

The biggest risk is from needle sticks, which are especially likely while suturing. A review published in 2000 found that over 10% of surgeons had infection probably acquired in this way, the great majority involving hepatitis B, smaller numbers involving HIV and hepatitis C. So it's a significant risk. Looie496 (talk) 00:59, 2 August 2010 (UTC)

The article on Dr Norman Bethune might be of interest, if only for the fact that he died of septicaemia. DOR (HK) (talk) 03:35, 2 August 2010 (UTC)

There has never been a documented case of a dentist contracting a blood-born illness from an infected patient -- and that would include oral surgeons and GPR residents in hospital settings. DRosenbach ^{(Talk | Contribs)} 23:24, 2 August 2010 (UTC)

I distinctly remember the inverse occurring, a dentist infecting a patient. I don't know the specifics, but it was a well reported case in the U.S. Shadowjams (talk) 07:14, 2 August 2010 (UTC)

You might be thinking of this case, involving dentist David J. Acer. Our own article is quite scant, but the CDC reports we link to in the references are rather more thorough. TenOfAllTrades(talk) 13:38, 2 August 2010 (UTC)

The illness and death of his patient Kimberly Bergalis received much more publicity. -- 119.31.126.91 (talk) 13:44, 2 August 2010 (UTC)

In the 19th and early 20th century, it was all too easy for a doctor to get infected with tuberculosis and other deadly diseases while doing autopsies. [10]. Rubber gloves were not common circa 1900, and surgeons picked up infections during surgery and autopsy [11]. One surgeon in 1899 died of plague contracted during autopsy [12]. A given surgeon might be infected numerous times during surgery in the late 19th century [13]. This was also a problem for morticians. Edison (talk) 03:04, 3 August 2010 (UTC)

August 2

MLM Network Marketing

Hello and have a nice day,

There is a company which is start to be a well known company and has many people shoping from it. its a MLM Network Marketing Company called: Quest Net, their website is: www.qnet.net

This company give commissions for people who buy products from it and bring customers. (its Network Marketing)

Is this company true? can we trust this company? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 62.150.25.218 (talk) 05:35, 2 August 2010 (UTC)

Hm. You may want to look into information on the company at reliable consumer protection groups or similar, depending on where you live, there is likely an agency like the Better Business Bureau which tracks the quality of businesses. Caveat emptor is always good advice when dealing with any business, but if you want to look into the trustworthiness of a business, you should start with the BBB or equivalent organization for where the business is located. --Jayron32 05:41, 2 August 2010 (UTC)

It appears to be a pyramid scheme. Looie496 (talk) 05:52, 2 August 2010 (UTC)

Actually we have an even better article, Multi-level marketing. Looie496 (talk) 06:02, 2 August 2010 (UTC)

QuestNet used to be called 'GoldQuest' and 'GoldNet' - both of which were banned in so many countries that they had to restart the company with a new name. Here is a news report about what QuestNet is doing in Afghanistan.

MLM companies don't make their money from selling product - they make it from recruiting more and more layers of 'associates' who pay to get into the network and who are encouraged to earn more by recruiting associates than they do by selling product. The end-product is generally a flimsey front to avoid them being declared 'pyramid schemes' - which are illegal in most countries. The problem is that when they enter the market, they can recruit fast and make money quickly - but the number of people they can recruit soon saturates and the scheme collapses. If you are high up in the 'chain' in a new market, you can make money - and those are the people whose testimonials you read in their glossy adverts. The more common experience is for someone to get invited into the scheme by a friend or neighbor who is trying to be in a position of earning money from the people he or she recruits. You pay to buy your initial stock of 'product' - and are encouraged to recruit more people to do the actual selling for you - but any people you do manage to recruit are in turn encouraged to work on getting people to work for them rather than actually selling product...and so on down the chain.

Of course, eventually, every sufficiently gullible friend and neighbor is already pulled into the scheme and the only way for anyone to make money is to actually sell product. This is where the problem hits...how do you sell this stuff? It's generally overpriced because the company is supporting a gajillion layers of "management" - every penny of what you spend on your product is shared up the chain through half a dozen to a dozen 'upstream' people. What's worse, who are you going to sell it to? All of your friends and neighbors are either trying to sell the exact same product as you - or are smart enough to know it's a scam and not touch the stuff. So you have to go door-to-door - literally knocking on people's doors trying to sell them stuff. Well, if you'd known at the outset that this is actually the way to make money - you'd have done better to go to some bulk-buy warehouse, buy your product directly from them (without the half-dozen middle-men taking a cut) and take all of the profits yourself. Of course nobody wants to do that because it's a miserable way to make money - but they are all taken in by the idea of recruiting more people to do the work for you so you can just sit back and rake in THEIR earnings. It's a ridiculous concept.

I read somewhere that 95% of the products of MLM companies are eventually used by the down-stream 'associates' and never sold to people outside of the network at all. One survey showed that only 0.1% (one person in a thousand) ever turns a profit from working for an MLM! I strongly encourage you to avoid any and all MLM's...they skate as close to the legal boundaries of being labelled an illegal pyramid scheme as they can...and many of them go beyond that - raking up as much cash as they can before being declared illegal - and starting up again with another new name. SteveBaker (talk) 13:29, 2 August 2010 (UTC)

Airey Neave, in which fort/camp was he held?

Dear Sirs, I would like to know what number fort in Thorn, Poland, which was part of Stalag Airey Neave was taken to after his capture in France 1941. He had a high position at the Nuremburg War Crime trials after the WW2. I was captured in Greece and was transported to Fort 15 in Thorn(Torun.)He eventually escaped successfully from Colditz in 1942. I have just read his book "They have their Exits" —Preceding unsigned comment added by 110.175.72.165 (talk) 06:58, 2 August 2010 (UTC)

I have reformatted this question in its own section. If you read the article on Airey Neave it tells you that it was Stalag XX-A. Naturally WP has an article about it! Richard Avery (talk) 07:33, 2 August 2010 (UTC)

Describing irregular job in the CV

How do you describe an irregular job pattern in your CV? Like being a private tutor every now and then for three years? If you write 3 years as a private tutor, it seems like a full-time job.--Mr.K. (talk) 16:42, 2 August 2010 (UTC)

"Private tutor (part-time)" would seem sufficient to me. The real trick about CVs is to not be misleading. If you were a private tutor once for 5 minutes 3 years ago, and once for 5 minutes today, you wouldn't want to put the thing on the resume at all, presumably. But if you are trying to indicate that on-and-off you've done it, putting something like "part-time" in parentheses after the job description is probably enough. If they want to know more, they'll ask. --Mr.98 (talk) 17:26, 2 August 2010 (UTC)

"Part-time" suggests you did it every week, but less than 35 hours a week. That's different from lots of temporary jobs. --Tango (talk) 18:00, 2 August 2010 (UTC)

Eh, I think it gets the general gist across. I doubt they care whether it was an every-week sort of thing. If it was once or twice, then I would avoid it, but if it's the kind of thing you do for a few months here and there every year, I don't think "part time" would really be all that much of an exaggeration. If they care about details, they'll ask. --Mr.98 (talk) 20:16, 2 August 2010 (UTC)

It depends on the details. If it was a few instances of a few months at a time, then you could just list the periods (eg. "May 2004-August 2004, December 2004-April 2005, July 2005-September 2005"). If it was lots of shorter periods, then you could say something like "(Part-time) Private tutor for various periods totalling 4 months between 2003 and 2006". Remember, a CV doesn't need to be very detailed. It's a summary of your experience and qualification designed to get you an interview. The details come in the interview stage. --Tango (talk) 18:00, 2 August 2010 (UTC)

You probably already have on your CV chronologically ordered information about your education and possibly some previous employment. Consider mentioning your irregular tutoring under a separate heading such as "Other work experience". Cuddlyable3 (talk) 18:05, 2 August 2010 (UTC)

If you were self-employed, as many tutors are, you could simply write "self-employed from year x to now" if it ended or "from year x to year y". —Preceding unsigned comment added by Quest09 (talk • contribs) 18:32, 2 August 2010 (UTC)

That's rather misleading. You don't want to get an interview and then have them realise you haven't been entirely honest and reject you for that even though you would be good at the job. --Tango (talk) 18:59, 2 August 2010 (UTC)

Describe it as Casual work? AlmostReadytoFly (talk) 09:19, 3 August 2010 (UTC)

Or as "occasional" work. -- Jack of Oz ... speak! ... 09:55, 3 August 2010 (UTC)

Betting on the ponies

Disclaimer 1: If this belongs on the Math desk, please advise. I'm posting here because there's a LOT of smart people here anyway...

Disclaimer 2: websearching for any keywords I can think of so far has returned thousands of hits on How To Bet, or what the various betting terms mean, which is absolutely NOT what I'm after. SO,

Are there any "after-the-fact" statistics on horse racing and betting, that would answer questions like (1) How often does the favorite NOT finish first? or (2) Does betting on an in-the-money jockey or trainer have a statistically significant effect, or is it a red herring?

Also, as I'm still learning about this fine sport, I have a couple other more basic questions: It appears, for instance, that there is a separate pool of dollars for win, place, and show. This implies to me that (3) there's really no correlation between the (displayed) odds of winning vs the (non-displayed) odds of placing or showing -- right?. If true, this might also mean that (4) I should (or should not?) pay attention to the pool dollars when trying to decide whether to enter a place bet (if place$ > show$) or show (if show$ > place$) bet; I currently believe only that a small total dollar amount in the place pool, for example, means that subsequent wagers can impact the odds more easily.

Any serious bettors out there who just KNOW this stuff because they do it so often?

Thanks, DaHorsesMouth (talk) 21:06, 2 August 2010 (UTC)

I'm unaware of any studies - but there are a couple of gross statistics that are worth considering:

1. The people who set the odds are professionals. Any information that you might have, they also have. Any known, effective, statistical techniques will probably be in their arsenal.
2. Bookmakers don't often go out of business. Ergo, they make more money than they lose. Since taxes, employees and building rent have to be paid from their winnings, they must make quite a lot more money than they lose.

SteveBaker (talk) 23:31, 2 August 2010 (UTC)

I'm not really qualified to answer because I'm the exact opposite of your required respondent (for reasons clearly stated by Steve above), but I would support your last-mentioned belief, and would also suspect that the correlation mentioned in (3) is positive but fairly small and thus only a small amount of attention would be appropriate in (4). Perhaps someone else can guide you to published statistics or to some analysis of results. Dbfirs 23:53, 2 August 2010 (UTC)

The bookies don't set the odds based on who they think will win (except for the starting odds). The set the odds based on how people are betting. If the bookie does their job right, then they will pay out almost exactly the same amount regardless of who wins (if the favourite wins, they'll pay lots of small winners, if an outside chance wins, they'll pay a few large winners). Being a good bookie has very little to do with knowing how to predict winners and everything to do with mathematics. If you want to win money on average, you aren't competing with the bookies (they are mathematically guaranteed to profit on every race, you can't change that), you are competing with the other betters. You need to have more/better information (either by better research or better analysis) than your fellow betters. There is nothing more to it than that. --Tango (talk) 00:03, 3 August 2010 (UTC)

Enjoy this excellent study, which I think answers some of your questions. It is about the favourite-longshot bias in horse racing, which is an observation that over the decades, bettors consistently undervalue the favorite and overvalue the longshot. You may need to search the citations for the exact data you're looking for. Comet Tuttle (talk) 23:58, 2 August 2010 (UTC)

I don't know about off-track betting, but aren't the odds at the race track a function of how much money is bet on each horse? Like if the pre-race longshoot, Feitlebaum, 20-1, suddenly found lots of bets being placed on him, he wouldn't be a long shot by the time the race started. This, by the way, is one thing that tipped off the experts during the 1919 World Series. The White Sox came in as heavy favorites, but there was so much money placed on the Reds that the odds shifted in their favor. ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 00:16, 3 August 2010 (UTC)

Or exactly what Tango said above... --Jayron32 04:07, 3 August 2010 (UTC)

OP's response

There's lots of good information above, and a fair amount of, not misinformation exactly, but misguided information, which I'd like to clarify before this question goes to the archives.

I caused part of the problem: it is generally my habit to compose and wordsmith my questions offline, before logging in and previewing and posting. Somewhere in that process, the very important word parimutuel got dropped, which would have indicated to some of you that I'm in the U.S. and am interested in U.S. practice. (Favorite vs. favourite might also have given that away :-) ).

One thing that came out of Comet Tuttle's excellent reference is that apparently the entire betting scenario in the U.S. is completely different from that in the U.K. (and from Australia as well) -- I had no idea. Thus, Baker's comments, while certainly appropriate in the U.K., are completely inapplicable to my situation. Specifically, for those readers with a U.K. background, in Parimutuel betting one is betting ONLY against other bettors, not professionals.

Then, for anyone who's curious about the answer to question 1, the same excellent paper provides the answer in paragraph 1 of page 1, although only on a "rate of return" basis: betting on the favorite returns -5.5% on average, and that's a heckuvalot better than the other scenarios that were analysed.

Resolved

 – Thanks for everything!

DaHorsesMouth (talk) 02:21, 4 August 2010 (UTC)

I thought the same thing about the "professionals set the odds" statement above... most of those odds should be at equilibrium, and frankly I'd expect the conglomeration of betters to be better than any one "expert." Still, I think the longitudinal study issue is exactly the kind of thing you're interested in. Anybody know of a database of horse races paired with the historic betting odds on those races? Shadowjams (talk) 04:33, 4 August 2010 (UTC)

August 3

Any real counterpart for my dream sword?

I dreamed about an elegant unsheated sword last night. It looks European in origin, straight, double-edged and is about 5'5" in height (don't ask me how I learned its height, I just knew that info in that dream!). The crossguard is a straight bar and seems to be golden or bronze. The grip was made of a dark material, probably bound strips of leather. The blade itself looks like steel. The blade was beautiful but I told myself it is a pity that I can't wield it because it is bigger than me. (do historical warriors use swords bigger than themselves?)

Any idea what is the closest real counterpart of my dream weapon? Probably with almost the same details as mine.

I won't be asking about what the dream means (I think that's beyond the ref desk's duties anyways) but I won't mind if you want to play Oneiromancer:).--Lenticel ^(talk) 02:58, 3 August 2010 (UTC)

It sounds a bit unwieldy, in that if it had the mass per unit length of a typical sword, it would be hard to swing it fast enough to sword fight effectively, although if your opponent were considerate enough to stand still, it should be easy to inflict ghastly wounds. Edison (talk) 03:02, 3 August 2010 (UTC)

Re the length, see Zweihänder. At over 6', it is longer than many people are tall. Dismas|^(talk) 03:20, 3 August 2010 (UTC)

Could also be another type of Greatsword. --Jayron32 03:48, 3 August 2010 (UTC)

you didn't grab it and go charging into any mossy caves, did you? --Ludwigs2 04:02, 3 August 2010 (UTC)

BTW, I can't see any of these rediculously long swords and NOT think of the video for Holy Diver. --Jayron32 04:05, 3 August 2010 (UTC)

Claymores are big, but they're not THAT big. Remember that the bigger the sword, the more heavier they are going to be, greatly attributing to the difficulty of handling it. If it not a Zweihänder, I don't know what it could be, because that thing was the longest (and heaviest) piece of steel that I've ever seen. It is most likely that the sword is, as stated in your question, just an imaginary manifestation in a dream. Anyone would like to tell me what was the largest sword ever made? 64.75.158.194 (talk) 11:33, 3 August 2010 (UTC)

Re: "what was the largest sword ever made?" Probably impossible to say, but the Japanese had 'large' swords designed to be wielded by two samurai that were intended to remove the legs from horses. See Zanbatō. On a trip to Japan I saw such a swordblade. It was at least 5-6 feet long, as far as I can recall. The Zanbatō article mentions that very long swords "were solely used for ceremonial purposes". See also Ōdachi and some pictures [here] --220.101 (talk)^\Contribs 12:38, 3 August 2010 (UTC)

Our article Two-handed sword offers several other possibilities. Dreams don't have meanings - they are most likely just the brain's way of reorganizing memory into a more compact and accessible representation. While that re-org is going on, things don't make a lot of sense for a while. Hence, we shut down and sleep while this chaos is going on. Normally, we don't remember the process - but if you happen to wake up while the dream is in progress, you'll have a disorganised mess in your short-term memory...and it won't make sense because it's not a real memory but a hotchpotch of stuff that happened to be being rearranged at the moment you awoke.

You might find the WikiCommons 'Category Swords' useful for finding a similar-looking thing.

SteveBaker (talk) 13:38, 3 August 2010 (UTC)

Dreams do or at least can have meaning, but it's a meaning pretty much knowable only by the dreamer. There are certainly recurring themes in dreams, for example as expressed in the scene in Bull Durham where Nuke Laloosh dreams he's playing baseball wearing nothing but a jockstrap. Crash Davis tells him he has that same dream all the time. That's a classic "anxiety dream". But it's unwise to try to read too much into dreams. Dreams are basically just your head messing with you. :) ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 13:49, 3 August 2010 (UTC)

I think both Steve and Bugs are perhaps speculating a bit far as to the "meaning" of dreams. We don't really have a very firm idea of why people dream (or even why they sleep). There are some plausible-sounding theories, to be sure, but none of them are very strong empirically, so far as I understand. To argue for their total lack of signifying internal states seems to me a bit rash (especially since there are some dreams which seem common across cultures), though to put as much stake in their revelatory power as, say, Freud did, seems certainly too far as well. --Mr.98 (talk) 15:58, 3 August 2010 (UTC)

"Dreams are basically just your head messing with you" Ah, good to know we have a professional presence Richard Avery (talk) 18:54, 3 August 2010 (UTC)

Freud was a professional. How well did he do with the subject? (See 98's note for further commentary.) ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 18:57, 3 August 2010 (UTC)

Maybe "meaning" is overstating it. If someone is in tune with their own head and what's going on, the dreams could "make sense". But that doesn't mean that dreams have any highly mystical significance, such as predicting the future or other such malarkey. ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 18:56, 3 August 2010 (UTC)

Please stop. This is a Reference Desk, and we supply references, not offhand, poorly thought out opinions. Dream interpretation is the relevant article, if anyone must know. Comet Tuttle (talk) 20:05, 3 August 2010 (UTC)

An editor said that dreams are meaningless, and he was wrong. So either go talk to him or keep your trap shut. ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 13:43, 4 August 2010 (UTC)

<reset> Uh guys, I think you took my Oneiromancy joke too seriously... Anyways, based on your answers it seems to be a Claymore. It matches everything even, the 5' 5" length. Actually, it looks a lot like File:Wallace svärd.jpg minus the "curls" on the guard. Thanks for the help :)--Lenticel ^(talk) 01:32, 4 August 2010 (UTC)

Music/podcasts on iTunes

Like with apps, are music and podcasts reviewed by Apple before they're put on the iTunes store? I guess they'd just put an explicit tag on rude stuff, but does anything ever get rejected? Thanks. Chevymontecarlo - alt 12:30, 3 August 2010 (UTC)

Loops of material on the back of trainers?

My second question; why do you get little loops of material on the back of trainers? Is it spare/too hard to remove or it is just design? Thanks. Chevymontecarlo - alt 12:33, 3 August 2010 (UTC)

I always assumed it was so that you could hang them on things. SteveBaker (talk) 13:30, 3 August 2010 (UTC)

Aren't they just the same thing as bootstraps? AlmostReadytoFly (talk) 15:09, 3 August 2010 (UTC)

I always believed it was because proper running shoes need to be a tight fit; the loop is to hold onto when you pull them on. Alansplodge (talk) 18:29, 3 August 2010 (UTC)

Ah, I had no idea. I just came across it the other day when I noticed all the trainers I could see had them. Weird...anyway, thanks for the ideas/theories. I had never heard of bootstraps before :O Chevymontecarlo - alt 19:57, 3 August 2010 (UTC)

A little research reveals the existence of "Boot hooks" which engage in those loops to help you pull on difficult shoes and boots. See the red-handled gizmos in the image at right. You insert the metal end of the hooks into the loops on the back of the shoes and yank on the handles to pull them on. SteveBaker (talk) 03:15, 4 August 2010 (UTC)

Ah, so they're a bit like a shoe horn - they help you get the shoes on. Thanks for the research guys, very helpful. Chevymontecarlo - alt 05:24, 4 August 2010 (UTC)

Take caution. On many shoes today the loops are just there for show and tradition, and aren't as strong as they need to be. Imagine when one breaks as you are pulling your shoe on, and you chuck the point of the hook hard into the back of your leg. /88.131.68.194 (talk) 06:40, 4 August 2010 (UTC)

That's true! Chevymontecarlo 09:34, 4 August 2010 (UTC)

Spas in Las Vegas hotels

Hello,

My internet connection is blacked out but I need to find information on spas in Las Vegas hotels. I`m looking specifically for the Belaggio, but anything will help. I have searched Wikipedia for 3 days now and can`t find anything. Could you copy and paste the spa `menu`, please?

Thanks so much! —Preceding unsigned comment added by 198.96.178.33 (talk) 16:10, 3 August 2010 (UTC)

I won't ask how it is you can access Wikipedia but not Belaggio, but anyway: what exactly are you looking for? The spa page for the Belaggio does not say much by itself, just a list of services, and you have to drill down for more specific information. The headings are "SPA PACKAGES", "SPA RESERVATIONS", "FITNESS CENTER", "MASSAGE THERAPIES", "WORLD THERAPIES", "FACIAL CARE", "BODY CARE", "HYDROTHERAPY", "WAXING & BEAUTY CARE", and "SPA ETIQUETTE GUIDE". I've put "Spa packages" down below, as it is seems like it would be the most useful given your vague query above.

Extended content

Pamper Party Custom Pamper Party Packages available tailored to your needs. Choose any service offered on the menu. Ask about food and beverage options. The Meditation Room $50 (per hour) Usage is included with the Spa Journey, Couples Reflection and Spa Splendor Package. May add as an upgrade or (option 1). May be added as an upgrade or (option 2) included with another service. Please contact the Spa Package Coordinator for pricing and details. Advance reservation is required. Rest and Relaxation Package $470 (per person) Receive 50 minutes of soothing warmth and refreshment with our Bellagio Signature Stone Massage. Get pampered with a specialized Bellagio Signature Face and Body treatment for the remaining 80 minutes. Duration: 150 minutes For the Ladies Package $310 (per person) Start with a 50-minute Aromatherapy Massage. Feel the effects under the healing waters of our 25-minute Vichy Shower Body Exfoliation. Finish with a 25-minute relaxing all natural hydrotherapy bath. Duration: 120 minutes Spa Journey Package $370 (per person) Enjoy a 25-minute Indian Head Massage session. Followed by our 70-minute Thai Yoga Massage. End with a moisturising parafin hand and foot treatment. While in the Meditation Room, you will receive a complimentary beverage and enjoy a Spa Light lunch. Duration: 150 minutes Couples Reflection Package $540 (per person) Self indulgence for you and your partner by unwinding and relaxing side by side during our custom couples massage. Discover and learn to float your partner with a Watsu Therapist in the warm Watsu pool. This tandem soak is the height of the 70 minute Watsu experience. Choose from any 50 minute facial from our treatment menu and pamper the skin after you emerge from the water. While in the Meditation Room, you can enjoy a smoothie, specialty drink or light snack. Duration: 210 minutes Spa Splendor Package $470 (per person) Enjoy a 70-minute aquatic Watsu massage experience in our luxurious Watsu Room. Relax during a 50-minute Bellagio hand, foot, scalp Royal Ritual. Finish with a 25-minute luxurious Body Polish Treatment to gently exfoliate your skin. While in the Meditation Room, you can enjoy a specialty drink or light snack. Duration: 180 minutes Services and prices are subject to change. Hours of Operation: Open daily 6 a.m. - 8 p.m. Reservations: Spa Bellagio takes reservations three months in advance. We suggest you make your reservations as far in advance as possible due to limitations on select appointments. Call 702.693.7472 for reservations. Spa Brochure: View Brochure

After you are done with it, we will probably delete the content above to avoid any copyright questions. --Mr.98 (talk) 17:06, 3 August 2010 (UTC)

Thanks, I`m at work and Wikipedia is the only website I can access, but a client asked me to find out prices for the spas for them. Your answer was just what I needed! —Preceding unsigned comment added by 198.96.178.33 (talk) 17:30, 3 August 2010 (UTC)

Well if you can only access one site, this is a good one. Googlemeister (talk) 19:04, 3 August 2010 (UTC)

French features

First of all, I realize that in any nationality there is natural variation and physical features cannot be used to identify someone as a member of any nationality with absolute certainty. HOwever I need to know some physical features that imply or strongly suggest French ancestry. THis can be recent ancestry if necessary. 70.239.234.196 (talk) 16:41, 3 August 2010 (UTC)

I'm afraid that the French look much like their neighbors. In particular, northern French tend to look like Belgians or Englishmen, southern French like northern Italians or Spaniards. Marco polo (talk) 01:49, 4 August 2010 (UTC)

You might hear the expression "Gallic features", but what exactly that is supposed to mean, I don't know. (I guess a man who looks like Charles de Gaulle and a woman who looks like Audrey Tautou?) Adam Bishop (talk) 02:55, 4 August 2010 (UTC)

No - there is far too much interbreeding with other nationalities for that kind of thing to persist. For genetic differences to build to the level of making a distinctive feature, you need some kind of barrier to interbreeding - and continental Europe really doesn't provide that. My wife is French - and neither her nor any of her family have anything obviously, distinctively French. SteveBaker (talk) 03:11, 4 August 2010 (UTC)

Without anything suggesting it's based in reality, I've often heard of a prominent nose being associated with French heritage, particularly provincial French heritage (see Gerard Depardieu for a frequently cited "example"). I'm not aware of anything that suggests that French people ACTUALLY have noses of any particular shape more often than the average but that might do for your purposes, which sound like they're for some fictional creation. - 115.186.196.83 (talk) 06:47, 4 August 2010 (UTC)

When talking about his drawings for the Asterix comics, artist Albert Uderzo has said that he pays particular attention to the noses; the Gauls have to have a "proper Gallic nose" (in his illustrations, large and bulbous) to distinguish them from the Romans, Britons, and others. Matt Deres (talk) 13:21, 4 August 2010 (UTC)

Note, however, that the Gauls were conventionally 'Celts' who, traditionally, were largely displaced from all but the western peninsulas of modern France by the Franks, a Germanic tribe, much as the Britons (now the Welsh - Anglo-Saxon for "foreigners") were supposedly similarly displaced by the Germanic Anglo-Saxons (now the English) in Great Britain. However, recent genetic research may have introduced some doubts about this simple conventional model. I recall reading or being told, though I cannot adduce a reference, that although the Asterix books are otherwise well historically grounded, their depicted appearances of the Gauls actually resemble the real appearances of the Franks of the period. 87.81.230.195 (talk) 20:06, 4 August 2010 (UTC)

As SteveBaker notes, there's just been far too much mobility in Western Europe to have any European nation retain a distinctive set of features. Considering France, the current president, Nicolas Sarkozy, is of Hungarian ancestry, while France has had other leaders, such as Patrice MacMahon (of Irish background), or Napoleon Bonaparte, who was Corsican (read: Italian). It has been that way for hundreds of years. --Jayron32 06:02, 5 August 2010 (UTC)

There's all sorts of ways to interpret "a distinctive set of features":

• A set of features shared by everybody of a certain nationality, and nobody else
• A set of features shared by most people of a certain nationality, and not many other people
• A set of features which are noted for cropping up in a certain country a bit more often than elsewhere
• A set of features which are statistically likely to correlate with a certain nationality, but you wouldn't notice the trend unless you did a survey.

Are you saying that even the last of these is impossible in France? And the second to last (which is what the OP asked for)? Wurstgeist (talk) 01:34, 6 August 2010 (UTC)

Electric heater

I live in Atlanta, Georgia. Last year, my monthly gas bill for heating my 1 bedroom apartment was about $110 in January. Do you think that I can save my by buying an electric heater?--72.145.151.60 (talk) 21:57, 3 August 2010 (UTC)

Purely anecdotally- a few years ago, my furnace broke, and I had to heat my apartment with an electric heater for about a month while they were repeatedly fixing it. My gas bill went way down, but my electric bill went up so much that I ended up breaking more or less even. -FisherQueen (talk · contribs) 21:59, 3 August 2010 (UTC)

Does Atlanta have unusually cheap electricity? Because it is usually more expensive to heat by electricity than by gas. By the way, your January gas bill for a 1-bedroom apartment was about half of my usual January gas bill for a 1-bedroom apartment in Massachusetts, but that's no surprise. Marco polo (talk) 01:50, 4 August 2010 (UTC)

Generally, gas is a cheaper form of energy than electricity (a fair amount of electricity is made from gas - and that big power plant ain't free!) - but electric space-heaters are essentially 100% efficient - and gas heaters certainly aren't. So the devil is in the details. Just how much less is gas than electricity in your part of the world? Just how inefficient is your gas heater? We don't know the answers to either of those questions - so we can't answer your question rigorously. SteveBaker (talk) 03:28, 4 August 2010 (UTC)

Gas heaters aren't? Electric heater are? That requires some assumptions. Surely, burning gas from a gas stove will give you 100% of chemical energy in the form of hear (in fact, it will usually give you slightly more than that, because you get the latent heat of part of the combustion product (water) condensing) for free). Now if you have a boiler in the basement, and need to pipe the heat up, you will certainly lose some energy - but then the same is true for electricity (substantially) on the way from the power plant to your home and (in principle) on the way from the meter to the heater. And if we talk thermodynamic efficiency, of course, electricity is obviously out if its generated via any kind of plausible heat engine. --Stephan Schulz (talk) 15:51, 4 August 2010 (UTC)

In a gas heater, a significant portion of the heat goes out the chimney with the exhaust, while an electric heater is only heating the interior of a room (which is presumably what you're trying to heat, rather than the outdoors). Buddy431 (talk) 19:43, 4 August 2010 (UTC)

If a significant portion of the heat goes out the chimney, you need a better heating system. See Condensing boiler. --Stephan Schulz (talk) 22:40, 4 August 2010 (UTC)

The article you linked to says that practical condensing boilers are 82 to 89% efficient. If 11 to 18% isn't "a significant portion of the heat" - then...um...well, it is significant OK?! SteveBaker (talk) 03:16, 5 August 2010 (UTC)

Perhaps an important point, and I think the one SS was trying to make above even if perhaps poorly worded is that while electric heaters are close to 100% efficient at converting electricity to heat, converting gas into electricity into heat isn't generally very efficient. So if your electricity largely comes from gas, then going directly to heat will usually be more efficient. This is one of the reasons why the price of gas is usually cheaper per unit of energy then electricity as several people including SB have hinted at.

Note that while it doesn't sound like this is relevant to the OP, if the temperature difference (between the outside and what you want inside) isn't too extreme, a heat pump will have a better coefficient of performance and so may be the most cost effective option of all ignoring the initial outlay. They are definitely likely to be more cost effective then a normal electric resistance heater under the circumstances I mentioned (small temperature difference, ignoring outlay). However these are fairly expensive so may take a long time to make up for that and require installation etc. (You may also end up spending more if you start to cool the house as well.) Of course other factors like the area you heat and the temperature you heat to will also make a difference. Better insulation may often be a better spend then a heat pump. If the temperature difference is large, then they start to lose their advantage although a geothermal heat pump may be another option (likely to be even more expensive).

Nil Einne (talk) 12:22, 5 August 2010 (UTC)

A furnace designer explained once that he could make a furnace achieve any desired efficiency by adding more heat exchange surface, but a requirement was that the exhaust gasses leave the chimney before the highly corrosive combustion products condensed, so he was limited to 80% efficiency, given typical code chimneys. Higher efficiency would have creosote dribbling down the inside of the chimney. Modern high efficiency furnaces go ahead and let the exhaust condense, then let it drip from a pvc pipe onto the ground (pollution, much?). Other modern furnaces use forced draft to get the combustion products out. So a really crappy old furnace might be in the 70's, a very efficient modern one might be in the 90's. An electric heater will be 100% efficient if it operates in the heated space. But the gas is usually way cheaper per unit of heat energy provided than the electricity. If you only heat the area you are in with a little electric heater, leaving the thermostat set low just to keep pipes from freezing in the rest of the house, you might save money. Note that a typical US electric portable space heater might draw 12.5 amps, thus using up the capacity of one household circuit. You cannot go around plugging in multiple heaters on one circuit, or on a circuit that runs lights and other appliances. Edison (talk) 03:41, 5 August 2010 (UTC)

August 4

Royal Air Force university bursary

Anyone know how many years of service you're committed to if you accept an RAF student bursary? I can't find it on the RAF site and don't want to blow my chances by calling them to ask. Much competition for these bursaries...! 86.151.94.48 (talk) 02:30, 4 August 2010 (UTC)

This page says it is typically 6 years. --Tango (talk) 03:29, 4 August 2010 (UTC)

UKFOREX, foreign exchange servicies also known as OZFOREX.

Hi there, basically how safe is my money as I want to transfer Sterling into Dollars in my US account? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 90.212.224.25 (talk) 07:24, 4 August 2010 (UTC)

Where to find a voice of a show character

I am blind, and i cannot read the credits for cyberchase. Where and how can i find the voices of characters on cyberchase, for example, punksy the ground hoggian from the episode 'the bluebird of zappiness' if i am not sure whether it is this t. sturgeon i heard about or not. Help would be greatly appreciated. 204.112.104.172 (talk) 07:38, 4 August 2010 (UTC)

Hi, you might want to take a look at the Wikipedia Entertainment reference desk and ask your question there, as this question appears to be more suited to the users working there instead. Chevymontecarlo 09:37, 4 August 2010 (UTC)

I M D B is generally a good source of such information. For your query, "Punksy" is not listed, but in general you would do as follows. Warning - I don't know how easy I M D B is to use with screen readers. On I M D B s main page, which is www.imdb.com, there is a search box at the top. It has a category drop-down and a search field. Leave the category on "All". In the search box enter "Cyber chase", without the space, and in double quotes. The quotes indicates that you are looking for a TV series, not a film. If there is one exact match you will be taken to the program's summary page, otherwise you will be given a list of the best matches. In the summary page, on the left sidebar, there is a "full cast and crew" link. Follow the link. All the bit-parts, even for one episode, will be listed. However, the results depends on the production studio, or I M D B s users adding the details; not all studios provide full details, and it can take a while for users to add them. You can also search directly for the episode by entering its name on the search box and selecting "TV episodes". This will take you to page about that specific episode. CS Miller (talk) 10:54, 4 August 2010 (UTC)

street name in Mumbai

In the Byculla area of South Mumbai, there is a street called Ramchandra Bhatt Marg. Can a user please tell me: 1) The origin of this street name. 2) In a map of Mumbai this street name is followed by, within brackets, Babula Tank Road. Is this an alternative name or a former name for this street. If it is a former name, when was the name changed to Ramchandra Bhatt Marg? Thank you Simonschaim (talk) 07:59, 4 August 2010 (UTC)

3 C's of Marketing??

Do understand the three C's of marketing but what is the cruz of having them? anybody.. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 61.95.140.188 (talk) 09:39, 4 August 2010 (UTC)

Could you please explain your question a bit more clearly? ps. please sign your posts, thus:~~~~ --220.101 talk^\Contribs 10:54, 4 August 2010 (UTC)

Corporation, Customers, Competitors. See 3C's Model. ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 13:40, 4 August 2010 (UTC)

The 4Ps, 7Ps, 4Cs 7Cs are simply aides memoire to the marketing planner. Wikipedia has articles on marketing and marketing mix, and Googling 4Ps of marketing opens up many sources. So I won't write at length on the subject. Froggie34 (talk) 15:25, 4 August 2010 (UTC)

Hiroshima tsunami?

I am on holiday in Japan, and am currently in Hiroshima, where I spent the day visiting sites connected with the A-bombing in 1945. One thing I couldn't work out from the displays in the (excellent) Peace Museum was what immediate effect the blast had on the Seto Inland Sea and the towns and villages along its shores. After the fireball and shock wave, the fallout and "black rain" seem to have drifted inland on prevailing winds, mainly affecting the city centre and out toward the hills, but did the blast itself displace sufficient water in the bay to cause a tsunami in the shallow waters, affecting communities all along the shoreline? Or would this not have been the case, considering that the bomb detonated in the air rather than on the ground and nothing actually fell into the water to physically displace it, as happened with the Krakatoa explosion and the subsequent tsunamis in the shallow Sunda Strait? I wondered whether the Science desk was a better bet, but thought I'd try here first. Any enlightenment appreciated. Karenjc 10:48, 4 August 2010 (UTC)

The blast should not have displaced much if any water. The blast itself was right in the middle of the city (see the damage map, and keep in mind that most of the damage shown was caused by the firestorm, not the blast or fireball itself), 1,900 ft up in the air. It didn't leave a crater for this reason. I don't see how it would have appreciably affected the tides in any way. Nothing fell into the water other than dust/fallout/etc., and not in large quantities. Atomic explosions can cause rather large local waves when they are detonated inshallow water (see, e.g., Operation Crossroads, Baker shot), but even those dissipate pretty quickly. --Mr.98 (talk) 13:36, 4 August 2010 (UTC)

This link says the Baker shot's waves traveled at 45 knots; the first wave was still 94 feet high after having traveled 1000 yards. Comet Tuttle (talk) 16:46, 4 August 2010 (UTC)

1000 yards in an ocean still seems pretty local to me... Googlemeister (talk) 20:04, 4 August 2010 (UTC)

(ec) Though 1000 yards is still not very far by nuclear standards (it doesn't even get you to the waterline, at Hiroshima). Looking over it again, Baker seems to have produced 15 feet waves at a distance of 3 miles (more specifically, it produced 15 feet waves onto the island of Bikini, which I eyeball as being about 3 miles from the Baker blast). My quick looking at the maps seems to indicate that if Hiroshima was actually made of water, and the bomb had gone off under the surface, it might have produced 15 feet waves or so at the outer islands. I don't know if those count as "tsunami" height waves (that's only a bit higher as normal waves in choppy weather, yes?). I am not an expert on waves. But anyway, Hiroshima was very different conditions. It seems pretty unlikely to me that there were any notable water waves generated by it. --Mr.98 (talk) 20:07, 4 August 2010 (UTC)

A tsunami doesn't have to have any particular height -- the word just means a wave caused by bulk displacement of a large quantity of water. It's perfectly possible to have a 1 inch tsunami. The Hiroshima explosion clearly couldn't have created a meaningful tsunami, since the blast center was well inland. Looie496 (talk) 00:31, 5 August 2010 (UTC)

That's kind of what I figured too. Thanks for all the replies. Karenjc 07:50, 5 August 2010 (UTC)

Savings account losing money?

My boyfriend has a retirement savings plan with SunLife Financial, and we noticed that he has been LOSING money over the past 2 years. His account ought to contain $5000, but instead contains only $3890. Why is this? I looked on the SunLife website and searched wikipedia, but I can`t seem to understand why a savings account would be losing money. Aren`t they meant to gain interest, in order to save more for your retirement? If it helps, I am in Canada.

Thanks very much for your help, finances and interest and whatnot are WAY above my head. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 198.96.178.33 (talk) 16:20, 4 August 2010 (UTC)

Did you try calling them? -FisherQueen (talk · contribs) 16:33, 4 August 2010 (UTC)

You need to call them. Is it possible that the plan isn't a savings account, as you seem to be assuming, but is a mutual fund that invests in stocks? If so, the value of your boyfriend's account will rise and fall as the prices of the stocks owned by the mutual fund rise and fall. Comet Tuttle (talk) 16:35, 4 August 2010 (UTC)

Like Comet says the name you give (retirement savings plan) sounds like a investment based savings product. the value of investments can go up or down, though the 'theory' behind long term savings (through investment) is that the short term peaks and troughs are 'smoothed' and long-term growth is achieved (please don't take this to read that this is what will occur with any given plan). The nature of the product is what is important so if your boyfriend can find any documentation about the product (he should have received - at least - a policy booklet and a product summary document detailing the risks and workings of the product). If it isn't an investment plan and is just simply savings then he should ask for a statement and see if any unexpected withdrawls have been made from the account (he may have spent money without remembering specifically, he may have had his account compromised by someone etc. etc.). Best bet is to call the company though. ny156uk (talk) 17:56, 4 August 2010 (UTC)

Wikipedia does have an article about Registered Retirement Savings Plans in Canada. They can be used as savings accounts, but they can also hold mutual funds. I'll bet $10 Canadian that the boyfriend misunderstood what he'd bought, and has a mutual fund which has dipped in value because of the recent recession. What he should do about that is between him and... someone besides me, because I'm not feeling qualified to give financial advice to strangers. Especially strangers who live in a different country than I do, where things might not be the same as my things. -FisherQueen (talk · contribs) 18:03, 4 August 2010 (UTC)

Echo all the above. I deal with SunLife/Clarica and have always found their various documents to be confusingly worded. For example, I have an RRSP plan with them and it always refers to me as "The Insured". I've brought it to their attention before ("On my insurance correspondence I should be The Insured; on my investment correspondence, I should be The Client or The Investor or whatever"), but with no luck. That's just an example; there are more. They seem to do their business well enough (I've been with them for years), but reading their correspondence will not necessarily explain things clearly to you. I've always found their agents and phone operators helpful enough though, so, again, calling them directly is honestly your best option. Make sure your boyfriend has his documents in front of him, especially anything that has his account numbers or user IDs. Matt Deres (talk) 02:19, 5 August 2010 (UTC)

Incidentally, Sun Life is not a bank in the sense of providing a normal savings or chequing account; they're a financial institution that provides places for investment as well as various insurance plans. A search for Sun Life savings account brings you only this, which is more like an RRSP or GIC type thing. They are also not listed at our articles on List of banks and credit unions in Canada and Banking in Canada. Matt Deres (talk) 02:29, 5 August 2010 (UTC)

Spanish place names.

I have found on my travels to Spain, Cuba and other Spanish-language speaking destinations that some places such as Havana are preceded by La, as in La Habana, or the Canarian Isand of Gomera as La Gomera. Why is that when city names such as Seville and Toledo and Madrid stand alone, as do island names such as Tenerife, Ibiza, Formentera etc? 92.30.201.68 (talk) 18:47, 4 August 2010 (UTC)

"La" is Spanish for "The", so it would be prefixed to place names that are nouns. "La Habana" means "The Haven" or "The Harbour". Google translate tells me that "Gomera" means "rubber", but that's probably not that origin. Rojomoke (talk) 23:24, 4 August 2010 (UTC)

31 Hours

When a vandal is blocked for the first time, why is it usually for 31 hours, rather than a nice rounded 24, 48, or even 36? 2Ð ℳǣ$₮ℝʘ ^{talk, sign} 18:49, 4 August 2010 (UTC)

Many vandals use the internet at the same time of day- for example, during a study hall at school. The 31-hour block interrupts that rhythm. Not all admins do it, and although block lengths are up to the indidual admin, I usually go for 24 hours for someone who is a reasonable person who made a mistake but is likely to do better next time, and 31 hours for the person who's just adding 'Ms. Krabappel is a dyke' to the article on bacon, and who, given an interruption, might actually forget to come back and cause any more trouble. -FisherQueen (talk · contribs) 18:56, 4 August 2010 (UTC)

That did puzzle me too at first, and I still think it's too long for a vandal on a home ISP connection. Surely they all know how to reset a router, if they are determined to keep vandalising - which means the 31 hour block will catch the next person assigned that IP. 6 hours or so sounds more like it. But then again, I'm hardly an expert even if you count my IP-based lurking before this account :) Cod Lover Oil (talk) 19:13, 4 August 2010 (UTC)

Most school and college IP addresses are fixed. I think 31 hours sounds a good idea. I agree that nothing works for those with changing addresses (mine seems to change at random every few minutes), but most vandals are not determined or knowledgeable enough to deliberately change IP addresses. Those people who get blocked because of the vandalism of others are encouraged to create an account. Dbfirs 22:37, 4 August 2010 (UTC)

Also, vandals are mostly idiots with short attention-spans. Very few are determined enough to persist in the face of blocks or smart enough to know how DHCP works. SteveBaker (talk) 03:05, 5 August 2010 (UTC)

Note that even with ISPs, quite a few nowadays are giving semi-fixed IPs with broadband connections (some will usually re-assign the same IP if you login again with a few hours, for some it's semi-static althougn not sold or guaranteed as such). Also even if it's completely dynamic and the vandal does inadvertedly or purposely go thorough the bother of changing IP, the chance the next person assigned the IP, presuming someone even gets it in the time, actually tries to edit wikipedia in that time is probably fairly slim. One exception may be something like Dbfirs where a large number of users may end up with the IP. This used to be a problem for AOL until they implemented XFF I believe. Nil Einne (talk) 11:46, 5 August 2010 (UTC)

If a username is given a permanent block for being vandalism-only, for how long is the associated IP blocked from account creation? 142.104.54.142 (talk) 01:26, 5 August 2010 (UTC)

What was your registered account name here? ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 17:53, 5 August 2010 (UTC)

Wikipedia:Autoblock only lasts 24 hours although if I understand that page and some discussion correctly, the timer is reset if someone tries to edit from the autoblocked IP within that 24 hours. If a checkuser is involved and they block the IPs manually they could I presume block it for longer. Nil Einne (talk) 11:54, 5 August 2010 (UTC)

Soldiers; Ear Damage from Guns?

Frequently, signs and instructors at gun ranges say that fire arms are louder than jets taking off and can damage the ear, hence necessitating the use of ear protectors. Do soldiers wear ear protectors in combat? If not, wouldn't their ear/hearing be completely ravaged by repeated firing of their gun and the gun of their squad mates? Acceptable (talk) 20:09, 4 August 2010 (UTC)

Here is a thread about this from this last May, from the Science Reference Desk. Ear protection has been standard-issue for US Army soldiers since 2002, but a challenge is getting the soldiers to wear the earplugs. Comet Tuttle (talk) 21:13, 4 August 2010 (UTC)

Wow, that last discussion had some pretty dubious stuff in it.. some random person suspecting that people hurt their ears more with an ipod than with a rifle? Sounds pretty fishy to me. There is the issue of hearing other things you WANT to hear with earplugs in, but I don't see this as a huge issue. If you shoot your rifle a bit without protection, you won't be hearing very well right after that, either. They could of course use active hearing protection which can amplify quiet sounds while damping loud sounds, but I don't know how commonly these are issued. They're definitely more expensive than plain old earplugs. But anyway, yes, regularly shooting a gun without ear protection will certainly cause some hearing loss. I find the sound of a .223 more unpleasant than most larger caliber rifles, especially through a short barrel, but I don't know how much this matters to the actual hearing damage they cause. Friday (talk) 16:00, 5 August 2010 (UTC)

There was a lot of claims by Irish soldiers against the government read the article on it Irish Army deafness claims Mo ainm~Talk 17:00, 5 August 2010 (UTC)

Fairview, Alberta, Canada Hardware store

Hi,

A google and wikipedia searched turned up nothing, so I turn to you: What is the name of the hardware store on Main Street in Fairview, Alberta, Canada (northern - for some reason, there are 2 Fairviews in Alberta coming up).

Thanks so much!

I did a Google Maps search for main street, fairview, alberta, canada and it directed me to only one area, but the name of the town seems to be Whitelaw, so there seems to be a little confusion. Before we get any further, is this the street you're asking about? It's not too far from Fairview, Alberta (just down the No. 2, by the look of it), so I'm assuming Google just gave me the Main Street that's closest to that town. BTW, my search for fairview, alberta, canada only got the one hit, though there doesn't seem to be a "Main Street" in the town. Matt Deres (talk) 21:47, 4 August 2010 (UTC)

Hmm. A search for whitelaw, alberta hardware didn't return any local businesses on "Main Street". There are plenty in Fairview, though; perhaps browsing the list here will help. There's no Main Street in Fairview, though, so something's not adding up. Matt Deres (talk) 21:52, 4 August 2010 (UTC)

According to Google maps, there is True Value Hardware, 110 Street, Fairview, AB T0H 1L0, (780) 835-5926, which is right in the centre of Fairview, Alberta (town) the northern-most Fairview. The other Fairview appears to not have a hardware store, but it is very close (maybe even a suburb) to Lethbridge which appears to have plenty of hardware stores. Astronaut (talk) 13:17, 5 August 2010 (UTC)

August 5

US Response to Taken

I recently watched the film Taken starring Liam Neeson, which depicts a pair of US teens being kidnapped on a trip to France by Albanian terrorists and sold into prostitution. Suppose a situation like that happens in real life, where a pair of attractive US teen girls are kidnapped in a France, a first-world country. How quick and overwhelming would State Department's response be? Suppose further, that like in the movie, the French intelligence agency was corrupt, what actions could the US take in order to ensure the safe return of the two citizens? Acceptable (talk) 17:43, 5 August 2010 (UTC)

• Direct link to Taken (film) (link in title goes to dab page) -- 220.101talk^\Contribs 06:14, 6 August 2010 (UTC)

You mean like the Natalie Holloway situation? ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 17:51, 5 August 2010 (UTC)

I find it unlikely that the US itself would really take much action at all. Maybe a harshly worded letter from the State Department if the kidnapped were related to someone important, but there would be almost no chance of a Hollywood style commando rescue from the US Army or anything like that. Especially if the French government itself were not cooperating. The US does not have any jurisdiction in France. Googlemeister (talk) 18:18, 5 August 2010 (UTC)

If the press got hold of it, the US President might phone the French President and stress the importance of getting them back and offer any assistance the French might need. Of course, the French President knows how important it is and the French are just as capable of getting back kidnapped teens as the US, and the US President knows all that, so he probably wouldn't both calling if the media weren't making a big deal out of the story and therefore it would be bad for his approval ratings to not be seen to be doing something. If someone did half the things "Bryan" is described as doing in the plot summary in our article (I haven't seen the film) they would almost certainly end up in jail. It's possible that, if he did manage to get back the US before the French authorities worked out who had left that trail of bodies (which doesn't sound like it would have been hard), he might be able to pull a few strings (as an apparently high-level CIA officer, he would have a few contacts in high places) and avoid extradition, but he'd never be able to travel to Europe again (under his own passport, anyway). --Tango (talk) 18:45, 5 August 2010 (UTC)

The recent detentions of Americans in Iran and North Korea under questionable circumstances aren't exactly on point, but perhaps give insight into US reaction: 2009 detention of American hikers by Iran, 2009 imprisonment of American journalists by North Korea. --Sean 19:47, 5 August 2010 (UTC)

That's very different. They were detained by the local authorities, rather than by a criminal group. And, those are nations the US has very bad relations with. --Tango (talk) 20:18, 5 August 2010 (UTC)

This question seems somewhat confused to me. If everyone knew they were kidnapped by Albanian terrorists and sold into prostitution then it likely means there has already been a significant investigation and ongoing efforts to find them. A more likely case would be two missing American teens in France, with the authorities not really knowing why they're missing. Even if it's known they were kidnapped somehow (perhaps someone saw them being kidnapped), the authorities most likely wouldn't really know who kidnapped them and why. Perhaps if one of the girls escaped, stole a phone or whatever and managed to contact someone, then they would know they were kidnapped by Albanian terrorists for prostitution (although even if the girls knew the people were Albanian, I'm unsure how they would know they are terrorists) but not have done any investigation but in such a case, once they do get such information, they're likely to launch an investigation. Note that I'm not sure how much the French intelligence service will be involved. Particularly before they've worked out they were kidnapped by Albanian terrorists for prostitution when they're just missing or kidnappened people, it sounds more like an ordinary police matter to me. Nil Einne (talk) 02:06, 6 August 2010 (UTC)

Teachers

What do my teachers do (high school) during the summer? A few of them teach summer school, I know, but that can't be the majority (considering how understaffed most summer schools are where I live). —Preceding unsigned comment added by 76.228.193.232 (talk) 23:25, 5 August 2010 (UTC)

Many things. Just type "teacher summer jobs" into Google. LANTZY^TALK 23:36, 5 August 2010 (UTC)

In theory, there's still stuff for them to do. Plan out all of the work for the next academic year, for a start. Vimescarrot (talk) 00:36, 6 August 2010 (UTC)

I know one who worked as a laborer for a carpenter during the summer. After spending all the school year in a class room, he liked building houses outside during the summer. Dismas|^(talk) 00:43, 6 August 2010 (UTC)

My mum is a primary school teacher and in a typical 6 week summer holiday (this year it's a little shorter for some reason) she'll do about 2 weeks of school work (getting the classroom ready for the next year, planning lessons for the next year, etc.) and then spend the other 4 weeks in much the same way anyone on holiday would. She might go away for a week or two and otherwise just engages in hobbies and relaxes. --Tango (talk) 02:14, 6 August 2010 (UTC)

Smith Kline

I would like a phone number for Smith kLINE. My mom has questions about her meds and would like to call them. Thank you —Preceding unsigned comment added by 72.2.80.153 (talk) 23:39, 5 August 2010 (UTC)

Assuming you're talking about GlaxoSmithKline, this is their contact section on their website, containing various phone numbers. Vimescarrot (talk) 00:35, 6 August 2010 (UTC)

August 6

Worst flood

The 'In the news' section on the main page of Wikipedia states that 'The worst flooding in Pakistan's history kills over 1,100 people and displaces thousands more.' On the page 'List of deadliest floods', the floods in 1950 and 1993 killed more people in Pakistan than the current one. Does the main page news refer to worst as causing more damage by destroying more structures and displacing more people or is it a mistake? Thanks. --116.71.44.189 (talk) 06:47, 6 August 2010 (UTC)

The 1950 flood was in East Pakistan, according to the History of Pakistan article, so it falls outside the current borders. Rojomoke (talk) 09:46, 6 August 2010 (UTC)

   What about the one in 1993?--119.155.135.136 (talk) 12:57, 6 August 2010 (UTC)

Nuclear Testing

When nuclear Testing was undertaken in Nevada in the 1950/60's were the mushroom clouds viewable from Las Vegas? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 128.40.192.44 (talk) 13:02, 6 August 2010 (UTC)

Johnny Carson

I've been watching reruns of The Tonight Show from the mid 1970s. A few observations. Johnny Carson was a genius. His interviews were great. He is incredibly clever and quick, and the gag bits on the show are genuinely well written and sometimes laugh out loud funny (and also sometimes bizarre in a great Monty Pythonesque way). I have nothing against Leno or Letterman, et al., but they're so far below in writing in interviewing, etc. Their bits are ubiquitously mildly entertaining in a groaning sort of way, never funny like this. I'm also surprised by how much racier the show is--much racier! Sex talk and innuendo and double entendres and the like are casual. How did we become so puritanical? Anyway, I do have a question, though comments are welcomed regarding anything I've said previously. My parents told me years ago (they are not around anymore) of an incident in which someone came on the show and got into a true fight with Johnny Carson (I don't mean physical), and that it was really nasty. I'm pretty sure it was a woman but that's all I remember. They told me who it was, but I can't remember (not really even an inkling other than my impression of gender). Does anyone know possibly to what incident my parents were referring?--141.155.148.156 (talk) 13:09, 6 August 2010 (UTC)