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August 21

if a trade smeargle from Colosseum will it still have a red tale

if a trade smeargle from colosseum will it still have a red tale —Preceding unsigned comment added by 174.23.212.162 (talk) 00:49, 21 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Sorry, I don't speak Markov chain. Marnanel (talk) 01:24, 21 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Presumably this is a Pokemon question? You would have better luck:

Asking on the Entertainment Desk
Slowing down to check your message, making sure you've written in full sentences and mentioned that you are talking about Pokemon.

The best I can offer you is the articles Pokemon Colosseum and smeargle. A quick skim of the article on Bulbapedia gives me no reason to think the colour of its tail will change. 86.161.255.213 (talk) 01:39, 21 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Am I just getting old, or is pokeman a really, really strange concept? --Ludwigs2 02:25, 21 August 2010 (UTC) [reply]

It's just a wholesome children's game where you capture intelligent creatures and force them to beat each other into unconsciousness, no matter how non-violent they normally are. Who'd have a problem with that? 86.161.255.213 (talk) 12:08, 21 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Maybe they're asking about something like this. After having played it for too long. -- Jack of Oz ... speak! ... 02:38, 21 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

You know, if we do interpret the "red tale" as a communist story, it might even be possible that they're talking about an advanced game of Mao. But in that case we can't tell them the rules without taking a penalty. Marnanel (talk) 02:40, 21 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Red tail indicates it's shiny. There's no reason to think a Pokemon would lose its shininess being traded from one game to another; certainly, they never do when traded among the regular handheld games. 90.195.179.233 (talk) 14:52, 21 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Please help me identify an Anchorage, Alaska building

Resolved

I took this picture in Anchorage when I was there in 2006. I would like to identify it, as well as know where it is. Any help in finding out would be greatly appreciated. It's apparently not one of the tallest buildings. — Athelwulf ^[T]/_[C] 04:06, 21 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Identifying that peculiar little Prince-like logo would probably help. Meanwhile, have you looked for the building in Google Images? ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 07:53, 21 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Flickr gives ASRC Building which I'm guessing is the Arctic Slope Regional Corporation, hey presto - the logo's match too. It was on the 6th page of a search of Flickr for "anchorage building alaska". Nanonic (talk) 10:49, 21 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

And here it is on Google Maps. Nanonic (talk) 10:53, 21 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Wow, thanks guys! I did look through Google Images, but I guess I wasn't using the right search terms or something. Just found pretty skylines and a couple pics of Sarah Palin. Again, thanks. — Athelwulf ^[T]/_[C] 10:29, 22 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Manual strangling

Suppose you were a pathologist who needs to investigate a corpse. If it was murdered by manual strangling, what signs are there on the body? (I know, I've asked enough strange questions already...) Kayau Voting IS evil 04:13, 21 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Marks around the neck, I would presume? 24.189.87.160 (talk) 04:49, 21 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Try this page[1], which I got from googling post mortem signs of strangling There are many other hits. Richard Avery (talk) 07:03, 21 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

CSI usually mention facial petechiae Rojomoke (talk) 10:11, 21 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

From a forensic anthropology class I took many years ago, they told us that bruises around the neck and broken hyoid bone were common. The article linked to by Richard Avery seems to cover these and their deficiencies pretty well. --Mr.98 (talk) 15:55, 21 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

The lungs will also show distinct signs, if the death was from suffocation. Looie496 (talk) 00:48, 22 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Anecdotally, the teeth take on a pinkish tinge as the blood vessels inside them are ruptured from the pressure. Exxolon (talk) 23:11, 22 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

What's the formula or algorithm used to calculate the banker's offer on Deal or No Deal?

Don't know if this belongs in Entertainment, Mathematics, or here. Thanks. 76.27.175.80 (talk) 17:09, 21 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

His offer is often close to the median value, and always much less than the expectation (Arithmetic mean), but the banker plays psychological games with the contestant, so there is no algorithm. Dbfirs 17:21, 21 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

I'm not certain, but "the banker" is in all likelihood a plot device. It is highly probable that the shadowy figure they show is in no way involved with determining the amount offered. Most gameshows which offer "jackpots" take out insurance against paying out the jackpot (and near-jackpots), in order to mitigate risk and smooth cash flows. In doing so, they have to provide the insurance company with information on the method of payout determination. In a game like Deal or No Deal, the likelihood of the contestant accepting the offer is critical to figuring the chance of a jackpot, so "we'll offer what we feel like" probably wouldn't cut it. I have no way of being certain, but I highly suspect that there *is* an algorithm used, possibly with a certain random factor included to avoid being obvious. I'd guess that most of the offers are determined solely by a computer, but with the producers "tweaking" it rarely when doing so would increase drama (e.g. play psychological games), although they're probably limited by certain guidelines (e.g. never go over the expectation value, never more than X% away from the computer estimate, etc.). If an algorithm does exist, though, it is probably protected by pretty severe confidentially agreements to avoid people "gaming" the system (like Michael Larson did on Press Your Luck when he figured out its algorithms), so even if we were sure there was an algorithm, we wouldn't know what it was. -- 174.21.233.249 (talk) 17:42, 21 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

I found this from google. The author claims that his formula (based on data of 31 banker's offers in the US NBC version) explains "99% of the variance in the banker's offer". Although my understanding is that the banker takes account of the contestant's attitude to risk - so there is no formula. Zain Ebrahim (talk) 17:31, 21 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

I believe the US version is different to the UK w.r.t. bankers, asI recall the UK version is much more context dependent. - Jarry1250 ^{[Humorous? Discuss.]} 17:35, 21 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

These formulas just do not work, even for the American version, though there is some truth in the claim that the offer comes closer to the expected value as the number of remaining boxes decreases. In the English version, the "banker" tends towards the median in early rounds, but there is considerable variation to make the game more interesting. Dbfirs 22:37, 21 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

TV programs cost an absolute fortune to make and compared to that, the prize money is not the biggest cost. TV studios are much more likely to pick the amount to make the show more interesting - perhaps to skew the ratio of winners to losers to match some kind of predetermined amount that will keep people watching. SteveBaker (talk) 20:05, 21 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

"The banker" once offered a contestant root beer. If there is a formula, I don't it's used every time. ~A H 1^(TCU) 19:57, 22 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

I disagree that the producers aren't concerned with the prize money. Game shows with giant top prizes, such as Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?, generally have insurance against having to pay out the big jackpot. In fact, the insurer for the US version of Millionaire? sued the show after someone won $1 million -- they said the questions were too easy! -- Mwalcoff (talk) 23:14, 22 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Another jarring Americanism.

I listen to and watch several USA news channels and always find it jarring to hear a report such as, "The President and First Lady met with the leader of XYZ Thursday evening", or "A fire-engine broke down on the freeway Wednesday morning". Why not "last Thursday evening", or "on Wednesday morning"? And why, whenever that misuse began to develop away from the British English format, did the whole of the Continental USA unquestioningly follow suit, knowing as they must have done that it was wrong? 92.30.184.85 (talk) 18:33, 21 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

You should ask this on the language desk if you don't just want anecdotes as answers, or smug replies about how English is a living language, etc. --Mr.98 (talk) 18:35, 21 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Smug questions will probably get smug replies no matter where they are asked. Adam Bishop (talk) 19:03, 21 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Plus I don't see anything wrong with that construction. English is a living language, after all. 24.83.104.67 (talk) 19:18, 21 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Your whole premise is wrong. American English did not develop away from British English. Both modern American English and modern British English developed away from early modern British English. In many ways, modern American English is closer and more faithful to its early modern parent than modern British English is. So, in many cases, it is modern British English that has developed away from the earlier norm. Why should American English have followed British English on its errant path? Marco polo (talk) 20:06, 21 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

an old linguistic factiod I heard somewhere, that Shakespeare (if he were alive today) would actually be most comfortable with the way that English is spoken in Chicago. --Ludwigs2 20:27, 21 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

More of an opinion than a fact(oid) I would venture. Alansplodge (talk) 23:40, 21 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

You've planted a mental picture of Richard Daley II doing Richard III: "Now is da winter of our discontent..." Right. ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 12:45, 23 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

I don't have a problem with it, though I am American, so maybe I'm just used to it. I think it's better the way they do it than the way you suggest with the day of the week first. The media's way gets the heart of the story out there first and then notes the day. I care less about when something happened than I do about what happened. Dismas|^(talk) 00:11, 22 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

It may sound dysphonious to your ear, but there's nothing wrong with it. The Rhymesmith (talk) 01:46, 22 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Why has the USA changed its language? Surely you don't think England's version of English has remained unchanged since the 1700s? (If you do think so, perhaps a trip to the library is in order.) APL (talk) 03:42, 22 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

If you can explain why band names in the singular are still considered plural in England... nah, not worth it. It's language; it doesn't make always sense. English has just too many exceptions to even bother figuring out such minor annoyances (if they are even that). Aaronite (talk) 04:55, 22 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

As with any group noun, we imply "the members of ....". Perfectly logical shorthand on this side of the pond. Language just keeps changing despite pedants who try to fossilize it. Dbfirs 06:16, 22 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

The context is clear that it's on the most recent day of the week specified. I don't see what the problem is. ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 05:14, 22 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Ah, now I see the problem. The Brits have invented time travel and haven't bothered to tell us about it. So if they say David Cameron met with opposition leaders Thursday morning, they mean this coming Thursday. --Trovatore (talk) 07:11, 22 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

We would say "met with opposition leaders on Thursday morning" It's the lost preposition that sounds odd, but I'm only annoyed when Brits copy Yanks. Alansplodge (talk) 08:31, 22 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

The most recent. Like if it's Friday and I say Thursday, I'm referring to yesterday. ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 07:53, 22 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Except if it's in the future: "XX will happen on Thursday" means the Thursday coming up. -- Jack of Oz ... speak! ... 08:49, 22 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

That's not how Alan's example was worded. "Will meet" obviously refers to the future. "Met with", as he stated, indicates the past. Unless the British announcers really talk that way. Let's hope not. ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 09:14, 22 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

The British say things like "I shall be delighted to see you Tuesday next"; the ancestors of modern Britons and Americans said things like "washing clothes of a Monday" or "going to Church a-Sunday", as you'll find in nursery rhymes (e.g. "Solomon Grundy") and Shakespeare. But the preposition does make things smoother.—— Shakescene (talk) 07:42, 22 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

I believe you're mistaken; I've never heard anyone use a construction like that. "Solomon Grundy" doesn't either - have a look at your own link. Alansplodge (talk) 08:36, 22 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

My own grandparents (who were indeed fairly ancient) said "of a Monday" or whatever day. I took it to be a slurring of "every Monday", but whatever. ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 07:55, 22 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

I humbly point the OP to our informative and detailed article on the differences between British and American English, which should answer his query. CS Miller (talk) 15:14, 22 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Just one question—do they really say a fortnight in jolly old England? Bus stop (talk) 15:31, 22 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Yes - it's an everyday word and a jolly useful one too - you should try it. Alansplodge (talk) 15:59, 22 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Jolly interesting I find that. I think "fortnight" would make any American laugh if heard on this side of the ocean. (I hate the word pond.) Bus stop (talk) 21:11, 22 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

I use the word "fortnight" reasonably often here in Texas - some people don't know what it means - but so far, laughter has not ensued. SteveBaker (talk) 23:17, 23 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

I wouldn't laugh at it, but I'm not sure what function it serves, given that two weeks is faster to say than a fortnight. OTOH fortnightly neatly solves the problem of whether biweekly means once every two weeks, or twice a week. --Trovatore (talk) 23:29, 23 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

I always make my decisions about vocabulary with a stopwatch in hand. Marnanel (talk) 23:43, 23 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Absolutely no need to apologise for not using the word "pond" to refer to the Atlantic Ocean, Bus stop. After all, it is, in case it slipped anyone's notice, a fucking ocean, and not a pond. -- Jack of Oz ... speak! ... 05:34, 23 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Apologizing for not using a colloquialism. Kind of like the time Groucho said, "Do you mind if I don't smoke?" However, I would argue that the Atlantic is just a really big, saltwater pond. ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 12:41, 23 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Argue that way till hell freezes over if you like, you still won't get anyone worth their salt to agree with you. Is Jupiter not a planet but just a really big marble? Is Africa not a continent but just a really big clod of dirt? I could go on. The Groucho reference escapes me completely. -- Jack of Oz ... speak! ... 11:58, 24 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Solomon Grundy,

Born Monday,

Christened Tuesday,

Married Wednesday,

Took ill Thursday,

Grew worse Friday,

Died Saturday,

Buried Sunday.

This is end Solomon Grundy.

ps. The number (of) defiant and inherently inferiority-complex defences above (of) American misusages (of) (News-Speak) English , convinces (the) OP that the responders (above) are aware (of), and embarrassed (by), the slavish misuse (of) (the) Mother-Tongue, such that they have decided (en-masse) (to) blatantly adhere (to) Fox News (and) CNN English (as) determined (by) feminist striped-suit-wearing (anchors), because it demonstrates (their) independence from the old and jolly UK; and also signifies the feminist view that "difference is better".92.30.153.213 (talk) 15:55, 22 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Methinks the OP doth project too much. --- OtherDave (talk) 12:26, 23 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

While "last Thursday evening" is potentially redundant, it really should be "on Wednesday morning," at least in (what should be) the semi-formal language of a newscast, but as far as "jarring Americanisms" go it's odd that you'd choose those ones when there are egregious examples like "a couple three," as in "we're going away for a couple three days." Exploding Boy (talk) 02:48, 24 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Average # of patents for an American patent holder

How many patents does the average person who holds at least one American patent have? Thanks. 76.27.175.80 (talk) 19:20, 21 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

I don't think there are good statistics out there for this, but it is an interesting question. Just as an informal, non-statistically significant, non-scientific test, I clicked on a little over 20 random patents issued in the last 20 years on Google Patents, then put the inventors names back into the search (throwing out those with generic names), and tallied the results. My average was an impressive 24.39, with a median of 12, which was a lot higher than I had thought it would be. The reason is that my sample ended up picking up about six inventors who worked for IBM or big medical companies or big electronics companies. These sectors churn out literally thousands of patent applications per year and they have whole teams often listed as inventors on them. One of my names (an IBM one) had his name listed on some 155 patents (but not usually as the sole inventor). It was not uncommon to find people who had between 40-90 patents.

Throwing out the high end, I still only found two inventors in my list with only 1 patent each. The rest ranged from 2-20. Anyway I was surprised by this, but I shouldn't have been — it's been pretty well documented (see David F. Noble's excellent America by Design, 1977) that since the late 19th century most patents in the US are held by major industrial concerns, not the "amateur tinkerer" that people think of when they hear the word "inventor." Even the "amateur tinkerer" probably has more than one patent, though. I suspect that patenting is one of those things that, if you do it, you probably do it a lot, and if you don't do it, you probably never do it. There are of course the occasional people who happen across an invention in their course of work and get it patented, but I suspect they are drowned out by the volume of people who are basically patenting things as a full time job. But this is just speculation, and my data is certainly not scientific. --Mr.98 (talk) 20:50, 21 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

That sampling method doesn't quite work, for a subtle but interesting reason. Because you selected your names from randomly selected patents in the first place you don't end up with randomly selected inventors. In fact you're more likely to pick inventors with greater than average numbers of patents, which pulls your numbers up. Consider the following (rather extreme!) scenario:

There are 10,000 amateur inventors with 1 patent, and 100 very productive inventors with 100 patents. We'll assume every patent has only one named inventor, for simplicity.
Therefore there are 20,000 patents shared by 10,100 inventors; the mean patents-per-inventor is about 1.98 while the median is 1 (this distribution is highly positively skewed)
Taking a truly random sample of inventors, we'd expect to get a mean of roughly 2 patents each (but with some sampling error as our sample won't be totally representative; since only about 1% of inventors were productive, we'd ideally need a sample of several hundred. A sample size of 100 has roughly 37% probability of only containing amateurs, and for a sample size of 200 the risk of such an error is still about 14%. With a big enough sample though, this risk can be reduced as far as is desired, and the sample made more likely to be better representative of the whole group.)
Now consider selecting our sample of inventors just by picking patents at random and looking at their inventor. There were 10,000 patents by amateur inventors and 10,000 patents by productive inventors, so each inventor we select has a roughly 50% chance of being productive. This means our sample will be most likely be fairly evenly split between the productive inventors (100 patents each) and amateurs with just one. We will therefore expect our sample mean to be about fifty patents per inventor!

But of course the real mean should be about two patents per inventor. The over-large estimate of the mean was a consequence of not having equal probability of selecting each element (i.e. inventor) in the sampling frame. If you can't change the sampling methodology, an alternative is to adapt the formula used to estimate the mean instead, to take account of the fact that the highly productive inventors will tend to be overrepresented. TheGrappler (talk) 03:47, 27 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

To adapt the formula, I seem to recall that you can use a weighted mean - instead of adding up the x (number of patents) for each inventor and dividing by the number of inventors in the sample, use a weighting w for each inventor, add up wx for all the inventors, then divide by the sum of the weights. You need to set the weight for each inventor to be w = 1/x i.e. 1/(their number of patents). This compensates for the fact that that the inventor was x-times more likely to be selected than an inventor with one patent. This has the curious result that "wx" is one for each inventor, so the sum of wx is just the number of inventors sampled, while the sum of the weights is the sum of the reciprocals of the numbers of patents. Dividing the number of inventors sampled by the sum of the reciprocals of their numbers of patents, gives you a more realistic estimate for the mean number of patents per inventor. TheGrappler (talk) 17:03, 27 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

To rephrase

I asked a question a few days ago and it may have been badly worded as I did not get the answer. Many countries were involved in WWII. If we only look at Britain and Germany, which of these two countries made the first military attack on the other, and how long was it before the other side retaliated. I know Germany ivaded Poland and this can be seen as an act of war. I only want to know about these two countries and their interaction, for this perticular instant. Thank you —Preceding unsigned comment added by 82.3.145.145 (talk) 22:10, 21 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

The only warlike act on 3rd Sep appears to have been the sinking of SS Athenia by U30, although this was unknown to the German Government and high command. "RAF aircraft drop 6 million leaflets on cities in northern Germany[2]". Two German merchant ships are seized in UK ports; one British ship seized in a German port. A number of RN submarines were bombed by the RAF[3]. The next day, 4th Sep "RAF Bomber Command go in against German warships in the Heligoland Bight with 29 Bristol Blenheim and Vickers Wellington bombers in a daylight raid. The Admiral Scheer is hit three times but the bombs do not explode. The cruiser Emden is damaged by wreckage of a shot-down Blenheim. Of the attacking aircraft, 7 are lost."[4] A famous friendly fire incident on 6th Sep was the Battle of Barking Creek. Alansplodge (talk) 23:36, 21 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

You can't look at these two countries in isolation and claim that England started the war, as Hitler tried to do. I thought that was made abundantly clear last time this question came up. ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 09:17, 22 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

I think the OP was looking for facts to prove the Great Dictator wrong. No problem with that. Alansplodge (talk) 13:46, 22 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Also look at Phoney War and Miracle of Dunkirk. ~A H 1^(TCU) 19:55, 22 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

The latter article is now known, more appropriately, as Dunkirk evacuation. -- Jack of Oz ... speak! ... 05:31, 23 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

August 22

Help! I have really good wine but no corkscrew

Yes, I know I could grab a screwdriver or thin knife or something and go to town, but I'd ruin the cork and probably break it up and get cork in the wine. I do have a corkscrew and I've spent half an hour looking for it. Anyone have some suggestions?--141.155.148.156 (talk) 01:26, 22 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Okay I answered it myself. http://www.wikihow.com/Open-a-Wine-Bottle-Without-a-Corkscrew --141.155.148.156 (talk) 01:35, 22 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

W.C. Fields could have used that advice when he complained, "Whilst traveling through the Andes Mountains, we lost our corkscrew. Had to live on food and water for several days." ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 05:11, 22 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Lol! By the way, it was (is) delicious. Worked like a charm though it took many wacks with my shoe.--141.155.148.156 (talk) 05:13, 22 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

"I always keep a supply of stimulant handy in case I see a snake, which I also keep handy." WCF. Odd that Googling up that saying gets an ad from the Betty Ford Center. PhGustaf (talk) 05:20, 22 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Ah, yes. Apparently the good Ms. Ford was fond of reptiles, yes, indeed. ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 05:48, 23 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Yikes! I might use that technique for a really crappy bottle of wine - or for a white/rose wine - but for a good red, you'll mix up the sediment into the wine, which is a gargantuan "no-no"! SteveBaker (talk) 23:54, 22 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Do we know if the Resveratrol perhaps is found in the sediments? Bus stop (talk) 02:33, 23 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

The pounding (on the bottle, on a wall) trick to pushing a cork out of a bottle is right up there with the microwave oven as among the very worst things that can be done to a nice bottle of wine. OK, OK, I’ve had wines that couldn’t be hurt by anything because they were so bad, but frankly if you have a wine worth opening, and you don’t have a corkscrew, get one. Have a beer while you wait. DOR (HK) (talk) 08:19, 23 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Have you considered sabrage? --Trovatore (talk) 08:23, 23 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Or, slightly more conveniently, invest in one of these. CS Miller (talk) 22:04, 23 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Sabrage only works on sparkling wines where the mushroom-shaped cork sticks up out of the top of the bottle. Getting the cork out of your bottle of 1945 Chateau Mouton-Rothschild with a sabre is NOT recommended. (Although, at $116,000 a bottle, removing the cork by any means whatever is fiscally irresponsible!) SteveBaker (talk) 23:11, 23 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Or you could just pop down to the closest shop and buy a new corkscrew. Exploding Boy (talk) 23:11, 23 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

DeSales-Oblates

There is a page for Oblates of Saint Francis DeSales (OSFS); they are not included on the list of Roman Catholic Religious Orders page, however. Why? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 76.98.169.37 (talk) 01:57, 22 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

We have no page called List of Roman Catholic Religious Orders. If you mean Category:Roman Catholic orders and societies, the OSFS are in a sub-subcategory of that category, Category:Salesian Order. There's no need to list something in a category and all its parent categories as well; the more general categories would become huge and unusable. Marnanel (talk) 02:15, 22 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Buying stuff online

I'm not allowed to buy stuff online, but there are several users on a website I frequent who are four or five years younger than me, and they are allowed to. Why do they have permission? jc iindyysgvxc (my contributions) 04:14, 22 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Who is not permitting you to buy? How do you know how old the other users are? Are they lying in their account settings? How old are you? What site are you using? Aaronite (talk) 04:50, 22 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Because their parents have a different parenting style? As you go through life you'll see that comparing everything to what others have and can do compared to you is a dead end that only leads to negative things.--141.155.148.156 (talk) 04:54, 22 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

If only the underprivileged would just be quiet about it! They'd be so much happier, and wouldn't have negative things, like emancipation. 213.122.34.174 (talk) 01:35, 23 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Many websites will ask you your age and not let you participate if you're under some particular age. Those age checks are mostly on the honor system, so if that's what's stopping you, your friends are probably just lieing about their age. APL (talk) 06:05, 22 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

From your user page I see you are a 17-year old boy. I guess you have parent(s) or guardian who cares for your safety on the Internet. Not all are so lucky as you. Be a little patient with the rules you are given because it won't be long before you become an adult. Then you will have all the responsibilities that implies, such as earning your keep. Cuddlyable3 (talk) 10:30, 22 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

One of the things that will stop you from buying things online is access to an appropriate form of payment. At 17, you're too young in most countries to have your own credit card (instead of one co-managed by your parents). The younger people who are buying online will likely be using their parents' online-financing, their parents have opened one for them (which may or may not be monitored by the parents) or some form of age deception has taken place. One of the primary solutions available to you is to have your parents assist you buying things online, or make friends with someone who will let you use their details in exchange for immediate payment (I have done this for people before, with their parents' permission). Steewi (talk) 02:09, 23 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

future of retail industry in india

what is the future of retail industry in India?Pras9874 (talk) 07:52, 22 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

I'm sorry, Wikipedia is not a Crystal Ball; we cannot answer those types of questions. Chevy monte carlo 07:57, 22 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

The most we can say, to quote Curt Gowdy, is that "their future is ahead of them." ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 09:16, 22 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Well, it is hard to predict anything right now, but as far as I know, unlike China, India's organized retail industry is still in a nascent stage. For example, 100% FDI is still not allowed in India. There are so many Wal Mart stores in China, in India it is still unimaginable. And the future is certainly not bright if organizations like this exist. --Galactic Traveller (talk) 14:10, 22 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

This article may help you. --Galactic Traveller (talk) 14:13, 22 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Galactic Traveller, how much extra are you willing to pay to avoid shopping at Wal-Mart? Studies have shown that the typical US family that shops at Wal-Mart (with which I have no affiliation; there isn't even one in my city) saves about $600 a year. So, how much would you be willing to pay? DOR (HK) (talk) 08:23, 23 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

I call ^{[citation needed]} on DOR's US$600 per year claim. (Compared to shopping where? Nordstrom?) Also, of course, since Wal-Mart pays poverty-level wages[5] to its employees, the family you cite does pay some extra amount of money in taxes for things like Medicaid (2% of Wal-Mart employees are so poor they qualify) and other poverty-targeted local, state, and federal programs. I'm not asserting anything about the relative costs of the latter vs. the alleged savings. Comet Tuttle (talk) 21:44, 23 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Statement on Global Warming (cont.)

I am continuing from my last question.

I am now not asking about Bjørn Lomborg, Penn Jillette, Teller, or any other particular person on these two particular statements.

What do global warming skeptics think about these two particular statements? How do they react and respond to these two particular statements? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 124.168.24.186 (talk) 10:52, 22 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

As for why so many people still resist what the facts clearly show, I think, in part, the reason is that the truth about the climate crisis is an inconvenient one that means we are going to have to change the way we live our lives...The truth about the climate crisis is an inconvenient one that means we are going to have to change the way we live our lives.-Al Gore

Lord Monckton has argued that these changes would make the rich richer, and the poor poorer while doing little to reduce the effects of anthropogenic global warming. He also states that the inconvenience of this change will be be carried by those who can least afford it.Smallman12q (talk) 14:20, 22 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

It's kind of tedious to ask variations on the same, really specific question. Plug the sentence in particular into Google Blog search and you get tons of people commenting on that specific phrase, mainly people objecting to it. --Mr.98 (talk) 14:20, 22 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

I asked variations on the same specific question because they said they didn't know the answers to the earlier variations so I asked different variations of it. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 210.84.12.113 (talk) 08:42, 24 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

why "life boy" still hold the market share in India at the semi urban and the rural area? part 1

The life boy one of the oldest FMCG products in India still holds the market share in India specialy in the rural and the sei urbar area. But if the rule of product life cycle does not go with the product.Life boy also not change their product line, then how it's carry the market share. Pras9874 (talk) 14:39, 22 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Are you referring to Lifebuoy (soap) and Fast moving consumer goods? Bus stop (talk) 17:28, 22 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

customer acceptance of a product(give necessary correction )

reformatted - Rojomoke (talk) 16:02, 22 August 2010 (UTC) [reply]
Dish washer took 21 years for customer acceptance, while Electric bulb take 3 years for the similar acceptance? my answer is as follows...

As the use of electric bulb is more than the dishwasher, and in every where the electric bulb is used ; at the same time dish washer can not used by every family. the dish washer is very much costly than a electric bulb. so dish washer take a long time for customer acceptance than electric bulb.

I try to answer this case, please give me necessary points, and can suggest me any article. Pras9874 (talk) 14:51, 22 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

See Technology acceptance model and the See alsos in that article. Not very user friendly, but it is what you want, I think. I would add as an aside that a dishwasher is generally a luxury. I don't have or need one, but it would be nice to have one, it isn't as urgent for me to get one. Electric light, on the other hand, is very handy and used all the time. Aaronite (talk) 16:30, 22 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

It only takes a moment for a customer to evaluate the usefulness of a lightbulb. The calculation concerning cost and benefit is simple for the lightbulb. But in the case of the dishwasher the costs and the benefits are less clear or less immediately apparent. Bus stop (talk) 17:24, 22 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Not least because the dishwasher (according to QI) was not invented to wash dishes quickly, nor easily, nor cheaply. So the benefits for most households were merely sideeffects.- Jarry1250 ^{[Humorous? Discuss.]} 19:39, 22 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Many households hand wash their dishes instead of using a dishwasher. There are also different kinds of lightbulbs, as incandescent lightbulbs are being phased out in some areas and replaced with compact fluorescent lightbulbs. ~A H 1^(TCU) 19:51, 22 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

That has nothing to do with how long it took for customer acceptance of the electric bulb. --Mr.98 (talk) 20:04, 22 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

It's of note that electric light is only cheap and easy if the infrastructure is in place to use it. Edison is often remarked (by historians like Thomas P. Hughes) as being as important as a system builder as he was an inventor. Additionally when you compare electric lighting to its predecessors (e.g. gas lighting or oil lamps), the advantages of electric are pretty clear, and there are basically no disadvantages (once you have the infrastructure built up). --Mr.98 (talk) 20:04, 22 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

In reading into the OP's question I see an inquiry into how a dishwasher differs from an electric light bulb when first introduced to customers. (I can't suggest an article as requested.) But I think the most significant difference would have to be the obviousness of the usefulness of the light bulb — it turns night into day. Perhaps the OP can provide some feedback as to how well the question is being responded to so far. Bus stop (talk) 20:46, 22 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

A lot of appliances are slow to catch on, especially as the initial unit cost tends to be fairly high. I can recall when DVD players were like a thousand dollars. I got my first one when they had come down to about 250. By now you can get a decent player for well under 100. Never mind the dishwasher, what about the automobile? It didn't catch on right away either, but as the prices came down and the convenience of driving went up, sales skyrocketed. Back to dishwashers, I can recall when they made "portable" dishwashers that were on wheels and could have their hoses attached to the tap. When not in use, you could roll it back into its corner and use it for an end-table. The big selling point on dishwashers would have to be not just convenience, but also sanitation. It can get the water much hotter than you can tolerate when washing dishes the manual way. ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 05:46, 23 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Can marble interact unfavorably with brick?

I live in souuthwest Va and have a unique situation. My home has a brick chimney that has been sealed with marble plates on top. I also have an area on ground level that is topped with marble and brick lain beneath. The chimney is deteriorating mainly on the east side. It appears that rainwater running down from the marble slabs could be causing it. The weather comed mainly from the western direction and therefore the western side of the chimney is the least affected, maybe from the constant rinsing. The area on grund level is showing a white substance on the face of the brick.. The brick on both areas are peelig (flaking) off in approximately 1/100 of an inch and can be as large as the whole brick face. There are other homes in the area but none show this condition, none are topped by marble slabs either.

C Corvin 8/22/10 —Preceding unsigned comment added by 63.3.7.129 (talk) 20:54, 22 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Please note, totally non-expert response here, but if it was my chimney I would agree with you, and be suspicious of the marble. A Google search confirms that marble is particularly susceptible to weathering by rain - for example, see Acid_rain#Other adverse effects. The calcite in the marble will dissolve in the rain, damaging and weathering the marble itself. The dissolved calcite will raise the pH of the the rainwater trickling down onto the bricks. The white substance on the ground level bricks may well be deposits of calcite leached out of the marble chimney top and redeposited where the water pools at ground level. I have no idea what effect (if any) the resulting water will have on the bricks themselves; I suppose it will depend on the pH of the water. Googling suggests there are various grades of brick, and chimneys should be constructed from the most weathering-resistant. But in the absence of any other factor, and the lack of damage to the chimneys of neighbours without marble-topped chimneys, I would be inclined to look closely at the marble topping to my chimney stack. If it looks at all weathered or eaten away, I would be suspicious. Ka renjc 22:23, 22 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

This is efflorescence. It is more likely that the damage is being caused by the mortar itself - it can contain salts and calcium substances that can expand in the brick and cause the brick to fail as you describe. The marble might not be helping, but I would expect that it would contribute only surface schmutz unless it itself is cracked. The way to defend against efflorescence and water-related damage is to ensure that the cap is properly sealed, and that the marble cap is secure, uncracked and is not admitting water in to the chimney. Water is the enemy - if the masonry is dry, the efflorescence can't be activated, and freeze-thaw cycles (which can be vicious in a chimney) don't have so much opportunity to break up the masonry. Acroterion _(talk) 03:36, 23 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

You may be able to brush the efflorescence away with a stiff brush. 92.28.246.109 (talk) 21:57, 23 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

1973—2010 NYS license plates

can 1973 nys licence plates be reused on a motor vehicle today. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 74.76.5.103 (talk) 21:21, 22 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

No. You have to pay a fee and get a current license. Some states allow "antique" vehicles, not driven in common use, but driven in 4th of July parades and such, to carry vintage or antique plates, but 1973 does not seem old enough. (Not legal advice, just common sense.)Edison (talk) 23:43, 22 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

The limit for 'antique' vehicles is 25 years...so '73 is OK. My '63 Mini has original British license plates that are legal for driving to and from club meetings, car shows, etc. I have clip-on modern plates for other uses. SteveBaker (talk) 23:47, 22 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Obviously, a plate that isn't currently registered will have to be replaced with a new one that is. A more interesting question is could someone have renewed the same plate since 1973? I doubt it. I can't find a source that says so for sure, but thisdocument suggests that the oldest plates you're allowed to keep using are the blue and white plates issued in 2001. APL (talk) 14:44, 24 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Legalization of Marijuana and the effects on the drug war

I was pondering what the legalization of marijuana would do to this country and I just read an article about four men who were hung dead by their feet in the middle of a Mexican city. Obviously there is a big market for drugs in the U.S., if there wasn't the drug cartel would not be so violent and destructive. My question is what do you think the legalization of marijuana in the U.S. would do to the United States/Mexican drug war. Would it calm the war down, or enrage it? Out of all the drugs smuggled across the borders, is marijuana one of the biggest profits for the drug cartel?

Thanks —Preceding unsigned comment added by 68.7.5.27 (talk) 22:23, 22 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

You might want to look at our article on Prohibition - that show's exactly what can happen when you outlaw an intoxicant and the results of repealing that law. Exxolon (talk) 23:07, 22 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Even if it were legalized in the US, it's not necessarily true that the importation of the stuff would become legal. SteveBaker (talk) 23:44, 22 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Right, but if it was manufacturable in the US, it would drop the price (at least for production, not necessarily for consumers) and thus the benefit of an illegal import business. --Mr.98 (talk) 00:09, 23 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Certainly where it's been quasi-legalized in California, there is heavy regulation of growers and sellers alike - that would likely be the model adopted throughout the country if there was legalization - precisely because there would be no desire to further increase the profits of cartels in Mexico. SteveBaker (talk) 23:03, 23 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

There is a lot of discussion on this in many mainstream periodicals. Here, for example, is a recent Newsweek article on just this question. The general consensus seems to be that it would probably have some impact on the cartels. The cartels, of course, do not do all of their business in marijuana, and are powerful and diversified enough to probably continue on with some force afterwards. (Similarly, ending prohibition in the US in the 1930s did not destroy the mafia.) --Mr.98 (talk) 00:14, 23 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

The "dirty little secret" about Prohibition is that it was significantly successful in its aim, as most people were inclined to obey the law. A major reason for the amendment was to curb spousal abuse by drunken husbands, which was practically an epidemic by the start of the 20th century. The ones not willing to obey the law obviously helped fuel the growth of organized crime, although as 98 notes, organized crime continued to flourish after Prohibition's repeal, and in fact it existed before Prohibition. Prohibition simply created a new market for the underworld to expand into. The other side of the Prohibition lesson is that legalizing currently-illegal drugs would theoretically lower their cost, which would theoretically have at least two effects: (1) a reduction in drug-related violent crimes; and (2) an increase in drug usage. This is not exactly a new debate. It came up in an Econ 101 class I was in a generation or two ago. Another question to ponder is this: Is America in better shape now, in regard to alcoholism and substance abuse in general, than it was in 1930? ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 01:56, 23 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

I note that none of these responses have actually addressed the question. My impression is that cocaine is the big profitmaker and marijuana is relatively minor (as far as cross-Mexican-border smuggling is concerned), but I don't actually know any stats. Looie496 (talk) 03:17, 23 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Alcohol is more harmful than marijuana. Thus according the same status to marijuana as to alcohol would have the effect of alleviating hypocrisy. <-- personal opinion Bus stop (talk) 04:28, 23 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Marijuana is like soda pop compared with coke and heroin and such. Plus there's probably so much of it around that the cost is driven down. As far as harmfulness, I'm not so sure we even know all the long-range effects of marijuana. Those of alcohol are certainly well-documented, and most of them are not good. The dilemma with this entire substance abuse problem is that banning something doesn't directly address the real problem - namely, that many people are vulnerable to addiction of one kind or another. It's like a hard-wired human trait, with no clear explanation of where it would come from, evolutionarily speaking. I'm not convinced there's any net social benefit to legalizing this stuff, yet the libertarian in me keeps going back to what Drew Carey once said: "I don't think the government has the right to limit the ways I can hurt myself." ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 05:38, 23 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Except that its often not only yourself that is being hurt (c.f. drunk driving accidents). There are also societal harms (overall loss of productivity, health effects we all pay for via insurance premiums, psychosocial effects on one's family and friends, etc. etc.) I am inclined to agree wholeheartedly with arguements towards legalization, but the "its only me I am hurting" is a bad one. One can be both anti-drug and pro-legalization; there is also the (rather stronger, IMHO) arguement that criminalization actually worsens the drug problem because it prevents proper treatment af drug-related issues. --Jayron32 05:44, 23 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Yes, that's the fallacy in the "victimless crime" argument. No one is an island. What we do affects others, and while we might think we have the right to do whatever we want, they also have the right not to be impacted by what we do. ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 06:51, 23 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

No, the argument from self-ownership is the best one, and actually the sufficient one by itself. None of the "societal harms" follow necessarily from the use of the substance, and some of them (like the one about productivity) are about things that society is not entitled to demand of the individual anyway. --Trovatore (talk) 06:42, 23 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

That last comment opens a real can of worms. The bottom line on it is, is someone going to be productive, or are they going to be a sponge? "Society" is us, and society does, in fact, have the right to expect individuals to contribute and not to just be schnorrers. ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 06:48, 23 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

I'm not saying anyone has to provide for you in any way if you make that choice. I'm saying that they don't have the right to expect you to be productive. That might mean you starve, but it shouldn't mean the law has any claim against you. --Trovatore (talk) 06:53, 23 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

There was an interesting NYT article[6] recently about legal pot in Holland attracting criminal activity around "drug tourism". Result is Dutch towns near Holland's borders with other countries want to limit pot sales to Dutch citizens, but EU free-trade laws prohibit such discrimination. I've also heard claims that pot is a high-dollar export crop for California, so legalizing it (which will drive prices lower) may adversely impact the California economy. 67.122.209.167 (talk) 07:16, 23 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

An economist would have to run the numbers, BUT a few possible considerations: 1. whether the economic growth supported by a black market product is economically for the best (Cocaine Cowboys, an interesting if at times annoying documentary about the Miami coke boom in the 70s-80s, is an interesting point of comparison here — Miami did very well in the 1970s in part because of the hugh profits in cocaine, but the overall cost was quite high); 2. whether the losses would be made up by taxation; 3. whether the losses would be made up through savings in law enforcement (consider the costs to the state and economy of detecting, prosecuting, and imprisoning violators). The Holland situation is an interesting but special case, one about an arbitrage situation, basically, and one probably peculiar to Europe as well (where having one country with vastly different laws just a car or train or short shuttle plane away from other countries does encourage jurisdictional shopping — the US probably would have less of that, given that getting to it from any country other than Canada is still fairly non-trivial). In any case, I think the overall point — that there are costs and benefits to any policy decision — is worth taking seriously, and one should not believe the "for" hype or the "against" hype completely. It seems that on the balance, though, legalization would solve a number of social problems rather immediately which seem to be artifacts of the enforcement rather than the use. --Mr.98 (talk) 14:23, 23 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

We need more intoxication in America. ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 16:55, 23 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

I would gladly exchange higher rates of intoxication for lower rates of incarceration. The social and economic effects of the latter concern me far greater than the former. It is further debatable whether or not legalization would actually increase the rate of intoxication appreciably (it would probably change the method for many, but I doubt the rate). It would also gladly exchange the particular type of intoxication one gets with alcohol for the kind that one gets with marijuana, as a social issue. Though I don't (through personal experience) buy the "stoners are all peaceful" argument, I have found that the drunks I have met were far more unpredictable and often socially unpleasant than the stoned people I have met. --Mr.98 (talk) 17:25, 23 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Are you saying alcohol consumption did not increase when Prohibition ended? I seriously doubt it. Surprisingly, a lot of people are law-abiding citizens, and once something previously forbidden is made available, more folks are going to try it - and like it. I could go off on a John Birch-style rant here, but I'll leave it be. ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 20:09, 23 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

The difference between arguing about alcohol use after Prohibition and all intoxicant use after legalization is that you already have people getting intoxicated legally at the moment. Going from "nothing is legal" to "alcohol is legal" is a different shift than going from "alcohol is legal, pot is illegal" to "both alcohol and pot are legal." Presumably the sorts of people who are prone to getting intoxicated are already doing it with alcohol. What I'm arguing is that the total number of people getting intoxicated probably would not change by legalizing pot, but that the means by which they get intoxicated probably would (you'd see a greater share of pot smokers rather than boozers). I think the sorts of people who never get intoxicated are not going to start with marijuana. That's just a presumption on my part, though. I know plenty of people who have never gotten stoned, but almost all drink wine or beer or harder on a pretty regular basis. I don't know anyone who has only smoked pot and never drank. --Mr.98 (talk) 20:31, 23 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Speaking personally here, while I have drunk before, I don't drink. I don't have anything particular against drinking except that I don't find I enjoy the taste of alcohol so I see little point spending a lot of money on something I don't enjoy. Sometimes, particularly when it's free, I may do it for fun, and once I did semi try to get drunk on RTDs but I don't know if I've ever really been drunk (I've never noticed anything). I've never smoken marijuana but if it were legal and easily available, I probably would have. If I found the experience enjoyable it may very well be something I did more regularly then drinking. While I'm probably not the common in NZ, I doubt I'm the only one. Also I suspect there are a fair few Rastafarians who use marijuana but limit their consumption of alcohol, given that one is generally semi-encouraged and the other one is semi-discouraged. Of course most of these are probably already consuming marijuana so their numbers may not change much. I can't help wondering whether there may be some others, e.g. Muslims or Jewish people who have religious reasons for refraining from alcohol but may decide marijuana is okay (at least a lesser sin enough). Notably tobacco often seems more accepted although there are perhaps increasing efforts to discourage it too. Nil Einne (talk) 05:41, 24 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Judaism per se has nothing against alcohol (again per se). "A feast is made for laughter, and wine maketh merry" (Ecclesiastes 10:19). There are strict laws about how wine must be prepared to make it kosher, which you would hardly expect if it were considered sinful in itself. --Trovatore (talk) 09:45, 24 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

August 23

what was this 3 wheeled vehicle?

I just saw a three-wheeled vehicle go past me in cambridge massachusetts. It had two wheels in the front and one in the back, was electric and it had an almond shaped wind screen in front. Does anyone know what it might have been? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 72.125.207.188 (talk) 12:45, 23 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

A Myers Motors NmG (formerly called a Corbin Sparrow), perhaps? If not, try looking through Category:Three-wheeled motor vehicles. -- Finlay McWalter ☻ Talk 12:49, 23 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Very likely an experimental vehicle built by someone at MIT. Marco polo (talk) 12:51, 23 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Don't you need NHTSA certification to drive any vehicle on a public road in any US state? Experimental vehicles driving down a regular highway lane sounds illegal and unwise. Experimental vehicles normally run on racetracks or other private roads. Comet Tuttle (talk) 21:29, 23 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

In the article Tricycle, it refers to 2 wheels in front as a "recumbent tadpole" design. ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 12:52, 23 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Oh well, I couldn't find it in the category, so maybe it was an MIT design, although it looked like a professionally manufactured vehicle. Either way, looking through Category:Three-wheeled motor vehicles was one of the most enjoyable twenty minutes of my week so far. Damn there are some silly-looking cars out there.

The Can Am Spyder is popular these days- could have been that. I'm aware of no production electric version, though. Friday (talk) 18:56, 23 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Gilford Michigan Tuscola County

It states in Wikipedia that the above mentioned town was named after the Gilford Family. Can you tell me where this information was obtained. I am trying to research Giford and would appreciate that information. As early as 1849 there are land entries for the town of Gilford. Thank you. Ref: History of Tuscola County —Preceding unsigned comment added by Bettyboop8001 (talk • contribs) 14:53, 23 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

The reference for the information was given in the Gilford Township, Michigan article as ^ Romig, Walter (1986) [1973]. Michigan Place Names. Detroit, Michigan: Wayne State University Press. ISBN 0-8143-1838-X. --Tagishsimon (talk) 15:23, 23 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

And here is a link from Google Books. — jwillbur 20:32, 23 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Wooden Spoons in Pubs?

According to the BBC, one of the top ten jokes at the Edinburgh Fringe Fest was: "Wooden spoons are great. You can either use them to prepare food. Or, if you can't be bothered with that, just write a number on one and walk into a pub..." I'm from the US and don't know much about pub culture, so I assume the humor here lies in some special significance of wooden spoons with numbers on them -- could someone enlighten me? 96.246.59.38 (talk) 15:40, 23 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

They are often used to indicate the number for food orders taken at the bar - so, if your food order is no. 8, you take the no.8 spoon and hand it back when the food is delivered to the table. Ghmyrtle (talk) 15:43, 23 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Yeah, that's exactly what it is. Chevy monte carlo - alt 16:46, 23 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

I wondered about that joke as well and I'm from the UK. I've never been in a bar and had to take a spoon for my food order. Is it restricted to particular areas of the UK or have I just not had enough bar meals? Mike 87.113.180.73 (talk) 21:01, 23 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

The latter. They're also used in some pubs as ornamental table numbers, and hence stay on the table rather than being issued as a token by the bar staff. Despite all of that, the joke's still rather weak. --Tagishsimon (talk) 21:10, 23 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

This search brings up a lot of examples. Ghmyrtle (talk) 21:39, 23 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Including this image. ---Sluzzelin talk 21:41, 23 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Remarkably, the woman wearing black seems to be holding a rare example of an invisible wooden spoon. --Dweller (talk) 10:15, 24 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

The Confutation of Tyndale's Answer

I am looking for this work by Thomas More- is it available online anywhere? 149.169.162.134 (talk) 17:25, 23 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

There is an excerpt of it on Google books HERE - but I can't find a complete version online. The most obvious place to look (Project Gutenberg - http://www.gutenberg.org) has a bunch of works by More - but not this one. SteveBaker (talk) 22:53, 23 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

FWIW, the Internet Archive - http://www.archive.org - is generally the most obvious place to look for downloadable books. They have all of PG's stuff as well as most/all of the PD google books, plus some other stuff. --Tagishsimon (talk) 12:37, 24 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Maximum depth of Lake Havasu

Can anyone find a reliable source as to the maximum depth of Lake Havasu? The current number on the article (over 3,000 feet) is unsourced and seems way too deep; I haven't been able to find anything else about it on other sites. AlexiusHoratius 18:49, 23 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Since it's the product of a dam on the Colorado River, it can't be any greater than the maximum pool impounded by the dam. That maximum height is 450 ft ASL, and the dam itself is mentioned as about 85 feet high (much of the dam is below the riverbed). I haven't found a place where it all comes together, but here's the Bureau of Reclamation site: [7]. Acroterion _(talk) 19:10, 23 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

For what it's worth, I found an 1883 (in other words, pre-Parker Dam) map of Arizona on Commons, and it mentions no lake of any kind at that location (since the dam is only a few hundred feet high, there would have had to have been a really deep natural lake there before). I think I'll just remove the figure for now, and let someone add a new one back in if a source can be found. AlexiusHoratius 19:32, 23 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

I think that's the right action. In support, I note that Crater Lake is not that deep and its article says it's the deepest lake wholly within the US. --Anonymous, 19:40 UTC, August 23, 2010.

That bogus figure was posted by an IP last September 10th.[8] ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 20:05, 23 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Yeah - I agree. The original text (pre-vandalism) said that the average depth is 35 feet - which is much more believable. SteveBaker (talk) 22:58, 23 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Something wrong with my car brakes?

I just bought a new Toyota Yaris (50 miles) and I noticed that the brakes don't work as I expect them to. The brakes work as if there is reduced friction between the brake pads and the wheels. I have to press really hard to stop on red lights and I can't stop the car immediately (it keeps rolling for some distance). Also when the car is stopped I get tired from having to press down on the brakes to keep the car from moving. What type brake problems can a new car have that cause this problem. 76.84.122.32 (talk)UberYarisHaxor —Preceding undated comment added 23:50, 23 August 2010 (UTC).[reply]

The brakes may just need bedding in - see the end of this, for example, although your description sounds a little more extreme than this. There's much more discussion on the subject of bedding in brakes such as this--Tagishsimon (talk) 23:56, 23 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Well if you don't have enough fluid I imagine it could cause this. But don't ask random strangers on the internet- get that car back to the dealer and have them look at it. What you're describing sounds unsafe to me. Friday (talk) 23:57, 23 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Take it to the mechanic. That said, every car "feels" different. Aaronite (talk) 01:33, 24 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

When you first start depressing the brake pedal does it seem soft and spongy? Then, do you find you have to press it further towards the floor than you have been previously used to in other cars? If so, then you have 'air' in the hydraulic system. The dealership will just have to bleed the bleedin' brakes for you. In a new car this is probably due to sloppy filling of the brake system with hydraulic fluid. Air is a lot more compressible than oil, so you loose hydraulic advantage.--Aspro (talk) 15:34, 24 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

I had the same problem with my new Suzuki SX4SZ4 and after allowing time for it to bed in I just had to take it back to the dealership who checked it out and reported no problems - until I challenged them to get it to hold fast on a steep incline on the parking brake only - when it persistently slipped backwards. Seems the problem emanates from this being the first edition of that model with front and rear disc brakes on which the rear parking brakes are less effective than the earlier drum brakes. That said, the dealership were very good and did eventually "roughen up" the discs on the rear since when I have had no problems until last week when the footbrake became very stiff and the parking brake became very loose and sloppy. Needless to say I took it back again only to learn that a "return spring" on one rear disc system had broken off and disappeared. The problem was solved to my satisfaction so as others above have advised, get the car back to the dealers and don't be fobbed off until you are happy. It is you after all who is held responsible in law for the safe operation of your car. And if you subsequently learn as I did that your car was manufactured in Bulgaria you have to ask yourself what importance the Bulgarians place on effective car brakes.92.30.160.37 (talk) 20:19, 24 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Obviously, for a car this new, a trip straight back to the dealership is the only sane answer. If you want to go armed with the facts, you can try "pumping" the brakes - pressing and releasing the pedal repeatedly - if that gets the brakes to work (albeit only for a while) - then it's certain that you have air in the brake lines - which is really dangerous and needs to be fixed. They should be able to do it while you wait. If bleeding them helps - but then they get worse again - then you probably have a fluid leak someplace. On an older car, I'd be telling you to replace the master cylinder - but this is a new car, so probably not. If pumping the brakes doesn't help - then there might be some kind of adjustment problem - however, it's hard to imagine how that would affect all four wheels and the usual symptom of this would be of the car pulling violently to one side when you applied the brakes as one wheel locked and the others didn't. Some cars to take a while for their brakes to "bed in" (on my MINI Cooper'S, they tell you in the owner's manual that it could take 100 miles for that to happen and that you should be careful to leave plenty of stopping distance and anticipate braking until that's done) - but the effect you're describing sounds much more dramatic than that. I suppose there are other possibilities, like maybe the wheel speed sensors are screwed up in some particularly creative manner and the ABS is kicking in inappropriately - but again, that's unlikely to affect all four wheels at once. I would bet on air in the brake lines...which should be a very quick fix. SteveBaker (talk) 05:44, 25 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Low levels of 1) brake fluid or 2) engine oil must be corrected before driving further because of their serious consequences for 1) safety and 2) engine damage. Even a non mechanically inclined car owner needs to check these regularly. See the owner's manual. Cuddlyable3 (talk) 14:37, 25 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

August 24

Australian politics

Julia Gillard was said to have won the "two party preferred" vote: What does this mean?Milwhee (talk) 06:07, 24 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

We have an article on it, but in my opinion it is explained rather more clearly here.--Rallette (talk) 07:00, 24 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

It should also be noted that Julia Gillard did not really win the two-party preferred. What it is effectively saying is that, after preferences, Labor party members (who would support a government formed by Julia Gillard) attracted more votes than Liberal party members across all electorates for the lower house. 124.171.201.251 (talk) 08:37, 24 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

The OP's terminology is understandable, given the way Australian elections have become presidentialised of recent years. The media's focus is overwhelmingly on the party leaders, as if every voter in Australia personally casts a vote for these people. That's not how it works in a Westminster parliamentary system. But you'd never know it to hear people talk about how they were going to vote: it was all about Gillard this vs. Abbott that, not about Labor's policies vs. the Coalition's polices. -- Jack of Oz ... speak! ... 11:47, 24 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

I don't know that much about the Australian electoral system, but surely both Gillard and Abbott did win the two party preferred vote otherwise they would be in the embarassing position Howard was in last time? Nil Einne (talk) 23:36, 24 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

No, the point I was making is that it's parties that win or lose elections, not their leaders (not that the leaders can't share some, or a lot, of the glory/shame, but a leader without a party is nothing). Last time, the Coalition lost the election outright (and PM Howard lost his own seat to boot); the 2-party preferred figure was irrelevant given the decisiveness of the Rudd victory, which saw Labor winning an absolute majority of lower house seats. This time, neither side has an absolute majority, hence the horse trading that's now going to see whether either side can establish a workable arrangement with the Greens/independents for a stable government. Various factors are being brought in to the equation this time, including the 2-party preferred figures vs. the raw votes for either side, in an attempt to convince those holding the balance of power of the rightness of the major parties' respective causes. By definition, only one party can win the 2-party preferred vote, unless they happen to coincidentally be exactly the same figure, which they're not in this instance. But at the end of the day, the 2-party preferred figure will play second fiddle to the magic number 76; that's an absolute majority of the 150 seats in the House of Reps, and the party that can cobble together that many votes gets to form the next government. -- 202.142.129.66 (talk) 06:25, 25 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

My point was that while only one party can win the 2 party preferred vote in the general election, in each seat one candidate does/has to win the two party preferred vote (two candidate preferred vote if you wish) and that must be the leaders in each of their respective seats otherwise they wouldn't be in parliament and so what their parties did would arguably be moot from their perspective (even if their parties won 149/150 seats, they still wouldn't be able to form a government until and unless they won a seat in a byelection). Nil Einne (talk) 21:56, 25 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

I think we’re talking at cross-purposes. When people say “I’m voting for Gillard”, what they mean in 99% of cases is “I’m voting for the Labor Party” (and likewise for the others). It’s only the people who live in Gillard’s own electorate (the Division of Lalor in Victoria) who get to vote for her directly, but even then they vote for her as their local MP, not for her as the Prime Minister as such. This popular merging of the party name with the party leader’s name (there’s a linguistic term for this, which escapes me right now) is what I’m sure the OP has also done, because the 2PP vote makes most sense at the national level. You’re dead right, though, that a party leader has to win their own seat to be capable of leading their party in the next parliament. But I’m sure this is not what the OP was on about. -- 202.142.129.66 (talk) 04:43, 26 August 2010 (UTC) [reply]

I appreciate all that (from the beginning), I was simply pointing out they did win the 2PP in their seats no matter what people may say about the general electorate (hence the small). Sorry if it wasn't obvious enough. Nil Einne (talk) 10:15, 26 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

German 1910 Census

I wish to locate the census for the Memel area (Klaipeda)which I understand was carried out as part of the German Empire in 1910. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 88.108.94.3 (talk) 08:09, 24 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Your task is not an easy one. These numbers exist, but not online. The main problem is that the Memel area was not defined as such in 1910. It was not separated from the German Empire until after World War I. Before the Treaty of Versailles defined this region in 1920, it was part of the Province of East Prussia in the Kingdom of Prussia. It is possible to find the population of East Prussia as a whole in 1910 online, but not of the region that later became the Memel area. Within East Prussia, the region that later became the Memel area lay within four different Landkreise (counties or districts): Memel, Heydeburg, Tilsit, and Ragnit. I have not been able to find the populations of these Landkreise in 1910 online, but even if I could, this would not solve your problem, because only parts of the Heydeburg, Tilsit, and Ragnit Landkreise later became part of the Memel area. Parts of these three Landkreise remained within East Prussia and Germany after 1920, until 1945. (I believe that all of the Memel Landkreis became part of the Memel area in 1920.) So, even if you could find numbers for the four Landkreise I've listed, you'd have the population for a larger area than was later included in the Memel area. So, you'd have to research exactly which communes or municipalities were later made part of the Memel area. I am guessing that around 100 municipalities (mostly small villages) were involved. Then you'd have to locate archived records of the Statistisches Reichsamt, which performed the census. I believe that these records are housed in the Bundesarchiv Berlin-Lichterfelde in Berlin. Good luck. Marco polo (talk) 14:32, 24 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Incidentally, I see that your IP address geolocates to London. You might check with local research libraries, such as the British Library or the library of the London School of Economics, to see whether they have those census records. Some web searching suggested that German census records might also be housed at the Bodleian Library, though of course you'd want to confirm that with a librarian before setting out for Oxford. Marco polo (talk) 14:45, 24 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Plumbing - wc

there is a standing pipe next to a loo having a filter on top. maybe 2.5 feet high. what does it do? what is it called? how does it work? Maybe it is a pressure relief valve. Maybe an air admittance valve. My problem is that when the upstairs loo is used, the shower tray below emits smells, suggesting air or water are somehow pulled out. What should I do? Kittybrewster ☎ 10:21, 24 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

If I had this problem I would ring a plumber (one a friend has recommended) and ask for an opinion. It sounds as though the toilet pipe and the shower drain pipe are not connected properly. Maybe there is a vent needed and/or the shower needs a drain trap. Richard Avery (talk) 13:25, 24 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Our article on drain-waste-vent system says "Excessive negative air pressure, behind a 'slug' of water that is draining, can siphon water from trap seals at plumbing fixtures. ... An empty trap can allow noxious sewer gasses to enter a building". If the "standing pipe" is vertical and quite wide, with some form of cap on top, then it may be a vent mechanism and it may have become stuck in the closed position. This could then cause a siphoning of water from the trap in the shower drain downstream, and explain the smells. If so, running the shower for a short time should replenish the water in its drain trap and reduce the smell. But, as Richard Avery says, you should really consult a plumber. Gandalf61 (talk) 13:52, 24 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Advanced Euro plumbing technology? In US plumbing, such a pipe should be extended to the outside as a vent for the toilet drain. It would be open to the sewers, and would admit sewer gases to the room, unless the "filter" somehow equalizes pressure without allowing out foul gas. Edison (talk) 14:17, 24 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Here is a description of an air admittance valve. Has this technology not reached the colonies yet ? Gandalf61 (talk) 14:31, 24 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

The cistern siphon has not reached there yet. Flush_toilet#Tank_style_with_siphon-flush-valve. 92.29.117.205 (talk) 14:46, 24 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Yes, definitely a Durgo valve. Kittybrewster ☎ 16:54, 24 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

I'd kill to have a set of British-style Thomas Crapper syphon flush cisterns at my home here in Texas. The stupid things with the flap valves that we're stuck with here are a terrible design...they need SO much maintenance. I've probably changed at least one or two parts of every one of the three in my house about every year. I tried replacing them with really expensive/high-quality ones (figuring that the house was built with cheap junk) - and it didn't help at all. Argh! Come on Americans - I know this new-fangled idea has only been around for a mere 112 years, let's get with the program here! SteveBaker (talk) 05:35, 25 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Environmental Skepticism and Global Warming Skepticism

reruns

The following discussion has been closed. Please do not modify it.

Some people claim that the purpose of environmental skepticism is to protect the economic interests of businesses and industries. For example, some people claim that the purpose of global warming skepticism is to protect the economic interests of businesses and industries.

What do environmental skeptics think about this claim and accusation? How have they reacted and responded to it? What do global warming skeptics think about this claim and accusation? How have they reacted and responded to it?

Have Bjørn Lomborg, Penn Jillette, and Teller heard about this claim and accusation? If so, then what did they think about it? How have they reacted and responded to it? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 110.174.63.234 (talk) 10:39, 24 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

The same as the last dozen or so times you asked this question...Is there some greater purpose to all these near-identical questions you've been asking? Vimescarrot (talk) 11:02, 24 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Man, if you really care about what these three people think, go read their books and watch their shows. Don't endlessly post specific questions on here. It does not take any great ingenuity to imagine what a skeptic would say to such statements if you understand their mindset. What do you think they would say? "Oh, I guess you're right, the whole purpose of my argument is to promote economic interests of businesses and industries?" Obviously not. They counter a sociological claim with another one: that global warming advocates are liberal elitists who would like to use the threat as a means of getting people to live their lives according to a more liberal elitist model, and all that. This is not rocket science. Read the blogs if you want to see this in real time. It is really, really tedious to post endless variations of the same question on here. --Mr.98 (talk) 12:23, 24 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

why "life boy" still hold the market share in India at the semi urban and the rural area?

The life boy one of the oldest FMCG products in India still holds the market share in India specialy in the rural and the sei urbar area. But if the rule of product life cycle does not go with the product.Life boy also not change their product line, then how it's carry the market share.

I try to answer this case. My answer is as follows...

All tough "life boy" is a old product, but it continually try to change there product life. They change the product package and product flavor.

that is why they can still hold the market share in India at semi urban and rural area.

please make necessary editing. and some others points and suggestion.

Pras9874 (talk) 14:46, 24 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

I'm not familiar with "life boy" (although I have heard of Lifebuoy (soap)), but I will remark that one does not *need* to change the product in order to stay relevant. A prime example of this is Coca-Cola, which carries a large amount of the market share for soft drinks *because* it's the same as it always was (e.g. the New Coke debacle). The appeal to tradition/nostalgia is also very strong in the soaps and fragrances market, as the distinctive smell of a particular soap reminds you of home/mom/grandma/etc. I, for one, use many of the same soaps and cleaning products that my parents did, as other ones just don't work or smell "right". -- 174.21.233.249 (talk) 15:52, 24 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

(edit conflict) Bearing in mind that Wikipedia will not do your homework for you, may I suggest the following: (1) Clarify whether or not the subject of the question is Lifebuoy soap. If so, spelling it correctly in your answer will probably make a better impression on your teacher. (2) You state that it has retained its market share by updating the packaging and changing the scent, which is probably true, but it's a very sketchy and unsupported statement. You don't offer any evidence, such as when and how often it was updated, and what kind of changes were made. Nor do you address the question of why this approach would be particularly successful with its core customers in rural and semi-urban areas - what's special about them, and why would they be encouraged to keep buying the product by a change of image? If you want a good mark for your answer, you need to be more specific about what has been done with the product, and why this strategy has worked. I found quite a lot on the subject in a quick Google search, so you should be able to improve and expand your answer. Good luck. Ka renjc 16:10, 24 August 2010 (UTC)0[reply]

sorry for misunderstanding.m not asking you to do my home work. I just try to improve my evaluation skill to answer any case.and thank you for this help, can you suggest, wht should I search in google? Pras9874 (talk) 06:39, 25 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

By FMCG, I assume you mean Fast moving consumer goods. The simple explanation might be what is called "brand loyalty". But you're looking for specific information that may not be in wikipedia. If I were to google it, I would say [lifebuoy soap "brand loyalty" India]. ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 06:58, 25 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

While some products change with every season (say, mobile phones or Nike shoes), others almost never do, as in the case of Coca Cola. It would appear that this particular product developed a very strong consumer following, perhaps at a time when competitor products were weak, and has managed to remain popular without the need to relaunch, reposition or reintroduce itself periodically. DOR (HK) (talk) 07:57, 26 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Hans Einstein House in Greenville, SC

What is the street address for the Hans Einstein House in Greenville, SC? I understand that it is open for tours. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 167.230.104.94 (talk) 15:48, 24 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

According to a real estate site about Greenville attractions, "The house is located just off Earle Street in Greenville’s Historic District." — Michael J 16:11, 24 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Home Internet

if you rent a home in the uk, do sometimes the internet included in the rent price? —Preceding unsigned comment added by Prize Winning Tomato (talk • contribs) 15:58, 24 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Many things happen "sometimes", and I see no reason to expect that this wouldn't ever happen. Rental terms can vary widely. — Lomn 16:07, 24 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

If you are renting an entire house or flat normally none of the utility bills (which would include an internet connection) or the council tax are included in the rent, you are expected to arrange and pay for these yourself separately. If you are lodging in a home, the costs are normally subsumed into the rental payment. In a shared occupancy house such as a student house arrangements vary. Sometimes the landlord pays all the utility bills and sets the room rents to cover both the rent and bills, other times the occupants share the bills, but this can lead to problems when there is one 'name' on the bill who is actually liable and has to get the funds off everyone else when the bill is due. Exxolon (talk) 16:51, 24 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Very unlikely, except sometimes this might be provided for students sharing a home. 92.15.15.228 (talk) 18:34, 24 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Yes, very uncommon for long-term lets of a full house, but often included for holiday lets. Dbfirs 01:40, 25 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

code solving

Any ideas how to solve this code? I figure it is a straight up letter replacement encryption, but the short length is very aggravating. Any ideas?

iwap fxspbmu vfxrc vsxjfe

Googlemeister (talk) 18:55, 24 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

It says "Just another manic Monday". Also "Burn against camel, Compaq!" See here if you want to play. Marnanel (talk) 19:22, 24 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Giant traffic jam on Beijing-Tibet Expressway

Where can I find a map and a satellite photograph of the current traffic jam on the Beijing-Tibet Expressway? (http://theridgeonline.co.za/world’s-worst-traffic-jam/) Does Wikipedia have information about the traffic jam?—Wavelength (talk) 19:30, 24 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

The Wikipedia article about that expressway is China National Expressway 6. -- Wavelength (talk) 21:00, 24 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

I googled [beijing traffic jam] and there were plenty of hits, naturally. The first was this WSJ item[9] which doesn't have any satellite photos but does have a minimilistic diagram that might give some perspective. This much I know: After reading about that, I'm never again going to complain about having to spend an extra hour or two on the Dan Ryan. ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 20:33, 24 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

The Wikipedia article about that expressway is Dan Ryan Expressway. -- Wavelength (talk) 21:02, 24 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

If you speak Italian, look up the song l'Ingorgo by Lucio Dalla. I don't know whether it refers to a real event or not. It.wiki has no article on it. --Trovatore (talk) 21:08, 24 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Don't know that one, but there's a generic song called "Damn that Traffic Jam", by James Taylor. ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 21:23, 24 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Thank you for that link, Baseball Bugs. According to that article, the expressway seems to be China National Highway 110.

—Wavelength (talk) 21:15, 24 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Sounds like they should rename it the 110 parking lot. I've got a hunch some heads will roll over this fiasco. (maybe literally) ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 21:21, 24 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Axe identification

hi im new to this site but ive got something to show which maybe of interest, i recently worked on the scrapping of the Clemenceau (R98) and in one of the locker rooms and i came across a pair of old overalls with something wrapped in them so i unfolded them and there i came across like some sort of axe looking device with a hole in the bottom as if it was suppose to sit on something it also has the tigers head on it with the ships name carved in around it it stands around 2 and a half feet tall and the end looks like a sword point and then two like axe blades come from the side its quite heavy chrome and brass looking any ideas what it may have been used for thanks neily39 —Preceding unsigned comment added by Neily39 (talk • contribs) 18:51, 24 August 2010

Posted here on behalf of this new user, who actually asked this on their talk page, but I thought RD might be able to help. Chzz ► 20:19, 24 August 2010 (UTC) [reply]

Some kind of Halberd? Chzz ► 21:37, 24 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

On an aircraft carrier it seems most likely to be a fire axe, although I can't find a reference to any that looks like that. Looie496 (talk) 01:48, 25 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

This is an encyclopedia. How is anyone supposed to understand what you mean by "scrapping of the clemenceau" Is the "clemenceau" a ship, a building, a statue, a Frenchman, or what? Most of the Wikipedia readers will only think of some old Frenchman who had a big moustache. Edison (talk) 03:54, 25 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Hi Edison. If you put "scrapping of the clemenceau" into the Wikipedia search box, then the very first match is French aircraft carrier Clemenceau (R98). Similarly, Google makes it quite clear. Plus, they did say "ship". Hope that helps, Chzz ► 04:08, 25 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Apparently the question has been clarified since I asked the question for clarification. And it should not be necessary for every Ref Desk volunteer to do research to figure out what clemenceau the questioner is talking about. Edison (talk) 19:38, 26 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

I'm not familiar with the iconography of the French Navy (La Marine), but the French Republic, like the American one, looked back to the Roman Republic for inspiration, which is why the fasces, an axe (often double-headed) surrounded by a bundle of rods, can be found as a republican symbol in both countries. See National Emblem of France. [It was, of course, later used by Mussolini's Fascists looking back to Imperial (rather than republican) Rome, and when Philippe Pétain became leader of Vichy France {L'État Français, rather than La République), he adopted the Francisque, a double-headed axe deliberately mirroring the symbol of fascism, but allegedly based on an old weapon of the Franks.] A more traditional fasces (reminiscent of those on the U.S. Senate's wall and the Mercury Dime) is on the presidential flag of Valéry Giscard d'Estaing of the Fifth Republic (served 1974–1981). Now that I think about it, I remember collecting "RF" postage stamps that made use of the republican fasces, and I think that one (like the U.S. Senate's) may be on the wall of the Chamber of Deputies where Clemenceau served as Prime Minister (1906-9; 1917-20). See also the symbol chosen for Wikipedia's own Template:Politics of France. ¶ If you consult the article on Georges Clemenceau, you'll see that one of his nicknames was Le Tigre (the tiger), so I think this object must have served as a symbol of the ship, like the figurehead. I hope it's been kept from disappearing into the collectors' market, because I think it would have a strong meaning for the officers and men who served aboard the Clemenceau. —— Shakescene (talk) 08:29, 25 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Also note the third insignia on this page, The nickname of the French premierminister during WW I was "Tiger" and a Tiger's face was chosen as Insignia of the Ship bearing his name. Chzz ► 06:03, 26 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

August 25

K-lock on Sony TV

I'm try to add some resistance to (at least casual) burglary for the nickable stuff in my home. Computer equipment (laptops, monitors, desktop PCs, external disks etc.) are pretty consistent about having Kensington Security Slots. But I'm disappointed to discover that my midsize (26") Sony LCD TV doesn't. What do people typically use to make this at least somewhat difficult to walk away with? It's mounted on its stand, but it has the usual Flat Display Mounting Interface connection on the back - is there such a thing as a lock that attaches to this, a or secure staple through which a cable lock could be threaded? -- Finlay McWalter ☻ Talk 12:30, 25 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Your TV's Flat Display Mounting Interface has M4 threaded holes. For a lightweight security you can attach one or more eye bolt(s) and pass a cable through them. Cuddlyable3 (talk) 13:52, 25 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

One eye-bolt is useless (they can always rotate the TV to unscrew that one bolt). I did try looking for M4 security eye-bolts, but didn't find any. But on thinking about it, two M4 eyebolts, with the cable strung through both, should prevent unscrewing. It would need a cable that locks to itself, like a bike-lock, I guess. -- Finlay McWalter ☻ Talk 14:06, 25 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Which is pretty much this. -- Finlay McWalter ☻ Talk 15:00, 25 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

You can get stick-on pads for K-cables, not sure how strong the glue is - or the TV's case. There are also locks which will attach to the VGA port, if the TV still has one. CS Miller (talk) 15:19, 25 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Even on computer equipment, those Kensington Security Slots don't look substantial enough to withstand a good hard tug. So, I doubt someone who had gone to the trouble of breaking into your home will be deterred by a K-lock, especially as they would have brought some tools to break in anyway. Astronaut (talk) 10:57, 26 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

The way I understand this, these locks aren't meant to keep resist strong physical violence, but rather cause enough damage to the computer/TV/whatever casing that the device will be hard to sell, plus it might be unsafe to operate with a chunk of its casing missing. -- 78.43.71.155 (talk) 12:59, 27 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Joint account question

Hi,

My friends are moving into a house in the next couple of weeks (it's for university, so people are coming from all over the place). One of my friends will be there much earlier than the others; however, they aren't very organised and so haven't set up a joint account for the house for paying bills and things. Is it allowed for me to make a joint account with this friend and then leave once the other inhabitants have joined the account? Thanks, 92.2.182.60 (talk) 12:57, 25 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Before some smartarse-cum-pedant comes along asking which country the OP is talking about, it's pretty obvious that it's the UK. As to the question, I'm not getting why you would want to be one of the joint account holders if you're not going to be living in the house. Why can't you just leave him to set up the joint account himself? Having said that, if they want a joint account in all the holders' names, they are all going to have to be there in order to sign the papers, provide ID and stuff. --Viennese Waltz ^talk 13:06, 25 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

A Whois lookup indeed places the OP in the UK. Please speak civilly about anyone who is unaware of that function. Cuddlyable3 (talk) 13:16, 25 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

I didn't even whois them. I could tell they were from the UK just from their tone, spelling and so on. --Viennese Waltz ^talk 13:22, 25 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

{edit conflict} Thanks, Viennese Waltz. The reason is that the others won't be there early on, and they live all over the country, so only one will be there on the 4th. But she'll need electricity, and can't set it up unless there's a joint account. So I was wondering if I'd be able to step in to help her out. Then, when the rest of them finally move in, I was hoping to get myself removed from the account, and let all the others join up. Sorry, I know that it wasn't very clear. 92.2.182.60 (talk) 13:23, 25 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Why not either set up the electricity supply using either your account, or hers, and then transfer it over to the new joint account once the other housemates arrive and get round to opening one? Warofdreams talk 13:41, 25 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

(ec) Well yeah, that's certainly possible – anyone can join or leave an account at any time. It seems a lot of hassle, though. All the cashpoint/debit cards would need to be reissued with the new names, for example. One more question – why does she need a joint account to set up the leccy bill? Can't she just set it up in her own name? --Viennese Waltz ^talk 13:44, 25 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

(unindent) That is possible, yeah. Will give it a bit of thought. Thanks to you all. :) 92.2.182.60 (talk) 14:50, 25 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

VW: Good for you. Without an IP look up, I couldn't be sure, and I don't think it's unresonable that people don't automatically know what someone from the UK sounds like. For example, I wouldn't suspect the OP isn't from the US (although I don't know if I'd completely rule out they are for example, someone from the UK who just moved to the US to go to university). But from their original comment alone, I can't rule out them being from NZ. Let alone Ireland, Australia, Canada. Even South Africa, Singapore and Malaysia I can't quite rule it out. Or heck I would say it's possible to be someone from a non English native European country. I fully admit I wouldn't have guessed you were from Austria (ignoring your name) from your words alone even if it isn't relevant here, and I'm guessing I'm not the only one. I'm glad that you automatically know from my tone and spelling that I'm currently living in NZ (do you also know I grew up in Malaysia?) but I don't ask people to guess when it's relevant. It's also nice to know the moment I step off a plane in the US and start posting, you will automatically know I'm in the US from my tone and spelling. I wasn't aware my tone and spelling change the instant I go to a different country. (How well does this work? Can you tell which part of China I'm in if I go there? If not is Taiwan part of China?) However I still believe even if some people have this amazing ability to tell precisely what country someone is currently located in from their tone and spelling alone of a single short message, regardless of where they learn their English and even if they only arrived in that country a few hours ago, respondents without this amazing ability shouldn't have to guess where someone may be from. So asking for this common courtesy of telling us isn't unresonable. (Just to be clear, this is directed at VW rather then the OP. And I have no problem with guessing where someone is from from their message, I do it myself, but I do acknoledge it's only a guess and I could be wrong so I don't have a problem with people asking for confirmation of where someone is from. ) Nil Einne (talk) 09:58, 26 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Joint account question (from the other side of the pond)

Referring to the question above: Is this sort of thing, setting up a joint account to pay house bills, a common thing in the UK? When I shared an apartment with three friends in the US, we would write what the bill (electric, water, etc) was on a whiteboard in the kitchen and split it four ways. One of us took on the chore of paying said bill and the rest were obligated to pay our quarter. And the bills were in the name of the person who would pay the bill. We were friends, so we didn't worry about one of us stiffing the other three when the bills came due. Dismas|^(talk) 13:53, 25 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

I think it's pretty common, yeah. When I shared a house we had a "house account" which was in one person's name. Each person in the house paid a fixed monthly amount into that account by standing order. All rent and utility bills were then paid from that account. Seems like a pretty fair system to me. The only thing it doesn't cover is household items like toilet roll and whatnot, I guess one option there would be to set up a petty cash float for those items. Phone bill was an interesting one, we used to have itemized bills so each housemate would have to go through the bill and identify which calls were theirs. It's more of an issue if the house is not a group of friends I guess. Again that is a pretty common situation in big cities like London, people come and go from shared houses all the time. --Viennese Waltz ^talk 14:01, 25 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

I am interested in the claims above that imply that a 4-way split of a rent or utility bill could even be possible. In every roommate situation I've ever seen in the US, the landlord or utility requires that one person be legally responsible for paying the bill. In turn, that person becomes the nag who scolds the other roommates to pay up. Comet Tuttle (talk) 16:50, 25 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

I've been in roommate situations where the landlord accepted separate checks from each tenant. I don't recall what the legal situation was. We may have been jointly and severally liable. --Trovatore (talk) 21:06, 25 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Not sure if my posts above are one of the claims you're referring to, but in the scenario I'm advocating that wouldn't be an issue. Yes, the rent or utility bill might need to be in one name, but if a household bank account is opened which each person pays a fixed amount into each month, then the owner of that bank account simply pays the bills from that account. Because the funds are already in the account, no nagging is required. The name(s) on the bank account need not be the same as the name on the utility bill. --Viennese Waltz ^talk 16:58, 25 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Maybe I'm being a cynic but with a bank account, you can't tell who put in $X on X date, you can only see that it was done. So if the situation arose where someone didn't pay in, you wouldn't know who it was that was slacking on the payments. Dismas|^(talk) 20:34, 25 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

It's done by standing order. At the beginning of the tenancy, each housemate authorizes monthly transfers from their individual account to the household account. It's not done on an individual basis from month to month. Unless one housemate cancels their part of the arrangement, it's not possible to slack on the payments. Also, bank statements always have a name or account number showing where the credits to the account came from. --Viennese Waltz ^talk 20:52, 25 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Apart from possible liquidity problems which can't be foreseen at the time of signing of the (witnessed?) authorizations, that sounds way more practical than my experience. A long time ago, I was in a living situation similar to Dismas's. We were nine people sharing a (lovely Jugendstil) villa. Though we all liked one another, and there was a general sense of trust and no petty arguments over "Who moved my cheese?", we still had two grand slackers, who inevitably failed to pay up at the end of the month. I didn't envy the poor person who was responsible and accountable for all of us, by name and signature. (Most people don't enjoy reminding people to pay up). ---Sluzzelin talk 21:02, 25 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

If you transfer money from a bank account you can can't you? At least you always can here in NZ AFAIK. Is it really the case in the US ir the UK or whatever that transfers are anonymous i.e. no name or account number of the tranferee? I wouldn't have expected that, except from stuff like Swiss Bank accounts and the like. Don't you at least get a reference field or something where each tenant could put their name or some code to represent them or something?? Nil Einne (talk) 22:01, 25 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

I think you can make an anonymous payment into a UK current account - for instance by paying in cash at a bank counter - but in the scenario under discussion it's clearly in the depositor's interest to make it known who paid the money in, so he would give a suitable reference. AndrewWTaylor (talk) 16:40, 26 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

For a standing order, if no preference for identification is given, then the bank will normally add an identifying line (either the account number or the name). For electronic transfers, the option is given for an identifying comment. Dbfirs 17:30, 26 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

When I was house-renting, it was different for different utilities (about 15 years ago in Ontario). Basically the tricky part was that the landlord was responsible for paying rent on the water heater (it's common here for the water heater to not be owned by the home owner) - as renters, that was not our obligation. So if the bill came to X, the landlord had to first remove the rental portion of the bill and then split the remainder to calculate our individual portions. Matt Deres (talk) 13:14, 26 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Many years ago, my roommate forgot to pay the bill and our electricity got shut off. I had a kerosene lantern handy, and was reading by it. Roommate and girlfriend came back, I groused to roommate, he waffled, and she said, "Wow! We can listen to the stereo by candlelight!" More recently, I've discovered that it's possible, if not awkward, to bring a water heater home in a SAAB convertible. It's helpful if the trip home involves no right turns. PhGustaf (talk) 20:48, 26 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Ancestral map of Ireland

Back in the 1950-1960 era (I believe)the NY Daily News or the NY Post used to print a map of Ireland around or on St. Patrick's Day. This map showed the surnames of families in cities and counties of Ireland. Americans could see where their families came from. Can you tell me how I can get a copy of this map of Ireland? I don't believe the paper prints it anymore and I no longer live in NY. I have retired to SC. I would appreciate whatever you can do. Thank you.

Patricia (Magrath) Sellazzo —Preceding unsigned comment added by Patricia Sellazzo (talk • contribs) 21:31, 25 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Online I've found this, which unfortunately isn't a very nice picture, and for which I can't vouch. For Scottish clans, Wikipedia has this excellent map, but not it seems for Irish clans. List of Irish clans has a table which lists home towns and locations for some clans and surnames. -- Finlay McWalter ☻ Talk 21:49, 25 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

There was a map like that in my history book, showing the locations of various clans during hte norman invasion.--92.251.170.187 (talk) 21:33, 26 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Pre-orgasm feeling

I'm looking for references regarding the feeling just before a person experiences an orgasm, how intense this feeling normally is, and how long it normally lasts. Please note, this is purely a question asking for references; it is in no way medical advice, since the question is not asking for diagnosis, prognosis, or treatment advice. Thank you for your time. 137.30.164.176 (talk) 23:40, 25 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

The book Human Sexual Response by Masters and Johnson is a classic reference that describes the phases of the Human sexual response cycle. Cuddlyable3 (talk) 23:48, 25 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

August 26

I'm bored in Hong Kong and have 5 bored people to entertain, please help!

Hi will any WIkipedaeers who have an intimate knowledge of Hong Kong please suggest a decent and cheap way to spend 24 hours in this FINE city of yours? We enjoy the old people raucously protesting as the next person but are there any out of the way things one can partake in to ensure MAXIMUM ENJOYMENT for all to be had? Thank you very much, and oh, being stuck in a crowd of humanity for an hour at the PEAK us NOT GREAT!!!! 218.103.86.2 (talk) 16:50, 26 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

There are crowds of humanity everywhere in HK. Exploding Boy (talk) 16:52, 26 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

If you have a transport and nature's your thing, then the far west and the far east of Hong Kong look nice with beaches, mountains and country parks. Check the regulations (some useful documents on this search), but maybe you could have a picnic/barbecue and some beers. Astronaut (talk) 18:28, 26 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Why not get a ferry down the Lantau Island and have a look at the big statue of Buddha there? It's a lovely island to walk around for a few hours. --KägeTorä - (影虎) (TALK) 18:24, 26 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Yes, Lantau is lovely but it's getting way too touristy, especially the Big Buddha and the temple. Do explore some of the smaller villages on the island, such as Tai O and Mui Wo. It's only a few HK$ on the bus or taxi will get you there once you are on Lantau. If you want to really get off the beaten path, check out one of many outlaying islands like Ping Chau accessible only by sampan, and kai-to. The very southern Po Toi Islands is a good choice as well. --Kvasir (talk) 20:33, 26 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

THANK YOU all very much for being of NO HELP whatsoever!!!! 218.103.86.2 (talk) 01:39, 27 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

I do mean THANK YOU all very MUCH for BEING such great HELP!!!! —Preceding unsigned comment added by 218.103.86.2 (talk) 01:48, 27 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

I used to live in Hong Kong: it has a vast range of available entertainment and places of interest. If anyone is capable of becoming bored there, the problem likely lies in themselves rather than in the locale. Have you explored the Tiger Balm Garden yet? Some of the statuary might appeal to you.87.82.229.195 (talk) 10:12, 27 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Is this site legit?

http://www.ticketseating.com/buy-florence-and-the-machine-tickets-november-01-2010-1830-1400934/ . Because I went to the website of the venue where Florence is performing, and she's sold out. So how come tickets can be still magically available on another website? 24.189.87.160 (talk) 17:25, 26 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Because people will often buy multiple tickets and resell them. → ROUX ₪ 17:34, 26 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

See Ticket resale. These kinds of sites are essentially scalpers — they try to figure out shows that will have high demand, buy up all the seats, then re-sell them at a higher price. This business model is often criticized. The ticket vendors have a love-hate relationship with these types of places. On the one hand, they get to sell out the show. On the other hand, if the tickets go unbought, that actually cuts into their bottom line, which is usually derived largely from concessions. And of course, having the fans pay a higher price just because these re-sellers get the tickets first — some of them use quite sophisticated computer algorithms to purchase all tickets on "hot" concerns within minutes of them being on offer — is essentially just passing a hefty "tax" to the actual consumer. As for legality, it varies by jurisdiction, as the article explains. There have been moves to ban all of this kind of online ticket reselling but I'm not sure anything much has come of it yet. If you buy from them, you're almost certainly going to be paying more, and you'll be supporting the business model. (Whether that bothers you or not probably depends on a lot of other views you have about economic transactions in general!) There is, of course, the possibility of ticket fraud, but that particular site seems to be one of the standard "legit" re-sellers. --Mr.98 (talk) 17:40, 26 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Ticket fraud could indeed be a concern. If the tickets are legit, though, it's just a matter of how much the OP is willing to pay. It's definitely unfair, but it's the way it is. ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 18:09, 26 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

I don't mind paying extra this time around, since the price isn't outrageously high (and I'm desperate as hell, I normally wouldn't do this), but I just wanted to make sure that this wasn't a fraud site. 24.189.87.160 (talk) 18:16, 26 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Web of Trust is showing it as a clean site. WoT isn't always the most accurate, but usually catches fraudulent websites. I can't find anything in Google that implies it's a fraud, either. Then again, I only found one source that said it wasn't a fraud, and that was on Yahoo! Answers. 24.247.162.139 (talk) 00:34, 27 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

In the UK, there's Scarlet Mist which aims to let people exchange spare tickets ethically. Maybe there's something similar in the USA. --Frumpo (talk) 09:23, 27 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Low voltage lighting

Over the last few years, I've had several outdoor projects done to my house, each time adding some 12V accent lighting to a garden, tree, patio, deck, stairway, etc. Since this is not "new construction" by the normal use of that term, each loop consists of

a several-hundred-watt transformer, slightly larger than a loaf of bread
plugged into a standard 110V outlet
controlled by a switch that communicates "indirectly" with the transformer;

by this I mean that the switch does not actually turn on and off the outlet into which the transformer is plugged. Still, the net effect is that flipping the switch causes the transformer to turn on or off, and thus the lights on that loop. (Hope that's clear enough, because I have the feeling that I'm not explaining it very well.)

It seems to me that although it's simple enough, it's not terribly efficient. If I were to do this again, I'd consider running the low-voltage wiring along with the rest of the electrical rough-in. In particular, I'd have one big-ass transformer in the basement, and runs of wire from it to the switches and thence to the lights -- same as indoor wiring. But, nobody does it that way, so there's obviously an important concept that I'm missing.

Any of you electrical engineers like to upgrade my electronic education here? (This is the US, in case it's not obvious from context.) DaHorsesMouth (talk) 23:05, 26 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

P.S. I don't know if the transformer output is 12V AC or 12V DC, in case that's important. Also, I can replace bulbs in some of the fixtures with standard automotive bulbs, which are 12V. DaHorsesMouth (talk) 23:07, 26 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Not sure I understood this completely, but if the transformer is plugged in, it will draw some power even if nothing is connected to the transformer. Also if you have a big transformer and only a small load on it, you'll be wasting some power that way. Looie496 (talk) 23:40, 26 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

It depends on the type of transformer used. Switched-mode power supplies (used in computer power supplies, among other locations) are quite a bit more efficient than a vanilla core-transformer-plus-rectifier.

That said, one of the big problems with a 12V power supply in the basement and long cable runs throughout the house is resistive power loss in the wires. To keep resistive losses manageable (and, not incidentally, to ensure that you actually get something close to twelve volts at the output) means running much heavier-gauge wire from source to load. Your ordinary 110V household wiring is probably 12- or 14-gauge inside the walls; for a fifty-foot 20-amp capacity run at 12 volts, this table recommends 4 gauge wire. (The conductors would be at least three or four times the diameter of the 110V line.) The problem gets worse with longer runs, and if you have multiple circuits you're getting into something that's quite costly to install. Don't forget, too, that you need to move nine times the current at 12 V to deliver the same power (in watts) compared to a 110 V circuit.TenOfAllTrades(talk) 01:20, 27 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

I've considered installing the same wiring here in the UK, though in my case it would have been a big 240v transformer to 15 volt rectified, connected to a bank of car batteries to provide lighting etc when mains power fails. In the end, I decided against this for the efficiency and resistance reasons explained by TenOfAllTrades. Instead I have portable systems that I can carry round, but only a very limited centrally powered system for LED lights (low current) along the drive (and this is 3v not 12v). Dbfirs 08:31, 27 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Second what ToAT said. Your current method is actually more efficient than what you propose to do, plus your cost of thicker wiring and the power loss incurred would would wipe out any savings. Also, having a transformer on each circuit distributes your risk of failure. On typical internal down light installations here (also 12V DC, although 240V AC is also available), it is common practice to put a transformer on each bulb, such that your wiring is still at mains voltage. Of course this is indoor so everything sits in the ceiling and when you flick the wall switch you are physically cutting power to the transformers and the bulbs. Zunaid 08:41, 27 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

A simple transformer supplies AC which is adequate for lighting (there's no obvious reason for DC unless some form of regulation or dimming is needed). The big-loop or central transformer proposal involves higher operating current and much higher fault current that could create a fire hazard. As this lighting is home constructed, ensure that 1) the transformer case is connected to earth, and 2) each loop has a fuse or circuit breaker. I would connect one side of the 12V loop(s) to earth. Cuddlyable3 (talk) 12:16, 27 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Your set-up gives you the opportunity to instal a windmill, of the kind used on yachts, with a car battery, which may mean you could run the 12v system independently of the mains. 92.29.123.117 (talk) 14:06, 27 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

August 27

Companies that utilizes expired patents or inventions not patented in their country

Are there any companies that is known to use expired patents or inventions not patented in their country to manufacture products that they could sell in their local market?--Lenticel ^(talk) 01:45, 27 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

There are many; the easiest list to come to mind is any generic drug manufacturer; these companies depend on patent expiration for their business model. Comet Tuttle (talk) 04:56, 27 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

want a very cheap and simple detector to remove iron nails from timber for reuse

I have a large quantity of timber removed from a dismantled house. In order to reuse it the timber has to be resized. There are a lot of old rusty iron nails on the timber which is not easy to locate as they don't show on the the sooth covered timber. Is there any cheap tool to locate them? Or can somebody suggest some improvisation?--117.204.88.112 (talk) 04:13, 27 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Most stud detectors will do the trick and a basic unit can be bought for between $20-30 at your local hardware store —Preceding unsigned comment added by 209.167.165.2 (talk) 04:26, 27 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Of course, you'll then need to extract each rusty nail for which you will also need a claw hammer, screwdrivers, and strong pliers. It could be a long job if you've got a whole house-worth of timber. If it is just you, I suggest you invite some friends round for a claw hammer and stud detector (and beer?) party, to try to get the job done in a weekend. Astronaut (talk) 10:42, 27 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Iceland-Faroe line on Google Maps

On Google Maps there seems to be a faint line linking Iceland and the Faroe Islands:

http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&ll=63.548552,-10.371094&spn=2.839252,14.128418&z=6

Zoom in and it disappears. What's with that? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 221.216.52.189 (talk) 13:40, 27 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

I can't reproduce it here, which suggests that it's some minor glitch somewhere in the software stack on your machine. As an example, perhaps the images aren't being quite perfectly aligned because of sloppy floating point arithmetic (because something's compiled with -ffast-math or equivalent somewhere along the line). 128.232.16.58 (talk) 15:16, 27 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

I can see it using Firefox and Internet Explorer. It is a thin white diagonal line. 92.29.123.117 (talk) 15:42, 27 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

It's a defect in the PNG image that Google is sending. It's evident in this image. The line is visible on (at least) Imagemagick, Eye of Gnome, Firefox, Chrome, and Gimp. It's some kind of rounding error in the projection software Google used to generate the map. -- Finlay McWalter ☻ Talk 16:13, 27 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

San Diego restaurants

Hello all. My girlfriend is flying out to visit me next week, and I was wondering if maybe my fellow wikipedians could suggest some places to eat. I'm not necessarily thinking romantic, just nice. As far as dress code goes, I'm thinking a nice button down shirt (oxford) with jeans; nothing too fancy. --AtTheAbyss (talk) 16:45, 27 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]