Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Miscellaneous/2008 April 16

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April 16

Crosscut Saws

Do crosscut saws cut down trees better than a normal bow saw? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 64.119.61.7 (talk) 00:18, 16 April 2008 (UTC)

Being on the petite side, tackling branches, a bow saw seemed easier, quicker, and less likely to get stuck in the wood. A crosscut saw could be harder to keep straight when cutting into a thick branch. A lumberjack or tree surgeon would have more expertise. Julia Rossi (talk) 01:03, 16 April 2008 (UTC)

The bow saw article says that's what it was designed for. ; ) phew Julia Rossi (talk) 01:12, 16 April 2008 (UTC)

Yes, but the crosscut saw article says much the same thing. To further confuse things, both articles link to buck saw in a way that suggests they're all closely related, even though the thing pictured in crosscut saw is quite different from the thing pictured in bow saw. --Allen (talk) 01:42, 16 April 2008 (UTC)

Ah. Bow saw for me, then. The cross saw, as they say, just doesn't cut it. Julia Rossi (talk) 06:31, 16 April 2008 (UTC)

My interpretation of the articles is that "cross cut" refers to the teeth and "bow" refers to having a frame holding the saw b;ade in tension. A buck saw is a type of cross cut bow saw for a specific purpose. -- Q Chris (talk) 13:46, 17 April 2008 (UTC)

Thanks, I realise now the bow saw I used had distinct teeth like a cartoon dinosaur. The advantage of the bow was to keep the cutter straight which is harder to do with a blade saw if you're not skilled. I've just been to the Saw article, fascinating – it needs work. Julia Rossi (talk) 03:06, 18 April 2008 (UTC)

hybrid dogs

I have the most beautiful, loving and playful dog anyone could hope for. Lulu my dog, is a mix between a Boston Terrier and a Jack Russel Terrier, I was wondering, Is there was a name for her breed? I know there are some common mixes such as a Puggle and Morkie but what about my Lulu, what is her hybrid name?

I'm not aware of a name for this cross, but how about a "Boston Jack" ? StuRat (talk) 04:54, 16 April 2008 (UTC)

The trend for naming cross-breeds is relatively new, and so most combinations are unnamed. The biggest area of named cross-breeds is poodle crosses, with the Labradoodle being the first one to my knowledge. In my opinion, it was created as a form of marketing, to make it more appealing to get a cross-breed given that names like "mongrel" and "bitzer" (i.e. "bitzer this and bitzer that") have fairly negative connotations, whereas "pure-bred" was traditionally considered a desirable quality. Using a more traditional naming style, you'd refer to Lulu as a Boston Terrier-Jack Russell cross. Confusing Manifestation(Say hi!) 05:06, 16 April 2008 (UTC)

The Cocker spaniel/Poodle mix dubbed the Cockapoo has been around and called that for over half a century, and has been quite popular. -- Deborahjay (talk) 17:12, 16 April 2008 (UTC)

What about a "Heinz Terrier" - it's got 57 varieties. Or a "Bassett Terrier" - it's a mixture of allsorts. (Maybe a UK joke). Boston Jack would be OK as long as no-one shortens it. Richard Avery (talk) 07:12, 16 April 2008 (UTC)

I'm not getting the Bassett joke this side of the pond, and me a lifelong Anglophile. Sigh. --LarryMac | Talk 18:15, 16 April 2008 (UTC)

Very disappointed in you, Larry. Skittle (talk) 20:27, 16 April 2008 (UTC)

Aquariums

I'm looking to do some Aquascaping of my aquarium... to make it really personal i wanna create a lot of the ornaments myself. Is there such a thing as a clay or whatever designed for this purpose? If i wanted to place plastic pieces/toys/whatever in the tank is there things i need to be aware of? The temperature of the freshwater will be 25 deg C . Boomshanka (talk) 02:24, 16 April 2008 (UTC)

Well, they would have to be nontoxic and not have any component that will dissolve in water or be small enough to be eaten by fish. Most hard plastics should be fine, but I'd avoid soft plastics. If you use real clay (as opposed to something like Play Dough) and let it fully dry and harden, that should be OK to add to the tank. Also, you want to avoid anything that will rust, so no iron or steel. I would imagine any place that sells pet fish will have a selection of decorative items you can add to the aquarium. StuRat (talk) 04:52, 16 April 2008 (UTC)

If you'd like to consider personalizing from the inhabitants' point of view as well, I highly recommend Gerald Durrell's anecdotal account of his teenage stint as an aquarium/terrarium decorator, in "A Transport of Terrapins" (published in the collection Fillets of Plaice, 1971). -- Deborahjay (talk) 17:18, 16 April 2008 (UTC)

Bit Confused

Could someone help me? I'm a bit confused what is a hermaphrodite and what's a transgender? I've read both articles and yet I don't get it much. In the hermaphrodite article they said that hermaphrodite was an inaccurate name or something like. It makes me feel like I don't know what a hermaphrodite is anymore. The transgender just is plain confusing. Are they one gender who thinks they are another gender? Or are they dual genders as well? Or are they like transvestites without the dressing up?

Thank You

Always

Cardinal Raven

71.142.208.226 (talk) 02:33, 16 April 2008 (UTC)Cardinal Raven

Hermaphrodite is usually used to describe species that normally have both male and female reproductive organs. The preferred term for people who in the past were often called hermaphrodites is intersex, and that article has more details about the various relevant conditions. Transgender is a broad term. If you're born with a clearly male or female reproductive system, and you identify and conform in every way with the cultural and stereotypical norms associated with that sex, then you're probably not transgender. Otherwise, you probably have at least the option of considering yourself transgender. Try re-reading the article, keeping in mind that "transgender" is a catch-all term that describes lots of different ideas. --Allen (talk) 03:44, 16 April 2008 (UTC)

Hermaphrodite = born with both. Transgender = going from one gender to the other, usually via surgery. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 79.75.169.43 (talk) 20:10, 16 April 2008 (UTC)

Not really. Transgender is broader than that. You might be thinking of transsexual. --Allen (talk) 21:02, 16 April 2008 (UTC)

Total Capital

Whether we can consider Total Capital as Shareholders Equity? —Preceding unsigned comment added by Crazybobby007 (talk • contribs) 04:28, 16 April 2008 (UTC)

Graph of Economy of Saudi Arabia

I would request you to add some graphs & charts of Economy of Saudi Arabia on its page

Thank you in advance. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 77.110.67.201 (talk) 08:27, 16 April 2008 (UTC)

Thank you for your suggestion. When you feel an article needs improvement, please feel free to make those changes. Wikipedia is a wiki, so anyone can edit almost any article by simply following the edit this page link at the top. The Wikipedia community encourages you to be bold in updating pages. Don't worry too much about making honest mistakes — they're likely to be found and corrected quickly. If you're not sure how editing works, check out how to edit a page, or use the sandbox to try out your editing skills. New contributors are always welcome. You don't even need to log in (although there are many reasons why you might want to). You could also post your comments on the article's talkpage. Good luck!BrainyBabe (talk) 18:37, 16 April 2008 (UTC)

Maybe they don't have any such graphs, and are hoping someone else here can find some for them?172.188.37.102 (talk) 18:47, 16 April 2008 (UTC)

emails

Hi,

For the last few days, I am receiving some unwanted emails on my outlook express from someone I don't know, are ther any ways how can I report this company.

Regars Dercnat —Preceding unsigned comment added by 80.254.89.84 (talk) 09:09, 16 April 2008 (UTC)

Welcome to the not-so-wonderful world of e-mail spam. Everybody gets these emails, all the time. There is not an awful lot you can do about it, but anti-spam techniques (e-mail) might help. The most important things are never to respond to them and never to click a link in them. --Richardrj ^{talk email} 09:52, 16 April 2008 (UTC)

Try selecting the message, then click "Message" on the toolbar, click "create rule from message", click "delete", click OK. All future emails from that sender will be deleted.--Shantavira|^{feed me} 12:54, 16 April 2008 (UTC)

Have a look at this Microsoft article on how to fight spam with Outlook: [1]. - Akamad (talk) 12:43, 17 April 2008 (UTC)

looks problem

Please don't repost your question. If you are concerned about your mental or emotional wellbeing then you should seek the advice of a suitable professional. TenOfAllTrades(talk) 12:02, 16 April 2008 (UTC)

arab dance

is there an Arab dance that involves ladies dancing in hijab and jilbab and all arab nationalities(U.A.E., Saudi, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Iraq, Lebanon, Jordan, Syria, Palestine, Egypt, Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria, Libya, Yemen and Oman) can dance? It is suppose to be a dance involve with butt shaking. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 192.30.202.29 (talk) 14:47, 16 April 2008 (UTC)

Are you perhaps thinking of belly-dancing? AlmostReadytoFly (talk) 15:54, 16 April 2008 (UTC)

Belly dancers don't usually wear a hijab (as fas as I know). Perhaps the original poster meant something like this [2] (probably NSFW). I couldn't find any references to what the dancing is called or what the story behind it is. - Akamad (talk) 10:12, 17 April 2008 (UTC)

There is an Arab dance called "meleya lef" where the dancer is completely covered with a large veil that is tightly wrapped around their body; only the eyes and the feet are visible. The dance is said to originate from Alexandria and is very old. There are statues in existence of dancers performing it from 300 BC and older. Contemporary bellydancers sometimes incorporate such a dance in their routine.--Judithcomm (talk) 15:46, 23 February 2015 (UTC)

Weird flight timetables

I searched for flights from Vienna to Helsinki on July 21, and found this result page, which looks a bit weird. For example, on the first option, the plane to Düsseldorf arrives six hours later than the plane from there onwards leaves. Am I supposed to travel back in time or stay overnight in Düsseldorf? JIP | Talk 16:41, 16 April 2008 (UTC)

Looks like you'd need to stay overnight in Dusseldorf. Note the dates - 21 and 22 July. --Richardrj ^{talk email} 16:49, 16 April 2008 (UTC)

Ah, I should have noticed that. Thanks for pointing it out. I'd much prefer not to stay overnight on my way back to Helsinki, so I can discount the cheapest options. One option looked suitable - the British Airways one, with a stop in London. It gives me 2 hours 45 minutes time between the flights. Is it time enough to go sight-seeing a little? How much can I see of London in this time? JIP | Talk 16:58, 16 April 2008 (UTC)

2 hours 45 minutes probably isn't enough time. The international airports in London are out of the city by some way and you'd be struggling for time to get into the city, out again and pass through all the security and make your flight. This Wikihow article has some information on layovers which might be helpful: [3]. Though if you are arriving in Heathrow Terminal 5, 2 hours 45 minutes might not be long enough to switch planes! [4]. Yours, Lord Foppington (talk) 17:33, 16 April 2008 (UTC)

I can confirm that security queues at London Heathrow are horrendous, and you are required to wait in them even if you are merely transferring from one flight to another within the international terminal. It can easily take two hours or more to get through the security queue. It would be very unwise to attempt to leave the airport with such a short layover. Marco polo (talk) 20:24, 16 April 2008 (UTC)

Marco polo is right: Heathrow eats time, particularly if you are transferring from one terminal to another. [5] Any transit time less than two hours is deemed short and is extremely stressful. In addition, all London airports are about an hour from the centre of London [6], without even considering waiting and connection times. Then there is the time-eating nature of getting around London... You would need a full day in hand for it to be worth attempting. Gwinva (talk) 21:38, 16 April 2008 (UTC)

The connecting times shown in the linked diagram above are hopelessly optimistic. I had two hours to connect from one British Airways flight in Terminal 4 to another British Airways flight in Terminal 4. I (and all other passengers) had to leave the secure area and wait in a security queue with originating passengers who had not passed through security in another airport. It took the full two hours to get through this queue. I then had to sprint at top speed to the gate and barely made it through the doors of my connecting flight before they were sealed and the flight departed. I'd say 2 hours and 45 minutes is near the minimum to be sure of getting from one flight to another at Heathrow. Marco polo (talk) 02:15, 17 April 2008 (UTC)

Just great... the flight via London is currently my best option. All others require either staying overnight in the layover city or arriving in Vienna ridiculously early at morning (practically requiring me to stay overnight in the train). JIP | Talk 17:58, 17 April 2008 (UTC)

If it's any consolation, JIP, Los Angeles is worse. I've frequently queued for over 90 minutes to get back on the same plane. Gwinva (talk) 02:27, 18 April 2008 (UTC)

'Re-Localization' of Local Economies in U.S. - Any Pioneering Communities Making Real Progress?

Are there any U.S. communities which are making serious progress 'Re-Localizing' their local economy? (I am especially interested in the feasibility of including the local poor in the remaking of these local economies.)Ckdavis (talk) 16:47, 16 April 2008 (UTC)

You might want to look at Ithaca Hours, an example of Local currency.John Z (talk) 19:37, 16 April 2008 (UTC)

Thanks, John, for the pointer to Ithaca Hours and Local currency. That was just what I needed, and I also found a link to E. F. Schumacher resources (which is incredible!).--Ckdavis (talk) 15:20, 17 April 2008 (UTC)

Not precisely "local", but you might also want to see 100-Mile Diet. And a deeper link off of Local currency (mentioned above) yields List of community currencies in the United States.

Atlant (talk) 16:57, 17 April 2008 (UTC)

Ridiculously apt names

I have come across a director of marketing called Mr. Lie [7]. Is there a list of such bizarrely appropriate names? Is there, indeed, a name for this phenomenon? Is it a form of self-fulfilling prophecy? I am not referring to the merely amusing, such as Canaan Banana, but more along the lines of Cardinal Sin. Does Wikpedia, or anyone else, group them together? BrainyBabe (talk) 18:21, 16 April 2008 (UTC)

WHAAOE, even aptronyms. -- Coneslayer (talk) 18:35, 16 April 2008 (UTC)

PS: I once saw the dentist's office of Dr. Fang. Then there's inaptronyms... there was a cobbler shop called "Askew Shoe Repair". I'm not sure that it was named after the owner, but I can't think of any other reason you'd pick that name. -- Coneslayer (talk) 18:46, 16 April 2008 (UTC)

I found this article: [8] particularly amusing! I feel that Robert Raper was destined for imprisonment... Yours, Lord Foppington (talk) 18:49, 16 April 2008 (UTC)

Only really works in American, but I live near the offices of Bull & Bull solicitors. Algebraist 19:57, 16 April 2008 (UTC)

I've heard of a Dr. Death. Nil Einne (talk) 21:53, 16 April 2008 (UTC) Edit: Also check out [9] Nil Einne (talk) 21:55, 16 April 2008 (UTC)

And I know a Dr. D'Eath. He's a physicist, alas. Algebraist 22:02, 16 April 2008 (UTC)

I was going to say that's a good thing. But I'm not so sure. A bad medical doctor can kill perhaps a few thousand people if he/she's lucky. A bad physicist, well if we follow the evil mad scientist routine, can destroy the world. Of course if he follows the normal practice of telling his master plan to the super hero before he puts the super hero in some unnecessarily elaborate and escapable death trap then I guess we're okay... (No offense to real Dr. Deaths or Dr. D'Eaths intended) Nil Einne (talk) 22:10, 16 April 2008 (UTC)

This site, which is a mixture of an acronym glossary with bloggish discursions and jokes, has a long list of "appropriate" personal and place names, well over 300 of them, beginning here. Note that some of them are appropriate only in a reverse sense, and for many others the appropriateness requires a long explanation. --Anonymous, 23:03 UTC, April 16, 2008.

It doesn't apply to a particular profession (unless he was a sex worker), but I once heard of a Chinese immigrant to Australia named - wait for it - Cupid Fuck. I kid you not. (No disrespect to Mr Fuck, but I'm sure you've had more than a few comments on your name.) -- JackofOz (talk) 00:55, 17 April 2008 (UTC)

This isn't as good as some of the others, but my great-great-grandfather was named Dr. Ill. Marco polo (talk) 02:03, 17 April 2008 (UTC)

There's gotta be a site for that somewhere. BTW, I was once tempted to apply for a job as a Fish Biologist in Antartica, just so I could find out if the boss' name really was Prof. Salmon. Astronaut (talk) 02:25, 17 April 2008 (UTC)

The term nominative determinism is also used for this phenomenon. FWIW, one of New Zealand's best-known sex therapists is a Dr. Lust. Grutness...wha? 02:36, 17 April 2008 (UTC) (who used to go to a dentist called Dr. Screech...)

We had an ophthalmologist called Wong See. Documented online in a couple of places. Steewi (talk) 02:48, 17 April 2008 (UTC)

My favorite has always been Dr. Walter Russell Brain [10] whom Amazon inexplicably gives an extra "brain" in their listings, who studied the--- are you ready?--- Brain. He authored many brainy books such as "Brain's diseases of the nervous system." Edison (talk) 03:10, 17 April 2008 (UTC)

Mine is the author of "The Symptoms, Nature, Cause, and Cure of a Gonorrhoea", published in 1713: William Cockburn. --NellieBly (talk) 03:20, 17 April 2008 (UTC)

How manufactured can they be? I've always thought Car Talk's lineup is pretty good. --Prestidigitator (talk) 04:41, 17 April 2008 (UTC)

Completely unmanufactured is the funeral director Will Case[11]in Salisbury , UK. Sadly, Mr Case is no longer with us. Richard Avery (talk) 07:03, 17 April 2008 (UTC)

Google reveals numerous Randy Benders but I have no evidence about whether the name is apt (in its UK sense) in any given case. William Avery (talk) 07:17, 17 April 2008 (UTC)

Pyrrhus of Epirus had the combination (though it's not related to pyre apparently). Julia Rossi (talk) 08:50, 17 April 2008 (UTC)

Richard Avery, it's the first time I've heard of a person no longer being the case. haha. ; ) Julia Rossi (talk) 08:52, 17 April 2008 (UTC)

(Are you two related?) JR

(Avery is quite a common name around here.Richard Avery (talk) 15:42, 17 April 2008 (UTC))

I had a primary school teacher named Mr Avery. We all called him "Bird-cage" behind his back. . -- JackofOz (talk)

Bird-cage? Julia Rossi (talk) 23:43, 18 April 2008 (UTC)

See also [12], [13]. Regards, High on a tree (talk) 03:04, 19 April 2008 (UTC)

There's a jump jockey called Tony Dobbin. hotclaws 19:02, 19 April 2008 (UTC)

viewership

Moved to Entertainment. BrainyBabe (talk) 07:33, 17 April 2008 (UTC)

Rope question

It has become apparent to me that repeatedly tying a rope around something causes it to tend to naturally bend at the point where it was originally bent, disrupting future tyings. How can this be undone, so that the rope becomes straight again? JIP | Talk 19:53, 16 April 2008 (UTC)

Just bend it in the opposite direction...

As above, bending the other direction, or placing the rope under tension, may be of use. However, this may also be a form of plastic deformation, which is never fully recoverable. — Lomn 20:32, 16 April 2008 (UTC)

Try soaking rope in water and manipulating fibres into shape with your fingers, and dry in straight position. Works best with natural fibres. Gwinva (talk) 21:44, 16 April 2008 (UTC)

The only way to clear twists in rope (or electric cable, hosepipes, etc.) is to give it chance to untwist. When sailing I let the line stream out behind the boat. At home go to the first floor and lower the line over the balcony (or out of the window). Then pull it back up slowly. Watch the coils untwist. One height treatment is possibly not enough, so repeat until sure. Then coil carefully and properly. This takes practice. Assuming you are right handed take the end of the rope in your left hand, facing away from you. Slide your right hand (slightly coiled fingers) out along the line to a comfortable distance. Hold the rope and bring it in to your left hand so it forms a coil. The thing that makes this work is to give the line a half twist as you bring it to the coil. Takes practice but is essential. Then repeat the process. You will end up with a coiled line with all coils the same length. Secure it with a loop of cord and hang it up somewhere. When you need it next be sure to pay it out carefully. Long experience talking !90.4.116.243 (talk) 14:56, 17 April 2008 (UTC)petitmichel p.s. Never put a kinked rope under tension. It will snap the fibres.90.4.116.243 (talk) 14:56, 17 April 2008 (UTC)pm

Montreal

Does Montreal have a red-light district? 199.133.18.203 (talk) 20:43, 16 April 2008 (UTC)

Have you tried a Google search? Most sources say yes, some say no. Those that say yes seem to point to the intersection of Rue Ste-Catherine and Boulevard St-Laurent. Perhaps it's just not as well-defined as those of other cities. --Allen (talk) 22:09, 16 April 2008 (UTC)

This depends what you're looking for: where the brothels are or where the street prostitutes are. You won't find a traditional red-light district with brothels in most Canadian cities (in fact, I'm trying to think of a city that has one), but every city has a specific district where the street prostitutes hang out to get picked up. Montreal's big street prostitute hangout is Pointe-Saint Charles, an area in the south of the city. --NellieBly (talk) 03:13, 17 April 2008 (UTC)

I've never cared for really big women. Does Montreal have someplace where the small street prostitutes hang out? -66.55.10.178 (talk) 19:01, 18 April 2008 (UTC)

Either way, I prefer them to keep it tucked in. --David from Downunder (talk) 05:06, 22 April 2008 (UTC)

Sleeping positions

Are there statistics on sleeping positions? Who, how? Zanx. Keria (talk) 21:01, 16 April 2008 (UTC)

Google is your friend here. Ilikefood (talk) 22:23, 16 April 2008 (UTC)

Also, look at our article on Sleep -- especially the stuff at the bottom, like references and external links. Also, I recommend "sleep studies" as a good google search. --Mdwyer (talk) 22:29, 16 April 2008 (UTC)

For babies, it's recommended you put them to sleep on their backs to reduce the chance of SIDS Nil Einne (talk) 15:43, 17 April 2008 (UTC)

Well I can't find the statistics on what portion of the population sleeps in what position even with Ilikefood's help. Keria (talk) 23:29, 17 April 2008 (UTC)

Try some of these results from Google Scholar...follow the footnotes, and eventually you'll find what you're looking for. --zenohockey (talk) 04:10, 21 April 2008 (UTC)

Most Expensive Ticket in the 2008 Olympics

Aside from the opening and closing ceremonies, which specific seat of which sporting event will have the most expensive ticket? For example, the most expensive tickets for an NBA basketball game would the courtside seats. What about for this upcoming Olympics? Will it be the seat perpendicular to the finish line of the 100m Men's finals? Thanks. Acceptable (talk) 21:09, 16 April 2008 (UTC)

My experience with these sort of things is the most expensive single event tickets would probably be the closing ceremony Nil Einne (talk) 21:47, 16 April 2008 (UTC)

He did clarify that he wanted to exclude opening and closing ceremonies. Useight (talk) 21:52, 16 April 2008 (UTC)

Ooops sorry missed that bit Nil Einne (talk) 21:57, 16 April 2008 (UTC)

Can't answer your question but bear in mind with something like the olympics, since there are multiple events occurring in the same stadium on the same day, there is no such thing as a truly single event (despite what I said above). Most tickets will entitle the holder for example to go to the stadium for the entire day, or perhaps the entire night/evening. You may also be able to get multiple day tickets. With something like athletics or swimming, although they are spread out somewhat there are usually multiple finals in one day/evening so you probably can't put it down to one event unless perhaps it's some sort of team sport with only one final (note even then there will usually be stuff like 3rd/4th playoffs which the ticket holder will entitle to go to). The official site doesn't really answer your question since it only shows tickets on sale Nil Einne (talk) 22:04, 16 April 2008 (UTC)

Mass Spectrometry

Moved to Science RefDesk. BrainyBabe (talk) 22:32, 16 April 2008 (UTC)