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Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Miscellaneous/2009 May 28

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May 28 edit

Really obvious candidates for articles that don't exist yet edit

The question above about how long it would take to reach our 10 millionth and 1 billionth article got me thinking about subjects that should have articles but don't yet.

Can anyone suggest some subjects for articles that would cause a lot of people to say "Good Lord! How come nobody got around to writing this article before now?". I'm talking about major, significant, widely known people or events, not just footnotes to history or whatever.

The best answers will qualify for my personal GLHCNGATWTABN Award. -- JackofOz (talk) 01:07, 28 May 2009 (UTC)[reply]

The article which I'm still surprised no-one has written is road numbering scheme. It's been a redlink under numbering scheme since January 2004, and we have articles on road numbering schemes in various countries, but nothing summarising the various systems. And while perhaps not "major", and certainly not exciting, it's a fairly significant, everyday thing for many people. Warofdreams talk 02:19, 28 May 2009 (UTC)[reply]
One are where I think that wikipedia is really lacking is in its coverage of legal issues. There are tonnes of cases/concepts that don't have an article (e.g. Gordon v. Goertz, Housen v.Nikolaisen). Eiad77 (talk) 03:01, 28 May 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Some candidates for GLHCNGATWTABN Award:

Obviously, not many cardiologists or radiologists are editing wikipedia... although they seem to have the time to write 100s of books and 1000s of papers on the subject. Twisted priorities.  :-) Abecedare (talk) 03:17, 28 May 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Nice ones. I'm not at all surprised that I haven't been flooded with ideas. In years to come, there'll be thousands of articles that will be on thousands of editors' watchlists, that don't exist yet. They may be on various people's To Do lists, but in most cases they're probably not. This question is like asking about the fantastic ideas that you're going have in the future but haven't thought of yet. If you could think of them in order to answer the question, you'd probably have thought of them already (which I appreciate is a logical absurdity). Anyway, I hope it's prodded some thinking processes. -- JackofOz (talk) 21:29, 28 May 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Please take a look at Wikipedia:WikiProject Missing encyclopedic articles, which has a bunch of subprojects. If you think we need an additional subproject for GLHCNGATWTABN, please suggest it there. We could use your help. I work on the Project Gutenberg authora subproject and on the DNB subproject, and occasinally on others. -Arch dude (talk) 01:23, 29 May 2009 (UTC)[reply]

There are plenty of resources to assist this search: Wikipedia:Most wanted articles, Wikipedia:Most missed articles and Wikipedia:Articles requested for more than a year, and Wikipedia:WikiProject Missing encyclopedic articles. What never fails to amaze me is how few academic journals have articles (see Wikipedia:List of missing journals/A-C for just a sample). For example of we are missing Developmental Biology (journal) and Developmental Cell, both among the top journals in their field by impact factor. Rockpocket 01:23, 29 May 2009 (UTC)[reply]

A list of the many surveillance, centralisated record keeping, and other anti-privacy government measures that have been piling up in the past few years in the UK, the fourth or fifth most monitored country in the world. I'm not sure what the title would be. This really ought to be made easily available to the public, so that people can see how things are insidiously getting worse. 89.240.40.4 (talk) 09:03, 31 May 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Hmm. You'd have to word that article in such a way that didn't make it appear we have an axe to grind. -- JackofOz (talk) 22:24, 31 May 2009 (UTC)[reply]

80s movie concerining the African Bushmen edit

I'm trying to think of this movie I watched a couple of months ago. It was like, the Gods were Fools, or something like that. It dealt with an African bushman trying to get rid of a Coke bottle he thought the gods sent them and then a story of some South African (?) schoolteacher. Anyway, it's a rather poorly produced movie but I'm trying to think of the title. Any help? 75.169.197.132 (talk) 04:27, 28 May 2009 (UTC)[reply]

The Gods Must Be Crazy sounds like the one you're looking for. AlexiusHoratius 04:34, 28 May 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Yes! Thanks. 75.169.208.114 (talk) 05:00, 28 May 2009 (UTC)[reply]
The bit with the land rover is hilarious. It's a great movie. SteveBaker (talk) 05:11, 28 May 2009 (UTC)[reply]
I for one liked the helicopter scene. --Blue387 (talk) 21:42, 28 May 2009 (UTC)[reply]
I love that movie too, in some ways Nǃxau's real life was even more surreal than his movie role, as a consequence of being in it. Rockpocket 00:19, 29 May 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Worldwide population of Stuffed Animals ? edit

In my house the ratio of stuffed animals to humans is at least 20 to 1. Furthermore, stuffed animals generally do not die like humans; most of the stuffed animals ever made still exist. I expect the total to be in the billions if not tens of billions. Any more accurate estimates out there? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 75.36.216.34 (talk) 04:46, 28 May 2009 (UTC)[reply]

I can see two problems with your thesis:
  1. Not everyone in the world can afford stuffed animals - you might find some large ratio of stuffed animals to humans in (say) North America - but would you find anything like that number in the more populous countries like India and China? I suspect not.
  2. You haven't met my dog have you? If you think stuffed animals are immortal - just put them up against a real animal! Sarah can eviscerate a teddy bear in about 2 minutes flat. Not a pretty sight!
SteveBaker (talk) 05:08, 28 May 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Not an ad but Vermont Teddy Bears are guaranteed so that if your dog chews it up, they'll fix or replace it. Free. Dismas|(talk) 02:22, 29 May 2009 (UTC)[reply]


Actually due to the Japanese kawaii-culture influence the ratio might be higher than you'd think in China (and other East Asian countries), perhaps even higher than what you'd find in North America. --antilivedT | C | G 08:40, 28 May 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Do you mean stuffed as in once-was-alive-but-now-stuffed (Taxidermy?) or stuffed as in 'cuddly toy'? I can imagine that there probably exists more cuddly-toys in the world than people, but no way will there be more stuffed-animals (Taxidermy) as it's expensive, not exactly the most popular ornament and, well, i just can't imagine it's true. Cuddly toys, however, will be being produced by the millions every year - that grey one that every girl in the entire world loves (you know the one that looks like it's been beaten up) probably out-numbers humans on its own! At least it feels that way whenever I go to a card shop 194.221.133.226 (talk) 07:33, 28 May 2009 (UTC)[reply]

What grey one? Nil Einne (talk) 15:44, 28 May 2009 (UTC)[reply]
I think 194.221.133.226 is talking about Me_to_You_Bears.Last Polar Bear (talk) 16:05, 28 May 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Indeed, I have over 100, most of whom are around 30 or older, and the ones I kept are in pretty decent shape. While most people don't keep all of their as adults, nor collect so many (I had about 170), it does seem that children in the United States, at least where I'm from, really enjoy them. I'd say the ratio of stuffed animals to people in the U.S. is about 1:1.Somebody or his brother (talk) 23:59, 28 May 2009 (UTC)[reply]
I don't know about that. There are those who are working to improve the ratio. Tempshill (talk) 06:26, 29 May 2009 (UTC)[reply]

A question about ePSXe... edit

I downloaded the Playstation emulator, ePSXe. I was about to get the utility BIOS for the emulator when I saw that I coan downloaded it if I have the legal right to do so, that is, if I owned a Playstation, then I can download the BIOS. I do own a Playstation, but it's in ny house somewhere and it's not working. So, would owning a Playstation that does not work still count in the legal right to download the utility BIOS? —Preceding unsigned comment added by Sirdrink13309622 (talk • contribs) 10:10, 28 May 2009 (UTC)[reply]

The real question is "It is Ever OK to download the BIOS?". This is very disputed. It depends on a lot of nuance of copyright law. The answer is probably "no.", especially in the USA, but you'd need a high priced lawyer to hash out the details.
If this worries you, then you really should not download it.
However, I don't remember which one, but isn't there a PS emulator that doesn't need a separate bios download? (I may be imagining that. I haven't needed a PS emulator since I bought a PS2 years ago.) APL (talk) 13:10, 28 May 2009 (UTC)[reply]
It is a tricky question - and we're straying into the realms of offering legal advice - which the Ref.Desks are not allowed to do. However, in broad terms - and in the USA: If you buy (for example) a music CD - you have the right to make a copy of it (eg to listen to on an MP3 player). If the CD gets scratched or broken - that's OK, your copy is still legit. If you sell the CD (or perhaps if you toss it into the trash), you're required to erase all of the copies you ever made because you no longer own the original CD. Even if you have the original CD, you can't sell your copies and you can't even give them away for free to your friends - and you certainly can't put your copies up on your website for other people to download.
That much seems well established in US law. But:
  • It's not clear that the rights to the software in a BIOS ROM are conveyed in the same way as the music on a CD. Certainly the license terms for (say) a copy of Windows do not permit you to make copies for running on other computers in your house - although you may make a copy for backup purposes. So you might be allowed to make a backup copy of your BIOS ROM - but not run that software on your PC. However, you didn't sign a 'EULA' when you turned on your Playstation - so you didn't agree to any special licensing terms.
  • Even if it's legal to copy your own BIOS ROM for use on your PC, it's not clear that downloading a copy from someone else is legal...even though the data might be utterly identical - the fact that you didn't copy it from your original ROM might make that illegal. That was the issue with the original Napster lawsuit. Napster claimed that only people who'd bought the music on CD were allowed to download it...but the courts didn't buy that argument.
  • I don't think it matters whether your Playstation still works or not...that's not the issue.
So it seems likely that the people who are offering to let you download the BIOS ROM are breaking the law. It's not clear whether you'd be breaking the law by downloading it from them. The fact that this is a tricky matter underscores why we're not allowed to tell you "It's OK" or "It's not OK". If this is important to you - you should take advice from a qualified lawyer. SteveBaker (talk) 14:09, 29 May 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Walking from London to Edinburgh edit

Can anybody please tell me if it is actually possibly for an able bodied person (with only an average level of fitness and physically dexterity, and without any specialised training), to walk from London to Edinburgh, without having to use any other means of transport and without trespassing or otherwise breaking the law? If it is possible, are there any resources to assist with planning a route efficiently? Just in case there are any other Londons and Edinburghs on the same land mass, I am talking about London (England) to Edinburgh (Scotland)! :) Any help would be very appreciated. Thanks Chuny Beetroot (talk) 10:54, 28 May 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Yes it is possible, Janet Street-Porter even managed it in 1998 by walking in a straight line but walking 350 miles or more isn't anything to be taken lightly. Ramblers may be able to help you with routes but nothing beats the OS maps (you can even get small scale ones online now too) and other websites have other information such as the national footpath map (our article) and even accommodation near to popular walking routes. All I can really recommend is lots and lots and lots and lots of planning. Nanonic (talk) 11:32, 28 May 2009 (UTC)[reply]
That map only refers to some long distance footpaths. In my area, at least, there are several named footpaths that are not mentioned on that map. And there is a dense network of interconnected footpaths all over the countryside, something which no other country seems to have and thus a national treasure. 78.146.211.210 (talk) 21:50, 29 May 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Thanks Nanonic. That is incredibly helpful, especially the footpath map. As you say, this needs a huge amount of planning, but I am hoping that somebody can give me a headstart (which you have certainly helped with!). Am I being too simplistic in thinking that a good route might be one planned around the major footpaths (for example, on the footpath map you linked to, planning around the following route 30 -> 22 -> 19 -> 8 -> 15 - using numbers for clarity). Obviously it would be longer than a more direct route (a very rough estimate on Google Earth seems to be 400-450 miles), but it would seem that I have a much better chance of not getting stuck somewhere and/or misreading the terrain, because those paths are a better known quantity? Thanks again Chuny Beetroot (talk) 11:58, 28 May 2009 (UTC)[reply]
That makes sense. You also probably want to try and walk along pleasant roots. You could probably do it pretty quickly by walking straight along the route of the M1, but it wouldn't be very enjoyable (I don't think you are allowed to walk directly along the edge of a motorway, but you could follow it at a slight distance). --Tango (talk) 12:54, 28 May 2009 (UTC)[reply]
I'll leaf it to the other editors to make jokes about your pleasant "roots". :) Matt Deres (talk) 13:23, 28 May 2009 (UTC) [reply]
Have you got enough roots to get water to those leaves? ;) --Tango (talk) 14:20, 28 May 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Depending on whom you meet along the way, you might have some pleasant roots to tell your friends about. :) -- JackofOz (talk) 21:20, 28 May 2009 (UTC) [reply]
Doing a walk (trek?) of that distance seems like something that would best be attempted with company in my opinion, would make a decent camping holiday for you and a friend maybe. Also, at the end will you walk back or fly or something? Prokhorovka (talk) 20:40, 28 May 2009 (UTC)[reply]
I think you are right, it would make a lot of sense to go with somebody else, although I have had no luck recruiting anybody, especially as I plan to maybe do this in the next few weeks so it is short notice. If I go on my own, I am hoping that planning, overdoing the safety, navigation and communication equipment and making sure that I do not go over terrain that is overly risky, should keep me safe. As for getting back, I was thinking that I would get the train back to London. Chuny Beetroot (talk) 08:14, 29 May 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Every year there are brave souls who walk from Land's End to John O'Groats. It can all be done along long-distance footpaths (or bridleways, etc.), or across open land where there is no legal need to keep to the path, and anyway there probably isn't a path per se (see Right to Roam). Planning is key, as stated. I recommend you join the Ramblers, for £25 or whatever, and they will be delighted to help you plan your route, complete with B&Bs or youth hostels or campsites. BrainyBabe (talk) 22:09, 28 May 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Thanks, I had a look at the Ramblers website last night and will definitely join them. Thanks for the advice. Chuny Beetroot (talk) 08:14, 29 May 2009 (UTC)[reply]
More specifically, we have an article titled Land's End to John o' Groats, and it actually has routes. The "London to Edinburgh" route would likely take up most of the middle third of the LE-JOG route... --Jayron32.talk.contribs 00:59, 29 May 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Thanks, I will study this in detail. Having read the article, I am now wondering what is a realistic pace. I am 30, and probably of "average" fitness, but certainly this walk would be far more exercise than I normally do (although I am planning to spend a few weeks doing longer and longer walks within London, to see if I am up to it). Thanks again Chuny Beetroot (talk) 08:14, 29 May 2009 (UTC)[reply]
It is possible to walk 30 miles or more in a day, but I doubt that you could sustain a pace of more than about 20 miles a day. That would still be an athletic challenge, in my opinion. If you want the walk to be an enjoyable experience, I would aim to walk no more than 16 miles a day. Personally, I'd want to average no more than 12 miles. That would let you walk 16–20 miles when the weather is good and the terrain is not too tough but fewer when the weather or terrain are challenging. If I were you, I would also plan to take a day for rest and relaxation once every week or ten days. Marco polo (talk) 15:11, 29 May 2009 (UTC)[reply]
And plan in extra time for contingencies, eg. injuries (or blisters!) that keep you from walking for a day or two, extremely bad weather that means you lose a day, etc. Nothing ever goes to plan. --Tango (talk) 21:35, 29 May 2009 (UTC)[reply]
You want to get some experience of walking along muddy footpaths - so different from walking alonmg the pavement. I suggest having a weekend in the countryside, perhaps try camping overnight too. Its very important to get the right footwear. When I've done trips like this, the main problem has always been getting drinking water. 78.146.211.210 (talk) 21:56, 29 May 2009 (UTC)[reply]
So I think the message is, take a sabbatical. Prokhorovka (talk) 22:01, 29 May 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Thanks for all the above advice. To be honest, I had been hoping that I could maybe do 30 miles a day and wanted to be away for no more than two weeks (which would just about fit with an estimated 450 miles using the main footpaths). From what is being said here, that now seems unrealistic, although could maybe be almost workable with a far more direct line route and a pace of 20 miles per day. Having said that, I don't mind if I fall short of Edinburgh. I do have concerns that I would fall foul of blisters or chaffing (without being too graphic, I do tend to get chaffing on my thighs when walking more than a few miles at a decent pace in warm weather) that would slow be down considerably. I think that a mini-trek is in order, to iron these things out and to also iron out any issues with the camping. The idea of heading off down the Thames Path for a couple of days (starting around Westminster and heading west) seems like it could be a good idea. I also had an idea that I could take all of the food I would need with me from the start, but obviously carrying the necessary amount of water would be impossible. As 78.146... mentions, getting fresh water can be a problem, so I am now wondering how I would go about that. Thanks again for all your help, and any further advice would be very appreciated. Thanks Chuny Beetroot (talk) 16:09, 30 May 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Water can be obtained by buying large bottles of mineral water in supermarkets or shops, taps sometimes found in churchyards, public toilets, filling up when you depart from the B&B. You can buy sterilization tables for water from streams, but due to the carcinogenic agricultural fertilizers dissolved in them, it may still not be advisable to drink it. The worst thing about camping is not being able to shower or wash your hair. 89.240.58.231 (talk) 20:02, 31 May 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Thanks. I did wonder about stream and the ability to steralise, but now you mention the possible chemical content, I will stay well clear! Chuny Beetroot (talk) 23:59, 31 May 2009 (UTC)[reply]
This is why planning - with detailed maps - is so important. Clearly you aren't going to be able to carry food and water AND camping gear on 30 mile hikes, day after day for weeks. It's just not realistic unless you've been doing this kind of thing for years and are very sure of your capabilities. Failing that, you need to travel light and pre-plan where you'll be able to stop for food, water (and ointment!)...you need to map out where the little villages are along your route - realise that shops may be shut on Sundays or if you arrive unexpectedly late. You need a day by day plan for the entire route - with rest days built into the schedule and to know where the 'hard' days will be (eg when the terrain is rought) and where the easier stretches are. I think it would be unwise to aim for more than 20 miles per day or more than 5 days hiking per week. I think you shouldn't even consider being more than 1 day away from someplace where you can buy food and water...so you only have to carry at most 2 days of supplies. You should also be sure to take a cellphone and a spare, charged battery that you keep in reserve for emergencies - and plan to spend at least your 'rest days' in some kind of proper accomodation so you can fully recover before the next few days of activity. I agree that you should try a few practice hikes of four to five day duration to be sure your body will hold out without shredding itself(!). SteveBaker (talk) 17:25, 30 May 2009 (UTC)[reply]
If you have problems with chaffing, then wear some very loose trousers. Tight jeans are uncomfortable to walk in. The advice I had was to buy some boots a size bigger than your normal size. I prefer leather boots that rise up over the ankle, that can be secured around the ankle and leave your feet fairly loose inside. The modern trainer-type boots might fall off if you tried that. If you are buying new boots, then work up to wearing them all the time to get fully comfortable in them before you go hiking. With a rucksac to carry, and no previous experience, I would plan on doing only 10 miles a day. Try to keep the weight down as much as possible - the worst part can be the pain from sore shoulders. The rucksac will feel heavier and heavier and more and more uncomfortable as time goes on. It may be worth not having a rucksac and just staying at B&Bs and Youth Hostels, 10 or 12 miles apart. You could walk along the coast for example, where places to stay and drinking water are easier to find. But I'd definately recommend a trial run(s) at least one weekend. 89.240.58.231 (talk) 19:34, 31 May 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Thanks, that's all very useful. I had been wondering whether taking the coast might be a better idea. It looks fairly comparable to taking the national paths and, perhaps, the terrain would be easier overall - plus, as you say, resources may be more plentiful. If I can only do 10 miles a day then I certainly would not be able to spare the time to reach Edinburgh (although, again, I don't mind if I don't reach it, or have to find a more realistic target) - 2 weeks is really all I can spare. If I only carried a small rucksack (bit of water and food, mobile phone, GPS, maps etc), do you think I could walk significantly further each day? As for the chaffing, I appreciate your help. I am not sure if the loose trousers will help because I think that (again, without trying to be too graphic) it is actually that the top of my thighs react to the sweat and maybe rub together (my wife suggested lyrca running shorts, under my trousers - no idea if they would help!). Thanks again. Chuny Beetroot (talk) 23:59, 31 May 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Regarding the distance, see how you feel after a trial weekend. The 10 miles was an average as you would probably want to take a day off now and again. If the distance between B&Bs is too little, then you can always walk around exploring the area, which is going to be more enjoyable than just a route march. Remember you will feel tired after walking twelve miles, unless you are very fit. You may get fitter towards the end of the two weeks. Try jockey or boxer shorts regarding the soreness, whichever you do not wear at the moment, or maybe something like Vaseline. Are you sure it is chaffing and not a rash? A rash would be due to a skin infection. I had that, I thought it was just chaffing in hot weather as you did. See a doctor and get it cured. A weekend walking along the coast would be a good start, with just a small day-sac, just to see how you react to walking for hours. When I lived in London I walked up the Lee Valley in stages along the canal there, towards Bishops Stortford. If you want to walk from your front door into the countryside then there was, and may still be, an interesting riverside path along the south bank of the Thames that leads to the east. This may connect with other paths near or on the coast - you will have to research this. The other good thing about walking along the coast is that, away from towns, there is often a narrow strip of land between the fields and the beach where you can camp without worrying about angry farmers.You could walk to somewhere, take the train back home, and return to the same spot next morning. It is worth buying the OS maps that cover your route. The London canals and I expect probably both banks of the Thames, heading both west and east, have paths along them, and are nice walking routes out of the city. You could alternatively take the tube to the most distant station and continue from there. Epping Forest is a nice area for short circular walks, similarly Richmond. This reminds me of my favourite short story The Superannuated Man by Charles Lamb about someone who escaped from feeling trapped in an office by walking out of London into the countryside during his brief holiday - exactly how I felt when I lived in London. 78.149.147.43 (talk) 11:01, 2 June 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Hi. Just wanted to say thanks for all of this advice. I will get it checked out because it does seem more like a rash than chaffing, so it would be great if the GP could do something about it. I will start doing some practice walks this week, so thanks for the tips regarding possible routes. Perhaps if I can get a few long walks in my fitness might improve a fair bit (as you suggest), which could possibly substantially reduce the time for the actual walk. Thanks also for the camping tip near the coast, I have been wondering how the whole camping-angry farmer thing works in practice! Really appreciate your input. Chuny Beetroot (talk) 09:48, 4 June 2009 (UTC)[reply]
The crack about other land-masses makes me wonder what's the shortest distance between any London and any Edinburgh — not counting, for example, the streets so named (without a generic term) in Hercules, California. —Tamfang (talk) 06:05, 3 June 2009 (UTC)[reply]

How many are there television stations in the world edit

A dumb pondering had befallen us today: How many television channels could there be in the world? My ballpark figure and first guess would be something close to 20000, including different channels of the same provider (like BBC 1, BBC 2 or BBC Sport, or BBC Poland if there are such things - consider these an example, I just read the news on BBC Online) and regional channels, but not covering direct translations (i. e. should BBC be aired in Poland just with a voiceover). Anyone have too much free time - feel free to ponder. Cheers, Ouro (blah blah) 13:35, 28 May 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Are there any cases of a channel being broadcast in another country just with everything dubbed? Dubbing is a time consuming process and you wouldn't use real-time translation for pre-recorded broadcasts. When content is dubbed it is usually selected and broadcast separately (and much later) than the channel it was originally on. --Tango (talk) 15:28, 28 May 2009 (UTC)[reply]
I seem to remember seeing CNN being broadcast, dubbed, in Japan. But not certain. --PalaceGuard008 (Talk) 00:10, 29 May 2009 (UTC)[reply]
The World Radio TV Handbook (a real book on paper) would be a good place to start counting.--81.136.174.160 (talk) 16:08, 28 May 2009 (UTC)[reply]
One complicating factor to find your answer is the difference between the e.g. European idea of a tv channel, e.g. BBC2, ZDF as one channel broadcast from many locations (with local content at times, still considered BBC2), and the Network model used in e.g. the US and Australia, where say NBC is a network, broadcast by a number of channels throughout the country: KING-TV,KALB-TV and the other 200 or so in Category:NBC_network_affiliates. /Coffeeshivers (talk) 21:18, 28 May 2009 (UTC)[reply]
And one more thing to consider: there are schools that have their own local school/student TV station. When I watched German TV there used to be quite a few channels that broadcast dubbed programs; almost exclusively except for the news. Voiceovers are used for some interviews. They buy their series and movie rights from various sources. Don't forget armed forces TV and radio like AFN and BFBS. 71.236.24.129 (talk) 01:39, 29 May 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Thanks, guys. These are points to consider. I get the feeling nobody's gonna want to venture a guess? --Ouro (blah blah) 06:08, 29 May 2009 (UTC)[reply]
I'd guess 3356. If you want an estimate, however, that's a different story... Aaadddaaammm (talk) 21:23, 29 May 2009 (UTC)[reply]

airplane pilots edit

In the US, the pilot generally sits in the left seat, same as the driver on American cars, with the backup pilot on the right (for larger planes). Is this the configuration also used for countries with their cars having a right side driver such as the UK, or is it reversed? 65.121.141.34 (talk) 13:40, 28 May 2009 (UTC)[reply]

That´s why - travelling from Paris to London - you have to switch planes in the middle of the Channel, hopping from wingtip to wingtip :) --Cookatoo.ergo.ZooM (talk) 14:10, 28 May 2009 (UTC)[reply]
No - that's a worldwide standard...except for helicopters, which are reversed. SteveBaker (talk) 14:17, 28 May 2009 (UTC)[reply]
I noticed that helicopter thing in the new terminator movie. 65.121.141.34 (talk) 14:42, 28 May 2009 (UTC)[reply]
The movie was so bad you were noticing details such as helicopter pilot positions? I'll steer clear of it then. Prokhorovka (talk) 20:41, 28 May 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Oh, come on, the Terminator movies are set in the future in a time of chaos. Things can change. Who then was a gentleman? (talk) 20:46, 28 May 2009 (UTC)[reply]
I actually thought it was entertaining. I am just a detail oriented person, and like finding fault with the science in movies. 65.121.141.34 (talk) 20:52, 28 May 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Kancamagus Highway edit

I have been unable to find any explanation as to why the Kancamagus Highway in New Hampshire is said to extend from Conway to Lincoln, when Route 112 ends in Bath. Is this just the result of someone's marketing effort, or is there some reason why they chose not to include the rest of the road? Route 112 is just as scenic the rest of the way past Lost River, over Kinsman Notch, then down the other side along the Wild Ammonoosuc River. Nlusby (talk) 15:47, 28 May 2009

Certainly on my map, the western section of route 112 is identified as "Lost River Rd", while only the eastern section of 112 is identified as the "Kancamagus Highway". You should remember that the road naming process is different from the road numbering process - the names are often traditional and the numbers are often added later for the convenience of ... (who? state/county/mapmakers/?) when the road is upgraded from dirt track to a properly maintained highway. IIRC (though it was a few years ago), nothing on the big sign in Conway suggests the Kancamagus Highway extends beyond Lincoln. If it is simply marketing, it worked on me when I drove from Conway to Lincoln in blizzard, rather than take the safe way back to Boston! Astronaut (talk) 16:36, 28 May 2009 (UTC)[reply]
As a New Hampshire native, who has driven the Kancamangus many times, I can confirm that it does end at Rte 3. in Lincoln, and Rte. 112 continues on to Bath. Yes, Rte 112 is quite pretty on the west side of Lincoln. But it's just not called the Kancamangus Highway. The Kancamangus opened in 1959, and was specifically built as a single road. The other portion of 112 may be quite older, and may predate the Kancamangus by some time. See Kancamagus Highway and New Hampshire Route 112. Having the same route number traverse different road names is very common, and not just in New Hampshire... --Jayron32.talk.contribs 17:09, 28 May 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Book Title edit

  Resolved

I recall reading a book probably 15 years or so, it is a very well known book possibly a modern classic, set around World War 2, Burma if I am not mistaken, I think it follows a girl, I recall a solicitors maybe the reading of a will, I think maybe the will is read out and it contains the story about the girl in Burma and escaping or capture (not sure) from Japanese soldiers, any ideas thanks. BigDuncTalk 17:01, 28 May 2009 (UTC)[reply]

A Town Like Alice? Nanonic (talk) 18:25, 28 May 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Thats the one thanks I was really starting to annoy me that I couldn't recall the title. BigDuncTalk 18:29, 28 May 2009 (UTC)[reply]

short selling and hurting edit

If I make $1000 profit in short selling a company's shares, does this mean, I made that company loose $1000. --V4vijayakumar (talk) 17:49, 28 May 2009 (UTC)[reply]

No, the company has been valued by the market as being less than what it was. You have made the $1000 off of someone that thought the opposite was going to happen. TastyCakes (talk) 17:51, 28 May 2009 (UTC)[reply]
The vast majority of share trading happen on the "secondary market". That means the company has already sold the shares and now it is other people buying and selling those same shares to each other. The company has nothing to do with it. --Tango (talk) 17:54, 28 May 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Indeed, unless the company itself bought the shares from you and then sold them back. The only time a company makes or loses money in the stock market is when it buys or sells shares of itself; such as at a Share repurchase or at an Initial public offering, and these sorts of things do not happen very often. Otherwise, the company itself makes or loses no money on its own shares. Under normal operations, the only people who make or lose money on a company's stock are the people who are buying and selling the stocks. Now, what can happen is if the company performs poorly, and starts losing money, the people who own the stock can fire the board of directors. Thus, the people running the company have the motive to maintain a high stock value for its shareholders, since their job depends on it; but the company itself does not make or lose money based on stock value. --Jayron32.talk.contribs 17:59, 28 May 2009 (UTC)[reply]
The above answers are correct. See Short (finance) for a more precise explanation of what exactly occurs when you short a stock. Tempshill (talk) 18:54, 28 May 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Further to Tango's answer, see primary market and secondary market. --PalaceGuard008 (Talk) 01:11, 29 May 2009 (UTC)[reply]
The main way a short sale of stock could directly hurt a company would be if it was an amount large enough to drive down the share price, and it was done shortly before the company was set to issue new stock for sale (which by the way, would also likely make your short sale quite profitable). 65.121.141.34 (talk) 16:18, 1 June 2009 (UTC)[reply]

National Spelling Bee edit

Has this event ever been won by a student not in eighth grade? One of the rules is that if you win this event you are no longer eligible to compete. It would be cool to be in eighth grade and not be able to enter your school spelling bee because you are the defending national champion. Also, has a contestant ever missed their championship word and ended up losing?

  • Are we talking a US national spelling bee? - Mgm|(talk) 09:33, 29 May 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Presumably the bee linked in the section header, which is held in the United States, but which (according to the article) is now international in scope. -- Coneslayer (talk) 11:54, 29 May 2009 (UTC)[reply]

pits of gold edit

I recall watching a TV program that mentioned that the Aztecs or Mayas or some old culture that would throw gold artifacts into some very deep pits that had water in them. I would imagine that these are protected sites. What are they called, and where are they? Is there a specific museum that holds artifacts from these pits? 65.121.141.34 (talk) 20:50, 28 May 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Are you thinking of something like the Sacred Cenote, the pre-Columbian Maya archaeological site of Chichen Itza, in the northern Yucatán Peninsula in Mexico? BrainyBabe (talk) 22:13, 28 May 2009 (UTC)[reply]
That sounds like the legend of el Dorado? --PalaceGuard008 (Talk) 01:12, 29 May 2009 (UTC)[reply]
See also Cenote#Cenotes and the Maya. Deor (talk) 02:13, 29 May 2009 (UTC)[reply]

These Cenote things sound about right. Thanks. 65.121.141.34 (talk) 13:40, 29 May 2009 (UTC)[reply]

How do you download "Whip it good" by Devo as a ring tone edit

I live in South Africa and am unable to find a site to download the song "whip it good" by Devo as a mobile ringtone. I am prepared to pay for the download. Usually You can sms a reference code to a short mobile number at specified sms rate and recieve the ring tone.

Please advise41.240.134.34 (talk) 22:29, 28 May 2009 (UTC)[reply]

If you use the right title it may help. The song is called Whip It and a google search titled Whip It Devo Ringtone yielded dozens of free options. Crack that whip! --Jayron32.talk.contribs 00:54, 29 May 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Or if you have the album on CD, you could rip that track using you favourite MP3 ripper (or download it from an online store), then copy it to your phone using one of the methods suggested above. Astronaut (talk) 17:19, 29 May 2009 (UTC)[reply]

241 South Tollway extension? edit

Is 241 South Tollway likely to be complete someday. From sources found only say EPA is so upset about the 241 South, because it destroys most precious lands in orange-San Diego County Line. From 2008 votes like on California State Route 241 article said 8-2 votes say to STOP 241 extension. But the magazine I got mail home say by 2025, the 5 San Diego Fwy will totally SUCK without 241 extension, and Antonio Pkwy will become a parking lot, with deficient traffic (meaning waiting for 5 green lights to even move), that's even worse. So finally, will we ever extend the 241 Tollway sometime in our life? This will not bother me though will upset many of the folks out, I still support this extension.--69.229.240.187 (talk) 23:23, 28 May 2009 (UTC)[reply]

I think you answered your own question; if the EPA has removed their approval the the road is likely dead. For the record, it would not be the first needed bypass route to be stopped in this way (it may not be a bad thing, sometimes the net good of a new road is outweighed by the net bad of the damage it does to an area). See Circumferential Highway (Nashua) for another road with similar problems. It has been in the planning stages for over 50 years. --Jayron32.talk.contribs 00:51, 29 May 2009 (UTC)[reply]
But those is a different story. Numerous of route extensions in orange county have be planne extension for over 40 years when trying to extend (118, 91, 605, 57, 47 and many naive ones) and one major issue is Interstate 710 building from Alhambra all the way to I-210 in Pasadena. Those are far unlikely than 241 extension, however 241, 261, 133, 73 is much younger, and hasn't last >14 years. --69.229.240.187 (talk) 03:42, 29 May 2009 (UTC)[reply]
By the way, there is an argument that adding lanes to freeways does not help with traffic in the long term. When you expand your 8-lane freeway to 12 lanes, after the 2 years of construction are done, traffic congestion is improved along the stretch that has been widened (until you reach the end when everyone crams back into fewer lanes, but that's another story). But this is temporary because many people who are considering moving to the area will choose where to move, in part, based on their commute time. With lowered traffic congestion and shorter commutes, it can be expected that demand will rise for housing in the area; apartment buildings will replace some single-family residences, the population will rise, until you're back to traffic being congested again. This is all via indirect reward systems so it's easy to disagree with me — I don't see a Wikipedia article on this hypothesis, and our Transportation planning article is surprisingly almost a stub. Tempshill (talk) 06:18, 29 May 2009 (UTC)[reply]
The feeling here in the UK, is that widening/extending/building a motorway tends to attract more even traffic and soon the road is once again stuffed beyond capacity with slow moving vehicles. This concern, coupled with green protests and rampant nimbyism has brought a halt to major road building in the UK (and even if a project does get through all that, it is mired in many years of planning inquiries). Astronaut (talk) 17:32, 29 May 2009 (UTC)[reply]
  • With this site said 241 South extension should start construction by 2011, and they even be in bold if nothing is done, then traffic jam on I5 in south orange county will skyrocket by 60%. I don't know when is this site update.--69.229.240.187 (talk) 02:29, 30 May 2009 (UTC)[reply]
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