Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Miscellaneous/2007 April 17

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April 17

grade one hair

His hair had been razored to a grade one. Would someone tell me what it means? Grade one hair means short hair or what? Thanks.61.60.242.186 16:13, 18 April 2007 (UTC)Jenny

Yes. I'm not sure offhand (and Google isn't telling me) exactly how short; a few millimetres. The grades (which go up to eight, I think) refer to the different sizes of guard used with hair clippers. Grade nought means no guard at all. Algebraist 21:09, 18 April 2007 (UTC)

Thank you.61.60.242.186 14:00, 20 April 2007 (UTC) Jenny

Mac & Cheese

Mmmmmm....

<<<<<You could just melt velveta and use that.>>>>>>>>

I've been trying to make Macaroni and cheese and so far they had ended in spectacular failures. I managed the Macaroni part fine but had great trouble with the cheese sauce. Recipes indicate that I need to melt cheese in milk, so I tried with mozarella and cheddar cheese, and both made the milk curdle and form into substances like boiled egg whites. Even if I remove the milk, making melted cheese, it sitll looked different than the store bought version (with all the cheese powder and other things). So, my question is, does it only work with American cheese and not blocks you buy from supermarket? What make the milk curdle like that? Is there a way to avoid it?

yes I'll admit I don't have much experience in cooking --antilived^{T | C | G} 02:16, 17 April 2007 (UTC)

Cheese sauce isn't just cheese melted in milk; what you really need is a good basic white sauce, made from a roux of melted butter and flour, to which milk is added, making what is (more or less) a Bechamel sauce. Once that sauce is thickened, then you add the cheese,resulting in a Mornay sauce. There are probably a million recipes on line; let's see... here's one that looks about right. I've never tried this particular one, but it seems to be similar to the recipe I use. Once you have the sauce, toss it with your cooked pasta, put more cheese on top, and bake the whole thing until it's heated through and bubbly. (Or, just skip the baking and eat it with a spoon.) - Eron ^Talk 02:21, 17 April 2007 (UTC)

I think successful cheese sauces all depend on something acting as an emulsifier. In Eron's recipe, the roux serves that purpose . For a fondue, the alcohol serves that purpose. For recipes based on American cheese (including Cheez Whiz and Velveeta), the cheeses already contain emulsifiers. And so on...

Atlant 13:23, 17 April 2007 (UTC)

Yes, making it manually doesn't work at all well. The basic problem is that oil separates out of regular cheese when it melts. Instead, try using a powdered cheese like parmesan or romano, or use a "cheese" specially formulated to melt nicely, like Velveeta. Of course, since this will end up costing far more than the stuff in the box, why not just stick with that ? I like to use that cheese power but omit the milk and butter/margarine and use spaghetti sauce instead. This results in a much healthier and still tasty treat. You can even add broccoli to make it more healthy. StuRat 02:25, 17 April 2007 (UTC)

So basically the "alternate recipe" in here is just rubbish? I guess I'll just stick the boxed stuff since it's a lot easier than making it yourself... --antilived^{T | C | G} 03:08, 17 April 2007 (UTC)

Well, you can make it from scratch, I just don't see much advantage. Notice that some other things made from scratch, like baked bread, are much better, so I would recommend that. StuRat 06:35, 17 April 2007 (UTC)

This might not be what you're wanting, but when I make homemade mac and cheese, I cook the pasta, then use about 2-3 slices of American cheese per cup of pasta (it tends to depend on my mood, level of laziness, and whether or not it looks like enough when it's melted). I fold the cheese into eighths, then drop it on the pasta (it helps the melting process). Add a little butter, and a little milk, to make stirring easier, and keep adding cheese til it looks right. Then, depending on your preference, you can sprinkle some cheddar in also, and stir that up...add salt and pepper to taste, and it should be pretty good. Seiran 03:39, 17 April 2007 (UTC)

So yes you do need American cheese for that... Ah well then I'll just eat my cheese with my crackers. Thanks guys. --antilived^{T | C | G} 03:50, 17 April 2007 (UTC)

Kraft Dinner is the way to go, if they sell it in New Zealand.--ChesterMarcol 03:58, 17 April 2007 (UTC)

I wouldn't say American cheese is strictly necessary for Macaroni and cheese. It's just my personal preference, and necessary in making it the way I like it =P I assume the same thing could be done with other types of cheese, assuming they were sliced finely enough to melt. It's really a trial and error thing. And hey, your macaroni failures sound less dramatic than some I've had- unless you've managed to set yourself on fire too! Seiran 04:01, 17 April 2007 (UTC)

Normal cheese is not thick when they melt, like American cheese; They are actually quite runny and believe me I got that from first hand experience (wasted half a block of cheese just trying to make that cheese sauce). --antilived^{T | C | G} 04:19, 17 April 2007 (UTC)

If you want good macaroni & cheese, see if your local supermarket stocks Annie's. It's the best. Vranak

I'm reading these answers, but at the same time I'm banging my head against the keyboard. Cheese sauce is the easiest thing on Earth to make. You don't need that crappy greasy overpriced "American" cheese either - any good cheese (except Mozzarella, which is too stringy) will do. Asiago, cheddar, marble, Gouda, Havarti, Gruyere, Swiss - I made it with leftover ricotta once. Make a white sauce, grate your cheese, add it, and whiskwhiskwhisk until it's incorporated.

The trick is not to walk away from the stove when you're making it and to use a whisk, not a spoon. Don't just stir the thing around - whiskwhiskwhisk like mad until it's done. It takes about ten minutes. Most recipes can be doubled. --Charlene 02:48, 18 April 2007 (UTC)

Unfortunately I don't see how you can whisk it when it's like 2cm high in the pot... I shall try again tomorrow with a proper white sauce (not just melting cheese in milk). One thing though, will it work with margarine or vegetable oil? I don't think I have any real butter at home. --antilived^{T | C | G} 03:59, 18 April 2007 (UTC)

Pretty much any oil will do the trick. (Er, cooking oil; don't try this with Pennzoil). I think butter tastes better, but it isn't essential. Equal amounts oil and flour - I use 2 tablespoons of each. Heat the oil in the pan, whisk in the butter and cook for a few minutes. Then add a cup of milk. (It's best to use warmed milk - not boiled, but almost. Maybe nuke it for a couple of minutes.) Whisk it in. There will probably be a few lumps, but as you continue to cook and whisk they should disappear. After a few minutes the sauce will thicken. That's when you add the cheese. - Eron ^Talk 11:27, 18 April 2007 (UTC)

If you want to give the sauce a little bit of extra flavour, I really like to sprinkle in some mustard powder and worcestershire sauce into the mixture. It gives the finished mac and cheese a little extra subtle flavour, try it sometime! --Maelwys 19:28, 18 April 2007 (UTC)

Bacon bits make a nice topping for mac & cheese. StuRat 06:13, 19 April 2007 (UTC)

Well this time it's a lot better. I think I should've put more milk and cheese into the cheese sauce, and probably cooked it a bit longer as I can still taste the flour, but still quite nice, a lot less "artificial" than the boxed stuff. Thanks guys (and girls). --antilived^{T | C | G} 06:41, 19 April 2007 (UTC)

Upper chest injury

Yesterday, I was wrestling with my dad while watching a hockey game, and he got his arms around my chest and managed to squeeze pretty hard to the point where it hurt pretty bad. I know this is not professional medical advice here, but it seems likely that he did something to me around my sternum. Sitting up brings on pain, and I can't breathe deeply without the same pain, which I would describe as somewhat sharp. Yes, I do plan do see a doctor if it continues through tomorrow, but does anyone have any idea what my injury might be? It seems to be completely internal as well.70.51.52.63 02:33, 17 April 2007 (UTC).

Cracked rib? See a doctor to be safe. —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 88.109.222.205 (talk) 02:42, 17 April 2007 (UTC).

Likely just seized up muscles. A good blow to the sternum may help un-seize them. Vranak (not a doctor)

The funny thing with that injury is, that it ends instantaniously. The muscles snap back, and in a split second, you are perfectly healthy again. If it is a cracked rib, a good blow to the sternum is probably not the right form of therapy. ^^

Please do not give such advice. If there is a broken rib, such a blow might cause severe injuries. Edison 18:41, 17 April 2007 (UTC)

Agreed. Broken ribs can have sharp ends. --Kurt Shaped Box 18:47, 17 April 2007 (UTC)

Whoa whoa whoa, the lesson here is that two sports mixing creates a dangerous reaction. Combining Hockey with wrestling will never end well, just as watching Basketball while playing football will result in many broken vases and rare collectible Frank Sinatra plates. Croat Canuck Go Leafs Go 19:48, 17 April 2007 (UTC)

Paint my car?

I want to do it myself (the car is worth less than what it would cost to take it to a shop). What kind of sandpaper do I need to use to strip off the old paint? What kind of primer and paint do I use? Is there a web site with instructions? I was unable to find one. —The preceding unsigned comment was added by Shindo9Hikaru (talk • contribs) 03:04, 17 April 2007 (UTC).

You need more advice than Wikipedia can easily provide; please consult a book specifically about car refinishing. Getting a really good paint coat will require either very deft use of spray cans or more-professional spray painting equipment.

Atlant 13:28, 17 April 2007 (UTC)

Experience has shown that even with cans of "professional quality" automotive spray paint and very careful sanding and priming and spray technique, problems such as lower pressure from the can than from a compresser driven spray gun and overspray drifting back onto the surface can leave a dull finish. Brush or roller painting can cover the old paint but are not apt to look very showroom quality. It is easy to paint a car so it is all one selected color, but very hard to get a high luster finish like an automotive paint shop achieves. It is also easy to have sags and runs if the technique is less than perfect. Would you settle for a car that looks ok from 40 feet away? On the other hand, the cans of paint run $8 or so compared to a cool thousand or more for professional painting, so depending on wtah the car is worth there is no one right answer. A couple of friend with professional spray equipment have been able to get a good automotive finish. Edison 18:38, 17 April 2007 (UTC)

Long Distance Powerlines

Where was the first long distance (over 20 miles) transmission of electricity from? I have heard the Folsom Powerhouse to Sacramento, CA and others. Teak the Kiwi 03:20, 17 April 2007 (UTC)

I seem to recall one from Niagara Falls to Buffalo, New York in 1896. According to our article, that was just about 20 miles: Niagara Falls#Impact on industry and commerce. StuRat 06:27, 17 April 2007 (UTC)

That's my memory as well.

Atlant 13:31, 17 April 2007 (UTC)

I absolutely love questions like this, because there are so many answers, depending on the exact parsing of the question. Telegraphy transmitted electricity about 38 miles from Washington DC to Maltimore MD in 1844, but it was in tiny amounts and intended only for signalling. Low voltage DC does not travel long distances efficiently, so look to early high voltage AC powerlines. "Networks of Power: Electrification in Western Society, 1880-1930 (Softshell Books) by Thomas Parke Hughes, Paperback: 488 pages. Publisher: The Johns Hopkins University Press; Reprint edition (March 1, 1993). Language: English. ISBN-10: 0801846145 ISBN-13: 978-0801846144 is a great sourcebook for the history of electrical transmission. I do not have it handy, but there were European demonstrations of high voltage AC transmission over respectable distance long before the Niagrara project. They were hampered by the lack of a good transformer, and by the lack of a good motor before Tesla's 2 phase induction motor.Electric power transmission says "The first transmission of three-phase alternating current using high voltage took place in 1891 during the international electricity exhibition in Frankfurt. A 25 kV transmission line, approximately 175 kilometers long, connected Lauffen at the Neckar and Frankfurt." It used 25,000 volts per [1] That same site says "1893 Folsom, California; Three-phase, 60 cycle, 11,000 volt alternators installed at plant on American River. Power transmitted 20 miles to Sacramento." I believe there was long distance transmission of single phase AC before this, in Europe the 1880's but do not have the Hughes book handy. [2] says AC was transmitted in 1886 from Cherchi, Italy, to Rome over a distance of 17 miles, and that the first AC power transmission in the U.S. was a 13 mile line in 1889 between the generating station at Willamette Falls in Oregon City, Oregon, and downtown Portland, Oregon. Edison 18:16, 17 April 2007 (UTC)

Thank you everyone! Teak the Kiwi 03:03, 19 April 2007 (UTC)

recipe for tea cake

what should we do to improve the shelf life of a tea/seed cake? —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 202.56.231.116 (talk) 03:43, 17 April 2007 (UTC).

1) Use lots of trans fats. That will, of course, shorten the lives of the people who eat it.

2) Irradiate it (for the sterilization effect), once packaged.

3) Make it fat-free, thus preventing the fats from going rancid.

Actually, this isn't at all true. A fat-free seed cake (if it were even possible to make one at home - the fat emulsion is necessary to hold the batter together without commercial emulsifiers) will dry out and become stale and unpalatable long before the fat would have become rancid. Fat-free homemade baked goods have an average shelf life of 24 to 36 hours. A seed cake should last over a week. --Charlene 03:06, 18 April 2007 (UTC)

4) Use artificial sugars, since microbes can't eat those. StuRat 06:24, 17 April 2007 (UTC)

If I were a microbe, I'd eat whatever the eff I wanted... V-Man - ^T/_C 01:36, 20 April 2007 (UTC)

Again, sugar helps to retain moistness in the cake and aids in keeping the batter from separating, and in the amounts used in cake baking can actually retard fungal contamination. Microbe infestation and fat rancidity are not why most sweet baked goods spoil; the real enemy is staleness.

To keep your seed cake from going stale, it helps to use the full amount of fat called for in the recipe, to use solid fats such as butter and hard margarine rather than soft margarine, to keep the cake covered (well, of course), and (if possible) to replace one of the eggs with two tablespoons of applesauce. This works better if you're making one of those huge recipes containing 10 eggs. --Charlene 03:06, 18 April 2007 (UTC)

You seem to assume it will be left sitting out, while I assumed it would be kept in an airtight container to retain moisture. StuRat 05:21, 18 April 2007 (UTC)

5) Keep it in a sealed, airtight container in the refrigerator (if possible). StuRat 05:23, 18 April 2007 (UTC)

"Who rides the wrecking ball into our guitars?"

I saw this as a cheat code for Heli Attack 3. I also heard some people say this over various multiplayer games. A search on Wikipedia does not bring anything up, and a search on Google brings no lyrics. What is it? Raptor Jesus 05:55, 17 April 2007 (UTC)

a search on google suggests that it's misheard lyrics from "We Built This City" by Starship. --antilived^{T | C | G} 06:53, 17 April 2007 (UTC)

A slight improvement, IMO. Anchoress 07:45, 17 April 2007 (UTC)

Head of international News

What does the head of international news do at a news channel? What are his specific responsibilities?

sibshaSibsha 05:57, 17 April 2007 (UTC)

how do i found a town?

a group of us live in a county but no city and we want to form a city. how? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 64.198.239.34 (talk • contribs)

So you want to form which? A town or a city? Where? The definition varies according to which country you live in.--Shantavira 08:36, 17 April 2007 (UTC)

Shantavira is right this would be a matter of state law, and would vary from state to state or country to country. Assuming that you are in the USA I would start looking with the office of the secretary of state for your particular state. -Czmtzc 12:24, 17 April 2007 (UTC)

Many hamlets or villages have incorporated in the past, electing a mayor and city council, passing ordinances, hiring a police chief, etc. and then decided it was too expensive and too much bother and given up their status, becoming once again an unincorporated part of the county. Is there an adequate tax base and civic minded people to support a city government? Edison 17:53, 17 April 2007 (UTC)

Based on your IP address, you appear to be in South Carolina. The requirements and procedure for incorporating a municipality are in Title 5 of the SC Code of Laws. Basically, your proposed municipality has to a certain population density and be prepared to offer some municipal services. If you're within 5 miles of another municipality, you usually have to try to get annexed by it before you can incorporate on your own. If you meed all of the criteria and get signatures from 15% of the qualified electors in the proposed municipality, you can get the issue of incorporation on the ballot. Then you have to get a majority to vote in favor. -- Mwalcoff 22:54, 17 April 2007 (UTC)

how do i form a state in the US?

I have moved this question to Humanities Desk for more discussion. You can find it here: Wikipedia:Reference_desk/Humanities#how_do_i_form_a_state_in_the_US.3F. --Parker007 15:42, 18 April 2007 (UTC)

Cape Wilson, Australia?

I've seen several times a "Cape Wilson" being mentioned on the internet as an Australian cape; from what I understand it's supposed to be the southern-most point of the Australian mainland. More frequently, however, this point seems to be called "South Point", which is located in the Wilsons Promontory National Park. Oddly, I haven't yet found a page where South Point and Cape Wilson are described as synonyms or so. So is "Cape Wilson" just another name for South Point? If so, why are there two names (specific historical reasons?)? Or is it a "false name" (due to the name of the national park?), a different cape, ...? Thanks, Ibn Battuta 07:05, 17 April 2007 (UTC)

I live in Gippsland, but have never heard of "Cape Wilson" being the name of anything at Wilsons Prom (or anywhere else in Australia for that matter, but I'm no geographer or cartographer). I can't find any google references to an Australian "Cape Wilson". There is an Antarctic "Cape Wilson", which might be in Australian Antarctic Territory, but this has nothing to do with the Australian mainland. If you ask 100 Australians what the most southerly point of the mainland is, 99 would say "Wilson's Promontory". However the link "Continental Extremities of Australia" at South Point makes it clear that Geoscience Australia consider the most southerly point to be South Point, which is a part of Wilsons Promontory National Park. -- JackofOz 05:19, 18 April 2007 (UTC)

What answer would the other Australian give? --LarryMac 13:45, 18 April 2007 (UTC)

"No f *** in' idea, mate". Possibly followed by "Why are you asking, are you some kind of poof!", or some equally rude remark. Oh yes, we're definitely a nation of sophisticated vulgarians.  :) JackofOz 06:11, 19 April 2007 (UTC)

Thanks! I must have mixed up some search parameters--I had found quite a few pages with what I thought was "cape wilson" and Cape York, but I can't find them anymore, so I seem to have messed up big and/or they were referring to the antarctic cape (which I had thought to have taken out of the search, but I don't remember my exact search)... The only page that I still find now says The whole east Coast of Australia, from Cape Wilson to Thursday Island is strewn with the wreckage of ships lost from time to time over a hundred years. ... which may either be plain wrong or refer to any cape along the coast. Thanks for your help, Ibn Battuta 09:33, 18 April 2007 (UTC)

That text is headed with a reference to August 4, 1907, then proceeds to talk about the wreck of the steamship Gothenburg lost off Bowen on February 24, 1875. This confuses the hell out of me, and I therefore discount the quality of the subsequent text. Maybe it was known as Cape Wilson back then (1875-1907), but maybe it's just an error on the part of the anonymous writer. JackofOz 13:42, 18 April 2007 (UTC)

Cape Wilson, Antarctica is in the part of the continent claimed by New Zealand.

honorary doctorate degree in Humane Letters

What rights and privildges go with such an honor? What kind of regalia is appropriate to wear, if any at all? (cap, gown, hood) I have searched the internet but found no answer.

Thank you

Joseph Joseph0641 09:17, 17 April 2007 (UTC)

Our article on Honorary degrees suggests that the practical use of honorifics (such as "Doctor") is frowned upon in most cultures, allows for postnominal titles (such as in James Fletcher, PhD) only when specified that the title is honorary, and mentions no other benefits. As such, it seems the only "right and priv" here is the pomp and circumstance that go with the conferring of the degree. This pomp and circumstance usually includes the wearing of the appropriate regalia for the conferring ceremony, but it may be considered ostentatious to wear the regalia afterwards, especially if you're just going down to the shops. Jfarber 11:38, 17 April 2007 (UTC)

As for colors and academic regalia: a quick google search of the name of the degree plus the word "regalia" reveals that the color for the LH.D. degree, which is pretty much only conferred as an honorary degree, is brown. This would be the color of the velvet on the hood; the other coloring (satin) would be that of the conferring institution, usually a two-tone. A doctoral-cut gown would be worn, probably in black (but there is some flexibility here), and with brown velvet piping to reflect the hood. Jfarber 13:15, 17 April 2007 (UTC)

... though you should keep in mind that this is just US-American (or Anglo-American?) custom (esp. the pomp). Other countries have no gowns etc. at all, neither for honorary degrees nor for others. (And titles are often indicated differently as well, not necessarily as a postnominal title, but for example before the name as "Dr. h. c.":doctor honoris causa = doctor for the cause of honor.) --Ibn Battuta 16:19, 17 April 2007 (UTC)

It's not just American, or I would have said so; the article specifies the UK, Australia, NZ, and the US as SOME of the places where such honorifics are phrased as mentioned above. But since the querent specified an honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters, which is a degree particular to those countries, and since the gown parameters I mention come to the US via the UK, which is the origin of Aussie and NZ academic standards as well, I stand by my answer as comprehensive, factual, and complete.

Incidentally, it is true that honorifics appear different in other cultures; my sense is that this is partially due to differences of linguistics. The concept of "postnominal" does assume english language conventions, I think, but in cultures where the lingustic convention is to use the title before the name, the point still stands: it's not generally considered in good taste to use honorary academic titles unless you're Ben Franklin. See the related links in our article for some examples of DHC recipients, and recipients of honorary doctorates from, say, China, none of whom ever used their honorifics to the best of my knowledge. The title position relative to the name is therefore moot -- since the title never gets used.

Of course, if you have some solid citation for non-western honoraria that would add value to our article, I'd encourage you to add it. Anecdote, however, isn't going to stand up to Wikistandards.

As for pomp: you're telling me that HONORARY degrees don't come with some sort of fanfare or announcement in "other" countries? Then whyever do they give them out? And why is it that this site lists plenty of ceremony and pomp surrounding degree recipients from China and Brasil, among other places? Jfarber 17:12, 17 April 2007 (UTC)

Do you somehow feel offended? Just curious. (...) .

As it happens, there are more countries both in the West and beyond it than just English-speaking countries with traditions originating from the UK plus China and Brazil. And yes, anecdotal evidence (relax, I'm not gonna include it into the article!) shows that some countries are less pompous than the ones you've mentioned. I can best compare the US and Germany, and there you can find a wide difference when it comes to "honor stuff" (excuse my wording, but that kinda describes a certain attitude in one of the two countries, I won't tell which one... :o)). That doesn't mean that there aren't some who wish nothing more than to copy the pomp (and don't always stop at wishing). But the differences do exist, and I don't see anything surprising about different countries having different traditions.

As for the Humane Letters, that point goes to you. If such honorary degrees are awarded beyond the countries you've mentioned, at least I don't know about it :o) ... - Goodoh, let's take a deep breath ;o) and enjoy the day (here it's raining, and I'd lie if I wrote "currently"... should I add that I'm about to leave?... :o) ... ). "It's just a wiki", and "It's just raining", and "Enjoy your day because if you don't you'll miss a day of enjoyment"! ;o) --Ibn Battuta 19:25, 17 April 2007 (UTC)

Having reread parts of my earlier entry, I just want to clarify in case it sounded wrong (it did, right?): I didn't mean to say "No other countries have (gowns, pomp, etc.)", but rather "There are other countries which do not (...)" ... Oh, well. And I've had a look at your user page, Jfarber, and something tells me you might not be much so much luckier with the weather... Oh... well. ;o) --Ibn Battuta 19:32, 17 April 2007 (UTC)

Hehe, this is getting better and better... and I've seen now that "Anglo-American" seems to be restricted to the UK and the US (I intended to include "British influence", thereby coming much closer to your reply...). Ah well, there is such a deeply fulfilling joy in learning... ;o) --Ibn Battuta 19:35, 17 April 2007 (UTC)

Dialling codes

I have a phone number +1 415 xxx xxxx. Where is this? And how do I dial it from South Africa? Zain Ebrahim 09:22, 17 April 2007 (UTC)

It appears from the format to be a phone number for the San Francisco area of the United States. I don't know how you'd dial it from South Africa though as I'm an American and have never needed to call my home country from outside of its boundaries. Dismas|^(talk) 09:26, 17 April 2007 (UTC)

Does 09~091 1 xxx xxxx make any sense to you?--droptone 09:28, 17 April 2007 (UTC)

Did you mean 09091 1 415 xxx xxxx? It didn't work. Is there a different international dialling code for each state in the US? Zain Ebrahim 09:56, 17 April 2007 (UTC)

@ Droptone, did you get that information from this website?

Zain, I've found here that The dialing code to dial out of South Africa is "09" followed by the country code and telephone number (...), so I'd suggest 09 1 415 xxx xxxx. Especially if you want to make a longer call, you may want to check out where from to make that call as prices will probably range widely depending on whether you call from a private phone (using a calling card or not) or a place which offers special fares for international calls, etc.--unfortunately, I don't know what the best offers are in South Africa, but you can probably find that online, too.

BTW, yes, there are different codes within the US, but they're not for entire states, but for "areas" (parts of a state or even just parts of a larger city). As for the 415 code, Area code 415 tells you more. Good luck with your call, Ibn Battuta 10:02, 17 April 2007 (UTC)

As far as I understand it you would dial 00 1 415 xxx xxxx. 00 is international prefix to dial somewhere outside of S. Africa, 1 is the International Code for the U.S.A. If you are using a calling card however it might be different. 38.112.225.84 10:07, 17 April 2007 (UTC)

00 1 415 xxx xxxx worked. Thanks a lot, you guys. Zain Ebrahim 10:25, 17 April 2007 (UTC)

Glad it worked! BTW, I've just seen why we've had the differences between "00" and "09": the dialling prefix for international calls made from South Africa will change from 09 to 00. The last date when the "09" was working was 16 January 2007 (source). Sorry about the wrong advice! Best, Ibn Battuta 10:29, 17 April 2007 (UTC)

Happy to have helped :) --38.112.225.84 11:17, 17 April 2007 (UTC)

I hope you didn't wake them as even right now it's only 5:30 a.m. in San Francisco. Dismas|^(talk) 12:32, 17 April 2007 (UTC)

Nah. Its a 24 hr support service. Zain Ebrahim 12:36, 17 April 2007 (UTC)

One small correction: There are a few U.S. states with small populations that have only a single "area code". But most have several. In the case of California, there are at least 20. Marco polo 12:37, 17 April 2007 (UTC)

... and I was actually thinking that there might be some states with just one area code... yeah, I should've checked! (Apparently even quite a few: Alaska, Delaware, [DC,] Hawaii, Idaho, Maine, Montana, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Vermont, West Virginia, Wyoming - i.e. 26% + DC!)... :o) --Ibn Battuta 16:12, 17 April 2007 (UTC)

PS: ... while California is leading with 38 (!) area codes... just to add some more random knowledge ;o) ...--Ibn Battuta 16:14, 17 April 2007 (UTC)

Just few bits of area code trivia:

• Besides the US, country code 1 includes Canada and 15 countries or dependencies in the Caribbean. (Caribbean places usually are in country code 1 if they speak English, but have their own country code starting with 5 if they speak Spanish or another language. There are probably some exceptions to this.)
• The codes were first assigned in 1947, well before direct long-distance dialing was available in most places. At that time all codes that included an entire US state or Canadian province had a middle digit 0. All codes that included only part of a state or province had middle digit 1. This pattern did not persist for very many years.
• Middle digits other than 0 or 1 were not allowed until the 1990s.
• The 15 Caribbean places used to all share area code 809 but now each have their own code. The Dominican Republic got to keep 809.
• Canada's three Arctic territories share one code, 867. Before this code was introduced, different codes from the nearest provinces extended into different areas of the Arctic.
• See North American Numbering Plan for more.

--Anonymous, April 18, 01:26 (UTC).

thanks folks. gina x Gina d82 (talk) 06:45, 29 November 2007 (UTC)

Tektronix Guernsey

Why did Tektronix Guernsey CI close down (before I could get a job there?)

Uhh, it didn't turn out to be the cash cow that Tektronix was hoping for? (Seriously, I don't know. But you probably guessed that already.)

Atlant 17:19, 17 April 2007 (UTC)

Perhaps the owners spotted a better opportunity elsewhere and mooved on ? StuRat 06:53, 18 April 2007 (UTC)

They may have herd you were coming and left for greener pastures. V-Man - ^T/_C 01:44, 20 April 2007 (UTC)

Or perhaps the competition was horning in on their business. StuRat 05:31, 20 April 2007 (UTC)

Maybe were was not enough 'scope' for expansion?

countries of the world

There are five united states in the world, what are they? —The preceding unsigned comment was added by Michellecas (talk • contribs) 15:48, 17 April 2007 (UTC).

There are a lot more than five according to Wikipedia. See here. (Ignore those in italics.) --Shantavira 15:56, 17 April 2007 (UTC)

If you are asking about countries of the world they are United States of America and Mexican Unites States. See United States (disambiguation). Duomillia 16:01, 17 April 2007 (UTC)

The standard English form of the official name of the second country is "United Mexican States". JackofOz 04:58, 18 April 2007 (UTC)

Ah! United States (disambiguation) is probably the article that the original poster wants to read. --Anonymous, April 18, 2007, 08:44 (UTC).

holla

1.how much would it cost me to buy like 500 grammes of creatine supplement.and get it shipped to kenya.total cost i would incur is around how much.

2.what was first introduced\invented in 1972 for women who want to look or make themselves beautiful.am not sure if the answer is charlies revlon fragrance

Pong. :) The big inventions that year were the microprocessor, Pong, the TI calculator, the CT scanner, cup noodles, and Pop-Tarts. 'Charlie' was introduced in 1973 according to the Revlon Corporation, which should know. At any rate, perfume doesn't actually make anyone beautiful; it just makes them smell different (and Charlie smells terrible to me). --Charlene 02:12, 18 April 2007 (UTC)

3.which 80s soul group have a name that sounds the same as a red wild fruit. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 130.126.160.180 (talk • contribs)

The Cranberries are NOT a soul group. Jfarber 23:25, 20 April 2007 (UTC)

public domain works of the gov

Are the images below the title of this website public domain?

http://www.eere.energy.gov/ —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 130.126.160.180 (talk) 16:51, 17 April 2007 (UTC).

It seems probable that they are: the copyright notice on the website says that "materials on the EERE website are in the public domain." BUT the probability is not absolute, as the same paragraph also goes on to say that "some materials on this site have been contributed by private individuals, companies, or organizations and include a copyright notice." I see no copyright notice next to those images, but since the images change, it is possible that some are copyrighted, and no one bothered to say so there; due dilligence seems to require that you still contact the webmaster at the EERE before republishing or using the pictures as if they were public domain. Jfarber 17:29, 17 April 2007 (UTC)

If the images were created by the DOE (and not just a contractor) then they shoudl be PD no matter what. But as Jfarber says you need to confirm that the materials on the site were actually created by the DOE and aren't just being hosted by them. Anything which says "DOE picture" or whatever should be fair game no matter what. --24.147.86.187 23:34, 17 April 2007 (UTC)

I would like to expand on the question a little further. Let's say, for example, that I use the CIA World Factbook as a source. Do I need to cite it by law, even though it's in public domain? I believe somewhere on the official page it mentions "citing CIA World Factbook as a courtesy" or something like that; does that mean I can use it without citing it and citing it is just being polite, or do I have to cite it? Please include the information relevent to US copyright laws. Thanks for the help. --71.117.44.98 02:42, 19 April 2007 (UTC)

Every article I can find on Citation or related concepts (such as legal citation, for example) refers to citation as a standard, which is something very different from a law. Each also discusses the various standards relevant to its particular topic and subject area. The legal code which governs fair use and copyright for the US makes no mention of citation standards at all. Thus, I think we can assume the following:

1. There is no legal obligation to cite anything, unless the copyright holder has clearly made such citation or attribution a required parameter of use of that copyrighted material, as in some creative commons citation formats.
2. Since the legal status of works created by government employees as part of their jobs is that of public domain, not of creative commons-esque copyrights, there is no legal obligation to cite those works.
3. However, as our articles on citation make clear, depending on the reason WHY you are using those works, and the format in which you are using those works, your works may not be considered legitimate by the standards of a particular field or arena of material output if you choose not to cite those materials. For example, you might expect that an astute professor with a clear policy about uncited material would fail you for handing in work that used public domain governmental materials without citing them, or that your document might not be eligible for its own copyright protections if it borrows but does not cite. Or that wikipedia editors might delete your photographic or textual additions to a page about the CIA factbook as unattributed (and therefore not valid by Wikipedia standards).

In short, then: yes, you can use without citing, but it would definitely limit what you could then do with that final product. Depending on what you wanted to do with that information, it might make your final product illegitimate by a specific community or field-specific standard, and would certainly make it less valid. Hope this helps... Jfarber 17:58, 19 April 2007 (UTC)

living in Santa fe, New Mexico

Why do people relocate to Santa Fe, New Mexico ? —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 69.234.102.110 (talk) 20:04, 17 April 2007 (UTC).

It's warm there. --ChesterMarcol 20:06, 17 April 2007 (UTC)

There may be as many reasons for moving to Santa Fe as there are people who have moved there, and it is impossible for us to know them all. For example, a friend of mine moved there to take his dream job. People other than retirees and the independently wealthy tend to move for economic reasons. For example, Santa Fe has a lively arts scene, and many artists have moved to the area to be able to sell their work easily. That said, Santa Fe has attracted many retirees, independently wealthy, and self-employed people who may have been drawn by the dry, moderate climate (though winters can be cold); the scenic beauty and the aesthetics of the town itself; the proximity of activities such as hiking and skiing; the cultural attractions, such as the music and arts scenes; and the relative safety. Marco polo 22:18, 17 April 2007 (UTC)

And people have heard of it. They aren't likely to move to somewhere like Qiqihar, as very few people have any idea where that is.

I'm sure that plenty of people move to Qiqihar. Just not many Americans. I could have added that Santa Fe is popular among Americans because it does require learning a foreign language and dealing with foreign customs, but that seemed obvious. (For that matter, those few Americans interested in moving to China might not choose Qiqihar, with its January average temperature of -26°C (-15°F)!) On the other hand, there are places in the United States that few people have heard of. But those places do not have the cultural amenities of Santa Fe. Marco polo 12:52, 18 April 2007 (UTC)

Sorry, bad example. People aren't going to move to somewhere like Shikmona as very few people have heard of it.

To open up a restaurant? --Maelwys 17:43, 18 April 2007 (UTC)