Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Miscellaneous/2007 September 6

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September 6

back problem

i have a really bad pain in my back. Earlier today, i reached down to pick up my daughter, and then i got this really big pain in my back. I know that wikipedia doesn't give any medical advice, but i would just like to figure out what it might be, so i can know what to do. THANK YOU —Preceding unsigned comment added by 72.146.75.252 (talk) 00:15, 6 September 2007 (UTC)

Please see your doctor, we really cannot offer any kind of opinion or diagnosis. DuncanHill 00:41, 6 September 2007 (UTC)

HAving said that, I will give you a link to our article on back pain, something to read before you see your doctor. DuncanHill 01:22, 6 September 2007 (UTC)

Also, to avoid such problems in the future, you need to change the way you lift heavy objects (daughters included). Instead of bending at the waist, do a deep knee bend to pick her up. If she is old enough, she can help you by standing on a chair/sofa/bed when she wants you to pick her up. Meanwhile, don't lift any heavy objects until your doctor evaluates your present condition. StuRat 04:39, 6 September 2007 (UTC)

If you know that we're not allowed to give medical advice - why are you asking for medical advice? If you are worried - see a doctor. SteveBaker 13:19, 6 September 2007 (UTC)

If the pain is confined to an area of your back, then it is likely to be a muscular strain. However, if the pain radiates to other parts of your body (arms, abdomen, or legs), then it is likely to be spinal disc herniation. In either case, ibuprofen is likely to help. A doctor can advise you on dosage. Physical therapy can also be helpful if the pain is persistent. Note that this does not constitute medical advice, which I am not qualified to give. Also, while I have described likely causes, your pain may have some other cause that only a medical professional could diagnose. Marco polo 15:50, 6 September 2007 (UTC)

You know, after a long time of contemplating the theoretical and legal issues of medical discussions on Wikipedia, I must recommend that go to the doctor (and take absolutely nothing from this discussion). You can read up on the subject of course, and the above links may be helpful for that. However, back pain is a very common symptom and you will need a complete history and physical examination (by a DOCTOR) to get an accurate diagnosis. Back pain can be a symptom of very serious conditions that have nothing to do with your spine or back muscles, even if the pain occurred while lifting. You may not even realize that you have other related symptoms to a serious condition without seeing a doctor.
Mrdeath5493 16:30, 6 September 2007 (UTC)

It's true that few, if any, Reference Desk contributors are medically qualified, and that we therefore can't dispense authoritative medical advice, and it's also true that Wikipedia cannot be held legally liable for any discussion of medical issues here. However, Reference Desk contributors are knowledgeable and generally better educated than the populace as a whole, and they may have helpful insights beyond telling the questioner to go to a doctor. This particular questioner appears (from his or her IP address) to be in the United States, where millions of people lack health insurance and cannot afford to see a doctor. In this context, it seems merciless to refuse to give questioners any information whatsoever. Marco polo 17:48, 6 September 2007 (UTC)

There does seem to be rather too much legal paranoia around here. Giving "legal" or "medical" advice is not in and of itself illegal. Holding oneself out as a lawyer or doctor or qualified professional when one is not is illegal. --Nricardo 02:26, 7 September 2007 (UTC)

• If you have a general practitioner who can see you soon, that's best. If not, perhaps a chiropractor or orthopedist could help. --M@rēino 19:58, 6 September 2007 (UTC)

water colors

will water colors stick to white wall? Will they have the same "brightness" as thicker paints? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 12.217.199.246 (talk) 02:06, 6 September 2007 (UTC)

Yes, they will stick, but no, they won't provide as good of a coverage as a thicker paint, say oil based or latex. BTW, you do realize that any attempt to wash a wall with watercolors will result in all the colors running, don't you ? Also, dampness from humidity could do this. So, trying to permanently paint walls with watercolors is a really bad idea. On the other hand, creating a temporary watercolor painting on a wall, say to gain approval before going over it with real paint, would be an excellent idea. StuRat 04:33, 6 September 2007 (UTC)

Acrylic paint might be a very good medium for painting on a wall: it is water-soluble before it dries, and after it dries it is permanent. If you dilute the colours with water when you apply them they have a similar transparency to water colours. It is also odour-free, and it will bond very well with white acrylic wall paint.SaundersW 08:29, 6 September 2007 (UTC)

You know, that's given me a great idea... if I did a mural in watercolor, when my lease is up I could wash it right off! And if it doesn't wash off, it'll at least not be too thick to cover again... Kuronue | Talk 21:05, 7 September 2007 (UTC)

my plan exactly, Kuronue, hence the question! —Preceding unsigned comment added by 12.217.199.246 (talk) 23:00, 8 September 2007 (UTC)

TV/microwave

can it hurt a TV to be sitting next to/on top of a microwave? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 128.101.53.163 (talk) 03:51, 6 September 2007 (UTC)

I'd expect you would get TV interference when both are operated at once. Steam coming out of the microwave might go into the vents on the TV and condense, as well, which might be bad for some components, especially the speakers. So, I wouldn't recommend that arrangement, no. StuRat 04:27, 6 September 2007 (UTC)

about hook of cars!

I've observed many times for majority of the cars there will be a hook on the back of it..! Now my doubt is why do they have the hook sometimes only on back, sometimes only on front, sometimes both sides? Even for costly & imported cars also I've saw that! Why? Temuzion 04:18, 6 September 2007 (UTC)

Do you mean a tow hitch ? StuRat 04:22, 6 September 2007 (UTC)

I suspect that rather than the tow hitch/tow bar he's talking about the small hooks often under or through the bumper; there is often one on the back, and regularly on the front as well (don't know about the sides though). These hooks are there to allow the attachment of a tow rope for emergency situations, say if the car has to be towed by another vehicle, or pulled out of a ditch. Unfortunately I don't know what their actual name is, or in fact if they have one (tow point, tow rope attachment point, ...?). --jjron 08:18, 6 September 2007 (UTC)

They're generally on the rear more than the front because as stated, they are often used when pulling the vehicle out of a ditch. And generally, cars go into ditches going forwards and not backwards. In the off-roading community in the U.S., we call them tow hooks. Dismas|^(talk) 08:46, 6 September 2007 (UTC)

I'd reckon there'd be a fair bit of backwards action, given that cars will often go off the road after spinning out of control, so would go off backwards often enough... Anyway, checked my Mazda6 owners manual and it agrees with your terminology - tow hook. (Incidentally, for the record, it has two on the back, and one on the front which you access by popping a cap in the bumper and attaching an eyelet hook in through the hole, to which you then attach the tow rope.). --jjron 14:08, 6 September 2007 (UTC)

Yah I also thought that the hook will be used only for pulling it through rope in emergencies...but i expected some diffrent answer which i couldn't get so bye..! Temuzion 10:13, 6 September 2007 (UTC)

We're talking about those wimpy little hooks that are hidden behind a panel in the bumper or (like in my car) that have to be screwed into a threaded hole someplace? Those aren't really strong enough to pull a car out of a ditch or out of other serious trouble. They're mostly intended just to allow the car to be winched up from level ground onto the back of a tow truck. For anything serious you'd want to hook a chain around an axle or something. SteveBaker 13:59, 6 September 2007 (UTC)

Please do not use a chain or anything with a hook on the end of it. Go to an auto parts store and get a nylon strap with loop ends (no hooks). They can pull >20K lbs. and are tough! If one does snap, you won't be in near as much danger as when you have broken metal hooks or chains flying through the air. I don't know of a single off-roading club that encourages the use of straps with hooks or chains. We pull our rigs out of some nasty situations and either pull it with a hookless strap or very cautiously winch it. Dismas|^(talk) 03:30, 7 September 2007 (UTC)

The little wimpy hooks on the fronts and backs of all cars, sometimes concealed under a panel, are for transport. As you've probably noticed, cars are delivered on those big trucks, and they are chained down for obvious reasons. The area is somewhat reinforced, in many cars they can be used as a jacking point, and for hauling gradually up a slightly inclined flatbed, but it's not to be construed as a place to seriously tow the car. Gzuckier 15:01, 6 September 2007 (UTC)

On my car, at least (a 1978 280Z), those hooks are strictly for tie-down during transport, not for towing or anything else. In fact, the shop manual for my car instructs the dealer to remove the hooks on the front before selling the car for the first time, so that people won't be tempted to use them for towing, since the bumper and other parts of the front of the car would be damaged. --Steve Summit (talk) 22:19, 6 September 2007 (UTC)

Perhaps some of you might want to take this up with Mazda - as I said above, the owner's manual says they're 'tow hooks' and specifically says that's what they're for. I doubt that this is exclusive to Mazda, and I suspect they'd avoid giving that sort of potentially dangerous misinformation in an owner's manual if they are indeed as 'wimpy' as some are claiming. --jjron 08:04, 7 September 2007 (UTC) (BTW I seem to recall most older cars didn't have them, like with my first car from the mid-70s; it was up to your own ingenuity to figure out where to tow from, which for many people was often by using the very dubious method of tieing a rope or chain around what was then the metal bumper bars. --jjron 08:11, 7 September 2007 (UTC))

Don't get me wrong - I'm not saying that these things are wimpy on all cars. Just that they are known (for sure) to be fairly pathetic on some cars - and therefore you should not rely on them without checking the owner's manual first. What you do know (without reading the manual) is that the axles are designed to stay attached to the car no matter what! They get pounded up and down and side to side and take the largest forces in all directions so they have fairly beefy mounting points. So attaching your tow to the axle is likely to be a safest thing to do in the absence of better information. Of course different things apply to towing a car on the road for any distance versus pulling it out of a ditch. For towing a car any distance, you need to be sure that it's going to go straight and that you aren't going to screw something up in the process. Many modern cars can't be towed (for any distance) without damaging them. My MINI Cooper'S can't be towed on it's wheels at all - if you pull it with the front wheels on the road and the engine not running then the transmission fluid doesn't get circulated properly and will overheat (eeek!) - if you raise the front wheels and let it roll on the back wheels then the forces on the rear suspension are applied at an unnatural angle and that can trash your suspension if you do it over enough miles. Different cars have different restrictions - my 1963 Mini can be towed on all four wheels for any distance (so long as you leave the gearbox in neutral). My wife's Mazda can be towed but only if the front wheels are off the ground. So check your owner's manual! (Thanks to Dismas for the thing about the chains though - that's good advice - I stand corrected! In my defense, I have a passion for teeny-tiny cars and the idea of breaking a tow chain when pulling one of them out of a ditch is not a serious concern! But for owners of big chunky trucks and such - yeah, a chain might be a bad idea.) SteveBaker 14:26, 7 September 2007 (UTC)

The difference between a 'Poem' and a 'Song'

A six year old child has asked me this question - What is the difference between a 'Poem' and a 'Song'? One answer that I gave was that the 'song' has a tune/tone/music associated with it, whereas a 'poem' does not have one. That is, you 'sing' a song, but you 'say' (speak plainly) a poem. But I am not sure if the child completely understood it.

Can somebody please help with another explanation.

The explanation does not have to be 100% grammatically/technically correct but should be understandable (at least the concept) by a 6 year old. --Forml 11 04:52, 6 September 2007 (UTC)

I'd go with a song is sung a poem is read. Also songs are accompanied by music whereas poems aren't. I guess the difference is minimal really. ny156uk 07:23, 6 September 2007 (UTC)

Apart from acapella (etc.) singing, plainchant and so on :) I can't see what was wrong with your original explanation to be honest, the line between poem and song is fairly blurred - when you think of the number of poems that have been made into songs (I'm thinking of things like 'If') Worm ^{(t | c)} 08:53, 6 September 2007 (UTC)

This line is further blurred by Rapping and the poetry from the Beat Generation for example. 192.9.112.196 10:00, 6 September 2007 (UTC)

This is all good stuff, but I wonder if it's appropriate for a 6-year old. I also can't see much wrong with your original suggestion, Forml 11. Maybe try rephrasing it slightly, eg. "If you just say the words out loud like a nursery rhyme, you're reading a poem; but if you sing them, you've turned it into a song". It's not a minimal difference, and it's a distinction I think most 6-yr olds would have no difficulty getting because kids of that age instinctively get music. [Sorry, ny156uk, but I have a much higher regard for music than that. :) ] -- JackofOz 10:15, 6 September 2007 (UTC)

Cats and motor oil

My cat was lying under a car today and when she came in she had oil on her back and head and now she's starting to clean herself. Is it okay for a cat to be licking oil that came from under a car? --124.254.77.148 06:18, 6 September 2007 (UTC)

I would suggest you do something to clean the cat yourself, a good soapy bath perhaps, rather than letting her lick that muck. If she has ingested pretty much any of the oil I'd suggest taking her to a vet to be checked out ASAP, if she's not already sick from it. We can give no medical advice (including veterinary advice), so please seek professional advice if there's any doubt. --jjron 08:27, 6 September 2007 (UTC)

In general car oil is not good stuff - so no. Shampoo your cat soon. OR seek vetenary advice - (which will be may be necessary if you let her lick more). PLEASE WASH YOUR CAT!.87.102.17.39 10:59, 6 September 2007 (UTC)

And, you know cats are known to be prescient. Is it your car? If thats the case, maybe you should fix the oil leak before it gets worse! —Preceding unsigned comment added by 71.147.37.13 (talk) 13:03, 6 September 2007 (UTC)

engine conversion in a skyline r32 gtr

i was thinking of buying a skyline r32 gtr but want to convert the rb26dett motor to a vq40de motor. i was wondering if this is possible for it to be done and if it will fit into the engine bay of the skyline r32211.31.18.134 08:25, 6 September 2007 (UTC)

We have an article on the Nissan VQ engine which may provide useful background. These are v6's- but according to Nissan_Skyline#R32, they all came originally with inline engines. So, even if it can fit under the hood (it may or may not), at the very least the motor mounts are going to be different. If budget is no object, in theory some amount of custom work could be done to make it work. The question is, is this a good idea? What would you be hoping to gain from an engine swap, and is there some better way to achieve similar results? Friday (talk) 14:39, 6 September 2007 (UTC)

Advice about keeping rats as pets

Can anyone lend advice about keeping rats as pets? By this I mean what numbers to have, genders, size of cage and items inside it, perhaps even nutritional information? Thank you in advance. :) 81.93.102.185 14:48, 6 September 2007 (UTC)

Have you read pet rat? There are also some useful links at the bottom of the article.--Shantavira|^{feed me} 16:04, 6 September 2007 (UTC)

This is a clear example of what almost two million articles means :P --Taraborn 17:10, 6 September 2007 (UTC)

Wikipedia's 2 Millionth Article

Hi. Several weeks ago, I saw an article / page on Wikipedia, in which editors were posting estimates for when the 2 millionth article would surface. Does any one have the link to that page? Thanks. (Joseph A. Spadaro 21:32, 6 September 2007 (UTC))

Wikipedia:Two-million pool. =] HYENASTE 22:05, 6 September 2007 (UTC)

It says something about Wikipedia that our supreme article 2 million-a showcase of the enormous treasure trove of knowledge,of the world around us,the universe,natural phenomena,violent battles,great sporting feats--- and it's about a Spanish TV show hosted by singing ants... Lemon martini 10:42, 10 September 2007 (UTC)

How do you convert PDF into a word document?

How do you convert a Adobe Reader PDF into MS Word. I'm trying to transfer a font through it and I don't know how.--Writer Cartoonist 21:41, 6 September 2007 (UTC)

You need something like this...http://www.investintech.com/prod_a2d.htm - free trial. I'm not sure if Adobe have software like this included in the system - just because that's one of the point of the PDF in the first place - it makes alterations difficult/ensures standard viewing. ny156uk 22:52, 6 September 2007 (UTC)

Or spring for Adobe Acrobat Professional, which lets you save Acrobat files in rtf format, which MS Word can open. But what do you mean by "transfer a font through it"? Miyagaya 07:30, 7 September 2007 (UTC)

Surely not Garamond 3. --jjron 08:14, 7 September 2007 (UTC)

This is how I do it:

Open a blank Word Document. Then open the .pdf file. Go to Tools then Select and Zoom then Select Tool. Highlight the part(s) you want and copy. Go back to the blank Word document and paste. You can then highlight and change fonts (or colors, sizes, etc.). Hope this helps.

Assignment On Auckland, New Zealand Property Market

Does anyone know where I can find these things? Thanks

a) Demand-side factors a. mortgage interest rates b. rental yields c. expected returns from capital gains d. comparative returns on property versus other investment alternatives e. tax on income from property investment as compared to tax on other investments b) Supply-side factors a. Amount of existing residential properties for sale b. Amount of new residential properties under construction c. Availability of vacant lots zoned for residential purposes

And Im not asking you to do my homework, I'm just asking where to find infomation that I can do it with. I've already looked. Thanks. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 58.28.172.120 (talk) 22:54, 6 September 2007 (UTC)

This information may be available from the Real Estate Institute of New Zealand. If they don't have it, they can probably tell you where to find it. Marco polo 01:01, 7 September 2007 (UTC)

ISD

What could the acronym ISD stand for in the world of encryption and cryptology? Thanks. Acceptable 23:10, 6 September 2007 (UTC)

Well, in this paper (PDF) it means "Information Set Decoding". --Anonymous, 23:50 UTC, September 6, 2007.

Could depend on the context within the paper - see here. --jjron 08:23, 7 September 2007 (UTC)

Things to do when I turn 18?

What are some things I should do when I turn 18? I don't mean go out and buy a lottery ticket, but like, what financial or legal things need to be done once I become an adult? HYENASTE 23:32, 6 September 2007 (UTC)

You could start investing in a pension, start saving for a home, invest in an investment fund. It's recommended that you right a will because in a lot of countries if you die without a will the government has no requirement to pass on your proceeds to your immediate family (though i'm sure it is rare that they don't). ny156uk 23:37, 6 September 2007 (UTC)

Oh no, not rare at all. The estates of people who die intestate in Australia more often than not go to the state (via the Public Trustee), and families often have a court battle on their hands to get any of it. -- JackofOz 00:32, 7 September 2007 (UTC)

In some countries you are required to register for the draft if you are male. (Perhaps in some countries if you’re female as well.) --S.dedalus 23:42, 6 September 2007 (UTC)

You should ensure that you are registered to vote (assuming a voting age of 18 in your jurisdiction). DuncanHill 00:30, 7 September 2007 (UTC)

You may also be required to obtain an official form of identification in some states, and in any case it is IMO worth getting a passport (if you do not already have one). If you do not already have a current account ("checking account"), then I would suggest getting one. It's also worth making the most of the time you still have before you are 18 - in some countries you may be entitled to free or reduced-cost healthcare, if so get your teeth, eyes, and everything else checked out.DuncanHill 00:52, 7 September 2007 (UTC)

In what states are these required? I'm 19 and I've got no government-issued ID; I get frisked when I fly and I can't enter one of the porn shops in town because they won't take my student ID or any combination of things with photos and things with birthdates that share the same name, but I go to the one that knows me across town and I wear REALLY tight clothes when flying, and I manage alright between North Carolina and California. Then again, I already break the law several times a week, so... Kuronue | Talk 21:13, 7 September 2007 (UTC)

I believe in the Nordic countries adults are required to possess some form of state-recognised ID. I used the word "state" to mean an independent geo-political entity, rather than one of the members of the United States of America. BTW - weren't states' anti-sodomy laws declared unconstitutional? DuncanHill 21:33, 7 September 2007 (UTC)

Go out and PAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRTYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!! --Candy-Panda 13:47, 7 September 2007 (UTC)

What country are you in? In the US, if you're male, you have to register for the draft. Corvus cornix 16:15, 7 September 2007 (UTC)

Consider that a couple of hundred years ago, you would have had about 7 - 10 years left to live - so first of all Party as advised by an earlier respondent, then plan on all the things you want to do in your remaining 68 years or so, and remember that all your best memories have yet to happen, so try to ensure they are good ones. Good Luck to you from someone who didn't have a clue what to do with his life when he was 18 - and still doesn't, despite now being 60. But I have no regrets and I wish you the same. Enjoy.81.145.242.139 16:26, 7 September 2007 (UTC)

Contrary to general consensus you would have much longer to live. The reason is that the average-age is brought down hugely due to child-deaths. People who lived to adulthood mostly lived reasonably long. See (http://lifetwo.com/production/node/20070716-dramatically-longer-average-lifespans-fact-myth-or-something-else ) for a starting into this. It's a classic case of averages not telling the whole picture. ny156uk 22:25, 7 September 2007 (UTC)

If you happen to live near the border with Quebec, you could legally get trashed at a bar. Adam Bishop 18:11, 7 September 2007 (UTC)

Buy a lottery ticket. ;) Pilotguy 22:34, 7 September 2007 (UTC)