Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Miscellaneous/2008 March 6

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March 6

Just an FYI

You all are amazing. Keep up the good work. :) Nightofshiningdeath (talk) 03:17, 6 March 2008 (UTC)nightofshiningdeath

They really are. This place is brilliant. Not just brilliant, it's perfect. :D I wish I could do more to help out here. HS7 (talk) 12:58, 6 March 2008 (UTC)

Tournament bracket simulator

Anyone know of a "tournament simulator" that can be ran online? A forum I'm on wants to do a "Comedy Movie Tournament" where 64 movies are nominated and then ran down to 1, like a typical March Madness bracket. It will be done manually, I just need the "display", so to speak. Tanthalas39 (talk) 04:01, 6 March 2008 (UTC)

Would the 64-team bracket available here fit your purposes? -Elmer Clark (talk) 13:00, 6 March 2008 (UTC)

Is drinking P♥M healthier than other sugary waters?

Or should I feel like an idiot for paying $3 for this bottle?

66.91.224.203 (talk) 05:17, 6 March 2008 (UTC)

Well, POM is a juice, not just a "sugary water" of the sort that, say, sodas are. And pomegrenates have antioxidant properties, which is more than you can say about a lot of sugar water products. In the end though such small and occasional supplements to a diet are unlikely to have any real health effects other than those brought on psychosomatically. If you're drinking it regularly, then maybe it would have some effect, but one bottle isn't going to help or hurt you. It's juice, not medicine. --98.217.18.109 (talk) 05:31, 6 March 2008 (UTC)

Our article on pomegranate juice says that one glass contains 50% of the US recommended daily allowance of vitamins A, C, and E and 100% of the RDA of folic acid, as well as niacin and potassium. It's a lot better for you than "sugary water", which contains no vitamins, minerals, or anything but calories. It may also have some long-term health benefits if drunk regularly. --NellieBly (talk) 05:37, 6 March 2008 (UTC)

Right, but if you're talking about one dose of it, it's not going to have therapeutic properties, no more than taking a multi-vitamin once and only once will. --98.217.18.109 (talk) 13:40, 6 March 2008 (UTC)

And the benefits that antioxidants bring is scientifically questioned - though the benefit that fruit brings is less so... —Preceding unsigned comment added by 194.221.133.226 (talk) 11:30, 6 March 2008 (UTC)

Hot water heat

After spending the last 40 years living in houses and apartments with forced air heating, I'm buying a house that has hot water heat complete with beautiful copper radiators. Does anyone know of a book or website that describes what I as a homeowner need to know about this type of heating system? Thanks! --NellieBly (talk) 05:40, 6 March 2008 (UTC)

I don't think there's much you need to know really, other than where the stopcock is, and how to bleed a radiator when air gets into the system. There's usually a little key to do this. -mattbuck (Talk) 09:53, 6 March 2008 (UTC)

Here is a good basic page. --Milkbreath (talk) 11:36, 6 March 2008 (UTC)

In the UK, most homes have radiator-based heating. I've no idea what it's like in "forced air heating", but with rads, the heat can make the house's air quite dry. Some people find it useful to use humidifiers of varying levels of complexity/expense, the simplest amounting to little more than little reservoirs of water slung on the front of the rad. --Dweller (talk) 11:44, 6 March 2008 (UTC)

I've always found forced air heating (I'm assuming the OP means the heaters where air is heated by an element and blown into the room by a fan), drier than radiator heating. I've always thought this was because of forced-air heats a greater volume of air more quickly than a radiator. However, I failed A-level Physics... Radiators are really very easy to look after; the only thing I've had to learn, as Mattbuck mentioned, was how to bleed them. (It's the boiler that gives me ulcers).--Kateshortforbob 20:43, 6 March 2008 (UTC)

Thanks, everyone. And you're right, Kateshort; that's what forced air is. According to the provincial government, about 95% of homes in Alberta are forced air heated. The fan is attached to the furnace itself, and blows the hot air through vents into the rest of the house. There are also cold air vents in every room that feed back to the furnace. The vents have to be professionally cleaned out every year or two (forced air heat is very, very dusty, perhaps more so in a place with lots of dust and low humidity) and the furnace air filter has to be cleaned or replaced on a regular basis. Mine needs to be washed every month. --NellieBly (talk) 04:38, 7 March 2008 (UTC)

Well, here in extreme southern Canada (New Hampshire), one of the things you have to know is that you can't add air conditioning to a forced-hot-water (hydronics) heating system ;-). Other than that, the key questions have more to do with the fuel used than with the hot-water part of the system. Oil burners require routine maintenance by qualified service technicians to remove soot, adjust the fuel-air mixture, and so on. You also need to always have a good idea how much more fuel oil remains in your tank; if you run out, you get very cold very fast, all those water pipes supplying the radiators at the perimeter of the house freeze and burst, and so on. By comparison, a gas burning system can go a lot longer between service appointments; system that burn natural gas essentially never run out of fuel although propane-burning systems can run out.

Atlant (talk) 13:24, 7 March 2008 (UTC)

Thanks. I'm just psyching myself up to move to a city where you need both. Winnipeg can be much hotter than southern Alberta in the summer, but it's also much, much colder in the winter - it's +56F here right now, but in Winnipeg it's -4F - so a properly running heating system is important. (Edit to sign correctly) --NellieBly (talk) 17:37, 7 March 2008 (UTC)

Visa confusion

In the United States, how often are customs officers who ask to see entrance visas presented with credit cards? NeonMerlin 06:36, 6 March 2008 (UTC)

I'd suspect not too often (though I'm sure there've been some cases) as you need to have the visa to get on a flight to the U.S.A. so folk going there will know what they mean & have it. I'm not sure but I think Canadians don't need a visa, so that reduces the possible number of people who could make the mistake to those going through the Mexican border. AllanHainey (talk) 18:41, 8 March 2008 (UTC)

DieselSecret.com

Is that another scam ? They claim to get this fuel to people for $0.46 a gallon (US). Sounds like the old Gas Advance.Com scam. 65.173.104.52 (talk) 06:47, 6 March 2008 (UTC)

If it sounds too good to be true, and involves money exchanged on the internet, then yeah, it's probably a scam. --98.217.18.109 (talk) 14:31, 6 March 2008 (UTC)

Short of actually paying for their 'secret', I couldn't say for sure what they're selling. What it appears to be is instructions for how to filter and modify used cooking oils for use as biodiesel. Looking at some of the materials on their website, the 0.46 per gallon breaks down as:

• 0.15 per gallon "DSE Recommended Additive"
• 0.31 per gallon "Other ingredients" (with a note that this price "varies with region", whatever that means....)

They explicitly assume that you'll be able to get the used cooking oil (of the right type, and in sufficient quantity) for free from restaurants. This may not be a valid assumption. The estimate does not include the amortized cost of materials and equipment to build their filtration system, or the price of the starter kit from the web site. The price does not include the value of your time spent gathering oil from restaurants or filtering it for use. Finally, your state may require you to report on fuel production and pay fuel taxes on any biodiesel that you produce; this is not accounted for in the price stated.

Note also that use of this fuel will almost certainly void your warranty, particularly if you have fuel system trouble. I also don't know if there are states that forbid or restrict the use of homebrewed motor fuels – or that require extensive (and expensive) testing of said fuels before use – for environmental protection reasons. Per the comment above, be very wary of things that sound too good to be true. TenOfAllTrades(talk) 14:38, 6 March 2008 (UTC)

See also Vegetable oil used as fuel. Dforest (talk) 04:09, 7 March 2008 (UTC)

Tim Cahill (5)

What values does Tim Cahill have? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 220.233.83.26 (talk) 06:58, 6 March 2008 (UTC)

You'd really have to ask him about this. How many questions are there about Tim Cahill in your school assignment? -- JackofOz (talk) 07:24, 6 March 2008 (UTC)

Could you maybe send a link to where I can ask him stuff and contact him? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 220.233.83.26 (talk) 08:03, 6 March 2008 (UTC)

([1]) --Dweller (talk) 08:14, 6 March 2008 (UTC)

If you're referring to his contract, he got signed to a 5-year deal at Everton in 2005. ([2]) The official release doesn't mention how much he makes, but this site says "reported £27k a week." -Elmer Clark (talk) 13:05, 6 March 2008 (UTC)

Whoops, misread values as value. I'm afraid I can't help you there, other than by saying that "clean play" doesn't appear to be among them. From that second link: "In any case, he was suspended in the UK due to his less-than-stellar disciplinary record at the New Den — he topped their disciplinary table with seventeen yellow cards and two reds the season before making the move to Merseyside!" -Elmer Clark (talk) 13:08, 6 March 2008 (UTC)

A Cure?

How do you cure Wikinitis? Just a question. I continuously come on here when I have work to do. But its fun to look stuff up and read it. Then criticize it or edit it. And then think to myself who wrote this. Is there a cure?71.142.210.56 (talk) 08:26, 6 March 2008 (UTC)Cardinal Raven

See Wikipedia:Wikipediholic for symptoms and cures. Adam Bishop (talk) 09:34, 6 March 2008 (UTC)

Adam Bishop, stop giving out medical advice! -mattbuck (Talk) 09:48, 6 March 2008 (UTC)

World of warcraft?--Jabberwalkee (talk) 16:03, 6 March 2008 (UTC)

That reminds me of how they used to use cocaine to "cure" morphine addiction. 206.252.74.48 (talk) 17:58, 6 March 2008 (UTC)

Uncyclopedia ? 65.173.104.52 (talk) 18:45, 6 March 2008 (UTC)

trade finance

may i request to give information on the subject trade finance

Ajaytayshete (talk) 08:59, 6 March 2008 (UTC)

Go ahead. Click here. Remember to ensure that anything you add is notable and can be backed up by reliable sources --Dweller (talk) 10:44, 6 March 2008 (UTC)

If you are asking us to give you information, here is a booklet published by the US government on the subject. It is easier to answer questions that are a bit more specific, so I apologise for the vague quality of this response. SaundersW (talk) 10:46, 6 March 2008 (UTC)

Where does the Phrase "runs like a dog come from?

Where does the Phrase "runs like a dog come from? 62.172.209.197 (talk) 10:47, 6 March 2008 (UTC)

I can't say I'm familiar with "runs like a dog" as a set phrase. "Running dog" (see), meaning "lackey", first appeared in English in 1937. Other expressions involving coursing canines probably have their roots in antiquity and are as old as the dog itself. There is a decorative pattern called "running dog" that appears on ancient pottery. --Milkbreath (talk) 11:52, 6 March 2008 (UTC)

I've heard this phrase used in reference to a slow car. It's maybe a little funny because dogs don't tend to be particularly slow runners. Friday (talk) 16:06, 6 March 2008 (UTC)

It wasn't until I started trying to research this question that I was reminded of the phrase being used for something slow (most of the links I found were computer related; "I installed X and now my computer is running like a dog."). I didn't find any good descriptions of the origin of the phrase, so I passed this up. Before my search, I was thinking of the song "Everglades" by Treat Her Right, which tells the story of a man who is "runnin' like a dog" with the implication that the running is rather swift. --LarryMac | Talk 16:38, 6 March 2008 (UTC)

"Runs like a three-legged dog" seems to exist too, and it makes more sense. Maybe the lost leg bit got lost as well. ---Sluzzelin talk 17:20, 6 March 2008 (UTC)

To describe a car as "runnning like a dog" is to say it runs badly (is slow, inefficient, noisy, always breaking down...) since "dog" is slang for a bad car (see The Dog & Lemon Guide, for example). I've always known this slang, but can't find it in an online dictionary, but the OED does define dog as: Something poor or mediocre; a failure. (U.S. slang).; and A horse that is slow, difficult to handle, etc. slang.; and of a person: in reproach, abuse, or contempt: A worthless, despicable, surly, or cowardly fellow and there's also to the dogs: to destruction or ruin;, which all kind of give the idea. nb. I am not American, so the "dog" = "bad car" is not just used in the OED US slang context. - Gwinva (talk) 20:55, 6 March 2008 (UTC)

It's bit like describing the car as a "a bomb"; but not quite, because that suggests there are many things wrong, whereas it only needs a dirty thingamywhatzit or a loose connection to make it run like a dog today. (Interesting that it's only cars NOT considered to be "bombs" that are said to "go like a bomb"). -- JackofOz (talk) 21:19, 6 March 2008 (UTC)

I find it odd and humourous that the phrases "that car is a bomb" and "that car is the bomb" have nearly opposite meanings. 206.252.74.48 (talk) 21:23, 6 March 2008 (UTC)

What's more, if you say that a theatre(theater)play is "a bomb" in America, you're calling it a flop; in England, you'd be calling it a hit! Rhinoracer (talk) 13:46, 7 March 2008 (UTC) I've always understood it to mean running from a fight as a defeated, or cowardly, dog might.86.197.20.123 (talk) 15:56, 8 March 2008 (UTC)DT

Online relationships

Supposing there was this girl I knew on the internet, right, and we talked to each other through the internet but live a long way apart. we've never met and can only contact each other through the internet. Now suppose it's been exactly a month since we decided we were more than just friends, and since therefore I want to do something special for her to mark this event, is there anything I can do, other than just talking to her like i do every other day? I'm assuming there are lots of other people in this situation, so there might be some people around here with more experience at this sort of thing. And secondly, what could I do for the same girl for her birthday, since I can't actually go any buy something and sent it to her. HS7 (talk) 12:32, 6 March 2008 (UTC)

Well if she'd give you her address you could 'go and buy her something'.. How about saying 'I'd like to send you a present..." Otherwise consider and electronic birthday card87.102.74.217 (talk) 12:53, 6 March 2008 (UTC)

A web search suggests a thing known as an 'eCard' - take a look87.102.74.217 (talk) 12:55, 6 March 2008 (UTC)

Online gift certificates (to amazon.com or somewhere similar) are an option as well. -Elmer Clark (talk) 13:11, 6 March 2008 (UTC)

How can you have a relationship with some one you only talk to on the internet?? dont you even talk 2 her on the phone?? u seriously need to meet up and get down to it..... —Preceding unsigned comment added by 193.115.175.247 (talk) 14:50, 6 March 2008 (UTC)

LOL at above. You need to read some Jane Austen or get your Heathcliff on! To the OP, you could try writing her something romantic! Poetry even just a haiku would be nice! --Jabberwalkee (talk) 16:01, 6 March 2008 (UTC)

The nicest thing you could do for her is to go and buy some flowers and chocolates and pitch up at her door and say Hi, im the guy that has been chatting to you for the past year. this will make her day, alternativly, flowers can be bought online and delivered to her. Good luck dude, we all need love. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 193.115.175.247 (talk) 16:33, 6 March 2008 (UTC)

Yes...we all need it. 206.252.74.48 (talk) 16:59, 6 March 2008 (UTC)

I hate to inject a note of caution here, but before you go any further with this, you should establish beyond all reasonable doubt that this girl is who she says she is. If you've never met her, seen her on a webcam or spoken to her on the phone, there is a chance "she" is a man stringing you along. Why anyone would do this is beyond me, but there are certainly enough idiots out there to make it a possibility. --Richardrj ^{talk email} 17:07, 6 March 2008 (UTC)

I was going to say something similar, but didn't have the guts to say it. These things happen more often than you think. But, usually people who do that say they want to meet you and ask that you wire money for a plane ticket - and then you never hear from them again. By all accounts this case seems genuine. 206.252.74.48 (talk) 17:24, 6 March 2008 (UTC)

Not always. People do weird things just to get attention. I know a guy who pretended to be his son in order to "catch" a hot 19-year-old girl on the Net; he was enraged when the woman he'd been cybering with turned out to be the girl's mother! (It was perfectly all right for him to lie, but when she did it she was evil and manipulating. I'm wondering if she felt the same way.) --68.144.73.245 (talk) 17:23, 7 March 2008 (UTC)

We're too far apart for me just to pop over there with flowers and I can't write poetry at all, ever. And we've exchnaged recordings of ourselves talking, and I've seen a photo of her, and finally found a reasonable one of me to show her, so we're quite sure we are who we say we are. i'll look into the birthday present idea, it sounds like it might work. However any more ideas would also be welcome. HS7 (talk) 18:31, 6 March 2008 (UTC)

Well, just remember that the best gifts come from your heart, not your wallet. 206.252.74.48 (talk) 19:37, 6 March 2008 (UTC)

That's good, my wallet's empty. I keep all my money in my pocket or my drawer. HS7 (talk) 20:07, 6 March 2008 (UTC)

You know what I meant! And Kate's suggestion down below is brilliant, I highly recommend you do that. 206.252.74.48 (talk) 21:08, 6 March 2008 (UTC)

I would be careful if sending an e-card. These are often spam and virus vectors. (Also, all the ones I've seen are very tacky!). If you're creative, perhaps you could make your own electronic card using GIMP or similar, or even a flash animation.--Kateshortforbob 20:34, 6 March 2008 (UTC)

Send her a link to this page. Polypipe Wrangler (talk) 21:49, 6 March 2008 (UTC)

"I can't write poetry at all, ever". Aww... this is where some of the romantic poets at this desk might be able to help. Just ask them (not me). A haiku perhaps? Along the lines of ... Time, distance/No thing – but you, me worldwide,/Everything. (Pardon the cheese factor going through the roof.) Julia Rossi (talk) 23:33, 6 March 2008 (UTC)

You're missing four syllables :) Adam Bishop (talk) 18:03, 7 March 2008 (UTC)

Also, the cheese factor didn't just go through the roof, it reached escape velocity. That is why no one should write poetry unless they make it their day job. (Also, according to my high school English classes - a great poem must contain 3 allusions to another work in each word) 206.252.74.48 (talk) 20:49, 7 March 2008 (UTC)

Haha. I see I proved my point . ("Escape velocity" – I like it!) Come on Adam Bishop, come on 206.252, don't let your high school teacher's sad restraints keep you from your personal greatness. Every word you use would have appeared in another poem somewhere (a, an, the, heart, eyes, hand, feet, love, flower, light, look, etc etc) Even day job poets have to start somewhere. Illuminating, heart-squishing lines please! Julia Rossi (talk) 22:00, 7 March 2008 (UTC)

ssbb tournament

I went to the gamestop website and read everything about the super smash brothers brawl tournament, and it doesn't say anything about me having to preorder the game in gamestop to participate, but when i went to the gamestop and asked an employee, he said that i needed to preorder it first. I'm not sure if this guy just has his information wrong, or if there was something that i missed, but do i really need to buy the game there to play?--Dlo2012 (talk) 14:56, 6 March 2008 (UTC)

I would imagine that individual stores have considerable latitude regarding the precise rules of entry. I suggest calling the store and asking the manager. — Lomn 15:29, 6 March 2008 (UTC)

Wrasslin'

How many professional wrestling moves are actually impossible without the co-operation of the being-moved-upon? Vitriol (talk) 15:04, 6 March 2008 (UTC)

Impossible to calculate! Want a good example of a move that requires everyone involved's participation? YouTube Petey Williams Canadian Destroyer. --Endless Dan 15:45, 6 March 2008 (UTC)

Herbalism

I searched for medicinal plants and was redirected to herbalism What I would like to know is how one would go about nominating the writer of this article for a Wiki star award, as seen on Cliothemuse's page (well done Clio) This is one of the best, most informative, complete and interesting articles I have ever read in my 2-3 years of wiki time wasting. Give it a read. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 193.115.175.247 (talk) 16:12, 6 March 2008 (UTC)

The article's history page lists contributors & from it you can work out exactly what they contributed. Clearly this page is not the work of one author, but you might be able to work out which author(s) are deserving cases. Anyone can award an author a wikistar - known as a Barnstar - see Wikipedia:Barnstars --Tagishsimon (talk) 16:33, 6 March 2008 (UTC)

crayola crayons

Were crayola crayons ever numbered as an ID marker???? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 24.225.157.248 (talk) 16:14, 6 March 2008 (UTC)

If you mean washable, looks like they are[3]. Julia Rossi (talk) 23:22, 6 March 2008 (UTC)

I think the original poster means: Did the paper labels on Crayola crayons ever have numbers as well as (or instead of) color names? Here's a page that shows the evolution of Crayola labels: Crayon Collecting: Binney & Smith crayons. None of the labels appear to use numbers to identify the color. However, that page links to the lost color lists, where the following is mentioned:

before the idea that little hands needed bigger crayons, crayons made for younger children were SMALLER...the Young Artists Crayolas were mini-crayons, with a wrapper style similar to type 0, in the lists "type Y"...

color names do not appear on the Young Artists (type Y) wrapper...in its place is a number, such as "no. 22"...the color name is then indicated by number on the front of the box...

--Bavi H (talk) 03:57, 7 March 2008 (UTC)

The Inside Story of the Torch Red Crayon shows a Crayola crayon labeled as "CRAYON COLOR #7". Since it's on a site about crayon collecting, that page is focused finding a crayon with an elusive "torch red" label. Other websites explain the True Blue Heroes contest better.

Apparently, eight new colors were introduced with numbers only:

The "True Blue" program asked kids to locate eight new crayon colors inside specially-marked boxes, and invited them to nominate their favorite hero by drawing a picture, writing an essay and dedicating one of the new colors to their hero. Eight winning "heroes" were chosen and were offered free trips to the Crayola factory in Easton, Penn. --Crayola: B&S asks, "what color are kids' heroes?" - Binney and Smith

And then it appears the winning heroes got to name the new colors. Emphasis mine:

In October, 1997, eight new crayon colors were issued commemorating people, identified through the Crayola Search for True Blue Heroes. In addition to being the first people in Crayola history to ever have crayons issued bearing their names, the eight heroes, selected from more than 10,000 submissions, were also inducted into the Crayola Hall of Fame. The new colors named by the True Blue Heroes included: outer space, mountain meadow, fuzzy wuzzy brown, brink pink, shadow, banana mania, torch red and purple heart. --Crayola Trivia

(And since I was curious, I found out the ninth color in the limited edition tin is just Crayola's regular blue -- a true blue Crayola crayon. See True Blue Heroes tin) --Bavi H (talk) 04:05, 9 March 2008 (UTC)

Surfin'

I was surfing recently and came across a site (I have forgotten the address) Felony Fights. Basically two average Joes have a fight. Is this legal? it seemed to be in the US mostly. I heard recently about tramps being coerced into a similar thing, which is definatly wrong. However, as a pacifist, I am curious, if both people seem willing, much like a boxing match, but without the pomp. is it legal, PS this is not a legal question. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 193.115.175.247 (talk) 16:15, 6 March 2008 (UTC)

"Is this legal?... PS this is not a legal question." What a wonderful disclaimer! Presumably, there is some sort of disclaimer that the organizer requires the participants to sign, much as with any sort of hazardous activity. Legality from the organizer's standpoint would vary from jurisdiction to jurisdiction. — Lomn 18:10, 6 March 2008 (UTC)

See Bumfights. Seraphim♥ ^Whipp 18:18, 6 March 2008 (UTC)

It's not legal in the UK. and I'd imagine it's very similar in the US - if police officers see you fighting they will stop it? and arrest you? maybe?77.86.98.70 (talk) 18:38, 6 March 2008 (UTC)

See also bare-knuckle boxing where comes this link [4] for the mindset and street fighting mentions the illegality status not mentioned in USA Today. Julia Rossi (talk) 00:30, 7 March 2008 (UTC)

FOX News: Star may have gone Supernova, may be Betelgeuse

Seen this on the news this morning:"Will this star destroy all life on Earth ?". Well, if that star detonated, nearby star detonated, will it destroy all life here ? Pix shown was a blue mass with a spinning red mass in it. 65.173.104.52 (talk) 18:39, 6 March 2008 (UTC)

See the discussion here. --LarryMac | Talk 18:41, 6 March 2008 (UTC)

That discussion doesn't actually talk about the possible death of Betelgeuese, at least not believably. It mostly talks about Wikipedia policy. --Masamage ♫ 18:48, 6 March 2008 (UTC)

Oh, I think this part -- "Slightly longer answer - information in Wikipedia has to be verifiable with citations to reliable sources." -- applies quite well. --LarryMac | Talk 18:52, 6 March 2008 (UTC)

...You mean the part about Wikipedia policy? --Masamage ♫ 18:55, 6 March 2008 (UTC)

Not Betelgeuse. -- Coneslayer (talk) 18:57, 6 March 2008 (UTC)

God, I hate Fox News. How can a star light years away possibly destroy life on Earth? 206.252.74.48 (talk) 19:22, 6 March 2008 (UTC)

See Supernova#Impact on Earth. -- Coneslayer (talk) 19:24, 6 March 2008 (UTC)

What I meant was by the time anything happens to Earth via a supernova, life would already be gone due to something else. Why doesn't Fox News do a report on the Sun's death? Because I know that is relevent to our generation. They twist nearly anything into a "you're going to die!" story, no matter what it is. I'm surprised people who watch this crap aren't completely paranoid. 206.252.74.48 (talk) 19:30, 6 March 2008 (UTC)

It looks like your premise is flawed. While the odds of a supernova (or in this case, a gamma-ray burst) impacting Earth are quite small, they are under no particular time constraint. Physically, it could happen at any point. The sun is far more constrained and poses no such risk. Anyway, here's a more sensible approach to the topic (it also admirably answers the OP's questions). — Lomn 19:52, 6 March 2008 (UTC)

Oh, no one understands me. Probably because I don't understand anything. 206.252.74.48 (talk) 21:05, 6 March 2008 (UTC)

WP:RS AlmostReadytoFly (talk) 09:01, 7 March 2008 (UTC)

Is it just me?????

or are there loads of wikipedia users sat at home feeling a strange hatred towards tim cahill all of a sudden —Preceding unsigned comment added by 78.150.220.227 (talk) 19:09, 6 March 2008 (UTC)

yup, just to many questions about some boring footballer who obviously cant be that good or we would all know him, and would have a wiki page in his honour. lol —Preceding unsigned comment added by 86.18.34.51 (talk) 19:18, 6 March 2008 (UTC)

Oh but we DO!! And that article's talk page is where these multiple questions from the same user should be directed, because there's no prohibition on answering homework questions there, as there is here at the Ref Desk. -- JackofOz (talk) 21:27, 6 March 2008 (UTC)

I feel a disturbance in the Wiki, as if millions of edits cried out in terror and were suddenly silenced. 206.252.74.48 (talk) 19:20, 6 March 2008 (UTC)

Glad you said that 78.150.220, even stranger, I am now breathing normally again. Is someone trying to bring Tim C to our attention? Are we supposed to polish that article by calling his parents and getting his birth time? Now I legitimately feel... whatever. Julia Rossi (talk) 23:19, 6 March 2008 (UTC)

I dont even know who he is and i want to kill him, but knowing my luck we will see a "why was tim cahill murderd" БοņёŠɓɤĭĠ₳₯є 14:57, 7 March 2008 (UTC)

And when we do see "Why was Tim Cahill murdered?" the answer will inevitably be, "He was attacked by a rampaging horde of Wikipedia-ers." :) I actually feel bad for poor Tim; it's not his fault we all hate him, he can thank the kid with the homework assignment! 131.162.146.86 (talk) 05:04, 10 March 2008 (UTC)

We don't all hate him. I certainly don't. Those who do, merely because some loony keeps on asking questions about him, betray a character trait with which I do not want to be associated, so I won't sully my sentences by even naming it.  :) -- JackofOz (talk) 03:46, 13 March 2008 (UTC)

Hedge Funds

Why are Hedge Funds called hedge funds? isn't hedgeing bets exactly what hedge fund managers don't do?86.132.53.149 (talk) 20:42, 6 March 2008 (UTC)

From our article: "As their name implies, hedge funds often seek to offset potential losses in the principal markets they invest in by hedging their investments using a variety of methods, most notably short selling". See Hedge fund. —Preceding unsigned comment added by Tagishsimon (talk • contribs) 21:05, 6 March 2008 (UTC)

A hedge fund manager seeks to cover or hedge the systemic risk or beta of the assets in their fund, leaving themselves with the risk that is specific to these assets, which is called alpha. The hedge fund manager them aims to benefit from their high-alpha portfolio by selecting assets which will have a better performance than the rest of the market. Paradoxically, as you say, this actually creates a portfolio that has a higher volatility than an equivalent un-hedged portfolio. Think about the following analogy. Convinced that you are the best driver in the world, you find a cheap motor insurance policy that only covers you for accidents that are another driver's fault; Spending your original insurance budget on this new policy now allows you to insure a supercar instead of your old family saloon. Gandalf61 (talk) 15:37, 7 March 2008 (UTC)

Measuring Age

Are there any scientific methods available to accurately measure the age of a person (obviously aside from birth certificates, etc...). If not, how can scientists estimate the age of a person and what is the degree of error by today's best techniques? Acceptable (talk) 21:55, 6 March 2008 (UTC)

Forensic age estimation is generally done by skeletal or dental measurements, and is not especially accurate (errors of 2 years are not uncommon when assessing teenagers, and it gets less accurate as people get older). FiggyBee (talk) 22:48, 6 March 2008 (UTC)

The main issue of difficulty is that different people age differently. So if you are going by probabilistic methods (how much their teeth are worn down, how calcified their bones are), it'll give you a nice average, but in the case of any given individual it can be thrown off a lot depending on a lot of factors (e.g. diet can greatly affect how teeth age). (I was just wondering if telomere length could be used to determine age fairly accurately but according to the article the rates vary a lot from individual to individual in bird species, and I don't imagine humans are probably that different in that respect. Anyway it's certainly not one of the common forensic ways.) Actually, according to another section of the "telomere" article, it can be used to judge age in humans, maybe (the study on this seems earlier than the one which indicated that the length varies in birds). Hmm. --98.217.18.109 (talk) 00:00, 7 March 2008 (UTC)

Practically, most individuals whose age is in question aren't alive and haven't been for some time, so telomere length is a moot point: forensic scientists are lucky to get enough nuclear DNA to make identification possible. Quite often they have to settle for mitochondrial DNA. --NellieBly (talk) 04:46, 7 March 2008 (UTC)