Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Miscellaneous/2006 August 3

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Mississippi River

What direction does the mighty mississip' flow? Ive heard conflicting stories. One particular one goes that Jim and Huck Finn went north to Ohio. Then Ive that the delta down in Louisiana demonstrates that it flows south. Whats the real story? By the way, what are some rivers that do flow north, opposite of the poles.

Thanks!!!

The Mississippi River flows south. The most famous river that flows north is the Nile, and others are on this list. Hyenaste ^(tell) 05:56, 3 August 2006 (UTC)

What's with the poles? DirkvdM 09:17, 3 August 2006 (UTC)

The poles have nothing to do with the direction in which rivers flow. Rivers tend to flow from the centers of continents outwards. Marco polo 23:09, 7 August 2006 (UTC)

Extra question : is the Mississippi river connected/fed by Lake Superior? If so, it effectively cuts one of the largest nations completely in half? (I asked this before but someone reverted the page back then because of an indecent post and destroyed mine as well).

No, the Mississippi is not connected to or fed by Lake Superior. Its source is Lake Itasca. Lake Superior is part of the Great Lakes system, which drains to the Atlantic Ocean via the Saint Lawrence River.Marco polo 23:09, 7 August 2006 (UTC)

You might want to take a look at Niger River! Evilbu 14:08, 3 August 2006 (UTC)

Close but not quite. However, the Amazon and Orinoco rivers almost touch in south Venezuela. DirkvdM 18:19, 3 August 2006 (UTC)

Lake Superior drains east through the St. Lawrence River, not south. Rmhermen 19:26, 3 August 2006 (UTC)

North America is essentially cut in two by waterways, but not by the Mississippi River per se. Going upstream, the Mississippi connects to the Illinois River then to the Des Plaines River. That river is connected to the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal, which in turn connects to the Chicago River, which is linked to Lake Michigan. — Michael J 01:05, 4 August 2006 (UTC)

Reliable online pharmacies?

Can anyone recommend a good online pharmacy that sells prescription drugs? Doing a google search is absolutely useless due to all the linkspamming and some of the sites I've been too look a bit 'suspect' to trust with my money (some of them look like outright scams). Anyone here used one that's actually delivered on its promises? Thanks.—Preceding unsigned comment added by 81.76.104.19 (talk • contribs)

Surely if they sell prescription drugs online they are not "good". The whole idea of prescription drugs is that they should only be available with a prescription, i.e. under the supervision of a doctor.--Shantavira 14:07, 3 August 2006 (UTC)

Not entirely true, there are some reliable mail order pharmacies that work with a doctors prescription and I assume some of those would have some web presence. I suggest checking out pharmacies that have a bricks and morter operation like Walgreens or something like that wherever you are from and see if they offer mail/internet transactions. Usually you might have to either go to a store in person the first time to set up the arrangement or your doctor may be able to do it. Nowimnthing 17:41, 3 August 2006 (UTC)

Your IP address suggests you're in the UK. In that case, I don't think any online pharmacies are legal. Don't risk them, as you will not know what you are taking in, and are probably funding something nasty. Skittle 19:23, 3 August 2006 (UTC) Boots do seem to offer home delivery online if you have an actual prescription [1]. Skittle 19:26, 3 August 2006 (UTC)

Buzzing sound made with two front teeth

Is there a name for the sound that can be made by some people using the front teeth? It sounds like a buzzer. The tone can be changed aswell. In fact the only place i've publicly heard it is in Dane Cook's Retaliation as "the sound of growing up".

For a sound clip: I could only find a clip of the sound in this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bjZG7wBA9Yc at ~0:31 seconds into the video (contains clips from Dane Cook's stand-up comedy)

-Chris

Martin Dillon (musician)

Does anybody know where Image:MartinDillonFidelio.jpg and Image:Martin DillonTails.jpg come from? The creator of the Dillion article had uploaded 5 pictures. 2 were copied from here and one was a CD cover shot or from here. All the images were tagged as GDFL-self but they are not. I tried Google pictures but they didn't seem to have them. Cheers. CambridgeBayWeather (Talk) 08:44, 3 August 2006 (UTC)

Value of Wikipedia in human lives

Based on another discussion (which I don't wish to restart here) I wonder what the value of Wikipedia is compared to a human life. Of course an impossible question to answer, so let me rephrase it. Wikipedia has the potential to empower the powerless with knowledge, something that has in part caused the rise of cultures (like the invention of bookprinting). The technological advances that may result from the spread of knowledge may result in saving lives. So is Wikipedia a lifesaver? To give an example, a decent article on ors could spread knowledge that could save lives in cholera-ridden refugee camps (if someone there would have access to the Internet). DirkvdM 09:44, 3 August 2006 (UTC)

For value in lives, you don't ask how many lives it saves, but how many lives should be sacrificed for it.--Teutoberg 12:47, 3 August 2006 (UTC)

This question is indeed very hard to answer. The Internet in general saves lives as well as Wikipedia, although. --Proficient 01:26, 4 August 2006 (UTC)

In this instance I'd say there is no distinctive value. Nothing you've put above there makes Wikipedia different than any other site on the internet with similar information; anything you can credit to Wikipedia in that situation could probably just as easily be credited to Google, if not easier. --Fastfission 15:28, 4 August 2006 (UTC)

That's all not even considering the bad effects, such as that both Wikipedia and Google provide information on napalm as well as CPR. But perhaps I'm restarting the discussion you wished to avoid restarting? Dar-Ape 22:26, 4 August 2006 (UTC)

It would indeed be strange -absurd- to sacrifice lives for wikipedia. I doubt any wikipedian is so tied to it that they'd sacrifice their own life, and apply the categorical imperative and you have 0 lives sacrificed. I suppose that then is its worth. Also, though the idea is appealing, I wouldn't be so quick to assume wikipedia has saved lives. it certainly has the capability to but I doubt anyone but a very hardcore wikipedian would go to wikipedia for their dying child instead of the hospital - and there just aren't that many that dedicated --Froth 15:22, 7 August 2006 (UTC)

Carelessness

How do I overcome carelessness? I want to know all about it.I am curently a student who is really careless.NO matter what i do, no matter how hard i try, i just cant seem to be rid of carelessness.I have tried being careful but its futile.I flunk my maths tests and exams just because of that.somebody please tell me all about carelessness please so i can tackle this annoying problem...

You've already taken the first step. Wanting to overcome a problem, and reaching out to others for help, is the key. JackofOz 11:16, 3 August 2006 (UTC)

People have a tendency to be careful with things that are important, or things that may have a dramatic negative consequence if they are careless. It may be important for you to become more aware of the results of your 'carelessness'. As for maths, I tutor high school maths and see careless mistakes all the time. If you want to get better at maths, you just have to learn to check as you go. Do each step and ask, "Is that right?" It may be slower, but there are no rewards for getting a wrong answer quickly.

From a physiological point of view, you could also try fish oil supplements or brahmi, which are supposedly good for the brain. BenC7 12:02, 3 August 2006 (UTC)

(after 3 edit conflicts!Grr....!!) If you mean that you are being careless in your exams, it means that you are not getting enough practise. One way to overcome carelessness in maths is to practise the sums or problems for a long time. While carelessness in everylife is almost totally due to trying to do things quickly or in a hurry. I'd suggest you do things step by step and not to worry about being careless. Jayant,17 Years, India • contribs 12:07, 3 August 2006 (UTC)

Practise mindfulness. A lot of people take up meditation to help them with exams, sport, or whatever.--Shantavira 14:02, 3 August 2006 (UTC)

Math is particularly susceptible to carelessness, as complex problems can involve dozens of steps, and an error in any step can cause a wrong answer. StuRat 19:03, 3 August 2006 (UTC)

For math, there is usually another method to do the problem, so use the other method in your check. Using the same method again is likely to cause you to repeat an earlier mistake. Other problems, like solving for X, can be checked just by plugging the values you found for X into the original equations. Estimating can provide a quick check that the answer is at least in the expected range. StuRat 18:52, 3 August 2006 (UTC)

copyright issues when making a fan page about a film

Hello,

me and my sister were joking about making a critical page about the movie Lion King. It could involve text, mixed with some pictures that are discussed from the movie. (BSplayer can take screenshot)

But is that legal?

Take a look at this snopes page :

[2]

As far as I know, Snopes has no dealings with Disney or anything. Is this legal? (apart from the fact that their picture is moving, and there is only one, this is what I had in mind)

So what do you think? Thanks,

Evilbu 14:05, 3 August 2006 (UTC)

If you live in the United States, then it is potentially legal. The relevant legal code is the fair use clause of U.S. copyright law. Warning: it's vague, ambiguous, and tough for even lawyers to deal with. But if your page is anything like the Snopes page is, then it is probably legal. My favorite website covering fair use issues is Stanford Copyright and Fair Use Center - Fair Use Overview. It goes over the issues clearly and gives lots of practical examples. Notice though that on the web, a copyright holder is required to send a takedown notice before they can sue (under the DMCA) so you would get fair warning before any real legal danger could develop. My vote would be to go for it if it is anything like the Snopes page in format. If you're not in the United States, then it is an entirely different legal situation (one I know next to nothing about). --Fastfission 03:33, 4 August 2006 (UTC)

Thanks, unfortunately I live in Belgium. And my site would, if I choose to proceed, involve more than one picture though, like fifteen, with lots of text. Evilbu 11:10, 5 August 2006 (UTC)

I wouldn't worry about it --Froth 15:27, 7 August 2006 (UTC)

Thanks for going back to the archive to still answer my question! Evilbu 15:37, 7 August 2006 (UTC)

New York Yankees/John Sterling

There is a bottle opener that has the voice of John Sterling. He talks about a game ending grand slam -- It is high, It is far. It is gone. etc. Does anyone know what game he is referring to? Linda Baskey

Something called baseball. See John Sterling (sportscaster)#Home run calls. (He often says this. It doesn't seem to date from one particular game if that's what you're asking.)--Shantavira 18:02, 3 August 2006 (UTC)

Like a lot of broadcasters, he has a standard call that he pretty much uses word-for-word the same on every home run. Fan-1967 22:16, 3 August 2006 (UTC)

Paddocks(?) at Newmarket

A friend of mine flew his light plane over Suffolk just recently and took a photograph of Newmarket racecourse. I noticed a couple of fields near the helipad both of which had a small knot of trees right in the middle. There two more further away from the race course, so they must have a purpose! Could you tell me what it might be? As a former scientist I have an insatiable curiosity and would come personally, but I live in the wilds of Scotland.

Yours sincerely, P.Brown Bsc,Dip SAD.

You might be able to play around in google maps and get a better idea, or find an image which contains the two fields of interest. I'm not sure which you're referring to. --Tagishsimon (talk)

Farmers often keep a small patch of trees, to attract game. Notinasnaid 20:43, 5 August 2006 (UTC)

• Farmers would often plant clumps of trees in fields used for livestock for shelter from both sun and rain.In the middle so they could not be used to climb the fence.Hope this helps-hotclaws**==(82.138.214.1 08:57, 9 August 2006 (UTC))

Germany/Israel

Can some one please tell me, what are the relations between Germany and Israel like? Do they support each other, does Germany do whatever Israel asks, and Do Israel recognise germany as a relavent international power? Do germany accept Israel as an entity at all? This all being in hindsight of WWII and the fall of the Eastern Block. Thanks

Hi, good question. I cannot prove overview (someone else will definitely), but this might be interesting:[[3]]

And let us not forget about the Munich massacre in 1972: [[4]] claims they agreed to release the prisoners during a hijacking that was only a show.

Elchanan Tenenbaum tells about German negotiating for the 2004 swap between Israel and Hezbollah. Evilbu 15:08, 3 August 2006 (UTC)

Wouldn't that be rather politically incorrect? It would suggest that there is a link between Israel and the holocaust, that Israel was given some slack because the world felt sorry for the Jews. Of course there is at least some truth in that, but to officially recognise that would be rather iffy. DirkvdM 18:25, 3 August 2006 (UTC)

My understanding is that relations between Germany and Israel are generally quite good, although Germany is not quite as pro-Israel as the USA is. As an EU country, Germany is one of those countries that generally abstains rather than vote one way or the otehr during those General Assembly votes that go like 135-4 against Israel. But Germany is far less anti-Israel than, say, France. German media baron Axel Springer was very pro-Israel. The EU is part of the "quartet" that has been pushing the so-called road map to peace, so Israel certainly recognizes Germany's contribution in that regard. Israel and the Federal Republic of Germany established normal diplomatic relations in 1965. -- Mwalcoff 23:00, 3 August 2006 (UTC)

Doesn't Germany have to pay compensation to Israel for the Holocaust or something? That might strain relations a little... - THE GREAT GAVINI {T-C} 18:58, 5 August 2006 (UTC)

Nazi

when Flying into Poland last year i noticed that near to Katowice Airport there is a forest, The forest appears to be evergreen, exept for a collection of trees grown in a swastica formation, thus producing a clear red swastica in the forest, that could only be seen from the sky. Can someone please tell me when this was done, why it was done ans why it has not been reversed by cutting down the trees and eradicating the legacy of the Nazi scum. Thanks guys and dolls.

That's odd, Germany has something like that too: Forest swastika

Evilbu 15:00, 3 August 2006 (UTC)

That is almost exaclty what i saw in Poland, But no one has cutt down any of them, it was Very, very very obvious, and huge.

Just wanted to point out concerning my above question, that i hold NO hostility to any German man or woman under 60, but the rest voted, or should have.

Perhaps people objected to wasting trees on environmental grounds. Notinasnaid 15:37, 3 August 2006 (UTC)

I think I found the airport[5] but I can't spot the trees. The satellite data drop in resolution to the East which is where planes seem to land from. Weregerbil 15:55, 3 August 2006 (UTC)

The sat photo could be from the wrong time of year. --198.125.178.207 17:45, 3 August 2006 (UTC)

"Under 60"? Do you blame all pre-1946 (?) Germans for the war? Are all Usonians responsible for what Bush does?

Also, could y'all sign your posts and indent properly? That would make it a lot easier to see who wrote what. DirkvdM 18:30, 3 August 2006 (UTC)

The poor trees didn't do anything to anybody, so just let them be. It's not like a symbol from a regime that was wiped out over 60 years ago is suddenly going to bring the regime back to life. However, if neo-Nazis start hanging out by those trees, then my opinion might change. StuRat 18:43, 3 August 2006 (UTC)

Well I would disagree and say the forest should be cut down. No reason to leave the occupiers' mark. You might want to write the city about this and see what they have to say. -- Mwalcoff 23:02, 3 August 2006 (UTC)

It seems to me that you couldn't just cut down the differently-colored trees, because that would still leave the swastica. So they would've had to cut the whole forest. --Ornil 01:15, 4 August 2006 (UTC)

Cutting down differently coloured trees to fight Nazism? Sounds a bit paradoxical.

Anyway, it may be left standing as a monument. Not unusual. DirkvdM 06:02, 4 August 2006 (UTC)

Everyone is assuming that the swastika patterned trees have some connection with Nazism or organisations following those beliefs. That isn't certain & is just an assumption based on the most recent usage of that symbol.

In any case even if the trees were planted by disciples of Dr Mengle with the aim of glorifying the Nazi cause and encouraging rural growth in Nazi or Neo-Nazi activities there'd still be no reason to cut it down. If you really object to it (& have the legal right to do so) then just plant some new trees around them to fill in the gaps & stop it looking like a swastica. AllanHainey 08:52, 4 August 2006 (UTC)

I doubt they were planted by Buddhist monks. True, they're not technically hurting anyone now, but generally Nazi symbols were taken down after WWII. Everyone's seen the famous film of the swastika on the stadium being blown up. -- Mwalcoff 23:11, 4 August 2006 (UTC)

But that wasn't a bunch of trees. And the swastika may be used by buddhists (Aryans also come from India, by the way), but also by lots of other cultures, including European ones. I once followed an Indonesian language course on tv, part of which consisted of people showing how they live. In one such episode the camera had a peek in the son's room, saw a nazi flag there, and immediately swung back. The mother was totally unaware of anything being wrong and probably the same was true for the son. They apparently didn't realise what the flag stood for and just liked the swastika on it.

Anyway, there may be something in the ground the trees stand on (some nutrient deficiency maybe), causing them to turn red. So new growth may not change anything. DirkvdM 07:42, 5 August 2006 (UTC)

Crisps/Chips

I used to each fish flavoured chips in south africa. They stank! But were Lovely! they were called Creols and i assume they came from Maritiaus (spelling) can any one tell me where i can get them in the Uk?

Ask a fish'n'chips shop to use some old fat in which they have fried loads of fish. Also, do you mean Mauritius? DirkvdM 18:33, 3 August 2006 (UTC)

How much does an MH-53J Pave Low helicopter cost?

Would the government ever sell a demilitarized one to a civilian?

Well MH-53 Pave Low says it cost $40 Million US. And it's a version of the CH-53 Sea Stallion and CH-53E Super Stallion. Maybe Sikorsky Aircraft would sell one. CambridgeBayWeather (Talk)

Do you want a fully functional flying new one or will you settle for decommissioned gutted-out scrap metal (great as a lawn ornament though)? There is probably a 10,000x price difference right there... Weregerbil 20:27, 3 August 2006 (UTC)

No, I don't believe that US governmet does that.

Dinosaurs' Nervous System

Can someone tell me what we know about the nervous systems of dinosaurs? For example, would they respond to drugs the same way, or did they have completely different receptors then animals today?

most of what we know from dinosaurs comes from bones that don't reveal much about nerves. We can assume that their nerves were not that different from other animals. A biologist can correct me here but I don't think nerves (in their basic makeup) themselves vary that much even between very different species. Of course different chemicals affect different animals slightly differently. The best guess we can make is to look at how chemicals affect the closest living creatures to dinosaurs, i.e. birds and say that the same chemicals may have affected dinosaurs in somewhat the same way. Nowimnthing 17:53, 3 August 2006 (UTC)

One likely diff is that large dinos would have needed to have more of a distributed control system, with functions like walking controlled by nerve centers in the hips. This is because the time delay for signals from the brain would make walking difficult otherwise (think of trying to walk when drunk, which involves a similar delayed reaction problem). StuRat 18:36, 3 August 2006 (UTC)

after edit conflict:

Right, opiates (heroin and such) would probably have the same effect on all animals because it imitates a very basic endomorphin (a naturally occurring brain-drug). THC on the other hand has very different effects even on different humans.

Oddly, there is no article on 'endomorphin', but when searching for it, I found an article on Dynorphin. Cute! :) DirkvdM 18:41, 3 August 2006 (UTC)

I've created a redirect from endomorphin to endorphin.-gadfium 03:26, 4 August 2006 (UTC)

Shark eats Gorilla

In the Simpsons episode Lisa the Vegetarian there's a classic scene where a gorilla is reaching out for a banana over a lake, and a shark just surges up and eats it. Where can I get a screencap of this? Short of buying the actual DVDs?

By screencap do you mean just an image of a single frame of the episode? You might be able to find a clip on a video site like youtube.com or google video. Then you could just take a screenshot of your computer with the frame displayed. digfarenough (talk) 17:39, 3 August 2006 (UTC)

Bear in mind that this method may result in problems getting an image because of the video overlay which, like vampires and ghosts, doesn't show up in screenshots/screencaps. However, there are ways around this (dedicated screenshot programs often have special modes to deal with this) and since YouTube uses Flash to display videos, it might not be a problem. Sum0 21:06, 5 August 2006 (UTC)

Peterborough Lift Lock

Greetings:

Does anyone know what the address of Peterborough Lift Lock? I need it in order to get directions from my home to Lift Lock on Google Maps.

Regards,

Shuo Xiang 17:25, 3 August 2006 (UTC)

With a little searching, I found that that the geographic coordinates are 44° 18' 51" N 78° 18' 06" W (from this page). You can plug those co-ordinates into Google Maps, and then get direction to that location. In the map-only view, they do not seem to acknowledge the existence of the canal, however you can see it in satellite or hybrid view. (You can't zoom in close enough to actually see the lock, though). Hope this helps. --LarryMac 18:39, 3 August 2006 (UTC)

There's a streetmap here. Looks like it's at the Junction of Hunter Street East and Ashburham Drive. -- Finlay McWalter | Talk 18:42, 3 August 2006 (UTC)

Thank you all soooooooooooooooooooooo much! Shuo Xiang 20:26, 3 August 2006 (UTC)

Name of a song

I'm trying to remember the name of a song. I don't remember much about it, except that I know it was on MTV, and had the lyrics "Thanks for making me finer", or something like that. Does anyone know the name of that song? Thank you.--Summonmaster13 17:33, 3 August 2006 (UTC)

Male, female singer? Anything about the musical style: teeny pop, slow dance, rap, ...? Was that recently? Anything else at all you can remember about the song or video? I typed Thanks for making me finer lyrics into google and it came up with Christina Aguilera's song "Fighter" [6]. How's that for a random guess? Weregerbil 20:23, 3 August 2006 (UTC)

Municipal bond payment dates

Why do most municipal bonds pay interest on May 1 and November 1, instead of being evenly distributed around 6 month intervals of various months (January 1 and July 1, April 1 and October 1, etc.)? I have had a number of such bonds in my investment portfolio for many years, and have alays been curious as to why most of them pay in these 2 months.

Richard A. Horvitz --****

Probably has to do with the Fiscal year of the municipality. Nowimnthing 17:58, 3 August 2006 (UTC)

I don't know why they'd pick those particular months, but paying less often means they're paying less in processing fees, and they make interest on your interest while they're holding it.--Anchoress 20:27, 3 August 2006 (UTC)

Follow up clarification, I work for a government agency that issues bonds and runs on tax monies. We get our tax distribution twice a year based on the state fiscal year. I assume we pay on the bonds right after getting this distribution so that is why the wacky times of year for payment. Nowimnthing 15:10, 4 August 2006 (UTC)

How do Artic explorers go to the toilet?

.....without getting frostbite? No. 1s and no. 2s? When it's cold, you want to go a lot. I've puzzled over this for a long time.

At a permanent base they would have indoor toilets in a heated area. So, no difference from anywhere else. In a temporary camp they would probably have something like a chamber pot they would use inside a tent, then dump outside. They could also urinate on the go with a tube to drain directly into the snow (this would be easier for men, but still possible for women, using catheters). Bowel movements would likely need to wait until they pitched a tent. Also note that the temps in the arctic aren't that bad in the summer. In the winter, it's dark out all the time, so they would likely stay near the permanent base or evacuate entirely. StuRat 21:29, 3 August 2006 (UTC)

Funny how words change their meaning. "Evacuate" was originally an intransitive verb meaning to defaecate, involving one person performing an action in usually a very private place. Now it means the act of possibly thousands of people leaving a building, or causing such an action. JackofOz 22:51, 3 August 2006 (UTC)

Yes, I intentionally used that word for it's double meaning. Good catch. StuRat

I suppose he means 'freezing one's butt off', almost literally. This reminds me of going for a crap in a mosquito-ridden area. Also not nice. In both cases you'll just have to endure it ('take it like a man', which would also be a problem for women :) ). However (serious answer now), this won't lead to frostbite. The body has to be kept warm, so if too much heat is lost, it is taken from the less important extremities, which consequently get frostbitten. Better to lose a toe than having your heart stop beating. You may be left with a limp, but you're still alive. I don't know your anatomy, but I assume your butt is not an extremity. And that one important extremity (not just evolutionarily speaking) has the good sense to tuck itself in when it gets cold. DirkvdM 06:18, 4 August 2006 (UTC)

Most men have the common sense to keep their pants on when it gets that cold, but there have been some rare examples of frostbitten penises. "Jack Frost nipping at your..." :-) StuRat 06:24, 4 August 2006 (UTC)

If this is true we are very badly adapted to such conditions because that would have serious evolutionary consequences, as I hinted. DirkvdM 07:49, 5 August 2006 (UTC)

Yes, naked people are rather poorly adapted to the arctic. I don't believe people lived in the arctic until warm clothes were invented. An exception might have been back when the arctic was much warmer than it is now. StuRat 04:20, 7 August 2006 (UTC)

People in the Arctic go to the toilet the same way as the rest of the world. When at home we use the bathroom. When out camping we move away from the tent area and if possible go behind a rock. In the winter (and no contrary to popular belief it's not dark all the time, see Polar night) we go quickly. I don't recall ever having gone outside at a temperature much below -40C and I never froze anything. Of course the modern day "explorer" has a bit more difficulty. They always seem to wear the latest in cold weather clothing which takes forever to get off and put on. Plus they are not used to the weather and tend to get cold quicker. Anyway feel sorry for the women, at least the men only have to pull down a couple of zippers to take a pee. CambridgeBayWeather (Talk) 12:00, 4 August 2006 (UTC)

• Like most expeditions it's a hole in the ground they use. How do they go? As little as possible. The cold is indeed very unpleasant. But if you have to go... - Mgm|^(talk) 21:25, 4 August 2006 (UTC)

Do you know how hard it is to dig a hole at -30C, even with a jackhammer? At best you might cover it with snow. CambridgeBayWeather (Talk) 03:40, 5 August 2006 (UTC)

Thanks, although I was thinking about explorers not people with a base camp, and was using the word Artic to refer to both the Artic and the Antartic. Scott of the Antartic, for example, the man who reached the South Pole second in the 1910s. I suppose the answer is "very quickly".

Note that both "Arctic" and "Antarctic" contain the letter C. 08:17, 5 August 2006 (UTC)

But so do "Artic" and "Antartic". They just don't contain enough C's. --LarryMac 23:36, 5 August 2006 (UTC)

True. StuRat 16:18, 10 August 2006 (UTC)

Believe it or not, I have heard stories of people in the Antartic who catch animals with traps secured to the ground with their own frozen urine. They set the trap down, piss on it, piss freezes...and that trap isn't going anywhere. --69.138.61.168 07:27, 10 August 2006 (UTC)

Is this a true story, or is the reporter guilty of "yellow journalism" ? :-) StuRat 16:17, 10 August 2006 (UTC)

Too much baking soda?

Greetings,

A recipe for American pancakes which I followed recommended the use of 2 tbsp of baking soda, but I believe that I put in some 3 tbsp. Could this greatly affect the pancakes' taste or texture?

Thank you for your answers,

--anon.

I don't know about 'greatly', but it will affect the taste and possibly the texture. Baking soda, formally known as Sodium Bicarbonate, is a leavening agent. It does this by reacting with acids in food to create carbon dioxide. (This is also the basis behind the common baking soda and vinegar 'volcano' science demonstration). So, if there's still excess acid in your pancake recipe (my guess is the most common pancake source of acid is buttermilk or possibly cream of tartar), the excess baking soda will react with it and create more bubbles than normal, resulting in puffier pancakes. In this case, the baking soda will also reduce any tartness from the excess acid. If, however, there is no excess acid, the baking soda won't produce any extra bubbles. In either case, there may be additional taste from baking soda, commonly described as 'soapy'. While it's usually recommended that one follows the recipe closely, this is particularly important with products like leaveners and spices where a small amount can affect the whole dish (1 tbsp extra of flour would have much less effect), and double-particularly important in the case of baking soda, which has to be paired with an acid. --ByeByeBaby 23:13, 3 August 2006 (UTC)

(after edit conflict) You may find them to be more salty than they should be (baking soda has a lot of sodium) and the texture may be less smooth, with more large bubbles. But since pancake batter doesn't tend to have a lot of gluten, extra gas from the extra baking soda (assuming there's extra acid in there to react with it) may just bubble out before you start cooking them. digfarenough (talk) 23:16, 3 August 2006 (UTC)

I would be most worried about the water balance, meaning the pancakes might be rather dry. The obvious solution (assuming you don't want to toss the batter and start over), is to increase all other ingredients by 50% to match. Invite the neighbors over to eat the extra pancakes. StuRat 06:32, 4 August 2006 (UTC)

After edit conflict:

Try it. We're talking pancakes here. It shouldn't be to difficult to repeat the experiment with a different value filled in for that variable. DirkvdM 06:34, 4 August 2006 (UTC)

Just don't eat the baking soda right out of the package. It'll make your stomach explode if you eat a bunch of it. --69.138.61.168 07:25, 10 August 2006 (UTC)

Bassist Guitarrist

Does someone know who is the most famous heavy metal bassist guitarrist in the world?

Famous is subjective - according to whom? Ziggurat 23:34, 3 August 2006 (UTC)

"Geddy Lee, best bass player ever". digfarenough (talk) 04:26, 4 August 2006 (UTC)

Steve Harris? Geezer Butler? Duff McKagan? Surely it's one of them. It's impossible to measure them for popularity unfortunately - perhaps it depends on how many records the band's sold. - THE GREAT GAVINI {T-C} 19:03, 5 August 2006 (UTC)

Seth Nettles. CambridgeBayWeather (Talk) 10:20, 9 August 2006 (UTC)