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June 24

College football and basketball

When does the NCAA SEC and ACC Conference start their regular college football season and regular college basketball season separately? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 74.14.118.218 (talk) 02:00, 24 June 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Because the conferences (and the individual schools) are free to adapt their schedules within the overall bounds of NCAA guidelines. Current football guidelines, for instance, allow for something like 12 games in a 15-week span. The Big 10 uses this to ensure that the regular season is completed by Thanksgiving while other conferences continue play, though this is at the expense of either fewer games played or fewer weeks without a game for the relevant teams. — Lomn 03:21, 24 June 2008 (UTC)[reply]

York Lions

When does the York University Lions start their regular college football season? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 74.14.118.218 (talk) 02:03, 24 June 2008 (UTC)[reply]

September 1, according to their website. (Hey didn't you ask questions like this last year too?) Adam Bishop (talk) 06:11, 24 June 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Tequila with Coke

When I pour a freshly-opened can of Coca-Cola into a glasses of Tequila, the coke loses its carbonation. Why does this happen? Thanks. Acceptable (talk) 02:53, 24 June 2008 (UTC)[reply]

I believe it is because carbonation is simply carbon dioxide dissolved into a liquid. To keep the carbon dioxide in the liquid the vessel it is in must be pressurized, otherwise the carbon dioxide will come out (due to vapor pressure).--droptone (talk) 12:13, 24 June 2008 (UTC)[reply]

I don't think that addresses the specifics at all, Droptone. Anyway, I recall from the Mythbusters coke-and-mentos episode that numerous chemicals (both in the coke and the foreign material) can catalyze the release of the carbon dioxide, as can nucleation sites. Nucleation is most unlikely if it's just a glass of tequila (tequila on the rocks would be another matter), but otherwise it's likely just one form or another of chemically destabilizing the carbonation. — Lomn 13:16, 24 June 2008 (UTC)[reply]

You can make a glass of Coca-Cola go flat right away by adding a little sugar. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 69.119.114.114 (talk) 18:54, 24 June 2008 (UTC)[reply]

You can also make beer go flat really fast with a little salt. --Wirbelwindヴィルヴェルヴィント (talk) 17:24, 27 June 2008 (UTC)[reply]

As long as there are particles, it will lose carbonation. It can be salt, sugar, dust, flour, cocaine, cremation ashes, granulated plastic, dirt, sand, anything. The carbon dioxide builds up on the particles and quickly floats to the surface of the drink, and entering the atmosphere. Ilikefood (talk) 01:41, 1 July 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Nordic walking, also known as ski walking, pole walking or fitness walking

Does anyone know where and/or can point out to where I could get phthalate and bisphenol A free Nordic walking, ski walking, pole walking and/or fitness walking poles?68.148.164.166 (talk) 03:56, 24 June 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Here[1] with purchase of poles there are free DVDs, clinics and one "ski" but no free poles. However after the interest peaks, you may get lucky for cheap at opshops or by hanging around friends that get tired of their impulse buys. Julia Rossi (talk) 12:00, 24 June 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Julia, I fear you have misread the question. The OP is asking for phthalate and bisphenol A free poles, i.e. poles that do not contain those substances (whatever they may be). Nordic walking is popular around these parts, I'll ask around. --Richardrj ^talk ^email 12:25, 24 June 2008 (UTC)[reply]

I think OP is asking for poles that are free of those particular chemicals. You can of course get regular walking poles at any camping or outdoor shop. Or just pick up a couple of sticks for free in any forest. But why not save yourself the hassle and go walking stick-free? (Nordic walking?)--Shantavira|^{feed me} 12:23, 24 June 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Bisphenol A is used in the production of (most) epoxy resins, which are a component of the glass and carbon fibre poles - so avoid those if you want to avoid bisphenol-A derived products. Aluminium or wood poles seem the obvious alternatives.

Phthalates are plasticisers which may be present in any flexible plastic material, but not rubbers. So you need to check out what the rubber handles are made of. Any PVC will be likely to contain that, but not neoprene or silicon rubbers 87.102.86.73 (talk) 13:27, 24 June 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Each individual stick would need to be considered separately - I've just indicated likely sources of the chemicals, it's still possible that pthlates could occur in neoprene, or that a glass fibre poly be bisphenol A free.87.102.86.73 (talk) 13:29, 24 June 2008 (UTC)[reply]

What a difference a little hyphenation makes : )). I'm with Shantavira on that one, unless you want to be stylish. [Now if it had been on the science desk...] Julia Rossi (talk) 13:33, 24 June 2008 (UTC)[reply]

It is now Wikipedia:RD/S#Nordic_walking,_also_known_as_ski_walking,_pole_walking_or_fitness_walking 87.102.86.73 (talk) 09:29, 25 June 2008 (UTC)[reply]

<nice move 80.102, sticks and all> Julia Rossi (talk) 09:54, 25 June 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Ice

Ice is made out of water and water is clear. So why does water become white when it freezes into an ice cube and turns into snow. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 巨人 (talk • contribs) 05:57, 24 June 2008 (UTC)[reply]

This question would have been suitable for the Science Desk, but it's simple enough, so I'll just answer it here. When ice is white it's because it's full of tiny air bubbles so that there are numerous air/ice boundaries and each one scatters the light a bit. Similarly, the airy structure of a snowflake means that a mass of snow also contains large amounts of air and many air/ice boundaries, so snow is also white. The ice and snow articles mention this briefly, but they aren't very clear about it.

It's quite possible for ice to form without air bubbles, and in that case it is transparent and blue. The blue color isn't intense enough to see in a chunk the size of an ice cube, so it just looks clear, but in thicker ice like an iceberg or glacier the blue color can be surprisingly strong.

--Anonymous, 06:25 UTC, June 24, 2008.

Creepy Image

I found a creepy picture (http://encyclopediadramatica.com/Image:Creepy_Thread.jpg) and I was wondering where it was taken. Thanks in advance.

Americanfreedom (talk) 07:44, 24 June 2008 (UTC)[reply]

A junkyard for old carnival rides? Dismas|^(talk) 08:16, 24 June 2008 (UTC)[reply]

It probably isn't - but what came into my head was a picture of Michael Jackson's Neverland Ranch today. That would be creepy -- Q Chris (talk) 10:07, 24 June 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Why don't you ask the uploader on their talk page? (http://encyclopediadramatica.com/User_talk:Spacey)--Shantavira|^{feed me} 12:48, 24 June 2008 (UTC)[reply]

That is a common image. The uploader is unlikely to be the creator.--droptone (talk) 15:43, 24 June 2008 (UTC)[reply]

It's not part of the fairground in Pripyat,Ukraine thats been abandoned since Chernobyl went bang is it? Lemon martini (talk) 12:57, 24 June 2008 (UTC)[reply]

A question about a young female bodybuilder...

I was surfing on the Web earlier today, and suddenly I had came on some old news articles about some young Ukrainian female bodybuilder named Varya Akulova who was said to be "the strongest girl in the world". I then discovered that she also had a website. I wanted to send an e-mail to her about how interesting that kids this young would be able to take on big things, especially bodybuilding, but there was a problem: since Varya was born in the Ukraine, and she then moved tho the United States, I don't know if she is living in the U.S. or staying in the Ukraine. So, where does Varya Akulova live now? —Preceding unsigned comment added by Sirdrink13309622 (talk • contribs) 14:01, 24 June 2008 (UTC)[reply]

It may be worth noting that where somebody lives isn't relevant for sending them an email. Is the real problem finding an email address? — Lomn 14:59, 24 June 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Yes, I don't understand what you mean by "there was a problem". BTW, since you've done some research already you might want to add to Varya Akulova. Shockingly, she was born in 1992 and weighs 40kg but can lift 350kg. My word! Would anyone know how that could be possible? Zain Ebrahim (talk) 15:07, 24 June 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Bah, there was a Swedish girl who could lift over 1,000 pounds before her twelfth birthday. ---Sluzzelin talk 18:50, 24 June 2008 (UTC)[reply]

About "there was a problem"...

By what I meant by "there was a problem" in my question about where Varya Akulova lives, it's about the time zones. If Varya was still living in the Ukraine, it might be late at nighttime there, when people sleep in which Varya wouldn't get my e-mail because she is asleep. If she lives in the U.S., then it would be day here, when people are active. I'm just worried if Varya's not there to read my e-mail when I send it to her. —Preceding unsigned comment added by Sirdrink13309622 (talk • contribs) 16:05, 24 June 2008 (UTC)[reply]

You would only have a problem if she hardly checks her e-mails. If she does check it regularly, then she will see your inquiry and (hopefully) will reply. It's only a difference of, like, 8 hours.--Faizaguo (talk) 16:43, 24 June 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Geese

What does geese taste like? Is it anything like turkey or chicken? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 64.119.61.7 (talk) 17:56, 24 June 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Something like duck, or the dark meat of chicken/turkey, although goose (spelled with two 'o's when used as a mass noun describing food) is a bit fattier. Traditionally, goose was the Christmas dish served in England (as mentioned in Charles Dickens's A Christmas Carol), although I believe that recently turkey has replaced it, on account of the cheaper price. - Although there are some individual differences, "tastes like chicken" is a good approximation for most fowls. -- 128.104.112.147 (talk) 18:35, 24 June 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Note also that there are specific dishes that are often prepared from goose—see foie gras for a popular example. TenOfAllTrades(talk) 14:34, 25 June 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Is it really like duck? I guess it must be an urban legend for some Asians that it's bitter, since we love ducks. --Wirbelwindヴィルヴェルヴィント (talk) 17:21, 27 June 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Roberto Benigni tickets to Dante

Sirs: My cousin and I are planning a trip to Italy in October and I would love to purchase tickets to see Roberto Benigni recite Dante. I have searched the internet and I have made some calls to Italy but I have come up short. If you have any information as to where Roberto Benigni will be appearing or where I can purchase tickets I would really appreciate it very much.

Thanking you in advance for any assistance you can give me. Italian2 (talk) 17:59, 24 June 2008 (UTC)[reply]

I think Benigni's Tutto Dante tour ended last year. Since then, he has appeared on TV reciting Dante and also performed at the University of Malta last April, when he was awarded a honorary doctor's degree. I couldn't find the announcement of any planned public recitations in the near future here either, sorry. ---Sluzzelin talk 18:42, 24 June 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Walking question

This question came up at work today. What is the longest distance anyone has ever walked in one go, meaning not using any other form of transportation in between, but stops and overnight stays are allowed? And how long did it take? JIP | Talk 18:13, 24 June 2008 (UTC)[reply]

I don't have a number or winner, but Category:Pedestrian circumnavigators of the globe looks like one good place to start. ---Sluzzelin talk 18:28, 24 June 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Not exactly what you were looking for, but 130km is the longest someone has walked with a milk bottle balanced on their head JessicaN10248 19:24, 24 June 2008 (UTC)[reply]

A famous account is The Long Walk by Sławomir Rawicz, a WWII Polish officer who claimed to have escaped from a camp in Siberia and walked 4000 miles to India, but since there is considerable doubt that it is a true account, so its probably not a good answer to your question. For another approach, look at Pilgrimage; these are traditionally undertaken on foot, and many pilgrims travel vast distances to reach their shrine or holy site. Gwinva (talk) 21:14, 25 June 2008 (UTC)[reply]

More about gender roles

Continuing on the topic of gender roles in sport and dancing.

It seems that men's sports are much more popular when it comes to sports that are purely based on physical skill, such as football or ice hockey, where women's sports are much more popular when there is an aesthetic and artistic element involved, such as figure skating or gymnastics. Is this right?

Looking back on the pictures I took of the Helsinki samba carnival, I see that yes, the dancers are still pretty much exclusively women, but the marching bands playing the samba music are predominantly men. The men's costumes are almost as flashy as the women's ones, but cover much, much more. This clear-cut gender division seems weird. I have never practiced samba myself, so I don't know if it's present in samba generally, or just in the carnivals. Which is it? JIP | Talk 18:24, 24 June 2008 (UTC)[reply]

To make a gross generalisation (partly tongue in cheek), men in very little clothing is not as interesting to women as women in very little clothing are to men. Remember, I say generalisation. It doesn't apply to everybody, by any means, but it does seem to be the more common thing. With regards to sports, physically women simply cannot keep up with men when it comes to speed and strength, so to a degree, there is a perception that because they'll never reach quite the same heights as the men, there isn't as much need to watch it - even if the logic involved in the perception is wrong. On the other hand, women's basketball, for example has a different approach. Because there is little focus on dunking and heavy blocking, there is more development of strategy, speed and technique. On a third hand (somehow), don't let anyone say that women's sport is less aggressive. Some of the women's hockey and rugby I've seen proves that wrong. Steewi (talk) 01:26, 25 June 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Agree with Steewi. As well there's nothing quite like any floating body inscribing space one way or another (think floor gymnasts). One tiny vote for men in space in clothes: Australian Rules football? Length, heft, and ballet – eye candy when you catch it. Julia Rossi (talk) 09:46, 25 June 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Houses in kept coma what

Suppose Joe Bloggs owns a house. He has no family, friends or next of kin. He is knocked down by a bus and taken to hospital where he remains in a coma for seven years. What happens to his house? Do the government sell it or keep it safe for him? What about his possessions, are they kept or burned or sold? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 79.76.225.252 (talk) 19:08, 24 June 2008 (UTC)[reply]

In the UK his affairs would be managed by the Court of Protection, [2] a social worker at the hospital would arrange this (hopefully). The Court of protection would then manage his affairs directly or appoint someone with Power of Attorney, possibly a local solicitor (lawyer for US readers). The person with Power of Attorney in consultation with medical staff would then decide on the best course of action based on a medical prognosis. I would be surprised if his goods and chattels would be disposed of quickly. Richard Avery (talk) 20:46, 24 June 2008 (UTC)[reply]

That happened to a neighbor of mine in the US, but he wasn't in a coma, he died leaving no heir nor will. I believe the next thing which happened is that either the town took the house over for back taxes owed or the bank which he paid a mortgage to took it over and it was foreclosed upon. Either one of them hired a realtor who sold it. His belongings were sent to a charity, probably the Salvation Army, or thrown away. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 69.119.114.114 (talk) 03:52, 26 June 2008 (UTC)[reply]

That's slightly different to the original question, though, as he's not going to be coming back for it. In the original question, the accident victim might one day wake up, and hope that his house etc are still his. 81.187.153.189 (talk) 07:14, 26 June 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Apparently there have been at least a couple of cases in Germany in which elderly people have died in their homes without being discovered for months, if not years. Their pensions and bills were all handled automatically, so pensions or government checks kept being automatically deposited into their bank accounts, and their bills were paid automatically out of their accounts for long periods of time before they were discovered. I'm only guessing, but I would assume that, if the person were in a coma in the hospital, the same automatic systems would still occur, at least in Germany. Corvus cornix_talk 23:35, 27 June 2008 (UTC)[reply]

leaking in the street

I heard once that if your caught short and need to take a wizz you can use the back left tyre of your car without it being illegal. Further, if a policeman is passing by they are obliged to shield you with their hat and cloak while you do the deed. If this true? 79.76.225.252 (talk) 19:09, 24 June 2008 (UTC)[reply]

In what jurisdiction? This sounds like an urban legend, in any case (but no-one can really answer without the answer to the first question). Angus Lepper^{(T, C, D)} 19:15, 24 June 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Great Britain —Preceding unsigned comment added by 79.76.225.252 (talk) 19:16, 24 June 2008 (UTC)[reply]

I have heard this before, with the jurisdiction being either the United Kingdom or England. (Great Britain is an island, not a jurisdiction.) According to this forum posting, "It is legal for a male to urinate in public, as long it is on the rear wheel of his motor vehicle and his right hand is on the vehicle. … One of many Hackney Carriage Laws that have been unaltered for over 100 years". Bovlb 2008-06-24T20:00:43Z

And a comment I found when researching an answer to this, on a police forum, was that in the opinion of the poster, the permission extended only to cabbies. Now we need to know whether these carriage laws are or are not still in force; and how they interact with other laws, such as on public decency. --Tagishsimon (talk) 20:21, 24 June 2008 (UTC)[reply]

According to the Dorset Echo, "The Town Police Clauses Act of 1847 said that a hackney carriage driver could urinate against the rear offside wheel." That act doesn't seem to mention the issue, except in S28 where it prohibits "Every person who wilfully and indecently exposes his person". Bovlb (talk) 22:47, 24 June 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Except that all the "decency"-related clauses in that act were repealed (and replaced) by the Sexual Offences Act 2003. 81.187.153.189 (talk) 22:54, 24 June 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Fly question

My father asked this question almost two decades ago, but neither he or I ever found a reply. When a fly flies to the ceiling and lands upside down, its feet sticking to the ceiling and its head towards the floor, which axis does it turn around in flight? JIP | Talk 19:51, 24 June 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Here ya go. -- Coneslayer (talk) 20:03, 24 June 2008 (UTC)[reply]

dual 60s

Where did dual 60s come from for meaning gay? 79.76.225.252 (talk) 20:33, 24 June 2008 (UTC)[reply]

It's apparently an Air Force reference for those in the service that were found or suspected of being gay [3] as they were discharged under "Air Force Regulations 35-66" [4] [5] JessicaN10248 21:10, 24 June 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Insect survey

For a project I'm doing I had to make this survey and get people to answer it. Could sevral people do so please? Here it is:

1. Do you think eating insects is gross?
2. Have you ever eaten an insect in any way?
3. What would be the last, non-poisonous insect you would want to eat?
4. If you had to eat an insect but were given the choice of which one you could eat, which one would you choose?
5. Let’s say you were also given the choice of what spice to put on the insect you chose in the previous question, what spice would you choose?--76.176.17.191 (talk) 20:46, 24 June 2008 (UTC)[reply]

1. yes
2. no
3. a centipede
4. grub
5. cinimmon(or however you spell it)

1 - Yes

2 - No. How many ways are there to eat an insect?

3 - Millipede

4 - A liquorice insect

5 - Curry powder JessicaN10248 21:08, 24 June 2008 (UTC)[reply]

I don't think the Refdesk is an appropriate place for surveys. Sorry. Zain Ebrahim (talk) 21:16, 24 June 2008 (UTC)[reply]

yahoo answers might be a good place to ask. JessicaN10248 21:32, 24 June 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Does this mean that I should not discuss my tasty meal of fried crickets in Mexico? Marco polo (talk) 00:51, 25 June 2008 (UTC)[reply]

I had the same in Laos. Tasty! Fribbler (talk) 00:53, 25 June 2008 (UTC)[reply]

1 - depends on the insect (some are apparently quite tasty, and is it any weirder than eating lobster or escargot?)

2 - no - and to answer Jessica, boiled, fried, raw...

3 - I'dthink twice about eating dung beetles (and neither a millipede nor a centipede is an insect! They're arthropods!)

4 - huhu grub, though apparently locusts are delicious

5 - depends on what they taste like without spice. Probably cinnamon would be a first choice, though.

Grutness...wha? 01:05, 25 June 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Cicadas are delicious. I ate them in China. They're good fried in soysauce. Steewi (talk) 01:30, 25 June 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Even though surveys aren't necessarily the right place for the reference desk. I'm going to answer anyway. ;)

1-No eating a big isn't weird

2-Once I ate an ant

3-Stink beetles you know the stink bugs

4-A cricket

5-Depends if the cricket taste good.Rem Nightfall (talk) 03:02, 25 June 2008 (UTC)[reply]

1. No. Eating shrimp or snails is every bit as odd as eating many types of insect.

2. Insect parts are a normal part of many kinds of agricultural product. I have probably eaten many ounces (or pounds) of insects unknowingly in my lifetime.

3. Loosely speaking, spiders are a type of insect I would hate to eat. (I know they aren't insects, but are neither are the 'pedes).

4. I would choose 17 year locusts (cicadas) which had just emerged, still white and tender.

5.I would douse the cicadas with garlic and butter and make kebabs, and have some ice cold vodka as a chaser. People ate them this way and said they were remarkably like shrimp. I think barbecue sauce might also be a good seasoning. Edison (talk) 03:59, 25 June 2008 (UTC)[reply]

1. Yes.

2. Yes, I won a city-wide Fear Factor by downing a cricket and earthworm shake (among other events).

3. Beetles

4. Ant (it's the smallest).

5. Sugar.

Hope that helps. Useight (talk) 04:18, 25 June 2008 (UTC)[reply]

1 - No

2 - I heard somewhere that the average person eats a few insects per night while sleeping (I can't remember the numbers). I havn't eaten any that I can remember, though. (I've always wanted to try a chocolate covered grasshopper, actually)

3 - A moth. The harrier, the worse. (By the way Edison, spiders aren't insects)

4 - Grasshopper (chocolate covered, if that counts)

5 - Chocolate doesn't count does it? I guess I'd pick cinnamon.

You're dreaming eh? 04:41, 25 June 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Ha! You didn't read the entire post. Edison (talk) 15:20, 25 June 2008 (UTC)[reply]

1 – No. It's partly conditioning since in tribal life many peoples eat kinds of larvae and things like grasshoppers. Anything not meat, fish, fowl or vegetable can be challenging, depends where you're from.

2 – probably in a lettuce or... when someone told me it's all protein, I lost the yuk factor by about 50%. Don't mind crunchy things. Don't like slimy things. Australians sometimes do open their mouths and swallow a fly (though I've only seen it happen.)

3 – ~~centipede? or spider. Can't detach from spiders as creatures~~ Change that, maggot. Maggot is the last straw for me.

4 – if I had to survive, a witchetty grub? especially a small one. I could do that. I think.

5 – Sugar... sugar spruces up a lot of things like this ant lollipop[6]. (You probably won't catch me at this market (Entomophagy) though.Julia Rossi (talk) 05:03, 25 June 2008 (UTC)[reply]

1 - No, I as a Cantonese person will eat (almost) everything.

2 - Yes, worm-like things dwelling in sand (no idea what the English name is), quite crunchy and very tasty; and something quite small, and you mash it into a paste, add egg and steam it, very tasty is well.

3 - dung beetle.

4 - See 2

5 - Garlic, ginger, soy sauce, spring onion... --antilived^{T | C | G} 05:24, 25 June 2008 (UTC)[reply]

1. No, it's a reasonable source of protein.

2. Not knowingly.

3. A shield bug (stink bug in US)

4. A wood louse

5. A suspicion of cinnamon

Richard Avery (talk) 05:58, 25 June 2008 (UTC)[reply]

According to Jewish law, there are serious prohibitions on eating insects. Therefore many types of fruit, vegetables and other foodstuffs have to be checked for infestation before eating them. There are however four species of locusts which may be eaten (Leviticus chap.11 verse 22). Jews from Yemen and Morocco have a tradition to identify which locusts may be eaten, and at least in those countries they would eat them. Some years ago, a Kosher dinner was arranged in Israel, in which the menu consisted of numerous kinds of unusual Kosher animals, birds, etc. Included in the menu were these Kosher locusts. Simonschaim (talk) 06:43, 25 June 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Entomophagy and Category:Insects as food is worth a peruse - Simon, you may be particularly interested in Kosher locust :) Grutness...wha? 07:06, 25 June 2008 (UTC)[reply]

There are many brave people here, but antilived can be the chef on the the next wikisafari. ;) Julia Rossi (talk) 08:32, 25 June 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Lol seriously the bugs that I ate were very very nice... I have cravings for them now... --antilived^{T | C | G} 08:36, 25 June 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Ah found a picture here. You clean the inside so it becomes like a white worm and then stir-fry it. --antilived^{T | C | G} 08:44, 25 June 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Mother! I forgot stir fry and soy is the perfect solution for everything edible. You make the paste, antilived, the job's still yours! Julia Rossi (talk) 09:40, 25 June 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Yes. That's nasty
Yes, but no intentionally. Gnats and what not.
Cockroach
Death. Seriously. That's like asking how you'd rather die - drowning or burned to death. If I had to choose, it'd be something tiny. Like a gnat.
Adobo

Endless Dan 12:45, 25 June 2008 (UTC)[reply]

1. Yes, in the extreme

2. Yes, a praying mantis and a tarantula (!)

3. Cockroach

4. Whatever is the smallest

5. Ketchup

Paul Davidson (talk) 13:08, 25 June 2008 (UTC)[reply]

1. Not any grosser than eating animal species from other classes

2. Yes, mosquitoes while cycling open-mouthed, and a junebug in a memorable moment of childhood hazing.

3. Goliath beetle

4. A Dicopomorpha echmepterygis that died of a natural cause.

5. Tabasco

---Sluzzelin talk 14:22, 25 June 2008 (UTC)[reply]

1. Not inherently, though there are of course exceptions

2. Yes, at various insect museum restaurants, and in southern Africa

3. Cockroach

4. Mopane worms -- delicious!

5. Just salt.

--Sean 14:36, 25 June 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Thanks to everybody who answered. I have plenty of replys now. Thanks again.--76.176.17.191 (talk) 15:36, 25 June 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Hi. You may disregard this answer if you are no longer accepting replies, but:

1. Yes, somewhat, but lots of people do.

2. Not purposely, but I'm pretty sure there's an occasional insect hidden in our vegetables and other food products from time to time.

3. Pubic lice (eww).

4. Something that doesn't taste too bad.

5. Chocolate.

Hope this helps. Thanks. ~A H 1^(TCU) 21:41, 25 June 2008 (UTC)[reply]

1. Mostly no. Insects are a wonderful source of protein, and they can be pretty tasty.

2. Yes. Mealworms, crickets, ants, and I used to eat gnats when I was little.

3. Grasshopper.

4. Mealworms. Tasty.

5. Tabasco sauce.

Disregard this if you're not accepting, but I had to do this. bibliomaniac 1 5 18:23, 27 June 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Reading

Is there any way to keep my mind from "wandering" when I'm reading? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 64.119.61.7 (talk) 21:03, 24 June 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Read a book you're interested in. Mac Davis (talk) 23:36, 24 June 2008 (UTC)[reply]

If there's no choice, read quickly on the first run, more slowly the next, and do it in small bites if you're getting distracted. Is that why some people say the words in their mind as they go? I've wondered about that, Julia Rossi (talk) 02:07, 25 June 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Yeah certainly I find reading it 'in my head' (i.e. mentally saying the words) helps aid my concentration. Also reading it somewhere where there is relatively consistent background noise helps me too (doesn't have to be quiet, just has to be something I can tune-out). I think lack of water is a cause of easily lost concentration so ensuring you drink plenty of water will help. 194.221.133.226 (talk) 07:58, 25 June 2008 (UTC)[reply]

I hope it is not rude to suggest the article Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder treatments Plasticup ^T/C 18:13, 25 June 2008 (UTC)[reply]

One thing I always find utterly distracting when I'm trying to read (which includes writing), is voices, whether it be conversation, TV, or radio/CD music with voices (songs, etc). Instrumental music doesn't bother me, as long as it isn't too loud. (The voices in my head, well, they're always there - hi, Mum). So I've learned to know what sort of music to have on in the background, and what not, when I'm reading or writing. Does any of this resonate with you, 64.119.61.7? -- JackofOz (talk) 23:58, 25 June 2008 (UTC)[reply]

I teach ADD high-schoolers who are also dyslexic, so reading is a serious challenge every day. I resisted it at first, but I cannot deny that listening to a personal music player, such as an iPod, is an excellent strategy for many readers. It keeps the part of their mind that tends to wander occupied on the music, while the part of them that wants to read may do so. ADD is really the ability to attend to many things at once, which can be detrimental to tasks that require focused attention, such as reading or sitting still at a desk, but can be an enormous blessing in other pursuits. Try listening to music while you read and see how that helps; if it doesn't, try other tasks, such as squeezing a stress-ball, while you read. Good luck! Mitchell k dwyer (talk) 02:06, 26 June 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Reading 2

Is there a way to better remember what I read? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 64.119.61.7 (talk) 21:24, 24 June 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Have a look at Memory, particularly the Memorisation section and the articles it links to. Fribbler (talk) 21:30, 24 June 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Try putting it in your own words as you read it. StuRat (talk) 21:50, 24 June 2008 (UTC)[reply]

You can try taking a break after each section or page and recalling what you understand or remember. You can also make notes to read over later. Revising material or information is a standard way to cement something into your memory for study or other purposes. Julia Rossi (talk) 02:04, 25 June 2008 (UTC)[reply]

The best way to help remember non-fiction is to read two pages (left and right page of an opened book) and then record the important points which have been raised. If you're dealing with extremely dense material (like technical philosophy, etc) then you may want to record your thoughts after each page. I doubt this strategy will work well for fiction, but you can give it a shot.--droptone (talk) 12:55, 25 June 2008 (UTC)[reply]

I've done that for shakespearean plays as well, and that's fiction ;-), not sure it would work for your average novel though--Serviam (talk) 14:44, 25 June 2008 (UTC)[reply]

After reading the text properly the first time, try re-reading it at a later date, but only reading the first sentence of every paragraph. I found that a great way to bring the gist of non-fiction books to my mind in time for a test. In fact, if it was a well-written non-fiction book, I could get away without reading the thing in full at all and just doing the "first sentence only" method. A good non-fiction book will devote a paragraph to each concept, clearly stating that concept in the first sentence. That might also help with your mind wandering. Matt Deres (talk) 19:54, 25 June 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Winter Olympics

After reading this, I am wondering which rules will be used? International or NHL? thanks in advance. West Brom 4ever (talk) 22:33, 24 June 2008 (UTC)[reply]

I would think that international rules would still apply. Though I am not well versed in ice hockey, and don't really know the differences between the two sets of rules, I can tell you that the International Ice Hockey Federation governs all international ice hockey events, including the Olympics, and so unless they have changed their own rules recently, I'm sure they would continue to follow international rules. Jared (t) 02:43, 25 June 2008 (UTC)[reply]

The Olympics uses international rules. One difference is that the ice surface is wider. The article notes that this will be the first Olympic games to use NHL-sized ice, so in a way it will be a hybrid of NHL & international rules. --D. Monack | talk 02:46, 25 June 2008 (UTC)[reply]

thanks both of you! West Brom 4ever (talk) 12:51, 25 June 2008 (UTC)[reply]

The size of the rink doesn't really affect the rules though. It's sort of like soccer, soccer pitches can have a wide variety of lengths and widths, but the rules are still the same. The size affects the flow of the game, strategies, etc, and I suppose players who are used to playing in the NHL will have an advantage. Adam Bishop (talk) 14:43, 25 June 2008 (UTC)[reply]