Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Miscellaneous/2008 February 29

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February 29

Insects

What do they do for relaxation? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 79.76.173.143 (talk) 00:58, 29 February 2008 (UTC)

The praying mantis enjoys a post coital hors d'œuvre. --Cookatoo.ergo.ZooM (talk) 01:15, 29 February 2008 (UTC)

Also: Consider Kafka for relaxing and meta morphical reading. It is a prequel to Death of a Salesman. --Cookatoo.ergo.ZooM (talk) 01:41, 29 February 2008 (UTC)

No what I want to know is: do they have time off from working and if so, what do they do with it apart from sleeping? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 79.76.173.143 (talk) 03:37, 29 February 2008 (UTC)

Insects are pretty small, so I figure they lose energy pretty quickly. Therefore, I suppose they spend most of their time eating. When they are not eating they stand around to conserve energy, only moving when a threat comes in range. Insects are, in my opinion, nature's robots, and thusly I don't think they can relax. Hell, they don't even need their heads to function, they only need those to see and eat. 206.252.74.48 (talk) 14:01, 29 February 2008 (UTC)

They edit Wikipedia. 199.67.16.60 (talk) 15:17, 29 February 2008 (UTC)

This link might interest you. Marco polo (talk) 15:22, 29 February 2008 (UTC)

Yahoo Maps

I was looking at a map of Isle Royale in Lake Superior. On the east side of that island is passage island. When I click on the satelite picture option, where does this island go?

69.210.137.156 (talk)Geoman —Preceding comment was added at 03:45, 29 February 2008 (UTC)

It's still there, a bit to the north. Presumably the map is wrong and the satellite image is correct. Adam Bishop (talk) 12:10, 29 February 2008 (UTC)

I'd have bet my left index finger it's definitely the other way around :) --Ouro (blah blah) 19:05, 29 February 2008 (UTC)

Well, if the satellite image is wrong then we'd just have to move the island over to the right place, won't we? I wonder how many tugboats that would take. 206.252.74.48 (talk) 21:59, 29 February 2008 (UTC)

Heh, the same error is present in Google Maps. But if you select "Terrain" view you get the island's color fill in the "map" place and its hillshading in the "satellite" place. Oops! Pfly (talk) 20:45, 29 February 2008 (UTC)

Edward Lear

Aside from being hilarious and apparently a great artist, was Edward Lear gay? His talk page and the google search linked there suggest the love of his life was a man named Franklin Lushington, but I can't find anything definitve online. Anyone read a biography or just know off-hand? Thanks a lot 81.96.160.6 (talk) 04:00, 29 February 2008 (UTC)

[1], [2] and [3] may be of interest. -- JackofOz (talk) 21:30, 1 March 2008 (UTC)

Blimpin' ain't easy

If I were to give up my earthbound ways and take up residency in a Zeppelin, flying from place to place, would I need any special licenses?

Thanks Willworkforicecream (talk) 06:33, 29 February 2008 (UTC)

Well, you would probably need a pilot's license. Useight (talk) 06:48, 29 February 2008 (UTC)

...and permissions to cross other countries.--Artjo (talk) 10:33, 29 February 2008 (UTC)

I imagine you would need several pilots, as there are rules for how long a pilot can be on the flight deck, and you may need to land occasionally if there are rules about how much off-aircraft time a pilot must have. The main thing to watch out for though is probably Cybermen. DJ Clayworth (talk) 18:08, 29 February 2008 (UTC)

It's hard out there for a blimp. Also, Artjo, I'm pretty sure you don't need permission to cross into other country's airspace by itself, if your home country is a member of the Chicago Convention. Landing, of course, is another matter. --98.217.18.109 (talk) 13:30, 1 March 2008 (UTC)

Crooked words

Sometimes when I am reading the internet late at night. After staring at the words for awhile, the sentences start to go crooked with parts of the sentences jutting out at different angles. I refocus my eyes and everything goes back to normal. Am I crazy? (I also see dead ppl)

—Preceding unsigned comment added by 138.87.180.89 (talk) 07:55, 29 February 2008 (UTC) 

No, you're just tired. Close to twenty hours after waking up most people start feeling really tired, meaning the brain starts functioning a bit slower, and they have problems with concentrating. The solution is simple - the tenth cup of tea, or some sleep. --Ouro (blah blah) 12:49, 29 February 2008 (UTC)

Hallucinations are common symptoms of exhaustion. They also occur when doing repetitive tasks in front of a monitor, like when I type for a long time I start literally seeing "green butterflies" that fall apart and fade away when I look directly at them. 206.252.74.48 (talk) 14:38, 29 February 2008 (UTC)

My hint to stop working for the day is when I just plain start making errors when I type. --Ouro (blah blah) 15:13, 29 February 2008 (UTC)

Whicch for me is about 2 minuts after. I start. I'm overwroked, obviously and hsall go back to bed. Gwinva (talk) 22:20, 29 February 2008 (UTC)

"Antipodal Mirror"

John McPhee in his book 'Looking for a Ship' says "This is the tenth of August, the antipodal mirror of the tenth of February". Can anyone explain this phrase to me please.--Artjo (talk) 10:32, 29 February 2008 (UTC)

The dates are six months apart - if a calendar was a sphere, they would be on opposite points of the surface. You can also say that if you dug a hole straight down, wherever you came out would be the antipode of where you started. The "Antipodes" originally referred to the land that was supposedly on the other side, or the bottom side, of the world, which should have balanced the land known to exist in Europe/Africa/Asia. Adam Bishop (talk) 12:05, 29 February 2008 (UTC)

Thanks for this. How the hell do you find time to READ all your library!?--Artjo (talk) 13:38, 29 February 2008 (UTC)

I don't, it's mostly for reference, and to make me look smart :) Adam Bishop (talk) 15:21, 29 February 2008 (UTC)

Certainly a 'smart' answer ! Thanks again for your help.--Artjo (talk) 17:48, 29 February 2008 (UTC)

U.S. High School "artificial culture" ?

Does anyone know of a good work that discusses what might be termed the artificial culture in U.S. high schools; things like when it emerged, how it became so widespread, etc. By "artificial culture", I am referring to aspects like the social preeminence of given sports teams, the same regarding membership in cheerleading squads, the ostracism of students deemed unpopular, pep rallies, prom queens, etc. I am also hoping to find a work that discusses what former students thought of it after it was all over. I've looked at Wiki pages on U.S. education and schools, but this topic isn't really addressed that I could find, at least not in one place. Thanks! --W. B. Wilson (talk) 13:30, 29 February 2008 (UTC)

(Using "high school culture" or "high school subculture" might help in a book search..87.102.38.45 (talk) 14:56, 29 February 2008 (UTC))

See some of the essays by Paul Graham about U.S. high schools and education in general, particularly "What You Wish You'd Known" and "Why Nerds are Unpopular". Graham87 13:02, 1 March 2008 (UTC)

I have heard (or technically seen) the term "kulture" (kid's culture) 71.57.26.126 (talk) 23:14, 6 March 2008 (UTC)

The Drudge Report

Quick question possibly in the wrong section (more people in here!!)

Apparently Prince Harry's posting to Helmand Province was broken by the Drudge Report. However when I go to the Drudge Report website all I can do is click on the links and get to other news sites for example, papers, reuters etc. So am I right in thinking that the drudge website simply linked you to another site who should technically get the "glory" for breaking the story? Gertie100 (talk) 14:18, 29 February 2008 (UTC)

Yes, the story originally appeared in New Idea as reported by The Telegraph. See also our section relating to this in the Drudge report article. Nanonic (talk) 14:31, 29 February 2008 (UTC)

Whoever leaked the story is unimportant, I see no glory attaching to the leak - just cheap journalism. Harry is a young guy who is not (self-admittedly) the brightest shilling in the box. But he, like many other young guys on both sides of the Atlantic, and elsewhere, saw a role for himself in the Army. And he went for it, did the training, and passed out at Sandhurst Military College as a junior commissioned officer. His first hope was to go to Iraq with his mates, and do what similar guys from many other countries including the US and UK did, and fight his corner in Iraq. But he was denied that when his plans were thwarted by them being released in the media, and he was labelled both a bullet magnet when he wanted to go, and a coward when he couldn't go. So this time, under cover of a cloak of "secrecy" he went to Afghanistan 10 weeks ago, and apparently did a good job, mucking in with the rest of the troops there, and earned their respect. But some cheap rag just had to get the "glory" of blowing the whistle on him and unsurprisingly, he has now been withdrawn from the fray, and will now become a lifetime prize target for any rag-head that wants Harry's head hanging on his cave wall. What is a young guy who is third in line to the British Throne to do? Must he wait for his Gran, his Dad and his big Brother to die before he can assume something useful in his life? Or must he now hope to become a clone of his uncle, Air Miles Andy, doing nothing important except making sanitised speeches around the world on behalf of British Industry and Inward Investment, whilst playing at all the golf courses he flies over, and collecting zillions of air-miles. What a waste of a young guy's life and ambition. And what a disgraceful performance by the media. Haven't they got enough salacious and boring material already on Amy Winehouse, Britney Spears, and Mrs. Beckham to fill the shelves of media stands around the globe ??? 81.145.240.72 (talk) 20:00, 29 February 2008 (UTC)

Wow that really misses the point, I think. He didn't "see a role for himself in the army", he's part of the royal family and they often do officer training at Sandhurst, where HArry did. It may have been unethical journalism to pulish his location anyway but if a womans magazine in Australia cana find out, it can't be that hard for the Taliban. He was rightly called a "bullet magnet" (a nickname from his friends, caught on by the pres, not the other way round) as it would have been an enourmous symbolic blow to the UK. The only reason they considered sending him out was PR, he was never going to be anywhere near the danger unless they were targetted specifically for him. He was hardly going to be patrolling the Helmand Province. 81.96.160.6 (talk) 05:40, 1 March 2008 (UTC)

This story from last night's Media Watch is informative. Apparently the information was on New idea's website as long ago as 7 January, but apparently nobody saw it, or if they did, had no idea it was a world scoop. The editors have claimed ignorance of any embargo. -- JackofOz (talk) 23:16, 3 March 2008 (UTC)

Coins

I got my daily Pepsi from the vending machine yesterday, and instead of a US dime in my change I received a 5 pence coin. Aside from the obvious question of how that managed to be passed as a dime by a relatively modern machine (and oddly enough, they are exactly equal in worth!), I wonder why coins in certain countries are so similar. The US Dime, the British 5 pence piece, and the Canadian Dime all have the same dimeter, all have ridged edges, are all made of nickel and copper, and are all silver-coloured. Why is this so? Did the Americas copy off Britian or is it a "coin"cidence?

(Also, a little side question. Is it legal in the U.S. to pay with a 5 pence piece in a vending machine - since they are worth the same amount as a dime anyway?) 206.252.74.48 (talk) 14:30, 29 February 2008 (UTC)

(a little side answer)I strongly doubt it. Foreign coins are not legal tender. AlmostReadytoFly (talk) 14:57, 29 February 2008 (UTC)

But just because something isn't legal tender doesn't mean it's not legal to pay with it... all "legal tender" means is that you have to accept it to settle a debt. FiggyBee (talk) 20:24, 29 February 2008 (UTC)

The United States Coinage Act of 1965 states (in part):

“ United States coins and currency (including Federal reserve notes and circulating notes of Federal reserve banks and national banks) are legal tender for all debts, public charges, taxes, and dues. Foreign gold or silver coins are not legal tender for debts. ”

31 U.S.C. § 5103

Answering part:

	5p	dime (us)	dime (ca)
Mass	3.25 g	2.268 g	1.75 g
Diameter	18 mm	17.91 mm	18.03 mm
Thickness	1.7 mm	1.35 mm	1.22 mm

So they aren't identical in size. Composition and edges vary also. 199.67.16.60 (talk) 15:07, 29 February 2008 (UTC)

I have noticed that American quarters are often accepted in vending machines in Canada, but coins produced within the last three or four years, which seem to be lighter (and in the case of dimes, no longer have ridges), are not. I remember that TTC tokens used to be mistaken for dimes by vending machines, too. Adam Bishop (talk) —Preceding comment was added at 15:19, 29 February 2008 (UTC)

• Disambiguated your link. --Anon, 23:42 TTC, February 29, 2008.

Canadian pennies, nickels, dimes, and quarters are de facto in circulation and (mostly) accepted as payment in the northeastern U.S., and I think that U.S. coins are mostly accepted in Canada, too, despite the small differences in value and dimension. Marco polo (talk) 15:26, 29 February 2008 (UTC)

I never said they are exactly the same (or maybe I did). The fact of the matter is that they are too similar for it to be just chance. There has to be some historical reason they are so similar. I don't remember distinctly, but I think the British 50 pence coin is also very similar to the US Quarter Dollar (I can't compare because I don't have my coins with me). 206.252.74.48 (talk) 15:29, 29 February 2008 (UTC)

A British fifty pence coin is heptagonal, a Quarter (United States coin) is circular (and smaller). As a guess at historical reason, I would suggest Gresham's law acting on gold, silver and copper coins for the composition, and convenience (and willingness to gloss over slight differences) for the similarity in size and value. Remember that the current size of the British five pence coin is fairly recent. AlmostReadytoFly (talk) 15:46, 29 February 2008 (UTC)

It was the British Ten Pence coin, my mistake. 206.252.74.48 (talk) 15:51, 29 February 2008 (UTC)

Even though it's specifically marked as an aside, I'm going to tackle this portion of the question - "Aside from the obvious question of how that managed to be passed as a dime by a relatively modern machine" - with sheer speculation, because I can't find any decent references. Bear with me now ... I believe that in many cases, the change supply of a machine is completely separate from the cash intake; i.e. in a U.S. machine, there would be stacks of quarters, nickels and dimes that are available for payout as change, and there is a giant hopper where all the incoming money goes. Thus, when the stack of nickels runs out, the "use exact change" light should come on, and no amount of paying for your Snickers bar with fifteen nickels will help. So, for a machine to pump out a 5p coin from its change supply, it need only to have had a roll of dimes loaded into it that contained the rogue coin. Whether you could then feed that 5p coin back in to the machine as partial payment for your next packet of Andy Capp's Hot Fries is another story. --LarryMac | Talk 17:25, 29 February 2008 (UTC)

Your observation is spot on, LarryMac. No matter how I tried, the machine just wouldn't take the 5p coin. So it had to have come from a dime roll. This 5p coin's story will never be known, which is a shame because I'm really interested in how it got there. 206.252.74.48 (talk) 19:36, 29 February 2008 (UTC)

might have been the old two bob note?87.102.38.45 (talk) 20:15, 29 February 2008 (UTC)

As to "why coins in certain countries are so similar", in some cases they are indeed deliberately copied. When a country is setting up its currency for the first time, they may look at the coins already circulating there and copy them. Back when coins were made of precious metal, the production of a coin the same size using the same metal made it obvious that the value should be pretty much the same. Even today there is the advantage of familiarity.

When the US was formed, the Spanish peso (or piece-of-eight) was one of the coins commonly circulating there, common enough that the British colonists had invented a sign $ for it, from the letters P and S combined. The coin was nicknamed a "dollar", after an older German coin of similar size and value, and the US dollar was copied from: same name, same size, same value, and even the same symbol. Other silver coins in the US had sizes related to the size of the dollar. Then when Canada started its own money, silver coins the same size as the corresponding US ones were chosen. Of course coins that start out the same size may not stay the same size, as countries change their coinage and make the decisions independently.

On the other hand, there is only a limited range of possible sizes for a coin, so coincidences are also possible, and I'm sure the UK 5p and US dime would just be an example of that. The Swiss 50 centime coin is pretty similar as well.

--Anonymous, $23.42 UTC, February 29, 2008.

The 5p piece has only been that size since 1990, before which it was almost as big as today's 10p piece. The dime has apparently not changed its diameter since 1828. Whether the size of the dime was of any consequence in setting the new size of the 5p I don't know, but it seems unlikely, as it is hard to see any advantage in setting them equal. --ColinFine (talk) 15:38, 2 March 2008 (UTC)

It's not uncommon in Australia to find New Zealand denominations in amongst change. They're generally (though not always) accepted, and will probably go unnoticed. Until recently, the NZ $1 and $2 coins were in reverse proportion to the Australian $1 and $2 coins, and had occasionally been used in vending machines. Vending machines were often modified to not accept the NZ coins. Another technique for defrauding a vending machine was to glue two 5c coins together to make the shape and approximate weight of a $2 coin. I think the vending machines may no longer accept fake $2 coins, due to the weight difference, but I've not tried it. Steewi (talk) 00:35, 3 March 2008 (UTC)

The Canadian mint very consciously makes its coins about the same size, color and denominations as U.S. coins. Like the U.S., Canada divides its dollar into four quarters rather than five fifths like most countries do with their larger currency unit. The coins are known in English as pennies, nickels, dimes and quarters, just like in the U.S. All Canadian vending machines, as far as I know, accept American coins. This makes sense for Canada, since the U.S. dollar traditionally has been worth less than the Canadian one. But now they're about the same value, so it makes no difference. -- Mwalcoff (talk) 00:42, 3 March 2008 (UTC)

In 1893

I'm an author of sorts so I'm writing a story about a blind murder. Now I have a few questions about murder in 1893. How effective was their police system in 1893?

Would it be possible for a blind person to slip through their claws because he would be the least likely to kill someone just because he is blind?

Is it even practical that someone blind would kill people?

Okay the next question is just to make sure I have everything right: 1858 the Louisville, Kentucky American Printing House for the Blind published books and gave them to blind children.

Near the age of 1893 they had made the first Braille book or at least I believe.

Did they have suburban housewives back then?

And thats its. Thank you for all your help and sorry if there are so many questions. Btw, the information I got was mostly from Encarta.71.142.242.233 (talk) 16:48, 29 February 2008 (UTC)Cardinal Raven

Well, they didn't have suburbia back then, so I doubt they had suburban housewives. But they had middle-class housewives in the city and countryside, although the richer they were, the more likely they were to have servants. Although it would be difficult, with suspension of disbelief, your blind character could use echolocation to help him kill people...81.96.160.6 (talk) 17:19, 29 February 2008 (UTC)

Some cities had suburbs in 1893 all right, but people traveled there by public transit, not by car. See streetcar suburb, and for a slightly later example, Metro-land. Because these transit lines were primarily radial, this means that most people would do things (shopping, working, recreation) either within their own suburb or by traveling into the city. There wasn't the idea that you'd hop in your car and drive to the mall in a different suburb: you'd ride into the city and shop at the big department stores there. --Anonymous, 23:55 UTC, February 29, 2008.

I was going to my blind murders first to be an accident of self defense. The other time is just because he wants to have that feeling of euphoria again. He listens to his victims patterns of walking and what they do normally before killing them. He plays the victim to get inside a family and then kills them. Then if he doesn't have enough time to get out he plays the victim card again against the police. His family is middle-class. His father hates blind people and is laced with crude behavior. His mother is nice and accepts her son position.

But you didn't really answered my other questions. About the police.71.142.242.233 (talk) 17:44, 29 February 2008 (UTC)Cardinal Raven

Well, the police thing could be highly variable. I'd suggest that you go with the style seen in most murder mysteries, be they novels, tv shows, or whatever -- the police initially miss the killer because of a combination of unlikely suspect, vague evidence, reasonable suspicion of somebody else, and so forth. Simply saying that the police ignored the blind guy in spite of all other evidence would be most unsatisfying to the reader, as would any sort of unforeshadowed reveal at the end. The works of Agatha Christie might be useful as a starting reference for 1890s police, as Hercule Poirot is only 20 years removed from that point. — Lomn 18:03, 29 February 2008 (UTC)

Well, Poirot is just a rip-off of Sherlock Holmes, of course. But confusing fiction with the reality of functioning police is not a great idea. The modern police operates nothing like CSI. --98.217.18.109 (talk) 13:27, 1 March 2008 (UTC)

Well there wasn't one US police system in 1893, so it's hard to generalize. If you're asking whether or not they'd find it unlikely that a blind person would commit the murders, sure, just as they would today, barring evidence to the contrary. They were no less reasonable than today, though they had little in terms of forensic science. --98.217.18.109 (talk) 18:07, 29 February 2008 (UTC)

In many places there was no streetlighting at night. So a blind person wouldn't be at much disadvantage on moonless nights. A legally blind person may often be able to detect a lantern. There was a case in Aust. ages ago of a blind man convicted for severely beating up someone.Polypipe Wrangler (talk) 21:36, 29 February 2008 (UTC)

• In that era, most U.S. public schools were incompetent at caring for blind children, and Carnegie was only in the very early stages of building his worldwide network of free libraries. A poor, literate blind person is certainly possible in that era, but they would have to have unusual determination, and also have the good fortune to live near a school for the blind that is free or has a cheap tuition. So either make your murderer wealthy, or give a reason why fortune smiled on him. --M@rēino 21:51, 29 February 2008 (UTC)

Well my blind murder learns from memory. He only needs to hear what is being read and remembers it really well.So to make up for his blindness he is not only a talented muscician his memory exceeds a normal teenage boys memory. He goes to a school that teaches both just because his mother's best friend teaches "those type" of children. He goes to a Christian school as well. Didn't they have religion schools back then?71.142.242.233 (talk) 04:55, 1 March 2008 (UTC)Cardinal Raven

• Jack the Ripper was killing a mere 7 years before you given year. From what I know about that case, the police weren't exactly at the height of their skills back then. If the blind murderer was to make sure he wasn't caught redhanded and tried to frame someone else, he could quite easily get away with it. - 87.211.75.45 (talk) 15:59, 1 March 2008 (UTC)

Auto-Tune

Are "musicians" who use Auto-Tune to make themselves sound like good singers/guitarists etc still eligible for awards? Have any ever won awards? I mean when the use is essentially to deceive the listener rather than create effects. Thanks! 81.96.160.6 (talk) 17:30, 29 February 2008 (UTC)

Almost all musicians use post-production effects to sound "better" than they are—cleaner, more on key, more put together. They are certainly eligible for awards. I don't see any clean way to define something as "deceiving the listener rather than create effects," personally. Does doing multiple takes "fool" the listener into thinking you can do it right on the first take? What people care about is the musical output—not necessarily the "raw talent" behind it. --98.217.18.109 (talk) 13:22, 1 March 2008 (UTC)

Rolling Stone

Was Rolling Stone magazine named after The Rolling Stones or Like a Rolling Stone? Or neither? The page doesn't say and neither does their website. Thanks. 81.96.160.6 (talk) 17:43, 29 February 2008 (UTC)

• I thought that all three were named after the proverb "A rolling stone gathers no moss," but now that I think about it I have zero proof for that claim. --M@rēino 21:57, 29 February 2008 (UTC)

I'd agree about the Stones and the Dylan track, but since Rolling Stone started i 67 and both very well-known by then I'd have thought it would be at least mentioned by a few of the writers around that time that one was a reason. The Dylan track has always been my guess, I just wondered if anyone knew. 81.96.160.6 (talk) 03:44, 1 March 2008 (UTC)

It was my understanding that the Rolling Stones named themselves after the Muddy Waters's track "Rollin' stone blues". SaundersW (talk) 10:18, 1 March 2008 (UTC)

unusual rock

i found a smooth tanish stone on shores of lake michigan. This stone has an imprint on or in the rock itself that did not seem evident until i got the stone home. This is not a joke, nobody can explain the figure on the rock. It is very much some type of eygptian type symbol but yet looks to have wings and an eyptian type head. The more you rub or wet the stone the more distinct the figure becomes. The sone is approximately the the size of a golfball but flattened and smooth. My email address is <email removed> if someone can help. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 98.206.66.217 (talk) 19:17, 29 February 2008 (UTC)

First, don't post your email address. Anyway, do you think you could post a picture of it? --Ouzo (talk) 20:14, 29 February 2008 (UTC)

Sorry ,never did this before and dont know how to post a picture. I will try to figure out how and will post it asap. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 98.206.66.217 (talk) 21:34, 29 February 2008 (UTC)

You first have to register an account to upload it on wikipedia which takes almost 3 seconds(my god that long ;)) or you could just upload it to a myspace or something. БοņёŠɓɤĭĠ₳₯є 23:26, 29 February 2008 (UTC)

• I highly encourage you to sign up and then upload the image. If we can figure out what it is, we can then put the image to good use in the appropriate article. If we can't, no harm, we'll just flag the image and have one of the admins delete it. --M@rēino 01:10, 1 March 2008 (UTC)

Given where you found it, it may be a petoskey stone. --Bejnar (talk) 01:14, 1 March 2008 (UTC)

I don't know if you get graphic granite in the area, but the texture can look extremely hieroglyphic, just do a google image search and compare it with your rock. Mikenorton (talk) 15:47, 1 March 2008 (UTC)

If the image isn't clear on a photo and the image is raised or depressed into the stone, try taking a rubbing. --Dweller (talk) 15:36, 3 March 2008 (UTC)

Zoo License

Hey. Just wondering if I wanted to actually own a tiger or lion or black panther, or anything like that as a pet, then would I have to get a zoo license and if so how would I do that?Jwking (talk) 20:29, 29 February 2008 (UTC)

I would expect to encounter legal restrictions on owning a dangerous wild animal from the local level, through the regional and national, right on up to the Hague. Talk to your local city hall first is my advice; they might not permit it at all under any circumstances. --Milkbreath (talk) 20:40, 29 February 2008 (UTC)

Theoretically, you could do it, though, if they'd give you a permit and you owned enough property. Useight (talk) 23:20, 29 February 2008 (UTC)

See exotic pets and About.com's Big cats as pets. It would largely depend on the animal welfare laws in your area and whether you are capable of caring for the animal. Raising a wild animal in captivity is quite different from raising a domesticated animal, and it raises ethical concerns. I see you are from Canada; according to [4], large cats as pets are banned in many parts of Canada. Another thing to consider is the lifespan of the animal, and whether you will be able to care for it for that time. For a tiger, it could be 16-20 years when kept in captivity. [5] And if later on, it turns out you are no longer able to care for the animal, it would be much more difficult to find a home for it, compared to a domesticated cat. Dforest (talk) 00:13, 1 March 2008 (UTC)

I don't know about Alberta, but according to this article there were very few restrictions on owning big cats in British Columbia until recently.--The Fat Man Who Never Came Back (talk) 05:36, 1 March 2008 (UTC)

When Mike Tyson lived in Southington Township, Trumbull County, Ohio, he wanted to keep lions and tigers on his property. But the township's zoning laws prohibit exotic animals on residential property, and the township trustees refused to change their laws for him. -- Mwalcoff (talk) 00:22, 3 March 2008 (UTC)

madison ave

hey you guys! in a calvin and hobbes strip, calvin sez he is '... raised to an alarming extent by madison avenue and hollywood...' wot does he mean by madison ave? thankee veryee muchee Perry-mankster (talk) 20:58, 29 February 2008 (UTC)

Have you looked at our article on Madison Avenue? TenOfAllTrades(talk) 21:01, 29 February 2008 (UTC)

Thanks ten, typed 'ave' rather than 'avenue' when i first had a look see, aaaah shopping...Perry-mankster (talk) 21:56, 29 February 2008 (UTC)

No, advertising. Read the first paragraph again. --Anon, 23:56 UTC, February 29, 2008.

To clarify, that's the first paragraph of the body of the article as opposed to the very first paragraph which is in the introduction. Dismas|^(talk) 01:29, 1 March 2008 (UTC)

Actually, I meant it the other way. Check the last sentence of the lead paragraph. But of course the first paragraph of the body says it too. --Anon, 04:42 UTC, March 1.

This is also a textbook example of metonymy, if you're into that kind of linguistic nomenclature. —Steve Summit (talk) 02:57, 1 March 2008 (UTC)

He means he was raised by the advertising industry and the movie industry. --98.217.18.109 (talk) 03:24, 1 March 2008 (UTC)