Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Miscellaneous/2008 January 3

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January 3

Cotton in medicine bottles

Why is it that when a new bottle with pills in them is opened, there is always a piece of cotton on the top?--Dlo2012 (talk) 00:01, 3 January 2008 (UTC)

To keep the pills dry. Many bottles now come with a small container of silica (a drying agent) instead of the cotton. Matt Deres (talk) 00:03, 3 January 2008 (UTC)

So, what if you take out the cotton, is it ok to put the cotton back in the bottle to keep the pills dry?--Dlo2012 (talk) 00:06, 3 January 2008 (UTC)

I think its not to keep them dry, but to stop them rattling together and grinding themselves to dust. But you dont get these woolly stoppers so much these days.--TreeSmiler (talk) 00:14, 3 January 2008 (UTC)

I asked my local pharmacist about this only a few days ago. Warning: WP:OR. He said it was for keeping the pills from breaking up in transit. So, User:TreeSmiler would win his prize. Bielle (talk) 00:20, 3 January 2008 (UTC)

thanks, Ill have a bottle of anti diarrhoea tablets please.--TreeSmiler (talk) 00:25, 3 January 2008 (UTC)

Thanks treesmiler, i've been wondering about it for a while.--Dlo2012 (talk) 00:32, 3 January 2008 (UTC)

I should defer to the pharmacist, but that doesn't make sense. If it's there to stop breakage, why do many pill containers no longer come with the cotton, but instead come with a silica-based desiccant? And... have you ever broken a pill accidentally? I stand by my answer but, uh, TreeSmiler can keep his meds... Matt Deres (talk) 02:54, 3 January 2008 (UTC)

In general, the tablets don't break so much as get battered about the edges, which changes the dosage, albeit in a minute fashion. I suppose there are drugs where that matters. I have had drugs where the container has had both cotton wool and the desiccant package. I know: more WP:OR :-) Bielle (talk) 03:22, 3 January 2008 (UTC)

Finally, a non-WP:OR reference: [1] Bielle (talk) 03:26, 3 January 2008 (UTC)

This page is well-sourced, and says it's for rattling, not desiccation. In fact, they assert that the "cotton" can actually be hygroscopic, and should be removed after opening. --Sean 03:25, 3 January 2008 (UTC)

I think you'll find that pills used to be just the active ingredient and, sometimes, binders. So, for example, an aspirin tablet was just aspirin, right out to the outside of the pill. As such, it was pretty fragile. Nowadays, many pills and "caplets" are coated with one thing or another (often, carnauba wax). This probably makes the pills much more durable in transit by adding both strength and slipperiness to the outside of the pill, making the cotton transit-packing less necessary.

Atlant (talk) 13:47, 3 January 2008 (UTC)

Actaully, it is not cotton, it is rayon and it looks like has been discontinued in a lot of products. [2] —Preceding unsigned comment added by Gadget850 (talk • contribs) 14:43, 3 January 2008 (UTC)

The actual reference that Bielle provided above says the ball may be "cotton, rayon, or polyester".

Atlant (talk) 16:49, 3 January 2008 (UTC)

My Mom taught me to always take out the cotton and discard it, as it's a germ magnet. (She's also the one who told me I'd lose my hair if I wore it long. Hm.) --jpgordon^∇∆∇∆ 17:04, 3 January 2008 (UTC)

In my household, my grandmother agreed with your mother, jpgordon. She said that you usually took things like aspirin when you were sick, so there were likely germs on your hands when you opened the bottle of pills. She would remove the cotton ball as soon as the bottle came into the house, and before anyone with "germy" hands could get near it. Uh oh, more WP:OR!. Bielle (talk) 18:32, 3 January 2008 (UTC)

I mostly take panadol when I have a headache which isn't usually contagious Nil Einne (talk) 18:18, 9 January 2008 (UTC)

free antivirus

do you guys know about a good free antivirus that i can download? I looked for AVG since i heard that is was free, but when i found it, it said that i had to pay about 9 dollars per month or something like that just for the memebership, so can u guys help me out with this?--Dlo2012 (talk) 00:23, 3 January 2008 (UTC)

Not sure where you were. Go to http://free.grisoft.com/ for AVG Free. --— Gadget850 (Ed) ^talk - 00:26, 3 January 2008 (UTC)

(after edcon) Surely not!. You can get the free AVG version still! Just look more carefully around their website for the free (limited) version.--TreeSmiler (talk) 00:27, 3 January 2008 (UTC)

I'd reccommend going to Download.com and scroll to the bottom of the page under the Antivirus heading. It offers probably two of the best free anti-virus softwares out there: AVG, and avast!. I have avast! and I've never had a virus with it. Good luck. --71.117.37.108 (talk) 02:12, 3 January 2008 (UTC)

Clamwin is a nice and simple antivirus. Download here Think outside the box 14:41, 3 January 2008 (UTC)

Last time I looked, Clamwin didn't support on-access scanning, only on-demand scanning. --Carnildo (talk) 23:56, 4 January 2008 (UTC)

Note that all anti-virus programs detect just about as good and as bad as each other (most of the "tests" out there check whether they can detect very old and very unusual viruses; this is a pretty poor metric). The real way to avoid a virus is to avoid running problematic code and to implement security patches to your OS and major applications. Personally I try to pick the anti-virus that runs fastest on my machine if I'm going to have any at all. --24.147.86.187 (talk) 00:31, 4 January 2008 (UTC)

Skin turning red

Why does the skin turn red when scratched? Acceptable (talk) 03:05, 3 January 2008 (UTC)

I could be completely wrong, but take a look at inflammation. --71.117.37.108 (talk) 03:42, 3 January 2008 (UTC)

Sometimes it is caused by dehydration and dry skin.--Dlo2012 (talk) 03:48, 3 January 2008 (UTC)

I went to the inflammation ref above – won't get any sleep tonight. Julia Rossi (talk) 10:44, 3 January 2008 (UTC)

OMG, that picture! We should get that as the picture of the day on the front page, that will surely arouse complaints.  :) Corvus cornix_talk 17:30, 3 January 2008 (UTC)

Do you mean it will arouse a bevy of people identifying that as their complaint? What bonding. What inflagration. What rednesses. Gaaardomyti. Julia Rossi (talk) 08:20, 4 January 2008 (UTC)

When you scratch, red bllod cells go to that area, to fight the new sensation, after a few minutes, they realise that there is nothing there to fight and that it is just and itch and the go about thier business. Furthermore, if the redness when scratced is raised a mm or two after scratching, this can be caused by eating too much processed food, such as dies of various sorts E numbers and prossesed meat. Also please see the medical disclaimer at the top of the page. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 12.191.136.2 (talk) 14:42, 4 January 2008 (UTC)

Also see WP:BALLS. --Carnildo (talk) 23:59, 4 January 2008 (UTC)

I was waiting for someone else to say this: scratching, rubbing, applying heat, infection or allergic reaction results in increased circulation to the immediate area to promote healing. Julia Rossi (talk) 22:26, 6 January 2008 (UTC)

Football club sizes

• 82.36.227.215 (talk · contribs)

The above user has edited the articles of several Football Clubs, changing the capacity and locations. I reverted one of these edits (their first), but given the extent of their changes - and the fact that on the face of it the changes appear as though they may be valid - can anyone either back them up or dispute their edits? (And if the latter, can someone with a rollback script take care of things?) Confusing Manifestation(Say hi!) 06:00, 3 January 2008 (UTC)

You might find it helpful to inform WikiProject Football about this. 62.136.112.104 (talk) 17:20, 3 January 2008 (UTC)

Good point, thanks! Confusing Manifestation(Say hi!) 22:31, 3 January 2008 (UTC)

fastest hair growth

what shampoo or method offers fastest hair growth —Preceding unsigned comment added by 203.128.4.231 (talk) 11:51, 3 January 2008 (UTC)

See hair growth The speed of hair growth varies based upon genetics, gender, age, hormones, and may be reduced by nutrient deficiency (i.e., anorexia, anemia, zinc deficiency) and hormonal fluctuations (i.e., menopause, polycystic ovaries, thyroid disease). Dismas|^(talk) 13:30, 3 January 2008 (UTC)

As Dismas said, hair growth depends on genetics and diet, but mostly genetics. No shampoo will increase the growth speed of your hair, and unless you get extensions there is no magic solution to make your hair "grow" any faster than its natural speed. But good shampoo, conditioner and treatment of your hair will make it look better, especially if your growing it out, and not cutting the hair will obviously get it longer over time. Think outside the box 14:36, 3 January 2008 (UTC)

Contrary to the prior answers, it is said that if one crushes the pill and puts it in your shampoo, it will make your hair grow faster. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 12.191.136.3 (talk) 16:12, 3 January 2008 (UTC)

It is also said that kangaroos can fly - sadly that doesn't make it true. Can you provide a reputable source for this information? I take it by "the pill" you mean the contraceptive pill? I am at a loss as to how this would work. And remember folks, people say a lot of things. Lanfear's Bane | t 16:47, 3 January 2008 (UTC)

(edit conflict) Lots of things "are said". Who says this? Is there any reason at all to believe them? How did they determine this, and how did they measure the results? If you can't answer these questions, you should not put faith in things that "they say". APL (talk) 16:53, 3 January 2008 (UTC)

For what it's worth, oral contraceptive pills contain one or more hormones. In addition to affecting a woman's mestrual cycle and ovulation, these hormones can also affect secondary sexual characteristics; this includes changes in the breasts and hair. That said, adding ground-up Pill to one's shampoo seems unwise. Exposure to contraceptive hormones can have a number of side effects, and there's no good way to control the dose delivered in this manner. The use of contraceptive pills is actually linked to hair loss in some women: [3].

Some people just have inherently slower – or faster – hair growth than others. It's unlikely that there's much you can do to deliberately speed it up. However, spontaneous changes in your hair (growth, texture, brittleness, loss, etc.) may be a symptom of disease. TenOfAllTrades(talk) 21:30, 3 January 2008 (UTC)

Whilst possibly not a scientific approrach to the question of the OP, there is also the remote chance that adding bits of pulverised pill to the shampoo may make your hair go all curly... --Cookatoo.ergo.ZooM (talk) 22:28, 3 January 2008 (UTC)

Eazy-E's height

How tall and how much did late rapper Eazy-E weigh? Acceptable (talk) 15:39, 3 January 2008 (UTC)

His IMDb bio gives 5'5" (1.65m) but no weight measurement. --jh51681 (talk) 23:03, 3 January 2008 (UTC)

Cat Urinating on Bed

Why is my cat starting to urinate on my son's bed. She is 1 and 1/2 years old and has always used her litter box. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 12.10.219.39 (talk) 18:11, 3 January 2008 (UTC)

She's is a female cat, has been spayed. I talked to our Vet and he said it sounds behavorial because she only does it on my son's bed, no where else and that she may upset with my son.12.10.219.39 (talk) 21:43, 3 January 2008 (UTC)

Male or female cat? Has the cat been neutered/spayed?--The Fat Man Who Never Came Back (talk) 18:12, 3 January 2008 (UTC)

While "it" may be the grammatically correct way to refer to a cat, the OP's usage of the word "she" suggests a female cat (and usage of the word "son" suggests that "she" does not refer to him). -- Meni Rosenfeld (talk) 19:32, 3 January 2008 (UTC)

Sorry, it was kind of dumb of me to ask that question without reading carefully. Anyway, to the Anon, I'm piling on with those who suggest that you really must get this cat checked out at the vet (you say you "talked" to the Vet--did you just speak on the phone, or did you actually bring her to the vet's office?). If and only if the vet examines kitty and assures you that there is nothing medically wrong with her, look into the behavioral stuff.

My own original research tells me that, when cats are extraordinarily upset (e.g., with changes in their environment), their normally discreet excretory habits can go out the window. The aberrant behavior is usually temporary, but I would still keep her out of your son's room altogether. Also, be sure the litterbox is regularly cleaned; cats have been known to fussily boycott litterboxes that aren't scooped/changed frequently enough. I'm also wondering if you have any other cats; if so, this behavior may not have anything to do with your son at all. There are a bunch of good websites out there about cat behavior, such as this one [4]. Good luck.--The Fat Man Who Never Came Back (talk) 23:41, 3 January 2008 (UTC)

Please take your cat to a veterinarian. Please do not assume that changes in urinary habits are just "behavioral" problems. There may be physical problems that your vet can diagnose. -- Coneslayer (talk) 18:23, 3 January 2008 (UTC)

...such as a urinary tract infection. This is why it's important to see your vet rather than to take any of our advice.

Atlant (talk) 19:47, 3 January 2008 (UTC)

Is your son new to the home (baby boy or moved back from extended leave or something)? The cat might be expressing it's territoriality with an intent to drive off an "intruder". Matt Deres (talk) 14:35, 4 January 2008 (UTC)

ravioli

I am trying to impress a beautiful woman, and have convinced her to have dinner with me, however, i promised to cook. I cannot cook at all!!! i burn fried eggs. bacon comes out like rubber ect. I have searched the net, and have decided on Ravioli as it is easy (put into boiling water and wait) but i need some sort of sauce. she does not eat mushrooms, beef, or cheese. please help me to do something easy, i dont mind spending time, I have from 6pm till 8 30pm tomorrow. I hate cooking but will do almost anything to impress her. ravioli i can buy, and follow instructions on the packet. maybe a cabonara type sauce? but how to make it? please help me. thanks people. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 82.3.151.98 (talk) 20:54, 3 January 2008 (UTC)

What kind of ravioli are you serving (given that she doesn't eat beef or cheese, which are perhaps the most common fillings)? Appropriate sauces will vary, depending on whether the filling is delicate or robust. -- Coneslayer (talk) 20:57, 3 January 2008 (UTC)

I was going to see what the shop has tomorrow, but was thinking of chicken. Does ravioli come with chicken inside? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 82.3.151.98 (talk) 21:16, 3 January 2008 (UTC)

Maybe, it depends on where you get it. If all else fails you can always just buy plain dry pasta. --S.dedalus (talk) 00:43, 4 January 2008 (UTC)

A quick heads up, carbonara is a cheese sauce, and you mentioned she doesnt like cheese so that doesnt sound like the best of sauces to serve. I would be inclined to suggest a tomato sauce, such as arrabiata, fairly simple to make, very fresh, not too heavy for a romantic meal. Go to google and search for it, some good quick recipes out there, just be carefull with the chili flakes, dont make i

t too hot, remember you can put chilli in but not take it out. If you arent hard up on cash, can i also suggest maybe buying double the quantities. So if you do go wrong you have ingredients in the house to try again. 2 more things: Dont be tempted to serve her too much, ask her if she would like some more, this lets her decide how much she wants and doesnt feel pressured to finish what she is given. Final point garnish the food, it always looks better with a little bit of greenery, just a leaf of parsley on top will be fine. I hope this helps, good luck! Let us know how it goes? RobertsZ (talk) 22:00, 3 January 2008 (UTC)

At risk of being accused of using Wikipedia as a cookbook I'll try to give you something else easy to cook. RobertsZ’s suggestion is good too though.

Okay, buy some parsley, caned black olives, garlic (you’re both eating it so it shouldn’t be a problem unless you’re planning to go out afterward!), olive oil, and caned tuna. Chop the parsley (I hope you know how to use a knife basically) and cut the olives into medium pieces. Pore a little oil in a pan and heat until it’s sizzling. Add some of the tuna (depends on how large a portion you want) and one or two cloves of garlic. Use a garlic press (much easier!) or chop it very fine (if you do this remember to peal the garlic!). Cook for a couple of minutes. Then add the olives and parsley. Cook for another three to four minutes and your done. Good luck! And tell us how it turns out! (the pasta I mean :-)) --S.dedalus (talk) 00:39, 4 January 2008 (UTC)

Oh, and SALT THE PASTA WATER!!!!! About two tablespoons for a large pot of water. --S.dedalus (talk) 00:45, 4 January 2008 (UTC)

2 tablespoons sounds a little light to me. There's an Italian adage that pasta water should be "as salty as the sea." But Italians have been known to exaggerate.--The Fat Man Who Never Came Back (talk) 00:52, 4 January 2008 (UTC)

I don’t know. I just upend the shaker for a few seconds. :) These guys [5] say 1 to 2 teaspoons of sea salt for a “large pot of rapidly boiling water.” But yeah, that might be a little scanty. --S.dedalus (talk) 00:58, 4 January 2008 (UTC)

It is obvious that none of those of you who are discussing salt amounts has a blood-pressure problem. First, sea salt is much less salty in flavour than ordinary table salt, so 2 tablespoons of sea salt has much less effect on taste than 2 tablespoons of table salt. Second, salt is (generally) not a good thing of which to get too much. As with the chillies, you can add more, but you can't add less. (And no, none of those "great ideas" for getting rid of an accidental overload of salt work, except the one that doubles up on all the other ingredients.) Like many I know, we stopped cooking with added salt years ago. Letting the diners add what amount pleases their individual palates is the safest method, I think. Bielle (talk) 01:31, 4 January 2008 (UTC)

You can do what you need to do for health reasons, but from a culinary standpoint, you salt the water for best results. It's hard to get the salt into the noodles by salting at the table! Here's a reliable source, Mark Bittman's How to Cook Everything:

Salt the water. Unless you have hypertension or some other problem that prevents you from using salt, don't skip this step. Salting the water immeasurably improves the flavor of the pasta and indeed the final dish. How much salt? I use a good handful per pound, which measures a very heaping tablespoon. Try that amount and make adjustments as you see necessary. This may seem like a lot, but most of the salt goes back down the drain with the cooking water.

Also, Harold McGee, On Food and Cooking:

Salt in the cooking water not only flavors the noodles, but limits starch gelation and so reduces cooking losses and stickiness.

Alton Brown, I'm Just Here for the Food:

I need a big pot because I never cook fewer than four servings of pasta and I never cook it in anything less than a gallon of heavily salted water.

And, on a lighter note, check out the 780+ user reviews for this Gourmet recipe at Epicurious.com. Finally, I want to make it clear that, in general, good cooks add salt not to make the food "salty", but to bring out its intrinsic flavor. This is why you see salt in bread, cookies, fudge, ice cream, and so forth—and pasta. Food cooked without salt doesn't taste like itself. -- Coneslayer (talk) 01:48, 4 January 2008 (UTC)

(outdent) Coneslayer’s right on the mark. Pasta water is one of the (very) few things in which you don’t have to worry about precise salt measurements. You also can’t salt pasta later; it needs to be cooked in salt water to defuse the flavor. There’s also some rumor that salt raises the boiling point which helps with the cooking. I don’t know if there’s any truth to that. Anyway, that’s how I was taught to make pasta and no complaints yet! --S.dedalus (talk) 01:52, 4 January 2008 (UTC)

I only put a little bit of salt in my pasta water. I try to avoid putting in enough salt that the pasta tastes noticably salty, but just a couple of shakes does help stop it from sticking together. FiggyBee (talk) 04:20, 4 January 2008 (UTC)

(reset outdent} I agree with the statements about the fact that much of the salt goes out with the water. I also agree, for what it matters, that salting while cooking does have a different (small but noticable) taste effect than salting afterwards. While it is true that in the US especially (even more so than in Canada) salt is added to almost everything, most international cooks use it much more sparingly. Packaged foods are notorious for encouraging an expectation that there will be salt in everything. (The original salt related to ice cream, for example, was a part of the freezing process, not a part of the taste.) And, from the point of view of an international traveller, and though it is one of my favourite destinations in all other matters, Puerto Rico uses more salt per dish than any other place I have been in the world. We once thought MSG was the taste saviour; now we look for restaurants that promise they don't use it at all. Salt may be next. All of this goes back to my original point: if you don't have an exact measure from a cook you trust, less salt is better than more. Bielle (talk) 02:02, 4 January 2008 (UTC)

(re Coneslayer) I couldn't have put it better myself. Alton Brown and Mark Bittman are my kind of reliable sources!

S.deadlus's recipe sounds delish but I would caution against (ab)using garlic in the manner described. The aforementioned Brown and Bittman would roundly scold anyone who advocated the use of a garlic press--real cooks abhor those wicked devices that pulverize the delicate clove and the flavors therein. Better to whack an unpeeled clove with the flat side of your knife to make peeling easier and then chop it by hand; I'm the laziest man alive, yet I find this method easy. Also, do not put thinly sliced garlic into a very hot pan and let it cook for a couple of minutes--it will almost certainly burn and impart an unpleasant bitterness to your final dish. I would set the garlic (and, if you like, the tuna) in the oil as it warms and watch it carefully. Once it's light golden brown, then add the remaining ingredients (a little liquid at this time, such as wine or canned tomatoes or stock will stop the garlic from browning excessively).

But all this foodie talk is getting off the original subject about how the anon editor can woo the woman of his dreams. My advice is this: even if your first attempt at a romantic dinner fails in a culinary sense, your vision and audacity will still be appreciated. In general, I would advise cooking for yourself a lot (that's what I do!) as means of practice--find easy but tasty recipes and cook them over and over again alone; once these recipes/techniques become second nature--entertain that special guest, and she swoon at your facility and confidence in the kitchen. Buon appetito.--The Fat Man Who Never Came Back (talk) 02:16, 4 January 2008 (UTC)

BTW, salt absolutely does raise the boiling point of water, just as it lowers water's freezing point (that's why people use rock salt to rid of ice on pavement, etc.) But the boys and girls over here could explain it to you better than me.--The Fat Man Who Never Came Back (talk) 02:20, 4 January 2008 (UTC)

OK, last thing, I promise. I would like to offer a counter to Bielle's anti-MSG sentiment above. MSG occurs naturally in more foods than we can count--it's not a bad thing in and of itself; (WARNING: POV-pushing/soapboxing ahead) I believe the anti-MSG-crusade of the past twenty years is a case of mass hysteria. Glutamate is our friends and is solely responsible for the irreplaceable savory flavor called umami. there's a really interesting thread/debate about it here.--The Fat Man Who Never Came Back (talk) 02:43, 4 January 2008 (UTC)

As for garlic presses, yeah, maybe James Bond eats his garlic minced not squeezed, but for a beginning chef I’d recommend using one. Mincing takes a fair amount of practice. --S.dedalus (talk) 06:07, 4 January 2008 (UTC)

Can Bielle or anyone explain why sea salt tastes different to other salt? They both consist of NaCl and nothing else, according to packets I've seen. -- JackofOz (talk) 20:36, 4 January 2008 (UTC)

Sea salt will contain higher amounts of dead fish, sewage, agricultural runoff, industrial effluent , etc., than rock salt. DuncanHill (talk) 20:52, 4 January 2008 (UTC)

Thanks. I must tell that to my toffee-nosed acquaintances who insist on using sea salt. They say they do this because it's healthier for you than ordinary salt - which is patently the reverse of the truth. Their real reason is that it's become the trendy thing to do these days. -- JackofOz (talk) 00:19, 9 January 2008 (UTC)

I made spinich ravioli with carbonara sauce, I used brochili, pork, ham, black olives, pepper, cream , mayonaise ect. i think we were both pleasently surprised. thank you all very much for your help it is greatly appreciated. I also got a little kiss which has sent me over the moon. thank you again. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 82.3.151.98 (talk) 01:13, 5 January 2008 (UTC)

All's well that ends well! Someday you can tell her the story of how, prior to your first date, a simple question about pasta sauce turned into a big fracas about salt on teh Interweb. -- Coneslayer (talk) 01:59, 5 January 2008 (UTC)

Bought pesto sauces can be nice ^{(Hypnosadist)} 06:49, 6 January 2008 (UTC)

Am I making a fool of myself?

she has made it obvious that she likes me, and during hours of holding hands and conversation we often stop to just stare into each others eyes, we kiss every now and then and the best part is just holding her in my arms, her warm body fits so, so perfectly into my chest, i could hold her forever. but. She has a boyfriend, he has been away for over a month, he went back to India, and did not tell her wether or not he was coming back. she thinks he will be back sometime next week. she has not cheated on him by sleeping with me but I think i am falling in love with her, i have taken her to dinner, I have taken her for a walk in the park, during which she hugged my arm and did not let go, i have bought her drinks , and flowers, which she says her boyfriend has never done. i want to do everything in my power to make her happy. we have SO much in common. but she is breaking my heart by insisting that she has a boyfriend. I so badly want to make her happy, and would never go off to india with out letting her know if I was comming back or how long i would be away. My question is how can I make her see that she does not belong with this brute, but rather that i will fill her life with everything she could desire. she is killing me by kissing me and then saying that she cant be with me and that I must not tell any one as he will be back soon, one day ,maybe, I want every one to know how I feel about her. I am going to cook for her tomorrow, but am i making a fool of myself? i want to sleep with her like any man would, but i really just want to hold her and stroke her hair, make her feel safe. but how can I convince her other that what i have already done? I know this sounds selfish but i want them to have an agrument, or something. they have been together for 5months only, incluedeing the month in india. She is the woman of my dreams, I have dreamed about her for years even though I have only known her for a month or so. She instigated our relationship but now I need to take it further. Please help me, she is breaking my heart by stringing me along. Thanks —Preceding unsigned comment added by 82.3.151.98 (talk) 21:15, 3 January 2008 (UTC)

If your primary question is "Am I making a fool of myself?", then the answer is "Yes, but that is an absolutely non-negotiable part of being in love". -- JackofOz (talk) 22:47, 3 January 2008 (UTC)

One must speculate to accumulate--TreeSmiler (talk) 23:25, 3 January 2008 (UTC)

Ask her to leave him for you? Explain that you have strong feelings for her but you do not want to be strung along and so she must decide. Ultimately she cannot have it both ways and you certainly don't deserve to be pulled along with these feelings if she is trying to have her cake and eat it. I doubt an argument is specifically the way forward, but if she doesn't already you need to let her know this is a problem. Plenty of relationships start whilst one of the two is in another relationship, but it'll go nowhere until she decides whether she has similar feelings to you, or was just enjoying some hi-jinks while her partner was away. ny156uk (talk) 23:50, 3 January 2008 (UTC)

The Lovin' Spoonful said best the question which is here applicable to the girl in question ( mutatis mutandis): "Did you ever have to make up your mind?" [6] Edison (talk) 06:42, 4 January 2008 (UTC)

I guess it depends on how tough the boyfriend is, how fast you can get tough, and how long it'll be before he gets back. --f f r o t h 09:56, 4 January 2008 (UTC)

And if he is tough, how fast you can run. Think outside the box 12:53, 4 January 2008 (UTC)

If she's not devoted to the boyfriend she has right now, what's to say she won't treat you in the same way? You deserve respect and loyalty; it's worth thinking about how you would feel if she was to be unfaithful. You need to ask her if she loves her boyfriend and if yes, why she started something with you. Get the situation clear. You aren't making a fool out of yourself, but she might be. Seraphim ^Whipp 13:06, 4 January 2008 (UTC)

Seraphim sort of implies this, but I think that you are too good for her. It is not kind of her to tease you and string you along, nor to carry on with you while her boyfriend is away, if he thinks she is waiting for him. 24.91.136.184 (talk) 01:56, 5 January 2008 (UTC)

Run do not walk away from this relationship.Harsh but true.I used to be a relationship councellor^{(Hypnosadist)} 06:51, 6 January 2008 (UTC)

She is going back to him, and I am gonna run run run. she has broken my heart, but I will be okay. I can do better. Thanks people, you really did help me out.

Why so many nail salons run by Vietnamese?

What is with all of the nail salons I see with Vietnamese names, Vietnamese calendars on the wall, and Vietnamese staff? It seems as if the Vietnamese have a near-monopoly on getting your nails done where I live (Connecticut, USA). —Preceding unsigned comment added by 216.47.188.16 (talk) 22:32, 3 January 2008 (UTC)

Speculative but... The cost of setting up a nail-salon will not be huge, it will not require the most highly trained staff (thus low-ish salaries) and I doubt it is particularly complex a business to run. This makes it an ideal industry for those in a community who might not have the money to setup another business, but does have the drive to setup a business. Add in that there might be a positive-feedback loop situation whereby vietnamese who live in the area see their counterparts doing it and it makes them see they can do it. Also perhaps there is an association with Vietnamese as having an ability to do nails at a higher quality than others? ny156uk (talk) 23:45, 3 January 2008 (UTC)

The following is an NPR story on vietnamese manicurists (RealAudio). Started off promising, stating facts such as that there are approximately 300,000 manicurists in the U.S. with more than half of Vietnamese descent. Your question may be answered somewhere in the mix.--Fuhghettaboutit (talk) 00:12, 4 January 2008 (UTC)

Without knowing many details I'd expect that it's the same reason there are so many Jewish doctors/lawyers, so many Indian/Pakistan 7-11 operators, and so many Haitian/Indian/etc. cab drivers. There are lots of reasons that communities become over-represented in various occupational roles that have nothing much to do with the community in question except for the fact that the community becomes self-reinforcing. In jobs where high intelligence or high physical prowess are emphasized there is a tendency to ascribe biological reasons, but even if one accepts that (which can be quite dubious), community norms and expectations still play HUGE roles in determining what people seek out as potential jobs, what they consider to be within their reach, what they consider to be an "acceptable" job for someone of their background. It is also not too surprising that recent immigrants tend to cluster with other immigrants from the same country, as they will already share a common language and culture. --24.147.86.187 (talk) 00:25, 4 January 2008 (UTC)

It's backbreaking ,tedious work,breathing in nail dust and toxic fumes,not well paid either.I asked and they get a visa, and then train each other.They often can't speak English well so it is easier to train other Vietnamese.The boss who buys the franchise is usually Vietnamese too.hotclaws 06:55, 6 January 2008 (UTC)

Cape Verde

Bold textHello. I've already used the Search Box and Google for the answer to this question, and both have come up blank. Hoping you can help me. I have a friend in Rotterdam, Holland, the Netherlands and he just emailed me a letter about his workday today. He said that he was assigned to supervise some Kaap Verdians...guys who are from Kaap Verdie. Yes, he reads, writes and speaks English, but sometimes, out of habit and ease of use, lapses into Dutch. What is this? Sounds almost like Cape Verde? Could you help me find out who/what he's referring to? He didn't go into any- more detail. And, if it is Cape Verde, is that an Island? Thank You for your time and help. Miss M in Florida 71.98.185.74 (talk) 22:41, 3 January 2008 (UTC)

Hi Miss M: There is an article on Cape Verde in the Wikipedia. Googling, which I just tried, gives 8 million results. Maybe, you are having a blond day :) --Cookatoo.ergo.ZooM (talk) 23:05, 3 January 2008 (UTC)

A Babelfish translation of one of the Google results ([7]) suggests that Kaapverdië is Cape Verde as it has an active volcano, Pico de Fogo. There is also a Dutch wikipedia article: [[nl:Kaapverdië]]. --Kateshortforbob 00:28, 4 January 2008 (UTC)

Huh, for some reason that link to the Dutch wikipedia article didn't work. It's here: Kaapverdië--Kateshortforbob 00:30, 4 January 2008 (UTC)

Try typing it as [[:nl:Kaapverdië]] which gives nl:Kaapverdië. If you just enter it without the preceeding : it'll produce an interwiki link on this page under languages on the left. Foxhill (talk) 00:33, 4 January 2008 (UTC)

This may sound a little rediculous...but have you ever thought of emailing him back and asking to clarify on Kaap Verdians? Call me crazy if you must. --71.98.9.229 (talk) 00:40, 4 January 2008 (UTC)

Yes, 71's idea seems good.--Phoenix-wiki 15:01, 4 January 2008 (UTC)

Whoops... thanks for that!--Kateshortforbob 21:22, 4 January 2008 (UTC)

A relevant point is that nl:Kaapverdië and en:Cape Verde link to each other. —Tamfang (talk) 02:50, 7 January 2008 (UTC)