Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Miscellaneous/2009 October 1

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October 1

Yellow urine!!

is it normal to be prescribed with multivitamin tablets (Zevit) after having the LFT (liver function test) done and as the outcome to urinate yellowish after the consumption of these capsules.(not a medical advise though, am aware of wiki policies for legal and medical answers), just a knowhow.. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 61.95.140.188 (talk) 11:04, 1 October 2009 (UTC)

There's an article on Liver function tests here, for example. You could start there and look under some of the other topics you've mentioned, using the search box at the left side of the screen. Beyond that, you should see a doctor. →Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots 11:30, 1 October 2009 (UTC)

"Fluorescent yellow / greenish urine may be caused by dietary supplemental vitamins, especially the B vitamins.".--droptone (talk) 11:43, 1 October 2009 (UTC)

Yes, vitamin supplements in general can do that anyway, regardless. But because of OP's linkage of these two separate events, I think a doctor visit (or at least a phone call) would be in order. They might say, "Yes, that's normal", or they might say, "Come see us." →Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots 11:52, 1 October 2009 (UTC)

If you have been prescribed the medication that means a doctor is already involved, so you should definitely speak to them - they know your case history so can give you a reliable answer, we know very little about you so could easily get it wrong. --Tango (talk) 14:03, 1 October 2009 (UTC)

Actresses and earrings

Does the actress put them in, or do the makeup people?Accdude92 (talk) (sign) 13:17, 1 October 2009 (UTC)

Under what circumstances? In a movie? In a public appearance? Or just in general? →Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots 13:20, 1 October 2009 (UTC)

for a move or a television show recording.Accdude92 (talk) (sign) 13:25, 1 October 2009 (UTC)

Most likely the makeup people, as they would be doing all kinds of things at once, as quickly as possible. I'm trying to think of where one could find a reference on that. Maybe if there's a wikipedia article or google page that talks about makeup in general? →Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots 13:49, 1 October 2009 (UTC)

Since we're the RD and not talking about sourcing this for an article you could do some OR. Try watching some recordings, e.g. from "making ofs" and DVD extras of an actress who plays a part with earrings and see if you can see who puts them on Nil Einne (talk) 15:59, 1 October 2009 (UTC)

I know the actress that plays Pat in Eastenders took personal care of all her character's earrings (which were a major part of the character - very big things), so she probably put them in herself. Other than that, I have no idea. --Tango (talk) 14:00, 1 October 2009 (UTC)

I do some amdram and so have general experience of dressing rooms but not specifics of professional actresses. I can't believe that they let anyone else put their ear-rings in. My wife knows a number of professionals and she shares this view. --Phil Holmes (talk) 16:24, 1 October 2009 (UTC)

Conkers

I have some Conkers from a horse-chestnut tree. I'd like to grow them but I'd also like to try some experiments, for fun. What kind of things could I do other than just putting them in some earth and watering it?

How about watering one with water dyed with food coloring and see if your plant looks different? Googlemeister (talk) 13:26, 1 October 2009 (UTC)

This article From Evil Mad Scientist Laboratories seems like a fun plant-growth experiment. APL (talk) 13:44, 1 October 2009 (UTC)

Time-lapse photography can be fun. For added interest you could incorporate some claymation as well.--Shantavira|^{feed me} 15:22, 1 October 2009 (UTC)

Attempt Hydroponics? (I wonder if that could accurately be described as "put some in water and soil it".)

AlmostReadytoFly (talk) 15:26, 1 October 2009 (UTC)

A long time ago, Scientific American showed how you can simulate zero gravity with three wheels all running at right angles to each other and the plants growing on one of the wheel rims. --80.176.225.249 (talk) 18:31, 1 October 2009 (UTC)

I would be interested in reading an article like that. I assume it's not "zero gravity" as much as it is "evenly distributed gravity"? APL (talk) 18:59, 1 October 2009 (UTC)

Any chance of a link to an article about this experiment? I can't quite fathom the logistics of this myself... Gazhiley (talk) 10:26, 2 October 2009 (UTC)

The article was about making a 3D Clinostat. Here is a professional example - http://cadmos.cnes.fr/content/default/biology/en/data/1171895450797.JPG —Preceding unsigned comment added by 80.195.117.33 (talk) 09:45, 3 October 2009 (UTC)

What do you do with conkers?! Play conkers of course! Discover exciting new (and illegal) ways to make them harder. Hone your technique. Try to smash your best friend's "sixer". SteveBaker (talk) 00:39, 2 October 2009 (UTC)

See WP:Beans —Preceding unsigned comment added by 70.4.159.187 (talk) 21:39, 2 October 2009 (UTC)

Transmission Line Electric Grid

Is there some place that I can find out the number of transmission lines in the U.S. during the last twenty years```` —Preceding unsigned comment added by STEELNY (talk • contribs) 20:26, 1 October 2009 (UTC)

There are many different kinds of transmission line. You are going to have to be more specific. —Akrabbim^talk 20:53, 1 October 2009 (UTC)

Something in Category:Electric_power_transmission_systems_in_the_United_States might be useful, possibly? AlmostReadytoFly (talk) 11:38, 2 October 2009 (UTC)

A: Three. In the US power is delivered by Three phase power. If you count the ground line then A: Four. The entire grid is interconnected, so there are only 3 (or four w/ ground) wires strung about the place. They are just really, really long. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 174.146.215.15 (talk) 21:43, 2 October 2009 (UTC)

The preceding answer seems a bit bitey as well as not quite correct. The US does not have one national interconnected grid as some other countries do. There is a Western Interconnect called "WSCC," an Eastern Interconnect including 10 smaller interconnections, and the Texas Interconnect called "ERCOT." Hawaii and Alaska have some "minigrids." See the US Energy Department site at [1]. The question is a bit unclear as to what is wanted, since it could be asking for transmission lines added during the last 20 years. The number of conductors in a transmission line can vary, depending in whether it is Alternating current or high voltage direct current, and if AC whether grounded or ungrounded, but that is probably not what is wanted. It also makes a difference what voltage level the questioner considers "transmission" for AC power, since some utilities consider 69 KV to be transmission, while 110 KV is generally the lowest voltage level considered. Sticking with 110 KV and higher seems appropriate. Is that what is desired, and do you want the present number of transmission lines, or the additions in the last 20 years? Transmission lines are not added at a huge rate, since they cost millions of dollars per mile, and there is a "NIMBY" or "not in my back yard" attitude, since they are generally considered ugly, they can interfere with using the land for other purposes, and some have concerns about health effects from electromagnetic radiation. Certainly they number in the thousands and cover perhaps 350,000 miles (560,000 kilometers). Edison (talk) 22:32, 2 October 2009 (UTC)

The U.S Department of Energy probably has the information you seek. Our article Electric power transmission may also be helpful. Edison (talk) 22:53, 2 October 2009 (UTC)

According to this the 3 wires are 160,000 miles long. 70.4.109.109 (talk) 23:05, 2 October 2009 (UTC)

Sort of off the subject but... A few years back (not more than 5-6) there was a story in the news here in the US about a student at MIT or some such technical university who had, as a class project, assembled a map of all the electric/phone/cable lines, natural gas pipelines, roads, railroads, and (I think) sewers. The gov't found out about his map, took it, and declared it classified info or some such thing. Their excuse was that having all that info in one resource was too dangerous should it fall into the wrong hands. Dismas|^(talk) 03:41, 3 October 2009 (UTC)

A precedent for a collection of public infrastructure information being restricted was in Britain in 1963 when the locations of goverment nuclear bomb shelters were revealed by an anonymous group Spies for Peace. My understanding is that they initially deduced the locations by noting the shortest dialling codes in the public telephone system. Those codes corresponded to major exchanges that were co-located with the shelters. Cuddlyable3 (talk) 19:10, 4 October 2009 (UTC)

Travel Musician

I'm a bass player and i'm going to be traveling to places where it is impractical for me to lug a bass.

Does anybody know of something i can buy that will keep my fingers strong/callusey?

I really just need something i can stick in my backpack that i can strum with my fingers to keep the calluses tough216.15.125.41 (talk) 22:46, 1 October 2009 (UTC)

A few google results recommend the Gripmaster exercise tool with the added Ruff rider grip callus builder caps. Nanonic (talk) 22:53, 1 October 2009 (UTC)

Right hand fingers, left hand fingers or both? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 79.75.110.116 (talk) 23:43, 1 October 2009 (UTC)

My right hand (my plucking hand) concerns me the most216.15.125.41 (talk) 02:20, 2 October 2009 (UTC)

Goose, they are tough to pluck and even a large one will fit nicely in a daypack. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 174.146.215.15 (talk) 21:47, 2 October 2009 (UTC)

Ok as a bass player myself, I would suggest the following: get some old strings: EADG and cut them down to about 6".Stretch them to a short 6" baseboard using 2wooden bridges to raise them up. You will need to tension them correctly somehow (old m/c heads?). Then you have something to pluck on the plane! —Preceding unsigned comment added by CuttingRemark (talk • contribs) 00:27, 5 October 2009 (UTC)