Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Miscellaneous/2007 August 12

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August 12

Grounding oneself at home

I would like to upgrade the RAM chips on my home desktop. I am aware of the dangers of static electricity towards computer hardware and therefore I would like to ground myself. How should I go about doing this? Thanks. Acceptable 00:04, 12 August 2007 (UTC)

You could purchase a grounding wrist strap from your local electronics store and connect it to the (earthed) metalwork on your computer. OR you could just make sure you re always in contact with the metalwork whilst handling the RAM (cheaper)--SpectrumAnalyser 00:13, 12 August 2007 (UTC)

A grounding strap has a resistor which allows static charges to dissipate to ground slowly (it's the sudden discharges that happen without that resistor that cause the damage). While simply keeping in good contact with a ground (without a resistor in the way) should keep the person static-free, if they handle some component which has a static charge on it then that may discharge through the person, through the case, and to ground - all in an instant. So a proper grounding strap is much better. -- Finlay McWalter | Talk 00:18, 12 August 2007 (UTC)

So if I remain in constant contact with both the ground and the metal components of the computer, I should be fine most of the time?Acceptable 00:26, 12 August 2007 (UTC)

Generally. I usually just leave the computer plugged in but turned off, and keep a hand on bare metal. This, however, is hazardous. The other reason for the resistor is so if you DO cross a live wire, you get a tingle and pull your hand away instead of having a perfect conductor strapped to your wrist!

A proper grounding strip is good. They do make disposable grounding strips. But in a pinch, just try to keep a charge from building up on yourself. --Mdwyer 03:44, 12 August 2007 (UTC)

You should be fine if you just get you, the computer frame and the earth at the same voltage - then don't accumulate any static charge after that. I take the computer into the kitchen - hold the frame of the PC in one hand and the metal of the sink in the other, then pick up the silvered bag containing the RAM. Now, we're all at the same voltage - providing I don't shuffle my feet on carpet - I'll be fine (the kitchen floor is tile...so I'm OK there. So install the RAM - and you're done. Wrist straps with embedded safety resistors are great if you're doing lots of work for extended periods - but you needn't go that far just to install some RAM. SteveBaker 03:52, 12 August 2007 (UTC)

Generally you'll be fine as long as you don't have much clothing on, especially not stuff that will build a charge, don't move around much, and ground yourself before touching parts (touching the case is fine). I personally prefer the Largo approach to building l33t computers, but there's nothing wrong with being more protective and buying an antistatic wristband. I'm pretty sure they're only a few bucks each --Lucid 03:53, 12 August 2007 (UTC)

Do something naughty and your parents might ground you. :) DirkvdM 07:48, 12 August 2007 (UTC)

Just to point out that one of the major causes of static is synthetic clothes and carpets - don't wear them while you're doing if you want to be careful. Taking that further wearing wet clothes further reduces the risk of static build up. I've heard than somepeople change components with next to nothing on for that reason...87.102.1.234 10:51, 12 August 2007 (UTC)

Yes - that's true - but so long as there is no significant difference in voltage between the RAM chip and the motherboard at the time you insert it, you should be OK. Just keep touching the frame of the PC (to which everything is ultimately grounded) - and keep the RAM in it's static protection baggie until the last minute and everything will be just fine - you can't build up enough charge over a few seconds no matter what your clothing is - assuming you are just unwrapping the RAM from it's bag then pushing it into the slot on the Motherboard. If you are planning much more major PC surgery - then maybe it's worth taking some extra precautions - but truly, it's just not that serious a problem. Doing the work in the kitchen is a good plan because it's oftem more humid there (less static buildup) - there are nice, large well-grounded things (like the sink) that you can use to ground stuff - and generally there is no carpet. Assembling your PC while wet and naked may be something of a turn-on for the more geeky of us (!) but it's really not required! SteveBaker 15:57, 12 August 2007 (UTC)

I have a few sticks of unused SDRAM lying around on my table naked for quite a while and when I tested them a few days ago they still work.. --antilived^{T | C | G} 05:57, 13 August 2007 (UTC)

"they still work" is not a valid test! Static damage can be very subtle - it doesn't always show up immediately - and it doesn't always result in the entire chip dying. It's perfectly possible that your SDRAMs will work fine for a week or a month and then start exhibiting random failures. SteveBaker 20:10, 13 August 2007 (UTC)

Running something like memtest86 on them, however, would be a fairly good test. I suppose some kind of delayed failure could be possible, but as time goes by it becomes harder and harder to distinguish that from ordinary random failure due to unrelated causes. —Ilmari Karonen (talk) 23:48, 13 August 2007 (UTC)

Money

Even though this may sound like a stupid question, I have wondered about it. If something happens to your money (paper currency in the USA) which renders it unusable, can you bring it to a bank or a federal office (or anywhere) and exchange it for a fresh note? For example, I accidentally rip a dollar bill in half. I accidentally drop a lit match on a dollar bill such that half of it gets burned before I extinguish the flame. I accidentally drop a gallon of black paint on the dollar bill. Etc. Stuff like that. Can you exchange the "bad" bill for an equal denomination "good" bill ... or are you just stuck with the loss? Thanks. (Joseph A. Spadaro 00:35, 12 August 2007 (UTC))

I believe the rule in the U.S. is that if you have more than half of a damaged bill, you can exchange it for a good one. (The reasoning behind the more-than-half rule should be obvious. :-) ) —Steve Summit (talk) 00:52, 12 August 2007 (UTC)

Is it "half" or "more than half"? ... And where does one go, any bank? And is it a "no questions asked" affair or some long drawn out ordeal? (Joseph A. Spadaro 01:45, 12 August 2007 (UTC))

If it were "half", what obvious scam would be facilitated?

I believe one can go to any bank.

As I understand it, it is not a "long drawn out ordeal", but neither is it "no questions asked" -- if the bank suspects fraud, they can and will report you. —Steve Summit (talk) 02:29, 12 August 2007 (UTC)

I guess what I meant by distinguishing the 1/2 versus "more than" 1/2 was ... what do they do, sit there and measure with a ruler? If your dollar bill is only 3.9 inches in length, they won't exchange ... but if it is 4.0 inches in length, they will. That sort of thing. (Joseph A. Spadaro 04:58, 12 August 2007 (UTC))

See this site for the official word. --Mdwyer 03:47, 12 August 2007 (UTC)

Wow, that site was interesting -- thanks. I never heard of the phrase "mutilated money" before. (Joseph A. Spadaro 04:58, 12 August 2007 (UTC))

I tried redeeming a US dollar that had been ripped in two once. The kind teller explained that the dollar needed one serial number in it's entirety, and at least one letter and one number of the other serial number in tact (the numbers are flanked by letters). It seemed as if it wasn't the first time some one had asked about the 'more than half' thing. I can't say I've actually successfully redeemed a dollar though, so who knows? Haikon 06:55, 12 August 2007 (UTC)

Sound like the teller was wrong - this site makes no mention of intact serial numbers. The standard is clearly "More than 50% of the note is present". SteveBaker 15:48, 12 August 2007 (UTC)

Well, and I got to that page from a Treasure FAQ question: "I have some currency that was damaged. My bank will not exchange it for undamaged currency. What can I do?"[1]" This suggests that local banks CAN exchange your mutilated money, but if the mutilation is at all suspicious or there's not enough of the bill there, that have the right to refuse and you'll have to move higher up the ladder to the US treasury.

Furthermore, Steve and the other editors have reminded me that the Moneyfactory links are for the United States Treasury, and their rules obviously aren't going to hold for foreign currency. --Mdwyer 17:45, 12 August 2007 (UTC)

I once heard (and I believe it was a reliable source) that a farmer's pig had eaten a 1000 guilder note. He collected the pig's shit, and had it analysed. The pieces they could identify as part of the note were added up and he got the equivalent amount of money. Say 60% of the note was found, then he would have received 600 guilders. After all, paper money has no intrinsic value. It's basically a 'contract' between the owner and the State that they owe him that amount of money. Which became a completely abstract thing when the gold standard was released. DirkvdM 07:59, 12 August 2007 (UTC)

The Bank of England gets about 35,000 applications a year for replacement of mutilated notes, worth about £40 million. The basic criterion is that there's over half the note presented, and they also look for things like the presence of the serial number, the Chief Cashier's signature, and the promissory clause ("I promise to pay the bearer on demand the sum of...."). -- Arwel (talk) 11:20, 12 August 2007 (UTC)

If you take a damaged bill of the currency of the country named into a casino in any of Canada, Puerto Rico, Monte Carlo, Sint Maarten and on board any Holland America or Princess Line ship ($US only), you can exchange it at the cashier's cage with very little problem. I suspect this will be true in other countries as well, but these are the ones I know about for certain. By damaged, I mean a torn corner, or a rip through the bill; I wouldn't expect them to exchange anything too close to the half mark. Bielle 02:02, 13 August 2007 (UTC)

When I tried to get a slightly burnt USD 1 bill exchanged at a local bank, they rejected it because the one serial number was slightly burnt off. The next one down the line took it with no trouble. My conclusion is that it depends on which bank you go to. 68.39.174.238 00:10, 14 August 2007 (UTC)

This has been interesting. I remember reading years ago about this government service of replacing mutilated money, but with a different rule for partial bills. It was something like if you had between 3/8 and 5/8 of the bill including one complete serial number, they would give you 1/2 its value. Further, I remember reading that both Canada and the US had such a rule (with the critical fractions slightly different), although neither of their sites mentions it now. (Here's the Canadian one.) Perhaps it was changed because some people started making $5 bills by cutting $10 bills in half, and it got to be too much trouble! Or perhaps my source back then was just wrong. --Anonymous, August 14, 2007, 00:10 (UTC).

Also, I remember reading in an awful book about the British police that if you saved the security threads you could get satisfaction, however this was about 50+ years ago. 68.39.174.238 00:14, 14 August 2007 (UTC)

FLV to 3GP encoder

Which video converter is the most effective? I tried looking but I can't find any effective ones/

If online (say you have a YouTube video), try http://vixy.net. Paste the hyperlink in the webpage and it can convert for you into your chosen format (3GP)

Moving and keeping Dish Network Account and Programming

Is there a way to be able to move to another area and not have to use the DishMOVER option by dish network. Are there any alternate ways to do this. I am willing to pay a reinstallation fee.--logger 06:39, 12 August 2007 (UTC)

I bet most people thought this was a silly question... but I did the same thing with my DirecTV service, because one of the requirements of their moving service was to sign on to a new contract. I am totally against contracts, so I struck out on my own.

Basicly, you just have to reinstall a dish and wireing at your new location. You can probably hire someone to do it -- and it might even be the same person who came out to your house if Dish had done the moving, since they usually subcontract out to local installers. The only difference between doing it yourself and paying someone else is

• You pay the installer
• Your old house doesn't have a dish on it to tempt the new residents to sign up. Marketing!
• You have to tell Dish to change your billing address. You may also change your local channels, to comply with blackout restrictions, etc.

When I did it, I used an extra dish I had laying around the garage. --Mdwyer 17:39, 12 August 2007 (UTC)

Calabria's Religion

What is Calabria's religion in a percentage?

Of what? DirkvdM 08:01, 12 August 2007 (UTC)

I presume the OP would like to know what percentage of people in Calabria worship in which religions. SteveBaker 15:42, 12 August 2007 (UTC)

Oops, I misread that as 'region'. That's the second time I do that in a short time - getting sloppy, sorry. DirkvdM 05:56, 13 August 2007 (UTC)

Our Calabria article doesn't say, but I'd expect it to closely match the rest of Italy#Religion. StuRat 00:46, 13 August 2007 (UTC)

That's a rather tenuous expectation, I'd say. Italy has a strong North-South cultural divide. Or at least they think they do. I haven't spent much time in the South and it's possible that the perceived divisions are more historical memory than current fact. --Trovatore 22:10, 15 August 2007 (UTC)

Barcelona Olympics 1992

During the opening ceremony the Olympic flame was due to be lit by an archer firing an arrow, which triggered the flame to light. I feel sure I read in the newspapers the next day that this had been faked. In fact the arrow had missed and the flame was litfrom an external source!. I have no access to old newspapers and hope you can verify this version of events. Thanks.84.76.146.162 08:34, 12 August 2007 (UTC)barbyray

The lighting of the flame is described (unsourced, unfortunately) at 1992 Summer Olympics. Algebraist 11:39, 12 August 2007 (UTC)

It would surprise me if it were not faked. They would have to time the turning on of the gas very carefully to ensure that there was the right concentration of gas where the arrow passed - yet not so much that there would be an enormous explosion. On the other hand if you had a small pilot light down out of sight and turned up the gas within a short period of the arrow being fired, the result would look pretty convincing. The risk of this thing failing would be too great for them not to have the ability to light it without help from the arrow. SteveBaker 15:36, 12 August 2007 (UTC)

Missing was all part of the master plan, according to the BBC. Rockpocket 17:48, 12 August 2007 (UTC)

The BBC got it right. The arrow only had to fly through the gas. In case he would have missed they had taken measures to lit it manually.--Tresckow 11:34, 16 August 2007 (UTC)

shipbuilding

who were the greatest shipbuilders in the history of mankind? 203.199.213.66 09:30, 12 August 2007 (UTC)

"The greatest shipbuilders" is a bit ambiguous. Could you clarify the question? Not to be pedantic, but just trying to get a feel for the nature of the question: Are you asking for the firms that produced the most tonnage, the civilizations that produced the most successful wooden warships, the people who made the most advances in ship design? 152.16.188.107 10:11, 12 August 2007 (UTC)

He might be in Category:Shipbuilders. Jon513 10:52, 12 August 2007 (UTC)

Bus to airshow

The 2007 Atlantic City Airshow is taking place in Atlantic City, New Jersey on August 15. How do I get affordably there from New York City? I am especially aiming at the NJ Transit or the Chinatown bus.

So far, the Greyhound bus is $31 for the casino special and the car rental from my local Enterprise rent-a-car is $59+ for the day. How do I find a cheaper fee? The NJ Transit travel planner is not helping me and I can't find the right Chinatown bus using Gotobus. And carpooling or driving my father's car to Atlantic City and back is not a desirable option. What do I do next? --Blue387 10:37, 12 August 2007 (UTC)

According to this website, Today's Bus charges $20 round-trip. After much effort, I got NJ Transit to quote a fair for the NYC to Atlantic City route. It seems to be $28.95 each way. Marco polo 16:15, 13 August 2007 (UTC)

?

WHY?

Because your caps-lock key seems to be stuck! SteveBaker 15:30, 12 August 2007 (UTC)

Because !(with thanks to Aleister Crowley)hotclaws 16:28, 12 August 2007 (UTC)

This question is answered (though from another point of view) in Shari Lowe's book Why Not? Xn4 18:59, 12 August 2007 (UTC)

Xn4, please see our policies on WP:UNDUE weight. This could be WP:NPOV --Lucid 22:09, 12 August 2007 (UTC)

Because.

Atlant 12:17, 13 August 2007 (UTC)

Maybe it's "Why does "== ? ==" render as " ?" in MediaWiki? 68.39.174.238 00:18, 14 August 2007 (UTC)

If you mean 'why do we use the ? symbol?' there is a Wiki-article on the question mark.Richard Avery 07:32, 16 August 2007 (UTC)

Perseids in BST (GMT+1)

Greetings,

What would be the best time to observe the Perseids in the BST time zone?

Respondents thanked in advance,

--anon 15:18, 12 August 2007 (UTC) Googling found me this http://www.strudel.org.uk/blog/astro/000693.shtml hotclaws 16:33, 12 August 2007 (UTC)

The meteor shower spreads over many days. The peak is tonight, but it's hard to say whether a certain time of night will be more intense. Basically any time tonight is good. —Keenan Pepper 01:03, 13 August 2007 (UTC)

It is usually better to look in the early hours of the morning, say 1 - 4am because the point in the atmosphere where the fine particles impact and glow is more overhead and you are likely to see the little rascals flying out in all directions, compared with the impact point (there is a technical name) being low on the horizon when you will see only the glowlines that come above the horizon. Almost too late this year, although there will be some for a day or two yet. But, hey they'll be back next year!! Richard Avery 10:27, 14 August 2007 (UTC)

japanese height

i was watching a video on style.com on streetstyle in aoyama and this one girl looked super tall even though she was wearing heels so are the japanese becoming taller or is it an illusion by doing tricks to appear taller??? THX

I've heard that japanese women are becoming bustier possibly due due to BGH and other growth hormones in milk and beef cattle. Before WWII, Japanese society didn't use much milk. After the war, school lunches in Japan included milk, and this seems to have coincided with an increase in cancers[2] and possibly growth changes, as well. This is a very contentious issue, though, and it is difficult to find any scientific facts. --Mdwyer 20:24, 12 August 2007 (UTC)

I have also heard the above, but also related to height as well. Anecdotally, it does seem the Japanese are getting taller on average, but I haven't looked to see if there are any studies on it. Note that there is of course a large variation in height and weight in a population - there will always be "outliers" and it's possible a Japanese woman could be unusually tall. As the OP stated "..super tall.." though, and fashion magazines and such are known for their experience with illusions (like making women look slimmer than they actually are using angles), makes me think that this was most likely some sort of camera trick. -Wooty [Woot?] [Spam! Spam! Wonderful spam!] 20:34, 12 August 2007 (UTC)

I'd love to see scientific sources for BGH affecting human growth rates! My wife works in the dairy industry and from what she's said, you can't tell the difference in milk between BGH treated and non-treated cows. I'd be willing to accept that the extra calcium and nutrients in the milk has affected growth rates. Dismas|^(talk) 18:24, 13 August 2007 (UTC)

There is an article here which considers the increasing height of the Japanese (or perhaps I should say the inhabitants of Japan) over 17,000 years! Xn4 22:03, 12 August 2007 (UTC)

Neat article! Thanks! --Mdwyer 01:22, 13 August 2007 (UTC)

Milk is also sometimes mentioned as a reason the Netherlands is the tallest nation on Earth. Demographics of the Netherlands states the latter, but no reasons. DirkvdM 06:06, 13 August 2007 (UTC)

...which is pretty ironic for a country that's also one of the lowest on Earth. SteveBaker 20:18, 13 August 2007 (UTC)

Or practical if the place floods. :) DirkvdM 07:00, 14 August 2007 (UTC)

Who was she with? I remember older Morning Musume performances where Hitomi Yoshizawa looked like a giant at 5'7" standing with her group members, who are as short as 4'9" or so. --Wirbelwindヴィルヴェルヴィント (talk) 17:27, 13 August 2007 (UTC)

Toyota Fortuner

What is the other name of Toyota Hilux SW4?

Toyota Tacoma? See Toyota Hilux. --h2g2bob (talk) 23:01, 12 August 2007 (UTC)

The other name of Toyota Hilux SW4 is Toyota Fortuner - unsigned edit, slightly misplaced, restored by --Tagishsimon (talk)

United American Publishing Co., Inc.

We have an old (1927) stock certificate for this company from our Grandfather (no longer living). Have tried to search the internet, but no luck. Have talked to a broker, but also to no avail. Is there any information as to what happened to this company? Did it merge, change names or go out of business? Any data would be helpful. JLJG48 22:27, 12 August 2007 (UTC)

1927 is an auspicious year for a stock certificate — two years before Black Thursday. My bet would be to check newspaper archives from the time. --24.147.86.187 22:46, 12 August 2007 (UTC)

Is there a USA equivalent of the UK Companies House? If so they would have records of an '.inc' company. Exxolon 00:26, 15 August 2007 (UTC)

Getting a Job

Fellow Wikipedians,

Now that my 16th birthday is imminent, it's sort of expected of me to get a job soon and join the work force. I would appreciate it very much if you wouldn't mind sharing any pearls of wisdom from your youth about working or getting a job. I'd like to find a job that would have decent pay above minimum wage, and one that I could work at around my schedule for school. That job is probably not going to find me, but if anyone has suggestions about good starting jobs or ways to earn money I'd love to hear them. Respectfully, 71.98.2.34 23:05, 12 August 2007 (UTC)

Be personable, be persistent, and don't take no for an answer. Hit as many places as you can with a good resume, and make sure you have polished interview skills. It will be hard, and you might end up working some duds to start off with, but it's a learning experience. --Haemo 23:06, 12 August 2007 (UTC)

It's a classic Catch-22: no work without an employment record, no employment record without work. Take whatever you can get at first but be sure to keep an eye out for "trading up". Have no illusions about employer loyalty — they like you because they don't have to pay you much. --24.147.86.187 23:22, 12 August 2007 (UTC)

Also, welcome to the world of 'office politics' (though you don't actually have to work in an office to experience it). Think that all the bickering, bitching, backstabbing, shitty attitudes and cliquishness would stop when you left school? Think again. :) Oh yeah, watch out for the guy who's been at the place for 20 years doing the same job that you just started, for the same pay. He'll try to act like he's your boss/supervisor. He's not. Based on my own personal experiences, this guy is usually a complete and utter tool. --Kurt Shaped Box 23:36, 12 August 2007 (UTC)

Sixteen is a bit early to be leaving the educational system, IMO & FWIW. --Tagishsimon (talk)

It really does depend. There's still a lot to be said for learning a trade. I know quite a few people who left school at 16 (this is in the UK), got apprenticeships, became plumbers, electricians or builders and made a better living for themselves than people who concentrated on the academic, went to university and got their degrees. --Kurt Shaped Box 00:01, 13 August 2007 (UTC)

He's not leaving school, this is an after-school and/or weekend job. Note where he said "around my schedule for school". StuRat 00:38, 13 August 2007 (UTC)

Ask at different places for application forms, and write a CV. The CV might not have much on it, but note the skills you've got from school and from work experience. Practice doing interviews with friends or family. If companies say no to you, ask why so you can do better next time. Don't be disheartened when companies say no - you will be rejected many times before success. Monster has information on finding your first job. Ask your school for advice - many give careers advise of some kind. If you're in the UK, the Job Centre may also help. --h2g2bob (talk) 01:50, 13 August 2007 (UTC)

What a delight to read from a young person who signs off "Respectfully", when most can't even say please or Kiss my A--; he/she will go far! --88.111.35.0 08:43, 13 August 2007 (UTC)

E gads man, you can't go spouting off like that on wikipedia. Luckily you have me here, I'll defend you from the feminists provoked by your *clearly* sexist comments! --froth^t 19:12, 13 August 2007 (UTC)

IMHO, the best line of work for someone with no specialized skills is waiting tables. The money can be good (especially if you get into fine dining), work is available everywhere, schedules are flexible, you get to meet a lot of people, and waitstaffs are so incestuous that you'll never want for evening company. --Sean 12:34, 13 August 2007 (UTC)

The best thing about waiting tables is that the hours can be very flexible and convenient. This is especially important if you want to work part-time through college. Getting experience when you are young will help immeasurably. Plasticup ^T/C 17:13, 13 August 2007 (UTC)

When looking for work take the time to find out details about the prospective employer. Think what they need, and present yourself to meet that need. "You need a counter hand who...." "That's me, because..." It is fatal to work from "I want a job please". Also dare to be different. Too many submit similar or identical applications. Good luck.86.200.131.120 15:05, 13 August 2007 (UTC)petitmichel

Waiting tables is a good first job for many, but you have to be willing and able to take abuse from rude customers, smile at them when they say rude things to you, ask them what you can do to make them happy, and then do that and be prepared for them to abuse you some more. Not everybody has the temperament for that kind of work. Some would do better in a mailroom or a warehouse job where one deals only with coworkers who are not entitled to be abusive.

On a different note, most people get their jobs through connections, and connections can be especially helpful when you are short on experience. You might enlist your parents' help in finding work for you, perhaps at a business where a friend of theirs has some influence, and you might mention to friends' parents that you are looking for a part-time job. This is likely to be more effective than knocking on the doors of strangers. Marco polo 15:49, 13 August 2007 (UTC)

My first job is cashiering at a grocery store.. extremely flexible hours since it's not that big of a deal if one lane out of 10 has to close since you're sick or whatever. The pay's rather minimum but it's not terrible work if you can figure out the register, don't mind sandpapery hands (why must they cover every product in some kind of bone-dry papery product?!), and can tolerate being on your feet for hours on end. Basically whatever you do, as a teenager you'll get the crappy jobs --froth^t 19:14, 13 August 2007 (UTC)