Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Miscellaneous/2007 March 30

Welcome to the Wikipedia Miscellaneous Reference Desk Archives
The page you are currently viewing is an archive page. While you can leave answers for any questions shown below, please ask new questions on one of the current reference desk pages.

March 30

Blue Screen of Death

My computer is display the blue screen of death whenever I try to start it up.

Is it possible to recover any of the data? —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 125.236.133.234 (talk) 00:32, 30 March 2007 (UTC).

Well this is the wrong section for a start but as I don't know how to move it, I'll try to answer it. If you were to put a live CD version of Linux in and boot it off that instead of the hard drive, you should still be able to access the hard drive off that. This probably won't fix the problem you're having with Windows but it should help you get your stuff back. Anyway, if you post this on the computing section then someone more experienced than me should be able to answer it. Mix Lord 00:42, 30 March 2007 (UTC)

Your best bet is probably to pull out the hard drive and add it as a second hard drive to another working computer. If you're not sure how to do that try the computing reference desk. You probably won't have to take it to a repairman if you know how to follow instructions.

Depends on what version of Windows you're using. If it's Windows 98, try the live Linux disk. If it's Windows 2000/XP, chances are you've got corrupt memory, and you'll have to replace it. Cernen Xanthine Katrena 02:27, 30 March 2007 (UTC)

How did you manage to ask that question?... Dev920 (Have a nice day!) 07:13, 30 March 2007 (UTC)

Some people can always find a way... ^_^ V-Man - ^T/_C 09:06, 30 March 2007 (UTC)

I'm using my mom's laptop, which is how I'm doing it. It turns out that the hardrive is salvagable after all, and a technican is coming out tommorow to get the data that I want off it before he wipes it and reloads Windows. Thanks for the help :)

How to rate an article

There are a number of articles that are part of an Iran project, which are supposed to be rated. I found the article on Iran's nuclear program to be extremely POV and would like to give it a negative rating, but I can't figure out how. NPguy 01:19, 30 March 2007 (UTC)

POV in who's favor?

The operating principle behind Wikipedia is not of rating articles per se, but of editing them. If you feel that the article violates WP:NPOV, you have the right to modify it so that it conforms better! V-Man - ^T/_C 01:59, 30 March 2007 (UTC)

That's all well and good, but the article is so pervasively biased that it would be too much effort for me to fix. I posted a comment on the discussion page that outlined my objections.

The article itself (nuclear programme of Iran) says it is part of a group of articles on Iran that are being rated for quality and importance. But I couldn't figure out how the ratings are determined. NPguy 02:27, 30 March 2007 (UTC)

Generally there will be a 'Wikipedia"WikiProject_XXXX' page for each group of assessors - and the people who work there do the ratings. In this case, that would be Wikipedia_talk:WikiProject_Iran. You'll need to go there and argue your case. The list of current assessments is here: Wikipedia:WikiProject_Iran/Assessment. If that doesn't work, you could try appealing to Wikipedia talk:Version 1.0 Editorial Team. SteveBaker 03:55, 30 March 2007 (UTC)

(ec)It seems that someone belonging to Wikipedia:WikiProject Iran (the page there has a list of people involved) has rated the article; usually a WikiProject will be the group to paste a "rate" template on an article's talk page, and then as time goes on someone from that WikiProject will rate it. You don't necessarily have to be a member of that project, although it would probably help. Taking a look at the article, I don't find a ton of POV, but if you are truly concerned, I'd recommend placing a template at the top of the article, probably {{POV}}. I see you've addressed your concerns at the talk page - good job. Once that template is up, people will begin flowing and your burden won't be so heavy. If anyone opposes you, you should take it to Requests for Comment so that more people will be able to give input. A word of advice in such a case - if the consensus flows away from you, be prepared to accept it. Have fun! V-Man - ^T/_C 03:59, 30 March 2007 (UTC)

Truck sign

Today on the freeway (in the US) I saw a truck with this writing on the back: HIRING 0/0 AND DRIVERS

What does 0/0 mean? 68.231.151.161 04:35, 30 March 2007 (UTC)

Owner/operator. Basically, they own the truck they drive, rather than driving a company-owned vehicle. Tony Fox (arf!) 04:43, 30 March 2007 (UTC)

Maybe I should apply. I regularly drive up on the curb when I turn corners in my car, so I'm apparently well-qualified to be a truck driver. :-) StuRat 01:52, 31 March 2007 (UTC)

Mythology

In many mythologies we find fascinating creatures and objects such as the calydonian boar,scylla and charybidis etc...in Greek mythology Pushpaka vimana(a flying machine)vanaras,kineras(exotic species of humans) etc...in our Hindu mythology Beelzebub(pictured as an insect) in Persian mythology.The common thing is that every mythology has it's own share of fascinations.Were they really intended for amusement or do they have any allegorical meaning?Many of them look like exxagerations of normal things.What is the reason behind this? —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 210.212.215.141 (talk) 04:55, 30 March 2007 (UTC).

Legendary creature mentions that such animals were, long ago, thought to exist. A mundane explanation would be that ancient people were still discovering new creatures all the time, and may have found it fun to guess what the next one might look like. Over the years, many of them have not been found; some of them have. A more deep explanation would be that ancient people sought to place symbolism in the emerging cultures somewhere, and found plentiful symbolism in mythological beasts; what besides the ever-changing society around us could be better represented by a four-faced animal? V-Man - ^T/_C 05:12, 30 March 2007 (UTC)

If one thinks about how man has been around for 100 000 years and then looks at what we have done in the last 2000 (that leaves 98000 give or take a few unaccounted for) And if one is to then look at how often new creatures are discovered, and how often animals of all sorts go extinct, And lastly if one looks at the correlation between myths of different cultures, they may well have existed. :-) 81.144.161.223 09:09, 30 March 2007 (UTC)

And then, when one looks at the fossil record, a perplexed look comes over our faces... V-Man - ^T/_C 09:30, 30 March 2007 (UTC)

Canadian residence

Suppose I wanted to gain residence in Canada by marrying a Canadian. I understand I'd be required to live there non-stop for a certain amount of time, without leaving ever? Suppose I wanted to visit my friend two months after moving up there. Could I do that, and then move back and re-start my citizenship time thingy? V-Man - ^T/_C 06:12, 30 March 2007 (UTC)

What country are you a citizen of now? --Charlene 09:30, 30 March 2007 (UTC)

The YOU'ited Stace a 'Merica! V-Man - ^T/_C 09:38, 30 March 2007 (UTC)

I think that the rules are the same regardless of the permanent resident's country of origin. As I understand it, the rules do not require continuous residence in Canada. Instead, they require that the resident remain in Canada more than 40% of the time in any five-year period (or 730 days out of 1825). An analysis of the regulations appears on this website. According to this analysis, you would have no problem making brief or even extended trips outside of Canada so long as you spent at least 40% of your time in Canada. Note, however, that neither I nor anyone else at Wikipedia can be trusted for legal advice, for which you should consult a lawyer. Marco polo 13:40, 30 March 2007 (UTC)

Also, I would suggest that you post your question on this Canadian immigration forum, which attracts dozens or hundreds of people who are navigating the Canadian immigration process and may have firsthand knowledge on your issue. Marco polo 13:44, 30 March 2007 (UTC)

See also Permanent resident (Canada), and Citizenship and Immigration Canada: [1]. As noted, as long as you're in Canada for two years out of every five, you meet the residency requirement for permanent resident status. As noted, you're best to speak to a professional about these issues. TenOfAllTrades(talk) 13:54, 30 March 2007 (UTC)

Searching

Hi. I've written an article on Edgbarrow School, and this works fine. Is it possible for me to engineer it so that when someone sticks 'edgbarrow' instead of 'edgbarrow school' into the search engine they still get redirected to the same page? there's currently nothing on edgbarrow, so how can i redirect it? thanks --EvansUK 09:37, 30 March 2007 (UTC)

Wikipedia:Redirect should get ya on the right path! V-Man - ^T/_C 09:41, 30 March 2007 (UTC)

Coastal Environment Management

Hi, I need to find strategies used to manage coastal environments, but I can't find anything useful on the net. Please help!! Thanks in advance! Cheers, The alias 11:50, 30 March 2007 (UTC) the_alias

the article on Coastal_management has a lot of info and links to other relevant articles. -- Diletante 18:25, 30 March 2007 (UTC)

Sir Richard Branson

I know Virgin own nearly 200 companies or there abouts, but I'm led to believe the Richard Branson owns one company that is not under the Virgin label. Can you tell me what it is?

Thanks. —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 212.42.10.194 (talk) 12:02, 30 March 2007 (UTC).

The only one I can see on the list of Richard Branson's business ventures that might qualify is his first enterprise, Student magazine (if it still exists and he still owns it). Clarityfiend 01:47, 1 April 2007 (UTC)

Online Part Time Jobs

Does anyone know of any online jobs that pay well?

Freelance web designers do pretty decently if they're very good. -- mattb @ 2007-03-30T14:45Z

Well, I kinda mean the kind that you can just sign up for and do some menial work or something...

Menial work seldom pays well. But if that's what you're looking for, you're best off going to the physical office of a company that hires short-term laborers, such as Manpower. Note that you need to choose the country where you are located (from the pull-down menu) to get actual links to jobs. While Manpower's U.S. branch (and perhaps another country's branch) does have an online job locator, the office closest to you may have short-term jobs that they fill on the spot. Marco polo 16:10, 30 March 2007 (UTC)

I doubt such a thing as what you're thinking of exists considering if there were something that you didn't need specialized skills for that you could do from home, it would make headlines and all the jobs would be snatched up already. Who wouldn't want to do something easy from home for good money? Dismas|^(talk) 16:13, 30 March 2007 (UTC)

You might try searching around for data-entry jobs. -- Diletante 16:34, 30 March 2007 (UTC)

In seeking "online jobs," also referred to as "offsite": consider focusing on jobs that require the particular skills you have to offer, e.g. telephony, typing, etc. And in light of the earlier comments on the inherent unlikelihood of "well-paying menial jobs," you might put some effort into upgrading your skills. -- Good luck, Deborahjay 23:08, 30 March 2007 (UTC)

Check out Craigslist. Especially the freelance and writing sections. They often seem to have listings for jobs such as writing pro-X posts on forums and newsgroups, for a fee per post. But be sure to use a throwaway email address to respond; online job postings are sometimes email phishing expeditions. Anchoress 23:33, 30 March 2007 (UTC)

Online Quiz Website

Does anyone know of a website which offers a daily email subscription of quizzes (like the one featured on www.mentalfloss.com)?

Try www.puzzler.com86.211.109.133 16:08, 30 March 2007 (UTC)petitmichel

Film about House of Leaves?

Asked twice, kept once: Wikipedia:Reference_desk/Entertainment#House_of_Leaves_film.3F because, hell, I'm just that good. Cernen Xanthine Katrena 11:01, 31 March 2007 (UTC)

business disaster planning

I need a definition (to help educate reluctant others in my company) of either "core business function" or "essential business function." thank you.63.134.171.60 17:29, 30 March 2007 (UTC)

You might try core business. ~ Amalas rawr ^{=^_^=} 17:50, 30 March 2007 (UTC)

Wikipedia is unfortunately weak when it comes to articles on business. Presumably those with the background knowledge to write good business articles are too busy making money. However, after some web research (and based on some years of corporate experience), I think that a fairly good definition of "core business function" would be "any process essential to a business for bringing in revenue or maintaining its position in the marketplace". Typically, those functions would include sales, accounts receivable, and marketing. Payroll, information systems, and facilities coverage for staff in those departments could be considered essential. Marco polo 20:04, 30 March 2007 (UTC)

Additionally, if the company's revenue stream and market position depend on a production process that cannot be outsourced (due for example to proprietary knowledge or specialized capital equipment), support of production facilities and the skilled workers required to run them could also be considered core business functions. Marco polo 20:10, 30 March 2007 (UTC)

IBM, Hewlett-Packard, and others provide various disaster-recovery services to businesses including hot-standby computer services; you might find some information on their respective web pages.

Atlant 11:10, 2 April 2007 (UTC)

Interconnected Teams

What is interconnected teams thoery in organizational development? 24.248.74.254 18:40, 30 March 2007 (UTC)

Sounds vague! ^_^ A Google search for "interconnected teams" theory organizational development oughtta get you started... V-Man - ^T/_C 00:56, 31 March 2007 (UTC)

Thanks, that helped.

WWII French forces

A large number of Frence troops escaped into England from Dunkirk. Why weren't the French involved in the D-Day invasion?129.112.109.252 20:10, 30 March 2007 (UTC)

See Free_French_Forces#Liberation_of_France they were. meltBanana 20:33, 30 March 2007 (UTC)

Clarification: the initial invasion on D-Day itself involved only American, British, and Canadian divisions (listed in alphabetical order; I don't know how the specific divisions were chosen), but once the Allies had control of the landing zone, many more divisions were landed, including Free French. See Battle of Normandy. In addition, Free French ships took part in D-Day itself. See Operation Neptune. --Anonymous, March 30, 2007, 22:17 (UTC).

To be fair to the French, a further note of clarification is required here. The divisions invloved in the 6 June landings were indeed British, Canadian and American, but there were also assault formations made up of French troops. Many served in No. 4 Commando, part of Lord Lovat's 1st Special Services Brigade, which took part in the crossing of the Pegasus Bridge. Clio the Muse 00:00, 31 March 2007 (UTC)

cancellation

Is anyone able to tell me how to cancel my account from wikipedia? Thank you. —The preceding unsigned comment was added by MikeMcGD (talk • contribs) 21:00, 30 March 2007 (UTC).

Have a Administrator remove it. 65.173.105.71 21:19, 30 March 2007 (UTC)

see: m:right to vanish for instructions.—eric 22:02, 30 March 2007 (UTC)

You have only been an editor for a month; don't let the deletion of one article put you off, because that happens a lot. If you're feeling the wiki-stress, I would advise taking a complete break for a while. You might feel like staying after that. I'm sure you have some positive contributions to make. Adrian M. H. 22:10, 30 March 2007 (UTC)

Check WP:U first then read right to vanish that Eric suggested. - X201 22:06, 30 March 2007 (UTC)

I've had my wiki-fits off and on, but I leave my user account alone, and usually drift back. The worst stress is in actually writing an innovative article. --Zeizmic 00:19, 31 March 2007 (UTC)

Aw, man, you have to write articles to have wiki-stress? That ain't right, man. That just ain't right. Cernen Xanthine Katrena 10:10, 31 March 2007 (UTC)

This user has been blocked twice, the second just a day after he asked this. · AO ^Talk 22:26, 2 April 2007 (UTC)

Will Mexico Attack US in 2008 ?!

I've just got word that Mexico will attack the US in 2008. Reason is to reclaim Aztlan. There are rumored to be 50,000 Chinese troops and "Advisors" in Mexico at this time. The illegal aliens that are in the US are MEXICAN SOLDIERS and they have weapons caches all over the US. When they hit, they'll squash our troops in some kind of pincers maneuver, then loot the US. The invasion is scheduled to take place in 2008. Also seen this matter on the Internet. I HOPE this is a sick rumor. 65.173.105.71 21:11, 30 March 2007 (UTC)

There's probably not much the reference desk can do to answer this. The Internet is full of crazy rumors, I'd advice against taking them seriously. Friday (talk) 21:13, 30 March 2007 (UTC)

Retired military personnel said of the illegal aliens that they're soldiers by the way they walk and carry themselves. 65.173.105.71 21:21, 30 March 2007 (UTC)

You can rest easy in your bed at night. This is entirely untrue and not even a "rumour", likely just the ramblings of one crazed individual. --Richardrj ^{talk email} 21:53, 30 March 2007 (UTC)

I heard the it might be the British who were going to invade us. —Mitaphane _?|! 02:54, 31 March 2007 (UTC)

If you ask me, people who make up conspiracy theories are part of a conspiracy to make everyone die of heart attacks from being so worried about conspiracies. Relax! V-Man - ^T/_C 00:00, 31 March 2007 (UTC)

Wasn't there a conspiracy theory in the 90s that the UN was going to invade the US via some small town in Canada? Of course the people posting it assumed that nobody in Canada had the Internet, or telephones, or cameras, or some such...the only "evidence" for a huge UN presence in the town were two little old ladies wearing blue bonnets. --Charlene 02:17, 31 March 2007 (UTC)

Do Not Fear, the Canadians will repel the Chinese/Mexican Army from their border.

Si, si. Nada Yes, there is nothing to fear. Please to go back to sleep. Clarityfiend 05:45, 31 March 2007 (UTC)

No, it's true, all right. It's a plan by the Cabal to control all information by using illegal immigrants as Jimbo Wales' secret army for the sole purpose of eliminating rival internet encyclopedias from the free world, leaving only Wikipedia to be the one, true encyclopedia from which all world knowledge is contained. Cernen Xanthine Katrena 10:20, 31 March 2007 (UTC)

Mexico will invade from the South, and Canada from the North. The bad part is that the US will be renamed Canadexico (pun from a comedy show I once heard). :-) · AO ^Talk 22:29, 2 April 2007 (UTC)

Pink Hill, Texas

I want to know exactly (coordinates if possible) where Pink Hill, Texas was located. I know it was east of Sherman, Texas and west of Bells, Texas. Any other information about it would be appreciated.Fconley 21:19, 30 March 2007 (UTC)

There's a Pink Hill Road: around about 33°37'24"N,96°28'33"W in between Bells, Texas and Sherman, Texas (google maps link). I can't find a town by that name.—eric 22:10, 30 March 2007 (UTC)

The 1895 Rand McNally gives a post office and population: 46[2].—eric 22:19, 30 March 2007 (UTC)

According to this site[3] there is an historical marker at the site where the Pink Hill school was located in 1872. 455 Pink Hill Rd, corner of Pink Hill Rd and Antioch Rd, 33°37′04.25″N 96°27′34.75″W.—eric 23:07, 30 March 2007 (UTC)

It is the birthplace of the architect O'Neil Ford[4]. It had a post office at some time between 1846 and 1930[5]. It's in Grayson County: the main telephone number for the county can be found here. Editing because I forgot to add a sig and the bot already got me. --Charlene 03:30, 31 March 2007 (UTC)

Thanks to all. I now know where it is/was. Fconley 21:27, 3 April 2007 (UTC)

Who invented rap?

Who invented rap? BigBlackBen 23:33, 30 March 2007 (UTC)

Rap might give some clues about this; while it is quite difficult to lay a finger on a person, the Bronx in the mid-1970s is quite a good start. V-Man - ^T/_C 23:57, 30 March 2007 (UTC)

If you lay a finger on a rap star, you might end up like Tupac. StuRat 01:36, 31 March 2007 (UTC)

I think it was Debbie Harry. I know it sounds unlikely but as far as I know, she recorded the first ever rap song. —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 84.64.224.134 (talk) 01:44, 31 March 2007 (UTC).

The article says that during the time rap was emerging in the Bronx, she was debuting a Punk Rock/New Wave album with her band Blondie. Is there a source that mentions her rapping? V-Man - ^T/_C 01:54, 31 March 2007 (UTC)

Maybe he thinks the song "Rapture" is the first rap song, but it was recorded in 1981, long after rap had begun. Anyway, I suggest to BigBlackBen to check out history of hip hop music. Like virtually every other genre of music, there is no single "inventor". Instead, a musical genre arises organically from the innovations of many musicians. − Twas Now ( talk • contribs • e-mail ) 04:31, 31 March 2007 (UTC)

It's hard to find an inventor, because rap isn't even precisely defined. 惑乱 分からん * \)/ (\ (< \) (2 /) /)/ * 15:34, 31 March 2007 (UTC)

I think it was on VH1 that I saw something about "Rapture" being the first rap video. They didn't specify the first rap song though. Dismas|^(talk) 19:25, 31 March 2007 (UTC)

Naaah! Youre all wrong. Cab Calloway [6] was the inventor of RAP both on record and on film. the only difference is that it was far more musical that todays (C)RAP.

Consider how Russell Simmons got into the business: in 1977 he heard a guy named Eddie Cheeba at a NYC club calling out rhymes to a beat. Simmons considers it something of an epiphany, began repping local acts shortly thereafter. Wolfgangus 20:31, 31 March 2007 (UTC)

Normally the first credited hit of the rap genre is Rapper's Delight by The Sugarhill Gang in 1979. Lemon martini 09:55, 2 April 2007 (UTC)

Curiously, I always thought rap stood for 'rhythm and poetry' but it doesn't say so in the article? Sandman30s 21:48, 2 April 2007 (UTC)

I think "rap" was slang for "talk" (as in "have a conversation") before rap music came along. I think the idea is that the "singer" didn't so much sing as talk. --Trovatore 21:45, 3 April 2007 (UTC)

see: "rap" in Online Etymology Dictionary.—eric 21:54, 3 April 2007 (UTC)