Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Miscellaneous/2008 January 2

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January 2

Best colleges in Minnesota for foreign studies?

What are the best minnesota/fargo-moorhead area collages for foreign studies? Is Saint Cloud State University one of them? Thanks. 66.44.181.31 (talk) 03:26, 2 January 2008 (UTC)

I can't speak to which are "best," but this tool allows you to search for colleges by location, available majors, and many other factors - it should be able to help you make up a preliminary list. Visiting these colleges would then be an excellent way to judge their quality. -Elmer Clark (talk) 07:55, 3 January 2008 (UTC)

Relationship advice

There's this girl I like, and I think she likes me. The problem is, she's my cousin. What should I do? --80.87.131.100 (talk) 08:20, 2 January 2008 (UTC)

If you're serious, ask your ma. If you're just curious, see article Cousin couple. Julia Rossi (talk) 08:56, 2 January 2008 (UTC)

In some countries, that would be a non-issue. It seems from your IP that you live in the UK, so then it kind of depends on your culture, religion and ethnicity. As our article states, by some estimates as many as 55% of Pakistanis and Muslims in Britain marry a first cousin. If you are a Pakistani or Muslim then ask a older member of your family what the deal is in your community. You could always phrase it in a way to sound as if you want to know out of interest, rather than because you have a specific reason. If you are not from a culture where consanguinity is culturally accepted, then you may wish to be a little more careful about it. Perhaps you could speak to a trusted teacher, school counselor, a doctor or nurse, or a religious advisor, going straight to a family member could be awkward unless you are confident they would be understanding and discrete. Finally, it may be a bit premature, but if you were considering a sexual relationship, there it would be worth considering that there are genetic implications for children from such relationships, genetic counseling would be advised if you were to be in a position where you could have children with a cousin. Rockpocket 09:44, 2 January 2008 (UTC)

Rudy, is that you? --Sean 12:30, 2 January 2008 (UTC)

Charles, is that you? --24.147.86.187 (talk) 22:43, 2 January 2008 (UTC)

Ah, don't worry about that. There are almost always those kind of feelings between a cousin that is a guy and the other that is a girl, those feelings will pass with time —Preceding unsigned comment added by Dlo2012 (talk • contribs) 00:04, 3 January 2008 (UTC)

desire

What should I do to inculcate a desire for a good career and a future?I have become a sort of recluse have lost the zest to work and earn money.I am still in my bachelor of engineering course and think that I can change the course of my life.But I am very lazy to change. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 218.248.2.51 (talk) 08:59, 2 January 2008 (UTC)

You demonstrate sufficient motivation to at least ask a question about your situation, so I don't think you're as lazy as you say you are. It's apparent to me that you do have a desire for a good career and a good future, otherwise you wouldn't have come here. Maybe your problem is not quite knowing exactly what sort of career you want. Unless you have a concrete idea of what it is you want, your mind will have nothing to focus on, which will lead to either an absence of career-related activity, or mindless and joyless going through the motions. This will feed back to you that you're either not interested in careers, or are too lazy to do anything about getting a good career - but that would be the wrong conclusion to come to. That's not it at all. It's just that your mind needs something specific and concrete to work on, and only you can provide those details. You have to choose. -- JackofOz (talk) 09:19, 2 January 2008 (UTC)

Studying for a degree really needs hard work, if you are going to get anything out of it. You need to study something that interests you, which you enjoy studying, or else the course will just be a slog. It might be a good time to reflect on what really interests you, what you like to read about or investigate, and see if you can change course if the answer is not engineering, or your particular strand of engineering. If this is the case, then please try to change to something that you do want to study, and do both yourself and your tutors a favour!SaundersW (talk) 16:03, 2 January 2008 (UTC)

Inculcate? Really? That's some obscure choice of words... Anyway the best way to instill a desire for a good career/future is to discover what you are passionate about and/or figure out what you want in life and use that as your motivation. You might not always achieve your dreams, but you will enjoy the chasing them down. To quote Mark Twain "Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover." ny156uk (talk) 17:05, 2 January 2008 (UTC)

And meanwhile, you might want to double-check that there's no organic reason for your loss of "zest". I had this absence of "zest" for many years, and was indeed such a recluse; it's called clinical depression, and nowadays there are drugs that can fix that. --jpgordon^∇∆∇∆ 19:34, 2 January 2008 (UTC)

That sounds dangerously close to a medical diagnosis, jpgordon. We don't do that around here, not even when asked for one (which we weren't). It might have been clinical depression in your case, but that wouldn't be the case in every case. And even if it were the case in this case, drugs are not necessarily the best approach - they might alleviate some or all of the symptoms, but they never remove the underlying cause. Every case has to be dealt with on its unique circumstances, and such treatment is managed by qualified professionals. -- JackofOz (talk) 21:01, 2 January 2008 (UTC)

Right and wrong. One of the reasons that a person might act as the OP describes is clinical depression. We cannot diagnose or prescribe here. Therefore we should recommend that the OP seek a professional opinion. Dear OP: Go to the student clinic and request a referral to a psychologist or counselor. Those folks are very, very used to working with people in your situation. -Arch dude (talk) 23:34, 2 January 2008 (UTC)

Um, it's not true that the underlying cause is not removed by medication. Clinical depression often has a physiological basis, and correcting the serotonin levels, via an SSRI or similar drug, makes the problem go away. Anyway, yeah, go to the clinic; I wish SSRIs had been available 40 years ago; it would have spared me an awful lot of pain. There's a simple written test the doctor will administer to screen whether it is depression you are suffering from or just angst; then you can get started on healing, one way or another. --jpgordon^∇∆∇∆ 17:15, 3 January 2008 (UTC)

Or not. I've tried three different antidepressants with three different sets of annoying (or alarming) side effects; the only lasting benefit I can detect is a deeper awareness of the nature of the problem, which sometimes helps me endure the worst episodes. —Tamfang (talk) 02:12, 7 January 2008 (UTC)

Looks to me like you want a change of field. —Tamfang (talk) 02:14, 7 January 2008 (UTC)

Your problem may be that you have different ultimate goals from what most people have, or from what most people think they have, and therefore aren't very interested in what most people call success. Consider the following:

• How happy would a high salary make you, if you didn't also have enough leisure time to enjoy what that money would buy? In her 20-minute film The Story of Stuff, Annie Leonard argues that most North Americans would be happier if (and were happier when) they worked less and consumed less, and the environment would be in better shape too.
• Could you accept a mediocre job, career and salary if it meant having more time and energy to devote to hobbies, travel, dating or raising a family?
• What careers will give you work that you consider important? Are you in a major that leads to one?
• How important will your grades be to your career?

Or in more general terms, what makes you happy, what work will give you what makes you happy, and what education and summer jobs will lead to the work that gives you what makes you happy? Hope this leads you toward some answers. NeonMerlin 03:53, 7 January 2008 (UTC)

budget day

What day will British Budget day be this year?--86.5.203.137 (talk) 11:24, 2 January 2008 (UTC)

The date is not usually announced until nearer the time (I don't know why). In 2007 it was on 21 March, and this date was announced on 22 February. Presumably the dates will be similar this year. AndrewWTaylor (talk) 13:39, 2 January 2008 (UTC)

Historically it's usually on a Tuesday, although most of the recent Budget's have been on Wednesdays. So best guess would be 18th or 19th of March, or possibly the same days in the following week. - X201 (talk) 14:17, 2 January 2008 (UTC)

I think a new article is needed. Budget Day redirects to Budget Day (Ireland) which says that it's some time in December. So what's this British Budget Day? Dismas|^(talk) 14:32, 2 January 2008 (UTC)

It's the day when the Chancellor of the Exchequer announces the United Kingdom budget for the coming year and discusses changes in preceding years in the British House of Commons. It's usually highly anticipated as it's presentation announces the rate of tax rises etc on consumables and also Council tax adjustments. NB. Not to be confused with the Pre-Budget Report delivered in November. (more on the treasury website at [1] [2] and [3]) 81.77.136.231 (talk) 16:34, 2 January 2008 (UTC)

IIRC the British budget is usually delivered during the third week in March. It's important for us Brits as it is the speech which tells us how much more tax we will have to pay for petrol, alcohol, cigarettes etc, as well as what wthe money raised will be spent on (hospitals, schools, prisons, military etc). TicketMan - Talk - contribs 19:24, 3 January 2008 (UTC)

Oh come on Folks, let's be real here for a change - the much awaited Budget announcement has long been leaked, to and by - the media - well in advance of the "Budget Speech" by the Chancellor of The Exchequer in the House of Commons on "Budget Tuesday". How on earth else could "those in the loop", nod-nod wink-wink know-what-I-mean, possibly know the best re-location venue for their investment funds?? It's the same with The Queen's Speech at the State Opening of Parliament. The government of the day writes the speech, HMQ delivers it without the constitutional right (the UK doesn't have a written constitutional instrument or Bill of Rights by the way) or the opportunity to modify or amend it, and it is debated by both Houses of Parliament - the Commons (elected), and Lords (unelected and partly hereditary, and partly appointed by current and previous Prime Ministers for life), before passing into law (because the Queen said so see). And as in the last Queen's Speech Fiasco, the new PM Gordon Brown, had already announced to Parliament much earlier (many months earlier in fact) what it was HMQ was going to say in her State Opening of Parliament Speech. And guess what?? He was right on the ball. Smoke and Mirrors???? You got it. I could hazard a guess today what the Budget will include. The papers have been leaking it like a holed oil tanker all through the Festive Season whilst Parliament has been in recess. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 81.145.240.26 (talk) 20:31, 3 January 2008 (UTC)

Well, even if the budget is routinely leaked in advance of Budget Day, one might have good reasons for wanting to know what date it will be leaked in advance of. —Tamfang (talk) 02:16, 7 January 2008 (UTC)

Days holiday

hi jst a quick question is their a legal requirement(dno if thats spelt right)to how many days holiday i am aloud from work? i work full time (9-5:30 5 days a week) some one recently told me that by law i should have 24 days holida...can anyone confirm this?? (sorry if its a bit jumbled up im still a bit wreckd from new years) ThAnx XX —Preceding unsigned comment added by 193.115.175.247 (talk) 12:24, 2 January 2008 (UTC)

Telling us which country you are in would be a good start. - X201 (talk) 12:57, 2 January 2008 (UTC)

If it's the U.S., telling us what state as well would help us along the search path. Some states don't get Martin Luther King Day off. Dismas|^(talk) 13:36, 2 January 2008 (UTC)

The IP address indicates the OP is in the UK. On that assumption, there is some online information from the Citizens' Advice Bureau, but we can't give legal advice here. AndrewWTaylor (talk) 13:51, 2 January 2008 (UTC)

It's 35 days excluding Public Holidays (Christmas, New Years, Bahmitzvah, Hannukah, Ramadan, Eid, Martin Luther King Day, Independence Day, Easter, Thanksgiving, My Birthday, Whitsun, etc., etc.) for literates - and zilch for illiterates, because the latter can't read their terms of employment and have to resort to asking such fundamental questions on sites such as this - Savvy Employers 300 - Dumb Employees 000000000000. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 81.145.240.26 (talk) 22:42, 3 January 2008 (UTC)

And that's why governments run schools: to ensure a steady supply of illiterates. —Tamfang (talk) 02:17, 7 January 2008 (UTC)

Licensing on Flickr

Imagine someone uploads an image to Flickr under a free license (this, for example), and I use it on a website. If a few weeks later, the original uploader changes the license to "all rights reserved", am I forced to take the image off my website, or can I keep it because he had released it with a free license previously? -- Leptictidium (mammal talk!) 17:12, 2 January 2008 (UTC)

If I see one more 'we cannot give legal advice' respone to a perfectly non-legal question i'm going to scream! We direct the individual to the information, we don't state the legal validity of that information... Anyway look at here (http://wiki.creativecommons.org/FAQ) in particular...

'What if I change my mind?' "Creative Commons licenses are non-revocable. This means that you cannot stop someone, who has obtained your work under a Creative Commons license, from using the work according to that license. You can stop distributing your work under a Creative Commons license at any time you wish; but this will not withdraw any copies of your work that already exist under a Creative Commons license from circulation, be they verbatim copies, copies included in collective works and/or adaptations of your work. So you need to think carefully when choosing a Creative Commons license to make sure that you are happy for people to be using your work consistent with the terms of the license, even if you later stop distributing your work." ny156uk (talk) 17:40, 2 January 2008 (UTC)

It could be more tricky than that, I think. If the copyright holder in question sued for infringement, it would come down to some sort of question as to whether or not their original checking of the CC box was really binding. AFAIK this question would not fall under copyright law, but contract/licensing law. (Of which I know jack squat.) Personally I think you'd have to find a pretty tech-savvy and enlightened judge to rule in favor of the re-user. --24.147.86.187 (talk) 18:48, 2 January 2008 (UTC)

Sorry! I didn't know. I've removed my comments and restored the original question. Scarian^{Call me Pat} 17:44, 2 January 2008 (UTC)

Recycable?

Is this trash can recycable? http://www.amazon.com/Behrens-1211-20Gal-Trash-Can/dp/B000RNEV6Y/ref=pd_bbs_sr_4?ie=UTF8&s=hi&qid=1199302263&sr=8-4. And I don't mean a trash can ment for recycables. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 76.176.215.76 (talk) 19:43, 2 January 2008 (UTC)

Metal is, in general, very recyclable. I can't tell what the can is made out of, though. Mind you, recycling a trash can via curbside recycling is somewhat difficult. It's the same as trying to throw away a trashcan! --Mdwyer (talk) 20:50, 2 January 2008 (UTC)

This seems to be a standard galvanised steel garbage can. Steel is an easily recycled material. You simply have to take it to your local recycling yard where from it is shipped to the steelworks to be remelted. Some of the yards offer a pick up service and may pay for the material. There may also be recycling bins for ferrous metals at your municipal disposal facility.

Presumably the trash can itself also bears a sticker to indicate it can be recycled. --Cookatoo.ergo.ZooM (talk) 21:28, 2 January 2008 (UTC)

Why would it? Isn't it only plastic that is labeled due to the need to sort it? Rmhermen (talk) 15:06, 7 January 2008 (UTC)

Relationship Advice

I'm in a bit of a pickle, and I can't confer with any of my close friends about the problem, so I've come to the Ref Desk. I'm going to try to break this problem down as simply as I can.

The Facts:

• I have been dating the girl of my dreams for the past month and a half.
• If it's relevant, I'm a sophomore in high school.
• I'm moving to a different state over summer, after I finish out my sophomore year.
• Nobody knows except my family.
• I'm planning on telling everyone I'm moving when my house goes up for sale - late spring or early summer (anywhere from April to June).

The Problem:

• I don't know if it's fair to my girlfriend if I wait and tell her the same time as I tell everyone else, probably when we're both head over heels in love with each other.
• I don't want our relationship to end, but I'm afraid if I tell her I'm moving at the end of the year that she'll want to stop dating before we fall completely in love. (Note: It will be approximately six months until I move!)

If I need to clarify on anything or extra details are needed, just ask. Thanks for all of the advice and help. --71.117.37.108 (talk) 20:18, 2 January 2008 (UTC)

The Solution?

A difficult pickle. Personally I would say that if you believe you are closer to your girlfriend than most of your friends you should consider telling her before others. It doesn't have to be weeks before or anything silly, but I can easily imagine she would be upset if she somehow found out through someone else/was told this big news infront of a big crowd rather than being told alone/before others. The second issue is a question of where you both see the relationship going. I would expect that if she is very sensible then the thing you fear is a possibility - after all it may well be the best outcome, rather than a potentially sour-turning long-distance break-up - but also if she is as smitten by you as you are her then she might take the risk and go for it. Long distance relationships can work but they are difficult, and particularly around your age. Just don't let it become a weight hanging over you. Another factor is how regularly you would expect to return/how long you'd be gone for, as the less and longer the more obstacles there are. ny156uk (talk) 20:45, 2 January 2008 (UTC)

Relationships are built on trust and understanding. Since this directly impacts the relationship you should tell her now and ask her to keep it confidential. --JustaHulk (talk) 21:42, 2 January 2008 (UTC)

If you don't tell the girlfriend now then she's going to be mad and with good reason (does it matter that it is confidential? surely others will want to know as well). As for the long-term, long-distance relationships are the pits and usually don't work out. You're also at a very, very early stage in your emotional life and should not be fooled by your hormones into thinking that you will never find another "girl of your dreams" or that the current girl is going to be "of your dreams" in perpetuity. What one is interested in or finds attractive in high school changes quite a bit over time, and you (and her) will change a lot in the next 5-8 years as well. The odds of both of you changing to being exactly the same sort of person the other changed person finds desirable at that later stage are, well, slim. As a consequence, if you can bear it, I wouldn't try to maintain the long-distance relationship. You have no reasonable possibilities at the moment for maintaining it (can you even drive yet?), you have no reasonable possibilities at the moment for ending the long-distance aspect of it (there is no prospect of you two living together), and it would be against both yours and her long-term interests to try and commit to something of that nature. This is, of course, just my opinion, as someone who was once your age, as someone who had a few long-distance type things at different points in my life. If I were you—and, of course, I am not—I would probably tell her that you really, really are having a great time with her and that you want to savor that for all it is worth, and that you really want to keep in touch, but that you don't think it would be fair to her (or yourself) to try and keep a real relationship going. Better to do it that way than to drag it out into something which almost inevitably will end in pain and/or disaster (nothing like marrying too young for a bad reason!). --24.147.86.187 (talk) 22:26, 2 January 2008 (UTC)

I'll also just note that if I were your age and reading my above response, I probably wouldn't take it all that seriously and adopt a "you say it can't work, do you? well I'll prove you wrong!" sort of attitude (I'm pretty contrarian when people tell me I can't do something). But maybe you're more sensible than I was at your age! ;-) --24.147.86.187 (talk) 22:45, 2 January 2008 (UTC)

Just tell her, but anyway, your a little too young to be saying that she is the love of your life. You'll eventually find some other girl and fall in love with her too.--Dlo2012 (talk) 00:35, 3 January 2008 (UTC)

Tell her now.--TreeSmiler (talk) 01:46, 3 January 2008 (UTC)

I think it was a mistake to say my age. I'd also like to apologize for my wording, it seems that some of you thought that I am hopelessly in love and don't believe that there is one other person in the whole wide world whom I can love besides her. Let me restate: I'm crazy about this girl, and I love to spend time with her. I don't love her...yet. And don't worry 24, I have no illusions of a long term relationship; we're ending our romantic relationship when I move. I would also like to elaborate a bit on my problem - I fear that telling her so early (about six months before I move) will create tension or something negative which will lead her to ending our relationship. I want to spend time with her as her boyfriend, doing so makes me incredibly happy and relaxed. I'm afraid of not being able to spend time with her while I remain here. Could those of you who say I should tell her now justify your answer? I was planning on telling her before everyone else, but not for a couple months. --71.117.37.108 (talk) 03:26, 3 January 2008 (UTC)

Oh yes and thank you for all of your responses so far! --71.117.37.108 (talk) 03:27, 3 January 2008 (UTC)

Even if she doesn't plan to be with you for the rest of her life, surely she doesn't expect you to end the relationship all of a sudden when you move. Leading her astray in this way is dishonest. So it all boils down to what matters to you more - to be a good person and "do the right thing", or to selfishly enjoy the relationship while it lasts. We can't help you with how ethical you choose to be. But what do you know - even if you do tell her now, maybe she'll be just as willing as you to make the best of the time remaining you have together. Conversely, knowing that you aren't straight with her might make you feel bad and spoil the relationship. Another scenario, which is a bit of a stretch, is that 10 years from now, you two will think back, realize that you were right for each other, and get back together. This might not happen if you break up now on bad terms. Basically, what I'm saying is - doing the right thing sometimes pays off, and always has the added benefit of being the right thing. The choice is entirely up to you. -- Meni Rosenfeld (talk) 09:05, 3 January 2008 (UTC)

Oh, and I don't know if it was a mistake to mention your age. Sure, some of the above answers have a "you're young, you don't understand anything" ring to them, which isn't pleasent to hear, but if your age was unknown, many irrelevant suggestions would be made, and many relevant ones would not. -- Meni Rosenfeld (talk) 09:10, 3 January 2008 (UTC)

Thank you all for the advice; I opted to tell her. It doesn't look too good right now, we'll probably break up. But it had to happen sometime, right? Oh and Meni, you'll make someone very guilty someday :-) --71.98.9.229 (talk) 00:48, 4 January 2008 (UTC)

Eating Rudolph

I have been given a tin of reindeer and was wondering if any editors could suggest a tasty receipt? DuncanHill (talk) 21:05, 2 January 2008 (UTC)

This sounds interesting. How much meat did you get? Let us know the results. Corvus cornix_talk 21:11, 2 January 2008 (UTC)

Take a picture so we can see. bibliomaniac15 00:33, 3 January 2008 (UTC)

I heard that the red nose is a delicacy. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 194.171.56.13 (talk) 16:45, 3 January 2008 (UTC)

The roast sounds good, but alas, I only have a 400g tin, rather than a nice joint. DuncanHill (talk) 18:29, 3 January 2008 (UTC)

I suggest a receipt made out on rice paper for it would be most edible and therefore tastiest.If however it's a recipe you want... Lemon martini (talk) 11:45, 7 January 2008 (UTC)

Although our article neglects to mention it, "receipt" is an uncommon term meaning the same thing as recipe. See [4]. Rmhermen (talk) 15:04, 7 January 2008 (UTC)

Sugar Based Oil

Why does the US or what prevents America from using sugar-based gas or oil like they do in Brazil? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 207.215.245.142 (talk) 22:30, 2 January 2008 (UTC)

It is too cold in the US to grow sugar cane to the extent they do in Brazil. Cheers Geologyguy (talk) 22:35, 2 January 2008 (UTC)

The petroleum industry, not to mention the US Government's oil rich friends in the Gulf, have a lot of political influence (If you are interested on learning more about this House of Bush, House of Saud and The Prize: The Epic Quest for Oil, Money, and Power are both thought provoking reads.) When its in there interests of these stakeholders to really transfer America's reliance on oil to alternative fuels, then that will happen. Rockpocket 01:45, 3 January 2008 (UTC)

But not too cold to grow Sugar beet for bio-butanol. Foxhill (talk) 02:33, 3 January 2008 (UTC)

The Ethanol industry is becoming a big deal, due to the influence of the politicans from the corn-growing states. Corvus cornix_talk 17:28, 3 January 2008 (UTC)

I heard something about cars needing to be flagged, does anyone know what that means and how that works with sugar based oil/gas? Is there a law that would prevent America from using sugar based gas? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 67.126.128.126 (talk) 02:28, 3 January 2008 (UTC)