Conservapedia - User contributions [en]

Cuttlefish

2007-10-22T17:09:04Z

Liza:

Phylum: Animalia
Class: Cephalopoda
Subclass: Coleoidea
Order: Sepiida (Cuttlefish)

The '''cuttlefish''' is a [[marine]] [[animal]] that has eight arms, two [[tentacle]]s, and a soft body. It is a cephalopod: a fast-swimming, intelligent [[mollusk]] that can change its skin color and release ink into the water to confuse [[predator]]s. The cuttlefish swims by using its fins and by shooting water from its body (a type of [[jet propulsion]]). The cuttlefish is [[nocturnal]]; it hunts during the night, and it hides and rests during the day. It has a life span of about 18 months.

==Anatomy==
===Arms and Tentacles===
Unlike the [[octopus]]'s arms, which that animal often uses to move and carry objects, the cuttlefish's eight arms are specialized for grasping prey after the cuttlefish captures it with its two elongated tentacles. When potential food sources such as [[fish]] or [[shrimp]] swim near, the cuttlefish can alter the color of its skin while waving its arms in a mesmerizing display. This lures potential prey to within reach of the cuttlefish's tentacles, which can then shoot rapidly from a pocket at the base of the arms to grab the prey. The arms are also important for a defensive display in which the cuttlefish sucks water into its mantle cavity and spreads its arms in order to appear larger to its potential opponent.

===Beak===
The cuttlefish's [[beak]] looks much like a [[parrot]]'s beak, but it is hard to see because it lies buried at the base of the animal's eight arms. The cuttlefish can use its beak to help subdue prey and to defend itself against predators and rivals by biting. Like cuttlebones, beaks differ among species, and their remains enable scientists to identify which cuttlefish species have lived and died in certain areas.

===Brain===
The cuttlefish has one of the largest brain-to-body size ratios of any invertebrate, perhaps even larger than that of the octopus. The cuttlefish [[brain]] can handle input from a variety of senses, including [[sight]], [[smell]], and even "[[sound]]" (in the form of [[pressure wave]]s). According to some scientists studying cephalopod learning, the cuttlefish can use visual clues to solve [[maze]]s, making it as intelligent as the octopus or land animals like the [[pigeon]].

===Cuttlebone===
A defining characteristic of the cuttlefish, the cuttlebone is a porous internal [[shell]] that helps control [[buoyancy]], making it functionally similar to [[swim bladder]]s in fish. Cuttlebones have both gas-filled forward chambers and water-filled rear chambers. Although it can take hours for the cuttlefish to change its density through its cuttlebone alone, the animal can control its positioning in the water with the aid of its specialized fins and mantle. The cuttlebone is rich in [[calcium]] and is often sold in pet stores as a nutritional supplement for birds.

===Eye===
Although [[color-blind]], the cuttlefish has two of the most highly developed eyes in the animal kingdom. It can see well in low light and can also detect [[polarized light]], enhancing its perception of [[contrast]]. While we humans reshape our lenses in order to focus on specific objects, the cuttlefish moves its lenses by reshaping its entire eye. Also, the cuttlefish's eyes are very large in proportion to its body and may increase image magnification upon the [[retina]], while the distinct "W"-shaped pupil helps control the intensity of light entering the eye.

===Fin===
While the cuttlefish uses its mantle cavity for jet propulsion, it relies on its specialized fins for basic mobility and maintaining consistent speeds. Resembling a short, flouncy skirt, the muscular fin can maneuver the cuttlefish in nearly any direction: backward, forward, even in circles, with such movement being more energetically efficient than jetting. The movement and positioning of the fins also come into play when smaller males in certain species mimic the opposite sex in order to swim past larger males and gain access to females.

===Gills, Hearts, and Blood===
The cuttlefish has three hearts, with two pumping blood to its large gills and one circulating the oxygenated blood to the rest of its body. The blood itself is blue-green in color because it possesses hemocyanin, a copper-containing protein typical in cephalopods—cuttlefish, octopuses, and squids—that transports oxygen throughout their bodies. (Mammals' red blood uses the iron-rich protein hemoglobin to do the same thing.)

===Ink Sac===
Like its close relatives, the squid and octopus, the cuttlefish is equipped with an ink sac that can help it make a last-ditch escape from predators that hunt by sight. The cuttlefish can eject its ink in two ways. One way creates a smoke screen behind which the animal can escape perceived danger. In the other, the released ink takes the form of "pseudomorphs," or bubbles of ink surrounded by mucus that are roughly the size of the cuttlefish and can act as decoys. The ink, which contains dopamine and L-DOPA, a precursor to dopamine, may also temporarily paralyze the sense of smell in predators that hunt by scent.

===Lateral Lines===
Although the cuttlefish can't hear, it can detect sound in the form of pressure waves using its lateral epidermal lines. Seen here via a scanning electron microscope, these lines consist of thousands of hair cells. The cells seem to be especially sensitive to sounds ranging between 75 and 100 Hz, with 100 Hz being similar in frequency to a typical automobile engine running at maximum speed. One physiological study showed that in total darkness, healthy cuttlefish could capture about 50 percent of available prey, whereas cuttlefish with compromised epidermal lines could capture only about 30 percent. The hair cells can also be used in defense, allowing cuttlefish to detect the movement of possible predators.

===Mantle===
The multifunctional mantle cavity is important for cuttlefish locomotion, giving the animal its characteristic jet propulsion ability. To jet away from a predator, the cuttlefish sucks water into the cavity and then uses its strong mantle muscles to expel the liquid with great force, driving the cuttlefish in the opposite direction. Water exits through a movable part called the funnel, which controls the angle of the spray. The mantle cavity also aids in respiration by bringing water to the animal's gills, which in turn filter oxygen into its bloodstream.

===Skin===
When it comes to changing one's skin color, the cuttlefish outshines even the chameleon, in both degree and kind. Its skin possesses up to 200 chromatophores (pigment cells) per square millimeter, allowing the animal to pattern itself with a variety of colors. When vying for a mate, for example, some male cuttlefish will showcase "intense zebra displays" (see left). The cuttlefish can also use muscles in its dermis to change its skin texture from smooth to rough, enabling it to hide easily among rocks on the seafloor, for instance.

==Reproduction==
During mating, the male uses a modified arm to transfer his genetic material into the female's buccal area. This is the part of the female's mouth that stores the male's spermatophores (sperm packaged in special containers) until she is ready to use them to fertilize her eggs. Because the female often accepts more than one mate, the male sometimes sprays water through his mantle funnel into the female's buccal area to wash out other males' spermatophores. When she is ready to deposit her eggs in safe locations such as under rocks or in discarded shells, the female uses her arms to wipe the stored spermatophores onto each egg.

==Diet==
Cuttlefish eat fish, small mollusks (snails, clams, other cuttlefish, etc.), worms, crabs, and shrimp. Prey are killed with a venomous bite fom the beak.

==Predators and Defences==
The cuttlefish is eaten by sharks, fish and other cuttlefish. In order to escape predators, a cuttlefish can squirt black ink into the water, allowing it to escape. Another defense that cuttlefish have is changing their skin color to blend into the background, camouflaging themselves.

==References==
1. http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/invertebrates/mollusk/cephalopod/Cuttlefishprintout.shtml

2. http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/camo/anat-nf.html

Cuttlefish

2007-10-22T17:01:57Z

Liza: New page: Phylum: Animalia Class: Cephalopoda Subclass: Coleoidea Order: Sepiida (Cuttlefish) The '''cuttlefish''' is a marine animal that has eight arms, two tentacles, and a soft body. It is a c...

Phylum: Animalia
Class: Cephalopoda
Subclass: Coleoidea
Order: Sepiida (Cuttlefish)

The '''cuttlefish''' is a marine animal that has eight arms, two tentacles, and a soft body. It is a cephalopod: a fast-swimming, intelligent mollusk that can change its skin color and release ink into the water to confuse predators. The cuttlefish swims by using its fins and by shooting water from its body (a type of jet propulsion). The cuttlefish is nocturnal; it hunts during the night, and it hides and rests during the day. It has a life span of about 18 months.

==Anatomy==
===Arms and Tentacles===
Unlike the octopus's arms, which that animal often uses to move and carry objects, the cuttlefish's eight arms are specialized for grasping prey after the cuttlefish captures it with its two elongated tentacles. When potential food sources such as fish or shrimp swim near, the cuttlefish can alter the color of its skin while waving its arms in a mesmerizing display. This lures potential prey to within reach of the cuttlefish's tentacles, which can then shoot rapidly from a pocket at the base of the arms to grab the prey. The arms are also important for a defensive display in which the cuttlefish sucks water into its mantle cavity and spreads its arms in order to appear larger to its potential opponent.

===Beak===
The cuttlefish's beak looks much like a parrot's beak, but it is hard to see because it lies buried at the base of the animal's eight arms. The cuttlefish can use its beak to help subdue prey and to defend itself against predators and rivals by biting. Like cuttlebones, beaks differ among species, and their remains enable scientists to identify which cuttlefish species have lived and died in certain areas.

===Brain===
The cuttlefish has one of the largest brain-to-body size ratios of any invertebrate, perhaps even larger than that of the octopus. The cuttlefish brain can handle input from a variety of senses, including sight, smell, and even "sound" (in the form of pressure waves). According to some scientists studying cephalopod learning, the cuttlefish can use visual clues to solve mazes, making it as intelligent as the octopus or land animals like the pigeon.

===Cuttlebone===
A defining characteristic of the cuttlefish, the cuttlebone is a porous internal shell that helps control buoyancy, making it functionally similar to swim bladders in fish. Cuttlebones have both gas-filled forward chambers and water-filled rear chambers. Although it can take hours for the cuttlefish to change its density through its cuttlebone alone, the animal can control its positioning in the water with the aid of its specialized fins and mantle. The cuttlebone is rich in calcium and is often sold in pet stores as a nutritional supplement for birds.

===Eye===
Although color-blind, the cuttlefish has two of the most highly developed eyes in the animal kingdom. It can see well in low light and can also detect polarized light, enhancing its perception of contrast. While we humans reshape our lenses in order to focus on specific objects, the cuttlefish moves its lenses by reshaping its entire eye. Also, the cuttlefish's eyes are very large in proportion to its body and may increase image magnification upon the retina, while the distinct "W"-shaped pupil helps control the intensity of light entering the eye.

===Fin===
While the cuttlefish uses its mantle cavity for jet propulsion, it relies on its specialized fins for basic mobility and maintaining consistent speeds. Resembling a short, flouncy skirt, the muscular fin can maneuver the cuttlefish in nearly any direction: backward, forward, even in circles, with such movement being more energetically efficient than jetting. The movement and positioning of the fins also come into play when smaller males in certain species mimic the opposite sex in order to swim past larger males and gain access to females.

===Gills, Hearts, and Blood===
The cuttlefish has three hearts, with two pumping blood to its large gills and one circulating the oxygenated blood to the rest of its body. The blood itself is blue-green in color because it possesses hemocyanin, a copper-containing protein typical in cephalopods—cuttlefish, octopuses, and squids—that transports oxygen throughout their bodies. (Mammals' red blood uses the iron-rich protein hemoglobin to do the same thing.)

===Ink Sac===
Like its close relatives, the squid and octopus, the cuttlefish is equipped with an ink sac that can help it make a last-ditch escape from predators that hunt by sight. The cuttlefish can eject its ink in two ways. One way creates a smoke screen behind which the animal can escape perceived danger. In the other, the released ink takes the form of "pseudomorphs," or bubbles of ink surrounded by mucus that are roughly the size of the cuttlefish and can act as decoys. The ink, which contains dopamine and L-DOPA, a precursor to dopamine, may also temporarily paralyze the sense of smell in predators that hunt by scent.

===Lateral Lines===
Although the cuttlefish can't hear, it can detect sound in the form of pressure waves using its lateral epidermal lines. Seen here via a scanning electron microscope, these lines consist of thousands of hair cells. The cells seem to be especially sensitive to sounds ranging between 75 and 100 Hz, with 100 Hz being similar in frequency to a typical automobile engine running at maximum speed. One physiological study showed that in total darkness, healthy cuttlefish could capture about 50 percent of available prey, whereas cuttlefish with compromised epidermal lines could capture only about 30 percent. The hair cells can also be used in defense, allowing cuttlefish to detect the movement of possible predators.

===Mantle===
The multifunctional mantle cavity is important for cuttlefish locomotion, giving the animal its characteristic jet propulsion ability. To jet away from a predator, the cuttlefish sucks water into the cavity and then uses its strong mantle muscles to expel the liquid with great force, driving the cuttlefish in the opposite direction. Water exits through a movable part called the funnel, which controls the angle of the spray. The mantle cavity also aids in respiration by bringing water to the animal's gills, which in turn filter oxygen into its bloodstream.

===Skin===
When it comes to changing one's skin color, the cuttlefish outshines even the chameleon, in both degree and kind. Its skin possesses up to 200 chromatophores (pigment cells) per square millimeter, allowing the animal to pattern itself with a variety of colors. When vying for a mate, for example, some male cuttlefish will showcase "intense zebra displays" (see left). The cuttlefish can also use muscles in its dermis to change its skin texture from smooth to rough, enabling it to hide easily among rocks on the seafloor, for instance.

==Reproduction==
During mating, the male uses a modified arm to transfer his genetic material into the female's buccal area. This is the part of the female's mouth that stores the male's spermatophores (sperm packaged in special containers) until she is ready to use them to fertilize her eggs. Because the female often accepts more than one mate, the male sometimes sprays water through his mantle funnel into the female's buccal area to wash out other males' spermatophores. When she is ready to deposit her eggs in safe locations such as under rocks or in discarded shells, the female uses her arms to wipe the stored spermatophores onto each egg.

==Diet==
Cuttlefish eat fish, small mollusks (snails, clams, other cuttlefish, etc.), worms, crabs, and shrimp. Prey are killed with a venomous bite fom the beak.

==Predators and Defences==
The cuttlefish is eaten by sharks, fish and other cuttlefish. In order to escape predators, a cuttlefish can squirt black ink into the water, allowing it to escape. Another defense that cuttlefish have is changing their skin color to blend into the background, camouflaging themselves.

==References==
1. http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/invertebrates/mollusk/cephalopod/Cuttlefishprintout.shtml

2. http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/camo/anat-nf.html

Right whale

2007-10-22T16:36:44Z

Liza: New page: CLASS: Mammalia ORDER: Cetacea SUBORDER: Mysticeti FAMILY: Balaenidae GENUS: Eubalaena SPECIES: glacialis (North Atlantic right whale), japonica (North Pacific right whale), and aus...

CLASS: Mammalia
ORDER: Cetacea
SUBORDER: Mysticeti
FAMILY: Balaenidae
GENUS: Eubalaena
SPECIES: glacialis (North Atlantic right whale),
japonica (North Pacific right whale), and australis (southern right whale)

The '''right whale''' received its name from whalers who thought that it was the "right" whale to kill because it was correct commercially ([[oil]] came from whales in those days). They were easy targets. Right whales swim slowly and float when dead, which was important in those days. The exploitation of the right whale began in the Bay of Biscay in Spain by the 12th century and continued, especially in the North Atlantic, for many centuries. Despite being protected since the 1930s, the right whale is today the most endangered of all the great whales.

==Physical Description==
The right whale is a large, bulky [[baleen]] whale of unusual appearance. Its upper and lower jaws are highly curved, allowing its long baleen plates to be enclosed while swimming. Its rostrum (upper jaw) is narrow and is often covered by "callosities," hardened patches of skin that occur in the facial area.

Right whales are black all over except for the belly, where there is often a white patch. Wounds and scars may appear bright orange because they become infested with whale lice, or cyamids. The callosities, which are also found near the blowholes, above the eyes, and on the chin and upper lip, are black or gray but appear white because of cyamid coverage.

The right whale has no dorsal (upper) fin or ridge. Its flippers are large and paddle-shaped, and its flukes are very wide, with a deep notch in the center.

Adult right whales are generally 35-55 feet (10.7-16.8 m) long. The largest individuals known have measured 60 feet (18.3 m) long and weighed 117 tons (106,500 kg). Females are larger than males.

==Feeding==
This whale's diet is less varied than that of many other baleen whales. They feed on planktonic organisms including shrimp-like krill and copepods, particularly copepods in the genus Calanus. As baleen whales, they have a series of 225-250 fringed overlapping plates hanging from each side of the upper jaw, where teeth might otherwise be located. These plates are made of a fingernail-like material called keratin that frays out into fine hairs on the ends and inside the mouth near to the tongue. The plates are black, with a maximum length of 7.2 feet (2.2 m). Right whales are "grazers of the sea," often swimming slowly with their mouths open. As water flows into the mouth and through the baleen, prey are trapped on the inside near the tongue to be swallowed.

==Mating and Breeding==
Males reach sexual maturity at 35-40 feet, and the age at which these lengths are achieved is not known. Females reach sexual maturity at 40-45 feet, as early as five years of age. The young right whale stays with its mother for 1 year. Right whales are commonly found alone or in small groups of 1-3 animals, but they may form groups of up to 30 whales for social, possibly courtship, behavior. In such groups there is much rolling and thrashing; actual mating has been observed several times. Much of their social behavior, however, is not for reproductive purposes; birthing is highly seasonal, but courtship takes place at all times of the year.

==Distribution and Migration==
Right whales are found worldwide but in very small numbers. Like most baleen whales, they are seasonally migratory. They inhabit colder waters for feeding, then migrate to warmer waters for breeding and calving. Although they may move far out to sea during their feeding seasons, right whales give birth in coastal areas. Interestingly, many of the females do not return to these coastal breeding areas every year, but visit the area only in calving years. Where they go in other years remains a mystery.

==Natural History==
Right whales are among the slowest swimming whales, although they may reach speeds up to 10 mph in short spurts. They can dive to at least 1,000 ft. and can stay submerged up to 40 minutes. Since 1969, a population of right whales has been studied off the coast of Argentina by Dr.Roger Payne. He has used the pattern of right whale callosities to identify individual animals: he found that each animal has callosities of different shapes and sizes. Comparing photographs of the animals makes it possible to know which whale is being observed. Because of their coastal habitat, the whales can commonly be observed from the beach or nearby clifftops. Similar research programs also occur in other parts of the Southern Hemisphere and in the North Atlantic. Right whales can live for at least 70 years.

==Ecological Status==
The right whale is extremely endangered, even after years of protected status. Best population estimates are 300 -350 in the North Atlantic, perhaps less than 100 in the eastern North Pacific and an unknown (but small) number in the western North Pacific, and 3,000-4,000 in the Southern Hemisphere. Full protection was granted in 1931, but despite over 50 years of protection, recovery has been questionable. Only in the past 15 years is there evidence of a population recovery in the Southern Hemisphere, and it is still not known if the right whale will survive at all in the Northern Hemisphere. Although not presently hunted, current conservation problems include collisions with ships, conflicts with fishing activities, habitat destruction, oil drilling, and possible competition from other whale species.

==References==
1. http://www.acsonline.org/factpack/RightWhale.htm
2. http://www.omplace.com/omsites/discover/RIGHT/rightg.html

Talk:Kinder Scout

2007-10-19T19:08:50Z

Liza:

Is this right? Isn't Kinder "child" in German? Is this a Nazi thing? [[User:Liza|Liza]] 15:15, 18 October 2007 (EDT)
:Oops, I see now with the websites added. I guess I was thinking of Hitler's Youth or something. Just goes to show there's always something to learn! [[User:Liza|Liza]] 15:08, 19 October 2007 (EDT)

Cod

2007-10-19T17:44:05Z

Liza: New page: '''Cod''' is a cold-water species that is distributed on the continental shelves and in the coastal waters of the northern North Atlantic. The range extends from the Bay of Biscay and the ...

'''Cod''' is a cold-water species that is distributed on the continental shelves and in the coastal waters of the northern North Atlantic. The range extends from the Bay of Biscay and the Baltic Sea to the Barents Sea, around Iceland, along the southern Greenland and along Newfoundland to North Carolina in North America.

==Taxonomy==
The scientific name of cod is Gadus morhua. The genus name Gadus comes from the Greek word gados, which simply means fish. The origin of the species name morhua can be derived from the Latin word for cod: morua. The cod has a protruding upper jaw, a chin barbel, a light and curved lateral line, three dorsal fins and two ventral fins without spines and a truncated caudal fin. The cod is grouped within the family Gadidae together with haddock, whiting, saithe, and other codlike fishes. More distant relatives are grenadiers, toadfishes and anglerfishes.

==Habitat==
Adult cod prefer water temperatures from 2 to 8°C but is often found in temperatures up to 20°C. Young cod have special enzymes that act as anti-freeze, which enables them to survive in sub-zero environments. Although cod can be caught at all depths from 1 to 600 m, their preferred depth range is from 10 to 200 m. Generally, cod are demersal, that is, they live on or close to the sea bottom. In the Baltic Sea, cod are often forced to stay in the pelagic zone due to anoxic deeper waters. Within its geographical range cod are generalists: they inhabit all habitats from rocky bottoms with or without macroalgae to muddy and even sandy seabeds.

==Diet==
Adult cod are omnivorous carnivores, which means that they feed on any animal that they can engulf. Their menu includes bristle-worms, mussels, squids, crustaceans and fishes such as sand eel, Norway pout, capelin, sticklebacks, sprat and herring. Adult cod are also cannibalistic and do not hesitate to catch smaller cod. However, cod have preferences: young cod prefer plaice fry before crabs. Their diet appears to affect their skin color; cod that feed on crustaceans acquire a brownish-golden skin while cod that feed on fishes take on a more greenish-blue appearance.

==Spawning==
Spawning occurs throughout the geographical range mostly in offshore waters but also in small fjords and bays. The cod along Norway and Iceland both spawn from January through March. In the North Sea spawning continues through April while Baltic cod start spawning late in March but continue through October. Eggs are transparent and measure around 1.5 mm in diameter. Baltic cod produce larger eggs, possibly as an adaptation to float in low salinity waters (10 ‰). The eggs hatch within a month in normal sea temperatures. After another three months, the pelagic larvae settle during the autumn at suitable sea grounds and take up a permanent demersal life. Maturity is attained at around age 3 in the south (Baltic, North Sea, Irish Sea) but not until age 6 in the colder, northern waters (Norwegian, Icelandic waters). A female cod will lay up to 500 000 eggs per kg of her own weight. Consequently, a 3 year-old female of half a kg can produce 250000 eggs; an 8 year-old female of 5 kg can produce 2.5 million eggs per year. A cod can live to over 25 years of age and weigh over 90 kg. Although the fecundity decreases at large weights, a heavy female will still produce an impressive number of eggs. A record 9 million eggs was found in a 34 kg female. Virtually all of these eggs, and subsequent larvae, will die during the first 3 months of their life. In theory, only 2 eggs need to survive to maturity if the number of fishes in the sea should remain constant. Spawning sites are generally located upstream of a stable hydrographic gyre that will transport eggs and larvae to their nursery grounds. Tagging studies have shown that mature cod migrate annually from feeding grounds to these specific spawning sites. The migrations can be extensive. Cod that have been tagged in the northern Baltic have been recaptured more than 500 km south at spawning sites in the southern Baltic. Observations and simulation studies indicate that eggs, larvae and juvenile cod generally disperse northward after spawning. Thus eggs and larvae drift to nursery grounds, juvenile cod migrate to feeding grounds and mature cod migrate to spawning grounds. This lifecycle of migration has been the basis used to define spawning stocks and their preferred spawning locations. At present 14 cod stocks are defined in the Northeast Atlantic and around 10 cod stocks in the Northwest Atlantic. Some of these stocks are large in terms of numbers or biomass, like the Arctic cod stock outside Norway. Others are small, like the Rockall cod stock west of Ireland.

==Interesting Facts==
*Norwegian scientists attract young cod to feeding sites by playing recordings of tuba music underwater.

*The Portuguese claim to have 365 ways of preparing dried salt cod (bacalhau) one for each day of the year.

*About 10% of the world fish catch is cod.

*The official state fish of Massachusetts is the Cod fish. It has been a symbol of the Commonwealth for more than 200 years. Cod fish was so important for Massachusetts that on March 17, 1784, according to the Journal of the Massachusetts House of Representatives: "Mr. John Rowe moved the House that leave might be given to hang up the representation of a Cod Fish in the room where the House sit, as a memorial of the importance of the Cod Fishery to the welfare of this Commonwealth." It is still kept in the present House chamber.

*Codfish live to an average of 15 years or so, with a record of 27 years old from the 1960s. You can tell a cod's age from the two white earstones in the skull (otoliths), which have annual growth rings. You really can not tell the age from their weight, as the rate of growth will vary, depending on the water temperature, population size, food, etc.

==References==
http://www.ucd.ie/codtrace/codbio.htm

Asteroid

2007-10-18T21:13:30Z

Liza: New page: '''Asteroids''' are metallic, rocky bodies without atmospheres that orbit the Sun but are too small to be classified as planets. Known as "minor planets," tens of thousands of asteroids...

'''Asteroids''' are metallic, rocky bodies without
atmospheres that orbit the Sun but are too small to be
classified as planets. Known as "minor planets," tens of
thousands of asteroids congregate in the so-called main
asteroid belt: a vast, doughnut-shaped ring located between
the orbits of Mars and Jupiter from approximately 2 to 4 AU
(186 million to 370 million miles/300 million to 600 million
kilometers). Gaspra and Ida are main belt asteroids.

==Composition==
Asteroids are thought to be primordial material
prevented by Jupiter's strong gravity from accreting into a
planet-sized body when the solar system was born 4.6 billion
years ago. It is estimated that the total mass of all
asteroids would comprise a body approximately 930 miles
(1,500 kilometers) in diameter -- less than half the size of
the Moon.

==Sizes==
Known asteroids range in size from the largest --
Ceres, the first discovered asteroid in 1801 -- at about 600
miles (1,000 kilometers) in diameter down to the size of
pebbles. Sixteen asteroids have diameters of 150 miles (240
kilometers) or greater. The majority of main belt asteroids
follow slightly elliptical, stable orbits, revolving in the
same direction as the Earth and taking from three to six
years to complete a full circuit of the Sun.

==Understanding==
Our understanding of asteroids has been derived from
three main sources: Earth-based remote sensing, data from
the Galileo flybys, and laboratory analysis of meteorites.
Asteroids are classified into different types according to
their albedo, composition derived from spectral features in
their reflected sunlight, and inferred similarities to known
meteorite types. Albedo refers to an object's measure of
reflectivity, or intrinsic brightness. A white, perfectly
reflecting surface has an albedo of 1.0; a black, perfectly
absorbing surface has an albedo of 0.0.

==Categories==
The majority of asteroids fall into the following three
categories:
*C-type (carbonaceous): Includes more than 75 percent
of known asteroids. Very dark with an albedo of 0.03-0.09.
Composition is thought to be similar to the Sun, depleted in
hydrogen, helium, and other volatiles. C-type asteroids
inhabit the main belt's outer regions.

*S-type (silicaceous): Accounts for about 17 percent
of known asteroids. Relatively bright with an albedo of
0.10-0.22. Composition is metallic iron mixed with iron- and
magnesium-silicates. S-type asteroids dominate the inner
asteroid belt.

*M-type (metallic): Includes many of the rest of the
known asteroids. Relatively bright with an albedo of 0.10-
0.18. Composition is apparently dominated by metallic iron.
M-type asteroids inhabit the main belt's middle region.

==Asteroids and Meteorites==
The relationship between asteroids and meteorites
remains a puzzle. The most common meteorites, known as
ordinary chondrites, are composed of small grains of rock
and appear to be relatively unchanged since the solar system
formed. Stony-iron meteorites, on the other hand, appear to
be remnants of larger bodies that were once melted so that
the heavier metals and lighter rocks separated into
different layers.

==Controversy==
A long-standing scientific debate exists over whether
the most common asteroids -- the S-types -- are the source
of ordinary chondrites. Spectral evidence so far suggests
that the S-type asteroids may be geochemically processed
bodies akin to the stony-irons. If S-types are unrelated to
ordinary chondrites, then another parent source must be
found. If the two are related, then scientists need an
explanation for why they aren't spectrally similar.

==Near Earth Asteroids
Asteroids with orbits that bring them within 1.3 AU
(121 million miles/195 million kilometers) of the Sun are
known as Earth-approaching or near-Earth asteroids (NEAs).
It is believed that most NEAs are fragments jarred from the
main belt by a combination of asteroid collisions and the
gravitational influence of Jupiter. Some NEAs may be the
nuclei of dead, short-period comets. The NEA population
appears to be representative of most or all asteroid types
found in the main belt.

NEAs are grouped into three categories, named for
famous members of each: 1221 Amor, 1862 Apollo, and 2062
Aten:
*Amors: Asteroids which cross Mars' orbit but do not
quite reach the orbit of Earth. Eros -- target of the NEAR
mission -- is a typical Amor.
*Apollos: Asteroids which cross Earth's orbit with a
period greater than 1 year. Geographos represents the
Apollos.
*Atens: Asteroids which cross Earth's orbit with a
period less than 1 year. Ra-Shalom is a typical Aten.

NEAs are a dynamically young population whose orbits
evolve on 100-million-year time scales because of collisions
and gravitational interactions with the Sun and the
terrestrial planets. Approximately 250 NEAs have been found
to date, probably only a few percent of their total
population. The largest presently known is 1036 Ganymed,
with an approximate diameter of 25.5 miles (41 kilometers).
Estimates suggest at least a thousand NEAs may be large
enough -- 0.6 mile (1 kilometer) or more in diameter -- to
threaten Earth.

==Strikes==
Many bodies have struck Earth and the Moon in the past,
and one widely accepted theory blames the impact 65 million
years ago of an asteroid or comet at least 6 miles (10
kilometers) in diameter for mass extinctions among many
lifeforms, including the dinosaurs. Other theories suggest
that the chemical building blocks of life and much of
Earth's water arrived on asteroids or comets that bombarded
the planet in its youth.

On June 30, 1908, a small asteroid 330 feet (100
meters) in diameter exploded over the remote region of
Tunguska in Siberia, devastating more than half a million
acres of forest. One of the most recent close calls occurred
on March 23, 1989, when an asteroid 0.25-mile (0.4-
kilometer) wide came within 400,000 miles (640,000
kilometers) of Earth. Surprised scientists estimated that
Earth and the asteroid -- weighing 50 million tons and
traveling at 46,000 miles/hour (74,000 kilometers/hour) --
had passed the same point in space just six hours apart.

==References==
http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/planetary/text/asteroids.txt

Neologism

2007-10-18T19:38:29Z

Liza:

A '''neologism''' is a newly-formed word or term. Neologisms are frequently coined to describe new articles or processes in expanding areas such as information technology; the word ''[[internet]]'' is itself a neologism, being the combination of the words interconnected and network.

[[category:linguistics]]

Talk:Kinder Scout

2007-10-18T19:15:09Z

Liza: New page: Is this right? Isn't Kinder "child" in German? Is this a Nazi thing? ~~~~

Is this right? Isn't Kinder "child" in German? Is this a Nazi thing? [[User:Liza|Liza]] 15:15, 18 October 2007 (EDT)

Kinder Scout

2007-10-18T19:07:56Z

Liza:

Kinder Scout is a bleak [[moor]], which forms the highest part of [[Deryshire]], at 2088 feet.

[[category:geography]]

Conservapedia:Desk/Miscellany

2007-10-18T18:23:02Z

Liza: Lesbians

<noinclude><center>[[Conservapedia:Desk|Back to the Desk]]</center></noinclude>
=General Messages=
Archives: [[Conservapedia:Desk/Miscellany/Archive1|1]]

=="A small thing"==
A small thing...the article "River Trent" is unable to be edited because of a "spam filter". Um...what gives? [[User:AlanE|AlanE]] 02:24, 31 July 2007 (EDT)

I fixed it. [[User:DanH|DanH]] 02:27, 31 July 2007 (EDT)

== Page Creation ==

Hello,

A few days ago a small group of us tried to create a page on a local conservative activist named J.R. Hedrick to have the page deleted. We read the guidelines and adjusted our page and were hoping we could ask the conservapedia staff to reconsider. We currently have the page wewantjr.homeip.net if you could take a few minutes check out the website see our reasoning and message and reconsider it would be greatly appreciated. If you have any questions or would like a shortened verstion of our reasoning feel free to email us at wewantjr@yahoo.com.

*Sorry, this is an encyclopedia, not Vanity Fair. For inclusion, one would have to be of national prominence, not a "local hero". Sorry. --[[User:TK|şŷŝôρ-₮K]][[User_Talk:TK|Ṣρёаќǃ]] 06:59, 18 August 2007 (EDT)

== Can't email other users ==

I try to email other users, I am logged in and I do have a valid email address in my preferences but it won't let me do it. What's up?

:Wismike, maybe the users you've tried to email haven't supplied an email address. When I went to your user page and clicked "Email this user", I got the following notice:
:*This user has not specified a valid e-mail address, or has chosen not to receive e-mail from other users.{{unsigned|Wismike}}

:You can send me a test e-mail if you want. --[[User:Ed Poor|Ed Poor]] [[User talk:Ed Poor|Talk]] 17:08, 3 August 2007 (EDT)

*Users need to supply their email on the preference page in order to send emails to other users. Even if the other user has it enabled, you need to have done it as well. --[[User:TK|şŷŝôρ-₮K]][[User_Talk:TK|Ṣρёаќǃ]] 17:20, 3 August 2007 (EDT)

== What's wrong with Ishi Press? ==

I can't put ishi press dot com as a ref for Woody Allen marrying his stepdaughter. Spam filter blocks it. --[[User:Ed Poor|Ed Poor]] [[User talk:Ed Poor|Talk]] 17:42, 3 August 2007 (EDT)

== Outages? ==

There seem to be times when the entire site is protected. What's going on? -[[User:Pipkin|Pipkin]] 16:34, 5 August 2007 (EDT)

*Yes, indeed there is. Editing, except by those with special rights, is usually turned off over-night (generally 1:00AM to 6:00AM) East Coast United States time. This is due to the high degree of vandalism at the hands of [[deceit|deceitful]] Liberals. --[[User:TK|şŷŝôρ-₮K]][[User_Talk:TK|Ṣρёаќǃ]] 16:43, 5 August 2007 (EDT)

== [[Uncyclopedia]] and [[Encyclopædia Dramatica]] ==

I think these two articles serve no encyclopedic purpose whatsoever, and as written are basically nonsense and inccurate to general knowlege about their subjects. Also it is to note that the alternate spelling of [[Encyclopædia Dramatica]], [[Encyclopedia Dramatica]] has been salted. --[[User:WikiLeon|WikiLeon]] 20:59, 28 August 2007 (EDT)

*Your several posts about this has been noted. The articles will stay. Thanks. --[[User:TK|şŷŝôρ-₮K]][[User_Talk:TK|Ṣρёаќǃ]] 01:48, 29 August 2007 (EDT)

== I may have found some nonesense. ==

I am here to report what might be vandalism. I'm not sure, but someone called User: Clavicle made an ususual edit on [[William Shakespeare]]. The edit was on the list of Shakespeare's historical plays. He wrote *[[Austin Kenn]] (1999). I happen to know about Shakespeare's histories and had never heard of the play before. I also knew that Shakespeare died in the 1600s not any period after 1999. This sounded fishy and later on (some months later) when I recieved no reply on the discussion page about this, I investigated. I found that this User: Clavicle had put the play in just in one edit (without putting it in any good order.) He didn't have a page for me to contact him about this, so I decided to try to report this unusual edit. I admit I'm wording it badly and akwardly, but I just thought I'd explain this small case. -[[User:Additioner|Additioner]] 14:52, 29 August 2007 (EDT)
:The user was already blocked for an unrelated offense. [[User:Bohdan|Bohdan]] 15:02, 29 August 2007 (EDT)

*Hopefully that vandalism has been removed? --[[User:TK|şŷŝôρ-₮K]][[User_Talk:TK|Ṣρёаќǃ]] 15:15, 29 August 2007 (EDT)

Yes, I removed when I saw it. -[[User:Additioner|Additioner]] 13:28, 30 August 2007 (EDT)

== Article Categorization ==

Many of the articles on accounting seem to be government accounting related. Nothing wrong with this, but I believe they should be in a different category, say, Government Accounting.

I would like to make this change, but, feel it would be impolite to simply make the change without contacting the author. However, I cannot seem to do so.

What is the right thing to do? Should I just create a new category (if I know how to do that) and make the changes?

*You go to my user page, find the link to my sandbox on categories, and plead your case to Azi. --[[User:TK|şŷŝôρ-₮K]][[User_Talk:TK|Ṣρёаќǃ]] 23:45, 3 September 2007 (EDT)

== Edit to page "gossip" ==

I made an edit to the [[gossip]] page, which has now been reverted. The nature of my edit was to clarify that although gossip is inherently negative, the fact is that the word has multiple connotations. The positive connotation: "gossip" can have a perfectly normal social context as innocuous chatter between groups of people who are interacting. The negative connotation: what was on the page before and now.

I'm used to seeing trollers blocked and edits reverted - most "permanent" edits are made by the sysops etc. But I take great personal offence when the sysop who reverted my edit, "BethanyS", flies off and says: "Don't go around trolling or I will personally block you from this site forever." I believe that to be completely injustified, absolutely insulting to my ideological position as a conservative (the implication being that I'm some sort of liberal who goes around Conservapedia making silly edits) and a baseless assault on my personal character without even considering the reasoning of my edit. [[User:Karalius Nyder|Karalius Nyder]] 09:27, 21 September 2007 (EDT)

== Before I even start posting! ==

I was an avid user in Wikipedia, (Quality) not edit warring and Spam.
Can I move my articles that I improved from Wikipedia?
I am conservative or Liberal, I just hate biased garbage and I am looking to focus mainly on history. (I could care less about politics and hypocrisy). I don't like politicians in general and I don't have a rpoblem with any race or religion.
Is this going to be a problem or should I go my own way, now before I waste my time?--[[User:Validquest|Validquest]] 15:26, 23 September 2007 (EDT)

: In this context, one can always copy and reuse one's own work.--[[User:Aschlafly|Aschlafly]] 13:13, 2 October 2007 (EDT)

== Couldn't create account ==

I tried to create an account but could not find a button to click to do that. I searched around and eventually found a FAQ that account creation was enabled only at certain times of day. It would be helpful if you put that notice right up front on the login/create account screen so people won't wonder why they can't find how to create an account [[User:Sbowers3|Sbowers3]] 08:42, 29 September 2007 (EDT)

== problem ==

Please help. I tried to look up Christopher Columbus and what displayed was about 1 inch of text followed by a white space covering the rest of the screen with a Go to WP instead listed. I then tried to just email a screenshot of the problem to the administrator but there is no email address. I had to creat an account just to notify 'someone' of this problem. This was my first visit to Conservapedia and I am not sure if I will return, it has been somewhat of a hassle just to try and be kind to report a problem. {{unsigned|DebM}}

:Thank you Deb! I reverted the page and blocked the user. [[User:HelpJazz|Help]][[User talk:HelpJazz|Jazz]] 13:10, 2 October 2007 (EDT)

: Thanks Deb! That vandalism was recent, and rare in escaping detection. Thanks to HelpJazz for correcting it. Welcome and Godspeed.--[[User:Aschlafly|Aschlafly]] 13:12, 2 October 2007 (EDT)

== Problem at Wikipedia ==

I noticed as I was looking at pro life groups on wikipedia they had the "abortion" logo and tag at the bottom, but planned parenthoods page did not
this seemed strange
~Andrew Infanger

== Lesbians ==

I notice that Lesbians is one of the "most wanted" pages, with 7 links to it. This
seems odd to me for a family friendly website. Is this an error, or something I'm misunderstanding? Please clarify, thank you.

Eliza Newton.

Serval

2007-10-18T17:57:08Z

Liza: New page: The '''Serval''' is a medium sized wild cat of the African savanna. The Serval is a highly successful feline and hunter. Its beautiful coat and wonderful predatory abilities enable it to ...

The '''Serval''' is a medium sized wild cat of the African savanna. The Serval is a highly successful feline and hunter. Its beautiful coat and wonderful predatory abilities enable it to stand out among other top predators of the African night. Requiring water constantly for its survival, it lives in grasslands and open plains with water patches, avoiding deserts and arid areas. Extinct from North Africa owing to human interference, they are now seen in sub-Saharan Africa.

==Coat==
Serval coat is generally tawny with black spots on it, sometimes merging to from stripes. Melanism is occasionally seen, along with white Servals, though the latter is only found in captivity. The distinct features of Serval are its long legs (longer in proportion to body size than any other cat) and long ears (rendering it with a hearing ability unrivaled in cat family) that make the Serval a master hunter. Despite being a medium sized cat - thirty to forty pounds in weight, around four feet including tail in length - Serval is often able to take down bigger prey.

==Hunting==
Owing to its highly specialized physique, Serval is among the best hunters in Africa, boasting an astounding success rate of 50% in hunting. It takes a wide variety of prey including rodents, birds, fish, hares, insects and frogs. The usual approach is to silently stalk the prey in night, echo-locating it with its sharp ears, then making a final vertical pounce on the animal. Serval also specializes in catching birds out of air by leaping high from the ground and making a clapping movement from its paws to catch the surprised bird out of thin air. At times Serval even takes down deers, though the chief prey animals remain small mammals.

==Reproduction==
Servals are solitary cats and come together during mating. Pregnancy lasts around two and a half to three months, after which one to five, usually two, cubs are born. Mother hides the young in burrows and bush until they gain independence at seven months and reach maturity at nearly two years of age. In captivity Servals live up to nineteen years.

==Threats==
The wily and beautiful Serval faces many threats in the wild including leopards, dogs, other large predators like hyenas and big cats - and chiefly humans who encroach into their territory and sell their coats for money. Still Serval is not considered threatened yet, but may become endangered if its trade is not carefully regulated!

Caracal

2007-10-18T16:37:10Z

Liza: New page: Caracal (Felis caracal) Length: 52" Weight: 60 pounds Height: 20 inches Gestation: 70 to 78 days Litter Size: 1 to 4 cubs Life span: About 15 years Physical Characteristics The caracal r...

Caracal (Felis caracal)
Length: 52"
Weight: 60 pounds
Height: 20 inches
Gestation: 70 to 78 days
Litter Size: 1 to 4 cubs
Life span: About 15 years

Physical Characteristics
The caracal resembles the lynx and often called the "desert lynx". The caracal is smaller than the lynx, weighing about fifty pounds; males are notably larger than the females. The fur of the caracal is a reddish-brown color with white on their chin, throat, and belly. The caracal has a large, slender body. Its hind legs are longer than its forelegs. The tufts on its large ears are the longest of all the felines. The meaning of caracal is "black-ear".

Habitat and Daily Life
The caracal is found in most of Africa and parts of Central India in mostly dry areas, but also woodlands, savanna, hilly areas, and scrubland. They are solitary, nocturnal animals and only socialize to mate. The caracal is an excellent climber, and sometimes will bring its prey up a tree to avoid loosing it to other meat eaters. It is the fastest cat of its size.

Hunting and Feeding
The caracal preys upon rodents, hedgehogs, baby impala and other smaller antelope. The caracal attacks with a bite at the throat. The bite will snap small animals necks and suffocate larger animals such as antelope.

Reproduction
Copulation takes place over a period of six days. After seventy to seventy-eight days one to four cubs will be born blind and helpless. After one week they will open their eyes; after nine to ten days they will walk for the first time. After forty-five days they being to eat meat; after four to six months they are fully weaned. The cubs will stay with the mother for about a year, then they will develop a territory of their own. Male territories are larger than that of the female. One male territory may over lap several female territories. The male will mate with the caracals in its territory.

Status
The caracal population is relatively stable except for some Asian subspecies. In India the caracal is profiting from the tiger conservations. It takes twenty caracal skins to make one coat, but they are not of high value, so trading is not very common. The future of the caracal looks optimistic.

User talk:HelpJazz

2007-10-18T15:38:10Z

Liza:

{{Useful links|float=right}}

== Warning ==

Sorry, general editing is turning off soon. See you tomorrow morning!--[[User:Aschlafly|Aschlafly]] 00:32, 13 September 2007 (EDT)

== Blocking powers ==

I just gave you blocking powers. You can block vandals now. In Christ,--[[User:Aschlafly|Aschlafly]] 19:35, 13 September 2007 (EDT)
:Thank you very much! I will do my best to stop vandals before they can cause too much harm to Conservapedia. [[User:HelpJazz|HelpJazz]] 19:48, 13 September 2007 (EDT)

==New Entries Redux==

Oops. Okay, I'll "jazz up" the ones I've created before I move onto others. --[[User:PeteVan|PeteVan]] 13:50, 18 September 2007 (EDT)
:Heh heh thanks :) Again, I wasn't trying to criticize you or anything, just wanted to let you know. As you can see from my userpage, MoS compliancy is one of my current projects, but you know the whole "teach a man to fish" adage... [[User:HelpJazz|HelpJazz]] 13:54, 18 September 2007 (EDT)
::No, no--I didn't take it as criticism at all. Indeed, I appreciate the heads up. The whole wiki thing is still new to me.--[[User:PeteVan|PeteVan]] 14:08, 18 September 2007 (EDT)
:::As for many, I suspect. You seem to be catching on quickly though! [[User:HelpJazz|HelpJazz]] 14:13, 18 September 2007 (EDT)

== Thanks ==
I hate people who take advantage of good faith. --[[User:Mathers|Mathers]] 20:37, 18 September 2007 (EDT)
:Heh I just thanked you on your talk page! And I agree with you on that point! [[User:HelpJazz|HelpJazz]] 20:38, 18 September 2007 (EDT)
::saw that. maybe you can point me in the direction I might do the most good. I saw some of the links at the top of the recent changes page. Is that the best way to help out? [[User:Mathers|Mathers]] 20:43, 18 September 2007 (EDT)
:::Until you get your bearings, a great way to get started is to hit the "random page" button until you see something that needs fixing. Often times the title won't be bolded, or there might be a spelling mistake or something. Over time you start to get a better handle on the type of articles we have, and how they are generally written. Once you feel comfortable enough, you can go into the [[special:wantedpages|wanted pages]] and start creating new articles that interest you, or you can make revisions to articles, whatever floats your boat. Some people like going through those lists, others have certain areas of interest; I'm currently checking every single chemistry article over for correctness! You'll find your niche rather quickly, I think.
:::Check out those links I put on your talk page, they are very helpful for new editors; and you can always ask if you have any questions! Welcome, and enjoy editing Conservapedia! [[User:HelpJazz|HelpJazz]] 20:54, 18 September 2007 (EDT)

== Editing ==

HelpJazz, general editing needs to pick up again tomorrow morning. Sorry for the interruption, but see you tomorrow morning!--[[User:Aschlafly|Aschlafly]] 00:49, 20 September 2007 (EDT)
:Ok, guess I'll get some sleep then :) [[User:HelpJazz|HelpJazz]] 00:50, 20 September 2007 (EDT)

==Contest==
Hey HelpJazz. Would you be interested in joining team one (to be named) in the contest? --[[User:Tash|Tash]] 19:01, 22 September 2007 (EDT)

:I'm honored and flattered. I'd love to join your team. [[User:HelpJazz|HelpJazz]] 22:23, 22 September 2007 (EDT)

Great! You are in!--[[User:Tash|Tash]] 22:29, 22 September 2007 (EDT)

==Ron Paul==

I notice your supporting Ron Paul in this election? I was thinking of making small donations to him and Obama (A Ron Paul/Obama election would be some craic) It would put me in the position of watching the election from Ireland, content if either one wins. Back to the point of my question though, is it possible for non-nationals to donate to someones election campaign? I'm Irish, though have an American parent. [[User:Graham|Graham]] 10:12, 24 September 2007 (EDT)

:Do you support Paul and Obama, or just think it would be interesting to watch the two of them go against each other? They aren't exactly like-minded candidates on most issues, so it seems strange to me that you would support them both.

:That was a verty interesting question. I didn't know the answer so I looked on Ron Paul's donation page and found that when you donate you have to certify the following:
::"I am a United States citizen or a lawfully-admitted permanent resident. If a foreign national, I have permanent resident status and hold a green card."
:So you probably can't donate... legally. [[User:HelpJazz|HelpJazz]] 10:18, 24 September 2007 (EDT)

Ah well...

First of all, there are certain things I like about both candidates:

Ron Paul- Were he to get elected, he might bring the Party to the Libertarian/Constitutional Wing. After a scurrilous few years of Bush's scant regard for constitutional rights and responsibilities as President to uphold those rights, he'd be a breath of fresh air.

Economically we differ, but I don't care so much about what he'll do to your welfare systems because I don't live there. Socially, he might just end the lunatical 'war on drugs' once and for all.

Obama- Electing Obama would create an icon for the African American community to look up to. There seems to be a shortage of role models there - Were I a Black American father, I'd teach my kids to look up to him. Furthermore, he is on the Evangelical side, so him being elected might just fragmentise the Religious Right, which holds far too much power in America.

Not to mention two articulate, honourable men running for the office of President. That would be a sight to see. [[User:Graham|Graham]] 10:30, 24 September 2007 (EDT)

:That makes sense then. I think the best thing about Paul running as a Republican is that he actually is allowed to get his message across! I don't know how much it's changing the party line, but it's changing a lot of voter's minds. [[User:HelpJazz|HelpJazz]] 10:35, 24 September 2007 (EDT)

== Thanks for Catching and Reverting Vandal ==

Thanks for catching and reverting that vandal tonight! Godspeed.--[[User:Aschlafly|Aschlafly]] 00:35, 26 September 2007 (EDT)

:I'm just glad I caught him when I did. He was pretty fast! [[User:HelpJazz|Help]][[User talk:HelpJazz|Jazz]] 00:36, 26 September 2007 (EDT)

== What the... ==

You wouldn't happen to have just banned around 20 people as likely vandals? does a likely vandal mean that they actually haven't done anything to warrant a ban but you ban them just in case? im kinda intrested as my real account is amongst them. [[User:SimonAl|SimonAl]] 18:25, 6 October 2007 (EDT)
:Your real account? The usual thing is to email me instead of making a sock account. I'm banning people who have a very high probability of being vandals. If I banned you on accident send me an e-mail; I'm only human (which I suspect many of these likely vandals are not...) and I can make mistakes and push the wrong button. [[User:HelpJazz|Help]][[User talk:HelpJazz|Jazz]] 18:28, 6 October 2007 (EDT)

==Wiki-quette==
Last time I checked its etiquette to check with the poster before reverting his edit. I am talking in relation to the [[Friends]] article. [[User:Boru|Boru]] 12:51, 7 October 2007 (EDT)
:Last time *I* checked you've been here for all of an hour and a half, whereas I have been editing for months now. I believe you are a parodist and if you don't cease your non-encyclopedic, unsourced editing you will be blocked. [[User:HelpJazz|Help]][[User talk:HelpJazz|Jazz]] 12:54, 7 October 2007 (EDT)
:If I am a parodist, then how come one of the sysops thought my edit on the Medusa article was fine? I assure you I am not parodist. What exactly was wrong with the Al Gore edits? He didn't serve in the military, he travelled as a war correspondant; He claims to have founded the internet and he won a predominantly Liberal award. It is not parody to point these facts out; Believing these truths to be parody displays a complete lack of confidence in your own beliefs.
::And the reason I have edited so much is because I am excited to finally have a few hours off to help out here. [[User:Boru|Boru]] 13:00, 7 October 2007 (EDT)
::Source it then. I've seen a lot of parody and it's all the same. Obviously it has to be ultra-conservative, that's how it slips in. I'm not easily fooled, however. So sit back and find out how we do things here before you go around editing. [[User:HelpJazz|Help]][[User talk:HelpJazz|Jazz]] 13:04, 7 October 2007 (EDT)
:I have been blocked and unblocked. I'm going to leave this for a while, and let everyone cool down. I do assure you though, that I am not a parodist. [[User:Boru|Boru]] 13:12, 7 October 2007 (EDT)
::If you really aren't a parodist then please accept my apologies. We *do* get people who post the most outrageous things they can to see if they can get them through unnoticed. The fact that you have only been here less than two hours and are already using the same language as some of our most conservative members raised big red flags in my mind. Please continue editing, but keep in mind our commandments and rules (I placed a link on your talk page). [[User:HelpJazz|Help]][[User talk:HelpJazz|Jazz]] 13:22, 7 October 2007 (EDT)

::: My apologies for the late chime-in, I've been away. Since you're watching the topic, I'd like to point you towards the following, http://sethf.com/gore/, which is useful (imo, natch) when deciding how to go about the whole "Al Gore invented the internet" kerfluffle. [[User:Aziraphale|Aziraphale]] 01:25, 9 October 2007 (EDT) ''<-free advice, and worth twice the price!''

*Sorry, but that debunking stuff is flat out lies. I have a transcript of the speech Gore gave, taking credit for it somewhere. Stay tuned! --[[User:TK|şŷŝôρ-₮K]][[User_Talk:TK|/Ṣρёаќǃ]] 02:08, 9 October 2007 (EDT) (Guess you'll be sorry you even brought it up pretty soon! :p)
:*Here you go. [http://www.truthorfiction.com/rumors/g/goreinternet.htm]
This comes from a television interview with CNN's Wolf Blitzer that was aired on March 9,1999. TruthOrFiction.com has a transcript of the entire broadcast. Vice President Gore was not yet a formal candidate for the presidency, but was clearly setting the stage for it, and Blitzer's questions focused on his potential campaign. At one point, Blitzer asked Gore why the Democrats should support him over rival Bill Bradley. Gore answered, "Well, I will -- I'll be offering my vision when my campaign begins, and it'll be comprehensive and sweeping, and I hope that it'll be compelling enough to draw people toward it. I feel that it will be. But it will emerge from my dialogue with the American people. I've traveled to every part of this country during the last six years. '''During my service in the United States Congress, I took the initiative in creating the Internet."'''

Some of the emails criticizing Gore for this statement point out that Gore has often shown ignorance about computers, so how could he have created the Internet? He did not claim, however, to be a computer geek who toiled in his basement and came up with the idea. '''He did claim that somehow as a member of congress he not only played in role in creating the Internet, but "took the initiative" to do it. '''

No amount of "spin" can undo his words. Please note he has never retracted his statement or actually explained it. He has however made jokes at his own expense about it. --[[User:TK|şŷŝôρ-₮K]][[User_Talk:TK|/Ṣρёаќǃ]] 02:18, 9 October 2007 (EDT)

: -shrug- I find the articles useful to the conversation. I don't claim to have resolved anything. [[User:Aziraphale|Aziraphale]] 10:34, 9 October 2007 (EDT) ''<-ah-so...''
:(edit to add) - reviewing the link I provided, the transcript you quoted is the first thing on the page, so it's not like they're hiding it or anything. [[User:Aziraphale|Aziraphale]] 10:37, 9 October 2007 (EDT)

::Thanks Az and TK. As I told Boru all he needs to do is find a citation, and it's obvious that citations exist. Gore's been made fun of for years over that statement, and simply saying "Al Gore claimed to have invented the internet" without any citation or explanation only makes us look like a decade-old Saturday Night Live episode (one of the good ones though, not this junk they have on now). So you are both right (all three, including Boru): he said it, and there is apparently some truth to it, though he chose his words in such a way (intentionally or not; it was a live interview) so as to exaggerate his role. [[User:HelpJazz|Help]][[User talk:HelpJazz|Jazz]] 11:49, 9 October 2007 (EDT)

==Paul51==
He is inserting small edits into the science articles that are incorrect. I reverted them with a short explination as to why they were wrong and he reinserted. I asked for sources but nothing has changed. Just thought you should know.--[[User:Able806|Able806]] 23:26, 7 October 2007 (EDT)

:Thank you. I have been watching and I gave him a warning. If he persists he will be blocked to give him time to read the commandments. Thanks for the heads up. [[User:HelpJazz|Help]][[User talk:HelpJazz|Jazz]] 23:28, 7 October 2007 (EDT)

np--[[User:Able806|Able806]] 23:30, 7 October 2007 (EDT)

== Vandal ==

Thanks much for blocking MaxwellShipley, the vandal. His edits have now been cleaned, thanks to your help.--[[User:Aschlafly|Aschlafly]] 15:34, 15 October 2007 (EDT)
:I only wish I had caught him sooner! Would have been less work to undo. [[User:HelpJazz|Help]][[User talk:HelpJazz|Jazz]] 15:35, 15 October 2007 (EDT)

== Baseball ==

Now, everything is perfect. Thank you so much for let me know. --[[User:Joaquín Martínez]], [[User talk:Joaquín Martínez|talk]] 09:07, 17 October 2007 (EDT)

Thanks so much! Liza.