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January 1

Richard Helm birth date

What is the birth date and location of Richard Helm (author/computer scientist/IT professional who wrote Design Patterns...)? I've looked all over but can't seem to find it anywhere. A good source for this would also be appreciated. --Nerd1a4i (talk) 16:24, 2 January 2017 (UTC)[reply]

Added a title and a link. Rojomoke (talk) 21:24, 1 January 2017 (UTC) [reply]

January 2

Bad phone calls

This question has been removed. Per the reference desk guidelines, the reference desk is not an appropriate place to request medical, legal or other professional advice, including any kind of medical diagnosis, prognosis, or treatment recommendations. For such advice, please see a qualified professional. If you don't believe this is such a request, please explain what you meant to ask, either here or on the Reference Desk's talk page.

Tevildo (talk) 12:00, 2 January 2017 (UTC)[reply]

This is really a question about how to handle alleged inappropriate behavior by a Wikipedia editor, so it seems to me that we should refer the requester to the appropriate part of Wikipedia. However, I'm not sure what that would be. John M Baker (talk) 21:46, 3 January 2017 (UTC)[reply]

The post was pure trolling, by a banned user. ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 21:57, 3 January 2017 (UTC)[reply]

For the record, WP:OWH is the appropriate link. Tevildo (talk) 23:22, 3 January 2017 (UTC)[reply]

It would be, if the complaint was legitimate, which it wasn't. ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 23:39, 3 January 2017 (UTC)[reply]

Well then, what's the appropriate place for illegitimate complaints? (Asking for a friend.) —Tamfang (talk) 01:56, 5 January 2017 (UTC)[reply]

The circular file. μηδείς (talk) 02:37, 5 January 2017 (UTC)[reply]

Or better yet, "where the moon don't shine" (to quote Dick Cavett).[1] ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 05:19, 5 January 2017 (UTC)[reply]

Rose Parade on Monday, January 2

Since January 1 this year is a Sunday, the Rose Parade is held on Monday, January 2, instead. How often does January 1 fall on a Sunday? How many times does January 1 fall on a Sunday in 400 Gregorian years? What about the 6-year difference between 1899 and 1905 due to 1900 not being a leap year, between 2096 and 2102 due to 2100 not being a leap year, and the 7-year difference between 2197 and 2204 due to 2200 not being a leap year? GeoffreyT2000 (talk, contribs) 16:37, 2 January 2017 (UTC)[reply]

Perpetual calendar might be a good place to start. ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 17:18, 2 January 2017 (UTC)[reply]

One that I use is this:[2] In recent years, January 1 fell on a Sunday in 2012, 2006, 1995, 1989, 1984, 1978, 1967 and 1961. That's 8 times in 56 years (starting 1962), or average once every 7 years, which is not too surprising. ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 17:20, 2 January 2017 (UTC)[reply]

If you have a program "count" that will produce a list of consecutive numbers (I think this is built-in on some systems, but I use my own that I wrote, so I don't know about that), all you need to do is:

     for year in `count 2000 2399`
        do
        cal 1 $year
        done | grep ' 1 ' | sort -r | uniq -c

The output is:

    58  1  2  3  4  5  6  7 
    56     1  2  3  4  5  6 
    58        1  2  3  4  5 
    57           1  2  3  4 
    57              1  2  3 
    58                 1  2 
    56                    1

So in the 400-year Gregorian cycle, January 1 is on Sunday 58 times, Monday 56 times, and so on.

(If you don't have a "count" program, you could insert some awk or perl instead, e.g.: for year in `perl -e 'print join(" ", 2000..2399)'`

--69.159.60.210 (talk) 19:54, 2 January 2017 (UTC)[reply]

When I try it on MacBSD, the last line is missing, because cal doesn't do trailing spaces. —Tamfang (talk) 01:53, 5 January 2017 (UTC)[reply]

January 3

Jim Ryun, military draft, mononucleosis

When Coach Timmons told Ryun to run in a meet although he had symptoms of mononucleosis, could Timmons have taken away his sports scholarship if he refused? Would Ryun have been in danger of being drafted if he lost his scholarship? Did he have a high or low draft number?2602:306:CFC8:DDB0:8DA:B469:C4E6:5AE8 (talk) 07:59, 3 January 2017 (UTC)[reply]

Sending cash to Italy from the UK

I would like a secure way to send banknotes to Italy from the UK. When I say "secure", I mean with some sort of insurance. I'm aware that the regular Italian postal service does not allow for this, but is there an alternative courier that I could use?--Leon (talk) 14:12, 3 January 2017 (UTC)[reply]

Royal Mail offer a secure delivery service with compensation for loss - but only to a maximum of £250. No ordinary courier company appears to accept money. If you have a lot to send, you might find a CVIT company able to help - https://www.bsia.co.uk/sections/cash-and-valuables-in-transit.aspx Wymspen (talk) 15:29, 3 January 2017 (UTC)[reply]

Do you need to send actual banknotes? My mother sometimes sends money to me from Australia (thanks Mum!) - she deposits it into my paypal account and I then transfer it from there to my bank. --TrogWoolley (talk) 10:37, 4 January 2017 (UTC)[reply]

What's the advantage of using PayPal compared to just transferring bank account to bank account - which you can also do online? In fact the Commonwealth Bank has recently been advertising direct transfers from its electronic banking app directly to the Barclays Pingit app. --165.225.80.115 (talk) 14:19, 4 January 2017 (UTC)[reply]

International transfer has a big fee from the bank, perhaps $30-50, so for small amounts it is better to just get a percentage cut from paypal. Graeme Bartlett (talk) 21:41, 4 January 2017 (UTC)[reply]

If you're paying that much, change your bank. I've never paid more than £10.86.28.195.109 (talk) 08:26, 5 January 2017 (UTC)[reply]

It does have to be banknotes.--Leon (talk) 08:37, 5 January 2017 (UTC)[reply]

Transfer costs may depend on where you are. From Switzerland I get a low rate for bank transfers to anywhere in the Single Euro Payments Area but a substantially higher cost to do bank transfers outside of that. We use TransferWise for moving substantial sums at relatively reasonable costs (especially including favorable currency conversion rates, which tend to be the largest cost if you are changing currencies and moving more than a few hundred euros). Dragons flight (talk) 08:40, 5 January 2017 (UTC)[reply]

Indeed. Both the UK and Italy are in the Single Euro Payments Area, so money transfers should be no more expensive or complicated than local transfers. Of course, in my experience, Italian banks give the Mafia a run for the money as "most greedy bastards of the continent", so they may not pass on all the benefits. --Stephan Schulz (talk) 08:51, 5 January 2017 (UTC)[reply]

January 4

How thick can the sole of a dress shoe be?

What is the normal thickness of a dress shoe's leather sole? When does it start to be too thin or too bulky? Would people wear thicker soles in winter? — Preceding unsigned comment added by Hofhof (talk • contribs) 21:06, 4 January 2017 (UTC)[reply]

Ladies or mens?--86.187.167.6 (talk) 00:36, 5 January 2017 (UTC)[reply]

This site [3] about dress shoes gives average thickness of leather for various parts of shoes, saying the leather outsole averages about 12 oz (3/16 inch). SemanticMantis (talk) 01:01, 5 January 2017 (UTC)[reply]

Or just under 5 mm in common units. Fgf10 (talk) 08:27, 5 January 2017 (UTC)[reply]

Thanks, I should make a habit of using the convert template: {{convert|3/16|inch|mm}} which produces: 3⁄16 inch (4.8 mm). Understandably, it does not work for converting ounces to inches or millimeters :D SemanticMantis (talk) 18:26, 5 January 2017 (UTC)[reply]

January 5

ISAF coalition, take 2

I've tried asking this question twice before, but the first time nobody answered, and the second time it turned into an argument re. the definition of terrorism and the uselessness of training Afghan troops (both only tangentially related to the original question). So here it is again: Which nations (besides the usual "suspects" -- the USA, Great Britain, Australia, Canada, Denmark and Georgia Republic) have, or had in the past, their troops actively seeking out and attacking terrorists in the context of the Great War on Terror, especially in Afghanistan? 2601:646:8E01:7E0B:D9E7:BF22:B744:3455 (talk) 08:22, 5 January 2017 (UTC)[reply]

Are you restricting your question to action in Afghanistan after September 2001 this time? Dbfirs 10:04, 5 January 2017 (UTC)[reply]

Yes, I am restricting it to offensive operations against terrorists in Afghanistan after September 11, 2001 (although in fact these only commenced on October 7 of the same year, due to the time needed to deploy the forces). 2601:646:8E01:7E0B:F88D:DE34:7772:8E5B (talk) 12:20, 5 January 2017 (UTC)[reply]

In addition to Dbfirs point, note that the definition of terrorists is not tangential to the original question. Unless you define terrorists your questions is unanswerable, especially since it's clear you're going to reject any answer which uses a definition different from yours. You're free to use whatever definition you desire, although you should avoid implying your definition is anything more than it is, your personal definition. (One of the reasons your last question so spectacularly failed last time is not only did you fail to define terrorists that time as you've done this time, but when you tried to define it you tried to claim your definition was the sole definition used by the US.) Nil Einne (talk) 10:28, 5 January 2017 (UTC)[reply]

I did in fact define terrorists when requested, and the definition for this question is the same as last time (and the same as the one used by the USA since 9/14/2001 -- anyone belonging to any organization which had any part in the 9/11 attacks, or which in any way aided or harbored such persons afterward. (Is this definition really so little-known, and/or so hard to get through your head???) 2601:646:8E01:7E0B:F88D:DE34:7772:8E5B (talk) 12:20, 5 January 2017 (UTC)[reply]

See the articles Terrorism and Definitions of terrorism for a broader view. Blooteuth (talk) 12:50, 5 January 2017 (UTC)[reply]

The article on Operation Enduring Freedom includes units from Norway, New Zealand and Afghanistan actively seeking out Al-Qaeda and Taliban forces in Afghanistan. You can probably also include the Phillipines for trying to remove Abu Sayyaf from within. This list isn't exhaustive, obviously, but it is what I found at a cursory glance. The Operation Enduring Freedom article also has links to further combat operations you can look through. uhhlive (talk) 21:33, 5 January 2017 (UTC)[reply]

Thanks! (Finally some useful information!) Follow-up question: During Operation Anaconda, which elements of Task Force K-Bar (if any) were engaged in actual combat? 2601:646:8E01:7E0B:F88D:DE34:7772:8E5B (talk) 02:57, 6 January 2017 (UTC)[reply]

January 6

Housing Mystery

I am very confused about a group of houses near me.

Basically, one day, while walking back home from somewhere I don't remember, I noticed new houses getting built in Holmhead. There addresses are 52, 54 and 56 Holmhead Road to the best of my knowledge. They are referred to as plots 85, 84 and 83 respectively in planning documents I have seen.

Occasionally, I would walk down to these houses to get an update of how finished they were. I also considered the possibility of owning and living in one when I was older and richer.

What confused me was what happened recently, after the exterior work was complete and when the interior work was in very advanced stages, number 56 (plot 83), displayed some evidence of habitation.

Even though the house was minimally furnished, I saw people who were not workers entering. One of them was only a young child. Over the next few days after this, I saw more evidence of habitation in the form of an unusual car in the driveway.

Basically I want to know, how in the name of goodness did they buy the house when there were no internet listings or information in estate agents offices across Cumnock. There was never even a for sale sign next to the house in question. How was this even possible?

Bearing in mind that the main developer doesn't even have a website...

Please help me. This issue has been driving me loopy for the last month!

Pablothepenguin (talk) 18:59, 6 January 2017 (UTC)[reply]

The surest way to find out is to ask them. Otherwise, there's always the chance these new homes are being built because the upcoming residents are having them built. ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 19:03, 6 January 2017 (UTC)[reply]

Not possible... They don't have a website and I don't know any other details. Also, I checked planning documents and the development was initiated by a developer, and no "upcoming residents" were declared in the document. Also, I'm talking about three houses, how do you find that many "upcoming residents" anyway? Pablothepenguin (talk) 19:06, 6 January 2017 (UTC)[reply]

When I say "Ask them" I mean ask the people you're seeing there as you walk by. ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 19:10, 6 January 2017 (UTC)[reply]

Possibly, but I never have seen them again, just their car. Also, I need this info as I want to buy a house soon. Pablothepenguin (talk) 19:18, 6 January 2017 (UTC)[reply]

No construction workers either? ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 19:20, 6 January 2017 (UTC)[reply]

I've seen plenty of them... but, they're just basic workers and wouldn't know anything about formal ownership or estate agency. (I'm Scottish, this practice is also know to Americans as "Realty") Pablothepenguin (talk) 19:28, 6 January 2017 (UTC)[reply]

They should know who their employer is. ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 19:42, 6 January 2017 (UTC)[reply]

Ask a local estate agent. Or put a note through the door. Ghmyrtle (talk) 19:41, 6 January 2017 (UTC)[reply]

I might consider the note through the door trick. Pablothepenguin (talk) 20:14, 6 January 2017 (UTC)[reply]

It all depends on how badly you want to find out the answer. ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 22:02, 6 January 2017 (UTC)[reply]

The planning documents (which the council linked to when someone I suspect to be you made the FOI request) gives the name of the developer as Charlesfort Developments Ltd - and they have a website. It is, of course, possible that they built these particular homes on behalf of someone else, possibly the landowner, and that they may never have been intended for the open market. Wymspen (talk) 22:46, 6 January 2017 (UTC)[reply]

That's a better way of saying what I was trying to say. If the homes were essentially sold before they were built, there would be no reason to list them. ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 22:57, 6 January 2017 (UTC)[reply]

Ok, I've checked the website and also found a Facebook page. It seems that some "clients" bought the house before it was built. What I don't understand is, how could they do this when the houses were never listed? How on earth do I pull off the same trick? Also, by the grace of God, I know that the "clients" won't own the house(s) for evermore. Thus, I shall pounce when the SOBs have moved out. I am confident that that will work. Pablothepenguin (talk) 23:15, 6 January 2017 (UTC)[reply]

You seem to be under the impression that builders have to build a house and then go looking for a buyer. That's not always true. Many people approach builders and pay them to build a house for them. That is the way it works here in the US. Going by your wording, I'm assuming you're in the UK and I would also assume that it works much the same way there. †dismas†|^(talk) 23:22, 6 January 2017 (UTC)[reply]

Bingo. Now, if the OP is still dying of curiosity about who had the houses built, maybe he could check for property transactions for those lots. ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 23:30, 6 January 2017 (UTC)[reply]

You can always write to Mr King and ask him.[[4]]--Ykraps (talk) 23:36, 6 January 2017 (UTC)[reply]

... or ring Steven Denham of Denham/Benn Ltd who submitted an application on behalf of Charlesfort Properties Ltd whose address here in Robbiesland Drive is just behind the houses you are interested in. Dbfirs 00:21, 7 January 2017 (UTC)[reply]

I also note that the original poster seems to assume that if a house is for sale then this must be done via the Internet. Not necessarily true! --69.159.60.210 (talk) 00:54, 7 January 2017 (UTC)[reply]

The fact that there are 3 such houses makes it less likely that the people who intend to live there all hired a builder. I suppose it could be one rich guy who wants to provide homes for his friends and/or relatives, but it seems more likely that the builder sold the homes before construction, and that they are therefore no longer listed. Another possibility is that people you saw are renting, and these houses are being built as rental properties, and therefore not listed as for sale, only for rent. StuRat (talk) 05:49, 7 January 2017 (UTC)[reply]

I'd like to know where the OP gets off calling the occupants "SOBs" just because he doesn't seem to approve of how they got the houses - even though he doesn't actually know how they got the houses. ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 06:32, 7 January 2017 (UTC)[reply]

It's meant to be funny, calling them that because they got the jump on him. You better never go to Australia, where "bastard" seems to be a term of affection. StuRat (talk) 06:52, 7 January 2017 (UTC)[reply]

Rogereeny. ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 06:57, 7 January 2017 (UTC)[reply]

It's definitely possible the builder presold the homes or sold the homes during construction. But it's also possible it wasn't the builder. For example, perhaps someone bought the land and subdivided it into 3 lots (the plot whatever may suggest this isn't the case but I don't know much about the meaning of these in the OP's locale), deciding to keep 1 for themselves and sell the other two houses. It also doesn't have to be one person owning the land. It's possible 3 friends or relatives bought the land separately wanting to live together. Nil Einne (talk) 06:58, 7 January 2017 (UTC)[reply]

Off-plan property is the technical term for this practice, which (as the OP has observed) is very common in the UK. Tevildo (talk) 09:36, 7 January 2017 (UTC)[reply]

January 7

University of Life?

One of my friends went to the University of Life, and he's talked about it on numerous occasions. Obviously, what he did and learnt is of great interest to me not only to improve my employment prospects, but also to live a fuller life. It sounds like he had a great time there, too. However, it's been awhile since me and him spoke. I've been meaning to find more about it, what courses they do and the location of the place, period. I can't for the life of my find out where they are actually based? I've emailed local colleges but get no response. Is there any admissions department, perhaps they're abroad? Any pointers here would be appreciated, I am quite confused.

Thanks, Neil 185.146.168.45 (talk) 11:00, 7 January 2017 (UTC)[reply]

@@ Line 154: / Line 154: @@
 = January 7 =
+== University of Life? ==
+One of my friends went to the University of Life, and he's talked about it on numerous occasions. Obviously, what he did and learnt is of great interest to me not only to improve my employment prospects, but also to live a fuller life. It sounds like he had a great time there, too. However, it's been awhile since me and him spoke. I've been meaning to find more about it, what courses they do and the location of the place, period. I can't for the life of my find out where they are actually based? I've emailed local colleges but get no response. Is there any admissions department, perhaps they're abroad? Any pointers here would be appreciated, I am quite confused.
+Thanks,
+Neil
+[[Special:Contributions/185.146.168.45|185.146.168.45]] ([[User talk:185.146.168.45|talk]]) 11:00, 7 January 2017 (UTC)