The best answers address the question directly, and back up facts with wikilinks and links to sources. Do not edit others' comments and do not give any medical or legal advice.
ANTIQUE (VICTORIAN?) HOTEL LOBBY FURNITURE AND THE LIKE
I am looking for the name of a piece of furniture that I have seen in movies and photos. It is an upholstered circular sofa/bench with an upholstered pier in the center that everyone uses as a common back support. I think they are usually one large piece although I have seen one that was a sectional. Along these lines there is a piece of furniture that I have only seen once. It was in the movie "KEEPER OF THE FLAME" with Katherine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy. It was in the scene where Spencer went to see "old Mrs. Forrest". In her "sitting room", Spencer sat on this piece of furniture to talk to her. This also was an upholstered piece of Victorian period but it was made for 4 people and the back supports were convex to the center. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 174.100.8.123 (talk) 07:15, 17 July 2012 (UTC)[reply]
So, a friend of mine has had a parcel of theirs mislaid, the item was delivered, according to the USPS tracking system, to an R. Eldridge in Sydney, Australia, all the information we have to go on. having contacted the company, they assure us that there is noone on their customer records with that name or in that city, showing that it arrived there by mistake. Is there any way of finding this person and seeing whether they can help clear this up?
You would probably be better off getting the postal service to find your parcel than trying to track down the recipient yourself. I'm assuming that you posted an item in the US to an address in Australia - otherwise something has gone seriously wrong!
The USPS website says: Each international destination country has its own postal system that is independently operated. Once the mail leaves the United States, it is handed over to the postal system for that specific country. USPS has specific service providers for Global Express Guaranteed. Global Express Guaranteed service is the result of a strategic alliance with United States Postal Service and FedEx Express. FedEx Express provides the international transportation, commercial customs clearance, and delivery of every shipment while the Postal Service provides mailing labels and packaging to create the shipment, payment options, and acceptance of the shipment. For all other mail classes, we do not keep a listing of other specific postal operators around the world.
So, unless you sent the package by 'Global Express Guaranteed', the final delivery will have been by Australia Post. On the subject of missing items, they have a webpage where you or the intended recipient can enter details of the package and initiate an enquiry into where it ended up. - Cucumber Mike (talk) 17:28, 17 July 2012 (UTC)[reply]
we've tried that, though, been in touch with the australian post a lot, but they've been looking for something posted to my friend and it seems to have been sent somewhere else, not sure what they can do in that case, we don't even really have proof that this is the same package as he should have gotten. Kitutal (talk) 17:32, 17 July 2012 (UTC)[reply]
Ok, so, to get this straight, the following events have taken place:
You posted something in the US with USPS, correctly addressed to your friend in Australia
You were able to track the item with USPS, which showed the item to have arrived in Australia
Your friend didn't receive the item
You contacted Australia Post, who initiated an enquiry about it
Australia Post informed you that the item was delivered to R Eldridge at some address other than your friends', but gave no further information. They now refuse to do anything else.
Is that right? Frankly, I would get back on to Australia Post (or, preferably, get your friend on to them - as a resident he will be able to do more) and get them to sort it out. They have procedures for finding lost items, or getting compensation if they can't. I apologise if I missed some details about why that's not possible in this case. - Cucumber Mike (talk) 17:49, 17 July 2012 (UTC)[reply]
Yep, pretty much, other than that he had been contacting the post for weeks before that, when it never turned up, with them unable to do anything then, and hasn't since then, but he has gotten in touch with paypal, seems there's nothing they can do any more. I'll get him to contact them again, and see what's going on, maybe they can find out what happened now. thank you. Kitutal (talk) 17:59, 17 July 2012 (UTC)[reply]
You mentioned Paypal - was this something ordered off Ebay? If so, as well as contacting the postal service, you should contact the seller for proof of postage. (Sorry, I thought you were the person who posted it). I would also recommend that your friend documents all the contact they have had with Australia Post in case this comes to a compensation claim. If they are claiming that there's nothing more they can do, compensation might be the only way forward. I don't think I can advise any further than that without giving legal advice (which we don't do here), so if you need more assistance you might want to contact a lawyer. Best of luck! - Cucumber Mike (talk) 18:06, 17 July 2012 (UTC)[reply]
Paypal can't do anything more than 45 days after the transaction, and he's waited longer than that in case it turned up some time. He has plenty of records of what's been going on with the postal service and the seller, emails, receipts, whatever else. claiming compensation then, I guess it is. good luck to him. Kitutal (talk) 18:24, 17 July 2012 (UTC)[reply]
Postal and parcel carriers dont normally delivery stuff to the wrong name or address, just a thought but did you have the right tracking number? MilborneOne (talk) 18:36, 17 July 2012 (UTC)[reply]
Postal services have a duty to deliver items to the right place. If they have failed to do that, then they need to sort it out. If they refuse to do so, then I suggest you seek legal advice. Trying to track down the item yourself is very unlikely to be effective. --Tango (talk) 23:57, 17 July 2012 (UTC)[reply]
Of course, if you're up for a bit of Sherlockian fun, you could try hiring a private investigator and working with them to find out where the thing actually went. Obviously not the most expedient course of action, and possibly quite expensive, but at least it'd give you something to do for a few days, if you're bored. dalahäst(let's talk!)02:55, 18 July 2012 (UTC)[reply]
USPS tracking shouldn't ordinarily say to whom it was delivered, but where. There appears to be an Eldridge Road in Sydney or the Sydney area. Your friend should contact the local post offices in Sydney - both his, the one it should have been sent to or the one the USPS says it arrived at ( on Eldridge Road(?) ). Make sure the USPS tracking says it went to the correct postcode / Australian post office & that the seller addressed it correctly - an erroneous digit could have helped cause the non-delivery. And as MilborneOne says, make sure you have the right tracking number. The USPS site should tell you the date it was sent - if that's wrong, the tracking number can't be right. The US post office, especially the one it was sent from, especially if you ply the clerks with enough donuts, might be able to help more, if provided with the tracking number - at least they could give you a lost mail form, or find their copy of the customs form if they haven't destroyed it. John Z (talk) 05:55, 18 July 2012 (UTC)[reply]
Maybe this experience will be useful to you. Not long ago I had occasion to reschedule a delivery. When I checked on the website using the number I'd been given, I found the parcel had gone to Aberdeen, some 500 miles away! However, when I contacted the company to find out what was going on, I discovered that the rescheduling had the effect of cancelling the first number and issuing another number. Meanwhile, the first number had been reallocated. Maybe, somewhere in the trek between US and Australia, something like this happened and the number you were given originally is no longer valid? --TammyMoet (talk) 08:29, 18 July 2012 (UTC)[reply]
I somewhat disagree with Tango in that if you actually read the terms and conditions you'd find their guarantees often are rather limited although it varies greatly from country to country and depending on the service you use. Perhaps consumer laws will provide additional protection but postal services are widely used enough that I personally doubt it's common their T&Cs don't comply with consumer law. Anyway my main point of replying is to point out that you may want to ask the sender to initiate a query with USPS. Although Australian Post may have been the delivery agent, it's fairly normal for the sender to be the one to initiate claims for lost parcels, they are normally the ones who directly paid for the service and know all the details, and of course this is whoever they sent it with (i.e. USPS) not who the final delivery agent was. USPS will of course need to contact Australian Post but this is also normal. Depending on the service used and the norms, you may get a signature (the fact there's a name suggests to me this was collected) and perhaps time and address of delivery. Of course if you don't trust the sender and believe they may have sent you a tracking number for something else you're fairly SOL. I admit I'm a bit confused why your friend waited so long for delivery. I don't live in Australia but I'm pretty sure at least in the urban areas things aren't much worse then NZ. An item sent from the US even with the normal airmail service should arrive within about a 1 week, at most 3. If things haven't arrived by then, it's time to ask the seller what's up (remember with eBay whatever the seller may say, they're actually required to ensure the item is delivered to you). (For the record, I've ordered plenty of things off a variety of sellers off eBay and elsewhere, the longest to arrive was something that got 'lost' during the volcano disruptions a couple of years back and was about 60 days, the next longest was well within 45 days.) Since they had a tracking number, I'm even more confused what happened, if it supposedly arrived but hasn't that's the time to tell the sender there's a problem and let them make inquiries. (If an item is missing or the parcel is damaged it may be you to initiate the claim since you have the evidence to show them although it's usually best to tell the sender first, particularly for missing items with no evidence of tampering to ensure the sender didn't just forget it or whatever.) Nil Einne (talk) 16:05, 18 July 2012 (UTC)[reply]
Documentaries about sewage
I am looking for documentaries about sewage in the UK, dealing with such things as pipe infrastructure, transport, treatment, sewage farms, sludge beds, water reclamation, effluents, etc. The closest thing I have been able to find so far is episode 18 of the 90s children show Come Outside[2] but it is only 10 minutes long and not very detailed. Something like this but longer and more in-depth and technical would be wonderful. Thanks
Thanks, I'll definitely look that up. Just to clarify though, I was hoping for documentaries about more recent sewage projects and technologies such as from the 1950s to present. 75.87.101.44 (talk) 19:33, 17 July 2012 (UTC)[reply]
I seem to remember some episodes of Modern Marvels dealt, at least in part, with sewage. Looking through List of Modern Marvels episodes, episode 7-40, about plumbing, may have some good informagtion. There are a couple titled "Bathroom Tech" that may have something along those lines as well. --Jayron3205:02, 18 July 2012 (UTC)[reply]
I have received the Navy and Marine Corps Medal and the Navy Commendation Medal. How do I get these posted on this web site? I can send these documents if I have a email address or address. You can also contact me on this site mlcatcdog10 — Preceding unsigned comment added by Mlcatcdog10 (talk • contribs) 00:48, 18 July 2012 (UTC)[reply]
You added a name here to the Navy and Marine Corps Medal article. Please note, in order to add names to that list, the subject should have an article here first and then their name can be added. But to have an article here, the person must first be notable enough for an article. We don't simply list every recipient of those medals. If we did, that list would be far longer than the 19 or so names that are currently listed. Dismas|(talk)01:50, 18 July 2012 (UTC)[reply]
You need to be more specific. Largest total number of colleges and universities ? (If so, how would you count a single institution which has several "colleges", as in a college of law, college of medicine, etc.) Largest total enrollment ? Largest total enrollment as a percentage of total population ? And by "city", do you include colleges and universities in the suburbs ? StuRat (talk) 07:19, 18 July 2012 (UTC)[reply]
This table has data on a per-state basis. California has 454 "degree granting institutions", making them the most, while Alaska has only 7, making them the least. This is for the 2010-2011 school year. This website hosted the above table. They may have more information availible, including what the OP is looking for, on a per-city basis. Cities such as Boston, Philadelphia, New York, and Chicago have a lot of universities within their borders and/or metro area; so it may be one of those four. Not every large city has a lot of colleges (Houston, for example, doesn't have as many as the above, despite having a comparable population). --Jayron3213:13, 18 July 2012 (UTC)[reply]
Last year, just before Wikipedia's tenth birthday celebrations, I gave my contact details in the site http://ten.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chennai . The site's now closed to editing, however, my contact details are still displayed, and there are other websites now using that page as a mailing list as sorts, which has led to me getting calls from confused people who think I'm some sort of contact for the various websites displaying the mailing list... How do I remove my name and number from that page? Any ideas? Thanks in advance. LaAlquimista08:09, 18 July 2012 (UTC)[reply]
You can't. In most number systems (eg, those where 1+1 does not equal 0), 2 is defined as what you get if you add 1+1. It's axiomatic, and I'm not sure what other sort of axiom you'd expect to derive it from. (For what's worth, one of the axioms of Peano arithmetic is that every number x has a successor sx. I guess you could go about proving that 1+1=s1.) AlexTiefling (talk) 09:55, 18 July 2012 (UTC)[reply]
(edit conflict) Huh indeed. Alfred North Whitehead and Bertrand Russell set out to do just that in Principia Mathematica. The full text is available from the University of Michigan here, and the relevant section dealing with the proof you're looking for is on page 378. If you can understand a single word of it, you are a better man than I am, Gunga Din. You might also like to take a look at this blog, which discusses the proof and why it might not, in fact, be a complete proof. Again, I don't profess to fully understand the reasoning! - Cucumber Mike (talk) 09:58, 18 July 2012 (UTC)[reply]
I'm not familiar with the notation, but I'm pretty sure that proposition is "given two sets of cardinality 1, their intersection is empty iff their union has cardinality 2." Russell and Whitehead were more interested in sets than in numbers. -- BenRG (talk) 00:27, 19 July 2012 (UTC)[reply]
OK, here's my attempt at a proof using the Peano axioms:
1. Let's start by defining terms: 1 is represented as S(0), and 2 as S(S(0)).(Peano axioms 1, 6, and 7)
2. Under the second part of the definition of Peano addition, a + S(b) = s(a+b). So 1+1 can be represented as S(0)+S(0), which is equal to S(S(0)+0).
3. Under the first part of the definition of Peano addition, a+0=a. So S(0)+0 = S(0). We susbtitute that into the outer brackets at the end of the previous step...
I have quite often asked a similar question - prove 2+2=4. I find that only small kids around 5 years old are really capable of proving this. Older people treat it like an axiom. But AlexTiefling's proof will do for me! Graeme Bartlett (talk) 10:10, 18 July 2012 (UTC)[reply]
I think it's fair to say that the 'axiomatic' answer and the proof given show different things about the statement "1+1=2". To say it's axiomatic is to say that the symbol '2' has no intrinsic property of being '1+1', and that we normally do arithmetic with sets of more than two elements. To prove it is to show that the integer ordered following unity is the same as unity added to unity.
You might enjoy theorem 2p2e4 at Metamath. Note that Metamath defines 2 = (1 + 1), though, as AlexTiefling said, Peano arithmetic doesn't.
These "trivial" questions are tricky only because a person asking such a question presumably isn't interested in the answer "it's trivial"—which would be a valid justification for assuming 1+1=2 in any other situation. It's the same reason "why is the sky blue?" is easier than "why is blue blue?". -- BenRG (talk) 00:27, 19 July 2012 (UTC)[reply]
I'm interested in the level of employment and average earnings of recent graduates in the UK. The exact question I'd like to answer is "for X degree course or Y university department, what percentage of graduates earn a basic salary (before any bonuses or perks) of at least £21000 two years after graduation?". Trouble is, I'm not a statistician and really don't know where to start. Does the available data even support answering something that specific, or is it all muddled together (and effectively meaningless)? — Preceding unsigned comment added by 163.1.25.35 (talk) 10:30, 18 July 2012 (UTC)[reply]
There's no data for two years after graduation but there's data for six months after graduation, from the Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education survey. The level of employment, at six months, is readily available now on www.unistats.direct.gov.uk. The salary at six months isn't available in that format at all at the moment, but will be in the Key Information Set from September, for comparison in the same way that you see on unistats. A special government website is being set up to carry the information, and it is intended to be very visible. The performance indicators for universities were published today, and you can find them by clicking on links at www.hesa.ac.uk. Some surveys of employment after two years have been conducted, but not regularly and not for all universities. You would track them down by searching in Google Scholar. Finally, the Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings has data on the earnings levels in the workforce as a whole, and the Quarterly Labour Force Survey asks about qualification levels and earnings, but handling the analysis is an expert task. Itsmejudith (talk) 17:02, 18 July 2012 (UTC)[reply]
So they can let people know they don't agree, presumably. The easiest way to do so is to state it explicitly, remove the tag, or do both. That said, I think anyone closing a question, whether by hatting it or marking it Done/Resolved, should sign their name, to take credit or blame for it. StuRat (talk) 23:42, 18 July 2012 (UTC)[reply]
That was exactly my point. It could happen that someone comes along and says: hey, these two worked as producers together in film such and such. Ochson (talk) 23:46, 18 July 2012 (UTC)[reply]
Limit on stay of Americans who renounce citizenship
The Terry Gilliam article states, "As a result of renouncing his citizenship, Gilliam is only permitted to spend 30 days per year in the United States, fewer than ordinary British citizens."
Does America really limit the amount of time a person can stay on holiday there? He really can't stay with his American family for more than a month a year?
A lot of countries, maybe most countries even, limit the amount of time you can stay on holidays. Otherwise, what would stop people just coming for a holiday and never leaving? The relavant article might be Visa. More specifically, the Entry and duration period section. Vespine (talk) 23:17, 18 July 2012 (UTC)[reply]
I suspect that most Western countries (and indeed most countries, full stop) limit the amount of time that an individual can remain as a visitor on vacation without requiring extensive paperwork. Citizens of the UK can generally visit the U.S. for up to 90 days without a visa: [8]. (In the other direction, U.S. citizens may visit the UK for up to six months without a visa: [9].)
I can't comment on whether or not the U.S. really has the punitive policy described towards their former citizens; it sounds spiteful, but I admit that it also sounds plausible. (The source linked from our article [10] only quotes Gilliam, so we don't have what I would call a reliable source for immigration policy.) TenOfAllTrades(talk) 23:46, 18 July 2012 (UTC)[reply]
Not a reliable source, but as it boils down to taxation, compelling: this blog states (within the context of a discussion of renouncing citizenship, "a change of law in 2008 that means non-U.S. citizen, nonresidents can now annually visit the U.S. for 120 or more days without becoming taxed as U.S. residents (under the pre-2008 rules, visits to the U.S. for more than 30 days during any of the 10 years following expatriation caused the individual to be treated as a U.S. resident for that year)." --Tagishsimon(talk)02:22, 19 July 2012 (UTC)[reply]
Accountants confirm, in an article about Taxation and Renouncing Citizenship: "The expatriate could not be present in the U.S. for 30 days in any one year, or one would be treated for tax purposes as a citizen and taxed on all worldwide income." --Tagishsimon(talk)02:26, 19 July 2012 (UTC)[reply]
This seems like a splendid invention, why didn't it get more commercial? (ignoring that major disaster in the US, what else?). Ochson (talk) 23:44, 18 July 2012 (UTC)[reply]
Once you take the hydrogen out, you're still left with the problems that such a light-weight object easily gets blown around in the wind, so you can only use them on calm days. The low passenger/cargo capacity combined with the need for immense hangars also work against them. Then, of course, they are slow, so not good if you want to get somewhere in a timely manner (although slow transport does have it's place, as on cruise ships). StuRat (talk) 23:57, 18 July 2012 (UTC)[reply]
The following discussion has been closed. Please do not modify it.
To Write Love On Her Arms,Love or A Publicity Stunt?
Why this organization... have Business Behavior and Publicity Stunt? Why this organization... have commercial exploitation? Love or just like a singer - Lady Gaga? What is real...
I suggest you write your question in your native language, and somebody will translate it into proper English for you. StuRat (talk) 02:29, 19 July 2012 (UTC)[reply]
To Write Love On Her Arms,Love or A Publicity Stunt? 到底它是爱还是只是在炒作呢？非盈利性组织为什么会有商业活动和炒作行为呢？这些天读了一些关于这个组织的报道，尝试去了解这个组织，为什么它给人的感觉就像娱乐圈一样呢？它不是一个非盈利性组织吗？什么才是真实的? 我不知道答案，有谁知道呢？
I tried google translate on the above. I got this : "In the end it is love or just speculation? Non-profit organization why there is commercial activity and speculation behavior? Read some reports on the organization of these days, try to understand this organization, why it feels like entertainment? It is not a non-profit organization? What is real? I do not know the answer, who knows?" Any native speakers care to give a better translation? Because it looks like gibberish still. I also added a title to this thread. --Jayron3203:12, 19 July 2012 (UTC)[reply]
Wikipedia has an entire article on the Huxley family, which produced numerous individuals who excelled in different fields. Is this streak of producing unusually intelligent, intellectual human beings merely due to good genes that run in the family, or are there other factors too? If it's genes, why don't the families of other eminent people produce more eminent people later on? Does upbringing play a part in all this too? As far as I've seen, most descendants of popular icons, celebrities, and other famous people simply bask in the former glory of their ancestors, and fail to live up to others' expectations... LaAlquimista08:52, 19 July 2012 (UTC)[reply]
Education also plays its part, alongside upbringing, culture. Why do we expect so much of "celebrities" children? Especially those who have become celebrities through media, or are "famous for being famous"? Why should their offspring be any different to anyone else's? Surely that's a bigger question to answer than why excellence should run in families? --TammyMoet (talk) 09:02, 19 July 2012 (UTC)[reply]
Well, in addition to genes and environment in common, certain other advantages might also be passed down, such as money and business contacts, giving them a head start in their chosen field. Then some of it is that the children really don't do anything that would be noteworthy, but we find it noteworthy solely because they are from a famous family (or in the case of the Kennedy family, most of the noteworthy things they do these days seem to be bad things). Also consider that careers sometimes run in families, but some careers, like politics, will make the entire family famous, while other careers, like farming, won't. StuRat (talk) 10:20, 19 July 2012 (UTC)[reply]
I have a view that something that gets passed on in successful families is the belief that you can be successful, because you have seen it in so many other relatives. HiLo48 (talk) 11:55, 19 July 2012 (UTC)[reply]
What does this mean? I have been translating in the law field, and specifically for contracts and agreements, for years, but it has only just occurred to me that I have no idea what this means. Just exactly what is not excluded? Does it just mean 'full rights', as in 'all inclusive'? KägeTorä - (影虎) (TALK)12:33, 19 July 2012 (UTC)[reply]
If I'm licensing something, for instance a patent, then if I (the licenser) give someone (the licensee) exclusive rights, that means they (licensee) are the only person/organisation who can use it (either worldwide or within a specified territory), but if I give them non-exclusive rights, then I can sell the rights to another person, and another, and all of them can use the patent in the same territory. Exclusive rights are more valuable for the licensee, because if you buy them you know you're not going to have any competition. For the licenser, selling rights non-exclusively would allow you to sell them multiple times or use the licensed item yourself, though each sale may get less money. The same principle is involved if you're licensing copyright material, giving distribution rights, etc (exclusive=one person holds them, non-exclusive=many can hold them). Sources[11][12][13]. This is not legal advice, consult a lawyer before entering into any agreement, etc. --Colapeninsula (talk) 12:52, 19 July 2012 (UTC)[reply]
(edit conflict) Non-exclusive means the agreement or contract does not exclude similar agreements with other parties. So a non-exclusive agreement means "we may enter into a similar agreement with another party at the same time as this agreement"; an exclusive agreement means "we will not enter into a similar agreement with another party at the same time as this agreement". In my house I have a non-exclusive right to watch the television, but an exclusive right to eat the Marmite (because no-one else likes it). Gandalf61 (talk) 13:00, 19 July 2012 (UTC)[reply]
More precisely, "reserve the eight to let other people use it as well". Just because I sell you a non-exclusive license does not mean I have to sell licenses to others. --Stephan Schulz (talk) 13:23, 19 July 2012 (UTC)[reply]
And just to add one more detail, many compulsory contracts contain this clause to make it sound not so bad. So if I'm the government and I fund your research, I usually can say, "contingent of me giving you funding is the fact that you will let me purchase the right to use this in the future from you, but I won't demand a monopoly over it." Similarly if I'm Instagram or whatever I will usually have in my terms of use, "you give me the right to use this photo, but I'm not claiming that I'm the only person who can use this photo." Those are both instances of what non-exclusive rights mean. --Mr.98 (talk) 13:37, 19 July 2012 (UTC)[reply]
There are some specific reasons for that in some contexts, specifically copyright (although whether or not it's necessary is questionable). For instance, you cannot transfer a copyright or grant an exclusive right in a copyright [in the U.S.] without it being in writing. There are other instances where exclusive licenses are treated differently than non-exclusive licenses. Shadowjams (talk) 21:20, 22 July 2012 (UTC)[reply]
Is really expensive whisky ever drunk?
During my holiday, I saw a bottle of Glenfiddich 1955 whisky on sale in the Viking Gabriella's tax-free shop for €6100, and later learned that it's only about one-sixteenth of what the world's most expensive whisky costs. With one bottle costing as much as a small apartment, and each glass poured from it costing about as much as a Canon EOS 5D Mark II professional DSLR camera, who would ever dare drink such whisky? It would surely mean their investment became worthless. But then, if the whisky isn't drunk, what good is it then? It might as well be coloured water and its owner would never know. JIP | Talk19:21, 19 July 2012 (UTC)[reply]
^^This is correct. You consume things that expensive to show the world that you are rich enough to consume things that expensive. Find that ethically problematic, in a world where people can't afford basic needs? Well, welcome to the club. --Mr.98 (talk) 02:11, 20 July 2012 (UTC)[reply]
I remember an episode of MASH were Col. Potter was sent a bottle from a dead buddy. Potter was the last of a group from WWI. They all agreed that the last would drink it with friends, so the cast at the time did.--Canoe1967 (talk) 19:59, 19 July 2012 (UTC)[reply]
Just today there was a story in the Evening Standard about a group making 5050 GBP cocktails out of a 50,000 GBP bottle of cognac was dropped by one of the customers. Buddy431 (talk) 20:58, 20 July 2012 (UTC)[reply]
Best news magazine relative to its fame and the cost?
Which news magazine would you say that this could be? I'm trying to determine which news magazine is the best one to subscribe to using these factors. For the record, I think that TIME Magazine is a very good contender for the answer to this question. Thank you. Futurist110 (talk) 19:59, 19 July 2012 (UTC)[reply]
What country are you in? What languages do you read/are you learning? Are you interested in any particular fields, e.g. international relations, sociology, culture, economics, science? Itsmejudith (talk) 20:05, 19 July 2012 (UTC)[reply]
(ec) That would be the mimeographed newsletter my friend Sam printed when we were in elementary school. It had no fame and no cost, so in relative terms its quality was infinite. Looie496 (talk) 20:06, 19 July 2012 (UTC)[reply]
I live in the United States of America and I am primarily interested in news, politics, current events, and history. I want all of my articles to be in English, since this is the language that I am the best at and the most used to (I also speak Russian). National Geographic is also pretty good, but I'm not sure if it talks about the news as much as Time Magazine does. Also, I just want to clarify--I want to find a magazine that is relatively cheap and very famous that talks a lot about news and current events. Also, it has to have an archive that is free and completely available to subscribers (which Time Magazine does have). Futurist110 (talk) 20:17, 19 July 2012 (UTC)[reply]
In regards to getting news from the net/web or TV, that's true, but I want to always have access to news articles from long ago, and most of those right now are not free. Futurist110 (talk) 20:20, 19 July 2012 (UTC)[reply]
Thank you very much. However, BBC's archives only go back to 1997 or so. I looked at the list of online newspaper archives. Thank you very much for that. How would you compare TIme Magazine to The Atlantic Monthly? Thank you. Futurist110 (talk) 00:12, 20 July 2012 (UTC)[reply]
I usually check RealClearPolitics and its Science section first thing in the morning with coffee, and often find I am led to an article at The Atlantic. They write balanced and very in-depth articles. I have been led to read perhaps half a dozen things at Time in the last few years and they have inevitably been puff and opinion on the level of USA Today. μηδείς (talk) 03:04, 20 July 2012 (UTC)[reply]
I've always been impressed by The Economist -- it has its particular point of view, of course, but no publication will escape that charge. It will provide an international perspective (though with a lot of news about American events and public figures), and according to our article, its "primary focus is world news, politics and business, but it also runs regular sections on science and technology as well as books and the arts," so that's a nice broad coverage. And according to their website, subscribers have full access to their historical archive which stretches back to the first half of the 19th Century, a scope few periodicals can claim. There are plenty of good choices here, but given your criteria, if I was picking for myself, I think this is my choice. Jwrosenzweig (talk) 05:04, 20 July 2012 (UTC)[reply]
For the record, I want a news magazine that is very cheap per issue, and while The Economist is a very good magazine, it is WAY too expensive for me. RealClearPolitics is pretty good, but it was only founded in 2000, whereas Time Magazine was founded in 1923. The Atlantic is very good and relatively cheap, but the problem is that it only publishes once a month, whereas I prefer weekly news magazines. To be honest, I actually like Time Magazine's news stories and their style of reporting. I also like their specials, such as Person of the Year, their Top 100 lists, and their long cover stories. Futurist110 (talk) 07:24, 20 July 2012 (UTC)[reply]
FAIR'sExtra will tell you what the mainstream news is getting wrong, so if you just pay attention to mainstream sources and supplement with FAIR, you get far more accuracy than trying to find the One True Source. 75.166.200.250 (talk) 18:21, 20 July 2012 (UTC)[reply]
Thank you, but I also want to be able to look at good news articles from 50+ years ago. I have a question--is there an easy way to search the BBC website online news archives or not? Futurist110 (talk) 08:19, 21 July 2012 (UTC)[reply]
Unless I'm mistaken, it looks like a subscription to Time works out to about $0.53 per issue, and the Atlantic about $2.50 per issue. The New Yorker falls between, at about $1.50 per issue and is basically weekly (47 issues per year). Looks like for subscribers they have a back issue archive to 1925. Pfly (talk) 08:38, 21 July 2012 (UTC)[reply]
Is there any logical fallacy which states that a position is invalid just because it is offensive to someone? This certainly sounds like a particular logical fallacy, but I can't find the name for this fallacy (if such a fallacy exists). Thank you. Futurist110 (talk) 20:19, 19 July 2012 (UTC)[reply]
Would wisdom of repugnance work for this scenario? :
Individual 1: I support prenatal personhood.
Individual 2: Your position is offensive to women. Therefore it is less valid than another unoffensive position.
Depending on the context, I wonder if appeal to pity (or "argumentum ad misericordiam") would sometimes apply, if the idea is that you should feel bad about offending someone? Or, if the implication is that most people find X offensive, it might be argumentum ad populum (or "appeal to the people"). I personally doubt there's a specific "offensiveness" fallacy -- it seems likelier to me that, depending on the specific situation and the way in which the claim "that's offensive" is intended to work, it falls under one of several possibilities. Jwrosenzweig (talk) 05:10, 20 July 2012 (UTC)[reply]
Writing a message in code that doesn't look like its in code
Hi, my problem with most codes is that the wrong eyes can immediately see that a message is in code. If someone found a piece of paper with "YJOD OD OM VPFR. VSM UPI FRVO{JRT OY?" written on it, it's immediately obvious that they're looking at a code, even if they can't decipher it.
I'm designing a murder mystery for an upcoming party, and I want them to find a poem or something that is actually a coded message. But I'd like it to also look like a poem at first glance. What are some code styles that I could try? 68.111.171.31 (talk) 22:22, 19 July 2012 (UTC)[reply]
Problem is the message I'm hiding is pretty long in its own right. I'd like if the poem and the hidden message be as close to 1:1 in length as possible. 68.111.171.31 (talk) 22:27, 19 July 2012 (UTC)[reply]
(ec)The general subject domain to do with hiding messages (often exactly the problem you have, where one wants to conceal the existence of an encrypted message, to avoid rubber hose cryptography) is steganography. But most steganograpy, whether done with a machine like a computer or a manual system like a cardan grille usually relies on there being a large ratio between the overt material ("covertext") and the hidden stuff. That's necessary because any decent cryptosystem produces as its ciphertext a stream of very-random-looking data - and the covertext (being an English language text, or a picture of a butterfly) isn't very random. The only exception I can think of, for a manual system, is an environment where you'd expect a random covertext. So think about what circumstances someone might, in the real (computer-less) world, be walking around with a bunch of random letters (or digits, or other symbols) which would have an innocuous explanation (but which, if the correct cryptographic key was known, could be decrypted to a secret message). Off the top of my head I can think of:
Bingo or lottery numbers.
Telephone numbers in an address book.
A newspaper column discussing a game which has a randomised initial element, like a bridge or poker deal. A random deal should be enough (but subsequent play will either corrupt the message or would produce a weird state that a decent bridge-player would spot as phoney)
Some kind of puzzle where the initial condition is complicated and looks arbitrary, like a late-game chess puzzle, a word-search, or a sudoku (the steganography article talks about hiding data in sudokus). These require extra care, as someone reasonably familiar with chess can spot the difference between an endgame that would result from real play and one generated by randomly positioning a few pieces.
Some nonsense text like an alien conlang or Lewis Carroll-like pig latin scheme.
Having both cryptography and steganography may be smart if you were trying to avoid the actual secret police of an oppressive country, but may produce a problem that requires too much of a grind to be fun or tractable in a light-hearted party setting. Any system that's going to be solved in that time is going to have to be very simple. So perhaps set your murder mystery in a grimy modern housing project (not the hackneyed Edwardian stately home it always is) and buy the decedent actual lottery tickets where the numbers picked are your message (assuming you live in a jurisdiction where one can pick lottery numbers on a kiosk in a shop). Given that simply figuring out it is a code is going to be hard enough, I don't think you can expect people to solve a code more complicated than the trivial caesar cipher a=1, b=2, etc. -- Finlay McWalterჷTalk22:59, 19 July 2012 (UTC)[reply]
I remember a series of books I read as a child where a gang of children wrote secret letters. The key to deciphering them was the stamps on the envelope. Each denomination had a different meaning, but the basic method was that you skipped words. You might just read every third word, for instance. One denomination meant you read the remaining words backwards. It's not 1:1 (you'll struggle to achieve that in a remotely realistic way), but if you don't skip too many words then it's better than taking one letter from each word or something. It's not easy to come up with a letter than seems plausible (you may need to re-word the message to make it fit better), but it should meet your needs. --Tango (talk) 02:20, 20 July 2012 (UTC)[reply]
Riddles might be more fun that code-breaking, depending on your audience. I'd only expect "geeks" to enjoy code-breaking. Riddles can be concealed within poems. You could even tailor it to your audience, so, say, if you have a librarian, there could be a Dewey Decimal System code, and from that they would get a subject. Different parts of the riddle could be tailored to different people, so they all have to work together to solve it. StuRat (talk) 03:21, 20 July 2012 (UTC)[reply]
The problem with this really is that there's all sorts of options that could be suggested as answers to the problem, but that would fall outside of answering rules (as it would pertain to advice). Seeing that we're giving suggestions, though, here's one that could keep to the original flavour of the problem: take the words in the message, and scramble them into an entirely different order. To make this work, change some of the words into rhyming words. From there, all you will have to do is to hide the list of numbers and the list of rhymed words in the poem. The numbers could be hidden as some math-like scribblings (in order) or as numbers inserted throughout the document(with a few errant or strange ones to tip people off), and the changed letters as a quote with similar swappings in order. Simplify or complexify bits of this for the audience, if that works better for time, and enjoy. Sazea (talk) 04:46, 20 July 2012 (UTC)[reply]
This may be a ridiculous suggestion, but one semi-simple solution that occurred to me was to have a half-completed crossword puzzle. At first it appears to be something left behind absent-mindedly -- or maybe it's on the same page of the newspaper as a story that at first appears to be the important item. But eventually it's apparent that the words not yet filled in are the message -- then it's just solving the crossword clues (and maybe working out what order the words need to go in? that feels tougher, unless it works top-down and left-right, or something like it). I agree with the others above about the difficulty of doing what you want to. If you wanted this to be ridiculously difficult, there would be no problem generating a coded message that reads as a poem -- just use a Vigenere cipher and a key of gibberish, and you can produce any ciphertext you want from whatever your plaintext is. But it would be beyond your mystery party's abilities to solve unless this is a hazing for new agents at the NSA. Finlay's right on about that point, which is why trying a steganographic method (like my suggested crossword puzzle) seems the best course to me. Jwrosenzweig (talk) 05:19, 20 July 2012 (UTC)[reply]
You could write your poem (or use an existing poem even) and use it only as a key (it has no actual message content, but it could contain hints on how to use it) by writing the secret message to the same length, then assign all the letters of the key and the message corresponding numbers, and linearly combine each of their numbers (as their sums or with a more complex algorithm) to produce a numeric ciphertext. Then, anonymously have this meaningless ciphertext put in "plain view" in a public or accessible place, such as scrawled in library book, on a blog or perhaps here somewhere on the this huge wiki. Then, the sleuth(s) or recipient will need to know that your innocuous poem is a key, plus either learn or know where on Earth to find the message's ciphertext, and also must either know, learn about or figure out the algorithm used to combine them. You could make its solution even more difficult and interesting by requiring the use of more than one key too. Casual sleuths will likely need hints... such that the poem is only a key, of course. Modocc (talk) 08:04, 20 July 2012 (UTC)[reply]
The traditional way of doing this is to avoid the use of ciphers and instead to use code. Your participants will gradually become aware that the exact words and phrases are likely code for other, more meaningful, terms. You can make these as easy or as hard as you want. John M Baker (talk) 16:00, 20 July 2012 (UTC)[reply]
How does one duplicate lavatory smells in order to track a problem with the pipes? Obviously it does not need to be an exact duplicate; any smell that I can flush would do. Kittybrewster ☎00:05, 20 July 2012 (UTC)[reply]
UKian toilet flue pipes are perhaps of larger bore than those in Edmonton; and oft-times gray. I'd be interested to know more of the currently observed symptoms, and a sketch of the general plumbing environment, in order to appreciate why smell-based detection is being sought by KB. --Tagishsimon(talk)
I'm not clear on why you could detect the smell from a leak, but not the wetness. I'd expect wetness to be far easier to spot. StuRat (talk) 08:01, 20 July 2012 (UTC)[reply]
As a veteran of several stink hunts when finishing up building projects, the problem is usually a loose joint in a vent pipe that allows sewer gas to escape. They can be remarkably difficult to track down, and the peppermint oil trick can help. Plain leaks are usually easy to spot (unless they're under a slab), but venting problems can be hard to diagnose, and it's often something that has either worked loose, was never fully connected to begin with, has a loose or missing clean-out plug, or is just plain incomplete. Since the soil stack isn't under pressure, they can leak air (pushed out by the flush), but not necessarily water (which is a momentary event, and which doesn't go around corners as easily as air). An obstruction in the venting can cause a flush to push air through a trap's water seal, or a dry trap can allow gas a direct path (and a dry trap can be caused by a bad venting system). Acroterion(talk)12:30, 20 July 2012 (UTC)[reply]
Why are fried chicken TV dinners becoming so hard to find?
I have noticed that some grocery chains have stopped carrying fried chicken TV dinners. Even some that continue to carry other TV dinners. It has been my personal observation that fried chicken is (at least) one of the most popular types of TV dinners. Why would grocery chains that carry TV dinners stop carrying the fried chicken dinners? Aldi is one such grocery chain. Does this have anything at all to do with the "healthy eating" movement that the United States government has been pushing? If it's not that, then I'm at a loss as to what's going on here. Any information would be appreciated. Thank you. InforManiac (talk) 00:19, 20 July 2012 (UTC)[reply]
It may be that many are selling hot roasted chicken to compete with other ready to eat without heating places like fast food etc. If someone wants chicken then they have to buy the ready to go at higher profit bird. The chains just pull the others off the freezer shelf. I live in Edmonton and we are at the end of the supply line. There are many things we can't get here. The shelf space just stays empty until Toronto stops pigging out on all the good stuff. This may be the same in your area.--Canoe1967 (talk) 00:30, 20 July 2012 (UTC)[reply]
Aldi has confirmed to me in the past that the chain does not sell any fried chicken TV dinners. They provided me with no reasons. InforManiac (talk) 00:46, 20 July 2012 (UTC)[reply]
They may just be a low profit item or they couldn't get a steady supply. They can't carry everything so they decided not to carry them. If you find another store that has them they may seem like too high a price or low stocks. You could try a frozen food wholesaler or distributor. They may know where to get them. If you have a big freezer they may sell you a case at a time cheaper than the store.--Canoe1967 (talk) 00:57, 20 July 2012 (UTC)[reply]
Keep in mind Aldi is a discount store with a very meager selection. I find the local Bottom Dollar has a better selection (although the only thing I get in the frozen dinner aisle are the Mrs. T's mini-pierogies, since I amlomst always cook from scratch.) Walmart is cheap and often has a better selection as well. μηδείς (talk) 03:01, 20 July 2012 (UTC)[reply]
Walmart usually has the Hungry Man fried chicken TV dinners, but from what I was told, they didn't have any today. I wasn't there to personally confirm it, but the people who were picking it up for me both said that they couldn't find any. InforManiac (talk) 04:54, 20 July 2012 (UTC)[reply]
I believe Aldi does sell frozen fried chicken alone, in maybe a 2 pound box, so you can always clog your arteries that way. (I have a relevant personal experience: My Dad was dying of heart disease, and I was doing his grocery shopping for him. One thing he always asked for was fried chicken, but I outright refused to get him that. Sort of reminds you of the smoker continuing to smoke through his tracheotomy hole, doesn't it ? The last thing he ever ate at a restaurant was a Chili's Bloomin' Onion.) StuRat (talk) 03:11, 20 July 2012 (UTC)[reply]
I'm sorry to hear about your Dad, because that's a real shame, but I love my fried chicken TV dinners. I may end up taking your advice and buy a box or two of the fried chicken because that would definitely be better than nothing. InforManiac (talk) 04:54, 20 July 2012 (UTC)[reply]
I'm sure they do, but going out to get food is a lot more work than just nuking it, especially if you need to get dressed first. StuRat (talk) 07:59, 20 July 2012 (UTC)[reply]
The act of freezing it means you can then prepare it, whenever wanted, without leaving home. You could do that with fried chicken you buy at KFC, too, but then you might as well buy it already frozen, which is less expensive. I'm not aware of anywhere you can buy rotisserie chicken which has been separated and pre-frozen. StuRat (talk) 21:59, 20 July 2012 (UTC)[reply]
There actually is a KFC between 10-15 miles from where I live, but with my medical issues, it's just not that convenient to go there all that often. I don't remember when I was there last, but I'm guessing it has probably been well over a year. InforManiac (talk) 16:46, 20 July 2012 (UTC)[reply]
My own advise is to get rotisserie chicken, break it into pieces, and freeze them. I find this to be just as cheap and good as fried chicken, and much healthier, especially if you don't eat the skin. StuRat (talk) 07:59, 20 July 2012 (UTC)[reply]
Sir i am a big fan of oggy and the cockroaches,
I am watching it for previous one year.
before 17th july 2012 it was most entertainer but now it has become less effective due to the replacement of voices, really,
and so my question is -may you like to hear me for JACK.... — Preceding unsigned comment added by 117.212.4.174 (talk) 06:53, 20 July 2012 (UTC)[reply]
I'm not quite sure what you are asking, but I think you are saying that in your opinion the voices used are less interesting than they used to be, and you would like to offer your voice? If that is so, you have come to the wrong place: this is the help desk for Wikipedia, and has no connection or influence with the programme. --ColinFine (talk) 09:35, 20 July 2012 (UTC)[reply]
I'm confused about my study
I live in KSA. I started studying I.COM (Intermediate of commerce) one year ago then I decided to study ACCA and then be Chartered accountant. I'm confused now that should I continue my I.COM? Would it be helpful for me in future if I study ACCA and CA? I've cleared my first year exam of I.COM and about to start 2nd and final year. I'm confused that if it won't help me in anyway then why I'm doing it. Someone please can guide me? It's about my future :) Regards. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 176.44.54.138 (talk) 07:25, 20 July 2012 (UTC)[reply]
Unless we happen to have somebody here who is familiar with the educational system in Saudi Arabia (I think that must be what 'KSA' is), you would be much better advised to ask your college. --ColinFine (talk) 09:39, 20 July 2012 (UTC)[reply]
Is This Statement an Example of the Division and/or Composition Logical Fallacies?
First, let me give some background on this statement. I was debating abortion with someone who argued a pro-choice position, and this individual argued that an ischemic patient should be given rights because he had past "personhood" (sentience) and will have future "personhood" (sentience), in contrast to an embryo/fetus, who never had "personhood" (sentience).
I asked one of my pro-life friends how he would respond to this statement, and he responded with his own statement.
Here's my pro-life friend's response:
"If one argues that past personhood in itself and future personhood in itself are irrelevant for determining rights, then it's illogical to have these two characteristics combined be relevant in determining rights."
My pro-life friend is guilty of the composition and/or division logical fallacy, right? I told him that he was being fallacious and pointed out those fallacies, but he denied that he was being logically fallacious. So, which one of us is right when it comes to the logical validity of his statement?
Also, I want to make it very clear--I do not want a debate about abortion here. I just want to find out if my pro-life friend's statement is logically valid (not logically fallacious). Thank you very much. Futurist110 (talk) 07:31, 20 July 2012 (UTC)[reply]
Unless you have actually established that combining the two is relevant, then I don't see why it is fallacious to point out that there's no reason to assume combining the two makes them relevant. If you consider a baby duck's fluffiness to be irrelevant (rather than insufficient alone) in deciding whether it is a mammal, and also consider a viviparous lizard giving birth to live young to be irrelevant in deciding whether it is a mammal, then you need to explain the reasoning that would make combinations of these traits relevant in determining that a cat is a mammal :) It sounds like your first debate partner started from things they assumed were right or wrong, and then used "obvious" reasons why their gut feeling was right. It doesn't sound like they established why any of those three personhood statuses depended on the factors introduced, which are pretty sloppy factors in the first place. So it's quite reasonable to point out the gap in the logic, where the conclusion has not been supported. 86.161.208.94 (talk) 08:59, 20 July 2012 (UTC)[reply]
I think that my pro-life friend might have misunderstood my first debate partner's position. My first debate partner argued that each of these qualities alone is insufficient for determining whether someone/something should have rights, not that they were completely irrelevant. Futurist110 (talk) 04:05, 21 July 2012 (UTC)[reply]
Also, for the record, I think that my pro-life friend has a better grasp of logic than my first debate partner, since my first debate partner made numerous logical fallacies (either in regards to this issue or to other issues) while my pro-life friend either never or very rarely makes logical fallacies. Futurist110 (talk) 05:37, 21 July 2012 (UTC)[reply]
Boiling a kettle with hot water
I remember hearing years ago that when you boil a kettle, to make yourself a cup of tea or coffee, you should always fill it with cold water from the tap, not hot water. Is this the case, and if so why? --Viennese Waltz07:37, 20 July 2012 (UTC)[reply]
I can think of two arguments:
1) Because it will boil faster if you start from cold water. This is just plain wrong. There is the Mpemba effect, but that's the reverse (freezing faster starting from hot water).
2) The idea that hot water may contain more contaminants. This could be true, say if your water heater uses an aluminum, aluminum-zinc, zinc, or magnesium sacrificial rod. However, magnesium and zinc are needed nutrients, and, while aluminum has been implicated in some health problems, like Alzheimers, I doubt if the amount you get from your drinking water is significant enough to make a difference. But, just in case, you might want to find out what type of rod you have in your water heater. Let me add a separate Q below to get more expert opinions on this. StuRat (talk) 07:43, 20 July 2012 (UTC)[reply]
Those aren't the usual arguments I see. I usually see:
1) Water from the hot tap has been heated to a cosy incubation temoerature and then usually stored in the hot water tank for a while. It thus poses a greater risk of microorganisms, and the heating from hot-tap temperature to boiling point doesn't take long enough to properly kill dangerous microorganisms.(I am suspicious of the second part of this)
2) (less important) Additional mineral contaminants in the hot water will fur up your kettle's heating element more quickly.
In the UK, most older houses, and thus most houses, have a vented hot water system, with an open tank in the loft. People worry about if a rat fell into it, or just dust and grime. I have an unvented system now, but still fill the kettle from the cold tap from force of habit, although I do use water from the hot tap in the bottom half of the steamer when cooking veg. Itsmejudith (talk) 08:49, 20 July 2012 (UTC)[reply]
The main contaminant I have seen mentioned is lead from plumbing solder. The U.S. didn't ban lead solder until 1986 and lead continued to be used in plumbing fixtures until 1998.[14]Rmhermen (talk) 13:53, 20 July 2012 (UTC)[reply]
Here's a possible economic reason: if your hot water is stored in a heated cistern some distance from the hot water tap, then after you turn off the tap all the water in the pipe between the tap and the cistern starts to cool down. Ask yourself how long you typically have to leave the hot tap running before the water turns from cold to hot. All that cold water was heated wastefully. jnestorius(talk)18:17, 20 July 2012 (UTC)[reply]
Do aluminum sacrificial rods in water heaters represent a health risk ?
Also, aluminum-zinc rods. That is, does the amount of aluminum that will be consumed as a result represent a health risk, particularly in causing Alzheimer's disease. StuRat (talk)
Aluminium does not cause Alzheimer's disease. Aluminium is fairly common in human diet anyway due to it being very common in the earth. Alum is also added to tap water to precipitate sediment. Graeme Bartlett (talk) 09:13, 20 July 2012 (UTC)[reply]
(after ec) :This is pure hearsay but because of the source I have no reason to doubt it. About 40 years ago my aunt was admitted to Oswestry Orthopaedic Hospital with severe acute arthritis in the extremities. After some time and exhaustive testing, she was told to dispose of any alumimium pans and only to use stainless steel, enamel coated or Teflon pans, as the aluminium had built up over the years in her joints causing the arthritis. Nobody in our family has used aluminium cooking pans since. I'd welcome any supporting references for this. (And yes she did recover to an extent after changing pans.) --TammyMoet (talk) 09:14, 20 July 2012 (UTC)[reply]
At work so no time to hunt out references, but I recall reading (in New Scientist etc) that aluminium was for some time thought to be implicated in Alzheimer's because it was detected in slides of brain tissue from (dead) sufferers, but that this was eventually shown to have come from the stain chemicals used to prepare the slides and so was not after all implicated in the disease. This itself may actually be wrong but I proffer it as an avenue for further (textual) research. {The poster formerly known as 87.81.230.195} 84.21.143.150 (talk) 12:20, 20 July 2012 (UTC)[reply]
From our article on aluminium: "According to the Alzheimer's Society, the overwhelming medical and scientific opinion is that studies have not convincingly demonstrated a causal relationship between aluminium and Alzheimer's disease.[81] Nevertheless, some studies, such as those on the PAQUID cohort,[82] cite aluminium exposure as a risk factor for Alzheimer's disease." so it sounds as though the jury is still out.--Shantavira|feed me15:05, 20 July 2012 (UTC)[reply]
Personally I want things to be proven safe before I expose myself to them, so a lack of proof either way isn't very reassuring. StuRat (talk) 21:54, 20 July 2012 (UTC)[reply]
Which kingdom rules more than 2000 years continuously?
The emperor still ruled Japan in name during the shogunate while the Pandyans apparently were driven out of their country for hundreds of years. Not a good claim to continuity. Rmhermen (talk) 13:42, 20 July 2012 (UTC)[reply]
(ec) Depends on your definition of "rule", all of the shogunates interrupted the "rule" in the sense that the emperor reigned but did not rule in the sense of exercising political power. Arguably, since 1945 the emperor also reigns but does not rule.
If we are drawing comparisons, however, the Pandyan Dynasty article also makes clear that they did not actually rule continuously between 550BC and the 1500s, there were periods of overthrow and revival - in fact a glance at the "History" section of that article shows that, even if one deems the various "revivals" of the dynasty (and I am sceptical that two lineages can be considered the same one when there is a 300 or 400 year gap in between), the longest period of continuous rule was only about 600 years. --PalaceGuard008 (Talk) 13:47, 20 July 2012 (UTC)[reply]
And if we count the same throne, but not the guy on the throne, China had a pretty long run overall. The Qin dynasty started in 221 BCE and China had an emperor until 1911. Dynasties changed, but the kingdom/empire was still "China." Ian.thomson (talk) 13:53, 20 July 2012 (UTC)[reply]
Not really. At least twice, the land we know as China was ruled by a foreign power, for a considerable time period. The Yuan Dynasty is the name for the time period when the Mongols conquered and annexed China, ruling it for almost a century. The Qing Dynasty is the name for the time period when China was ruled by the Manchu or Jurchen. In Chinese historiography, whoever had functional control over the land of China was said to have the Mandate of Heaven which officially declares that these foreign powers were actually legitimate Chinese dynasties. The Mongols and Manchus also adopted Chinese customs and bureaucracy, but they seized the land via conquest from their own homelands. Even during the other time periods, China also had periods of disunity when China was divided into multiple states, with no clear single "Empire" to rule it all. During the period known as the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period, there was no single "China". The notion that there was a single "China" or even "Chinese monarchy" or "Chinese Empire" for the entire period from 221 - 1911 is like claiming that the Holy Roman Empire or the Sultanate of Rum or Russia as the Third Rome represent the same state as the original Roman Empire. --Jayron3218:47, 20 July 2012 (UTC)[reply]
Yeah, but the only really long interregnum - one exceeding a lifetime in length - was between the fall of the Han Dynasty & the Sui Dynasty. And also the conquest by the Yuan took more than a century, leading to the division of the Northern & Southern Song Dynasty. The comparisons have limited validity. China was a far more integrated & continuous political, cultural & social unit from 589 to now. The Han is frequently compared to Rome. Chinese history is more like if Charlemagne had genuinely reconstituted the Roman empire & created a real EU, with common written language, Latin, that lasted to the present, with some invasions & interruptions.John Z (talk) 20:15, 20 July 2012 (UTC)[reply]
Rusty vertical pipe on Southport Beach
I was on Southport Beach last night and found this pipe. I've no idea what it was for, and thought there might be a clever person on WP who may be able to help out. Around the pipe was written "TIDAL STANDARD" "LIVERPOOL FLEETWOOD" and some Roman Numerals, starting at XXIX and going down, XXVIII, XXVII, before being obscured by sand. It looks like there was space for a horizontal pipe of the same width, a vent on the top which is all but gone, a support strut at about 45 degrees, which went into the sand and 4 securing points. All visibile on the photo, but I thought some description might help.
Now, I assume it's got something to do with measuring the tides from "back in the day", but if anyone can give me something more accurate, especially if those numerals go all the way to 1, I'd be interested. WormTT(talk) 12:17, 20 July 2012 (UTC)[reply]
Up until very recently, raw sewerage was pumped into the sea along the coast in that area, so my guess is it's part of the old sewage outfall system. --TammyMoet (talk) 13:26, 20 July 2012 (UTC)[reply]
That would be disappointing, given my speculations. but it would make sense with regards to the vent at the top. WormTT(talk) 13:32, 20 July 2012 (UTC)[reply]
And this confirms it's an old ventalation shaft from the sewage outlet. I always thought it was odd that Southport town centre was so far back from the beach, but if there was that much waste pumped out there, I can see why they'd want to keep away from the smell! WormTT(talk) 13:41, 20 July 2012 (UTC)[reply]
chess rule
in a situation when a king is in a check, and wants to get out but a pinned piece is blocking the move ( meaning that piece is guarding his own king and by moving that piece his king will be in a check), is the move allowed.
in a deeper sense although the piece is pinned because capturing the other king helps him win the game he can block the opponents move. or although its a king a pinned piece can not move whatsoever. — Preceding unsigned comment added by Gamlielsabbah (talk • contribs) 15:27, 20 July 2012 (UTC)[reply]
I don't understand the question. It's not clear which player you are talking about at each point. Can you rewrite the question with "Black" and "White" instead of "he"? Either way, if a player is already in check then nothing else matters - they have to get out of check in one move or it is checkmate. --Tango (talk) 16:21, 20 July 2012 (UTC)[reply]
If in check there are only 3 ways to get out of check:
1) Take the checking piece or pawn.
2) Move the king out of check.
3) Place a piece or pawn between the king and checking piece. Doesn't work if you are checked by a knight (which can "jump" over) or two pieces from different directions.
In some cases you can combine these strategies, say by taking one checking piece with your king, which then moves the king out of check from the other checking piece. In no case can you move so your king is in check (or moves through a space which is in check, in the case of castling). StuRat (talk) 19:05, 20 July 2012 (UTC)[reply]
Can't understand the question either. On the last statement in it: Pinned pieces can move. They just can't move in ways which will put the King in check. But there's no way a legal move of a pinned piece could get a king out of check. (except of course if it captures the pinning piece) The pinning piece can't also be checking the King, so was correct before I added this. Very easy to make mistakes!John Z (talk) 19:43, 20 July 2012 (UTC)[reply]
As I understand(?) the question, the answer is no. You can't get out of one check by moving a piece which results in you getting into a different check. A pinned piece can't be moved (that's pretty much the definition of pinning).Clarityfiend (talk) 22:38, 20 July 2012 (UTC)[reply]
A number of American (and non-American) cities have district heating using steam. New York is the most notable one, but a surprising number of places have systems. The pipes have relief valves that can release steam, or if it's cool at street level the warm moist air from the tunnels can condense. Filmmakers love it, of course. Acroterion(talk)21:33, 20 July 2012 (UTC)[reply]
(ec) I believe they are steam heating vents. When I was first in the States, I photographed the first one I saw, because they are utterly unknown here in the UK - a fact which might surprise some Americans. (A recent Dork Tower comic used the existence of steam tunnels at a British university as a punchline, but the author is British by birth and upbringing, and the gag was part of a whole series of deliberate anachronisms.) AlexTiefling (talk) 21:35, 20 July 2012 (UTC)[reply]
I use the type with the piece of cellophane that closes on a sheet of adhesive, and you put your pictures between the two. The problem is, after a few years, whenever I pull the cellophane back to add or access a picture, the adhesive forms little balls on the cellophane. Is there any way to avoid this ? Is there another type of photo album that works better ? (Obviously I can scan them all, but that's not what I'm asking about.) StuRat (talk) 01:05, 21 July 2012 (UTC)[reply]
The adhesive is on the backing, fixing the photos and the transparent cover to it, right? You can solve your problem by leaving the photos in the same place instead of moving them over the years. 75.166.200.250 (talk) 02:25, 21 July 2012 (UTC)[reply]
That would mean every time I find or take a new batch of photos, I'd have to get a new album. Then there's also the issue of wanting to read what's written on the back to find out who these strange people are. StuRat (talk) 02:48, 21 July 2012 (UTC)[reply]
Stu, I don't know if you'll find a good solution with those adhesive pages. I've found that the adhesive dries out and as the years go on, the pictures slide and fall out and the plastic no longer sticks to the page. Dismas|(talk)14:16, 21 July 2012 (UTC)[reply]
You can't seriously be making such a fallacious argument. A product meant to preserve photographs for more than a couple years should not be degrading after a couple years. --Mr.98 (talk) 00:24, 22 July 2012 (UTC)[reply]
Stu mentioned "a few years" and Dismas talked of "as the years go on". Any way you cut it, that's definitely more than your "a couple years" (= 2 years). Dismas's point was valid: namely that, like most things, there's a time beyond which it becomes unreasonable to expect adhesive to still be working the way it was when it was first applied. It would be helpful if Stu could tell us exactly what the timespan is in his case. It may be the quality of the adhesive used, rather than an issue with the design of the album per se. Even the best quality adhesive has an inherently limited lifespan, although it's still longer than that of most animals. To get half a century's use out of something as fragile as less than a gram of photo adhesive is not my idea of a "basic design flaw". But maybe they deliberately choose lower grade adhesive to save costs up front, and to create opportunities for repeat sales. If that's their plan, it seems to be working beautifully. No basic design flaws there, either. The basic flaw would be someone expecting, contrary to the weight of a massive amount of evidence, that items of this nature would be made to the same quality as they were made 50, 30 or even 20 years ago. Haven't you heard, we've had a whole lot of progress since then. It's in all the papers. -- ♬ Jack of Oz ♬ [your turn]02:52, 22 July 2012 (UTC)[reply]
I would too, but I think you're missing my point. We conclude that some system/artefact has a "design flaw" when it doesn't work the way, or as long as, or as efficiently as, it was designed to. But how it was designed to work, and what the consumer expects of the product, are not necessarily the same things. Unless there's some warranty or guarantee to protect you, you take your chances. It isn't like the good old days, when quality was taken for granted. Now, quality has become the exception to the rule - and you'll pay for it, don't think you won't pay. -- ♬ Jack of Oz ♬ [your turn]06:11, 22 July 2012 (UTC)[reply]
My mother keeps copious photo albums. My sister died in the mid nineties, and all the pictures she has of her are falling out of my mother's glue-backed albums. My mother thinks this is just another proof the universe is out to get her. I think it is a good argument for buying the albums with the clear plastic pockets. μηδείς (talk) 03:25, 22 July 2012 (UTC)[reply]
The "Law is Always Right" Logical Fallacy
Is there a specific logical fallacy which applies to statements that say "the law says this, and since it's the law, this position must be the best/most valid one"? An example of this would be someone saying that "absolute bodily autonomy/integrity is the best/most valid position out there because the law supports this position and because there is no legal precedent for another position on this issue". I'm thinking that argumentum ad populum could work for democratic countries, since the people (indirectly) determine laws in a democracy. Another good logical fallacy which might apply for this example is the appeal to tradition. Is there a specific logical fallacy that applies to what I'm talking about, though? Futurist110 (talk) 05:53, 21 July 2012 (UTC)[reply]
I forgot about that one. That could also work--I have a question, though--does appeal to authority apply to politicians as well, since they are the ones determining our nation's laws here in the United States? Futurist110 (talk) 06:28, 21 July 2012 (UTC)[reply]
Also, I'm not debating this individual myself--I just saw what she wrote on the comments to a particular blog article. She appears to justify her support of abortion by saying that the law does not allow anyone else to ever use someone else's body, and she keeps restating this belief numerous times, without ever explaining why she believes that the law is right in this case. Thus, she is (also) guilty of the proof by assertion logical fallacy. Futurist110 (talk) 06:35, 21 July 2012 (UTC)[reply]
Eternal
In William craigs formulation of the kalam cosmological argument, the first premise states that "Whatever 'begins to exist' has a cause', this invalidates the objection about God or a first cause having a cause because it is eternal. question is besides god, is there other things that exist but didnt 'begin to exist'? 203.112.82.128 (talk) 16:34, 21 July 2012 (UTC)[reply]
Yes, time itself. Logically, God could not have existed before time itself existed. If time began to exist at a given moment, then God must have begun to exist either at that moment or later. Looie496 (talk) 16:54, 21 July 2012 (UTC)[reply]
It can be argued that time 'began to exist' at the moment of big bang, hence the second premise of KCL "Universe began to exist", so is there anything else that is independent of time that exist but didnt 'begin to exist'? 203.112.82.2 (talk) 17:19, 21 July 2012 (UTC)[reply]
Assuming one accepts the argument (and I personally don't, but I understand it well enough), then nothing that is not a property of God existed outside/before the Big Bang. (I say 'outside' because I am well aware that there is no meaningful 'before'.) So one might look at Proverbs 8, and see Wisdom saying "I was in the beginning with God" - but here, Wisdom is merely an attribute of God that the author has chosen to personify. AlexTiefling (talk) 20:06, 21 July 2012 (UTC)[reply]
"Whatever begins to exist has a cause" does NOT imply that all things that exist* began to exist. (* includes things that are believed or perceived to exist) -- ♬ Jack of Oz ♬ [your turn]22:20, 21 July 2012 (UTC)[reply]
Likewise for the much more likely ekpyrotic universe cosmology which shares characteristics with both as well as big bang cosmology. Quantity is an example of a simple concept which is often said to exist apart from time and its own conceptual formulation. 75.166.200.250 (talk) 06:21, 22 July 2012 (UTC)[reply]
July 22
updating old information
I would like to know who updates any of the articles in Wikipedia. On the article of the city of Stanley, Wisconsin; it said that the 2000 census says Stanley's population is 1,800 and something. Why has this part never been up dated as of the 2010 census, including the part where the city limits has been expanded to the south? Only the part where Stanley expanded into Clark has been added. Nothing has also been said about totally why this has happened. I know I live here, but I don't have access to all this information, because I don't know where to look. Who wrote this article in the first place and why hasn't anybody been keeping it up to date like that of other cities in Wikipedia? Thank you. — Preceding unsigned comment added by Bobbyr55 (talk • contribs) 06:18, 22 July 2012 (UTC)[reply]
I noticed that sometimes Wikipedia users are slow to insert/add new info to various articles, especially when it pertains to articles that are considered to be of lower importance. Futurist110 (talk) 06:20, 22 July 2012 (UTC)[reply]
We don't have one person responsible for each article. Each one is written and modified by many different editors. Perhaps they are unaware of these changes or lack access to the information just as you do. If you find the relevant info, you can then update the article yourself (even if you only have some of the info). StuRat (talk) 06:23, 22 July 2012 (UTC)[reply]
Sadly it was much easier to incorporate the 2000 US census information when Wikipedia lacked articles on most populated places involved than it will be to integrate the 2010 Census which involves editing existing articles. I think people in WP:USA are working on it, but it's a truly monumental task involving yet-to-be-achieved bot capabilities and approvals, among other things. 75.166.200.250 (talk) 06:27, 22 July 2012 (UTC)[reply]
Resolved
dalahäst (let's talk!) 02:55, 18 July 2012 (UTC)
![[1]](http://i0.bookcdn.com/data/Photos/OriginalPhoto/79/7905/7905849/Hotel-Victoria-photos-Interior-VICTORIA-BASEL-Lobby.JPEG){kind=link}
Done