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October 29

Transgender people

As a normal heterosexual straight individual, I'm struggling to understand transgender individuals. Do these people essentially have a women brain, in a mans body. Or visa versa. If so, what's the scientific basis for this. Or, is it merely a preference to be effeminate which could be interpreted as a normal form of homosexuality, but with a cross dressing spin to it. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 80.195.27.47 (talk) 14:45, 29 October 2015 (UTC)[reply]

Wikipedia has an article titled Transgender. There are a multitude of reasons why a person may identify as transgender, but the Wikipedia article covers a lot of it. --Jayron 32 14:51, 29 October 2015 (UTC)[reply]

Since you used the word "normal" twice in you post, you also might be interested in thinking about that term a bit. E.g. Norm_(social), normative pressure, and the "Myth of Normalcy" [1] [2]. SemanticMantis (talk) 15:09, 29 October 2015 (UTC)[reply]

Heteronormativity is the more precise article, but fully agree. 64.235.97.146 (talk) 15:24, 29 October 2015 (UTC)[reply]

I've seen the term 'cisnormativity' used for this particular case, as it's specifically about gender identity rather than sexual attraction. But it's a very similar concept. OP: The link between homosexuality and 'effeminacy' (in men) is largely debunked. AlexTiefling (talk) 16:00, 29 October 2015 (UTC)[reply]

Also, as pointed out in our article, being trangender and being homosexual are independent - trans men or women may be attracted to men, women, both, or neither. MChesterMC (talk) 15:52, 29 October 2015 (UTC)[reply]

Well, official sources give lots of examples of possible gender nature and self-awareness. Listening to call in shows that talk about psychological problems of the caller who only can be identified by his voice also where talking about gender and sex. Many of them came up with being a victim of sexual abuse. Sometimes it seems there is not scientific evidence a self-awareness outside the common majority to be cause by sexual of mental abuse or seized self respect. German journalist Birgit Kelle told the modern view on gender is to make people work and be workers only. Right-wing politics blame the gender view is an initiative of the left-wing politics to make people be functional workers and fulfill the ideology of communism or socialism using their workpower only and ignoring their need of self-awareness, love, sex, marriage, family, identity, political opinion taking part in democratic political decisions, reducing their interests to a vote only and get managed by a regime and work on time neither on achievement. Journalist Bettina Röhl reported one of the first enforced transgener surgery was done after a surgery accident of cut or burned penis. Fearing the legal consequences the doctor cut of the penis, and in the next surgery session the whole scrotum and made the boy to become a woman without uterus. Later this "girl" became a man with restored penis, The later removed scrotum was not possible to rebuild of substite. Today this man has wife and adopted children. --Hans Haase (有问题吗) 21:49, 30 October 2015 (UTC)[reply]

David Reimer is probably the case that Hans is referring to, although he committed suicide in 2004. Tevildo (talk) 23:15, 30 October 2015 (UTC)[reply]

State sponsored homophobia

iam gay and I was teaching in Kenya I am living wth friends here in Lowell and I am not sure where to go for help,i ran from country avoiding problems with gay hostile communities in my country — Preceding unsigned comment added by Ngaedavid (talk • contribs) 16:07, 29 October 2015 (UTC)[reply]

@Ngaedavid your experience is consistent with reports and Wikipedia's information that same-sex sexual activity has remained illegal in Kenya, with up to 14 years imprisonment, since colonial time 1897 (as British East Africa.) You may wish to read about or to contact the human rights advocacy organization Amnesty International or read about the activist group OutRight Action International (formerly International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission) based in New York. Bestfaith (talk) 13:35, 30 October 2015 (UTC)[reply]

If you choose to leave, you might be granted amnesty by your new host nation based on persecution for homosexuality in your native land. StuRat (talk) 02:38, 1 November 2015 (UTC)[reply]

@Ngaedavid, I offer my sympathy for your predicament. If you come back and tell us which Lowell you are referring to, the Reference Desk might be able to help find you more precise resources. For the benefit of anyone reading who doesn't know, LGBT rights in Kenya are minimal; the situation may or may not have been improved by Obama's mention of it on his recent visit. Here's some more background on gay people and organisations in Kenya. Perhaps Usawa and National Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission (both of which appear to be based in Kenya) can advise you. If you are seeking a new life in another country, refugee rights organisations should be able to advise -- applications on the basis of sexual orientation are fairly common, from what I understand (depending on where you are, of course). Best of luck to you. Carbon Caryatid (talk) 16:35, 1 November 2015 (UTC)[reply]

October 30

UK : Northern facial features

The cultural makeup of the UK is very diverse, with a number of different migrations over the ages. More recently, the viking invasions interest me. In particular, it's sometimes apparent that northerners have different shaped eyes than people from other regions here. Many people I know, all from the north have these features. Mainly in the Yorkshire and Newcastle regions. As you go beyond this I see less of these characteristics.

I have heard that facial (and also accent differences) can be in part explained by Viking influence. But are there any documents or studies to back this up. Does wikipedia have a section on traits? Otherwise its all useless anecdotes. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 80.195.27.47 (talk) 14:12, 30 October 2015 (UTC)[reply]

Not the best source, but here's some expert testimony from an anthropological archaeologist [3]:

“

...men’s and women’s faces were more similar in appearance in the Viking Age than they are today. “It’s actually more difficult to determine the gender of a skeleton from the Viking era,” says Harvig. “The men’s skulls were a little more feminine and the women’s skulls a little more masculine than what we’re seeing today. Of course, this doesn’t apply to all skeletons from the Viking period, but generally it’s quite difficult to determine the gender of a Viking Age skeleton.” She explains that Viking women often had pronounced jawbones and eyebrows, whereas in the men, these features were more feminine than what archaeologists are accustomed to when trying to determine the gender of ancient skeletons.

”

Other relevant info at Vikings#Genetic_legacy and Haplogroup_I-M253. SemanticMantis (talk) 14:45, 30 October 2015 (UTC)[reply]

Hence the expression, "The women were strong, and the men were good looking. (And all the children were above average.)" ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 00:13, 31 October 2015 (UTC)[reply]

Mount Saint Helena

When did it last erupt? 5,000 years ago? 10,000? 100,000? 1,000,000? I don't know so that's why I'm asking here. It sounds to me like its last eruption was 3 million years ago, which deems the volcano extinct rather than dormant? Although the lava remnants that I see as I am on the Calistoga Grade from Tubbs Lane in Calistoga all the way to Middletown appear to be from Mount Saint Helena, maybe no older than 10,000 years, therefore it means the volcano may actually be dormant after all? So how come lava surrounds Mount Saint Helena, but could possibly have come from Mount Konocti? — Preceding unsigned comment added by 208.91.28.66 (talk) 17:54, 30 October 2015 (UTC)[reply]

Just to avoid any confusion, everyone should note that this is not the same as Mount Saint Helens. StuRat (talk) 19:03, 30 October 2015 (UTC)[reply]

this claims the last eruption being about 3 million years ago. It says, "Today the eruptive center is farther north, around Clear Lake." To call it "extinct" seems a safe bet. ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 19:22, 30 October 2015 (UTC)[reply]

The same question was asked last August [4]. The first answer linked to Petrified_Forest_(California), which gives the figure of 3.4 million years ago, with reference, though it does not specify if it was the most recent eruption, only that the eruption that made the petrified forest occurred then. SemanticMantis (talk) 20:00, 30 October 2015 (UTC)[reply]

And by the same IP address user. That explains why the question was like deja vu. ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 20:04, 30 October 2015 (UTC)[reply]

This is the same user who was always asking about supercentenarians, as you can see from their contributions. It seems unlikely that they actually cared about the answer they were given the first time. μηδείς (talk) 21:05, 30 October 2015 (UTC)[reply]

Same IP, anyway. Super colliders, too. This certainly wasn't in the holiday spirit. InedibleHulk (talk) 21:10, October 30, 2015 (UTC)

Running/ advertising a garage sale

Having to have a garage sale, and at rather short notice, can anyone give me, or link to advice on how to run one effectively, particularly advertising?

I tried 7 weeks ago (on a Sunday-the 13th!) and only made $40, though I only had posters up in the local area. I am in the Sutherland Shire Australia, so any local websites that might be suitable would be of interest. Someone suggested the Gumtree website to me. 220 of ^Borg 18:36, 30 October 2015 (UTC)[reply]

Maybe the Sydney portion of Craigslist? You can list your sale for free at their events section [5]. SemanticMantis (talk) 18:54, 30 October 2015 (UTC)[reply]

@SemanticMantis: It's not that sort of sale!

Actually it looks like few use Craigslist for garage sales [6], [one!] I think I'll give Gumtree a go. I tried last time, but couldn't log on for some reason. 220 of ^Borg 23:41, 30 October 2015 (UTC)[reply]

You might offer an incentive to attend, like free lemonade. StuRat (talk) 18:59, 30 October 2015 (UTC)[reply]

Funnily enough, free bread ('day old') is a possibility. Though considering it's going to be quite warm on Sunday (79°F-26°C or so [7], cooler than before but stormy

), lemonade would be preferable! However I had a hard enough time with setting up and clean away that I think making (or buying more likely) lemonade would not be practical! 220 of ^Borg 23:41, 30 October 2015 (UTC)[reply]

It could make all the difference on a hot day. A pitcher full of ice and lemonade with some plastic or paper cups is all you need. (Be sure to put "*while it lasts" on the signs so people don't get mad when you run out, and put a trash can by it so the cups don't end up all over). StuRat (talk) 06:05, 31 October 2015 (UTC)[reply]

And keep in mind that the purpose of a garage sale is not necessarily to make money, but to get rid of stuff you don't want. ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 20:07, 30 October 2015 (UTC)[reply]

I think that's called a bonfire. InedibleHulk (talk) 21:11, October 30, 2015 (UTC)

@Baseball Bugs:Yes Bugs, hopefully both. A$ fingers crossed!

@InedibleHulk: A bonfire isn't allowed here (air pollution laws). I do have a local council clean-up collection set for Wednesday morning, though, so at least I have this time been able to sort my 'crap' out a bit, much more than my earlier sale attempt. It also means I have to do the sale now! 220 of ^Borg 23:41, 30 October 2015 (UTC)[reply]

You could use fire sale psychology. Capital letters to stress you're crazier than Crazy Eddie for practically giving away such cool stuff at such insanely low prices. LIMITED TIME ONLY! InedibleHulk (talk) 21:15, October 30, 2015 (UTC)

I have found to have a garage sale run effectively is to price items the day before, a lot of people that I know will not price anything and either take offers or answer questions as customers come with interest. However if a customer is looking at a item if the price is not clear a lot of time they will not ask for various reasons. When it comes to advertising I would post signs in local areas as you did during your last garage sale. Also I would place flyers on any advertising board that surrounding stores may offer, craigslist, and even Facebook. A lot of areas whether cities or smaller towns will have a "yard sale" page for that specific area on Facebook where you can post your items or get information out about your sale. Also in order to make more money since you stated you only made 40 dollars during your last sale, try grouping objects and sale in a bundle. For example if you have quite a few books your selling instead of pricing separate for lets say 2 dollars a book group similar topics and sell 6 books for 3 or 4 dollars. Even though you would technically make more money selling them separate most yard sell buyers are looking for a deal and are more likely to buy more if they believe they are receiving a deal, and it will help you get rid of more clutter.

user:kendra_ann 2 November 2015

Should probably give Madman Muntz a shoutout. InedibleHulk (talk) 21:18, October 30, 2015 (UTC)

LIMITED TIME ONLY! would at least be true! 220 of ^Borg 23:41, 30 October 2015 (UTC)[reply]

Or maybe Dick Smith. I do have some 'electronics' to go. CRT TV with built in DVD and remote anyone? 220 of ^Borg 23:41, 30 October 2015 (UTC)[reply]

Wow, I haven't seen a built-in remote since the Seventies! —Tamfang (talk) 01:07, 2 November 2015 (UTC)[reply]

Any thoughts on Saturday vs Sunday? I might have to continue next week, or have an EXTENDED FOR ONE DAY ONLY!!!! 220 of ^Borg 23:41, 30 October 2015 (UTC)[reply]

Chalking advertisements may be a fun and fast alternative to posters, and may attract a different eye/crowd. Spray chalk and stencils could be used, or free hand posts with arrows and times. Saturday vs. Sunday seems location specific to me. Do you have a local flea market? If so, do it on the same day, or perhaps consider buying a seller's berth for one day. (ETA - ok a misdirected redirect and a redlink- I meant to just write or spray chalk advertisements like so [8], with products like these [9], [10]) SemanticMantis (talk) 01:26, 31 October 2015 (UTC)[reply]

@SemanticMantis: thanks for your suggestions. I have gone for an on-line ad on Gumtree, where I note others have also advertised sales for Sundays. I uploaded pictures of some there items too, (though I had some problems and had to do it twice!) Chalking may be frowned on by the local council, and my artistic skills hover around zero. Having no vehicle, and some bulky items, selling anywhere other than on-site isn't practical for me. 220 of ^Borg 17:16, 31 October 2015 (UTC)[reply]

What is "A.L." in dates?

What does the "A.L." mean in this photo (a cornerstone of an old courhouse)? Bubba73 ^{You talkin' to me?} 23:17, 30 October 2015 (UTC)[reply]

Anno Lucis. InedibleHulk (talk) 23:25, October 30, 2015 (UTC)

Thank you for the rapid response! Bubba73 ^{You talkin' to me?} 23:31, 30 October 2015 (UTC)[reply]

No problem. Thanks for making me learn that. InedibleHulk (talk) 23:36, October 30, 2015 (UTC)

Resolved

October 31

Garage door opener fault.

I have a Craftsman garage door opener - probably about 5 years old - which has two lamp sockets built into the housing. Normally, the lights come on when you open or close the door and after a minute or two they turn off automatically. There is also a control panel at the back of the garage that has a button to turn the lights on or off.

A couple of days ago, I noticed that the lights had been on all night...pressing the button on the control panel has no effect, opening or closing the door and waiting has no effect - and if I completely unplug the unit and plug it back in again, the lights come on and stay on.

Additionally, I can hear a "click" when I push the "LIGHT" button on the control panel...so evidently some kind of relay/solenoid is clicking on and off again.

Any clues as to what might be going on? Hoping I can fix it myself. SteveBaker (talk) 01:58, 31 October 2015 (UTC)[reply]

Could be the timer broke. Could also be it's always in the "lights always on" mode, despite the click. If all else fails you can unplug those lights and put in a new set of lights with a motion detector and timer in there instead. Tricky to point those motion detectors so they pick up all motion, though, and if the lights are under covers you will need to remove those. If you can't get them to work where they are now, you can place the lights/motion detectors/timers elsewhere. Here's one with a sound detector too, which hopefully would hear the garage door opener: [11]. StuRat (talk)

I really want to fix it properly - we're in the process of selling the house and we want to be sure to get a near-perfect inspection on it. So clever work-arounds aren't much help. SteveBaker (talk) 15:44, 1 November 2015 (UTC)[reply]

If you remove and replace the current garage door lights with the sound activated bulbs, and leave the cover(s) on, they should be virtually undetectable unless the inspector takes the cover off to examine the bulbs. (Heck, you could even sell this as an improvement, as now it works as a theft deterrent for anyone who breaks into the garage.) StuRat (talk) 19:22, 1 November 2015 (UTC)[reply]

Complete guess but is there some sort of pressure switch around the frame of the door, that is stuck in?--Ykraps (talk) 09:34, 31 October 2015 (UTC)[reply]

There isn't a pressure switch on this door - there is a laser+light-sensor to detect if there is something blocking the door - that must be working OK because the door opens and shuts OK - and refuses to shut if the laser is blocked. The door has two switches on the track that detect when the door is fully open and fully shut - and I suspect there is a current-limiter on the motor. But I don't see how these can be implicated because the door itself moves just fine. SteveBaker (talk) 15:44, 1 November 2015 (UTC)[reply]

My guess is that those light circuits are switched by a triac which has fried (and in the "on" position, so to speak).

It's also possible that they're controlled by a conventional relay, whose contacts have managed to weld themselves together. —Steve Summit (talk) 10:19, 31 October 2015 (UTC)[reply]

Yeah - that was my guess too - but (as I said), pressing the "LIGHT" button on the control panel produces an audible click from the motor unit - so I deduce that some relay is being toggled on and off by the button rather than a solid-state system like a triac. I *presume* that if the relay is stuck in the closed position then I wouldn't hear a click...but I'm not much of an expert on the failure modes of relays! Can a stuck-shut relay still click when you energize or de-energize it?

My first guess is to pull the motor unit apart, figure out what kind of relay it uses, order a replacement, and swap it out...but if there is some other common failure mode - or if the "click" means that the relay cannot be at fault - then that may be a waste of time & money!

Hence the question! SteveBaker (talk) 15:44, 1 November 2015 (UTC)[reply]

Yes, I can easily imagine that a stuck-shut relay could still make clicking sounds as it tries to operate. (There's a nontrivial mechanical linkage between the solenoid coil and the actual contacts, and various bits of the linkage could still be moving even if the contacts aren't.) —Steve Summit (talk) 15:55, 1 November 2015 (UTC)[reply]

Sometimes the solder joints on the logic boards of garage door openers crack due to vibration. These cracks can be found with a 10x loupe. It's an easy and satisfying fix when true. Debouch (talk) 08:34, 2 November 2015 (UTC)[reply]

Does this type of object have a name?

Does the type of object on the left, on the corner of a building, have a name? Bubba73 ^{You talkin' to me?} 05:50, 31 October 2015 (UTC)[reply]

The closest thing I can think of is a external corner cornice sculpture, although this is unusual in that it goes from a square corner below to rounded above, while the cornice on the top of a column does the reverse ([12]), and this example of an external corner cornice is square to square: [13]. Also, a cornice typically extends linearly on both sides and either lacks sculpture entirely, or has it on the linear sections as well as the corners .

Gargoyles are more typical at the corners, but they are on the roof, and contain downspouts. StuRat (talk) 06:23, 31 October 2015 (UTC)[reply]

I would call it a corbel.--Shantavira|^{feed me} 15:28, 31 October 2015 (UTC)[reply]

The Royal Institute of British Architects seems to agree with you; their website has an image of a not dissimilar feature labelled "detail of a carved corbel in the form of a grotesque face". Alansplodge (talk) 17:03, 31 October 2015 (UTC)[reply]

A cornice "generally any horizontal decorative molding" - not that
I don't think it is a gargoyle.
corbel - "jutting from a wall to carry a superincumbent weight" it isn't supporting weight, and I think that there is one only on one corner of the building and it is only decorative.

Maybe it is a grotesque? Bubba73 ^{You talkin' to me?} 00:05, 1 November 2015 (UTC)[reply]

They did say "generally", meaning "not always", and I did say "external corner cornice sculpture" not just "cornice". The examples I provided show some exceptions. As for grotesque, that's more a reference to the subject matter than to the architectural placement and purpose. StuRat (talk) 00:19, 1 November 2015 (UTC)[reply]

I've added a photo showing it in context to the whole building. It is not near the roof and note that the corresponding structure on the right corner doesn't have the face. Bubba73 ^{You talkin' to me?} 00:59, 1 November 2015 (UTC)[reply]

I'm still going with "corbel". It actually supports the base of that round brick column (maybe a pilaster) that finishes in a pinnacle. Alansplodge (talk) 02:13, 1 November 2015 (UTC)[reply]

OK, I guess it is to support the weight of that column, but why does it have a face, whereas the others don't? Bubba73 ^{You talkin' to me?} 02:25, 1 November 2015 (UTC)[reply]

I mean, is there a more specific name? A rain spout with a dragon is a gargoyle; a corbel with a grotesque face is a .... Bubba73 ^{You talkin' to me?} 02:59, 1 November 2015 (UTC)[reply]

No, that combo doesn't appear to be common enough to have a single word name. StuRat (talk) 03:04, 1 November 2015 (UTC)[reply]

No single word, but I found "Corbel head" according to Illustrated Dictionary of British Churches. The same term is used by the Victoria & Albert Museum and RIBA. Alansplodge (talk) 12:54, 1 November 2015 (UTC)[reply]

I think "Corbel head" is the term! Bubba73 ^{You talkin' to me?} 16:07, 1 November 2015 (UTC) [reply]

Resolved

Ürümqi

Was the name Ürümqi already used before 1954 when the city was offically renamed or was it created for that occasion? Also, what was the Uyghur Arabic translitteration of its old name 迪化 (Tihwa/Dǐhuà)? Thanks. --151.41.184.149 (talk) 10:26, 31 October 2015 (UTC)[reply]

Not sure how reliable this article is, but it says; "On Feb. 1st, 1954, Dihua reverted to its original name of Urumqi" but it had been Dihua since 1763. Alansplodge (talk) 17:17, 31 October 2015 (UTC)[reply]

I'd have to do some digging to get some worthwhile sources, but The Heritage of Central Asia by Richard N. Frye mentions Urumqi [sic] on pp 25 and 236, and refers to it as a Turkic outpost after 840 AD. I am quite sure the word Ürümqi itself is Turkic, and that the name long predates Dǐhuà. As for an actual date, it would take me a bit of research. μηδείς (talk) 23:18, 31 October 2015 (UTC)[reply]

Talking about non Dependent territories, what is the country where his closest country is the farthest one?

Imagine we look at each country that is not a Dependent territory, on each country, we get the distance between itself and the closest country from him (now THIS country can be a Dependent territory as long its not his own) and call this value X.
What country would result in the biggest value of X?
201.79.62.177 (talk) 11:22, 31 October 2015 (UTC)[reply]

It might very well be New Zealand (approximately 1000 km from New Caledonia). Tristan da Cunha is more isolated (2000 km from St Helena), but it's a British Overseas Territory, not an independent state. Tevildo (talk) 11:57, 31 October 2015 (UTC)[reply]

Google agrees. --Jayron 32 18:39, 31 October 2015 (UTC)[reply]

Good query - missing out the "geographically" fills up the results with North Korea. Looking at the map, it would appear the value of the OP's X will either be the distance from the NZ mainland to Norfolk Island or from the Kermadec Islands to Minerva Reef. Is there a convenient tool to calculate these distances? Tevildo (talk) 19:04, 31 October 2015 (UTC)[reply]

"Google agrees" means it cites a single source which agrees. I did this search, which (as Tevildo says) mostly produces pages that talk about North Korea ("most isolated" in a different sense), but also links to this page which says that "New Zealand readily refers to itself as the most isolated country in the world. Although further research indicates this claim is slightly inaccurate – a number of small pacific islands can actually claim this title, nevertheless, New Zealand can certainly be recognised as being the most isolated country of any substantial size."

I'm not aware of a reliable source with a table of countries according to the distance to the nearest other country or territory. It'd be a tedious job to accurately compile one by anything less than a fully automated method. To break ties correctly you'd need to determine the distances more accurately than can be done by measuring them on a normal globe, but the distances are too great to be measured accurately enough on a flat map. So you'd have to do locate the nearest point in country A to territory B, and vice versa, and work out the distance by computation or by using software such as Google Maps. But correctly locating the nearest points for each pair of countries/territories is already non-trivial, especially when the country/territory may include many widely separated islands.

On the other hand, a fully automated method would require a database of coastline locations and a program to search it. --70.49.170.168 (talk) 19:21, 31 October 2015 (UTC)[reply]

When I first saw this question I thought it was talking about the distance from the mother country to the colony. Now I see that it's talking about the distances between independent states or colonies of independent states. The distance from mother country to dependency can be very long (e.g. Norway to the Antarctic) but what about the greatest distance between two metropolitan provinces of the same country? I would guess Hawaii to the continental United States, if Hawaii is a state of the Union, which I believe it now is. 86.149.14.219 (talk) 19:38, 31 October 2015 (UTC)[reply]

Probably Réunion, approximately 9000 km from continental France; Hawaii is only about 4000 km from the continental USA. Tevildo (talk) 20:29, 31 October 2015 (UTC)[reply]

It's a bit farther from Great Britain to Diego Garcia: [14] --Jayron 32 01:18, 1 November 2015 (UTC)[reply]

Diego Garcia is a British Overseas Territory, whereas Réunion is a full-blown Overseas department of France. See File:EU OCT and OMR map en.png - Réunion has a blue star, Diego Garcia a yellow star. If BOT's count as "metropolitan provinces" (which I don't think they do), Pitcairn Island is further away from the UK and the Wallis and Futuna Islands are further away from France. Tevildo (talk) 09:50, 1 November 2015 (UTC)[reply]

These last 3 mentioned are dependent territories. Nauru is 300 km from its nearest neighbour. How Far is New Zealand from Norfolk Is? Graeme Bartlett (talk) 01:31, 1 November 2015 (UTC)[reply]

It's 748 km from Norfolk Island to Cape Reinga, according to this site. I do not know how accurate the measurements on that site are, though. Tevildo (talk) 10:16, 1 November 2015 (UTC)[reply]

In that case the distance between Adams Island, New Zealand and Macquarie Island, Tasmania (about 620 km) is shorter. - Lindert (talk) 13:22, 1 November 2015 (UTC)[reply]

NZ still maintains the record then! All the best: Rich Farmbrough, 16:27, 1 November 2015 (UTC).[reply]

Planters peanut guy

Why is the planters peanut guy (mr. peanut) wearing a monocle? --Doeskmaesk (talk) 19:16, 31 October 2015 (UTC)[reply]

See Mr. Peanut. The basic character was designed in 1916 by one Antonio Gentile - the monocle and top hat were added by "a commercial artist" (according to Kraft Foods' own site) prior to its initial publication. The identity of that artist is disputed between Andrew S. Wallach and Frank P. Krize. Tevildo (talk) 20:51, 31 October 2015 (UTC)[reply]

Is that to imply that Mr Peanut has astigmatism in one eye? Does the top hat signify that Mr Peanut is a member of the bourgeoisie? --Doeskmaesk (talk) 22:58, 31 October 2015 (UTC)[reply]

See monocle and top hat. (a) Not necessarily astigmatism, but some form of defective vision. (b) Yes. Tevildo (talk)

Probably for the same reason Charlie McCarthy wore a top hat and monacle - to make him look distinguished. ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 23:56, 31 October 2015 (UTC)[reply]

Just to explain why anyone would choose to wear a single lens, it would enable the wearer to see both up close and at a distance, without resorting to bifocals, which have their own problems. I normally wear only a single contact lens, despite being quite nearsighted in both eyes. This allows me to see up close and far away. One drawback is that depth perception isn't as good, although still better than if I was blind in one eye. Also I save money and time on putting in, taking out, and cleaning contacts. On some occasions, like when I go to a movie, I do put both lenses in, but then I am rather annoyed at not being able to read anything. StuRat (talk) 00:10, 1 November 2015 (UTC)[reply]

This is where reading glasses come in handy. ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 00:47, 1 November 2015 (UTC)[reply]

They are too slow to deploy. For example, while eating at a restaurant I need to be able to read the menu and see the waitress, at the same time. Also, I have sensitive skin that can't take wearing glasses. (Back when I did wear them, I had deep ridges cut into my ears where they sat, with scabs on both.) StuRat (talk) 02:26, 1 November 2015 (UTC)[reply]

Your brain actually uses only one eye for most purposes, see ocular dominance. Alansplodge (talk) 02:17, 1 November 2015 (UTC)[reply]

My contacts make my eyes unequal, so that in theory I have one reading eye and one distance eye. I have no loss of depth perception, but struggle with fine print. Recently I tried on the weakest reading glasses available, and found them too strong. —Tamfang (talk) 01:16, 2 November 2015 (UTC)[reply]

All this discussion of vision is interesting, but as usual, Baseball Bugs got the question answered the first time: to make him look distinguished. Milkunderwood (talk) 21:12, 1 November 2015 (UTC)[reply]

Soytenly! And hence also the cane and the spats. "Puttin' on the Ritz". ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 22:28, 1 November 2015 (UTC)[reply]

There's a reason for making Mr. Peanut look distinguished. Peanuts had been colloquially known as Goober Peas; they are a legume rather than a true nut. It's marketing. How many people would buy a bag or can of "goober peas" to munch on? Milkunderwood (talk) 01:07, 2 November 2015 (UTC)[reply]

Can you make a sauce for Chilean Seabass out of them ? StuRat (talk) 01:31, 2 November 2015 (UTC) [reply]

Have you ever considered a Pince-nez? Very distinguished looking, and won't bother your ears. Put different lenses in, for menus and waitresses. Milkunderwood (talk) 01:44, 2 November 2015 (UTC) [reply]

Or I could just hire a nearsighted Nez Perce to read the menu to me, as I ogle the waitress. StuRat (talk) 02:06, 2 November 2015 (UTC) [reply]

November 1

Can't edit semi-protected pages

Hi, I need help. Another user has told me that I am autoconfirmed (how do I know this?) Also, according to wikipedia rules, "Autoconfirmed or confirmed status is required to move pages, edit semi-protected pages, and upload files" So I went to a semi protected articles and tried to edit it but couldn't save it, therefore I couldn't edit it.

I want to edit semi-protected pages, how do I do this? I also need help on what kind of user I am. — Preceding unsigned comment added by SireWonton (talk • contribs) 03:59, 1 November 2015 (UTC)[reply]

We can see from Special:Contributions/SireWonton that you've made more than 10 edits, and the first one was more than four days ago, so you are confirmed. Can you tell us more about what happened when you tried to edit and couldn't? Also, I gave your question a title. Rojomoke (talk) 04:34, 1 November 2015 (UTC)[reply]

It'll be best if you follow this up at the help desk where you asked before Wikipedia:Help desk#Autoconfirmed?. Also, as has been said, you'll need to provide more info. For example, if you can't edit a page, "View source" rather than "Edit" will normally be shown for the tab at the top. Also there will be no "Save page" button. If you are seeing "Edit" and "Save page" but something else is going wrong, this probably indicates the problem is unrelated to semi protection. Similarly, if you are seeing "View source" with no "Save page" button, what pages are you editing, and are you sure they are semi protected rather than fully protected? Nil Einne (talk) 18:20, 1 November 2015 (UTC)[reply]

Actually, I see you normally use the Visual Editor so things will be a little different for you. In that case, you should see an "Edit source" and "Edit" tab if you can edit a (mainspace) page. You will still see "View source" if you can't. If you see these tabs and edit the page, then most likely any problems are unrelated to the page protection. Nil Einne (talk) 18:27, 1 November 2015 (UTC)[reply]

You can view the groups you belong to by clicking "Preferences" (on top of every page); under "user profile", "basic information" it should say: Member of groups: Autoconfirmed users, Users. Ssscienccce (talk) 23:58, 1 November 2015 (UTC)[reply]

1903 photography: having pictures "struck" - SOLVED

I have a 1903 letter from a man (educated - a lawyer) to someone wanting photographs of his children. He speaks of going to a photographer to "have pictures struck", and will apparently take at least his youngest child with him - this isn't clear. But the only definition of "strike" I've found in approximately this context has to do specifically with cinematography, where a new print will be struck from a negative: http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/us/definition/american_english/strike, paragraph 6.1.

In terms of 1903 photography, does he want new photographs taken, or only new prints made from negatives the photographer already has on file? Thanks for any help. Milkunderwood (talk) 20:28, 1 November 2015 (UTC)[reply]

This report of a blackmail case from 1908 uses "struck" to mean "copied" - "I saw the picture of Joel when I first came to the office, about May, 1905. At that time it had upon it the pencilling of a moustache. I have never seen a picture struck from it with the moustache on." The reference is to a drawing rather than a photograph, though. Tevildo (talk) 21:21, 1 November 2015 (UTC)[reply]

Well, that's consistent with the Oxford entry, and your date is very close. Thanks very much. Milkunderwood (talk) 21:27, 1 November 2015 (UTC)[reply]

Here is another reference from 1890: "It was to be a picture struck from a stamp, or a plate, so that everyone could freely purchase according to his devotion." I think it's safe to say that "striking a picture" meant "producing a print" from it - however, the client in your text may have intended to have the picture taken and "struck" in one session. Tevildo (talk) 21:35, 1 November 2015 (UTC)[reply]

Even better. I think you're right, with regard to his 2-year-old. The phrasing in the letter is very unclear as to what he means to do. Milkunderwood (talk) 21:43, 1 November 2015 (UTC)[reply]

Yes, "producing a print", or a copy, and I've heard that usage (though not often) in modern times. ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 22:24, 1 November 2015 (UTC)[reply]

Many thanks to you both. I've added "SOLVED" to the question. Milkunderwood (talk) 00:50, 2 November 2015 (UTC)[reply]

Try putting the cool template code {{resolved}} at the top or bottom of the thread, and you'll get a cool colored resolved logo, Milkunderwood. μηδείς (talk) 06:18, 2 November 2015 (UTC)[reply]

Presumably this usage of "struck" derives from things like minting coins, where making copies of a coin literally involves the dies "striking" the planchets. --70.49.170.168 (talk) 06:22, 2 November 2015 (UTC)[reply]

November 2

Equity risk premium vs Country risk premium

What is the difference between Equity risk premium and Country risk premium (in the context of this page: http://pages.stern.nyu.edu/~adamodar/New_Home_Page/datafile/ctryprem.html ) Thanks — Preceding unsigned comment added by 222.254.28.24 (talk) 14:29, 2 November 2015 (UTC)[reply]

Equity risk premium is the potential gain you give up by investing money in government debt instead of the stock market. Stocks tend to give higher returns, but also have more risk of loss. The country risk premium is a measure of how risky different countries' debt is. You will notice in that table that highly-developed countries, like Australia and the U.S., have a country risk premium of 0, indicating they are considered the safest governments to lend to. --71.119.131.184 (talk) 07:05, 3 November 2015 (UTC)[reply]

UK 2015 General election.

The humanities ref desk is protected for some strange unexplained reason, so I am posting here.

Could I have some concise reasons to why the the Conservative Party won a majority in the 2015 election? Why did the electorate not vote for Labour confidently? --Joskinfieds (talk) 18:57, 2 November 2015 (UTC)[reply]

You would need to ask each of the electorate individually for a definitive answer but remember that in the UK there is no proportional representation and the majority party is decided by the number of seats won. This system can result in tactical voting. Socialists living in a tory stronghold are likely to vote for the second most likely winner (usually the lib-dems) to try and stop the tories winning the seat. In the 2015 election, UKIP had a large presence in many constituencies and perhaps some voters voted Conservative to prevent UKIP winning. Just a guess from a socialist, if a tory answers your query they will probably tell you that the majority of voters thought the Conservatists were the best party to run the country. Can you have a concise answer? No.--Ykraps (talk) 19:52, 2 November 2015 (UTC)[reply]

I have seen (but unfortunately have been unable to find again) an article which argues this: The Tories and the Labour party both won the seats they have always won, with the votes they have always had. The SNP, which gained every seat in Scotland except 1, and now has over 50 seats in the Parliament, are now the third party. The Lib Dems were decimated. The problem was the first past the post system: the Tories get more seats from fewer votes (it equates to less than 25% of the total electorate), while Labour has to win more votes proportionately to get a seat. UKIP and the Greens both only got 1 MP with millions of votes cast for them, and so they are the real losers in the election. So in England, where most of the seats are, it wasn't that the electorate didn't vote for Labour: the problem is that Labour would need many, many more voters to vote for them for them to win seats from the Tories. --TammyMoet (talk) 20:31, 2 November 2015 (UTC)[reply]

You have assumed that Labour supporters wouldn't ever vote Conservative and I can categorically state that some Labour supporters in Christchurch voted Conservative in the 2015 General Election to prevent UKIP winning. Christchurch_(UK_Parliament_constituency)#Elections_in_the_2010s Tactical voting makes answering this question impossible unless, as I stated above, every member of the electorate was asked individually.--Ykraps (talk) 20:47, 2 November 2015 (UTC)[reply]

Your inquiry seems to be based on the assumption that the wrong party won. Do you have any factual support for that view? Because otherwise we don't answer requests for opinions, predictions or debate. μηδείς (talk) 21:07, 2 November 2015 (UTC)[reply]

Any political analyst will give you their version of results (the relatively balanced BBC has 14 analysts all with different perspectives, and unsurprisingly the newspapers all have their own party-line spin: The Guardian blames poor Labour strategy, the Telegraph blames UKIP, the Independent blames first-past-the-post), but here are some common suggestions: The swing voters preferred David Cameron (a tried-and-tested PM generally seen as moderate) to Ed Miliband (seen as less "prime-ministerial" and portrayed as more left-wing than Blair or Brown (hence the nickname "Red Ed")), and the Conservatives enjoyed the incumbent advantage. Labour was remembered for the 2008 financial crisis, while the Conservatives had been in power during the slow recovery. Lib Dem voters turned out to be less left-wing than expected, and many of them defected to Tories or UKIP rather than Labour. Labour lost two large bases when UKIP took the angry working class vote, while the Greens took the angry student vote. The Tories were successful in making English voters afraid of a Labour-SNP coalition. Labour's position on the deficit wasn't austere enough for the political right, but was too austere for their base on the political right. There was a "lazy Labour" effect, where Labour voters didn't go out, while the Conservative policies such as pension release and safeguards on winter fuel payment were popular with the highly-motivated 50-plus voters. Most analysis will be a combination of those basic themes, perhaps with something about the European Union or the right-wing press mixed in. Smurrayinchester 10:23, 3 November 2015 (UTC)[reply]

Searching for portable bath tub

I have in mind a tub with a seat in it, like this side-view, cross section:

+          +
|          |
|          |
+-----+    |
|SEAT |    |
+-----+----+

Occupied:

   O
+  |\      +
|  | \_    |
|  +----+  |
+-----+ |  |
|SEAT | +_ |
+-----+----+

I've found this design in built-in tubs for the elderly, at many thousands of dollars. The version I want would be lightweight, made out of rigid plastic, and cheap. It wouldn't need a sealable door, as the home installs have. Instead the person would climb in from the top, using the seat to stand on, with a step ladder on the outside (a high-friction surface on the seat would be needed to avoid slipping). It also wouldn't need any plumbing. I have in mind using it outside, say while reading a book, filling it with a hose, and using a sump pump to empty out most of the water, then pushing it over and hosing out the "dregs". The idea is to have a place to sit and soak in hot weather, but for adults. It wouldn't need to be much bigger than one adult. Some type of sealable top would be a bonus, so it's not full of spiders when I pull it out of the garage next summer.

So, does anything like what I described exist ? StuRat (talk) 19:10, 2 November 2015 (UTC)[reply]

Any reason this could not be repurposed for your outdoor bathtub? --Jayron 32 19:15, 2 November 2015 (UTC)[reply]

Too short and too wide. This means the sole occupant doesn't cool off as effectively and water is wasted filling the rest. Also, it doesn't seem to provide enough support. Note how the man isn't able to sit upright (although the woman managed it, at least long enough for the pic). My version would be rigid and have water up to the occupant's shoulders, not just his knees. StuRat (talk) 19:19, 2 November 2015 (UTC)[reply]

Sounds like you're describing a hot tub or a "whirlpool bath". ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 19:58, 2 November 2015 (UTC)[reply]

Much more basic than that. No plumbing, water heater, etc., and only room for one person, please. That is also not what I would call "portable". StuRat (talk) 21:25, 2 November 2015 (UTC)[reply]

[[15]] Now all you need is a stool!--Ykraps (talk) 20:04, 2 November 2015 (UTC)[reply]

I assume "water butt" is UK English for "rain barrel" (we call it that in the US even when not in a barrel shape). Looks like it might work, but 270 British pounds is rather excessive. I assume the unneeded stand and tap are part of the reason it's so pricey. StuRat (talk) 21:23, 2 November 2015 (UTC)[reply]

One possible method would be to build one out of fibreglass mats and resin. A smallish boat yard should be able to do that based on your specifications. Of course, you can do that yourself if you have some skill and a few tools. The only tricky bit would be building the “mould” for the tub, but that is essentially a large box with a step in it. Avoid orthogonal corners by inserting rounded cornice profiles into the edges of the box.

If you use an “outside mould”, i.e. an empty box, you may be able to use that as a load-bearing frame for the tub. If you use an inside mould the tub needs to be fairly solid.

Warning: Use gloves and goggles, work in a well ventilated area and be aware that curing generates significant heat.

As per the standards associated with the OP I have omitted any references :o) --Cookatoo.ergo.ZooM (talk) 20:29, 2 November 2015 (UTC)[reply]

You will probably have some luck searching for "Japanese soaking tub" and similar terms. Furo is what they call them in Japan. Basically the Japanese figured out a long time ago that it's nicer to soak your whole body while seated in a deeper tub than to awkwardly lay in a shallow pool the way we do it in the USA. You can buy pre-made copper and woodend tubs in the Japanese style for thousands of dollars [16], but here's a plan on how to make one for $100 [17]. SemanticMantis (talk) 22:23, 2 November 2015 (UTC)[reply]

Yes, that's very close to what I want, although it seems to lack a seat (you just sit on the bottom). Also, I'm not a carpenter so I don't think I could build that myself, and wood seems like a poor choice of materials, to me, making it heavier and more expensive and potentially giving splinters. Doesn't anyone sell them for a reasonable price ? If it costs $100 to make, seems like they could sell them for $150 each and make a nice profit. But even better, I pictured a molded plastic version using technology similar to plastic trash bins for maybe $30 each.

(BTW, I completely agree with the author that US bathtubs seem solely designed for toddlers, not being long enough for adults to recline nor deep enough to sit upright and remain significantly submerged. Jayron's link at the top seems to have all the same shortcomings.) StuRat (talk) 22:56, 2 November 2015 (UTC)[reply]

How about this [18] - 100 gallon rubbermaid tank, with drain plug, for $85. No seat, but you can get a small stool too and stay under $100. SemanticMantis (talk) 23:43, 2 November 2015 (UTC)[reply]

I think a stool would lift you out of the water in that one, so you'd have to sit on the bottom. I'm surprised it weighs 41 lbs. Does a container for 100 gallons of water really need to be that heavy-duty to not split open ? One obvious adjustment is to make it thinner near the top, where the water pressure will be less. StuRat (talk)

Internet Archive?

I have seen many websites come and go. So, my question is, how long will the Internet Archive be around? Many websites die out, like Putfile and Piczo. RocketMaster (talk) 22:28, 2 November 2015 (UTC)[reply]

My WP:CRYSTAL is not working. Our article is at Internet_Archive. You can read what they say about themselves here [19], where they mention that they partner with the Smithsonian and the Library of Congress. They also get funding from a variety of sources, but I don't think they're publishing a list of sponsors/donors. They did just recently get ~2 million US$ from the Arnold Foundation. You may also wish to read a bit about data curation, digital archiving, etc. SemanticMantis (talk) 22:52, 2 November 2015 (UTC)[reply]

List of U S Navy ships present on 12.17.41

Was USS Vega left off of the list on purpose? I think she arrived at Pearl on 12.6.41 with a load of ammunition.

B Cage — Preceding unsigned comment added by 172.2.93.211 (talk) 23:14, 2 November 2015 (UTC)[reply]

Are you sure you don't mean December 7th, 1941, AKA, Pearl Harbor Day ? StuRat (talk) 23:30, 2 November 2015 (UTC)[reply]

I'm sure the OP does. The article in question is List of United States Navy ships present at Pearl Harbor, December 7, 1941. According to our source for that page [20], and our article USS Vega (AK-17), she was at Honolulu, rather than Pearl Harbor itself. Tevildo (talk) 23:41, 2 November 2015 (UTC)[reply]

November 3

Boundaries of where?

class=notpageimage|

Historical boundaries of Roman Syria Palaestina, where dashed green line shows the boundary between Byzantine Palaestina Prima (later Jund Filastin) and Palaestina Secunda (later Jund al-Urdunn), as well as Palaestina Salutaris (later Jebel et-Tih and the Jifar)

This map can be found on Palestine, Syria Palaestina, and Palestine (region). I am not sure about how to correctly understand its caption. The legend of the green line reads:

Historical boundaries of Roman Syria Palaestina, where dashed green line shows the boundary between Byzantine Palaestina Prima (later Jund Filastin) and Palaestina Secunda (later Jund al-Urdunn), as well as Palaestina Salutaris (later Jebel et-Tih and the Jifar)

I can think of two possibilities:

The green solid line shows the boundaries of both Roman Syria Palaestina and Palaestina Salutaris (later Jebel et-Tih and the Jifar). The clause "where dashed green line shows the boundary between Byzantine Palaestina Prima (later Jund Filastin) and Palaestina Secunda (later Jund al-Urdunn)" is related to Roman Syria Palaestina.
The green solid line shows the boundaries of only Roman Syria Palaestina. The clause "where dashed green line shows the boundary between Byzantine Palaestina Prima (later Jund Filastin) and Palaestina Secunda (later Jund al-Urdunn), as well as Palaestina Salutaris (later Jebel et-Tih and the Jifar)" as a whole is related to Roman Syria Palaestina.

English is my second language so I find this sentence structure confusing. Please help! --Quest for Truth (talk) 05:26, 3 November 2015 (UTC)[reply]

Ithink the map at Palaestina_Salutaris should be useful for interpretation. It seems like the option 2 is the case: the solid line shows Syria Palaestina (which includes Palaestina Prima and Palaestina Secunda). The border between Palaestina Prima and Palaestina Secunda are shown by the dashed line. Confusingly, the same dashed line is used to show the borders Palaestina Salutaris outside Syria Palaestina.129.178.88.84 (talk) 10:25, 3 November 2015 (UTC)[reply]