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September 4

Steamed School Pudding

Could someone from Britain explain to this American the practice/concept/item that is steamed school pudding? Thank you, †dismas†|^(talk) 00:43, 4 September 2018 (UTC)[reply]

Spotted Dick and suet pudding would be good places to start. DuncanHill (talk) 00:47, 4 September 2018 (UTC)[reply]

I don't think these delicacies with an acquired taste have been on school menus for several decades. I, as a septuagenarian, have never before heard the term "steamed school pudding" Richard Avery (talk) 07:15, 4 September 2018 (UTC)[reply]

I'm in my late forties, and well remember spotted dick, roly-polies, and the like at school. DuncanHill (talk) 14:19, 4 September 2018 (UTC)[reply]

@Duncan Hill, I certainly remember those things as well and we generally ate them keenly because we were hungry. It is the term "steamed school pudding" that I don't recall. I also remember something called "mock cream" that seemed to have no discernible taste. Richard Avery (talk) 07:12, 5 September 2018 (UTC)[reply]

I'd agree that "steamed school pudding" is not a native formation. I recall two types of mock cream, one had a slightly gritty texture, I think made from dried milk and sugar, the other was called "Dream Topping" and came from a packet. Neither had any currency in my family. We had custard (Bird's) and clotted cream (from Mrs Daniels). DuncanHill (talk) 12:46, 5 September 2018 (UTC)[reply]

Aah, nostalgia isn't what it used to be. ;-) Richard Avery (talk) 14:16, 5 September 2018 (UTC)[reply]

I've heard School Pudding used in various places but only in passing. What caused me to finally ask is a challenge of one of the episodes of The Great British Bake Off. In the episode, they talk about how it was originally rather terrible, having been made in the intestines of an animal and then eventually sugar got added and they then cooked it in a bit of linen instead of intestine. They mention a couple times that it's this big British tradition but don't go into why or anything like that. I guess they assume that all their British viewers already know about whatever tradition they're referring to. †dismas†|^(talk) 14:50, 4 September 2018 (UTC)[reply]

We still have puddings made in intestines, such as black pudding and hog's pudding. Other puddings, steak and kidney pudding for example, are encased in a suet pastry. DuncanHill (talk) 14:54, 4 September 2018 (UTC)[reply]

And don't forget the chieftain of the pudding race. Alansplodge (talk) 11:27, 6 September 2018 (UTC)[reply]

Suddenly, I'm not hungry anymore. 2606:A000:1126:4CA:0:98F2:CFF6:1782 (talk) 18:02, 4 September 2018 (UTC)[reply]

Why ever not? DuncanHill (talk) 04:01, 5 September 2018 (UTC)[reply]

Presumably because he's using the US English def of pudding as a dessert item, and a dessert with blood and kidneys in it does seem disgusting. For comparison, how does a Cadbury Egg filled with blood and kidneys sound ? It might actually be tasty, in something like the shell of a pasty, but still would sound bad if called that. If such puddings were called something like "casseroles", that would sound better to Americans. SinisterLefty (talk) 15:44, 5 September 2018 (UTC) [reply]

It sounds better than crunchy frog. ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 21:55, 5 September 2018 (UTC)[reply]

If you put steak and kidneys in a shortcrust or flaky pastry shell, it would be a steak and kidney pie. DuncanHill (talk) 16:14, 5 September 2018 (UTC)[reply]

And these are served in modern schools? Or does it get the name from having been developed at a school? †dismas†|^(talk) 18:29, 4 September 2018 (UTC)[reply]

We used to have steam pudding at school, and everyone knew what it was. It wasn't "steamed school pudding", just "steam pudding" - although that might have been "steamed pudding" loosely pronounced. 2.28.95.203 (talk) 18:37, 4 September 2018 (UTC)[reply]

Or "team pudding". Anyone who didn't know could ask what it was and learn "It's team pudding". Soon everyone would know it's steam pudding, because that's the one that sounds less preposterous. Meanwhile, the team just eventually accepts its pudding is everyone's now, and never speaks of it again. Granted, I'm no expert, haven't been near a British school. InedibleHulk (talk) 19:51, September 4, 2018 (UTC)

Yes, steamed puddings used to be served regularly as the second course of school meals, presumably because they were cheap and filling. They often contained suet. Dbfirs 20:27, 4 September 2018 (UTC)[reply]

Was this during the lower grades? What I would call elementary school. Or at university? †dismas†|^(talk) 23:51, 4 September 2018 (UTC)[reply]

Here's an article concerning Wycombe Abbey (girls' boarding school; ages 11 to 18):[1] 107.15.157.44 (talk) 02:16, 5 September 2018 (UTC)[reply]

In my experience primary school, secondary school, and at university. At VIth form we bought pasties and the like in town. School, in British English, never means university. DuncanHill (talk) 03:59, 5 September 2018 (UTC)[reply]

To quote George Orwell, recalling his St Cyprian's preparatory school experience in 1915 (from an essay published after his death):

"[It] had been common for school dinners to start off with a slab of unsweetened suet pudding, which, it was frankly said, 'broke the boys appetites.'"

—Orwell, George. "Such, Such Were the Joys" (PDF). www.24grammata.com. p. 17.

107.15.157.44 (talk) 04:59, 5 September 2018 (UTC)[reply]

Never had it at school, but my mum's "steamed pudding" ({{cn}}[[WP:OR]][[WP:POV]]) was a cakey thing, with big fat raisins in it, enjoyed with custard, cream or, best of all IMHO, Golden syrup. It was a real treat. It was made, upside down, in a special flowerpot-shaped metal mould. --Dweller (talk) Become old fashioned! 08:50, 5 September 2018 (UTC)[reply]

Thank you all for the responses! This has been quite an education (pun intended). †dismas†|^(talk) 14:18, 5 September 2018 (UTC)[reply]

And finally, there exists a cousin of the spotted dick (which was always politely referred to as "spotted dog" at my council primary school in London) which is called college pudding: "A traditional pudding served to students in the halls of Oxford and Cambridge".

Also, nobody has mentioned that other suety delight, Christmas pudding. Alansplodge (talk) 11:35, 6 September 2018 (UTC)[reply]

September 6

Looking for an old Atari game

In the late 70s/early 80s, my friend had an Atari game console. I think it was the Atari 2600. One of the games for it featured four corners that were bases ("castles"?) for different players. Gameplay was about defending your base and thereby attacking opponents. I think it may have had an element of Breakout (video game) to it. Can anyone help me identify the title? --Dweller (talk) Become old fashioned! 12:31, 6 September 2018 (UTC)[reply]

The closest I could think of was Rampart (video game), which was made by Atari (the company), but far too late for the Atari 2600. Still looking. --Jayron 32 13:37, 6 September 2018 (UTC)[reply]

Found it. I'm 99% certain, based on the description, that it is Warlords (1980 video game). --Jayron 32 13:43, 6 September 2018 (UTC)[reply]

Spot on. Thanks so much! --Dweller (talk) Become old fashioned! 14:12, 6 September 2018 (UTC)[reply]

September 7

Illegal?

Say I discovered something akin to the Popul Vuh or Dead Sea Scrolls, aka an ancient text in the US. Would it be illegal if I kept it to myself. Makuta Makaveli (talk) 01:44, 7 September 2018 (UTC)[reply]

In the UK the Treasure Act 1996 stipulates that any treasure found regardless of the circumstances in which it was deposited, even if it was lost or left with no intention of recovery, belongs to the Crown. The export of antiquities is now heavily controlled by law in almost all countries and by the 1970 UNESCO Convention. The ownership of the Dead Sea Scrolls is disputed among the Jordan, the Israel, and the Palestinian Authority. The Popol Vuh seems to originate in oral tradition transcribed by Father Ximénez of the Dominican Order whose documents passed to the Universidad de San Carlos de Guatemala from which Abbot Brasseur may have stolen the volume and taken it back to France. DroneB (talk) 03:24, 7 September 2018 (UTC)[reply]

For the United States, the answer is, "maybe." There are both state and federal laws that apply: Treasure_trove#United_States. Someguy1221 (talk) 03:30, 7 September 2018 (UTC)[reply]

This may or may not be a real life example, depending on your point of view. --Dweller (talk) Become old fashioned! 08:31, 7 September 2018 (UTC)[reply]

First, someone would have to find them. ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 10:27, 7 September 2018 (UTC)[reply]

I think I have a photo of a couple of UFOs.

Where can I submit the photograph, so people can tell me what they think is seen in the photo? --Hacker1 (talk) 02:09, 7 September 2018 (UTC)[reply]

One possibility is Imgur. ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 02:15, 7 September 2018 (UTC)[reply]

Most UFOs are later identified as conventional objects or phenomena. This is a list by country of UFO organizations and these are notable UFO researchers. DroneB (talk) 02:53, 7 September 2018 (UTC)[reply]

"Luster" in the Book of Mormon

Out of curiosity, I started reading the Book of Mormon here (beware annoying voice narration kicks in, presumably for those who can't read, but have somehow managed to navigate to this page... switch sound off before clicking) http://bookofmormon.online/lehites/7. I only got 8 verses in, when the text talks about "luster". I assumed it meant someone who lusts, but it seems from context (comparison with brightness) "lustre" is intended. Is that a typo in this edition? AmEng? Or is "someone who lusts" really intended? --Dweller (talk) Become old fashioned! 10:48, 7 September 2018 (UTC)[reply]

Luster is an acceptable spelling in American English. See Here in Merriam-Webster, the pre-eminent American dictionary. --Jayron 32 11:11, 7 September 2018 (UTC)[reply]

Aha. Thanks. Chalk up yet another unfortunate ambiguity to the English language. --Dweller (talk) Become old fashioned! 11:17, 7 September 2018 (UTC)[reply]

My teacher asked me to give her one good reason for non-sequiturs. So I gave her one. --Dweller (talk) Become old fashioned! 11:17, 7 September 2018 (UTC)[reply]

And you added a double entendre into the bargain! {The poster formerly known as 87.81.230.195} 2.122.60.253 (talk) 14:43, 7 September 2018 (UTC)[reply]

Absolutely. My favourite type of ambiguity. I love a big one. Ambiguity that is. --Dweller (talk) Become old fashioned! 15:07, 7 September 2018 (UTC)[reply]

Cat jump height

Can cats jump from ground to rooftop or jumping up one storey directly from the floor? Once they jump up to high places, is it true that cats are less afraid of heights than humans? Planet Star 21:39, 7 September 2018 (UTC)[reply]

Videos showing a Cat jumps 1.96 m (9 times own height) while others overestimate their abilities. DroneB (talk) 22:05, 7 September 2018 (UTC)[reply]

They have good reason for relative confidence while high, with their smaller paws, sharper claws, lower centres of gravity, wider bases and (if those all fail) tendencies to land upright. Some say they can't comprehend their own mortality, which might help. Others say they have nine lives, which also helps. InedibleHulk (talk) 22:27, September 7, 2018 (UTC)

Simply having four feet helps. It's well known that many humans in such situations will descend to all fours to give themselves greater stability. HiLo48 (talk) 22:44, 7 September 2018 (UTC)[reply]

Aye, wider bases, stable like a table, good for chairs, too. As long as everything's moving slowly, humans don't sweat perching on a precariously gabled roof for a few minutes. But sooner or later (depending on our flexibility and fitness), we're going to feel the burn in our odd-shaped hip joints and inefficent shoulders, and start to shift and wobble. Then comes the self-doubt, the worry, possibly the vertigo and the angry awning birds who think you're after their eggs.

You spring up like a poor man's frog, mind ready for the chase, as your body somersaults awkwardly onto the wrought iron fence below. The last thing you recall is your cat looking down on you from the weather vane, with her feet and belly on the same damn level, as if to say "What, you couldn't do this?", and you finally realize that's about as low as any mammal can go.

They also have very nimble tails, almost snakelike, and these work something like a tightrope walker's pole to counteract dangerous leaning. Nowhere near as useful as a monkey's, which is why you typically don't see cats fearlessly charging through hundred-foot tree canopies (that and thumbs), but you'll also rarely see a dog walking along even a five-foot railing (unless he's trained for it, doesn't wag carelessly, puts one paw in front of the other and has pointy ears). More common sight than a pig descending a ladder, though. InedibleHulk (talk) 05:56, September 8, 2018 (UTC)

I know cats who routinely catch dragonflies and bats flying about 1 meter/1,20 meter high but they can't jump much higher. But I knew a mother cat who would climb from the courtyard level to the first floor balcony running along the vertical wall carrying a kitten in her mouth. 194.174.73.80 (talk) 18:17, 10 September 2018 (UTC) Marco Pagliero Berlin[reply]

September 8

Danger of fighting in Afghanistan or Iraq for US infantrymen

Using WW2 as a reference, are there any figures for comparing the rates of fatalities for, say, every 1,000 infantryman years in these conflicts? Muzzleflash (talk) 01:21, 8 September 2018 (UTC)[reply]

"The survival rates were 90.2% in Iraq and 91.6% in Afghanistan, compared with 86.5% in Vietnam". [2] Still looking for comparable WWII stats. Alansplodge (talk) 14:57, 9 September 2018 (UTC)[reply]

Those survival rates of 90.2% in Iraq and 91.6% in Afghanistan are the proportion of wounded personnel who survived. -- ToE 00:35, 10 September 2018 (UTC)[reply]

Quite right ToE, I stand corrected. Alansplodge (talk) 12:46, 10 September 2018 (UTC)[reply]

Ref: VanHemert, Kyle. "What Were a U.S. Soldier's Odds of Dying in Each War?". Gizmodo. -- Only includes actual "wars" (not war-like "operations" such as Operation Enduring Freedom) —107.15.157.44 (talk) 18:15, 9 September 2018 (UTC)[reply]

Not surprisingly, the American Civil War was by far the worst. ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 19:29, 9 September 2018 (UTC)[reply]

September 10

Position of the District of Columbia in an alphabetized list of U.S. states

I have noticed that in the relevant menu in web forms that include fields for an address in the U.S., the District of Columbia is shown after Delaware and before Florida. It seems to me that it should be listed after Colorado and before Connecticut, especially since the four states that officially call themselves "Commonwealth of..." rather than "State of..." aren't listed ahead of the other states. So how was this decided? I looked at List of states and territories of the United States and U.S. state and didn't find an answer. Thanks in advance. -⁠-⁠Dyspeptic skeptic (talk) 18:15, 10 September 2018 (UTC)[reply]