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May 29

Unknown Astronomy catalogue

A few years back, I created a page called RIK-210 and I realized that “RIK” was not an astronomical catalogue on the Wikipedia page List of astronomical catalogues. I search the web and there weren’t any answers for it. When I search the star RIK-210 on SIMBAD, it only uses it’s alternative name:2MASS J16232454-1717270. If someone can find what catalogue “RIK” stands for it will be very much appreciated. Xiang180808 04:39, 29 May 2020 (UTC) — Preceding unsigned comment added by Xiang180808 (talkcontribs)

Rizzuto–Ireland–Kraus, the authors of Rizzuto, A. C.; Ireland, M. J.; Kraus, A. L. (2015). "New pre-main-sequence stars in the Upper Scorpius subgroup of Sco–Cen". Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. 448 (3): 2737–2748. doi:10.1093/mnras/stv207.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)  --Lambiam 09:20, 29 May 2020 (UTC)[reply]

June 2

8-ball variation

I've met some people who play pool. They play 8-ball, but with a strange variation. The solids player has to sink the 1 ball in the '1-ball pocket' (the middle pocket) and the stripes player sinks the 15 ball in the '15-pocket' which is the opposite middle pocket. If they sink those balls anywhere else, it's a legal shot and they don't give up their turn. But they return the 1 or 15 ball to the spot where the triangle is placed for break. It's interesting and it makes the simple strategy of the game a lot more complex. It makes the game longer, too. Is there a name for this variation of the game? Was this ever a common way to play? Temerarius (talk) 03:36, 2 June 2020 (UTC)[reply]

Sorry, I think they actually place the ball on the spot opposite to the one I said--at the end of the kitchen. Temerarius (talk) 03:38, 2 June 2020 (UTC)[reply]
I have no idea about the questions asked, but I'm curious about the rules: are the 1-ball and the 15-ball the only ones with specific pockets assigned? --76.71.5.208 (talk) 08:39, 2 June 2020 (UTC)[reply]
This site lists several 8-ball variants, and just calls it "1 & 15 Side". It appears the rule only applies to the 1 and 15. This page pretty much agrees, and states that it was formerly a much more common version of the game, claiming even that it was at one point the most common version. --Jayron32 13:51, 2 June 2020 (UTC)[reply]

famous people collages

I distinctly remember that our articles for nations (e.g "Russians", "Germans", "French people" etc) used to have collages of photos of the most notable "exponents" of said nation somewhere near the top of the article. Not so now. When did the practice stop, is it policy or it just happened and if the former, what was the rationale (I can imagine, but, if someone knows off-hand without much research, it would be welcome) Aecho6Ee (talk) 19:11, 2 June 2020 (UTC)[reply]

See: MOS:NOETHNICGALLERIES and discussions here & here. (Although I only scanned those discussions, WP:GALLERY & WP:COLLAGE are seemingly conflated at times). 107.15.157.44 (talk) 05:35, 3 June 2020 (UTC)[reply]

June 3

Population data for small towns in Egypt?

I was looking to add population values to some articles on towns/villages in Egypt, but I couldn't find any data that went into that level of detail - only for large cities, governorates, and sub-districts. Does anyone know how I might be able to find sources for the population of, for example, Samannud or Maghagha? I apologize if I'm in the wrong place. 3 kids in a trenchcoat (talk) 06:14, 3 June 2020 (UTC)[reply]

Go to Maghagha, once each of you has a Sebennytic shard of Samannud, and play the melody you remember from earlier. When the ferryman appears, you can hit him with up to three riddles. You'll have to move quickly, so take these winged sandals, this invisibility cloak and...oh, you're serious. Ask Jayron32, he can find most things, it seems. InedibleHulk (talk) 07:17, 3 June 2020 (UTC)[reply]
I didn't dig too deep into it, but this appears to be a portal for Egyptian census data. If you poke around there, maybe? I also found this. --Jayron32 15:09, 4 June 2020 (UTC)[reply]

Car idenfication requested

This is Lord Ninian Crichton-Stuart and his wife in their car, about 1910. Can anyone identify the make and model of car? --rossb (talk) 11:12, 3 June 2020 (UTC)[reply]

If nobody here can pin it down, you could try the Surrey Vintage Vehicle Society NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL INFORMATION ASSISTANCE SERVICE. Alansplodge (talk) 13:42, 3 June 2020 (UTC)[reply]
The closest I could find was this 1911 Daimler which has the same curved panel between the bonnet and where the windscreen should be. Alansplodge (talk) 13:52, 3 June 2020 (UTC)[reply]
"Lord Ninian giving his bride, among other things, a gold and tortoiseshell mounted dressing-case, an emerald and diamond ring, and pair of earrings, a set of four-coloured diamond bracelets, an amethyst and diamond pendant, an ermine coat, and a 28-36-h.p. Daimler motor-car". Australian Town and Country Journal (Sydney, NSW): Wed 1 Aug 1906, p. 41 (lucky girl!). Alansplodge (talk) 13:57, 3 June 2020 (UTC)[reply]

Many thanks for the information. I've further been told that it was a 1906 Daimler (30/40 Hp), Clifton Phaeton. And apparently it was yellow.--rossb (talk) 13:34, 4 June 2020 (UTC)[reply]

I wonder if they had "His and Hers" Daimlers? Alansplodge (talk) 15:46, 4 June 2020 (UTC)[reply]
A Dame-ler? Clarityfiend (talk) 23:01, 4 June 2020 (UTC)[reply]

June 4

How can Wiki be advised that topic wiki/Ehrlichia_canis has another country to add to where the disease is found?

HI UPDATED INFORMATION THAT MIGHT BE USEFUL, on 2nd June 2020 it was officially released that this is now in Australia. https://www.agric.wa.gov.au/biosecurity/kimberley-dog-controlled-area-%E2%80%93-dog-movement-conditions As it's been on the media, perhaps people will want to know more, and Wikipedia is a popular, easy to use so is used by many. I'm too backwards to follow all that editing stuff, but would like people to be able to keep their dogs supersafe. cheers — Preceding unsigned comment added by 2001:8004:2788:91C:AD0E:FC5B:9DD7:DA70 (talk) 07:42, 4 June 2020 (UTC)[reply]

Added 109.151.74.96 (talk) 10:36, 4 June 2020 (UTC)[reply]

The dictionary.com word of the day today is Caseous. The definition is said to be...of or like cheese. Does this mean that the meaning of his original name was Cheese-like Clay?! A far cry from "...float like a butterfly sting like a bee...". 109.151.74.96 (talk) 10:42, 4 June 2020 (UTC)[reply]

The name Cassius has nothing whatsoever to do with the word "caseous". JIP | Talk 10:52, 4 June 2020 (UTC)[reply]
More likely from Gaius Cassius Longinus, who famously killed a dictator who had overruled the senate (no parallel with modern US politics intended). Alansplodge (talk) 12:31, 4 June 2020 (UTC)[reply]
The root of the name Cassius is explained at Cassia gens. It was a very old Roman gens, or family, and was a large and prominent family with many well known members. It is unrelated to the word 'caseus', which was latin for cheese. The origin of Muhammad Ali's birth name is explained in detail at Muhammad Ali#Early life and amateur career. He was named for his father, Cassius Marcellus Clay Sr., who was in turn named for Cassius Marcellus Clay, a former Kentucky politician, ambassador to Russia, and abolitionist. THAT Cassius Clay was named for Julius Caesar's assassin, as evidenced by the fact that he had a brother, Brutus J. Clay, named for another of Caesar's assassins. The Clay family itself (the white politicians, not Ali's) was perhaps the largest political dynasty in Kentucky, the most famous member of which was Henry Clay, "the Great Compromiser". --Jayron32 15:26, 4 June 2020 (UTC)[reply]
The Cassia gens article doesn't actually give an etymological root for the name, rather it presents indirect evidence of where the family may have originated ("the town of Viscellium or Vescellium"). I myself can't add an authentic etymology, but Latin words that might have a bearing include casia/cassia ('spurge-laurel'), cassida and cassis (from Etruscan, 'metal helmet'), and cassis [different word] or casses ('hunting net', 'snare', 'spiderweb'). {The poster formerly known as 87.81.230.195} 2.125.72.102 (talk) 19:14, 4 June 2020 (UTC)[reply]

Stats of police officers that are killed

I'm looking for data about police officers who are killed in each country. I'm struggling to find anything on google as it just gives me stats about killings by police officers. I'm looking for killings OF police officers. Thanks 15:04, 4 June 2020 (UTC)163.202.51.15 (talk)

What might be contributing to your struggle is that police deaths are a very rare event in many European countries, so stats are may be difficult. Having said that, WHAAOE, see for instance List of British police officers killed in the line of duty, List of Gardaí killed in the line of duty, and the much longer List of law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty in the United States, and indeed the Category:Lists of police officers killed in the line of duty could start you off. Fgf10 (talk) 16:57, 4 June 2020 (UTC)[reply]
Here are the US FBI Law Enforcement Officers Killed and Assaulted (LEOKA) statistics.
For New Zealand Officers and staff who died as a direct result of duty (only one in the last decade).
Alansplodge (talk) 18:13, 4 June 2020 (UTC)[reply]

June 5

African Travel

I want to ride my motorbike from London to Capetown, down the west coast of africa. Do I need to get visa's before hand or can I simply get to a border and then arrange this. Time is not a concern for me, I will have no problem waiting at borders or elsewhere for weeks if needed. I just want to know if it is possible or not. Thank you — Preceding unsigned comment added by 109.151.74.96 (talk) 10:23, 5 June 2020 (UTC)[reply]

It varies from country to country (and also over time - it used not to be possible to get a visa to enter Tanzania at the border, but now you can). You should work out the countries you will visit and check on the embassy websites for each.--Phil Holmes (talk) 10:40, 5 June 2020 (UTC)[reply]

Thank you. Part II, are the orders as porous as they seem, can I get into Ebebiyin in Equitorial Guinea and then simply cross into Gabon by doing down some of the back streets? Then do something similar to get back into Cameroon and vise-versa?