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February 3

List of school disciplinary actions (US or otherwise) deemed excessive in the media

After reading the story of this young fellow apparently attempting to misuse the powers of Mordor and Morgoth, I got to wondering whether there was a resource anywhere listing other school disciplinary actions that the media deemed excessive (I do as well. But I'm trying to keep my opinion out of my initial question). So, anything like this? Say a webpage or a recap article? Sir William Matthew Flinders Petrie | 14 Shevat 5775 02:40, 3 February 2015 (UTC)

Seconded this 139.0.5.203 (talk) 06:13, 3 February 2015 (UTC)

One of the caveats when dealing with stories like this is that the media often gets it fantastically wrong. I don't know the full story behind the LotR suspension story, but it is quite possible that the media has messed it up in some way just to make a sensational story. Consider a parallel (made up, but still realistic) example: A student brings a bong he made at home using Lego blocks into school, and slips off to the bathroom to smoke some weed. The school finds him out, and suspends him, and the papers write the story as "School suspends students for bringing Legos to school". That sort of thing happens with alarming frequency. Which is not to say that school administrations are not also capable of making some really bad decisions, but it is not uncommon that sensationalized news stories are written in such a way as to generate click-thrus, and not as a dispassionate and complete report on a particular event. The reporting of a type of event in the popular media is not an accurate representation of how things are really happening. What you want is actual statistics of school discipline, which is a matter of public record, usually. For example, here is the actual data from Texas, the location of the story you cite above. I would go to dispassionately reported data like that to extract some meaning behind school discipline, and whether or not it is truly "excessive" than isolated, and probably inaccurate, reports from media outlets whose motivation is questionable. --Jayron32 14:55, 3 February 2015 (UTC)

Wasn't there a story at some point where someone mistook the Elven lettering on the One Ring for Arabic and thought it was a terrorist weapon? JIP | Talk 15:24, 3 February 2015 (UTC)

Here are The 6 Dumbest Things Schools Are Doing in the Name of Safety and The 3 Most Insane Overreactions by School Security. There are definitely many more. 5 Things Everyone Did Growing Up (That Now Get You Arrested) isn't all about school, but mostly. InedibleHulk (talk) 21:29, February 3, 2015 (UTC)

Also, The 5 Most Ridiculous Reasons Students Have Been Expelled. InedibleHulk (talk) 21:31, February 3, 2015 (UTC)

Teenage and young parenthood

Often during the week time I see an abundance of very young mums with pushchairs and kids in my town centre. To me it seems like these individuals are outside a certain section of society that I relate to.

So my question is, what is the consequence of so many young mums here in the U.K. what effect does it have on society, does young parenthood create a ghetto effect where subsequent generations also procreate young creating and are locked into a cycle of deprivation.

And correct me if I'm wroung, but it seems like women who procreate later in life after having pursued a career and or education seem to be much more capable and happier parents. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 188.166.53.214 (talk) 14:06, 3 February 2015 (UTC)

There's a lot written about this topic, but no simple easy answers. It is true that a woman's age at first motherhood (that's a key term) tends to increase with her education. No comment on whether that makes her a happier mother. Here's a few web links about advanced age at motherhood .

On WP, we have articles on advanced maternal age and teenage pregnancy. There are many academic papers listed on google scholar when I search for /age at first motherhood/ - There probably things written specifically to the UK, but the worldwide trend in western developed countries seem to be increasing age at motherhood, not decreasing. SemanticMantis (talk) 14:34, 3 February 2015 (UTC)

It's worth mentioning that childbirth is generally easier and safer (for both mother and child) for younger mothers. We evolved for women to give birth soon after their first menses...which is younger than it's legal to have sex in most countries. Having a baby in your late 30's is less safe - and the risks pile up rapidly and steeply over that decade. Societal norms often clash with biology...and biology seldom wins. But in a modern world where education takes up so much of our youth, having a child earlier than about 20 to 22 can certainly impact your education, resulting in worse life-outcomes.

There are other, less tangiable differences. Parents who have children as teenagers have a much smaller age difference with their children through later life than people who have kids in their 30's. The generation gap is smaller, they understand each other better. Also, the later you have children, the younger they will be when you die. Children still need the life-skills and wisdom of their parents when they are in their 20's because their brains are still developing then. If their parents are still in their prime - they will do better in the world. Raising kids is tough - and being young when you do it means that you have more energy - and that's no small matter either. On the other hand, older people are generally more financially stable - which could mean that they are better off and have the money it takes to bring up a child with every need taken care of...or it could mean that they are stuck in a crappy job or are unemployed and never likely to recover...which would be bad.

It's a complex equation - which makes it dangerous to rush to conclusions in this regard.

SteveBaker (talk) 15:05, 3 February 2015 (UTC)

Probably also worth pointing out our article menarche, and noting that age of first menses is decreasing over the past 50-100 years. The reasons aren't entirely clear, and we also don't know with much certainty at what age menarche usually occurred in our deep evolutionary past. More coverage and refs here .

When I was in high school it was common to become a "welfare mother." There were many newsreports at the time of "welfare queens" taking advantage of the new welfare system. Of course, teen moms wee uncommon when my mom was young and they ran off to get illegal, dangerous abortions. Raquel Baranow (talk) 15:21, 3 February 2015 (UTC)

Heres the BBC pointing out that the rate of teenage motherhood isn't very high and is falling. Of course it's higher in some places than in others. And in the middle of the day, when most young people are at work or studying, the young mothers gather together in public places, and take up room with their pushchairs, so they are noticeable. When is the best time to have a baby and pursue your career? Either early or late, is the best answer. Say a girl has good A Levels but has a baby at 18, either staying with her partner or not, then when the child is five, she is still only 23, can go to university then, and be only a few years behind in her career. She might even try to go to university while the baby is still young. But if she takes a more standard career path, it might not be until she reaches 30 that she has a career that she can take maternity leave from, a steady relationship/marriage, buying a property. Is there a pattern where the children of young mothers are also likely to become pregnant young? Probably, but it isn't set in stone.Itsmejudith (talk) 20:39, 3 February 2015 (UTC)

That's true in the United States, and in much of the developed world as well; unwanted teenage pregnancy reached a peak in the early 1990s and has taken a steady decline since then. --Jayron32 10:45, 4 February 2015 (UTC)

To the OP, are you certain these women are all the children's mothers? Could they not be au pairs, nannys, babysitters or some other such caregiver?   → Michael J Ⓣ Ⓒ Ⓜ 11:12, 5 February 2015 (UTC)

The opposite seems to be worrying the health professionals in the UK: see "The president of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists warned against the pronounced trend towards older motherhood..." Alansplodge (talk) 19:37, 6 February 2015 (UTC)

What does this road sign mean?

I came across this road sign in South Africa, what does it mean? --Myefloewer (talk) 17:39, 3 February 2015 (UTC)

It means if you turn left, there's a big tree and two kids standing underneath it. nm. A small joke. It looks like a tourism guide sign of some sort. I think it's "botanical gardens". See . --Jayron32 17:53, 3 February 2015 (UTC)

It is a tree and picnic table indicating "rest area class 1". See Rmhermen (talk) 18:06, 3 February 2015 (UTC)

Beware of Ents (and two Hobbits) crossing. Clarityfiend (talk) 04:21, 4 February 2015 (UTC)

Clarityfiend FTW... --Jayron32 10:42, 4 February 2015 (UTC)

I have never traveled to South Africa nor seen this particular sign, but my first impression would be to indicate "shade" or a place to get out of the hot sun. --Thomprod (talk) 13:09, 4 February 2015 (UTC)

I see one of the aliens from South Park wearing a sunhat. Still adds up to the same thing. I guess that makes it a universal language. "Welcome! You must be tired." InedibleHulk (talk) 00:53, February 5, 2015 (UTC)

This page confirms that brown coloured signs (as in the UK) show tourist information, and this page says (scroll down to near the bottom of the page) that our sign means "Rest Area Class 1". BTW "Class 2" seems to have shelter provided by a permanent canopy rather than a tree and "Class 3" has fuel and eating facilities, judging by the symbols. Alansplodge (talk) 09:26, 5 February 2015 (UTC)

D'oh! Sorry Rmhermen, I didn't see that you had beaten me to the answer. Shooting from the hip again! Alansplodge (talk) 13:14, 5 February 2015 (UTC)

• Given the South African nuclear weapons program. are we sure the sign does not mean, "This way to the mushroom cloud?" μηδείς (talk) 23:18, 6 February 2015 (UTC)

They're also known cauliflower and headed broccoli proliferators. Fresh or chilled. InedibleHulk (talk) 23:27, February 6, 2015 (UTC)

Weather

How’s the weather in LA and Canada? Was the temperature -40 degrees few/couple of days ago? -- (Russell.mo (talk) 19:55, 3 February 2015 (UTC))

All the weathers 70.30.20.185 (talk) 20:21, 3 February 2015 (UTC)

Your question seems to presume that the weather is the same throughout Canada. It's the second-largest country on Earth, and the weather will vary depending on which locality you're interested in. Your question also seems to presume that whatever the weather is like in Canada, it will be the same in Los Angeles. Since there is no one "Canadian weather", no comparison is possible unless you name a specific Canadian location. -- Jack of Oz 21:22, 3 February 2015 (UTC)

Well, not necessarily. "LA" could also mean Louisiana. However, I doubt if the temperature in either Los Angeles or Louisiana has been -40 in recorded history. --65.94.50.4 (talk) 22:32, 3 February 2015 (UTC)

And, bizarre as it sounds, LA has 5 different weather forecasts each day (something like high desert, low desert, downtown, coast, and mountains). Temps frequently range over 10 degrees F between them. StuRat (talk) 05:48, 4 February 2015 (UTC)

Lol. I think Qubec/Montreal. My girlfriend lives in either LA or Canada, Montreal, Qubec. She goes back and forth as she works in both places. I just want to know if this occurred (-40) anywhere... -- (Russell.mo (talk) 09:03, 4 February 2015 (UTC))

Well you can certainly get -40 in Montreal. The band Malajube even wrote a song about it . --Xuxl (talk) 09:27, 4 February 2015 (UTC)

• I don't think that's true either. I couldn't find an all-time low temperature for Montreal on line, but on this page (for the weather station at McGill), which is primarily about the period 1971 to 2000, it gives all-time records and the coldest was -33.9 C (which is -29.0 F) on December 29, 1933. Now if you're thinking of wind chill rather than temperature, that might be another matter. --65.94.50.4 (talk) 23:58, 4 February 2015 (UTC)

When your face freezes, the distinction doesn't mean a thing. Here's a list of extreme temperatures in Canada, if anyone's into that. InedibleHulk (talk) 01:03, February 5, 2015 (UTC) InedibleHulk (talk) 00:58, February 5, 2015 (UTC)

Women don't lie. They exaggerate. "It was 40 below" is Womanspeak for "it was really, really cold." ―Mandruss ☎ 09:32, 4 February 2015 (UTC)

Thanks guys -- (Russell.mo (talk) 09:42, 4 February 2015 (UTC))

@Russell.mo: Hey, don't remove parts of your comments after they have been replied to, since it can make it hard to understand the following comments. Use <s>...</s> instead. Thanks. ―Mandruss ☎ 09:48, 4 February 2015 (UTC)

Okay. I didn't receive the notification btw; the pinging you done. I don't know why... -- (Russell.mo (talk) 14:21, 4 February 2015 (UTC))

Tax form instructions

I have googled quite some little bit, but unsuccesfully so far. I am looking for instructions for IRS form 9209 - Bona Fide Residence/Physical Presence Questionnaire. Can anyone point me to a link or reference that explains that form and provides instructions regarding the questions there? Thanks if you can help. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 94.210.177.59 (talk) 21:47, 3 February 2015 (UTC)

http://www.irs.gov/Businesses/Small-Businesses-&-Self-Employed/IRS-Hotlines-and-Toll-Free-Numbers. If this page doesn't cover the specific form you want there is a search function and a directory. μηδείς (talk) 22:37, 3 February 2015 (UTC)

The form you cite appears to no longer exist. See http://www.irs.gov/Individuals/International-Taxpayers/Foreign-Earned-Income-Exclusion---Bona-Fide-Residence-Test for its possible successor. —Nelson Ricardo (talk) 05:24, 4 February 2015 (UTC)

February 4

Kennedy Center Honors

See how the ribbon of the Kennedy Center Honors is splayed out with the golden bands on each side? Are those bands pinned to the honoree's clothing? What makes the ribbons splay out like that? Dismas| 12:48, 4 February 2015 (UTC)

I don't see them splaying out, the two vertical sides hang parallel to each other and are connected with a V-shaped piece of ribbon at the bottom. The ugly gold-coloured bars appear to be covering (and probably stabilizing) the joins in the material Richard Avery (talk) 08:14, 5 February 2015 (UTC)

What is the material anyway? Some sort of cloth? At first glance it looked like paper, making the whole awards look like cheap party decorations. No offense to Led Zeppelin or the Kennedy Center intended. JIP | Talk 12:43, 5 February 2015 (UTC)

This does say joined/clipped together by three gold coloured bars . If you take a look at other examples, it's clear that the bands are probably not pinned , although it seems the ribbon does have a golden clasp behind it . Anyway from those sources and more like or our article, the ribbons including gold coloured bars, whatever people may think of them seem to be an iconic part of the award. Note that whatever support the gold bars offer, if any, they also seem to have another purpose namely for info on the award. If you look at the above picture, the left bar says "Kennedy Center Honor", the right bar has the date, and the bottom bar has the name of the person or group being honoured. BTW, this hard a close up of the ribbon , it's clearly a cloth ribbon and not paper. Nil Einne (talk) 15:12, 5 February 2015 (UTC)

It looks like either the gold bars are very heavy - which could maybe produce that shape - or possibly they have some kind of clip at the back to clip them to the lapels. It might also be that the cloth in the two arms of the 'V' has been stiffened in some manner. SteveBaker (talk) 15:30, 5 February 2015 (UTC)

Maybe "splay" is the wrong word. They certainly have a bend to them at the upper two bars. They don't just dangle like Olympic medals such as those pictured on the right. Dismas| 15:20, 5 February 2015 (UTC)

February 5

time grid

Hi there,

I was wondering what time grid Misplaced Pages utilizes. I noticed that pages have been updated today, but at a much later time than it is even on the east coast. I tried finding out but couldn't find a link in regards to it. 68.15.29.164 (talk) 18:27, 5 February 2015 (UTC)

East coast of where? It's perfectly correct on our east coast. KägeTorä - (_虎) (Chin Wag) 11:25, 6 February 2015 (UTC)

Misplaced Pages times are listed as UTC. Dismas| 18:31, 5 February 2015 (UTC)

How to release a character into the public domain?

February 6

Funny story on Misplaced Pages's birth

http://cache.epapr.in/432922/557071ac-f718-4dff-bfe6-e3c23d21212f/1400x2234-700x744/1x3.png In this local newspaper appearing in Malayalam, in the state of Kerala in India, there is a feature by one K.M. Shakkeel narrating the story of the origin of the idea that gave birth to Misplaced Pages. The feature says that Kira the new-born baby of Jimmy Wales had some serious congenital disorder which made breathing difficult. The docs said there was no treatment for condition. They informed him that one doc in Santiago treated such cases with success although there was no scientific basis known for that. Wales searched out and found this doc and brought him to the hospital where his daughter was born. The timely treatment saved the life of the child. The value of timely and speedily available information gave Wales the idea of Nupedia which later became Misplaced Pages. Real incidents or some hoax? — Preceding unsigned comment added by 117.253.195.32 (talk) 01:41, 6 February 2015 (UTC)

Well, it tells a true story but in a very mixed up and error filled way. When Kira was born, she had meconium aspiration syndrome. The traditional treatment at that time was basically to give the baby support and hope they pull through it. However, we were fortunate to be in San Diego where a doctor associated with a nearby university was in the midst of a controlled scientific trial of a new technique, which involved as I recall, paralyzing the baby, stopping the breathing, rerouting the blood through a machine to oxygenate it, and then use a newly invented protein-based fluid to fill the baby's lungs and "rinse out" the lungs 4 times. This was not "no scientific basis known" - it was cutting edge science. The treatment worked immediately and Kira was completely fine, and remains so to this day.

This did not give me the idea for Nupedia or Misplaced Pages, but it was a life-changing emotional experience as you can imagine, and it did provoke me to be decisive when I got back to work to rip up the Nupedia plan and install the wiki software, thereby launching Misplaced Pages.

It doesn't seem like the original poster was trolling, just asking a question based on a quite likely confused news report.--Jimbo Wales (talk) 16:47, 7 February 2015 (UTC)

Addendum. This appears to be the final publication of the study in question. I say that because it matches my memory of the treatment (although it seems like I had the number of lavage's wrong (3 not 4) and the doctor's name is there (Bernstein) and the year seems right. It's interesting to note that although this study concluded that the approach was promising, Misplaced Pages cites more recent research suggesting otherwise. All I know is that Kira is fine. :)--Jimbo Wales (talk) 16:56, 7 February 2015 (UTC)

--Francis Schonken (talk) 10:05, 8 February 2015 (UTC)

Current Monarch with power over life and death?

Are there any current Monarchs who have the legal power of life and death over civilians? (I don't like the fact that you spilled your ale, Guards shoot him!), if not, who would be the most recent monarch to have that level of power? Pre-WWII Japanese Emperor?Naraht (talk) 14:34, 6 February 2015 (UTC)

In the Commonwealth of Nations, the Monarch (or more formally their representative, usually the Governor General) has the power to commute a death sentence, but not issue one. See Royal prerogative of mercy. So, they have a limited power over life and death, in the sense that they can issue orders to halt the planned execution of someone. --Jayron32 14:51, 6 February 2015 (UTC)

Although that power is activated at the request of the responsible cabinet minister. As usual with our constitution, the monarch acts on the advice of her (or his) ministers and not otherwise. Alansplodge (talk) 20:23, 6 February 2015 (UTC)

Is that just tradition, or is their power to grant pardons/clemency/commute sentences strictly limited by law ? StuRat (talk) 13:22, 7 February 2015 (UTC)

See Absolute monarchy . The countries here give absolute power to their rulers, which means in theory they can do whatever they want (unless they make people angry enough that they get overthrown I guess) 81.138.15.171 (talk) 16:52, 6 February 2015 (UTC)

All monarchs inherit with their position the means to make a murder look like an accident or suicide. Those aren't illegal. I'm not saying any reigning monarchs are into that, but it'd be easier for them than for you. Or even a minister. InedibleHulk (talk) 20:33, February 6, 2015 (UTC)

In a way Jordan fits the bill. According to this the Jordanian king is required to sign off on the death penalty but they haven't since 2006. But it doesn't look as if they could just send for the royal executioner. CambridgeBayWeather, Uqaqtuq (talk), Sunasuttuq 05:43, 7 February 2015 (UTC)

You mean it says they didn't between 2006 and 2014? Nil Einne (talk) 12:58, 7 February 2015 (UTC)

MSG in cooking

Are there any good reasources on how to use MSG? When I search for it on the internet all I get is a bunch of alt med nonsense about how its bad for you or whatever. I know you can use it as part of a stir fry, and you can use it as a salt substitute. Does this mean it might be good to spread on food like you would salt on fish and chips (fries for Americans) or whatever, or does it need to be cooked? --81.138.15.171 (talk) 16:46, 6 February 2015 (UTC)

You don't need to cook it. It does seem to work as an appetite stimulant, which, of course, isn't good if you are trying to lose weight. (If you are looking for a salt substitute which is an appetite suppressant, I suggest some form of capsaicin, such as red pepper flakes.) StuRat (talk) 16:53, 6 February 2015 (UTC)

Here's a list of 61 recipes that use MSG . What's not mentioned in the recipe search is that MSG naturally occurs in many foods, e.g. nori. So even if you're not adding MSG powder, you get some of that umami flavor in sushi (e.g. maki) and other Japanese, Chinese, and Korean dishes that use seaweed, like seaweed salad. MSG also occurs in mushrooms and tomatoes (more listed at our article), so any dish with those would probably not be hurt by adding a little supplemental MSG. (I would totally try a little on fish & chips, spaghetti with marinara and mushrooms, or almost any homemade soup) SemanticMantis (talk) 17:07, 6 February 2015 (UTC)

(ec)You just use it like salt, and sprinkle it on and stir it in after cooking--like sugar and salt, it doesn't need to be cooked. I suppose if you had a recipe that said to cook it in you would follow the recipe. But basically it behaves like sugar or salt sprinkled on something.

A good test would be to make some plain white rice, and have a spoonful while plain. Then sprinkle some MSG on, maybe half as much as you would if you were using salt, then fluff it in and taste the rice. (If you don't mix, it will just sit there, like a salty layer on top and a bland layer on the bottom if you don't mix the salt in.) The rice with MSG should now taste "tasier" (umami).

I find it has a synergistic effect with salt, so don't put both, or put the salt on only after tasting, and use a very little bit. Otherwise, what is a normal amount of salt may taste much saltier. Here's a commercial website that offers info and recipes. Google "recipes with msg" (in quotes) to get other results. I'd also mention that most processed foods like battered fish will already have salt or flavor enhancers. So don't add MSG unless they are bland to the taste or you may find they are too salty. I use MSG on homemade stir-fry vegetables, home-made fried rice, and on Chinese takeout when it is bland, rather than salt. μηδείς (talk) 17:10, 6 February 2015 (UTC)

Eating My Greens

OK, I think I've paid my dues, so it's time for me to ask a question of the great minds of the Reference Desk...

Like many other people, I'm aware of the need to eat a wide range of vegetables (as opposed to fruit) each day. There appear to be health benefits from doing so, and I'm quite content to take the advice of medical experts on this. My problem is that I really don't care for many vegetables. In particular, I find leafy green vegetables, particularly members of the Brassica family, either very bitter or otherwise foul tasting. I also find members of the Allium genus generally too strong-tasting and somewhat unpleasant. Finally, I dislike, and am extraordinarily sensitive to, cucumber, to the extent that I can taste cucumber on food that has simply sat next to a cut cucumber in a fridge. (I appear to have inherited this from my father, who has the same sensitivity; the sensitivity is also present in some paternal cousins.) In general I am very sensitive to and discriminating of tastes and smells; I suspect I am hyperosmic compared to the general population (though I may simply pay more attention to my environment than average, as I also seem to be more discriminating of colours than average).

I readily eat and enjoy the following vegetables: peas, beans and pulses of all kinds; the roots of most of the Apiaceae, and where appropriate their stems or leaves, though I don't care much for the texture of celery; artichokes, asparagus, beets, potatoes, sweet potatoes and sweetcorn. Further, I generally find vegetables more palatable when cooked, as this seems to make some taste less bad.

The particular problem is this: medical guidelines seem to suggest that the greatest health benefits come from eating leafy green vegetables. Annoyingly, these are the ones I most dislike. My question to the Reference Desk is thus this: can you think of ways of getting me to eat my greens? One option is to incorporate them into other foods so that the tastes and textures are diluted or concealed (for example in soups or strong-tasting dishes); if so, are there ways to do this that don't incur substantial extra calorie costs? Are there any other options?

And (just out of curiosity) what is it that makes dieticians favour leafy green vegetables over others?

I await your answers with interest. RomanSpa (talk) 21:28, 6 February 2015 (UTC)

In answer to one of your questions, my mum has just recently bought a soup maker machine. Everything is thrown in together, mashed up, and boiled (you can set 'mashing settings' to 'chunky' (if you are adding meat) and 'totally just soup' (I forget the wording)). You can add whatever spices or salts, peppers, or whatever to it, to mask the taste of any ingredient you dislike the taste of. The spices or other condiments will not add much to the calorie levels. Alternatively, you could just start smoking, because then you can hardly taste anything :) KägeTorä - (_虎) (Chin Wag) 21:45, 6 February 2015 (UTC)

Ever try saag paneer? spinach soufflé? What about liquid form - Wheat grass shots or Naked Juice's "green machine?" Wilted dandelion greens can be good, toss with some vinegar and bacon. Kale chips are suddenly on the shelves in many markets, but you can also make them easily at home. Mustard greens are often served with traditional Chinese food, not often seen in western restaurants though (Ok that's a brassica, probably too bitter for you). "Hunger makes the best pickle" as Ben Franklin said. I never liked asparagus until I was confronted with very limited options and an empty stomach. Ever since I've loved it ;) SemanticMantis (talk) 22:29, 6 February 2015 (UTC)

Oh, for your last question: roots and tubers tend to be Storage_organs - they are mostly relatively simple carbohydrates, and not much else. Leaves will have more dietary fiber, as well as a host of secondary metabolites, each of which usually has some study showing some health benefit. Note also that any green plant matter has chlorophyll, ensuring a decent amount of iron. There's a reason why some people recommend thinking of color for dietary concerns. Lots of white/pale things won't in general have the same vitamins, minerals, and other goodies that a colorful mix of leaves and stems will. Also note that botanical fruits are not the same as culinary fruits. Peppers, tomatoes, squashes, etc are all fruits that we don't often think of as such for eating purposes. But for nutritional purposes, you can base a meal around squash, whereas you probably wouldn't use oranges as the base for a meal. Usually when dieticians say vegetables are better than fruit, they are classing zucchini and pumpkin and peppers as "vegetables." SemanticMantis (talk) 22:41, 6 February 2015 (UTC)

Try baby spinach, it doesn't seem to be as offensive as teenage spinach. If you cannot tolerate broccoli because you are a supertaster, that tends to lessen with age. You should ask your doctor, she may simply provide supplements, and a licensed nutritionist will be happy to tell you how to get your vitamin K. I also cannot tolerate cucumber rind, but that is not normally a major source of leafy greenness. Broccoli Piza is great, we are having it tonight. μηδείς (talk) 23:14, 6 February 2015 (UTC)

For those foods which are healthy, and you like the flavor, but not the texture, you might consider a juice extractor. That removes the fiber, which is normally good for you, but if you can't stand it, at least you can get the vitamins from those foods. Finely blending them is another option, and healthier, since it leaves the fiber in, as long as you find the result palatable. StuRat (talk) 01:37, 7 February 2015 (UTC)

Drinking the juice withought the fibre is also a good way to aggravate a diabetic condition. The OP should ask his doctor and get a referral to a licensed nutritionist. μηδείς (talk) 02:58, 7 February 2015 (UTC)

A diabetic ought not to drink fruit juice "withought" fiber, but most vegetable juices are far lower in sugars. Carrot juice is about the highest. I agree that a diabetic should consult a doctor before any dietary change, but the OP didn't say they have diabetes. StuRat (talk) 13:31, 7 February 2015 (UTC)

I said "withought the fibre". Please don't mesquite me. μηδείς (talk) 21:06, 7 February 2015 (UTC)

I find the taste of raw broccoli to be horrible and boiled broccoli yucky, yet I eat broccoli most days of the week because when stored and prepared properly broccoli is tasty. By not freezing vegetables you will retain their crispness and certain vitamins. If you throw the broccoli into a pan at around 300F with just a little canola oil then add a little sauce when nearly done you will mask all the bitterness and keep all the healthiness with only adding 50cal per head/15 branches. There's little need to worry about adding even 100cal onto a plate of broccoli as an alternative meal will still be much higher in calories if it is low in low-calorie vegetables. 70.30.20.185 (talk) 04:01, 7 February 2015 (UTC)

Make bubble and squeak or cabbage rolls. CambridgeBayWeather, Uqaqtuq (talk), Sunasuttuq 05:32, 7 February 2015 (UTC)

February 7

Fighter jet missile detection

So how do modern era fighter jets display inbound missiles if detected. Does the internal computer draw an overlay of some sort on the MFD radar display or something. Like a white line towards the middle (plane) that subsequently gets shorter as it nears, or something.

I know older Russian fighters had a series of lights that lit up around a graphic of the plane to indicate the direction of radar threats. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 92.236.100.51 (talk) 00:18, 7 February 2015 (UTC)

On the Misplaced Pages Help Desk's there are editors that currently love to Wikilawyer to make themselves feel important. So, they ban any replies that can be remotely considered medical or legal advice (regardless of whether the Misplaced Pages Policies really meant to include these types of questions and replies). That leads me to think “why not defenses industries too?” Therefore, I'm not going to tell you anything about Radar Warning Receivers. Period!--Aspro (talk) 14:56, 7 February 2015 (UTC)

Misplaced Pages have relevant - if somewhat barebone - articles on radar warning systems and Missile Warning Systems. You can also read more about more specific types of MWS here, and a fairly commom type of RWS here. The 'typical' western radar warning display in a Fourth-generation jet fighter looks similar to this image - compare to what google leads me to believe is a 'typical' Russian display here. WegianWarrior (talk) 15:36, 7 February 2015 (UTC)

When I worked in military flight simulation, I wrote and had do debug software relating that display in an F18's cockpit. (It's a separate circular display that's distinct from either of the square MFD's or the HUD in that aircraft). The actual graphics were classified beyond the grade of classification that I had - so I wasn't allowed to see the display that resulted from the software that I wrote. That was a very, very odd couple of weeks! SteveBaker (talk) 18:39, 7 February 2015 (UTC)

That’s the problem which I think will prevent the OP from getting the exact answer he wants. This post is very possible being read by people that know a lot about Radar Warning Receivers but one never leaves the armed forces completely -so they can't comment. This tech is something one does not talk about in detail. There are some cargo freighter anti-collision shipping systems that could be parallel but I decline from saying anymore about them either. Before posting the first time I did a quick google to see what was in the public domain on this subject. It was zilch.--Aspro (talk) 19:15, 7 February 2015 (UTC)

Trouser or Trousers: Which is the better term?

How many people say "Trouser" for pants, instead of "Trousers." For example, one may say "I put on my black trouser" or "I am taking my trouser to the cleaners." Thank you. Zombiesturm (talk) 01:07, 7 February 2015 (UTC)

Where have you ever seen it as "trouser"? In any case, it's incorrect usage unless you've only got one leg. ←Baseball Bugs carrots→ 01:22, 7 February 2015 (UTC)

Or you could join the 21st century and call them "pants" (not "pant", and certainly not "pantaloon/s"). StuRat (talk) 01:29, 7 February 2015 (UTC)

So, your argument is that the answer to the OP's question is "Neither." The term "trousers" does seem to be less used, at least in the US. ←Baseball Bugs carrots→ 01:35, 7 February 2015 (UTC)

Whatever the century, "pants" means underwear here in the UK, so it's not used here to mean an outer garment; "trousers" is the general rule (always plural except for the trouser press). Alansplodge (talk) 01:59, 7 February 2015 (UTC)

That was my Canadian answer, too. Pants, pants, pants! And panties, not knickers or bloomers. InedibleHulk (talk) 01:38, February 7, 2015 (UTC)

"Trousers" is still good if there's a need for two syllables, as in the song, "Donald, Where's Your Trousers?" ←Baseball Bugs carrots→ 01:40, 7 February 2015 (UTC)

Trousers is less used than what? The claim is a relative one, and while trousers (113,000,000 ghits) is certainly less used than pants, it is not less used than trouser (21,800,000 ghits). μηδείς (talk) 02:55, 7 February 2015 (UTC)

Right. "Trouser" would be incorrect. ←Baseball Bugs carrots→ 04:55, 7 February 2015 (UTC)

Except in "trouser snake". I think. Maybe people actually do say "trousers snake", and we just never hear the S. Want some mice cream? Anyway, most of those "trouser" results use trouser as an adjective for things about trousers. A few on the first page aren't talking about pants at all. Context matters. Plenty of stories about dogs in the pants list, too. InedibleHulk (talk) 05:08, February 7, 2015 (UTC)

Agreed, but the correct term is attributive noun. The plural ending is usually dropped, as in 'a ten-mile walk', for example. It is obvious that 'mile' in this case is plural, because of the 'ten' before it, but the plural ending is dropped. Similarly with my example below of 'trouser pocket'. We know that all trousers have two legs and should be plural, but the plural ending is dropped when used as a modifier. KägeTorä - (_虎) (Chin Wag) 11:55, 7 February 2015 (UTC)

Thanks. I was a bit uncertain about "adjective". InedibleHulk (talk) 21:02, February 7, 2015 (UTC)

Yes. Like "US Presidents have a four-year term", not a "four-years term". Or "This scissor blade is dull, but the other's ok". See also Plurale tantum#English usage. -- Jack of Oz 19:01, 7 February 2015 (UTC)

I disagree with Alan, because 'ere oop norf, 'pants' and 'trousers' are interchangeable. We use 'undies' for 'underwear', along with plenty of other slang words, which I shall not divulge. In answer to the OP's question, it is possible to say "It's in your trouser pocket" when asked about the fiver you just gave someone. I don't know why we say that, but "trouser's pocket" just sounds odd, probably because of convention. But when you are talking about a pair of trousers, then it is always plural. Same as glasses (so Google got it wrong by naming its latest product 'Google Glass' because it's not a monocle! :) ). KägeTorä - (_虎) (Chin Wag) 04:06, 7 February 2015 (UTC)

It's a looking glass. InedibleHulk (talk) 04:40, February 7, 2015 (UTC)

Aye, as in "Alas, where are my funds in this land?". KägeTorä - (_虎) (Chin Wag) 11:34, 7 February 2015 (UTC)

That, too. But the software also mirrors the world you look at. Or would, if it were on the market. InedibleHulk (talk) 21:05, February 7, 2015 (UTC)

I disagree with your disagreement KägeTorä. Last night I heard Northumbrian comedian Ross Noble use both "trousers" and "pants" in the usual British fashion on QI XL, so I suspect that your particular part of the North is using a dialectic peculiarity rather than following a generally held rule. Alansplodge (talk) 17:45, 8 February 2015 (UTC)

It's not all northern English dialects that use "pants" for trousers, but KT is correct that the usage is common in some of the older dialects (and Scouse uses "keks" as KT will know). The use of "pants" to mean undergarments dates from 1880 (or before) in British English. Dbfirs 17:58, 8 February 2015 (UTC)

I have at least once had a haberdasher sing the praises of the "pant" that he was selling me. —Tamfang (talk) 06:52, 7 February 2015 (UTC)

Half off? Clarityfiend (talk) 08:24, 7 February 2015 (UTC)

For some reason, Marks and Spencer's labelling pedantically uses the singular of all plural-named garments, so they will try to sell you one trouser, one pant, etc. No-one else bothers. AlexTiefling (talk) 09:05, 7 February 2015 (UTC)

You should retaliate by calling them "Mark & Spencer's" KägeTorä - (_虎) (Chin Wag) 11:41, 7 February 2015 (UTC)

The only time I've ever come across "trouser" is in the phrase "to trouser" which means to quickly hide your ill-gotten gains where you think they can't be seen. Oh and by the way, it was a Mr Marks who set up Marks and Spencer's. --TammyMoet (talk) 12:09, 7 February 2015 (UTC)

Also trouser press. Staecker (talk) 13:47, 7 February 2015 (UTC)

• My understanding was that "trouser" was okay for anything specific to one trouser leg while "trousers" referred to the whole garment. Trouser snake - one side or the other, trouser press - one leg at a time, trouser (steal) - put in one pocket. St★lwart 06:20, 8 February 2015 (UTC)

What about trouser suit? ---Sluzzelin talk 08:29, 8 February 2015 (UTC)

I suspect the extra "s" would have been redundant even if included. Trousers suit? Much like trouser snake which could just as easily be both/either I suppose. St★lwart 12:45, 8 February 2015 (UTC)

Actually, this is a really interesting question. When I was in Japan (which has a language with no plurals for inanimate objects), people would ask me why trousers are plural, even though the word refers to a single item of clothing. I would count to two on my fingers, and make a walking movement with them, to demonstrate why they are considered plural. But then they would ask why 'shirt' isn't plural, because you have two arms. Most interestingly, the Japanese word for 'shirt' is シャーツ (shaatsu), which is 'shirt' with the English plural 's' added. If the plural ending had not been added, it would have been シャート (shaato). KägeTorä - (_虎) (Chin Wag) 13:19, 8 February 2015 (UTC)

• Terms without the final ess or vowel mutation come from the Old English genitive of measure, like a ten-man team and a six-foot depth or a hundred trouser closet, for that matter:

  There is also the "genitive of measure": forms such as "a five-mile journey" and "a ten-foot pole" use what is actually a remnant of the Old English genitive plural which, ending in /a/, had neither the final /s/ nor underwent the foot/feet vowel mutation of the nominative plural. In essence, the underlying forms are "a five of miles (O.E. gen. pl. mīla) journey" and "a ten of feet (O.E. gen. pl. fōta) pole".

  μηδείς (talk) 18:17, 8 February 2015 (UTC)

Measles vaccine

Window Envelopes

In the United States, bills are often sent by mail along with an envelope with a transparent "window" that displays the mailing address when the bill is inserted into the envelope with the address showing through the window. There are four ways that the bill can be inserted into the envelope, only one of which shows the address. My question is: What is the advantage of the window to the mailer? Does it really save that much money in terms of the cost of printing the envelope, over just printing a complete paper envelope with the address shown? Doesn't making the envelope composite (partly paper and partly transparent material) add something to the cost of the envelope? What is the saving to the mailer, and why do they do this? Robert McClenon (talk) 22:17, 7 February 2015 (UTC)

My educated guess is that mass production of window envelopes is indeed much cheaper than mass printing (different) addresses that are already included in the bill/letter. Safes a lot of time. Also you don't have to match the right envelope with the right letter which simplifies the production line for the mailer.TMCk (talk) 22:28, 7 February 2015 (UTC)

I think that the question has been answered, and that it isn't to save money up front on the envelopes, but to force the customer to put the bill in the envelope, which saves money in the long run in terms of not having to figure out whose account to credit. Robert McClenon (talk) 23:39, 7 February 2015 (UTC)

It's a way to ensure that the customer remembers to insert the bill in the envelope. Otherwise they end up with lots of envelopes with just checks, and spend a lot of money trying to figure out whose account those checks are for. If the name on the check happens to correspond exactly with one, and only one, customer name, it's not so bad. But you can have a maiden name/married name situation, or somebody other than the account holder signing the check, etc. They also tell you to write your account number on your check, just in case. BTW, sometimes there is no transparent covering, just an open space in the envelope for their address to peek through.

I've also thought that an improvement could be made by having all the relevant info printed directly on the inside of the envelope, so then the customer would only need to put the check inside. I assume they don't do this because it would be more expensive. Of course, mailing in checks is now quaint, and they may soon start charging more for that to persuade people to pay online, by ACH, etc. StuRat (talk) 22:46, 7 February 2015 (UTC)

Thank you. Forcing the customer to put the bill in the envelope is the reason, which avoids the work of figuring out whose check was sent to them. Robert McClenon (talk) 23:39, 7 February 2015 (UTC)

I just saw that I misread the OP tho my response is still valid in part ;) TMCk (talk) 22:57, 7 February 2015 (UTC)

• You are approaching the question in the wrong direction. We know it is the most profitable way to do it because companies are doing it that way. Businesses aren't in the habit of knowing about better, more efficient, ways to make money, and then deliberately pissing away cash just because. When millions of businesses do something a certain way, it's because it isn't terrible. If it were significantly more cost efficient to do it, they would do it the other way. If they don't, they become ex-businesses. --Jayron32 23:07, 7 February 2015 (UTC)

I doubt if they do an annual study on the relative costs and benefits of envelopes with windows each year. More likely they just keep doing things the same old way until somebody else takes a risk and tries something else and it pays off. There have been many companies that failed because they didn't adapt quickly enough, so just assuming that every company must be doing everything in the optimal way is not reasonable. Clearly, many are not. StuRat (talk) 01:04, 8 February 2015 (UTC)

It was answered, but it isn't that printing the envelope that way saves money on printing, but rather that forcing the customer to put the bill in the envelope saves the cost of trying to figure out whose account to credit. Robert McClenon (talk) 23:39, 7 February 2015 (UTC)

The only thing they're "forcing" you is mailing the payment slip with your check. You can use your own envelope if you wish (or if you lost the free one) and if you don't mind your payment to be applied late or to the wrong account you sure can just send a check with the billing account # on it.TMCk (talk) 00:38, 8 February 2015 (UTC)

• Having both hand-mailed and explained such bills sent out mechanically, the issue is that the bill statement itself has to have the same (billing) address on it as the mailing envelope. That being the case, it's a lot easier to have that address show up through a "window" (which is often just a hole--less paper and no plastic) than to print it twice, or have it written out by hand, as I was paid $3.15/hr to do in the early 80's. μηδείς (talk) 23:51, 7 February 2015 (UTC)

I would think that it also avoids the risk of the letter being inserted in the wrong envelope. Having worked in numerous offices, I can confirm that cock-ups of that nature are commonplace. Alansplodge (talk) 17:50, 8 February 2015 (UTC)

February 8

Lack of gem quality diamonds from DRC mines

This article about the lack of gem quality diamonds from the DRC cites the lack of industrialized production as the reason. "The quality of DRC’s diamonds was very poor as mining had been dominated by small scale miners."

But this article about artisanal diamond mining in CAR notes the abundant gem quality of the country's mines.

So is gem quality diamond production based on geology or mining process?

Muzzleflash (talk) 00:07, 8 February 2015 (UTC)

There's no lack of shiny stuff in the ground. Geological processes assure that. There's a lack of that shiny stuff getting out of the ground and into stores. That's down to the mining process. A superhuge corporation can plow Mother Earth harder, deeper, faster and longer than guys with tiny picks can. InedibleHulk (talk) 00:21, February 8, 2015 (UTC)

There could also be something else going on, like if miners are paid by weight, say, regardless of the quality they produce, so prefer to keep the good diamonds to hopefully sell for more when conditions improve. (Or perhaps they are paid based on quality, in theory, but the diamonds are always rated at the lowest quality no matter what, so they refuse to sell the good ones under those conditions.) StuRat (talk) 00:56, 8 February 2015 (UTC)

I seem to recall there being no greater sin for a diamond miner than keeping even a bit of dust, let alone the good ones. But there's an (alleged) gemologist on a Straight Dope forum who says it goes on. Of course, some bosses can be much stricter than those who have things like accountability and regulation to worry about. They don't call them blood diamonds for nothing.

If you meant the mine bosses by "miners", nevermind. InedibleHulk (talk) 01:07, February 8, 2015 (UTC)

I guess on that note, not being able to afford a proper security team would lead to a lot of theft (internal and external), and you can't export what you can't find. InedibleHulk (talk) 01:13, February 8, 2015 (UTC)

The obvious way to hide a diamond is to swallow it and "retrieve" it later. Perhaps that's why they are selling "chocolate diamonds" now. StuRat (talk) 01:50, 8 February 2015 (UTC)

Mmmm...dignified. InedibleHulk (talk) 05:04, February 8, 2015 (UTC)

Is this song in this video sung by Bob Marley and what is the song about

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2PjycHgHbmoVenustar84 (talk) 02:04, 8 February 2015 (UTC)

I've never heard this song before (and I know like 85% of Bob Marley's songs by heart and can and will sing along to them), but SoundHound says this indeed by Bob Marley and The Wailers. A demo version of Where is My Mother. More than that, I can't say, sorry. Sir William Matthew Flinders Petrie | 19 Shevat 5775 02:09, 8 February 2015 (UTC)

Human sexuality

OK, so we all know homosexuality is no longer considered an illness. Psychiatry manuals consider it normal. It can't be treated, cured fixed or whatever. Society in the West has become tolerant of gays and lesbians. But, what about other sexual conditions that people end up having. Zoophilia, (dare I say pedophilia) again like Homosexuality as I understand it the evidence points out to people just being born that way. And them then having to spend their life fighting inappropriate urges (and sometimes losing, sadly for the victims involved) In the bad old days people used to believe men or women became gay out of some sort of perverse crime of the mind and it wasn't just an innate part of their being. So what's the difference?

The only argument I can find that basically says homosexuality good zoophilia/paedophilia etc bad is the victim element. Other than that, whats not to say that those other sexualities aren't part of the normal human condition, either. Any thoughts on this?

I know this is a HIGHLY emotive subject, but as per wiki policies please respect AGF. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 94.180.169.233 (talk) 15:32, 8 February 2015 (UTC)

I'm not aware of any evidence that people with zoophilia, pedophilia, or other paraphilias are "born that way". If you know of any, please cite it, I would be very interested. My personal view is that paraphilias probably result from a window of brain plasticity that occurs near the age of puberty, but that's purely speculative -- unlike homosexuality, there has been very little scientific study of the biology of paraphilias (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3658696/ is one of the few examples). Looie496 (talk) 16:15, 8 February 2015 (UTC)

With homosexuality, while people are "born that way", whether they express their homosexuality outwardly or keep it deeply suppressed seems to depend on how accepting the society and their family and friends are. Perhaps paraphilias follow the same pattern. StuRat (talk) 16:26, 8 February 2015 (UTC)

See also our article Lovemap; "a developmental representation or template in the mind and in the brain depicting the idealized lover and the idealized program of sexual and erotic activity". According to John Money's theory, " the formation of an individual's lovemap as similar to the acquisition of a native language, in that it bears the mark of his or her own unique individuality, similar to an accent in a spoken language". Alansplodge (talk) 17:38, 8 February 2015 (UTC)

• The ref desk policy also says we do not engage in speculation or debate. AGF does not overcome this. Do you have a specific request for references or articles, other than "] not to say that those other sexualities aren't part of the normal human condition, either. Any thoughts on this?" We cannot just give random thoughts. μηδείς (talk) 18:06, 8 February 2015 (UTC)

Topical medicine on a cat

I don't think this qualifies as asking for medical advice, but what would happen if a cat got Triamcinolone on its fur and started licking it? Sir William Matthew Flinders Petrie | 19 Shevat 5775 18:54, 8 February 2015 (UTC)

It would die. 82.19.76.217 (talk) 19:13, 8 February 2015 (UTC)

It is authorised for use in cats and dogs, in pill form . Standard dose is between 0.5mg and 1mg per 10lb of body weight (0.11mg - 0.22mg per 1 kg). What was the strength of the cream, and how much did your cat ingest? LongHairedFop (talk) 19:51, 8 February 2015 (UTC)

Astrology

Hello,

Does anybody no how to find out the planetary position according to day and date, time (not required)? Graphical illustrations would be perfect! -- (Angelos|Angelus (talk) 19:17, 8 February 2015 (UTC))

Do you want the astronomical (and scientific) position or the astrological (and magical) position? Because they can be drastically different.

This site has the astronomical position. If you wanted the astrological position, you'll need to specify whether you mean sidereal or tropical star charts. Ian.thomson (talk) 19:27, 8 February 2015 (UTC)

Dreams

Does anyone know anything about ‘dreams’? There are books which explain about the dreams you had... What I would like to know, what is the concept all about? How many people can/can’t you tell your dream to...? -- (Angelos|Angelus (talk) 19:28, 8 February 2015 (UTC))

I presume you've read the article linked in the post heading. Only you know what your dream mean, nobody else and certainly you won't find it in a book. The reason for this is because a dream is purely a product of your own mind. You can tell a dream to the whole world if you can remember it, and if you'd like to! --TammyMoet (talk) 19:52, 8 February 2015 (UTC)

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