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January 4

Essay book

Does Essay book need a bibliography?How to make money by writing it Online?Printed?--106.223.83.37 (talk) 04:30, 4 January 2016 (UTC)

Do you mean a book stating your opinions ? If so, then online that could be marketed as a blog. If your opinions are utterly fascinating to others, then you could sell advertising on your web site (and setting up such a web site is fairly easy, so you could do it yourself, or use an off-the-shelf setup). Advertising might take the form of putting links to your web site as comments on similar blogs.

For the printed version, you would need to find a publisher. Again, if your opinions fascinate them and they think people will buy the book, then they would work with you to put it in final form, advertise it and distribute it. StuRat (talk) 09:55, 4 January 2016 (UTC)

Print on demand and Self-publishing might also be useful to look at. Tevildo (talk) 17:24, 4 January 2016 (UTC)

January 5

XXX Kisses XXX

How come, kisses in letters were/are abbreviated as xxx / x x x ? The oldest mentioning I find in 1937 Any games with pronounciation? Why not kkk ? Play It Again, SPAM (talk) 09:00, 5 January 2016 (UTC)

Although I'm not thrilled with either the article or its references, you may want to look at Hugs and kisses#Origins. Deor (talk) 10:41, 5 January 2016 (UTC)

This could just be folk etymology, but I've thought for a long time that it was obvious that X abbreviates "kiss" because it's pronounced (in many words) like "KS". And that O, used with it, represents a hug because it symbolizes the shape the arms make. --76.69.45.64 (talk) 04:38, 6 January 2016 (UTC)

I understand that interpretation but for a long time I couldn't keep them straight (not that it was weighing on my mind that much) because when kissing, the lips make an O shape and when hugging, the arms have to cross with the other person's. Dismas| 13:23, 6 January 2016 (UTC)

In the US at least, kkk or particularly KKK doesn't have the best connotations. Even in 1937, it would already have been fairly controversial. To be fair, xxx isn't necessarily a great connotation for all love letters either, but that's fairly recent and it's also not so strong. Nil Einne (talk) 13:39, 6 January 2016 (UTC)

• Given no one has said it here explicitly, these are symbols, not the letters ex and oh per se. μηδείς (talk) 02:45, 7 January 2016 (UTC)

What would be the values of X and Z on this case?

Imagine we get a country (X) and look at the distance (Y) between itself and the most distant country from itself (Z).
What would be the value of X and Z that would result on the biggest value of Y?
201.79.50.59 (talk) 10:58, 5 January 2016 (UTC)

You seem to be asking which two countries are the furthest apart? --Dweller (talk) 11:19, 5 January 2016 (UTC)

Since you ask to imagine, do you consider fictional countries on other planets? Graeme Bartlett (talk) 11:23, 5 January 2016 (UTC)

Nope it was just a case of lack of english skills, dweller got the thing right201.79.50.59 (talk) 14:54, 5 January 2016 (UTC)

The largest possible distance between any two points on the earth's globe along a great circle path would be half the circumference of the earth, or about 12,500 miles. You can look at the antipodes map to get a rough idea of what countries might be half a great circle away from each other. ←Baseball Bugs carrots→ 12:22, 5 January 2016 (UTC)

Even easier, there's a list of such countries at Antipodes#Countries. It's quite a long list. Pick your X and Z from there. --Dweller (talk) 12:25, 5 January 2016 (UTC)

Not all pairs on the list would qualify, if say Russia and Brazil were on the list of antipodes, they would probably not be the right answers because they are so big, there would be two points in the two countries that are much closer than the antipodes. It's also not purely a matter of finding the smallest pair of countries, though that would get you close. I think Solomon Islands / Guinea seems a likely pair. --165.225.80.101 (talk) 13:43, 5 January 2016 (UTC)

Only if you're measuring from the countries' borders. If you can measure from any point within the country, it's fine. The OP hasn't stipulated either way. --Dweller (talk) 14:52, 5 January 2016 (UTC)

Obituaries and cause of death

I've always wondered why (most) obituaries do not give the cause of death. Thank you. SueRescues (talk) 11:58, 5 January 2016 (UTC)

Because it's not necessarily any of the public's business; and because the family usually constructs the obit, they can include or omit whatever they feel like. But you can often get a hint about it if they ask for donations to a particular charity, such as the heart association or cancer society. ←Baseball Bugs carrots→ 12:18, 5 January 2016 (UTC)

To me, an obituary is most likely to mean a kind of newspaper article reviewing the life of someone who has recently died, so unlikely to have been written by the family (in fact, newspaper obits for prominent people are usually written long before their deaths, so as to be ready, with minimal last-minute editing, when they are needed). The cause of death is sometimes mentioned, e.g. here, but in general it's not relevant to the obit, which is a review of the person's whole life. AndrewWTaylor (talk) 15:03, 5 January 2016 (UTC)

One of my grammar school teachers died on Sunday. She was not famous enough to have an obit readied by even the local papers. But the funeral home still posted an obit on their website. So, while I agree that notable people often have obits that are ready years before their death (and sometimes published too quickly), what gets posted/published are still referred to as obituaries. A friend of mine worked at a local paper in another part of the country and would, as part of her daily work, communicate with the families of the deceased to put together the obituaries for other non-famous people. She and the paper referred to them as obituaries. So, both newspapers and funeral homes both refer to "a summation of a person's life posted/published after their death" as an obituary. But now we're straying from the OP's question. Dismas| 15:35, 5 January 2016 (UTC)

Not only what Bugs said but also because the cause may lead to people to make incorrect assumptions. For instance, those who die of lung cancer are often thought to have been smokers, but many people who have lung cancer have never smoked. Also, the family (who usually have some say in the content of the obit) would probably rather concentrate on the person's life than the reason for their death. Dismas| 15:35, 5 January 2016 (UTC)

In the case of prominent people, there will be a news story about the person's death, which usually does give the cause of death. The obituary appears elsewhere and (as AndrewWTaylor correctly notes) often does not. --Viennese Waltz 15:57, 5 January 2016 (UTC)

There are several types of newspaper death records, and which types are used depend on the newspaper. Almost every newspaper has "boilerplate" paid death notices. These are generally written in cooperation between the undertaker and the family, and are brief, and are a special form of classified ad, paid for by the undertaker (whether as part of the package or itemized back to the family). They usually do not state the cause of death, but they may say something like "died peacefully at her home" (could be any natural cause) or "after a long illness" (probably but not necessarily cancer). A paid death notice is usually a single paragraph. A news obituary, in the strict sense, is a short biography written by an obituary writer. Some newspapers do have a policy that they will publish an obituary for anyone who spent most of their life in the city or region, and, in that case, the obituary information is provided by the family and revised by the reporter. News obituaries, whether fully staff-written for prominent people, or submitted by family and edited by staff, do include a cause of death. In fact, some newspapers state that they will not publish a family-submitted obituary without a cause of death. Some even have complicated rules for what is a cause of death. "Heart failure" is not a cause of death, because it is a clinical effect of death. "Congestive heart failure" and "heart attack" are causes of death. There are also now a sort of hybrid death report, which are long, multi-paragraph death accounts (obituary-length) written by family. Because they are paid for, line-by-line, and not written by staff, they are not subject to editing. (Paid death notices are subject to verification, but usually only to determine that the person actually existed and then died, which is done by a call to the undertaker. The reason for this verification is mainly to prevent the malicious prank, common in the eighteenth century, of running a death notice or obituary for one's enemy.) So there are multiple types of death records in newspapers. Staff-written or staff-edited death notices are considered reliable sources if the newspaper itself is a reliable source, which newspapers usually are. Robert McClenon (talk) 18:00, 5 January 2016 (UTC)

Somebody up above said "the cause of death is not any of the public's business" (or some such). Which made me question: aren't death certificates public documents that are freely available to the public (at City Hall or wherever)? Or no? (I am referring to the USA.) Thanks. Joseph A. Spadaro (talk) 20:16, 5 January 2016 (UTC)

Yes, my cousin disappeared after we became estranged from his sister, and his parents had passed away. I had no difficulty finding out that he had died from pituitary complications at 50, from which he had suffered since teenagerhood, by calling the PA coroner. The bottom line is that there are two types of obituary. Those of celebrities, which usually include CoD if it is known, and private obituaries which are locally published and for which it is none of your business, unless you knew the deceased, in which case you will already know the cause. μηδείς (talk) 21:28, 5 January 2016 (UTC)

What I am asking is this: is a person's death certificate public information (i.e., freely available to the public)? Can anyone request a copy? Regardless of relationship (or lack thereof) to the deceased. Thanks. Joseph A. Spadaro (talk) 23:24, 5 January 2016 (UTC)

I just did a web search and found that it depends on state law. According to this in Florida it takes 50 years before "Cause of death" becomes public information. --Modocc (talk) 23:34, 5 January 2016 (UTC)

The Indiana Supreme Court recently "ruled that causes of death are public records and must be available at county levels". . --Modocc (talk) 00:02, 6 January 2016 (UTC)

In my home state of North Carolina, the general public cannot obtain death certificates, only close relatives and people that need it for legal reasons. --Modocc (talk) 02:14, 6 January 2016 (UTC)

Regardless of a given state's laws about death certificates and the like, I doubt that there are laws requiring any specific information in obituaries, which are typically paid for by the family and hence are like "want ads". ←Baseball Bugs carrots→ 02:03, 6 January 2016 (UTC)

Of course, the contents of an obituary are pretty much at the discretion of the family (and/or funeral parlor), subject to whatever "rules" the newspaper might have (e.g., no offensive curse words, etc.). There are certainly no "legal" requirements for an obituary. (Although that makes me wonder: can an individual simply submit a fake obit to be printed in the paper? I mean, can I just submit to my local paper an obituary for someone famous, like Cher? How about for somebody not famous, like my uncle? How about for a totally made up person?) Someone above said that the cause of death is "no one's business in the general public". My point is that indeed it is the business of the general public, at least in states where the death certificate is a public record. Joseph A. Spadaro (talk) 04:30, 6 January 2016 (UTC)

If someone in Indiana, for example, wants to go to the trouble of inquiring about a specific death certificate, then they could presumably do that. But there's no reason for the obituary writer to do so. ←Baseball Bugs carrots→ 06:52, 6 January 2016 (UTC)

Agreed. My point is that the cause of death is the business of the public (in some jurisdictions). It is incorrect (at least in those jurisdictions) to say that the cause of death "is nobody's business" (presumably, outside of the family). Joseph A. Spadaro (talk) 18:20, 6 January 2016 (UTC)

The specific cause of death in the case of my cousin really wasn't anyone's business. "Natural causes" would have sufficed. My mother was concerned that it might have been murder or suicide. Those general classes, natural causes, misadventure, homicide, suicide, undetermined are what is generally considered a matter of public record. Consider Isaac Asimov who died from AIDS:

Asimov suffered a heart attack in 1977, and had triple bypass surgery in December 1983. When he died in New York City on April 6, 1992, his brother Stanley reported heart and kidney failure as the cause of death. He was survived by his second wife, Janet, and his children from his first marriage. Ten years after his death, Janet Asimov's edition of Asimov's autobiography, It's Been a Good Life, revealed that the myocardial and renal complications were the result of an infection by HIV, which he had contracted from a blood transfusion received during his bypass operation. Janet Asimov wrote in the epilogue of It's Been a Good Life that Asimov's physicians advised him against going public, warning that the anti-AIDS prejudice would likely extend to his family members. Asimov's family considered disclosing his condition just after his death, but the controversy that erupted the same year when Arthur Ashe announced his own HIV infection (also contracted from a blood transfusion during heart surgery) convinced them otherwise. Ten years later, after most of Asimov's physicians had died, Janet and Robyn Asimov agreed that the HIV story should be made public.

μηδείς (talk) 19:24, 6 January 2016 (UTC)

@Joseph A. Spadaro: At the newspaper I worked for, we accepted obituary notices only from licensed funeral directors. If a family wanted to write their own obituary for someone, they would have to get a funeral director to submit it for them. (All were always accommodating to the family's wishes.)    → Michael J Ⓣ Ⓒ Ⓜ 21:07, 6 January 2016 (UTC)

That makes sense. I did not realize that that was the procedure. It makes a lot of sense. And, obviously, prevents crack pots from submitting fake obits. Joseph A. Spadaro (talk) 21:45, 6 January 2016 (UTC)

Hollow cookies

My wife made some cookies (Brit. "biscuits"?) last night. I believe she said that she just followed some sugar cookie recipe she found in a cookbook. They're tasty but they have the odd feature of being either hollow or being rather dome-like. She cooked them on two separate surfaces. Some on a cookie sheet and some on a pizza stone. The cookies which were cooked on the sheet turned out hollow. They look normal by all appearances on the outside (basically as pictured in the sugar cookie article but without the cracks on the top) but are hollow in the middle. Those baked on the pizza stone look fine from the top but when you pick one up, there is no bottom and the middle is mostly missing. They sort of resemble a geode. What would have caused both of these results? Dismas| 15:25, 5 January 2016 (UTC)

Here is a forum thread that discusses the issue, Here is another short thread. Here is a more reliable article that discusses the chemistry of cookies and notes some causes of air pockets forming in cookies. Here is another similar article. This recipe notes other methods for removing air pockets. Here are some more methods. I hope one of these helps! --Jayron32 20:00, 5 January 2016 (UTC)

One possible cause is large chunks of butter in the batter. The chunks melt and leave gaps as a result. (The usual cause of large chunks of butter is using refrigerated butter and not breaking it up or allowing it to melt before placing the cookies in the oven.) I don't actually think this is the cause, in your case, because it sounds like each cookie has a single large hollow, rather than the multiple smaller ones that "butter gaps" might produce.

BTW, if I had a bunch of hollow cookies, I would be tempted to inject them with jam. If you lack the equipment to do this, you could cut them open, put the jam inside, then close them back up. I'd do this right before serving them, so they don't get soggy. StuRat (talk) 05:23, 6 January 2016 (UTC)

Thank you both. Yes, Stu, I don't think these are butter gaps due to, as you say, they do constitute the entire inside of the cookie. The cookies are just a shell. What I get from Jayron's links is that it might have been the order and method of the mixing. My wife figures that if they're going together anyway, what does it matter what order they get mixed in? So, she tends to just throw all the ingredients in a bowl and mix.

Now the only mystery that's left is the curious dome/geode like structure of those on the pizza stone. Dismas| 13:19, 6 January 2016 (UTC)

When it comes to cookies, and usually baking in general, how you do everything affects the final product. Here is a pretty in depth article on the chocolate chip cookie that may offer some insight uhhlive (talk) 17:51, 6 January 2016 (UTC)

It seems as though you inadvertently made choux pastry instead of cookies. That is usually the result of using the incorrect flour ("hard" instead of "soft", meaning flour with too much protein). If you've made hollow baked goods, that was probably the cause (your question is a little unclear). If they've simply domed up off of the baking surface, it gets trickier, but I would check the amount of moisture used and the temperature setting. Matt Deres (talk) 17:48, 6 January 2016 (UTC)

Stop calls from "Bridget at card member services"

How can I stop telephone calls from "Bridget at card member services"? I have a call blocker that can block up to 80 numbers that I have been using for years. One problem is that the phone rings once before it kills a call from a blocked number. Now with my phone service I can block up to 25 numbers and they don't even ring once. But that still isn't enough. Bridget keeps getting new numbers to call from. Is there a way to stop them (I'm in the U.S.)? Bubba73 16:31, 5 January 2016 (UTC)

Does your phone service allow blocking by area code? ←Baseball Bugs carrots→ 17:08, 5 January 2016 (UTC)

No, I can block 25 individual numbers only with the phone service. I asked if I could pay and get more - the said no. I can block by area code on my call blocking device, but with it there is one ring before the caller ID comes in. Bubba73 17:41, 5 January 2016 (UTC)

I think other VOIP services allow for more numbers, and possibly area codes as well. I take a more basic approach, which is to leave the ringer off unless I'm specifically expecting a call. It's much more peaceful that way. ←Baseball Bugs carrots→ 18:32, 5 January 2016 (UTC)

I'm using the cable company for the telephone, which I think is VOIP. I checked, and only 25 specific numbers can be blocked. Bubba73 20:14, 5 January 2016 (UTC)

Sounds like Bubba's got Verizon, an incurable plague. I suggest turning of your ringer, having all calls sent ASAP to voice mail or the answering machine, and putting an announcement there that says if the caller is not a solicitor and it is urgent they can reach you at (XXX) 555-1234 if they wish to dial it. Also, never answer calls from unknown numbers out of area code, and buy a machine that has a flashing light, rather than a ringer. They sell them for the deaf, and are far less annoying that the ringing type. μηδείς (talk) 21:20, 5 January 2016 (UTC)

No, I get my phone from Comcast. I don't answer such calls if I can see the caller ID, but I need to have my glasses to read the caller ID and I don't always have them. My father is in poor health so I feel that I need to answer in case it is something important. But maybe let everything to to the answering machine (I have one) and direct them to call another number if it can't wait to get the message is a good idea. Bubba73 21:29, 5 January 2016 (UTC)

There is a service called Nomorobo that might be of use, although from what I can see perusing the help pages, you still will have the "one-ring" issue. They say it works with Comcast. --LarryMac | Talk 22:09, 5 January 2016 (UTC)

Thanks, that sounds better than what I have now. Bubba73 03:30, 6 January 2016 (UTC)

Funny, I only ever hear from her colleague Rachel. —Tamfang (talk) 04:18, 6 January 2016 (UTC)

You're "lucky" I guess. It sounds like some people get Rachel, Bridget and Carmen. . Nil Einne (talk) 17:16, 6 January 2016 (UTC)

I think the ideal solution would be:

1) Have a whitelist, for numbers that will ring through.

2) Have a blacklist, and hang up on them without ringing.

3) Take messages from the rest, without ringing, in case somebody you know calls from an unknown number (or the rare case where you actually want to hear what somebody you don't know has to say).

Will any device do this ? StuRat (talk) 04:25, 6 January 2016 (UTC)

An Asterisk (PBX) surely could, although that may be overkill for a home users. I suspect many decent SIP devices could be made to do this in a pinch, but I can't name any that definitely can off hand. I'm sure some VoIP providers would have this functionality too, but again I can't name any off hand. Nil Einne (talk) 13:44, 6 January 2016 (UTC)

Bridget and her colleague Rachel have called me pretty often, recently. The phone number is never the same, and it's quite easy to spoof caller ID anyway. --jpgordon 16:07, 6 January 2016 (UTC)

Why did they call you pretty so often when they can't see you over the phone? KägeTorä - (_虎) (もしもし！) 19:08, 6 January 2016 (UTC)

Yeah I was thinking the same thing. A whitelist may be fine, provided your friends always use the same phone, update you with every phone change, don't intentionally or inadvertedly hide their caller ID etc. A blacklist is only really useful if you have a persisent call who is a clear fixed identity, but also isn't worth complaining to someone about. Nil Einne (talk) 16:36, 6 January 2016 (UTC)

About a month ago I filled up my 25 blocked callers so I deleted the ones from area codes in my state (there are five) because last fall I was getting a lot of political calls. But I needed to make room to block more telemarketeers so I deleted what seemed to be the political ones. When I fill up my list of 25 again I'm going to use Nomorobo. That way, the worst offenders won't even ring once. Bubba73 21:54, 6 January 2016 (UTC)

In the UK, it normally takes some time for numbers to get onto spamlists, so occasionally requesting a new number from your phone carrier or network is a valid option. Does that not work in the US? 94.12.92.219 (talk) 12:19, 9 January 2016 (UTC)

That would work, but I don't want to change my number. Bubba73 20:04, 9 January 2016 (UTC)

January 6

Car fuel gauge problem

2008 Mercury Grand Marquis. My fuel gauge (both a D'Arsonval galvanometer analog and digital display) worked fine until yesterday. That was a particularly cold day (20's F), although my car was parked in the garage. The tank was almost empty, and I heard a clunk from the rear of the car, possibly the fuel tank, shortly after I started the car and started driving. I filled up the tank, but the fuel gauges did not go up immediately. They did slowly rise to full, over the course of the next half hour of driving, so I am guessing the fuel tank warmed up a bit and that helped. I had 87 octane gasoline in the tank, and I think all gasoline is 20% methanol here in Michigan, which I would have thought would prevent ice formation. So, what went wrong and do I need to take it in for service ? Also, this car can run on E85, so would that help ? StuRat (talk) 18:51, 6 January 2016 (UTC)

Gasoline often contains 10% ethanol in Michigan but not methanol. Unless your racing a Top Alcohol Dragster or pre-2007 IndyCar: Methanol fuel. Rmhermen (talk) 15:52, 7 January 2016 (UTC)

If your fuel containing enough water to freeze the gauge, I would expect it to have affected the running of the engine. Probably a gauge problem. Rmhermen (talk) 16:06, 7 January 2016 (UTC)

Thanks. I'm thinking something is wrong with the device in the tank that measures fuel level. What is that called ? StuRat (talk) 16:55, 7 January 2016 (UTC)

It looks like it's called a fuel tank float and fuel sending unit. See How Fuel Gauges Work and Fuel gauge --Bavi H (talk) 00:34, 8 January 2016 (UTC)

This may very well be a red herring - but I once had very similar symptoms with an older car. Soon after we'd bought the car (used), and after driving it for a bit (also in very cold weather), I heard a loud *clonk* come from the rear of the car - just like you did. But I didn't think much more of it...I thought maybe I hit a rock or something. A couple of days later, I ran out of gas...which was odd because the fuel gauge seemed to be reading a half tank still - but the car was a bit of a wreck and a broken gas gauge seemed very likely - so again, I didn't think much more about it. I had a 1 gallon container, walked to a nearby gas station, filled it up, walked back and dumped a gallon of gas into the car. Then I drove for a few miles more and turned into a gas station to fill up - and was a little surprised to find that the tank was full after just 10 gallons - odd since I'd just run out of gas! It seemed like a kinda small gas tank for such a relatively large car - but hey, I was just a kid and I had no idea. After more mishaps of one kind or another, it eventually turned out that the previous owner had put a relatively expensive locking filler cap on the car - and when he sold it, he decided to keep the locking cap and had bought a replacement cap to put onto the car so he could sell it. It seems that this was a non-vented gas cap...and the car needed one with a small vent hole. As the car used gas, this caused a partial vacuum to build up in the thin steel tank which caused it to collapse upwards(!!) - pushing the float valve to the top of the tank and reducing the capacity from 20 gallons to around 10! This just amazed me - I'd have bet any money that the fuel pump would have stopped pumping gas long before the tank collapsed!

Anyway - your story sounds kinda like mine - and in cold weather, the air and gasoline in the tank will have contracted a bit and perhaps caused a drop in pressure even before you started driving. Perhaps you have a vented cap or some other tank venting system that is somehow blocked. It won't take you 30 seconds to peer under the back of the car and see if your tank is crushed or dimpled upwards. SteveBaker (talk) 18:37, 8 January 2016 (UTC)

It does sound very similar, but my car does still take the full amount of gas, so that can't be it. Also, the symptom of the gas gauge adjusting to the new fuel level, but very slowly (over a half hour) doesn't quite match. StuRat (talk) 21:06, 8 January 2016 (UTC)

NGOs and 'consultancies'

I am trying to understand the logic, (or lack thereof), for creating an NGO (or in the Dutch context a 'stichting'), which functions mainly as a vehicle for consultancies. The broad purpose or mission of the NGO is 'community development', and promoting 'collective learning and action'. The staffing structure however is modeled as a consultancy, where all the projects are implemented by individuals who invoice the NGO as independent consultants. There is currently no permanent staff, (or office for that matter). The idea seems to have a logic, but I also can't find any other examples of NGOs organized in this fashion, and would appreciate if anyone can point me in that direction. Mostly, you find consultants who work with NGOs to build their capacity or help them with organizational development. I understand that there are legal questions involved in the issue, and the[REDACTED] constraints on that, but I'm trying first to find examples that illustrate this as a workable 'business model' - or to have someone help point on the conceptual flaw. My bias is that there is a flaw, but I can't quite put my finger on it. Thanks if you can provide concrete links to relevant examples or discussion of the topic.

Outsourcing might be of help. In general, one advantage is that it's easier to get rid of staff if they aren't permanent employees. This can be for legal reasons or just because it seems heartless to fire someone, while "not renewing a consultancy" seems a lot less ominous. If they rely on charitable donations, then having a good public image is particularly important, in order to keep the donations flowing. StuRat (talk) 19:40, 6 January 2016 (UTC)

See the following organisational chart by GDRC for the model of a basic NGO structure. There are four blocks or branches: direction, administration, communication, field. Consultancy features on the bottom of the last but could obviously shape the entirety of the branch. The Communication branch can perhaps be made without in some cases and it also could be outsourced. Administration also could be outsourced. Do you know if the NGO is to be perhaps affiliated to an other above organization ? This is sometimes a quick way for outsourcing the trivial aspects of a reduced administration. --Askedonty (talk) 20:53, 6 January 2016 (UTC)

It would seem to make sense for an NGO that is set-up for a one-off short-term project, or is expected to pop up in response to issues over time, but lie dormant in between. --Dweller (talk) 16:20, 7 January 2016 (UTC)

Limbo or No?

Are we in limbo? Time goes on....but how? Err.Uh. Ummmm. So, I need to know,i am scared about the future. \>:-@ On a scale of 1 to 10 on pondering the future,i am a 10.Uhhhhhhhh.... Sincerely, anonymous. :-) 162.104.9.155 (talk) 21:27, 6 January 2016 (UTC)

If you are looking for various discussions of this, you may want to start reading articles such as ontology, time, fate, limbo, etc. --Jayron32 21:32, 6 January 2016 (UTC)

And bardo.--Shantavira| 11:33, 7 January 2016 (UTC)

And Limbo, which to me doesn't seem to fit, but maybe for some it feels like it does. ←Baseball Bugs carrots→ 13:00, 7 January 2016 (UTC)

Huis Clos. μηδείς (talk) 19:50, 7 January 2016 (UTC)

January 7

War Memorial in New Jersey

(This ought to be in Humanities, but that page is currently protected)

I have come across a plaque adjacent to a WWI memorial in Vincenttown, NJ with the following poem:

In war's grim hour that tested all,

Among the first they heard the call.

In many lands, far-flung and wide,

They bravely fought and bravely died.

A grateful nation mourns their loss,

A sacrifice in freedom's cause.

In alien climes their bodies lie,

'Neath tropic sun and arctic sky,

But here they shall forever be,

Enshrined in hallowed memory.

Googling the first line of this poem I find exactly three hits: a WWI memorial in Matawan, NJ (50 mi from Vincenttown), a WWII Memorial in Paw Paw, West Virginia, and a paywalled Florida newspaper from 1973.

The question is, can anybody find anything more about the origins, author, and spread of this poem? Not that it's great art exactly, but it's curious how something once at least somewhat widespread has fallen into complete obscurity.68.84.34.56 (talk) 04:48, 7 January 2016 (UTC)

Reformatted verse & added title Rojomoke (talk) 06:24, 7 January 2016 (UTC)

Googling on the second line finds part of the same verse on another war memorial, this one in in Harriman, NY. Googling on the third line finds, in addition to some of the above, two sources quoting the poem but also not attributing it. (One is a memorial page to a particular soldier from Maryland, the other a speech given on Memorial Day in Mississippi.) Googling on the fourth line produces a number of false hits (those words are a bit more generic) as well as repeats of some of the rest. I'm stopping there. --76.69.45.64 (talk) 10:38, 7 January 2016 (UTC)

I selected a line that had the most obscure phrasing, one likely not repeated elsewhere (which was Line 7: In alien climes their bodies lie). I got the same exact results as the original poster. Joseph A. Spadaro (talk) 16:55, 7 January 2016 (UTC)

Googling the first AND second line showed me a WWII memorial in Paw Paw, West Virginia. Alansplodge (talk) 16:56, 7 January 2016 (UTC)

Yes, the OP had mentioned that one already. Joseph A. Spadaro (talk) 16:58, 7 January 2016 (UTC)

D'oh! Alansplodge (talk) 17:02, 7 January 2016 (UTC)

Curiously, the phrase "A sacrifice in freedom's cause" also appears in a eulogy for Hendrick Theyanoguin by an English writer called William Rider; see London magazine or Gentleman's monthly intelligencer, Volume 24 (1755), but this seems likely to be just a coincidence. Having plumbed the very depths of Google, I give up. Alansplodge (talk) 17:32, 7 January 2016 (UTC)

Looking for the eight line of the eulogy. The specific plaque with the poem in the WWI memorial in Matawan, NJ is dated 1961, making that there is, on that side, no indication that the poem was written before WWII. One found 1922 article published in a Paradise of the Pacific periodical, by L.H. Daingerfield and titled "On arctic peaks, 'neath tropic skies" could hypothetically have indicated coinage, or influence. Google ngram is not at all decisive about it unfortunately. --Askedonty (talk) 19:39, 7 January 2016 (UTC)

Unless I'm mistaken, there weren't many US troops engaged in either the tropics or the Arctic in World War I, so it seems likely to me that World War II was the subject. Alansplodge (talk) 10:44, 8 January 2016 (UTC)

A minor quibble, and not that it's likely, but did no US Navy ships in the North Atlantic ever cross the Arctic Circle? I don't know of any naval engagements, but it seems possible that some allied ships did so to reach, say, Murmansk. {The poster formerly known as 87.81.230.1195} 185.74.232.130 (talk) 14:51, 8 January 2016 (UTC)

Quite possibly, however the poem specifically says that that's where "their bodies lie". In World War II, I thought of the Aleutian Islands Campaign but that appears to be further south than London, so I'm struggling to think of which "arctic sky" the poet was talking about. Alansplodge (talk) 22:30, 8 January 2016 (UTC)

Accordingly I should have extended the denomination of the memorial in New Jersey to that of a "War memorial" ( like the OP in the title, not a "WWI memorial"). I wanted to make the correction now, but I do not know how it should be called; the official New Jersey War Memorial is the Trenton War Memorial ( ). The memorial we are considering is located in Aberdeen ( in New Jersey). --Askedonty (talk) 11:50, 8 January 2016 (UTC)

Post

Please provide me with videos on youtube of people singing Please Mr. Postman to Royal Mail employees

How come you can't search for these yourself, 185.64.47.94? Or are you asking for somebody to make such a video? If so, Misplaced Pages is not the right place for that kind of request. And please sign your posts with four tildes (~~~~). --ColinFine (talk) 13:35, 9 January 2016 (UTC)

Looking for an Australian ad

Hi, there was an ad on Australian tv a while back, but I can't remember what it was for, and I can't find it on youtube. It was set at a wedding, and the bride throws the bouquet to her bridesmaids. Then a bloke rushes and catches it, as if taking a spectacular mark in Australian Rules Football. He screams out, "It's gotta be the grab of the year!" Then everyone is looking at him, and he just goes, "What?" and looks dumbfounded. Does anyone know anything about it, so I can try and find it on Youtube? Cheers, IBE (talk) 17:34, 7 January 2016 (UTC)

There was a similar trope in an ad in the US, whether or not it was for the same company. I can't remember the deails enough to say mor than that I seen it. μηδείς (talk) 19:49, 7 January 2016 (UTC)

number of German people killed by eisenhower

how many German people were killed by president Eisenhower following world war 2?— Preceding unsigned comment added by Hillman12 (talk • contribs)

Personally, I'd guess zero. How many died because of his actions or inactions is a hard question that is unlikely to have an even approximately correct answer - there are just too many assumption, and many hypotheticals. --Stephan Schulz (talk) 21:24, 7 January 2016 (UTC)

Well, I thought I remember having read somewhere that it was 1.7 million.Hillman12 (talk) 22:53, 7 January 2016 (UTC)

Some shocking number of people died in the "population transfers" (expulsion of ethnic Germans from what's now western Poland, and Poles from what's now western Belarus and Ukraine; I'm probably forgetting some). Did Eisenhower have a role in that? —Tamfang (talk) 22:26, 7 January 2016 (UTC)

Well, such claims are part of the standard trifecta of Holocaust denial/Holocaust apologetics. "It didn't happen, they had it coming, the others did the same". Unless there are reliable sources being offered I'd ignore the claim. --Stephan Schulz (talk) 22:43, 7 January 2016 (UTC)

@Stephan Schulz: I have never seen the use of the term "trifecta" in this context - is it usual? --KnightMove (talk) 07:15, 9 January 2016 (UTC)

I've seen (and heard) it used in that way, particularly by people who want to impress with their large vocabulary ;-). It's not particularly common, I think. --Stephan Schulz (talk) 08:51, 9 January 2016 (UTC)

Well if we were talking about the holocaust it would be a tipical example of whataboutism, (What about the Allies' atrocities!) but we are not talking about the holocaust, are we? --Lgriot (talk) 20:37, 8 January 2016 (UTC)

The OP was implying it, but he won't be back. ←Baseball Bugs carrots→ 20:45, 8 January 2016 (UTC)

Your mind-reading ability amazes me, Sir Bedivere. —Tamfang (talk) 21:25, 8 January 2016 (UTC)

Ya know, sometimes I'm so smart it actually frightens me. ←Baseball Bugs carrots→ 07:22, 9 January 2016 (UTC)

In a subsequent book, Crimes And Mercies (1997), Bacque claimed that Allied policies (particularly Soviet, but with significant numbers in other allied countries) led to the premature deaths of 5.7 million German civilians, 2.5 million ethnic German refugees from Eastern Europe and 1.1 million German P.O.W.s due to Allied starvation and expulsion policies in the five years following World War II. Read more. Raquel Baranow (talk) 22:49, 7 January 2016 (UTC)

See also: Flight and expulsion of Germans (1944–50) Raquel Baranow (talk) 00:46, 8 January 2016 (UTC)

Whoever this Bacque is, he apparently neglects to mention that Hitler is the root cause of all of that misery. ←Baseball Bugs carrots→ 01:06, 8 January 2016 (UTC)

James Bacque is a well-known, but discredited author who first made theses claims. You need to see the talk page as much as the article there. Rmhermen (talk) 06:58, 8 January 2016 (UTC)

• Please note, this user has been indeffed as distruptive. μηδείς (talk) 21:30, 9 January 2016 (UTC)

new high school grading system in South Korea

Your article "Academic grading in South Korea" mentions the high school grading system used before and after 2004, and then mentions that a new 5-point grading system that "will" be implemented in 2014.

I suppose this was written a few years ago, and not updated. I could not find anything about the new grading system online.

Kindly update the article. Thanks.109.255.252.223 (talk) 22:00, 7 January 2016 (UTC)

You could have done it yourself.

You could have clicked the 'talk' or 'discussion' link at the top of the article, and put your request on the article's discussion page where it belongs.

If that didn't help, you could have noticed at the top of the discussion page a notice about where to find people who are specifically interested in contributing to Korea-related articles, and followed its implied suggestion to raise the issue at Misplaced Pages talk:WikiProject Korea. (Hm, those boxes could be reworded to make that invitation more explicit.)

Instead, you went out of your way to bring the issue here, where there's no reason to think that anyone who reads it has any particular knowledge of or interest in Korean schools. —Tamfang (talk) 22:36, 7 January 2016 (UTC)

You could have put that more kindly. --76.69.45.64 (talk) 02:26, 8 January 2016 (UTC)

Someone more diplomatic than I am could make a template, which I could then invoke next time. —Tamfang (talk) 21:34, 8 January 2016 (UTC)

January 8

whats this song

beginning of https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1mMB_takIjQ

It's the Miserere by Gregorio Allegri. AndrewWTaylor (talk) 10:39, 8 January 2016 (UTC)

thanks

Dale D. Myers eyepatch

The article Dale D. Myers says he lost his left eye. I found the image on the right on Commons. It shows him wearing his eyepatch on the left side of the picture, i.e. on his right eye. I first thought the picture was a mirror image, but then I noticed that the text on the background reads the right way. What's up with this then? JIP | Talk 12:10, 8 January 2016 (UTC)

Google images finds several photos of Myers, all with the eyepatch on his left eye, and with his normal-looking right eye visible - only the one you found has it on his right. They surely can't all be mirrored, and this C-SPAN one has text which isn't. You can't see the uncovered eye well in the image you found - I think this is him having a laugh and taking the picture with the eyepatch on the wrong eye deliberately. -- Finlay McWalterᚠTalk 12:30, 8 January 2016 (UTC)

(ec) I don't think it's him. Myers seems much smaller in stature and his hair is always parted on the right (except for when he had a brush cut). Myers wears spectacles - the man in the image is writing without specs. Myers also appears much greyer at the temples. I can see how this could be thought to be Myers - "Spacecraft 104" (on the wall behind him) was scheduled for flight as Apollo 9 which Myers was involved in. http://history.nasa.gov/SP-4009/v4p3b.htm 196.213.35.146 (talk) 13:13, 8 January 2016 (UTC)

Also, Myers' eye patch itself appears to be made for the left eye. 196.213.35.146 (talk) 13:36, 8 January 2016 (UTC)

If it can be established that this is not Myers, and he can be correctly identified, I can place a move request on Commons to move the image to the correct name. JIP | Talk 13:44, 8 January 2016 (UTC)

The identity in the top photo is also questionable as the parting of the hair in all other photos is on the right. --Cookatoo.ergo.ZooM (talk) 20:39, 8 January 2016 (UTC)

This, this, and this have unmirrored text and are eyepatch-left. -- Finlay McWalterᚠTalk 12:35, 8 January 2016 (UTC)

The guy in that first picture, especially, looks quite a bit like an older version of the guy pictured in this section. ←Baseball Bugs carrots→ 18:54, 8 January 2016 (UTC)

This is the official provenance from the San Diego Air & Space Museum for our photograph - Item 66, Page 5, in the list of photographs donated to the museum by Norman Casson. Tevildo (talk) 17:13, 8 January 2016 (UTC)

If our photo isn't Myers, it _might_ be Bruce Peterson - see this photo - but the chap in the disputed photograph seems to have rather less hair than Peterson. Tevildo (talk) 17:30, 8 January 2016 (UTC)

If he'd switched the eyepatch over for a joke - how come he's wearing his watch on the left wrist? If you no vision to your left, wouldn't you wear your watch on the right wrist?

This image appears to confirm that he didn't wear his watch on his left wrist. SteveBaker (talk) 18:14, 8 January 2016 (UTC)

It appears he's right-handed, and wearing a watch on one's writing hand could get in the way. And when looking at a wristwatch, there's no problem seeing it from the opposite eye. ←Baseball Bugs carrots→ 18:56, 8 January 2016 (UTC)

Most people actually do opposite-side vision with their watches. Most right-handed people are also right-eye dominant, so when they wear their watch on their left wrist, they "cross over" to the other side to see it with their dominant eye. (This makes sense, as when you bring your forearm parallel to your chest to view the watch, the wrist often ends up on the opposite side of the body.) The people who I know who are left-eye dominant often have a preference for their watch on their right wrist, regardless of which is their dominant hand - this is all anecdote, though. -- 160.129.138.186 (talk) 20:50, 8 January 2016 (UTC)

Hm. I'm right-handed (though seemingly more ambidextrous than average), and my left eye is weakly dominant. Before I stopped wearing a watch, for a few years I wore it on my right wrist, because the band happened to fit better there! —Tamfang (talk) 21:30, 8 January 2016 (UTC)

I don't think the position of the watch proves anything. When I look at mine, I normally put my wrist in the center of my field of view. --76.69.45.64 (talk) 07:30, 9 January 2016 (UTC)

I'd just like to point out two details in the disputed photo. First, as if we needed additional confirmation besides the text that it's not been reversed, this is present in the form of the telephone dial. Second, the date 7-1-68 on the right-hand side of the wall. That appears to be writing in grease pencil or dry-erase marker, suggesting that the chart is updated frequently. Therefore this photo was very probably taken in July or at most August of 1968. (The reference to "spacecraft 104" on the same chart is odd, though, as AS-104 was launched in 1965.) This may be useful in cross-checking the man's appearance against other dated photos. --76.69.45.64 (talk) 07:30, 9 January 2016 (UTC)

Accessing 'online banking system'

Is there any possible way where I could use my e-mail to retrieve my ‘online banking service’ information/codes, so that I could start accessing my bank accounts? – UK Bank a/c.

I have people after me, I don’t know whether they created any problems with my bank accounts or not.

I was also planning on seeking donations using my UK bank a/c(s) because everything is 100% corrupted here where I am currently living. Plus, the reason why I wished to seek donation in the first place, been cancelled. I did find another reason to seek donation but still need to access my a/cs.

I only have an e-mail service handy at this very moment of lifetime.

Mr. Zoot Cig Bunner (talk) 18:19, 8 January 2016 (UTC)

You should visit an officer at your bank and discuss the problem with them. ←Baseball Bugs carrots→ 18:50, 8 January 2016 (UTC)

I'm not in UK, plus if I tell them the truth, what if they end up sending me to a mental hospital... -- Mr. Zoot Cig Bunner (talk) 19:17, 8 January 2016 (UTC)

If you've concerns about your mental health, you should talk to a professional, not to us. ←Baseball Bugs carrots→ 19:20, 8 January 2016 (UTC)

The UK banks have different security mechanisms, we won't be able to give you a single answer that works for all. --Lgriot (talk) 20:32, 8 January 2016 (UTC)

Isn't there any way I could retrieve my online banking service codes via e-mail? -- Mr. Zoot Cig Bunner (talk) 21:50, 8 January 2016 (UTC)

You'd have to ask your bank about that. They are likely to ask for some other confirmation that you are in control of your e-mail account, and the email address must have previously been registered with them. Dbfirs 22:29, 8 January 2016 (UTC)

It's not really clear what you mean by online service codes. If you mean your username and in particular your password, while it's true it will depend on the bank, the chance that any UK bank will allow you to reset your password solely over email is close to zero. It probably is zero if by email you mean some generic system (e.g. a random gmail account) without the use of any form of encryption with signature or security. Nil Einne (talk) 08:55, 9 January 2016 (UTC)

Dbfirs, Nil Einne: I never kept such access due to security reason e.g., what if they send my e-mail address to a third party, what if my e-mail gets hacked (what occurred)… I guess I have to wait until I physically return back... Thank you both. -- Mr. Zoot Cig Bunner (talk) 18:45, 9 January 2016 (UTC)

Thanks all. -- Mr. Zoot Cig Bunner (talk) 18:45, 9 January 2016 (UTC)

Term "voucher" for Ukash, paysafecard and the like

Prepaid electronic money systems like former Ukash and paysafecard usually call the printout, which you can buy at retailers, a voucher (with PIN and further information). I think the usage of the term voucher is not currently included in the article, including the section Voucher#Internet, as the usage of such cards is way more flexible than that of vouchers. Should this meaning be included in the article? If not: Is there a more appropriate term for such printouts? --KnightMove (talk) 17:17, 8 January 2016 (UTC) I had asked this in computing desk first, but honestly it didn't belong there. --KnightMove (talk) 21:53, 8 January 2016 (UTC)

Fancy dessert

What is this thing? I realize it's chocolate that is being drizzled on but beyond that I can't really identify what this is. One of the comments says that it's from a restaurant called Alinea but I couldnt' find this on their malfunctioning website. Thanks, Dismas| 23:42, 8 January 2016 (UTC)

Apparently a "magical melting chocolate bombe" or a "magical chocolate bomb". Clarityfiend (talk) 00:06, 9 January 2016 (UTC)

January 9

Club Penguin

I would like to ask a question about the website mentioned in the title. One day when I was searching the Internet for something else, I came across information pertaining to this website. As far as I know, this website allows its members, usually children, to interact with and explore a virtual world and communicate with other website users. Feeling a bit curious, I decided to have a look at it, but before I do that, to avoid any problems or inappropriateness, I had to do a few checks. And, that is why I am writing here on this reference desk. Basically, my issue is my age; obviously I choose to keep that private, but I can tell you that I am old enough to have graduated from Secondary school within the last few years. Being a little older than the primary demographic, I'm not sure if I should investigate the website or not. There's been a lot of controversy in the UK media over older male celebrities who have done very unpleasant things involving children, and so I run very strict policies against this kind of madness, so I ask here about Club Penguin. What should I do? Pablothepenguin (talk) 17:49, 9 January 2016 (UTC)

If you're several years out from secondary school, you would be over 18, and it's unlikely pedophiles would go after you. ←Baseball Bugs carrots→ 17:57, 9 January 2016 (UTC)

I read it that Pablothepenguin is concerned that somebody will think that he might interacting inappropriately with younger children, Baseball Bugs. But I don't think that it would be appropriate for anybody here to advise you. Pablo. Somebody may be able to point you to some references that might help, but in my view what you are asking for is sufficiently close to legal advice that we are not allowed to advise you. Sorry. --ColinFine (talk) 18:40, 9 January 2016 (UTC)

If that's the issue, then as a practical matter I don't see why someone would think he's a pedophile unless he starts acting like one. ←Baseball Bugs carrots→ 20:50, 9 January 2016 (UTC)

The correct spelling is paedophile. Pablothepenguin (talk) 22:03, 9 January 2016 (UTC)

The British spelling is paedophile. "Pedophile" is a perfectly acceptable alternative. see here, here, or here, among many others. Mingmingla (talk) 22:25, 9 January 2016 (UTC)

We have an article (Club Penguin) on the site, which states that "users of any age are allowed to play Club Penguin", and "the security features have been described as almost "fastidious" and "reminiscent of an Orwellian dystopia"." Tevildo (talk) 22:08, 9 January 2016 (UTC)

Part of a series on _________________

How do I find such series as this article entitled Part of a series on Physical cosmology, on the right hand side box? I'm searching for all the boxes available in Misplaced Pages! -- Mr. Zoot Cig Bunner (talk) 19:57, 9 January 2016 (UTC)

see Category:"Part of a series on" sidebar templates. I found this by clicking on the "v" at the bottom of the box. Graeme Bartlett (talk) 20:48, 9 January 2016 (UTC)

Black on white rape statistics

how many white females are raped by black males each year on average?

You are going to have to set a context for your question. Because of the classification you make I assume that you are interested in the USA. loo0k at Rape in the United States#Demographics Graeme Bartlett (talk) 20:47, 9 January 2016 (UTC)

109.160.147.141 (talk · contribs) looks like the racist ref desk troll again. ←Baseball Bugs carrots→ 21:04, 9 January 2016 (UTC)

a correlation between a city's georgraphy and socioeconomic status

Hello,

Is it true that the southern area of large cities tends to be poorer? If so, why? Thanks

Not particularly, no. In Dublin the southside of the city, south of the river, is generally more upmarket and middle class than the northside. In London the east is the poorer side, mainly because it's downwind of the prevailing wind direction and so would pick up the pollution from the rest of the urban area. -- Arwel Parry (talk) 21:02, 9 January 2016 (UTC)

I do not think that is true generally, see slum. Example: Dharavi is in the north. Makoko is to the east of Lagos. Graeme Bartlett (talk) 21:03, 9 January 2016 (UTC)

There aften is a geographic correlation, but it is not about north or south. It is about where the most beautiful (and profitable) beaches are VS. where the too steep and too dry arid slopes are (example Rio de Janeiro or Marseille), it is about where the soil is humid and foggy and difficult to drain from used waters VS. nice hills with smooth fresh wind... Such geographic parameters. Akseli9 (talk) 22:58, 9 January 2016 (UTC)

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