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January 8

Neighborhood name change

How can I legally get the named changed for my neighborhood to something more fitting ? Example  : it is now Elysian Valley , better known as Frogtown , because the community is adjacent to the Los Angeles River . — Preceding unsigned comment added by 76.175.162.198 (talk) 06:22, 8 January 2014 (UTC)

Are you saying that Frogtown is currently the nick-name of the area, but you want that to become the legal name instead of Elysian Valley? -- Jack of Oz 07:30, 8 January 2014 (UTC)

To change the official name, you would approach the city council/selectmen, or whatever they are called there. They likely accept short statements from the public during their meetings. If there's enough interest, they would call for a vote, and possibly a referendum.

However, many places have unofficial names, too, and you can refer to those whenever you like. You are free to call your place the "Frogtown Diner" etc., without needing approval from anyone (unless that's the name of another diner). StuRat (talk) 08:29, 8 January 2014 (UTC)

I very much doubt that you'd get much support for this change. It's all very well to use the name in jest - perhaps even routinely - but (for example) people who own property in that area are going to see their addresses change from what sounds like an up-scale neighborhood to one that sounds like a dump. That could actually impact their property values in the future - and they aren't likely to take that lying down. But as other have said, the way ahead is to raise the point during "Any Other Business" at your local council meeting - or to ask your representative at those meetings to place it on the agenda so that a discussion may take place. Personally, I'd say you were wasting your breath - but who knows? SteveBaker (talk) 12:30, 8 January 2014 (UTC)

Agreed. The trend is to move to upscale names, like East Detroit changing to Eastpointe. StuRat (talk) 16:33, 8 January 2014 (UTC)

You might also need the approval of the state legislature and the U.S. Postal Service.    → Michael J Ⓣ Ⓒ Ⓜ 01:26, 9 January 2014 (UTC)

Neighborhood names usually have no official status. They come about and evolve through usage. Real estate agents usually play a part, especially in areas that are undergoing gentrification. --Nelson Ricardo (talk) 16:21, 9 January 2014 (UTC)

• There was a move by the town I grew up in to acquire a unified zipcode, which it couldn't, because there were multiple other towns of the same name in NJ. There was a referendum to change the name, therefore, and an essay contest for which I came in second place. I suggested Mirkwood. I can't remember the winner. In any case, the name was never changed, as the referendum couldn't get enough votes for one alternative, due to inter-neighborhood rivalry. μηδείς (talk) 03:20, 10 January 2014 (UTC)

• • A similar situation is going on near where I live in North Carolina. One of Raleigh's fastest growing exurbs is the unincorporated community of Cleveland, Johnston County, North Carolina. There's already an officially incorporated town by that name in NC, so before it incorporated, the area would have to agree on a name. The most common name for the area is "40-42" (named for two major highways that intersect there), but town names cannot be numerals. There are towns with spelled out numbers (like Ninety Six, South Carolina) but IIRC, the Postal Service will not recognize numerals as part of an official community name. Other variations on "Cleveland" (like New Cleveland, Cleveland Crossing, Cleveland Community, etc.) have failed to gain traction. Of note is the fact that, if incorporated, the new community would well over an order of magnitude larger than the other Cleveland, North Carolina. Failure to agree on a name has been cited as one of the reasons why it has not incorporated; the nearby community of Archer Lodge, North Carolina had no such problems and incorporated fairly easily. --Jayron32 04:00, 10 January 2014 (UTC)

January 9

40% ABV

I've been curious about this for a while, but haven't been able to find any info on it. I'm wondering why 40 percent alcohol by volume (80 proof here in the U.S.) seems to be the standard for hard liquors. I know not all the hard stuff is 40 ABV, but it seems most is. Hot Stop 05:28, 9 January 2014 (UTC)

I'm not sure about the US in particular, but the UK's Scotch Whisky Regulations 2009 state the minimum is 40% ABV. I'm having difficulty finding anything else definitive, but I was certainly under the impression that most hard liquors were also limited to a maximum of 40% ABV for sale in supermarkets and other non-specialist stores in Europe. Indeed, I read somewhere that some liquors are distilled stronger and then weakened (watered down?) to 40% to comply with regulations. Of course, there is a healthy trade in "export strength" (no article?) liquors at airports - I have a few bottles of 47% liquor bought at various airports. Astronaut (talk) 12:18, 9 January 2014 (UTC)

You may have misremembered about the watering-down: Tesco sells some single malt whiskies that are 46% ABV - e.g. this one. There are concerns about supermarkets and other outlets selling high-alcohol drinks, but I don't think anyone who basically wants to get drunk is going to pay £40 for a bottle of single malt. This would be more their style. AndrewWTaylor (talk) 13:14, 9 January 2014 (UTC)

You also may have misremembered the term - we do have an article on Cask strength. --Stephan Schulz (talk) 18:44, 9 January 2014 (UTC)

• I think it's just a case where it's the standard because it's the standard. People are comfortable with 80-proof liquor because they've developed an intuition about how much a given quantity will affect them. Anyway it's far from universal -- you get the whole gamut from liqueurs like Kahlua (20% alcohol) to 151 rum (75% alcohol), or even Everclear at 95% alcohol. Looie496 (talk) 17:04, 9 January 2014 (UTC)

As Astronaut got very close to saying. The 40/80 proof in both countries is the taxation point.. So, it has become the retail standard. Absinthe probable got banned because it was so strong that people got very drunk before they knew it ( the turpenoid issue is a non starter).--Aspro (talk) 23:40, 10 January 2014 (UTC)

Is 80 proof a taxation point? The link you provided gives US tax rates for all distilled spirits at $13.50 per proof gallon, stating "A proof gallon is a gallon of liquid that is 100 proof, or 50% alcohol. The tax is adjusted, depending on the percentage of alcohol of the product." The example they give is $2.14 for a 750 ml bottle at 80 proof. $2.14 = 750 ml * 80 proof * $13.50 / (100 proof * 1 US Gal). The tax rate appears to be linear with the proof. -- ToE 12:13, 11 January 2014 (UTC)

Yes, whilst the tax is adjustable, the consumer wants to be able to compare prices. The 40/80 proof in both countries gives the distillers an easy common datum to aid the customers choice. It also makes production and accountancy easier when keeping to this tax point standard. Also, at a 100 proof (US), or 50% alcohol, more tax is paid per bottle. This reduces the distiller's profit per bottle. For the government this is a win-win situation. This is why, that although spirit come out of the still at well above 40/80 proof it gets diluted down. Next time you go on holiday, visit some of the 'independent' distillers in Scotland – they will tell you all about excise duties and the tax-man. P.S. Don't forget to sample the Haggis. Even out of their hunting season, the Scott's will all ways have some hidden away in the freezer. It goes down grand with a dram or two of single malt.--Aspro (talk) 00:35, 13 January 2014 (UTC)

"c/o" in snail-mail.

If I send a letter to "Person A c/o Person B at Location C", who is the letter delivered to and who is the final recipient? I always thought that "c/o" stood for "care of" meaning that the letter would be placed into the care of Person B at Location C, who would be responsible for handing it to Person A at some place of mutual convenience. But when I changed jobs recently, my new health care provider sent me new insurance cards to "My boss c/o Me at his business address"....which seems backwards. They clearly intended for my boss to take delivery of them at our business address and to pass them on to me here at our office (which is at a different location).

Is this some peculiar US usage that differs from the UK usage that I grew up with? Did they just get it wrong? Have I misunderstood the intended meaning for all of these years?

SteveBaker (talk) 13:20, 9 January 2014 (UTC)

Your understanding of c/o is correct, and yes they did get it wrong. --Viennese Waltz 13:33, 9 January 2014 (UTC)

See also p.p, where no one is quite sure whether this is supposed to be from X, on behalf of Y, or from X, through the agency of Y. Rojomoke (talk) 13:55, 9 January 2014 (UTC)

When I trained as a secretary, I was taught that the only people who should use p.p. are the firm who administers the affairs of companies going bust! Obviously nobody uses it in that context. I note our article is based on a century-old article, and I wonder if things have changed since then. --TammyMoet (talk) 16:11, 9 January 2014 (UTC)

I didn’t train as a secretary but if I received a correspondence signed pp I took as a insult. I would not have let anything go out that had been written by some one else, that I had not read and not signed personally. Reading TammyMoet comment has made me wonder and think. Yes, I think, pp in some cases is useful. I've done it myself sometimes but I always ensured that the client/customer/correspondent knows why (and they often need that little piece of paper to file in order to carry on). Thinking back, TammyMoetis right. If you find your dealing with a company where pp seems the rule, either this sort it out yourself, or memo (in these days it would be e-mail) your supervisor. In my day is was called 'escalating'. If one did not get a satisfactory answer from the department of that firm you were dealing with, you went higher -until you did or did not. If one did not get reasonable explanation, then must stop doing business with them. Which I think, is what TammyMoetis summed up in a short and sweet nut-shell.--Aspro (talk) 18:26, 9 January 2014 (UTC)

Invoice

DO invoice always include credit sale or purchase and not the cash one? What is the difference between a cash memo an a receipt? — Preceding unsigned comment added by 117.198.132.71 (talk) 17:46, 9 January 2014 (UTC)

It would help if you stated if where in the world you are. This planet has a multitudes of different financial transaction protocols. I take it, you are not in the United States, because over there, their only reason for them being born into this world, is to pay tax, so this is sort of answer is drummed into them at an early age and everybody knows it. It is like a region to them. Some pray - they pay taxes instead.--Aspro (talk) 18:39, 9 January 2014 (UTC)

The OP's IP address geolocates to India. I can't answer the question though. HiLo48 (talk) 20:20, 9 January 2014 (UTC)

Suggest you read invoice, memo and receipt.--Shantavira| 08:56, 10 January 2014 (UTC)

January 10

List of Turkish Qaris

Is there a website that shows the pictures of Turkish qari from the past and the present and their names? I am trying to remember the one that has beard and moustache and reads a little bit faster without reading the vowels too long. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 70.53.231.174 (talk) 02:09, 10 January 2014 (UTC)

Does Category:Quran reciters help any? --Jayron32 02:50, 10 January 2014 (UTC)

anglo nubian goats

What is the life expectancy in years of this breed?? — Preceding unsigned comment added by Muffpotter54 (talk • contribs) 02:32, 10 January 2014 (UTC)

15 years according to the Maryland Zoo. This link says there are reports of milking goats past 12 years of age. Rmhermen (talk) 05:11, 10 January 2014 (UTC)

January 11

How do you invest in a country overall?

So I'm browsing[REDACTED] this morning, and I'm reading the Tunisia article and thinking "My, that really looks good. Politics moving to democracy, civil society growing up, economy growing steadily. I want some of that action." Now while I'm simplifying here, and rest assured I don't usually invest money based on 1 hours web browsing, say I did want to basically make an investment which would track Tunisia's success generally, how would I do that? 81.157.95.47 (talk) 11:48, 11 January 2014 (UTC)

Some ideas:

1) If they have a stock market, then you would want to invest in those stocks. In particular, if there is an index fund for that stock market, that's the way to average out the individual stock performances.

2) Some mutual funds invest in one nation only. For example, you might find a China or Japan fund.

3) Finally, there's direct investment. Find some business there that seems like a winner, and buy stock in it. (Note that if we assume there's no stock market in that nation, then they would likely trade on a foreign stock exchange. Also, you can always buy stock directly from the company.) StuRat (talk) 14:48, 11 January 2014 (UTC)

Stu, I don't think that you can buy stock direct from every company. Are you certain of this? Dismas| 23:17, 11 January 2014 (UTC)

Not absolutely certain, no, but in countries without a stock exchange, this seems far more likely. StuRat (talk) 04:40, 12 January 2014 (UTC)

• This is an area where you really need to have some deep knowledge in order to avoid losing your shirt. Developing nations usually lack the oversight mechanisms that protect investors in countries like the US -- and even in the US those mechanisms too frequently fail. Even when economies are growing rapidly, there is a tendency for profits to vanish into the mist before foreign stockholders ever catch sight of them. I'm not saying it can't be done, but you do have to know what you are doing. Looie496 (talk) 17:20, 11 January 2014 (UTC)

Who is Akiba?

This essay by polio survivor Leonard Kriegel in The American Scholar 38, no. 3 (Summer 1969) refers to "Akiba" in paragraph 20:

I can remember my neighbors, on my return home, praying for me, inquiring about my health, quoting for my benefit the words of Christ, St. Francis, Akiba and F. D. R.

Who is Akiba? From our Akiba, Akiba (given name), and Akiba (surname) DABs, Akiba ben Judah Loeb seems the only entry even remotely possible, but he doesn't fit the list.

It may be an OCR error, as there are several others (such at "tile" for "the"). This copy of the essay, which still says "Akiba", lacks some of the same errors of the former copy, but they may have been hand corrected. -- ToE 12:16, 11 January 2014 (UTC)

Probably Akiva ben Joseph (43 - 137 CE), who has quite a few memorable quotes attributed to him. Tevildo (talk) 15:45, 11 January 2014 (UTC)

Confirming. Most often referred to (and web-searchable) as Rabbi Akiva, without the patronymic. The substitution of the letter b for v is possibly a transliteration artifact based on spelling rather than pronunciation. -- Deborahjay (talk) 16:43, 11 January 2014 (UTC)

Thanks, both of you. I still suspect that it is more likely an OCR error, but I will put checking that on my low priority list of things to do next time I'm at a good library. -- ToE 21:12, 12 January 2014 (UTC)

@ToE: OCR? Probably not. "Akiba" (also "Aqiba") was the standard old-fashioned scholarly spelling (see for example). הסרפד (call me Hasirpad) 20:12, 13 January 2014 (UTC)

History: Standard White Cornish Game Chickens

I have not been able to locate any history info regarding where, how or when the current Standard White Cornish Game chicken was developed. Any assistance or advice from you will be appreciated. Thanks you. — Preceding unsigned comment added by Dfpeix (talk • contribs) 14:10, 11 January 2014 (UTC)

Doesn't the information in our "Cornish game hen" article cover it? In the "history" section, it says:

"Most sources credit Alphonsine "Therese" and Jacques Makowsky of Connecticut for developing the small bird in the mid-1950s. A Saturday Evening Post article from July 1955 credited Mrs. Makowsky with coming up with the idea to breed the Cornish game chicken, a small bird with short legs and a plump, round breast that she had discovered in a book. The Makowskys began cross-breeding the Cornish game cocks with various chickens and game birds, including a White Plymouth Rock Hen and a Malayan fighting cock, to develop the Rock Cornish game hen, a succulent bird suitable for a single serving."

That seems to cover the "where" (Connecticut), "how" (by cross-breeding several other strains) and "when" (mid-1950's) - and even answers the "who". If there is more that you need to know, then I recommend following the three references and one "further reading" link at the bottom of that article. SteveBaker (talk) 15:37, 11 January 2014 (UTC)

I think there is some confusing overlapping terminology here. There appear to be three kinds of "Cornish" chickens. The "Cornish Bantam" is not part of this question. The "Cornish" or "Indian Game" which comes in subvarieties, White, Dark, White Laced, Red, Buff. This breed was developed in the late 1800s in Cornwall. The "Cornish Cross" (Cornish X) or "Rock Cornish" or "Cornish Game" is a hybrid cross of Rock and Cornish, not an actually variety (that is each Cornish game hen has one Rock parent and one Cornish parent). Which seems to contradict what is in our article. Rmhermen (talk) 18:44, 11 January 2014 (UTC)

There's more confusing terminology. Why do we have an article on a "hen" when it's really about the hens AND roosters of that breed? The OP presumably went looking for "Cornish Game chicken", covering both genders, couldn't find them, hence this question. (Then, of course, there's the question of why some people say chicken when they really mean adult birds. I call 'em all chooks.) HiLo48 (talk) 20:57, 11 January 2014 (UTC)

Farmers are really only interested in the hens - cocks are really only needed for making more hens and they are born trouble-makers in the farmyard. Hence that terminology dominates the common usage. Misplaced Pages rules require that articles are named according to common usage (see WP:COMMONNAME) - so calling the article "Cornish game chicken" would be a violation of article naming guidelines. A similar problem occurs with "Cow" versus "Bull" and "Calf" - and we resolve it in the same way. As for "chicken" versus "chick" - would you have us rename "Dog" to "Puppies and dogs"? We consistently name articles about animals according to the adult form - and we generally prefer to use the common name for the animal. SteveBaker (talk) 15:39, 12 January 2014 (UTC)

I think you missed several of my points, or claimed certainty where it doesn't exist. Roosters eat less than hens, especially if the hens are trying to lay eggs, so if you're interested primarily in meat, roosters can be a benefit. And I've always been intrigued about the word "chicken" representing an adult form of a bird. You dog/puppy "analogy" doesn't really work. HiLo48 (talk) 20:16, 12 January 2014 (UTC)

Check out the "common name" of the flower widely known as Edelweiss. ←Baseball Bugs carrots→ 17:01, 12 January 2014 (UTC)

Traps for young* players, Bugs (* I use the term advisedly). There's your mistake: thinking that "consistent" means doing things the same way. As SteveBaker once famously said: "Inconsistencies are just that - inconsistancies".  :) -- Jack of Oz 18:37, 12 January 2014 (UTC)

The owners of the botany pages decided that the Latin names of plants are the common names. As supported by the songs, "Leontopodium alpinum, every morning you greet me..." and more recently "...So when you really love me bring me Leontopodium alpinum." ←Baseball Bugs carrots→ 19:51, 12 January 2014 (UTC)

The strict ruling is that the most common name in reliable sources should be used - and I'm guessing that for plants, it was decided that reliable sources are botanists and horticulturalists who tend to use the latin names...so perhaps it's justified. But I believe that it's bad to get too worked up about names of articles - it's very easy to make a redirect from the alternative name. The critical thing is that both names should be mentioned early in the article's lede so that people don't get too confused that they typed "Edelweiss" and ended up at "Leontopodium alpinum"...I don't much care which one is in the title. SteveBaker (talk) 20:43, 13 January 2014 (UTC)

Where online could I buy Sentai Metal_Hero_Series subbed on dvd?

Like for instance Jikuu Senshi Spielban or Space Sheriff Shaider? Thank you. Venustar84 (talk) 22:16, 11 January 2014 (UTC)

Coloured sailors thumbprints on ID cards

Whilst at the naval museum today,one of the items on display was a English sailor's ID card from 1918 with a docket attached from the New York Labor Board that he was lawfully employed whilst in the city and not liable to repatriation.Apart from picture and signature,it had a space for the left thumbprint which stated 'This is compulsory for Asiatics,African and black seamen.'I'm assuming the thumbprint was for identification in case of death or injury,but why would it be compulsory for non-whites?And why not compulsory for white sailors? Lemon martini (talk) 23:16, 11 January 2014 (UTC)

Definitely sounds racist. My guess, white guys made the rules, so made them to favor other white guys. In this case, it allowed white sailors with criminal records to hide better. Presumably the thumbprints could be checked against known criminals. Let's say a black criminal escaped in the area of the docks, then the police might check the thumbprints of blacks on ships in the area.

If the white guys who made the rule needed a justification, they would probably have said those minorities are all inherently prone to criminality, so additional measures against them are appropriate. StuRat (talk) 04:46, 12 January 2014 (UTC)

Was the card signed? Relative literacy (or a racist assumption of relative literacy) may also have been a factor. The thumbprint might be used to substitute a signature for someone who would only sign with an X. MChesterMC (talk) 09:18, 13 January 2014 (UTC)

January 12

Adoption

As a UK national, is it possible to adopt a foreign national (in this case Chinese) who is over the age of 18? Also, if I was abroad at the time (in this case Vietnam), how would I sort this process out? Would I need to speak to the Home Office about this? Considering we will both be in a different country from our birth, we would probably have to speak to our own embassies? KägeTorä - (影虎) (TALK) 00:51, 12 January 2014 (UTC)

As a UK national, it's not possible to adopt _anyone_ over 18. See this official guideline. You can, of course, make them your residuary legatee, but they can only be officially your son or daughter if they're still a minor. Tevildo (talk) 01:54, 12 January 2014 (UTC)

It's generally going to be difficult no matter what because it's an obvious way to circumvent immigration laws and governments tend to frown on that kind of thing. SteveBaker (talk) 15:29, 12 January 2014 (UTC)

economics

properties of land — Preceding unsigned comment added by 112.202.5.250 (talk) 07:35, 12 January 2014 (UTC)

Property of homework: We don't do it for you. Clarityfiend (talk) 08:55, 12 January 2014 (UTC)

This is an encyclopedia; see our article on Land (economics).--Shantavira| 09:01, 12 January 2014 (UTC)

Foot running races

I am interested in discovering the derivation of the word “Gift” when attached to a footrace etc i.e. The Stawell GIFT

I am presuming that it may be as simple as in days gone by that when some one won a race they were given a “Gift”.

Is it as simple as this? — Preceding unsigned comment added by 124.180.115.118 (talk) 23:13, 12 January 2014 (UTC)

  —Their "History" page doesn't specify, but hints at such: "...the winner of footraces received a small nugget of gold."  (Another possibility is that somebody "gifted" an endowment for the race; prizes, etc. — but surely that would have been mentioned.) ~E:71.20.250.51 (talk) 23:33, 12 January 2014 (UTC)

Sport in Australia used to have a massive class divide between professionals, who got paid for playing/competing/winning, and amateurs, who didn't seek the money. In the latter case I'm sure it was meant to also carry an image of "didn't NEED the (dirty) money". Once an amateur had been paid anything anywhere for participating in sport, their image was sullied, and they were then, forever, one of those "lesser" professionals. Perhaps the idea of a "gift" was meant to be a work-around for the idea of being paid. Although in the case of pro-running it didn't seem to work. All through my youth, amateurs did not compete in the Stawell Gift. HiLo48 (talk) 01:05, 13 January 2014 (UTC)

There's nothing at Stawell Gift about it. I've heard of horse races etc called something "Gift", and I googled a bit to find out the origin of this term in the sporting world, but zilch. Nothing at wiktionary:gift about it. -- Jack of Oz 01:58, 13 January 2014 (UTC)

In Victorian Athletic League we have "In Australia professional foot-racing is said to have begun in the gold-mining days. The miners raced against each other, often in a one-to-one match-race situation on a handicap basis for the gift of a gold nugget offered by the local publican or mine owner." It's not cited, but sounded good. Further searching led me to this, from where, unfortunately, the whole of that section of the article appears to have been directly copied. So I think I've found the answer to the OP's question, the source, and a big copyright violation! Looks like some work is needed. HiLo48 (talk) 02:15, 13 January 2014 (UTC)

January 13

How to link endnotes in open office

I cannot find this information on the internet. I am writing a document with endnotes. I write references in the format at the end of sentences and then at the end of the paper I list all the references. But now I want to link the reference in my endnotes to the sentences they refer to. Is there a quick way to link all the s, all the s together... Thank you! ( I am using Open Office) — Preceding unsigned comment added by 87.66.224.245 (talk) 14:02, 13 January 2014 (UTC)

A quick google points to this at the OpenOffice Wiki. WegianWarrior (talk) 14:11, 13 January 2014 (UTC)

I have already written all the references at the end. Is there a way to link? I want to avoid having to prepare all the endnotes again from the start. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 87.66.224.245 (talk) 14:17, 13 January 2014 (UTC)

What kind of degree is a "D.PSc"?

I thought at first it was a Doctor of Psychology edit: Psychiatry, but that would be an MD, right? -- Brainy J ~✿~ (talk) 15:47, 13 January 2014 (UTC)

Psychology will often be a separate faculty from medicine, see Doctor of Psychology. However, for some reason, all searches around those initials seem to come up with names of practicing psychologists in Kentucky (and particularly in Louisville). There may be something about that state's licensing requirements for psychologists, or how degrees at one particular university are labelled. --Xuxl (talk) 16:09, 13 January 2014 (UTC)

Agree with Xuxl. The relevant articles in Misplaced Pages would seem to be List of doctoral degrees awarded by country and List of professional designations in the United States, but it is not listed there.--Shantavira| 17:17, 13 January 2014 (UTC)

There is absolutely no reason to suppose that a psychologist would have an MD. There is some reason to suppose that a psychiatrist would have one, but I wouldn't bank on it. (In the UK, many (most?) of those who practice medicine, in all fields, do not hold an MD degree). --ColinFine (talk) 17:35, 13 January 2014 (UTC)

Whoops, mixed up the words psychologist and psychiatrist again. I know the difference but I still say/type the wrong one sometimes... -- Brainy J ~✿~ (talk) 17:53, 13 January 2014 (UTC)

The capitalisation suggests three words: D(octor of) P**** Sc****. I'd guess that'd be Doctor of P**** Science. Psychological Science perhaps? (Googling suggests that's normally "DPsychSc", but it could be a variation.) The other option suggested by Google is that it's "Doctor of Philosophy (Science)", i.e. the equivalent of a PhD but in a scientific field, but that normally seems to be "PhD(Sc)". Proteus (Talk) 18:02, 13 January 2014 (UTC)

The novel "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenence"

Was it awarded a nobel prize — Preceding unsigned comment added by 81.154.49.64 (talk) 17:46, 13 January 2014 (UTC)

The author, Robert Pirsig, does not appear on the List of Nobel laureates in Literature.

So I'm pretty sure the answer is no. It did not. APL (talk) 17:54, 13 January 2014 (UTC)

(ec) No. Nobel prizes are awarded to people, not books. Robert Pirsig, the author, did not win a Nobel Prize. The highest awards for an American book would be the National Book Award, but Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance did not win it. Looie496 (talk) 17:58, 13 January 2014 (UTC)

Pirsig's Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance was published in 1974; the 1974 Nobel prize for literature "was divided equally between Eyvind Johnson and Harry Martinson." ~:71.20.250.51 (talk) 18:11, 13 January 2014 (UTC)

• The book is not a novel. Nobel prizes are not awarded by the year of accomplishment, but often years or decades later. There are also the Pulitzer Prizes to consider for American authors. μηδείς (talk) 18:54, 13 January 2014 (UTC)

If it is "not a novel" then the article needs to be corrected, as well as Category:1974 novels. ~E:71.20.250.51 (talk) 20:48, 13 January 2014 (UTC)

What?! The book is absolutely a novel. It's an autobiographical novel, but still a novel. Looie496 (talk) 21:03, 13 January 2014 (UTC)

The book is categorically a novel, despite earlier "advice". The Rambling Man (talk) 21:13, 13 January 2014 (UTC)

banking

Does a central bank earn interest on mortgage-backed securities purchased from a financial institution for the purpose of increasing the money supply? — Preceding unsigned comment added by 174.119.42.109 (talk) 19:22, 13 January 2014 (UTC)

Yes. Ownership by the central bank doesn't change the way the security works. Looie496 (talk) 21:00, 13 January 2014 (UTC)

Electrical Panels in US Homes.

I've lived in several houses in Texas - and the main electrical panel (the metal box with all the breakers & switches inside) has always been placed inside the garage - typically next to the door that leads back into the house.

The house I've been renting recently has two panels, one indoors in the expected place - and another outdoors right over the other side of the house - next to the electric meters that seems to have more of the heavy-duty circuits on it.

The house I've been looking to buy has just one panel - outdoors, next to the meters.

It seems crazy to have an electrical panel outside where rain can get to it - and it's really inconvenient if one of the breakers trips. Crazier still, neither of these exterior panels has any way to lock it - not even a hasp for a padlock. This means that annoying schoolkids could (hypothetically) decide it's fun to go through the neighborhood turning off everyone's power...or burglars could turn off the power to the exterior lighting to make it less obvious when they are breaking in.

Is there some logic to this? Is it a common thing? I plan to put a padlock on the one at our new house - is there any reason why I shouldn't do that?

SteveBaker (talk) 20:25, 13 January 2014 (UTC)

I think the logic is that is allows people from the utility company to work on your box without having to come into your house. Looie496 (talk) 21:02, 13 January 2014 (UTC)

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