Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Miscellaneous/2013 October 15

Welcome to the Wikipedia Miscellaneous Reference Desk Archives
The page you are currently viewing is an archive page. While you can leave answers for any questions shown below, please ask new questions on one of the current reference desk pages.

October 15

Strange pipe next to Delaware Memorial Bridge

Hi. I'm looking at this photo: http://binged.it/1bsUY3C and am trying to figure out what the piping is doing (I've driven by it on the bridge and am sure it's a pipe). It comes out from the shore, jogs a twice, and then just ends. Where should I look for information on this thing, or who should I ask? Thanx, 76.117.247.55 (talk) 01:25, 15 October 2013 (UTC)

It is, perhaps, a pipe to discharge wastewater from a fracking operation nearby. See [1]. Not sure if this is the same pipe noted in that article, but it is all that I can find. --Jayron32 01:44, 15 October 2013 (UTC)

The plant in the article is on the Jersey end of the bridge, the pipe pictured is on the Delaware side. It looks like a discharge from the chemical plant at that end, but I haven't found an indication of whose plant it is. Acroterion (talk) 02:37, 15 October 2013 (UTC)

Those four "Daleks" are ventilation heads for a tunnel paralleling the bridge, very probably to do with the bridge's superstructure, or perhaps with a natural gas or utility line. I will have a definitive answer within 15 hours or so. It is absolutely nothing to do with fracking or waste output. μηδείς (talk) 03:22, 15 October 2013 (UTC)

That's where the trolls live! ^{Market St.⧏} _{⧐ Diamond Way} 04:25, 15 October 2013 (UTC)

I never thought of it, but their shadows do make them look like Daleks. Let me know what your research turns up. Please. 76.117.247.55 (talk) 06:09, 15 October 2013 (UTC)

Perhaps water is pumped inland for some reason. The "pipeline", if that is what it is, terminates at some railroad tracks. And it is paralleled by a road. The waterway may provide inexpensive water in large quantities for industrial purposes. Bus stop (talk) 04:54, 15 October 2013 (UTC)

The pipeline runs to (but not quite into, I think) the Croda chemical factory at Atlas Point, Wilmington. A railway siding runs alongside the pipeline near the factory, allowing tanker cars to connect to the pipeline. The river side of the pipeline ends with the daleks, which appear to be towers to which a tanker ship can moor, and one of them has the pipeline running out to it - that's where the tanker hooks up its own piping. The pipeline, railway, and the plant itself are all new - they're in various degrees of construction in Google's satellite imagery and in the Google Streetview of the plant's street entrance in the SW of the site. Tanker cars on the railway can also hook up to a row of large chemical holding tanks on the plant's perimeter, or to the public railway network. The fact that the pipeline is not directly hooked up to one of Croda's tanks there suggests the pipeline is used to service tanker cars which didn't originate at the plant, and not just those that do. Croda's chemical product line is quite extensive, and I can't find out what they make at that plant. -- Finlay McWalterჷTalk 10:43, 15 October 2013 (UTC)

Perhaps their crop care products are premixed with water from the Delaware River and shipped by rail to farming regions. Bus stop (talk) 13:59, 15 October 2013 (UTC)

If they were simply abstracting water from the river, they wouldn't need to build a pipeline 1500 ft out into the water to do so - even 20ft would get them plenty clear of the shore and its silt. A long pipeline (but still, not this long) would be appropriate for certain kinds of effluence , but as the pipe doesn't appear to originate in the plant, and there's no sign of a treatment works, that doesn't appear to be the case. -- Finlay McWalterჷTalk 14:28, 15 October 2013 (UTC)

• One end of the pipe connects to a dock that looks suitable for a tanker; the other end connects to a rail spur, and down the rail track you can see numerous tanker cars. So it looks like the purpose is to allow transfer of some sort of liquid between a ship and a railroad. There are also a number of large storage tanks nearby that might come into play. Looie496 (talk) 16:35, 15 October 2013 (UTC)

I think it is logical to consider that there may be transfer in both directions in what may be multiple pipes. The river is a source of large quantities of water. Ships may supply ingredients for the chemical factory. The piping may run underground from approximately the point of the railway siding to the factory. Effluent from the factory may also be discharged into the river. Both railroad tanker cars and holding tanks on the ship may hold mixtures of river water and chemicals. This may make sense for "crop care" products. Tanker truck trailers can also be seen. Thus the movement of large volumes of liquid would seem to be important to this operation. Bus stop (talk) 17:41, 15 October 2013 (UTC)

• My expert complains the eastern terminus is not visible, but says "When pipe lines, for distribution, cross streams and roadways, they are required to be encased. The encasement is vented for purposes of leak detection as well as relief of gasses as well as ground water leaking into the encasement. This line could be for oil or gasoline, or gas. There are several industries in the vicinity. There are DuPont, Atlantic Electric, Mannington Mills, as well as South Jersey Gas and PSE&G." μηδείς (talk) 21:13, 15 October 2013 (UTC)

Thanx for the expert's opinion. 76.117.247.55 (talk) 04:50, 16 October 2013 (UTC)

What do you do with model cars?

I have acquired a lot over the years (still in the box) and want to get rid of them now (it's a space thing). This now leaves the dilemma of how? Who takes these things? I've been thinking about ebay or the reward board but it's a lot of hassle and waiting. Are there specialist places that take them does anyone know? I'm in England. Thanks ツ Jenova20 ^(email) 14:35, 15 October 2013 (UTC)

Model cars as in Matchbox cars? Or plastic models? If the former, then there may be a collector near you that would take them off your hands and I'd check with local hobby stores and toy stores to find that collector. There may be a market for the latter but I'm less sure of that. Dismas|^(talk) 16:14, 15 October 2013 (UTC)

In the US various local shipping businesses will list items for you at ebay and do the shipping if they sell. The one I use charges a 27% commission. They do all the work, I simply drop the item off and recollect it if it doesn't sell, in which case there's no fee. μηδείς (talk) 16:21, 15 October 2013 (UTC)

Landfill is the best place for them. Put them all in the trash. Bible. 1 Corinthians 13: But when I grew up, I put away childish things. These are no more that temptations to beguile children into consumerism. Enough said.? Why even consider passing this sickness of mammon on to others? Is it so that you might find some financial gain, with the least amount of effort on your part by getting others to off load them on to innocents? Be away with them - forever. --Aspro (talk) 16:34, 15 October 2013 (UTC)

Thus increasing the market value for those who don't throw them away. ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 04:59, 16 October 2013 (UTC)

Some years ago there was quite a collector's market in diecast model vehicles, such as Dinky, Corgi and Matchbox brands. I remember reading about some prices in excess of £100. There are magazines available for enthusiasts: Diecast Collector (magazine) and Diecast Model World which might carry adverts for the kind of specialists you are seeking. Astronaut (talk) 17:42, 15 October 2013 (UTC)

Why not pop into your local W. H. Smith and buy this magazine which is sure to have people looking to buy your cars. Richard Avery (talk) 21:17, 15 October 2013 (UTC)

From the same website, see also the list of specialist auctions that might prove to be more profitable. Alansplodge (talk) 07:31, 16 October 2013 (UTC)

They're diecast scale models mostly of the Maisto brand. I wanted a cheap hobby so that's what i started to collect. I don't think they're worth much at all but they take up space and i'd rather sell them or give them away than bin them. Thanks ツ Jenova20 ^(email) 08:21, 16 October 2013 (UTC)

Your local charity shop would be very pleased to have them - most of the big charities have an expert on call who can tell the staff whether they're worth sending to auction or just putting on sale in their shop. Alansplodge (talk) 18:24, 16 October 2013 (UTC)

There would certainly be a market for them on eBay.    → Michael J Ⓣ Ⓒ Ⓜ 13:46, 17 October 2013 (UTC)

I wanted to avoid ebay, but it appears to be my biggest market... Thanks for the replies guys. There's some very useful ideas there for when i've made a decision ツ Jenova20 ^(email) 14:19, 17 October 2013 (UTC)

Quote

Can someone confirm who said this quote: I dance much better horizontally than vertically. ? I find it extremely funny, weird and I cannot remember where I hear it or read it. Miss Bono ^{[hello, hello!]} 18:34, 15 October 2013 (UTC)

Robert Frost said "Dancing is a vertical expression of a horizontal desire". Is that what you're thinking of? Rojomoke (talk) 18:57, 15 October 2013 (UTC)

Kind of, but I exactly heard "I dance much better horizontally than vertically." Miss Bono ^{[hello, hello!]} 19:07, 15 October 2013 (UTC)

Bono at a tender age practicing horizontal dancing.

I know you have limited internet access, but there are many websites that attribute the quote to Bono: "Interviewer: Do you consider yourself a good dancer, Bono? Bono: I dance much better horizontally than vertically." Probably inspired by the Robert Frost quote. --NorwegianBlue ^talk 19:57, 15 October 2013 (UTC)

@NorwegianBlue: Yes, I have limited Internet access and I must have read it while I was at school and I had more access, I wasn't sure it was Bono, hence I asked here. Do you have a link to the interview?... Jesus, the man has weird thoughts. Is that about what I am thinking about that's about? Miss Bono ^{[hello, hello!]} 20:01, 15 October 2013 (UTC)

Agree with answers above, it looks like Bono just used the quote in an updated modernized way. Here is a message board from 2002 attributing the exact wording to Bono. ^{Market St.⧏} _{⧐ Diamond Way} 20:05, 15 October 2013 (UTC)

This is the last of several sites I checked, which presented it in the form of an interview. None of the sources I found would qualify as reliable sources, though. Mostly fan sites. Reagarding the meaning: the term probably refers to break dancing^note, see illustration (what exactly did you have in mind? ) --NorwegianBlue ^talk 20:52, 15 October 2013 (UTC) note: Yes. A feeble attempt at a joke.

Horizontal dancing is sex, people. It's seeeex. μηδείς (talk) 21:03, 15 October 2013 (UTC)

Yes, I was guessing the quote was about that. You just have to watch Bono's dancing in several music videos... So Medeis is that a polite way to say that someone is better lover than dancer? Miss Bono ^{[hello, hello!]} 12:37, 16 October 2013 (UTC)

I want to know what "seeeex" is, compared to just the "sex" thing, lol. ^{Market St.⧏} _{⧐ Diamond Way} 22:22, 15 October 2013 (UTC)

It's from the famous ending of Sexylent Green. μηδείς (talk) 22:51, 15 October 2013 (UTC)

Related to books

Something related to nose: nasal. Something related to Bible: biblical. Something related to mouth: oral. Similarly, what will something related to books be? Say I was to use it in a sentence that went "She is into <something related to book> nomenclature." - meaning that said person is interested in the way books are titled/named. What would the missing word be? La Alquimista 20:18, 15 October 2013 (UTC)

book-all it sounds funny in Spanish because it sounds like the word bucal which translates to oral in English. And has a hidden meaning in English because if you look at it from another perspective it says all about books. :D Sorry I don't know any word for it. Miss Bono ^{[hello, hello!]} 20:22, 15 October 2013 (UTC)

The word buccal exists in English, but it's only used in science and medicine. Can you guess what Dai mi bachi! means? μηδείς (talk) 00:31, 16 October 2013 (UTC)

Which language μηδείς? Miss Bono ^{[hello, hello!]} 12:33, 16 October 2013 (UTC)

Ruthenian. My grandmother (who lived with us for a while) used to say it when I arrived and left. I used to tease her that she didn't realize she was speaking Spanish. μηδείς (talk) 16:06, 16 October 2013 (UTC)

Medeis I don't know what it means. Miss Bono ^{[hello, hello!]} 16:52, 16 October 2013 (UTC)

"Dai mi bachi" means "Dame besos" μηδείς (talk) 17:00, 16 October 2013 (UTC)

How is that Spanish... pronunciation? Miss Bono ^{[hello, hello!]} 17:04, 16 October 2013 (UTC)

Yes, you would pronounce dai mi bachi just like you would if it were written in Spanish. Or like "dye me botchy" if it were English. This is no big deal, just something the word "bookal" reminded me of. Mommom would also tell me to buy a "sibulia", which is a "cebolla". μηδείς (talk) 18:01, 16 October 2013 (UTC)

Now I am curious about your Spanish pronunciation Miss Bono ^{[hello, hello!]} 18:09, 16 October 2013 (UTC)

I am not saying that they sound exactly the same, just similar, and a lot more than you would expect for a Russian dialect and a Romance Language. i know dai and da are not the same, nor are mi and me, nor are besos and bachi. My own Spanish accent is perfect, I have had Latinos ask me where I am from in Latin America. μηδείς (talk) 18:18, 16 October 2013 (UTC)

Yes, I know you weren't saying that. I was just curious. Sometimes it is funny how native speakers of English pronounce the 'r' and other words and letters. Are you able to say semáforo, I had a Jamaican English professor at school who couldn't say ciudad or semáforo Miss Bono ^{[hello, hello!]} 18:22, 16 October 2013 (UTC)

I usually pronounce my rr the way Puerto Ricans do, that sounds more like jr (hr- in English). I.e., pejro instead of perro. When I was younger, having lived in Texas and worked with Mexicans I had a strong jalado accent, and I had a Mexican who met me at a bar ask me where I came from in Oaxaca. But after 20+ years in NYC I sound more like a Caribbean. Ciudad and semaforo are very easy. μηδείς (talk) 18:38, 16 October 2013 (UTC)

Bibliographical? Closest I can think off. Fgf10 (talk) 20:25, 15 October 2013 (UTC)

Sounds fair. Miss Bono ^{[hello, hello!]} 20:28, 15 October 2013 (UTC)

What about semáforo? Miss Bono ^{[hello, hello!]} 18:40, 16 October 2013 (UTC)

I've heard the term "bookish" before, in your example "She is into bookish nomenclature". ^{Market St.⧏} _{⧐ Diamond Way} 20:32, 15 October 2013 (UTC)

Bookish describes people. There might be a word for a specific context. Otherwise book- or book-related would be used. μηδείς (talk) 21:16, 15 October 2013 (UTC)

"Literary Nomenclature" is what I would use, since "literal" obviously wouldn't fit the meaning. Biggs Pliff (talk) 22:05, 15 October 2013 (UTC)

"Book-related". Clarityfiend (talk) 08:50, 16 October 2013 (UTC)

"She is into the nomenclature of books." --Viennese Waltz 10:12, 16 October 2013 (UTC)

Inflatable Boat

Wondering if anyone knows anywhere I might find one of those self-inflating boats, the ones where you just pull the string and it all pops up by itself? the only ones I've seen are professional grade liferafts for ships, which cost a small fortune, is there anywhere I could get one for cheaper?

Thank you,

213.104.128.16 (talk) 22:16, 15 October 2013 (UTC)

You might find a smaller and hence cheaper one (e.g. for yachts) via a Chandler store, which should be findable via the Internet and/or the usual trade directories in your part of the world. You might widen a search to include terms like marine and yacht supplies. Looking for cheapo sub-standard imitations, assuming they exist, might lead to a tragic scenario. {The poster formerly known as 87.81.230.195} 212.95.237.92 (talk) 12:53, 16 October 2013 (UTC)

Self-inflating liferafts are designed for single use only - that inflation system works only once. So if you were thinking of using one to paddle around the local duck pond, there are far cheaper ways. Roger (Dodger67) (talk) 19:49, 16 October 2013 (UTC)

Are you sure about that ? I can understand that the compressed air tank would need to be refilled, but that's not the same as having to replace the works. StuRat (talk) 20:06, 16 October 2013 (UTC)

Well, our article on lifeboats states that "SOLAS and military regulations require these to be sealed, never opened by the ship's crew; they are removed at a set periodicity (annually on merchant vessels) and sent to a certified facility to open and inspect the liferaft and contents", so they are certainly not designed to be reused (they couldn't be easily reused after a real activation - as the canister which houses them is discarded into the sea. Inflatable liferafts are heavy, bulky, tend to be enclosed and are not generally designed for propulsion or fun. Also, if you are using one at sea you would likely trigger false alerts to the coastguard. Trust me, you do not want to use a liferaft recreationally! Equisetum (talk | contributions) 06:58, 18 October 2013 (UTC)

An Army surplus store might carry this type of thing. They could use those to cross rivers, etc., then sell them off when they get too old, are superseded by new models, etc. StuRat (talk) 20:06, 16 October 2013 (UTC)

An apocryphal story circulating in the UK in the 1980s told how someone bought an inflatable liferaft from a shifty character in a pub, with the thought of using it in the local river. He stored it in his loft, where a leak in the roof one night triggered the inflation mechanism. The owner was awakened by the noise of an RAF Sea King helicopter hovering over his house as the emergency beacon had been activated. Actually, a system that was initiated by a few drops of water would be a distinct liability on a ship, but never let the truth stand in the way of a good story. Alansplodge (talk) 09:08, 18 October 2013 (UTC)

Jedburghs

Did Jedburghs actively participate in Resistance actions (ambushes, raids, sabotage, etc.), or did they only communicate with the SOE to keep the Maquis supplied? I remember reading that Nancy Wake actively joined in the fighting, but I don't know if this was the rule or the exception. Thanks in advance! 24.23.196.85 (talk) 23:16, 15 October 2013 (UTC)

"The Jeds were a part of the Special Operations Executive (SOE), however their role was strictly paramilitary and in contrast to SOE's established role this did not include any element of espionage. As a consequence all the teams went into action wearing their military uniforms, but in the event of their capture they could expect similar treatment to that of spies." [2] Alansplodge (talk) 18:35, 16 October 2013 (UTC)

Which means that they took part in fighting, but not in spying -- is that correct? 24.23.196.85 (talk) 05:28, 17 October 2013 (UTC)

Well in the specific case cited in the link above, yes, because they became embroiled in the Battle of Arnhem. However, the thrust of that article is that their role was liaison and communication rather than combat. Alansplodge (talk) 08:53, 18 October 2013 (UTC)