Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Miscellaneous/2009 July 3

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July 3

What kind of hat is this (person in front of picture) and who's that person in the picture behind him ?

Pretty much self-explanatory. He's the lead singer of Laibach, which is Slovenian (the person in front of picture), if that helps.

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1328/1430229060_e7a28a7e6a.jpg —Preceding unsigned comment added by Rachmaninov Khan (talk • contribs) 01:12, 3 July 2009 (UTC)

Is the person in the picture Patriarch Kirill I of Moscow? The headgear appears to be identical. Not sure what the headgear is called (neither the Patriarch's nor the singer's). Tempshill (talk) 04:46, 3 July 2009 (UTC)

The religious person is wearing a "patriarchal white koukoulion" according to Religious_habit. Rmhermen (talk) 05:03, 3 July 2009 (UTC)

The singer seems to wear a headgear modeled somewhat after this one [1] 71.236.26.74 (talk) 06:18, 3 July 2009 (UTC)

The man in the picture would be Kirill's predecessor, Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow. 198.161.238.18 (talk) 20:10, 3 July 2009 (UTC)

The hat looks like a pretty standard Do-rag with the side wings left untied. --Jayron32.talk.contribs 20:59, 3 July 2009 (UTC)

Hairband

Is the thing in the girl's hair (a rubber band with two beads) as shown in this http://animea.net/images/db/41/card-captor-sakura-wallpaper-02.jpg picture, what they call a Love-In_Tokyo?? What is it called anyway?? 117.194.232.129 (talk) 07:22, 3 July 2009 (UTC)

When I grew up they were called "cherry hair ties" or "hair tie cherries". These day "pony tail ties" or "bobble hair ties" seems to be used, at least by some Chinese manufacturers (ghits). 71.236.26.74 (talk) 07:46, 3 July 2009 (UTC)

They were bobbles when I grew up in Australia in the 1980s. Steewi (talk) 04:56, 6 July 2009 (UTC)

Is there such a thing as "mephitoline" or "oil of scallatine"

In the Pratchett novel The Truth Angua von Überwald is stopped with a Mephitic substance called "oil of scallatine". Googling revealed some sources using an alternative description "Mephitoline" equally unknown to wikipedia's chemistry. Is there a substance that was identified somewhere (maybe by Pratchett himself?) as the origin for these smelly materials?71.236.26.74 (talk) 07:35, 3 July 2009 (UTC)

L-space, which as we all know is infinite, must doubtless contain the answer - as indeed it does. Maybe. They identify possible real-world equivalents, which would lead me to believe it's not a real substance, but make no mention of any real-world inspiration. Vimescarrot (talk) 08:12, 3 July 2009 (UTC)

Many thanks for that link. I hope I won't get lost like some visitors to the Unseen University library. 71.236.26.74 (talk) 09:07, 3 July 2009 (UTC)

No idea but could the linguistic origin or inspiration of this made up word be related to Skatole a real chemical.83.100.250.79 (talk) 17:00, 4 July 2009 (UTC)

Thanks for finding that one. Smells like a likely candidate :-).71.236.26.74 (talk) 13:42, 5 July 2009 (UTC)

Isocyanide has been suggested as a real-world equivalent : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isocyanide#Odor.

Numbered cards higher than 10

Are there any French-suited card games which use numbered cards higher than 10? --88.78.12.81 (talk) 12:20, 3 July 2009 (UTC)

The French tarot uses the standard French suits plus a numbered trump suit which goes from 1 to 21 , but I can't think of any that use just the standard suits. Most games that require higher numbers combine packs and/or assign higher values to specific cards. Fouracross (talk) 12:52, 3 July 2009 (UTC)

Intrigued by the question, I went for a quick search and uncovered this image of the 11 of hearts on Commons (from the description it appears that this one is a "proof of concept" rather than currently used in any games). Fouracross (talk) 13:14, 3 July 2009 (UTC)

What's about the Australian six-player card game of 500? --88.78.12.81 (talk) 12:56, 3 July 2009 (UTC)

Indeed: [2], though I think that was originally played with additional cards from another pack with a trumping system (so the latter player had the advantage when two identical cards were played). Fouracross (talk) 13:14, 3 July 2009 (UTC)

Are there any French-suited card games which use black 13's or numbered cards higher than 13? --88.78.12.81 (talk) 13:31, 3 July 2009 (UTC)

I can find 11's, but no 12's or red 13's on Wikimedia Commons. Please upload the missing cards to Wikimedia Commons. --88.78.12.81 (talk) 14:09, 3 July 2009 (UTC)

Morphing

I was looking for a software something like they would use at a plastic surgeon's office when they take a nose or eyes from one picture and add it to another, or combine the two pictures to make one with new features. I am not sure what that is called or if it is ossible to do this? I tried using morpheus morph and a couple other morphing programs but they just play a movie of one picture after another, they don't actually combine the two photos. Does anybody have any idea what kind of tecnology or sftware this is and if it is available?

Identikit? Not software. I think you could use Photoshop or GIMP. 89.240.59.254 (talk) 14:36, 3 July 2009 (UTC)

I always assumed the "software" shown doing this in TV shows like Nip/Tuck was fake, and that the clever merged images you see around the Web are the result of skilled artists using Photoshop. Tempshill (talk) 20:46, 3 July 2009 (UTC)

For changing particular features of a face, with a bit of work you can get incredibly accurate pictures using applications like the ones from Flashface or Veer, although I don't think you could load a particular face into either of those apps. For averaging two pictures, try Faceresearch or Morpher 3.0, both of which do let you load your own pictures to play with. 152.16.16.75 (talk) 00:03, 4 July 2009 (UTC)

Babymaker will combine two complete faces and make it younger (so you can see what your child will look like) but it does not seem to allow for adding different body parts. There is a specialist program for plastic surgeons, advertised for only $1295. You could try cutting out the part you want and positioning it on a transparent base, and morphing those together? - KoolerStill (talk) 11:03, 4 July 2009 (UTC)

If you just want to cut out part of one image and paste that into another Adobe Photoshop will do that. For putting two different halves together from two different pictures look at the "stitch" function that comes with your digital camera software (Photoshop does that, too, but more expensively and more complicated.) If you want to combine two images you can copy them onto two different layers in Photoshop and then use filters to combine them. (cumbersome)71.236.26.74 (talk) 18:31, 4 July 2009 (UTC)

Starting a new article

I would like to start a new article on the Three Dimensional Black Board. I was concerned that it might be a COI and was referred to Requested Article. I'm not sure what category to put the request in, as it is both an educational tool and a sophisticated scientific instrument. I have been ponderinng this for quite some time, and seem to have reached an impasse. I am sure that this would be a notable topic, and a valuable addition to the encyclopedia. If I can get someone to start the article, I am sure I can provide the necessary references and details without using Original Research. Any ideas?Phineas J. Whoopee (talk) 13:07, 3 July 2009 (UTC)

You might want to put the bones of the article together at Wikipedia:Articles for creation. Alternatively, list the subject at plural categories. --Tagishsimon (talk) 14:36, 3 July 2009 (UTC)

If you have a business relationship to a company that makes or sells such things - then you should probably just drop a brief note at Wikipedia:Articles for creation - indicating any possible web pages where further information might be found and explaining why you think the subject matter is notable...you can refer to our WP:NOTE guidelines to help you with defending that position. The people at 'articles for creation' there are pretty good at understanding what makes a notable subject and they'll get the article started if the subject turns out to be notable - and to have adequate reference material to get a 'stub' article written. If you have a conflict of interest then you need to be super-careful about what you write. In fact, you should probably hold off from editing the article at all and confine yourself to providing information and references on the article's associated Talk: page. SteveBaker (talk) 14:49, 3 July 2009 (UTC)

90.1 in Austin TX

There is a radio station in Austin, Texas on 90.1 FM that is end-to-end rabid ultra-conservative talk-radio stuff - interspersed with adverts for all kinds of survivalist gear and alternative healthcare junk like silver colloids. I don't ever hear a station ID's from them (which I think is illegal) - and they don't seem to match with any of the Texas stations listed in our 90.1 list. I pick them up when driving from San Antonio, San Angelo or Arlington, TX - all of which have NPR stations on 90.1...as their signals fade out, this weird station fades in...although it's quite low power. Is this some kind of pirate station? SteveBaker (talk) 15:20, 3 July 2009 (UTC)

Could it be "American Freedom Radio" [3]? I found it linked from "vote rescue" in Austin, who mentioned that they broadcast on 90.1 FM. Seems to be conspiracy theories/libertarianism/alternative medicine woo. Fribbler (talk) 16:54, 3 July 2009 (UTC)

Ah! Thanks - that must be it. It makes hilarious listening if you don't take it seriously. They pick up on the tiniest thing and blow it up to amazing conspiracy theories. I'll add them to the 90.1 article. SteveBaker (talk) 17:33, 3 July 2009 (UTC)

Is it a licensed broadcast station, and if so what are the call letters? I do not want to explore their website, due to the possibility of malware. Edison (talk) 17:36, 3 July 2009 (UTC)

This is interesting, although it's two years old, so probably doesn't apply any longer. This doesn't show any stations in Austin at 90.1. And this doesn't show any stations at 90.1. This talks about "VoteRescue Radio can be heard on the radio in the Austin area at 90.1 FM" but the link to http://www.wtprn.com/ shows that they are off the air. Who then was a gentleman? (talk) 19:17, 3 July 2009 (UTC)

The "American Freedom Radio" site mourns the loss of WTPRN, and seems to suggest it has inherited the same looney causes and shows. Fribbler (talk) 19:45, 3 July 2009 (UTC)

The content of the "America Freedom Radio" site is almost identical to the WTPRN site - but WTPRN can't be the correct/legal call letters because FM stations in Texas all start with a 'K'.

So you parallel libertarianism with alternative medicine and conspiracy theories. Not POV by any standards, right?--WaltCip (talk) 19:56, 3 July 2009 (UTC)

No, it's just the station's themes. It could have been vegetarianism, pacifism, fascism, and holocaust denial. It's just what they do. I pass no judgement on any connection. Merely descriptive: look at the site. Fribbler (talk) 21:02, 3 July 2009 (UTC)

"WTPRN" does not sound like the call letters of a licensed FM broadcast station in the U.S., due to its having more than 4 letters. Edison (talk) 04:29, 4 July 2009 (UTC)

The 'W' stands for "We" - as in "We the people radio network" - the fact that it sounds like a call-sign may be just a coincidence. In the southern US, FM radio stations all have call-signs that start with a 'K'. SteveBaker (talk) 04:52, 4 July 2009 (UTC)

Western. With a very few exceptions, US broadcast station call signs are "W" for stations east of the Mississippi and "W" for west, and they have three or four letters. The Austin station sounds like a pirate to me; and its web page supports that suspicion. PhGustaf (talk) 07:13, 4 July 2009 (UTC)

Note that PhGustaf meant to write "K" for west. John M Baker (talk) 01:24, 5 July 2009 (UTC)

Very low power FM stations are allowed for community groups, subject to a licence to ensure they don't interfere with their neighbours and don't exceed their equipment levels (100 watts, with a reference distance of 5.6 miles). An organisation with numerous branches may have a separate station for each branch, thereby vastly increasing their coverage. Tourist information services use these in many places. On campus radios need no licence.This FCC Document gives more very technical details. I can't see anything about compulsory call signs.- KoolerStill (talk) 11:25, 4 July 2009 (UTC)

I am aware of that. But, according to its web page, this station sells advertising, and I don't think LPFM stations are allowed to do that. PhGustaf (talk) 15:02, 4 July 2009 (UTC)

Yeah - there is certainly LOTS of advertising. (Very bizarre - and somewhat troubling advertising - "When the Obama new world order takes over and you and your family are denied food - you'll need to plant seeds to grow food - don't buy those genetically modified seeds - get our "traditional" seeds that are canned so they'll be fresh and ready to plant when you truly need them"). SteveBaker (talk) 16:47, 5 July 2009 (UTC)

There's a huxter born every minute. So what's the range of this station? Does it even cover a single county? Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots 10:15, 6 July 2009 (UTC)

It's hard to tell what the range is - I can't figure out where the transmitter is - and I'm really not going to drive around in circles of increasing radius in the hope of finding the limits. I get it pretty clearly in downtown Austin - and it's faded out completely by the North side of Round Rock...so I believe it's at least a 20 mile radius. SteveBaker (talk) 02:52, 7 July 2009 (UTC)

Identify this old marine toilet

I've sailed on various boats over the years, and between all of them there's only about four kinds of toilet in common use. However, looking through some adverts for boats for sale, I've come across a model that's radically different from anything I've ever seen before. It's a long shot, but can anyone shed any light on this strange old marine toilet? 93.97.184.230 (talk) 19:40, 3 July 2009 (UTC)

There appears to be a manufacturer's logo of some kind on the front of the thing. Your photo isn't high enough resolution for us to be able to read it. Do you have a higher resolution photo someplace? Alternatively, can you get back to it and let us know exactly what it says? SteveBaker (talk) 04:16, 4 July 2009 (UTC)

The picture is from an online advert - I haven't seen it in person - so the answer is "no" to both questions. I too saw the logo, but absent Hollywood spy film "enhancement" technology I don't think there's enough information there to extract anything useful. 93.97.184.230 (talk) 09:01, 4 July 2009 (UTC)

Once a Marine toilet, always a Marine toilet. Semper Flush! Edison (talk) 04:26, 4 July 2009 (UTC)

It seems to be an old vacuum head. The black handle on the lid is the pump handle. The pump in the bell creates a vacuum in the bowl. Seawater is drawn in and then flushed into the bilge tank on top of which the head is apparently mounted. [4]. Odd looking indeed. 71.236.26.74 (talk) 17:44, 4 July 2009 (UTC)