Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Miscellaneous/2010 March 11

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.

March 11

Question on a Citation Style

I was wondering if anyone could help me. Is there an English citation style which combines in-text references consisting of the author's name plus a superscript number with full citations in the endnotes? In other words, the in-text reference might look like (Smith, Johnson ³), and it would correspond to entry number 3 in the citation endnotes. Paul Davidson (talk) 07:55, 11 March 2010 (UTC)

I believe that manylegal citation systems work like this. I know that at leas the Australian Guide to Legal Citation does.Jabberwalkee (talk) 08:54, 12 March 2010 (UTC)

Thanks, that's much appreciated. Paul Davidson (talk) 10:09, 12 March 2010 (UTC)

Hierachicise?

Is there a verb which means "to place in a hierachy"? I've never heard of "to hierachise" or "to hierachicise". "To tree" sounds quite nice. The specific context I am working in is describing file structures. You can search, link and tag or you can... Yaris678 (talk) 09:38, 11 March 2010 (UTC)

My Webster's (US spelling, obviously) says "hierarchize". ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 09:43, 11 March 2010 (UTC)

And by the way, the original meaning of "hierarchy" is "sacred ruler/leader", going back to a Greek word. It traditionally means an order of angels. That's something Mike Scioscia fills out every day. A related word is "hieroglyph", which means "sacred carving", referring to ancient Egyptian writing, or your doctor's handwriting. ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 09:48, 11 March 2010 (UTC)

I do not find Hierachicise in ANY English dictionary. HeirarchizeHierarchize is found[1] in a small (6) number of dictionaries. corrected Cuddlyable3 (talk) 10:52, 12 March 2010 (UTC)

It turns up (with both an 's' and a 'z') in the online version of the concise OED. But since this is technical writing, and its meaning will be clear, I think you'd be safe to use it, regardless. 131.111.248.99 (talk) 10:47, 11 March 2010 (UTC)

You're missing an "r" in Hierachicise and you said "Heirarchize" but linked to "hierarchize". --Sean 22:08, 11 March 2010 (UTC)

The verb "unflatten" seems to be used in jargon senses[2][3][4]. This makes sense because "flatten" is to reduce or remove hierarchy, particularly in data-tree/directory contexts. --Normansmithy (talk) 12:53, 11 March 2010 (UTC)

Basic occupational safety and health training course

What would be the reason for attending the basic occupational safety and health (BOSH?)-Out of scope question by an IP at Commons, so not sure of the country or context this is asked in. Thanks in advance.KTo288 (talk) 10:25, 11 March 2010 (UTC)

See the article Occupational safety and health. The goal of all occupational health and safety programs is to foster a safe work environment.Cuddlyable3 (talk) 10:28, 11 March 2010 (UTC)

Also, on a purely pragmatic level, appointment or promotion to various posts in many companies requires formal BOSH qualifications. 87.81.230.195 (talk) 16:02, 11 March 2010 (UTC)

Practically, such a course points out to the trainee what their rights and responsibilities are in relation to health and safety. Reminds them to follow good health and safety practices. Introduces them to the health and safety structure of the workplace - for example who to talk to first about health and safety problems or questions. --Polysylabic Pseudonym (talk) 11:24, 16 March 2010 (UTC)

entertainment/games

are activision xbox360 games multiregion? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 89.211.200.240 (talk) 11:17, 11 March 2010 (UTC)

Don't know about companies, but if you were after some specific games, then this thread claims to list all multiregion Xbox and Xbox360 games. It was written in 2006, but the thread is still being posted on in 2010...The main post was last updated in 2008. I imagine if you asked there, those people might be able to help you. Vimescarrot (talk) 12:59, 11 March 2010 (UTC)

Oh, excellent - this one even has a talk page - a list from Wikia Gaming. My searches would seem to indicate that companies don't decide, as a whole, whether or not to region lock games - it's a game-by-game decision. I could be wrong, that's just how it seems. Vimescarrot (talk) 13:02, 11 March 2010 (UTC)

(I'm a game developer) Often it depends on the game content. For example, it's illegal to sell games that show blood or Nazi symbols in Germany. If your game has that stuff in it, you'll generally have to use region locking to keep the game out of Germany and make a special version for sale in Germany (typically using green "ectoplasm" as a stand-in for the blood and other art changes to keep any undesirable symbols out of the game). It's also possible that Microsoft, Nintendo or SONY might lay some requirement on you to region lock for deep, dark mysterious reasons known only to themselves. Also, if you had to buy rights to music or characters or movie rights or something - then those licenses will typically only apply to a certain set of regions - so again, you'll have to lock the game. SteveBaker (talk) 03:11, 12 March 2010 (UTC)

Dentists and orthodontists

What is the difference between dentists and orthodontists? Chevymontecarlo. 13:04, 11 March 2010 (UTC)

Have you looked at the cleverly titled dentistry and orthodontics. I think you'll find your answer there. Richard Avery (talk) 13:44, 11 March 2010 (UTC)

Neither of which is actually so titled. Sorry, but ...  :) -- Jack of Oz ... speak! ... 20:36, 11 March 2010 (UTC)

Don't ever apologise for being a pedant Jack, some of my best friends is pedants. Richard Avery (talk) 07:16, 12 March 2010 (UTC)

Put simply: Dentists treat tooth disease and tooth disorders. Orthodontists work on tooth and jaw alignment (braces, etc.). As with any set of related professions there is some overlap in definition, especially since orthodontics is considered a sub-set/specialty of dentistry. --Mr.98 (talk) 16:55, 11 March 2010 (UTC)

From Wiley's Dictionary: "Overbite: n. Something your dentist notices in your child's mouth, just before he remodels his office." ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 22:19, 11 March 2010 (UTC)

Wow, I am so stupid sometimes. I often wonder whether I'm actually intelligent enough to edit articles and help people on Wikipedia! Chevymontecarlo. 18:53, 11 March 2010 (UTC)

We here at the reference desk resemble that remark. Bus stop (talk) 18:56, 11 March 2010 (UTC)

I wouldn't edit any encyclopedia that would have me as a member! -- Coneslayer (talk) 19:05, 11 March 2010 (UTC)

"Too stupid to edit"? Ha! That never stopped anyone else! (Me included.) 0:) ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 22:21, 11 March 2010 (UTC)

Dorothy: How can you talk if you haven't got a brain?

Scarecrow: I don't know... But some people without brains do an awful lot of talking... don't they?

--Mr.98 (talk) 22:40, 11 March 2010 (UTC)

Dentists are doctors who diagnose and treat diseases and conditions of the oral cavity (such as those of the teeth, gums, palate and tongue) and related structures (lips, muscles of mastication, TMJs, etc.). Some dentists specialize in a smaller, more concentrated area of training, such as endodontists (who generally limit their practice to root canal therapy), orthodontists (who generally limit their practice to treating malocclusion with the use of orthodontic braces and other similar apparatuses), periodontists (who generally limit their practice to treating diseases of the gums and perform gum surgery and place implants). There are other specialties, and you can ask directly on my talk page if you'd like further elaboration. So, to be precise, an orthodontist is a dentist but a dentist is not necessarily an orthodontist. And whereas there are no regulations in the United States, for example, forbidding a general dentist from performing orthodontic work, one who does will in general be much less familiar with the procedures and will be held to the level of a specialist in case of a malpractice suit. DRosenbach ^{(Talk | Contribs)} 00:59, 12 March 2010 (UTC)

Unable to find article about Mephenesin

Dear sir or madam,

I cannot find pharmacology information about Mephenesin, a muscle relaxant. Could you please add this article in your website? 115.178.25.154 (talk) 14:08, 11 March 2010 (UTC)

You may want to check our page on Mephenesin? Coreycubed (talk) 14:14, 11 March 2010 (UTC)

To clarify, that is just a stub, so we are still in need of a proper article. StuRat (talk) 14:47, 11 March 2010 (UTC)

European lotteries

Dear Sir/Madame, My question is: As european citizen which European Lotto & Lotteries I am eligible to play ? —Preceding unsigned comment added by Osfpkassos (talk • contribs) 19:24, 11 March 2010 (UTC)

I'd be rather surprised if they exclude anyone based on nationality, as the more people play, the more money the lotteries make. StuRat (talk) 20:06, 11 March 2010 (UTC)

This is believable - I'm pretty sure I remember there being a story relatively recently about people flocking to Italy (I believe) to buy tickets because the prize had 'rolled over' repeatedly. 131.111.248.99 (talk) 21:38, 11 March 2010 (UTC)

If you have received an advert trying to convince you to buy European lottery tickets, don't send any money. It is an Internet scam. 310exit (talk) 20:56, 11 March 2010 (UTC)

If I buy a lottery ticket here in the US, I'm not asked to prove my citizenship. I would imagine that in Europe, the same would be true especially because the borders are even more porous. Dismas|^(talk) 21:51, 11 March 2010 (UTC)

I would think that the various lotteries have their rules posted somewhere, which should be consulted before "investing" in a lottery (i.e. helping make someone else rich). Contests sponsored by companies as marketing gimmicks typically have rules forbidding anyone connected with the company from participating. I could imagine that employees of lottery administrators, and their families, would be similarly barred from playing. And for whatever reason, it's always possible a given lottery might have other restrictions on who can play. For example, if "Powerball" has an official website, which I would expect them to, they probably have the rules somewhere on it. ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 22:14, 11 March 2010 (UTC)

The important question is not whether you are eligible play - it's whether you're allowed to collect the money if you win. In the UK lottery, you either have to be physically present at a retailer who sells tickets - or you have to have a UK bank account. The French, Spanish and Italian "Loto" web sites specifically state that foreigners are welcome to play and to collect prizes. The German lottery site doesn't say you CAN'T play and collect winnings - so I presume it's OK there too. At this point I got bored - so if you need to know more - you'll have to type "{somecountry} lottery eligibility" into Google yourself! SteveBaker (talk) 03:01, 12 March 2010 (UTC)

EuroMillions runs in several countries (listed in the article). I'm fairly certain I've seen posters for the Irish Lotto in UK bookmakers too. As User:310exit says, beware of any emails telling you you've won a European lottery, as it may be a lottery scam. AlmostReadytoFly (talk) 09:18, 12 March 2010 (UTC)

The UK national lottery specifies you must be a UK resident to play online, but that appears to be more to do with having a UK bank account with which to pay for tickets and receive prizes. Their terms and conditions don't say anything else about citizenship/residency. I have played other European lotteries (buying tickets at lottery outlets) and won (small) prizes, and have never been asked for any ID when buying a ticket or collecting my prize. Astronaut (talk) 02:18, 13 March 2010 (UTC)

Vampires

Wouldn't it be more helpful if vampires had enlongated two front teeth instead of the canines? My guess you will need to puncture then suck. --Reticuli88 (talk) 19:36, 11 March 2010 (UTC)

Some do from Nosferatu but canines seem to have become more common. meltBanana 19:48, 11 March 2010 (UTC)

I don't think so, incisors are for slicing bits away, the canines are for gripping. This is why cats (both great and small) and dogs (including wolves foxes etc) and snakes have elongated canines rather than incisors.--92.251.227.109 (talk) 19:58, 11 March 2010 (UTC)

This is based on nothing, but I've always imagined that the canines on a vampire are hollow, and they such blood through them. That way they can get a lot of blood without spilling, and it explains why the wounds are so tiny (often they look just two small red circles, like slightly larger snake-bites) Belisarius (talk) 20:07, 11 March 2010 (UTC)

That would require a direct connection between the apex of the canines and the lungs, so as to provide negative pressure for the suction. Unless vampires rely on capillary action. DRosenbach ^{(Talk | Contribs)} 01:02, 12 March 2010 (UTC)

A connection with the mouth would do. Consider how you use a straw. (Can't believe I'm posting in a thread about vampires!) --Anon, 05:12 UTC, March 12, 2010.

Given that vampires are fictional, anything you might imagine has equal validity with anything else. Vampire bats pierce the skin with their teeth, salivate a blood thinner, and lap up the blood. It's insects such as mosquitoes that pierce the skin and drink through their built-in straw. ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 22:06, 11 March 2010 (UTC)

That kind of remark is often made in reply to questions about fiction, but it isn't quite true. There is such a thing as canon (fiction). I could imagine that vampires absorb their victims' blood through their elbows, or use a curly straw and cocktail umbrella, and those ideas would have distinctly less validity than popular concepts of the actions of a vampire. 81.131.52.202 (talk) 10:49, 12 March 2010 (UTC)

There's a vampire canon??? ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 19:13, 12 March 2010 (UTC)

Canines are much wider and bulkier than incisors and have much longer roots -- in fact, they generally possess the greatest root length of any tooth. Because of these characteristics, canines are some of the last teeth remaining after the devastating effects of periodontitis ravage the dentition because average overall bone loss contributes to a smaller bone loss-to-root length ratio for canines. DRosenbach ^{(Talk | Contribs)} 01:05, 12 March 2010 (UTC)

This section could almost be added to the Dentist section above, as it's covering some of the same ground. ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 01:22, 12 March 2010 (UTC)

Not all vampires have fangs. See Tables of vampire traits. Astronaut (talk) 13:08, 12 March 2010 (UTC)

Wow, WHAAAOE. —Tamfang (talk) 22:21, 12 March 2010 (UTC)

"Becomes soggy in milk", haha! I love that article. Adam Bishop (talk) 23:05, 12 March 2010 (UTC)

Whenever I get too smug about how great an encyclopedia edited by anyone is, I like seeing articles like that to reduce my enthusiasm. Count Chocula, Count Duckula... it's at the same time interesting, yet utterly inappropriate. Kind of like a Baseball Bugs comment, only in the form of an ugly-ass table. Matt Deres (talk) 15:17, 13 March 2010 (UTC)

Resources to deal with alcoholics

I'm specifically looking for websites which help teenagers (school-age) deal with alcoholic parents, in the UK. I'm Googling, but my results aren't terrific, so any help would be appreciated. Thanks in advance. Vimescarrot (talk) 21:26, 11 March 2010 (UTC)

You may want to check out our article on the National Association for Children of Alcoholics. Here is NACoA's UK website: [5] Hope this helps. Good luck. Coreycubed (talk) 21:31, 11 March 2010 (UTC)

There is also Al-Anon and Alateen. Marco polo (talk) 01:01, 12 March 2010 (UTC)

Thanks for the links, should be useful. It's for a friend, I'll show her when she comes online tonight. Vimescarrot (talk) 11:44, 12 March 2010 (UTC)