Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Miscellaneous/2012 April 27

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April 27

Viewing deleted page?

So, there used to be a page called "Unwinnable" that I liked to read. It apparently got deleted, so would I be able to get my mouse on an old revision? I know deleted pages are only accessible to administrators, but maybe I could request an old revision? 71.203.198.149 (talk) 03:30, 27 April 2012 (UTC)

The article exists currently as a wp:redirect to the article No-win situation. You can see the revision history at [1]. The last non-redirect revision can be seen here. Is this what you were looking for? Buddy431 (talk) 04:14, 27 April 2012 (UTC)

You may also be interested in the TV tropes page for the same concept, since their articles always list plenty of examples. --Tyrannus Mundi (talk) 12:20, 1 May 2012 (UTC)

This is exactly what I was looking for. Thanks a lot, Buddy431! 71.203.198.149 (talk) 14:41, 2 May 2012 (UTC)

Mysterious firefighting equipment

What is this thing? It's clearly some sort of piece of firefighting equipment, but I can't find anything else about it on the website. It seems to be a giant turbine fan on a set of caterpillar tracks - what would such a thing be used for? Clearing smoke? There seems to be some sort of fitting for a hose on the side as well. Smurrayinchester 09:17, 27 April 2012 (UTC)

It's a remote-control firefighting vehicle - the turbine is apparently used to blow water form a hose in a wide stream onto the fire. See a demonstration video on youtube here. The manufacturer calls it a "high speed mist fan" on the English version of their website -- Ferkelparade π 09:30, 27 April 2012 (UTC)

(edit conflict):It is a LUF 60 remote-controlled fire-support vehicle.[2] It can spray atomized water up to 60m or foam to 35m. ---— Gadget850 (Ed) ^talk 09:34, 27 April 2012 (UTC)

Specifically, it is a Rechners Luf 60. See link, and tab at top. Benyoch^{...Don't panic! Don't panic!...} (talk) 09:39, 27 April 2012 (UTC)

Ah, thanks, both of you! I hadn't twigged that LUF 60 was the name of the vehicle - I thought it was just a serial number or similar. Smurrayinchester 09:43, 27 April 2012 (UTC)

Clutch wheelies

Unless Im mistaken, one way of popping a wheelie on a motorcycle is to accelerate and then press the clutch lever (that is to disengage it). Why does this work? How does disengaging the clutch which means "disconnecting" the engine from the wheels cause the motorcycle to lift? --TuringMachine17 (talk) 21:36, 27 April 2012 (UTC)

I think you are mistaken. From wheelie: "Clutch wheelies are performed by disengaging the clutch and opening the throttle to let the engine race and then engaging the clutch abruptly." -- emphasis mine. SemanticMantis (talk) 22:05, 27 April 2012 (UTC)

A SPECIAL RECIPE FOF GINR MEMOSA

I AM MISSING ONE OR TWO COMPONENTS OF THIS "MEMOSA LIKE" RECIPE I WROTE DOWN AND NOW CAN'T FIND IT. IT IS OJ, CHAMPAGNE, SPLASH OF GIN, A RED LIQUEUR ( THAT STARTS WITH AN "P" LIKE PARA-SOMETHING ) & MAYBE ONE MORE INGREDIENT.

THANKS FOUR TIDES — Preceding unsigned comment added by HYPPER UNIT (talk • contribs) 21:39, 27 April 2012 (UTC)

Perhaps Peychaud's Bitters is the red liquid? It's not really a liqueur (it's a bitters), but it would probably work in that arrangement. --Mr.98 (talk) 21:54, 27 April 2012 (UTC)

(edit conflict) Prunell is a liqueur made from sloe berries, similar to sloe gin. See [3]. It can be red, depending on the specific brand. There's also a pomegranate liqueur named PAMA which is also distinctly red. There are lots of cocktail databases out there. Type "drink recipe" or "mixology" or "cocktail database" into google, and you're likely to find something. As an aside, please don't type in all caps. Anywhere on the internet, typing in all caps is considered screaming, and is thus rude. Also, you need to actually type four of the tilde character to sign your post, not the words "four tildes". Like this: ~~~~ --Jayron32 21:58, 27 April 2012 (UTC)

I'm thinking Campari. It doesn't start with 'p' but it does sound like "para-something" and is often found with fizzy and/or citrus-y drinks. Orange Suede Sofa (talk) 22:00, 27 April 2012 (UTC)

Doesn't fit the word at all, but I'd bet a dash of Creme de cassis would fit that recipe well--Jac16888 ^Talk 22:06, 27 April 2012 (UTC)

Does the recipe for a Le Perroquet here look familiar? If so, Orange Suede Sofa's suggestion of Campari was correct, and the "para-" you were thinking of was probably the name of the cocktail rather than the name of an ingredient. Deor (talk) 05:42, 28 April 2012 (UTC)