Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Miscellaneous/2012 June 16

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June 16

Maxwell House Coffee Shops of 1930's and 1940's

I cannot find any reference to the fact that almost every city of any size had at least one Maxwell House Coffee Shop by 1940 -- 31 years before StarBucks opened its first coffee shop. The concept was precisely the same as that of Starbucks. The shops were often on a street corner in the downtown business section. Like the famous AutoMats in New York City in the 1940 timeframe, the Maxwell House Coffee Shops vanished from the scene. As a serviceman in World War II, I often had a cup of coffee at the sign of the "cup with the coffee drop falling from it." — Preceding unsigned comment added by 76.103.127.22 (talk) 04:22, 16 June 2012 (UTC)

Are we just talking about the USA here? I've never heard of it. HiLo48 (talk) 07:57, 16 June 2012 (UTC)

Not sure what your question is, but they are not mentioned in our extensive list of coffeehouse chains. Could you be mistaken? (Still, Lyons Corner Houses used to be big in the UK, and they are not in that list either.)--Shantavira|^{feed me} 12:40, 16 June 2012 (UTC)

This short potted history of coffee in America talks about how Howard Johnson's started calling their restaurants “coffee shops” only after WW2. Here's evidence of a pre-war Maxwell House Café, but in Little Rock, Arkansas. There's one in Flat Rock, Illinois. Is it possible that the places you remember were actually called by other names, but they served Maxwell House coffee and had their signs prominently displayed, leading some people to refer to the establishments themselves by that name? -- ♬ Jack of Oz ♬ ^{[your turn]} 02:00, 17 June 2012 (UTC)

Blood types of Japanese politicians

Since blood types are an important part of Japanese society, many celebrities publicize their blood type. But does this also extend to politicians? Do Japanese politicians such as the Prime Minister also disclose their blood types? Do the members of the Imperial family also disclose their blood types? Narutolovehinata5 ^tccsdnew 09:37, 16 June 2012 (UTC)

• Apparently many Japanese people have the absurd nonscientific notion that blood type is associated with personality traits. Does any other nation share this fantasy? Edison (talk) 04:01, 17 June 2012 (UTC)
  • Ha ha! Those silly Japanese! Americans, of course, know that trying to pigeonhole all personality types into the four ABO blood groups is ridiculous; they recognize that it is far more scientific to divide people into twelve groups according to their dates of birth. This more-precise system lets newspaper readers receive carefully-calibrated daily advice about how to live their lives. Hm. TenOfAllTrades(talk) 04:27, 17 June 2012 (UTC)

King Lear Act I scene ii

Gloucester: These late eclipses in the sun and moon portend no good to us: though the wisdom of nature can reason it thus and thus, yet nature finds itself scourged by the sequent effects: love cools, friendship falls off, brothers divide: in cities, mutinies; in countries, discord; in palaces, treason; and the bond cracked ’twixt son and father. This villain of mine comes under the prediction; there’s son against father: the king falls from bias of nature; there’s father against child. We have seen the best of our time: machinations, hollowness, treachery, and all ruinous disorders, follow us disquietly to our graves. Find out this villain, Edmund; it shall lose thee nothing; do it carefully. And the noble and true-hearted Kent banished! his offence, honesty! ’Tis strange.

Exit

Edmund: This is the excellent foppery of the world, that, when we are sick in fortune,— often the surfeit of our own behavior,— we make guilty of our disasters the sun, the moon, and the stars: as if we were villains by necessity; fools by heavenly compulsion; knaves, thieves, and treachers, by spherical predominance; drunkards, liars, and adulterers, by an enforced obedience of planetary influence; and all that we are evil in, by a divine thrusting on: an admirable evasion of whoremaster man, to lay his goatish disposition to the charge of a star! My father compounded with my mother under the dragon’s tail; and my nativity was under Ursa major; so that it follows, I am rough and lecherous. Tut, I should have been that I am, had the maidenliest star in the firmament twinkled on my bastardizing. Edgar —

Enter Edgar

And pat he comes like the catastrophe of the old comedy: my cue is villanous melancholy, with a sigh like Tom o’ Bedlam. O, these eclipses do portend these divisions! fa, sol, la, mi.

--Shirt58 (talk) 04:51, 17 June 2012 (UTC)

Per the article on this delusion among many Japanese, it holds far greater sway there than astrology does in "western" countries. Belief in a correlation between blood type and personality, or the basing of relationships on this presumed compatibility issue, and bullying of persons of "inferior" blood types cannot be laughed away by comparing it to astrology. Many Japanese (and other Asians) apparently give credence to this unscientific notion. Edison (talk) 20:43, 19 June 2012 (UTC)

Articles on Episodes

Why does Wikipedia have so many articles on individual episodes of some TV series? Why don't some series have any articles on their episodes at all? Why do we even need to have individual articles on such episodes? Does it meet Wikipedia's Notability Criteria? Isn't it an unnecessary dumping of information? Can't the plot-lines of said episodes be briefly outlined in the List of XYZ Episodes page like some of the anime series have?

Well it really depends on the series in question. For example, episodes of series such as Star Trek, The Simpsons, South Park get a lot of reliable coverage, while some series' episodes don't get enough reliable coverage which is why we merge them into episode lists. Narutolovehinata5 ^tccsdnew 09:37, 16 June 2012 (UTC)

See also Wikipedia:Systemic bias.--Shantavira|^{feed me} 12:42, 16 June 2012 (UTC)

It's a controversial topic. A lot of people agree with you that there should just be lists of episodes (perhaps with individual articles for highly notable episodes, such as ones that won awards). Other people don't see any harm in having lots of articles (Wikipedia is not paper). Which approach is used for a given series seems to be fairly random... --Tango (talk) 13:52, 16 June 2012 (UTC)

Some would also say that extensive plot summaries are original research and should therefore not be allowed per WP:OR. --Viennese Waltz 07:43, 18 June 2012 (UTC)

At least part of it has to do with the availability of sources. Whether you like it or not, pretty much any random episode of an animated adult-centered US-show (Simpsons, Family Guy, Futurama, etc.) is going to be commented on in blogs, magazines, news websites, etc. That provides the raw material for a good reference section. Because Wikpedia values verifiability over, say, truth or some kind of "intrinsic" value, it's very difficult to get a deletion of those articles. And justifiably, in my opinion. The ability to verify what's being written is a core value and it works hand in hand with notability. A random episode of, say, The Dick van Dyke Show just doesn't have that raw material to draw from, so it's not considered notable and anything written would fail to be verifiable. But tell you what, if you write a couple of books that discuss Rob and Laura's weekly adventures in the same kind of detail that the Simpsons gets, I'll get on writing the articles for them. :) Matt Deres (talk) 02:19, 19 June 2012 (UTC)

Spikes puncturing cars going the wrong way

Well I watched this episode of James Rolfe's You Know What's Bull**** web series, where he rants about an invention where cars driving the wrong way will have their tires punctured by spikes. However, I've never seen or heard about this invention here in the Philippines (and I've been to Makati), and reading the comments it appears that even Canadians and Europeans are unfamiliar with it. Is it only found in America? Narutolovehinata5 ^tccsdnew 09:34, 16 June 2012 (UTC)

In the UK we call it a Stinger. --TammyMoet (talk) 11:25, 16 June 2012 (UTC)

Here's a link to an American company selling them. I've seen them in car parks in the UK. DuncanHill (talk) 11:49, 16 June 2012 (UTC)

These spikes are not a new invention, at least in the U.S. I have been aware of them for as long as I have been driving, which is close to 40 years.    → Michael J Ⓣ Ⓒ Ⓜ 13:02, 16 June 2012 (UTC)

I never thought those should be legal, as they could cause injury if somebody falls on them. Yes, they have signs posted, but I can't put landmines on my property and post that, can I ? StuRat (talk) 18:52, 16 June 2012 (UTC)

Are they really sharp enough to puncture you if you fell on one? ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 05:40, 17 June 2012 (UTC)

They wouldn't have to be very sharp, due to the force of the fall. I managed to cut myself falling on gravel, and that's not exactly sharp. StuRat (talk) 08:00, 18 June 2012 (UTC)

The ones I've seen actually have rounded tips for safety -- the tire damage comes entirely from forcing half the weight of the car onto a very small area. --Carnildo (talk) 01:22, 20 June 2012 (UTC)

But when you fall on them, all of your weight falls onto a very small area, and human skin is not as tough as a tire. StuRat (talk) 17:06, 20 June 2012 (UTC)

As per Wikipedia:WHAAOE, we have an article on this. I concur with StuRat's sentiments. I'm surprised something this dangerous is still being used. I thought the prevalence of ambulance chasers would have de facto outlawed it by now. Anonymous.translator (talk) 20:14, 16 June 2012 (UTC)

Not really. Despite having "one-way traffic treadles" as a synonym, the article seems to refer entirely to the police equipment used to end high-speed chases, not to fixed car-park devices. FiggyBee (talk) 21:05, 16 June 2012 (UTC)

"device used to impede or stop the movement of wheeled vehicles by puncturing their tires". That seems to cover any non-police usage as well. Anonymous.translator (talk) 21:57, 16 June 2012 (UTC)

The things in car parks aren't intended to actually puncture your tires, though. They are supposed to stop you trying to go that way because you see them and know you won't get across. With a police stinger, the goal is normally to surprise the driver so they are forced to so over the stinger, stopping them. It is very different. --Tango (talk) 01:30, 17 June 2012 (UTC)

I gotta agree with Tango. The things described in that article, and shown in the picture, are totally different from what the OP is talking about. The thing that cop has in the photo is not a one-way device at all — it punctures tires and does nothing else. A one-way spike strip is fine in one direction, puncturing in the other. I've never heard of any personal danger caused by such things. The land mine analogy is spurious; you'd have to seriously misuse a one-directional spike strip for it to cause personal harm, unlike a land mine. --Mr.98 (talk) 16:58, 17 June 2012 (UTC)

For interesting tangents see caltrop and mantrap. The second is illegal in the US. μηδείς (talk) 20:17, 16 June 2012 (UTC)

I don't think I've ever seen one in Canada. Matt Deres (talk) 02:20, 19 June 2012 (UTC)

I'm surprised they aren't remote-activated embedded on every roadway in the U.S. that's had more than one high-speed chase. Dru of Id (talk) 05:25, 20 June 2012 (UTC)

es:Túneles de Archanda

Is it allowed to use the tunel at Mount Artxanda near Bilbao with a mountainbike? Or is there a better way to get form Bilbao Airport to Bilbao by bike? -- 78.51.138.197 (talk) 11:33, 16 June 2012 (UTC)

Looking at Google Street View, there doesn't seem to be obvious signs at either end saying you can't. However, the N-637 (the road connecting to the tunnels on the airport side) seems to be a fast multilane highway which looks dangerous (and probably illegal) to cycle on, and you probably don't want to cycle down 3 km of tunnels anyway. They appear to be busy with just 2 lanes of car/bus/truck traffic. The air will also be bad and the traffic will pass fast and probably far too close for comfort. Better save your life and take one of the alternative roads around the mountain or how about roads over the mountain? - marked "Pike Bidea" and the "San Roke Bidea" on Google Maps.

That said, your bigger problem might be getting safely out of the airport. The only road seems to be the N-633, which like the N-637 looks very much like a motorway. If you want to try, take the first exit about 500 m down the N-633, onto the BI-3707 to Derio Loiu where there are quieter roads with some cycle paths that eventually lead to central Bilbao (if you cut through the airport's P2 covered parking it'll cut out several hundred metres of cycling down the shoulder). This Google maps route gives the kind of route I'm suggesting. Astronaut (talk) 19:25, 18 June 2012 (UTC)

Is there a bus that runs from the airport to the city that accepts bicycles? 69.62.243.48 (talk) 20:42, 19 June 2012 (UTC)

Penn Works Philia 1864 No 422

I have a plack from Neafie and Levey Engineers That has Penn Works Philia 1864 No 422 can you tell me hoe to researce No, 422 ? — Preceding unsigned comment added by 75.121.90.114 (talk) 15:28, 16 June 2012 (UTC)

Start on our article about Neafie & Levy, a prominent Philadelphia shipbuilder that operated from 1844 to 1908.    → Michael J Ⓣ Ⓒ Ⓜ 08:52, 17 June 2012 (UTC)

Do you mean the ones described at Plankowner? Dru of Id (talk) 05:21, 20 June 2012 (UTC)

Water supply in high towers

I've recently read a news report on the internet of a new skyscraper that was going to be constructed. Someone claimed that the top floors of such towers is useless (or used as storage rooms) because water cannot be pumped up there because of the water pressure.
A year or two ago, we were on the tourist deck (floor 124) of the Burj Khalifa, also known at the Burj Dubai, in the UAE. As far as I can remember, there were bathrooms with running water.
So is it true what this person said? If not, how high can water be pumped? Can't you use a series of tanks in the building? — Preceding unsigned comment added by 197.68.195.197 (talk) 16:31, 16 June 2012 (UTC)

It's easily possible to pump water up to as high in a building as you like. So the "someone" is wrong. There is a seperate issue of the hight to which water can be raised by exacuating the tube through which you're sucking it up - you can only suck up as high as atmospheric pressure will push. There's no practical limit the the height you can, as it were, blow water up to. Tagishsimon (talk) 16:48, 16 June 2012 (UTC)

The article Burj Khalifa notes that its water system supplies an average of 946,000 l (250,000 USgal) of water per day through 100 km (62 mi) of pipes. The habitability of the highest floors of tall buildings may be limited not by domestic water needs but by fire regulations that demand substantial water pressure and rate of flow to combat this kind of disaster. The specification of a typical high-pressure water pump shown here is 7200 GPH, 144 PSI. DriveByWire (talk) 18:19, 16 June 2012 (UTC)

There are limits to how much pressure you would want to put in the pipes:

1) The pipes need to be thicker with increasing pressure, meaning more weight, requiring more structure to support them, etc.

2) A small leak that would only drip at low pressure can be deadly at high pressure, and will also quickly rupture the pipe.

3) Accessing water along the way is more difficult, if under high pressure.

So, at some point, they would go to a series of pumps and tanks along the way up. I'm not sure when that point is, though. StuRat (talk) 18:45, 16 June 2012 (UTC)

There is no need to have high pressure to get water high up. You can just have a series of pumps. I believe most very tall buildings have multiple water tanks at different heights so they don't have to waste energy pumping water up to the top when it's only going to be used on the 10th floor. You can just pump water into a tank midway up, and then pump it up again from there. The second pump wouldn't need any more pressure than the first. --Tango (talk) 20:32, 16 June 2012 (UTC)

I wish I'd thought to bring up each of those points. :-) StuRat (talk) 20:40, 16 June 2012 (UTC)

You mean I'm supposed to read all the way to the end? Nobody told me that... --Tango (talk) 01:17, 17 June 2012 (UTC)

I'd be wary of reading to the end of anything, Tango, particularly in polylogues. You might encounter those horrible ultimoverbalists. -- ♬ Jack of Oz ♬ ^{[your turn]} 01:23, 17 June 2012 (UTC)

A ancient mechanism like this one[1] can lift water all the way up to geosynchronous orbit. If each "bucket" was sealed it can even work beyond geosynchronous orbit. So in the hypothetical case if a pipe has limits, we can still get water up there with a bucket elevator.Anonymous.translator (talk) 20:04, 16 June 2012 (UTC)

I hope you're exaggerating for effect:

1) The material strength wouldn't support the chain more than maybe a few kilometers.

2) It would need to be sealed, or sloshing and evaporation would eliminate all the water by the top.

3) The water would also freeze and rupture the containers. StuRat (talk) 20:12, 16 June 2012 (UTC)

The ancient mechanism can be improved simply by painting "6" on each of the vessels on the left, i.e., the ones being raised. As they reach the top and start down, they become "9"s. The 50 % increase causes them to drop due to gravity, making the system self-powered. CBHA (talk) 02:23, 17 June 2012 (UTC)

questions (about "navals")

please explain the difference between a naval support activity , naval station , naval base.. thanks — Preceding unsigned comment added by 89.148.9.228 (talk) 20:06, 16 June 2012 (UTC)

I added to your title to make it actually useful. StuRat (talk) 20:08, 16 June 2012 (UTC)

As far as I can tell, in US Navy parlance;

• A Naval Station is a harbour at which navy ships are based.
• A Naval Support Activity is a naval facility but not where ships are based, for example a supply depot, administrative office or non-home port.
• A Naval Base is a large command structure with multiple facilities, possibly including one or both of the above.
• Additionally, a Naval Air Station is an airport where naval aircraft are based. These airports are not necessarily adjacent to a naval station or even near the sea.

The purposes and uses to which facilities are put does change over time, so sometimes a facility's name will reflect a historic usage rather than its current usage. FiggyBee (talk) 20:58, 16 June 2012 (UTC)

I'll amend that slightly: A Naval Station has positions where ships may be moored; there need not be any actually currently assigned there, although I can't think of an active one with no assignments, when they're slated for closure/realignment, the ships may all depart before the facities for them are unavailable. Dru of Id (talk) 05:15, 20 June 2012 (UTC)

There are also (a diminishing number) of United States Naval shipyards, such as the ones formerly in Brooklyn and Hunters Point, San Francisco. Some of them, I'm pretty sure, built naval vessels as well as maintaining and overhauling them. —— Shakescene (talk) 06:19, 20 June 2012 (UTC)

What's the best way to keep people entertained (I'm asking about at a party)?

I read that television was the most popular leisure-time activity. Is television the best way to keep people entertained (at a party)? If not, what's the best way to keep them occupied? Rebel Yeh (talk) 20:54, 16 June 2012 (UTC)

If people wanted to watch TV they'd stay home. The best way to keep people entertained at a party is to get them talking to each other. Alcohol can help, where appropriate. FiggyBee (talk) 20:59, 16 June 2012 (UTC)

In certain circumstances TV might be appropriate, as in a Superbowl Party, where US sports fans gather at the house of the friend with the best TV and pig out on food, while they watch the Superbowl. StuRat (talk) 00:11, 17 June 2012 (UTC)

Wot? No beer? HiLo48 (talk) 01:13, 17 June 2012 (UTC)

All you need is a weed eater, a live chicken, and some cool whip! You'll have a big ole time! [[2]] Dominus Vobisdu (talk) 21:21, 16 June 2012 (UTC)

What are these items for? DriveByWire (talk) 23:15, 19 June 2012 (UTC)

Music. HiLo48 (talk) 22:07, 16 June 2012 (UTC)

You need to tell us more about the invited guests to know what might be an appropriate activity. Adults ? Children ? Single ? Married ? Religious conservatives ? StuRat (talk) 00:09, 17 June 2012 (UTC)

The whole point of a party is that it is a social activity, so you want forms of entertainment that involve people interacting with each other. That might be talking, dancing, playing games, depending on the type of party and what the attendees are in to. Watching TV generally doesn't involve interaction between the viewers (with the exception of watching sport, as has already been mentioned, and also things like the Eurovision Song Contest, where there isn't necessarily much direct interaction between the viewers, but they enhance each other's experience due to the atmosphere created). --Tango (talk) 01:22, 17 June 2012 (UTC)

If you're not sure how to entertain people and want to take some pressure off yourself you should offer snack food. It distracts people and allows them to move around. You can also consider watching comedy show or the NBA Finals (since the American football season is over). CaseyPenk (talk) 03:25, 17 June 2012 (UTC)

If the party is for fellow WP editors, you might want to put up some entertaining threads. this one from last year has all sorts of comical subplots. It ends with Lar running a CU on himself to make sure he is not the puppetmaster imagined by a clown named "Jasper". It starts off when a WR editor makes some crafty edits to a BLP that has the clown and an unfortunate admin repeatedly restoring libelous info to the BLP that requires a good deal of oversighting.212.227.114.87 (talk) 00:37, 20 June 2012 (UTC)