Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Miscellaneous/2012 November 9

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November 9

A hunter shot himself in the woods

Hello Learned Ones ! Can you give me the references of this, which happened some 15 or 20 years ago in the north (of the USA ?...) : a hunter was lost in the woods at night, and, though having fire, food and ammo., shot himself, out of panic. Thanks beforehand for your answers. T.y. Arapaima (talk) 08:52, 9 November 2012 (UTC)

Here are two possibilities found searching the Google News Archive.

1953, Washington - lost hunter found with gunshot wound to head, panic speculated upon

1954, Canada - young man shoots himself after panicking when lost in the woods

Neither of these fits your time frame, but you can play with the Google site linked above and see if you can get better results with different keywords (I used hunter woods lost panic shot himself). For example, it might help if you can remember the state. 184.147.123.169 (talk) 14:01, 9 November 2012 (UTC)

Sounds like a variation on a joke I heard: A 911 operator receives a call from a panic stricken hunter who says he thinks he has just accidentally shot his friend and he's now lying there dead. The operator advises that he not panic and calmly check if is friend is actually dead. The hunter says "Just a moment", there's a muffled gunshot and the hunter come back to the phone and says "OK. Now what?" Astronaut (talk) 14:29, 9 November 2012 (UTC)

I think the joke works better if you use the phrase ". . . make sure he's dead." {The poster formerly known as 87,81.230.195} 90.197.66.19 (talk) 22:44, 10 November 2012 (UTC)

Thanks a lot to the I.P. for their answers, & to Astronaut for the joke. ROL ! T.y. Arapaima (talk) 08:07, 13 November 2012 (UTC)

Disney company's early opposition to video because of viewer numbers

I have been told that Disney was initially opposed to video tape. The reason given is that Disney would not know how many people were watching that tape, and that Disney would not be able to charge each person for the view.

Is this true? Or, at least, is this reported anywhere on the WWW?

I can't seem to find anything, but I don't know the right search terms to use.

Thank you! 31.109.74.214 (talk) 12:34, 9 November 2012 (UTC)

Closest I can find is Disney's involvement in the early lawsuits against home videotape recorders. In the late '70s, Disney was part of a large lawsuit that argued it was a copyright violation to tape TV programs. Nov 12, 1976: Movie Studios Fight TV Videotape Device and Dec 21, 1976: Movies Studios Shouting Mad Over Home Taping of TV Shows. The argument seemed to be about copyright violation and that they would not be able to show films again in theatres for profit because people would have made their own copies.

Things changed quickly of course, and if I'm reading the timeline correctly, Disney launched its home video division in 1978 before the lawsuit was even settled, following the lead of Fox: Mar 4 1978: Film Company Selling Movies for Cassettes. The final verdict in the suit said home taping was ok: Oct. 3, 1979: Videotape buffs win round in court. 184.147.123.169 (talk) 14:22, 9 November 2012 (UTC)

Will Durant on Wikiquote

What has happened to Wikiquote? Will Durant has been up for a number of days. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 216.59.106.226 (talk) 13:13, 9 November 2012 (UTC)

I added a header to separate your new question from the previous question. Astronaut (talk) 14:19, 9 November 2012 (UTC)

It means your browser is viewing a cached version. Go to the main Wikiquote talk page here and find the place at the top where it says "If you're reading Wikiquote after 00:00 UTC, and notice the quote of the day on the Main Page has not been updated, you can make the update happen by clicking here to purge the main page cache." Follow the link and click the button and it should display the current day's quote. 184.147.123.169 (talk) 14:27, 9 November 2012 (UTC)

Derby Beef Tamales

These were tamales (ground beef surrounded by cornmeal, in a spicy sauce) which were wrapped in paper and sold in glass jars with a screw top. They were sold from the 1940's until 2009 when ConAgra, which had bought the original company, discontinued them due to low sales.The Peapod grocery delivery company falsely claims they still deliver them:[1]. I have seen some individual frozen ones, and I've tried ones from the grocery deli, but they seem very dry and tasteless by comparison. This product had ardent followers, as judged by internet postings of dismay and anger:[2], [3]. I wonder how low the sales were, and how high the sales of a tasty (perhaps unhealthy) food have to be for a big company to be willing to sell it. Is there a comparable canned tamale available in the US? Edison (talk) 16:21, 9 November 2012 (UTC)

Not an answer, but I find adding salsa to frozen ones helps. Wait until the frozen ones are almost done, then pour some salsa on top and microwave a bit more. You could also add cheese, in the same way, if it's fat that you're craving. StuRat (talk) 18:58, 9 November 2012 (UTC)

Just a suggestion, but isn't it possible to cook some yourself? --Saddhiyama (talk) 09:52, 10 November 2012 (UTC)

Suggesting that somebody who isn't happy with their frozen foods should cook something from scratch is a bit like suggesting that somebody who doesn't like how their home was built should go build their own. StuRat (talk) 03:57, 11 November 2012 (UTC)

If and only if "a bit" means, like, a zillionth of a per cent. -- Jack of Oz ^[Talk] 08:56, 11 November 2012 (UTC)

The point is, people who buy frozen, processed, prepared meals are not likely to be cooks, so don't expect them to cook from scratch. StuRat (talk) 07:32, 12 November 2012 (UTC)

Is this some funny US thing? I know many people who both cook and buy frozen, processed, prepared meals. Nil Einne (talk) 14:53, 12 November 2012 (UTC)

Those seem to be 2 distinct cultures to me, those who want others to prepare their food and those who want to do it on their own. StuRat (talk) 18:15, 12 November 2012 (UTC)

We buy frozen meals and do plenty of cooking at home. Frozen meals are great for when you just want something fast and simple and don't feel like cooking. They also make good lunches to bring to work when there aren't any (or you don't feel like having) leftovers in the fridge. 209.131.76.183 (talk) 19:50, 12 November 2012 (UTC)

The example of Crown Pilot Crackers in the 1990s shows that well-directed "dismay and anger" can lead a company to reintroduce a product that it had previously dropped for insufficient sales (for a while, at least—the crackers have now been discontinued a second time). Deor (talk) 11:05, 10 November 2012 (UTC)

Help with online searching; gas availability and lines in NY

I am in New York and I'm not very good at online searches. I was told that there are various websites that tell you where you can get gas (which are closed, which open, which have longer lines and shorter). If you're not aware, following Hurricane Sandy, as of this morning, gasoline rationing has begun in NYC--those with the last digit of their license plate can get gas today (that's me), and those with even tomorrow, and it continues like that, alternating. I can blindly drive around looking for a station I guess but I only have about an eighth of a tank left (and waited on line 6 hours to get that tankfull now almost gone), so I want some clarity on where to go in advance, if possible. Thanks.--108.14.202.182 (talk) 19:22, 9 November 2012 (UTC)

Google has a special "crisis map" which has pushpins on open gas stations, among other things for people affected by Sandy. See this map and zoom in on your locale. --Jayron32 20:10, 9 November 2012 (UTC)

That helps greatly. Unfortunately, I have called all of the gas stations I found through that service that are nearby to me and they all say the lines are huge:-( Maybe I'll wait until Sunday (another odd day).--108.14.202.182 (talk) 23:13, 9 November 2012 (UTC)

paypal trouble

Trying to verify my account, I set up the direct debit agreement and recieved the code to my account. When I go to send money, I am informed that my account is still limited to only a small amount more, but attempting to verify the account to raise the limit brings up a checklist that informs me I have already entered the 4 digit code and done so. I have not, and my account elsewhere is still limited and unverified, but it means there is no way of entering the code now and verifying the account. What can I do? Only thing I can think of is to create a new bank account and a new paypal account, would that work?

86.15.83.223 (talk) 20:34, 9 November 2012 (UTC)

Have you actually tried contacting the company you are working with? You cannot reach their email, chat, or phone representatives here. μηδείς (talk) 20:43, 9 November 2012 (UTC)

I have emailed the company I am trying to send money to, to arrange an alternative payment, but I would like to get my account verified at some point, and it seems I cannot contact paypal itself without a dispute code number. 86.15.83.223 (talk) 20:50, 9 November 2012 (UTC)

In the US, you'd contact your State Attorney General's office and both ask for advice, and how to file a complaint. I can't imagine, however, that such a company wouldn't have a way to contact a live rep. Perhaps some British ref desk denizen can better advise you, but my advice would be to search their website itself for better ways to resolve the issue. You should also have some sort of receipt of payment through the bank or other agency you used to pay them. Surely it wasn't cash without a receipt. μηδείς (talk) 23:13, 9 November 2012 (UTC)

In the UK, if in doubt, contact the Citizens Advice Bureau. I would suggest contacting PayPal first, though, with or without a dispute code. - Cucumber Mike (talk) 23:17, 9 November 2012 (UTC)

Paypal's telephone contact information in the UK per [4]:

08707 307 191

00 353 1 436 9004 (if dialing outside of the United Kingdom)--108.14.202.182 (talk) 23:23, 9 November 2012 (UTC)

It's weird that they say "if dialling outside of the United Kingdom" about that 00 353 1 number - that's a Dublin, Republic of Ireland number. I presume the 0870 number reroutes there. -- Arwel Parry (talk) 23:39, 10 November 2012 (UTC)

There's nothing wrong with money sent or anything of that sort, just some glitch in the site that stops me verifying my account and raising my sending limit, so I'll soon have sent all the money I'm allowed to, rendering the account useless. I tried emailing them, but I can't even send the email until I fill in the dispute number code, and I don't have one to put in there. 86.15.83.223 (talk) 23:31, 9 November 2012 (UTC)

Well, you've been given both their contact number and the relevant bureaucrat's number, so do spend your time with them, rather than here. The best we can offer is e-tea and sympathy. μηδείς (talk) 23:43, 9 November 2012 (UTC)

... and the opinion that, in the UK just as much as in the USA, most people trying to "verify your account" are trying to steal your money. --Demiurge1000 (talk) 03:56, 11 November 2012 (UTC)