Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Miscellaneous/2015 April 26

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April 26

Why doesn't the Wikipedia science reference desk come up when I type in "science desk" in the search?

Why doesn't the Wikipedia science reference desk come up when I typed in "science desk" in the search? Sucklechimp (talk) 00:07, 26 April 2015 (UTC)

For the same reason it doesn't work for the other desks. The desks are in the "Wikipedia" namespace. The search doesn't automatically search that namespace, so it doesn't come up in the search results. This is probably so that casual readers of Wikipedia don't get a bunch of policy/guideline results if they search for an article that doesn't exist.

If you want to quickly reach one of the desks, type in "WP:RD/" followed by the correct abbreviation. WP:RD/S will get you Science, WP:RD/M will get you Miscellaneous, WP:RD/MA will get you Math, etc.

And finally, what does Carol Channing have to do with this? Dismas|^(talk) 01:12, 26 April 2015 (UTC)

I think they came here to ask a question about Carol Channing and then changed their mind at the last minute. ―Mandruss ☎ 01:15, 26 April 2015 (UTC)

Well, they're blocked now, so I guess it doesn't matter. Dismas|^(talk) 01:18, 26 April 2015 (UTC)

Well at least we got one good edit out of them. ―Mandruss ☎ 01:23, 26 April 2015 (UTC)

I've created appropriate redirects for most of the desks. For RD/C, we already have an article Computer desk about the item of furniture, to which I've added a hatnote. Should Computing Desk redirect directly to RD/C, or to Computer desk? Tevildo (talk) 08:42, 26 April 2015 (UTC)

I'm not sure how appropriate it is to redirect across namespaces, but if we're going to do it, I don't think computing desk is a term much used in English at all, unless there was some kind of situation where the desk itself did the computing. Be bold. :) Matt Deres (talk) 14:22, 26 April 2015 (UTC)

See Category:Redirects to project space. A rather heterogenous collection, but fairly well-populated. Language reference desk (etc) were already on there, so I'm just filling in the gaps. I've redirected Computing Desk to RD/C. Tevildo (talk) 16:09, 26 April 2015 (UTC)

I'm not sure how appropriate it is, either, but it doesn't seem very desirable to introduce the possibility of accidentally throwing a reader into a talk space when they may have no idea what a talk space is. I used Wikipedia for years without any awareness of what was going on beneath the surface. Wikipedia:Community portal has a nice prominent button for Reference Desk near the top, so one needn't know anything about namespaces to get here. ―Mandruss ☎ 14:41, 26 April 2015 (UTC)

Well, anyone who can find "Community Portal" will be able to find the reference desks (and probably Lord Lucan) without assistance. I think it's reasonable to offer some assistance in finding things to users who aren't as familiar with our labyrinthine structure. Tevildo (talk) 16:13, 26 April 2015 (UTC)

Except for the fact that there is a link to Community Portal in the left sidebar of every Wikipedia page, but none for the Refdesks (or Lord Lucan). ―Mandruss ☎ 17:32, 26 April 2015 (UTC)

• I'll note that although the OP has been blocked, the question is a relevant one. Even if the name of a WP: page doesn't show up in autofill, it should show up as a did you mean WP:EXAMPLE at the top of the search page. I am sure this drives newbies batty, and I still find it frustrating after two decades here. Would this be a matter for the Village Pump? μηδείς (talk) 17:27, 26 April 2015 (UTC)
  • Probably. WP:VPR if you can make a specific proposal for change, or WP:VPI if you wish to bat some ideas around first - issues can be incubated, for later submission for consensus discussion at Village pump (proposals). ―Mandruss ☎ 17:43, 26 April 2015 (UTC)
  • Medeis, if you think you have (or anyone has) been here for two decades, that might explain a lot about ... stuff (or things; take your pick). -- Jack of Oz ^{[pleasantries]} 21:09, 26 April 2015 (UTC)
    • I'll be, forever! This is my new friendly (buddy buddy) place... -- Mr. Prophet (talk) 22:32, 27 April 2015 (UTC)

Pennsylvania watershed.

Why are there (almost) daily references to the Pennsylvania watershed in your "did you know" section? Today there are multiple references and I, am very puzzled. Why not Wisconsin? Or New South Wales?

Thanks. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 108.176.222.212 (talk) 15:33, 26 April 2015 (UTC)

This question would be better at WT:DYK. See WP:DYK for the general rules applying to the section. Tevildo (talk) 16:21, 26 April 2015 (UTC)

The answer is "Because people have been recently creating or expanding articles about Pennsylvania bodies of water". There is no other reason anything happens at Wikipedia ever. There is no central authority which decides how we work, what we post where, or where efforts are spent. People show up and random and work on whatever interests them. That's the only reason anything ever happens at Wikipedia. The answer to any question that begins with "Why..." and has the word Wikipedia in it somewhere is always "Because someone decided to do it". --Jayron32 23:35, 26 April 2015 (UTC)

Pennsylvania is especially cool, See this map, since some of it drains through Lake Erie to the St. Lawrence River, some of it drains through the Ohio River to the Mississippi River and the Gulf of Mexico, and some of it drains through the Delaware River] to the Atlantic Ocean via the Delaware Bay, while some of it drains into the Susquehanna River and the Potomac River into The Chesapeake Bay and the Atlantic. There's even a teensy bit that drains through the Genesee River across New York and into Lake Ontario.

μηδείς (talk) 02:41, 27 April 2015 (UTC)

Whilst it is true that nobody decides centrally which articles to create, somebody does decide which ones go on DYK. Therefore the question is completely valid, somebody is continuing to put pointless little river articles on DYK, rather than interesting stuff. 82.21.7.184 (talk) 07:18, 27 April 2015 (UTC)

Define "interesting" - and make sure your definition is true for all people at all times. -- Jack of Oz ^{[pleasantries]} 07:51, 27 April 2015 (UTC)

Go easy on him Jack, not only is he from Wales, whose waters drain only into the Irish Sea; he also doesn't understand the difference between a river and a watershed. μηδείς (talk) 17:24, 27 April 2015 (UTC)

Actually, the gatekeepers at DYK don't really judge based on subject matter, only that the article meets basic quality standards such as length and proper referencing. Every qualified article which is nominated at DYK appears on the main page. --Jayron32 14:35, 27 April 2015 (UTC)

Drooling in my sleep

Whenever I decide to take a nap during the day, I wake up at about an hour afterwards, and always find myself having drooled on the pillow. This only seems to happen during naps at daytime. When I actually go to sleep for the night, I don't drool. I know this because although most of the time I sleep for six to eight hours until early morning, some times I wake up during the middle of the night and then go back to sleep. I have never found myself having drooled during the night. Does anyone have any idea why this happens? JIP | Talk 19:42, 26 April 2015 (UTC)

The obvious suspect would be your sleep position. Do you sleep on your back at night ? If so, that would tend to prevent drooling. StuRat (talk) 19:47, 26 April 2015 (UTC)

I don't know what position I sleep at night. I lay down on my back, but I think I change positions several times during the night. As I mentioned earlier, I lose all connection with my body when I fall asleep. I regain it when I wake up. During naps, I sleep for so little time that I think I lay down on my back for the entire time. And I always lay down on my back, whether it's for a nap or for the entire night. JIP | Talk 19:57, 26 April 2015 (UTC)

Other than seeing your doctor to work on arranging for a sleep study, perhaps you could get a video camera and record yourself during one of these naps. ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 23:52, 26 April 2015 (UTC)

• Do not watch Night of the Creeps. μηδείς (talk) 03:01, 27 April 2015 (UTC)

Another possibility could be that governed by your (our) natural circadian rhythm your saliva output decreases at night but does not decrease during the day. Richard Avery (talk) 07:02, 27 April 2015 (UTC)

Or you're sleeping deeper at night. From Saliva: it is generally accepted that during sleep the amount drops to almost zero. A nap may not count as "sleep" in that sense. ―Mandruss ☎ 07:19, 27 April 2015 (UTC)

While I can't point the IP to any Reliable Source that discusses the prevalence of this, my Personal Observation is that it's common. I've done it, relatives and friends have done it, and I remember it being depicted in at least 2 cartoon stories (Girls With Slingshots and The Ballad Of Halo Jones, for the record). {The poster formerly known as 87.81.230.195} 212.95.237.92 (talk) 12:36, 27 April 2015 (UTC)

Jip: As 212.95.237.92 stated, it is common, analyse your concentration level, body tiredness and so on, before during and after you take a nap... --Mr. Prophet (talk) 19:40, 27 April 2015 (UTC)

If you drink more and work less to begin the day than end it (I do), it seems reasonable that you'll have a wetter mouth at naptime, notwithstanding your circadian clock. Also more time at night for you (and your pillow) to dry before you wake. InedibleHulk (talk) 23:56, 27 April 2015 (UTC)