Revision as of 15:19, 29 April 2017

• Computing
• Entertainment
• Humanities
• Language
• Mathematics
• Science
• Miscellaneous
• Archives

• WP:RD/M

Main page: Help searching Misplaced Pages

How can I get my question answered?

• Select the section of the desk that best fits the general topic of your question (see the navigation column to the right).
• Post your question to only one section, providing a short header that gives the topic of your question.
• Type '~~~~' (that is, four tilde characters) at the end – this signs and dates your contribution so we know who wrote what and when.
• Don't post personal contact information – it will be removed. Any answers will be provided here.
• Please be as specific as possible, and include all relevant context – the usefulness of answers may depend on the context.
• Note:
  • We don't answer (and may remove) questions that require medical diagnosis or legal advice.
  • We don't answer requests for opinions, predictions or debate.
  • We don't do your homework for you, though we'll help you past the stuck point.
  • We don't conduct original research or provide a free source of ideas, but we'll help you find information you need.

How do I answer a question?

Main page: Misplaced Pages:Reference desk/Guidelines

• The best answers address the question directly, and back up facts with wikilinks and links to sources. Do not edit others' comments and do not give any medical or legal advice.

• Teahouse
• Help desk
• Village pump
• Help manual

April 25

Three Chess Variants

I was wondering whether the following three chess variants already exist or have been previously studied, since I was not able to find them either listed in the linked article, nor using Google:

• chess variant(s) lacking both kings.
• chess variant(s) where the queen can, at first, move either only as a rook, or only as a bishop, and can start moving as s regular queen only after it captures its first enemy piece.
• restricted or symmetric versions of shuffle chess, where the left side either mirrors or repeats the right side; or exhibits some other nice symmetrical pattern, like dragonfly (chess variant), for instance.

— 79.113.220.209 (talk) 07:32, 25 April 2017 (UTC)

• This discussion notes some possible games lacking a King, or where the King has been swapped out for another piece. Not much, but a start. --Jayron32 14:20, 25 April 2017 (UTC)

  There's a variant called "Knightmate" where the King is replaced by a knight, while the knight is replaced by a fairy chess piece called a Mann. --Jayron32 14:24, 25 April 2017 (UTC)

Indian woman has a fit when handed CD (gif)

This gif appears to show an Indian woman being handed a CD and then having a fit. Presumably the CD is believed to have some kind of special properties. What is going on here? --Viennese Waltz 08:12, 25 April 2017 (UTC)

It was an inheritance. — O Fortuna 08:24, 25 April 2017 (UTC)

Is that a joke? --Viennese Waltz 08:31, 25 April 2017 (UTC)

I do not make many jokes. But: 'We don't answer requests for opinions, predictions or debate.' Cheers. — O Fortuna 08:48, 25 April 2017 (UTC)

It was not a request for opinion, prediction or debate. I am looking for factual answers from someone who is knowledgeable about this actual event. Thanks for nothing, --Viennese Waltz 08:52, 25 April 2017 (UTC)

You would need the sound to be sure, but throwing yourself to the ground and rolling about could well indicate mourning - so if the CD came from someone who had died that could well be a reasonable explanation. Wymspen (talk) 08:46, 25 April 2017 (UTC)

I suspect this woman suffered an epileptic fit. 79.73.128.211 (talk) 10:57, 25 April 2017 (UTC)

You might try asking at Know Your Meme. Carbon Caryatid (talk) 11:18, 25 April 2017 (UTC)

Leak-sealing car A/C coolant a good idea ?

My car A/C leaks out in about 3 months. I hate taking it in for service. I've recharged it myself. So, should I consider the version of coolant that comes with leak sealant ? Or does this ruin the A/C ? It's past the warranty end date so voiding the warranty is not a concern. Also, my car takes 2 containers of coolant, so if I do get it, should I get two with sealant or just one (and the other without) ? StuRat (talk) 17:34, 25 April 2017 (UTC)

My mechanic put UV dye into the coolant, so that the leaking spot(s) will be easy to find with a black light. Could be just a cheap hose or two needs to be replaced. Or, it could be something hard to replace, in which case sure, I'd try the sealant stuff, assuming the car is old anyway. But at least with the dye you'll know where the leak is and will also be able to confirm that you've fixed it. Or, if you do go with the leak sealant stuff first, use the dye anyway, so that you'll know if it worked. SemanticMantis (talk) 17:54, 25 April 2017 (UTC)

As an aside: Take the auto to a specialist in A/C. They deal with all makes and models of every year - every day. They know A/C inside out, as opposed to your regular local mechanics. It may be less expensive in the long run. Let us know how you get on. Aspro (talk) 20:19, 25 April 2017 (UTC)

Each recharge costs me only $10 if I do it myself (with the non-sealant coolant), and I only need 2 a year since A/C is only needed here about 6 months out of the year. So, that's US$20 a year. I have a hard time imagining any A/C repair costing as little as that. StuRat (talk) 21:09, 25 April 2017 (UTC)

First: Reckon it costs you more than $20 per year because you have the hassle of go getting and buying a can of referent each time. That takes time. Second: Then there is the time taken to recharging the system. Times two, that must take about nearly hour per year. Don't know what you consider an hours worth of your time is worth but we must be above a yearly cost of a $100 including cans of refrigerant. Plus you need your engine running the whole time -which doesn’t run on fresh air. Can take it, you have already looked all over for lube oil leaking out. Buy a children’s bubble blowing solution (better than washing up liquid etc.). Try it on the fill valve as it may have grit or muck in it. If that fails put the bubble solution all over the pipework. Obviously one needs to have freshly recharged the system first. Anyway this is April – why do you need A/C now? Take the driving belt off and it will improve your fuel economy. Aspro (talk) 22:49, 25 April 2017 (UTC)

It's supposed to be near 80°F tomorrow here in Detroit. And after I leave it parked in the sunlight it will be far hotter. But the price I quoted is for the refrigerant. The auto mechanic will no doubt take far more than an hour. As for my shopping time, I buy it at the same place I go grocery shopping (Meijer). StuRat (talk) 22:59, 25 April 2017 (UTC)

• See also externality. AC coolant isn't exactly nice stuff. R-134a is better than what they used to use, but it isn't entirely inert. --Jayron32 10:46, 26 April 2017 (UTC)

• You should find out where it's leaking first. If it's leaking from a pipe fitting, fix that. If it's the evaporator, then you might be able to sealant it, but that's tenuous (evaporator leaks often get larger with time), yet it might also cost more than the car's worth to replace the evaporator (it can be a day's work just to change it, on some cars). If it's a rotating seal on the compressor though, internal sealants rarely achieve anything. Andy Dingley (talk) 10:59, 26 April 2017 (UTC)

• Good info. Can you give me probabilities on each ? StuRat (talk) 13:35, 26 April 2017 (UTC)

Conerns/interests of children vs those of adults in Western culture

Does anyone know of a resource outlining how concerns tend to change as people become adults? And, at what ages do priorities typically change? For example, at what age to young adults generally start to care about new furniture?--Leon (talk) 18:34, 25 April 2017 (UTC)

This is a staggeringly huge section of modern psychology; developmental psychology is probably the best fit and the size of that article should give you a sense of how much there is to it. Your specific example draws in even more stuff about consumer behaviour, which is enormous on its own. Matt Deres (talk) 20:28, 25 April 2017 (UTC)

The most relevant consideration is at what age the youngster stops receiving financial support from the parents and moves out of the parental home. This varies historically (time) and by locale (place). Look at relevant parameters: the age limit for state compulsory public education, the age of majority (e.g. for signing contracts), age-related statutes restricting employment, minimum age for enlistment in the military (which provides employment, food, clothing and shelter for those eligible), etc. -- Deborahjay (talk) 14:02, 26 April 2017 (UTC)

April 26

INJUSTICE

If you have project-wide concerns about how Islam is handled, Wikipedia_talk:WikiProject_Islam or Wikipedia_talk:WikiProject_Religion would be a better place to raise those concerns than on the reference desk. ApLundell (talk) 14:46, 28 April 2017 (UTC)

vehicle “acquisition sale”

I have here a flyer announcing an "acquisition sale” where I could pay $19 and take over the payments on a car. The envelope's return address is “Dept. of Vehicle Notification” (with the seal of the U.S.Treasury surrounded by the legend “Department of Notification / 1982” in a Collegiate-style font), suggesting to me that the offer is intended for punters who won't ask awkward questions. So, what's the racket? Interest gouging? —Tamfang (talk) 19:26, 26 April 2017 (UTC)

As there are zero other ghits on “Dept. of Vehicle Notification”, it is unlikely to be a government responsibility to sell on repo vehicles and it would surely be a state matter rather than federal, I can only assume that this is a simple scam, based on a fraudulent identity for starters.

There are plenty of businesses near me who will pay me a year's free insurance etc. if I would like to "take over the payments on a car" - they're just called garages. I'm not sure what even the supposed advantage to the mark is here? Take on a lease, presumably at the original payment rate, and get a second-hand car? Andy Dingley (talk) 20:16, 26 April 2017 (UTC)

Yes, these "payments" are likely far more than the car is worth, or there may not really be a car for sale, and they just want your bank info to drain your account (they will claim they need it to set up the payment plan). StuRat (talk) 20:18, 26 April 2017 (UTC)

Yes, or a standard advance-fee fraud scam: once they get a bite, they keep telling the mark that there's just some minor issue that's come up and if they could just send over some more money for processing fees and whatnot we'll get that car to you lickety-split, we promise. --47.138.161.183 (talk) 20:45, 26 April 2017 (UTC)

• The host of the event is a local Nissan dealer, so I'm willing to assume that the whole thing is technically legal and the cars exist. —Tamfang (talk) 04:09, 27 April 2017 (UTC)

• Yes, and they evidently are demonstrating the ethics by which used car dealers are widely known. StuRat (talk) 21:47, 28 April 2017 (UTC)

Also, if you're feeling civic-minded, if this was sent through the U.S. mail, you can report it to the USPS. The Department of the Treasury might be interested as well in people fraudulently using their logo. --47.138.161.183 (talk) 20:47, 26 April 2017 (UTC)

Does it count as fraud if it's used essentially for decoration, not in an attempt to pass as the Treasury? —Tamfang (talk) 04:09, 27 April 2017 (UTC)

(Chicago Tribune, 1997) describes a similar advertisement, but the "acquisition fee" has dropped from $37 to $19 (maybe because I'm in a smaller town??). —Tamfang (talk) 04:14, 27 April 2017 (UTC)

Notability and Conflict-Of-Interest Questions

I work for a fourth generation, family-owned retail chain of building supply stores, headquartered in Texas. We have 86 stores in five states and have been in business 90 years. I would like to submit content on our company for a Misplaced Pages page and have read all the guidelines for doing so.

How do I determine if our company is notable enough to be considered for inclusion into Misplaced Pages? We are listed on ranking indices of important companies in our field, but I'm not sure if those lists are notable enough or if the various independent published articles about our company would be considered important enough for consideration as well.

To do this correctly requires a lot of work (as it should) so I was hoping to get some direction from you before starting on this journey.

Thank you! — Preceding unsigned comment added by 66.90.240.98 (talk) 20:08, 26 April 2017 (UTC)

86 stores certainly sounds like it passes the notability req. However, you have to be careful to avoid making the article sound like an ad. So, don't include terms like "the best" in it.

BTW, we may already have the article, under a slightly different name. What is the name you are using for the chain ? StuRat (talk) 20:14, 26 April 2017 (UTC)

Thank you! I'll be very careful to avoid anything that seems self-promoting. (I was going to approach it as an historical article and had printed out another chain in our industry's Misplaced Pages page to use as a guide as far as acceptable language, etc.) We operate our retail chain under the name McCoy's Building Supply (headquartered in San Marcos, Texas). Our company is McCoy Corporation. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 66.90.240.98 (talk) 20:54, 26 April 2017 (UTC)

You are strongly discouraged from editing articles relating to an organization with which you are connected. Also, if your employer is compensating or offering to compensate you for editing Misplaced Pages on their behalf, you must disclose this. Read this FAQ page. If you have further questions, ask here or see Help:Contents. (Questions about editing Misplaced Pages belong on the Help desk, but I don't blame you for not being able to find it in our labyrinth of back corridors.) --47.138.161.183 (talk) 20:55, 26 April 2017 (UTC)

I do know that you have to be especially careful to remain neutral when editing articles relating to an organization you're connected to. I hope using a more detached, historical approach will help! I'll disclose my COI on the draft article. (I'll be sure to use the Help:Contents link for questions when writing. Very helpful!) — Preceding unsigned comment added by 66.90.240.98 (talk) 21:17, 26 April 2017 (UTC)

The only current Misplaced Pages article I find is for McCoy Building, which seems to be unrelated. StuRat (talk) 21:45, 26 April 2017 (UTC)

Thank you for researching. I also looked around and was surprised to find a Misplaced Pages article related to our company's founder, Emmett McCoy, which was the McCoy College of Business article (Texas State University). But otherwise, nothing related to our Building Supply chain. I appreciate your and the other editor's help on this! (I think I'll re-read the tips and guidelines one more time and work on submitting a draft article. Fingers crossed!) — Preceding unsigned comment added by 66.90.240.98 (talk) 21:53, 26 April 2017 (UTC)

I did find McCoys.com which appears to be this company, but I cannot find hardly any independent writing about the company. Is there any extensive, independent writing about the company we can use to help fill out an encyclopedia article? --Jayron32 10:52, 27 April 2017 (UTC)

April 27

JCB Classic

When did the JCB Classic finish? Why did the JCB Classic finish? Was the JCB Classic replaced with anything else?

JCB_Classic — Preceding unsigned comment added by 118.148.229.140 (talk) 02:26, 27 April 2017 (UTC)

The last year of the JCB Classic was May 31-June 3 2007. In 2008 it was not on the schedule; it appears by closely examining the schedules that it was replaced by the Pine Valley Beijing Open after shifting the dates of a few other tournaments around as well. --Jayron32 10:49, 27 April 2017 (UTC)

Tormented geniuses

Hello. I am searching cases of geniuses tormented by their mental illnesses or mental instability, specially when the suffering led them to death or damaged badly their health. The most blatant example is Kurt Godel, a logician genius who was obsessed of being poisoned, refusing to eat and starving to death. Other cases (though not their cause of death) are John Nash (paranoia) and George Cantor (depression). Thanks. emijrp (talk) 15:17, 27 April 2017 (UTC)

A number of writers fit the bill, among them Friedrich Nietzsche, Guy de Maupassant and Émile Nelligan. We must have an article somewhere. --Xuxl (talk) 15:48, 27 April 2017 (UTC)

Have you read this article - Creativity and mental illness? It even lists some examples. Wymspen (talk) 15:56, 27 April 2017 (UTC)

Van Gogh? Or doesn't he count? — O Fortuna 16:02, 27 April 2017 (UTC)

Nietzsche's hugely productive final year, then sudden madness, is often attributed to tertiary syphilis, where the mental symptoms are secondary to the infectious cause. μηδείς (talk) 18:30, 27 April 2017 (UTC)

See also, Friedrich_Nietzsche#Psychological_illness_and_death_.281889.E2.80.931900.29. μηδείς (talk) 22:48, 27 April 2017 (UTC)

Evariste Galois may be of interest. Math is a particularly rich field for this... probably not coincidental. Georg Cantor had plenty of issues too, though our article doesn't say much about it. See e.g. here for some comments or see any decent library for biographies of these two. Here are some additional blurbs about mathematics and insanity that may be useful . SemanticMantis (talk) 16:06, 27 April 2017 (UTC)

Boltzmann Asmrulz (talk) 16:15, 27 April 2017 (UTC)

John Clare. --Viennese Waltz 16:16, 27 April 2017 (UTC)

• Many writers and artists have suffered from depression. I'm not sure how one may qualify a "genius", but many leaders in their fields, widely recognized as such, suffered from depression. Robin Williams (comedy, acting), Sylvia Plath (poetry, writing), Ernest Hemmingway (writing), Patton Oswalt (comedy, acting), Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (music), etc. --Jayron32 17:16, 27 April 2017 (UTC)

Thanks everybody for your help. I have found a documentary about it Dangerous Knowledge too. emijrp (talk) 20:42, 27 April 2017 (UTC)

You might also look into bipolar disorder, formerly called manic-depression. During the manic stages, such people can accomplish a great deal. StuRat (talk) 20:54, 28 April 2017 (UTC)

Area of California's 1st congressional district as percentage of the State

I estimate that California's 1st congressional district occupies about 1/5 the land of California. Do you know precisely how much it covers? — Reinyday, 18:02, 27 April 2017 (UTC)

This page has a figure of 74,694 square km for California's 1st congressional district. California's total land area is 423,970 km2. So the district represents 17.6% of the state. --Xuxl (talk) 18:26, 27 April 2017 (UTC)

Which would make it closer to 1/6th of the state. --Jayron32 14:06, 28 April 2017 (UTC)

FWIW, California's 8th congressional district is 85,126 square km, making it almost exactly 20% of the state's land. --M@rēino 13:34, 28 April 2017 (UTC)

Travel by equestrianism and horse driving

In times gone by, when people traveled by equestrianism or by horse driving, how much confidence could a traveler have that there would be adequate provisions along the way, for example, between the cities of Los Angeles and New York? By provisions, I mean things such as hitching posts, food and shelter (for people and horses), horse tack, and aid by veterinary physicians. Were there horse travel maps? What is the situation today? I am interested in all centuries and all countries. Please provide references.
—Wavelength (talk) 20:07, 27 April 2017 (UTC)

It depends on when and where. As people ventured forth, blazing trails, supply stations tended to follow as routes became more heavily used. Read the history of the Oregon Trail, for example. ←Baseball Bugs carrots→ 20:21, 27 April 2017 (UTC)

In Europe, there were coaching inns along main roads which provided this service. Apparently similar facilities were called roadhouses in the US. If you wanted to run a successful hotel/bar/restaurant, it made sense to put one where there was likely to be plenty of passing traffic. Maps and guidebooks for travellers were published in England from the early 18th century giving advice on where you could stay for the night, I'm sure similar ones would have been available in the US. Some information about American road travel at Historical Background on Traveling in the Early 19th Century. Alansplodge (talk) 22:57, 27 April 2017 (UTC)

See Hobson's choice — Preceding unsigned comment added by 82.38.221.49 (talk) 08:49, 28 April 2017 (UTC)

As per our Stagecoach article, “stages” were distances along the route, and at each way station would be fresh horses and other provisions. With enough custom, there might even be a Coaching inn, roadhouse or pub. The latter might provide some good cock and bull stories for amusement.DOR (HK) (talk) 12:12, 28 April 2017 (UTC)

And remember travel across the U.S. was so bad for many years, that many would have chosen to go by ship from New York around all of South America to get to Los Angeles. During the Gold Rush some ships were supposedly abandoned at San Fransisco for lack of crews to sail them back east. Rmhermen (talk) 20:25, 28 April 2017 (UTC)

When heading into an unpopulated area of the US, you might see a sign that says "NO MOTORIST SERVICES NEXT xx MILES": . I wonder if they did the same thing regarding horse services, back then. StuRat (talk) 20:50, 28 April 2017 (UTC)

• May be of use to see Livery stable, many of which were later converted to garages and auto repair shops. As far as westward expansion in the USA, folks needed to assume they would not see civilization for awhile and plan accordingly. Montanabw 00:52, 29 April 2017 (UTC)

April 28

April 29

Methods of execution

• Misplaced Pages resources for researchers
• Misplaced Pages help forums
• Misplaced Pages reference desk