Wikipedia:Reference desk/Miscellaneous

Welcome to the miscellaneous section
of the Wikipedia reference desk.

skip to bottom

Select a section:

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

Want a faster answer?

Main page: Help searching Wikipedia

   

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.

Ready? Ask a new question!

How do I answer a question?

Main page: Wikipedia: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.

See also:

• Teahouse
• Help desk
• Village pump
• Help manual

February 16

GFCI again

The following discussion is closed. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page. No further edits should be made to this discussion.

---

The following discussion is closed. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page. No further edits should be made to this discussion.

---

In our last installment, I had a GFCI circuit breaker tripping more and more often, up to >1x per hour, and this stopped when I unplugged a lamp and space heater from one of the downstream outlets. We went for about a week with no trips, so I figured the culprit had been found. But we had another trip yesterday and one today, despite both of those devices being unplugged and with nothing plugged into that outlet.

Any further suggestions about how to isolate the fault? Some web pages suggest damaged insulation on wiring near the breaker panel or inside the walls. That sounds like a pain to locate. Do electricians ever use time-domain reflectometry for this sort of thing? Other ideas? Thanks. 67.164.113.165 (talk) 23:01, 16 February 2020 (UTC)

You need to get a professional to your place and stop fooling around with internet guesswork. — Preceding unsigned comment added by Baseball Bugs (talk • contribs) 23:57, 16 February 2020 (UTC)

Indeed. I was about to suggest burning the house down preemptively and using the insurance money to book a relaxing modern hotel suite for the foreseeable future. Ask a lawyer first, though, just to be safe. InedibleHulk (talk) 00:39, 17 February 2020 (UTC)

Electricians are much more experienced than I am at installing stuff, and they know how to make sure it is up to code, but as for troubleshooting I'm not aware of any magical abilities that they have. I think I can handle basic safety procedures like not sticking my fingers into live outlets. I suspect that finding this fault will take a fair amount of muddling around whether an electrician does it ($$$) or I do it. So I'm asking what electricians do in this situation and if it doesn't involve fancy specialized equipment, I can probably at least consider it or attempt it. I just don't want to rip into any walls but I'm afraid things might be pointing that way. 2601:648:8202:96B0:0:0:0:7AC0 (talk) 06:32, 17 February 2020 (UTC)

We are generally prohibited from offering medical or legal advice here, and for many reasons. For similar reasons, it would be foolish of us to try to guide you through the steps of troubleshooting electrical faults, especially something in such a safety system. Electricians are trained and licensed for safety and knowledge, and that's why they cost $$$. Your question is beyond the scope of the Reference Desk; we'd be happy to research your question about Ohm's Law, but we're not coming over to your house with a test kit. Sorry. Elizium23 (talk) 07:19, 17 February 2020 (UTC)

I'm not asking for medical or legal advice and the stuff I've been doing (e.g.: unplug stuff until the breaker stops tripping, check outlets with a voltage tester) is far safer than driving a car or boiling water on a stove, to say nothing of even minor DIY car repairs. The earlier discussion about this issue was quite helpful. This is no scarier than someone asking about a recipe for cooking something at home. Telling them to go to a restaurant instead because the highly trained burger flippers have so much safety knowledge about hot surfaces is silly and patronizing. It isn't brain surgery. Commonsense precaution is one thing, but irrational fear is maladaptive.

I'm not going to try to replace damaged wiring (that's the sort of thing one calls electricians for, and which may be necessary here). I'm trying to locate the problem and I'm perfectly comfortable with everything discussed so far. I'm frankly more worried about leaving the possible ground fault in place and maybe eventually shocking someone. If you can suggest a book about the subject instead, that would be appreciated too. There is a lot of youtube video[1] and I've been looking at some of it, but video is way more time consuming than reading a book. Thanks. 2601:648:8202:96B0:0:0:0:7AC0 (talk) 15:46, 17 February 2020 (UTC)

If you're too cheap to bring in an electrician, consider the cost of replacing your house. ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 16:43, 17 February 2020 (UTC)

Your cheap shots are unhelpful. Yes, there is stuff electricians do that would be inadvisible for people like me. This is not one of them, at least so far. For that matter, have you ever actually called an electrician about a home repair or even an installation? It would normally not be done by someone licensed with a lot of training. They typically have unlicensed (i.e. low paid) assistants and apprentices do the work, and then the licensed electrician checks it and signs off. It's the same way with plumbers, auto mechanics, etc. If you have done stuff like this yourself and have advice or cautions based on your experience, that is great and I'm listening, but otherwise I don't think you have anything to contribute. I'm not interested in irrational FUD from people with no knowledge. But thanks anyway. 2601:648:8202:96B0:0:0:0:7AC0 (talk) 17:32, 17 February 2020 (UTC)

Enjoy your house while it lasts. ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 17:38, 17 February 2020 (UTC)

I don't know how people like you manage to get out of bed in the morning and tie your own shoes. Better call a physical therapist to help you so you don't hurt yourself. As AvE would say, "Jeezless". Thanks. 2601:648:8202:96B0:0:0:0:7AC0 (talk) 18:00, 17 February 2020 (UTC)

If you burn down your own house, you'll need more than a physical therapist. ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 18:33, 17 February 2020 (UTC)

Electricians are experienced at troubleshooting stuff and no magic is required. I don't know how people who expect answers to their house problems at a WikiP help desk get out of bed in the morning. Better call an electrician to help you so you don't hurt yourself. MarnetteD|Talk 18:52, 17 February 2020 (UTC)

Electrical problems are more serious, and messing up while working with an electrical system has more dire consequences, than getting out of bed does. You knew that, as does 2601. But you just want to tease and belittle other people who are giving the best advice here: to hire a person who is qualified to fix such problems. --Jayron32 19:09, 17 February 2020 (UTC)

The discussion above is closed. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page. No further edits should be made to this discussion.

Ok fine. Next we can work on getting the song When I'm Sixty-Four banned from the airwaves, since it mentions someone "mending a fuse" themselves instead of calling an electrician. What helplessness has taken over this place. Sheesh. 2601:648:8202:96B0:0:0:0:7AC0 (talk) 02:03, 18 February 2020 (UTC)

Fuses would eventually burn out, and replacements were available in stores. Not much different from changing a light bulb. Although disabling the power panel first was a good idea. And if it burned out again soon, it was time to call the electrician. ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 02:23, 18 February 2020 (UTC)

Google the subject "house first faulty wiring" and you will find many references. Here's one.[2] ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 02:25, 18 February 2020 (UTC)

And here are some stats on death and destruction due to electrical problems.[3] ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 02:26, 18 February 2020 (UTC)

For the record, I was mostly kidding about the house burning down. Sheesh indeed now, though, seriously! If I were you for real this time, I'd sell the house to a nice young worried couple, let them fret about whether the comfort of knowing which pipes are supposed to be electrified is worth the $$$. Then I'd move into a van, down by the river. Not one of those flammable rivers, though, they're unsafe. InedibleHulk (talk) 05:24, 18 February 2020 (UTC)

The fuse burning out again soon is probably because you used the toaster and waffle iron at the same time again, or the like. So before calling the electrician, identifying the big electrical loads and figuring out if they exceed the fuse capacity is a perfectly sensible thing to do. You could also pay attention to whether the fuse blowing coincides with your refrigerator motor turning on, since that causes a big current spike. If that happens, you have info to give to the electrician that can probably save him or her some time, resulting in a lower bill. That's the kind of thing I've been looking to do about this breaker tripping.

Note that I never asked how to fix the problem, but only how to find it, which is not the same. The youtube video I linked had some helpful advice: go outside the house and check for exterior lighting and outlets connected to the breaker, since those are more likely to get wet from rain and develop faults. I did that, and there *is* a light and outlet out there, so they are suspects now.

Anyway you guys worry too much. Every morning before breakfast, I make coffee, which involves pouring boiling water while in the mentally impaired state of not having had any coffee yet. Unplugging appliances to see if the GFCI stops tripping is child's play by comparison. 2601:648:8202:96B0:0:0:0:7AC0 (talk) 06:13, 18 February 2020 (UTC)

What part of "the discussion is closed" do you people not understand?--WaltCip (talk) 13:10, 18 February 2020 (UTC)

The discussion above is closed. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page. No further edits should be made to this discussion.

February 18

20th century

I was wondering if someone could please help me find when Tom Cruise was added to 20th century for film, television and theatre. I've gone through the view history but I can't find it. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 110.151.68.194 (talk) 01:20, 18 February 2020 (UTC)

Are you talking about Category:20th-century American male actors? ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 01:41, 18 February 2020 (UTC)

It's about 20th century#Film, television and theatre. I used "Find addition/removal" in the page history to find [4] from September. PrimeHunter (talk) 01:45, 18 February 2020 (UTC)

Henry VIII's desire for a son

Why did Henry VIII wanted a son/male heir rather than just a daughter/female heir? 86.128.175.30 (talk) 21:44, 18 February 2020 (UTC)

• He wanted a male heir, could have had any legitimate heir, but also needed a clearly legitimate and unambiguous heir. English law of the time was clear (but only since 1376): women could inherit but would (as indeed happened) be lower in priority than a male, or even a younger male heir (this only changed recently).

In Henry's case though, it was more complicated. He probably wanted a male heir because they were simply valued more highly. But he was also only a generation after the Wars of the Roses (his father, Henry VII's succession to the throne marked their end), where a disputed succession had led to civil war.

Shortly before his death, Edward III had effectively chosen between his five sons' lines as to who would become the successor. His oldest son was dead and his son was young (although he became king as Richard II, he didn't last long). He thus chose (in 1376, by downgrading inheritance through the female line) to prioritise his third son's (John of Gaunt) all-male line over his second son's line (which passed through Philippa). This led to the War of the Roses, between the third son's line (Lancaster) and the fourth (!) son's line (York), who'd married into the second son's (the disputed one).

In the end, the Wars of the Roses ended through military power and politics, more than genealogy. But a genealogical solution was needed to make this plain and to provide a compromise which might give peace: Henry VII, Henry Tudor, descended from the 3rd son's Lancastrian line and married into the Yorkist line.

Henry did not want a re-run of the Wars of the Roses. So an heir was needed with no awkward questions of priority: a male heir. He did get one, Edward VI, but this was another short-lived youngster whose death left the succession no clearer than before, with a three-way conflict between Lady Jane Grey, Mary (of England, not Scots) and then Elizabeth. Andy Dingley (talk) 22:34, 18 February 2020 (UTC)

Just one correction, Richard II of England ruled for 22 years, 12 of which were in his majority. He was deposed, and left in a cell to starve to death, but to say it "didn't last long", is a bit inaccurate. What brought Richard down was what brought down most deposed monarchs: conflicts with the nobility over the extent of the power of the King vis a vis traditional rights of the nobility AND conflict with parliament over the funding of foreign wars (see Wonderful Parliament). --Jayron32 13:48, 19 February 2020 (UTC)

Sorry, I blame Shakespeare. Andy Dingley (talk) 15:44, 19 February 2020 (UTC)

He was good at character assassination, Andy Dingley. Consider Macbeth of Scotland, who ruled for 17 years, and went off to Rome half way through! --ColinFine (talk) 19:08, 20 February 2020 (UTC)

Female rule was unknown territory for England. Renaissance monarchs were supposed to be skilled in battle amongst other desirable attributes; James IV of Scotland had been killed in 1513 trying to prove that point. Mary I, England's first queen regnant, got herself married to Philip II of Spain so that England could have a king, although he turned out to be an absentee one. For many, governance by a woman was believed to lack Biblical precedent, a point laboured by John Knox in his 1558 book The First Blast of the Trumpet Against the Monstruous Regiment of Women. At the Coronation of Elizabeth I in the following year, there was an elaborate tableau comparing Elizabeth to Deborah, who in the Bible had led the Israelites to military victory. Alansplodge (talk) 19:34, 19 February 2020 (UTC)

The only previous attempt at a female leader was the Empress Matilda who on occasion managed to be in effective charge of the country whilst battling King Stephen during a civil war that was so chaotic it was said that it was 'a time when Christ and his saints slept'. You can understand their reticence at not wanting to repeat that. As well as the fact that were a female to succeed to the throne and then marry a foreign ruler, it could lead to the prospect of Britain being under the control of a foreign power. Lemon martini (talk) 11:00, 26 February 2020 (UTC)

Imagine Henry charging into battle on horseback, pheasant leg held high over his head, plate mail trying to accommodate itself around his belly.... --Trovatore (talk) 19:51, 19 February 2020 (UTC)

Well, Henry led the English army at the Battle of the Spurs (1513) when he was a bit younger and leaner. He also led an army to France in 1544 but was disappointed that the only fighting was the Sieges of Boulogne. He was by then, as you say, a bit of a porker, and an immense suit of Greenwich armour in the Metropolitan Museum of Art is believed to have been made for him to wear in that campaign, which incorporates an integral corset. [5] By the way, the last British monarch to lead his troops in battle was George II at the Battle of Dettingen in 1743. By all accounts, he was a bit of a nuisance and the practice was politely discouraged thereafter. Alansplodge (talk) 21:16, 19 February 2020 (UTC)

Interesting. I confess my comment was a bit tendentious. I see Henry as a loathsome figure. Among English sovereigns who held actual power, he seems among the worst of a bad lot. But there are always more sides to a story, and this suggests a physical courage I wouldn't have been inclined to attribute to him. --Trovatore (talk) 22:05, 19 February 2020 (UTC)

Henry VIII was quite a complex character. He seems to have been quite a good king in his early reign (at least by contemporary standards). But he suffered a serious injury in a jousting accident, which lead to a lot of other health complications, leading to obesity and mood-swings. Also, I can think of a number of English kings who would be worse than him, particularly Ethelred the Unready, who was both tyrannical and incompetent. Iapetus (talk) 11:10, 20 February 2020 (UTC)

You're not alone Trovatore, see Henry VIII voted worst monarch in history by a poll of historical writers; although one respondent cited Eadwig (940-959) because “Apparently his coronation had to be delayed to allow Bishop Dunstan to prise Eadwig from his bed, and from between the arms of his ‘strumpet’ and the strumpet’s mother – he was only 16 at the time”. Alansplodge (talk) 19:33, 20 February 2020 (UTC)

Wow, Edward VIII came in second-worst??? He may have had some unfortunate political leanings, but he didn't kill anybody, as far as I know. Seems like the monarchs from the wars-of-religion era were always having their wives and cousins beheaded on one pretext or another. The pre-Norman ones, somehow they don't seem quite real to me, so it's hard to compare them, but in any case whatever Eadwig did in bed doesn't seem to be in the same category. --Trovatore (talk) 20:08, 20 February 2020 (UTC)

That's what endorsing Hitler and endangering the monarchy will do for you. Also, (relative) recentism. Fgf10 (talk) 20:32, 20 February 2020 (UTC)

I guess I incline to the view that no belief, no matter how horrifying, is really as bad as having your cousin killed because you were afraid there were people who thought she should be queen instead of you.

As for endangering the monarchy, that would tend to make me like him more instead of less.

But the "recentism" is understandable — I copped to the same thing in not considering the pre-Norman kings. --Trovatore (talk) 21:56, 22 February 2020 (UTC)

During the 16th century or Henry VIII's reign, what was the age to be king/queen? 5 years and over? 86.128.175.30 (talk) 21:47, 22 February 2020 (UTC)

Even a baby can be a monarch; James V of Scotland acceded at the age of seventeen months and his only surviving legitimate child, Mary, Queen of Scots, succeeded him when she was six days old. The usual procedure was the appointment of a regent who would take charge until the child reached their age of majority, usually 16 years-old. In the case of Edward VI who acceded at the age of 9,, Henry VIII had appointed a Council of Regency to run the country, but that ran into problems so the council then appointed a "Protector" who acted on the king's behalf, neither of whom did terribly well as it turned out. Alansplodge (talk) 10:44, 23 February 2020 (UTC)

It goes earlier than that; John I of France became King of France as a foetus, and relinquished the throne on his death at 5 days old. --Jayron32 13:35, 24 February 2020 (UTC)

Wasn't there also a prenatal king of Spain? —Tamfang (talk) 05:28, 26 February 2020 (UTC)

February 19

What is this thing called?

What do you call a bead-like thing on a string that engages in another thing so that the string is held in tension? The ones I'm looking at are conical, have a hole that accepts the string but not a knot in the string, and can slot into a conical thing and hold my laundry drying rack up in the air. Hayttom (talk) 17:18, 19 February 2020 (UTC)

I was thinking of toggle, but it seems to have a multitude of definitions. Alansplodge (talk) 19:12, 19 February 2020 (UTC)

Bead cone?  --Lambiam 20:48, 19 February 2020 (UTC)

Apparently an acorn,[6] if that is the thing you are thinking of. Seems like a vestigial tassel. 2601:648:8202:96B0:0:0:0:7AC0 (talk) 14:17, 20 February 2020 (UTC)

Hm, yes, that is the thing I was thinking of, thanks. Maybe somebody should update acorn... Hayttom (talk) 15:07, 20 February 2020 (UTC)

A bit less utilitarian, but you can buy acorns which are acorn-shaped! Alansplodge (talk) 19:22, 20 February 2020 (UTC)

Resolved

February 20

Journalistic etiquette

Is it convention that a newswriter says "this is on the record?" I imagine that it would be proper to specify if you're, say, playing tennis with somebody, but wouldn't be if you call them at work. Temerarius (talk) 22:07, 20 February 2020 (UTC)

Wikipedia's discussion of such issues is at Source (journalism) and Journalism ethics and standards, but I don't see it specifically answering that question. --69.159.8.46 (talk) 23:13, 20 February 2020 (UTC)

I think that decency requires that journalists identify themselves as such if they may quote or report what someone tells them. If the other person is a public figure, they do not have to be explicit that the conversation is on the record, also not on the tennis court or in a bar. Otherwise, they should normally ask permission to quote them by name. There may be exceptions to that rule; see Undercover journalism, especially where it quotes the Society of Professional Journalists' Code of Ethics.  --Lambiam 23:34, 21 February 2020 (UTC)

February 21

Editing an animated map

I was wondering if there is any way to edit this animated map so that it would only show Maine and not any other US state or territory:

https://www.visualcapitalist.com/visualizing-200-years-of-u-s-population-density/

http://2oqz471sa19h3vbwa53m33yj-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/u-s-population-density-animation.gif

I'm asking for a friend who is doing a project on the demographic changes that Maine has experienced over the last 200 years. If either you know how to do this or knows someone else or some place where someone else is able to tell me how to do this, that would certainly be great! Futurist110 (talk) 21:29, 21 February 2020 (UTC)

Free program VirtualDub can import your animated .gif, apply a video filter called "Crop" and save a new animated .gif. Configuring the Crop as L/R/B/T = 855/43/34/452 isolates a little animated Maine. However other editing will be needed to include the year numbers and the colour key. DroneB (talk) 14:56, 22 February 2020 (UTC)

February 22

TEFL job?

Hello, I'm thinking about doing ESL teaching abroad in Asia or Europe. How far in advance do you think I should start planning to teach abroad? I talked to some placement organizations and one guy wants me to be in Asia at the end of May. Do you think this is achievable for me? Is it realistic for me to get TEFL certified, get a background check and other nessecary paperwork, and relocate to Asia within that timeframe? Keep in mind that I have not done my TEFL certification yet, and will likely need to complete it first. Many of the people I have known have started to prepare 6 months in advance. I just heard about these opportunities.

The opportunity in Spain would likely have me starting in August.

Can a TEFL certification be completed in two weeks?

I am also weighing some other job options outside of ESL teaching that I expect to hear back from soon in the beginning of March or end of February. If I don't hear back from them or get a rejection notice, I will likely be committing to the ESL teaching route. In that case, I would be starting the 120 hour TEFL course in March.

FYI: I live in the Western United States. Thought this information would make it easier for you to provide me with an informed answer as far as realistic start dates. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 184.167.226.152 (talk) 03:03, 22 February 2020 (UTC)

For those not familiar with the jargon, TEFL means Teaching English as a Foreign Language and ESL means English as a Second Language. ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 03:07, 22 February 2020 (UTC)

• I'm not a TEFL teacher, although I have taught (maths) in one and I know some TEFL people.

You can get 'certified' for TEFL in no time at all, or at least to a standard that the school requires. This is not necessarily a good thing. Standards across the industry vary considerably. If I were dealing with a school who were 'optimistic' as to the time needed to do such things, to the extent that you were questioning the possibility of this, then I'd be looking hard at whether I wanted to work for them. YMMV. Andy Dingley (talk) 18:17, 22 February 2020 (UTC)

Who are these TEFL people you know? It might be helpful for me to talk to them.

If I was to go the TEFL teacher route, I would feel more comfortable starting later like during the summer or early fall rather than sooner. It seems like a rather daunting task to get all the paperwork done, pass the TEFL course, and handle the logistics of relocating abroad in a short amount of time. Perhaps I'm overestimating the difficulty of it, but I'm not really sure. I want to wait untill March to commit to the ESL options because I will likely be hearing back about my non-ESL job options in March. I generally prefer these other options over the ESL teacher opportunities so I want to hear back from them first before spending the money on online TEFL and starting the process of relocating abroad legally. If I did not have these other options I would hit the ground running right now with the TEFL stuff.

The Asia program I've talked to wants me to start in May or April. The programs I've looked at in Europe (Spain (kind of hesitant to go there now - you often a need student visa to teach legally as an American 😩), Hungary and Romania (promising), Russia and Poland (promising), and Czech Republic (also seems promising) ) have late summer start dates. I feel more comfortable having a later start date. I prefer Asia over Europe (Korea, China, Thailand, or Taiwan) though because salaries are higher (Particularly Korea and China where it is possible to save significant amounts of money - flights are even reimbursed in Korea) and there are usually no upfront payments to recruiting agencies.

I don't want to name any specific companies or organizations here. I want to stay anonymous so I don't compromise any of my options. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 184.167.226.152 (talk) 18:05, 23 February 2020 (UTC)

Good luck. ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 19:10, 23 February 2020 (UTC)

February 23

How to display your status on your talk page.

Okay, so, I was looking at recent changes on Wikipedia and I saw this guy who had this status thing that showed his status. Like offline, online, active. I thought it was pretty cool so I checked the source to see if I could do it myself. But the problem is, the source was so complex that i didn't know what was what! Can you please link me to a page that can explain how to do this? Or even better, can you do it for me? Faboof (talk) 01:28, 23 February 2020 (UTC)

If you look at this edit you will see a template that you can add to your talk page then you will have to manually edit it yourself to show your status. This is probably not the only one of these out there so other editors may be able to direct you to different templates. MarnetteD|Talk 05:18, 23 February 2020 (UTC)

That one uses the template {{status}}. There are also {{statustop}}, {{UserStatus}}, and {{StatusTemplate}}. The template pages contain documentation on how these are used. By clicking on "What links here" when visiting these template pages, you can find user pages that use them and see how they look there.  --Lambiam 09:08, 23 February 2020 (UTC)

Turn right to increase flow

Screws, nuts and valves are all turned right to tighten/close/decrease flow, but a potentiometer light switch is rotated left to turn off the light. How come? 93.142.87.124 (talk) 05:28, 23 February 2020 (UTC)

Are you talking about devices like the volume control on a radio? ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 07:35, 23 February 2020 (UTC)

For convenience, let us only consider screws in an upright position (head on top). Consider a screw having a standard right-handed screw thread, held in a matching hole. Turning it right will cause the bottom tip to move downward. This mechanical downward motion has been used both to control the flow of liquids and gases, and to close electrical circuits. In the former case, the descending screw impedes and finally blocks the flow. But in old-fashioned mechanical switches that use screws for connecting or disconnecting the conducting path in an electrical circuit, the screw tip is one contact point that makes contact with the other contact point by descending and touching it, so clockwise turning now closes the circuit and thus opens the flow of electricity. This 19th-century historical situation has carried over into a convention still maintained today, also when no actual screw threads are involved: turning right constricts the flow for liquids and gases, but increases the flow for electrical and electronic stuff. On my stove top I have both gas burners and an electric plate. To turn these on, I have to turn the knobs (which look identical) in opposite directions!  --Lambiam 09:36, 23 February 2020 (UTC)

[Edit Conflict] I suggest (without recourse to references) that the first is because humans are predominently right-handed and hence can usually exert more manual force (such as that needed to tighten, etc., something) with a right or "clockwise" twist (whereas loosening, etc. something is typically less critical or usual), and the second is because the cultures that pioneered electrical equipment generally read from left to right and use clocks that run clockwise(!), so rotatory controls and indicator dials that cause or show an increase in the value of something are more intuitive when arranged to do so clockwise (or deosil, as I prefer). {The poster formerly known as 87.81.230.195} 90.202.162.227 (talk) 09:39, 23 February 2020 (UTC)

As a child, I was bemused by the fact that my parents talked about putting the brake on in the car, when they were stopping: this was backward to me, as "turning something on" meant starting it. I think this is a similar case: there are only two ways it can go, and different areas of engineering have chosen their ways - and their metaphors - without consulting each other. Consider also that a phone keypad and a computer keypad are still opposite ways up. --ColinFine (talk) 11:59, 23 February 2020 (UTC)

As to "on", this just means that as a child you didn't think of the brake itself as being something that would be "started" (i.e. put into operation).

As to numeric keypads, computer keypads copied adding-machine keypads, where the lower digits (which are more frequently used) are at the bottom where they are more easily reached. Phone keypads, on the other hand, were introduced in the US where letters were still (and indeed are still) associated with each digit, and having the alphabet out of sequence would've looked weird. (And besides, how many people used adding machines anyway? Obviously not enough to consider.) --69.159.8.46 (talk) 06:45, 24 February 2020 (UTC)

What's your source for the claim that the lower digits are used more often? ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 11:51, 24 February 2020 (UTC)

It would depend on how many digits are being used, but see Benford's_law#Generalization_to_digits_beyond_the_first. Given the breakdown there, the "lower numbers are used more frequently" thing is technically true, but not really signficiant if you're handling large numbers. For day-to-day accounts, though, it may be enough to be useful. Matt Deres (talk) 14:52, 24 February 2020 (UTC)

• Valves used to turn in either direction. During the construction of the Severn Tunnel (poor article, sorry), a long underwater railway tunnel, in 1879 the workings flooded. This was a major flood - held up construction for years. Part of the recovery from this was to go down underwater, close a door to the worst part of the flooded shafts and also close a large valve there. It was such a difficult piece of diving in awful conditions (by Diver Lambert, the most celebrated diver of the day) that it led to the first use of a (hoseless) rebreather set, rather than the standard diving dress of the time. Finally Lambert managed to turn the valve. The water was still flooding in, and it was a major effort (A new diverter drainage tunnel dug beneath, and a new pumping engine house on the surface) to get it under control. After which they found that the valve went the other way. Lambert had opened it, not closed it. So after that, valve direction became standardised.

When a globe valve (the usual sort in domestic plumbing) is made with a right-handed thread and then turned in the conventional direction, this gives the expected operation. But gate valves used to go the opposite way (now changed). Andy Dingley (talk) 13:51, 23 February 2020 (UTC)

Thanks everyone for the replies. Interesting, I never thought of powering on as "closing" the circuit, tho that seems obvious now, or found it meaningful that gas stoves turn on by turning the opposite way from electric ones (even tho I've turned that knob the wrong way more than once heh). 93.136.117.148 (talk) 23:33, 24 February 2020 (UTC)

By the way, I'd like to point out that it's not true that "valves are all turned right to tighten/close/decrease flow". When a single sink has separate taps for hot and cold water, sometimes they are made to operate in opposite ways, so that the two hands are used symmetrically. I think this is especially likely to be done when the taps have single-lever handles. I'll also mention that the stove/range in my house is electric (it's a GE model about 20 years old) and the rotary controls for the stovetop elements are turned right to decrease power (or to go directly from "off" to "max", since they turn in a complete circle). The oven-temperature control goes the other way, though. My point is that these things are not as universal as some people think. --69.159.8.46 (talk) 03:35, 26 February 2020 (UTC)

world war ii aviation; colin heaton

I don't want to attach any urgency to this query, but I am 76, and, I guess am one of the few actual contributors to Wikipedia, according to a note from one of your staffers recently.

I've collected books since I was 12 (primarily signed world war ii aviation, american, german, and British). I got them off the 25-cent tables at bookstores (often in fine condition), then found the pilots hometown, and, presumed he returned there after the war, then went to the public library, where, in those days they had listed phone books from every area code in the usa (ie., the 213 area was an inch thick in 1957. And got addresses and sent penny postcards to the pilots, asking if they'd sign my book -- and btw, I was a newspaper boy and did they know how to contact their wingmen or others they flew with in the war? The results were amazing.

My dad was my hero and was chief final inspector in the fighter division over all three shifts. Which meant he stamped off every P-51 that was ever made from first to last.

All that being said, I can NOT find any biographical Information on Colin Heaton, who was apparently held in VERY high regard by European Theater pilots. They threw a big birthday party for him somewhere on the continent or in England and all the attendees signed a copy of Townsend's book "Fly for your Life."

Many of the signatures I am familiar with. Others I am not, but hopefully will be able to match the signatories as I was discriminate even at my young age and only had pilots sign the book if they flew with the author or on the mission, ie., one entitled "Mission Into Darkness" had the pilots flying well beyond their fuel limit. They took off from a dark carrier deck and returned in the dark, landing with no deck lights. I tracked down four of the men who survived the mission. They were on fumes, but none went into the sea. Afterward no fuel touched a dipstick into the wing tanks. Pretty good for a kid, huh?

I grew up to be an L.A. Times reporter, the peak of my career, and was there 10 years, but would not back off on a story about the revered institution, YMCA, was being threatened with its charitable tax deduction status in federal court at that time in Washington, D.C., and had the national president admitting it, malfeasance of funds, along with much more, including the fact that they were diverting earmarked money from their "Kids to Camp fund" in 1980 to stay afloat financially (not their mission statement). Revealing that would likely have meant the end of the YMCA. I wouldn't back away from the truth and basically forced them to fire me in order to get benefits that are given to those fired without cause.

Anyway, I've gotten way off the track, when all I really want to know is, who the heck is Colin Heaton and why did pilots from all countries hold him in such high esteem?

thanks for anything you might know, ```````jeffrey hansen — Preceding unsigned comment added by 2600:1700:8D40:A120:99A4:6818:2D95:E3D6 (talk) 21:44, 23 February 2020 (UTC)

Not certain, but it sounds like it could be this Colin D. Heaton. -- See also. —2606:A000:1126:28D:781F:79E3:E0E2:3A5F (talk) 08:34, 24 February 2020 (UTC)

Seems unlikely, "Former soldier and Marine scout-sniper" (your second link), and anyone holding a command position in the Second World War is likely to be a centenarian by now.

By the way, there are about 5,000 English Wikipedia editors who make more than 100 edits per month - see Wikipedia:Wikipedians. Alansplodge (talk) 11:06, 24 February 2020 (UTC)

• "Mission into Darkness" is probably VB-2 at the Battle of the Philippine Sea by Foster Looney[7]
• Fly for Your Life is by Larry Forrester, not one of Townsend's

Not sure who exactly we are looking for, an RAF officer? fiveby (talk) 13:03, 24 February 2020 (UTC)

The author 2606: mentions was a friend of Johannes Steinhoff, and there was an 80th birthday celebration[8] in 1993 which Heaton probably attended along with many of Steinhoff's "old Luftwaffe comrades". Confused as to what book everyone was signing. fiveby (talk) 16:42, 24 February 2020 (UTC)

Presumably this book a biography of RAF Battle of Britain ace Robert Stanford Tuck.

If it IS Colin D. Heaton the author, he has written a lot of military history books. Alansplodge (talk) 18:03, 24 February 2020 (UTC)

I wonder if the number of military historians asking for signatures outnumbered the pilots at the party? All wild speculation tho until the OP clarifies. fiveby (talk) 18:33, 24 February 2020 (UTC)

I don't get why it seems unlikely. It seems actually pretty likely to me that this is the chap the OP is looking for. He can be contacted by e-mail at cdheatonii(at)aol.com.  --Lambiam 20:43, 24 February 2020 (UTC)

Mea culpa. I had the impression that the OP thought he was a wartime pilot or commander, but a re-read shows this is not the case. Alansplodge (talk) 20:59, 24 February 2020 (UTC)

February 24

Decades articles

Are the decades articles all of the information used is it media controlled. I'm talking all of it science, technology, music, film. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 110.151.68.194 (talk) 11:24, 24 February 2020 (UTC)

Define "media controlled". ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 11:50, 24 February 2020 (UTC)

Furthermore, could you clarify what you mean by "decades articles"? Are you referring to articles here at Wikipedia such as 1960s, 1970s, and so on? †dismas†|^(talk) 16:09, 24 February 2020 (UTC)

We also have many decade articles that focus on more specific areas, such as, for instance,

• 1970s in comics
• 1970s in fashion
• 1970s in film
• 1970s in furniture
• 1970s in jazz
• 1970s in literature
• 1970s in motorsport
• 1970s in music
• 1970s in science
• 1970s in sports
• 1970s in television

Many of these areas cannot be considered "media".  --Lambiam 21:01, 24 February 2020 (UTC)

February 25

Exercise reference

In terms of health benefits, the amount of recommended exercise depends upon the goal, the type of exercise, and the age of the person. Even doing a small amount of exercise is healthier than doing none. Is this saying that this reference https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/exercise/ is different or same to what its saying. Recommending to follow the reference or not? I just need help understanding what this means. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 2001:8003:7427:6B00:8869:9463:4556:B500 (talk) 12:03, 25 February 2020 (UTC)

I understand the NHS site, which I think we can regard as reputable, is saying that there are several ways to reach your exercise target. You can do some intensive exercises over a short period or less intense exercises over a longer period of time. The important thing is to do some exercise regularly. With out getting breathless the more exercise you do the better it is for your health. Richard Avery (talk) 12:15, 25 February 2020 (UTC)

Problems using the wikipedia dump bz2 file

Hi, I just downloaded enwiki-20200201-pages-articles-multistream.xml.bz2 .

I tried to open it with wikidumpparser. It crashed on the first line, saying "System.Xml.XmlException: 'Unexpected end of file has occurred. The following elements are not closed: mediawiki. Line 45, position 1.'" I extracted the xml file. Too big for notepad++. I tried using firstobject xml editor, which I have used to open xml files larger than a few Gigabites before. Firstobject xml editor just closed without any error message when I tried to open the xml.

I would prefer to open it in .net, but any language will do. I just want a program to be able to look up many articles, and I thought a local file would be better than many calls to the online wikipedia. Perhaps I was wrong. Do you have any suggestions? Is there something wrong with the dump? Is it a newer format? Do you have any suggestions on how to access it at all or alternatively for accessing the online wikipedia often in the best way?

I have used a few .net libraries some years ago, but as I read the documentation, nowadays I need permission, and probably special permission if I want to make many calls. So I thought the dump might be an alternative, not to disturb anyone too much. Star Lord - 星爵 (talk) 20:55, 25 February 2020 (UTC)

This sounds like something for the computing desk -- I put this link there, so as to not duplicate posts. 2606:A000:1126:28D:8095:BB24:F64A:E5FC (talk) 03:21, 26 February 2020 (UTC) . . . or somewhere at Wikipedia:Village pump

I expect that combined, those bz2 files uncompressed are in the 100GB range. Maybe you can run something like "bzcat filename.bz2 | wc" (unix command, I don't know how you'd do it in windows) to see the uncompressed size of an individual file. Or can you try your parser with an earlier version of the same dump? It is possible that the one you tried is broken in some way, but having two separate ones fail is less likely.

In general, for very large XML files you have to parse with a streaming, SAX-style parser where you read just one tag at a time, instead of trying to keep the whole document in memory. That means your program has to "manually" remember where it is in the file (i.e. inside some stack of nested tags). If you use Python, Elementtree] is nice in that it lets you get subtrees of reasonable size and access their contents in a DOM-like fashion. 2601:648:8202:96B0:C8B1:B369:A439:9657 (talk) 08:54, 26 February 2020 (UTC)

By the way, I usually use expat for stuff like this, from C or C++ programs. It is maybe considered old fashioned but I'm used to it. libxml2 is newer and might be preferable. It is basically similar though, so I haven't bothered trying to switch to it. There are Python and maybe .NET bindings for both expat and libxml2. 2601:648:8202:96B0:C8B1:B369:A439:9657 (talk) 09:04, 26 February 2020 (UTC)

It looks to me like you should get the bz2 files that are split into smaller streams: see "2020-02-22 04:25:49 done Articles, templates, media/file descriptions, and primary meta-pages, in multiple bz2 streams, 100 pages per stream" on the dump page https://dumps.wikimedia.org/enwiki/20200220/ . That will give you a bunch of smaller files that should mostly be easier to parse, though a few of them will still be pretty large. There are some index files too. I didn't examine them to check their format. 2601:648:8202:96B0:C8B1:B369:A439:9657 (talk) 09:25, 26 February 2020 (UTC)

You should read Wikipedia:Database download if you haven't. --47.146.63.87 (talk) 10:17, 26 February 2020 (UTC)