Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Miscellaneous/2011 May 30

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May 30

HMS RINGTAIL

COULD YOU ADD MY HMS RINGTAIL WEBSITE LINK TO YOUR PAGE

ROYAL NAVAL AIR STATION BURSCOUGH

THANKS

www.hms-ringtail.co.uk — Preceding unsigned comment added by 92.5.35.47 (talk) 00:02, 30 May 2011 (UTC)

It might just be my sad old computer, but there didn't seem to be any content on your site - just a title page. If there's somethimg worth reading, you could add it to the Wikipedea article yourself. If you're not sure how, the best idea is to find another Wikipedea page with an "External Links" section, click on the "edit" tab and copy how it was done there. Alansplodge (talk) 00:16, 30 May 2011 (UTC)

The place to ask this sort of question is the article talk page - Talk:RNAS Burscough (HMS Ringtail). I'm afraid the answer will probably be "no" at the moment, as you don't seem to have any content on your website. See WP:EL for the rules about adding links from external sites. Tevildo (talk) 00:18, 30 May 2011 (UTC)

That talk page may not get much traffic so it may also be worth posting at WP:Military History Eldumpo (talk) 10:15, 30 May 2011 (UTC)

It's generally considered a bad idea to add a link to your own site even if it likely qualifies:

But in line with Wikipedia policies, you should avoid linking to a site that you own, maintain, or represent—even if WP guidelines seem to imply that it may otherwise be linked. When in doubt, you may go to the talk page and let another editor decide. This suggestion is in line with WP's conflict-of-interest guidelines.

People will generally view a person who adds their own site much more negatively then someone who simply asks on the talk page.

Nil Einne (talk) 11:06, 30 May 2011 (UTC)

Turbo timer

Do I have to install a turbo timer on my Hyundai Grand Starex's VGT engine? Or this device is just a kind of accessory that is not necessary for modern automotive turbochargers? It is said that it's not good to turn off the engine with Variable Geometry Turbo immediately after a period of driving. A turbo timer allows an engine to idle for a preset amount of time after the ignition key has been turned to the off position and removed. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 121.54.65.8 (talk) 03:23, 30 May 2011 (UTC)

You don't have to fit a turbo timer. The Audi A4 owners manual says:

• Do not stop the engine immediately after hard or extended driving. Keep the engine running for approximately 2 minutes to prevent excessive heat build-up.
• A website explains "If the turbo is very hot, and the vehicle is keyed off, the coolant and oil will not be pumped through the turbo. If the oil sits in the turbo, it can bake in and damage the oil and the turbo. Some people prefer to let the car idle while they are in it - and just wait for it to cool. Others choose to install a turbo timer to do the job for them." Cuddlyable3 (talk) 09:14, 30 May 2011 (UTC)

If you live more than a few km from a fast highway, is this really necessary? Wouldn't the turbo have cooled during the 5 minute drive through town to get to your house. Astronaut (talk) 12:15, 30 May 2011 (UTC)

My weird cat

I'm curious if anyone else has any insight into this. I have a great, adorable, loving cat who is perfectly healthy (has been seen by the vet multiple times) and she is slim. We've had her for three years though she was a rescue—already an adult when we got her and quite socialized and toilet trained so she obviously had a prior owner; the vet says she's about four. Here's the weird part: she never runs, not once have I ever seen her run, not even once. I think it's kind of bizarre. Maybe her former owner somehow trained her to never run? It seems like an impossible task though. Anyone with any experience like this?--96.224.148.57 (talk) 06:24, 30 May 2011 (UTC)

Our cat hardly ever runs, she did on occasion as a kitten, but now, simply can't be bothered. Cats are known for not doing anytihng if they don't have to. 148.197.121.205 (talk) 08:03, 30 May 2011 (UTC)

I have four cats and I can't think of the last time that I saw one of them run. Two of them run while playing, another is scared of most everything and runs frequently, but the fourth doesn't really run at all. Even when one of the dogs goes running up to her, all she does is stand her ground. She's a bit overweight but not "fat". Dismas|^(talk) 08:18, 30 May 2011 (UTC)

My cat leaps impressively high in the air if I bounce a table tennis ball but loses interest in it immediately it stops moving. This domestic cat that never has to hunt for food has only a vestigial chase-and-pounce instinct. Cuddlyable3 (talk) 09:05, 30 May 2011 (UTC)

Some cats just don't run. However, we now have three cats, having been a two-cat household for most of the last 22 years, and all our cats will run when another cat chases them. So my guess is that if you got another cat then your cat would run away from or towards it! --TammyMoet (talk) 10:12, 30 May 2011 (UTC)

Cats I've owned (I don't have any at the moment) tended to run only when scared or when I was about to feed them. It isn't hard to believe that your cat isn't easily scared (and doesn't have much to be scared about, since it lives in a nice safe house with you). If your cat has never lived with other cats, then it may never have had to compete for food and doesn't see any reason to run to it. --Tango (talk) 13:32, 30 May 2011 (UTC)

Adult cats seem to somewhat use the strategy of the sloth, to avoid wasting energy by moving slowly (most of the time) and sleeping often. This would help them survive when food was scarce. Unlike the sloth, though, they do maintain the ability to run, when necessary. You might try some catnip to see if you can get your cat excited enough to run. StuRat (talk) 05:14, 31 May 2011 (UTC)

Have you tried this patented method of exercising a cat? I have never seen a cat that could resist running in that situation. --Mr.98 (talk) 13:32, 31 May 2011 (UTC)

Some cats just simply have a "let your people contact my people so they can arrange a meeting to discuss your proposal and thrash out an agreement we can both live with" attitude towards suggestions coming from their staff (i.e. you). Roger (talk) 15:45, 31 May 2011 (UTC)

Cats are inherently weird. If my roommate screams "Rectangle!" my kitten runs over to me and meows. Only Rectangle, nothing else. Only to me, never to him. If you look for too much sense in cats, you'll go crazy. Foofish (talk) 01:12, 1 June 2011 (UTC)

A cat owner invited a famous conductor to hear his tomcat play the piano. At first sceptical, the conductor became entranced by the music the cat played. On hearing a particularly harmonious melody the conductor sighed "Wonderful! I must get this orchestrated!". For some reason the cat ran away. Cuddlyable3 (talk) 11:53, 1 June 2011 (UTC)

@Cuddlyable: >_< I didn't get that joke (?) at all.... 117.194.234.154 (talk) 15:11, 1 June 2011 (UTC)

I guess it has to do with how cats always seem to refuse to do something you want them to do, on principle alone. StuRat (talk) 02:09, 2 June 2011 (UTC)

I think the cat probably heard castrated, or maybe it's a play on orchis meaning "testicle". Can't say I exactly "get" it, myself, but I think it's something along those lines. --Trovatore (talk) 02:17, 2 June 2011 (UTC)

The other thing

JFK is often quoted giving a speech where he says the US will go to the moon, my quote may not be exact as it is from memory, and I am not a yanky, but here goes: ...We plan to go to the moon in this decade, and to do the other thing, not because it is easy but because it is hard... What is the other thing that he refers to please? — Preceding unsigned comment added by 195.89.16.154 (talk) 10:47, 30 May 2011 (UTC)

It's "other things". Go to about 8:25 of this clip,[1] and the context will be clear. I also recommend that everyone watch the entire 17 minutes and 48 seconds clip, and then maybe you'll see why JFK captivated us. Politicians don't talk this way anymore: logical, straightforward, pro-American. ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 11:18, 30 May 2011 (UTC)

"Pro-American". Sod everyone else? 92.24.191.98 (talk) 23:31, 30 May 2011 (UTC)

There's no need for homophobic obscenity. JFK distinguished clearly between international allies and aggressors, consistent with the Cold War that prevailed. In his speech JFK acknowledges the leadership that the USSR had gained in parts of the Space race, see Space race#Kennedy launches the Moon Race. Shortly before his assassination JFK proposed peaceful cooperation with USSR in reaching the Moon. While JFK's speech sounds sycophantic towards a Texas university, it is not belligerently chauvinist against anyone. Cuddlyable3 (talk) 12:29, 1 June 2011 (UTC)

(ec) The full text of the speech is here. The "other things" Kennedy has just mentioned are "And they may well ask why climb the highest mountain? Why, 35 years ago, fly the Atlantic? Why does Rice play Texas?" (one has to mention that Alcock and Brown flew the Atlantic eight years before Lindbergh and 43 years before Kennedy was speaking, but political speeches aren't noted for their accuracy.) Tevildo (talk) 11:23, 30 May 2011 (UTC)

The Lindbergh flight was very well-known to JFK's audience, much more so than other flights, so it made more sense to cite that specific event, which was considered miraculous and was a good metaphor for the upcoming events in space.

JFK was often ribbed for his very obvious "Harvard accent". Near the end of the speech, he cites the famous George Mallory quote, "...Because it is there." I was thinking it's rather unlikely that George literally said, "...Because it is THEY-UH." :) In any case, anyone wanting to learn how to deliver a speech should watch this clip and observe how it flows. One thing you don't want to do in a speech is to get off-message. 35 years ago meant 1927, and most everyone there knew, without having to look it up, that he was talking about Lindbergh. The speech was not about Lindbergh or his predecessors (the past), it was about space travel (the future) - a point he made early in the speech where he challenged Americans to look ahead rather than backward - a message we very seldom hear nowadays. ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?}

If I can get a word in edgeways (I've had 4 edit conflicts and counting): Tevildo, what was the "Rice play Texas" thing a reference to? -- Jack of Oz [your turn] 11:39, 30 May 2011 (UTC)

The annual football game between Rice University and the University of Texas. Football and other sports were also commonly-used metaphors by JFK. And football was and still is huge in the state of Texas. Which is another point about how to deliver a speech: "Know your audience." ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 11:41, 30 May 2011 (UTC)

I believe, m'lud, the reference is to the game of American Football. See Rice Owls football. Tevildo (talk) 11:42, 30 May 2011 (UTC)

Thanks, both of you. -- Jack of Oz [your turn] 11:48, 30 May 2011 (UTC)

There's a subtlety in his comment, "Why does Rice play Texas?" which would have been very obvious to his Rice University audience - namely, that Rice more often than not would lose to Texas, especially in recent years, in 1962 terms. He was metaphorically emphasizing where the USA and the USSR stood in the space race at that time. ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 12:07, 30 May 2011 (UTC)

Rice Owls football includes the key text of the JFK speech, and also discusses the one-sided relationship between the Owls and the Longhorns - which, unlike the space race, remains one-sided, with the Owls on the losing side even worse now than they were then. ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 12:14, 30 May 2011 (UTC)

Please help - how to stop pornographic content and popups on a computer

i have got a new computrt and is for family use. is there a way with which i can help avoid the popping up of obscene pictures and ádvertesments in my computer and also avoid opening of any obscene sites if done intentionally too ..Thanks in advance — Preceding unsigned comment added by 117.199.65.1 (talk) 13:03, 30 May 2011 (UTC)

• See Content-control software for an overview of what you need. You should also look at tools to block pop up ads. Exxolon (talk) 13:45, 30 May 2011 (UTC)

In addition consider using an ad-blocker like adblock plus. I use it and I can't remember the last time I saw an advertisement on my computer, obscene or otherwise. APL (talk) 22:51, 30 May 2011 (UTC)

Also, be smart about where you go and what you click on. If you see an offer for some product or service that's too good to be true, chances are... it is. Dismas|^(talk) 00:04, 31 May 2011 (UTC)

Plenty of porn on the Internet is genuinely free ^{1 2 3 4} which reflects the irresistable advance of the Porn 2.0 phenomenon. The OP is advised not to click on any of the above numbered links. However it is worth considering that visual material that was considered obscene a century ago is now regarded as acceptable or even educational, and whether this is a continuing process of change. Cuddlyable3 (talk) 08:44, 31 May 2011 (UTC)

College football coach salaries

Why are these coach salaries so high -- is it just a matter of what the market will bear because each school is vying for the best? It just seems to me that these are a tad bit high. DRosenbach ^{(Talk | Contribs)} 15:22, 30 May 2011 (UTC)

There's no salary cap on coaches, other than what an individual school might decide to impose. Yes, they're high. Especially for the ones who haven't been in serious running for a national championship. ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 16:23, 30 May 2011 (UTC)

Wow! Those are crazy salaries! I guess the reason is the same as the reason colleges give such good scholarships to football players - having a successful football team brings the college a lot of money. --Tango (talk) 21:24, 30 May 2011 (UTC)

Sleep

When I go to bed at night I find it difficult to get comfortable. I shift around in the bed, turning, rolling over, etc. But when I wake up in the morning I feel comfortable and content. It feels lovely not to have to continually move around and be able to just relax. Why is this, and how can I force myself into this comfortable mode when I go to bed at night? — Preceding unsigned comment added by 89.89.91.119 (talk) 22:39, 30 May 2011 (UTC)

Avoid caffeine - less or no tea or coffee etc. 92.24.191.98 (talk) 23:28, 30 May 2011 (UTC)

Practice good Sleep hygiene: Go to bed at the same time every night. Follow a simple bedtime ritual- do the same things in the same order at bedtime every night, cuing your body and mind that it's time to sleep. Turn off lights in the evening, as you are able, so the darkness can signal your brain that it's time to sleep. To the extend that you are able, make your bedroom both dark and quiet. As you lie down, compose your brain with a simple meditation- you might mentally repeat the events of the day, or imagine yourself in some peaceful, pleasant place, or pray, if that's what you're into- to help your brain relax itself for sleep. FisherQueen (talk · contribs) 01:36, 31 May 2011 (UTC)

Surveys that pose the OPs question almost invariably, without prompting, get replies that sexual intercourse promotes better sleep. Cuddlyable3 (talk) 08:20, 31 May 2011 (UTC)

And above all, avoid anything like "forcing yourself" to relax. Relaxation is the total antithesis of the way many of us are during our waking hours - driven, aggressive, in control, active, achievement-oriented, etc. You have to just let it happen. -- Jack of Oz [your turn] 11:27, 31 May 2011 (UTC)

I have had trouble sleeping, and my most effective technique to overcome insomnia is to lie quietly and comfortably and focus on my breathing. If any thoughts come up, I gently let go of them and return my focus to my breathing. I may expand my awareness to how tired my body is and how pleasant it is to relax, but I keep the central focus on breathing and stay away from any gripping thoughts, including thoughts about things that happened during the day that has ended or things that might happen the next day. Just stay in the moment with your breathing and your body. Of course, this is a classic meditation technique. The difference is, instead of maintaining a disciplined focus, you allow yourself to relax until sleep overcomes you. This works almost invariably for me. The only times that it fails to work are after days when I've had too much caffeine (too much, for me, being more than one cup of coffee in the morning, including any caffeine in the afternoon). Marco polo (talk) 14:04, 31 May 2011 (UTC)

In my experience, a lot of it is sleep hygiene, as described by FisherQueen: that's what makes the 'cosy, ready to sleep' feeling. I also find it helps to know that it is perfectly natural and normal for humans to wake up in the middle of the night and stay awake for a little bit, before drifting back to sleep: it's not something to get worked up about. Also, I set myself a time that, if I'm not asleep by, it's okay to get up, go downstairs, have a cold drink, read or do a jigsaw, before going back to bed. Everything I've read about sleep hygiene says that's fine, but I've never actually had to do it once I've assured myself it's okay. Just knowing that I have a plan for if I'm not asleep soon seems to take the pressure off and let me relax. 86.164.164.27 (talk) 09:40, 3 June 2011 (UTC)

Imagine all that data Twitter collects

Let's say you could track the details of submitters of tweets like postal code. Let's say you had the ability also to sort billions of tweets and the details of submitters. Do you think any useful patterns would emerge? Like could you make predictions of something about to happen?

Insticomplete (talk) 23:42, 30 May 2011 (UTC)

Yeah. The big WEIRDO tracking peoples' details like that would be tracked the same way they tracked others. —This lousy T-shirt (talk) 00:11, 31 May 2011 (UTC)

Way to non sequitur, dude. --Mr.98 (talk) 00:15, 31 May 2011 (UTC)

This way, of course.  :) —This lousy T-shirt (talk) 00:23, 31 May 2011 (UTC)

There are a lot of businesses and startups based on twitter metrics. There is even a guy who claims you can use twitter to predict the stock market (and I believe he has a hedge fund based on it, now). --Mr.98 (talk) 00:15, 31 May 2011 (UTC)

(edit conflict)The Global Consciousness Project collects regional (and random) data to interpret, however even then they tend to make correlations "after-the-fact", IIRC. I suspect the only patterns that would really emerge would be obvious, like a significant amount of tweets about a certain regional store when said store was having a huge sale. I think your predictions would likely have to be as commonsensical, i.e., "There's a big increase in tweets about this store, and the sale goes on for a week, therefore I predict a steady increase in tweets about this store." ^Avic_ennasis @ 00:19, 27 Iyar 5771 / 31 May 2011 (UTC)

What about reviewing the whole body of tweets for a postal code, just based on frequency of keywords, would it be possible to identify insightful traits? Insticomplete (talk) 06:08, 31 May 2011 (UTC)

You could use it for short-term weather forecasting, if nothing else: rain moving east. --Colapeninsula (talk) 14:05, 31 May 2011 (UTC)

A Wikipedia article Data mining is relevant. Cuddlyable3 (talk) 11:44, 1 June 2011 (UTC)