Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Miscellaneous/2013 February 4

Welcome to the Wikipedia Miscellaneous Reference Desk Archives
The page you are currently viewing is an archive page. While you can leave answers for any questions shown below, please ask new questions on one of the current reference desk pages.

February 4

Slough rail accident

4th Feb 2013

Rail accident at I beleive the Slough area UK in about 1959-61

Trying to find details. I was a passenger on a following train and my friend was on the accident train. we were both in the RAF. I believe only a few persons were hurt. I rememeber passing the site and noted that several coaches were lying on there side and the rail were twisted like bent pieces of wire.

Do you have any details of this event? Just curious.92.24.225.134 (talk) 09:16, 4 February 2013 (UTC)

The accident was on 1 May 1959, and the official report is available online at [1]. There doesn't seem to be anything on Wikipedia; with just a few injuries, it may not be serious enough to merit an article. Warofdreams talk 10:09, 4 February 2013 (UTC)

philospohy

Is it right that dead people still have power over their intellectual properties and tangible ones? Does it mean that if it is unclear or unknown to whom the owner passed an intellectual property the property is itself owned by the one who will find or get it? — Preceding unsigned comment added by 121.97.111.151 (talk) 12:29, 4 February 2013 (UTC)

This is a very similar question to that in Wikipedia:Reference_desk/Archives/Miscellaneous/2013_February_1#ETHICS and I believe the answers there are a pretty complete answer for this too. Dmcq (talk) 12:58, 4 February 2013 (UTC)

A few subtle differences here, the question is should dead people have power over property after death - opinions differ on this point, what do you think? In some cases legal systems will carry out the wishes of the deceased, in many cases too they will set aside to some extent those wishes and give preference to creditors of the estate and family members in distributing those assets.

Secondly, to whom will property pass if the deceased did not provide a will - that is a question regarding the rules of intestate succession which would be specific to the legal jurisdiction in question - generally it would be the spouse or children of the deceased in first preference, followed by parents or siblings, then more remote family members, and perhaps all else failing such as the example of the UK it will be the property of the state. In order to claim such property you would generally have to show that you had a claim based on some blood relationship generally, or could provide evidence of a will written in your favour by the deceased. ---- _nonsense ferret 14:20, 4 February 2013 (UTC)

I suppose it could be taken as 'should' rather than 'is it true that'. As has been said before and here dead people are not people but ex-people as far as most systems of law are concerned. They do not feature in any convention on human rights that I know of.

If that is so I'd interpret the question as whether we think a person's intellectual property should become public domain when they die. As far as the reference desk is concerned that can be translated into do we know of any debate or movement to cancel intellectual property rights on death rather than have them pass to the heirs. Personally I think most such rights except things like trade marks which are part of a continuing work or trade should only last thirty years irrespective of death or non-death but the article Societal views on intellectual property is probably the best place to go to about these questions. Dmcq (talk) 15:36, 4 February 2013 (UTC)

Turtle Wax

I know it probably wouldnt be allowed now but did Turtle wax used to be made from real turtles?--92.17.48.43 (talk) 20:45, 4 February 2013 (UTC)

No. μηδείς (talk) 20:58, 4 February 2013 (UTC)

Here is a quote from the company's web page, which I think should answer the question: "With a knowledge of chemistry and fascination of cars, Ben (Hirsch) mixed-up his first batches of PlastoneTM in the family bathtub in the late 1930s. Ben’s wife, Marie, bottled the auto polish as Ben traveled by streetcar to gas stations in the Chicago area to market and demonstrate his product. On a sales call in Wisconsin, Ben Hirsch passed by Turtle Creek. In a moment of inspiration, he realized the protective hard shell of a turtle was just like the finish produced by his auto polish, so he renamed his company Turtle Wax." Looie496 (talk) 20:59, 4 February 2013 (UTC)

Like the jingle: "Turtle Wax gives a hard shell finish... Turtle Wax!" ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 01:17, 5 February 2013 (UTC)

Just like baby food isn't made of real babies. KägeTorä - (影虎) (TALK) 04:46, 7 February 2013 (UTC)

But I'd never be surprised to learn that cat food is made from real cats. Or navel oranges are made from real belly buttons. -- Jack of Oz ^[Talk] 19:19, 7 February 2013 (UTC)

Spotted Dick would worry me more, Jack. KägeTorä - (影虎) (TALK) 08:47, 9 February 2013 (UTC)

Oh no, that's yummy. You should try it some time. You never know till you try ..... (I can't believe that anyone would be so stupid as to rename it "Spotted Richard" for fear of offending customers. People can actually make these context-contingent distinctions. Nobody ever thinks that "Our hearts were bright and gay" means "Our hearts were bright and homosexual", do they? Words fail me.) -- Jack of Oz ^[Talk] 18:48, 9 February 2013 (UTC)

Analog wrist watch with altimeter and compass

Is there any on the market? OsmanRF34 (talk) 23:56, 4 February 2013 (UTC)

Does this count [2] ---- _nonsense ferret 00:21, 5 February 2013 (UTC)

Yes. And something less ugly? Maybe some Timex? OsmanRF34 (talk) 00:38, 5 February 2013 (UTC)

maybe [3] - or you could always ask for a fishing rod ---- _nonsense ferret 01:09, 5 February 2013 (UTC)

For the feature set of {Timex, analog, altimeter, compass}, it appears to be a case of "choose 3". That is, no case of an analog Timex with altimeter and compass, but you can strike any one of those terms and find a watch that matches the other 3. Google quickly returns all such combinations. — Lomn 15:54, 5 February 2013 (UTC)

Is this a request for a reference? μηδείς (talk) 01:04, 5 February 2013 (UTC)

Of course it is. — Lomn 14:21, 5 February 2013 (UTC)

A simple Google search won't deliver the results that I asked. As said, it had to have both altimeter and compass. Add to it that it has to be analog and don't look like a toy. OsmanRF34 (talk) 13:38, 6 February 2013 (UTC)

Your last criterion is subjective and therefore beyond the scope of this page. However, given what you say, you might strike it lucky by perusing Google images, rather than "a simple Google search". --Dweller (talk) 15:19, 6 February 2013 (UTC)

Even then, since manufacturers sell watches with altimeters or compass, I often got results of pages with both options, but not together. OsmanRF34 (talk) 12:37, 7 February 2013 (UTC)

Analog altimeters are tricky things - they work by measuring the air pressure - but variations in pressure due to temperature, humidity and other aspects of the weather means that without frequent (at least daily) recalibration, you're not going to get a reliable answer. A very sophisticated analog altimeter can somewhat compensate for some of these changes - but such a fancy device would be very hard to fit into a watch. On the other hand, digital altimeters can use GPS - which gets your altitude to amazing precision and without recalibration. So if you actually care about your altitude (rather than just having another cute widget on your fancy mechanical watch), you need a digital device. SteveBaker (talk) 14:39, 7 February 2013 (UTC)