Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Miscellaneous/2008 December 27

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December 27

Career officer

What is a career officer? — Sebastian 01:28, 27 December 2008 (UTC)

Someone who helps and advises on what career would suit you and what exams you need to do it.--GreenSpigot (talk) 02:05, 27 December 2008 (UTC)

Or, in another context, it typically refers to a military officer who purposefully pursues a military career (as opposed to an officer who only serves for a while and then does something else). -- Captain Disdain (talk) 02:12, 27 December 2008 (UTC)

What happens if you keep talking to your mind?

Talk to your mind? How rediculous you say. But, you somewhat (actually very little) guide your thoughts. And you can "address" your mental chemistry by taking something to alter it. You, right now are the "driver". Sort of, anyways. Talking "to" your mind, more or less.....Or at least the observer of consciousness. I've heard the expression "be at one with your subconscious, and be whole!" but then a new subconscious would form and take over. Just like when you "wake up" in a dream and realize your dreaming. Because something was running the part of your mind that you took over. Now a new "driver". Always a man behind a curtain. If you get a few stages into your mind, what happens? If you keep receeding further and further, would you eventually reach the seat of all consciousness? And if you do access that nervous system alpha box that runs existence itself, what then?!--Dr. Carefree (talk) 01:34, 27 December 2008 (UTC)

I've done what you describe for decades. What happens? You have a career and a rich life. Perhaps you become a Wikipedia editor or administrator. Edison (talk) 01:56, 27 December 2008 (UTC)

See Neuro-linguistic programming and Hypnosis for starters —Preceding unsigned comment added by GreenSpigot (talk • contribs) 02:03, 27 December 2008 (UTC)

Whatever dreams I might have I don't remember having had any since I was quite young and I don't think in words much so speaking to myself is out. However I don't seem to have missed out on any of the career and rich life and editor on Wikipedia business so I don't think there is a link in that direction. Dmcq (talk) 15:44, 27 December 2008 (UTC)

Do we have an article, or section of an article, about...

...the ethics of sexual activity with people who are legally adults, but with mental retardation giving them the mental age of a minor? I think it would be quite an interesting topic for an article if one doesn't exist already. I've tried looking but all I get is age of consent stuff which isn't exactly relevant.--J. F. Mam J. Jason Dee (talk) 02:00, 27 December 2008 (UTC)

I am familiar with JJASONDJFMAM, the months starting with June, but not with this editor. (Was there ever a DJ named J. Jason who was on both FM and AM? Did he live under a bridge?) Edison (talk) 02:09, 27 December 2008 (UTC)

Are you going to answer my question, or am I going to have to wait for someone else to do it? Are you going to continue to violate WP:BITE, WP:AGF and WP:NPA?--J. F. Mam J. Jason Dee (talk) 03:02, 27 December 2008 (UTC)

(DJ... Jason... AM/FM... Wha? Either I'm not getting something, or someone just said something really stupid.) After a thorough review of Template:Mental and behavioral disorders and mental retardation, I can't find anything on it. flaminglawyer^c 03:26, 27 December 2008 (UTC)

I suppose this may have some information but I can't find anything about it in Wikipedia.--J. F. Mam J. Jason Dee (talk) 03:36, 27 December 2008 (UTC)

This ties into Informed consent#Sex as well. Exxolon (talk) 03:45, 27 December 2008 (UTC)

My post noted that someone who wants an article about having sex with people who are mentally retarded might just possibly be trolling. The articles you have edited started 3 days ago with Rings of Uranus and Anal Cunt , and your edits did not appear to be those of a new editor, given familiarity with redirects on your second edit, and an AFD nomination on your fifth edit. Edison (talk) 04:10, 27 December 2008 (UTC)

Can we lose the 'troll' epithet please? Anyone can rationally see that it in itself is a potentially legit encyclopedic topic, or at least a subsection of a legitimate topic somewhere. Just search for articles about it online.--J. F. Mam J. Jason Dee (talk) 04:54, 27 December 2008 (UTC)

You are welcome to do the editing in question, consistent with WP:RS, WP:NPOV, WP:V and other relevant guidelines or policies. The articles Human sexuality or Sexual abuse might be good places to cover having sex with persons who are mentally retarded, so that sex with them is like sex with a child, per your original question. Consider adding "Sexual abuse of retarded persons" to Sexual abuse. Edison (talk) 05:24, 27 December 2008 (UTC)

You already read age of consent you say? Maybe try reading it more carefully? In several places it says "In many jurisdictions, age of consent is interpreted to mean mental or functional age.[2] As a result, victims can be of any chronological age if their mental age is below the age of consent.[3]" Nil Einne (talk) 07:49, 27 December 2008 (UTC)

Incidentally, this was the topic of the movie The Other Sister. StuRat (talk) 08:25, 27 December 2008 (UTC)

Having a mental age of a minor does not mean that adults with mental retardation are like children in an adult's body. "Mental age" is a kind of measure for intelligence-as-tested-by-intelligence-tests. Adults with mental retardation have sexual feelings and can have sex just like anybody else. However, because of their low intelligence, they are more at risk both to be sexually abused, and to sexually abuse others. Lova Falk (talk) 10:46, 27 December 2008 (UTC)

And as for the original question, about the ethics of sexual activity with people with mental retardation: as long as they want it and enjoy it, as long as having sex is not used as a way to manipulate them, in short, as long as they are treated as you would treat anybody else, there is nothing unethical about it. Lova Falk (talk) 10:50, 27 December 2008 (UTC)

Dear Lova, This is exactly the sort of controversial personal opinion that this "question" was designed to elicit in hopes of sparking fruitless acrimonious debate. Soapbox stances have no place on the Refdesk, anyway. Even I am tempted to rebut. (The Other Sister is a great movie by the way.) --Milkbreath (talk) 15:47, 27 December 2008 (UTC)

Regardless of the original questioner’s motives in asking the question, this does seem like a perfectly reasonable subject for an article. --S.dedalus (talk) 09:20, 28 December 2008 (UTC)

I think the best thing to say is per our own article if one parties mental age is under the age of consent and the other party is an adult in all regards, and there is no closeness of age exemption, then it is illegal in a number of jurisdictionms. Whether you consider it unethical it or not is of course moot since the RD isn't the place for such discussions. Nil Einne (talk) 11:07, 28 December 2008 (UTC)

How Many US Businesses currently have a website

I have been looking for data on the numbers of US businesses that have a website, could you refer me to a good source of information? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 8.7.69.32 (talk) 03:04, 27 December 2008 (UTC)

<moved from WP:RD/C> flaminglawyer^c 03:19, 27 December 2008 (UTC)

Extremely difficult number to ascertain, I'd imagine.--J. F. Mam J. Jason Dee (talk) 03:38, 27 December 2008 (UTC)

If you could get some other statistics about US businesses (number of businesses, no. of employees, turnover, profits, etc.) from the US equivalent of Companies house (would that be the SEC?), you could probably come up with some estimates like this:

• Once a business grows beyond a certain size, it is almost compulsory these days to have a website, so suppose a business with more than 100 employees is 100% certain to have a website, and one with 50 employees is 50% certain to to have a website.
• or, most if not all NYSE listed companies will have a website.
• or, profitable companies can afford to employ a web consultant to design their website.

Astronaut (talk) 12:23, 27 December 2008 (UTC)

Day

What is the least talked about day of the year? 60.230.124.64 (talk) 12:15, 27 December 2008 (UTC)

My birthday to judge from the absence of cards and presents.90.9.82.48 (talk) 15:06, 27 December 2008 (UTC)DT

(lawl) (we see through your game, buddy. What's the least talked about day of the year? Why don't we talk about it so that it won't be the least talked about anymore? Wait a sec... You're the same person that asked about the states. <growl> flaminglawyer^c 16:19, 27 December 2008 (UTC)

Well, can I have an answer? 60.230.124.64 (talk) 21:20, 29 December 2008 (UTC)

We have a page for each day of the year, and there's a list of notable people who were born or died on that day. It should be fairly easy (if a little tedious) to determine which day (apart from 29 February, which is often talked about out of proportion to its occurrence) has the least number of notable people associated with it. That might be a start. -- JackofOz (talk) 21:38, 29 December 2008 (UTC)

And now I can't help wondering what that day is, and why. Same for the day with the most people. Is there a quick way to count these, or is it as tedious a process as I imagine? -- JackofOz (talk) 21:35, 30 December 2008 (UTC)

How much snow is ONE INCH of rain?

Attention, ladies and gentlemen- If it snows, say, two inches does that mean it wouldve been a tiny bit of rain? By the same token does every inch of rain equal about 6 inches of snow?I'm Scared (talk) 13:11, 27 December 2008 (UTC)

According to our article new snow has a density of between 5% and 15% of water... Once the snow is on the ground, it will settle under its own weight (largely due to differential evaporation) until its density is approximately 30% of water. Increases in density above this initial compression occur primarily by melting and refreezing, caused by temperatures above freezing or by direct solar radiation. By late spring, snow densities typically reach a maximum of 50% of water. -hydnjo talk 15:14, 27 December 2008 (UTC)

And when compressed to ice, as in my driveway, it's around 90% the density of water. StuRat (talk) 18:22, 27 December 2008 (UTC)

Well then, that would be ice, not snow :) hydnjo talk 20:57, 27 December 2008 (UTC)

Yes, exactly - so one inch of rain would be between two inches of tightly compressed snow - and twenty inches of loose, fluffy snow - and two inches of snow would be between one inch and one tenth of an inch of rain. SteveBaker (talk) 15:55, 27 December 2008 (UTC)

The rule of thumb I've heard from the TV weathermen is that 10 inches of snowfall equals 1 inch of rain. (Always accompanied by a disclaimer saying it's highly dependent on the type of snow.) -- 128.104.112.113 (talk) 20:28, 28 December 2008 (UTC)

Very highly dependant. Around here, we've picked up almost five feet of snow in the past month, but the weather forecasters keep saying "It's only equivalent to three inches of rain, please don't kill yourself trying to shovel off your roof". --Carnildo (talk) 00:55, 1 January 2009 (UTC)

Wet snow is denser than powder snow. ~AH1^(TCU) 18:29, 1 January 2009 (UTC)

Important events in 2008

can someone create a page on inmportant events of the year 2008, with the year coming to an end. It will be really helpful. Thanks in advanceKumar rvce (talk) 13:54, 27 December 2008 (UTC)

Have you tried putting 2008 in the Wikipedia search box? Happy 2009. Richard Avery (talk) 14:59, 27 December 2008 (UTC)

Cadillac Allante Headlamps

Headlamps work fine on high beam. I have no low beam. Checked bulbs and power to socket —Preceding unsigned comment added by 70.160.156.39 (talk) 13:59, 27 December 2008 (UTC)

Have you checked the fuse? Astronaut (talk) 14:41, 27 December 2008 (UTC)

You're saying that there is power to the socket into which the bulbs are plugged AND that the bulbs light when power is applied to them - but NEITHER of them work when plugged into the car?!?! That's impossible.

There are several ways that cars get high beams - and I don't know which way yours work - however, I suspect you have dual-filament bulbs - where each bulb has both a high-beam and a low-beam filament. That being the case, you might not be measuring the right thing - perhaps the high-beam filament is fine - but the low beam filament is blown. That's not such a surprising thing since most people use low-beams much more than high-beams. It would seem at first sight to be surprising that both headlamps would be blown - but since both bulbs most likely came off the same production line on the same day - were stored for the same amount of time under the same conditions - then subjected to the exact same on/off cycles - it'd not be such a surprise that they'd fail at close to the same time.

SteveBaker (talk) 15:50, 27 December 2008 (UTC)

Weeeeelll...not impossible. A high-impedance voltmeter would show a beautiful 12 volts across the socket with the bulb removed even though there was a high resistance in the line limiting current. You have to check the voltage with a good bulb in place. Look for corrosion at the contacts, although if both lamps are out that's a long shot. There are other even more unlikely situations that would cause this, also. I tried to Google for your schematic diagram to no avail, so I can't really help much except to say that they've been getting pretty tricky with xenon and LEDs and pulses in automotive lighting lately. If it was me, I'd get the Haynes Manual. --Milkbreath (talk) 17:37, 27 December 2008 (UTC)

The Allante ceased production in 1993 - it's at least 15 years old. I doubt it has anything other than filament bulbs - certainly they won't be LED's. SteveBaker (talk) 06:43, 28 December 2008 (UTC)

You also might have the wrong bulbs in the car, which might cause that behavior. We need to know some history on this car. Did you just buy it (used, of course) ? Did you just have the headlights replaced ? Did both low beams stop working at different times or at the same time ? StuRat (talk) 18:17, 27 December 2008 (UTC)

One suggestion: Until you get this fixed, fog lights, if present and operational, may be more acceptable to oncoming drivers than high beams. StuRat (talk) 18:19, 27 December 2008 (UTC)

Altruism aside, I wouldn't drive at night with only fog lights :( hydnjo talk 21:28, 27 December 2008 (UTC)

In a place with no street lights, I'd tend to agree. However, if there are street lights, then fog lights are sufficient to warn other vehicles of your location, without blinding them, and the lighting of the street, along with that from the street lights, should be sufficient so that you can see your way. StuRat (talk) 22:24, 27 December 2008 (UTC)

It's probably the switch. That also would explain the weird behavior that there is sometimes power and sometimes there isn't. God Bless America (talk) 20:00, 28 December 2008 (UTC)

I had this exact same problem a number of years ago and it was the switch. I just drove around with high beams on all the time for a couple days until I could get it fixed. Dismas|^(talk) 04:29, 29 December 2008 (UTC)

And did you leave a trail of blinded oncoming drivers in the ditches ? There was probably a cop who was going to pull you over for this, but he was blinded and ended up in a ditch, too. :-) StuRat (talk) 20:01, 29 December 2008 (UTC)

Toyota Camry low frequency noise

While underway in my 2006 Camry, there is a pronounced low frequency rumble emanating from either the left front or left rear side. A sharp right turn of the steering wheel makes this more pronounced.

Dealer suggested I rotate the tires, which were cupped. Instead I replaced all four, with new. No change. Any suggestions? Thanks for any and all help! --71.98.16.211 (talk) 19:44, 27 December 2008 (UTC)

Could the tires be rubbing against the wheel well ? This is sometimes a problem with oversized tires, especially if new. StuRat (talk) 02:08, 28 December 2008 (UTC)

Additionaly might be worth your while to check your tyre balance (especially if there is a pronounced vibration at a specific speed), your wheel alignment (tracking), your disc brakes and brake caliper adjustments, your shock absorbers and your constant velocity joints (especially the rubber 'boot' that protects them - deflated boots can allow dirt to enter causing rapid wear. Exxolon (talk) 02:42, 28 December 2008 (UTC)

Doubtful, but possible; is one of the windows partly open when this happens? And does the problem go away when the window is open or closed? Sometimes the wind blowing across the open window will cause the same effect as blowing across an open bottle, except that the frequency is very much lower. Bunthorne (talk) 04:01, 29 December 2008 (UTC)

Ages of Greek Mythological figures

Hi. I'm writing a story that takes place at some point after the Oedipus trilogy. Which of these characters would still be alive at this point?

• Creon of Thebes
• Adrastus of Argos
• Laertes of Ithaca
• Theseus of Athens
• Heracles
• Mecistus of Argos
• Phoroneus of Argive

And are there any other mythological figures known for strength in a specific skill? thanks User:Ye Olde Luke) 21:48, 27 December 2008 (UTC)

Presumably you have already read Creon, Adrastus, Laertes, Theseus, Heracles, Mecisteus and Phoroneus? I'm hardly an expert on the subject matter, but it seems to me that it's not at all unusual for many mythological characters like this to never die -- which is not to say that they are necessarily immortal, just that their death is never discussed or described. To answer your second question... yeah. Lots. You'll be sure to find many, many more characters known for their prowess in their areas of expertise in Greek mythology alone. -- Captain Disdain (talk) 23:59, 27 December 2008 (UTC)

The second question first: well, yes, that's what polytheism is all about, the gods specialize in specific skills. Zeus, for instance, is really bitchin' at throwing lightning-bolts and Hephaistos is one hell of a blacksmith.

As for mythological charactars who are not gods, then yes, lots of them have specific skills too. Obviously, there's a metric butt-load of great warriors (Achilles, Hector, Theseus, Heracles, etc.), but there are lots of others. Daidalos was a great inventor. Tiresias was a sooth-sayer. Medea was a witch. Orpheus could play great music. Helen of Troy made men drool and betray their countries and stuff. Any special skill you're looking for?

As for the second question, well, lets see: Creon succeeded Oedipus, so he'd be alive after. Adrastus was part of the whole Seven against Thebes thing, which takes place after Oedipus Rex, so he'd be alive back them. Same thing with Theseus, he was also part of Seven Against Thebes. Laertes is harder, he's sort-of in a different time-line, isn't he? Playing six degrees of greek mythology, we can assume that he was: Laertes was an Argonaut, meaning that he lived at the same time as Jason, who lived at the same time as Medea, who lived at the same time as Theseus (after killing her children and those other folk, she fled to Athens and king Aegeus and continued her shenanigans there), and Theseus, as we've already established, was alive after Oedipus Rex. It's dodgy, pretty much every hero mentioned in greek mythology is claimed to have been an argonaut at some place or other. But you could certainly get away with it ("artistic license", and all that). Heracles was an argonaut too, so same thing with him. Mecisteus was part of Seven against Thebes, so he'd be alive after Oedipus Rex too (the Illiad also mention him being part of Oedipus' funeral). Phoroneus I'd never heard about, but according to the article, he seems to be some sort of primordial ur-man (great grand-son of Cronos and Gaia, in fact), so he shouldn't have been alive, I think. Well, that's it. Belisarius (talk) 19:57, 28 December 2008 (UTC)

Aww, shite, I misread your question! You're not asking of people alive after Oedipus Rex, you're asking for people alive after the Oedipus trilogy. Well, Antigone is the last of the the Oedipus triology, and it takes place after Seven against Thebes. So who survived it? Well, Creon did, so he's still in. I think we can safely assume Theseus would be alive as well. Heracles and Laertes is anybody's guess (so if you want to include them, go ahead). Adrastus was alive after Antigone, because he went back to war against Thebes ten years later. I have no idea about Mecisteus and as before, I'm guessing Phoroneus had been dead a long time. So, same answer as before :)

BTW, can I ask something? It seems to me like you put the names of a bunch of greek heroes on slips of paper and put them in a hat, and then dragged seven out. Is there anything special about these guys? Is there any significance to the number seven? Belisarius (talk) 20:10, 28 December 2008 (UTC)

The only significance is that each seemed to have a specific skill, not counting Heracles and Phoroneus, who serve a different role in the story. Laertes is mentioned in a hunt for the Bear, Theseus defeated Medusa (so swordfighting), Adrastus is a good horseman, Mecisteus is described by Homer as defeated everyone from Cadmus in boxing. After your comment, I've decided to remove Phonoreus and have both roles played by Heracles, and add Paris of Troy for archery. Is that possible? I ask only because Paris is from the Trojan War, so he might be a bit young, but Oddyseus's father was alive during the timeline of my story, and Oddyseus lived at the same time of Paris, so I figured Paris was probably born in time. What do you think? --Ye Olde Luke (talk) 05:19, 29 December 2008 (UTC)

Sounds like fun to me! I must say though, I'm not all that familiar with many of the stories featuring the characters you name, but why the hell not! And if you're going to allow Trojan heroes, why not substitute Hector for Adrastus for the horse-taming skill? Homer refers to him as "Hector, the Horse-tamer" (now that's an awesome nickname!), so that would be appropriate, I think (personally, I'd find any excuse to put Hector in a story, he's like the coolest guy in The Illiad). Paris makes a fine archer, can't really think of any Greek hero that's famous for that except him. As for being too young, I don't really think that's a huge issue. Greek mythology is so "fractured" into tiny different sub-groups with their own time-lines, quite independent of each other, and you can only make the most tenous of connections. Like, the Ithaca stories about Jason and Medea, the Athens stories with Theseus, the Corinth stories following Oedipus, the Homeric stories, etc. The connections are extremely vague ("Some dude said Laertes was an Argonaut..."), so you can absolutely take some artistic liberties with that. It's definitely possible that Paris was alive in the time after the Oedipus triology.

Also, I really think you should include Daidalos (or Daedalus, depending on how you spell it)! Every story needs a MacGyver type problem solver that can quickly invent a gadget or two! And he fits in the story-line, he was contemporaneous with Theseus. Patron saint of engineers, that fella!

BTW, I don't know if it was a typo or not, but Theseus did not kill Medusa, he killed the Minotaur (and a number of other strange beasts). That involved sword-fighting too, I guess. Although mostly it was all about seducing princesses to find out the secret of the labyrinth and then abandoning them on beaches :P. It was Perseus killed Medusa, and used her cut-off head to turn the giant Atlas (he who held up the sky) to stone, thus creating the Atlas mountains (I'm not sure that part of story is all that canonical, but someone told it to me when I was a child, and it's remained one of my favorites).

Good luck with your story! Belisarius (talk) 23:33, 29 December 2008 (UTC)

Thanks for your help! And I totally agree about Hector, rooted for him and Troy right up to the end :( --Ye Olde Luke (talk) 02:04, 30 December 2008 (UTC)