Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Miscellaneous/2009 August 6

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.

August 6

110 v 220 volts

why do some countries have 110 volts electricity and others 220? surely the first one invented would have taken over. which is more common? Also, why are there so many types of wall sockets in the world? once again why didn't the first one invented become the standard? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 203.202.43.53 (talk) 00:23, 6 August 2009 (UTC)

See Mains_voltage#History_of_voltage_and_frequency and AC power plugs and sockets. They should get you started. --Tango (talk) 00:30, 6 August 2009 (UTC)

(ec)According to Mains electricity, it was driven in respective countries by optimizing voltage for a specific type of lightbulb. Edison's type was optimal at about 110, and the one invented in Germany or someplace was optimal at about 220. It's kind of like the question of why some countries drive on the left and some on the right. They independently established their national standards, and stuck with them. Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots 00:31, 6 August 2009 (UTC)

The mains power systems article shows the great diversity in both voltage and frequency (Hz). It's kinda like asking why don't humans all speak the same language which would be much more convenient! -hydnjo (talk) 00:32, 6 August 2009 (UTC)

It's not even within different countries - the two main islands of Japan have different standards! SteveBaker (talk) 00:39, 6 August 2009 (UTC)

And the USA uses 110 or 220 depending on the type of appliance. Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots 00:47, 6 August 2009 (UTC)

Thomas Edison was concerned with safety. He argued that AC (with power lines at thousands of volts, to be stepped down just outside the home) was more dangerous than lower voltage DC (with lines leaving the generating station at 100 or 110 volts, but only economical to carry power a mile or less). Electrocution is less likely with 110 than 220. Countries establishing central power stations later benefitted from improved insulation and perhaps were less concerned with occasional electrocutions scaring people out of having their homes wired. The higher voltage is much more economical of copper. The initial central DC station used 100 volts DC, and it was raised to 110to get more power out, then later to 120 AC as a standard as measured at the meter. 110 would be illegal low voltage in the U.S. today, per state utility regulations. The voltage at the appliance might be 110 if the meter receives 120, due to voltage drop in the wiring. Changing the U.S. standard would have required scrapping all motors and appliances, and perhaps switches and outlets. Yet, such changes can be achieved, as was done in adopting digital TV recently. Edison (talk) 02:32, 6 August 2009 (UTC)

That was his public stance. He was also concerned with keeping his company going. Thus he fought Tesla... and lost. But he was better at marketing. Tom Edison, great inventor that he was, also showed a remarkable tendency to invent something and then stick with it rather than innovating. Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots 07:24, 6 August 2009 (UTC)

You can say that again! Edison (talk) 18:47, 6 August 2009 (UTC)

That was... No! Not this rut again! :) Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots 06:44, 7 August 2009 (UTC)

Edison's principal invention was the modern commercial research laboratory. He discovered only one memorable thing, the Edison effect, but he couldn't figure out how to sell it and let it be. But he was really really good at trying things that didn't work over and over until he found things that did work, and later at hiring hordes to do the same thing. I will find the riff John dos Passos did on this before he turned Nazi somewhere under all these books. PhGustaf (talk) 23:02, 10 August 2009 (UTC)

215/220/230/240/etc. volt distribution is more efficient than 110/115/120 volt because there is less resistive heating of the conductors used to carry the current. Therefore, more power can effectively be delivered without having things catch on fire. Ilikefood (talk) 22:20, 12 August 2009 (UTC)

Disney tv shows

Is there a way to watch the following tv shows on the internet for free? The tv shows I'm after are Disney sitcoms from [1]. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 58.161.138.117 (talk) 03:02, 6 August 2009 (UTC)

You may find them at ovguide.com —Preceding unsigned comment added by 76.225.133.60 (talk) 03:46, 6 August 2009 (UTC)

Torrent to torrent download. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 62.172.58.82 (talk) 07:22, 6 August 2009 (UTC)

Try the disney-website - a lot of companies stream their shows online these days. You certainly shouldn't illegally download them (and we certainly shouldn't have the reference desk promote the illegal downloading of copyrighted content). 15:07, 6 August 2009 (UTC) —Preceding unsigned comment added by 194.221.133.226 (talk)

Shouldn't and shouldn't... The question was "Is there a way..." not "How can I, in a legal way,..." /Coffeeshivers (talk) 16:55, 6 August 2009 (UTC)

Yeah - and the answer could be an unqualified "Yes" or "No" without further explanation. We all know WHY the OP needs to know - and dodging the issue like that is pointless. We should stick to advice of a legal nature and not stray into helping people to break the law. SteveBaker (talk) 01:52, 7 August 2009 (UTC)

Is ovguide.com legal? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 58.161.138.117 (talk) 06:48, 8 August 2009 (UTC)

Ipod

How can I connect my Ipod to my Sony (maybe Panasonic) Hi Fi? It has a usb port on the front, but when I put my Ipod, or a flsh drive in there it says Unsupport In fact what can I plug into this port to make it work. I have put about 3 months worth of music on my Ipod, but some times I want to listen to music through proper speakers, eg a party. Any help in this would be greatly appreciated. Thank you. ~~Zionist —Preceding unsigned comment added by 62.172.58.82 (talk) 06:58, 6 August 2009 (UTC)

(moved to Wikipedia:Reference desk/Science#Ipod) — QuantumEleven 08:37, 6 August 2009 (UTC)

You can't use USB for this (unless your Hi Fi supports it, which, if you're calling it a HiFi, probably doesn't.) Does your Hi Fi have auxiliary input jacks in the back? If so, you'll need a cable that goes from 1/8" TRS connector (the iPod headphone jack) to whatever is on the back of the HiFi, probably RCA connectors. They're commonly available. --jpgordon^{::==( o )} 15:59, 6 August 2009 (UTC)

That does raise the question of the purpose of the USB port on the front of the Hi-Fi though, if it's not for plugging an ipod or flash drive into. AlmostReadytoFly (talk) 19:30, 6 August 2009 (UTC)

Good point. My cable set-top box has one for some mysterious reason (yeah, I know the boxes are pretty generic and some cable services might use it); my TV has one for firmware updates; I obviously made an assumption based on the terminology -- as soon as heard "hi fi" I pictured my Dad's bronze front Harmon Kardon that he was so proud of. --jpgordon^{::==( o )} 23:53, 6 August 2009 (UTC)

income statement

what are the key things taht a compant income statement would show? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 203.122.36.6 (talk) 07:09, 6 August 2009 (UTC)

Welcome to the Wikipedia Reference Desk. Your question appears to be a homework question. I apologize if this is a misevaluation, but it is our policy here to not do people's homework for them, but to merely aid them in doing it themselves. Letting someone else do your homework does not help you learn how to solve such problems. Please attempt to solve the problem yourself first. If you need help with a specific part of your homework, feel free to tell us where you are stuck and ask for help. If you need help grasping the concept of a problem, by all means let us know. Thank you. — QuantumEleven 08:33, 6 August 2009 (UTC)

His spelling could use a little help, too. There's a wikipedia article on Income statement. That would be a good starting point. Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots 08:41, 6 August 2009 (UTC)

To be fair, the OP's IP looks up to India suggesting English may not be his/her first language. Of course a spell checker can help a lot Nil Einne (talk) 13:56, 7 August 2009 (UTC)

To be even fairer, I'd say his typing could do with help, not his spelling. Aaadddaaammm (talk) 15:33, 7 August 2009 (UTC)

Now the real question is, did he mean company or compact? --PalaceGuard008 (Talk) 03:10, 8 August 2009 (UTC)

Type O Negative

I asked a question yesterday or the day before, but may have worded it badly. What I meant to ask is what language is he singing in? I realise that the wording on the album cover and sleave is pseudo-russian. But being a band from NY, I cant see why he would be fluent in russian. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 62.172.58.82 (talk) 07:17, 6 August 2009 (UTC)

Why not? People come to New York from all over the world, including Russia. Although the singer's article doesn't say anything about Russian, he could easily come from an ethnic Russian backgroung, have spent some time in Russia, or taken some classes in the languge. Astronaut (talk) 09:42, 6 August 2009 (UTC)

It doesnt sound like russian —Preceding unsigned comment added by 62.172.58.82 (talk) 12:56, 6 August 2009 (UTC)

What songs can we listen to to hear the language? Fribbler (talk) 16:16, 6 August 2009 (UTC)

Why do people need to be fluent in a language to sing in it? There are lots of examples of songs where the singer learned the words fo-net-tick-all-lee and never actually learned the language of the song. --Jayron32 01:00, 7 August 2009 (UTC)

They don't. As a quick example, Richie Valens did not speak Spanish, yet he sang "La Bamba" acceptably. I've heard from musically-inclined friends that even if someone doesn't speak a language, good singers will try to understand the words and meaning of a particular song they're singing. Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots 02:02, 7 August 2009 (UTC)

Plenty of people use Faux Cyrillic just because it looks cool. ZS 17:02, 8 August 2009 (UTC)

Handkerchiefs as fashion accessories.

This is a silly question I know - but bear with me. I am going to a wedding tomorrow so I have been instructed to take a proper linen handkerchief with me instead of my usual tissues. Which got me to thinking about how we humans have managed to see such accessories as fashion items instead of functional necessities. Think of what you actually DO with a hanky - yuk - and then ask why it needs to be pure white, made of washable fabric that looks nice when ironed, and looks even better when embroidered with your initials. Then think of sexy underwear - for both sexes - they were originally designed to keep your outerwear free from urine and faecal staining - SEXY? - I think not. And what about spectacles? Usefully designed to compensate for poor vision, they now cost an arm and a leg and change designs more often than underwear changes (joke). And womens' brassieres - a clothing item designed to support sagging mammary glands - functional in true intent - but now deemed absolutely essential to the fashionista. So - the question? How have we become so immune to the idiocy that pervades such conflicts between functionality and fashion; and how do we even manage to ignore the significant cost differentials? I mean, if I wear a pair of CK's instead of their Walmart equivalent, do I look more like David Beckham as a result? I will answer that myself? NO. 92.23.93.206 (talk) 16:36, 6 August 2009 (UTC)

Seems to me there was a discussion recently about marketers "creating markets". And nowhere is that more evident than the fashion industry. However, there is no law compelling you to conform. That's still a personal choice. Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots 17:41, 6 August 2009 (UTC)

We like to avoid thinking about and drawing attention to such things. That's why table manners developed: to elevate an animal instinct and biological necessity, and something that may have rather unpleasant connotations (ie: the killing of an animal; cutting flesh with knives; feeding the body) to something refined and orderly. Exploding Boy (talk) 16:51, 6 August 2009 (UTC)

As you say, you ask many silly questions. Dressy garb for men can include a "pocket square", a bit of silk of compatible color to one's necktie, worn in the left pocket of the jacket. If you fold it right, all four corners show. You never ever blow your nose into it. Nor do you ever put a pocket protector full of pens, mirrors, and scales into that pocket. PhGustaf (talk) 17:04, 6 August 2009 (UTC)

"One for showing, one for blowing." As far as folding, there's no one "right" way; the number of points, and the style of folding, is one of the rare pieces of sartorial freedom in men's formal wear. --jpgordon^{::==( o )} 17:22, 6 August 2009 (UTC)

That was what I was going to say, too, the old saw, "One to show, one to blow." Regarding folding, though, the men should all be dressed identically, right? So they should probably come to consensus on the manner of folding. Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots 17:39, 6 August 2009 (UTC)

Our article Fashion, not a bad article, says, "The beginnings of the habit in Europe of continual and increasingly rapid change in styles can be fairly reliably dated to the middle of the 14th century". Bastards. Tempshill (talk) 18:05, 6 August 2009 (UTC)

Yes, around the time of the emergence from the Dark Ages, right? After the Black Death had run its course, maybe? One good thing about the plague, for the survivors anyway, was that it caused a labor shortage, so wages tended to rise - along with, presumably, a rise in interest in caring about fashion and other items that are well down the "hierarchy of needs" list. Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots

There was no such thing as the dark ages, and if there was, it certainly did not end in the 14th century! Argh! *asplode* But yeah, otherwise you might be right, although the kinds of people who benefitted from the plague (labourers who could demand higher wages and who were no longer tied to the land) are not usually the same as the kinds of people who set fashion trends. As with now they were probably set by the rich/nobility. Adam Bishop (talk) 21:04, 8 August 2009 (UTC)

Do you mean that people have wrong ideas about the Dark Ages (which ended long before 1348), or what? —Tamfang (talk) 23:11, 10 August 2009 (UTC)

My eyeglasses are functional, but they are also always visible, so why should I want them to be ugly? For that matter, if I wore a brassière, why wouldn't I prefer a pretty one to an ugly one, even if I'm the only one to see it? —Tamfang (talk) 23:11, 10 August 2009 (UTC)

Many white-things that shouldn't be white will have their roots in 'showing off' that you can afford to keep purchasing them to keep them smart, and also that you are clean and respectable so you must be of a high class (or at least high enough that your work is not dirty). ny156uk (talk) 20:09, 6 August 2009 (UTC)

The point of many such apparently arbitrary and culturally variable requirements in dress and/or behaviour is not their own intrinsic value (though they may have some - for example an otherwise unused handkerchief is always useful to me to polish my spectacles) but that your displaying them demonstrates that you are willing to go to some trouble to learn about and conform with them and thus demonstrate your respect for those with whom you are mingling. 87.81.230.195 (talk) 23:58, 6 August 2009 (UTC)

Clothing fashion is not unlike evolution of species in that we can never tell where it will take us, we have to marvel at the diversity and bizzareness of the developed fashions and we spend time wondering for what reason this or that has developed (as if there was a cogent reason). However unlike the evolution of species fashion eventually repeats itself over an unspecified timespan. 86.4.181.14 (talk) 06:18, 7 August 2009 (UTC)

No kidding. Perhaps you've heard of the big controversy during the Ice Age, over whether saber-toothed tiger skins or wooly mammoth skins were more hep. :) Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots 06:42, 7 August 2009 (UTC)

There is of course a whole nother level to the hanky thing, and wikipedia of course has an extensive article[2] about it. PhGustaf (talk) 21:17, 8 August 2009 (UTC)

Great! The more hanky-panky, the better! Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots 21:41, 8 August 2009 (UTC)

Q. What would you say to a little hanky-panky?

A. Nice to meet you, little hanky-panky. :) -- JackofOz (talk) 21:13, 11 August 2009 (UTC)

This is perhaps the most clumsily Bowdlerized joke about Harlan Ellison ever. PhGustaf (talk) 21:22, 11 August 2009 (UTC)

Well, there you go: unconscious clumsy bowdlerization - what! no article? I've never heard of Ellison. I heard this joke on Laugh-In in the late 1960s. I can't remember who asked the question, but Goldie Hawn gave the answer. The things we remember. -- JackofOz (talk) 20:31, 12 August 2009 (UTC)

Ellison is a very excellent science-fiction writer who is by observation short and by reputation irascible. A well-known but unsourced story involves his alleged encounter with a young woman in an elevator, with "hanky-panky" replaced by a firmer word. Another such story involves a 3'11" actor who, though on his promise of good behavior, told Sophia Loren "I'd like to firmer word you." She is said to have said, "Well, if you did, and I noticed..." PhGustaf (talk) 20:51, 12 August 2009 (UTC)

A Circuit City(?) commercial showed a boyfriend with an electronic scoreboard on his date. Where's the commercial?

There is a video-game-like scoreboard on the top right or left of the TV screen. The man picks up his date. What he does determines how many points he earns or gets taken away. He tells her "Your eyes are so blue," and earns 100 points. She replies with, "Dude, they're brown!" and gets 200 points subtracted.

Then they're at a dinner in a restaurant. He listens to her, and keeps getting 50 points every few seconds for listening. He looks at another pretty girl walking by, and 1500 points get deducted. He tells his date, "Why can't other girls dress more like you?" Then he adds 2,000 points back to his score.

When he drops her off, he asks, "So, how about a kiss?" She looks scared, and 3,000 points get taken off. Then he says, "But we'll wait, 'til we really get to know each other!" Then he earns 10,000 points.

The scene cuts to the guy and the gal playing video games on a store video game display. I'm not quite sure whether this was a Circuit City commercial.

But will anyone here please help me find the commercial matching this description? I've been meaning to watch it again for years. (I've already tried searching for it, but I might not be using the right keywords because I still haven't found it yet.) --Let Us Update Special:Ancientpages. 18:21, 6 August 2009 (UTC)

Please don't post the same question twice - you already asked this, and no-one has (so far) found an answer. — QuantumEleven 11:21, 7 August 2009 (UTC)

Sounds like a Dating sim, you might find an answer following that article's links. Dmcq (talk) 16:54, 7 August 2009 (UTC)

Blackberry Problem

_{Moved to the Computing Desk Fribbler (talk) 19:38, 6 August 2009 (UTC)}