Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Miscellaneous/2008 March 30

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March 30

Apple Harvesters

Are there any type of apple harvesters that aren't just the moving platforms that workers stand on and put the apples on the coveyer belt?

google is yout friend! http://www.pattendenmachinery.co.uk/ciderapple.htm and http://fruitharvesting.com/productinfo.php?id=58&src=1 are but two examples. --TrogWoolley (talk) 20:27, 31 March 2008 (UTC)

Human hands are perfect for picking apples, they can't design machines to do it anywhere near as well.HS7 (talk) 19:33, 2 April 2008 (UTC)

What if God turns off the sun?

Wouldn't it would be wierd if God used this eco-hour crap to shut off His source of energy to us for an hour as a "See, I exist!" sign? Please describe in great detail the display of human behavior the moment the sun goes out, and just after it comes back. Sunburned Baby (talk) 01:18, 30 March 2008 (UTC)

You're looking for Nightfall, by Isaac Asimov. TenOfAllTrades(talk) 01:37, 30 March 2008 (UTC)

Yes, the psychology of how humans react to things, certainly is interesting. But we might not live that long, since the Earth will more likely freeze. Neal (talk) 01:47, 30 March 2008 (UTC).

Would it only take an hour to freeze us? Earth is more fragile than I realized.Sunburned Baby (talk) 02:10, 30 March 2008 (UTC)

Wow. Let's experiment. Neal (talk) 11:52, 30 March 2008 (UTC).

We build self-contained biospheres heated, lighted and powered by nuclear energy. Sorted. For as long as it matters to anyone alive now, at least... --Kurt Shaped Box (talk) 01:51, 30 March 2008 (UTC)

The Earth has a great deal of thermal inertia. At any given moment ha;lf the Earth is receiving no sunlight at all, save what is reflected from the Moon. One hour of no sunlight would be a mere blip. The global cooling would be measurable but would not be that big a deal. Edison (talk) 02:44, 30 March 2008 (UTC)

Right, we know night time can be 12 hours. But I don't know how the temperature changes where there is no sun in a 12-hour period. I don't know how much heat is lost even though it is night in an absent sun. In any event, the inside of the Earth will likely stay hot for a long, much longer time. Neal (talk) 11:52, 30 March 2008 (UTC).

Er...WP:BEANS.You just know there's gonna be ONE Wikipedian who decides that exterminating all known human life,just to see how long it takes,will be a fun idea... Lemon martini (talk) 17:31, 30 March 2008 (UTC)

Wouldn't that be original research? 194.171.56.13 (talk) 18:25, 30 March 2008 (UTC)

OK I'll keep you alive too to peer review. -- Q Chris (talk) 08:56, 31 March 2008 (UTC)

Who says that there is a God, there maybe isn't.--Artjo (talk) 13:00, 31 March 2008 (UTC)

Religeous people do.HS7 (talk) 18:47, 31 March 2008 (UTC)

But they could be misguided!--Artjo (talk) 06:00, 2 April 2008 (UTC)

That's not the argument. Neal (talk) 20:20, 2 April 2008 (UTC).

Just drop the moon. That will destroy all life on the planet, human or otherwise, in about how long it takes for the moon to hit the earth. 71.220.214.7 (talk) 22:46, 2 April 2008 (UTC)

We would certainly freeze to death. Oh, and God wouldn't do such a moronic thing to prove his existence. MalwareSmarts (talk) 18:06, 5 April 2008 (UTC)

Another Itunes?

Is there another program like itunes that can sync ipods and do all that stuff like Itunes? 220.233.83.26 (talk) 01:20, 30 March 2008 (UTC)

Not officially. Someone might have made one but it wouldn't be supported by Apple. It probably wouldn't have access to the iTunes Music Store either. Dismas|^(talk) 01:43, 30 March 2008 (UTC)

There are a number of them for Linux, since iTunes doesn't exist there. 81.187.153.190 (talk) 13:00, 30 March 2008 (UTC)

There's actually a whole slew of them, for many platforms. --Oskar 01:13, 31 March 2008 (UTC)

wikki pics

this site is unrated dose that means thier's no nude pics..right —Preceding unsigned comment added by Steweydewey (talk • contribs) 02:25, 30 March 2008 (UTC)

Nope. Wikipedia is not censored, which means that if you go to the article about, say, male genitalia, there are photographs. Because it's an encyclopedia, images are used to add information in a way words can't, and sometimes that means nudity. We don't include stuff like that where it isn't relevant, of course, but sometimes it is. --Masamage ♫ 02:37, 30 March 2008 (UTC)

Officialy Wikipedia is not censored, so nude pictures or pictures of unclothed body parts are used in articles where they are appropriate, such as Breast , Vagina ,and Penis . Actually Wikipedia IS censored, so non-prurient line drawings are widely used in place of actual photographs in articles about various aspects of sex. Edison (talk) 02:41, 30 March 2008 (UTC)

I think a better way to put is that we don’t go out of our way to be offensive or graphic; but we also don’t sensor our selves when a photo is required. --S.dedalus (talk) 05:31, 30 March 2008 (UTC)

Wikipedia is not censored in the same sense that an anatomy textbook is not censored. You'll find pictures of nudie bits but they are usually done in a scholarly way. Those looking for naughtiness will find precious little of it here compared to what's out there on the big bad interweb. --Captain Ref Desk (talk) 14:26, 30 March 2008 (UTC)

That very inability to include "naughty" pictures is what demonstrates that Wikipedia IS censored. Edison (talk) 20:47, 30 March 2008 (UTC)

Could you post an example? Every time that I've seen a "naughty" picture added it was taken down due to copyright infringement or the like. Dismas|^(talk) 21:11, 30 March 2008 (UTC)

In my mind, there is a difference between censorship and editorial discretion. Wikipedia isn't censored, but that doesn't mean its a bastion of free speech. If your free speech is nonsense, it doesn't get included in the articles. I don't consider that to be censorship, personally. That's what editors do. Anyway, depending on your standards, clitoris contains "naughty" bits though they are labeled like encyclopedia diagrams should be. It's an encyclopedia, it's going to look like one, one way or another. --Captain Ref Desk (talk) 14:41, 1 April 2008 (UTC)

Except when some of our number decide the front page would look more attractive decorated with a picture of a large erect penis than the actual photograph which should accompany the article... Lemon martini (talk) 19:32, 30 March 2008 (UTC)

Extracurriculars versus school size

How does the size of a high school or university affect the range of extracurricular activities available or the viability of a particular proposed club? NeonMerlin 14:01, 30 March 2008 (UTC)

By the population. Neal (talk) 20:15, 30 March 2008 (UTC).

Obviously activities requiring certain resources or number of people would be restricted. I doubt if the smallest school in Britain would have a great football team, or if they could afford a metalwork club with lathes and a forge. Of course the lower number of teachers makes it less likely that one would have the expertise for some activities, a large school may have a dance club, a Spanish Language club, an archaeology, and an astronomy club run by enthusiastic teachers, whereas a small school may just have one of these. -- Q Chris (talk) 08:54, 31 March 2008 (UTC)

Production of keyboards in one year

How many keyboards do the major producers manufacture in one year? Thanks. --Taraborn (talk) 14:53, 30 March 2008 (UTC)

What sort of keyboards do you mean-musical ones,computer ones,typewriter one? Lemon martini (talk) 17:42, 30 March 2008 (UTC)

Papal conclaves and Easter

Supposing the Pope dies just before Easter-who gives the speech?It couldn't be any of the cardinals since they'd be in conclave and not allowed to communicate with the outside world.Would it be a senior Vatican official,or perhaps an ineligible cardinal? Or would they just not bother with one that year? Lemon martini (talk) 17:42, 30 March 2008 (UTC)

The Pope gives a speech and/or gives a blessing every week from the famous balcony overlooking the square in front of St. Peter's Basilica so it wouldn't be any different if the Pope died during any week, let alone Easter week. I don't know the answer to your specific question but I would hazard a guess that any speech or encyclical would be issued by a Curia-nominated Vatican official, maybe the Camerlengo (Master of Ceremonies - not necessarily a Cardinal - or maybe as you suggest a Cardinal too old to sit in the Conclave) - or maybe the speech would merely be cancelled in that circumstance. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 81.145.242.170 (talk) 19:36, 30 March 2008 (UTC)

No papal speeches or blessings occur during an interregnum. No canonizations, beatifications, or appointments of bishops or nuncios either. The office-holders mentioned above (and others) are there to keep the administration of the Vatican going all year round. But when it comes to things that only a pope can do, there's no such thing as a "deputy pope", or "acting pope", or "vice-pope" (mind you, a few of them have been involved in vice, but that's a different matter). In relation to things that can still be done by non-popes, it's business as usual. The conclave does not meet the day after the pope dies; the start is at least a couple of weeks later, typically. -- JackofOz (talk) 20:50, 30 March 2008 (UTC)

Smelly puddle

<moved to science desk> Julia Rossi (talk) 23:13, 31 March 2008 (UTC)

Michigan and Florida

Who are preventing the votes for the democrats in Florida and Michigan from being counted or included? And what chance is there that they might include the votes or take another vote? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 67.126.131.100 (talk) 21:53, 30 March 2008 (UTC)

The Democratic National Committee (the governing body of the democrat party) are preventing it. See Florida Democratic primary, 2008 and Michigan Democratic primary, 2008 for more information. Algebraist 22:53, 30 March 2008 (UTC)

Why can't they fine the states but count the votes? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 67.126.131.100 (talk) 02:09, 31 March 2008 (UTC)

They could count the votes if they wanted to, but they say it would set a bad precedent for future elections. -- Mwalcoff (talk) 02:41, 31 March 2008 (UTC)

In particular, the candidates had the information that the votes were not supposed to be counted when they chose how to run their campaigns. A candidate who lost because the committee changed its mind and counted them could reasonably consider himself to have been cheated. Or herself. One of those. --Anonymous, 09:52 UTC, March 31, 2008.

The votes were counted. The results are what is being contested, since the Democratic Party had stated, prior to the elections, that the results would not count. Florida did not remove the names from the ballot, but only Hillary Clinton campaigned there (admittedly very briefly). Michigan removed the names of those who so requested, but Hillary Clinton did not request, so hers was the only name of a major candidate still on the ballot. She won both states, but the Party had already said that the results would not matter. Now, after the fact, she wants to try to claim that she has the rights to those delegates at the convention. Corvus cornix_talk 16:39, 31 March 2008 (UTC)

Michigan Livestock Processors

Where can I find a list of Michigan livestock processors? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 64.119.61.7 (talk) 22:14, 30 March 2008 (UTC)

The Michigan dept. of agriculture www.michigan.gov/mda may have a list somewhere on the site, or a link to contact them and request a list. If you live in Michigan you may want to contact your local agriculture extension agent, they should have a list of your local processors available. SunshineStateOfMind (talk) 16:48, 31 March 2008 (UTC)

Meaning of "Royal"

Question for a British Wikipedian: Does the word "royal" in front of the name of an organization have a specific meaning, or can any organization put "royal" in front of its name? For example, in London there is the Philharmonia Orchestra and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. There is also the Royal Scottish National Orchestra. Does "Royal" mean that the orchestra is especially sanctioned or sponsored by the monarch? —Life of Riley (talk) 22:20, 30 March 2008 (UTC)

The right to a "royal" prefix is granted entirely at the perogative of a monarch; so yes, it implies approval, patronage or especial sanction. You might be interested to read an archived response to a similar question. Gwinva (talk) 23:17, 30 March 2008 (UTC)

"Roy" means "king", so using that adjective is like saying "The King's Orchestra". --Masamage ♫ 23:24, 30 March 2008 (UTC)

See also Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Humanities/2008 February 12#Royal charter. Nanonic (talk) 03:58, 31 March 2008 (UTC)

I hope you didn't go to a lot of trouble to track that thread down, Nanonic. It's the same link as the one Gwinva supplied above. -- JackofOz (talk) 04:54, 31 March 2008 (UTC)

• Thanks, everyone, for the replies and the effort of finding the archived response. That answers the question —Life of Riley (talk) 01:29, 1 April 2008 (UTC)

Impact of Taiwan and Tibet on China

Suppose if China gives up Tibet and Taiwan by allowing them their independence. What will the impact be on china? Why is china holding onto them so tightly? Acceptable (talk) 23:29, 30 March 2008 (UTC)

I seriously doubt that Tibet independence will do it any good, at least on their economy and quality of living. And plus, the Dalai Lama does not sought independence anyway, only more autonomy. Taiwan though, is something else. If they really did become independent the US will surely back them up, and China will have a huge enemy base right on its front door, which is something they definitely don't want. --antilived^{T | C | G} 04:57, 31 March 2008 (UTC)

But Taiwan already is de facto independent. The question is why Beijing is so opposed to de jure independence. Algebraist 13:22, 31 March 2008 (UTC)

Liquor tax

What portion of liquor tax is used to pay for alcoholic rehabilitation including the cost of food, clothing and shelter? Same question for taxes on other items like batteries for clean up and taxes on services like gambling? 71.100.15.211 (talk) 23:33, 30 March 2008 (UTC)

Which country? Dismas|^(talk) 23:42, 30 March 2008 (UTC)

US 71.100.15.211 (talk) 00:31, 31 March 2008 (UTC)

My understanding is that federal excise taxes on alcohol, unlike the federal tax on gasoline, goes right into the government's general fund, where the money can go toward the military, dam construction, welfare programs, you name it. So a very small amount would go toward alcoholic rehabilitation, as you call it. I would assume most states handle their liquor taxes the same way, and that the federal tax on casinos also goes into the general fund. There is no excise tax on batteries as far as I know. But some states may have or may be considering a product stewardship plan under which they put a surcharge on battery sales and use it to fund recycling programs. -- Mwalcoff (talk) 02:40, 31 March 2008 (UTC)

I have no sources for it ATM but I thought that most states that allow gambling use the profits from that to go to their schools... I could be wrong though. Dismas|^(talk) 03:08, 31 March 2008 (UTC)

According to this, Vermont does what Mwalcoff describes and puts the money into their general fund. Dismas|^(talk) 03:33, 31 March 2008 (UTC)

Learning while Sleeping

I have heard that when there is a tv on while you are sleeping you still retain some of the information. Is this true? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 64.119.61.7 (talk) 23:44, 30 March 2008 (UTC)

I'm pretty sure that's false. · AndonicO ^Hail! 00:22, 31 March 2008 (UTC)

Are you perhaps thinking of the techniques used in Brave New World? (Although I hate to break the pattern of Asimov-love) 81.157.46.230 (talk) 01:53, 31 March 2008 (UTC)

Apparently this does not work. See sleep-learning. Warofdreams talk 02:42, 31 March 2008 (UTC)

I listen to the radio while I sleep, and upon waking am able to discuss news reports in detail. Therefore the previous answers are wrong. It does work, I would not recomend it for a school exam, but it is possible. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 193.115.175.247 (talk) 16:15, 31 March 2008 (UTC)

My sister apparently sleeps through most of her physics lessons at school, and remembers them better than the subjects she's awake for.HS7 (talk) 18:39, 31 March 2008 (UTC)

I am not sure, but in the story flowers for algernon, a retarded man goes through an experiment to get smarter and then leaves his television on, as he is told to by the professors, while he is sleeping so he can learn the words and perhaps even the topics. —Preceding unsigned comment added by Sports+historyguy333 (talk • contribs) 01:34, 1 April 2008 (UTC)

I read that story in 8th grade. And according to the article, it clearly states the story is science fiction. How you could use that story as a counter-argument is a bit of a mystery to me. Neal (talk) 02:24, 1 April 2008 (UTC).

I think it is only kinda of true. When we sleep our brain moves things from short term memory to long term. I recently learned this on the Discovery Channel's show on the Human Body - The Brain. I do a lot of theatre and after watching that show I did read over my lines right before going to bed. The next day I did know my lines much better than the day before. But, that's hardly scientific. We also incorporate the sounds we hear in our sleep into our dreams. When I've been really tired I can remember having the sound of the alarm clock in my dream instead of waking up. So I know we can pay attention to sounds in our sleep, but I don't know how much it helps. As for the sleeping with the TV on, I've been told that having light on while you sleep is bad for you. Something to do with our body not signaled to repair or something.--Wonderley (talk) 19:58, 2 April 2008 (UTC)