Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Miscellaneous/2011 March 20

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March 20

proposal of time in metric system

i propose to change time in sextant system to metric system. how and where i can publish my proposal. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 115.241.92.158 (talk) 00:02, 20 March 2011 (UTC)

There are many free services which will allow you to publish a blog or other free website. Blogger and Blogspot are good free blog sites that many people use. You could publish your information there. Be aware, however, that your idea may not be original or unique. See the Wikipedia article metric time and more relevently decimal time (which is probably what you mean by "metric time") for examples of such systems which have been implemented, to varying degrees of success, in the past. --Jayron32 00:07, 20 March 2011 (UTC)

As a practical matter, what would be the motivation to change? Doesn't most everyone use the current system? The point of the metric system was to dispense with countless local systems and come up with a single standard. Since there's already a single standard for time (isn't there?) then I don't see what reason there would be to change it. ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 16:12, 20 March 2011 (UTC)

The reason decimal time never caught on is that for a lot of standard "in your head" or "on paper" sorts of equations, it turns out not to be very useful when compared with our standard base-60 time. Computers somewhat get rid of that, but they also get rid of any real need for decimal time (whose main benefit seems to be the ability to convert between minutes, seconds, etc. much faster... which of course a computer can do without breaking a sweat). --Mr.98 (talk) 22:10, 20 March 2011 (UTC)

Many moons ago I worked for a local authority here in the UK, and my time was kept using metric time. This was in the days before computers were widely available and it did my head in just trying to work out whether I was due any overtime or time in lieu! --TammyMoet (talk) 16:55, 20 March 2011 (UTC)

There are exceptions. I used to use a scientific instrument that used decimal seconds. Typing in 90 gave you 9/10 of a minute, not 90 seconds like my microwave would do. 75.41.110.200 (talk) 17:13, 20 March 2011 (UTC)

I expect it took you only 0.03333333333333333333333333333333333... hours to learn the system. Dbfirs 20:18, 20 March 2011 (UTC)

Decimal time is still fairly widely used, so far as I'm aware, in punch-clocks and other devices that end up dealing with wages. My understanding is that it's used to facilitate easier summing for paychecks (8.25 hours x $12.62 is easier than 8 hours, 15 minutes times $12.62). Matt Deres (talk) 13:21, 21 March 2011 (UTC)

Internet song generators

Does there exist any program on the internet, which can be used for free without having to be downloaded, into which one can input a set of lyrics and/or a melody and have it automatically generate a song?--99.251.211.17 (talk) 00:35, 20 March 2011 (UTC)

[1] comes to mind, but its definitely not what you're looking for. Schyler (one language) 02:58, 20 March 2011 (UTC)

What do you mean by "generate a song"? If you have already written the the lyrics and melody, then you already have a song. If you mean you want it to generate a synthetic performance of the song, then it could be done, but speech synthesis isn't really up to the job (although it have improved enormously over the last few years, so it may be up to the job in a few more years). You can get a computer to play the melody for you, though, with any suitable MIDI software (I don't know anything in particular to recommend, but there must of loads of suitable software available to download that will do the job). --Tango (talk) 03:15, 20 March 2011 (UTC)

If Tango has it right, then I would recommend Finale (software) or any of its cheaper counterparts. Schyler (one language) 13:29, 20 March 2011 (UTC)

Tango is correct, I did indeed mean to ask for a program that could generate a synthetic performance.--99.251.211.17 (talk) 14:51, 20 March 2011 (UTC)

There might be useful references in : Algorithmic composition 83.134.138.77 (talk) 17:29, 20 March 2011 (UTC)

I have used Finale for years; they make a good product. Schyler (one language) 20:03, 20 March 2011 (UTC)

Speech/singing synthesis is getting better and better, see, for example, Vocaloid. However, this software is not free nor on the web. Also, it does not fully synthesize the singing voice "from scratch", rather uses a large database of recordings of humans singing. As for the original question, there are things like Microsoft Songsmith, which I had not heard of before. From the description, it sounds fairly close to what you're asking for (except of course not free nor on the web, and it doesn't do the singing part). Pfly (talk) 16:07, 21 March 2011 (UTC)

Utau is a freeware alternative to Vocaloid. — Shinhan < talk > 12:55, 26 March 2011 (UTC)

Topic: Mythology / Symbology

Does anyone know the relevance of the images printed on this coin?

Front: (http://img291.imageshack.us/i/coinfront.png/)

Back: (http://img641.imageshack.us/i/coinback.png/)

Thank you kindly, -- 221.98.87.23 (talk) 07:55, 20 March 2011 (UTC)

The front side picture is really bad, do you have a better one ? StuRat (talk) 09:01, 20 March 2011 (UTC)

The back of the coin could look like Charon inviting dead souls into his ferry so they can cross the river Styx and enter the Netherworld. As far as I can see the front looks like a skull? In ancient Greece coins were placed on the eyes or in the mouth of the dead so they could pay Charon the fare of crossing the river. I am not sure whether that is a genuine coin though, as as far as I understand it, regular coins were used, not custom made "Charon"-coins, but I am no specialist on this, so I could be wrong. --Saddhiyama (talk) 11:04, 20 March 2011 (UTC)

That's definitely Charon, we even have the exact same image in the danake article. The danake was one of the coins typically used as "Charon's obol" - which is a surprisingly enormous article itself. Here is the image. Adam Bishop (talk) 14:30, 20 March 2011 (UTC)

Having seen the remake of Clash of the Titans, it revived a question I've had when the subject comes up: What could Charon possibly do with those coins? Is there a monetary system in the Underworld? Would he sometimes go topside and hang out at the local Greek pub? ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 15:59, 20 March 2011 (UTC)

It may have to do with one of the ways in which the practitioners of this rite perceived the nature of sacrifice. The special coins cost the sacrificer (the family or friend of the dead person, or the dead person themself if he/she had obtained them in anticipation) some significant value and effort to obtain. Symbolically offering them to the relevant psychopomp or other power - who presumably had no actual physical need or use for them - may have denoted the sacrificer's depth of commitment to the belief system involved, and such effort and commitment itself can further shape the sacrificer's attitudes. In more general sacrificial contexts, this works whether the sacrificed item is of purely monetary value, which has had to be committed to the purpose, something of more personal value, like a treasured possession, or something the sacrificer would themselves like to enjoy, like a glass of wine used as a libation. Put simply: it isn't the receiving that's important, it's the giving.

I can't say for sure that this is the way that payers of the Ferryman's Fee always perceived the matter, but this interpretation of sacrifice was taught to me by a (present-day) devotee of Minerva, so seemingly has classical foundations, and (ObPersonal) is also predominant in non-Classical forms of neo-Paganism such as Wicca. Note that it is quite distinct from the notion, deriving from ancient Judaic theology and elsewhere, that the blood - symbolising the life - of some living thing is in itself of value or desire to a sacrificed-to deity or power. {The poster formerly known as 87.81.230.195} 90.201.110.155 (talk) 21:25, 20 March 2011 (UTC)

Before Bugs suggests it: Perhaps he takes them to a Penny Arcadia. --Mr.98 (talk) 22:55, 20 March 2011 (UTC)

This is evidently a pair of stills from a movie (one of the Batman movies, maybe? - I say that because two-face is usually depicted tossing a coin like this). we don't need to worry about it being real. the second image is Charon, and the first image (I'm fairly certain) is a representation of Janus. --Ludwigs2 22:16, 20 March 2011 (UTC)

Can someone with a peanut/tree nut allergy eat foods that "may contain traces of nuts or peanuts"?

It seems like every food in existence has this on the label or words to that effect so what is safe for people with these allergies to eat? --112.213.142.13 (talk) 15:56, 20 March 2011 (UTC)

That is a personal medical matter and thus a question for a doctor who knows the person with the allergy. It is not a question for the Ref Desk. Bielle (talk) 16:03, 20 March 2011 (UTC)

I agree fully. I'm sure there's general information here on wikipedia about allergies, but allergic reactions to anything can vary from mild to life-threatening. If there is genuine concern, consult a doctor. ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 16:10, 20 March 2011 (UTC)

It's not a personal question, I am speaking generally do these foods usually get nuts in them or is the legal disclaimer just to cover the tiniest possibility that a fragment of nut could fall in one of the products? --112.213.142.13 (talk) —Preceding undated comment added 16:11, 20 March 2011 (UTC).

It's possible it's an FDA regulation. Have you searched Google on this subject? ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 16:13, 20 March 2011 (UTC)

In many cases those foods, although they don't intentionally contain nuts, may have been processed using machines that previously were used to process foods that contain nuts. Basically any food that is processed in a plant where nuts are used is likely to contain this warning, which is necessary because some people have nut allergies so severe that even tiny traces can cause them serious problems. Looie496 (talk) 17:52, 20 March 2011 (UTC)

This doesn't sound to me like a request for advice, but Bielle is right that you should ask a doctor if you are wondering about any particular person's safety. See Peanut allergy for some descriptions of what can cause reactions. Apparently there is controversy about whether trace exposures can cause reactions. Staecker (talk) 16:14, 20 March 2011 (UTC)

Check out the links from the FSA (Food Standards Agency) for the UK perspective on labelling (http://www.food.gov.uk/foodindustry/guidancenotes/labelregsguidance/maycontainguide). There is guidance for small business (here's the PDF link... http://www.food.gov.uk/multimedia/pdfs/publication/allergyjamjar0109.pdf) which may be an interesting read. In terms of what peanut-sufferers can eat...well to be honest it shows up on a lot of things but there's a huge amount that it doesn't (hard to say what without going into my cupboards but most fresh/unprocessed food for example). ny156uk (talk) 17:39, 20 March 2011 (UTC)

Worse is the food label that opaquely says, "This product was manufactured using equipment that also handles tree nuts". Here's an excuse from one company saying they can't clean the equipment afterwards. This doesn't help nut allergy sufferers much. Another offender is retailers like Starbucks which have an unhelpful notice on their food case saying "Some of the stuff in this food case contains nuts, but we're not going tell you which items", which smacks of an attempt to avoid legal liability rather than an attempt to, you know, help their customers not die. Comet Tuttle (talk) 17:44, 21 March 2011 (UTC)

Actually, my experience is that that specific sort of warning is really very helpful, since it quantifies the risk (shared equipment, not just shared building. No nuts deliberately included) and specifies that it was tree nuts, not ground nuts. It would be even better if they said which tree nuts, although those with an allergy to any tree nut will probably still avoid it. I certainly wouldn't trust them to clean the equipment between products, given that a tiny trace can be enough. Again, if anything among the selection at Starbucks contains peanuts, everything (including sometimes the air) is rendered unsafe for a peanut allergy sufferer. It doesn't matter which thing contains it: it's all unsafe. It would be helpful to say which allergens, but that's why you ask the people behind the counter. The best would be something like the packaging which says: "Ingredients: no nuts. Factory: no nuts. Supply chain: cannot guarantee no nuts", except specifying which nuts. 212.183.128.41 (talk) 20:42, 22 March 2011 (UTC)

It varies. I've personally known someone with a severe allergy to have a moderately severe (trouble breathing, itching, vomiting, but throat didn't actually completely close) reaction to a cereal with a 'may contain' warning (a new addition, as they had recently switched to a new plant that was shared with a nutty cereal and at the time we weren't on a mailing list for this sort of thing), and each reaction can be different: you can't confidently predict how severe any given reaction will be. But an individual might, with some research or experience, decide that some of these warnings don't pose a genuine threat to them. For example, a generic 'may contain traces of nuts' warning when they definitely know that everything made in the entire factory involves only hazelnuts, and that this is not a problem for them. But this is a decision that can only be made individually: the allergy sufferer must know that the warning was there. Conversely, chocolate covered raisins (for example) are basically never going to be safe for a peanut allergy suffer, whether or not they carry a warning! So, it varies. 212.183.128.41 (talk) 20:30, 22 March 2011 (UTC)

Irrevocable Life Insurance Trust

Does the trustee of an ILIT have any annual reporting requirements to the IRS? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 67.142.163.28 (talk) 16:43, 20 March 2011 (UTC)

Omar Bradley

How did the white American Omar Bradley come to have an Arabic prénom? 83.70.250.202 (talk) 17:25, 20 March 2011 (UTC)

Perhaps from Omar (Bible)? DuncanHill (talk) 17:32, 20 March 2011 (UTC)

According to his autobiography, A General's Life, he was named after Omar D. Gray, a local newspaper editor at the place he was born. Looie496 (talk) 17:58, 20 March 2011 (UTC)

Still begs the question. Why was Omar D. Gray (1869-1935) of Sturgeon, Missouri given that name? Nothing in his bio provides an answer. Edison (talk) 18:45, 21 March 2011 (UTC)

Omar is a Biblical name, as noted by Duncan. It's not inherently an Arabic name. The first "Omar" that came to mind when I saw this question was the ballplayer Omar Vizquel, who's Hispanic, obviously. ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 06:37, 22 March 2011 (UTC)

1989-1991 Belgian Motocross Grand Prix Race Results

Looking for the full race results. I'm trying to identify riders in photos I took at one of these races. I'm fairly confident I was at the 1991 race but it could have been any of the years above. I arrived in Germany late 1987 and left in Feb 1992. If at all possible, name, plate number, and make of motorcycle would be great. But I may be able to determine all that with just the name of the finishers.

Thanks, David — Preceding unsigned comment added by Flintlock42003 (talk • contribs) 20:53, 20 March 2011 (UTC)

Space shuttle launch; any discarded stuff left?

Hello! I was wondering... when NASA's space shuttle is launched, there's... well, a lot of flames. What equipment on the ground (there's always some technical-looking stuff very close by) has to be thrown away as a result of these vast amounts of flame and heat? Thank you in advance! —Preceding unsigned comment added by 80.213.11.105 (talk) 22:29, 20 March 2011 (UTC)

I'm going to ask my resident expert on the subject to comment, but one thing worth noting is that there is a large trench underneath the launch pad, whose purpose is dissipate the exhaust from the initial launch. That trench actually splits the halves of an artificially-built hill, which they had to do due to the high water table in that area. Or so they told us on the shuttle tour some years ago. ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 23:07, 20 March 2011 (UTC)

I'm not really sure. I think they do have to repair the pad after each launch. I would think that anything that is close enough to be damaged would not be that close unless it had to be. One thing though, most photos of the Shuttle launch are taken with a telephoto lens from a long way away, which "compresses" the images along the line of sight, so objects along the line of sight are not as close together as they appear. You might get a better answer in the Science area. Bubba73 ^{You talkin' to me?} 23:15, 20 March 2011 (UTC)

Veteran space photographer Ralph Morse destroyed about half a dozen cameras capturing the first space shuttle launch in 1981...the violent launch sent them flying, and the cameras returned in pieces,.. Cuddlyable3 (talk) 10:24, 21 March 2011 (UTC)

Launch Plan for a Human Services Organization

Define a launch plan for a human services organization.

Is this a homework question? If so, we can't help you: it's against our policy. --Tango (talk) 23:56, 20 March 2011 (UTC)

I don't even understand the question!--85.211.227.56 (talk) 07:16, 21 March 2011 (UTC)

Well there is no question, only an instruction, which is what makes it smell of homework.--Shantavira|^{feed me} 08:44, 21 March 2011 (UTC)