Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Miscellaneous/2015 January 10

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January 10

Gays celebrate Valentine's Day, too?

Do gay men and lesbian women celebrate Valentine's Day the same way as straight people? I have never seen the upside down pink triangle and the rainbow be used in my hometown of Clearlake, California or even my previous hometown of Clearlake Oaks. Deaths in 2013 (talk) 21:11, 9 January 2014 (UTC)

Generally, gay people are just like straight people, except for what types of people they want to have sex with. So some of them celebrate Valentine's day, some don't. See e.g. this newspaper blurb [1], or this list of gay events in Philedelphia [2]. I will also point out that you likely have many gay people living in your town, and they don't always feel the need to fly rainbow flags or pink triangles. Some of them probably go out to a nice dinner at a normal restaurant, just like some straight people do. Straight or gay, if they follow the advice of Dan Savage, they "F*ck first" [3]. SemanticMantis (talk) 21:19, 9 January 2015 (UTC)

Huh? Back in elementary school I used to get valentines cards from boys and girls. Where is the OP from? That might help us understand the source of the question. μηδείς (talk) 21:23, 9 January 2015 (UTC)

As I recall, in the early grades of my elementary school days, there was some type of Valentine card which everyone got a collection of (something simple, like a heart) and everyone was pretty much expected to autograph one for each classmate. Kind of pointless when it's compulsory, but it was intended to teach a moral lesson. I don't know if they still do that. ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 22:44, 9 January 2015 (UTC)

I had that for a few years, too. The funny thing was it turned quietly overlooking the less lovely kids into someone(s) loudly protesting having to make a card for that guy/girl, and explaining why, for the whole class to hear. Not sure if that's why they changed it back, but it sure must've ruined some lives. InedibleHulk (talk) 02:24, 10 January 2015 (UTC)

Well-intentioned, with unintended consequences. Kind of a 1950s version of political correctness. ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 04:04, 10 January 2015 (UTC)

The craft shop I work for has a special display lined up for the LGBTQ community, so they'd better celebrate it! --TammyMoet (talk) 21:59, 9 January 2015 (UTC)

You'll generally only see community emblems like the rainbow flag used for Valentine's Day in areas which are major centres for the queer community, such as Chicago's Northalsted or London's Soho. In smaller or more homogenous places, I don't think much distinguishes V-day for us queers from the rest of the community. Pride - generally in midsummer - is when you'll see the flags and suchlike. AlexTiefling (talk) 22:08, 9 January 2015 (UTC)

I'll note the OP's listed towns are not terribly far from San Francisco, whose Castro district is another world center for queer culture and events, and they indeed fly all sorts of gay flags there year round. Perhaps OP could take a field trip, though the Folsom_Street_Fair has been known to make some people uncomfortable. SemanticMantis (talk) 22:17, 9 January 2015 (UTC)

Yeah, Folsom is a pretty specific subculture. But the Castro is a pretty nice place, and worth a look. I miss strolling around SF. AlexTiefling (talk) 22:30, 9 January 2015 (UTC)

Personally I'm surprised that straight men tolerate Valentine's Day. Lace-covered cards and pink flowers ? I think straight men consider Valentine's Day to be the 2nd worst VD around. They only participate for one reason (or maybe 3, if you include the breasts). StuRat (talk) 22:48, 9 January 2015 (UTC)

There's seldom any harm in doing something your wife likes. ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 22:51, 9 January 2015 (UTC)

• Ha! My gay friends celebrate Valentine's Day more enthusiastically than my straight friends. Our local chapter of Dykes on Bikes has a special fund-raising ride. St★lwart¹¹¹ 23:25, 9 January 2015 (UTC)

• Given Valentine's Day is five weeks off, I hope we don't see this "question" five more or even one more time by an IP. μηδείς (talk) 23:55, 9 January 2015 (UTC)
  • One could make note of the archive number it goes to, and direct there as needed. ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 02:18, 11 January 2015 (UTC)

Numbers on city bus windshields

Lately, I have noticed a number displayed on the lower left of city bus windshields, as viewed from outside. It is not the route number, as that is above the windshield; and it is not the number of the vehicle, as that is painted on the bus body. The photos show the numbers in question in six different cities. Any idea what they are for?

1680 on this Baltimore bus	LF92 on this Washington bus	7338 on this Philadelphia bus
23 on this Los Angeles bus	F129 on this Chicago bus	20 on this New York bus

   → Michael J Ⓣ Ⓒ Ⓜ 01:39, 10 January 2015 (UTC)

Nope. Good spot. If not the bus number nor the route number, perhaps a driver number? But I can find nothing to support that. --Tagishsimon (talk) 02:04, 10 January 2015 (UTC)

I'll guess misdirection. Is there anything about these buses you haven't noticed lately? Tough question to answer, but it's always where we find the clues. InedibleHulk (talk) 02:09, 10 January 2015 (UTC)

Apparently it's the run number, at least in Chicago: [4]. -- BenRG (talk) 02:14, 10 January 2015 (UTC)

• In NYC, the number identifies the vehicle that runs the route posted at the top of the windshield. Bx3 indicates the route, nothing else. I have seen drivers exchange buses without the number on the lower left changing. I suggest you contact the MTA at MTA Info if you want a better source than my OR. μηδείς (talk) 02:16, 10 January 2015 (UTC)

"Run number" is the term I've heard in Toronto too. Same sort of idea as an airline flight number, except that (at least on some systems) the vehicle will keep one run number all day as it goes back and forth — unless there is a schedule disturbance requiring it to be turned back or swapped onto another route or something. See here a Line 2 train showing run #72, and here run #141 #130 on Line 1. --65.94.50.4 (talk) 02:59, 10 January 2015 (UTC), corrected 07:48, 10 January 2015 (UTC).

What kind of ducks are these?

Hello. I live in the Southeastern United States. The ducks I see are brown in color. They are about 30% larger than Mallard ducks. They have longer bills. Their main distinguishing characteristic is they dive underwater occasionally then re-surface. I have also not observed them foraging in the grass, ever. Another thing is that they want nothing to do with humans. If they are sitting on the bank of the pond and see a human walk within twenty feet of them they will jump in the water immediately. What kind of ducks are these? I looked through the duck articles here on Wikipedia and the ducks I am describing look very much like these: Canvasback but without the reddish head. These are more uniform in color. Also, I live further south than the described areas of the canvasbacks. Thanks. Zombiesturm (talk) 23:10, 10 January 2015 (UTC)

Canvasback hens are apparently brown-headed. The migration section notes these ducks rarely showing up in England. If they can manage that, showing up a bit further south doesn't seem out of the question. With almost all animals, ranges are rough estimates. Food supply and weather changes prompt large aberrations, and even in the best of times, the grass (or fish) can look greener on another side.

Can't say they are or aren't canvasbacks, but they might be. InedibleHulk (talk) 00:34, 11 January 2015 (UTC)

The main distinguishing characteristic of canvasbacks are whitish or light top feathers, thus the name "canvas back." These ducks aren't like that. They look just like the canvasbacks in the photos but with a darker brown uniform color. I am pretty sure there are both males and females in the pond since today I saw four ducklings. Zombiesturm (talk) 00:43, 11 January 2015 (UTC)

OK, we can probably cross them off. Maybe this Ducks of the World guide will help. InedibleHulk (talk) 00:50, 11 January 2015 (UTC)

Mottled duck? ‑‑Mandruss ☎ 11:20, 11 January 2015 (UTC)

Nope. Zombiesturm (talk) 20:32, 15 January 2015 (UTC)

Bangle

I encountered the word "bangle" for the first time in my life when coming back from my Christmas vacation in Nice, France, on an on-board shopping catalogue in the aeroplane. I understand it's some sort of women's, and less commonly, men's, decoration. But I don't understand what sort. All the Wikipedia article bangle tells me it's a circular decoration with jewels. I'm completely at a loss about where exactly it is worn. The Wikipedia article seems to make it a point not to tell people how bangles are worn. JIP | Talk 23:30, 10 January 2015 (UTC)

It's a bracelet. Worn 'round the 'rist. Zombiesturm (talk) 23:32, 10 January 2015 (UTC)

But they can be worn in other places too, such as around the ankles, or further up the arm or leg. What makes them bangles, generally, is that they are rigid circles, whereas bracelets can also be made from more flexible materials. Our article talks about it being considered 'inauspicious to be bare-armed' when getting married in India, and it says that right in the introduction. It also has photographs of people wearing bangles. 109.158.12.148 (talk) 00:18, 11 January 2015 (UTC)

Is a neck ring still a bangle? InedibleHulk (talk) 00:36, 11 January 2015 (UTC)

It seems to be a torc when it's on the neck. InedibleHulk (talk) 00:39, 11 January 2015 (UTC)

All the torcs I've seen have been incomplete (but almost complete) circles, though a tiny number are closed by some sort of fastening. Most torcs are not entirely rigid, presumably because this would be uncomfortable under clothing, and I suppose not everyone wants to come out every time they walk down the street! (Also I suppose the risk of theft is increased, and some of those things are insanely expensive.) RomanSpa (talk) 13:31, 12 January 2015 (UTC)

Also note that "bangles" has the meaning of "cheap jewelry". StuRat (talk) 01:54, 11 January 2015 (UTC)

Where does it have this meaning? I haven't seen "bangle" defined so, and would be interested in finding out. Thanks --Kateshortforbob _talk 17:04, 13 January 2015 (UTC)

In the USA. Note the reference to the song Baubles, Bangles, & Beads below, which equates various forms of cheap jewelry. StuRat (talk) 19:20, 13 January 2015 (UTC)

Simply put, a bangle is a hard bracelet with no moving parts. Think a clunky bracelet made of solid wood on a woman's arm anywhere from the wrist up to the elbow instead of a bracelet with a lot of charms dangling from a chain that can move around. Africans and ancient Egyptian would wear a bracelet called an "armlet" around the bicep. I wonder if it's called an "anklet" when it's around the ankle? — Preceding unsigned comment added by 2602:306:8051:4D60:9483:E7C0:E0F1:8FB (talk) 14:38, 11 January 2015 (UTC)

Yes. --Antiquary (talk) 15:39, 11 January 2015 (UTC)

They are helpful for identifying long-lost, otherwise completely changed children, at least in video games. Inflexible, but still fits. InedibleHulk (talk) 23:14, 11 January 2015 (UTC)

See also Kara (Sikhism) which is sometimes described (even by Sikhs) as a bangle. Alansplodge (talk) 16:56, 12 January 2015 (UTC)

Also Baubles, Bangles, & Beads should you wish to sing along. Alansplodge (talk) 16:58, 12 January 2015 (UTC)

Or dig Peggy Lee's rendition.[5] Note the black-gloved hand pulling back the beaded curtain. It's wearing bangles. ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 18:58, 13 January 2015 (UTC)