Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Miscellaneous/2023 May 28

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May 28

Upside down flag

In this picture, the Union Flag appears to be upside down. Is this just a mistake by the artist or is there some other reason? Ykraps (talk) 07:18, 28 May 2023 (UTC)

If it was upside down, we should see XLVI in the middle. If it was mirrored, as one would expect with the hoist being on the right, we should see XLVI. Apparently, the artist wanted the inscription XLVI to appear "normal" without flipping the flag and therefore chose to put the hoisting pole on the fly side. A more serious issue is the mishandling of the Union Jack in the reduced canton in the yellow flag on the right. It is all confused.  --Lambiam 08:49, 28 May 2023 (UTC)

The Union Flag has rotational symmetry. When people say it is being flown upside down, it's technically being flown back to front, or with the hoist on the wrong side (which amounts to the same thing). Here we have a design of crossed flags. If the Union Flag is the one on the left in this arrangement, which seems more respectful as it then appears first in left-to-right reading order, it necessarily must be "upside down" due to the position of the hoist.  Card Zero  (talk) 08:50, 28 May 2023 (UTC)

Well the design has rotational symmetry but the flag, which has a seam along one side with attachments for the hallyard, does not. The only way to fly a Union Flag so as to get the narrow strip uppermost nearest the staff, is to put the top where the bottom should be and vice-versa. Quite literally upside down. Regimental crests are usually sewn on, so they do not show up in reverse on the other side. The flag is always the same way up whichever side you view it from. I was really wondering whether the 46th Regiment of Foot had some deliberate inverted flag design or whether the artist simply did not know the difference. --Ykraps (talk) 14:09, 28 May 2023 (UTC)

Yes, it looks like the artist has got it wrong. DuncanHill (talk) 14:26, 28 May 2023 (UTC)

It's a perfectly good flag of the ɯopɓuᴉꓘ pǝʇᴉuꓵ. Clarityfiend (talk) 09:40, 29 May 2023 (UTC)

Yes, these are the real Devonshire Regiment colours in Exeter Cathedral. Alansplodge (talk) 12:12, 29 May 2023 (UTC)

I have a question about shampoo on punky coloured hair

My hair is dyed blond with purple highlights and I just had it done yesterday. What is a good shampoo to use on purple hair so it doesn't fade quickly? I would like to hear opinions. 2001:569:5026:8A00:5CB8:BB74:3D3F:57DB (talk) 15:53, 28 May 2023 (UTC)

See above: We don't answer requests for opinions, predictions or debate. --Cookatoo.ergo.ZooM (talk) 16:36, 28 May 2023 (UTC)

But despite the word "opinions", the question appears to be asking for facts. For example, results of testing shampoos in this situation. --142.112.220.184 (talk) 20:32, 28 May 2023 (UTC)

Is there a good message board or website where I can ask hairstylists about hair products? 2001:569:5026:8A00:5CB8:BB74:3D3F:57DB (talk) 17:21, 28 May 2023 (UTC)

Probably something on Reddit —Tamfang (talk) 18:34, 28 May 2023 (UTC)

It is better to avoid alkaline shampoos. Slightly acidic, say pH = 6, should be fine. Most baby shampoos will be neutral or mildly acidic. And there is absolutely no need to wash your hair every day.  --Lambiam 21:28, 28 May 2023 (UTC)

There are shampoos made specifically for colored hair that specifically state that they limit color fading. It is possible that a shampoo that states, on the packaging, for colored hair - limits fading, will be a shampoo that won't cause much fading. 12.116.29.106 (talk) 12:28, 30 May 2023 (UTC)

No mobile signal in another country

I'm from Ireland and when I was in France, my mobile phone had no signal for a few whole days. Why was that? 86.130.4.228 (talk) 22:10, 28 May 2023 (UTC)

Probably your SIM did not support mobile roaming, and your phone could not detect a network it could work with. Graeme Bartlett (talk) 00:06, 29 May 2023 (UTC)

Or you had mobile roaming turned off on your phone, or you had it set to select a network manually rather than automatically. --Viennese Waltz 08:07, 29 May 2023 (UTC)

What should I have done? 86.130.4.228 (talk) 20:05, 29 May 2023 (UTC)

Most international airports (at least the ones I'm familiar with) will have a vendor at a booth or shop that will replace your SIM card with an appropriate one. When you get back home, just put it back. 136.54.99.98 (talk) 21:18, 29 May 2023 (UTC)

As I noted above, the SIM card may have been able to support roaming. Before buying another SIM card, check if roaming is enabled in your phone's settings. --Viennese Waltz 10:07, 30 May 2023 (UTC)

My phone sometimes refuses to roam in other EU countries, despite being set correctly (note that that is Data). Turning your phone off and on again usually helps (not reboot, which does not fix the problem for me). Alternatively, you have to look in your phone settings to see which access point names are available. This should not normally be necessary. Rmvandijk (talk) 14:12, 1 June 2023 (UTC)