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June 22

Hogwarts Express

I have a copy of J K Rowling's Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone printed in 1997 and another edition "published in September 2014". The penultimate leaf of the later volume includes this information:

There are other fractional platforms at King's Cross station (try seven and a half for a trip to wizard-only villages in Europe).

On the concourse yesterday I looked down the length of platforms 7 and 8 but didn't spot anything unusual. Do the books make reference to fractional platforms other than 9 3/4, where it was business as usual yesterday? 89.240.112.24 (talk) 12:41, 22 June 2024 (UTC)

These platforms have been closed as a result of BREXIT! Even wizards can't handle the confusion... Try gate 7 1/2 at London City Airport for hourly departures of quddiches to the Black Forest and other destinations. --Cookatoo.ergo.ZooM (talk) 14:04, 22 June 2024 (UTC)

The publication of the Harry Potter novels, and especially their unexpected popularity leading to much Muggle curiosity about wizard affairs, caused great consternation at the Ministry of Magic. As a result, major changes have been made to those processes revealed by J. K. Rowling so that the Muggle world would not learn more. I find the recent reappearance of a steam locomotive, of a type that was last seen in 1965, very significant, and its supposed back story most suspicious. I mean, who - in this ecological day and age - is going to build a brand new coal-guzzling museum piece? However, to go any further would be WP:SPECULATION. See also JKR's Hogwarts: An Incomplete and Unreliable Guide for further information on London King's Cross. -- Verbarson  ^talk_edits 22:20, 23 June 2024 (UTC)

June 23

China, Russia, and Genghis Khan

There is a theory I rarely see discussed, that attributes the lack of democracy in modern China and Russia, and the emphasis on violence and brutality, as part of the cultural inheritance of Genghis Khan that neither country has ever been able to shake. Is there an element of truth to this, that helps explain the continuing tradition of autocracy in that region, or is this a kind of pseudohistory? Viriditas (talk) 00:32, 23 June 2024 (UTC)

I cannot see how this can be discussed without breaching "We don't answer requests for opinions, predictions or debate." 01:48, 23 June 2024 (UTC)

If there are history textbooks that address the idea, we could legitimately point to them and even summarise their theses. Something akin to it is utilised in the background setting of Donald Kingsbury's 1986 near-future science fiction novel The Moon Goddess and the Son, so it's been around for a while. {The poster formerly known as 87.81.230.195} 151.227.226.178 (talk) 02:05, 23 June 2024 (UTC)

I think I found part of the answer attributed to historian Moshe Gammer. Katherine A. Maximick at the University of Victoria cites Gammer, writing "The Mongol conquest has been accused of disrupting the development of Russian culture and society, and the Mongols and Tatars blamed for Russia's backwardness compared to the rest of Europe." Is this considered a legitimate historical explanation? Yes or no? And do historians say the same for China? Or to put it another way, if the Mongol invasions and conquests didn't occur, how different would the world look today, particularly in regards to China and Russia, and their relationship with Europe and the west? Or to put it yet another way, can we point to Genghis Khan as the cause of our current geopolitical predicament? Viriditas (talk) 02:16, 23 June 2024 (UTC)

The article about Khan says he's reviled in Russia. Meanwhile, today's featured article leads to an article about the Komagata Maru incident, which was barely a century ago. Were the brutal British colonialists also influenced by Khan? ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 02:18, 23 June 2024 (UTC)

Sorry, not following you. Surprisingly, there are current academic books and papers out there that blame British Imperialism for just about everything. Viriditas (talk) 02:22, 23 June 2024 (UTC)

In general, autocracy and brutality have been the norm throughout history. Democracy is exceptional. ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 02:45, 23 June 2024 (UTC)

I’m aware. The question is why? Viriditas (talk) 03:02, 23 June 2024 (UTC)

It's been that way since the beginning of recorded history. ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 03:42, 23 June 2024 (UTC)

The rule of law is supposed to act as a check on autocracy and brutality. Viriditas (talk) 03:46, 23 June 2024 (UTC)

The key word here is "supposed".  --Lambiam 07:56, 23 June 2024 (UTC)

In China, Genghis Khan is often seen as the creator of China as a unified nation, even though the Song dynasty was only conquered after his death. In any case, the view is generally positive.  --Lambiam 08:11, 23 June 2024 (UTC)

I have never seen that expressed in any Chinese source. Nor – until today, right at the top of this thread – that anything (actual, supposed, or imputed) about modern China originated with Genghis Khan. Folly Mox (talk) 11:49, 23 June 2024 (UTC)

There’s some info over at Poetry of Mao Zedong lending weight to what Lambiam was saying, but these may be older ideas from another generation: "Genghis Khan, whom the Chinese celebrate as the founder of the Yuan dynasty despite him never personally conquering China.” FWIW, Mao apparently killed more people in China than Khan. Viriditas (talk) 12:18, 23 June 2024 (UTC)

Did the Mongol conquest disrupt China’s development? Kublai Khan established the Yuan Dynasty in 1271. Without that, there would have been a different development that likely would have excluded Zheng He’s exploratory voyages and the incorporation of Mongolia into the empire. The Yuan was a time of great literary and artistic progress, as well as contact with Western, south Asian, and Middle Eastern empires. Religious diversity flourished, and China’s advances in science out-ran those of other parts of the world for several centuries. Hence, the short answer would appear to be no. DOR (ex-HK) (talk) 00:39, 24 June 2024 (UTC)

Thank you. I have several followup questions:

• Zheng He was originally Muslim. Given the history of Islam in China, how is it that they have swung in the opposite direction, to the now-prevalent, anti-Islam attitudes? Is this more of a reaction to political Islam and its associated threats, or something else? Also, from a non-Chinese POV, how are the threats of political Islam all that different from the threats of the Chinese Communist Party in the 20th century? Don't both ideologies use the same kind of violence and brutality to achieve their goals? From where I stand, they seem almost identical in their means and methods.
• Looking at the Yuan dynasty, we see that western medicine was opposed. This doesn't sound like "great progress". It also looks like religious diversity wasn't exactly flourishing as much as we are told. Islamic and Jewish practices were banned, Buddhism was upheld as the state religion, particularly the more superstitious and mystical form of Tibetan Buddhism, rather than the more philosophical and secular variants that were known. The class system was promoted, with ethnic minorities being treated terribly, with class being centered around concepts related to submission. This is the opposite of the western, democratic, egalitarian tradition. Viriditas (talk) 21:49, 24 June 2024 (UTC)

What is the best way for me to get signatures for a petition?

I made a petition a while ago to bring a US business over to the UK. I am annoyed, as I can’t seem to figure out how to get people to sign it. It’s driving me crazy, and I’ve been in danger for getting into trouble for spam. How on earth am I meant to do this? I don’t have many friends on social media, and I am not very good at using it. How do I reach out to people? Thank you. Pablothepenguin (talk) 18:24, 23 June 2024 (UTC)

You need to know your audience. Where would you most likely find the people who would sign your petition? See market research. Viriditas (talk) 19:37, 23 June 2024 (UTC)

I can’t find a good place. Pablothepenguin (talk) 21:22, 23 June 2024 (UTC)

For the background to this question, see here. --Viennese Waltz 21:23, 23 June 2024 (UTC)

Ok, that was very helpful. Pablothepenguin, now that I have more information about your problem, there is good news and bad news. The bad news first: give up on the idea of petition for this, as you are using a butter knife to try and bring down a dinosaur. It's not the right tool for the job. Now for the good news: you sound like just the person who is a self-starter and willing to run their own business. You know what you want to do, but now all you need is a roadmap to make it happen. First thing you are going to need is a business plan. Your town will also have resources to help you, such as small-business associations, etc. In my specific area, there are yearly stipends available for certain kinds of businesses, but they usually aren't very much. For example, my state is trying to promote farming by offering land and cash, but it's pretty tough because you have to move and start from scratch. Anyway, there are also business incubator communities that you will want to join and get to know people in the network. I know, you said you aren't good face to face, but this is a way for you to learn. As for social media, check out the incredible, worldwide success of a young baker like Kitty Tait at the Orange Bakery. She's a hero to a lot of people, and you might want to check her out and her community online. I find her story inspirational. Those are the kinds of people you can learn from here. Viriditas (talk) 21:39, 23 June 2024 (UTC)

What nonsense are you talking about? Pablothepenguin (talk) 21:45, 23 June 2024 (UTC)

You sound too much like a shill. Could someone please direct me to a more reliable source of information? Pablothepenguin (talk) 21:50, 23 June 2024 (UTC)

For courtesy, you can find the petition here: [www.change.org/MenchiesUK] Pablothepenguin (talk) 21:52, 23 June 2024 (UTC)

Yes, I'm shilling for Big Bread in the UK. All the way from Hawaii. Good luck with your future endeavors. Viriditas (talk) 21:53, 23 June 2024 (UTC)

I wasn’t talking about that, I was talking bout all the nonsense about running my own business. Pablothepenguin (talk) 21:58, 23 June 2024 (UTC)

What part of it is nonsense? It's the same advice you were given in the other discussion. Reach out to the business community and network with them. Have a great day! Viriditas (talk) 22:01, 23 June 2024 (UTC)

But I can’t do that. I’m too busy being poor and I don’t understand business technobabble. Pablothepenguin (talk) 22:03, 23 June 2024 (UTC)

Great. That's an opportunity for you to start learning. Recognize your flaws and deficiencies, and move forward by addressing them. Welcome to the business world. Viriditas (talk) 22:05, 23 June 2024 (UTC)

Why are you so keen on me getting into business? I’m not trying to start my own business you know, I just want to address an injustice in my country. One that offends me so greatly, I can’t even focus on my normal work. Pablothepenguin (talk) 22:07, 23 June 2024 (UTC)

When you perceive that there is a lack of something and someone needs to do something, you are very often the best person for the job. Congratulations on your new position as CEO. Viriditas (talk) 22:11, 23 June 2024 (UTC)

I do need to raise awareness of this issue. It is eating at me and I’m not very happy these days because of it. Pablothepenguin (talk) 22:14, 23 June 2024 (UTC)

Well, to get back to Kitty Tait up above, you might want to check out her book Breadsong. She was in the same boat as you until she started baking. Viriditas (talk) 22:19, 23 June 2024 (UTC)

And before I forget, check out the inspirational story of Katie Fahey, one woman who changed the entire state of Michigan. You can do this. Viriditas (talk) 22:29, 23 June 2024 (UTC)

Thank you very much for the positive comments. I really do appreciate them. For the sake of clarity, I will remind you that I see a great injustice in the world that breaks my brain. How can it be that there are tonnes of self-serve froyo places in the US, but I always have to ask a complete stranger to serve me in my locale? That’s the problem. Pablothepenguin (talk) 22:41, 23 June 2024 (UTC)

I do not know a lot about online petitions, but I do know something about franchising. I think it is doubtful that an online petition would make a difference. Have you been in touch with the company? Your first step (and perhaps you have already taken this) should be to reach out to the company to let them know that there is interest in the UK, and particularly in your area, in being able to patronize their outlets. Moving into a new country is a big and expensive decision, and learning that there is already interest is reassuring.

Evidence of that interest will help your case. But an online petition is not very good evidence, since an online petition can be signed from anywhere. That said, if the company tells you that there is a particular kind of evidence they are looking for, you might be able to act on that. John M Baker (talk) 22:49, 23 June 2024 (UTC)

I’ve just done that. I hope I can make a difference here. My sanity depends on it. My will to live is still just fine, but I sometimes worry it will weaken if I don’t see change soon. Pablothepenguin (talk) 22:56, 23 June 2024 (UTC)

You should consider opening up your own froyo shop. Where I live, they do very well, provided there are tourists to buy them. And that's really what it comes down to for you as well. In business, this is called "foot traffic" (also geographic location). Combine these metrics with a good product and experience, and you have the recipe for success. Based on what John M. Baker said, you could contact the company and go from there. My guess is that they may want to hire you to help open a store. BTW, I kind of like "Ride or Die Froyo" as a potential name for a new business. It's catchy, memorable, and attracts a younger customer base. Just my two cents... Viriditas (talk) 23:01, 23 June 2024 (UTC)

It is hard, I’ve got a lot of other projects to work on. Projects, such as becoming a fine music producer, composing songs for commercial and kids’ entertainment, and sorting out my living arrangements. I am a very sensitive person, who just can’t stand the idea of the ice cream machine being locked away in a staff only area. Pablothepenguin (talk) 23:04, 23 June 2024 (UTC)

What was the company's response when you reached out to them? John M Baker (talk) 23:12, 23 June 2024 (UTC)

I’ve only just sent to them. It will be a while yet for a response. Pablothepenguin (talk) 23:13, 23 June 2024 (UTC)

Well, I would not waste time on a Change.org petition. Are there local bulletin boards in your area that neighbors can use to connect? I'm thinking of something like Nextdoor. You could try posting something about the advantages of this kind of frozen yogurt shop and see if you get any responses. If several people post that, yes, they would love to see something like this, giving their own reasons and experiences, you could let the company know about that, so they could tell that it is not just one enthusiast's views. If the response is less positive, no need to bring the discussion to the company's attention. John M Baker (talk) 23:22, 23 June 2024 (UTC)

Best thing I found is local Facebook pages. Pablothepenguin (talk) 23:43, 23 June 2024 (UTC)

It seems like it can’t hurt to post something there. Probably best to be clear that this is not something you want to start (you have other vocational goals - no need to jump immediately into what they are), but something you want to see and patronize. John M Baker (talk) 23:53, 23 June 2024 (UTC)

BTW, in case you haven't heard of it, one of the most interesting hyper-small business, ice cream success stories in recent years is CVT Soft Serve. It's surprising they don't have their own article. Keep in mind, they are your antagonists, as they are vociferously anti-froyo, but it's important to be aware of their business model.[1] Frankly, it's fascinating, so take some time to explore their website. They started with a simple food truck (you should seriously consider this), and have expanded to frozen products in the supermarket freezer aisle, and full-service machines. They also do major catering events. Their success is due to diversification into multiple revenue streams. Viriditas (talk) 23:14, 23 June 2024 (UTC)

I think that a petition to Menchie's Frozen Yogurt is unlikely to help in bringing Menchie's to the UK. Who you need to convince are potential franchisees, not the franchisor. One reason people may not sign your petition is that they are not familiar with Menchie's and do not know why they should take your word for how great it is. But even if ten thousand people sign it, potential franchisees will not be aware of it.  --Lambiam 05:12, 24 June 2024 (UTC)

Thank you for your insights here. Now, I just need to track down potential franchisees. Any advice for that? Pablothepenguin (talk) 17:11, 24 June 2024 (UTC)

You were given advice on that back in February, in the discussion I linked to above. We seem to be going round in circles here. --Viennese Waltz 18:11, 24 June 2024 (UTC)

Where are the franchisees? Why can’t anyone on this huge wiki tell me where on earth these people can be found? The February post didn’t manage to figure this out, so could you please think hard about this? Could someone please find me some business contacts in Scotland and England? That’s all I ask for. Pablothepenguin (talk) 18:41, 24 June 2024 (UTC)

Where are the potential franchisees? That's exactly what the franchisor would like to know. Existing franchisees, of course, it presumably knows about in detail. But there is no way of knowing for sure which motivated individuals may come forward and be willing to act as franchisees.

To be sure, there are websites, franchise brokers, conventions, etc., that people considering becoming franchisees may use, so there actually are some ways to approach potential franchisees. But for you to do that on your own, effectively acting as a marketing manager for Menchie's, seems like a big task. And it won't even help if Menchie's is not yet ready to go into the UK market. That's why I suggested that you focus on approaching them for now. Let them do the heavy lifting of finding franchisees. John M Baker (talk) 21:08, 24 June 2024 (UTC)

I don’t know for certain, but the fact that they’re doing fine in Canada speaks volumes. The UK seems like the next logical step in the progression. Culturally and economically, it is closer to the US than any other country in the world, excepting Canada and possibly certain Caribbean and Pacific Island countries. Certainly there is a lot of commonality when considering food. I note that the UK has always been a high ticket item for US food franchise people. It just makes sense. The fact that they have a couple of Middle Eastern locations tells us that distance is not likely to be an issue for them.

I do acknowledge that the business is still relatively young, what with some US food franchises dating back as far as the 1950s and possibly earlier. I also notice that most businesses that come to the UK from the US are generally 30 years old or more, so perhaps it just takes time. I really think the UK needs this, there isn’t a proper frozen dessert chain here, and that market gap should be filled. I am determined to do everything in my power to help this process along.

I’m sure Menchie’s could fit very well into the UK food scene, and I would imagine that places such as Brighton, Edinburgh, Glasgow, London, Liverpool and more would really enjoy such a thing. The main issue that a lot of countries have is getting the post-Covid economic turbulence out of the way. With the virus receding in our rear-view mirror, this will come soon, perhaps by 2026. The main signs of improvement will be sustained low inflation figures and national interest rates, which currently stand very high, being cut down.

I’m not pretending to understand the extremely complicated world of business and economics; all I can do is weigh in with my two cents. So, I will conclude by saying that getting Menchies in the UK by 2030 is my main priority, and I’m sure that could happen, I will also apologise for the extreme length of this post. Pablothepenguin (talk) 22:15, 24 June 2024 (UTC)

Menchie's say they are expanding all over the world and are currently qualifying candidates worldwide.^[2] They write, "Our franchisees come from all sorts of backgrounds, from police officers, engineers, stay-at-home parents and experienced franchise owners to neurologists, teachers, dentists and executives. There is no single background or education level which determines success."^[3] Also, "Aside from the necessary capital, you will need some people skills, contagious guest care mentality and a community orientation."^[4] Obviously, there is no specific place, real or virtual, where you can find potential franchisees. You may be sitting next to one in your local pub. So just talk to people locally; who knows, someone will say, "I know just the right person."  --Lambiam 10:07, 25 June 2024 (UTC)

Thank you once again for your insights. I really appreciate them. I will be thinking about people to talk to virtually or otherwise. Hopefully I can do good things that way. Pablothepenguin (talk) 23:03, 25 June 2024 (UTC)

I’m not a bad person, honestly. I worry however, that people will think I’m insane, simply because I have very vibrant and unconventional ideas. This very question gives a good example. This is one of three questions I’ve posted about the same topic, and I’m still stuck on it. Why do I always feel like I’m the only person inventive enough to come up with this idea? It’s as if I live on another planet and nobody cares. Sometimes I even feel irrationally angry about the lack of any common sense here.

My life generally consists of these rather crazy situations that never seem to get resolved. I am definitely a determined individual and I must get my end result. It is not a complex issue, but I’m the only one who notices the injustice within it apparently.

I mean, come on! How can I be the only man in all of Britain to see the blatant contradiction of logic that is found here, I mean, how can it be that no individual in my entire nation can see the lack of self-serve frozen yogurt stores? What kind of horrible things have I done to end up in this strange purgatory of a country? Pablothepenguin (talk) 18:38, 3 July 2024 (UTC)

What should I do now? Pablothepenguin (talk) 20:03, 4 July 2024 (UTC)

Maybe move to a country that's more yogurt-friendly? ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 00:32, 5 July 2024 (UTC)

I don’t think OP has the finance for that. Also that misses their main point. They would like to see more frozen yogurt places in their home. Thank you 2A00:23EE:1988:10:AD62:6375:4489:E17B (talk) 10:32, 5 July 2024 (UTC)

Has Pablo been unmasked as VXFC? ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 18:23, 5 July 2024 (UTC)

Absolutely not. I know nothing of that person. Pablothepenguin (talk) 20:08, 5 July 2024 (UTC)

June 24

Icelandic cod per part of fish and chips, recipe is sold in Iceland.

Per the talk page, and my "unsuccessful" attempt in adding Iceland under "Other countries", I decided to make a "valid point", and make a comment. In quote, "Last year, I took a trip to Iceland and only visited the Southern part of the country. Throughout my time there, I have noticed that restaurants and food trailers do in fact serve fish and chips, per part of the Icelandic cod. However, I highly recommend doing some deep searching for sources to prove this, unless you can spend some time yourself going to the country or do similar search results to find out this reliability. Also consider expanding into looking for more countries that house this recipe." So, I need some justification on this, and I'd like to know how hard it is to find a source for this matter. Ｍｏｄ ｃｒｅａｔｏｒ 🏡 🗨 📝 03:08, 24 June 2024 (UTC)

I don't understand the use of the preposition per in "per part" and "per their Icelandic cod".  --Lambiam 03:42, 24 June 2024 (UTC)

I'm not quite sure what you're asking. Personal experience is never acceptable as a source for information in a Wikipedia article, but if you can find a reliable published source which verfifies your experience, you can of course add a summary of what that source says.

As for how hard it is to find a source: I guess that depends on whether the sources exist and how readily available. Most people start looking for sources by googling. Maybe somebody at WT:WikiProject Iceland can point you at a source. (The project is "not very active", but the talk page still gets some attention). ColinFine (talk) 09:43, 24 June 2024 (UTC)

How about this blog from an Icelandic travel agency or this from Iceland's [self-proclaimed] "biggest, best and most widely read English-language publication"? AlmostReadytoFly (talk) 11:18, 24 June 2024 (UTC)

Blogs are almost never acceptable - only if the blogger is a recognised authority on the topic of the blog. But the Grapevine piece looks OK to me - it's got a byline, and the site has an editor-in-chief, and specifically says that it is not sponsored content. ColinFine (talk) 22:20, 24 June 2024 (UTC)

June 25

"The City from Burma"?

While improving an article about a Burmese restaurant, I came across a source that said this:

Sherry Dung, who has owned the restaurant with her husband, Kevin Chen, since the two immigrated to The City from Burma more than 20 years ago, said the two of them were “surprised” when they got the news.

Is the phrase "The City from Burma" a real thing, or is it just another typo? TWOrantula^TM (enter the web) 02:39, 25 June 2024 (UTC)

Here's the direct link to the source if you need it: [5] TWOrantula^TM (enter the web) 02:39, 25 June 2024 (UTC)

I don't think you're parsing the statement correctly. The source you linked to is the San Francisco Examiner and so is written from the PoV of San Francisco. So "The City" is simply their way of referring to San Francisco e.g. [6] [7]. The sentence is simply saying that the two people immigrated to San Francisco from Burma more than 20 years ago. It's not referring to a city in Burma/Myanmar. Likewise if a New York or Paris source talks about something being in "The City" they would generally be referring to New York or Paris respectively. Nil Einne (talk) 02:51, 25 June 2024 (UTC)

@TrademarkedTWOrantula: not a typo. The SF Examiner is using "The City" to mean "San Francisco". They immigrated to San Francisco from Burma. RudolfRed (talk) 02:53, 25 June 2024 (UTC)

For a good example of the SF Examiner's use of "The City", see "How families can spend the summer in The City". While Steinbeck referred to SF as "the City",^[8] the capitalization of "The" is, AFAIK, peculiar to the Examiner. The Chronicle usually just writes "the city" in lower case.  --Lambiam 08:03, 25 June 2024 (UTC)

Herb Caen, 1975: "'The city that was never a town,' said an admiring Will Rogers, to which Rudyard Kipling added, 'and inhabited by perfectly mad people.' Viriditas (talk) 03:14, 25 June 2024 (UTC)

In Britain, "the City" always means the City of London. Alansplodge (talk) 20:38, 1 July 2024 (UTC)

Yann Zopf, John Scott and Carolina Klint from the World Economic Forum

Anyone know what citizenship these people have? Google gives nothing--Trade (talk) 13:56, 25 June 2024 (UTC)

Zopf got his Bachelor's degree from University Lumière Lyon 2 and his Master's from University Jean Moulin Lyon 3,^[9] so it is quite plausible he is French. Yann is a Breton–French given name, which lends further support to this guess.  --Lambiam 15:24, 26 June 2024 (UTC)

According to his LinkedIn profile, Scott got his Bachelor's degree from the University of Oxford and his Master's from Cranfield School of Management; he lives in the Greater Guildford Area. It is a reasonable assumption that he is British.  --Lambiam 15:43, 26 June 2024 (UTC)

The earliest education on Klint's LinkedIn profile is from Uppsala University, and she lives in Stockholm County. Both the given name and the surname are common in Sweden, so everything points to her being Swedish.  --Lambiam 15:55, 26 June 2024 (UTC)

June 27

question about the new anime Suicide_Squad_Isekai

I live in Canada and I don't have Hulu or Max. Is there a way I can watch Suicide_Squad_Isekai when it premieres? Will it be on Crunchyroll, Disneyplus, Crave or some other streaming service in Canada? Thank you! 2001:569:7D9E:700:15F6:5ACD:1BC8:EB22 (talk) 00:41, 27 June 2024 (UTC)

filming location in Baltimore

Here is a screenshot and I would like to know where this street and church can be found in Baltimore. https://s20.directupload.net/images/240623/y9e7ogpl.png Thank you! Chris06 (talk) 16:16, 27 June 2024 (UTC)

You could try sending it to the YouTuber, GeoWizard. He seems to be an expert at this kind of thing. Pablothepenguin (talk) 18:08, 27 June 2024 (UTC)

He certainly is an expert, but he's not going to do it just for some random person on the internet. Your best bet is to join a Facebook group about Baltimore and post your query there. The unusual looking building on the right looks like a church tower. I tried reverse image searching for the tower but it didn't come up. A google image search for churches in Baltimore didn't bring anything up either. --Viennese Waltz 09:17, 28 June 2024 (UTC)

The commons category Churches in Baltimore is vast. I haven't found anything, but I haven't explored every nook and cranny of the category either. --Wrongfilter (talk) 10:40, 28 June 2024 (UTC)

Thank you for your answers! I had already searched the category and found nothing. The picture is from the film Step Up 2 and in both films all the locations are in Baltimore. Therefore I suspect that this street can also be found there. --Chris06 (talk) 15:51, 28 June 2024 (UTC)

New Lebanon Baptist Church on Milton Ave. at Jefferson St. See [10]. Looking west down Jefferson Street with high zoom from a distant airborne perspective. Some of the other landmarks you can see are at Johns Hopkins University, more than half a mile away. --Amble (talk) 18:34, 28 June 2024 (UTC)

Thank you very much, Amble! The cityscape in the background has changed since then. This church is not on commons I think. --Chris06 (talk) 06:37, 29 June 2024 (UTC)

Lion

why is the lion the king of the jungle? Pheffytom (talk) 20:26, 27 June 2024 (UTC)

See archetype, but note that care has to be taken in order to distinguish between Plato's view vs Jung's interpretation. This will not be giving a direct explanation but illustrate Jung's description of the phenomenon. The king analogy is built by a collective schema. That of schema most often does not need or better, deserve an explanation as any individual will have and own his particular share of the explanation. That's according to his specticific position in the collective. --Askedonty (talk) 21:04, 27 June 2024 (UTC)

See also Cultural depictions of lions for the characterization as "king of beasts". The lion hunts mainly on open woodlands and is not found in dense woodlands such as are called "jungles", so "king of the jungle" is a bit of a misnomer. (In Indian English, though, the term "jungle" may refer to any uncultivated tract of forest or scrub habitat.) Other animals have also been called "king of the jungle", such as the tiger,^[11][12] the peafowl,^[13] the Asian elephant^[14] and the gorilla.^[15]  --Lambiam 08:32, 28 June 2024 (UTC)

Note also the Lion of Judah, associated with the tribe and dynasty of King David, and subsequently influential in Christian cultures. -- Verbarson  ^talk_edits 18:26, 28 June 2024 (UTC)

June 28

Time and the Big Bang

Moved to the Science section of the Reference desk.  --Lambiam 15:42, 28 June 2024 (UTC)

Florida recount

HI. During the manual recount of ballots in Florida, in 2000, how did election officials record vote totals and communicate the results of the recount both to the elections office, the Secretary of State, and ultimately to the networks? Thank you. 2.32.203.63 (talk) 19:09, 28 June 2024 (UTC)

Have you tried 2000 United States presidential election recount in Florida? --136.54.106.120 (talk) 21:34, 28 June 2024 (UTC)

I just want to point out that given the dispute over ballots and lawsuits, the process was extensively detailed in the literature. If you can be more specific with your question, I may be able to answer it, although it is quite esoteric. Viriditas (talk) 18:19, 2 July 2024 (UTC)

June 29

Which US city is closest to the Equator?

I can't find an answer to the question above. When Googling I get answers only to questions I didn’t ask, such as "Which city in the 50 states is closest to the Equator?" (which excludes territories and dependencies, which I don't want), "Which state capital is closest?" (not my question), and "Which state is closest?" (cut it out with the states already) but not just plain "Which city is closest?".

I think the answer is Charlotte Amalie, but I'm not sure if I'm missing a territory or dependency. Thanks for any help. 2604:3D09:A17E:7300:5DEA:D376:3AAD:571 (talk) 23:31, 29 June 2024 (UTC)

Hmm, I think I'm not too surprised that you would get those Google results. I would intuitively interpret "US city" to mean "city in the fifty states plus the District". If you mean to broaden it beyond that you probably need to use different phrasing. --Trovatore (talk) 05:50, 30 June 2024 (UTC)

Hagåtña, the capital of Guam, is closer than Pago Pago, but can hardly be called a city. However, it is labelled as such ("the City of Hagåtña") by the government of Guam. Dededo is also closer and considerably more populous than both Hagåtña and Charlotte Amalie.  --Lambiam 00:00, 30 June 2024 (UTC)

Surely it's one of the Hawaiian cities? HiLo48 (talk) 01:19, 30 June 2024 (UTC)

That might depend on the definition of city. "The U.S. territory of Guam is comprised of 19 villages."^[16] However, the Virgin Islands are farther south than the Hawaiian Islands, so Charlotte Amalie, U.S. Virgin Islands could be correct. Still, according to our article, it is recognized as a town by the U.S. Census Bureau. American Samoa and Palmyra Atoll are even farther south, but might not have any "cities" (Pago Pago has the largest population at 3,656). Also note that "The Greater Pago Pago Metropolitan Area comprises several villages along Pago Pago Harbor",^[17] yet I haven't found any official source noting it as a "city". --136.54.106.120 (talk) 02:33, 30 June 2024 (UTC) . . . Edit:03:26, 30 June 2024 (UTC)

I like how in American Samoa, Pago Pago correctly comprises several villages; whilst in Guam, Hagåtña incorrectly "comprises of villages". Folly Mox (talk) 11:38, 30 June 2024 (UTC)

The U.S. Census Bureau might not have a rigorous definition of city. They do seem to have independent city and consolidated city, but mostly appear to employ the technical terms metropolitan and micropolitan statistical areas – which can contain a principal city.

I suspect the term city might be one of the things that varies by state, but one can only assume that at least for their unemancipated colonial toeholds minor outlying territories territories the federal government would have a single definition. Folly Mox (talk) 11:30, 30 June 2024 (UTC) edited 14:16, 1 July 2024 (UTC)

"I suspect the term city might be one of the things that varies by state" Yep. In my own state of North Carolina, a city is any municipality that chose to use that word when incorporating. In Massachussetts it is based on the form of government, with cities having a mayor-council or council-manager type of government. In Louisiana it is based on population, with a minimum of 5000 people needed. In North Dakota any incorporated community is a city. I could probably find many other definitions in the other states, but that should get the point across. --User:Khajidha (talk) (contributions) 12:29, 1 July 2024 (UTC)

PS: aside from some research stations and military installations the United States Minor Outlying Islands are uninhabited. I assume you are actually interested in the Territories of the United States.--User:Khajidha (talk) (contributions) 12:37, 1 July 2024 (UTC)

Whoops, yes, thanks. Fixed. Folly Mox (talk) 14:16, 1 July 2024 (UTC)

Is the government of Guam official enough?^[18] Reportedly,

"En la isla de Guam sólocabría hablar de ciudad en un caso: el deAgaña, que obtuvo tal título en 1686, trashaber ostentado el de villa con anterioridad."^{[19], p.433} — "On the island of Guam it is only possible to speak of a city in one case: that of Agaña, which obtained such title in 1686, after having previously held the title of town."

Being a Spanish possession at the time, the title would have been bestowed by a decree of the Spanish crown. In Europe, the traditional view is: once a city, forever a city.  --Lambiam 13:06, 30 June 2024 (UTC)

Not always, see Rochester Martin of Sheffield (talk) 14:32, 30 June 2024 (UTC)

Traditions are not invariably upheld. {The poster formerly known as 87.81.230.195} 151.227.226.178 (talk) 19:12, 30 June 2024 (UTC)

My first job was in Cardiff which achieved city status in 1905, so I have a soft spot for Llandaff, the "city within a city"; it was never incorporated, but has its own cathedral. See also St Davids. MinorProphet (talk) 17:14, 1 July 2024 (UTC)

June 30

Plant milk ratings

What is the highest rated type of plant milk for use as a creamer in coffee, in terms of taste tests? I'm not talking about brands, but rather the type of plant milk, such as soy, almond, oat, pea, etc. I've been wondering about this for a while, but I've never been able to find an answer. The other strange thing is that the answer appears to change over time, as if taste is a function of trends and market preference, maybe even culture? But surely, someone can point to a specific type of plant milk and say, "our overall taste tests show that people prefer this type in coffee over others". But what if this kind of result is the function of specific populations, where taste is determined by other factors? On the other hand, food science is fairly mature at this point, so it should be quite easy to say "x type of plant milk is preferred by most people in coffee", but not just as a function of sales (because people will often buy what is cheaper, not simply what tastes the best). Is this doable? Can one say which is both preferred and tastes the best? Viriditas (talk) 21:54, 30 June 2024 (UTC)

Advances in food science will hardly be of help. One can imagine a study in which a panel of tasters, say regular cappuccino users, are asked to rank various plant milks. But designing such a study is not easy. There are many confounding issues, including personal preferences, cultural preferences, and significant differences in taste (e.g. sweetness) between brands for the same type of milk substitute. I have a hard time imagining a research council funding an independent study on ranking the suitability of milk substitutes for use as a creamer in coffee. If any such studies have been conducted, they were most likely of the type informally conducted by newspapers or magazines.  --Lambiam 07:22, 1 July 2024 (UTC)

Some plant milks are not suitable for all consumers for medical reasons. Giving almond milk to someone with a nut allergy would not be clever! Martin of Sheffield (talk) 08:44, 1 July 2024 (UTC)

My own original research involving witnessing non-vegan friends opting for plantmilk upgrades at coffee shops would indicate that oatmilk is the preferred creamer for this purpose. I acknowledge the sample may not be representative and few coffee shops stock more than three or four species of non-dairy creamers. Folly Mox (talk) 10:51, 1 July 2024 (UTC)

Which plant-based ‘milk’ is best? (BBC). Alansplodge (talk) 16:59, 1 July 2024 (UTC)

That's very helpful. Thank you everyone. Viriditas (talk) 20:17, 1 July 2024 (UTC)

Resolved

Superfluous frippery

Wikipedia tells me milk comes from mammals. HiLo48 (talk) 00:39, 2 July 2024 (UTC) Milk does, but plant milk does not. I'm sure you're aware that this is far from the only case in the English language where modifying a term does not make the referent an instance of the unmodified term. --Trovatore (talk) 01:31, 2 July 2024 (UTC) Can't its supporters come up with an original name? HiLo48 (talk) 01:34, 2 July 2024 (UTC) Edible slurry. DuncanHill (talk) 01:40, 2 July 2024 (UTC) Samuel Johnson called it "milk" in 1755, so this is not exactly a novelty, as much as it may irritate the National Milk Producers sic for the missing apostrophe Federation and similar industry mouthpieces. --Trovatore (talk) 01:44, 2 July 2024 (UTC) "Ignorance, madam, pure ignorance" DuncanHill (talk) 01:46, 2 July 2024 (UTC) Nonsense. --Trovatore (talk) 01:50, 2 July 2024 (UTC) I'm trying to picture a milking machine attached to a plant. ←Baseball Bugs What's up, Doc? carrots→ 16:02, 2 July 2024 (UTC) That's an image the dairy industry put in your head. Look, I like milk and cheese. I have no particular animus against dairy farmers. But their behavior as an industry on this particular issue has been utterly loathsome and reprehensible. You shouldn't be doing their work for them. --Trovatore (talk) 16:35, 2 July 2024 (UTC) Which industry controls your head Trovatore? Or are you a special case, better than the rest of us? DuncanHill (talk) 16:51, 2 July 2024 (UTC) Bit of an overreact there? Everything ok? Folly Mox (talk) 11:24, 3 July 2024 (UTC) Not an over-reaction. DuncanHill (talk) 11:42, 3 July 2024 (UTC) No, that is the obvious first thought when you come across the term "plant milk" ( or any of the various types thereof). No matter how long the terms have been used, they are inherently silly. --User:Khajidha (talk) (contributions) 16:55, 2 July 2024 (UTC) Although EO has some info on "milk",[20] I'm not seeing anything about oats. ←Baseball Bugs What's up, Doc? carrots→ 19:09, 2 July 2024 (UTC) Meh, doesn't seem silly to me, calling a culinary substitute the same term as the product it substitutes. *Plant mammary gland secretions or *Teat-expressed baby plant nutrient colloid would be significantly sillier. Folly Mox (talk) 11:24, 3 July 2024 (UTC) So you're ok with calling chicory coffee, or margarine butter, or potato bread wheaten bread? DuncanHill (talk) 11:42, 3 July 2024 (UTC) There's plenty of precedent for naming things after other things that are similar in appearance or purpose, whether it be chicory coffee, herbal tea, laverbread, milk of magnesia, filter cake... AlmostReadytoFly (talk) 12:06, 3 July 2024 (UTC) *Apostrophe is not required. It could simply be a federation of producers; the producers don't necessarily possess the federation. 136.54.106.120 (talk) 02:16, 2 July 2024 (UTC) In that case the plural would not be needed; it would be the "National Milk Producer Federation". I know our British friends sometimes use plural noun adjuncts, but it sounds bad on this side of the Pond. --Trovatore (talk) 05:22, 2 July 2024 (UTC) Oh, and by the way the English genitive does not necessarily imply possession. That's the clamorous error, completely indefensible and I hope you won't try, made by the US Bureau of Geographic Names, when they imposed ridiculous forms like *Pikes Peak, luckily ignored by sensible people. --Trovatore (talk) 05:26, 2 July 2024 (UTC) Hmmm... I live in Kings Langley which has survived without any apostrophe since the 14th century when it was Kyngeslangley. Alansplodge (talk) 15:57, 2 July 2024 (UTC) The apostrophe was not introduced into English until the 16th century. Kings Langley is therefore too old to have used it. -- Verbarson  talkedits 17:21, 2 July 2024 (UTC)

July 2

Kenner Police Academy toys possible reissue

Are there future plans to reissue Kenner Police Academy toys, if its possible? 172.13.193.84 (talk) 15:53, 2 July 2024 (UTC)

Is Kenner Products even still in business? And are there plans to produce another Police Academy movie? ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 15:58, 2 July 2024 (UTC)

I'm afraid not. But, there's still a chance that these toys could be reissued from a different toy company, such as Hasbro, even if its possible. 172.13.193.84 (talk) 16:01, 2 July 2024 (UTC)

The article says they were acquired by Hasbro. You could try contacting Hasbro and see if they have any such plans. ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 16:08, 2 July 2024 (UTC)

July 3

Cambridge, Ontario

I'm trying to find historical population levels for this city. Searching has turned up sources like this, which is great, but only goes back ~20 years. The city was formed in 1973 from the amalgamation of nearby towns/villages; I'd like to know what the population was then (or thereabouts) and a decade later, say 1980-1985 or so. In an ideal situation, I'd like to see the historical population trend, but I'll take what I can get. :-) Matt Deres (talk) 13:27, 3 July 2024 (UTC)

Looking back at past Canadian censuses, I find the following figures 101,429 for 1996; 92,772 for 1991; 79,920 for 1986; 76,300 for 1981; 64,794 for 1976 (needed to go through the PDF version of a poorly printed document for that one). All of these can be found online if you look for Canadian census and the year. More recent figures are in a table in the French version of the article, which I'm sure you have looked at already Xuxl (talk) 15:11, 3 July 2024 (UTC)

Thank you kindly. Matt Deres (talk) 20:20, 3 July 2024 (UTC)

Cambridge was formed by the merger of the city of Galt with two significantly smaller places. Historical populations for Galt may be the appropriate thing to use, depending on your purpose. --142.112.148.225 (talk) 21:18, 4 July 2024 (UTC)

July 4

Publish type label on eBay?

I want to sell an appliance at eBay. Are there any concerns - privacy or otherwise - against posting a picture of the type label? ◅ Sebastian Helm 🗨 13:58, 4 July 2024 (UTC)

I can't imagine any reason why you shouldn't do that, unless it reveals any personal information? You're simply supplying information about the appliance. Shantavira|^{feed me} 18:44, 4 July 2024 (UTC)