Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Miscellaneous/2011 March 19

= March 19 =

bread making machine
I have a welbilt bread machine and want to know if I can use Baking Powder in recipies instead of yeast? Thanks,Leo —Preceding unsigned comment added by 66.212.218.12 (talk) 03:20, 19 March 2011 (UTC)
 * No. Bread. Shadowjams (talk) 07:58, 19 March 2011 (UTC)
 * You'd probably end up with cake in your bread machine.   D b f i r s   08:14, 19 March 2011 (UTC)
 * Soda bread. Itsmejudith (talk) 08:54, 19 March 2011 (UTC)
 * Try googling for bread machine baking powder or bread machine yeastless to find recipes. 88.112.59.31 (talk) 10:46, 19 March 2011 (UTC)

Japan - Face masks.
I have been watching the unfolding Japanese earthquake/tsunami/nuclear horror stories with great sadness these past few days and my heart goes out to those folk who have been so savagely affected. But as an aside, I am left completely in the dark as to why so many people there are seen wearing clinical facemasks. It's common knowledge that they only prevent the inhalation of airborne diseases for a matter of minutes before being rendered useless. And their only other function is to prevent the exhalation of microscopic particles of mucus etc. My wife used to be particularly susceptible to airborne viruses on aeroplanes and took to wearing those masks as a barrier whenever we flew anywhere. But we were advised by our family doctor she was wasting her time - and her money. So what is it that those poor Japanese folk are trying to prevent by wearing them? 92.4.42.67 (talk) 10:43, 19 March 2011 (UTC)


 * Hay fever. No, I'm not joking. Apparently the masks are worn outside routinely by Japanese hay fever sufferers. HiLo48 (talk) 10:50, 19 March 2011 (UTC)


 * (ec) (ec) @HiLo48:  110.225.161.141 (talk) 11:14, 19 March 2011 (UTC)


 * For allergy season, Japan turns to surgical masks. (ec) usually means "edit conflict". Why post (ec) (ec) ? Cuddlyable3 (talk) 11:22, 19 March 2011 (UTC)


 * Wikipedia has an article section about protective masks. Japan has its samurai tradition of mask wearing which is probably irrelevant, but the masks may give them a slight comfort in the present cold weather. There are also reasons for wearing a mask when rescuing or treating wounded survivors under crumbled masonry. Cuddlyable3 (talk) 11:16, 19 March 2011 (UTC)


 * The Asian surgical mask 'phenomenon' is bewildering when westerners first see it. I remember the practice is heightened during pandemics like SARS, though it's been around for years. Here's a blog from 2009 that comments on it and the supposed rationale. i.m.canadian (talk) 12:48, 19 March 2011 (UTC)


 * See Surgical mask. Astronaut (talk) 14:51, 19 March 2011 (UTC)


 * I think it's almost a fad there. Elsewhere people wouldn't want to wear a surgical mask in public (unless it really was necessary), because it "looks so stupid".  But, in Japan, so many people wear them that you don't need to worry about looking stupid. StuRat (talk) 17:47, 19 March 2011 (UTC)


 * Yes, mask wearing, and western attitudes to it, are all part of the logic of fashion. HiLo48 (talk) 19:59, 19 March 2011 (UTC)


 * Out of curiosity, how does their society handle the masks in security situations? Around here (USA) If I go into a bank with sunglasses on, they'll ask me to take them off, at least for a moment so they (and presumably the cameras) can see my entire face.  If I also walked in with a surgical-mask on, I imagine they'd be hovering their finger over the panic button. APL (talk) 20:21, 19 March 2011 (UTC)


 * I imagine security is more lax there. Similarly, if somebody walks into a US bank wearing a ski mask, guns might be drawn, but presumably not in Point Barrow, Alaska, on the coldest day of the year. StuRat (talk) 20:42, 19 March 2011 (UTC)
 * Apparently Wells Fargo has a branch in Barrow Alaska. I wonder if they get armored car delivery of $$$ or if they just use a pickup truck or sno-cat.  Googlemeister (talk) 16:08, 23 March 2011 (UTC)


 * Inhaling traffic pollution, and now also nuclear pollution. 92.24.178.214 (talk) 23:32, 19 March 2011 (UTC)


 * Pick up a building and drop it a few inches (mm).
 * Take note of the amount of dust generated.
 * Do this with all the buildings in a very large area.
 * Attempt to clean up the mess.
 * Take note of the amount of dust generated.
 * DOR (HK) (talk) 05:45, 21 March 2011 (UTC)

Chuck Norris
Everytime I listen to some epic music on youtube I'm bound to see some comment along the lines of "this is Chuck Norris' morning alarm, this music played while Chuck Norris sent his pet monkey to destroy a civilization". Can someone explain this? Sorry I'm not very familiar with pop culture. Money is tight (talk) 23:33, 19 March 2011 (UTC)


 * A read of Chuck Norris facts will probably help. HiLo48 (talk) 23:37, 19 March 2011 (UTC)

Following on from the perfect answer HiLo48 gave... if your interest is stirred by the Chuck Norris based comments have a read of Internet memes, you'll no doubt start finding answers to more of these nagging questions. This website (http://knowyourmeme.com) is good if you're trying to find a bit of background to a meme. ny156uk (talk) 10:51, 20 March 2011 (UTC)