Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Miscellaneous/2013 April 9

= April 9 =

Earthworms
How do I get rid of huge earthworms that have invaded my yard? I have pets, so solution would have to be dog friendly. Please help - they are ruining my yard. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 24.154.142.151 (talk) 11:44, 9 April 2013 (UTC)
 * Bring in a bunch of robins. They love earthworms. Or you could maybe open a bait shop. ←Baseball Bugs What's up, Doc? carrots→ 11:51, 9 April 2013 (UTC)


 * It seems that earthworms are to be cherished rather than exterminated; see Benefits of Garden Worms, Earthworms in the Garden / Earthworm Facts, Why earthworms are so important to gardeners and A sure sign of healthy soil is an abundance of worms. In addition to Bugs's suggestion above, this company in your part of the world sells a 10lb bag of worm castings for $20. Alansplodge (talk) 12:18, 9 April 2013 (UTC)


 * Per Alansplodge, earthworms are absolutely not ruining your garden. They are unambiguously and always a major benefit, and without them your garden would be absolutely in worse shape.  Worms are not merely a sign of healthy soil, the action of worms in turning the soil and in producing "castings" (poop) is a form of natural fertilizer that is undoubtedly beneficial.  Worms essentially create healthy soil, and a garden devoid of worms would be a dead garden.  You absolutely don't want to get rid of them.  Now, if your garden is doing poorly, there could be any number of insects or other infestations (anything from beetle grubs to certain kinds of fungus) which are causing the problems, but whatever it is, it isn't the worms.  Unless you had some pictures or a really good description of the specific nature of the problem, it would impossible to diagnose the problem.  The best thing for you to do is to visit your local garden center/home store and ask someone that works there how to correct whatever problem you have.  There are also usually landscaping companies that you can bring in to consult who will tell you what to do, or for a bigger fee, will do it for you.  -- Jayron  32  12:31, 9 April 2013 (UTC)


 * It might help if you explained in what way these earthworms are "ruining" your yard. There are certainly some species of earthworm that are problematic; please see Earthworms as an invasive species.--Shantavira|feed me 13:44, 9 April 2013 (UTC)


 * By huge do you mean something like Giant Palouse earthworm or Oregon giant earthworm? I can see some people worrying but they really should be protected and conserved. Just think of them as more pets. Dmcq (talk) 14:28, 9 April 2013 (UTC)


 * If they are ruining your garden by killing plants, then they must be some other type of worm besides earthworms. Perhaps some type of beetle grub or caterpillar ?  Can you describe both what they are doing to ruin your garden and provide a pic or at least a description of the worms ?  Do they look like the pictures at earthworm ?


 * Or do you mean that you find their appearance in your garden to be unsightly ? If so, perhaps thicker foliage would hide them, as they will stick to the ground. StuRat (talk) 14:42, 9 April 2013 (UTC)


 * Do they look anything like the cute fellow to the right? μηδείς (talk) 21:18, 9 April 2013 (UTC)

Difference between calling rates between countries
I notice huge differences between the calling rates for different countries from a phone in the US. It will cost $1/m to call a mobile in most of Africa but only about 5 cents/m for the UK. Why are prices so different? Does it cost the provider more money to transmit a call to Africa than the UK? — Preceding unsigned comment added by Habiscusdiscus (talk • contribs) 11:59, 9 April 2013 (UTC)


 * You need to look harder. It's trivial to find better rates. Shadowjams (talk) 14:14, 9 April 2013 (UTC)


 * Probably the biggest difference is taxation rates. In poor nations, only the "rich" (in relative terms) make calls overseas, so it's seen as a way to tax the rich. StuRat (talk) 14:33, 9 April 2013 (UTC)


 * International telecommunications routes has some information about the economics of international calling. AndrewWTaylor (talk) 14:37, 9 April 2013 (UTC)


 * Of relevance particularly since you're talking about mobile calls are Termination rates. Nil Einne (talk) 01:12, 10 April 2013 (UTC)
 * It is simpler than that: the lines across the atlantic to the UK are much much older and wider in capacity and also more numerous, and therefore there is a lower cost per GB of data and a higher level of competition.--Lgriot (talk) 08:23, 10 April 2013 (UTC)

Tool to open up a window?
Can anyone suggest a dedicated or makeshift tool to open up a window from the bottom when it's very hard to do so. I have strained my back twice trying to open the window in my office. There's a wide radiator in front of the window so I can't walk right up to the window and pull up with my hands next to my body. Instead, I am required to lean over the radiator encasement and strain hunched forward. I was thinking that a perfect device would be like a tiny jack that you use to lift your car, just screw or pump up the device and it would crank up the window. There will be very soon sweltering days where I will sit sweating instead of risking hurting my back again. Any help appreciated.--108.27.62.131 (talk) 16:54, 9 April 2013 (UTC)


 * Classically, the Simple machines are: the screw, the inclined plane or wedge, the pulley and the lever are the things that'll help you here.
 * If you only wanted to open the window by an inch - then a 1" thick block of metal with a threaded hole in it and a bolt that's screwed into the hole would make a tiny, minimalist jack...maybe you could wedge it under the window handle and use a crescent wrench to unscrew the bolt, thereby slowly forcing up the window. Once you've raised it an inch, you can wedge another tiny jack that's 2" tall (but otherwise identical) in it's place and raise the window another couple of inches.  Somehow that doesn't sound very useful though.
 * If you can open the window a crack, you could hammer a large wedge into the gap to open it some more (and "inclined plane").
 * If you can fix a hook to the bottom of the window, and another to the ceiling above it - then with a couple of pulleys and some rope, you could arrange to pull the window open.
 * A long lever wedged under the window with a block under it, placed close to the window - would give you the mechanical advantage you need to open it easily.
 * In practical terms, a lot depends on where the handle is, what the surface beneath the handle is like, how stiff the window is, how far you need to raise it, whether you can modify the window/ceiling/whatever. Too many questions.  If you could post a photograph of the window - we could do MUCH better I think! SteveBaker (talk) 17:13, 9 April 2013 (UTC)


 * I agree with the lever idea, but suggest using the radiator (with a block on top, if it's too low) as the fulcrum. One possible problem is that the lever may exert too much pressure on the lip of the window and crack it.  So, you might need a method of spreading the force out over a wider area of the lip.  Using two levers, one with each hand, each at one side of the window (to keep the window from slanting to one side), is one method.  A piece of wood between the lip and the lever may also help to distribute the force more widely.  Once you get the window open just a bit, you can put the lever's end directly under it.


 * Also, you might want to lubricate the edges of the window to make it move with less force, once you get it open. Silicone oil might be good. StuRat (talk) 17:35, 9 April 2013 (UTC)


 * Another suggestion: Bring a step stool and something you can place on the radiator that you can kneel upon, like a board with cushions attached. Then, kneel upon the board and cushions to open the window.  If the radiator is wide enough and the window is high enough, this might work.  Or, if there's enough room for your legs between the radiator and window, you could sit on the radiator while opening the window.  If not, there's no shame in asking for help to open the window.  I have a bad back and ask for help when I'd risk hurting myself. StuRat (talk) 17:44, 9 April 2013 (UTC)


 * Also note that the advice so far has been on how to get the window cracked open a bit. To open it further, a small bottle jack can be fit under it, like this one: .  Those are more portable than other types.  This only open it 7.5 inches more, but then you can put a block under it and use it again to open the window more.  StuRat (talk) 17:52, 9 April 2013 (UTC)


 * mostly, i would worry about why the window is so hard to lift; they're not really a solid structural item, being made (presumably, in your case) of a pane of glass and some skinny wooden boards nailed together at the corners. if it's a paint problem, you can kind of stick a spatula or putty knife or something around the edges to loosen it up, if it's the weight of the thing than probably one or both of the counterweights have a broken rope or chain, or are stuck; people have already advised re lubrication, etc. pulling off the trim and doing an exploratory is probably worth it to stave off a summer of spinal pain. if it's not so much the difficulty of the window itself but a really bad leverage problem, like leaning over at 90 degrees, i'd just do a simple pulley thing like you would see with a window blind; i'd preferably attach it to the bottom of the window sash rather than the top to avoid the chance of ripping the top of the sash off, see above re flimsiness. Gzuckier (talk) 19:26, 9 April 2013 (UTC)


 * Why not call maintenance and have them fix the window. I don't suppose your employer is going to be very pleased if you injure or kill yourself while on the job. Or if it's your own office then get someone to make the repairs. CambridgeBayWeather (talk) 08:35, 10 April 2013 (UTC)


 * The building owners might not agree that there's anything wrong. If it's just a large, heavy window, then there may not be any easy way to make it open easier, although springs and lubrication might help.  The radiator placement right in front of the window, while unfortunate, is probably how it was designed. StuRat (talk) 15:43, 10 April 2013 (UTC)


 * If you can gain access to the counterweights, just add some extra weight so that the window opens on its own. You will probably find it easier to push downwards to close it, and you will need some locking mechanism to keep it closed.  If you hang the extra weights below the existing counterbalances, they can be arranged to hit the base after opening the window a few inches, thus avoiding the problem of the window shooting upwards too fast.    D b f i r s   07:53, 11 April 2013 (UTC)


 * I don't think I've ever seen a window with counterweights. I thought they all used springs (or nothing, for small windows). StuRat (talk) 08:35, 11 April 2013 (UTC)


 * Oh. I've never seen a sash window without counterweights (but all the sash windows near where I live are Victorian).  How do springs work?  The tension will vary with extension.    D b f i r s   11:14, 11 April 2013 (UTC)


 * If it's got a radiator in front of it, it probably has counterweights, as windows of the radiator era used sash weights on cotton cord or light chains to counterbalance. Residential-grade windows after 1950 and commercial windows after maybe 1970 use long springs that give a moderately linear response, or cheap coiled springs that are less satisfactory. All can break, and the sash cords have to be replaced every 20 years or so.  Acroterion   (talk)   11:29, 11 April 2013 (UTC)


 * they make aftermarket springs which can replace the pulley up top without having to take off the trim the way you need to to rehang the counterweights. never tried them, but they look like they'd be just nonlinear spirals. not that much of a job taking off the trim, although there's usually a lot of dirt released. Gzuckier (talk) 00:57, 13 April 2013 (UTC)

peaceful and massive
is it possible to die peacefully of a massive stroke or is the peaceful and the massive mutually exclusive? Horatio Snickers (talk) 20:43, 9 April 2013 (UTC)

I mean as its massive it isn't going to be peaceful as strokes are quite violent ? Horatio Snickers (talk) 20:44, 9 April 2013 (UTC)


 * What do you mean by "violent"? Strokes have the effect of incapacitating people, not throwing them around the room.  Have you read any part of stroke?  I suspect the "massive" description of strokes and heart attacks is not a word the medical fraternity uses, as it makes no appearance in our quite long article.  --   Jack of Oz   [Talk]  20:55, 9 April 2013 (UTC)
 * yeah but it surely a quite a full on event to take place, and not what you woudl associate with peaceful, plus all the papers have said massive and even offical spokesman. Horatio Snickers (talk) 21:00, 9 April 2013 (UTC)
 * "Massive" does not necessarily imply "violent". Consider those who died in their sleep, from "massive" stokes, heart attacks, etc. Are they aware, on some level, that they are suffering a fatal attack? Maybe. But if so, it won't last long before fade-to-black. ←Baseball Bugs What's up, Doc? carrots→ 22:05, 9 April 2013 (UTC)


 * A really massive stroke -- say a complete blockage of the carotid artery -- can be roughly equivalent to getting hit on the head with a sledgehammer. The victim just collapses immediately and dies.  I wouldn't necessarily call it peaceful, but it can happen without any apparent sign of awareness. Looie496 (talk) 23:00, 9 April 2013 (UTC)


 * Indeed. If I had to pick any form of natural death for myself, I would pick a massive stroke, specifically extensive circumferential rupture of the Circle of Willis. I'd literally be dead by the time I hit the floor, and would probably never even be aware that anything was going on. Massive, yes. And about as "peaceful" as your going to get, especially if it occurs during sleep. Dominus Vobisdu (talk) 08:41, 10 April 2013 (UTC)


 * "Whatcha talkin 'bout Willis? Gack!" Thud Gzuckier (talk) 15:41, 10 April 2013 (UTC)


 * To put the question in context, I presume it's referring to the recent death of Margaret Thatcher, who "died peacefully following a stroke" - no mention of "massive" in the official statement. AndrewWTaylor (talk) 10:22, 10 April 2013 (UTC)


 * What does "massive" even mean in the stroke/heart attack context? People often bandy this word around, but I've never known what the difference between a "stroke" and a "massive stroke" is.  --   Jack of Oz   [Talk]  12:53, 10 April 2013 (UTC)
 * The context typically seems to be a euphemism for "fatal". As opposed to non-fatal or "mild" heart attack or stroke. ←Baseball Bugs What's up, Doc? carrots→ 13:11, 10 April 2013 (UTC)


 * A stroke is an interruption to the brain's blood supply, usually caused by blockage of a blood vessel or by a hemorrhage inside the brain. In a minor stroke, only a small part of the brain is deprived of blood, and the existence of alternate pathways (see for example Circle of Willis) means that even the damaged part may recover.  In a "massive" stroke, a large portion of the brain is deprived of blood. Looie496 (talk) 15:11, 10 April 2013 (UTC)


 * yeah, it's quite possible to have "silent" strokes that you don't notice but which kill off some small part of the brain, with some folks (presumably genetically predisposed to it) eventually accumulating enough brain damage to cause dementia. This used to be confused with Alzheimers (and often still is by family etc) but now can be identified by imaging of cranial blood flow, etc., and the progress of the disease slowed by medical management (although damage can't be reversed), unlike Alzheimers. Gzuckier (talk) 15:37, 10 April 2013 (UTC)


 * Just to give a link, the entity you are describing is multi-infarct dementia. Looie496 (talk) 16:11, 10 April 2013 (UTC)


 * Thanks, Looie. So, is "massive" the word doctors use?  Because, as I say, it makes no appearance in Stroke.  --   Jack of Oz   [Talk]  20:38, 10 April 2013 (UTC)


 * Well, it's a term that doctors are comfortable with. The phrase "massive stroke" gets hundreds of hits on Google Scholar from articles in medical journals. Looie496 (talk) 21:08, 10 April 2013 (UTC)
 * I would imagine that a stroke that kills you is not going to be a minor one. Alansplodge (talk) 17:58, 12 April 2013 (UTC)
 * Not from the perspective of their grieving relatives, no. But people do sometimes survive massive strokes, and less-than-massive ones do sometimes kill people.  So, "massive" is not a synonym for "fatal".   --   Jack of Oz   [Talk]  22:04, 12 April 2013 (UTC)

= April 14 =

New Party
I am having problems with the New Party (United States) article. I have problems using KeyWiki or Barack Obama and The Enemies Within. Notability the Committees of Correspondence for Democracy and Socialism inside the New Party that the Committees of Correspondence was radically left (Marxist-Leninist).

http://www.amazon.com/Barack-Enemies-Within-Trevor-Loudon/dp/0615490743

Renegadeviking