Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Miscellaneous/2014 November 24

= November 24 =

Watch cosmetic repair; possible or not?
Hi, I was wondering:

Is the cosmetic coating damage on RS400 Polar watch, repairable or not? If so, by whom, or with which product?

1)http://imgur.com/I6kh5kt 2)http://imgur.com/U89DKkX 3)http://imgur.com/Okjjdqm 4)http://imgur.com/fMNJqPN 5)http://imgur.com/pbDtBMW Matt714 (talk) 01:15, 24 November 2014 (UTC)


 * I think only a reputable watch-repair shop would be able to tell you for sure. They may be able to replace that part.--Shantavira|feed me 09:36, 24 November 2014 (UTC)

Origins
How did you become a Wikipedia editor? — Preceding unsigned comment added by 70.231.230.198 (talk • contribs)
 * The answer will vary depending on who it is you're addressing. So, tell us, just who is it that you're addressing? --   Jack of Oz   [pleasantries]  02:57, 24 November 2014 (UTC)


 * Even so, a good general answer would be, "I became a Wikipedia editor by editing Wikipedia." ←Baseball Bugs What's up, Doc? carrots→ 05:33, 24 November 2014 (UTC)
 * That's Deep Bugs... Very Deep... :D gaz hiley  11:00, 24 November 2014 (UTC)
 * I'd like to hear any good alternative explanations. ←Baseball Bugs What's up, Doc? carrots→ 17:09, 24 November 2014 (UTC)
 * I suspect our OP is looking for the step immediately before "by editing WIkipedia" - like: Why did you edit it in the first place?  For me, the reason was simply that I was looking up something and found an error and was amazed to find that I could just dive in and fix it.  28,500 edits and 9 years later...I'm still here! SteveBaker (talk) 20:43, 24 November 2014 (UTC)
 * I don't see a "Why" in his question, just a "How". And my experience is similar to yours. That's probably a pretty typical "Why". ←Baseball Bugs What's up, Doc? carrots→ 23:21, 24 November 2014 (UTC)
 * I'm guessing this is a post from a non-native, who probably meant "How does one become ...". Hence my suggestion below.  --   Jack of Oz   [pleasantries]  19:29, 25 November 2014 (UTC)
 * The OP has had one post in the last four years, so it's hard to know whether he'll ever look at this discussion. But it could be useful for others. ←Baseball Bugs What's up, Doc? carrots→ 20:25, 25 November 2014 (UTC)


 * Maybe Tutorial is what you're after. --   Jack of Oz   [pleasantries]  19:21, 24 November 2014 (UTC)


 * Here's one report by Gina Trapani how she became a Wikipedia editor ("but there it was, a big honkin' typo staring at me") And just in case 70.231.230.198 did mean "do", not "did", her article also explains, in less overwhelming volume than we do,  how to edit, and is titled "How to contribute to Wikipedia".  ---Sluzzelin  talk  01:45, 25 November 2014 (UTC)


 * Gamma rays. InedibleHulk (talk) 02:18, 25 November 2014 (UTC)


 * Time on my hands. —Tamfang (talk) 07:06, 25 November 2014 (UTC)


 * It all started when I bought this faulty R2 unit from some disscrupled Jawas.... μηδείς (talk) 03:39, 26 November 2014 (UTC)


 * I blame Alma Schindler Mahler Gropius Werfel and Tom Lehrer, not to mention ABC Classic FM, for making me a wiki-victim. You can read about it here if you're interested.  --   Jack of Oz   [pleasantries]  08:00, 26 November 2014 (UTC)


 * I have to go with the "big, honkin' typo" motive... the one that compels my wife to straighten pictures in other people's homes and offices. I just surf wikipedia and when I see a howling abuse of the English language, orthography, or facts which ought to have been known to a previous editor, I reflexively click "edit" and go to work. loupgarous (talk) 23:49, 28 November 2014 (UTC)
 * I like your wife already. :)  --   Jack of Oz   [pleasantries]  19:30, 30 November 2014 (UTC)


 * Burgess Shale was the first Wikipedia article I looked at. Eight years later and I'm still intrigued by both it and Wikipedia as a whole. Pete AU aka --Shirt58 (talk) 09:50, 1 December 2014 (UTC)

5 day Rice and Beans diet
I was thinking of partaking in a 5 day rice and bean diet for charity to raise money for a charity. Would there be any health risk to this? --SolliGwaa (talk) 06:40, 24 November 2014 (UTC)


 * We cannot provide medical advice. Please consult a relevant professional.  --   Jack of Oz   [pleasantries]  08:28, 24 November 2014 (UTC)


 * We have some relevant info at Staple food, here's a fact sheet from the FAO, and here's a blurb from NPR about beans and rice . SemanticMantis (talk) 17:40, 24 November 2014 (UTC)


 * Rice is one of the worst possible foods for diabetics, see also favism. You should just call your general practitioner and ask if it's okay based on your medical history. Otherwise, rice and beans is a great meal. Having to eat it for a week is like being threatened with the comfy chair. μηδείς (talk) 17:52, 24 November 2014 (UTC)


 * (Disclaimer: This is not medical advice, merely a necessary nuancing of the above simplistic post "Rice is one of the worst possible foods for diabetics".) OP, intact rice is classified as a low GI food at Glycemic index, so not an issue for diabetics. Non-intact rice is medium GI, still OK.  Only boiled white rice is high GI.  See also  and .  But if diabetes is an issue for you (and it may be without your knowing it), please get advice from a professional rather than from random strangers on the internet.  --   Jack of Oz   [pleasantries]  19:19, 24 November 2014 (UTC)


 * Yes, correct, however traditional Hispanic rice and beans is made with boiled white rice, or yellow rice which is white rice and saffron. I read an article this year that said just two large meals of rice could bring on type two diabetes in a pre-diabetic. That was hard to google, but I did find this article.μηδείς (talk) 21:04, 24 November 2014 (UTC)


 * But who said the OP was referring the traditional Hispanic dish? From what I can see, neither of these components (traditional or Hispanic) were suggested in any way. Nil Einne (talk)


 * This wouldn't bother me as I am in good health. However, you could run it by the organisers that they obtain pro bono, the services of a health expert to pre-qualify would be entrants. Also, a sudden change of diet may cause some people problems at work, if they keep having to explain to each-and-every-client the reason for their copious flatulence. I expect there will now be a torrent of tasty cures posted – remember no med advice) --Aspro (talk) 19:22, 24 November 2014 (UTC)


 * If we can't give health advice regarding a diet of beans, can we give musical advice? A bean-heavy diet would be more popular with others forced to be nearby the dieter if the beans were not flavored with a lot of onions and garlic, imho. Edison (talk) 20:19, 24 November 2014 (UTC)


 * In my impoverished youth, I lived for periods of at least 5 days on little other than rice and beans without any real health issues, but it is possible you have medical issues that I did not. If you do decide to do this, I recommend soaking and boiling dried beans rather than eating canned beans.  Make sure to throw away the water you use to soak the beans.  I am not sure how canned beans are prepared, but I find that I have less gas when I boil beans myself than when I consume canned beans.  Marco polo (talk) 20:37, 24 November 2014 (UTC)


 * Dried beans are also less expensive and have a smaller carbon footprint (and tastier, IMO). They also come in far more varieties. As to gas, most sources agree this is diminished by adaptation, and that it depends on the type of bean as well as how (and how much) it is cooked. See e.g. . SemanticMantis (talk) 21:13, 24 November 2014 (UTC)


 * Also, while white rice isn't a good idea for diabetics, I don't know if it's accurate to call it one of the worst as it's not that different from a number of other popular carbohydrates sources such white bread and many preparations of potatoes. (Pasta is one that's normally I think better.) Nil Einne (talk) 11:29, 26 November 2014 (UTC)


 * Look, the original poster asked about health risks. That is clearly a request for medical advice, and as Jack said, we don't answer those here. If you agree, please close this and delete the responses after Jack's. --65.94.50.4 (talk) 07:02, 25 November 2014 (UTC)


 * I agree that answering the question as-written could constitute medical advice. But nobody gave any medical advice. After Jack set the tone, I think we were all pretty careful to not say anything that could be construed as such. I don't think anyone should remove the answers that do not give medical advice, which is all of them as of this writing. SemanticMantis (talk) 15:43, 25 November 2014 (UTC)


 * My informant was unfamiliar with brown rice, confused it with congri, and asked why anyone would eat brown rice. Assuming your doctor says you're a go, she suggests congri. μηδείς (talk) 20:05, 25 November 2014 (UTC)


 * Dietary advice is not medical advice, at least in the US. If it was, anyone promoting a diet could be arrested for practicing medicine without a license (I'm rather sick of having to point this out each and every time somebody calls dietary advice medical advice).  Now, as to the question:


 * 1) Any diet that has you just eat one or two kinds of food is not ideal. However, 5 days probably isn't long enough for vitamin deficiencies to manifest themselves.


 * 2) Red beans and rice together form complete proteins.


 * 3) I agree with the previous comments on avoiding white rice, due to the high glycemic index.


 * 4) Beware the high sodium content in many canned beans and prepared rice products. You could possibly use canned beans, so long as you rinse them and then dilute with unsalted rice.  Also use unsalted butter on the rice and drink lots of water with it. StuRat (talk) 20:13, 26 November 2014 (UTC)


 * Dietary advice, which you have given, Stu, is licensed or certified in every state in the union. What license or certificate do you hold?  Feel free to offer a recipe under the condition that the OP speak to his PP first. μηδείς (talk) 20:18, 26 November 2014 (UTC)


 * The licensing, in a variety of states, has to do with the use of restricted titles, such as "Dietitian", not the dispensing of nutritional advice, see . Going through the document, even in states that do require a license for certain acts, there are only 9 states lacking an exemption for providing general information - and looking at those states, it is fairly clear that they are not discussing general nutrition information. In other words, there are, maybe, 4 states that under the strictest reading of their laws would have a problem with something quite stronger than what StuRat said...so, no, your point does not appear to stand unless you are claiming he has called himself a "Dietitian".Phoenixia1177 (talk) 05:00, 27 November 2014 (UTC)


 * Our disclaimer https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:General_disclaimer says we don't give professional advice of any sort, and Stu has done that, while claiming not to give medical advice. He might as well give stock tips while claiming not to be a lawyer. μηδείς (talk) 06:06, 27 November 2014 (UTC)
 * It is not professional advice, that's the whole point of the law applying to titles; device that may be given by a professional is not the same as professional advice; there is a profession that covers most everything, 50%+ of these threads would need closed if we were following that maxim to the letter. Coming from an IT background, what would make offering to give you advice based off of logs (earlier) not professional advice? (I'm not trying to be a dick, it's a fair point). --Also, the disclaimer reads a lot less like "Don't post professional advice" and instead as "Anything you receive here is not professional advice and should not be takes as such". You'll note that a disclaimer is not rules, it is a warning and clarification to the reader - in other words, the disclaimer doesn't even say what you claim, in the way you do; and even if it did, there is good argument you are approaching that wrong too.Phoenixia1177 (talk) 06:39, 27 November 2014 (UTC)


 * The problem is not with what Stu's post said, but that it's entirely on his own authority without reference to any article or RS. The pro forma addition of links or a source would solve the issue, as would a recommendation the OP seek advice from his doctor. μηδείς (talk) 18:26, 27 November 2014 (UTC)
 * I do agree that there should be a reference, very much so - but that is a whole different argument; though, again, one I agree with, | we should always be citing source, obviously. We should take this to the talk page, at this point, if there is more left to say.Phoenixia1177 (talk) 04:25, 28 November 2014 (UTC)

Vehicle Lighting
Just a quick question I have regarding some information you have posted. I am looking at the pages of

Emergency_vehicle_lighting      .....under Canada

and I am wondering, under the Canada portion it reads as follows


 * Red and Blue: police; and other "non-police" law enforcement in all provinces and territories.
 * Red: fire department, other "non-police" law enforcement in the provinces of ON and QC and search and rescue vehicles in BC.

I have read your footnotes and even went to all of them, and there is no reference to the above that I may find. What I am wondering is, is where you have located this information? I am curious as I am working on a project and it would be great to add this to my own information as well as footnotes. Kwroadservices (talk) 15:22, 24 November 2014 (UTC)


 * The normal place to raise this question is at the Talk Page of that very article. Please copy the above question and post it at Talk:Emergency vehicle lighting.  --   Jack of Oz   [pleasantries]  19:28, 24 November 2014 (UTC)


 * Hey, just come across this handy little app called Google. Just typed in Alberta, Lights, Police and this popped up on page 16. Ambulances, Firetrucks, the lot -all in one document. Amazing! This Ref Desk's days are surly numbered ;-) --Aspro (talk) 19:51, 24 November 2014 (UTC)
 * It is an amazing app - odd how frequently I find the info I need! Play nice though... :D gaz hiley  09:39, 25 November 2014 (UTC)

Fixed sig, user s indeffed, BTW. μηδείς (talk) 22:06, 25 November 2014 (UTC)