Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Miscellaneous/2015 April 2

= April 2 =

Who owns Padmapper?
Rich (talk) 18:54, 2 April 2015 (UTC)
 * Wikipedia's only reference to PadMapper is the court case Craigslist Inc. v. 3Taps Inc. There are links at the bottom of that article which take you to the transcripts of the original court case.  I'm sure you could answer the question there.  -- Jayron 32 18:58, 2 April 2015 (UTC)

According to this third party directory, a privatly owned corporation listed as

Jdphenix (talk) 01:49, 3 April 2015 (UTC)

Finding Living and Growing
I'm working on a project about the way sex ed has developed over the last century in the UK, and I wanted to include some notes about the programmes our class was shown, way back in the eighties. It was called Living and Growing. There have been several series with that name, but this was the 1980s version produced by Grampian; you can see its BFI record here. Obviously it would be better to cite the original material rather than my memories of thirty years ago, but I can't find a copy anywhere. Is there some sort of TV archive that might have a copy? The Wednesday Island (talk) 19:23, 2 April 2015 (UTC)
 * I can't find any archive but in in case it helps you look further the programme I remember was presented by Gerry Davis (not wikinotable) and here is reported as being being transmitted on STV at 11:30. This would have been the parental version where each week an edition of the programme was shown sandwiched between Davis discussing with a couple of pundits. I image the parents were more problematic viewers than the children. I think it was transmitted on an annual cycle to each cohort of kids and that might explain the curious 1985 date on the BFI page. I'm puzzling whether it could be the same as this which seems to have the opening title here. I suspect what you and I are remembering is a completely different version, albeit still from Grampian TV. Thincat (talk) 21:09, 2 April 2015 (UTC)
 * Oh, but now I've found this (also crediting Grampian) and I'm completely confused! Thincat (talk) 21:28, 2 April 2015 (UTC)


 * A google search for watch "living and growing" gives a whole host of videos from or about the series. You can search among the results.  In general, if you want an obscure video, googling watch "name of obscure video" with quotes around the name will be the best way to find it.  There's also a site called dailymotion dot com that hosts videos in the same format as youtube.  If something is not at youtube, that is a good place to look, although I didn't find anything relevant there this time.
 * μηδείς (talk) 00:17, 3 April 2015 (UTC)
 * Although the two are not unrelated, the Google hits are generally about the (rather more explicit) 2007 Channel 4 video (Living and Growing), not the 1968 Grampian series. Tevildo (talk) 09:31, 3 April 2015 (UTC)
 * Have you tried asking Scottish Television (they own Grampian TV, after the ITV network companies started to merge), if they have copies in they archives that they can send you? LongHairedFop (talk) 15:06, 3 April 2015 (UTC)


 * There's a tiny fragment at YouTube - Living and Growing 1969 Dr K John Dennis (an earlier edition perhaps). Alansplodge (talk) 16:52, 3 April 2015 (UTC)
 * And some more details at Broadcast for Schools but no clips. Alansplodge (talk) 16:57, 3 April 2015 (UTC)

Opening a US bank account without being in the US
If you want to open an American bank account in the US (in order to receive bank transfers from Amazon to a US account), is it possible to do that without actually going to the US or do you need to be physically in the US to sign the documents there? Thanks, ZygonLieutenant (talk) 23:05, 2 April 2015 (UTC)


 * First, let me say your user name inspires terror. The best thing to do would be to find a bank like Credit Suisse that does business multinationally.  An agent local to you can advise what services can be provided. μηδείς (talk) 23:13, 2 April 2015 (UTC)

Thanks for the info, my user name is actually quite harmless, we Zygons are peaceful these days (except in Scotland). ZygonLieutenant (talk) 23:32, 2 April 2015 (UTC) — Preceding unsigned comment added by ZygonLieutenant (talk • contribs) 23:31, 2 April 2015 (UTC)


 * It's certainly doable in Canada. Of course they charge you for the privilege, but it's only half an arm and a few toes. Clarityfiend (talk) 01:15, 3 April 2015 (UTC)


 * Yes it is possible if you choose a large international bank (such as HSBC, Santander etc). In all cases you will have to contact the bank's customer services for advice. All have a long lead time and paperwork to complete and some request an upfront payment or have monthly fees. It is always a good idea to contact your current bank and ask them if they have any US operations as they may be able to do all of this for you and keep your banking within one corporation. You will find that most US land based banks will require a personal visit to check identification and paperwork. As always with banking; if you have a lot of net-worth, everyone wants your money. If you meet that requirement, then smaller banks such as Silicon Valley Bank will be interested in your business and will set up a US account for you. Call around and see. I am not a lawyer or Financial advisor etc. Nanonic (talk) 08:17, 3 April 2015 (UTC)


 * I live in the United States and at one point wanted to open a bank account in the euro zone without being resident there. I looked into various ways of doing it, but essentially found that it wasn't possible for residents of countries outside the EU, with the exception of "high-net-worth individuals" (people with more than $1 million (USD) to invest).  Unfortunately, I did not qualify.  I don't know whether this restriction applies to opening a US bank account outside the United States.  Marco polo (talk) 13:20, 3 April 2015 (UTC)
 * Stupid question, but why are Amazon insisting on a US bank account? There are a large number of non-US retailers in the Amazon marketplace, surely they get paid in their local currency. LongHairedFop (talk) 15:07, 3 April 2015 (UTC)


 * Given the purpose is for Amazon, I'd call them first. They are almost certainly going to want you to have a US mailing address for tax purposes, and sales tax differs by state.  Also, items are always listed as shipped from "state" or "nation".  I have a basic account; I pay no monthly fee, but they take a larger cut, and I cannot offer certain shipping options.  Recently, when I started burning my DVD collection to hard drive, I decided to start selling my DVD's.  I was advised that that option was now blocked for non-professional accounts, even though I have been a good customer, selling thousands of dollars worth of merchandise, and buying over $10,000 since they opened. Professional accounts require a $40/month fee. Speak to a representative, and ask for a specialist or a manager in the case that they say "I can find out about that, can I put you on hold" since all they will be doing is talking to a specialist or a manager.  Make sure they will let you know what they will allow before you go to the trouble. μηδείς (talk) 18:01, 3 April 2015 (UTC)


 * I wasn't paying close attention to the Amazon angle, but are you sure that a U.S. bank account is necessary? A friend of mine (living in the United States) sells books through Amazon in many different countries.  He receives payments separately for sales in each country, but the payments are all in U.S. dollars even though his sales are denominated in the local currency.  I find it hard to believe that Amazon would convert, for example, euros to dollars but not vice versa. That would increase their currency conversion expense unnecessarily because they would have to pay a fee to a bank for every international transaction instead of pocketing the conversion fee and relying on their own accounts in each currency.  (For example, let's say you are in the euro zone selling to customers in the United States who pay in dollars.  Meanwhile, my friend in the United States is selling to customers in Germany who pay in euros.  It would boost Amazon's profits to pay you with the euros received from my friend's sales and to pay my friend with the dollars received from your sales rather than to pay a bank to process both sets of transactions.)  Marco polo (talk) 18:29, 3 April 2015 (UTC)


 * Anyone can buy from anywhere at amazon.com as long as the seller honors oversea orders (there is a risk to this, since you cannot collect if the buyer says the item never arrived). I have shipped to Ireland, the Netherlands, Japan, Australia, and Canada.  I am not sure whether my items show up on other Amazons, not having checked.  And I have purchased items from Russia, India, China and Turkey to mention a few places farther afield, and always paid in dollars.  I have also purchased items from the Spanish and British websites.  Purchasers can pay ahead of time by money order if they don't have a credit card number.  (The item from Turkey never arrived, and the seller followed Sharia law, so I did get a refund after three months, but in the form of a money order issued from a mosque in the US.)  Amazon converts currencies at a reasonable bank exchange rate. μηδείς (talk) 00:51, 4 April 2015 (UTC)


 * I just checked; some of my items are available from America via overseas shipping, and none of them is listed at the UK site. This is actually a shame for UK buyers, because even with shipping I could beat all the prices I saw offered in Britain, some of them by up to 50% off, and certain titles which are available in the US are not available according the the UK site.  In any case, Amazon csr svc is extremely helpful here in the US, so I would go to the help link, then the contact us link, and speak with an agent. μηδείς (talk) 21:01, 4 April 2015 (UTC)


 * Keep in mind there is also the trade tariff problem. Adding trade tariff from US to EU may very well make a shipment from the US much more expensive regardless of the lower prices from the seller (I have learned that the hard way). --Saddhiyama (talk) 11:30, 5 April 2015 (UTC)


 * There was no special tax when I purchased items (books) from Europe. Are you suggesting that European buyers of American items have to pay a tariff, ? If so, of what rate? μηδείς (talk) 20:40, 5 April 2015 (UTC)


 * It would depend on their value. This is the UK situation, and it is likely to be very similar in other EU countries.--Phil Holmes (talk) 13:08, 6 April 2015 (UTC)

painting meeples.
I have thousands of tiny wooden figurines (meeples) that I need to paint on a small industrial scale. How is this generally done? They meet need to be coated evenly on all sides.

SteveBaker (talk) 23:14, 2 April 2015 (UTC)


 * By ‘meet’ did you meep mead mean ‘need’? —Tamfang (talk) 06:50, 3 April 2015 (UTC)


 * Sorry...can't type on cellphone! SteveBaker (talk) 20:14, 3 April 2015 (UTC)


 * I think they can now powder coat wood. There are also paint sprayers and airbrushing.  -- Jayron 32 00:39, 3 April 2015 (UTC)


 * Are they to be painted a uniform color ? If so, then dipping them in a paint vat seems like a quick way.  The paint may be a bit flawed on the surface where they sit to dry, but if the bottom of the base doesn't have to be perfect, that might be OK.  Or, if the bottom of the base doesn't require paint at all, you might sand it back off after.  StuRat (talk) 06:11, 3 April 2015 (UTC)
 * I'd go with spray paint, but you'd have to re-spray them, because certain parts (e.g. the legs touching the tray) would not be sprayed. You'd have to do it twice. KägeTorä - (影虎)  ( もしもし！ ) 08:05, 3 April 2015 (UTC)


 * Yeah - they need to be coated uniformly - I could imagine spray painting them - but getting into all of the little crevices would be painful (remember - doing THOUSANDS of them!) - and flipping them over to do the other sides would be tough. SteveBaker (talk) 20:14, 3 April 2015 (UTC)


 * If you do have thousands, one way may be by agitating them with thin paint in a drum. See (Video is in German, but the pictures are clear. Interesting bit starts at ~3:25). -- 160.129.138.186 (talk) 18:13, 3 April 2015 (UTC)


 * Looks like this is how it's done. I wonder how they get rid of the left-over liquid paint...and for how long they tumble them. SteveBaker (talk) 20:14, 3 April 2015 (UTC)