Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Miscellaneous/2016 May 28

= May 28 =

Obesity and falls from height
I'm curious to know what happens to the bodies of obese and overweight people during falls from height (usually suicide) Do they explode, sort of melt. Or what. Any medical journals, articles etc? — Preceding unsigned comment added by 82.32.51.253 (talk) 09:11, 28 May 2016 (UTC)
 * You wrote "during falls from height", do you mean upon impact? Joe Kittinger and Felix Baumgartner have shown that falling itself is usually not the problem. And the result depends a lot on the circumstances, see for example Vesna Vulović and Category:Fall survivors. In very extreme cases people turn into pink mist, but it is far more common to suffer internal injuries while the outside of the body stays more or less intact. Some people bounce. You can drop a mouse down a thousand-yard mine shaft; and, on arriving at the bottom, it gets a slight shock and walks away, provided that the ground is fairly soft. A rat is killed, a man is broken, a horse splashes.  . I don't expect to see a big difference between fat people and skinny people, except maybe in the most extreme cases. The Quixotic Potato (talk) 11:02, 28 May 2016 (UTC)
 * (E/C) Yeah, it's a little unclear exactly what you mean. After a significant fall from height, human bodies tend to turn into a broken pile of flesh and bones regardless of the amount of fat on them. If you want to research that kind of thing yourself, here's a list from Alexa giving the top sites. If you mean during the fall, again, the amount of fat is probably a minor detail; I can't really think of specific sources to cite, but people of all shapes and sizes parachute from planes recreationally and they seem to survive their time in free fall without, er, melting. Matt Deres (talk) 11:50, 28 May 2016 (UTC)
 * I expect that really big and fat people encounter more air resistance, which would slow down their fall (but probably by a insignificant amount), and having lots of excess fat may reduce the amount of damage somewhat. The Quixotic Potato (talk) 11:54, 28 May 2016 (UTC)
 * I jumped over a fence once... I immediatly exploded...  O X Y G E N E 7-13  ( T A L K P A G E)  12:41, 28 May 2016 (UTC)
 * That's teach ya not to mess with a pawnbroker. So, a guy falls from a high building. As he passes each floor, someone on the floor watching him go by says, "So far, you're OK!" ←Baseball Bugs What's up, Doc? carrots→ 13:29, 28 May 2016 (UTC)
 * It would seem intuitive that those porkies with a lot of blubber are going to be able to dissipate the energy of falling and avoiding broken bones than the rest of us skinny skeletons, but what happens to the internal organs is another matter. I think this is one problem in car crashes. (Organs keep on moving).--178.106.99.31 (talk) 16:38, 28 May 2016 (UTC)
 * "...research suggests that the reduction in injuries to certain body regions [of obese car crash victims] reported in the literature are not due to a “cushion effect,” but are more likely due to altered occupant kinematics that transfer load from the upper body to the lower extremities." THE EFFECTS OF OBESITY ON OCCUPANT INJURY RISK IN FRONTAL IMPACT: A COMPUTER MODELING APPROACH by Michael James Turkovich, University of Pittsburgh 2010. Not quite the same as falling, but it's the best I could do. Alansplodge (talk) 17:15, 28 May 2016 (UTC)
 * You can die as a result of simply taking a fall at ground level. And a fall from a great height onto a solid surface will be a huge crash, with body sized not really mattering. ←Baseball Bugs What's up, Doc? carrots→ 14:28, 30 May 2016 (UTC)

Why do I struggle so much with being told what to do with my time?
I've encountered this situation multiple times lately including at work and in academic settings, and I realized when it hit me that this was the issue: I seem to hit some kind of personal barrier when it comes to carrying out tasks based on expectations surrounding what to do with my time.

Now, I've been a pretty active Wikipedia editor for the past several years; it was a more recent decision to edit anonymously due to travel, academic obligations, and infrequency. I've always found that the manner in which work is distributed among Wikipedia editors is that every individual tends to edit based on personal interests, and this is the kind of thing I often look for in the workplace. But, as someone with more experience can tell me, this is not something I should expect to regularly find. Occasionally, in Wikipedia, users may form teams and/or compete to see who can make desired contributions in a restricted amount of time. But this is no hierarchy, and the modern workplace is a hierarchy. In general, experts agreed that Wikipedia would never work, I'm guessing it has something to do with the lack of central authority, but somehow it has become the world's largest encyclopedia. Now, my brain is regularly in a Wikipedia-mode, especially in the workplace when I tend to switch into tasks I find that can keep my attention and yet bring some value, even though it's usually not what's desired by management. I have already spoken to my superiors about this, and so this isn't a request for advice or mediation, or anything like that.

The most pressing part of the problem is that I seem to be looking for something that's not offered by the workplace; or if it is offered, I am not sure how to ask for it; if I can ask, I'm not sure how to frame my request in a way that matters to the organization. I also tend to express my frustrations a bit differently from most of my colleagues, but whatever the case I try to make sure the result is beneficial to both parties. I'm still a little bit fuzzy on what work is in a sociological sense, as this is the kind of wisdom I think about and seek after; my mind is just not content to see something in society and not want to understand why people do it this way.

For some background, I have read the articles on command hierarchy and insubordination to get some historical and sociological reference. I want to drop a quick note on what this post is not:
 * a request for advise, professional help, or a diagnosis
 * any kind of diatribe, written about self, superiors, colleagues, Wikipedia, or society
 * an attempt to soapbox in any way
 * a solicitation of any kind
 * a post intended to be used as evidence for any later actions.
 * an attempt to write a book about my life as a Third Culture Wikipedian.

You're just going to have to trust me and Assume Good Faith in that.

What I am looking for:
 * Any books you would recommend. For example, I have read about Disciplined Minds (ironically, the author was fired for supposedly writing the book on paid time by Physics Today, which provoked a response from intellectuals which caused his reinstatement. To me that gives me a hint about a sociological phenomenon.)
 * Any published research done on the subject. As you can see, I've read a few articles but I wouldn't know where to start in figuring out the search terms; also I can't access Google.
 * Any historical accounts or biographies of notable people who have had analogous experiences. If this crosses a moral quandary for you, you may refrain.
 * Any relevant experience that may provide insight (not advice!) about my situation.

I notice my question is of a slightly more personal nature than most, however I have noticed quite a few very personal questions on the reference desk over the years, and a lot of those have received good answers. I notice the desks have been quite a bit slower now as compared with before, but I trust that the knowledge of others is greater than my own. Thank you! 116.216.30.51 (talk) 15:18, 28 May 2016 (UTC) (+8UTC2317)


 * I would recommend trying a different approach in addition to this one. You seem to be doing research on your own, and although I think that that is a good thing I would recommend talking about this subject with someone you trust as well. The Quixotic Potato (talk) 15:36, 28 May 2016 (UTC)


 * I am of course very curious why you are unable to access Google. The Quixotic Potato (talk) 18:52, 28 May 2016 (UTC)


 * Work-life balance and time management might be useful places to start, but it might help if you were to state your problem more explicitly. For instance, do you find it difficult to meet the deadlines that your managers set?  Would you prefer to start work later, or finish earlier, than they are comfortable with?  We almost certainly have an article on the specific aspect of employment you're interested in, even if we can't give personal advice. Tevildo (talk) 20:21, 28 May 2016 (UTC)


 * THE KEY TO ORGANIZING AN ALTERNATIVE SOCIETY IS TO ORGANIZE PEOPLE AROUND WHAT THEY CAN DO AND MORE IMPORTANTLY WHAT THEY WANT TO DO. from Revolution for the Hell of It (1968) by Abbie Hoffman. AllBestFaith (talk) 23:12, 28 May 2016 (UTC)


 * You might want to read up on time stress (what, no article ?). This is stress caused by having to do things at specific times.  At one point this was unavoidable, as workers on a factory assembly line must be present when the shift starts, or the system won't work.  However, many modern jobs shouldn't require imposing time stress on employees, but the employers still feel the need.  For example, for many jobs, if you only get paid when you complete your work, then that alone should be enough incentive to get the job done in a timely manner, without having to set an alarm clock for when it's still dark out, brave rush hour traffic, and be at work by a specific time.  Of course, some jobs still do require coordinated action, like a paramedic, and there's no way to avoid the time stress such workers must face. StuRat (talk) 18:56, 29 May 2016 (UTC)

All you can eat buffets....
The other week I had an all you can eat buffet for £11 or £12. I had a vegetable curry, a cheese topped naan bread, a paneer kebab, okra curry, daal curry. And, I was stuffed. In fact I was so stuffed the next day I woke up with a raging sore throat due to the acidic backwash in the night.

Now, if you look at their menu, all the dishes I had were main dishes. So in total, you're looking at about £50 worth of food for one person. Are they still in business?! I hope so. Did I get my moneys worth. Probably.

But, as reflux induced hell set in, so did the guilt. How do these businesses manage this. If I were to buy all the ingredients for my pig out, it would be way more than £11 even in the wholesalers. Then you've got rent, wages, bills for the eatery owner. I don't understand the economics of this. There's another chinese orientated buffet that have the same deal going but for £6. And believe me, the fatties pile in their and gorge all day long.

It's incredible such economics add up. So how?! Even from a US POV how the hell does this business model work. And I think in the US this is even more a poignant question because over eating is in your culture... — Preceding unsigned comment added by 82.32.51.253 (talk) 20:35, 28 May 2016 (UTC)


 * See Buffet and Free lunch. The basic idea is that they cover their costs with other services - for a restaurant, that's likely to be (alcoholic) drinks, which aren't included in the price. Tevildo (talk) 20:55, 28 May 2016 (UTC)
 * The Quixotic Potato (talk) 22:21, 28 May 2016 (UTC)


 * Hmmmm! The phrases 'eyes bigger than your belly' and 'eating too much, too fast' spring to mind. Dont blame the restaurant: blame yourself for lack of sense. --178.106.99.31 (talk) 23:20, 28 May 2016 (UTC)


 * Also "digging one's grave with one's teeth". --   Jack of Oz   [pleasantries]  23:27, 28 May 2016 (UTC)


 * Maybe marginally better than ploughing it with ones tool?--178.106.99.31 (talk) 23:35, 28 May 2016 (UTC)


 * The answer is really pretty obvious: the value of the food consumed by an average customer is lower than the price they pay. The excess value makes up for customers who consume more than what they paid for. Or, in some cases, as Tevildo noted, the buffet is a loss leader. This is the case for casino buffets. The casino expects to lose money on the buffet. The purpose of the buffet is to get you in the door and entice you into gambling. If these things weren't the case, buffets wouldn't exist, since no one is forcing anyone to operate a buffet. Insurance and fractional reserve banking work pretty much the same as the first scenario. No insurer is capable of paying out claims to every policyholder at once, but most policyholders don't make claims. And no bank can pay out if every depositor withdraws all their money at once, but most depositors keep most of their money in the bank most of the time. --71.110.8.102 (talk) 00:36, 29 May 2016 (UTC)


 * There was once an Alka-Seltzer commercial that fit your situation perfectly. I can't find it on youtube, but this one is not far off. ←Baseball Bugs What's up, Doc? carrots→ 00:40, 29 May 2016 (UTC)


 * Some points:


 * 1) Food costs are only a minor component of most restaurant meals. The majority of the costs go to employees, facilities, equipment, taxes, etc.  This means they can offer you twice as much food for substantially less than twice the price, as those other expenses don't go up much when you get a double order.  Only the cost of the food doubles, and that's a small part of the whole.  This also applies if you get 5x as much food.


 * 2) It takes far less employee time (and therefore money) to keep a buffet filled than to deliver the same food to each table on plates, according to the orders.


 * 3) There's less risk of dissatisfied customers "sending food back" at a buffet. That is, if one dish isn't good, they can just grab another.


 * 4) They do sometimes have specials, to bring in new customers, hoping they will continue to dine there at full price after the special ends.


 * 5) Many people who eat at buffets don't pig out. I try not to.  This does mean you pay more per pound of food, but weight and health and avoiding the discomfort of overeating also come into play.  Let me ask, if you go back, will you overeat to the same degree, knowing it will cause gastric reflux ?  I'm guessing not.


 * 6) Table usage can be more efficient with a buffet, as customers can go directly to the buffet and get their food immediately, versus having to take time to decide on their order, wait for the waitress to take the order, then wait for the order to be delivered, then repeat the whole process at dessert. Therefore, a buffet can handle more customers (and, especially for the lunch crowd, speed is often essential to getting more customers).  More customers means more income. StuRat (talk) 18:33, 29 May 2016 (UTC)


 * Two more related points:
 * Buffets are almost always "bulk" dishes like casseroles and curries. The labor cost to prepare these is not at all linear:  If the tray you put out has as much food as 10 individual entree-size portions, it did not take the cook ten times as long to prepare as one individual entree-size portion.
 * If you compare a restaurant operating a lunch buffet to that same restaurant offering individual menu service, and observe that all the buffet customers are eating twice as much, and suspect that the restaurant must be losing lots of money, that's true only if they were just barely breaking even on individual menu service. But if their profit margin on individual menu service is quite high, they can make much less on their buffet but still make money.  (That's how a lot of sales work -- they're not even necessarily loss leaders; they just look that way if you imagine -- as of course they'd like you to -- that the profit margin at the regular price is small.)
 * (But if the OP is accurate in their guess that just the raw ingredients for the food they consumed cost more than they paid, then yes, the restaurant has to be assuming that most customers won't "pig out" to that extent.) —Steve Summit (talk) 11:29, 30 May 2016 (UTC)
 * The restaurant probably buys its ingredients directly from wholesale markets, making it much cheaper than the price that the OP can get from a retail channel. For example, yellow onions are currently £0.37/kg on the wholesale market (Source: UK government), whereas Waitrose charges £0.70 to £1.54 a kilo, meaning that you would be paying 2 to 4 times what the restaurant would be paying. --PalaceGuard008 (Talk) 10:58, 2 June 2016 (UTC)
 * When I was nineteen or so, I got thrown out of the Pizza Hut in Stratford for having the £5.99 (?) Buffet... Apparently I wasn't allowed to move my chair right up to the buffet table. Muffled Pocketed  11:41, 30 May 2016 (UTC)