Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Miscellaneous/2019 June 20

= June 20 =

Annie aspect ratio (along with other films)
In the slasher film Serial Mom, there's this infamous scene where the titular serial killer whacked Mrs. Jensen who was watching Annie on a 4:3 television. Since the film was in 2.35:1 and most home video releases at the time were pan and scan, were the opening credits really that squished on VHS? Blake Gripling (talk) 00:01, 20 June 2019 (UTC)


 * Not sure, but note that at the time (1994), cathode ray tube televisions had dials to control the height and width of the image, so it was possible to adjust it somewhat, although there was a problem with trying to make the image wider than the screen, which would cause that part that should have been off the edge of the screen to reflect back into the visible portion. But the height could certainly be reduced. SinisterLefty (talk) 01:32, 20 June 2019 (UTC)


 * The Samsung TV set which David Murray of the 8-Bit Guy often uses in his videos is from around that era, and he mentioned a service menu of sorts that allows the image to be resized. As for Annie itself, I did notice that at least one release presented the intro in letterbox, but apparently the rest is pan-and-scan. Blake Gripling (talk) 04:01, 20 June 2019 (UTC)


 * That sounds more like a digital TV, which came out shortly after that. They often have a choice of display ratios/sizes, although every TV seems to offer different options, and sometimes the options depend on the size of the source. So far I've seen STANDARD/NORMAL, FILL, OVERSCAN, WIDE, ZOOM, CINEMA, PANORAMIC, LETTERBOX, PILLAR, STRETCH, 4:3, 16:9, etc. So it was just trial-and-error to figure out what setting would work for a given source. I found the old analog dials easier to figure out, although the remotes didn't control those, unlike on digital TVs. SinisterLefty (talk) 06:26, 20 June 2019 (UTC)
 * It's an analogue TV. Blake Gripling (talk) 08:24, 20 June 2019 (UTC)
 * I'm old enough to have used many analog CRT TVs and CRT computer terminals. I never saw one where there was a control for the height and width of the image.  Such a thing might exist somewhere on the set where a repairman could use access it (I've repaired a computer terminal or two and found that sort of thing inside), but it would only provide for small adjustments in case the picture did not fill your screen properly.  I don't know what was depicted in some slasher film, but it was indeed common for the credits to be squashed when wide-screen movies were seen on TV; sometimes they would distort the aspect ratio so the letters became very narrow, and sometimes they would fill the top and bottom of the screen with black or with some pattern, and letterbox the credits. This was done even though the rest of the movie was pan-and-scan. --76.69.116.93 (talk) 22:31, 20 June 2019 (UTC)


 * I may be thinking of CRT computer monitors. I tended to watch TV on those, via a tuner card on my PC. Here's a link that describes the typical controls on a CRT monitor:, including width and height adjustments. Of course, if they could have those controls on a CRT computer monitor, there's no reason a CRT TV couldn't have them, too, and maybe some did. SinisterLefty (talk) 03:35, 21 June 2019 (UTC)
 * My childhood floor set certainly had stretch screws on the back (and no futuristic A/V ports, had to screw our own input). How I learned what V and H meant. "Hold" screws, too, for positioning. Wasn't supposed to touch them, but I did. Not sure why anyone would want to, in hindsight, or why I liked hanging out in that corner. Possibly handy after a fall or something, those things were heavier than couches. My grandma's had curtains! The closest thing to a service menu on mine was a dim red LED that told you what channel you were on, if you got up to squint at it. InedibleHulk (talk) 04:25, 21 June 2019 (UTC)
 * In my experience "vertical hold" and "horizontal hold" used to be front-of-the-set controls, though you never touched them in normal viewing. (This may have changed toward the end of the analog CRT era.) Their purpose was to synchronize the TV's vertical and horizontal scanning rates with the incoming signal. If the horizontal hold was set wrongly, the picture would shear into a series of thin parallelograms each shaped like this /________/; if the vertical hold was wrong, the picture would "roll" (slide) vertically out of the frame and be replaced by another copy.  You didn't have to get them perfect; the TV would synchronize itself to the broadcast signals as long as you were close. --76.69.116.93 (talk) 09:36, 21 June 2019 (UTC)
 * Yeah, aside from being on the back of mine, that describes the experience "positioning" didn't quite. Thanks. More info at Analog television. InedibleHulk (talk) 16:58, 21 June 2019 (UTC)

Summer gardens
What is the best vegetable to plant in a summer garden? — Preceding unsigned comment added by 96.253.72.112 (talk) 01:04, 20 June 2019 (UTC)
 * Define "the best". Cullen328  Let's discuss it  02:38, 20 June 2019 (UTC)


 * It's more of an herb than a vegetable, but mint has the property of repelling many insects and animals, which otherwise might chew on your veggies, so that's a good place to start, if you like mint, that is. It also grows quickly, in many environments, and even grows as a weed. It can be harvested at any time, with little risk of it being unripe or rotten. The simplest use is a few leaves as a garnish for just about any dish (desserts included) and many drinks. For a more complex recipe, try mint sauce, which goes well with meats, especially lamb, or would be nice with vanilla ice cream. And mint tea is always nice (hot in winter, iced in summer). A side benefit is that the garden will smell nice. You can also freeze mint for use year-round. And any mint that isn't deemed edible can still be used in a potpourri for aroma. SinisterLefty (talk) 02:48, 20 June 2019 (UTC)


 * Find out at a local plant nursery what grows best in your area. Your local soil pH, climate and pests will determine what plants will grow "best". It does not make sense to grow lettuce in the dessert. 41.165.67.114 (talk) 10:08, 20 June 2019 (UTC)
 * I presume you mean a small dry often hot and sandy expanse rather than a sweet pudding. --- SGBailey (talk) 14:14, 20 June 2019 (UTC)
 * No, it's good advice. Lettuce does not do well in desserts, and spoils the pud to boot. DuncanHill (talk) 15:16, 23 June 2019 (UTC)


 * A sprig of mint, on the other hand, complements most desserts. SinisterLefty (talk) 15:47, 23 June 2019 (UTC)


 * A good chunk of the US lettuce crop comes from Arizona (or, at least it did prior to the big E. coli illness situation a year ago). Customers were famously warned against eating romaine lettuce from Arizona, which was grown in such numbers that it was exported to Canada and beyond. Matt Deres (talk) 14:59, 20 June 2019 (UTC)
 * Thus began the decline and fall of the Romaine Empire. Clarityfiend (talk) 18:55, 20 June 2019 (UTC)


 * Yes, they made a book and movie about it, called The Romaines of the Day. SinisterLefty (talk) 14:53, 23 June 2019 (UTC)


 * Yes, we can grow food in the desert, with enough irrigation, fertilizer, etc. But it's not sustainable in the long run, and the underground reservoirs we've been tapping will one day run dry. SinisterLefty (talk) 03:39, 21 June 2019 (UTC)


 * According to Yuma Lettuce Days, the irrigation for lettuce in Yuma largely comes from the Colorado River. It sounds like most lettuce grown in Yuma may be in or around Yuma. Interesting [//www.bloomberg.com/graphics/2018-lettuce-farmers-save-colorado-river/] claims that water rationing resulted in a switch from alfalfa to lettuce although there are still significant concerns over water levels in the river and associated reservoirs (not necessarily underground e.g. Lake Mead). Also in relation to the original question, from the earlier article and some other sources, I think a key reason for the importance of Yuma or Arizona is because of their contribution during the winter months. The article says "" BTW as a related but OT "fun fact" that may interest some, I found out from our article 1 years ago that China is the largest producer of lettuce worldwide by far, with over 50% of totals. IIRC I never worked out how much of this was stem lettuce and how much of it was other kinds but the sourcing I looked at did support the figures. Nil Einne (talk) 10:33, 21 June 2019 (UTC)


 * Demands on the Colorado River have reduced what makes it to the ocean down to a trickle, in good years, and nothing at all, in most years, damaging the wetlands at the river delta. According to Colorado River (with sources): "...in case of a reduction in water supply, Nevada and Arizona would have to endure severe cuts before any reduction in the California allocation, which is also larger than the other two combined. Although stringent water conservation measures have been implemented, the threat of severe shortfalls in the Colorado River basin continues to increase each year. After a much lower-than-average snowpack in the 2018 water year, Bureau of Reclamation officials projected the odds of an official shortage declaration in 2020 at 52 percent, in 2021 at 64 percent, and in 2022 at 68 percent.". So, growing lettuce in Arizona may become impractical, quite soon. SinisterLefty (talk) 10:56, 21 June 2019 (UTC)


 * We still don't know where the garden is. From a British point of view you could grow second-main and late-crop potatoes, a wide variety of salads, get started with your broccoli and cabbages to crop in winter. A little late perhaps to start your peas and runner beans from seed, but nurseries sell plugs ready to plant out. Herbs are always a good addition to any garden, and many of them require little in the way of watering or feeding once established. If you do plant mint then make sure the roots are contained as it's something of a bully. DuncanHill (talk) 15:15, 23 June 2019 (UTC)


 * The IP address is from Virginia. If that is accurate, a good reference is the Norfolk Botanical Garden. They have a good website that discusses what plants grow best throughout Virginia at different times of the year and a page specifically about summer gardens: https://norfolkbotanicalgarden.org/explore/our-gardens/summer-gardens/ 12.207.168.3 (talk) 11:32, 24 June 2019 (UTC)