Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Miscellaneous/2015 March 17

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March 17

high-quality photo prints

I want to get some photos printed in a large size, in good quality. I went to a local store that has a good reputation. I asked if they printed on photographic paper and they said "no". From what I understand, chromogenic color printing is better than inkjet - or at least it was some years ago. What about today - is there much difference in the quality? Bubba73 ^{You talkin' to me?} 02:12, 17 March 2015 (UTC)

I can't speak to the difference between them. If you don't mind a little WP:OR, my wife is a professional photographer. She uses an Epson 3880, which is an ink jet printer, for her client work. And she does rather well at both the local and international level in print competitions with work that she has printed herself. She also prints for a few other competitors and they are happy with the quality of the prints. The paper that she uses comes from LexJet and Hahnemühle. Dismas|^(talk) 03:41, 17 March 2015 (UTC)

Thank you for that reply. I asked "do you use photographic paper like Kodak or Fuji?" They said no, they used different papers. That's when I deduced that they weren't using a "wet" process. But maybe it doesn't make much difference these days. It used to, but I'm not up to date. Bubba73 ^{You talkin' to me?} 03:53, 17 March 2015 (UTC)

Again, more OR. In the local competitions, and from what I recall in higher levels as well, there are awards for makers who print on either Kodak or Fuji papers. (Kodak still provides a trophy while Fuji's "award" is basically just some words of recognition printed on company letterhead.) In the competitions that I've helped at, only about half of the makers are eligible for those awards. The rest, like my wife, are printing on paper from other companies. So yes, the market has expanded past just Kodak and Fuji. Dismas|^(talk) 04:11, 17 March 2015 (UTC)

(edit conflict)I can't speak from experience, but you can order digital-to-chromogenic prints online for a not-outrageous price (it's still not cheap though). There's a place in New York that'll do an 8×10 for about $7 (in comparison, my local Wal-Mart charges about $2 for the same thing run over the inkjet). Also, with any store you're going to have to specifically ask for digital-to-chromogenic process: Otherwise they'll just print you up on their standard printer. Anyway, my take on digital-to-chromogenic printing is that it's a specialty service that most places don't have the equipment for. Even places that still have the gear for processing roll film aren't likely to offer it. Your best bet, if you've just got to have it, is to order one from some website. —/Mendaliv/^2¢/_Δ's/ 05:12, 17 March 2015 (UTC)

There are commercial labs used by professional photographers for printing. Try doing a web search on "professional photo lab" in your area. They should not be hard to find. --173.49.16.112 (talk) 09:14, 17 March 2015 (UTC)

As far as I can tell, there are two - the one I talked to and another one. Bubba73 ^{You talkin' to me?} 05:53, 18 March 2015 (UTC)

The other one does the photographic process for prints up to 10 inches wide and inkjet for bigger prints. Bubba73 ^{You talkin' to me?} 00:36, 19 March 2015 (UTC)

The capabilities of the two labs you mentioned seem too limited to be used by pros. Here's a lab that I randomly picked while searching the web. I'm not endorsing it--I've never used it, but take a look at the range of options they offer, for an example of what more capable labs offer. Maybe you should expand your search beyond the local area. --173.49.16.112 (talk) 00:54, 20 March 2015 (UTC)

Thanks for the link - they do what I'm looking for (e.g. "Photographic prints are printed on Fuji Professional Crystal Archive Super Type silver halide papers and processed in Fuji Professional Digital RA-4 Chemistry"). The second local place is a photography company that prints their own stuff, but the prices are high. I found AdoramaPix online and I ordered seven prints from them a day or two ago. (My local area is limited.) Bubba73 ^{You talkin' to me?} 03:06, 20 March 2015 (UTC)

Is the walking dead web episodes available on dvd?

Just wondering. Venustar84 (talk) 05:10, 17 March 2015 (UTC)

Considering that Amazon is selling it, I would say yes. ―Mandruss ☎ 05:14, 17 March 2015 (UTC)

Also "Over 10 Never-Before-Seen Featurettes!"

It's the only thing the summary puts an exclamation point on, so you know they're good. Not sure how many, though. Eleven, I'd guess. InedibleHulk (talk) 06:49, 17 March 2015 (UTC)

Obligatory link when someone says "Eleven".--Dweller (talk) 13:47, 17 March 2015 (UTC)

Penis slang

Why and how did wang and dong become slang for a penis. Is it part of some sort of xenophobia?

Etymonline says that "wang" is probably from "whangdoodle", meaning a gadget. It doesn't know where "dong" comes from (but says it was used in 1891). ("Wang" or "wang-tooth" is also an old term for a molar.) AndrewWTaylor (talk) 13:54, 17 March 2015 (UTC)

From the obsolete word "wang" meaning "cheek". Compare German "Wange. --ColinFine (talk) 17:10, 17 March 2015 (UTC)

Also OP et al. should note: Wang_(surname) is not pronounced the same as the slang word for penis. SemanticMantis (talk) 18:40, 17 March 2015 (UTC)

It is to most Americans. If you want it pronounced as Wong, you better spell it Wong. —Nelson Ricardo (talk) 23:38, 17 March 2015 (UTC)

Someone here [1] claims that "dong" comes from "dangle", as in a pendulum. If true, that would also help explain dongle, though various dictionaries say that was an arbitrary coinage. SemanticMantis (talk) 18:44, 17 March 2015 (UTC)

The Oxford English Dictionary thinks that "wang," also spelled "whang," is a variant of "thong" (a narrow strip of hide or leather, for use as a lace, cord, band, strap, or the like). There is reason to believe this might be true: "Whang" does mean "thong," and has for centuries, and it has also been extended to mean a large or thick slice, esp. of cheese, bread, etc. And the OED's earliest use of "wang" in the penis sense, from 1935, uses the spelling "whang." However, "whang" in the thong sense is a Scottish and dialectic term, while "wang," penis, is American, although that is hardly an insuperable obstacle, considering the extent of Scottish immigration to the U.S. The OED does not know the origin of "dong," although it speculates that it might be from the 1877 Lear poem, ‘The Dong with a luminous nose’. There does not appear to be any relationship between these words and foreign languages such as Chinese, so there is no reason to think that xenophobia is involved. John M Baker (talk) 19:27, 17 March 2015 (UTC)

Even if there were a clear link to Chinese or other origin, that would not be evidence of xenophobia. We borrow words from every other language on Earth without it being said we're xenophobic. Linguistically, we're very much in the xenophile camp. -- Jack of Oz ^{[pleasantries]} 20:15, 18 March 2015 (UTC)

Electricity in the UK

I'm considering visiting the UK in late August. However, the UK uses a completely different electrical system than pretty much the entire rest of Europe (possibly excluding Russia and Turkey, but I'm not interested in visiting them in the first place.) I would need to use the UK electrical system to charge my phone and my camera. What sort of equipment would I need to make my charging equipment fit into the UK electrical system? The chargers already have detachable power cords. Is it enough to buy UK-style power cords or do I need some sort of voltage converter as well, because the voltage in the UK is slightly different from that in the entire rest of Europe? JIP | Talk 19:47, 17 March 2015 (UTC)

Mains electricity by country might start you off. At first glance, our 230V appears to be the same as many countries in Europe. {The poster formerly known as 87.81.230.195} 212.95.237.92 (talk) 20:04, 17 March 2015z (UTC)

The voltage is within the same tolerances throughout the EU - the British standard used to be 240V while much of the rest of the EU was 220V; the supply was redefined so that 230V fell within all countries' permitted range of supply, without actually changing the supplied voltage. The difference is not significant. You will just need a lead with a British-style plug. -- Arwel Parry (talk) 20:47, 17 March 2015 (UTC)

Our mains sockets look very strange to anyone from overseas but, because our plugs are big, a suitable device can make a good travel adapter. Something like this can be cheaply bought at many supermarkets in the UK (or at airports, petrol stations) if you find one difficult to get in Finland(?). I suggest you take one of your own multi-way extension cables so you can plug several low power things in at once and only use a single travel adapter. Thincat (talk) 20:55, 17 March 2015 (UTC)

First: It is main land Europe that insists on using different electrical system us. Second: Your modern devises have been designed to the 230v EU standard that encompasses our 240V mains delivery system. So no voltage converter needed. The only deference you may notice is that our electricity supply is very stable and reliable. Buy your adapter (on say Amazon) before you leave - it will be cheaper. Or bring along a pair of wire strippers and insulting tape then just twist the conductors together. --Aspro (talk) 21:05, 17 March 2015 (UTC)

You should be able to buy a UK adapter at your supermarket (cheaper), or, failing that, at the airport (more expensive). That's all you will need. We have three-pin plugs. We are taught at school to dismantle them and replace the wiring and fuse if there is a problem, which is impossible with European plugs or Asian plugs. And I'm interested in what 'insulting tape' is. Does it constantly remind you that your suit is dirty, doesn't like your tie, or keeps telling you to get a better phone? :) KägeTorä - (^影_虎) (もしもし！) 21:40, 17 March 2015 (UTC)

insulating tape--Aspro (talk) 13:23, 21 March 2015 (UTC)

"First: It is main land Europe that insists on using different electrical system us." How do you know that? How can anyone, either British or mainland European, claim their electricity system is the right one and the other is the wrong one? All that I've got going for the mainland system is that the entire mainland (possibly excluding Russia and Turkey) has the same system, whereas the UK (and possibly Ireland, I've never visited there) have another. Although the UK is a very populous country by European standards, the entirety of the mainland outnumbers it by a large margin. JIP | Talk 21:45, 17 March 2015 (UTC)

I don't think that 'right' or 'wrong' was implied, just 'different'. Like they use a different currency. They use different languages. None of them is either right nor wrong, just different. Maybe the word 'insist' may have led to the misunderstanding here. Probably the word 'prefer' would have been better. KägeTorä - (^影_虎) (もしもし！) 21:49, 17 March 2015 (UTC)

I'm hoping that Aspro's contribution was intended as a joke, containing as it does an offensive bit of xenophobia and some highly dangerous practical advice. --ColinFine (talk) 21:55, 17 March 2015 (UTC)

An adapter is also needed for the British sense of humour. Thincat (talk) 21:59, 17 March 2015 (UTC)

Actually that's incorrect. It is possible with Asian plugs. Malaysia uses the same sockets, and the same plugs as the UK (sort of, either there's no proper legal requirement or it isn't enforced, so many appliances come with or came with Europlug which people insert without proper adapters) except for high powered devices like air conditioners. As of course does Singapore, HK (although given the influence of stuff from mainland China, I think possibly with even more caveats than Malaysia) and I believe a few other Asian countries to some extent (there are various sources which mention some but I don't really trust them). I can't comment on the other countries but in Malaysia it is or was part of the Living Skills curriculum how to change the plugs or just the fuses, although IIRC in my case was only theoretical (although I'd seen and possibly done it long before it came up, and the teaching of Living Skills wasn't very good during my years). BTW, as I understand it, molded plugs are acceptable even under modern BS1363 regulations in the UK although I don't know how common they are. (I suspect though they're often used for IEC 60320 cables, since I can't imagine the ones you get are solely intended for Malaysia, Singapore, HK or places besides the UK.) In that case it's basically impossible to inspect or otherwise fiddle the wiring without either cutting of the plug, or breaking it open (which even if you manage, is unlikely to leave it in a state you can repair it), although they're still required to have user serviceable fuses. See e.g. [2] [3] (the person there seems to be from the UK [4]). Nil Einne (talk) 05:43, 18 March 2015 (UTC)

(EC) Sorry, I was talking about the flat two-pin or round two-pin plugs used in both Europe and Asia (South Korea actually uses both). I am aware that three-pin plugs can be used in some countries in Asia, but they are not very common. When I was in Nepal, I wanted to use my hair clippers (Japanese plug) and the tour guide put about four or five adapters together, because they were all different and as soon as I plugged the clippers in and switched them on, I got an electric shock and the entire hotel was without elecricity for a whole day. KägeTorä - (^影_虎) (もしもし！) 05:57, 18 March 2015 (UTC)

Only the sockets are different, a very simple and dirt cheap physical adapter will indeed do. At the prices they go for, I wouldn't bother with dragging extension cords along, just get a couple of adapters, can't imagine you'd need more than two or three at the same time? The UK sockets are of course the better ones, as the have a switch to switch them on and off. Clearly superior! 82.21.7.184 (talk) 23:06, 17 March 2015 (UTC)

That last point is actually valuable. When people from overseas come over here, they generally don't know or remember to switch the socket itself on. In fact, I myself, a native UK-er, after living in Japan for ten years came back, and one day I was waiting for ages for the kettle to boil, until my mum reminded me to press the button to switch the socket on. KägeTorä - (^影_虎) (もしもし！) 23:37, 17 March 2015 (UTC)

As far as I know, the UK lowered its voltage from 240 to 230 to bring it inline with other EU countries, which raised theirs from 220 to 230. Whether this change occurred in European countries outside the EU I do not know so I suggest you check the voltage on your appliances. I don't know if it was being suggested but you cannot jam a two-pin europlug into a three-pin UK socket because there are plastic shutters which are released by the longer, earth pin on UK plugs. Be aware that not all countries use the same polarity, in other words the position of the live and neutral are reversed, and this may have been the reason for KageTora's experience in Nepal. Although I don't think this is the case in Europe, for this reason I recommend using a proper travel adaptor. UK sockets can be switched or unswitched and both are acceptable even in new buildings. Watch out for sockets in bathrooms which are round two-pin. They are not euro-sockets but for use with an electric shaver and are low-voltage. Lastly, most phones come with a USB adapter which will fit USB ports in the UK. You can also buy a 3-pin plug with a USB port.--Ykraps (talk) 10:44, 18 March 2015 (UTC)

The UK did not lower its supply voltage. A stroke of the pen on a document can not over- night cause all the sub-stations to reconfigure their winding taps at the will of some of Brussels bureaucrats. Instead, what the UK did was 'declare' that our 'nominal' voltage was now 230V, so that Europe-wide, we could all use the same technical charts and tables. That I think is why the OP is asking. The UK has a higher supply voltage as measured on a voltage-meter. Yet, if he's chargers etc have a current CE markings they should perform faultlessly and safely as the manufacturer declares that they should work faultlessly and safely. Our prospective visitor has more to fear from the fact that we all drive on the right side of the road and not on the wrong side, which can make crossing the street hazardous to the unwary (err.. xenophobia or the practical fact that if one finds oneself in an altercation, ones sword hand (right arm) can better protect any female next to you - a stance that still had advantages the last time I had an altercation with not a policeman in sight).--Aspro (talk) 11:44, 18 March 2015 (UTC)

This is totaly off-topic, but still a valid point. JIP, when you cross the road, look RIGHT first, then LEFT. The joke above is that we actually drive on the left side of the road, which is the right side (i.e. the correct side). This is actually important to know. KägeTorä - (^影_虎) (もしもし！) 14:36, 18 March 2015 (UTC)

By the way, chargers for many electronic devices are equipped to handle a wide range of voltages. For example, chargers for Apple devices work equally well in Europe and the United States, even though the standard voltage in the United States is only 120V. All you will need is a simple plug adaptor, which you can get in most UK supermarkets for £2-3, if I remember correctly. Marco polo (talk) 15:29, 18 March 2015 (UTC)

Rumbling in the Stomach

What causes the noises that you hear in the stomach, like gurgling noises (I wouldn't really say 'rumbling', but that is the usual term) when you are hungry, or even when you are not hungry. I get them probably about as much as anyone else, so this is not a request for medical advice, merely a request for information on this out of interest. KägeTorä - (^影_虎) (もしもし！) 21:31, 17 March 2015 (UTC)

Chemical reactions producing gas bubbles which then rise to the top and escape, producing a little burble? Think Yellowstone mudpots. This is your stomach on food. ―Mandruss ☎ 21:40, 17 March 2015 (UTC)

So where do these gas bubbles go? Is this what causes burping, and possibly hiccups? KägeTorä - (^影_虎) (もしもし！) 21:46, 17 March 2015 (UTC)

The gas comes out as burps or farts, depending on how far along the track it is located. Hiccups are a spasm of the abdominal diaphragm which cause a gasp, not a burp. μηδείς (talk) 22:01, 17 March 2015 (UTC)

• Hunger causes hunger pangs (also, "hunger pains") which are contractions of the stomach, which can themselves be painful. The rumbling sound will be caused by the movement of (often partially obstructed) gas or fluids, usually in the intestines, either caused by peristalsis in the intestines themselves or by their motion caused by the stomach contractions. I.e., the stomach moves, releasing pressure, and allowing the trapped gas and fluids to move.

μηδείς (talk) 21:55, 17 March 2015 (UTC)

WHAAOI. --ColinFine (talk) 21:57, 17 March 2015 (UTC)

Well there ya go, hiding in plain sight. Don't we feel silly. I noticed you used the redirect, borborygmi, apparently named for the sound that it describes. ;) ―Mandruss ☎ 22:58, 17 March 2015 (UTC)

Err... Is this the right forum to ask why does my head hurt when I keep bashing it against a brick wall? --Aspro (talk) 00:51, 19 March 2015 (UTC)

No. That's a question you should ask of a relevant health care practitioner. We don't give free medical advice here. But if you send me a large amount of money privately, I'll happily answer your question. -- Jack of Oz ^{[pleasantries]} 01:19, 19 March 2015 (UTC)

And, in this case, the "relevant healthcare practitioner" would be a psychiatrist. :-) StuRat (talk) 05:27, 19 March 2015 (UTC)

Not an expert in these topics, but I recall answers to this question involving noise as the result of the movement of air through curved cavities. I've heard the analogy of similarities between stomach rumblings and wind instruments. In both cases you have air moving through bends and turns. Sounds result. If such is the case, minimizing stomach rumblings can be achieved through putting something into the cavity to reduce the amount of empty space available for air to fill. Water is a good choice to use when not particularly hungry.128.229.4.2 (talk) 17:56, 19 March 2015 (UTC)

As in the case of wind instruments, there has to be pressure and a constriction. μηδείς (talk) 21:47, 19 March 2015 (UTC)