Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Miscellaneous/2012 June 7

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June 7[edit]

Karakalpakstan[edit]

Does anyone know where are Karakalpakstan or Uzbekistan without looking to a map or without searching @net? — Preceding unsigned comment added by Jokedd (talkcontribs) 04:49, 7 June 2012 (UTC)[reply]

I have a rough idea where Uzbekistan is, but never heard of the province of Karakalpakstan.StuRat (talk) 05:03, 7 June 2012 (UTC)[reply]
Why should we not look at a map? That is what maps are for, to find places.    → Michael J    05:50, 7 June 2012 (UTC)[reply]
I do...Uzbekistan is a rather large country, and if I don't know exactly where Karakalpakstan is, I know that it borders what's left of the Aral Sea. But are you asking if people in general know, or the kind of people who answer things on the Reference Desk? Adam Bishop (talk) 06:37, 7 June 2012 (UTC)[reply]
I have a decent idea about Uzbekistan, and with a map I wouldn't have a problem finding it. I have never heard of Karkalpakstan. Falconusp t c 10:06, 7 June 2012 (UTC)[reply]
Ubeki-beki-beki-beki-stan-stan? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ZQ50ZXwPyw 92.80.11.196 (talk) 10:10, 7 June 2012 (UTC)[reply]
I'm sure the people who live there do. Shall we mark this question as resolved? --Colapeninsula (talk) 11:25, 7 June 2012 (UTC)[reply]
Unless the OP can ask a more precise question (we can't give a useful answer to the current question), then yes, I think we should. --Tango (talk) 14:10, 7 June 2012 (UTC)[reply]
I know where they are without looking. DuncanHill (talk) 17:03, 7 June 2012 (UTC)[reply]
In Soviet times, the Karakalpak ASSR was an autonomous SSR forming the Western portion of one of the Central Asian SSR's, but I couldn't tell you which one without looking. I'm guessing from your question that that polity is now called Karakalpakstan, and that it is (or was) within Uzbekistan. --ColinFine (talk) 20:46, 7 June 2012 (UTC)[reply]

What is he missing?[edit]

Someone knows?--GoPTCN 11:24, 7 June 2012 (UTC)[reply]
A clue about what the RefDesks are for? (Hint: it isn't to play "Stump the RefDeskers") {The poster formerly known as 87.81.230.195} 84.21.143.150 (talk) 11:42, 7 June 2012 (UTC)[reply]
Was fehlt ihm? is German for "What lacks he?" or "What is he missing?" ←Baseball Bugs What's up, Doc? carrots→ 12:39, 7 June 2012 (UTC)[reply]
This is correct. The question still remains.--GoPTCN 14:25, 7 June 2012 (UTC)[reply]
A clue what he is missing? A neck maybe. This is a serious question.--GoPTCN 11:50, 7 June 2012 (UTC)[reply]
?symmetry, ?three dimensions, ?organization, ?a torso, ?clothes, ?perspective, ?happiness, a sense of moral correctness, a scarlet Ferrari. This is going to turn out to be some sort of German linguistic joke. Richard Avery (talk) 15:01, 7 June 2012 (UTC)[reply]
No idea what the artist intended, but the title is most frequently translated as "What's the matter with him?" Warofdreams talk 15:13, 7 June 2012 (UTC)[reply]
Just about every thing it seems to me!--85.211.222.224 (talk) 15:55, 7 June 2012 (UTC)[reply]

Is he related to Gladstone Small? --Dweller (talk) 20:07, 7 June 2012 (UTC)[reply]

I Ain't Got Nobody. --jpgordon::==( o ) 22:37, 7 June 2012 (UTC)[reply]

The question is racist. He's a Blemmyes and he's not missing anything. μηδείς (talk) 22:40, 7 June 2012 (UTC)[reply]

Maybe a Blemmyes the way Picasso would have drawn one? Point of curiosity: Is it possible to be "racist" against something that doesn't exist? For example, if I post a sign above a drinking fountain that says, "Non-Blemmyes only", have I broken any civil rights laws? ←Baseball Bugs What's up, Doc? carrots→ 23:02, 7 June 2012 (UTC)[reply]
Oh, lord. Given that existence is a perfection, what could be more racially insulting than to claim a certain people doesn't exist? μηδείς (talk) 00:06, 8 June 2012 (UTC)[reply]
Well, in asserting that they don't exist, I'm going by your own citation. ←Baseball Bugs What's up, Doc? carrots→ 00:34, 8 June 2012 (UTC)[reply]
You should know WP is not a reliable source. Also, see Blemmyes. 00:39, 8 June 2012 (UTC)
So should I also disbelieve your "existence is perfection" citation? ←Baseball Bugs What's up, Doc? carrots→ 00:41, 8 June 2012 (UTC)[reply]
Bugs, he's pulling your leg. --Mr.98 (talk) 11:45, 8 June 2012 (UTC)[reply]
The leg-pulling is mutual. :) ←Baseball Bugs What's up, Doc? carrots→ 14:19, 8 June 2012 (UTC)[reply]
It is not kind to pull the legs off bugs. :} Benyoch ...Don't panic! Don't panic!... (talk) 12:11, 8 June 2012 (UTC)[reply]

Emergency phone calls on mobile phones in the UK[edit]

112 (emergency telephone number)#Implementation says that 112 should be used rather than 999 on a mobile phone in the UK because it enables the operator to get your location from the phone - it is tagged as citation needed. I've heard this before, and I think it is an urban legend, but can someone find a reliable source so we can fix the article? Thanks. --Tango (talk) 13:37, 7 June 2012 (UTC)[reply]

[1] 999 and 112 are identical for all intents and purposes. Both numbers can automatically trace your location, for both mobile phone and landlines.Anonymous.translator (talk) 13:57, 7 June 2012 (UTC)[reply]
That source is about VOIP, it only mentions mobiles briefly and doesn't seem to cover this topic. --Tango (talk) 14:03, 7 June 2012 (UTC)[reply]
Sorry, I copied the wrong link. This is the correct one: [2]Anonymous.translator (talk) 14:10, 7 June 2012 (UTC)[reply]
Much better, thank you! --Tango (talk) 17:32, 7 June 2012 (UTC)[reply]
This service is called "enhanced location information". It's been available on 999 since rollout began in 2004 (offcom, bbc, mail). It's also supported on 112 (cf ofcom, ibid, European Commission). I see no evidence that the two numbers work any differently, and the Ofcom link says they're the same. -- Finlay McWalterTalk 14:00, 7 June 2012 (UTC)[reply]
That's great, thank you. --Tango (talk) 14:03, 7 June 2012 (UTC)[reply]
As a followup, is anyone aware of any location where the national emergency number and 112 (presuming they are different) work different on mobile phones presuming they both work (or for that matter land lines). It strikes me as the kind of thing that is unlikely. P.S. Just to be clear I'm referring to dialing either on the same phone be it mobile or a land line. 2001:0:5EF5:79FD:20CB:1C04:833A:FA41 (talk) 14:54, 7 June 2012 (UTC)[reply]
It's the same everywhere in the UK. Emergency telephone number covers other countries.--Shantavira|feed me 16:16, 7 June 2012 (UTC)[reply]
Unless I missed it the article doesn't mention it anywhere that they are different when they actually work. 2001:0:4137:9E76:38CF:10DB:833A:FA41 (talk) 11:19, 8 June 2012 (UTC)[reply]
What if I were to dial 0118 999 88199 9119 725 3? --LarryMac | Talk 17:55, 7 June 2012 (UTC)[reply]
Not a lot. You get connected to someone in Reading with the phone number 999 8819, who, if they answer quickly enough, hears the tones for 991197253. Or, if no-one has that number, you get a recorded message saying the number is not recognised. There are plenty of numbers with 999 in them and there is nothing special about them (although often they are emergency numbers of some kind, for example the number to report a gas leak is 0800 111 999). --Tango (talk) 18:09, 7 June 2012 (UTC)[reply]
You get a recorded message from Graham Linehan telling you that the next series is delayed. Nanonic (talk) 18:14, 7 June 2012 (UTC) [reply]
To save anyone else googling it, that number appears to be a reference to this. 130.88.73.65 (talk) 10:06, 8 June 2012 (UTC) [reply]

Getting around in Tallinn[edit]

I've now booked a hotel in Tallinn, Estonia, to spend one night between my arrival from Austria (which will take about fifteen hours, even though the biggest part of the distance is travelled by aeroplane) and my departure to Taagepera in southern Estonia. The hotel is located at Uus 26, near the Old Town, a bit less than 3 km from the airport. I shall arrive at the airport at 20:30 in the evening. What is the easiest way to get to the hotel? JIP | Talk 19:41, 7 June 2012 (UTC)[reply]

If it's only 3 clicks away, I'd get a taxi. Can't cost much, and if there is no direct bus or train, that may be the only option. KägeTorä - (影虎) (TALK) 21:56, 7 June 2012 (UTC)[reply]
Can't give you a definitive answer, since it's a few years since I've been to Tallinn, but the city has a good transport system (trams, trolleybuses and buses). The buses won't go up Uus itself (since they don't enter the Old Town), but buses and trams run along Mere puiestee a short walk away. Looking at the timetable, your best bet is probably to take a #2 bus from the airport (Lennujaam) to the bus station (Autobussijaam) or Keskturg and then a #2 tram to Mere puiestee. -- Necrothesp (talk) 08:30, 8 June 2012 (UTC)[reply]