Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Miscellaneous/2014 January 16

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January 16

Cat problem

Hello. My cat has become very lazy, choosing to eat and sleep and all day, and to use catnip at all hours of the night. I've told him he needs to get a job like his friend Fluffy, who works in the rodent extermination business. Fluffy's parents are very happy with his work and speak highly of his skills. When I explain this to my cat, all he does is give me a blank stare, jumps up on my lap, and proceeds to knead my leg like dough. Any ideas for how to get a lazy cat to get a job? Viriditas (talk) 00:45, 16 January 2014 (UTC)

As reported in the New York Times, referencing a study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences: "Cats do not perform directed tasks" and "Their actual utility is debatable, even as mousers."

—Wade, Nicholas (July 7, 2009). "In Scorn (and Praise) of Cats". The New York Times. Science : TierneyLab.

Essentially, cats do whatever they want, and your lazy cat simply doesn't want to do much. As long as there is a human servant who magically supplies food, water and shelter, why bother wasting time chasing mice around? ~E:71.20.250.51 (talk) 01:29, 16 January 2014 (UTC)

The same way you get an unemployed person to get a new job. Withdraw WELFARE from the entity. Hunger is a great motivator. 202.177.218.59 (talk) 02:05, 16 January 2014 (UTC)

• Same as for a human: stop feeding him. Looie496 (talk) 02:14, 16 January 2014 (UTC)

• Much as a housewife is likely to hit you with a frying pan if you say she doesn't work, your cat is doing something far more useful than killing mice, it's lowering your stress levels, which will improve your health and extend your life. Get some glue boards to kill the mice. StuRat (talk) 02:19, 16 January 2014 (UTC)

How old is Puss? Having a mature aged cat that doesn't fit the stereotype because of hyperthyroidism, I've learnt that a normal, healthy, mature cat will often sleep for at least 22 hours a day, only rousing for food and toileting needs. Think about the stereotypical image of the king of the jungle? HiLo48 (talk) 02:27, 16 January 2014 (UTC)

Sounds like it needs a good confusing to me MChesterMC (talk) 10:05, 16 January 2014 (UTC)

Be glad that your cat doesn't bring in mouse from outside and lose then if you fail to lock them both in a room. And that you don't have to clean up feathers and skinks and try to rescue screeching birds frequently. Nil Einne (talk) 11:55, 16 January 2014 (UTC)

This post betrays a lack of knowledge of the proper relationship between cats and humans. Cats own humans. It is not the other way round. Your job is to provide food, safety, shelter and medical care for your cat. Remember, dogs have owners: cats have staff. --TammyMoet (talk) 12:25, 16 January 2014 (UTC)

There are factors of selective breeding at play here. Some cats come from lineages that were designed to be cute and snuggly, others are champion mousers. Probably too late to change this cat, but in the future, if you want a cat for pest control, get a Barn_cat-- Most actual small working farms have plenty of kittens to hand out throughout the warm season. SemanticMantis (talk) 16:34, 16 January 2014 (UTC)

You could try feeding the mice a little something mixed with ground catnip. The smell might stick to their fur, and make the concept of raw mouse more appetizing. Personally, I just feed my mice in a wall nook to keep them out of the cupboards, despite an abundance of cats here. Guess I'm a hippy. InedibleHulk (talk) 16:46, 16 January 2014 (UTC)

Although one might not make mice attractive to a recalcitrant cat, one can make rats (and mice?) attracted to cats:

"... although rats have evolved anti-predator avoidance of areas with signs of cat presence, T. gondii's manipulation appears to alter the rat's perception of cat predation risk, in some cases turning their innate aversion into an imprudent attraction."

— M Berdoy; J P Webster; D W Macdonald (2000). "Fatal attraction in rats infected with Toxoplasma gondii". Proc Biol Sci. 267 (1452): 1591–4. doi:10.1098/rspb.2000.1182. PMC 1690701. PMID 11007336. {{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter |last-author-amp= ignored (|name-list-style= suggested) (help)

~Eric:71.20.250.51 (talk) 20:38, 16 January 2014 (UTC)

What company out of all the countries in the world has the most outlets worldwide?

I have tried searching. Unfortunatly I only end up finding the "largest" retailers worldwide or news about McDonalds or Subway, but nothing definitive about what company has the most stores or outlets. I want to know what company out of all the countries in the world has the most store locations in the world. Can you help?

Thanks 71.83.116.195 (talk) 05:19, 16 January 2014 (UTC)

What's an outlet? Is any store that sells Coca Cola a Coca Cola outlet? HiLo48 (talk)

Yes, whichever company chain that has the most number of outlets, stores, marts, shops, markets or physical locations where one can walk in and purchase goods with all locations bearing the same name worldwide. 71.83.116.195 (talk) 05:53, 16 January 2014 (UTC)

Hmmm. That's not easy to answer. I doubt if anyone has a single set of figures. We would be guessing I think. HiLo48 (talk) 06:04, 16 January 2014 (UTC)

Not trying to make it harder, but I forgot to add restaurants and I should have said goods and/or services as well. 71.83.116.195 (talk) 06:15, 16 January 2014 (UTC)

If you're counting franchises, it could be Subway or McDonald's. Subway overtook McDonald's in 2011[1] (33K+ to 32K+). In 2013, McDonald's was up to 34K+.[2] Clarityfiend (talk) 07:40, 16 January 2014 (UTC)

A gas company is also a possibility. This unreliable place says Exxon/"Mobile" (sic) has 45,000 gas stations.[3] I'm having trouble finding a reliable figure. Clarityfiend (talk) 07:56, 16 January 2014 (UTC)

45,000 is from their 2000 annual report. The 2012 report [4]‎ says "more than 22,000 retail service stations". PrimeHunter (talk) 14:22, 16 January 2014 (UTC)

In any case, I'm not sure whether this fits with the OP's request they be the same name. AFAIK, in most countries a petrol station is either branded Exxon or Esso or is branded Mobil. Some countries still have both I believe. Then again, I'm not sure how most fit in to this. Is 'ماكدونالدز' the same as McDonalds to the OP? If not, do all 'ماكدونالدز' have the name McDonalds somewhere in the store? Even if they do, does it matter to the OP if the 'ماكدونالدز' branding is more prominent? Or is the M logo the more important thing to the OP even tho it's not really a name? Nil Einne (talk) 15:50, 16 January 2014 (UTC)

This company seems to have 221,055 branches worldwide. Mind you, their hamburgers are a bit frugal. --Cookatoo.ergo.ZooM (talk) 12:39, 16 January 2014 (UTC)

Especially on Fridays. Clarityfiend (talk) 04:53, 17 January 2014 (UTC)

Our article: 7-Eleven says "7-Eleven, primarily operating as a franchise, is the world's largest operator, franchisor, and licensor of convenience stores with more than 50,000 outlets."...and the parent companies' website [5] says that the number is 51,558. People living in the US might find that surprising - but note that there are twice as many 7-11's in Japan as there are in the USA, which gives us a rather skewed perspective. SteveBaker (talk) 14:02, 16 January 2014 (UTC)

Gulp! Clarityfiend (talk) 04:53, 17 January 2014 (UTC)

I'll have to assume Coca-Cola vending machines, if they count as a small branded store. Most 7-Elevens, Subways, McDonalds and Essos have one, some more. It even pops up in other machines, uninvited. InedibleHulk (talk) 16:55, 16 January 2014 (UTC)

Maybe where you live. I have a hard time imagining a vending machine in a 7-Eleven, Subway or McDonalds. —Tamfang (talk) 09:13, 17 January 2014 (UTC)

Usually not in the store here (Ontario), but against an outside wall. Usually a cooler or fountain of Coke inside, too, but I don't think those should count (you have to pay the human cashier of the wider store). Where are you, if you don't mind? InedibleHulk (talk) 16:45, 17 January 2014 (UTC)

On the west coast of that place south of you. —Tamfang (talk) 08:50, 18 January 2014 (UTC)

Chile? Nah, just kidding. Saw your userpage. Still, this press release about Coke pumping $1.3 billion into their Chilean works also claims Coke sells 1.8 billion "servings" a day, worldwide. Not directly relevant to the question, but close. I think the only brand with comparably consistent exposure is The Moon. InedibleHulk (talk) 18:27, 18 January 2014 (UTC)

Apparently, their "installed base" of "automated retail facilities" in Australia alone is almost 40,000. InedibleHulk (talk) 18:12, 16 January 2014 (UTC)

This Wired article says there are 6-7 million machines in the United States, but from the context, it's not completely clear if that means total or just Coke. I sort of hope it's not just Coke. This makes it clearer they're talking everyone's machine, but also says Coke has at least 1,000 just in Philadelphia (seven years ago). InedibleHulk (talk) 18:26, 16 January 2014 (UTC)

Apparently a million in Japan, by 1998. InedibleHulk (talk) 18:37, 16 January 2014 (UTC)

pressure cooking

Convert 6 person recipes to 3 person? — Preceding unsigned comment added by 82.70.225.86 (talk) 08:39, 16 January 2014 (UTC)

Divide by 2 to get half quantities? Note that this will not apply to the water. Dbfirs 08:49, 16 January 2014 (UTC)

This may be problematic for stew recopies but don't be tempted to half the water - you don't want the cooker to boil dry! -- Q Chris (talk) 12:12, 16 January 2014 (UTC)

If you are asking about pressure cooking time (your question isn't very clear) then it would be about the same for three portions as for six, possibly less, depending on the bulk of the item(s) you are cooking.--Shantavira|^{feed me} 13:43, 16 January 2014 (UTC)

I would question that theory regarding water amounts as pressure cookers, by design, are very well sealed and lose very little through evaporation. As long as the quantity for 3 fills the pressure cooker by a few inches, reducing the recipe by half would work, especially if the person's pressure cooker is small. However, if it were me, I would cook for six and freeze the remainder for another time as my pressure cooker is quite large and designed for family-sized meals. I agree on Shantavira's comment on timings except if you are cooking a joint of meat (pot roasting/boiling), cooking time will be calculated on the weight of the joint. 83.104.128.107 (talk) 13:59, 16 January 2014 (UTC)

It would depend on whether the pressure relief valve is triggered, or not. If not triggered, then no water should be lost, so halving the water is fine. StuRat (talk) 14:37, 16 January 2014 (UTC)

Are there some pressure cookers that don't release steam? How would you know when they have reached the correct pressure? I've only ever seen the traditional type. ... later ... Oh, yes, I see that electric pressure cookers can closely regulate the heat input, so they will possibly not need to release steam. Dbfirs 07:07, 17 January 2014 (UTC)

Yes, for ideal efficiency, they should monitor the pressure, and reduce the heat setting before the pressure relief valve is triggered. That way no energy is wasted by steaming up the room and the food won't burn when the cooker runs dry. Of course, you can't expect this from the cheap ones. StuRat (talk) 12:41, 17 January 2014 (UTC)

Social services for a disabled veteran?

Hello all. I'm a student living in an apartment across from a retired US veteran of the first Gulf War. When I first moved in, he was living with his girlfriend, but they had an argument and she left him. Now, he lives alone (on what I assume is some government pension), and on top of that, his physical and mental health seem to be rapidly deteriorating. I first started looking after him after I noticed he was having difficulty walking to the mailbox, and after that I began checking on him regularly.

I went home for winter break, and on my most recent visit back, he seemed highly disturbed. Happily, he can walk again, but now he has a terrible cough, has lost his glasses (so now he can barely see), and seems to have lost his mind. He spoke incoherently, and none of his answers to my questions made any sense. When I was looking through his apartment for his glasses, I discovered a pistol lying on his bed, with ammunition nearby. He's a kind man, but I fear he may soon become a danger for himself and his neighbors.

What can I do? Are their social services that will help him (I live in the state of Georgia)? There's a Veteran Affairs hospital across the street (which, from my limited exposure to, I have become deeply disappointed with: they took 6 weeks to get him his glasses the first time so he was essentially blind for a month. And I can't believe that no one hasn't noticed that this man desperately needs help). I think my neighbor also has an ex-wife, and possibly children, but he told me "he had no one." Should I call 911? I'm very worried about him and would greatly appreciate advice. 170.140.153.195 (talk) 15:34, 16 January 2014 (UTC)

I don't think 911 would help, unless there's an immediate threat, like him shooting at somebody. I agree that getting any help quickly from the VA is unlikely. The combo of talking incoherently and having a gun might be enough for social services to check him out. However, if he figures out you "turned him in", he might very well attack you.

You might consider buying the gun off him. If you pretend you always wanted a gun like that he might agree, especially if he needs the money. There might be some legal paperwork involved to buy a gun there. Of course, he might have other guns. And he could still probably manage to kill himself without a gun, but, in his shape, he might find it more difficult to kill others without it. StuRat (talk) 16:11, 16 January 2014 (UTC)

• Here is a 24-hour hotline that you can call [6] to get try to get help for this man. It is staffed by professional social workers in Georgia, who can at least help direct you to other resources. This [7] suggest that you might get help by simply calling 211, but I'd recommend trying the number at the first link first. By the way, I found these by googling /georgia mentally ill social service hotline/ SemanticMantis (talk) 16:26, 16 January 2014 (UTC)

• Campaign for gun laws to be made more sensible in your country. HiLo48 (talk) 22:30, 16 January 2014 (UTC)

counterclaim and set-off

comparative relation between counterclaim and set-off? — Preceding unsigned comment added by 115.250.209.161 (talk) 21:14, 16 January 2014 (UTC)

This smells like homework. Have you seen our articles: Counterclaim and Set-off (law)? (The latter needs attention) —:71.20.250.51 (talk) 21:32, 16 January 2014 (UTC)

Stadiums

Which are the 10 best stadiums to hold a rock concert in Europe? Apart from Wembley Miss Bono ^{[hello, hello!]} 22:46, 16 January 2014 (UTC)

As stated, this is a request for opinion. Do you have a question we could answer with a reference? Matt Deres (talk) 01:12, 17 January 2014 (UTC)

This list has 27 locations but it's not limited to stadiums or just to Europe. But it may give you some more ideas. Dismas|^(talk) 01:35, 17 January 2014 (UTC)

Of course, most large concert venues are chosen because of their seating capacity, not their acoustics or sight lines. --Xuxl (talk) 08:38, 17 January 2014 (UTC)

Not opinion Matt Deres, just needed a list :D thanks. Miss Bono ^{[hello, hello!]} 23:49, 23 January 2014 (UTC)