The Restaurant at the End of the Universe

Marvin

00:36

0

Q: Were iron skillets shown being sand blasting cleaned on the storm-plagued planet Rigel XII in Star Trek TOS?

When writing the Space Exploration SE question Why don't iron meteorites on Mars rust or oxidize? Why are they shiny? I wrote Is it known why? Have they landed so recently that oxidation hasn't had the time to make much change, or are they sandblasted clean as Karen Steele's character Eve McH...

star-trek-tos

Babel fish

00:50

0

Q: Identify a book where the main character is released from prison in order to be sent to conduct espionage in Italy

this is a book I borrowed off my father about 15 years ago, not sure of the actual age of the book. I've tried Googling but I've not been able to turn up anything that fits my memories. The book starts with our protagonist being released from jail in (I think) America, he's sent to the city of B...

story-identification

Marvin

02:11

0

Q: Why is Worf uneasy about meeting the peacemaker Reva in star trek TNG s2 e5?

Worf was uneasy about meeting Reva because he negotiated several treaties between the federation and the klingons and said that before him there were no words for peacemaker. Why would he not be comfortable meeting with him if his past experiences with him were positive?

star-trek star-trek-tng

Marvin

05:39

1

Q: How to get a rat into the dormitory of each Hogwarts House?

For starters, I’m not sure if asking for help with problem solving is on topic here. If it’s not, please let me know, and I will remove (and/or edit, if possible) the question. I need to know if there is any possible way to get a rat into each individual dormitory in Hogwarts (and, no, I am not ...

harry-potter hogwarts fan-fiction

TheLethalCarrot

08:58

@DavidW No idea, maybe because of the, what looks like, assumption that they are human made not Martian made

The top answer states the opposite and that has a few upvotes

SQB

09:44

Perhaps it's the speed-reading comment?

b_jonas

10:13

Question. Am I the only one whom this virus situation reminds of Asimov's The Naked Sun?

2

The spacers of Solaria are genetically superior and live longer. They live alone in large mansions, with generally no physical contact with other humans, only holographic teleconferencing, except in childhood. The children who give up physical contact earlier are thought to be nicer or more developed children. They do not experience infectious diseases, so they have no immunity.

They're terrified of the crowded Earth full of diseases. They say the common cold could kill any of them. If they really need to meet Earth humans in person, rather than through holovid, they wear gloves and an air filter in their nose.

SQB

@b_jonas *raises hand* nope, there's at least two of us.

Also, remember that Asimov was a claustrophile.

Marvin

1

Q: Old short story about time travel: not physical, just as onlookers

I’m trying to find a science fiction short story I read in the late 70s/early 80s, possibly in an older anthology: it was likely written in the 50s or 60s. It’s about time travel and its limits: basically, humanity has found a way to travel backwards in time but not physically, just as onlooke...

story-identification short-stories time-travel

b_jonas

@SQB So am I. I enjoy living in a big city, especially a big city where I can go to shops every day of the week and even in the evenings.

P. M. B.

Newbie here, not sure how the chatroom works, but apparently my question was too opinion-based and I wanted help with fixing it...?

Or just hashing it out in general, I guess?

b_jonas

2

Q: Old short story about time travel: not physical, just as onlookers

I’m trying to find a science fiction short story I read in the late 70s/early 80s, possibly in an older anthology: it was likely written in the 50s or 60s. It’s about time travel and its limits: basically, humanity has found a way to travel backwards in time but not physically, just as onlooke...

story-identification short-stories time-travel

^ This seems a difficult one because it's so general and doesn't say what happens in the story.

TheLethalCarrot

10:24

@P.M.B. Outside of being opinion based, potentially lots of ways for each dormitory (what's best?), it's also somewhat broad as each dormitory is different and so has different ways to enter

P. M. B.

I agree. I’ve been doing a LOT of research tho (for a fanfic) and still found users on this site that were much more knowledgable than me, so hoped someone would know something that I didn’t.

TheLethalCarrot

If you can focus your question down and perhaps a question per dormitory (though space them out, don't ask all at once) it would be better

Something as simple as: Is there a secret entrance to the {House} Dormitory should be fine I'd imagine

P. M. B.

@TheLethalCarrot How to get into each dormitory then, spaced out...

I see, I’ll try that, then. Thanks.

To be honest, though, I will try that, but it was mentioned in the comments that spells to keep students out were only used on the doors. I think the idea of going in through the windows or chimneys is really more fitting for what I had in mind. Was just a bit miffed that the question was closed without warning...

TheLethalCarrot

FWIW so you're aware in the future, site moderatos have diamonds next to their names and their profile pages have a "Moderator" tag on them. For example, scifi.stackexchange.com/users/31394/rand-althor

@P.M.B. Well if you've found your answer then, it all worked out. It's worth noting that not everyone has the time to comment on every action. I myself am extremely active on the site so sometimes a close vote is just a close vote and I move on

And sometimes the close reason does enough of a job explaining why the close vote was cast that there isn't much point to writing a comment as well

P. M. B.

Yeah, I know. I spent a lot of time on WB Stack, but it’s been a long time. My comment to Valorum was in no way meant to be rude, I just like to get my bearings straight when I find the need to pop up in a new Stack and was hoping to have the reason explained. I’ve been through the quick close more than once, just wanted to know why. No offense intended.

In WB, Moderators and standard users were encouraged to give an explanation for downvotes and close votes. I assumed it was the same across all sites.

TheLethalCarrot

10:39

Oh I didn't even think you were causing offence, was just letting you know in case you weren't aware :)

@P.M.B. This is one of those controversial ones

Marvin

0

Q: How clear is it that Tolkien chose the 25th of March for the downfall of Sauron because of its Christian significance?

The downfall of Sauron and the end of the War of the Ring occurred on the 25th of March in the year 3019 of the Third Age. Many scholars and critics have speculated that Tolkien chose this date specifically because of its relevance in the Christian calendar as the Feast of the Annunciation. This ...

tolkiens-legendarium religion j-r-r-tolkien

TheLethalCarrot

I like to give a comment in most cases if I have the time unless 1) someone has already commented or 2) I think the close reason is self explanatory

Downvotes is a bit different

P. M. B.

@TheLethalCarrot Yeah, I noticed. You guys are fun, though, so I think I’ll stick around. Or at least stalk :) Curious, though, as I asked in my question, is problem solving entirely off topic here? Because, searching the fan-fic tag, it seemed like it was all for identification?

TheLethalCarrot

The common argument against is revenge downvotes (which I've had happen) but again if there's already a comment, I don't have time or I think the answer is outright wrong that any comment would just be too critical I probably won't post one

fan-fiction is 99% used for story identification yeah

It depends what you mean by problem solving and to a large degree how you ask/frame your question

P. M. B.

@TheLethalCarrot So, canon-based problem solving? No general theorizing?

Honestly, when I was browsing through, I got that controversial feeling, which was made me make the jump and post my last question.

TheLethalCarrot

10:47

@P.M.B. To be honest it's hard to give a answer to that without an example. Though general theorising seems like it would be off topic and canon-based problem solving likely to be borderline but it depends what you mean by that of course

SQB

My guess would be that "problem solving" would be off topic, unless worded pretty narrowly.

TheLethalCarrot

That's what I mean, it's about the wording and framing of the question

I.e. how to break into Hogwarts - off topic. but specifically can you Apparate into Hogwarts - perfectly fine. You're still "problem-solving" but asking about a specific thing

P. M. B.

@TheLethalCarrot I was mostly referring to my ‘rat’ question as a basis for understanding the rules in that area. Honestly, I think I developed some bad habits on WB Stack: users there tend to try and entertain each other from time to time... :)

TheLethalCarrot

WB is kind of a completely different ball game to here

P. M. B.

Haha, funny u mention that, as my last question here was about Portkeys at Hogwarts

@TheLethalCarrot Yeah, WB is a whole different kind of controversial, as far as Stacks go, but... not at the same time. Each has it’s own rules.

TheLethalCarrot

10:52

Oh yeah

WB is more of a stack like Workplace

The entire basis is grounded in the fact that answers are going to be opinion based

Here we stick to canon answers as much as possible

P. M. B.

I noticed. Each is very helpful. But, after this conversation, I think I can honestly say that the rules on this site are still easier to understand than those on WB

TheLethalCarrot

TBF I've never really spent that much time on WB

P. M. B.

You should browse it in your free time. If you spend a lot of time on this site, I’m sure you’d enjoy ‘stalking’ at the least. They’re incredibly amusing at their best and GTFO at their worst :1

Excuse my French...

Eh, by ‘stalking’, I mean browsing... Not sure if that’s an across Stack term...

SQB

Lurking?

P. M. B.

@SQB Yes! Don’t know why I was saying ‘stalking’. I have a habit of having the right word escape me, if that makes any sense.

SQB

11:00

I read your profile.

Although you limited it to adjectives, I think.

P. M. B.

Ah, yeah. English Stack... My savior more than once. Single-word-requests brought me there for obvious reasons

I’m a bit obsessed with adjectives and figured my questions on that Stack would be limited to them

Didn’t want to fill out the profile at all, to be totally honest, since I didn’t intend to make much of a presence

P. M. B.

11:16

@TheLethalCarrot BTW, just for your amusement, WB actually has a close vote system that includes opinion-based, most answers need to be based on scientific and/or theoretical facts, as most questions are expected to either be flanked by (at least theoretical) science or a magic system that is fairly fleshed out (at least as pertains to the question).

DavidW

@TheLethalCarrot Yeah, I guess that could be. But, as I stated, I just re-read the books, and that answer's first paragraph has no basis in anything in any of the books...

TheLethalCarrot

Oh yeah I'm aware but even in those parameters there's still a larger degree of "opinion-based-ness" than some other sites

P. M. B.

At least, as I remember, I think they term it ‘opinion-based’. It’s basically, if you don’t give us enough info, we can’t answer.

b_jonas

@SQB Good. It's just that it seems like nobody mentioned it in the Restaurant yet.

TheLethalCarrot

@DavidW Aye, I guessed. Was just a random guess on my part... I've not read them

DavidW

11:18

@SQB That mostly just means I skimmed over stuff like combat scenes and love-making, since those don't normally contain expository lumps. :)

TheLethalCarrot

@P.M.B. Sometimes termed too broad/unclear... a lot of questions in those categories end up being potentially close worthy under all 3

P. M. B.

@TheLethalCarrot Lots of breathing room, but not as much as you’d think. You have to be specific on WB, pretty much, or they rip u a new one...

Yeah, too broad. I got hit with that one once and then made a habit of over explaining myself, or at least I tried to.

DavidW

@b_jonas The use in solving crimes and the bit about camera balls are distinct, though. It's not worse than a lot of story-id we have solved

b_jonas

11:36

@DavidW Yes, they make it distinct, just hard to track down without more details.

@DavidW Solving crimes is not enough though, Childhood's End specifically uses the technology to solve crimes only.

Marvin

11:56

0

Q: Why did Gandalf bring Pippin along to blind the Nazgul?

At one point in The Return of the King Gandalf rides out of Minas Tirith to blind some Nazgul and immediately returns to Minas Tirith. It doesn't make sense to me why he would take Pippin along for that. He could have easily waited in Minas Tirith. Is there an explanation for this? ...

tolkiens-legendarium the-lord-of-the-rings the-return-of-the-king

Donald.McLean

14:53

imagine.gsfc.nasa.gov/hst_bday

Marvin

15:12

1

Q: 50s/60s Short story - Super-intelligent alien crash lands on Earth, looks like a sort of rabbit and ends up living with them

I read this story when I was 10 or 11 and found it very moving. An alien from a very advanced species crashes on Earth. He is trying to communicate with humans to get help. He looks like a very cute furry animal, and no-one will pay him attention. The end is tragic...he goes to live with rabbits...

story-identification short-stories

Marvin

16:27

0

Q: DOES ANYONE REMEMBER A SCHOLASTIC BOOK WITH A HAND THAT WAS LIKE A CACTUS COMING OUT OF THE SAND ON THE COVER IT WAS FROM THE 80'S?

IT WAS ABOUT A WESTERN TOWN BEING TAKEN OVER LIKE BODY SNATCHERS. DOES ANYONE REMEMBER A SCHOLASTIC BOOK WITH A HAND THAT WAS LIKE A CACTUS COMING OUT OF THE SAND ON THE COVER IT WAS FROM THE 80'S?

science

DavidW

16:53

@Marvin Ouch, shouty.

Rand al'Thor

18:10

@DavidW Even the username is shouty.

DavidW

Maybe KEVIN is still typing everything on a VT52.

Rand al'Thor

@NapoleonWilson @SQB That's a feature of working-class Londoner accents ("barrow boys", if you will). "Ge' ou', yuh dir'y po'er!" and so on. Dunno what kind of American accents might have it too.

@Jenayah congrats on the Literature HNQ ;-)

Still killing it with those ID questions.

Napoleon Wilson

18:38

What an ambiguous choice of words.

Jenayah

19:36

@Randal'Thor eh, thanks!

@Randal'Thor story-id is life

Marvin

19:55

0

Q: Does a basilisk control its ability to kill people with its stare?

I'm asking this question because of a comment to one of my questions about 3 years ago regarding the Basilisk. Here's the link to my question: Is a Parselmouth immune to the effects of the stare of the Basilisk? Does a basilisk control its ability to kill people with its stare? I'm asking this...

harry-potter

0

Q: Did the Bakers torture children?

During one scene while attempting to outwit Lucas, after Ethan swears at him, Lucas has the following line: Lucas: Ethan, language. There are children in the building! Somewhere. I think. I’m not sure anymore. Once you've beaten the game, this ends up having an excellent double meaning as a...

resident-evil resident-evil-7

Marvin

20:13

0

Q: Do Basilisks have the ability to measure how much wizard blood someone has (wizard blood purity)?

Do Basilisks have the ability to measure how much wizard blood someone has (wizard blood purity)? Seeing as how the Slytherin's Basilisk only went after Muggle-Borns, is their a magical body part that they have to sense how pure a wizard's/witch's blood is?

harry-potter

Marvin

21:48

-2

Q: Can the Time Stone be used to access (if not, then create) a different timeline?

Can the Time Stone be used to access a different timeline? For example, we know that the sacrifice used to retrieve the Soul Stone cannot be reversed by even the omnipotent combination of the six Infinity Stones. But if someone created an alternate or different timeline before making the sacrif...

marvel marvel-cinematic-universe infinity-stones

Marvin

23:22

0

Q: How large an organization was Rittenhouse in season 2?

During season 1 of Timeless, Rittenhouse is implied to be a powerful organization with members in many influential positions. While there is a crackdown on them by the end of season 1, the first episodes of season 2 make it seem like that had only somewhat weakened the organization. In the secon...

timeless

0

Q: Origin of name Jamer T. Kirk

Apologies for what might be an already answered question but I am new here. Question is how the name James T Kirk originated. I heard it might have come from the fact that Gene Roddenberry once lived in NJ and the name of a mayor from Elizabeth, NJ was James T. Kirk. Thanks

star-trek

Babel fish

23:35

0

Q: Finding the exact King Arthur Book

I read a book titled "King Arthur" a long time ago but can't recognize the book now that I search it on Google as there are a plethora of books by that name in the market. Unfortunately, I also do not remember anything vivid about the book, just that it was the classic story about the life of Kin...

story-identification myths arthurian-legend

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The Restaurant at the End of the Univ…