The "This Might Be A Stupid Question, But...." Thread

[jpcher]

Advisory
Watch
Warning?

This is correct.

Watch = conditions are good for said storm, so Watch out.

Warning = conditions are really, really good that said storm is probably, more likely than not, going to happen.


Caveats put in place because you never know what's going to happen with the weather.

[KenveeB]

Here's another question.

What's the difference between a weather/storm watch and a weather/storm warning?

I know a weather advisory is the lowest panic level of them all. But the words "warning" and "watch" don't really convey different levels of impending doom, or snow or rain or what-have-you.

So how does the scale go, from lowest to highest?

Advisory
Watch
Warning

or

Advisory
Warning
Watch?

Advisory is "we think this could happen in the near future."
Warning is "conditions are currently right for this to happen."
Watch is "take cover, this is happening!"

In the case of tornadoes, the kind of storm warning I'm most familiar with, a tornado warning means conditions are right for it to form, but a tornado watch means a tornado has actually been spotted.

[Elfmama]

Here's another question.

What's the difference between a weather/storm watch and a weather/storm warning?

I know a weather advisory is the lowest panic level of them all. But the words "warning" and "watch" don't really convey different levels of impending doom, or snow or rain or what-have-you.

So how does the scale go, from lowest to highest?

Advisory
Watch
Warning

or

Advisory
Warning
Watch?

Advisory is "we think this could happen in the near future."
Warning is "conditions are currently right for this to happen."
Watch is "take cover, this is happening!"

In the case of tornadoes, the kind of storm warning I'm most familiar with, a tornado warning means conditions are right for it to form, but a tornado watch means a tornado has actually been spotted.

Sorry, Kenvee, but you've flipped watch and warning.
 
Watch is "conditions are currently right for this to happen. "  IOW, "We're watching this carefully."
Warning is "take cover, this is happening!"  Just like any other warning.

[jpcher]

New question about propane tanks . . . I have a propane space heater, but I think this question could also apply to propane grills.

Does the device (heater/grill) burn more of the gas if the tank's valve is open all the way?

or . . . does it save on fuel if the valve on the tank is turned down almost to the point of shutting off the fuel flow?

or . . . does the tanks valve matter at all? Meaning the device itself will regulate the fuel flow?

[KenveeB]

Here's another question.

What's the difference between a weather/storm watch and a weather/storm warning?

I know a weather advisory is the lowest panic level of them all. But the words "warning" and "watch" don't really convey different levels of impending doom, or snow or rain or what-have-you.

So how does the scale go, from lowest to highest?

Advisory
Watch
Warning

or

Advisory
Warning
Watch?

Advisory is "we think this could happen in the near future."
Warning is "conditions are currently right for this to happen."
Watch is "take cover, this is happening!"

In the case of tornadoes, the kind of storm warning I'm most familiar with, a tornado warning means conditions are right for it to form, but a tornado watch means a tornado has actually been spotted.

Sorry, Kenvee, but you've flipped watch and warning.
 
Watch is "conditions are currently right for this to happen. "  IOW, "We're watching this carefully."
Warning is "take cover, this is happening!"  Just like any other warning.

You're right, can I blame my medication?   I've only been hearing these my whole life in Texas.

[kckgirl]

Snipping the quote tree...

You're right, can I blame my medication?   I've only been hearing these my whole life in Texas.

Of course you can blame your medication!

[Tea Drinker]

I just checked the National Weather Service glossary pages, and part of why it's confusing is that "advisory" doesn't mean less likely than a warning. It's  used for things that aren't dangerous enough to need a watch or warning, so there are things like frost advisories, which are meant for farmers and gardeners. From a current advisory, "A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY MEANS THAT ONE OR MORE WINTER WEATHER HAZARDS ARE EXPECTED TO CAUSE TRAVEL DIFFICULTIES."

For dangerous events such as thunderstorms and hurricanes, they start at "watch"--below that the forecast may say something like "interests on the Florida coast are advised to keep an eye on conditions."

[Slartibartfast]

Stupid question but I feel stupider for not knowing: when a transgender person talks about his/her childhood (i.e. the period of their life they lived as their biological gender), do they use their current preferred pronoun, or the former one?  E.g. would someone who grew up a girl and is now living as a man say "When I was a boy" or "When I was a girl?"  Or does this vary person to person?

The topic came up tonight at a family Christmas gathering (one of SIL's good friends is trans) and I wasn't sure how to address it.  I asked SIL, but she doesn't really know either, just said she talks about her friend as "she" before his surgery and "he" after because that's how she knew her friend from before.

[Dazi]

Stupid question but I feel stupider for not knowing: when a transgender person talks about his/her childhood (i.e. the period of their life they lived as their biological gender), do they use their current preferred pronoun, or the former one?  E.g. would someone who grew up a girl and is now living as a man say "When I was a boy" or "When I was a girl?"  Or does this vary person to person?

The topic came up tonight at a family Christmas gathering (one of SIL's good friends is trans) and I wasn't sure how to address it.  I asked SIL, but she doesn't really know either, just said she talks about her friend as "she" before his surgery and "he" after because that's how she knew her friend from before.

The  few  people  I know who are  TG have always stuck with "when I was  a child,  kid, teenager,  younger".  To be fair, most everyone I know goes with some version of that.   I don't  think  I've ever heard  any one but my  GP say "when I was a lad/boy".

[Diane AKA Traska]

Stupid question but I feel stupider for not knowing: when a transgender person talks about his/her childhood (i.e. the period of their life they lived as their biological gender), do they use their current preferred pronoun, or the former one?  E.g. would someone who grew up a girl and is now living as a man say "When I was a boy" or "When I was a girl?"  Or does this vary person to person?

The topic came up tonight at a family Christmas gathering (one of SIL's good friends is trans) and I wasn't sure how to address it.  I asked SIL, but she doesn't really know either, just said she talks about her friend as "she" before his surgery and "he" after because that's how she knew her friend from before.

The  few  people  I know who are  TG have always stuck with "when I was  a child,  kid, teenager,  younger".  To be fair, most everyone I know goes with some version of that.   I don't  think  I've ever heard  any one but my  GP say "when I was a lad/boy".

Pretty much this. 

(And there's no honest question about TG issues that's stupid... any chance to enlighten is A-OK!)

[Virg]

jpcher wrote:

"Does the device (heater/grill) burn more of the gas if the tank's valve is open all the way?"

No.  The tank valve is to allow you to disengage the tank from the feed line and to provide a safety cutoff valve in case the device's valve assembly fails to close when it's not using the fuel.  Once it's firmly attached, you should open the tank valve all the way.  The device itself will have a regulator and its own operating valve, and that regulation unit will be expecting full line pressure.  If you use the tank valve to restrict the fuel supply, the device won't work correctly (and depending on the regulator on the device, it may not work at all).  It'll use less fuel, but it won't do what it's supposed to do.  To use your example of a gas grill, closing off the tank valve will cut down on propane usage, but it'll also prevent the grill from heating to its full capacity.  For your heater, it won't generate enough heat to keep the room at the thermostat setting.

Virg

[cwm]

Stupid question but I feel stupider for not knowing: when a transgender person talks about his/her childhood (i.e. the period of their life they lived as their biological gender), do they use their current preferred pronoun, or the former one?  E.g. would someone who grew up a girl and is now living as a man say "When I was a boy" or "When I was a girl?"  Or does this vary person to person?

The topic came up tonight at a family Christmas gathering (one of SIL's good friends is trans) and I wasn't sure how to address it.  I asked SIL, but she doesn't really know either, just said she talks about her friend as "she" before his surgery and "he" after because that's how she knew her friend from before.

The  few  people  I know who are  TG have always stuck with "when I was  a child,  kid, teenager,  younger".  To be fair, most everyone I know goes with some version of that.   I don't  think  I've ever heard  any one but my  GP say "when I was a lad/boy".

Pretty much this. 

(And there's no honest question about TG issues that's stupid... any chance to enlighten is A-OK!)

I have one genderfluid acquaintance. I never know one meeting to the next what gender s/he will be identifying as that day. When history gets brought up, both terms are used nearly interchangably when one is required.

I love that friend. S/he's so nice, and every time we get together we have a good time, no matter what names or pronouns are used.

[jpcher]

jpcher wrote:

"Does the device (heater/grill) burn more of the gas if the tank's valve is open all the way?"

No.  The tank valve is to allow you to disengage the tank from the feed line and to provide a safety cutoff valve in case the device's valve assembly fails to close when it's not using the fuel.  Once it's firmly attached, you should open the tank valve all the way.  The device itself will have a regulator and its own operating valve, and that regulation unit will be expecting full line pressure.  If you use the tank valve to restrict the fuel supply, the device won't work correctly (and depending on the regulator on the device, it may not work at all).  It'll use less fuel, but it won't do what it's supposed to do.  To use your example of a gas grill, closing off the tank valve will cut down on propane usage, but it'll also prevent the grill from heating to its full capacity.  For your heater, it won't generate enough heat to keep the room at the thermostat setting.

Virg

Thanks, Virg. I knew I could count on you!

The bold above, especially, opened my eyes as in "Oh, yeah, that makes complete sense now." I truly appreciate the way you explain things so that a person like me can understand how things work.

[Sootikin]

I have one that's been bothering me for years:

How come "aunt" is pronounced "ant"?

Back when I first started learning English, I just naturally assumed the "au" was pronounced the same way as in "taunt" or "flaunt" but I've never heard it actually said that way...

Where did you learn English? Because the pronunciation of "aunt" varies depending on where you are.

In the US, in New England, a lot of people do pronounce it with the same sound as "taunt" instead of "ant." Especially in the Greater Boston area, there are many similarities in speech with the English spoken in parts of the UK.

I was recently watching a TV show (can't remember off hand what it was) and most of the actors were saying "ant," but one or two were "aunt" all the way. It struck me as odd, because all the characters were supposed to be members of the same family. And you'd think they would all learn the same pronunciation.

I have 4 siblings and we all have different accents.  My dad was in the army and we moved around the world a lot when we were kids.

I have a broad Kiwi accent since we moved to NZ when I was about 6 or 7, my oldest brother never lost his Scots accent.  My other brother has a broad Aussie accent and my sisters have slight Kiwi/Scots accents.

[kherbert05]

Why did the Pilgrams set sail for the New Word, so that they landed so late in the year? I mean leaving in September and landing in November seems like a group attempt at Darwinism. (Note I'm looking at materials for lower elementary). Does it have something to do with the currents and winds that time of year - but it was at the tail end of hurricane season, though they were pretty far north for hurricanes?

Wouldn't it make more sense to sail early spring before huricane season and so they could plant when they landed?

I guess I'm comparing it to the Oregon Trail story where there was a definate window for leaving  and check point along the trail that you had to reach by certain dates, so you didn't get caught in snowstorms in the Rockies.