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The Avocado Reference Desk Returns Under New Management

Hello all! Nearly three years ago the Avocado Reference Desk shuttered its doors. Now, after some renovations (and only a few budget overruns), I – your new Avocado Reference Librarian – am pleased to announce the official reopening.

What is the Avocado Reference Desk? It is intended to be a weekly thread where people are able to get answers to questions that may require a bit of thought or research and that might otherwise be left unanswered on the rapidly moving Open Threads. Initially founded by Gougagna, it originally focused specifically on pop culture questions but eventually expanded beyond those bounds.

How does it work? When posting at the Avocado Reference Desk, you have two main options – ask a question and/or answer a question. Here are the three main types of questions that the Reference Desk is intended for:

  • A question you have (related to pop culture, science, history, politics, etc.) that may not be easily answered in just one or two short sentences or off the top of one’s head.
  • A request for the name or identity of a piece of pop culture (movie, TV show, book, etc.) that you only partially recall.
  • A request for a particular recommendation that you may not have had luck receiving on one of the other threads (Couch Avocadoes, Book Nook, Weekly Movies Thread, etc.).

These are just general guidelines – questions do not necessarily have to fall into one of these categories. Just be sure not to ask anything that might create some legal liability like legal advice, health advice, or anything that might get you injured or killed.

Above all, be respectful to others. Do not mock another person’s question and do not intentionally feed them a wrong or irrelevant answer. Similarly, if you know someone’s answer is incorrect, be considerate when pointing it out. We all make mistakes.

In any case, have at it! The intention is for these threads to remain open and available all week, so if you asked a question don’t forget to check your Disqus notifications in case it has been answered.

Special thanks to Gougagna for entrusting me with this thread!