Wikipedia:Reference desk archive/Humanities/2006 September 14

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

< September 13 << Aug | Sep | Oct >> September 15 >
Humanities Science Mathematics Computing/IT Language Miscellaneous Archives
The page you are currently viewing is an archive page. While you can leave answers for any questions shown below, please ask new questions at one of the pages linked to above.


Contents

[edit] September 14

[edit] expensive silverware brand

W70.223.27.248 03:27, 14 September 2006 (UTC)hich colonial leader has an expensive brand of silverware named after him?

Probably the colonial leader who was a silversmith. --Carnildo 05:00, 14 September 2006 (UTC)
He was much revered among his compatriots. :-) StuRat 08:50, 14 September 2006 (UTC)

[edit] need some help

techniues to improve memory and recollection? thanx for the help :)

Try recounting your day in detail to a partner or recording it in a diary. Rentwa 06:29, 14 September 2006 (UTC)
Are you asking about memory exercises or mnemonics? Anchoress 06:36, 14 September 2006 (UTC)
Inject undifferentiated neural cells into your brain. What's that called again? (I forgot. :) ) DirkvdM 08:41, 14 September 2006 (UTC)
Flash cards. StuRat 08:49, 14 September 2006 (UTC)
Memorise things in reverse order, so that the correct order takes you from the most recently learned material to that with which you are most familiar. TheMadBaron 16:00, 14 September 2006 (UTC)
  • -1)Practise at memorizing things. For example: when taking a relaxing bath, look around and name one thing you see. Then close your eyes and say what it is. Then open your eyes and look around and pick another thing. Then close your eyes and recall both. Continue doing this and see how many things you can memorize.
  • -2)When trying to memorize somebody's name for the first time, use their name to create a mental image, and try to use their name as much as you can when you first meet them. For example: 'John Wood'. Imagine him wearing long-JOHNs and carrying a bundle of WOOD.
  • -3)If trying to memorize a phone number, try to memorize the position of the keys and order of pressing them rather than the numbers themselves.
  • -4)Get a full night's sleep.
  • --Codell [ Talk ▪ Contrib. ] 00:12, 15 September 2006 (UTC)
Just concentrate and remember a name like a name and numbers as numbers. ;o --Proficient 06:02, 15 September 2006 (UTC)
Codell, your third trick is a bit risky. I once discovered that I did that unwittingly with my PIN code. I encountered an automated teller that had the numbers in a different scheme, and I noticed I couldn't remember the code. I had to close my eyes, picture how I punched the keys and then tried different logical ways to arrange the numbers until I hit one that gave a code I recognised. Funny how the brain works (well, mine anyway - I thought I'd had better add this before StuRat makes a wise crack :) ). DirkvdM 07:47, 15 September 2006 (UTC)
Me, make a wise crack ? I'm just glad to see that your brain works at all (because, apparently, the rest of you refuses to work in any way). :-) StuRat 08:33, 15 September 2006 (UTC)
Oh, snap! --192.168.1.1 16:29, 15 September 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Joan of arc

Q 1: Why joan of arc is famous?

Our article will give you some idea why. JackofOz 05:07, 14 September 2006 (UTC)


Thanx sir i really helped me alot.Now i m smiling after knowing the such an important and brave personality

What's the difference between Joan of Arc and Noah's Ark?
One was made of wood and the other was Maid of Orleans --Dweller 08:44, 14 September 2006 (UTC)
Although I bet Joan was wishing for 40 days and 40 nights of rain, once she was tied to that stake. :-) StuRat 08:48, 14 September 2006 (UTC)
The other was Maid of Wood. Edison 17:57, 14 September 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Solar system

Q 1: Why the pluto has not been a part of a solra system and why it was a part of solar system before?

Everything gravitationally bound to the Sun is part of the Solar System. That includes Pluto, all the asteroids, all the periodic comets, and my fingernail clippings. The recent controversy is not over the "Solar System" but over how to use the word planet, which originally meant anything in the sky that moves steadily against the background of stars, but now means (roughly) big important body which is not a star and does not orbit another planet. A rump session of the recent congress of the International Astronomical Union adopted a peculiar definition which excludes Pluto, but also seems to exclude Jupiter and Earth. (I was cheering for another proposal which would have embraced Charon, Ceres, Quaoar and a couple of other medium-sized bodies.) —Tamfang 06:06, 14 September 2006 (UTC)
On the other hand, my fingernail clippings shot off with such velocity that they have now left the solar system. :-) StuRat 08:45, 14 September 2006 (UTC)
It was definatly not yr fingernail clipping u would have a big mis-apperihension about this u might b hold a gun or whatsoever which has so much velocity that a pluto shot off ....incredible :-)
You may be interested in 2006 redefinition of planet. Dismas|(talk) 10:43, 14 September 2006 (UTC)

[edit] English Grammar Book

I remember a big bound book on English Grammar. The specialities are: 1. Simple words and sentences with Pictures 2. More than 400+ pages 3. It is Printed in USSR 4. Green Color Bound book That was some 16 years back. Can anyone remembers the name or the publisher.

Google is not that helpful with the above references.

Thank you very much136.8.1.100 05:14, 14 September 2006 (UTC) vasu

You may have more luck asking on the Russian Wikipedia, or indeed any of the former USSR countries as they would be more likely to remember it. I'm assuming that it was used in the USSR rather than native English speaking countries so this seems reasonable. AllanHainey 11:34, 15 September 2006 (UTC)

It might be difficult to communicate on Russian wiki without being able to ask the question in Russian. My Russian is horrible, and I just wrote out the following sentence, but now I realize that you're probably Russian yourself so it was probably a silly idea, come to think of it! Just in case you'd like an embarrassingly bad sample of my Russian, for a good laugh, or perhaps if you actually need it, here goes:

"Я xoчу наxoдить книга. Αнглийcкий граматика. Печатил в'CCCP. Цвет: зелёный. 400+ паж. Картини и слова лёгкий. 16 лет Наэад. Я не говорю по-Руccкий, пожолуиcта, говорите по-Английcкий. Болшой cпаcибо!"

Well there's a good example of what you're left with after once being rather fluent in Russian, but going without any practice whatsoever after over 15 years! Loomis 02:14, 20 September 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Television

Q 1: Who was the inventor of Television, Caculating Machine and Fax machine ?

I recommend our articles on television, calculator and fax.
Can't wait for Q 2. --Dweller 09:32, 14 September 2006 (UTC)
I think we're on Q 3. Luigi30 (Taλk) 12:17, 14 September 2006 (UTC)
See abacus too. --Shantavira 09:59, 14 September 2006 (UTC)
Hmm, is that a calculating machine or a calculating aid? I believe Pascal first came up with the concept and then Babbage built he first model, although it turned out too heavy to be operable. Funny, that was not in the article. I've just added it. DirkvdM 07:59, 15 September 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Land of setting sun

Which country is called the "land of setting sun" ?

Since Japan is called the "land of the rising Sun", because it's the Easternmost country in Eurasia, perhaps Iceland is the Westernmost country in Eurasia, so deserves the opposite title. StuRat 10:53, 14 September 2006 (UTC)
I looked for the House of the Rising Sun. — [Mac Davis](talk) (New! SUPERDESK|Help me improve)
According to [1]
"We Europeans are the original Westerners, and have been for quite some time. That's because the name Europe is (apparently) derived :from the Phoenician term for "where the sun sets" - as opposed to Asia, derived from the Phoenician for "where the sun rises"."
From a Japanese perspective, it might also refer to China. Sum0 13:06, 14 September 2006 (UTC)
See also Maghreb and Morocco. Maghreb means place of the setting (sun) and Morocco is often referred to as Al Maghrib in Arabic.---Sluzzelin 17:03, 14 September 2006 (UTC)

As the sun never set on the British Empire and Australia is popularly regard to be opposite Britain on the globe, it must be Australia. --Dweller 23:18, 14 September 2006 (UTC)

The "occident" is so-called because that appears to be where the sun sets (it means "setting", as opposed to the "orient" which means "rising"). "Abendland" is a German equivalent of "occident", and if I remember correctly it is a way to refer to western Europe from the perspective of eastern Europe (like, Germany, from the perspective of Hungary, while Hungary from the perspective of Germany is "Morgenland"). Adam Bishop 14:37, 15 September 2006 (UTC)
Yes, the same conceipt operates in Slavic languages: vostok is "rising above" and zapad is "falling down". --Ghirla -трёп- 14:57, 15 September 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Business Mergers

I was wondering how companies merge. I need to find information from a law standpoint and was hoping you could help. Are there any procedures that need to be done and if so, what are they? Thanks! ETolz

I'm sure it would be different from country to country, even from state to state. Can you tell us where you are? JackofOz 12:48, 14 September 2006 (UTC)
See the article on mergers and acquisitions. The most common way in the United States is for one corporation to buy the shares of another. It sounds like you might need to find a lawyer. Remember, you never know who is advising you on Wikipedia - it might be a lawyer or it might be a fourteen year old. Lamont A Cranston 12:58, 14 September 2006 (UTC)
That's right, it could be a 14 year old, or even somebody untrustworthy, like a lawyer. :-) StuRat 13:20, 14 September 2006 (UTC)
See Detroit Newspaper Agency for an example of another type of merger, a Joint Operating Agreement. StuRat 13:22, 14 September 2006 (UTC)

[edit] DIVORCE UNDER ISLAMIC LAW.

Islamic(Shariah Law) allows divorce by both husband and wife under specified circumstances and those are detailed in most books etc covering this topic.

However in the case of a husband and wife where they have been married and lived as a married couple for a number of years (say 30 Years), and one of them say the wife walks out of the marriage, and there is no contact for a very long period of time in excess of 20 years.

Neither party issue Talq or Khula (divorce by husband or wife) is the marriage annulled or are they still married, or are they deemed to be divorced.

How long a period after the absence of one of the partners does the annullment/divorce take place, is this automatic.

Neither party wishes to make contact with each other.


is the situation changed if one of them say the husband dies say after 1 year 5 years or 20 years after the desertion by the wife.

I would me most interested in learing as to authority any advice is based ie the quran, hadith etc.

Well,if one of them dies then that certainly changes the situation. Regardless of their marital status before,the surviving person is now a widow/er.The deceased partner presumably has other worries than their marital status...

Also please identify yourself by typing four ~s :)

Lemon martini 22:36, 14 September 2006 (UTC)
Sharia#Divorce laws.--06:46, 16 September 2006 (UTC)

[edit] How do you spell Nieche?

I'm looking for information on a man who I believe was a philosopher, maybe religious. However, I can't find anything on him because I can't spell his name. At least I think that is the problem.

Thanks.

Friedrich Nietzsche - Nunh-huh 16:15, 14 September 2006 (UTC)
Once you've mastered how to spell Nunh-huh, Nietzsche is a piece of cake. DirkvdM 08:10, 15 September 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Origin of a type of film montage

The montage I am talking about usually looks like this: we see the protagonist from the front, walking through abstract city streets at night. As he or she is walking, neon signs that have some connection to the plot float by. Here is a visual example from Futurama. I have also seen it on the Simpsons and some Looney Tunes cartoons, I think. It's absolutely cliched and I don't think I've ever seen it in a serious context. But where is it from, originally? Rueckk 16:52, 14 September 2006 (UTC)

According to this it is a reference to The Lost Weekend. This kind of parody which everybody recognises but whose source is mostly not recognised or remembered can be considered a form of simulacrum. MeltBanana 18:50, 14 September 2006 (UTC)
Yes! Thank you. I can't believe it doesn't have a better name than the famous "character walking toward the camera as neon signs pass by" camera effect, though. Weird. Rueckk 22:54, 14 September 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Plato/Aristotle Debate on Poetry

Hello, I would like to know, in detail how Aristotle refutes Plato's claim against Poetry being a mere imitation. I would like to get an answer from a Literature standpoint, and not from a Philosophy one. Thankyou.I love life359 17:36, 14 September 2006 (UTC)Supriya

One detailed account might be found in the original texts: Plato's words inThe Republic and Aristotle's answer in his Poetics. These are links to The Gutenberg Project's English translations.---Sluzzelin 20:53, 14 September 2006 (UTC)

[edit] The chase

Hi I still need help trying to find a painting by Leighton Sumner.

Well if the painting appeared on the cover of a book and their few other references elsewhere to this artist your best chance is to contact the book publisher directly. MeltBanana 19:04, 14 September 2006 (UTC)
If the painting appears anywhere in print, there should be a credit showing the source, either right next to the image in fine print, or at the beginning or end of the book in the acknowledgments. You can then track down the source online and contact them directly. Marco polo 20:29, 14 September 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Music

http://www.sortitoutsi.net/forums/index.php?act=Attach&type=post&id=5816

Allow a little time to load. Please tell me what this song is from the music given. I haven`t a clue.

Sounds to me like some kind of soft rock abomination by Genesis or the like. Beyond that, I can't help you I'm afraid. --Richardrj talk email 19:19, 14 September 2006 (UTC)

Cheers anyway hopefully someone will know.

[edit] Home Run

In baseball, when the batter hits a home run into the stands, why must he run around the bases? Is this just a celebration? If he didn't run around the bases, would the home run count? Alek

This seems to be the relevant rule (from this page (emphasis added) -
7.05 Each runner including the batter runner may, without liability to be put out, advance-
(a) To home base, scoring a run, if a fair ball goes out of the playing field in flight and he touched all bases legally; or if a fair ball which, in the umpire's judgment, would have gone out of the playing field in flight, is deflected by the act of a fielder in throwing his glove, cap, or any article of his apparel;
--LarryMac 19:52, 14 September 2006 (UTC)
If the batter neglects to touch a base while he makes his way around them, the fielding team can grab the ball and tag the base he missed, and then he's out. Of course, retrieving the ball out of the stands may be difficult. User:Zoe|(talk) 02:03, 15 September 2006 (UTC)
Yet some of the "official" rules are waived for home runs. Technically, a player should not touch a teammate before touching home-plate. Yet often the excitement of the whole thing has the whole team running out of the dugout doing "high-fives" with the home-run hitter as he jogs from third to home. The umpires are apparently not too bothered by this. Loomis 06:40, 17 September 2006 (UTC)

[edit] History Question

In the Mappa Mundi, what were the 3 continents in terms of Region of light? We learnt it in History, and i need to know for my homework

Our article on Mappa Mundi notes that some 1,100 such maps have survived, and contains some demonstrative pictures. Since it doesn't mention regions of light, and the advice on this page specifically asks you not to ask other people to do your homework, do your extensive and detailed notes from class shed any more illumination on the topic? --Mnemeson 20:40, 14 September 2006 (UTC)
Obviously you didn't learn this in history. AllanHainey 11:29, 15 September 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Ali Primera: a poet and singer from Venezuela

How I can help to fix the article about Ali Primera you present here in your Wikipedia? I am a research and writer who live here in Coro city whwew Ali primera was born.

Thank you.

Josè Millet

Would you answer me to this email address:

<Email addy removed per advice at top of page> www.caribenet.info

Hi Jose - you can edit any article in Wikipedia by clicking on the "Edit this page" tag at the top of every page. Just remember to keep your edits verifiable and Neutral point of view, and you're away! Hope you enjoy editing WP, and improving it for everyone. --Mnemeson 20:34, 14 September 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Federalist 15 & 51

How does the american government embody the ideas Madison expresses in Federalist 51?

How does the american government embody the ideas Hamilton expresses in Federalist 15?

141.164.81.192 23:49, 14 September 2006 (UTC)Nick

Federalist No. 15 (Insufficiency of the Present Confederation to Preserve the Union) seems to have been a criticism of early governing documents and has probably become obsolete by now. Look up separation of powers for the issues addressed in Federalist No. 51 (The Structure of the Government Must Furnish the Proper Checks and Balances Between the Different Departments). ---Sluzzelin 00:04, 15 September 2006 (UTC)