Wikipedia:Reference desk archive/Humanities/2006 September 30

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[edit] Song Name

I have been searching for a song, but I can not remember the name of the song or the artist. Its been roughly 8 years since I last heard it, the only thing I remember for sure is a line that went something like "cast your eyes on the ocean, cast your soul to the sea" then a line here which I sadly do not remember, then "please remember me". For some reason everytime I think of this song the words "Dante's Peak" come to mind, although I have no idea if that has to do with song. Anyone out there know anything about this? TomStar81 (Talk) 07:19, 30 September 2006 (UTC)

Dante's Prayer by Loreena McKennitt ---Sluzzelin 13:24, 30 September 2006 (UTC)
Thank you for helping me find the song. Its still as beautiful as I remeber it to be. TomStar81 (Talk) 01:41, 1 October 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Indian art

could i have some information on some of the indian schools of arts?

Try learn4good. Good luck! ---Sluzzelin 16:10, 30 September 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Companies!

Hi,

Can you find me a hierarchy of companies displayed like a family tree (if possible). What i meen is i want to know which companies own eachother. eg somethin like unilever will be at the top and that owns lots of companies and then the companies that are owned by those companies ect.

thanks, --William dady 09:29, 30 September 2006 (UTC)

Try here or here. You will probably have to create your own tree structure, as (a) these become unweildy very quickly (b) company ownerships etc don't always work in the same way as a family tree. --Shantavira 14:03, 30 September 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Navy Stereotype

There is, in the UK at least, a pervading stereotype that people, in effect men, who serve in the Navy are either effeminate or gay. I can imagine that this arose from both the natural consequences of a large group of men being in close proximity for long periods of time without women, or from some idea that sailors need not do any hard physical work as their counterparts in the Army had to. However, I was wondering if there was some other root cause or source for this idea. Any opinions, comments or even answers would be very helpful. Thank you. —Daniel (‽) 16:36, 30 September 2006 (UTC)

  • Well, there's the falsely attributed to Churchill line, "the only traditions of the Royal Navy are rum, sodomy, and the lash." The idea that sailors didn't do hard physical work is rather peculiar -- from what I've read, sailors were worked hard, often at pointless tasks that existed solely to keep them busy (like holystoning the decks.) But yeah, it's probably just the idea of all these men cooped up together for months at a time. --jpgordon∇∆∇∆ 18:45, 30 September 2006 (UTC)
There are self-fulfilling stereotypes as well. You get six gay guys with a big hit like "In the Navy" and people start saying that gays all join the Navy. So, if you are gay, you think that maybe the Navy is a good place to be. Enough gay guys get the same idea and the Navy becomes a place where gay guys can go and answer the question, "Where can you find pleasure?" - or worse, "Oh my goodness, what am I going to do in a submarine?" --Kainaw (talk) 23:02, 30 September 2006 (UTC)
In the U.S. where I served in the Navy one sometimes encounters the same stereotype in the civilian world. Of course that part of the civilian world hasn't quite gotten a clue that women serve on ships now. Within the Navy homophobia is pretty strong. I found that the quickest way to stop two guys from horseplay in the workspace is to walk by smiling and say, "Don't ask, don't tell." Immediately they'd stop wrestling and move to opposite ends of the room no matter how obviously everyone knew they were both really straight. Durova 04:34, 1 October 2006 (UTC)
Hehe. That's right. However, I have never heard that stereotype. If you ask me, as a citizen of the US, being in the military is one of the manliest jobs you can do, and being gay is not very manly at all. I think this is the same the world over. — X [Mac Davis] (SUPERDESK|Help me improve)08:42, 1 October 2006 (UTC)
It hasn't always everywhere been like that: See Sacred Band of Thebes.  --LambiamTalk 11:30, 1 October 2006 (UTC)
... or Shudo ---Sluzzelin 12:03, 1 October 2006 (UTC)

It doesn't help that they use a "beautiful clean" white uniform in most Navies who is simply completly useless in times of war (as soo much stuff in the military). In the words of Col Jessup in a A Few Good Men: "a faggotty white uniform". Flamarande 13:58, 1 October 2006 (UTC)

Thanks for the answers, all. —Daniel (‽) 19:55, 1 October 2006 (UTC)
A retired Royal Navy guy who was a tour guide on the HMS Belfast in London made very disparaging remarks about musicians of the Marine Band which once served on the ship having "very soft hands." My thought was the "Laddy doth protest too much." A book on the 20th century Royal Navy mentioned the custom of old salts taking new crew members down to the lower levels to "inspect the brass rivet."Edison 20:13, 1 October 2006 (UTC)
In the States at least, the uniforms most Navy personnel actually wear to do their jobs would barely be recognizable to a civilian. White uniforms would only be daily attire at certain shore commands where people do mostly office work or interact with the public. Durova 01:44, 2 October 2006 (UTC)
As I said: "completly useless in times of war". You will notice plenty of stuff everywhere in the military that serves no real military purpose, it is mostly there to look "nice, beautiful, clean, or impresive" (in another word: "faggotty" :). Flamarande 03:03, 2 October 2006 (UTC)
...and being gay is not very manly at all. What was that about stereotypes? JackofOz 11:30, 2 October 2006 (UTC)
Surely being gay is the manliest thing possible - guaranteed to have no women involved whatsoever! --Mnemeson 11:38, 2 October 2006 (UTC)
Watch it, Jack! I hope you don't lose your temper once again over this one! You should try to take these things in stride, as I'm so famous for. :--) Loomis 14:01, 5 October 2006 (UTC)
Thank you. (I think). JackofOz 21:43, 7 October 2006 (UTC)
No, your first insticts were right. It was a compliment. You're welcome. My post was perhaps a terribly worded, yet genuine attempt at a sarcastic self-deprecatory remark. Besides, I had no idea about the gay-Navy stereotype. According to the village people, which are of course the definitive authority on gay culture, I thought most gay people hung out at the YMCA. :--) Loomis 03:08, 9 October 2006 (UTC)
It's also important to note that practicing sodomy is not synonymous with homosexuality. You can roger every ensign in service without being gay. Anchoress 03:46, 9 October 2006 (UTC)
That's right. Many gay couples don't practise sodomy, and many straight couples do. (One more stereotype smashed. Only about 5 million to go.) Mind you, if you did roger every ensign in the service, one might question your motives - and lack of discrimination. JackofOz 07:25, 9 October 2006 (UTC)
LMAO@JACK! Seriously. I hadn't had such a good laugh out loud moment for a while as I did following that last line! Good on you! :--) Loomis 09:34, 9 October 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Romeo and Juliet-The Meaning of the Masks

I am looking for information on the masks used in the original play of Romeo and Juliet. Pictures or descriptions of what the masks looked like; what the colors of the masks mean; who attended the capulet ball; whether or not the masks were meant to show emotion. I need to have reference from three websites and one book. Any information would be so helpful....I have been unable to find anything! THank you!!!!

I think you should first read the 5th bullet on the left side of this page. schyler 23:05, 30 September 2006 (UTC)

By "original play", do you mean "the first public performances of the play"? The play The Most Excellent and Lamentable Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet is traditionally dated as being from 1595. I'm afraid no word has reached us across the gulf of history on how the performances were staged. You can read a bit about the mask tradition in our article Masque.  --LambiamTalk 00:21, 1 October 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Puerto Rican Holiday Traditions

I'm doing a research paper for my nursing class. I need to know what are the traditional food's that puerto rican's give up or eat on Religious holidays and any other holidays.

We don't do homework for you... Read the top of the page. --AstoVidatu 23:41, 30 September 2006 (UTC)

Cuisine of Puerto Rico#Holiday food? BTW, in your research paper, make sure not to use apostrophes for plurals. —Keenan Pepper 00:24, 1 October 2006 (UTC)