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July 12

Ender's Game

After reading this article, I'm intrigued. Can anyone tell me what passage from Ender's Game was read to the class? Dismas|^(talk) 00:36, 12 July 2013 (UTC)[reply]

The only 'pornographic' scene I can remember is the shower fight between Ender and Bonzo. Although, after reading that article and also this one they linked to, it seems the whole book is being described as pornographic and it really wouldn't matter what part of the book the teacher was reading to the kids. uhhlive (talk) 12:56, 12 July 2013 (UTC)[reply]

A friend once told me everyone is naked at all times in Ender's Game - I did not get that impression myself while reading the book, and I'm not sure where my friend got the information. He hates Orson Scott Card and it was part of a diatribe about how OSC is a bigot and a pervert, so I didn't pay much heed, but if this "all the kids are naked" thing is true (or at least a widespread perception), it may be part of the reason the book could be considered pornographic. Still seems like quite a stretch though. 64.201.173.145 (talk) 13:15, 13 July 2013 (UTC)[reply]

2000s western/crime film

I'm trying to track down a movie I watched on HBO or Showtime around 2007 or early 2008. I remember very little of the plot, but I'm fairly certain it took place in the present-day, and was definitely set somewhere in the Southwestern United States, near the border with Mexico. It involved a guy (I'm terrible at remembering actors), possibly an Iraq or Afghanistan veteran, who wound up in a small town in or near New Mexico. The town was basically under the thumb of someone who controlled the drug trade in the area (he may have been a sheriff or other public official). Soon after arriving, he met a young woman who operated a bookstore/library; she had a young child, and warned the man that the town probably wasn't the sort of place he wanted to be. Now that I think of it, the woman may have been related to the town's resident crime boss, though I'm uncertain about that. The movie ended with a climactic shoot-out where a building was burned down. The film couldn't have been more than four or five years old when I saw it. Sorry to be so vague on the details. Just to pre-empt that guess, it was definitely not No Country for Old Men. Evanh2008 ^{(talk|contribs)} 01:33, 12 July 2013 (UTC)[reply]

I guess it was Conspiracy, though I'm now wondering if my memory is so bad that I don't remember Val Kilmer being in it... Evanh2008 ^{(talk|contribs)} 03:09, 12 July 2013 (UTC)[reply]

puppets on display

I was wondering if any museum in the world has these specific puppets on display. Are the puppets used in The Crab with the Golden Claws (film) on display in a French museum? Are any Rankin-Bass-related puppets on display in a studios museum? Where are the Fireman Sam puppets displayed? Anyone know?142.255.103.121 (talk) 03:04, 12 July 2013 (UTC)[reply]

For Fireman Sam, there are some Welsh animation exhibits at the National Museum Wales—there is a photo of a Fireman Sam maquette on their website, but it's not clear if they have an animation puppet. Also, this article mentions a six-foot-tall Fireman Sam puppet in the S4C archives which was apparently going to be used in an exhibition about growing up in Wales. --Canley (talk) 05:33, 12 July 2013 (UTC)[reply]

There's an article here on stop-motion puppets, which confirms that not a lot of them survive the film making process due to lights, heat, handling and storage. Several books and articles on Rankin-Bass mention that almost all their puppets were thrown out or destroyed in the 1980s, although there was a widely-reported discovery and restoration of the Rudolph and Santa puppets, which do seem to tour around and be exhibited in various animation and puppetry museums. --Canley (talk) 05:43, 12 July 2013 (UTC)[reply]

But how about the puppets used in The Crab with the Golden Claws?142.255.103.121 (talk) 04:15, 13 July 2013 (UTC)[reply]

Does this sound effect have a name?

At the twenty second mark of this video, a pterodactyl (or something) screams. I know I've heard that exact sound in shows before, many times, but can't quite put my finger on any of them. So, does this stock sound have a name, like the Wilhelm scream? If not, where have you heard it, and when? InedibleHulk (talk) 11:27, 12 July 2013 (UTC)[reply]

You've linked to a video on a serial killer with a woman being murdered. Either sick or incompetent. μηδείς (talk) 18:37, 12 July 2013 (UTC)[reply]

I don't know why you call the enquirer sick or incompetent. The scream is certainly there, around the 20 to 25 second mark. Britmax (talk) 19:01, 12 July 2013 (UTC)[reply]

Yeah, it's a woman screaming getting stabbed at the 20 second mark. Rather disgusting, nothing to do with a pterodactyl, so it's either dishonest or the wrong link. μηδείς (talk) 19:18, 12 July 2013 (UTC)[reply]

It's actually an actress, and fake blood. Sorry if that offends you, but I figured, in 2013, most people would be used to violence on TV. ~~I've never heard a human woman scream like that, but if that's your answer, so be it.~~ I was referring to the sound just before the actress' scream. Anyone else have an idea? InedibleHulk (talk) 02:37, 13 July 2013 (UTC)[reply]

Yes, clicking on something described as perhaps a pterodactyl to find a depiction of a woman's psychosexual murder is quite offensive. I actually know people who've been murdered, and I would not have clicked on the link or complained had you bothered to accurately describe it. μηδείς (talk) 19:06, 13 July 2013 (UTC)[reply]

Well, that wasn't a sarcastic apology. I'll try to keep a "viewer discretion" note in mind for any future links. InedibleHulk (talk) 14:51, 14 July 2013 (UTC)[reply]

Thanks, I appreciate it. μηδείς (talk) 19:11, 14 July 2013 (UTC)[reply]

There are no known sound recordings of pterodactyls. And, yes, of course it's a re-enactment. The sound effect doesn't sound especially familiar, but it does sound "electronically enhanced" in some way, so it could be most anything. This is a real long shot, but maybe you could find the credits for that show, and see if there's anything about sound. ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 04:06, 13 July 2013 (UTC)[reply]

Yes, there was a brief gap between their extinction and the heyday of the phonograph. Maybe I should have specified fake pterodactyl (or fake something). Reminds me of something a flying kaiju would say, somewhat similar to Rodan. I'm almost certain I heard it in some "crappy" show(s) like that.

That other idea was indeed a longshot, and missed. Thanks, though. Hadn't thought of it. InedibleHulk (talk) 04:31, 13 July 2013 (UTC)[reply]

I didn't really get the impression the effect was used here, and don't want to play the video again, but there is a stereotypical screech for kaiju, including from Ultraman, which you will hear with pterodactyls. There's also the sound effect associated with Pyscho, although that's not really taken to be the woman's actual voice. μηδείς (talk) 19:14, 14 July 2013 (UTC)[reply]

This is probably not terribly helpful, but my first thought was that it was likely to be the "flying monster" scream from Hanna Barbera cartoons, which were also used by other animation companies. I remember there being two different screams, but the only one I'm able to find a clip of is this one (link to Star Trek: The Animated Series), which is not the same. --some jerk on the Internet (talk) 16:41, 15 July 2013 (UTC)[reply]

Pyscho? Was that the movie where a student assumed the personality of a demented English teacher and started slashing defenseless spelling books? Clarityfiend (talk) 09:02, 17 July 2013 (UTC)[reply]

Try this site that sells stock media here. I think it is called a Banshee Scream Richard-of-Earth (talk) 16:53, 15 July 2013 (UTC)[reply]

Cool site, thanks. Might be a slowed down "banshee", but also sounds a bit like the "dragons". I'll look more into this. InedibleHulk (talk) 19:53, 15 July 2013 (UTC)[reply]

Here's a link to the YouTube clip about a woman being murdered that starts in the right place. Richard-of-Earth (talk) 17:00, 15 July 2013 (UTC)[reply]

Several replacements for one site?

IMDb is hailed as the best movie website ever, but I've grown disenchanted with it (for reasons that I'd rather not specify). I was thinking I could use other websites that have the same functions that I use it for; looking up actors' filmographies; keeping track of what movies I've seen; and looking up data on individual movies.

Also, it's gotten a lot less cerebral in recent years; not that it ever was to begin with, but Trip with the Teacher, formerly rated 1.3/10, now scores 3.2 while The Tree of Life, a deserved critical masterpiece, scores 6.8.

IMDb is probably the only site that does all of the above in one, but what other websites also do these same things?Theskinnytypist (talk) 18:32, 12 July 2013 (UTC)[reply]

Off-topic irrelevance

The following discussion has been closed. Please do not modify it.

If you are simply concerned with the people who run IMDB you can disable cookies for them specifically, and continue to use IMDB. It's not like they're the NSA or something. μηδείς (talk) 19:19, 12 July 2013 (UTC)[reply]

How is that telling the OP "what other websites do these same things"? -- Jack of Oz ^[Talk] 22:55, 12 July 2013 (UTC)[reply]

Obviously it's not, it's telling him how he can continue using the one site whose functionality he actually likes, without worrying they are spying on him. Of course maybe it's a grudge, and not a feer of spying that's the problem, but then it would be up to the OP to explain exactly what the problem is, but he doesn't want to. It's kind of like going to the doctor and asking for a pill without explaining where it hurts. μηδείς (talk) 23:07, 12 July 2013 (UTC)[reply]

Competent doctors ask for more information, they don't just start assuming a pain in an unspecified place is in the 3rd finger of the left hand. Your introduction of spying is completely off-topic, and this part of the thread is going where it deserves. -- Jack of Oz ^[Talk] 23:19, 12 July 2013 (UTC)[reply]

Turner Classic Movies is better in some respects, lacking in others. AllRovi has too many errors. Clarityfiend (talk) 22:42, 12 July 2013 (UTC)[reply]

The American Film Institute and the British Film Institute sites are good alternatives. Also this section of the Criterion Collection's website will lead you to a large assortment of essays and comments. MarnetteD | Talk 23:15, 12 July 2013 (UTC)[reply]

OP, perhaps Rotten Tomatoes would be more to your liking. I'm a bit surprised that it hadn't already been mentioned. Dismas|^(talk) 13:20, 13 July 2013 (UTC)[reply]

Wikipedia itself does most of that, except for keeping track of movies you've watched 82.44.76.14 (talk) 14:36, 13 July 2013 (UTC)[reply]

My Little Pony IDW Comic Books Series

WP:FORUM

The following discussion has been closed. Please do not modify it.

All of the My Little Pony IDW comic books are not for little girls or children. They are for the bronies and mature reader only. I read comments on Derpibooru saying that they are not little girls. They are not for kids. Am I right?184.20.209.241 (talk) 19:54, 12 July 2013 (UTC)[reply]

You have been given repeated answers and references about this question. If you wish to discuss further, please go to an appropriate forum. uhhlive (talk) 21:49, 12 July 2013 (UTC)[reply]

Bug hierarchy, from strongest to weakest

I was watching Japanese Bug Fights yesterday, and it made me wonder: which bug can beat which? So I came up with a hierarchy. In the hierarchy, I used examples: scorpion (buthus occitanus), stag beetle (lucanus cervus), tarantula (brachypelma vagans), giant centipede (scolopendra gigantea), and praying mantis (mantis religiosa). Using those examples, I figured the hierarchy would be this way, from stronger to weakest: giant centipede>stag beetle>scorpion>tarantula>praying mantis. Is this hierarchy correct? Rebel Yeh (talk) 23:56, 12 July 2013 (UTC)[reply]

Amazing the things one has never heard of. μηδείς (talk) 00:32, 13 July 2013 (UTC)[reply]

Round Robin tournament or battle royale? I think your stag beetle is ranked too high, in either case. I'd have him ahead of only the mantis. That scorpion is apparently more poisonous in Africa than Europe, so it would depend where this battle took place. Centipede probably belongs where you have it.

But there will always be variables and fluke wins, so there's no sure answer. Gamble responsibly. If it matters, none of those are true bugs. InedibleHulk (talk) 14:29, 13 July 2013 (UTC)[reply]

In the broader sense. And is this one-on-one, or are teams allowed. Because a sufficient quantity of some types of ants should be able to defeat any of those critters. And there could be (though I don't know) very small critters such as types of mites which might be able to destroy a larger insect. ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 23:55, 13 July 2013 (UTC)[reply]

Indeed there is some evidence that bumble bee populations are being negatively impacted by mites. MarnetteD | Talk 03:42, 14 July 2013 (UTC)[reply]

With bees, ants and other hive animals, any rules about teams and handicap matches may be complicated. They all have the same DNA, and work as a cohesive unit for a single purpose (the good of the queen). In my eyes, a single ant is akin to a single centipede leg. Fortunately for the centipede, the OP didn't mention ants. InedibleHulk (talk) 10:53, 14 July 2013 (UTC)[reply]

If you go to YouTube and enter the names of various animals you can find all kinds of spontaneous and not-so-spontaneous animal fights. For example, here's a centipede warning off a hog who wants no part of the nasty thing. For what it's worth, giant centipede is at the top of my list, even above scorpions. Vicious. Matt Deres (talk) 16:39, 14 July 2013 (UTC)[reply]