Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Humanities/2010 March 1

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March 1

Matt Morrison

Is the signature in the top left "Matt Morrison"?174.3.99.176 (talk) 03:58, 1 March 2010 (UTC)

At 500%, that's what it looks like, but I have no source. Bielle (talk) 04:04, 1 March 2010 (UTC)

It is Matt Morison (Canadian snowboarder). [1] --Cam (talk) 05:59, 1 March 2010 (UTC)

Article about a London park with a "protected" view

I am trying to find a article about a park, which I believe is somewhere on the outer edges of London, that has a hill were the view from that hill cannot be obstructed or changed so that it looks the same as it did in a painting that was made quite a long time ago. The hill also overlooks a river from what I remember. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 98.22.112.106 (talk) 04:07, 1 March 2010 (UTC)

Quite possibly Richmond Park where it is bordered by the River Thames. "The view from the top of Richmond Hill, a source of inspiration for artists and poets throughout the years, has been protected by an Act of Parliament since 1902." [2] Our article on Richmond Hill, London gives more info. Is this what you were looking for? BrainyBabe (talk) 07:16, 1 March 2010 (UTC)

Other candidates are Parliament Hill on Hampstead Heath, and Greenwich Park which is a World Heritage Site. Planning laws are very strict in the UK and any well known view will have legal protection from development. Alansplodge (talk) 09:51, 1 March 2010 (UTC)

Also see the article on Protected view. Alansplodge (talk) 11:16, 1 March 2010 (UTC)

I believe thats the one. And I can't believe I didn't try searching for Protected View earlier. Thank you for your help BrainyBabe and Alansplodge. Its greatly appreciated. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 65.19.20.211 (talk) 17:04, 3 March 2010 (UTC)

I believe that has to be Greenwich Park, which, from the hill, the view overlooks the Thames, The Queen's House & The Royal Naval College & The Maratime Meuseum. Also time is taken from the Royal Observitory Clock on the hill, for Ocean-going shipping, if this view is obstructed then shipping cannot see the Clock. (I can investigate.) In the Article page: Greenwich Park, you can see the panoramic view from the hill and also the Observitory and The Clock,(next photo). The Shipping Clock is the object on the top / roof of the Observitory. The "ball" falls down at a precise time daily.

The Article page: Greenwich Park, says that the view overlooks also Greenwich Hospital. That is not true. It overlooks The (Old) Seamen's Hospital, not used any more but is part of Greenwich University. Greenwich Hospital has moved to: The Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Woolwich. The building "Greenwich Hospital", is disused, it used to be the old work-house site. (In the panoramic view, it is located on the extreme left hidden from view behind the trees.). In the park there is a lot of gray squirrils and the green parrot,(flocks).

It doesn't mean Greenwich Hospital, it means Sir Christopher Wren's Royal Hospital for Seamen which became the Royal Naval College after the hospital closed in 1869.

{{No. No. Looking at the plaque on the hill, (places numbered, and indicated), that is not so. They mean Greenwich Hospital, not the Seamens' Hospital. The Seamens' Hospital closed 15 to 20 years ago approx.(Post Script).MacOfJesus (talk) 17:37, 6 March 2010 (UTC)}}

Richmond Hill park may also be a protected view.

MacOfJesus (talk) 19:55, 5 March 2010 (UTC)

Restaurant Laws in Western Australia

Is it true that a BYO restaurant DOES NOT have to supply you with tap water while dining in their establishment? I was in a restaurant last night with my friend who is pregnant. She asked for a glass of water but was refused saying that they were not required to supply customers with tap water. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 123.208.198.141 (talk) 04:09, 1 March 2010 (UTC)

I don't know about Western Australia, but there is no such requirement in the UK (despite many people thinking otherwise). Some licensed premises (mainly clubs, I think) have it written into their licenses that they must supply free water as a precaution against ecstasy users getting dehydrated (the main cause of death from ecstasy), but I doubt many restaurants do. Certainly one that didn't serve alcohol wouldn't. --Tango (talk) 05:17, 1 March 2010 (UTC)

I'm fairly sure that responsible service of alcohol laws in QLD dictate that you must serve non-alcoholic beverages but I don't think they have to be free. As for WA I don't know.203.217.33.23 (talk) 07:44, 1 March 2010 (UTC)

Ironically, this rumour first gainer credence after the moral panic caused by the death of a teenager who had drunk too much water, not too little. See Leah Betts. 130.88.162.46 (talk) 12:45, 1 March 2010 (UTC)

This matches up with what is said about ACT clubs, but I can't find any legislation from a cursory search. Steewi (talk) 02:26, 2 March 2010 (UTC)

Regardless of the law, the correct way of handling that would be to stand up and walk out. "Due to the lack of simple tap water, which traditionally accompanies every meal, I refuse to pay for what I've ordered so far and am leaving now. Unless you rectify this situation." They have a tap. The have glasses. They dislike customers making a scene that will be seen by other customers. --203.22.236.14 (talk) 10:47, 2 March 2010 (UTC)

US Politics - Definition of "top tier candidate" or "first tier candidate"

In US Politics, what is meant by the concept "top tier" candidate or "first tier" candidate for offices such as State Legislator (Senate, Assembly, etc) and US Congress? I assume that this is some kind of rating system. I've heard the terms "top tier" "first tier" and "lower tier" candidates but I have no idea who creates these ratings or how the ratings are arrived at. I've used wikipedia many times, but this is the first time I've ever tried to ask a question using this reference desk. I'm not even sure if this is the right place to ask my question. Is there a way to create a page with this question and ask people to provide answers? What is the best approach?

Thanks for all you do.

Sincerely, William Cerf WilliamCerf (talk) 05:11, 1 March 2010 (UTC)

You are in exactly the right place and you asked the question correctly, by just creating a new section on this page. There isn't any legal basis for the judgment that someone is a "top tier" candidate. This is just an opinion that someone has offered, presumably for candidates who are well-known enough to be electable. If you have a web link to demonstrate an example, we might be able to offer more specific comments. Comet Tuttle (talk) 06:03, 1 March 2010 (UTC)

It's a subjective judgement, usually taken by media outlets as to which candidates have the sufficient combination of money, recognition, support (typically in polls) and other factors to be considered reasonably likely to win the election in question. 130.88.162.46 (talk) 12:37, 1 March 2010 (UTC)

I think that the only time this concept is used with actually consequence is in regard to providing Secret Service protection to the top level candidates during the Presidential campaign. Rmhermen (talk) 14:41, 1 March 2010 (UTC)

I never heard the term in Political Science classes. Recently, I've heard it discussed within party circles as the highest office the party is sponsoring. Obama was the top tier candidate. A state rep would be low tier in comparison. A dog catcher would be lower tier. They want the top tier to be a big enough draw so people continue to vote along party lines. A very popular lower tier candidate might increase the turnout for a Presidential or gubentorial candidate.75Janice (talk) 01:20, 2 March 2010 (UTC)75Janice

Figure Skating

I've seen elements done in figure skating done on roller skates (i.e.: salcow on roller skates). Is this possible with inline (in line) skates?174.3.99.176 (talk) 05:51, 1 March 2010 (UTC)

Yes. There are even several how-to books! Best, WikiJedits (talk) 18:08, 1 March 2010 (UTC)

How does inline skating differ from roller skating?174.3.99.176 (talk) 06:15, 2 March 2010 (UTC)

Sexuality images in Wikipedia

Why sexuality related images in Wikipedia are computer generated images instead of showing real humans? For example, the images in Oral stimulation of nipples and Mammary intercourse do not show real humans. Why? --DogNoDog (talk) 06:32, 1 March 2010 (UTC) — DogNoDog (talk • contribs) has made few or no other edits outside this topic.

Could be a free-content issue. ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 06:43, 1 March 2010 (UTC)

It's likely because nobody has uploaded a free image, as Bugs suggests. If you look at Pearl necklace (sexuality), you'll see that not all the sexuality articles only have line drawings. Dismas|^(talk) 07:16, 1 March 2010 (UTC)

And while the OP could upload a PD-self image, I wonder what it would tell us (other than TMI about the OP) that the current illustration does not? ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 07:26, 1 March 2010 (UTC)

The current images are more tasteful as well, I think. -Pollinosisss (talk) 07:28, 1 March 2010 (UTC)

(ec)The illustrations in the articles you cite seem to demonstrate the ideas involved adequately. In what way would photographs improve the clarity of the articles? wikipedia is not censored, but it's not here to provide pictures you find pleasing, either. PhGustaf (talk) 07:33, 1 March 2010 (UTC)

I don't think it's a free-content issue—you'd be surprised how many professional and amateur pornographers are willing to contribute their nudity pix. I think it is more a compromise over trying to provide "encyclopedic" images on a controversial subject. Many people (myself included) find a drawing of sexual intercourse far less problematic than a photograph of it, when we are trying to explain rather than titillate. Obviously opinions vary quite a bit, and there are many who are die-hard "no censorship, no matter what!" who would disagree just for the sake of disagreeing. --Mr.98 (talk) 12:50, 1 March 2010 (UTC)

What is the difference between a photograph and a computer generated image? How can an image show real humans? Are they going climb inside my computer? Bus stop (talk) 13:54, 1 March 2010 (UTC)

Come now, don't play daft, adults are trying to have real discussions about encyclopedic content around here. Surely whatever anti-censorship argument you want doesn't have to rest on the ridiculous notion that people perceive drawings and photographs to be exactly the same thing, especially when it comes to medical/sexual subjects. Google "penis cancer" and try to tell me that the photographs do not generate a radically different emotional response than the diagrams. --Mr.98 (talk) 14:17, 1 March 2010 (UTC)

(after edit conflict) A photograph usually conveys authenticity (though not always, see Obama-Palin question above :-). A line drawing is immediately perceived as an artefact, before we even know what we are looking at. In addition to the ick-effect, a line drawing is also often a clearer way to communicate structure and functional relationships within the depicted object(s). I remember when I had to study and memorize hundres of plant species for exams, I found the books showing (coloured) illustrations much easier to process and much more helpful than photographs of the various plant species in their natural habitat. ---Sluzzelin talk 14:22, 1 March 2010 (UTC)

The reference desk is not a place for discussing Wikipedia policy. If anyone wants to continue this, take it to WP:VPM or something. Algebraist 14:27, 1 March 2010 (UTC)

Roller Skates

The title of the video says Gold Coast. Was this competition held in gold coast? 174.3.99.176 (talk) 06:38, 1 March 2010 (UTC)

As there is a reference on a 'banner' to Australia, do you mean 'Gold Coast', Australia?, as gold coast goes to a dis-ambiguation page. Googling "2007 rollerskating championships" (text inserted) gets "2007 Artistic Roller Skating World Championships LOCATION: Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia VENUE: Carrera Indoor Sports Stadium". The answer seems to be yes.220.101.28.25 (talk) 08:24, 1 March 2010 (UTC)

Robert Service books

The wikipedia article Robert Service (historian) mentions he has written a book named Comrades: A World History of Communism. But in amazon, I found two books: Comrades!: A History of World Communism and Comrades: Communism: A World History. I want to know if the two books I linked are same (just paperback and hardbound) or different? And why the wikipedia article mentions a false title? --Compuhog (talk) 10:27, 1 March 2010 (UTC)

Both titles are listed in paperback and hardbound(but not currently available in both). From the similarity of names I would hazard a guess that they are the same book with slightly different titles. Possibly "Comrades: Communism: A World History" is a later edition as it also says "the international best seller" on the cover. The other is available as a collectible adding weight to my assertion. The published date Amazon gives for both is May 2007. Therefore it does seem it is the same book.
It's a bit harsh to assume "a false title" for what could well be a mere mistake! It seems to be a combination of the two titles. 220.101.28.25 (talk) 11:38, 1 March 2010 (UTC)

A simple Google search shows the exact Robert Service title, Comrades: A World History of Communism on Amazon.--220.101.28.25 (talk) 11:54, 1 March 2010 (UTC)

I did a Google Books search on the word "communism" with author "Service". The first hit was on Comrades!: A History of World Communism and provided a limited preview which included the full table of contents. This is a US paperback edition from Macmillan. The second hit was on Comrades: A World History of Communism. This is a UK edition from Macmillan. This hit showed me three chapter titles (that contained the word "communism") with chapter and page numbers, and they exactly matched the table of contents. So these two titles refer to the same book. After a few irrelevant hits, there was one on Comrades: Communism: A World History. This is a UK edition from Pan. Google Books would not display any content from this book but it gave the number of pages as being the same as the other two. Also, the front covers of all three books are displayed and those of the two British editions are very similar. Conclusion: they are all the same book (the Pan edition might have minor changes since it is dated a year later), and it has been published under three different titles. (Note: The amount of content that Google Books shows you may depend on what country you're in.) --Anonymous, edited 08:09 UTC, March 2, 2010.

what caused the 1962 Burmese coup in the first place?

The article Burmese Way to Socialism does not explain it at all, but Burma prior to 1962 was on its way to becoming prosperous and stable, something akin to Malaysia, or Thailand on a good day. It seems there were a lot of little things, but no real kicker that caused the coup. What keeps the momentum so long? The ideology doesn't seem to be coherent, is it just power for power's sake, like African coups? Anyone? --Chris (クリス • フィッチュ) (talk) 13:23, 1 March 2010 (UTC)

Have a look at this result on Google Books[3]. Alansplodge (talk) 15:52, 1 March 2010 (UTC)

Thank you! --Chris (クリス • フィッチュ) (talk) 05:22, 6 March 2010 (UTC)

Econ question

I've begun a new disambiguation page, Congruence principle, which could use some feedback, particularly under the Economics entry. My last Econ class was a hundred years ago, and I no longer recall the terminology that criticises economic theories that operate only within a theoretical closed system and don't translate to real-world economies. Help? -- TheEditrix2 17:04, 1 March 2010 (UTC)

"creative accounting"

Is this a common or known fraud otherwise called "creative accounting"?

• The seller knows that an item will not work with 60hz and that for all practical purposes is defective when used with 60hz.
• The seller sells an item anyway to buyers without warning of the 60 hz issue and under terms that buyer pays return postage to have the seller verify the item has a factory defect. The seller assures the buyer a refund of purchase price and postage upon verification.
• The seller stipulates that in absence of a factory defect at sellers determination buyer will not be refunded postage and will be charged a 15% restocking fee.
• Seller's goal is to make 30% profit on sale of any item that is returned as defective.
• The item price is $27.99 including $3.29 real postage and undeclared handling fee of ~20% of price minus postage or $5.82. A total of $9.10 is then declared as postage.
• The buyer finds that the item does not work and returns it to the seller at a cost of $3.29. The seller plugs the item into 50hz and declares that it is not defective.
• The seller then deducts the postage fee of $9.10 to get $18,89 and then applies the 15% restocking fee to get $2.83 which he deducts leaving $16.05 as the refund.
• The seller's initial income is $27.99 from which he deducts $3.29 for postage and $16.05 for the refund costing him $19.34 in expenses and leaving him $8.65 or 30% profit.

71.100.5.197 (talk) 17:24, 1 March 2010 (UTC)

In other words, you wonder whether a guy who Ebays defective crap and charges large "restocking" and "handling" fees, can be held legally liable, or forced to provide a full refund?

Nope. Not if he disclosed all his terms up front, and you fell for it. That's why the term Caveat Emptor was invented. Check the feedback ratings before you buy. -- TheEditrix2 17:37, 1 March 2010 (UTC)

We had a neighbor who is now in prison because he was sort of obsessive compulsive like that female astronaut that went bonkers. He tracked down the seller that did something similar to him and that's why he is in prison. The seller, unfortunately despite his disclosed terms is now enjoying eternal rest at Forest Lawn. 71.100.5.197 (talk) 17:44, 1 March 2010 (UTC)

That isn't creative accounting. As for whether it is illegal or not, you'll need to ask a lawyer. We can't give legal advice. --Tango (talk) 17:45, 1 March 2010 (UTC)

The question has nothing to do with law but with morality and in this case the lack of morality resulting in mortality. 71.100.5.197 (talk) 17:56, 1 March 2010 (UTC)

As for checking feedback ratings, have you ever visited eBay lately? Feedback is not handled like it was at the beginning of eBay because it hampered sales. Now its just a guise that's part of the disguise that eBay has become. 71.100.5.197 (talk) 18:01, 1 March 2010 (UTC)

Yup, just bought a couple of cell phones on ebay last week. But not 'til I'd very carefully examined the seller's feedback ratings. I begin by assuming sellers are crooks, so I would NEVER do business with someone who charged "restocking" or "handling" fees, or who had a rating of less than 97 percent positive. Just my own rule of thumb. -- TheEditrix2 18:13, 1 March 2010 (UTC)

One day then you will probably make a purchase from a guy who has the restocking fee posted on his web site but not on eBay and when it comes time to ask for a refund he will point to that. What are you going to say then? Gee I didn't look on your web site or that his restocking fee does not apply whether declared or not if you the customer can not use the item because the item does not work. In other words the emphasis has to be on the morality of the transaction rather than on some small print. 71.100.5.197 (talk) 18:26, 1 March 2010 (UTC)

This is sort of getting into the uncomfortable area of "legal advice", which we do not allow ourselves to give; but I am going to say that when you state "the emphasis has to be on the morality of the transaction rather than on some small print", it would be nice if that were the case, but it's not true. When you agree to a contract, you're agreeing to all its terms. Now, if the "fine print" you are objecting to is over on his web site, then you may have an argument, in court, that you never agreed to those terms; but as a practical matter, when you buy stuff on eBay, you never want to go to court. For what it's worth, from what you have said above, I think this guy should give you a refund; but I don't know if he's legally obliged to. If you're really angry and you have a lot of time on your hands, you may be able to sue him in small claims court, even if he is out of state (depends on the rules for small claims courts in your locality). Comet Tuttle (talk) 19:30, 1 March 2010 (UTC)

I never look at the ratings, I look at the actual feedback. If there are any negative responses, I find them (which ebay doesn't make easy) and see what actually happened. --Tango (talk) 18:21, 1 March 2010 (UTC)

To the very first question, we have an article called creative accounting. A telling line at the top says that "Cooking the books" redirects to "creative accounting". Comet Tuttle (talk) 19:31, 1 March 2010 (UTC)

I have to agree with Caveat Emptor. As they say in most places except Texas and maybe Tennessee, fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me [4]. One would have thought that the Windows CD key fiasco was enough to learn to be careful with eBay sellers... Nil Einne (talk) 03:10, 2 March 2010 (UTC)

I'd just like to mention that my comment that I made here yesterday has disapearred. The comment briefly said that the OP previous question with responces from others, which I guess the OP did not like, on the Science desk had (also) disapeared, but you can find it here http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Wikipedia:Reference_desk/Science&diff=347004838&oldid=347001486 I think its against etiquette to delete other people's comments. I've kept a copy of this paragraph in case it disapears again. 78.149.112.209 (talk) 14:27, 2 March 2010 (UTC)

Last U.S. Vice President to rule from the Chair of the Senate

Which was the last U.S. Vice President to overrule the Senate Parliamentarian from the Chair of the Senate? Logoth (talk) 17:47, 1 March 2010 (UTC)

I don't know the answer but wanted to save other editors time by writing that the constitutionality of this sounded doubtful to me, but I looked into it and it's definitely constitutional and plausible. Comet Tuttle (talk) 18:17, 1 March 2010 (UTC)

Senate procedure and practice (publ. 2008) by Martin Gold says, "It is often misstated that the parliamentarian makes rulings. The presiding officer rules after having received the parliamentarian's counsel. Although the presiding officer has the power to ignore the parliamentarian's advice and simply rule on his own, it would be extraordinary for him to do so" (emphasis added). That suggests that hasn't happened since the Senate parliamentarian office was created in 1937. Abecedare (talk) 18:33, 1 March 2010 (UTC)

Update: It did happen in 1949 when Alben Barkley disregarded the parliamentarian's advice. However the Senate overruled Barkley's ruling 41-46. See the article The Constitutional Option to Change Senate Rules and Procedures: A Majoritarian Means to over Come the Filibuster (pages 24-25) for details. Abecedare (talk) 18:52, 1 March 2010 (UTC)

• Also, in 2001, the Senate Parliamentarian got the ultimate overruling: the Republicans fired him when he made a couple of rulings that benefitted the (then-minority) Democrats. --M@rēino 14:52, 2 March 2010 (UTC)

Art

I have an original oil painting of a hunting scene and I am not sure of the artist. I believe it reads either A or Q Folquet or maybe Falquet. I am not sure of the date of the painting and was wondering if anyone has come across the artist. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 86.46.152.65 (talk) 22:35, 1 March 2010 (UTC)

I can't find a "Folquet" of any initial on Artprice and the only "Falquet" is a "Joseph". There were no auction photos available and the one work listed for "Joseph Falquet" had not sold, so I have no prices for you either. One "Alexander Falquet" did live in Cincinnati about 1820 and is listed here. I could find no examples of his art or any prices. Sorry; that's a lot of negative by way of an answer. Perhaps someone else will have better luck. Bielle (talk) 02:57, 2 March 2010 (UTC)

Could you maybe take a closeup photo of a portion of the painting containing the signature? That might help. ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 04:05, 2 March 2010 (UTC)

A. Falquet
Born in Lyon, France in 1900.He distinguished himself at the artistical Lyceum by winning school prizes, which encouraged his love for painting.
His political exile in England influenced his painting.
Each of his paintings is anedoctical in defining types and customs of that country, but however they are full of grace and quickness.
Prizes: "Manchester" one-man show in several pubs of the Latin Quarter. source --Saippuakauppias ⇄ 11:35, 12 April 2022 (UTC)

Coffe With Puree

Are the any drinks with coffee and fruit puree (so with these 2 ingredients mixed together)?174.3.99.176 (talk) 23:14, 1 March 2010 (UTC)

I know we can make these ourselves, but are there restaurants (these include starbucks type establisments) that sell these? How about retail (such as grocers).?174.3.99.176 (talk) 23:15, 1 March 2010 (UTC)

I don't think fruit puree (as opposed to syrup) reacts well to being heated. DJ Clayworth (talk) 14:11, 2 March 2010 (UTC)

• I've never tried it, but apparently you can make a powder out of the berries that coffee beans grow in, and then mix or bake that fruit. These guys are selling it as a juice drink, mixed with some other fruit. Again, never tried it, but it seems up your alley. --M@rēino 14:58, 2 March 2010 (UTC)

Cool, thanks, how about other fruits?174.3.99.176 (talk) 02:17, 3 March 2010 (UTC)