Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Miscellaneous/2006 August 6

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.

< August 5	Miscellaneous desk archive	August 7 >

Famous One Legged Trick Cyclist

Some years ago I read a book about great eccentrics. The book introduced me to figures like the vicar in a barrel Harold Davidson and the famous flamboyant French farter Le Petomane but my favorite story was of a one legged English man who used to ride a bicycle off a high ledge into a barrel of water and emerge reciting Shakespearean sonnets or similar. He became one of the most popular entertainment figures of early 20th century Britain. I have searched online for him but with no success. Personally I don't believe wikipedia can call itself a true encyclopædia until we have an article on this man. Does anyone else know who I am talking about? --Roisterer 05:24, 6 August 2006 (UTC)[reply]

This has to be a gag posting.--Teutoberg 01:27, 7 August 2006 (UTC)[reply]

No, it's not. As someone who has about 4000 edits, and not one of them non-genuine, I can't see why anyone would think this wasn't a genuine question (after all, is a famous turn-of-the-century one legged English men who rode a bicycle off a high ledge into a barrel of water and emerged reciting Shakespearean sonnets really less likely than the aforementioned Harold Davidson?. Does anyone have a useful response for this question? User:JackofOz is usually very good at answering questions like this. --Roisterer 04:55, 7 August 2006 (UTC)[reply]

Although finding proof of your deranged ravings may be bad for your mental health such a man seems to have existed: [1] [2], is this the book you read? His deeds seem to have outlived his name but may Kilpatrick's Ride (1899) have anything to do with it? MeltBanana 14:48, 7 August 2006 (UTC)[reply]

I suspect Harold Davidson is going to be far more interesting than the one -legged cyclist, though I agree we should have an article on him & his art is anyone can locate good enough source info. The reference on Meltbanana's find, whilst confirmatory, looks like a dead-end in terms of names. Meanwhile Davidson: what was that about? Poor man. (Probably). --Tagishsimon (talk)

Thank you User:MeltBanana & User:Tagishsimon. The film is presumably about him (how many one-legged cyclists could there have been in fin de siecle London?). I will have to keep searching for the book that I first read about him in. --Roisterer 13:21, 8 August 2006 (UTC)[reply]

Silent films

I'm working on a new short film which involves five interconnected vignettes, where there is no dialogue or speaking, only the visual elements such as lighting, angles, editing etc, and the music. The music and visuals will go hand-in-hand to tell a story, without using any words. The composition of the music and the composition of the visuals will work together to tell a story eg through pace, pitch, speed, lighting, angles etc..

I was also toying the idea that I could make this sort of a contemporary silent-film. So I'm just trying to do some research on the area-- what silent films could I watch?

It would be greatly appreciated if people could suggest to me some silent films that could help me in the preparation I do before I go into pre-production. I want to get an idea of how directors have told a story without using words. Preferably, the silent film should make good use of music to help tell the story, as the music is a VERY significant aspect of my project.

Thanks!!!

gelo 06:52, 6 August 2006 (UTC)[reply]

I made some suggestions on the humanities desk. Keep in mind though, that the music used for silent movies was often added much later. The films usually have no 'official' soundtrack, and therefore anyone can add something different - like when Giorgio Moroder wrote a disco score for Fritz Lang's Metropolis. David Sneek 07:54, 6 August 2006 (UTC)[reply]

The Kino DVD version of Metropolis used a rerecorded version of the original score by Gottfried Huppertz, but most released-on-DVD silent films don't have this luxury. You could try 'silent' films made after the advent of sound, such as Monsieur Hulot's Holiday, which contain minimal dialogue and lots of music. Ziggurat 22:33, 6 August 2006 (UTC)[reply]

Good luck. --Proficient 04:10, 9 August 2006 (UTC)[reply]

How to create a Category redirect?

How do we create a category redirect? The Category:Air dispersion modeling needs a redirect of Category:Air dispersion modelling because the UK, Australia, New Zealand and some other countries use the spelling "modelling". Is there any way to create a Category redirect? Thanks in advance. - mbeychok 17:39, 6 August 2006 (UTC)[reply]

See Template talk:Category redirect#Category redirects work now - why use template? for (1) how to do it, and (2) what problems that creates. --Lambiam ^Talk 20:07, 6 August 2006 (UTC)[reply]

Packing tomaotes

--Birdiez 18:14, 6 August 2006 (UTC)Why are tomatoes packed upside down for shipping?[reply]

This is just a guess but I'd think it's because the skin is thicker on the top of the tomato and if the box were set down too hard or it fell, the top would take the impact better than the bottom. Dismas|^(talk) 19:16, 6 August 2006 (UTC)[reply]

Also there must be plant diseases that find a good entry near the place where the tomato was taken off the branch. Or dehydratation would be a little quicker. But it may just be of no use, as fruits are now quicly sold and eaten. Do you still store apples for winter ? I was told to store them upside down. --DLL 21:40, 6 August 2006 (UTC)[reply]

The reason might be to prevent condensation collecting in the hole (which could become a breeding ground for such diseases). But then they had better be put on their sides. DirkvdM 07:39, 7 August 2006 (UTC)[reply]

buoyancy aid

Is there any reason why we haven't an article for the buoyancy aid? Or am i misspelling it? --Dangherous 18:27, 6 August 2006 (UTC)[reply]

You appear to have spelled Buoyancy correctly. Perhaps floatation device needs some redirects pointing to it? - 87.209.70.231 18:44, 6 August 2006 (UTC)[reply]
- Or are you thinking of the little pillow type sleeve things that little kids wear before they know how to swim? Floatation device doesn't seem to mention them even in the see also section... Dismas|^(talk) 19:19, 6 August 2006 (UTC)[reply]

Try waterwings. Natgoo 21:08, 6 August 2006 (UTC)[reply]

Someone should try to make it easier to navigate. --Proficient 04:11, 9 August 2006 (UTC)[reply]

No herbs, topical creams, or balms?

In Animal Crossing, I went into Hazel's house and looked in her wardrobe. I was told "You couldn't find any herb. No topical creams. No balms. Nothing." What does this mean? Is it a reference to something? I don't really understand why it says that. --Optichan 19:52, 6 August 2006 (UTC)[reply]

You might want to check the GameFAQs (http://gamefaqs.com) board for Animal Crossing. I'm sure you'll reach far more AC players through it.

'Graphic Novel' history books

My name is Ryan Sease and I am a teacher at Santa Fe South High School in OKC. I was wondering if you knew of any books that cover topics like US Government, World History, Geography, or US History that are similiar (i.e. being like a graphic novel) to Larry Gonick's work (i.e. Cartoon History of the Universe)? I know that Larry Gonick's work is the most accessible, but I was wondering if there similiar types of work out there.

Please, email me at rsease at santafesouth dot org if you have any works as the ones like Larry Gonick's that concern topics like World History and other Social Studies topics.

Thanks!

Please do not ask for email. An answer can be given here. --DLL 21:34, 6 August 2006 (UTC)[reply]

There's Maus, of course. Brought to Light has a (polemical) history, of sorts, of the CIA. When the Wind Blows discusses a nuclear attack on the UK, and would work well in a class discussing war. -- Finlay McWalter | Talk 09:44, 7 August 2006 (UTC)[reply]

I understand Stan Sakai's Usagi Yojimbo collection, Grasscutter has been used as a textbook for Japanese mythology. The Plot by Will Eisner discusses the history of The Protocols of the Elders of Zion. The collected In the Shadow of No Towers, also by Art Spiegelman provides a journal of the cartoonist's experiences for a period after 9/11. Frank Miller's 300 is a speculative, but generally on base, account of the Battle of Thermopylae. Generally, though sequential art is not the preferred medium for text books and the like, it frequently, like any other narrative form, does produce accurate historical fiction and nonfiction. --Amanaplanacanalpanama 19:07, 7 August 2006 (UTC)[reply]

There's the classic Barefoot Gen, about the aftermath of Hiroshima. And recently there was a graphic novel adaptation of the 9/11 Commission Report.[3] -- noosph e re 23:27, 11 August 2006 (UTC)[reply]

Asiapac books produce some great graphic Chinese and Singaporean history, religion and philosophy books - funny and accurate. My favourite is a series of biographies of Chinese historical figures - the drawings really bring the subjects to life. Natgoo 18:14, 14 August 2006 (UTC)[reply]

History of a Name

I am researching a family name and wonder if there is a specific meaning to "manski" in a Polish name.

A suggestion?? You may be splitting the name up wrong. "Ski" is a common ending, ie, Polanski, and perhaps "manski" has no meaning at all.--Teutoberg 01:29, 7 August 2006 (UTC)[reply]

"Ski" is a common adjectival ending in Polish and Polish-origin Russian surnames, often associated with place names. "Warszawski" originally meant a person from Warsaw, "Moszkowski" was a Muscovite, "Rimski" meant a Roman, etc. JackofOz 01:39, 7 August 2006 (UTC)[reply]

Bogart Movies

…Who was the actress or main or female lead in The Treasure of Sierra Madre with Humphrey Bogart as directed by John Houston in 1948

As you'll notice from our The Treasure of the Sierra Madre article, and the IMDb page linked from it, there appear to be no female lead, and indeed significant parts for women at all. -- Finlay McWalter | Talk 21:08, 6 August 2006 (UTC)[reply]

Wimin, we don't need no stinkin' wimin! Ziggurat 22:20, 6 August 2006 (UTC)[reply]

Third World Country

What does the term Third World (as in country) mean? What are first and second world countries?

See Third World. -- Finlay McWalter | Talk 21:43, 6 August 2006 (UTC)[reply]

The terms were coined in the cold war, only third world is commonly used now (first and second relaticely unheard of now), these terma have not been updated, and some countries remain stuck with a term they were given in the 50's. They have been pretty much replaced with other terms including LEDCs, MEDCs, or by references to stages on the demographic transition model. Philc _T^E_C^I 13:53, 9 August 2006 (UTC)[reply]

The Second World was what the Communist bloc countries were called.Courtney Akins 17:55, 12 August 2006 (UTC)[reply]

fearless

fearless is a great movie do u agree ????

Never heard of it --Froth 23:00, 6 August 2006 (UTC)[reply]

Nor is this the place to ask for opinions (which won't stop some people from giving them, but that's a different matter). DirkvdM 07:46, 7 August 2006 (UTC)[reply]

Geographical Maps

Where on Wikipedia can I find geographical maps of different countries? Example: Spain, etc. Thank you, Maria.

You should be able to find something in Spain or whatever other country you like, just type it into the search bar and press Go. Chris M. 23:09, 6 August 2006 (UTC)[reply]

Spain has a geographical map, but not all country articles do. You could also check out the external links at the end of the article. Or you could go to Google images and type in the name of the country. Or you could have a look at Google maps, although that requires a littel study into how it works. DirkvdM 07:52, 7 August 2006 (UTC)[reply]

Scattergories categories

I'm looking for a list of the categories in the game Scattergories or perhaps a link to a page with such links. If either of these can be done, it would be greatly appreciated. Perhaps just an e-mail to me? Chris M. 23:02, 6 August 2006 (UTC)[reply]

Fantasy book similar to "Wheel of Time"

Looking for some new fantasy books to delve into. I enjoyed the first three volumes of "Wheel of Time" but I got bored with it because it never ended. Any recommendations?

Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials trilogy is a superior example of the fantasy genre. It's billed as children's literature (but then so was The Hobbit), but it's far from childish. -- Finlay McWalter | Talk 23:23, 6 August 2006 (UTC)[reply]

Or Michael Swanwick's The Iron Dragon's Daughter. I know exactly what you mean about endless fantasy series, having read all the way through the interminable duo of trudge-trilogies The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant, the Unbeliever (which I entirely don't recommend). -- Finlay McWalter | Talk 23:33, 6 August 2006 (UTC)[reply]

If you want something with a little more thought to character than the average, I heartily recommend Tad William's Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn series. It's only three books long, it's finished, and it's good. Ziggurat 00:05, 7 August 2006 (UTC)[reply]

I've never read "Wheel of Time" so my recommendation may be a bit amiss; The Dancers at the End of Time by Michael Moorcock. Thoroughly well written, frequently funny, always inventive &c &c. The first three books form the trilogy. Others are an optional afterthought. The wikipedia article is a bit crap, though. --Tagishsimon (talk)

Raymond E Fiest. Rift war, the first, although i have read 4 or five of em, is onr of the best books i have ever read, and this is not my chosen subject to read about. give it a go Magician is the first.

George RR Martin's Song of Ice and Fire. Not as much magic but faster paced with more shades of grey in each character. Terry Brooks's Shannara series is somewhat similar but tends to go on and on. Terry Goodkind's first few books in the Sword of Truth series are very similar to Jordan, so much so that there is talk of plagerism, but they are generally faster paced; unfortunately the series really goes down hill at about book 8. If you can hold out through a few slower later novels, Jordan's last Wheel of Time book should come out sometime in the next two years provided his health holds up. Nowimnthing 16:32, 7 August 2006 (UTC)[reply]

Anything and everything by Guy Gavriel Kay, but in particular, Tigana, which may be one of the best, sweetest, saddest books I have ever read. Most of his books stand on their own, not part of a series, although he has written a trilogy, The Fionavar Tapestry, and a duology, The Sarantine Mosaic. User:Zoe|(talk) 23:28, 7 August 2006 (UTC)[reply]