Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Miscellaneous/2007 October 19

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October 19

drake and josh

I josh gay? Everytime that i watch the show, josh always does this flinch when he rarely kisses a girl. It doesn't look like he enjoys it that much like Drake does. and i also saw that he has an earring on his right ear, so it just made me wonder. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 74.230.110.162 (talk) 00:13, 19 October 2007 (UTC)

But if he (the character) were gay, he wouldn't kiss girls. Do you mean the character or the actor playing him? Cheers,JetLover (Report a mistake) 02:36, 19 October 2007 (UTC)

Do you mean in the show or in real life? either way wikipedia probably would be unable to answer that. It would pretty much just come down to a matter of opinion between various editors. The only way to know if that is the case on the show is a statement by Nickelodeon or Viacom and if in real life then only a statement by him or a release of incontrivertable evidence could answer that.Cryo921 03:11, 19 October 2007 (UTC)

He told me it was the actor [1]. It's a hard thing to get right, he has never talked about it. I don't really know how to answer. Cheers,JetLover (Report a mistake) 03:25, 19 October 2007 (UTC)

• For everyone who doesn't know --> Drake and Josh. My answer: Earring? Since when do earrings have to do with someone's sexuality? Also, not kissing girls doesn't mean anything either. He might be shy, he could have a germ-phobia, or he could simply be in control of his feelings. Either way, it's impossible to tell without evidence like the others said - Mgm|^(talk) 08:22, 19 October 2007 (UTC)

Supposedly men who wear earrings in their right ear are indicating that they are gay, unlike straight guys like me who wear an earring in the left ear. I remember hearing this "theory" from something like ten years ago when I first got both my ears pierced (I'm in the NW region of the US), though as of now I only wear one earring in my left ear. My extremely informal and unscientific observational research over the years suggests that there may be some validity to this idea, although I doubt its universal. Seems silly now, but I think I'd still be somewhat self-concious wearing one in my right ear alone, though one in each is fine. I would be interested to hear any gay guys out there weigh in: secret code or would I be safe from being constantly hit on if I decided to switch up ears. :) 38.112.225.84 14:02, 19 October 2007 (UTC)

Sample size of one - I'm gay, I wear a single earring in my left ear. The days of an earring indicating anything are long gone, if they ever existed. Also, Mr. Clean, single earring in his left ear, but he likes housework. Not that there's anything wrong with that... --LarryMac | Talk 14:55, 19 October 2007 (UTC)

Hm, never noticed that before. Bald, tall, wears tight clean clothing, bright blue eyes with a disarming smile, jewlery (earring), muscular forearms, and covered in thparkles.. not to mention the loving housework. *shudder* Gives a new meaning to don't bend over to pick up the soap :D --ffroth 03:33, 22 October 2007 (UTC)

Anime Film Name

I was watching a anime film but i dont know the name,its about some guy who's like a space adventurer,at the start of the film,he shown as a baby,boy.teenager and adult,he has a female robot who falls in love with him,and then some unicorn or whatever,and finally the adventurer becomes a baby again and he is taken by the female robot now a human woman,i would like to know the name of that anime film,thank you!!!

You asked this question before and nobody knew try google —Preceding unsigned comment added by 74.230.110.162 (talk) 00:35, 19 October 2007 (UTC)

The lead singer of Magneto (band)

What is the real name of the singer of Magneto (band), Alan (singer) —Preceding unsigned comment added by Ericthebrainiac (talk • contribs) 00:51, 19 October 2007 (UTC)

• According to his mp3.com page, it is Erick Ibarra Miramontes -- Ferkelparade π 07:22, 19 October 2007 (UTC)

Why did you include links to the articles on Non Sequitur, dolphin, irredentism, Soccer, Botswana, Lewis and Clark, Buick, and Cairo in your answer? Cryo921 08:42, 19 October 2007 (UTC)

Because we get really annoyed by Ericthebrainiacs habit of linking words like "the" in his questions. SteveBaker 11:35, 19 October 2007 (UTC)

Time period

If 10 years is a decade, 20 years is a score, 100 years is a century, what is 1000 years? Are there other referenced timed periods? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 70.138.216.26 (talk) 01:03, 19 October 2007 (UTC)

A millenium ? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 88.109.65.125 (talk) 01:14, 19 October 2007 (UTC)

Normally spelled millennium. --Anon, 03:04 UTC, Oct. 19.

The spelling with two 'n's is correct. Wiktionary says the version with one 'n' is a "common misspelling". SteveBaker 09:24, 19 October 2007 (UTC)

I agree, but it's a matter of opinion (in other words, POV) what's a common misspelling and what's a variant spelling. --Anon, 22:17, Oct. 19.

Here is a list (at the end of the document). It looks OK, but I wouldn't bet my life on its veracity. --Milkbreath 01:22, 19 October 2007 (UTC)

It's a millennium any way i do believe a score only means 20, not twenty years Cryo921 03:15, 19 October 2007 (UTC)

That's right. We refer to 20 years as a "score of years", not just a score. -- JackofOz 04:16, 19 October 2007 (UTC)

Then what does "four score and seven years ago" mean? --124.254.77.148 06:30, 19 October 2007 (UTC)

"Four (groups of) twenty plus seven" years ago, (i.e. 87 years. The Gettysberg Address was given in 1863, 87 years after the United States Declaration of Independence). Here "score" is used with years, not by itself. As Cryo921 said, a score is 20 of something. -- Flyguy649 ^talk 06:38, 19 October 2007 (UTC)

It's like "four hundred and seven years ago". Parse it as "(four score and seven)years ago" - not "(four score) and (seven years) ago". SteveBaker 09:27, 19 October 2007 (UTC)

Category:Units of time page lists some other named time periods. For the exhaustive Hindu system, see Hindu units of measurement. Another ancient system at Mesoamerican Long Count calendar. For something still used today, see Great year; and while you're at it, Category:Time in astronomy. Pfly 06:54, 19 October 2007 (UTC)

To the original questioner: I heard somewhere that “an age” originally meant one thousand years. If true it’s a quite archaic term in any case. --S.dedalus 22:51, 19 October 2007 (UTC)

The Romans also had lustrum, five years, sometimes translated as lustre. Xn4 03:50, 20 October 2007 (UTC)

I was surprised that "olympiad" wasn't in the Units of time Category. An olympiad is a period of 4 years between successive celebrations of the Olympic Games (and not, as we're so often egregiously misinformed by journalists, the games themselves). -- JackofOz 01:51, 21 October 2007 (UTC)

Relaxing over Tensing

This was inspired by a question above but it's sort of a tangent. Many people say that if you relax your body rather than tensing it you have a much greater chance of surviving a sudden impact (eg a baby is more likely to survive a multistory fall than an adult because they're relaxed, a person asleep is more likely to survive a crash with a seatbelt then a person awake with a seatbelt because they don't know what is about to hit them). However, people like the Shaolin monks and stuff do the opposite, they build up and tense parts of their bodies so that they can take blows that they'd have no chance of withstanding if they were relaxed.

So does being relaxed really give you more chance of withstanding a sudden impact, and if so why? 144.137.82.91 07:22, 19 October 2007 (UTC)

It's got to depend on the nature and extent of the impact. Here is a thought experiment for you: Take a ceramic coffee mug and an aluminium coke can and toss them out of a tenth floor window onto concrete...which one survives the best? The coffee mug is super-stiff - it can't absorb the energy without breaking - the coke can bends a bit - but it survives. OK - now, with a new coffee cup and coke can - stab each one as hard as you can with the point of a pencil. The coffee cup survives intact - the coke can has a big dent in one side and perhaps even a small hole. Being relaxed in a car accident is like being the softer coke can in the first experiment. Tensing your abdominal muscle when you are about to take a blow to the stomach is like being the ceramic cup in the second experiment. Failure to tense his stomach muscles when being punched is said by some to be what killed Harry Houdini. SteveBaker 09:20, 19 October 2007 (UTC)

I've also heard, though not seen any supporting research, that drunks have a better chance of surviving car accidents because of the "relaxed" phenomenon. In regards to your martial arts example, there is a style, Drunken Boxing, that seeks to take advantage of the amazingly cool and fun super abilities conferred by drinking alcohol. *hic*. 38.112.225.84 13:48, 19 October 2007 (UTC)

And don't forget that Edmund Hillary was able to climb Everest thanks to Tensing. 80.254.147.52 15:45, 19 October 2007 (UTC)

Very clever :) GeeJo ^(t)⁄_(c) • 20:14, 20 October 2007 (UTC)

Why the doggy dance?

What is the purpose of the dance-like movements of a dog before defecating. I'm aware that smell has an effect on the dog in respect of triggering the response to toilet but once the location is established via the smell, what further purpose is achieved by the 'fine tuning' gyrations whilst performing the act? Yes I'm a dog owner and it's always amused me to see the dog never seemingly being satisfied by its first choice of location. Makes the clean-up afterwards somewhat tedious too :) ---- WebHamster 10:10, 19 October 2007 (UTC)

Nothing like finding the perfect spot. Kind of like shifting around in your seat until you are comfortable or deciding which urinal to approach. Not as good as the scuffing feet afterwards and looking all pleased with yourself. Can't beat kicking up some grass. Don't forget that in the wild animals frequently use excerement to mark their territory. My Jack Russell follows my Cross around and pees over anywhere he pees. She even cocks her leg a little at one year (yes, she) while he still squats at two years. She's such a tomboy. Lanfear's Bane | t 11:08, 19 October 2007 (UTC)

Dogs are really into body language - it's probably some kind of signal to the rest of the pack...which is YOU...and you are totally failing to pay appropriate attention to the message (whatever it is)! SteveBaker 11:29, 19 October 2007 (UTC)

My labrador retriever does an amusing spinning of the back end before pooping that I have theorized (without evidence!) is an instinct to clear out any nasties (snakes, etc.) that might be lurking in the brush. Better to find out just before than during. --Sean 14:08, 19 October 2007 (UTC)

My dog twiddles her hind legs first, not really hopping, but shifting her weight definitely, which I always assumed was getting in the most comfortable position, and getting herself at an angle so that she won't leave a mess on the fur underneath. Of course, that's entirely my common-sense assumption and has no basis whatsoever in any sort of research, so take it with a grain of salt! 17:25, 21 October 2007 (UTC) —Preceding unsigned comment added by 131.162.146.86 (talk)

Gonzuka

If I could figure out how to add a page I would but I also cannot find any information on GONZUKA or GONZUKA Precidence. Seems Gonzuka has disappeared from our history. I was surprised Wiki didn't have it. In fact no search engines had any information

I found the Gonzuka here http://www.cbc.ca/news/background/iraq/military-contractors.html

Maybe someone with Wiki can post more on this lost precedence. I do not think I need to explain to any of you what the Gonzuka pertains to. TY —Preceding unsigned comment added by 4.244.9.154 (talk) 11:47, 19 October 2007 (UTC)

Gave seperate section. Lanfear's Bane | t 12:10, 19 October 2007 (UTC)

As far as I can see, this is merely a Korean word meaning "contractor". Wilipedia is not a Korean dictionary, but if you think this should have its own Wikipedia article, please see Help:Starting a new page.--Shantavira|^{feed me} 13:01, 19 October 2007 (UTC)

You said: I do not think I need to explain to any of you what the Gonzuka pertains to - well, I'm sorry, but you do have to explain if you want a decent answer! If no search engines are finding anything, you've probably spelled it wrong or something. Explaining what you think it means would definitely help to find out what the heck you are talking about! SteveBaker 13:58, 19 October 2007 (UTC)

Note that the article cited spells it gonzoku. —Tamfang 09:47, 20 October 2007 (UTC)

bibliography

Hello i am trying to write my referances for my national history project and you are a part of it so ineed the following information:

• year or edition

Thats it thanks!!!! —Preceding unsigned comment added by 74.236.38.248 (talk) 12:12, 19 October 2007 (UTC)

This site gives the following examples of references from an online encyclopedia:

c. Internet citation for an article from an online encyclopedia:

Duiker, William J. "Ho Chi Minh." Encarta Online Encyclopedia. 2005. Microsoft. 10 Oct. 2005 <http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761558397/Ho_Chi_Minh.html>.

"Ho Chi Minh." Encyclopædia Britannica. 2005. Encyclopædia Britannica Premium Service. 9 Oct. 2005 <http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9040629>.

"Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC)." Britannica Concise Encyclopedia. 2005. Encyclopædia Britannica. 8 Oct. 2005 <http://concise.britannica.com/ebc/article?eu=402567>.

The dates in the citation are the date of publication (which you could find by burrowing into the edit history and finding the exact date on which the part you quote was posted, or else just say 2007, if you accessed it this year) and the date with day and month on which you accessed the page. The assumption is that most documents are published just once on a specific date, rather than continuously updated like Wikipedia. SaundersW 12:25, 19 October 2007 (UTC)

To cite Wikipedia, go to the article you wish to cite, then click on the "Cite this article" link in the toolbox in the left hand column.--Shantavira|^{feed me} 12:46, 19 October 2007 (UTC)

I am pretty sure this edition of Wikipedia was published in 1958. − Twas Now ( talk • contribs • e-mail ) 09:17, 20 October 2007 (UTC)

general

1. The volcano Vesuvius is located in?
2. The country known as the Land of White Elephant is?
3. The place known as the Roof of the world is?
4. The world's largest diamond producing country is?
5. The founder of modern Germany is?

—Preceding unsigned comment added by Mufleeh (talk • contribs) 12:48, 19 October 2007 (UTC)

All the answers to these questions can be found by doing your own research. Try typing the key phrases into a search engine, and looking through the results.87.102.7.57 12:51, 19 October 2007 (UTC)

These are really pretty easy Google/Wiki searches...but a couple of them are tricky.

1. The volcano Vesuvius is located in? -- Mount Vesuvius is the volcano. It's located in Naples, Italy.
2. The country known as the Land of White Elephant is? -- Neither Google nor Wikipedia shows any such place. But White elephant says that these animals are prized in Burma, Tailand and Cambodia. White elephant (pachyderm) has more details.

(http://ww.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&q=+Land+of+White+Elephant+&meta= clearly gives Burma, Siam ,Thailand or SE asia in general)87.102.7.57 14:09, 19 October 2007 (UTC)

1. The place known as the Roof of the world is? -- Variously, Mount Everest or the entire Tibetan Plateau.
2. The world's largest diamond producing country is? -- According to Diamond that would be central and southern Africa. This image shows more: Image:Diamond output2.PNG
3. The founder of modern Germany is? -- A matter of debate - depending on how "modern" you mean. I guess I'd argue for William I, German Emperor who was the first person to unify Germany.

SteveBaker 13:46, 19 October 2007 (UTC)

(http://ww.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&q=%22founder+of+modern+germany%22&meta= Bismarck most likely)87.102.7.57 14:12, 19 October 2007 (UTC)

I'd go for Bismarck over William. GeeJo ^(t)⁄_(c) • 16:11, 19 October 2007 (UTC)

Never mind Bismark and Wilhelm, what about the Hoff? FiggyBee 21:04, 19 October 2007 (UTC)

Vesuvius isn't in Naples, it's on the outskirts, actually closer to Ercolano. Corvus cornix 18:42, 19 October 2007 (UTC)

Vesuvius is in (..sub-state of..) of Italy?87.102.17.46 13:08, 20 October 2007 (UTC)

For #4: The largest country which produces diamonds, or the country which produces the most diamonds? − Twas Now ( talk • contribs • e-mail ) 09:14, 20 October 2007 (UTC)

Obviously the country that produces the largest diamonds!87.102.17.46 13:07, 20 October 2007 (UTC)

And the "Land of the White Elephant" is clearly Washington, DC, where they are created...-SandyJax 16:47, 24 October 2007 (UTC)

Cloning yourself

If you cloned yourself and had a relationship with your clone would that be incest? --124.254.77.148 14:22, 19 October 2007 (UTC)

Complex masterbation perhaps. Lanfear's Bane | t 15:02, 19 October 2007 (UTC)

By my reading of our articles on incest and kinship the answer is a clear yes. Whether the activity would be covered by current laws on incest is a distinct question - it depends on how the law defines the act of incest (i.e. there is a difference between the common definition of incest, and violation of the laws prohibiting incest in any jurisdiction). Presumably by the time the ability to clone yourself existed as a practical activity, the law definition would catch up. --Tagishsimon (talk) 15:10, 19 October 2007 (UTC)

A similar dilemma is presented in The Time Traveler's Wife when the protagonist meets a slightly younger version of himself. I won't spoil it for you but it is mildly amusing. Good book too for anyone interested, don't be put off by the fact Richard and Judy plugged it. Lanfear's Bane | t 15:29, 19 October 2007 (UTC)

My wife cried like Gazza at the end of that book. As for cloning, Tagishsimon hit the nail on the head. It would technically be incest, but our incest laws are based upon social contructs, not complex genetic ones. This question is one of many that ethicists will have to struggle with should the technology and will to clone humans emerge. The problem is merely a social one though, because since your clone would be the same sex as you, the risk of inbreeding isn't an issue. Personally, I would say that anyone who found themselves in this situation should probably consider whether that suffer from Narcissistic personality disorder. Rockpocket 18:32, 19 October 2007 (UTC)

See also "All You Zombies—" by Robert A. Heinlein for a classic science fiction short story on this topic. (Warning: our article contains spoilers.) TenOfAllTrades(talk) 20:20, 19 October 2007 (UTC)

Hmm, that's not even the best example from Heinlein; there wasn't any cloning involved in that story. Whereas there was in one of the Lazarus Long stories, and the issue comes up directly with Laz and Lor. --Trovatore 20:53, 19 October 2007 (UTC)

Time Enough for Love. Gandalf61 21:07, 19 October 2007 (UTC)

A similar one-liner I once heard "When siamese twins have sex with each other, is that incest or masturbation?".risk 21:10, 19 October 2007 (UTC)

See http://xkcd.com/267/ --ffroth 00:01, 20 October 2007 (UTC)

Deodorant

Every single stick of deodorant that I have had always has the words "apply to underarms only". I can't treally think of any practical or health reasons as to why it should only be applied to the underarms only. Does anyone know why the deodorant companies do this?

Thanks.

129.100.206.134 14:33, 19 October 2007 (UTC)

Because "do not eat" would sound even stupider? I guess some idiot somewhere might get it into his head to rub it all over to stop sweating, which would be dangerous in the heat and would lead to a lawsuit. --Milkbreath 15:09, 19 October 2007 (UTC)

(EC) I'd assume trying to reduce corporate liability is a primary reason. Here in the U.S. people are prone to sue companies at the drop of the hat, which makes it prudent to try and cover all your bases. However, this does lead to some pretty ridiculous, though often amusing, warnings on products. I believe there are even yearly "awards" that are given out for the most self-evident, or stupid, or whatever product warnings; although the name of this award escapes me at the moment it's good for a chuckle if I recall. Besides, it's not inconceivable, unfortunately, that some idiot with bad breath would decide to eat their deodorant and then sue the company after the ensuing, inevitable I'd think, sickness occurs. 38.112.225.84 15:11, 19 October 2007 (UTC)

Warning: This product is packaged in a factory which handles peanuts. - on a packet of peanuts is the best one I've seen in real life. --Kurt Shaped Box 15:38, 19 October 2007 (UTC)

Darwin Awards. Lanfear's Bane | t 15:15, 19 October 2007 (UTC)

You can have a peek at these, [2], although how true some of them are I do not know. Sainsbury's Tiramasu used to say 'Do not turn upside down' on the bottom of the product. You can check next time you are in. Lanfear's Bane | t 15:19, 19 October 2007 (UTC)

Last year I noticed that the posters on the walls in Burger King (featuring large photos of burgers, donuts, ice creams and whatnot) had "not actual size" in small print at the bottom.... --Kurt Shaped Box 15:49, 19 October 2007 (UTC)

Also it really f------g stings if you spray it elsewere - (don't try it - I mean really stings)87.102.7.57 15:32, 19 October 2007 (UTC)

Which reminds me of the opening titles to Tucker's Luck. DuncanHill 15:33, 19 October 2007 (UTC)

I can confirm it stings. If spraying deodorant before getting dressed, do not maintain a constant pressure whilst moving from armpit to armpit in a lazy loop via 'the delicate masculine area'. It stings. Deep Heat on the other hand which you would expect to sting is very comfortable in small amounts. Shower gels with mint however, I find coolingly uncomfortable. Lanfear's Bane | t 15:42, 19 October 2007 (UTC)

Darwin Awards isn't it. I think I found the awards I was trying to remember, [[3]]. As to the tangent about stinging experiences: A few years back I strained a groin muscle playing soccer and decided that some Bengay might help. Anyways, the fumes or whatever drifted upwards and it was seriously one of the most painful experiences ever. So don't do that. On the other hand, a little Gold Bond medicated powder on the sack feels like a million fairies gently blowing on it, highly reccomend. 38.112.225.84 16:23, 19 October 2007 (UTC)

I've seen a package of chips that has "Play to win!" and "Purchase not needed to enter contest", but it says that the details and extra needed info were on the inside. You must have to be a thief to not need to purchase it in order to do the contest ^_^ --PolarWolf ( grrr... ) 01:01, 20 October 2007 (UTC)

The explanation for that one is that if they required you to make a purchase to enter the contest, they'd be running a lottery, which is illegal in many places, or requires an expensive licence in others. But obviously they don't want you to enter for free, so they have to put the details somewhere you can't see them unless you buy and open the product. FiggyBee 03:45, 20 October 2007 (UTC)

By the way, I find that a spray of alcohol works at least as well as "deodorant", and it's way cheap. (It's not the sweat itself that stinks, but bacteria that live in it.) —Tamfang 09:57, 20 October 2007 (UTC)

It's not an antiperspirant though, unless you soak your armpits until the skin has boiled off :P --ffroth 15:52, 20 October 2007 (UTC)

Neither, presumably, are the other deodorants mentioned in this item. —Tamfang 06:05, 21 October 2007 (UTC)

Why? I mean, I'm aware that (for some reason) man-deodorants tend not to be anti-perspirant (although I wasn't aware of that until a few anti-perspirant man-deodorants started running ads extoling the virtues of anti-perspirant), but I've never met a woman-deodorant that was called a deodorant and wasn't anti-perspirant (those tend to be called 'body-spray'). So, I see no reason to assume that none of the other deodorants mentioned in this item are anti-perspirant. Skittle 11:09, 21 October 2007 (UTC)

Hm. Not being a woman, I can't be sure, but – I've heard an advertisement in which a woman complains, "My deodorant doesn't keep me dry." "Jane, you ignorant slut, that's because it's not an antiperspirant." I probably misremembered the exact wording. :P —Tamfang 19:02, 22 October 2007 (UTC)

Perhaps things are different in a larger country; perhaps women feel less need for anti-perspirant when there's more space between them and the next person :) But even that ad reflects an expectation that a deodorant would be anti-perspirant, although poor Jane is sadly mistaken. Skittle 21:34, 22 October 2007 (UTC)

Signs Website

"If your smokestack falls over, do not allow giant lips to fly out of it."

Several years ago I saw a website where people would post pictures of warning signs from around the world, and users could leave funny comments on what the sign meant (not-so-funny example at right). Does anyone happen to have a link to that site? Thanks. --Sean 16:01, 19 October 2007 (UTC)

I can think of another comment on the example on the right. A round sign with a red border is a prohibition sign. A strike-through means a negation. So the sign reads 'forbidden not to smoke'. :) DirkvdM 18:04, 19 October 2007 (UTC)

• That joke works in Europe, but not in North America, where the red circle by itself has no particular meaning and needs the slash to form a negation symbol. I don't know about other continents. --Anon, 22:25 UTC, October 19, 2007.

There are lots of such websites. If you Google "funny signs" this is the first hit out of many thousands. As a cyclist, this is one of my local favourites.--Shantavira|^{feed me} 18:31, 19 October 2007 (UTC)

Here's one I took myself, when I lived in Toronto. --Trovatore 19:36, 20 October 2007 (UTC)

• No, I'm looking for something more specific than that. It was "funny comments about real signs" rather than "funny signs". --Sean 18:43, 19 October 2007 (UTC)

See also July 25#weird road signs. A.Z. 03:32, 20 October 2007 (UTC)

swanksigns.org --Bavi H 14:57, 20 October 2007 (UTC)

• BINGO! Thanks Bavi H! --Sean 18:58, 21 October 2007 (UTC)

Old English villages in America

Is there a list, of even one for that matter, of old English villages in America or places where a traveler from GB can go and feel right at home as if back in the UK, here in America? Clem 21:32, 19 October 2007 (UTC)

Are you serious? There are no such places. There are some towns and villages that can be traced back to early English settlement, but they're nowadays just as American as everywhere else.--Pharos 21:36, 19 October 2007 (UTC)

Yes, perfectly serious. There are in fact two places in South Carolina that are not villages but which are still owned by the descendants of the persons whom the King of England granted property prior to the revolution. One is an inn and the other is a quail hunting lodge. The descendants are of course American but relish their English heritage and operate more or less according to its cultural rules. Very relaxing for the traveler weary of the sheer insanity of the lower classes that the rest of America accomodates. Clem 21:56, 19 October 2007 (UTC)

There are places where Americans have created what they think an old English village is like. In reality they turn out to be a rather amusing parody. The English village at by London Bridge in Lake Havasu City is a good example, though it has run into disrepair recently (which, ironically enough, might be the one thing that it has in common with real English villages). However, if you want to feel at home in the US (at least on the west coast) I find a visit to Santa Monica does the trick. The place is crawling with ex-pat Brits, and there are some really decent pubs serving English beer, food and with proper football on the telly! There is also a shop selling British food (at extortionate prices) which they import themselves. I got myself a can of Irn-Bru there last time i visited. The only slightly disconcerting thing is the amazing weather and tanned, beautiful people at the bar (rather than some old wino with his dog demanding another pint of scrumpy). Rockpocket 22:19, 19 October 2007 (UTC)

To clarify, lest I give readers the wrong idea of english village pubs, its the wino who would typically be demanding the scrumpy, not the dog) Rockpocket 19:17, 20 October 2007 (UTC)

I don't know, some pubs I've been in it'd be the dog. DuncanHill 19:21, 20 October 2007 (UTC)

There also the Plimoth Plantation, but that would only work for you if you felt at home in 6127. Rockpocket 22:25, 19 October 2007 (UTC)

Where is 6127? --Anon, 22:27 UTC, Oct. 91. :-)

Eeek. I meant 1627. Rockpocket 22:30, 19 October 2007 (UTC)

The beach at Santa Monica always strikes me as the most English part. The pier is very English seaside town, and 'Shutters on the Beach' could be in Bournemouth. There's another public beach away from the built-up area of LA, about an hour's drive to the north west of Santa Monica, along the Pacific Coast Highway, which I find very English, but I've forgotten the name of it. It's a Spanish name. Xn4 03:24, 20 October 2007 (UTC)

It's not in America (at least, not the United States thereof), but Victoria, British Columbia prides itself on its English heritage and flavour. It's a city mind you, not a village. (As to Santa Monica, while I'll grant that the pier has an English seaside taste to it, I'd say the beach itself is pure California - not nearly rocky and windswept enough to be English, and the water's actually warm enough to swim in! But perhaps that's my POV showing through.) - Eron ^Talk 05:56, 20 October 2007 (UTC)

"Very relaxing for the traveler weary of the sheer insanity of the lower classes that the rest of America accomodates." Are you seriously serious? Next time you should think more carefully about coming on here and asking Americans for help if you're just going to insult our tolerance of all kinds of people. If you don't want to meet any "lower classes", then maybe you better not come to America at all. Come to think of it, maybe you'd better just stay holed up in your castle in the North of England, far from all forms of civilization, where there always seem to be those pesky people of the lower classes. You'd also better fire your servants, cut off all your plumbing, generate your own electricity, and stop having your garbage taken away, because chances are it's people from the lower classes who work hard to provide you with those conveniences. -- BlastOButter42 ^See Hear _Speak 20:57, 20 October 2007 (UTC)

To be fair, s/he didn't explicitly ask Americans for help and, since s/he wrote in the third person, its not 100% clear from his question that s/he is British. Still, where I live in America certainly doesn't accommodate the lower classes. I wish it did. Rockpocket 21:35, 20 October 2007 (UTC)

Hey, in what sense is the North of England "far from all forms of civilization"? Now you're insulting me! =) Anyway, s/he certainly didn't sound serious... 130.88.79.2 13:51, 25 October 2007 (UTC)

Perhaps Hilton Village in Newport News, Virginia, although I believe is completely residential - i.e. you can't run down the pub for a pint and a chip butty. --LarryMac | Talk 13:21, 20 October 2007 (UTC)

What I'd like to know is if there are any places for an American to feel like home in Europe -- you know, a community of neat, red brick houses behind white picket fences on tree-lined streets surrounding a Main Street with a diner cooking up hamburgers showing American football on the TV next to a town square with a gazebo. -- Mwalcoff 23:03, 20 October 2007 (UTC)

Well, most of the United States Air Force Bases in Europe were like little bits of American on foreign soil. I used to live in Suffolk and would occasionally get to visit [RAF Mildenhall]] and it was just like being in a small US town. Rockpocket 00:13, 22 October 2007 (UTC)

How about Midsomer? American football aside, some of the places there seem like your description. Of course, four or five people are always getting murdered, but that's a lot like America too.

Atlant 19:24, 21 October 2007 (UTC)

I'm surprised no one has mentioned New England yet. Granted, much of it has the kind of rampant suburban sprawl that the English won't allow, but there are parts of it that have a kind of English urban feel, particularly the old, pre-automobile inner suburbs of Boston. A colleague from the UK was here for meetings and after traveling by taxicab through Cambridge and Somerville, she said she felt as if she hadn't left London. I think that the centers of some of our mill towns, such as Lowell feel much like the similarly depressed old mill towns of Lancashire and Yorkshire. While some of rural New England's town centers do have a bit of an English village feel, they are much less compact than English villages and tend to be surrounded by woods rather than fields. Marco polo 01:11, 21 October 2007 (UTC)

I actually considered suggesting Boston, Massachusetts when this question was first posted, but I'm not sure contemporary Boston could be claimed to feel "English". There's obviously lots of Irish influence, the Chinese quarter, the Italian quarter, and so on, but no place that I could think of that I'd call unreservedly "English". But there's no question that New England, as a whole, feels lot like olde England.

Atlant 19:31, 21 October 2007 (UTC)

Mario hat

What do you call the kind of hat that Mario wears? --Alph Tech STUART 21:48, 19 October 2007 (UTC)

I would call that a cap. FiggyBee 23:25, 19 October 2007 (UTC)

Love this question. One feels one ought to know. I poked around on the Web and found this. It's called a beretto marinaio (sailor's cap). I don't think that's quite it, though. There's also the beretto piatto (plate cap?) that would look pretty close if you undid the snap I'm guessing holds the crown to the brim. I started by looking for "stonemason hat OR cap", but no dice. It's a kind of beretto, anyway, looks like. --Milkbreath 01:00, 20 October 2007 (UTC)

Piatto means "flat". It can also mean "plate", but I think "flat" is the obvious meaning here. --Trovatore 08:59, 21 October 2007 (UTC)

Indeed. GeeJo ^(t)⁄_(c) • 14:04, 21 October 2007 (UTC)

But of course Mario's hat was created by a graphic artist, and may not directly correlate to any actual hat in the real world. It's a blob that looks about right without being too heavy on the polygons. FiggyBee 01:36, 20 October 2007 (UTC)

And it arose (or was placed on his head), IIRC, from our Donkey Kong (video game) article, because hair was too difficult to draw. "Drawing a mouth was too difficult, so the character got a mustache; the programmers could not animate hair, so he got a cap; and to make his arm movements visible, he needed colored overalls." --Tagishsimon (talk) 14:56, 22 October 2007 (UTC)

Man in a suit

Is there a name or origin for the iconic cartoon man who meets these descriptions:

• he wears a black pinstripe suit
• the pants have a very low crotch so the inseam only goes up to around the knees
• he walks with extremely long paces, his legs stretching ridiculously between steps
• he walks with his hands in his pockets and swaggers a lot

--ffroth 23:20, 19 October 2007 (UTC)

Except for the part about the inseam, it sounds like the Monty Python "Ministry of Silly Walks" sketch. It wasn't a cartoon though and I wouldn't describe it as iconic necessarily. Dismas|^(talk) 01:36, 20 October 2007 (UTC)

No, it's not such much as big steps as slinking low along the ground and swaggering the shoulders a lot. I think he's maybe supposed to be a cartoon mock 1930s gangster.. I think he typically has a cigar. Anyone know what I'm talking about? The inseam thing is the thing I remember most clearly.. I saw someone the other day with that type suit and I thought "that's just like.. that.. that ONE cartoon guy.. uhm.." so that's the main feature and what prompted me to ask --ffroth 02:52, 20 October 2007 (UTC)

Zoot suit? —Nricardo 02:56, 20 October 2007 (UTC)

My first thought was of cartoon depictions of Groucho Marx , But you didn't mention a ridiculous mustache which is vital in Groucho depictions.--APL 04:03, 20 October 2007 (UTC)

Do you mean something like the wolf in Red Hot Riding Hood? [4] risk 11:17, 20 October 2007 (UTC)

I've seen this and it was in an old (1930's maybe) cartoon, but can't remember the character's name. The clothing though sounds like a Zoot Suit. Maybe you could check out some old Betty Boop or early Disney cartoons. Astronaut 14:07, 20 October 2007 (UTC)

Riff-Raff from Underdog? I don't remember how he walked, and he's a wolf, not a man, but what do you want for free? We got pinstripes and cigar. I'm still looking. --Milkbreath 23:05, 20 October 2007 (UTC)

I suspect a Robert Crumb character - he specialises in that sort of man & that sort of walk, albeit I cannot immediately recall a pinstripe. Also sounds a little like Gilbert Shelton's Norbert the Nark, but his suit was black, not pinstripe. Whatever, I'll plump for a counter-culture cartoonist as the answer. --Tagishsimon (talk) 14:31, 22 October 2007 (UTC)