Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Humanities/2008 July 2

Humanities desk
< July 1	<< Jun | July | Aug >>	July 3 >

Welcome to the Wikipedia Humanities Reference Desk 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 on one of the current reference desk pages.

July 2

Album of the Year artwork licensing

Wouldn't the license of the artwork for Faith No More's Album of the Year technically be public domain, since the cover is a photo of Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk (who died 71 years ago) with the only modification being the words "album of the year" in a basic typeface in the lower right corner, or is there some other factor that I've missed out? — Balthazar ^(T|C) 00:06, 2 July 2008 (UTC)

The relevant date is the death of the photographer, not the subject of the photograph, so this image may still fall under copyright. --D. Monack | talk 09:40, 2 July 2008 (UTC)

unknown painting #2

baby angel putting a rose crown on a beautiful woman dressed in a white and blue gown {looks roman} —Preceding unsigned comment added by 76.229.105.205 (talk) 01:50, 2 July 2008 (UTC)

any luck finding artist ? —Preceding unsigned comment added by Bigskimarche (talk • contribs) 04:03, 2 July 2008 (UTC)

So, we're probably looking for a marian work? Can you give us any more detail, like where you saw it? When? Anything about the style of painting? 86.141.89.124 (talk) 01:07, 5 July 2008 (UTC)

looking for unknown artist

a little more detail on painting.it looks like an 18th or 19th century painting. young boy has a red suit with knickers and white lace collar and sleeves.his legs are crossed and his head is leaning on his left hand.the object hes sitting on looks like a crown carved out of rock.also he has flowers by his right knee.i just got this picture and not knowing who painted it is driving me nuts. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 76.229.105.205 (talk) 02:09, 2 July 2008 (UTC)

There are so many unknown artists.... But you might have more luck if you can upload a photo either here to the ref desk or to a photo sharing site.--Shantavira|^{feed me} 13:09, 2 July 2008 (UTC)

The Watchtower

Is there anyplace online I can find old issues of The Watchtower magazine or Awake! (and it's predecessors). Help is appreciated, thanks! Abeg92contribs 04:09, 2 July 2008 (UTC)

Watchtower library serves as a kind of archive. I have noticed it available for free download but I am pretty sure that isn't legal. Also, the library is intended for use by witnesses. It contains the watchtower issues from 1980 to the present day (depending on which version you get) and the new world translation bible, and two volumes of the insight to the scriptures book. If in doubt pop down to your local kingdom hall, all material is free of charge. --Cameron* 09:28, 2 July 2008 (UTC)

Older literature is hard to acquire. My family was active in the Witnesses since its founding with pastor Russell. My father ihheirited a treasure trove of very old Watchtowers and other publications in them. The Society is said to destroy such literature. I pored over my greatuncles' books as a child and teenager. The Society constantly revises its prophecies and beliefs b/c their predictions don't come true. Other religions may do the same. I do not know. When my father died, the collection was donated to the local Kingdom Hall. A few years later I heard that religious scholars were very interested in the works. I planned to donate to my alma mater, Columbia, b/c I did not want them going to some disreputable group just tearing the Witnesses down. No one could locate my collection. If you are interested, a lot of the early books have pyramid theology and use local train schedules. Christmas was an occasion to give people Witness books. Happy hunting. I would try major universities that research American religious history.75Janice (talk) 23:52, 2 July 2008 (UTC)75Janice75Janice (talk) 23:52, 2 July 2008 (UTC)

Bcom 2003 Mumbai University syllabus

Where can I find the Mumbai University BCom syllabus for 2003? 05:08, 2 July 2008 (UTC)

Mumbai University links to the university's website. If you can't find the syllabus on there, then perhaps you could email them. Itsmejudith (talk) 08:58, 3 July 2008 (UTC)

Characters troubled by visions of the future

I have a scenario in mind and I'm wondering if it has ever been portrayed in literature or film. In this scenario, a character is troubled by visions of nasty things happening to others in the future, and tries to do what he/she can to stop them from happening. Kind of like Minority Report, I guess, although without the law enforcement angle. If anyone can think of a film or novel in which such a scenario occurs, I'd be interested to hear about it. Please note, though, I'm primarily interested in highbrow literary fiction and art film, not hokey genre material. Many thanks. --Richardrj ^{talk email} 07:26, 2 July 2008 (UTC)

The Iliad, specifically the story of Cassandra is the archetypical case of trying to prevent prophecy. She saw the fall of Troy in visions, but was not believed. See Cassandra (metaphor) for different examples in literature, film and reality.

Less highbrow perhaps is Heroes season 1, which revolves around preventing the visions of Isaac Mendez. C mon (talk) 09:20, 2 July 2008 (UTC)

This is a pretty classic concept, really. You may want to check out articles on Precognition, Premonition, Vision (spirituality) and Precognitive dreams, and especially Category:Fictional characters with precognition, which will probably give you a pretty good idea of how common the idea is in fiction... well, actually, now that I look at the list more closely, the category is pretty heavily populated by comic book characters, which is a pretty clear case of systemic bias, but the concept has certainly popped up in all sorts of movies and books as well. (Another recent Dick adaptation, Next, dealt with precognition as well.) It's also a plot device in countless video games. -- Captain Disdain (talk) 10:34, 2 July 2008 (UTC)

Maybe not quite on target, but the main character in Twelve Monkeys time-travels from the future to try to prevent the release of a deadly virus in our present/his past. Gandalf61 (talk) 10:37, 2 July 2008 (UTC)

I knew it, edit conflict but anyway, I guess the terms are premonition or precognition, even second sight (cassandra etc) or flash forward (eg tv series Lost) or even prolepsis,and I guess there are several examples in run of the mill horror movies, tv programmes etc but trying to think of good quality examples... Not quite on the mark(er) but I never miss the opportunity to mention the brilliant and poetic La Jetée. What is the nature of present and past anyway? And are they separate from memory and perception? Not all cultures have the same orientation in time as we do in the west: the Maori word for the past means front, whats in front of you, because it can be seen. The word for the future, muri, means behind, because its unseen. Kurt Vonnegut's "Slaughterhouse-Five", Martin Amis' novel "Times Arrow" play with the flow of time, so does Brian Aldiss novel "An Age" (pub as "Cryptozoic" in US) but they aren't really what you are after. Try "He can look ahead. See what's coming. He can - prethink. Let's call it that. He can see into the future. Probably he doesn't perceive it as the future." "No," Anita said thoughtfully. "It would seem like the present. He has a broader present. But his present lies ahead, not back. Our present is related to the past Only the past is certain, to us. To him, the future is certain. And he probably doesn't remember the past, any more than any animal remembers what happened." The Golden Man, by Philip K. Dick. Mhicaoidh (talk) 10:59, 2 July 2008 (UTC)

Recent good fiction: "About Grace" Anthony Doerr sounds relevant and of course 'The Time Traveler's Wife" Audrey Niffenegger may or may not count!. Mhicaoidh (talk) 11:28, 2 July 2008 (UTC)

Dune. Plasticup ^T/C 11:58, 2 July 2008 (UTC)

The compelling movie Miracle Mile uses a pay phone as the source of the premonition. --Sean 15:39, 2 July 2008 (UTC)

The Dead Zone? APL (talk) 20:44, 2 July 2008 (UTC)

Perhaps an episode of Seeing Things? I had no idea the series had gone on that long or been seen in so many countries. Matt Deres (talk) 15:47, 3 July 2008 (UTC)

There's also another version of this archetype that's arguably just as common (or even more so) than the Cassandra variant: the self-fulfilling prophecy: where someone makes a prophecy, and people try to act on it to avoid it (or try to act on it to make it happen), only to have those very action be the thing that makes the prophecy come true. I.e., the prophecy causes itself. Examples abound, but most famously there is Oedipus, Macbeth, and my personal favorite is the myth of the death of Baldr in Norse mythology. Also: Professor Trelawneys vision in Harry Potter, which causes Voldemort to go after young Harry, which in turn causes his (first) downfall. They're everywhere! --Oskar 09:17, 4 July 2008 (UTC)

Frequency ?/hotclaws 13:55, 7 July 2008 (UTC)

Kosher law

If say a Jew were to eat a pork flavored product which didn't have any pork in it, merely pork flavourings; for example, smoky bacon crisps, would they be breaking kosher law? I can't see how if there's no trace of pork and merely e-numbers --Thanks, Hadseys 10:33, 2 July 2008 (UTC)

All these E numbers come from somewhere, and that somewhere can be non-kosher. So it depends. It seems that artificial flavourings are subject to kosher certification: Here. Fribbler (talk) 10:38, 2 July 2008 (UTC)

If there is nothing which is not kosher in the product, there is no reason why not to eat it. In fact the Talmud (Hullin 109b) states that if one wants to eat something with the taste of pork, one can eat the brain of the shibutta fish which has such a taste. Simonschaim (talk) 12:48, 2 July 2008 (UTC)

In Wikipedese that's a shibuta. Fish brains! Yummy!--Shantavira|^{feed me} 13:06, 2 July 2008 (UTC)

Eat them up, yum! -- Coneslayer (talk) 17:14, 2 July 2008 (UTC)

Bacos are so far from real bacon that they're actually Kosher, I believe. -- Mwalcoff (talk) 23:52, 2 July 2008 (UTC)

Falkland Islands Defence Force

In the wikipedia article about the Falkland Islands the Falkland Islands Defence Force is mentioned as being fully funded by the Islands government and totally made up of volunteers from the Island. Does this mean they are a separate force from the British military presence on the island? And if so, are they being commanded by the Islands government, the governor or the British military Commander? Any help on these questions would be much appreciated! —Preceding unsigned comment added by 80.101.134.43 (talk) 13:03, 2 July 2008 (UTC)

The Falkland Islands Defence Force is certainly a separate force and is commanded by its senior officer, ultimately controlled by the islands' Governor, who is advised by the Executive Council. Xn4 21:26, 4 July 2008 (UTC)

Strange Comic

Could someone inform me as to what comic this section is from? It's bamboozling me. Appreciated.

http://img108.imageshack.us/my.php?image=b3th9.png —Preceding unsigned comment added by 88.110.191.16 (talk) 18:28, 2 July 2008 (UTC)

Looks like Dream from The Sandman. --Fastfission (talk) 19:46, 2 July 2008 (UTC)

Gun Politics in Israel

If I am a resident in Israel, am I allowed to carry a gun, like concealed carry? I couldn't find an article here about it. Spencer^T♦C 19:53, 2 July 2008 (UTC)

yes, but you need a permit - eg search 'gun law israel'87.102.86.73 (talk) 19:56, 2 July 2008 (UTC)

Grampians

Are the Grampians really 1700 km2? They seem much larger. 124.168.41.16 (talk) 23:10, 2 July 2008 (UTC)

Yes, I believe that's the area of the national park. The elevation changes can make them seem larger than they actually are. Spencer^T♦C 23:46, 2 July 2008 (UTC)

States

Why are the two Dakotas, the two Virginias, and the two Carolinas considered separate states? 124.168.41.16 (talk) 23:10, 2 July 2008 (UTC)

That's just the name of the state. The state can take the name of the region, for example The Dakotas is the region, but the North and South parts of the region are separate states. Same with The Carolinas. However, Virginia and West Virginia were once one big state, but in 1861, the Western part split and became West Virginia. See West_Virginia#Separation_from_Virginia for more about that. I hope this helps. Spencer^T♦C 23:51, 2 July 2008 (UTC)

According to our articles, there was originally a united Province of Carolina, but it was divided in the early 18th century, presumably for ease of administration. Dakota Territory was admitted to the union as two separate states for reasons of distance and perhaps to give the Republicans two extra seats in the Senate. West Virginia split from Virginia during the Civil War over the secession issue. -- Mwalcoff (talk) 00:00, 3 July 2008 (UTC)