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May 9

Immanuel Kant, Benjamin Franklin

Did Benjamin Franklin and Kant know of each other, read each other's work, or meet each other or correspond?Rich (talk) 04:25, 9 May 2024 (UTC)

• Kant never left his hometown of Königsberg, and Franklin spent exactly 2 months of 1766 in Germany, which I believe was almost entirely spent in Hanover. So the answer would seem to be no for "meet".
• Kant famously described Franklin as "The Prometheus of Modern Times" (but not "The American Prometheus" afaik).
• As for correspondence, I haven't found anything, or anything about Franklin being aware of Kant, though I would have to guess so if my life depended on it.

Remsense诉 04:38, 9 May 2024 (UTC)

Slavery in Vietnam

Hello. Does anyone know when Chattel Slavery was abolished in Vietnam? I know slavery was abolished by France during the colonial period in Cambodia and Laos, so I assume it was the same in Vietnam, but I have not managed to find out any date. Does anyone know the year when slaver was abolished in Vietnam? Thanks--Aciram (talk) 12:02, 9 May 2024 (UTC)

"Following a 'Government of Admirals' generally in favour of respecting traditional institutions, Le Myre de Vilers, who in 1879 became the first civil Governor of Indochina, introduced the French Penal code and consequently officially abolished slavery."[1] --jpgordon^{𝄢𝄆𝄐𝄇} 14:10, 9 May 2024 (UTC)

Ah! Excellent. Thank you very much!--Aciram (talk) 16:41, 9 May 2024 (UTC)

May 10

German South West Africa

Does anyone know why specifically the Germans were "granted" South-West Africa? I know that they established Lüderitz in 1884, but I can't figure out why they settled there specifically, other than for strategic purposes and proximity to The Cape. Could anyone tell me if there was anything else to it? Thanks! Roosterchz (talk) 18:06, 10 May 2024 (UTC)

I think it was just about the only coastal part of Africa that was unclaimed by other European powers. Having colonies was thought to be an essential accessory for any country wishing to be a major player on the world stage. The carve-up was confirmed by Berlin Conference in 1884/85. Alansplodge (talk) 19:34, 10 May 2024 (UTC)

With protectionism and the promulgation of Bismarck's anti-socialist law in 1878-1879, the colonial issue became a matter of interest to important sections of the German ruling classes... A colonial movement led by National Liberal and Free Conservative politicians began, which resulted in the foundation of the German Colonial Association on December 6, 1882... Colonialism became fashionable once the European powers partitioned Africa in earnest. Enthusiastic pressure-groups sprang up throughout Europe, agitating for colonies on economic grounds and as a sign of national greatness... The basic idea underlying this movement was that colonial expansion was ultimately only the logical complement to tariffs on industrial goods. While the duties created more avorable conditions for increasing German exports, entirely new markets were to be secured by the acquisition of colonies abroad...

German Imperialism in Africa: The Distorted Images of Cameroon, Namibia, Tanzania, and Togo

Alansplodge (talk) 19:51, 10 May 2024 (UTC)

Avorable? {The poster formerly known as 87.81.230.195} 188.220.175.176 (talk) 08:46, 11 May 2024 (UTC)

[f]avorable. DuncanHill (talk) 11:38, 11 May 2024 (UTC)

Thanks, a copying error. :-) Alansplodge (talk) 13:01, 11 May 2024 (UTC)

See also the Herero Wars for a bit more info, and the German Colonial Society, as mentioned in the extract by Alansplodge above. MinorProphet (talk) 20:10, 15 May 2024 (UTC)

Vlaamse Koning

Also, does anyone know if Leopold II could speak Dutch/Flemish at a native level? I would assume so however, I couldn't find a definitive answer. Thanks again! Roosterchz (talk) 18:48, 10 May 2024 (UTC)

Did he understand Dutch? [He almost certainly did.] Did he speak it? [Almost never.] It was clear that French was still his preferred tongue, as was also the case with his brother, Prince Philip. In stark contrast, Queen Marie-Henriette did make an effort to speak Dutch. This was particularly awkward at state functions at which the royal couple were both present, since the queen babbled away in one national language, while the king continued to talk exclusively in the other! This inability (or unwillingness) of the king and his brother to speak Dutch was occasionally a source of criticism in the Flemish press.

From Belgium and the Monarchy: From National Independence to National Disintegration (p. 49)

Alansplodge (talk) 19:20, 10 May 2024 (UTC)

May 11

East-west interstates go 10,20,30,40,64,70,80,90 with no 50

The main east-west interstates in the United States, in order from south to north, are 10, 20, 30, 40, 64, 70, 80, and 90; with no 50. The reason there is no I-50 is because they thought that I-50 and US 50 would likely go through the same areas, and that it would be confusing. But, according to the US 50 article, US 50 is north of I-64, and the missing I-50 would be between I-40 and I-64. What's wrong with what I said?? Georgia guy (talk) 19:07, 11 May 2024 (UTC)

Two thoughts… first I-64 may have been an afterthought (ie added after they had decided to skip both I-50 and I-60 in the numbering)… second, it seems that I-64 was originally planed to run quite a bit further to the north than it does now. Blueboar (talk) 19:37, 11 May 2024 (UTC)

Where was it initially planned to go?? It goes from Saint Louis through Louisville, Lexington, Huntington, Charleston, Beckley, Charlottesville, Richmond, and Norfolk. What cities was it initially planned to go through?? Georgia guy (talk) 19:53, 11 May 2024 (UTC)

The Feds say that even going through some of the same states as US-50 would have been confusing. Remember, they reversed the numbering system to avoid the US Route numbering system. And I-50 may have never reached the planning stage. Abductive (reasoning) 20:26, 11 May 2024 (UTC)

May 14

Grade level splitting/staggering in American schools

I am interested in genealogy, and in the course of research I found that many American high school yearbooks over 50 years ago contained both a January graduating class and a June graduating class. Grade levels were split or staggered into "A" and "B" grades, e.g., you weren't in 10th grade, you were either in "10A" or "10B". Presumably one half moved up in January and the other half moved up in June. An example yearbook is here: [2]. Are there any available resources that discuss this historical practice? Helpful Raccoon (talk) 00:34, 14 May 2024 (UTC)

My high school in Canada did this too! Félix An (talk) 09:18, 14 May 2024 (UTC)

It would likely be up to the rules in a given state (or province) or possibly even the local school board. ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 09:55, 14 May 2024 (UTC)

In California, the practice was in reaction to the baby boomers filling the schools faster than the voters approved new spending on facilities and faculty. By the 1970s, there were even split sessions within a single day: morning (7:30am-lunch) and afternoon (lunch-5pm). DOR (ex-HK) (talk) 18:58, 15 May 2024 (UTC)

I'm not sure we're talking about the same thing -- this practice started well before the baby boomers and was being phased out by the 1960s. Helpful Raccoon (talk) 19:32, 15 May 2024 (UTC)

2004–2009 UAE population boom

According to the World Bank, the total population of the UAE double from 2004 (4m) to 2009 (8m). Was this really the case? Or is it just that the large population of foreign workers was undercounted before and that was fixed during that period? a455bcd9 (Antoine) (talk) 06:04, 14 May 2024 (UTC)

Their crude birth rate has dropped from around 16‰ in 2000 to around 10‰.[3] That seems to tell most of the story. Remsense诉 08:14, 14 May 2024 (UTC)

Meanwhile, the inwards migration rate to the UAE reached a peak of 109% in 2007/8 [4] Alansplodge (talk) 14:40, 14 May 2024 (UTC)

Is xe.com a reliable source for checking exchange rates?

Just for making deals/transactions among close friends with foreign currencies (not to send money), is xe.com a WP:RS to check the rates? Félix An (talk) 09:16, 14 May 2024 (UTC)

Yes, as long as a 1-2% variation isn't a deal-breaker DOR (ex-HK) (talk) 19:00, 15 May 2024 (UTC)

Can the name of Virginia be changed to East Virginia?

East Virginia ~ West Virginia, just like North Carolina ~ South Carolina and North Dakota ~ South Dakota, they are “opposite direction” names, and if so, then we can have a state name starting with the letter E. 2402:7500:92D:FD81:EC83:9EB4:F66F:5867 (talk) 09:42, 14 May 2024 (UTC)

In theory. But why would they want to? ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 09:53, 14 May 2024 (UTC)

North Dakota and South Dakota were decreed into existence by Congress in the 19th century, while the Province of Carolina was split into North Carolina and South Carolina in 1712. In neither case was one considered to be part of the other. However, Virginia existed as a British colony, then a U.S. state, for over 200 years, from the early 17th century until the U.S. Civil War, when it became exceedingly awkward that the northwest part of the state was solidly pro-Union, while the rest was Confederate. The remaining part of the state when West Virginia split off contained the state capital, most of the population, the majority of the land, all of the seacoast, and the political elites who traditionally ran the state, so it was the clear and obvious successor state to the previous undivided commonwealth (state) of Virginia. The Virginia elites did not have positive feelings about West Virginia splitting off, and felt that their part was the "real" historic Virginia, and so were not motivated to rename to "East Virginia". AnonMoos (talk) 10:42, 14 May 2024 (UTC)

If the name of Virginia be changed to East Virginia, then the game geography using the 50 States of America should be more interesting, since no State of America begins with the letter E but many States of America ends with the letter E (it is widely known that if the first player choose the state Maine, then the second player loses the game immediately, since no State of America begins with the letter E or ends with the letter M). 220.132.230.56 (talk) 11:05, 18 May 2024 (UTC)

The question was can the name be changed. Yes, why not? The US has one state that changed its name, with no problems. --142.112.220.50 (talk) 15:28, 14 May 2024 (UTC)

Rhode Island changed its official name to what everyone calls it anyway. Is there anyone in Virginia who calls their state "East Virginia"? ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 16:32, 14 May 2024 (UTC)

Virginia has clung to a name that is only used in official documents and even hardly known among the Virginians themselves.  --Lambiam 19:37, 16 May 2024 (UTC)

To the contrary, as a Virginia resident for five years, I frequently saw references to the Commonwealth in non-official documents (e.g. they were frequently in my newspaper), and I suspect you couldn't live in Virginia long without being aware of it. Nyttend (talk) 05:32, 18 May 2024 (UTC)

Commonwealth of Massachusetts, for example. Also, Pennsylvania, Kentucky, Puerto Rico and Northern Mariana Islands. ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 14:33, 18 May 2024 (UTC)

The usage might be most prominent in the name of Virginia Commonwealth University. ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 21:27, 16 May 2024 (UTC)

Every so often a governor of North Dakota will argue for changing it to just "Dakota". Then someone will counter-argue that that cold, desolate state should instead be just "North". And that usually puts an end to it, again. ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 16:34, 14 May 2024 (UTC)

It's like Palo Alto and East Palo Alto. There ain't no West Palo Alto – even though we have a redirect. Actually, most of East Palo Alto is more to the West than most of Palo Alto.

Also San Francisco and South San Francisco, famously nicknamed "The Industrial City". Cullen328 (talk) 20:50, 18 May 2024 (UTC)

May 15

payment aggregators and payment gateways

Is it accurate to categorize payment aggregators and payment gateways as payment infrastructure providers or payment system providers? What distinction would be more precise in describing their role in the payment ecosystem? Grotesquetruth (talk) 11:00, 15 May 2024 (UTC)

Walmart

Matt Stoller tweets:

The spread of Walmart in the 1980s shattered Southern politics, that’s *purely* a trade and antitrust story. The civil rights movement is not why the South went to the right.[5]

What does he mean by that? Walmart shifted Southern politics rightward but not the rest of the country? They are everywhere I thought. Was it just about consolidating retail or was there more, like offshoring manufacturing? Does Amazon have a similar effect now? Thanks. 2601:644:8501:AAF0:DBFA:4401:E57A:AAC4 (talk) 11:44, 15 May 2024 (UTC)

Reading the entire Twitter chain, he is merely using Walmart as an example of a larger trend. His argument is that the South turned to the GOP because of economic issues, not Civil Rights issues. Whether he is correct (or not) is not something we should debate on this page. Blueboar (talk) 12:37, 15 May 2024 (UTC)

Aha. I didn't see the rest of the thread. No I didn't want a debate, I just wanted to understand what he is saying. I guess it's not entirely about Walmart. Thanks. 2601:644:8501:AAF0:DBFA:4401:E57A:AAC4 (talk) 12:45, 15 May 2024 (UTC)

The author making that argument probably also denies that the Civil War was about slavery. ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 12:50, 15 May 2024 (UTC)

For the conventional narrative which he's disputing, see Southern strategy... -- AnonMoos (talk) 16:32, 15 May 2024 (UTC)

House of Stairs II by M. C. Escher

Resolved

Does that [above] exist? Curl-up article claims it does (uncited}, but I am unable to find evidence. The following is the most comprehensive listing that I found: [6] -- 136.54.106.120 (talk) 18:57, 15 May 2024 (UTC)

:Is this the expanded version? Mikenorton (talk) 19:42, 15 May 2024 (UTC)

M.C. Escher, House of Stairs II, November 1951. Lithograph on 3 sheets of cream wove paper, 139.5 x 36 cm. National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa.

From STEPPING STONES: EXPANDING THE OTHERWORLDLY UNIVERSE OF M.C. ESCHER by the National Gallery of Canada. Alansplodge (talk) 11:09, 16 May 2024 (UTC)

 Thanks

May 16

Roman Inscriptions

Ancient Roman inscriptions often have a cartouche with triangular wings at the sides. What is the reason/meaning/history of them? You can see an example here: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Roman_Inscription_in_T%C3%A9bessa,_Algeria_%28EDH_-_F002215%29.jpeg Thank you! 82.56.17.61 (talk) 07:01, 16 May 2024 (UTC) Block evasion. Dekimasuよ! 11:24, 18 May 2024 (UTC)

It's the shape of a tabula ansata. An academic reference on this type of inscription frame can be found here. --Wrongfilter (talk) 07:10, 16 May 2024 (UTC)

Numbers and colors on a Japanese calendar

I have seen days on a Japanese calendar labeled with a sequence of numbers 1 to 9 together with colors. Apparently the sequence is called 九星 and goes like this: 一白, 二黒, 三碧, 四緑, 五黄, 六白, 七赤, 八白, 九紫. What does it mean and how is it used? Today, May 16, 2024, is a 二黒 day. What does that mean? 2601:18A:C500:E830:526A:B17D:E5EF:4ACD (talk) 08:40, 16 May 2024 (UTC)

The colour names are those of the colours associated with each star of Nine Star Ki; see Nine Star Ki § Star characteristics and compatibilities.  --Lambiam 13:35, 16 May 2024 (UTC)

May 18

Concerning cameras

Contax S

When was the 35mm pentaprism camera (SLR) introduced? I know the 35mm size was used by WWII but wasn't those rangefinders. Saw an episode og Hogan's Heroes and a SLR was used, it looked out of place. DMc75771 (talk) 16:26, 18 May 2024 (UTC)

From Single-lens reflex camera: "The first 35 mm SLR available to the mass market, Leica's PLOOT reflex housing along with a 200 mm f4.5 lens paired to a 35 mm rangefinder camera body, debuted in 1935." and "K. Nüchterlein's Kine Exakta (Germany, 1936) was the first integrated 35 mm SLR to enter the market. Additional Exakta models, all with waist-level finders, were produced up to and during World War II." Modocc (talk) 16:46, 18 May 2024 (UTC)

Neither of those had pentaprism viewfinders. The 1949 Contax S was the first pentaprism SLR. DuncanHill (talk) 18:22, 18 May 2024 (UTC)

Nevertheless, Hogan's Heroes studio likely used one of the 35mm SLRs in use during WWII. Modocc (talk) 18:46, 18 May 2024 (UTC)

The OP asked about pentaprism cameras. I know Hogan's Heroes was renowned for its historical accuracy and attention to detail, but it is just possible they slipped up on this. DuncanHill (talk) 19:45, 18 May 2024 (UTC)

I forgot. Hogan used a Minox B. Produced a decade later. Modocc (talk) 23:48, 18 May 2024 (UTC)

Wazimamoto

In colonial EaWest Africa (and I believe later, and elsewhere) there was an urban myth, folklore, conspiracy theory or belief that fire engines were used by white people to gather blood these vampires were called wazimamoto. The elements seemed to be that white people are white because they have insufficient blood and that fire engines were red to symbolise blood. In those days it was also common for axes and ladders to be strapped to the side of a fire engine, which could fuel the imagination, perhaps. I think I read an article about this belief on Wikipedia, but I can only find an odd line in the Vampire article. Do we have more?

All the best: Rich Farmbrough 22:25, 18 May 2024 (UTC).

Looks to be more East, than West, African, see Myths, Legends, and Faith: Wazimamoto, Vampires and Blood-Draining in East Africa, and Vehicles and Vampires. DuncanHill (talk) 22:33, 18 May 2024 (UTC)

Other terms include mumiani and banyama. There is material about the history of these terms available online but we do not seem to have anything on Wikipedia at first glance. Dekimasuよ! 01:10, 19 May 2024 (UTC)